November 2005 Archives

Here's the cover to the book, "How To Draw Hip-Hop":

For what seems like the 57th time, Vibe Magazine has Mary J. Blige on the cover.

Other than the cover subject, nothing is generic about this month's issue. Actually, it's probably the best Vibe I've read in years, and if other mags are smart they'll steal study what Mimi Valdés' crew is doing over there.

Thanks to Dipset, the phrase "no homo" went from being Harlem specific slang to a heavily repeated catch phrase you can read on Hip-Hop forums, blogs, and hear from hipsters who think they're down. Don't know what it means? I don't have time to explain it, but some people feel it's homophobic, while others think it's a harmless joke.

I lean to the homophobic argument, and now it seems Juelz Santana agrees.

I don't care how the album sounds. Juve's cover art is gully enough:

Imagine my confusion today when I received a personal sounding email from Elliott Wilson, the head of XXL Magazine. If you've been reading this blog for a while you know that I've had to chin-check Wilson multiple times for writing in his screwball editorials such nonsense as, "I"m ready for a blogger geek burial.'"

The email turned out to be a generic blast sent out to media types requesting interviews to promote XXL's upcoming compilation album, Raps. Too bad. I thought Elliott wanted to get into a bidding war to hire me away from SOHH. Well, maybe next year.

It took me less than a minute to figure out a proper response. Jay Smooth, breathe easy- I don't plan to ruin my lucrative blogger cred by making fun of rap journalism's top shotta again. Instead I'll be helpful and send Elliott some edits on his email. Just to be helpful.

The text is from Elliott, the red is mine:

One of my dudes forwarded me this Craigslist posting from rap crew, Boot Camp Clik:

...looking for 15-20 Sexy Females to come out and join the Boot Camp Clik for a performance/party at THE HOOK this Friday. We are shooting a DVD for an upcoming Boot Camp Clik Video and we need sexy females to add to the video by being a presence in the crowd.

No payment offered except free entry, and this:

...a great opportunity to meet Rap Stars, Record Executives and other key media personalities in the Hip Hop Community. The best way to get your name out there is to actually be out there.

I was watching the finale to MTV's excellent Nike Battleground series when an idea struck me. What if all sports programs were edited in the same frenetic MTV style as Battlegrounds- delete all setup and lull, then highlight and replay all the important action.

It's broadcast sports, chopped and screwed.

Battlegrounds chopped a 2 hour championship game into the final half hour of the show. Surely the average 3 hour NBA game can be screwed into an action packed hour of extended highlights.