R.I.P.

Rapper Guru succumbed on April 19, 2010 at the age of 47. Hip Hop has lost a legend. I’m not going to write a typical article about his life or the evolution of his musical career. I’ll leave that to all of the official media outlets. I will talk about how I used to love listening to all of classic Gangstarr joints on Yo MTV raps or tapes I used to steal from my brother as a youngin’ gettin into hip hop. I fell in love with Gurizee’s smooth, monotone voice along with Primo’s head-noddin beats. They were a killer combo. Fast forward to my college years, I can remember wearing the “Moment of Truth” LP out on my portable CD player as I walked around campus.

Guru’s music, especially during his career with Gangstarr, is timeless. Dwyck, Loungin’, Ex Girl to Next Girl, You Know My Steez, Mass Appeal, Just to Get a Rep, Above the Clouds, The Question Remains, Code of the Streets, Words I Manifest. I could go on and on. It’s sad that he and Primo seemed to end on such bad terms. His producer Solar is a questionable dude, but I won’t get into that.

Guru is a hip hop Hall of Famer and his catalog of music should be studied by those who profess to be aspiring emcees. His career was one of longevity and excellence. RIP brother. You will be missed man. I will never stop playing your music.

Spreading the Word

I was reading the through the Dallas Observer last week, trying to find new things to do around D-Town and found a positive review about Jam Session Wednesdays at Prophet Bar. According to the writer, this weekly event is one of Dallas’ best kept secrets, a spot to listen to real hip hop with DJ Jay Clipp on the 1s and 2s and live soul music as well. The fact that Prophet Bar is literally five minutes from my crib, there is no dress code, and it’s only $5 before 10 was icing on the cake- I was going to be in the building this week. So last night I headed over there and grabbed a seat at the bar around 9:50. There were about 15 people there, which I expected.

I got in just in time to take advantage of the reverse happy hour $5 Patron special and got a glass on the rocks, with a lime of course. As I digress, Prophet Bar has a very NYC lounge feel to it; narrow, dimly lit, with a minimalist aesthetic.  The smell of burning incense set the tone for a nostalgic evening. Jay Clipp took me back with his set, playing joints from Dead Prez, Black Moon, Nas, Gangstarr, and even some Heather B. Damn, whatever happened to Heather B?! I began to wonder if Jay Clipp was kin to either Havoc or Prodigy because he spun quite a few Mobb Deep records, including a few that I don’t remember.  He also managed to sprinkle a little soul into his mix, playing some cuts from D’Angelo.

By 11, the crowd had swelled to what seems like 70 people, which made the cozy venue seem full. As I scanned the room, it seemed like me and another guy at the bar were the only ones really into the music, reciting words and bobbing our heads to the boom baps and high hats. Others were bobbing their heads too, but it was almost like they were doing it to pass the time until soul band The Grits came on stage.  They weren’t really engaged in the music, but in conversations with other patrons. Around 11:30, The Grits came on and started off with an instrumental that I know is off Erykah Badu’s “New Amerykah” album, but I couldn’t figure out which song it was.

Regardless, the band was nice, with the bass player getting it in something serious. Around 11:50, I decided to head out due to my old age and the fact that I had to work the next day. My body can’t handle those weeknight events like in the past. As I was walking out the door, The Grits began playing “All That I Am” by Bilal, which momentarily made me think of staying a little longer because that “1^st Born Second” album was a gem. But, I decided to continue on out the door and head home. However, it was refreshing to know that good music is being played not far away and I’ll definitely be back to jam with my fellow music congregants at the Prophet Bar on Wednesday nights. But, to give you guys a complete review, I’ll probably have to take Thursday off next time!

No, I Can’t Buy You a Drink

My wife and I went to First Fridays last night with my boy and his fiancée and had a great time.  The DJ in the back room was killing it, playing a 90s hip hop set for pretty much the whole night. As I waited at the bar to order a couple of drinks, I overheard (or eavesdropped) a guy flirting with a girl at the bar, with him ultimately buying her a drink, which she gladly accepted.  I chuckled and shook my head in disgust. I don’t know if buddy was able to seal the deal with her, but, it made me think about my single club-trottin’ days and I realized: I almost never bought drinks for women.

Now, I made a few exceptions from time to time, but there were only two scenarios in which I would buy a woman a drink. One, if you were my homegirl, then I had no problem with hooking you up. Secondly, if I had met a nice young lady at the bar and we had already been engaged in a conversation, then I might have dropped a little change on a drink for her because I enjoyed her company.  However, I would never, EVER, buy a drink for a woman as a means to get her attention.

Quite frankly, I think it is corny and a waste of my “get drunk” money. During my single, party hoppin’ days, I began to notice that SOME women, attractive ones no less, would hang around the bar.  They would flirt with a guy for a few minutes, smile and laugh at his advances, and then walk away with a glass of wine or a sour apple martini. Unfortunately, the naïve guy was $10 lighter and digit-less. Many times, I would see the same girl working the bar, getting drinks from multiple gullible guys–not just for herself, but her crew too.

The rationale behind my refusal to use a drink as an icebreaker is three-fold: 1) That drink is one less glass of whiskey that could be going down my throat; 2) The probability that my drink purchase would lead to me getting her phone number wasn’t 100%, so it was not worth the risk; and 3) I’m a man of pride, so I would rather get a woman’s number through the use of charm and personality as opposed to the use of variables such as drinks.

However, I’m a married man now so I buy drinks for my wife all the time. I’m blessed that she was receptive to my lame jokes and my attempts to impress her with my intelligence. I didn’t have to buy her drinks to reel her in. But, wait, I did buy her quite a few glasses of wine. Kimberly, you tricked me!!!

Roc On!

I copped a couple of expensive nosebleed seat tickets and checked out the Roc boy in the building, Jay-Z, with my wife on February 24 in Dallas at the American Airlines Center. Hov came on stage around 9:15 to a thunderous applause and lead off with “Run this Town”, the second single from his Blueprint 3 album. In fact, he performed damn near the entire album throughout the show, including singles “On to the Next One”, “D.O.A.”, female-favorite “Empire State of Mind”, and “A Star is Born”, “Venus vs. Mars”, and “Thank You”.  However, I do understand the logic behind this since this is the “Blueprint 3” tour and he’s still promoting the album.

The “Martha Stewart that’s far from Jewish” rattled off hit after hit, escorting the crowd on a Jayscapade of his unrivaled album catalog with tracks like “Jigga What”, “Money Ain’t a Thang”, “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”, “Give it to Me“, and Jigga My Ni**a”. He channeled our inner hustler spirit with “U Don’t Know”, gave haters the middle finger with a spirited performance of “P.S.A.”, and empathized with our collective struggles with “Hard Knock Life”.

The American Airlines Center reached a fever pitch with Hova’s performance of “Big Pimpin”, with concert-goers bouncing up and down and throwing up Roc signs errrwhere! Jay even paid homage to Texas hip hop legend Pimp C, rhyming the late UGK member’s memorable verse along with the audience. And, predictably yet fittingly, the master from Marcy ended his set with the Yeezy-produced “Encore”, bidding farewell to the seemingly-satisfied audience.

Overall, it was an exceptional performance. Jay-Z maneuvered around the stage with calculated and precise movement, drawing the crowd in with magnetic lyrical mastery. No wasted energy, running around crazily.  You see, that’s not Jay-Z, an artist who has always epitomized cool.  He spit verse after verse under complete control, accented with his signature Brooklynesque twang. Whether rhyming over live instrumentation or a cappella, Jay had the crowd’s attention, leaving many hoarse after reciting song after song.

I honestly forgot how many great songs Jay’s delivered throughout his career, but was reminded last night. No other rapper in our generation possesses his versatility, the typically opposed characteristics of mainstream appeal and thought-provoking subject matter.

Would I have loved to hear more off of Jay’s best album (in my opinion) Reasonable Doubt? You’re damn right! I was just waiting and waiting to hear “Cashmere Thoughts”, “Can’t Knock the Hustle”, and “Politics and Usual”. However, the show was worth the price of admission and I can draw a line through “See Jay-Z in concert” on my musical bucket list. Now, on to the next one. Sorry…I had to do it!

Keep it Player: A Player-Made Tool Kit for NBA All-Star Weekend

The stars come out for the highly-anticipated event known as NBA All-Star Weekend. Guys, learn how the average guy can show out and shine as a player for the weekend.

Custom Business Cards- Swanky business cards with upgraded profession titles (e.g. “District Account Executive” as opposed to just “Sales”) seem to make the rounds at events such as NBA All-Star Weekend. Whether you are actually networking or trying to court some hopefully-gullible female, head to Kinko’s and arm yourself with a fresh stack for the arsenal.

Luxury Vehicle- True players can’t cruise the streets in subpar automobiles. If you’re not already pushing something clean and German, head to your nearest Hertz or Avis and rent a “good enough”, fresh whip for the weekend. And, only Luxury class vehicles are acceptable. Full-size and standard cars may be cool for a business trip, but Chevy Malibus and Toyota Camrys won’t turn heads. So, expect to see many factory chromed-out Chrysler 300s rollin’ downtown. But damn, females will see that rental car sticker on the back. Oh well.

Sick Day- Now, I recommend starting All-Star Weekend on Thursday so you can test out your player-made swag that night at a party. So, in order to save those valuable vacation days at work, prepare to take a sick day on Friday. To make it convincing, start “getting” sick on Wednesday. Place all the necessary props on your desk, such as a box of tissue and a package of Daytime Tylenol capsules. Then, when you call your boss on Friday morning, your so-called illness is not out of left field. But, please don’t pose for any party promotions pictures at the party. Remember, the internet is global.

Fly Fit- To be red carpet ready, the generic button-down shirt and lame pair of jeans will not suffice. I encourage you to follow the trends and cop a velvet blazer, preferable black, purple or navy blue. To be more of a conformist, break the bank and buy a pair of True Religion jeans. To top it off, head to your barber and get a faux-hawk. Surprisingly, guys still think this look is cool and edgy.

Establish a Connect- All-Star Weekend party prices are going to run anywhere from $50-$300 to get into, depending whether you are doing general admission or VIP. So, at least two weeks in advance, try to find someone who’s part of the crew throwing the events you plan to attend and get on guest-list status. In fact, see if you can finagle a VIP pass; that would be real baller-like. A true player can’t be #139 in line outside the party at 1:00 am. You want to present the image of the “in” dude walking up to the door, giving dap to the doorman, and strolling in with ease. That shows people that you may be a person of importance.

Fellas, if you follow these instructions, you will have earned the moniker of “Player-Made”. So, get to work and make me proud.

Party Poses for Guys

All-Star Weekend is upon us here in big D-Town. Fellas, to be prepared, here are some standard club poses to master for those countless party promotions picture sites. Say cheese!

The “Usual” pose

The “Double Usual” pose

The “Fitted Special” pose

The “Random Cool Hand Gesture” pose

The “Double Rock-On Ice Grilly” pose

The “Co-Dependent” pose

The “I’m A G” pose

Guys, practice these poses and make sure to include all of them at some point in the rotation. Hope to see you on the front page of your favorite promotions website!

Channeling Amy Winehouse…Sort Of

Overdosing on life

Can’t put down the pipe

Inhale so much

That my aura is bright

I make no excuse

for my substance abuse

Haters want me to get help

But I can’t break loose

So I use and use

Can’t break the habit

To kick it would be tragic

When I find opportunity

I grab it

It ain’t magic

I’m not crazy or insane

Just wet my skin

Put the needle in the vein

To spark activity in the brain

No heroin or crack cocaine

Just travelin the world on planes

And doing my part in order to bring about change

You see that’s how I get high

No AA meetings

Just sharing love and greetings

Intoxicated by hope

Hallucinating off of growth

You see I’ll never be clean

Because my life is dope…

Cracks in the Crown?

Up to this point in his career, Lebron James has exceeded the unbelievably high expectations and hype levied on him coming out St. Vincent St. Mary’s Prep Academy in Akron, Ohio. Night in and night out, the 6’8” human bulldozer terrorizes opposing defenses with indefensible drives to the basket, innate passing and playmaking ability, and a vastly improved jump shot. Most of the time, he is simply unguardable. Not only does he have the size and strength of an NFL linebacker, his end-to-end speed makes him impossible to stop in the open court. Would you take a charge from that man? I think not.

Quite simply the NBA, better yet the sports world in general, has never witnessed such an athletic specimen. In addition to his physical gifts, Lebron James has an extremely high basketball IQ and a natural unselfishness that is rare with superstars. He understands the value of getting his teammates involved and does so willingly. For all the praise heaped upon the 25-yr-old reigning NBA MVP, is it possible that he has yet to reach his peak? I’m sure opposing NBA GMs and coaches pray the answer to this question is yes.

Although already a dominant force and on course to being the best small forward ever, there are still some holes in the King’s game. Lebron James has worked tirelessly over the past few off-seasons to improve his shooting touch and now is a legitimate perimeter threat. However, he has the tendency to fall in love with the “J”. He’ll knock down a few jumpers early and will continue taking the lower percentage shot and go away from his strength, which is driving to the basket. The man is a virtually automatic “And-1” when he goes to the rim and should not stray away from this. Besides, his perimeter game is not quite on Kobe’s level…yet.

Secondly, he tends to lose concentration when defending his man in half-court sets. Now, many will scream “Are you crazy? He made the 2009 NBA All-Defensive Team!” Indeed, Lebron demonstrated a commitment to playing hard on the defensive end last season and continues to make plays on that side of the ball this season. He has made multiple Sportscenter “Top Plays” lists by chasing down unsuspecting players for volleyball spike-like blocked shots. But, I’ve noticed that he will take his eye off the player he’s guarding, focusing more on helping on defense. This allows his man to break open for wide open shots.

Honestly, that’s the only so-called flaws he has in his game. I expect Lebron James to win at least three titles before his career over and he’ll definitely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He is a transcendent player and personality that, like Jordan, forces you to stop everything your doing just to watch him play. I’ve yet to see him play in person. But, when I do, best believe I’ll have my camera out, ready to capture the pre-game King James powder shower spectacle. That is, of course, if I can afford to sit close enough to be a “Witness”!

Now That’s Gangsta!

Shortly after the election of Barack Obama in November 2008, I flew to New York to hang out with my brother for a few days. Flying Southwest, I had a connecting flight in DC. Once I boarded the plane and grabbed my aisle seat, I made eye contact with an older African-American male in the aisle seat across from me and said hello. We began to small talk and come to find out, I was talking to Ernest Green. For those of you that don’t know, he was one of the members of the Little Rock Nine, the courageous group of African-American high school students that integrated Central High School amongst racist protests in 1957. I was in awe.

I’ve met and conversed with many celebrities throughout my lifetime, including Michael Jordan, Heidi Klum, John Legend, and L.A. Reid. But, this was different and beyond comparison. I learned about the Little Rock Nine in a Black History program when I was in elementary school and have always maintained a tremendous amount of respect for them. They endured unyielding expressions of hate and bigotry in order to have access to educational opportunities on par with their white counterparts.

Now residing in DC, Mr. Green was on his way to New York for a TV interview about the election of Barack Obama. Seeing this as a once in a lifetime experience, I began to ask him about the school integration experience and how he was able to handle the daily harassment and discrimination from the white community. He said that it was tough, but he was determined to be successful academically and use this success as a stepping stone to obtain future educational and career opportunities. Mr. Green was the first of the Little Rock Nine to graduate from Central and later went on to earn his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Michigan State. I then asked Mr. Green what it meant to him to witness an African-American elected to the highest office in this country. He expressed that it symbolized that progress had been made and that the efforts of the Little Rock Nine and others that fought and stood up for Civil Rights were not in vain. The future was brighter.

Many rappers today talk about being real and being “gangsta”. To me, gangsta is persevering when everyone wants you to fail and attempts to discourage you by every method imaginable. Gangsta is refusing to accept the status quo and fighting for opportunities that should be available to ALL, and not a select group. Equally important, gangsta is making the most of your opportunities when you’ve obtained them. So many people today make excuses for not being successful when they are indifferent to doing what it takes to be successful. Mr. Green and the other members of the Little Rock Nine understood the value of opportunities and were willing to put their lives at stake to gain access to them. I will forever cherish my experience with Ernest Green, someone that I will forever consider a hero.

And the Winner Is…

I watched the majority of the Grammy’s last night and had to offer my opinions to the masses.

• Pink’s performance basically told everyone “Step you performance game up.” Best of the night in my opinion. From the singing to the acrobatic maneuvers, it was excellent. Yes, better than the Michael Jackson tribute too.
• I know everyone had to be thinking “Who is this big girl running on stage with Jamie Foxx?” during the “Blame it” performance. My friend informed me that it was Jamie’s sister, so that makes sense. And, as much as that song is catchy and was a hit last year, I don’t think it was deserving of such an extended performance. It’s not a classic song. Catchy is not synonymous with classic.
• I have been a HUGE Michael Jackson fan since I went to the Jackson 5 reunion tour in Houston back in ’85. But, I’m sorry, that tribute was not good enough. They had a good combination of artists for the performance, with Celine Dion, Smokie, JHud, Carrie and Usher. But, one song? I was thinking we were at least going to get a medley. No PYT, Billie Jean, Rock With You, Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough? It also sucked since I didn’t have the 3D glasses either. Ah well.
• I wish these awards show writers would stop forcing these comedic dialogue attempts on presenting artists. They work, sometimes. But, sometimes the dialogue is just awkward, especially when the presenters don’t tell the jokes with any energy or light-heartedness. Oh yeah, the jokes should be funny too.
• Maxwell, Maxwell, Maxwell. What happened last night?! Mr. Cococure’s voice was not hittin’ during his performance of “Pretty Wings”. It was very raspy and he seemed to struggle on the falsetto notes. I’ve seen Maxwell in concert and heard him perform on shows before, and his voice is usually smooth and quite honestly, flawless. But, tonight he didn’t bring his A game.
• Mary J and Bocelli did a great job too. Mary, as usual, brought her strong, passionate voice and Bocelli’s voice is awesome. So smooth and crisp.
• Why did the Grammy’s even have Eminem, Drake, and Weezy perform “Forever” last night? They bleeped out half of the performance so I muted it. However, I had to hear Em’s verse because it’s the best one on the song. He kills that track!
• I’m going to second the opinions of many of my Facebook friends: How did Taylor Swift win album of the year? Now granted, I haven’t heard her album, I just thought Lady Gaga, Beyonce, or BEP would’ve won that award. Also, I’m basing my opinion largely in part to her performance on the Grammy’s. IT WAS TERRRBLE, as my man Barkley would say. She was off key and it just didn’t sound like she could sing at all. I’m going to listen to her album, give her a second chance. We’ll see.

These are my thoughts. What did you think about the show?