No More Good Ol' US of A.

According to a Russian professor, the United States will become divided in the year 2010 due to a Civil War that will be caused by "an economic and moral collapse". You can check out the full story, which happens to be very interesting, here. The professor whose name is Igor Panarin even came up with a map which shows what countries the 50 states will become a part of if there were in fact to be a divide. It's kinda crazy.

Soulja Boy Mans Up (Well Kinda).

Soulja Boy recently posted a video on YouTube where he apologizes to the parents of his fans for his recent actions and promises to be a better role model. I'm kinda 50/50 on this. Half of me feels like it could possibly be genuine but the other half believes that it was something one of his PR folks threw at him to read. Check it out for yourself.

Joe Budden's Padded Room.

After being pushed back several times, Joe Budden's Padded Room will be officially released on February 24.

Here is the tracklisting and credits for Joe Budden’s Padded Room:


01. Now I Lay (produced by Blastah Beatz)

02. The Future f/ The Game (produced by Fyu-chur)

03. If I Gotta Go (produced by the Klasixs)

04. Don't Make Me (produced by Blastah Beatz)

05. Blood On The Wall (produced by Moss)

06. In My Sleep (produced by Blastah Beatz)

07. Exxxes (produced by the Klasixs)

08. I Couldn't Help It (produced by the Klasixs)

09. Adrenaline (produced by Dub B)

10. Happy Holidays (produced by Quan)

11. Do Tell (produced by Blastah Beatz)

12. Angel In My Life (produced by Blastah Beatz)

13. Pray For Me (produced by Versatile & Dilemma)

Free Roots Show Today!

What up to my New York Folks?! The legendary Roots crew are putting on a FREE show tonight at B.B. Kings Blues Club in Times Square. The show begins at 10, but be sure to get there early 'cause you know it's gonna be deep. Also, send a RSVP to holiday@frank151.com.

Nasty Nasty. Yuck!

I've got a challenge for all my bloggers out there. If you can watch this entire video I will personally come to your humble abode and give you ten dollars. And no, it's not two girls and a cup! Ew.

Koch Records '09 Line-Up.

Here is a list of artists on Koch Records that are dropping records next year:

Havoc - Hidden Files - Jan ‘09

Juelz Santana & Skull Gang Mixtape - Feb ‘09

I-20 - Blood In The Water - Feb ‘09

Slim Thug - Boss Of All Bosses - March ‘09

Bubba Sparxxx - The Impolite Gentleman - March ‘09

Joe Crack & Pistol Pete Present K.A.R. - March ‘09

Alchemist - Chemical Warfare - April ‘09

D-Block - No Security - April ‘09

Joell Ortiz - Free Agent - Summer ‘09

Grafh - The Evolution - TBA

There really isn't anyone on this list that I'm terribly excited to hear from, but there are a few that I'm kind of curious about. Juelz Santa & Skull Gang...hell no, sorry. Havoc, I could maybe possibly kinda give his album a listen, just maybe though. I-20, his voice is really annoying but he's down with Luda and I love my Luda so I might check him out. Slim Thug, I have to say that I am somewhat curious about how his able might sound. Does he have any single's out right now? Anybody? Bubba Sparxxx...pass. Joe Crack & Pistol Pete...pass. Alchemist...been there, done that. That should be the motto for his beats haha. They all sound too similar. D-Block, alright I might check for them when the album drops. Just maybe. Joell Ortiz, his album could have some potential so I'll definitely look out for that. Summer '09 sounds so far away though. Graph...Hmm, I'm somewhat curious about his album. Can we get a release date first though?!

(P.S. I hope no one saw that 'Kock' Records typo :-\ I swear it was a typo)

Tanya Morgan/A-OK Show Wrap-Up.

I had a great time at the Tanya Morgan/A-OK Collective show last night. It was the epitome of a perfect Hip Hop show. Even with all the snow/rain and that dumb broad who you want to knock out because she STAYS bumping in to you it was still a really good time. I didn't get to actually see the headlining act Souls Of Mischief perform because my roommates were ready to bounce. Damn lame's. They're not really Hip Hop heads. This is why I tend to go to Hip Hop shows solo lol. But all the performances I got to see were on point. Kosha Dillz did a nice couple of tracks. I loved the versatility of the A-OK Collective. Tanya Morgan was killing it...Don Will even stripped haha. When I find pics I'll definitely post them.

Last nights show was also one of the last Hip Hop shows to be peformed at the legendary Knitting Factory before they close for a few months and re-open in Williamsburg. I'm not really feeling the move to W-Burg. I've never been a fan of that area. That's hipster territory right there and the trains over there suck. The last Hip Hop show at Knitting Factory takes place on December 19 and will feature performances by Rakim, Black Thought, and more. Woooooah! Can't miss that! It's also an all ages event so all you youngins can come too :-)

Souls Of Mischief Show, Dec 16.

I've Got A Grudge With Chelsea Handler.

Someone pointed this out before, but after this interview with Akon I'm starting to see it...The way Chelsea Handler host of "Chelsea Lately" interacts with black men on her show is getting real questionable. It seems like she's always trying to put them down or make them look dumb. I know she's known for her snide remarks and dry humor, but her constant references to the words "you people" is getting to be a little much. I'm just waiting for somebody to shut her down.

Please check out Exhibit A, her interview with Akon...

What Do You Think?

I came across this video late last night via a contact on Twitter. For the most part, I think I'm feeling it. The chick he's talking to in the back of the train kinda scares me, but that's a whole 'nother story :-\

So what do you guy thinks? Is it a keeper...yay or nay?


Convinced | Miss Memory (Prod. by J-Trax) from Convinced Music on Vimeo.

Wanna Be On A Game Show?

SpikeTV is casting for a new online game show and from the looks of it it sounds like a fun way to win some dough. All you need is a computer, broadband connection, and a webcam. You have to be available on December 22 and 23, be 21 and over, and a fun person. Sounds easy enough...Unfortunately, I have a jacked up computer, no broadband connection, or webcam so I won't be taking part in any of this although it seems fun.

So if you're good at trivia and want to win 10,000 bucks e-mail GameShowCasting@GothamCasting.com with the following...(Put “Spike Game Show” in the subject line)

NAME:
AGE: (MUST be between 21-33 to Participate)
PHONE:
RECENT PHOTO:
CITY AND STATE:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1: Are you over 21?
2: Available on 12/22 and/or 12/23?
3: Do you have a webcam
4: Do you have sightspeed and aim?
-http://www.aim.com/download.adp
-http://www.sightspeed.com/
5.Is your upload speed 256 or higher?
6.Is your download speed 256 or higher?
7: Do you have headphones for your computer?
8: Are you good at trivia?
9: Do you want to win $1000?

Good luck to anyone who actually pursues this! And if you win the $10,000 I sure hope you're gonna loan me 20 bucks ;-) lol.

Killer Mike & Grand Hustle.

Shout out to Killer Mike, one of my favorite rappers, for signing with Grand Hustle Records. Killer Mike's a great artist without Grand Hustle, but I think the move to Grand Hustle will definitely help heighten his career. Here is what Killer Mike told HipHopDX.com.

“Yeah, it’s happening. What I’m most happy about is, man, Tip really came to me respectful of the work I put in. Like, he didn’t come to me like, ‘How can I throw you a bone?’ He came to me like, ‘I see what you got going on. I really like what you [got] going on. I got some questions about what you got going on.’ He asked a few questions. I gave a few answers. And [he] was like, ‘I think I might be able to help with what [you] got going on. How would you feel about it?’”

If you haven't done so already, please check out Killer Mike's album I Pledge Allegiance To The Grind II. In my opinion, it's one of the best albums of 2008. Here's a little sampele...(P.S. Does anyone know how you can add audio to Blogger without using YouTube?)

DMX Stays Losing.

Rapper DMX, who was on the run from police after missing his court date, was found today hiding out in the home of producer Scott Storch. Apparently, DMX's whereabouts were given to police by a woman who was probably eager for that $5,000 reward money. With the economy in the toilet and all $5,000 sounds a lot like $500,000 right about now lol. So more power to her.

And as for DMX...I really have no words. First Plaxico, then O.J., and now this?! Come on people, let's get it together.

I REALLY Want To Check This Show Out.

This would be a great "date concert", but umm I have absolutely no problem going solo or with my gal pals :-)

Who's Got Beef?

Apparently Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert and Kanye West do. This has got to be hands down the funniest beef of the year. I think I'm gonna go ahead and take Colbert's side on this one...



Stephen Colbert Wages War With Kanye West
(HipHopDX)

Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, is attempting to humble Chicago rapper Kanye West in a mission Colbert has dubbed "Operation Humble Kanye."

Along with Kanye's recent antics, Colbert seemed somewhat bothered by the fact that Kanye's new album 808's & Heartbreak [click to read] has reached the number one spot on iTunes while Colbert's latest album A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All has only managed to reach the number 15 spot.

Colbert even went on to shoot down Kanye's remarks on being the "voice of this generation."

"With all the auto-tuning on your records, you're barely the voice of your own albums," Colbert explained. "You want to be the voice of a generation? Get in line. It goes me, Obama Girl, the freecreditreport.com guys - then it's a tie between you and Crocs."

The only response to Colbert's remarks made by Kanye appear on his Twitter page where his headline reads, "Who the fuck is Stephen Colbert?"

808's & Heartbreak was released last Monday and the albums first single, "Love Lockdown" has gone on to sell over 1.3 million downloads on iTunes.

He Did What?!

Unfortunately, my return to the blogosphere has been marred with tales of idiotry (if that's a word).

Todays idiot is Plaxico Burress, wide receiver for the New York Giants. Mr. Burress decided to take his gun with him to a New York City nightclub and ended up accidentally shooting himself in the leg. Yes, he shot himself in the leg...at a nightclub. Yes, Plaxico pulled a Cheddar Bob (shout out to Millionaire Max for the hilarious Cheddar Bob reference). Maybe if he shot himself at a more gangster locale, for instance backstage at a M.O.P. show it would have made his situation a little less laughable.

I know it's kind of mean to make fun of his situation and all, but this is how I see it...you get paid millions to do something you love and you have the nerve to do something dumb like bring a gun to a club? WTF. If I was getting paid like that to do what I love better believe I'm gonna be on my A-Game. Now his career is possibly ruined because of one dumb mistake.

But what can you expect from a guy whose name is Plaxico? Sounds like a damn gas station.

Brooklyn (Go Hard).

Feelin' this song a lot...

Ashley Dupre Record Deal? Oh, Hell No!

If you all haven't heard yet, the idiots over at Violator Records have given Ashley Dupre, the call girl involved in the Spitzer (former NY governor) scandal, a record deal. Although this is completely retarded I'm not surprised at all. Actually, I really thought she would have been given her own reality dating show on VH1 or MTV first. Seriously...or a movie on Lifetime.

It really bothers me how much negativity is rewarded. A call girl can get a record deal simply based on the fact that she was involved in one of the biggest scandals of the year, but real artists can hardly get their foot in their door. It's all backwards. And company's like Violator just give right in. I mean, if this is how things are working these days maybe I need to do something shady like shoot someone in the leg to get a magazine gig lol.

Missbehave/Fila Shindig.

Anyone checking this event out on Thursday? I see a lot of free stuff described on the flyer so I may have to check this one out lol. Plus, I kinda like Nina Sky.

Back To Bloggin'.

Shortly, after I started having issues with the adapter and battery to my laptop I ended up having another big issue with my computer. My wireless adapter stopped working :-( And that's pretty much why I haven't been able to blog in so long since my only connection is through Wi-Fi. Right now, I'm borrowing one of my roommates computers and later on I'm dropping my laptop off at the local computer shop to get repaired. That being said, I'll be able to post some blogs today and hopefully I'll have my computer fixed by tomorrow so I can get back to blogging full time!

Completely forgot...

So I completely forgot to tell you all the craziest part of my weekend in my update that I posted earlier.

Well, me and my roommates were visited by the police on Friday and that shit was scary as hell! We're probably the most innocent people on my block, but I swear I thought I was going to jail! In typical NYPD fashion, they pretty much invited themselves into our apartment, moved us to one room, and started questioning us on some damn credit card fraud. Oh, wait...PAUSE! I forgot to tell ya'll that about 15 minutes before the police arrived the doorbell rang and it was some guy with a package. I was expecting a pair of boots from UPS so I rushed downstairs to get the door, but when I got down their the package wasn't for me. The delivery person had a package for someone else. I told him they were no longer in the building and I shut the door. Don't you know the delivery man was a damn decoy!!!!! A DECOY, DECOOOOOOY! And if I had signed for that package I wouldn't be writing this right now because my ass would have been locked up!

Okay back to me and my roommates being questioned by the po-po. Well, the main guy was intimidating and extra as hell. Talking about we have your conversations recorded...wtf?! Then he had the cops go into our rooms to get our cell phones so we could call some number they gave us, again wtf?! After 20 minutes of dumbness, they finally realized we weren't behind this fraud shit and left. Craziness, I just hope we never have to deal with them again. Oh! And even crazier, I made this Obama sign on election day and put it on our apartment door and the police took it down when they visited us. Assholes. But better believe it's back up now :-)

R.I.P. "Total Request Live".

And another music video show bites the dust...

MTV's "Total Request Live" was put to rest yesterday after 10 years of existence. Did anyone happen to catch the finale? I wasn't really too interested in checking it out, I haven't watched that show since the Carson Daly days. Although I kind of wish that I did check it out just to see how pop music has evolved over the past few years, if it has at all. Speaking of music does MTV, the Music Television Network, even show music videos these days? I didn't think so...

I give "106 And Park" two years tops, lol. Rocsi and Terrence better start working on their resumes now.

Update!

Howdy everyone! I feel like I haven't blogged in forever even though it's only been like three or four days. But the thing is either my laptop or the adapter is broken so since my laptop battery is completely dead every time I move my computer just a little the adapter somehow becomes unattached to my computer and it shuts off completely :-( It's super annoying.

Because of all this I'm not on the computer as much as I normally am, but I should have some posts up this week :-) Ciao!

Review Of Jim Jones' "Hip Hop Monologues".

On November 13, Harlem rapper Jim Jones performed in what will be his last performance of the Damon Dash and J. Kyle Manzay produced “Hip Hop Monologues: Inside The Life And Mind Of Jim Jones”, an Off-Broadway musical that revolves around the life and music of Jim Jones. The two-day only play pulled in a packed audience of fans, media, and celebrities such as Juelz Santana, Busta Rhymes, and Malik Yoba.

A bold venture by Jones, “Hip Hop Monologues” proved to be an interesting mix of music, off-beat acting, and humorous wisecracks.

Jimmy’s journey begins when he is bombarded by groupies, media, and his homeboys in his native Harlem. The festivities are cut short when a game of dice is interrupted by gunfire. The crooked cops have it in for our Hip Hop protagonist and an innocent Jones is linked to the shooting and placed in jail.

Jones is given a second chance by a generous judge, played by Dr. Benjamin Chavis, but in order to receive his second chance he must complete three important tasks which include: attending a sex addicts anonymous meeting, talking to the children, and last but not least apologizing to women.

The rest of the play begins to unfold as Jones attempts to take on the three tasks handed to him by the judge while also dealing with fake friends, relationship problems, and more.

“Hip Hop Monologues” has several questionable moments. For example, a sex scene with Jim and one of his side chick’s is almost immediately followed by a tribute to Stack Bundles creating a bizarre segue. And a heartfelt apology from Jim Jones to the women who are offended by his music is followed by a song with a chorus that proclaims, “This is for my bitches”.

With the birth of Jones’ son we have our happy ending and Jones is soon joined onstage by fellow rapper Juelz Santana for a musical finale that is a little too reminiscent of Saturday night at the club, champagne and all.

No matter how people may perceive Jim Jones’ theatrical debut, the celebrity reporter in the “Hip Hop Monologues” said it best, no matter what Jim Jones will continue to, “Speak his mind and defy the odds”.

How You Gonna Let A Marketing Rep Rip Ya Rep...

I love this commercial, lol.

I saw it at the movies once, you know those commercials they show before the previews. But recently I've seen it a lot on TV.

Plies, The Future Of Rap?

Well, according to Vibe Magazine he is.

Plies, a rapper whom Vibe is declaring "The future of rap", will grace the cover of the December issue of Vibe Magazine. Now, with all the talented rappers out there who are really about something I really have no clue why they would choose Plies to represent the future of rap. I mean, if they're trying to say that rap is dead then choosing Plies was a great look. If not, I don't know what the hell they were thinking because "Bust It Baby" is definitely the future of Hip Hop [please not extreme sarcasm]. This is definitely a bad look for Vibe in my opinion.

Guilty Pleasure.

I'm a big Hip Hop fan, but I definitely listen to more than just Hip Hop. Take for instance this song by New York City rock band Vampire Weekend. I absolutely love it! It's just one of those fun songs you can't help but love. I haven't quite figured out what the song is about yet, but it gets my approval. Fa Sho!

R.I.P. "Rap City"

After 20 Hip-Hop-errific years, BET's "Rap City" is closing its doors tomorrow in a finale show that will air at 10 p.m. on BET.

In my opinion, "Rap City" has kind of fallen off over the past years and this probably stems from the fact that Hip Hop in general has fallen off over the past few years as well. But "Rap City" had a lot of great moments. A who's who of Hip Hoppers chilled in the basement, spoke on their music, and sometimes even kicked a freestyle or two (although the 'freestyle-ness' of some were questionable). All in all, it was a great show and it's somewhat sad to see it go.

Picture of the former hosts of "Rap City".

Upcoming NY Shows.

What's up to all my NY folks! Here's some upcoming Hip Hop shows in New York that I think you might be interested in...Check it out.

Obama Acceptance Speech, South Park Style!

I have an interview at the National Enquirer next week so I was browsing their Website when I came across this hilarious video. It's Obama's acceptance speech, the South Park version lol.

Who's On Twitter?!

Holla at me using the link below! I just signed up.

D On Twitter

MissBehave Party!

For all you West Coaster's out there, MissBehave Magazine is throwing a party this Saturday (November 8) in Los Angeles. They're going to have an open bar and you can get your nails did for free! You definitely can't go wrong with that! Check out the flyer below for more info.

Immortal Technique - "America's Great Hope"

After the historic election this week there has been a lot of post-commentary, mostly from political analysts and others in politics. I was checking my MySpace page and I noticed a bulletin from Immortal Technique entitled "America's Great Hope". It's pretty much an essay he wrote about the election, Barack Obama, and the future. I think it's a great look for a Hip Hop artist to express their feelings in this way so of course I had to share part of IT's essay. It's pretty long so I've only included an excerpt, but I'm sure you can probably find the entire essay on Immortal Technique's MySpace page.

"America's Great Hope"

"I watched something necessary the other night, necessary for the legitimacy of America and it’s interests around the world. Necessary for it’s religion of capitalism and it’s imperial ambition, which were not curbed in anyway with the election of an African American. Instead they gained perhaps the greatest spokesperson for their cause that they could have ever received. People that never felt inclusive now feel like part of America, like they have a personal stake in its success and for people that truly love this country, isn’t that what you wanted? To have more people who live here proud of being an American? For many people Bush was never their president, to them he stole the first election and railroaded the second one with mired swift boat attacks on John Kerry’s character while dodging facts about the mischaracterization of Iraq as somehow being involved in 9/11 and how the intelligence that led us to war was so badly distorted. Some surrogates even went as far as to suggest that Mr.
Kerry might have inflicted the wounds on himself in Vietnam to receive a Purple Heart…

The same smear tactics were used all throughout this election, the same fear mongering and questions brought about Obama’s faith, place of birth and his “relationship with terrorists.” This cost the McCain campaign and it’s supporters, opportunity and legitimacy about their complaints of the future 44th President. They went beyond the simple implications of the Clinton campaign deep into the territory of arousing the fear and hatred ingrained in the minds of white citizens all over America. And yet they were denied yesterday for good reason. The mob would not have tolerated it. His victory was a restoration of the crumbling belief in our democracy, because the loss of faith; that, my brother’s and sisters is how empire’s fall, not from simple military failure but when their people no longer believe in it. During the last few years of Bush, this is what I saw. I cannot answer if there would have been rioting would he have not won, but his ascension to the Commander in Chief has made a strong case for the people’s choice being what and who control’s America. When in truth the strength and power of Military Industry and Corporate Conglomerates saw more of a champion than any urban working class citizen could have, in Obama.

Through careful planning, timed responses, tactful alienation and one of the best organized campaigns, at long last the people of America have a man that they WANT to believe in, a man they can point to as an example of the death of racism, the birth of hope and the inclusion of member’s of disaffected society in the United States.
But is this to be?

Michelle Obama was right when she talked about feeling proud to be an American for the first time. And white conservatives took it out of context. They assumed that the Black and Latino community who have had the right to vote for the past 40 of the 221 years of this countries existence should kneel and kiss the ground of a land that is only now acknowledging their service and contribution. Truthfully I am more inspired by her words than most of his. And, I am reinforced in my understanding that a man (especially one that aspires to achieve anything significant) without the right woman to support him and offer him guidance will never amount anything. Her words were prophetic for they truly did speak to the manner in which urban Black and Latino people have embraced the USA.

As I said before this was necessary for America to do… To not follow in the footsteps of the Roman Empire in its alienation of the people’s that it conquered. Their great mistake was NOT to include their allies and offer them the benefits of citizenships and partaking in the glory of what the empire gained as a reward for assimilation. Africans were on this side of the world before Columbus, but in US history they were brought as slaves, kept subservient through a Europeanized Christendom, and lied to about their glorious past, and their contributions to the history of humanity. After all it was Africans who comprised the power ranks of the early church, Africans who nursed the philosophy of the ancient Greeks and African Muslims who ruled Western Europe for over 700 years, that’s more than 3 times as long as the United States has existed as a country..."

Written by Immortal Technique

Another 'Are You Serious?!'

After history was made last night and the celebrations for the evening were starting to wind down I started getting this odd feeling of paranoia. With the election of the first black president in the United States you know there's gonna be some haters out there.

So I went ahead and searched the net for the KKK's website (Yea I know, kinda weird lol) just in case they're trying to plan some shadyness so I can report their asses to the FBI or whoever. Luckily, I didn't find anything serious, but they actually have an online store where you can buy tons of ignorant shit like a baseball cap with the picture below stamped onto it. I thought it was oddly amusing so I had to share...


Wow at the KKK using a John Singleton movie for promotional purposes lol. *smh*

We Did It!

Congratulations everyone.

Are You Serious?!

A recent video of rapper Jadakiss has surfaced in which the New York rapper excitedly shows his support for Barack Obama, but like five seconds later he tells the cameraman he's not voting because he didn't register...WTF?!! This kind of thing scares the hell out of me. Because I know damn well there's a lot of celebrities and even regular folks out there who endorse the hell out of one candidate and don't even vote.

To check out the video click here.

Oh and P.S. I voted :-)

I won't say who I voted for but their last name does rhyme with "Shobama".

Nothing Special...

Howdy everyone! I haven't blogged in like three days and it seems like a lot longer due to the fact that I've been doing a lot of blogging lately. Not much to blog about at the moment so I figured I'd just check in and share some random thoughts :o)

How was everyone's Halloween? I didn't do anything. I didn't really feel like doing the whole costume thing and I didn't want to worry about getting egged late at night so I just stayed in. I wasn't too worried because me and my roommates were planning a get together at our apartment on Saturday night so I had that to look forward to. The get together was really fun. Throughout the night we probably had like 25 people come through, give or take. We ate, played charades, listened to music, drank, played UNO, ate some more, and drank some more. Unfortunately, there weren't many leftovers which I was kind of upset about because the food was tha bomb! Oh, and I made Oreo Pie and everyone loved it!!! There's plenty of leftover liquor though and ya can't go wrong with that ;-) I'm sure we'll be getting our drank on come Tuesday night, you already know.

Sunday was pretty boring, as usual. I'm really excited about tomorrow though. I can't wait to get my vote on!



P.S. This picture isn't from the party Saturday night. I took it with my Blackberry phone when me and some friends went to BBQ's a few Friday's ago. Gotta love the Texas-size Pina Colada's!

Is This Bad?

I'm actually kinda feeling Cassie's new song "Official Girl" :-\ Anyone else feeling this song too? I know I can't be the only one. And is it just me or does anyone else think she's kind of swagger jacking Aaliyah's style in the video?

Ice T At EOW.

This past Sunday marked another great night at EOW with performances by Ice T, Smooth Da Hustler, Scram Jones, and more. Check out some video footage below.

This Sunday (Nov.2) at EOW: Hustle Simmons.

Annoying Voting Ad.

I just saw this video on one of those entertainment news shows and it really irks the hell out of me. It's a bunch of celebrities telling you not to vote in order to point out how unwise it is not to vote. I completely understand they're point, but they come across as a bunch of smart asses. And honestly, if you're only reason for voting is because a celebrity told you to then you're pretty much a dumb ass anyway.

Remember Jon B?

The R&B singer? He had that song with Tupac? Well, his wife is a complete lunatic, lol! I was covering the red carpet for Ne-Yo's b-day party yesterday at The Whisky (in the W Hotel) and she caused quite the scene.

The guest list for the event was pretty strict so I guess they weren't letting her in and she pretty much went ballistic. And it didn't really help that he went into the event without her either. She was cursing out publicists and when Jon B finally came out to get her crazy ass she started screaming his name and demanded that they leave the event. So they did, lol. It was all quite hillarious and for that brief moment I almost forgot that I had been standing out in the cold for close to three hours waiting to get some quotes from these damned "celebrities".

This is the part where I would have added one of Jon B's videos to refresh your memory, but the embedding feature is disabled on all of his YouTube videos :-( Damn you SonyBMG! I guess a pic will have to do.

NY's Newest Bowling Spot: Lucky Strike.

Everyone loves bowling, and I mean everyone. Bowling is probably the one sport where even if you suck you can still have a great time and I love that. Me and a friend of mine had the opportunity to check out the grand opening of Lucky Strike Lanes, Manhattan's newest bowling lounge late last week. I was pretty impressed for the most part. There were a few aspects that were kind of off for a bowling alley. Take for instance the National Geographic-esque video footage playing on the giant screens at the end of the bowling lanes.

Kind of bizarre, but overall Lucky Strike has a pretty nice vibe. It's a little more laid back than the bowling alley at Chelsea Piers and not nearly as big. For all the girly girls out there they even have cute, leopard print balls and I'm sure you can also get your apple martini on :-) The food's pretty good too, be sure to check out their homemade potato chips with cheese sauce, Yum!

For more info on Lucky Strike Lanes check out their Website here and check out some pics of the celebrity attendee's from the grand opening. (Photo's taken by Marion Curtis)

Beverly Johnson


Cassie


Fabolous

Get To Know Janelle Ryan.

We all know that in the world of entertainment it's quite hard to make ones self stand out among the plethora of other starving artists. Director Janelle Ryan has managed to do just that with her standout video for Final Outlaw's "Hip Hop 4ever". Described as, "a powerful story of struggle, maturity, and the path towards freeing oneself from the mental prisons of society, addiction, and past pain", Janelle manages to convey all of this in a little under five minutes.

In a short interview with The D Diaries, Janelle discusses the concept for "Hip Hop 4ever", her directorial flare, and a few upcoming projects. Check out the interview and be extra sure to check out the video for "Hip Hop 4ever" below!


How did you come up with the concept for "Hip Hop 4ever"?

I came up with the concept for "Hip Hop 4ever" with Final Outlaw. It's important to me that I work very closely with the artist to create a personalized vision. It started with me writing down key words that immediately created imagery in my mind, such as rape, broken hearted, change, love, dishes, etc. I wanted the video to be extremely fast paced, not showing anything twice. And there were very specific details that Final Outlaw wanted to be included - such as the age/ethnicity of the rape victim portrayed. We then came together and created different scenarios, combining both of our ideas. After that, we did casting, location scouting, etc. It was a lot of fun!

Is "Hip Hop 4ever" a song you can relate to? And if so, how do you relate?

Yes, "Hip Hop 4ever" is a song I can relate to. I actually had the pleasure of seeing the song performed before I heard the track. His performance style and lyrical ability forces you to pay attention, so I took notice to the song immediately. Being a struggling artist myself, I can relate to demanding the industry to show you the respect you deserve upfront. I refuse to let anyone make me feel under-qualified, or let them question my ability. I worked very hard to gain the knowledge and confidence that I possess. It's just a matter of time before my persistence pays off. So keep the comments and opinions to yourself.

As a director, how would you describe your style?

That's a tough question! My directing style is simple, yet very personable. I like fast moving images, story-lines, metaphors, real people, architecture, colors, contrast, etc. I want the audience to feel overwhelmed with emotion when they watch my videos. I want the unexpected to happen, and I especially don't want them to see anything twice. I'm so tired of seeing the same old performance shots over and over again, What I loved about Hip Hop 4ever was the fact that the scenery was constantly changing, and just when you thought it was over... the video suddenly cuts off, then Final Outlaw appeared in the mirror as his alter ego and broke free of the handcuffs. When we held the video release party, everybody went crazy during that part!

When an artist submits a song for you to potentially direct/produce what qualities do you look for when deciding whether or not to actually work with that artist and make a video?

The song has to be decent, and the artist has to be capable of creating some kind of buzz. I'd prefer it if I actually liked the song... hahaha but I understand that my taste in music is different than other people. Right now, I'm more or less focused on directing Hip Hop music videos, but I plan to branch out eventually. Obviously, if the song is disrespectful towards woman, or is just flat out ignorant, then I have to pass. I've definitely received some awful submissions from artists recently. One artist sent me a song about woman who think they're cute, but they're not, so he's making fun of them in the song... it was just ridiculous. I also hold an initial meeting with the artist to see if we click, and to go over the logistics, such as time-frame, budget, etc. Then the fun begins!

What projects can we expect from you in the future?

I am currently working on music videos for two different Hip Hop artists. One video is in the location scouting and casting phase, which we plan to shoot the first week of November. And for the other one, we're in the process of soliciting investors to financially back the project. I'm also working on another amazing project for Final Outlaw that we will be releasing towards the end of the year. I don't want to give too much away, but all three of those videos will be something different, and really push the boundaries of traditional music video production.


Final Outlaw Hip Hop 4ever Directed By Janelle Ryan from Janelle Ryan on Vimeo.

Janelle Ryan's MySpace Page
Final Outlaw's MySpace Page

:o)

This just made my week! LOVE IT! Anyone else a super duper LOST fan?

Mouse In My House, Pt. 2

Two words, Fuck Fievel!

As some of you may know I wrote a blog recently on how mice don't seem to be as big of deal once you see them as one of your favorite mousey cartoon characters like Fievel or Mickey Mouse. But, forget everything I said in that blog!!! I'm so serious. Let me tell you why...

So I get home from a nice evening out, I got to check out MTV's concert for the veteran's (with 50 Cent & Ludacris) and I was also able to attend the Grand Opening of the Lucky Strike bowling lounge in Hell's Kitchen. A few minutes after I've settled down in my bedroom. I start talking to one of my roommates, she's in my doorway and I'm talking to her with my back faced to my window. All of a sudden she starts freaking out and yelling so of course I get all scared and I run in the hallway with her.

Don't you know right below my window sill I have one of those big containers from Target with a bunch of notebooks and other random stuff on it, but there was a mouse on top of my notebook on my container. Mind you, the scariest part of all of this is the fact that the container is a few millimeters higher than my bed and only about a foot and a half away from my bed. That damn mouse could have easily jumped on my bed!!! Instead, it jumped onto the window sill and back on to the floor. But that is hardly the point! I have come to the realization that mice have easy access to my bed :o( And that is not a good feeling, at all. Fievel and Mickey Mouse are somewhat tolerable when they're just running around in the walls, but coming that close to my bed?! I'm not rolling like that.

If anyone has ever had any problems with mice, PLEASE let me know what you did to get rid of them. Thanks :o(

Hurricane Chris Interview.

Hey everyone, check out my interview with Hurricane Chris on HipHopDX.

Click Here!

Cubannie Links.

I really need to get a pair of these ASAP. I give it two months max before you see the knock-off of these earrings in Claire's, on Canal Street, wherever.

You can buy them on Karmaloop.com for 35 bucks.

Sneak Peek At T.I.'s "Live Your Life" Video!

I love this song and I love T.I. even more. If you haven't bought or downloaded Paper Trail yet you're doing yourself a major disservice.

I haven't even checked out the sneak peak yet, I was that eager to share it lol.

A Night Fot Vets & The BRAVE Petition.

For some reason, in this country our government is so eager to send young men and women out to war, but when they return the government is also eager to turn their backs on them.

That's why this week (October 24) MTV will be airing "A Night For Vets: An MTV Concert For The BRAVE" a special which will feature live performances by Ludacris and 50 Cent along with the stories of the new veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. During the special MTV will encourage its viewers to sign the BRAVE petition, a petition which is a call to action for better benefits for veterans.

Sign the BRAVE petition here.

KRS One Freestyle At EOW.

Ah, great times at EOW.

This Sunday (October 26) at EOW: Ice T, DMC, and Smooth Da Hustla.

Hip Hop Ex Husbands.

I know the guys are probably gonna hate me for this one, but I've compiled a list of my Hip Hop Ex Husbands. This list is mainly the result of some Saturday evening boredom. It's cold outside, I got 'The Itis' from my Chipotle meal, and I don't really know of anything going on tonight so here goes...

(In no particular order)

#1 Common


I know a lot of ladies are feelin' me on this one. This is one fine ass dude! With those cheekbones and that body, daaaaamn! OMG, when I used to live in Fort Greene, Brooklyn I almost fell over my laundry cart in front of him. I kind of wish I did fall over it because he would have helped me up and we probably would have been happily married by now.

# 2 Mos Def


I've always loved Mos Def's music, but he's also quite attractive in my opinion and I absolutely LOVE this picture of him. I actually found out some interesting news about him recently. I forgot how I found out, but he was actually pursuing acting before he became a rapper. I don't know if this is new news for anyone else, but it was for me. Oh, and he recently divorced his video ho wife...Err, I mean actress wife :-\ So he's back on the market!

# 3 Game


Don't laugh! I know he's a total fruit loop, but there's just something about him. Maybe it's the tattoo's or the fact that he has no problem crying in public or his light eyes. I don't know, I just like the dude so don't judge me!

I have like eleven other Hip Hop Ex Husbands, but those were just a couple. Wow, writing this blog just made me feel like a total tween lol.

I'm Broke & I Need Accessories...

So guess where I'm going today.

Yup, Canal Street!!!

:0)



And after that I think I'm gonna hit up Chipotle for a Burrito Bowl. You most definitely can't go wrong with accessory shopping and Chipotle.

Similarities Abound.

I was listening to my MP3 player on the train last night and I came to the realization that the two songs I had just listened to sounded really similar. Not so much the beat, but the lyrical content. They both deal with issues of paranoia. Let me know if you're feeling me on this...

Goodie Mob - "Cell Therapy"



Geto Boys - "Mind Playing Tricks On Me"

Excerpt/Pics From Eminem's Autobiography.

Entertainment Weekly has just released an excerpt from Eminem's upcoming autobiography "The Way I Am" along with a few exclusive, never before seen pictures of Eminem (pictured below). "The Way I Am" will be released on October 21 and is available for pre-order on Amazon.




Here is part of the excerpt:

I've always had issues with my temper.

When I look back at myself during those years when everything was blowing up, I think maybe at first I was a little, you know, too aggressive and loud. It was like I had this voice and I had to be heard. ''Don't f--- with me,'' to the point where people must have been wondering, Why is this dude so angry? Is he on crack? Is he on crystal meth? I go back and see old interviews and even now I wonder, Why was I so hyper?

I went through a phase back then when I was shooting pistols in the air behind the studio and, you know, pulling guns out, pointing a pistol in somebody's face, not even realizing that I could've gone to jail for that s---.

Sneak Peek At Musiq's New Video!

Here's a sneak peek at the video for Musiq's "If You Leave" featuring Mary J. Blige. I think the actual video premieres on BET early next week. Check it out!

Exclusive: Day 26 Speaks On Danity Kane Breakup.

I've seen quite a few blogs about the recent Danity Kane breakup and I've shared my opinion on the matter on a few blogs. I pretty much feel that Aubrey was a little too high on herself and Diddy pretty much did what a lot of people probably would have done in his situation. As far as D. Woods, I feel like she was just an unfortunate victim of Diddy's wrath.

But anyway, I had the opportunity to speak with Day 26 yesterday and of course I had to ask them what their take on the matter was. Here is what Willie from Day 26 had to say...

"We really look up to Danity Kane and we learned a lot from them, you know what I'm saying? We got a chance to live with them, tour with them, put a record out with them. It's like we grew to love 'em. Just to see them going through that man, they're so much stronger together. We would love to see them together. Whatever they can do to get together, we hope they do it. But right now it is what it is."


P.S. Use my quotes without crediting me and I'm whoopin' ass! LOL, for real...

I'm So Happy!

I just ordered the Graffiti Fro bag by Amanda Diva!!! It's okay guys, don't be jealous.

You don't even understand, I've really been fiendin' (is that a word?) for this bag for the longest. Honestly, I'm like this bags stalker. I go to Amanda Diva's MySpace page just to look at it. Yea I'm weird, I know. So, I finally ordered it today...'cause you know my funds have been kind of low for a minute. RECESSION! Ahh!



:o)

I Talk A Lot Of Junk Sometimes, But...

Suge Knight is one dude I would never want to eff with. All jokes aside, you're not about to find my ass on the back of nobody's milk carton...

Suge Knight Assault Victim Goes Missing

Young Berg STFU!

Young Berg has got to be hands down the biggest idiot in Hip Hop. Actually, I take that back Young Berg is the biggest idiot in Pop. 'Cause we all know damn well this tween is not Hip Hop. In fact, I can only think of one Young Berg song. He's just that irrelevant.

After being bitch-slapped by Maino at a club in the A you think he would sit his ass down somewhere, but no. Instead of talking smack about rappers he's ventured off to the R & B world. In a recent video, he insults R & B singer/songwriter Ne Yo. Now I've poked fun of Ne Yo a couple of times, but it was all in good fun. I honestly can't hate on Ne Yo's hustle, plus I'm planning on attending one of his shows later tonight lol. Young Berg, on the other hand just has a severe case of diarrhea of the mouth. Check out Young Berg's idiotry in the video below.

Mouse In My House.

A few months after I moved into my current apartment I came to the realization that we have mice. For any female (and some males) that's a problem, a huge problem at that. They're nasty, they're scary, they're just plain disgusting. They also make annoying scratching noises at night that make you mad paranoid.

But this week, I realized something. Some of our most beloved childhood characters/cartoons are mice. I mean really, how can you be afraid of Fievel or Mickey and Minnie Mouse?! I'm onto something aren't I? And although I would like to be rid of these creatures the thought of Fievel running around my room is mildly amusing.

Lastly, I would like to dedicate this blog to my roommate Ashleigh for whom the mice have found a nice home in her closet full of Nine West's.

November 4!!!

Do you ever have those moments where you really just want to laugh your ass off? Personally, I have them quite often lol. Earlier today, I was browsing through the videos at Funny Or Die and I came across this video which I thought was pretty hilarious. Check it out.

Don't forget November 4! Let's make history :o)

Oh and LMAO @ John McCain's facial expressions.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Flobots

So I was on my computer earlier tonight and I was kind of half watching Late Night With Conan O'Brian and the musical guest for the show came on. I wasn't really paying too much attention to the performance, but then I started listening to it and I was really feeling it.

It was this group out of Denver, Colorado and they're called Flobots. They have a Hip Hop meets rock kinda sound. Here's the video for "Rise", the song they performed on Conan's show...

KRS One At EOW!

October 19, Ch Ch Check it out!

Read This Book!

Among the several books I'm reading right now is James Weldon Johnson's The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man. I first read the book way back in 2002 for my African American literature class. Ever since my first read back in '02 I've been trying to find a copy of the book, but to no avail. It's just one of those books you have to have in your collection, its a hands down classic.

After attending the Women In Hip-Hop event in Harlem last weekend, I stopped by one of the local Harlem books stores. While browsing around I spotted The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man and it was only $2.50! So of course I bought it.

To give you a very brief synopsis of the book, it's about a bi-racial man who is so fair that he's able to pass as a white man. So the book focuses on the choice he has between either embracing and accepting his black culture or choosing to live as a white man. So if you're in the market for a new book you should definitely check it out.

Artist On Artist: Webbafied

I've always found it interesting hearing artists perspectives on other artists so I came up with this idea called 'Artist On Artist' where artists have the opportunity to critique other artists. I've only done one so far and it was featured on We Write Blog, but the result (shown below) came out pretty well in my opinion. So you can definitely look forward to seeing more of these in the future.



Brooklyn MC Webbafied recently shared with We Write his opinion on Killer Mike's controversial video "Pressure" featuring Ice Cube for We Write's first ever Artist on Artist.

No stranger to Hip-Hop, Webbafied has worked on and released a number of projects and has the opportunity to perform at venues across the country and in Europe. He has appeared in publications such as The Source: France and has been featured on several Websites including HipHopGame.com.



WeWrite: What was your initial reaction after seeing the video/hearing the song?

Webbafied: I was moved…

WeWrite: What's your critique for "Pressure"? Are you feeling it? Is there anything you would change?

Webbafied: I think the song is tight. I love the message in the lyrics and the production. The images were very graphic. Sometimes it was a little bit too much for me to digest. I realize that it is all reality, but seeing the twin towers blow up yet again is really not for me. I like the images that directly related to the lyrics though. The Malcolm X intro and outro were the highlights of the video.

WeWrite: How do you feel about Ice Cube and Killer Mike appearing on a song together?

Webbafied: I think it’s a great look when legendary MC’s pair up with guys from the next generation. Killer Mike is not brand new on the scene but he is no where near Ice Cube’s level. What better way to become a legend, than to work with a legend.

WeWrite: Are you a fan of Killer Mike? Of Ice Cube?

Webbafied: I’m a huge Ice Cube fan. I was really into his older stuff, but I always try giving his new stuff a chance. I remember that song Killer Mike did with Outkast, but I never really checked for his solo material.

WeWrite: Do you think that a lot of mainstream artists in Hip-Hop are afraid to make videos/songs with this kind of subject matter?

Webbafied: I think they are afraid to risk their success. This kind of video would never get play on any of the major video networks. Mainstream acts have so much power, but most of them don’t utilize it.

WeWrite: What projects are you working on right now?

Webbafied: I just started a new group called TOO MANY FISH. My man Molecule does the beats and I do the rhymes.

Webbafied

Obama Covers The Source.

This is definitely a good look for The Source. Hopefully, they'll gain a lot of the readers they lost after Benzino screwed things up over there.

Exclusive Diddy/CIROC Pics.

Here are a few pictures from the Diddy and CIROC advertising campaign which should be in heavy rotation later on this week.

I'm not really big on advertising campaigns, but I like it. It's grown, it's classy. So it works for me. Plus, it really makes we want a drink. Probably not CIROC though, I'm too poor. Georgi and Kool-Aid maybe...Nah, I'm playing. I'll get down with some CIROC.