Dear Gentlemen,

Remember when the words, “I do” were only used when asked if you like sex better with a few more ladies involved?

Soul singers croon soothing sounds about soul mates, while rappers brag about a bunch of b***hes. Ironically, most rappers’ public persona doesn’t match their private. Life doesn’t imitate art as plenty of rappers are privately quite happily married. Forgive me for being the bearer of bad news, but the celebration of the playboy is over. Mature is the new sexy.

Big banks are closing and the “player card” is getting denied across America. Diamonds and gold are becoming the only safe investments. Nick Cannon, Timbaland and Jay-Z recently traded in their player cards for a much wiser investment, while singer/songwriter, The D.R.E.A.M. just liquidated his assets. Seal, Fatin Dantzler (Kindred The Family Soul) and a long list of artists capitalized on their investment long before the market crashed.

People are growing up and popular culture is growing with us. Marriage is finally positioned as fashionable, glamorous and desirable, and it’s indeed making a comeback. But for us common folk, classifying such a sacred covenant of marriage as a “Hollywood trend” is an offensive gesture.

But seriously, why not let life imitate art? Marriage exponentially decreases the amount of single family homes and deadbeat dads, furthermore creating an environment more conducive to the existence of Bereolaesque ladies and gentlemen. This is obviously good for a lost society plagued with rude behavior, divorce and infidelity.

Jay-Z said it best, “Even grass grows. Seeds become plants and boys become men.” However, too many men are afraid of love. But love doesn’t hurt. It’s hurt people who’ve hurt people. We brothers have allowed bad women to taint the concept of good love. Whatever you give a good woman, she will make better. Sperm = baby, house = home and groceries = meal. She multiplies what’s given to her, so don’t be afraid to give her your heart. A good woman knows exactly what to do with it.

These days, those stress-relieving invites to hang with the guys are slowly turning into wedding announcements. I’ll be attending more weddings than guys’ nights out this year. It’s certainly true that you can’t rush love, but gentlemen, if you’ve been dating your significant other for more than five years, liquidate your assets and get her the gold band and diamond she deserves. Do it before someone else does. In lieu of going out of style, go out in style and find your soul mate before it’s so late. Good women are going fast… it’s a recession.

– Enitan Bereola, II

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Bereola is the go-to style and etiquette impresario, public speaker and entrepreneur. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed BEREOLAESQUE: The Contemporary Gentleman & Etiquette book for the Urban Sophisticate. He is working on his follow-up, Guide to Ladies’ Etiquette from a Gentleman’s Perspective. Find him at www.twitter.com/Bereolaesque and at www.facebook.com/Bereolaesque