THROWBACK Video: Caught Up - Ja Rule feat. Lloyd

Man Ja Rule has some joints I don't care what Fiddy said!


I'm not gonna front, I been a big Lloyd fan from the gate. Go ahead, make your jokes, lol.

Rear-Ended on Mother's Day

This is probably stupid to do but since I wasn't at fault and this is all truth, I am gonna do it anyway.

Sunday (Mother's Day) started off pretty good. I got up early (for me) around 10 or 11am and called my mom to wish her a Happy Mother's Day. Then I proceeded to do some work around the house, cleaning up my dining room, back yard, etc. Normal weekend stuff. Then I decided that before I washed my car I'd go to the grocery store to pick up some food for later that evening.

I hop in my car and make my way to the grocery store. About a mile or so away, I stop at a red light behind a line of cars (maybe about 10 in front of me). The line of cars was abnormally long for this light which made me wonder why that was the case. So while waiting for the light to turn green I look in my rear-view mirror and I see a car coming towards me and then I hear brakes screaching.

All I could do was brace for the impact.

The car hit me at what I assume was about 20-30 mph max. I'm glad I saw it coming because I was able to brace myself using the steering wheel and fortunately my airbag didn't deploy. After being hit, I shook my head like "this motherfucker" (sorry mom) and immediately grabbed the pen in my center console to start writing this person's information down. I also called 911 and reported the accident as well.

The woman that hit me was older (maybe 50s or 60s and she came up to my car and asked if I was ok. I told her I think so. She then nicely said that we should move our cars out of the road and exchange information to which I agreed. So we pulled over and start exchanging information and eventually a police officer shows up. The police officer comes and tells us to make sure we get each others, insurance information, license plate numbers, etc. I ask if he's going to write a report and he says that Baltimore City Police don't write reports unless the witness the accident. Whatever. He asks us both if we're ok and she says she's going to go to the doctor because she doesn't feel well and I said my back is a little sore but I'm not going to the doctor unless I feel worse tomorrow morning.

He then gives us his card for reference if we need it. At this point the woman that hit me says: "Thank you for being so nice about all this." To which I responded, "It's a nice day out, it's mother's day, no need to be mean it's just a car! Happy Mother's Day by the way." BUT, what I was really thinking was, "Man I don't want to be nice to this lady, I'm pissed that the rear of my car is smashed in. But let me be nice here because it's no need for me to be an a-hole. She was at fault, my car will eventually get fixed, no need to be the young, black a-hole. It's Mother's Day and she's probably a mom, wish her the best and let things play out."

Moral of the story here is that everything happens for a reason and sometimes God tests us. I felt like I was tested in that circumstance to see if I was gonna revert to my high school niggorant days and tee-off on this woman. But I knew I was too mature (not meant to say old, lol) and too respectful for that, even if I wanted to be a little (or a lot) mean. Thank God for being there. Some of you may need to read that last sentence again, lol.

Some pictures below...

Gods'Illa feat. Maimouna Youssef - You Don't Have to Be a Star (@godsilla)

I tried to tell ya'll...


"Dope beats, dope rhymes, what more do ya'll want?"

If you like hip-hop, get familiar with Gods'illa.

Video: Wale & Meek Mill - 100 Hunnit

Maybach Music Group's young gunz show why the got signed...



I liked this joint off first listen (read: before I saw the video) and think it could definitely be a club banger (not sure if it is already, ain't been to a club in a minute). I've been a Wale fan and just really started appreciating what Meek can do (dude is niiiiice). These cats have some potential and being a part of Ross's label right now is probably gonna help them with more widespread exposure which is a good look for them both (anybody seen Pill). Wale's "Attention Deficit album was pretty good work for a first-time release and his mixtapes are in my opinion some of the best mixtape releases over the last few years, especially the "Mixtape About Nothing".

Sidebar: Having signed Wale, Meek, Pill, Stalley, and Teedra Moses (not to mention his Triple C "bredren"), Ross looks like he's stacking up some good lyrical talent, a female and male singer for the hooks (Masspike & Teedra), and a manager with all the right connections (Diddy)...Potential, potential, potential...

Video: 4 A.M. - Wale feat. Black Cobain

When I first heard this track I actually thought the first verse was Wale. They both sound similar. I'm not sure whose verse I like better but overall I think this is a pretty good track. Also, I wonder if being affiliated with Rick Ross is getting Wale access to these types of beats because this definitely sounds like something Rick Ross would rap over. Wale and Black Cobain hold the beat down though.


"God bless you unless you is disrespectful"

Re-visited: Big K.R.I.T. - The Vent

K.R.I.T. = King Remembered In Time

I did a post on "The Vent" Monday but I had to revisit this joint. The first time I heard this song it resonated with me. Then, I heard it live and it resonated with me even more. Now, just about every time I listen to it, I get chills. That might sound a little funny but the fact that it gives me chills exemplifies one of K.R.I.T.'s lines from the song: "If it don't touch my soul, I can't listen to it". Not sure what it is but something about a few of his lines in this track along with the beat really do it for me. Some of the lines I'm talking about are listed below

In the midst of all the glamour hope you find God

If it don't touch my soul, I can't listen to it.

Too much shine can dull the soul.

I saw love in the eyes of a perfect stranger. She overlooked what's in my heart in search of a gangsta

Trade my materials for a peace of mind

Who cares about life and its highs and lows, I guess I should write another rhyme about pimps and hoes

Tryna take heed what I say in my songs, forgive me if I ever ever steered you wrong

Radio don't play the shyt I used to love, or maybe I'm just growing up

Shot out to Rashard Mendenhall

Aside from the second "r" in his first name (I'm used to "Rashad", oh well), I didn't pay much attention to Mr. Mendenhall unless it was fantasy football related or "they playin' the Ravens this weekend" related. Just for the record, I'm a Redskins fan (go ahead, laugh it's cool) living in Baltimore. For that reason, I follow both teams. Back to my point though...

Now, after the media has made a big deal about Mendenhall's Twitter comments (see video below) regarding Osama and 9/11, I gotta say I have a little bit more respect for him. It's not that I agree with everything he's saying but I respect that he's unafraid to speak up and say how he feels and stand on one side of the fence whether he's perceived as wrong or right. Much respect to him for that. And I also give him props for backing up Adrian Peterson and his comments that football players are modern-day slaves. I'm not saying I agree with those exact words when not spoken in the proper context but it's NOT unchartered territory for someone to compare the two.

As for the comments Rashard made...


"What kind of person celebrates death?" This is a question we'll all have to at least ponder for a second after Osama bin Laden's death. If you're not thinking about this right now you're either under a rock or so morally and ethically disconnected that there's probably no helping you anyway. And yes, it's an accurate statement to make that it's "amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak." I'm sure some would argue that we've technically heard Osama speak via those viral (ha) videos he used to drop like mixtapes, but that's beside the point. The point here is that we can hate hate hate all we want and judge Osama for his actions (or alleged actions, depending on the instance and how you feel) but in the end, God is his ultimate judge. And with that in mind he deserves the same respect in death that any other human being does.

I repeat, Osama bin Laden deserves the same respect in death that any other human being does.

By no means am I condoning anything he did during his life that hurt people and their loved ones. And by no means am I saying that he wasn't a threat and danger to me, my family, and everyone else's family.

BUT....

If the shoe were on the other foot and your cuzzin Spook/Tiny/Nuke/Tim-Tim/or-whoever (trust me, everybody got that one cousin) that sold drugs, shot people, and perhaps killed a person or two and you knew he just wasn't a "good" person per se...

You still would not want the picture(s) of him in death with his body riddled with bullets plastered all over television and the Interweb. I took issue to how the U.S. handled the Saddam Hussein death sentence and I will probably have a similar issue in this case but it seems like Obama's going the way of NOT showing the pictures of a dead Osama. Kudos to our President for seemingly having some respect for Osama or at the least some perspective on this situation.

Because most of us only know what the media tells us about Osama I think it makes it easier for some to rejoice in his death. There's no real human connection there for you to feel like you're doing something that may not be quite right. All we know is what we're told. Even if all of it is true, can't we just accept the fact that he's dead, say a prayer for our lost ones and let them know how much we still love them, and MOVE ON feeling like there's one less terrorist (out of many still left) to worry about?

Like I said in my last post about this topic, this is not going to be the end of terrorism and we all know that, even those out there celebrating. This is an exhale moment. Exhale and be relieved on a small level. But in the big picture, what are we rejoicing about? This is like LeBron and D. Wade having a parade after beating the 76ers in the first round! You would be like, "Get-da-fugg-outta-here! You still gotta get past Boston, not to mention Chicago and probably the Lakers." I make that comparison to say, the war ain't over yet, we just beat a team in the early rounds that it took us (literally) years to outsmart, catch up to, and ultimately take them out. There are more fish to fry.

Support the Pratt Library's Summer Reading Program for Kids!!!

Support the education of the children of Baltimore by sponsoring a child for the Enoch Pratt Free Library's Summer Reading Program.

As a member of the Pratt Contemporaries (you should join too), I'm encouraging you all to help the Pratt Contemporaries reach our goal of sponsoring 200 children for this summer. Sponsoring a child for the summer costs $60/child but you can make a contribution of less than $60 by visiting the sponsorship form, selecting "0" from the "No. of children you support" pull-down, and adding whatever amount you'd like to donate in the field next to "I would like to make an additional donation to the Summer Programs at Pratt."

"Last year more than 38,000 children and teens participated in Pratt's summer programs, with more than 16,000 children enrolled in the incentive-based Summer Reading Program, reading over 220,000 books! We know that children may experience a loss of academic skills in July and August, often referred to as "summer slide." This loss is nearly impossible to make up, compounds over time, and particularly impacts children in underserved communities.... Please sponsor one or more children and help reduce summer slide!" - Enoch Pratt Library website

Translation: There were a ton of kids that benefited from this program last year and it would not happen without the help of generous people like you that want to see the children of Baltimore City (and probably every other city) succeed. Help a child keep his/her reading skills improving throughout the summer by sponsoring a child or donating to this program. Otherwise, prepare yourself for the doom of a summer filled with kids running the streets like raging maniacs fueled by sugar, soda, and anger over no E.B. White, Beatrix Potter, or Ruth Krauss books to read. You wouldn't want THAT, now would you?

I know, enough said.

To sponsor a child, click here.

Why I Can't Rejoice over Osama's Death

With news last night of Osama Bin Laden being killed I couldn't help but notice just how happy people seemed to be about it. Happy enough to go to the White House and sing the National Anthem. Happy as if another man's death is something to rejoice about. I'm aware of the history of terroristic acts, the bombings, etc. but something inside me won't allow me to be as happy about all this as people seem to be. The only thing that I feel a little positive about is the symbolism of his death. The death of Osama is not going to bring back all the people that died during the 9/11 attacks or any other attacks that he was involved in. I won't for a second act as if I can understand the pain of someone that lost a loved one during any of those attacks. The level of tragedy and the magnitude of those attacks can never be over-stated. But I wonder how many of those rejoicing were those who lost loved ones in attacks by Bin Laden and out of those, how they'll feel tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year. Because no matter how much "happiness" you felt last night, the people we all lost during those attacks will not be brought back because Bin Laden is dead. I guess justice was served but at the same time, what will happen next?

Learning of his death and listening to our President's remarks made me think of the movie, The Kingdom. First off, it's a great film. Second, the film is about terrorism in the middle east. But one of the most poignant moments/scenes in the film is when an older middle eastern man forces a young child (presumably his son or grandson) to watch a bombing of innocent people that the older man apparently coordinated. At the end of the film, this same older man (identified as a terrorist) was killed by American Special Forces but there was a cut-away to the son/grandson from the scene prior that showed the vigor and desire in his eyes to carry-on what his father/grandfather had forced him to watch. The pain and anguish he felt because his father/grandfather was killed only served to light a fire inside him to carry-on what he was taught. I was left thinking, "now that kid is going to want to continue the terroristic acts the older gentleman forced him to watch." And I think that's what we're dealing with when we talk about Bin Laden's death. The 48 Laws Of Power (specifically, the 42nd) do not apply. There will be some sheep that scatter but the death of the shepherd will serve to invigorate others that agree with his (Osama's) thinking and principles.

This is one of the main reasons that I can't be happy about Osama's death. Regardless of whether the body is shown on TV or he was executed for the world to see like Saddam Hussein or we never see the body at all, he will be a martyr to many. And the thought of that should be scary enough for the same people rejoicing over his death to think twice about just how happy we should all be.

The one thing I did take away from this as positive is the symbolism in the U.S. and other forces taking 10 years of determined work to find him. It will show others who aspire to perform the type of terroristic acts that they will be pursued relentlessly and with great resolve even if it takes years. Problem is, when one is unafraid to die for what they believe in, how can you truly have any power over them?

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

I think this might be my favorite BIG K.R.I.T. song next to this one.

Live footage of "The Vent" from K.R.I.T.'s show in D.C.: