The Musings of an Eccentric Diva

2008-03-22T03:57:00.000-07:00

RANDOM UGLY SHOE

Lawd look what we have here. The back of the shoe looks like pieces of curtain from a Louisiana zydeco bar. The front of the shoe looks like cut-up red cabbage with rabbit fur for embellishment. What the hell were they thinking when they created this shoe? I'm sure the designer was high...yup, pretty sure of it. With all that said, I would wear it because you wouldn't. Yup, I'm a kook.

2008-03-21T04:05:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Fakin' The Funk-Main Source 1992

Dope shit.

2008-03-08T14:33:00.000-08:00

OH HELL YEAH!

I will be the first person in line to buy my ticket for Iron Man. I was skeptical at first about Robert Downey Jr. playing the lead but he looks fabulous. I'm also glad Ghostface Killah got a small part in the film since his alter ego is Tony Starkes. Hope Hollyweird doens't let me down with another bad adaptation of a comic book hero (Nicholas Cage as GhostRider ILK!)

2008-03-01T18:13:00.000-08:00

MOVIE REVIEW: No Country For Old Men

Llewellyn Moss, is staking out cattle when he spots several trucks parked in the middle of nowhere. Curiosity takes over and he investigates the scene. He discovers a bunch of dead people, a stash of heroin and $2 million in cash. Llewellyn flees with the cash but not before one of the victims asks him for water. He leaves the scene anyway but returns later that night with water for the victim. Llewellyn is spotted by bounty hunters and flees the scene once again leaving his truck behind. From there, the bounty hunters are able to track down his whereabouts and have hired a hitman named Anton Chigurh to find him. Anton is a virtually unstoppable coldblooded individual who will not let anyone or anything get in his way. Also looking for Llewelyn are grizzled sheriff Ed Bell, who also serves as narrator for the story, and another hitman, Carson Welles. Llewelyn forces his wife to leave town while he escapes with the cash. Will Llewelyn be hunted down by Chigurh or will he and his wife be reunited as happy millionaires? No more spoilers from me y’all!

NCFOM definitely lives up to its hype, it was an amazing movie. Most consider this a modern-day Western flick, I guess that is an accurate description. The Anton Chigurh character was the scariest villain I’ve seen in a very long time, fuck Hanibal, this guy was much scarier. That wig he wore should’ve gotten its own Oscar, it was a character within itself. Javier Bardem really deserved the statue. It was bittersweet because Josh Brolin was wonderful as well and he was overlooked. Josh is fast becoming my favorite actor, he had a great year with Grindhouse, American Gangster, and NCFOM. Tommy Lee Jones gave another great performance as a world-weary sheriff, although he doesn't have screen time. The violence and bloodshed were not used sparingly so be warned, this is not a film for the squeamish. Also, the ending will come as a shock to most and a letdown to others. Moviegoers are so used to an ending that lays out each and every sequence of the film and gives explanations for everything that happened. I thought it was perfect considering what the true theme of the movie was. The scenery was great, The Cohen Brothers are known for that and they don’t let the audience down. When this film is released officially on March 11th I will be buying a copy, I can’t wait to watch it again. I won’t give away much more info about this film, just see it dammit!

VERDICT: 4 Soul Claps

2008-02-27T09:10:00.000-08:00

JOB INTERVIEW-PUNK'ED STYLE

Recently I went for a job interview for an internal posting with my current employer. Some of the questions asked and job duties were a bit sketchy to me. I kept looking around the room to see if there were cameras posted because it felt like episode of Candid Camera (or Punk'ed for you youngins). Some of the things mentioned were:

1. We need someone with a can-do spirit, someone who will get the job done without much question. For instance, if an employee brought a child to work you may be asked you to sit with the child briefly.

2. The boss maintains that you be involved in charitable activities during work hours, this would involve bake sales, raffles etc. This may require you to work overtime if needed. He would also expect you to be involved in charitable activites outside of work as well.

3. If you are needed to stay overtime for work or possibly come into work on a Saturday, do not expect to be paid for it. The boss feels that everyone has a job they must do and if overtime is needed, so be it. He will so "generously" let you go home an hour early the following day as a way of saying "thank you" for putting in extra time.

By the end of the interview I was in a state of shock. Keep in mind this is an CAPITAL INVESTMENT SECTOR FOR A MAJOR BANK.... bake sales, charity, babysitting has nothing to do with this line of business. Needless to say, I'm still searching for a new position. No thank you, slavery ended many years ago.

2008-02-15T20:18:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Herbie Hancock-Rockit 1983

In honor of Herbie's Album of The Year surprise grammy win. Herbie has always been the man long before Rockit. I have some of his older recordings and they are spectacular, he is one of the forefathers of jazz funk. The song and video were ahead of their time and won a record 5 MTV Awards in 1984. Hell I was just glad the award didn't go to Kanye's ass...hehh hehh hehh.

2008-02-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

MY SCENE: The DJ Battle from Juice- 1992

In this scene Q (Omar Epps) is participating in the much-anticipated DJ battle. While he is spinning he is constantly scanning the audience for former pal Bishop (Tupac), who is looking to kill him. Q wins the battle but does not have time to stay and bask in the glory as he must run away to save his life. Queen La is the MC of the event, one of her earliest film roles...I always knew she was destined for greatness. Samuel L. Jackson also has a small role in this film, lots of future star power going on here. Juice is a hip-hop classic and if you haven't seen it, for shame on you lol.

2008-02-08T09:57:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2: Big Daddy Kane- Nuff Respect 1992

So nice I had to do it twice. If anyone had any doubt that Kane was all style over substance, he killed the notion with this track from the Juice soundtrack. His flow was sick!

2008-02-08T09:37:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Big Daddy Kane- Ain't No Half Stepping 1988

Way back when rappers had class and style. Big Daddy was the man, not too many rappers today can hold a candle to the Kane.

2008-02-05T12:31:00.000-08:00

RANDOM MUSINGS

Yesterday I had the pleasure of smelling the breath of a man riding IN FRONT OF ME on the bus! He was talking on a cell phone, I'm surprised the damn thing didn't melt. OMG, it was horrible...shit smelled like hot garbage. The poor fellow sitting next to him looked like he wanted to cry, he had the window seat and he just kept turning his head. I thought the poor guy's head would do a 360 like Linda Blair's in The Exorcist, he was turning his neck hard to get away from that horrific breath. When the we reached his stop, he damn near ran off the bus. It may not have been his actual stop, he may have said "fuck it, I will walk the rest of the way". Damn, how could a person not know their breath is that bad? Doesn't he have friends? I'm sure that person on the receiving end of that cell phone could smell it too.

2008-02-05T11:39:00.000-08:00

LOCKED UP AND WON'T LET ME OUT

A coworker hipped me to this website. She needed to order care packages for her nephew who is currently locked up in the state pen. No wonder negroes have no qualms about spending time in jail, I can't even afford to buy this shit! Prisoners get decent food, free housing, exercrise equipment, computers, and free health care. Jail is a country club for criminals, they go in to take a break from daily street life and learn new tricks of the trade from more experienced cons to become better and smarter at their game.The prison system needs to take a bare bones approach...no "perks". Just a bed, toilet, and food, I'm sure this will keep a few fellows from returning. A few years ago a prisoner sued the penal system because the jail the was housed in switched to crunchy peanut butter, wtf?! He cited "cruel and unusual punishment" as a reason for the lawsuit. The argument that if prisoners are not given these perks, they will become violent and are likely to return to the system really doesn't hold water. The jails are still overcrowded and prison violence is still as prevalent as ever.

2008-01-25T20:06:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2: Aaliyah- Back and Forth 1993

I'm a little late to the game on this one, I gave this song a good listen last year and now it's in constant rotation.

2008-01-25T19:51:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: The Clash-This Is Radio Clash 1981

One of the coolest groups ever. Enough said.

2008-01-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

RANDOM VIDEO: Fergie-Clumsy

I'm ashamed to admit I like this song even though I despise pop artists. Too bad the bitch looks like someone stomped her face in with a Timberland workboot,damn she is fugly! The girl can't help it I guess.

2008-01-19T16:04:00.000-08:00

MOVIE REVIEW: The Girl Next Door 2007

When 12 year old David meets Meg McLaughlin, he is smitten right away. Meg,a pretty,outgoing girl is new to the neighborhood and living with Ms.Chandler and her family after she and her sister Susan loses their parents in an auto accident. The Chandler home is a hang-out spot for the neighborhood kids so Meg's presence in the house is a plus for David. What David soon learns is that Meg and her sister are subject to abuse and humiliation at the hands of Ms. Chandler and various others sources. Can he save Meg before the physical and mental damage do her in completely? No more spoilers from me y’all!

Based on a true story, this film was so powerful it moved me to tears. I waited an entire month to see this film as it was on backorder from Netflix. The brutality the character suffered was very hard to watch and at times I had to turn away. This is definitely not for the squeamish but I think it is an important film that needs to be seen. I was shocked by the risk the director (Gregory Wilson, a brotha!) took by casting child actors for the roles, if the characters were played by young adults the impact would not have been the same. I kept reminding myself that most of the events that took place in the film really happened to a 16 year old girl and her story is considered one of the worst cases of child abuse in history. How anyone could be so cruel to another human being just escapes me. I won’t give away too much of the storyline here because I’d rather people see the film for themselves. Here is a link to the story of the real-life teenager of which the film is based on.

VERDICT: 3 1/2 Soul Claps

2008-01-11T19:30:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2 (Zesty Edition): Jermaine Stewart- The Word Is Out 1986

Now here we have the Prince of Zest himself, Jermaine Stewart. Jermaine's hair game was THA BIDNESS!!!! He sure was pretty too! The dance sequence was hilarious, Jermaine was handling them hoes. RIP JS.

2008-01-11T19:23:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM (Zesty Edition): Cheryl Lynn-Encore 1983

What is going on with the fellas in this video?!?? They have more interest in each other than Cheryl. The dance-off is HILARIOUS, the zest just oozes through my computer screen!

2008-01-10T18:06:00.000-08:00

THE YEARLY MUSIC WRAP-UP 2007

Here are my favorite cd’s of 2007. With the exception of the first four, the rest of are in no particular order.

1.4Hero- Play With The Changes
2.Jazzanova-Belle et Fou
3.Koop- Koop Island
4.Benny Sings- Benny At Home
5.Ledisi- Lost and Found
6.Eric Roberson- Left
7.Adriana Evans-El Camino
8.Wouter Hamel- Hamel
9.Mos Def- Mos Definite
10.Ghostface Killah- The Big Doe Rehab
11.Lily Allen- Alright, Still (fresh, cute, and different)
12.Jill Scott- The Real Thing Words and Sounds V 3
13.Talib Kweli- Eardrum
14.Chaka Khan- Funk This
15.Amy Winehouse- Back To Black (I would be lying if I said I didn’t love this cd, so sue me)
16.Common-Finding Forever

2008-01-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

MOVIE REVIEW: I Am Legend 2007

Manhattan is Ground Zero for a plague that has eradicated everyone on Earth. The plague was created as a cure for cancer but it backfires. Dr Robert Neville (Will Smith) and his German Shepard Sam are the lone survivors. Neville is a US Army virologist who was at the forefront of creating a vaccine for the plague before all hell broke loose. He and his dog spend their days hunting for food and supplies in downtown Manhattan…which is deserted, overgrown with brush and inhabited by *cough cough* lions and deer , watching old newscasts and movies, exercising , and oh yeah…..protecting themselves from half-human, bloodthirsty night dwellers. The night dwellers are a result of the plague. Once nightfall hits, Neville must barricade himself inside of his home to protect himself and Sam from the creatures. Each day Neville goes to a bridge to broadcast a message that will hopefully draw survivors to his attention. In between foraging for food in the day and zombie watching at night, Neville diligently continues to come up with a cure to revert the night dwellers back to their human form. Will his vaccine work or will Neville become zombie bait? No more spoilers from me y’all!

Alrighty! First off, I am not a Will Smith movie fan. Personally I think he’s awesome but as an actor I find him a bit too cutesy and corny for my tastes. The premise of this film has that been there/done that feel to it. When I read this was a semi-remake of The Omega Man, one of my favorite films of all time, I was even more skeptical. I think the one factor that got me to watch this is the last man on Earth being a Brotha (or something like that, we are talking about Will Smith here lol). take on the story. I should’ve followed my first mind, this filmed reeked. The first half of the movie was fine and it was really cool trying to figure out how they made Manhattan look so deserted. Will did a great job of showing how a person would react to loneliness and isolation. His costar Sam the dog was just AWESOME..the best part of the movie. Insert lions, deer and Will racing around in a brand new Ford Mustang ….sounds ridiculous, yeah but this isn’t even the worst of it…I was still mildly entertained at this point. Where they lost me is when they introduced the night dwellers. Those bootleg, dollar store video game leftovers were neither scary nor entertaining. They went WAYYYYY overboard with the CGI effects in this film, I usually skip these types of films altogether. I think the film would’ve been more effective if the zombies were portrayed by actors in makeup versus those stoopid CGI creatures. Also, there were lot of inconsistencies and things that just didn’t add up in this film from a logic standpoint which I won’t give away here. Towards the end of the film the audience is hit with a heavy-handed religious message that seemed to be thrown in at the last minute to cater to the Christmas season movie-going crowd. The ending of this film is a tanker altogether, for me it was not in sync with the rest of the storyline. If you want to close your brain for 2 hours and enjoy a totally mindless piece of drivel, then see this film…if you are part of the thinking crowd, save your money and rent the stellar Omega Man instead

VERDICT: 1 Soul Clap

2008-01-04T03:48:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: You Can't Play With My YoYo- Yo-Yo 1990

Yo-Yo was fly. She repped the thick and sexy chicks for real. Let's bring back female rappers who don't rhyme about giving giving some head.

2007-12-29T13:43:00.000-08:00

JOY TO THE GIRL!

Happy Belated Holidays to all of you. Christmas time for me was filled with joy, laughter, food, and fun. I spent much needed time with the people I love the most. OK, let me stop with the sentimental shit. I hosted the holiday gathering this year and I've never cooked so much food in my life! I was ready to fall face-first into my homemade chocolate cake, I was tired as hell! I was too tired to eat the food after it was done. It paid off because everyone really enjoyed my the food. I can honestly say this is the first time in many years that I have truly enjoyed the holidays. I did about 90% of my shopping online this year and everything went without a hitch. Never again will I battle with the mall zombies during the holiday season again, I ain't got the patience for that shit anymore. I got great gifts this year too, Santa was really generous to me, it was unbelievable. My favorites were a diamond tennis bracelet, a Creative Zen Plus MP3 (I wanted this really badly), EBAY gift cards, and cold hard cash (my ass needed because I was broke!). Tell me what Santa or Kwanzaa Kareem (Ninjagirrl, this slayed me) brought you this year.

2007-12-28T14:32:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Ralph Tresvant- Sensitivity

Yeah all of us ladies could use a little sensitivity in our significant others, but not TOO much. I don't want someone that will hold my purse while I'm getting jumped on.

2007-12-21T11:45:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Let It Snow- Boyz II Men 1993

I'm not really into Christmas music, but this is one song I can tolerate. I'm not a big Boyz II Men fan either, don't get me wrong, the guys can blow but they bore the hell out of me. Maybe if Wanya had a big purple eye on his forehead or something I would find them more interesting. I know, I'm a basketcase.

2007-12-14T20:03:00.000-08:00

MY SCENE: Brand New Day From The Wiz 1978

I have never sat down and watched The Wizard of Oz in its entirety, I've tried but boredom wouldn't allow me to finish it. Being the movie buff I am, most people find that ridiculous since it's considered to be one of the most loved classics. I've have seen and LOVE The Wiz. My mom took my cousin and I to see it when it was first released and we sat transfixed on the screen for 133 minutes. My little girl eyes couldn't believe what I saw. It was the most vibrant, colorful, magical thing I'd ever seen. The musical numbers, the costumes, and best of all DIANA ROSS! Let me not forget to mention Nipsey Russell pop-locking in this scene, that was worth the price of admission alone. In this scene Evilene is destroyed and her factory workers shed their ugly costumes to unveil beautiful Black folks underneath, wow! Do I agree Diana Ross was a little too old for the Dorothy role? Of course. I've read internet forums where this film is being trashed by the masses. Yes, it was a bit creepy and a little over the top but it still was a great concept with an excellent score by Quincy Jones nonetheless. I read a rumor that a new Broadway version of The Wiz is underway. If so, I'll be first person in line to buy a ticket.

2007-12-14T19:05:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Diana Ross-Muscles 1982

Before the scrapes with the law and the butter-infused teeth, Ms. Ross was not to be played with. She was a true diva in every sense of the word, and still is very beautiful today (with the exception of the teefus). The lady did it all, tv, movies, music, you name it. The hair, the clothes, that mega-watt smile.....she was the epitome of a star. This video gets my vote for the pure campiness of it, those oiled-up muscle dudes were ridonkulous lol.

2007-12-11T15:42:00.000-08:00

OK I’m saying HELL TO DA NAW to both of these two. I don’t know Obama, for all I know he could be an Ashton Kutcher “Punked” prank and is really a White dude in blackface, I know Oprah is. I’m not buying it. Give me a few more years of seeing what he’s capable of and maybe he will get my stamp of approval. Right now I’m on the fence about exactly who I will vote for, I don’t have that much time either sheesh, 2008 is almost here. I have someone in mind who would be the most PERFECT candidate ever.

50 Cent AKA Curtis Jackson. Ok, he would have to shorten his name to “Curt” in order to appeal to the masses, Curtis is way too ethnic for the Mormon housewives of Utah. Who better to run for president? Fiddy is a household name and is known and loved by White folks all over the world, I’m sure he already has their vote. Fiddy has already made his mark in foreign policy as we see in this videotape.....

Nothing like a little scandal to jumpstart your political career ehh? Fiddy can preach the dangers of the streets to the younguns, even has the bullet wounds to prove it. We all know Mr. Jackson keeps it “real” and I’m sure he will remain the same in the White House, that’s what we need right? He and his running mate Lloyd Banks (no name change needed here) are exactly what this country needs right now, hard working, dedicated and possessing real street credibility. The Iraqi’s don’t stand a chance against Curt Jackson and his street soldiers. Each soldier would be forced to sign a “no snitching” clause before they prepare for battle. You don’t think something like this will happen? Give it a few years and I’m willing to bet some former rapper will be running for President. Talking about Dead Prez, if he wins he won’t even make it to the Inaugural Speech…he better dust off those bulletproof vests in his closet. In Fiddy’s case I’d rather him go into politics than make another terrible CD, he needs to put his “skills” to use somewhere else.

2007-12-08T09:36:00.000-08:00

MY SCENE: The Gamma Rays Performing Be Alone Tonight- School Daze

It's hard to pick one scene from a brilliant movie. My friends and I mimicked this scene over and over. I wanted to have Tisha Campbell's dress made for my prom but Mom wasn't having it.....back then prom dresses were a bit more modest, girls didn't go to prom looking like back-alley hookers. This scene was sexy and sassy and the ladies were beautiful. Spike Lee's early work was so groundbreaking, I'd like to see him return to edgy films. I'm sure School Daze got a lot of Black teens interested in going to college and/or HBCU's.

2007-12-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2: Damian Dame- RIght Down To It 1991

Damian Dame were the first artists signed to LaFace Records. They both had the best hair in the biz at the time, I had to copy Deah Dame's bob for real. Sadly both of these two beautiful people are deceased. Deah Dame died in June 27,1994 in a car accident. Damian died two years to the day of Deah's death of colon cancer.

2007-12-07T19:41:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Cake-The Distance 1996

As soon as I heard Eminem's song Lose Yourself from the 8 Mile soundtrack I knew it was a ripoff of this song which was released years earlier. Eminem's song can't hold a candle to this one, this is my shiitt!

2007-12-04T15:49:00.000-08:00

MOVIE REVIEW: Snoop Dogg's Hood Of Horrors 2006

Snoop Dogg’s contribution to the horror anthology genre with a hip hop twist. Segment one-Crossed Out: Graffiti artist Posie (Daniella Alonso) runs afoul of some rival taggers. Trying to escape them she bumps into a mystical homeless man (Danny Trejo) who grants her powers of life and death. With her new found trick, she exacts revenge on her enemies one by one. Segment two-The Scumlord: A racist trust fund kid (Anson Mount) and his bimbo wife must spend a year in a squalid apartment building formerly owned by his deceased dad and now inhabited by Black Vietnam vets who have no other refuge. In true redneck fashion, he tortures and humiliates the vets until he crosses the line. Segment three-Rhapsody Askew: Sod (Pooch Hall) and Quon (Aries Spears)meteoric rise to fame as rap stars is cut short after Quon is shot and killed in a botched robbery attempt. Now a solo act, Sod is on top of the game again. But a few visitors from the past arrive to scare the “hell” out of him. Will Posie’s misuse of power cause her to be crossed out? Will Tex and his wife become casualties of war? Will Sod’s new-found fame as a solo artist grant him a one-way ticket to hell? No more spoilers from me y’all!

Trust, I did not watch this for the Snoop element. Snoop is a one-man minstrel show, I’m so sick of him. I read somewhere this film was actually pretty decent besides the low budget so I decided to give it a try. Also what drew me in is the film was released by Xenon Entertainment, the company responsible for the Rudy Ray Moore classics such as Dolomite and The Human Tornado. The stories were a bit convoluted but I’m sure the writers were not going for Oscar-caliber dialogue, they just wanted to entertain. The movie begins with an anime cartoon retelling the story of how Snoop became the Cribkeeper. The Cribkeeper is the narrator of each story and appears along with his vampire bitches at the end of the segment to provide the moral of the story. Snoop looks ridiculous with blond French braids, this cat looks damn near 90 years old. Excessive weed smoking takes a toll on your looks I guess. The first story Crossed Out, did not make much sense but it featured one of the coolest death scenes I’ve seen in a while. The second story, The Scumlord, was the most entertaining of the series, it was a riot and it was good to see Ernie Hudson of Ghostbusters fame in a film again, he is aging gracefully (take notes Snoop). Anson Mount was hilarious as the evil redneck landlord. The third story, Rhapsody Askew was blah….nothing really memorable except a few funny lines by comedian Aries Spears. Jason Alexander (AKA George Costanza from Seinfeld) must have really needed a job, it’s hard out here for a blimp I guess. The gore element for this film was high, there were great gross-out moments and they were decently executed on a low budget. The anime also added a really cool touch. I went into this movie not expecting much and I got what I bargained for. I was entertained and I can certainly say it wasn’t the worst film I’ve ever seen.

VERDICT: 2 Soul Claps

2007-11-24T12:33:00.000-08:00

MOVIE REVIEW: Who Made The Potatoe Salad 2006

San Diego cop Mike (Jaleel "Urkel" White) is all set to propose to his girlfriend Ashley (Jennia Fredrique). Ashley accepts his proposal and they travel to meet her family...in South Central LA nonetheless. When they arrive they are greeted by her dad Mr. Jenkins (Clifton Powell), a former Black Panther type who hates cops because he spent time in jail for aggravated murder on a police officer, her loving mom Mrs. Jenkins (Ella Joyce) and her gangbanging, slang-talking brother June Bug (DeRay Davis) and a host of other unique relatives. Understanding that Mr Jenkins has no love for cops whatsoever, Mike knows he has to work extra-hard to prove to Ashley's dad that he's the man for her. Will Mike succeed or will Mr. Jenkins roast this "pig"? No more spoilers from me y'all!

Ok, I will admit to being a quasi-movie snob so I had to be prodded a bit to watch this film by a source I trusted. Dammit I LAUGHED MY ASS OFF! Don't go looking into this movie for some deeper meaning because you won't find it here, it's strictly to make you laugh. Poor Jaleel will always be Urkel to me, regardless how much times he spends in the gym. I think that's what made this film even funnier for me. His bug eyes, goofy demeanor and boyish charm is still intact from his "Family Matters" days. Jennia Fredrique is a lovely lady and her face was instantly recognizable to me from her Brandy character on the LOGO channel show Noah's Arc. Clifton Powell plays a great baddie, his role as the dad who was "set up" by the pigs left me in stitches. But who really stole the show for me was Eddie Griffin with his small role as Malik, Ashley's incarcerated ex-boyfriend. It was interesting to see Ella Joyce and Clifton Powell, two former cast members from the great Fox show Roc play husband and wife, on the show they hated each other lol. The movie features several other comedians who you may recognize from tv such as Reynaldo Ray, Gary Owen, Michael Colyar, and Bebe Drake. I watched this film on Thanksgiving and it just so happened the film takes place during the Thanksgiving holiday. If you just want to laugh and not think a great deal, see this film.

VERDICT: 3 Soul Claps (sad to say this was more entertaining than American Gangster)

2007-11-23T21:18:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Guru ft Chaka Khan- Watch What You Say 1995

Jazzmataz Volumes 1 & 2 would easily make my top 50 list of the best hip hop cd's ever. It was way ahead of its time and took hip hop to another level. More importantly this song features my all-time favorite female singer ever Chaka Khan (don't nobody say nothing bad about Ms Chaka!).

2007-11-18T20:19:00.000-08:00

MY SCENE: The Dance Battle From House Party

I loved the boys vs girls scene in the first House Party movie. This movie meant a lot to me because it was the first of its kind. It featured Black kids from middle class backgrounds (with the except of AJ Johnson's character, her family was HILARIOUS) who were basically good kids looking to have a good time. At the time Kid 'n Play were at the top of their game so this was a must-see film for young folks when it was released. Even though both had appeared in other films prior to this, the House Party films truly launched the careers of Tisha Campbell and Martin Lawrence, they should thank their lucky stars for The Hudlin Brothers. It would be awesome to see a reunion of the cast once the film reaches it's 20th anniversary or something. Most of the central characters are still working, including Darryl "Chill" Miller who is now confined to a wheelchair due to a motorcycle accident in 2001.

2007-11-18T16:18:00.000-08:00

MOVIE REVIEW: American Gangster

When Harlem gangster Bumpy Johnson (Clarence Williams III) dies, his driver Frank Lucas (Denzel) is slated to take over his spot as Harlem’s crime lord. Frank takes over the operation and enlists the help of his brothers and various other relatives from his hometown in North Carolina. Being the entrepreneur he is, Frank decides to cut out the middleman and import his drugs straight from Indonesia. The “product” he puts on the market just happens to be one of the purest forms on heroin on the street. He nicknames his product Blue Magic and Lucas turns his drug trade into a million dollar a day business. Frank is at the top of his game but honest cop Ritchie Roberts (Russell Crowe) is hot on his trail. Also complicating matters is a gang of crooked cops led by Detective Trupo (Josh Brolin) who shakes down Frank at any given time. Will Frank continue his reign in Harlem as drug kingpin number one or will he be taken down by the long arm of the law? No more spoilers from me y’all!

Denzel is MY MAN, there is no denying that. He can turn a so-so film into a really entertaining one (Déjà vu). I will say I consider this another one of his so-so films. I am no advocate of drug dealers, I actually despise them but I think it was due time to see something of this magnitude on the screen. George Jung and Henry Hill (Blow and Goodfellas respectively) both had their stories depicted on screen, so it was time a Black dealer got his turn. While watching this film I saw a culmination of all the great characters Denzel played previously in this one role…I saw Alonzo from Training Day, I saw Malcolm X, and I saw Ruben “Hurricane” Carter. It’s almost like he’s becoming a caricature of all the roles his previous roles when I know he has more range than what was depicted here. Who really stole the show for me was Josh Brolin's character Detective Trupo. Josh is becoming the go-to bad guy for films lately, I need to dedicate a post to him because I'm truly digging him. Russell Crowe's Ritchie Russell character was straight boring, I guess they had to throw in the divorce scenario for good measure because it did nothing for the storyline. Cuba Gooding's small role as rival gangster Nicky Barnes provides one of the most entertaining scenes in the film. It would be nice to see real actors in movies instead of rappers, T.I. and Common had no place in this film except to draw people into the theaters, at least they gave RZA a real role. With the exception of the rappers, this film had a terrific cast. I don't know what I was expecting to see, but this film did not live up to its hype. It wasn't a terrible film but it was no epic either. Typical popcorn fare.

VERDICT: 2 1/2 Soul Claps

2007-11-16T20:24:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Missy Elliot- Beep Me 911 1998

Hard to believe this song is almost 10 years old, time sure does fly. Missy has no qualms about getting silly for a video, I love that she doesn't take herself too seriously. The human marionette concept for this video was really cute and innovative.

2007-11-15T17:47:00.000-08:00

RANDOM UGLY SHOE

Herman Munster shoes for the new millennium. This is the shoe of choice for vertically challenged YT frat boys. The durable soles of these shoes are great for stomping on the head of some poor unsuspecting Black kid who happens to venture into the wrong neighborhood.

2007-11-09T20:05:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2 (Lite Skin Brotha Edition) Al B Sure-Nite and Day 1988

Now I posted a video of my favorite Lite Skin Brother below who could actually sing, here is one who could NOT! Clawd Hammercy, I saw this man singing live and wanted to cry. I was so disappointed, it sounded like someone skinning live cats....I wanted my teenage dollars back! How in the hell did I ignore that giant caterpillar crawling across his face? That unibrow was NOT the bidness but we thought he was fine.

2007-11-09T19:54:00.000-08:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM (Lite Skin Brotha Edition): Christopher Williams-Dreamin' 1991

Excuse my political incorrectness for a second but I wanted to showcase two of my favorite lite skin brothas for my Friday Flashbacks. This brother here could actually SANG..I saw him live and he blew my socks off. Too bad his career went out like the high-top fade he was sporting. This track is from the New Jack City soundtrack which I horribly overlooked when I did my Random Ten Soundtrack list. I think I may revisit that in a later post to expand it because I missed a lot of great ones. My favorite part in the movie is when Nino Brown stabs his ass and says "I never liked you anyway, pretty muthafucka". Hee hee.

2007-11-05T18:10:00.000-08:00

COOL 60's CHICK- Candy Johnson

Growing up I used to LOVE the Beach Party movies starring Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon. These movies were fun, silly and lighthearted. The "teens" were well into their 30's but hell..who cared? The highlight of these movies was Ms. Candy Johnson. With her fringed outfits, well-coifed beehive and slender body, Candy would shimmy those hips and those boys would pass out! That's some power! I soooo wanted a fringed outfit so I too could shake and make the boys pass out. Candy wasn't the prettiest or the youngest thing but the chick sure could move. Back in the day they called these chicks go-go dancers, the precursor to skrippas lol. Watch Candy do her thang in the video clip below.

2007-11-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

RANDOM TEN: Overrated Movies

Here my list of some of the most overrated movies ever. These are movies are critically acclaimed but they are just big snoozers in my opinion. They are in no particular order because they are all equally boring. Don't fall alseep while reading the list lol.

1. Little Miss Sunshine

2. In The Bedroom

3. Memento

4. Titanic

5. Pursuit of Happyness

6. Harry Potter movies (Dumbledore's gayness won't even make me watch these)

7. Babel (exactly what the title implies, 2 hrs of babble)

8. Hitch (see a trend with Will Smith films here lol)

9. Seabiscuit

10. Lost In Translation

2007-11-05T15:37:00.000-08:00

MOVIE REVIEW: Saw IV

Jigsaw is officially dead and gone and so is his last student Amanda. His mangled body lays on an autopsy table ready for the final curtain call in the sky. Inside of his body lies clues to another “game”, yes even in death, his “work” lives on. Detectives Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) and Rigg (Lyriq Bent) are assigned to figure out exactly which poor fucker is on his victims' list. Rigg has become a bit obsessed with finding Jigsaw because he has wiped out several of his fellow police officers. His hunt for Jigsaw and the missing Detective Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg from Saw 2) has eventually cost him his marriage as well. Jigsaw catches up with Rigg and makes him a part of his latest game. He has 90 minutes to find Detective Matthews and Hoffman or else his poor wife will perish. Meanwhile, Jiggy’s wife Jill (Betsy Russel) is brought into the police station for questioning and we learn more about how John the man became Jigsaw the monster. Can Detective Rigg reach Matthews and Hoffman in time before his wife becomes another casualty? No more spoilers from me y’all.

Woo boy! Talk about an unnecessary mess! This movie has entirely too much going on for one film. There are about 15 different stories going on in this film. We have the story regarding John’s wife Jill and what led him down the primrose path. We have the Detective Rigg story and how he became obsessed with the Jigsaw case. We have 2 interrogating detectives who are involved in the search for Jigsaw’s replacement. Last but not least we have the barely alive Detective Matthews from Saw 2 and Detective Hoffman trapped in another “game”. It’s just too much. I don’t think I really cared to know as much as they revealed about Jigsaw’s former life, they touched on that in Saw 3. The killings were sparse in this one and not nearly as creative or gross. I think they need to stick a fork (or saw) into this series ASAP. I’m sure there will be another since there is a new Jigsaw which almost comes as no surprise in the end of the film. Lyriq Bent did a great job with the role he played, I would like to see him in something else. Direct-to-video king Costas Mandylor has finally lucked out to get a role in a major film, Bravo. Tobin Bell still gets plenty of face time in flashback sequences even though his Jigsaw character is dead. I wouldn’t say this is the worst movie I’ve ever seen but it certainly isn’t the best and it doesn’t do justice to the first two Saw films. I’d say skip it and wait for the dvd or better yet, wait until it comes on cable.

VERDICT: 1 Soul Clap

2007-10-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Portrait-Here We Go 1992

Another one of my early 90's faves. Portrait had two nice albums that were probably lost in the shuffle of all the other male R&B groups that were popping up at the time.

2007-10-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

RANDOM TEN: Movie Soundtracks

A great soundtrack can add a nice touch to a great movie or even help out a really crappy one. Here is a list of my all-time favorite soundtracks:

1. Saturday Night Fever

2. Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery

3. Purple Rain

4. Superfly

5. Car Wash

6. Boyz In The Hood

7. Higher Learning

8. School Daze

9. Scream

10. Trainspotting

2007-10-19T16:36:00.000-07:00

FIVE MOVIES TO "DIE" FOR

Halloween is approaching and my yearly tradition is to pick a day and watch all the horror films I can stand before either puking or falling asleep. Usually the cable television networks hold their own "Horrorfests" where they show horror movies over several days until Halloween night. If you are a true horror fan like myself, you have seen what they offer many times over. It's always the usual suspects, Carrie, Halloween, Child's Play, The Omen etc. Don't get me wrong, these are great horror classics but goddamn, how many times do we need to see them? Here I present to you some films that you may have never heard of but are great nonetheless. Being the horror aficionado I am, the list was hard to narrow down but here goes in no particular order:

1. Audition- A lonely man gets more than he bargains for when he is introduced to a lovely young woman through a fake casting call. (in Japanese with subtitles)

2. High Tension- A psychopath breaks into a home and wreaks havoc on a family. It is now up to Marie, who was a visitor in the home, to rescue the last surviving member.

3.Blacula- Exactly what the title implies, a movie about a Black vampire. If you have never seen this Blaxploitation classic, give it a whirl...it's suprisingly very good.

4.Sleepaway Camp- Great 80's slasher flick about teens getting hacked up at a summer camp, and a little something *extra* added in to set it apart from the rest. heehee

5.Henry: Portrait of A Serial Killer- All I will say is this one is so frightening even I almost shut it off. Based on true events.

2007-10-19T16:29:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK 2: Edge Of Seventeen-Stevie Nicks 1981

So nice I had to do it twice. A live version of Edge Of Seventeen. Stevie looks and sounds fabulous. I want the boots she's rocking in this video! She is my absolute favorite rock chick, hell I even try to dress like her. I got a couple of witchy-gypsy hookups in my closet (don't hate).

2007-10-19T03:56:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Tusk-Fleetwood Mac 1979

A favorite tune that is usually butchered by high school marching bands. Didn't know I was a big Fleetwood Mac fan huh? I'm also a fan of the band members solo projects as well, Stevie Nicks anyone?

2007-10-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

WE DID IT!

Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married" reigned supreme at the box office this weekend. This proves the power of the Black dollar. It's good to see a movie made by a Black director with an all-Black cast make the top slot on its opening weekend. Not only is it a Black movie, it's a Black movie with a positive message. I am not a big fan of Tyler Perry's preachy style, but I've seen all his other films and I probably will see this one eventually as well, and yeah, I will give my two cents about it on this blog lol. Hopefully this will spearhead a new movement of talented Black directors to bring their visions to light. Gone 'head Tyler wit yo bad self!

2007-10-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Mantronix-Got To Have Your Love 1990

This is probably my absolute favorite song from the early 90's. The video features a pre-Groove Theory Bryce Wilson, he was once a member of Mantronix before hooking up with Amel Larrieux.

2007-10-08T08:14:00.000-07:00

RANDOM PRODUCT ENDORSEMENT

Caress has a new line of body washes called Exotic Oil Infusions. I tried the one posted above, Morrocan, and it is fabulous! The light scent is wonderful and it left my skin feeling really soft and refreshed. The texture of the product is so creamy, it could be used in place of shaving cream as well. The bottle is what initially grabbed my attention, so cute! They also have a Japanese scent which smells great too, I had a hard time deciding which one to buy. Pending they don't discontinue this product, I will be sticking with it. It's also a steal for around $4 a bottle. Now if I can only hide it from my daughter.....

2007-10-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Falco-Rock Me Amadeus 1986

No one I knew had a clue what the hell Falco was saying and I'm sure none of us gave a damn, this was the JAM!!!

2007-10-04T17:11:00.000-07:00

THE "WHATEVER DUDE" FILES

Amherst legislator's school lecture starts with nude image
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Mark PuentePlain Dealer Reporter

Norwalk- A high school class expecting a lecture from a politician on how a bill becomes a law instead got an unexpected lesson in anatomy. An image of a topless woman appeared when State Rep. Matt Barrett inserted a memory stick into the computer and started his presentation Tuesday. Barrett, of Amherst, immediately stopped the presentation. "I have no idea where these came from," Barrett said. "It's an embarrassing situation." The State Highway Patrol later seized the school computer and the memory stick Barrett used. School officials said the images came from the memory stick, a thumb-sized device that carries digital files such as photos. The memory stick was a gift from a legislative liaison, Barrett said.

The memory stick contained the graphics for his presentation, Barrett said. The nude images were not there the day before when he plugged the stick into his home computer, he said.
Only a few of the 19 students at the presentation saw the images, said Wayne Babcanec, superintendent of Norwalk City Schools. Parents were notified but few were upset, Babcanec said. "I believe it was unintentional," he said. "[Barrett] was genuinely apologetic and embarrassed."

How stupid can you be? I guess he didn't think to proofread the contents of the memory drive before presenting to a group of kids. I bet Johnny Jerkoff knows exactly where those pics came from *skeet skeet*.

2007-10-04T16:05:00.000-07:00

RANDOM UGLY SHOE

Ladies, if you still have a pair of these in your closet, please deposit them into the nearest incinerator. That is all *drops microphone Randy Watson style*.

2007-09-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

OOPS I DID IT AGAIN!!!!

Sire O'Reilly has once again opened his mouth and inserted his foot in. He is under fire for mentioning the grand time he had at Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem. He said quote "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea". I'm sure this was an accurate observation but it didn't need to be mentioned either. Bill knows the Black community is gunning for him so anything he says regarding us will get a serious side-eye. He should've just shut up and digested his collard greens like any other patron, but in true asshole-ish fashion..he had to say this stupid shit. It is also said that he couldn't get over the fact the restaurant looked like any other New York City restaurant. Did he think the waitresses would come to the table dressed like Kizzy from Roots? Did he think the patrons would pull fiddles out of their work bags and dance a jig while waiting for their meals? Bill O'Reilly, I hope the time you go to Sylvia's the waitress serves you a nice tall glass of STFU.

2007-09-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2: Michael McDonald-I Keep Forgettin'

This is the only White dude to get a Black pass from me...pull off Justin and Robin! I had the pleasure of seeing him live 2 years ago and he sounded fantastic!

2007-09-29T19:16:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Esthero-That Girl 1999

OK OK, I know technically today is Saturday and this is not truly a *flashback* but what the hell...I dig it. Esthero is that chick for real.

2007-09-22T22:42:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2: Skyy-Call Me 1981

2007-09-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Jane Child- Don't Wanna Fall In Love 1990

Love this song, especially the funkier New Jack Swing version which there is no video for. This chick tried a lil too hard to be different, hence the multi-ethnic hair.

2007-09-19T16:31:00.000-07:00

RANDOM UGLY SHOE

Someone needs to call PETA immediately! I knew this world was coming to an end, people are now making shoes out of stray cats...damn shame! They even used the poor fucker's flea collar for a strap. These boots makes my eyes bleed. The dollar store rhinestones complete the fug. Why must I cry?

2007-09-19T15:44:00.000-07:00

MOVIE REVIEW: I DRINK YOUR BLOOD 1971

A group of freaky acid-dropping, Satan-worshipping hippies led by “Indian” Horace Bones descends upon a small town. They find an abandoned house to seek refuge in to practice their rituals. The gang wreaks havoc on the townsfolk, leaving them frightened. After an older gent’s granddaughter was roughed up by the gang, he decides to take matters into his own hands. He confronts the gang and is nearly beaten to a pulp and forced to take LSD. His grandson exacts revenge by shooting a rabid dog and injecting the infected blood into meat pies he sells to the hippies. Once the gang gets a taste of those pies…all “hell” breaks loose. No more spoilers from me y’all!

This has got to be one of the funniest, over-the-top, horror movies I’ve ever seen in my life. I truly laughed until I hurt. The rabid “hippies” were a multicultural motley crew of nonsense….there were a few White ones, the “Indian” leader, a Black dude, an Asian chick, a pregnant chick, a deaf mute HOLY SHIT! The racial stereotypes were so in-your-face that I couldn’t help but to cackle with evil glee. This is supposed to be a “zombie” movie but they moved entirely too fast and no flesh was eaten in the film which is typical zombie behavior. The infected folks just became very violent and lashed out with axes, tree branches, electric knives, and anything else they could get their hands on. You can tell who was infected by the froth coming from their mouths….it looked like either shaving cream or Alka Seltzer tablets, tres cheesy. For a *B* grade film, the acting was pretty good. The grandson did a great job for such a young actor and the old Asian chick was truly the scariest thing in the film, she gave me the creeps! It was apparent that the actors, especially the zombies, were either stage actors or dancers, their moves were so precise. There were some scenes that really made no sense, for example one of the hippies flee after her group members begin to transform, she encounters a group of construction workers and instead of asking for help….she BOINKS them all! WTF? The construction workers are also a part of one of the most hilarious episodes in the film….the scene looks like a Village People revival. The Black man looked more like a crack fiend than a zombie, oh wait….they are one in the same lol. Overall this was a great discovery and I enjoyed it so much, I plan to purchase it. This one ain’t suitable for all audiences; there are some animal killings (damn rats ugh!) and plenty of nudity and gore, although the gore is Film School 101 lame-o.

VERDICT: 3 Soul Claps

2007-09-18T20:25:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY LITTLE GUY

Today is my son's 6th birthday HOORAY! He is the ONLY man in the world I would give all my money to. T-Man is a joy to have and I am thankful everyday that he came into my life. Happy birthday my precious angel *with your lil bad self lol*. Mommy loves you so much.

2007-09-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

TOSS MY SALAD BIATCH!

For all you mofos who think jail is a good look, meet your new cellmate. And remember...he prefers to use jelly, Smuckers Grape brand only please.

2007-09-14T17:59:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2: Grace Jones-Pull Up To The Bumper 1981

The original Eccentric Diva.

2007-09-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Aretha Franklin- Rock Steady 1971

My favorite Queen of Soul song. I still have much love and respect for this lady, even when she embarrasses herself by exposing her Titantic Tittays .

2007-09-12T16:33:00.000-07:00

MOVIE REVIEW: Turistas

While vacationing in Brazil, a bus accident leaves American tourist Alex Trubituan (Josh Duhamel) his sister Bea Olivia Wilde), and their friend Amy (Beau Garrett) stranded in a remote location. Waiting for rescue they meet up with 3 other foreign tourists and decide to follow a foot trail into the woods. The crew discovers a beautiful hidden beach and a bar. They decide to indulge in the all the bar has to offer; drinks, dancing, and beautiful women. The next morning the crew wakes up on the beach to discover they have been drugged and robbed of all belongings including passports, jewelry, clothing etc. A kindly stranger named Kiko offers to help them find shelter until they can make it off the island. He suggests they hike to his uncle’s deserted cabin, which would require a 10 hour foot trip through the jungle. Before finding the uncle’s cabin, the crew again finds fun and adventure in the waterfalls and in a very cool underwater cavern. Once they reach the cabin, things take an ugly turn. Will they make it out alive or will they become jungle food? No more spoilers from y’all!

I read many reviews of this film before I actually viewed it. I don’t really see why it was dogged out by the critics. It was no worse than the other garbage “horror” films that Hollyweird has cranked out lately. Same scenario… stupid horny kids doing stupid shit and paying the price for it. These films make White people look just as bad as Soul Plane makes Black folks look. I will give this film an A for scenery, the shots of tropical Brazil were breathtaking, the only thing that sets it apart from your average teen horror flick. The suspense takes entirely too long to build, you are mainly forced to watch attractive people running around in bathing suits having fun…hell I could watch an episode of Baywatch for that. The ‘scares’ don’t start until the movie is just about over, the money shot near the end was a bit of a letdown, I was expecting to be grossed out of my mind. What I saw I could’ve watched on any of the medical dramas on The Discovery Channel. There is a really cool chase scene that takes place in the underground cavern but again, it is dragged out much too long. The biggest letdown was having the audience believe they were going to view a “horror” film. Had this film been categorized as a suspense thriller I think the reviews would have been more favorable. Do I really need to tell y’all not to watch this with the kids lol?

VERDICT: 2 ½ Soul Claps

2007-09-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

IN YT NEWS

I know by now everyone has heard about Britney’s shitastic performance on the even shittier VMA Awards show. Why any adult still watches this crapola is beyond me…anyhoo. I had to view the video to see what in the world could this chile do to top all the other fucked up shit she’s done recently. What I saw was not nearly as bad as everyone made it out to be. They also kept referring to this “gut” she has now. Well let me tell you, I’ll take that ‘gut” she has anyday. Her performance was no worse than anything the former Badussycat Doll Nicole Sheringeraramala-lama-ding-dong or any other of the flavors of the month put in. It wasn’t typical Britney but she’s been out the game for a while. Don’t get me wrong, I ain’t defending this Travesty In Motion, she needs to be at home with her damn kids but the chick can’t move without the press breathing down her neck. If she would've had a great performance, they would have still ridiculed her for something. I’ve always found her to be stiff and her voice to be annoying so this was no surprise to me.

Now this video here was an exception. I loved the song *runs and hides*. She looked her trantastic best (if it were not for her children I would still think she was born with a shenis) and she danced her ass off for a YT chick. Come back to mediocrity Shitney.

2007-09-09T19:59:00.000-07:00

RANDOM UGLY SHOE

The latest in Frankenstein Couture. This shoe was all the rage at this year's Transylvanian Spring Fashion Show (I kid, I kid). These boots are usually worn by sullen, unattractive teens who have a hankering to hang around the local Hot Topic store. Usually accompanied with Kool-Aid colored hair and vampire-esque clothing.

2007-09-07T20:45:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Loose Ends-Hangin' On A String 1985

2007-08-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Patra- Dip and Fall Back 1995

For The Mini Eccentric Diva

2007-08-24T08:43:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Jaz-Hawaiian Sophie 1989

Jay-Z is living proof that money can cover up a multitude of sins. To see him lifted into the air in this video is priceless, who knew camels were airborne animals?

2007-08-23T10:33:00.000-07:00

Movie Review: Trick Baby 1974

Blue (Mel Stewart) and Folks (Kiel Martin) are two small time con men looking for the ultimate score. Blue is an older, seasoned con who has been in the game for quite some time and Folks is a newbie who looks up to Blue. Folks has a secret weapon that gives him an edge in the con game, he’s a Black man who looks White. His skin tone grants him a pass into circles that Blue could never infiltrate. Folks and Blue put the make on an elderly gent for $10,000, which in turn causes the man to have a heart attack once he figures out he’s been had. What Blue and Folks don’t realize is the elderly gent has ties to the Mafia. In the meantime, Folks has possibly engineered their biggest score ever for $150,000 with a group of wealthy real estate investors. Unfortunately the duo may not be able to cash in on this score because they must choose to either cop the cash or flee the city from the mob. No more spoilers from y’all!

This film is based on the legendary book by Iceberg Slim of the same name. I have read the book and this movie only covers part of it. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it for what it was worth. It’s not your typical waka-waka Blaxploitation film, no hookers and pimps running around in ridiculous attire. It was just the story of two con artists looking for the perfect score and running out of luck along the way. The role of Folks was played White actor Kiel Martin, I guess they didn’t have time to locate a biracial actor to fill this role ehh? I’m not a big fan of remakes but I think this movie could get a proper overhaul by a reputable director. Overall I thought this was a decent film and a rarely-seen gem from the 70’s.

Verdict: 3 Soul Claps

2007-08-03T21:09:00.000-07:00

RANDOM UGLY SHOE

Recently I thought to myself *Self, why are you so hard on the sista's footwear choices when the fellas wear just as much ugly shit as we do*. I then thought about what could possibly be the ugliest shoe a man could wear, I didn't have to think too hard. This shit is a disgrace. I've never been fond of genuine reptile shoes but this is out of control. Created exclusively for the brotha who wants to act out his Bishop Magic Juan fantasy. No man should be wearing pink or green shoes for any reason. This phenomenon is especially bad here in the Midwest (Stand up and respresent Chi-town, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cleveland playas). If I walk into a club and see one dude rocking a pair of these, I know that ain't the place I need to be..time to go home. These shoes fuck up my non-drug induced high.

PS: Pimping I don't care how much you paid for them..they still ugly!

2007-08-03T18:54:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2: Somtimes I Rhyme Slow-Nice n Smooth 1991

*Singing* No static, got an automatic..too much of anything makes you an addict....

2007-08-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Dinner For Two-Michael Cooper 1987

2007-08-01T18:31:00.000-07:00

RANDOM UGLY SHOE

Not sure what the concept of this shoe is. It's a little bit sexy and a little bit Granny-fied. The jewled-snake ankle wrap is certainly not the business. Perfect shoe for Grandma to wear for her interlude with the nursing home's resident geriatric gigolo. The pale pink color will complement her sponge rollers nicely. This is just plain tacky ladies, please avoid at all costs.

2007-07-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2: Another One Bites The Dust- Queen 1980

Can someone please tell me why Freddie Mercury looks more masculine in this video than supposedly hetero Rod Stewart and Mick Jagger ever looked in their entire careers?

2007-07-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Mint Condition-U Send Me Swingin' 1993

Fuck Pretty Brown Eyes,THIS is my favorite Mint Condition song! Ah, such memories, that was a good year for me.

2007-07-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

ECCENTRIC DIVO- Benny Sings

From a musical standpoint, it takes a lot to get my attention. I’m just so underwhelmed by what’s currently being played. I recently discovered Benny Sings…. he has released 3 cd’s to date and within 2 weeks I’ve ordered one cd and I’m downloading tracks from the other two. His light, airy voice is not perfect but what he lacks vocally he makes up in lyrical content and musical composition. His songs are fresh, fun, and quirky..just the way I like my music. I have been listening to the track "Unconditional Love" from his “Champagne People” cd repeatedly..it’s an earworm for me now, just stuck in my damn head. Benny Sings is from the Netherlands (hell yeah!) and the story is he's a well-known hip hop beat maker who decided to try his hand at singing. I would best describe his music as 70’s pop with a smidgen of hip hop, which makes the sound current and new. His musical style, lyrical content and voice remind a lot of another one of my Eccentric Divos, Harry Nilsson. Michael Franks also comes into mind when I listen to him, Franks being another one of my favorite male singers. Below is the video to a track from the “Benny At Home” cd, titled “Let Me In”. The video is very cool and unusual. Benny Sings rocks!

2007-07-23T18:25:00.000-07:00

DAMN, EVEN ROVER CAN'T CATCH A BREAK!

Black Listed: The Truth about Big Black Dogs
Everyone who loves dogs knows that in shelters, certain breeds of dogs often end up on “doggie death row.” It’s the breeds with the bad reps: The Rottweilers, the Staffordshire Terriers, the crosses, etc.
But there’s something the general dog-loving public probably doesn’t know: Big black dogs (BBDs) are as hard, or harder, to place as these breeds — even if they’re friendly, well trained, and in perfect health!
Black listed
And why should this be? Well, white and black, good and bad, can it really be as simple as that? Animal shelter workers and behaviorists alike don’t care to do more than venture answers to this question, because the why isn’t the point.
It’s the what that really matters: What they do know is that big black dogs are stigmatized and frequently passed up for adoption for prettier, lighter-colored dogs; they often spend years waiting to be adopted as a result.
Black-coated canines
One rescue worker who tried valiantly to place a friendly black Labrador Retriever found out firsthand what BBDs are up against. In the process, she discovered that shelters across the country are over-flowing with black-coated dogs like Newfoundlands, Chows, Labs, and Rottweilers.
Rescue groups plead on their Web sites, “Please don’t overlook our black dogs.” The more Tamara Delaney, the rescue worker trying to place Jake, the black Lab, learned, the more determined she was to play a part in changing the fate of the BBD in America. She began by adopting Jake — but that was only the beginning.
Contrary to Ordinary
Delaney created a site she calls, Contrary to Ordinary: The Black Pearls of the Dog World. She uses it to act as middleman between rescue organizations and shelters, by posting the pictures and stories of black dogs who have been passed up for adoption in favor of lighter-coated dogs.
Her purpose, first and foremost, is to get black dogs off death row, but she also aims to create awareness of the BBD stigma; a plight so many who love animals aren’t aware exists.
Black is back
Most big black dogs in shelters don’t have a chance unless they have shelter staff, Delaney, or others who champion their cause pulling hard for them.
Many shelters try to increase the desirability of their big black dogs by putting colorful bandanas on them, highlighting their personalities, teaching them tricks, never putting a bunch of black dogs near each other in the kennel, and more — all in the name of steering potential adopters their way, and making them take a second look.
But even so, each year shelters must turn away BBDs because they simply can’t fill the shelters with them. Jill Wimmer, a shelter manager at a no-kill shelter in Atlanta, says she can easily adopt out three dogs in the time it takes to find a home for one big black dog.
Beautiful black dogs
Delaney’s site, filled with facts about black dogs, brims with great information and resources that highlight just how overlooked and underadopted big black dogs really are.
She and shelter workers across the country are making a difference, and continue to be advocates, working hard for the BBDs in American shelters and foster homes — one beautiful big black dog at a time.
Please visit http://www.blackpearldogs.com/ for more information, or to help big black dogs in need.

Even ol Rover is being passed up for his Blackness?!?!?! The "Man" just doesn't discriminate I guess. The irony of this story just slays me. I actually think Black dogs and cats are beautiful, I personally would own one. *holds up a "Free Rover" sign*.

2007-07-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Find A Way- A Tribe Called Quest 1998

My absolute favorite ATCQ tune. With all these bogus reunions going on *side eyes SWV*, this is the group I wish would get back into the studio.

2007-07-20T07:03:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Doing Time- Sublime 1996

Great song and video featuring a posthumous Brad Nowell. R.I.P Brad.

2007-07-18T16:30:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER DOSE OF MY MUSE-PATRICK HERNANDEZ

I'm truly addicted to Patrick Hernandez. His zest and theatrics are not to be played with. I've found additional videos to further tickle my soul. Patrick, you surely are one of a kind I swear, I wish I knew how to quit you.

Here we have Patrick at first performing "Born To Be Alive" with his magic stick in tow. The music changes and the fun really begins when an equally zesty bearded friend joins him for a duet and a mean two-step.

This is Patrick performing a little ditty called "Disco Queen". Was he trying to tell us something? I wished he would've used his magic stick to inject some rhythm into the people in the club scene.

This video features a more recent performance of "Born To Be Alive". And you guessed it, Patrick has his magic stick! He looks great too!

Last, but not least...some creative genius took an episode of Spongebob Squarepants and dubbed "Born To Be Alive" over the original soundtrack. The creator of this video hit the nail on the head because BTBA is the gayest song ever and Spongebob Squarepants is the gayest show on TV. I will be glad when Spongebob makes the switch from Nickelodeon to LOGO where it belongs..I would watch it more often.

2007-07-17T16:17:00.000-07:00

DO YOU BLAME HIM?!?!?

Man Calls 911 to Save Him From Police
LARGO, Fla. — A 38-year-old man was arrested after he called 911 and told a dispatcher he was surrounded by police officers and needed help, authorities said.

Police officers met Dana Farrell Shelton after being called to investigate a disturbance at a bar on Sunday but had found no problems and told him to move along.

Shelton, who officers said appeared intoxicated, then called 911 to report he was "surrounded by Largo police," according to an arrest affidavit.

"Our officers were standing there scratching their heads. He called, standing there in their presence," Largo Sgt. Melanie Holley said. "It's one of our 'truth is stranger than fiction' cases."

Shelton was charged with misdemeanor misuse of 911. The charge carries maximum penalties of one year in jail and $1,000 in fines.

___

Information from: St. Petersburg Times, http://www.sptimes.com

The Eccentric Diva has never spent any amount of time with the popo and doesn't plan to any time soon. The very thought of it makes my ovaries shrivel up and turn to dust. This poor fucker was surrounded by them, oy vey! I may have a better chance at survival with KKK on a dark stretch of road in the middle of a deserted corn field. The police are some scary mofos, but you best believe if I need them I won't hesitate to call 911......*woop, woop, woop* lol

2007-07-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

PATRICK HERNANDEZ- Born To Be Alive

I was gonna post this video as one of my Friday Flashback Jams but it deserves a post of its own. I ran across the video this morning and I have been watching it all day.... it gets funnier each time I watch it. I actually love this song, it would probably make my Top 50 Songs of All Time. Patrick's zest and raw emotions are slaying me. I really want to know why he looks so angry while singing such a fun song? That damn cane is a hoot too. He looks to be wearing more blush than I am right now and his White man's 'fro is the business. Thank you Mr. Hernandez, you have made my day.

2007-07-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2: Stereo MC's- Connected 1992

2007-07-13T06:39:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Dennis Edwards- Don't Look Any Further 1984

This is quite possibly the WORST video I have ever seen for a mainstream song. This looks like it was filmed at one of those pseudo-recording studios in the mall. Damn, was Dennis that broke after leaving The Temptations? This shitastic video doesn't ruin the song though, it's still my cut.

2007-07-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

HE'S BRINGING SEXY BACK

Look at this hot and sexy piece of male specimen right here lol. This had me CRYING on the way to work one recent morning. Obviously this cat is not married. Certainly if he was his wife would've beat him over the head with a cast iron skillet if he tried leaving the house like this. First of all, he may as well go barefoot, his toes are playing cliffhanger in these sandals..... fuck cliffhanger, them shits have jumped off. He has about a 2 inch gap in the back of the sandals. Once he reaches his destination, his toes will be skinless from scraping the ground. Well at least he started the day with clean socks *sigh*. Yeah I know, someone is gonna kick my ass if they catch me taking their pic.....good luck catching me..I'm getting pretty good at it.

2007-07-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

MOVIE REVIEW: The Watermelon Man 1970

Jeff Gerber (Godfrey Cambridge) has a loving wife Althea (Estella Parsons), two beautiful children and a lovely home in a nice neighborhood. He is a bit of a health nut and a big fan of self-tanning. Jeff gets his excitement by purposely chasing the bus every morning that takes him to his insurance salesman job, where most of his coworkers dread his very existence. Yep, he seems very content in his close-minded, bigoted world. All that changes when he wakes up one morning to discover that he has transformed into…gasp…A BLACK MAN! Uh oh, not only does he have dark skin, he has nappy hair as well. Once Jeff realizes that he can’t remove his Blackness, he must learn how to accept and cope with his new ‘race’. No more spoilers from me y’all!

I kept this review short because after Jeff turns into Soul Brother #1 the rest of the film deals with his transition. After 37 years, this film has lost none of its zing. I watched it with my 17 year old daughter and she laughed her ass off with me, I was pleasantly surprised. I have seen this film many times and I find something new each with each viewing. Directed by Melvin Van Peebles, this film was made before his pivotal Sweet Sweetback’s Badass Song. Although I like Sweetback for its artistic merit and the back story behind the film, I enjoyed The Watermelon Man much more. It pretty much has the same message without all the violence and sex of the aforementioned. The Watermelon Man is much more aesthetically pleasing from a cinematic standpoint and the transfer to DVD is excellent. Godfrey Cambridge was my man! I adore him much more than the Magical Negro that is Sidney Poitier and never understood why he did not get more films roles before he passed away. Although the very dark complexioned Godfrey did not pass for a White man, he did a great job with the material given. The pasty, peach-colored makeup and blond wig are hilarious. This is his movie and he certainly seems to be enjoying every second of it. His long-suffering wife Althea played by Estella Parsons is a great window dressing for the Jeff character. I’m sure in 1970 it was highly controversial for a White woman to kiss a Black man onscreen. One of the funniest scenes in the film is when Jeff goes to the “Black” store to buy beauty products such as Afro Sheen and Ambii, haha! Jeff’s journey is not all comical either, some of the issues he faced teaches him humility, something he once lacked. If you enjoy films similar to Bamboozled and Drop Squad, you will certainly dig this one. You can certainly watch this film with your older children, as I mentioned before, my 17 year old LOVED it.

VERDICT: 3 1/2 Soul Claps

2007-07-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

RANDOM UGLY SHOE

When a bitch is too lazy to untie her shoes, she should just give up on life and footwear altogether, fuck it... just go barefoot. Here we have the shoe of choice for bored soccer moms across the US. The purpose of sneakers is to KEEP THEM ON YOUR FEET! Why even bother with shoelaces when you can just slide right out of these shits? I don't know what evil genius thought it would be a good idea to merge the clog with the sneaker, I guess we could call this a "cleaker".

2007-07-06T07:42:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK 2: Queen Latifiah-Ladies First 1989

Vintage Queen La!

2007-07-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Odyssey- Inside Out 1982

I love this woman's voice!

2007-07-05T11:25:00.000-07:00

MY NEW TOY

My baby hooked me up with a great gift for my birthday. It's the T-Mobile Sidekick ID. I'm in LOVE with this device, it makes texting so much easier. I haven't put it down since I got it. I have no technical-savvy whatsoever and was a little intimidated by it at first but once I got the hang of it, there's no stopping me. I wish I would've invested in this device a long time ago. I text an awful lot, on average about 4,000 texts a month (yeah I know, banoodles) and I was beginning to get hand cramps! My Sidekick takes away the pain and I no longer worry about developing arthritis in my hands once my Golden years approach. Hooray for me!

2007-07-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Today is my birthday and I am so thrilled to be getting older (sarcasm). I guess I should be thankful that I am still around to celebrate another year and besides, I look damn good for my age haha. The day was uneventful but I did spend the day with my baby *swoon* and that's the most important thing. I want to give a special shout out to all my fellow Cancerians who have already or will be celebrating a birthday soon.

2007-06-27T06:06:00.000-07:00

THE RANDOM TEN- Songs I Despise!

1. When We Get Married/ One In a Million You (tie)- Larry Graham
2. I Will Always Love You- Whitney Houston
3. You'll Never Find- Lou Rawls
4. Hello- Lionel Ritchie
5. Falling- Alicia Keys
6. You Light Up My Life- Debby Boone
7. My, My, My- Johnny Gill
8. Ironic- Alanis Morrisette
9. Confessions- Usher
10. The Star Spangled Banner- Francis Scott Key

2007-06-27T05:10:00.000-07:00

BROTHER'S GONNA WORK IT OUT

(AP) A 23-year-old aerospace student who built his plane from more than $300,000 in donated parts took off Friday hoping to become the youngest person and first black pilot to fly around the globe alone. Barrington Irving plans to arrive back at Opa-locka Executive Airport on April 30 in his single-engine Lancair Columbia 400. He had planned to fly last year, but a lack of funding delayed his $1 million project. He still needs about $20,000, but that didn't stop him from setting out. "I want this completed before the year is over so kids can see that someone who started off with nothing set a goal and completed it," he said just before takeoff. "Even with the challenges, everything is starting to fall in place. It's just my time." Irving was born in Jamaica and grew up in Miami. He said he saw little chance for success until he met a Jamaican-American pilot at his parents' Christian bookstore. The pilot, Gary Robinson, took Irving to see a Boeing 777. The 15-year-old was mesmerized. He turned down college football scholarships to become a pilot. Irving is now studying at Florida Memorial University; he has private and commercial pilot licenses. He also founded Experience Aviation, a Miami-based organization that encourages minority youths to pursue aviation careers. He will make stops in Cleveland and Farmingdale, N.Y., before passing into Canada, then crossing the Atlantic and flying through Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

2007-06-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

JAGUAR WRIGHT- FREE

Hallelujah! *Pumps fist in the air*

2007-06-22T02:27:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM 2: Babyface-For The Cool In You 1993

The only song I actually dig by Babyface and it's the only song that he's not whining and crying in. Ugh! *side-eyes grown muthafuckas named "Babyface"*.

2007-06-22T02:09:00.001-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM: Toto-Georgy Porgy 1978

That is the fabulous Ms. Cheryl Lynn singing the hook on this track. Too bad she is not in the video.

2007-06-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

RANDOM UGLY SHOE

I'm back like cooked crack with another ugly shoe report. From the looks of things, I don't think I'll ever run out of shoes to expose. Next up is the Birkenstock. It's the shoe of choice for the braless tree-hugger on a mission. You gotta be comfortable when you're out scouting abortion clinics to bomb. This shoe makes even the smallest foot look like a Sasquatch foot. The nerve of this company to charge $80 for this piece of shit. It doesn't look the least bit comfortable. That ridge in the heel area can be murder, making the back of your ankle all red and shit. I don't know about you but suede footbeds leave blisters on the bottom of my feet, so I avoid them. This shoe is also unisex, usually worn by the tree-hugger's Hacky Sack playing boyfriend. Just double the fug.

2007-06-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

FRIDAY FLASHBACK JAM- Boz Scaggs-Lowdown 1976

A live version of Boz's funky 70's hit, it sounds just as great as the original.

2007-06-13T09:06:00.000-07:00

GARGOYLE FUN

Usually I post videos of songs I enjoy...this time I'm posting a video of a song I despise. Brian McKnight's latest borefest "Used To Be My Girl" is a hot mess. First of all, maybe if you would've gotten those wrinkles in your forehead relaxed, she would've never left you. Second of all, BOOOOO BITTER GARGOYLE BOOOO! This cat needs to seriously move on. What good is it to reminisce about what you used to have? Obviously you didn't have what it takes to keep her and the new dude does, don't hate. Thirdly, I think Mr. McKnight is a tad bit too old for this type of song...save that mess for the younger chaps. The clip I posted is from his appearance on the Regis and Kelly show, this was actually a perfect venue to perform this shit.... it's one of the most godawful shows on TV. Both Brian McKnight and Regis n' Kelly need to saddown somewhere.

LYRICS:

[V1]See, I know what you're thinkin'

You're feelin' like a lucky guy

I was the same way'cause she was hard to come by

I was on her so hard That I almost lost my hustle

So go 'head, playboy, do your thing

Don't be mad if she calls my name

[Chorus]Walkin' around, supportin' her, holdin' her hand

Doin' it big like you're the man

But she was my girl She used to be my girl

I must admit that she's a 10 Bet she didn't tell you about way back when

When she was my girl She used to be my girl

[V2]See, I know how you're feelin' I used to be in your shoes

So calm down with the attitude You're just a next somebody new

You never know how much she's feelin' you So be happy that you got her

Don't know much about you, dude

Sorry, I gotta break the news

[Hook]She's still thinkin' 'bout me

And I'll tell you why She couldn't even hold her head up when you walked by

Well, don't go hatin' on me It's just a game

You want her, you got her Take her, you got her To me it's all the same

[Chorus again]

[Bridge]Erotic, exotic,You must admit she's got it

She used to be my girl Sexy with talent Built like a stallion

She used to be my girl

You got her so flaunt her Know everybody wants her

She used to be my girl'cause you might not be the only, So never leave her lonely