Busta Rhymes Feat. Big Tigger | If You Don't Know, Now You Know [Video]

Dwight Howard Chosen As Cover Athlete For NBA Live 2010

Dwight Howard may not have won an NBA Championship, but this is a good look for him to be chosen as the cover athlete for NBA Live 2010. A lot of the previous players to have graced the cover have gone on to win(if not compete for) an NBA title and with the Magic being a relatively young team, I see them contending for years to come.

It's just disappointing that things didn't work out for him this year. The Los Angeles Lakers were a much better team and regardless of what anybody says, experience played a key role in this series; especially in late game situations.

I shutter to think how much of a difference the series would've been had Courtney Lee made that lay up @ the end of game 2 or if Derek Fisher misses one of the clutch three's he hit in game 4. A few bounces of the ball here or there may have yielded a much different result but it is what it is.

In the meantime, NBA Live 2010 will be in stores this fall.

Yung La | Futuristic Love [Video]

¤ The Birthday Girl ¤

A friend of mine celebrated their 19th birthday today and I would be remissed if I didn't acknowledge that fact on my own public space. Therefore, Happy Birthday KJL♥ and here's to many more!

KanYe West | Paranoid [Video]

Charles Hamilton's This Perfect Life Album Cover/Tracklisting

[Click here to view back cover]

Charles Hamilton is a genius in my book. Not because he's a breath of fresh air in this otherwise stale state of music, but because he represents an abstract way of looking at things.

Which would probably explain why I'm such a fan of his. Have been for awhile now, actually, and the release of his album, This Perfect Life, can not come soon enough.

1. Barbara Walters
Insomnia, depression, getting over your problems by talking.

2. Three Pound Bullet
(Co-produced by Charles Hamilton and Woody)
Dealing with the "elephant in the room" factor.

3. Ghosts
The paranormal paranoia.

4. Post-Lynching Ceremony
Racism

5. All Alone
(Produced by Woody)
Teen depression/suicide

6. Cable in the Classroom
A general response to the question "how".

7. Baby
The innocence in being an artist.

8. Disambiguation
The events leading to destiny.

9. Tears of Fire (Feat. Crooked I)
Saying goodbye to the pain that holds one back.

10. Long Socks (Feat. Show TuFli)
The universal friendship bracelet for all people lucky enough to have one.

11. Rosado
(Additional vocals by Aja-Monet)
A dedication to the color of life.

¤ Available For Free Download | June 16th, 2009 ¤

Danger's Spread in Blackmen Magazine

[Click here to view more pics]

I could [almost] understand why Ray J kept Danger around for so long, but I think he regretted doing so as the season progressed. This broad is the definition of crazy and for some [strange] reason I can't help but get the song "Psycho Bitch" by Charles Hamilton out of my head.

Maybe it's because it epitomizes Danger's personality, or maybe it has to do with the fact that I just wrote about Charles Hamilton. Either explanation would suffice, but go figure? One thing's for sure, however, and that is that Danger appears in this month's Blackmen magazine! Be sure to pick up a copy when it hits newsstands sometime, later this month.

An Inconvenient Truth Pt. 1

Usually a blog of this manner would serve as a prerequisite for anger; but, following the Los Angeles Lakers 25 point victory the other night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, I think it's fair to say that the grandeur taking place in La La Land is [somewhat] misguided.

Sure, the Los Angeles Lakers are a much better team than the Orlando Magic; but it kills me to turn on ESPN and see commentators and analysts alike proclaim this series to be over after just one game. It's just one game!

Who's to say the Magic won't win 4 of the next 6 to make it a series? Certainly it's possible but, in all likelihood, I'm sure the Lakers will prevail like they have all postseason. Besides, the NBA has gone to great lengths to ensure a Kobe/LeBron coronation and I see no reason for them to quit while their ahead. It's just naive in a sense, however, because I'm one of the select few that have NOT changed their pick. Magic in 7! Mark my words.

Kobe Bryant Chosen As Cover Athlete For NBA 2K10

[Click image for larger view]
Kobe Bryant is not someone I particularly care for, to say the least; however, I've always respected him for what he's able to do on the basketball floor. There's no other NBA player that I fear more with my team up by 1 and the ball in Kobe's hands and, for that same reason, I see the logic behind 2K sports choosing Kobe as their [next] cover athlete.

Besides, as I write this, the Lakers seem primed to win [yet] another NBA championship and, if they do, you could only imagine how many more marketing doors will open [back] up for Kobe. This [already] being one of them.

Keri Hilson Covers 944 Magazine

[Click here for more pics]

There's something about Keri Hilson that I can't quite put my finger on but, whatever it is, I like it. Her debut album, In A Perfect World, was one of the best albums I've heard all year and, I must say, it's nice to see her finally get the credit/attention she deserves.

Not that she hasn't earned it. All her years ghostwriting for other artists has helped mold her into the artist she is today and I think her long winding road to get here was well worth the wait.

In the meantime, however, be sure to look for Keri on the cover of 944 magazine; as well as on the "A Different Me" tour with Keyshia Cole & The-Dream. Both coming to a city near you!

Ocean's 7 | Vegas Baby [Video]

¤ You Could Have My Heart or We Could Share It Like The Last Slice ¤

--I'm not sure if I know what it is to be in love with someone anymore. Sometimes it's like you think you're in love but when you are actually with that person you realize that you don't even like the person that much. I think it's funny sometimes. I know what it is to love someone like family, God, my daughter but as far as being in a relationship and loving someone I'm not sure I can do that again. I think I'm in love with someone but I'm not sure. Love is like a game people play. I just don't have time for games. I've been through a lot and have been hurt a lot and I have come to a point in my life that I'm happy. I get lonely sometimes but it does pass. I will stay lonely before I am unhappy and sad because I have let another man in my life to hurt me. I know it's wrong but it will take a lot for a man to get close to my heart. One day I know I will learn how to be in love again.......Like my playlist song says I'm not that silly girl anymore, I know how the game goes.......--

A friend of mine wrote this in a blog of hers on MySpace around a week or so ago and it caught me off guard when I read it. Not so much because I empathized with her on everything she was saying, but because it reflected the same exact sentiments that I happen to have towards love as well.

For what its worth, I, myself, have never been in love and would not be able to relate to those that have; but one thing I've learned along the way is that regardless of how many times someone can break your heart...the funny thing is, we still manage to love them with all the little pieces.

Which is sad when you think about it. Are we that naive (at times) to think that just because a relationship doesn't work out with so-and-so that, later on down the road, something won't happen with the next? That kind of thinking creates a self-fulfilling prophecy and while I agree that being lonely is better than being unhappy, I just feel like men and women, both, tend to put too much emphasis on finding Mr./Mrs. Right. Trust me, if it was that important, God would've made it a point to provide us with someone at birth; but, instead, he provided us with this nifty little concept called "dating".

And I think that's where a lot of people get confused. Just because you're in a relationship doesn't mean you're in love and the sooner people realize that, the better off they'll be. Take me for instance. I'm 22 odd years old and I've never had a real relationship, let alone a "girlfriend" for that matter. Does it bother me? Of course it does, at times more than others; but, in the back of my mind, I realize that I have a lot going for me. It may not show on the surface but, last I checked, I'm a pretty genuine dude. It's just fucked up because I've had the worst possible luck when it comes to pursuing females.

Either I choose the wrong ones or I put too much thought into everything that it all starts to go downhill from there. For whatever reason, things seem to never go right and after a while, you start to kind of feel like they never will. It’s kind of like trying to climb a mountain. You know that the top is where you wanna be but, if you never reach it, you start to doubt if there’s anything even there at all. But can you blame me? Every situation that I’ve ever been involved in has ended the same way and there’s only so much heartbreak a person can take. I’m tired of living like this and the more I wear my heart on my sleeve, the more I subject myself to being hurt. Plain and simple, it’s time for a change

Truth be told, I realize that any digression I may have is self afflicted but I would like to believe that I’m a victim of circumstance. Doing so makes things a whole lot easier and a lot less complicated.

Which brings me to my point. What exactly does it mean to be in love with someone? That's the same question this friend of mine proposed and the only educated answer I can remotely provide is that love means not having to defend your feelings. Any doubt whatsoever defeats the purpose and the last thing I would want is someone who thinks they love me. Give me somebody that knows...

...and to think, all this over a 4 letter word that's simple to spell; yet so hard to find.

KanYe West Feat. GLC & Consequence | Spaceship [The Lost Video]

¤ Art. Imitating. Life. ¤

My friend Erica has been waiting for this for months now and it's finally here! Which is good. I'm happy she'll finally have a chance to play it here in a couple of days (if she ever buys it), but I've never gotten the concept of these kind of games. The only actual "sim" game I've played is Roller Coaster Tycoon and let me just say...I don't think I'll be designing any theme parks any time soon. Besides, if they take as much time and effort as the "sim" implies, then I'm better off quitting while I'm ahead.

But The Sims has more of a following than Roller Coaster Tycoon. A huge following actually and that's what I was kind of surprised to find out. A lot of people love this game and have been looking forward to its release, so I hope it lives up to the hype. From what I understand, it's supposed to be the most interactive Sims yet and as to what that means? I have no idea...I just know that Erica has been talking this shit up to be the next best thing since fire and, hopefully, she's right.

Which she probably will be. The last video game I turned my nose up at was Guitar Hero and I actually liked it after I gave it a try. Again, I don't think being a rock star is in my future; but I held my own. Albeit on beginner nonetheless.

But I digress. I had better luck playing Street Fighter 4 than I did anything else and, you know, all this talk about video games has got me really wanting to finish Gears of War 2. Me and Ralph started playing a few months back, only to pick up NBA Live 2009; and for what ever reason, we just never got back around to it. It's his fault though. Something about he doesn't want to pay $9 bucks @ Blockbuster to rent it. I say he's cheap. He says he's selective with his money. Go figure.

On a lesser note, however, none of this can happen until I get my X-Box back. This is twice in less than a year and a 1/2 that I've experienced the red rings of death and I've had it UP to here with X-Box. Details in a blog coming soon. In the meantime, The Sims 3 is in stores people! Go buy it. Or, better yet, buy it for Erica. She'll be your friend if you do.

Nick Cannon Covers GIANT Magazine

[Click here to view more pics]

Nick Cannon is quite the businessman and I think that often goes overlooked at times. Which is understandable. Other than Drumline, Wild-n-Out, and his marriage to Mariah Carey, he isn't known for much else; yet people still knock the guy for whatever reason.

Which always bothered me. Why do people hate Nick Cannon so much? I could see if he was making power moves (like say a Russell Simmons), but the only lucrative venture he's had thus far is his short stint with MTV.

Whether people would like to admit it or not, Wild-n-Out was a good show and not only proved once and for all that Nick Cannon could be a master of his craft; but more so proved the value of his own brand. It's just ironic in a sense seeing that he still hasn't gotten his just due.

Keri Hilson Interview With Karmaloop

¤ Audio Delight @ Low Fidelity | Beats by Dr. Dre ¤

I can't even begin to describe how dope these Beats by Dr. Dre headphones are but, trust me, I'm more than happy with the current pair of Skullcandy that I already own.

Besides, the hefty price tag of $399.95 is a little out of my price range. Maybe if they were a little cheaper I would splurge and buy 'em for myself, but I just can't see myself spending "x" amount of dollars on something as frivolous as headphones. I can think of more important things to invest my money in but, still, that doesn't mean I would pass them up as present. My birthday is right around the corner you know (July 26th); so if anybody wants to get 'em for me, it would be greatly appreciated.

Then again, who am I kidding? Even I wouldn't spend that much money on someone for their birthday, so the last thing I expect to get is some Beats by Dr. Dre headphones. Don't get me wrong, it would be nice. But how naive would it be for me to actually believe that I was getting a pair as a present? Exactly...

Truth be told, I'll be in New York for my birthday, anyway, and I can just imagine how much fun that will be. I'm headed up there to see my uncle, Jim Rice, get inducted into the Baseball Hall Of Fame and, personally, I think it was long overdue. And what do you know...he's getting inducted on my birthday (it's my cousin's as well) no less so it's going to be all the more special. ( ....pause...) It would be even better if he bought me those headphones, too, now that I think about it; but, hey, a guy can dream can't he?

¤ Death To Popeyes ¤

I absolutely refuse to feed into this stereotype that ALL black people love chicken; but, the more I try to defend it, the more I realize how true it actually is. Which isn't a surprise. You have no idea how many people went crazy a few weeks back whenever Popeyes had their 8 piece for $4.99 sale [video] and, the sad thing is, I witnessed it with my very own eyes.

Now, I'm not trying to sit here and social analyze this particular issue as if it was a problem; but, one thing I will say, is that niggas love chicken. Now that I have your attention...how about we dig a little deeper now, shall we?

It's not so much the fact that I don't enjoy chicken because I [happen to] eat wings with the best of 'em...it's just that I feel like I'm literally feeding into the stereotype when I do. Sure, I understand that being a little less self-conscience about it would ease things somewhat; but, when Oprah announced that she was giving away free chicken, I fucking lost it!

Are you serious!? That's the two worst things you could say to a black person, let alone mention both "free" and "chicken" in the same sentence. If that isn't a recipe for disaster, then I don't know what is.

But then I thought about it. The response for something like this would be overwhelming and the demand would more than exceed the supply. I'm no business major I mind you, but even a broken clock is right at least two times a day and what do you know...I was right [video]. A lot of people took to sit-ins when KFC couldn't make good on their promise but, in the end, it wasn't KFC that lost; it was us as a society.

Whether you would like to agree or not, the fact of the matter is that more people protested [video] over some bullshit nonsense like this than those that went out and voted and actually understood the whole process. Meaning, they knew the issues and weren't basing their decision solely on skin color.

Which is sad, for obvious reasons of course, because other important issues could be warranted for protest; yet we, of all things, decide chicken to be one of 'em. It just doesn't make sense. Mainly because, in turn, people are dying from heart disease and high blood pressure and, last I checked, heart disease is the leading cause of death in our country.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying we should ban together for a boycott on chicken; I'm just saying let's enjoy it in moderation. Besides, we've already established the fact that a black man can become president; what better way to follow that up then to erase this ugly stigma/stereotype that we ALL love chicken.

Now, if only we could work on this whole red kool-aid thing...

Aija Nicole is XXL's June Eye Candy

[Click images for larger view]

So, The CW Canceled The Game...

and lot of people seem to be bothered by this. The thing I don't get is why? It's not like the show was any good anyway and the strong following it DID have was only in part because of its second life on BET. Maybe had fans taken interest beforehand this kind of thing wouldn't of happened, but to get into all that would be a waste of time. What's done is done and the only saving grace for fans of the show is that it is currently being shopped around to the likes of BET and TBS for a forth season.

Now, it's highly unlikely that The Game will return in any shape, form, or fashion; but anything is possible. Take, Family Guy for instance. That show found new life on Cartoon Network and was able to be revived due to a strong fan response. The Game, on the other hand, is a completely different story. Fans have gone out of their way to voice their opinion and I'll give credit where credit is due--so have the cast. It just wasn't enough.

But I think the more important issue here is not with the show itself being canceled but more so with The CW. This makes their third African-American based sitcom to be canceled along with Girlfriends and Everybody Hates Chris; so, of course, the issue of this being a racially motivated move has run wild on message boards, blogs, and so on.

Which really got me to thinking. Was it? It's no secret that The CW has gotten a lot of flack since it became a merger of WB and UPN; and, as it stands, the only remaining program with African-American ties is America's Next Top Model. Which...isn't...all that black, if you get my drift.

Does it make it fair? Of course not but, let's be honest, the writing was on the wall for The Game way before The CW decided to pull the plug. Never once did the network go out of its way to promote The Game like it does 90210, Gossip Girl, and One Tree Hill; and I think that's what a lot of people have failed to realize here. If a network does not even have enough faith in a show to promote it, it really won't matter how strong a show's following is. It's the sad reality of it all, I suppose; but, for now, I guess it's game over.

Dane Cook's "Isolated" Incident

May have been an absolute waste of time, but that doesn't mean I'm succumbing to the naysayers that think Dane Cook's comedy isn't funny. If anything, I would say he's misunderstood; but that all depends on who you ask.

I, for one, think the guy is superbly talented and have enjoyed his previous stand-ups (i.e. Harmful If Swallowed, Vicious Circle, Retaliation, etc.); but there was just something about Isolated Incident that was missing. I'm not sure if it was a certain pizazz or what. I just felt like his performance was a microcosm of all the negative criticism he receives and the fact that I didn't laugh much didn't help either.

Then again, for all I know, maybe his appeal is starting to wear off. It's no secret that his immense popularity has opened doors for him in Hollywood and, for whatever reason, his focus on comedy hasn't been quite the same since. Is that to say his lack of renewed creativity is to blame? By all means no, but hopefully this, too, (like the title of his latest stand up) is only an isolated incident. At least one could only hope anyway.

Jeremih | Birthday Sex [Video]

Ocean's 7 Feat. Bow Wow | So Much Swagg [Video]

Next Day Air

It would be easy to criticize Next Day Air for its innocuous use of stereotypes or even for its [somewhat] predictable plot but, to do so, would not save this movie from being worse than it already is. Instead, it would be better suited to lament this film for ever being made in the first place.

Far be it from me to pass judgment on something I’m quite sure was time consuming, yet required little to no effort to write; but just in watching, one can easily tell that not much thought went into the creative process. It’s bad enough movies with an all black cast are downtrodden enough as it is and, sure enough, Next Day Air is no exception.

Directed by Benny Boom, Next Day Air is nothing more than an urban crime drama with a little bit of satire, as well as action, thrown in for good measure. Now, on paper, the added involvement of Mike Epps would seem like a surefire project that a lot of people would be dying to check out but, trust me, none of the above elements work well together whatsoever. In fact, it almost feels as if everything was slapped together and the end result is that of which you can’t help but watch mindlessly, wondering why the hell you just paid to see it. Not to mention, the acting isn't all that great either.

Yet and still, I guess the films only saving grace is that of Yasmin Deliz. Her feisty and charismatic portrayal of Chita breathes a little bit of life into the movie and her presence also makes for some rather nice eye candy.

In the end, is it enough to make the movie watchable? By all means no, but it all depends on your preference. I, for one, found nothing in particular to be remotely entertaining about Next Day Air, yet some will argue that it's the best thing since sliced bread. To each's own, I suppose; but, in this case, I think return to sender would've been the perfect label for it. You be the judge.

Rating: 1 inkblot out of 5

CoCo as Marilyn Monroe

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SNL Digital Short | Motherlover