Thursday, March 20, 2008

THIS WHY DUKE (STILL) SUCKS

As mentioned in my last blog, the follow-up to last year's smash hit "This Is Why Duke Sucks." It's funny how he flips the whole "becoming what you hate so much" concept.

Courtesy of RosenbergRadio.com

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

THIS IS WHY DUKE SUCKS

Being a fan of the UConn men's basketball team has shaped the way I watch college basketball. Namely, it's driven me to hate Duke. Now, a lot of fans don't like Duke. But outside of the ACC, UConn fans have the most reason to hate them. Christian Laettner for stepping on Rod Sellers' chest (and getting away with it while Rod was ejected for not taking to kindly to Laettner's "accident") and for burying The Dream Season with a buzzer-beater. Eventually, these transgressions were avenged but the fact remains: Fuck Duke. Always and forever.

With March Madness is less than 24 hours away, I felt this video would set the mood nicely.



Courtesy of RosenbergRadio.com

*Note: Peter made a video for this year but I guess he took it off where he mocked the Duke program to the tune of Eminem's stalker ballad "Stan." Unfortunate.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

HIP-HOP MEETS PUNK ROCKERS UPTOWN....AT THE MALL


Tapered jeans. Extra-medium shirts. Spiked belts. New Era caps. Who'd ever have thought the hip-hop kids and punk rock kids would be dressing alike? While this officially puts me in the "old man" category, it's a positive sign for the world.

Now, it looks like we have the first love child of this multi-cultural union: "Birthday Girl." After leaking two incredible, Lou Ferrigno-on-coke singles, "75 Bars (Black's Reconstruction)" and "Get Busy," their first single features Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump on the hook. Before I heard the song, I read about Stump's appearance. Immediately, that queasy feeling overwhelmed me...like when you found out your first girlfriend blew the frontcourt of the school hoops team while you had mono. (Not that that happened, but you can imagine what it'd be like if it did.) Mostly, I jumped to this conclusion after Stump produced and added his "emo banshee" style on Lupe Fiasco's "Little Weapon" which he also produced.

Anyway, let's get down to brass tacks. Despite its saccharine feel, Black Thought did not slack on this tale of an underaged groupie. The music has a very relaxed feel. But it's a little too laid back, conjuring up images of high school ska bands. Is it poppy? Yes. Is it horrible? No. I mean compared to the actual feces pieces that pass as music these days (Soulja Boy, Lil Wayne, et cetera), it's not bad. Is it The Roots' best work? No. Will it help them sell a lot of records and expand their fanbase? Probably. The cross-marketing strategy with one of the biggest bands in the country was pretty brilliant. (And we should be thankful they collaborated with Stump instead of that style-biting, guyliner-wearing douche nozzle. Yes, there's been some uproar amongst their fans, but I think it's a bit premature. Some fans and critics act as if Black Thought announced that he was engaged to Paris Hilton. And yes, the dreaded S (rhymes with "fell out") word has been tossed around. Selling out is such a If they had written a song about a new dance they had created called the Dirty Sanchez or some such nonsense, the cry of sellout would have been appropriate. But sometimes an established band branches out tries something new. The Clash did "Rock The Casbah" and Bruce Springsteen did "Dancing In The Dark." Ultimately, The Roots are painting a bull's eye on their collective chest. But could it be there's a method to the madness? I think The Roots are too smart to be in it solely for the money and they're not getting enough credit for what could be a subversive move. Here's how it could play out. Joe or Joanne FOB-fan buys the CD, only because Stump is on it, it's a catchy song and the dipshit from biology class says it's like Gym Class Heroes. Upon actually listening to the whole CD, they may have their eyes opened and realize it's not all about tapered jeans and having the same haircut as your boyfriend/girlfriend. A new generation of kids get into good hip-hop. Far-fetched? Yes. Impossible? No.

Worst case scenario: The Roots sell a lot of records, expand their fanbase by five percent and still continue to make good music. Either way, it's a win-win scenario and The Roots deserve a big win.

The Roots feat. Patrick Stump: "Birthday Girl"

Thursday, March 6, 2008

THE STORY OF GANGSTALICIOUS PART 2

Fresh link at the bottom of the post.

The Boondocks keeps getting better and better. In the world of animated sitcoms, if The Simpsons are Michael Jordan, then The Boondocks would be LeBron James. It has the same satirical angles as The Simpsons but is a lot more edgier. (I hate the word "edgy" but it fits.) Like Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks and Dave Chappelle, Boondocks creator Aaron McGruder fuses comedy and social commentary to spark dialogue amongst his audience.

The latest episode focuses on Gangstalicious, a closeted gangsta rapper, who was outed to Riley Freeman, younger brother to the main character and a huge Gangstalicious fan, in the first season. "The Story of Gangstalicious Part 2" centers around the still-closeted Gangstalicious' new single "Homies over Hoes." (Oddly enough, the beat sounds a lot like D4L's "Laffy Taffy," a song that makes me want to light puppies on fire.) McGruder has fashioned Gangstalicious, voiced by Mos Def, as a sort of hip-hop Rob Halford, the Judas Priest singer who announced his homosexuality in the 1990s.

McGruder highlights the homophobic tendencies of hip-hop, along with its contradictory homoerotic subtleties. I'll let you judge for yourself. Enjoy.



alternate link: Here you go Enjoy