the swift chancellor report

Find Me On Brooklyn Bodega

2008-10-13T16:05:00.001-04:00

The musings of the Swift Chancellor can now be found at www.brooklynbodega.com

The Bodega Is Open

2008-10-09T03:05:00.001-04:00

Bailout plan dies

2008-09-29T14:55:00.001-04:00

This thing has more problems than a little bit.

This is a complex problem that is not solved by Bush logic.

Personally I don't like it

Entourage

2008-09-29T12:10:00.002-04:00

A little rambling for a Monday while I'm sick

-Drama is getting embarrassing
-Hooray for E. Doing big things
-Time for Vince to be star again. But like my man Crack said. it's good to see the other side of the fame game
- Where is the Turtle story line?
- The Ari bitch slap!

More people need to slapped for running their mouth

Blu on "Sound Of Young America"

2008-09-24T10:48:00.002-04:00

Great interview.
Take some time to check it out

Public Enemy - Night Of The Living Baseheads: Dope Version

2008-09-23T16:16:00.001-04:00

y'all need more PE in your diet

new Blu video

2008-09-16T14:16:00.001-04:00

dude is nice
done and done

Beware of Pro Life folks with their finger on the trigger

2008-09-12T16:03:00.002-04:00

Top 10 ‘or so’ reasons why I won’t vote for McCain/Palin (for real - no blogger fodder/propaganda)

1. Their position on negotiating with our enemies is scary.
As a student of The Art Of War the Republicans’ or rather the McCain/Palin approach is madness. Their infatuation with aggression and dismissal of diplomacy and reason is a cause of great concern. If it weren’t for the actions of President Bush I would say I don’t believe it. This is the behavior of children in the playground not multi-millionaire legislators. But alas it appears that even trust fund kids of oil barons can act as ignorant as a fake thug from East New York.

The truth is as Master Tzu teaches diplomacy works and aggression must be your last course of action. It does not make you weak. In fact it makes you strong.

2. Fannie and Freddie
It takes a special kind of stupid to let two companies holding $50 trillion (with a ‘t’) in loans to almost go under. And it happened under the Republican economic watch. McC/Palin’s relative silence lead one to believe they are clueless on the matter. Their insistence on continuing this expensive war is bad news.
Ideology aside, this war is an economic Titanic. News flash people – the cost of crude oil didn’t pop because Britney and Kevin broke up.

3. Choose Life, but not healthcare
The Republican platform is undoubtedly pro-life but as I understand it universal health care is a no-no. Apparently, they like the health care system as is. As an entrepreneur with 2 kids this is unacceptable. The business model of ‘pay or die’ is not only a burden for families like me but I believe it is a metaphysical crime.

McCain has no problem taking our tax dollars to wage war (which I concede is a necessary evil for any nation – although more folly than wisdom in this case). When asked to use those tax dollars to save out life he (they) won’t even consider it. Absurd. I feel like those AARP commercials, whoever is our next president must address our health care system.

And oh yeah – they say choose life are pro death penalty and pro guns. Explain to me how that fits together. Me myself I am pro life and pro choice. Women should have a choice and I hope they choose life. No one in this debate is pro-abortion or anti-life.

This is longer than I thought. The other 7 will be later.

You know the story about leaving a club too early?

2008-09-10T12:58:00.001-04:00

That was me last night.
After Mickey's rock/thrash set I was done.
Little did I know

Thoughts on the new Kanye

2008-09-09T16:49:00.001-04:00

This is bugged out and normally it takes me a while to co-sign Kanye's weirdness.
But on this I am with him.

As much as we may not want to admit he may be the most provocative and progressive artists we have ever had in Hip-Hop.
as opposed to some other fake genre benders Kanye's arrogance may be deserved.

This song and performance is a risk. And to me that is what this is about.
Makes me wonder why he associates with so many artists (you know who) who are not even trying to push themselves anywhere near this.

Bravo Mr. West.
Keep pushing

The SCR s back

2008-09-08T22:18:00.002-04:00

I just got too busy with the Festival this Summer. But now that it is all over I want to get back on the Swift Chance Report.
So for the three people who read this in the past welcome back.

The SCR will be a part of the new Brooklyn Bodega so I will hopefully double my readership to ...6

Excelsior!

Married to Hip-Hop

2008-09-08T12:00:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine who went to the Festival came up to me on the way out the door and said 'I am in love with Hip-Hop again.'
Another friend recently told me he and Hip-Hop had broken up.
The Hip-Hop as a woman metaphor has been used long before 'Used to Love H.E.R' and has become somewhat of a cliche.
However, these two statements have reminded me of how appropriate the metaphor truly is.
All my married men will certainly get my point on this one. Here we go...

I love Hip-Hop so much I married her. I am not sure when or where the ceremony was held but we are married. There was no minister, no justice of the peace. No certificate. But we are married. I have stood up before family and friends and proclaimed my commitment to her. Through good times and bad. For better or worse.
My entire professional has been dedicated to supporting her. I have given all my profits all my savings, all my time and all my love.
The metaphor is appropriate because I have done all of these things to and for my actual wife.

The key here is good times and bad. My love for Hip-Hop allows me to forgive and forget when we have an argument. When times are good she is the music I need to hear. When times are bad she is my anti-depressant. When she gains weight I don't even notice. She is still the beautiful woman I fell in love with. And we are not breaking up. We committed to each other and we will do all we can before we separate.

A lot of people are not married to Hip-Hop.
To far too many, Hip-Hop is still a jumpoff that can be cut at a moment's notice. Some people used to love her, now that just bone her to quote Common.
Some are living with Hip-Hop or may be engaged. But as any married man knows there is a big difference between living together and being married. There is the love but a reluctance to 'pull the trigger.'

So when Hip-Hop decides to sully herself by flirting with sub par MC's and corporate vultures I don't blame her. I wait for her to come back. And she always comes back. Our relationship is nothing that can be ended so easily. We have a special place that when things get hectic we can always return to. Lil Wayne has her now. No worries. Enjoy your time together. This means the radio is not for me right now. I will just pull out the old BDP and EPMD, surf the internets for the new Homeboy Sandman and I will be fine. Hip-Hop has given me too much to cast it aside because I don't like the music right now.

If you and Hip-Hop needs a trial separation right now I can dig it. Take all the time you need. Our door will always be open.
For all those who came out to the Festival and were reminded that Hip-Hop is still that fly 1st year girl from Queens in those killer heels - welcome back.

The Swagger Era and the Brett Michaels-ification of Hip-Hop

2008-09-08T11:35:00.003-04:00

Back when the SCR was active (no worries it will be a part of the new Brooklyn Bodega) I wrote a post about how Hip-Hop was in its Hair Metal stage. Well now I have a better term for it. We are in our Swagger stage.

Feel free to jack this for wikipedia, just give me credit:

Swagger Hop – an era in Hip-Hop in the early 2000’s that heavily emphasized style over substance. Swagger artists tend to be extremely fashion conscious. More so than previous eras (see Conscious, Gangsta, Crunk, etc). Swagger Rappers are known to employ stylists as key members of their staff. In an interview Kanye West famously stated that he would rather shop for clothes than shop for records. Almost if not more important than the music is the choice of sneakers, jewelry, accessories, etc. While Swagger rappers do place an inordinate value on cars and other big ticket items their opulence is focused more on their physical person.

Swagger rappers are not to be confused with Shiny Suit rappers popularized by Sean Combs and others in the mid to late 90’s. The term is taken from the suit worn by Ma$e (originally known as ultra hardcore rapper Murda Mase of Children Of The Corn) in his video for “Feels So Good” (album: Harlem World, Bad Bay).

The Shiny Suit era focused on over the top extravagance that included cars, houses, boats as well as jewelry. There was not the same focus on fashion in a traditional sense.
Swagger rappers are more keenly aware of the business side of the music than previous generations. The best of their lot are skilled marketers and entrepreneurs. They also are significantly more tech savvy and rely heavily on Myspace and other social networks to communicate with their fanbase.

Because of their focus on branding and marketing and their business sense Swagger rappers cross media with significant ease. Movies, publishing, and fashion are integrated seamlessly within their brand.

Examples of Swagger Hop artists – Lil Wayne, Kanye West, The Cool Kids, T.I., Souljah Boy, Jay-Z

See other Hip-Hop eras: Shiny Suit, Disco Rappers, Dirty South, Conscious, Glitch, Backpack, Golden Era, Indie Renaissance, Political, Proto

---------

I write this entry tongue in cheek with no intent to slight any of these artists. It is my belief that with each iteration of our culture we grow in power, influence and earning potential. Rather than condemn it we must study it and learn. Whatever your personal feelings about these artists or their content their marketing and entrepreneurial spirit is unprecedented. Their ability to bypass the traditional system (major distribution, MTV, Broadcast radio, print media) gives them enormous power.

In my study I have equated this era with hair metal. Further analysis shows that the response to Hair Metal was Grunge. Remember people the pendulum swings to and fro.
And when Nirvana and the grunge movement broke through they destroyed hair metal and raise the earnings bar even higher.

The ‘Swagger Like Mine’ (TI, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Jay-Z) song where we see Kanye moving fully into the Swagger era and leaving behind his conscious, post Native Tongue, bourgeois roots is proof that the swagger era is approaching its tipping point. The addition of Jay Z (and his particular verse) only cements my feelings.

The Grunge type push back is coming. Hip-Hop’s Kurt Cobain is among us. He/she is about to sign to our version of Sub Pop (Stones Throw, Def Jux). He will be picked up by a major in 2-3 years. Their signing will officially put an end to this era and launch a new one.

You heard it here first.

de la soul-eye know

2008-06-08T22:56:00.001-04:00

how did I miss this!?!?! all these years

damn RTB. They should be on our stage

De La Soul - Say No Go

2008-06-08T22:46:00.001-04:00

never seen this before

Parrish Smith 'Im Mad'

2008-05-23T10:12:00.001-04:00

My life story I tell straight from the heart.
When suckers tried to crash my shit straight from start.
A young black kid destined for success, no Old Gold, no cocaine, or buddha cess.
One of the best verse ever.

This how I roll:

Straight up hard work. No sleep and no shorts.
Brainstormin' with the skills that Pop Duke taught.
To keep swingin', yeah, and not to quit.
I ride the Benz, you ride the dick, with your punk friends,
straight up pussy from Punk City, my attitude's fucked up and real shitty.
From the backstabbers, yeah my so-called friends,
who swim in my pool. When it's time, flex the Benz,
around town, windows down as the sound pounds, Cool J tape or K-Solo "Spellbound"
With fly girlies dippin, brothers grippin' and sippin'
Old Gold, Red Bull, hands on my dick and
I'm just lampin' with my EK shades, truck-jewels, obviously the man's paid.
But of course not, brother can't get his props
like for instance, when I cruise up the block
in my 560 lampin' on my Metro phone, chrome kit beamin' all off your dome.
But like a sucka, yeah, you looked the other way
That's how I knew you're on my dick kid, but it's okay.
It's normal, relax, your whole head's busted.
Caught in the rap skit, ya couldn't be trusted.
Cuz my sounds pound from here to Okinowi...{kiss peace and I'm ouuuutie!

KRS ONE-OUTTA HERE

2008-05-20T07:47:00.001-04:00

Ever think about it?

All praise due to hard working Americans, the white ones. You Black ones don't work very hard

2008-05-09T09:36:00.001-04:00

and here it is. true colors usually shake out.

Black votes don't matter

2008-05-07T06:41:00.003-04:00

Two weeks without a post. Sorry y'all

I hope this ratings circus known as the Clinton/Obama battle is over. The results from last night make it clear that he is the people's choice. A couple of thoughts from last night:

-What Hilary is proposing is simply not democratic. In a democracy if you win by one vote you win. The electability argument is fundamentally democratic. It is aristocratic at its core. "I have decided who is the best candidate despite the popular vote and the delegate count."

-The not so subtle subtext here is that Black votes don't count. All night you keep hearing about the ethnic white voter. The argument assumes that this voter is a key to victory. While this may be true it ignores Obama's absolute dominance among Blacks. What the numbers say is that if you carry Blacks with a 92% margin you can win. Ethnic whites (read racist throwbacks who don't want to vote for a Black man) are a smaller group than evidently people thought. At some point they should all realize Black votes matter. You can win with them. If Barack lose 40 points from his 92 percent he still dominates the most loyal base in the Democratic party.

-The sickness of racism which is written into our Constitution is melting away. Thanks to the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement the number of white people with a problem with a Black person in charge for only that reason is getting smaller and smaller. That is a hard pill to swallow for you old demons. I am sorry but get used to it.

-Obama will address his weakness with ethnic votes with his choice at VP. Or he will say 'screw white people' and go with Big Bill Richardson. Just Brown up this country real quick

I'm tired of this Obama/Hilary Reality Show

2008-04-23T11:51:00.003-04:00

-So she wins Pennsylvania after being up 20 points, hooray

-If I hear one more pundit say Hilary has 'new life' I am gonna vomit. How many lives does she have exactly?

-She claims Obama should be questioned on why he can't put her away. Isn't the question why are you losing leads, pledged delegates, super delegates, and the overall popular vote?

-The argument that a close second should be awarded the #1 slot is ridiculous. Especially with the use of all the sports metaphors

-She wins by 8-10 points and thinks Obama is not competitive? Silly

-And I love the argument that she is a woman of the people but Obama has more popular vote

-And the woman of the people loves the argument that wins in NY, NJ, CA, TX, OH, and PA make her the best candidate. So the other states are irrelevant. Sounds real inclusive to me

-MSNBC, CNN, and the like have never seen ratings like this. They are going to do all they can to string this out. Don't beleive the hype. If the supers take this from Obama there will be 'blood in the streets' so to speak

-She is just making it easier for McCain, but I am not blaming her for not quitting. I just laugh at the silly arguments.

multi tasking

2008-04-18T10:47:00.002-04:00

With the Festival ramping up it is getting harder and harder to stay on top of the SCR.
Most of my writing energy is going to the main blog at www.brooklynbodega.com and the Festival blog at www.brooklynbodega.com/brooklynhiphopfestival

Please check those out and Suppprt the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival with a donation.

Thanks

We love Ben stiller

2008-04-16T10:14:00.002-04:00

Random thoughts this am about my favorite group of flicks

Here is how it works

There are two wings the Judd Apatow wing and the Ben Stiller wing (FYI Apatow worked on the short lived Ben Stiller Show)

The genesis – Swingers and Something About Mary
40 Year Old Virgin, Wedding Crashers, Semi Pro and the like all owe something to these flicks
These films introduced the new genre of ‘guy flicks.’ Part Animal House, zero parts Dirty Harry and part SNL

The templates – Zoolander and Old School‘Zoolander’ is the model for the caricature of pop icons of our youth
‘Old School’ is the modern day buddy flick/frat boy movie

The Ben Stiller troupe
Vince Vaughn
Owen Wilson
Luke Wilson
Will Ferrell

The Judd Apatow troupe
Seth Rogen
Paul Rudd
Jonah Hill

Players on both teams/links between the families
Will Ferrell
Paul Rudd
Steve Carell

Ben Stiller Tree films
Zoolander
Anchorman (the real bridge between the families via the inclusion of Paul Rudd and Steve Carell)
Dodgeball
Semi Pro
Talladega Nights
Blades Of Glory
Starsky and Hutch
Wedding Crashers (the Ben Stiller most like a Judd wing. Concedentally the worst of the Stiller tree)

Judd Apatow Tree films
40 Year Old Virgin
Superbad
Knocked Up
Sarah Marshall

I am a Ben Stiller Tree guy.
Superbad was weak, Roo much improv and Jonah Hill needed to turn it down a bit.

Wedding Crashers was the beating of the dead horse. The same joke only works but so many times

Drillbit Taylor, Semi Pro, Dewey Cox are what happened to this genre when Hollywood realize how much paper there was in it

You're not a boss, founder, or big dog unless...

2008-04-14T11:00:00.002-04:00

I was speaking to some kids at York College about being an entrepreneur.
They all liked the idea of working for themselves and being their own boss. Somehow they thought that being and entrepreneur was the free ticket to money and power. They didn't realize that working for yourself is 10x harder than punching a clock.

I am a serial entrepreneur. Record labels, management company, marketing firms, Festival, e-zine, Lacrosse team. Still not a millionaire but I guess that will come eventually. That's not why I do it, though. Not for the money, fame, power, or props. I do it because i need to create things. Realize visions.

In my journeys I run into kids who don't know better and fake execs who claim to be the boss but when the shit hits the fan their true colors come out. In my career I have only met and worked with a few men and women who are truly fearless. Unfortunately I have dealt with countless big mouths who are all talk and no action.

So here is my simple test. You're not really a boss unless:

-you have never had to make a payroll
-never hired or fired someone
-skipped multiple paychecks to keep the lights on
-had your name on the contract
-had to sign off to get the check cut
-been the name on the contract that gets sued when sh*t hits the fan
-actually come up with the idea rather than cherry picked once the hard work was done

Respect to all who do whatever takes to realize your vision.
And respect to everyone who has ever sweated it out with me

Nas - Can't Forget About You

2008-04-09T10:32:00.001-04:00

I booked Nas with Zhane (remember them?) in 1994 at University of Virginia.

My first real project. I had to fetch Nas, Grand Wizard, Jungle and the rest from the tour bus parked in at the Holiday Inn where groupies were f*cking up my production schedule.

After an 18 minute performance that was supposed to be two hours I took him back to the hotel. His manager was like, “Come and get us for the after party. It will be all of us except for Nas he is probably gonna get some rest.” All I could think was, “I thought sleep was the cousin of death.”

Special Ed - I Got It Made

2008-04-07T12:32:00.001-04:00

“I’m your idol, the highest title, numero uno
I’m not a Puerto Rican, but I’m speaking so that you know”
One of the best opening lines of all time.
Special Ed followed up that single with two real strong albums. “Youngest In Charge” and “Legal”
After that it took him 5 years to follow up and the metaphorical train had left the station.

He did rock the Crooklyn Dodgers joint in the meantime and still is one of my favorites.

You know what would be dope to see the Crooklyn Dodgers all together on stage.

Hmmmm, someone should get on that

kwame the rhythm

2008-04-03T10:50:00.001-04:00

Kwame is another one of those artists that I fear will be forgotten when we write the history books. People will remember Queens for Nas, Mobb Deep, Screwball and other thuggish ruggish sh*t. But there was another swath of Queens rappers that are responsible for the economic prosperity that Hip-Hop enjoys.
These were middle class, happy go lucky artists that created Hip-Hop for the mass media generation. Essentially the Hurby Azor wing - Salt N Pepa, Kid N Play, Dana Dane and the man we all know and love, Kwame.

If you love Kanye’s metrosexual meets Foxfields meets Williamsburg fashion sense then you have Kwame and his Pocadelic adventures to thank. Kwame was rocking blazers, jeans, and pastels about 15 years before ‘Cam got the sh*t to pop,’

“The Rhythm” is still one of my favorite songs of all time. Too bad BIG ruined his career with that killer line on “Unbelievable” and Kwame dug the grave a little deeper with his anemic response.

Good to see that the brother has bounced back as a successful producer

Notorious BIG - One More Chance (remix)

2008-03-31T17:59:00.001-04:00

this video changed the game.
Made a BIG a bona fide star
Brought all types of celebs together. East Coast Hip-Hop has never be the same

crucial conflict - hay

2008-03-27T23:04:00.001-04:00

check www.brooklynbodega.com to see why the hell I posted this video

Punk Gospel

2008-03-26T23:53:00.002-04:00

I was a guest lecturing at York College today and in between classes I took a walk around the Queens neighborhood where York resides. I marveled at all the Kanye/Pharell/Lupe looking Black kids. Skinny jeans, DC shoes and the occasional actual skateboard. Bugged me out a bit. See when I was growing up skateboarding was something all kids did. It was fun exercise. Then I saw it get real uncool in the Black community and it became something only white kids I went to boarding school with did. So to see skateboard fashion come full circle and became not only Black again is interesting. Totally organic but noteworthy nonetheless.

The other side of this revelation is, I was down in North Carolina over Easter weekend for a christening. I am by no means a church guy these days but like many Black people the church was a significant part of our lives growing up so I definitely have an appreciation for it. Particularly how the church provided the glue for a far too often fractured household. What I liked most about my trip to the house of G-O-D was the 1) the words from the pastor and 2) the choir. Soul music, blues, and encouraging inspirational words.

The juxtaposition of skateboard culture in Jamaica, Queens and the significance of the church in Charlotte, NC lead me to this revelation. Hip-Hop is both punk music and gospel music. These two undertones merge and diverge like strands of DNA.

For some Hip-Hop is rebel music. The sound of defiant, arrogant revolution. From the politics of Public Enemy and dead prez to the ignorant swagger of Lil Wayne. Just look at Wayne. Put a white face on that dude holding the lean cup and you have Sid Vicious. Unabashed male sexuality, flaunting of drug use and the overall American nightmare. For the most part the participants are young. Don’t see too many 40 and 50 year old punkers. And by the time Chuck D hit his mid 40’s he had transformed into a liberal pundit complete with a show on Air America.

On the other side of the spectrum you have Hip-Hop as gospel music. The music of positivity and the audacity of hope. Gone is the middle finger of Punk Hop. It is replaced with the gender inclusive, racially inclusive, politically correct talk of A Tribe Called Quest or Common.

On one of my road trips which provide me with the few opportunities I have to zone out to my iPod I became re-mesmerized by Nas’s “New York State Of Mind.”

Thinking of cash flow, buddah and shelter
Whenever frustrated I'm a hijack Delta
In the P.J.'s, my blend tape plays, bullets are strays
Young bitches is grazed
Each block is like a maze
full of black rats trapped, plus the Island is packed
From what I hear in all the stories when my peoples come back, black
I'm living where the nights is jet black

That is gospel music. And the pure blues. A vivid portrait of the life facing Black people in the dungeons of America. And although that song is dark and there are numerous references to drugs and guns I always leave that song feeling inspired. Nas like other blues and gospel griots brings us face to face to the bitter nastiness of it all. By facing and conquering it we come out the other side bereft of fear. That’s gospel music.

These two genres are very similar. Similar in tone, voice and they even share an audience. This leads to cross pollination that creates magnificent hybrids. Jeezy on the Lupe remix (which is super dope, btw). Busta and Jay Z on the Get By Remix. Andre 3000 and Big Boi. Q-Tip and Ice Cube in the Cypress video for ‘How I could Just Kill A Man’ – remember that? And so on.

It also leads to confusion. Sean Price or better yet Fat Joe performing at the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. Makes sense to the informed, but also poses a severe contradiction that is the elephant in the room. No one better manifests that contradiction than our headliner last year. The great Tony Starks. I can only think of Jay, Nas, and Outkast as able to toe this line between punk and gospel as well as P Tone. That’s why we love him.
Why we love these Chicago MC’s like Kanye, Common, and Lupe despite the embarrassing comments they may make.

But we have to be careful not to let the contradiction bite us. Just because Punk and Gospel can live together doesn’t mean the marriage always works out.

As for me, I cast my vote with the gospel sect with a fierce affinity for those who can toe the line as stated above. I am too old to be a pure punk Hop fan, and even when I was young enough it all seemed silly. To quote Common from “Afrodesiac”:

I rhyme far, away away away
From what you accustomed to hearing everyday,
You know the dope-chopping, gun-popping, homies dying
I'm amongst it,
Save the war stories for Private Ryan

Incommunicado

2008-03-26T16:05:00.000-04:00

Swifty was out of town and is just now getting his sea legs back

for all my 3 million readers (fake) hold tight

Obama and Richardson sitting in a tree...

2008-03-21T06:43:00.002-04:00

You probably don't need me to tell you this but politics, especially this season, is like a mixture of SportsCenter, The Real World and Making The Band. That being said, we have to make sure to take this coverage with a grain of salt.

On Hardball and the new show on MSNBC ‘Race For The White House’ that replaced my man Tucker Carlson, the pundits have been trying to find anyway to attack Obama's speech all week. The chief right wing biased dummy Joe Scarborough took the absurd argument that the speech played well in Manhattan but how did it do in Queens?

Implying that rich folks in the city love Obama but working class people in the outer boroughs don't.
It is divisive politics not based in fact.

First of all I wonder when was the last time Scarborough stepped foot in the Q-Boro. But outside of that let's break it down because I've actually been in Queens lately.
I bet the speech played well in Corona with the Columbians and Mexicans.
Probably did well in Flushing with middle class older Blacks like my groovy in-laws.
Probably did well in Astoria with the hipsters.
Did well Jamaica (The Estates and South side)
Did well in Hollis and St Alban's I guarantee that.

It also did well in Fort Greene, East New York and Cobble Hill. Probably not so well in Bay Ridge and Middle Village, I'll give you that.

The reality is that when you analyze the speech this blowback these fools claim won't happen.

They have never seen an Obama before and they keep trying to use the old tactics to tear him down. But old tactics don’t work on a new paradigm.

Yeah the Rev wilded out.
Yeah the Scarborough argument could work well with white folks just looking to release that inner racist demon. White people who front like they are liberal and progressive but deep down are not comfortable pulling that lever for a Black man, a woman, Jew, Latino, or anyone other than someone who looks like a Founding Father. For those cats this will be their excuse.
For people like Pat Robertson and Lou Dobbs this is the opening in Barack’s armor where they can focus their fear mongering, racism, and xenophobia all for higher ratings and fatter pay checks.

Anyone who actually listened to the speech knows that Obama neither ducked the Wright issue nor bloodied himself up. What he did was drop jewels that will change the world. Believe it.

With today’s endorsement of Bill Richardson I think we are ready to keep marching on.

Hilary, things are getting darker.
Old Man Winter – get your rest. We’re coming for thee.

Fat Joe - The Shit Is Real (DJ Premier Remix)

2008-03-17T22:13:00.001-04:00

the real Joey Cridack

CRU JUST ANOTHER CASE

2008-03-17T22:06:00.001-04:00

we in the Bronx today. I may rep for Brooklyn but I was born in the Bronx

Strictly Roots - Beg No Friends

2008-03-17T22:00:00.001-04:00

880 Boynton as we stay in the X.
Big Mark, Ali, Shaip and Dulah...aight!

Diamond D- Best kept secret

2008-03-17T21:56:00.001-04:00

One for the B-X

The Fed needs to bail me out too

2008-03-17T17:07:00.000-04:00

The music business sucks but take solace in this my fellow entrepreneurs. At least you’re not Bear Sterns. After trading for $150 per share last year they just sold to JP Morgan for $2 per share. Let me do the math…carry the 2…divided by pi…plus 3 factorial… That means you sh*t is going down the tubes.

This is what you bastards get for trying to hustle poor white, Black, and brown people out of the houses. However, I do like the fact the Federal Reserve bailed them out. Holla at dude to and tell him to send us 100 stacks for the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival.

De La Soul Break a Dawn

2008-03-14T11:48:00.001-04:00

fingers crossed

De La Soul - Ego Trippin

2008-03-14T11:44:00.001-04:00

GZA - Liquid Swords

2008-03-14T10:55:00.001-04:00

yo RZa flip the track

Shabba Ranks on Shabba Ranks

2008-03-12T17:31:00.001-04:00

I think y'all forgot about the Shabba Rankin'

Mr. Loverman by Shabba Ranks

2008-03-12T17:30:00.003-04:00

shabba ranks - trailer load of girls

2008-03-12T17:30:00.001-04:00

Geraldine is right

2008-03-12T12:09:00.001-04:00

The truth is Geraldine Ferraro is right.
It is empirical fact despite the racist undertones you may or may not hear in her statement.
Obama has unified the Black vote in ways that no one ever has. Not Bubba or The Revs (Al and Jesse).

Her statement is acknowledging the elephant in the room. As Clarence Page said last night on Chris Mathews. If Obama were white he would be John Edwards. The fact is that he is what he is. The first Black politician with a chance to win. And Black people are falling in line with what he represents to the tune of 91% in Mississippi.

Geraldine Ferraro’s comment about Obama is like saying the reason why Shaq has four rings is because he is 7’2”. Or the reason why Johan Santana got so much money from the Mets is because he is left handed. These are cold facts about these people that are fundamental aspects of them as a physical human being. Aspects that are using to their advantage. You can’t choose how tall you will be, what race, or what hand you throw a baseball with.

Honestly, the sooner Hilary realizes what Geraldine said the better for her. Obama has locked up the Democratic base and you can’t win without the base. Each time you belittle Obama you piss of more Black voters and push them towards McCain if their candidate were to lose.
It is you, who should be campaigning for VP not the front runner.

What is really pissing people off are the implications of Ferraro’s comment. That the ONLY reason he is winning is because he is Black. Not only is it not true but it is insulting to any Black person, woman, or minority who has been accused of being a quota by an unqualified white applicant. Maybe that is why he is the front runner, maybe that’s why he won the Senate seat, maybe the same for the State Senate. But you know what; there is no quota system at the Harvard Law Review. At the minimum you have to admit that. The dude is smart. A great communicator with great ideas.
Actually the difference on the issues between Obama and Hilary are not nearly as wide as McCain. McCain talks of a hundred year war, never mentions health care, and has no focus on the economy. It is too caught up with war mongering to have a real agenda.

You better start respecting Obama and his constituents or else you are going to destroy the Democratic Party and let the Republicans walk right in.

But that being said the real issue is that the Hilary camp is pissed. Pissed that Barack has positioned himself as the hero of the Black community. The sum total of 400 years of struggle. While Hilary does not resonate nearly the same with women.
Black women have chosen to be Black first. Liberal white women vote for Barack. He gets a healthy portion of what should be your rabid soldiers while you lose more Black people with each primary.

This battle between women and Blacks is her best bet. But it will be Phyric victory, if it is indeed a victory.

Last point, women, Latinos, gays and lesbians, Catholics, Evangelicals, Jews, replace your group for Black in Ferraro’s comments and tell me how you would feel.

NASCAR

2008-03-10T16:08:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a slow sports day.

NBA is still boring

No Lacrosse

March Madness is about to start but I have no idea what’s going on.

I made a New Year’s Resolution to not be so ignorant and that applies to sports.

I had vowed to stop making fun of track and field and went to the Milrose Games at the Garden. And I must say I have newfound respect for men and women, boys and girls running around a rubber track at crazy speeds.

So forgoing the redneck jokes on Sunday I decided to fulfill my promise to try and figure out the appeal of NASCAR.

I think I get it. There is a tremendous amount of strategy that goes into it. ‘Just go fast’ is not enough.

Plus it seems like the trick is to cheat without getting caught. They say football is a game of inches but not like this.

Loose an oil cap and that buys you .00008 seconds. And that’s all you need to win.

So call me Brad Daughtery. I ain’t mad at NASCAR

So what's next on the agenda Hil?

2008-03-05T09:37:00.002-05:00

From Swifty to Hilary

• Congrats on your wins. It was well deserved. You brought yourself back from the brink again. What’s the plan now?
• How will the mathematics leave you with more pledged delegates at the end of the season?
• Are you prepared to take this to the superdelegates and co-sign it if they vote against the popular or pledge delegate count?
• You went negative to win this; I assume you will continue to do so. If you win what is your plan to keep the African American voters that Barack has energized engaged?
• You brought up experience and even stated that John McCain has more than Barack. If you win how will you win that argument with Old Man Winter?
• A breakdown of Ohio shows that you won in Republican turf while Barack won in Democratic turf. Do you think you will when that in the general? And again how will keep the Black voters on your side in the general?
• Do you really think Barack will lose NY, NJ, CA, and other Dem strongholds in the general as you have been claiming?
• Many Black voters including this writer has said that if you win going negative against Barack we will not support you. Either vote Nader, stay home, or even vote McCain because of pure sour grapes. If that plays out how will you win the general? Especially since Blacks vote Dem 9 to 1 over Republicans. And Barack is polling 80-90% of Black voters.
• Some argue that without that base the Democratic are very vulnerable. How will you survive what very well may be a Phyric victory?
• What new voters are you attracting?
• What Barack supporters are you poaching?
• What is the acceptable level of collateral damage you are comfortable with this along this journey?

Sucker Ducks

2008-03-04T22:08:00.002-05:00

Sitting here watching the returns on Super Tuesday Part 2.

First of all, if I ever see Joe Scarborough on the street I may just snuff him like Nate Robinson vs. Carmelo Anthony.

His complete disregard for the role of journalists is shameful. All day he has been pushing Hilary while disparaging Obama with the stated goal that Republicans would rather run against Hilary. And he, a hard core and somewhat disgraced, former Florida Congressmen is to little surprise supporting the candidate who is polling weaker against Old Man Winter.

Second I read the following quotes in the Brooklyn Paper from the Congressmen from where I work and live in Brooklyn:

Congressman Ed Towns has explained that he has no intention of straying from his support of Mrs. Clinton. “The district might have gone for Obama,” Mr. Towns said. “But the state went for Hillary. And no matter what, she is the senator from our state.”

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, in a statement, said she “is a committed superdelegate to Hillary Clinton.” She added that her role as a superdelegate is not simply to follow the lead of her constituents.

“Superdelegates have the unique responsibility to balance the needs of their district, state, party and country,” she said.

I want to point out to these elected officials that your job is to represent the people, not go off the reservation and do your own thing.

From wikipedia - The bicameral Congress came from the desire of the Founders to create a House "of the people" that would represent public opinion.

Hilary won Brooklyn by the slim margin of 52 to 48. Your districts are the ONLY two that Obama won outright. 57 and 56 percent respectively. Your job IS to represent the people.

Go off on your own at your own risk. Ed Towns, my congressman and Yvette Clark the representative of DUMBO, I tell you this if you go against the people in this matter with this blatant disregard, do so at your own peril. For what it’s worth you won’t get my vote.

When push comes to shove this is the cat I will ride with: “State Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries is among the Brooklyn legislators demanding that super delegates vote with their districts or with the majority of pledged delegates.”The public should decide who becomes the Democratic nominee and not backroom party insiders," he says.

It is a new day. Wake up.

It's a Celebration...

2008-03-03T13:02:00.002-05:00

Our mission here at Brooklyn Bodega and the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival has always been, through free programming, to shine the light on a side of Hip-Hop culture that many miss. During this journey we have met a lot of good people and organizations with the same mission. We have found that the biggest obstacle to the successful execution of all of these programs is money. We have been able to mitigate that burden through the generosity of our sponsors, but more importantly it has been the people we serve who have consistently supported us. As we move forward with our 2008 programming and beyond we wanted to involve the people in a real way. To that end we are launching SUPPORT, CELEBRATE, REPRESENT.

Support Hip-Hop. Support New School. Support Old School.
Celebrate Graffiti. Celebrate Dance. Celebrate our Youth.
Represent Brooklyn. Represent Positivity. Represent Yourself.

Brooklyn Bodega needs the people’s support from every angle. From their attendance to their input to their energy to their financial support. The financial support from BHF sponsors only gets us so far. The cost of talent, port a potty’s, security, insurance adds up. As opposed to other festivals we do not rely on ticket revenue or public funding to help with these costs.

After one of our sponsors unexpectedly went bankrupt in 2007 it was the people who came to our aid with donations of $5, $10, $20, and $100 gifts.

We need your support again. We have expanded our free programming for 2008 to include a film series, an additional outdoor date and a national tour. And our costs have grown with our vision. Again sponsors will help but it won’t work without you.

For more info on how to donate or for artists and organizations interested in joining the SUPPORT, CELEBRATE, REPRESENT email celebrate@brooklynbodega.com

The death of Queens

2008-02-29T12:08:00.002-05:00

Today in stories from the old school we shall discuss the death of Queens Hip-Hop from 1986-1993.
As you all know I hail from the BX but call Brooklyn home. Being from the X (as my man G calls it) and being a 70’s baby I was brought up during the legendary Queensbridge/South Bronx, BDP/Juice Crew, KRS-ONE/MC Shan, Red Alert/Marley Marl battle. Now kids this was a real battle not a silly or deadly beef like Biggie/2Pac or Fiddy vs. Joey Cridack. This beef was legitimate.
A war waged over the fact that Mr. Magic refused to play ‘South Bronx’ on his radio show.

Back in the days, I wrote ‘south bronx’
The juice crew got stomped, lick two shots
really it was Magic's fault
Always wanna diss somebody, he got put to a halt
It's wack, when a sucker dj babbles on
Soupin up mc's to battle on song
‘Ruff, Ruff’ from Sex and Violence

Ok, this is as trifling as the 50 Beef or old Nas/Jay Z beef but indulge me.

The reality is that the whooping that KRS put on the juice Crew and vis a vis Queens essentially shit Queens Hip-Hop down until Nas resurrected it in 1993 with the 1st single from Illmatic.
The beef was waged on wax and radio before MTV, before Blogger, before the internets, before camera phones. It allowed the conflict to be played in a pure somewhat objective arena. And the victory was as decisive as you can get. Shan lost on all cards and essentially limped away in shame until he bounced back with Snow (for those who don’t remember Snow was essentially a Toronto white cat who hung around a lot of West Indians and became the dancehall version of Robert Winkle aka Vanilla Ice. Not much of a creative bounce back but the checks were probably thick).

Moreover, in that seven year span Queens which had produced Salt N Pepa, Kid N Play and the Herbie Azor era. As well RUN DMC and LL Cool J went quiet. No significant cultural contribution, no one hit wonders, not much of anything. Meanwhile KRS cemented his legendary status and rose to the top of the Hip-Hop pantheon.
It was not until Nas and Mobb Deep resurrected Queensbridge specifically was Shan allowed to remove the mark of shame from his and his borough’s chest.

Unfortunately for the Bronx after KRS the only other Hip-Hop superhero we produced was Bug Pun.
The Bronx is in a slump that has far outlasted the Queens dry period.
In the interim Long Island along with Queens established itself as the creative fountain of New York
Jay, Mos, and Kweli rejuvenated what Kane started – we all know that story
Via the Wu even the forgotten borough of Staten Island held the crown

The moral of the story is … be glad you didn’t rep for Queens in the early 90’s.

Swift Rock…out

Drug dealing MC's

2008-02-28T12:36:00.000-05:00

Sitting in jury duty which is not as bad as people think.

Wi Fi access. MSNBC. A court clerk that sounds like Prop Joe from The Wire. And we get an hour long lunch break which is longer than I take at my own damn office.

Anyhoo, it is a good timeto catch up with the old iPod.
Was listening to the Busta/Dilla album and the joint 'Taking What's Mine.' Can someone explain to me when Busta did all this drug dealing? Listening to the track there seems to have been a long period of time where he was up and down I-95 cooking coke, taking over cribs like Nino Brown and all that foolishness. Was that between 'Case Of The PTA' and 'Woo-Hah'?

Begs the question of what exactly is this link between selling coke and rhyming. There are so many drug dealers who decide to rhyme (Jay, Jeezy, Rick Ross, Freway, and on and on) and so many MC's (like Busta Rhyme) who seem to have had to sell drugs to make ends meet like an actor has to bus tables at the Coffee Shop in Union Square. What is the sociological connection here, folks?

You can schedule studio sessions around re-ups?

For those 24 hour sessions it is good to have your energineer bouncing off the walls high on the devil's dandruff? So why not sell it to him?

Most of America claims to hate it but secretly is completely addicted to both?

The uniform for both jobs are the same so I don't have to change wardrobes when I switch careers?

Or is it both rerpresent the folk hero in our society?

who knows?

-Swift Rock Ski

The GOAT series Part 1

2008-02-27T16:57:00.001-05:00

So I am going to start this quasi series where I shout out the various GOAT’S (Greatest Of All Time’s) in Hip-Hop.

Not just MC’s but producers, dancers, studios, restaurants, sneakers, hats, jewelry styles, haircuts – the whole 10 yards.

And this will be not some pretentious list written by a crew of pretty boy journalists.

It will be a list written by one super cool, ruggedly handsome, loud mouth blogger. Six on one hand, half a dozen on the other as they say, I guess

So to start our series we will start with the best MC name of all time. And the winner is…Kool Rock Ski. That’s right, Kool Rock Ski from the Fat Boys.

Things were much better when everyone’s name just had a ‘Ski’ at the end. You young’uns may not recall. But it is very similar to the Young or Lil’ phase we are in now. What’s your name? Wayne? I pronounce you Lil Wayne. And you over there. Joc, and your friends Dro and Jeezy. You shall now be henceforth known as Young Joc, Dro, and Jeezy. Go forth and do the Queen proud.

Well back in the day all you needed to add was a Ski and you were in business. Wes Ski, Rob Ski, and the ever dominant Kool Rock Ski. Not everyone could put a Kool in front of it. Actually only Red Alert could pull that off.

So endeth today’s lesson. If you are feeling down don’t call yourself Young or Lil, just throw a Ski at the end and turn that frown upside down.

And take this time to familiarize yourself with three fat brothers from Krush Groove

LL Cool J - Jingling Baby

2008-02-26T12:01:00.001-05:00

LL. the most under rated of all time. And I am guilty of it

Take that bass out your voice

2008-02-25T11:16:00.003-05:00

After looking like she was offering our guy Barack the olive branch in the CNN debate last week, Hilary let the claws out this weekend. Did anybody see the clip of her challenging Barack "to come see her in Ohio and let's debate." Then I saw a clip this morning of her mocking Barack and his message of hope. Not so humorously telling people that there is no magic wand that will make the special interests go away and the skies will not open up with a celestial light and solve all our problems. As if Obama ever said there would be. This clearly the tactic of a woman on her last leg.

News flash to Hilary, the last time you went negative it was the pill that killed you. The last time you mocked and degraded Obama you lost the last bastion of Black votes you were gonna get. And Barack is winning White males. If you think that display is gonna do anything to stop your bleeding you are bugging. Bigoted white males who have already decided an uppity Black man is better than an uppity white woman will run away from you now. Even faster.

I guess this will help you with white women but won't that be like preaching to the choir.

After the last debate I kind of liked you. I Liked the high road you took.
While I was mad at the shots you took at my guy in SC now I just feel sorry for you. You look desperate and flustered. Maybe this would have worked a few months ago but now you just look stupid. In the words of the great American poets Erick and Parrish "What a way to go out. Out like a sucker."

And before you address my man again take that bass out your voice

MC Lyte - Stop, Look, Listen (Video Version)

2008-02-22T14:04:00.001-05:00

MC Lyte - Paper Thin

2008-02-22T14:03:00.001-05:00

Peace to Big Ced and Story Ave!

MC Lyte - Lyte As A Rock (Video Version)

2008-02-22T14:02:00.001-05:00

All City --- true

2008-02-22T13:57:00.001-05:00

When you have 2 kids you don't get out as much. Time, energy, blah, blah.

To compensate you find ways to insert a little fun, a little glimpse of the old days in your life. I did that yesterday as I purposefully scheduled a lunch meeting in Union Square.

It was centrally located for all but to be honest I wanted to get out of Brooklyn for a minute. I love The Planet but sometimes it feels like my life revolves around 2or 3 square miles from Clinton Hill to Dumbo.

Anyway while riding on the 4 train I realized something I had forgot. I'm all city!

I love Brooklyn but growing up I was never all about my neighborhood. It was about being all city.

Getting a cut on 124th. Trooping to the 8th street on Saturday. Parkchester for a flick. Upper West Side for The Shark Bar.

Central Park to blow trees. Dekalb for Spike's Joint. Queens for Mets games and fly Catholic school honeys named Ebonie.

So party people don’t get locked into your neighborhood no matter how fly it is

Wild Like Larry Davis

2008-02-21T11:35:00.002-05:00

The most important news of the day outside of Old Man Winter canoodling with a lobbyist was the death of Larry Davis. For those who only know of Larry Davis via Kid Hood or Jeru the Damaja you should look it up. I was only 13 when the Larry Davis manhunt was on but it was the closest thing to a Robin Hood type folk hero that I know of in my life timeline. Well that’s not true. Living in the Bronx Alpo was certainly the crack era version of Nicky Barnes (shout out to Killa).

Although the reality was that Larry Davis was a low level thug enforcer he represented the collective middle finger to the corrupt NYPD. There were stories that he was bouncing from apartment to apartment in the projects protected by the people. It was sort of funny to see how frustrated the cops were getting trying to catch him.

The picture of him coming out of the project in the fresh black leather bomber is an iconic image of the 80’s.

Larry found Islam in jail and changed his name to Adam Abdul-Hakeem. But despite his newfound path to righteousness couldn’t avoid an Oz-esque ending. Sorry to see you go out like that Larry but know that when things get hectic we are apt to go “wild Like Larry Davis.” Say what up to Kid Hood when you see him.

Michelle is a hater

2008-02-20T11:05:00.002-05:00

Ok so last night I fell asleep watching the returns from the Wisconsin primary. I woke up to the victory speech by our candidate Barack “tell yo mama” Obama.

One of his best speeches so far if you ask me. He directly addressed old man Winter’s claim that Obama is all rhetoric and no action. What Obama didn’t address was his wife’s controversial comments earlier that day. In case you are not a political nerd like me here it is, “Let me tell you something. For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country, because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback.” Immediately right wing pundits like my man Pat Robertson on MSNBC jumped on Michelle for her seemingly unpatriotic comment.

You know what? Pat is not wrong. If you are a flag waving, botoxed up heiress like Cindy McCain that does sound unpatriotic. And you have a right to be upset.

But I feel what Michelle is saying. As a Black person and in her case a Black woman she can say that she is not pleased with this country. The country that left black and poor people to die a watery death in New Orleans. The country that spends trillions on Iraq while cutting health care for under served kids in inner cities and rural areas across the country. The country that wants to build a fence across the border to keep out brown people just coming to make a living. And this is the country who turned a blind eye while Michelle’s elders were hung from trees for not falling in line.

And again as a Black woman she realizes that she gets it from other angle. Sexism and racism from white, brown, black, Muslim, Catholic, and Baptist alike. And through it all her man is about to become president. Yeah, I can see why after all the shit she has had to eat she can finally say I am proud of this country. Proud that after decades and centuries of pathological persecution of Black folk we can still put that sickness to the side, close that curtain and pull the lever for Barack.

Yeah I feel you Mom.

Oh Mammy!

2008-02-19T10:57:00.002-05:00

Melissa Harris-Lacewell is is associate professor of politics and African American studies at Princeton University. This piece was forwarded to me and is being published without permission. If Ms. Harris-Lacewell has a problem with that please let me know and I will take it down. I thought it was a great piece that puts my thoughts into better words than I could muster.

There's been a lot of talk about women and their choices since Super Tuesday, when African American women overwhelmingly voted for Sen. Barack Obama, while white women picked Sen. Hillary Clinton. Some pundits automatically concluded that "race trumped gender" among black women. I hate this analysis because it relegates black women to junior-partner status in political struggles. It is not that simple. A lot of people have tried to gently explain the divide, so I'm just going to put this out there: Sister voters have a beef with white women like Clinton that is both racial and gendered. It is not about choosing race; it is about rejecting Hillary's Scarlett O'Hara act.

Black women voters are rejecting Hillary Clinton because her ascendance is not a liberating symbol. Her tears are not moving. Her voice does not resonate. Throughout history, privileged white women, attached at the hip to their husband's power and influence, have been complicit in black women's oppression. Many African American women are simply refusing to play Mammy to Hillary.

The loyal Mammy figure, who toiled in the homes of white people, nursing their babies and cleaning and cooking their food, is the most enduring and dishonest representation of black women. She is a uniquely American icon who first emerged as our young country was trying to put itself back together after the Civil War. The romanticism about this period is a bizarre historical anomaly that underscores America's deep racism: The defeated traitors of the Confederacy have been allowed to reinterpret the war's battles, fly the flag of secession over state houses, and raise monuments to those who fought to tear down the country. Southern white secessionists were given the power to rewrite history even as America's newest citizens were relegated to forced agricultural peonage, grinding urban poverty and new forms segregation and racial terr or.

Mammy was a central figure in this mythmaking and she was perfect for the role. The Mammy myth allowed Americans in the North and South to ignore the brutality of slavery by claiming that black women were tied to white families through genuine bonds of affection. Mammy justified past enslavement and continuing oppression.

In the face of the Mammy myth, real black women spoke for themselves against the monument. It was substantial, sustained, opposition from organized African American women and the black press that killed the Mammy monument proposal.

Black feminist politics is not simple identity politics. It is not about letting brothers handle the race stuff or about letting white women dominate the gender stuff. The black women's fight is on all fronts. Sisters resist the ways that black male leaders try to silence women's issues and squash women's leadership. At the same time, black women challenge white women who want to claim black women's allegiance without acknowledging the realities of racism. They will not be drawn into any simple allegiance that refuses to account their full humanity and citizenship.

Mos Def - Umi Says

2008-02-18T16:03:00.001-05:00

Eb just found our wedding CD and this was on it. This and "If You Can Huh?"
Two best Mos songs

10 things that I like today

2008-02-15T15:22:00.000-05:00

1. Organized Konfusion
2. Diet Coke
3. Alton Brown, Tyler Florence, Food Network
4. Chris Matthews and MSNBC
5. The steam room at the Dodge Y
6. NCAA Football on PS2
7. the B25 bus and B41
8. the SP-1200
9. Wallabee Clark’s
10. J. Crew

The Empire gets its ass kicked

2008-02-14T15:31:00.001-05:00

Frack Roger Clemens I want to talk about The NFL Commish Roger Goodall.
While Roger was lying his a** off in front of the House Committee The Commish was across the way cooking up stories for Sen. Arlen Specter of PA.
As you may or may not now Specter was very curious about the Pats Spygate scandal.

Now some claimed Specter was still salty about the Pats beating his beloved Eagles a few years back. After listening to Specter’s press conference yesterday I have no doubt that that is the case. But what is also apparent is that Specter is also very sensitive about the NFL’s anti-trust exemption and their contrary behavior.

The Sports Broadcasting Act was passed in response to a court decision which ruled that the NFL's method of negotiating television broadcasting rights violated antitrust laws. The court ruled that the "pooling" of rights by all the teams to conclude an exclusive contract between the league and CBS was illegal.
The Act overrules that decision, and permits certain joint broadcasting agreements among the major professional sports. It permits the sale of a television "package" to the network or networks, a procedure which is common today.
The law has been interpreted to include the so-called "blackout rules" which protect a home team from competing games broadcast into its home territory on a day when it is playing a game at home.

This may seem like a trivial Act but virtually no other US business gets this kind of pass. Specter seems to be a football fan but no fan of the NFL. He has long been trying to repeal this Act and it seems that Spygate has given him the reason to stir it up like Bob Marley. I am with Specter on this as I think Goodall shares some of David Stern’s latent pathology toward young, Black, millionaires. The NBA and the NFL are more than happy to build their brands on the backs of young black men, one of the most targeted groups in the USA. However, when those men don’t fall in line Stern and Goodall are more than happy to lay the smack down. The fact that Goodall snatched Pacman Jones paycheck for a year and counting while destroying evidence of Darth Belichick makes me uneasy.

According to Specter the Pats were caught spying on Sunday, punished on Thursday, evidence arrived on Friday and then was destroyed the following Wednesday (my days might be wrong but the chronology is essentially right). I don’t see how that can not be shady.
How is the punishment fair when you don’t have any evidence? And why on God’s green earth would you destroy the evidence?
Goodall is up to something. My theory is that this is the NFL’s version of the MLB’s steroid scandal. Taping of singles was illegal yet still ran rampant throughout the League. Goodall would rather sweep this under the rug than admit to a wide spread violation.

Pats, whether you like it or not that asterisk is coming. For you and Roger.

President Obama

2008-02-13T16:25:00.003-05:00

I understand why my man Chris Matthews and the gang at MSNBC want to temper their praise for President Obama.

I mean Chris admitted that Barack gave him a woody last night

I have been saying it for a while that:
-Obama has the momentum
-He has the dollars
-He has the Democratic base - Black folk. 80% and rising
-Hilary is a mess
-Bill blew it for her

Now Obama has the popular vote, the delgate count, the media in his pocket, the Democratic machine behind him and Oprah

McCain vs Obama is a joke. Well not a joke but did you hear McCain's speech? That dude will be smoked in a YouTube generation election.
He can't even unite his own party.
His situation will play out like Mark Green in the Bloomberg I election. For those outside of New York look it up.

Obama will pick a white male VP with foreign policy and/or finance experience, McCain will pick some backwards ass conservative and the rout will be on.

President Obama - beleive it!

Special Ed - The Mission

2008-02-12T14:53:00.001-05:00

All praise due to Special Ed

Happy Video Tuesday

Special Ed - I'm The Magnificent

2008-02-12T14:52:00.003-05:00

Special Ed, 'I got it made

2008-02-12T14:52:00.001-05:00

I alwayd did love 'Rocking It'

2008-02-11T12:14:00.001-05:00

I was caught up on The Wire so the Grammy’s got all my attention last nightHere are the thought from the Swift Chance

• I love Herbie Hancock but him winning shows why the Grammy’s are simply not the standard anymore. Do you know 5 people who even knew that album was out? Let alone heard it. Not just your Hip-Hop friends but your whole network. The Grammy’s are more than a celebration of the Short Tail but a celebration of the elite. Herbie winning was a statement by the old guard, don’t trip
• However, I do like the archival stance they take. They make sure our industry’s short institutional memory is kept in check
• Oohh you know Kanye was pissed
• But his stance on these awards is becoming a bit of a joke. As evidenced by Usher’s comment
• I feel Kanye about getting pissed when they played the music but dude; this is not your personal platform. Don’t be a dick. You can show some good taste as well
• It was great they let him do a tribute to moms
• The light up jacket? I don’t know – good performance though
• Winehouse performance was dope
• Made me think we are making too much of her drama. Kind of like Britney
• Those dancers were serious
• However, at the same time I felt like they celebrated her drug use in an indirect way
• Two words, well five. MORRIS DAY AND THE TIME! Best thing all night
• Beyonce is built for this. Everyone else fall back
• ‘Proud Mary’ was dope buy where was the Ike shout out?
• Sure were a lot of Black folk on stage
• And a random country dude
• Carrie Underwood has a strong ass voice
• What the hell was the look Mark Ronson was going for? Jack White on a diet?
• Glad Alicia Keys stylist got the memo from the Super Bowl. Although the 1st outfit made her boobies look crazy, she looked banging in that second outfit
• Akon looked like a vampire
• Rhianna did much better than I (and those watching with me) thought
• I wonder how Common felt when Kanye told him to stop competing with him. I am sure he’s used to it
• Aretha, you are the queen and you can do whatever you want but spaghetti straps need to be reconsidered
• Prince is still the man

It's Omar!

2008-02-08T14:05:00.000-05:00

I spent last night catching up on The Wire. After what I perceived to be an over hyped season launch I have reached the same conclusion as last year. From a writing and overall story perspective this may be the best TV show of all time.

Ok, that souping it and I am no TV critic but damn this show is good. As a wannabee amateur writer I am amazed at the quality of writing. The story is so well thought out. Captivating like a car crash but as insightful as a Ralph Ellison short story.

-This is gonna badly for Macnulty and Lester. So bad
-I think Bunk is gonna do them in
– Still not sure if Marlo is gonna make it. He seems to be exhibiting a fatalistic streak
-'It's Omar!'
- Such an interesting to make the Omar character a homosexual. I would love to talk to the writers about that choice
-Chris is straight shook. Be wary of what he may do to Marlo
-picture messages. Is that really happening on the streets?
-so Michael is catching bodies? Going to the frontlines against Omar? He got his weight up quick
-Snoop, Chris, Omar, Stringer –- some of the best characters of all time

In news of what I hate about my Hip-Hop. Here is Cuuuuuuuuuurtis from SOHH today: "I think she could do a good job," 50 said. "There's nothing bad about Obama in my eyes either, but I think Hillary would be my choice. I don't think America is ready to have a black president. I think they might kill him."
You know I am an Obama guy so I’m biased but seriously if this is going to be your comment. Keep it to yourself.
This is way too complicated for you Curtis. Stay in your lane and let the adults speak.
Hasn’t Fat Joe or Jada or Ja or whoever need a mixtape dedicated to them?

In Pol news
- The Republican nominee is the most moderate, leftist cat in the party and hated by Rush Limbaugh
- My guy has more delegates and more money than Bilary
- The worst case scenario is my guy re-ups in 2012

This is not a bad year

Post Super Tues Randomness

2008-02-06T11:56:00.000-05:00

Real quick as we have a busy day and I was up until 1:30 last night watching the Super Tuesday returns. I will take the easy way out today and hit y’all with some bullet points of random yet connected thoughts

• Barack has momentum
• Hilary does not
• Momentum is defined as “when an object or body is moving, it possesses a quality called momentum, which means the object tends to keep moving”
• Ever played football or ran track? Barack is “walking Hilary down” His victory is a function of time. Hilary’s lead is evaporating with every day. She is not growing or raising money at Barack’s pace. You DO NOT have momentum when your lead in Georgia goes from 13 points to a loss in two weeks.
• Barack is gonna win this thing. He is the only one gaining steam
• The Republicans are a mess. Poor Romney, he is just getting hated on. Huckabee is scary and McCain is the last Republican the establishment wanted
• They are gonna tear each other apart while my guy continues to gain steam
• Saw the Giants parade. The funniest thing was that the Giants are not really a NY team. Not like the Knicks, Mets, Yankees, or Rangers. Why? BEACUASE THEY PLAY IN NEW JERSEY. So having all these NY politicians shake their hands just looked silly. Sheldon Silver!?!?!?
• I doubt half of those dudes like Eli had been to the City in a year

Be good

Yes We Can -

2008-02-04T13:56:00.001-05:00

Like Terminator X I speak with my hands

2008-02-01T12:03:00.000-05:00

peace to Matt Doo (RIP) and Geology

Just put together a playlist “For Office Listening”
And I after watching ‘Transformers’ the other night I have decided to talk through other people’s lyrics like Bumblebee. Below are some lyrics from my funky fresh playlist to explain your boy Swifty

“I'm trying to rule the world while you talk about your silly glasses”
Da Bush Babbees, “The Ruler”

“I thought I was hard in high school fighting. Now I'm the hardest working man in show business. Handle your business and shut the fuck up”
Common, “1,2 Many”

“Brother why don’t you explain
How did hip hop got caught up in this ill rap game

Yo, I got a question
In Hip-Hop Who they following
The niggas with skills
Or them niggas who be hollering

Them niggas that be hollering
is substitute modeling
Niggas with skills
Always and forever keeps a following

Swallowing pride
Never we be imperialistic
Who rips shit
Without being materialistic
Statistics show

Ask sis she know

Just cause the niggas got doe
Don’t mean they got that flow”
Organized Konfusion, “Questions”

“Keep my workers under pressure. Got 'em saying Fuck Lester but that's aight Kico”
The Beatnuts, ‘Off The Books’

‘Never had a basement, never had an attic. Only an apartment where I forever had static’
“I am about to set it on society. Watch me while I do it”
The Large Professor, “Mad Scientist”

“I keep it ghetto with the plastic cups”
Dilla, ‘Ruff Draft’

“I'd rather be born, shine as the true and livin'
Spawned to live this gift to the fullest, shit is on
Still rethinkin' my position until I'm gone
Mission is to elevate mind
Glisten, destined forever, weather the storm”
Prince Po (one of the greatest MC’s who doesn’t get his) “Invetro”

Indo and Oregano

2008-01-30T15:03:00.000-05:00

I can’t think of another rapper that I don’t like that I talk about more than Lil’ Wayne. I guess in some bizarre way that means I actually do like him. And I suppose I do. If for nothing else I like him for the discussions that his mere presence sparks. And this weekend was another instance where the dreaded rapper with the lean cup and more tats than even I can take got my blood pressure up. It lead me to this revelation.

I understand his appeal completely; similar to how I now understand the appeal of MIA. My problem is that their appeal has little to do with their fundamental abilities. By fundamental abilities I mean lyrics, creativity, and that amorphous ‘niceness.’ The qualities I was taught to respect as a youth in The Bronx. Qualities exhibited by Rakim, KRS, Kool G Rap, Ice Cube, Big Daddy Kane, Common, Chuck D and the usual cast of lauded characters. However, the game is different today. Now these basic skills are simply not as important. What one needs to succeed is the ‘package.’ The total package in a Lex Luger sort of way. And it makes sense. Hip-Hop as a business has grown exponentially since the late 80’s to now. The simple days where a genre breaking lyricist like Rakim could thrive despite his lack of media savvy is over. Now you need swagger. A story. It is more about packaging your comprehensive human brand. And that is why this is the time of Lil Wayne, Jay, 50, and MIA.

Arguments made by purists like myself fall on deaf ears:

Arguments like compare these lyrics,

Okay start straight shots and then pop bottles
Pour it on the models, shut up bitch swallow
If you cant swallow, shut up bitch gargle
Straight up out the water wit my Mark Jacob's goggles
I’m fresher than a muf**ka, yup I’m a muf**ka
No I wouldn't take ya girl but I sure'd take her tongue from her
Could you tell I love woman, like no other woman
Oh I’m sorry sweetheart, I thought you were my other woman
Lil Wayne‘Pop Bottles’

With these

I done burned some of the most fattest MC's like chromium percolinate
It's not even tangible for them to understand or hold the weight
It takes soul to make a crowd animated
Prince stated, ‘can’t wait 'til we get off that label’
Man I waited twelve months for the perfect opportunity
To thump (thump) bump (bump) something love for my community
I'm moving on all you punk Bambino bastards
Your style's depleted like muscles without amino acids
I blast kids with mass times matter
Forever clinging to endeavors defined, clever words
thus waiting never, frustrating verbs to rip
My rap ratings eradicate
For me to take rhythms and mate 'em with rhymes in mating season
Creating shit never before made it
I'm making hybrids
Pharoahe Monch, ‘Questions’ from The Equinox

This my friends, is as KRS says, ‘The difference between Indo and Oregano.’ Not only a great lyric from the greatest of all time but a truly appropriate metaphor or analogy. Both Monche and Wayne could be mistaken for one another by an uneducated consumer. (Not physically of course but in so much as they are both MC’s.) Similar to Indo and Oregano. Each serves a very distinct purpose. Depending on your needs picking the wrong one will ruin your experience. (Although I have never sprinkled weed on my pizza.). Replacing oregano for Indo is the same as replacing Wayne for Monch. The former is easier to produce, harvest, and distribute. You can move the former in significantly larger quantities to the public than the latter.

No matter what witty comparisons one comes up with the truth remains. The two products should not be confused. They each have value whether your needs are clandestine or wholesome. But comparing the two on virtually any level will lead to an intellectual dead end.

My personal recommendation is when you want to get high I suggest you roll up an ‘L’ of that Monch. That oregano will make you sick.

So to all of you who believe Lil Wayne is the greatest of all time and grow weary of this old fart’s stories about the glory days, I understand. I won’t stop, but I understand. But let’s make a deal. Let’s stop comparing Indo to oregano.

Toni Morrison endorses Barack. Just as the Kennedy's did today

2008-01-28T13:47:00.000-05:00

Toni Morrison's Endorsement Letter of Senator Barack Obama-

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/01/28/614795.aspx

Here's her full endorsement letter:

Dear Senator Obama,

This letter represents a first for me--a public endorsement of a Presidential candidate. I feel driven to let you know why I am writing it. One reason is it may help gather other supporters; another is that this is one of those singular moments that nations ignore at their peril. I will not rehearse the multiple crises facing us, but of one thing I am certain: this opportunity for a national evolution (even revolution) will not come again soon, and I am convinced you are the person to capture it.

May I describe to you my thoughts?

I have admired Senator Clinton for years. Her knowledge always seemed to me exhaustive; her negotiation of politics expert. However I am more compelled by the quality of mind (as far as I can measure it) of a candidate. I cared little for her gender as a source of my admiration, and the little I did care was based on the fact that no liberal woman has ever ruled in America. Only conservative or "new-centrist" ones are allowed into that realm. Nor do I care very much for your race[s]. I would not support you if that was all you had to offer or because it might make me "proud."

In thinking carefully about the strengths of the candidates, I stunned myself when I came to the following conclusion: that in addition to keen intelligence, integrity and a rare authenticity, you exhibit something that has nothing to do with age, experience, race or gender and something I don't see in other candidates. That something is a creative imagination which coupled with brilliance equals wisdom. It is too bad if we associate it only with gray hair and old age. Or if we call searing vision naivete. Or if we believe cunning is insight. Or if we settle for finessing cures tailored for each ravaged tree in the forest while ignoring the poisonous landscape that feeds and surrounds it. Wisdom is a gift; you can't train for it, inherit it, learn it in a class, or earn it in the workplace--that access can foster the acquisition of knowledge, but not wisdom.

When, I wondered, was the last time this country was guided by such a leader? Someone whose moral center was un-embargoed? Someone with courage instead of mere ambition? Someone who truly thinks of his country's citizens as "we," not "they"? Someone who understands what it will take to help America realize the virtues it fancies about itself, what it desperately needs to become in the world?

Our future is ripe, outrageously rich in its possibilities. Yet unleashing the glory of that future will require a difficult labor, and some may be so frightened of its birth they will refuse to abandon their nostalgia for the womb.

There have been a few prescient leaders in our past, but you are the man for this time.

Good luck to you and to us.

Toni Morrison

Oganized Konfusion - Somehow Someway

2008-01-28T10:47:00.001-05:00

from one of the best albums of the 90's

Friday Randomness

2008-01-25T14:00:00.000-05:00

sometimes you just need a little Doug E Fresh in your life

•I am down for this Economic stimulus package. Because I am a small business owner I like the Republican pro-business agenda. The rest of it (the agenda) can take a flying leap. Except for parts of the foreign policy. I am not a hawk but doves like Kucinich make little practical sense
•How great would it be if Tom Brady came out on bad leg like Phillip Rivers
•I Hate the Pats
•Tiki, how you feeling now huh, huh, huh?
•The Clintons can officially get the Bozak
•Didn’t it look like Barak wanted to step to Hilary during that CNN debate?
•Edwards won but is still a loser. Go home to your wife pretty boy
•Let’s be real it is this Clinton that people think they are voting for
•For all my Wired fans with HBO Demand (the rest skip this) what Marlo did to Prop Joe just ain’t right. Marlo is moving from outlaw hero to straight bully. I don’t like it
•Who won the Roy Jones fight?
•Three great words – Doug E. Fresh

Ghostface Killah speaks to his MySpace fans

2008-01-23T14:26:00.001-05:00

um, I would like to get 'goosed' out but those days are over Tone my man. Plastic is out. Gotta adapt god.

Chubb Rock - Treat'em Right

2008-01-23T12:37:00.001-05:00

Chubb Rock is our featured artist this week even though he is a no good con man who has hustled more than one person you know including your boy Swifty

Chubb Rock - Ya bad Chubbs

2008-01-23T12:34:00.001-05:00

Chubb Rock - Just the Two of Us

2008-01-23T12:30:00.001-05:00

this looks like Prosepct Park
Big up to Que Psi Phi
Chubbs, you stil owe me $750 you f***** crook
good song though

The Disco Market Correction

2008-01-22T10:03:00.000-05:00

The current malaise facing the music business is nothing more than what Wall Street would call a market correction. “A market correction is sometimes defined as a drop of 10% to 20% over a short period of time (wikipedia).” Over the past three years this is what we have seen in terms of CD sales. A 15-20% drop in sales in consecutive years after over a decade of steady increases. Fear note for, “True fortunes are made during times of economic distress or financial corrections (about.com).”

This is not the time for proclamations that the sky is falling. This is the time to be shrewd and use the current lull to make wise investments and get ahead of innovation. To do that we must understand the cause for the years of profit and the last few years of doom and gloom.

A wily old vet once explained to me the true dilemma that we are facing. Briefly this was my lesson. During the days of disco labels and artists were generating an unprecedented amount of money. Not solely album sales but by astronomical single sales which was a new phenomenon. Seemingly one day in the early 80’s the party was over and disco records were being bulldozed in baseball stadiums (Disco Demolition Delight). Record labels sounded the same alarm we hear today. They were massive layoffs and panic. Then one day at MIDEM Phillips debuted the compact disc . Immediately the answer to the disco demise was staring them in the face.

Fast forward a few years and the compact disc age is born. And with it a way to replace all those lost dollars. Simple business really. Increase margins by raising prices and decreasing costs. CD’s were cheaper to manufacture but because of the novelty of the technology they were able to charge 50-60% more for a CD than for an LP. Better still there was a marketing campaign launched that convinced LP owners that they needed to replace their analog records with a more durable CD. So for the first time you had people re-purchasing content at higher price points.

The next twenty years saw the spectacular success of this new technology. The margins also lulled record labels into changing their business models to focus on this piece of plastic as its primary revenue stream. This also created a new generation of millionaire artists whose wealth was similarly based on the plastic disc. The hole in the plan was that the digital nature of the CD made it ripe for piracy in ways that were logistically impossible for vinyl or cassettes. Pirated copies made for pennies on the dollar that displayed no degradation in sound quality. Then came the MP3 and more comprehensive broadband access.

This unfettered access led the consumer to ask why am I paying $18 for a product that is so easily reproduced. The shroud of the dark side fell and consumers realized the hustle that the business had been running and all hell broke loose. So the twenty years of fairy tale profits for so many has begun to unravel. The music business like the universe itself is attempting to correct itself and achieve a balance. The pendulum now swings in the direction of the consumer. Gleefully pushed along by visionaries such as Steve Jobs, Google, Kazzaa and Napster.

The next compact disc, the next disco wave is brewing. Some may say it is already here with iTunes but the truth is that in order to make money with iTunes margin you need to be…iTunes. They are other opportunities and investments out there. The question is who is going down with the Titanic and who is going to find the 2008 Phillips.

No respect for Black people

2008-01-18T16:15:00.000-05:00

who's willie lynch?

In this country we are taught to have little or no respect for Black people.
Big statement. Let me get specific.

Last week there was big hub bub in the golf world because a reporter said something to the effect that the only way to stop Tiger Woods was, well here is the quote:

Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman during coverage of Hawaii's Mercedes-Benz championship on January 4. She and host Nick Faldo were bantering about how young golfers might challenge the ever-dominant Woods.
Faldo said, "To take Tiger on, well, yeah, they should just gang up for a while until ..."
"Lynch him in a back alley," Tilghman interrupted with a chuckle.

As if that is not stupid in and of itself. Golfweek Magazine covered the story and put a noose on its cover. This decision by Golfweek was all the rage on PTI and Around The Horn yesterday. Incidentally the editor got canned for it today.

What I found even more infuriating was Tony Kornheiser’s comments during yesterday’s PTI. Now let me say I love PTI and Tony so I am not attacking him but the sad state of sensitivity in this country. Tony’s position was that the image was meant to be provocative and thought provoking, so in essence as a journalist he was cool with it. Michael Wilbon, Tony’s black co-host, and one of the best Black journalists on TV took the intelligent and enlightened position that there is simply no place for that image given its history and even more recent events all around the country stemming from the Jena 6.

I am not sure if Tony is Jewish or if Kornheiser is a Jewish name but I wondered if they were talking about a Jewish golfer and Nick Faldo had said. ‘In order to stop him they should round him up and throw him in an oven,’ would there would be the same level of journalistic tolerance from respected journalists like Tony. And then to follow up there was a picture of a man’s wrist with numbers tattooed into the wrist, or a railroad car packed with emaciated men, women, and children on the cover of Golfweek Magazine. That image would have never made it out of the art department.

But an image of a f&&&ing noose goes to print! Then a day after the coverage the editor gets canned. Insulting.
But it gets worse. In PTI’s analysis Tony referenced the Jena 6 and asked Wilbon for clarification on the pronunciation of ‘Jena.’ Back to my analogy, everyone knows how to pronounce Auschwitz, right? Of course you do. Because the Jewish holocaust is a real tragedy. A crime against humanity. Perhaps the worst.

The Trans Atlantic Slave trade? The African Holocaust? Jim Crow inspired terror and lynching? Something we should all just ‘get over.’ An embarrassing moment in US History. No need to rub our nose in it. That is how it is spun. Spun so well that an intelligent man like Kornheiser can’t see it.

It comes down to the essential problem. There is far too little value placed on Black life. Especially as compared to other ethnic groups whose back was broken to build this company. Jena 6 is just some news item that gets a cursory glance. A noose is a provocative image. Many (including Wilbon) were even saying the commentator didn’t deserve to be suspended. And I am sure there was much hand wringing about the decision to fire the editor today.

Shame on you if you are not outraged by the comment and subsequent publication.
Shame on you if you attempted to defend their position.
You know what that noose means? It means men being hunted like animals. Hung. Burned alive. Castrated. Paraded through the streets. There is no place in a civilized society for a casual reference to that period.

Period

NaS - Unauthorized Biography Of Rakim [Unreleased Video]

2008-01-17T15:54:00.001-05:00

peeped this on nahright.com

Revelations and Randomness

2008-01-17T09:25:00.001-05:00

1. That Lupe record is not bad at its core. There are some top notch rhymes on there. The songwriting is inaccessible so it's hard to even get to it. And all the dumb sh+t he says just makes it difficult to find the energy to dig for those gems.

2. Fabolous is the best lyricist for a 'commerial' rapper (whatever that means).

3. Obama should be just as popular in the immigrant community as he is some Black communites. He is essentially a first generation immigrant. Pay attention my Korean, Senegalese, West Indian, Russian, Chinese, Mexican and Canadian brothers.

4. Kanye only beat 50 by 200-300k, right? Hmmmmmm

5. I would not want to be at a major right now. EMI layoffs. I heard Warner is on the road to Chapter 11. Although being at a small operation like ours still ain't no picnic.

6. Why is OJ still front page news?

7. The Wire is better than advertised. Go to HBO On Demand and be a week ahead.

8. I still ride for the Knicks. Yeah Jamal!

T.O. spoof

2008-01-16T17:24:00.001-05:00

whatever T.O.

Tips for new parents

2008-01-16T10:36:00.000-05:00

I have two little duns and no one (that means you Rob) gave me any advice. They just sent me into the fire. I understand but damn you could have helped a brother out.
The truth is there is no way to really prepare you for the arrival of the rug rats but I will give you a few tips.

I encourage all my fellow parents (Steph) to add on.

1. Get a DVR. and digital cable. On Demand and DVR will save your sanity. These kids have no idea what it is like to wake up at 7am on Saturday to catch the Superfriends. This is an On Demand generation.

2. You won't sleep for 2-3 months. no getting around it. deal with it

3. Eat right. No sleep will make you vulnerable to sickness

4. they are way tougher than you think. Miles must have busted his ass a dozen times a day until he was two. Never seriously hurt. Even the girls. Savannah takes her lumps too.

5. They are never as cold as you think. No need for 3 blankets and the "Bundle Me."

6. These names are your friends: Backyardigans, Dora, Diego, Jakers, Boots, Baby Jaguar, Snook, Word World

7. Sesame Street is as good as it was when we were little

8. Just have to shout Backyardigans again. Eb and I love it as much as Miles. Alvin Ailey dancers do the choreography!

9. A little crying is ok. They'll live

10. The jungle gym is not as dangerous as you think. This from a dude who lost his two front teeth in a monkey bar incident in the 70's

11. There is a ton of things to do in the city. Don't believe the hype

12. These places are your friends: YMCA (cheap classes, free pool and gym), Music Together (Rene is the man), Brooklyn Botanic Garden (perfect for the warm weather), Children's Museum (can be a little ghetto but don't worry), Prospect Park (great playgrounds and if you go into the center plenty of space for them to run around, duck pond, waterfall), Starbucks (perfect place to chill and send emails when they fall asleep in the stroller), the park on Washington and Lafayette and the park on Washington and Greene.

13. Don't be like me and get neurotic about activities. Playing with race cars and tickle fights are as good an activity as there is. Eb taught me that.

14. Just sit and look at them for a few minutes a day. All the headaches will wash away. Guaranteed.

15. Get as much sleep as you can. Don't stay up all night playing PS2 or watching Netflix. Be in bed by midnight if you can. But get your PS2 on. Read a book. do something or it will feel like Groundhog Day.

16. Books: Sci fi is good. Gets your mind off things. Romance works for the Mrs.

17. Date night. don't forget about that fine thing that carried your babies.

18. Become a foodie Learn to cook. It will save you a ton of cash.

19. Take help when it is offered.

20. Give Thanks

Jeru Da Damaja - Ya Playing Yourself

2008-01-15T17:15:00.001-05:00

Jeru The Damaja - Come Clean

2008-01-15T17:14:00.001-05:00

Vote for Obama because he's Black...it's OK

2008-01-15T15:56:00.000-05:00

Write this down and remember who said it first. This election will play out like a more civilized OJ Trial saga. Barack will be OJ, and the Republican brand will be Furman. My analogy is flawed but my point is this election will be the same thinly veiled referendum on US race relations that the OJ trial was.

Closeted racists will use this as a way to come out.
Black Nationals will wear their defense of Obama on their sleeve.
Progressive non Blacks will use his bumper sticker to declare their enlightenment.
Bourgie Blacks still looking for acceptance will criticize Obama to prove their commitment

I started this post last week and since then some of the sickness I saw coming has arrived. Charles Rangel and Bob Johnson have recently come out against Obama and the MLK comments.

Charlie Rangel has been mortgaged, bought and sold so many times over the years I take what he says with a big grain of salt. His issue is about power. Obama is on a stage that Rangel, Al, Jesse, Dinkins, and Young always dreamed of. And Obama has his own machine and his own cronies. He will not kiss the ring. To put it simply – ‘haters in the house.’

Hilary on the other hand realized long ago that buying the Rangel machine would make the Clinton name an urban myth in the Black community. Thing is, that works for my pop's generation, not for mine. That old guard are revered but have produced little tangible results. Except for Jesse and Al. They put in work.

I support Obama. He represents me. I like his commitment to health care. I like his dove-ish but realistic stance on Iraq. After the damage George Bush did to the American brand I think Obama is what we need. Is he perfect? No.

Hilary is not terrible. I just don't trust her. She is too embedded in the system.

I also support Obama because he is Black. Yeah I said it. And there is nothing wrong with that. The idea of a Black man being president would do so much for the psyche of our young boys and girls that yes, it is a major factor. Just as Huckabee would mean a lot to Evangelicals or Hilary to women or Giuliani to Italians. It is a part of the discussion no matter how you cut it. Sometimes you have to stand up for a cause, for a moment in time.

If a woman used this argument in support of Hillary I would not argue. In fact, I think Hilary’s best strategy is to make all women ask this question.

This is how the game works, so let’s stop dancing around it. It is all about carving your niche and hoping it’s big enough.

Scared of more crazy Muslims smashing into buildings vote for the bigot – Giuliani. He shares your distaste for people of color.

Traditional conservative – Romney

Maverick do-gooder – McCain

The ones who lose are the ones with no identity. Edwards’ rhetoric about being the champion of the little guy falls on deaf ears

Richardson is in my opinion the most qualified but he has failed at distinguishing himself from the white noise.

The dude from Law & Order, Thompson, is just that – the dude from Law & Order.

Ron Paul, Kucinich and the like just can’t catch a buzz.

The bottom line Obama is the first viable Black candidate in our history. He represents a post Civil Rights America where a bi-racial kid who went to Harvard is no big deal. We are far removed from the fire hoses and the segregated water fountains. That fact is tremendous. It goes a long way in healing this country’s violent history. And I am with that. And there is no problem if you are with that too.

O for where art thou (Tony) Romeo?

2008-01-14T09:21:00.001-05:00

I'm out sick today so to keep my mind off the fact that I can't go 5 steps w/o losing my breath I will blog.

After all 5 bozos on Fox NFL Sunday picked the Cowboys the G-Men and Eli did the damn thing. Great game.
Here a few random thoughts

- Rom(e)o chose to go to Mexico with Nick Lachey's sloppy seconds like a man. So take the criticism like a man. Whether that had much to do with his loss is questionable. Those 1st two dri ves proved their #1 seed.

-I ask you this, do you think Tom Brady went to Mexico on his week off? That is the difference. Period. Brady was probably watching film and running drills with Wes Welker.

-T.O. please. Kill the waterworks. You are the most arrogant dude in the league. Don't try to get Ralph Tresvant on us now.

-Brandon Jacobs is a monster

-but not as scary as Marion Barber. All respect due

- I love Favre but it's time for the fairy tale to end

- I hate the Pats but godamn. They are so focused. I just don't see them slipping. Brady looks posessed in those interviews. It is actually scary.

- and a final shout to Eli for winning one for the little brothers.

The NY Times misses the point on the Radiohead physical sales figures

2008-01-10T12:43:00.001-05:00

Radiohead came out and did 300,000 this week. The Times misrepresents this as a sign that plastic is not dead. I don't agree.

As popular as digital sales are and are becoming let's not get ahead of oursleves. Plastics' market share is so huge it will take a few years for us to see some parity.

The way the article reads it may give a ray of hope to the dinosaurs of our industry.

Do not be fooled Doug Morris et al. Radiohead, Jay, Alicia, Mary, they will still sell cd's. That is not where the battle lies. The issue is that mid level groups (100-300k in sales) will become even bigger drains on the ledger. And developing acts will soon bypass your entire model. They will opt for a digital label with better margins and less equity. Hobbyists and micro-stars will focus on social networks and build a live touring base tht will trump your model with even more zeal.

Radiohead is special. And that uniqueness cuts both ways. Not everyone can put an album for free. Most people wouldn't care. And even less people can do 300 in their 1st week. They are models best used for inspiration not duplication.

HEAVY VEE - I DON'T NEED A HOOK - OFFICIAL VERSION

2008-01-09T10:32:00.001-05:00

It's all about Heavy Vee
Go 'head big girl

New line of ROger Clemens T-shirts - 'Stop Snitching and Go To Jail'

2008-01-08T13:12:00.000-05:00

damn my ass hurts from that b-12 shot

Anyone care enough to listen to that phone convo with The Rocket and his snitch. If you tried to watch PTI on ESPN News last night you had no choice.

What a bum Clemens is. The way he tried to set his boy up was so cowardly. Taping phone convos like Linda Tripp. And for all you legal analysts who can't tell. Homeboy was telling Roger he will do what Barry Bonds pushaman did for Double B. Go to jail for his boy. While Barry's dude did it for contempt Clemens' guy will do it for perjury. In both cases the low guy on the totem is down to fall on his sword. And it both cases I think you guys were juicing, but can still go to the Hall.

I am just waiting for Marc Ecko to weigh in. It's just not baseball news until we hear from 'he of the 8xl T-Shirt.'

and in other sports news the BCS proves itself worthless. Clearly OSU was not the team that should have been there. They would not have made it through a playoff. USC, Georgia, Hawaii should have been the last seed. Kansas. Wake up college football your brand can't take this type of beating forever. Playoffs mean more $ for everyone. Look at the pros, March Madness and the Bowl Subdivision...idiots.

And oh yeah 'Fired Up, Ready To Go' President Obama. Let's put this race to bed today.

Lupe endorses Clinton

2008-01-03T15:43:00.000-05:00

Barack: and then he said he felt it was a bigger statement for a woman to win
Luda: what an idiot. you think this T-shirt is too big?

Never before have I encountered an artist who appears to be doing everything he can to make me despise him.

Okay so he disses Tribe, forgets lyrics, then tries some weird 8Ball and MJG defense. I was told to let that go. Okay

Comes to my event and pisses of my people with diva like behaviour. Hey, he is an artist right? I was told to get over it and I did.

But now he disses my man Barack. He has all the right in the world but I have the right to say that it is a wack move. And while you (Jimmy Blags) rightfully defend his right to be a dick. He doesn't even have his facts right.

From SOHH Read below:

"I'm not voting for anybody," Lupe told SOHH. "I don't believe in voting on that level. But I want Hillary [Clinton] to win," he says. Surprisingly, the Chicago emcee does not support the junior United States Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama.

"Obama doesn't really impress me like that," Lupe told SOHH. "It's not a shot at him but some of his agendas, the bombing of Iran and all that stuff.* He ain't gonna do nothing but perpetuate the nonsense that all the Presidents before have done, and what Bush is doing now. It's to the point now where the world is so twisted and so messed up that we need somebody to come in."

"I think Hillary will set an example for women all around the world and hopefully effect some change, as opposed to another man pushing for agendas and pushing policies," Lupe said. "I think even if she don't do anything, just the statement that it makes--that the United States is run by a women--would be so phenomenal for the world."

[*Editors note: While all the major Democratic candidates--including Clinton, Obama and Edwards--say they would not remove military option off the table, when it comes to Iran, none have said they support the bombing of Iran.]

Does he simply not see what it would mean for a Black man becoming president?

At some point we are going to have call him a dick and move on.

And I tried three times to listen to 'The Cool.' 3 tracks are decent. tops
I agree with the Village Voice review

The Fugees - Nappy Heads

2008-01-03T10:52:00.001-05:00

in a Fugee mood today.
Enjoy and remember

ready or not

2008-01-03T10:50:00.003-05:00

ohh la la la

2008-01-03T10:50:00.001-05:00

Back at it again

2008-01-02T11:50:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to all!

While I prepare a real post check this out from the Times and this from Wired

Peace

The Jigga man is unemloyed

2007-12-26T08:39:00.001-05:00

The title of this post is the most false true statement I have ever written. As you have heard from your homeboys or read on sohh or nahright, Jay Z stepped down as head of the house Russel built on Christmas Eve.

How cruel to fire a man right before 6lb 8oz baby Jesus' birthday. LA Reid, thou name is Ebineezer (sp?). I mean the man needed to buy Kwanzaa gifts for his nephews and former business partners. What the hell is he gonna do now?

A 30 something year old Black man with no college degree and a criminal record. The system will chew him up. Not long before his name is added to the rolls of the unemloyment list. Before you know it he will be on drugs. Comitting petty robberies and end up on Rikers. What a shame.

But seriously, his tenure at Def Jam was much better than I anticipated. Who had more hits? Not Interscope, really. Their run ended with dissapointments from The Game, Will.i.am and 50 (numbers wise 50 was no dissapointment by any means but PR/branding wise that record was a mess).
Jive had their hits but Jive as a brand does not hold the same cache as Def Jam. I think has to do with the diverse and un-connected roster. Britney, The R, Justin, UGK, Chris Brown, Clipse. All earners but what binds them is simply the money and the hitmaking ability. No real artistic thread connecting them.

Anyhoo, the Carter admin produced 1 great Jay record and 1 overhyped but decent record. A very good (but not his best) Kanye record, Rhianna's weird ass, Ne-Yo's short ass. And didn't Luda get a Grammy under Jay?

On the 'not so stellar sales but good record nonetheless' side there was Fab, Rick Ross, Freeway (personal fave), and 3 Starks records.

There were duds - Redman, Meth, Bobby Valentino.

And no shows - Joe Budden et al.

Not a bad three year run. As anyone who has put out records can tell you three years is not a long time.

The biggest knock would have to be that outside of Rhianna I believe all of those acts were there when Lyor and Liles left. That does not diminish his accomplishments very much for me. Finding the talent is most certainly a tell tale sign of a great exec but not f@cking it up is just as valuable.

Think of all the talent that never reached its full potential - Rakim, OC, Kool G Rap
And think of all the talent that could have (and on paper should have) flopped - Missy (overweight female artists are not suposed to win) , Kanye (stick to making beats), Prince (androgynous Black man from MN?)

Anyway, polish up that resume Hov. I am sure you can find something to do with yourself.

President Obama

2007-12-24T10:17:00.001-05:00

I was listening to CSPAN Radio on the way down and they played the Obama 'Fired Up, Ready To Go' speech. I can't front I was tearing up. I am making my donation today. Believe it people. We are going to have a Black president.

A Black man running the free world. Do you realize the message that will send to our youth? As a parent it is enough to make you cry.

For hundreds of years Black men have been told they are nothing but criminals and deadbeat dads. My industry has done the most to reinforce that image. In a matter of years and through one huge event that image will be dealt a death blow.

'Fired Up, Ready To Go'

and a note to Hilary. The more you attack Obama and laugh at him in debates the more Black folk you push away. People like me.

I'm Greg Nice and he's MC Smooth B

2007-12-19T20:45:00.001-05:00

Just want to take a second to shout out Nice and Smooth. The history books will undoubtedly forget them. At best they will be underepresented in the archives. So while I have a chance to spit my sh@t I will make sure they are remembered.

I am not sure if there has been a group like them since.

So go out today and download 'Hip-Hop Junkies', 'Sometimes I Rhyme Slow', 'No Bones in Ice Cream', and 'Funky For You'.

I guarantee you'll have a better day.

And remember Dizzy Gillesie may not play the sax but I still like max. And after Nipsy Russel does the hustle remeber to flex your muscles. I kick rhymes, however I am very different from a fortune teller.
Holla if you drive a red Sterling and the seats recline.
Ever tried to hail a cab on 125 and St Nick? It sucks

I can go on for days. What a nerd