Man, is this video of Kobe jumping an Aston Martin for real or are they having a Maori on? That’s crazy if he did that for real, but I’m skeptical that it’s some viral Nike marketing campaign. If you can enlighten me, please do.
As a sidenote, man Kobe’s Adidas shoes were always stink, here’s a page full of wackness.
Ho-ly, who has seen the new Rambo ? I had the pleasure of watching this the other day at my brothers house and it was outrageous. I don’t even know if I’d call it good or bad, all I know is it somehow warped time whilst I was watching it and this 90 minute movie felt like it was only half an hour long. That’s a special feat in these post-L.O.T.R days where even the makers of Spiderman think it’s all good to make 3 hour extravaganzas – it isn’t, and the sooner they stop that shit the better.
Back to the movie though, I was never a Rambo kid. I’d say it was before my time, but I’m familiar with Arnie movies of the same time period so I don’t really know why I haven’t watched any of them being that Commando and Predator (especially Predator), are my sheeeeit. Subsequently, watching this movie gave me no nostalgic value whatsoever. What it did give me was 88 laughs at the violence/gore depicted in it. I’d say spoilers ahead but who gives a fuck ?
Here’s an old internet favourite that I always find myself coming back to. Kinda like the Star Wars Kid or All Your Base.
Someone has written fan fiction based on Roc-A-Fella Records. The great thing about these stories is that they were started in the heyday and continued on til around the time Jay-Z signed Nas. It’s like a varitable time-line of what happened with Roc-A-Scenes. Obviously having an imagination and brief knowledge of people signed to the ROC helps.
I was reminded of it while reading someone complain about how Game’s next album will be full of name-dropping. Check out this episode where Jay invites Game to discuss the beef that was brewing.
Or, start from episode one, not exactly the best one but it sets up the running joke about Bleek pretty nicely.
Say what you will about Busta Rhymes, dude has staying power. There was a time when he was the ‘go-to’ guy for remixes. If you Busta was on your remix, you were set. Check out any remix in the late 90′s/early 00′s. My favourite appearance would have to be KMD’s “The Nitty Gritty Remix”.
Then I feel he sort of lost his way as an artist. An aging rapper who struggled to find his ‘persona’, if you will. Fast forward to now and while I’m not buying Busta albums, I definitely check for any interview or appearance he does. He has been dishing out truth all over the place. Whether it’s the Aftermath Studio session video explaining the finer points of the music industry or this gem below. Busta has somehow re-invented himself as the Yoda of showbiz.
Check out this video of Busta calling out a British fan who calls him ignorant because he wouldn’t take a photo with them. Busta is hilariously on point.
I’ve been bumping this C-Side – Boyfriend Girlfriend song for the last couple of months. Its like Pretty Ricky, Ghosttown DJ’s and Field Mob combined. I wondered why it was taking so long to put the clip out, but I see they’ve switched up and put Keyshia Cole on the hook. I liked the original chick better, but whatev’s, this’ll still run C4 Select Im guessing.
Remember this classic scene in Menace II Society?
Well after watching this Kidz in the Hall clip on YouTube I started wondering what song I’d be playing if that was me rolling in the Ford down to the cookout haha. While Zapp and Roger’s Computer Love was a fitting track, I imagined myself playing something else. A million songs sprung to mind, but I decided to settle on this one…
I was gonna go the rap route, but soul music seemed more fitting. What would you be bumping?
Without looking at this years release schedule I can think of 2 albums off-hand that I am anticipating above all others(this is of course excluding Detox for reasons previously stated). They are Game’s L.A.X and Lil Wayne’s The Carter 3.
However, as one MC in my eyes has been on a slow but steady ascent skillwise over the last 6 -12 months, the other seems to have peaked and gone into a freefall specifically in the last few – all while his exposure and popularity continue to soar. If you were to ask me who I think the better rapper out of Wayne and Game is – I’d say Wayne, undoubtedly. See “Walk In” , “B.M Jr”, and “Me on my own” off The Carter and it’s a wrap. Flow, patterns, lines, delivery. When Wayne is on, Game – who can still be on that clumsy ‘too many words in a line’ shit, sounds pedestrian in comparison.
But, when it counts – i.e on the artists own albums and original songs, Game has Wayne beat as a ‘songwriter’ all fucking day(Yes the Doco is better than the Carter anything. Argue, I dare you). Much can be credited to 50 and Dre, but ultimately you gotta judge Game by Game’s songs. I had a lil discussion with the bro’s on tour and I think we were in agreement that his album will most likely be the best of the two. In further talks with one of the bro’s he admitted that there’s pretty much only one Weezy F song(not a feature) in his crate which is strong/popular enough to even be played in his club sets which makes Wayne’s current status even more remarkable. To be considered the hottest in the game without a definitive classic album/song, in a year of straight guest 16′s and mixtape beatjacks is a feat in itself.
Back to the lecture at hand though, indicative of their previous form both artists lead singles have leaked. Game has hit it out the fucken ballpark with “Big Dreams” , Weezy F on the other hand has limped out the gate with the T Pain impersonation that is “Lollipop”. My predictions already been made, but I wanna see what you guys think. Better album of 08 Game or Wayne ?
I don’t know if you’ve noticed this phenomenon, or if perhaps it has occurred because myself and the circle of friends I have are getting older but damn – it seems like EVERYONE is playing poker right now. Whether at home with mates, online, or down at the weekly poker comp at the pub. I’d noticed over the last 3 years people I knew were starting to play and the invites for a game were occurring more frequently, but being that I didn’t have any money I figured it was a waste of time. I also didn’t give a fuck about cards – only games I could play were Fish and Last Card, can’t do no tricks, and my shuffling sucks.
However a week or 3 back the lure of poker reached critical mass as even my sister was having people over for games. “Dont you know how to play Hold Em ? I thought you played in your video ?” – WTF I thought, this is embarassing. Later that week I added Texas Hold Em Poker as an app on Facebook just so I could ‘learn to play’. 6 hours and a couple Full Houses later and I’m already thinking “I should start playin for real money”, so I can totally see how people get addicted to this shit. I’ve got friends who I put onto the Facebook version that are already playing for real loot on Poker stars, and on a night in H-town the other week me and Slick stayed up watching Poker on ESPN till 5 am. I always wondered who the fuck would watch that shit when I’d see the ads on tv – as it turns out, it’s people like me 
Anyways for those folk that play let us know the deal/where you’re playing at. Let’s get a shotthen poker club going, and oh yeah join the shotthen Facebook group if you’re up on there. Play on playaaaaa.
In recent months friends and various blog sites have put me on to a few new rappers or groups that have me excited about hip hop again. I was never really in the ‘hip hop is dead’ camp, but I was a lil’ frustrated at the lack of good hip hop out there for a minute. So yeah I thought I’d show some appreciation for the people on my iPod keeping me sane on my daily bus rides from Avondale to Onehunga. Whether you’ve heard of them already or not, share your thoughts.
Wale
From Washington DC and recently signed to Interscope. This guy’s got skills and through his affiliation with Mark Ronson could be destined for big things. Check this track with Bun B and Pusha T called Back in the Go Go.
Kidz in the Hall
From what I’ve read these guys are from Chicago, but are now based in Cali. They were originally signed to Rawkus, releasing an album in ’06, but are now with Duckdown. Naledge is the MC, Double-O the producer and this song is Clothes, Hoes & Liquor.
U-N-I
If you’re a Shot Then frequenter you would’ve seen me up a vid of their’s a month or two back for their song Beautiful Day. After downloading their street album Fried Chicken & Watermelon I’m convinced these guys are the real deal, they make that laidback jazzy shit a’la Pharycde. This song below, Do Wit Me is the joint… I miss summer already.
Blu & Exile
My boy Jay put me onto these guys a few months back and their debut album Below the Heavens is pretty smooth. These guys are from Cali too, nice to see the West still doing the damage. Check out this track from their debut called The Narrow Path.
Jay Electronica
You’d never guess this guy was from the Magnolia Projects in New Orleans, but the guy being touted as the next big thing after a co-sign from Nas is indeed a southern rapper. He’s on Erykah Badu’s label and while I think he’s far from the finished article, he’s definitely one to keep an ear out for. Peep Somethin to Hold on to.
Pacific Division
This LA trio are more proof that Cali iz active. Far from the gangsta image most people associate with the West, these guys are in a similar vein to U-N-I and Blu & Exile. The song below is called Paper and is beautiful to my eardrums.
