dead prez: Radio Freq

First...to the homie R.E., this is not a Flashback Friday swagger jack!



But oh snap! I did not know they had a video for this song! This is one of my all time favorite dead prez songs. This may be TMI for you, but this has been my get-ready-in-the-shower song for about the last week and a half now. Before this it was Goodie Mob's "Fighting."

MAN! I was doing some cleaning aronud the crib a couple weeks ago and found my DPZ Turn Off The Radio Vol. 1 from '02. I had been looking for it for the longest because I was thirsting for this song. But then when I found it, I saw that it had a crack in it. I was like "aw dammit!" Fortunately, it still plays my favorite song, which is this one right here.

GOT DAMN! This shit is hard. One of the trillest songs ever recorded. As usual, both of them go off, especially the last few bars of stic.man's verse. But damn though, M-1 showed his ass on this song: "you wanna know what kinda nigga I am? let me tell you 'bout the nigga I'm not, I don't fuck with the cops."

The song already inspires me, but seeing this video for the first time makes me want to go out and start some shit. Hell, I might even break out my old favorite t-shirt today.

Taylor Made

[Me and Susan Taylor, circa 2002-03]

From jump...

I can't front, I've been more of a critic than fan of Essence magazine. Sad, but I'm not afraid to say its mostly been over petty shit that did nothing but expose underlying insecurities that I may not have been aware of. I wouldn't say that I would just be angered or set off by some of the things I saw in the magazine, no, most of the time it would just be shit I'd laugh and say "hell nawl" to.

You know, like those articles they'd have when they' tell their female readers: "100 Way How To Get A Man." "100 Ways To Keep A Man." "100 Reasons Why You Don't Have A Man." Most of the time I'd just look at those articles and be like "wrong, wrong, wrong." Like Dave Chappelle said, there aren't 100 ways to please any man, its pretty much 4 things: "Suck his ****, play with his balls, fix him a sandwich and don't talk so damn much."

I could go on and on about my gripes with a magazine that wasn't intended for me in the first place, but Jozen over at King-Mag.com pretty much hits all the nails on the head.

Anyways, I read that Susan L. Taylor was leaving the magazine next month. If you don't know her, she is pretty much the face of the magazine. I've gathered that to alot of Black women, Ms. Taylor is kinda held in the same regard as Oprah. Except Ms. Taylor is more low-key and appears (to me) to be more rooted in her community on a more consistent basis. Might as well say she is the "Black Oprah" if that makes any sense (it should if you feel what I'm saying).

When I read that she was leaving her post to focus more on her National Cares Mentoring Movement, I was happy for her, but saddened at the same time for some reason. I kinda felt like "damn, who are the sistahs gonna turn to after Ms. Taylor's In The Spirit column stops running?" Ever since Essence got bought out by Time Warner, people started worrying that they might go out like BET. They seem to have done a decent job in staying on course (outside of that loud-ass Suede magazine). But, with the woman who put the mag on the map and tried to keep its "Black Woman's Bible" title alive moving on, what now?

I mean, maybe I'm just tripping. Hell, I'm not even completely sure if women still read Essence like that anymore anyway. I guess I'm saying what I'm saying because I got a chance to meet Ms. Taylor about 4-5 years ago and she truly left an impression on me. She came down to Fort Valley State to give a lecture on using your college experience and degree to do more than just get a job. Although she was a woman and was pretty much expected to just give a lecture on women's issues, she spoke a bevy of things that both the men and women in the crowd could appreciate and apply to their lives.

Afterwards, she made herself available for photos, autographs and brief conversations. You can tell she was kinda tired but she still stayed until she shook every hand in the auditorium. By the time I got to her she had to have shook at least 50 hands. I didn't want to be a bother so I just shook her hand and kept it moving. But then, one of the professors who helped plan the lecture grabbed me by the jacket and demanded that I go back and really chop it up with her. So he took me back over there, formally introduced me to her and told her everything that I was doing at and for the school. She must have been impressed because she told the other folks in line to wait for a little bit and took out some time to talk to me and see what I was about.

I won't get into everything that we talked about or how she gave me her info but never responded to my calls or emails (its O.K., we're all busy people), but I will always remember her as a classy, serious, warm, stylish, intelligent, good smelling woman. Hopefully I'll cross paths with her again since her schedule seems to be a little lighter now.

Sorry for rambling, but, after reading that she was leaving, it just got me wondering. Granted, Ms. Taylor is leaving the magazine to really roll up her sleeves and get in the trenches doing much-needed community work, but I just wonder about the impact a voice like her's leaving a magazine like Essence can have. Especially when video hoes and calender models are becoming the most visible spokespeople for Black women. Hopefully Essence's young staff can keep it up. After all, as much as I'd disagree with some of what the magazine said, I'd be lying if I said it didn't have very informative and intriguing editorial besides the "How To Get A Man" nonsense. Much like women deserve to have a song like Beyonce's "Irreplaceable" amidst all the misogyny, women deserve to have Grade A reading material amidst the gossip mags and blogs out there.

Peace.

Hawks Over .500!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a lifelong Hawks fan (except for a brief stint in the post-Dominique era with the Charlotte Hornets during the Larry Johnson/Alonzo Mourning days). I've been laughed at, chuckled at and even felt sorry for. When I used to work at Rolling Out, my co-workers used think I was crazy because how I used to raise hell to get press passes to go to the games.

Well, as small as it may seem to some of you bandwagon Celtics fans, the Hawks having a winning record right now is big news to me. We haven't been over .500 this deep into the season since the 98-99 season. My team is finally starting to share the ball and cut to the basket like all NBA teams are supposed to. We beat the Miami Heat in (an unessecary) overtime last night we're on a 4-game winning streak. We have 13 wins already. Why is this such a big deal? Shied, just three seasons ago we didn't get our 13th win until the last week of the season (ooh, that shit still hurts). If the playoffs were to start today, we'd be in the 7th spot and be playing Detroit, a team I KNOW we can beat, and should have beat at least two out of three times already this season. I knew things were going to be different when we were able to beat both Dallas and Phoenix to open the season. The city is finally starting to get behind the team now too. Well, there really isn't much of a choice now, the Braves suck and the Falcons, eh...you know the story there. But, the games that I have gone too this season have been very exciting, win or lose.

Anyways, I know some of you may be thinking that I'm really tripping right now, but I don't care as of this moment my Hawks have a better record than last years Eastern Conference champs and I'm happy as hell about it. I still think we need a new coach and should give Greedy Speedy Claxton the boot, but I'm good right now. At least I see them on the court more that I do at the club nowadays.



On another note, as happy as I was to see my Hawks beat the Heat, I was saddenned to see one of my favorite players and childhood role models get injured. Alonzo Mourning went down last night after his knee buckled, coming down after trying to block a shot. He's already implying that this injury may force him to go ahead and retire. I hate to see that, I used to want to be like 'Zo growing up. In 3rd grade I used to think I was going to Georgetown University just like him. But I got introduced to reality and trouble in high school so that dream went flying out of the window.

Anyways, get well soon 'Zo! And GO HAWKS!

The Gift That Keeps On Giving!

If you need a bio or a photoshoot done, contact me at maurice.g.garland@gmail.com. Let's break bread! Oh yeah, this deal for indies only. All of you major cats are gonna have to spend some change.

The 'Roid Report

Well, males and sports fans now have their version of the Superhead book. Today the long-waited Mitchell Report on steroid use in Major League Baseball hit the streets, er, the net. So far, this has got to be the hottest read of the year!

Names! Reciepts! FedEX Mailing Slips! The Mitchell Report has it all! My eyes are burning just looking at this! 409 pages of hot, juicy steroid talk! This puts Jose Canseco's book to shame! To hell with Game of Shadows! The Mitchell Report is where its at!

Ok. Sorry, had to get that out of my system. Right now ESPN is dedicating all of their programming to what's inside of this document. They are flashing names like Clemens, Pettite, Bonds, Tejada and Gagne across the screen. I've read some of it myself and saw a gang of names like Sheffield, Justice, Bell, Santiago.

I can't say that I'm too too suprised at this. Hell, I wrote about Clemens last year. Anyone with two good eyes and half a brain could see that he was on the juice. How else can you explain how a 45-year old man can still throw 90 MPH fastballs the same way he did 20 years ago? How can you not notice when a guy sits out half a season to "get ready." C'mon man.

But, to some of the player's defense, some of them probably weren't taking "performance-enhancing" drugs. Especially Mark Prior, he hasn't been shit since 2003. Some of these cats were taking needles to the butt to heal faster. After all, they're humans, not X-Men.

Every Suspect's Probably Negro is already spinning this story. They are calling the report "flimsy" because it doesn't have quotes from the players admitting to getting injected. They are calling it "weak" because its made up of "hearsay." I mean, haven't they been operating off hearsay for the last 10 years hounding Barry Bonds? Whatever man.

I'm also laughing at how all of sudden ESPN has alot of brotha Legal Analysts. Just like on the local news, bring out the brothas to talk about the bad news.

Well, anyways, I'm about to get back to reading the Mitchell Report. Oprah should put this on her book list. Before I go, here is a trip down memory lane, when the steroid era began...Chicks Dig The Long Ball. Looks like it was more than the shoes...

Welcome Aboard The Enterprise

A couple of hours ago I realized something. I never see Black Enterprise covers being posted on various blogs, this one included. Yeah, its probably because they hardly ever have any pop culture figures on the cover. But this month they did their annual Hot List. I purchased my copy a while ago, so, its a couple of weeks old. But like I said, I hadn't seen it mentioned anywhere else, so I will.

This isssue features LeBron James on the cover. Judging from the following pages, it looks like they did a multiple cover type deal with Queen Latifah, Chris Brown & Kirk Franklin, John Legend & Wyclef and Venus Williams gracing the others. They were only selling the LeBron one in my neighborhood.

Their Hot List consisted of people that they considered to be, well, Hot. They described the list as being comprised of "ultimate achievers under the age of 40 in media, music, entertainment, and sports."

I usually like to read B.E. to unplug from the industry matrix and see Black folks doing things other than entertaining and playing sports. But hey, we have a high population in that field, at least some of us are making some good money in it, I suppose. I just hope that this doesn't become a trend. I think they should stick to featuring the bankers, engineers, doctors that we have. That's just me though. I guess there is nothing wrong with recognizing our big names in entertainment and presenting them in a somewhat different light. It probably lures more young readers away from alot of the other distractions, er, magazines on the shelves. Which is a good thing.

Anyways, next time you're at Kroger, skip past the XXL, VIBE, SLAM, KING, ESSENCE, SISTER to SISTER and peep the Black Enterprise. Get some financial knowledge and encouragement to be great...not "hot."

Eye Tunes: Mike Jones

Back sooner than we expected, and by popular demand Gangstalicious and Thugnificent are joining us again today with a new video. Today's Eye Tune comes from Mike Jones featuring Hurricane Chris, "Drop And Give Me 50."



Thugnificent says: Man, I can't stand this ninja turtle lookin' ass nigga, fuck Mike Jones!






Gangstalicious says: Who nigga?






Thugnificent says: Mike Jones.






Gangstalicious says: Yo who dat?






Thugnificent says: Mike Jones nigga! This Donatello lookin' mah fucka in the video, are you deaf, blind and dumb nigga?!?






Gangstalicious says: Haha, nah son, just doing the thing, you know, when he says his name and people be like "who?" Shit is funny son. But on the real, I like this video son. Its real gritty, nah'mean. Niggas are on the independent hustle, nah'mean. Looks like niggas went to Wal-Mart, got a camera, went outside and did their thing, knowhatimsayin'?

Thugnificent says: Nah, fuck that nigga man. This nigga is a biter. First the nigga swagger jacked the design for my Lethal Interjection chain for that bullshit Ice Age chain he be wearing. Now the nigga jacking my video ideas. I had this same idea for my "Booty Butt Cheeks" video. I told the director, "don't put the camera on me rapping, keep the camera on the hoes." I wanted a whole video where no actual rapping was being seen or done, only ass shaking. Now, look. This nigga done up and stole another one of my ideas. Fuck this nigga man.

Gangstalicious says: Yo, how you gonna get mad at this man for that? He is representing for the streets. He showing you how it really is in the streets, knowhatimsayin'? Shit is real out here, nah'mean? Niggas got problems out here nigga, for real. Niggas gotta trust niggas to go out and find hoes for the videos, then on top of that we gotta find new ways to waste money and shit, that shit is hard work, B. You the main one that's out here saying "stop hatin' and get money" and when you see a nigga out here getting money, you start hatin'. What's up with that shit son?

Thugnificent says: Nah man, its still fuck this nigga. Yeah, I tell niggas to stop hatin'. But I also tell them to stop snitching and stop biting. And this nigga is guilty of the last Thug Law. I betcha this nigga house looks like mines too. What's really got me pissed is how this nigga steals my idea and go gets the sorriest batch of ass-shakers I've ever seen in my life.

Gangstalicious says: Really son? I mean, I kinda like the selection he had. The Euro look is coming back, nah'mean. I'm thinking about getting some Natalie Portman, Hillary Swank looking females for my next joint. You know, niggas gotta keep that White Girl on them, B.

Thugnificent says: Nigga, who the fuck you been hanging around? You going Hollywood. Real niggas ain't supposed to know who Natalie Portman and Hillary Swank are nigga. We only supposed to know Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and that chick Ray J smashed on camera. You know, the worst they have to offer.

Gangstalicious says: Whatever B. Video dope son, two guns up.






Thugnificent says: Fuck this nigga man. But I like Hurricane Chris though, that's my nigga.






Gangstalicious says: Who?







Thugnificent says: Man, don't start that "who" shit again nigga.






Gangstalicious says: No, seriously B. Who the fuck is Hurricane Chris? He related to Katrina?

Eye Tunes: Gucci Mane

Hello folks! If you are a frequent REZIDUE visitor, then you already know that we are huge Boondocks fans. So when Gangstalicious and Thugnificent asked us if they could do music video reviews over here, we were more than pleased to work with them. So here it is, the first installment of Eye Tunes, where G and T will be discussing the hottest videos.

The first video up for review just hit the 'net. Its Gucci Mane's latest single, "Street Nigga." Enjoy.




Thugnificent says: Now this is what the fuck I'm talking about nigga! This is that real street nigga shit. Like my nigga said at the end, if you ain't a real street nigga, you can't fuck with this. My nigga Gucci was cooking and sacking the dope IN THE VIDEO nigga! Tell me that ain't no real street shit! If that ain't real street nigga shit, I don't know what is.

Gangstalicious says: Exactly, exactly, knowhatimsayin? The nigga had all the dope in the fuckin' video, knowhatimsayin? Real street nigga shit, nah'mean? Powder nigga. Not weed nigga, powder nigga! I'm also feeling how he said he loves all of his street niggas. I love my street niggas too! You haven't experienced real love until a street nigga has loved you, nah'mean?

Thugnificent says: I don't know about that shit you saying, I'll take love from a bad bitch over a street nigga any day, but I feel you though. I'm loving how Gucci didn't forget about the haters. You gotta floss for the haters nigga, I mean, if you don't, what is there for them to hate on, you feel me? You gotta show your grill and your watches nigga, you just gotta! And he did a good job at making the haters sick to their stomachs. Two watches, two chains and a grill nigga! What?!?! Lawd have mercy on these haters, Gucci is killing them. His chain was so atrocious they had to blur the shit out nigga! What you know about that shit nigga!

Gangstalicious says: Yes, yes, yes. I noticed that too. I also like that Gucci wakes up out of bed already baby oiled down, nah'mean? Street niggas are greasy like that, nah'mean? Can't hit the block with dry skin, knowhatimsayin'? I'm also feeling how he shot the video in the 'hood, knowhatimsayin? Real street niggas shoot their videos in the 'hood, that way if anybody thinks their lying and wants to see it for themselves, they know exactly where to look, nah'mean? I used to shoot alot my videos in the 'hood as well, but the cops started showing up all the time. I could never figure out how they'd always know where I was at. This actually kinda reminds me of my song "Tell It To The Jury," its that real, knowhatimsayin'? Now, I shoot most of my videos at the club. The only cops there are security. Not that I need security or anything like that, 'cause you know, I gets down for mine. But you know, nah'mean? Knowhatimsayin?

Thugnificent says:Fuck the police! And fuck any nigga who ain't feeling this video. Stop hatin' and get money nigga!

Oh yeah, I'm fucking with his "Hella Ones" video too nigga. Shit reminds me of my song, "Booty Butt Cheeks."

Underground Kingz

Here is a Pimp C song done before he even hooked up with Bun.

Pimp C- "Underground King"

[spotted at Cocaine Blunts comments board]

Rest In Trill

"Use Me Up"


"Tell Me Something Good"


"Its Supposed To Bubble"


"Woodwheel"

Shoulda Seen It Coming

Well, I Must Use Slurs has another job. I'm not at all surprised. But I am shocked that he will have two Black comedian co-hosts. Which pretty much means that the language is probably going to get fouler, but be dismissed with laughter. Are you going to listen?