My Top Albums of 2009

I've done this for a couple of years now so i suppose we shall call this annual. I will rundown the 2 rules that i have.

-The albums are selected from what i have personally heard.

-There is no need to argue because my opinion is what i deem to be the total after tax, its nothing else to add.

Shout out to Maxwell by the way.


5. Kid Cudi- Man on The Moon
I have to give this album a large measure of valor for its audacious stance. One of the best things to come out of Kanye's wake is the liberty that some artist are afforded because of him. Cudi makes a contorted hip-hop album that teeters on the line of simply being a harmonius album; tracks such as "Make Her Say" save it from that label. The album is very emotional, but not in a traditional emotional kind of way. Its a journey of the heart and if you have any sympathy or empathy then you will at minimum find it intriguing enough for it too keep your attention. Good songs with good melodies, and if you're open-minded enough to listen to music without checking over your shoulder to see if people are watching then you should enjoy it.



4.Wale- Attention Deficit
What a change-up, although its right down the middle some still cant hit it. An album that holds true to hip-hop values at its core. Its so traditional (as far as hip hop is concerned) that it threw many people for a loop. The thing that puts distance between this album and others though is the wordplay of Wale. There aren't that many artist with lyrics that are so pertinent to everyday life and conversations. A pinch of 'go-go' makes this album very special. The most important part of this album is the issues and real life concepts that Wale tackles on songs like "90210" and "Shades"; handling anorexia and social insecurites. He indeed has the honesty and credibilty to make these songs hit home.

3. Jay-z- Blueprint 3 Alright, what do we expect from a Jay-z album? Alright then. Jay has a flow that most rappers would kill for and he sprinkled that all over the album. The production is always upper-echelon. However the gift and the curse of being Jay is this: he is so far removed from most of his peers and fans due to his incredible business ascension. So at times there is a little bit of feeling missing. But as a upper echelon emcee he has the art of song making down and he's essentially more than a rapper. These days its hard to come across a bad Jay song, let alone album.

2. Clipse- Til the Casket Drops
The return of the duo made a huge splash. One of the weirdest phenomenons in hip-hop is that duos often get glanced over when it comes to emcees. But these two are the perfect compliment to each other (perhaps because they are brothers). There is a whole lot of relatability in this album, when Malice talks its hits home. Their silent 3rd partner for this album, Pharrell plays just as big a role on the production (he did not do all). The Clipse have elevated beyond the drug talk and taken it to another level, a level that most didn't think they would see. Great maturity and growth on the album.


1. Drake- So Far Gone
I don't know how many superlatives to use for this mixtape (its technically not even an album). Musically this tape is head and shoulders above other hip-hop acts. Drake is an artist that posesses dual talents ala Lauryn Hill, you see where im going with this. That alone sets him apart from many. Its very rare...scratch that....you never find an elite emcee that can sing quite well. He understands the concept of making "music" not necessarily traditionally sounding hip-hop, which is something that most emcees don't. Most rappers pigeon hole themselves into making music that sounds a certain way. And with that said he stepped outside the box to make universally great music the same way that Mike Jackson was accepted by all walks of people. Alright we all know he's not Mike, but the idealogy is similar, not the results. But Drake created more than music, he created his own sound. Just listen to some of the piano's he mixing into some of the beats. Who has done a nationwide tour off a mixtape, with enormous anticipation and nice size venues. His efforts dwarfed everything that dropped this year and he gets the #1 slot easily.

Brown & Jackson: A Re-creation

I figured everyone would get a lot of entertainment value out of this. I think C.Brown is probably the best known re-creator of Michael Jackson artistry. Ive always admired the young mans talent in the dance arena. Thanks to silly BET and Jay-z (see previous post) we didn't get to see something like this at the network awards immediately following M.Jackson's death, the timing could have been impeccable for C.Brown.

@Twitter Etiquette

The social network "it-girl" @Twitter has expanded too fast for servers (@Twitter is often down with maintenance) but it has also overwhelmed the general public; so much that people have no etiquette and tact within the micro-blogisphere. There can be no civility in a forum without rules, correct? Today i think establishing some rules are in order.

Twitter by nature is polarizing, with lingo such as "follow" and "unfollow". It already makes everyone take a vain premise by referring to their friends as "followers". And to make @Twitter even more strenuous on personal relationships people use the new social networking behemoth for different reasons and its not always blatantly discernable. Perchance i get on @Twitter to keep up with local professionals/businesses, i may be bombarded with friends (probably associates) asking me why im not following them on @Twitter as they have decided to follow me. Truth is i may not be on there to keep up with friends. But they may be there to simply laugh and chat with friends, thus they would like to laugh with me. Some people treat @Twitter like Facebook and that is a definite folly. For @Twitter the fact that i "know" you doesn't merit a "follow" or what Facebookers would call a "friend request".

Also you cannot take an "unfollow" personally, the person is simply not interested in reading your 'tweets' or 'twits'. This doesn't mean that they no longer like you in real life or they don't respect you; it simply means that they would rather not have you help saturate their timeline. I have to digress for a moment and note that it is very interesting to realize that your friend is someone that you really can't stomach in pure form. Once one has the realization that you and your friend have completely conflicting and dueling ideologies on life. Then there are those that just talk too much via @Twitter. You feel as though you cannot even get an honest glance at the rest of the people you would like to hear from because one omnipresent user is dominating your timeline, usually with emotional updates.

The Golden Rule of @Twitter: You cannot force someone to follow you. It is highly recommended that you follow people simply because you want to follow them, not because you want them to follow you back. This wreaks havoc on the resisting party. As a matter of fact there is a term used by a few lads i know, #twitterrape, which refers to the action of forcing someone to "follow" you.

Remember people, @Twitter is not real life and you will be ok.

P.S. what did we use the "@" symbol for before the Internet?

Somethin About Her

You are really going to have to follow me on this one. I was sitting and thinking about women-as it relates to looks. I have realized that there is no such thing as a "good looking woman", from a mans perspective. What IS available though are women that we perceive will raise our status.

Here's my premise, have you ever heard a guy say "i don't know what it is about her but i like her" about someone who isn't mainstream cute or attractive. Basically its an effort to point out the notion that she isn't what i should like, but indeed I do like her, thus im afraid to blatantly say it. Im concerned with how did we get this way. In a subtle way i think we have learned to be afraid to like what we truly like and that goes for more than just women. A pertinent example would be: If I were to like listen to toads and frogs croak. That would make me weird right.

Now there are some features that us males are attracted to regardless but its usually in sexual nature, but as complete beings there is more to be fulfilled than just sexual desires. But for some reason we consistently neglect the other aspects that need to be tended to as well. Also there are some women that we genuinely enjoy all around but we refrain from making a commitment to them in a monogamous relationship (women do this too). But if we thoroughly enjoy a compatible friend, then what reasons do we have to keep a measure of distance? The inverse of that argument is that we find what are deemed to be "good looking" women and dive into relationships without any regard for how deep the water is. We may barely know the person's last name but she looks good and that settles the bill, we may have very little in common but it doesn't seem to matter. Ive concluded that we do it because we feel like we are gaining something or elevating our perception. Its actually quite weird that this is how we operate.

I don't really have a solution for the proposed perplexing scenario but i would encourage people to engage in relationships that are truly happy and healthy for them. Also this is something interesting to think about as you sit on the 'Sofa.

Renaissance State of Mind

This is an endeavor that im involved with that i am quite proud of. For those that are presently unaware this is "Renaissance State of Mind" by Ro Spit, which is a native spin of Jay's "Empire State of Mind". The quality is phenomenal all the way around. Check it out if you are currently unaware. If you would like to get more familiar with Ro Spit, visit rospit.bandcamp.com or rospit.com

Ice Cream Man

I got wind of this through Hypebeast, and i was caught up in the draft. This is a mobile retailer that has borrowed he idea of "the ice cream man" (not Method Man & Raekwon). But i found it quite interesting and if done right on a consistent basis can be epic. There is a similar high end version of this in The Hamptons.

Parra, an underground star in his hometown of Amsterdam, drafts art with much spice; he frequently does collaborations with Nike and other ingenious brands. Stones Throw is a few things merged down to one lane, but primarily a record company. The two companies, Parra x Stones Throw collaborated with this idea. They drove around the metro Los Angeles area with product and virtually came to the customer.

I think its a solid business idea and can create quite a demand. Initially i thought this could only be wise as a one time gimmick until i gave it more thought. But think about how much zeal the ice cream creates in the neighborhoods when he comes creeping down the street. People lose their mind. With this idea you have the opportunity to create exclusives and you increase the demand because the potential shoppers don't know when or where they are going to see you next. In the current atmosphere of retail and instant availability i think a regressive approach could be refreshing and profitable in the form of money as well as brand equity.

I think its an interesting occurrence to learn from. Im going to try be more forward thinking in my approach these days.

Biking: The new Skateboarding

I stole this from "Skateboard P" who stole this from Vashtie and im sure she stole this from her friend. The dude on the bike is ridiculous! I owned many bikes when i was a young'n and couldn't do half of what this maniac is doing. MY FAVORITE VIDEO of the 2nd half of 09!

Shoe Update: Cyclope x Veja

Its been a while since i've done a shoe update, so here we go. I particularly like these for women; i think its a crafty change from the basics with a familiar feel. If you are dedicated and dilligent enough you can find these. This is a collaboration from Parisian shop Cyclope (i wonder if any of my friends can read their site) and shoe brand Veja. If you enjoy them that much get to emailing and phoning or skype'ing the good folks in Paris.

Glass Speaker System

Im not going to spend too much time talking about this speaker system because the price is un-explainable. Just thought it would be cool to see and maybe you'll get some ideas.

Sly-Fox

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Sean Hannity Uses Glenn Beck's Protest Footage
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

"Watch what you watchin Fox feeding us toxins, stop sleepin start thiking outside the box and unplug from the matrix doctrine" -Nas. Fox News has taken it upon themselves to conjure up footage from a previous demonstration in an effort to present to the public an exuberant rally. When walking the thin line of opinionated programming you should reserve some measure of dignity by not falsifying your material.

How can Fox or its proponents be mad when BO (Barack Obama) suggests that members of the American public refrain from watching their network? In my most humble Joe Wilson voice "You lie". Actually there is a purpose for right-wing programming and that purpose has to be executed in a punctilious manner. As the country debates different topics and strategizes which ways are best, you actually need someone to oppose and play devil's advocate, although i do not believe they are playing. But the golden rule is you have to be truthful in your stance, no prevaricating, feel free to extrapolate outcomes, but do not deceive. I do not have granite facts to back this up but, i feel as if we get a lot of tampered information sprinkled in amidst the honest information and that is demoralizing.

Now even more unsettling is that the leadership at the network allowed that footage to be used. Even if they didn't I haven't heard any executives or leaders saying "hey we made a mistake, or we botched that one". I would imagine that someone would want to at least portray the idea that they genuinely care about honest reporting and the American public. Perhaps I need to make some calls and say something...

I am really led to believe Barack when he speaks about uniting parties and ending the practice of "playing politics", it appears all too often. Its so asinine and blatant that we have terms like "filibuster" "filibustering" used in Congress and the Senate, those terms were actually in my 6th grade book, c'mon people?! So far he appears to be a man intent on getting things done for the American people, not trying to do favors for the sponsors or keeping the perception that the democrats are in control right now. He wants opinions and suggestions from everybody. I am optimistic that one day we can travel a better path, however in the meantime we have mess like this...which is a pretty big deal if you ask me.

The Clipse Listening Party at The Vault

Some of you may have seen this, but the majority of you probably have not. Im genuinely anticipating this album. Many of you know i am a hip-hop proponent/enthusiast and there aren't too many albums or songs these days that stick to me like rice. I just me these guys in August we kicked it like we had been homeboys for years. This is a clip that got me excited maybe it gets you excited as well. The second video is a small piece from when they hanging with me at Burn Rubber

Fresh Framework

This is a display of artwork over in Paris; a 5x5 sensoric installation that consists of an aluminum plexiglass structure which is illuminated by 6750 LED's. I actually don't think that they display anything particular but the artistry of it is what snagged my attention. Many of your know i rant about art and the lack of it in the States therefore im paralyzed with curiosity whenever i see this sort of work. Feel free to just gander and let it inspire you however it may.

Ro Spit Album Cover Contest

Hello world, First I need you to watch this video and pass the information along.

We are having a contest to see who can develop the best cover art for Ro Spit's album. I need all of my graphic designers/artists or those that think they can make something dope, to visit http://www.rospit.com/ and check out the rules and the details. This is something that we are going to sell worldwide and it would be a huge credit to whomever wins. Its a huge opportunity to bolster your resume and recieve some accolades. If you have any additional questions you can hit me up, leave a comment, or email us at hiphop@rospit.com .

Obama's Free Time

http://moneywatch.bnet.com/career-advice/blog/other-8-hours/how-president-obama-spends-his-other-8-hours/325/

This is a small article that was sent to me by my man J. Marsh. I thought it was quite interesting. For those that want some insight concerning how the president spends his free time, this has some utility. In a vague way it maps out what his routine is; but i personally felt it was a little motivational from the standpoint of allotting time. Many of us are busy but when you make time for things you have a greater propensity to get them done, don't just try to fit them in wherever. If the president of the United States can make some time for the things he cares about so can we.

Marshmallow Dreams

I found this on the BBC blog, but i thought i was quite entertaining yet relevant. Watch this experiment conducted with marshmallows, kids, and sheer gut-wrenching visceral temptation. But in a way this is how we still are. Kids can be simple reflections of our complex adult persona. But this can also operate as a simple reminder for us...have at it.

Thank You Mr. West

Much of this has been through the wringer already and im going to approach this with a sense of delicacy. Kanye's actions of taking the microphone from Taylor Swift was nothing that i condone and i actually feel it was out of pocket. However most of life is layered and this is no different, occasionally things get in the way and nullify the good intentions or scramble the hearts meaning.

I've heard people say that he is pompous and they will never support him... but i think that's the perspective of someone who doesn't see the complete scope of the situation. First lets make this point Taylor won "Best Female Video" and Beyonce proceeds to win "Video of the Year". This is like saying you didn't make the playoff but you won the title, totally paradoxical. Of all the people i have talked to, not a single person has been able to make sense of this for me. MTV is the same network that a couple of years ago gave Britney Spears the main stage at the VMAs and gave Kanye a side room to perform in. Here is the context, Britney had not been doing anything but rehab, she hadn't been making music and she was definitely out of game shape to even return on a national stage such as that. It is utterly ridiculous to surrender her the stage in denial of Kanye who was killing the networks and radio alike with his Graduation album.

You see MTV plays politics and charades, for an honest and authentic artist this is your greatest fear. Kanye doesn't have a malicious bone in his body concerning music, he loves it, perhaps to a fault. His gripe is completely with MTV not with Taylor, i don't think in his tactless rant he meant to decry Taylor, she was merely a byproduct of the fight with the network which is part of the machine. He actual prefaces his declaration with "yo Taylor Im really happy for you ..." He meant everything he said, he really was happy for Taylor. See the thing with Ye is that he perhaps is honest to a detriment. If he were to craft his method better perhaps his blow would have landed more effectively and the public would not be blinded by his incurtious actions. But trust me his heart is in the right place. Just like when Kanye stuck up for the people in Katrina with the George Bush comment, the man honestly means well. The most intriguing facet of this is that he fought for someone else. And not to say that Ye is the only one passionate about his craft (because he's not) but he one of the few within his circle that is passionate enough along with a platform to keep the validity of music achievements. If you follow the mans career, when he came out on his first album he said " at the tender age of six she was arrested for the sit-ins, with that in my blood i was born to be different" referring to his grandfather taking his mother with him to the sit-ins. He believes in standing up for what he considers are the ills of the music game. And unfortunately that is something that i cannot be mad at, granted he could certainly have crafted his tactic better. Generally we forget that everything has two sides, if Kanye wasn't the dominant personality he is, we would never know his name. He had to basically kick the door in because nobody was even giving him a shot with his music career. Certainly becoming more refined would serve him well but when you allow people to be themselves you must accept the good with the bad.

I've watched the Taylor video that won. MTV is "reaching". I'll leave it at that. And its not about how many albums the person sold its about the video and "Single ladies" has penetrated darn near every culture to the point where they spoofed it on Saturday Night Live, that's penetrating. Whether we think the video was great or not the impact was certainly monolithic and obviously MTV agrees giving her the "Video of the Year" award. There is certainly contradiction there and for honest people (trust me I know) it eats you alive when people are deceptive. Some people have cynically responded that he knew what person to do that to and that he calculated this. I can't argue his calculations or not, but you would be hard pressed to get the proper factors to align again. Kanye ONSTAGE next to a microphone, overt bias occurs, network has previously snubbed him. You can make a case either way.

I watched his apology on Leno and he emphasized that he has nothing against Taylor and feels tremendously horrid for degrading her music ability and her moment because those weren't his intentions. He would never want to take anything away from people musically, that would be counter productive to his quest. He simply has too much love and passion for music to watch people politic'it. I don't think people really understand K.West and just because he isn't always politically correct doesn't make him a bad guy. I personally think we need more Kanye's. We all hear of the ills of the music industry and how biased it can be. I've watched other artist gripe about it and nobody ever does anything and for that matter i can't particularly take exception when someone finally steps up and says something. Kanye isn't quite jaded like most of the world, remember that approach we all had as children, when things were wrong we said so; we didn't look at life and say "oh this isn't the right time somebody might get offended". He often holds that same approach. Ye doesn't do this for fame or glitz, as a matter of fact he hates seeing the paparazzi and the like. In his apology he said "i have to accept that i am a celebrity", indicating that he fights with this fact; in his brain he wants to be "A real boy" and live in a real world. Any mistakes made blame it on the mind not the heart. Remember "Everything im not made me everything i am"

Shawn Carter/Rhapsody

Although many have seen it within a 24 hour span (just the way of the internet world). I would still like to showcase this for those who have not seen it. Whomever came up with this idea did a good job of implementing it. Jay strikes poses from his album covers and smoothly transitions from one to the next...it looks nice. This is a collaboration with Rhapsody for his upcoming album Blueprint III. Check it out

Flying without Wings and a Prayer

Mike Vick was signed Thursday. Im typing Sunday. Generally im not a knee-jerk reaction type of guy. I have gathered my thoughts along with others to compose what i think is an interesting dichotomy of America. Those that loathe Vick, and those that enamor him. I think this topic has uncovered more about cultural differences and principles than any discussion has in a while.

Vick signed with the Philadelphia Eagels 8/13/09, the announcement was made as a Philadelphia Eagles preseason game was simultaneously taking place. As this transpires i hear reports that some fans decided to leave the game in a fruitless preseason protest. There was one lady who was crying and stated that she has to now give up her season tickets. I've seen facebook status' that wished the worst of occurrences to Vick and all sorts of venomous outrage. As i observed and quelled my own statements i realized an interesting point; this is not about written laws its about moral codes.

In society we are technically governed by laws and unwritten moral codes/laws. There have been plenty of athletes to break the "Law", but none so viciously ostracized. He has served his sentence but yet the public arena looks to brutally bury him, however not everyone. From what i have observed there is generally a culture/race line that is drawn separating the furious from the forgiving. Generally in the European-American circle dogs are obviously more revered than in the African-American circle, so although it was a felony one sector really has no quarrels while the other sector boils over with rage. So although this was a crime committed i think it is paramount to understand that the community that Vick has been apart of virtually his entire life generally did not hold this behavior in contempt, even though it is against the law. As a matter of fact there were others football players who spoke when the actions were first uncovered and felt this was no big deal. Before a stone is thrown at my laptop, please understand that i think the actions were foolish. However there are things people do everyday that are illegal but morally it elicits very little outcry or concern, such as smoking/selling weed. See i've known quite a few popular weed sellers and no one makes a stink. Im sure that is how his dog-fighting ring worked, his background and those he was involved with saw no fuss to make, thus he was not persuaded to change.

The amount of lamenting against Vick is uncanny to anything i've witnessed in sports. But on the other hand why are African-Americans so laissez-faire about dogs? I hate to become a historian but one school of thought builds from the idea that African-Americans were often chased down by dogs of slave masters so the connotation of "dogs" isn't a pleasant one. And on the reverse side of that one can make a case that this is why European-Americans have embraced them so; they really have taken this personal, but it is so unclear why. People continued to root for Dallas when they signed Pacman Jones and people also rooted for the Ravens when Ray Lewis had the murder trial. These two were never convicted but the people hated Vick before he was convicted.

I hold the idea that everyone deserves a chance to be forgiven. Sometimes it takes someone like that to reach other people. What will you ever get out of forever banning him from the NFL, that benefits society none! We have all made some mistakes, some more public than others but it bothers me to see so much vile commentary tossed around like everyone is perfect. He paid his dues and i think we need to move on and continue to make this world better, not continue to try to hold people down. Besides he's playing football, not running for Mayor, where his character needs to be tried and true. I don't think people realize how much hate tears down the world. Look at what Martin Luther King Jr. accomplished by reciprocating love, he could have easily looked to kill everyone that had hung, tortured, and abused his people, but he chose love and learning instead and accomplished wayyyy more. Apparently we have given him a holiday and don't even know what for. Although i can understand some not liking this gentleman, but this is bigger for some people, and this hate has to stop.

Fruit Post-It

I just like these and thought y0u might as well. Its from Japanese studio, D-Bros. They are probably extremely hard to obtain. Enjoy

America and Health Care

This is an episode from the the Daily Show with Jon Stewart (with limited commercials, thank me later) about Theodore Roosevelt; but more importantly the health care dialogues that are taking place in the nation. There has been lamenting across the nation on town hall meetings opposing the new proposals for health care. I watched Obama speak for about 45 minutes on CNN explaining a plan for universal health care, I will assert that he laid quite a bit of the details out in a rudimentary fashion. Although i have not seen the proposals written down, which i suppose i should, the plan provided what most deem to be relatively logical and feasible solutions with the only suspect factor being the money involved to pay and support such a plan. I've read a few things in the New York Times as well. I say all that to say these people have lost their minds.

The problem I often encounter when dealing with hostile citizens is that they often have no basis for argument and refuse to participate in productive dialogue. Watch as excerpts from meetings around the nation are consolidated and highlighted on the Daily Show, showing just how far we have to go.

Update

Been gone for a second, I know... Forgive me. I've been taking on some new endeavors. I have an online magazine coming, http://www.goldenstaple.com/ . The spalsh page is currently up and hopefully early September the site will fully launch. Also i've jumped on this intially confusing new art/creative community, Planet Illogica. Its a community for creative professionals, everyone from artists, photographers, actors to writers, web designers, and directors. Im also working with a music artist to help get his music out to the world. I felt obligated to give everyone the update since i missed about a week or so. I love you guys.

PLEASE check this out!

http://projects.nytimes.com/crime/homicides/map?ref=nyregion

I humbly beg you to check this out. Many of you know i like to peruse the NYTimes.com for multiple reasons, but i digress. This is one of the coolest features i've seen in a while from a news site. There is an interactive map that plots homicide points on the map via blue dot, as information trickles in daily. You can view the results by all years, specific years, or past 30 days. You can also view results by race of perpatrator/victim, gender, age, sex and other options to inform you on exactly what is taking place as far as homicides in NY. If you hover over the dot it tells you all the info, please check it out.

Ibn Jasper Skates (well)!!

While i was checking out some of Ibn Jasper's videos i came across this one too (also one a few posts below). This took me back to when i was a kid and i played with my skateboard from time to time. Ibn is generally known for his fashion but looks like the descriptions would align better if he were known for his skating. I put something on twitter about his skating a while ago but this video dwarfs the other one i saw, hence i put it up. Since you're already here, take a moment sit on the 'sofa, relax, and watch a little bit....I thought it was cool and that has to mean something right?

Telling Personal Sex Life = Jail Time?

Alright readership stick with me as I put on my journalist shirt and tie in an attempt to convey this story in a concise manner. In Saudi Arabia a man by the name of Abdul Jawad was arrested for bragging about his sex life on television on a Lebanese show entitled "Red Lines". He discussed foreplay and sexual conquest along with how he picks up women. Jawad is a 32 year-old divorced father of four. Discussions are still taking place to determine whether charges will be filed.

The climate in Saudi Arabia does not endorse public disclosure of sexual exploits, as a matter of fact unrelated men and women are not allowed to mingle and pre-marital sex is illegal. In a drastic pendulum swing Jawad has begun what we refer to from a PR standpoint as, damage control. In a local newspaper he issued a sorrowful apology accompanied by a photograph of him absorbing his tears into a handkerchief.

Here are a couple of fun facts to introduce that will escalate our dialogue, CNN reports "Abdul Jawad is not in jail and is considering filing a complaint against the show’s producers for presenting him “in the worst possible manner by taking two hours of footage and condensing it down to a minutes-long segment"". As we delve further into what was shown CNN relays this information, "It includes scenes of Abdul Jawad discussing his enjoyment of sex and how he lost his virginity at age 14. Abdul Jawad is also shown in his bedroom, where he holds up sexual aids to the camera. It ends with him cruising the streets of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in his car and looking for women."

Let us start with the first quote concerning his portrayal in a negative manner...isn't that what TV does? They always tape more footage than they need and when cut, material is constructed in order to put forth the most riveting pieces and merge the most tantalizing details. Before he volunteered to participate (assuming he did by the amount of info he divulged) I think it is fair to assume he should know what their purpose is and what they are going to do with his segment. Actually let me take this moment to warn those reading, if you are ever the subject of a story being filmed for television, please know what the treatment for what you are doing or in remedial terms "what they are going to do with it". Now the second quote actually bothers me, with the intentional and deliberate coverage of his escapades it seems that the Lebanon Broadcasting Company would take some liability for this as well. Considering there are laws and against disclosing sexual encounters. The broadcasting company is the vehicle that afforded Jawan the television opportunity, without them none of this happens. It is similar to when people curse on TV in America, it is the network who bleeps it out; they assume the onus. Therefore i actually find this quite hypocritical and repugnant.

Now I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone of the simple liberties we exercise in America. Im not encouraging that we be grateful we can voice sexual exploits publicly, but the relative freedom of speech and personally liberating lives that we do enjoy. This story was actually quite humorous to me but I hope that as we chuckle we do not become unappreciative.

New Ruler Concept

I was thumbing through the internet and i came across this novel ruler with a novel concept. Although it is not commercially available yet perhaps this will be something to look out for in the near future. The ruler takes measurements via tiny metal edges that sense when they are being touched. The exact measurement of your line will display in what looks like LED fashion hidden within the rulers cosmetics. The designer is Shay Shafranek.

Jasper shows Louis Yeezy's

This is virtually a sneaker update via Ibn Jasper. I posted this because he shows the new Louis Vuitton sneakers that are the result of a collaboration between Kanye and LV. He displays a black high top pair, red low top pair, and a grey/pink/brown high (which i call the graduation edition). As many of you know Kanye just had the release with Nike who dropped three colorways of the Air Yeezy's and now these are on the market.

Without getting too long-winded i want to illuminate the notion that these appear to be the luxury rendition of the Yeezy's. Made in similar high-top form just a sleeker build and slightly more luxurious fabrics. I just wanted the people to check them out, not because i like them so; actually the only pair I can dig is the "graduation" edition.

Sneaker Update

Nike Duece Mesh, How clean are these shoes! Its a nice piece to add to your collection, if you are into "collecting" and amassing cool shoes. You can't just have all Dunks. The fairway looking footwear should be available very soon, and its not just for one type of consumer; anybody can sport these. I think this can compliment on so many levels, and if the comfort is remotely close to how it appears then we can all win.

ESPN: "Do Not Report"

Steelers quarterback Ben Rothlisberger is currently involved in a civil lawsuit regarding some rape charges. This stems back to a celebrity golf tournament a while ago, the dates are irrelevant. The major (Applewhite) point of interest is the fact that ESPN has a "Do Not Report" tag on the story. After doing some research the rationale is that ESPN does not report on civil lawsuits regarding athletes, here are a few examples of that: Kobe, Vick, Harrison, so that is obviously a lie. There are more but you get the point (I got those examples from the Bleacher Report).

I was going to go a different direction on this fiasco, and then i found those examples. I have (Kevin) love for ESPN, but they really need to get out of the (Tiger) woods on this one. I got word of it on the local news in Detroit, they just mentioned it in passing and gave the (Mark) blunt facts. I cannot help but be a cynic because to me this wreaks of some cover up. Now let me mention that ESPN has done a "do not report" before and it turned out that the story was erroneous. Everything is not out but this appears to be quite legit. Im not a fan of them plastering Vick all over the screen everyday all day (Adrian Peterson) with court (Lee) appearances and jumpsuit coverage, however as the worldwide leader, the Superbowl winning quarterback deserves a mention (not even the last 2 minutes of the show, dang). Even if they note that all the facts have not been solidified and the case may not have legs (Tim Leger). Maybe ESPN thinks this will go away by osmosis or magic (Johnson).

Someone mentioned to me that maybe he paid them a couple millions and said you can't put anything pass people but i have to dissent. As a subsidiary of Disney, ESPN earns billions in revenue (i didn't research that but i have an inkling) and they would take a couple million from a sports player to jeopardized their news and credibility. For one, those would be dangerous gates (Antonio) to open up and then you would never have any news to report. Although I don't put anything past people, i can't roll (Samari) with that one.

So as Ben Rothlisberger goes through this I would hope that the truth (Paul Pierce) comes out and a just resolution is reached. But in the meantime I think ESPN owes its proponents a logical explanation, not to say that we will get it but it sure would be nice.

-Everyone in parenthesis is a sports player and its just something i wanted to do for my sports related blog entry. The name goes with the word before it in some way, whether its their first name, last name, or nickname. I hope you enjoyed it.

Melbourne Recital Center

Alright I retrieved this from Kanye's blog but...that's not the point. You know how we operate over here. Viscous art always gets my attention. This is a building designed by Ashton Raggat McDougal, and as the title specifies, its the Melbourne Recital Center. Oh how i wish we had more cool things to look at over here in the States. I don't want to sound like a broken record but..."where's all the creativity folks". I want creativity "stat", "pronto".

Black Olympics?

I'm a little uneasy about the idea that i have to post this video in order for the people to know what the heck i am talking about. So here it is, professional athlete Martellus Bennett decides to make a video with his brother, displaying the "Black Olympics". If you haven't clicked it i would advise you do so before you read my commentary, otherwise you are reading a fictional recap of an imagined event.

Why would he feel the need to share this ignorance with the world. To be honest I can actually see how he and his boy/brother could think this is funny. However, to elongate those stereotypes with no respectable regard for your race and the walls that you build before them is egregiously irresponsible. And as life ensues we wonder why people look at us a certain way.

I think people of particular races have to understand that when you reinforce certain stereotypes then essentially you are giving a green light to all or at minimum most stereotypes of your particular category. How do people and races unfamiliar with the reality discern what stereotypes hold true and which do not, they just get a glance of MB doing the "Black Olympics" and they say "oohhh that stuff they say about black folks must be true". I'm not saying that this something that needs to be debated with legislation but, I think someone does need to sit down with him and explain a couple of things so he can be enlightened. What he thinks is funny may only be just that to a very small sub set of people.

I think the world has expanded too fast without a rule book. All these new media outlets and platforms offer people more digital horsepower than they are capable of operating safely. With traditional methods of communication such as magazines and tv we've always had guidelines but now there is no code of ethics or unwritten/written rules. You can find not just one or two pieces but a smorgasbord of turbid material on the web.

We(a)llington Boots

This post is mandatory. First i must say that i am shocked i wasn't privy to this information sooner. These boots are "Wellington Boots". Since my last name is approximately such i have to show love, I won't delve into the story of my last name, however i think my point is made. But the boots are also cool. Apparently it was raining over in Wales and The Startrak crew decided to break them out, check it here. Otherwise i just enamored the irony of company name meets blogger meets fashion that blogger likes. Plus i like then name of this website: www.wellie-boots.com Oh what a post!

P.S. I do not condone the finger Shay is giving, at all.

The Seabreacher's Dolphin

I guarantee this video will stimulate your excitement. This is a dolphin inspired submarine by Innespace. This is a Youtube ad, but as you can see some of the footage came from the discovery channel validating its existence. I hear that the price starts at around $48,000 which actually isn't bad, relatively speaking. If you decide to purchase one, let the 'Sofa know and tell us how you like it.

Burn Rubber Timepiece: "The Woodward"

A couple months back i posted a piece from my most enamored boutique, the Burn Rubber custom G-Shock. That watch was indeed a precursor of things to come. Arriving in the wake of the G-Shock's success comes a slightly more epic offering, "The Woodward". This is the inaugural watch from the... legendary status pending, Burn Rubber Timepiece Collection. As the pioneering watch The Woodward will be limited, only 50 will be manufactured, therefore I reckon you inquire now as with anything BR the product moves relatively quick. For the official low-down, check the website.

Burn Rubber is exceedingly innovative and progressive. Even aside from the watch if you have not afforded yourself the opportunity to relish in the BR experience, you are not doing yourself any favors. Its Wallo approved, matter of fact just tell them "Wallo sent you" when you go (seriously). Just check the site and it speaks for itself, i'll refrain from talking any longer. http://burnrubberdetroit.com/

The Gift of inspiration

Initially i was going to pass on posting this, that thought was grounded in the sheer fact that this watch cost $250,000. Absolutely preposterous and unearthly, however i realize, as always, that the inspiration is free. Inspiration is one thing you never have to pay for and it comes in just about any flavor. Im not going to run down a bunch of details on it because you're not going to buy it and if you are I would advise you hit the site. The name is "Tambour Mysterieuse".

Natural Woman vs. The Superficial Woman

Its a new day, and in this new day i got into my first twitter discussion. The dialogue started when a friend of mine says "I wonder why men fantasize over superficial women and claim to only like natural ones". Well I, along with my co-defendant, tried to clear the confusion in 140 characters or less; I thought it was working until this publicity lady chimes in with "It's no biggie, im not bashing but just like a woman, men don't know what they want either." and i end the quote. At that moment the micro-blogging grew into real blogging, and so I'm here to flat-line this topic.

I attempted to appease the contenders by asserting that, as a man you can be visually attracted to "superficial" traits/features (because that is primarily how men are stimulated) as the world preys on that fact daily; so you enjoy the visual but you don't have a legitimate desire to "be with" the superficial person. In order to understand that concept first you must understand that we all have a lustful and sinful nature (I won't get too biblical). These superficial traits are going to tantalize, but as a man who knows what he wants, he understands that those traits don't hold any water, they are simply "visual stimulations". Let me note that those are not the only things/traits that visually stimulate men but it is indeed a portion.

My co-defendant chimed in with the brilliant metaphor of rims on cars. Yes a lot of rims do look good on cars but they are quite unnecessary, and although it can look nice, you dang sure don't want them on your car. Matter of fact take the whole car for an example, think of all the car shows that display these highly complex remixes with all kinds of tv screens or trivial accessories like a swimming pool in the flatbed. I might even be enticed to ride in it one time and get an experience but i know cotton picking well i don't want to own the keys and lug that hunk of exaggeration around. So you see, yeah its looks exotic and such but...I reiterate, "unnecessary".

So the assertion that men do not know what they want is an ill-informed one. I think it verifies that you know exactly what you want, as you navigate past temptation and fruitless eye candy. If you didn't know indeed what you were seeking you would be quite sidetracked by these things. You know what qualities are important in the woman you desire, you maintain the stance that a naturally shaped or featured woman can fulfill your needs more than satisfactorily and you also understand there are other things that play a role in the woman you want, i.e. mental cohesion or similar ideologies. So I look at this thing from the other end zone (sports reference, its a guy thing), i contend that it shows a man is quite certain of what he needs in his life.

Michael Jackson: Person or Icon

I'll start with a quote i generated some days ago, "The more talented you are, the less human you become in the eyes of the public." Americans as a collective unit have to learn how to view talented individuals as humans and not icons. As i watched the Today Show this morning Matt Lauer asked Tommy Mattola, "What was it about Michael Jackson that allowed his fans to overlook his [controversies], Tommy Mattola simply replies "His Greatness". A friend told me they read a passage from the mayor of Gary, In where he referred to Michael as "the prince of peace", extremely hyperbolic talk as there is only one Prince of Peace. Once again our perception is distorted.

Jackson's passing was a startling and surprising occurrence but the overt displays of emotion seem rather ungrounded, and at the height of those missteps is suicide. We can't pretend to overlook the reality that Jackson was a troubled man, and with that said I can't say that i am completely surprised. Many different medications were found in his home, he dueled with anorexia, fought a lung disease, and we all were aware of the skin disease. Never does one expect death especially considering the dubious circumstances that surround Jackson's. Most of us did not know Michael Jackson personally, yet some have patronized the goodness and gifts that Michael munificently bestowed upon us, but i think it would have been more important for them to carry those burdens with Michael. One of my favorite individuals Michael Eric Dyson pointed out how Jackson identified a lot of the ideologies that tortured the African American community for years, many African Americans wrestle with the European standards of beauty, so much that we turn to surgery operations and wigs (weave). He was not "used" as a artist because that was his profession, however very few if any were heeding the Jackson's inward, yet outwardly visible lamenting.

People have taken tickets to the memorial to Ebay, in an effort to profit off of an enormously popular dead man, deplorable to say the least. The Today Show is giving the run down of proposed celebrities in attendance as if that matters, although the service is at the Staples Center, "this isn't a basketball game!" There was a lady that hitch-hiked a ride to the Staples Center and all along her trek i believe she spent $1400. How does she have money to make this trip but she can't afford transportation. I do not tell anyone what to do with their money; I would rather tell her you do not owe Jackson your presence at his funeral. You've essentially paid him by purchasing his music and supporting his career, personally you don't owe him anything because personally he gave you nothing. That may sound unwarranted as i do not know her life but we've had approximately 12 members of his fan club commit suicide and I pray that the number isn't understated. Redundancy usually creates deaf ears but, he was human just like you and I.

As i close my soliloquy I wish the Jackson family the best and hope that if there are any positives that can be extracted from Michael Jackson's death we pay attention to them. Most importantly, all I can hope for at this point is that he knew Jesus.

A Shoe Fix

Dope Air Max video, you know how we do on the 'Sofa. I saw this and i couldn't fight my urge, be grateful that i didn't post all this guy's video. However peep the artwork in this video, cocaine (excuse the drug reference, i don't advocate)

Creativity Alert

This is an MTV Europe ad. Why can't we get that creativity over here. We always get stuck with the seductive ads over here in the lustfully driven U.S.A. Simple yet creative, enjoy

Palin Perplexes Me...

I have always been a little perplexed by Sarah Palin, lo and behold, she does it to me again. Recently she announced that she will not seek another term as Alaska's governor. Initially some thought that it was a segueway to her run of 2012, but then i hear whispers of criminal investigation. Nothing is confirmed so lets not concentrate too much on that. But i think its important to note that in a report from MSNBC they inferred that Palin generally hasn't been opposed to working with a lot on her plate.

The fact that she didn't turn over her state to the lieutenant governor is puzzling, in a way (as the clip references Clinton and Bush). Perhaps this contributed to her lack of thorough knowledge on critical and eminent topics. In an article on NYTimes.com Ross Douthat cites statistics and writes "In a recent Pew poll, 44 percent of Americans regarded Palin unfavorably. But slightly more had a favorable impression of her. That number included 46 percent of independents, and 48 percent of Americans without a college education.

That last statistic is a crucial one. Palin’s popularity has as much to do with class as it does with ideology. In this sense, she really is the perfect foil for Barack Obama. Our president represents the meritocratic ideal — that anyone, from any background, can grow up to attend Columbia and Harvard Law School and become a great American success story. But Sarah Palin represents the democratic ideal — that anyone can grow up to be a great success story without graduating from Columbia and Harvard."

When i couldn't put a finger on it, Douthat transcribed what i couldn't quite verbalize. With all the opportunities she has been afforded she seems to always be ill-equipped, and every time i look for her redemption moment she botches another situation. I will never knock anyone's potential but at this moment in time she is in over her head. Maybe running Alaska doesn't quite prepare one for the national stage like sayyyyyy, New York. Now I hear rumors (albeit BET) that she has talk show suitors, although they did not mention a specific type of show, do you really want a presidential candidate one day and a talk show host the next; the two professions seem as close as two positively charged magnets. She is just a walking enigma, for me at least. I generally love well rounded people but she seems to not have much of a handle on any of her trades. Maybe that last statement is too sharp because i thought everything was running just fine in Alaska prior to 1o months ago.

One day I would hope that Palin sands those edges and tailors her position and offerings to the world. But for now the dubious legend of Palin still leaves me scratching my head.

The Picasso Light Show

This is Picasso in 1949. As legend has it, he was shown photos of ice skaters with lights affixed to their skates and that is where he derived his idea for light drawing. These were created with a small flashlight in a dark room. Everything is relative, but this is top shelf in any year.