Too Old for Christmas?

As I come up on my 24th Christmas, I wonder if there is a point where you really don't care anymore. Like I said, I'm 24, my brother is 21, and my sister is 16 and there isn't really any excitement around the house. There's not even a tree at my mother's house, and Christmas is only seven days away. I still have gifts to buy. I can't really remember the last time I was really excited for Christmas to come. Imagine that when I have children the excitement will come in the form of seeing them enjoy it, but for right now, it's just time off from work - I guess as an adult, that's something to be excited about.

I've know that Santa is a myth for a long time now (4 years...4 sad, cold, years), but I was still excited to see what my parents had gotten me for being nice instead of naughty. It was a time of sheer joy becuase it was the only other time of the year you got new toys. Now, it's cash and gift cards....wait why am I not excited again?

I've also known for a while that Jesus was not born in December, but much earlier in the year. Some have proposed April 18th as the day of Jesus' birth. That explains why I'm so dope...I was born on the same day as Our Lord and Savior. Maybe instead of being dope, I'm on it. Anyway, they chose December 25th in an effort to jack that days' previous celebration, a pagan celebration of the sun, and turn it into a Christian celebration of...the Son. Man, I'm so clever. But not as clever as those marketing geniuses that have intertwined fatal shopping sprees and the birth of Jesus. That takes some skill.

I guess I'm just tired of this day being more representative of commercialism than religion and faith. I mean if we really were celebrating His birth, why not give him gifts, like a grain, or burnt offering? Yeah, just throw an entire cow on a bonfire in the back yard. Bam. Thanks Jesus. Come visit us soon.

So, while the modern Church attempts to de-commercialize "Jesus' birthday," I'll go out and finish my Christmas shopping. After all, you can't celebrate the birth of our Savior without iTunes gift cards.

Do you.

Universal Mind Control

This review is for the
iTunes edition.


Intro- Joelle Ndiaye -
It's short, and in French...
kinda like my girlfriend,
who says this basically
translates into-"Welcome
to a new sound called
Universal Mind Control".7/10.

Universal Mind Control - Pharrell whispers they just
wanna dance a few times at the beginning of the track.
It's an interesting comment on the current state of music,
and perhaps the theme for the album.I did notice a lot of
5 Percenter references which are prevalent in a  lot of
East Coast rap.Like most of Pharrell's tracks, UMC has
a dope beat,and like most of Common's songs, a good flow.
It's been stuck in my head for weeks now.
10/10.

Punch Drunk Love ft. Kanye - This joint is an instant
head-nodder.I love the fact that Kanye is NOT singing
on this one. It's a typically boastful Kanye hook that
I like a lot. 8/10.

Make My Day ft. Cee-Lo - Sounds like he borrowed this one
from 3 Stacks, but it works for him as well Cee-Lo is as
nice as ever on the hook, and the upbeat tempo gives the
love song a casual feel. This one got stuck in my head
as well.
8/10.

Sex 4 Suga- Didn't like this one too much at the first
listen, but it has grown on me a bit. I like the beat a lot
more than at first. Not bad.7/10.

Announcement ft. Pharrell - I love the throwback
feel of this beat-good balance of synth and the drum
beat sounds like a hit from the hip-hop's heyday. I half
expected to hear Biggie go "Uhh" a few times before he
stepped to the mic, with a few Diddy "take that's" in
the background.Solid lyrics again from Common, with a
decent verse from Pharrell-I like how he calls out the
G-Shock biters...ahem...BOW WOW.
9/10

Gladiator - In my opinion, this rivals UMC for best on
the album. Nice flow from Common. This track boasts the
best lyrics of the album. Pharell does a great job of
switching things up for the chorus.Songs like this is why I
bought the album. 10/10.

Changes ft. Muhsinah - The standard retrospective/
inspiringCommon joint-hasn't gotten old yet. Muhsinah
is a god fit on the hook. Changes is a nice Obama-era
laid back, Common type track. His daughter Omoye
adds some nice spoken word to the end. 7/10.

Inhale - The beat is a mix between DJ Premier and the
Neptunes with the airy synths as well as a lil scratching
here and there. It's a very breezy beat, but Common
goes hard lyrically, giving it some weight. 7/10.

What a World - Instantly catchy beat-sounds new, yet
retro at the same time. It's a very funky sound, kinda like
a updated Ike & Tina. I can see Ike on the bass now...
Common spits the throwback 80s flow that sounds right
in line with Curtis Blow and Grandmaster Flash. 
8/10.

Everywhere ft. Martina Topley Bird - Very different
sound for Common, but still nice. On this one, he's content
to let Martina do most of the work. He pops in  to do his
thing on one verse. I like this one because Common
shows that he can flow over all types of beats. 7/10.

Break my Heart(live) - For those who haven't seen
Common in concert, it is a great experience, especially
in a venue like the House of Blues. It's a very interactive
experience, with talented live instrumentation."Testify"
from the "BE:turns into a mini theatrical production.
9/10.

Final Score - 96/120=80 That comes out to a B, even
though it feels more like a B+. UMC is not the typical lay
back and burn one album from common, but dope
nonetheless. I like the fact that Common is experimenting
with a new sound and taking risks. Risks are necessary for
artists and for hip-hop as a whole to grow and develop. It
isn't as good as Be or Finding Forever, but it's no slouch
either.



                                                                                  Do you.

The future of Hip-hop?!

On the cover of this month's issue of VIBE, there is a picture of the future of hip-hop. The picture isn't of Lupe Fiasco, The Cool Kids, Wale, B.o.B, GemStones, or a slew of other up and comers. No, "the future of rap is on the cover of VIBEs December 08 issue and you'll never believe who it is!" Man, truer words have never been spoken..

Plies. Yes, THAT Plies. Algernod Lanier Washington according to the government, and the future of hip-hop according to someone at VIBE who doesn't actually listen to music.
Calling him the future of rap is like calling the SUV the future of automobiles, or Rod Blagojevich the future of Illinois politics, or Al Sharpton the future of Black leadership.
With three releases under his belt in 16 months-Real Testament, Definition of Real, and Da Realest-we can see that Plies is prolifically real. I mean, I'm impressed that after a full day of being a "full-blooded goon," he still has time to record so much music. But after listening to some of his real testaments, I figure each track didn't take more than 30 minutes from start to finish. Even still, that's a lot of goonery. Perhaps after performing tasks befitting of the realest person alive, he simply went to the studio to record said deeds. Perhaps, his albums are merely an auditory journal of sorts that gives us insight on the day to day activities of the realest man alive.

Everything above aside, this isn't about Plies. It's about the sad state of hip-hop affairs. I'm not one of those hip-hop is dead/dying people, but I do believe that we are in a rut of sorts. Anytime someone who is a new artist that sounds just like other mediocre rappers with the same content, beats, and D class jewelery gets heralded as the future of anything, we have a problem. Plies brings nothing new to the table. (Sidenote: Grills are still hot?) Sex for the women, guns for the guys, and jewelery for people that are autistic. (Sorry I shoulda said materialistic.) It's the same formula over and over. Sales are down becuase creativity is down, not becuase of iTunes.

In any case, in order for hip-hop to grow and move forward, we need albums like The Love Below, St. Elsewhere, Electric Circus, and 808s & Heartbreak. Boundaries need to be pushed and minds need to be expanded. That way, the future won't be a step backwards.

Do you.

Wal-Mart Madness

By now I'm sure you've all heard about the madness that took place on Black Friday at the Wal-Mart in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York. I'll sum it up just in case. At 5am on Friday, November 28th, a worker was crushed by a wave of people as big as 2,000 as he tried to open the doors for shopping. A little info on Valley Stream:
93% White
5% Asian
1.5% African American <----all work at Wal-Mart! j/k.....maybe Median income for a household $103,243 As we can see, it's a very affluent area of Long Island, so It surprises me that they were so thirsty to save a few dollars on things they probably had already. Maybe they wanted to upgrade the flat screen in the guest room to someting of more theatric dimensions.
Only in America.

Sure, people get trampled all the time in foreign countries. Usually it's to get rice during a nationwide food shortage, or to flee an oncoming army. Sometimes it's to escape rising flood waters or other natural disasters. In Long Island, you get trampled over a television or an over priced re-hashing of last years' toys all so you little spoiled, snot-nosed, undeserving offspring can have the honor of bragging to their classmates about having the latest lead contaminated piece of molded Chinese plastic that somehow makes them cooler to the other douchebags to be in the 6th grade. It's sickening. People were actually mad that shopping was suspended while they attended to this dying person! Damn him for dying before I could max out my credit card...again...this year. Doesn't he know that my illiterate children will throw temper tantrums if they don't have something new and shiny under the tree? The Ritalin only does so much.

By the way, aren't we in a recession?

Apparently times aren't as bad as advertised if people are crushing each other for the opportunity to spend money first. I think I may have stumbled into the answer for our economic woes - let's just make every Friday Black Friday! Sure we might lose a few dozen people to mob violence, but hey, that's less people sucking up my welfare dollars!

Even in the face of the worst economy in decades, materialism still trumps all in the U.S.

Do you.

808s and Heartbreaks

Ok, here is an unbiased review of 808s and Heartbreaks by Kanye West.

1. Say You Will - Very minimalist beat, kinda EKG-like with a haunting choir in the background. Clearly a song about his ex Alexis. I think it sets an appropriate tone for the rest of the album. 7/10.
2. Welcome to Heartbreak ft. Kid Cudi - Kanye reflects on the family life vs. his solitary life as a hip-hop artist. Heavy on the Vocoder on this one. It can be hard to hear what he's saying sometimes. I like the message, but not the execution. 5/10.
   
3. Heartless - My second favorite song on this album. Not as heavy on the voice effects as some of the other songs. I like the synth flute as well the piano chords. In this song he takes a minute to be critical of his relationship vs. being sad about it. A nice change of pace topic wise. I loved the live version as well because of the added effects. It would've been nice to have this version on the album as well. 10/10.
4. Amazing ft. Young Jeezy - Best song on the album. A haunting beat with a powerful chorus and Jeezy's raspy vocals. I could see this being shot at a funeral or a bittersweet return for a soldier/warrior. Very smoky and dramatic. 10/10.
5. Love Lockdown - Sounds a lot better in the final mastered version. His performance of this at the VMAs sold me on this song instantly. It's a very honest song about his past relationship. The instrumental after Kanye stops singing is amazing. 9/10.
   
6. Paranoid ft. Mr. Hudson - Is it 1987 again? Yes. Yes it is. The most upbeat song on the album. Heavy synth, 80s drums. This song takes me bad to when I was...3. But anyway, I worried about the wrong thing...Anyway, great party song 8/10.
   
7. Robocop - A LOT better that the leaked version I heard. Unfortunately, that's not saying a whole lot. That very sad since I actually like the lyrics. They are kinda funny and witty. 6/10. Would been higher with a better beat.
   
8. Streetlights - Kanye got his Mike Jones on - if one line is good, just say it again. Only this time, it's an entire verse. Heavy Vocoder, eerie beat, decent lyrics. 6/10.
   
9. Bad News - Surprisingly upbeat. I really like this one. 8/10
   
10. See You in my Knightmares ft. Lil Wayne - Wasted potential. Apparently, Wayne has been sharing the sizzurp. 4/10.
    
11. Coldest Winter - Man Alexis broke this man's heart...A very honest and open song.6/10.
    
12. Pinocchio Story (Freestyle) - um...wow. I appreciate the honesty, the soul-bearing, but damn Ye. It's gone too far! Hopefully this album got everything out of his system and he can get back to doing what he does best. 3/10.

Final tally - 82/120= 68.3

I wanted to like this album, I really did. It has some good tracks on it, and had the potential to be a great album but falls short. His live performances of the songs have been great though. He reportedly has a hip-hop album coming out in June. Let's hope so.

Do you.

Self-Conscious

Well I know I'm EXTRA late, but I finally hit up Self-Conscious yesterday, and Encore last week. Encore was nice, but Self was slightly overwhelming. I literally walked around in circles around the store looking at shoes, but not really processing what I was seeing. My homie Dane reassured me that this is common among first timers. After I got my bearings, I systematically worked my way through the vast selection of kicks there. After a long while, I peeped these joints to the left two rows deep by the register. I think they're a good addition to an already dope and ever-growing shoe collection. Also had to show love for my hometown with the shirt below.

What are your favorite kicks, and where's your favorite place to get them?
Lemme know cuz I'm always on the lookout for a new place to cop.

Do you.

Quantum of Solace

In the 22nd Bond movie, Daniel Craig shows us that he is clearly the best Bond since the early Connery days. Quantum of Solace shows us a 007 that isn't concerned with drinks, women, suaveness, or seducing every woman in screen. This 007 is solely focused on vengeance. From beginning to end, this installment is packed with energy and action. I won't reveal to much, but I will point out my favorite things about the movie.

1. Globetrotting. England, Italy, Bolivia, Haiti, Austria, and Russia. All the locations were lush and exotic. Very nice backdrops for 007 to beat people senseless
2. The first person Bond murks. Man, I ain't never seen someone go through so much effort to kill! If it was me, I woulda emptied a clip at him, then went on my way. I guess that's why I'm not a secret agent.
3. Felix Leiter. I think he was the only black dude in the movie. By default, that also makes him the coolest. You'll remember him as the CIA agent that loaned Bond money in Casino Royale. He helps Bond out of another tight situation in Quantum.
4. Tom Ford. Keeps Bond's suit game top-notch. Can't be a 00 agent with a Men's Warehouse suit on.
5. Plot. No underwater, inner volcano or outer space secret hideouts. No borderline racist or homophobic undertones. This plot line is sequential to Casino Royale, and is very believable.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It ranks among the best Bond movies, and with 2 more slated to be done by Daniels, I'm sure they'll only get better.

I give it an A-

Do You.

The "Yes We Did" Mixtape

If I were to make a mixtape in celebration of Barack's win, it would be titled:

DJ Hood Griot Presents: The "Yes We Did" Mixtape.

1. Put on - Young Jeezy ft. Kanye West
2. Black President - Nas
   
3. Swagger Like Us - T.I. ft. Kanye West, Jay-Z, & Lil Wayne
4. Wipe Me Down Remix - Lil Boosie ft. Foxx & Webbie
5. If I Ruled the World - Nas ft. Lauryn Hill
6. Southside - Common ft. Kanye West
7. Real - Lupe Fiasco ft. Sarah Green
8. I Can - Nas
9. Forever Begins - Common
10. We Major - Kanye West ft. Nas & Really Doe
11. My President is Black - Young Jeezy ft. Nas
12. Party Up - DMX
13. Good Times - Styles P
14. I Gotcha - Lupe Fiasco
    

I think that has a lil something for everyone. I must point out that some of the songs were chosen purely becuase of their title. Lemme know what you think, and what songs are missing.

Do you.

My President is Black!

Wow. So where I begin? how can I even attempt to put into words the thoughts and emotions inside my head and my heart?

As I stood in the largest and most diverse crowd I have ever seen, I was in a state of shock and disbelief as CNN's projection of Barack Obama's victory flashed across the screen. It took a second or two for my brain to process what my eyes were seeing. Even as thousands celebrated around me, I was oddly calm and quiet.
Everywhere I looked, I saw flags, t-shits, banners, and everything else imaginable being waved frantically as Grant Park exploded in celebration. The one thing that caught my eye though, was an older black couple about 5 feet from me. They were dressed very nicely, almost like black aristocrats. They both had tears steaming down their faces, and they held each other very tightly. As he held his wife, the man had the most proudly defiant look on his face I have ever seen.

I think that couple represents the most important group of people affected by Barack Obama's historic win. They were the ones who were beaten, hosed, shot, lynched, oppressed and otherwise mistreated in order to gain the rights that were given to every one else. November 4th, 2008 made it all worth it. I am so happy that my grandparents lived to see this day. As a part the first generation of my family to be born with rights, it is my duty to take advantage os the sacrifices that my parents and grandparents made. That is why I went to college, that is why I voted, and that is why I was at Grant Park on the 4th.

There is so much to be said about the significance of Barack Obama's Presidency. I could wirte for days about what this means to me and to African Americans, but I'll just sum it up:
This is the first time in my life I can say I'm proud to be an American. This has restored my faith in the people around me. I know there is still a long way to go, but this is a huge first step.

Do you.

The Coldest Winter Indeed

Let me start by saying I am a huge Kanye fan. I bought all the records, went to the Glow in the Dark Tour when it hit Chicago, and am anticipating Nike's release of the Air Yeezy (pipe dream, I know) as well as Kanye's new clothing line. But I am far from a "Stan".

In fact, I am very worried. Before I get into that, let me state that I know Kanye is in a very emotional state right now due to the death of his mother, and the end of his relationship with Alexis.

Now that that's out of the way.......What the hell is wrong with this man?! Robocop?! I know the song isn't finished yet, but damn! How much mastering can you do to a song? The Coldest Winter Ever? Why Kanye, why? What did my ears ever do to you? Look, I'm all for artists breaking out of their comfort zone, and expressing new emotions and whatnot, but where's the responsibility? Kanye wants us to spend our money listening to him mourn about his loss while he sounds like a dying giraffe on auto-tune. I do like Love Lockdown and Heartless. Honestly if those were the only songs of their kind on the album, I'd prolly be excited to cop it, but I am not eager to listen to an R&B album from Kanye.

I saw two quotes today that REALLY disturbed me regarding this album. One is about "Tell Everybody You Know" ft Lil Wayne:

"Lil Wayne is singing with a rock edge," Dean said. "He actually sounds a lot like Axl Rose on that track. They bring a lot out of each other. They're each other's favorite MC. Kanye is Wayne's and Wayne is Kanye's."

Sounds like "Number One" ft. Pharrell Part 2.... The second quote is from none other than the King of Auto-Tune, T-Pain:

"I mean, as far as 'Love Lockdown' goes, he did that whole thing himself. He just had me in mind. 808s is really all Kanye. I'm just here to keep it from [sounding] adult contemporary."

Wow. There Are so many things wrong about that quote. For the sake of space I'll just say that if you need T-Pain's guidance, or input on an R&B album, perhaps you should go back to the drawing board.

Look, I respect artists that go out of the box. Andre 3000 is a perfect example of that. He did his singing thing, which was ok, but when he got back to rapping, he was back to killin people again. ("Throw Some D's" remix) My fear is that this album, 808s and Heartbreaks, will do well enough for Kanye to try it over and over again. He does state tho, that he has a hip-hip album slated for release in June. I hope that nothing changes his mind about that one.

It may be the "Coldest Winter" indeed for Mr. West.

P.S. - Lil Wayne is contemplating a similar vocoder driven R&B album entitled. "Luv Sawngz"

"F**k it, I'm not even a rapper. I'm past that....I'm an R&B singer now. Call me T-Wayne....It's me being more creative, more talented, more than hip-hop." SMH........

Do you.

McWhat?!

Just when I thought I could somehow escape the staggering personal losses that this current economy has dumped upon countless Americans, tragedy has struck me today....

As I was paging through the Chicago Sun-Times, (something that may no longer exist in paper form) I came across a short article that sent a cold chill racing through my body. I'll spare you the gruesome details, but our beloved Double Cheeseburger, a symbol of American ingenuity, hope and freedom, will no longer cost just $1. In these economically depressed times, feeding yourself has just gotten more expensive. McDonald's has not said what the new cost will be, but instead attempted a pathetic and insulting diversion in announcing the McDouble. At first glance, it looks like an ordinary Double Cheeseburger, but further inspection reveals that there is only one piece of cheese rather than the two we are accustomed to. McDonald's says this is the only way that a double cheeseburger can remain on the Dollar Menu, and still be profitable to its franchisees.

As I sat back in my chair attempting to wrap my mind around this, I was filled with a sense of despair. I began to think about what other luxuries I would have to cut from my budget. First the mortgage crisis, then the stock market plunge, an impending credit card crisis, and now this!? I don't know if I want to bring children into a world like this. Where will they live? Where will they invest their money? How will they buy things they can't afford? Where will they go at 2am to buy cheap fare that will soak up the copious amounts of alcohol in their precious stomachs?

Some of you that know me very well will point out the fact that I am allergic to dairy products, therefore I really shouldn't be worried about this. To that I say: "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." My boy Edmund Burke ain't lyin. If I don't stand up against this insidious attempt to subvert the spending power of the middle class, then I am a part of that same evil....and probably a Republican.

Next time you are entranced by the seductive glow of those Golden Arches, and your nose engages in an olfactory orgy of french fries and beef patties, remember my words. Before you give in to gustatory temptation, ask yourself, "Am I an evil person?"

Do you.

The Big Chop

So,

After about 3 years of growing, I decided to chop my locs off. I had been considering it for months, so it wasn't an impulsive decision, it was well-calculated. There was no one reason why I did it, rather a bunch of reasons. One, it itched whenever it got hot or damp, and I go the to gym several times per week. I couldn't wear fitted hats, or non-zip hoodies anymore, and my hair got in the way of eating unless I had a headband on. I was also mistaken for a woman on a few occasions. It didn't bother me, but it made me wonder how many women they see with a v-shaped torso and big shoulders. Also, on my last trip to Africa (Uganda), I was repeatedly referred to as, or asked if I was, a Rastafarian. Again, no big deal but it goes into a huge conversation about stereotypes and if we should live or act according to what other people might think, and blah, blah, blah.

Lastly, for people who had only know me with locs, it felt at times as if that was my defining characteristic that people had for me. The guy with the locs. My hair had become a point of fixation for casual acquaintances as well as some people I knew on a slightly more personal level. I just didn't like the kind of attention it brought from some people. I like to think I bring more to the table than just a lot of hair.

Anyway, if you want to see pictures of the de-locing process, visit my girlfriend's blog.
Now that my loc journey has ended, it is time for a new journey to begin - the journey for the perfect fitted.

Do you.

Who's gonna be angrier?

I was listening to CPR (Chicago Public Radio) at work today and I heard a few interesting fears being discussed. A white woman feared that with Obama in the White House, chaos would ensue in the form of black people taking revenge on white people. Damn.....who told?! I'm fitna wild OUT when Obama gets elected. I'm finna find every white person I can and...thank them for voting for Obama as well. This lady is basically saying that black people are incapable of any emotions other than the most base. I'd be too happy celebrating to worry about anything else.

A black man said that we should be more worried about what black people will do if Obama loses. He says that the feeling of despair and anger would be so great as to be uncontrollable. There is a lot of truth to that. As a resident of North Lawndale, I still see the scars riots after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As my neighborhood burned, Mayor Daley's father watched the flames from city hall, and deemed the devastation a fitting consequence of our impulsiveness. In my opinion, riots would be a horrible response to an Obama loss. But, I really wouldn't mind a new plasma TV from one of the many electronic stores that will be broken in to. Just gotta look for that silver lining.

Lastly, a man posed the question of how white people (rural whites) would react to an Obama win. I really don't see this as a problem in our urban areas, but in the small towns and villages of our suburbs and rural areas, things could flare up. My girl lives in one of these areas, and on election night she will be either with me in the city (so we can go looting together) or I'mma be posted up in her apt. with a shottie.

I want to believe that none of these things will happen, but people are too racist for something not to happen at all. One day our country will be less divided, but it ain't today. In the meantime, I'm browsing the ads for Best Buy and Circuit City.

P.S. - To all the white people new to the more gully areas of Chicago, (Wicker Park residents moving west down Division) minorities shoot in celebration and in defeat. Either way, I'd stay indoors.

Do you.

VIBE bracket results

By now, I'm sure you've all seen the results of VIBE's best rapper alive tournament, and I believe two key variables led to the outcome of this tournament. One is age of the votes, and the second is what defines a rapper. For the purposes of this post, I'm looking at straight lyrical skill. Not at content, (b/c so much of it is the same) albums sold, fashion, beats, or hood status.

I'll start with the final match up: Jay-Z vs. Eminem. Eminem won this one and I have no problem with that. I listen to Jay-Z a lot more becuase sometimes Em is like the lyrical equivalent of Saw 1-5, - very entertaining, but also scary and disturbing. Em is cool, but just not my thing. He's great tho if you want to hear about violent deaths, and matricide. Jay-Z is a great rapper as well, but to list the number of artists and songs he's bitten from warrants another post completely. Even still, his swagger and ability are undeniable. I'm sure this was a close one.

Notable upsets:

Kanye over Lupe. - Kanye is an excellent producer, speaks from his heart, and his performance @ the Glow in the Dark Tour was amazing. But, I have heard the leaked singles from Heartbreaks and 808's and I'm concerned. Also, Lupe's flow, timing, and wordplay are crushing Yeezy. My pick: Lupe Fiasco

Ghostface Killah over Raekwon. - Ghostdini has been more consistent over the years, but Rae dropped a classic in '95. If you don't know the title, and you voted in this tournament, you should be ashamed of yourself. In this case, a classic wins out. My pick: Raekwon da Chef

The Game over Andre 3000. - Wow. Perhaps the most shocking of all upsets. No disrespect to the Game, but 3k's guest spots alone over the past year should have guaranteed him a spot in the final four. I'd take Andre's verse in the Throw Some D's remix over most of the Game's library. When you look back on OutKast's career, 3 stacks brings it consistently.
My pick: Andre 3000

If I were to take into account the total package of a rapper when filling out this bracket, my final four would have been Jay-Z vs. Wayne, with Jay-Z on top. Wayne is hot now, but we'll see how long it lasts. Jay-Z is a biter, but his original lyrics are still killin 95% of all other rappers out there. The other matchup would be Nas vs. Andre 3000, with Nas winning by the narrowest of margins. 3 Stacks is an amazing rapper, but Nas has had so much influence on rap over the last 14 years. His murdering of Jay-Z on Ether, not only added another word to the hood lexicon, but solidified his status as one of the greats. In the end, Hov reigns supreme. He is the face of hip-hop, not only from the music standpoint, but as a testament to hip-hop's global presence, and it's ability to set trends in almost every industry in the U.S.


In the end, who you like as a rapper depends largely on what you want to hear when you listen to their music. Drugs - Rick Ross. Pimpin - Snoop. Sex - Luda. Not sure what they're sayin - Twista. Sidekicks and Bapes - Soulja Boy. Hood struggle -Talib. Things Biggie said in '95 - Jay-Z.

So whatchu wanna hear?

Do you.

What's in a name?

Would an A-Life t-shirt by any other name look as dope? Of course not. For the record, I'm not a fan of A-Life, but the question remains. If the same shirt at Leaders (their clothing is very similar and as uninspired as everything else, given their name) was at Target, could you still rock it without being called a lame? Most couldn't.

Would you rock a shirt that had Yosemite Sam or Wile E. Coyote, complete with rhinestones and other foolish baubles? Certainly not! you say....now. But in 2000, you prolly hustled hard to get an Iceberg fit.

What about silly, nonsensical, childish patterns, garishly repeated in retina scalding colors complete with tight jeans and equally garish sneakers? Maybe in the 80's? Nope. Thank Pharrell for convincing "thugs" across our nation's hoods that they could fit skinny jeans, when they themselves are anything but. The same people who were saggin midway down the thigh two years ago, look like overstuffed sausages in $150 dollar Levi's. Levi's haven't been cool since I was about 5.

My favorite "fashion" trend now is glorified in two songs this fall. One is "Swing your Rag" by T.I. and the other is "Gucci Bandana" by Soulja Boy. I would like to take this opportunity to say that Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada do not make "rags" or bandanas. The objects in question are acutally $300+ dollar silk scarves made for women. Old, white, rich women. They are also...Republicans! Noooo!!! Ahhhh!!! (Sorry for the brief spaz)

My point is, we are all too often lured into fashion trends by some of the most unfashionable people on Television. There are really only a few trendestters hamely Pharrell, Kanye, and Lupe.
But guess what, they are taking innovations from people like Nigo, Yammamoto, and a handful of other designers. Remember, their own names aren't on the clothes they wear (BBC/Ice Cream is a BAPE clone) so they are followers themselves. I believe Andre 3 Stacks to be the most original out. For all of Kanye's style, price still seems to be the most important thing. He's said so himself.

I know I sound like a hater right now, but I do like hip-hop fashion. To me the spirit of hip-hop is originality, but everyone is wearing the same thing. It may be a different designer, or color, but it's all the same! It's basically a really bright, tight, and expensive uniform. Personally, I like to borrow from all different styles, genres, and price ranges to build a style that fits my personality. As "The Hood Griot" I'm hood and educated at the same time, and my clothes reflect that. M-TH it's bespoke shirts and hand-made Italian loafers. F-Su it's Hosoi Vans (before Kanye, pictured above), Tweed Dunks (blue/gray), whatever jeans fit well, and a T/hoodie from any number of designers. I used to stay with a Cubs fitted, but I got a big head, and a ton of locks now.
I refuse to follow trends and overspend on average, look-alike clothing just because some "rapper" said it was cool. You can't buy swag - if you were lame in a white T you'll be lame in a bright T. same goes for if you were cool in a white T. Clothes can only do so much before you actually have to open your mouth and talk to someone.


In my opinion, confidence is the best thing you can have on.

Do You.

Max Payne

Before I begin my review of Max Payne, I must say that I have never played the video game, therefore there may be some things that I'm not aware of.

That being said, the movie was kinda wack. I mean, Marky Mark is a good actor (he has that brooding cop look down pat), but the dialogue was painful at times. Ludacris was deadpan, and seemed kinda bored. I know, I know, people who go to action movies aren't concerned with dialogue. I agree, but in the absence of action, what else is there? I'll boil this review down to 2 points.

One, it was very anti-climactic. the "big showdown" with the main villian is flaccid and the ending is weak as hell. I hate when the real villian is exposed late in the move and he turns out to be a coward. This guy was like the McCain of villians. Sure he has power and wealth, but he's one good chest cold away from death. Why waste your time running after this guy? Sure, you must avenge your loved ones, but a solid punch to the chest prolly woulda stopped this guys heart. It would been a lot cooler than just shooting him in slow motion.

My second issue is the attempt to make this drug into something ultra-scientific, yet mystical at the same time. Don't bs me....I know PCP when I see it, and that stuff isn't mystical at all. It's just liquid crazy. If you hit the streets in your local city and ask your freindly neighborhood street pharmacist for something that makes you damn-near invincible, gives you hallucinations, and doesn't leave visible marks, he'll probably give you a shot of PCP. This point ties in to my first point about the "big showdown." This villian is high as a kite on this PCP, and probably a dash of steriods, and is beating the holy hell out of Marky Mark. Then he dies from a single gunshot wound. From like a 9 milli. Not a shottie. Not a railgun. Not a gatling gun. A run of the mill "I found this in my dad's sock drawer" 9 milli.

Booo!!!!

I've seen people high on PCP get hit by large sedans, get up and run away. People on PCP jog from place to place on broken legs. This dude shouldn't even have flinched til about half the clip was in his back. But no, one single round to the back killed a doped up, steroided up, trained Marine seargeant. How disappointing. Our hero then becomes a PCP-head himself to kill the real villian.

The moral of this story: when all else fails, do drugs. You'll be a winner everytime!

Do you.

Why I like each Presidential Candidate

So the Presidential Election is about 2 and a half weeks away, and the intensity and anticipation is growing. I've decided to list everything I like about BOTH candidates, because this is going to be a close election and I want to make sure I pick the right person. Up first, the Senator from my hometown, Barack Obama:

• No risk of death during his Presidency
• Qualified VP in Joe Biden
• Only owns one house and one car
• From Chicago
• Sound tax and economic policy
• Would be a great boost to foreign relations
• Family man
• Well-educated

Next, Senator McCain:

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

So there you have it, all my reasons for voting for each candidate. It will be a tough one, but I think I'm going with Obama for this one. They both have very strong ideas, thoughts, opinions, and plans for our nation, but in the end Obama resonates with me more than McCain. I think what did it for me is the fact that Obama is not McCain.






Did you really expect a list of pros for McCain? This ain't a major news outlet! Save that equal coverage crap for CNN. McCain is lucky to get referred to by his given name rather than some of the other names that are bouncing around in my head. Check the title of this blog again. I am from the hood.

Do you.

Obligatory hip-hop post

As a young, black, and male blogger, I am compelled to have at least one post on hip-hop.

Perhaps Masta Killa said it best in one of my favorite songs, Triumph, "the dumb are mostly intrigued by the drum." As much of a hip-hop snob I claim to be, I have to keep it real - I am often intrigued by the drum of most of the commercial hop-hop out these days. Clearly Soulja Boy and Shawty Lo couldn't rap their way out of a wet paper bag, but damn if they don't have some dope beats. They aren't lyrical heavyweights like Crooked I or Chino XL, but at least you've heard of them. How many know Chino or Crooked I? My point exactly. As much as I love guys like Talib or Mos or The Roots, if I want something that bangs, I'm prolly not gonna throw on Reflection Eternal.

I think that is the crux if the hip-hop issue facing us. Is it really so bad to have rappers that sound borderline illiterate as long as the beat is tight? Or should all of our hip-hop icons be walking dictionaries or encyclopedias of black history, and social consciousness, preaching on the pulpit of black power over a choir of flaccid beats? Or maybe they should be well versed in consipicuous consumption, walking billboards for ultra-wealthy European design houses, and automobile manufacturers while their average listener is struggling to cop a new white T? Or should they keep it real, rep the hood and profit by glamorizing a life they either never had, or are far removed from?

Yes.

It's all relative. How can you truly appreciate quality when you don't have crap to compare it to? What is heat without cold? What is dark without light? I say that "wack" rappers are necessary to hip-hop. Not everyone listens to hip-hop to become educated or enlightened. Sometimes, you just want something that sounds good comin from the trunk of a box Chevy with 2 15's. Shawty Lo may have the vocab of a 3rd grader, but once the remix of "Dey Kno" is in full force, you'll forget all about that minor detail.

I say listen to what you like.

Do you.

They don't call him "Magic" for nothing

Whether or not he's faking, people all over the world have benefited from his public battle with a deadly virus.

By now, I'm sure you've all heard about the outrageous claim made by a radio station in Minneapolis that Magic Johnson faked having AIDS. Wow! That is a very messed up thing to suggest given the severity of the disease. Magic was diagnosed in 1991, and has since had a brief return to the NBA, and has actually gained weight. You've seen the man, he's chunky! I even heard people say that Magic has the cure for AIDS. Kinda ridiculous if you ask me, that he would have the cure and hoard it would surely guarantee him an autographed ticket to hell. The mere suggestion that would fake that screams desperation. I mean, talk radio in Minneapolis must be mind-numbingly boring. I apologize to anyone from the Twin Cities, but I've been to Minneapolis - it's not poppin AT ALL. I've seen more excitement at retirement homes in Green Bay. Clearly they are trying to boost ratings with sensational claims. From what I hear it worked. Over 7 (yes, 7!) people have called in since it happened 2 days ago. The switchboard was reportedly overwhelmed in a matter of seconds.
But, what if they're right? What if Magic is faking? Why would he do such a thing?

Let's look at what Magic has been up to since '91.

• MVP of 1992 All-Star Game
• Member of 1992 Olympic "Dream Team"
• The Magic Hour TV show
  
• Partnership with Starbucks
• Movie theaters
• Over a dozen workout facilities
• Globally recognized advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness & prevention

Coincidence, business acumen, or exploitation of a devastating disease?

Could be any of them, or all. Imagine this, Magic walks into Starbucks' headquarters and demands to be a business partner. Starbucks tells him to go screw himself. Magic then says, "Oh, I see. You said no because I have AIDS. I'm telling Newsweek!" Bam! Now Magic is an official Starbucks partner. Or he could have negotiated. Whatever.

Seriously tho, whether he his faking or not, Magic has been one of the most outspoken HIV/AIDS activists in the world. He has raised awareness and knowledge of a disease that has ravaged the Black community in the US and Africa. I refuse to believe that he would lie about such an insidious and horrible disease (not to mention being accused publicly of being homosexual while playing basketball in a homophobic league)...but if he did, there have been some positive externalities to his personal gain.

Get tested people. HIV/AIDS is nothing to take lightly.


P.S. - I know it's really bogus to have a post about Magic feature a pic of him being dunked on, but I am from Chicago!

Do you.

Lakeview Terrace

Ahhh, racial tension. The stuff great movies are made of. In Samuel L. Jackson's 4,976th movie, he plays a racist LAPD officer (shocking, I know!) named Abel Turner, who doesn't care for his new neighbors Chris (Patrick Wilson) and Lisa (Kerry Washington). Chis is white and Kerry is black. Abel is black as well. I find it very interesting that Sam Jack's character is named after a sweet, GOD-fearing boy, murdered by a jealous brother, and an angry black gun-wielding revolutionary. One of these two Sam Jack plays extremely well. I'll let you guess which one.
I must say I was disappointed by the lack of ridiculous hair and needless profanity by Sam Jack, but there was no shortage of yelling and angry black man looks. My personal fav was, "I'm the police! You have to do what I say!" Classic Sam Jack.That man oozes hate!

Pat Wilson plays the role of the insecure white guy pretty darn well. I have a feeling he's dated black women before, although with much more disastrous results. I can tell he didn't have to dig too deeply to recreate pained looks of inadequacy and shame. He did step it up eventually, so I gota give him his props for that.

Our last main star is Kerry Washington. I've decided that she really isn't that great looking. Sorry. I think it's because she does this weird thing with her lips when she talks. It distracted me so much, I think I only heard two actually words come out of her mouth the entire movie. Mostly it just sounded like a bag of jumbo marshmellows being repeatedly squished.

These three characters are thrown together in the midst of the annual California wildfires, which is a revered pastime of the Golden State. That Golden color comes from the tips of raging fires that threaten to devastate California's hallowed over-priced mansions. If only there was a way to protect these precious symbols of American consumerism. Who will weep for the burned out shell of a once majestic 7 bedroom estate that once stood proudly perched atop the sweeping cliffs, gazing over the valley of the middle class? To what symbol of hope will the destitute masses look to, and aspire to achieve? Who will weep!?! Wow...um, sorry.
Anyway, estute viewers and cinema geeks will notice that as the fires inch closer, the intensity of their interactions flare up as well. Very clever Neil LaBute, very clever indeed. Must've gone to one of those fancy Ivy League schools - you can't harness that kind of creative energy at a publicly funded unversity. Not at all. To wrap things up, the movie ends in a hail of gunfire and cheesy alls well that ends well movie fluff. In these unstable financial times, I'd recommend saving my $9.75 and wait for it to show up in the previously viewed section at Blockbuster. Use that $9.75 to buy about 35 shares of Lehman Bros...You'll thank me later.


Tay-Tay Willomane's final verdict: If you missed the movie you actually came to see, and don't wanna waste that gas, go see it.

Do you.

Bail ME out!

As a young man firmly entrenched in America's middle class, a.k.a "Main Street" I have to say that I am quite underwhelmed, and frankly disappointed in the decisions our elected officials made to pass this bailout. On one hand, I am relieved that my savings account is now insured by the FDIC up to $250,000. Thank GOD! I now have a $248,500 dollar cushion. Now I can finally get some sleep!

On the other hand, myself and my fellow tax payers are on the hook for up to $700 bil. We have been assured that the government may actually make money on this new legislation, so we might not have to pay anything at all. Fat chance. Since the passing of this life saving legislation, the Dow Jones went from closing at 10,325.38 to 9258.10 today. That's a drop of 1057.28, even after the Fed dropped the Federal Funds rate to 1.5%. Good job! No, really, pat yourselves on the back. Way to show those 200 economists that wrote a letter saying the bailout was a bad idea. I bet they feel really stupid right now. Prolly really embarrassed. I'm really glad you all are in control of our nation's financial future.

I also have to say that if they really wanted to help "Main Street", they shoulda cut us a check! Take that $700 bil. and distribute it equally among everybody that is eligible for a tax return. That way, everyone that is behind on their mortgage could catch up, maybe pay off some past due bills, I could get my conspicuous consumption on. You know, stimulate the economy from the demand side and whatnot. At any rate, the bailout is politics as usual. Special interests get their money, big business gets help, and the common man gets the bill. I had hoped Barack would oppose the bill, but I imagine there was just too much pressure to get it passed. Anyway, this rant could go on for days, but I'll cut it short here.

Do you.

Intro

Recent events in the current Presidential campaign have led me to start a blog where I can rant about any and everything that interests me, pisses me off, or makes me laugh. This is not intended to offend, anger, or attack anyone. Rather, I want this blog to make you really think about the opinions, beliefs, and stances we take on what the media spoonfeeds us everyday. Just because it is on TV or in the pages or a national newspaper doesn't mean is is true or accurate. We need to do our own research and form our own opinions! Don't take anything at face value!

I'll try not to take myself too seriously. I just want to put things out there from my point of view, and see what you think about it. Topics will range from the profoundly deep to the ridiculously shallow.

Enjoy!