Modestly Yours

Nick Cannon Take Three

I'm just following up on the Nick Cannon post where people asked whether there have been male hip-hop artists speaking out against promiscuity.  Well there is Lyfe Jennings. He has a song out that is very popular with teens, and it encourages teens to say no to sex.  The name of the song is "S-E-X," and it was on a lot of Hip Hop and R&B stations. The video is a bit explicit but here are some lyrics for those that are interested.

S.E.X. by Lyfe Jennings:

[Intro:]
Hey yo you,
You see most cats would take adavantage of you right now
But I aint gon do that, you heard
Ima give you the game, right
Ima give it to you because
I dont want somebody to give my little girl the game
So she could find her s.e.x.

[Verse 1:]
Life's a trip
Virgin just turn 17 and finally got some hips
Hustlers on the block go crazy when you lick your lips
But they just want relations, they dont want relationships
(Welcome to the real world)
It aint the same
Fellas old enough to be your daddy know your name
Everybody's talkin bout how much that girl dun changed
Cant quite put your finger on it but you feel it's strange
Like's it's fire in your veins

[Chorus:]
Girl it's just your s.e.x.
Momma's secret
And daddy gon go crazy when he finds out that his baby's found her
S.e.x., take a deep breath
And think before you let it go

[Verse 2:]
The block is packed
Baby got an additude and proud to holla back
Momma's giving advice but she ain't tryna hear that
Not because its wrong, just her delivery is wack
("Shay, get your butt in this house, if I see you with another boy, I swear..")
Life is rough
You say that you're not ready for sex but you're in love
He says if you really loved him, you would give it up
Momma says that's just a line guys use to get your stuff
Which one will you trust?

[Chorus, etc.]
...
And think before you let it go

[Verse 3:]
Hey yo Lyfe,
She might take it better coming from a woman (get 'em girl)
See, he'll tell you all kind of things to get in your pants, yeah
Baby, it's a fact that once it's gone, you'll never get it back (never get it back)
Hold on to your innocence
Use your common sense (you're worth waiting for)
Be strong
Honey, don't give in, blessings come with patience
Till we meet again, im praying for you

James Brown's Legacy

James Brown is a music legend. He has influenced so many artists such as myself.  The godfather of soul brought so much feeling and heart to every song he sang.  The world of music has lost one of its greatest innovators.

Lately I've been thinking about the outpouring of love he inspired during his life and after his recent death: what do you think it's about?

Modest Ringtones

Jeannine, thanks so much for mentioning me in your blog. I have been speaking, performing and recording these past few months, so I wanted to give an update on what's going on.  I am working on a few exciting music projects, and I have a ringtone now for two of my songs, "Love Is Not A Game," promoting abstinence and "Brighter Days To Come," a song about hope for our youth.  To download these songs onto your cellphone, please visit my website www.ajolleytone.com

My goal is to reach our youth by combining the music that's hot today with positive messages. 

Much Love,

Rashida Jolley

Legacies

I just wanted to thank Teira Doom so much for the message she left recently about my daddy (in a previous post). For those of you who didn't see it, she wrote:

Hi Rashida,
I am so sorry to hear about your Dad. I went to Howard with him and I was in a band with him. He was a very kind and sincere musician who diligently pursued his goals. The great thing about us as musicans: our souls are forever from the gift of music that we leave behind.

Posted by: Teira Doom  

 

My daddy's spirit reached so many people.  So many people have told me how my dad touched their lives.  Each time I hear stories about how nice he was or how kind he was, it reminds me what success truly is.

Success is living your life in a way that after your death people are inspired by how you chose to live your life.  The kindness you showed them when you were alive stamps an eternal imprint on their life.  Now that's leaving a legacy!!  That is definitely what my dad has done.

Thanks again for your message, Tiera. You truly blessed my heart. 

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

I just finished speaking at a school, and I had an amazing time!  We were singing and dancing, and so on, but most importantly I was able talk about what the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, so passionately sang about - R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!!!!  And as I told the students today, if you want to receive respect, you must respect yourself and others.  Respect is like a boomerang, what you throw out there will come right back on you. When it comes to relationships, we must choose people who respect our value and our worth.  My brother and I wrote a song about this called "Love Is Not A Game," to hear please go to www.ajolleytone.com. 

A Little Pre-Holiday Encouragement

I hope everyone is doing well. Two years ago, the most important man in my life passed away, my father Noble Jolley Sr. My dad was my best friend, mentor, and the greatest father in the world. My dad, a professional jazz guitarist, was Howard University's very first jazz graduate. He wrote BET's first theme song and had the opportunity to make lots of money as a musician. However, he turned it down to raise his seven kids. Of course, my dad's influence inspired my decision to practice abstinence till marriage. I share all of this with you all, because I know first hand the heartache that comes during the holiday season when you have lost a loved one. This can be a challenging time of the year for us. However, I have found that holding on to those memories, reminiscing about old times, and sharing their legacy with others, as I just did, brings unbelievable comfort. Most importantly, you get to touch the lives of others by sharing those memories.

Brighter Days to Come

So, my brother Noble Jolley Jr., and I wrote a song that we have dedicated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  The song called "Brighter Days To Come" has just been added online.  Please go to  http://www.vipradio.com/, click onto artists, scroll down till you see my name, click on my name, and it will take you to my webpage.... from there, click onto the song, and tell me what you think.

Please check it out!

Many Blessings,
Rashida

Dealing With Criticism

I am deeply honored to be a part of this online community.

Having recently been attacked personally--I'm sure everyone here at ModestyZone has experienced this at one time or other--I just wanted to drop some encouragement to our youth to go after their dreams.

One of the greatest feelings is doing something you love to do. Use discouragement as motivation, turn all negatives into positives, and just go for it!!!