The Kid Daytona - Contemplation (ft. Tiara Wiles)

The Kid Daytona - Contemplation (ft. Tiara Wiles)

It's a great feeling when you see new music from artists that you actually bang with. The Kid Daytona has been missing on the blogosphere (and on this blog) for a few months now. Daytona's been touring around Boston and doing shows in New York a lot. This track is a 6th-Sense produced ode to random thoughts and ideas. Don't get it twisted though, because it's not a simply introspective track. Daytona flexes his lyrical muscle and drops punchline after punchline after punchline in the first verse. I had to rewind at least 4 times. Hopefully he does more of the same when the mixtape with LRG drops (what's the release date on that anyway???). Check out Daytona & his Notherground homie Tiara Wiles rip a 6th Sense beat...

Mortal Kombat (Promo Video for E3)

If you're a video game fan (#shoutout to real fans; not bandwagon heads), you remember the game Mortal Kombat like it was yesterday. Between Jax, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Johnny Kage, Liu Kang, Kano and Goro, the characters and plot were entirely too trill. And let's not get on to the finishing moves. This video was a promo given to Warner Brothers to convince them to greenlight a re-adaptation of the story (real fans know the last movies were crap sandwiches dripping with wack sauce). In the video, you see Jax and Sonia Blade interrogating a shadowy figure who turns out to be Scorpion. Note, that this isn't for the faint of heart. It's a lot grittier than the original movies and the video games, which were campy with their violence at times. Hell, this could be a horror movie with how bloody these 7 minutes are. Whatever your stance on video game violence (quit being a baby), the promo will be getting more airplay, especially as E3 (the world's biggest video game conference) draws closer. I hope they give us more to salivate on when E3 finally happens in one week...

Dear Slim Thug

Houston, we have a problem... Relationship-wise, that is...

via VIBE Magazine

The way Black people think in general is messed up. Both men and women need to change their way of thinking. It’s hard to trust a Black woman [sometimes] because a lot of Black women’s mind frame is that the man gotta do everything for her⎯ he gotta pay for this, he gotta pay for that, and if it ain’t about money then a lot of them ain’t fucking with him. If that’s what you’re here for then I don’t want to be with you

Most single Black women feel like they don’t want to settle for less. Their standards are too high right now. They have to understand that successful Black men are kind of extinct. We’re important. It’s hard to find us so Black women have to bow down and let it be known that they gotta start working hard; they gotta start cooking and being down for they man more. They can’t just be running around with their head up in the air and passing all of us. I have a brother that dates a White woman and he always be fucking with me about it saying, “Y’all gotta go through all that shit [but] my White woman is fine. She don’t give me no problems, she do whatever I say and y’all gotta do all that arguing and fighting and worry about all this other shit.”My girl is Black and White. I guess the half White in her is where she still cooks and do all the shit that I say, so we make it. She just takes care of me and I like that. She don’t be begging and I don’t gotta buy her all this crazy ass shit. And she’s a smart girl too. She graduated from Columbia [University] and I like that about her so it’s cool. I’ve dated girls that will buy a $3,000 bag and don’t know how to pay it off on their credit cards. They walk around in these Louis Vuittons and red bottoms but they’re riding around in raggedy cars, so it’s just getting your priorities right.

White women treat they man like a king and Black women feel like they ain’t gotta do that shit. Black women need to stand by their man more. Don’t always put the pressure of if I’m fucking with you, you gotta buy me this and that. Black men are the ones that motherfuckers need [but] I think a lot of them need to step it up too. A Black man who gets a little bread will go make it rain in the club and be broke the next day or instead of him going to invest in a business he gonna go buy new jewelry or a new car and still live in the hood. Black peoples’ mentality is real fucked up in general [and] it’s affecting everything. Black women need to be more genuine and be more 50/50 [but] It should be a fair exchange in a relationship period or eventually somebody is gonna feel like they’re getting fucked over whether it’s the woman or the man. I think that will help Black relationships out a lot.

Let me say this first: I haven't listened to anything Slim Thug-related since his failed foray into the mainstream with Pharrell, 'I Ain't Heard of That'. Aside from that, and a heavy 2005 stint with Mike Jones and the rest of the Swishahouse gang, Slim Thugga is an afterthought in my hip-hop world. That said, Slim, I can't really be too mad at you for saying something even remotely outlandish to cast your name into the spotlight for even a vague hour on Twitter. But we're not here to talk about your fame, my G. We've got to discuss this nice little VIBE interview you had 2 days ago.

First of all, Slim, where do you get off as the voice of black men? Percentage wise, you represent such a small spectrum of black males, that it is impossible for you to have an adequate perspective on relationships. I mean, can you honestly say that you've had a "real" relationship (not to throw salt on your current one; I'm sure she's wonderful) since you've been a rapper? The rap game is notorious for introducing previously well-grounded young black men to harems of she-wolves, only for those same rappers to turn around and disrespect every woman they meet after that. So, is this interview you speaking as a regular, everyday, average black man with a mixed girlfriend, or you as a regular man turned rapper (with the body count to prove it) with a mixed girlfriend? My guess is, the latter. As a rapper you're in no position to comment on the romantic and social standing of the rest of us, especially when you make songs specifically made for strippers to 'drop it low,' 'pop their p*ssies,' and other vulgarities that won't make it onto this blog.

Second of all, why even bring up your 'brother' and his white woman? That's like saying a homophobic comment and then saying 'But I have gay friends!' as a qualifier. Your point there is completely moot, my dude. How do you know tha A) your brother isn't lying out of his diamond-encrusted teeth, B) your brother isn't the .000000001% of interracial relationships that has no problems, or C) his wife is just plain-old docile to begin with?

Note to EVERYONE: Just because you have a friend, cousin, uncle, auntie, sister, co-worker, landlord or any other acquaintance that X is true for, does not mean that X is true for every person. Quit generalizing and take every instance at face value.

Slim Thugga, it would seem as if your intellect were pretty darn slim in its own right if you believe that man's marriage has no problems. Every marriage has its high points and its low points. Doesn't mean one marriage (or race in marriage) is better than another. Don't downplay all sisters because your 'brother's' marriage is seemingly perfect.

Third of all, Slim, your half-white, half-black girlfriend, while she's probably a nice person, is not the end all be-all of relationships. Just because every woman that you've messed with before her was trifling and had a credit score lower than her self-esteem, doesn't mean your current shorty won't be just as trife. You seem to think that a college degree and mixed-heritage are the only signifiers of a good catch. Whatever happened to a good listener, a shoulder to lean on or someone good with kids? All of the traits you listed of black people at the end?? Yes, they are sad. But are you really going to let a part of Black society represent the whole in your mind? That seems very silly, Mr. Thomas. I think you need some work on your relationship and societal ideals, quickly.

Slim, it's because of people like you that black men and women are so fragmented. Instead of pointing out differences and pointing fingers at what the other sex should do, you should be figuring out ways to bring us together. Stop with the CNN/MSNBC/Dateline backlash and support black women as a whole, rather than villifying those that are somewhat trifling. Maybe then their ideal of a good man won't have to do with the size of his wallet, but the size of his heart. Maybe then, black men won't be as quick to hop in the sack with anything with a pulse and scar these women in the first place. Maybe then, you won't be having drawn out debates on Twitter about relationships that you have no clue about. I understand that this is spot reporting, and that much of what you said could be misconstrued. Yet, were the words VIBE put on their website that far from what you really mean? I doubt it. Not to belittle your intelligence, but you don't seem like the sharpest tack in the box. Maybe you should leave the relationship talk to Steve Harvey, and get back to niche performing in Houston. It'll at least be a safe zone, where you can clown on all the tricks you want without sounding like a jackass...

Donnis - The Invitation

Donnis - The Invitation

I had grown weary of Donnis over the past six months or so. Maybe it was his scratchy, high-pitched voice. Maybe it was the nondescript Southern 'swag'. Hell, maybe I was just listening to too many other artists that I thought were better at the time. I think, in all actuality, that I stopped listening because everything he put out started to sound the same; not only similar to his other stuff, but similar to everyone else out there. Truth be told, rap today is a huge melting pot that everyone has a bowl of, and everyone tries to re-create for themselves. What ends up happening is a lack of innovation. Donnis fell under that category last year. In fact, I'm not sure what made me listen to 'The Invitation'. Regardless, I'm happy I did, because the ATL native has put in a lot of work and come back harder than I could have imagined. His punchlines, metaphors and wordplay are a lot more focused on this offering. He isn't as content to just say a punchline. When he comes through with one, it's like he's showing rather than telling. As far as swag raps go, he's on the level of Big Sean and the like. You know what you're getting from him and he keeps getting better at that part of his repertoire. I still have yet to see Donnis explore a deeper side to his rhymes, but what can you say to the man? At least he's good at what he does. Donnis flexes his lyrical muscle and shows off for the fans feverishly anticipating his album 'Fashionably Late'. I can honestly say, if he continues this string of music, everyone will be hours ahead when he finally does arrive. Check the download, tracklist, #dopetracks, loosies and the preview for 'The Invitation'...



#dopetrack
Thank You
Country Cool (Remix)
OMG (Remix)
Everyone Nose (Remix)
YUP
Aquemini (Freestyle)
Maybe Baby

Loosies:
Donnis - More Fire
Donnis - Aquemini (Freestyle)

Donnis - The Invitation Trailer from Adam Saewitz on Vimeo.

Big Sean - High Rise

Big Sean - High Rise

Sometimes you have to just accept rappers for what they are. There has never and will never be anything wrong with swag-raps. They're essentially where hip-hop started, and ironically, where we are now again (more proof that hip-hop is cyclical). Big Sean is the progeny of such a movement, and though at times I've been critical of him, dude can actually spit. 'High Rise' is the first track off his new mixtape 'Finally Famous: Volume 3'. Sean has a punchline for every breath you take while listening to it, and I, for one, can't be mad at the man. In fact, I'm actually looking forward to the new mixtape. Consider me a fan, Big Sean. Not a stan, but as far as swag-raps go, Big Sean is on a level few are. Guess that's why the track is called 'High Rise'...

Dear Drake (re: Thank Me Later)

I wish someone could have put me in front of a magic crystal ball a year and a half ago when I was playing 'Comeback Season' and 'So Far Gone' into the ground. In fact, I wanted to post this in a week, when 'Thank Me Later' officially dropped (#shoutout to the internet for leaking EVERYTHING nowadays), but the ringing in my ears was reason enough for me to keep writing. You see, Drake, I'm a rare fan. I've been listening since 'Comeback Season' first dropped. Before that, I'd only known you as Jimmy Brooks from DeGrassi, as most people did. After hearing the last bar on that mixtape, I didn't think you were hip-hop's savior, but just another rapper; a good one, albeit. There was something so, so organic about 'Comeback Season'. You really sounded like a rapper who was struggling to find his sound, his place in the industry and a mate, things I could relate to. Upon listening to 'So Far Gone', it was evident that you had stumbled onto something bigger. You were suddenly the Golden Child of hip-hop, able to cross the bridge that hadn't been traversed since the days of 'Get Rich or Die Trying': a sound that the hip-hop heads and labels could agree on; music that not only got you nodding your head, but thinking about the lyrics; an artist the caliber of Will Smith, who could bring together the galvanized nature of hip-hop. Hell, you even said it on 'Ignorant Shit':

Me doin' a show is getting everyone nervous / cause them hipsters gon' have to get along with them hood niggas

That was 2009, the year everyone found out about you... And the year the Drake of old would be 'So Far Gone'. Enter June 2, 2010. I entered my Twitter account as I do most weekday mornings to find that 'Thank Me Later' had been leaked. T'wasn't the biggest surprise in the world, considering 3/4 of the album was already in circulation on the blogs. Drake, I'll make no secrets about it. I obtained 'Thank Me Later' through less than legal means. As a huge rap fan, my impatience outweighed the need to pad your wallet. That said, it sucks to see what you've worked hard for 3 years for, just fall through the cracks 2 weeks before you were ready for it to drop. Yet and still, in this day and age when little is held in confidence, you should be somewhat happy that it leaked so close to the release date, and that it was a limited leak. Even so, I was still surprised to find how much sh*t heads (including myself) were talking about the album. I thought people were 'fans'. I thought I was a fan. Upon my first listening to the album, I thought 'Damn, this isn't the Drake I expected. This sucks!!!'

That was pure folly on my part. Drake, after my second listen all the way through, I commend you. 'Thank Me Later' wasn't a swagger-laced ode to money, power and women, though it spoke of it heavily. It also wasn't full of love songs, though love was a major theme in it. The excesses, triumphs and perks of fame were prevalent, though they seemed to be more of a bane than a spoil to you. Drake, 'Thank Me Later' sounded like an ode to a simpler time in your life. So much of the album is about the changes you've endured not only personally, but in terms of your surroundings. As the chorus to 'Over' says, there are so many new faces around that at some point you have to say 'Who the f*ck are y'all??' 'Thank Me Later' is one of the most honest, sincere and ingenuous albums I've heard in a year or two. Whereas people (including myself) were looking for more of the same Drake from the past year, it seems like you've reverted to the Drake right before 'So Far Gone,' focused yet limber, idealistic yet cynical. It's actually a really good look for you. It's not the vapid existence I've grown to loathe over the past year, though it's not the naive Drake whose love is given freely and taken for granted. In terms of a sound, the album is one of the cleanest I've heard this decade. Every beat sounds wonderfully mastered and there aren't stray sounds or white noise that detract from the instrumentals. The way acoustic instruments and digital synthesizers are used together is damn near masterful.

'Thank Me Later' has depth that not everyone can appreciate. When I say that, I mean the heads who dislike the album aren't seeing it through your eyes. They want the glamorized, glitzy 2-bit punchlines that Lil' Wayne instilled in you. They can't grasp the introspective nature of some of the songs. It's as if you're trying to give the listeners a glimpse into fame through your eyes, but they're so jaded by the fame that they hear an artist bitching and rapping about things that are irrelevant to them. Drake, I'm by no means saying 'Thank Me Later' is one of the classics. In fact, I'd still say 'Comeback Season' and 'So Far Gone' have a little more *umph* to them. Sometimes it did seem as if you were revisiting themes and lacking punchlines. However, for an album, and a debut album at that, it's hard to do much better than you did, especially with the weight and expectations of all of hip-hop riding on your coattails. 'Thank Me Later' has radio tracks already and has tracks that one would only listen to by themselves. People will knock their heads to it, and certainly buy it. It might not go platinum, but it will probably be the best-selling album of the year, unless Kanye & Eminem go bananas on their offerings. I won't offer up any #dopetracks for this review considering it's a letter, but if I had to pick one, 'Thank Me Now' is the strongest track on my opinion. It's ironic that the track that signals 'Thank Me Later' is 'Over' is the one that sounds the most like a new beginning. I guess all we can do now is listen and wait. Kudos for a dope album...

Neighborhood Newsletter (6/7)

10 Things Android Does Better Than iPhone OS

Tobacco giants claim graphic NYC anti-smoking posters go too far

Does the Internet Make You Smarter?

After 15 Years, Mom Finds Kidnapped Kids on Facebook

Restaurant Charges Extra for Not Finishing Meal

Prisoner Bernie Madoff: 'F*** My Victims'

Your Brain on Computers: Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price

Why the iPhone 4G Won't Be Worth the Money

The Madbury Club!

This is viral marketing at its best. Phillip Annand of The AwardTour has been tweeting on and off about an initiative called the Madbury Club lately, much to my confusion. Here's the first piece of media actually associated with it. Looking at the video, it's pretty much a who's who of really fresh NYC fashion personalities. Joe La Puma, Marcus Troy et. al. show their faces getting special invites for whatever the Madbury Club is offering. We'll probably get more word as to what the madness behind the Madbury Club is in the coming weeks. Maybe by then I'll have come up with enough explanations for what exactly it is. Check the video out...

Freestyle Friday (6/4)

What's up people!! Been slacking on the Freestyle Fridays as of late, so this week I had to make sure to post one. The first up is Charles Hamilton dropping by Shade45's radio show to chop it up with Tony Touch and spit off the dome. Chuck's Multihamitonization Project is going to need more ciphers like this if he wants to get back on the scene in full force. I guess being the only rapper out right now who can rap off the top of his head helps. The second freestyle is by Young Chris, who's slowly becoming a really really good rapper. He sounds like he's seriously been hitting the books and expanding his vocab, which you can't be mad at. I still have to listen to The Network 2, especially if Chris is going to be doing it like this. Check out both freestyles and keep it locked to Dear Whoever!!!

Phil Ade - The Letter (Music Video)

One thing I'm not afraid to admit is when I've slept on an artist. The homie @MichelleHux told me last year that Phil Ade was a problem. I promptly downloaded his mixtape 'Starting on JV,' gave it a listen, then forgot about it for some reason. Maybe there was a plethora of other music that I was more interested in at the time. Maybe it didn't hit me as hard at first. Whatever the case, the tape stayed in my iTunes untouched for months. Saw the video for his track 'The Letter' floating around the blogosphere, and gave that a spin. My opinion was immediately swayed. Phil has a maturity on wax that I don't see from a lot of artists. He also has a great handle of vernacular, evident in his lyrics and delivery. There aren't wasted words in his delivery and he seems to hold a penchant for stretching metaphors, especially basketball ones (can't ever be mad at that). Regardless of what I say, you've got to check this video out. It feels... organic, how much of a natural Phil is. I can't wait to hear his next mixtape 'The Letterman'. If the music doesn't reel you in, then the Don Cannon cosign should. Check the video and get ready for the tape to drop on July 6th (MY BIRTHDAY!!!!)...

Iron Solomon - Spring Fever

Iron Solomon - Spring Fever

If you don't know who Iron Solomon is, then I can gather that you've never watched some of the best freestyles on Youtube. The Brooklyn MC is best known for making mincemeat out of other rappers in freestyle battles. He's finally trying his hand at conquering the rest of hip-hop, and in doing so tackles my favorite time of the year: spring. Solomon talks about skipping work, beautiful, scantily-clad women, and the beautiful weather that comes with spring. His voice on this is a little nutty, but the beat and his lyrics make up for it perfectly. Who would have thought that Iron Solomon would be on the 'Ridin With My Top Down & My Jewwrry On' playlist? Not I. Whatever the case, check out Iron Solomon's foray into the mainstream (or blogosphere; guess they're synonymous now)...

P.S.: Check back in a few weeks for his take on the Run DMC classic 'Sucka MC's'

Dear Ken Griffey Jr.

I don't see any of these roid-raged out players doing anything like this!!

It's never been cool for black kids to play baseball. Yeah, there were Little League teams all over the place and everyone went to Modell's to get their gloves and baseball bats. Sure, the MLB is trying to ramp up their initiatives to offer baseball in minority neighborhoods. At the same time, I've yet to hear a young black kid say 'I want to play baseball when I grown up'. It's always something to the tune of basketball player, football player, rapper or any profession offering a hefty paycheck. You could blame the lack of interest on a number of things: cost of equipment, lack of space for baseball fields, etc. But there's one reason, to me that makes minority kids not be as interested in baseball: no identifiable role models. When you name the top 10, 20, or however many best baseball players, how many of them are black and of American (rather than Hispanic) descent? I can name a bunch of black baseball players, but besides Jimmy Rollins & Ryan Howard, who of them are household names? This is why you were so important Ken.

Junior (crazy that I can call someone else that), in your heyday you were probably the most recognizable face in baseball. Between winning the 1997 American League MVP, blasting the best home run (home runs aren't that impressive; sorry...) I've ever seen, and trying to follow in your father's footsteps, your career just oozed greatness and integrity. You made it cool to like baseball, wearing backwards caps at a time when such a fashion statement could be seen as gang-related. Hell, you made baseball sneakers a fashion statement! (word to Ron & Yusuf with their Griffeys) I think what impresses me the most about you is that in the era of baseball players juicing left and right, you accomplished every feat on the diamond without so much as touching a needle. In this day and age, when all of the greats from the 90's and early 2000's are shuffling, trying to cover up their steroid use, you're cleaner than baby's bottom. Where other baseball players were in court lying their asses off, you were chilling, probably practicing rather than taking shortcuts. In my eyes, that's a role model for young black kids. That's reason enough to like you.

It's funny that I wasn't sports conscious enough at the beginning of your career, but still recognize your name and the impact that you had on the game. It's the same way that kids today have never seen Michael Jordan play basketball, but know immediately who he is and how he changed the game (overpriced sneakers et. al.). I'm not sure that your legacy will be comparable (honestly, who really is messing with MJ's reach?). Even so, on the baseball diamond, where black players have lost the enigmatic aura that guys like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron & Reggie Jackson had, you'll forever be remembered as the golden boy of this era. Happy retirement, Junior...

Come on, son... The charisma was incredible

Dear Lakers & Celtics

It's the end of basketball season, and while it's a somber part of the year for basketball junkies such as myself, it's good to see this season coming to a close. I guess it's only right that you two meet in the Finals. David Stern and the NBA wanted it and no other team made their case for the ship, so here we have a rematch of the 2008 Finals. I, for one, would have loved to see ANY other two teams (well, Playoff teams) reach the big dance, because you two have had your fair share of wins already. Quite honestly, I'm getting thoroughly bored of seeing similar teams make it every time. There's yet to be a Playoffs in this new millenia that has featured two underdogs or even one team that didn't have the silver spoon in its mouth at the beginning of the season. That's not to say that you two don't deserve to be in the Finals (if that was the case, you wouldn't be there). It just gets really boring. That said, let's examine both teams and see who's really going to win the 'ship this year...

The guy on the left is the best player in the world. If the other two show up, the Lakers are damn near impossible to beat...

Los Angeles Lakers

Kobe. Kobe. And even more Kobe. That's what the you guys have been sicking on the league all season. What's crazy is that it worked... up until about March. Kobe basically admitted that he didn't have a hand anymore and that his knee was turning into silly putty. And your squad was faced with the fact that Kobe Bryant is, indeed, a mortal like the rest of us (not all; I still consider Bynum an overgrown hobbit). That fact made another title in La-La Land seem a lot harder to grasp. But have no fear, Lakers!! Kobe made it back for the Playoffs and, though you guys struggled at times during the Thunder series, made quick work of the Jazz and Suns. That said, the Celtics will be the toughest team you have faced in a WHILE. Their front line is a bunch of men who look like they eat children and broken dreams, while their backcourt is full of finesse.

For you guys to win, two people other than Kobe have to show up, and in a big way: Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. Those two are the only other players who have it in them to be DOMINANT. And I say that cautiously, not only because dominance takes many forms in basketball, but also because both players are known to have soft demeanors. When Lamar Odom Kardashian is dominant, he could be one of the best players in the game, given his skill set. Gasol on the other hand is the unsung hero of sorts. He's been an All-Star forever, though he defers to Kobe more often than he should. I bring these two players up because when your team won last year, it wasn't because Kobe went off for 45 every night. It was because there was a concerted effort for all of your players to put in the extra bit that Kobe can't do when he's off scoring at will and making people look retarded. Don't get me wrong. If Bryant plays badly, you guys lose. Point blank. But if Odom, Gasol and every other role player on that squad fills in the gaps, you guys will be hard as hell to beat...

It's been the Big 4 all season.. Will all 4 come up big again??

Boston Celtics

Now, to you guys... the story of the Playoffs in my opinion. Your team was considered dead in the water at the end of the season, limping into the postseason with some pretty ugly home losses on your record. Look at you now! After rolling over the Miami Wades in the first round, dethroning King James in the second round and turning Superman into Clark Kent in Orlando, you guys look to be on a streak. This playoffs, you more or less took out the teams of the three best players in the Eastern Conference, and did it in grand style. But while the Lakers got there on the shoulders of their lone superstar, you guys did it with good, old-fashioned teamwork. When I look at your stats from the Playoffs, there isn't a player that sticks out to me on paper. In fact, besides Rajon Rondo, none of you have been overly-consistent. But that's the beauty (GAG!!! I'm a Knicks fan) of Celtics basketball. Pierce, Garnett & Allen, et. al. seem to turn up when the game is on the line. Whether it's Pierce or Allen hitting ridiculous shots, KG with his trademark intensity, Sheed exploding out of nowhere, or any of your other role-palyers turning it on, someone always fills in.

Along with that team solidarity, you guys have the best defensive team I've ever seen. During the Orlando series, I've never seen a team so flustered as I did in Games 1&2. It was as if your team was made out of brick and the Magic were water splashing up against you. Howard was nowhere to be found, threes weren't falling and you guys got easy points in transition and through 2nd-chance points. That said, you're facing a well-oiled machine in the Lakers. When the triangle offense is at its best, there is an open shot at the end of every possession. What you guys need to do is focus on keeping everyone but Kobe Bryant under wraps. There's really no point to trying to stop him. But if you can kill everyone else's game, there's no reason why you shouldn't win. Also, make sure to let Rajon Rondo loose on Derek Fisher. I'm tired of seeing teams sleep on Fisher, only to have him making key plays down the stretch. Defense and a heavy dose of tough love are all you need...

The picture says it all.. This is going to be another rough series

Conclusion

Honestly, I don't like either of you. I despise you, the Lakers and Celtics, for reasons I can't even fathom sometimes. It could be the rings; it could be that both cities PALE in comparison to NYC; It could just be something subconscious. Though, if I had to pick one of you based solely on basketball, it would have to be the Celtics. Lakers, you've shown the world the blueprint on how to beat you. Celtics, I'm not so sure that there is a definite way to beat you, other than to grind it out and pray to the basketball gods. Benchwise, Boston, you've got it. There's too many big bodies coming off the pine that can make up for lack of skill. Plus, I think Sheed is going to have one of his rare 'Really, Sheed?' series', where he defies logic and drops 20 a game again. Lakers, you guys dominated the West, but as many forget, the East is no longer a pushover. Celtics in 6, though even that I'm shaky on. Should be a good series.

P.S.: Check the blog tomorrow for the top moments from this year's playoffs!!!

The Lego Printer

This is honestly among the coolest sh*t I've ever seen!! At one point, in my room as a child, there was a swarm of Lego pieces threatening to stub toes and make people slip on a moment's notice. My parents always told me to pick up the pieces and do something constructive with them (like what?? I was 6!! I'm not going to build a damn arc reactor!). My guess is, that if I built something like this, no amount of floor-bound Lego pieces could upset them. Randomly stumbled onto this video while browsing Youtube, and it has me wanting to build a printer myself. This guy used a felt tip pen, simple programming software and a horde of Legos to create a printer, complete with the little yellow Lego guys doing all the grunt work of the actual printer. You might not be printing out your 30 page senior dissertation on this, but it'll at least distract you while you wait...

Louis Vuitton FIFA World Cup Trophy 2010 Travel Case

I'm not sure why I'm posting this right now. I'm not one for luxury brands (aside from Burberry), and I could give two sh*ts about the World Cup Trophy, (not like I'll be holding it) aside from that it's the World Cup Trophy. Yet and still something urged me to want to put this up. Louis V was commissioned by FIFA to create a one of a kind carrying case for the 2010 World Cup trophy. The case was handmade in Louis' historic Asnières workshop near Paris, by a single master craftsman. Also, the case has been fitted with the company’s signature brass lock and corners, and a dark brown lining. Last but not least, it sports the traditional monogram Louis Vuitton print that has become synonymous with over-consuming rappers and Canal Street vendors. I think that's why I posted it. It's a huge nose-thumbing to people who rock out with too much Louis. This bad boy is a one-for-one, meaning it's the only of its kind. Your belt or coin purse, that you conspicuously wear, and blew a paycheck or two on, is worth peppercorns compared to this case. Guess it's just food for thought. Check out some more flicktures of the case in design & construction, and get ready for the World Cup, which starts next week!!!

Neighborhood Newsletter (6/1)

Please note that the ENTIRE car is texting, going into oncoming traffic...

What Your E-Mail Address Says About Your Computer Skills

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300-Foot Sinkhole in Guatemala City

via CNN:

The death toll from Tropical Storm Agatha continued to grow Tuesday, with 152 reported killed in Guatemala, 16 in Honduras and nine in El Salvador. One-hundred people are missing in Guatemala and another 87 are injured, the nation's emergency agency reported Tuesday. In addition, nearly 125,000 people have been evacuated and 74,000 are living in shelters, said emergency official David de Leon.

The previously reported toll for Guatemala was 123 deaths, 90 people missing and 69 injured.
Guatemala also is feeling the effect of the Pacaya volcano, which erupted Thursday night and continued to spew ash Tuesday. Three people were killed when they were crushed by rocks strewn by the volcano. La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, the nation's capital, has been closed since Friday because of falling ash but was expected to open later Tuesday. Pacaya is located about 18 miles (30 kilometers) south of Guatemala City.

Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom declared a 15-day state of calamity after the volcano eruption. Damage from Tropical Storm Agatha added to the devastation. Destruction from the storm has been widespread throughout the nation, with mudslides destroying homes and buildings and burying some victims. At least nine rivers had dramatically higher levels and 13 bridges collapsed, the emergency services agency said. In the northern part of Guatemala City, the downpour created a sinkhole the size of a street intersection. Residents told CNN that a three-story building and a house fell into the hole.

It's stuff like this that makes me realize that our planet is slowly, yet surely fighting back against us. Okay, maybe it's not 'fighting back', but more reacting to centuries of having it's landscape altered for human use. That said, can we really be surprised at natural phenomena like the recent rash of earthquakes, the ash cloud over Europe, or this, a sinkhole in Guatemala? For those of you who aren't familiar, let's define sinkhole:

sinkhole - a natural depression or hole in the surface topography caused by the removal of soil or bedrock, often both, by water (via Wikipedia)

That essentially means that wherever that sinkhole is located, there was a loose deposit of soil/bedrock that was disrupted by aquatic movement. In this case, the movement stemmed from Tropical Storm Agatha, which had the rest of the country up to its neck in torrential rain and mudslides. By the time that wave reached Guatemala City, the earth underneath the city was so screwed that a portion of it just caved in, causing a 300-foot sinkhole in the middle of downtown. The hole swallowed a 3-story building and everyone inside. Lord knows where the remains of that structure are. Like I said before, our planet has been trying to tell us something for a minute now. Alternative energy initiatives and 'green' living obviously haven't helped calm Mother Earth down, but I guess we can keep dreaming. Anyone else think the 2012 rumors are getting a little more eerie with stuff like this happening? Check out some more pictures of the sinkhole and chime in with the comments section below...

P.S.: Yes, I cited Wikipedia for that definition... Sue me.

Dear Dwight Howard & Amar'e Stoudemire

If these are the best that the league has to offer, the big man might be extinct in 20 years...

NOTE FROM EDITOR:This week is a sad, yet exciting week for any basketball junkie.. including myself. With the NBA Finals beginning on Thursday, we've got to recap the playoffs and what we've seen so far. Here's a tribute to the mythical species of skilled big men...

It's a huge honor being called the best big men of this era, but what happens when the title is undeserved? What happens when the dire lack of traditional centers and power forwards places the premium on size, strength and athleticism rather than knowledge of the game, skill and intangibles? What happens when basketball's two best big men.. aren't?

First off, let's get at you Dwight. Yes, I've been your biggest critic since you've gotten to the NBA. But, in all honesty, it's warranted. Dog, you haven't gotten any better since 2004!! It's been 6 years.. 6 seasons in the NBA, and you're still virtually the same player you were when you entered. You still are a dunk and layup machine and can erase damn near every shot thrown at you, yet there are points at which I wonder about your testicular fortitude. Dwight, you can be completely erased from a game, given the proper personnel guarding you. Kendrick Perkins proved it this year. Pau Gasol & Andrew Bynum proved it last year. Rasheed Wallace proved it the year before that AND this year.

You don't look too happy there, Dwight.. Shaq looks the same as he always does: dominant...


Dwight, if someone is rougher than you, you fold. The Playoffs exposed how your team falters when you get taken out of the paint. And you call yourself Superman... Shaq ought to slap the S right off your chest. No, he still can't shoot free throws, but the man has the best post moves I've ever seen. If Shaq is anywhere within 15 feet of the basket, there's little chance of stopping him. I don't think I'll ever be able to say that about you. What makes matters worse is that you have Patrick Ewing on your sideline. Quick history lesson: Patrick Ewing is one of the greatest centers of all time. Had he not (ironically, because he used to live in the paint) missed a layup, we'd probably be talking about him and a Finals ring. Even so, how has none of the man's teaching not rubbed off on you? You don't have a jumpshot, drop step or face-up move to speak of. It's mind-boggling how easy your athleticism could be used with some skill, dude. Seriously, before next season, call Kevin McHale, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon and Bill Walton, and ask them for some help, because your post game is SAD.

Now, on to you, Amar'e. I've always liked you. You had a fiery demeanor and a 'don't look at me that way, n*gga!' swagger since you were drafted out of high school. At first, you had the Dwight Howard syndrome, with not a move to speak of. Then, I guess playing with Steve Nash rubbed off on you and you developed a nice mid-range jump shot. Kudos. Also, kudos on getting by all of those injuries. There were a good 3 years that I thought your career might be over. That said, you need some coaching on defense. I mean, damn! When your team can't count on you to get a rebound, much less defend their best post player, what really is your purpose for being on the court? You can't be a one-way player as a big man. Maybe it works as a combo guard (see: Jamal Crawford), but as an elite big man, you shouldn't be struggling against mediocre centers.

Nene's good.. But not that good.... Guess he's good enough to make a poster out of you...


I got another bone to pick with you too, Amar'e. What's with you playing the background all the time on your squad? Is Steve Nash that good of a leader or are you just waiting until he retires to take hold of that team? I hate to break it to you, but Steve's only got one hand's worth (at most 5 years) left in the league. He won't be making everything easy for you by tossing the ball exactly where it needs to be for you to score anymore. Things are going to get harder. It would behoove you to grow a pair and start taking over games when necessary. Not as big a beef as Dwight, but think, you probably would have been at Game 7 with the Lakers had you gotten the rebound off Kobe's airball.

To both of you, this letter is a harrowing reminder of what happens when you don't hone your craft as a big man. Guards can get away with specialization, but not franchise-caliber centers. You two are heralded as the best of this generation, but when held up against prior ones, you guys just pale. Shaq, Olajuwon, Ewing and whatever other 90s big men you want to bring up would have dumped on you two in their heydays. That's not to say the two of you won't get better; it's just an observation from a week and a half of watching the two of you play inconsistently. Sigh... Maybe next year...

Nike Dunk SB 'Iron Man' & 'War Machine' (by Diverstile)

Peeped these on SneakerNews and from the homies at RecruitZero...

Fan memorabilia is always a tricky subject, because you can never have too much discretion at drawing the line behind healthy fanhood and ridiculous fanaticism. Some people feel a certain type of way when you call them out on what may be an overzealous idea of what fanhood is. Even so, a creation like this makes me realize the line is blurrier than ever. I considered myself a fan of Iron Man and the entities surrounding the franchise, but never thought I would find myself wanting to rock a pair of Iron Man sneakers. Guess that doesn't hold true today, because these are TOUGH. From the plated-on 'armor', to the custom arc-reactors in Iron Man and War Machine's suits (yes, they both ACTUALLY light up), this might damn well take the cake for any type of themed-sneakers (sans the Skunk Dunks). Unfortunately, these aren't production Nike Dunks, and are customs from sneaker designers Diverstile. If you want to get your hands on a pair, you should probably hit the website link and hope they have a pair left. Check out some more pictures of the coolest Dunks I've ever seen...

The Cool Kids - Tacklebox

The Cool Kids - Tacklebox

It's funny how every artist or group's 'plans' work out. Some acts never get their act together and never figure out how to put themselves in the limelight, either due to bad music or bad management decisions. Some acts find their niches, their sounds, their audience and figure out where they stand. The Cool Kids are one of those groups that have stepped into their lane and don't seem to be switching anytime soon. Chuck and Mikey teamed up with the LA Leakers to drop Tacklebox, supposedly the precursor to their rumored album, 'When Fish Ride Bicycles'. This mixtape is almost entirely produced by Chuck Inglish, so you know there are going to be a lot of bass-heavy, synth-heavy beats with non-linear rhymes from the two Midwest MC's. Like I said before, the Cool Kids have found their lane. If you've heard anything from them, you know what to expect, though this is a bit more far-out sounding than Gone Fishing. The one thing that surprised me the most was the difference in rapping styles between the two. Before, both were a similar, with Mikey showing a bit more charisma on wax. Now, it's clear who the rapper is and who the producer is. As a matter of fact, I wish I could hear a mix with just Mikey rapping over Chuck's beats. Not necessarily saying it would be better than this. It's just simple comparative advantage. Regardless of who's better than who, this is vintage Cool Kids, complete with voiceover manipulation and sounds put together that will have you nodding your head all tape long. The tape starts out much different than it ends (I liked the latter half more than the former). Check the download, #dopetracks, loosies and a video where Chuck & Mikey talk about 'Tacklebox' and 'When Fish Ride Bicycles', hopefully coming soon...

#dopetracks
Volume II
Birthdays
Great Outdoors
Good Afternoon
Parking Lot
Summer Nights

Loosies:
The Cool Kids - Flying Kites
The Cool Kids - Fishing Lessons
The Cool Kids - Freak City