Just In Case You Were Considering Voting For McCain

Back To The Future

Many of you may not be old enough to remember that days before the commercialism of Hip-Hop videos. Many of you were born into the Bling-Bling / Ghetto Fabulous era of hip-hop videos and completely missed the golden age of hip-hop videos, when they were raw, real and straight from the streets.

On this week’s edition of Back To The Future, we are spotlighting one of my personal favorites "Aint No Future In Yo Frontin'" by MC Breed. This video was originally released back in 1991 before there were video hoes, before rappers was renting cars out (on the labels dime) for their videos and before mutha fuckas was shooting videos with a whole bunch of niggas and bitches they don't even know.

Back in those days they shot the videos in their own neighborhoods with they real partnas and hoes dancing in the videos that probably just happened to be in the hood at the time of the shoot. But more than anything else niggas were riding around in cars and rockin' jewelry they actually owned.

Back then they weren’t rapping about the hood and then hoppin’ on a jet and heading back to their mansion in rural Connecticut (Curtis). They were rappin' about the block and then when the video was over is back to the block. Nowadays rappers are talking tougher then ever and living up to less and less of it. Simply juxtaposing this video with today's rap videos is eye opening in itself.

In Joe Budden's song "Who", he explained the paradox that is todays Hip-Hop videos well:

Honestly I aint know what to think,
A few years ago we had the young kids wearing pink,
I don’t blame them for not knowing a damn thang,
we trained them to be this way.
Training them whatever to sell with no limits,
Since the early 90s sold them a false image,
so when some shit come that don’t fit the mold,
it’s like mole, nigga you wont even go gold.
They watch the videos see you on the corner with a whole bunch of people and think that you hood,
they turn on the TV and see these video bitches and think that niggas girls really look that good
I mean some of them are fooled so easily
by whatever we say or we show em on TV

T.I. vs. Jim Jones' Swagger

Thanks, SmashTime Radio

Skillz Speaking On The Changing Of The Guard In Hip-Hop

Check out this video of Skillz discussing the changing of the guard in hip-hop or more so the lack of the changing of the guard and how thats crippling the industry. Skillz also touches on several other very relevant topics during the video.

For those that aren't in the know about Skillz he is a rapper out Detroit best known for his ghostwriting credits. He first burst on to the scene in 1995, but after an unsuccessful run as solo artist he turned to writing hits for other artists to pay the bills, Ghostwriting. He's truly one of the men behind the music in the hip-hop game.

Chris Rock: Niggas vs Black People

The American Sports Media Racist? Ya Think?

Guest host of ESPN's popular sports talk show PTI: Pardon The Interruption Dan Le Batard said at 7:40 mark in the clip, that Baseball and the American Media are pretty much racist toward black players who struggle with drug related issues and overcome them, while at the same time they're constantly searching for some Great White Hope to put on a pedestal when one of the white players struggle with the same issues and overcome them. A year ago you would never hear an announcer on ESPN ever even attempt to say some shit this real as it pertains to race in America, they would just dance around the real issue as they're paid to do. As an avid ESPN watcher (hours upon hours a day) this is a reflection of the changing climate in America, with a Black President on the horizon the issue of race and racism in America can no longer be swept under the rug. More individuals in the media need to take a more honest and introspective look at their roles in perpetuating racial biased stories and images in the media, because as much as they'd like to let you think this Don Imus is NOT the ONLY ONE.

The funniest part to me is how the other announcer we'll call him Confused White Man # 1, 230,043 tried to argue against this painfully obvious FACT. Citing that Le Batard's stance was too easy of a stance to take. Was it too easy of a stance to take because its too obvious???

50 Cent Talkin Reckless On The Cocaine City DVD

This nigga 50 is on one on this shit. Feeling himself to the highest degree, the way he was talking you could almost forget that he was signed and dropped by Columbia records, and his career didnt take off until after he was stabbed up and shot 9 times over the span of a few months. And even then no one was really trying to hear what he had to say but once Eminem signed him and Dr.Dre co-signed him his career took off. If you listen to him tell it, he'd say it was all part of his plan but in actuality he got lucky in more ways than one and turned the worst thing that happened to him into the best thing that happened to him. Where would 50 be without Eminem, Dr. Dre and those 9 shots almost killed him? Still on the block hustlin.

Video: Shaq to Kobe "Tell Me How My Ass Taste"

Now we all know Kobe snitched on Shaq for cheating on his wife way back during Kobe's rape trail, Kobe even went as far as to tell the feds that Shaq pays women a million to keep quiet. But no one expected Shaq to retaliated 4 years later like this! And whats this whole "Tell me how my ass taste" line about? I don't know, that shit sounds mad homo to me. If Shaq had an issue with Kobe's snitching choke artist ass he should've called Kobe out on that shit back then, its kinda petty to wait all this time and then finally call the nigga Kobe out. Thats like putting R.Kelly on trial for child pornography 4 years after the sex tape surfaced.

Barak Obama's Fatherhood Speech

This speech is the amazing, he touched on one of the biggest issues in the black community. I hope that the next generation of fathers and even this current generation are listening and taking notice. The epidemic of absentee fathers in black community has crippled us and impeded our progress for too long and hopefully with this speech and other speeches like this, we can move toward a day where more black fathers are taking their responsibilities seriously and raising their children. With as many high profile black people out there with the ability to speak on relevant issues to many waist their celebrity and influence talking about nonsense. What Obama is saying is an old truth that we've all been aware of for some time now and its something that should have been said a long long time ago. As proud as I am of Obama, I'm equally disappointed in all those black people that have come before Obama that have passed on numerous opportunities to say these types of things when they knew the whole world was listening. What Obama is saying takes a tremendous amount of courage and exposes many of our so-called heroes (in the publics eyes) as the self absorbed cowards that they are, too scared to address the real issues.

Video: The-Dream f/ Young Jezzy - I Luv Your Girl

Here is The-Dream's Video for his 3rd single "I Luv Your Girl" featuring Young Jeezy. The-Dream's album Love/Hate is without a doubt R&B's best kept secret. Its one of those rare R&B albums you can listen to from start to finish and you don't have to skip a song. Rumor is he wrote and recorded it in just 9 days, I don't know if thats true but the album is definitely my favorite R&B albums out right now. He took nigga's to school on this album.

Now when it comes to this video, I have to give The-Dream a big C- on this one. The video is like the rest of his videos thus far for the singles off this album BORING! I've been on this song for about 6 months now and I couldn't wait for him to drop a video for it. I was just sure he was going to come with and do a video that really compliments this massive song and he didn't. I'm pretty disappointed that this great song is going to be remember by such a mediocre video.

Video: Colin Munroe - I Want Those Flashing Lights (Kanye West Remix)

Here's a youtube gem we ran across, enjoy.

Video: Kanye West Releases A Third Version Of The "Flashing Lights" Video

It seems like each video gets deeper , more symbolic and consequently more confusing to the average fan...LMAO thats right Kanye keep 'em thinking.

Kobe Jumps Over A Pool Of Snakes: Real Or Fake?

In Kobe's latest stunt video he appears to jump over a pool of snakes AND dunk a basketball. In a recent Nike Commercial he leaped over a moving Aston Martin and didn't dunk a basketball. Then shortly after he went on PTI (ESPN) and admitted (in not so many words) it wasn't real.

So the question is....Do you think this video is real? Personally I don't but you be the judge.

Video: Hillary Fall Back

Here's a video for Talib's song "Fall Back" featuring Chester French. It features Res and Talib on that track as they advise Mrs. Clinton to fall back , concede to the loss and stop waisting your and our time because Obama's victory is inevitable. A growing sentiment among more and more democrats as the primary rolls on. Even the most recent issue of Time Magazine has a photo of Obama and a subtitle reading "And The Winner Is...."

Download: Talib feat. Chester French- Fall Back

Video: Jean Grae - Love Thirst

One of my personal favorite MC's Jean Grae dropped a new video for her single "Love Thirst (Produced by 9th Wonder)" and it's nothing like anything we've ever heard from Jean before but HOT none the less.

You can check out more Jean Grae music at:

http://blacksmithnyc.com/
www.myspace.com/jeangrae
http://www.jean-grae.com/
YouTube

Diddy Says Kanye's Concert "Changed His Life"

In a rare video blog Hip-Hop mogul Diddy keeps it real and has a certified "Brown Sugar" moment as he recollects the story of the day he fell in love with hip-hop, how hip-hop saved his life and how Kanye West's Glow In The Dark Tour changed his life and rekindled his love for hip-hop all over again.

I may not agree with everything diddy says or does (including his contribution to producing bullshit records), but I have to give it to him on this one. He hit the nail right on the head. Everyone who say went to the Glow In the Dark Tour raved about it in the same way that Diddy did, some even called the concert Spiritual, it was that good.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen the Glow In the Dark Tour myself, but I did get a chance to experience the Heart of City Tour and without a doubt that concert was the perfect example of why I was so sure that hip-hop was the one for me. Prior to that concert, I had reached a point with hip-hop (more so mainstream hip-hop) where I had all but given up on it. I've been in love with hip-hop music since before I even knew what it was way back in '94. Fastforward to 14 years later 2008, I was all but ready to put in my divorce papers siting irreconcilable differences between me and hip hop. But before the divorce was finalized, I attended the "Heart of the City Concert". And Jay-Z ripped it (at the Hollywood Bowl) and resurrected all those feeling that helped me fall in love with hip-hop in the first place. All I can say is......

[Hip Hop] I Still Love Her!

Check out Kanye's Track "I Still Love Her"

Damn It, I Was There!! "The Suge Knight KO'd Story"

As many of you may know Suge Knight was knock out at Club Shag in Hollywood this past Saturday and Nigga I WAS THERE!!! The Internet has been going nuts over this story. Its like a million youtube videos about it already, and even a "Suge Got Knocked The Fuck Out (R&B remix)" Video on YouTube.

The unfortunate part of the story is that my dumb ass left the club early because it wasn't poppin enough for me and I went to the Cabana Club (which was poppin), and after hearing about Suge getting knocked out all I can say is: I LEFT TOO EARLY, I missed the best part of the night at Shag. FUCK! Next time I'm at club and it ain't exactly poppin, I'm gone stay my ass right there because you never know what former celebrity just might get their ass whooped INFRONT OF THE CLUB.

I've met Suge on 2 occasions and he didn't seem like the bad guy that every makes him out to be. So when I first heard the story, I was tempted to side with Suge. Like damn, why you have go and do Suge like that, what did he ever do to you?? Then I found out that Suge started this whole shit by jumping the nigga that would eventually knock him out. Suge started it and he ended it.

JUSTICE SERVED.

And as you can expect everyone and they momma will be at Shag next Saturday hoping to see a rematch. There's nothing like a 300-pound gang-related former celebrity ex-record exec getting his ass whooped @ your club to give your club a much need publicity boost.

Aren't You Glad We Didn't Listen To Kobe??

The Lakers Celebrating in Game 4 as they swept the Denver Nuggets

Last year Kobe requested very vocally that he wanted the Lakers to go after Trading for Jason Kidd, but the Lakers would not pull the trigger on the deal because the Nets wanted Andrew Bynum....shortly after a controversial video surfaced where Kobe was quoted as saying "Bynum, ship his ass out" when asked about the Jason Kidd trade.


Fast forward to This Year. Bynum has a break-out year! And the Mavs trade the house for Jason Kidd and just minutes ago the Mavs were eliminated in the 1st round 3 games to 1 by the Hornets, who havent won a playoff series since 1998.

Todays Lesson?? Shut Up and Play Basketball Kobe!

Kobe Bryant great player
Awful evaluator of talent

But don't trip Kobe because Michael Jordan is just as awful at evaulating talent.....

He drafted Salami, I mean KWAME BROWN with the Number 1 overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft! And we all know how well that worked out!