American Gangster

"This is the ignorant shit you like..." - SC


I downloaded Jay-Z's tenth studio album yesterday, "American Gangster," which is set to come out next Tuesday. I've got two words for you...

Instant. Classic.

I can pretty much say I've listened through it all already. God DAMN it's good. Like, finally Jay! Enough of the Kingdom Come bullshit. This. Is. The. Shit.

It's got a Nas collabo (very good). A Weezy collabo (even better). But most importantly, it's got substance, story substance. I want to petition Ridley Scott to make some more movies that can inspire Jay to (not) write this shit.

Some songs to check out if not ready for the full album yet (other than the two singles out already and the two collabos mentioned earlier):

Pray - Wow. The beat is so raw and I have almost never heard Jay like this. It is awesome.

Ignorant Shit ft. Beanie Siegel - I am SO happy this track is on the album. It's actually old. I've been listening to it (or at least the first 2 Jay verses) since about '03 or '04. It was just never officially released, but it is sick. ("First thing Ima so is free Siegel..." it was recorded when he was in jail haha). And the last two verses from Beans and Jay are surprisingly conscious.

Party Life - Beat is laid back, but upbeat... a sick sample. Second verse: is he talking about B or H? (Beyonce or Heroin)? You be the judge.

Basically, this album is like Blueprint, but a ton more raw. The samples are all 70s shit, catchy, laid back, well produced, simple. The lyrics are full of Jay metaphors, interesting lines and verses you'll be quoting.

The funny thing is this semi-review is after only one listen through. And we all know albums/songs only get better as you listen to them.

Darkness

"It's getting crazy after dark..." - TS


It's that time of year again. (Sigh)

Time for me to wake up when it is dark outside and come home when it is dark outside. The start of winter. I don't really like it be honest with you. I think I have SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

Tangent: What a great name SAD is. More of a great acronym. When you have SAD, you get sad. Who came up with this stuff?

Or maybe it was just because last year during winter was when shit really hit the fan in terms of work. I don't know. I guess we will find out.

Justin

"Now drop that shit right..." - JT


Is it possible for a live performance of a song to actually make the song better in ones eyes?

Yes.

When FutureSexLoveSounds came out (illegally), I kind of maybe liked "My Love," but wasn't crazy about it. Not like right now. Everything changed with this performance:




It really is amazing. Now I have not watched the whole concert, but judging from this performance as well as from word-of-mouth regarding the aforementioned concert, Justin Timberlake has seemed to catapult his musical career even further into the "This guy is fucking amazing" zone. I applaud him.

Absolut

"True Absolut Vodka, straight shots
for the has-beens and have-nots, dolla dolla..." - CS


Remember Absolut ads? That was a great time. About in '93, '94, '95 when people were collecting them. Probably now too, but back then was better. You'd see them in random magazines and get really happy if it was a rare one.

I even had a binder. I wasn't the best collector, but I had a good run. I think I gave it away to someone a couple of years ago.

Messed up part was I didn't even know what vodka was back then. Awesome marketing campaign.

Phristless

"I ain't here to argue about his facial features
Or here to convert atheists into believers
I'm just trying to say the way school need teachers
The way Kathie Lee needed Regis that's the way I need Jesus..." - KW
I usually do not like to talk at length about word-for-word experiences in school because I think it romanticizes things and too many TFA people do it, but...

Direct Transcript from today, 5th period, about 12:05 PM with class 801.

Me: "So, the Pythagorean Theorem... what happened was this guy named Pythagoras came up with it in about 500 BC..."

(writing 500 BC on the board)

Me: "Does anyone know what 500 BC means?"

Several students: "Before Christ!!"

Me: "Good! Now..."

Zarnay: "Before Christ? But Christ is always with us!"

-
I almost lost it.

Still Here

"It's been a long time, I shouldntve left you, without a dope blog to step to, step to, step, step, step to..."



Hello. I am still here. Realizing I am truly pulling a Red Umbrella.

-Life has been good but busy busy busy. School is going well. Really well. What a difference a year makes. My kids respect me, I get things done in class, I have fun, I joke around. If this is how it is after only one year, what will it be like after 2... after 3... after 10?

I ain't taking this that far. Maybe next year, and then? Who knows... this is such a volatile time in my life. Is that even the right word to use? Whatever. It sounds right.

-I met Dave Chappelle this past weekend. Like met and talked to, not just saw. I was in DC outside of Dean & Delicious when my friend Jon and I saw him, then went up to him and talked. I, naturally, said the whitest thing possible to him: "So, you going to throw another block party?"
Maybe he'll make fun of me in his next standup special.

-I fucking hate cops. I really do. FUCK THE POLICE!!! I saw one driving and talking on his cellphone the other week. I really wanted to pull my cell phone out in front of him. Then I saw one double parked outside a Verizon store in DC... he was there for PERSONAL REASONS! AAARGHHH... I hate how they get on power trips. They wee the bullied dorks in school and then they became cops to take it out on other people. FUCK, I am getting mad writing this.. I need to stop.

-How to you contract "should not have"? Is it shouldnt've. Or should'nt've. Or should'ntve. Damn.

-I love the Yankees. Maybe even more than in '98 when I spend all of math class writing out the 25 man roster for the playoffs. Because I knew it. This team is magical. I hope they don't fuck up in the first round. Something tells me they won't. Then they'll meet Boston. Get down three games, then come back and get revenge from '04. And then history.