As Monday was a day to remember and look back at the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and what he strived for in regards to the future of Black America, but more so the humanity in America, certain slip ups were made by ESPN radio host Mike Greenberg of Mike and Mike In the Morning.

Since then he has come to apologize for his words and stated the fault was in him speaking too fast.  I mean, I'm sure ‘coon' and ‘king' could easily get confused right?  If the answer is no, then everyone is in agreement as such a statement makes some speculate why ‘coon' would even come out of his mouth, of all words.

The apology itself seems like it was forced as he was clearly under fire and had to quickly clean the mess up, but he must still be put on blast for such a bonehead move.  If he happened to be having a dialogue before the camera's cut on about race, so be it, but don't think an apology is enough to rectify such a brash “slip up”.

"I'm sorry that my talking too fast - and slurring my woods - might have given people who don't know our show the wrong impression about us, and about me."

Now some may read and think that there is a little too much sensitivity, but that's not the case as it more of a platform to call out faults.  If Black America is publicized for every little wrongdoing, then it must be called on both sides of the fence.  Don't confuse this with being whiny, but more of delivering a wake up call to be more aware and get it together.

“All Hip Hop did was start reporting the news and the news just happened to be bad.”

There has been debate within the African-American community to figure out exactly what happened in the relations between Black men and Black women and why  females are depicted and treated so negatively.

The finger of blame has been pointed directly at Hip Hop as the culprit of the images displayed on  television and the lyrics rapped on records. This only feeds into the minds of the consumer and force feeds them into believing that this is how women are meant to be treated.

That is, however, only one side of the coin and only one perception being displayed.

Blame is placed on other outlets in order to relieve the strain from the image that are reflected in the mirror.  Men didn't just start degrading women in Hip Hop, it started way before then and just happened to transition to it.

Releasing the book, Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man, Steve Harvey caught up with Rollingout.com to speak on how Black men haven't taken charge to mold the minds of the younger generation and make them realize the error of their ways.

“We forgot to teach the generation under us the business of just being cool.  We messed around and let cool go out of style.  Now they replaced cool with hard.  Now ain't nobody cool no more, everybody wanna be hard now.  Once you take cool out the business, cool affects a lot of stuff.”

The ripple effect has promoted negativity and as young Black men have continued to embrace this aspect, they believe that it's acceptable and bring it with them to rap and usher in a negative misconception of how women should be regarded.

“We are the only race of people, Black men, that degrade our women in our music.  We are the only race of people, how did we manage to do that?”

Citing that being a gangster is locally accepted now, Harvey adds that men feel that emotions are irrelevant and only stand behind what makes them feel as though they are “hard."

“It has resulted in how we talk to our women.  We don't talk to our women smooth no more cause we ain't cool no more.  Now we talk to our women hard.”

No matter how much people look at the television and debate and say, ‘Look at the music, this is what kids feed into,' let's take a better look at the history that had pimps and gangsters.  Every perception conceived is originated from real life situations.

“It ain't Hip Hop's fault, we caused all of this to happen.  If we would get in the business and teach our young men the business of how to be men, we could stop some of this, but we steady pointing our finger at them saying, ‘Hip Hop did this and Hip Hop did that.'

So to end the debate, Hip Hop was not and is not the reason behind the “hatred of women” that exists in the African-American community and makes men treat them like trash.  History and a lack of growth within men and women has created a rift where it is considered routine, which is utter ignorance.  Older generations point at the youth, but why blame when you can teach?  Why allow ignorance to continue and even engage in it instead of providing the younger generation a clear view of how things should be?

Hopefully, there will be a mass enlightenment, but that's very doubtful.  In the end, the world will blame Black people as Black people blame each other.  It is time to take charge and find a way to educate instead of continuing to let stupidity flood the culture.

Peep the video below:

A stand is being made by Rev. Al Sharpton as he will be pairing up with Hip Hop activist Erica Ford to lead a day of protest going against the outburst of violence.

It is being dubbed the “National Day Of Outrage."

Initiated by the National Action Network, this day will echo forever in time as the moment where the final strand of rope broke, in regards to patience, and Black America found a way to put their differences aside for just a day in order to work for a greater cause.

Taking place on November 23, the rally will feature Sharpton in Atlanta, Georgia and other rallies will take place across the country in major areas such as Los Angeles, Chicago, North Carolina, Boston, Cleveland and Philadelphia.

Speaking with AllHipHop, Sharpton opened up on how essential it is to finally be on one chord and rise together to put an end to the senseless violence.

"We must be just as vigilant against the shootings that are random, gang related or intentional because we are in a crisis state and too many lives are being forsaken. We've got to come together across all lines to fight this battle.”

While the Reverend mans the troops down in Atlanta, Ford will organize groups in New York.

Ford has continued to be a factor in restoring the order in the African-American community.  Her past work involved a program titled “Bury Da Beef” working with rap artists such as KRS-One, Tupac and many others.

“It takes a village to save a child,” Ford said. “The strength that breathes inside of us beats the madness of society. We achieve great success when we don't accept all the habits as normal behavior. Love your life.”

Along with Sharpton and Ford, the rally will also include those that were victims of gun violence as well as other activists, elected officials and citizens from the communities.

The movement will begin everywhere at 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and more information can be found at www.nationalactionnetwork.net.

The time has come to make a change.  It's time to rise and stand united as one.

The same situation is present in the Black community, but the effect has been one that has been going on for even longer.

African-American communities have continued to be ravaged with violence, drugs, poverty and more as the race has slowly been destroying itself with so much inner turmoil with the intentions of just surviving.

Heavily influenced by images that seem to generally promote more ignorance and without having even a handful of positive role models to look to, the youth have been finding their own means to get what they need and it has only added more insult to injury as they go after one another.

Accompanied by Common and Tom Joyner, poet/author Maya Angelou seems to be the person to hear the cries and will be answering the call.  In a panel discussion titled Saving the Race: The Human Race, there will be dialogue on the state of the African American community.

Angelou has been given the title of being one of the great voices of contemporary literature and has positioned herself as a historian, civil-rights activist along with many more talents.  Hopefully, her words of wisdom will be able to contribute to a positive change.

Discussion will elaborate on issues plaguing the race and will make an attempt to begin the process in rebuilding the community while trying to overcome the mentality of black inferiority, negative images and self destructive behavior.

Whether people choose to accept or reject the idea, America has continued to keep its foot lodged in the neck of Black people.  How is it that the same problems exist in the community and it's been so long; everyone else continues to prosper, but the general population continues to suffer.

Black people are only adding and creating harsher realities by taking out one another.  At this point, it feels as though dogs were left starving and were let loose to fight and feast on one another.

The easiest way to have something destroyed is through implosion and not through external factors; that way everything can be eradicated.

The event is set to take place Saturday, November 7 in New York at Riverside Church in Morningside Heights.  Tickets are being sold for $20 for general admission and $10 for students.

“Rap stopped being rap after Rakim.  Everything else was kinda like downhill.” 

There was a day in time before everybody was dancing and riding with the South when New York was known as the stomping grounds for Hip-Hop music.  Much has changed since then as the energy has shifted towards pop infused rap records and it feels as though some New York rap has been forced to conform instead of standing apart from the pack.

Melle Mel can be remembered, above all else, as the first rapper to refer to himself as an MC.  In making such a grand statement, it would only make sense that he would weigh in on his breeding grounds of New York, known as the Mecca, as well as the revolving change of a craft he helped to catapult.

During an radio interview, the member of the Furious Five sounded off on how New York has started to fall so far from where it once was. 

“Cats just stopped really New York rappin', being the real rapper's rapper cat, and started doing the East Coast version of West Coast s*&t.”

With the heavy absence of estrogen with the Hip-Hop loop, Mel expressed his feelings that women never really took advantage of the fact that they were women when they went into the studio, outside of Queen Latifah.  Aside from sex-driven lyrics, there hasn't been too much that has been able to make a woman proud of the fact that she is just that.

Being questioned about the likes of Lil Kim, whose explicit lyrics have been known to raise many eyebrows, the former rapper said that it was only a catalyst to help in the empowerment of negative perceptions towards women.

“That's not lady-like.  Let a woman rap about having kids or say something that all women can relate to.  All women can't relate to sticking a fu#*in soda can in their mouth and all that ole weird s**t.  That transformed women and how men relate to women and women relating themselves into something else.”

So many have stated that male rappers treat women like hoes, but when the female rappers are giving lewd and provocative lyrics that makes it seem as though they are only fascinated in sex, what else is there to think?  Responsibility must be given to all and the finger should not just be pointed to a genre that happens to be dominated by males.

Aside from painting illegitimate images of women, the craft has found a way to break down the community from the inside.  There is a feeling that the only way that Black America can be destroyed is through an implosion and violence has only made that come at a quicker pace.

“The main problem with Hip-Hop is that it took Black people away from ourselves.  We ain't even who we used to be anymore…We chasin' money.  Ni**as wanna get designer s$&t, like wearing $1,000 worth of sh**, and they look like they wanna rob a liquor store.  They wear Timberlands and you not gonna climb a mountain.  It took us out of ourselves.” 

The fact that pimps and drug dealers are being idolized is a problem.  The fact that everyone strives to be a rapper or respects those coming out of a prison system and tries to disrespect a young Black man that decides to go to college is an even greater issue.

Hip-Hop, we have to take responsibility.  Black America we have to take a long look in the mirror and realize whose fault certain things might be.