FLOWERS FOR SHAKE, TOOT AND JENNIFER

[Listening to Viva La Hova, the new mash-up of Jay-Z and Coldplay, trying to stay in a positive mood for the greatest day ever. GET LIKE ME.]


Out of all times to pass away, I believe that those who have either lost or will lose their lives before Wednesday of this week are victims of cruel, tragic timing. Appropriately and respectively, I'll begin with my thoughts on the unthinkable Hudson family incident, because the funeral was held this morning and you're probably already tired of hearing about it. I don't know if I'm more afraid of the fact that a human being could do something so ugly, so publicly, or if this is the new normal.





Times like these, when real people die from real bullets--especially when said real people are innocents--make it difficult to listen to some of my favorite gangter rap songs because the lyrics come a little too close to reality for comfort in this case. For what it's worth, I don't blame Hip-Hop or rap, or drugs or guns for what happened to Jennifer Hudson's family. I blame the lack of intelligent minds in abundance. But our world culture has to change quickly if we're going to stop thinking about doing crazy shit like this, much less making rap songs about it. We've got to adjust right now, especially with this first chance in history to truly change the world. While we're at it, there are a few people who deserve recognition and respect, who gave it all they had but somehow did not reach today like you and I.

To begin, I'll be honest and say that I'm completely flattened by the apparent suicide of Shakir Stewart, the Executive Vice President of Def Jam Music Group, who I've known personally for 11 years. I met pretty much everybody who was ever in a position to cut a respectable check in Atlanta back when the music business was really booming, like around the mid-90's, when I started interning for So So Def. I always liked to believe that Shakir was just lucky enough to beat me by three years to Atlanta because he was blessed with perfect timing, but the truth is that he was made for the job he was given, therefore he excelled. He was the deadly combination of an intelligent hustler who was somehow always a few steps ahead. One thing I remember him saying a lot is "Work hard; play hard." My thoughts are now with his family, the rest of his friends, family and co-workers from the LaFace/HITCO days, and especially L.A. Reid--he pretty much hand-picked Shakir to be his successor in the game, and now he's gone before fully reaching his potential, which was still probably two years away. I absolutely believe that Shake would have signed the next artist to sell 10-million albums. Seriously, I don't hate or fear death, but I hate this. And that's all I have to say about that.





And by now, we all have heard about Senator Barack Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Payne Dunham, a.k.a. "Toot", who unfortunately left life behind for a higher existence, just hours before her grandson would be chosen by the people to lead the nation and become the most powerful man in the world. Not much more to say except "I'm sorry," which isn't enough or even appropriate, since I have nothing to do with it.





None of these stories are more tragic than the next, and none are to be forgotten. All serve to show that it is always darkest before the dawn, and things will always worsen before they change for the better. To you and yours, I offer my best hopes for a peaceful day and a glorious Wednesday morning, when we will together see the dawn of a bright new day while remembering to take an extra moment to remember those who we wished could stand with us as we celebrate the arrival of the future.


VIVA LA VIDA.

HIP-HOP SURVIVES

Wow. And to think, I was just telling everyone a week ago that the new Travis Barker/DJ-AM mixtape, FIX YOUR FACE, is my current favorite CD for the house. By some incredible stroke of luck or gift from God, both men SURVIVED a plane crash yesterday. I was so blown away that I didn't even want to post it, because it seemed like a story out of a graphic novel. It's crazy to think that they could have easily died in the crash, like the other four passengers, R.I.P. Seriously; wow.



Did the Hip-Hop angels intervene? Were they rewarded with their lives because both men represent the ongoing effort to use Hip-Hop culture as a means to a unified end? Did their recent musical effort justify the allowance of their lives? I think so, oh my brothers and sisters, but don't misunderstand that assume that I'm saying that the other four deserved death because they didn't drop a mixtape last month. I just believe that these two are obviously important to the world. And I think that somebody upstairs realized that they needed to be here, like Kanye, after his crash, or 50 Cent and The Game, after being shot.





Think about it. Hip-Hop is survival music. It exists to strengthen the minds of those who will not only listen but actually hear the message of death defiance. Now, nobody can say that they don't know the struggle of survival--sheeit; they both fell out of the sky and allegedly extinguished their own flames. Say whatever you will about the mixtape, but you can't convince me that Barker and AM don't have a purpose.





So with this post, I salute Travis Barker and DJ-AM, and I offer my condolences to the families of those who were lost in the tragic crash. So what they're white; they're also our brothers, and we should be giving thanks to God for their survival, because it symbolizes the entire culture's defiance in the face of what some would assume to be certain death.

LITERATURE IS DEAD

David Foster Wallace, a great writer, IS REALLY DEAD. He wrote several books which were highly acclaimed and was considered a prodigy of literary undertakings. He was 46, married and a college professor. And he hung himself in his house this past Friday.


Great writers are mentally effed. I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, and by God, I'll probably be proven right many more times before somebody says it about me--if I'm not already too late for that. But the genius-creative personality has always been something I've been drawn towards. For some reason, I could sense, by watching the video above, from where Wallace was trying to come with his thoughts. To be honest, I felt sorry for the person behind the tortured, beady eyes. You could tell that something was bothering him at the very moment that the cameras were rolling. His face and body language were sort of silently screaming, "But I'm being serious, people!" And then he shrugged and sank back into himself, realizing that people don't understand truth as much as they laugh at it.


What does this have to do with Hip-Hop, you ask axe? Well, Wallace once said that rap music was "quite possibly the most important stuff happening in American poetry today," [*] and he wrote a non-fiction book called Signifying Rappers: Rap and Race in the Urban Present, which if you didn't know is a NOD to the original gangsta rap pioneer Schoolly D.





I can dig this Wallace guy, and not just because he's dead. Moreso because he seemed to be on the same wavelength as me and other writers I respect and found success. That is, of course, pertaining to his ability to express his views with words, and not in his ability to hang himself. Some things I'd rather not know if I can accomplish, and killing myself is in that number.


YOU CAN READ an article, masterfully written by Wallace and published by the New York Times, about tennis champ Roger Federer OR check out a tribute written about him and see that dude was pretty official. R.I.P. to another great writer of the world, and knock another nail in the coffin of current creativity in its fearless form.


It's strange how this is always the type of subject that brings me out of hiatus. Hey, somebody's got to pick up the torch, I guess...


*SOURCE QUOTE: AMAZON.COM

BEFORE I FORGET...

Today was the day that the towers fell. Hope you spent it in reverence of the fallen heroes who never meant to be eulogized when they left their homes for work on this day seven years ago. If only GWB would have listened to the advice of Condoleeza Rice. We wouldn't have lost two giants of the Manhattan skyline and thousands of great women and men on a day that has become a Republikkkan reminder of the fear that we should have as Americans. Remember, "they hate freedom." Translation: Nobody's safe as long as a Republikkkan is in office.

Let me chill and take a moment to show some respect. I hope that as you do the same, you'll take a moment to understand that it never had to happen. And then, take a moment to decide what you're going to do about it, as opposed to what some people would like you to think are your options in this situation. Are you voting in November? Are you encouraging others? Are you afraid of change? Shouldn't you be afraid of the status quo? You decide.

R.I.P. to the unknown true amount of deceased human beings who died unnecessarily because of a president's failure to secure our skies.

THIS WEEK'S OBITUARIES

You already know what time it is.



CAREER-DEAD MCs
Kwame Kilpatrick.

I know you can't die twice, but today it became official. With the loss of his law license, a 4-months sentence and a 7-figure fine, it's safe to say that the saga of the "Hip-Hop Mayor" is finally done. The "D" just got a little less cold.




LEGALLY-DEAD MCs
Kenneth Smith.

I don't have a photo of this guy, but according to THE SMOKING GUN, Kenneth Smith was arrested on September 3 for wearing baggy pants. The legal charge is "exposure of undergarment in public." He is a first offender, so under the law in Florida, where he was charged, he faces a $150 charge. If caught three times, he could be sent to jail for thirty days. America hates Hip-Hop.




REALLY DEAD MCs
Don LaFontaine.

In a world where you can make your own career path, enjoy notoriety without having to show your face and reap great financial benefits, Don L. was the king. He died on Tuesday from complications from pneumothorax, which is a collapsed lung that causes air to build in the pleural cavity. Whatever that means. But hey, he was a microphone fiend, and his voice is famous as hell. That's Hip-Hop.




HISTORICALLY-DEAD MCs
Mother Teresa.

The Queen Mother of spiritual pursuits left us on this day, September 5, 1997. Though there have been recent reports that she QUESTIONED HER BELIEF IN GOD, she is still widely remembered as something like a living saint while she existed among the living. Even in death, she remains highly influential and a beacon of hope for those who believe in the power of love over the love of power.




Life is a celebration. Enjoy ever minute. Tomorrow is promised to none of us, so accomplish something great today so that we will still be talking about you tomorrow.

C'entanni!

REALLY DEAD MCs

Tiny Dancer, the famous Chihuahua known as the world's smallest therapy dog, IS REALLY DEAD. The little guy was 5 inches tall and weighed 18 ounces. Awww...


It has been rumored that there is a bidding war going on between Rocawear, Sean John, Michael Vick and China for Tiny's carcass. Diddy and Jay-Z both want to skin him to make those winter coats with the fur lining on the hood. Michael Vick is craving some teriyaki dog jerky behind bars. And guess where they make that? China.






I mean, just look at Tiny Dancer's coat. That stuff could go for $200 a square millimeter in Macy's right now, just as they start rolling out the winter fashions. Sheeit, you might could even make an elegant hair extension out of that fuzz.

R.I.P. Tiny Dancer. You spread happiness to so many people. I hope that your afterlife your owner keeps your body out of the hands of carnivores and fur aficionados.

FLOWERS

Andre Young Jr., the son of Dr. Dre, WAS FOUND DEAD by his mother, in his California home over the weekend.

Details are sketchy right now, so look for an update when some hard facts come in. I don't think that they mean HOOD SURGEON, Dre's son who signed a deal with JT the Bigga Figga; I believe his name is actually Curtis Young and not Andre Jr., so this is obviously a different son.


Need more time to investigate for better details. For now, man, my heart goes out to the family. See what I was saying earlier this morning? You never know when someone you love is gonna go. Keep the good Doctor in your prayers.

THE GIRL WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN QUEEN

Now I remember why it rained and I felt sick all day today. TODAY IS THE DAY BABY GIRL PASSED.


In case you didn't know, I was then and continue to be now an immense stan for the late Aaliyah Haughton. Still feels like she's supposed to be here and on top of the world. Does anyone else remember how awful the fall season of 2001 was? I shouldn't have to remind you.

Instead of "I Miss You," which is a great song and all, I had to put one of my favorite videos. I don't think that those who have passed on always want us remembering them with sad memories.




Damn, she was fly.

REALLY DEAD MCs

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross died on this day of 2004. You may have no idea who she was, but she was something like an authority on all things dead. Her classic book, On Death and Dying, first published in 1973, confronted the experience of dying and turned Kübler-Ross into an overnight world celebrity. She is considered to be responsible for the success of the medical movement known as "hospice." So big she was, in fact, that Time Magazine named her one of the "100 Most Important Thinkers" of the 20th century in 1999.

Seems only right that she gets a tribute four years to the day that she found out whether or not she was right about her life's work.

She wrote MAD BOOKS.

She received HELLA AWARDS AND HONORS.

She was covered by THE NEW YORK TIMES.

Hell, I even found a STREAMING NPR INTERVIEW.


But just in case you're feeling lazy or just plain uninterested, here are a few quick quotes that I found interesting...

"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth -- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up, we will then begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had."

"We run after values that, at death, become zero."

"Those who learned to know death, rather than to fear and fight it, become our teachers about life."

*All quotes: Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. R.I.P.

REALLY DEAD MCs

The Shogun of Harlem, Julius Carry III, IS REALLY DEAD.


The Last Dragon was a dope movie, if for no other reason than Vanity was in it and Berry Gordy produced it. Lest you forget, Vanity was fine as hell back in those days when she was on drugs and MAKING SONGS ABOUT GETTING SKEETED ON. Unfortunately, since she ditched Prince and found God (I didn't know he was lost), she's gained weight and lost her mojo. Ho-hum...





I've always wondered what the hell happened to Bruce Leroy. You always assumed that The Shogun just went back to being the bad MF that he was before the movie, but nice guys like Bruce Leroy don't make it in Hollywood. Either way, Bruce Leroy (too lazy to look up his real name) got the stage gaffled from under his feet whenever Sho Nuff entered the picture. Similar to The Dark Knight, in The Last Dragon the hero was outshined by the villain so much that we almost wish that the villain would get his own movie. This dude's style was so wild that Kanye even stole his swagger with the sun shades:





For his final encore, here's Julius Carry III performing the role that made him famous.




R.I.P. Shogun.

Who is the master?
I am.

FLOWERS

U.S. Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the first African-American woman to represent Ohio in Congress, IS REALLY DEAD.

Rep. Tubbs Jones, who was also a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, was considered one of the more reliably liberal voices in Congress. She had a lifetime voting rating of 98 out of 100 on the American Civil Liberties Union's Congressional Scorecard. In 2003, she was one of 11 House members to oppose a resolution supporting the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

SOURCE: THE WASHINGTON POST

It can't be easy to be a black woman with political responsibilities in Washington, D.C. I can imagine one of my friends' mothers, or even my own, trying to work in an environment where you have to constantly push against a concrete dam of injustice to get even the slightest progress for the underprivileged. It seems like it could drive even the bravest soul to silence when you're always in the unseen minority.

Rep. Tubbs Jones did not let her skin color dictate her trajectory in the Congress. She worked extremely hard and had several important achievements, which you are more than welcomed to SEE FOR YOURSELF on her House website.


For her final encore, here is Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones putting a CBS News reporter in her place for trying that pop-up-on-your-ass journalism trick. Old girl looked like she was a second away from what I call "the clap-slap."




R.I.P. Mrs. Tubbs Jones. I respect your authority.

BUN B @ THE LOFT: The Autopsy

Contrary to whatever the eff you thought, this blog represents Hip-Hop culture first. Check the column to your top right if you didn't already know. I know I get deep into the political game, but that doesn't mean that I'm devoted to Democrats more than I'm down to listen to your demo. More on that later...

There were mad weirdos in attendance at The Loft for the free Scion Metro concert performance of Bun-B @ The Loft in Atlanta. But it is my eternal opinion that weirdos, not gangstas, make the world go 'round. So that's why I felt so at home when the infamous Bun-B of UGK put on with a live band in my city. Word to world music, it was a great time.





Speaking of which, man, that damn band known as Orgone is all dat and dim sum. I got a chance to speak with FANNY FRANKLIN, the lead singer of ORGONE, and she was mad cool, even if our conversation was to remain off the record... What I will share is that she told me that the band was going through internal issues like all musical outfits, but she felt the love when she hit the stage with the group and she appreciated the fact that I recognized her outside of her stage constume. "That shows you were paying attention..."





By the way, she had an ill resemblance to the love of my life, Sade. So of course I was entranced. But not only was she fine as hell; the band was extra dope. And I can't help but point out that the main guitarist looked a lot like the drummer from the Muppets' band.







My girl in Alabama told me that Bun-B's recent performance this past week in Birmingham was quite lackluster. I told her that it was probably because Bun had no real incentive to give his all to the Magic City. Birmingham is not a major market, therefore it accounts for a very small amount of record sales. Bun-B doesn't really have to care about how the 'Ham feels about him or his stage performance. There is bigger money in bigger markets.

Yet the bigger reason to be excited about Bun's appearance in Atlanta was because he was performing with Orgone. He even admitted on stage that he had never before performed with a live band. Now, I don't know how true that statement is, but I take Big Bun at his word. After all, he does continue to keep it triller than any other rap artist in the game - southern or not.

Bun is naturally dope when fronting a band. It makes a southern Hip-Hop fanatic wonder why he hasn't tried a nationwide tour with The Roots or a southern derivative thereof. The south has a long history and wide heritage of birthing and building great musical artists with live instrumentation. If Bun wants to build a new career, I think he'd do great with a band of seven or eight hard-core cats in the background, not just a DJ. On that note, maybe JD was right...

Of course, Pimp C is dead, so UGK will never be the same. Of course, there will never be another UGK, because we are in a new era of Hip-Hop. Of course, Bun-B is affected by the death of his partner-in-rhyme, because they were the dynamic duo. But that doesn't mean that we can't appreciate the lyrical ability of a solo southern MC that has always been one of, if not the most efficient and exceptional rap artist from the south, besides Andre 3000. When you add the elements of live music in this mix, you might mess around and get pure magic, like last night in Atlanta.

Bun took control of the stage as soon as he stepped on the platform. With Orgone's assistance, he ripped through such classics as "Draped Up", "Big Pimpin'" and other UGK timepieces before cutting his hour-long stage set short around 1:30 a.m. Trust me, I was happy enough to pay my tab and leave after that, but that was before I saw what absolutely blew my mind...




Ceelo, Khujo, Big Gipp and T-Mo - all in the same room in Atlanta. I shook hands with all four of the original members of the Goodie Mob, telling them that I missed their music yet I was extremely proud to see them together again. Trust me, that shit is a major accomplishment. I would go so far as to assume that only one other brother did the same: MAURICE GARLAND. And I didn't even see Garland, but he got the flick, so props to him for having the camera ready.

If nothing else, the Scion show definitely showed that Bun-B is the true king of the south when it comes to Hip-Hop. Not Scarface, not T.I., and definitely not Lil' Wayne. Some will try to say that Bun is too old to claim the crown, but the truth is that nobody has been around as long and can still pull a devoted and loyal crowd like the still-living lyrical half of UGK.


Hip-Hop will never die, especially not in the south. Feel free to kill yourself if you can't stand the reign.

THE KING IS DEAD

Elvis Presley kicked the proverbial bucket on August 16, 1977, the exact same day that my best friend WHITE JESUS was born. Tell your favorite redneck; spread the good word. And tell him that Hip-Hop killed Elvis's legacy and Michael Jackson boned his daughter. See, I'm not a fan. Although I do respect the dead, that whole nice guy thing dies if said dead person had a racist reputation that was "never substantiated." Yeah, right.

In 1957, despite Presley's demonstrable respect for "black" music and performers, he faced accusations of racism. He was alleged to have said in Boston, Massachusetts: "The only thing Negro people can do for me is to buy my records and shine my shoes." Presley always denied saying, or ever wanting to say, such a racist remark.

SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA

Oh well, who cares now. I can forgive him, I guess. I mean, didn't Hip-Hop forgive Eminem for dropping the N-bomb a few years ago? It's only right; after all, it was more than 50 years ago when Elvis went Kramer. Times were different. You could call a spade a spade back then, I guess...

But just to be a prick, here is one of my favorite clips from Eddie Murphy's Delirious. Ha!





R.I.P., Elvis Aaron Presley. Maybe it was just a lie. Or maybe it was never meant to be made public that you didn't really care for the company of African-Americans. Whatever. I'm still not a fan.





"Elvis was a hero to most/ But he never meant shit to me
To millions, a straight-up racist/The sucker was simple and plain...
Mother-f*ck him and John Wayne!!"

Public Enemy - Fight the Power

DAMN. (Even More Flowers)

I know you know, because everybody knows. For the record, I just figured that we should take a few extra days to remember Bernie Mac first. I mean, damn, two in one week? This reminds me of 2006, when THIS happened, immediately followed by THIS...


But alas, here we go. Isaac Hayes, pioneering soul man, IS REALLY DEAD. I needed a minute just to properly process the weight and depth of two separate deaths in the black community. I know, I know; black people die all the time. High blood pressure, blood sugar levels, drugs, AIDS, cancer, strokes, etc. But I don't think it's cool for black people to keep dying at or before the age of 65. And I don't always mean to make things seem so b/w, but these are huge losses for the hood.


I am afraid to wonder if too many people at or below the age of 21 are only going to remember Hayes as the voice of South Park's Chef. So let's examine a few of the other achievements and notable moments. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. He is the man who composed and performed the Shaft theme, which won an Oscar for Best Original Song. He was one of the main songwriters, producers and session players for Stax Records, the Memphis answer to Motown. He starred in movies, television shows and parodies. He had a charitable organization. He went bankrupt in the late seventies, losing the right to future royalties to anything he had already written or performed. He went through the hell and high water of the industry and persevered long enough to remain an immovable object - a timeless legend. An icon of soul.





Oh, and by the way, did you know that both Isaac Hayes and Bernie Mac are going to appear, alongside Samuel L. Jackson, in the movie Soul Men, which will be released in November of this year? Did you know that people are saying that since "Death comes in threes," another famous black celebrity - this time, possibly an actor - will be next to pass? Maybe they're thinking it'll be Morgan Freeman. Maybe Sam. I choose not to think that way. Maybe those who ponder the death of others should just kill themselves and avoid having to share the earth with those they choose to envy. Stop praying on another man's downfall, please.


And now, for his final encore, here's my favorite song from Isaac Hayes, "Walk On By," which was re-filmed for the movie Dead Presidents in 1995.





R.I.P. to Isaac Hayes. This guy was a giant. Oh, and one more thing: If he died worth anything less than $10 million dollars, may his trespassers die a thousand times.

COMEDY IS DEAD - MORE FLOWERS

Bernie Mac, a King of Comedy and one of the most deserving recipients of fame in recent comedic history, IS REALLY DEAD. Less than a month ago he was opening the show for the next POTUS, Senator Barack Obama, and throwing out some grimy jokes that Obama's camp had to refute. Now, Obama will never get a chance to shake his hand after November 4 and say, "Thanks, Mac." Of course, Mac probably would have responded by saying, "I knew you weren't scared of those motherf*ckers."


Here are some reactionary quotes from celebrity friends who woke up today like everyone else, only to discover that Mac did not join us for breakfast.

George Clooney:
"The world just got a little less funny. He will be dearly missed."

Chris Rock:
"Bernie Mac was one of the best and funniest comedians to ever live but that was the second best thing he did. Bernie was one of the greatest friends a person could have. Losing him is like losing 12 people because he absolutely filled up any room he was in. I'm gonna miss the Mac Man."

Don Cheadle:
"This is a very sad day for many of us who knew and loved Bernie. He brought so much joy to so many. He will be missed but heaven just got funnier."

SOURCE: E! ONLINE

And for a final encore, here is a YouTube of Bernie Mac onstage at Def Comedy Jam, which was the first time I ever saw his comedy act. Dude had me dead from the minute he hit the stage.





R.I.P., Bernie. Hope you're laughing upstairs with Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, Rodney Dangerfield, George Carlin and everyone else. I'm telling you, concerts in Heaven may be hard to get into, but they're probably worth every minute.


"Throw it up, baby...
It's Brick City, you heard of that,
We blessed and hung low, like Bernie Mac!"
Redman - Dirty (Christina Aguilera)

FLOWERS

[Photo: ALLHIPHOP]


I can't even go into too much detail about how sad this is. I just hope that INGRID RIVERA is finding some comfort in Heaven after experiencing hell in her final hours on earth. Unfortunately, some men are rapists, killers and cowards - all packed into one body. And those men - not the drug dealers - deserve to die. Kill 'em all, I say, and let God Satan sort 'em out.

If you want to read the story of what happened, CLICK HERE.


Rest in peace, Ingrid. May you never be forgotten, and may your name live on to keep other unsuspecting females from being led into dangerous situations with guys they don't know and shouldn't trust.

I'll tell you this much. I have hella female cousins. If this would have happened to one of them, you'd find the guy's head on top of the Georgia Capitol with a scythe still hooked through his ears. I don't play that shit.

REALLY DEAD MCs

Estelle Getty, known to the world as Sophia from the hit television show "The Golden Girls", IS REALLY DEAD.


Ol' girl was the quintessential embodiment of an old lady. She died in real life at 84, but she played an octogenarian on the show for years. I'm sure my Mom will call me today and tell me how sad it is and tell me how that, along with "Cheers" and a few other 80's shows, used to be one of her favorites. You should call your Mom and console her.

But really, ol' girl did her thing. She made big money, got famous and made a character that everyone will remember. Much respect.


Please show your appreciation by singing along with the following video:




Or you can crank that Golden Girl one last time...

REALLY DEAD MCs

Damn. Another one bites the bullet(s).

According to SOHH.COM, NEW ORLEANS RAPPER SPORTY T IS DEAD. He was killed in a monsoon of AK-47 gunfire in his FEMA trailer while he was sleeping.

Is this the promised outcome for pioneering gangster rappers? What happened to getting chubby and moving to Miami? Why did he deserve to be killed in such a vicious way?

Who knows. All I can say is that I wasn't at all fooled by the atmosphere of the French Quarter when I was in The Crescent City during the Essence Fest. I knew better than to take my out-of-town ass through the lower 9th ward. It's not my turf, and I'm under no misgivings that I am welcome anywhere in the world. Especially the destroyed housing projects of the world's murder capital. And as you can see, I'm still alive.

Now I suppose I should post a video or something that shows Sporty T doing his thing. Here's a YouTube joint of his group, The Wild Boyz, dissing Cash Money back in 2000.





Pretty funny, I guess, but I must say that Baby had the last laugh. It's 2008, and Lil Wayne is still outselling Coldplay. That's major.



R.I.P. to Sporty T. Hope you get everything in heaven that should have been yours on earth.

REALLY DEAD MCs

Tony Snow, former White House spokesman, is dead from colon cancer, and that’s for real. He was given the job after Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan decided that that shit was for the birds and flew away.


SOME PEOPLE BELIEVED HE WAS JUST ANOTHER BUSH MONKEY, but others were just frustrated that he never seemed to know what the hell was going on.





I remember him being pretty shifty with the truth in most if not all of his press conferences, but it was his job. And who wouldn’t take a job working for the president, knocking down questions that he doesn’t have time to answer? Sounds uncomfortable, but the check was probably nice enough to deal with it. Who am I to tell him not to feed his own? He was a journalist and a great writer from what I hear, which can make you a professional liar of sorts, especially in the wrong situation. Who knows if he was any better or worse than the rest of us. At least he’s out of his pain. Blessings to his family.

On the low, some unsigned underground rapper needs to take that name now that it’s available, if you ask axe me. Sounds like the biggest cocaine dealer the world ever knew. No disrespect.


And now, for your pleasure, the late Tony Snow plays the blues.





R.I.P. to The Snowman.

THE LAST LAUGH

George Carlin, who was a hero to modern comics, IS DEAD. I remember watching him back in the day, and always feeling like I was watching a lecture that you could laugh at. Dirty words sprinkled everywhere. But did I ever laugh out loud? Not really. I always liked Richard Pryor a little bit better, but I can appreciate dry humor, especially when it represents the counterculture and its funny enough to make you think.





PRYOR = G.O.A.T.
CARLIN = S.G.O.A.T.


But there's plenty of time for that debate. For now, may the man rest in peace.