The Monster: I won't Front, I'm Still an Original Eminem Stan

My brother and I had a disagreement today: Yes, I do converse with my brother. It was a very surprising disagreement since we both Stan for Eminem. Rap God was so

for both of us so I thought our feelings would me mutual regarding "The Monster" featuring Rihanna

Here's a snippet of our texts today.

Me: Have you heard Em and Rihanna's "The Monster"? Next week is so far away

Bro: No, I haven't actually. Another download I'm looking forward to Lol! This should be fun

Me: Yes! I really enjoyed it. Definitely another #1 hit

Bro: I'm saving it for later tonight when I can listen to it sans distractions. I'm hoping it's not another "Love The Way You Lie" type deal

Let me interrupt to say I should have foreseen this but I couldn't imagine his response once he had a listen

Bro: I really like the content but that beat is killing me. At points it sounds too poppy but the melody works really well

Me: Well that's not fair! I for one really love it. I'm glad it's more upbeat that their last collabo. He needs a poppy track for Hot 100. Something to get the masses on board. Otherwise, I think he'll stick to his (usual) rap songs

Bro: I figured this was that one radio single track but it's more about the fact that this is to be on the Marshall Mathers LP sequel. The original is raw and his single for the masses was really big in the charts but still didn't sacrifice too much on the hip hop sound. The beat is real smooth but I dislike that techno pop sound that seems to be in a whole lot of rap and R&B nowadays.

Me: You make an excellent point. I too can't stand it (techno beats infiltrating rap and r&b). Either Em is trying to recreate the magic they had or he's trying to go with what's hot right now. I always thought he was one of those rappers who spit so well that he doesn't have to spit to what's hot right now.


I had to pause and think about this. While I was thinking, flashes of rappers who have been in the game 10+ years and still rapping successfully flashed through my mind. Admittedly, those who've lasted have stayed true to their style. What do you think?

A New Hobbit Trailer Is Out

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is due in theaters on December 13th. The second trailer has been released; thoughts?

What Dreams May Come

Last night I had a dream about a guy. And as my dreams about men go, it was fucked up! Thursday night, in the midst of my delusion, I sent Paul Walker a tweet. Then last night, I had a dream that featured him and Vin Diesel. We happen to meet at a swanky party. Conversation was awesome and it felt like Paul and I connected. Next thing I know, he and Vin are walking away. In a moment of panic, I yell out "Paul, where are you going?!" He doesn't look back. I yell out again, "Wait for me!" I start to ran after him. At this point, he has somehow changed into his swimming trunks. He then tells me, "Look, I'm off to the beach. If you want to join me, you'll have to take care of my cat as I surf." A couple of things run through my mind. First, AWESOME! Paul is taking me to his apartment! Second, wait, um, I'm scared of pets; especially cats. But what is a girl to do when her crush is right in front of her. I decide to come clean. I start to tell him I'm scared but out comes the cat. Or so I thought. Paul's pet is a raccoon - if I want to spend time with him, I need to take care of the raccoon. But I want Paul, I want Paul sooo bad. I bend down to pick up the raccoon and BOOM, I wake up!

Now, I know this dream probably means I'm pursuing a difficult goal. But reality is, Paul never replied to my tweet, the hunky-blue-eyed-make-me-wanna-do-something-real-bad-to-you is not checking for me. Lastly, Fast Five is the closest I'm getting owning those lips.

Sidenote: thank you little brother for the 3am texts about the movie. My lack of sleep sure does appreciate it!

Come On Beyaki, We Can Do Better!

I have a love/hate relationship with Beyonce. I love her choreography, she tries to do too much with her voice, her songs are hit or miss with me. Below is a "leak" off her upcoming album. The song is called Girls (Who Run The World). This is a classic example of being all over the place, sampling a hot riddim too late, and trying too hard lyrically - I think I need a barber, none of these bitches fade me. Come on Beyaki - back to the studio for you! And for those who don't know, the song samples Major Lazer's Pon De Floor

Girls (Who Run the World) - Beyoncé by HDMI44

Is Britney Officially Back?

I have a confession, I liked Britney Spears Blackout cd; Circus was kryptonite to me. I was not really excited about her new cd, Femme Fatale after all, I'm not much of a fan. I just loved her choreography. I heard she was performing at Rain nightclub in Las Vegas last night. I woke up this morning and decided to see what youtube has. I am impressed by her performance of 'Til The World Ends; are you?

RIP Nate Dogg - King of Hooks

What a sad day in hip hop it is today. Nate Dogg has died at the age of 41 after suffering two previous strokes. When I heard Dr. Dre's Kush, I remember thinking how nice it would have been if Nate could have been featured more on the track instead of Akon. I want to share with you some of his collaborations that I really love. They are many but these I always loved. Don't expect to find Regulate, Area Codes or The Next Episode on this list. I love some of his work that was not necessarily mainstream. Thank you for leaving behind such a great soundtrack.

Robert Downey Jr. Can Get It!

Confession time. I don't watch American Idol; never have and never will. However, I have seen very few performances posted on youtube e.g. Adam Lambert's take on Tracks of My Tears It was thus a great pleasure to see this next delight. In my opinion, Robert Downey Jr. is so cool and smooth in this. Jack Black although dramatic, has the moves down! I knew he can sing but I had no idea RDJ has some ballet and tap dance in his background. I'm loving this guy more and more. This clip is from from American Idol finale in 2008. I told you I don't watch that show!

Where Are My Manners? Puff Puff Pass!

Sorry folks, I've been in my own private heaven since I heard this song that I forgot the proper etiquette is to share the ganja. Looks like we won't have to wait for Detox too much longer. I know, that statement has been said too many times before that it's becoming a joke. But this little girl dreams big. Kush gives me hope that Dr. Dre will bless us with another classic. However Kush, which features Akon and Snoop Dogg, is not the official first single, but a street single...WTF?! I need to speak with Interscope STAT! Sorry for the horrible sound quality



I Need a Doctor ft. Eminem and Liz Rodrigues is the "official" first single. First, this feels like an Eminem track featuring Dr. Dre. Secondly, I'm not sold on this one. Dre might want to rethink detoxification and hit that chronic one more time. Take a listen. Doesn't it give you a Love The Way You Lie vibe?

http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/en/play/s/1202d6d-118813/

Jam of The Day

She's definitely her mother's daughter. Little Willow Smith's video for "Whip my Hair" is finally out. I see Jaden Smith has a cameo. Jay-Z is about to retire for real!

Jam of The Day

I've waited and waited and waited but still no luck. Will just have to import The Script's new cd , Science & Faith. The first single off Science & Faith is "For the first time". The girl in the music video is actress Eve Hewson, Bono's daughter. The song is very fitting for these times - Ooh these times are hard, yeah they're making us crazy, don't give up on me baby. Happy Sunday!

Run and Tell Dat Homeboy!

They're raping err body out here! We looking for you...we gon find you! Antoine Dodson fell into some fame accidentally. Someone broke into his family home and tried to rape his sister. The news crew run a report about it and obviously Antoine and his sister had something say about it. The rest of it, well, he took it to the bank with the Bed Intruder Song. And then to BET Hip Hop Awards last night. He's made so much money he was able to move his mom out of the projects. What can I do to move myself out of my current situation and pursue this entertainment writing thing full time? Pointers? Suggestions?

Watch the original newscast, then the video for the song, then his appearance on BET's Hip Hop Awards. PRICELESS!

Divorce Court - Tyler Perry Style

I happen to have too much time on my hands lately. This means a lot of tv watching. I came across an episode of Divorce Court. Man, this was the most hilarious episode of Divorce Court I have ever seen! D'Atra Hicks - an actress and amazing singer familiar to us in movies and plays by Tyler Perry - is in court with her estranged husband. She admits to being abusive towards him but she also caught him living a life with another woman out of town. Take note of how she is dealing with her anger issues. Priceless!!

Let Me In - No Invitation Needed

Usually I write movie reviews the day after I watch the movie. This time around, it's been 15 minutes since I finished watching Let Me In.



I do not like remakes. When I heard the Americans were doing a remake of the Swedish movie, Let The Right One In, I said "Um, I read subtitles just fine..." This is the first remake since I can remember that I have not been disappointed by.

To sum it up, this is a love story between two pre-adolescents - one human, one what I can only assume to be a vampire. It's a love story between Abby (the increasingly wonderful Chloe Moretz) and Owen (played hauntingly by Kodi Smit-McPhee of The Road). Owen's parents are going through a divorce and he's relentlessly bullied at school by 3 boys. Abby moves into his neighborhood with her "father" (Richard Jenkins). Soon the two become friends - two social outcasts drawn to each other - despite Abby's and her "father"'s hesitations. They only meet at night and of course Owen becomes very curious about this yet drawn to her.

Abby, do you want to go steady?
What does that mean?
Do you want to be my girlfriend?
I'm not a girl?
Huh? Then what are you?
I'm nothing

I don't want to give the movie away but soon you realize there's more to Abby's relationship with her "father". What really struck me was that although I knew what Abby's "father" was doing was wrong, I kept hoping he could get away with it. The same can be said about Abby. You see the monster/evil that she is but at the same time she's so vulnerable and lonely you just want to comfort her at the same time. This is definitely a credit to the writers and actors - especially the child actors who shoulder most of the film. There's also more suspense than gore which makes the movie even more scary. I was excited, scared shitless and heart broken all in the span of two hours.

It's wonderful to see a vampire story from the eyes of children - no, Twilight should be crossed off your mind at once! Kids can be so trusting, forgiving and fearless. I know that I wouldn't have the courage to befriend Abby like Owen did; especially after I see who she truly is. But at the same time, Abby is the closest person to Owen. As soon as I saw the picture from Abby's past I immediately knew how the story would end but that did not take away from it at all. It reminded me of the Leona Lewis song I Got You. 


Go ahead and say goodbye, I'll be alright
Go ahead and make me cry, I'll be alright
And when you need a place, to run to
For better or worse, I got you


I felt a sense of manipulation on Abby's end - like she was just trying to lure Owen for her own purpose which you'll figure out in the end. This is very different from the original movie and I felt was not true to the spirit of the original. Also, I did not see much conflict in Abby about who she is and what she/ her "father" has to do in order for her to survive. This is definitely not the superior version of the story, however, it's also a worthy Hollywood remake. Once the movie ended - at 0115 - I was left with the daunting task of walking back home. If it wasn't for my recent ailment, I would have run home like Usain Bolt was chasing my ass!

Every Little Step I Take

Funny or Die is filled with comedic gold moments. The sites latest offering just brightened my day. Wow Mike, dancing is not your strong suit but I gotta love him for being such a sport. Wayne Brady should do more comedy; rare episodes of How I Met Your Mother is not enough. Make sure to check the sites Hall of Fame section on the right. Enjoy!

Every Little Step with Mike Tyson & Wayne Brady from Mike Tyson

Greed Is Good and Legal

Jake Moore (Shia LaBeouf) says "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome". While watching Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, it was amazing to see powerful, educated men fall into the same traps as their predecessors thinking they can do it better and not fall into the same traps. Jake is torn between revenge for his mentors suicide caused by the fall of the investment firm KZL, the allure of making money for the clean energy firm he believes in with the help of Gordon Gekko  (superb as usual Michael Douglas), and living a non-money hungry life with Winnie Gekko (Carey Mulligan).

Gekko is now out of prison - he was given one of the harshest sentences for a white collar crime. He comes out of jail in 2001 to see a very different financial landscape and with no one waiting for him after he is released. He still thinks the name Gekko is a powerful name in the financial world, but to his former colleagues, he's a joke. The scene in the restaurant when he reunites with Winnie is not only awkward but shows how vulnerable Gordon is too. He cannot survive in a world where he cannot reclaim his pre-prison glory. But can he navigate a world where greed is no longer only good but legal? What is he capable of doing to reclaim his lost standing?

This sequel was very timely. KZL could be seen as a substitute for Lehman Brothers, Schwartz could be Merrill Lynch/Bank of America. Seeing how the executives threw each other under the bus and sought government help through scare tactics (too big to fail) was surreal. Where is the moral hazard - what is to stop these financial institutions from making the same mistakes if we keep bailing them out? It is sickening to think that the spread of rumors such as the financial viability of a firm could spread like wildfire, be considered true, affect stock prices thus impacting the lifesavings of many unsuspecting main street families. It's a game to these executives - but they pack away their additional golden parachute in Switzerland knowing fully well of the crimes they are committing.

Although it was evident how seductive money is (Gekko explains this very well to Jake) it's the thrill of the game that keeps these men doing what they do. The picture of Satan eating his son in Bretton James' (brilliantly portrayed by James Brolin) home office nicely sums up what these men are capable of. They will devour their young - mentors, children - to retain the thrill, the power and the seductive mistress that is the mean green.

There was also a contrast between the old school Wall Street players and the newcomers. At the start of the housing bubble burst, Bretton and Jake go racing their ducatis to get away from it all. After Bretton informs Jake that they will not be investing the $100M in the firm of his choice, Jake is clearly upset. But Bretton tells him that there's no room to be emotional in business. The old schoolers seem to have no souls e.g. Bretton and Gordon. However, it is Jakes mentor Louis Zabel (Frank Langella) who tells Jake before his death that the most precious thing in life is not the money and assets you accumulate for your retirement, it is time - the time you spend with your family. This is a lesson Jake tries to teach Gordon when he tracks Gordon down after he disappears with Winnie's trust fund to mixed results. Maybe there is some humanity/soul left on Wall Street. I suspect we won't find out until the next bubble bursts.

An Ode to Ben

You are not back. To be back means that you must have left at some point. You never did. I read your recent article on Entertainment Weekly. You hoped that people do not view you as a one-hit wonder. NEVER! Yes, Hollywood is a fickle town. You are only as good as your last hit. Ben, you are a great actor, director and writer. Your Oscar for Good Will Hunting was not a fluke either. Yes, both movies you've directed were based on your home town of Boston (I loved seeing so many places I visit weekly). But, Martin Scorcese and Woody Allen based most of their films in their city of New York. Does that negate their great work? I am truly proud of the work I saw on the screen Saturday night. It was funny, engaging, moving, heart pounding and against better judgement, I was rooting for the bad guys. So Ben, stay grounded, keep marching on and keep up the excellent work.

P.S. I would love to work on production of one of your films :-)

Trey Songz: Sneak Peek

For all Trey Songz lovers, and those who are curious about him, his new cd Passion, Pain & Pleasure is available on Myspace for your listening pleasure. Make sure to get your copy on September 14th. Enjoy!

Committed

So I finally got around watching Why Did I Get Married Too? The film is now available on dvd. I was eager to see how this sequel would hold up to the original and I was pleasantly surprised; but not that much. For one, all the main actors from the first movie were on board for the sequel. It has been a few years since we last saw them and they’ve all gone through changes. Tyler Perry and Sharon Leal’s characters now have kids and seem happier. Jill Scott and Lamman Rucker’s characters have relocated to Georgia with a baby. Malik Yoba and Janet Jackson’s characters are still married but body language says a lot. Tasha Smith and Michael J. White’s characters are still as dysfunctional and loud as ever. However, White’s character now has a steady job as a sportscaster.

Much like the previous Tyler Perry films without Madea, everyone is not leading the life they want their friends to see; they all have something to hide. Their annual couple’s retreat has a crasher; Richard T. Jones, who now realizes he let go of a great woman (Jill Scott’s character) and wants her back. Why now? That’s revealed much later in the film.
I felt that these couples were handed too many obstacles. Does everyone’s marriage have to be falling apart? Isn’t there one couple actually happy? A few performances stood out to me. Angela (Tasha Smith) brought on all the laughs but unlike the first film, she went way overboard with her over-the-top antics. Sidenote: The actress has a body to die for!

Patricia (Janet Jackson) really moved me. Much of this is to be credited to Janet Jackson. Her breakdown scenes alone are worth the admission price to this film. For the first time I actually saw Janet Jackson as an actress. I also couldn’t help but wonder if she taped the scenes before or after her famous brother’s death. Patricia, in my opinion, went through too much in one lifetime. The loss of a child, now a divorce and the surprise ending that I don’t want to spoil for anyone who hasn’t watched the film. This is definitely one of Perry’s stronger films.

New Artist Spotlight

Today I discovered the best thing to come out of the music scene in a very long time. It's so refreshing to see a new artist who is not about making the money but rather the music. Mateo reminds me of Jill Scott, John Legend, Maxwell and Robin Thicke. His song, Complicated, could be mistaken as a Robin Thicke song; from the title (Robin has a song title Complicated on his 2nd cd), to the lyrics down to his voice. His voice feels like a nice glass of Moscato running down your throat. So sweet!

I'm not able to find enough about Mateo. What I've found out is through his Myspace. Mateo graduated from presitigious Morehouse College in Atlanta. He was actually going to start working in Finance. Fun fact: John Legend interviewed him for an internship at Boston Consulting Group which he didn't get. After a "soulfully dry" short career in Finance as a consultant (he and I must be twins!), he quit his job and moved to Los Angelese to pursue his music career. After working on the show Eve, with the rapper Eve, he was encouraged by a friend to pursue music fulltime. He posted his song, Human, on myspace to great success. He is now signed to Myspace Records and has a tour cd, Get To Know Me (Live at Swing House), available on itunes for $4.99. Do yourself a favor and buy yourself a copy. I am very excited to hear what his debut album will sound like.

Happy Birthday Michael Jackson

Today is the King of Pop's 52 birthday. Happy birthday MJ!


Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal


Sidenote: All three kids, Sean Lennon, Kellie Parker and Brandon Adams have remained in show business.