Hip Hop Hoop

Expanding the Culture

2009-10-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

Hiphophoop.blogspot.com will be moving and will change to Of One Culture. Update your bookmarks. The site has moved to http://www.ofoneculture.com/. Hip Hop and Hoop will still be focal points of the site, but I will also be writing on a wide range of other topics as well.

Thanks for all of the support. Join the movement and check out ofoneculture.com.

NBA Season Preview: Orlando Magic

2009-10-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

Last Season Record: (59-23)

Additions: Vince Carter, Matt Barnes, Brandon Bass, Jason Williams, Linton Johnson, Morris Almond, Ryan Anderson

Subtractions: Hedo Turkoglu, Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, Tony Battie

Last year's Eastern Conference Champions shocked and disappointed the world (and David Stern) when they eliminated Lebron and the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games in the Conference Finals. The Magic defeated the Cavs by frustrating their opponent with they're size and favorable mismatches that allowed Hedo Tukoglu and Rashard Lewis to exploit smaller players attempting to guard them. They ultimately came up short against a Lakers team that created several mismatches of their own, but the season was still considered a success.

Coming into the 2009-2010 season, Orlando has made some significant changes to their roster. They lost their best fourth quarter player in Hedo Turkoglu, up and coming rookie Courtney Lee, and Rafer Alston. Although those can bee seen as major losses, their replacements bring improved elements of the game to the roster and give them a better chance of returning to the finals where the road will be a lot more difficult than it was last year. The most important addition to the team in the offseason was Vince Carter. He is going to be there to fill the role left by Turkoglu of fourth quarter go to guy when a big shot is needed. Carter has gotten plenty of negative criticism in recent years stemming from his admission of "doggin it" during his final years in Toronto. The knock on Carter has always been his work ethic, but no one can deny the talent that he still possesses. Last season he averaged 20.8 ppg, 4.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds. That's four ppg better than Turkoglu with around the same assists and rebounds average.

Keep in mind that Vince was playing with a supporting cast far more inferior in talent than Orlando's. Carter now has the opportunity to play with a dominant big man in Howard who will take the attention off of him in the half court set. This gives the Magic another player who is able to create his own shot, something they seriously lacked last year. Aside from adding Vince Carter, they also rounded out the roster with quality supporting talent. Brandon Bass in a strong and active big man around the basket and give the Magic another body to put alongside Dwight Howard, Matt Barnes gives them another deadly weapon from behind the arc, and retaining Marcin Gortat will give yet another big bodiy to have for a potential rematch with the Cavs and Shaq.

On paper the Magic look like a team who can be stronger than their squad last year. The main focus at the start of the season will be building chemistry and assimilating Vince Carter into their style of play; the other pieces they acquired should fit in seamlessly. With Dwight Howard improving every year, the return of Jameer Nelson, and newcomers Vince Carter, Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes on board, the Magic have a their best chance to bring their first title to Disney World.

Prediction: 1st in Southeast Division/2nd in Eastern Conference

Still Bill: The Story of Bill Withers

2009-10-09T18:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday evening I was given the honor of seeing the screening of the film "Still Bill", the story of the man behind such classics such as "Ain't No Sunshine", "Lean on Me", and "Grandma's Hands." I walked into the dimly lit theater enthused at the prospect of learning about the man whose music I listened to so much as a child. My mother was and still is a huge Bill Withers fan, his worn out tape stayed in my mom's car like there was no ejection button, so from a young age to my adult life I'd gained a great deal of respect and admiration for the man and was eager to learn about who he really was.

The movie opens with a picture of a smiling seventy year old Bill Withers; his grin radiates with kindness, wisdom, and graciousness. The picture fades out to the musician preforming "Ain't no Sunshine" live in his youth, eyes closed while his unique voice carried the soulful sound over the strings of his guitar. I closed my eyes as as well, drifted back to the memory of being in my mom's passenger seat while the music played on my way school, remembered how I tried to connect the words to the song to my elementary crushes while purposely evoking a sense of sadness to capture the song's sentiment. When the music faded I was back in the theater smiling, thankful for the memory.

There isn't too much I want to say about the rest of the movie, I feel that it's a film that people should see who wish to learn about someone who pas provided the purest form of music. I walked away from the film thinking deeply about music today, about its delegates, its soul. I was able to witness a passion that I rarely get to see in artists today. Far too many musicians are compromised by financial aspirations to the point where their product is diluted and reshaped by the slave masters who call themselves record companies. I watched a man go 25 years without recording a word or play a guitar string due to his respect for the art form, unwilling to conform to the constraints "blacksperts"(Bill Withers quote on white "experts" on black music). In contrast I see artists pumping out albums lacking substance, drive and meaning. I witnessed a man who never compromised his integrity, yet today there are those whose principles are attached to a price tag.

Times are different today; the industry was always ugly, but it has taken on a form much more appalling than anyone could have ever predicted. There are a number of good artists and musicians out in the world; they work outside the "matrix" patiently waiting to be sought out by listeners craving for something in contrast to the status quo. Bill Withers' story reminded me of a forgotten past. We cannot continue to make excuses for those who persist in massacring the very music that our hearts beat to, that our minds create to, and that our souls move to.

Hip Hop Hoop News

2009-10-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

Shannon Brown Bangs on Mikki Moore:

MTV explains why they left Eminem out of their 'Hottest MC's in the Game' list:

From the start of the week, Hip-Hop fans have been left baffled by MTV’s “Hottest MC's in the Game” list. The List named Jay-Z the hottest MC with Kanye West, Drake, and Lil Wayne, following up close behind. Since the banter has failed to subside, MTV has taken the time out to address their decision.

Some have said that MTV lost points for their effort in determining who is hot and who is not. Though many have agreed with MTV’s decision to dub Jay-Z the hottest MC, people just cannot seem to understand why Eminem did not at least make the top 10.
Eminem is known as one of the most influential lyrical figures in Hip-Hop. If it wasn’t made clear by his verse in “Forever” that most would agree shined the most compared to the other artist on the single, his track record for shelling out memorable albums might just do the trick. Continue Reading

NJ judge to decide Williams' manslaughter case:

SOMERVILLE, N.J., — The outcome of a 7-year-old manslaughter case against Jayson Williams now rests in the hands of a judge who will decide whether alleged racial bias and prosecutorial misconduct played a part in the retired NBA star's 2004 trial.
At the end of a hearing, state Superior Court Judge Edward M. Coleman told lawyers Thursday he would rule on the case but he did not specify when.
In closing arguments, Williams' attorney blasted the prosecution as "out of control" and governed by a "win-at-all-costs" mentality that crossed ethical boundaries. The state said the defense did not present any evidence that a racial slur made by a prosecutor's investigator influenced the trial or was part of an overall pattern of racial bias. Continue Reading....

Juvenile Says Hot Boys Reunion “Will Happen”:

The man who still holds the title of having the best-selling album ever released by Cash Money Records with his quadruple-platinum 1998 solo effort, 400 Degreez, Juvenile, wants the world to know that despite a now nearly two-year delay plans for the reunion release with his onetime partners-in-rhyme in the CMR super-group the Hot Boys (Juvenile, Lil Wayne, B.G. and Turk) are finally moving forward. “Me and Baby [click to read] been talking the past week about taking time out our schedules and sitting down and doing this Hot Boys thing, ‘cause it’s time,” Juve revealed to HipHopDX late last Thursday (October 1st) of his recent discussions with Cash Money co-founder Bryan “Baby” Williams regarding the recording of a new Hot Boys full-length.

“People been waiting for it. I don’t see us not going platinum real quick. I think if we do drop a album everything is gon’ be at a standstill in the industry. So, we need to really think about jumping into that. But I think that’s gon’ happen.” Continue Reading....

Ranking Rappers

2009-10-07T19:18:00.000-07:00

In honor of the recent releases of NBA 2K10 and NBA Live 2010, I thought it would be interesting to apply the games' ranking systems to rappers today. For those of you unfamiliar with how these titles rate NBA players, I'll give you a short run down. Basically they take several attributes that make up the game of basketball such as shooting, dribbling and passing just to name a few, then apply a number between 50 and 99 based on the player's skill level. All of these aspects are then combined to form an overall rating for the player represented in the game. For example, Kobe Bryant overall ranking is 97; that rating is based on outstanding characteristics in all aspects of the game.

Basketball has a wide range of skill sets to rate, much more than can be applied to a MC's talent level. I decided to pick five attributes to rate and came up with a pretty well rounded average based on the following:

Lyrics: What an MC says to compose his overall message to his fans. A rapper must be able to expand his/her vocab beyond basic rhyming and cliches.

Content: The topic levels of Hip Hop have not changed much over the years. Most MCs talk about the basic three subject matters to get their music heard--money, dope and bitches. A MC that is able to expand his range of content past these typical motifs usually have more longevity in the game.

Delivery: This is how the MC delivers himself to the public. This aspect is difficult for many to master. A lot of people will not listen to someone whose unable to change it up over different types of production. Some listeners prefer how you say it over what you say.

Charisma: Just basic presence on the microphone. The ability to command an audience as well as willing to take risk. Some rappers have enough charisma to get away with saying or doing things that others can't

Beat Selection: This is very important in the creative process of making an album. Some rappers choose to rhyme over anything and as a result the music suffers. Fans might cut the track off before the first word is spoken. Some have an extraordinary ear for music; they know what producer or track can best compliment their styles.

So now they we've broken down the different skill sets, let's get to some ratings. I'm starting with four of the most popular MCs out right now. Remember these are my ratings; feel free to post your own on some of your favorite MCs or the same ones if you disagree with my opinion on those below.

Jay-Z
Lyrics - 88
Content - 72
Delivery - 95
Charisma - 97
Beat Selection - 98

Overall - 90 (Damn it!)

Nas

Lyrics - 95
Content - 98
Delivery - 85
Charisma - 82
Beat Selection - 77

Overall - 87

Lil Wayne

Lyrics - 88
Content - 60
Delivery - 98
Charisma - 98
Beat Selection - 82

Overall 85.2

Kanye West:

Lyrics - 79
Content - 88
Delivery - 8o
Charisma - 91
Beat Selection - 99 (This was a little unfair since he makes his on beats, but what can you do?)

Overall - 87.4

Well, this rating system didn't turn out quite like I wanted it considering Nas is my favorite MC and Kanye is not even in my top 5. But I had to be honest with the rankings from my perspective, I knew I shouldn't have chosen "beat selection!" Anyway, rate your favorite MCs and see where they rank! Post them in the comments.

NBA Season Preview: Lakers

2009-10-05T18:07:00.000-07:00

The NBA season is just a few weeks away and I can hardly contain my excitement. The best teams in the league all improved and made significant changes to their rosters. Shaq was traded to Cleveland, Vince Carter to the Magic, Richard Jefferson to the Spurs, Rasheed Wallace to the Celtics, and Ron Artest to the Lakers. These are all additions that dramatically changed the landscape of the league. Over the next couple of weeks I will be giving a short preview of these top five teams along with my analysis on the additions and subtractions of the players. What better way to start the season off with a preview of the World Champion Lakers?

Last Season Record: (65-17)

Additions: Ron Artest

Subtractions: Sun Yue(Thank God)

Fresh off a NBA championship against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic, the main concern entering the off-season for the Lakers was the resigning of key free agents Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom. At the start of free agency, rumors of the two key players signing with other teams were all over the media. The Lakers shocked the NBA world by doing the unthinkable and signed Ron Artest while letting Trevor Ariza walk and join the Houston Rockets. Many Laker fans have been skeptical of how Artest will fit into the Laker system; questions of his character, off court issues, and questionable shot selection have all left fans scratching their heads. Analysts of the game need to look at this move from a basketball perspective and understand the positive effect Artest can and will have on the Lakers.

The biggest impact Artest is going to have on the Lakers will be on Kobe Bryant. Even with Pau Gasol, there were plenty of times when Kobe had to take over the game on both defense and offense. Most people seem to take for granted how much energy Kobe has to expend throughout the season by leading the team on offense as well as guarding his opponent's best player. The addition of Artest allows Kobe to play more of a roamer on defense while still having the capability to be a lock down defender. Phil Jackson has already discussed playing a line up featuring Kobe, Artest, Odom, Gasol and Bynum. That will be an intimidating defensive line up that only Boston could match up with.

Artest will also add toughness that the Lakers have lacked for the last couple of years. He can change the defensive culture of the team alone with his intensity and commitment to the defensive end of the floor. The Lakers will miss Trevor Ariza, but Artest gives them a lot more versatility on both ends of the floor, something that was a necessity after all the other top teams improved.

With the core of the team returning with a championship under their belts and roles clearly defined, the Lakers have an outstanding chance of repeating. Their largest issue currently is figuring out the point guard rotation and which of the young players out of Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar will emerge to spell Derek Fisher. Overall the Lakers are a deep team who can cause match up problems for anyone. Kobe Bryant will be on a mission to add to his legacy and keep his name in the conversation with Michael Jordan. With a ring for each finger on his hand, Kobe will have to be an unquestioned member of the top 10 players ever to play the game.

Projection: 1st in Pacific Division/1st in Western Confernce

They Don't Give a Fuck About Us!

2009-10-02T17:22:00.000-07:00

I fought back tears watching the brutal murder of Chicago high school student Derrion Albert. The image of death visiting young members of our society is always tough to witness, yet it's something that I have seen far to often. Across America the faces of black youth eerily haunt the the television on a nightlybasis. While channel surfing you might come across the picture of a child smiling in a school photo and pause. It doesn't take long to realize what's behind that portrait; the pain of loss and suffering for another family tragically torn from one of its members. You might listen to the news reporter's commentary, remark about how sad it is, but in reality the loss of black life in this country has become so conventional that minutes later it is forgotten.

The loss of any life is grievous, but it is painfully clear that the lives of African Americans aren't important enough for the nation to care. I couldn't walk ten feet without hearing about the death of Yale grad student Annie Le. There was a national uproar over this murder that only calmed slightly when Kanye West rushed the stage at the VMAs.(You would've thought he killed the woman.) The fact of the matter is that social status, class, and race play a large role in what is important in our society. If you're rich, white, blond like Natalee Holloway, then your life is of more value to a nation that boasts it was built on equality.

Watching kids brutally murder another kid speaks a whole lot about what is going on in our communities. This story received more national attention not for the gruesome act that was caught on camera, but because Obama was pushing for an Olympic bid in his hometown. Just imagine if this kid had been a white student, or the homicide rates that are reaching two to three hundred in poor neighborhoods reached those heights in rich suburban areas. That world doesn't exist, and unfortunatley Derrion Albert, like Sean Bell, Oscar Grant, and Jasmine Lynn will be nothing more than a statistic.

You Might Not Have Heard About It: Feat. Hell Razah

2009-09-30T19:22:00.000-07:00

I was one of those young cats back in the day from on the West Coast with a whole arsenal of East Coast music in my back pack. You could catch me on my free period back in high school with my Walkman on me like an additional body part and extra large head phones that blocked out my own voice screaming "Wu-Tang Clan aint Nuthin to Fuck Wit!" From 93-99 I listened to Wu-Tang like it was a religion and made sure I heard every track that the RZA orchestrated. Of course listening to the main group opened me up the the Wu-Affiliates such as "Sunz of Man", "Killa Army", and "North Star; "Sunz of Man" was the most successful out of all the sub Wu clicks. It wasn't until years later that I was introduced to the solo ventures of Hell Razah, one of the better lyricist who emerged from the vast Wu-Tang Family.

Hell Razah has a large library of music stemming from his days in "SoM", album features and solo projects, but his best album would have to be "Renaissance Child" released in 2007. Yes, I understand that was two years ago, but good music is timeless and if you haven't heard something then it's all new anyway. Once you listen to the first few tracks, you can tell Razah is very well read. He has a great talent for injecting historical facts and biblical references in his music that are relevant. There are a lot of intelligent MCs out there who use a lot of big words or will throw out some random reference to show off their knowledge base, but HR does not fall into that category. Every lyric is well placed and you can tell he's not just spewing random facts to sound smart. In addition to his intellect, his choice for production is very sound; his tracks all compliment his delivery.

You can check out his albums on Amazon, Itunes or your local record store. Artists like Hell Razah might not be at the top of the charts, but they definitely know their audience. Its hard to find a balance between conveying messages in your music while still producing something melodic and pleasing to the ear. Hell Razah is able to accomplish that; you might even pick up a book after you finish the album.

Best Verse Week # 3: "Onslaught 2"

2009-09-29T21:24:00.001-07:00

After getting zero votes for his verse on "Forever" in week #1, Kanye claimed the title of best verse in week 2 on " Her Say". Fortunately he's not featured on today's track. Instead I bring you "Onslaught 2" courtesy of Slaughterhouse. Every song on this album is warranted for a vote count considering the make up of the group, but there can only be one song selected. Place you votes!

From Ghetto to Gaza Speaking Tour:Feat M1 of Dead Prez

2009-09-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

M1 of the political/revolutionary rap group Dead Prez recently held a speaking tour discussing his experiences in Gaza. His mission was organized by a group "Viva la Palestine", a coalition with members reaching numbers close to two hundred dedicated to the liberation of the Palestinian people suffering Israeli oppression. The main objective was to enter Gaza with a number of different resources and goods donated for the people antagonized in this region. Yet things aren't always as they appear, and M1 encountered a wide range of obstacles to hinder his efforts. You can read more of what he had to say of his time there @ sfbayview.com.

I walked into the Black Dot cafe, a small venue in West Oakland organized by active members of the community, expecting to hear M1 speak on the similarities and differences between the ghettos abroad with the poverty stricken hoods in America. Although I did not receive what I expected, I did gain a whole new perspective on a situation I had not been paying much attention to as of late. I knew about the Palestinian/Israeli conflict, but not nearly enough converse on the situation. First and foremost, I want to credit M1 for eloquently telling his story while focusing on important issues he experienced first hand. The dangers of the location are well documented; I commend him for the courage to go into a foreign land to help a group of people terrorized by enemies that are backed by our own government.

I didn't get a chance to hear direct parallels between American ghetto life with Gaza, but through M1's experiences, I was able to draw my own conclusions. He recounted a story of meeting a young man whose father was killed by a missile that directly hit his home during dinner. M1 made it very clear that this was not an extreme case or an anomaly, but a regular occurrence in the everyday lives of people trapped in this war zone. Yet the similarities are there; the black youth of America deal with similar obstructions in the face of police brutality, government mandated laws aimed at specific groups, and the ever increasing prison population represented primarily by African Americans and Latinos.

But this was also a time for me to look past encounters in my own life and learn about what others go through. Oppressed people are all fighting against the same machine and reaching for the same goals. I have been in the face of American terrorism, but my occurrences greatly differ in magnitude from the suffering and brutality experienced by people across the globe.

Hip Hop Hoop News

2009-09-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

ESPN NBA Pre-Season Power Rankings: The new season starts with the defending champions accorded the standard respect here by returning to the rankings in the top spot. Yet the Los Angeles Lakers also find themselves in a loaded top 5, with each of those teams seemingly capable of winning it all but all five likewise confronted by major unknowns … whether it's Ron Artest's willingness to blend in with the champs in L.A., Vince Carter's ability to replicate Hedo Turkoglu's success in Orlando, Shaquille O'Neal's effectiveness as LeBron James' sidekick, or the health questions that persist about Boston's Kevin Garnett and San Antonio's Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili....Read More @ ESPN.COM

NBA to Unveil Guidelines for Social Networking: The NBA will this week introduce what it considers "minimal" guidelines for players, coaches and team officials when using Twitter and other social networking sites, according to sources with knowledge of the policy. The primary restriction of the policy is expected to prevent various team representatives from tweeting during games, after the stir caused late last season when Detroit Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva, then with Milwaukee, tweeted from the Bucks' locker room during halftime.One source described the forthcoming policy as "very minimal" and "less stringent" than the guidelines announced earlier this month by the NFL, which now regards players, coaches and football operations personnel -- or any third party representing them -- to be in violation of league rules if they use social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook from 90 minutes before kickoff through the end of the standard post-game access period for media interviews......Read More @ ESPN.COM

KRS-1 Blames Def Jam for Destroying Hip Hop: "Def Jam is the dopest label in hip-hop, in the culture of hip-hop. There really would be no hip-hop as we know it today if it wasn't for Def Jam. But you don't get that respect without also being the label that single-handedly destroyed hip-hop...Every time you think of what's wrong with hip-hop, the lyrics, the commercialized music, one artist being played on the radio all day, things like that, that's all Def Jam...We respect it. It's a respect cause we all competing, so Def Jam had the hardest competition, but the hardest competition as I showed the respect, I also showed the truth. And the truth is everybody else had to sit down so Def Jam could be who they are."....Read More @ Examiner.com

Reverend Al Sharpton Hosts WWE Monday Night Raw: This coming Monday, September 28, social figure Reverand Al Shapton will make one of his most surprising appearances yet - on WWE's Monday Night Raw. The civil rights leader will host the 9pm live taping from Albany, New York's Times Union Center.
The appearance prefaces Sharpton's four-city tour with former Speaker of the House Of Representatives Newt Gingrich and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who will be stopping in Philadelphia, New Orleans, Baltimore in Atlanta in an effort to reform public education.
Monday Night Raw airs at 9pm on the USA network.

Bigger Than Hip Hop?

2009-09-25T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hip Hop mogul Jay-Z recently appeared on the Oprah show seemingly ending the ban of rappers on her program. But don't be so quick to believe the embargo on Hip Hop has been reascended by the queen of day time T.V. When Oprah had the cast of Barbershop on her show, Ice Cube, the star of the movie, was mysteriously missing. She later had the cast of Crash on her show to tackle issues of racism that the film brought forth, but initially did not extend an invite to Ludacris. Luda did end up on the episode with the rest of the cast, but was attacked by Oprah for his lyrics and use of the the words "Nigga", "Bitch", and "Ho". Oprah later admitted that she doesn't like having rappers on her show because she feels it empowers them. Yet somehow, Jay-Z managed to transcend Oprah negative imagery of Hip Hop, and appear on the program in an one on one interview. Don't applaud Oprah for finally allowing a rapper to grace her presence, no need to give credence to that gesture; she was just going along with the general consensus that Jay-Z is somehow above Hip Hop.

Jay-Z is constantly talked about like he is on an island all by himself, like his intellect is on an a level that no other rapper can ever achieve. Hip Hop writers and journalist regularly shower him with praises towards his wit and creativity. From Bill Maher to the President himself, its seems that the world just can't get enough of Mr. Carter. But is Jay-Z really that different from any other rapper?

I will admit that Jay does have a lyrical ability and style that not many can match, but it's not the style that seems to attract so many outside of Hip Hop culture to embrace him. Remember, Oprah berated Luda for his lyrics, yet Jay-Z has had songs that with very similar content to Ludacris. The difference is that Jay-Z is more clever in how he talks about his content. Instead of blatantly saying "Kill that Nigga", he'll instead use lyrics asking what size suit you wear before he unloads a clip on you. That's still murder rap no matter how its expressed. Supporters ignore the fact that American Gangster was considered "concept" album, yet the material was what we've come to expect from Jay-Z. It was nothing more than an excuse to return to what he knew best.

Jay-Z worshippers will probably label me a hater, that's fine, I expect you to get defensive. But I'm no hater; I just don't believe that Jay-Z is any more qualified to represent Hip Hop than Ice Cube or Ludacris. What about Chuck D? Krs-1? Nas? Common? Mos Def? or Kweli? There are a number of rappers who don't represent the negativity that is associated with Hip Hop. These same MCs have music that even takes more of a stand on social issues and also includes commentary that identifies with Oprah's sentiments about rap music. I watched the show and it wasn't bad at all. Jay is smart brotha and is a deserving delegate of Hip Hop culture; I'm just not one to get on my knees and pray to him, even if he calls himself "Hova".

You Might Not Have Heard About It: Feat. Blitz the Ambassador

2009-09-23T18:30:00.000-07:00

In a recent post I discussed the question of Hip Hop being dead and the responsibility that fell on all parties associated with the dying art form. I referenced the burden of the artists in the game and how they must step to the forefront in preserving Hip Hop's essence. I explained the role of the consumer as well as fans of the music and our duty to search for MCs who dedicate their lives to this unique form of expression. So for that very reason I am taking it upon myself to put the spotlight on the lesser known rappers in the game. The artists who still possess a passion for the music, who aren't controlled my the corporate machine, and for those maintain the pulse of Hip Hop. Once a week I'll search for a different artist to bring to your attention. Today's feature is the The MC out of Ghana, Blitz the Ambassador.

After arguing with my boy Dub about the the decline of Hip Hop, he introduced me the the music of Blitz. He didn't tell me much about him or his music, he just said "listen". What struck me first before I even tuned in to the first track on "Stereotype", was the album cover. The imagery of the suicidal gesture of blowing out the brains of a boom box immediately enticed me. The album kicks off with a prelude with a few shout outs to cities all over the world with a melodic backdrop. The album seamlessly transitions from the intro to the first track "Something to Believe In" where Blitz's skillz are truly emphasized. Throughout the whole album Blitz displays a rare combination of poetics, relentlessness and amazing production. He effortlessly spits over each track while boasting different styles over a diverse range of instrumentation. His topics expand from the state of Hip Hop, the plight of African people all over the globe, to his passion for Hip Hop.

Blitz the Ambassador is truly a rare breed indeed. I found myself listening to this album without even thinking of skipping a song. Each track seems to spill over to the next without missing a beat. If you're a fan of real music and want to hear something outside of mainstream machine, this is definitely an album that will not disappoint. I posted a track below to check out. You can find his album "Stereotype" on Amazon, Itunes, and in your local record store. Support! Save the music!

Best Verse Week # 2:"Make Her Say"

2009-09-21T20:55:00.000-07:00

It's that time again, cast your vote for the weekly best verse. Last week, Eminem edged out Drake by one vote on "Forever". This week features Kid Cudi, Kanye West, and Common on "Make Her Say". Who will take it this week?

Hip hop Hoop News

2009-09-18T18:34:00.000-07:00

Jay-Z on Oprah: Sneak Peek

Lockout Official: The NBA formally notified the union representing its 57 active referees Friday that it was imposing a lockout, saying the rejection of its latest contract offer left "no choice but to begin using replacement referees."Lamell McMorris, lead negotiator for the referees, told CBSSports.com that he received formal notice of the lockout from the league shortly after 3 p.m. ET. Replacement refs will convene next week for the annual training camp for officials, although the timing of the camp is undecided based on the logistical challenges of convening replacements.If the NBA and its referees' union can't agree on a new two-year contract before Oct. 27, replacement referees will officiate regular season games for the first time since 1995. Read More....

Nas and Kelis Back Together?:Nas and Kelis caused a media frenzy when they got married and a seemingly bigger one when they filed for divorce. The two seemed to be over for good but recent rumors have been forming with unidentified "sources" telling media outlets that the two are reconciling their differences. "Nas and Kelis were celebrating his birthday with some friends and you couldn't tell they were divorcing to look at them. They seemed very intimate and were kissing and hugging and even left together," a source told WENN. Read More.....

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian to Marry?: Insiders tell E! News exclusively that Khloe Kardashian and her NBA star boyfriend Lamar Odom are already considering tying the knot.
Odom, a forward for the L.A. Lakers, and Khloé recently have been "talking about rings," says a source close to the couple. Members of the Kardashian family are neither confirming nor denying the wedding plans or a date. A rep for both stars have declined to comment. Read More....

T-Mac's Back: Tracy McGrady came all the way to Chicago to seek redemption. The seven-time all star has been in town for several months after having micro-fracture knee surgery earlier in the year. He spends most of his days rehabbing at ATTACK Athletics on the West Side and is convinced all the extra work he's put in this summer will turn him back into the player he once was. The ironic thing is that it took a lot of people to get McGrady to finally give the rehab facility in the Windy City a try.
His former teammate Luther Head tried to get the 30-year-old to give Tim Grover and his staff a chance, but he was unsuccessful, McGrady was too loyal to his trainer of 11 years, Wayne Hall.
"[Tracy] asks me now, [saying], 'You should have put a gun to my head and made me come,'" Head said during a training session last month. Read More....

The Truth is Out There

2009-09-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to Hip Hop music since I was 7 or 8 years old when my big bro introduced me to legends of the game like KRS-1, Rakim, and NWA. But the one group that stood out above all of them was Public Enemy. Here was a group that fearlessly brought truth to the forefront; they viciously attacked the system that so meticulously declared war on the black community through violence, drugs, guns and propaganda. Lead by Chuck D, a gallant MC with a sonorous voice that inspired action in his listeners; the group tackled issues such as crack and its destruction of the black community, the government's relentless attempts to recruit the poor in an army disproportionately represented by Black and Latino soldiers, and the media being used as a tool of distraction away from pressing issues. After all the changes Hip Hop has seen, and in spite of Flava Flav's embarrassing decent into a modern day Sambo(still got love for you Flav), Public Enemy has never changed their agenda in providing resistance to the "system".

One of the lesser known member's of the group was the outspoken Professor Griff. The name might not ring a bell to those who aren't familiar with the group, but for those of us that have followed P.E., Griff is a well respected contributor to the movement. I posted a recent interview with the Professor discussing ills of the media, the "real" and the "fake" as well as the rise of the occult in Hip Hop. You may not agree with everything he is saying, or maybe even anything he's speaking of, but at least hear the brotha out. Sound off in the comments

Who Murdered It?

2009-09-14T21:11:00.000-07:00

We have a new weekly feature here @ hiphophoop.blogspot.com called "Who Murdered It?" Once a week I will post a track featuring several artists on the site. Then I will post a poll for you to vote on which artist ripped it the most. The poll closes in 7 days, so get your vote in! Todays Track:

DRAKE FEAT. KANYE WEST, LIL WAYNE, AND EMINEM----FOREVER

Hip hop Hoop News

2009-09-13T08:47:00.001-07:00

Jordan Inducted Into Hall Of Fame:

Allow Me to Re-introduce Myself

2009-09-12T11:35:00.000-07:00

My name isn't Hov and I never sold snowflakes by the O -Z. I never sold drugs, Hov did that so hopefully I'll never have to go through that. And I'm not a rapper, my last album was not the Chronic. I'm just an avid reader of Hip Hop Hoop and was recently asked by the creator to give my input on the current state of music, primarily hip hop. With the current state of hip hop being debated so heavily, I jumped on the opportunity to express my views. So over the next few weeks, I'll be adding my opinion about everything from cd reviews to what I'm bumping in the car to rapper's turned actors failing as rapper's again to over-rated artists who are just living off the past to creative new artists that you shouldn't get caught sleeping on, etc... So thank you Mansa for getting that foot in the door and allowing me to kick it wide open..

New Tracks from Raekwon and Jay-Z Albums

2009-09-12T10:19:00.000-07:00

New Joint off Blueprint 3: On to the Next Feat. Swizz Beats:

New Joint off Only Built for Cuban Linx 2: New We Feat. Ghostface and Meth

Iverson to the Grizzlies: Good Fit?

2009-09-10T19:53:00.000-07:00

In a previous blog written about the Allen Iverson situation of this summer I stated that one of the best players ever to play the game was getting treated unfairly. He had been white balled, cast to the purgatory of a league that he helped popularize. Let's get one thing straight, Allen Iverson is an icon, a trend setter, and an amazing talent. How many players in the league did you see with corn rows, tattoos, and arm sleeves before the "Little Giant" stepped in the the league. When Jordan and his squeaky clean image left the court in 97, Iverson became the new face of a league that wanted no part of his "gangsta" image. When everybody was trying to "be like Mike", Iverson was just being himself. The NBA dress code, just one of many racist mandates handed down by David Stern, was aimed at players like A.I, players who refused too change their image or who they are to cater to the white media. But I digress; this is about Iverson the basketball player, and although he played a part in his decent into the cellar of the league, there should have been another team out there willing to take a chance.

The Memphis Grizzlies won a whopping 24 games last season, but they played hard every night and have an excellent young core of players. There are a couple things they did in the offseason that I didn't agree with as far as their direction as a team, but they still have a lot of talent. The trade for Zach Randolph was a questionable move, especially when you consider the Pau Gasol deal. (Their Salaries are basically the same). But Gasol was already gone, and when you have a chance to get another dominating low post scorer for next to nothing, you take it. What's worse is that they let Hakim Warrick go for nothing, and he was a major contributor to their team.

All is not lost in the land of Memphis. They did manage to snatch Sam Young out of Pittsburgh in the second round, and that was as much of a steal as Dejaun Blair to the Spurs. (These two, along with Jodie Meeks going in the second round just shows how "smart" these GMs really are.) O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay are a dynamic scoring tandem on the perimeter, especially with a post presence down low in Randolph. The issue with Randolph is he doesn't pass out of the post much and is viewed as selfish. As talented as Gay and Mayo are, they are still very young; their shot selections are questionable. Now we come to the intrigue surrounding this team: Where does Iverson fit. Is he starting or coming off the bench? The problem with bringing a veteran of this caliber to a team like this is that it could hinder the development of the young players. There is no doubt that Iverson should start over Mike Conley, but he really started playing well at the end of the year. Is it a good idea to bring Iverson in when the kid was just getting his confidence up and playing well?

At the press conference where Iverson was introduced as a Grizzly, he stated this season was personal and he felt like a rookie all over again. There is no doubt that Iverson has to use this one year stop in Memphis to prove he can play nice and join a contender next year. It's an unfair deal, but it is what it is. He has to be able to mentor the young talent, become more of a play maker without completely sacrificing his scoring ability, and lastly he cannot pout or get frustrated when things are going well. The microscope will stay focused on him, and sports writers across the nation can't wait to gloat in the face of a failed experiment. The Grizzlies will be exciting to watch and might even win a few more games, but they won't contend. What they will do is compete night and night out, something that fits the indemnity of a player that doesn't quit, and keeps fighting even when the odds are stacked against him.

Blood on Our Hands

2009-09-06T19:06:00.000-07:00

The idea of Hip Hop being "dead" was prevalent in the hearts and minds of many MCs well before Nas decided to title his album with the bold proclamation at the end of 2006. If rappers didn't believe Hip Hop was actually deceased, they made tracks stating their opinion, usually believing that the culture was on its death bed. Common made the song "I Used to Love H.E.R." as an ode to hip hop back in 1994. The track was highly critical of the direction that Hip Hop was moving into at the time after attaining more commercial success in the mainstream. Around the same time other rappers stepped to the forefront to convey their disappointment in Hip Hop's apparent downward spiral from an art form that originated from the struggle of the oppressed, to a sound that has been over saturated with bravado and degradation. KRS-1, a Hip Hop pioneer and legend, has been one of the strongest advocates of "Real "Hip Hop as well as one of the bigger detractors of what would be considered "Commercial Rap." The question remains: Is Hip Hop as we once knew it truly dead? If it is dead, who is to blame for it's apparent assassination? Are we to blame the record labels, radio DJs, the artists themselves, or the fans?

The culture of Hip Hop has its origins deeply rooted in the streets and projects of the oppressed and disenfranchised. Of course there were groups with the commercial appeal that were enticing to white America that allowed the culture to gain notoriety. The "Sugar Hill Gang's Rapper's Delight" was a Hip Hop hit single that brought world attention to the growing sub-culture, but rap music's foundation was based in the ghettos and hoods that were generally ignored by the white community. Tracks like "The Message" by Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five and later album's like "Criminal Minded" by Boogie Down Productions gave America more of insight to the plight of African Americans in this country. The culture gave social commentary on black communities and the hardships we endured. The difference between now and then is that the music wasn't immersed in negativity. Run DMC, Melly Mel, Kurtis Blow, Public Enemy, Rakim and KRS-1 weren't glorifying the grind, but were creating ways to escape it. Somewhere the artist lost control of the mission while record labels played the role of master by deciding what was socially acceptable.

When an artist presents his/her album to a label, the label makes the choice of which songs will generate the most revenue for their company. This seems fair when making a business investment into an artist, but tracks with real messages are being scrapped and never see the light of day. There are MC's out there who refuse to let a record exec control their creativity and dumb down their music. Immortal Technique, an MC and political activist, claimed that he turned down a deal with a major label due to the constraints they attempted to place on his music. This intrusion has caused many artists to jump in the game looking for that hit single as oppose to invoking their music with passion and fervor. The music is suffering; the culture as a whole is yielding bastard children who have no regard for the art form that raised them. Radio DJ's influence the trend by deciding what's "hot" and what's not. What we're left with is the same formulaic sound echoing on radio airwaves 24/7.

I'm a fan of Hip Hop; I support the culture, the soul and the passion. In the early 90s, when I was old enough to appreciate what I was listening to, there was less of a divide of what was played on the radio and what was considered underground. Radio stations played Public Enemy, KRS-1, De La Soul, Wu- Tang, Tribe Called Quest, Nas, NWA, and ICE Cube. There was still an underground network, consisting more of local artists and others who broke the geographical barriers. But either way you went, it was still Hip Hop. I don't have a problem with main stream rap music. I listen to all Hip Hop, some time I might be in the mood for some gangsta shit, club shit or some political shit; I'm able to appreciate all sides of the spectrum. The problem is there is no more variety, and now we are forced to do extensive research to locate the remnants of the culture. The average listener will might never hear the Hell Razah joint, Blitz the Ambassador, or AntiPop Consortium just to name a few. I guess it's time to realize that the system has no need to support music that counters its very existence. Maybe it's time for the fans of the music to demand more from our artists, DJs and labels. Is Hip Hop really dead? I don't think so, there are plenty of MC's out there who will tell you differently, and prove that the culture is still breathing in their music. I hear the rumors, maybe she faked her own death. And while there are plenty of people dancing on her grave, she's in hiding, waiting for the perfect time to emerge form the ashes.

Hip Hop Hoop News

2009-08-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

Derrick Rose Situation and NCAA: This week the University of Memphis was stripped of the school's 38-win season and its Final Four appearance in 2008 because former point guard Derrick's Rose allegedly had someone else take his SAT's for him after he reportedly was unable to get a satisfactory score on his ACT's in three prior attempts. Memphis also has to return the money the basketball team generated during its run in the NCAA tournament that season. Let's be clear about something up front: Rose was not named in the report. However, people around the country are filling in the blanks as he's the only player who seems to match the description in the report. If you're like me, you're probably wondering how exactly the NCAA strips a team of experiences that have already been lived. Sure they can eliminate numbers in an official record book, but it's not like anyone can erase the game's that were played from existence. That's especially true since Memphis participated in the NCAA championship game in 2008.
Continue Reading at Hoopsworld.com

Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 Final Tracklisting & Production Revealed: The effort will see Jay-Z return to collaboration vocally and musically with Kanye West, Timbaland, The Neptunes and No I.D. The album also features newcomers Al Shux, J. Cole and Luke Steele. The tracklisting is as follows:
View Tracklisting at Hiphopdx.com

Sources: Iverson Close to Deal With Bobcats:
Dime Magazine's web site reports that Allen Iverson and the Bobcats already have agreed to terms on a contract that will be signed within a week.
I'm told by a great source that's not true. However, that doesn't mean Iverson won't be a Bobcat. It sounds like there's a good chance that will happen. My source says definitively that Iverson's first choice is to play for Larry Brown again in Charlotte, and that there have been serious discussions about making that happen.
However, there are complications. As Brown told me and ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan, the team's payroll and roster both stand in the way. With the Bobcats inching toward the luxury-tax threshold, it's problematic to make Iverson a fair offer, even in a depressed economy. Minutes are another issue: With Raja Bell, D.J. Augustin and restricted free agent Raymond Felton on the roster, where would Brown find sufficient playing time for a nine-time All-Star who averaged nearly 42 minutes his first 12 NBA seasons?
Continue Reading Article

Slaughterhouse: What the Games Been Missin'

2009-08-13T19:29:00.000-07:00

It's a rarity to see a group of young rappers with similar drive and focus set out to achieve a common goal. So you can understand my doubts when I first heard the mention of Slaughterhouse. Sure, it was a good idea in theory; four MCs at pretty much the same stage in their careers uniting to make an album to appease the people. But usually these things don't go as planned. How often do we hear these dudes throw out the "we should do an album together"when talking about a contemporary hip hop artist. I remained dubious when I learned the quartet who formed the group----Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, Royce the 5'9', Crooked I. I never really listened to Joe Budden (mood music mixtapes weren't bad though), I had only heard a couple verses from Joell Ortiz, I listened to some old Royce when he was runnin with Em, but Crooked I is the only one I could truly say that I bumped. So although I was intrigued by the idea, I wasn't blown away about it.

Shout out to my boy Dub who put me on the the group. The first track I heard by the group was Onslaught, and I was very impressed. Each MC came with a different flavor and more than exceeded my expectations. I already knew that Crooked I was a murderer when it came to assailing the mic, but I was in the dark on the skills of the the remaining members. While I listened to each member leave their imprint, it dawned on me that they would all come to the table with their best material. There would be no way any one of these cats would want to be seen as the weakest link. Sure, you could choose your favorite verse, but you couldn't deny that they all came with it; Onslaught was a befitting title indeed and so was Slaughterhouse. So after several months of features and tracks being released by the group, I started to anticipate the release.

This group was for real and they built even more of a following while preforming on the Rock The Bells Tour. The self titled Slaughterhouse album is one of the best pure hip hop album's I've heard in quite sometime. They didn't follow the prototypical album formula: a commercial hit, a song for the club, the street banga and let's not for get the song or two for the ladies. What they did do was go all in on each track and while maintaining a topic for every song. Most rappers these days don't make any attempt to grow as artist and just put tracks on albums without any depth. So if you're looking for watered down run of the mill hip hop, don't buy this album. Because with this group, you get four artists who show that they still care about what they do and still posses passion for the music.

The Question on The Answer

2009-08-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

Let's take a second and reflect on something absolutely ridiculous occurring in the NBA right now, Allen Iverson is not on an NBA team. This is an outrageous, tragic, and extremely disrespectful to one of the best players that has ever picked up a rock. This Legend, two years removed from being the third leading scorer in the NBA, ninth in assists, and fourth in steals is now suddenly abhorred while names like like cancerous, poisonous and chemistry killer have been casted at him like stones. We're talking about one of the fifty greatest of all time who is abruptly "washed up". How did this happen? Let's take a look at the trade between Denver and Detroit that's threatening to push Iverson into early retirement.

For some reason Iverson became the scapegoat for Detroit's downfall and Denver's rise to prosperity in the mighty West. Unfortunately these media know it alls and Iverson detractors fail to recognize all the factors that contributed to the fortune and failure of these two teams. What they are doing is coming to conclusions based on different fallacies to place the blame on Iverson. It's assumed that Denver improved as a team solely based on the Billups/Iverson trade, yet there are other influences that can not be ignored. Marcus Camby was traded and replaced by a healthy Nene. This was extremely important, Nene had gone through two injury plagued season before returning to the line up at 100%. He was a much more active player on offense than Camby and a more than capable post defender while Camby was more of an weak side shot blocker and of the ball defender. Another factor was that the West was a lot less competitive than the previous season. Denver one 50 games in probably the toughest conference in history and drew the Lakers, the best team in the league, and was over matched. With Billups, they won just four more games and drew more favorable match ups on their way to the Western Conference Finals where they were again eliminated by the Lakers. It could be pointed out that they were not swept this time and that they played the Lakers very tough. With Iverson gone, Melo was assumed the role of Alpha Dog and led the Denver offense, but it is unfair to give all the credit due to Billups and blame Iverson for the previous failures.

Hopefully this offseason will end with Iverson playing for a team and having to prove himself yet again to all his doubters. Currently the last two teams in the running are the Charlotte Bobcats (reunited with Larry Brown) and the Miami Heat (teamed with Dwayne Wade). Although I'm an Iverson fan, I do understand that there are some changes that do need to be made to his game for him to fit in with either of these teams. He needs to become more of a distributor to show other GMs that doubted that he can remain in this league while being a worthy contributor to a winning team. Allen Iverson has had an illustrious career, he deserves to have it end on a note where it is recognized as such.

Free Agent News: Iverson, Milsap, Odom

2009-07-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Clippers have turned their attention to more of a traditional point guard, Ramon Sessions, to add their Baron Davis and Eric Gordon rotation. If anyone was paying attention to the Clippers last year, Eric Gordon really started to pick up his game towards the end of the season after being inserted into the starting line up. He ended up averaging 16 ppg while shooting a very respectable 39% from three point range. That is very impressive, especially for a rookie. The interest in Iverson never made much sense to me, especially when you consider Gordon's contributions, Baron Davis' style of play, and rookie sensation Blake Griffin.(Let's not forget about coaching dud Mike Dunlevy) Although Iverson thrives while playing along side bigger point guards that can defend the 2 spot, the pairing with B. Diddy would be a failure. Baron is not enough of a consistent play maker to play along a player like Iverson. Its' bad enough Griffin was cursed before playing his first NBA game by being drafted by the Clippers, no need to add fuel to the fire. (Still love ya though Ivo)

Utah has matched the contract offer from Portland for Paul Milsap, something that everyone expected. This signifies the end of the Boozer era in Utah and they will actively pursue a trade. Word on the street is that Miami is looking to facilitate a trade for Boozer while trying to sign Odom as well. If the Heat are able to pull that off, they would put a very competitive team on the floor and give Wade more of incentive to sign the extension. But are they championship material?----I would say no, but on the other hand, if Boozer doesn't pan out, he would be a free agent next year as well as Jermaine O'neal. That would give the Heat more than enough cap space to sign a big fish in 2010 (Bosh, Stoudemire?)

The Lamar Odom saga continues and I have to admit as a Laker fan I am scared as hell. Talks are still stalled while a plethora of rumors float over message boards and fan sites. Inconsistent contract offers between 3 and 4 years with ranges of 7-9 million per have left fans confused about what's really going on. The bottom line is that the Lakers need Odom and Odom needs the Lakers. If Odom signs with Miami (his preferred destination outside the Lakers) he would be making less money will lose his shot at competing for a ring. The Lakers on the other hand would lose out on a player that is irreplaceable. What makes it so difficult is that Odom is one of those rare players that is capable of starting anywhere else but has sacraficed and accepted the role of sixth man a la Manu Ginobilli and Jason Terry. No one else would be able to replicate his production of the bench, nor do the Lakers have the money to even come close to a fill in.

Hip Hop Hoop News

2009-07-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

Murdered on your own Shit

An interesting article about Rappers who have bbeen outclassed on their on songs. Check it out.

Hiphopdx.com: “Eminem murdered you on your own shit.” - Nas “Ether”
Regardless of where you stand on the Jay vs. Nas war from almost a decade ago, there is no question that he got that line right. But Jay-Z is far from the first emcee to have their own show stolen by a guest. This is by no means all of them, but here are some of the most memorable. Beginning with…you guessed it:
Eminem on Jay-Z’s “Renegade” (2001, The Bluprint)

On the Odom contract situation....

LA Times: Many in the Lakers’ organization believe that Odom wants to accept Buss’ offer — and so do those close to Odom — but he has failed to convince Jeff Schwartz, his agent. If the two sides do begin negotiating again, Lakers sources said Buss, if he’s willing to talk, will lower his offer to Odom.

Richard Jefferson Cancels Wedding at Last Minute.....Classy Move

Yahoo.com: ost weddings go off without a hitch. But every once in a while, the blessed event gets a surprise twist. This past weekend, NBA star Richard Jefferson's wedding left guests asking a big question: "Where the heck is the groom?"
According to the New York Post, Jefferson was scheduled to marry former New Jersey Nets dancer Kesha Ni'cole Nichols. Alas, a few days before the big day, Jefferson called off the ceremony and broke up with his fiancée...

Rakim The Legend is Back in the Booth! Check out his new track at "Holy are You" @ hiphopdx.com

Say My Name, Say My Name

2009-07-14T19:25:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Jay-Z released an excerpt from a freestyle during one of his recent concerts. During Hova's off the top rant, he happened to mention "Game" by name, a shout out that the Compton MC took great offense to. Since being "called out" the Game has gone on a tirade from igniting his crowd at one of his concert in to a "Fuck Jay-Z" chant to recording a diss track. He even had some word's for Jay's famed wife Beyonce...

"I know y'all been hearing about the controversy between with me and Jay-Z, right," Game asked a crowd in Spain. "So I'ma start it off like this, f*ck Jay-Z! That's how Pac felt. That's how Nas felt at one time and that's how I feel...This ain't about B/This ain't about Destiny...You got a bad b*tch, word, ain't no p*ssy like hers/Just ask the Mavericks, Cowboys and the Spurs/I mean, my b*tch don't sling p*ssy like that/My b*tch sling p*ssy on a n*gga from the back, back, back/Black Wall Street, that's the game I bang/And I'm in Mahdrid, Spain..."(From TayDoeTV) (Woah, did he just get at his wifee like that?)

To be fair, all Jay really said in his freestyle was "I ain't talkin bout Game", something that probably wouldn't have bothered me. The fact of the matter is that Jay's venom was really aimed at his former mentor Jaz-o who he clowns later on in the track. (He's still gettin at Jaz-0?)

This situation had me thinking,(a rarity in Hip Hop these days) when is it ok to speak another nigga's name on a verse? I constantly hear about these rap cats sweating bravado whenever another rapper speaks their name; unless one of these cats is singing their praises, it aint cool. I understand the whole "keep my name out your mouth" code, but hasn't this gone a little to far? Now cats are making whole diss tracks when they just hear their names. On the other hand, there has always been suspected tension between the two Rappers from the opposite coast since Game licked some underlying shots at the self proclaimed "King of New York".

Well at least the Game is getting some attention in between albums, and the recipe for success since 50 dissed every nigga in the game is to stir the pot with some of that good ol' beef. Problem is that I'm hungry for some real music and the beef seems a little spoiled.

80's Hoop

2009-07-07T19:02:00.000-07:00

There has been a whole lot of significant player movement during the NBA off-season. Richard Jefferson was traded to the Spurs to join an already solidified all-star trio, Shaq joined King James looking for his 5th Chip and Lebron's first, Vince Carter replaced the "Turkish Michael Jordan" on Orlando while Trevor Ariza and Ron Artest swapped places. Let's not forget that the Celtics signed Rasheed Wallace, a player who will undoubtedly strengthen an already tenacious defense. All of these teams were already among the best in the L less than a year ago and they have all greatly improved. If you aren't running with at least three all-stars, you're not in the conversation.

This stacking of franchises reminds me of hoop in the 80s. The decade yielded legendary teams with multiple Hall of Famers.

Philladelhpia 76ers

The 76ers were led by the great "Dr. J", a player that revolutionized the game and was an idol to the best player ever. (I don't have to tell you who that is.) His supporting cast included Moses Malone, signed as a free agent before their championship season whom also won the MVP that season, Maurice Cheeks, and Andrew Toney. Notable achievements by Mo Cheeks was his selection for the all-defensive first team that year. Andrew Toney averaged 19.7 ppg in the 1981-82 championship season.

Detroit Pistons

The volatile team known as the Bad Boys had players that ushered in a new breed of basketball player. They were a tough gritty team that excelled on their physicality. They were led my Hall of Fame point guard Isaiah Thomas, who to this day is still overlooked as one of the best players to ever pick up a rock. They didn't come on as challengers until the mid to late 80s when they drafted Isaiah's back court running mate Joe Dumars (played the best D you could possible play against Mike), Dennis Rodman and John Salley(prototypes for the new athletic forwards that would eventually command the league) to join bruisers Bill Lambier, Rick Mahorn and Vinnie "the Microwave" Johnson.

Boston Celtics

Until the 90s, Boston was known as the most storied franchises in the L. They still hold the crown for most titles in NBA history at 17, three of those won in the 80s. Their teams in that decade were among the deepest in recent memory. We know about the "Larry Legend", but he was apart of the best front line in NBA history playing along with Kevin Mchale and Robert Parish. Throughout the decade the Celtics had many great players don their jersey. Dennis Johnson, Nate Archibald, Bill Walton, and Reggie Lewis.

Los Angeles Lakers

The showtime Lakers were clearly the king of kings during this decade fast breaking their way to 5 championships. They were led by Ervin "Magic" Johnson, a 6'9' point guard whose skills have never been replicated. He was surrounded by one of the best supporting casts ever. James Worthy(One of the most underrated players in NBA history), Kareem(arguably the best center of all time), Byron Scott(automatic jump shooter with an unbelievable mid range game), Norm Nixon, and Bob Mcadoo.

The San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, and the Los Angeles Lakers(and to a lesser extent the Cavs) have all stacked their teams in order to go to war with each other for years to come. Each move made was trumped by the next in order to add more star power. One thing is for certain, we're in for one of the most exciting seasons ever.

Hip Hop Hoop News

2009-07-02T19:52:00.000-07:00

Artest to the Lakers!!!!

Espn.com:NBA Free-agent forward Ron Artest says he's leaving the Houston Rockets to join the Los Angeles Lakers

In a text message to ESPN.com on Thursday night, Artest wrote: "I am happy to say I am goin' to L.A."

ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard reports that Artest and the Lakers have reached a verbal agreement on what is believed to be a three-year contract worth an estimated $18 million. Wednesday is the first day free agents are permitted to sign new deals.
Artest's decision was first reported by CBSSports.com. The mercurial swingman was initially courted by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In his text message, Artest said that he met Thursday with Lakers owner Jerry Buss and had spoken to coach Phil Jackson about the move to Los Angeles, where Artest has been spending his offseasons.
"He wants to win a ring," David Bauman, Artest's agent, told The Associated Press. "He's a winner and a hard worker and he went looking for a team with whom he could find some justification for what he does. He plays his best when he's in that kind of an environment."

Continue Reading 'Ron Artest to the Lakers!!!!'

The Game Apologizes to 50.

Hiphopdx.com: In a recent interview with MTV News, The Game relayed Michael Jackson’s attempts to end the beef between him and 50 Cent. Although the rappers eventually laid the feud to rest (without Jackson’s help) the tension between the two still remained. However, The Game has finally taken it upon himself to give a formal apology, not just to 50, but to the whole Interscope label.
“For 50, I’m just gonna apologize to him, just as a man,” he told MTV.“It has nothing to do with music, or beef, or nothing like that. It ain’t about being the bigger man. He can take it and say, ‘Game is apologizing,’ ‘Game’s a sucka, he’s apologizing.’ I’m apologizing for me to him, to [Dr.] Dre, to Jimmy Iovine, to Eminem, to all the fans. Because if you think about what Interscope was when we were gellin’, man we were it. We were an unstoppable force.”

Continue reading 'Game Aplogizes to 50.'

Mase Back in the Game?

Hiphopdx.com: After the tragic passing of singer Michael Jackson, Harlem rapper Mase has found himself once again inspired to return to the world of Hip Hop. "Mike passed away and it just lit the fire in me -- it made me go in the studio and do something. I'm excited," Mase told Power 105.1’s DJ Self. "I asked my nephew who is the hottest thing out there and he said, "Drake!' When I listened to his music I said, 'I'm going to jump on this joint.'"During his appearance on DJ Self’s radio show, which took place on June 26, Mase also aired his remix to Drake’s “Best I Ever Had.” The remix is Mase’s first release in five years.

Continue Reading 'Ma$e Back in the Game'

Hip Hop Hoop News

2009-07-01T20:55:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson attempted to squash beef

Pistons Agree to Sign Gordon and Villanueva

Lakers Could Lose Ariza

Long Live the King

2009-06-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

I can't claim being his biggest fan. I never really listened to too much of his music; there are a couple albums of his on my Itunes that I downloaded from someone else. There were probably times where I talked bad about him, ridiculed his experiences and laughed as comedians took easy shots at his life style. But regardless of all that, Michael Jackson was an icon, a philanthropist, a genius and a genuine caring person. I can't say he had an influence on me directly, but he did effect many people close to me as well as entertainers I've grown to admire and respect. It's impossible to be a fan of music and not recognize Mike's footprint on entertainment. You can see the obvious comparisons in Ne-Yo and Chris Brown, or the more subtle expressions and sounds many entertainers make that were introduced by the "King of Pop."

I definitely respected the man; I had an appreciation for the many ventures he participated in using his status and popularity. He invited inner city youths to come and spend the day at Never Land Ranch which is equivalent to going to amusement park. He called out Sony Music Chairman Tommy Mottola, labeling him a "racist" while calling him "devlish" for his treatment of black artists. Those are the things I admired about him in addition to his incredible talent.

There are already vultures circling his carcass waiting to feed on the negative aspects of his life. There are individuals who lack respect who are already spitting on his grave while not allowing him to rest in peace. Yes, he was troubled, strange, different, but that doesn't give his detractors the right to smear his name, especially after his passing. But I don't want to focus on the negative, there's no need to waste my energy or the writing space.

The bottom line is that Mike has had an effect on all aspects of entertainment. He's influenced brothas from the hardwood to the hip hop booth, gangstas and gentlemen alike. Even when when my mind was close to outside sources of music and only hip hop could penetrate, I still bobbed my head when I heard a Mike track. I'm not gonna lie and say I went out and pursued his music, but I never objected to listening to it. Hardcore rappers grew up on his sound and creativity. They might not have been able to identify with his personality and persona, but there was no denying his aptitude when it came to his art form. Kobe Bryant recently stated that Michael was mentor to him based on his dedication to being the best at his craft. His music has been sampled by multiple hip hop artist. His innovations changed the music industry so much that we take it for granted.

Michael Jackson will be missed. It saddens me that we all took him for granted and failed to appreciate him more when he was still with us. I've always believed that death isn't the "end" of it all. Like many of the idolized people before him, he left his mark on the planet so that he will live among us for eternity. But spiritually he has passed on, and as African people say when someone moves on----"He went home."

R.I.P M.J.

Battle of the Drafts: 1996 Vs. 2003

2009-06-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

In light of tomorrow's upcoming NBA draft, I decided to take a look at some of the best draft years of the past. NBA TV has been showing classic drafts all the way back from the 70s to the present. Since I wasn't even alive in the 70s, and 4 years old during the Sam Bowie debacle(Known to most as the year Jordan was drafted) I wanted to take a look at the two best drafts that took place since I've adopted hoop as a religion: 1996 and 2003. I had a serious debate with one of my boys about these two drafts a while back. My pick was the 96' class, not only because Kobe Bryant entered the league, but because there were 10 all starts and a plethora of players who had promising careers in the league. The 03' is a very close second in my book, but can easily be argued as the superior draft with the likes of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Carmelo Anthony leading the pack. Now imagine if these two classes were to duke it out for supremacy----who would come out on top?

Let's pick 9 of the best players from each class and match them up by position for the 5 starters along with 4 bench players. Now we would have to assume that the 1996 players are in their prime since the 2003 class are just entering theirs.

1996 Draft Class:

C - Marcus Camby -Defensive player of the year, Shot Blocking maniac.

PF - Jermaine O'neal - Former all star but was a true leader before all the injuries. Indian was on their way to possible championship contention before before Artest started throwing haymakers at women and children.

F - Peja Stojakovic - This was a tough one. I could've went with Antoine Walker here, but despite Peja's years riddled with injury, he beats walker out. Peja can make threes while Walker just thought he could.

SG - Kobe Bryant - Nuff Said

PG - Allen Iverson - Best little guy to ever play the game and then some. The way people talked about him after his stint in Detroit made me sick.

Bench - These bench players were a tough call. Other possible entries would have been Zydrunas Illgauskus, Kerry Kittles, Derek Fisher, and Shareef Abdur-Rahiem. They were all really good players in the prime of their careers before injuries and age slowed them down. But none of them could be chosen over these 4

Steve Nash

Ray Allen

Stephon Marbury

Antoine Walker

2003 Draft Class:

C - Chris Bosh - He's an all-star fo sho. The question is rather he can produce on a winning team or go down as the next Abdur- Raheim? He was the most underrated player on the "Redeem Team"

PF - David West - His mid range jumper is like a lay-up. He's emerged as one of the top players from this class, and one of the better 4s in the league

SF - Carmelo Anthony - Finally took his team from the first round and deep into the post season. He took a step closer to having his name mentioned with his fellow top draft mates.

SG - Lebron James - Arguably the best player on the planet.

PG - Dwayne Wade - NBA champion. He had one of the best performances in the finals in history.

Bench - Their bench thins out a bit in comparison to to the 96' class, but there are still some quality players. Honorable mention goes to Kendrick Perkins, Travis Outlaw, Boris Diaw and T.J. Ford.

Josh Howard

Leandro Barbosa

Kris Kaman

Kirk Heinrich

My argument for the 96' draft having the better class is due mainly to the bench. The starting line up for the 03' squad is only slightly superior when compared to the 96' class in their primes. Bosh and West vs. Camby and Oneal is a stale mate. I would definitely give the nod to Melo over Peja, but after that the match ups even out. Yes, Lebron and Wade are both bigger than Kobe and Iverson. But neither of them have the post game to take advantage. Iverson in his prime could score on anyone in the league, as well as Kobe. Once you bring in a fresh Ray Allen, Marbury or Nash off the bench its a wrap. Sound off in the comments!

NBA Offseason:Spurs Strike First

2009-06-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

Over the last week there have plenty of trade rumors swirling around the NBA. Shaq and Antwan Jamison have been rumored to rescue Cleveland fans from the agony of possibly losing Lebron while the Celtics seem to be shopping Rajon Rondo(their best player in this years playoffs) and Ray Allen.(Mr. Invisible). Yet after all the huffing and puffing, the San Antonio Spurs drew first blood. Usually the trades that don't get much hype are the ones that end up materializing, and this trade is just one of many examples.(Anyone remember Gasol to the Lakers rumors?) The Spurs sent Fabricio Oberto(Later traded to the Pistons for Amir Johnson)Bruce Bowen and Kurt Thomas to the Bucks for Richard Jefferson. Both teams accomplished their goals with this deal; the Bucks are expected to save $15 million in cap space for the free agent gold rush in the 2010-2011 season(Good luck getting Lebron James to Milwuakee) and the Spurs received a much needed boost to their offense with a legitimate scorer in Richard Jefferson.

The negative side to the trade is that the Spurs gave up a couple of quality big men. Oberto played a key role for them while playing along side Duncan. He's a tough defender, can make an open 12-15 footer, is a quality rebounder, and fit well in the Spurs system. Kurt Thomas is just a great vet to have going to war with you. He's known for his post defense and makes it difficult for opposing players to establish themselves on the block. Then you have Bruce Bowen, the long tenured perimeter defensive ace who guarded the opposing team's best player for years. Last year he slowed a lot and fell out of Popovich's rotation, so he was somewhat expendable. The loss of the bigs hurt because it doesn't leave them with much. Along with Duncan they have Matt Bonner and Francisco Elson(ugh). Unless they have some other moves in the works, its going to be tough to get it done with that front line.

On the positive side the Spurs get a younger, athletic scorer to join their big three. With Ginobilli's injury, Jefferson's scoring will help supplement the offensive load. Duncan and Parker will benefit greatly from this addition, especially since both have had to do so much scoring last season. Duncan is only getting older and will need to stay as fresh as possible if the Spurs have any chance of challenging for a Chip again. Parker for the first time has a athletic running mate to race down the floor with. For the his career he's been a one man fast break, now he has RJ to toss lobs to and finish on the break.

Overall this was a good deal for the Spurs and the Bucks. We will have to wait until next year before we can see if this is one of many moves for the Spurs that catapult them back to the promised land.

Death of Autotune? I Don't Think So

2009-06-18T17:48:00.000-07:00

Jay-Z recently made headlines and sparked plenty of debate with his latest release "D.OA.(Death of Auto-tune." Like "Dre Day", "Hit 'em up", "Hip Hop is Dead" and the "Nigger album"( later changed to Untitled) the title of of the track and the weight it carried attracted listeners to put on their head phones and listen to a eulogy for the slain Auto-tune. Jay has a cult of admirers, and when he talks his followers cling to his every word. I've never been a huge Jay-Z fan my self, but I do respect him and have heard some of the best verses written from the self proclaimed "Jordan of Rap". The track was also produced by NO I.D., a legendary Chi Town producer that is responsible for some of Common's (Ressurection) best and earlier work. So when I read the title of the song, I pictured the Auto-tune machine smashed to bits in a casket with Lil Wayne, Kanye West and T-pain somberly standing over its corpse with tears in their eyes. I figured once Jay set his sites on the the popular voice modulator, there would be nothing left of it but memories of the Frankenstein that T-pain universalized. Luckily for it's supporters, Jay's barely scarred the monster.

The best comparison I can draw with this song is Nas's "Hip Hop is Dead". I bumped that album for months and really didn't have too many gripes with it. My only problem was that the album fell short of the concept. The title beckoned Hip Hop purest, but didn't quite carry the weight. "D.O.A." suffers the same consequences. I like the song, I mean its ok, but Jay did not make his point. I expected the song to focus on the heavy trend, the over saturation of the of its use, the lack of talent behind some of its users.(T-Wayne is the exception, sorry Kanye.) But instead it was just a Jay-Z song with a catchy title. Sure, he mentioned a couple things about it, but I got more of his opinion during his interviews in the aftermath of the release than I did from the song. Jay is talented enough to state assessments in his verses, but he failed to achieve his goal on this track.

When shock titles like this truly live up to the hype it's a beautiful thing. Nas' "Untitled " was the most recent example that reached that pinnacle. Sure, Auto-tune can be annoying, but what makes this different from every other trend that Hip Hop has created then later on overused?(Drugs and Money anyone?) I didn't look at the falsely proclaimed death of Auto-tune and rejoice, but I was interested to see how Jay managed to take out such a beloved entity. "D.O.A." reminds me of one of those old Bond movies. Where the villain is positive he has James Bond in a situation that can lead to nothing more than death, but prematurely leaves Bond alive believing that his demise is certain-----sound familiar?

Kobe:Top 10?

2009-06-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

Now that Kobe Bean Bryant can finally silence the ridiculous criticism about his championship pedigree, we can finally take a look at where he ranks among the greats. No longer is he subjected to the absurd argument of not being able to win without Shaq. In the history of the game I've never seen a player with championships under scrutiny and held against the players legacy. As Kobe stated, his pairing with Shaq was the only duo with "Two alpha males." No player has ever won a title on his own, yet for some reason everyone pretends like Jordan played by himself. So now that Kobe has won his long waited title with out the "Big Aristotle", how does he measure up against the legends of the game?

Before Kobe held his long coveted finals MVP, Ahmad Rashad spoke with the TNT crew about Kobe's place in history. The question came up and was presented to E.J., Kenny and Charles--"Is Kobe one of the top 10 greatest players of all time?" Personally, I've always had Kobe in the top 10 and when I first heard the question I laughed. Of course he's in the top 10 I said to myself. Then Barkley opened his big mouth, and said "No way." What?! Barkley had the nerve to say he didn't merit a top 10 spot because he's only won one title by himself.(Just know that Sir Charles doesn't like Kobe, and this proves it). Kenny had him at number 10, I disagree, but I wasn't upset with the list. He had Jordan(duh), Magic, Bird, Wilt, Russel. Kareem, West, Oscar, and Shaq as the 9 above Kobe. That is a more than legitimate nine to have over him. I have Kobe ranked over West and Oscar. Jerry West and Oscar Robertson both have only 1 Chip. Jerry won his first after years of disappointment at the hands of the Celtics. Oscar is known for averaging a triple double(I still can't believe that), but didn't win a title until he played with Kareem.

Jerry West was quoted recently saying that Bryant was the "Best Laker Ever". Well, if that's the case, that would put him over Magic wouldn't it? I don't know if I'm ready to go there just yet, but I don't think there is a question Kobe is in the top 10, maybe even top 5. Sound off in the comments.

Klan Music

2009-06-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

Hip Hop has risen to the forefront as the primary representation of the youth. Its origins are deeply rooted in the rebellious nature born of the African American struggle. Prior to the commercialized beginnings brought forth by the nation wide craze over "Rapper's Delight", Hip Hop music was being expressed by young pioneers on street corners, in alleyways, and parks in the heart of New York City. They spoke of hardships, oppression, and depression. They were like local news reporters broadcasting a story that American society failed to acknowledge or change. You feared their rat infested projects, their corners flooded with drugs, and their streets overwhelmed with crime and violence. No matter how harsh, horrifying, or intimidating these tales were, we believed them, they were real. But nothing can ever stay the same and Hip Hop is no exception. It is now suffering the same fate of every other form of creativity spawned from the African American diaspora.

It's hard to listen to commercialized rap music these days. At times I have to ask myself am I even listening to music. Artists that claim to put their heart and soul in their "music" are instead selling their integrity for the almighty dollar. Let me set the record straight--I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH BROTHAS GETTIN MONEY. Most of these cats grew up in conditions that rival the third world. But there is a place where you have to draw the line. When these young brothas sign their names on the dotted line of these billions dollar record companies headed by blood thirsty executives, they lose all creative control and artistic integrity. Turn on the radio, or to a music video channel (if you can find one) and just count how many times you hear references to murdering "niggas". Rappers are more eloquent and witty when it comes to dispatching of Negroes than our forefathers ever dreamed of. They degrade women to the point where the word "bitch" has now become an household name for females. I'm guilty of it, I've used the word when talking about women in my life that I have nothing but admiration for with no ill intent in my words. This is no longer about rebellion or or rising up from the ashes, this is about poison and mind control.

A few years ago a friend a mine showed me a bunch of Nazi, Hill Billie, Cracker, Skin head racists websites. He was unaware that there was still this much hate prevalent in modern society(I slapped him in the back of his head for being so naive, but i digress). I remember noticing some of the hate music on the sites and laughing until my stomach turned at the pure ignorance of it all. But then I listened to the lyrics more closely and I realized that it was no different than the music I listened to every day. The only aberration was that they used the word "nigger" as opposed to "nigga". I thought to myself, why do they even bother wasting their energy recording these songs when they could just purchase the latest hip hop CD?(They probably just don't want to give a nigger--- oh, sorry, a "nigga" a dime). They wouldn't have to change a word, they could even sing right along with the murder music and still satisfy their nigger bashing mantras for the day.

Hip Hop has its back against the wall; it is approaching a critical point in its life span where it could wither away into ignorance or rise to the occasion and unite generations with its power. I don't want to continue to be critical nor continue to waste my time and energy paying attention to those who perpetuate degradation. My father used a great analogy for the current state of the music I've come to love and abhor at the same time. We're all on a sinking ship, and either you can stay at the bottom of the deck hanging out and playing games while the boat sinks into nothingness, or you can help get the life boats out and preserve the lives of anyone willing to leave the extravagant ship behind and be saved. I don't know about yall, but I can't swim.

Disney Land vs. Disney World

2009-06-03T19:34:00.000-07:00

So it's all comes down to this. After all the hype around the match up of the "Puppets", Superman came and "reigned" on every one's parade. After doubting the Magic in every series, they climbed to the top of the mountain and are now facing my squad in the finals. I never really considered this match up and didn't gain any respect for them until they won game 7 in Boston and later on usurped King James. Now that it's all settled, the battle that I never imagined poses some very intriguing match ups in the finals.

As I've said time and time again, my lack of respect for the Magic came from the fact that they shot so many threes. And we all know the old cliche "Live by the three, die by the three." Well so far the only ones getting murked by the long ball have been Orlando's opponents. They have one of the most well executed offenses in the league. I've rarely seen them take forced shots or launch any prayers towards the basket. Their buckets come from a carefully orchestrated offense my the seemingly mad and emotional Stan Van Gundy. Say what you want about the man, but dude can coach. He basically has them playing European style hoop with a dominant big man in the roaming the paint.

Orlando posed a lot of match up problems for Cleveland. They had no answer for Rashard Lewis, they gave up too many open threes, and Dwight Howard really didn't have to guard anyone. Those same luxuries wont be prevalent against the Lakers. Yes, Lewis is still a tough cover, but now he actually has to guard one of the best offensive weapons in the L on the other end. So while Lewis can lure Gasol out to the perimeter, Pau can punish him in the paint. Orlando did beat the Lakers 3 out of the last 4 meetings, but in two of those games Jameer Nelson was their leading scorer proving their inability to stop quicker guards from torching them. Supposedly Nelson is supposed to play in the finals, but if he does he'll be nothing more than an emotional boost. I cant imagine him playing that well after missing half of the season. (Rafer Alston can't be too excited about this)

This is going to be a very exciting finals. We get to see Kobe on a mission to get his fourth ring; the one that everyone who knows nothing about basketball feels he needs to win without Shaq. The big questions is rather his teammates are gonna show up this year to give him some help. He can only control so much. Historically, the dominant big man has taken home the ring for the last decade. With the exception of Jordan, most teams require a force in the middle to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy. Hopefully Kobe can follow in his idols footsteps.

Stern's Worst Nightmare

2009-05-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

Throughout the puppet commercials, the Vitamin Water campaign, the countless specials, articles, barbershop debates and so on, I've been repeating one sentence like it was my mantra: "The Fix Is In." I enjoyed the intensity of the playoffs all the while believing that the script was already written, like the other teams playing were mere opening acts to an awe-inspiring grand finale. My brother claimed Garnett and Yao Ming were paid to fake injuries(he was kidding right?) while I studied the game spreads on gambling websites just knowing it had a bearing on the outcome. Suddenly the conference finals came along and things didn't look as they appeared. It was like reading a book while assuming you knew the ending; all the clues pointed to the two heroes dueling it out in the final scene; the only surprise would be which one would be left standing. Now? Doesn't look like there will be a storybook ending.

Historically the NBA has capitalized off rivalries. The fiery competition between teams and individuals captivated spectators nation wide and brought attention to a league some thought wouldn't make it in its early years. There was Russel and Chamberlin, with Wilt playing the role of gargantuan antagonist. He was a brash giant who towered over opposing players at 7'1" when there were about 2 or 3 other players in the league who barely hit 6'10". Then there was Russel, the much smaller player who played the team game to perfection and was as devout to defense as Beanie Sigel is to Islam.

The great Celtic/Laker feud brought fans into a war as intense as the Israeli/Muslim conflict. Their contention took precedent in the 60's with the Jerry West led Lakers suffering the heartbreak for the decade losing all five meeting against the team with the cigar smoking Auerbach and the trademark parquet floors. The "Rivalry" would be revitalized in the 80s headed by Magic Johnson and Larry Bird whose fierce battle in the NCAA championship drew on of the highest ratings in history. The competition was fierce and generated by intense hatred. Basically if the current refs of this pussy league we call the NBA officiated just one of these games, every player would've been suspended and sitting at home watching the ball boys decide their fate. These battles electrified the league and ushered in the reign of Michael Jordan, a man entertaining enough to need no rival.

When Jordan left the game with his hand frozen in the air and Bryon Russel trying to regain his stability, there was a void in the league. The next "Heir Jordan" was touted in every draft. Rather it was Vince Carter(no heart), Penny Hardaway(injuries), Harold Minor(ugh), or Grant Hill(injuries). Years later it would be Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and Lebron James. None of the earlier players lived up to their billing, but these next three are duking it out for supremacy and it's happening right before our eyes. Kobe and Lebron have emerged as the darlings to carry the torch. The media has orchestrated a debate that could only be ignored if you were in one of those rare tribes being studied by anthropologists. Their highlights are played back to back on Sportscenter nightly, they are questioned about one another at their press conference. Opposing players are harassed about their opinions on the matter. I'm just waiting for one of them to make a diss track to set this thing off.

Now the subject of the so called 'Great Debate" could be over before one of the chosen approaches the podium. The Lebrons are being exposed for their lack of offensive imagination and their inability to guard the three point line. Teams have come back from 3-1 before and closing a team out is something different all together. But it's really starting to look the Cavs don't have enough help to keep King James in power. Then there's the Lakers, the team that lacks the passion of their leader, the team that plays defense for quarters instead of entire games. Kobe has a much better supporting cast, but they tend not to show up. Now they're in a dog fight with Denver with the series is tied 2-2.

So now we're turning the pages approaching the final chapter of a great story. The main characters look like their names might not show up on the last few pages while the supporting cast looks to take on a bigger role that didn't look possible earlier on. Good story tellers never commit to a predictable finale, but then again I might not want to finish the book if the my favorite characters get killed before it ends. I can just imagine David Stern sitting in his office like the warden at the end of "Shawshank Redemption." Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard just finished crawling through shit and ruined his master plan. Stern sits in his chair with a gun pointed at his office door while the media and angry NBA fans bang against it determined to make him pay for his crimes. Now that's an ending

Conference Finals:The Shot! and The Closer

2009-05-24T12:52:00.000-07:00

I was in the gym taking way too much time in between sets to watch the ongoing Cleveland/Orlando epic battle. The Magic had climbed all the way back from another large Cavs lead to tie the game. On a major possession Lebron drove to the basket while powering through Magic defenders that the resembled more a of full back than anything else. But this is basketball, and you do have to dribble the ball.(It seemed like the "King" took 8 steps) The right call was made which left the Magic with the ball with 13.7 second left. At this time someone could've walked by that gym, looked inside and might've thought they were viewing a mannequin display for sporting ware. There was no movement, all eyes were transfixed on the monitors scattered around the gym. The silence in a spot that is usually rampant with noise was eerie. "This is going to OT", someone had blurted out. No one responded nor took their eyes from the action. Tukoglu dribbled down the clock as much as he felt he could and made his move while hitting what would've been the biggest shot of his career. The problem was, there was one second left on the clock.

Before we get to the obvious conclusion of my experience as a "witness" I would like to apologize to the Magic and their fans. My lack of respect for this team has been well documented in this blog. Reasons for my dearth of confidence for this team is based on their instinct to chuck up three pointers and their strange reluctance to get Dwight Howard the ball. "Superman 2"(I gotta respect Shaq as the original Man of Steel" is a question that the Cavs nor the rest of the league has no answer for. The scary thing is that he is still playing on pure raw talent. The rest of the world was so captivated by Lebron's incredible season along with the debate over him and Kobe that Howard's season was just a foot note. Although I'm still not a fan of their style of play, they have definitely earned my respect. The Magic are playing with passion and fury equivocal to Pac over the "Hit em Up" track. Rashard Lewis and Turkoglu are confident in Van Gundy's style of execution and the Cavs don't have anyone to stop them; Lebron can't guard them both.

Now back to the gym, 1.0 seconds on the clock, and Lebron taking the court with Mo Williams assuring him that he is going to get him the ball. We all know what happened next, Lebron did an excellent fake cut to the basket that fooled Turkoglu just enough for Lebron to run to the top of the three point line with Hedo a step behind. Mo Williams made a great pass, Lebron catches, shoots, and forever etches his name in history. The silence evaporates, one cat runs around screaming "I told yall, I told yall," and Lebron revived the highly anticipated battle with Kobe that was as good as dead only one second before.

Meanwhile, back in the other conference, the Lakers had suffered a loss to Denver at home that most people were predicting they wouldn't recover one. Most analyst had concluded that Denver's game 1 loss would deflate them using the previous Nuggets teams as an example, but this isn't the team from last year. Chauncey Billups is continuing to show court savvy making incredible decisions on the floor in crunch time. In game 2 he recognized the refs' love affair with the whistles and attacked the basket. The team overall is being physical. They are getting every loose ball, getting in the passing lane and grabbing every key offensive rebound. Those are the reasons why we all question the Lakers' toughness. Above all, Melo is finally playing up to the potential that everyone expects from him. But While everyone was ready to crown Lebron and put him in the same class with Kobe as a closer, Kobe showed why he isn't ready to relinquish the torch yet.

Kobe once again did a little bit of everything in game three. When Denver looked like they would go on a run in the third, Kobe had successive drives to the basket through the heart of their defense. He made a key pass to Trever Ariza in the last few minutes of the game for a huge three that reclaimed the Laker lead. When that lead was lost, Kobe made another three in the face J.R. Smith that gave them the lead for good. When Kobe plays smart and allows the game to come to him, there isn't a better player on the planet. Before this series started, I felt that Kobe would have to do everything with the exception of shooting Carmelo Anthony to win this series. There are no more excuses for him. Yes, the lakers can be soft and weak mentally at times, but that's when Kobe has to be the "Mamba". Lebron made an incredible shot, one that will solidify his place among the greats of the game. The debate between he and Kobe is great for argument's sake and entertainment, but let's not forget how long Kobe has been doing this.

Who That Is? That's Just My Baby Mama.

2009-05-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

There was a report released by ESPN yesterday regarding a woman recently arrested at the home of Mavs German Über star Dirk Nowitzki. Apparently this mystery woman turned out to be a former girlfriend of Dallas' marquee player. Her name is Crystal Taylor, a young lady with a rap sheet that aspiring rappers dream about (arrested for forgery, felony and theft) who claims to have known Dirk for 7 years. Now for the big news, Ms. Taylor supposedly had a pregnancy test at the Dallas County Jail. To quote Nas..."What's the result? Not Positive." Well, not if your name is Dirk. I'm sure while he was getting roasted by the committee at TNT for basically admitting that he could be bitched by Denver's Trio of big men that being Daddy Dirk was the last news he wanted to hear. Especially when the wonderful announcement is coming from a woman behind bars whose past might just get you thrown in the can right along with her.

My girl's aunt was talking about this two weeks ago before the story even broke. I was watching Denver punk Dallas down to another victory while my chick was laughing with her aunt and step mom in the background. I heard Dirk's name a couple of times, but it had nothing to do with his skills on the court, or at least not the basketball court. They kept talking about this crazy girl that had Dirk stressing out and had his teammates questioning their star's taste in women. When it comes to this side of the game, women know their shit. Keep in mind this was weeks ago, Dallas was still trying not to get completely embarrassed and Mark Cuban was oddly trying to get jumped by Kenyon Martin's momma and Da Baddest Bitch. Funny how the name Crystal Taylor never made it beyond the walls of that house until yesterday. I've always wished I can change certain tings in history just to see how things would've been different. What if O.J. was white? What if Robert Blake was black? What if P.J. Carlissimo would've attacked Latrell Sprewell? Jadakisss had a good one in his song "What If" asking " What if Peyton was fighting dogs instead of Mike Vick?"

There is glaring evidence of the double standard that exists in America when it comes to African Americans, especially in the main stream media. Imagine if this same scenario took place at Carmelo's crib? That story would've broke faster than a Twista verse. Melo would've had 30 microphones in his face after every game asking questions about his personal life instead of his stellar play in the playoffs. ESPN analyst would've had articles about Anthony's past troubles that had to do with everything except basketball. But this wasn't Carmelo Anthony now was it? Instead, Dirk was able to concentrate on basketball and his personal life was left outside of it as it should have been. He didn't have to answer uncomfortable questions about issues that are no body's business but his. ESPN was nice enough to sit on this story until Dirk took his customary flight home to Germany after Dallas is ousted of the playoffs every year. The same ESPN that rushed to the Dallas Cowboys with a Pacman Jones story last year that got him suspended before the jury was out. Must be nice.

Looking Ahead:Western/Eastern Conference Finals

2009-05-18T19:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, so maybe I was wrong about the excitement of the second round. Not all of us are blessed with psychic ability of a Nostradamus. (Or is it Nastradamus?) So in spite of my wealth of basketball knowledge, my predictions might've been a little off. (Boston in 5?) What we learned in the second round was that the Lakers can pounce on an opponent with the relentlessness of Lil Wayne over a mixtape, or completely disappear like Killa Cam after the 50 cent beef. We attained that Denver and Cleveland are playing with a ferociousness as a unit that I believed until recently was only possessed by Kobe Bryant. It's true that Dallas and Atlanta were both inferior teams, yet they were still professional athletes. They were thoroughly outplayed in every asset of the game and were never given a chance to counter. The Orlando and Boston series caught me off guard; I didn't expect the Magic to have a shot. Not even against a Celtic team missing their heart, soul, spirit, and very identity. Its like watching Run DMC perform without Jam Master Jay, just ain't the same.(I completely understand why they refused to perform at Rock&Roll Hall of Fame) But even without Garnett patrolling the paint, or Leon Powe coming of the bench trying his best to be the Big Ticket's understudy, I still couldn't give it to the Magic. I can't put my finger on it, but they are missing something, or some things. Well I was wrong, and that's why they play the game and I sit bent over my laptop writing about it.

Now we've arrived at the conference finals with two very intriguing match ups, well, maybe just one. I still don't respect the Magic even after their convincing victory. I'm not sold on Turkoglu being their primary weapon when the game is on the line. Rashard Lewis is one dimensional and the Cavs' defense is just too good to allow him to get into his comfort zone launching threes. Howard is a beast, a monster, freak of nature, but is a he really the go to guy he claims to be? He still gets most of his points on put backs, alley oops, and passes right at the basket. Yeah, his post moves have improved, but he isn't there yet. I'm predicting Cavs in 5, maybe 6 if they get overconfident.

The Denver/Laker series on the other hand can be compelling, but if the Lakers play to their ability the series won't be as close as people think. Denver is a great team, they are one of the most balanced squads in the league. They have a abundance of talent and a great mix of offensive and defensive players. But the match up is still in the Lakers favor. The Nuggets' defense has improved, but its not at the level of Houston's. So although they are very active, offense is still their driving force. Before the game tonight I already felt that the Lakers would have a much easier time getting into their offense and establishing themselves. Until Melo started guarding him, Kobe was matched up against smaller players all night. He will punish those players in the post. The Lakers overall have too many options in the triangle to attack Denver. They were able to squeak a win out tonight without even playing their best ball. There wasn't too much to learn from game one and both teams will make necessary adjustments, but Kobe and the Lakers have more advantages. Obviously both teams can play better, but Denver was a whole lot closer to their ceiling than the Lake Show. Look for the Lakers to try to establish Bynum and Gasol early next game while trying to put the clamps on Melo to stop him from killing them early(He played excellent by the way.)

The G.O.A.T. (Hip Hop Edition)

2009-05-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

The argument over who or what is the "Greatest" in any genre is one that is as old as mount Mutumbo. There are posted lists splattered all over the mainstream media over what is the greatest movie of all time, album, artist or whatever insignificant rubbish big brother wants us to bicker over like C-Webb and Kenny Smith over the all-star team selections(Anyone remember Webber being that passionate during a game?) What people often fail to realize is that its all subjective. There are some exceptions; in sports you can drudge up some random stats that most people won't even bother to verify to make a case for your favorite player being the second coming of Jesus Shuttlesworth. There's a New York Times article out there on Shane Battier being better than Jordan. (Ok, I'm exaggerating, but it does make a case for Battier being the best winner in the game). Yet even when you can include stats in the equation, it all comes down to your opinion and preference. My grandfather will argue with you until you're his age about how Magic is the greatest player ever. When everyone else in the world counters with Jordan, he holds his position and brings up stats that sound more unbelievable than Akon's criminal record. But that was his era, he watched Wilt average 37 points and 27 rebounds (Wow) to justify him being better than Shaq. He's watched Bill Russell shut down that same player and win 11 rings to advocate Russell as the best center ever. I didn't watch those players play, (they were embarrassing athletically challenged white players well before I was born), but you can convince me that Currency writes for Lil Wayne before I'm persuaded into thinking that Shaq wouldn't Ether both of those players. But that's just my opinion.

In regard to Hip Hop, the argument is solely based on opinion and nothing more. Some cite record sales, lyrics, production, content, and swagga to back their claims for the G.O.A.T. But these attributes are all based on what one feels is most important. Remember when Nellie was number 1 in album sales? Was he the best in the game? (if you answered yes to that question, click here). Yet there were people out there who would swear on Hip Hop's shallow grave that he was the greatest. (No wonder why they called them the St. Lunatics).

Go to an art show or visit a musuem; experience the contrasting cultures, styles and aesthetics of human creativity. You'll probably notice someone entranced while starring at a painting, while another spectator passes the same piece without a second glance like Bow Wow's "New Jack City II" was on display(Was he even born when the first one came out?) Yeah, I think its a blast to explain with conviction why an MC might make you rewind his every line, or how a producer might make you wish that no one was spittin over his track, but beware of that passion. I know cats who are ready to pull a Kermit Washington on anyone who thinks that B.I.G. is better than Pac. I've seen altercations worse than the Pistons/Pacers '04 brawl(Think Artest running into the stands swinging at women and children) over the Jay Z vs. Nas war. Pac, Biggie, Nas, Jay, Weezy, KRS-1, Rakim, Chuck D, L.L., Cube, T.I., Andre 3000, the list can go on forever. A case for the crown can be made for any one of them. You can continue to bicker and debate this until "Detox" is released, but the bottom line is that there "Aint no best." -Nas (Ether)

Face It:The Lakers are Soft

2009-05-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

I've been following hoop during my entire existence to the point where it has become a religion. I study the game like a science and my emotional ties to the teams I root for are well documented. I admit that I have some skeletons in the closet when it comes to pulling for my home team, the Lakers. In my early years as a die hard fan of the game, my excessive cheering were aimed mostly at the Chicago Bulls. I mean, I liked the Lakers, but Jordan made it very difficult to root for anyone else. As time progressed, my questionable allegiance moved to the team of my favorite player at the time, Gary Payton. I've always liked tall point guards and looking up to my older brother I valued what he valued. He liked the defensive grind it out types of players. Players that would knock people on the floor and give hard fouls. I eventually decided not to continually defy my family and now claim my squad as the Lakers; they will be my favorite team until I'm buried

My point in bringing this all up is that I like a certain brand of basketball. I like players that get technicals for screaming at the refs. I respect the players that give their all on defense and will rather die than to let a player on the opposing team even think about going in for an easy bucket. Teams that have showed this will over the years have been the old Piston teams for the late 80s, the championship Bulls who have had some of the best defensive players in history(Pippen, Jordan, Harper, Cartwright, Grant, Rodman just to name a few). There were the other 90s squads exemplified this style of play like the Knicks, Pacers, Heat and more recently we have the Spurs, Rockets, Celtics and the Cavs. On the other side of the coin there are the high scoring fast paced, cant get a stop when they need one teams like the Suns, Mavs and sadly to say, my Lakers.

Watching the Lakers play on a nightly basis gives me mixed emotions of both joy and pain. The joy is seeing one of the greatest players to ever lace them up in his prime. The pain on the other hand is seeing a team full of soft players who continue to give up easy baskets and have multiple mental lapses on defense. When the announcement of Yao Ming being out for the remainder of the playoffs broke yesterday I was disappointed(sorry Schoop). I'm one of those people who likes to beat a team at full strength. With that being said, I expected the Lakers to come out with the intensity of a champion today. I expected to see a team with the killer instinct of a lion seeing its prey wounded after a long pursuit. What I witnessed instead was a team play with no heart, emotion or toughness. Their opponent on the other hand played like a team possessed. The Rockets came out the gate with passion and fury; they just flat out played harder than the Lakers, a team that has been expected all year to represent the city of Los Angeles in the NBA finals.

I wonder now if I can seriously expect this team to compete for a championship, to get out of the West, or even win this series. Houston was able to do whatever they wanted today; they were constantly left unguarded for wide open threes. I saw them battling for every loose ball and every rebound. That's what I respect about the game and appreciate. Now the Lakers can sit around and talk about the motivation from last years disappointment in the finals, or promise to play better defense and make declarations of increased fortitude, but the fact of the matter is that their actions have to back up their claims. I won't jump ship, one of my mantras will continue to be "Lakers For Life." But it is very difficult to continue to support a team that goes against the very thing that I value about hoop.

Buy or Bootleg:Jada Kiss - The Last Kiss

2009-05-07T19:25:00.000-07:00

I remember back in the day when I couldn't wait for a CD from one of my favorite rappers to to hit the shelves. I would mob to the local record store with the homies,(Tower Records or the Warehouse) and grab my favorite packaged silver disc the day it came out. I would go back to the house, close my room door, throw it in my disc man and turn up the volume in my head phones to the point where I wouldn't hear someone shouting directly in my face. Man, things surly have changed.

My homeboy recently bought the Jada Kiss album through ITunes and transferred it directly to my computer. Sadly, the nostalgia of ripping off the explicit lyrics package was missing from this recent purchase, and I settled for an immediate listen on my way to work. Now before I give you my personal take on the album I should warn you that I've never been a huge fan of Jada. I mean, I think he's talented, but he throws out a one too many punch lines for my taste and I'm a little more content driven. With that being said, the album overall is pretty average. My expectations were already fairly low to begin with so it didn't take much to succeed them.

The first two songs on the album are pretty much typical Jada, and that's a good thing. Track one has some clean production that was made for someone to attack it and he does it justice. It's a well versed song to start the album with. The second track follows up almost seamless with a more smooth approach as Kiss talks about his presence in the game.

After the the first two cuts, the album was filled with peaks and valleys. Jada is pretty consistent on the album with his flows, but it's his choice of guest appearances and specific track selections that fall short. For one, the Swizz Beat produced "Who's Real" is terrible. It sounds like something that was just thrown on the album before its release because the two artist are homeboys. "Stress Ya" featuring Pharrell isn't too much better. When a hip hop artist tries too hard to score that hit its very noticeable, and this one is no exception. Kiss does his job on the track, it just doesn't sound like it belongs on the album.

The album is not with out a couple of bangers. "Something Else" is a hardcore track that reminded me of why I actually took the time to listen to this album. Jada and Jeezy both do their thing and this one is definitely something for the streets that you'll hear in passing car speakers for the next couple of months. "What If" featuring my boy Nas is a keeper. The only problem is that it reminds me a little too much of "Why" and I keep waiting for Anthony Hamilton to sing the hook, but its a another good concept that shows that Kiss has a little more range than the average rapper.

Overall I would say the album is what I thought it was, average. I would buy the album if I was fan of Jada Kiss and I don't think you will be disappointed. One of my main issues was that there were way to many R&B hooks on the album and that's not what I expect from Kiss. So if you're already lukewarm on Jada, I would bootleg it from your boy who picked it up. Hey, that's what I did and the fact that I'm not gonna delete it from my Ipod says a lot.

The Eagle and The Serpant

2009-05-05T18:52:00.000-07:00

Anyone familiar with the Secretary Bird?(I didn't think so.) Well, I'll enlighten you; it subsides in Sub-Saharan Africa, has an eagle like body and is one of the only types of birds on the planet that is a persistent and successful hunter of snakes. This unique bird stalks its prey on foot and hunts in pairs. One of its snakes of choice just happens to be one of the deadliest snakes on the planet: The Black Mamba. See where I'm going with this? The Houston Rockets have a pair of hunters out for the head of one of the deadliest players on the planet, and if game one was any indicator, it's not looking good. Well Kobe, you choose the name, (I hate self proclaimed nicknames) so you better defend it.

Now I knew this would be a tough series when others insisted that it wouldn't. I heard the bullshit. Cats were talking about Houston like they would come in this series with a Hatton-esque meltdown(Glad I didn't pay for that fight). There was talk about the Rocekts missing Mcgrady, starting a young and inexperienced point guard, and having a heck of a time scoring in the fourth quarter. But just in case you know absolutely nothing about hoop, they match up with the Lakers extremely well. For one, this is one of the few teams in the league that does not allow the Lakers to completely dominate inside. Yao Ming is 7 foot unfair(someone should really investigate what science lab he was genetically engineered in, along with Lebron James' by the way) and makes Bynum look like Spud Webb. Scola is extremely physical, and Gasol? Well, he's just....not. I'm not saying he's soft, but he has a toothpick frame and can get get taken out of his element by a player that will bully him. Fisher has no chance of slowing down Aaron Brooks, who I have to tip my hat to by the way. The kid is doing whatever he wants and forces the defense to react to what he does because he gets in the paint effortlessly. Fisher on the other hand is on a two month long and counting shooting slump and is one game away from growing a gray beard and joining Phil on the side lines with a suit and clipboard.

Then there's Kobe, Mr. 81, KB24, the Black Mamba. He sure had a tough time out there. He got forced into plenty of difficult shots and barely got to the line except for the very end of the game. Artest and Battier (Mainly Battier), did an unbelievable job on the Mamba; whenever he attempted to strike and per serve his existence, the two hunters sank their talons into his neck. I was worried the whole year about this match up. The fact that the Rockets were able to pair up Artest and Battier scared the hell out of me. The Celtics were able to do the same thing last year, with Pierce, Allen and Posey to throw at Kobe. I don't believe it will be the same outcome, the Rockets don't have enough fire power in the long run to win the series. To quote the Zen Master "The sky isn't falling Laker fans." Clearly some changes have to be made for game 2, and the Lakers better grow a pair come tomorrow.

Kobe is currently the best player on the globe (sorry Lebron), but right now its kill or be killed and the Mamba better strike back before he faces extinction.

The Great Debate: Kobe Vs. Mike

2009-05-04T19:36:00.000-07:00

So my boy Dub sends me a text the other day asking "What is Kobe's highest ppg for a season?" Seconds later I replied "35", then I immediately realized he was in the midst of an argument. I figured it had something to do with Jordan, but before assuming anything, I asked "You must be arguing with somebody," he replies "Yeah, I was saying that Kobe is a better scorer than Jordan." Here we go again, the debate that will never, ever, ever go away. Now let me just lay my cards out on the table, Kobe is my favorite player in the game, but he is no Mike.

Now my boy doesn't think he is a better player than Jordan either, but a better SCORER, that I have to agree with. Of course this is very debatable. Jordan had a year where he averaged 37 ppg, Kobe's highest as I mentioned earlier was 35. Mike's career average is 30.1 ppg, Kobe's is 25.1. Mike shot 50% for his career, Kobe's shoots around 45%. Now on the surface you would probably give the nod the Jordan, but stats don't tell the whole story. But for argument's sake, lets break down how these stats can be misleading. Kobe came in the league out of high school, was drafted to a ready made team and only averaged 15 mins a game his rookie season. Mike came to a team where he was going to get all the shots with the team was centered around him. Name me one other player on the Bulls Jordan's first year? I can just name one, and that's Orlando Woolridge and the only reason I know that is because I use to kill with him when he was on the Lakers on the "Lakers vs. Celtics" Genesis game.

Jordan's 50% shooting clip is very impressive, especially for a guard. But that doesn't necessarily translate to him being a better scorer. There are plenty of guards that shoot a better percentage than Kobe, Chris Paul and Tony Parker come to mind, but are they better scorers than Kobe? Hell Naw! My point is that you just can't point to the stats for your argument. Kobe can score from ANYWHERE on the floor. He has more range, is a better 3 point shooter, and the dude scored 81!

Kobe's Legendary 81 Point Game

Go back and watch that game, find the shot chart, it's not just a player getting hot. He is scoring from every possible spot on the floor and most of the time he was hitting jumpers. You also need to look at the players that Jordan was going up against in comparison. The league was a lot less athletic in Jordan's era. Some of the scrubs on teams in the league today are leaps and bounds ahead athletically than some of the players that were guarding Jordan. Danny Ainge? Craig Ehlo? Please. Now granted, there were more physicals teams and better team defense back then, but individually, Jordan was just a flat out better athlete than anyone he was going up against.

With that being said, I think Kobe has more weapons in his arsenal. This is after studying Jordan more closely than any other player in the league has. He has something for every type of player or defense that is thrown at him. They also have an equal amount of 60 point games and Kobe has plenty of hoop left to break that tie. Jordan is the better overall player, that I wont debate, but Kobe gets the nod when it comes to scoring the ball. Oh, and did a mention Kobe scored 81! Sound off on the comments and put your spin on it.

NBA 2009 Playoffs:Second Round

2009-05-03T17:40:00.001-07:00

With the exception of the clash between the Baby Bulls and the battle tested Celtics, two teams that treated us to one of the best series of all time, the first round was pretty uneventful. Detroit was by far the worst team in the playoffs, and the whole A.I. situation flat out pissed me off. I'm glad they got swept so they couldn't continue to blame my boy the "Answer" for their woes as a team. Utah never really had a shot with my squad no matter how many leads they blew, (another thing that's pissing me off by the way). Philly and Orlando had some moments, but overall it was a pretty dull series. Spurs were done once the news of the Manu injury hit the airwaves, Portland/Houston never really lived up to the hype, Miami and Atlanta just took turns blowing each other out and New Orleans lost by 58!, whoa. Obviously I couldn't wait for round 1 to end. But I really don't think we're out of the woods of mediocrity just yet. The second round match ups aren't that great either. Now I can say I always worry about my Lakers no matter who they're matched up with. Houston should give them a tough series with two of the best defensive players in the game, Artest and Battier, to throw at Kobe, and lets not forget that they have the "Great Wall" to anchor the D. They will be very physical with the Lake Show, and the Laker toughness has been questioned all year, but they won't beat us. Judging from today's game between Denver and Dallas, I don't think this will be much of a series. Dallas has always been soft to me and Denver has been very impressive(Buh Buh Buh Billups!) Billups has turned this team around, Nene is finally healthy and leading a trio of three of the most active big men in the league with Birdman and K-mart. Their D has improved a whole lot and say what you want about Anthony Carter, but the boy got D. In the East, the match ups look a little more enticing on the surface, but sadly I think they will flounder under the expectations. Orlando is a three point shooting team who suddenly forgets they have a big man in the fourth quarter when they need easy buckets. I don't care how many free throws Howard misses, give him the damn ball! I got Boston in 5, even without KG. On the other side, the Hawks might be able to take the Cavs to 6 because Atlanta is very very very hard to beat at home. But realistically, they wont beat the Lebrons, sorry ATL. I love the NBA so I will be watching regardless, but we are all just anxiously anticipating the match up of the century between Kobe and Lebron. No disrespect to the other teams in it, but these other games are all just blemishes before a absolute masterpiece!

Hip Hop & Hoop

2009-05-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone and welcome to hiphophoop. For my first post I thought I would discuss the synergy between hip hop and hoop, a relationship that has grown tremendously since the mid eighties. Hoop had already been around for some time while Hip Hop was gaining more and more ground as a respectable art form. Magic and Bird had brought a level of excitement back to the sport that had been unseen since the early battles of Wilt and Russel. Hoop was on the world stage and the coupling of the hard core lyricism from artist like Melle Mel and Run DMC with NBA darlings such as Magic and Bird might have been hard to imagine, but Hip Hop managed to break into the Hoop scene, and it was absolutely hilarious. Now, there might've been some attempts before the one I am about to mention, but my earliest memories of hip hop and hoop involve my beloved 1980s Showtime Lakers and their "Just Say No" rap song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2eFdO7H7cU. (I just finished crying from a combination of laughter and embarrassment.) That's just classic, the "cool" shades, multi colored shorts and tank tops, and of course the b-boy hard core stance with the arms folded. Now if that aint Hip Hop, then I don't know what is, and this was only the beginning. We can't forget about the "Unbeatable Dream", a classic joint dropped in 87' by Hakeem Olajuwon with some help from producers "Hurt 'em Bad." My older brother has a better(or more painful) memory of that song when The Dream was droppin skyhooks on the Lake Show on his way to the finals in 86'. The "Unbeatable Dream" use to drive him insane. Here's a link http://www.wizznutzz.com/2007/12/bob-geldof-asked-question-one-time-do.html to the lyrics if you want to check it out for yourself, but here's a warning: you're going to laugh. It's easy to see how it came to this, the same brothas who had hoop dreams had those same ambitions in music. Hip Hop gave them that opportunity to do something musically that was relatable to their situation. There was a connection between the music and the players. That's why we were all able to relate to the Fab Five of Michigan, the freshmen who embodied the Hip Hop generation with their baggy shorts and black shoes. That's why we had the infamous "Basketball's Best Kept Secret", a product that I'm sure everyone involved hope and pray every night that it still is a secret. Well just in case you don't know what that is, "Basketball's Best Kept Secret" was a compilation featuring the likes of Gary Payton, Cedric Ceballos, Shaq, and even Jason Kidd bringing their skills from the hardwood to the recording booth. Unfortunately, the transition wasn't very smooth. Listen to some snippets and you be the judge. http://www.amazon.com/Basketballs-Secret-Barros-Malik-Sealy/dp/B000008NOI. Bottom line is, Hip Hop and Hoop go hand and hand, for better or worse. I can't lie and say I didn't like some of Shaq's tracks, or that I'm not still searching for a bootleg of the never released "Jewels" album by A.I. (David Stern was thrilled when that was shelved) The fact of the matter is that the culture of Hip Hop has totally influenced the sport at this point, and now rappers and players tend to stay in their lane and pretty much stick to just hangin out with each other and calling it a day. So rather you were in to Kobe Bryant's "Thug Poet"(Ugh), or Shaq's infamous freestyles, (How my ass taste?) or one of the lucky 78 people who picked up Troy Hudson's album(Who?), you gotta love Hip Hop and Hoop.