Archive for the ‘No Boutros Boutros… Ghali’ Category

Dead Singers Get Better Promotion…

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

mj

Other than the fact that MICHAEL JACKSON is no longer with us you would have to agree that he had a pretty good weekend.

Michael Jackson’s glove sells for $350,000 at auction

Michael Jackson wins 4 American Music Awards

The Michael Jackson concert documentary ‘This Is It’ nears the $200m mark in domestic and foreign ticket sales

Michael Jackson’s death saved the US economy more than any stimulus package could. MJ’s death created jobs and got people back to work selling posters, calendars and all sorts of MJ memoribilia. It was the equivalent of the WPA from the entertainment industry.

All OBAAMA needs now is for Madonna, Barbara Streisand and Bruce Springsteen to die in 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively and he will be re-elected for sure. I wonder if more dead celebrities would be enough incentive to push the healthcare bill through?

Iverson Is NOT The Answer…

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009

iverson

For my Knicks

Truthfully he isn’t the answer to any team right now because he still considers himself a primetime player. If Iverson could sublimate his ego he would be a good fit on any number of contending clubs. Cleveland or Boston would benefit having his talents. More importantly tho’ is that Iverson would also have to alter himself as a player and shooter.

Do you remember VINNIE ‘The Microwave‘ JOHNSON? He earned the nickname because he was able to score a bunch of points really fast. He could heat up quickly. Can Iverson become a microwave because right now he is coal furnace filled with bricks. Vinnie Johnson also played stifling defense which Iverson absolutely does not.

All I know is that the Knicks and Iverson both deserve better at this point.

The cRapper Y’all Love To H8…

Friday, November 13th, 2009

wale

I can understand why people don’t fux with Kid Cudi because his themes are darker and more delusional. I can understand why people don’t follow Asher Roth on a larger scale either because his shelf life appears to be somehow similar to a loaf of white bread. But all the h8 that gets thrown towards Wale baffles me. What did he do to y’all? His Mixtape About Nothing was on my 2008 year end list at the top and I never like to qualify mixtapes but Wale’s joint was definetly some of the best music to drop in a long while.

The report cards from XXL mags 2008 Freshmen class aren’t all submitted yet and frankly, I’m not checking for Ace Hood’s debut disk either, but between Asher Roth, Kid Cudi and now Wale’s debut ‘Attention Deficit’ I think you have a clear view of rap music for the next decade. Wale has created his own lane along with Cudi by not just pushing forth lyrics but also re-introducing go-go and afrobeat music to Hip-Hop. I think it works because Wale’s flow is a unique stop and go staccato.

Wale isn’t into over-rhyming like, say a Talib Kweli might on a track that featured a Fela Kuti sample. He’s in control and clearly thoughtful of how he wants his lyrics to be received. My only complaint for this debut album is that there isn’t enough of Wale in here. All the ideas he expressed on the Mixtape About Nothing are diluted by the number of guest features on this album. I feel like this project became a Mark Ronson disk highlighted by some Wale tracks. The album is still dope though and the tracks that I love are really, rwally good.

Triumph is the type of song that I would make Wale wear a ‘Coming To America’ lionhead sash in the music video for. 90210 is definitely that ‘Ye Tudda track. It makes me want to sniff some yayze and play Super Nintendo for 36 str8 hours. Prescription is a listen to the boastful Wale persona at his lyrical best. Wale is clearly the most talented rhymesayer from the XXL freshmen ’08 class. Let’s see what he does as a sophomore before we randmly h8 on dude.


Triumph


90210


Prescription

OSIRIS LIVES… (O.D.B. R.I.P. ReMix)

Friday, November 13th, 2009

osiris

Editor’s Note: This post was originally issued as an e-mail blast after the tragic death of RUSSELL T. JONES a/k/a OL’ DIRTY BASTARD. The WU-TANG Collective gathers at the Hammerstein Ballroom in N.Y.C. to celebrate the life and legacy of O.D.B. on February 14, 2006. Peace to OL’ DIRTY. Peace to the WU.

I never got a chance to really open up and show my love to BIG BABY JESUS(OL’ DIRTY). Next to GHOSTFACE, I felt the soundtrack to his life the most. There is so much mental energy that we Black men exert on an everyday basis just to keep from going crazy. The socio-political-economic system that we live under acts like water running down a drain and we struggle daily not to go under. Not that anyone out here has it particularly easy(white included) because when your taxes aren’t paid on time, Uncle Sam will come to your door to get his regardless of your last name. Your last name only determines if he will ring the doorbell or kick in the door.

I should pra’li give thanks to the WU real quick also. The WU-TANG clan illustrated the diaspora that is the Black Man. The members were individually talented and collectively invincible. Not since PUBLIC ENEMY has there been a group as diversely and intelligently orchestrated. Each member of the clan used their particular style to imprint and transform rap music. The term ‘ice’ belonged to the WU. If you don’t believe me please go copp RAEKWON’s ultra-classic first album also featuring GHOSTFACE KILLAH.

Without the WU-TANG CLAN who could we look for to express Black male unity? The 1980’s wannabe crack dealing reminscent DIPLOMATS? STATE PROPERTY? Isn’t ‘State Property’ the term used for incarcerated slave labor?!? The Gay Unit, oops, I meant to say G-UNIT.

Well all I got to say is one thing to say. ‘Shimmy Shimmy Y’all’. WU-TANG FOREVER!


Brooklyn Zoo


The Stomp


Baby C’mon


Shimmy Shimmy Ya’


Hippa To Da Hoppa


Rawhide


Brooklyn Zoo II (Tiger Crane)

Sesame Is What’s Hot In The Streets…

Friday, November 13th, 2009

sesame street

Rafi Kam was right when he said that the Internets Celebrities owe a debt of respect to Sesame Street (Saturday Night Live as well, but that’s another drop for another day). Without the production of the Children’s Television Workshop this world would be too mean and scary for children. The monsters on Sesame Street were our friends and they looked out for us. They held our hands and they sung to us.

You can’t imagine the transformative power of this programming even today when kids can navigate gaming consoles well before they can speak in complete sentences. Everyone is failing the children from the parents, caregivers, and up to the educators but never Sesame Street. This is still the single place that children can be adults without the burden of paying bills. Children are spoken to with eye contact and love in the center of the message. Thank you Sesame Street, without you this world would be even more fucked the fuck up.

This weekend, my favorite library in the Brooklyn, the central branch at Grand Army Plaza is hosting a 40th anniversary celebration for Children Television Workshop’s Sesame Street. They have so many activities and events scheduled I almost want to rent myself a child. If you are lucky enough to have someone in your life that you would like to introduce to the perfect world of Sesame Street please don’t hesitate to find yourself at the Brooklyn Central Library this Saturday.

Ol’ Dirty Bastard would definitely be there.

But then again, Wu-Tang is for the children.