Archive for March, 2007

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Fast Food…

March 23rd, 2007

I don’t know about you all, but when I was growing up, working in a fast food restaurant was one of the many ways to start a life of earning your own income, gaining a sense of responsibility in society, and not counting on your parents for money. Commercials even made it seem like it was cool to work for your local burger joint or taco shack. I’m sure we all remember Calvin – the worker that made his way from fries to management at Mickey D’s. Or if you don’t remember him, what about the King of Zamunda mopping floors at McDowell’s in Coming To America? Well anyways, times were much better back then.

Being a musician, my life can be really serene one moment and very hectic the next moment. It’s at those crazy times that I resort to eating fast food. One thing I’ve realized is that the caliber of workers aren’t the same. I’m not trying offend anyone, well, just those people that suck at their jobs. A typical episode at the drive in goes like this:

Them: Welcome to Crappy D’s Taco Shack, would you like to try a 12 piece chicken snack for 12.99? Order when ready (This is a pleasant sounding recording, nothing similar to the chick actually on the headset that’s pissed because she had to come to work today)
Me: May I have a number 1 with no tomatoes, and value sized with a Sprite

Them: So that’s a number one?

Me: Yes

Them: What kind of drink do you want?
Me: Sprite

Them: Do you want to value size that?
Me: Yes

Them: Anything else?
Me: Yeah, no tomatoes

Them: Anything else? (saying it like, hurry up cause you messing up my wait time… and she never confirms the no tomatoes, which probably means you’re going to get tomatoes anyway… which then means you can’t say anything cause then they have to fix your order and now you’ve pissed off the headset chick, the cashier and the person making the orders – Get ready for that special “spit” sauce that you never requested!!)
Me: No » Read more: Fast Food…

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Posted in General

Fox Attacks

March 15th, 2007

I was reading online and came across a site called Fox Attacks that, if I may paraphrase something on their site, puts together [videos] highlighting Fox’s awful record of airing bigoted views and highly problematic framing around [social] issues. Everyone knows that Fox has been highly regarded as the dummy that sits on the laps of the Republicans. Check out this video below and tell me if you think this compilation has any merit.

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Posted in Questions, Situations, Videos

A Little Survey I’m Taking…

March 15th, 2007

After finishing some work the other day I figured that it wouldn’t hurt to watch a little TV.  I searched and searched, and even though I pay for a gazillion channels, there was nothing on, so I finally settled on a repeat episode of Vh1′s I Love New York.  This was the first time that I had an opportunity to watch the show.  The show isn’t that bad to me, and it seems to be better than Flavor of Love, but the show didn’t grab my attention as much as the commercials did.  It wasn’t the fact that there were some incredible “Super Bowl-esque” type commercials on, I was just caught off guard by the kinds of commercials… most notably one by Trojan brand condoms.

This made me begin to wonder about the subliminal messages that advertisers send.  As a man willing to say I watch Sex and the City, I can’t say that I ever remember seeing a condom commercial on during the airings of those shows, and those episodes are just as overly sexed as all the other shows on VH1 or MTV or any daytime soap opera.

So, I want to know if there is a trend in the kinds of commercials that support most shows.  I know it’s mainly based off of demographics, but within those demographics, what messages are they sending?  Are they contributing to the delinquency of America by sending certain underlying messages through popular media?  I don’t want to come to any full conclusions just yet.  But I’m going to pick some sexually charged shows and just keep track of the commercials to see if any inferences can be made.  This won’t be purely scientific but it may shed some light on the situation.  Keep checking back for the results!

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Posted in General, Questions, Situations

Tracy Morgan to Texas: “Somebody gon get pregnant”

March 13th, 2007

Drugs or just plain comedy?? What do you think??

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Posted in Questions, Videos

Evidence That It’s 2007 and People Are Retarded

March 11th, 2007

Okay, There is so much wrong with this link that I don’t even know where to begin commenting on it.  While I try to calm myself down, you read this and tell me what you think says about America in 2007.  Warning, this is NSFW (not safe for work).

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Posted in Situations

Rappers Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

March 9th, 2007

WCBSTV.com is reporting that Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with rockers such as R.E.M. and Van Halen. This is incredible news for rap and hip hop. One of music’s most respected organizations is paying homage to the humble beginnings of hip hop. I know many people wonder why it took so long for a rap artist to be included, well it’s because an artist can’t be admitted until 25 years after his or her first release (…hip hop started in ’78 or ’79… some people still dispute exactly when it began).

There has been roughly 30 years of progress in rap and hip hop and the art form has had an incredible yet interesting journey of evolution. When I think of other artists that will be possibly inducted into the Hall of Fame, many artists come to mind – Rakim, Tribe Called Quest, Sugar Hill Gang, Kool Moe Dee, The Roots, maybe even Will Smith (he did change the game as “The Fresh Prince” and he is the only rapper I know that can have an album out that has sold over 6 million copies and none of the hip hop enthusiasts around me have the cd…. (read that last line as “this shows his pop appeal”) or at worst have even heard it), but I have to say that I’m not sure that I feel that many of today’s artists will have earned their way into the musical community’s homage to creative greatness.

» Read more: Rappers Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

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Posted in Music, Questions, Situations

AFAR UPDATE

March 8th, 2007

Everybody has been asking what’s been up with AFAR. We’ve been grinding hard working on our new project. It should be done really soon. I’ll definitely keep you all posted on that.

As far as our travels go, We’ll be in NY on 03/24 for an audition to do the American Music Abroad tour again. Pray for us on that! Also, we’ll be in DC on 03/30 and back in NY on 03/31 doing shows. I’m sure I’ll have stories to tell!! Hit me up for more information on the shows!!

» Read more: AFAR UPDATE

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Posted in General, Travels

Keeping It Gangsta!!!

March 8th, 2007

Please check out the article below. It was written by one of hip hop’s most insightful minds, Davey D.  Thanks for letting me repost!!
Gangsta Moves Made by the Music Industry Designed to Shut You Down

Over the past couple of days two major rulings came out about the music industry in profound ways that will have long lasting NEGATIVE impact if we sit back and do nothing. One had to do with the FCC Ruling around the issue of payola.

For those who don’t know, the FCC cut a settlement deal with 4 radio chains including Clear Channel, CBS, Citadel and Entercom where they would be required to play one half hour worth of independent music per day. That means 6 songs by artists on independent record labels. Now a lot of people have been talking about it and jumping for joy, because they feel the airwaves have finally opened up and they now have a shot. Right? WRONG!!! This has got to be one of the most short sighted, full of crap rulings I’ve seen in a while. Here’s a few things to keep in mind.

First the RIAA jumped into the fray and forced the FCC to back off on the having it be a requirement for Indy labels to get played. Then they took the suggestions of a small group of independent labels to determine what is essentially an unforceable policy.

» Read more: Keeping It Gangsta!!!

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Posted in Music, Situations

You Come From Slaves??? NOT IN MY TRIBE!!!!

March 7th, 2007

I may be a little late on this, but if you haven’t heard about it then look below. I’m sure that reading the first line will compel you to read the rest. Yahoo ran this AP story here.

Native American Cherokees voted to expel descendants of black slaves from their tribe nation in a special election that has prompted charges of racism, according to returns made public early Sunday… read the rest of the story here.
Most people are charging this as racist. The Native American Cherokees see it as a form of Democracy, one of America’s “greatest moral principles”. What do you think??

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Posted in Questions, Situations

HIP HOP IS DEAD…. or Dying a Slow Death

March 6th, 2007

Davey D wrote a hip hop article that was posted on playahata.com. Here is the content of the article. This is kind of like a part two to the discussion on Hip Hop Facing Increasing Backlash“. You can email the author at mrdaveyd@aol.com.

“Rap” Is Dead: Rap Albums Sales On Major Decline

Hip-hop icon Nas made the provocative statement, “Hip-hop is dead,’’ in September and set off a firestorm of controversy. It was intensified by the January release of his album bearing the same title.

Many questioned why Nas would say hip-hop — a worldwide phenomenon that has generated billions of dollars — could be “dead.’’ After all, more hip-hop albums are being released then ever before, and the music’s influence extends to movies, corporate marketing and theater. That it’s dead seems absurd — until you realize Nas was looking beneath the surface.

» Read more: HIP HOP IS DEAD…. or Dying a Slow Death

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Posted in Music