the shuffle. [6/3/06]

What's good, family? I watched Poetic Justice with the Mrs. not too long ago... forgot how much I loved that flick. Surprises me how talented 2Pac was. Janet's great too, but her style is more melodramatic. John Singleton needs to bring it back to the essence...

Busy week over here. Pregnancy is taking it's toll on my wife, and being 6 months now, it's hard for her to get proper care. It's OK with some things, but cracked ribs are no joke. Lil' man is going to hear about this come September LOL.

Entertainment news this week has been kind of touch and go. Brad and Angelina had a baby girl, but really, is that any concern of your's? I bet Jennifer Aniston is kind of pissed, with her new movie coming out this past Friday and all... lil Brangelina baby sucked up all the publicity!

For Dubstep heads, you might want to check out this Burial album. I just grabbed it, and the sounds are kind of intense... not too overbearing at all, and really pushing the edges. It's not even Dubstep, really, but I hear it's lumped into that category. Hell, the shit is all Dub to me in the end, so what difference does it make...

Never mind the bullshit, onto the shuffle!!!!

1> Rumor has it that Raekwon is signed or signing to Aftermath. XXL had it up as a headline, but abruptly took it down an hour later. Lots of fans are championing this signing, but I think it might be a little risky. Rae's last couple of albums didn't do so hot, and having Dr. Dre foot the bill doesn't sound like success to me. Some of these '95 niggas might need to go back and just revisit that era instead of claiming prevelance these days. I'm just saying, if shit like Yung Joc is #1 everywhere, how can he expect to be relevant to the legions of ignorant teens supporting that garbage?

2> Some guys is suing Justin, N'SYNC, Nelly and the Neptunes over that "Girlfriend" song. Why? Because he can't get a deal, I'm guessing. He should take note, though, Luda and Kanye just got off on their lawsuit. I really don't get it. It's like "wow, those guys MUST have heard my shit, why would they jack my music?" How many times are these lawsuits valid? We'll see what the deal is in the near future...

3> For all of you Destiny's Child/Beyonce fans, rejoice. Not only does Jay's girl have Dreamgirls coming out later this year, but her new solo album, B'Day, is set to come out the day after her birthday in September. Good for B. I guess. I mean, the first single is slated to be with Jay, entitled "Deja Vu"... how fucking corny is that? Must artists like Beyonce and Eminem always come out the box with the same type of single? We aren't that fucking dumb...

4> Speaking of Em, the guy who shot Proof is said to have acted lawfully, according to prosecutors in Detroit. Did we have any doubt? I mean, did Proof let off during a fucking pool game? That's kind of hostile... God rest the dead. Proof, RIP, but that's just not hot. Unnecessary violence must cease.

5> So Comedy Central couldn't wait, huh? They already have plans in the works to release a new DVD of unreleased Chappelle's Show material (aka Season 3). I wanted to see this on TV, but I guess this is the route they are taking -- the "let's make mad loot" route. The price is looking to be damn near $30 for 70 mins of material... something ain't right. Dave, come back and stop this madness. We need your show on fucking cable TV, not some bootleg sounding DVD. Fix up!

6> Your boy The Game is really trying to do it big, huh? He has that fuckin' movie with Tyrese coming out, where he rocks the weird eye, and now he is trying to take this Black Wall Street shit to Aftermath himself? Aside from Charli Baltimore and nigga who writes Kevin Federline's raps (what a job), who else does he have signed? And with all this hoopla about what he did on his 1st album, in terms of the majority of his hit singles having 50 on the track and/or on the chorus, should he truly be focusing on some no-names? Organize, nigga...

7> John Muhammad, aka the D.C. Sniper, got hit up with 6 more convictions. This story is wild. I mean, Lee Malvo stood up and really spoke his mind. He let us know that after all of these shootings, which was supposed to go from a few random people to mad police, was to culminate with John trying to get his kids? What a fucking role model! Now John is already facing death, plus 6 more life terms? Just kill this dumbass right now. Or go rent the USA movie about this fiasco.

8> So what do you do when someone is pissing you off and you are in need of someone's spot in the play? You spike their drink with bleach, that's what! WTF is going on here, people? WTF...

9> I'm not sure if anyone remembers, but before his mother died, Bernard Hopkins said he was going to be retiring soon. Two years later, and mad millions richer, he is making good on that promise. And, for some odd reason, he chose Bun B to escort him down ringside. I think this is cool, don't get me wrong, but isn't The Executioner from Philly? Why not get Beanie Sigel to spit some sizzurp flows down the aisle? Just a thought...

10> If I had the loot, I'd cop a Razr phone. Why someone needs a blinged out Razr is anyone's guess, but it's out there.

11> Some more Wu-Tang related news: RZA is scoring some animated Kung Fu show with Sam Jackson as the lead voice. I would be behind it if the word Afro wasn't in the title... also, peep Method Man dishing shit on his last album, Tical 0, and talking about his forthcoming opus. The bootlegs I've heard are decent, but nothing too exciting. Who knew he worked with Diddy on that last garbage album? Strange times...

12> Did you guys hear about the Asian kid born with 3 arms? How crazy is that?!?! It looks like a psychodelic poster or some shit... too nutty to be real, but it is! Good luck to him.

13> I told you I would link you with more info on this B.I.G. lawsuit oddness over in LA. Apparently, the lawyers reppin' BIG's estate say "we ain't lie". Not much else info there, but they need to find some closure for Ms. Wallace. Please.

14> Peep Def Jam's fall release schedule. No Redman, no Joe Budden (whattup with no NJ love?!?!)... but fuckin' Rick Ross!? That nigga is gonna brick, hard. Jeezy will do good... The Roots will do normal record sale #s, but will make mad loot on the road... Nas? I don't know... Lady Sovereign? ROFL that chick isn't going to do too well over here. Sorry, the US ain't ready for grime (whattup Dizzee Rascal!?!?)...

15> How the fuck are grandparents gonna order a hit on their grandkids? These fuckers need to be castrated and hung for that shit... that's the worst right there.

16> Surprising Ignorant Rapper News: Da fucking YoungBloodZ have been arrested for drugs and guns!

Another end to a crazy week. I'm going to smoke a lil Black and call it a night. Mavericks vs. Heat starting June 8th... can't wait! Night to ya...

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the shuffle. [5/27/06]

Memorial Day Weekend, bitches. What's really good? Wanna send a shout-out to my boy Russell over there reppin' NJ over in Cali right now. I hope you taking it easy out there on Crenshaw, nigga.

Wanna shout out to these cats online who type real tough. That shit amuses me... "lemme know where you at so I can bitchslap you". Pure jokes.

Anyone grilling this weekend? I'm putting chicken on that bad boy twice -- legs tomorrow, and breasts on Monday. Might have the in-laws in, which will be nice because their pet dog would come and tear up the yard. Quality.

My baby boy is moving strong. Check out these new ultrasound pictures. He's a litte over a pound right now, and 13 inches long. THAT'S what it's all about. The funny thing about this is, this is the closest we get to fully realizing how close to animals we as humans really are. We have our opposable thumbs and our forward-thinking brains, but we are on some primal shit when it comes to procreation. I tell wifey all the time, this is the most beautifullest thing anyone can experience or be invovled with. I love her, and I love our girls, and I love Jayden.

OK that's the end of the mushy stuff, you guys want some new news, right? Holla.

1> RIP Desimal. DnB has lost a true individual sound. Peep this post of mine detailing his music and a gang of tribute mixes. And spin his tunes when you can, DJs.

2> Beanie Sigel got shot out on his block in Philly. I seen the shit on TV, it's pure comedy. He's in the back of his whip like "I got shot. I'm OK", and then proceeds to pull down his sleeve like "You wanna see?" Beans is a trooper; he apparently laid it out on the mic right afterwards. He says he got shot while being robbed by like 5 dudes. Damn shame, B Mac. Maybe he needs to move out the hood?

3> AOL is on the verge of starting up it's own Myspace. Why? Who knows. If someone is already on Myspace, why jump over to this nonsense. Honestly, the only reason to fuck with AOL these days is b/c of AIM, which I use faithfully.

4> My favorite dead LOST actress, Michelle Rodriguez, got sentenced more jail time. Homegirl needs to quit the booze & cruise on the real. Hold your head, though, Michelle.

5> Speaking of LOST, word is that Ubisoft has got plans to create a videogame based on the hit TV show. There's also word that Todd McFarlane is planning on creating LOST action figures. Say word.

6> This Jewish guy on Slate is Blogging the Bible. If you know the Bible like I do, you will find it interesting. I went to a christian school from K through 6th grade, so I had to know the Bible pretty thoroughly, but as an adult I look at it through a different set of eyes, so this is just a big shift in what I thought I knew and what I am now realizing. Check it out.

7> 50 Cent won a songwriting award. Why? WTF good is an ASCAP award for a guy who can write hooks? He should get the "earned mad money raping Hip-Hop" award.

8> Apparently, the LA Courts are saying that Biggie's lawyers decieved the court, and are holding onto that settlement. Kind of fucked up, over some dumb shit. I mean, this case is fucking important, not just to Biggie's family, but to the fucking corruption of the LAPD and their RAMPART division. I'll keep you up to date when I hear more about this.

9> Cam debuted at #2 with Killa Season. Surprising... I guess the Dipset fans came out in droves to support ya boy. Nappy, we'll see if I win that bet or not. If I do, I'll settle for a 6er of Heineken.

10> Sony is proving to get dumber with their success. They want to make it so their PS3 consumers cannot sell their used games to video game shops for credit to purchase NEW GAMES!??!?! Apparently this hurts their bottom line. Do people NOT buy their game systems? They pretty much own the competition. What's going on? I won't be buying one until the price goes down... in like 4 years.

11> It's funny when old schoolers sue rappers and producers for sampling seconds of audio. How you gonna sue someone for saying 2 words in a chorus? Ask Kanye & Luda. They getting sued for some nigga's claim of them using the words "like that" in "Stand Up". Huh? Can I sue someone for some money? That nigga said "Yo"... I say "Yo" all the time, yo! Where the paper at?!?!

12> Italians are on some shit. First they put sauce on the Asians spaghetti, now this. That's right, an atheist is suing the Vatican, trying to get proof that Jesus exists. It's funny, and kind of been a long time coming, but what's next? I doubt he will win, but stranger shit has happened.

13> Sean Combs, aka Puff Daddy, aka P. Diddy, aka Diddy, aka That Music Mogul Who Dicks Over His Artists, is planning on a new MTV show. This time, it looks like he is going to rival Fox and ABC's popular "dance" shows. Speaking of with, Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance?" premiered the other day, and that shit was comedy. The Jew Boy smacked his face on the floor AND KEPT ON DANCING! How quality was that? Anyways, speaking of Diddy's MTV shows, peep how Dylan is trying to make amends with his former boss.

14> Ya boy DMX is off the meatrack. Oh I'm sorry, The Dog. Yup, he's trying to change his name in time for his new album to come out. Why? Crack has gotten to him something fierce. I hope his new album is good, or he will be out of the loop forreal. Can't wait for that BET reality show, X!

15> What's good with the Miami Heat's 2006 NBA Playoff home games? Did they send a memo to the fans that there will only be white tees worn at these playoff games? I didn't watch too many Heat games this year, so I don't know if this is a NEW phenomenon, but it looks great on TV! [shouts to Nappy for the inspiration!] PS: I still say the Pistons will win it all this year...

16> No news here, but I've been digging this YouTube site and want to make it a staple of what I do in these shuffles... here is my find of the week on You Tube:

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the shuffle. [5/20/06]

What up world? Yet another week down the drain. Just got back from seeing the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey "Circus of Dreams"... we saw a cat get dropped, a horse fall, and a lot of faked singing. And some adopted Asian kid got to do all kinds of tricks while lip synching. It was almost like a live action, dubbed kung fu flick. With motorcycles.

Why do they let Antonio Tarver talk? He jabs a lot of BS with his mouth. Yeah, he whupped on Roy Jones, but Roy couldn't take one on the chin. Hopkins did jail time, nigga. Don't sleep on those ex-cons. First jigs to knock you out just for livin' (whattup P).

Being a sick ass dude sucks. My temp was up to almost 101... nasty. All sweaty and shit, felt like I was going through menopause.

Saturday nights are HBO boxing nights. That nigga De La Hoya is a funny dude. He is probably the best diplomat out there. Go Oscar!

Anyways, let's get into this here shuffle thing.

1> A Tribe Called Quest is talking about a reunion tour. Am I the only one who thinks they should just make another album? I mean I know, I know, they'd make more money doing the shows, show money is what MCs eat off of. True fans want some new music. HOT music, too. Fix up, Ali, Tip and Phife Diggy.

2> This week, the Pentagon finally released the footage from when the plane hit them on 9/11. Funny thing is, there has already been sites devoted to this particular piece of 9/11 history. Plus, the footage didn't tell us a fucking thing about what truly went down. Go figure, the government is keeping info from us.

3> I've seen some fucked up shit, trust, but this shit takes the cake: a RPG game which puts you in the Columbine massacre. That I can understand, sort of. I mean, that's a place in US history, and people might want to interact with that. What I thought was worse was the Columbine Paintball "experience", where dumb ass people PAY to be the Trench Coat Mafia, the SWAT team, classmates (dead or alive), etc. What kind of sick shit is that? What's going to be next, "OJ Simpson Murder Mystery-Dinner Theatre"?

4> All I gotta say is this: "J Dillia Changed My Life". Buy the shirt.

5> So Roy Jones "Glass Joe" Jr. plans on coming back to the ring this coming July. Yo, why? When you get sonned like you did against Tarver, you need to just pursue that shitty rap label a lil further, and call some more HBO bouts. Keep it corporate.

6> Whattup Joey Crack? Fat Joe, my duke, it's one thing to be up on a Paris Hilton track. I can understand the pursuit of the almighty dollar. But her album is phenomenal, dog? Come on! Pick up your career -- it's not that serious!

7> After many, many moons, New Jerz's finest, Joe Budden, is going to be (hopefully) unleashing his latest album, The Growth, this October 2006. Hopefully this is no ploy, and President Carter is ready to greenlight Budden's gem. In other Hip-Hop album news, Nas has decided to name his next Columbia/Def Jam LP "Hip-Hop Is Dead". Is he going to pull an Andre3000, and spend most of his time singing and trying to be Prince? I doubt it. So what's dead? You're God's Son, nigga, wake up this sleeping beast.

8> Right before Barry Bonds tied The Babe's home run record, he got the shit beaned out of him by this pitcher Springer. If you haven't seen it, Springer seemed to be aiming mad pitches @ Barry, with no remorse. Well, that dumb bastard got a 4 game suspension. Good job, prick. The footage was type funny though; it seemed like, with a full count, he was just gunnin' FOR Barry. Sportcenter did the science on this fued, and it seems as these 2 have had history. Funny stuff.

9> Why they got the numbers already, I don't know, but the Da Vinci Code film has already raked in $29 Million. With an assload of shitty reviews. I will still be seeing it next weekend, and you best to believe I'm going to review this. I still say they should have done an Angels & Demons movie first, but who am I?

10> THIS JUST IN: apparently fashion guru Tommy Hilfiger (hillnigger) and Axl Rose got into some beef? WTF is that all about? Apparently, they were beefing over a table in some VIP room for Rosario Dawson's bday. And Hilfiger was actually whupping on Axl? What a bitch. Is THAT the reason that last GNR album didn't come out? And why is Axl sporting those weak dreadlocks? And this is after I spent the weak humming classic GNR material at work. What a dick.

Well, people, that's it for this week. More shit probably happened, including Bush trying to fix this immigration system, but when that pussy can't figure out how to fix what's going on with people who ALREADY live here, how can I truly believe he will be able to fix the madness going on with the immigrants?

Holla at the kid.

PS: Happy Birthday, Malcom X.

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the shuffle. [5/13/06]

I spent my Saturday on some very good vibes shit. Wifey and I went out to the mall, mainly to cop her a serious gang of maternity clothes. People kept downtalking Motherhood's price range, but she got mad tops and bottoms and we didn't even go over $300, which is good shit in my book. We ate the American Cafe that is located in the mall... the food was excellent, but that service was fucking ridiculous. Shitty floors, very retarded servers... just an overall downer on some great meals. I actually spent money on myself today, too! I copped a pair of Timbs, a pair of S Dot's for like $50 (!!!), and a Boondocks T-Shirt. All in all, a great way to spend a Saturday with the misses. We took the girls to cop shoes at Payless, and had a fun Burger King dinner. Chilled, etc... watched De La Hoya murk out on Mayorga, who is a fucking horse med taking fool.

In any case, most of this has nothing to do with a pretty wicked week in the world of entertainment and shit. shuffle on, peeps:

1> The Beatles' Apple label lost a battle against the Apple computer company, who is still allowed to use their 'Apple logo' on the iTunes Music store. Great, another 15 years before people can purchase Abbey Road on iTunes.

2> The E3 Expo went down this week, and people got to see the first glimpse of the Playstation 3. Who wants to buy this badboy for me? There's no way I'm spending $500 on a PS3, not right now. Nigga, I got kids. That shit can wait. I heard there's a Reservoir Dogs video game coming on it, though... which might sway me (even though I've never watched the flick in it's entirety).

3> Mobb Deep got a big lift with their G-Unit affiliation. They have the #3 spot on lock, right under new albums from Tool and Pearl Jam, which is a good look for them. Now if they could only do an album without 50...

4> Faggot ass 'Prince' Naseem Hamed got into a car accident recently. Hopefully, this will derail his planned return to the US boxing circuit. He was funny for 2 fights, but when you realized he couldn't fight, the comedy ended. Good riddance...hopefully??

5> Outed writer James Frey admitted that his 2nd book, My Friend Leonard, has some fabricated situations in it. I wanted to read this; I read Million Little Pieces before all of the hype, and loved it. I understood why he might want to embellish in that one... but the 2nd one? It just makes me not want to even take a peek at the shit. Fuck that, James. Speak to me. In your real voice. About your real life.

6> Chris Daughtry, the man I picked to win it all during this year's American Idol was booted this week, but his some good luck. The rock band Fuel asked him to join their group. Good. I hope he does well, b/c America fucked up on that one. Whomever wins this season will be cursed. Well not cursed, but they won't do any spectacular numbers sales-wise.

7> Ya boy OJ is a funny dude. This nigga is out there fronting like he's selling his Bronco for some PPV hour show he's getting made. And he's saying he's not getting paid for this? He's got to be the dumbest nigga out there, esp. for someone that the gossip rags claim has a cocaine addiction. He's in need of a good job... maybe UPS is hiring?

8> Chris Tucker signed on to Rush Hour 3 for fucking $25 million!!! I had no idea Rush Hour 2 was the highest grossing comedy flick of all time --- $600 mill in total?!?!? How nuts is that. I guess that's why Chris can ask for that. Hopefully it's as good as the last 2 were. That first 15 mins is classic -- Chris singing MJ tracks?!?! "CHA-MOHN, CHA-MOHN LEE!!"

9> Lupus is the disease that claimed Jay Dee (aka J Dilla). His mother, Maureen Yancey, is calling on everyone to raise awarness on this disease. I'm here to do my part: check out these websites for more info.

10> Hip-Hop Shock Jock Star of the Star & Buckwild Show fame was fired from his station, Power 105.1, for some fucked up comments regarding Hot 97's DJ Envy (and his family) on the radio earlier this week. He actually ended up getting arrested over this nonsense, too, and he is lucky. Envy got suspended over this shit, but I can't blame him. That's his lil baby and his wife that this man was threatening. Fuck the dumb shit, Star should be either in the hospital being fed through tubes or 6 feet deep. After he made those fucked up comments about Aaliyah back in 2001, I disliked that nig with a passion. Now I have even more reason.

11> David Blaine couldn't do it. This shriveled up nigga couldn't hold his breath past the 7 minute 8 second mark, but the amazing feat is not that he stayed in water for a week straight; it's that people like me give a shit. I had been a fan of his when his first specials aired; the card tricks are legendary, the chicken thing, the fake levitation was even hot. Then this standing in a block of ice/on top of a high pole/staying for 44 days in a box type shit is not magic. Yes, people come see it but it is not magic. During the 2 hour snorefest, he did end up doing street magic. He pulled out some chick's teeth and spit them back into place... weird shit.

Whoa. 11 pieces this week eh? Good. Been saving some of these jammies; In any case, I'd like to wish all of the mothers out there HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! I'll be grilling for my lady tomorrow. Do something nice for the mothers in your life.

khal, out.

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the shuffle. [5/6/06]

Well, well. Another week down the tubes. Another week closer to my lil man being born. Another week of new music and new opportunities. Right now, I'm running with this Big Mike "Gametime 2006" mixtape, hosted by punk ass Ron Artest. It's actually pretty good. Beanie Sigel rhyming over "Still #1" is necessary. And, with my NJ Nets winning their first round game in the NBA Playoffs, I figured a mixtape like this would be necessary listening...at least once. Nets vs. Heat starts Monday night. Fingers crossed!

That's not what we're here to do though, this is the shuffle. There's some things goings on... again, I think this week might be a bit more Hip-Hop/Rap dominated, but that's only because most of that other shit going on doesn't really phase me. Let's get it going.


1> Hot 97's studios are now going to have video surveillance courtesy of the NYPD. First off, they are going to be getting evicted at some point anyways. My thing about this is just, hasn't NY been known as one of the most taped cities in the US? Most of the major cities in the US have cameras all over, so how is there NOT some type of cameras already set up near a building in NYC? Just seems kind of odd...

2> Two actors on HBO's "The Sopranos" were reported to have been arrested recently. What is it about this show that the characters are staying in trouble? Gandolfini had his troubles, but has been kind of silent in recent years; Robert "AJ" Iler got busted with a weed pipe; neph who played "C" in A Bronx Tale became a smackhead and got busted on some robbery/murder shit earlier this year as well. We have John Ventimiglia, who plays Artie Bucco, driving drunk with the remnants of his coke stash on his person. Is life imitating art, or vice versa? Also, duke who played "Perry", aka the driver who Tony fucked up, got busted on some breaking and entering type shit. I can see that, especially with his whole "I'm innocent. I'm always innocent" comments. What a trooper.

3> Mobb Deep's Blood Money album dropped in stores this week (check my review here). There has been a grip of hate on this album, for good reason in some circles (the lack of their family being featured, sup Noyd!), but none has hard as Phonte's words. Still and all, it looks like they did about 110,000 in sales, based on the HITS Daily Double numbers. I really think they will at least go plat very soon. I hate hearing 50 on each and every track (whether he's guesting or being mimicked), but that's how G-Unit does. Live with it. And rock the shit that's hot on there ("Capital P, Capital H" is the joint).

4> Why is David Blaine considered a magician still? Living in a water bubble for a week is not magic! He is going to be doing an "illusion" next week, trying to escape from chains and shit. While being underwater. For 9 minutes. That's supposedly longer than a dolphin. When are magicians going to do cool shit, like making people disappear? Isn't a lot of this stuff getting old? I can see being enaptured by Houdini's work, but come one. Get a new trick, bitch.

5> I guess this is old news, but I'm an old nigga, so bear with me. The Boondocks is coming to DVD in June 2006. I first fell in love with the comics, which still don't get play in my favored paper, but whatever. Biting social commentary from a lil nigga state of mind. Aaron McGruder is the truth, and the art is amazing. The fact that they were able to throw it on TV and bring it right to life is even more impressive. From the voice work, which featured everyone from John Witherspoon to Charlie Murphy, to the amazing anime-influenced animation, to the inclusion of many different topics, this show is dope enough, but with Aaron's humor and intellect kept in tact... man, it's just the best shit on TV. I'll review the DVD when it drops.

6> Suge is crying broke. He is saying, with all the loot he owes ($11 million+ in taxes, $9,300 to Nextel, $1,100 to Cingular Wireless, and more), he is left with like a G worth of clothes, and $11 in the bank, among furniture and "personal jewelry". Get the fuck out of here, Suge. Pay what you owe, and then disappear.

7> Niggas was dumping on each other at a Bow Wow show. Now I know he is looking to hype up this hard-rock image, but paying people to shoot each other at your own show?!?! That's low!

8> Kim Mathers is asking for physical custody of Hailie, her daughter with Eminem. People thought having Eminem as your father was bad enough; now the cokehead moms wants to have custody? She says she wants Em to share custody, but pay everything. OK this is out of control. How about she gets a job? How can she be the most fit parent for Hailie, her father is fucking RICH! AND HE TAKES CARE OF HER! What an idiotic case. I hope Em gets total custody of Hailie, for the sake of Hailie.

That's about it for now. I'm going to go zone out to TV Land's 48 hour Good Times marathon. DY-NO-MITE!

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the shuffle. [4/29/06]

Another Saturday night, another edition of rock the dub's the shuffle. I want to start this out by saying, there is an assload of new D&B out there, from a 12" on Eastside that has the Tear (2k6 RMX) as well as the Crazy (2k6 RMX). Intense. And if you haven't heard that Breakage LP, you are insane. Too many candidates for album of the year, and I think that is right up there, along with Cyantific's album, but I've already let the world know how I feel about Ghetto Blaster.

In any case, let's get onto some of the high and low points of this week in entertainment, and some other stuff...

1> Let me get this off my chest: I am an admitted LOST fan. Wifey and I got hooked on this from jump, and have continued to be HUGE fans of the show. I listen to the podcasts, we own Season 1 on DVD, and can't wait for this coming week's new episode. I bring that up to let you guys know that, starting this Wednesday, there will be an "online experience" starting up in connection to LOST. Damon and Carlton (2 of the show's producers) spoke on this a few months back, and it looks like its become a reality. It seems to be a sort of interactive game, where the more you gather clues, the more information you get on some backstory, possibly involving the DHARMA Initiative, as well as the Hanso Foundation. Whatever it is, believe you me I will fill you guys in on the details, and solicit any help I need. Speaking of which, the one site I find the most useful for information, as well as clues, is the 4815162342 website forums. Check it out. On a side note to this, it seems as though Michelle Rodriguez, who plays Ana Lucia on LOST, decided to go to jail for 5 days rather than take the community service they were going to give her. The reasons she gave were kind of vague/odd... I hope she's OK, and not doing this out of some weird call for help.

2> VH1 and the great people over there at ego trip are starting a contest/reality show to find the next great white Hip-Hop MC. This will be my favorite TV show of its nature, aside from Diddy's Making The Band.

3> Maury Povich and other producers of his hit TV show, "Maury", have been sued by an employee for all types of sexual harassment. I will not go into the details of what she should have done, why she was there so long, etc... I just wonder, are we to really be surprised? Maury is Jerry Springer-lite, so you know some ill shit has BOUND to have gone down back there.

4> Marc Ecko filed a First Amendment lawsuit against Mayor Bloomberg and New York City. Big up for that. I'm all about graf and bombing culture, even if I was never good at it. Some see this as a publicity stunt, but I think bombing is art. I also think this is a touchy subject, because while I'm down for freedom of expression, I am not down for destruction of other's property. I do think that it's fucked up for them to bust you for carrying fat caps though, that's ridiculous. Might as well bust people on drug charges for carrying lighters around, you feel me?

5> Britney Spears has another bun in the oven, apparently. I personally don't see her career getting any better after this. I think the backlash she's received ever since she got pregnant with her son will only increase. And K-Fed needs to give it up. Seriously. I really just don't see this ending well at all.

6> Nintendo has named their latest gaming system, previously dubbed "Revolution", with an odd name: Wii. It's supposed to stand for "we". I hope this trick works... it just seems kind of Apple-esque to me. Everything seems simplified and, well, "blah" compared to their other systems and campaigns. Only time will tell.

7> The "bad idea" hub has struck again: Rosie O'Donnell has been tapped to host The View. Don't they already have an annoying female comedian on that show? Why the need for Rosie?

8> Why do I think that this Duke rape case is going to end in acquittal? This nugget of information. How many times will a jury buy her crying rape? Not to say she hasn't been raped, but credibility is a bitch, and if she has been found to have done the same thing 13 years ago, and falsely accuse people of this crime, this will weigh heavily...

9> It took this unknown rapper getting capped in the ass to do it, but Hot 97 is going to be getting evicted. They were kind of gully. I mean at least 3 shootings have occurred in the last few years, right outside that spot. I mean if you want to up your ante, going on the radio and being a jackass should do it 9 times out of 10. Shooting a nig in the ass? That's pure comedy.

I think I'm going to end this right here. End it with a track fitting of how I'm feeling: Breakage's "Losing Track". I lost track of what I was doing... maybe the Mickey's made me do it. I'm off to watch the rest of Kill Bill, vol. 2, then this HBO Boxing After Dark. Holla.

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the shuffle. [4/22/06]

So, as I adjust the volume on J. Dilla's Donuts album, I'm trying to reflect on a hectic week in my life, all the while trying to make some decent commentary on this fucked up world we live in. It's hard enough trying to wake up everyday to go to school/work, but then we have to deal with nonsense in politics, entertainment, and other facets of life. Sorry for the unfunny rant, but I'm just in a NJ State Of Mind right now, and my capital city is going through some ill gang shit, a retarded headline grabbing election, and other nonsensical things.

It has been a pretty odd week entertainment wise. With Tom Cruise joking (?) about eating his child's placenta, the NBA Playoffs starting TODAY, and Will Smith crashing a bar mitzvah, it's safe to say that any can and will happen. Let's check out some of the things I've been noting... they are a lil Hip-Hop specific, but what can I do. That's my heart... let's get it going!

1> Not really a big tidbit, but something interesting, this being the start of the NBA Playoffs. Dime Magazine and the Jumpman23 crew have put together an ill retrospective of the Jordan sneaker. From shoe to shoe, it includes a picture and description/write up on each shoe. Ill if you grew up with them. You guys should check Dime, they are one of the hottest sites/mags out there for the modern B-Ball fan.

2> Michael Jackson is working on a new album, to be released on some label based in Bahrain. Why he thinks we still want to hear him sing his songs is beyond me. Mike should have hung the glove up after that Black & White album. Whatever it was called. I just don't see what he has to offer the industry. Rumor has it that he is also working on some material with 50 Cent, and Kanye is commenting on wanting to work with him. WHY?!?!? MJ hasn't been MJ since the first accusation. Hang it up, and live off your greatest hits packages. I hate when big stars don't let the light fade out quick, like basketball's MJ. Was there a need to come back with the 45? Nope.

3> Homeboy of Jay-Z, and featured on Kanye West's "Touch The Sky", Lupe Fiasco has made some noise about his album, Food & Liquor, being leaked on the Internet. OK, are we NOT in 2006? This would have been big news back in 2001, but just about every album (commercial, anyway) is leaked about a week or 2, sometimes a month or 2, before its release date. Just ask T.I., who's King was leaked a while before it's due date. No harm, no foul... he still did good numbers. I mean, the problem I really have with his rant is him saying that he won't put it out. Dog, it CAN'T be that simple. He's signed to a major (Atlantic)... do they just say "OK, we spent this money, let's not try to get ANY back now"!?!?! That's not rational at all. I mean, he should just finish it, put it out, and make what he can. I'm not even sure if people liek Lupe for being Lupe, b/c most people who know about him know his affiliations (again, Jay-Z, Kanye, et al)... Some people are crying "publicity stunt", due to his "Kick Push" video premiering recently on TRL, but I don't know. I mean, he says he has spent the last 5 years on this album, which would upset anyone, but he has to stop being naive (if that's truly the case), and just keep doing it. Here are some other views on this issue.

4> The "beef" between Bow Wow and Lil' Romeo is heating up. I mean, really, it's just a war of words between two rappers that are only cared about by female fans younger than 19. Master P, Romeo's pop, recently took Bow Wow to task on some lines that are alleged to be about Romeo and P. Now, that's the 1st strike. If Romeo wants to look legit, why would he even LET his pops come out and make comments about his enemy? Sounds a lil bitch made to me. Now, Bow Wow, who is the KING of making retarded comments, recently came back at Romeo and P with some nonsense. Bow Wow is basically getting a big head off of the sales of his last album, which must be nice, but when you are a shitty MC to begin with, how much room do you have to talk? Plus, I think if it came down to it, if Bow Wow and Romeo threw hands, Bow Wow would catch it, early. Romeo is a Nawlins boy! I told my co-workers earlier this week, them Katrina niggas ain't playing. ANYWAYS, we'll wait with baited breath to see if this battle of epic proportions actually makes it to wax, which should be a treat... LOL!

5> NBC took "Celebrity Cooking Showdown" off the air. The world rejoiced, even though we had to withstand this bullshit for 3 days out of the week. What a travesty to regular television.

That's all for the shuffle for right now. If you have anything you think could/should make the shuffle, scream at me.

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the shuffle. [4/15/2006]

Short and sweet bursts of random information for you on a late Saturday. Think of this as a week's worth of topics thrown into an iPod shuffle. Some sad, some happy, some just plain ignorant. Let's get it on!

1) Mayweather wins his match with Judah... sort of. I didn't see it initially, but just saw the recap on HBO. I mean... the fight wasn't great. Judah wasn't throwing much, wasn't connecting with even less, so you know he had to take the low road and sneak Mayweather in the nuts, then in the back of the head. Should Roger Mayweather have walked up into the ring, challenging Judah at the end of round 10? Hell fucking nah... but I do think referee Steele did the right thing, letting the fight continue. Judah showed just how much of a sucka he truly is. Fuck that bitch.

2) Eminem's best friend and D-12 compadre, Proof, was shot and killed in a Detroit nightclub. I was no big fan of his releases, but hearing him freestyle was dope. He had a great sense of humor, and was a hot rhymer. I was taken back to clips from the Beef II DVD, showing D-12's beef with Royce Da 5'9. They were all pulling out pieces, and you just know that Proof probably got super ignorant when he was sipping on that monkey oil. RIP to Proof, peace and love out to his family, and it looks like Detroit Hip-Hop has been hit hard again. (Peep this track that Jay Dee aka J Dilla and Proof did back in 1996)

3) Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds is suing Anita Baker for $250,000 he claims she owes him off an oral agreement. Doesn't he know that she ain't making money anymore? In all seriousness, though, you can't play the game without accepting the consequences... just goes to show you how Babyface kept making money after all of these years -- shrewd business tactics.

4) Eve has signed a joint venture deal between Swizz Beatz and Dr. Dre's Aftermath labels. Now, she's the one who left Ruff Ryders to go to Aftermath, then decided to be a UPN coon. Now she is trying to make sure her album comes out on time? Who the fuck does she think she is? Her music isn't THAT in demand, now. I think it's too many chickens in Dre's coop... from rumored albums with Ice Cube and Rakim being soiled due to Dre's workload, and now Busta preppin' to turn the streets upside down, it's hard to catch quality time with big Doc. Can't hate on that, though. Just Eve... good luck. Joining with Swizz doesn't automatically mean diamond album sales.

5) The blogs over at XXL get swinging. From heads like Bol to kris ex providing quality reads all the time, its no wonder people like Bun B and such have hit the comments up over such topics as Pimp C's PCP habit/mall run-ins to how the South is ruining and saving Hip-Hop. God, please keep their blogs rollin'. I love having something to read during breaks at work.

6) Season 6 of The Sopranos is heating up. I'm actually thinking of starting a series of posts based on that week's goings-on. We saw Vito get caught at a gay bar, Johnny Sack's daughter get married, Johnny Sack and Uncle Jun get so upset they cry, and Tony unleashed some fury on his new (ex?) driver, Perry, to show he still had it. Chilling. I might have to start a new post. Big up Steve Buscemi for directing another solid episode.

7) Lil' Cease gets arrested, held on Rikers Island. You would think neph would just give it up, be on the low. He getting caught on OLD charges, too. WTF is he thinking?!

8) Pharrell and DJ Drama drop the new BBCICECREAM.COM mixtape on the masses. The vocal half of the Neptunes rinses over "Damn!", "Liquid Swords" and other hits. And he does the damn thing. Fucking right, grab that shit.

9) Dom drops a sick studio mix for Drum & Bass Arena. Banana Arena can eat it, but Dom does a serious mix of his hits, past present and unreleased. Check it. And if you're looking for an mp3, scream atcha boy.

10) big up Nah Right... quality site. Period.

that's the shuffle for now. Holla.

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