Alright, old school Destiny’s Child fans. This one is for you.

Say what you will about Michelle Williams, but I think that the chick is awesome. I’ve always had a thing for Williams. Perhaps it’s because I’ve always seen her as a bit of the underdog of the group. Oh, how I remember when she was brought on way back in the early 2000’s as one of the replacements for two of the group’s original members. If anyone can remember correctly, it was Beyonce who was doing all of the singing back then. Williams didn’t really get a chance to shine until she was given the opportunity to display her vocal talents — usually being tasked with singing the bridge of such hits as “Survivor” and my personal favorite, “Bootylicious.”

Now, I’m not even going to front — her voice is a little different from Beyonce and Kelly’s which is fine by me. Hell, this column is about diversity, you know. Michelle Williams has the kind of sultry raspy voice that could do wonders for uplifting inspirational songs or entertaining jazz numbers. In my humble opinion, her turn on “Stand Up for Love” eclipsed both Beyonce and Kelly’s verses. Still, that doesn’t seem to keep the haters from talking negatively about her.

Last week, I wrote a column on Hispanic actress Justina Machado and how it pays to be an actor and not a celebrity. I mentioned how celebrities can attract a crap ton of negative attention even when they’ve done absolutely nothing wrong. Well, I think this is what may have happened with Michelle Williams. When you’re in the spotlight as much as she was during her Destiny’s Child era, sometimes you can get disapproving attention from downbeat fans … or even unruly singers such as Keyshia Cole who took to Twitter to negatively bash Williams for her performance during the Super Bowl.

Who the hell is she to talk?

I mean, seriously: Was that tweet necessary? Maybe she was drunk. Perhaps she was high. Or both. Either way, the comment was uncalled for and I feel it kind of reinforces this negative stereotype of women being catty … especially women of color. I’m looking at you, Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey! As for the remaining Williams bashers — ya’ll ’bout to get off my dawg. She was on stage. We weren’t. She got paid a crap ton of cash. We didn’t. Hmm … next paragraph.

Growing up, I used to have aspirations of making it big in Hollywood, but now, when I hear stories like Cole’s negative tweet, I rethink those aspirations. You have to have tough skin to be a performer and I’m sure Williams does. It’s nice to know that her fans rallied in her defense. What people need to realize is that everyone is different. Clearly the woman has talent if Beyonce chose her to be in the group. So, what’s the big deal anyway? Instead of hating, shouldn’t we just give Williams her props? If you won’t then I certainly will. Way to go, Michelle! It was great to see you back on stage! Now go cash that damn check, sistah.

And let me hold twenty dollars.

Do you enjoy reading Clacking in Color? Jaylen sure as hell hopes so. Keep up with his opinions and ponderings by following him on Twitter @thesuperflynerd!

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The Presidential Inauguration was faked.

Wait … let me be a little more exacting: Certain aspects of Monday’s Presidential Inauguration were faked … not the reinvestiture of the president itself.

That monkey business music director, composer and producer Rickey Minor stated in the piece? “There’s (sic) too many variables to go live. I would never recommend any artist go live, because the slightest glitch would devastate the performance.” Bull pucky with extra cream on top. You’re a damned professional, aren’t you? Don’t you perform for a living? Don’t you walk out on stage in front of thousands of people and do your thing? What the hell?!? Get out there and do what you do best!

Yeah … I know that’s easy for me to say watching from the other side of the television screen. But I’ve been in the position of having to “display my wares” (so to speak) in front of an audience and do the best I could do without the aid of pre-recorded copy. Without lip syncing. Without faking it. Did I flub up? You betcher bippo I flubbed up at times. But when I was right as rain, I was beaming. Beaming in the afterglow of knowing I practiced my heart out and I delivered. The tape didn’t deliver for me — I did.

Again, Beyonce’s a professional. For Pete’s sake: It says right there in the article she was rehearsing for the upcoming Super Bowl! So I know she knows how to do that! It’s not a foreign concept.

Worse? The Marine Corps Band bluffed their performance as well! Talk about your let downs! I’m just as displeased with this bit of information as I am with what Beyonce pulled.

But wait … there’s more. I didn’t watch the inauguration. I caught snippets of it here and there on the evening news Monday night. I didn’t get the benefit of witnessing Beyonce do her thing “live” at the time. But what I did see was the removal of her earpiece during her “performance.” And, in light of the information she feigned her execution, this little detail really put the icing on the cake. Not only did she fool us once, she fooled us twice. In removing that earpiece, she suggested she was becoming disoriented by the music, that there was feedback, that she may have been “off” in some manner or another (which was absolutely the case), that it was affecting her ability to take care of business when, in fact, it was simply more chicanery being perpetrated.

Haven’t we seen this time and again? And haven’t we seen performers, whoever they may be, get caught with their pants down? Milli Vanilli? Ashlee Simpson on SNL? Let’s go way back: Tito Larriva’s performance with The Plugz on Richard Blade’s MV3 back in the day?

*sigh*

There’s a contingent of folks out there who will say, in light of the important proceedings that took place, what Beyonce did was prudent. I call bullshit. I say: Put up or shut up. < /rant >

P.S. I applaud Kelly Clarkson wildly for her wherewithal in contributing live to the event.

“I understand too little too late.
I realize there are things you say and do you can never take back.
But what would you be if didn’t even try?
You have to try.”

– Lyle Lovett, “Here I Am”

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