The opinions expressed in the following editorial do not necessarily represent the views of AllHipHop ans it’s associates. This isn’t the easiest of topics to tackle.  AllHipHop generally has had something that addressed whether Hip-Hop was living up to Dr. King’s dream, and whether or not that was a task that could even be undertaken by this culture. Well done, in my opinion, but we’ve been there and done that.   Then there is the easy way out: posting videos and songs. While it would satisfy the editorial quotient, in this time and this place in history on the eve of perhaps the shining moment of Black people in America, that just seems out of place.   Taking this once in a lifetime alignment, the celebration of the dream followed immediately by its culmination, in perhaps this country’s darkest (pun both intended and not intended) hour, with Mr. Obama’s ascension to the seat of the presidency, I don’t want to saturate you with things that you are bound to be beaten over the head with. Without boring you with history lessons, or trying to find some connection between this and Hip-Hop, I just want to take a second and reflect on what this point in our history means.   Dr. King was a martyr of the finest caliber, and the tragedy of martyrdom is that while you become larger in death than you were in life, you lose the ability to control your image and message.  In King’s case his “dream” has pretty much been co-opted by anyone attempting to create a movement.  Lost in all these dreams is a legacy of courage in the face of adversity. Dr. King endured firebombings, stabbings, and raw hate on a level we can’t imagine. In the years since, we’ve made an incredible amount of gains professionally and this country has progressed to a certain extent   Which brings us to this holiday, and the coming inauguration. Obama’s famous refrain of “Yes We Can” is the dream of today. The dream on ‘roids. Obama’s win is good for your children and their aspirations.  It’s good for your peers and not just your Black peers to see a successful man in love with his wife and who is by all visible accounts a good father.  As men we should all aspire to that.  It would solve many of the problems that plague this country.   Yes we can. Can speaks to ability. Ability speaks to possibility. But that’s where it stops. There is no motion in can. However, will speaks to all of that. Do we have the will to stop dreaming?  On this 80th birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. in a time of trouble, can we as Americans muster up the will to do? Obama can’t save America anymore than Dr. King could.  However their shining examples of courage and audacity can inspire us to save ourselves.   Preachers and politicians are not saviors. They are representatives. They represent ideals which more often than not have a hard time translating from “can” to “do” and from theory to practice.  This moment offers us a rare opportunity to face down our fears with the hopes and dreams of yesterday at our backs and the promise of what we can do directly in our faces.  Let’s take on that challenge and become doers and not dreamers.   Good Day and Good Luck -Bill

No, it’s not Hip Hop.  However, it’s been the only thing on my mind for the last couple of weeks and Lord knows I had to turn something in to the powers that be over here before they block my IP address.  So I’m fitting a round peg into a square hole, but c’mon.  Who isn’t going to be glued to their TV this Sunday? No, I’m not one of these NFL geeks who can quote stats and names and records and all that unnecessary stuff.  But I do know a little bit more than whose uniforms are more fashionable or which team has the nicest bootay per capita. (That would be the Giants by the way.) So here goes my personal female perspective on what is going to happen this weekend because well… I know. First off- The NFC. The fact that either of the teams from the National Football Conference are still hanging around is simply because the NFC has to provide a team for the Super Bowl due to league rules. It’s kind of like that little girl in the beauty pageant who everyone knows is going to lose, but she got into the final five because her mom sold the most tickets. You give little Greta that pity smile and push her onto the stage knowing she’s going to drop her flaming baton on one of the judges then cry hysterically as she runs back to her dressing room. I know everyone loves Donovan McNabb.  There isn’t a Hip Hop football fan who doesn’t want to see ole dude get that ring.  He weathered the Philly storm and unfairly played the villain for years in the sports media while actually maintaining his composure when dealing with the NFL’s resident drama queen, Terrell Owens.  Hell, I like him too. And you know what? I believe the Eagles will be able to get past the Cardinals.  The 3rd ranked defense in the league going against a team that has a hard time defending the pass (which is all the Eagles do) is a no-brainer to me. I don’t care how hot like fire the Cardinals are right now.  It will come to an end this weekend.   At least they are playing at home.  There is nothing worse than touching down at an empty airport because your home town folks are mad they shelled out good cash for those expensive ass jerseys they can only wear once.  Or worse yet, a gate filled with angry fans wearing those jerseys and holding rotten tomatoes. Not that it matters though.  Little Greta with her fire stick is going to be no match for whichever goon squad crawls out of the American Football Conference. And yes, they will crawl. Secondly (and most importantly) – The AFC Here we have the 1st and 2nd ranked defenses in the league and anyone who doesn’t believe the D wins the game is a m####. Think about it.  The offensive rookie of the year, the offensive player of the year, the highest ranked passer of the year and the MVP of the year are all going to be sitting next to you at the bar this weekend.  Why; because offense does not win games. Unless, of course, you have some offense in your defense (Please refer to the NFL Reece’s cup aka Ed Reed). This is going to be the most fantastical knock down, drag out field fight we have seen in a long time.  And to make things even better; these teams can’t stand each other.  Short of sickles, nooses, burning torches and weighted knives; they will be throwing anything and everything at each other.  The defensive set-ups will be alien.  The field will be dotted with yellow flags as the players call up their inner cavemen to get extra brutal with it.  I know someone will have to score at some point and that will totally be dependent on whose offensive line can hold.    Who is going to win? The Ravens baby!  Why; because I said so! A Baltimore girl would be remiss in her home town duties to suggest anything but.   Besides, who can really dust off a team three times in one season?  I just don’t think Pittsburgh is THAT good. **Shelz rolls her eyes in the general direction of Steeler Nation** So Tampa Bay, you will need to man up.  Hosting a North East double scoop will be no easy task. Neither Baltimore, nor Philly are known for their friendly residents; especially with all the marbles on the line.  So migrate the crabs and the cheese steak and prepare for the charm and brotherly love because Baltimore, MD and Philadelphia, PA are on their way.  And to the Steelers fans, go ahead and cake your face up with that black and gold putty.  You’ll be crying it off come 10pm Sunday night. Holla!

Over the years, the NBA machine has become the undisputed master at marketing its players as superstars. In the post Magic/Bird era, and following the rise of Air Jordan we’ve seen many  campaigns designed to get you to believe the hype.Now in the global recession, the NBA is spending more ad money on showing players as caring gentle giants full of charitable love, partly to stem a growing trend of fan alienation and partly (let’s be honest) to keep a majority white audience in love with an overwhelmingly black game.This leaves the players themselves to toot their own horns and both individual teams and their endorsers have been tasked with shining the light.  From viral video of Kobe jumping over cars, Lebron throwing up more powder than the last five minutes of Scarface, athletes and their handlers are well aware of the quirkiness and viral power of marketing.In this climate comes one of the stranger campaigns I’ve ever seen: Amare Stoudemire’s quest to be voted on the All-Star Team. This year, the game is being held in Amare’s hometown of Phonix.  Unfortunately he’s got a few things going against him. Yao Ming’s billion countrymen assure his starting center nod, which is why Big Fun(damental) Tim Duncan is on the ballot as a forward, and a shoe-in. Amare’s own teammate Shaq is putting up numbers at the 5 that will pretty much guarantee him a coaches nod.  Similarly, while Kobe and Chris Paul have the back court votes on lock, you know that the coaches will be hard pressed to not pick Nash in his home game.  Where does that leave Stat?Pao Gasol and The Lake Show are presently leading the league and that generally calls for more than one player to make it. Dirk Nowitzki, another international player with countrymen who can vote is also putting up his usual big numbers. When you add fan favorite and Olympian Carmelo Anthony into the picture along with Duncan, it’s a tight squeeze to the end.To draw a bit of attention, Amare’s team has delivered a number of bizarre vids to the web.  here they are in all their…splendor. I don’t know if they are working or not but they sure are strange. I don’t know if this is gonna fly or make anyone vote for him  but maybe if you vote for him then the vids will stop.

Recounting the life of a legendary MC twelve years past his death is a daunting task. Especially when the details of his death are so unclear that the book is still wide open. However, Fox Searchlight took the initiative to release Hip-Hop’s first bipioc Notorious – a film that may skim the surface of a basic tale, but will blast the doors open for Hip-Hop in Hollywood. We all know how the story ends, but do we know where it begins? Christopher “Biggie” Wallace (Jamal “Gravy” Woolard), a drug dealer with a passion for lyrical expression, begins his journey in Brooklyn, NY as a private school kid (CJ Wallace) coping with the abandonment of his father and the strong arm of his mother, Voletta Wallace (Angela Bassett). The fact that Notorious B.I.G.’s son CJ portrays his younger self adds a deep realism to the story, especially in a scene where little Biggie is posted up on a stoop writing angry rhymes about living without his dad. By teenage years, Wallace is on his first child and serving a prison term, when the real MC is born. By the time he’s freed, he’s back on the street corner ciphers murdering cats with his buddy D-Roc (Dennis L.A. White) and Lil’ Cease (Marc John Jeffries). Kimberly “Lil’ Kim” Jones (Naturi Naughton), apparently a customer service rep in her early days, is lured in by Biggie’s je ne sais quoi and spends their first encounter on a mattress. Then Biggie’s life changes. A meeting with Sean “Puffy” Combs (Derek Luke) marks the moments where Big must leave the street mentality on wax and start thinking like a businessman. Besides nailing every Puffy dance move, Derek Luke adds a humility to Puff that we never saw before – especially when he is fired by Andre Harrell. In an act of desperation, Big goes on one last heist and is caught by the cops. D-Roc takes the fall so Biggie can build his music career…and so it all begins. The lights, the cameras, the action. We witnessed all of this, but never through Biggie’s eyes. From a budding friendship with Tupac (Anthony Mackie) that ends destructively sour, to a barely courted marriage and separation from Faith Evans (Antonique Smith), Biggie’s duties as a father, a husband, a friend and an MC were never mutually exclusive. Gravy’s portrayal of Biggie is eerily on point. The talk, the walk, the swagger, the asthma. However, Naughton’s role as Kim really brings it home. Certain scenes in Notorious will replay in the mind for months, including Faith beating a woman to the ground in a hotel room after catching her in Big’s bed, Lil’ Kim flashing her bottom half at a concert debuting Junior M.A.F.I.A., Tupac being shot at Quad Recording Studios, and every moment Gravy brought Biggie on stage. A disturbing piece in the Notorious puzzle is Big’s tumultuous relationship with Lil’ Kim. What started as a love affair became abusive dealings, like shoving Kim around sound booths and urging her to be crudely risqué, which is Kim’s signature style to date. While Notorious may not any answer any questions about Big’s death, it tells a lot about his life – a legacy that many knew, but few understood.

2008 was a great year for boxing. Whether you’re a purist who enjoys slick technicians or a bloodthirsty observer who enjoys horrific brawls, there was an abundance of everything. Particularly, 2008 showcased many older stars from the 90s get brutally removed from top draw status, and younger fighters eagerly move in to replace their spots. So who earned top marks this year? Read on.   Fighter of the Year: Manny Pacquiao   The favorite son of the Philippines continued his dominance of boxing with two signature wins over elite fighters, three weight classes apart. In March, the Pacman squeaked out a razor-thin decision over his determined rival Juan Manuel Marquez in a sensational rematch. Despite Marquez’s best efforts, a key knockdown early on was enough to give Pacquiao a controversial but hard-earned victory. Over the summer, Pacquiao moved up to lightweight to put on a brutal display of speed and power against the limited but tough WBC champ David Diaz. After nine one-sided rounds, Pacquiao ended Diaz’s night with a pinpoint straight left that deposited the rugged Mexican face-first on the canvas.   The Pacman capped his year by yet again moving up, this time to welterweight, to face the much larger Oscar De La Hoya. Despite being a big underdog and never before fighting above 135 pounds, Pacquiao beat De La Hoya from pillar to post, earning a corner stoppage before the 9th round.   As boxing’s newest mainstream star and the world’s undisputed pound for pound #1, Manny Pacquiao looks to further build on his guaranteed Hall of Fame spot with 2009 superfights with 140 pound kingpin Ricky Hatton and previous pound for pound #1 Floyd Mayweather.   Runner Ups 1.       Joe Calzaghe 2.       Chad Dawson 3.       Antonio Margarito 4.       Vic Darchinyan 5.       Juan Manuel Marquez   Fight of the Year: Vazquez vs. Marquez III (March 1, 2008)   It was a rubbermatch for the ages that crystallized arguably the most action-packed trilogy in the history of boxing. In March, Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez waged war over 12 back and forth rounds. Marquez boxed well early, even dropping his rival hard in round 4, but Vazquez consistently came back to buzz Marquez with huge shots. The championship rounds continued the drama, with Marquez losing an invaluable point in the 11th for a low blow and Vazquez storming out to batter Marquez the entire 12th round and secure a much-needed knockdown with seconds remaining.   The last round heroics gave Israel Vazquez a 114-11, 111-114, 113-112 split decision win, and his second career-shortening win over Rafael Marquez. Although concern for the health of both guys abound, there is serious talk of a lucrative 4th fight in 2009. Can anyone say tetralogy?   Runner Ups 1.       Steve Cunningham vs. Tomasz Adamek 2.       Joel Casamyor vs. Michael Katsidis 3.       Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez II 4.       Antonio Margarito vs. Miguel Cotto 5.       Chad Dawson vs. Glen Johnson   Most Improved Fighter: Vic Darchinyan   After getting blasted out with one punch by Nonito Donaire in 2007, pint-sized brawler Vic Darchinyan showed vast improvement in 2008 by mixing controlled aggression behind accurate jabs and hooks. Overcoming an early dubious draw in February, Darchinyan went on to capture IBF super-flyweight title in August with a dominant knockout of Dimitri Kirilov. In November, he shocked most boxing experts by annihilating pound for pound technician Cristian Mijares to become the first man to unify the super-flyweight division.   On February 7th, Darchinyan looks to continue his winning ways against hated rival Jorge Arce.   Runner Ups 1.       Paul Williams 2.       Andre Berto 3.       Juan Manuel Lopez 4.       Ricky Hatton   I’m Going Down Award: Oscar De La Hoya   The Golden Boy begins a new streak with his second consecutive award for futility. Earlier this year, De La Hoya won a lackluster albeit lopsided decision over an undersized Steve Forbes, who still managed to bust up Oscar’s face in the process. After talks fell through for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, De La Hoya was able to secure a fight with another great but even smaller fighter in Manny Pacquiao. But instead of any easy victory, the tenacious Pacman thrashed De La Hoya all over Las Vegas for 8 rounds, forcing Oscar to quit on his stool before the 9th. If getting beat up by a blown up super-featherweight isn’t enough to convince Oscar to retire, I don’t know what will.   Runner Ups 1.       Roy Jones, Jr. 2.       Jeff Lacy 3.       Jose Luis Castillo   Upset of the Year: Bernard Hopkins vs. Kelly Pavlik   One of these days, the boxing press will learn not to bet against the Executioner. Bernard’s dismal outing against Joe Calzaghe had many convinced the ageless wonder had finally become shot, and that young middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik would be the final nail in Hopkins’ legendary career. Instead, Hopkins put on a masterclass performance, hitting Pavlik with every punch in the book for 12 rounds without once becoming visibly tired. At 43, Hopkins still remains high on boxing’s short list of pound for pound elites.   Runner Ups 1.       Timothy Bradley W12 Junior Witter 2.       Carlos Quintana W12 Paul Williams 3.       Nate Campbell W12 Juan Diaz 4.       Manny Pacquiao TKO8 Oscar De La Hoya   Knockout of the Year: Breidis Prescott KO1 Amir Khan   You’d be hard pressed to envision a worst possible loss then Khan’s September public execution. The PPV bout was supposed to be Khan’s coming out party. Instead, he’ll be spending the foreseeable future attempting to undo his new image as a china-chinned, overhyped protected fighter who was blasted out the first time he met decent competition.   At a mere 21 years old, time is on Khan’s side to make the necessary defensive improvements echoed by many British commentators, such as former champ Barry McGuigan.   No more fighting during Ramadan, Amir…         Runner Ups 1.       Edison Miranda KO3 David Banks 2.       Shane Mosley TKO12 Ricardo Mayorga               3.       […]

What’s good my dudes.  2009 looks like it’s going to be the year  of missed chances in 2008 trying to actually come through.  Already a week in and we’ve seen joints by  golden age heroes and we’ve seen Aftermath trying to build some momentum with their much ballyhooed “3 headed monster” Former G-Unit soldier  Young Buck have already hopped on a joint together and even new guys like Drake  have been trying to make sure that 2009 is their year.  We  got a lot of joints today some new some old and a bit over over time, so let’s get it in   Tyga Feat. Lil Wayne-Breaktime Tyga sounds at times like a young Eminem on this vocally (if not skillwise) and actually better than I expect from him. This is a freestyle kinda song with no real purpose but continuous spit.  Anytime you can get a serious verse from Wayne where he takes the song seriously is a treat.  He’s got definite flavor and presence. Lol@ “where the hell is my health.” Sick. His verse lyrically gains steam much like on Death Wish. Bump this.   Haze feat. Young Buck -Hate Katt Williams speech on hate segues into this joint setting the plate on them haters.  Buck doesn’t sound rusty but that aggression doesn’t seem to be there on this one.  I think if you’re trying to get back in you gotta go harder than this. Haze is adequate.  Forgettable but not wack.     Busta Rhymes Feat. Jeezy & Jadakiss-Conglomerate Bussa Bus is at it again.  Right now he’s probably the strongest of these 90’s rappers fighting to survive musically. He bats lead off on this.  Jeezy the Snowman shows up with more energy than usual emcee wise.  Good showing.  Batting cleanup is the kiss of death with a non-sleepwalking performance and a higher speed than he normally delivers.  A banger.  The Brit chick on the hook is a lil psuedo “Swagger Like Us.”     Eminem Feat. Dr. Dre & 50 Cent-Crack A Bottle You’ve prolly all heard this by now.  It sounds like Eminem is trying to return to Slim Shady mode and i think that time is past.  He is too old for that mentality and now it doesn’t sound authentic.  Considering how long we’ve been forced to wait for both this and Detox, this is weak.  You can almost “hear” Shady when Dre raps.  A ghostwritten verse from veterans who have worked together that long shouldn’t be so aparent. 50 doesn’t really sound liek his heart’s into it.  In a nutshell after the novelty fades, this track is forgettable.  For these three giants that’s a fail. Now wack but just not the caliber that a grouping of these three should bring.     Belly Feat. Drake-I Do This Yo. Drake Rogers is nasty.  You know I hate new rappers but this guy is serious.  He’s getting more presence on tracks by the second and he’s just beginning to start killing things with delivery, and not just depending on lyrics.  He’s ill on the hook and on this beat he just has a different nature than a lot of the smoothed out stuff he’s been dropping.  It feels like getting signed has given him a higher confidence and you can hear it.  Belly is no slouch on it and his delivery is grimey, but Drake is the star on this track. Bump this.   Jadakiss-Can’t Stop Me Jada is putting in work but we’ve heard this song before.  The Diana Ross sample gets annoying as hell because they cut it too many times in the opening of the song.  It’s typical Jadakiss single fodder.  Not wack , not revolutionary.  This is really a middle of the album type song.  Good to hear but nothing to convert anyone or make you run to buy the album.  He won’t lose any fans over it but he won’t gain any either.   Mon E G Feat Rick Ross-Chevy Anthem RemixNo loss on here.  Mon E G gets it in with Ross batting cleanup to give the track event status.  Beat is dope, bump it loud.  *************************************************OT Monday Mixtape NotoriousComing to you courtesy of the folks @ MTV news.  Kinda lazy as there’s no real crate digging going on and it’s nothing new but it’s enough to satisfy your Biggie fix **************************************************Double OT-R.Kelly feat 50 Cent-It Could Have Been YouIt doesn’t sound like it’s been mastered fully, the vocals are off with the beat, but even mastered this is more meh.  But it’s new and leaked so here you go.

Morris Chestnut has been a leading man for many years in such Black 90s classics as Boyz N The Hood, The Best Man and The Inkwell. For the last decade, he’s played a role in several ensemble casts in movies such as The Brothers, Two Can Play That Game, Breakin’ all the Rules and last year’s break out holiday flick, A Perfect Holiday. This weekend Chestnut steps up his game by not only starring as the lead character but also acting as producer of the marriage-in-turmoil movie, Not Easily Broken.   Chestnut plays Dave Johnson, a one-time aspiring ballplayer who blew out his knee and now runs a small home-improvement business. Johnson is a working husband and an all-around good guy who’s married to an ambitious and overbearing wife Clarice, played by Taraji Henson of Hustle and Flow and Baby Boy fame.   Taken from the popular novel of the same name, written by TD Jakes, Broken is the story of a couple who go through hell and high water to keep their bond tight. But there are distractions, namely Clarice’s near fatal auto accident that leaves her unable to do the things she’s use to doing, and becoming completely dependent on her insecure and terribly opinionated mother, Mary “Mama” Clark, played by Jenifer Lewis. Another huge distraction is Dave’s platonic relationship with another woman, single mom Julie Sawyer, whom he befriends after meeting at her son’s, swim competition.   Julie is hired as a rehabilitation therapist for Clarice following the accident and develops a close bond with the Johnson family. She also happens to be White, which adds another dynamic to the story’s conflict. Not Easily Broken is a simple film with three powerhouse actors; at times, the simplicity becomes boring. Taraji Hensons’ character as the bring-home-the-bacon wife and her mother, who distrusts all men after loving a no-good husband, make for recognizable retread characters that we’ve seen time and again in these movies.   Because we know that Not Easily Broken is written by the Bishop TD Jakes, we assume that there’s a happy ending, and true to form, it has a perfect bow attached. Dave learns his lesson just before his love scene with Julie and Clarice realizes that she’d rather have her man next to her than her mom. Unfortunately, this film doesn’t’ do much for its audience in the lesson-learning department.   We’ve seen this movie and these characters before, so don’t expect anything new. Niecy Nash, from the Style Network’s top rated show, “Clean House” and Comedy Central’s hilarious “Reno 911” adds a bit of flavor to the cast, as a friend and co-worker of Clarice and the esteemed Albert Hall, from Apocalypse Now plays a bishop who keeps reminding the struggling couple of their marriage vows, the “cord with three strands” religious metaphor that will make it all better. In a nutshell, this movie isn’t horrible, just typical and unauthentic. If you want to go on a date movie then fine, but if you’re looking for more, then this movie is not easily impressive.

So the goon patrol has gone digital, huh?  Taking a cue from MC Bin Ladin they have dialed up the world wide web and taken responsibility for every crime that has occurred in the last fifty years.  I’m sure sooner or later some dude holding a .22 and wearing a full face stocking cap in front of his auntie’s house, mean mugging through the monitor is going to lead us to Jimmy Hoffa.  As insipid as it is horrifying, the trend has grown to the point where folks who haven’t committed a crime more serious than jay-walking want to get on the bandwagon. I’m sure this isn’t what they had in mind when they invented the internet.  Chain snatching, home invading and car jacking masked marauders are tired of standing in the shadows and behind the bushes not getting their just due.  Rappers have been taking responsibility for all sorts of horrendous behavior recently to the sublime delight of those who actually did it.  I guess the YouTube bandits can’t rap, but still long to be part of the most recent and fastest growing Hip-Hop trend since skinny pants.  And we all know the dregs of the Hip-Hop Nation are not about to stuff into some cherry-red nut-huggers. I thought about this as I surfed YouTube the other night looking for footage of Katt Williams getting slapped up in Detroit.  I didn’t find any, but what I did find was someone taking responsibility for slapping Katt Williams up in Detroit. I had seen the picture of the dude who really did it, so I knew this wasn’t him. His presentation was more pathetic theater than confession.  However, just the fact that he thought it would be cool to take responsibility for an assault he didn’t commit was troubling. So what do we do about this?  It’s true that the more the site visitors respond to this nonsense, the more the wave will grow.  Wanting to be part of a respected group, the need to belong is a serious human craving.  It’s within that desire that a choice must be made.  These dudes are simply making the wrong choice.  Will pulling the plug make it go away?  No.  You simply won’t be watching the bad behavior unfold. For some, infamy is way better than positive fame.  And in a genre where being notorious is way sweeter than being an upstanding citizen, I don’t think we could have expected anything different. You see, this has very little to do with Hip Hop.  We are simply the most obvious recipients.  In a world where plenty of young men are forced to travel the path to manhood alone or without a helpful support system, they scratch and grab at any opportunity to demonstrate their sense of right of passage.  For some that’s getting an education, being a decent father or a law abiding citizen.  For others, it’s robbing, stealing and mugging. Yup; buggin. Then to take it down yet another notch, every once in a while one of these numbskulls is telling the truth.  Yes, folks have actually been prosecuted with their Myspace page or Youtube account.   So I say let ’em get their digital confessions on.  At the very least it will make for an interesting addition to one of those stupidest criminal shows. There are a million and one places to point the finger of blame for this; society, parents, the media, the schools, etc.  Is it that serious?  I believe so.  People are massively impressionable whether they wish to admit it or not.  Their choice to follow the bad behavior, even in their two dimensional e-lives speaks volumes to their three dimensional lives and how they choose to live them.  I mean, can you imagine someone with some common sense and a decent head on their shoulders wanting to create a theivin’ ass alter ego to garner attention from a gang of folks they will never meet?  Not I. So yes, we could easily roll our eyes and dismiss all these YouTubin’ folks who aren’t really criminals, but just playing one on the internet.  But then we would probably have to dismiss all of our favorite snow-blowing, cap-popping, cookie-stealing studio thug monster rappers.  We would also have to shut down all the ISP accounts of the e-thugs who feel the keyboard is mightier than the video.  After we do all that my friends, I’m not sure who will be left.

Starring Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei Directed by Darren Aronofsky Written by Robert D. Siegel   Picture this: You are blessed with a rare talent, ability, or skill.  That skill brings you fortune and fame beyond your wildest dreams. You are adored by millions.  Then, one day, it’s all over.  You find yourself working a regular job for regular pay, and those fans who adored you in your prime have mostly grown up and moved on to more adult pursuits.  How do you cope?  Do you continue to perform the same hat trick for diminishing crowds, even though you abilities have deteriorated over the years?  Even though, one day, it may kill you?   Darren Aronofsky’s latest film, The Wrestler, provides an unexpectedly compelling backdrop for such a story: The world of professional wrestling.  This same backdrop offers us a sympathetic (yet ultimately pathetic) protagonist in Randy “The Ram” Robinson.  It paints his struggle with life after “the spotlight” in a way that is equal parts funny, insightful, painful and oddly triumphant.   Mickey Rourke plays wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson.  Randy was quite the star back in 80’s.  He had his own action figure, was featured in countless magazines and even a Nintendo video game.  That was then, and Randy is now a has-been with nothing to show for his past glory.  He lives in a trailer home and is working part time at a local grocery store in order to make ends meet.  Robinson still wrestles, but not in the same capacity as in his heyday. He now performs in the “minor leagues”, to greatly diminished crowds made up mostly of nostalgic adults.    Randy finds a kindred spirit in an older stripper named Cassidy (Played by Marisa Tomei) , who is also well past her prime as a performer.  The patrons of the strip club she dances in regularly refuse table dances from her due to her age.  Randy’s daughter Stephanie (Played by Evan Rachel Wood) holds a venomous resentment towards him for the way he neglected her as a child.  It would seem that the only good thing in Randy’s life, the only thing worth fighting for, is the adulation and cheers from the fans whenever he steps into the ring.  For Randy, the cheers of the fans serve as both anti- depressant and painkiller.  They help him to cope with the unholy mess his personal life has become.   Believe the hype.  Although the character of Randy “The Ram” has parallels to Mickey Rourke himself, Mickey isn’t simply going through the motions here.  He is actually giving arguably the strongest performance of his career.  The role is a demanding one, both emotionally and physically, as Rourke performed many of his own stunts during the wrestling scenes.  Some of it is downright painful to watch, though not nearly as painful as the emotional and psychological turmoil the character endures outside of the ring.  We watch Mickey Rourke visit some very uncomfortable places, and we feel for him.  He truly rises to the occasion.   Darren Aronofsky keeps things interesting by shooting the film in a guerilla, pseudo -documentary style and giving us lots of real insight into the world of Professional wrestling.  He allows us to see that while wrestling itself is “fake”, the wrestlers themselves are very much true athletes and physical performers.    Tomei spends a good deal of time in this film mostly nude, and it is to her credit that we, the audience, are not completely focused on that.  She takes what could have been a stock character (the stripper/w#### with a heart of gold) and turns it into something much more tangible.   There is much sadness and pain in this film, but also an undercurrent of triumph in self- realization and acceptance.  We are what we are, and we will only be at peace with the world around us if we are able to come to grips with and accept who we are.  The Wrestler makes the argument that it is nearly impossible for an entertainer/performer to be a real person once they have been at the top, and gotten a taste of all that comes with it.  Once the spotlight moves on, and fans no longer care about you, how do you go on living a normal life?  The real struggle isn’t in getting to the top or even in maintaining that position, but in continuing on after you’ve fallen off.   The Wrestler is one of the best films of the year, and features perhaps the performance of Mickey Rourke’s career.  This is not only his “comeback” film, but the film he will be remembered by for years to come.

“Rappers suck, when they spit I doubt ‘em/ The crap they sing about make you wanna slap the f**kin sh** out ‘em.’” –   MF Doom, El Chupa Nibre, The Mouse and the Mask.                    No doubt, MF Doom’s indictment of today’s rap ‘artists’ comes off as tame when compared to the overall emotion expressed by Hip-Hop fans around the world. Doom, who once promised to “[c]atch a rapper by his toe and smack off his tattoos,” is not too far off in translating the desires of Hip-Hop fans who have witnessed a drastic degeneration of content, drive, and concept, in today’s rap songs. Many, such as Nas, have since declared Hip-Hop “dead,” for its devil-may-care attitude toward dominant forms of hedonism, materialism, despotism and chauvinism within the culture. Whether one agrees with the concept of resolving Hip-Hop’s problems through violence or hyperbolic rhetoric, one thing remains irrefutable – Hip-Hop is morally sick and in need of divine help. In this perilous age, a prophetic change must come.   Though we all find many parts of modern-day Hip-Hop unbecoming of the vision inspired by Afrika Bambaattaa, we cannot save the Hip-Hop generation by engaging in the same pathetic exercises of bemoaning and complaining about the loss of the ‘Golden Age’ era – where everything operated under the canopy of perfection. It is disrespectful to the present and does not provide much inspiration for the future. In fact, I have consistently maintained the premise that many elements of the so-called Golden-Age paved the path for some of the more-discouraging aspects of our beloved art-form today. The ‘Superfly-generation’ was neither faultless nor flawless. Can anyone confidently make the claim that Big Daddy Kane, in all his majesty, was devoid of misogyny? The art-covers of “Long Live the Kane” and “It’s a Big Daddy Thing” – all ’80s-babies – do little justice to the causes of Feminism and Womanism. The grand lyricist would, years later – in his Count Mackula character, from Prince Paul’s “A Prince Among Thieves,” – suggest that “thirty-six prostitutes and thirty cents in your pocket” lends credence to the claim that “hoes come a dime a dozen.” Following this logic, Big Daddy Kane should be as much a misogynist as Nelly, 50 cent, Ludacris, Jay-Z and even Common, are professed to be. It is, therefore, clear that the problems of Hip-Hop are not specifiable to our myopic generalizations of 21st century Hip-Hop artists. Another development which I wish to address, and hopefully arrest, is the notion that social-consciousness within Hip-Hop is the solution to our countless problems.   Politically-charged Hip-Hop, while temporarily conducive, is not the answer. Socially-conscious artists simply react to the catastrophic casualties surrounding them. This explains the rise of social-consciousness, in Hip-Hop, shortly after the initiation of Reaganomics and the influx of crack into Black ghettoes across the nation. As the ‘80s swept in the debris of arch-conservatism, Reagan swiftly became the punching bag of frustration for artists who grew up in the inner-cities, and witnessed the commercialization of their neighborhoods – especially the Bronx – through scandalous governmental contracts. As a bonus, this era of depression would yield an unprecedented demand for crack, cocaine and other miscellaneous drugs. Busta Rhymes informs us in “Takin’ What’s Mine” – produced by the inimitable J. Dilla – that though finances were scarce, “the coke was so good, the fiends was smoking the capsule.” In “You Can’t Hide, You Can’t Run,” Dilated Peoples express similar sentiments, noting that “crack and gangs flourished under Ronald Reagan.” As a result, a surge of social-consciousness was inevitable, as Hip-Hop artists, with their mic-clutched hands on the pulse of the ghettoes, could accurately gauge the emotion of Black and Brown neighborhoods. Nevertheless, with social-consciousness at the apex, several artists recognized its inability to render long-lasting remedies to ailing-communities across the country, and the world at-large.   A few, such as Public Enemy, Brand Nubian, Poor Righteous Teachers, Lakim Shabazz, and eventually, Tupac recognized the need to elevate Hip-Hop’s consciousness from the political to the prophetic. They all, at some point, incorporated the prophetic tradition of bearing unmitigated witness in their truth-telling, through the vehicle of Hip-Hop. It should come as no surprise, to readers, that this writer believes Tupac’s legacy of prophetic truth-telling will remain unparalleled for years, and perhaps decades, to come. In Blasphemy, a truly prophetic offering, Tupac encourages listeners to bring critique to bear on the politics of religion and theocracy:   “The preacher want me buried why? Cause I know he a liar/Have you ever seen a crackhead, that’s eternal fire/Why you got these kids minds thinking that they evil/While the preacher being richer, you say honor God’s people/Should we cry, when the Pope die, my request/We should cry if they cried when we buried Malcolm X/” Tupac remains an inextinguishable icon in popular music, and literature, for this reason. What he understood, which many, otherwise, socially-conscious artists are unaware of, is that the prophetic mode resists the temptation of simply reiterating the problems of crime and inequality, but instead offers viable resolutions to liberate the mental and spiritual faculty of listeners. Tupac understood, quite clearly, that socially-conscious artists simply underline the social ramifications of society’s actions – nothing to do with personal character – yet, prophetically-aligned artists seek to address the problems of the world in a truthful, candid, complex and divinely-sophisticated fashion – through exemplary leadership that provides hope for the future.   If Hip-Hop’s official reaction to the recent U.S. presidential election was of any significance, it goes without saying that the prophetic wing was surely missing, in its uncritical embracement of President-Elect Obama as the ‘change candidate.’ Safe for a few politically-conscious artists, such as Dead Prez, NYOIL and Rebel Diaz, the Hip-Hop realm was engulfed in ‘Obamamania,’ as it sold itself short in proclaiming Obama the “first Hip-Hop president.” Seconds after Obama unveiled his iPod, and revealed his love for card-carrying misogynists, a la Ludacris and Jay-z, the Hip-Hop nation professed loyalty to ‘Bama, over Bambaattaa.. […]

This season, Microsoft has released a new update to the Zune music and video player, combining the best of the older models with a sleek interface and new connectivity options to make the most of the Zune store. The 16GB model we test drove is a good balance of capacity versus price, but the new features really make it feel like your space in unlimited.   The big addition to this new model is Wi-Fi capability in a compact size, so especially for people in cities where wireless is readily available just about anywhere, you can do just about everything on the device itself without involving a PC. You’ll also be able to sync to your home PC cordlessly or stream music to an Xbox 360. It also includes an FM tuner, which might not seem like a big deal at first, but when you are feeling experimental, the Zune lets you tag songs you like and then points you to them on the store to buy in higher quality later. Anyone who remembers the days of having to tape songs with a boom-box and try to hit “stop” before the DJ came back on should welcome the change.  If you take advantage of all its capabilities, the Zune is more like a hub instead of just a music player. If you just pick a song and hit play, basically every MP3 player out there is the same but the Zune adds in extra utility but keeps it all just as simple as the single-function players. Combined with the unlimited download options on the Zune store, the device is set up to encourage experimentation, allowing users to have unlimited full songs and albums for a flat fee (like a Netflix for music) instead of having to wade through short samples or just hope that an album isn’t a waste of money.  That other player you’ve got may seem like a bard habit to break, but it won’t take long with the Zune to change your mind. Feeling like experimenting a little bit yourself? Check out a mini-mix of what we’re listening to: 1. T-Pain- Chopped N Skrewed ft. Ludacris 2. Akon- Beautiful 3. Beyonce- Diva 4. Lady GaGa- Poker Face 5. Ne-Yo- Closer 6. Kanye West- Robocop 7. Chester French- She Loves Everybody 8. TV On the Radio- Crying 9. Q-Tip- Life is Better ft. Norah Jones 10. John Legend- It’s Over ft. Kanye West & Pharrell 11. Solange- I Decided Pt. II 12. Nikka Costa- Loving You

The legacy you leave is not measured in possessions you have when you expire.  It’s not measured by the things you did, but by the effect that you had on the people who loved you and how different the world is for you being there.   Christopher Wallace was an amazing individual whose words altered perception of him despite his striking image.  His biggest power was the ability to make your ears overpower your eyes; an alchemist that changed “Black and ugly as ever” into an object of physical desire.   Beneath that power lies the truth.  Biggie Smalls was a true master of connection. He could find that central point that unites our collective experience and simplify it to the point that no matter who heard him, they would understand what he had to say.  That legacy is what makes him an important figure, flaws and all, and is also what inspires the movie Notorious. During the filming of the film I had the distinct pleasure of being on set to see the behind the scenes creation of this movie.    Consequently, this is the largest budget that Fox Searchlight has ever committed to a film. For it to be about a rapper, speaks to how much they believe in this project. Today’s particular shooting chronicles a 1996 performance at the Georgia Dome, post the Quad Studio shooting of Tupac, and amid the East/West hysteria. Here are some of my observations.   The first thing they make known is that this movie is the vision of Biggie’s mother, Voletta Wallace. As such, it stands as perhaps her chance to tell the story not of the rapper, whose life unfolded in the media, but of her son, Christopher Wallace.  Those stories don’t necessarily align. Miss Wallace has been on the set every day, overseeing every aspect of the film’s creation.  Don’t get it twisted, you may rewind this, but Bad Boy’s not behind this.   I asked Miss Wallace how it felt to see such a large part of her life unfold on the screen. She responded, “When I did my book, I felt I was done, but there’s so many documentaries.  And once you see them it gets so out there that it’s like you’re watching the Godfather.    I said so many people love my son; I’m going to do his life. This is about a man with a heart. I want the world to see that no matter what they come from they can be the greatest.”   Obviously this is a movie, so there is a certain amount of Hollywood needed to connect story arcs within the film. When asked about some of these instances, Miss Wallace was very forthcoming.  “The jail scene never happened,” she replied, “they had me praying in jail and that’s whatever.  They had some things about his father that didn’t happen and I had that taken out.”   Miss Wallace never misses a date on the set, commuting from PA every morning and she wields full control over the script. It’s clear that in a very real sense this is her movie. This is her chance to give the world her son but on her terms; to give the story of the man, not the entertainer or the rapper.   A while later I met up with the lovely Antonique Smith, who plays Faith in the film. She briefly spoke of the idiosyncrasies of playing someone that’s still alive. In her performance, she chose to interpolate rather than imitate Faith. She watched footage and read about her. “On the one side, I have her as a resource and I can ask her what was going on in her mind,” Smith said. “On the other hand I want to make her happy.” The aspiring singer has been planning for the spotlight since her early youth. From what I saw on the set, you will not be disappointed.   The person of interest in all of this is Naturi Naughton, cast in the role of Lil’ Kim.  It’s not secret how central Kim was to the story of B.I.G., but also well-known is the running enmity between Biggie’s mom and Kim.  With Miss Wallace at the helm of this project, it’s curious to see how Kim would be portrayed. Naughton, formerly of R&B group 3LW is all grown up, and added some insight into how this would play out.   “My agent submitted my name to the auditions.  I don’t rap, so[initially] I doubted myself. Once I got a call back I got focused and challenged myself. Maybe 50% of the Kim you see on screen is me. I’m definitely not Kim, as far as my public persona. Totally different.  But the confidence and the sex appeal as a woman is me.  Naughton continued,”There has to be a little of the character in you or it won’t be believable.  I’m learning that I have that feistiness.”   Obviously no look at this movie is complete without checking out the guy who plays B.I.G., aspiring rapper Jamal Woolard, p.k.a Gravy. Yes the same Gravy from the HOT 97 incident a few years ago who got shot in the posterior.  Physically, he’s pretty close. Roughly the same height and weight. Same Brooklyn swagger as B.I.G., but obviously that’s not enough. Biggie was more than that.   Woolard was chosen after a nationwide search, and after chosen he was subjected to a Biggie bootcamp. He was coached in the studio for weeks by one of Bad Boy’s infamous Hitmen, D-Dot Angelette. He spent four months in total getting the mannerisms down, including weeks with cotton balls in his mouth to manufacture that crisp husky voice. There are times when the music is blaring and he’s rapping along that it’s positively haunting. This particular day and scene requires a rendition of “Who Shot Ya.”  I had my doubts initially but he has it down pat.   Aside from Miss Wallace, there are some very good people attached to this film. George Tillman […]

Maybe I didn’t hear this right.  Did Soulja Boy just indirectly blame Nas for the abysmal sales of his latest album?  Did the Billboard cover boy just suggest that Hip-Hop is dead? (Damn it!  I swore I would never utter, nor write that phrase eveeeerrrr again.) Did Soulja Boy just call some of the Hip-Hop Nation brain dead parrots who simply repeat what the perceived experts say? Okay, well maybe that’s kinda sort of the truth.  But until Soulja Boy is actually welcome in the Hip-Hop Nation, which will probably be the 1st of never, he really is in no position to mock the brethren.   I’m assuming Mr. Tellem felt that his mini-monologue was a sincere challenging of an already overly-challenged phrase.  However, it came off as a selfish thought theft being used as an excuse for the fact that no one bought his sophomore effort.   I also find it quite amusing that this video popped up as the writers around the web (including yours truly) started regretting their 2008 contempt for SB and cutting him a collective break. I guess regretting regret is going to be the way of the walk in this case. I don’t even think the “respect the kid’s grind because he’s making that paper” crew can save him now.    People are already contemplating what Ether 2 is going to sound like. Considering what Ron Browz has been kicking out lately, I think that nostalgic pairing should be left in the past. Mr. Jones’ bars broken up with an extra helping of auto-tuned ooooohhhhh’s will deflate his credibility a bit since no one seems to like that handy dandy tool much these days.  And there really is no point of slicing someone’s wrist after they have already shot themselves in the head.  A Nas response would simply be over-kill and aren’t we moving to a kinder, gentler Hip Hop? That’s what the prognosticators are saying anyway.   Here is the rub though.  I’ll bet you a snotty Benjamin that there are some folks who agree with him.  It’s not like that whole HHID movement didn’t encounter resistance.  There were some pretty thoughtful critics who pulled out the e-daggers when Nas started marketing his most controversial album to date. Hell, people are still talking about it. So is SB now the poster child for the anti-HHID movement or is he just another loyal member of the HHID club who has strayed from the list of usual suspects? Or maybe he is simply tossing his hat into the ring for the next time Nas needs a good PR person.   If you ever hear Nas say, “I don’t like rap music right now,” you know what’s up; especially if it comes on the tail end of a freestyle ode to the plantation overseers.  The more I think about it, the more some of what Soulja Boy said makes sense.  I mean if anyone can spot a dumb ass remark in a hay stack, it would be him.   Seriously though, when Nas was making his rounds right after HHID dropped, he said one of the things that led him to using Hip-Hop is Dead as his title was the younger generations expectation that those who blazed the Hip Hop trails they skipped down unfettered would step to the side.  He felt there were some newbies who were buying into their own hype and that character flaw was bothersome to him.  He said there were rappers out there who thought they should be considered big shots after one album and liked to take shots at folks who had been doing it for a while.  How prophetic is it that the same personality type Nas credited for the back peddling of the genre has stepped to the forefront to cast blame.  I mean in the world according to Soulja Boy, a few months ago Hip Hop was the best thing since ice and tats. It’s amazing how much a Soundscan report can change a thought process.   Look, I don’t think SB killed Hip-Hop any more than I think Nas did because to have a killer you have to have a death.  It’s been a bumpy road and plenty of issues need to be addressed, but life support is not one of them. So SB and his Yums carriers can fill that empty coffin with all those extra copies of iSouljaboy Tellem that no one is going to buy and have their little funeral because the only thing round here that’s dead is that album. “If you really think it’s dead n*cca, then revive it. You feel me? Do something.  Bring it back to life.” -Soulja Boy

In 2008, we witnessed arguably one of the greatest years in sports history. If there was one phrase that comes to mind that best described 2008’s Year in Sports, I would have to describe it as “The Year of OH, SNAP!”  Well that is the G-rated version of the saying, but you get the idea. I cannot remember a year like this in sports in my lifetime.   Of course, the older generation can argue that they have witnessed better seasons in the past, i.e. the Season of ’69 (Joe Willie’s Jets in Super Bowl III and the Amazing Mets), but the Sports version of “Old School vs. New School” will be around until the end of time. However, when it comes to 2008, there were more plot twists than an episode of Murder She Wrote.   So, what will we remember about 2008 from the world of sports? Dara Torres, The Detroit Red Wings, Michael Vick, Marion Jones, Adam “Pacman” Jones; the list goes on and on. It depends on whatever floats your boat. The best thing about the 2008 Sport’s year is that we watched, we witnessed the majesty of it all. As the late, great Jim McKay would say in the opening of ABC’s Wide World of Sports, “the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat… the human drama of athletic competition”.   Therefore, I ask you to watch and witness as I share with you the Top 10 things I will remember the most from the year in sports from 2008:     10) Super Mario: The Kansas Jayhawks, 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champions   9) The Saga Continued: The Brett Favre Saga   8) The Greatest Tennis Match in our Lifetime: Nadal / Federer, Wimbledon 2008   7) Irish Pride: 2008 Boston Celtics, NBA Champs   6) Quicksilver 2008: Usain Bolt   5) Hit ‘Em High, Hit ‘Em Low & Is Philly in this motherf*@#er? : The 2008 MLB Season   4) I Will Not Lose: Tiger Woods, 2008 U.S. Open   3) Golden Redemption: 2008 Men’s Olympic Basketball/The Dream Team   2) Aquaman 2008: Michael Phelps   1) Land of the Giants: Super Bowl XLII, Upset for the ages     Well that’s it. That’s my list. I’m sure I left a few things off and of course this topic is always subject to debate, so let the debating begin. Let me ask you this, what are your favorite moments for 2008 in the world of sports?   Poll Answers

The opinions expressed in the following editorial do not necessarily reflect the opinion of AllHipHop.com or affiliates.As 2008 draws to a close, we look at probably the prime mover in Hip-Hop and the man generally acknowledged as the premier rapper in the game, Jay-z.  While he didn’t have an album out, he stood at the forefront of moves being made, guest spots on the biggest songs, and of course his power couple marriage to the “hottest chick in the game.” However outside of the headlines and the dollar signs, there is a more serious matter at hand. The political aspirations, the touring with Mary J. Blige, the cuts with Coldplay, and his seeming abandonment of the underground that put him over ground has led many to rumble that the king is dead, and that lyrically and musically he is a shell of his former self. In addition, the number of former friends with an axe to grind is climbing in number, from Jaz-O setting Rocawear clothes on fire in front of Marcy, to Deehaven, to Calvin Kline, to Damon Dash and Peedi Crakk, there are just too many mouths to be ignored. Musically, his last album was high powered and generally unassailable in 2007 but recently…he’s aight but he’s not real.  Early returns from the highly anticipated Blueprint 3, supposedly all Ye, have met with varying criticism from luke warm to straight up wack. Is he finally beginning to show his age as an emcee, or is the answer something even more tragic? It’s interesting that the ultimate hustler (sorry Dame) should live his life by his street codes, because every truly successful hustler comes to a point where they are on top and the young wolves constantly vying for your spot gets tiresome; where you begin to consider going legit. You won’t be hanging out at inaugurations and chilling with Barack talking about money, cash, and hoes.  Your street talk gets seriously questionable when you’re talking about being worth a half billion dollars. If Jay-z isn’t careful, he’s going to end up like another of our cult icons, the late, great Stringer Bell. Stringer was respected as cold and calculating and always two steps ahead of everyone else, much like Jay-z is in the game.  While Avon wanted to keep the streets, Stringer was more interested in getting out of the game and turning to legitimate business.  The more he learned and the more he earned, the further away his sensibilities turned from the streets; the less he cared about how his behavior affected the game. As Stringer got more out of pocket with regards to the game, you knew it wasn’t going to be long before his time came.  No matter how much as viewer you liked his character, how much you respected his acumen, all real dudes know that no one is bigger than the game, and the minute you think you are, your time is ticking.  You can’t make your own rules. You can’t keep stepping over the debris of broken relationships, shattered friendships, and political mistakes. Stringer made political alignments that backfired like his deal with Clay Davis.  Similarly, Jay-z has been called from many circles on his seemingly politically motivated cosignage of Lil Wayne (a true star in his own right, no disrespect) as the best rapper alive. Recently Pusha T was very vocal about it on the The Road to Till The Casket Drops.  Rappers are getting louder in their protests on a level that we just haven’t heard before. Eventually, the game exacted its own justice and Stringer was removed from the board by people who he double crossed on his path to the top. As a fan of Jay-z and his legacy in this music, I would like for him not meet the same end in the game.  You can’t play both sides of the field because that’s impossible.  Either you’re in or you’re out of this thing of ours. There is nothing wrong with going out like John Elway after a championship and doing other things with your life.  There’s nothing wrong with going out like Jordan of the Bulls rather than Jordan with the Wizards, not making the playoffs and then fired from the team you supposedly “own.” You have experienced things in this world that the block has never seen. You tried on Kingdom Come to take things to that direction, but your execution was flawed.  You had the right idea but you put it together without your normal conviction; you didn’t complete the sale.  That doesn’t mean that it wasn’t the right thing to do. Don’t bother rapping about crack because at this point the Clipse are better than you at that. Don’t bother rapping about the block cause Jeezy, Ross, T.I. and a bunch of others do the whole hood thing better, plus it looks crazy because you have too much money plus you’re a married man. “Hollywood,” and “Beach Chair” are great examples of how you can take it to another level and to a place where more of your contemporaries are not able. American Gangster was dope, but you won’t be inaugurating anyone with that content. You’re still, for my money, the best rapper alive. However whatever gap there was is being rapidly eroded by Nas, whose Untitled was both daring and inventive.  Even at this stage he’s growing by leaps and bounds artistically. Don’t be Stringer Bell. You’re better than that.  Part of being king is being a leader.  Determining where cultures and people go, not aping what is popular and attaching yourself to it. If you’re the king, it’s not “Swagger Like Us.” It’s swagger like me. Be a leader. Be who you say you are. Anything else is Stringer Bell.  And while it’s a hell of a ride to the top, it’s an unceremonious end.    

Holyfield Loses Bid for Fifth World Title Lumbering behemoth Nikolai Valuev earned a controversial, unpopular majority decision against a game Evander Holyfield this past Saturday to retain his WBA title. The listless fight saw Holyfield take command in the early rounds by the use of his overhand left. Valuev remained tentative, simply throwing feeler jabs that mostly failed to connect. Because of his immense size, Valuev kept himself firmly planted in ring center in hopes of goading Holyfield to come straight at him. The wily veteran didn’t oblige and constantly gave his slower foe angles to prevent a clean counterattack. By the middle rounds Valuev still was not landing more than 3-5 punches per round. Meanwhile, the 46 year old Holyfield keep up steady movement to keep his larger foe off-balance. Although the action was sparse, Holyfield’s sheer activity of roughly 15-20 punches per round appeared to give him a clear advantage going into round 7. As the fight reached the later rounds, Holyfield’s legs began to catch up to the aged warrior. Now forced to fight, Holyfield now began to get tagged with slow but thudding overhand shots from the champion. The Real Deal was not seriously hurt, but Valuev’s clean punches were enough for him to definitively carry rounds 7 and 8. In the championship rounds, Valuev’s cutman urged the champion to go for the knockout or risk losing his title. Valuev responded by attempting to stalk Holyfield, but this unfamiliar role and the champ’s slowness prevented him from landing any significant punches. Holyfield was not much better, still showing signs of fatigue and looking content to run out the clock due to his apparent lead. At the bell, the crowd booed Valuev heavily as the Russian raised his hands in celebration. Shockingly, the scorecards for the bout read 114-114, 116-112, and 115-114 to give Valuev the victory. In the pos-fight interview, Holyfield was convinced he had won the fight. “I don’t think anything was lacking. I hit him more times than he hit me,” Holyfield stated. “I moved a lot and made him miss punches. And I fought the fight that I felt was good for me to win.” Sadly, because the fight was controversial and possibly a robbery, expect Evander Holyfield continue with his delusional goal of once again being the heavyweight champion. Let’s at least be happy it wasn’t a Klitschko in there this past weekend. And more words from the man himself. “My goal is to be the heavyweight champion of the world,” Holyfield added after the fight. “I am not interested in fighting for the sake of fighting, I want to be a champion again and that hasn’t changed.” Per Holyfield’s trainer Thomas Brooks, the Real Deal’s camp is already seeking a rematch for early next year. Pacquiao-Hatton Targeted for May 2009 Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer revealed late last week that Manny Pacquiao and Ricky Hatton are very close to finalizing terms for a 140 pound title fight in on May 2, 2009. As of now, both sides are negotiating the potential fight to take place in Las Vegas. Pacquiao is coming off his most high-profile win to date, an easy 8th round stoppage over superstar Oscar De La Hoya on December 6. Hatton is coming off a similar one-sided stoppage of Paulie Malignaggi on November 22. According to Schaefer, the fight offers another blockbuster between two of boxing’s premier lighter weight stars. “I’m encouraged by the way it’s going, and I’m talking to the Hattons again. You really have two of the most popular fighters of their generation fighting each other, and that’s the kind of fight we want to make.” Although Floyd Mayweather was spoken of as a potential opponent, Hatton’s current promotional deal with Golden Boy made the British brawler a more appealing option to Top Rank and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum. In addition, Arum and Mayweather still have simmering animosity from their very public 2006 split. Although many will be disappointed in Mayweather not getting the call, this promises to be another exciting fight for Pacquiao and a true test of his abilities with the elite fighters above lightweight. De La Hoya was a weight-drained shell on December 6 and in Hatton Pacquiao will face a physically strong, roughhouse fighter. And Hatton is there to be hit. This one is not to be missed. Early prediction is Manny Pacquiao by late stoppage. Vitali Klitschko Signs On to Defend WBC Title Against David Haye Newly crowned WBC champ Vitali Klitschko has agreed to defend his title in June against cruiserweight champ David Haye. The deal was finalized not long after younger brother Wladimir Klitschko easily knocked out Hasim Rahman on December 13. Haye, in his usual colorful manner, addressed that fight and his promise to become heavyweight champion of the world. “I was in Germany to watch Wladimir Klitschko bore everybody to sleep with his jab,” Haye quipped to the BBC. “It’s all done and dusted [the contract]; just need to dot the I’s and cross the t’s. We sat down and talked numbers and that made sense for both sides and it’s done. There is no boxing politics involved. Plain and simple, this is how boxing should be.” Vitali has promised to punish Haye in the ring for what he feels was the immense disrespect Haye showed at a recent press conference.  Haye displayed a Reservoir Dogs styled picture that featured him holding the decapitated head of Wladimir Klitschko. Vitali became so enraged that both men had to be separated. Vitali Klitschko returned after a four year layoff in October to stop Sam Peter in 9 rounds to win the WBC belt. In June, with Vitali at ringside, David Haye knocked down Monte Barrett five times in route to a 5th round TKO. Wladimir Works Over Rahman Perennial contender had no answer for the younger Klitschko’s ramrod jab. Check out the highlights. Adamek-Cunningham Fight of the Year? This IBF cruiserweight title match featured wild back and forth […]

It’s late, I know, but I’m still gonna get it in as promised with the sickest Sunday you ever had in your life.  Hope you all warm and toasty, most of America is under snow and ice.  We had a couple non fatal plane crashes so thank the gods or whatever you believe.This week we got a couple mini mixes, one featuring remixes by the Ski Team homies at Dubfrequency of The Dipset.  Particularly dope is the remix of “Clock Work” by your man Mr AYE! Juelz.  It’s real flavor and I’m not normally a fan of his.  The Ski Team manages to ad a bit of dramatic resonance to the chicken head anthem “What Mean The World To You” (Say AYOWW!).  I don’t know that it’s better than the original, but it certainly changes the mood of it.  What means the world to you?  More blend remix projects that are as effective as this project.”Welcome to New York” is not as grand as the original and I don’t like it as much but it’s made current to the present musical climate.  At least there is no auto tuning.Peace goes out. For our second joint we get some wholesome D Block goodness.  After over a decade in  the game, label woes, triumphs and tragedies, the D-Block homies, after a false start (shout to J-Hood) have finally gotten around to putting some new work out there on the streets with Styles P around as Field Sergeant.  I generally hate new rappers so I’m going to leave this one up to you guys to give it the Siskel or the Ebert and give them a fair Poll AnswersThrow Back JointThey never had  huge album sales but they always had a banger. Here is one of my favorite joints from Nice and Smooth.  “No Bones In Ice Cream.” Don’t know what the hell it meant but it was flavor.  B###! Jay ElectronicaSo far to me this guy has been hit or miss to me, but this one, in my opinion is quirky enough to work. I think he’s Doom 2.0 with more mainstream appeal. Hopefully if you see him in concert, it’s him and not an impostor.

Clint Eastwood plays widower and Korean war veteran Walt Kowalski, a grim soul and general curmudgeon whom even his family can’t stand.  He’s also a bigot who seemingly hates everything about the modern world.  He lives in a neighborhood that is populated by several Hmong families.      When a Hmong teenager named Tao (Bee Vang) tries to steal Walt’s prized 1972 Gran Torino as part of a gang initiation, it unleashes a long gestating fury within Walt.  In accordance with Hmong tradition, Tao’s mother orders him to work for Walt as penance for his sins.  This indentured servitude leads to redemption for Walt.  Walt teaches the young boy everything he needs to know in order to become a man.  Along the way, he grows quite fond of the boy and his family, despite his own racism and inner-demons.     If all of this sounds rather sappy and predictable, that’s because it is.  That the material works to the extent that it does is due in large part to Eastwood himself.  As a director, Eastwood has always been at his best when he tells small stories that deal with big themes.  He is as restrained as he’s ever been here.  He simply sits back and lets the story tell itself, which is usually the best approach for material like this.  Eastwood and his screenwriter, Nick Schenk, take a straight-forward, unpretentious approach.  They manage to keep the melodrama and “big moments” to a minimum (at least until the third act).      While the film doesn’t quite fall apart in the third act, it definitely takes a downturn in quality.  Walt’s play to keep the gangs away from Tao and his family lead to tragic (and expected) results.  Walt rectifies the situation the only way he knows how.  This is meant to reinforce a running theme in the film: an old man stuck not only in another time and place, but in his own ways.  While the ending makes logical sense, one wishes that the Eastwood and Schenk could have found a less predictable resolution.   Eastwood is simply gold as Walt Kowalski.  It’s his most entertaining performance since “Gunny” way in Heartbreak Ridge.  Walt is funny yet tragic, and often comes off as an extremist parody of the classic Eastwood persona.  We get the usual Eastwood “tough-guy” moments, but with an odd twist.  This guy is what one of Clint’s classic movie characters would be like if they existed in real life.  Think about it: Would a guy like “Dirty” Harry Callahan be so cool and entertaining to you if you actually had to live next door to him?   The characters in the Tao’s family range from serviceable to wooden.  The only one that stands out is Ahney Herr as Sue, Tao’s older sister.  Sue’s relationship with Walt proves to be, in some ways, more interesting than his relationship with Tao.  The Hmong Gang characters play like stock stereotypes from any numbers of 90’s ‘Hood’ flicks.  They seem to exist simply to provide the film with villains and adversity, but Walt’s inner demons and outward unpleasantness provide the film with all the conflict it needs.  Audiences love melodrama, and Clint Eastwood does that type of material well.  Here, it seems a bit unnecessary and forced.   Gran Torino isn’t truly a great film, but it’s a satisfying one.  Its  attempt to touch the soul isn’t completely successful, but it’s such an admirable effort that we are willing to give Eastwood the benefit of the doubt.  Even though he doesn’t quite get there, we see what he was reaching for.   Torino is certainly his most engaging and entertaining.  It’s a small and sometimes sappy story, but it manages to be touching and affecting despite underdeveloped villains and a predictable third act.

I been lax my dudes.  Year end and login problems are a b#### and a half.  I been hitting you with those Classic Clashes for the last couple weeks, and we got a doozy coming this Saturday, but I been delinquent on those Sick Sundays.   Fear not, I’ll be back on the grind this week but I’m here to get it in on a Wednesday with some pure flavor.  A little old, a little new, a couple exclusives, and a some general wholesome goodness   Enough of the jibber jabber, let’s get it in.     Ray Ca$h- The Return   Many people slept on Ray Ca$h the last time out and let me tell you something: you’re missing out.  His first album was definitely above par and he repped the Midwest very well. Crisp beat with a non annoying hook and solid rhymes. Good track to bump.    Royce the 5’9-Royce Is Like What do you get when you take one of the fiercest emcees out there and let him blast off over one of Preemo’s classic beats?  You get “Royce Is Like.” Right about now it’s not a stretch to saw Royce is the best in Detroit.  That includes our favorite white rapper. What more you say? He rip’s “So Gangsta” as well.  The grind game is serious. Scarface-High Powered The living legend of the South is back with Emeritus and if you didn’t know, that’s when you hold a title whether you are retired or not. Well as you can hear, Face sounds anything but ready for the scrap heap and sounds fresh on the mic. This joint has a heavy bottom and a sinister sound     Clipse-Addiction   After the disappointing Re-Up album, it was time to flood the streets with some more of that Blue Magic.  On this joint your favorite drug rappers are back and they have definitely turned up the heat.  The flow is ill and they arrange the verses well on the piano break.      OB feat Peedi & Styles P-Where The Money At Newcomer OB (Not Obie) drops a BANGER with Peedi and Styles riding shotgun. The beat is just the kind that makes you nod you head and spazz out.  He gives a good showing and definitely holds his own. Bang this in your mp3 players.     Busta Ryhmes feat. T.I. & Reek Da Villain Man this is just a good ole fashioned collabo banger. T.I. takes the hardcore higher than the he did on Paper Trail with a back to the gutter flow and Bussa Bus steps away from silly ____ Money remixes to give us heat.  Shout to Reek Da Villan who does a solid job batting cleanup even in he’s not in the right weight class   Papa Duck Feat. Rick Ross & Ace-Look At My Swag How do you get away with being a CO while giving us coke tales?  You stick to your story and flood the streets with enough music to keep them talking about your rhymes rather than your rep. While he’s a guest star on this track, he commands the most attention, but Papa Duck does enough to maintain ownership. Florida can stand up on this.     JD Era-Good Morning Well I guess Soulja Boy isn’t alone in his dislike for everyone’s favorite hedgehog.  He kinda goes at duke and doesn’t  mince words.  Ditto with Asher Roth. Unno man I can do without rap beefs after seeing Notorious.  If you not gonna punch them in the face on sight then it’s not beef.  Period.   Well that’s it today my dudes and dudettes.  I’ll be on Sunday back again so if you got flavor send away. Peace

Much kicks to get into, so here are some of the kids favs and most interesting from the most recent crop of releases.   Kobe dropped his new shoes, the Nike Zoom Kobe IVs. These sport a low profile and carriy over elements from the Nike Hyperdunks (i.e. Flywire) while looking way better than his last signature pair that were on some “hi-tech if Spider-Man played hoops” ish. At 11.6 ounces it’s the lightest Nike shoe ever.  Kiddies, they drop Jan 1, ’09; Kobe, tape those ankles kid.   UNDRCRWN, a lifestyle brand based out of Philly—word to Beans, the Roots, Gillie and all those dudes—has collaborated with adidas Basketball for three imited edition pair of kicks called Team Signature Command + Create x UNDRCRWN: The Brand for Champions Series. That’s a lot, but the kicks are easier to keep track of. All three shoes will retail for $125 and will be at select outlets and of course www.undrcrwn.com.   TS Creator x UNDRCRWN: Championship rings…     TS Creator Low x UNDRCRWN: of the Gilbert Arenas variety     TS Commander x UNDRCRWN: “it’s Christmas time, in Hollis, Queens…”   Eminem dropped a collab with Brand Jordan (rhyming has its perks, ya know). In this vid from Nicekicks.com he and designer Jason Mayden offer insight on their creation. Only 313 pairs made and available at the Jordan Brand website’s Flight Club.       These buttery hi-top take on Stan Smiths (first dropped in ’65 and rocked by the fashionable ever since) and Americanas (the official shoe of the ABA, when the NBA wasn’t only game in town) are part of the adidas Originals House Party campaign. You don’t have to go too far to find them since they should be readily available at Foot Locker for about 70 to 80 beans, respectively.