So BK

I love Chip, I love Corey, I love Keyia, I love Marvin. I love Jay, I love Cal, I love Wendy, Daphnie and Earnest. I love these people for reasons all their own, but each and every one of them reminds me of my favorite place on Earth right now: Brooklyn, NY. I love Junior's, I love Flatbush, I love Coney Island. I love, Nathan's, I love Linden (yes, Linden), I love Diddy. From Fabolous to Papoose to Saigon, I f'n LOVE Brooklyn! Always have, always will. It's the home of Biggie and Jay (Wendy's line) and where a tree grows (my line). I not only love Brooklyn because it's in NY, I love Brooklyn because it's f'n BROOKLYN! When did my love affair with the realest of the boros begin? I'd have to say it all started when I was an itty bitty little girl (for those of you that are shocked, yes, there was a time where I was actually little...and I listened to people!). As with most things (and people) I love, I hated Brooklyn. I would spend weekdays there with my aunt who babysat me while my mom and dad worked in Rockland til I was about 6. Then one year, I was in my aunt's wedding and for some reason, I was in BK, ridin' the subway like a pro everyday(NO idea how to get around now, trust THAT. The minute I got my license, I was out). And, as with most things, once my aunt moved to Rockland, Brooklyn became like many of my exes, out of sight, out of mind. I was a fickle little thing.

My love affair with Brooklyn became rekindled once I got my license and discovered Jay-Z. I have been in love with Jay since he was rappin' fast with Original Flava (I foget if it was an "f" or a "ph"). Much like I loved Mase back when he was Mase Murder. Sure, I love B.I.G. as much as the next one, but Jay, I'd ride for. Back when Jay and Nas weren't dappin' each other up and tonguin' each other down, I loved Jay over Nas ANY day. I fought may people over their battle about Jay's skills, even my brother and I were at odds about 'em. But I digress, this isn't about how I love Jay, this is about how I love Brooklyn.

So why do I love Brooklyn? Honestly, it's not something I can explain, much like most things I truly love. I can give you different aspects of my love, but it really won't encompass all. I love Brooklyn in the summer, from the broken fire hydrants to the cookouts to the Eastern Parkway Parade. I love Brooklyn dudes, all types. Hood to intelligent thug, I love 'em. From the swagger to the gear to the proper use of the word "ma," Brooklyn dudes got me locked. Of course you know I've got a breakdown of all the dudes in all the boros and why I love Brooklyn the most, and I'd LOVE to share.

BRONX DUDES - Like Yonkers, a little TOO close to the suburbs to really be a threat. Can't dress, can't speak, are on a fake grind and are just all around annoying and immature. Their days consist of XBox Tournaments, football and stickball.

STATEN ISLAND THUGS- A little TOO hardcore for my taste. Drug dealers and gang bangers. Yes, Shaolin's produced handsome rappers like the Wu-Tang Clan, but I don't feel like gettin' shot in the face cuz I don't wanna give my number out. They lack tact and can't dress, either.

MANHATTAN METROSEXUALS - Nuff said. Too much goin' on with these guys to be able to focus on a relationship. Their tastes, a little too sadiddy for me. From elite parties to exclusive clubs to shoppin' their paycheck away in the big city, a Manhattan dude will spend more on a pair of True Religion jeans than groceries for the month. On the flip side, they may go all out for you the same they do themselves, so you're always lookin' tight. Down side to that: My man likes to party all the time, party all the time, party all the ti-ime. From SoHo to Penn Station, Manhattan Metrosexuals are almost always out on the town, in the mix of somethin'. And sometimes, a girl just wants to chill at home, make it a blockbuster night and bang until the morning, not head out to the grand opening of Paris Hilton's new nightclub in midtown.

QUEENS PRETTY BOYS - If there's one thing Queens dudes are known for (besides being able to take a bullet...or 9), it's their gear. Queens boys can d-r-e-s-s! Now this boro is like Brooklyn's little brother. They wanna be like BK, but fall short cuz, no matter how you slice it, they're NOT BK. Queens dudes will get gritty, but only to a certain extent. The grind a fella from Queens is on isn't to "get that dough," it's to support they're dressing habit. Hats, Forces, throwbacks and button downs is what drives the Queens man to hustle. Downside to this: A lot of dudes from Queens are empty shells. Pretty, empty shells. No real conversation unless it's about fashion or manicures. They can get hood, so long as no dirt gets on their new white uptowns.

BROOKLYN SOLDIERS - Perfect. Just perfect. A harmonious blend of hood, intelligence, culture and fashion. They can dress, hold a conversation, show you some hidden treasures and get HOOD when necessary. Brooklyn dudes can tell their homies to get the "F" outta heeya and then get on the phone with their girl and just as swiftly make them melt. Anything that leaves the mouth of a Brooklyn dude is acceptable to me. From "Ma, lemme holla at you for a minute," to "N***ga, you's a bitch!" it all just sets my body on fire. From the cool and collected "Don" attitude of Jay-Z to the high strung, angry bark of Dame Dash, Brooklyn dudes got delivery and that delivery is right. I don't know what it is about guys from Brooklyn, but everything about them just breathes SEXY. From that SWAGGA to that smile to the grind, BK dudes are all about that dough and are CONSTANTLY on the grind. BK's the only place where you can see a guy on the block slinging' dope and talkin' about an exhibit he saw at the Museum of Natural History ("Dinosaurs is CRAZY, son!") while at the same time, winkin' and smilin' at the shorty across the street waitin' at the light. F'n Brooklyn...

I've got theories on other NYC spots, like Harlem cats and Long Island fellows, but I figured I should stick to the boros to help my focus. All these descriptions of course from my own experiences, so I don't doubt there's something about the other boros I'm not privy to. If anyone's upset or offended, or thinks I'm TOTALLY off base, my apologies if you feel that way, but feel free to stand up for where you're from. If you agree, feel free to leave a comment saying just that as well. Now don't get me wrong, a guy doesn't get an automatic in with me cuz he's from Brooklyn, I know everyone's an individual and can't be put into any kind of a generic box. It's not something I ask right off the bat, like criteria or anything. When I find out a guy is from Brooklyn, I simply say "I love Brooklyn" and get a little flushed, that's it. Will I end up with a Brooklyn Soldier? I doubt it, I live in Atlanta and I gotta be real about the situation. Will I turn away anyone who is NOT a Brooklyn Soldier? Uh...NO. I could go into my dating fiascos here in Atlanta, but that, of course, is another blog for another day.

So there you have it, I love Brooklyn and there's really nothing more to say. Kym liked to tell me I was "SO New York," but she never understood when I came back with "I am New York, but in my heart I'm SO BK."