Happy Birthday B.I.G.!

It was 6:30 am and I was asleep in a college dorm room when the phone rang. It was my cousin on the other line and he was telling me I should flip on Hot 97 because they were reporting that B.I.G was dead. It was crazy. Some folks argue whether he was the best of all time but at 24 we can all agree he was just on the rise. His life was cut short and we still don't have all the answers so many years later. Figured I would put up a few of my favorite BIG joints since today is his birthday.

Plus:
Check Out Juicy
Check Out Warning

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Weezy….. You are the father!!

Like an episode of Maury, Lauren London quickly became the center of a pregnancy rumor mill. Rumors flew for months that she was pregnant but the father of the baby was a mystery. At first, it was suspected that Jackie Long (Serena William’s ex) was the father of the child. But that is probably not the case.

The case is probably that Weezy a.k.a. Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., is about 4 months from becoming a father for the third time. A few celebrity managers have confirmed Ms. London’s pregnancy, citing that she turned down movie roles due to her condition. I must say that I saw pictures of Ms. London taken in February at an event and she has the “pregnant face”. Women know that face and she definitely has it.


The two have been involved in an on again/off again relationship for years now. Currently, they are said to be “off” but with something like this, you never know. Weezy has two children, a 10 year old and a baby that was just born on Oct. 22, 2008. WOW, he has a 7 month old and the next baby with the next baby mama is on the way… I guess it could be worse, he could have had them pregnant at the same time.

In this day and age when people openly wear masks because they are afraid of catching Swine flu, Weezy is afraid of wearing a condom (obviously) and catching something just as bad. He is making babies with a collection of mama’s, months apart at that. Aside from the fact that he needs to “wrap up his lollipop”, that type of risqué behavior is played out and disgusting…so 70’s.


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What I'm Watching Right Now... SNL Jeopardy Skit

The Sean Connery / Alex Trebek Jeopardy skits are the fine moments for SNL and then they slip back into the abyss with some of their other skit selections. These are among their classics. Check this newer one.

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What I'm Listening to Right Now ... Toni Hill

Her sound is one that radiates through your soul, refreshing and a true blessing for your ears.

“Love is a trip…” she says in the I Wanna Know skit on her album. And she takes you on that voyage. Toni Hill’s latest offering, Only Love, is true music from the first track to the end.

I came across Toni Hill on one of those Sunday Night Sound Session shows with DJ Hyphen. It was This Thing Called Love that caught me off guard on the underground hip-hop show out of Seattle, Washington (check DJ Hyphen’s interview for more about Sunday Nigh Sound Session). It’s one of those sit back, relax and let the sound take you away type of tracks.

“Trying to figure out, what it’s all about ... this thing called love. Trying to understand, the best way I can… this thing called you…” The song is beautiful and each song compliments the other on Only Love!

Toni Hill brings classic soul, infused with emotional lyrics and strong passionate vocals that resonate with everything that you are (if you love good music). She merges the sound of an older generation’s music (the stuff mom and dad use to listen to) with a real contemporary feel. It’s very smooth.

According to her website, “Only Love is a delicious collection of soulful originals that tell an assortment of stories from the heart.” Toni Hill goes on to explain on the page, "I wanted this album to be about love—like the old school music our parents listened to... I wanted it to be about love for friends, love from supporters; and most importantly about love for self, because without that you really can't love anyone else."

She definitely accomplished that and this album is truly a collection of soulful originals.


Her music is available on iTunes
MySpace: www.myspace.com/misstonihill

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TELL ‘EM WHY YOU MAD: Just Plain UGGly…

We felt the need to bring in a female perspective, so The Mad Bloggers would like to introduce you to Sui aka Tha Lady Blogga. She’s fired up and ready to go!


Day one and I must say that I am sorry to have to present myself on a rant but I saw the ultimate no-no a few minutes ago… A girl with jean shorts, a hoodie, and big, fuzzy, krabby patty looking boots a.k.a. UGG’s on her feet and it just put me in a mood.

All of a sudden, out of nowhere, there was an insurgence of big, bulky, fuzzy boots. Short ones, tall ones, brown ones, black ones… UGG’s came to the States straight from Australia and became a phenomenon quick. Now I don’t know about you but I hate cold feet. So in the winter I suggest a pair. UGG’s are winter boots that are lined with lamb’s wool and are designed to keep the feet warm DURING WINTER.

Which brings me to my next question…

Ladies, why the hell are y’all rockin’ UGG’s in the spring and summertime?? If you live in Northern Canada or some other country with cold weather and snow then it’s fine. But ladies... We are in NYC (and many other parts around the Country). It is springtime with Memorial Day right around the corner. There is nothing worse than seeing a chick in a wife beater, mini-skirt/jean shorts and a pair of UGG’s. Seeing UGG’s like that, especially the light tan ones, remind me of walking on Coco Bread from Golden Krust.

The whole concept behind rockin’ this winter boots with minis, shorts, and bikini’s is just plain ridiculous. It’s UGGly!!! There’s nothing sexy about it. First of all the boots are lined with wool, which would lead me to believe that in temperatures of 60 plus, your feet would sweat. No matter how cute or sexy you are, sweaty feet = smelly feet. YUCK!!! And I can almost bet your toes probably aren’t even properly pedicured either. Second of all, how cute are big, flat, fuzzy boots and stumpy legs sticking out of a skirt attached to the boots. If you jumped in the ocean, I bet you’d sink and drown. It’s an eyesore!!

Let me enlighten you ladies…

Guys DON’T find that attire attractive. They laugh at you as you walk by. It is about as attractive as the $3 Chinese slipper (but that’s a rant for another day). If you are trying to be sexy with it, put the UGG’s away until next winter. Take $15 and get a Pedi, throw on that skirt or pair of shorts with a fly pair of wedges or sandals and rock it like a real woman. Real women don’t wear UGG’s in the Spring/Summer… Trust me.

~Sui, tha Lady Blogga

What I'm Watching Right Now...

Caught these two videos and thought they were both dope, integrating a little beat box in the mix. Check 'em out!

Melanie Fiona, unplugged in stairwell doing "Give it to Me Right"



Check out Julia Dales, Beat Box girl... Very talented!

What I'm Listening to Right Now... Method Man & Redman (Dangerous Mcees)

Method Man and Redman's album Blackout! 2 finally dropped today. Hope you copped it. I did. Love it. Felt like they took forever. Can't be doing that in a music pool of wackness. Gotta come out and clean this sh*t up. Blackout! 2 help does that. This track "Dangerous Mcees" is fire! Album is also. Hope you got it. Play this with your volume up. Jersey in the house!



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What I'm Watching Right Now...Blame It (Barack Obama Spoof)

Got this in my inbox. Saw it quickly before but after a second look. Guy that plays Obama is named Iman Cross and I gotta give this dude some props. Pretty funny how they mimicked the original video yet were able to maintain their own taste of originality with their lyrics. I know the song's been out for a minute now but so what. Check it out...



Check out more videos from Totally Sketched:
www.totallysketch.com/

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What I'm Watching ... Prophetic

Check out Prophetic, the Milwaukee native and his video for the track Entrepreneur.  

For more music and info: www.jsmalls.org/prop

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Uh, another Chance at Love… for Real?

And here we go again.

What’s the expression again? That’s right … when it rain, it pours. That’s what I think of when I peep the horrible programming decisions on Vh1. You know, just when you think it’s bad, it gets worse.

The brothers of the Stallioniares are back to do it all over again, with 20 new women filling the stable, as the brothers attempt to find “love” again. Yes, I use the word love loosely in the contexts of a reality dating show.

But we knew a season 2 was coming. Seriously, how many of these Vh1 dating reality shows last one season? Well? Oh, I’ll wait. To me it just boils down to publicity and it’s just one big game show that puts the winner in a good place for future opportunities (enter Hoopz here – and I also use “good place” loosely).

Real Chance of Love 2 held casting calls throughout the month of March and word has it that they are currently in production on the second season. I can’t imagine Chance (who is a spazz and seems to have some anger management issues) or Real (who had better hair than all the ladies on the show and probably won’t date a chick with split ends) really being able to settle down. But this is television and we’ll witness more madness and crazy tasks for solo dates and more ridiculous nick names (i.e. Cornfed, MILF, Bay Bay Bay, Meatball, Rabbit and So Hood). Oh, the nicknames and how they reinforce a positive image for the ladies.

I have a big question for Vh1. No, it’s not whether or not they think reality-dating stars will truly find love, but whether Flavor Flav is catching royalties on all of these ridiculous shows. Well, is he? Think about it, they’ve pretty much run a copy/paste formula here since the first season of Flavor of Love aired. New York, who appeared on two seasons of Flavor of Love has had three spin off shows (I Love New York 1 & 2, New York Goes to Hollywood and now New York Goes to work). Real and Chance, members of I Love York season 1 then appeared on I Love Money and now they are in the second season of their spin off show. Then for the Love of Ray J and Rock of Love are basically mirror images of Flavor of Love. And who started with the dumb nicknames? That’s right, your boy, Flaaaaaaavooooooooor FLAVVVVVV!!!!!! So, hopefully he’s seeing some dividends from all the madness.

Here’s a few spin off suggestions:
In Danger of Love – Featuring home chick Danger from For the Love of Ray. Think about the crazy dudes they would cast for a show like this.
Entertainer Goes to Work – Cause, damn we know that dude needs a job stat.
And Then I Got Locked Up – Featuring Sapphire and her adventures on the run from the law while appearing on reality television.

I mean, if we’re out to make trash reality television shows, why not go all out. Right?

I wonder what the Vh1 Christmas parties look like with this like one degree of separation between all of the shows. Danger and Bay Bay Bay having a drink, while Ray J and Bret Michaels talk it up with Flavor Flav. Chance is jumping on a table somewhere cursing and smoking a pack of cigarettes, while Hoopz is working the pole. MILF is snitching to Cocktail about someones business but it’s not even the truth. New York is arguing with Tailor Made, and It is pretending to be stupid while Sapphire is dodging the police. The whole time, Real is just combing his hair.

It’s all just one giant tragedy.


Plus more reality madness:
The Road to Reality Television
Tailor Made & It - The Odd Couple
Rock Bottom with Daisy of Love
New York Goes to Work

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What I'm Watching Right Now...Blitz The Ambassador

Gotta thank Q for this one. Just IM'd me the picture you see below and then the YouTube link with no introduction to it. I took a look at it and immediately asked him if there was a place I can buy that shirt. IMMEDIATELY!!!! Wow. What a statement in a picture with no words. It's saying a lot. Way more than a thousand words with that pic.

The artist's name is Blitz The Ambassador and according to the flyers he has posted on his MySpace page, he's performed at shows that included artists like Rakim, Styles P., Nas, Fabolous, Slick Rick, Akon, Freeway, Dead Prez, Public Enemy, Black Ice, Amanda Diva, and my all-time favorite The Legendary Roots Crew. Yet, I've never heard of him before now. Wow. Not proud of that. But... in any case, I am educating myself on Blitz and if you love hip hop, you should too.







Here's a video of him performing "Radio" with a live acoustic band..



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I'm Not Hating. I'm Just Stating!

Ok, so here's a quick rant on a personal level that's really not that personal. I'm reading everywhere online that Swizz Beatz, Ruff Ryders producer, mediocre (if that) rapper, and record label owner of Full Surface, has addressed and finally admitted that he and Ms. Alicia Keys, multi grammy winning R&B singer/songwriter, are an item.

On Drake's Best I Ever Had remix, Swizz raps...

"I wake up in the morning and my baby cooked me breakfast / Ass naked, nothing on but a necklace / Yeah, she be shining on me / she be gleaming on me / she be singing on me / I know you love it don't ya / and we be traveling our ass off / you could see the proof, it's all in our passports / Yeah, she say she wanna treat me like a king / I get big gifts, the money ain't a damn thing / She gave me a party at the Guggenheim / ya should've seen them haters, they lost they minds / Only God ccan judge me / What's next? The ring? The baby? She really loves me!"

Like I said. Mediocre. If that.

Swizz claims he's in love with Keys and she did, in fact, throw him a birthday party at that museum.

Pulled the following from an interview with Swizz:

"But we're nowhere near ready for a baby or a ring," laughs Swizz, aka Kasseem Dean. "This whole song is not about Alicia. The part about her cooking breakfast for me naked — she never done that for me."

Swizz was quiet about Keys till now because, he says, "What we have is so precious." He also felt it would piss off his ex, Mashonda.

"When he told Mashonda he was dating Alicia, I think she got jealous," says a friend of the couple.

Having filed for divorce in February, Mashonda is seeking interim support for their 2-year-old son, Kasseem Jr., arguing that Swizz has slashed his payments.

"He's been tightening the screws on her," says a friend of Moshanda. "It's becoming intolerable. Meanwhile, she's seen the charges for jewelry he's bought Alicia in France."

Regardless. Personally, I think dude's a douchebag. I mean, I don't know him so I can only assume he is from what he portrays in the public and through his work. I couldn't believe it when I first heard she was dating her previous producer Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, who may or may not still be working with her. Not my girl. Nah. Then I'm getting asked if she was dating Common because of the amount of appearances in the videos together, in addition to the movie Smoking Aces. Now, if it was Common, I couldn't hate. Dude's an ill MC. Makes great music. He's gaining acting experience. Just saying. They both quality stars.

But now this? Swizz Beatz? You're kidding me, right? It's like she took a few steps down. This has got to be a joke. A hoax. A sham. A friend of mine goes on to tell me, "There must be something about him she likes that the general public isn't exposed to." Right. (Said with extreme sarcasm.) I'll bet my bank account this won't last. I know they're both born in NY, make music, and what have you. But still. I'm not co-signing this facade. Just not.

Rumor has it that Alicia's a reason Swizz and Mashonda divorced. In an interview with Shade 45’s Lip Service with Angela Yee and Leah Rose, R&B singer Mashonda spoke candidly about her estranged husband's, Swizz Beatz, alleged infidelity with eleven-time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys.

From Hip Hop Pop Crunch's website, Mashonda talks about the situation...


I don't know what Miss Keys is thinking or what she's going through but she knows I am not going to be waiting forever for her. So someone better tell her to quit playing games and get her head straight. Forget that dude. Ya know who she should be with. And if you don't, I'll let you know. "It's me, bitches!" Hahahaha! Oh, and I hope ya readers aren't taking me that serious. I'm just saying. That's wifey. Besides, Q and I got beef with each other over her. We go way back but he knows the deal. Hahaha.


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