Why wouldn't BET let Justin Bieber rap? DJ and producer DJ Premier said on his blog that the Bieb asked him if he could participate in the 2011 edition of the BET Cyphers, which air during the network's yearly Hip Hop Awards, but the young star wanted Ludacris to write his part for him. DJ Premier's response: "Justin, you got to take a backseat. Write your own rhyme, honey. You got to call him 'honey' on that one."
Michelle Obama on her kids: I just hope I don't mess them up: "Like any mother, I am just hoping that I don't mess them up," the first lady told a crew of reporters at a White House roundtable discussion. Mrs. Obama went on to stress the importance of getting them out of the White House bubble, going on vacations and paying attention to their lives despite the often overwhelming spotlight on their father's, according to People magazine.
Building African-American support for Israel: With the coming of age of a new generation of black religious and social leaders, pro-Israel advocacy groups are reaching out to enroll African Americans in support of Israel, often in a religious setting, the Jewish Daily Forward reports.
Group connects corporate greed to fight for Native land: The 99 percent movement that's swept the country has reached Albuquerque, N.M. But organizers there have decided to alter the "Occupy" name out of respect for the area's indigenous communities, which some say have been forcibly occupied by the United States for centuries. Instead, organizers are calling their protests "(Un)occupy Albuquerque" to connect corporate greed with the ongoing fight for indigenous land rights, ColorLines reports.
In other news: House Ethics Probe of Jesse Jackson Jr. Resumes.
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