When Fif Looks You in the Eye

AHH’s YouTube courtesy of video editor: Josh Wingate and videographer: Slim

Below find excerpts from AHH’s: Streets is Watching: 50 Cent Part Two, published Wednesday, June 27, 2007 12:01 PM and written by Martin A. Berrios.

With a memory that catches tiny details, there seems to be no area one can't go with 50 Cent. Arguably the King of Rap for the last several years goes as far as to request a writer to ask whatever questions were screened by labels and management. In an age of political-correctedness, 50 presents himself in living color, speaking so freely. The man behind the scenes can be humble at times, but he appears unflinchingly honest. As the other two icons of rap frequently don sunglasses when questioned, Fif looks you in the eye, and gives you his humanity.

AHH: Anything else you want to touch on that we didn’t touch that’s current? Any new business dealings, updates, signings, acquisitions?

50: I think we pretty much got it. What kind of questions you wanted to ask me that they asked you not to ask?

AHH: Censorship, and your opinion on the ongoing debates...

50: You know what I think? Those people are what they can deliver. Anybody who is actually willing to be something different based on a few people saying, "Oh, that’s not right, this is the way I was raised." I’m giving you something from my heart or making the music that’s actually capturing a feeling, then why would I change it? Like it doesn’t make sense to me, I can’t understand that to save my life. Why would you ban words in music that you are willing to ban in television that you are not willing to ban on cable television? If you are going to provide a platform, [allow] Sirius and XM Radio those platforms to exist where’s that acceptable, then why would you say it’s not okay to say it when the CD clearly has a big ass advisory sticker on it? And Walmart only sells the clean version of the record, so it’s optional for you to buy that content or not. You know what it is? All this s**t is underlying racial s**t.

That Don Imus s**t, first of all, his apology was accepted by the young ladies, because the young ladies don’t see themselves as "nappy headed hoes." So you make your references to "b***h, hoe, slut," or whatever you want to say on the record. Have you heard these things on a record before, have women around you been appalled to hearing that because they heard that playing? They don’t usually find disrespect in that, you know why? Because they don’t usually direct it to themselves; you just hear it. It’s just something that’s just going on. In one ear, out the other, you feel that I’m saying?

What it is when Don Imus is gone off his show, we angry at White folks, then they go, "It’s not okay for Don Imus to say it, but it's okay for the rappers to say it?" And then the people we consider Black leaders, go after Hip-Hop also to make themselves not appear biased, man. But at the same time, I think they're escaping the fact [that] Hip-Hop has made more Black millionaires than any other art form than you can point to; to point to it as you want to destroy it or whatever level, it’s beyond me.

AHH: Do you think those quote unquote Black leaders have ulterior motives when it comes to situations like that?

50: You know what? To be honest with you, I think some people consider them Black leaders. They may have ulterior motives. I don’t know what to think of the situation. But I will say that they’re ambulance chasers. I will say that I think they have personal injury attorneys that don’t give them kickbacks. And I will say that they will cause enough fuss until you come cut the check, and that’s just that.

L7's of the World: "Yes, So What!!!"

Rick James: Bustin’ Out (On Funk)
From: Bustin' Out of L Seven/ American Pimp OST (Motown/ Shout Factory, 1979/ Sep. 21, 2004)

Per YouTube vid:
Interviewer:
They are famous for chicken wings, a terrible football team and Rick James…

Rick James:
There was some women in the shower together
Yes
So What!!!
Yes
There was a women cutting another women’s hair in the living room
So What!!!
Yes
There was thighs and buttocks being shown [emphasis on words per Rick's enunciation]
HaHaHa!!!
So What!!!
Yes
There were two women fondling each other gently caressing each other hands in the video
You’re too straight for it?!
Then don’t watch it!
Turn the TV off!!!

Song Review:
Rick James (born James Ambrose Johnson, Jr) (February 1, 1948 – August 6, 2004) took the world of funk music by storm by adding a bad-boy attitude to the music that gave it the sleazy thrill of feral rock and roll. Unfortunately, the colorful image he cultivated often overshadowed his musical skills but a close look at his classic work reveals plenty of talent beneath all the posturing. A good example is "Bustin’ Out," an anthem to the party life that boasts a surprisingly complex musical backing. The lyrics are a fantasy where Rick James offers to help listeners break out of "this L-7 square" with his music. It’s built around the catchy refrain of "We’re bustin’ out on the funk/We’re bustin’ out on some serious funk" and also throws in a few of his typical references to marijuana: "Well, all right you freaks, it’s time you smoke/Fire up this funk and let’s have a toke." The music plays against expectations by pairing high-energy verses to a slinky low-key chorus instead of vice versa. Rick James’ recording takes this straightforward song into a new dimension by giving it a complex arrangement that layers on plenty of funk music ear-candy: jazzy horn charts swing in and out of the melody, burbling bass licks and thunderous power chords duel with the main melody and sudden chants of "la-la-la" pop up near the end that are underscored by slithery synthesizer lines. James holds this diverse collection of sounds together with an exuberant vocal that testifies gospel-style on the verses but stretches out its notes in a seductive style on the slinky chorus. The end result was probably a little too funky for the pop charts (it peaked at #71) but it became an impressive top-ten hit on R&B charts, thus solidifying James’ mastery of the style he dubbed "punk-funk."

* L-7/L7 - a square (combine the "L7" and it forms an obtuse square (rendering it simply a polygon) of sorts : a square is a cornball. Cornball's root is corny
*R.I.P. Rick James

One Thing: Collectivize!!!

Respect my Roger "Bell" Robinson: vision-ambition!!! (See: 5:18 into the vid)

Cold off the presses (as they were hot news when I first posted these threads on the hataboard):

• Composite Material Repairs Itself, Much Like Human Skin: NYT l Playahata
• Laughter Improves Breast Milk's Health Effect: New Scientist I Playahata
• Personalized Depression Drugs: NYT I Playahata
• Munitions Dumping at Sea: Science Blogs I Playahata
• A Diet Coke Instead of a Multivitamin?: CNN I Grist I Playahata
• The Claim: Hydrogen Peroxide Is a Good Treatment: NYT I Playahata
  

*Evermore, as movies go, Willie Dynamite is my favorite.
 

*2 Liter thanks for the vid.

Through to my Fire

SCCLNT
   

Chaka Khan was born Yvette Marie Stevens in Great Lakes, Illinois, and later adopted the African name "Chaka" while working as a volunteer on the Black Panthers' Free Breakfast for Children program. The name "Chaka" comes from the historical figure Chaka Bey.
 
I can only and have only described Chaka as “delicious!!!” which hails nothing of her artistic predilection as a dynamic vocalist and a drummer with proclivity to be your favorite drummer favorite drummer.
 

For my chauvinism: Je suis navré (I'm really sorry)

*SCCLNT - succulent: je m’excuse (again, excuse me)

LeggyHendrix

L.E.G.A.C.Y.: Dirt Bomb
From: Project Mayhem (Hall of Justus/6 Hole Records, May 17, 2005)

Before I recognized Phonte as Hall of Justice Music Group's foremost talent, catapulted public into lollipop radio fanfare under Little Brother’s visibility and not simply a solo artist with a stone's throw of a chance in a shotput lucks of entertainment's nepotism, I celebrated L.E.G.A.C.Y. I’ve been a LegZilla enthusiast in advance of Legsclusives (LEGSCLU, 2004).
Dozing audience I interpose as your harbinger to REM (rapid eye movement) with a Spike Lee School Daze PSA: “WAKE UP!!!”

Needing Loving

Richard Pryor: Black & White Women
From: Bicentennial Nigger: ...And It's Deep Too! - The Complete Warner Bros. Recordings (1968-1992) (Warner Archives/Rhino)

Below find excerpts from an article entitled: Michelle Obama Comes Under Attack? by Pearl JR.
Many of us are noticing that there is really and truly an attack on the value, worth, and importance of Black women in the lives of prominent men. It has gotten so bold that Angelina Jolie is playing a Black woman, 70 percent of Black women are living without spouses, the vast majority of our children are growing up in a single mother household, sixty percent of Black men who earn over $100,000 annually are married to non-Black women, and now a group of White people have created, produced, and distributed a music video that insults Presidential hopeful's Black wife, Michelle Obama; who is now the newest Black women to come under attack to soon be unmated.
Yesterday, while watching Fox News, there was a story about a group of college White students who are posing as Barack Obama supporters that produced a music video called "I Got a Crush on Obama" featuring a sexy White chick lip singing because she was recruited from Craigslist to act in a music video.
Apparently, the Jewish looking female vocalist just wasn't sexy enough to persuade a response from the public or to get Barack Obama's attention they had to use a dummy to pull off this mind-twisting insult.
This video hails Mr. Obama as some type of sex symbol Mandingo that is swooning White women and White people with his sexiness and not his intellect nor his integrity. Forget that Mr. Obama is running for the most powerful job in the world, the Presidency of the United States of America, and put aside that he has a Law Degree from Harvard University and was the only Black President of the prestigious Harvard Law Review, plus voted in as the ONLY Black Senator in the United States Senate among many other notable accomplishments has now been reduced down to being the object of White women's sexual desire.
The scantily dressed White woman with the name of "Obama" on her butt must be to let Barack-ster recognize that she and the producers are aware that Black men like asses, or just in case, he's a tits man, her blouse is tight, especially around the breast area. Furthermore, there is zero mention of Michelle Obama nor his two Black daughters as if they don't even exists, or soon won't, because he is now on White women's radar.
Lastly, check out this comment that I received from YouTube, "if Obama is a true black man he would dump his colored girl wife and shack up with a blonde lady."

*This write-up reads like book and website advertisement and victim role-play via stat cooking: 70%?!
*R.I.P. Richard Pryor the original comedy king courtesy Paul Mooney co-writting
*whitepatriot88:
ill be damned if that nigger becomes president
that space is reserved for WHITES ONLY

Marked as spam

Never Change One Single Grain of Sand

David Ruffin: Common Man
From: Single (Motown, 1973)

David Ruffin: Let Somebody Love Me
From: David (Shelved in 1971) (Hip-O Select, 2004)

The Temptations (1998) (TV)
My favorite quote:
"Ain't nobody comin' to see you, Otis! You wish you could work it the way I do, but you can't! Because there is only one David Ruffin. And without him, the Temps ain't nothin' but a group in SEARCH of a David Ruffin."

According to Otis Williams, David (actual name Davis Eli; also known as David Bush) Ruffin, born in Whynot, Mississippi as the youngest of three sons born to Opheila and Eli Ruffin , (playfully nicknamed "Ruff" by the group) was initially a natural comedian and a hard-working singer when he first joined the group. Ruffin's most notable non-vocal contribution to the Temptations was the masterminding of their trademark four-headed microphone stand.
By 1967, however, ego problems with Ruffin became an issue for the Temptations. Ruffin became addicted to cocaine, and began regularly missing group meetings, rehearsals, and performances. Refusing to travel with the other Temptations, Ruffin and his then-girlfriend Tammi Terrell traveled in a custom limo (with the image of his trademark black rimmed glasses painted on the door, no less). After The Supremes had their name changed to Diana Ross & the Supremes in early 1967, Ruffin felt that he should become the focal point of the Temptations, just as Diana Ross was for her group, and began demanding that the group name be changed to "David Ruffin & the Temptations." This led to a number of fights between Ruffin and the group's de facto leader, Otis Williams, who insists that he gave Ruffin fair warning that if he did not change his attitude, he would be fired. What is also seldom mentioned is that, in addition to the group's problems with David's ego, he was one of the first Motown artists to question where the money was going, and so Ruffin was also demanding an accounting of the group's money. This also caused friction between Ruffin and Gordy.
David Ruffin died of a drug overdose on June 1, 1991 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the age of 50. Contrary to what Temptation Otis Williams claimed in his autobiography (later adapted into the Temptations television miniseries), Ruffin's body was not randomly found in the middle of the street, nor did it lie unclaimed in a morgue for over a week. Instead, Ruffin's chauffeur drove him to the hospital, identifying him as "David Ruffin of the Temptations". A few days later, Ruffin's children claimed his body.
Ruffin was portrayed by actor Leon Robinson in the 1998 television miniseries The Temptations. Leon won high praise for his portrayal of Ruffin, but Ruffin's family was upset by the way the miniseries portrayed Ruffin, and filed a lawsuit against the producers of the miniseries and also Otis Williams, whose memoirs had been the source material for the miniseries. The case was dismissed in favor of the defendants, with Williams later claiming that he had no control over the presentation of the material.
When Ruffin died in June of 1991, Michael Jackson partially covered some of his funeral expenses, at which Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder performed.

*Thank 2 Liter for the vid
*Other than Steve Arrington Ruff wears the illest textured afro
*David's Let Somebody Love Me was chosen to illustrate Ruff's uncommon man (exceptional) voice
*Lastly, I think Ruff could have placed second after Rick James for the "Habitual Line-Stepper" award

Doin it for TV

Dilla in 2003 discussing meeting and working with Madlib, and how Jaylib came to be.

Jaylib
J Dilla
Madlib

Still Getting Fresh

Alice Coltrane: One For The Father
From: Marian McPartland Piano Jazz (NPR: Jazz Alliance, 1981)

Doug E. Fresh (born Douglas E. Davis September 17, 1966 in Barbados) is a celebrity Black father of six (who all live with him) owns and maintains two restaurants, a club, several residential properties, and performs around the world while still making it to family night every Wednesday. The hardest working entertainer in the business is not only is a dedicated parent, he also serves as a committed mentor to the newest crew out of Harlem, his sons: Square Off.
Celebrity and civilian men take a page from the Get Fresh Crew’s front man, the first human beatbox whose first appearance came in 1983 on a single called "Pass the Budda", as you read AHH: Doug E. Fresh & Square Off: Father's Day (also featured on Playahata).

*Other notable Doug E. Fresh vids: 1 & 2
*All single parent mothers happy belated Father's Day (mom)

Petey Greene: A Man Who Conned, Rhymed & 'Speechified'

Sam Cooke: A Change Gonna Come
From: Ain't That Good News (RCA/ Abkco, 1964)

Talk To Me
Focus Features/Rogue Pictures: © 2007; Drama; Rating: R; In Theatres: July 13th, 2007

Kasi Lemmons (dir.)
Don Cheadle
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Taraji P. Henson
Cedric The Entertainer
Martin Sheen

Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle portrays the one and only Ralph Waldo “Petey” Greene Jr.; Petey’s story is funny, dramatic, inspiring - and real. In the mid-to-late 1960s, in Washington, D.C., vibrant soul music and exploding social consciousness were combining to unique and powerful effect. It was the place and time for Petey to fully express himself - sometimes to outrageous effect - and “tell it like it is.” With the support of his irrepressible and tempestuous girlfriend Vernell (Taraji P. Henson), the newly minted ex-con talks his way into an on-air radio gig.
He forges a friendship and a partnership with fellow prison inmate Milo’s (Mike Epps) brother Dewey Hughes (double Golden Globe Award nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor). From the first wild morning on the air, Petey relies on the more straight-laced Dewey to run interference at WOL-AM, where Dewey is the program director. At the station, Petey becomes an iconic radio personality, surpassing even the established popularity of his fellow disc jockeys, Nighthawk (Cedric The Entertainer) and Sunny Jim (Vondie Curtis Hall). Combining biting humor with social commentary, Petey openly courts controversy for station owner E.G. Sonderling (Emmy Award winner Martin Sheen). Petey was determined to make not just himself but his community heard during an exciting and turbulent period in American history. As Petey’s voice, humor, and spirit surge across the airwaves with the vitality of the era, listeners tune in to hear not only incredible music but also a man speaking directly to them about race and power in America like few people ever have. Through the years, Petey’s “The truth just is” style – on – and off-air – would redefine both Petey and Dewey, and empower each to become the man he would most like to be.

I enjoyed the first half as it was teeming with jesters witticisms. Yet the remainder of the film became a slow-weep of a biopic. Thematically, the molasses pacing of the second half did albeit run in accord with Petey’s reluctance in all ventures not radio.
Sam Cooke’s A Change Gonna Come (lyrics) in Talk To Me, as it was used in Spike Lee's X, was integrated as a “long time coming” segue to a parabolic emoting leitmotif.

*Apple trailer
*Trailer for your iPod

Wu-Tang Mofo

El Michels Affair: Bring The Ruckus (Live)
From: 7" Shaolin Series (Truth & Soul, 2006) (Item 436374)

El Michels Affair: Glaciers Of Ice f. Wu-Tang Clan (Live)
From: 7" Shaolin Series (Truth & Soul, 2006) (Item 411528)

Wu-Tang Revealed (trailer) has yet to receive an official release date, chronicles the Wu's experiences through behind the scenes clips, video shoots, performances and never before seen footage of the clan at the Wu Mansion in Los Angeles.

Wu-Tang Revealed was shot mostly by the Gza over a seven year period and is currently in the final stages of editing. It is set to be ready for several screenings over the next few months.

*Check Sandbox Automatic for: Wu-Tang Clan Video Anthology (Think Differently Music)

Str8 4Treal

Big Treal: Comeback (Prod. by 9th Wonder)
From: Remo & Big Treal: Str8 Drop: The Mixtape (Mixed by DJ MC) (9th's Wonderful World of Music, 2007)

*Courtesy of Notes Of A Different Kitchen (Big Treal's bio, etc. can also be sort at NOADK)

Raised by Game

Common: The Game Ft. DJ Premier
From: Finding Forever (July 31, 2007)

While in college I ran with cats from Evanston Illinois; ergo, Windy City’s folklore poses no conundrum. Formerly known as Common Sense Can I Borrow a Dollar? dropped on October 6, 1992. Common’s enigmatic time with the: Soulquarians and Neptunes for two albums worth of women-radio-ready-lollipop foci often goes to the blame of Baduisms yet I do not concretely concur. As of Be, an acronym that feigns no ending, Common has reasserted himself as the talent he walked into the game facilely expositing.


*MP3 courtesy the Tinman Has It
*Other downloads available at Kanye Talks

Harlem, Ya Dig?!

CLD
PRSS

Jim Jones: Lockdown, USA

From: Lockdown, USA (2006/ 2007)

In observance of the 34th anniversary of the failed Rockefeller Drug Laws, Dipset Capo Jim Jones recently released a song and video for his new single "Lockdown, USA" which calls for the reform of New York's Rockefeller Drug Laws and an end to the war on drugs. The song also features former Roc-A-Fella R&B singer Rell, and samples the popular Marvin Gaye song "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". This track was recorded specifically for the movie and isn't on P.O.M.E.

Jones' "Lockdown, USA" video features powerful images from America's War on Drugs, illustrating the widespread imprisonment that has resulted from the laws in New York and their influence nationwide. Footage from a "Coalition for Fairness" rally, led by Hip-Hop Summit Action Network leaders Russell Simmons and Dr. Benjamin Chavis is also included in the clip. With "Lockdown, USA," Jim Jones has joined the HSAN and a number of other celebrities (including 50 Cent, Mariah Carey, Reverend Run, The Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Nas, Diddy, Madonna, Susan Sarandon) in speaking out against the Drug Laws. The song will be featured in the forthcoming documentary, Lockdown, USA, which premiered at last year's Tribeca Film Festival and is scheduled for theatrical release this year.

After you watch the video and listen to the song, please take action by sending New York Governor Elliot Spitzer and President George W. Bush a message urging them to end the Rockefeller Drug Laws in New York, and to stop the failed war on drugs in America.

*CLD
PRESS - cold press drop the vowels AKA late reporting

New Jack Nitty-Gritty

LD
SCHL


Images courtesy Monkey For Helping

*LD
SCHL - old school drop the vowels

Jameson Infused Mash Potatoes

Lalo Schifrin: Liquor Store Holdup
From: Dirty Harry OST (Extended Version) (Aleph, Oct. 1971)

I am of epicurean culturing. Yet on this said night, featured on the latter "Call Downstairs" YouTube, which only portends the weekend which in its entirety hosted the 30^th birthday anniversary of one of my best friends, hereafter he will be referenced as “Air Rift”, (yes, the Nike sneaker as he once described an ill-fitted pair of Pumas (shout-out to my man "Tongue" (also a nickname (of lazy sorts)) - the emandation zeitgeist as he refreshed my exactitude of this memory) as having an invagination. I have since free-associated said acerbic audit with Air Rifts which do bear an invagination; accordingly, you have to love the scientific mind) involved gourmandizing The Diner’s pabulum of mash potatoes, fries, burgers, pancakes, feta and provolone cheese omelets, gruyère cheese grits and thrown drinking straws. Such ingestion followed an entire bottle of Jamesons whiskey, courtesy of The Science Club and on-the-house as the adage so charmingly goes, which was solely shared amongst a subgroup of three or four of a larger group nearing ten in the restroom of Busboy and Poets. Such wolfing followed more drinks (see: liquor) at Republic Gardens which like the Science Club was carte blanch via DJ H. Hotter, who in a Jameson saturated drawl professed his being euphemistically, “the man” (not to be confused with epithetical, “the man” per the civil rights movement) as he counted without falter the cost for our group within nanoseconds as we peregrinated indoors cost free (thank you my brother!; go Howard University math department as who knew that we could be pedantic even when “saucy” (drunk)?). Such devouring followed my threatening to, “jump over the counter and slap the fire outta …” after explaining to a worker at Julia’s Empanadas that potentially he had five customers who were ready to spend money yet he acknowledge no interest in out entry, what a warped exposition of Black-on-Black Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. I thusly and deftly walked out refusing to spend money at said eatery though my compadres made purchases only to complain that his disservice included other oversights and inconsiderations.

As I am know to do here at Fulsome, I have provided theme music for this video which does not include me as I was outside waiting for confirmation that they had a place to sleep other than my floor.

...Many more Air Rift...