She Thinks She's All That...........PART 2

I was watching Oprah last week and the ICON DIVA Diana Ross was on the show.  Let me first say that when I am almost 70 years old I want to look as great Miss Ross.

This is the second part of a blog that I wrote about this subject.  And I want to use this principle in conjunction with watching two powerhouse women share love and admiration for each other. 

I talked in my last blog about using my own personal gifts as a way to motivate others and for it not to just be about me but to be about the purpose God has for my life. And as I watched Oprah Winfrey sit and pay so much to respect to Diana Ross for showing Oprah.........a funny looking Tennessee bread little girl............ what could be.  Oprah said that when she saw Diana Ross and he Supremes on the Ed Sullivan show it taught Oprah that anything was possible.  I thought that was such a beautiful full circle moment. 

What I thought was even more deeply beautiful about this moment is that when Oprah asked Miss Ross..........if she knew that at the time that she was on Ed Sullivan and topping the charts did she know that she was inspiring little girls all over the world and changing the face of music.  Miss Diana Ross replied that she really didn't understand it at the time.  She was just doing what she loved doing.    That moment touched me.

Many times in life we just live it the best way that we can.  We do what we can do and we push forward the best way that we can.  Diana Ross just wanted to be the best artist that she could be.  And in being the best Diana Ross that she could be..............she inspired an Oprah Winfrey............that is a gorgeous testament.  Now I don't think that if there was No Diana Ross that Oprah Winfrey wasn't still going to be very successful.  But maybe not the Oprah that we know today.

Miss Diana Ross raised her game by playing the Diva that came before her.........Miss Billie Holiday.  I am sure that Billie Holiday was not writing a script with her life on purpose.  I am sure that Miss Holiday didn't understand that her regular life would open doors for the likes of a Diana Ross.  I am sure that as Diana Ross walked through the doors that Miss Billie Holiday opened for her...........she didn't understand that while she was walking through those doors she was opening up doors for Oprah Winfrey.

Now Diana Ross and the Supremes are way before my time so I only really know about their story though what I hear from the women in my family who did live through that time.  But of course for me it is extremely hard to relate because of the doors that The Supremes had opened up I saw black people on TV all the time in my youth.

 In my music research and in my maturity I began to understand that before The Supremes there were no black people on TV.   I can't understand how it felt for my mother and other women to be in their early teen years and to never have seen a black face on TV.  I now understand Barry Gordy in relation to the time of which he was living.  I have heard the stories of how they "treated" Florence Ballard.  Now let me say this.............Florence Ballard being deceased IS a horrifying tragedy.  I am soooooo sorry that Florence never got to live, see and realize, the contribution that she made to the world of music. 

Barry Gordy was attempting something that had never been attempted before.  He was breaking an all black girl group into the top of the music business.  And yes Florence Ballard may have had a better voice than Diana Ross (Idon't know this for sure but is just what I have neard said in many documentaries) but in the attempt that Barry Gordy was making he had to do it the way he did it. I do understand that this probably made Florence feel rejected.  But what is so sad is that if Flo had of just held on and rode her "Supremes" fame a little longer she could have emerged from the "Supremes" as the star that she wanted to be.

But like so many of us.............we can't see past our own world enough to really see a big picture.  I have heard Mary Wilson talk down about Diana Ross over the years.  And to be honest I hadn't thought that much about it.  But as I have grown and I have had a lot of different experiences in the entertainment industry I understand now that Diana Ross stepped into the opportunities that were opened to her.  She would have been a fool not to.  I have heard Mary say..........."Yeah Diane..(Not Diana but what they called her in the projects)....I know who you are I know where you came from and don't ever think I don't know."  Now of course I don't know really what went on..........but what I will say is that........for Mary Wilson to also be in her 60s still trying to tear down Diana Ross and talking about Diana Ross' Detroit inner city project upbringing means that Mary Wilson is trying to hold Diana Ross down into a truth that Mary Wilson is comfortable with.  Yeah Diana Ross MAY have started in the projects........but that doesn't mean that this is where Diana HAS to stay.  And she hasn't.  Diana Ross is an ICON...................and Mary Wilson is still trying to get Diana Ross to acknowledge Mary as an original SUPREME. 

But here is the thing.  Mary Wilson IS an Original Supreme.......why is she waiting for Diana Ross to validate that for her.  Diana Ross just stepped through the doors that her hard work opened for her.  And if Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard had of been able to step into their ICON status instead of trying to erase Diana Ross's I think life would be different for them. 

I have seen how cold, mean, manipulative, vindictive and jealous women can be.....so I feel where Mary is coming from..........and I see now where Diana Ross is coming from.

Now, if there were no Supremes there would have been no Emotions, Jones Girls, Sister Sledge, Three Degrees, Mary Jane Girls, Klymaxx, EnVogue, SWV, Destiny's Child and countless others..  I wish that Florence could have stayed here long enough to understand that impact that she TRULY made in the music industry.  For every cause there is an effect.................when you throw a rock into the lake or the ocean you will not be around to see the effect of the one ripple................ but just know that your cause does make an effect.  I think Florence felt as though she was worthless because she was forced to sing in the back ground.  But by standing there and singing her best and looking classy she opened up the world's eyes to the power of Black females singing and doing steps.  Where would we be without you Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson. 

I say for Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and every other background singer who has felt overshadowed by their more popular front lady.................I saw stop trying to tear down her throne and instead use your own power to stand on the one that you have.  WE ALL HAVE OUR THROWN. And in my experiece, I have found that no on is willing to py the price that you pai for you throne.  They just want yours.  When you are willing to pay my price then you can have my throne..............NOTHING IN LIFE IS FREE OR COMES EASY.  You would notice iyour own throne if you would stop trying to figure out all the ways that someone else doesn't deserve theirs. 

Oprah Winfrey couldn't be the Oprah show and have been successful all those years without the people who helped behind the scenes.  Everyone can't be the host.  Mary and Flo ARE the wind that helped to lift up Diana Ross...........but instead of being upset that your wind blew her up...............take pride in the fact of how powerful your wind is. 

"She thinks she is all of that."  I am personally not going to ever let that be an insult to me anymore.  Because yes I do think that I am ALL OF THAT and more.  Whether you agree with my opinion of myself or whether you agree with the quality of my work doesn't matter.  The fact that you have found me "NOT UP TO PAR" is your opinion..............Not my truth.  I may not be and Oprah or Diana Ross ICON to the rest of the world.............but I will be an ICON in wherever the Lord places me.  Today I sit COMFORTABLY on my throne.  I do not let ANYONE make me feel that being great is a disease or Hollywood or ungodly.  I do not apologize for my humble beginnings.  They have built my character.  I don't care what you say...................I am all of that and I don't care how that makes you feel. 

I say to all of my sisters who "think you are all of that."  Keep on thinking, being, and acting that way.  You don't know who's life your are affecting in a positive way.  For every 100 people who are repulsed or offended by you..................... there are 1000 who love you.......... but will never say anything one way or the other. 

Never stop fighting and climbing until then very bittersweet end. She thinks she's all that........you're darn right!