All City News - 12/15/06 - Wooster Collective

Gothamist has some great shots from the interior of 11 Spring Street, the "tatted" up Wooster on Spring Project. You can get information on the proceedings at The Wooster Collective.

Read More...
11 Spring Street: A Look Inside | Gothamist
Last Hurrah | New York Times

Hip-Hop Latest - 12/15/06 - Biggie Investigation News, Jay-Z, New RZA, Baby and Lil' Wayne

"I just want to get out of here," he said. "I ask myself sometimes why I [was] born in Iraq. I ask God, why am I in Iraq?"

Baghdad Teen Listens to Rap to Escape Real-Life Violence. Cites Eminem as favorite rapper. Sounds like he already has seen more pain than most humans ever will. I can definetly see kid vybin' to Em but that sh*T will make you want to off yourself.

The Notorious B.I.G. investigation may be linked to a LAPD sex scandal, according to an officer who worked on the case.

Baby and Weezy of the cover of Ozone Magazine's The Sex Issue. {Insert Your Own Joke Here}

Barbara Walter interviews Jay-Z. Real Talk NY has the exclusive vid.

RZA featuring GZA and the great Big Daddy Kane. Cameo Afro Sounds like a take on Just Rhymin' With Biz.

CCNY Snitch a Racist?

Earlier this week, sensationalist rag, The New York Daily News printed a piece attacking a group City College of New York students for the name of their campus community center. The center, it was learned, was outed by CCNY student, Sergey Kadinsky. Allegedly, it seems Kadinsky has some not so acceptable views on various issues himself.

All Out For The Fight quoted some interesting accusations about this alleged snitch taken from NYC Indymedia.

According to an anonymous CUNY student, Kadinsky is anti-Arab and has attacked "students who speak out against islamophobia and the Israeli occupation of Palestine." The students goes on to mention that Kadinsky has "written inflamatory pieces attacking affirmative action; Black culture;".

Kadinsky is so far out on the right that, according to the CUNY student, "even Hiller, the pro-zionist group, disassociates itself from his tactics." The student also speculates that Kadinsky love for the NYPD is so intense that the uproar over the center is Kadinsky's way of distracting attention from the recent police killing of the weaponless Sean Bell and the injuring of his two cohorts.

But Kadinsky may not be taking all the character questions laying down. In a post on NYC Indymedia, he shoots back "Bring it on, do your worst (as that is all you are capable of doing) I will be waiting. Shitheads."

Sergey The Snitch? | All Out For The Fight

Politcs As Usual: 12-15-06 CNN Smears Obama

CNN's Jeff Greenfield, opens up what will be one of the first salvos at Senator Barack Obama. The Senator was on a fact-finding sojourn through New Hampshire recently, and speculation persists that he's in the running for the Democratic nomination for president for 2008.

But peep this. In a clip for Wolf Blitzer's The Situation Room, The reporter, not so subtly, links Obama to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadineja. How could the two men be possibly linked, you ask? According to Greenfield, its all in the gear he dipped in, of all things!

In the news report, the "reporter/commentator" references past Presidential candidates Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and Richard Nixon and their campaign threads. Follow along. Bush preferred the down home Texan look, somewhat reminiscent to Reagan's country casual look. Greenfield speculates that Bush was evoking Reagan, of course.

Therefore, Obama (who Greenfield quips "Sounds like Osama"), who favors a casual white shirt/black jacket look, must be emulating sworn Israeli eradicator, Ahmadineja. Similarly, Ahmadineja is shown in photos as wearing a white shirt/black jacket. Wow. Journalism at it's pinnacle. So, Greenfield and the rest of his ilk, prefer the suit tie look. Could they be possibly linked to, say Enron's Ken Lay or say Haliburton execs?

Not to mention Greenfield reminds the viewers that the senator's middle name is Hussein.

For the record, Barack Obama is not a Muslim. Regardless, it shouldn't matter. Somehow it's a big issue for some. After the whole controversy some have made over newly elected Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison, you understand how such reckless news stories can tarnish a politician, or even your average citizen's reputation. It was later revealed that congressmen are not sworn on a Bible or any other book. They can choose to if they wish, but most do not.

Greenfield's irresponsible reporting will only be the first smear on Obama. Granted Obama is a media darling, in many ways, right now, but I'm sure he and his advisers know how quickly the snake charmer can be bitten by the cobra.

CNN Smears Obama | YouTube.com

Reh Dogg - Why Must I Cry

I don't know, but I'm feeling this. Lose the shower scene though. That's that Dipset ish. LOL.

Assata Shakur: America's Most Wanted ?// Black People vs. N*****s; Esquire sparks debate

When did Assata Shakur become America's Most Wanted? This recent article in the Daily News reveals that Shakur AKA Joanne Chesimard , currently has a $1 million dollar bounty on her head. Shakur, who is on the lamb in Cuba, recently made news when a New York City College student complained to The New York Daily News that the Guillermo Morales/Assata Shakur Community Center naming was an offense to the family of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster.

Chesimard was convicted of the trooper's murder in 1974 but subsequently escaped, only to flee to Cuba in 1979.

Nah Right has it's own take on the story, with a few shots thrown at The New York Daily News. Can't say I disagree with that take.

It's been proven time an time again that the F.B.I. under the leadership of J. Edgar Hoover was targeting black "radicals" and subversive element, such as the Black Panthers, Martin Luther King and The Nation of Islam (not to mention the Communist Party) with it's own offensive know as COINTELPRO. Supposedly that initiative ended in 1971, but is it beyond belief that Chesimard was setup similar to Geronimo Pratt?

We've since learned that City College bowed in to the pressure of a sensationalist news story. Should we be surprised?

If you haven't read this article please give it a thorough read. We'll link up a bit later on this.

Media Maven - 12-11-06; Canibus: "Where Are They Now?, Ciara Is No Hermaphodite, I said, "The Jews Are Coming"

Late addition to the Nas "Hip Hop Is Dead" track, Where are They Now?


Have you seen this rapper? Rumor has it that Canibus enlisted in the Army.

Ciara has officially turned the corner. With the Prince-inspired "Promise" vid and this Dave Letterman performance, hunnie is on my radar. She a grown ass woman now and a grown ass woman can't be seen cavorting with a clown named Bow Wow.

Speaking of the mini musical pioneer, Prince will be playing the Super Bowl Halftime show.

Mel Gibson's Apocalypto - The Director's Cut

Questlove Correct: Jay-Z Lost "The Eye of The Tiger"

This is a response to a post by The Roots funky drummer, Questlove on his MySpace blog. It has since been expunged (at who's request, I wonder).

Jay-Z: KINGDOM CAME?

Look, Jay-Z's subject matter was always garbage (or at least has been for the last 4 or so albums). The point here is not his topics, because before this, all he used to only talk about how everybody hates him and he's made it, and see what happens when he know longer exists and aint no love blah, blah, blah...

Nonetheless, i always loved big Jigga.
With Kingdom Come Jay was in a Lose/lose situation, because if he spoke of his struggles everyone would have said that he's lying and he's rich and he aint real etc.
So that he was real and simply spoke about his 'now' reality, I applaud him.
Therein lies the problem...

Musically, this album is as good as the Black Album. But my WORST fears were realised. It happened when I got word that Jigga had Gwyneth Paltrow singing the chorus to "Song Cry" at Royal Albert Hall.
I was THE ONLY one who complained. I understand the Chris Martin connect, but when you have his actress wife singing another song on the same night... you are merely just saying "Look at me and my new friends".
I said this to everyone and Jigga then mentions it on his album!

Fifty Cent said; "If money hasn't changed you, then you haven't made enough".
Well Jay-Z has made enough and guess what folks... he's changed.

It's not the lifestyle I'm talking about, because for that i will just quote Arnold The Governor;
"Anyone who says money changes you is a liar. I feel exactly the same way with 90 million dollars as I did when I had 50 million dollars".
He was joking but I get his point... Jay-Z has been mega rich for a mighty long time, AND he's been dating Beyonce for years. Yet his art was unquestionable.

You know what's changed folks?

HIS FLOW>>>

"Show Me What You Got" has to be one of Just Blaze's greatest musical bangers... yet take yourself back to the first time you heard it.
I thought... "What the hell...??" What BANGING beat has Jay-Z never slaughtered/absolutely pulverised? This was a first.
A banging Just Blaze beat with Jigga equals "You Don't Know", "PSA".
It shouldn't be a... a... a grower!!!

Throughout the whole album Jay-Z's flow just isn't Liiquid Nitrogen.
It just... is. i mean, he sounds like Jigga, talks like Jigga, even rhymes like Jigga, but Iceberg Slim is dead.

And it's this simple; whatever it was that Jay-Z had around him that kept his "flow futuristic", is gone. Be it Dame, Biggs, competion with rivals, you name it... it has vanished.

it never mattered what Jigga was talking about. Flow-wise, he was always on top of his game.

Hate to sound cliche' but Jigga's problem is that he has lost the eye Rocky... The eye of the tiger. And he is supposed to lose it at some point. You can't remain hungry forever. And probably he needs this kind of critical backlash in order for him to go back to the gym.

But we should all stop questioning his subject matter- as if he was saying something profound on The Black Album.

Here me out;
I remember the soldiers finding Saddam in Iraq, at that same time Alicia Keys released her version of 'NY State Of Mind' feat. Nas and The R.
Nas rapped something to the effect of;
"I'm pain, like Saddam Hussein, watching news clips of his dead son's remains..."
I can't remember what it was exactly but it was to that effect.
Around the same time, jigga was released; "What More Can i Say?".
Which showed me EXACTLY how much he was actually 'saying' in the first place. So subject matter wise, at least now he's rhyming about Hurricane Katrina!

To repeat, the problem here is 'Your Boy Young's flow.
I will conclude by imploring you not to consider this a scathing review.
For in the climate of Lil' Scrappy (& all the Lil's, including Weezy) and Young Joc (& all the Young's, including Jeezy) , I still give this album 9/10.

But in the realm of Jay-Hova, it's a mere 5.

Pour out a lil' liqour for good ol' Iceberg... and hope that his Kingdom Came.

I think Quest is on point with what he's said about Jay's flow. Take that Nas track "Black Republican" for instance on Nas' soon to be released, "Hip-Hop Is Dead". Normally, Jay -Z would have swung on this track like a high schooler playing tee ball against nine year olds. But he gets murdered by Nas on the track. The lyrical expanse between to two that is exemplified on the track is tremendous. I don't know what the hell Jay-Z is talking about and his effort level is like soggy donut flow.

My beef isn't even with his subject matter - It's with his effort. Being a grown ass man myself, I'm into subject mater beyond gats and grams. Bitch slappin' and kilos don't appeal to a sophisticated man like myself, however one can detail jet setting without sounding like a later day Rockefeller, the robber baron type I mean. He seems either bored stiff or so content with life that it doesn't matter what he does, it'll all come out swell. Cheers!

The offering "Anything" is a compromise. He seems so concerned with NOT dissing women (to quote his new buddy Nas) that "tip drill" track morphes into a dedication to housewife hoes living out their fantasy's to be pole dancers. He throws in a cursory shout out to Magic City, Sue's Rendezvous, etc. but the track is a cop out. He's been reading the press on himself way too much.

I commend him for cuts like "Dig A Hole" "Kingdom Come" and "Lost Ones". Jay seemingly had an idea going in that "I'm going to air these clowns out", but beyond that, with maybe the exception of "Minority Report", I don't get that any thought other than "Let's just finish this album" went into the project.