Professional racing is a sport dominated by White males, but it’s interesting to see how so many talented young women and minorities have put their lives into it.

Last night’s premiere of “Changing Lanes” saw 30 young females and minorities competing for a spot in NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity program. Hopefully their skills will speak louder than their gender or skin color, but not everyone is as accepting. Some of their experiences have already proven that.

Aside from racial background and gender, there’s also the financial problem. It costs thousands of dollars per year to become a professional driver, and to put it simply, some of them just don’t have it like that.

We saw last night that it’s not just the kids’ dreams on the line; their families are also affected. Supporting a career in racing might mean that a brother or sister won’t get the same financial support from a parent for their dream. It might mean a father’s interests are set to the side for his child’s life in the fast lane. No matter what background, every family has had to make sacrifices.

The competition starts with 30 drivers. They will be evaluated and undergo eliminations until a final four is chosen to compete with Revolution Racing.

Tune in Wednesdays at 8 PM/7C. Visit “Changing Lanes” here.

Do you think it’s worth all of the time, money and sacrifice to try and participate in something overly-dominated by White men?

Let the debate begin.

BET is counting down the ”Top 10 Rappers of the 21st Century,” but who do YOU think should make the list?

The rules are that the rapper must have come into prominence as a solo artist from 2000 until now. So NO JAY-Z, NAS or anyone else who made it big before 2000. That means it’s okay if the artist dropped their first album in 1999, but not before then. This list is for the newer rappers.

So what do you think? Will Nelly and Ja Rule’s record-breaking domination of the early 2000s help them come out on top? Will the crossover appeal of Kanye West or T.I. take them to #1? Or have the newer guys like Drake and Soulja Boy proven themselves already?

Tell us why your favorite rapper should make the “Top 10 Rappers of the 21st Century” right here.

If you’re like most people, when you think of BET, you think NASCAR.

OK. Maybe those popular acronyms don’t seem to go together yet, but they will starting Wed., Sept. 1 at 8 PM/7C with the premiere of BET’s “Changing Lanes.”

The reality show follows 30 young drivers who are vying for four spots with Revolution Racing. The contestants, all females and minorities, are part of NASCAR’s Drive 4 Diversity program.

NASCAR fans aren’t exactly those who tune in to “106 & Park” every night, so it will be interesting to watch how these minority drivers are welcomed – or not welcomed. Also, if you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to whip around a track at top speed, the show offers a real look as drivers struggle to prove they deserve a top spot on the track.

Which four will drive away as part of the Revolution Racing team? Tune in Wed., Sept. 1 at 8 PM/7C to follow it from the beginning. Don’t get left in the dust.

See some racing photos now.

Trey and the Blueprint 3 tour prepare to take a bite out of the Big Apple. Trey wants to make sure he represents at Madison Square Garden, since NYC is Jay-Z’s hometown. Jay definitely makes sure the paying customers in his city get their money’s worth. Along with Trey and Jay, they get Jeezy and most of Young Money, including Lil’ Wayne.

At the risk of sounding like a hater, it’s just a little insulting that NYC got all the love, while DC was treated to Trey with a sore throat; but I digress…

Trey’s voice is much better in the latest episode, and I guess that’s all that counts. He’s surrounded by his family, friends and fellow celebs like Diddy, actress Gwyneth Paltrow and LeBron James. His mom and execs at Atlantic Records are also there. It’s like a family reunion.

After he does his thing on stage, Trey takes a spot in the audience to watch the other artists rock. “I’m a student of music,” he said as he watched and learned from the others.

It’s nice to see a celebrity with enough humility to stand in the crowd and be a fan for a minute. That’s why we like Trey.

Get more Trey Songz: My Moment.

Has Trey’s partying caught up with him? His camp, including manager Kevin Liles, is less than impressed with what they heard on stage in DC. Liles confronts Trey about it, but he doesn’t seem too phased as he continues to stuff his face and even bottoms-ups a bottle of wine.

Luckily, his next show isn’t until a few days later. So, if he can catch some rest and save his voice, then he should be 100% … we hope. The next stop is Madison Square Garden.

Once Trey arrives in NYC, he spends some time with his fans at a bowling alley. He doesn’t mind knocking over a few pins, but his adorers are more interested in getting a few hugs. “I’m a part of their lives,” Trey recognizes.

Let’s hope he remembers their high expectations when he next hits the stage.

Will he do a good job in NYC?

Get more “Trey Songz: My Moment” here.

Few would argue that Mo’Nique has exposed her viewers to all sorts of Black talent from violinists to video game developers and circus performers. She’s shined a light on those in fields that don’t get a lot of attention in everyday life. I think it’s good for young brothers and sisters to know that there are some unexplored avenues that they can enter and excel in.

This is one thing her fans love about the show. We want our young people to take risks, think outside the box and follow any dream … no matter how unique.

But does that include porn?

Recently, Mo’Nique welcomed, Mr. Marcus, a porn star who is also a business entrepreneur. He’s branded himself and has made an impressive living working in the world’s oldest profession.

What do you think? Mo’Nique is nothing if not nonjudgmental and open minded, but we know teens stay up past 11 p.m. We want them to know about the diverse range of talent in our community and the benefits of self employment, but is there a line, and if so, was it crossed?

Get more on “The Mo’Nique Show” here.

“Whatchu talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?”

Everyone knows Gary Coleman’s famous catchphrase. In this case, Todd Bridges is letting everyone know how he went from playing Willis on the hit series, “Diff’rent Strokes,” to being a drug addict and dealer in his new book, “Killing Willis.”

The book was actually written before the recent death of Gary Coleman for those of you crying foul, but his death does have people talking about the troubles that plagued the child actors of “Diff’rent Strokes.” It’s no secret that they weren’t living the storybook lives their characters on TV were. From Gary Coleman’s issues with his parents and money to both Dana Plato and Todd battling drugs and the law, the childhood stars have been the topic of many tabloids, and Todd opens up about it all.

This Monday, Todd will visit “The Mo’Nique Show” to talk about some of the things he details in the book. You might know a little bit about Todd’s troubled past, but I’m sure “Killing Willis” will surprise you like it did me. 

Tune in to “The Mo’Nique Show” this Monday at 11 PM/10C for Todd Bridges.

In the meantime, check out the video below for some words from Todd on the book.

I would think that one of the best parts of being a celebrity is the fans. It must be nice to have folks gushing love on you every time you walk down the street, sending you encouraging letters, selling out arenas to watch you perform and blogging about your greatness.

In the second episode of “My Moment,” Trey surprises one of his fans at her home. I’m sure when she signed up for the contest to win a visit from Trey, she was hoping she’d get a bit of notice and not be surprised in her hair rag and house clothes. SMH … talk about a dream turning into a nightmare.

Anyway, we also see the downside of fan worship as Trey worries about going to a club in Atlanta. His bodyguards are on high alert. Trey stays in his designated area in the club, just in case something pops off, or a crazed fan goes stalker on him.

I guess it’s like real life in that you have to take the good with the bad. Trey’s finally reaching his goals. He’s got legions of fans, but he can’t walk across the street without bodyguards. Is it a fair trade off? Only Trey can say for sure, but I don’t think he minds. After all, he can hire someone to run his errands.

Get more on Trey Songz now.

One of the best things about the ‘90s was the R&B slow jams, and Silk had some of the biggest hits of the time. The title of their breakout hit, “Freak Me,” pretty much explains the group’s main subject matter, and the song helped their debut album go double platinum. Keeping with the “bump and grind” theme, the group’s later hits included “If You” and “Meeting in My Bedroom.”

Word is the group is gearing up for a new album full of bedroom music. You can find out more by tuning in to “Mo’Nique” Tuesday, July 6 at 11 PM/10C. As an added bonus, you can reminisce about the ‘90s with this video now.

Rumor has it that Trey Songz is poised to take over the R&B throne. No disrespect to the aging Usher or embattled Chris Brown, but with three top-selling albums to his credit, a million-dollar smile and a pretty clean image so far, it really might be Trey’s moment.

His latest album, “Ready,” pretty much sums it all up. What’s he ready for? Well, in episode one of “My Moment,” Trey’s ready for what he calls “the biggest tour of my life.” As he sets out to go on the road with Jay-Z and Young Jeezy, the cameras catch him rehearsing, doing media tours, selecting clothes and doing all that comes with his celebrity status.

Those of us that work real 9-to-5 jobs don’t always think of what celebs do as work, but seeing Trey puttin’ in his 110% makes me a little more respectful of what they do. It’s not just parties, club appearances and a few hours in the studio. Trey’s out to make history and be on top.

As he said, “There’s somebody at home right now who wants what I got,” and he’s tryin’ to hold on to his.

What did you think of the series premiere?