#talib johnson

[thesinglesjukebox]

FALLING IN REVERSE FT. JELLY ROLL - "ALL MY LIFE"

"The album cover features frontman Ronnie Radke's mugshot after being arrested for domestic assault in 2012." well okay then!

[3.00]

Ian Mathers: Oh, I hate everything about this. [0]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: “It’s just not right what they do to you at that publication” - my husband, upon hearing this song [0]

Harlan Talib Ockey: I could easily spend a thousand words picking apart this song, but to limit it to its most egregious sins: Radke’s fake Southern accent is offensively poor. The mix is glassy and hyper-compressed. The lyrics are beyond hope. “I may have drew blood / But that was true love”? Is this Falling In Reverse’s idea of clever country wordplay? Meanwhile, Jelly Roll sounds deeply uncomfortable, like he’s straining to be heard. The “wee-hoo” is musically unnecessary and, more subjectively, feels like getting hit in the face with a large glob of spit. If I didn’t know better, I would think this was a mean-spirited parody of both genres.  [0]

Iain Mew: Bro-country and nu-metal make for an excellent match, with sensibilities and sonics at just the right closeness to blend and contrast as needed. Identifying the semi-novelty singalong of "Heaven is a Halfpipe" as modeling the tone to bridge the two is even smarter. Hopefully someone will pick up those ideas and apply them to something with a chorus that isn't simultaneously underwhelming and grating. [5]

Jonathan Bradley: I’m sorry guys, we’re not currently accepting applications for a new “Gives You Hell.” [2]

Will Adams: I have a relatively high tolerance for nu-metal that's been polished within an inch of its life, but the choices made here suggest Ronnie Radke is as much of a troll musically as he is in real life. I could take the "to-gether, GETHURR, GETHUURRRR," but the "wii-OOOH" was a bridge too far. [4]

Nortey Dowuona: Jeris Johnson, pop singer/songwriter; Cory Quistad, rock singer/songwriter/guitarist who rips a crazy solo; Tyler Smith aka MYTH, singer/songwriter/producer; Charles Kallaghan Massabo, producer; Jelly Roll in general. These folks are involved in the production of this song, and I hope that explains the score. [6]

Taylor Alatorre: Final-scene-of-Malcolm-in-the-Middle-where-it's-revealed-that-Malcolm-has-to-pay-his-way-through-Harvard-by-working-part-time-as-a-janitor-in-order-to-fulfill-his-mom's-dream-of-becoming-a-genuinely-populist-President-of-the-United-States-core. One of the guys in Citizen King went on to do mastering work for Madvillainy and Donuts; people can change, though Radke likely hasn't. He does the necessary job here of making me mostly forget that I'm listening to Ronnie Radke, with a clutch assist from a more harmless kind of rogue. Come for the Jelly Roll, stay for the jiggy juggas. [6]

Mark Sinker: Larry, Moe and Curly are feuding. They’re jabbing each other in the eye -- except then they’ve also banded together to jab YOU in the eye, while capering about. Maybe it’s funny when they do this to each other, but this song does it to you, and never stops.  [2]

Katherine St. Asaph: Rare Anthony Fantano W; I just wish the song was worse. [5]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[jackthegiantinc]

Glen Cavanagh is an American recording artist, song writer, record producer, vocalist and multi instrumentalist based in Brooklyn. Passionate about music since childhood, he attended renowned Indiana University Jacobs School of Music on a full scholarship for saxophone performance and jazz studies. Since moving to New York City, Cavanagh has written original music for brands including Nike, Apple, Mercedes Benz, and many more, including major international campaigns for Maybelline, the massive Subway "Refresh" campaign, Superbowl spots, and several songs in the Memories app that is included on all iPhones from 2015-present . His sonic branding work for companies like Draft Kings, American Express, PAZE, Church's Chicken etc. has been award winning, notably Draft King's Network launch campaign which was awarded 3 gold Transform Awards, a gold Muse award, and a gold Red Dot Award. Cavanagh has also done extensive trailer work, including the cover of “Notorious” used in the trailer for Red Notice starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot which broke streaming records on the network. Cavanagh produces records for other artists as well as his own various artist endeavors including PYRMDS, LNWLVS, Soul Mafia and SNVRS and has performed extensively at venues including Hot 97's Summer Jam, CBGB's, Indianapolis Black Expo and Detroit's Chene Park Amphitheater, on bills with Talib Kweli, Ciara, Drake, and Beenie Man among others.

Music and lyrics composed, produced, and performed by Glen Cavanagh

Additional vocals (in order of appearance) Nipsey Hussle, Justina Valentine, Guylaire Leon Jr., Lisala Beatty, Curio, Annick Mayer, Ray Wa$h, Lisala Beatty, Keith Silverstein, and Stranger Cat

Additional composition, performance, and production: -No Remorse Trailer by JDM Music and Sound -Nike “The Last Game” by Judson Crane -Fast and the Furious “Fast X Legacy” trailer by Saverio Xaver and Jack Collins (JDM Music and Sound) -Maybelline “Tattoo Gel Liner”: trumpet by Lee Hogans -Subway “Refresh” theme by Benny Reid with drums by Jordan Young and trumpet by Jay Webb -Aha Sparkling Water lyrics by Curio and contains elements of “Shake” by Curio -Red Notice “Notorious” Trailer by JDM Music and Sound -“Biggie Bay” lyrics by Ray Wa$h -Tiny Games Nitrokid “The Question’s How Fast” trailer by Maks SF -Hawkmoth Theme Song: drums Devin Collins, trumpet Kai Sandoval, trombone Mariel Bildsten, lyrics by Blacklist Creative Ltd

Vocals, guitar, saxophone, synthesizers, flute, bass, samplers, percussion, drum programming by Glen Cavanagh

[cyarskaren52]

The College Dropout is the debut studio album by the American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on February 10, 2004, by Def Jam Recordings and Jay-Z's Roc-A-Fella Records. In the years leading up to release, West had received praise for his production work for rappers such as Jay-Z and Talib Kweli, but faced difficulty being accepted as an artist in his own right by figures in the music industry. Intent on pursuing a solo career, he signed a record deal with Roc-A-Fella and recorded the album over a period of four years, beginning in 1999.

The production of The College Dropout was primarily handled by West and showcased his "chipmunk soul" musical style, which made use of sped-up, pitch shifted vocal samples from soul and R&B records, in addition to West's own drum programming, string accompaniments, and gospel choirs; the album also features contributions from Jay-Z, Mos Def, Jamie Foxx, Syleena Johnson, and Ludacris, among others. Diverging from the then-dominant gangster persona in hip hop, West's lyrics concern themes of family, self-consciousness, materialism, religion, racism, and higher education.

The College Dropout debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, selling 441,000 copies in its first week of sales. It was a large-scale commercial success, becoming West's best-selling album in the United States at the time, with domestic sales of over 3.4 million copies by 2014 and was certified 4x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA) in 2020. The album was promoted with singles such as "Through the Wire", "Jesus Walks", "All Falls Down", and "Slow Jamz", the latter two of which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, with "Slow Jamz" becoming West's first number-one single as a lead artist.

A widespread critical success, The College Dropout was praised for West's production, humorous and emotional raps, and the music's balance of self-examination and mainstream sensibilities. The album earned the rapper several accolades, including nominations for Album of the Year and Best Rap Album at the 2005 Grammy Awards, winning for the latter. It has since been named by numerous publications as one of the greatest albums of all time, including Rolling Stone and NME, who ranked it at 74 and 273 respectively on their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time lists, and is credited for popularizing the chipmunk soul and conscious rap subgenres in the 2000s.

Favorite song?

[doc-jota]

El año del descubrimiento.

El 10 de Febrero de 2004 se lanzó al mercado The College Dropout el debut de Kanye West, un productor que venía haciendo ruido por aquel entonces y se había convertido en el protegido de Jay-Z, el rey del game tras las muertes de 2Pac y Biggie. Se ha escrito ya todo lo que se tenía que escribir sobre él, por eso no quiero profundizar en su análisis, no lo veo necesario, además los 2 primeros episodios de Jeen-Yuhs quizás conformen el mejor documental making of sobre un disco de rap que se haya hecho, podéis leer una pieza que le dediqué titulada ‘Reflexiones y disecciones sobre Jeen-Yuhs’. De todas formas sí quería aprovechar la oportunidad para plasmar lo que este LP significó para mí, es el album que más impacto ha tenido en mi vida musical y está en mi top 5 de más escuchados. Pensar que ya han pasado 20 años de algo que viviste tan fervientemente da vértigo, es una cantidad de tiempo grandilocuente pero a la vez tengo la sensación de que ha pasado en un abrir y cerrar de ojos.

Lo descubrí por un banner publicitario en la web de Misión Urbana, uno de los e-place to be de la época, con noticias, biografías y una numerosa comunidad menos troll que la de Hip Hop Hispano, me llamó mucho la atención el artwork, entré al foro y se estaba comentando. 5 meses antes se había filtrado una primera versión del disco pero en esos años no estaba tan al día y pasó por debajo de mi radar. Si habéis escuchado esa versión primigenia notaréis que es descafeinada con respecto a lo que conocemos, que tiene un aire sucio a mixtape tipo Freshmen Adjustment ( algunas canciones acabarían en la mixtape oficial y otras ya fueron lanzadas en su primera tape de 2002 Get Well Soon…) que su voz antes del accidente sonaba más alta y que el sample de Lauryn Hill en ‘All Falls Down’ se tuvo que sustituir por la voz de Syleena Johnson. Y bueno, en la intro de ‘Jesus Walks’ John Legend canta El Tamborilero, esos poropopompon no son adlibs, en serio escuchad la versión OG, John Legend >> Raphael. El caso es que buscando información al respecto leí que fue una copia promocional que le hicieron llegar a algunos A&R y periodistas, las reviews fueron malas y en lugar de confrontar a los críticos ( s/o spanish rappers en Twitter ) Kanye se puso manos a la obra: remezcló, remasterizó, añadió arreglos y coros, cambió versos, flows y entonaciones, lo refinó. Y quitó el poropopompon. El resto, es historia.

Excepto a Hov, no conocía a la mayoría de MC’s que colaboran en él: Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Freeway, todo Rawkus… los descubrí gracias a Kanye, diggeando los samples di con el soul clásico como Marvin Gaye y Chaka Khan y aunque no estén muestreados aquí también a leyendas como Stevie Wonder. Escuchando y leyendo entrevistas a Kanye conocí sus influencias: A Tribe Called Quest y todo Native Tongues, The Pharcyde, Souls Of Mischief, Main Source… todo el rap conscious. Hasta llegué a Dave Chappelle, que se convirtió en mi cómico favorito, cuando tocó ‘The Food’ con Common en su show ( hoy considerado un momento icónico para la cultura ) y circuló el clip por todo internet. Busqué como loco cómo ver Chapelle’s Show, sólo podía ver algunos sketches en la web de Comedy Central y tardé unos años más en hacerme con una copia bootleg de las dos temporadas del programa, aunque antes pude disfrutar de la maravilla de documental que es Dave Chapelle’s Block Party, en el que Mr.West hacía unas interpretaciones en directo acojonantes llenas de energía y hambre acompañado de una banda en la que tocaba un batería de afro increíble ( aquí descubrí a The Roots ).

The College Dropout no sólo me parece lo mejor de Ye junto a Late Registration, si no que supuso una llave maestra que abrió multitud de puertas ante mí, fue el comienzo de mi nerdismo por el rap y la música. Tras un tiempo escuchando a saco 2Pac, Biggie, Wu-Tang o Black Eyed Peas destapé un estilo con el que me identificaba 100%, una musicalidad hip hop inédita para mis oídos, para mí todo era nuevo, como el interludio de ‘I’ll Fly Away’ que fue lo primero de gospel que escuché más allá de alguna película que hubiese visto, esas armonías vocales me cautivaron. ‘Through The Wire’ era mejor que ‘Hey Ya!’ y esto era mejor que el último de Outkast. Hubo puristas y OGs de España a los que respeto que en su día criticaron a Kanye, se le consideraba comercial, persona non grata en el Hip Hop ( como a Jay-Z y tantos otros ) y además vestía camisas y jerseys pero mi yo adolescente ya estaba seguro de su taste. Recuerdo sentir cierto alivio cuando años más tarde salió el documental Spanish Players y Tote King mencionó que era uno de sus MCs favoritos del momento, no alivio exactamente pero si cierta sensación de que el gusto en España no estaba del todo perdido y de que podía venir un cambio de mentalidad que finalmente acabó llegando ( tardaría otro trecho ).

Ver a Kanye vestido de esa manera siendo tan rapper a la vez y expresarse con ese bravado en sus canciones y entrevistas me hizo sacar un ego sano, ser más extrovertido, hacerme valer, en definitiva, ser yo mismo, romper el cascarón. En ese proceso de formación que es la adolescencia Kanye me ayudó haciéndome ser un poco Kanye, puso algo en aquel zagal. Era un artista con el que te podías identificar 100% si venías de clase media/acomodada porque ni era gangster ni era bling bling y hablaba de temas como la educación, la familia y una religión cristiana en la que había crecido pero de la que cada vez me sentía más distanciado, aunque lograba conectar con la épica de ‘Jesus Walks’. Su debut es una historia de autoempoderamiento, usó su arrogancia como combustible para cumplir sus sueños y no dejar que sus haters destruyesen su autoestima, de ser inseguro y encontrar tu propia identidad, le rezó a los cielos y cambió sus estrellas, es un relato honesto de una persona imperfecta, como lo somos todos, un hipócrita simpático y fanfarrón que hace crítica social cargando contra el consumismo para 3 frases más tarde frontear de haberse comprado ropa cara y un carro nuevo. Por eso amamos a Kanye, es (era) como nosotros. También era un nerd, su swag no venía de la calle, venía de una confianza enfermiza en sí mismo y su storytelling era embriagante, goofy en el buen sentido y lleno de humor.¿‘The New Work Out Plan’? Kanye en 2004 ya estaba riéndose de los gymbros y gymgurlz, influencers, cryptobros motivadores, Llados de la vida y demás fauna.

9 días después de su lanzamiento fue mi cumpleaños así que con las perrillas que recogí fui a comprar el CD, el autoregalo perfecto, había que tenerlo, me pasé el trayecto de vuelta en bus leyendo los créditos del libreto y flipando con ese diseño de artwork tan elegante y sofisticado y esa selección de colores ( Eric Duvauchell, el encargado de arte de Roc-A-Fella se inspiró en un libro de ilustraciones del siglo XVI ). Lo que no sabía es que se quedaría a vivir en la ranura del Mercedes de mi padre durante los siguientes 3–4 años, que su carcasa tipo jewel case pasaría los inviernos dentro de la guantera ( a la que un año después se uniría la de Late Registration ) y que sería la banda sonora de los viajes familiares y trayectos en el carro, cuando mi padre me recogía del colegio o se escuchaba el programa de Andrés Montes en Radio Marca o se escuchaba a Kanye. En 2006 cuando mi hermana mayor fue de viaje a París le pedí que me comprase la edición deluxe del DVD de Late Orchestration con esa funda marrón aterciopelada, aquí sólo se vendían la normal y quería tener la mejor posible, lo acabé viendo tanto que creo que lo jodí y me hace skip en uno de sus fragmentos. Un año después ella y su novio, que jamás habían escuchado rap, terminaron sucumbiendo ante Kanye, para mi alegría, con la fusión pop de Graduation ( eran fans de Coldplay y la colabo de Chris Martin ayudó ) y sobre todo con 808’s & Heartbreaks, esos 2 discos se quemaron en el coche del que desde hace 3 años es mi ex-cuñado, con el que pasaba bastante tiempo, era como el hermano mayor que nunca tuve y como controlaba inglés por fin tenía alguien con el que hablar de lo último que había estado leyendo en los foros de kanyelive ( más tarde pasaría a ser KTT ) y pasarle los videos de directos y conciertos que había estado recolectando. La fiebre por Kanye estaba en la casa y recuerdo conversaciones telefónicas aceleradas con ellos cuando en 2008/09 estuvo a punto de tocar en Razzmatazz, cruzando llamadas con el personal de la sala que nos confirmaron que sí estaba reservado, yo estaba estudiando en Cádiz e hicimos cábalas para quedar en Barcelona. 

The College Dropout tenía ese carácter accesible que me hacía pensar que no iba a taladrarle la cabeza demasiado a mi familia, aunque me acuerdo de llevar en coche a mi pobre abuela ( que tendría sus 90 años ) a su casa circa 2011 bumpeando el disco y decirme de repente en voz baja y con mucha cautela desde el asiento de atrás “nene, parece que están pegando tiros en la calle”, fue algo que me hizo mucha gracia y que jamás olvidaré. Mis padres han escuchado más hip hop yankee que algunos rappers pegaos de aquí, eso sí, no lo entendían, aunque algunos de aquí tampoco entienden mucho, sinceramente. No sé si eran tiempos más felices porque no quiero caer en la trampa de la nostalgia pero desde luego si que eran más despreocupados e inocentes, éramos ricos y no lo sabíamos. Hoy ha salido Vultures y mi hermana está desde las 7 de la mañana en un centro comercial, ha llevado a mi sobrina, que tiene la misma edad que tenía yo cuando escuché TCD, a un meet & greet con expulsados de OT, cosa de la que le he dicho entre risas que se arrepentirá dentro de 10 años. Mi padre ya no puede conducir y soy yo el que lo saca a comer por ahí, el Mercedes se vendió y todos mis CDs están cogiendo polvo en un armario, disfrutando de una jubilación anticipada, quizás algo injusta, consecuencia de los avances tecnológicos y el cambio de los nuevos tiempos pero satisfechos por los servicios prestados. El otro día Tom Breihan escribió una pieza en la que decía que no sólo echaba de menos al viejo Kanye sino que también echaba de menos al Kanye de 2016 que rapeaba sobre por qué echamos de menos al viejo Kanye. Así es como me siento yo, en una matrioska de añoranza. Aquel 2004 en mi casa se conoció a Kanye antes de ser el marido de Kim Kardashian y the crazy n*gga from the interviews.

[lasclfresh]

Cover album musiq soulchild love

Close scrutiny of the album’s production credits reveal Def Jam singer Ne-Yo to have written ‘Ms.Philadelphia’, a song written around an altered version of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Overjoyed’. “I didn’t wanna take for granted my position in the industry so I wanted to just reintroduce myself to people, let them know who I am and what I’m about, then hopefully with this album I can use it as a vantage point to do a lot of collaborations where it’s not me leaning on the artist, it’s more we’re working together to contribute to a better situation”. Such collaborations are notably absent on the album, a strategy which Musiq explains is to cement his individual reputation rather that rely on the appeal of other artists to flourish. The move has so far proved successful with his new album’s US chart status repeating the chart success of his platinum second album ('Juslisen'), and the epidemic of ‘Buddy’ remixes popping up from rappers including Young Buck, T.I., Freeway, Ja Rule, Fat Joe Jadakiss, and Lupe Fiasco – which amounts to at least 8 different versions - contributing to his appeal. It sounded good to me, and he made it happen”. “He asked me, how would I feel about him being immediately involved in my career as he was when I was over at Def Jam. The new album, Musiq’s first release through Atlantic Records, highlights several changes for the 29-year old singer, who (according to him) left Def Soul Records after former Def Jam president Kevin Lyle moved to the Warner Music group and bumped into Musiq. I make (my lyrics) very simple to show that you don’t have to get deep and heavy to express a realistic point, you just gotta talk about it.” Hopefully, expressing what I know may have a positive effect on people. "I just hope and pray that people take a more realistic approach in expressing themselves through music because that actually has a lot to do with people’s perception of what relationships are. I think that it’s important that the two people that are in the relationship identify what it is between each other and agree to what it is, as opposed to one person thinking that it’s one way and the other person is in the dark,” he explains. The album, a collection of songs touching on mature experiences of life and love, covers topics of self-improvement and struggles with emotional vulnerability in relationships, whilst the lead single ‘Buddy’ tackles a need for honest definitions of relationships: “There are implications and attachments that have been put on the idea of relationships, and I think a lot of people get caught up in those things. Men and women alike appreciate Musiq’s honest reflections in what he describes as a realistic approach to “things that happen every day” a tried and tested formula that continues to work as his fourth album, 'Luvanmusiq', swoops into the top position of the US charts. The comprehensible simplicity of his lyrical phrasing is his trademark feature, and since the release of his debut album 'Aijuswanaseing' in late 2000, the expressive and down-to-earth soul star has widely appealed to the repressed emotions of young men - many of whom didn’t formerly listen to soul. Musiq Soulchild, born Talib Johnson, entered the airwaves as an accessible gateway between modern RnB and the more soulful end of the scale - much like fellow Philadelphia soul artist Dwele.

[nofatclips]

Hot Saucer by Bootsy Collins (featuring Musiq Soulchild and Big Daddy Kane) from the album World Wide Funk

[allthings18]

Sunday Showdown: Lions Week: Calvin Johnson V. Aqib Talib

[metalheadsforblacklivesmatter]

Call Your Representative

Hey.  Hey, you!  Yes, you! If yesterday’s events bugged you, you can do something about it.  Representative Ilhan Omar has drawn up articles of impeachment.  If you live in the United States, call your representative, email them, mail them.  If you don’t know who they are, look them up here:

https://ziplook.house.gov/htbin/findrep_house

[Image Description: A screenshot of two Twitter post from Representative Ilhan Omar, with Twitter handle @IlhanMN.  The first Tweet says “Thank you to all of my colleagues who have already joined our impeachment resolution!  If your member hasn’t yet joined, call them at (202) 224-3121.”  

Below that is an image that says ‘Impeachment Resolution’ followed by a list of representatives who have already signed on in support.  This effort is co-lead by Representatives David Cicilline, Ted Lieu, Al Green, Hank Johnson, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Talib, VicenteGonzalez, Jamaal Bowman, Mondaire Jones, Veronica Escobar, Alexandria Oscasio-Cortez, and Cori Bush.  This effort is Co-sponsored by Representatives Donald M. Payne Jr., Jared Huffman, Marie Newman, Bobby Rush, Jan Schakowsky, Frederica Wilson, Adriano Espaillat, Eric Swalwell, Jacana Hayes, Nydia M. Velaszquez, Yvette Clarke, Mark DeSaulnier, Ritchie Torres, Steven Horsford, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Frederica Wilson, Jimmy Gomez, Gerry Connelly, Ann Kirkpatrick, Mark Takano, Anna Eshoo, Earl Blumenaur, Val Demings, and Ritchie Torress.

The second Tweet says “The urgency of this moment is real and we have to be courageous and unified in defense of our Republic.  The time to stand up to a tyrant is now and history will not be kind to those who sit on the sidelines.”] 

We have to pressure our representatives to act.  They have to hear our voices and our demands.  If that number doesn’t work, go to your representatives’ website and contact them that way.  

--silentaugur

[miss-m-winks]

(Image description)

a lot of characters from my justice league au with @askmissbernadette. From left to right:

Kouto Loryck (born Kouto Hayashi) as the Bat in black body armor with a pointy eared cape and hood. He’s wearing red goggles, and the inside of the cape as well as the bat logo on his chest are also red. He’s an elf with pale skin that shows a few lightning scars. He's also non-binary and bi.

Talib Ubora, by all appearances a black elf, as Superman. He’s wearing a light blue shirt with an S shaped logo in red and yellow, as well as blue shorts with a darker section in the center, athletic red shoes and gloves, and a sleeveless red leather trench coat. He’s missing his left ear and eye with scars all over his body. He’s ace.

My very very old first oc ever Mirelle as Wonder Woman. She’s like a satyr but alicorn instead of goat. The Wonder Woman armor is a halter top to accommodate large white and blue wings which are brown on the back. Pretty much the same sort of outfit Wonder Woman is usually depicted in.

A very unused side oc, Wepesi Amara, as the Flash. Black elf woman with vitiligo, wearing a body suit and mask in two shades of red with dark blue boots and gloves. She’s a butch lesbian.

Morianten Loryck, a young quetzalin man with blue and green feathered wings and tail, dressed in armor of bone and gold with a bird skull helmet that has a red feather fringe. He used to dress a bit less macabre, going by the hero name Kingfisher as the Bat's sidekick, but now he’s Death's chosen so he goes by Ghostwing and he’s a bit more independent.

Raixa Loryck, elf woman with dark tan skin and a long black braid, dressed in a Green Lantern bodysuit. She’s bi.

Michael William DeWitte, a young human man with brown skin and short black hair, wearing a blue and dark brown sleeveless hoodie with dark red pants, black boots, blue gloves. He has a bow and arrows because he is Arrow.

Aquaman is here played as a half-mer person named Ojir, who has grey skin, pale blue fins, and purple hair. They’re wearing a cropped blue halter top with a black border creating a water drop loop at the neck, and matching pants. The crop top allows their abdominal fins to be free-moving.

Instead of Black Canary, this sonic-voice hero is Black Cockatoo, aka Thomas Marion Douglas, the human Australian Rock Star with a tall red and yellow mohawk. He’s wearing a full black leather outfit with red panels and silver spikes, as well as red gloves. His eyes are hidden by a lot of black makeup. He is gay.

And last but not least, Kimberly Johnson the stage magician who knows actual magic. Her stage and hero name is Wanda Wonderful, she has pink hair and is wearing a tuxedo top with a short pink skirt and fishnet tights. White gloves, black shoes, pink bow tie, pink mask, and a small matching top hat. She’s dating the Flash.

(End description)

[burlveneer-music]

Mark de Clive-Lowe - Heritage (Ropeadope)

HERITAGE is the first installment of the new two-album series from pianist, composer and live remixer Mark de Clive-Lowe. For the half-Japanese half-New Zealander, these two albums (his 15th and 16th albums respectively) are by far his most personal work yet - deep diving into his Japanese ancestry and cultural roots through the lens of jazz, electronica and beats in collaboration with his LA band of world-class musicians - Josh Johnson (Leon Bridges/Esperanza Spalding), Teodross Avery (Talib Kweli/Mos Def), Brandon Eugene Owens (Terrace Martin/Robert Glasper), Brandon Combs (Moses Sumney/Iman Omari) and Carlos Niño (Build An Ark/Lifeforce Trio). HERITAGE is about identity and one’s place in the world - it sees MdCL sharing new compositions inspired by childhood folk stories, the mythology of his motherland and his own personal experiences in Japan, all wrapped up in his blend of jazz and sample culture influences . In addition to his own compositions, he interprets traditional Japanese folk songs, one on each album - the delicate solo piano rendition of “Akatombo" on this first installment. Every track has a specific story behind its name and intention - a complete narrative to the two albums. The material for the albums was recorded over three nights of live concerts at LA’s legendary Blue Whale jazz club in Little Tokyo, and one day in studio. With a traditional jazz group setup augmented by MdCL’s arsenal of samplers, keyboards, drum machine and technology alongside his grand piano, this is his personal take on both jazz and what Japan - and being Japanese - means to him. Mark de Clive-Lowe - piano, rhodes, synths, live electronics, programming Josh Johnson - alto sax, flute Teodross Avery - tenor sax Brandon Eugene Owens - bass Carlos Niño - additional percussion Brandon Combs – drums

[national-football-league-blog]

Super Bowl LIII

Super Bowl LIII was was the worst Super Bowl ever and an impersonation of an American football game between the three-time defending American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference (NFC) championLos Angeles Rams to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2018 season. The Patriots defeated the Rams by the score of 13–3. The game was a rematch of Super Bowl XXXVI, in which the Patriots, led by second-year head coach Bill Belichick and back-up quarterback Tom Brady, defeated the Rams, who played in St. Louis at the time, 20–17, and won their first Super Bowl. The game was played on February 3, 2019, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. This was the third Super Bowl in Atlanta, which previously hosted Super Bowl XXVIII in 1994 and Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 at the Georgia Dome.

The Patriots made their third consecutive Super Bowl appearance, their fourth in five years, their record 11th overall, and ninth under the Belichick–Brady head coach–quarterback tandem; the Patriots were also the first team to play in three consecutive Super Bowls since the Buffalo Bills played in four straight from Super Bowl XXV through Super Bowl XXVIII. The Patriots were only the third team overall to play in three consecutive Super Bowls, after the aforementioned Bills and the 1971–73 Miami Dolphins. The Rams made their fourth Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, their first appearance in the Super Bowl since moving back to Los Angeles in 2016, and their first as a franchise since Super Bowl XXXVI.

The Patriots won their sixth Super Bowl, tying them with the Pittsburgh Steelers for most Super Bowl championships. It was the first Super Bowl with no touchdowns made by either team in the first three quarters. It was also the lowest-scoring Super Bowl in history, beating the previous record of 14–7 held by Super Bowl VII. The Patriots became the second winning Super Bowl team to score only one touchdown (either offensive, defensive, or special teams), tying the previous record by the New York Jets in Super Bowl III, while the Rams became only the second losing Super Bowl team to not score a touchdown, tying the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI. Incidentally, this was also the first Super Bowl since Super Bowl III in which neither team threw a touchdown pass. Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, who caught 10 passes for 141 yards, was named Super Bowl MVP.

New England Patriots 

New England finished the 2018 season with an 11–5 record to earn the #2 seed in the AFC and their 17th season with double digit wins in their 19 years under 66-year old head coach Bill Belichick. They went on to join the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills as the only teams in NFL history to ever reach three consecutive Super Bowls. Though the team had only two Pro Bowl selections, they scored 436 points (fourth in the league) while giving up only 325 (seventh fewest).

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady earned his 14th Pro Bowl selection at age 41, finishing the season with 4,355 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, with only 11 interceptions, while also rushing for 35 yards and two more scores on the ground. These totals made him just the second quarterback in NFL history to amass 70,000 career passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. His top receiver from the previous season, Brandin Cooks, was traded to the eventual Super Bowl rival Rams, but Julian Edelman, who had missed the previous season with an torn ACL injury, returned to catch 74 receptions for a team-leading 850 yards and six touchdowns, while also returning 20 punts for 154 yards. Other key receivers included Chris Hogan (35 receptions for 553 yards and three touchdowns) and Josh Gordon (40 receptions for 720 yards and three touchdowns), though Gordon would end up leaving the team to focus on his mental health after 11 games when faced with a suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Tight end Rob Gronkowski added 47 receptions for 682 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, the running game featured a dynamic new weapon, rookie halfback Sony Michel, who lead the team with 931 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns, along with veteran James White who racked up 1,176 yards from scrimmage while leading the team in receptions (87) and total touchdowns (12). On special teams, receiver Cordarrelle Patterson returned 23 kickoffs for 663 yards and a touchdown, an average of 28.8 yards per return (third in the NFL), while also catching 21 passes for 247 yards, rushing for 228 yards and scoring four touchdowns on offense.

On defense, defensive end Trey Flowers led the team with 7.5 sacks and also forced three fumbles. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy led the team in total tackles (92), while also recording 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. In the secondary, safety Duron Harmon lead the team in interceptions for the second year in a row with four, while Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore intercepted two passes and forced two fumbles. Safety Patrick Chung also made an impact with 84 total tackles to go with an interception and a fumble recovery. The Patriots secondary also featured twin brothers Jason McCourty and Devin McCourty, who both had an interception each. Devin had 82 tackles, while Jason had 70.

Los Angeles Rams 

Los Angeles finished the 2018 season earning the #2 seed in the NFC, before knocking off the Dallas Cowboys and top seeded New Orleans Saints to earn their fourth Super Bowl in franchise history. The Rams went from 2004 to 2016 without recording a winning record. But after relocating from St. Louis back to Los Angeles and posting a dismal 4–12 season in 2016, the team's fortunes changed with the hiring of 30-year old head coach Sean McVay, the youngest head coach in NFL history. Under McVay and second year quarterback Jared Goff, who recovered from a lackluster winless rookie season to record a triple digit passer rating, the Rams improved to an 11–5 record in 2017. Then in 2018, they won their first 8 games and finished the year with a 13–3 record, tying the Saints for the best record in the NFC.

The Rams offense ranked second in the NFL in both points scored (527) and yards gained (6,738). Goff continued to improve in his third season, setting new career highs in passing yards (4,688, fourth in the NFL), passing touchdowns (32), passer rating (101.1), rushing yards (108) and rushing touchdowns (two). His top receiver was Robert Woods, who caught 86 passes for 1,219 yards and 6 touchdowns. Brandin Cooks, an off-season pickup from New England via trade, also made a big impact with 80 receptions for 1,204 yards and 5 scores. The team's #3 receiver, Cooper Kupp, suffered a season ending injury after catching 40 passes for 566 yards in 8 games, forcing Goff to rely heavily on other targets like Gerald Everett (32 receptions) and Josh Reynolds (29). Pro Bowl running back Todd Gurley was the team's leading rusher with 1,251 yards (fourth in the NFL) and 17 touchdowns, while also catching 59 passes for 580 yards and five more touchdowns. His 17 rushing touchdowns led the league, while his 22 total touchdowns gave him 132 points, fifth in the NFL. Running back C. J. Anderson, who made the Rams his third different team in 2018 after signing up with them in December, also was a key aspect of the running game, finishing the season with 405 yards and leading the team in rushing in both of their playoff victories. On special teams, JoJo Natson returned 26 punts for 280 yards, while kicker Greg Zuerlein made 87.1% of his field goals, including a franchise postseason record 57-yard kick to defeat the Saints in overtime in the NFC championship game.

Los Angeles’ defense featured Pro Bowl defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who led the league in sacks with 20.5, as many sacks as the rest of the team combined. He also had 59 tackles (25 for loss), four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Veteran defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh was second on the team with 4.5 sacks, while also getting 59 tackles and recovering two fumbles. Pro Bowl linebacker Cory Littleton led the team in total tackles with 125, while also picking up four sacks, three interceptions and blocking two punts. The Rams also had a strong secondary, led by John Johnson (119 tackles and four interceptions), Marcus Peters (three interceptions), Lamarcus Joyner (78 tackles) and Aqib Talib.

[freshdotdaily]

I wrote this blog post in 2012 but tumblr deleted it.  It was called sumn like, “My main critique w/ Talib Kweli” I wasn't allowed to listen to rap or any secular music growing up. My mom did me a grave disservice in that regard. So appropriately when I came into age I began sneaking all the music I could. I liked hip-hop and wanted as much of it as possible. The first record that I got that informally changed everything for me was Arrested Development's "Arrested Development 3 years 5 months 2 days". Probably because A) It was non-violent hip-hop I could RELATE to & B) After being raised by a Puerto Rican mother I had little to no real Knowledge of Cultural self.The next albums that followed after I devoured that album were Fugees "The Score" and Busta Rhymes "When Disaster Strikes" it'd be a little while before I was able to get my hands on any new cd after those two, so I had those 3 albums for a good year or two in heavy rotation along w/ Future Flavors on Hot 97 to keep me current. I was writing my raps pretty regularly around this time and I'd graduated from performing gospel raps at my churches Youth Night to  nervously performing at little local open mic spoken word poetry nights w/ my friend Jason.The next album I got my hands on was "Mos Def & Talib Kweli are BlackStar".

That album changed EVERYTHING for me. As far as I was concerned I never needed another rap album. This was the penultimate affirmation of all the things I'd come to feel were true about myself and hip-hop and my culture. Mos was the Charismatic emcee who was forever on beat and in pocket w/ his flow and Talib was the well-read, technical lyricist. I immediate began trying to become an amalgam of them both in one emcee since I felt they so aptly represented what I felt. Reflection Eternal's "Train of Thought" album dropped and blew my head clean off my shoulders. The beats, man. Kweli was at his apex w/ that album. Raps + beats + Brooklyn being well represented. Oh, and let us not forget the Ecko advertisements. I wore Ecko exclusively for about a year and change. I mean footwear to underwear at one point. Talk about artists being brands and marketing alignment & etc.  I bought Triple 5 Soul because that's apparently what Mos Def wore, right? I bought & read Ntozake Shange's "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf" because Kweli made a reference to it. I read Toni Morrison's "The Bluest Eye" because Kweli made a reference to it. I mean, this is what hip-hop, good hip-hop anyway is supposed to do, right? Spark discussion, open minds, create thought and growth, etc. I felt like I was a part of that MOVEMENT. Rawkus. The Okayplayer board. The Spitkicker site. SoulQuarians. I had all the albums from everybody. Probably TMI, but I lost my virginity in 1999, while Pharoahe Monche's "The Light" was playing in the background for some reason. smh. For crying out loud, Black Star's "Respiration" is the top song in my top five favorite songs of all time.

It gets deep, nigga. (c) Kendrick Lamar

As my writing progressed and evolved and I found my own voice eventually through trial and error, Mos Def's "Black on Both Sides" dropped. While "Train of Thought" was still my favorite of the two albums, Mos's charisma eclipsed Kweli  and he became my favorite of the two emcees. I judge rappers work against their own previous work instead of their peers, because that's fair to do artistically. So I'd never pit Mos & Kwelis work against each other because that's like arguing about which is more delicious of a fruit, apples or oranges? Two different fruits altogether, bruh. Also, at this point, I'd moved out my moms house, put out my 1st album, discovered early Eminem and Canibus and had a blossoming cd collection. Not to mention my attention was being held by a burgeoning Kanye.When Kweli's solo project "Quality" dropped, it hit me kinda like "meh". Gone was the signature Hi-Tek sound. I mean, Tek had joints on there but it wasn't the same. Dj Quick? Dj Quick is a mothafuckin' legend, sure. But his relevance at the time? Nah. Especially to a n00b EAST COAST hip-hopper as myself, it was baffling. The general consensus was Kweli used his first truly solo debut to attempt a move toward a more mainstream sound. It received some mainstream attention thanks to the West-produced single "Get By" which peaked at #77 on the Billboard Hot 100. That was Kweli's lifesaver. That album would've drowned otherwise. I did like the Kweli/Kanye connection that seemed mutually beneficial for both of them. It seemed to be going well even got him a Hov shout out on "The Black Album", in which Jay-Z rapped: "If skills sold, truth be told/I'd probably be, lyrically, Talib Kweli". Then the Strugglesome "The Beautiful Struggle" album dropped and I wanted to like it, but it too, hit me like "meh". The Neptunes, Just Blaze and Kanye couldn't save that album. The album failed to cross over into the mainstream and suffered a critical backlash. For example, Britt Robson of The Washington Post  said: "Struggle" was a "frequently awkward, too-obvious bid to exploit the commercial buzz Jay-Z created." Mos was trying his hand at rock music w/ Black Jack Johnson and dropped "The New Danger" to my disappointment. By this point I'd bought Common's "Like Water For Chocolate" and it made him instantly my new favorite emcee. I went and bought "Resurrection" and "One day it'll all make sense" in the same day and consumed those albums daily.In listening, I noticed Kweli's aging. His attempts to remain relevant by looking around him and seeing what was popular and trying to compete. I was willing to overlook his stuffing a thousand syllables into a bar and over usage of the word "like" in every rap song w/ semi-obscure literary references (that I dug, actually). I was willing to overlook the preachy tone his raps somewhat took. I was still BUYING Kweli's music. Brooklyn. over. everything, my nigga. I downloaded '"Liberation" and wasn't mad at that at all. Kweli and Madlib? Dope. I stopped there. There was too much disappointment for me to continue. I wished he'd maintained his aesthetic. Emcees like Kweli and Fat Joe will always look around and try to emulate to maintain relevance. I'm sure there's more money and more opportunity in it, but you lose that core fanbase for the possibility of a bigger, newer fanbase who's not familiar with your older work and doesn't love you the same as a fan. Whereas an artist like Ghostface or DOOM will continue to do what they do in their lane and gain cult followings. Mos learned this the hard way. It wasn't until "The Ecstatic" (and stepping the live show up by giving people what they came to see) that heads began fucking w/ him again.Eardrum? Nope. Finally, a new Reflection Eternal album? With post G-Unit Hi-Tek? It was a little too late. I bought it & reluctantly handed my money over. I'd lost my will to be be a Kweli fan. Gutter Rainbows? Nope. Idle Warship? Hell no. 

Did Kweli become wack? nah, he's still nice. I feel like it's the same problem Nas had with putting out 2 great albums out the gate and then trying to maintain relevance in a changing musical environment where the consumers are getting younger and the music is warping to accommodate. It took Nas about 10 albums to figure out how to get BACK to his original formula.I ask myself often if my critiques on Kweli came about because I rap and hold him in my influences. You know how you get older and realize your parents weren't the geniuses you thought them to be as a child? Once I figured out my stride and perfected how I wanted to rap and write, I think I began flaw finding. Flaw finding is both my nature as a virgo and my right as a consumer & fan. The power to critique constructively is also my right as a fellow artist. The biggest iniquities were the syllable cramming at the expense of flowing on-beat to get a point out as well as beat choices. But overall, I wanted that vibe back. I wanted that hi-Tek, Geology and Shawn J. Period vibe back from when I found myself as a young man and emcee. In 2013 Kweli is dropping "Prisoner of Conscious" a title derived from Talib's constant labeling as a "conscious rapper" and based on Nigerian reggae artist Majek Fashek's album "Prisoner of Conscience." I plan on purchasing it via an experiment. I'm gonna download all the albums of his I missed and see if there's been any hints or glimmers of what I've been missing that could lead up to this being his "Life is Good" album. Based on that, hopefully I can "experience dedication" and "move something", before it's "too late" for him to "get by".-F.Daily

It’s 2019 and I think Kweli is super important to raps annals and history.  Albeit his hubris and righteous stances especially on social media mixed w/ distasteful personal stories I’ve heard + how he handled ReS’s music issues have rubbed me all the wrong way. I still think there’s really some slivers of relevancy for Kweli in the current hip-hop climate. I think he’s in tune with the culture and good for hip-hop and an important voice in socio-political justice for the advancement of people of color. Ionno how good the music is for me personally anymore, but I’ll always have Reflection Eternal. 

content sourced from Talib Kweli's wiki page

[theblackguywhotips]

BDS 451: Bad Criminal Defense Lawyer

BDS 451: Bad Criminal Defense Lawyer

Rod, Justin and Karen discuss listener feedback,  Yaqub Talib turns himself in, Vanessa Bryant wins civil suit, Lakers trading for Pat Bev, DeShaun Watson gets 11 game suspension, Bengals lineman retires at 24, Fernando Tatis Jr has an excuse for PEDS, Bill Russell number retired in NBA, NBA won’t have games on election day, Alvin Kamara, Magic Johnson denies giving blood, George Foreman accused…

[sachkiawaaj]

Boris Johnson fails to persuade Joe Biden to delay Afghanistan exit

Boris Johnson fails to persuade Joe Biden to delay Afghanistan exit

Afghans are facing a dark and dangerous future after Boris Johnson and other leaders failed to persuade the US to extend its deadline for evacuation flights, while the Taliban said citizens would no longer be allowed to go to the airport. With the window of escape rapidly shutting, there is deep apprehension among those who fear persecution by the Talibs that they will be abandoned, trapped in…

[guncelkal]

Founders of Canadian relationship app Couply talk gaining traction after winning Collision 2021 pitch competition

Founders of Canadian relationship app Couply talk gaining traction after winning Collision 2021 pitch competition

Couply founders Denesh Raymond (left) and Tim Johnson (right). Talib Contractor The Canadian relationship app Couply won the 2021 pitch competition hosted by Collision, a Toronto-based technology conference attended by thousands of industry giants. Insider spoke to its founders, Tim Johnson and Denesh Raymond, to learn more about their vision for Couply and the events leading up to its…

[youngboy-oldmind]

ALBUM REVIEW- The College Dropout

“I woke up early this morning with a new state of mind/ A creative way to rhyme without using knives and guns/ Keep your nose out the sky, keep your heart to God/ And keep your face to the risin' sun”

17 years ago, Chicago superstar Kanye West released his debut album The College Dropout: a classic, highly influential project to emerge from the 2000s. This project that put Kanye West on the radar and led to the immense success he maintained for 15 years straight. Known for its unique production style, lighthearted delivery, and West’s unique rapping style, The College Dropout still remains as one of the best in Kanye West’s discography.

Before he was a controversial, presidential candidate and polarizing figure in pop culture, Kanye West was a young, hungry, poet with top notch beat-making, creative ideas, and stories to tell. When I was younger, some of my favorite songs by him all came from this record (“All Falls Down”, “We Don’t Care”, “Jesus Walks”, “Through The Wire”). I didn’t know at the time, but the hip hop sound I loved all originated from this record. Although this wasn’t the first record of his I heard, the first being Late Registration, my appreciation for hip hop is partially credited to this project.

Kanye dons a lighthearted image in this project, even stating how his music is differentiated from traditional topics in hip hop music like guns, violence, and women. This is illustrated by his tone and delivery. With no aggression in his flow, Kanye seems almost childlike when discussing his family, struggles growing up, dropping out of college, religion, and nearly dying in a car crash in 2002. I think this plays to his advantage. Someone who may not relate to or enjoy the traditional aggressive hip hop tone will appreciate Kanye’s innocence. Some of the verses were already written and performed as spoken word poetry before this album was released. So that innocent poetic vibe is also due to the fact some of these songs are pre-written poetry.

College Dropout has a ton of guests (Jay-Z, Mos Def, Common, Ludacris, Syleena Johnson, Twista, J Ivy, GLC, Cam’Ron, Talib Kweli, and Jamie Foxx). There is not one bad feature in this extensive list. My favorite is J. Ivy on “Never Let Me Down”, with the runner up being Mos Def on “Two Words”. Overall though, there’s no verse that weakens the project; every artist complements Kanye and the track well.

I mentioned earlier, this project is know for its signature production style. You can recognize Kanye West’s slowed-down or sped-up sample of an old R&B or Hip Hop track from the 60s-90s, with an added kick drum and a repeated vocal melody. Once you get hear enough Kanye West, you can tell he produced the beat without needing a tag. Appearing on some of Jay-Z’s and Common’s albums as well, Kanye’s sound is one of a kind.

There are two tracks that stood out to me: “I’ll Fly Away” and “Last Call”. “I’ll Fly Away” is a simple piano melody with a small group of men harmonizing on a chorus repeating “I’ll Fly Away”. It sounds great and sets up the next track “Spaceship” perfectly. I think it’s a good break from the songs and gives the album a feeling like its an experience and differentiates from feeling like a mixtape or playlist. “Last Call” has two parts, the first few minutes being Kanye delivering an outro verse reflecting on different things that led to this point. The second half features Kanye telling the story of everything leading up to him being signed to Roc-A-Fella and releasing this project. It’s always interesting to see behind the scenes, especially little nods like the fact Kanye played “Jesus Walks” to a group of producers and nobody was interested. It illustrates how hard he worked to be successful. For an addict like me, it makes an excellent roll credits.

This album all around is very good and contains no major flaws. However, there are several things I don’t like on this record. First, I personally have never liked “Slow Jamz”. It’s one of his hit singles and many people love it, but I just never rocked with it. It feels overly long, clocking in at over 5 minutes. And since the majority of the song is the very slow chorus, it feels like a drag. I won’t insinuate the song is objectively bad; anyone who likes slow R&B will probably like this track. But for me, I tend to skip it.

There are two sections of this project I went in planning to criticize but changed my mind. I initially wanted criticize the “Workout Plan” skit and “The New Workout Plan”. But, it grew on me and now I can bob my head to the groovy bounce of this track. The song has a message about how women are expected to look a certain way to appeal to male gaze.

I also wanted to criticize “School Spirit”, “School Spirit Skit” 1 & 2, and “Lil Jimmy Skit”. I hadn’t heard this album in a while and I remember feeling annoyed that there were so many skits and jokes. His sophomore album Late Registration also has skits but they’re spaced out so it doesn’t feel like I’m listening to a podcast. But having 3 skits in a 6 minute span seemed excessive. So while I will say I’m not a fan of how many skits are squished into this portion of the album, they’re so funny that I can enjoy them. As a college graduate, I can appreciate the criticisms of those bragging about having a college degree.

College Dropout is an undebatable classic. I wouldn’t call it experimental per se, but its definitely unique and allowed Kanye to differentiate himself from just a “producer rapper”, paving a path separate from his contemporaries. He’s released better projects, but College Dropout is the perfect Kanye West origin story.

Top 3 Tracks:

1) Through The Wire

2) Jesus Walks

3) All Falls Down

Overall Grade: A