March 16th, 2009

Beastie’s Reissue Prompts My Top 10 Rap Albums Of The Past 20 yrs

Posted on 16 Mar 2009 at 10:54pm

In the spirit of the 20^th anniversary reissue of The Beastie Boys classic “Paul’s Boutique” (and High Fidelity), I bring to you the ten greatest rap albums of the past twenty years.

10) Outkast “Aquemini” (1998): For one memorable summer Andre 3000 and Big Boi ruled all of hip hop. “Rosa Parks” made sitting in the back of the bus the hippest thing ever – as if riding the bus itself wasn’t hip enough.

9) Eminem “The Marshall Mathers LP” (2000): This album perfectly sums up my attitude toward hip-hop (and sports). I love this album and I hate this album and I hate that I love this album, but man do I love this album!

8) Beastie Boys “Paul’s Boutique” (1989): I know what you’re thinking: A white rapper followed by a trio of white rappers…The Beastie Boys lived up to Chuck D’s claim that hip hop was a sampling sport (with aplomb) – this was a veritable sampling Olympics. Listen over and over again as the Dust Brothers sample everything from “Superfly” to “Welcome Back Kotter.”

7) Jay Z “The Blueprint” (2001): All Jay Z had to do was record this album and we’d be convinced of his greatness. He did two better; 1995’s “Reasonable Doubt” and 2003’s “The Black Album” cement his legacy as the best rapper ever.

6) Ice Cube “Death Certificate” (1991): Bemoan all you want the blatantly racist lyrics and excessive misogyny, Ice Cube never sounded better than he did on this uneven, yet essential, gangsta rap classic.

5) Kanye West “The College Dropout” (2004): An extremely talented artist from the Windy City at his virtuosic best. Hip Hop has yet to sound better than this in the 00’s.

4) A Tribe Called Quest “The Low End Theory” (1991): Who would’ve thought hip hop and jazz could fuse so seamlessly. Q-Tip flows like butter over popcorn on this avant-garde hip hop classic. Funny thing is, they made even better songs on 1993’s “Midnight Marauders” but Theory was their most complete and effective album.

3) The Notorious B.I.G. “Ready to Die” (1994): See number 9

2) (Tie) Gang Starr “Hard to Earn” (1994), Wu-Tang Clan “Enter the Wu-Tang 36 Chambers” (1993): These two albums recorded a year apart illustrate the promise of East Coast hip hop. Sadly, it would never sound better but Gang Starr’s DJ Premier and Wu-Tang’s RZA remain two of hip-hop’s most innovative producers. Not to mention, the various Wu-Tang solo albums are a showcase for RZA’s unique production. Chef’s “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx” (1995) and GZA’s “Liquid Swords” (1995) are prime examples.

1) Dr. Dre “The Chronic” (1992). Yep, I said it; hip-hop never sounded better than Snoop Dogg’s smooth sing along-like flow over Dre’s P Funk derived beats. 17 years later the production is still the best ever; it’s literally the only gangsta rap album you MUST own. Ice Cube and N.W.A put the West Coast on the map and Dre took it a step farther (with a little help from Snoop). A true masterpiece if there ever was one.

And that, my friends, puts a stamp on the ten greatest rap albums of the past twenty years.

Survivor: Tocantins – Episode 5 Weekly Wrap Up

Posted on 16 Mar 2009 at 10:41pm

Day 13 Jalapao – Taj and Stephen get more water and take a side trip to the treemail to look for the Hidden Immunity Idol. The last Exile clue hinted it would be in that area and after searching for about a minute, she finds it and immediately hands it to Stephen because she has no pockets (a downside to wearing a dress for the first episode). Stephen says, “But you know, as long as it’s in my possession I’m going to try to keep it in my possession. … it is mine. I’m the one who’s wearing the idol around my neck.”

Day 13 Timbira – The tribe heads to the water except Sierra and Brendan who are left at the camp to discuss their secret alliance with Taj and Stephen from Jalapao. Brendan tells Sierra he has the Hidden Immunity Idol. Sierra is proud of herself and feels she’s aligned with the right person and no longer feels like a “looser.” I’m skeptical though that the alliance will make it all the way through the game.

Challenge 1 is a reward challenge. Played in rounds, one tribe member is spun on a wheel pulled by another tribe mate. After being spun and flung that team member stands and walks across a balance beam for a point. If they fall they start over. The team with the most points after 4 rounds wins a café style lunch and a modern toilet break for the afternoon. However, with the twist on Exile this season that means one member of the winning tribe won’t enjoy the potty or yummy food. Round one and two make the game tied. Round 3 is won by JT of Jalapao and the final round is won by Sydney for Jalapao. Jalapao chooses Brendan for Exile and he chooses Stephen to go with him seeming to favor Taj. Timbira mate Tyson says that he’s suspicious of Brendan’s relationships with the other tribe.

At the Charmin Café for the reward the Jalapao team enjoys coffee, pastries and…a surprise! Letters from home! Everyone cries including the guys.

At Timbira they decide Stephen is next to be voted out. And despite ridiculous attempts at weather prediction, Coach says he felt the wind change and based on the way the clouds look he thinks a storm is coming but will pass Timbira camp. But it doesn’t and we get this great quote from Erinn, “Coach is kind of a jack ###. I think Coach really truly wants to be this like Survivor Man.” Coach is definitely something else, that’s for sure.

At Exile the boys bond. Now everyone is on the same page –Taj and Stephen from Timbira and Brendan and Sierra from Jalapao are in a 4 way, cross tribe, secret alliance and each pair has their own Hidden Immunity Idol. Stephen confesses he doesn’t 100% trust Brendan and he’ll keep the 4 way alliance in the back of his mind but can’t put all faith into someone he doesn’t fully trust or know.

Day 15 Jalapao – Sydney and Spencer discuss relationships. Sydney asks if there are any girls back home for Spencer. Spencer tells the world (well just the TV audience and camera guy) that he’s gay.

Challenge 2 is an Immunity challenge. Two members of each tribe sling shot a ball into a coarse where the other tribe mates are waiting to catch it with handheld nets. It doesn’t matter what color ball the Survivors catch, each ball is 1 point and the first tribe to 5 points wins. JT catches the first ball scoring for Jalapao. Next, JT scores again. Joe makes an honorable dive but misses and hurts his knee a little too. Ball three is caught by Brendan. JT just misses. One point for Timbira. Ball four is again caught by Brendan. JT gets ball 5 but his net handle catches his chin and breaks off a tooth. Jeff holds on to it for safe keeping (it’s just half a tooth). JT also scores a 4th point for Jalapao. Tyson scores the 3rd point for Timbira. JT is obviously frustrated with Spencer saying “Come on Spence let’s do this.” Tyson again scores for Timbira tying the game. JT shouts at Spencer telling him to stop the other team from scoring, “that would be nice.” Tyson scores the winning point and Timbira wins immunity. JT is frustrated and says, “I don’t wanna send anyone home, but it’s gotta be Spencer.”

At Jalapao after the challenge some of the team gathers in the water to discuss who is to be voted out. Taj is mad and doesn’t care what others think of her mood. She confronts Joe on why he’s never come to her as an ally. Joe later says to Stephen and JT, “She’s next” and Stephen is torn. JT and Joe talk about voting Spencer out due to his performance in this last challenge. Spencer walks up to the water and over hears the end of JT’s conversation.

At tribal council Jeff brings up the feeling a Survivor gets when they know their head is on the chopping block. Spencer talks about coming back to camp after the challenge and how tense it was with JT. He’s very honest is an adult normal, non confrontational or blaming way that’s rarely seen in these moments on the show. I’m impressed with the open and well handled conversation. Next the conversation of the Hidden Immunity Idol comes up and Joe states he hasn’t heard Taj say that she DOESN’T have it and how that affects the team’s trust and how they deal with her. With probing from both Jeff and Joe, Taj says “I do not have the idol.” She’s banking on the fact that literally, the Idol is not in her possession that Stephen still has it, but the other tribe mates don’t know this yet.

I wonder if Jeff Propst knows about the secret alliance. Once the votes are cast and counted it’s Spencer who is the 5th person voted off Survivor Tocantins (pronounced ‘token’ ‘cheese’ as I like to say it).

Permalink | Tagged with: positively celebrity, Positively TV, Survivor

Two Down – Celebrity Apprentice Crushes Another Celebrity Ego

Posted on 16 Mar 2009 at 10:37pm

Celebrity Apprentice Round Two: This week’s challenge was to spearhead a campaign for Zappos, a shoe line. Leading the women was Khloe Kardashian.

Gotta tell ya’: That Khloe is a businesswoman to the bone! Her mad skills and leadership techniques were perfect for this segment – even (dare I say? – a joy to watch (nothing like the spoiled rich girl we’ve seen on “Keeping Up…”

Then there was Scott Hamilton, who took the helm for the men. Though his leadership skills really needed to be tweaked, I have to admit I don’t know how I would’ve dealt with the disrespect (namely from Tom Green). Green’s technique apparently worked. Frustrated beyond belief, Hamilton allowed Green to get under his skin – a move that would cost him greatly.

Both teams presented their marketing ideas to the client: Green was chosen to present for the guys – and did a pretty good job in spite of being him. The women elected Deal or No Deal’s Claudia Jordan, who exhibited flu-like symptoms the night before the presentation. It didn’t go over too well.

Muttering and stammering in front of Trump and Zappos’ executive, the ONLY thing that saved the women this week was Hamilton’s major blunder: Not accepting the ONE decent idea Green offered during the brainstorming sessions: naming the campaign’s heroine with a “Z” (as in Zelda) as opposed to “EEE” (Hamilton’s big idea, which he insisted stood for: Everything, Everywhere, Every time…or something like that). Yeah, whatever.

The guys lost. Hamilton chose Green to faceoff with in the boardroom. Just Green. The Donald, clearly trying to give Hamilton an edge highly suggested he choose one other player to tip the scales a bit. Hamilton complied and chose…(Huh?)…Walker. Yes, Walker, the only guy who came to his defense in the brainstorming session, stepping up to Green in support of Hamilton. The choice was so obviously devoid of thought, Walker shook his head in sheer shock. The kind of shock one gets when hit broadside by an oncoming train. And I understood.

Hamilton, on the other hand, had no clue how to play the game. When asked why he chose Walker, Hamilton said, “For support.” His fate was sealed. Between the “EEE” fiasco and his choice of Walker, Trump announced, “Scott, you’re fired!” Which means Rodman’s still there. There is no justice.