Essay 162

The late edition of MultiCultClassics Minutes…

• New York Yankees all-star Derek Jeter was hit by a foul bawl — or more specifically, a foul letter. The hate mail, originally sent to Yankee Stadium, called Jeter “a traitor” for dating White women. Since 2002, dozens of similar messages have been mailed to prominent Black men involved with White women or having interracial parents. The FBI is investigating the matter. Looks like a simple case of major league bigotry.

• Lil’ Kim’s initial incarceration experiences have received some press coverage. The prison barber gave her a serious trim, hacking off her extensions. Funny, Martha Stewart managed to complete her sentence without mandatory alterations to her dated ‘do. Lil’ Kim remarked the fellow prisoners were “all cool people.” Right. It probably feels no different than appearing at The Source Awards.

• Another rapper avoided more time behind bars. Beanie Sigel was acquitted of nearly killing someone during a shootout at a Philadelphia strip club. Sigel was recently released from prison after serving almost a year for a federal weapons charge unrelated to the Philly gunplay. Lil’ Kim should’ve hired Sigel’s lawyer.

• A new study released by the Pew Hispanic Center revealed illegal immigrants outnumber legal immigrants. You think? Not sure why someone felt the need to conduct an official survey. Seems like anyone could have drawn the same conclusion without a shred of research. The term “illegal” may ultimately lose its negative connotations.

• D’Angelo announced he was fine and ready to start recording after an auto accident left him temporarily hospitalized. Too bad he’s been unable to recover from his career crash.