Business Never Personal

Obama's Security Team

2008-12-02T12:26:00.002-05:00

President-elect Obama announced his proposed Security Team today. The team includes Hillary Clinton at Secretary of State, Eric Holder at Attorney General, Robert Gates continuing as Secretary of Defense, Janet Napolitano at Secretary of Homeland Security and Susan Rice at Ambassador to the UN.

Obama's leaky faucet

2008-11-21T13:53:00.002-05:00

Considering the superior and disciplined campaign that Barack Obama waged against his opponents, I'm sure that it must irritate him to have so many stories being leaked regarding his choices for his administration. Where are all of these damn leaks coming from? Obama needs to shut that faucet.

Tina Fey plays Palin on SNL

2008-09-14T10:49:00.002-04:00

Tina fey returned to SNL last night, playing Sarah Palin in a sketch to open the show. Many have speculated that she would do this, as she bears a resemblance to Palin. I thought that she did a really good job with the impression...even the Alaskan accent was on point. Check out the video of the appearance below:

McCain argues against Palin's experience?

2008-09-12T11:50:00.003-04:00

Hmmm. In October 2007, when McCain was still fighting against Guiliani, Huckabee and Romney in the GOP primary, he made a point of going after the experience level of his opponents. McCain stated the following, in trying to contrast their readiness with his:

"I have had a strong and a long relationship on national security, I've been involved in every national crisis that this nation has faced since Beirut, I understand the issues, I understand and appreciate the enormity of the challenge we face from radical Islamic extremism. I am prepared. I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time."

The obvious irony of these previous statements is that this exact level of experience (as a Mayor and governor) is what McCain's campaign is saying give Palin the experience to be the VP. In fact, they claim that she has more experience than Obama! The McCain camp is a total joke. Someone needs to make a video of McCain debating HIMSELF, as he clearly will say and do anything to push his chances forward. Here's the video of his October remarks:

New Obama Ad - 'Still'

2008-09-12T09:48:00.004-04:00

Here is the newest Obama campaign ad, entitled "Still". I love how he keeps tying images of old things to McCain (the old sounding music, the old bulky cell phone, the old mainframe computer, the Rubik's Cube) and also how Bush is in almost every ad with him.

McCain says Palin is THE energy expert

2008-09-11T16:42:00.005-04:00

McCain is getting more and more ridiculous. Today, during an interview (via satellite) with a reporter in Maine, McCain was finally asked some tough questions about Palin and her experience. Not only did McCain dodge the question and talk about Obama's experience, he later made the assertion that Palin's chief national security experience is her knowledge of energy. he went further to say that she knows more about energy than anyone else in the country. WHAT? Watch the interview below:

Clinton predicts an Obama win

2008-09-11T15:18:00.004-04:00

Barack Obama and former president Bill Clinton had lunch today in Harlem. It's been reported that they not only discussed the current campaign but also how America has changed since 9/11. Prior to the two-hour lunch meeting at Clinton's Harlem office, when asked by reporters how Obama would do this election season, Clinton remarked that Obama "will win pretty handily". I hope that Slick Willy is right.

Lipstick on a pig

2008-09-10T13:17:00.000-04:00

John McCain's ridiculous campaign antics continued today, as he seized on an innocent remark that Obama made about McCain's policies being the same as those of George Bush. Obama stated that, "you can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig". Watch the video of Obama's remark here. McCain's campaign called the comment a direct, sexist shot at Sarah Palin, since at the GOP convention last week, she stated that the only difference between a Hockey Mom and a pitbull was lipstick. False accusation notwithstanding, their claim would have some weight if McCain himself had not used the exact same term when discussing Hillary Clinton's health care plan in October. Even McCain's daughter admitted that McCain himself uses the same term that McCain is now 'offended' by. McCain, you bloody hypocrite! Additionally, a former McCain advisor wrote a book called 'Lipstick On A Pig'! The media is starting to see this for what it is; a contrived attempt to drive a fake controversy...because every moment that the McCain campaign makes the news cycle about distractions (and not about the GOP record for the last eight years), they succeed for another day.

Obama surprises Biden with early appearance

2008-08-27T23:58:00.001-04:00

Obama surprised Biden by joining him onstage after his great speech earlier this evening. It was a thrilling moment and the electrified audience erupted when Obama walked onstage! Here is the video of the surprise appearance:

Biden continues GOP assault

2008-08-27T23:55:00.002-04:00

Democratic VP nominee Joe Biden continued the attack on the GOP at the Democratic Convention, following a terrific speech by former president Bill Clinton. Biden used his time to discuss his affection for his family and middle-class America, then went on to assail the GOP on it's record for the last eight years and McCain on his plans to continue more of the same policies. Watch Biden's speech below:

Clinton indicts the GOP

2008-08-27T23:44:00.001-04:00

Bill Clinton did a masterful job tonight of taking the fight to the GOP. As one of the most prolific politicians of the last century, Democrat or Republican, Clinton has the experience and the respect behind the statements that he makes. In his DNC speech earlier this evening, Clinton not only strongly endorsed Obama and vouched for his readiness to lead but laid out many reasons for the country to elect Obama over McCain. You can watch Bill's speech below:

Hillary gets the job done

2008-08-26T23:32:00.000-04:00

I have to give credit where credit is due; Hillary Clinton's speech was sensational at the Democratic Convention earlier tonight. She repeated her explicit endorsement of Obama, pleaded the case for Democratic and American unity and took the fight to the GOP. After the first day of the convention, which was largely about Obama's biography and the reasons why Americans should relate to him and his plans for the future, Hillary set the stage for the rest of the week, with Democrats hungry for some red meat. The time for being a diplomat is largely over; the GOP needs to get punched in the jaw. As Hillary said during her speech: No way, no how, no McCain.

Here's is the video of Hillary's speech:

Michelle rocks the DNC

2008-08-25T23:45:00.002-04:00

Michelle Obama declared he love for America earlier tonight as she sought to reassure the nation that she and her husband Barack share Americans' bedrock values and belief in a dream of a better future. In the first major address at the Democratic National Convention, Michelle Obama described herself as a daughter, a sister, a wife and a mother, no different from many women. She told a boisterous crowd waving signs reading "Michelle" that she and her husband feel an obligation to "fight for the world as it should be" to ensure the promise of a better life for their daughters and all children.

Her mission was to humanize her husband and convince skeptical voters to look past his unusual name and exotic background to envision him as the next president. Barack Obama has repeatedly faced questions about whether he's a real American.

She also used the address to dismiss questions about her patriotism. Republicans have criticized her comments earlier this year that she was "really proud" of her country for the first time. Her answer at the convention was to express her love of country.

Here is the video of Michelle's speech:

The Dem convention starts today!

2008-08-25T12:53:00.005-04:00

Today marks the opening of the Democratic National Convention is Denver, Colorado. It is expected to be a media frenzy, as Obama and a laundry list of VIP Democrats seek to make a compelling case for Obama to be president and for mccain to be avoided at all costs. scheduled to speak tonight are Michelle Obama; Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi; Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri; Barack Obama's sister Maya Soetero-Ng and Craig Robinson, Michelle Obama's older brother; Jerry Kellman, mentor and long-time friend of Barack Obama; Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr.; former Indiana Representative Lee Hamilton; Tom Balanoff, President of Illinois SEIU; Nancy Keenan, President of NARAL Pro-Choice America; NEA President Reg Weaver; AFT President Randi Weingarten; Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan; State Comptroller Dan Hynes; Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulis; Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle; and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. Monday night will also feature a tribute to Senator Edward M. Kennedy...scheduled to be a pre-recorded video address but rumored to include a surprise visit from 'the Lion of the Senate' himself...

Jodeci's fall from grace...

2008-08-25T12:39:00.003-04:00

This is CRAZY. During a recent performance in Australia, K-Ci and JoJo were singing and JoJo passed the HELL out onstage. Not only did K-Ci see him drop and keep singing (instead of helping him), the bodyguard/soundman went to rescue the mic before JoJo! Then he stepped off! What the HELL has happened to my cats?!?

Obama names Biden as running mate

2008-08-23T14:41:00.001-04:00

The VP speculation is over. Obama has announced that he has chosen Delaware Senator Joe Biden as his running mate. The two Senators delivered speeches today in Springfield, Illinois and Biden wasted no time in going after McCain. Biden said that while Americans fret at their kitchen tables over family finances, McCain "has to decide which of seven kitchens he sits at," a reference to reports that McCain did not know he and his wife, a wealthy heiress, own seven homes in the United States and abroad.

Woman gives birth to seven babies!

2008-08-16T12:12:00.005-04:00

A 27 year-old Egyptian woman gave birth to a stunning seven babies today (four boys and three girls). The septuplets are currently being cared for within four different hospitals (with specialized premature baby units). Can you imaging having seven babies at once? That's like an instant Wu Tang. Read more about this amazing story here. Can anyone beat this...and do we want them to?

2008-08-16T10:03:00.002-04:00

The Source, which was in bankruptcy last year and is last known for a bitter ownership fight involving Benzino and David Mays, is relaunching soon with a 20th anniversary issue and a new focus -- a direction that its new co-publisher says will restore the magazine, once known as Hip Hop's bible, to prominence. The new issue, which hits newsstands next week, features four separate covers of hip-hop pioneers LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Queen Latifah and Nas, photographed by director Spike Lee. There is no denying the impact that The Source had on the game at one point; it was a badge of honour to get your lyrics immortalized in 'Hip Hop Quotable' or to have your album get 'five mics' in a review. Can these cats do it again? We'll see...

Is Mike Phelps the G.O.A.T?

2008-08-15T23:48:00.006-04:00

Michael Phelps is smacking up the competition at the Beijing Olympics. It's almost gangsterish. He's won 7 gold medals so far but intends to go home with eight. His complete domination in the pool has earned him the nickname, 'the human dolphin'. Some people are calling him the greatest Olympian ever. What do you think? I think that giving him that title is media driven, personally. There are too many important Olympic moments and champions that can't simply be dismissed...not to mention that some athletes that participate in the Olympics do so as a team and only have a chance to earn one medal. The greatest Olympic swimmer of all time? Maybe that is a more accurate moniker and easier for me to swallow.

Georgia on my mind

2008-08-15T20:28:00.001-04:00

This week, the international community stood by did nothing while Georgia and Russia engaged in military conflict. Hostilities began when Georgia moved into neighbouring South Ossetia, in attempts to expand their land claims over the area. Russia responded by attacking Georgia with brutal force, claiming that with many Russian citizens in Ossetia, it needed to protect it's people. The problem? Russia began to move troops into areas where there were no Russian interests and used a disproportionate amount of force to do so. Georgia, an ally of the U.S. (who sent the third largest contingent to Iraq, after Britain) had been training with the US military for the last four years and was trying to join NATO. As a former colony of Russia, it's been said that Russia was showing its strength toward Georgia, to warn them and neighbouring countries about trying to test Russia in the future. Russia's actions provoked strong reactions from world leaders but no one did much to diffuse the situation or strongly condemn Russia. Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili went on a media tour this week, visibly angry with the West and Europe for remaining idle while his country was getting disciplined by Russia. Ultimately, French president Nicholas Sarkozy flew to the region and helped to broker a cease-fire agreement, which Russia is yet to honour. I respect Sarkozy for what he did in this volatile situation; he stepped up to the plate, the way a leader should. He didn't give the media some softball talking points and then move on to ignoring what was going on. Bush should be very ashamed of how they reacted to the situation in Georgia. Russia is exploiting the advantage they have in being a crucial ally in keeping Iran contained.

2008-08-13T09:13:00.000-04:00

Hip Hop entrepreneur Master P (Percy Miller) has announced that he’s launching a new cable network to provide, “positive content for a black and brown culture". Percy has already signed up several advisory board members including Denzel Washington, Vault Load Films president Jim Finkl, NAACP Executive Director Vicangelo Bullock, NBA player Derek Anderson, cable industry veteran Professor Sal Martino, Hip Hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc, fellow entrepreneur Olatokunbo Betiku and real estate mogul Curtis Oakes. Percy claims that he was inspired by talking to and observing the success of cats like Bob Johnson (founder of BET). The best part of this announcement is the name of the new channel. It's called 'Better Black Television'. Is that an underhanded diss to BET?

R.I.P Isaac Hayes

2008-08-10T23:35:00.002-04:00

Soul music icon Isaac Hayes collapsed and died yesterday while exercising. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, after his wife Adjowa found him lying unconscious near a still-moving treadmill at their home. Hayes, 65, famous as composer of the theme to the hit movie Shaft, was pronounced dead about an hour after reaching the hospital. Rest in peace, fam.

R.I.P. Bernie Mac

2008-08-09T09:53:00.002-04:00

Comedian Bernie Mac has died this morning, at age 50. Mac was hospitalized earlier this week for pneumonia and it appears that complications developed. In addition to his daughter, the 'King of Comedy' is survived by his wife, granddaughter and son-in-law. Rest in peace, Bernie. We've lost a legend today.

The 2008 Olympics have opened!

2008-08-08T09:36:00.007-04:00

The 2008 Olympic Summer Games in Beijing, China have now officially opened. It's time to get into all of the events and cheer on everyone. This year should be interesting, given all of the buzz surrounding the political climate that China is in right now and the squeeze that they are putting on information flow during the Games...even Bush is there watching and he is the first US President to watch the Olympic Games on foreign soil. Good luck to all of the athletes!

Crush...kill...destroy...stress

2008-08-06T13:33:00.002-04:00

Here is an interesting article that discusses some things that people can do to manage their stress. I believe that they forgot to mention 'making it rain in the club'. What do YOU do to relieve your stress?

Harassment is a necessary evil?

2008-08-06T11:21:00.002-04:00

In a verdict that is sure to get some unflattering press, a court in Russia has ruled that sexual harassment is necessary for the human race. The 22 year old female executive, who brought the charge against her 47 year old male employer, was told by the judge that, "If we had no sexual harassment, we would have no children". Read more about the story here. Women should not be treated in this demeaning way and I hope that you feel the same.

Nike releases the 'Air Questo'

2008-08-06T10:41:00.003-04:00

Sneaker fiends are lining up across the country, to get the first crack at the new Nike Air Force Ones that were designed by ?uestlove of The Roots. The shoes have been dubbed, 'Air Questo'. The guest designer concept is part of the Nike 1World campaign and will see future releases by other designers. Look for the kicks soon, at a retail price of $175. Do you like 'em?

Paris responds to McCain

2008-08-05T13:50:00.000-04:00

Just when you thought that this election cycle could yield no more surprises (except for the VP picks), along comes Paris Hilton with a response ad to John McCain's 'Celebrity' ad. I'm not a Paris fan but some of the shots that she took are amusing, such as the golden girls and Yoda images. By the way, she'll see you at the debates, BITCHES.

Morgan Freeman injured in accident

2008-08-03T09:28:00.001-04:00

Academy award winner Morgan Freeman was seriously injured in a car accident last night. Apparently, Morgan was driving with a female companion along a rural road in the Mississippi Delta, when he lost control of the car and it flipped over a few times. Rescue workers needed to use the jaws of life to extract Morgan from the car. he was airlifted to a nearby hospital and is now said to have suffered a broken arm, broken elbow and minor shoulder damage. It's not clear what injuries his passenger sustained. There was no alcohol or other substances involved in the crash. Read more about the accident here.

R&B Post: Pretty Ricky - Knockin' The Boots

2008-08-02T23:00:00.005-04:00

Yes, I know. Remaking this song is probably R&B blasphemy, especially following the death of the lead singer of H-Town...but do YOU like it? I think that the original was better but they didn't do a bad job here. The video has too much damn posing in my opinion but the ladies may disagree...

Here's the original banger...which is better?

R&B Post: Eric Roberson - Pen Just Cries Away

2008-08-02T22:41:00.005-04:00

Check out the video of the boy Eric Roberson singing, 'Pen Just Cries Away'. This joint right here is one of the most beautiful songs that I've heard in a looooong time. I love this cat. He serves up pure, unadulterated SOUL. The premise of the song is that Eric started to write a song (without the intention of it being a sad one) but his pen started pouring out his true feelings.

Exercise that you can swallow

2008-08-01T11:42:00.003-04:00

Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California have developed a pill that (they believe) can chemically simulate the benefits of exercise. The pill has been tested on rats and the results seemed to indicate that the sedentary rats who were given the pill burned more calories, lost more fat and gained greater endurance as opposed to the rats who were not given the pill. The implications of this discovery are significant but remain to be seen, as tests need to be performed on humans. If successful, we may see treatment for obesity and weight disorders. Read the article about it here.

Obama campaign releases McCain website

2008-07-31T17:00:00.007-04:00

The Obama campaign has released a new website, targeted at the smear tactics being employed against Obama by John McCain. Recent attacks from McCain include his 'Celebrity' spot, where he charges that Obama (like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, is a celebrity -- in fact, the biggest one in the world) is not ready to lead America. The new website is called the 'Low Road Express' in response to what many believe is McCain's increasingly negative attacks on Obama. You can check out the new website here. The Obama camp responded to McCain's 'Celebrity' ad with their own ad too. The focus of their response ad is also the 'Low Road' and here's the video:

Exxon earns record profits

2008-07-31T11:15:00.004-04:00

It was reported today that oil company Exxon has made the biggest quarterly profit of any US corporation. They reported $11.60 billion dollars in profit for the last quarter, on revenue of $138 billion dollars. Although this was lower than what analysts expected, it's still a significant benchmark. I'm sure everyone loves seeing them get filthy rich while the average consumer is getting ROBBED at the pump and struggling with the rising costs. Alternative energy needs a big boost and should be a major focus of the global leaders.

Ludacris goes after Obama's enemies

2008-07-30T17:00:00.003-04:00

Ludacris is riding on Obama's enemies, via a new song that hit the Net recently. Among the targets are Hillary Clinton, George Bush, John McCain (who he says doesn't, "belong in ANY chair unless he's paralyzed"). The Obama campaign has condemned the song, saying that Luda "should be ashamed". Listen to the song below:

Throwback Post: Mobb Deep - Shook Ones II

2008-07-30T16:50:00.004-04:00

I still remember how big my smile was the first time that I heard this classic from the Mobb. I just couldn't help it. This track was nothing short of perfect; the beat was BANANAS, the rhymes were hot...it was like putting swagger on wax.

New search engine gets released

2008-07-30T12:19:00.007-04:00

A few former employees of Google have created a new search engine. It's named 'Cuil' and is pronounced 'cool'. The chief architect of the new search engine claims that Cuil's search index is likely about three times as big as Google's...and Google knows how good she is; they bought her previous technology in 2004 to make Google better. Try using Cuil by visiting here. Do you like it or hate it? Are you too used to Google to try something different?

Greed is a very bad thing

2008-07-30T09:53:00.005-04:00

A home in Louisiana is now facing foreclosure. There's an interesting twist here though; this home was built in 2005 for local heroes during a taping of Extreme Makeover! The $450,000 cost of the home was absorbed by the show and partners, as it commonly is. Additionally, $250,000 was raised for the family for home maintenance and scholarships for their children. Then, something went horribly wrong (i.e. the family made a bad decision). They started up a construction business and used the new home as collateral for a $450,000 bank loan. Guess what happened? You can read more about it here. Needless to say, many people who worked very hard on that home and put their blood, sweat and tears into it (out of love) are NOT impressed with this. Neither am I.

The Straight Talk Express

2008-07-30T00:24:00.005-04:00

This video covers SOME of the flip flops that John McCain is constantly getting away with. It should be followed up by as many more as possible. McCain has the nerve to say that Obama changes position? YouTube will be your downfall, McBush. You can't argue against yourself! I still remember laughing when Tim Russert (RIP) caught him disagreeing with his own quote. Tim was one of the best in the political game. I miss him.

Throwback Post: A Tribe Called Quest (feat. Leaders of the New School) - Scenario

2008-07-29T18:34:00.005-04:00

Have you smellin' ripe, like some old stale urine. Classic.

Throwback Post: Gangstarr (feat. Nice and Smooth) - DWYCK

2008-07-29T18:19:00.007-04:00

Lemonade was a popular drink and it still is.

Mr T is lost...

2008-07-29T18:01:00.007-04:00

Can someone PLEASE direct this cat back to '85...and tell him that if you're going to rock camo, it should all be the same fade level? Do I even need to mention how short his pants are or the Snickers bars taped to his chest? Mr T gets the gas face.

RNC launches the BarackBook

2008-07-29T15:55:00.003-04:00

The Republican National Committee (RNC) is trifling. They recently launched the website, 'BarackBook.com', a silly parody of Obama that uses a Facebook-like layout. On the site, you can read about the seven friends that Obama has, including Tony Rezko. These guys are a joke. I hope that they get sued by Facebook, as they use the same icons and mini-feed style as they do.

Dig a hole....

2008-07-29T10:09:00.006-04:00

It's being reported that President Bush will be leaving a record budget deficit for the next U.S. President to deal with. The projection is that the deficit he leaves will be upwards of $482 billion dollars, for the 2009 budget year. This figure is beyond ridiculous, especially since Bill Clinton left Bush a surplus on his way out (at the end of his presidency, Clinton reported a surplus of $559 billion). It's even more ridiculous because this projection doesn't yet include the billions that were provided for additional Iraq war funding that occurred. If the fed needs to continue helping dying companies also, you can add that to the bill, too. Whether or not Obama wins the presidency, that is a huge hole to manage the U.S. out of. In the current economic climate, I'm not sure how such a figure could not guarantee an Obama win, as a collective rebuke to the GOP. What more does Bush have to do to lose the general election for McCain?

What do you think about this?

Dream Team?

2008-07-28T10:33:00.001-04:00

There are a lot of expectations surrounding the U.S. Men's Olympic Basketball team this year. Do they have the talent and the drive to secure the Gold medals? I think that they do. We'll have to wait until August 10 to see what happens! Here is a full breakdown of their roster and schedule for this year in China...is there anyone that you would add or remove from the lineup?

McCain...you can't do this

2008-07-24T22:04:00.006-04:00

There were an estimated 200,000 excited people who gathered in Berlin today, to hear Obama speak during his stop at the Victory Tower in Berlin, Germany. In his acclaimed speech (the transcript for it is here), Obama mentioned his youth and parents, his path to the Democratic nomination, the Middle East, terrorism, acknowledged that America has faults but strives for a "more perfect union" and urged the world to unite around common causes to solve the current pressing crises. The passionate speech was interrupted by cheers and chants about 40 times. Here is a picture that captures some of the massive audience (click on the picture to enlarge it):

In other news, McCain spoke to 50 people at a gas station in Berlin, Wisconsin. At least 48 of them were in his entourage. He also plans to visit (or has visited) cities named 'Berlin' in Ohio and Pennsylvania. McCain is so trifling, it's ridiculous.

Rick Ross (ft. Trey Songz) - This Is The Life

2008-07-24T16:07:00.009-04:00

Here's a video drop from Rick Ross, 'This Is The Life'. It features Trey Songz on the hook and is reeeeeal breezy. Ricky is also wearing one ignant chain in this video.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2008-07-24T15:37:00.006-04:00

Just when you think (or hope) that you've seen the last of him, the flamboyant Richard Simmons pops up somewhere, to remind you that he's still alive. News has surfaced recently that he may have an interest in politics; in particular, he'd like to be a Congressman in the future. He mentioned that he wants the "respect of a Congressman". My first piece of advice is to stop wearing sequined one-piece spandex suits, if you care about respect that much. That is a decent starting point. Read the article here, after the jump.

Brush your shoulders off

2008-07-24T14:03:00.007-04:00

Obama is currently on a trip through the Middle East and Europe. He's being received enthusiastically wherever he goes, getting roadblocked media coverage and it's driving McCain nuts. It was rumored that McCain would announce his VP pick this week, just to offset Obama's buzz. It seems like all that McCain is doing now is griping about every single thing that he can; press coverage, voting records, integrity, experience, accuracy and just about anything else. His offense against Obama is so superfluous that it's drowning out his own damn message. He even stated earlier this week that Obama would rather win the presidential election than win the Iraq war. That's a ridiculous thing to assert and he knows it. I can't wait for this election and for McCain and the GOP to get utterly demolished. Each time that a McCain gaffe occurs, I just smile and shake my head. Until then, Obama should continue debunking McCain's false statements and expressing his disappointment with others.

50 Cent versus 99 Cent

2008-07-24T13:22:00.005-04:00

Curtis Jackson (aka 50Cent) is reportedly suing Taco Bell for using his name without his permission. Apparently, TB ran an ad campaign in which they wanted 50 to change his name to 99 Cent, to promote one of their new deals. You can read about it here. Is there anyone who isn't on 50's hit list? Who's next? Damn, Cuuuuuuurtis. I'll concede that the idea was corny as hell though.

Nas versus Sly Fox

2008-07-24T06:47:00.004-04:00

I've had a terrible history of liking/ignoring Nas, throughout his illustrious career. At times he was brilliant, such as his guest verses on 'Live at the BBQ' or 'Verbal Intercourse', the classic 'Illmatic' album and singles such as 'Ether' but at other times, he wasn't (see 'Oochie Wally', 'You Owe Me' or becoming a spokesperson for the garbage Willie Esco urban clothing line for more details). He moved incrementally towards experimenting with some different sounds and R&B influences and it turned me off multiple times. Common did that to me too and it was equally as irritating. I think that every artist that cares about artistically maturing does this...but there's times when what they're doing now is perfect and you just don't think that they should change, you know what I mean? Anyway, one thing that you could always count on is Nas kicking knowledge and being unafraid to do so. The latest example of this occurred yesterday, when Nas took Fox News to task for their repeatedly racist attacks against Obama. Nas delivered a petition against Fox News right to their offices. A picture of the event is below and you can read more about it here, after the jump:

That's how I roll

2008-07-24T00:32:00.006-04:00

This cartoon still has me dying, days after someone sent it to me. Apparently, it reminded them of me (click the picture to enlarge it):

Throwback Post: Juice Crew - Symphony

2008-07-23T23:36:00.008-04:00

Kane is one of my favorite emcees ever and he completely wrecked the mic on this one ("I rip many places on a regular basis/and broken down mics were the only traces/that I'd been 'there and there' at the party/the mic had my prints...and on it was a body). Him and G Rap simply executed this Marley Marl beat. In cold blood.

Throwback Post: EPMD - Rampage

2008-07-23T23:27:00.005-04:00

This song was my JAM back in the day. Whenever it came on, you couldn't even talk to me until it was over. It was like that.

Soccer versus Relay?

2008-07-23T20:17:00.007-04:00

I don't know about Y'ALL but I would tend to call this a pretty flagrant foul. Here's the picture (click on it to enlarge it):

Shouldn't they be fighting crimes?

2008-07-23T19:43:00.001-04:00

The jakes in Michigan are seriously on some bullsh*t! It is now ILLEGAL there to wear pants that sag. Offenders in certain categories can face up to 93 days to a year in the bing and up to $500 in fines. Don't believe me? Refer to their 'definitions' below (click on the picture to enlarge it):

Obama's got her open

2008-07-23T19:24:00.002-04:00

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is jocking Obama. Read the article that has her commenting that Obama is, "well-equipped...physically, mentally and politically". Including the terms 'mentally' and 'politically' are pretty harmless but PHYSICALLY? Why else would she say that? She also says that she wouldn't refuse a back rub from him (when a reference was made to Bush having given her one previously).

Politics can be so erotic.

Vanity Fair strikes back

2008-07-23T16:44:00.004-04:00

I'm sure that all of the noise occurring over this stupid attempt at Obama satire by The New Yorker is well-known by most but have you seen the response from Vanity Fair, which puts McCain on blast? It highlights his old age, head 'trauma', allegiance to Bush and indifference to the U.S. constitution. Even Cindy McCain's previous addiction is poked at. Here's the picture (click on it to enlarge it):

Is Ja Rule back?

2008-07-23T16:20:00.003-04:00

After 50 literally gave his career a piledriver on a concrete floor a while back, Ja seems like he's hustling a bit lately to get back on. Here's one of his latest attempts, a new joint named, 'Pushin' It"and featuring my man Robin Thicke on the helpout. I'm not mad at Ja, plus I have love for Robin, so I'm neutral on this one. Until of course, 50 decides to go after Robin, for riding with Ja. I'm not sure if the game will accept Ja back or has outgrown him. What do you think?

The best Sean John t-shirt EVER

2008-07-23T16:12:00.001-04:00

This is just too fly for words. Obama supporters should start rocking these at every town hall meeting that McCain has, from now until the election. Throw the Obama logo on this joint and it's PERFECT.

I'm not a businessman...I'm a business, man.

2008-07-23T16:00:00.001-04:00

Few things provide me with more pleasure than observing Obama get busy against the competition. I respect his gangster. That's why when I read this article about how he's outselling McCain on novelty items too, I was amused and wanted to share it. Now, I'm sure there are many out there who don't agree with the fanfare that follows Obama everywhere that he goes but it 's great to see the massive popularity that he has, especially among the younger generation. They're completely engaged in the political process now and have learned about how to make their hopes (and votes) count for something.

Did Rick Mahorn really push Lisa Leslie?

2008-07-23T15:44:00.003-04:00

I reviewed the video of the WNBA brawl between the Sparks and the Shock this morning and wasn't sure that Rick Mahorn was doing anything other than 'trying to keep the peace', like both he and his defenders have been saying. Later today, I came across the picture below and changed my mind. In my opinion, this picture deflates Mahorn's defense regarding what he did (and claims that he did not do) during the incident.

This looks bad on Mahorn. Rick looks like he just delivered a somewhat forceful push that spun his arm AND his tie back (not to mention the very ignorant look on his face. Lisa is folded up and off-balance, like she got pushed pretty forcefully. To wrap things up, the horrified lady in the background looks like she is witnessing Ike get in Tina’s ass. Here's the picture (click on it to enlarge it):