Here are THE RULES: You have to come up with twelve thoughts and one picture (totaling 13) to describe your weekend. Try using quotes, events, links to blog entries and websites, etc.
01. I'm still compiling my "Best Albums of 2004" list. I just need some motivation inspiration to post my list.
02. I watched the UNCF telethon in honor of Quincy Jones. Q looked bored as hell, but it was very entertaining show. Stevie Wonder performed Michael Jackson's classic ballad "I Can't Help It." How apropos, huh?
03. Then, I popped in the DVD player Fat Albert -- The Ultimate Collection. Hey, Hey, Hey! What can I say?
04. On Sunday, I copped some long-sleeve t-shirts at the Gravy Factory -- it's all gravy, baby!
05. I . . . can't . . . stop . . . watching . . . her . . . sizzling . . . new . . . video. I . . . must . . . look . . . away. But . . . I . . . can't . . . resist . . . her . . . fat . . . . booty. Dang . . . she . . . looks . . . so . . . damn . . . hot . . . in . . . those . . . black . . . leather . . . pants. I . . . must . . . turn . . . away. But I can't. I love huuur . . . . she's my future baby's mama.
06. Hey, check out this hot blog straight from the frontlines of South Africa -- Don't Sleep! (hat tip: Lyrical Swords)
07. And 50 Cent -- a changed man? According to music journalist Lynne d. Johnson -- who listened to a few tracks from 50's forthcoming sophomore CD -- Fiddy gets introspective and shares his thoughts on fame and God. The hip-hop toughie also recorded a song with Stevie Wonder. Dang, Fiddy is about to bring some heat in the '05.
08. But the question I want to know is -- what the hell is The Game doing on the front cover of Vibe magazine? New blood? C'mon now, this Compton rhyme-slinger is rehashing gangsta themes that he studied from Dr. Dre, N.W.A. and 50 Cent. If this is new blood, give me another blood transfusion. But Kevin gives a good synopsis about the cover boy.
09. And according to Bol (of byroncrawford.com), The Game lacks, uh, lyrical game. But music scribe Sean F. loved The Game's CD The Documentary and feels it "burns hotter than last night's tramp." Well, all right, then. But let's see if homeboy can put up the numbers.
10. R.I.P.: Hip-Hop (1975-2005). Eulogy performed by Gregg Tate. CHUURRCH!!
-- I'm kinda half and half on Gregg's article. I agree with some of Gregg's viewpoints, and then, on other parts, I think Gregg is out of touch. I think hip-hop as Gregg remembers it is dead. Today's hip-hop is on a whole new idealism. I'm in agreement with Honey Soul on this subject. She writes, "Negative or positive, hip-hop music reflects the culture and we ain't going nowhere. To quote my man Mos Def: . . . 'Whatever's happening to hip-hop, is what's happening to us' (Fear Not Man)."
11. Essence magazine has organize a campaign to stamp out misogyny in the entertainment industry. And since Beats and Rants is exempt from the ladies' scorn, I figured I show you this week's hottie -- and man, is she a foxy lady. Yeeaauuh!
12. But seriously, I applaud the editor's efforts to address the issue of misognisitic lyrics in (rap) music and the overt exploitation of black women in the entertainment industry. Blogger DL Chandler offers his viewpoints on Essence magazine's campaign. CHUURRCH!
[Editor's Note: I see a lot of bloggers/writers posting their viewpoints on Gregg Tate's article. Maybe I will do a follow-up and survey the opinions. Is hip-hop truly dead?]
Holla!
