Media Mayhem

Shepard Fairey: The Rise of Obey

2011-09-07T22:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a cool short video with Shepard Fairey talking you through what inspired him to make one of the coolest brands out there. Listen well. His poster practically won Obama the election.

THE RISE from OBEY CLOTHING on Vimeo.

BlakRoc

2011-09-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

Black Keys project coming soon. This might actually be tight! (Nas and Mos Def would have made it better though)

Gotta Love Kendrick Lamar

2011-09-04T22:02:00.001-07:00

Enjoy!

Watch the Throne

2011-07-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

I found some great pics at The Freshness of Jay-Z and Kanye working on their "Watch the Throne" collabo album. My anticipation for this album is at an all-time high. The rest of the pics can be found here.

Lil Wayne - Nightmares of the Bottom

2011-07-16T11:38:00.000-07:00

Great song that Wayne played for the first time at his MTV Unplugged show. Has me excited for Carter 4!

Listen to Lil Wayne

Go Get This

2011-05-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard of Tyler the Creator or Odd Future please do a good search. You're missing out. His album just came out earlier this month and is a must-have.

Here's one of my favorite songs:

I Couldn't Help It

2011-05-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I couldn't help listening to this without laughing. It's super catchy though! "Gucci-Gucci, Louie-Louie, Fendi-Fendi, Prada!"

Anyway the main chick's name is Kreayshawn. They're the White Girl Mob. And I just might be a fan...

Get Excited! New X-Men Movie

2011-04-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

Here's the trailer for the new X-Men flick: First Class. Enjoy. Get Excited. I'll see you at the theatre.

In Heavy Rotation

2011-04-04T22:35:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I shared some of my favorite music with you guys so I thought I'd give you a list of the albums that have been in heavy rotation on my I-Phone, work computer, and home stereo the past few months. If you know me, then you know that I prefer to listen to entire albums than individual singles. Hit singles come a dime a dozen. But quality albums unfortunately do not. Let me know if i'm missing any other albums out there that are hot fire!

1. Florence & the Machine - "Lungs": (I cannot stop listening to her. She's amazing!)

2. Lupe Fiasco - "Lasers" : (Not as good as his other 2 albums but good nonetheless)

3. The Roots - "How I Got Over": (Quality songs. Smooth beats. Textbook Roots album)

4. Local Natives - "Gorilla Manor": (LA area band. Good sound. Good lead singer. Quality music)

5. Marsha Ambrosius - " Late Nights & Early Mornings": (I'm a Floetry fan, so i'm biased)

6. Wiz Khalifa - "Rolling Papers": (Surprisingly good! Seriously!)

7. Lykke Li - "Youth Novels": (Forget her new album. I've been taking it old school. Non-stop hits)

Keeping You Up On Game...

2011-04-04T22:17:00.000-07:00

I'm always on the hunt for good, new music and thanks to a very good friend of mine I came across this song from Chris Lightfoot. It's called "No Looking Down." Enjoy and support quality music!

No Looking Down by Chris Lightfoot

Random Thoughts

2011-02-08T21:57:00.000-08:00

Congrats to the Green Bay Packers! I must say that it was an entertaining Super Bowl. Much better than I thought going into it. As a Niners Fan I still hate the Packers' guts but I'm happy for Aaron Rodgers (even if he is a Cal Bear)

I wonder if this new M.I.A mixtape is any good? It's called "Vicki Leekx." (Download here) Sort of a shout-out to Wiki Leaks. Just downloaded it. Plan on listening to it tonight. Hopefully it's better than her most recent album. Talk about a disappointment.

Andrew Bynum for Carmelo Anthony? Really??? I'm not sure how I feel about that. I guess Bynum is injury-prone. But at only 23 years old there's a ton of upside. On the flip side, it's hard to pass up on Carmelo... A team with Kobe, Pau, Lamar, and Carmelo would be pretty sick. Oh well it's only a rumor and i'm not sure if it's even realistic. We'll see in the next few weeks I guess...

Tried my first 7 hour energy drink today. Yes they've come out with a 7-hour version. And it didn't do much for me. Has all my french press coffee made me immune to energy drinks or something? I'm going back to Four Loko...

Parks & Recreation is actually funny. I've started watching past seasons on Netflix (almost done with season 2) and Amy Poehler is definitely the truth. Aziz Ansari is classic. And I can't forget about Rashida Jones! She's hot, funny, and smart (Harvard Grad) - the triple threat!

Cooking At Home: More Money In Your Pocket

2011-02-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

In an effort to cut down on expenses I decided to try something new to trim back on my #1 line item: food (specifically eating out)! My method? Cooking more at home! Simple enough right? Or not... As most of us who work long hours at our jobs know, regardless of intent, it is super tough to work up the energy to cook at home after leaving the office. I personally come up with every excuse in the book. "I'm too tired" or "it's been a long day" or "I deserve it". But I think last week I cracked a way to make it easier to accomplish this goal. It took a little pre-planning and a can-do attitude but I got there. Here's how:

1.) Sunday morning I pre-planned all of my meals for the week and looked up the necessary recipes

2.) Then I checked my refrigerator and cupboards for missing ingredients and created a shopping list

3.) After a trip to the grocery store, I was all set for the week

It was that simple! Okay maybe not. I still had to actually cook the meals. But what I found was that by pre-planning my meals out, it was easier to bring myself to cook because I already knew what was on the menu.

You see, I find that half the battle (and a big reason I would opt to eat out rather than cook at home) is that when I leave work in the evening, the last thing I want to do is figure out what to cook. And usually I'm missing some key ingredient that requires a trip to the grocery store on my way home, which only pushes my eat time even later into the night. But last week, since I already knew what I was going to cook and I definitely had all of the ingredients, it was easier for me to overcome the stress, throw on the apron (I actually don't own an apron but I'm thinking about getting one) and whip out the pots and pans. The result was a successful week, some great meals and more money in my pocket! I highly suggest you give it a shot. Here are some quick tips:

1.) Try to plan quick meals for those days you tend to leave work the latest

2.) Mix it up a bit (i.e. don't plan to eat chicken every night. It'll get old quick and you'll be back to eating out)

3.) See if you can include one "wow" meal in the schedule. Whether it's something a little more special that takes a bit more time or some new recipe that you've never tried before. It'll keep things exciting.

4.) Try to make enough to ensure you have leftovers to take to lunch the next day (even more savings)

5.) The "I don't know how to cook" excuse is just that - an excuse! There are plenty of recipe sites and even easy-to-cook meals at grocery stores these days. Trader Joes, Fresh N Easy, and Whole Foods seem to have the most and best options.

6.) If planning a full week seems daunting then try something easier like cooking at home every other day. It's okay to take baby steps.

Good luck and let the saving begin. There's a little Wolfgang Puck or Giada De Laurentiis in all of us! I've included my menu for last week as a little inspiration.

Monday:      Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage & Tomato Alfredo Sauce / Garlic Bread

Tuesday:      Chicken Quesadillas with Chips & Salsa

Wednesday: Creole Shrimp with White Rice

Thursday:    3 Cheese Tortellini with Mushrooms & Garlic Alfredo Sauce

Friday: Marinated Lamb Chops (rosemary rub) with Rice Pilaf and Green Beans

Video Joint of the Day: Monster (Kanye Feat. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, & Nicki Minaj)

2011-01-03T22:24:00.000-08:00

Here's another good Kanye vid for ya. Of course the song has been a banger since it came out (probably Nicki Minaj's best verse to date). But the video is pretty good too. Gotta be honest, this is pretty much what I envisioned the video looking like after having the song on repeat a few months ago.

Devil In A New Dress

2011-01-03T22:12:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while. I apologize. Enjoying the holiday season and I got caught up. In any case here's a tasty vid for you. I love this song. And this vid is very cool:

DEVIL from yonie.ethiopian.love on Vimeo.

Influencers

2010-11-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I talked a little bit about being an influencer and shared a trailer with you on a new mini-documentary exploring it in greater depth. Well... here is the full vid! It's good stuff. Watching things like this just gets me inspired! Enjoy!

INFLUENCERS FULL VERSION from R+I creative on Vimeo.

Kanye Releasing "Runaway" Film

2010-10-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

I've been thoroughly impressed with Kanye the last few months. With his G.O.O.D Friday song releases, his performances on TV, and the anticipation for his new album, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" I've definitely been drinking the Kool-Aid.

Now news just released that he's dropping a 40-minute film entitled "Runaway" that is based around the album. We've seen this before from artists (Michael Jackson's "Thriller" comes to mind) and they usually been well-received. Plus with how cinematic Kanye's music videos tend to be in the first place, i'm sure this short film won't disappoint. The film will release at the same time as the album which is slated for November 22nd. Rolling Stone has more info here. Keep the momentum going Yeezy!

Becoming an Influencer

2010-10-07T09:18:00.000-07:00

Becoming a trend-setter or an influencer... At the end of the day, isn't that everyone's goal? Now i'm not talking about just in fashion or media. This applies to all career fields - medicine, law, banking, politics, public service, you name it. If your goal is to make an impact that will last for years then your goal is also to become an influencer. If you strive to be the best at what you do and to be a game-changer in what you do, then you are striving to be an influencer. And if you're not trying to become an influencer, then what are you doing because you're probably not doing it very well?

This trailer is from a new documentary dropping this fall entitled: Influencers: How Trends & Creativity Becomes Contagious.

Should be a good one!

INFLUENCERS TRAILER from R+I creative on Vimeo.

shoutout to Freshness for the link

Go See... The Social Network

2010-10-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

The film has had plenty of hype so I'm sure I don't have to give you a synopsis on what it's about. But just to be sure, it pretty much chronicles the creation of Facebook while simultaneously taking us through two lawsuits that Mark Zuckerberg's endured.

I was a wee-bit skeptical when I first saw the previews. But after reading reviews and seeing friends opinions on the flick I decided to give it a shot. The result? I came out impressed by how well made the movie was and honestly a bit proud of my generation and inspired for me to continue to pursue those things that matter most to me. As a Stanford alum who was a freshman at the time that Facebook was created (and therefore one of its early adopters) it was pretty cool looking back what has now been 7 years and seeing what the site started out as and what it has become. I highly recommend the movie ticket purchase (at least a matinee ticket) for everyone but especially for those from Gen-Y.

Here's the trailer in case you're completely in the dark...

Classic!

2010-10-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

Check out the tour of hip-hop that JT and Jon Stewart performed on the Daily Show (with the help of the Roots Band of course - best band hip hop has ever seen!). I don't watch the Daily Show very often but this is classic!

Gotta Love Olivia Munn

2010-10-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

Rolling Stone named her one of "The Best Characters on TV" which sort of highlights how much she has blown up over the last year or so. A big part of it is that she's pretty funny (see the interview below). And of course the other part of it is that she's hot.

Interview with Pharrell

2010-10-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

I have new-found respect for Pharrell after watching this interview. The guy not only sounds like a true artist - which I truly respect. But he also has a great perspective and point of view on life. Very good interview. It's also very long so you might want to skip around a bit.

By the way, that's Diggy (Reverend Run son - the Reverend Run from Run DMC) asking the questions. Diggy is becoming a talented rapper in his own right and i'm excited to see more of his work put out there!

Shoutout to Marcus Troy for the link to the video.

Get Em Mamba!

2010-10-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

Kobe says he can beat Lebron James in One-On-One. I agree! Best One-On-One player in basketball! But I admit, i'm a Kobe lover and therefore biased. Who do you think would win?

If anything this opens up the discussion for the NBA to include a one-on-one event at the All Star Game. They used to do it back in the day (and there was prize money too!)...

Gotta Love Katie Couric: Interview With Drake

2010-10-06T11:17:00.001-07:00

First she interviewed Lil Wayne. Now Drake. Gotta love Miss Katie!

Tron Legacy - Full Trailer

2010-07-25T13:04:00.000-07:00

Not gonna lie... I was skeptical of this movie despite the numerous short trailers out there. But after seeing this one, I am excited! Add it to the list of must-sees...

You'll have to follow this link. (unfortunately youtube isn't allowing embedding for this one)

Shoutout to Issa Rae for directing me to it ;)

French Press: The Real Way To Drink Coffee

2010-07-25T12:19:00.000-07:00

I took a picture above of the simple, classic device that has greatly improved my mornings over the past couple of weeks - The French Press.

First off I would like to say that in no way am I a heavy coffee drinker. I indulge in a cup maybe 3-4 mornings out of the week. But my discovery of french press coffee may force me to increase that number.

If you've never had french press coffee, give it a try. You won't regret it. It involves brewing your coffee with coarse ground beans in a non-drip method (you actually mix the water with the coffee beans and seperate the two only when ready to pour) that results in what I find to be much less bitter and much more creamy (you don't even need to add milk or cream. it's that good!) than your typical coffee maker, more flavorful than espresso, and for those of you who care - much stronger. It's quite simple to make your own cup at home actually. You'll need to invest a couple of affordable tools though:

Start off by getting yourself a good french press. Bodum arguably makes the best. I got mine (The Chambord - which is sort of the original) from Crate & Barrel for about $30. There are cheaper versions out there but you probably don't want to scrimp on your french press because it can ruin the outcome.

Get a coffee grinder. This is clutch because the french press requires "coarse" ground coffee which you can't really find pre-ground. The beans that are pre-ground for drip coffee are a "medium" grind and so not coarse enough and the beans pre-ground for espresso are way too fine. So for french press coffee you'll need to purchase a bag of whole bean coffee and grind it yourself. I got a cheap $19 one from Target. Literally takes a couple of seconds to get a coarse grind. Some of the higher tech coffee grinders actually have a coarse setting. Why is it such a big deal to have a course grind you ask? A) because the water gets way more flavor in the brewing process from the coarse grind and B) your french press has a plunger on the top of it that pushes down a filter to separate the beans from the liquid when you are ready to pour. If your coffee is ground to fine you'll end up with ground coffee floating in your cup!

Here's how to make your coffee:

1) Heat up some water. You want hot water but not boiling water. Don't want to burn your beans...

2) Grind up some coffee. Make sure it's coarse (literally only press your grind button on your coffee grinder for like 2 seconds)

3) Pour the coffee grinds into your french press

4) Pour hot water into the french press (it's about 4 oz of water for every tbsp of ground coffee beans

5) Stir the beans and hot water, and put the lid on your french press (with the plunger pulled up)

6) Let it brew for about 5 minutes (about 5 minutes is all you need but some people prefer to brew longer to give the water even more time to get the flavors from the coffee beans)

7) Push down the plunger on your french press and pour.

8) Doctor up your coffee as you wish.

9) Enjoy and welcome to Coffee Nirvana!

This is why they are a hot brand...

2010-07-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this video of Vans special Vault release. At the end of the day a mix of good sellable product with cool, unique, and special collaborations like what you'll see below is the key to building long-lasting brands.

(Shoutout to Marcus Troy for the link)

Vans Vault Fall 2010 Footwear Presentation @ Soto Berlin from moodmacher on Vimeo.

Makin A Come-Back

2010-07-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

I know it's been way too long since i've last updated this here blog. Let's just say i've let work get the best of me these past two and a half months. If there's any consolation, please know that this blog wasn't the only thing that unfortunately took a back seat. My gut has also been a casualty (haven't kept up with my workout regimen and consequently put on the pounds) and, at times, my sanity.

After some reflecting, running, and soul searching (been reading my bible) i've come to the resolution that I cannot allow it to get in the way of me taking care of myself and enjoying life. So expect me to be back to my old self. Hopefully you'll see what i'm up to through my updating this blog again regularly.

I'll leave you with a few questions I asked myself the other day...

1) Why do we allow our 9-5 (or 7-8) jobs to consume so much of our lives?

2) Are you doing something that you love? If not, then why not?

3) Take a look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you are taking very good care of yourself. If you can't do that honestly and with a straight face then there's a problem.

4) Are you exposing yourself to at least one new thing, place, or concept each week? Why not?

5) If tomorrow were your last day on this here planet could you say that you lived your life to the fullest? (Many of us would probably be able to easily say we worked as hard as we could. How many of us would be able to say that we took care of ourselves and enjoyed life as much as we could as well?)

Opening Ceremony

2010-03-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

These guys are my heroes for sure! Such an inspiring story for everyone. And I just might go broke shopping them. Next purchase: the Levis/Opening Ceremony corduroy pant!

Mayer Hawthorne - "Maybe So, Maybe No"

2010-03-03T22:12:00.000-08:00

This song just makes me feel good. I think I might start my day off listening to this song for the next month or so.

Mayer Hawthorne - Maybe So, Maybe No from Stones Throw on Vimeo.

While I'm On The Topic of Kid Cudi

2010-02-28T10:43:00.000-08:00

Here is another video with a great song. While I don't endorse all the pot-smoking in the video (it's medical marijuana right???) I do love when artists do creative things like this. Oh and the song is dope (no pun intended).

KiD CuDi "cudderisback" - Directed by Jason Goldwatch - DatNewCudi.com from DP on Vimeo.

Kid Cudi Does It Again - "Memories"

2010-02-28T10:34:00.000-08:00

I meant to post this video almost a month ago but I forgot. Absolutely love it. It's my new "get-hype" song. Radio stations are starting to pick up on it as well.

After two late nights of shenanigans (the past two nights have def had some memories for me) this is a fitting post for me right now.

DatNewCudi.com: Memories - David Guetta Feat. Kid Cudi from DP on Vimeo.

I'm a Rude Boy! - Video Joint of the Day

2010-02-10T21:20:00.000-08:00

This is definitely my favorite song on Rihanna's album so I was thrilled when she made it a single. The video does not disappoint either. I really like it. Honestly, it does seem to have an M.I.A feel to the video and one of her hairstyles is very Janelle Monae-esque... but there's nothing wrong with borrowing a few things from two very cool artists - especially when done in a tasteful way.

So yeah. Hot Song. Hot Video. I am a fan!

BTW, Rihanna should thank Esther Dean. I'm pretty sure I saw her name in the writing credits for this song when I bought the album and it has her sound all over it.

Corporate America - This Is For YOU!

2010-02-02T08:29:00.000-08:00

Read this excellent post by Adam Di Stefano from The Next Great Generation.

Companies should really visit this site often. They usually have great editorial pieces by Gen Y about Gen Y. It is sad how the corporate world still is not evolving in its thinking. Thank you Google. You are one of the bright spots out there (and I am partially jealous of all my friends who work there).

I Just Picked This Tee Up Today

2010-01-31T19:04:00.000-08:00

I actually first read about this special Mos Def tee on Hypebeast last night. As a big fan of the Boogeyman, I made it a point to wake up early, head over to La Brea and 1st street and pick up a size large for myself.

It's kind of a big deal. The Ecstatic is a really good album. It's no coincidence that Mos has two Grammy nominations for it. My only regret... I couldn't make it over to his special photo exhibit at HVW8 because I had my sunday adult league game to go to (we lost by the way) and my brunch went really late due to the ridiculously long wait (an hour and a half wait to be exact) at the Griddle Cafe. But I guess that's okay. My belly was more than satisfied and I feel no need to eat dinner tonight. Mission Accomplished!

Oh and for the record, I highly recommend the Griddle Cafe to any and everyone who is looking for brunch in LA. Great food. Large portions. Let "The Itis" ensue.

TED - A Conference Worth Attending

2010-01-30T23:05:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of TED? If not then take a visit to their website and enjoy some of the awesome talks given by some of the world's brightest and most influential people such as Al Gore, Bill Gates and even J.K Rowling.

TED (which stands for "Technology, Entertainment, Design") holds an awesome conference each year in Long Beach, CA. The 2010 conference is actually next week. Sadly I won't be attending (even though the event is a short walk from my apartment) but that doesn't mean I'm not excited anyway. TED is the mecca for geeky minds - intellectually stimulating discussions and opportunities for networking with the movers, shakers, and leaders in every field (Sarah Silverman is going to be there this year!). Hell, i'm seriously considering hanging outside the venue to see if any of the staff will feel sorry for me and let me sneak in through the backdoor or something.

I know what you're thinking: if this event is so great and it's taking place so close to me, then why aren't I attending? I've got two very good excuses:

1) It costs $6,000
2) Before you're even allowed to pay your $6,000 you have to fill out an application with several essay questions that are crafted to see if you would be a good contributor to the discussions that take place at the conference. (i.e. you have to be accepted)

But that's okay. I'm just going to keep working hard. One day i'll be at that conference. You never know... I might even be invited... as a speaker... now wouldn't that be something!

U.S. Placers - Lupe, Kanye, Pharrell

2010-01-30T22:08:00.000-08:00

Why am I just discovering this song??!!! This should be a throw-back song post (came out in 2007) but sad to say that I just heard this hot joint for the first time 5 minutes ago. But I guess that's the great thing about life... we discover little treasures everyday. Very cool video by Vashtie as well.

Wise Beyond His Years

2010-01-30T20:44:00.000-08:00

Wise beyond his years. This is the reason why I love his brand, The Award Tour. Taking street wear to the next level. Keep up the good work Phil!

Street | Talk NY EP2 Phillip T Annand from Street Talk on Vimeo.

Lost Season 6 - The Final Trailer

2010-01-23T14:29:00.001-08:00

On the evening of February 2, 2010 I will no longer be accepting phone calls. I will not respond to text messages, tweets, wall messages, status updates, or even knocks on the door.

I will be busy. I will be focused. And at the same time, I will be LOST.

Final Season here we come!

Diary of A Wimpy Kid Trailer

2010-01-23T14:10:00.001-08:00

This brings back memories. I'm definitely going to see this in theatres. Every kid had these thoughts at one time or another (if you deny it then you're a LIAR!)

"The Snooki Song" (Parody of Tik Tok by Ke$ha)

2010-01-23T14:04:00.001-08:00

Pretty hilarious. I can't believe Jersey Shore is as big as it has become... wait... yes I can.

Once In My Lifetime - Nike Bespoke

2010-01-07T20:13:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had an experience where you saw something and just sat there and said to yourself, "I absolutely must do this at some point in my life"???

If you're like me you probably have multiple to-do's on what will most likely become your "bucket list." Well I added another to mine after seeing this video:

I HAVE to go and do this at least once in my life. Even if I have to wait until I'm 50 or 60 years old to have the money to do this (and not become homeless afterward) I am going to stop by 21 Mercer in New York, walk into the Nike Flagship store, and get my Bespoke on! One day... One day soon I hope...

Mos Def - "History" Feat. Talib Kweli

2010-01-05T23:23:00.000-08:00

Great song. Uneventful but decent video. You know... I feel like people really slept on his latest album, The Ecstatic. It was a solid album. Not better than Black on Both Sides (that album is just amazing. one of my fav albums ever), but solid nonetheless.

Emeka Okafor - Big Man, Beastly Appetite

2010-01-05T22:59:00.000-08:00

And I thought I ate a lot. He puts me to shame. He probably eats more in one day than I do in one week!

Now THIS Is A Shoe!

2010-01-03T11:09:00.001-08:00

This is the most amazing Nike shoe I have ever seen in my short lifetime. It's a one-of-a-kind Bespoke Air Force One shoe designed by blogger Marcus Troy. Job well done Marcus... job well done.

Follow this link to see more pictures and read more about the shoe. You will appreciate every detail. I promise!

Now What?

2010-01-03T10:18:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't see Kobe Bryant hit yet another game-winner at the buzzer (his third one already this season) I have done you the favor of being able to watch it below.

Now I wonder what Kobe-Haters will say this time? It seems like after every game-winner he's hit this season, there have been numerous articles written to discredit the feat and to try to remind us that he is not a clutch player (or the most clutch player in the game). In my opinion, it is simply ridiculous that after Kobe does something as amazing as hitting a game winner, writers, bloggers, and so-called statisticians rush for an opportunity to say, "Yes, he hit the game-winner but he is not the most clutch player in the league." It's like a knee-jerk reaction from the nostalgic fans who are still fighting their hardest to keep the memory of Michael Jordan alive and present in everyone's minds.

That's what it comes down to. That is my theory. It is no secret that KB has been compared to MJ his entire career. It is also no secret that MJ was an amazing player who made a huge impact on the game and has a following like no other, die-hard fans who do not want the legend to die ever and will fight whoever threatens to make that happen. Which is why Kobe is so hated. You can listen to people say it is because he's "cocky, selfish, not a team player" or whatever other B.S. reasons they give. But we all know the real reason they hate him: The hate comes from Jordan fans who deep down inside are threatened by Kobe's existence. Deep down, they know that Kobe is just as amazing as Jordan. They may not think he's better than MJ, but damn, he's so close that they feel they need to defend Jordan's honor by trashing Kobe's whenever Kobe reminds us of how good he really is.

Hence, I won't be surprised Monday morning when I go on ESPN and see Henry Abbott pull some more stats out of thin air to say why Kobe's now 3 game-winners (in only three months of play this season) still don't mean much. I won't be surprised when I see the comments section filled with Kobe slander. I won't be surprised.

I'm trying to come to peace with the situation by telling myself this: If he wasn't a great player, if he wasn't threatening to be one of the best players to EVER play the game - as good or even better than MJ, they wouldn't be talking about him. There would be no reason to. Denial is a bitch. And a lot of Jordan fans are in denial. So I smile at them. And post videos like the one above. To keep them on their toes. Get to work people... the Mamba is on the attack again!

(Oh and for the record, MJ is the best player to ever play the game. But it's not Michael Jordan - It's Magic Johnson... Title in his rookie season - in which he was MVP of the finals after playing all 5 positions. He only played 13 seasons and went to the NBA finals 9 of those 13 seasons - winning 5 of them and getting finals MVP in 3 of those 5. Re-ignited NBA basketball, along with Larry Bird, when the league was in the dog days. Nuff said. Get it straight people...)

Chris Rock & Martin Lawrence Bounce Back

2010-01-03T09:51:00.001-08:00

With this movie, that is. This looks hilarious. Definitely a step up from some of the last few films these guys have headlines... And Zoe Saldana... I don't know what made her more sexy in my eyes - Star Trek or Avatar!

Not Ashamed to Say I Want To See This

2010-01-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

Don't judge me. Just watch the trailer. All that star power??!! I'm prepared to waste my $12 on this inevitably sappy and corny flick just to see all these great actors work together on one film.

As Good As It Gets

2009-12-20T19:17:00.000-08:00

You may remember a couple of days ago I was super excited to go see Avatar this weekend. Well... I went. And... I want to see it again!

Whatever you do, you MUST see this movie. It was so awesome. Make sure you see it in 3-D so that you can truly appreciate the piece of art that James Cameron has been putting together for quite some time now. Not only was the cinematography fantastic but the story line held its own as well.

This was a blockbuster that did not disappoint. I'll be going to see it again real soon - this time in IMAX.

It's Kinda Ignorant

2009-12-20T19:10:00.000-08:00

But I like it anyway :)

I was skeptical of Young Money at first... but i'm coming around.

I'm A Fan!

2009-12-17T22:36:00.000-08:00

I like the song sooo much more now!

Avatar - I Can't Wait!

2009-12-17T21:52:00.000-08:00

I'm waiting until Saturday night to go see Avatar but I am extremely stoked to say the least. Just watch the trailer (if you've already seen it so what. Watch it again, and again. And then watch it again. I did). Every once in a while a movie comes around that is really compelling to me and this is that movie. It seems like it's going to have so much depth, so many layers, and the concept alone has me thinking...

But then again, if I go out Saturday night and the flick turns out to be horrendous (not a new thing for hyped movies these days) then I will take back all of these excited words from above and commence bashing James Cameron for pulling the wool over my eyes. But that won't happen right? Riiiight...

I'm Changing My Name To Tony Stark...

2009-12-17T21:09:00.000-08:00

I hope Part 2 is close to as good as Part 1 was...

Alice In Wonderland

2009-12-17T21:03:00.000-08:00

Someone remind me to re-read this book before it comes out March 5th...

Hotness

2009-12-17T21:00:00.001-08:00

Hot song. Hot video. That nude colored top she's wearing is kinda awkward though...

Ever Wonder How Hip-Hop Groups Break Into The Industry?

2009-11-22T08:33:00.000-08:00

Here are the Fly Guys. They have a mini-reality show on youtube so that we can follow them as they make their album and break into the industry. All I have to say is that they are 3 hilarious dudes!!!! LOL! Watch the most recent episode below and if you love it as much as I do, then click on the links below for episodes 1 and 2.

EPISODE 1

EPISODE 2

Janelle Monae - I Love Her Music

2009-11-21T09:47:00.000-08:00

And this is why...

Watch the video below as she explains the concept behind her new album. She is truly an artist. And she obviously puts great thought into the themes behind her work. It just shows why her first album was so cohesive and had so many great layers. I can't wait for #2 Janelle!

This is why I need to see Beyonce in Concert

2009-11-20T08:19:00.000-08:00

Next time she's in LA i'm there for sure!

(shoutout to SFPL for the link)

It's About Time! Charles Hamilton Returns!!!

2009-11-18T08:16:00.001-08:00

He almost gave it up! (which made me extremely sad). Now all of that potential is returning! He's one of the best young MC's out there so needless to say i'm excited for another mixtape - or maybe even... an album...?

REVOK x CHARLES HAMILTON x KEEGAN GIBBS from Keegan Gibbs . com on Vimeo.

Ever Heard of a Shoe-Bike?

2009-11-08T11:51:00.000-08:00

I hadn't either. Check out what Travis Pastrana did with a dirt bike and some DC shoes. This is pretty awesome.

(shoutout to Hype Beast for the link)

Lil Wayne Documentary

2009-11-08T11:14:00.001-08:00

I'm kind of a Lil Wayne fan (okay not kind of - i'm actually a pretty huge fan) so i'm excited about this documentary. It was apparently shown at Sundance this year. Patiently awaiting its release...

(credits to Kanye's blog for the link)

How Much Money Will You Make

2009-11-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

Considering a career move? You might want to take a look at Mint's post on national average salaries for various professions in the U.S. first...

Trey Songz - "I Invented Sex" Video

2009-11-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

This is honestly one of the best songs on Trey's album. And the video... well... ummm it's exactly what you think it would look like. NASTY!

Adidas Needs To Step Up It's Game

2009-11-08T09:54:00.000-08:00

The Adidas marketing team needs to step up it's advertising game. Their commercials just don't compare to Nike.

Empire State of Mind Video

2009-11-08T09:39:00.000-08:00

This classic song is quickly getting played out and i'm almost tired of it at this point. But the video has given it some new life.

Jay-Z - "Empire State Of Mind" ft. Alicia Keys

Jay-Z | MySpace Video

Mixtape Weezy

2009-10-26T22:26:00.000-07:00

He's coming out with a new mixtape. Judging from this little teaser from imeem, it looks like this will be hot fiyah for sure! With Wayne pleading guilty to gun possession and potentially serving at least a year-long prison sentence starting in March, I have a feeling we can expect a boat-load of mixtape releases over the next few months from this guy...

no ceilings

Twitter Explained

2009-10-24T20:34:00.000-07:00

As someone who is on Twitter and enjoys submitting updates from time to time, I found this cartoon explaining Twitter in 267 seconds very hilarious! (shoutout to Greta's Guide for the link)

Lil Mama: What Are You Doing???

2009-09-14T22:44:00.000-07:00

After watching the VMA's last night all I can ask is what is up with these stars???

First Kanye hoo-rides on Taylor Swift (which was messed up but is pretty funny if you re-look at the clip). Then Lil Mama decides to get in on the action.

In case you didn't get to catch the VMA's on MTV last night here's how it went down:

While Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed my favorite song on the Blueprint 3 to close out the show, Lil Mama decides to hop onstage uninvited, bob along with Jigga, and pose with them at the end of the performance!!!???? Has she lost her mind??? I guess America's Best Dance Crew isn't giving her enough publicity these days so she had to pull off a stunt... Anyway, here's the clip:

Jay-Z - New Music - More Music Videos

Drake - "Fear"

2009-09-07T10:40:00.001-07:00

Pretty good song. I like when Drake tries to get serious and put together very introspective verses - its kind of what makes him different from the rest right now. (shoutout to Stuff Fly People Like for finding this).

Trey Songz Is Definitely "Ready"

2009-09-07T10:16:00.000-07:00

Have you heard the new Trey Songz album yet? It's titled "Ready" and after giving it a thorough listen while driving down to a wedding yesterday I can honestly say that Trey is certainly ready to be a star (see what I did there!)

This is Trey's most complete body of work to date. Much better than what we've seen from him the past few years. The album has some solid guest appearances (the best ones from Drake of course but can you believe I enjoyed Gucci Mane's guest spot?) and there aren't really any lulls in the album.

One more thing: if you're looking for baby-making music... this album is full of it (which can make for a very uncomfortable car ride if you're 1.) a straight guy in a car with another straight guy or 2.)you're riding in the car with a female friend whom you know is definitely not going to give you any).

Top tracks on the album (look at the track names - def a baby-making cd):

1. I Invented Sex ft. Drake (great song. best on the album)
2. Successful ft. Drake (this is my anthem)
3. Say Aah
4. Neighbors Know My Name (you know what this song is about...)
5. Jupiter Love

Kid Cudi "Man On The Moon" Sept 15th

2009-09-07T10:11:00.000-07:00

I'm sooo excited for Kid Cudi's new album that's releasing next week. Here's a trailer that he dropped in order to keep the excitement going. I've also included the tracklist for the album. (shoutout to Stuff Fly People Like for the trailer).

Successful - Drake ft. Trey Songz

2009-09-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

Great song. This is my anthem these days... Decent video too.

Opening Ceremony - New Tokyo Store

2009-09-05T18:21:00.000-07:00

Opening Ceremony just opened a new store in Tokyo. I agree with the guys at The Fader - judging from the pictures this is probably the best store ever. (although nothing beats American Rag's denim bar).

Here's the link to the pics.

Blueprint 3: Is this worthy of the Blueprint title?

2009-09-05T16:37:00.001-07:00

After hearing Jay's most recent singles the past few months (D.O.A and Run This Town), needless to say that i've been looking forward to the release of Hova's latest installment in the Blueprint album trilogy. Thanks to MTV i'm getting that opportunity a little early on "The Leak." (actually a lot of these songs have been leaked for quite some time but this is first time i'll get to listen to all of the songs collectively in one sitting).

Here's some of my random, stream-of-consciousness, thoughts while listening to each song:

1. What We Talkin About
What is he talkin about??? Just kidding. I like Jay's flow on this song. Definitely not one of his best album intro songs though... I don't think anything will trump The Black Album's intro (or even Blueprint 1's intro). Solid start though

2. Thank You
Decent cut. I'll need to go back and listen to this one again...

3. D.O.A (Death of Auto-Tune)
You guys have heard my thoughts on this song. Don't get me wrong: this is a hot song. The beat is great and so are the lyrics. I'm just a little peeved with the contradiction - seems like Jay is hating on the newest fad - but whatever; it probably needs to die anyway.

4. Run This Town (ft. Rihanna & Kanye West)
This is the song that got me excited about the album. I freakin love this joint. Kanye's verse is sick. This is my "power boost" song when I go on my runs with my Nike+IPOD. This is my favorite song on the album so far. But we'll see when I finish listening...

5. Empire State of Mind (ft. Alicia Keys)
Okay this might be my favorite song on the album now! Alicia Keys just makes things better! Sounds more like a classic Jay song.

6. Real As It Gets (ft. Young Jeezy)
I'm a Jeezy fan so this song sits well with me. I'm not sure how this one will fit in with album though... solid song nonetheless.

7. On To The Next (ft. Swizz Beatz) One
Tight beat (which is expected since Swizz Beatz produced it). Still don't know how I feel about this one...

8. Off That (ft. Drake)
Good song. Reminds me of something from either Hard Knock Life or Dynasty. Not sure he utilized Drake well enough though... (probably afraid Drake would have out-shined him... ala Eminem on "Renegade" on the first Blueprint)

9. A Star Is Born (ft. J. Cole)
Good song. One of the best on the album so far. But it wouldn't rank high on Jay's all-time list - does that make sense? I really like the content of the song - talking about all of the rising stars of hip hop throughout the years and how the torch is being passed on now.

10. Venus VS. Mars
I hated this song when it was first leaked but now that I listen to it again, it's actually pretty good. I know it's gotten bad press but I urge people to listen again.

11. Already Home (ft. Kid Cudi)
Song with Kid Cudi. Definitely has the Cudi feel. I think Jay should leave this type of song to Cudi and Kanye. It's just not his style. Seems contrived...which is a bummer because I was excited to hear this song! [Just listened again... it's growing on me! I like Jay's lyrics. The beat works well with him. I think it's just Cudi's hook that doesn't fit with Jay's style...]

12. Hate (ft. Kanye West)
Song with Kanye. Kanye blogged about it being one of his favorites on the album (for obvious reasons). I'm going to listen one more time because I'm not sure I completely like it... [Okay I listened again... still don't really like it]

13. Reminder
Um... you know how there's always a song or two on every album that you skip over and therefore never really listen to... this is going to be one of those for me.

14. So Ambitious ft. Pharrell
This song started off really good. It sounds more like a Jay song. But by the end of the song I got tired of hearing Pharrell sing on it... However for this album, this will probably be one of the "good" ones.

15. Young Forever ft. Mr. Hudson
Um... he should have left the Mr. Hudson Collabos to Kanye and Cudi... actually that's a great segue to my overall thoughts (or criticism) on this album:

Jay seems to have too many guest appearances on the album that have kept it from having his classic Jay sound that dominated the original Blueprint, Black Album, and even Reasonable Doubt. I heard he was trying to experiment or whatever on this album but I don't call incorporating the Kanye/Kid Cudi sound and structure into your album a true experimentation. Instead it just makes many of the songs sound a little awkward... almost as if these are other people's songs and Jay is the guest appearance!

[If you don't believe me, listen to "Empire State of Mind" (the song with Alicia Keys) - which I think is the best song on the album and compare it to the rest of the songs (minus the 2 singles: DOA and Run This Town of course - Those are great but we've heard them already so no fair).

But i'm not going to give a final verdict just yet. I admit that The Black Album grew on me and I consider that one to be his #2 or #3 album of all-time. I'll get back to you in a week or so after I fully digest the album.

Top Songs On The Album (ranked)
1. Empire State of Mind (ft. Alicia Keys)
2. Run This Town (ft. Rihanna, Kanye West)
3. A Star Is Born (ft. J. Cole)
4. D.O.A (Death of Auto-Tune)
5. So Ambitious (ft. Pharrell)
6. Venus vs. Mars
7. Real As It Gets (ft. Young Jeezy)
8. Off That (ft. Drake)

College Football Opening Weekend - Let's Get Ready to RUMBLE!!!

2009-09-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

I'm super excited for the start of the college football season. LET'S GO STANFORD! (Don't judge me for saying that. They're going to have a great year.... um... i'll reassess that comment in 3 weeks).

In any case, I'm sure fans have already seen this video but I can't help myself but post it yet again. This Oregon running back showed us how to get the season started with a one-hitter-quitter on the stupid Boise State player who taunted him.
Long story short: Oregon player is banned for the season; Boise player will be back next week. Personally I feel like the Oregon guys' punishment is a bit excessive - he deserved half the season or a couple of games - especially since the Boise player who was acting like a jerk did not receive any punishment. But that's my two cents...

USC's currently beating San Jose State 42-3. Maybe we should suspend the entire Trojan team for the season for the beat-down they're putting on SJS... Just a thought...

"The One" - Mary J. Blige feat. Drake

2009-09-05T14:59:00.001-07:00

New song from MJB. It's a decent song. Video is a wee-bit wierd (but much better than the awkward commercial that Mary has with this song playing). Drakes verse is solid - but what else is new...

The One - Mary J. Blige

Throwback Video - Kidz in the Hall: Drivin Down The Block

2009-08-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

Okay okay it's not necessarily a "throwback" video but it's not a new video either but the song is hot fiyah and the video is truly hilarious.

Watch it and get your sunday morning started right!

Mariah Carey's New Diss Video

2009-07-18T12:01:00.001-07:00

Eminem has definitely hit rock bottom. First he was missing from the rap game for a couple of years. Then he tried to make a return, put out some sub-par singles (for anyone's standards) and hit latest album is not all that great. And now... he's being dissed. And I'm not talking about Jay-Z/Nas or even 50-Cent/Rick Ross diss rap wars. He's being dissed in song - by an R&B diva - Mariah Carey!!!!

Her new song Obsessed seems to be the catharsis of her pent up frustration with Slim Shady's constant remarks about her in his songs over the years. And now she has a video for it! And it's pretty funny. She dresses up as Eminem and portrays his infatuation with her. My thoughts??? She's kicking him while he's down. And it's hilarious. I can't hate on it!

Obsessed - Mariah Carey

Beyonce - "Sweet Dreams" video

2009-07-18T11:26:00.000-07:00

The next installment of my Beyonce music videos is her new one for "Sweet Dreams" off of her "I Am..." album.

I don't feel like I need to describe this video. It's pretty good - not better than "Ego" - but good nonetheless.

Check out the dance she does a couple of times in the video - I thought she was trying to krump "Tommy The Clown" style for a minute. (If you don't know what that means, then click on this after you watch the Beyonce video and enjoy! LOL!

Beyoncé - New Music - More Music Videos

Lamar Odom: Okay I'm Way Too Frustrated Now

2009-07-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

Riddle me this....

1) You play for a great team and win your first NBA title this season

2) You are 29 years old and are definitely expecting a pay-cut this season as your net value is declining

3) The team you won (your first ever) title with has offered you a contract that is inevitably lower than your previous salary but is higher annually than what any other team is offering you. The only caveat is that it is for 2 years less than what other teams are offering you.

AND YOU HAVE YET TO RE-SIGN WITH THAT TEAM???????

And that, my friends, is the riddle that is Lamar Odom's summer of 2009 contract negotiations. As I consider the interests of both sides I can still see no better option for Lamar Odom than to re-sign with the Lakers. Yes I am a Lakers fan. Yes I think that they will win the title again next season if they have Lamar Odom back. So Yes I want to see him back. But still - why are you stalling contract negotiations when you're being offered 3 years at 9 million per year to play in Los Angeles for the defending champs with an opportunity to win it all again and further build your legacy as a basketball player. The 3 year contract actually works out well for you in that they don't want you to be locked in with the team further out than their best player (Kobe Bryant) in case Kobe retires, leaves the team, or whatever in three years and they are forced to rebuild.

SOMEONE HELP ME SOLVE THIS RIDDLE. PLEASE!

(Here's an article from ESPN with more details on the situation)

Why Are They Teasing Me? - Kid Cudi "Make Her Say" Video

2009-07-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

Here's a teaser of Kid Cudi's new song "Make Her Say" featuring Kanye West and Common. I'm beyond excited to see this one when it drops!

MTV Shows

Drake "Best I Ever Had" Official Music Video - WTF???

2009-07-03T10:57:00.001-07:00

Umm... it's no secret that I am a huge fan of Drake these days. "Best I Ever Had" is a smash joint. His verse on "Every Girl" is sick. His verse on "I'm Goin In" is ridiculous.

But what the hell happened with this video??? Simply wierd... it has some funny sexual undertones towards the end of the video but all in all it's terrible! If my first time hearing the song was while watching the video I would not like it... put it that way...

Video Joint of the Day - Clipse feat. Kanye West: "Kinda Like a Big Deal"

2009-06-22T19:53:00.000-07:00

New video from the Clipse featuring Kanye West. It's a so-so video but I love the song.

I'm still mad at the Clipse for their no-show at Coachella this year!

A little Hypocrisy from Jigga?

2009-06-21T11:56:00.000-07:00

First off, let me say that the song i'm posting below is amazing! The Go Hard Remix has been on repeat mode in my stereo system (that's in dire need of an upgrade I might add) all morning. But something hit me while I was listening to the song... T-Pain is on this song and autotune resonates throughout (sounds like Kanye uses it a little bit on his verse and so does Lil Wayne)! Now I'm sure you've listened to or at least heard about Jigga's new song D.O.A (Death of Autotune) by now - I think it's just an okay song by the way. So naturally I have to wonder: Is autotune only okay with Jay-Z if he's rapping on the song? I mean i'm not sure what his stance is on vocoder usage after rocking out to the Go Hard Remix and listening to his gripes on D.O.A... I smell a hypocrite.

Maybe you guys know what I should take from this? I am open to any enlightening clarification...

Go Hard RMX (Dirty) -

Bumping in my Speakerboxx

2009-06-04T21:55:00.001-07:00

"I'm Goin In" - Drake, Lil Wayne & Young Jeezy

This is my favorite song out right now... (it's kind of ignorant - I admit. Don't judge me. I can't help it. It's such a good song).

* Lil Wayne is on a roll that doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon. That's all I can say.

* Drake is one of the most exciting new rappers (next to Kid Cudi and Charles Hamilton)

* Young Jeezy - he holds his own but is obviously inferior to Lil Wayne and Drake on the song.

Im Going In - Drake Ft Lil Wayne & Young Jeezy

KB24 - The Best

2009-06-04T21:22:00.000-07:00

In light of tonight's magnificent NBA Finals Game 1 performance from Kobe Bryant, I had to post this new song from arguably the best rapper in the hip hop game: Lil Wayne.

But check this... the Lil Wayne song is about KOBE BRYANT! After watching the Black Mamba go off on Orlando tonight, its only fitting that I found this song. Weezy let them know who the best in the world is!!!!

Kobe Bryant - Lil Wayne

Mother Lovin Good

2009-05-31T23:44:00.000-07:00

This is a little late but I decided to post it anyway since tonight was probably my 100th time watching it. Better late than never... (It's still not better than "Dick in a Box" though)

Beyonce: She Makes Me Unashamed of My Ego

2009-05-31T23:17:00.000-07:00

Have you seen Beyonce's video for "Ego?" See below. It's pretty good and makes what I thought was a good song even better. God she's sexy. I have to admit. And as a person with a pretty big ego (my friends probably are shaking their heads yes right now) I appreciate the tribute.

Besides, how can I be ashamed when there are women like Beyonce singing and dancing to the fact that they appreciate I've got a big ego...

<a href="http://www.joost.com/1351212v/t/Beyonc-Ego-Video-Edit">Beyoncé - Ego (Video Edit)</a>

Kobe VS Lebron: Part 2

2009-05-28T21:11:00.001-07:00

Did anyone else see this documentary? It's on You Tube. Pretty good too I might add.

(as you can see the Kobe/Lebron debate is currently my source of blogging inspiration after my 3-week hiatus)

Kobe VS. Lebron: Nike does it right!

2009-05-28T20:48:00.000-07:00

(As you can see I've been off the blogosphere for the month of May. Way too many birthday parties, graduations, camping trips, long nights at work, nba playoffs, you name it. But I'M BACK!!!)

First post is about this Kobe and Lebron debate. 2 awesome athletes. A lot of hype, a lot of truth, a lot of serious debate. It has NBA fans bitterly divided. It is also the subject of what seems to be an NBA conspiracy to get these to beasts playing against one another for the NBA championship (I must agree... it would be epic).

Who's the biggest winner from all of this? Kobe? Nope. Lebron? Nope. The NBA? Guess again. That's right.. NIKE! The shoe brand signed both of these cats and no one is hyping up the inevitable finals matchup more than them (Vitamin water is giving a small effort as well). Their recent Kobe/Lebron puppet ads are hilarious! Epic! Majestic even! I've posted all of them below for your viewing pleasure.

My favorites are: 1) "The Unstoppable Kobe" (duh!) and 2)"Mrs. Lewis" ("you know what you get when you turn 23 around? TRIPLE-DOUBLE!" haha!)

While I'm On The Topic of Movies, Did You See...

2009-05-07T20:53:00.000-07:00

... X-Men Origins?

I'm interested to hear everyone else's thoughts. I personally felt that it was a good movie and a great way to get the Origins series started.

I've been a fan of all of the X-Men movies that were released prior to this latest installment and was pleased with the writers going after Wolverine as the focus of this film. I love reading books and/or watching films that focus on backstory so the Origins concept is right up my alley. Here's a few other things I liked:

* Action was great - albeit some of the special effects were a bit over the top (but it's X-Men so I tried to take it with a grain of salt).

* Hugh Jackman owned the Wolverine character.

* Liev Schreiber played a really good Sabretooth believe it or not.

* Will.I.Am actually managed to NOT F up his role as Wraith.

* But the biggest thing that pleased me was that we finally got to see Gambit (played by Taylor Kitsch)! He hasn't been in any X-Men movie to date and after seeing Origins, I find that hard to believe. Other than doing an Origins film about Deadpool (who totally stole the show in this movie), I would absolutely love to see the back-story on Gambit.

(... i'd also shamelessly like to see an Origins flick about Storm. Only if played by Halle Berry though! What? Look at the video below before you judge me!)

Star Trek: What Movie Are YOU Watching Tomorrow Night?

2009-05-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

I don't think there is anyone out there who is more excited than I am about this movie? (And I'm not even a Trekki - did I spell that right?)

Seriously, my only experience with the TV show was being forced to watch an episode here and there when my Mom used to hog the tv when I was a young buck. But for some reason I can't wait to see this flick tomorrow night. Kirk looks like he's going to be gangster - maybe even Shaft-like! Zoe Saldana should spice things up! It better not disappoint... Buying my IMAX tickets tonight. Yessir! I'm going all out for this one.

Derek Fisher - The Enforcer?

2009-05-07T20:14:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard about this play then please click below asap. Last night, Derek Fisher cemented himself as the silent enforcer of the LA Lakers. While this play was definitely premeditated (anyone who saw the scuffle 2 minutes before that play would agree) and D-Fish is being suspended a game for his actions, as a Lakers fan I say it was well worth it. I dunno if it'll work yet but I felt like the Lakers needed something like this to get them going. Commentators always accuse them of being too "soft" and it looks like the wiley veteran took it upon himself to try to fire up the team in what looks to be a very tough series with the Houston Rockets.

If you're critical of my assessment, look at the play below. I'd take Fisher's play any day over the "pimp slap" that Rafer Alston put on Eddie House. Haha! Skip-to-my-lou has been put to shame! You can only laugh at this mess!

You've Got To Be Kidding Me...

2009-05-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

Manny Ramirez is being suspended by MLB for 50 games. Why??? I think we all know the answer to that - I mean we are talking about a pro baseball player. PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS (he hasn't acknowledged it yet but I'm going to go out on the limb and guess that it was steroids). As a lukewarm baseball fan to begin with (and a Dodger fan) this news has moved me beyond my tipping point.

I am DONE with baseball.

This game is going to rot. I can't see how anyone can still love the game after what it has become over the course of these past ten years.

I'm just praying that no one uncovers anything about basketball. I don't know what I would do with myself if I heard about a 'roid scandal in the hoops world...

Have you ever been fishing? Not like this...

2009-05-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

The Cool Kids just released a new mixtape this week entitled "Gone Fishing." If Mickey Rocks and Chuck Inglish didn't have you convinced with The Bake Sale, give this one a listen and you might reconsider... I'M READY FOR THE NEW ALBUM TO DROP!!!

The Cool Kids "Gone Fishing" Mixtape (Prod. by Don Cannon)

Bumping in my Speakerboxx: "You're a Jerk" - New Boyz

2009-05-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

All I have to say about this song is that it KNOCKS!!!

Youre A Jerk - New Boyz

Should I Be Skeptical?

2009-04-28T22:38:00.000-07:00

Don't get me wrong. I love Wayne's music. His last three albums have been superb to say the least. Kudos to his trying something different. I'm just hoping it doesn't blow up in his face...

Sneak Peek of Lil' Wayne's Soundcheck Interview
by yardie4lifever2

Coachella Recap Part 3: Let's focus on the Brands

2009-04-24T20:10:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the third and final installment of my Coachella Valley Music and Art Festival recap.

Part 1 was a recap of the top performances.

Part 2 gave you insight into the fashion trends that were prevalent at the festival.

And for Part 3, I direct you to my latest guest post on Y-Pulse. I start off with more of an overview of my thoughts on the event. But the second half of the post is what those of you who read my first two posts may be most interested in - it's basically a recap of the brands that had a presence at the festival and the ways that they successfully connected with the age group that dominated the Coachella experience - Youth!

That concludes my Coachella 2009 recap. I hope I gave you a small taste of what the coachella experience was all about! Hopefully you're inspired to attend next year. If so, i'll see you there! (Note: I'm also considering attending the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee. We'll see...)

Amazing?

2009-04-24T20:07:00.000-07:00

Kanye West just put out a video of Amazing (feat. Young Jeezy) off of his album "808's and Heartbreak."

Is the video amazing? I don't think so. It's kind of random. I think I need to watch it a few more times to really get it. I still love the song though. Let me know what you think?

Amazing from kwest on Vimeo.

Coachella Recap Part 2: Fave Five Fashion Trends

2009-04-22T22:37:00.000-07:00

This is part 2 of my 3 part recap of the Coachella Valley Music Festival in Indio, CA this past weekend. In Part 1 I gave you my fave five musical performances. Now in part 2, I'm focusing on the fashion trends.

As one of the biggest music festivals in the country, Coachella attracts an eclectic mix of hipsters, cool kids, yuppies, tweens, teens, and twenty-somethings - making it a great source of inspiration for those who work in the fashion industry. I have to admit that this year was not nearly as inspirational as years past but there were still some very obvious trends that stood out and could potentially become mainstream as early as the back-to-school retail cycle.

Unlike my musical performance fave five, this one is not in any particular order:

Trend #1: Tie Dye
Peace... Love... & Soul. That's all I could think of as I walked amidst the large number of tie dye shirts at the festival. I know what you're thinking... "Richard, you were at COACHELLA! Of course there's going to be Tie Dye there. It's Hippie Central! Paul McCartney was performing!" Yes that is true. But you know what, I was at Coachella last year and there was much more Tie Dye there this year than last. It was a trend that crossed both genders. The Tie Dye effect ranged from traditional, natural dye pattern to more modern looking, placed dye patterns (there was even some guy who had a graphic printed over his tye dye tee). Color combos ranged from 4-color to 2-color. Worn with skinny jeans, cargo shorts, or check this... cut-offs (i'll get to those later), this was definitely a trend that stood out among the best. Age range: out of all the trends on this list, this was probably the only one that the older attendees also took part in (which I think it is more acceptable to say that the older folk wore it for Paul McCartney and the younger folk wore it because it is the "new" thing).

Trend #2: Cut-off Jeans
Who would have thought that Tobias from Arrested Development would get a never-nude following (if you've never heard of Arrested Development, shame on you)? I could have sworn I was stuck in an episode of the sadfully discontinued HBO cult classic tv-show. In fact, cut-off jeans were probably the single biggest fashion trend of the entire festival. This was another trend that crossed both genders. It ranged from the teens and tweens to the twenty-somethings. I saw it on hipsters and street-wear kids. People were cutting off any and all denim: indigos, colored denim, and corduroys included. Length of cut seemed to depend on personal preference as I saw some people wearing below the knee and some wearing the short shorts. You could tell it was all skinny fit though. Worn with tanks (another major trend that i'm getting to next) and graphic tees, this was the most refreshing trend of them all.

Trend #3: Tanks
People in fashion have been calling this one out for a while - hoping it would be bigger than it has been showing. It looks like it may finally be living up to some of the hype. There were a ton of tanks at Coachella. Granted that Indio, CA was in the 100+ degree weather over the weekend and it was probably a necessity, there were way too many tank tops on people for it to be overlooked. Both girls and guys wore them, although I would say it was a bigger trend for guys. There were solid, printable and striped tanks - with stripes being the most popular by far and printables having the smallest following as it was worn primarily by the street-wear kids. I had my striped tank on during day 1 and fit in just fine.

Trend #4: Washed Tees
This was not the biggest of the trends of the weekend but definitely one worth pointing out: there were a good number of people walking around with mineral wash, tea stain, or some other type of washed treatment tees. This seemed to be a guys-only trend and probably an extension of what we've seen with MMA/Affliction-esque tees the past two or so years. The only difference is that the ones wearing these were not necessarily the MMA/Affliction customers. It was moreso the hipster version of the tees. Mostly solid. Very subtle treatments. Slim cut - but not excessively tight. Clean, cool, and understandable - just the way I like it!

Trend #5: Colorful Plastic Sunglasses (ahem... WAYFARERS THROWN UP)
This was a trend last year. It hasn't died yet. Everyone had on a pair of Wayfarers - either the Ray Ban originals or some knock-off. Some people had on simple black on black ones, but most people had on colorful styles and a good number of people had on multi-colored styles. It completed every outfit listed above. You actually stood out a little bit if you didn't have on pair of your own. Don't get me wrong, there were definitely other sunglasses out there - sprinklings of round plastics and even Aviators - but Wayfarer was king.

Bill Simmons: Sports Writing Genius

2009-04-22T20:31:00.000-07:00

If you have not read this article from ESPN.com's "Sports Guy," Bill Simmons, please do so. It's a week old now (it was written last week - just before the end of the NBA regular season and beginning of the almighty playoffs).

Pure genius. Definitely one of his best pieces ever. His Dwayne Wade/Jack Bauer comparison is a work of art... and pure comedy!