SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT: Mac & G, "Real Recognize Real"

It gives me no greater pleasure than to return to blogging after a lengthy hiatus and be able to help promote folks that I fool with personally and professionally.  Thus, I bring you a new addition to "The Angry Musings": the Shameless Plug Alert.  This month's featured artists are Rated R The Mac (IG: RatedRTheMac) & Gladiator (IG: langston_huge) aka Mac & G and their long-awaited album, Real Recognize Real--which hit the streets today.

Album Review: Jay-Z, "Magna Carta...Holy Grail"

As I have matured in the way that I listen to music, I have become one of those people that doesn't rush to declare an album's greatness until I've had ample time to sit with and study the product in its entirety.  Thus, you can imagine how annoyed I became at seeing so many people gawk at my favorite rapper's twelfth studio album, Magna Carta... Holy Grail.  Granted, Jay-Z flexed his hustler's muscle once again by selling a million records well before his much-anticipated album even hit the market, so you know this only fueled the frenzy.  What built the anticipation even more was that a lot of his core fans had been disappointed with his product as of late--some since American Gangster and many since as far back as The Black Album.  However, I knew there was trouble afoot for our beloved superhero (or beloved villain depending on who you ask)...

Scribbler's Highlights of the Week: The NBA Finals Triple Play

Huge congratulations to the Miami Heat for winning their second straight NBA championship.  Truth be told, I was cheering for the San Antonio Spurs because I am a Tim Duncan fan and wanted to see "The Big Fundamental" get another ring before leaving the game.  However, I knew from the beginning that the Heat would win this series.  Although the Spurs came in healthy, rested and with momentum off of a sweep of the Memphis Grizzlies, I knew the defending champs would need every bit of seven games to beat the four-time champion Spurs and could beat them because they had LeBron James.  It is clear that he has vowed not to disappear from an NBA Finals like he did against Dallas in 2011 and to carry the team on his back if it means winning as many Larry O'Brien trophies as possible.  It took more than just James to win this series because, as we saw in 2007, even he couldn't topple the Spurs by himself as he and his "team" in the Cleveland Cavaliers were swept.  However, as Finals MVP for the second consecutive year, he was the major contributor for four out of the seven games--three of those being victories.  Thus, that's why I am giving you not one...not two...but THREE (see what I did there) of the greatest highlights of the week because they were three of the deciding factors in the franchise's third NBA championship and second in Miami's "Big 3" Era.

Scribbler's Hot & Bothered Topic of the Week: Poopin' Where You Eat

Welp, I made it, dear friends.  The big 5-0...post, that is.  (PLEASE don't rush me getting older 'cause I never have and never will rush myself.)  What better way to celebrate my 50th post than with a new post series?!?!  [In my Cleveland Brown voice] HOOOORAAAAAY!!!!  To break up some of the "monotony" regarding sports & entertainment, I have decided to do a series on something else on which I have a strong opinion and in which I have a decent amount of expertise: love, relationships and sex.  Henceforth, "Scribbler's Hot & Bothered Topic of the Week" is birthed...

Scribbler's Borrowers & Lenders of the Week: Jay-Z, "No Hook"

So the resident Jay-Z fan posted a Jay-Z song on his revamped series.  Surprise, surprise.  Ah well...deal with it because there will be more to come.  Anyway, the original Mr. Carter has been the beneficiary of "borrowing" many times throughout his storied career, and like last week's "Borrower" in Big K.R.I.T., he proves over and over again that he possesses quite the superb musical ear.  When he put out the super-dope American Gangster album and unoffical soundtrack (2007, Roc-A-Fella), "No Hook" immediately stood out.  (ASIDE: the song has a bit of sentimental value for me because whenever I think about riding around Philly with Mrs. Scribbler before she became the Mrs. and listening to this CD for the first time with her, "No Hook" is the first song that comes to mind.  That's enough of that sentimental ish...back to biz, kids.)  With Sean C & LV bringing the sample and Diddy calling upon the assistance of live musicians, the end result is a match made in heaven and the perfect platform for Jay to spit one of his many signature tales about the highs and lows of the streets:

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week: LeBron Says, "Not In My House"

In Game 2 of the 2013 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena, LeBron James wasn't having the most impressive game of his career.  He ended the first half with only four points, four assists, one rebound and was well under 50% shooting from the field.  However, after the Spurs had a 62-61 lead in the third quarter, the Heat just kept scoring...and scoring...and scoring...and never looked back on the way to a 103-84 trouncing of the Western Conference Champs.  Their defense turned up and forced 16 turnovers--which quadrupled the Spurs' impressively low turnover rate in Game 1.  LeBron ended up with 17 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, but shot 7-17 from the field.  Still not his most impressive stat line ever, but there were certain things that don't show up on a stat sheet such as the above play...

Living Legend or Urban Myth? The Concept of "Real Hip-Hop"

(First things first: I must give credit where it's due to my unofficial contributor for this particular post, Mrs. Scribbler.  Many of the issues that I plan on tackling in this potentially-controversial post are the end results of a conversation that she and I had on this topic recently, and for that, I say "thank you beeb" :-)!  Now, let's start the show...)

When I did a Google search for "real hip-hop", the image above was the first that popped up, including several variations of it further down the page.  The next image featured 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G. and Run-D.M.C. in the center with other hip-hop legends like LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Rakim, Ice Cube, Jay-Z, Nas, KRS-One, Public Enemy and a host of others on the outskirts.  Conversely, the sixth image in the search showed a picture saying "THIS ISN'T HIP-HOP" with an "X" through pictures of artists like Lil' Wayne, Drake, Big Sean, Rick Ross, Wale, Wiz Khalifa, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj and even Busta Rhymes--whose face ironically appeared on the aforementioned collage with the hip-hop legends.  I also saw images of graffiti, DJing, breaking, boomboxes, cassette tapes, microphones, headphones, and all of the typical associations with "real" hip-hop.  However, I write this post because I have become perplexed and somewhat annoyed by the notions of "real hip-hop" or "real hip-hop is not on the radio"--concepts that I believe are nothing more than "urban myths".

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week: Tony Parker's Improbable Dagger

In Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena, the Heat were starting to get some momentum back after the San Antonio Spurs reclaimed the lead in the middle of the fourth quarter for the first time since the first quarter.  After Manu Ginobili's ill-advised three-ball attempt from Jupiter and Danny Green's foul of Ray Allen beyond the three-point arc, Allen made three straight clutch free throws.  Although he took a few errant jump shots in the waning minutes of the game, LeBron James took the ball to the rim a few times to inch even closer.  In the last minute, they made sure that the Spurs couldn't get off any easy shots with swarming defense.  However, that didn't stop Tony Parker from exemplifying the age-old saying "nothing beats a failure but a try"...

Scribbler's Borrowers & Lenders of the Week: Big K.R.I.T., "Boobie Miles"

There's a huge reason why Big K.R.I.T. is one of my favorite rappers and producers among the newer breed of hip-hop artists: he has an awesome ear for good music, particularly in picking samples.  When I first heard "Boobie Miles" from 4eva N A Day (2012), I was absolutely in love with the song just because of the sample.  He could've been talking about penguins and polar bears over that beat and I would've thought it was the greatest song ever--or at least of 2012.  However, he actually spit something of worth and made an extremely motivational music video--a rarity among today's "creative" minds.  Hence, here's the version as made popular by this week's "borrower":

CONTINENTAL JETSETTERS ALERT...DIRK WANTS YOU!!!

So in an effort to expand my blog, I had the bright idea to include "swagger".  However, before I begin, I understand that word often has a tricky connotation.  Many people believe that you have to spend goo-gobs of money on everything you wear or that you have to look like certain people in order to exude "swagger".  (Yeah, I know, I featured Jay and Bey, but it goes with my fly guy and girl thing.  Work with me, cuzzo.)  Those who truly set the standard or at least understand what it takes to do so know better.  The true meaning of "swagger" has been lost in translation and we've come to associate it with "conceitedness", but the Irish origins of the word suggest that swagger is more of a "coolness" in the way someone walks or carries themselves.  "Swagger" is more internal than it is external, and what's on the outside is merely a microcosmic reflection of what's on the inside.  Thus, we come to the reason for this post: I want to celebrate YOU.  

I'm starting a new series called "Scribbler's Continental Jetsetters of the Month" where I feature one man and one woman (or it can be a couple) that exhibit undeniable style and grace by using their fashion as a means of expression.  If you believe that you are a "Continental Jetsetter", then I simply need you to do a few things.  First, please find your best money pic.  (Pic requirements are simple: it can be a full-body pic or a face pic, but make sure it's your best no matter what.)  Second, please include a narrative about who you are, how your style came to be, what your style says about you and your personality, personal interests and/or causes, any advice that you can lend to those needing inspiration to tap into their swagger, and how people can connect with you via social media.  Third, please email all of this to dirk.scribbler.dc@gmail.com and type "Continental Jetsetter" or "Swagger" in the subject line.  Submissions will be accepted up until the 24th of every month, so PLEASE start sending those emails ASAP!  Thanks in advance, and I hope to feature YOU as my "Continental Jetsetter"!

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: The Nutty Professor Quartet Grand Finale

 

If you've been following this portion of my "Throwback of the Week" series, then you already know what time it is: "Lillo, Peabo, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass...TEDDY P!"  The late, great Philly soul singer rounds out my aptly-named quartet, but I'm throwing y'all a curve ball: I'm not featuring "Close the Door"...kinda.  I know, don't be so disappointed, but what person that calls themselves an R&B fan doesn't know that song?  Besides, we do things a little different 'round here, slim.  So I started thinking about Teddy P songs sampled in hip-hop songs, and I had quite a few choices.  "Love TKO" is too easy and so is "Come Go With Me".  Almost rolled with "Can't We Try", which was sampled in Ghostface Killah's "Camay".  However, I dug a little more for a record that not everybody knows about but is still one of his better songs: "Easy, Easy, Got To Take It Easy".

Scribbler's Native Tongue Mixtape Pick (Local Edition): Just Ace, "Time Travel Mixtape"

I absolutely love stumbling upon mixtapes, EPs and albums that pleasantly surprise me--especially when I either don't know what to expect from it or don't expect much out of it at all.  When I first discovered the featured local mixtape of [what was supposed to be a review for the month of] April, I just randomly picked it from DatPiff.  I saw that although it didn't have the fanfare of many other mixtapes on the site--honestly, there's an endless sea of mixtapes to sift through, and that's just from the DMV alone--it had enough streams to steer me towards downloading it.  Didn't appear to be like a lot of the average mixtapes on the site--album art with half-naked women, people counting money, random cocaine scales, extravagant houses and/or cars, and the like--so I figured what the heck.  What I got was a seven-track, 24-minute diamond in the rough from Northern Virginia rapper Just Ace, Time Travel Mixtape (presented by Vintage Innovation).

Scribbler's Native Tongue Mixtape Pick: Big K.R.I.T., "King Remembered In Time"

In becoming the new face of Mississippi hip-hop, it is extremely difficult to argue that Big K.R.I.T. hasn't been able to live up to the lofty expectations behind his acronym.  Outside of Kanye West, very few hip-hop artists have received more critical acclaim as a rapper and producer from various hip-hop "crowds" than Big K.R.I.T.  With a slew of successful mixtapes and a Def Jam album under his belt thus far, his impressive catalog can match, if not altogether surpass, that of any celebrated rapper that has come out in the past 5-10 years.  However, none of that matters to Krizzle.  He makes it abundantly clear that he wants more and shows an adamant refusal to slack off with his latest mixtape, King Remembered In Time.

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week: King James' Last-Second Layup

Good offense typically beats bad defense, especially when that good offense comes from the best basketball player on the planet in LeBron James.  I don't even know if Miami Heat teammate Shane Battier recognized that as he delivered an inbound pass to "King James", but he knew exactly where to pass the ball.  Now some people don't think this is very clutch simply because the defense wasn't there.  I don't understand how Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel leaves center Roy Hibbert out of the game in a critical moment like this.  With Paul George having the tall order of stopping a man amongst boys, LeBron refused to settle for a jump shot as he would've in the past.  LJ tapped into his inner MJ, smelled blood in the water and became a great white in a matter of 2.2 seconds.  He absolutely refused to let his team drop the first game on their home court and said, "If I get the ball, I'm gonna do what I do best: drive straight to the basket."  LeBron blew right by George without a real rim protector left on the floor for the Pacers as insurance, scores and it's good night, good morning.  That's clutch enough for my blood.

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: The Nutty Professor Quartet, Part 3

So now that we've covered Lillo Thomas and Peabo Bryson, it's time for the third member of "The Nutty Professor Quartet": the late, great Lou Rawls.  As a kid, I remember his annual "Parade of Stars" (started back in 1980) in which proceeds from the telethon went to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).  Unfortunately, I didn't--and still don't--hear that many of his songs on the radio.  He's one of those artists that unless you grew up during his era, you probably one only know like one or two songs of his.  While he's not quite as unsung as Lillo, he's probably not as widely recognized or celebrated as a singer like Teddy P or Peabo in the R&B world--although he has such a uniquely silky smooth voice.

Scribbler's Native Tongue Mixtape Pick (Local Edition): SmCity, "Dream Cemetery"

Since my introduction to DMV hip-hop artist SmCity's music via The Indie Life LP and as one of the few local artists that I've actually seen live and shook hands with, he has become one of my favorite artists from this area, but not for the obvious reasons.  Yeah, he has a nice flow.  True, he's got presence on the mic.  Of course he has a good ear for music.  However, even these laudable qualities can't trump my overarching point: SmCity is a master at speaking from the perspective of the [grossly unheralded] independent artist and/or entrepreneur by providing the blueprint for continuing one's path toward greatness and success--in spite of the often-frustrating difficulties that anyone worth his or her weight in gold endures.  Whether it's through his Indie Life Concert Series with Twenty20 Music & Films that provides local and national artists a live platform to connect with their supporters or by way of his own music, the dude embodies what he raps.  He continues that unique ability as well as getting a bit more personal with his latest project, Dream Cemetery.  (For the record, Sm has released both a free version, which you can download via DatPiff, and a deluxe version with three extra tracks available via iTunes.  This review will be of the free version, but PLEASE support this brother.)

Scribbler's Native Tongue Mixtape Pick: Raz Simone, "Solomon Samuel Simone"

Sifting through what seemed like an endless sea of EPs and mixtapes from March for this first review--yeah, I'm late, but I promise I'll get better in future reviews--Seattle hip-hop artist Raz Simone stood out among several tough competitors with his debut EP, Solomon Samuel Simone.  Presented by Black Umbrella and Dream & Produce (download here), Simone's five-track, 22-minute project is a raspy, raw effort that showcases the emcee's ability to "find the silver lining in the clouds".  He has no problem talking about the occasional dreariness of the clouds themselves, but he balances it out by bringing attention to each and every blessing in disguise.

"Boo This Man" Moment of the Week: Dan Snyder

So if you read my February 28th post (if you haven't read it, then click here), then you already know how I feel about the nickname of what used to be my favorite sports team of all time, Washington's NFL team.   I've come to grips with the fact that their name will never change and that my outward support of the team will never again mirror the fervor of old.  In my heart of hearts, I can't be a hardcore fan of another team and won't cheer against Washington's team if another team plays them because burgundy and gold is still in my blood.  Aight, that's enough of that sentimental ish...

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: The Nutty Professor Quartet, Part 2

Continuing in my four-part "Throwback of the Week" installment as a tribute to Sherman Klump's kitchen singing scene in the The Nutty Professor (1996), we come to the second person in what I've dubbed "The Nutty Professor Quartet": Peabo Bryson.  During a successful run on Capitol Records between 1977 and 1982, the Greenville, South Carolina native gave us R&B lovers Quiet Storm classics like "Feel the Fire", "I'm So Into You" and the beautiful duet with Roberta Flack, "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love".  To think that those can be considered humble beginnings for a singer that has always known how to strike the balance between silky smooth and powerhouse vocals. 

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week: Manu Ginobili's Big Time Shot

Up to this point, Manu Ginobili was not having his best game ever.  In fact, Tony Parker was a huge amount of the reason why the San Antonio Spurs erased a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter and sent Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Golden State Warriors, led by Stephen Curry's amazing 44-point performance with 11 assists, to two overtime periods.  Ginobili not only badly missed a shot that could've ended the game in the first overtime, but he took an errant three pointer when the score was 126-123 with about 48 seconds to go, which led to Curry scoring another one of his signature floaters and a later assist to Ken Bazemore after Parker missed a layup to give the Warriors a 127-126 lead with only 3.9 seconds.  Ahhh, but redemption can be so sweet...

Big Deal or Not? A Perspective on Jason Collins' Announcement

After weeks of discussions about the possibility of a male athlete in one of the four major sports in the United States coming out as openly gay, NBA free agent center Jason Collins has decided to carry that gauntlet.  In a joint article with Franz Lidz from last Monday's edition of Sports Illustrated, Collins stated this:

I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay...I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport. But since I am, I'm happy to start the conversation. I wish I wasn't the kid in the classroom raising his hand and saying, "I'm different." If I had my way, someone else would have already done this. Nobody has, which is why I'm raising my hand.

Mind you, this announcement comes nearly two weeks after former Baylor University women's basketball star and Phoenix Mercury No. 1 overall draft pick Brittney Griner admitted that she was a lesbian.  However, that neither received the same amount of fanfare nor--and I say this with the utmost respect--wasn't as much of a surprise on a couple of different levels--though equally encouraging for other female athletes who may have trepidations.  Ironically after the whole debate about whether Griner could be successful playing in the NBA, homosexuality may be the only arena where female athletes aren't susceptible to as much scrutiny as male athletes.  Thus, I believe that's one of the many reasons why Collins' willingness to be the first has been heralded as such a "landmark" event in American professional sports--even drawing strong comparisons to Jackie Robinson becoming the first Black player in Major League Baseball in 1947.  (I personally wouldn't go that far because racism was much more prevalent during Robinson's era whereas homosexuality is significantly more tolerated, accepted and/or celebrated in this day and age, but it's still an important event nonetheless.)

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: The Nutty Professor Quartet, Part 1

For anyone that's a fan of Eddie Murphy's classic and hilarious remake of The Nutty Professor (1996), you may remember the part where he goes through his CD collection and says, "Lillo, Peabo, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass...TEDDY P!"  Hence, the reason for the name of this particular series of my "Throwback of the Week" installation.  Now if you're an avid R&B fan, you might just know all four singers; however, if you're just an average R&B fan, then I'm positive that you know nothing about the first name.  Let the learning and fun part begin...

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: Jennifer Holliday, "Hard Times For Lovers"

A lot of people--old and young--may not know much about Texas native Jennifer Holliday outside of her Tony-winning performance as Effie White and her Grammy-winning performance of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" in the original Broadway production of Dreamgirls in 1981.  I bet that a lot more folks who are somewhat familiar with their 80s pop may not instantly recognize her voice toward the end of Foreigner's classic 1985 hit, "I Want to Know What Love Is".  For whatever reason, she was just one example of how certain women--and that can be equated with women of certain skin complexions AND sizes--with big voices weren't being pushed hard enough by or given the right material for their voices from their record companies in the 1980s.  (Think Shirley Murdock: it took Elektra almost a year to have their "eureka" moment and release "As We Lay" after her first two singles from her eponymous debut album did little in jump starting her solo career.)  However, I could write a separate dissertation of a post about music business politics; my throwback posts are about the actual music, so on with it...

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week: Jack Hoffman

In the everyday struggle called life, it seems like we're on a perpetual roller coaster ride.  We don't give ourselves credit enough for who we are, lose sight of or don't recognize whose we are, and overlook how special we were made.  We get distracted by the trials and tribulations that befall us on a regular basis, and as a result, we often focus on the size of circumstances and assume that we can't overcome them.  When nothing seems certain but death and taxes, it's extremely hard to remain positive or believe in anything or anyone good.  That's why I'm so inspired by this week's "Highlight"--which might easily be my "Highlight of the Year"--because seven-year-old Jack Hoffman is the very antithesis of a defeated attitude.

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: The O'Jays, "What Am I Waiting For"

The often overlooked beauty of hip-hop music is that it can musically provide a formal introduction to the past.  Although The O'Jays are easily in my favorite top 5 singing groups of all time, I have never owned their 1975 Survival album that features this particular gem.  I first heard it via a Jay-Z song, "You Must Love Me", from In My Lifetime, Vol. 1.  Subsequently, I purchased one of those Smooth Grooves compilation albums mainly because I was so enamored once I heard the original.  It was also notably sampled in 50 Cent's "Ski Mask Way" from The Massacre--and although the sampling was a bit more creative in Fiddy's version, Jay's lyrics were more introspective and had the advantage of Kelly Price singing the hook.  However, this post is not about them...let's talk throwbacks, shall we?

"Boo This Man" Moment of the Week: Mike Rice & Tim Pernetti

(Yeah yeah yeah, I know this all unfolded last week, but you have yet to hear my take and I know that you've been waiting for it because my opinion means soooooo much to you.  Besides, I needed a week to really get my thoughts in order about this mess.  So buckle your seat belts, ladies and gents...)

Imagine sending your 18-year-old son to Rutgers University to play college basketball.  You're excited to see him take his talent to the next level and get a good education while he's at it, whether he decides to go pro or simply wants the experience of playing at a Division I school.  You leave him in the hands of an adult that you assume will not only teach him how to improve upon his game, but will also have your child's best interest at heart overall.  Never would you think that this same adult would utter words like this to your child: "You're a f*ck*ng fairy...you're a f*ck*ng f*gg*t."  Okay...so maybe you didn't make such an assumption because you've heard about coaches cursing out their players.  I'll give you that one concession.  However, I'm sure that you never thought that a supposed leader of young men would shove, kick or punch them; hurl basketballs at their heads, feet or groin areas; or beat them with pads because they didn't perfectly execute a play as it was drawn.  What would you do if you knew that former Rutgers Scarlet Knights Head Coach Mike Rice was verbally and physically abusing your son and other kids over a span of 2-3 years?  Not days...not weeks...not months...years.  I'd put money on your reaction mirroring LeBron James' tweet: "If my son played for Rutgers or a coach like that he would have some real explaining to do and I'm still gone whoop on him afterwards!"

Are You Not Entertained?!?! The Glorification of Gruesome Sports Injuries



By now, most of you have heard about or seen the lower leg injury that Louisville Cardinals' guard Kevin Ware suffered playing against the Duke Blue Devils in the NCAA Midwest regional final on Sunday.  With a little over six minutes remaining in the first half contesting a three-point shot, Ware came down awkwardly on his right leg, which bent at a 90-degree angle and led to an open fracture where nearly six inches of bone protruded through his skin.  In a scene filled with coaches crying, teammates regurgitating and an arena full of people praying for the sophomore guard, it is arguably the most horrific injury ever seen on a basketball court.  CBS, who aired the game, may have shown the replay a total of three times and that's it.  Other media outlets like ESPN showed it afterwards and gave warning to their viewers of its graphic nature.  I didn't actually see it as it happened, but once I heard about the specifics the next morning, I had no desire to see any replays.  Only by research for this particular post did I come across a few of the bone protrusion pictures.  To date, I still haven't seen the video and don't want to see it.

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: Marvin Gaye, "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)"

Before today, I never realized that the late, great Marvin Gaye was murdered one day before his 45th birthday in 1984.  I remember being in pre-kindergarten when it happened and that being one of the first occasions when an artist's death affected me because I absolutely loved--and still do love--his voice and his music.  Marvin Gaye could give you silky smooth and semi-rough all in one record.  He truly sang with soul because he had such a troubled spirit, so you felt every emotion with which he sang and could relate to his joy and pain.  Furthermore, he's one of the few artists that could adjust with any change in the musical climate, and that's part of what makes him such a dope and unforgettable artist.

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week: Remembering Sean Taylor

Now although I am no longer a fan of Washington's NFL team, I still was when the late, great Sean Taylor was becoming one of the most dynamic defensive players not only on that team, but in the entire NFL.  Other than Ed Reed and Troy Polamalu, his athleticism was unmatched by most safeties in the NFL at the time.  His knack for finding the football was mysterious because he would seemingly appear from nowhere and pick off a pass, deflect a pass or be the first one with the ball in his hands on a fumble recovery.  More than anything, who could forget this dude's hits?!?!  Sports Illustrated named him the hardest-hitting player in the NFL before the start of the 2007 regular season.  I think most people remember the annihilation that he delivered to Brian Moorman in his first Pro Bowl game in 2006--yeah, it was on a punter, but it was still amazing nonetheless.  However, he didn't limit his punishment to punters as he lowered the boom to many wide receivers, tight ends, running backs and whoever got in his path.

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: Billy Paul, "Let the Dollar Circulate"

You all will see many posts in the future featuring Mr. Billy Paul, the Philly soul singer known for his classic smash and creeping anthem, "Me & Mrs. Jones".  Taken from his 1975 album, When Love Is New, the late great J Dilla sampled it for Spacek's "Dollar" and so did 9th Wonder in "Dollar Circulate".  However, I first recalled hearing the sample in "Circulate" by Young Jeezy at a local community day celebration where I stopped everything I was doing--and I mean literally stopped putting ketchup and mustard on one of those good ol' burnt cookout hot dogs--to listen attentively.  Being an unofficial Philly soul aficionado, my ears perked up and recognized it as a definite brainchild of one of my biggest musical influences, Gamble & Huff.  After a while, I was less interested in what Jeezy had to say and more interested in finding the original and somehow the instrumental as well.  (I was far less successful in finding the latter...didn't quite have that inside track to Don Cannon to see if he could float me a copy.  Ah well...)

Scribbler's 'Boo This Man' Moment of the Month: The NYPD

Well, this particular 'Boo This Man' Moment will not be remotely as funny as the previous two, and it could only take the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to 1) upstage Kanye West when it comes to controversy and 2) be part of such an appalling incident that they would be the first "Boo This Man" Moment of the Month--and there are still ten days left in March.  By now, I'm sure you've heard about the March 6th killing of 16-year-old Kimani Gray in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn involving two plainclothes NYPD officers.  Here's NYPD's side: the officers spotted a group of young males and when they approached, Gray separated from the group and adjusted his waistband in a "suspicious" manner.  NYPD Chief Spokesman Paul J. Browne explained the rest of the story from the officers' perspectives:

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: The Manhattans, "Wish That You Were Mine"

I remember first hearing this song and thinking, "Dang, are all their best songs about messing around?!?!"  (Think "Kiss and Say Goodbye".)  However, that thought was quickly erased as I pressed repeat another two times.  The ever-so-smooth Winfred "Blue" Lovett opens up as always, asking his object of affection, "Baby, can we have the same table like we had yesterday?" Complementing his deep voice as the song moves along musically are the lush and melodic sounds delivered straight from Philly--which is funny since "The Manhattans" actually formed in Jersey City, New Jersey.  Led by the equally smooth Gerald Alston, the quartet delivers beautiful four-part harmony that you don't often hear from R&B groups anymore--especially considering that there aren't many of which to speak.  Taken from their 1973 album, There's No Me Without You, those who are familiar with Bronx rapper Fat Joe's catalog may recognize this sample from one of his often slept-on singles,  "All I Need" featuring Tony Sunshine & Armageddon.  (Ironic that Fat Joe made more of a rap love song that mentions coming home and staying true to one woman, but The Manhattans' song talks about wanting someone that you know you can't have when you already have somebody at home.)  Although I don't condone infidelity, "Wish That You Were Mine" is one song that makes creeping sound oh so good...but also ultimately hopeless.

Dirk's 1st Annual NFL Free Agency Frenzy Wrap-Up



Now that's a money shot.  Amidst so much doubt as to whether you're the franchise quarterback, you go out and play nearly flawless postseason football, win a Super Bowl and put yourself in position to virtually request a blank check during contract negotiations.  However, not every player was in the same position as Joe Flacco when the free agency frenzy began last Tuesday--especially because quarterbacks always get preferential treatment when they win that Lombardi trophy.  Some players tried to gain leverage from what the market dictated combined with their productivity to either be the highest paid or just get more money for their families, fledgling businesses and/or sports car fetishes.  On the converse, many teams had to make hard decisions because they were running up against the salary cap, often letting go of some of their best players.  One thing is clear from this year's free agency frenzy: if you bank on wearing the same uniform your whole career, then plan on being broke.

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week (Part II): Dormtainment.com, "A-- on the Internet"

As promised, this is the second installment of my highlight of the week, but it's something a little sillier this time around.  Although "A-- on the Internet" is over three months old, nothing is truly old as long as your sense of humor doesn't have an expiration date.  I just got a kick out of this jawn.  If my friends and I had a camcorder and YouTube during our college years, we may have done stuff like this.  Major shout-out to Dormtainment.com for providing the funny, and you can also follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook.  Shout-out to Mrs. Scribbler for putting me on to quite a few of their videos, and trust that they'll get some more shine on my blog in the future.  (Now if only most of the music videos on MTV Jams or BET were this entertaining...)

Scribbler's 'Boo This Man' Moment of the Week (Part II): Kanye West

So who naturally to follow in the "Boo This Man" tradition that Consequence has now set than his former employer, Kanye West?  I'm sure that everyone has heard some of his recent rants.  On this post though, it's not about him "not f-----g with that Suit & Tie" by Justin Timberlake and his "big brother" Jay-Z.  I'm trying not to make this about his rant on The Angie Martinez Show and his issues with being No. 7 on MTV's 2012 "Hottest MC in the Game" list.  I feel like without outright dissing him, Yeezy slighted Kendrick Lamar by saying that Lil' Wayne should've been No. 1.  I mean really...Lil' Wayne didn't even have a year like his Young Money "understudies", Drake and Nicki Minaj, but I digress.  (Besides, I think Kanye is just saying that to mask his real outrage that he's not the top gun.)  We won't even get into his insistence that folks just don't want to show him love because of where he's at in life:

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: Roy Ayers Ubiquity, "Everybody Loves the Sunshine"

Yes indeed...everybody loves the sunshine, and there aren't too many R&B aficionados and overall music lovers who don't love this song.  This is just one of many dope songs from the catalog of Los Angeles native Roy Ayers--this being his most popular song from his 1976 album of the same name.  Of course, 80s and 90s babies are familiar with it as the springboard sample for the title track to one of the best R&B albums of the past 20 years from Mary J. Blige's 1994 My Life album--although hip-hop acts like Brand Nubian, Common and Mos Def have borrowed it as well.  However, with distinct vocals and a beautiful musical marriage of jazz and R&B, it's just a smooth song that makes you want to lay out in a field somewhere on a hill and be one of the "folks gettin' brown in the sunshine".  Shout-out to mom (Mrs. Scribbler's mother) for throwing this one out there on my Facebook page, and I'll be plugging some of the album tracks in the near future.

Scribbler's 'Boo This Man' Moment of the Week (Part I): Consequence

Remember how this guy from Half Baked ridiculed Thurgood Jenkins (Dave Chappelle) for being a marijuana addict in a room full of cocaine addicts? 

Hence, the name of this new series.  When I think people are on that fracka nacka, this is my way of tapping into my inner David Edwards--yup, the same one from The Real World: Los Angeles and fellow D.C. native.  (Let some tell it, this may be the highlight of his career.)  Now on to the bid-ness...

UHHHH DUHHHH ALERT: Kendrick Lamar Named MTV's "Hottest MC"

So this is supposed to be a picture of Kendrick Lamar being surprised as MTV personality and hip-hop aficionado Sway tricked the 25-year-old Compton, California rapper into thinking that he was getting interviewed.  In reality, Sway revealed that Kendrick had been named MTV's "Hottest MC in the Game" for 2012.  Now before we go any further, I must set this up with Mrs. Scribbler's reaction to the list...when I merely mentioned that Future was No. 9 on this list a spot ahead of Meek Mill, she scoffed, "I'm no longer interested.  I mean, you can continue, but I'm no longer interested.  Is he even a rapper???"  However, when she correctly guessed the top gun, she immediately said, "That's no surprise.  He deserves it."

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week (Part I): DeAndre Jordan's Entry for NBA Dunk of the Year

For once, I planned to post a highlight this week that was completely unrelated to sports, unless they have an official league called the "NTA" as in the "National Twerking Association".  (I'm sure a lot of brothers would pay top dollar to attend a "game" like that.  Oh wait, they already do...it's called the strip club.)  Mrs. Scribbler and I were up watching some hilarious videos from Dormtainment.com, and I was like, "Yeah, I'm posting something from their site this week!"  However, it's unfair to them when the Los Angeles Clippers, a.k.a. the 2013 version of the 1980s "Showtime" L.A. Lakers, are playing the most exciting basketball that we've seen in a very long time.  I might have to do two highlights this week, but I doubt that the young bulls need any plugging from a largely unknown blogger like me.  (Heck, I might need help from y'all, so can y'all please throw some Twitter followers and Facebook friends my way?!?!)

"Ain't Nobody Coming to See You, Otis!"

So why have I posted a video from perhaps the funniest scene in The Temptations TV miniseries from 1998 and juxtapose it with a picture of New York Jets' cornerback Darrelle Revis--who could be wearing a new uniform four hours from now once free agency and trading begins?  Please indulge me for a moment...David Ruffin (played by Leon) felt like fans were only coming to see The Temptations because he had become the primary lead singer and undeniably possessed the most amount of swagger out of any group member.  However, Otis Williams (played by Charles Malik Whitfield) and Melvin "Blue" Franklin (played by D.B. Woodside) felt like his failure to make rehearsals, his drug abuse, and overall erratic behavior was hurting the group more than his standout vocals were helping.  Thus, they made a business decision to move on without him.  Now does that make Darrelle Revis the football equivalent of David Ruffin?  Not exactly.  On one hand, he greatly believes in his priceless ability like David Ruffin did.  On the other hand, he's way more of a team player, and his fan appeal when compared to other skilled positions is more like Otis Williams.  Hence, the Jets' entertainment of a trade involving their four-time Pro Bowl, three-time All-Pro cornerback and former AFC Defensive Player of the Year only makes sense because we are talking about the Jets.  Because of their recent resorting to gimmicks and desperate ploys for attention in the New York City spotlight, they're telling him in so many words (and maybe unfairly), "Ain't nobody coming to see you, Otis!"

Singing Out of Tune: The Blunder Years

On the latest edition of the His & Hers podcast hosted by ESPN's Michael Smith and Jemele Hill, they discussed Golden State Warriors' shooting guard & small forward Klay Thompson, who was fined $35,000 for being one of the escalators in the February 26th "brawl" between the Warriors and the Indiana Pacers.  Consequently, his father Mychal Thompson--the No. 1 overall draft pick for the Portland Trail Blazers in 1978 and two-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1987 and 1988--docked him pay out of his "allowance" for his involvement...mind you, that "allowance" comes from Klay's money that he makes as an NBA player.  The Thompson parents literally hand their young adult son an envelope full of spending money once a week.  Wild, right? Jemele Hill seemed to think so and had this to say:

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: Isaac Hayes, "A Few More Kisses to Go"

So Mrs. Scribbler and I were having husband and wife time recently--no, I will not share the details, although I'm sure you don't wanna know--and this song was playing in the midst of a really good set on WHUR's "The Original Quiet Storm".  (For the record, there really is nothing better to listen to for good R&B on a Sunday night, which has been their "touch the sweet spot" night as far back as I can remember.)  Many of you 90s hip-hop/R&B heads may recognize this classic (from his 1979 Don't Let Go album) from "Tonight's Da Night" by Redman and "Tonight's the Night" by Blackstreet, and just from the lush and appealing first 20-30 seconds, you can see why this sample bolstered the likeability of those tracks.  It's funny because a co-worker and I were just having a discussion about Isaac Hayes' vocals, and while he said that he never really cared much for Hayes' voice, I always felt like his melancholic but smooth tone worked for his songs.  Along with "Walk On By", this song is a prime example of that.  I mean, could you really envision somebody like Eddie Holman singing over music like this?  (Eddie Holman = the "Hey There Lonely Girl" guy for those who never know singers by their name or can barely tell other people the name of a song.)  Anyway, if you need a song to either set the opening tone or simply add to your "quality time" playlist, please listen to this one and consider the possibilities...Mrs. Scribbler had a nice night, and [in my Forrest Gump voice] that's all I have to say about that.

Rap Attack 101: What to Have Before You Leave the Studio

 

BREAKING NEWS: I'm a Jay-Z fan.  This is only my opinion and not law, but he's the greatest MC of all time because "MC" stands for "master of ceremonies" and nobody masters a ceremony as a hip-hop/rap artist like Mr. Carter.  (I will say that Doug E. Fresh is arguably more or at least equally entertaining as a one-man show.)  Now for the real point of this post...it takes a lot to go from Picture #1 to Picture #2 as a rapper, MC, artist or however you choose to bill yourself.  Seems like an obvious statement simply because Jay is the subject in these pictures.  However, judging from many of the performances that I see at open mics, artist showcases, and even "professional" concerts, it's not as consensus of a practice as one should expect it to be.  Let's forget lack of stage presence or a clear sign that an artist doesn't practice enough before they grace the stage.  Let's not even get into whether somebody is dope boy fresh or spewing wack juice all over the game.  The thing that annoys me the most is that many artists think they're so ready for Picture #2 that they leave Picture #1 without the essentials.

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week: The Miami Heat Take On Harlem

So all of my highlights will not necessarily be from the same week...in fact, it'll typically be something that I came across or simply thought about posting that week.  Anyway, anyone who knows me knows that I always complain about being the last to know about everything and anything.  So when my best friend Country showed me some clips of people doing the new Harlem Shake, I felt lost as usual--mainly because I thought, "This doesn't look like the Harlem Shake that I remember!"  Nevertheless, I quickly got over it as I was wildly and thoroughly entertained by most of the clips.

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: War, "Galaxy"

So remember the "Been Around the World" video where Puff Daddy and J. Lo quite possibly ignited their much-documented romantic history with a dance for the Shiny Suit Rap ages?  Yeah...this was the song playing--a gem delivered by the legendary Long Beach, California funk band from their 1977 album, Galaxy.  The opening bass line alone may be one of the nastiest introductions to ever grace a song--and I wouldn't be surprised if Rick James was inspired by that same movement when composing "Give It To Me Baby."  Not to mention that the marriage of the bass, the piano chords and the percussion is signature War, but on a different tip because it rhythmically makes minced meat out of most disco records of its time.  So if you find yourself listening to this and decide to tap into your inner Diddy or Jenny From the Block, I promise that I will not judge you...to your face.

Scribbler's Highlight of the Week: Blake Griffin...And One, Son

So since I'll be sharing sonically-pleasant favorites once a week, I have to get on my Warner Wolf and "go to the videotape" as well.  Thus, the "Scribbler's Highlight of the Week" is born.  Usually, I'll feature a spectular sports play--mainly because I live vicariously through athletes since I'm probably the least athletically-inclined member of my father's side of the family for this generation--but don't be surprised if it's just something funny, swaggerific or just flat-out random as a mugg.  With that said, on to the inaugural feature...

Hail to the [Fill In The Blank]: Fight For New D.C.

At the "Racist Stereotypes and Cultural Appropriation in American Sports" Symposium at the Smithsonian's Museum of the American Indian on February 7th, one of the top issues was the nickname attributed to the team that has been in my hometown of Washington, D.C. since 1937: "Redskins".  Apparently, there were many people who walked into this symposium donning team apparel with a sense of pride in their local pro football team.  However, many of those people walked out with heavy hearts and regret once they realized just how "racist" and "demeaning" the term is to the Native American culture.  Furthermore, not one person in the audience stood up to defend the name--including any member of the franchise because no one answered the Smithsonian's invitation to participate.  I would have not only attended the symposium if I knew about it beforehand, but more important, I would've been in the majority of those who had nothing positive to say about this long-standing nickname.

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: Lyn Collins, "Think"

So I've decided to start this new thing on my blog where I try to feature a song at least once a week that has been sampled in classic hip-hop and R&B songs or gave a much-needed boost to an otherwise dud.  (Keyword: "try".  Although this blogging thing can be highly therapeutic, it can also be time-consuming--especially since I'm a step away from being a windbag.  I know, I know...some of y'all are like, "Ummmm, 'a step away from being a windbag'? Dude, you're already there!")  There might not be a better song to kick off this post than with a song that I mentioned on my Facebook page the other day: "Think (About It)" by Lyn Collins.

Dirk Scribbler's 1st Annual Grammy Wrap Up

So I totally didn't plan on watching the 55th Grammy Awards last night.  I tend to have a love-hate relationship with award shows: I hate to love them because there are often so many disappointing moments.  However, Mrs. Scribbler convinced me to watch them--truthfully, she had the remote and wasn't gonna win that battle.  I must say that I ended up enjoying some very stylish folks strut their stuff on the red carpet and, subsequently, the actual Grammy Awards itself.  My issue regarding some of the coverage was that folks were "riding" certain artist's you-know-whats because they are who they are.  Therefore, a Grammy wrap-up wouldn't be complete without the more-self-proclaimed-than-world-renowned music aficionado in Dirk Scribbler giving you his take.

Note to Randy Moss: "We Don't Believe You, You Need More People!"

So the blog title is the first of two quotes by my favorite rapper of all time, Jay-Z.  We’ll get to the other one later.  Anyways, I’m sure that most football fans by now have heard about those interesting comments from San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Randy Moss during Media Day for Super Bowl XLVII.  Just in case you’ve chosen to tune out the world for a few days, here’s an excerpt:

How to Lose a Million Bucks In Seven Hours

So I was going to post a blog entry on Friday or Saturday previewing the conference championships, but I had a very busy weekend.  You shouldn't care about that though...you should care more about my keys to victory for each game, like Matt Ryan and Julio Jones lighting it up offensively or about Atlanta’s defense needing to contain Colin Kaepernick.  Conversely, you should concern yourself more with the in-depth analysis that I didn't share about how that same defense would forget Frank Gore and Vernon Davis and that the Niners’ defense would figure out a way to slow down Atlanta’s potent offensive attack.  By this point though, you should be telling me, “Yeah, that’s nice.  My two-year-old daughter could've told me that.”  Thus, it's time to skip to the reason you're reading this blog post in the first place…

The Nino Brown of the Tour de France???

 

Alright, let’s set this up...so one of my favorite rappers, Joe Budden, made his third appearance on ESPN’s First Take on Wednesday and chimed in on everything from the Baltimore Ravens to Tiger Woods. However, it was his answer to moderator Cari Champion’s question about the legacy of Lance Armstrong after “admitting” to Oprah Winfrey that he used performance-enhancing drugs that raised an eyebrow: 

The Morris Day Retirement Mardi Gras...Bowl

I know everyone saw the title of this blog entry and said in Scooby-Doo fashion, “ERR?” Just go with it for a second…this year’s Super Bowl is at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Instead of the über-talented Beyoncé Knowles-Carter performing as expected, the entertainment committee for the Super Bowl pulls a gutsy move and inserts Morris Day and The Time. Now you might ask, "Why would anyone with half a brain swap Beyoncé shaking her derriere in her Dereons for Morris Day’s mirror checks with Jerome Benton?" Simple…if the Ravens and Falcons somehow represent the AFC and NFC, only Morris Day has a song remotely cool enough (“The Bird”) to be the anthem for Super Bowl XLVII. I know...it won’t happen in a million years. You gotta admit though...the title drew your attention. Now for the main event...