Be Thankful . . .
That's all I can say to those out there in the struggle. I know times are rough right now, but don't give up, keep fighting.
Be thankful for your life on earth. And keep your head up.
Happy Holidays . . . to all of my readers and fans.
Stay Strong.
Holla!
(Pic from GQ/men.style.com)
I've been listening to a Jay-Z's Kingdom Come disc this week and I'm not overall impress with this collection. The beats are kinda hot but some of Jay's lyrics were under-whelming[sic] for me. My recommendation is to go to iTunes and download your favorite track(s) as opposed to buying the entire disc. (Christmas is around the corner, save those pennies kids.)
My personal favorites on this much balleyhooed set include the Hurricane Katrina reflective track "Minority Report," in which Jay shows he's a humanitarian rhymer. Another song "Beach Chair," is a nice quasi-rock/rap ballad produced by Coldplay front-crooner Chris Martin, but it really belongs on a Coldplay album. Jigga's dis song "Lost One," is another track that is getting heavy rotation in my iPod. But there are a lot of duds on this set, as well -- particularly "Hollywood" (with Jigga's boo Beyoncé) and that John Legend-assisted rap&b ballad "Do You Wanna Ride?", which really stinks to high hell. "Anything" is my favorite new stripper song. Yeah, pop the bubbly to that joint.
Moving along . . .
I figure I do a roundup of what bloggers had to say about Jay-Z's CD Kingdom Come. Some of these reviews will probably shock you.
Blogger Fresh of Thirty Three Jones blog calls Jay-Z's Kingdom Come the "Best Hip-Hop Album of the Year."
*** Whoa! What CD was he listening to? ***
Fresh writes:
"The criticism that Jay has received for becoming too corporate, for trying to appeal to too broad of an audience, certainly has its merits. At this point in his life, though, it would take an extreme suspension of disbelief to listen to him rap about selling drugs or popping off shots at his enemies. For better or worse, Jay has become a corporate entity, and his lyrics reflect that. He's a grown man now, and this is a grown man's album."The almighty Bol (of byroncrawford.com), in his usual acerbic wit, proclaims that Kingdom Come is this year's official "shit sandwich."
"This one sounds especially sloppy though, as if he (Jay-Z) didn't spend very much time at all coming up with song ideas or lyrics or even finding good beats to rap over to begin with."Journalist/blogger Jeff Weiss wasn't too thrill with the collection either. He believes that Kingdom Come could leave a blemish on Jigga's stellar rap career.
"With Kingdom Come, not only has Jay-Z delivered his worst album yet, he's also invented a new genre of hip-hop: socialite rap."Jeff also adds:
"His album won't be played until kingdome come, it will be forgotten by the new year. Jay-Z can go back to finding no-talents like Rick Ross and Young Jeezy, sit courtside at Nets games and go back to the penthouse [apartment] where he belongs."Writer Omar Mazariego of Slam magazine, gave Kingdom Come "3.5 Gangstas." He uses the Michael Jordan analogy in his review. "Hopefully for Jay this is the #45 Jordan return where his first couple of months were very shaky and the next year returned to his prominence and took home the title," he writes. "Because if this is Jay’s Wizards return, then God help hip-hop."
This is the most detailed write up of Kingdom Come I have read on the 'Net, so far. It's a LOOONG critique on the disc, so get some popcorn and pull up a chair. Despite its length, there are some funny tidbits.
Blogger Panama Jackson spits:
"Overall, Kingdom Come isn't a classic, nor should it be even believed to be close. The good songs are great and the bad songs require me to really want to ask Jay, 'What the fuck he was thinking?' Jay is basically letting you know where he is right now in his life and how he views the rest of us little niggas (which he says a whopping almost 20 times on the song "Trouble"). He's a grown ass man who does grown ass man things. And he has good credit."
I'll give Jay-Z some credit, he has made the rap game just a little more exciting in the last several days. However, I don't believe Hova will move 850,000 copies in the first week of release, as industry sales watchers are predicting. I estimate more than 500,000 units will be sold, which is not shabby at all in this bleak rap market. In the end, Jigga will prove that Kings do rule.
Next up . . . The Clipse. Crack rap is back!
Holla!
"Come enjoy the life
Baby take your time
I just wanna find you, you
Baby you and I can have a good time
Tell me what you like
Oooooh . . . . "
-- Ciara, "Promise"
This lovely woman is a 24-year-old up-and-coming swimsuit/lingerie model from Toronto who is currently in college pursuing a degree in marketing. She is also working on her first official DVD and calendar for a release in the near future. Check out her modeling website and MySpace page, as well as this video clip.
Holla!
It looks like rap heads are checking for Jay-Z's disc Kingdom Come, which hits stores on Nov. 21. The Clipse were close behind the Presidential MC with their set Hell Hath No Fury (in stores Nov. 28). Nas follows with his collection Hip-Hop Is Dead . . . the N (due Dec. 18). Here are the rest of the results:
Which Rap Album Are You Checking For The Most?: Music Poll Results
01. Jay-Z: Kingdome Come -- 30 Percent
02. The Clipse: Hell Hath No Fury -- 26 Percent
03. Nas: Hip-Hop Is Dead . . . the N -- 22 Percent
04. The Game: Doctor's Advocate -- 18 Percent
05. Snoop Dogg: Tha Blue Carpet Treatment -- 4 Percent
Can we please have a moment of silence . . .
For soul crooner Gerald Levert (1966-2006), the son of O'Jays frontman Eddie Levert, who passed away in his sleep on Friday at his home in Newbury, Ohio. A coroner's preliminary report revealed that the singer had mild to moderate heart disease, which may have killed him. He was 40 years old. "Eddie is "devastated," O'Jays co-founder Walter Williams told the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper. "He's a wreck, and rightfully so."
Much like his dad, Gerald -- who was affectionately called "G-Bear" by his fans -- was an emotive and soulful tenor who became one of R&B's prominent ladies' man. "When we would do shows together, we would get on stage and battle for the hearts of women," said fellow crooner and friend Will Downing. "Every night, that was our thing."
Gerald's singing career spans over two decades both as a solo artist and with two R&B supergroups LeVert (with his brother Sean and childhood pal Marc Gordon) and LSG (with Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill). In addition, he penned hits as a songwriter for such artists as Patti Labelle, Teddy Pendergrass, the Winans, the late Barry White and many others. "He was such a great entertainer," recalls Patti. "It's not for real to me that he is gone . . . nobody was prepared for this."
Gerald is survived by his father, his mother, Martha; brothers, Sean and Eddie Jr.; a sister, Kandice; and his own three children. Funeral arrangements are pending.
Other noteworthy reading:
Journalist/blogger Jimi Izrael remembers G-Bear and honors the Levert legacy.
Rest In Power, Gerald.
Love, always . . .
Holla!