Amid all the Baby Hype, Here's a Reminder That Beyonce Probably Just Made $5 Million

Well, as long as the baby's born she'll make 5 million.

For those of you that forgot about the pre-nup Jay-Z and Beyonce signed, here's some of the most notable items:

• Jay-Z pays Beyonce $10 million if the marriage ends after two years, and $1 million a year for each further year she remains in the marriage, up to fifteen years.
• He promised to pay her an additional $5 million for each child she bears for him-for her loss of income during pregnancy and child-rearing years.
• Beyonce would be granted access to their private jet and a fleet of cars, which includes a $1 million 1959 Rolls Royce convertible

(Source: ATLNightspots.com)

Of course there's probably other minutiae in there we will never know about (and shouldn't, they should have some privacy) but with Beyonce's announcement on Sunday that she's pregnant, I'd just like to point out that not only is she pregnant but $5 million dollars richer. For a woman that wants to have kids, that's a hell of a deal.

Congrats to Jay-Z and Beyonce on the baby and I can't wait to hear the estimates of how much these magazines will offer them for the first pictures of the baby. I'm sure those numbers will be astronomical.

Sidebar: This makes that "you got baby money" line that Jay threw at Birdman just a little more hilarious. Baby doesn't have a billie but he might have $5 million ("baby money"). And "ni99as ain't got my lady money" is even funnier when you think that Beyonce is gonna make $5 million when the baby's born and it's $5 million from Jay himself. More on that little "tiff" (lol) between Jay, Birdman, and Lil Wayne here....

5 Reasons why Jay-Z Should & Should Not Respond to Lil Wayne

Welllllll, I guess we won't be seeing this anytime soon, lol

When Wayne's latest album (The Carter IV) leaked, it was quickly plastered all over the InterWeb that Wayne took a shot at Jay-Z on the song, "It's Good" (which is one of my favorite songs on the album). In the song, Wayne responded to a jab that Jay-Z took on "H.A.M." about Baby (wayne's "Daddy"/boss, smh) not having a billion dollars and rappers in general not having the money that Beyonce's has. On that song, Wayne responded by saying:

"Talk about baby money, I got your baby money.
Kidnap your b!tch keep that that how much you love your lady money
I know you fake nigga, press your brakes nigga.
I’ll take you out, that’s a date nigga.
I’m a grown ass blood, stop playing with me."

So apparently, Wayne is so upset that he's considering kidnapping Beyonce. Negro please! Fake threats aside, I took some time to consider why Jay-Z would respond to this diss and why he wouldn't. My thoughts are below.

5 Reasons Why He SHOULD NOT:

This is the easy part, lol.

Five: The Carter IV doesn't need any more free promotion

The Carter IV isn't all that (to me). About 5-7 good songs on there but it doesn't really need any more free promotion, especially not from someone whose opinion tends to mean a lot to the hip-hop fanbase.

Four: Watch the Throne is better than the Carter IV

If we let the works of music speak for themselves and ask the rappers to stop dissin, Watch the Throne impresses more than the Carter IV. No need for Jay to respond (though I assume he will on his own time via a song, probably on the next solo release much like he did to Beanie Sigel on "Why I Love You" off Watch the Throne) when his most recent release is the better of the two.

Three: Like my boy Laf said, when you take shots at someone that's really your idol (re: GAME), it shouldn't count

When it boils down to it all these young, talented, and confident rappers want to be like Jay-Z. Whether it's the fame, the money, the lady he has, or just plain ole' success at your craft, these younger rappers would be stupid not to want to be like Jay-Z in one of those ways. It's not a secret that Wayne looked-up to Jay-Z and so much so that he worked with Jay-Z on the Carter III. So taking shots at the throne might not mean much when you presumably had to convince him to do a song with you on your last album, lol.

Two: Wayne is a good rapper

Lil Wayne is not shabby by any means on the mic. Jay-Z would have reason to be a little nervous about battling Wayne. Not nervous like it's Eminem or anything but yet-and-still, just a little nervous. Wayne's proven that he's very adept at dropping solid punchlines and coming up with various other types of slick lyrics. I'm sure he'd rise to the challenge of Jay-Z and step his game up. He's got a lot more to gain from a battle than Jay-Z does. Which leads me to my number one reason...

One: For Jay, there's more risk than reward

There's a lot of risk involved here for Jay-Z. Fans have been wanting this for a minute now and I'm sure Jay-Z is aware of that. He's also smart enough to know that if he battles Wayne and is perceived to have lost, it will hurt him MUCH MORE than it would hurt Wayne if he lost. Besides, even if Jay-Z "wins" (winning/losing seems blurry sometimes), Wayne's gonna have his stans in tow regardless. So why take the risk of a "battle" if you're Jay. Respond once on your own terms and time and leave it there. Jay-Z is NOT gonna respond now and boost Wayne's album sales.

Honorable Mention: Beyonce is pregnant

Who cares about Lil Wayne when your wife is pregnant with your first child? Seriously.

5 Reasons Why He SHOULD:

Five: Because hip-hop is about competition and Jay-Z is supposed to be the best

With being the best and proclaiming the throne comes shots from any-and-everywhere and you've gotta defend the crown. On a basic level, Jay should want to defend himself. But we all know Jay-Z is more strategic than reactionary so he'll probably play chess and not checkers.

Four: This is what hip-hop needs

Jay-Z likes to talk about how hip-hop needs "events" yada-yada-yada. Watch the Throne was an "event" in a sense and this would be an even bigger event I would imagine. Wayne vs Jay-Z or Jay-Z vs Wayne, people, fans, and stans (on both sides) would love to see it. It'd be the most anticipated generational hip-hop battle since Nelly vs KRS-ONE (ha!)

Three: Didn't Jay-Z give Wayne the throne on the Carter III?

Last time I checked, on the Carter III, Jay gave Wayne a HUGE big-up when he said:

I'm right here in my chair (my chair)/With my crown and my dear
Queen B as I share mic time/With my heir/
Young Carter

If I were Jay-Z I might feel like Wayne is being just a little bit disrespectful now by throwing a shot his way.

Two: Jay-Z was right!!!

Wayne's upset because Jay dissed baby with the "you got Baby" money line and said that other rappers don't have his lady's money. Well, he's right lol. Baby doesn't NOT have a "billie" and most rappers don't even have HALF of Beyonce's money, lol. Not that it really matters at all but it's true. Wayne and Baby can probably compete with Beyonce more than other rappers and more than Jay would admit but still, the line is probably more true than false. And for the biggest reason Jay-Z should respond I give you this...

One: This!!!!!!!!!

The worst part about this picture in my opinion is that Wayne turned his head to the side. That's the most gay part about this whole thing. And from last night's MTV VMAs... Wayne's getting really colorful and eccentric with the wardrobe I see.

Video: Big K.R.I.T. - The Vent

Finally, a video for my favorite song off KRIT's Returnof4va.

"Sent my mind on a journey to the outermost/To document what it had seen and CC me the notes"

More Big K.R.I.T. from this blog.

Me, Myself, & Irene

Earlier this week the east coast got an earthquake. This weekend, it looks like we're going to get a dose of the outer bands of Hurricane Irene. Is this natural disaster week or something?

On a more serious note, it's crazy how today is such a beautiful day and tomorrow the eastern part of Maryland could look like God took the earth and juggled it with a couple other planets. It's amazing to me sometimes how it takes an earthquake, or a crazy storm, or some sort of natural disaster for us to realize how small we really are as people in terms of what naturally takes place in the world. I guess when there's something bad that happens that we as humans can have no control over we have no choice but to realize just how we're a part of something much bigger and stronger than us.

With all that said, I'd like to suggest that everyone add this song to their playlist for the weekend. It's only right...


"Hurricane, but you can call me slurricane/Slurricane, strong enough to start an engine maaaaaayne!"

My Prediction for the Redskins 2011-2012 Season

I'm a Redskins fan. Every year over-zealous and unrealistic Redskins fans make me look bad because they start talking like we are going to the Superbowl. We ain't! (yes, we "ain't").

Let's be real, we're rebuilding and we'll be lucky to go 8-8 or 9-6 with our team, schedule, and penchant for effing the eff up at the most inopportune times. My hope is that this year will be an improvement upon the last. At this point all I'd like to see is competitiveness and some progression as a team. Let's shoot for the playoffs and play our butts off to get there. Even if we don't, maybe it'll help build some momentum for next year for a real playoff run after we've gotten some more "pieces" that'll help us.

The Redskins play in the toughest division in football (no, it's not the AFC North or AFC East or NFC North) so even though I'm a die-hard fan, I also try to be realistic in what I think we can do and I take the actual ROSTER AND SCHEDULE into consideration. Like I've been saying about the Eagles, you might look good or bad on paper but the games still have to be played so we could do a lot better than I think and the Eagles could do a lot worse than people think. It's a long season with injuries, roster changes, and teams growing together. Anything can happen.

With all that said, I was going to wait to give my Redskins season predictions this year but now that we've won two PRE-SEASON games I feel like I need to head some of the crazies off at the pass to show that there's at least one of us left that's sane.

Week 1: Giants = Loss.

Didn't we get pulverized by the Giants in the opener a couple years back? Or was that last year? Or was that the time Brandon Jacobs run into, over, and stepped-on Laron Landry's chest (never trust a safety with a piercing in his lower-lip by the way). Eli ain't that good but he's probably slightly somewhat maybe a helluva lot better than John Beck and/or Rex Grossman.

Week 2: Arizona - Win

Kevin Kolb will probably have a solid game against us and I expect Larry Fitzgerald to score a couple times but I think we will win this one. Since way back in the day when the Cardinals were in the NFC East they were the one team we could always find a way to beat no matter how badly we tried to give the game away. Then again, haven't they beaten us at least once in the past couple years? Note to self: Don't bet on this game.

Week 3: @ Dallas (Monday Night) - Loss

Do you remember what happened to us the last time we played on Monday Night? Sheesh! If you don't, let me remind you --> "Michael Vick throws for 333 yards and 4 TDs in the Eagles 59-28 victory vs. the Redskins."

Week 4: @ St. Louis - Loss

This is one of those games we should win and should have won last year (if I recall correctly) but naturally, we didn't win then and we won't win this one. Swap out St. Louis for Detroit and it'd be the same scenario.

BYE WEEK 5 ----> W-I-N!

I'm just saying.

Week 6: Philly - Loss

Really? We're going to beat Philadelphia at this point in the season when they'll probably be just clicking on all cylinders? Unless there are some injuries going on or their entire team has mono this is a loss.

Week 7: @ Carolina - Win

I fully expect Cam Newton to look like the Mike Vick from Atlanta against us in this game. The good part is that Mike Vick used to lose a pretty good amount of the time when in Atlanta.

Week 8: @ Buffalo - Win

If we lose this game I might stop watching until the Miami game, I swear fo' lawd.

Week 9: 49ers - Win

There is no way an Alex Smith QB'd team should beat us. No way. Not when they have to travel across the country to play us at home. This is a team we *should* be able to beat. And if we can't beat 'em we can just call in some Raiders fans to beat 'em, literally.

Week 10: @ Miami - Win

Chad Henne, that is all. I do not care about Brandon Marshall or Reggie Bush. Chad Henne friends, Chad Henne.

Week 11: Dallas - Win

Only because we have to beat them at least once and this one is at home. FedEx field will be jumpin' and they guys will get pumped for a home game against our biggest rival.

Week 12: @ Seattle - Loss

This is a team we just can't win against (especially if it's in the playoffs). The sad part is we used to get beat by Matt Hasselback (which is still kinda sad) but now it'll be TARvaris Jackson. I expect a Leon Washington 108 yard kickoff return for a touchdown in this game.

Week 13: Jets - Loss

Let's not play ourselves here Redskins fans. How are we gonna score unless it's on a punt return? Go ahead, I'll wait.

Week 14: Patriots - Loss

I won't even waste my time trying to give a reason why. If you don't know, go ask somebody.

Week 15: @ Giants - Win

Because every year the Giants limp into the playoffs or play themselves right out of the playoffs.

Week 16: Vikings - Loss

If the Vikings can play defense and Donovan actually shows up they might be fighting for the last playoff spot in this game. Who is gonna stop Purple Jesus? The Redskins vaunted run defense? Ummm yeah, no.

Week 17: @ Philly - Win

You didn't think I was gonna have them beating us twice did you? Well, maybe if we played them for a second time prior to the season's final game. By all accounts and on paper you'd expect them to be resting for a playoff run so we'll get the win that way. But I'll bet that Andy Reid plays a couple of those studs if home-field advantage is on the line and just because he sometimes has a tendency to be an idiot. Also, Vince "V-Y" Young is their back-up. And unless there's a Kenny Britt in the back-of-the-end-zone situation, Vince probably won't come through in the clutch (where's Byron Leftwich when you need a solid black backup QB that's a sitting duck in the pocket by the way). But either way and no matter the playoff picture, I think we'll win this game. The way we play in this game will be a good indicator of what the team will play like the following year.

With all that said, I expect us to go a respectable 8 and 8 this year. In our division and with our current rebuilding status, that would be half-decent. But again, the games have to be played so we'll see what happens. And no matter how much we suck each week or how well we play I'll still be singin' Hail to the Redskins every time we score and cursing at the screen whenever one of our corners gets burned for a touchdown.

The plight of a Redskins fan, I tell ya!

From what I'm told, there was an Earthquake on the East Coast yesterday

I say that sarcastically because well, I didn't actually feel the thing! They evacuated my office. People were standing outside shaken-up and shocked a bit. They said my floor (the 6th) was shaking and someone yelled out for everyone to get out of the building after the shaking stopped. But me, I was busy lolly-gagging my way back from lunch with one of my co-workers and he and I were evidently walking up the street as this earthquake was taking place, AND DIDN'T FEEL A THING!

I feel short-changed in a sense, lol. Maybe this is selfish and silly but I could have scratched "survive an earthquake" off my bucket list. I've already walked to work through a hurricane by mistake (I was a freshman in college, don't ask) so that's one down. Next up would have been an earthquake and a monsoon (tsunami is NOT on the list). I survived TWO (east coast) blizzards in my lifetime and those were actually pretty fun. But I missed my opportunity to ride-out an earthquake. I'm glad no one got hurt but I'd have liked to been a part of the thrill ride that shook both of my job's buildings yesterday too, lol.

Sizable earthquakes don't happen in Maryland very often (if at all) and though we don't have to be the epicenter to feel an earthquake, sizable earthquakes don't happen on the east coast that much either.

Naturally, the TwitterNets and Facebook went crazy with people joking about it, people being overly dramatic about it, and some people seemed genuinely worried. From jokes about the "devastation" (as joked about in the picture on the right) to how Will Smith and Jada Pinkett's alleged separation caused the quake to people's sexual prowess causing the earth to shake (the last one being pretty cliché, lol).

Meanwhile, all I could do was laugh (after I found out that my family was actually ok) and feel like I missed out.

Going Off The Grid

A couple days ago my man Lance put up a blogpost about what things people would rather give up than their cellphones. It was an interesting post and I left a comment saying how I'd give up my cell before most of the items listed in his post but whether or not I had to give up my cell versus my computer would be the real tough decision.

Nowadays most of us are tethered to some sort of device. Whether it's an mp3 player/iPod, a computer, a cellphone, a tablet device or iPad, or something else that makes us lazier life easier, we've all got our tech-vices.

Starting tomorrow, I'm giving up one of mine completely, my computer. I sit at a computer all day most work days so many of you see rapid-fire blogposts, tweets, and email responses from me all day. But for the next 5 days, I will be without the InterWeb and the computer. Normally when this happens it's because I'm on a cruise but this time I'll be in St. Thomas for a few days (yeah I know, it sounds so horrible lol).

I think every year we should all take a week or a couple days "off" from technology. Not that long ago we didn't have all this technology integrated into our daily lives and somehow we survived. Somehow, our parents survived. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself when I realized I won't be on the InterNets for the next few days, lol.

THROWBACK! Pebbles - Mercedes Boy

Not sure why but this popped into my head today. I think it's because I had a random childhood memory of riding to school with my mom and I definitely remember this and a bunch of other songs that used to come on the radio. Ahhhhhhh, nostalgia!

P.S. - I have never seen this video before and the dancing guys well... Yeah, I dunno bout that.

Rest In Peace Jarronn

Rest In Peace Homie.