182 Search results for "final words"

This past Sunday the world witnessed one of the greatest comebacks ever in the history of professional football. I know I have the tendency to hyperbolize athletic events, but this was one for the ages. In just under 8 minutes Michael Vick sliced and diced the New York Giants defense to lead the Philadelphia Eagles […]

The following are my picks for the best albums of 2010. These records represent what I believe were the most essential statements popular music made during this bizarre and confusing year. Feel free to post your own list, tell me how brilliant these choices are, or talk as much shit as you’d like in the comments section below…

It is an epic in the truest sense of the word; mindboggling in its scope, enthralling in its depth, and all-consuming in its grandeur. Like Prince’s Sign o’ the Times, U2’s The Joshua Tree, or Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (MBDTF) is one of those rare and electrifying moments in popular music when a prodigiously talented artist with an almost blemish-less track record sees the light and finally unleashes their magnum opus.

Why should I waste this blog space to talk about a pretentious, insecure, scumbag who pats himself on the back so much that his shirts have handprints? Why should I defend the “jerk” as President Obama would call it, that stole a poor innocent girl’s spotlight on national television? Why should I go to bat […]

Tuesday night was a big night for me. NBA Season has officially started and the league did the thing right, didn’t they? Boston-Miami to kick it off, to finally put an end to all of the hoop-la. The stage was set perfectly. In the weeks leading up to this shining moment in NBA history, NBA.com […]

Many years ago, when I was younger, less pessimistic, and even more obnoxious, the local black newspaper decided that I, along with some other black students in the area, was respectable and scholarly enough to feature in its annual round-up of ostensibly intelligent high school seniors.  Someone called a friend and me to the guidance […]

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” This is my reflection of this summer, but as I “reflect” I want to be aware and show my appreciation for the ability and privilege to “reflect.”  When Socrates made that statement I don’t believe he took into account what must take place for one to be able […]

According to Rollingstone.com, album sales nationwide reportedly hit its lowest low since the use of Soundscan first began, way back in 1991. The week of August 8th through August 14th generated a measly 4.95 million albums sold. Even worse, the last time overall album sales reached such a low…was earlier this year, when album sales […]

From “Lovealot,” where her phrasing makes her sound like she’s saying “I really love Allah,” over and over, to the melancholy “It Iz What It Iz,” where she halfheartedly quips “We can have discussions while we are playing Wii;”or even the final track, “Space,” where, over a sparse backing track, she sings “My lines are down/You can’t call me,” MAYA is as iconoclastic as it gets; a wakeup call to our digital world.

Rick Ross may have a questionable past (Hip Hop is the only profession in the world where being a C.O. is scandal-worthy previous employment), questionable taste in babymommas (a fact of which 50 Cent was more than happy to exploit last year), and even questionable rights to his stage name (The real Ricky Ross is not happy with our man Ricky Rozay), but there’s still no denying Teflon Don. This is a fantastic album.

Guerrilla Union, the promoters behind the annual travelling Hip Hop extravaganza that is Rock The Bells, announced earlier this week that Lauryn Hill is officially the latest addition to a line-up that includes The incomparable Wu-Tang Clan (performing every track from 36 Chambers), A Tribe Called Quest (performing their incredible Midnight Marauders album in its entirety), Snoop Dogg (who’s bringing the Dogg Pound, RBX and Lady of Rage along to perform all of his classic 1993 debut album Doggystyle), Rakim (who will be performing all of Paid in Full), and KRS One (performing all of Criminal Minded). Yeah, I know.

The jury’s still out on whether or not Drake is some kind of savior of Hip Hop, or if he’ll even be able to sustain the momentum he’s been building and match the success he’s already achieved. But kudos to Drake for sticking to his guns, and crafting an album that doesn’t comprise for mass appeal or pander to the charts. There’s no denying that Drake is the real deal, at this point. And there’s no denying the power of Thank Me Later either. Because it’s good. Really, really good.