Idle Thoughts On A Boring Saturday Afternoon
Originally posted on October 23, 2004.
Right about now, I'm eating a quarter pounder, listening to Mos Def's Ghetto Rock and staring at this absentee ballot I just got in the mail.
I think I'm the only person I know that knew Trick Daddy's Let's Go was a sample of Ozzy Osbourne's Crazy Train. How could any sports fan not know that?
Am I the only one utterly disturbed at this whole idea of implanting chips into human beings? I don't care what the reason is. That's just unnatural. And it just makes reading 1984 and watching The Jetsons all the more scary.
Can I tell you how good this burger is?
To everyone who told me this Mos Def album was disappointing: Just know that I will never listen to you folks again. And now I have to think back to any other advice you've given me and rush out to buy those albums too. Because evidently you have no taste in music or at the very least taste that is not comparable to mine. Needless to say I won't be trusting you anymore. All 10 of you.
I'm serious. This new Mos Def album might be my number 2 favorite album of the moment after Jean Grae's This Week. But all I was hearing for the last week or so was how Mos was doing an Andre 3000. Hardly, people. And I liked the Love Below from the minute I heard it.
First of all, was Mos not singing on Black On Both Sides?
Second, Mos's singing is far greater than Andre's.
Third, Andre rapped on like 2 songs on his album. At least Mos didn't completely abandon the flow.
Finally, Tweetyfan mentioned something real on wnbatalk.com in our discussion about hip hop. We keep holding artists to our standards and have the nerve to get mad when they express their art differently than we expected.
Why is it that we complain and complain about artists being repetitive and lacking growth and then get mad when they try something new? We call it stepping out of their comfort zone. I think it's more them stepping out of our comfort zone and the nice little box we shoved them in.
I'm not mad at Mos Def and Andre 3000. Thank God for true artists like them. Who says you've got to make just rap or just r&b or just rock or whatever? Why not just make music? And considering we created rock and roll, it irks me when black consumers get mad at a black artist for doing something other than rap or r&b. Or get mad at any artist under 40 for doing jazz or the blues. Or look at me funny for listening to it. Get outta here with that. You're missing out on a lot of great art with that mentality. Good music is good music.
Ghetto Rock and Modern Marvel alone made it money well spent.
Anyway, I've got this absentee ballot here with my name on it. I guess I'm supposed to fill in the ovals and stuff and send it back. You know I've got a problem with the fact that here I am trying to exercise my civic duty, and I've got to pay postage. Had to pay a whole 37 cents to mail in the application and now I've got to dig up another stamp to pay another 37 cents to send back the ballot or Puffy will roll up in his Bentley and make some fuss about voting or dying.
So I'm voting for the ketchup lady's husband. Though I did not know that Roger Calero and Michael Badnarik are running for president. I guess that negates my Anyone But Bush method of decision making. I was tempted to jump behind Nader, but umm, he just doesn't get it does he?
Since Ada L. Smith is running unopposed for NY State Senator, can I write my own name in? I mean, it's not like she's gonna lose.
I sincerely hope that by now, you've began to understand my warped state of mind and realize that I care a weee bit more about the issues than voting for the husband of the woman with ties to my favorite ketchup. Not that it matters, but just to make sure.
I'd rather leave that type of thinking to the people who are going out to vote because Puffy said it was cool.
So Mos Def's album just finished and the i-pod's on random. Just so happens to be playing my favorite catchy hook of the moment...
I'm from Neeww Yaaaawwwwwkkk.
Can't stand Ja Rule, can tolerate Fat Joe and kinda like Jadakiss, but for some reason I actually like this song. I don't have a hundred guns or a hundred clips and right about now I most definitely don't have a hundred ways to make a grip, but I can get real ignorant. But I am from Neeewww Yawwwwk. I wonder why they didn't ask me to be on this song? Ha. But really, I'm feeling the love for Queens in rap videos these days. Had Ja Rule shoot his video on 191st, LL at the Coliseum. Nice.
You know what? I take that back. It's not that I can't stand Ja Rule. I'm just sick of him doing crap like Wonderful. I need more New York New York. I know, "but what about that stuff you said about Mos Def and not placing artists in a box?" It's different. Ja keeps doing the same song over and calling it something different. Mos is being innovative. Ja has a formula for selling records. And while sell they do, they suck. Ashanti is no Lil Mo on those hooks. She's boring. I really liked Ja's first album while riding the Q43 from school to the Ave. back in high school. I even liked the next one. I believe that was the Rule 3:36 one. Wasn't as good, but it was kinda hot. Then him and Ashanti became freakin Ashford and Simpson without the talent.
Then 50 Cent blew up and everyone jumped on his bandwagon and hated Ja Rule. Now, I liked Get Rich..., and all 999 of the G-Unit mixtapes, but how do you just start hating a dude because some other rapper tells you to? Those same people that were saying Ja's wack and screaming G-Unit were loving him 2 weeks ago. And then 50 disses Ja in every song about the fact that he sings. Well what the heck was 21 Questions? P.I.M.P? Wanksta? If I Can't? The list goes on.
So now Ja comes back with New York New York and slowly but surely those same people are making excuses for why they started hating on him and are slipping off the 50 bandwagon. And let's not pretend like having Jadakiss and Fat Joe didn't help his cause. I swear rap fans can be so feeble minded at times. "Wait a minute, Joe and Kiss are on the joint with him? Well maybe he's not that wack. I mean if they wanted to do the song with him." This is all too much for me to keep up with. Far as I'm concerned, both 50 and Ja could put the mic down and my life would go on without skipping a beat. Wouldn't mind if 75% of these other rappers joined them.
Speaking of Murder Inc., that Lloyd guy? I dunno. Something about him bothers me.
Finished my burger. Should hold me over until I figure out what to get up and make for dinner.
Kick off your shoes Jump on the jockListen to the Jam Master as he starts to rock
The Lakers look really weird these days. Watched the preseason game last night. I think they'll make the playoffs.
J-A-Y are the letters of his name/Cutting and scratching are the aspects of his game
Kobe will probably average 35 a game. But the key to that team is going to be Lamar Odom. I think Lamar's one of the best overall players in the league. My Knicks keep talking about bringing Wally Szerhoweveryouspellit home, but I'd rather they had found a way to get Lamar way back when.
In '84 he'll be a little faster/And only practice makes a real Jam Master
Or Ron Artest. Fredric Weis anyone? And they wondered why we hated Scott Layden? Fredric Weis will forever be remembered for 2 things. "I'm not ready" and being the dude literally underneath Vince Carter.
I liiiiiiike the waaaaaaay you kisss me when we're playing the kissing game....
I'm seaching for a poster of John Starks' infamous dunk over Horace Grant and Michael Jordan.
That's what I want for Christmas. A nice huge blowup of my favorite moment in Knicks history by my favorite Knick of all time. To this day I love to hear Jordan fans say John only threw it down on Grant. Ha.
Slow motion like a dream/But real time is what it seems
I have already decided who I want the next WNBA Commisioner to be. Laura Bush. Not because I sincerely hope she's not living in D.C. come January and am depending on her to be available by the February 1st deadline. No, I think we need a nice straight motherly influence to run our league. And after reading the GQ article in the issue with Lohan on the cover, I think she's perfect for the job.
But it was just my imagination...
But seriously, I don't know if the WNBA is really looking for specifically a straight, married mother. Wouldn't surprise me, but I don't think about it that hard. As I said yesterday, Ackerman did a great job and I hope they find someone who can do an even better one.
Hoooold my hand...
There was for once a great feature on wnba.com about what players would do if they were President of the US. I think if the W is smart, they'll follow that one up by asking the players what they would do if they were President of the W. I mean, it's only right.
Oh, btw, we haven't given Teresa Weatherspoon a shout out in a minute here on Hip Hop Is Dead...But Anyway. So there it goes. Like how I say we, like there's more than 1 of me? I'm crazy I tell, ya.
But anyway, I for one appreciated her answer on what she would do if she were prez of the country. "Everybody would be ok." Nice, simple, to the point, but at the same time relative and lacking commitment. I'd advise her to run for office immeeejiatly. All the other players either wanted raises, education reform, do away with taxes, nice sappy stuff like that. Spoon just got to the point by giving everything and nothing at the same time. That's just how us Americans like it. Make it sound good and keep it simple. Word.
I wanna be loved/There's nothing bettttterrr than love/What in the world could you evvVER be thinking of/It's better by faaar/So let yourself reeeach for that staaar/And go no matter how faaaaar /Tooooo the one you lovvvve
Cheryl Ford's answer is what our current president seems to do. Anna DeForge's answer is what people like me wish he would have done a long time ago.
Kara Lawson not wanting to change anything based on what's currently going on scares me.She may want to give Tina Thompson, Swin Cash or Nykesha Sales a call.
Spoon, Ruth Riley and Nikki Teasley have missed their political callings.
And I'd love to ask Natalie Williams, Nikki McCray and Diana "Read My Lips" Taurasi where this money's coming from.
Am I the only one that wonders what version of the Matrix Jay-Z watched when he spits his red or green pill line in Excuse Me Miss?
I know I'm not the only one that wishes it would either stay warm or just get cold already.
Anyway, I'm going to go vote.
But just in case you were wondering, we have listened to:
Mos Def's whole new album, The New Danger
Ja Rule's New York, New York
Run DMC's Jam Master Jay
Hi-Five's I Like
NERD's The Way She Dances
The Temptations' Just My Imagination
Van Hunt's Hold My Hand
Luther Vandross and Gregory Hines' classic There's Nothing Better Than Love duet
Jay-Z's Excuse Me Miss and currently playing, Quincy Jones' For Lena and Lennie
on this wonderful excursion through my idle mind on a boring Saturday afternoon.
It is Saturday right?
Right about now, I'm eating a quarter pounder, listening to Mos Def's Ghetto Rock and staring at this absentee ballot I just got in the mail.
I think I'm the only person I know that knew Trick Daddy's Let's Go was a sample of Ozzy Osbourne's Crazy Train. How could any sports fan not know that?
Am I the only one utterly disturbed at this whole idea of implanting chips into human beings? I don't care what the reason is. That's just unnatural. And it just makes reading 1984 and watching The Jetsons all the more scary.
Can I tell you how good this burger is?
To everyone who told me this Mos Def album was disappointing: Just know that I will never listen to you folks again. And now I have to think back to any other advice you've given me and rush out to buy those albums too. Because evidently you have no taste in music or at the very least taste that is not comparable to mine. Needless to say I won't be trusting you anymore. All 10 of you.
I'm serious. This new Mos Def album might be my number 2 favorite album of the moment after Jean Grae's This Week. But all I was hearing for the last week or so was how Mos was doing an Andre 3000. Hardly, people. And I liked the Love Below from the minute I heard it.
First of all, was Mos not singing on Black On Both Sides?
Second, Mos's singing is far greater than Andre's.
Third, Andre rapped on like 2 songs on his album. At least Mos didn't completely abandon the flow.
Finally, Tweetyfan mentioned something real on wnbatalk.com in our discussion about hip hop. We keep holding artists to our standards and have the nerve to get mad when they express their art differently than we expected.
Why is it that we complain and complain about artists being repetitive and lacking growth and then get mad when they try something new? We call it stepping out of their comfort zone. I think it's more them stepping out of our comfort zone and the nice little box we shoved them in.
I'm not mad at Mos Def and Andre 3000. Thank God for true artists like them. Who says you've got to make just rap or just r&b or just rock or whatever? Why not just make music? And considering we created rock and roll, it irks me when black consumers get mad at a black artist for doing something other than rap or r&b. Or get mad at any artist under 40 for doing jazz or the blues. Or look at me funny for listening to it. Get outta here with that. You're missing out on a lot of great art with that mentality. Good music is good music.
Ghetto Rock and Modern Marvel alone made it money well spent.
Anyway, I've got this absentee ballot here with my name on it. I guess I'm supposed to fill in the ovals and stuff and send it back. You know I've got a problem with the fact that here I am trying to exercise my civic duty, and I've got to pay postage. Had to pay a whole 37 cents to mail in the application and now I've got to dig up another stamp to pay another 37 cents to send back the ballot or Puffy will roll up in his Bentley and make some fuss about voting or dying.
So I'm voting for the ketchup lady's husband. Though I did not know that Roger Calero and Michael Badnarik are running for president. I guess that negates my Anyone But Bush method of decision making. I was tempted to jump behind Nader, but umm, he just doesn't get it does he?
Since Ada L. Smith is running unopposed for NY State Senator, can I write my own name in? I mean, it's not like she's gonna lose.
I sincerely hope that by now, you've began to understand my warped state of mind and realize that I care a weee bit more about the issues than voting for the husband of the woman with ties to my favorite ketchup. Not that it matters, but just to make sure.
I'd rather leave that type of thinking to the people who are going out to vote because Puffy said it was cool.
So Mos Def's album just finished and the i-pod's on random. Just so happens to be playing my favorite catchy hook of the moment...
I'm from Neeww Yaaaawwwwwkkk.
Can't stand Ja Rule, can tolerate Fat Joe and kinda like Jadakiss, but for some reason I actually like this song. I don't have a hundred guns or a hundred clips and right about now I most definitely don't have a hundred ways to make a grip, but I can get real ignorant. But I am from Neeewww Yawwwwk. I wonder why they didn't ask me to be on this song? Ha. But really, I'm feeling the love for Queens in rap videos these days. Had Ja Rule shoot his video on 191st, LL at the Coliseum. Nice.
You know what? I take that back. It's not that I can't stand Ja Rule. I'm just sick of him doing crap like Wonderful. I need more New York New York. I know, "but what about that stuff you said about Mos Def and not placing artists in a box?" It's different. Ja keeps doing the same song over and calling it something different. Mos is being innovative. Ja has a formula for selling records. And while sell they do, they suck. Ashanti is no Lil Mo on those hooks. She's boring. I really liked Ja's first album while riding the Q43 from school to the Ave. back in high school. I even liked the next one. I believe that was the Rule 3:36 one. Wasn't as good, but it was kinda hot. Then him and Ashanti became freakin Ashford and Simpson without the talent.
Then 50 Cent blew up and everyone jumped on his bandwagon and hated Ja Rule. Now, I liked Get Rich..., and all 999 of the G-Unit mixtapes, but how do you just start hating a dude because some other rapper tells you to? Those same people that were saying Ja's wack and screaming G-Unit were loving him 2 weeks ago. And then 50 disses Ja in every song about the fact that he sings. Well what the heck was 21 Questions? P.I.M.P? Wanksta? If I Can't? The list goes on.
So now Ja comes back with New York New York and slowly but surely those same people are making excuses for why they started hating on him and are slipping off the 50 bandwagon. And let's not pretend like having Jadakiss and Fat Joe didn't help his cause. I swear rap fans can be so feeble minded at times. "Wait a minute, Joe and Kiss are on the joint with him? Well maybe he's not that wack. I mean if they wanted to do the song with him." This is all too much for me to keep up with. Far as I'm concerned, both 50 and Ja could put the mic down and my life would go on without skipping a beat. Wouldn't mind if 75% of these other rappers joined them.
Speaking of Murder Inc., that Lloyd guy? I dunno. Something about him bothers me.
Finished my burger. Should hold me over until I figure out what to get up and make for dinner.
Kick off your shoes Jump on the jockListen to the Jam Master as he starts to rock
The Lakers look really weird these days. Watched the preseason game last night. I think they'll make the playoffs.
J-A-Y are the letters of his name/Cutting and scratching are the aspects of his game
Kobe will probably average 35 a game. But the key to that team is going to be Lamar Odom. I think Lamar's one of the best overall players in the league. My Knicks keep talking about bringing Wally Szerhoweveryouspellit home, but I'd rather they had found a way to get Lamar way back when.
In '84 he'll be a little faster/And only practice makes a real Jam Master
Or Ron Artest. Fredric Weis anyone? And they wondered why we hated Scott Layden? Fredric Weis will forever be remembered for 2 things. "I'm not ready" and being the dude literally underneath Vince Carter.
I liiiiiiike the waaaaaaay you kisss me when we're playing the kissing game....
I'm seaching for a poster of John Starks' infamous dunk over Horace Grant and Michael Jordan.
That's what I want for Christmas. A nice huge blowup of my favorite moment in Knicks history by my favorite Knick of all time. To this day I love to hear Jordan fans say John only threw it down on Grant. Ha.
Slow motion like a dream/But real time is what it seems
I have already decided who I want the next WNBA Commisioner to be. Laura Bush. Not because I sincerely hope she's not living in D.C. come January and am depending on her to be available by the February 1st deadline. No, I think we need a nice straight motherly influence to run our league. And after reading the GQ article in the issue with Lohan on the cover, I think she's perfect for the job.
But it was just my imagination...
But seriously, I don't know if the WNBA is really looking for specifically a straight, married mother. Wouldn't surprise me, but I don't think about it that hard. As I said yesterday, Ackerman did a great job and I hope they find someone who can do an even better one.
Hoooold my hand...
There was for once a great feature on wnba.com about what players would do if they were President of the US. I think if the W is smart, they'll follow that one up by asking the players what they would do if they were President of the W. I mean, it's only right.
Oh, btw, we haven't given Teresa Weatherspoon a shout out in a minute here on Hip Hop Is Dead...But Anyway. So there it goes. Like how I say we, like there's more than 1 of me? I'm crazy I tell, ya.
But anyway, I for one appreciated her answer on what she would do if she were prez of the country. "Everybody would be ok." Nice, simple, to the point, but at the same time relative and lacking commitment. I'd advise her to run for office immeeejiatly. All the other players either wanted raises, education reform, do away with taxes, nice sappy stuff like that. Spoon just got to the point by giving everything and nothing at the same time. That's just how us Americans like it. Make it sound good and keep it simple. Word.
I wanna be loved/There's nothing bettttterrr than love/What in the world could you evvVER be thinking of/It's better by faaar/So let yourself reeeach for that staaar/And go no matter how faaaaar /Tooooo the one you lovvvve
Cheryl Ford's answer is what our current president seems to do. Anna DeForge's answer is what people like me wish he would have done a long time ago.
Kara Lawson not wanting to change anything based on what's currently going on scares me.She may want to give Tina Thompson, Swin Cash or Nykesha Sales a call.
Spoon, Ruth Riley and Nikki Teasley have missed their political callings.
And I'd love to ask Natalie Williams, Nikki McCray and Diana "Read My Lips" Taurasi where this money's coming from.
Am I the only one that wonders what version of the Matrix Jay-Z watched when he spits his red or green pill line in Excuse Me Miss?
I know I'm not the only one that wishes it would either stay warm or just get cold already.
Anyway, I'm going to go vote.
But just in case you were wondering, we have listened to:
Mos Def's whole new album, The New Danger
Ja Rule's New York, New York
Run DMC's Jam Master Jay
Hi-Five's I Like
NERD's The Way She Dances
The Temptations' Just My Imagination
Van Hunt's Hold My Hand
Luther Vandross and Gregory Hines' classic There's Nothing Better Than Love duet
Jay-Z's Excuse Me Miss and currently playing, Quincy Jones' For Lena and Lennie
on this wonderful excursion through my idle mind on a boring Saturday afternoon.
It is Saturday right?
posted by universalh8r | 12:52 PM
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