Sunday, July 31, 2005
"We're losing the peace...."
Complete waste of time and resources: Homeland Security as window dressing in NYC
So should I be worried about Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, or not? Don't worry, I think I have my answer now. This is why I don't subscribe to Newsweek any more.
Although sometimes they do have their uses: More troops developing latent mental disorders - Symptoms appear several months after returning from Iraq, military says. (Click here for full Newsweek article)
Former Bush aide finds the Iraq reconstruction has been riddled with waste and fiscal mismanagement - is anyone surprised by this? If I had any kind of real paper, no conscience whatsoever and you could buy shares in them, I'd be all over buying into Halliburton, The Carlyle Group and The Bechtel Corp. I'm liberal(-ish) but I'm trying to stack paper too, fam.
Meanwhile, be clear: Scertary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld personally approved the torture techniques at Gitmo and Abu Ghraib that led to the prisoner abuse scandal.
More Bush admin. flip-flops and lies.
And the Rest of the World says to Bush: The "War on Terror" does not work.
I mean, does this LOOK like a country that's on its way to stability and democracy?
And You Can't Fight Terrorism With Racism - true, but I have to admit these random searches they are doing on the NYC subway are a total waste of time. Racial Profiling is never a good thing but searching people who are quite clearly not subway bombers or terrorists merely as a show of action is ridiculous. If you feel safer because of this, you are fccking idiot.
Rick Santorum Exposed - as if you needed ongoing documentation to confirm this dude is out of his mind (like this recent outburst on ABC this week proves yet again).
Dems, please get it together because we can get back in this.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Sometimes They Are Right (Pun Intended)...
aka the shortest post ever on The Kitchen.
Mark down this day because it doesn't happen often, but I will acknowledge some recent news items where the GOP might actually be on the right side of the issues for once:
- Three related pieces of "encouraging news" about Iraq.
- Bill Frist actually makes sense on the stem cell research issue.
- I.R.A. Renounces Violence in Potentially Profound Shift - a happy but unintended consequence of the"War on Terror" "global struggle against the enemies of freedom"? (LOL sidenote: apparently the global struggle term translates into Arabic as Jihad!)
- And moderate/secular Muslims finally speak out more forcefully against their extremist, fundamentalist brethren for the same reason?
Back to the realness (as George put it) later...
Tweet
Mark down this day because it doesn't happen often, but I will acknowledge some recent news items where the GOP might actually be on the right side of the issues for once:
- Three related pieces of "encouraging news" about Iraq.
- Bill Frist actually makes sense on the stem cell research issue.
- I.R.A. Renounces Violence in Potentially Profound Shift - a happy but unintended consequence of the
- And moderate/secular Muslims finally speak out more forcefully against their extremist, fundamentalist brethren for the same reason?
Back to the realness (as George put it) later...
Thursday, July 28, 2005
The "Talibanisation" of Iraq.
Novak was warned twice by the CIA not to use Plame's name - and did it anyway. WTF?
"If the war in Iraq was going better, we wouldn't still be asking how we got into it. But it isn't, so we are...." - Chris Matthews on the Iraq War.
And Iraq Wants A Quick Pullout of U.S. Troops.
Meanwhile in Afghnistan: protests at the main U.S. Afghan base.
Teen exposes the military's sleazy recruitng tactics but he gets attacked, WTF pt. II?
And is it any wonder that the military have had to get sleazy and lower their standards when the real number of U.S. military that have died in Iraq is over 7,000.
Do y'all think the war was worth it now with all indications now pointing to Iraq transforming, after the ratification of their new constitution, from a secular Muslim state (albeit one run by a ruthless dictator) into an explicitly Islamic state with ties to Iran and a massive erosion of women's rights?
And here at home, are things better or worse when Jessica Simpson is the only artist in the creative community standing up and speaking out on the madness in Iraq. I now have to apologize for putting her on blast on July 4th.
"I Love Karl Rove!"
And finally, it hasn't been in the news much recently but Matt Taibbi promises that the Ohio election story is going to come back.
Not just Natalee Holloway missing.
Q-tip, Ronson & Blu Jemz on the set TONIGHT.
Speaking of Mark Ronson, The Swift Chancellor lays out the argument for why his protege Rhymefest is the next big thing in hip hop.
Thanks, O-Dub.
And spotted via O-Dub's other site, Poplicks: this is kind of industry-orientated and maybe slightly old news for many but for those who care, the SD-50's Dante "The Scrub" Ross vs. DJ Six-Seven of overlooked 90's LI hip hop crew Hard to Obtain (aka H2O)
How did Boyz N Da Hood get a collab hooked up with the late, great Eazy E where he even mentions that his car stereo is "bumping that ATL funk" in his rhyme?! (real mp3 snippet of "Gangstas" courtesy Tower Records)
Hot 97 accepted payola?!! Say it ain't so (I could barely type that out with my tongue so firmly planted in my cheek. Related: 'sup Dan?)
The greatest blog post ever? Joey thinks so. The other Ian in the hip hop blogosphere does an incredible job running down hip hop artists and their equivalent college football teams.
And speaking of sports The Swift Chancellor touched on this a little bit last month wrt to the NBA and high school players, but is Carmen Bandea being fronted on by the LPGA?
The story of missing, pregnant mom Latoyia Figueroa (above) might not be garnering quite as much coverage as the Natalee Holloway story but it is starting to gain some traction including a lead slot on Tucker Carlson's "The Situation" TV show on MSNBC a minute ago.
Finally, anyone catch the premiere of this new Iraq war-centered dramatic TV series Over There last night? I'd say this was redundant and premature but since no-one can get any real, substantive coverage of the war from the news media right now, maybe we actually do need this show. Damn...
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Take It Slow....
50 Cent ft. Mobb Deep "Outta Control (Remix)" - The Video
Nas "MC Burial" - dissing Mr. Curtis Jackson using a chop from John Legend? I'll say this much: it's no "Ether." (link via Hiphopgame)
Da Back Wudz feat. Slim Thug & Nas "You Gonna Love Me (remix)" - fairly addictive, but mostly for that loop which Juelz had also put to good use on a promo-only white label 12" (whose title I forget - I couldn't it find on my shelves) that dropped a couple years back. Props to Dallas Austin - Rowdy records is back?!!
Ying Yang Twins & Mike Jones (more "Badd" links: wma - hi | lo | ecard)
Maspyke - the latest ish from OG underground hip hop label ABB (the folks who brought you Little Brother).
"I'm wild like Larry Davis...." - D-Nice on his run-in with the infamous NYC street legend immotalized by
"I TAKE IT BACK! GIMME INDIE ROCK!" - Sasha (very briefly) on the new Esthero album.
Made in Sheffield - "[a new film documenting] the rise of the post-punk movement that emerged from Sheffield in the late 70s as defined by the electronic pop of The Human League, Cabaret Voltaire, Heaven 17 and ABC." Essential viewing (well, essential enough for me to add my Netflix list that is).
Cop the latest issue of Arthur magazine for a decent interview with Brian Eno, former Roxy Music sideman, U2 producer, ambient music pioneer and creative inspiration for the guitar-less era Radiohead.
Ricky Gervais's new show Extras might be the best thing on TV now and it hasn't even aired in the US yet. (via Nadine S.)
Finally, the iPod DJ Mixer is a reality - "Unfortunately, the apparent lack of pitch control pretty much kills its chances of replacing CDJ or vinyl decks...."
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
"Nobody in America is asked to sacrifice, except us...."
Lack of hair and a propensity for lies: at least two things Robert Novak and Lt. General Steven Blum have in common.
War-orientated:
- "The Bush administration's rallying call that America is a nation at war is increasingly ringing hollow to men and women in uniform, who argue in frustration that America is not a nation at war, but a nation with only its military at war." (full article "All Quiet on the Home Front, and Some Soldiers Are Asking Why": The New York Times)
- "The U.S. military on Sunday said it was looking into how virtually identical quotations ended up in two of its news releases about different insurgent attacks." (full article "'Enemies of humanity' quote raises Iraq PR questions": CNN.com)
- "Lt. Gen. Steven Blum said he recognizes that every [war time] death is a tragedy for that person's family. "But I lose, unfortunately, more people through private automobile accidents and motorcycle accidents over the same period of time..." - probably not taking over for Scott McClellan any time soon.
And on the home front:
Can This Administration Do Anything Right?
While Matt asks: Still Think Valerie Plame Wasn’t Undercover?
And I still ask all the time: How Does Bob Novak Sleep at Night?
Plus is anyone gonna really be shocked if this goes down?
BTW, Jean Charles de Menezes might have been executed by London police - nice! (via Sploid)
Finally: I wouldn't be surprised.
Monday, July 25, 2005
"It turned out these people did not present any threat whatsoever...."
Guatanamo in Times Square? Terrorism hysteria reaches new heights in NYC.
I get back into town after a restful weekend with my girl in the Cape to read about this?! I know sh-t's has been crazy the last few days but is this the country we want to live in? Frankly scenes like the one above scare me almost as much as the threat of possible future terrorist attacks in NYC. But maybe I'm just another bleeding heart liberal for saying that though, huh?
Jean Charles de Menezes, R.I.P.
Friday, July 22, 2005
"You know, you could take out their holy sites...."
Y'all.are.going.to.jail....
These.n--gaz.is.guilty -- please.believe.it.
Fight fire with... ignorance.
"The Iraq war is over, and the winner is... Iran" - Juan Cole does it again.
And the losers are... us. After the second London bombing yesterday fear digs in a little deeper as the terrorists win another battle to destroy our way of life.
But are you buying it? (BTW: I am semi-freaking out at the fact that my parents just flew out on vacation to London last night - is this a legit response or am I just feeding off the fearmongering, hysterical news coverage of CNN et al. here in the US?)
The Rude Pundit on John Roberts.
While Joey asks, "What Would Roberts's Confirmation Mean for Progressives in America?"
"An Image A Little Too Carefully Coordinated" - even more for you on Bush's Supreme Court nominee John Roberts.
Off to Boston, I'ma be keeping it gulley in Cape Cod for the weekend. New Hot Ish list coming soon although regular readers can probably guess what's gonna be on it already.
Whistle While You Put in that Work....
No Homo Juelz Santana "There It Go" is a certified banger.
Juelz Santana "There it Go (The Whistle Song)" - this record is a monster. These cats finally beat me down. You can't front on their movement with records like this. Dip Set all day, e'ryday! (mp3 via Hiphopghame)
Unreleased Slim Thug - I ain't download this yet but folks is saying the best ish like this ain't even on the album.
Young Zone - some aight midwest underground ish.
Win some rare promo only Hustle & Flow wax with straigh Down South heat here courtesy them too-cool-for-school Fader cats. Film opens today too I think - it's gonna be HUGE. The takeover is almost complete.
Heavy Mentalist - from the same folks who bring you the excellent The Last Nerve site.
Radio 10-4
A Blog Soup
Nike Tiffany Dunk SB released (via Cool Hunting)
Steinski (of "Lesson" fame) interview. (via Grand Good)
Folllwing up on the MPC Simon yesterday, check out the drum machine home page menu on the Bang on the Table Productions website (good looks, Don).
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Real Soul or Carbon Silicon?
Dynamite big audio from Raheem DeVaughn & Mick Jones' new crew Carbon Silicone.
Tru Life "Can't See NY Rap Die" - this is like recent posts of mine in a song.
More new J-Live
Dan the Automator 101
Raheem DaVaughn - don't sleep. This kid is Dwele channeling all the good bits of The Isleys, Prince and some of his "neo-soul" contemporaries. Feel The Love Experience.
Carbon Silicon - new punk "supergroup" made up of members of The Clash and the (kind of underrated) pop punkers Generation X. Any group with Mick Jones in it is OK by me.
every little step - the unofficial Being Bobby Brown blog. (spotted via Prefix by way of She Real Cool)
Ghetto Film School (via TrendCentral)
Bol on Paid in Full vs Nation of Millions
The Swift Chancellor on the best opening lines in hip-hop.
MPC Simon (via Spine)
Puma Clyde relaunch.
And finally, LOL on P. Diddy's "D.I.D.D.Y." being the "throwback" video on some MTV2 hip hop show I was watching a couple of days back, WTF?!
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Another Activist Judge?
Let's stay focused on ALL the issues at hand because you never know: Bush might have selected Roberts hoping that a contentious nomination process might distract heads and divert attention from other issues hurting his administration right now (or vice versa). Don't misunderestimate this dude, that's how he's managed to serve two terms as president despite losing twice!
And as far as
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
''It is no surprise that Boston, a seat of academic, political, and cultural liberalism lies at the center of the storm...."
Malkin or Santorum: I'm not sure who's crazier?
"Al Qaida No Longer Exists"
Maybe that explains the Dept. Homeland Security's idiotic policy response for protecting non-airline domestic transportation systems in the wake of mass transit terrorist bombings in London and Madrid.
And freedom erodes as it continues to give way to hysteria.
While the Right continues to let the lunatics speak for them (I mean when even Michelle Malkin thinks dude is bonkers, what's left to say?!)
What you DIDN'T learn from today's New York Times.
Republicans seek black votes by having Bush skip the annual NAACP conference yet again to attend the Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration luncheon in Indianapolis instead.
Trey Ellis' Modest Proposal for the Democratic Leadership.
And Arthur Silber's The Light of Reason.
In this day and age, all you can do is drown your sorrows, especially when the booze is free and the music's good.
PS: Fcck Mario Andretti, Troy Aikman, Bill Belichick, Yogi Berra, Chris Evert, John Elway, Bobby Knight, Mario Lamieux, Karl Malone, Peyton Manning, Phil Mickelson, Greg Norman, A-Rod, Pat Summerall and Joe Theismann. And here's the reason why. (spotted via Joey)
Fair and Balanced....
Is THIS who you want to get your news from?!
Get your Rove "Plamegate leak" updates here, here and here.
But I had to point this one out in particular: "Bush Was For Prejudging, Before He Was Against It"
This is really no time for jokes to be honest, but George W. - Big P.I.M.P.I.N.'. (via DJ Jab)
While this one is in REALLY poor taste.
As is this: "FOX News anchor John Gibson just said onair (sic) that he thought Karl Rove deserves a medal if he outed Valerie Plame."
And this: "Hume's "first thought" on hearing of London attacks: It's "time to buy" futures...."
But THIS is perspective.
Monday, July 18, 2005
Entourage is pretty much the only reason, outside of Netflix, I've had for turning on my new TV recently. But when it's not on...
Papoose feat. Ghostface "In the Bushes" - produced by Green Lantern. (mp3 download via Spine)
The Dead 60's - mixing The Clash and The Specials, how much better can it get than that?
It's been out a week already but for those who haven't been convinced by all the great reviews so far, check out Slim Thug's Already Platinum album for yourself.
"Like The Byrds produced by DJ Premier..." - Koushik, the new album I've been playing the most recently.
The ReggaeTony Album
Banana Nutrament's mp3's of rare live ESG and ESG covers. (via Prefix)
Old school hip hop photos and flyers.
And here's a new one: Hip Hop is now actually responsible for the recent drop in crime. (via Libertarian Cal)
While finally: probably not winning the Mom of the year award.
Friday, July 15, 2005
Get your hustle on....
It's going down TONIGHT! Come through, I'ma be on the set for a hot minute playing the best of the promos I've gotten over the past couple months (hopefully). Click the image above for more details/directions.
Bathgate gets some shine at PlanetShine.com (thanks for the shout too, doggie).
Remy Martin "Whuteva" - I was sleeping on posting this one for a minute (not really though. I just couldn't find a link for it but my man Mr. 730 came through again once again). Swizzy is making a real run at producer of the year from where I'm standing.
Bobby Creekwater - the future of Shady records? (related: Bobby's other group, the ATL-based Jatis)
Tigger says "no homo."
Do people still care about The Apprentice? They might if Trump gets to execute his idea of setting up the next season as corporate version of a race war. Where would this leave Asians, Latinos and other non-black/white minority candidates though? Compelling TV or a really bad idea?
I've said it twice now, East Coast hip hop is dead (or very terminal right now). I know the Hustle & Flow movie is basically 8 Mile below the Mason-Dixon line but there is not even ONE East Coast (or West Coast) artist on the soundtrack except for Nicole Wray singing a featured vocal on one track. Don't get it twisted, peoples. It's paradigm shift time. (related: win a Hustle & Flow iPod Photo)
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Endhowyalike?
The game done changed - Shock G is out of hip hop.
Little Brother feat. Joe Scudda "Lovin' It" - first single from their major label debut The Minstrel Show? I'm lovin' it but is this enough to take them over the top and out the underground?
Old School & New School East Coast connect - Jim Jones & Pete Rock "G's Up" (mp3 via Spine)
Freemotion has a few tracks from J-Live's forthcoming The Hear After album here.
Ne-Yo feat. Peedi Crakk "Stay With Me" - yet another competitor in the "find the next Usher" sweepstakes? I gotta admit that I like this track though...
Bol does an interesting interview with a rap cat named Naledge. I'd never heard of him before - how's his music?
Think you could be the next DJ Screw, Rapid Ric, OG Ron C or DJ Lt. Dan? Then enter the Slim Thug Chop'n'Screw contest here.
Lots of interesting stuff over at Hiphopmusic.com including the story of how Clear Channel has hired the "Tsunami Song" racist Ric Delgado, Shock G sadly bowing out of the hip hop production game and a gay hip hop festival (!).
Dork mag Issue 3 release party TOMORROW. I might be spinning for a bit so come through.
World's ugliest dog?
Time to start cashing in that 401K.
Finally, Buffie the Body is now in King magazine too.
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
The Extra-Long (and Long Overdue) Special Indie Rock Post
And they say hip hop imaging isn't original! (Click covers to buy via Amazon)
I've been known to occasionally veer off the hip hop path on this site and today is one of those days yet again as I (finally) round up and comment on a few of the indie and alternative albums I've been listening to over the past few months:
Bloc Party
Silent Alarm has been out for a minute now and already universally hyped and acclaimed (well except for Buddyhead, that is). Normally I'm wary when this happens but have to concede that, in this case, it's more than justified which is why it's the fetaured album on my Hot Ish chart in the sidebar at the left. Two songs in I could already tell this wasn't the same old and was praying they could keep it up for the rest of the album. Thankfully, with the exception of a slight dip in quality with "Price of Gas" (leave the schoolyard chants to M.I.A., Gwen Stefani and Fannypack), they do.
Silent Alarm transcends the current trendiness of the throwback, post-punk, new wave that's been in vogue over the past couple years. They've taken the sound that legendary Factory record producer Martin
Maxïmo Park
So I'd been rocking Apply Some Pressure EP for a minute when it first arrived on import months back because I really liked the title track. The full album A Certain Trigger was just released although, inexplicably, it doesn't have an official US label release despite being a solid mix of the same new wave, pop-punk and UK indie influences that have propelled other groups to success here recently.
Maxïmo Park comes on a like a blend of The Buzzcocks, The Undertones and The Smiths with a splash of Radiohead for good measure. The tracks "Apply Some Pressure" and "The Coast is always Changing" get recycled from the EP but there's enough good new ish on A Certain Trigger to make it worth a listen too. Lead singer Paul Smith's heavy Northern accented singing might not be quite as memorable as influential (and similarly provincial-sounding) forebears Morrissey, Feargal Sharky and Pete Shelley, but on tracks like the very Buzzcocks-esque album closer "Kiss You Better" and Smiths-sounding "Postcard of a Painting," he gets pretty close so you should still fccks with these cats once you get bored of banging Futureheads and Silent Alarm 'cos it's gonna be a minute before the next Franz Ferdinand album is out.
Click and listen:
Maxïmo Park Live in Japan - "Graffiti"mp3 | video streams and "Signal And Sign"
Hot Hot Heat
2005 should really be Hot Hot Heat's year, right? After all, when they dropped the incredible album Make Up the Breakdown in 2003 featuring the (semi-)hit "Bandages," they pretty much were responsible for kicking off this whole new wave revival that groups like Bloc Party, The Killers and Franz Ferdinand have blown up off.
For some reason though, despite mining the same formula of bouncy, danceable, quirky new wave pop as on that album, Elevator doesn't quite click for me the same way. The leak tracks (singles?) "Goodnight Goodnight" and "Island of the Honest Man" were an enticing come-on that got me open for the full album but, despite a couple of other real nice tracks like "Pickin' It Up" and "Middle of Nowhere," I can't front: I'm not bangin' it the same way I did Make Up... when I named that my favorite rock album in 2003.
The Blue Van
This group should get points just off their name alone (apparently a reference to the mode of transportation used to carry mental patients to hospital in their home country of Denmark) but thankfully their music actually merits attention too. The Art of Rolling is a throwback to an era when rock musicians still looked to jazz and blues musicans like the MJQ and John Lee Hooker for their creative inspiration. The Blue Van recereates the bluesy-garage rock popoularized by groups like The Who, The Creation, The Yardbirds and The Doors in the mid-60's period before The Small Faces went psychedelic on their seminal cult album Ogden's Nut Gone Flake and Led Zep went on to rewrite rock history out of ashes of the Yardbird's collapse.
That being said, while the production, sound and feel of The Art of Rolling is authentically (and impressively) vintage, the group falls just short of great album status due to a lack of the kind of catchy hooks and anthems they need to compete with vaguely stylistically similar counterparts (and commercial breakout rock act of last year), Jet. The Jet-alike ballad "Baby I've Got Time" is the most accessible track on the album (to my ears) and is probably their best shot to break out of the cultist's ranks and achieve mainstream commercial success. Also, FYI beat diggin' heads: there's a nice drum break ripe for sampling opening the second track, "Product of DK."
Click and listen:
- “Revelation of Love” e-card
- “Have Love Will Travel” e-card
- “Revelation of Love” (video: windows Hi | Lo quicktime Lo | Hi | Audio download)
- “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” (windows: Hi | Lo)
- “Have Love Will Travel” (windows: Hi | Lo)
- “New Slough” (snippet)
- “Word from the Bird” (snippet)
Beck
This post is dragging on so I'm not gonna say too much about Beck's current album, Guerro that's been out for a hot minute now. If you've read this far though and haven't fccked with Beck since he dropped that bizarre "R&B" album Midnight Vultures, let me just say that you need to get at his new joint, stat. Dude is back to mining his cool-but-quirky, alternative white boy take on hip hop that he blew up off with Mellow Gold and Odelay. That's kind of old hat in 2005 when just about every rock and pop act uses loops and samples and I know frothing over Beck is probably only done by 30-somethings who still think they're hip, but nobody does it quite like this cat. Seriously, I wasn't checking for this either but the album really blew me away.
Click and listen:
- "Ghettochip Malfunction (Hell Yes 8 bit remix)" - win | real (not even close to being one of the best tracks on the album but the only thing I could get a stream on)
- Beck media player
Also digging:
- Queens Of The Stone Age "Little Sister" (via Riff Rock)
- Louis XIV - the lead singer looks a little too chubby and grizzled to pull off the Brandon Flowers make-up look he's trying to rock (n/h) but thanks, Janine for the heads up about their excellent "God Killed the Queen" single. (related: their new website)
- Download mp3's of audio from the legendary John Peel's BBC Radio 1 radio shows.
And check out:
- Game Rebellion - Independent Brooklyn-based "rebel punk rap music."
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Blissed Out on Crakk and Vida
Happenings for today:
- The real Brown Sugar? Danyel Smith's new music industry-"orientated" novel Bliss is in stores TODAY. Read more about it here and check her out guest blogging for Hashim here.
- Ge-ology does it one more time with Blu Jemz at Opus22 TONIGHT.
Blood Rush - MurderDog magazine's record label (good lookin' to whomever over there sent me the free subscription to the mag also).
And indie artists, holla at your themerchgirl.com.
Black Men Magazine's special edition Vida Guerra Swimsuit Issue.
"HipHop Was Dope Before You Assholes Finally Discovered 'Good Rap'"
And vaguely related: T-Ray was one white boy who's been in the game thick creating real hip hop from way before those "assholes" Serg is talking about above ever got "down."
Coming soon: Tommy Boy's incredible new compilation Hip Hop Roots including special brand new, DJ-friendly re-edits by DJ Jazzy Jay of classic hip hop breaks like "It's Just Begun" and "The Big Beat."
Gangsta Gadgets
And via Cuban Links:
- Wooden ipods
- $6500 sneakers (vaguely related: a sneaker coloring book via Cool Hunting)
and
- Top 5 MC's T-shirts
But who needs one of those shirts when you know
Monday, July 11, 2005
"Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of the press...."
OK, can someone who follows this stuff closer than me explain a couple of things:
1. Why hasn't Robert Novak been arrested for his role in this "Plamegate" story while Judith Miller is heading to jail for not reavealing her source for a story she never wrote?
2. And what about Karl Rove? Shouldn't he at least be fired as Bush once promised he would do if it turned out the leak came out of the White House and face charges like Cooper and Miller have?
Is it me or is the Fifth Estate and the concept of Freedom of the Press in the US pretty much fccked though?
Fox now openly admits what everyone has long known anyway.
But they've got the rest of news media so shook that "Liberal" news pundits now endorse far right conservatives on the Supreme Court. WTF?!
"Today, when the government pays people to pose as newscasters, it's frightening that our democratic free press is offered no protection...." (from Andrew Bast's "My View" Op-Ed in today's Metro newspaper)
UPDATE: I guess I should have scanned my Kinja reader before posting because it seems all hell is breaking loose with this story now.
Friday, July 08, 2005
No Comparison, The West is Back....
A little music for your weekend listening pleasure:
HIP HOP (mp3's via HipHopGame.com unless otherwise noted):
- Dr. Dre "The West is Back" (slightly longer snippet) - at this rate I figure we'll finally get the full version of this track by some time next year!
- Lil Kim "Shut Up Chick" - the Queen B heads up North on a creative high note.
- Stack Bundles feat. Rell - "Why Would She" - better than Yayo's version like I claimed?
- Jim Jones "Baby Girl" - heating up Hot 97 right now. (via hiphophavoc.com)
- Joe Budden "Get Up" - still hot (n/h) even if Gloria put him on blast.
- Buckshot & 9th Wonder "No Comparison" - tracks like this may belie the claim I lay out once again below about East Coast hip hop (aahhh...). (via HipHopDX.com | related: Buck & 9th break atoms in an allhiphop.com interview)
- Jae Millz "I Like Dat" - this kid has dropped heater after heater, this one courtesy of Cool & Dre, but his career looks like it's going down the toilet from where I'm standing.
- Mashonda feat. Snoop "Blackout" - word apparently is that Kelis shut down Nas, who's on the album version of this track, appearing in the video for the promo release of this single - LOL.
- T.I. & Ciara "Tapemasters Exclusive" (link spotted via DJ Benzi)
- Brooke Valentine feat. Paul Wall & Mike Jones "Long As You Come Home (remix)" - holla at your Swishahouse/cRunk&B , Camp Lo tribute!
I don't really get the fascination with this chick Karrine "Superhead" Steffans based on bits of two on-air appearances I heard her make at radio this week. She came off as nice enough if you cut her some slack for the already-infamous run-in she had with Kool G. Rap and his wife Ma Barker during an interview at Hot 97 and her terminal running-off-at-the-mouth problem (which I guess should have come as no surprise to me based on the reason why everyone wants to talk to her in the first place). Here's the official website for this
Looking South for Hip Hop's Future?
Boyz N Da Hood: hold on tight - the bandwagon is moving real fast!
So I finally got a TV again last weekend after nearly two months going without. I hardly watched music videos even before my TV went out but for some reason decided to turn on BET's Rap City over the past couple of days to see what was poppin'. Sorry, Mr. Clean. Based on what I saw, I absolutely stand by my proclamation a couple weeks ago that East Coast hip hop is dead.
I knew the Young Jeezy movement was getting big but him and his Boyz N Tha Hood crew along with the rest of the South including a bunch of artists whose records were sitting in my sell-on-ebay pile have completely taken over Rap City based on what I saw. Who knew the Cash Money sound and business model would end up being the blueprint for the 21st century corporate rap music industry.
Meanwhile, does Tego have the scoop on the rebuttal from Aztek's camp after recent allegations about the "authenticity" of his "street rep"?
And peep Brooklyn Vegan running down the entire 411 on the Nike Skateboarding-Minor Threat debacle. But what if everyone tried to be like Nike? (via Unbeige)
Plus vaguely-related: "Now 13-year-old boys pay attention to their footwear the way 30-year-old women pay attention to their handbags." (full story from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer via Agenda Inc.)
Bathgate manager, Malik with Buffie the Body. I hate him (just kidding). (related: Buffie in XXL)
Finally, it premiered last Sunday but don't miss one of the remaining rebroadcasts of Jazzbo's My Block: The Hustle & Flow of Memphis documentary over the next few days. I caught a bit of it a couple nights ago and it looked pretty good.
I Got Questions....
Mexico finally comes correct (but I doubt I'll ever put Cancun back in my Spring Break plans).
One Cop Shot, 180 Black Men Arrested. (via Hiphopmusic)
Good news on Africa despite skepticism?
And media fcckery in the coverage of the Natalee Holloway Aruba case? I wouldn't be surprised.
Well, at least NYC didn't descend into another racial civil war after the recent Howard Beach incident, but has there been real progress made when local residents claim race isn't an issue but the main suspect's record suggests otherwise?
Thursday, July 07, 2005
"We will fight them over there so we don't have to fight them here...."
Deplorable.
Related:
- Juan Cole on the implications of the London bombings.
- Condoleezza Rice: "The Iraq War Has Not Fueled Terrorism"
- The U.S. government reports a major increase in worldwide terrorism this week.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Giving you what you need....
TONIGHT (ignore the date hiccup, that's just my man Bishop buggin' out):
Meanwhile, The Cookbook hit stores yesterday. Debate the wisdom of a lack of Timmy Tim beats on the album here. And Missy, step your website game up. Like you said, this is the real thing, not a test.
Slum V - holla at your Kanye for a GOOD records contract?
I wish I could find a link to the Stack Bundles/Rell track "Why Would She..." because Tony Yayo's version (called "Pimpin'") can't see that one, f'real. (mp3 via hiphopgame)
"MySpace Ruined MyLife" (via the Super Fantastic Clothing Co.)
And finally, a little birdie told me - coming soon: "Trapped in the Closet (parts 6-12)." Yes! One word: midgets.... Meanwhile, new Kels in stores now. I'm peeping my copy now.
Bonus news jawn (until I can pull some time together to get real focused on that stuff again): this is all kinds of fccked up. But why be surprised? It's been clear now for at least a couple of weeks, if not from the day the Patriot Act was passed, that we no longer live in a free country.
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Meanwhile, The Cookbook hit stores yesterday. Debate the wisdom of a lack of Timmy Tim beats on the album here. And Missy, step your website game up. Like you said, this is the real thing, not a test.
Slum V - holla at your Kanye for a GOOD records contract?
I wish I could find a link to the Stack Bundles/Rell track "Why Would She..." because Tony Yayo's version (called "Pimpin'") can't see that one, f'real. (mp3 via hiphopgame)
"MySpace Ruined MyLife" (via the Super Fantastic Clothing Co.)
And finally, a little birdie told me - coming soon: "Trapped in the Closet (parts 6-12)." Yes! One word: midgets.... Meanwhile, new Kels in stores now. I'm peeping my copy now.
Bonus news jawn (until I can pull some time together to get real focused on that stuff again): this is all kinds of fccked up. But why be surprised? It's been clear now for at least a couple of weeks, if not from the day the Patriot Act was passed, that we no longer live in a free country.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Surveying and Beat Digging at APT tonight....
FYI, NYC heads: if you're looking for something to do TONIGHT:
(click to enlarge)
Back to full posting tomorrow (or later this week). In the meantime, peep Bathgate on the trans-Atlantic hip hop connect:
- Bathgate f/ Twinky "Love & Hate" (mp3 via hiphopgame)
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(click to enlarge)
Back to full posting tomorrow (or later this week). In the meantime, peep Bathgate on the trans-Atlantic hip hop connect:
- Bathgate f/ Twinky "Love & Hate" (mp3 via hiphopgame)
Monday, July 04, 2005
Happy 4th July?
Is this what it's come down to? Have we resorted to pandering to the so-called "Red state" mentality and celebrating America's Independence with jingoistic, militaristic pseudo-patriotism in our mass media still? Even with everything that's happened recently.
Damn....
Saturday, July 02, 2005
A Long Walk to Justice?
Watch and learn today?
Or explore an alternate point of view on Live 8.
Bonus reading:
- The Kitchen on the Darfur crisis (and more).
Friday, July 01, 2005
Luther Vandross, R.I.P.?
DJ Enuff on Hot 97 is announcing that Luther Vandross has passed away. Nothing on any of the news sites I usually read though yet.
Sad start to the long weekend. More later maybe....
Love for Luther from around the internets and the blogosphere:
- Kelefa at the Times
- Prefix
- UK Soulboy London Lee
- Jay Smooth
- pop (all love)
- O-Dub n' them
- Jerome
- The Fine Print
- Bol
