Recently, AllHipHop reviewed David Banner’s The Greatest Story Ever Told.  While we stand by both our review ratings and out reviews, we also recognize that people and the artists in particular may have a different opinion.  While the resulting comments supported both sides of the coin.  User j.johnson said: i tend to agree with the review…i was expecting so much more. The gentleman speaks on the hip v america and to congress in washington and i was just expecting a different level of music. The name of the album is the greatest story ever told, but i didnt get that vibe. It started out like that talking bout jesse and all, and then he went straight to the club, talking bout his candy paint, knocking a n#### out in a club…this is the same music people (masses) have a problem with, you speak about it publicy very well, then make the same music. Now…its not whack, he raps about those things on beat and it sound good for what it is but i was kinda let down personally, i was just expecting more. I still am a fan though. While user gargameljermel said: Let’s be realistic for a second: Banner said on Hip-Hop vs. America that his only responsibilty as an artist is to sell records so of course you’re going to hear the contradictory tracks on this album because he still has to sell records. If that’s the case Nas is just as inconsistent with his tracks on Untitled. Both albums are deserving of 9 out of 10 and they are far more better than Wayne’s album of no substance just metaphors on top of metaphors. Below, and unedited is David Banner’s Opinion/defense of his album. The Greatest Story Ever Told tells… a story.  It gives a lyrical account of a series of events. Have you ever read a story that was free from variation or contradiction? As people, we are not one dimensional. Our lives are made of different experiences that invite,and often forces, us to react in different ways.One song, or experience, may appear to contradict another…but that’s how real life is. A Spiritual Man might behave as a killer, or even a pimp, under the wrong set of circumstances.  Everything we are…every experience we have… good or bad…ties together. The harmony is created when we keep breathing…when we keep growing. That’s what I did with this album.Everything is not for everybody. I speak to and for the streets with my music. Every song, interlude, and break was strategically placed t move the listener from one chapter to the next.And there are very few stories that only have one character.  The Artists featured on my album helped keep the pages turning.  That in no way distracts nor takes away from my performance or what I created.A friend of mine always says that “words have meaning…”  Some of ya’ll might want to look up the words “story”, “contradict”, and “consistent” before trying to use them in a sentence. I’m not the same David Banner who did Mississippi: The Album I’ve grown. Don’t hate so much that you can’t keep up.

  It was inevitable that two of the most popular types of interactive media would eventually become bed-mates and birth a love child. Video game-based movies have been gaining more and more steam over the years, due in part to the huge popularity of our favorite games and the expensive licenses they hold.   While this may seem like the perfect union for game enthusiasts, just like any relationship, their electronic synthesis is riddled with problems. We’re taking a look at some of the notable highs and lows of the brainchild that game developers and movie directors created. Do great games equal great movies?   Super Mario Brothers (1993)   It shouldn’t really be surprising that one of the first video game movies that the world got to experience was Super Mario Brothers in 1993. With such a huge global following from the game series, Nintendo would have been ignorant not to capitalize on it. Such a classic game would easily be translated into a great movie, right? The SMB movie was easily one of the worst movies in existence.   The world’s most famous video game character was butchered by horrible acting and a virtually non-existent plot that didn’t remotely follow the canon of the series. John Leguizamo as Luigi? Aren’t the Mario Bros. Italian? Why was Bowser “President Koopa” instead of “King Koopa”? There were too many things wrong with this film to list. While the movie did nothing to enhance the series, it was the first major motion picture in the U.S. about video games. While innovation may be one of Nintendo’s strong suits, there was nothing new or appealing about this movie. Street Fighter (1994)   Street Fighter is perhaps the most notable entrant in the world of fighting games. The series has grown a huge following over the years, which is why it was such a shame when this movie fell horrendously below mover-goers expectations. With Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile, the story revolves around our favorite flat-top sporting hero as he goes on his journey to foil the evil M. Bison’s plans (insert cliché storyline here).   While this movie was generally regarded as terrible by critics and fans of the series, it became a cult hit and did huge numbers in the box office. Predictably, a barely-playable game followed the film. Die-hard gamers still seem to give this movie a pass despite all of the things that was wrong with it; this is Street Fighter we’re talking about after all. Mortal Kombat (1995)   The MK series has always been a successful one, especially in the ‘90s. Through its memorable fighters, bloody fighting moves and unforgettable fatalities, the series solidified its position in pop culture long ago. When Midway sold the rights for the movie, it was destined to be a hit. Mortal Kombat managed to do what several video game movies before it could not do: be watchable. While it may have received below-average reviews, it did get a “thumbs up” from Gene Siskel of Siskel and Ebert fame. It ended up grossing nearly $120 million worldwide.   Video game heads loved the movie because it stayed relatively close to the plot of the games and included the characters we all know and love. It was the second-largest opening of its time right after The Fugitive. Mortal Kombat was followed by Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, but it wasn’t nearly as successful. Pokémon: The First Movie (1999)   Pokémon is one of the most famous anime franchises to hit U.S. shores. Poké-mania ravaged any and every child that it got its hands on. TV shows, video games, books, clothing, food, numerous editions of the card game; it was everywhere. Fans knew a movie was coming eventually. Pokémon: The First Movie chronicles the adventures of Pokémon trainer Ash and the sickeningly cute Pikachu as they battle the forces of evil and realize true friendship. The film grossed over $163 million worldwide and was followed by several theatrical and straight-to-DVD releases.   Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)   It was only a matter of time before our favorite gun-toting, rope-swinging digital vixen got her own live action movie. Angelina Jolie had some huge knee-high boots to fill in the role of Lara Croft. Tomb Raider follows the archeological adventures of the title character through numerous locales all over the world as she looks for relics that directly control the flow of time.   While the movie was often criticized by critics for being “too serious”, the movie had no problems with racking up at the box office: it made over $300 million worldwide, making it the largest debut and highest grossing video game movie ever. Since its opening, it has continued to hold down that spot. It was followed by a sequel, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, in 2003. Resident Evil (2002)   Capcom has experienced massive success with Resident Evil. The critically acclaimed series is known for its storyline, memorable characters and nail-biting game play; the theoretical inception of the movie was both hit and miss in this regard. The movie introduces a new character, Alice (played by Milla Jovovich), as she battles various monsters that have become a staple of the series.   Elements from various games in the series appeared in the movie, so while it wasn’t a direct mirror of the games plot, it at least attempted to stay true to the series’ roots. While it wasn’t well-received by critics, the movie did well in the box office, garnering over $102 million worldwide. It was followed by two sequels – Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) and Resident Evil: Extinction (2007). Doom (2005)   If you asked any fan of shooting games what title truly defined the genre, you would most likely hear “Doom”. The effect Doom has had on numerous shooting titles is undeniable. The video game spawned numerous successful sequels, garnered tons of video game fans worldwide and eventually slapped them all in the face with a half-baked movie. […]

The vast world of body art has grown in popularity and acceptance in Hip-Hop throughout the years. If you try to think of rappers who don’t have at least one tattoo, more than likely you’ll come up with very few.   There are even rap odes to tattoos in songs from artists like The Alliance and Twista. Tattoo artists are becoming celebrities themselves, displaying their work and name to endorse apparel and novelties. Tats are very big in the Hip-Hop community, and it’s very likely that you’ve thought about getting a tattoo at one time or another – preferably not on one of those wild nights that you’ll regret for the rest of your life!   Before getting a tattoo at the spur of the moment, there are some things that you should strongly consider such as cleanliness, safety and certification. Even choosing the right tattoo artist is an important factor when getting a tat. Is the tattoo artist open to answering your questions? Does the artist have a portfolio? Being educated means being prepared, and making the right decisions will put you at less risk of disease and in better control.   Rapper and jeweler Paul Wall has even raised awareness of high toxicity in tattoo ink with hundreds of formulas that include lead, arsenic, beryllium, cobalt, nickel and other heavy metal toxins. Paul and his father have developed a heavy metal detoxifier from an ancient volcanic called Clinoptilolite.   The product is called Tattoo Detox and should be released in the U.S. soon. Paul’s goal is to educate tattoo enthusiasts of the risks of tattoo inks and provide them with a product which allows them to continue their lifestyles without giving up their health.    We spoke with “H,” a professional tattoo artist from Harlem who has done tattoos for celebrity rappers like Juelz Santana. He also does house calls, meeting artists at their studios and homes. We got his opinion on the tattoo game, his advice on aftercare, and what to look for when entering a tattoo shop.   AllHipHop.com: Who are some of the artists that you have done tattoos for?   H: Artist-wise would be Juelz Santana, Un Kasa, Freekey Zekey, T-Money, Tito Green, J.R. Writer, Dinero and Stevie Q.   AllHipHop.com: So you also do “house calls” for artists. How do you prepare to do tattoos outside of your shop?   H: Whatever area that I work on, that immediate area has to be clean. That’s including the floor, the seating, the tabletops… and I work on a stainless steel tray that I provide. The majority of the work is being done off a tray. The arm rests are wrapped with the same cloth that you’ll see at your dentist; one side is plastic, the other side is cloth.   AllHipHop.com: So do you use an Autoclave?     H: Yes. I use a standard Autoclave and that’s brought to the place sterile-ready.   AllHipHop.com: Do you have any advice on what people should look for when they enter any tattoo shop?   H: Overall it’s like entering a restaurant or anything. You’re looking at pretty much what’s around you, you ask questions about how they sterilize. Especially in New York City – in most places you’re required to have a license. So you ask for their license because you’re not licensed on tattooing, you’re licensed on sterilization.   Ask to see the stuff coming out of packaging, because there are indicators on the packaging to tell if it’s been sterilized or not. Check for all of that. Check the indicators – they’re brown once they’re sterile. Pretty much a person’s overall hygiene you should be looking at too. If a person is not taking care of themselves, they’re not going to take care of their stuff well.   AllHipHop.com: Do you hear stories often about scratchers, hackers and scammers who try to get a quick buck?   H: Wow! Yeah. That’s the thing, tattooing use to not have so many artists and a lot of artists are coming in the game and they’re reckless for the dollar. They figure like, “Oh! It’s a way that I can make a quick buck.” And they don’t pretty much care what they’re doing. They don’t know how to sterilize. They don’t know how to deal with cross-contamination.   That’s the biggest part of tattooing is cross-contaminating something, because people are thinking to themselves like they’re doing the best they can do but easily germs are transmitted from surface-to-surface, person-to-person very easily. I’m a germophobe, and a lot of people will ask why I’m so a### about everything that’s being done. I’ve seen artists kick their feet up on their workstations. I’ve seen artists spray out tubes with Lysol.   AllHipHop.com: What?!   H: You name it, I’ve seen it done. So I tell people who say that will run over here and say that they’re getting a good deal, that you’re playing with your life. You’re playing with your overall health to save a few dollars. And the artists are playing with people’s health to gain a few dollars. So overall it’s a dirty game. Again, it’s like eating in a restaurant. You don’t know what goes on behind the scenes, you’re just sitting down and eating without knowing what’s happening.   I always try to tell people don’t think it’s a hot deal when you don’t know what’s happening. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ask as many as you want. It’s like seeing a doctor, you ask him as many questions as you want or don’t deal.   AllHipHop.com: I didn’t think that it would be that brazen.   H: It is, and your mind would be blown away. You have to think about it, if I were tattooing you and suddenly go into my pocket and touch your skin. It’s just like surgery, that’s why they scrub up and it’s like that. I have money in my pocket, keys, overall dirt and lint in […]

Welcome back! Peep Game is here to deliver a healthy dose of gaming news. We have entered the month of August, which means nothing but football! Both NCAA and Madden get time from us this week.   For those who have still yet to jump into the next-gen, or are avoiding the Xbox 360, price drops are on the horizon. Your favorite RPG publisher, Square Enix, has some interesting news, and  Soul Caliber IV brings you a little political humor.   Big News   Sign Up, Get Wii?   Comcast and Nintendo are now doing a deal that gets you a Nintendo Wii. You have to sign up for their two-year “Triple Play” deal. That’s cable, internet and VOIP – and a free Wii is kicked in. If you just moved into that new apartment, this may be a deal you want to jump on.   New Wii System Coming   Speaking of Wii, there is an upgrade in the works. That is obvious after its full success. According to Nintendo Wii Fanboy, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata stated that they were “already working on the Wii’s successor.” With their market dominance, one can only hope they take more chances with the next machine, and maybe bring solid innovation along with technological savvy.   Microsoft 360 Gears Up for Price Drop   The Microsoft system, the Xbox 360, is about to go to the way of the price drop. The Arcade Units are dropping to $199, Pro units $299, Elite units $399. This drops the systems most basic unit under the Wii’s 250, making it the newest, cheapest system for gamers. This should increase sales into the holiday season, but I doubt the market’s competitors will let that happen without recourse.   The 60 GB Pro units are also due to ship out sometime this week, although some retailers already have their systems and are selling them now. For those who are about to go out and buy, it may just be best to wait it out a few weeks.   Life Hits PS3   Sony’s weather service has now hit the PSN. Those who want to get news and weather from around the globe, simply access it, and watch the clouds go by. This is basically a much more detailed version of Wii News.   McCain Vs Obama! Fight – Soul Caliber IV   A columnist from PC World was “a little bored” and came up with this gem. Just watch the video…I doubt I could explain it.   Eternity’s Child – Available on Steam   This is a rather interesting independent platformer. Those who like to try something new, peep the trailer. It’s sharp, bright, and just looks fun. It’s available on Valve’s Steam service for 4.99, which isn’t a bad transaction if you’re looking for something to entertain you for cheap. It rolls out with a level editor for the most creative out of all of us. The game will also be available for the Nintendo Wii at a later date.   Burnout Paradise – Davis Update   Burnout Paradise is certainly a fun game for anyone who likes making stars and crashing cars, and now it comes with another update. In a rarity these days, this DLC is available for free. It comes with Motorcycles, Day/Night cycles, new Single Player, and Multi Player challenges. No word when this one drops, but we will definitely keep you updated.   Square Enix Makes Moves   Square Enix has created a casual gaming company, called Pure Dreams, will be delivering DS titles in Japan. Their first two titles seem to be working on games to help you choose wine, and games of that nature. There is nothing too heavy for gamers, but it’s Japan only, where they are used to these types of titles.   For the gamers however, Final Fantasy XIII: Agito and a Parasite Eve sequel are coming to the Playstation Portable. Both gamer were formerly listed as mobile phone only games and these titles should give Square Enix some more push on Portables besides their standard Final Fantasy (insert number here) port.   Final Fantasy VII Advent Children is coming out with an HD, Blu-ray version. Along with the disc come videos of the aforementioned Agito and Final Fantasy XIII: Versus, as well as a Final Fantasy XIII demo. Not a bad deal, especially for Final Fantasy VII lovers.   Trailers – Midnight Club III and Sonic Unleashed: The Dark Brotherhood   Rockstar’s racer is back, and they decided to bless us with a second trailer. In addition, the game’s website has been opened, so if you’re interested in more visual and audio treats, take a visit. Sonic RPG? Eh, an oxymoron at best and a travesty at worst. This trailer doesn’t ask many questions. As a matter of fact, the only thing it answers is who is from BioWare, and what they have made in the past. Oddly enough, it’s the reason why I think it can work.  Pay to Play? Madden ‘09   For those who don’t know, Madden’s demo came out on Xbox Live Friday, August 1. Early reports from The Gamer Studio staff and others seem to say this feels like a brand new Madden. However, 7-11, your Slurpee and late night snack headquarters, is charging $5.99 for a combo meal that comes with the demo.    Now, if you don’t feel like downloading the demo, and feel like you have the need to cop that meal, it may not be a bad deal. It also features some footage from NFL films such as The Quarterbacks, Moment of Impact, The NFL’s Greatest Follies: Volume 3, Just One Play, and even Chuck NBC. Can’t call that last one. Played   NCAA Football 09 (EA Sports) Platform: Playstation 3 | Playstation 2 | Playstation Portable | Wii | Xbox 360 | Release Date: July 15, 2008   It’s that time again. The grass is cut, cleat sales have jumped 1000% and it is just hot […]

Back at it again!  This edition of Sick Sundays is packed with the New and the old, and we pay homage to the Dream Team, shout out a couple pending releases.  Lotta stuff to get to, so let’s just get it.  Special shout to the cats at Str8hiphop for the Raekwon and UGK joints.   My Lifes The S### – The Clipse Present Re-Up Gang Re-Up Gang “My Life’s The S###”-Clipse Presents The Re-Up Gang Back serving customers with that heat, the Re-up Gang returns with a sizzler. Heavy, Dre-Lite beat goes hard and the gang trades hardore street verses. The strings and the keys push the melancholy mood between verses for the perfect segueway. Rugged.     The DJ – Dj Revolution DJ Revolution Feat. KRS-1 “The DJ” This new millennium sequel to classic KRS-1 song, “The MC” comes courtesy of DJ Revolution.  Ad-libs come courtesy of Preemo, and KRS comes with the force that has maintained his legacy throughout the years, chastising the lazy iPod generation of DJ’s who pander and don’t lead the culture He even drops his version of the 10 DJ Commandments.  The beat is fairly similar to the original with a more orchestral update.  This spirit lives on in this boom-bap banger.     Get This Paper – Busta Rhymes Feat. Jadakiss Busta Rhymes Feat. Jadakiss “Get This Paper” Man, I don’t know how many bangers Busta Rhymes is going to have to put out to get some buzz and momentum, but he’s been on fire lately.  This latest joint is homage to the slept on OC/Big L tag team joint “Making Money” off OC’s album Jewelz. Both emcees flip the phrases and Busta comes with his ill flows. “Gass guzzler flow, not the hybrid.” Jada is sick, if not limited to the punch line delivery. Short and sweet.     Son 4 A Reason – Lil Dap Feat. Guru Lil Dap Feat. Guru “Son 4 A Reason” This joint is a throwback to those early 90s Group Home/Gangstarr joints.  No new ground covered here, but it’s good to hear Guru again after a long hiatus.  Dap is nothing special on the mic, but as fans of Living Proof can attest, that never stopped him from making solid songs. Now if we can only get Guru back with Preemo…     Hard As Hell – Akon & UGK Akon & UGK “Hard As Hell” Akon on the hook and a full UGK roster is certified.  Don’t be fooled by the title though.  It’s not about gat blasts, but phat ass.  Not really my speed but it’s good to hear the late great Pimp C.  Bun throws out a few shouts to Nice & Smooth in his rhymes.  I can see cats liking this.  Akon’s hook is a mix between R. Kelly foolishness and that “Too Close” joint from Next a few years ago. Decide for yourselves.     Blood Missles – Raekwon Raekwon “Blood Missiles” A tune up for the long awaited part deaux to the Purple Tape, the Chef drops a tender morsel to keep your mouth watered.  The slang doctor keep you guessing with off the wall language you expect from Rae, but with no Ghost or Wu riding shotgun this track is actually more beat than rhyme in terms of length.  Juuust enough to make you want more. Somebody get this album out before it becomes anti-climactic.     What it is – Nas Nas “What It Is” Nas is running at such a high level right now that even the throwaways from Untitled are blowing other joints out of the water.  Not really tight enough of a narrative or in form to make the album, but it’s still a solid mixtape anchor.  “The 5th member of the Beatles, 10th member of the Wutang lets his nuts hang” on this banger. Solid beat, not timeless but not a sleeper either. Can’t lose with this     Emotionless – The Clipse Present Re-Up Gang Re-Up Gang “Emotionless”-Clipse Present The Re-Up Gang Pusha T waxes poetic on the mishaps from their last critically acclaimed, sales anemic album, proclaiming their real fans in the streets as the real reason why they do this.  Ab Liver goes in hard establishing his status as one of the better lyricists in this game over this organ driven heater. Sandman also shines.  This song is very dark in tone and also similar is spirit musically to those late 90s/Chronic 2001 Dre tracks.  More narrative lyrically. Malice bats cleanup.     Puffin On Blunts And Drankin Tanqueray – Dr Dre ft Lady Of Rage and Dogg Pound Dogg Pound “Puffin Blunts & Drankin Tanqueray” This white label was really the Pound at it’s most lethal.  Non formulaic, no aim, just in the studio creating timeless joints.  This one in particular features a tipsy tirade by Dr. Dre shouting all his enemies and a total eruption by both the Lady of Rage, and Kurupt where they both totally spazz out!. Jay-z tried to cover this for his S. Dot mixtape a few years ago and paled in comparison. West Coast.     Alternative break of the week: Firefly – Greta Gaines Greta Gaines “Firefly” A little bit of that feminine angst for that ass.  Soulful without getting all Motown.  I don’t really expect anybody to pump this in their jeeps unless they are headed to the Lilith Fest, or missing their Morisette fix, but if you just broke up with your boyfriend ladies maybe you can cry to this.  Solid for what it is….moving on     In My Bag (remix) – Meek Mill feat. Gillie Da Kid & Cassidy Meek Millz Feat. Cassidy & Gillie Da Kid “In My Bag (Remix)” South Jersey, Philly and Delaware stand up.  This banger is what led Grand Hustle to get at the young Meek, and this song is blazing the streets up. Shout to Trip for putting me on to this joint. Southern feel with crazy energy. This is the remix. *********************************************************** Overtime In honor of the Olympics and to […]

  Welcome to another episode of Tech Talk! I’ve been searching to find something you don’t see everyday. We did a piece a while back that featured the Netflix Player by Roku, a cool little box that streams Netflix content to your TV without turning on your PC.    LG has just upped the ante by adding that same feature to the BD300, a Blu-ray player. The convenience of instant wireless network connectivity would be nice, but you won’t get that on this model – it has to be plugged into your home broadband network.  This next gadget might get you photo junkies kinda hot and bothered. This company named Hasselblad is flexing its megapixel muscle. Their H3DII-50 ($40k) boasts a 50 megapixel resolution and the largest photo sensor on earth.   Specs: Ultimate DSLR Advantage Integrated 50 Mpix capture units with 3” display Ultra-Focus: integral optimization of digital lens performance Hasselblad Natural Color Solution Integrated CCD cooling sink for lower noise Direct ISO/WB control Thumbwheel control of digital menus GPS accessory option Full Digital APO Correction for improved image sharpness and detail Market’s most versatile lens program Choice of eye-level or waist-level viewfinders Field FW upgrade of H3D camera Choice of media: CF card – Image Bank II Easy sensor cleaning View camera option Un-tethered and tethered operation Hasselblad 3FR raw – or DNG export Aptera motors just got a helping hand from the big homie Google.org, the division of Google that donates to worthy causes.The $2.75 million investment may go to bringing their Typ-1 vehicle ($30k) to the masses. The $30k price tag ain’t bad, but the estimated 230+ MPG makes me want one no matter what it looks like. Troy Gayle is the Founder of Gadget-T.com

 The 2008 NFL Training Camps and Preseason have begun. Before you know it, the Warriors of the Gridiron will be clashing on the field for real. For now, it’s time to get their bodies and minds right for the upcoming season. Rookies and veterans are reporting to camp with one thing in mind; the championship. For some, this is a new beginning. For others, it’s just another day at the office before the regular season begins, and for some, it’s a “do-over”.   Every year, we see players, who are cut or traded from teams during the off-season, only to get a “do-over” with another team. They’re given an opportunity to re-invent themselves. Some guys bounce back from injuries and go on to have a great regular season. Others may have had a rough year from a statistical standpoint, only to find a team, with a system that can best fit their abilities. Then there are those who just fell into bad situations with one franchise, only to be given a “do-over” with another team.   Look at Randy Moss. Moss played for the Minnesota Vikings for 7 years. His troubles with the law and discord with the team, lead to the Vikings trading Moss to the Oakland Raider in March, 2005. Moss spent two years with the Raiders and within that time, the Raiders stunk and Moss was still unhappy. That led to Moss being irate and vocal about the Raiders’ organization and an eventual trade to the New England Patriots during the 2007 NFL Draft.     Once Moss landed in New England, the “do-over” was in effect. Leading up to 2007-08 NFL season, there was nothing but praise from his teammates in New England during the preseason workouts. Moss became the total opposite of what he once was in Minnesota and Oakland. He was a new man and it showed throughout the season in his play.   So much so, he and Patriots QB Tom Brady hooked up for 23 TDs last season. That’s an NFL record. Although the Pats made it to the Super Bowl and lost to the N.Y. Giants, Moss should still hang his head high because now he’s looked at as a team leader. A category many wouldn’t have put him in a few years ago.    Another example is Terrell Owens. Owens was unhappy with his role with the San Francisco 49ers. He was very vocal about his role and the direction the team was going in 2004. So the 49ers traded Owens to the Philadelphia Eagles. With Owens and QB Donovan McNabb leading the offense, the Eagles’ found themselves in Jacksonville, Florida for Super Bowl XXXIX. Although the Eagles didn’t win the Super Bowl, the ground work had been laid out for the Eagles to finally be a major player for Super Bowl contention for the following season.   Displeasure with his contract and his off-field angst with McNabb led the Eagles to release Owens in March 2006. When it looked as though no one wanted to touch Owens with a 100-yard pole, the patron saint of lost football players’ souls, Jerry Jones, signed Owens four days after his release from the Eagles to the Dallas Cowboys.   Since Owens has joined the team, the Dallas Cowboys have made the playoffs for the past two years. Despite the fact that both playoff appearances have resulted in second round knockouts, the Seattle Seahawks in 2007 and the N.Y. Giants in 2008, the Cowboys have entered this season as the favorites to win the NFC East again, with a possible trip to the Super Bowl.    Owens, whose nickname is T.O., was labeled as a Team Obliterator by Skip Bayless of ESPN’s First Take. His passion for winning and his willingness to take a bullet for his teammates, from the media, in order to keep media attention from them has proven that he’s able to make the most of his “do-over”.  His nickname should be T.L. for Team Leader. Now, there’s a new “do-over” in the works in Texas as we speak.  Pacman, excuse me, Adam Jones has been given another chance; a “do-over.” After being traded from the Tennessee Titans to the Dallas Cowboys during the 2008 NFL Draft Week, Jones has already made a positive impression with his Cowboy teammates. He’s also making his presence known by going “toe to toe” with the aforementioned Terrell Owens during practice at the Cowboy’s training camp this week. He has also been accepted by the Cowboy’s family with Hall of Famer Michael “The Playmaker” Irvin and Deion “Prime Time” Sanders as his “guidance counselors” of sorts. They’ve been talking with the young CB and guiding him in getting his life straight on and off the field. Both of these men have had issues personally and professionally, and they too, have been able to experience their fair share of “do-over’s.” So like EF Hutton, when they talk, people should listen. If Jones continues to stay out of trouble during the pre-season, he should be re-instated into the league by September 1, 2008. So make the most of your “do-over.” We all get “do-over’s” in life, it’s what you make of them that counts. By the way; if Moss, Owens, Irvin, or Sanders doesn’t make you believe in “do-over”, then look up Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers. That’s the best “do-over” story of the year. On a side note: This weekend is the Pro-Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony. Congratulation to all of this year’s all inductees.

  After three years in other markets, the NAMM show finally returned to Nashville for its summer session, and as the old saying goes, there’s no place like home. Popular consensus leans toward the belief that this trade show and “Music City” belong together, and activity in both the Nashville Convention Center and the surrounding clubs after hours certainly supported that theory.   Rather than do the standard “what happened at NAMM” coverage, we’re going to break this into a couple of key components for you. First up, we’re looking at hot headphones and music software that were demoed and displayed at the show.   American Audio has so much cool stuff. Their HP headphone line—consisting of the 900’s, 700’s and 200’s—is well known, with the 700s leading the popularity chain.   For Summer NAMM, American Audio was all about their new HP 550, which use similar drivers and input through a mini-plug with ¼ inch right angle adapter. They come with an extra set of ear pads, bag, and the flexible design means easy fold-up and the option of double- or single-ear monitoring. The HP 550 is American Audio’s high-quality, lower-priced alternative at $49.   Also from American Audio, check out the EB 700 and new 900 earbuds. These were created for DJs and Hip-Hop artists, meaning they have good bass response and noise reduction up to 20 dB. All metal, with carrying case, nine-foot cord and compact design, they’re perfect for stage use. The 900’s list at $169, the 700’s at $129.   Seems we always associate the Numark name with controllers, mixers and all things DJ, yet we often forget that they also make headphones.   Their PHX premium headphones, featuring 50 mm magnet drivers, come with two styles of interchangeable cuffs, three cables, are fully adjustable and made for comfort, thanks to a two-part ear cup design that incorporates rubber and silicone casing and fits securely between your ear and shoulder. They also fold and store easily in the accompanying carrying case. Pick them up for $99.95.   Numark’s HF-125 headphones are made for mixing. They feature flexible, seven-position, independently adjustable dual ear cups, large 40mm Mylar speaker drivers, a six-foot tangle-resistant cord with 1/4″ connector and padded headband. They street for an unbelievable $18.   From Future Sonics, makers of the original Ear Monitors® custom earphones, comes the second revision of their acclaimed Atrio® professional earphones, making them perfect for stage, studio and broadcast, as well as gaming and digital media players. The Atrio offers full bass response accuracy, natural midrange, detailed treble and maximum comfort with multiple fitting options. Unique to these earphones is their single studio-grade dynamic driver, designed and manufactured by Future Sonics.   New features include QuietCables™ II for excellent audio quality, more flexibility, less tangling and more comfortable fit, improved performance with TrueTimbre™ frequency response of 18Hz – 20,000Hz—meaning less need to crank up the volume to achieve the wider range of audio quality, and improved cable slider for more secure positioning and greater comfort when cabling is worn behind the ear. Invest in the Atrio for $199.   Sony offers a full range of headphones in their MDR line, beginning with the 7502. Designed for basic listening, this is a cost-effective, general-purpose headphone, lightweight with deep bass response and high sensitivity. It lists at $65.   The 7505, with acoustic design, zeroes in on detailed listening and more power. The Auto-Swivel earpiece makes it ideal for DJs and videographers who prefer single-sided monitoring. It stores easily in the included bag and lists at $115.   Sony’s top seller is the 7506, an industry standard, with larger diaphragm and full ear enclosure for better isolation. The lightweight model, which also folds neatly into its bag, was designed for comfortable extended wear, making it perfect for the studio at $130.   The 7509HD is Sony’s newest model. Larger and more comfortable, it features a bigger pad, handles twice as much power—3000 mW power handling capacity and 80 kHz ultra-high frequency reproduction for 96-bit recording—and was designed for critical listening and studio reference. The driver units were designed to eliminate pressure in accordance with the angle of the ear. It’s Sony’s most expensive model at $265, but if your time is spent in the studio, where every detail counts, this is the way to go.   Yamaha’s new RH10MS professional monitor headphones feature S-Logic three-dimensional Surround Sound, ergonomic design for extended wear, and accurate digital-music reproduction, with frequency response at 18-21 k and sensitivity to 96 dB. S-Logic technology sends sound around the listener’s head and off of multiple surfaces of the ear canal, eliminating the need for artificial echo or digital processing. By purchasing earphones with S-Logic, you ensure monitor accuracy and perfect detail. The RH10MS headphones sell for $129.   DJ Flex, Timbaland, Diddy’s band members, Kanye West, Chris Brown, John Legend, Joss Stone, Shania Twain and Vernon Reid are among the many artists who swear by Ultrasone headphones. Even a dedicated headphone hater like the Gadget Inspector can attest to the comfort and quality of Ultrasone, having test-driven several sets at the NAMM show. (Granted, the ’phones were plugged into the Cream reunion DVD, which would sound good through tin cans connected with string, but honestly, through the Ultrasones I heard every note, every nuance, with amazing clarity—and no outside noise seeping in. Bliss!)   Paul Taylor, president of Ultrasone Inc., told us a bit more about S-Logic, noting, “Most headphones pull sound directly down the ear. We’ve offset the drivers and angled it to push sound from front to back, not directly into the ear. S-Logic uses the natural reverberation of the outer ear down into the canal to tell you where sound comes from and to create natural Surround Sound. We don’t use any digital signal processing or enhancers, just an offset driver.   “What’s also very important is the 40 percent reduction of decibel levels this provides for the potential of not developing hearing problems or […]

Illseed is an AllHipHop.com columnist and independent cultural critic. The views expressed with in this editorial don’t necessarily reflect the views of AllHipHop.com or its staff. I will be brief. Reps for America, you can take your apology for slavery and shove it. What does this apology really mean? This apology means absolutely nothing (read the AllHipHop.com news story). You are about 140 years late! Be clear, American slavery lasted about 400 years here on American soil during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Rape. Murder. Death. Lynching. Terror. Free Labor. And Much More. First of all, we as a people cannot go back in time and reverse the evil and devastation on African Americans. We cannot (or will not) reverse or equalize the benefits that White people have gained from slavery. Nobody is truly regretful for anything and this admission of guilt is likely an attempt to pacify people or for some other political end. Here is why: An apology of this magnitude has to be backed up by some sort of sustained action. Generally, when you have harmed or done damage to somebody’s life, property or otherwise, there is measurable restitution for the crime or offense. Displaying a sincere apology means offering to pay the wrong parties and also show a plan to solve the problem. Oftentimes, the guilty party will even ask the other group to reveal the best way of rectifying the situation. Nobody in government asked, but AllHipHop queried people like rapper Killer Mike. who suggested that a different sort of reparation be doled out. “When they start talking about reparations, let’s not make it about the money,” outspoken rapper Mike told AllHipHop.com. “Let’s make it education based. I think every Black person in America should be able to go to college for free.” We know that won’t happen, even though it really is an excellent alternative that should yield results. It is actually more favorable than money if we could get our school systems together enough to prepare kids for college.Apologies should really show how much you know the other person[s] were hurt by your actions. Obviously, if you say sorry you are opting to speak on behalf of your “body” (which is America) or your actual ancestors that owned slaves. America is supposedly admitting to this domestic holocaust, but what do we really get when it’s all said? Whenever I talk to White people and some younger Black people, all I get is: “I didn’t own any slaves.” “This is a new generation and we don’t see color.” “Get over it.” “Its time to move on.” Well, how do you expect somebody just “get over” slavery when people treat it like a bad break up. Somehow, the “sincerity” of the governing bodies isn’t trickling down to the rest of the country, even though I admit progress is being made. But how much advancement has really materialized? We are constantly reminded of the disparities in everything imaginable (health, wealth, quality of life, etc, etc) and most of the differences travel down the fault lines of race (and class). New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina, Sean Bell, Amadou Bailo Diallo, the AIDS rate, murder rates, educational inconsistencies, the Black family in ruins…the list goes on and on and on. Most, if not all of these ills, are related to slavery or allied with the Father of slavery – White supremacy. I am still impacted, bothered and outraged at slavery and its racist aftereffects. I see very few – if any people – willing to accept responsibility for slavery in any sincere way. On top of it all, Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), felt as though the House deserved some sort of pat on the back for doing something that should been done decades ago. Cohen said. “I’m proud we did this as a part of this Congress.” I will be proud when these sentiments trickle and permeate through to the society at large and we can see improvement in the minds and lives of a mighty, but severely disenfranchised people. I want a commitment to bettering peoples’ lives from federal, state and local governments! When it’s all said and done, an apology is a request for forgiveness. The recipient is completely allowed to deny the request. Apology not accepted, in the immortal words of Latin singer Lisa Lisa. Still, I pledge to progress along with everybody else willing to do so, but I will accept that apology when those sustainable advances are made in and outside of the Black community. Sorry. That wasn’t so brief, but neither was the time it took to get that apology. Epilogue: “I believe that this apology is way over due and it was just done strategically at a time when Congress is at an incredibly low approval rating. I think its a step in the right direction, but since slavery without a doubt built up the capital for capitalism [in America], there needs to be a discussion in Congress about some sort of reparations. That and the social, religious and educational mechanisms that facilitated the justification for slavery and the modern form of racism, that was born from it.” -Immortal Technique to AllHipHop.com

  My mother is my best friend, and she has been for several years. However, this between she and I were not always so blissful.  I distinctly remember the time in High School when I “ran away” down the block to my aunt’s house…for two extremely long weeks.    As I sit here reminiscing about that turbulent time, I realize that there was one thing, and one thing only that brought my mother and I back together… communication. Communication is the heartbeat of any relationship, and in a relationship that can be so complicated and volatile like the one between parents and their children, it is the only lifeline.     In my Hip Hop 4 Life program, we recently held an empowerment workshop where we addressed the issue of parent/child relationships. When we posed the question: “How many of you have a great relationship with your parents?” Less than half of the young people raised their hand.    At another workshop, one of the young ladies who participated in my program pulled me aside after the workshop and asked for me to escort her to get tested for a sexually transmitted infection because she was too afraid to tell her mother.    Parents, I can’t stress enough the importance of a clear and consistent line of communication between you and your children. Believe it or not, young people would not mind at all having a great relationship with their parents, where they can talk with them about issues and things on their mind. But what stops them is the fear of being judged, or punished because of doing so or that their parents are way too out of touch to understand. Other times they feel like their parents either don’t have the time or just don’t feel like being bothered.       I have a few words of advice.   Take a moment to talk with, and most importantly, really listen to your kids. Listen to what they have to say and what is going on with them.  Dedicate the time to learn what issues young people are dealing with today.   Learn more about what your child likes to do, their interests and where possible join them in some of their favorite activities (video games, etc.)  Take some time from work or from watching TV and spend that quality time with your kids.  Most importantly, do not hesitate to have the discussion about sex, drugs, alcohol, gang/youth violence or any of these “sensitive” issues.    In our country, our children are becoming more endangered each day.   Let’s take a look at some of the devastating statistics:   According to the Bureau of Justice 2005 statistic, Black males 18-24 years old had the highest rate of committing and being the victims of homicide.  Additionally, young adults (18-24 years old) have the highest victimization rates in each racial and gender group.   Based on research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, African American youth, ages 13-19, represent 66% of new HIV/AIDS cases.   The National Survey on Drug use and Health reports about 10.8 million (or 28.2%) persons ages 12-20 reported drinking alcohol in the past month. Nearly 7.2 million (18.8%) were binge drinkers, and 2.3 million (6.0%) were heavy drinkers.   If parents educated their children more about these issues, there is bound to be a decrease in some of these staggering statistics. Think about it, if you are not talking with your kids about these important subjects, they are more than likely learning it from their peers, the television or worse, education through experimentation.   The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that youths ages 12-17 who believed their parents would strongly disapprove of their using a particular substance were less likely to use that substance than were youths who believed their parents would somewhat disapprove, or neither approve nor disapprove.   This is a topic that is so extremely important. Through my life and work, I see the negative effects that lack of parental communication, guidance, love and support has on so many of the young people we work with. I also see how much of a positive effect a supportive, encouraging and loving parent-child relationship has on children.     I am hoping that through my words, I can help begin to mend some of these impaired relationships. No, I am not a psychologist. I am just someone who has first, second and third hand experience with the situation, and someone who cares so very much about empowering our youth!    Tamekia Flowers is the Founder/Executive Director of Hip Hop 4 Life, a non-profit organization dedicated to engaging, educating and empowering young people to adopt a healthier lifestyle while impacting positive social change within communities across the nation. She can be reached at info@hiphop4lifeonline.com.

Can you really ever go wrong with a pair of Nike’s ubiquitous Air Force 1’s? These bad boys here (above to the left & below)—pic courtesy of the good folks at The Vault up in Harlem, where you can cop you a pair—are a mesh of the Uptowns with the Air Max 97’s. Crispy.The Roots’ ?uestlove has always been a stand up dude, consistently good for some knocking tunes, but his Air Questo will spawn some debate. They are a part of Nike’s 1WORld series that sees Air Force 1’s “created in partnership with global innovators in the fields of sport, music, art & design.” To his credit, ?uest said he wanted to “start off with a very loud statement, a sneaker that sort of has 12 exclamation points behind it.” I’d say say he accomplished that mission. “The inside (of the shoe) is of me drumming. Yeah, inside art is very important to me. Even though you’re the only person that sees it from a consumer standpoint but, I sorta know you put a lot of work into it as a designer based on how your shoe is designed on the sole.”-?uestlove f/k/a B.R.O.THER. ?Kanye West kicked, “You’re fly is open McFly” on Common’s “Southside,” but it’s doubtful that he knew Nike was going to pull these jawns out of their sleeves. Only 350 of these Hyperdunk McFlys—a take on Kobe Bryant’s Hyperdunks with Back to the Future II colors and a glow in the dark sole, word to Michael J. Fox—were made and last EBay check, they were going for as much a stack. Ahh, the cost of freshness…They do look better than the Marty McFly OG versions below. Now I’ve never been too much of an Aesop Rock fan, but if he had a hand in designing his Adidas and Upper Playground collaboration (available July 31), then the man of the dense lyrical verbiage has impeccable sneaker taste. Save for Rod Lavers, you can’t lose with a pair of Stan Smiths…So Nasir Jones got a deal with Fila. Must say this is an exponential improvement from his days of pushing that Willie Esco stuff. On a slight tangent, am I the only one not impressed by those Filas that look like Prada knock offs?  But for real, The Fat Boys are who made me want to cop a pair back in the day. Now? Nah.

    Did you know that in 1973 almost a quarter of all pro-baseball players, a third of all pro-football players and two-thirds of all pro-basketball players were Black? Most recently, African-Americans now make up 8% of baseball players, close to 67% in football and nearly 79% of basketball players.   As we cap off July with barbeques and family reunions, we are bringing you a Black Family Month inside look at some family ties in professional sports.   Muhammad Ali and Laila Ali   The last name in this family alone deserves so much praise, for what it means to boxing and the world of sports in general. The great Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Clay, took home the gold-medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. His pinnacle fights included the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” with George Foreman and the infamous fight with Joe Frazier “aka” the “Thrilla in Manila. Ali finished up his remarkable career with a record of 56 wins, five losses and 37 knockouts.   His daughter Laila decided to follow in his path and stepped into the ring, when she made her professional boxing debut in 1999. What a debut it was, in her first fight she knocked out her opponent 31 seconds into the first round.    Currently Laila holds the title as the undefeated Super Middleweight Boxing Champion of the World with a 24-0 record and 21 knock-outs. Laila, now with-child, fought her final fight in 2007, knocking out her opponent in just 56 seconds. Laila can also be seen mentoring overweight teens on The N network show Student Body.   Reggie Miller and Cheryl Miller   It’s Miller Time! The Miller name is very familiar to NBA fans everywhere, especially those whose team lost in the clutch thanks to Reggie. The now retired Miller spent his entire 18-year NBA career as the shooting guard for the Indiana Pacers, averaging 18.2 points per game. He ended his career with a total of 25,279 points, set a record of 2,560 career three-pointers and finished 12th place on league’s all-time scoring list.   His sister Cheryl, though she did not have a lengthy basketball career due to a knee injury, was drafted in United States Basketball League. She was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Women’s basketball team and in 1986 she led the team to the World Basketball Championship title in Moscow.   In her latter years, she coached college basketball, and then served as the head coach of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury for four seasons. Both Reggie and Cheryl, after their basketball careers, have taken on a new role as television basketball commentators.   Many people don’t know, but Reggie and Cheryl have a brother Darrell Miller, who was a Major League Baseball catcher for the California Angels in the ‘80s.   Venus Williams and Serena Williams These two powerful sisters stepped on the tennis court and have forever changed the game. Venus Williams, the recent winner of the Wimbledon, has won 16 Grand Slam titles, which include seven singles, seven women’s doubles and two in mixed doubles. She is also the winner of Olympic gold medals in the singles and women’s doubles events.   Serena, the other half of this dynamic duo, has won a title in all four Grand Slam tournaments. Her other accomplishments include winning 28 singles championships, 11 doubles championships and was a Gold-Medalist at the 2000 Olympics. In 2002, Serena won the Italian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.   Grant Hill and Calvin Hill   Up next is the Hill family, who did not dominate in the same sport, but they were each great in their own lane! Grant Hill was first drafted by the Detroit Pistons and then moved to the Orlando Magic before ending up at his current home with the Phoenix Suns. Hill, a 13-year pro, has played in over 700 games, averages 19.3 points per game and 5 assists. He is a seven-time NBA All-Star and has been named to the All-NBA First or Second Team four times.   On the football field the retired running back, Calvin Hill, ended his career with 6,083 rushing yards and 42 rushing touch downs. In his 12-year NFL career from 1969 to 1981, he played for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. In 1972, the four time pro-bowler became the first Dallas Cowboy running back to have a 1,000 yard rushing season.   Karl Malone and Cheryl Ford   Though this father-daughter combination does not bear the same last name, they share similar skills as forwards on the b-ball court. NBA power forward Karl Malone, otherwise know as The Mailman, spent over a decade with the Utah Jazz. Malone had an average of 25.0 points per game, 10.1 rebounds and 1.41 steals. At the end of his career he scored a total of 36,928 points.   Right now you can check out his daughter, Cheryl Ford, as the star forward for the WNBA’s Detroit Shock. Drafted as the third overall pick in 2003, she was awarded Rookie of the year and rallied the ailing Shock to a WNBA championship. Cheryl averages 11.1 points per game and has over 1700 career points thus far.   Malone has another child Demetrius Bell, who was recently drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.   Tiki Barber and Ronde Barber   Now we have the Barber twins, who both had [and are still having] stellar careers in National Football League. The12-year veteran Ronde Barber is the cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has 965 tackles, 21.0 sacks and 33 interceptions. Barber became the first cornerback in NFL history and just the seventh player overall to record 20 career interceptions and 20 career sacks.   Three time pro-bowler Tiki Barber, was the running back for the New York Giants and the all-time leader in rushing yards in G-Men history. Not only did he retire in 2006, but in that same year […]

In response to the numerous essays and articles circulating about the lack of depth and insight of CNN’s recent series ‘Black in America‘ I will say this again and again. I grow tired of these types of articles as well meaning and insightful as they are…If we don’t like what CNN did, in the age of You Tube, camcorders, reality shows and independent film festivals in every city-DO YOUR OWN.. It doesn’t have to be a big production. Hell, forget Black in America, kick off your own series called “Black in your hometown” or “Black in your neighborhood.” Do a series called Black in Oakland, Black in Detroit.. Black in Compton or whatever. After you put this together, you can gather everyone to a local church and show a short film highlighting the heroes and sheroes from your town. Highlight the people, places and perspectives CNN overlooked. Get your own host, your own guests, break down your own analysis. There are all sorts of shining examples of this.We can start with local d-boys and gangstas who woke up and got tired of not seeing CNN or the local news give a fair shot to their ilk. They got tired of local media not showing gangstas in their way that they felt was just…so what did they do? They started making their own damn DVDs. Go to any barbershop in ‘any hood’ throughout the US and you can get all sorts of upfront and close DVDs detailing the exploits of local cats from the hood and their underground world…Can we say Smack DVDs? Can we say Stop Snitching DVDs? Can we say Real Gangsters DVD? The list is long.We can sit here and pass judgement and moan and groan about their content or lack thereof all day, but one thing I will say, is that those young brothers walking around with gold teeth and sagging pants found a way to communicate to the rest of the world their points of view. And like it or not they been successful. Don’t believe me? Ask why BET, The History Channel and National Geographic all have shows focusing on gangs and gang life? Why do you think shows like American Gangster are so popular? Don’t get it twisted, these corporations saw the success young cats from the hood were having with the sale of those dvds and decided to tap into that market. You better ask somebody and take a cue.Now considering that CNN was most likely hitting the Black middle class with their recent series, that means we are talking about church goers, the civil rights crowd, the young urban professional class, Bill Cosby fans etc. Many of these folks have money and resources. Instead of complaining, why don’t we have people pooling resources to do their own “Black in America” series? Instead of putting on another expensive Jack and Jill type awards dinner where everyone dresses to the nines, why not take that money and pay some young film students to make us look good by putting together a film or series about us? Why not pay them to at least do some editing for us? What’s the hold up? What example are we setting for the rest of the world that in 2008 we are still complaining about CNN and not doing our own series? Can’t somebody do a series and interview people like Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Minister Farrakhan along with their local pastor and do a series called “Black in the American Church?” can we have all these people on the same show without the over the top, distracting, racist analysis of a Fox News? Can’t somebody hit up entrepreneurs like Earl Graves, Dick Parsons, along with local businessmen and women and do a series called Blacks in the Business World? The possibilities are endless. I say no more essays and more direct action..And finally for those who think I’m just writing, think again. I’m already doing my own series.. I went out and brought my first camera a few months ago, way before CNN announced their series. I started documenting my own stories.I along with many others were following on the heels of activists like Malik Raheem who felt like the real story of New Orleans and the Katrina disaster wasn’t being told, so he and folks from his Common Groundorganization, got some cameras and documented the 200 plus viligante killings that took place in the aftermath.The name of the film whicjh they gave away for free was called “Welcome to New Orleans” That was our CNN.We are following in the footsteps small films like Audio Rebellion put together by Fred Hampton Jr, Minister of Information JR and their POCC organization that focused on revolutionaries in our community.They showed what happens when the community gets upset with elected officials and documented Congressman Bobby Rush being confronted by Chicago’s southside residents. They are now working on parts two and three.We are following the efforts put together by those on the Luv 4 Self network and filmmaker Opio Oskoni who were annoyed with rap star Flava Flav and what they saw as his ‘bafoonish’ TV show and decided to do a show film called Turn Off Channel Zero to counter the negative images. It was well recieved and shown all over the country.Professor Griff from Public Enemy was the main feature.We are following the lead of Hip Hop pioneer Popmaster Fabel who was tired of Hip-Hop’s history incorrectly being told so he went out, got a camera and started documented all sorts of early history around the gangs that proceeded Hip Hop.Five years later he has finished up this incredible film called “Apache Line from Gangs to Hip Hop.”Many of us are following the lead of then up and coming film makers like Byron Hurt who got tired of misogyny in Hip Hop and decided to do his own film addressing the issue called “Beyond Beats and Rhymes.”We are following the lead of people like Raquel Cepeda who was upset with brothers […]

I was born a few years after the birth of the Rock Steady Crew. That makes me too young to remember the “good ol’ days,” but old enough to remember some fine moments. As I grew older and Hip-Hop started to suck, I gravitated toward the purer aspects of the culture [i.e. Rock Steady Crew] and became an avid attendee at the annual anniversary.   Then a few years back something happened. I remember it was Nas’ remix for “Where Are They Now?” that began the downward spiral for me. I remember listening to both of those two hour remixes and asking myself, “Das Efx? What are you doing now?” I thought a more appropriate remix would’ve included verses from these retired emcees on what they really are doing now. Do they have healthcare? How about 401K?   What does a retired MC do if they only had one hit during an era of being quietly pimped by record labels and artist management? I started to view the Rock Steady Crew Anniversary as a haven for these artists to beat their chests about how different Hip-Hop is these days and how many people think “Hip-Hop is Dead” but they’re wrong, because it lives in annual festivals where one song from the ‘80s gets you a spot on stage. That was my frame of mind for the past three years. I still showed up every year to roll my eyes though, and would announce “this was my last year attending.”   So the Rock Steady Crew turned 31 this year. I figured, okay why not show up. That and I had to cover it (laugh out loud). I headed into Brick City, NJ with an open mind. The air was humid, the clouds were teasing us, and the sun was playing peek-a-boo. Crazy Legs – the legendary face and President of the Rock Steady Crew – makes his way through the crowd to speak to everyone he can.   These pint-sized Japanese girls called the G3 Crew got on stage. They were clad in neon camouflage with t-shirts sporting their G3 name. Imagine being the best dancer you could ever be. Add in Ciara’s matrix, whatever it is that Chris Brown does, and then the best of b-boys and b-girls. These girls still danced better than that. When they came off the stage, one of them was in tears she was so happy. Their manager was crying. It was really emotional. Even grown ass men about to rap were teary eyed. The next generation had just hopped off the stage. Then the rain came. Oh good. It wasn’t rain rain; it was hurricane rain. Rappers still performed, dancers still danced. Even fans played around in the mud. It was like Woodstock. Then the rain stopped. Go figure. The A.O.K. [All Out Kings] collective came on, led by Fresh Daily, who was run over by a car earlier this year and has a leg full of metal. “I’m walking at least,” he tells me, “but I’m in pain because of the rain.” He was animated on stage like the bionic man. I began to question my devotion to Hip-Hop. Had that been me, I would’ve been knee-deep in A Different World marathon on my couch. Back to the lecture at hand.   There was some hustle and bustle in the backstage area. Who walks in? Ice-T and Coco. I sit down and chat with Ice-T for a minute. He tells me he heard “Crazy Legs was having a show in Jersey,” so he had to come support. After a few minutes, I am asked to stand to the side because a few Newark cops want their picture taken with Ice-T. Oh the irony. A bunch of the Rock Steady Crew stood around Ice-T for a photo. Then one of the members said “Freeze needs to be in this shot,” and removes his jacket bearing an airbrushed picture of the late crew member Frosty Freeze who died earlier this year, and holds up the jacket for the shot. It was a sentimental moment.   A piece of the show was dedicated to a female MC cipher spun by DJ Chela. Sara Kana, Mala Reignz – who won a past Beat Melee on here for her song “BX Til I Die” – Miss Nana, Patty Dukes, and Miss Rap Supreme winner Rece Steele all took shots on the mic. Bahamadia showed up later on to perform, which was like whoa!   Let me just acknowledge that Skyzoo, The Arsonists, and Akrobatik sounded like they really did their thing, as did the Rock Steady Crew with Tony Touch, but I didn’t get to see them since I was approaching heat exhaustion and had to sit in a tent with a fan. I’m getting old, what do you want me to do? I’m sorry!I got my second wind right around the time KRS-One walked in. Wow. He’s tall. Maybe he’s actually very short in reality, but it was KRS-One, so he looked 8’4. I think he is legitimately tall though. The Supreme Teacher looks like he’s been working out more than just his mind lately. He was suffering from an ear infection, but listened very intently to every word I said and looked me dead in the eyes throughout our whole conversation. It was intimidating, but fascinating nonetheless. Just as we are getting into a good convo, in walks Fat Joe. “I had to come see my idol perform!” he shouts and runs to KRS-One and gives him a man-hug. He asks KRS-One for permission to “warm up the mic” before he gets on. Permission granted. KRS is like sure! Ever so giddy, Joe proceeds to map out his short set list while KRS continues our convo. I hear Fat Joe in the background saying, “Let’s take ‘New York’ out…this is Jersey.” Say what you want about Fat Joe, but that man is a bigger rap fan than most, as I’ve learned from this experience. Keep […]

  Hip-Hop’s influence on the world as we know it is undeniable. From its humble beginnings in Bronx back in the ‘70s, Hip-Hop’s culture has spread to forms of media including books, television, movies, and now video games.   Major corporations are wising up and cashing in on the art form to both phenomenal and lukewarm results. From Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style to the more recent Def Jam: Icon, Hip-Hop games are becoming more of a mainstay in the culture we all know and love.   The genre has inspired more games than some care to admit (or can remember). The trend really took off in the early ‘90s with games like Kris Kross: Make My Video and Rap Jam Volume One. While neither of these games was particularly successful, they did get rap artists’ foot in the door and made game developers realize what a gold mine they could potentially be sitting on.     Infiltrating the Game   The video game industry is mostly dominated by white males. Hip-Hop games inject some much-needed diversity into the industry while making games more accessible to people that may have wanted do play, but didn’t because of games that didn’t appeal to them. The market of Hip-Hop lovers is huge; this is why it isn’t that surprising that it has found its niche in an industry that generates $18 billion yearly.   Even games that don’t necessarily feature a storyline revolving around Hip-Hop or an artist still have ample inspiration from them. Take Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition for example. The game features a soundtrack with numerous well-known rappers, urban locales, and an almost endless supply of add-ons for each player’s personal whip. The Grand Theft Auto series really began making use of DJs’ talents in their first 3D version of the game, Grand Theft Auto III. The culture is practically the lifeblood of the series, which is evident from your interactions on the streets between different characters to the music you choose to listen to during a mission. Let’s not even talk about the NBA Live or Madden series’ soundtracks.   Marketing Your Brand   Video games are a medium that have a very wide-reaching influence in terms of consumers. What better way for rap artists to make money than for them to inject their being into a game? Say what you want about 50 Cent: Bulletproof (I know I did), but 50 really flexed his marketing muscle here. He promoted his artists, his drink, and his clothing line throughout the game. Def Jam did the same thing by introducing lesser-known artists onto their soundtracks through their games and littering their Create-A-Character modes with Def Jam brand clothing. Hustling has always been a trademark of the culture, and it certainly shines through here. Def Jam: Vendetta Def Jam: Fight For NY Def Jam: Icon The Bad and the Ugly   While it’s definitely refreshing to see people on the screen that represent rap’s primary demographic, many games that were spawned out of the culture tend to perpetuate a negative stereotype of African-Americans. A good majority of Hip-Hop games involve the protagonist or supporting characters committing crimes or conforming to an unfair mold that African-Americans have been placed into for years.   Despite the fact that it was quite possibly the most successful entry into the series, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas further stereotyped what African-Americans are known for: robbery, drugs and murder. While you can’t expect developers to create games about Black men going to college, the fact that African-Americans are portrayed so badly is disinheriting. Just like with any other sub-genre of gaming, Hip-Hip games have has their share of titles that could be used as the proverbial “weed plate” – Shaq-Fu is the first title that comes to mind. Everyone knows about Shaq’s affinity of rap music, as well as his disability to make a competent song. That trend continued over to his video game. Riddled with a poor storyline and even worse controls, Shaq-Fu is often cited as the worst video games of all time. While there are plenty of horrible games on the market, that’s an accomplishment that you shouldn’t exactly be proud of. If Shaq really wants to know “how his a** tastes,” he should take a look back at this game.   Long Time Comin’   While many rap games have come and gone, there are possibly more over the horizon. With future titles like 50 Cent II: Blood On The Sand (bet you didn’t see that one coming) on the way, we at least know the market for such games is still there. The question is whether or not developers will use and market Hip-Hop in a more creative manner than just sticking to the norm. Games like Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure and the Jet Set Radio series are both great examples of this. While Hip-Hop has some mainstream appeal, it has a long way to go in terms of quality and content to get more notoriety in the video-game industry.   Five Hip-Hop Games to Check For   This list is in no particular order, but these titles are definitely worth checking out if you want to get up to speed with Hip-Hop’s latest and greatest offerings.   Def Jam: Fight for NY (PS2, GC, Xbox, PSP)   This game is Hip-Hop fighters’ Heaven. Critically acclaimed producers AKI got together with Def Jam to create this brainchild. With over 30 Hip-Hop personalities to choose from, few games came close to embodying the lifestyle like this game did.   Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style (PS)   Based off of the controversial Thrill Kill engine, the Wu was one of the first collectives to massively market their brand. While the game paled in comparison to other fighters that were out during the time, the Wu-Tang Clan was the first rap group to have their own game, let alone their own Playstation controller. PaRappa the Rapper (PS)   While this may be one of the […]

  I’m sure you heard of the saying “daddy’s little girl,” that is the common phrase used to express the connection that most fathers and daughters share. For this National Black Family Month, what better way to celebrate then to discuss the importance of this special bond?   Little girls are important. They’re future wives and mothers – two very important roles in every family. Many women look to their fathers as the guide to how they should be treated by men.   Fathers can help build your confidence, often tell you you’re beautiful and give you the mind set that you are a princess. Simple phrases and signs of affection can ultimately make a difference in a budding girl’s life.   As a young woman, I can attest to how important it is to have a father in your life. Since I was a little girl, my father had a great occupation out of the country, which kept him far from our family. I was usually the first one crying – it was always rough to see my dad go off, because I knew that I wouldn’t see him from quite some time. I know it was hard for him as well, but at the same time, this is what he needed to do to take care of his family.   Through his actions, he taught me the proper necessities, which included courage and believing in all my dreams. As I’ve grown into a woman, I see many of the great qualities he has, manifesting inside of me. I do not know what it feels like not to have a father, but there are way too many women that do.   We got a chance to talk to award-winning television journalist Ed Gordon, the host of the nationally syndicated show Our World with Black Enterprise. We spoke about his important project, the release of his new book, and the importance of the father-daughter relationship.   AllHipHop.com: Tell us about this new project your working on, Daddy’s Promise.   Ed Gordon: It’s a national initiative that celebrates the special relationship between and the importance of the father-daughter relationship. It really stems from an article I did which appeared in Essence Magazine. I wrote about the relationship that I have with my daughter Taylor, and the response I received from the article was really overwhelming. So much so, that I wanted to do something else, so we created this initiative.    AllHipHip.com: Can you explain the type of responses you received from the article?   Ed Gordon: Well, I knew that Essence was like the bible for Black women, so I knew that it would be seen by many people. The amount and various people that came up to me and said “oh my god I saw the article and it really touched me or it reminded me of the relationship that I have with my father.”   One woman, when Taylor and I were out shopping for a dress, literally ran across the floor screaming. She said, “I read your article and often I read articles in magazines and I wonder if people are talking about stories that may not be true, it’s so good to see you guys.” So once I saw that kind of response, I felt that I needed to do a little bit more.   AllHipHip.com: You recently launched a national outreach campaign at the100 Black Men of America’s annual Conference. Can you tell us about that?   Ed Gordon: Yes, that’s where we made the official announcement in the sense of the event that we held. We had a panel which included Judge Glenda Hatchett, whose father passed away, but she had a fantastic relationship with him and she constantly talks about the difference he made in her life. Will Downing was on the panel, he wrote a song a couple of years ago that appeared on his album Emotions, it’s called “Beautiful to Me.” It was dedicated to his daughter, and he’s allowing us to use it as our theme song.   Roland Martin, a CNN journalist, and George Curry, also a journalist, were the four panelists. We had a very candid discussion with the audience about this relationship, about the Black family and what we have to do. It was a wonderful kick off for us.   AllHipHop.com: Now what is the exact plan of Daddy’s Promise?   Ed Gordon: Well we have a number of plans in terms of what we hope to do with our partner 100 Black Men, our sponsors the Ford Motor Company and Bounty; we are going to be doing great things through media projects and events. The first thing I must say, we really need to awaken people of the importance of this relationship.   AllHipHop.com: Presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama also mentioned something about the Black fathers…   Ed Gordon: Yes, on Father’s Day, it’s truly something that needs to be addressed in our community. We hear about fathers who aren’t there, who aren’t doing the right thing… this father-daughter relationship is a touchy situation. I always knew there were a lot of men out there doing the right thing, but it never got attention. We are never shown those images and they never were saluted. So we’ll deal with those that aren’t and we want to salute those are, and that’s the first thing.   AllHipHip.com: I’m really close to my father as well, and I do notice different things in some women that do not have their fathers around. What are some things that you have noticed or things that some people have told you about?   Ed Gordon: Sometimes you see women who haven’t had relationships with their fathers having difficulty in dealing with men, and they may have a chip on their shoulder with men in general. Many women, and many accomplished women who’ve gone on to have wonderful careers and doing well in college, have said to me, “You know I […]

There were many questions as Antonio Margarito and Miguel Cotto made their way to the ring on Saturday July 26. Which force was stronger, Cotto’s higher skill or Margarito’s relentless pressure? Was it Antonio’s size or Miguel’s ability to fight off the backfoot? In the end, it was Margarito who used all his tools to systemically break down Cotto for a decisive and dramatic stoppage in the 11th round.   As many predicted, Cotto came out in round one boxing well of the backfoot. Using quick lateral movement, the WBA champion bounced quick hook flurries off Margarito’s head. The challenger was showing cautious respect early, and Cotto used that and his quickness to double up left hooks to Antonio’s head along with a hard straight right. Still, Margarito showed signs of things to come by landing two left uppercuts.   Round two saw the Tijuana Tornado pick up the pace. He walked through hook bombs to corner Cotto and strafe him with uppercuts and hooks to the body. Seeking to gain space and respect, Cotto immediately fired back with hooks and uppercuts of his own to the head before backpedaling straight into a long right from Antonio. Forced to fight, Cotto cracked a hard left hook off Margarito’s head, who still pressed forward. He repeated the feat again to close out the round. Cotto paid a price for his stand, returning to his corner with a bloody nose and a cut on his left eyelid. In round three Cotto went back to using his superior lateral movement to counter off the ropes with hooks and then move away. However, Margarito continued pressing, this time behind the jab to punish Cotto against the ropes with body shots. While the punches weren’t landed flush and flashy like Cotto’s, the challenger’s punches downstairs were landing with heavy authority. Possibly seeking to buy time, Cotto complained twice of low blows from Margarito, which resulted in a warning from referee Kenny Bayless.   Rounds four and five saw much of the same pattern. Early on Cotto outboxed Margarito safely and scored heavy with clean counters hooks to the head from outside.  In the fifth, Margarito caught Cotto with an overhand right, causing the Puerto Rican star to retaliate with an uppercut. Not done, he followed up with a short flurry before landing a left hook and another snapping uppercut. Showing good defense, Cotto picked off two hard shots from Margarito against the ropes before twisting his body to dodge three successive overhand shots to conclude the fifth.   Margarito’s corner chastised him for waiting too much, and implored him to set up his shots better and not focus on the one knockout punch. Heeding those words, the challenger started the sixth more composed, even after getting caught early with a right-left hook combo to the head. Bullying Cotto to the ropes, Margarito exclusively worked the body and particularly scored with a painful left hook that was ignored by the HBO team. Here, the effect the punches were having of each fighter became more pronounced. Margarito remained unfazed while Cotto’s face started to show discouragement as he continued trying to fend off the unwavering body attack.   Margarito smelled blood and came on even stronger in round seven. Cotto’s movement began to labor, and Magarito continued his excellent hook body attack against the ropes. Now Cotto’s hands began to drop, which allowed the challenger to badly hurt the WBA champion with three left and one right uppercut.   Cotto attempted to fight off his attacker like he did so many times before against the likes of Ricardo Torres and Zab Judah, but Margarito would not move and punished Cotto with more uppercuts and hooks to the body. Switching southpaw, clinching and throwing sporadic combos saved Miguel from tasting the canvas as the round ended.   Now bleeding from the nose and mouth, Cotto started the eighth by boxing and staying away from Antonio’s power. With his lateral movement returning, Cotto was very successful and snapped Margarito’s head back with counters between Margarito’s punches. In a psychological tactic, Margarito would gingerly trot towards Cotto after getting hit to emphasize he wasn’t being hurt.   In round nine Margarito was more than happy to trade punches, but it was Cotto who did his best to retreat and try to create space. Tired, Cotto began going straight back allowing the Tijauna Tornado to do more great work in the corners to Miguel’s body and head. Now, the champion was noticeably being moved physically by the damage of punches. Sensing Cotto was weakening, Margarito’s corner stressed to him to pick up the speed of his punches going into the championship rounds.   At the start of round ten Cotto looked to fight in spurts and run out the clock, with Margarito in hot pursuit. For the majority of the round, Cotto successfully maintained distance at mid-range to land thudding combinations to the head of Margarito. But the challenger’s constant pressure again gave dividends at the :11 second mark when a flurry of hooks and uppercuts again badly hurt Cotto. Only a wise clinch and the time running out saved the champion from being stopped.   Now debilitated to the point where he could no longer move, Cotto began making his last stand in the eleventh with powerful straight rights and left hooks that Margarito barely blinked at. The challenger continued his non-stop punching and caught Cotto with a left and right uppercut causing him to take a knee with 1:39 remaining.   An absolute bloody mess, Cotto bravely rose immediately to take an eight count and face his fate. He landed the best hooks he could muster, and clinched when he saw once again they had no effect. Completely spent, he backed up from the pursuing Magarito and took another knee before getting hit again, prompting his corner to throw in the towel with :55 seconds remaining.  Antonio Margarito proved many wrong, including myself, who thought Cotto could weather the […]

  Those who create popular art often characterize their creations as being a “reflection of reality,” a mirror image that reflects the world around us. I’ve always thought that description was somewhat misleading. Popular art doesn’t so much reflect “reality” as it reflects what we as a society believe to be real – or what we think is real.     When it comes to human beings, everything is based on perception. The creative minds behind our popular art forms are still human. The art an artist creates is largely informed by how he perceives the world around him. Perception often varies from person to person. We all have our own way of seeing the world. However, there are constants and similitudes. These similarities are what popular artists often zero in on.   Movies, in particular, have always been plugged directly into our collective Id. They don’t reflect our reality so much as they reflect what we, as a society, have on our minds, our desires and our perceptions. Most intriguing though, is what the movies reveal about how we see each other. Over the years, films like Do The Right Thing, Crash and Babel have given us an artistic glimpse of the narrow perceptions people often have of each other, and the ways we view each other in terms of labels and categories.   Nothing is wrong with these labels in and of themselves. The problems occur when we are unable to see past these labels and put them in their proper context. We begin to see each other as types, a set of predetermined characteristics that fit neatly into a box. No form of art reflects this tendency in human beings more than the movies.   It is important to note that we, as a society, tend to be selective in terms of what stereotypes we will or won’t allow. For example, Black folks tend to rail against hood flicks and rap videos that promote stereotypical images, only to applaud so-called “positive” black films and shows that also contain stereotypical images.   The films and plays of Tyler Perry are chock full of stereotypes and caricatures, but are given a pass because they promote “positive” and Christian messages. In my mind, a stereotype is a stereotype. They all lend themselves to limited thinking, and make it easier to place those who are different from us into a box.    It’s kind of silly to get mad at our popular artists for reflecting these tendencies back to us, but I’m sure we will continue to do so. Here are a few upcoming films that are sure to offend someone in the coming months:    Tropic Thunder (August 13)   In this action/comedy directed by Ben Stiller, three self-indulgent movie stars (Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr.) are cast in an expensive epic film about the Vietnam war. The production team decides to abandon the troublesome trio in the jungle when their diva-like behavior becomes too much to bear. The actors themselves are completely unaware of their predicament. They still think they are filming a war movie, when in fact they are in the middle of a real war. Hilarity ensues.   Robert Downey Jr. plays actor Kirk Lazarus. Lazarus is cast in the role of Sgt. Osiris, a character who was originally written as African-American. Being the consummate method-actor, Lazarus decides to play the role as written. He even goes so far as to dye his skin in order to play the part “convincingly.”   I’ll start off by admitting that I find the basic idea behind the Kirk Lazarus to be quite amusing. The guy obviously takes himself and his craft way too seriously. As described, he comes off as the very embodiment of pretense. This is the kind of thing that can go either way. It will either be the funniest performance in quite some time, or the 21st century version of Soul Man.    For Robert Downey Jr.’s sake, I hope it’s the former instead of the latter. He has generated a substantial amount of goodwill via his star-making turn as Tony Stark in Iron Man. I’d really hate to see him squander that so soon. T######## (August 15)   Jasinda, a young Arab Girl, is sent to live with her strict Lebanese father in a small Texas town. This living situation forces her contend with a number of social issues that cause her personal turmoil. She is confronted with racism both inside and outside her home. Her neighbors and classmates harbor prejudices against Arabs, and her Lebanese father disapproves of her Black boyfriend. As if all of this weren’t enough, Jasinda is trying to understand her budding sexuality and raging hormones.   Wow! This is such a potential powder keg… I don’t know where to start. The movie has already made quite a splash at the Sundance and Toronto film festivals. This film contains a number of issues that Americans have a hard time dealing with, not the least of which is a 13-year-old girl coming to grips with her sexuality. That alone is more than enough to send the more conservative audiences into a panic.   The film also examines how foreigners sometimes take on the bigoted attitudes of Americans not out of malice, but simply out of a desire to fit in. Jasinda’s fathers’ racism is motivated by his concern for his daughter. How will she be accepted in American society if she dates a Black man? Lakeview Terrace (September 19)   Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington play Chris and Lisa Mattson, an interracial couple who have just moved into their dream home. Their next door neighbor, LAPD Officer Abel Turner (Samuel L Jackson), doesn’t approve of interracial marriages. He starts harassing the Mattsons on a regular basis, and as it escalates into outright terrorism, the young couple has no choice but to retaliate.   Again, one cannot avoid parallels to an older film. In this case it would be 1992’s Unlawful Entry, […]

  The release of Soul Calibur IV is upon us this week! The game’s highly anticipated approach has taken several steps, led by critical acclaim, commercial success and a hardcore fanbase that follows the series to its core.   Considering the incredible history of the Soul Calibur series, it would be a travesty if we didn’t drop some knowledge on the subject. The most popular weapons-based fighter of all time has had its own personal road to travel, and outside of one wrong turn, it’s avoided the road to perdition to survive as one of the elite of the fighting game genre.   Soul Edge (Blade) Platforms: Arcade | Playstation Release: January 1997   Every journey must begin with a first step, and a tale of Souls and Swords is no different. In a world where the 3d fighter was still new, trying to find its place alongside the Street Fighters and Samurai Showdowns of the world, Namco had experimented and found some success emulating the former with its Tekken Series. At that point, they decided it was time to jump into the foray of armed combat.   This led to the creation of Soul Edge, localized as Soul Blade for gamers in the west. First released in the fighters’ ultimate battlefield, the Japanese arcade, the game swam where most sink. Namco knew they had another star franchise under their belt, and began to put into action the idea to port it to the most stable console of the time, and generation, the Sony Playstation.   The series introduced us (and got us attached) to Mitsurugi, Taki, Li Long, Sophitia, Rock, Seung Mina, Voldo, Hwang, and series protagonist Seigfried. These characters’ backgrounds give them life, as you find that the search for Soul edge isn’t just for power. Themes such as revenge, conservatism, tradition and even safety are their ambitions.   Attached to the port beside the simple arcade mode was the standard VS., Time attack, and Survival, along with the single player mode Edge Master Mode, allowing players to work to unlock weapons.   The game’s main appeal was being a very stable fighting product with weapons in the 3d arena. Even in the era before the genre shattering eight-way run, they had an ability to jump, allowing the player to dodge low attacks and add some diversity to the fighting lineup. A defining feature in this game, which isn’t found in any other entry of the series, was the weapon durability bar. It stopped characters from “turtling,” forcing them to go weaponless, making every attack hurt that much more when blocking, effectively making it useless. It also defined special moves, depleting itself when characters unleashed their most powerful attacks.   The series of Soul’s only entry into the Playstation library is a very effective one. Scoring high amongst critics and garnering decent numbers, it all but guaranteed a sequel to appear down the line. Soul Calibur Platforms: Arcade | Dreamcast Release: September 1999   A sequel is an interesting device with an interesting history. It has the power to push a series of any medium to a new level, or take the priors building blocks and dash them much like the act of a divisive God. Luckily for this series, Namco, and fans, Soul Calibur took the foundation the first built and created a house that still stands today.   The most interesting thing about this title is that it wasn’t as well received as its predecessor in the arcades. However, when it came to the shores of the U.S. as a part of the Sega Dreamcast launch, the title took off like a fresh rocket off the launch pad.   One of the abilities of the Sega Dreamcast, which may not be emulated as well by other consoles out on the market even today, is the near perfect Arcade emulation that it carries. What this did was allow the developers to work on upgrading the title, and making the most beautiful and fun fighting games to date.   Another reason was the introduction of eight-way run, which is now a main staple in 3d fighting. It allows characters to run to the left and right, giving them the power to dodge and adds a new level of strategy.   This game was breathtaking, to say the least. The powerful graphics engine still may have the ability to surprise to this day, with things like catching blades of grass moving. It may be the most beautiful title to come out on a console pre-millennium.   The series’ story adds more depth. It is assumed that once noble Seigfried has been engulfed by the Soul Edge evil power. The Soul Calibur is now the weapon that most are looking for, to combat the Soul Edge and defeat Nightmare. New characters such as Ivy, M###, Kilik, Astaroth, and Xianghua now added some more depth to the roster.   Also added to this game was the Mission Mode, and upgrade to the previous Edge Master Mode. Now unlockable were costumes, artwork and video, as well as weapons, allowing users to really get a handle on the concepts that created this game. All of these things gave the mainstream a reason to appreciate what had previously only been known by the hardcore. Soul  Calibur II Platforms: Arcade | Playstation 2 | Gamecube | Xbox Release: August 2003   Why fix something that isn’t broken? That’s the main concept behind Soul Calibur II.  After the Dreamcast’s failing, Namco found a home for its smash hit on the other market-viable consoles at the time – the leading Playstation 2, Nintendo’s new Gamecube, and new market player, Microsoft’s Xbox.   With the new consoles came some added features, like the upgraded Weapons Master Mode, which added some of the best features of Edge Master Mode and Mission Mode. Also, Weapons now had their own personality, as they now featured a back story. Characters had an Ultimate Weapon, a collection of different effective armaments, and even […]

Welcome to another edition of Sick Sundays, back at our regularly scheduled day and time.  Trying to bring you that unorthodox illness from the past the present and the future.  Todays episode features the return of my man with the relentless rhyme flow, Freeway, riding with Skillz on video.     This song is similar in pace and construction to “What We Do” from the heyday of the Roc.  Freeway does particularly well at these free flowing songs with no chorus.  He and Skillz tagteam the mic.  Not really a fan of Skillz’ style but he more than does his thing on this.  The beat doesn’t really lend itself to normal punchline style so you gotta go hard on it.   Check out his recent interview : https://staging.allhiphop.com/stories/features/archive/2008/07/22/20324313.aspx#comments     “I’m Ill” Lil Wayne Feat. Tupac The “best rapper alive” gets down with the best rapper people still think is alive as Posthumous ‘Pac and Weezy F get “Ill.”  Nice slow-screwed beat, perfectly blended with the vocals of Makavelli while Wayne does what he does.  Not amazing but it’s always good to hear a solid Pac verse, and Wayne doesn’t do anthing to hurt his place as a leading emcees   “Ya’ll Better Get Used To It” Ice Cube Feat. WC & Game  Throw up your “W’s” the Wesside Connect is back again…with a noticable change.  Gone is Mac 10, in comes The Game.  Ice Cube rocks the LL “Going Back to Cali” flow (Last aped by the entire Terror Squad on “Take Me Home.” ) WC comes with the usual hardcore flows.  Few new wrinkles including a lil’ singsongy delivery but a solid performance.  The chorus incorporates the old Cool C shout from “Glamourous Life” (Shout to the Hill Top Hustlers, Philly Stand up!).  Game comes with a bigger, stronger presence on this probably to match his two counterparts on the song.  Not really his best but a cool change of pace.  If this is how the West Coast is coming, “Ya’ll Better Get Used To It.”  Yeah I did it…*hangs head.   “I Got Bass”  Busta Rhymes (Produced by Bangladesh) Who said the East Coast was dead?  Busta Rhymes comes through with Bangla Bangla Bangladesh for this heater.  Busta’s last album was very good even though politically he may not be in everyone’s good graces.  The beat is pure sickness from the “A Milli” producer, who is obviously making the most of his newfound notoriety by pumping out bangers.  The erratic piano keys segue into musical mania as the wacky beat provides the perfect backdrop for Busta’s staccato off kilter flow. There ain’t much bass in this, but it’s pure fire.   “Crossover” EPMD Business Never Personal Next up, a blast from the past.  Erick and Parrish Mumbling Dialogue (Just kidding fellas, shout to the Hit Squad).  One of many loved but not heeded anthems devoted to keeping it real and staying faithful to the underground, which back then didnt mean being wack to the point no one would listen to you.  Beat bottom-heavy like Buffy the Body.  Backpackers and 90s heads feel free to blackout and go ape s**t.  Young dudes take notes.  Short and sweet.     And now our weekly break for wildness.  Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails and Saul Williams  get together for this joint “Sunday, Bloody Sunday,” a rather morbid title and an even more  strange video. Saul’s nome de guerre here is “Niggy Tardust” and obvious homage to Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust . The vid provides enough images for a part three of CNN meh-fest Black in America.  Take what you want from it, either it soars or it bores you, I thought it was strange enough to get some light.   Sunday Bloody Sunday – Niggy Tardust! aka Saul Williams   “Never Seen You Hustlin’” K.A.S.H. And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.  We’ve all hear about our boy Rick Rauce the Bauce.  As it’s the hot issue of the moment there are the obligatory rappers lining up to kick a man while he’s down.  Kash Burrell is the author of this track “Never Seen You Hustlin,” of course to the beat of Ross’ First hit. Whether this episode is damaging to The Biggest Boss or not, this track probably will not be.   Decide for yourselves whether it’s passable or whether it’s worth holding your morning toaster strudel. This guy is kinda proud of the wrong stuff.     Sick Sunday 7/28 ******************************************************************* BONUS COVERAGE!   We been running the Class of ’88 coverage the entire year.  We was the first, and the best at it.  The biters know who they are and I’ll leave it at that, but just for a trip through memory lane, here’s Volume 1 of the class of 88 mixtape.  No DJ mouthing off or yelling, straight music.  Peep the class of ’88 joints in the Review Section. Shout to the Almighty Rocksteady Crew on their 31st Anniversary.   AHH Class of 88 Vol. 1 I’m gonna leave you with a lil Black Panther flavor .  Peace out