10 Music Videos to See Before You Die

This is a list of some of my favorite music videos of all time. There is some amazing media out there, but it's a tough call, and ultimately it's my decision. Feel free to agree and disagree with me. With the exception of a few of these videos, most of them are pushing 5+ minutes. For the Prodigy video, you must sign into Daily Motion due to the video's explicit content.

Please enjoy!

1. Michael Jackson - Thriller
2. Pearl Jam - Jeremy
3. Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up
4. Nine Inch Nails - Closer
5. Justice - Stress
6. Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity
7. Portishead - To Kill a Dead Man
8. Aphex Twin - Windowlicker
9. Busta Rhymes - Dangerous
10. Madonna - Bedtime Story

Before You Die

I'm starting a few lists of things I think people should experience before their time is up. I'm not sure how many of these lists I'll do exactly, but one will be posted very soon, while the other is rather demanding of my attention (which I haven't been willing to lend).

Stay tuned.

I'm Baaack!

Hey readers. I've been absent from posting for quite some time now. I have some things that I'm working on that I know some of you will enjoy, but I'm slacking on getting them done. In the meantime, read my previous post (that I literally just posted within the past five minutes of writing this one) here.

The Niggy Tardust Experience - Philadelphia, PA

Afro-Punk started as a documentary lived by James Spooner, in which he toured across America looking for people like him — people of color with an admiration for Punk Rock.

Accompanying the DVD release of Afro-Punk was a music compilation, comprised of artists and bands who are viewed as "Black/African American". Six years later, with an overhauled website, a community of thousands, hundreds of artist, four annual festivals deep, and a nationwide tour headlined by Black Stacey, Saul Williams, enter Afro-Punk.

The City of Philadelphia was wet and slightly chilly, but inside the Theatre of the Living Arts the temperature was warm, and the air was electric. Arriving early and walking through the venue, the merch booth was setup and ready to go, a large canvas and bags of paint were off to the right side of the stage in the crowd area, Cx Kidtronik was casually walking about, and a DJ held down the stage, mixing sounds of Hip-Hop, Jungle, and Rock while concert goers patiently awaited the start of the evening.

Everyone but the B-boys, that is. If the party won't start, start your own party. For as long as the grooves were spinning, these guys were the center of attention with their twists, kicks, and jumps. The crowd looked upon the troupe, hands clapping and smiles on their faces, but there was still more to come.

Tchaka Diallo aka Kiko of Krak Attack came out to host the show and introduce the first group — from Houston, TX, American Fangs.

A banner adorned the stage, reminiscent of the Rocky Horror Picture Show logo, the drummer was already on his stool banging away while the rest of the band walked out. AF plays with a need for attention. The energy flows through every member as they make their way around the stage, singing in unison, jumping on monitors, and spitting on the floor. Who can stand still? The drumming will force goers to bounce and nod, while the licks and melodies will cause everyone to let go and enjoy themselves. When frontman, Gus walks on in a light gray shirt, but his shirt looks like it's charcoal gray when he leaves, you have to know that he gave it his all. American Fangs were the standouts of the evening.

Diallo took the stage once again to introduce a new aspect to the show — flatland BMX riders! Jeff and Cooly had the audience in amazement. Tricks landed or not, there was nothing but respect.

The next act came out of Philadelphia, PA. Originally billed as Black Landlord, but for whatever reason, they weren't present, which is unfortunate, because I was looking forward to seeing them perform again. A new band by the name of West Vienna took their place instead. Something about these guys seemed very familiar, and maybe it was because West Vienna is actually Phil Moore Browne! Even though a member or two has been replaced, the feeling was relative. Whether you call them Phil Moore Browne, or you call them West Vienna, both bands are an act you need to see to truly appreciate. WV is not as rowdy as PMB, but they are fun to watch. Punk is alive in Philly, and its name is West Vienna!

Once again, Jeff and Cooly came out to battle. Meanwhile, the painting was coming along nicely.

Rushing back to the stage to see the next act, Saul Williams was seen walking back and forth off to the side. Suddenly, with makeup on his face and feathers in his hair, there he was on a bike. "My band doesn't know I'm down here," he said. Saul had a little chit-chat with the crowd until his band came out in support. The group consisted of a guitar player, a keyboard player, and Cx Kidtronik on an MPC. Niggy Tardust was at the forefront of the stage spouting off his list of poetic, musical, and cultural influences. Amethyst Rockstar was absent, but doing songs from his self titled album, as well as The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust, his daughter, Saturn joined him on stage for a few songs, grabbing the microphone from Cx Kidtronik, flailing about in a dance party fashion with her father. The TLA was in full party mode with Williams on stage. If there was any downside to the set, it was that Saul did not perform Act III, Scene II (Shakespeare). Covered in sweat with feathers from his 'do laying scattered on the stage floor, Niggy Tardust has left the building.

The night closed out with Krak Attack performing a few songs. They probably would have fared better, had they gone on before Saul Williams, because a sizeable portion of the audience vacated when Williams left the stage. Krak Attack definitely has the kind of music to give people a reason to act foolishly and cut loose, but the timing was off for that night.

With the concert all wrapped up, it would be a great disservice to call it a show. It was an experience!

Thanks to all involved for a great time!

Full Circle

These are some crazy times. The music industry is trying to run my pockets, there's a lot to do at the office, and the art world is calling my name.

From September 30 through October 15, the New Wilmington Art Association will be exhibiting it's next group show titled, Eclosion. This show will actually overlap with the City of Wilmington's sponsored art event, Fringe Festival. The NWAA has taken the helm, and will be installing the work of roughly 12 local artists, in addition to our own talent for Fringe.

Full Circle is my latest work, made specifically for the aforementioned events. The officers of the NWAA have deemed "transformation" as the theme of our upcoming show. This is my way of expressing transformation. It's merely a statement of theology and science—not to be confused with science versus religion.

The lotus (theology) represents life that comes from undesirable circumstances, as lotuses can be found in swamps and muck, but grow to be beautiful flowers. The sunburst (science) in the background is an allusion to the death of a star/big bang, which in turn brings about the start of more life.

That's my simple explanation in a nutshell. It had to be about something, right?

Enjoy

Sneaker Pimps - Philadelphia

August 8, 2009 in Philadelphia, PA saw the arrival of the Sneaker Pimps, the touring sneaker and Hip-Hop show. I checked it out upon Jon Jon's suggestion. Sneakers are cool, Hip-Hop is great, and I love Philly! Can't lose, right?

It was a recipe for a great evening, as I ran into a handful of people I knew, but didn't know were going. The music was good, but with as many acts as there were performing, each person/group took the stage for about three songs, then made way for the next performer. I didn't have too much of an issue with this, as it allowed for club goers to be exposed to numerous artists without having to sit through 20-30 minute sets if they didn't like the music.

Here's my gripe though: rappers and DJs talk too much. It's one thing to have prepared statements as part of your set, but it's completely different to just sit up on stage rambling on and on about things nobody cares about. The main problem was performers yelling at the crowd for not being into it enough. Biggest offender of that? Elixer and Dice Raw's DJ. Yes, we're in Philly and Dice Raw is from Philly. Yes, Dice Raw has performed with The Roots. No, Dice Raw is not in The Roots. No, The Roots were not in the building. I have a little bit of an issue with people who name-drop in order to hype themselves. But let me state that Dice Raw said he's not a fan of talking, he just wanted to do the show. His DJ was making all the noise.

Here's a kernel of knowledge for all performing artists: if the crowd has no idea who you are, or they didn't show up to see you specifically, don't be surprised if they just watch you and don't "party". If anything, you should be grateful people are watching you.

Despite that, once The Clipse came on, the venue errupted! The brothers interacted with the crowd, shook some hands, threw items out, and had everyone eating out the palms of their hands. The duo played cuts from their previous offerings, including "What Happened to that Boy", a song they were featured on. During the set, they were joined on stage by Philly's own, Ab Liva, and finished out the evening by performing, "Kinda Like a Big Deal". Philly showed The Clipse some love, and The Clipse showed it right back.

A couple of my friends got to meet The Clipse after winning a Verizon Wireless texting battle, but after the show we all met Ab Liva. He's about 5,000 feet tall, but he's a really nice guy. Big ups to him for shaking hands and taking pictures.

Next stop, Minneapolis, MN!

Other standout performers of the evening:

Joya Bravo - Brooklynite who sings, raps, and plays the violin!
Phil Ade - A member of the 368 Music Group. Definitely got the crowd going.
J. Cole - Newest artist on Jay-Z's Roc Nation. People seemed surprised, but his live show is nice, and a lot of people knew his lyrics.

Chirp!...I Mean...Tweet!

I feel like a whore for doing this, but whatever.

I gave in to Twitter last week and joined.

Follow me here.

NWAA Group Exhibition (Closing) 7.23.09

The NWAA July group exhibition is coming to a close this Thursday, July 23. If you haven't been able to check it out the first time around (like me, not counting the group install), swing on by to see what we're workin' with.

The fam will most definitely be in the building!

NWAA Group Exhibition (Closing)
Thursday, July 23, 2009
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
605 N Market St
Wilmington, DE 19801
(Above Villa)

Who knows, you might show up alone, but leave with somebody.

Afro-Celt

Snoop dog. I didn't spell it wrong, I was being nosey. I came across something interesting in my travels. There are some good points made in this article, and after reading this, it would be nice if everybody knew about it. It probably won't change Black and White relations, but maybe common ground will bring about a sense of empathy.

White Slavery

Never Better

I'm back to promoting the homie P.O.S. with a couple new videos. It may have been mentioned before that back in December, in order to push the release of Never Better, P.O.S. shot six videos in a week before heading out on the road with his band, Building Better Bombs.

Up until July 13, videos for Drumroll, Goodbye, and Optimist were the only videos out. Now the world has been blessed with the release of Purexed. There may be one or two more on the way. I don't have the full details on that part.



On another note, Cinemax interviewed P.O.S. during Soundset 09 to get his thoughts on...well, everything concerning what he does, how he does it, and why he does it the way he does.





My standard response at Warped Tour: No, I'm not P.O.S.

And, yes that's me in the video.

Go support P.O.S. on the road while he runs Warped Tour.

P.S. Doomtree has launched their new site. Go check it out!

Victory

Sigh...I meant to have this piece done somewhere between mid to late last year. Then I meant to have it done by time the inauguration hit. Ho hum, I dropped the ball on this one, but it's complete now, and no longer haunting me.

I apologize for the lighting being so bad, and the quality of the photo being so poor. I took the snapshot with my phone while the piece was hanging up at the NWAA group exhibition, which closes July 23, 2009.

I'm relieved it's over now, but I'm truly sorry for making everyone wait so long.

This is spray paint on canvas, for those interested. It's all stenciled, with the exception of some line work I did on the face.

Paper Chase

The art crew that I've been a part of for the past year has gotten a little more recognition recently. With our first huge group exhibition in a year, a webzine known as The Papermachine has done a little write-up about the NWAA.

It's not exactly a full-fledged interview, and none of our 71 members really get any shine, but it's publicity, right?

Our show will be running through July 23 with a closing reception running from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm that evening.

NWAA Group Exhibition 7.3.09

New Wilmington Art Association returns to the Wilmington Art Loop in July with a massive group exhibition of artwork. The show will be on view from July 3rd to July 25th on the second floor of 605 N Market Street. The space is directly above Sneaker Villa, and right across the street from the Delaware College of Art & Design.

The opening reception will be held on Friday, July 3rd from 6:30 to 9:30pm. M. Snail from Plaxico Records will be performing with Sic Vibe a.k.a. Sicilian Vibration at 8pm.

http://paxicorecords.com/artists/m.snail.html

http://paxicorecords.com/artists/sicilianvibration.html

http://www.myspace.com/sicilianvibration

For those of you who will be out of town this weekend, fret not, for there will be a closing reception on Thursday, July 23rd from 6:30 to 9:30pm.

For Whom the Bell Tolls

I already did the Michael Jackson R.I.P. post, but it doesn't seem to be enough at the moment. MJ is all over the internet, television, and radio right now, due to his recent, sudden, and most certainly unexpected passing, but not everything we hear or see is positive. I'm not shining a light on the turmoils of Michael's life, and I really would never want to. There are those more qualified to do so, and at some point they probably will. However, while the general populace celebrates and mourns simultaneously the life and career of the greatest entertainer that ever lived (in my personal opinion), some want to talk about the entire story right now.

Look, I'm not saying that we should turn a blind eye to the things Michael Jackson has done/allegedly done over the years, but being that he left us so abruptly, right now is the time to honor the man, not tear him down. The sad thing is, some can't wait to bring his demons to the forefront. But hey, that's just the way it works, right?

With this, I'm reminded that yes, this is the way it works. When you're famous and you pass, people want to put the full story on the front page. Let's not depict a fairytale world where this being has done no wrong, but instead, let's show them all the full Monty, so there's nothing to hide and no guessing work to be done later.

What really pushed me to do this was a visit to Jon Jon's blog, Sound Verité, in which Jon Jon posted his own tribute to the late MJ. One of the pieces on there was a video of a James Brown concert from 1983, in which James pulls MJ out of the audience to perform on stage, then MJ pulls Prince up to do the same. Epic? You betcha! Immediately after watching that clip, I watched a clip from a BET awards show where Brown was performing, and Jackson surprised him on stage. Once again, Michael did a little impromptu hustle.

Why the mention of these events? It's quite simple really. When James Brown passed, there were those who mourned the loss of the Godfather of Soul, and there were those who felt the only thing worthy of discussing as far as James Brown was concerned, were his problems over the years. Now they're doing the same thing to Michael Jackson. Will it happen to Prince? It's quite possible.

I just hope things don't get too out of hand.

R.I.P. Michael Jackson 8.29.1958 - 6.25.2009

One of the world's most iconic, influential figures has moved on. Let's remember him for all the good he did before he left.

Gone Too Soon

The Verdict

Refer back to this post to see what I had to say prior to viewing TRotF.

A few weeks back when I heard Fandango.com placed the tickets for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen up for sale on their site, I acted with haste in securing my seats for the nationwide premier. Since then, slowly but surely, the reviews and ratings was making their way in. Most of them were quite unfavorable on the the new Bay film.

Last evening was the first chance to see Transformers if you're not a Hollywood A-lister, and the fans came out in droves, displaying their allegiance proudly on hats, hoodies, t-shirts, etc (I'm not exception). Naturally, like many midnight premiers, the environment was full of angst and ready to blow. After all, Transformers fans have been waiting for this sequel since seeing Starscream fly back into space after the defeat of Megatron in the franchise's first iteration.

This isn't a review, but really just me saying, despite the general consensus, I loved Revenge of the Fallen! I can understand why some people don't like it, or others aren't completely satisfied, but as I stated previously, let yourself go. Revert back to your childhood and ask yourself how much character development and plot matters. I didn't make up stories. My toys transformed and fought one another. That's all that mattered then, and it's all that matters to me now.

I went back to torture myself with more Rotten Tomatoes reviews, and I came across this reply to a review:

Adam A. writes:
on Jun 24 2009 07:48 PM

This is the point where I'm grateful to have a little perspective. I can appreciate great movies, but I'm not too pretentious to have fun.

It's a movie about giant fighting robots, based on a poorly animated 1980's cartoon with no purpose than to sell toys. I can't imagine what you haters were expecting.

Agreed.

I F*cking Hate Rappers

Yeah, you heard me. If you've ever been to my MySpace page then you've probably seen my default image that states, Rappers are Snitches. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. I'm not a follower of the Stop Snitchin' train, but rappers are hypocrites to the fullest. They point the finger, point the finger, point the finger, but then they turn around and do exactly what they're accusing others of being guilty of.

So if you're anything like me, PackFM of QN5 and Extended Famm, Masta Ace, Poison Pen, Sadat X, and many others, then you fucking hate rappers too! Check the videos and join the movement.

Don't Fight It

Maybe it's the fanboy in me. No, it is the fanboy in me. Like most power players out right now, I'm a Reagan Baby. Yes, the '80s have come to inherit the earth. In the next 10 to 20 years, the kids born in the '90s will have the thrown. In any case, everything from the '80s is a golden ticket.

Fashion has come back, and now everything from live-action television shows, movies, and cartoons from the time period have progressed from mere references to being reworked for "modern" audiences. I'm sorry, but it wasn't that long ago. However you look at it, I'm not upset. I run on pure, unfiltered nostalgia.

Thundercats, He-Man, Voltron, G.I. Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Transformers, etc. are all in the works. A few of the previously mentioned titles have already seen reincarnations, but there's still more to come. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen will be released in a few days, and I couldn't help but to be curious as to what the very particular people at Rotten Tomatoes had to say about it. Clearly, they're a bunch of haters. It's too long, coming in at 2 1/2 hours! There's too many explosions! Where's the creativity? Blah blah blah.

You see, Transformers is a movie based on a cartoon, comic book, and toy line from Hasbro. It was created for little boys with imaginations, not so much for adults hell-bent on criticizing the dreams and imaginations of others. I loved the first Michael Bay rendition, and even if this new installment is more of the same thing, it's exactly what it's supposed to be. For the love of (insert your god here), it's a film based on a toy line! If you're looking for Citizen Kane, then stay home and watch TMC. I'm just glad to see the diecast and plastic figures I played with as a child do all the things I used to pretend they did.

I guess I'll have my definitive answer come Wednesday morning. I'll be the guy in the office too tired to work, who also forgot to change out of his Decepticon t-shirt into his work clothes.

Twin Cities Week

Minneapolis/St. Paul. It's come up a few times here on this blog. People close to me know I have a chubby for the Twin. Really, it's Mpls, because I've only spent a couple hours in St. Paul, and that was to eat at one of the best burger joints in the world.

Minneapolis is a great place to hang out and chill. Everybody out there hates snow as much as people in the UK hate rain. I don't know why everybody's crying, because I love the snow and the rain! What really grabbed my attention about the TC was the music/arts/entertainment scene out there. During my first hoo-rah back in December I visited MCAD to see what they're about. That has to be one of the best art schools I've ever seen in my life. It made me want to go back to school...there, of course. But all in all, the music is phenomenal. Prince is great, but we're in the 2000s here! It's all about Hip-Hop right now.

The group Atmosphere has done so much in terms of promoting their city. Each album is littered with references of their hometown, but also outright name-drops. Add a good portion of the Rhymesayers Entertainment roster, along with the Doomtree collective and you've got the North Star confederacy. Let me clarify. People in the South are very "patriotic", and the people of Minneapolis will defend their territory to the death. It's not about America, it's about where they lay their heads first and foremost.

Beyond the tangents, on May 24, 2009, RSE put on Soundset 2009 in Shakopee, MN. It was the follow-up to last year's Soundset 2008, held at the Metrodome parking lot. The first event garnered so much attention that this year things ballooned, with interest coming in from MTV (it really helps that they're all over. P.OS. right now, and Atmosphere just last year).

MTV decided to run what they titled, Twin Cities Week on MTV2. Artists such as P.O.S., Mike Mictlan of Doomtree, Slug of Atmosphere, Toki Wright, and Brother Ali of RSE were all interviewed by the station to show it's viewers what their scene, music, and lives are all about. The artists spent some time online hyping up Twin Cities Week, understandably so, to let their fans know to keep an eye out for them.

Look, I know how this works, and it played out exactly how I knew it would. MTV does not do true features on artists. Instead, they force people to sit and watch their lifeless programming in anguish in order to see what you're truly after. These guys' segments were played during commercial breaks and in between shows with 10 minutes of mindless waste preceding and succeeding it. Needless to say, I couldn't bring myself to be turned into a troll by the one-time cutting edge music station. The people I was looking out for are great artists and nice people, and I enjoy supporting them. However, I wasn't up for it on this go 'round. The Twin Cities Week link above will give you a small taste of some of the coverage, but it's definitely not everything they did. So the next time you hear that your favorite artist(s) is/are being featured on MTV, don't put yourself through the agony. Just pretend you never heard anything. Seriously.

MTV, what did I ever do to you?

Hit the Blue Note

There's a little slack in my pimpin'. I've posted some recent events over on MySpace, but I've sort of neglected this gig for a little bit. I'm still dropping in on others' blogs, but mine has received little to no attention.

The Greek Festival here in Wilmington wrapped up a couple weeks ago at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, with a Saturday date since that Friday was rained out. It was a fun time to be had by all. Lots of food, family, friends, and well...Greek people.

St. Anthony's Italian Festival just came to a close this past Sunday with Vice President Joe Biden in attendance. Why was he here? Because he's from here, and unlike all the other "important" people in the world, Biden isn't a deserter.

Moving along. Due to my tardiness, we're now two days into the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival. This is an annual, week-long music festival to honor the late Clifford Brown, held here in downtown Wilmington, DE. It's free, for all ages, and hosts some of the most talented acts around. Last year brought George Duke and David Sanborn to the stage in Rodney Square. If you weren't there, you weren't doing anything. This year's main attraction for the festival is Kem. In addition to all the great music are various food offerings, as well as art sales, live art demos, and other amazing items to pick up for yourself or someone special.



The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival will conclude Sunday, June 21, 2009.

MGMT - Kids

The band MGMT has released their latest video last night for the song Kids. I don’t know much about MGMT, but I checked out a few songs of theirs to get acclimated. Honestly, I can’t say that I’m into it, but I don’t not like it. Get it?

Anyway…my good friend, Henry Thurlow did the animation for this video (around the 4:50 mark). If the work reminds you of the Adult Swim show Superjail, well it’s because Henry and the other animator involved also worked on that show. See how that works?

Think Little Monsters with Fred and Ben Savage, meets The Beatles' Yellow Submarine. Terrifying, then tripped-out...but still terrifying.

Eat it up, digest it, and spread the word. You’ll like it.

You Like?

Do you like free stuff? Yeah, me too. So does a good number of people in the Indie Hip-Hop scene.

Previously mentioned, FranzDiego.com of Illuminous 3 and Listen to MPLS has blessed the world with another FREE release before his full-length album drops this summer. The Quick and Dirty Mixtape. You like? You will.

On another front, those kids you wish you could be, wish you could have been, or even wish were your friends have dropped another freebie. That seems to be their M.O. The Cool Kids have a new FREE summer release with Gone Fishing. If you're familiar with Totally Flossed Out EP, That's Stupid Mixtape, and The Bake Sale, then this is for you. However, this offering serves up less party joints and is a little more on chill mode.

Finally, New York's favorite dysfunctional Jukie, Cage has a new EP out for -- you guessed it -- FREE! It's titled, I Never Knew You, and it's preceding the upcoming full-length album, Depart From Me, due out July 7, 2009. The only downside is that it's on MTV's Subterranean site (I hate MTV with a burning passion).

Enjoy.

You Don't Belong Here

Familiar with the story of Luis Ramirez? He was an undocumented Mexican immigrant living and working in Shanedoa, PA. Last July, he was walking down the street with a friend when a group of teens verbally assaulted him...then physically assaulted him, ending his life two days later.

The trial for the offenses recently took place, with two of the young men being tried for third degree murder. The verdict? NOT GUILTY.

There you have it folks. You're justice system hard at work. Protect one of your own, and damn anyone else. The man was an undocumented immigrant right? Why should we care what happens to him? Maybe because he had a wife and children, or for the simple fact that he two was a human being.

Naturally, the defense says that there wasn't enough evidence to support that the boys had actually killed the man. They were charged with simple assault, but the full story on CNN tells you why that's both heinous and absurd.

This story couldn't come at a better time. It helps support a cause that has been brought to light recently at Obey Giant. Head over to read a couple statements by Shepard Fairey and Zack de la Rocha. Then stop shrugging your shoulders and do something. Act like you give a damn. That's a healthy start.

What's even funnier (that's read: sick), is on May 5, also known as Cinco de Mayo, a bunch of people who don't care or want the immigrants to "go home", will be celebrating festivities they don't even understand.

Got Brains?

Last week a student came into my office to ask a few staff members for support. She's participating in the Race for Hope in Washington, D.C., which is a walk/run that raises money for the continued research of a cure for brain tumors.

The student, Jamie Bartholomay, is taking part in this event in honor of her father who passed away due to a brain tumor.

I opted to help Jamie simply because it's a worthy cause to promote and support, not so much because my family has a history of dying from cancer (not brain cancer though).

She has met her initial goal of $500, and has since then moved up to a goal of $800. I'm posting this not just to shed light on it, but also to drum up support for Jamie. She's a good person, doing a great thing for someone she loves. My aim is to have anyone who reads this find it within themselves to give anything they can, even if it's $5.

Times are tough, but nothing is tougher than death.

One love

Welcome Back

The good folks over at Listen to MPLS are back in full swing with Season 2 Ep. 31! It's been a long time coming. Head over and peep it, because they love the love. I think I plugged it before, but I'm plugging it again.

Enjoy

It Can Only Get Better

Thanks to Glen E. Friedman over at WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE? for posting this video.

This clip demonstrates the "power" of religion. When a baby talks and people listen...something's up.



Truthfully though, all I heard was, "SATAN, SATAN, SATAN, SATAN, SATAN!" Lovable little tyke.

Berserker Barrage

I've been meaning to post about this for about a week now, but I kept forgetting.

Exactly a week ago I was house sitting for someone, and in their collection of entertainment was X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Now, let me just preface this with my relationship with Marvel Comics. I grew up on Marvel Comics, always preferring them to DC, until Image came along with titles like Youngblood, Savage Dragon, and Spawn, among some other things. Then at some point, Marvel started making movie adaptations of their franchise staples, such as X-Men, Spiderman, and the Fantastic Four.

The problem is/was that all of those movies are bad. There is no arguing to convince me. I don't like any of them. Spiderman flicks are weak, Fantastic Four is über campy, and X-Men is just pure drivel. Set aside the inconsistancies and the omissions, the movies are just done poorly. Out of those three series, the only sole film worth recognition is X2.

Blade was never a staple in the house that Stan built, but the first movie in the series was incredible, the second was exciting and entertaining, and the third tried too hard to follow-up on what the first two films had already done. Regardless, sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make an omlette (allow the movies to be R). Along came Iron Man and The Icredible Hulk (not Hulk), both of which were amazing to see! Did Marvel get their mojo back?

Hardly. The whole purpose of Wolverine is that the character is a fan favorite. People love Hugh Jackman as the Canadian beast. The problem is, Marvel took a film I initially didn't want anything to do with, to almost making it look convincing to me, to me losing interest again, to me seeing it and coming to a final verdict.

Wolverine is a big, hot, steaming pile of elephant dung! I know, I know! You really want to see it! I'm not telling anyone not to see it (although I really am), but what I am saying is that nobody, and I mean nobody, should spend....no...waste $10 to see this film! Like any movie, some things in it work, but the majority fails to live up to anything worth a fan's excitment. Nevermind that the leaked version was incomplete. The unfininshed scenes and cables showing on the actors does nothing to take away from the experience. If anything, it adds flavor a pot of vegan gumbo. The acting in this film is fine, but the storyline is extremely flawed, among other things comic book fans may find troubling (I'm looking in your direction, Deadpool).

If you decide to waste your time, stay for the credits to get a hint for a sequel.



Ugh...

That's What I Been Sayin'!

There CNN goes again digging around in my head. Years ago I was screaming about celebrities (Angelina Jolie and Madonna) adopting children from foreign nations. Look, I don't have beef with children from other countries being adopted, but what I do have an issue with is the fact that there are so many children here in America in need of a loving home that doesn't consist of 15 other kids ready to pummel on them because they're the runt in the litter. In the words of Joker from Next Friday, "Charity starts in la casa!" I couldn't agree more.

Read Roland Martin's words here.

Thanks

Need a Fix?

In my typical fashion, I was reading CNN.com today to see what the skinny was in the world (that's read: America), and I came across a couple interesting things. No, I'm not referring to the Larry King Live Megan McCain interview transcripts. I'm referring to a proposal that has been made, not for the very first time ever, but nonetheless one CNN actually ran. How exhilarating!

Let's preface the point with this story.
President Obama wants to up the security along the U.S./Mexico border to help prevent the spillover of drug violence in Mexico onto U.S. soil. What that really means is, "That's your problem, not mine. Keep it over there." However, economist Jeff Miron has a plan that may help to alleviate drug-related violence, as well as corruption, extortion, bribery, and needless arrests. In two words: legalize it. "It" does not solely pertain to marijuana, because marijuana is the least of anyone's worries. It's things like heroine, opium, and cocaine.

So what do you think? Do we need more security, or do we need to just let people do what they want to do. Read Miron's article before replying. He has many valid points, such as his reminder to all of us about the Alcohol Prohibition from 1920 - 1933. It makes perfect sense. I'm not saying I'm all in favor of junkies walking around the streets high as a kite all the time, but it would be nice to see the violence drop, not just here in America, but all over the world. If we solve this crisis, maybe we can all sit down and share some stories over a beer.

WHOOP! WHOOP!

That's the sound of the police!

I was listening to RSE Radio today, and Toki Wright (recently signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment! Congrats!) was discussing something that happened recently in Seattle, when a police officer brutally beat a 15 year old girl in custody, because he claimed he was trying to prevent any further assaults from said teen. I don't need to say anymore. Instead, I'll direct you to the site, and you can watch the video for yourself.

www.PoliceBrutality.info is a site dedicated to informing the American people about the heinous acts of our police forces. They're meant to "Protect and Serve" the citizens of this nation, but for every good cop, there's a bad cop out there to overshadow his/her positive accomplishments.

Check it out. Read. Watch. React.

Rack 'Em

I'll make this quick.

On Saturday, February 28, 2009, I hosted a pool tournament here at the school where I work. The brackets were setup for a total of 32 participants, but only 26 people played. A couple left for the weekend, and the rest were too lazy to come out of their rooms around or anywhere after Noon.

All in all it was a good day. The event was planned for Saturday and Sunday, but the games went by quicker than I expected, so we knocked it all out at once. The best moment had to have been as I was handing out the trophies to the final four contestants, the young man who placed 3rd was so proud of himself for what he accomplished. He had the smile of a child on his face as he looked down at the trophy in his hand and said, "Wow, I've never won a trophy before. This is my first one."

And that's part of why I do what I do. I can't get that gratification all the time, but if I can help make a difference or help someone else make a difference, then all the other headaches and stress that come with the territory are worth it.

Steady Yellin' Bangarang

So far, the Never Better Tour seems to be going well (although Mike is apparently sick). Make sure to pick up Never Better, by P.O.S. This album is one that any fan of music should own. That's right, not Hip-Hop, music. Don't want to get it now? That's fine. Pick it up on the tour! To keep up with all the antics of the Doomtree crew, follow Jeff Luger's Never Better Tour photo doc on flickr.

Nothing ever gets done.

NOOO...!

I really messed up this time. There was a piece I was going to make about Obama, and since I slept on it so long, somebody else used the same concept and ran with it. Now it's being mass produced on a t-shirt. I'm still going to make it, but it's no longer one of a kind. Sigh...

Food for Thought

"The squeaky wheel gets the oil."
—Anonymous

Yeah, well, the barking dog gets the muzzle.

Think about it.

Just a Friendly Reminder

I Shot a Warhol's Quarter-Century Birthday Bash!



Never Better Tour
featuring:
P.O.S.
DJ Plain Ole Bill
Sims
Mike Mictlan + Lazerbeak = Hand Over Fist

Friday, February 20, 2009

Rock & Roll Hotel
1353 H St. NE
Washington, D.C. 20002

10 pm Doors/10:30 pm Show
$10 Adv/$12 DoS

Join me for a birthday celebration, along with good friends, the good people of D.C., and members of Minnesota's Doomtree!

And don't forget to pick up P.O.S.' new album, Never Better, coming Tuesday, February 3, 2009, on Rhymesayers Entertainment/Doomtree Records.

Drumroll, Take Two!

This is the same video posted as before, but it's more accessible and uncensored, thanks to its uploading to YouTube.

P.O.S. - Drumroll (We're All Thirsty)

This is the first video released for the upcoming P.O.S. release, Never Better on Rhymesayers Entertainment/Doomtree Records. The video was shot on-location in Minneapolis. It was a 20 degree day in MN, with snow falling as the shoot took place. Cameos include Ander Other, Abjekt, and another person you may or may not know.

Never Better releases next Tuesday, February 3, 2009. Pick it up at Best Buy, Amazon.com, Fifth Element, and iTunes.

I'm Beautiful Dammit

Props goes out to Uncanny Alliance for the reference. However, that song has nothing to do with this post.

What I'm really here to discuss is how telling a person how beautiful he/she is in regards to their work is more of a diminishing quality, rather than a compliment.

The internet is a realm in which people from all over the world muster up the courage to say things to others that normally, they would only think to themselves, if they were to stand face to face with a certain figure. For all the women out there drooling over Hollywood dreams such as Brad Pitt, Denzel Washington, Johnny Depp, or Steve Buschemi (refer back to the title of the post), would they ever say to said man's face, "Oh my God! You're so hot!" Probably not. They might squeal, cry, or even take on a slight case of verbal paralysis, but I highly doubt that they would compliment them on their appearances.

The same goes for the male adoration of starletts. Natalie Portman is an astonishingly attractive person (even bald in V for Vendetta), but would I tell her that to her face? No. I would much rather try to have a converstation where she can say more than an uneasy, "Thank you" (read: I get that all the time, thanks for reminding me). Or what about Jessica Alba? Well...maybe all anybody can do is tell her how pretty she is, because she's not winning anything prestigious any time soon (Fantastic Four, anybody?).

These entertainers should be lauded not for their psyichal prowess, but instead for their talents. What made me think about this? It's simple, really. MySpace.

While on MySpace, I tend to stop by the page of an entertainer by the name of Dessa. Dessa is a spoken word poet, a rapper, a singer, a music instructor, and a beautiful person. Regardless of how great her work is, people can't seem to stay on topic. Instead, they tell Dessa how gorgeous she is. When praising a song of her's, "Dessa, you're so beautiful". When she posts writing samples, or links to interviews she has done, "Dessa, you take my breath away. You're such a beautiful soul". Yeah. Don't believe me, go to her page and see what the people are saying in the comments or in her blog.

I am a fan of Dessa's work. Her singing voice is both soothing and melodic. As a rapper, she can put many to shame with her abilities (she can rap in English and Spanish). And as a poet, her words are nothing short of remarkable. Needless to say, she's gifted. But for some odd reason, others can't quite figure out how to compliment her without reverting back to, "Dessa, you're so beautiful". Is it easy to see how the compliment of her physical appearance dwarfs her talents and achievements? When listening to her music, or reading her musings, Dessa's appearance is irrelevant.

Really, how do those kinds of remarks help an artist improve? Try critiquing the work. Artists need to know from their fans what material is effective, as well as what may not work for someone, and why. Parallel this situation to that of a business person. If a worker does a great job on a report, and is told, "You're so gorgeous," as opposed to, "Good job on that," I think that would be constituted as sexual harassment. If Campbell Brown were told that she is attractive after giving an important presentation, I think her response would be a fiery, "Did you pay attention to anything I just said?" No, because I was lost in your beauty. Bleh!

I just want people to think about what it is that they are truly saying, when they speak. The intention may be innocent, but it gets percieved in numerous lights by a plethora of personalities.

For the record, I have spoken to Dessa a few times, both online and in person. She is kind, highly intelligent, and more beautiful in person than in any photo found on the internet. Did I talk to her about any of this? No. There are far too man other things in the world to have conversations about. Honestly, I have no idea how she feels about any of this. As far as i'm concerned, she's just one of the guys.

I'm just saying.

FREE MUSIC!

Support my homie from Minneapolis, FranzDiego.com, by copping his new EP! FranzDiego.com is a member of the Mpls, MN Hip-Hop group, Illuminous 3.

You can't go wrong with free music, right? It can't hurt. Who knows, you might become a fan.

Trust, he's dope.

Oval O

I'm not sure if people are making a stink, making a big deal out of nothing, or trying to create news, but whatever the cause...when it's time to get down to business, you have to take off your coat and roll up your sleeves.

Obama gets down

Thoughts?

It Could be Worse

The Arizona Cardinals wanted it more. That's all it really came down to.

Sigh...

Today (Yesterday) in Wilmington, 01-17-09

Barack Obama came back to Wilmington on his Whistle-stop Train Tour. As the whole world knows, he started his journey in Philadelphia (GO EAGLES!), en route to Washinton, D.C., in order to retrace the steps of Abraham Lincoln. The stops on the trip included Philadelphia, PA, Wilmington, DE, Edgewood, MD, Baltimore, MD, then comes to a hault in Washington, D.C.

With police and secret service intact, roads closed, and a prohibition of just about anything and everything on the park grounds, Obama stepped off the train, down to ground level with the people, and spoke for about 15 minutes, before boarding the train for his next stop.

Originally, I told myself (and others) that I wasn't going, but why skip out on this journey when I only live five blocks away? Last February Obama gave a speech in Rodney Square in front of approximately 20,000 people, so it was only fitting that he return to give thanks.

You're welcome.

Another One Bites the Dust

I will go to war any day, in any town, with this crew right here, in the National Football League!

—Andy Reid, Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach

Oh, you didn't know? 23 - 11. Nuff said.

Remember the Pigeons

Recall the clay pigeon I mentioned before? The clay pigeon with the brand name, AirTran? Well, it's back, and it's pissing more people off. If you haven't heard, read this story here:

AirTran Doesn't Care about Muslim People

I had my own problems with AirTran already, but c'mon!

Social injustice is so 2001.