Black Einstein Interlude

Random conversation:

"Hm. Whatcha reading?"

"Oh Gordon Parks."

"What's his name?"

"Gordon Parks. He was a photographer, writer, poet, director...etc. He died just over a year ago, pretty big photographer."

"Oh, never heard of em'. He sorta looks like Einstein...y'know only black...prolly doesn't compare much to Annie Leibovitz, though right?"

*Now at this point I could keep it real and be like "Heifer you gots to be playin'?"* or I could have bust into Isaac Hayes theme song Wayne Brady style to give her a hint, but I opted for the dignified response instead:

"Well actually he predates Annie, he shot a lot for Times and Vogue - in fact I'm sure they worked at Vogue around the same time. I don't think you could really compare the two he covered a couple of medium of art, Annie usually focuses on photography"

Moral of the story: People, know who Gordon Parks is. Know who Annie Liebovitz is. And then know the difference. I know he looks like a Black Einstein, but he's not jewish, so please note the a difference in the aim of the work of Gordon Parks and Annie Leibovitz. Seriously.

3 stacks of dre and a dash of big

So if you folks out there paid any attention to my last review and last post before I took a 9 mo. hiatus I was all kinds of excited and optimistic about Outkast latest offerings on the "Idlewild" soundtrack. And if you paid any type of attention you'd probably know it took me months to rebound from the disappointment. It wasn't a horrible record as far as current standards go - it just wasn't a great *Outkast* record. And it was very different since it delved into the soundtrack territory, but still it didn't have the longevity in rotation even I had thought it had. Somewhere Filthy is saying "I told you so".


Well anyway, slowly and deliberately since October last year, it looks like the Kast is creeping over the horizon with some impressing guest appearance on a couple of remixes, mainly by many folx suprise featuring Andre 3000.

In order of my fav


9.9/10 Walk it Out rmx (Its a tie between Dre and Big's verse, but if I had to I'd prolly pic Big on this one just on the variance of delivery)


9.8/10 Throw some D's rmx ( Second only because Big Boi wasn't on it too - but you really don't need to know how I felt about everyone else on this verse since I chopped it down to Dre's verse - but damnit if that El Debarge sample ain't sick! Polow you a gangsta ass fool for that one)

9.3/10 I.P.A ( Long time coming with UGK linkin up with Kast)
Check the video



9.0/10 You rmx (Dre's verse wins, sorry Nas he beat you by his sheer ability to stick to the subject without trailing off the subject into killing some due with a .45)


8.5/10 What a job (this one might have to grow on me a little...stay tuned)

Afro Samurai

"Yes they deserve to die, and I hope they burn in hell..."

So this weekend I scooped up in most dubious fashion Afro Samurai, and I've got to say, its pretty effin cool. I'm not really big on anime except for Samurai Champloo and probably Ninja Scroll, which this has a similar style to. Samurai Champloo in the style, Ninja Scroll for the gore. If you've been waiting for a black dude to pop up in anime since you first heard 36 Chambers - you'll probably dig this especially since RZA scored the track and guests Talib, Q-Tip and others. Who says black youth don't have positive black male role models filled with "righteous anger", vengeance, and murderous rage?

Lauryn (over the) Hill?

So pretty much since a decade ago and then some everyone has been itching to hear from "Ms.Hill". But I've always had this feeling sometimes that an artist's absence feeds the fervor more than anything else. Then expectations rise, the artist becomes more pre-occupied with public reception rather than expression and well you can get something that's maybe not what you expected. But this Lauryn Hill I just heard it's on the "surf's up" soundtrack...so my guess is she probably could give a fuck what public perception is. And if you remember "Conspiracy Theory" featuring the world's favorite anti-semite

"Can't take my eyes off of you" was a ridiculous sleeper until it resurfaced on Lauryn's studio album. So "Lose Myself" I like it - but its not what I expected...sorta like "Can't take my eye's off of you wasn't". But this one has almost a disconnected feeling from Ms. Hill's previous work. But what I do like is that this song almost seems autobiographical granted Ms. Hills estrangement from the industry - and her much gossiped about relationship/personal life. Its worth a listen, and wondering (probably more like wishing) if maybe this time around an album will surface from beauty incarnate...

Don't make sam jackson say it...

Really dude what the fuck? Did you not listen to Sam Jackson in the movie

Things Fall Apart

It happened to Little Brother. You thought it was happening to Outkast. It happened to Chaka & Rufus. Everyone knows perhaps the only thing shorter than the life span of a band, might be a marriage in Hollywood. So with that said while the ride was definitely fun, it is definitively done. R.I.P Slack Republicans its been fun, to say the minimum.