Showing posts with label running laps around your competition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label running laps around your competition. Show all posts
How does it feel to put in your all and have it not be enough?/Instead of all full, you're awful and it's so damn tough- Chris B. "Lyrics of Fury 2k5" circa 2004.*
Although I am ecstatic that Usain continues his dominance, my heart goes out to Tyson Gay. He's a great athlete but this rivalry is becoming more and more uneven. He ran a 9.71 in Berlin and no one cares! It's the third best time ever! I probably don't have to tell you who has the top two times...
That brother needs some serious pastoral care.
How was he supposed to know that his career would serve as a footnote in the story of the once in a century phenomenon known as Usain "Lightning" Bolt?!
And I thought lightning wasn't supposed to strike twice, eh? How many times can one man break his own record...and barely look like he's trying.**
Let's just say Tyson was born in 1974 instead of 1982. Still had the same conditioning, resources, and everything that has made him the athlete he is today. Is there any question about his potential stardom then?
He'd be the guy Michael Johnson hands the torch to in 2000. Triumphant enough in 2004 for America to soon forget the doping scandals that were to come. His rivalry with Bolt would be bigger and he might not even play second fiddle.
This would be a "changing of the guard" story rather than what it is now. A tale we've seen so often in sports. A legend decimating the best of the mortals.
Ali did this to Frazier.
Jordan to Barkley, Ewing, Drexler, Malone, and anyone else in his path.
And now Gay must pay the price. He's playing Salieri to Bolt's Mozart.
Yesterday on Twitter I called Tyson the Patrick Ewing of track. This prompted a debate as some felt that it implied Bolt was Jordanesque.***
A friend of mine, obvious Jordan worshiper, offered that the most he could do was compare Bolt to LeBron. I scoffed at this because while I think LeBron will be the G.O.A.T, he isn't yet. Bolt is more than potential. He is now.
But don't let me argue for him, in Bolt's own words:
usainboltI was made for speed - 9.58 - how do you like that - to the world
On the B train riding from Fordham, two of my students began to argue over which borough was the best. In one corner was a Brooklynite who incited the argument by expressing his disdain for the Bronx the whole walk from Fordham to the station.
"yo, i hate this bum ass borough!"
"what's your problem?"
"I swear this whole borough smells like spaghettios!"
Knowing how much my students stereotype, I was surprised he didn't say arroz con pollo. The second student also lives in Brooklyn but originally is from the Bronx. He quickly came to the defense of his homeland.
"Brooklyn is whack!"
"get outta here Brooklyn is the best borough by far!"
They argued about the attractiveness of each borough's females, which borough had the best style (swag is dead, no?), and which borough is most hardbody.
"you would never in your life say Brooklyn is whack while you were there cuz u know they would wash you!"
"that's their problem! They stay killin each other! I guarantee there will be no one left there by like...2012!"
In due time, the conversation, as I anticipated, went to which borough has the nicest emcees.
Up until this point I only observed; contributing to the atmosphere through laughter and shakin my head in disapproval to their ignorance.
I wanted to hear their answers and be reassured that the rumors were a lie: young people do know their history and had respect for culture.
The young brother from the Bronx did not disappoint:
"The Bronx don't have rappers?! Are you kidding me?! We got krs-1, we got pun, we got fat Joe (I'll give him a pass on this one as Joey crack introduced the world to pun and was a member of D.I.T.C)"
"what?! big pun is whack!"
Absurd.
He also went on to trash boogie down productions; two sins I am willing to forgive on the count of his youthful naivete. His next error, however, is beyond redemption.
"Brooklyn got way better rappers than that! We got fab--"
At this I had to interject.
"Brooklyn got way better rappers than that! We got fab--"
At this I had to interject.
"of all the emcees you could have mentioned, you choose fab?!"
It's not that Fabolous is whack. Far from it! But in a history that has given Biggie, Jay , Big Daddy Kane, mos def, among others, you choose fab?
This would be like asking a laker fan why their team is so great and them mentioning robert horry. Horry has contributed to the legacy but is no cornerstone.
The debate soon settled and both brothers changed trains. As I continued my ride home I reflected on three things:
The debate soon settled and both brothers changed trains. As I continued my ride home I reflected on three things:
If Willie Lynch were here, would he smile as these brothers' discord gave evidence of self hatred's compound interest?
Would those who died in the fight against injustice, echo Aaron Mccgruder's portrayal of Dr. King and ask, "is this what I took all those ass whoopings for?"
And I realized their argument proved many of my southern brothers and sisters right when they talk about why and how New York fell off.
Their argument illustrated the infighting that many southern emcees associate with the New York scene. Instead of reflecting on each borough's distinctions as yet another reason why the city is The City, energy is wasted in a futile debate that is based on who can outshout the other more than the facts.
This isn't unique to NY, fighting over territory occurs all over the world and throughout history. Sadly, we forget how much we need each other and waste time belaboring our inadequacies.
The greatest tragedy is when this happens to a successful group. The focus on the whole, becomes too much for the part (think David Ruffin) and they assume the success will continue just because they are there.
I believe this happened to the USA Olympic basketball team. Winning against other nations came naturally in '92 and '96. You didn't check the score to see if they won but to see how badly they crushed the other team.
The team was lackluster in Sydney and by 04, as the league was at it's lowest point in the post-Jordan era, it's performance was woeful.
Players expected to win the gold medal by birthright and even the best players didn't have what it took to be the best team.
The difference in 08? Jerry Colangelo and Coach K got the best players in the league to buy into their system and prove they were the best team in the world. Rather than relying on their reputation, they built it.
I think the New York sound, and therefore hip hop en masse, has a lot to learn from the dream team. You're only winning until you're not and the motivation should be geared toward sustaining power rather than abusing it.
To borrow language from the world of international relations, NY should maintain hegemony through the liberal concept of restraint instead of the neo-con ideal of conquest. In truth the latter is achieved through the former; run your race, and continue to push yourself to higher heights and no one will doubt your ability. You will destroy your opponents without force, win wars without spilling a drop of blood. (Sun Tzu would be pleased)
This cannot be achieved without a recommitment to love that prioritizes music over the business. If monetary spoils make the music a means to an end then the culture suffers.
Newer emcees should make art that converses with the music that came before them. What would happen if they were in actual dialogue with legends? Are there mentors in hip-hop? (We all see what Jay's relationship has done for Kanye.)
This cannot be achieved without a recommitment to love that prioritizes music over the business. If monetary spoils make the music a means to an end then the culture suffers.
Newer emcees should make art that converses with the music that came before them. What would happen if they were in actual dialogue with legends? Are there mentors in hip-hop? (We all see what Jay's relationship has done for Kanye.)
If I could create a dream team of emcees who would mentor up and coming rappers, it would look like this:
KRS-1
LL
Ghostface
Nas
Q tip
Chuck D
Dr. Dre
LL
Ghostface
Nas
Q tip
Chuck D
Dr. Dre
Rza
Big Daddy Kane
Rakim
Big Daddy Kane
Rakim
Scarface
Rev Run
Big Boi
Who would be on your squad? Let the comments begin...
How do they do it?
How does Snapple keep coming with these exclusive flavors?
They tell you on the bottle about how rare these fruits are (for example: I had Peach Mangosteen today. Never even heard of Mangosteen before! Allegedly, at least according to the bottle, Queen Victoria would offer knighthood to anyone who could get her one.) and yet still they sell thousands of bottles!
I got one in Penn Station today for $1.75, that's practically free in Manhattan prices!
Some of y'all are gonna think I'm trippin' but the question still remains: With Snapple claiming to have all natural ingredients, and boasting such variety with these exclusive fruits, how do they do it? Is there some deforestation afoot? And who is picking these fruits?
We need some answers!
Everything we dream of.
If you're new to Art Star, a Cavs fan, or find my beloved Knicks laughable, you may wonder why I am talking about Bron Bron in MSG a day before he begins feasting on the Orlando Magic.
Tonight is the night we learn where the Knicks pick (and I guess the other cellar dwellers are there too).
From all accounts this is a weaker draft than the last two (though, one can never be TOO sure on someone's potential...peace to Darko and Kwame Brown) but I'm still excited.
And guess what? I don't even want the number one pick.
That's right my fellow lotterarians, you can have Blake Griffin.
For that matter, keep Rubio, Thabeet, Jennings, and whoever else keeps Chad Ford awake at night.
All I'm saying is when I turn on MSG next season, all I'm trying to see is more of this:
Please believe this is the future. Anything else is unacceptable.
From Exit 30 to 34th St.
Stay thirsty my friends.
Gotta give it up, this young brother has talent.
I saw this video in October and have wanted to blog about it since then but hadn't gotten a chance. (Y'all know I was too hype about the election to talk about anything else)
This is the first in what will be Shaun Boothe's 12 part "Unauthorized Biography" collection. He is clearly inspired by Nas' "U.B.R (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim)" which was on Street's Disciple. He shows Nas some love in the acknowledgments of each song--which I like b/c in hip-hop and in life, you should always cite your sources!
The second video in the series is about the Tuff Gong himself, the greatest recording artist of all time (who dares to question?), and global icon Bob Marley.
The production is solid as he tributes each artist by chopping up their hits and flowing over it like the Nile. (Can you tell I like his music?)
The latest volume, chapter 3, came out today and dealt with more greatness as he chronicled the life and times of Muhammad Ali.
He promises chapter 4 will focus on Dr. King and President-Elect Obama. I feel like these brothers absolutely deserve their own songs but he might be motivated by Obama fulfilling MLK's dream. Art Star pham, let me know if you're feeling Shaun Boothe's creativity!
It's been awfully quiet in the digital halls of Art Star recently...
Shout out to my fellow bloggers who have kept the computers putin but it's been over a week and I think I am finally ready to talk about the election.
I'm not here to gloat, nor rub a little extra salt in the wound for the five McCain supporters who read this blog. Ironically, I'm here to talk about how speechless I've been.
We've all fantasized about something. Whether it's money, finding that special someone, or achieving something incredible, we all try to plan out our reaction.
Two episodes come to mind as I dig through the archives. First, meeting my pops when I was 13. I planned to be really angry, tell him about all the missed birthdays and achievements. Instead, we traded jokes, told stories, and--with my mom there to share the moment--felt the closest I've ever been to having a "nuclear" family.
I also remember a moment the following year in tenth grade (your boy had smarts!). I had a "Doug" moment and completely botched asking this girl out. I planned it out in my mind, swagger was at a solid 175, and did everything but write a speech, but in the moment I could not find the right words.
The day after the election, I called my Grandma to get her reaction. My grandma came to the United States in the 60s, witnessing progress and brutality, so I wanted to know if she thought she would ever see a day when the President would be darker than she is.
"No sah, never thought I would live fi see dis."
Funny thing is, I never thought I would either. A part of our fantasies that make them so wonderful is this feeling that reality is suspended. Fantasies are our treasure. Doesn't need to make sense or compromise with our shortcomings. They can just be.
So given this, how could I find the words when on Nov. 4th, the fantasies of formerly enslaved people, a dream for millions who would never live to see it realized, broke the "rules" and became reality?
In spite of all my planned proclamations, and dreams of running in the streets, I was left pleased and utterly speechless.
Vote November 4th. Unless of course your state has early voting...then vote now!
For my Art Star pham that swear by urban dictionary, allow me to offer you a working definition fresh from the tap...
Flossin (v.)- To show off wealth or belongings
i.e Exactly what we don't need when the country (and the world) is chin-deep in a recession.
Think of it this way...remember when you were in school and you took a test that seemed to punch your whole class in the throat? Then a couple weeks later, your professor announces the class average as a 77, which makes you say, "Well at least I wasn't the only one who thought it was hard," until you speak to that kid after class who says, "I didn't think the test was so bad. I got a 98!"
(If you were that kid, my apologies, your friends don't like you.)
This is the kind of behavior pro athletes, and especially NBA players, need to runaway from. Fans will be hardpressed to sympathize with players who demand trades this season. I can imagine the angry retorts of, "Wow, you don't like your job either? Join the club!" or "At least, you HAVE a job!"
It can't be good for the psyche of fans to watch kids in their twenties, making millions, and complaining about it. When the economy was good, people found this to be annoying. I can only imagine the levels of anger people will exhibit over the season (realistically, next couple of seasons) if ballers are whining, or get in the news of flossin.
That means an indefinite cease and desist on making it rain. No asking people if they've ever seen a Chevy with butterfly doors. They will only ask if you've ever seen a block with all the homes foreclosed. Imitation is the best form of flattery but when the ability to imitate is taken away, jealousy intensifies.
So without further ado, lemme tell you who I have winning the Larry O'Brien in June. If you've been riding with this NBA preview, then you know I have the Celtics and the Lakers in the finals (how original of me...)
I hate to make a selection that a lot of people agree with--you always wanna be that dude who says, "I told y'all!" but remember, no more flossin--but it's gonna be hard for the Celtics and Lakers NOT to return to the Finals.
The Celtics are still the best team in the East, by far, and may have a better record than last year. Granted they lost Posey, but their team philosophy (UBUNTU) makes me feel like they will restructure as a team in order to make up for Posey's absence. Besides, another year of the Big 3 together, don't tell me they won't be even more fired up to put up an 18th banner.
On the West side of things, Kobe's wrath alone should propel the Lakers into the finals. Luckily for them, Bynum is healthy and chemistry should allow Gasol and company to gel with what should be a brilliant year for Kobe.
So there you have it, thanks for reading this NBA preview, and as Jay-Z once told Jim Jones, "let the games begin..."
While the Olympics have come and most are now focused on the Convention in Denver, NFL preseason, etc., celebration still continues on the isle of Jamaica and in the heart of all "yardies" across the world. Peep this video below as Elephant Man demonstrates the newest dance to hit the street, the "Lightning Bolt"
As an extra treat, peep the video for the song that inspired one of Bolt's many dance moves in Beijing. This is currently the number one song in Jamaica, "Nuh Linga."
To Di World!!!
This is why I love the Yankees. (And probably why you hate them.)
It doesn't even feel like this is the same season where we were trailing the newly exorcized Tampa Bay Rays for the division crown by a kijillion games. We took it to Boston last weekend and stomped the Orioles 13-3 today. Matter of fact, the Yanks have won 8 of their last 11 games and are a mere 4 games out of first. And now we have Pudge?!
Just yesterday I got a little shook when I read Posada was done for the season. Granted he isn't the only catcher we've used this season, but you can't underestimate his history of coming through and being a critical part of our postseason success.
Even before Posada went down for the count, the Yankee massive have been crying for a retooling of a lineup that we at least hoped was underachieving. Even the supposed titan offense was looking lackluster, not to mention the pitching which, in spite of Pettitte's solid year and Chamberlain's rising star, was questionable at best.
But then I forgot, I am a fan of the team that strikes fear in the hearts of fanbases all across this country. How could I forget that it is my team that waits for your favorite player to reach his potential (or in some cases his one good season) before we rip him from your team, and in the metaphorical, overly poetic sense, your overbleeding hearts.
Gotta give props to my main man (do you remember Inside Stuff when Ahmad Rashad called every player in the league this?) Brian Cashman for keeping this legacy strong. He traded an iTunes gift card to the Pirates Xavier Nady and Damaso Narte, today's trade for Pudge allowed us to sell Kyle Farnsworth while he was still tradeable, and we're more than likely gonna punk the Mariners into giving us Jarrod Washburn for 20 cents to the dollar.
Metaphorical daps (no terrorist fist-jab) are in order for the Big Aristotle. In what has been a questionable year in hip-hop, the Diesel has managed to create the most scathing dis record of the year.
While it will definitely not go down in the pantheon of diss records like "Hit Em Up", "Ether" or "The Bridge is Over", you can't deny the impact Shaq has made with this foolish freestyle. You've got everyone from ESPN to E! commenting on his lyrical jabs at the Black Mamba and whether it is indicative of their feud's resurrection. Personally, I couldn't care less-- Suns would get worked going against Kobe's crew (if Bynum is healthy of course) and I'd say the Big Cactus' days of getting rings are over.
Whether said in jest or through malice, Shaq-Fu came with that realness, unadulterated truth that always serves as the greatest form of hate..."Last week Kobe couldn't do without me."
However you wanna slice it or dice it...amount of rings Shaq has without Kobe=1
Kobe without Shaq? 0...It burns don't it?
There is no way Shaq can claim innocence in this episode. His chorus may serve as this summer's "I'm Rick James, Bitch!"
Which reminds me...as mindlessly entertaining Shaq's freestyle is. My favorite stupid song right now is this Baltimore Club mix using Chappelle's Rick James impression.
Enjoy below...and don't say I never gave y'all nothing.
So cool, here we have two men squaring off for the title of "Leader of the Free World" so you know that there will be no stone left unturned as pundits search for any and all evidence for an uncrossed t or a dotless i. Understandable, yet I am puzzled--and slightly amused--to see so many crying foul at Obama's latest brilliant move. After years of championing public funding and a political career seemingly dedicated to revising the system (read making it fair and balanced), Obama's camp has decided to go with the formula that propelled him to this moment...REAL PUBLIC FINANCING.
What's the dishonor in that? If you had a chance to raise half a billion --if not more--would you take it or would you stick to your "word", take 84 million and allow the GOP 527's to pin the tail on the donkey?
I for one am a fan of Obama's swagger on this one. Somewhere along the line, changing your opinion became bad in American politics. For some reason, we have made it equivalent to being a bandwagon fan in sports. We all saw John Kerry get pummelled for "flip-flopping" and being a "waffler" on the war in Iraq. But when more facts reveal themselves, you are supposed to make the best decision accordingly. This isn't the Knicks we're talking about, there is absolutely no honor in being loyal to the wrong opinion.
So, Obama looking at the facts and realizing that his spending power (though not in all cases, as shown in the shellacking he took in Pennsylvania) played an important part in his rise to the presumptive nominee. No longer having to be selective in his campaigning, Obama can rival the new iPhone and Peyton Manning for commercial spots. This may piss people off (after all, we all hate seeing the same commercial over and over), but we're not talking about a new flavor of Doritos, rather, a new flavor of politics (who's tired of sour ranch?)
David Brooks wrote a cool op-Ed on Obama's idealist/tough Chicagoan style of politics. Of course, no one is expecting or condoning risking your integrity for the election. Yet, in spite of the chorus of voices suggesting this is Obama's inevitable horn-bearing moment, I beg to differ. All these calls of Obama's betrayals are nothing more than people crying foul when they realize he's no spring chicken. Their sentiments about his naivete are quickly giving way to the unavoidable fact that this brother is smart!
Tell the truth though, you mad doggie...you mad!
Something that has been bothering me for quite some time is Facebook's enabling of those seeking to make private matters public. And I'm not just talking about the mere attention seekers (John Doe is crying himself to sleep and wishes you were here :() More specifically, I'm talking about the mini-feuds and pseudo beefs that people carry out through their facebook status.
It makes me wanna curse the day Diddy became their enabler. Now all day, everyday, people accuse each other of showing severe symptoms of "Bitchassness." What they fail to realize is that this may be a symptom as well!
If you are a boss, or trying to make boss-like moves, you do not have time to waste calling out your haters and those who wish failure on your head! Keep it moving! Haters never take a day off, why should you? Continue doing whatever it is that makes them mad (in most circles, it is called success) and as long as your heart is in the right place, the success shall continue.
But you may say that is too ideal. And to a degree, you would be right. You see, the problem is that this epidemic of double-dealing, jealously, and overall foolishness is real. But it is not authentic in its appearance. The problem does not reside in every cry of foul play, some of those criers are the main perpetrators! Haters must have evolved and now hate through accusing others of hating! Foolishness, my youth, foolishness! Tis like the boy who cried wolf on a whole 'nother level! My God!
Nevertheless, we must press on. It is a sober reality that those who are totally free from hate, aren't doing much of anything. The true freedom resides in your ability to succeed in spite of adversity, not because of its absence.
