In this new issue of Ebony magazine when asked about her status as a “mogul” Tyra Banks rejected the term saying that although she’s flattered when referred to as a media mogul she does not yet worthy of the title.

“Don’t get me wrong, ego-wise, when I see the cover of the magazines and they say that (I’m a mogul), I’m like, ‘Oh, that looks popping and it looks hot,’ but it ain’t true… Oprah‘s been doing this for 30 years. Mogul? That’s like Martha Stewart. That’s like going public. Mogul? Not yet,”

As we’ve begun to see black entreprenuers come up through the ranks and establish their business in the rehlm of entertainment we’ve come accustomed to hearing them referred to as “moguls.” Everyone from Diddy to Russell to 50 to Kimora Lee to Tyra to Nick Canon to T.I. to Akon to Pharrell to Lil Flip? How can they all be moguls? It seems all you need is two or more business ventures to be donned the overused moniker. But of those who have been bestowed such “honor” who among them can actually define exactly what one is?

A simple search in Webster’s dictionary reveals that the term either means “A very wealthy or powerful; an oil baron” or “an Indian Muslim of or descended from one of several conquering groups of Mongol, Turkish, and Persian origin.” Clearly the first bears the closest resemblance.

But all the confusion begs the question, was this word adapted by the media and attributed to hip hop’s elite business men and women in effort to elevate them to a status of which they’re not worthy? I think here in lies the problem with Hip Hop society. Its a philosophy we simply call the “head gas.” Too often we over-celebrate in our culture. We praise black men for taking care of their kids, reward teenagers for staying out of jail, idolize newly elected presidents before they’ve stepped into office…this all leads to diminished standards.

We don’t expect more because we praise less. We call those who have accomplished very little moguls in effort to hold them on a pedestal as evidence to others of our collective progress. Sure there are some true bona fide role models within the entertainment industry who have made tremendous strides and blazed new paths but lets use Obama as an example.

Lets set the bar higher, celebrate less and achieve more. What we’ll begin to realize is the progress we’ve made is more extensive because its expected and the goals we acheive are far more fruitful.