Blogcritics Author: Trent Fitzgerald

Announcement: Short-content feeds

Phillip Winn — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT

Sunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding.

Friday Flicks . . . Shall We Meme?

Trent Fitzgerald — Fri, 15 Oct 2004 01:12:23 EDT

Thursday Theater is a nice weekly meme blog by Misty and Barry. The duo's meme blog inspired me to write this one below. You know me, I had to flip the movie script. I'll probably play along next week . . . Since Shall We Dance? -- starring Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere -- opens in theaters on Friday (Oct. 15), the questions below are all about . . . DANCE.1. What's your favorite dance movie?I think Beat Street is a great hip-hop film, as well, as a great dance movie. After I saw the flick, it inspired me to start break dancing when I was a young'n (around age 13). And I know the serious hip-hop heads (and intellectuals) will disagree with me on this, but I think Breakin' also is a great hip-hop (dance) film. It's the sequel that sucked! Both of those films inspired me to start break dancing and pop locking. I wasn't the best at it, although I did joined a hometown crew called the Camden Street Breakers. It didn't last long. After I broke my arm doing a spin move on my mom's basement floor, I called it quits.2. What dance film was so bad, so far-fetched that it was painful to watch.Breakin', right? (LOL!) I thought Flashdance was crap. Other than seeing Jennifer Beals get bucket nekkid under a sweatshirt and her flashy dance numbers (showcasing her juicy round ass) at the strip club, the movie is unwatchable.3. If you had to cast the male and female lead in Shall We Dance? -- other than Jennifer Lopez and Richard Gere -- who do you think should play the roles?It's about fine time that Rosie Perez plays a love interest in a movie. She is such a sexy PR queen. So Rosie Perez and Harrison Ford -- and watch the sparks fly! Or better yet, Eva Longoria (of ABC's Desperate Housewives) as the female lead. Her tangy ass could set the screen on fiyaaa! Holla!**Bonus**: What's your favorite dance move when you are up "in da club"?Journo thugs don't dance. But when I'm in the club, I like to see a hottie do the butterfly (popping butt cheeks together) or the eagle. Whooo-weeee, go ahead girl and vibrate!Also, check out blog master Mister JT's Big Post of Flicks: The Definitive 25, which is a list of his 25 favorite films of all time. It's an interesting list to say the least. Holla!

Trent Fitzgerald is a thirty-something hip-hop head and an online music journalist. Currently, he pays the bills as a senior editor/writer for HitPage.com, a Hip-Hop/R&B news/entertainment website. Holla!

Jesus Talks

Trent Fitzgerald — Thu, 5 Aug 2004 10:13:16 EDT

Kanye West may have fallen into the trap of Icarus in his thinking that his debut CD College Dropout is indeed a hip-hop classic. As Kanye soars into pop stratosphere with hubris, he is being thwarted by a few naysayers who think his disc is not so good, which melts his pride and hurls him earthward. Kanye West Doesn't Need Critics to Tell Him He's Good - He Knows ItKanye West's debut album, The College Dropout, is a masterful piece of work that should be mentioned among the classic albums of our time. That's what West thinks. And he'll tell you so again and again and again."You can't judge The College Dropout. It's something completely different," the 27-year-old musician declared in a recent interview with The Associated Press. "It's definitely a classic, if I stepped aside from myself and say that . . . we'll see the results in the next six months, of whether it did change the game or whether it is it's own entity.""And I'm very creative. I always want to do something different from what everybody else is doing, ever since I was little." I think Kanye West's The College Dropout changed the rap game on so many levels but falls short of hip-hop classic status because of the awful skits and some lackluster productions featured on some of the songs. Six months from now, Kanye's album would be look upon as an inspiration for more Humanism in hip-hop.And Kanye, you're a motherfuckin' genius, no matter what the critics say.You can catch Kanye West opening up for another genius, R&B crooner Usher on his "Truth" tour, which kicks off Aug. 5 in Hampton, Va. To find out when these two music masterminds are hitting a venue near you, click HERE. Holla!

Remembering Emperor Jones

Trent Fitzgerald — Mon, 24 May 2004 02:25:05 EDT

A wake for ELVIN RAY JONES will be held on Tuesday, May 25, from 6-9 p.m. ET at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home at 1076 Madison Avenue in New York. This is a private gathering -- only close friends and family members will be allowed to attend. Among ELVIN's survivors are his brother, Hank, a jazz pianist, and his wife, Keiko, who often managed his career.Last Tuesday (May 18), ELVIN JONES -- dubbed "Emperor Jones" by jazz drummer Max Roach -- died at an Englewood, N.J. hospital of heart failure. He was 76. ELVIN was a renowned jazz drummer and a member of John Coltrane's quartet from 1960 to 1965. He also played alongside Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. ELVIN performed on John Coltrane's 1963 album A Love Supreme, which, IMHO, is one of the greatest jazz albums of all time.Jay Smooth of hiphopmusic.com recently posted a loving tribute to the Emperor. The post includes remembrances from drummer Warren Smith, a founding member of Max Roach's M'Boom, and John Coltrane biographer Bill Cole.BTW, Warren Smith writes that ELVIN JONES' name must be in full caps when talking about the legendary drummer in a musical context. So as it is written, it shall be done. ELVIN's passing also was felt across the blogsphere:Blogger Jeremy Brown called ELVIN "godlike" but down to earth. While writer Fairest reveals that he "learned [how] to have sex by listening to Elvin Jones play drums on record." [It's a poly-rhythmic thang, you wouldn't understand.]Also, music lovers/bloggers Al Boogie, Ehavoc, Jeffrey Hyatt, METALFACE and the Proprietor all gave props to the legendary drummer in recent posts, as well.Finally, check out this very detailed -- meaning long -- tribute to the Emperor by the Freep's music writer Mark Stryker, which includes a discography of ELVIN's most popular works.You also can listen to some of ELVIN's Blue Note recordings from 1968-1973 right HERE.Emperor Jones' musical legacy is truly a love supreme.

Music Critic Vs. The Enquirer

Trent Fitzgerald — Sun, 15 Feb 2004 20:13:55 EST

The Day the Music Critic DiedLike I have written in a previous post, the working life of a music critic is not a glamorous one. I haven't met a writer who is making a six-figured salary as a music reporter/critic. When you chose to be a music journalist, you do it for the love of music and to write about your most recent music experience. Much like veteran music critic Larry Nager -- a 50-year-old, eight-year reporter for The Cincinnati Enquirer -- who loved to write about the vibrant music community nestled in his beloved city, Cincinnati. "Cincinnati has been a hugely musical town and it's almost never been recognized,'' he told writer Lew Moores in the Cincinnati CityBeat newspaper. "We're a black and white city, we're an urban and rural city, we're a northern and southern city, and we've got this wild mélange of music."But on Jan. 9, Larry was told that his services as a music reporter were no longer needed -- The Enquirer fired him. Larry believes he was terminated because he was too old and not female. Following his dismissal at the newspaper, Larry filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court alleging that he was the victim of age and gender discrimination. He's seeking unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages, and he wants his job back. "Mr. Nager believes that The Enquirer is making a concerted effort to replace older reporters and columnists with younger, mostly female, writers, in order to accomplish its stated goal of capturing a younger, female audience,'' says Nager's lawyer Sheila Smith.Enquirer editor Tom Callinan has no comment on the matter. However, he did admit that the newspaper is actively seeking female reporters. "I don't know that's necessarily a bad thing," he says. "I don't think we're trying to change the makeup of the staff at the expense of any one gender or age group. I think we're trying to make sure our staff reflects the diversity of our community.'' This is the first time Nager has been unemployed as a music critic in 20 years."This is devastating, this is unimaginable to me,'' he says. "I'm completely devastated professionally, financially. Emotionally, this has been a nightmare."

All 4 U?

Trent Fitzgerald — Mon, 2 Feb 2004 01:37:43 EST

Janet Jackson's halftime concert at Super Bowl XXXVIII was full of super sizzle to say the least. Her performance was extremely provocative beyond the fact that the Super Bowl event is usual a family affair. Well, Janet put a stop to all of that. During the R&B diva's show, pop heartthrob Justin Timberlake joined her in a sinful duet of his song "Rock Your Body." At the end of the performance, Justin rips off Janet's right breastplate from her outfit and . . . surprise! . . . Janet reveals a breast with a spikey piece of metal covering her nipple. WTF??!?!Was Janet trying to divert attention away from her brother Michael and his legal woes with this nudie bomb, or is Miss "Nasty" truly an R&B freak of the week?All and all, I was flabbergasted. In fact, I was in shock and awe. Ah, hell . . . I loved it.You know, President George W. Bush was probably watching the show and said to himself, "Damn those Jacksons! I didn't know Janet was hiding a weapon of mass titillation."But I wasn't the only one in shock: Super Bowl officials are not happy with MTV (who produced the event) or with Janet. They released this statement:"We were extremely disappointed by elements of the MTV-produced Halftime show. They were totally inconsistent with assurances our office was given about the show. It's unlikely that MTV will produce another Super Bowl halftime."MTV issued a contrite statement, saying the incident was "unrehearsed, unplanned [and] completely unintentional." Yeah . . . right. Meanwhile, due to internet piracy and worldwide demand, Janet Jackson has decided to release "Just A Little While," as the first single from her highly-anticipated CD Damita Jo. (For those of you who don't know, "Damita Jo" is actually Janet's middle name.) The single was produced by Dallas Austin (TLC, Usher) and will be available to radio on Monday, at 7 a.m. ET on Feb. 2. The new CD will also feature production from beat-makers Rich Harrison (who blessed Beyoncé with "Crazy In Love"), Kanye West (You go homie!) and of course, J.J.'s longtime collaborators Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Damita Jo hits stores on March 30.Ahh, so that's why she did it. The publicity wheels for her new CD are in motion . . . Holla!

No Vaseline

Trent Fitzgerald — Sun, 25 Jan 2004 22:04:26 EST

First, it was Jigga Vs. God's Son (bka Nas). Then it was 50 Cent Vs. Ja Rule. Now it's Jay Smooth Vs. Jessica Hopper. Huh?Right now, there's a heated blog beef erupting between two of the hardest-working bloggers on the 'Net.In this corner, coming in with the best hip-hop blog on the 'Net -- Jay Smooth of hiphopmusic.com. And in the other corner, we have Chicagoland's luckiest diarist Jessica Hopper of the blog, tinyluckygenius aka the Unicorn's tear.How did the beef started? Who knows? Who cares?Jay Smooth is in the blog history book. He has recorded the first the second the third "blog dis" song ever in the blogging community titled "I Know Why The Unicorn Cries." The incendiary track is available as a downloadable mp3 and lyrics are posted. Jay is so dope, he even sampled Howard Dean's infamous yelp ("Yeeeaarrrgh!") into the song, which uses the beat from rhyme-spitter Vast Aire's "Look Mom No Hands" track. It's a brilliant song.My favorite line:You think your tiny sucky blog makin me feel fear? I get more hits in a week than you get all year You cry a tear cuz you're jealous about my fame Talk a good one but never call me out by name It's just a shame, I dunno why you think that you could reckon with me I represent New York, you're in the second city . . . .[BTW, supposedly, this verbal sparring match is all fun and games. So don't take this seriously, folks.] Also, check out Jay Smooth's official story on the TRUE publishing history of the Source magazine. It's required reading for anyone who wants to know how the Source became such a strong presence in hip-hop journalism during the early days of rap. Today, the Source magazine is an unscrupulous publication caught up in writing nefarious articles on hip-hop, and bias music reviews. It's a damn shame. In the meantime . . . Fuck the Source.

Big Lists Of 2003

Trent Fitzgerald — Mon, 22 Dec 2003 02:06:48 EST

The Top 10 Hot Joints Of 2003I had to follow Jason and EJ and post my list. Well, here it is, my picks of the Best CDs in 2003. I also included links, so you can actually listen to the album (or singles) and judge for yourself. OutKast :: Speakerboxxx/The Love BelowHip-hop is about an emotional and musical experience. To listen to Andre 3000's The Love Below is to flash back to three decades of classic soul ("Hey Ya"), cross that with the melodic balladry of Steve Wonder, and then embrace the rich grooves of Earth, Wind & Fire ("Prototype"). The Love Below is a shock to the system that successfully fuses Andre's R&B recall and his hip-hop sophistication. He can make the ladies swoon on the Paisley funk of "Spread" and showcased his lyrical ingenuity on "Life in the Day of Benjamin Andre" where he raps for 6 minutes without a pause. Andre is sexual chocolate.On the flipside, Big Boi's Speakerboxxx is downright stankalicious. The futuristic b-boy fullfills his music around the atmosphere of celebratory crunkiness. For example, there's "The Way You Move," a doo-wop-meets-crunk dance-floor trembler. There's "Church" a gospel-esque crunk fusion with Pastor Boi spitting introspective testimonials. There's "Bowtie," a player's anthem that gives a nod to George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic. And Boi shows that a big-time player like himself can have a social conscious on the anti-conflict sentiment "War."There are a few idiotic music critics who have questioned whether or not Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is a true hip-hop recording. They also criticized OutKast for being too experimental. Whether 'Kast's double-LP is considered an R&B album; or a rap album; or an experimental album, or even a "crossover" album, it was simply dead on the money. OutKast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is a hip-hop masterpiece. Little Brother :: The ListeningWhether you love or hate what has become of hip-hop, one thing is clear: Hip-hop is the leader in artistic innovation in popular culture. Little Brother is on the forefront of that artistic movement. And their debut CD The Listening is a wonderful aural experience. The old-school hip-hop motif and production value featured on The Listening had some critics calling it a novelty record, but it's not. In fact, it's an essential album, and a long overdue evolutionary (revolutionary?) step into "classical" rap music. Drawing inspiration from the old-school -- A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Prince Paul, Pete Rock and EPMD -- the North Calackie trio (aka the Justice League crew) are modern-day hip-hop fusionists who have reinvented the lyrical and beat improvisations that once made rap music such a personal and musical experience. (Listen to the group's hip-hop ode "The Listening").Threaded through a somewhat unoriginal skit -- we are listening to WJLR (BAAM! The Future of hip-hop music!) a fictitious Justice League radio show -- LB takes listeners on an endearing musical ride. A standout on the disc is the beautiful "Love Joint Revisited," where over a sound bed of fluttering acoustic guitars and a back-snapping snare, rappers Big Pooh and Phonte profess their undying devotion to hip-hop. The duo also takes the lingo "Yo" and utilizes it for a hooky record called "The Yo-Yo." But the disc's centerpiece is "The Listening," a 6-minute epic, featuring the two rhyme-slingers exploring hip-hop's past and future over a nicely placed sample of Pete Rock & CL Smooth's elegiac "T.R.O.Y. (They Reminisce Over You)." The group's beatmaker 9th Wonder (who recently blessed Jay-Z with "Threats" on The Black Album) has all the makings of becoming the next Kanye West on the production boards. The Listening is cohesive recording that yields greater rewards after repeat listens. Kem :: KemistryThere were plenty of sexy soul men that released great albums in 2003. Anthony Hamilton's Comin' From Where I From, Javier's Crazy, Jahiem's Ghetto Soul and Donnie's The Colored Section (which was actually a 2002 release but was re-issued by Motown Records this year) all released noteworthy collections. But Kem's Kemistry CD was simply divine. Heartfelt, touching, romantic and upbeat describes this wonderful disc full of well-written bedroom ballads. "Say" is a tear-jerker; "Love Calls" is an aphrodisiac, and "Inside" is a perfect song to play while having a bedroom romp with your lover. In 2003, Kem has sucessfully placed himself as one of R&B's elite love balladeers. Bravo! Jean Grae :: The Bootleg of the Bootleg EP Seal :: Seal IV Zion I :: Deep Water Slang Zion I's second CD Deep Water Slang came out in January 2003 and was totally slept on by the critics. This Bay Area, Calif. duo -- poet MC Zion and beatmaker Amp Live -- have created organic music for the soul. Music that is tangible -- not too preachy or overindulged in musicality. One of the disc's standout cut is the benevolent rap ballad "Flow" (featuring soul newcomer/songstress Goapele). Also, check out "Sorry" and the anthemic "Rock, Rock Y'all." 50 Cent :: Get Rich or Die Tryin' CunnyLinguist :: Southernunderground CunnyLinguist is another southern group with a New York accent (much like Little Brother) who produced a buoyant rap collection rich with sharp rhyming, sampling and b-boyism that are as witty as they are sometimes world-weary. The group seems to be preoccupied with stories of cheating ex-girlfriends that plagued their lives (the downer "The Rain"). Girl trouble aside, the group tackles other topical issues like politics, war and the music industry. CunnyLinguist have established a mature sound that is blessed with honesty and creativity that will take these guys to higher and richer musical plateaus. Dwele :: Subject Jeffrey Gaines :: Toward the Sun 6 (or more) "Honorable Mentions" that should have made my "Top 10 Hot Joints of 2003" List Black Eyed Peas :: Elephant BEP are a wonderful hip-hop group that finally broken the mold and secured themselves a top ten pop hit "Where's The Love." Unfortunately, urban radio refused to support the group thinking they sold out because they hooked up with Justin Timberlake on the track. It's a damn shame that most of the urban programmers at local black radio stations are so narrow-minded. Jaylib :: Champion Sound This project from producer-rappers Madlib and Jay Dee was thisclose to making it on the list. It's not a bad CD at all, in fact, I think this collection was the best thing to come out of Los Angeles this year. The Souljahz :: The Fault Is History I don't listen to gospel music. I really don't care for it because it can get downright sanctimonious and boring. That is, until I heard The Souljahz's second CD The Fault Is History. The spiritual trio are indeed the Fugees of gospel. With a little more work on the lyrical and production end, this group has a great chance to explode onto the R&B/pop market. R. Kelly :: Chocolate Factory Chocolate Factory is the guilty pleasure of 2003. If he didn't have child-pornography charges hanging over his head, the R. would probably be the toast of American popular music right about now. His workaholic pace this year on the production end (blessing tracks for B2K, Isley Brothers, Nick Cannon and others) was mind-boggling. Smokie Noriful :: I Need You Know Meshell Ndegeocello :: Comfort Woman Jay-Z :: The Black Album Freeway :: Philadelphia Freedom Madlib :: Shades Of Blue The Top 10 Bangers & Ballads of 2003 "Hey Ya" -- OutKast "You Don't Know My Name" -- Alicia Keys "Find A Way" -- Dwele "Touch" -- Seal "My Crew" -- Jean Grae "The Yo-Yo" -- Little Brother "Say" -- Kem "21 Questions" -- 50 Cent "I Need You Know" -- Smokie Norful "No Letting Go" -- Wayne Wonder 6 (or more) "Honorable Mentions" of songs that should have made my "Top 10 Bangers & Ballads of 2003" List "Flipside" -- Freeway (Featuring Peedi Crack) "Far Away" -- Kindred The Family Soul "It's All Real" -- Pitch Black "The Red" -- Jaylib "Seenit You" -- Anthony Hamilton "Rain On Me" -- Ashanti "More And More" -- Joe Also, check out Stink Zone's list of the Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums of 2003. It's a very interesting survey.And if you don't like any of the Top 10 lists, then click THIS to read a cornucopia of "Year End" Lists in films, music and television by writers from various music/entertainment magazines all over the world. [Spotted at Oliver Wang's blog] Happy Kwanzhannakamas!

Grae Matters

Trent Fitzgerald — Mon, 13 Oct 2003 07:03:03 EDT

"Not a thug, not a drug seller/ Not a gun shooter, not a stripper sex symbol or anything you use to/ Marketing nightmare/ I don't fit into categories/ I just rap, make beats and shit and sleep all of these stories . . ." -- Jean GraeJean Grae The Bootleg of the Bootleg EP (BabyGrande)In 2002, Jean Grae was crowned b-girl rap's revolutionary sweetheart with her critically acclaimed debut CD Attack of the Attacking Things. On her unofficial sophomore effort, The Bootleg of the Bootleg EP, Jean continues spitting introspective narratives and metaphors galore over crafty productions that has launched her to underground rap stardom.Jean is apocalyptic, funny and brilliant on the EP. Bootleg's standout is "My Crew," a buoyant hip-hop anti-anthem where Jean excoriates pedophiles disguised as music artists and rap fans who devalue hip-hop culture. She spits: "Rap's dead, rap sucks, but thanks to y'all for killing it/ Grilling it down and spilling it guts and filling it back up with trash/ Wait up, I mean cash/ But ain't the two synonymous/ With media politics?/ You know they love it."Jean is not your politically correct rapper either. The bright rhyme-slinger talks about her own spiritual warfare with God on the melodic "Take Me," and on the incendiary "Hater's Anthem," Jean's inner bitch is revealed as her honesty outweighs being polite. She huffs in one verse: "I'm more necessary than violence on the Amistad/ [I'm] wrong like eatin' bacon at Ramada-n/ I'll piss on your shoes and make you clean them with your mouth/ Then tell all of your friends and send ya panties to your house." With a chorus that goes: "Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, fuck you/ Hold up/ You fuck, you fuck, you fuck."The highlight of the EP is the 45-minute mix of Jean Grae's hottest freestyles that would make 50 Cent proud. The mix showcases Jean's lyrical versatility: From a feel-good rapper, to a mind-numbing wordsmith, to a hardcore battle rhymer, to a navel-gazing lyricist looking for answers to the world's social ills. Among the treasured gems you'll hear on the mix include a bevy of crazy freestyles over Nas, Jay-Z and Scarface ("My Block") instrumentals, including Jigga's "You Don't Know (remix)" track. Jean's preference in a man are revealed on her cover tune of Jay-Z's "Excuse Me Miss," titled "Excuse Me Sir." (A classic) Another gem is "Negro League Baseball," a throwback song (circa late '90s) of a then-witty 18-year-old Jean when she was with the now-defunct rap group Natural Resource. (An old-school classic)Only one minor disappointment: Jean Greasy's sinister "Very Bad Things" didn't make the cut on the EP, which would reveal Jean as more diabolical than her fellow rap counterpart Eminem. (Yes, she is indeed the Real Slim Lady.) Aside from that, The Bootleg of The Bootleg is a tasty appetizer before the bountiful feast coming in 2004 -- Jean Grae's second full-length CD. I can't wait.Holla!

I Want My EMptyTV!

Trent Fitzgerald — Mon, 15 Sep 2003 01:48:24 EDT

The Weekly Wrap-Up :: On MTV** - Question changed by Trent What was the first music video you remember seeing? What was memorable?I would have to say the "Rapture" music video by Blondie. It was memorable for me because I liked the song "Rapture" a lot when it came out. So in the video, I adored Debbie Harry because she was wearing that sexy black dress with her hot legs, looking like a cheap hooker. I watched that video for hours. I also loved the "dancing black guy" that was wearing an all white outfit with the top hat near the end of the video. I also have to say that the "King of Rock" video by Run-DMC was also another clip I watched all the time when I was a teenager. That video was memorable for me because it was the first time I ever saw Run-DMC perform. Melvin "Bud" Mellman (the short bespectacled old guy from the David Letterman Show) had a cameo in that video and I thought he was hilarious. More importantly, Run-DMC was the only black faces on MTV at the time (besides VJ J.J. Jackson). What was your favorite music video as a teenager? Why?Gee, there were a lot of music videos that I loved watching as a teenager. I went ga-ga over the videos by R&B group Cameo (like "She's Strange" and others) because they would always feature hot-looking ladies wearing spandex. I also loved watching Michael Jackson's music videos because they were like mini-movies. And every rap video that appeared on Yo! MTV Raps. How often did you watch MTV as a teen? How often now? Why has this changed, if at all?I used to watch MTV religiously when I was a teen. Back in the days, I was watching Yo! MTV Raps every day. In fact, I still have some of their shows on videotape. (I used to record the show on my VCR, whenever I couldn't be home to watch the series.) Today, I watch MTV periodically. Lately, I have been watching Making the Band 2 and seeing Bad Boy Records' rap group Da Band look like fools on TV. Prediction: 2 albums and it's a wrap - Da Band will . . . be done. They are a nice group of kids, but I don't think they have a long future in the music biz. I hope they have enough sense to save their money, while they are still getting that paper.As a music channel, MTV is a corporate machine that plays music videos by popular artists. They are very selective when it comes to artists getting airtime on MTV. I don't see any music videos by indie artists on there anymore. Whatever happened to 120 minutes?BET (Black Entertainment Network) is now my MTV. But BET has got to do something with their programming. This music channel likes to show the same music videos all day, every day. And all of their VJs suck, including Big Tigga. Free and AJ on 106 & Park are cool people. I like Free, she's a hottie. Did "video kill the radio star," as The Buggles asserted in their 1980 song of the same name? Why or why not?Without question, music videos have killed the rap star. Today's rap videos are nothing more than an excuse to show tits and ass. I don't mind a little T&A, but how about a little creativity in these rap videos. The video girl seem to get more screen time in the videos than the rapper. What's missing in today's rap videos? Visual art is what missing in today's rap videos. Aside from a few videographers -- like Dave Meyers who directed Missy Elliott's "Work It" clip -- there's no one out there today bringing any unique visuals to the rap videos. ** What are some of the best music videos ever made? Why? Michael Jackson -- "Beat It" and "Thriller" Both videos featured awesome choreography and a story line. MJ had a couple of great videos -- "Billie Jean" was hot; and the underrated "Bad" clip was a nice video.Any videos directed by Hype Williams. Hype is a visionary auteur. I think his best video was Busta Rhymes' "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See."Filmmaker Paul Hunter's captivating clips for Tamia's "Unofficially Missing You" and Tyrese's "Signs of Love Making." Both are two great voyeuristic videos. The clips are both sensual without being to overtly sexual at the same time. Police -- "Every Breath You Take" A classic clip for a classic song; the video featured the best usage of black and white imagery, and it was gorgeously shot. Unconscious Mutterings For Week 32 :: Wedding:: bells Roach:: motel Expense:: account Fight:: club Air:: travel Protect:: and serve Glance:: at me Boo:: scared Steamy:: white rice Caviar:: don't eat that shit Holla!

Let Prince In . . .

Trent Fitzgerald — Mon, 15 Sep 2003 01:18:26 EDT

The venerable R&B/rock star Prince is among the hopefuls picked as a nominee for the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This is the first time he has been eligible for induction. In order to be a nominee an artist must be 25 years past their first major recording. Minneapolis native Prince (real name: Prince Rogers Nelson) released his debut album, For You, in 1978. Since then he has been a prolific superstar with a long list of hits, including "Adore," "Little Red Corvette," "Controversy," When Doves Cry," "Diamonds & Pearls," "Kiss," "1999", "Let's Go Crazy" and so many more. Not too mentioned he has produced, performed, and or written songs for the Bangles, Apollonia 6, Shelia E and rapper Benzino (yes, that corny motherfucker who co-owns The Source) among others. Prince also can be heard playing guitar on Common's CD Electric Circus. He currently has a new DVD in stores titled Prince Live at the Aladin Las Vegas. A music video was released from the DVD - a performance clip of "Gotta Broken Heart Again." You can catch that video on BET's Midnight Love - my favorite late-night video show.I don't know what the criteria is for an artist to be finally inducted, but it would be wise for the RRHOF voting committee to induct Prince into the Hall of Fame. I mean, let's keep it real - Prince is a musical genius. He is the Beethoven of R&B, and it's about time that we show "The Purple One" some love. Prince is the one who really put the "R" in R&B.We'll see in December - that's when the inductees will be announced. And speaking of R . . . In the October issue of Blender magazine, embattled R&B singer R. Kelly - who was indicted last year on child pornography charges - now compares himself to the reclusive terrorist Osama bin Laden."People can say whatever they want about you without knowing the facts," says the R. "They can criticize you without even knowing you, and hate you when they don't even know you. All of a sudden, you're, like, the bin Laden of America. Osama bin Laden is the only one who knows exactly what I'm going through."Not really, pied piper. You see, Osama is in hiding because he knows that our President, George Bush, wants his old-ass dead. As for us, we just want to cut your balls off."I have three to four years' worth of work you've never heard in the vaults. I've come up with at least 20 to 25 albums."That's good to know. So when you get sent to prison for child pornography; and you're getting cozy with your cellmate Bubba, Jive Records can release one album per year for the next 25 years. Hey, that's not a bad deal! Holla!