Week 10 started with Jay Cutler and the Denver Broncos doing their best impersonation of John Elway and The Drive. Who know what the remainder of the week will have in store? We’ll just have to wait and find out. For the meantime, we can discuss the games.   While we’re on the topic of discussion:   Get in on the Live Chat during the games: http://community.allhiphop.com/go/thread/view/12471/5086007/NFL_and_CFB_Live_Chat   I’ll be on at the start of the 1pm games and for the remainder of the day. Hopefully, you can get in on it also and chat about the games of the day. If you’re having problems logging into the Ill Community, hit up Odeisel with your issues and he’ll help you the best way he can. Now, let’s get into the games.   AllHipHop’s NFL Game of the Week Sunday Night Football, 10/09/08, 8:30 pm New York Giants (7-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-3) Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA My Pick: Giants   Offense: Giants are ranked fifth, Eagles are ranked sixth. Defense: Giants are ranked third, Eagles are ranked fifth. I don’t know about you, but this is gonna be a great game. The last time the Giants and Eagles faced off in Philly, the G-men just squeaked by with the victory. Look for the same in this game.   Both teams have won three of their last four games.  Both the offense and defense for each team have been playing smart ball, so this game will come down to which team will make the first mistake.   While the Eagles have the better QB in Donovan McNabb, I’m still going with Eli manning and the Giants. The Eagles have been playing great ball thus far this season, but the Giants have been playing great ball since last season. They’ve carried the momentum from last season in this season and haven’t stopped since.   The momentum and consistency the Giants are carrying will continue in this game as they pad their lead in the NFC.   Sunday, 11/09/08, 1pm games New Orleans Saints (4-4) at Atlanta Falcons (5-3) Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA My Pick: Atlanta   Let’s be honest, who would have thought that the Falcons were going to be this solid?  Their offense is ranked seventh in the NFL and their 16th ranked defense isn’t too bad either. Could this be the return of the Dirty Bird in A-T-L? We’ll have to wait and see at the end of the year.    As well as the Saints offense is playing, their defense is not that strong. With a defense that’s ranked 24th in the NFL, I’m not seeing the Saints getting the win against the Falcons.    Tennessee Titans (7-0) at Chicago Bears (5-3) Soldier Field, Chicago, IL My Pick: Titans   When QB Kyle Orton injured his ankle last week and Rex Grossman came into the game, half of Chicago jumped off the Michigan Avenue Bridge. Did we forget that Grossman did lead that team to a Super Bowl in 2006?   Look, I’m not a big fan of Mr. Grossman’s play making abilities either, but don’t throw him under the bus just yet. Let’s see what happens in this game and make our judgment then.   Oh, they play the Titans this week. Never mind, this game is over. Sorry Rex, too bad your first start for the season is against the NFL’s only undefeated team with a killer defense. Talk about your luck of the draw.   Jacksonville Jaguars (3-5) at Detroit Lions (0-8) Ford Field, Detroit, MI My Pick: Jaguars   Lions, QB Dan Orlovsky is out this week with two fractures and a torn ligament in his right thumb. Therefore, the Lions went out this week and signed Daunte Culpepper. It took the Lions to bring Daunte out of retirement. Yet, it’s still the Lions and they still stink. Go with the Jags, trust me.   Seattle Seahawks (2-6) at Miami Dolphins (4-4) Dolphin Stadium, Miami, FL My Pick: Dolphins   The Dolphins have are the better team in this match-up. They have better defense and they move the ball well on offense. In addition, they’re a healthy squad unlike the Seahawks.  Although Matt Hasselbeck and Deion Branch returned to practice on Saturday, Hasselbeck will still sit out with a bad back.   With injuries slowing down the Seahawks, the Dolphins look like the safe pick.   Green Bay Packers (4-4) at Minnesota Vikings (4-4) Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN My Pick: Vikings   The last time the Packers and the Vikings met, it was the Monday Night opener. It was also Aaron Rodgers’ coming out party.  Now we’re nine weeks removed from that night and both teams are 4-4.  The Vikes have won three of their last four games and the Packers are 2-2 in their last four games.   Both teams are practically even from an offensive standpoint. The Vikes are ranked 13th in the league. Right behind the Vikes are the Packers, who are ranked 14th in total offense. One clear advantage in this game is the defensive side of the ball. The Packers’ defense is ranked 20th in the NFL, the Vikes’ defense is ranked 11th.    The other advantage is that the Vikes can run the ball on offense and stop the run on defense. The Vikes have the second best rushing defense in the league and the sixth best rushing offense. The Packers have had issues running the ball this year, and that will be their Achilles’ heel in this game.    Buffalo Bills (5-3) at New England Patriots (5-3) Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA My Pick: Patriots   This is another game where both teams are pretty even.  The Bills are ranked 10th in total defense and 20th in total offense.  The Pats are ranked 18th in total offense and 14th in total defense. So I’m gonna chalk this win up to the team with the most experience.   The Bills are a good, young team that is experiencing much success […]

It is often said that styles make fights in boxing. On Saturday November 8, when Roy Jones meets with Joe Calzaghe, we will see an excercise in contrast.While both fighters posses the requisite skill and stubborn ego necessary to survive and flourish on a championship level, you see immediately that that’s where the comparison ends.  While confident in his own legacy Calzaghe is nowhere near a peacock or high porfile.  he has silently amassed 15 years worth of victories which has place him in the company of boxing immortals.  His 45-0 record is four victories shy of the 49-0 Rocky Marciano standard; he is also closing in on the Brown Bomber’s string of 25 successful title defenses.AllHipHop got with Calzaghe in the days leading up to his showdown with Roy Jones.  He got straight to the point. AllHipHop:  You’ve taken a lot of criticism for this fight, with people calling Jones a past prime legend. However, people seem to forget you defeated two young, highly touted undefeated champions in Jeff Lacy and Mikkel Kessler. Do you think those wins won’t get the credit they deserve unless those two go on to post great wins, like Hopkins just did against Pavlik?     Joe Calzaghe: All I can do is beat the opponents that are put in front of me. I am proud of my career and I think those wins speak for themselves.        AllHipHop: You’ve on record said that Roy Jones was shot after his back to back KO losses and subsequent performances. What did you see from him that made you change your mind and take this bout?       Joe Calzaghe: He has had three excellent fights to put him back in position for this bout.  After those disappointments, I kept watching and saw that he was back to fighting at a top level. He is still a legendary champion who I am looking forward to fighting Saturday night.     AllHipHop: Your last handful of bouts has silenced a lot of critics who questioned your ability and legacy, but that did not happen until 2006. What fights do you wish you wouldn’t have missed out on in your younger years?        Joe Calzaghe: I can’t look back on my career and I believe things happen for a reason. Sometimes I do wish I could have fought Jones before, but it is finally here. I am excited and look forward to the fight.     AllHipHop.com: Some fans seem to think you’ve had an easy run throughout your 15 year career. Who were your most difficult opponents and why?     Joe Calzaghe: All fights are battles but I am most proud of my victories over Eubanks, Lacy, Kessler and Hopkins.  They were all hard fights and big challenges for me, and I came out victorious which obviously makes me feel great.     AllHipHop: You’ve been emphatic that this is your last bout. Assuming you are again victorious, what further involvement do you see for yourself, if any, in boxing world after retirement?     Joe Calzaghe: First I am going on vacation and will spend time with my family. Then I will stay around boxing as a promoter as I already am working with some young fighters that train in our gym back home. I am looking forward to life out of the ring and will figure it out as it comes.    AllHipHop: What are the most difficult things you’ll have to deal with from this version of Roy Jones?    I have prepared and am ready for his speed.  I have trained hard and can adjust to anything that comes my way on fight night.  I will see when the fight starts what I will need to do to come away with a victory.  I can adapt to anything and I refuse to lose.  That is motivation enough to be able to handle whatever Roy brings into the ring.   Joe Calzaghe – AllHipHop

Is he one of the greatest boxers to ever lace up gloves who wiped out all the boxers in his weightclass or is he a fraud who wasted prodigious talent taking safe fights with mandatory challengers?That’s the central question surrounding how history will view the career of Roy Jones.  Unquestionably supreme in talent and skill, Jones stands at age 39 on the precipace of a career defining match Saturday when he steps into the ring with undefeated Joe Calzaghe, who himself is looking to cement legendary statusAs we reach the end of the hype and the buildup to this event rises, AllHipHop got some of Roy’s time to check his on not only on this fight but a potential bout with fellow ageless marvel Bernard Hopkins, his own legacy, and his future in boxing.  Whatever you do, don’t call it a comeback. AllHipHop.com: Calzaghe has stated he feels he has a point to prove after the criticism of his bout with Hopkins, and plans to showcase his boxing skills against you. Since this strategy could cut down on his volume punching, how does that benefit your style?   Roy Jones: He needs to change his style to beat me.  He’s said that and I’m expecting it.  Joe knows he has to step up his game if he has any chance to win this fight.  I’ll know after the first round if he’s going to come right at me or if he’s going to try to fight differently, but it’s hard to change the way you fight if that’s what you’ve always done and been comfortable with.     AllHipHip.com: It’s taken years for you to rebound in the public’s mind from the Tarver and Johnson losses. Although you’ve stated all the pressure is on Calzaghe to maintain his perfect record, what about the pressure for you to punctuate the end of your legacy with another career-defining win?   Roy Jones: It’s not up to me where I am among the legends in boxing.  Only God will determine where my place is among the great boxers who have come before me.  All I know is that this is the first fight since John Ruiz that I feel like the ol’ Roy Jones.  I lost 25 pounds of muscle coming down to fight Tarver and Johnson.  That takes a toll on your body and your energy level.  If Joe is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now, then where I am in the mix will truly be defined and signal that I am back.   AllHipHop.com: Once again Hopkins and you are now starting to speak on the possibility of a rematch if you win on November 8th. What changes do you have to see from Hopkins at the negotiation table to have this fight not fall through like it did in 2002 and 2006?   Roy Jones: He has to really want to make the fight.  Look, it’s not been a problem on my end that Hopkins and I haven’t done the rematch.  I said bring me an offer and he hasn’t done that.  Joe Calzaghe and I made the fight by texting each other.  He invited me over to England and we made the fight.  No one else was involved, just him and me.  If Bernard is serious about wanting a rematch, then he needs to do the same.  Meet with me.  Don’t sent promoters or representatives or throw out bogus, ridiculous offers.  He needs to tell Oscar (De La Hoya, his promoter) to sit this one out and we’ll talk.   AllHipHop.com: Best case scenario let’s say you defeat Calzaghe and Hopkins in your next two fights. Assess the remaining challenges in your weight classes in guys like Chad Dawson, Glen Johnson, and Antonio Tarver.   Roy Jones: That’s looking pretty far ahead and right now I just want to concentrate on Joe.  I’ll say two things about what’s ahead.  One, if I beat Joe, I’m sure he won’t go into retirement.  He’ll want a rematch and I owe him that.  We can do it over in Cardiff if he wants.  Two, this is not my last fight.  I’ll keep going as long as I still can, so anyone else is definitely on the table.  I can’t say when I’ll quit.  Hell, I might just keep going and going and going, like the Energizer bunny.   AllHipHop.com: Joe has said you’ve posted some good wins after the KO losses but are still past your prime years. What are the biggest adjustments you’ve made in your style to get you to this point of being one fight away from returning to the top of the pound for pound lists? Roy Jones: In my mind, I’m already there.  Like I said, it takes an adjustment, both in my mind and body to come back down to light heavyweight.  Keep in mind, there’s only one person alive on this earth who won the middleweight crown, went up and claimed the heavyweight title and then came back to win the light heavyweight title and you’re looking at him.  I feel better now than I have in years.  I’m completely focused on winning this fight where I wasn’t before.  I guarantee you a victory and I am back. Roy Jones – AllHipHop

The winds of Change have not only affected our political front but our sports front as well. The NBA and NHL are in full effect. College Football is winding down. The Men’s and Women’s College Basketball season is right round the corner and the MLB always has the “Hot Stove” burning.   So far, in the NFL, change has definitely had an impact on the season.Winners have turned to losers and losers can be forgotten. Teams who were once  dominant will probably be watching the playoffs at home instead of being on the field. The changes just don’t stop there.   Week 10 marks the beginning of the NFL’s flexible schedule. Thankfully, for us, this Sunday’s match-ups don’t need any flexible changing. Secondly, the Thursday Night Games on the NFL Network kick off this week.    With the Thursday Night Games, comes the Thursday Throwdown here on ALLHipHop. For the next six weeks, we’ll look at the Thursday Night match-ups individually as well as the Game of the Week Poll and other fun stuff. So without further ado, let’s get into the games.   Get Interactive: Many of us don’t have the Dish Network, so we won’t be able to see the Thursday Night on the television. Nevertheless, thanks to modern technology, you can see the game on your computer. Just click here and you can follow the game as if it was on television. In addition, we’ve set up a live chat room for not only tonight’s game in the Cheap Seats, but for the remainder of the season. The AHH NFL and CFB Live Chat is up and running and you can stop in and chat about tonight’s game or any other game this season, next season, or any season. Let the live chat begin. ALLHipHop’s NFL Game of the Week for Week 11 Poll Answers Thursday, 11/06/08, 8:15pm, NFL Network Denver Broncos (4-4) at Cleveland Browns (3-5)  Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, OH My Pick: Broncos   This week, a change took place.  A fresh face came to the center of our attention. Oh, you thought I was talking about President Elect Barack Obama. Nah, we already know the importance of his change, I’m talking about Brady Quinn.   That’s right, the Cleveland Browns made a switch-a-roo this week and decided to bench QB Derek Anderson and start Brady Quinn. Now, I would agree if the move was needed because of poor play on Anderson’s behalf. However, you can’t place all of the blame on Anderson.   The Browns are ranked 28th in total offense. They’re ranked 29th in receiving, that’s due to all of the dropped passes, and 28th in rushing, that’s due to a crappy O-line. Their defense is ranked 24th overall in the league and 28th against the rush. Oddly enough, the Browns are ranked 13th against the pass.   Therefore, I don’t think a QB switch is the answer. There are more holes in that team besides the QB position that need fixing.   The Broncos are having an identity crisis. One paper, they look like contenders, but on the field, the Broncos have lost three of their last four games. The Broncos have the fourth best passing offense the 18th best rushing offense in the league. Although their offense is ranked third in the NFL, their defense is ranked 29th overall. The Broncos are 27th against the pass and 25th against the run.   In their defense, the Broncos have taken some big hits for an injury standpoint on defense, so it’s somewhat understandable why they have underachieved on the defensive side of the ball.    Although the Broncos are going through some issues on the defensive side of the ball, they’re still a better team than the Browns. There’s no stability at the QB position for the Browns now, and the defense has been terrible as of late despite a big win against the Jacksonville Jaguars from two weeks ago.   Despite all of the issues the Broncos are going through, I believe that the Broncos will come into the Dawg Pound tonight and remind Browns’ fans that even without John Elway, they can still “Drive” their way to victory.   Teams with Bye weeks: Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Cincinnati Bengals   You can check out new and past posts on the Out of Bounds blog at: Outofbounds-therowdyone.blogspot.com

And so we have the change that we fought so hard for; a gigantic monumental step towards the next phase of American evolution. The election of Barack Obama is more than a victory for black people or for any racial subset. More than anything else it was a triumph for the power of youth; for the voice of the generation that has yet to make its mark on the face of America outside of pop culture manifestation.   You can segment them with Generation X’s and Y’s and Next’s but this generation (or group of them) has been defined by its underachievement and apathy for anything non-immediate.  Today was the day that Generation Now got off its collective ass and voted against the mortgaging of their future to preserve a present that has little regard for their destiny.   Congratulations. Welcome to the first day of the New World Order. Not the Illuminati world order but the real one. The one where you get out of the baby seat and take the wheel of the street car named desire. The one where you vote; where you voice. The one where you buy the politicians. The one where you lobby.  The one where you become aware of the way the world works.   If nothing else, Barack Obama has shown you that there is strength in numbers. That three million people with 100 dollars is even stronger than 10 people with 30 million.  That a bundle of that many branches are unbreakable.  Not by slander, not by hate, and not by negativity. The lesson you should take from this historic event is the power of organization and the true force of mobilization.   The lesson you should take is that if youth culture marshals their forces and puts the resources behind them, there is no power on earth that can withstand it.   These opportunities don’t come once in a lifetime.  They don’t come once every four years. They come daily. They come when corporations think that old white men in an office can determine what is cool for you to consume. They come when your favorite artist goes double wood while some cat who can’t spell is selling hundreds of thousands of records.   You have been informed.  You have been shown the power of your collective voice on a macro level. Do not lose sight of how to apply that on a micro level in your own lives. Your families, your crew, your blocks are all there. Be a bundle not a branch.   Don’t surrender your power to apathy and laziness. Long Live Barack Obama. Longer live the spirit of youth. You can do even more than this. Change is like marriage. It’s not a destination it’s a journey. President elect Obama’s… (wow) ascent is not the end but the beginning. The beginning of the New World Order. Will you be the driving force, or will you continue the mistakes of the previous world? This time you have a choice.

I watched something necessary the other night, necessary for the legitimacy of America and it’s interests around the world. Necessary for it’s religion of capitalism and it’s imperial ambition, which were not curbed in anyway with the election of an African American. Instead they gained perhaps the greatest spokesperson for their cause that they could have ever received. People that never felt inclusive now feel like part of America, like they have a personal stake in its success and for people that truly love this country, isn’t that what you wanted? To have more people who live here proud of being an American? For many people Bush was never their president, to them he stole the first election and railroaded the second one with mired swift boat attacks on John Kerry’s character while dodging facts about the mischaracterization of Iraq as somehow being involved in 9/11 and how the intelligence that led us to war was so badly distorted. Some surrogates even went as far as to suggest that Mr.Kerry might have inflicted the wounds on himself in Vietnam to receive a Purple Heart…http://uk. youtube. com/watch?v=JoM90bAsr1MThe same smear tactics were used all throughout this election, the same fear mongering and questions brought about Obama’s faith, place of birth and his “relationship with terrorists.” This cost the McCain campaign and it’s supporters, opportunity and legitimacy about their complaints of the future 44th President. They went beyond the simple implications of the Clinton campaign deep into the territory of arousing the fear and hatred ingrained in the minds of white citizens all over America. And yet they were denied yesterday for good reason. The mob would not have tolerated it. His victory was a restoration of the crumbling belief in our democracy, because the loss of faith; that, my brother’s and sisters is how empire’s fall, not from simple military failure but when their people no longer believe in it. During the last few years of Bush, this is what I saw. I cannot answer if there would have been rioting would he have not won, but his ascension to the Commander in Chief has made a strong case for the people’s choice being what and who control’s America. When in truth the strength and power of Military Industry and Corporate Conglomerates saw more of a champion than any urban working class citizen could have, in Obama.Through careful planning, timed responses, tactful alienation and one of the best organized campaigns, at long last the people of America have a man that they WANT to believe in, a man they can point to as an example of the death of racism, the birth of hope and the inclusion of member’s of disaffected society in the United States.But is this to be?Michelle Obama was right when she talked about feeling proud to be an American for the first time. And white conservatives took it out of context. They assumed that the Black and Latino community who have had the right to vote for the past 40 of the 221 years of this countries existence should kneel and kiss the ground of a land that is only now acknowledging their service and contribution. Truthfully I am more inspired by her words than most of his. And, I am reinforced in my understanding that a man (especially one that aspires to achieve anything significant) without the right woman to support him and offer him guidance will never amount anything. Her words were prophetic for they truly did speak to the manner in which urban Black and Latino people have embraced the USA.As I said before this was necessary for America to do… To not follow in the footsteps of the Roman Empire in its alienation of the people’s that it conquered. Their great mistake was NOT to include their allies and offer them the benefits of citizenships and partaking in the glory of what the empire gained as a reward for assimilation. Africans were on this side of the world before Columbus, but in US history they were brought as slaves, kept subservient through a Europeanized Christendom, and lied to about their glorious past, and their contributions to the history of humanity. After all it was Africans who comprised the power ranks of the early church, Africans who nursed the philosophy of the ancient Greeks and African Muslims who ruled Western Europe for over 700 years, that’s more than 3 times as long as the United States has existed as a country.They are a people who have fought hard for every small victory and seemingly insignificant right taken for granted nowadays.They fought and died in every major US war going to back to the very founding of this nation when Crispus Attucks was the first person to ever die for American Freedom from British Imperial rule. Yet every time they proved their bravery and willingness to lay down their lives for the nation of their captivity, subsequent birth and allegiance to, they were denied the honor of a well-deserved recognition. They were denied loans, given substandard housing, redlined into the ghetto, had their communities filled with drugs and their addictions criminalized whereas the upper class of white society had theirs treated as an illness. Africans have had their commitment to family and values overlooked by a media highlighting of the worst sections of society. The Black family did not fall apart until the crack era, for even during the times of slavery, it came together with more strength than ever! Because there were sisters who were looking after children who weren’t theirs and brothers who played the father when their father’s were sold off and gone.Black people for all intents and purposes have a right to have certain cynicisms and grievances with America. Perhaps not as much as Native Americans but they wouldn’t be the only ethnic group in the world to have a difficult relationship with the nation they live in. After all the world’s nations are actually comprised of many nations most of which […]

Have you ever seen that movie, Mo Betta Blues? The lead character is Bleek Gilliam.  He’s a trumpeter; an inspired musical force with a severe case of tunnel vision and dedication to his craft.  His desire to use his body as a vessel for his creativity is surpassed only by his need to stay true to the music that comes from within.  In many circumstances, this is a true creator’s edict.  The artist is a slave to the art.  The audience either follows or they don’t.  Their love for the performer is more incidental than plan.  Kanye West reminds me of Bleek.  His latest offering 808’s and Heartbreak is a serious departure from what his fans expect, but it is supposedly the next step in his artistic growth.  While presently in the throes of both evolution and grief, I’m sure Kanye finds the music a fitting way to consequently memorialize what he has lost and project what he may have gained.  I’m not sure who among you has the contract; the one on which Mr. West signed away his musical life to Hip-Hop, but you need to tear it up.  It looks like he may have grown beyond our beloved genre, or at least taken a pause from it for the time being.   The art made him do it.  Some of the fans are not happy.  I understand you invest in these artists.  You invest your money with the purchase.  You invest your time when you listen.  You invest your mind when you dissect the lyrics and if you love it, you invest your heart.  But you need to understand, this is not the purpose of his creation, it’s a bonus.  And when that bond is broken and the artist moves on to greener pastures, your broken heart is collateral damage.  It’s not for the sake of the fan.    It’s for the sake of the art.  If you know this movie I’m referring to, then you know Bleek had an arch nemesis, Shadow.  And Shadow didn’t create for the art.  He bowed to the audience.  His music didn’t come from within.  It was a half-hearted attempt at pleasing the crowd and we all know once you start trying to please everyone; you end up pleasing no one.   The Shadows of the Hip-Hop world are the emcees who garner the most disdain from those who pay attention.  They are the leeches of the industry, hiding behind figurative dumpsters waiting on a creator to walk by so they can steal, copy and mass produce.  For me there is no grey area, you are either an artist or a fraud.  However, being a fan of a true artist means taking the good and the bad from your dude.  It means supporting them through the awkward periods of their development and it means having their back even when they aren’t coming with what you want to hear.  So you don’t have to like it, but you should try to understand it.  We have watched other artists evolve in ways we wish they hadn’t. When L.L. dropped “I Need Love” the most common question asked was, “What in the hell is that?”  The hushed, sing-song delivery and sappy lyrics were more than many could bear and different from anything mainstream Hip-Hop had ever offered. Nas became Esco, left the timbs and fitted on the closet floor and gave us his best Diddy impersonation.  Take that.  Take that.  Take that. And we did.  Wayne looks like he’s on his way to becoming a rocker, Snoop did country and Flava Flav left Public Enemy to become whatever that is he is now. (Ok.  Flav is a bad example, but you get my point.)  But you should understand West is not Shadow.  He is Bleek (no Memphis) and the art is what he creates for, not the audience.  So as you listen to yet another single from the album that you are probably not going to buy and bellyache about his new style, try to respect him for his artistry.  The desire to create has led plenty a lyricist down the wrong path, but most recover (Electric Circus, anyone?).    On second thought, I could totally be wrong.  This could be an attempt on Mr. West’s part to garner that pop money and he may very well be selling out his investors to buy stock in auto-tune.  But since I don’t know for sure, I’ll role with the dramatically somber version of this story. Forget I said that.

As special bonus coverage, the OG Bun B will be updating AllHipHop on his Texas travels as he does radio spots and appearances to get people out to vote.  This will be updated periodically as Bun reports from the field. In this time of fake political rappers, Bun B has always had a legitimate presence and opinion on politics ans socio-economic issues. Peace goes out.3:30 pm in Houston Texas..in at the Shape Community Center in Third  Ward. The Shape Center is a real hub for community outreach and  activism in Houston and has been for many years. Today they’re  offering free rides to the polls, which is a beautiful thing in this  age. It’s still early but the first polls are about to close so we  will have some numbers real soon. I’m headed to the next spot. Obama  08! I’ll holla back!-Bun B6:30 pm Just did radio interview with the party 93.3 whose listeners are mostly Latino. Had some good back and forth with callers, some liberal and some conservative. It’s important for both sides to be heard..that’s what makes America great! Polls about to close soon so I’m stoping by my church(which is a polling center)then I’m headed home to do a few more call-ins and wait for results. No sleep tonight! Holla back soon!-Bun B8:48 pmJust got to the crib after a crazy day in the streets..been out there  since 7 this morning! Being involved in this election is something to  be proud of, considering the historical implications. People who never  gave a damn about politics are asking questions about policy on both  sides, and raising their concerns. Right now it’s 103-49 in favor of  Obama. Still early though…so I won’t call anything…but it’s  looking good for Barack! Stay tuned!-Bun B9:43 pmWell they just called Ohio for obama. With Ohio and Pennsylvania won  it’s looking like Obama has a lead that can’t be beaten. They’ve also  called the house for the democrats and I think they’re about to call  the senate for them also. At this point experts don’t believe McCain  can gain 270. I don’t wanna jump the gun so I won’t…but u can see  where we are headed….stay tuned people!-Bun B 10:10 pmEarlier in Election Day: Bun B and Davey D in the street. 10:36 pmJust saw representative john Davis speak..he is an original member of  the civil rights movement with Dr King and a congressman from Georgia.  After personally seeing the civil rights act and equal voting rights  bills signed by lbj in 64 and 65, he said that he has shed many tears  throughout this campaign and that he never wouldve thought this day  would come. For anyone who didn’t see it, it summed up how every  person should feel today. Many people died and were falsely imprisoned  for us to have the right and privilige to be a part of today. It’s  something everyone should think about tonight, in a real way. The  count is 207-138. Keep it locked y’all!-Bun B11:02 pmLadies and gentlemen we have a black president! My president is black!  If u didn’t vote u missed out on a chance to be a part of history!  Sucka!-Bun B

Surely you’re reading this while voting or while anticipating your voting or while reveling in the glow of that wonderful feeling that comes from voting and fulfilling your civic duties. Anyway, this column is about kicks and though sports figures aren’t the usual suspects when it comes to making political statements—who has MJ ever endorsed besides Phil Knight?—Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett are kind of sort subtly making a statement people should get to the polls. During their games today (Houston Rockets vs. Boston Celtics) the perennial All-Stars will be wearing customized versions of their Adidas TS Commanders with messages on the side [Garnett: “Embrace Change, Vote ‘08”] and rear [McGrady “Change Is Needed, Vote ‘08”] of their respective sneakers. No, they’re not broadcasting who to vote for—ahem, Obama, ahem—but are encouraging people to vote, period. Which you did/are going to do. Right?These Air Force 1’s with big images of Obama face splashed on both sides were designed by Van20 and the photos were floating around earlier this year. I ain’t mad at them, at all. Not too sure about these (must we be walking all over Obama already?) but I’ll post the pic off of g.p. On another note, I’m still heated that Gilbert Arenas knee is still jacked up but hopefully he’ll be back on the court soon. Nevertheless. His Black President kicks are still officially official.

Darchinyan Dominates Mijares The first super flyweight, unification bout in history was supposed to be Cristian Mijares’ coming out party. This was the fight where he finally got a chance to showcase his reputed top 10, pound for pound skills on a national stage. Instead, the normally wild Vic Darchinyan fought a disciplined, perfect fight and pounded Mijares over 9 mostly one-sided rounds before a merciful TKO stoppage. The raucous, mostly Mexican crowd at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA gave Mijares a grand reception as he made his way to the ring. At the stare down he retained a cocky smirk, perhaps feeling Darchinyan had no boxing skills to contend with his superb counter-punching. Mijares’ smile was wiped off within the first 30 seconds, as Darchinyan repeatedly beat him to the punch with lead straight and overhand lefts. The clean shots were heavily due to Darchinyan not rushing in and utilizing a sharp jab. Mijares also showed early sluggishness, leaning forward with his punches which resulted in Darchinyan dropping him hard with a perfect counter uppercut. Showing his usual cockiness, Darchinyan goaded him to get up just as the bell saved the WBA/WBC champ for an early knockout. In round 2 Mijares still struggled to establish any offense, realizing that Darchinyan’s hand-speed and jab had taken away his chances to counterpunch. After eating a series of thudding overhand lefts, Mijares attempted to make it brawl, and fared better catching Vic with two nice counter hooks to the temple. However, the light-punching Mijares could gain no respect and Darchinyan fired right back to close an exciting round. Mijares started to get more comfortable in rounds three and four, finally showing decent glove blocking and lateral movement away from Darchinyan’s powerful left hand. Unfortunately, these defensive adjustments didn’t translate into good offense, and Darchinyan continued to dominate the exchanges, now adding in wincing, round-house left hooks to the body. It wasn’t until round 5 where Mijares finally landed a head combination, punctuated by a hard hook. Darchinyan responded in kind as Mijares waved him in. Despite his machismo for fans, Mijares was falling further and further behind on the scorecards. Darchinyan continued his work in round six, blistering Mijares with punishing combinations, most ending with his powerful left hand. Mijares, touted as the one of the most technically skilled fighters at the lower weights, could do nothing but continue waving Vic in, hoping he’d make a mistake. Round 7 saw Mijares finally gather some sustained offense, clipping Darchinyan with a sneaky uppercut and a counter hook as the IBF champ briefly went back to his old ways of lunging in. However, Darchinyan kept Mijares honest by ripping him with another left uppercut as the round ended. By round nine, Mijares had no choice but to continue coming forward in hopes of scoring a KO. But it was Darchinyan who would succeed, driving Mijares back with a hard jab before nearly knocking him through the ropes with a laser-sharp straight left. Mijares spun on the canvas, and his fans watched in shocked dismay as the referee waved the fight off with just a few seconds remaining in the round. With the win, Vic Darchinyan now becomes the first man in history to unify the Super Flyweight division. Remembering the writers who picked against him, Darchinyan made it a point in the post-fight interview to ask about his new pound for pound standing. “All writers, did I keep my promise [to knock out Mijares]?” Darchinyan quipped. “Where am I now pound for pound? I knocked him out!” Indeed, many writers will now have to consider Vic’s placement now that he’s moved up from flyweight to super flyweight and unified the division in just two fights. In addition, those two unification bouts came courtesy of devastating highlight-reel knockouts. What made this fight so impressive was the way Darchinyan, thought of as just an awkward brawler, outboxed Mijares thoroughly in every round. Vic’s speed and stinging jab left Mijares confused, and a fish out of water when he abandoned his normal counter-punching style to press the action. But, the most significant change to Vic’s style last night was he rarely lunged in with wild hooks. This flaw left him KTFO last year against Donaire, but tonight whenever Darchinyan did rush in, it was preceded by a hard jab followed by a straight shot. This drastically lowered his chances of eating anything big in return. Darchinyan should at minimum be in everyone’s top 15, but many will be reluctant to place him higher until he rematches Nontio Donaire, the man who knocked him cold last year and briefly derailed his career. If that fight cannot be made, look for Darchinyan to seek out Fernando Monteil or Jorge Arce (who scored a 4th roundKO this weekend over Isidro Garcia). Whomever he fights, the lighter weights just got a little more exciting with Vic Darchinyan back on top.Roy Jones Confirms Hopkins Main Option After Calzaghe Roy Jones, Jr. is already looking past his November 8 fight with undefeated light-heavyweight champ Joe Calzaghe, verifying that he’s open to facing bitter rival Bernard Hopkins. The change of heart comes seven years after a highly-anticipated rematch fell through when both men stubbornly refused to compromise on their contract negotiations. “People want to see me and Bernard do it again after I beat Joe,” Jones wrote in a column for ESPN.com. “I beat Bernard 15 years ago and I will do it again if we fight. I’d like that fight and if it makes sense and we come up with a good deal, for sure I will do it. People want to see if Bernard can get revenge… But first I need to take off Joe, which I will do.” Calzaghe Dimisses Hopkins, Executioner Rules Out Dawson, Promises “Hell” for Jones-Calzaghe Winner In the wake of Hopkins’ stunning win over Kelly Pavlik, Joe Calzaghe rebuffed rumblings of a rematch with the Executioner. Since winning a split decision in an ugly April […]

It’s November, the time of scheduled thanks.  Come the fourth Thursday of this month, we will reflect on all the awesome things that have happened to us this year and figure out who besides us had a hand in making it happen.  Then we will give them a big up by eating a weeks worth of food in 2 hours.  I’m going to dedicate the stuffing to my mom and pops because they never say no, the mac and cheese to my buds because they loan me stuff even though they know they won’t get it back and the turkey to AHH because they give me space to post my rants.  However, there are some whose thanks are a bit more confusing. Case in point: Soulja Boy I’m sure most of you have heard this already, but for those of you who have not; I’m going to hip you to who Soulja Boy will be thanking at his house this fall season. Slave masters. Yup, slave masters around the globe, take heart in knowing yooooooouuuuu have at least one ig’nant rapper in your corner.  Mr. Soulja Boy wants to thank yooooooouuuuu for importing both him and diamonds from Africa so instead of digging for them, he can wear them.  If it wasn’t for your inhuman, evil ways he would never be in a position where he could release mind numbing music and actually get paid enough for it that he can give a portion of the cash back to yooooooouuuuu in exchange for bling.  Sweet! When SB was being interviewed by Toure for BET’s Black Carpet, he dropped this little gem.  Toure asked him who in history he hated the most.  Soulja Boy gave him crickets, so Toure made some suggestions for the youngster; Hitler, Osama Bin Laden, Slave Masters?  Maybe he had never heard of Bin Laden or Hitler before, but slave master rang a bell.  Instead of espousing his hatred for those who would sell past members of his family into bondage though, he gave them a shout out. “Oh wait! Hold up! Shout out to the slave masters! Without them we’d still be in Africa. We wouldn’t be here to get this ice and tattoos.” Even my 8-year-old realized how obnoxiously dim-witted this statement was. It is discombobulating to say the least.  I searched my brain for excuses for this young man.  Maybe he didn’t understand the question.  Maybe this was a tasteless joke.  Maybe he and Wayne mistakenly exchanged plastic cups at some earlier function.  Maybe he was in the studio the day they talked about slavery in history class.  There is no way he could know what he was saying.  He couldn’t be that type of self absorbed. Could he? Millions of deaths have been alleviated by shiny rocks?  Men in his own blood line were whipped, tortured, castrated, drawn and quartered; but that’s alright as long as he can get tatted? I’m sure he thinks if he were one of the unlucky souls to have been spared the middle passage he would still be wearing a loin cloth and beating on a drum in the sand. I know he’s only 18, but that type of unawareness can not go unchecked.  His momma needs to put him in remedial history class or something; make that dude watch the entirety of Roots one weekend.  Or better yet, read the book.  Have him watch Amistad, Glory and A Woman Named Moses.  Take him to Africa so he can see how those who work in the diamond mines live.  As he figuratively steps over the dead bodies of those who made it a possibility for him to live like he does; as African children grow up without appendages for allegedly stealing stones from the mine owners, as we still reel from the damage done to us; he trivializes the most horrific human tragedy this earth has ever known.  That’s some sad nicca s###, but I guess we shouldn’t expect anything more from someone who blows their nose with c-notes. We could attribute this to his youth and disconnection to his past.  At least that is what I will try to do as I determine whether or not to buy his new album for my son; if he still wants it. We have accepted some p### poor behavior and odd comments from older, more seasoned artists in the past few years, folks who in my estimation should have known better.  So I’m totally expecting the apology and this faux pas to be carried away by the breeze. However, in the interim it would be nice SB if you could step off that hovercraft your rich nicca ass uses to move those 6 feet from the kitchen to the living room and bird walk your narrow butt to the library to learn a little something about your past and culture. 

It’s the day after Saturday and we had an extra hour to party and bulls**t and here we go again for another Sick Sunday.  I had a Shakir Stewart shout out in last week’s column but unfortunately, it must be replaced with an R.I.P. and a well wish for his children. Mr. Stewart apparently committed suicide this weekend and details are still forthcoming.  From all accounts he was a good dude and no one knows what eats at a  man.  Friendly reminder if you need help or you’re depressed, seek professional counseling.  Get yourself some help.  It doesn’t make you less of a man (or woman) and you can hopefully get yourself in a better situation.Now on to the music Black Milk (Ft. Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, & DJ Premier)-The Matrix Black Milk dropped his joint this week and it’s got some fire.  On this joint Monch and  Sean P hop on the track to body it.  Preemo on the cutting and the scratching  pretty much put the cherry on top of this.  I give it certified thumbs up.  Sean Price always seems to step it up when he’s guest starring  on some Method Man s**t. Ghostface-Computer LoveStaten Island’s finest is back again this time representing over “Computer Love.” Ghost does his slow flow thing.  I admit I never liked the original song so I’m not going ape s**t over this one, but you can never lose with some good ole fashioned GFK. Not great but I wouldn’t turn it off in disgust. Evidence feat. Phonte, Blu, And Will.i.am– For Whom The Bell TollsSlow flow from the undergrounders. The church bells and the strings give a little majesty to it, but I think this song could use some more BPMs.  The chorus is also a little annoying but these guys deliver lyrically.  I songs like this is what kinda hold cats like this from getting their message out to the masses. It’s cool in a dose but you can’t stomach too much  of it. The slow speed makes the song feel too long. Freeway Feat. Young Chris- Everything’s Gonna Be AlrightThe Roc (hell with what Jay says) tag team over Naughty’s anthem and do a serviceable job. With Phillie as the back drop versus Trenton/EO. It’s a shame that Freezer drops so much heat and no one buys it.  Young Chris still on the grind holding the Roc flag  while still holding it down with the State Prop.  This is jammable.  Thumbs up. Sam Scarfo Feat. Ghostface-Jesus Loves YouNow THIS is Ghostface is his element.  Sam Scarfo is adequate and honestly does his thing but Ghost really shines on this.  Over a nice riding soul sample they go back and forth like EPMD when they just started they business.  I’m Fannie Mae on this one cosigning.  Content is solid, flows is dope, beat if official. Nas Feat. Joel Ortiz-GhettoI know I know, this ain’t new by any means but these two dude blessed this joint and i had to go back to it.  Joel got NITRO on this joint, switching flows and raising the energy level of this joint.  The beat is already classic and Nas is his usual self.  One of the better collabos out this year.***************************************************************OT LLOYD BANKS- HALLOWEEN HAVOK.To me this blows Return of the PLK out the water, but Banks voice seems a little off on this.  The beat selection is much better and the sequencing is superior in my opinion.  You be the judge. Bump it or Blow it.LLOYD BANKS HALLOWEEN HAVOK Poll Answers *****************************************************************DOUBLE OT Square Off Feat. Cory Gunz-You Not So TuffSolid crew joint, Cory outshines these guys but they aren’t bums.  I came back to double ot cause the Giants are beating the living dog s**t outta the Cowboys.  Enjoy. Square Off Feat. Cory Gunz-Letter to ObamaAnother black president song from cats who won’t probably vote or who have never been involved in the political process…or will still rap about bodying cats or slinging crack.  **Sigh** I’ll be glad when this is all over. Meh*****************************************************************TRIPLE OTLupe Fiasco-I Know WhyHe aint retired yet so get ti while you got it.  Dopeness.

Here we are, Week 09. We have eight more weeks to got until the playoffs and believe me; the next few weeks will be very interesting. Every year, when the NFL passes the halfway mark of the season, I think of that one verse Jay-Z had in Brooklyn’s Finest:   Time to separate the pros from the consThe platinum from the bronzeThat butter soft s### from that leather on the FonzA S1 diamond from a eye class donA Cham’ Dom’ sipper from a Rosay n####, huh?!Brook-Nam, sippin on …   Now it’s about to get real. It’s time for teams to start padding their leads in their respective conferences and get their minds right for a playoff push. Oh, but be aware, there will be “spoilers”, and trap games, and all types of fun stuff that will take place on the road to the playoffs. However, when you look at it, the way the season has gone thus far, it has been one big set of spoilers and trap games after another. Each week, someone or some game has had some kind of surprise twist to it. So s####### your seat belts because now the real fun begins.   Thursday Throwdown This Thursday is the season debut of the Thursday Throwdown where look at the Thursday Night Game airing on the NFL Network. The first game on tap will be the Denver Broncos vs. Cleveland Browns on Thursday, November 6 at 8:15pm. So look out for it this Thursday before the game start. If you do not have the NFL Network, you will still be able to see the game on the NFL Network’s website via live stream. ALLHipHop’s NFL Game of the Week for Week 10   Poll Answers   ALLHipHop’s NFL Game of the Week Dallas Cowboys (5-3) at New York Giants (6-1) Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ My Pick: Giants   Both the Giants and the Cowboys won close games last weekend. While the Cowboys’ defense stepped up to beat the Buccaneers in the final minutes of the game last Sunday, the Giants won with a little luck and a solid offensive drive in the final moments of their match-up with the Steelers.   Although the ‘Boys got the win last week, I’m still not impressed. If the Cowboys are the better team, then last week’s game should have been a blowout and should not have gone down to the wire. The consistency of the Giants’ play is what gives them the edge in this game. The Giants are ranked third on both total offense and defense in the league and they are the league leaders in total sacks. Brad Johnson is a statue in the pocket, that’s like serving sacks on a silver platter to the Giant’s defense.   With the Cowboys having a statue in the backfield and a defensive secondary still hurting, I have to roll with the G-Men on this one.   Here are the rest of the games for Week 09 in the NFL.   Sunday, 11/02/08, 1pm games New York Jets (4-3) at Buffalo Bills (5-2) Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY My Pick: Bills   The Bills may have taken some hits from an injury standpoint, but they’re still a solid team on both sides of the ball. The Jets success will depend on which Brett Favre shows up.   If it’s the Brett Favre who played against the Arizona Cardinals, then the Jets have a fighting chance. But, if it’s the Brett Favre who showed up last Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, that won’t work. Despite the win, two TDs and three INTs are not acceptable against the Bills’ defense.   The Jets are sporadic now, and although their record is 4-3, their play on the field just doesn’t convince me that they have it all together.   Detroit Lions (0-7) at Chicago Bears (4-3) Soldier Field, Chicago, IL My Pick: Bears   It’s the Lions. They stink. The Bears are the better team all around. No need to get deep with this game, we move on.   Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4) at Cincinnati Bengals (0-8) Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH My Pick: Jaguars   Oh brother, we move from one crappy game to another. The only other team in the league worst than the Lions is the Bengals. They stink just as well. Like the Bears, the Jags are the better team all around. It’s time to get our Notorious K.I.M. on (Keep It Moving) and look at the next game.   Baltimore Ravens (4-3) at Cleveland Browns (3-4)  Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, OH My Pick: Ravens   The Cleveland Browns have the 30th ranked offense and 21st ranked defense in the league. The Ravens have the 24th ranked offense in the league, but they have the second best defense in the league.   With the Browns being inconsistent on offense and the Ravens’ defense as dominate as it is, then Ravens have the upper hand in this game.   Green Bay Packers (4-3) at Tennessee Titans (7-0) LP Field, Nashville, TN My Pick: Titans   The Packers head into Tennessee after a much needed bye week, while Titans continued their winning ways in their Monday Night match-up against the Colts. Could this be a trap game for the Titans? No, I don’t think so.   The Titans are similar to the Ravens. They don’t have the greatest offense in the league, but their defense picks up the slack. With the fourth best defense in the league and an offense that does just enough to keep them in the game, too bad Packers QB Aaron Rodgers has to add a lost to his contract extension.   This is the Titans’ game to win.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-3) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-6) Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO My Pick: Buccaneers   Both the Bucs and the Chiefs gave away wins to their opponents last weekend and both teams are looking to bounce back this weekend with a win […]

Halloween is a holiday where things are not always what they seem.  Aside from all the paganism and all that, it’s really a celebration of illusion and projection; of how we can be what we aren’t what we wish to be, or what we wish to be perceived.    In this episode of DIGITS we address rappers who have been something else in their careers.  That may sound a little ambiguous so let us explain.   Some rappers have in the past rapped with styles that were alien to how we normally are used to hearing them.  In other cases, we’ve had emcees taking on other identities altogether changing voice, persona, cadence and in one case *gasp* their whole sex.   In this installment of DIGITS we take a look at the fantasy, trickery, and imagery in Hip-Hop. We’re sure you’ll see a lot of scary rappers lists today but that’s sooo 2007. It’s not necessarily ghoulish, but you will be entertained. As with all DIGITS we can’t put everything in so feel free to add on and as you come up with ill joints I’ll add on and shout you out.  Peace.     Derrick “D. Dot” Angelette as…The Mad Rapper Introduced in Bad Boy’s heyday to caricature the playa hatas, the Mad Rapper personal took on a life of its own and now stands as the Hip-Hop patron saint of hate. He ended up on more than a couple Bad Boy albums and even managed to get an album of his own.  It gets no more John Blaze than that.     Andre Harrell as…Dr. Jekyll Before he morphed into Uptown Records Exec, Andre was one half of the rap duo Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.  Named after the famous split personality precedent, they were two sides of the same coin and Andre became even more of a chameleon following his career as a rapper.       Slick Rick as…MC Ricky D Probably the first example of an MC being two people on the Mic at the same time.  I remember as a kid being confused about hearing about some damn Ricky D but never actually seeing him.  Slow me finally figured it out (rocket scientist I was not). Rick used a variety of tricks to keep his audience off balance and to augment his storytelling.  A real pioneer of lyrical entertainment.   Redman as…himself? In Redman vs. Reggie Noble, Redman actually battled himself on wax, switching cadence back and forth at a fast pace, crafting an ill song. He’d continue this with characters like uncle gully and the Supaman Lova, showing that you can be hardcore and clown at the same time. His performance as half the blues brothers in the How High video was also spot on and classic.     Nas as …Scarlett This was bizarre to say the least. On “Sekou Story” and “Live Now”  There were people who actually thought Scarlett was a different person but you can hear Nas’ voice and cadence, albeit altered.  Props to trying something REALLY different, but the results were strange. Nas also attempted a similar exercise on his album Hip-Hop Is Dead on the track “Who Killed It?”  The voice was annoying as hell and obscured the point of the song, but it was creative.         Shock G as…Humpty Hump Embarassingly, I actually had to duff some kid out over whether Shock and Humpty were the same person.  Homie must have been on some Lois Lane s**t fooled by a pair of glasses.  I know I wasn’t the only one mad at people falling for that. Anyway the Humpty Dance spread like wildfire across Burger King Bathrooms everywhere. Even Tupac had to do the Humpty!       The RZA as…Prince Rakeem Now we all know the Ruler Zig Zag Zig Allah as alter ego Bobby Digital.  We all know the myriad Wu aliases.  However The ultimate transformation came years before the Wutang and was even more startling that the “Come Do Me” version of the GZA that Wumaniacs try to forget.  Imagine the RZA rhyming about having to many ladies and being a playboy? It was not all a dream. Fortunately he changed the style up and after the laughter we can wipe our tears.     Raekwon the Chef as…Clyde Smith After the infamous 50 Cent coming out party “How to Rob,” Many rappers were up in arms. Some, like Jay-Z and Big Pun responded in rhyme. Raekwon on the other hand got his ransom note voice on.  The muffled voice reminds me of homie calling Ma$e talking about “don’t give my girl you number no more.”  After a ridiculous tough guy soliloquy about his jail respect he threatened to see 50.  At press time, 50 Cent is in good health and unscathed…except for those 9 shots.     Boss as…A Gangster Rapper She had skills, she had beats, she had arguably one of the best album debuts by a female rapper ever…she also had a made up story and a fake tough resume.  Back when people still believed Hip-Hop was real (almost like when you found out that the Hulk Hogan leg drop was not real) people got angry at the lack of realness and dropped Boss faster than you can say fraud and she was never to be seen again.  She probably has a degree 2.3 kids, a picket fence and a puppy now. Nothing wrong with that.   Rick Rauce the Bauce as…Teflon the Don Before Noriega owed him a hundred favors and even before he appeared with Trina in that video with the jersey on, and possibly even before his alleged Officer Ross time, he appeared as Teflon the Don on the Eric Onassis album on the track “Ain’t SHHH To Discuss.” He actually got busy on this.  Peep game.   Bedeepbadeep that’s all folks.  But what is Halloween without Thriller?  Exactly.  Peace out Thriller – Michael Jackson

  Tatou, one of Los Angeles’ hottest nightclubs was all decked out for this event, which married fashion and politics.   There were models running back and forth to the dressing room, personal assistants buzzing away on their crackberries, and huge posters of Abraham Lincoln morphed with the image of Barack Obama.   This evening was created for the voice of the democratic party and helping young people register to vote for November 4th.   The centerpiece of attraction was the highly anticipated fashion show for LA Fashion Week, entitled The Love Session. ?uestlove took turns on the wheels of steel with DJ Irie, and Travis McCoy, and the scene was sexy and stylish.   The one of the featured designers was up and coming Annabelle Sky Lee who is making a huge impact on the LA fashion scene with her Factory Girl clothing line.   Lee, it seems,  is determined to change the fashion scene of Los Angeles. Her line marries intricate design with simple lines and a very feminine look. Despite it’s retro base it does have a highly inventive quality to it, which is rare. Everything was feminine and unfussy not to mention refined. It walked the line quite well between edgy and vampish. The animal inspired prints tops with vibrant bright colors and skin-tight leggings give the line a hot vixen look.   These are not  the wannabe mod redux we’ve been seeing a lot of lately. These are strong, bold, eye-catching designs that are easy and fun to wear.     We have all seen the wallpaper floral prints or the done to death bandana paisley patterns. Lee’s line is devoid of the horrible prints that are wrong for anyone to wear, and she creates a sexy print that can be proudly worn by a fashionista who is bored with both convention and the  Forever 21 “uniform” that you can spot a block away on any wannabe diva. In Los Angeles it’s all about attitude, owning every room or sidewalk like it’s your personal runway, however, Factory Girl has an aura that allows for confident relaxation as  others are running around trying to be center of attention.   At this rate, Annabelle Lee is a designer to look out for in 2009. She is a powerhouse for intricate designs for simple patterns can be deemed for an high end retro- inspired collection.  

I moved to Chicago from the suburbs in December of 2005. I picked up my stuff and moved to the big city to follow my dreams. I even remember the small panic attack I had after I signed my lease to live in Hyde Park; an upscale neighborhood on Chicago’s Southside. This was a big deal for me. I’d changed jobs, left my suburban lifestyle and even my family and friends to try my luck in the city. True enough I was only 40 minutes away from the life I once knew and I figured if I fell on my face I could always go back home. Through it all I would give my all, and win or lose at least I’d tried.   So here I am, almost three years later living in Chi-town. A SBF, no kids no husband.  Everyday I get up, I go to work, I come home and it’s just me. The time has flown by so fast sometimes I wonder where it all went. How have I survived? It’s been a struggle, but I’ve manage to make ends meet. To having paid highest gas prices in the country to the highest sales tax in the country, I’ve made it through.   As I sat in my office on last Friday (October 24) doing routine tasks my phone rang. It was one of my staff members. She told me that Jennifer Hudson’s mother and brother had been killed and her nephew was missing. I was devastated, heart broken. I’d had the privilege of meeting Jennifer this past summer, she had a wonderful spirit and seemed like a real cool gal, and I could only imagine what she was going through.   As further details emerged in the case it made me think about all the other murders that had occurred in the city since I decided to move here. It seems like every year that passes by, the total number of homicides gets larger and larger, and kids are getting killed daily and monthly in increasingly random situations.   I drove on the expressway that evening and I saw the Amber Alerts where the traffic times are usually posted. It made me sick to my stomach. Where could Jennifer’s nephew be? Some crazy person had him and I prayed that he would be found a little shaken up by but alive. All weekend long the city was in shock, the country was in shock. And here it is Wednesday and now that Darnell Donerson, Jason Hudson, and Julian King are gone it’s hard to digest. Jennifer is back home in Chicago trying to be as strong as she can in the city that helped shape and mold her into the star she’s come to be.   My question now is: how safe is it in the “big city” I left my safety net for? According to recent statistics Chicago is currently “Murder Capital U.S.A”. The crime here is out of control, it’s up 13 percent. Chicago is expected to exceed 500 murders by the end of the year, but ironically that number falls short of approaching a record. In every year between 1991 and 1994, there were more than 900 homicides in the city, peaking in 1992 with 943 murders. The standing record for homicides in Chicago dates back to 1974, when there were 970 murders.   In 2008, Chicago has had more murders than New York and Los Angeles, two bigger cities that have larger populations. And I just want the senseless violence to stop. I want to feel safe in the city that I moved to in hopes of following my dreams. Yeah I’m from the suburbs, but where I’m from it ain’t all roses. Crime is up there too, but it doesn’t touch what city life is like.     I am fortunate to live a few blocks down from where Senator Barack Obama resides and the Chicago Police and Secret Service sit at the top and bottom of his block 24 hours a day 7 days a week. But do I feel safe? I guess… I just try not to think about being a victim of a violent crime. I know living in the city is risky. But it was always a risk I was willing to take. And after this weekend, reality has truly sunk in and I no longer feel as safe as I once did. I’ve got to be way more careful and watch my back. And pray that things calm down here in Chicago.   This is really an interesting time in U.S. history. And I can only imagine what’s going to go down in Chicago and in this country between now and November 4 and 5, the day of and the day after we know who are next president is going to be. And when you think about it, isn’t it crazy…our next potential president will be hailing from…“Chi-town, Murder Capital U.S.A”.   Wow.   Let’s just pray y’all. People lose their lives every single day all over the world to senseless acts of violence. I pray for Jennifer, I pray for Senator Obama, and I pray for Kanye who is approaching the anniversary of the death of his mother Dr. Donda West in a couple of weeks. I pray for everyone everywhere.   I love my city and I just want to feel safe again. I want Chicago to uphold its outstanding reputation for the positive attributes it’s produced over the years and not the negative banner that’s been bestowed upon us, “Murder Capital U.S.A”.     For all of you who took the time out to read this, I just want to say thank you.     Live in Chicago,   Nia B

It ain’t over, until it’s over. There is still so much work to be done. The thrill of victory is just one week away.  We hear it in the streets, we feel it in our hearts and it’s burning in our souls. Together we have successfully registered the most young voters in the history of the modern political process. We called a State Of Emergency on October 3rd at 6:00AM and our culture stood up and recognized the importance of registering millions of voters. From 1st time voters who have just come of age to vote, to those who are participating for the 1st time in the voting process.  Your commitment to Change will continue to ring across our America, because we all are in the Right State Of Mind Where it stands today, we are on the verge of making history, the kind of history that will be a part of our culture’s legacy. The kind of history that bridges the gap between race, religion and culture, the kind of history that will ignite a light that shines bright from generation to generation, screaming that our voice does matter and our vote does count.  The kind of history that will enable the next generation of leaders to encourage vision, not division, to encourage hope, not hopelessness, to encourage the power of the people, not the power politics of the few. With only 7 days left before we vote for change, let’s hold ourselves accountable and responsible. No more excuses, no more mistakes and no more time to waste. If you have the opportunity to vote early in your state then vote today. If you are voting on November 4th, make preparation today. Bring your family and friends and plan for the party at the poles. Make November 4th the day we celebrate change – The day we celebrate freedom of choice. The day we celebrate power of all people. Let’s all come together on November 4th, because it’s a family reunion. It’s our time and we are all in the Right State Of Mind. We have 7 days to Vote for Change. 7 days to Vote to Make History. We can not slow down. We can not let up. We must push through to history until the final vote is cast and the last ballot is counted. We can, we must, and we will Make It Happen. Vote Obama/Biden on November 4th. God Bless, Diddy Jay-Z Mary J. Blige Kevin Liles

Sneakers as far as the eye can see. But know this, it’s QUALITY not quantity people.  All you herbs with dozens of Dunks (usually the wack colors nobody wanted so you caught them on sale) thinking your shoe game is tight; wrong. The plethora of wack colorways and suspect re-issues you incessantly adorn your feet with only provide fodder for me and dozens of true sneaker connoisseurs to clown. Trust, the dude hitting them with say a crispy pair of neon green Air Max 95’s or fresh out the box Jordan 4’s is winning, while the cat with a pair of so rare they only made the right shoe in China and the left shoe in Brazil kicks in a display case because he’s too scared to even wear them needs a girlfriend. Seriously, that purple, orange and crimson color scheme on those kicks that heads really weren’t feeling that tough back in ’89? Not hot, bro. Step it up. Now let us move on…The Champ Is HereTomorrow night is opening night of the 08/09 NBA season and is when KG gets that championship ring for bringing the chip back to Boston, at Kobe and the Lakers’ expense. The good folks at Adidas and Kevin Garnett are auctioning off a pair of his TS Commander Champions shoe (below). KG will be rocking them during the game while 17 pairs—Boston’s got 17 championships, get it?—will be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the Boston Celtic Shamrock Foundation. If you got the funds, you can log onto www.celticscom/shop tomorrow after the ceremony to start bidding. Speaking of green and gold Adidas, these limited edition Superstar Celtic kicks  (shell toes, for the uninitiated) will get attention. Also created for the NBA season opener, I suggest you say KG is your peoples and insisted that he give you a pair. Consider them a conversation starter. Only 500 of these were made and they will be available in the NBA store as well as Boston area retailers on November 1. Flashing LightsConverse is trying their damnedest to avoid also-ran status in the sneaker world. They got a boost, at least on the pro sports side, when they lured Elton Brand away from Nike this past summer and are good money so long as one Dwayne Wade is on the roster. Here is a “Same Day, Same Story” commercial starring Flash for his WADE 4 that starts airing soon (10/28/08)…You Can Get Wit’ Da KidSo you can’t talk NBA without bringing up King James. LeBron James’ latest signature shoe, the Zoom Lebron Six, dropped a special The LeBrons pack. The LeBrons are “Athlete LeBron” [left], “Business LeBron”, “Kid LeBron” [below] and “Wise LeBron”, made famous in this commercial right’chea…The best look in my biased opinion are the “Kid Lebron,” royal blue and white is a can’t miss. Ummm…Last month Adidas and Vibe got together for a shoe commemorating the latter’s 15 years in the game. Respect due.But yo, AllHipHop’s been here 10 years, nahmean! Can we get a shoe? I’m saying,  where’s the AHH love? Maybe a retro-fitted pair of Rod Lavers in our good old colors of red and black? Just a thought…

Honey, I’m home!   These three words have filled the hearts of wives and kids with joy for years; excluding those times, of course, when Daddy is coming home intoxicated, and fresh off a “B####, I’m going to kill you” text message. I’m curious though; if an drunken baby daddy comes through while no one is home, does the ra-ta-tat-tat of the gun and splintering of the kicked in front door really make a sound?   It does if the neighbors hear it.   Now I don’t know Smyrna, GA all that well and I’m not going to hazard a guess at how long it took the po po to show up when folks called this melee of one in to 911, but I’m really confused as to why Mr. Jennings was still in the area.  Was he going to get all Nino Brown on that ass and hold this apartment complex hostage until she came back?  Or did the flashing lights and sirens wake him from that Robert Blake fantasy he was having?   I guess his baby momma didn’t understand the lyfe he lived.  I guess she was fast to take and slow to give. At least he didn’t burn the complex down.   I kid, but I’m sure the irony of this situation isn’t lost on anyone. Do you recall the intro to the video for “Must Be Nice?”   CO One:  Nice guitar.  What you going to do now that you’re out?   268-192:  I’m going to do the Apollo in New York   CO Two: Heh.  You’ll be back.   I know we tend to think of fame and the couple of dollars that follow it as some sort of force field from lyfe’s ills.  We see these celebrated cats doing some real criminal ish and believe it beneath them.  We wonder how someone in that position could sink so low; not leave the past and the demons behind.  Looks to me like it aint that easy.   I mean Lyfe Jennings isn’t Akon.  He didn’t build a crime riddled back story around a jay-walking ticket (or whatever minimal infraction that got Akon those 6 ½ minutes behind bars).  He had some serious issues; enough to require over a decade in the pokey for arson. I can’t imagine the toll that takes on an already broken psyche.  I also don’t know how one fixes that broken psyche.  It’s very romantic to think the music can soothe a soul interrupted, but we see time and time again that no matter the accolades, no matter the amount of the contract, no matter the size of the house or the wheels on the car, there are some of our folks who can’t get past the pain.   Mr. Jennings is looking at some severe charges.  Not only did he break into this house; he discharged a firearm, eluded the coppers, crashed his car, refused the sobriety test and has had a really sad statement in the form of a restraining order filed against him by the target of his meltdown.   That’s not nice.   So the future is looking a little bleak for Mr. Jennings.  The dude we were all rooting for, the guy who we just knew had gotten it together; didn’t. It appears CO #2 foreshadowed the downfall of R&B’s favorite Phoenix. This of course leads me to believe that Mr. Jennings was doing some foretelling of his own when he went with that idea for the title of his 2nd album.   The mythical phoenix is known as a symbol of the comeback.  However, as plenty of folks stop the creation of the 2nd chance, many don’t know the full tragic cycle.  The phoenix as it is reborn is already doomed to its fiery death. The bird goes down in this blaze of glory by its own hand over and over and over again.  This cycle for the fire bird lasts hundreds of years, though.  I guess Mr. Jennings’ sequence is just a bit shorter.   Only time will tell what’s going to happen with this case.  The firearm in itself is enough to put him back behind bars for a while. I guess the music wasn’t enough to dismiss the darkness and it would be nice if he learned from this mistake because it doesn’t look like he learned much from his first.