Who wore it taller?

Trey Songz showed up on the red carpet at yesterday's 2010 VMAs

He was so proud of his outfit, he tweeted it...



I don't know, Trey...Candice Flynn has the neck for it...LOLOL


I'm playin...

Passion Pain Pleasure
9.14 GO!...
TOMORROW!!!

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2010 MTV VMAs: Taylor v. Kanye - Round 2 - Fight!

Yes, the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards stage design was amazing. Yes, Lady Gaga and Eminem won big. Yes, Drake, Rihanna, and Justin Beiber performed.

BUT the thrill of the night revolved around 2 performances - Taylor Swift and Kanye West.

After Kanye's infamous interruption of the young country singer's acceptance speech at the 2009 VMAs, Kanye found himself excommunicated from the music industry. He lost fans, the support of the media, and was cast out as the industry leper. Well, 2010 has marked Kanye's triumphant return, with songs like "Power" and the hugely popular remix. Taylor Swift, still high off of last year's success and influx of support, has had a tamer but profitable year leading up to the awards. Combine this with Kanye's recent public apology to Taylor on twitter just a few weeks ago, we all thought that any beef between the two stars had long been pushed to the past...we were wrong. or were we?

Taylor Swift chose to perform a "tongue-in-cheek" song called "Innocent," written about the 32 y.o. rapper, in which she reprises her role as the victim of last year's "tragedy," but goes on to assure Kanye that she's forgiven him, understands he's bigger than his mistakes, and is still innocent in her eyes.

Lyrically and melodically I thought Taylor's song was very impressive and heartfelt. The only issue I had came with the intro video leading up to the performance which depicted Kanye as a loose cannon and Taylor as a simple, sweet girl whose accomplishment was spat on. (Oh wait, that's what happened...) Even so, revisiting that event was the last thing anyone wanted to do and for me it came across as unnecessary and tactless. The situation wasn't that black and white and also revolved around an MTV VMA award...not a Grammy, or a life...an MTV award. Not that serious in the grand scheme of things.

Ultimately, it appeared she was using that "tragic" event to stay relevant in 2010, a quiet year for her, and appeal for sympathetic support. She did, however, paint a vivid and successful picture by singing barefoot with just a simple dress and dark makeup.  I briefly felt a little sad for her again...

Do you think her performance was too much? Warranted? Necessary? Artistic? Overly dramatic?

No matter, Kanye answered back with the strength of an army in his show-ending performance. Visually impeccable with a bright red suit, white background, ballet dancers and one simple beat machine on stage, Kanye made us remember (for those who forgot) exactly why he IS a star and creative master. Embracing a new mantra of humility and growth, Kanye indirectly rebuked himself as the douche bag, asshole, and jerk-off that Taylor had referenced as innocent.

While Taylor had depicted the rapper as a lost soul whom she would coddle with her words of forgiveness, Kanye offered a contrasting portrait of a man taking his power back, maturing on his own, aware of his imperfections, and one who is genuinely good.

So, who won the battle? Was it a battle at all?

The only thing certain is that at the end of the night, the very crowd that had booed him last year, now found itself chanting "KANYE, KANYE, KANYE!"

Remember: Power is to be used wisely.
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Calvin Richardson - You're So Amazing

Check this new track by talented R&B singer Calvin Richardson.  He's definitely been on my musical radar for a while, and it's somewhat surprising he hasn't become bigger than he is.  Well, when I like something, I promote it, so check him out and the new song yourself.  I've seen this music video about 4 times now and still don't entirely get it...maybe you will.  Regardless, the song's great! Let me know what you think:

p.s. there's a breakdown in the middle of the vid where he features a separate track off of his forthcoming album? I presume...

Here are the Chorus Lyrics for Calvin Richardson's "You're So Amazing":

"I done been to the river, swam up the stream
Stood on the mountaintop, I swear it leans
Like Martin Luther said, girl I had a dream
But I'll never stop loving you, girl
Ohh,
You're So Amazing Girl"

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*HIGHLIGHTS* - Willow Smith: Whip My Hair

I can always count on fellow bloggers for news and new stuff...Thank you Necole Bitchie for this one

Someone is always commenting on Willow Smith's hair. (You know Willow...Will Smith and Jada Pinkett's daughter.) She has been showing up around town (wherever town is for her jet-setting self...) and on red carpets with some new hair style or other. Would I ever do any of that to my own hair? No. Mostly because I'm too old and non-famous for them. Hahaha



But it looks like Willow can put her hair press (lol corny pun) to good use. It's not a classic per se but I think it's a fun song we can all prance around to. Ah...I can just see the homemade youtube vids now...

What's your take on this?
Willow Smith: Whip My Hair



Bet you didn't know just from listening to this that she won't even need all her fingers to show you how old she is until October.

You can download it for yourself. I've been bumpin this and keeping the whipping to a minimal as I was writing this post.

How impressed I am by this little big girl:



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*HIGHLIGHTS* - Trey Songz Can't Be Friends

This video leaked awhile ago...That's how hot this man is in the R&B game. Only the music from people that are relevant ever leak, and with the music game so alive, music leaks all the time. But to have a music video leak is definitely a testament to how coveted even the IMAGE of the artist is to the masses. And oooooh boy, how I LOVE to look at this man!

But all silliness aside, plenty of people can identify with the song and the video, even though it seems to be more on the artsy side, conveys the emotions in the lyrics and his voice very well.

Let me know what you think:




Go to TreySongz.com for more updates and more talent!

How much emotion this evokes:


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Kanyeezy at it again!

Kanye woke up this morning and decided to stir up the still sleepy and hungover tweeting masses (I was on my way to work)...

He either had a lot on his mind or wanted to use his infamous lack of mental filter create some hype for his new song. But no matter, let's take a look at what he had to say:

(Ought to be interesting...I'm taking this verbatim from his personal Twitter page)

Man I love Twitter... I've always been at the mercy of the press but no more... The media tried to demonize me

They wanted yall to believe I was a monster in real life so you guys wouldn't listen or buy my music anymore

I feel like they were waiting for the opportunity to go in all the way on me and when it came they beat me to a pulp

Even now a lot of articles start there first 2 paragraphs about how much of an asshole I am

Happy B day to sister B ... I gotta dope ass gift for you.

I accept the idea (ideal) that perception is reality

When I say perception is reality I mean whatever you think is the truth... is your truth

Some people's truth is Kanye is racist... It's not my truth but I do believe it's my Karma.... walk with me...

Even though the NBC telethon was widely praised yall didn't think they was just gone let me get away with that did yall???!!!

With the help of strong will, a lack of impathy, a lil alcohol and extremely distasteful & bad timing ... I became George Bush over night

How deep is the scar... I bled hard.. cancelled tour with the number one pop star in the world ... closed the doors of my clothing office

Had to let employees go... for the first time I felt the impact of my brash actions ... I felt the recession from an ownership side

People booed when I would go to concerts and the performer mentioned my name.

Remember in Anchor Man when Ron Burgandy cursed on air and the entire city turned on him? But this wasn't a joke. This was & is my real life

There are people who don't dislike me... they absolutely hate me!

I was chilling with this white girl having a conversation and she cut me off and said... Hold up... I thought you didn't like us?!

That's when you realize perception is reality. I've been straying from this subject on twitter but I have to give it to you guys raw now.

If you google Asshole my face may very well pop up 2 pages into the search.

Some people say... Why worry about "the haters?" This is bigger that just the concept of haters.

I have a mission in life to bring truth and beauty through my music and the visuals that anchor around it

The media has successfully diminished the "receptive" audience of (3rd person)... KANYE WEST

...taking a 15 second blip the mdeia have successfully painted the image of the "ANGRY BLACK MAN' The King Kong theory.

I'm the guy who at one point could perform the Justin Timberlake on stage and everyone would be sooo happy that I was there

People tweeted that they wish I was dead... No listen. They wanted me to die people. I carry that. I smile and take pictures through that

I wear my scars... It's almost like I have to where a suit to juxtapose my image and I won't lie... IT WORKS!

I wrote a song for Taylor Swift that's so beautiful and I want her to have it. If she won't take it then I'll perform it for her

She had nothing to do with my issues with award shows. She had no idea what hit her. She's justa lil girl with dreams like the rest of us.

She deserves the apology more than anyone. Thank you Biz Stone and Evan Williams for creating a platform where we can communicate directly

We're both artist and the media and managers are trying to get between us. Everyone wants to capitalize off this is some way

I'm ready to get out of my own way. The ego is overdone... it's like hoodies

I know there are family members friends and fans that have literally fought for me.

There are people who have named there kids after me... can you imagine that next day in school. Even though I don't have kids...

I am responsible for those who love and represent me and what they have to deal with on a day to day defending "The American Psycho"

I watched Justin Timberlake at the Grammies loose every televised award including album of the year which the Dixie Chicks won

I would have ran on stage for Justin that night because Sexy Back (in my mind) was that important... that impactful to our culture

It's not about race America. No one in our position ever stands up and says anything anymore.

I have given my awards to other groups multiple times on national TV... They never showed that this past year during the massacre of Kanye

Who's seen the play Wicked? I've seen it 4 times! Other than loving the music acting and costumes... it's my story!!!

The Wicked witch of the west basically is so convicted to tell her' truth when she does it she is outcasted by society and turned WICKED

With new found humility ... who am I to run on stage? I would never ever again in a million years do that. Sorry to let you down.

It is distasteful to cut people off as a general rule. What's the point of dressing tastefully if I'm going to act the complete opposite?

Yes I was that guy. A 32 year old child.

When I woke up from the crazy nightmare I looked in the mirror and said GROW UP KANYE ... I take the responsibility for my actions

I am not a bad person. Even in that moment I was only trying to do good but people don't always need my help.

Beyonce didn't need that. MTV didn't need that and Taylor and her family friends and fans definitely didn't want or need that.

These aren't regular tweets... this is stream of consciousness ... I want you guys to know and feel where my head is at...

It feels like the movie Heat when you wanted Deniro to make it... You want the bad guy to make it.

These tweets have no manager, no publicist , no grammar checking... this is raw

Humanity and Empathy are 2 of the 4 principles at facebook. Those were the 2 principles I was missing on that evening

Why are there so many tweets? Well this isn't a simple subject. There are layers to this beyond me running on stage.

You've got the top layer... Kanye's rude!

If I speak in 3rd person it's because I'm quoting people sometimes I forget to put the quotations you know my grammar.. #ITSAPROCESS

You've got a layer of order... this is how things are spose to go this is how it's always been etc.

You've got a layer of... What is reality? You really want this guy to die over an award show???!! wooooooow .....

You've got the Media play... Who benefitted off of the moment?

MTV? JAY LENO? BEYONCE? ALL FORMS OF MEDIA? TAYLOR? KANYE WEST? Who gained? Who lost?

Walk with me people... let's break this down for real now. I might get in trouble again lol?

WHO BENEFITED FOR REAL PEOPLE???!!!!!!!!

A year later where do we stand?

There's a layer of... hey Kanye said what I was thinking

There's a layer of... Entertainment... we are entertainers and this is only TV... not the War

Why was it made into such a race issue. Taylor loves rap music... I love country music.

TAYLOR LOVES RAP MUSIC... I LOVE COUNTRY MUSIC

When I right songs like Heartless I always say "is this melody good enough to be a country song or a broadway song?"

I've hurt, I've bled, I've learned. I only want to do good. I am passionate I am human I am real. I wish I could meet every hater

I wish I could talk to every hater face to face and change there a opinion of me one conversation at a time.

I wish they all knew how much I really cared about music and pop culture and art and peoples feelings.

I wish they could accept that I've grown and only want to do good for the world. I want to help as many people as I can.

I want to help starting with the music and ending with the smile.

I want to win there hearts back so I can continue to bring my take on culture to the masses with a clean opinion.

It starts with this...

I'm sorry Taylor.

Hmm...pretty interesting. Halfway poetic despite the typos and grammatical mistakes (he did say to overlook those, #itsaprocess). I particularly enjoyed the irony of the George Bush and white girl comment. The apology seems very genuine...or at least especially effective when he left it as the last tweet (twitter uses a larger font to highlight the most recent posts).



One might think, "why an apology NOW after so long?" Perhaps he's trying to get invited to award shows again (or at least not left out) and to get people back on his bandwagon when his new album drops. But that's cynical. Maybe he's just using Twitter as a "raw" platform as many artists do as their voice in a mess of mass media. He's had time to think about it. The immediate quiet after the storm is the most resounding, and he's putting his words in when people least expect his noise. Far be it for him to not shock people. It's a pretty good read if not anything else. Sure made my commute to work interesting as if a Saturday morning subway ride isn't eventful enough. What do you think?

O yea...he also said:

Also on blogs if I can get a click through back to my blog ita be dope. Put it on the inside of the post so you still get the extra click

So click away! Take a look at Kanye's blog for his new song, Devil In A New Dress, that he made available to download for FREE!

(Who else thinks it's interesting that the only people he has followed on Twitter so far are Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift? I laughed a little. And no, Taylor Swift hasn't responded to Kanye's tweets.)

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CELEB NEWS

So let's talk about T.I. and his f*ckery (c'mon, son!), "Pretty Boy" (yuck) Lloyd and his (lack of) hair, Willie from Day26 (sexy) and his horrendous math (doh!), and a football star player who was bored and messed around with his own sister (barf)

Alright...I'll throw in some GOOD promo in there too...Guess who I'm going to spotlight...this can NOT be a surprise anymore hahahaha



First up: T.I.

Did this guy not JUST GET OUT OF PRISON???

And I'm with 50 on this one...Tiny, you gotta help ya man out here. You're not really pulling in new money. Your income is from royalties on things you did YEARS ago and from that reality show that SUCKED. T.I. brings home the shiny brand spanking new money and I'm sure he has projects lined up. Your record is probably clean (or cleaner than your hubby's at the very least). Just like in T.I.'s new movie, Takers, he can't go back this soon.

But on another point though, T.I. is an idiot for this. He better have a DAMN good explanation for having that crap in his car. I mean...C'MON, SON!!! Really? A man of your status is messing with METH and X?! METH?!?!!? Low class, my dude. Low class

Ok Second thing: Lloyd and his hair

R&B singer Lloyd cut off his signature "long hair don't care" for a good cause because it does seem he cares! I did Locks of Love a few years ago and they sent me a nice little certificate for my donation! It's pretty cool of him to make his donation. He's still not attractive to me and I still don't enjoy his music, but I'm glad he's bringing some attention to the cause. It's quite a bit he donated!






















Third thing: Willie's grammar and math

It's not really NEWS but it really irked me when I saw this on Twitter yesterday.



It's really obnoxious. Ok fine. You're a celeb. You BALL HARD. But come on! I'm going to let the grammar and spelling slide for now because it is after all just Twitter. But the math...ARGH!!! I don't even KNOW how he got his final total for his yearly expenditures for undershirts. If that's his real math skills, yuck. If he jacked up the numbers to look better, yuck. SMH. Just stick to singing half naked. Don't try your hand at accounting or PR. But I'm just being silly.

And lastly: The Sad and Gross story of Tony Washington

Basically, he and his sister sexed it up once or twice. He ended up getting arrested for incest. He's now a registered sex offender. But because it's a SPECIAL kind of sex offender, he's black listed in the NFL even though he would have been a STAR to bank on. No. Rapists and molesters are the okay kind of sex offender. But someone who made a bad (consensual) mistake while still a minor, not the okay kind. I mean yes, it's gross what he and his sister did but I feel bad for the guy. He worked hard to try to be better than his situation. That lapse in judgment really wasn't anything worth more than a funny look and then you move on from it. Read his story and decide for yourself. Warning: The writing is horrendous. It looks like multiple segments of fluff pieces shot up with commas thrown onto a page and calling it an article. It was frustrating to read. Maybe you'll have a better experience with it. Great photos though!

AND OH YES! I can't wait for September 14, 2010!!!



I am SO excited for this album to drop!!! Two singles have already dropped... Bottoms Up feat. Nicki Minaj and Can't Be Friends. By the way, the video for Can't Be Friends leaked. Trey Songz is so hot, his VIDEOS leak. CRAZY!

Watch out for his album!!! Support him!! Check it all out on his website!!!

PASSION PAIN PLEASURE
9.14 GO!!!

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Kanye stays running his mouth...

SMH!!! Kanye keeps up his rant backstage

he gets kicked out

he gets boo'd

he'll still sell crazy #s but i will be hard pressed to respect him beyond today





But what a GREAT move by Beyonce giving Taylor Swift her moment back!

(altho Taylor could have bared to thank Beyonce, too...young people these days)

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Kanye West Interrupts Taylor Swift at the VMAs!

Watch and let us know what you think! Was Kanye a Jerk or Justified in taking the mic from Taylor Swift and saying Beyonce should have won? Give us some replies! The 2009 VMAs on MTV are crazy!

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*Highlights* - TREY SONGZ is READY!!!

The long awaited third Trey Songz album titled READY is now available in stores and online starting TODAY!!!

Enjoy the video to Successful featuring Drake, a fan favorite on the album!



Album review coming soon!

I've got my copy...Do you?!

Are you READY for it?

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*Highlights* - Are You READY?!

LOOK OUT for the long awaited 3rd Trey Songz album titled READY coming out AUGUST 31st. It's not too late to pre-order it on Trey Songz' website! There are several packages on the website with various combinations of goodies to go with READY. OOO boy are they GOODIES! Rather yummy goodies too! LOL ;) Check it out! Take a look at the track list and get a little taste for the album at Amazon.com.


Five of the seventeen tracks have already been released either on the radio or his free download-only album, Anticipation, that I previously reviewed. LOL ;) was leaked but it seems to be a hit on the radio despite foiled plans of marketing the song! Definitely a great follow up to In Ya Phone. Both are ringtone and summer ready. The other 12 little snippets are emotional and mental teases. SWOON worthy from every angle whether you're looking for the sexy player that wants to put it on you or for the sensitive lover that appreciates and misses every part of who you are. Swoon? Yes. Definitely swoon.

Even without me fawning over him 24/7, Trey Songz proves himself again and again to everyone that he is a great singer songwriter. There is no need for the slash because he not either or, rather he is both. He displays on this album immense maturity in both arenas. You also get to experience both tried & true, seasoned producers and up and coming younger producers that all come to the table with a touch of the classics and an arsenal of fresh new sounds for a marriage of audio pleasures that titillate both the fans and the general market. You should definitely check out his album which is out a day earlier than planned to make the Grammy nomination deadline. I forsee a golden phonograph on his mantel very soon.

Are you READY for it?

How psyched I am about this album:


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News Reel

All Types of News from the past week or so

some horrid

some sports

some entertainment

some science

all that have some kinda !!! value

you know how i roll

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WHAT THE FFFFFFFFFF is WRONG with kids today?! No seriously. There is something SOCIALLY wrong here. VERY wrong. That poor child they attacked is scarred for life. It would be a miracle if he can have a normal rest of his childhood and adolescence and move onto healthy relationships as an adult. How did they even come up with something so horrendous to do to these people?! What could the victims have possibly done to deserve this torture?! How F'd up do you have to be to think of this atrocity and then exocute it? I just don't understand.



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FIRST ASIAN TO WIN THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!

SOMEONE BEAT THE GREAT TIGER WOODS AT THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!

That's some insanely happy news! Not that someone beat one of the few minorities in the golf arena, but that more Asians are making a name for themselves in the public arena. WOOH!


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More sports news: You may have been following the Plaxico Burress legal drama. The man shot himself in the leg. The same leg that carried the rest of his athletic body to the touchdown zone to help the NY Giants win the Superbowl two years ago. And for his own stupidity, he gets TWENTY MONTHS IN JAIL!!! People have gotten off easier for more. LOTS of people are outraged at this heavy sentence. I'm also not so sure 20 months is the answer...



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Take a look at THIS:

NOM NOM NOM

Can we get a few of these in the NYC Subway tunnels? Hahaha Seriously.



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How many of you have heard Jay-Z's Run This Town (feat. Rihanna and Kanye West)?

How many of you have been waiting on a hard hitting video to go with it?

Apparently Germany and the UK didn't have to wait too long because it has already premiered over there while us silly Americans are still waiting. So, I bring this to you...a LINK...because I don't know how to rip rando vids from sites yet. Sorry. Until I figure it out, enjoy the link.



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AND...for you travelers... We all know about the SUPER DUPER FAST bullet train in Shanghai that runs...ONLY in Shanghai. It's so expensive that locals generally don't use it to get themselves to the airport. Only gung-ho foreign travelers like me take it. The only reason the Chinese government keeps it running is to show everyone else their accomplishment. Well NOW there is one that is more practical and probably just as fast. This one takes you between SHANGHAI and BEIJING. Lots of business people and the ilk would find great use out of this one. This 220 mi/hr bullet train is the newest show-off project. Can't wait!

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That's all for now folks. Watch. Click. Read. Ruminate. Comment.
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*Highlights* Lady Gaga's Penis

I have to say... I have bought into all of the hype. I think her songs are catchy (isn't that all it takes these days?) though I wouldnt venture too far to say that this girl is an amazing singer. Nice beats...silly songs...over-the-top videos....lesbian hype...

Then...there's the crazy outfits....





The internet is abuzz with the supposed leaking of parts of an interview in which she mentions actually being a hermaphrodite (no source is ever given and no article has come out yet...you be the judge).

"It's not something that I'm ashamed of, just isn't something that I go around telling everyone. Yes. I have both male and female genitalia, but I consider myself a female. It's just a little bit of a penis and really doesn't interfere much with my life."

Is this all a ploy to sell more records? Rumors have been swirling for months that she is a transsexual (man hands...Adam's apple...) so is this just our minds playing trick on us? Or did she do this on purpose to keep us guessing? I mean...its clear she likes the attention and the mystery of "GaGa".

Thoughts?

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Drake Re-Injures Leg at NJ Concert

* UPDATE - Drake has tweeted the following message from his account: "All is well...on the bus laying down...getting surgery this week but I'm walking. Thank my whole YM family for the help! Lion Hearts!"

I'm not one of the millions of teenage fans who jumped on the Drake bandwagon after 1-2 hits, but I can't deny the man's talent. Even so, I'm going to allow Drake to earn my respect/attention, before I start lauding him as the premier force in rap.

Well, I don't know what it is about Drake, but DESPITE the incredible success of his music content, this rising star seems to be very... "obstacle-prone."

1. ACL injury a few months ago brings unwanted press and questions about Drake's live performance ability.

2. The 2009 BET awards performance with Lil' Wayne receives tons of bad press. With underage girls dancing their hearts out to a song about "'F'ing every girl in the world," the BET network had to issue a formal apology for Drake's stage showing.

3. The Kanye West directed "Best I Ever Had" video was NOT a hit among Drake's fans. With the over-exposure of the female anatomy and unrelated video plot, Drake's momentum faltered big time (He alienated a large % of his fan base).

4. Tonight, in a NJ concert, Drake forgot to go easy on his recovering leg. He was overcome by performance excitement, reportedly jumping around stage and even spinning. Unfortunately, while he gave the fans what they wanted, he also re-injured his knee/leg, and ACL injuries are not pretty or quick to heal. Drake had to be taken off stage, so this sounds pretty serious.

My Question: Will Drake ever reach solid ground and become the Rap messiah that fans already think he is, or will these constant pitfalls get the best of this new, unseasoned rapper?

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On the LOOKout - Rapper "G." talks with The RGC

I don't really have a "day job," just a trilogy. I am at once a lyricist, an attorney, and a professor. My career is not triforcated like this out of financial necessity, but out of desire. I love making music, I love practicing law, and I love teaching university students.

Self-proclaimed as "the voice of the Black Collegian," the rapper "G." is truly a unique artist with a one-of-a-kind blend of intellect, lyrical mastery, social awareness, and business acumen. Rap moguls like P. Diddy, Jay-Z, and 50 cent all achieved their international renown with similar mixes of these talents. Depending on how he plays his cards, G. could also rise and become a dominant force in the game, whether behind the pen, in front of the mic, or both.


We at the RGC had the pleasure of learning a great deal about this complicated and dynamic lyricist. We asked the questions and here's your chance to learn everything you want to know about the Ivy League educated, JD and Masters degree holding, university professor, and beyond ambitious rapper.  I hope you ate your breakfast because school is about to begin!

The RGC:  So who is "G?"

G.: First of all, it's "G." always with the period, never without. The name is a shortened version of my first name, "Giovanni." It's just something I've always been called as a child to avoid the interesting ways people chose to pronounce "Giovanni." As I grew older, the letter "G" took on a place of prominence in hip-hop. Originally meaning "gangster," but now to be a "G" simply means to be at the top of your game. I've been pleasantly surprised to find no other hip-hop artist has chosen the single letter to represent them. One problem I didn't anticipate, however, it's darn hard to Google me!

The RGC: When did you start rapping? And when did you decide that this was something you wanted to pursue?

G.: I wrote my first rap song in 8th grade. I think it was called "Yes, I'm Fresh," to the best of my memory :-). My first on stage appearance was my Junior year on the campus at Arizona State, where I had recently transferred from FAMU (long story). That was also the first year I was on the radio; I didn't have any recorded material, I just went down the the station and spit a freestyle. Perhaps this was around the time I decided to make a career out of writing and performing music, but I also knew it would not be my only career.



The RGC: Where do you get your material from? What inspires you to write?

G.: When I sit down to write a song, it's usually because I have something I want to say. Art is more than just what's on the surface. So I have to start with the reason, the purpose, the soul. I then put on a production track, count the beats per measure (you often hear rappers referring to "trying to catch the beat,"; if you were to count the beats per measure ahead of time, the beat would have never gotten away from you in the first place). Finally, I pace the studio until the lyrics begin to come to me. This part I have difficulty explaining. I'm not quite sure from where the lyrics come. Often I listen back to a completed work - sometimes years later - and am surprised myself by a double entendre or an obscure reference that brings the song new meaning. I am forced to conclude that my artistic brain and my academic brain are wholly separate, and the two rarely communicate. When giving a lecture about my own music, I must sit down and analyze my music not as the author but as a scholar, like any other.

The RGC: Okay, well who are some of your biggest hip-hop/music inspirations?

G.: Of course I have to start with the classics: Bob Marley, 2Pac, Billie Holiday, Stevie Wonder, KRS-One, John Coltrane & perhaps most important my parents, Dr. & Mrs. James Turner. Soulja Slim's life and death also had a huge impact on my music; I'm sure that's true with all New Orleans emcees. And I'd be remissed if I didn't give props to Ohene for polishing the raw diamond he found back in 2003. Some names from which you might be surprised to hear a rapper drawing inspiration: Sarah McLachlan, Sarah Vaughn, Nella Larsen, Jacques Derrida, Emily Dickinson, & Dr. Bill Cosby.

The RGC: Talk about eclectic! It's great though that you don't limit the sources from which you pull energy and study. What our blog appreciates most about you, G., is your scholarly yet aggressive approach to your music. Also, you really aren't taking any prisoners with your lyrics. Case and point - your song, "Penicide." You expressed a lot of frustration with the present state of rap. What do you see as the biggest problem with the rap game nowadays?

G.: If I had to choose one that gives me the greatest pause, it is settling for mediocrity, not striving to reach your full potential. It seems to me that far too many people are so afraid of failure, they reach only for a lesser, much more achievable version of their dreams. We have far too many MBAs staying in management, never to start their own company; too many English and Literature MAs/PhDs toiling away at correcting the writing of their students instead of writing books of their own; and yes, too many hip-hop artists just following what their A&R deemed to be the current trend, in a desperate attempt to avoid being dropped from the label - few dare to set trends of their own (what's really sad is some indie artists are their own A&R, and they still do this).

The RGC: Well let's turn the lens inwards. We all acknowledge your remarkable talent but what do you see as your greatest strengths and weaknesses as a rapper?

G.: My greatest strengths would have to include songwriting, depth, and creativity. I take great pride in meticulously scripting each word... I also cover a broad range of topics. As I discussed earlier, I want to invite many more people to the hip-hop table than had been previously. A hip-hop song can be about something more than wealth, poverty, crime, sex, governmental injustice, and the art of emceeing itself. Not that these topics aren't important, but they are not the only important topics.

If I had to admit to a weakness, it would probably be that I have a difficult time relating to my fans. It is rare that I receive the feedback that a fan saw themselves in a song I wrote. There are exceptions. A lot people were drawn to "Fallen" from Legend of the Chancellor because they too felt so beaten down by life's pressures, they questioned whether to even go on. And others count "Superstar's Voicemail" as their favorite song from American Scholar because I have articulated what they wished to say to the love interest in their lives. However, [my fans find themselves appreciating many of my songs without seeing themselves in [them]. I think this relationship works. Some of my favorite songs are about the struggles of a child of a single parent - Diana Ross' "Love Child" or Goapele's "Childhood Drama" - even though I grew up with both my parents.

The RGC: What do you bring to rap that is uniquely different?

G.: To avoid giving a cliched answer to this question, indulge me while I give specific examples of what I have added to the hip-hop history books. On my first album The Chancellor (later rereleased under the title Legend of the Chancellor, if you stumble upon both, get the rerelease, the mastering was redone with updated technology), I wrote a song entitled "String Theory." That song blends hip-hop, science fact, and science fiction. I wrote this song to break way outside the mold of what is considered fair game in hip-hop. When picturing a typical hip-hop fan, few envision mathematics doctoral students. My father is a mathematician; many of his students listen to hip-hop, but they never thought they could blend the two together. This was my invitation to them to have a seat at the hip-hop table - next to the poet, to the left of the injustice protester, and directly across from the ex-felon looking to change his/her life around... On my current album, American Scholar, the song "Hunger" is another example... of how I venture out into uncharted waters. I find many socially unconscious hip-hop songs attempt to wrestle topics so big, they cannot possibly cover the breath of the issue. "Hunger," on the other hand, is specifically about teenagers - 16, 17 years old - who are living in poverty and cannot get enough to eat. They are now faced with the prospect of soon being a woman or a man and having to take care of themselves. Now this issue seems much smaller than World hunger in general. It is easier to say, "Ahhh, I understand. And there is something we can do. We need to insure these students find their way into college. We need to get them scholarships that cover all expenses and include the summers. They can then matriculate into a fruitful career, and - unsaddled with student loan debt - reach back and care for the family members back home." It was difficult to stay so narrowly focused, but I have yet to hear any fan or critic say the art suffered because of it.

The RGC: What is your chief goal regarding your rap career?

G.: My chief goal is getting people to break free of definitions and stereotypes. We are quick to say "that's not hip-hop" or "quit acting white." But the truly great people in history never let others put them in a clearly labeled box. Dr. King didn't let others tell him what "Christian" means, Obama doesn't let others tell him what "Progressive Politics" is, and I definitely do not let others tell me what hip-hop is. Shout out RAHM Nation: Ohene, Random, Greg Soundz, DN3. Make sure you pick up both of those albums: American Scholar and Legend of the Chancellor. And keep reading The RGC, I love this blog! (please leave a comment, let us know you're out there)

The RGC: Thanks for the shout out, haha, and for answering all of these questions! On a final note, are you working on any new projects?

G.: I'm currently touring the Southeast promoting the current project, American Scholar. The new single, "Things to Remember" (my attempt to explain to women why men don't always show their emotions) is getting some good feedback. You can download it from iTunes or Amazon.com. And if you follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/G504) and catch me in a good mood, I just might post a free download link to it. The next album is called Metalanguage. I can't even begin to explain what this album is about. If you are a student of Nietzsche or Barthes, you probably already know a little bit about Metalanguage, and this will be a bold undertaking. This album is very important to me, so it'll take a while. I started it last year, perhaps it will be ready next summer. There is also a certain someone I really, really, really want to be a part of this album. Contracts haven't been signed yet, so I can't say who, but she knows who she is ;-). In the meantime, enjoy American Scholar and Legend of The Chancellor.

The RGC: Again, thanks so much, G., for doing this interview with us. Keep "doing you" - educating us, haha - and good things will happen. Much respect.

For you readers, here are some links to G.'s different Internet pages. Check him out!

www.rahmnation.org - RAHM Nation Recordings, LLC's homepage
www.myspace.com/504g - ADD G.
www.twitter.com/G504 - Follow G.
www.cdbaby.com/gtunes3 - Buy G.
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Drake - Best I Ever Had Music Video **

Let us know what you think about the new Drake video. Kanye West directed the vid; Do you think it's "D"licious or "D"gusting? Or perhaps it's just whatever...

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New Letoya Luckett Video - "She Ain't Got Shit On Me!"

Balladeer Letoya Luckett has finally released an uptempo song for us. She's been the go-to Summer Ballad singer since her 2006 chart-topping release "Torn." Now she's stepping up to the "fast track plate," and she may hit a home run with this one. This is definitely a hot video and song for the ladies. It's already gaining lots of buzz all over the internet, and that's good news for Letoya's forthcoming album, scheduled for release later this year.

Have a look at the video here:

*The timing's a bit off towards the end, but there's no denying this track is fire*

"You're a puppy on a leash, time to come back home.
I done let you out to play, but you ain't playing fair.
You done met this lil' stray, bringing flees 'round here."

Also, check out Letoya's new album cover:


Rate and Be well,
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2009 BET Awards Review

After over two months of anticipation, commercials, and hype, the 2009 BET Awards aired last night nationwide. With Michael Jackson's death occurring just 3 days prior to the live broadcast, BET expectedly and willingly burdened itself with an attempt to revamp a show that had likely been planned "down to a T" for months. Unfortunately for BET and the viewing audiences, it seemed that any organization and structure that might have once existed went AWOL. The 4 hour broadcast succeeded in making me shake my head in disapproval time and time again.

The show opened with a tribute to the Jackson 5 "sung" (and I use the term lightly) by 80s-90s R&B group New Edition. Bobby Brown and his groupmates had the dance steps down perfectly but vocally they were out of commission. It would have been a better opening to have Boyz II Men +1 or a lineup of individual male artists - Neyo, Mario, Ginuwine, Tyrese, Usher - do the tribute. 

Next came the big MC intro skit by Jamie Foxx, and while he certainly grabbed all of our attention and likely had you laughing, I couldn't help but notice how poorly the sound system was performing. Unlike at most award shows where there is a nice crowd mic-stage mic-hand mic balance, the hand and crowd mics were at a much lower volumes than they should have been. Consequently, instead of hearing Jamie's jokes followed by uproarious laughter, all you heard was a muffled, in and out crowd reaction that made it seem like Jamie was falling flat. Even so, the hype and energy was so high for this awards show that all was forgiven.  The house crowd and we home viewers were anxious to move along towards WHATEVER the climax of the show, dedicated to Michael Jackson, would be.

Well, throughout the night we witnessed a lot of mediocre performances, missed stage cues, dead air time, mic issues, lack of comedy, and long-winded speeches. Over time, these shortcomings in production decisions and technical problems drained every ounce of excitement that had existed at the top of the broadcast. Watching the TV became almost a burden of the heart where viewers were left waiting for greatness - something to pay proper tribute to Michael or be the "water cooler topic" for work. Sadly, the closest thing we received was an unexpected and touching speech from Janet Jackson, expressing her grief, gratitude, and love of the community's support. We appreciated her brief appearance, and it provided a last minute boost in energy for the program. Jamie Foxx and Neyo then ended the broadcast with a sweet sounding, emotional duet that complemented the somber yet thankful mood Janet inspired.

So why are so many calling the 2009 BET Awards show a major fail? It's simple. There was nothing in the show that lived up to the hype: no singular powerful MJ tribute, no historic or shocking performances, horrible sound editing, and a ton of just plain mediocrity. But what do you expect? Right now a good number of the artists being promoted and GIVEN success are little more than mediocre. This awards show was ultimately a testament to the fact that you can't create Greatness from a pile of sub par and misused ingredients.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS:
- "Blame it on the Alcohol Performance" - Jamie Foxx
- 16 y.o. Keke Palmer schooling the wannabe female singers with her short a cappella tribute to MJ
- "Sheneneh and Wanda" movie trailer - Martin and Jamie (this needs to happen)
- Mary Mary & Queen Latifah performance of "It's the God in Me"
- O Jays tribute medley - Tevin Campbell, Tyrese, Johnny Gill, and Trey Songz)
- O Jays performance - sounded remarkably better than many of the younger groups on the show
- Eddie Levert's accidental slip up - "Dancing and Sh*t"
- Jay Z's D.O.A. performance - Undeniable swag, lyrical strength, and stage presence. Very little bleeping needed.
- Acting done by Ving Rhames, Tyrese, and Taraji P. Henson prior to announcing the winner for "Best female R&B."  We were all watching in horror (praying AGAINST a ghetto mess), not knowing whether it was all an act or if Ving and Tyrese were getting ready to throw down on national television.  

SHOW LOWLIGHTS:
- Opening performance by New Edition was not successful vocally. At all
- Every return from a commercial break - Dead air
- Not announcing the nominees was in poor taste. It took away from the "awards" aspect of the show, robbed the viewers of the moment of anticipation, and did not show respect for the non-winning nominees
- Don Cornelius' long winded speech during the O Jays tribute. No one was paying attention and his story dragged on for far too long
- Drake & Lil Wayne performance - Drake's torn ACL confined him to a stool, Lil Wayne's lyrics had so many curses that he was being bleeped on practically every other word. I actually muted my TV on this performance because it sounded like a drawn out train wreck. Combine all that with the underage, 12-14 year old girls dancing on stage to "I wish I could F#*k every girl in the world," and you have a CERTIFIED SOURCE AWARDS HOT MESS.

DIM LIGHTS, The mediocre:
- Keri Hilson's performance was visually stimulating, but vocally underwhelming. She switched mics too often and each mic was at a different sound level, making her performance sound disjointed and manic at times.
- Soulja Boy's "Turn my swag on" - typical and nothing special
- Beyonce's "Ave Maria" was beautiful and sweet, but it seemed more like a clipping from her tour than a unique and crowd-pleasing showcase crafted for the BET Awards/MJ tribute
- Ciara singing a ballad instead of performing an energetic MJ tribute. Again, it was sweet but just time-filler. A ballad would have been better suited for Chrisette Michelle, Letoya Luckett, or KEKE PALMER!
- Neyo's throwback icon medley featuring Keith Sweat, Guy, and B.B.D. - Once again, the dance steps and visual were there, but vocal aspects were lacking.
- Jamie Foxx's hosting - At one point we forgot he was even there.

With so many low and dim elements in the BET broadcast, there was no way this awards show could do justice to MJ or even be cited as one of the better BET awards.

Do you agree with me? Am I just wrong?

Be well,

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