I keep hearing how things will only get worse before they get better, and that once the right wing completely fucks everything over, everybody will realize which side they really should have been with. But sometimes, we just can't let things escalate any further than they've already been. Our civil liberties are already at an all time low, and now the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is on the verge of being left to die, along with the dreams and struggle of those from the past.
The GOP is attempting to push the issue aside so that they can hide their racism until after the mid term elections. Peep their shadiness here, here and here.
Big ups to the homie AJ for hooking up this clip of various Bay artists droppin' verses (freestyles?, not sure about everybody) for the Pepsi smash ad campaign.
I've been hearing about this but was never able to actually see it til a minute ago. Upon watching this and then Atlanta's and Houston's, I have to give it up to the Bay for coming correct with the flows and the beat. Atlanta should be ashamed of themselves for coming off so wack, though. Only two or three of their dudes were even able to ride the beat, and less came with anything decent to say. Houston came alright. Their beat could have been something different, but their rappers came correct with some lyricism. So, if I were to rate the regions according to strictly this, it would go as follows:
The Bay >>> Houston >>> Atlanta (though it was close, cause Houston was filmed at some farms... I mean how hard can you really come off, rappin' in front of a barn?)
Slightly related:
Keak rockin a "Super Sweet 16"? What the f*ck? (check out Keak's "What the hell am I doing here" face)
So aside from Busta Bust's predictions about the end of the world being wrong for Y2K and no apocalyptic signs yet for today, let's just hope for the extinction level event for Cristal.
Managing Director Of Cristal Not Impressed With Rap Patronage
In a special edition of The Economist Magazine, the managing director of Louis Roderer Cristal addressed the popularity of the brand amongst Hip-Hop artists.
In an article titled "Bubbles & Bling" in a special Summer 2006 issue, Frédéric Rouzaud, the managing director of Cristal, stated that the company observes its association with the rap world with "curiosity and serenity."
Despite importing over 50,000 cases of the champagne per year, Rouzaud was less than thrilled at rappers' fondness for the posh drink.
"What can we do?" Rouzaud told The Economist. "We can't forbid people from buying it. I'm sure Dom Perignon or Krug would be delighted to have their business."
The article further labeled the constant Cristal patronage by rappers as "unwelcome attention."
The article contains pictures of Sean "Diddy" Combs, one of the drink's most popular enthusiasts and quotes Jay-Z's No. 1 hit "Hard Knock Life," which name-checked the brand.
According to AmericanBrandstand.com, the pricey champagne was the 8th most mentioned brand on Billboard's Top 100 chart in 2005 with 35 mentions, being promoted by the likes of Kanye West, Trina, Lloyd Banks, The Game, Mariah Carey, and others.
Cristal can get the gas face. We don't want your overpriced champagne, I'd rather be sippin on my $6 bottle of Martini & Rossi any day.
I still haven't had a chance to catch "Straight Outta Hunter's Point," although I've always been trying to get my hands on a copy ever since I heard about it a couple years ago. But now Kevin Epps has brought us "Rap Dreams," which documents the aspiring careers of Bay Area artists pursuing the dream of become a rap star. It features, Mistah FAB, Kev Kelley, Hectic, Adisa Banjoko, etc. Peep 30 minutes of Rap Dreams right here (for a limited time). (Big ups to City of Dope for this)
As for Staxwell's (of Nation of Thizzlam)comment about FAB not being able to cut it on the conscious tip, I ain't sure about all that. Just take another listen to "Son of a Pimp" and realize that half of that album is political, with direct and indirect statements. He appears to know his shit and even acts on it. After watching his "Freestyle King" dvd, and seeing the bonus features with him speaking on the state of affairs in his city and hearing about how much he gives back to his community, we should just let the man do his thang.
With all that said, let me plug my homie Shammy Dee's myspace page (peep "What's Going On"). And if you can make it, check out his performance, this Friday at The Arts and Entertainment Center in San Diego on June 9th at 7:30pm, its in support of his lp, "Transcripted Thoughts."
If an a G.O.A.T. award had to be given to a sneaker commercial, hands down it would have to be the Michael Jordan and Mars Blackmon, aka Spike Lee, joints from the early 90's. Out of all the sneaker commercials, let alone Jordan commercials, aired on television, these series of commercials are the only sneaker commercials that I can still remember vividly. We can blame it on Nike's brilliant marketing brainwashing tactics, which led many youths to become overly infatuated with the materialistic sneaker culture. I remember there even being a huge controversy with kids being killed over a pair of Jordans.
And, my Marxist side could go on and on about the alienated worker in the third world country who is forced to work for pennies a day to make the shoes, while the bourgeoisie profit from the blind consumer in America who has been suckered into spending his entire weeks minimum wage paycheck on a useless commodity, but I'll save that for another post.
My point right now is to showcase the artistic creativity from the illest shoe commercials, which have all been nicely uploaded youtube. I wasn't a huge Jordan fan as a kid (I was a Lakers fan and hated on any team or player that standed stood* in their way), but I was always eyein' his kicks, especially with the hype of these commercials. And while I would be buggin whenever my friends at school came with it with a fresh new pair of Jordans, I never had the opportunity to have my parents cop me a pair of Jordan's when I was a kid (shit, regardless, I still rocked my Ponies proudly).
So I hope these all take you back to memory lane.
Rappin with Mars Blackmon
Very serious hang time
Nobody in the world can cover my man, Michael Jordan
Can/Can't
Serious hang time, must be the mountain air
How does Mike defy gravity?
What makes Mike the best player in the universe?
*Damn.. after over a month of this being posted, I finally catch a grammatical error on this. Folks must've been wondering how the fuck I got a degree from UCSD with that mistake. I wonder how many other mistakes I have up in here. - 7.24.06
Sorry for being out for so long, I've been busy making sure 2nd graders ain't putting fiesta burritos in their pockets after lunch time. Anyways, here's some stuff to keep ya busy:
