The Roots - "UnDun" Stream

Take a listen (no download) to the new Roots album due out soon.  Click the link.

The Roots - UnDun Full Album Stream

Diddy Might Get Mad

2012 is right around the corner, which means election time!!! Yay, 11 months of meaningless campaigning and political jargon from a bunch of pundits that know nothing.  Can't wait.

I feel bad for Obama, he tried, but the system we live in is purposely not set up for change.  We are stuck and the President of the United States has become more of a ceremonious figure-head much like the Royals of England.

Why should I vote this year?  It's like going to a restaurant and only having 2 options and being like "I'm here, I gotta eat something...fuck it, give me the liver and onions."

No matter what age, race, or gender the winner is, what can he/she really do for me that I shouldn't be doing for myself?  Do I really have to pick a team to feel like I did my part interact with my government?

What's the difference between middle class adults choosing between Republicans and Democrats, and urban youth choosing between Bloods and Crips?  Its all gang mentality and I'm tired of it.  No side is better than the other, and why should I be deemed "irresponsible" or "socially apathetic" if neither option really appeals to me?

I am strongly considering not participating in next year's elections. The only person I can honestly say can improve my standard of living is ME. 

Paying my taxes, making sure my kid gets a good education, and providing my family with health care all starts with me.  Not Barack, Herman, Newt, or Rick.  No matter what they promise you, they will fail in satisfying your needs.

It's a new world, there are no more public servants, just politicians...its all a business.  Republicans and Democrats have two of the biggest corporations in this country next to Wal-Mart and Microsoft.  It's all about the bottom line.  Our best bet is to be our own individual corporations, and stop counting on "change" from an outside source that has absolutely no insight on your situation.

I think I will go to the ballots on election day and write myself in, or maybe I'll just stay in and Occupy My Couch.  Who knows.

So It Begins...hopefully.

I'm expanding my portfolio a little bit to help get my name out there.  I recently was accepted to be a contributor to the sports website Bleacher Report.  I submitted my first article today, and it is officially posted on the site now. There's a link to my article at the bottom, so go check it out, comment, do whatever.  Later.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/929050-nba-solutions-contraction-is-necessary-to-stop-future-lockouts

Vote or Die

Wow, only 3 votes, however did Obama get elected?  I guess our generation is filled with apathy.  Well I guess Meth and Mary hold on to the title with an overwhelming 66.7% of the votes (2 votes...one was mine).  Don't think you guys are off the hook, I'm posting another poll about another musical subject.

This time I'm going to talk about the lost medium of the motion picture soundtrack.  Man, I used to anticipate the release of soundtracks.  Some where the only shining part of a shitty movie (High School High, Sunset Park, Who's The Man?...I don't care what anybody says, those movies sucked).  Artists created original music exclusively for movies, and most of the time that soundtrack was the only outlet that featured that song.  The song and movie would be forever intertwined.  You here 2 Live Crew's "Hoochie Mama," the first thing that pops in your head is Friday...Eric B & Rakim's "Know the Ledge," Juice, and so on.

Nowadays, with the Internet and the evolution of the importance of the single over that album, people hear the song and don't associate it with an actual movie.  Artists release the songs on their albums, mixtapes, and other compilations.  Flo-Rida's smash hit "Low" (just puked a little bit in my mouth), was released on the Step Up 2: The Streets Soundtrack (ugh...it's starting to leak out my mouth now).  Nobody would know that, because how many movies, TV shows, commercial, bar mitzvahs was it featured in afterwards?  Millions...I even think there's a Kidz Bop version. 

Now I'm about to take you on trip back to a time when soundtracks ruled the world and give you my list of the best motion picture soundtracks that were released in my lifetime (let's face it, nobody has rocked out to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack in decades).  I'm going to give you my top 10 and list another poll and you ungrateful summabishes better vote...because if you don't, that means the terrorists have won. 

10.) Love & Basketball (2000) - This was a real laid back soundtrack.  It featured some classic cuts from the 80s and 90s (Zapp, Guy, MC Lyte, etc...), mixed in with some of the smoothest artists of the time.  It had the Black Eyed Peas when they still cared about the music they created, introduced me to Bilal, featured the debut track from the Tony, Toni, Tone/En Vogue/A Tribe Called Quest hybrid group Lucy Pearl, "Dance Tonight."  Definitely a straight-through listen.

9.)  New Jersey Drive (1995) - This soundtrack was so major, it was a double album.  Nobody remembers the movie, but hip-hop fans can't forget the soundtrack.  This was released at the height of the East Coast/West Coast drama, but it featured artists from the east, west, and from down south.  Redman, Queen Latifah, Mac Mall, Coolio, Mad Lion, MC Eiht, and a young, fledgling Outkast.  My favorite cut from this album was "Can't You See" sung by Total featuring "the black Frank White" himself, The Notorious B.I.G.

8.)  Juice (1991) - You know a film featuring a young, up and coming Tupac Shakur playing a role that is still celebrated today, has to have a soundtrack that comes hard.  Juice didn't disappoint.  Pac did not have a song on the soundtrack, but other top notch talent carried the weight.  Hip-hop hall of famers Eric B & Rakim, Cypress Hill, Salt 'n' Pepa, Big Daddy Kane, EPMD, and Too $hort.  The track that set the mood for the album was Naughty By Nature's "Uptown Anthem."

7.)  Menace II Society (1993) - This film is probably second to only Boyz N Tha Hood in the now deserted "hood" film genre of the early 90s. The soundtrack matched the film's intensity.  Majority of the tracks were from west coast artists like Too $hort, Spice 1, DJ Quik, and Ant Banks.  The prolific story telling of MC Eiht on "Streiht Up Menace" was the pinnacle song of this album.

6.)  New Jack City (1990) - If there were a Mount Rushmore for "hood" movies, New Jack City would be one of the four representatives.  "Sit yo' five dolla ass down before I make change!!!"...ah, such a classic line, back to the soundtrack.  Besides featuring Ice-T and 2 Live Crew, this was predominantly a R&B album.  You had Guy, LeVert, Troop, Johnny Gill, Christopher Williams, and Keith Sweat.  The song that holds the hearts of many in this collection is Color Me Badd's classic song about freakin', "I Wanna Sex U Up."

5.)  The Show (1995) - 1995 shows up again, it's not called "the golden age of hip-hop" for nothing.  The Show was a half-assed documentary about hip-hop, but the soundtrack did not half-step at all.  Many classic moments on this collection of songs.  Biggie performing "Me & My Bitch" live in Philadelphia, Redman dropping one of the illest verses of all-time on "How High," and 2Pac standing out on the introspective "My Block."

4.)  Judgement Night (1993) - Once again, the movie...ehhh, the soundtrack...wow!  Way before Limp Bizkit, Everlast, and the Jay-Z/Linkin Park thing, there was this soundtrack.  It was a beautiful mash-up of rock and rap.  Songs featured Onyx and Biohazard together, Cypress Hill with Pearl Jam, and Slayer connecting with Ice-T.  My hands down favorite song on this soundtrack (and one of my favorite songs of all time) was "Fallin'" by De La Soul and Teenage Fanclub.

3.)  Above The Rim (1994) - Another movie featuring Tupac Shakur, another great soundtrack.  This was strictly west coast, and it solidified the foundation of Suge Knight's Death Row Records.  Tha Dogg Pound, Snoop Dogg, and H-Town all provided heat for this collection.  My favorite song wasn't even featured on the CD version, only on the cassette tape version (which pissed me off because I had to buy both, I didn't have loot like that at 14, shit I don't have loot like that now).  It was 2Pac's "Pain."  The overwhelming people's choice as the best song on the soundtrack was Warren G & Nate Dogg's "Regulate."

2.)  Boomerang (1993) - What didn't this soundtrack have?  Complete.  Not much hip-hop on this one (only A Tribe Called Quest's "Hot Sex").  This album set the R&B standard for the time.  TLC, Johnny Gill, and Babyface.  It introduced us to Toni Braxton and all of her fineness.  It gave us one of the greatest love songs of all-time with Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" (they took Elvis' chart topping record).  That wasn't even my favorite song on the soundtrack, I loved, I mean love, PM Dawn's "I'd Die Without You."

1.)  Purple Rain (1984) - Fuck soundtracks, this might be one of the greatest albums of all-time by one of the greatest musicians of all-time.  I was about to turn 5 when this album dropped, and I still haven't heard much that was as innovative as this.  Nine songs, two #1 hits, four top 10 hits, and five top 25 hits. The Purple One did his thing with this one.  Opening up the album with the high energy "Let's Go Crazy" was genius.  His screaming ultimatum on "The Beautiful Ones" was breathtaking.  I have decided not to let my daughter hear "Darling Nikki" till she's 25, its audio porn.  The game changing no baseline of "When Doves Cry."  The title track, "Purple Rain"...'nuff said.  I can't pick a favorite, I think I might listen to it right now.

There's my list, you know the deal...vote, leave a comment, tell me your favorite soundtracks, or do absolutely nothing like you did last time.  I'll be waiting.

Yes, I'm Still On That...

So my new found infatuation with my old MySpace page has continued thru today.  This time I'm reading the comments from people I used to hang out with constantly 4 years ago, now I never see.  Is four years really that long?  Well some people are obvious leave behinds, like people from Cali, but some of these people live a town over and I never see.  What happened?  Did you get scared that I was gonna blog about...that's a random bullet, nobody's safe from that.  Did I piss you off?  I'm an asshole and you knew that, so getting pissed at me is part of the relationship.  So here is my mission today, I am gonna find all these people on Facebook and ask them why we don't kick it anymore, and all I want is a simple answer ("I don't know" is not an acceptable answer).  Ready, set, go.  Oh yeah, I'm gonna tag you in this blog link too so you understand why the hell I am contacting you after all of this time.  It's partially my fault, but mostly yours.  I'm still here.  In the meantime, enjoy another classic MySpace blog from October 4, 2007 directed towards Cubs fans after another tragic playoff loss.  Judging from the comments the previously anonymous text message responses are from Josh Burrell and Susie Karas (yes, I name names now, bitches).

Misery Cures Writer’s Block

Current mood:aggravated

Wow, I really had trouble this week thinking about something interesting to write this week for all of my fans (all zero of you...basically me). I was blocked. Two weeks and this asshole already has writer's block, can you believe it? Then at around 9:06 PM Central time last night it hit me...THE CUBBIES. Not even the Cubs, but their ignorant fans. It would be a lengthy feat to accomplish, that would require a mass amount of research (not really, but I don't just want to talk out of my ass, I would like some actual factuals thrown in there), so I talked shit to all my Cub fan friends via text message during the game last night to get the material I needed.

Now a lot of them didn't respond to my foolishness, but those that did, ha ha, it was like taking candy from a baby. I could talk shit about Cub fans for the next ten years based on the responses I got back last night. As most of you can tell, I am a White Sox fan. The Sox had a rough go at it this season, but aren't they allowed one since they won a World Series Championship in 2005. Technically, they have won more championships than the Yankees in the last five years, but I digress. I was skeptical of the Cubs making the playoffs this year, and rightfully so because they are "cursed," "jinxed," or my personal favorite, they just have miserably sucked the last two centuries. Once it was clear the Cubs were in the post season, I was fairly congratulatory towards Cubs' fans...until I congratulated a certain nameless manager at my job and he replied "...yeah and the best part about it is that we can throw it in the Sox fans' faces!!" Wow, was that really necessary? As a fan you should be more worried about the next team you play in the playoffs, not a team that is near the bottom of their division in a whole other league. Which goes into my first point, most Cub fans would rather hate the Sox than know what is going on with their own team. Ask a Cub fan to name last night's batting order, I bet they can't do it. Better yet, ask my girlfriend (sorry again, Julie) to name the Cubs' second baseman, or even what race is he...blank stare, or a "shut up Jon!" I know what you're saying right now, "but Jon isn't that what your doing right now?" My answer to that is no, this is completely different...no time to explain now...back to blogging.

One text I received was "how does your team go from being the best to damn near the worst in just two years? At least the Cubs have maintained a level of consistency." Exactly, a level of consistent shittiness. Team go from champs to chumps all the time, just look at the Bears this years. Some examples in baseball:  the 1998 Florida Marlins, the 2003 Anaheim Angels, the 2004 Florida Marlins, and even this seasons' St. Louis Cardinals. All teams have a cycle to go through (except the damn Yankees and Red Sox), the Cubs don't move in circular motion, just a straight line of shit-tacular proportions.

Another response I received is "...I don't see your team playing now." No you don't. You know why, cause they sucked this season. Nothing more nothing less. No excuses, they didn't perform, so they lost. Cub fans have more excuses for sucking than Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton. The Goat, the '69 Mets, Steve Garvey, and Steve Bartman. How about using you played like shit so you lost as an excuse. It works, trust me, and it's easier to let go of, which I know is hard for Cubs fans to do (when is Ryno, Mad Dog, and Gracie coming back?). You guys have nobody to blame but yourselves. You have created these so-called curses, and now everyone to ever put on a Cubs jersey believes in them. Once they get in pressure situations, they will hope the curse doesn't affect them and try to do everything in their power to not be jinxed , then they overplay a little bit, and BAM

Other response I got were "you're a fag," "fuck you," "I hate you," "whatever," and etc... Those pretty much speak for themselves. So to end, I would like to say with the sincerest of all meanings...GO ARIZONA!!! Fuck The Cubs. I'm out. 

MySpace Account is Still Valid!?!?!

So for shits and giggles, I checked to see if my old MySpace account was still intact (for those who don't know MySpace = (Facebook - pokes - likes) + cool background decorations + customized background music).  Golly gee, it was still alive and kicking, just the way I left it 3 or 4 years ago.  It was like when you find that old Atari in your attic, you hook it up, it's cool for a second, but then that shit gets old real fast.  I did find some interesting things though, some old blogs I wrote on MySpace.  I was quite the asshole I might say.  Cynicism and sarcasm at its greatest.  My view of the world has changed a little bit since then, and I wouldn't say that I don't agree with what I wrote back then, but I would just say maybe nowadays I would say it differently.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing?  I'm not sure.  From what I read I was a little bit more "raw," a little "hungrier" than I am now.  I'm kind of jealous how that guy wrote, I gotta find him again, he had an edge to him.  Not to say I'm not an asshole today, because I am (ask my co-workers, family, pets, etc...they'll all agree).  Just a more mellow asshole...sometimes (ask Jodi Dion).  I just want to harness that level of asshole-osity I possessed back then, and harness that dickhead energy into my writing now. 

Here is an example of that asshole-osity.  This is a blog I wrote September 19, 2007, my first one to be exact (damn I was still in my twenties).  I remember my wife (at the time only my girlfriend/mother of my child) was not so pleased about this post. It was raw emotion and observation.  A lot of truth, and some exaggeration (I never "percolated" at Coach House...maybe just a broad example, or maybe hung over while writing the post...only the MySpace gods know now).  Take a peek into the past, my MySpace time capsule.  I'll post the other old blogs some other time, but enjoy this one for now. 

P.S.  - Peep the emoticon, I forgot all about them shits, haahaha!
P.P.S - I will never, never, ever, ever, never conclude any future blogs with "Holla Atcha Boy," that was corny and so 2007.

Broken Cherry

                                            Current mood:creative

Well, I'm gonna test this shit out finally. I figure if I want to be writer whose works are viewed in the public domain, then what better way to finally pimp Myspace and perfect my craft for all of you to see. I have read a few blogs and it seems they consist of peoples' gripes, so what should I bitch about? I got it! Women...more specifically, women as girlfriends, spouses, wives, common-law partners, domestic partners,...you get it right, I don't need to go on?  I have been dating my girlfriend for almost 5 years (with a small break in between, but we won't go into that...not today at least), and is it just me, but do women just chose not to even attempt to gain a clear understanding of the male species?  To break it down further, I don't think she knows me after 5 years. Women say men don't pay attention...I'll give you that, but women don't know who they are with. I think they have a perception of who they want to be with and try to (don't quote Beyonce...aw fuck it) "upgrade you" into that imaginary person. For those of you that know my girlfriend, next time you see her, ask her what is Jon's favorite color, and watch the look of utter confusion take over her face. Not to say that she is totally oblivious to my likes and dislikes, she can get the easy ones. Favorite Food: what grown ass man doesn't like a good steak. Favorite TV Show: pretty safe with any sport or Sportscenter. I love that statement that goes "You used to act so nice and romantic when we first started dating." Duh, I was trying to fuck you at the time. Shit, you used to watch football with me and not look disgusted. Duh, she was trying trick you into believing she was the "cool girl."(much love, Julie). I understand that women have plans and dreams that were developed in their minds when they were 5 years old (i.e. marriage, dog, cat, 2.5 kids, house with white picket fence, etc...), but if that plan is deviated from, why must they mold their reality into the perception of that dream. I know a few couples where the woman knows their male spouse is fed up, but will still go on thinking everything is peachy keen. Why? Obviously both of you are not happy, why go on living a lie. The guy thinks if he's a bigger and bigger dick the girl  will get fed up, and the girl can ignore it until the guy goes OJ on her, or until the kids graduate college. Either way, all that shit can be avoided if you ladies get to know the guy you originally started dating and stop trying to change him. We don't change, we just stop doing shit with you. I love to conversate, just not with you about bills and money all the goddamn time. I love to drink, just not with you when you get drunk and ask me "when are we gonna get married?" every ten fucking minutes. I love to have sex, just not missionary all the time. I guess what I am trying to say ladies is, that guy you met sloppy drunk 3 years ago at the Coach House at 2:37 AM Central time that knocked you off your feet while doing the Percolator is still there deep down. He just hiding from that crazy bitch that swallowed his girlfriend that used to not nag, and give him road head (without having to be asked mind you). You just got to figure out how to get him to open the door and come out. It won't take much, maybe a steak and a threesome. I'm Out!!!!  Holla Atcha Boy.  

Just Checking

I'm bored at work, just checking to if this Blogger iPhone app is legit. Scary monsters...I can blog on the go, stay tuned.