Could Griffey Get a Ring? (Porbably not)

With all the talk of Manny going south, no one saw Ken Griffey Jr going to the south side of Chicago. Remember when he debuted at the age 0f 19? He was baseball's savior. Perfect swing, great defense, hat backwards, fun-loving. There is nothing about Griffey not to love. He was supposed to become the greatest player of all time, maybe even reach Michael Jordan status. Then he went to Cincinnati. And then came the hamstring tears, tendon strains, knee sprains, and heart explosion. Through it all, Griffey kept coming back. He did more time in rehab than a coked-out actress. At the time, so-called fans criticized him for taking such a long time in between injuries. It wouldn't have been so bad if other players were recovering at a rate 4,658 times as fast. Then again, if Junior had sold out and injected himself with a little HGH, he most likely would have been back earlier too. Nowadays, Griffey is considered honorable for his extensive rehabilitation, as he should be. While guys like Palmeiro and Sosa got caught with the juice and A-Rod put Madonna and money over masterful playing, Griffey stayed patient and is now one of the most like players in baseball history.

Too bad the Sox can't hang with the Angels or Rays this year. At 38, Jr's career is in the waning stages and it looks like he'll never get what he deserves.

Reggin Please!

In case you missed it, here's Nas on The Colbert Report. When Nas first started campaigning for his new album back at the Grammy's I thought he had totally lost it. His last last couple albums had not reached the heights he at one time was capable of and he looked desperate to make a statement. Having said that, his untitled album was amazing. It's his third great work, along with Illmatic and Stillmatic. And now he's going on comedy central and looking like a genius. He's also raged a war on Fox News which shows he has found cause.

Momma's Boy

This is the new video released by Kanye praised duo, Chromeo. Reminiscent on Aha's Take On Me video from the early days of MTV (when they actually played videos).




Check out their under-the-radar album, Fancy Footwork. Out now.

Why So Stupid?

A 20-year dude from Michigan was arrested yesterday for going to local theaters trying to steal Dark Knight posters dressed up as The Joker himself; purple jacket, green wig, face paint and all.

He'll be in court next week, hope he doesn't try staying in character by attempting to blow it up.

Inside the mind of Asher Roth

If you've been on this blog lately, you know we've been pole jockin on Asher Roth lately. His flow is smooth and melts in your mouth, not your hands. Lyrically, Roth is ridiculous and throws things out there like, "How is George Bush not in jail for treason but Clinton gets impeached for busting semen?" Roth is set to blow up and I got to interview him via interview.

Siempre Fresco: How long have you been making music?

Asher Roth: Since I was in 10th grade... so I was around 16-years-old.

Siempre: When did you first fall in love with music?

Roth: I have a love/hate relationship with music.It's very off-and-on. Lately, however, we've rekindled the flame and been getting it on in the backseat.

Siempre: What musicians have had the biggest impact on you? Are there any
musicians that have influenced you that most Hip Hop heads wouldn'texpect (i.e. Rick Astley, lol)?

Roth: The Roots and Biggie are artists of my genre I could say I derive inspiration from, along with Bob Dylan and Bob Marley. I'd say Dave Matthews being an influence leaves the hip hop heads a little confused.

Siempre: How have people reacted to your efforts as an MC seeing that you're white and from the Suburbs, besides Jay-Z and 3-stacks?

Roth: Although it's imperative to get love from the legends, the most important ok has come from my people on MySpace and Facebook and wherever else on the internet who stay tuned to what I've been doing. They don't care about where I'm from, they just like the fact I'm saying some refreshing shit. But its definitely an honor to have well respected MCs reach out and give the thumbs up.

Siempre: What producer, dead or alive, would you most like to work with? Why?

Roth: Dilla. You already know.

Siempre: How would you describe yourself? Jason Bourne crossed with Zack Morris?

Roth: Yeah pretty much. I can take on several enemies at once and stop time with a time out.

Simpre: What other up-and-comers do you have respect for and think will have an impact on the game?

Roth: Just got done having fun with the Cool Kids, B.O.B. is dope, Charles Hamilton, Chester French are big homies and Oren Yoel on the production tip.

Siempre: Are there any acts out there that you here and think, "How are they
making it and I haven't yet!" If so, how does that make you feel?

Roth: I tend to shy away from those that host the majority of my complaints. I'm cool, I'm gonna just keeping doing what I do and with good, honest music that people can relate to my time will come.

Please Disperse...

Here's Consequence's new vid for Disperse.




Yet another artist that doesn't get nearly enough plays as he deserves.

Jim Jones Disses Kanye

Jim Jones is calling out Kanye West. To quote LeBron, "This is like soulja boy talking about Jay-Z." Maybe it's not quite that one-sided, but it is pathetic. To see what matters in this clip, jump to 2:00. Pretty much the rest is stereotypical, ignorant hardcore rap stuff that you don't need to worry about.

Rush Limbaugh... NFL Owner?

There are rumors whirling that Rush is looking to buy the St. Louis Rams after the death of their former owner, Georgia Frontier. I don't even really care that Limbaug is going after an ownership job, it's just that I'm kind of shocked that a radio personality has enough money to blow half-a-bill on a sports franchise. Apparently he just signed a $400 million extension. Whether or not you like him-- and, seeing that you are probably below 40 and enjoy things like hip hop, you most likely don't-- you have to admit the man is successful at what he does. According to Talkers magazine (yes, that does exist), Limbaugh has about 13.5 million listeners a week. If this goes down, Rams fans shouldn't hold out for Pat White.

H.R.E.A.M.

Alright Hollywood, you've done it. You've put me in the poorhouse next to Mike Tyson's broke ass and that naked dude from Survivor. You've taken all of my money (I would also like to take this time to shout a big F.U. to all the concessions managers out there for jacking up your prices) and eaten it like the customary Filet Mignon at a normal celeb dinner.

The Dark Knight, Step Brothers, Ironman, The Hulk, Indy, Get Smart, Kung Fu Panda, Wall-e, Wanted, Hancock, Hellboy 2 and The X-Files. All in the first few months of summer, Hollywood has made me a popcorn-dependent, movie junkie, but there's still more to come.

No matter what I'm going to see The Rocker, Pineapple Express, Star Wars: Clone Wars and Tropic Thunder, even if it means having to sell my soul to the devil for admission money.

I'm trying so hard to save money, being a broke college-goer and all, but Hollywood is making it so damn hard with all of these blockbusters dropping every weekend.

Hollywood, I wish I knew how to quit you.

Go to Kizzaland for free

Izza Kizza just dropped his new mixtape. Kizza is Timbaland's latest project and his tracks Red Wine and Walk the dog have been floating around for a while. He's a native of Valdosta. That city is about to OD on exposure between this and being name ESPN's Titletown.

Here's the tracklist:

01. Intro

02. Flippin’ In The Rizzide

03. I’m The Izza Kizza

04. Millionaire (Preview)

05. Walk The Dog ft. Missy Elliot

06. Wham!

07. Timbo Freestyle

08. Tell ‘Em What My Name Iz

09. Red Wine

10. Here I Izz

11. Ooh La La (Preview)

12. Living My Dreams (Preview)

13. Don’t Stop Go!

14. They’re Everywhere

15. Hello

16. Me & Keesha (Boy Meets Girl)

17. Testimonial

18. PUSH

19. Outro

20. Georgie Porgie (Bonus)

Roth Boyz [Video]

Don't judge a book by its cover
If you haven't done so already, down his mixtape "The Greenhouse Effect" NOW!


LeChayim!

Nike pulls super-offensive adds

This is what we've come to. No matter what you do, your motivations are questioned. You want to make an ad where men accidentally kiss, then rip off their chest hair in a desperate attempt to prove their manliness? That is clearly a message that homosexuality is wrong. Want to talk about donuts while wearing a scarf? Don't even think about it because that scarf is most likely a headdress worn by Arab men and you would be supporting terrorism by showing that.

The latest offender is Nike's Hyperdunk commercials (seen here and here), which are apparently offensive to gays and blacks. As to why the commercial is offensive, that's anyone's guess. Maybe a homosexual group felt Nike was trying to say that having someone else groin-area in your face is embarrassing. But, isn't it? I doubt that's really a homophobic statement. I'm sure gay people would be embarrassed if they got their head stuck in someone else's crotch. The fact that people are suggesting that a homosexual man would not be embarrassed by having that happen to them is more offensive than the actual ad. This is suggesting that only straight guys get a kick out of seeing this or this. That's what is messed up.

Let's move to the black thing. I'm not black so I guess I don't get it. This isn't some Don Imus stuff, this is just a commercial. Yes, there are black people getting dunked on, one by a goofy-looking white guy, but that's it. Interest groups who say this is an attack on the African-American race are saying that showing a black man getting dunked on brings down the entire race. Isn't that suggesting that the entire African-American race is defined by basketball. Man, these special interest groups are really racist. Where ere these people in 1992 when White Men Can't Jump came out?

Would You Cop?

I'm a huge fan of Reason and shirts like this are why. The tees are categorized by simplicity, which is good in the long run. Some days, you may really like some outrageous stuff, other days you aren't going to be feeling it. But, no matter what, simple shirts with a message are always a good look. My favorite Reason item was their collaboration with Chuck Anderson. Too bad my small head can't fit in it.

August 2008 SB Dunks

Previewed below are 5 models of SB Dunks set to drop in August. They include a Blazer, Blazer Low, Dunk Mid, Dunk Low, and my personal favorite the P-Rod II. To me, the Blazers are wack but the others may be worthy of some of your dough. Stay tuned for more updates from the SneakFreaks at Nike.

This is kind of old, at least by blog standards

Here's the supposed first single off T.I.'s new album, Whatever You Like. Paper Trail is going to be the best pure rap album of this year. The reason? The man has turned tragedy to triumph by dedicating his house arrest to writing his lyrics. Paper Trail is due out September 30th. This + Invincible Summer + The Quilt = The only reason you should ever look forward to the month of September. Oh, and don't forget about football and cooler weather,

Step Brothers wasn't bad so...

I decided to reminice on the best of John William Ferrell. The first one is my favorite Ferrell moment of all time. It's his Sistine Chapel.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

I'VE BEEN LIFTING WEIGHTS AND DOING COCAINE ALL DAY LONG! lol

We Just Turned Off The Lights

It's like Tokyo in here.

Oh You Mad 'Cause I'm Styling On You

P being P at the flagship pad...also talks about that dope purple duffle (yea i said it) hes been carrying around lately

Clipse + Rick Rubin = Crazy Delicious

That's right, Rick Rubin is set to work with Malice and Pusha T on a track for the Virgina-based duo's upcoming album, Till The Casket Drops. There are rumors about the other producers that will be on the album, but names like Kanye West, Diddy, and The Neptunes (of course). Now, this is the first album by the group that won't be completely handled by Skateboard P and Hugo Mind Boss. At first, I was unhappy about this news. Now? I'm hyped.

For those that aren't familiar with Rick Rubin's work, get your head out of the sand. I mean, he's the founder of Def Jam after all.













That should give you a clue as to how diverse Rick Rubin is. Clipse fans, get ready to rock out to some heavy metal. Just kidding. Then again, Rubin did invent the rapcore genre.

The World's Coming To An End

A sign of the final times: MTV is about to show something intelectual and worth watching. On Monday night at 10, MTVnews will run a special on Iraq/Afganistan war veterens coming home. It shows how the men and women who have served our country are not being taken care of once there tour of duty is finished. These people have trouble getting jobs, dealing with Posttraumatic stress disorder, and just adjusting back to a world without war. Whether or not you support the war, you have to support those that have literraly sacrificed their lives, or at least a significant portion of it, for your freedom and how we support these people when they come home should be a major issue in the upcoming election.

Kanye West joined Sway to meet a couple veterans while on the Glow In The Dark Tour, but he's definitly not the focus of this show. At least, I hope he's not, I haven't seen the show yet. If MTV makes this show about the artist and not the people who are struggling, I will boycott the channel for a long time, or until they stop showing NEXT and Parental Control.

Here is a preview:

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

And here is what Bill O'Reilly has to say. If you limit him to 19-ssecond clips, he's not so bad.

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

I think I've made this statement before, but this this time I mean it: This is the best music video of 2008. Chris Milk directed it and brought Gnarls Barkley's ode to breakups to a whole new level. The concept is perfect. Asaha Davis (Friday Night Lights, Grey's Anatomy) plays the girl, but I am unaware of who plays the (now) ex-boyfriend. Regardless, they both play their roles perfectly. Their relationship describes how both the man and woman feel about each other after an emotional relationship ends.

I think I've done this before, but I can't help myself

Here is a tribute to truly terrible broadcast journalists. I'm sure the job is harder than it seems, but how do you do as bad these guys? My inspiration for this post was watching Nardwuar's interview with N.E.R.D. I had never heard of Nardwaur but was shocked by how well he knew his subjects. He must have researched Pharrell & Co. for like a week before doing the interview. If you want to do a feature on someone, research is imperative and Nardwaur showed that.

Now, on to the opposite of Nardwaur. This guy clearly has no idea what he's talking about, but is way to proud to admit it. He is interviewing a former European futbol star headed for the MLS. Welcome to America. The sportscaster asks him questions like, "Was your goal the best goal ever?" Another gem: "What's David Beckham like? Is he really that good? What do you think of Victoria Beckham? Do you have a famous wife we can promote?"


Of course, that was nothing compared to what Brian Collins did. What the blues did for rock music, Brian Collins did for every anchor-related viral video. This video laid the groundwork for all the ignorance and screw-ups in the newsroom. Of course, Brian should not be put in the same category as the video above. Unlike that guy, Brian wasn't arrogant and had no trouble admitting he didn't know what he was doing. At the 1:20 mark, you can see him whispering, "I'm so sorry." I feel bad for him, I really do, but it's so hard not to enjoy this. My favorite quote is, "Stephen Jackson.. Stephahuhhh.."

Unlike the other videos, this announcer doesn't seem cocky and is calm, he just has a brain fart. A couple words you can't say when broadcasting a game: "fag," "n****r," "retard," "gay," or any obvious curse words/ racial slurs. This guy got set up. His partner couldn't stop talking about placing balls in soft hands, how many heterosexual guys would have responded the same way?

You know how sports video games give athletes ratings? For example, Takeru Kobayahsi has a hot dog eating rating of 97 and Shaquille O'Neal has a speed rating of 31? They should do that for sports announcers. These guys would have an awareness rating of 13.

Now this one doesn't have any sports connotations, it's simply Willard Scott at his finest. Nobody pulls off the creepy, perverted old man with hidden racism like the Smuckers guy. In this clip, the Asian girl tells him she doesn't own a television and hilarity ensues. "You don't have a TV? Get rid of this kid, bring me another one."

Get Familiar: ASHer Roth

If you haven't heard of him yet, you will. The Pennsylvania-based rapper has all the skill and is signed to the same label as Akon and Wu-Tang Clan. He has been endorsed by legends Jay-Z and 3-stacks. The thing that stands out to me is his flow, it's smooth enough to put a baby to sleep. I highly suggest you rip his A Millia freestlye here. If you like what you are hearing, get his mixtape, The Greenhouse Effect. ASHer Roth might be the future. Then again, he might not. Decide for yourself.

Put On [Video]

If it wasn't for 'Ye there surely would not be a post even mentioning the name Young Jeezy

Oklahoma City Thunder is getting what they deserve

So, I have two problems with the Oklahoma City Thunder (formerly the Seattle Supersonics for those that haven't been watching their ESPN)

A) They moved away from a major metropolitan area with a loyal fanbase for no reason. Actually there was a reason and it was stupid. You see, there was this hurricane in New Orleans a couple years back. You might have heard of it, you might have not. It was called something like Katrina, the name escapes me. Anyways, the New Orleans Hornets could not play in New Orleans after the hurricane hit because it was apparently pretty bad. As a result, the Hornets played some basketball games in Oklahoma, home of gay musicals, Sooners, and good ol' J.R. The people of Oklahoma decided to support the Hornets during their time of need and sold out all their games.

After a while, the Hornets moved back home. Later, some dude from Oklahoma decided to buy the Supersonics and thought, "Why don't I move these guys back home so Ma' and Pa' can watch 'em?" Just like that, he picked up his new team- up-and-coming legend Kevin Durant included- and brought 'em back home. As for the people of Seattle, he went old school and gave them the ol' "Screw you, grunge-playin' coffee lovers!" I guess only the athletes in the NBA have to act professional.

B) They decided to name the team the friggin Thunder. Seriously!?!? It sounds like an arena football league team to me. I mean, the Thunder? The only people who are liking this are these ladies who currently own the domain name oklahomacitythunder.com. Also, that's a terrible name for a team website. You know how many times fans are going to misspell that name? Oh, and by the way, I'm totally not making up the fact that those woman own the domain name. If you don't believe me, you can type it in yourself.

Did someone just say Dilla?

Here are a few J Dilla-produced tracks that just came out. I know you like Dilla, that's a prerequiste, and I assume you like Ghostface and MF Doom. Consider this your lucky day.

MF Doom- Sniper Elite

Ghostface Killer- Murder Goons

If you call yourself a music fan and haven't subscribed to RyanLeslieTV...

I don't really know what to say. Ryan Leslie provides more material to his fans than anyone else. Subscribe to his myspace channel now. Here is what you'll get, if you don't already know.
Here's his Diamond Girl short film. No, not the music video, an actual short film. It tells a story and everything, kind of like Thriller...

Here he is making Addiction. No other producer bring you into his world like Ryan. Yeah, there are some YouTube clips of Timbaland in the studio, but it isn't this in depth.

Here he is marching in honor of Sean Bell. In case you forgot, Sean Bell was the guy who got shot and killed by undercover policeman.


There are plenty more worth watching. Go hit up YouTube now.

Chuck and Pharrell

Here is Skateboard P talking about his love for the All-Stars. While this wasn't nearly as entertaining as his previous interviews- My favorite Pharrell quote: "(The White Stripes' music) is like porn, with smurfs."- it got me thinking. Are the classic Converses the best pair of shoes in the world? While most people will make arguments for Jordan IIIs or maybe some Adidas Superstars, Chuck Taylors have been doing it longer. How much longer? The first Chuck Taylors were made in 1917. Think about that. My great-grandparents were in their teens when they came out. Harry Caray was born March 1, 1917. On top of its longevity, no other shoe has been able to match its simplicity and style. I don't think any shoe looks better in jeans than my Chucks. I've spent hundreds on Jordans, but I wear my $4o All-Stars more. There's some food for thought.

Would You Buy These?

What do you guys think about this new wave of shades? I was never a huge fan of the stunner shade era. I always felt they were a little over the top and couldn't take anyone wearing them seriously. But I am feeling the whole plastic shades movement. They won't break your checkbook and, if anyone makes fun of you for wearing them, you can always play them off as a joke. These shades are available at commonwealth. For other funky fresh plastic sunglasses, hit up Urban Outfitters.

Blinded With Anticipation

The following is a love letter to my favorite music blog, Blind I For The Kids. Yes, I'm a blogger showing my appreciation for another site. I refuse to front and pretend that I don't care about other blogs. This blog isn't the best. This blog isn't even close, my hit count tells me that. But Blind I is the best blog, and I won't deny it. What follows is my raw feelings towards them, I didn't spend hours thinking about what to write or coming up with clever metaphors. Yeah, there are metaphors in there, but they took me like seven seconds to come up with them. This isn't my greatest piece of writing, but it captures how I feel to a tee. For those that think the following is gay, get over yourselves.

Dear folks over at BlindI,
It's been such a long time since I heard from you. What's up? Your site has been "under construction" for a good long time. How long has it been? I don't know. One, two months? The point is, I am tired of waiting for the re-launch.
You see, I've been a BlindI head for a good minute. In fact, you guys were the first bloggers I ever visited to get my Hip Hop fix. Simply put, my love for music was like an itch I couldn't reach and you guys provided the loofah. I loved being that guy who collected all the music those ignorants out there couldn't appreciate. My favorite posts? The Lupe Fiasco mixtape series and all the albums produced by Danger Mouse, including the Grey Album, The Mouse and the Mask, Demon Days, St. Elsewhere, and even this stuff right here. I ate all your posts up as if I was at a Sweet Tomatoes. I looked forward to it every day.
As time went on, I learned about other blogs that fed my Hip Hop munchies. Way More Fresher, IllRoots, The Fader, The Smoking Section all provided some form of musical joy. But, BlindI, you have held a special place in my heart. While everyone else was posting the same "hot" stuff, you guys dug deep and came out with fresh, never-heard-before material. Every month, I looked forward to downloading Blind I Says Go! If something was worth listening to and you had it, I'd enjoy it in a way that was reminiscent of fresh air on a mountain top. If it wasn't for you guys, why would I have Little Dragon, Hot Chip, J. Kwest, or Muhsinah on my iPod (which, hereafter, will be called my BlindiPod)?
Needless to say-but I'm going to say it anyway. Why do they say, "needless to say before saying something?- the last few months have been rough for me. I have gone through a few emotional phases, like a man grieving a lost loved one. First, I was in shock. I didn't believe it. Why is BlindI gone? When will it come back? Will it come back? After a couple weeks of shock, my surprise evolved into anger. Simply put, you were dead to me. I no longer cared. Who needs you?
Then, on July 4th, I celebrated my independence by looking like a desperate ex-boyfriend. "BlindI is coming back soon! It says it right on its website," I told anyone that cared. Most people didn't know what I was talking about or why I cared so much about a website. But you represent more than a website, BlindFolks. You represent everything that is beautiful about music. Basically, it's music stripped of its vices. Nothing holds it back. No record labels, no ignorant radio DJs, no posers. It's what music is all about. It's the soul of music. Nothing more, nothing less.
So now, I'm sitting here waiting for your return. I'll stay faithful for as long as I can. You say Rome wasn't built in a day, and I respect that. At the same time, I don't know how much longer I can wait. Could I go the whole summer waiting for your return? I hope I don't have to find out.
Sincerely,
Siempre

Cool Kids Getting Love... It's About Damn Time

Here's Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inglish doing it big on Jimmy Kemmel Live. The dudes' are performing What It Iz. When Fish Ride Bicycles out later this year. Hey Jimmy, when are you putting Wale on?

The Emmys Don't Care About Black People

Alright, maybe The Wire isn't solely based on a cast of black characters, but this show is consistently talked about in every conversation about the best program on TV, yet it also consistently gets left off the Emmy ballot.

HBO's put the screw to this series after 5 incredible seasons, and not because it couldn't garner the ratings it needed to stay on air. So, this was The Wire's last chance to capture the glory (and the gold) it deserved so much.

This is a travesty of epic proportions, television wise, almost as aggrevating as Soulja Boy being nominated for a Grammy this past year. The Wire has only been nominated for one solitary Emmy in it's five year run, which was for 'Outstanding Writing in a Drama'. All of this while shows like Lost and Two and a Half Men get nods for their specific categories while maintaining boring, confusing plots and stale sex and fart jokes, year after year.

I'm not sure what's so hard about giving a show the respect it deserves. I don't know what "the academy" does to narrow down the finalist list to the final nominees, but whatever it is they do is clearly in need of a reality check.

The day that was: July 17th

Here are a couple tracks that I heard for the first time today. Some days there is nothing new, other days it's a harvest. Today is one of those days.

Up first we have Whatever You Like by T.I. It's supposed to be the first single off Paper Trail (check the Album Cover here). I'm extremely excited about this because Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. has been under house arrest ever since his arrest last October. When someone is left with nothing to do but hone their craft, greatness emerges. Quote me on that.

The other reason the sun is shining today is every one's favorite DC-based rapper leaked a couple tracks like his name was Weezy. Get Whole Time (feat. Young Chris) here and Rhymefest's Ain't Heard It From Me (feat. Wale) here.

Diamond Supply Co. Makes cool shirts

Via Hypebeast

Diamond Supply Co. is coming out with a Legends Pack featuring the likes of Pele, Joe Montana, Henry Aaron, and Julius Erving (Sixers style, not Virginia Squires). This is a situation where I don't really need to talk about the illness/dopeness/freshness/crazyness of this. I love clothes that honor great sports figures, assuming they're done right. Not like this. Simply put, I want that Pele shirt in yellow.

A-Rod Continues To Be A-Hole

Quick. Over/Under on how many Yankees will show up at Alex Rodriguez's post All-Star party at Jay-Z's 40/40 club. If I set the number at 1, which side will you choose? Actually, it won't matter because it's a push (I should work in Vegas). That's right, including Yankee Alex Rodriguez, there was one Yankee at Alex Rodriguez's party. Wow. Then again, who needs Jeter and Rivera when you've got this guy and her in your entourage. What you just looked at were Guy Oseary and Ingrid Casares, who are in Madonna's inner circle. Yeah Alex, way to distance yourself from the rumors that you aren't having an affair with the 50-year-old used up pop star. Too harsh?

Source: New York Post Page 6

This is what Lupe was talking about. Still a big day for me.

I am somewhat disappointed. For some stupid reason, I was hoping the new CRS video would be of a brand new song we hadn't heard of. But in this age of track leaking and album downloading, I shouldn't be surprised. I'll probably never hear a song featuring big names like Lupe, Kanye, and Pharrell when it is meant to first come out. This video is for the CRS Everyone Nose Remix, which I heard for the first time like two months ago. I'm still interested in what these guys will do with this video. The first two N.E.R.D. videos haven't been exactly groundbreaking considering the fact the album is titled Seeing Sounds. Here are some pics courtesy of the BBC/ICE CREAM Blog.

Kanye always looks good. He's like the James Bond of Hip Hop.

CRS' Little Weapon (Can you tell how bad I want this to stick?)

Pusha T

Hype Williams directed it. If Ye's the James Bond of Hip Hop, Williams is the Martin Campbell.

Yeah. Today is kind of a big deal for me.

If what Lupe says is true, and isn't always, The Louie Vouitton Don, Skateboard P, and ..... Lupe (who seriously needs a nickname, like yesterday) are making magic as I type this. I've heard rumors of the group breaking up before it even started, but those were dispelled by CRS' Little Weapon (I'm going to stick with this until he comes up with his own) on Sunday. Wait, wasn't this there first music video? No matter, I'm still pumped.

This got me thinking last night. Nobody ever posts comments on this page. I don't really care. I mean, I hardly ever comment on my favorite blogs (Way More Fresher, Illroots, Hypebeast, Kanye's, Deadspin, etc.). Some bloggers expect comments and I think those people are stupid. I could care less whether you comment on here (trust me, I'm getting to something). Occasionally, though, I'd like to hear what you guys thought. Yes, you. Don't look around, there;s no one else and, yes, I'm pointing at you.

CRS is pretty much a dream come true. I honestly couldn't think of any 3 rappers I'd rather see work together than Pharrell, Kanye, and Lupe. Pharrell for his production, Lupe for his rapping, and Kanye for the sheer fact that he is the most dominant musician in the world (or at least the U.S.A.). This made me think: What three musicians, regardless of genre and era, would I like to hear together.

I decided to put the following 3 men together: Andre 3000, Michael Jackson, and Roger Waters. You obviously know the first two men. As for those that aren't full-out music nerds, Roger Waters was the bassist and sometimes provided the lead vocals for Pink Floyd. He was extremely important in the production of Dark Side of the Moon, one of the most important albums of all time. Dark Side was noted for its breakthrough production with use of synthesizers and putting in sound effects.

Why did I pick these three. I have a "lock-in theory." If you lock these three men in a recording studio, something special will be created. I see Andre killing the verses, Michael Jackson hitting high notes and singing hooks, and Waters doing something special behind the scenes. I didn't choose to many superstars because I fear guys like Jimi Hendrix and Eminem would murder each other if locked in a room together.

Going back to that paragraph about getting comments on this blog, I want to hear what artists you wish you could see together. I'd like to see people go WAY back if possible, maybe throw in some Robert Johnson or Little Richard. The odder, the better.

This is what Fonzworth's been up to

Mr. Bentley (AKA Diddy's personal assistant) hasn't been seen in a while. We've known about the album, set to be released by G.O.O.D. Music, for a while, but this is only the second track I've heard. So far, Fonzworth has not really shined on either track (the other track being C.O.L.O.U.R.S.) and relied on the game's giants-Lil Wayne, Andre 3000, the late Pimp C are first ballot hall of famers- to make it worth a listen. Don't get me wrong, I love this song and whoever made this video has me eating out of the palm of their hand. Having said that, I want to see if Fonzworth can shine on his own. Otherwise, he'll be stuck competing with Rihanna for the title of Ultimate Umbrella Salesman.

So this is what Kel Mitchell's been up to

We all know him from Keenan and Kel, but he has been in hiding like Osama for a long, long time. While Keenan has been perfecting his craft on SNL, Kel's been staying the same, I guess. He's still playing off his role in that old sitcom, for better or worse. I do have to admit, this is funny. I wonder how Kel's career would have been different if he was never in Mystery Men.

Yo, Kanye West is actually a funny dude

We all talk about how immature and self-centered Mr. West is. And while those statements are more-or-less justified, we need to give him his due. He's a fantastic musician. Plus, I just found out something new about him: the dude's funny. I don't know how long he has been hiding this characteristic, but it seems it's his new favorite form of expression. I think humor has replaced that synthesizer- which had a shelf life of about a month-- as the new Yeezy trademark. If you haven't seen these, here is what I'm talking about.

An appearance in Mike Myers' Love Guru



Alright, that was a little short. But what about this new ad with absolut vodka:



This one's a little old, but is Kanye West making fun of himself?

Murs is pulling a Radiohead (or a Wilco, depending on who you talk to)

If you are a fan of either:

A) Murs

B) 9th Wonder

C) Albums containing the words "Sweet" and "Lord"

D) Free Stuff

E) Any combination of the above

You will surly be pumped about the following: Murs is teaming up with 9th Wonder to create Sweet Lord. It is going to be made available before the release of Murs For President, which is the album he is hoping to make bank on.

Music is no longer about the artists, it's about the fans. This is the best way to describe the direction the music industry is going. Lil Wayne released 542,637 free mixtapes in 2007 before releasing a studio album this year. The result? Over 1,000,000 units sold in the first week (and yes, I decided to use the number instead of spelling it so that you could see how many zeroes were involved). The lsit of other artists that have realized the importance of free music is substantial: Radiohead, Wilco (not that I care), Nine Inch Nails (see Wilco), Prince, Wale, Weezy, Gemstones, Rhymefeat (I don't know if you downloaded the Man in the Mirror mixtape, but you should), William Hung (he better not be charging), and even this guy. Who is he? I have no idea, but he clearly gets the music industry.

I don't know if anyone actaully cares but...

Here's the album cover from The Quilt (due September 9th fools). As I stated earlier, there aren't a whole lot of albums that are worth a look this summer, but September is looking pretty good. I don't really have anything else top say, just wanted you to see this cover. Oh, and Nas' album is coming out Tuesday in case you haven't already downloaded it and you ahppen to still like Nas. Actually, Hero was pretty solid so maybe the album will save the summer. I wouldn't get my hopes up, though.

Daddy Needs A New Pair Of Shoes

For all those that don't like how professional sports have become dominated by corporations and $100 million dollar payroles, I present to you Minor League Baseball. It's always good for some entertainment. Whether it's a manager's freak out (see above) or crazy promotions like Vince Vaughn look-alike day, there's always a reason to splurge and spend ten bucks on third baseline seats. Plus, where else can you find a team like the Albuquerque Isotopes? Their team name was inpired by a Simpson's episode. I promise I'm not making that up.

Shaq, Tell Me How My Glass Tastes.

Who knows whether or not Kobe had something to do with this video, or if Kobe's diehard fans were just getting his back after Shaq's "rap" (if you can even call it that). Still, this video is pretty funny:



MVP Bitch!

Baseball Players Have All The Fun

Why do baseball players have all the fun, you ask. Well, if you play 162 games every year, you realize that individual games aren't tha important so you lighten up. If I had to pick a sport to be great at, I'd pick baseball. I'd love hanging out all day, playing cards, having a beer with the manager, playing a liitle ball. Not a bad life. Plus, there is no salary cap, so that's a plus. What's that? You want further evidence that baseball players cn be more laid back that other athletes? Check this out. Courtesy of deadspin.

In case you didn't quite catch that, here is a closer look.

That's right: Mike Lowell decided to steal a fan's cell phone. In the ninth inning. In a 1-0 ball game. If you don't have to be serious in the final minutes of a one run game, do you ever have to be serious? If Mike Lowell was the sawx's third base coach, he'd probably trip Coco Crisp while he's rounding the base and heading for home. In the ninth inning. In a 1-0 ball game. In game seven of the World Series. With Boston trailing.

Do you want to laugh?

Check out this website. This is what gives Christians a bad name. Apparently Hip Hop is the tool of the devil. According to this site, hip hop can be summed up in six words: Sex, Sex, Sex! Murder, Murder, Murder! It also gives signs that your daughter might be a "Hip Hop Ho." It's very informative.

New Gym Class Heroes. The Quilt Coming This September.

For those that think Gym Class Heroes is all Cupid's Chokehold pop music, you need to get acquainted with As Cruel As School Children. Now. If you need further proof the group makes good music, check out this song that I found at OkayPlayer. It's tentatively titled Peace Sign and features Mr. Busta Rhymes. Get the track right now. Click here. You won't regret it, I swear. And if you like reading, nerds, you can see what Travie said about working with Busta here. Oh, and one more reason to get pumped for The Quilt: The group has been working with Dre (of Cool & Dre, of course). Nice.

Did the Invincible Summer Die?

Two months ago, I was pretty excited about all the albums coming out this summer. On Wikipedia (where people like me spend hours looking up information that is most likely false), I saw some good stuff. Seeing Sounds and Tha Carter III was a great start. Sure Tha Carter III was a dissapointment for most heads out there, but I'm still listening to Dr. Carter and Tie My Hands. As far as Seeing Sounds is concerned, it was everything I hoped and expected in an N.E.R.D. album. Was it for everyone? No, not even close. But it was for me, and that is the only person I care about when it comes to buying music (I'm also the only person I care about in general, which explains why I never get anyone else Christmas gifts but still expect presents on my birthday. Just kidding. But seriously, I'm aweful about that. Just ask my brother. Regardless, my birthday is coming up so I expect big things from my family... assuming you are reading this.).

Beyond that, I was looking forward to seeing the works of Common, Gym Class Heroes, and Busta Rhymes. For those that didn't know, Common's Invincible Summer is ironically being pushed back to September. Also, Gym Class Heroes new album (AKA. The Quilt) is looking to join Common in September. Then again, with Travis' recent fight club aspirations (scroll down for more info), that album could very well be in jeopardy altogether. On the bright side, Busta Rhymes' Blessed is scheduled for launch in "mid-late August." For those that don't know what "mid-late August" means, Blessed will hit shelves in early September. I would be more depressed, but I found this gem on illroots. It features Busta, Lil Wayne, and the only rapper who seeks musical inspiration in an Austin Powers flick, Ludacris.

Busta Rhymes- Throw It Up (Feat. lil Wayne & Ludacris)

Hyperdunk Gettin Hyped Like The Nike Dunk

Nike has the best commercials. The only other group that can come up with creative and funny ads like them is SportsCenter. This is almost as good as the soccer ad they did a couple months back. Between this ad and Kobe coming out of a DeLorean, this sneaker is getting pushed like its the next Jordan. I've never seen anything like it. Except every other Saturday when a new Jordan gets re-released in a new colorway.

Skateboard P + Styles P

Head over to Ye's blog if you haven't heard this track. The production on this is tight. Not a huge fan of Styles P overall, but I really, really like this song. This just goes to show you, putting Pharrell's touch on anything makes it worth listening to. Need further proof: How many Hip-Hop Heads gave Hard Candy a listen? Exactly.

Wear your childood on your heart (or belt)

Ok, I'll admit it. I'm a Kanye biter. There. I said it. I saw this pic on the BBC/Ice Cream blog and thought, "Kanye West is nuts and I wish I could be like him." Actually, those weren't my exact thoughts. Am I pull jock'n? Most likely. Do I care if you accuse me of pole jock'n? Not at all. "What exactly is Kanye wearing," you ask. The answer can be found here. The dudes who make that Lego piece are creative masterminds (Dee and Ricky are those dudes). I don't know about the Lego hearts that you can buy, but I am definitely feeling the fresh to def belts. Are Lego pieces the new Jesus pieces? Better yet, can Lego pieces buy Kanye peace?

People Who Like To Run And Also Like To Listen To Hip-Hop Will Be Intrigued By This Collaboration. I Promise. Well, Actually I Don't Promise.

Nike, which is on my list of companies that can do whatever they want and still be king, is teaming up with A-Trak, AKA the dude who does the DJ-thing at some of Kanye's live sets, to make a running album. The ditty will be released on iTunes on August 25th to promote some sort of running event on August 31st (which is my birthday so I will celebrate by not running). I don't care about this "sport" they call jogging (pronounced "yogging." The J is silent for all you ignorant fools out there.) However, I am a big fan of music and I'm pretty excited about what A-Trak is going to do with this. One track that did not make the list featured Lupe and it can be found in the archives of Ye's blog. I've been gone for a while so, chances are, you already have listened to it. Also, Nike and A-Trak launched a site to get everyone hyped. Check it out here.

You tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is, never try.

What we have before us is a showcase of what bad acting is all about. The man in the white suit is named Keison Wilkins, and already has a history of being a convicted felon. During his second trial for "felonious assault" Wilkins demanded to represent himself, and when the tough got going, he tried to fake a heart attack.



Long story short, he ended up getting 42 years after trying so hard.

I'm 6'5", 200-plus and so sexy

I saw this over at illroots. What you are looking at is a pissed off Travis McCoy-of Gym Class Heroes- beating a fan down in the front row at Warped Tour. If you look closely, you can see Travis is pounding the dude's head with his mic. McCoy got charged with third-degree assault (obviously) but was let out on bail. I have two jokes here but can't decide which direction to go so I'll use them both, kind of like alternate endings on a DVD:
A) Lyricists like Nas and Eminem said that mics were their weapons, I just always assumed they were speaking metaphorically. So much for that.
B) Their are so many scary looking rappers out there, and the dude who sings "Cupid's Chokehold" is the one who assaults a fan on stage? That's who just outdid DMX?

Ok, the jokes weren't that good. They sounded better in my head than in writing.

A-Rod is wasting his resources

Before I write anything I want to set the record straight: I like Alex Rodriguez. At least I like him when he's on the field. I can't really defend him when he complains about not getting an invite to Jeter's for a sleepover, but he's a spacial player. All around, he's the best player in baseball year-in and year-out. I can't stand it when I hear Yankee fans complain about his poor October performances. I mean, this is the guy who has averaged 44 home runs over the last 4 seasons in New York. Think about it, the guy could have been the greatest shortstop of all time, period. Then he sacrificed it and moved to third base so a terrible defensive shortstop could keep his ego intact.

But.............................

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?? Yeah, you have a right to skip the home run derby, but all you're doing is allowing baseball fans to further disrespect you. Then again, that's your personal choice and you will have to live with it. But can you please defend your recent decision to hookup with Madonna. Let's think about something real fast. YOU ARE THE HIGHEST PAID PLAYER IN A SPORT FILLED WITH OVER PAYED ATHLETES. Why are you wasting your time on a woman who is about to turn 50. This is the oddest celeb pairing since Michael Jackson and and Elvis' daughter. You have just chosen this as opposed to this or this. How can you play baseball with such an obvious vision problem?

Where have you been??

Ok, so the viewership of this blog has been down and, frankly, I can't blame you. I've been out of the country (Argentina futbol, stand up!) and in the process of relocation (Gainesville football, stand up!) Having said that, its not like I've done you dirty like the folks over at BlindI. I mean, its only been a couple of weeks. I'm not trying to justify myself, I'm only trying to make myself look better (so yeah, I'm justifying myself). With that said, I'm back and won't ever leave you- until I leave America again.