Archive for the ‘The Guest Room’ Category

SNEAKER FIENDS UNITE!

Wednesday, December 12th, 2007

nike sb

Editor’s note: This S.F.U. drop is from longtime DP Dot Commenter, now Com-tributor – GRANDMASTER.

To the DP Dot Com faithful, the addicts, and fiends,

I know Dallas’s dunk game reigns supreme, but if there’s one thing that he’s been holding out on us all has been the SB line of Dunks, so I thought I’d come through and just spread the love out some[||].

After months(maybe years) of reading Dallas’ drops about sneakers, I decided to follow in his footsteps*, and go outside of the box* (*puns most definitely intended). I started naming my kicks after whatever I felt like calling them. Eff some NIKE businessman for telling me what to think about shoes I paid for with money I couldn’t afford to spend.

In my arrogant ass opinion, Dunk SB’s are the most comfortable shoes Nike puts out. Some people, especially the Europeans and Asians, prefer Air Maxes (360’s, 90’s, and 95’s mainly), but I claim this shoe as the pinnacle. Regular orange-boxed Dunks are basically retro basketball shoes, but the Dunk SB’s take a boxy shoe and beef up the padding to make them suitable for skateboarding.

The late comedian Mitch Hedberg once said some real words: “I don’t have to be sweaty and holding a basketball to enjoy a Gatorade. I could just be a thirsty dude.” Paraphrasing his logic, I don’t have to give two deuces about a kick flip to be wearing SB’s; I could just need some fresh, comfortable shoes. And it’s not hard to notice that (a) Nike spends some real development time on the colorways for this shoe, and (b) the padding that helps suicidal skateboarders not crack their shit open also makes them more comfortable to rock on the regular.

I’ve recently been wearing a lot of high-tops, because it’s been getting colder than your momma out here in New Haven and, seeing as how I pretty much only rock ankle socks, that part of my leg between my pants and my shoes has been getting froze off. For that reason, I copped this pair of SBs.

nike sb

This pair of SB Dunk Highs are officially called the ‘Skateboard Pack – Deck’ Dunk His, They’re part of a three-pack of Dunk SBs that are supposed to represent the three major parts of a skateboard. There’s the ‘Grip Tape’ Dunk mids, the ‘Deck’ Dunk his, and a to-be-released pair of ‘Truck’ Dunk lows.

But whenever I slip these on in the morning, I like to call them the ENDOR FOREST COMMANDO SB Dunk Highs. See, like most 70s-80s babies out there who grew up as nerdy as JALEEL WHITE (and for some of y’all who didn’t), I grew up on a steady diet of Yoda, Luke Skywalker, and dreaming about one day having a shorty with a cinnamon-bun-roll-looking hairdo. This shoe takes all the concentrated badassery of the forest guerilla battle of the third movie (eff what GEORGE LUCAS has to say about a prequel trilogy, Episodes IV-VI are the truth) and distills it into my footwear of choice. Good thing I was real young when I first saw that movie, too, or I might be catching feelings about Ewoks like I did Jar Jar Binks, but that’s another story.

nike sb

nike sb

These shoes are officially a “Tweed/Classic Green” colorway, but that doesn’t even describe the half of it. These aren’t just any SB Dunks. They’re Premiums baby, because of the use of a special print leather combined with premium materials. The entire rear panel of the shoes are covered in a special leather printed all over with a wood grain pattern only seen in one super-limited dunk low before (the MICHAEL LAU Dunk low, only available at one Nike event in Hong Kong), while the entire upper and side panels are composed of some real buttery-soft, suede-feeling material.

nike sb

nike sb

These joints also have one of the biggest bonuses in my book – non-white midsoles and cupsoles. There is nothing that I hate more than popping open a new pair of kicks, wearing them once to class and back to my place, then finding half of my city stuck between the tread. Well, that will still happen with these joints, except you won’t notice it because of the darker colored bottom cupsole. [||].

Anyways, the “Classic Green” swoosh and stitching reminds me of some kinds of crazy jungle plants, plus Luke’s green lightsaber, the wood panel printed leather in the back looks just like some old growth forests or trees, and the mixed brown uppers look a lot like the forest camouflage that everyone’s favorite Rebels was rocking in the backwoods.

nike sb

That’s enough for today. But yo, you don’t even know about my own little Transformers pack that I been putting together on the side. Maybe some day Dallas will let me put you all on to my Bumblebee Dunk highs and Megatron Air Force III highs…

GRAND MASTER

Eff A MySpace In The A!

Monday, December 10th, 2007

myspace

Editor’s note: The Ambassador takes some time away from her semester’s finals to tell us how she really feels about social inter-network websites.

There’s no doubt in my mind that the internet has revolutionized life as we know it. I’m bustin’ my ass over here trying to bang out research papers because it’s finals time, and I realized that without the internet I’d be about as lost and doomed as a blind lemming. The internet is good.

But fuck a “social networking” site.

I don’t say this for the typical reasons such as the fact that they’re breeding grounds for child molesters and sex predators, odd stalker-type hermits, aspiring amateur porn stars, and musicians who will never make it out of their mothers’ basements. I say this because these sites can very easily fuck up a relationship.

I used to have a myspace. Hell, I used to have a Facebook account too. Two at once! I was bold. I logged in damn near every day.

I was a dumbass.

I have never come across a more drama-causing side effect of technology in my 19 years of life than the phenomenon known as the social networking website. Let’s focus on myspace this time around. People would hit me up complaining that they weren’t in my “top 8”. Like that shit really matters in life, right? Then you get your so called “friends” that hit you up every month or so saying, “Hey bitch, I haven’t seen you in so long! How you been? Call me, let’s chill sometime!” …Except you know that it’s never going to go down, and another month will pass and you won’t ever see them. Unless their car breaks down, or they need $20 to help pay their electric bill. Then they’ll come around.

But all that shit is just a chip off the melting icebergs up in the Arctic Circle that will eventually (supposedly) cause hell on Earth (once again, another post for another day). The absolute worst time to have a myspace account is when you’re in a serious romantic relationship. If you’re extremely lucky and find yourself in a relationship with zero trust issues whatsoever, you may end up OK. But the second you make even the slightest fuck-up in a relationship, your myspace page may prove to be your worst enemy.

Think about it – your significant other can hit up your page and see damn near everybody you talk to. All your ex’s that you have as friends, that girl you met at the club and worked the walls for a night only for her to e-stalk you ever since, your family (sisters, cousins, whoever), your close friends… that really has the potential to end badly. On top of that, the most random of people are known to leave some stupid ass comments on the regular. You don’t even want to know how many comments I’d get from guys I hadn’t talked to in years on my page going “Hey sexy, how’s that fine ass doing? Call me, we can chill at my place and give the neighbors something to listen to…”. Oh yeah, if your (wo)man sees that right after you have a fight? They’re going to start wondering. Jealousy ain’t a good look, but damn if it ain’t a common occurrence.

You could always set your page to one of those private joints so then only your friends can see it (which will only work if your other half doesn’t have an account), but then that just makes you look like you have something to hide. Guilt ain’t really a good look either.

And don’t even get me started on the psychotic-type (wo)men in the world who will try to be slick and start up fake accounts and hit you up under some fine-looking alias, pulling shit like hitting on you and asking to meet up or offering you some ass just to see what you’d do or say. Fam, mind games are *not *cool. One wrong move and you’re done. And real talk, if you have
someone in your life trying to pull that kind of stunt on you, you should be seriously debating getting away from them anyway. Not a good situation at all, plus it has the potential to lead to…

…the craptastic ex who resembles the gossiping spawn of Satan. You know, the one who can’t keep their mouth shut, and posts all your business on myspace after you break up. That…well, that doesn’t need much explanation. Ouch. Even a fat blunt filled with that presidential weed that Obama was smoking back in the day wouldn’t help the kind of headache you’ll get when you realize that the whole world is going to know about every embarrassing moment you experienced while in that relationship.

Let’s face it – back when the only simple means of communication was a telephone (and a non-cellular one at that), and the easy access to one night stand material via the internet didn’t exist, I bet relationships were a lot easier to handle. Not saying they were simple back then, but surely the internet has drastically altered the dynamics of romance.

And since winter break is coming for all of you college students, here’s something to do when you’re bored and snowed in: hop on myspace and search out your old high school. Peep out what some of the people who you used to know or see around the way are up to. I guarantee you’ll get some laughs. It’s amazing what information people throw out to the world. Hell, one of my very good friends from back in the day is a stripper now. Fellas, if you see her in the club, slip a few extra dollar bills in that g-string for me. She was cool peoples.

ambassador The Ambassador says…
“DP Dot Com IS the social network!”

Redeye Romance Pt.1 by MAXINE

Saturday, December 8th, 2007

sexy car


“I spit a story backwards, it starts at the ending.”
– (c)Nas ‘Rewind/Stillmatic’ 2001

The back of my throat reclaimed my falsetto
His hands once again found my thighs, our embrace tightened
His lips back on mine
I took my hand out of the glove compartment said “Insane fucking is this”
My right ear tingled in anticipation of his warm breath, “Ambitious feeling you’re if”
My passenger door closed then shut
I looked into his eyes, his lips went dry
He knocked twice on my window then walked away
My door promptly locked, car in reverse
My headlights illuminate ’45 Minute Waiting Area’
Click Click Clic——-my left turn signal
The speedometer goes clockwise; time goes back, 3-2-1
This is how the story begun
He winks at me and motions to pull over
I hung up the phone then the phone rang
“My plane just landed, meet me at United”
*Beep*
“This is Max, leave a message. Peace.”

THE DP DOT COM GUEST ROOM: CELEBRATING WEALTH + IGNORANCE = HIP-HOP

Thursday, December 6th, 2007

dumb

“Just when I think you couldn’t possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this…and totally redeem yourself!” – (c)Harry Dunne

Believe it or not, there was a time when hip-hop made sense to some people. Even though there were always the detractors who claimed that it was noise, or just “nigger talk”. According to De La Soul’s ‘Stakes is High’ there was some common sense element to it. There was a time before platinum grills, every other artist having beef with one another (can you even imagine Dana Dane and Kwame having beef??), and rappers issuing their disrespectfully immodest trite verses like “I can still sell a mill saying nothing on the track.”

During that previous time when things made sense, it wasn’t so much that the actions were any less ignorant, mind you. They made sense in that gangstas acted like gangsters. They beat up television hosts, got killed, caught rape cases, murder cases, even attempted murder cases. However, they did NOT, under pain of death, 1) strip, 2) kiss men, or 3) do the Soulja Boy dance.

Seems like lifetimes ago…

Like Harry from ‘Dumb and Dumber’ (classic shit), I start thinking that things couldn’t possibly get any dumber in hip-hop. Every gimmick’s been used, every glass of NyQuil has been sipped, every tattoo has been tatted. Even butterflies. On faces. Of “gangsta rappers” .

Then I’m reassured – “Yeah, Jah, you ain’t seen nothing yet!”

dumb

Case in point, we have the brilliant folks who designed these $50,000 diamond encrusted sneakers. Apparently $200 is not enough to spend on an immediately depreciable good. We need our finances to be infinitely worse. In fairness, though, these sneakers are encrusted with 11 carats of diamonds. “Woo hoo!”

What’s next? Platinum-plated prosthetics?

“Yo, son, my fake leg got SIX rubies in it, kid!!!!”

Holler.

GYASI

You got something on your so-called mind? You want to tell it to a thousand million people? Send it to DP Dot Com and we will put you up in our Guest Room.

COMBAT JACK Goes In: ‘The Big Doe Rehab’

Tuesday, December 4th, 2007

combat jack

Editor’s note: Combat Jack gives DP Dot Com their holiday gift. L’Chaim bitches.

I gotta apologize for not handing in my review of the Wu’s latest “8 Diagrams” as I promised my boy Dallas last week. True, I had mad grown man responsibilities to handle this weekend, but still and all, excuses are the tools of the incompetent. I see that Dallas, er, Billy X. Sunday has already given y’all the scoop on the new Wu joint.

As a peace offering, and having had the opportunity to come up on GhostFace’s “Big Doe Rehab” this weekend, I was fortunate enough to burn some trees, pop on the headphones and go deep with this one as I shoveled snow off my brand new BK castle yesterday.

Yo, for real, this one right here kills 99.9% of all hip-hop releases dropped this year(and this was a good year).

Let’s go in on this joint track by track…

“At The Cabana” – One of the funniest and most welcome intro skits I’ve heard in a very long time. Like a scene out of “Scarface”, but much more entertaining.

“Toney Sigel” – Ill menacing track laced not only with some of Toney’s freshest rhymes like “we never voted, we voting for Oprah, Obama and Eric B”, but we’re also blessed with a stellar Beanie Sigel performance, who sounds like he was born to murder this beat. I like. Very much. Them two would make an ill lp together.

“Yolanda’s House” – Crazy story joint about Ghost escaping the scene of a crime, also happening to run into both Method Man and Raekwon. Meth kills like he’s a new nigga again, one who never did that bullshit sitcom with Redman. Rae comes correct as well. Track is some smooth shit that most def could be on the OBFCL sequel. I like. Very much.

“We Celebrate” – Featuring Kid Capri. This one’s on some hyped shit using “I Just Want To Celebrate” by Rare Earth, an old Dr. Dre sample. Ghost is on celebrating life. Funny cause I peeped his interview with Miss Info where he plugged this joint for the NBA. Funny nigga.

“Walk Around” – Another ill story about how, after Ghost pops a nigga in the face with a burner, Toney starts bugging because a piece of the dude’s flesh lands on Ghost’s clothing. Track is on some ole school, Just Blaze soulful shit. Great concept. Great story. Great song. I like. Very much.

“Yapp City” – A’wright heist story featuring Trife Da God and Ghost’s son, Son God. Cool joint, not a classic though.

“White Linen Affair (Toney Awards)” – An award show which kind of reminds me of Jay-Z’s celebratory “Roc Boys”, only smoother and executed in Ghost’s unique manner. Cool how he makes all types of celebrities names rhyme together. I like. Very much.

“Supa GFK” – Ghost raps over that “Superman Lover” track Redman killed years ago. Not mad though, Ghost delivers.

“Rec-Room Therapy (Feat. Raekwon and U-God)” – Ill slinky beat, ill hook, reminds me of “Apollo Kids” from “Supreme Clientele”, Rae kills, U-God, who has to be the worst emcee in the entire the Wu click drops a verse. Dude does have a great voice though. [||]. I like. Very much.

“The Prayer (performed by Ox)” – A skit type of accapella performance by some dude named Ox, on some doo-woppish shit. A bit depressing since it sounds like Ox lived a very very painful life. I could have done without this joint.

“I’ll Die For You” – On a track sounding straight off the “Shaft” soundtrack, Ghost muses deeply about who and what he would die for. Makes it clear he ain’t dying for no punk bitches-. Once again, great concept.

“Paisley Darts (Feat Raekwon, Sun God, Method Man and Capadonna)” – Another soulful joints with Ghost and crew waxing poetic about how fly they be. Cappadonna is in rare form.

“Shakey Do Starring Lolita (feat. Raekwon)” – A story joint about some Spanish chick out to kill Ghost on some revenge shit. Soulful beats for days. Great concept. Another joint perfect of OB4CL2.

“!” – A merengue sounding instrumental interlude, I guess connecting with the intro skit.

“Killa Lipstick (feat Method man, Masta Killa)” – The EPMD “Listen To My Demo” track. Meth does the hook and we get a Masta Killa verse. ‘Bout how purty chicks can get grimey too.

“Slow Down (feat Chrisete Michele)” – Another soulful joint, this lp on the whole sounds like it could be Ghost’s version of “Blueprint”.

The verdict: On the whole, this album is currently my favorite joint in rotation. Is it one of 2007’s best? Most definitely!!! Is it better than Ghost’s classic “Supreme Clientele”? I wouldn’t say it is, but then again, this album is so different, that comparing the two would be like comparing apples to oranges. As much as I liked “8 Diagrams”, this one gets more burn, especially since it’s less complex than the Wu’s latest venture and happens to be one of Ghost’s easiest to listen to albums ever. After more than 15 years in the game and at 37 yrs old, Ghost effortlessly maintains his ability to sound like he’s new again. Makes me wonder why he’s never made anyone’s GOAT list. Hmmmm. Please cop this perfect stocking stuffer. It’s another certified Wu-tang banger.