Ladies and Gentlemen of the internet. This just keeps getting better and better (or worse and worse). Apparently Chris Brown was receiving illicit text messages (texting started the violence?) from other paparazzi starlets while in the Lambo with Rihanna. Wow. Who thought texting could get you thrown in jail...
The fallout from this incident has been pretty bad, so far (canceled parties, appearances, etc.). For the record, I am on Rihanna's side...or at least against Chris Brown. I mean, there is no reason to go hitting a woman (even if she throws the keys of your RENTED Lambo into the street). If she starts hitting you, protect yourself and remove yourself from the situation...otherwise you will become IKE. Ok?
And I am a big fan of Kanye West and Jay-Z now. You can't agree that beating a lady is somehow excusable (maybe in an extreme circumstance where your LIFE is in danger...MAYBE). Chris Brown needed a real man growing up, not his blind, alleged wife beating, stepdad. We really need to quell this domestic violence cycle...violence begats more violence!
And Chris Brown, don't do this! Don't say shit on Facebook about how we'll "begin to see her true colors. Believe it!" We don't give you an excuse for beating her like she was Tina. Ok?
Some potential good news. MTV will air a roundtable type thing on Monday regarding domestic violence (a good thing for young teens without good role models at home) and specifically this situation. And an interesting (and long) essay from Kevin Powell regarding the violence issue. Stay tuned for more "updates".
Friday, February 13, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Street Kings????
Yes, I watched Street Kings. No, I knew Keanu Reeves was in the film. Yes, I need to have my head examined (but I thought Forest Whittaker could save the film...no dice...). Now, I don't have hatred for Keanu "I am an F B I agent" Reeves, but let's be honest his worst acting is also his best acting (it makes sense...I think). Take Neo for example. Terrible acting, but only Reeves could make it work in that film. His slow deliver and seemingly dumb banter played well in that film. However, this is not the case in Street Kings. Street Kings begins with Reeves showing how fucked up his life has become (drinking, etc.). He ends up performing an 'undercover buy' with these two Asians. Insert 'hilarious' racial dialogue (he is LAPD) and the beating he then receives. Now, we learn that he wanted that to happen (obvious) as he locates his stolen vehicle and prepares for 'battle'. He busts in and kills 4 dudes (wasn't a clean shoot), but saves twin teenage girls from a life of sex slavery. He then sets up the scene as if he was fired upon, etc. So he is a dirty cop (not bribe accepting dirty, just pushing the boundaries of the law). We meet his now clean ex-partner and his commanding officers (they are shadier than he). The movies twists and turns with Reeves taking us on several poorly written (not his fault) and delivered (his fault) conversations with fellow cops. The movie is not hard to figure out, but it has a weird ending (I mean...money in the wall...really???). I don't know if its Keanu or the writers', but the movie cop he plays is extremely dumb (he has blinders on for about 90 minutes...its unreal). However, he is also extremely brilliant at times (flashes for nanoseconds or less). If you want to watch Keanu wander through this movie like a dung beetle through shit, then go right ahead (it is fun to laugh at). However, I would stay away. I give this movie 4.5/10. Don't pay to see it (maybe use your Netflix or something.
5 of my favorite Jay-z songs, with 5 more to come very soon...
Alright, somebody had to do it, so here it is:
I wear black a lot, in the Ac', act a lot Got matchin VCR's, a huge Magnavox...."
5 of my favorite Jay-z songs/verses/freestyles of all time:
In no particular order:
Edit: Now before you all go catching feelings I know there are dozens of songs that could make this list. This is just a random 5 I was thinking about that I really enjoy, there will be more list to come. Now stop blowing up my inbox, lol.
1) Hot 97 freestyle (2006)
"IPO Hov, no need for reverse merger...baby blue maybach, like I own Gerber."
2) Politics as Usual (Reasonable Doubt, 1996)
"Sucking me in like a vacumn, I remember tellin my family I'll be back soon, that was December
Eighty-five then, Jay-Z rise ten years later got me wise still can't break my underworld tiesI wear black a lot, in the Ac', act a lot Got matchin VCR's, a huge Magnavox...."
3) Dead Presidents I (1996 Video Version Unreleased/certain versions of streets is watching feature it)
"Handlin' since a teen I dish out
Like the point-guard off your favorite team without doubt
My life ain't rosy but I roll with it
My mind was fine 'till the dough hit it
And told me that the mo' did it"
Like the point-guard off your favorite team without doubt
My life ain't rosy but I roll with it
My mind was fine 'till the dough hit it
And told me that the mo' did it"
4) In my Lifetime Remix (1996 Streets is watching soundtrack)
"It's the thought of a ride that make my eyes wide, I'm caught up
I'm trying to make, all of my dreams materialize, so I sorta
say my goodbyes to the straight and narrow
I found a new route, you bout to see my life change
I make the means justify the ends, I make the cream
materialize keys to a Benz, and so I'm rollin
For now, holdin down the fort, who's controllin?
The ground's gotta blow em, yep, y'all shoulda told em
Uhh, my first felony's approachin, copped my first key
Took a freeze, now I'm frozen
I bought a black Mac, I'm outta control
Losin bankrolls on blackjack, you gotta know
it always crossed my mind that Feds be tappin the lines like Gregory Hines
Still on the phone discussin my biz like it could never be mines
I know the price, know the risk, know the wrongs, and the rights
Still my blood flows ice, it's just my life"
I'm trying to make, all of my dreams materialize, so I sorta
say my goodbyes to the straight and narrow
I found a new route, you bout to see my life change
I make the means justify the ends, I make the cream
materialize keys to a Benz, and so I'm rollin
For now, holdin down the fort, who's controllin?
The ground's gotta blow em, yep, y'all shoulda told em
Uhh, my first felony's approachin, copped my first key
Took a freeze, now I'm frozen
I bought a black Mac, I'm outta control
Losin bankrolls on blackjack, you gotta know
it always crossed my mind that Feds be tappin the lines like Gregory Hines
Still on the phone discussin my biz like it could never be mines
I know the price, know the risk, know the wrongs, and the rights
Still my blood flows ice, it's just my life"
5) N**** What, N**** who (99 Originator) ( Volume 2...Hard Knock Life)
"Rapid-fire like I'm blastin a Tec, never jam though
Never get high, never run out of ammo..."
Never get high, never run out of ammo..."
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Afro Samurai(Xbox 360)
Afro Samurai
Afro Samurai is a man out for vengeance. As a child, his father was decapitated while he stood 5 feet away. You see, in Afro’s world, there are 2 sacred headbands. The #1 headband and the #2 headband. Whoever wears the #1 headband is the strongest person on the world, and can only be challenged by whoever possesses the #2. The #2 headband is always being tested by those who wish to be #2. Therefore, whoever possesses either headband doomed to live a cycle of endless bloodshed. Afro’s father was the #1 at the time of his killing. Afro’s sole goal now is to get strong enough to obtain the #2 headband and avenge his father by killing the #1. In the process, he smokes lots of blunts.
This storyline kicks off the game. The game is based on the Spike TV series called (you guessed it), Afro Samurai. The show never really got very popular, but it was recognized by reviewers as a very unique piece of entertainment. The animation of the show was handled by a Japanese studio and has a very distinct anime flavor to it. Adding to the already eclectic nature of the show are the facts that the whole thing is scored by the RZA, and the main character is voice-acted by none other than Samuel L. Jackson. So what you have is an afro clad Samuel Jackson carving up ninjas, cyborgs, and men in robotic teddybear helmets(don’t ask) to a pulsing hip-hop soundtrack. I watched the show and loved it. The fusion of ideas and cultures combined with the slick animation made me a fan despite the storytelling missteps. I was excited to hear that a game based on the series was coming out and put it in my Gamefly Queue.
The first thing you notice when you put the game in is how great it looks. The whole thing looks like you are actually watching anime. The character models are great. The second thing you’ll notice is the soundtrack. The game actually has an all new soundtrack and boy is it good. The music is incorporated well into the gameplay. When you fight a room full of people, the music swells and diminishes according to what you do. It’s hard to explain, but it makes the whole thing seem very epic. Controls boil down to a block button, 3 attack buttons(kick, light slash, and hard slash), and a jump button. You can chain all of those to create a whole lot of combos. I’ve been playing a week and still haven’t unlocked all the techniques. You unlock them by killing creatively. Let’s talk about that for a minute.
Wow this game is violent. But it’s cartoon violence so it’s not as disturbing. The game features a move called “focus”. Focus attacks allow you to slow down time a-la-the Matrix, and unleash a brutal attack, that when timed right will slice your opponent in half. Whether you like your opponents eviscerated lengthwise of horizontally is up to you. The game actually keeps track of how many gallons of blood you spill, and how many hands, heads, legs, etc you’ve lopped off. The moves all look really cool because the animations involved are very stylish. The villains talk while getting dismembered too. It’s quite a chuckle to hear an enemy yell “Fuck me!” or “Oh Shit!” as their hand falls to the ground. Within a few minutes of picking up the controller, you’ll be stringing together 20 hit combos and be very pleased with your bad-assness.
So based on the previous paragraphs, you’d assume this game is awesome right? Well, yes and no. The game is a lot of fun, but there are some problems that drag the game down a few notches. The biggest problem here is the camera. The game simply does not point the camera in the right place. This is a standard problem in 3rd person perspective games, but the camera here is inexcusable. You’ll scream in frustration when you are killed by an “offscreen” opponent. You can click the right thumbstick to center the camera, but that barely works. The bad camera also makes platforming difficult. For those new to gaming, platforming harkens back to the olden days of Mario when you had to jump from place to place, or platform to platform. Things were simpler in the 2D days, because you could always see where you had to jump. 3D platforming is usually problematic. Some games manage it weel (ratchet and clank, God of War), but this isn’t one of them. I have fallen to my death in this game soo many times. Successfully making jumps is not a matter of skill here, but trial and error. When I’m playing a game at midnight with the fact that I should be studying in the back of my mind, the last thing I wanna do is be stuck jumping from rock to rock. It happened to me last night, and I just turned this shit off. My last major gripe here is that the game doesn’t always make clear where you’re supposed to go. Some of you won’t have problems with this, but since I get disoriented in 3D landscapes, it’s a huge concern for me.
So, what do I give Afro Samurai? As much as it pains me to have to dock a game that I really enjoy, I have to do it. Had the developers worked out the kinks that I mentioned, the game would’ve been a strong 8. As it stands however, I have to give it a 6.5. The game is fun and above average, but not polished enough to rank higher. You should still give it a rental sometime though. I’m about to go home and play some more when class gets out in about 2 hours.
6.5/10
Afro Samurai is a man out for vengeance. As a child, his father was decapitated while he stood 5 feet away. You see, in Afro’s world, there are 2 sacred headbands. The #1 headband and the #2 headband. Whoever wears the #1 headband is the strongest person on the world, and can only be challenged by whoever possesses the #2. The #2 headband is always being tested by those who wish to be #2. Therefore, whoever possesses either headband doomed to live a cycle of endless bloodshed. Afro’s father was the #1 at the time of his killing. Afro’s sole goal now is to get strong enough to obtain the #2 headband and avenge his father by killing the #1. In the process, he smokes lots of blunts.
This storyline kicks off the game. The game is based on the Spike TV series called (you guessed it), Afro Samurai. The show never really got very popular, but it was recognized by reviewers as a very unique piece of entertainment. The animation of the show was handled by a Japanese studio and has a very distinct anime flavor to it. Adding to the already eclectic nature of the show are the facts that the whole thing is scored by the RZA, and the main character is voice-acted by none other than Samuel L. Jackson. So what you have is an afro clad Samuel Jackson carving up ninjas, cyborgs, and men in robotic teddybear helmets(don’t ask) to a pulsing hip-hop soundtrack. I watched the show and loved it. The fusion of ideas and cultures combined with the slick animation made me a fan despite the storytelling missteps. I was excited to hear that a game based on the series was coming out and put it in my Gamefly Queue.
The first thing you notice when you put the game in is how great it looks. The whole thing looks like you are actually watching anime. The character models are great. The second thing you’ll notice is the soundtrack. The game actually has an all new soundtrack and boy is it good. The music is incorporated well into the gameplay. When you fight a room full of people, the music swells and diminishes according to what you do. It’s hard to explain, but it makes the whole thing seem very epic. Controls boil down to a block button, 3 attack buttons(kick, light slash, and hard slash), and a jump button. You can chain all of those to create a whole lot of combos. I’ve been playing a week and still haven’t unlocked all the techniques. You unlock them by killing creatively. Let’s talk about that for a minute.
Wow this game is violent. But it’s cartoon violence so it’s not as disturbing. The game features a move called “focus”. Focus attacks allow you to slow down time a-la-the Matrix, and unleash a brutal attack, that when timed right will slice your opponent in half. Whether you like your opponents eviscerated lengthwise of horizontally is up to you. The game actually keeps track of how many gallons of blood you spill, and how many hands, heads, legs, etc you’ve lopped off. The moves all look really cool because the animations involved are very stylish. The villains talk while getting dismembered too. It’s quite a chuckle to hear an enemy yell “Fuck me!” or “Oh Shit!” as their hand falls to the ground. Within a few minutes of picking up the controller, you’ll be stringing together 20 hit combos and be very pleased with your bad-assness.
So based on the previous paragraphs, you’d assume this game is awesome right? Well, yes and no. The game is a lot of fun, but there are some problems that drag the game down a few notches. The biggest problem here is the camera. The game simply does not point the camera in the right place. This is a standard problem in 3rd person perspective games, but the camera here is inexcusable. You’ll scream in frustration when you are killed by an “offscreen” opponent. You can click the right thumbstick to center the camera, but that barely works. The bad camera also makes platforming difficult. For those new to gaming, platforming harkens back to the olden days of Mario when you had to jump from place to place, or platform to platform. Things were simpler in the 2D days, because you could always see where you had to jump. 3D platforming is usually problematic. Some games manage it weel (ratchet and clank, God of War), but this isn’t one of them. I have fallen to my death in this game soo many times. Successfully making jumps is not a matter of skill here, but trial and error. When I’m playing a game at midnight with the fact that I should be studying in the back of my mind, the last thing I wanna do is be stuck jumping from rock to rock. It happened to me last night, and I just turned this shit off. My last major gripe here is that the game doesn’t always make clear where you’re supposed to go. Some of you won’t have problems with this, but since I get disoriented in 3D landscapes, it’s a huge concern for me.
So, what do I give Afro Samurai? As much as it pains me to have to dock a game that I really enjoy, I have to do it. Had the developers worked out the kinks that I mentioned, the game would’ve been a strong 8. As it stands however, I have to give it a 6.5. The game is fun and above average, but not polished enough to rank higher. You should still give it a rental sometime though. I’m about to go home and play some more when class gets out in about 2 hours.
6.5/10
Superman: Red Son
Superman Red Son
Superman is an icon. Everyone instantly knows the emblem when they see it. Every boy has tied on a cape and pretended to fly around. Superman is a recognizable brand pretty much. What happens when art becomes a brand is that inevitably the soul of the piece gets lost in the process. The movies do not convey who Superman is and what he means in the context of his world. Superman has never been portrayed on film or television as the inspirational symbol that he is in the comics.
Superman is an incorruptible being who stands for truth, justice, and the American Way. It’s a good thing he does too, or we’d be fucked. A being of limitless strength, super hearing, x ray telescopic and heat vision, super breath, freezing breath, and invulnerability is probably the biggest deterrent towards enemy attack since the atomic bomb. But what happens if as Lex Luthor puts it, “he decides to stop playing nice?” What if instead of fighting for the American way, he fought for Soviet Russia? How would the world react to something like that? How would the Cold War have been waged? Would America have become the dominant superpower? That is the premise behind Superman: Red Son. The graphic novel from Mark Millar re-imagines the American icon as a symbol of the hammer and sickle.
Superman: Red Son(SRS) opens with a television broadcast. It appears that the Soviets have a new weapon that will undoubtably tip the balance of power in their favor. That weapon is, you guessed it, Superman. In this alternate world, instead of landing in a Smallvlle, Kansas field, young Kal-El’s Kryptonian spacecraft landed 12 hours earlier……in Russia. That’s right people, Superman is a communist. And with his unstoppable might at the right hand of Joseph Stalin, there is no one that will be able to stop the spread of Communism. Luckily, Superman is not a puppet. Although devoted to the ideals of the party, he is guided by a higher sense of morality and an altruistic appreciation for the value of human life. Superman often saves lives even in the US. It is there that he meets his arch nemesis Luthor.
Alexander Luthor is portrayed in this book not as a whimsical bitch(I’m talking to you Kevin Spacey), but as an absolute genius. He is seen playing 20 games of chess at once while reading a book. Luthor is hired by the president to create a weapon that can kill Superman. Luthor agrees for the challenge, but when a clone of Superman he creates beats him at chess, Luthor’s challenge becomes an obsession. You see, Lex Luthor hates Superman for a basic reason: Superman is not a man at all. He’s an alien, the last remnant of a civilation long extinct. Luthor agrees that Superman does good deeds, but he opposes the fact that humans look towards an alien demigod as a source of hope and inspiration, when we could look to ourselves. Luthor suggests that with Superman always around to save humanity, they will never rise to the challenge and improve themselves. Luthor’s argument is essentially racism, but the argument is compelling in this case. Think about it. If you knew Superman would save you from any train crash, why would anyone invent safer trains? At one point in the novel, it is brought to our attention that no one even bothers wearing seatbelts anymore in Russia. This deep concern for humanity, mixed with a slightly egomaniacal nature(naturally, he wants humanity to be inspired by him), is what has made Lex Luthor a consistently interesting character in comics. What makes his story in this book even more interesting is the fact that because he’s American, Lex is pretty much the hero of this book. I won’t spoil any specific plot points, but I’ll explain a few themes.
When Joseph Stalin dies, Superman reluctantly steps up and assumes power. He only does this after realizing that he alone has the power to truly create a Communist utopia. After a while, the U.S., still clinging to its ways, is the only country in the world not part of the Communist empire. There is world peace, but in the U.S., poverty and civil war. It’s all done very tastefully, I assure you. This comic isn’t “anti-American” in any way. It is just portraying an alternate reality. The questions posed in this comic are very deep. What is the cost of absolute power? Even if you wield it in a way that keeps everyone safe and in line, aren’t you still really just oppressing them? Is Humanity a race of people that will give up on themselves and let someone else do all the work, or will they soar higher every generation through their own ingenuity? These questions haunt Lex Luthor and Superman. In the end, both characters have an important decision to make for the sake of mankind. The ending will resonate with you and make you think long after you’ve closed the book.
What makes this book stand out from the rest is that it is written so believably. There are subtle touches in the dialogue that will make you forget you are reading a graphic novel. The story flows well. It is split into three chapters, each one being a different era of Superman’s reign. The characters age through the years. You’ll see Lois Luthor(There is no Clark Kent in this timeline), go from plucky reporter to wise old woman. You’ll see her marriage degenerate as Luthor’s obsession to beat the Man of Steel grows. Even Superman sports some graying temples. One of the other things that I thought was neat is the fact that so much attention is paid to detail. In this reality, we’re used to the Justice League. Here, they have never met and thus never formed. All the heroes we know and love have different origins and brief cameos. My favorite is Batman re-imagined as a Russian anti-Superman terrorist. It’s cold out there in Russia, so he sports fur on the forehead part of the cowl. Oh, and he hands Superman a vicious beating that you have to see to believe.
Speaking of seeing, the artwork here is AMAZING. The pages all have a kind of red sheen to them. Some comic artists can get a little too “squiggly” with their pencil lines and the page is hard to read. This is not the case here. The art is crisp, well colored, and defined so that the pictures just pop off the page. I love the artwork in this book.
Superman: Red Son is a classic. No doubt about it. I know there are those of you who are out there going “But it’s a comic book”. You guys will enjoy this as much as me. Ok well maybe not as much as me cuz I’m a nerd, but you get the point. It contains great social commentary, and it will give you something to think about. It’s an interesting read especially in today’s times. The book is very accessible. This is a great stepping-stone for anyone who’s never read a graphic novel.
9/10 .
Superman is an icon. Everyone instantly knows the emblem when they see it. Every boy has tied on a cape and pretended to fly around. Superman is a recognizable brand pretty much. What happens when art becomes a brand is that inevitably the soul of the piece gets lost in the process. The movies do not convey who Superman is and what he means in the context of his world. Superman has never been portrayed on film or television as the inspirational symbol that he is in the comics.
Superman is an incorruptible being who stands for truth, justice, and the American Way. It’s a good thing he does too, or we’d be fucked. A being of limitless strength, super hearing, x ray telescopic and heat vision, super breath, freezing breath, and invulnerability is probably the biggest deterrent towards enemy attack since the atomic bomb. But what happens if as Lex Luthor puts it, “he decides to stop playing nice?” What if instead of fighting for the American way, he fought for Soviet Russia? How would the world react to something like that? How would the Cold War have been waged? Would America have become the dominant superpower? That is the premise behind Superman: Red Son. The graphic novel from Mark Millar re-imagines the American icon as a symbol of the hammer and sickle.
Superman: Red Son(SRS) opens with a television broadcast. It appears that the Soviets have a new weapon that will undoubtably tip the balance of power in their favor. That weapon is, you guessed it, Superman. In this alternate world, instead of landing in a Smallvlle, Kansas field, young Kal-El’s Kryptonian spacecraft landed 12 hours earlier……in Russia. That’s right people, Superman is a communist. And with his unstoppable might at the right hand of Joseph Stalin, there is no one that will be able to stop the spread of Communism. Luckily, Superman is not a puppet. Although devoted to the ideals of the party, he is guided by a higher sense of morality and an altruistic appreciation for the value of human life. Superman often saves lives even in the US. It is there that he meets his arch nemesis Luthor.
Alexander Luthor is portrayed in this book not as a whimsical bitch(I’m talking to you Kevin Spacey), but as an absolute genius. He is seen playing 20 games of chess at once while reading a book. Luthor is hired by the president to create a weapon that can kill Superman. Luthor agrees for the challenge, but when a clone of Superman he creates beats him at chess, Luthor’s challenge becomes an obsession. You see, Lex Luthor hates Superman for a basic reason: Superman is not a man at all. He’s an alien, the last remnant of a civilation long extinct. Luthor agrees that Superman does good deeds, but he opposes the fact that humans look towards an alien demigod as a source of hope and inspiration, when we could look to ourselves. Luthor suggests that with Superman always around to save humanity, they will never rise to the challenge and improve themselves. Luthor’s argument is essentially racism, but the argument is compelling in this case. Think about it. If you knew Superman would save you from any train crash, why would anyone invent safer trains? At one point in the novel, it is brought to our attention that no one even bothers wearing seatbelts anymore in Russia. This deep concern for humanity, mixed with a slightly egomaniacal nature(naturally, he wants humanity to be inspired by him), is what has made Lex Luthor a consistently interesting character in comics. What makes his story in this book even more interesting is the fact that because he’s American, Lex is pretty much the hero of this book. I won’t spoil any specific plot points, but I’ll explain a few themes.
When Joseph Stalin dies, Superman reluctantly steps up and assumes power. He only does this after realizing that he alone has the power to truly create a Communist utopia. After a while, the U.S., still clinging to its ways, is the only country in the world not part of the Communist empire. There is world peace, but in the U.S., poverty and civil war. It’s all done very tastefully, I assure you. This comic isn’t “anti-American” in any way. It is just portraying an alternate reality. The questions posed in this comic are very deep. What is the cost of absolute power? Even if you wield it in a way that keeps everyone safe and in line, aren’t you still really just oppressing them? Is Humanity a race of people that will give up on themselves and let someone else do all the work, or will they soar higher every generation through their own ingenuity? These questions haunt Lex Luthor and Superman. In the end, both characters have an important decision to make for the sake of mankind. The ending will resonate with you and make you think long after you’ve closed the book.
What makes this book stand out from the rest is that it is written so believably. There are subtle touches in the dialogue that will make you forget you are reading a graphic novel. The story flows well. It is split into three chapters, each one being a different era of Superman’s reign. The characters age through the years. You’ll see Lois Luthor(There is no Clark Kent in this timeline), go from plucky reporter to wise old woman. You’ll see her marriage degenerate as Luthor’s obsession to beat the Man of Steel grows. Even Superman sports some graying temples. One of the other things that I thought was neat is the fact that so much attention is paid to detail. In this reality, we’re used to the Justice League. Here, they have never met and thus never formed. All the heroes we know and love have different origins and brief cameos. My favorite is Batman re-imagined as a Russian anti-Superman terrorist. It’s cold out there in Russia, so he sports fur on the forehead part of the cowl. Oh, and he hands Superman a vicious beating that you have to see to believe.
Speaking of seeing, the artwork here is AMAZING. The pages all have a kind of red sheen to them. Some comic artists can get a little too “squiggly” with their pencil lines and the page is hard to read. This is not the case here. The art is crisp, well colored, and defined so that the pictures just pop off the page. I love the artwork in this book.
Superman: Red Son is a classic. No doubt about it. I know there are those of you who are out there going “But it’s a comic book”. You guys will enjoy this as much as me. Ok well maybe not as much as me cuz I’m a nerd, but you get the point. It contains great social commentary, and it will give you something to think about. It’s an interesting read especially in today’s times. The book is very accessible. This is a great stepping-stone for anyone who’s never read a graphic novel.
9/10 .
Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe (Xbox 360)
What’s up people? I’ve been meaning to do this for a while, but I’ve had some things going on. Trying to figure out this school thing and still maintain a decent level of sanity is a tough thing to do. I’ve been inspired recently by someone I know who does this for a living to give it a try. I’m gonna review some stuff and try to save you guys from from wasting money, or even worse, time. Some of my personal views on unrelated subjects may creep through, but I’ll keep most of my personal posts on another part of the blog. Either way, you might hear some controversial stuff coming from me. I can’t help it. Hopefully someone will understand my views and see where I’m coming from. Hopefully some of you won’t. I want to promote thought and rational discussion…and in the process have a little fun.
Aight, now that that’s out of the way, I’m gonna review something:
Mortal Kombat vs. D.C. Universe(Xbox 360)
We all Remember Mortal Kombat. I mean, I can’t have been the only kid that stumbled across this machine at the bowling alley and to my surprise, saw what appeared to be real humans completely annihilating each other can I? All I know is that I was instantly a fan. And I wasn’t the only one. Mortal Kombat became famous almost overnight due to public outrage from the religious groups who tried zealously to have the game banned. We all know how well that technique worked for gangsta rap. Indeed, the same result occurred here: Mortal Kombat has spawned at least 7 games, 2 movies, action figures, a cartoon, comic book, etc. These characters are true American icons when you stop and think about it.
What can I say about the DC Universe that fits into a paragraph? Not as much as I want to, trust me. Superman, Batman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern. These are classic characters that have been around for sixty years. I was skeptical of even renting this game but my curiosity overwhelmed me. I was intrigued at the idea of being one of them in a fighting game for the first time ever. Would the makers of the game screw up not stay true to the characters? And then I wondered what Mortal Kombat fans must have thought: “Wait a minute, how does the other side even stand a chance?”
I was actually insulted that a mere human like Sonya Blade could even attempt to fight Superman, a solar powered bullet-proof alien. But the storyline explains how it might be possible in a satisfactory manner. You see, the two Universes in the game are merging. The MK Universe is one that’s based in magic and Superman’s particularly vulnerable to magic. It actually weakens him. So that explains why he can get harpooned by Scorpion’s signature move and not have the blade bounce off. Hmm. That was actually pretty clever. Now I could focus on the learning the controls.
The game uses your four face buttons as punches and kicks. The right trigger blocks, and left trigger lets you sidestep around the ring if you wish to do so. It’s all very intuitive. You’ll be pulling off moves in no time. The timing window for combos is pretty strict though. When you see a good player (or the computer lol), kicking your ass in the air for 5-10 seconds, you’ll appreciate how skillful he or she is. But by no means is this a game that only pros will enjoy, and that’s because the gameplay itself is just so much fun. Anybody will be able to pick this up and have a pretty good time.
To my surprise, this game was good as hell. All the characters played exactly like you’d think they would. Superman is extra strong, so he’s naturally the slowest. He’s got lots of grapple moves. The best one is where he inhales you, tosses you in the air, and spikes you like a volleyball into the pavement. Very cool stuff to watch, I assure you. Batman has all kinds of cool tricks at his disposal like batarangs that fly offscreen and come back and hit your opponent in the back of the neck. Flash is incredibly quick. His best move leaves your opponent spinning in the middle of the ring unable to block at your complete mercy. I strung together a 19 hit combo off it yesterday. The MK characters I don’t use very much because I just don’t think they’re as cool. I’ve played against all of them though. Liu Kang still has all of his signature flying kicks along with high and low fireballs to confuse your opponent. Raiden and Scorpion border on being overpowered. Those dudes have teleports that let them escape pretty much everything. Maybe I just haven’t figured out the trick to beating them yet. But this game is a blast to play. Characters match up well against each other, and everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Except for Catwoman, who has no strengths. None that I’ve yet discovered anyway.
I almost forgot, there are Fatalities in this game. Yup. Fatalities. Raiden can grab Batman by the neck, charge up, and fry him. Scorpion can do his “toasty” move and burn Lex Luthor to a crisp.
What’s funny is that on the DC side, due to what is obviously a contract clause, the DC characters do not perform fatalities. “Boo” you say? What if I told you that you could do “Heroic Brutalities” instead? I knew that would cheer you up. The DC characters get filled with so much of what the game calls “Rage” that they lose control and become brutal. But they do not kill. So if any of you guys have parents out there that won’t let you get this because there’s killing on it, tell them that that’s not really true. It’s worth a shot at least. Examples of said brutalities include the Flash creating a whirlwind that sends you flying into the air and letting you drop while he poses for the camera, and Superman pounding you into the concrete until only your arms and head hang out. The DC villains have fatalities still. The Joker actually shoots you in the head with a gun. It’s crazy. Anyway, the game has less violent fatalities than many of the prior games (where if you ask me they started getting ridiculous). These are still fun to watch though.
I have to give this game a final ranking of 8.5/10. That’s a high ranking for me. I’m not gonna give out too many of those. But this game is just so much fun that I have to give it up. The makers of this game went out on a limb, but the two fanbases have made this game a huge seller. I tried to buy this at Christmas and no store I went to had any in stock. I couldn’t even get my fix at Blockbuster. Even if you aren’t into fighting games, this one’s worth a look. It merits a rental at least. Check out some Youtube videos if you aren’t sold. Play it with your friends. I dare you not to get excited when either of you smash the other into a series of walls or fight while falling from a building. And I dare you not to talk trash. This game’s fun ya’ll.
8.5 out of 10
Aight, now that that’s out of the way, I’m gonna review something:
Mortal Kombat vs. D.C. Universe(Xbox 360)
We all Remember Mortal Kombat. I mean, I can’t have been the only kid that stumbled across this machine at the bowling alley and to my surprise, saw what appeared to be real humans completely annihilating each other can I? All I know is that I was instantly a fan. And I wasn’t the only one. Mortal Kombat became famous almost overnight due to public outrage from the religious groups who tried zealously to have the game banned. We all know how well that technique worked for gangsta rap. Indeed, the same result occurred here: Mortal Kombat has spawned at least 7 games, 2 movies, action figures, a cartoon, comic book, etc. These characters are true American icons when you stop and think about it.
What can I say about the DC Universe that fits into a paragraph? Not as much as I want to, trust me. Superman, Batman, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern. These are classic characters that have been around for sixty years. I was skeptical of even renting this game but my curiosity overwhelmed me. I was intrigued at the idea of being one of them in a fighting game for the first time ever. Would the makers of the game screw up not stay true to the characters? And then I wondered what Mortal Kombat fans must have thought: “Wait a minute, how does the other side even stand a chance?”
I was actually insulted that a mere human like Sonya Blade could even attempt to fight Superman, a solar powered bullet-proof alien. But the storyline explains how it might be possible in a satisfactory manner. You see, the two Universes in the game are merging. The MK Universe is one that’s based in magic and Superman’s particularly vulnerable to magic. It actually weakens him. So that explains why he can get harpooned by Scorpion’s signature move and not have the blade bounce off. Hmm. That was actually pretty clever. Now I could focus on the learning the controls.
The game uses your four face buttons as punches and kicks. The right trigger blocks, and left trigger lets you sidestep around the ring if you wish to do so. It’s all very intuitive. You’ll be pulling off moves in no time. The timing window for combos is pretty strict though. When you see a good player (or the computer lol), kicking your ass in the air for 5-10 seconds, you’ll appreciate how skillful he or she is. But by no means is this a game that only pros will enjoy, and that’s because the gameplay itself is just so much fun. Anybody will be able to pick this up and have a pretty good time.
To my surprise, this game was good as hell. All the characters played exactly like you’d think they would. Superman is extra strong, so he’s naturally the slowest. He’s got lots of grapple moves. The best one is where he inhales you, tosses you in the air, and spikes you like a volleyball into the pavement. Very cool stuff to watch, I assure you. Batman has all kinds of cool tricks at his disposal like batarangs that fly offscreen and come back and hit your opponent in the back of the neck. Flash is incredibly quick. His best move leaves your opponent spinning in the middle of the ring unable to block at your complete mercy. I strung together a 19 hit combo off it yesterday. The MK characters I don’t use very much because I just don’t think they’re as cool. I’ve played against all of them though. Liu Kang still has all of his signature flying kicks along with high and low fireballs to confuse your opponent. Raiden and Scorpion border on being overpowered. Those dudes have teleports that let them escape pretty much everything. Maybe I just haven’t figured out the trick to beating them yet. But this game is a blast to play. Characters match up well against each other, and everybody has strengths and weaknesses. Except for Catwoman, who has no strengths. None that I’ve yet discovered anyway.
I almost forgot, there are Fatalities in this game. Yup. Fatalities. Raiden can grab Batman by the neck, charge up, and fry him. Scorpion can do his “toasty” move and burn Lex Luthor to a crisp.
What’s funny is that on the DC side, due to what is obviously a contract clause, the DC characters do not perform fatalities. “Boo” you say? What if I told you that you could do “Heroic Brutalities” instead? I knew that would cheer you up. The DC characters get filled with so much of what the game calls “Rage” that they lose control and become brutal. But they do not kill. So if any of you guys have parents out there that won’t let you get this because there’s killing on it, tell them that that’s not really true. It’s worth a shot at least. Examples of said brutalities include the Flash creating a whirlwind that sends you flying into the air and letting you drop while he poses for the camera, and Superman pounding you into the concrete until only your arms and head hang out. The DC villains have fatalities still. The Joker actually shoots you in the head with a gun. It’s crazy. Anyway, the game has less violent fatalities than many of the prior games (where if you ask me they started getting ridiculous). These are still fun to watch though.
I have to give this game a final ranking of 8.5/10. That’s a high ranking for me. I’m not gonna give out too many of those. But this game is just so much fun that I have to give it up. The makers of this game went out on a limb, but the two fanbases have made this game a huge seller. I tried to buy this at Christmas and no store I went to had any in stock. I couldn’t even get my fix at Blockbuster. Even if you aren’t into fighting games, this one’s worth a look. It merits a rental at least. Check out some Youtube videos if you aren’t sold. Play it with your friends. I dare you not to get excited when either of you smash the other into a series of walls or fight while falling from a building. And I dare you not to talk trash. This game’s fun ya’ll.
8.5 out of 10
Eagle Eye
I watched Eagle Eye last night. It was awful. Normally, I'd be satisfied with that review and stop there. However, after waking up and still being pissed that I've watched this stupid shit, I'm gonna write a review in the hopes that at least one of you will be spared.
Remember when you were little and watched dominos lined up and watched the reaction when you knocked the first one over? Pretty cool right? It was even pretty cool when I saw it on as full grown adult in V For Vendetta. I could appreciate the metaphor in that sequence. What I can't appreciate is a movie that operates on the premise of this "Domino effect" in a suposedly real world. Now sure, a movie is technically a series of convenient events for protaganists and there's no way around that, but Eagle Eye goes to far. Let's examine a scene:
Shia Lebouf gets a phonecall from a mysterious woman who tells him to duck. Then comes a crane no one is driving that tears off the roof of the FBI building he is incarcerated in. The voice tells him to jump. He jumps from the top floor, lands on a train track, comes within millimeters of getting crushed, looks up, sees a sign that says "get on the train", gets on, and then a random stranger's phone rings.......for him. Whoever or whatever(therein lies the "mystery") is guiding our character had the insight to plan these events down to the second and correctly anticipated that he wouldn't get killed in one of a zillion ways between phonecalls. Over the course of the movie, the voice commands Spielberg's latest darling and his required love interest to rob an armored car, go on a high speed chase with the FBI, Engage in a shootout with the FBI in an airport security checkpoint, etc. After all of these events, there's a wonderful escape planned every time. The voice knows precisely when and where niggas will be no matter what. At one point, another automated crane throws like five FBI vehicles into a forest and dumps our heroes on a fucking garbage boat to safety. There's a lot of automated stuff in this movie. You can probably guess why........
*spoiler (gasp)*
Eagle Eye is an omnipotent murderous database managed in secret by Secretary of Defense Vic Mackey of The Shield fame. Hal,.... er, I mean Eagle Eye is out to kill the President but needs Shia to do it. Because it has access to every piece of data in the whole world, it can plan and oversee every move this guy makes. Thank God for that plot device because it all makes sense now.
Actually, no it doesn't. It still doesn't explain why or how all this dude's jumps, spins, and dives are perfectly planned and executed like the fucking Prince of Persia. I also don't quite understand why or how a computer that can over the course of the film change traffic lights and send unmanned military drones at niggas on highway overpasses decides to assassinate the president with an explosive crystal fashioned into a necklace that can only be activated by an elementary school kid's trumpet blown at an exact frequency. I'm not making this up. Had I made this up, I could've made some money apparently. I'm actually kinda jealous.
I also understand that Eagle Eye is aware of everything, but why is it advertising so hard? "Get in the Porshe Cayenne", "Step inside the Circuit City", "Buy yourself some clothes with these Visa Gift cards", "Pick up that Iphone"....ugh. I'm not completely against product placement. I mean, somone's gotta pick up the tab when you blow up 16 CGI cars. But honestly, there's no reason to have the computer reveal its villainous master plan through about 20 Sony flatscreens. Why is the world's smartest computer doing the "evil speech" anyway? You'd think it would have copy of Goldfinger stored somewhere in it's database and realize it's not a good idea.
Minus the CGI budget, this shit was some made for tv shit. I don't think I was in suspense for a combined 5 seconds the entire movie. Fuck this shit. If the writers aren't gonna take it seriously and follow their own rules why should I give a shit? This magical computer actually killed a nigga that was running away by overloading a power line. The powerline fell and hit this nigga as he was running in a field. I wasn't aware I was watching Final Destination 4.
Oh, how many of you guys think that even in the movie world a guy couldrun into a concert hall where the president was, stand on a podium and shoot into the air? Shia Lebouf can in fact do such a thing. In slo-mo nonetheless. "What?!?" you ask? You'd probably be more comfortable with the idea if I told you that the secret service shot poor Shia. Now what if I told you he survives because the secret service only shoots assassins in the shoulder? Are your eyes rolling yet? "I ran up on the president and all I got was this sling" would make a great T-shirt.
I've sad more than enough about this movie. I'm now going to spoil the ending:
Rosario Dawson stabs the computer with a crowbar and it dies. Crisis averted, the world is safe. Yay. wtf. It took two hourse fo figure that out?
4/10. This crap is way below average even for a "popcorn flick". The world's smartest, all-seeing computer has a blind spot 10 feet away from it? Come on people. Come on.
Remember when you were little and watched dominos lined up and watched the reaction when you knocked the first one over? Pretty cool right? It was even pretty cool when I saw it on as full grown adult in V For Vendetta. I could appreciate the metaphor in that sequence. What I can't appreciate is a movie that operates on the premise of this "Domino effect" in a suposedly real world. Now sure, a movie is technically a series of convenient events for protaganists and there's no way around that, but Eagle Eye goes to far. Let's examine a scene:
Shia Lebouf gets a phonecall from a mysterious woman who tells him to duck. Then comes a crane no one is driving that tears off the roof of the FBI building he is incarcerated in. The voice tells him to jump. He jumps from the top floor, lands on a train track, comes within millimeters of getting crushed, looks up, sees a sign that says "get on the train", gets on, and then a random stranger's phone rings.......for him. Whoever or whatever(therein lies the "mystery") is guiding our character had the insight to plan these events down to the second and correctly anticipated that he wouldn't get killed in one of a zillion ways between phonecalls. Over the course of the movie, the voice commands Spielberg's latest darling and his required love interest to rob an armored car, go on a high speed chase with the FBI, Engage in a shootout with the FBI in an airport security checkpoint, etc. After all of these events, there's a wonderful escape planned every time. The voice knows precisely when and where niggas will be no matter what. At one point, another automated crane throws like five FBI vehicles into a forest and dumps our heroes on a fucking garbage boat to safety. There's a lot of automated stuff in this movie. You can probably guess why........
*spoiler (gasp)*
Eagle Eye is an omnipotent murderous database managed in secret by Secretary of Defense Vic Mackey of The Shield fame. Hal,.... er, I mean Eagle Eye is out to kill the President but needs Shia to do it. Because it has access to every piece of data in the whole world, it can plan and oversee every move this guy makes. Thank God for that plot device because it all makes sense now.
Actually, no it doesn't. It still doesn't explain why or how all this dude's jumps, spins, and dives are perfectly planned and executed like the fucking Prince of Persia. I also don't quite understand why or how a computer that can over the course of the film change traffic lights and send unmanned military drones at niggas on highway overpasses decides to assassinate the president with an explosive crystal fashioned into a necklace that can only be activated by an elementary school kid's trumpet blown at an exact frequency. I'm not making this up. Had I made this up, I could've made some money apparently. I'm actually kinda jealous.
I also understand that Eagle Eye is aware of everything, but why is it advertising so hard? "Get in the Porshe Cayenne", "Step inside the Circuit City", "Buy yourself some clothes with these Visa Gift cards", "Pick up that Iphone"....ugh. I'm not completely against product placement. I mean, somone's gotta pick up the tab when you blow up 16 CGI cars. But honestly, there's no reason to have the computer reveal its villainous master plan through about 20 Sony flatscreens. Why is the world's smartest computer doing the "evil speech" anyway? You'd think it would have copy of Goldfinger stored somewhere in it's database and realize it's not a good idea.
Minus the CGI budget, this shit was some made for tv shit. I don't think I was in suspense for a combined 5 seconds the entire movie. Fuck this shit. If the writers aren't gonna take it seriously and follow their own rules why should I give a shit? This magical computer actually killed a nigga that was running away by overloading a power line. The powerline fell and hit this nigga as he was running in a field. I wasn't aware I was watching Final Destination 4.
Oh, how many of you guys think that even in the movie world a guy couldrun into a concert hall where the president was, stand on a podium and shoot into the air? Shia Lebouf can in fact do such a thing. In slo-mo nonetheless. "What?!?" you ask? You'd probably be more comfortable with the idea if I told you that the secret service shot poor Shia. Now what if I told you he survives because the secret service only shoots assassins in the shoulder? Are your eyes rolling yet? "I ran up on the president and all I got was this sling" would make a great T-shirt.
I've sad more than enough about this movie. I'm now going to spoil the ending:
Rosario Dawson stabs the computer with a crowbar and it dies. Crisis averted, the world is safe. Yay. wtf. It took two hourse fo figure that out?
4/10. This crap is way below average even for a "popcorn flick". The world's smartest, all-seeing computer has a blind spot 10 feet away from it? Come on people. Come on.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Better Late Than Never: The Guitar Hero/RockBand inventions
Yes, I said inventions in the title. I really enjoy any game that allows you to 'feel' what you are doing. Goldeneye used to 'feel' so real as I defeated ALL opponents (challenge me, I dare you...). So did MarioKart (ancient and old) and the Mario gaming experiences. However, nothing made such an impact on the musical minds of a generation the way Guitar Hero and RockBand have done and are doing. These games are, for lack of a better word, AMAZING. Even with their flaws! It is unreal...seriously. Now I was slightly slow getting into the Guitar Hero scene (after Guitar Hero II was released...or right as it was released) and even later on RockBand (first played it last August), but the games are epic. Great multiplayer battles, cooperative rocking, and maniacal guitar solos (I'm looking at you, Freebird!). RockBand (and now Guitar Hero World Tour) allow you to feel like you and your friends are amazing rock gurus that own their instruments like none other.
Think about this, kids today will have an opportunity to learn songs and appreciate music they would have probably NEVER heard. Even kids who only listen to rap music and hip hop have started to come to the rock n roll side of things. I personally think that these are excellent games that will prove to be era defining works of art (think Madden or Pong). Seriously. Laugh if you want, but the future of gaming is gathering a group of friends and playing RockBand for 12+ hours (I've done it...and we were the greatest ever!). It used to be first person shooters (and to some extent still is), but everyone wants to be a Rock god.
Chris Brown...c'mon
This item was taken from Theo's Mind.
Listen Ike, don't hit Tina!!!! I know women can make you mad and do shit to you that will make a grown man lose his mind, but there is never a reason for violence. Chris Brown, you are almost 6'4" and Rihanna (age 20) is approx. 5'4", why are you hitting her? You can't handle the situation like a man (maybe not, since you are only 19)? Are you stuck in childhood fantasy land?
If you haven't read the reports, then check this out. The generic version is that they came from a party on Saturday night and had an argument in the vehicle. Brown stopped the vehicle and the argument escalated (outside the vehicle) to physical confrontation. I don't know about you, but no man should put his hands on a woman. C'mon. You are better than that...aren't you?
Hopefully the allegations are false, but Rihanna was taken to the hospital due to the incident and neither performed at the Grammy's. It's kinda sad when you think about it. Somebody needs to start raising these young men properly. Respect women and keep your hands off.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Etta James vs. Beyonce
Etta James is taking on Beyonce. She is pretty upset (at least from the audio). I can't say that I blame her. I mean, if you are President Obama, shouldn't you get the original Etta James to sing for your first dance? The Beyonce version just came out and y'all (President and First Lady) grew up with the older version (and better version). Etta James may be mad that she wasn't consulted with the Beyonce pick to play her in Cadillac Records (although many didn't know she was still performing...or alive for that matter). "At Last" is a great song. I think I am still partial to the Etta James version, rather than the new Beyonce version (remember that recording technology has come a long way...). I actually have a better Etta James version of the song, but I couldn't find it online and I am too lazy to upload it...
Here's what I want to know. What do you think of her comments? Is Etta wrong for how she said what she said? Should Obama have gotten Etta to sing at his first dance with the First Lady? Should Beyonce have done something differently? I have no idea, but I like the feud...old black woman always speak their minds (which is a great thing).
Here's what I want to know. What do you think of her comments? Is Etta wrong for how she said what she said? Should Obama have gotten Etta to sing at his first dance with the First Lady? Should Beyonce have done something differently? I have no idea, but I like the feud...old black woman always speak their minds (which is a great thing).
Better late then never: My review and thoughts on Notorious
It has been more then 10 years since Christopher Wallace was murdered in Los Angeles on a trip he should have never made in a vehicle he never should have been riding in. I saw the movie Notorious last night, and I really enjoyed it. The casting was very well done, with the actress (beautiful!!) who played Faith (Antonique Smith) and the actor who played Biggie (Jamal "Gravy" Woolard) stealing the show as far as I am concerned. The director (George Tillman, Jr.) made sure that everything was accurate to the time of the mid to late 90's (except the one mistake he made when they are buying cars, don't think that model of Benz was available yet.) I really was interested to see if it was going to be a "ghetto" movie or whether I should take it serious, and I must see, Fox was very serious about this movie. The cinematography and quality of film is very good, and from what I have read it had the biggest budget of any independent Fox Searchlight picture yet. The movie goes from him being a little boy all the way to his untimely death in Los Angeles. You already probably know his biography so I will just say that it is a movie definitely worth your time. They used his music to help tell the story of his life, and also shared a few stories and things you may not have known. While it would have been better for them to include the back story of Charli Baltimore coming in and making it a love quadrangle between BIG, Faith, Kim and Charli, there was already enough drama so I guess that was ok. I also would have enjoyed them showing more of the making of both his albums in the studio, a visit to Hot 97, just more hip hop stuff from the 90's.After watching the movie the thoughts that has run through my head repeatedly are as follows:
1) Why on earth didn't Puff have more security at the venue?
2) And if not more security, why did they leave through the front of the venue walking through a crowd?!
3) Why wasn't the vehicle armored?
4) WHY WERE THEY IN LOS ANGELES TO BEGIN WITH?!
The West Coast was still grieving the loss of their biggest artist (even though Pac was from Baltimore). It looks even more stupid in retrospect that Bad Boy would take a trip out there to promote the record, especially with them still receiving a ton of death threats. So yes, this gets 4.0/5 ticket purchase approvals from me (TPA from here on out) due to Fox and the cast treating the story seriously, putting resources into it, and having as much fact as they could fit comfortably into 2 hours. Wish they had portrayed him and Jay-z meeting and being friends,though. I also was happy they let the real Ms. Wallace speak, as well.
Jay-z freestyle (annotated for your education, LOL) Dude is NICE.
I been crushin the building since Izod socks
I'm so independent sh.. i might buy Koch
I might not stop
Places to cop, 76 floors you can call me the Doc
Inspired by Boesky, got my chariots of fire
Everybody took shots, hit my body up, I'm tired
Build me up break me down to build me up again
They like "Hov we need you back so we can kill ya a** again"
Hov got flow, though he's no Big and Pac, but he's close
How I'm 'posed to win? They got me fighting ghosts...
Same sword the knight you they gon' good night you with
Sh.., Thats only half if they like you
That aint even the half what they might do
Dont believe me ask Michael
See Martin, see Malcolm
You See Biggie, see Pac, see success and its outcome
See Jesus, see Judas, see Caesar, see Brutus
See success is like suicide
Suicide is a suicide
If you succeed, prepare to be crucified
Media meddles, ni..as sue you, you settle
Every step you take, they remind you, you ghetto
So its tough being Bobby Brown
To be Bobby then, you gotta be Bobby now
Now the question is, "Is to have had and lost
Better than not having at [all]?"
Everybody wanna be the King then shots ring
You layin on your balcony with holes in your dream
Or you Malcolm X'd out, get distracted by screams
Everybody get your hand off my jeans!
Everybody look at you strange say you changed
Uhh! Like you work that hard to stay the same
Uhh! Game stays the same the name changes
So its best for those to not overdose on being famous
Most kings get driven so insane
That they try to hit the same vein that Kurt Cobain did
??No dangers, so shameless??
Invited to the inner sanctum of yo chambers
??Low chained em as the enemies approach??
So raise ya draw bridge and drown em in the moat
And the Spirit I'm evokin
**Mumbles ** Hold on...
Everybody screamin they want the old Hov
But the new improved Hov hit like Albert Pujols
Everybody wanna hear me talk that money like Phil Rizzuto
But my mind is on Pluto
Bills that I do fold, i now invest on
Tryna find some loopholes in the IRS
As where I used to have a few h*** I am just
Concentrating on makin a new Hov through sex
I've awaken just in time to school those putos
Tryna follow in my shoes with jewels froze
Better adhere to this text 'fore you go
Broke, spendin more than you've accrued on silly baguettes
I know silly begets, silly you'll learn on your own
At least my conscience is clear, I'm no longer steering you wrong
Aint nothing wrong with baguettes after you get a home
Take care of your home, you can go back and **Ugh!**
I'm getting courted by the bosses,
The Edgars And Doug Morris-es-es
Jimmy I's and Lyors-es its
Gotta be more than the choruses
They respecting my mind now
Just a matter of time now
Operation: Takeover Corporate
Makeover offices-es-es then takeover all of it
Please may these words be recorded
To serve as testimony that i saw it all before it
Came to fruition, sort of a premonition
Uncontrollable, hustler's ambition
Alias, SUPERSTITION, like Stevie
THE WRITINGS ON THE WALL, like my lady, right BB
Saw it all before some of yall thought I was crazy maybe
Like a fox I'm cagey, Ah Ah!
The more successful, the more stressful
The more and more I transform to Gordan Gekko
In the race to a billion got my face to the ceiling
Got my knees on the floor please Lord forgive him
Has he lost his religion, is the greed gon' get him?
He's having heaven on earth, will his wings still fit him?
I got the Forbes on my living room floor
And I'm still talkin to the poor, ni..a I want more
TIME's most influential, was impressive
'Specially since, I wasnt in the artist section
Had me with the builders and the titans
Had me right with Rupert Murdoch
Billionaire Boys and some dudes you never heard of
Word up on Madison Ave, is I'm a Cash cow
Word down on Wall Street homie, you get the cash out
IPO Hov no need for reverse merger
The boy money talk no need to converse further
The baby blue Maybach like I own Gerber
Boardroom I'm liftin ya skirt up
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Better Late Than Never: Wall-E
Pixar is amazing. In the words of one of my good friends, the people at Pixar are geniuses. We meet our friend Wall-E in the beginning of the film (he is one of the last of his kind and is cleaning the Earth, all humans live on a space cruise ship) doing what he does best, make garbage cubes. He has a roach buddy to keep him company (SPOILER, the roach can't die...it gets kinda ridiculous and funny) and his old school romance movies and songs. Earth is definitely a garbage dump (thanks to Buy N Large, or Wal-mart...) and incapable of supporting life (or so we think). Wall-E can't speak (well, can't speak well) and has tons of little gimmicks and hilarious traits. Without giving away too much, Wall-E meets Eve and falls head over heels. Eve is on a mission ('directive!'), but gives Wall-E some attention (a little too much at times). Eve obtains her objective and goes into sleep mode to wait for her ship. Wall-E takes sleep Eve on dates and performs acts of chivalry.
Eventually Wall-E stows away on the ship that is taking Eve back to the main cruise ship with all the humans. These humans are not your normal human beings. They are fat, dumb, and boneless (almost anyway). Anyway, hilarity and 'robot romance' ensues and you begin to feel for the robots as living creatures. I couldn't believe how good this movie turned out to be. It was great. And Wall-E is the MAN! If you have kids, let them watch it. If you are an adult that is single, watch it. If you have no interest in kid's films, watch it. Everyone should watch this movie. EVERYONE should watch this movie. EVERYONE should watch THIS movie!
Eventually Wall-E stows away on the ship that is taking Eve back to the main cruise ship with all the humans. These humans are not your normal human beings. They are fat, dumb, and boneless (almost anyway). Anyway, hilarity and 'robot romance' ensues and you begin to feel for the robots as living creatures. I couldn't believe how good this movie turned out to be. It was great. And Wall-E is the MAN! If you have kids, let them watch it. If you are an adult that is single, watch it. If you have no interest in kid's films, watch it. Everyone should watch this movie. EVERYONE should watch this movie. EVERYONE should watch THIS movie!
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