Friday, June 5, 2009

Morning Mail - 06.05.09


Slevin: I'm sorry, who are you?
The Boss: I'm The Boss.
Slevin: I thought he was The Boss.
The Boss: Why? Do we look alike? So you were gonna tell me something?
Slevin: I don't know, you brought me here.
The Boss: Yes. But back when you thought I was him.
Slevin: I didn't think you were him, I thought he was you. And I was trying to tell him - you that you picked up the wrong guy.
The Boss: The wrong guy for what?
Slevin: Whatever it is you wanna see me about.
The Boss: Do you know what I wanna see you about?
Slevin: No.
The Boss: Then how do you know I got the wrong guy?
Slevin: Cause I'm not...
The Boss: Maybe I want to give you $96,000. In that case do I still have the wrong guy?
Slevin: Do you wanna give me $96,000?
The Boss: No, do you wanna give me $96,000?
Slevin: No, should I?
The Boss: I don't know, should you?
Slevin: I don't know, should I?
The Boss: [pause] Long story - short.
Slevin: I think we're well passed that.
The Boss: I bet it was that mouth that got you that nose.
Slevin: Okay, I'm under the impression that you're under the impression that I owe you $96,000...?
The Boss: No, you owe Slim Hopkins $96,000. You owe Slim, Slim owes me. You owe me.

(Source: Lucky Number Slevin)

You ever just been confused when someone was talking to you?

Lakers win Game 1. Damn son… it was all good just a week ago.

I’ve done a lot of writing in the last few days, I’m going to take a day off from the Morning Mail and answer it later.

Have a safe and good weekend.
True what’s good with the meet and greet?

This is my 96th Post.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Dolla: Hip Hop's Ugly Face

This post can be found at VLAD TV, it's my debut article over there. This story touched me because as much as I love hip-hop and love how real it can be, I hate when we lose lives over bullshit. Check out the site and as always, Thanks for your ongoing support: http://www.vladtv.com/blog/127/dolla-hip-hops-ugly-face/

The day before Dolla flew to LA to record the rest of his album, he was killed on May 18, 2009 at approximately 3:10 pm. Along with Scrapp DeLeon and DJ Shabbazz, they were waiting in the Beverly Center's VIP valet parking and auto detailing lounge area, in Los Angeles after a shopping trip. The area was located is behind the P. F. Chang's China Bistro pictured to the left.

The three entered the mall's valet parking lobby located by the Macy's Men Shop via the express elevator that runs from the 7th floor directly to the 1st floor. Shots were fired. The majority of panicked witnesses fled and hid in two of the Mall's sidewalk restaurants on the La Cienega Boulevard side � P. F. Chang's China Bistro and Chipotle Mexican Grill. Those that ran into the latter restaurant screamed to the manager to lock the door.[6]

"The customers were yelling 'close the store, close the store, because somebody is shooting,' " said Elsa Hernandez, general manager of the Chipotle restaurant.[7]

L.A.P.D. Police officer Karen Reyner said the victim and the gunman had been arguing before the attack. This incident was said to be leading from a prior altercation that happened at a strip club in Atlanta 3 weeks before. After the shooting, the gunman fled in a silver Mercedes-Benz.

Brother man was arriving in town to finish recording his album! So who knows what could have come from that, we will never know. And I write this piece as someone looking in and not knowing much about this young man's life or plight.

In a world so concerned with young Black men being "thugs" we ask our Black entertainment artists to be the same. How much credibility would Jay-Z have gotten if he didn't drop seven straight albums talking about selling drugs? Up until just a few short years ago, in most circles the two greatest rappers of all-time were Biggie or 2Pac, both gangster rappers. And how did that story end? Tragically. When your image meets reality. Biggie and 2Pac were entertainers and pulled into the reality of guns and violence, their lives taken so early.

Do you remember the first time you heard C-Murder was going to jail for attempted murder? You sat there and you said to yourself, when you have the world in your hands why are you acting like a knucklehead. Well it's because we see a public image that doesn't really ever show us how deep the rabbit hole goes. As it pertains to Dolla, what went on in that strip club in Atlanta? Whatever it was, it followed him all the way to Los Angeles, and involved miscreants who have the balls to shoot and murder a public figure in broad daylight in a popular shopping mall. Was it an argument over a chick? An argument over some money owed? Or maybe an argument over whether Dolla had sold out?

I'll tell you a secret; I commend artists who sell out because in reality, they rarely completely do. Real talk, why are we so convinced that people change when they get on? I don't think that you can automatically change overnight. I look back at times when I was 19 working in a studio as an engineer and the local talent who would come in to record would actually be selling drugs and living a life of crime. Now, tell me what you would do if your whole life all you did was sell penny weight, and now some Record executive gave you 250K and said, go and be merry. Don't worry, I'll wait. In my mind, when you make it you will have a hard time leaving all you've known behind and trying to step up into a new world. So in reality we don't know how deep the rabbit hole goes with Dolla and his connection in Atlanta.

And in closing, do we ever learn? Do we look at what the past has brought us and make some changes? Nope. We continue to see rappers going at each other's crews, money, family and baby mothers, doesn't this sound familiar? It's these unfriendly reminders every so often that remind us, that life is fragile, and we are not invincible, and it's not fair to the families of these artists that we continue to allow music to get so misconstrued into violence.

So as Talib said, "Nowhere to turn, nowhere to run and there's nothing new, Where do we go for inspiration? It's like pain is our only inspiration."

As I was writing this story, the following incident occurred:Ortega Henderson, a 25-year-old up-and-coming rapper, died from complications of gunshot wounds sustained in a shooting that took place on May 16. Ortega Henderson succumbed to his injuries last week and died in Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1811960/ortega_henderson_upandcoming_rapper.html?cat=33

Morning Mail - 6.04.09

Connie Sumner: Talk to me. Tell me what you did.
Edward Sumner: No, you tell me what you did! How you fucked him over and over and over, you lied to me over and over and over.
Connie Sumner: Edward, please.
Edward Sumner: No, you don't talk to me now. I gave everything... for this family. Everything... and what did you do? You threw it all away like it was nothing. For what? To a fucking kid! You didn't think I'd know? I wouldn't feel it? I knew it from the very first day! Because I know you, Connie. I know you, and I fucking hate you! I didn't want to kill him, I wanted to kill you!
Connie Sumner: [pauses] Oh, my God.

(Source: Unfaithful)

This used to be my favorite movie.

So I saw some girl walking across a field in the rain barefoot this morning.

The NBA Finals are finally here. And look around you, most of your teams just aren’t here anymore. Laker baby, you know that me.

I haven’t talked to people at my job in weeks, today was the first time they asked me if everything was okay. Good job, McFly.

I’m tired and hungry.

Why this ignorant kid was on the train this morning listening to his Sidekick without headphones?

I hate morbidly obese people. That’s a choice, not just genetics. And I think this is another reason why I’m convinced I’m moving to Europe one day. I just cannot deal with the diets of Americans, it’s so unhealthy. Like when you are out of breath from walking up a flight of stairs because your poor heart has to carry around 250lbs. on your 5’3” frame at what point do you throw away the flour, Crisco, and batter from your kitchen cabinets. Pathetic.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Morning Mail - 06.03.09

Victor Sr.: You know what wakes me up in the middle of the night covered in a cold sweat? Knowing that you aren't any worse than anyone else in your whole screwed up generation. In the old days, you know how you got to the top? Huh? By being better than the guy ahead of you. How do you people get to the top? By being so fucking incompetent, that the guy ahead of you can't do his job, so he falls on his ass and congratulations, you are now on top. And now the top is down here, it used to be up here... and you don't even know the fucking difference.
(Source: Go)

Brandon Marshall is crazy. Like this dude is crazy.

They keep trying to break me down, but it just won’t work.

I’m not sure about this mailbox today, it’s sort of empty.

You heard it here first, Jameer Nelson ain’t gonna do squat. Lakers in 4.

I saw the trailer for Twilight: New Moon today. BAWSE.

Streetz is an asshole for this post:
http://www.singleblackmale.net/2009/06/03/height-aint-nothin-but-a-number/

The goal is to your best because that’s all you can do. You hope that people know your heart so that when there are questions they can give you the benefit of doubt. However, if they won’t give you that benefit of doubt then you let them think what they want. Don’t deal in doubting.

I am fighting the good fight. It seems as though everyone around me is getting summer boo’s. Not I said the cat. I got to be by myself.

Got some hot new material coming out in the next few days so stay tuned.

Wish me luck.

Gig and Lig.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Morning Mail - 06.02.09

Ryan: One - you can't do it. You just can't. This isn't a personal attack towards you, I'm just saying that no man can do it, it goes against nature. The male was biologically designed to spread his seed. You're gonna piss off the seeds Matt! It goes against science! You wanna be the guy who goes against science?
Matt: And two?
Ryan: And two, are you out of your fucking mind? You're the guy who can't finish a sandwich, you think you can go 40 days? Did your brother put you up to this?
Matt: No - in fact he's been about as supportive as you are. Look, this doesn't affect you in any way.
Ryan: Oh, this affects everybody...

(Source: 40 Days & 40 Nights)

What was strange about yesterday was how it ended… I just went home, watched TV and went to bed. I had no energy to do anything else.

I love Law & Order!

Here’s something that’s been on my mind. If a girl tells you, I do not want to have sex if I’m not in a relationship, and you tell her, OK, then I don’t think we should talk anymore. Am I wrong? And let me follow this up, and preview my I’m a Libra post. It’s not that I have to have sex before a relationship, I just hate being told what I can and can’t do.

I told someone to watch Friends and they said, “Ehhh..” And I said, well you should watch it because I find that show to be hilarious and if you did maybe you’d understand some of the things that I find funny. It would clue you in on my sense of humor.

I had some really weird dreams last night. I had a dream I was fighting these huge super heroes in Capital Plaza. That’s really weird to me.

At times you keep running out of reasons for why you won’t do something.

Finally got my work laptop back yesterday from IT. New hard-drive at least they didn’t take my documents. Pictures and Music is gone.

Since I’m back at the client site for a few days, I’m back to my shitty wireless connection.

I did not share this with you all yesterday, I was up until like 6am on Sunday morning. An accomplishment for my sleepy ass!

I decided to blog about Performance Reviews. Trust me it’s a must read. Please check me out at:
http://buppie.blogspot.com/2009/06/its-year-end-black-people-time-for-my.html

Look, do yourself a big favor and download this song: Be By Myself – Asher Roth, I have never heard something that really summed up life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Starting to think about how perhaps we overcomplicate things, we blur the lines of what relationships should be. We “play house”, and then wonder why we can’t find life partners. I think that sometimes after we’ve tasted from the tree of life, our complete system of standards changes and we now overcomplicate simple factors of our lives.

The cell phone that flew into the pool on Saturday, TOO FUNNY.
http://simplywanderlust.wordpress.com/ I love them.

Monday, June 1, 2009

Jennifer Anniston'ed

Am I the only one who thinks something must sincerely be wrong with Jennifer Anniston? I mean, she very attractive, has a great body, seems like the perfect girlfriend, but she keeps getting dumped by men. I just can't explain it any other way. One day I was reading this interview with John Mayer and he was saying how she is obsessed with herself. She's a gym nut, she's very vain, likes things her way, and just very stubborn. Translation... this b*tch is crazy. Oh but its nothing like when that dude gets a new chick. A new chick even if its not serious can make you forget all about the old chick. And there's nothing better than being able to say, yep this is the new and improved you.

We typically try and do this in three's because the greatest things in life often come in three's. So here are your keys to victory:

1) Its a 1000 yous, it's only one of me. Get another chick that looks just like the old chick. If you are dating a bad ass redbone chick, go to the club with 10 of them. If she’s in law school, date 10 lawyers. If you dated a chick with a stupid ass, you need to find 7 of them who's ass is in Special Ed. You have got to send a message that you are the priority and they are the option.

2) Get a new chick that is nothing like the old chick. Ooooh this is a good one. If you are dating a redbone, lawyer chick from Atlanta. Drop her ass and date an Asian girl, Peace Corps volunteer from Wyoming. You switch it up, leave them scratching their head. It will make them wonder why you were with them to begin with. If she was older, date younger. And do not forget the wisest words ever spoken, “If you want to be five, f*ck it, I’ll be four.” – The Greatest Author Ever. So if you’re 26, dating a 28 year old, start dating a 19 year old. Nothing pisses older women off more than when men go for super young women. It’s the one thing you can never get back, youth.

3) And the money’s really worthless, so I'm pissing you off on purpose. Get a chick you know she going to hate. Like just so she can tell her friends, "she aint even his type." If the last one was extrovert and always out and about, try one that’s introvert and never leaves home. If your last chick knows that you hate bangs, date a girl with bangs. Because your last chick knows exactly how much that really annoys you.

Here's what you're going to do:

1) Take more pictures. Pictures on pictures on pictures on pictures. Ain't nothing worse than finding out you've been deaded on a mixtape, joof, than having your home girl send you a link of your old dude and the new chick he's dating. I mean you need to be Kanye and Amber Rose with the pictures.

2) Go hard or don't go at all. If you was gonna take the last chick to Miami, take the new one to Bangkok. If you was going to buy her Steve Madden’s buy the new chick Jimmy Choo. Overdo it, add the fire and explosion to it. This is all with the intention of saying, “This coulda been you, but you chose differently.”

3) In this club?! In this club. I'm not big on public displays of affection, but that will really piss them off. "Why they got to be all up on each other?!" “Ain’t nobody trying to see all of that.” Don’t be obvious with it though. You will be found out if you are disgusting and inappropriate. But there is something to be said about Michelle and Barack Obama. They are always in each other’s arms, they show a lot of affection for one another, but they are not overpowering to the point where you are uncomfortable. Sometimes a woman can tell everything about the way a man feels about a girl based on the way he looks at her.

Whatever... EVER.... EEEEEEVER you do, don't get a wack chick. That's an automatic lost. “Nah you getting a coke” status. That's when your boys say to you when you ask who won. "I mean it was a tie. Like you won the fistfight, but she knocked you out."

This goes both ways too ladies. No double standards. You have to do the same thing and its a lot easier for you to do it. And I know the first comment out some chick's mouth will be, you sound bitter. No I'm not bitter, but as I always say, I'm vindictive with this ether I spit.

Keep it 100.

Morning Mail - 06.01.09

Edward Cullen: Shall we?
Isabella Swan: You're serious?
Edward Cullen: Oh, why not?
Isabella Swan: [sighs] Hmm.
Edward Cullen: See? You're dancing.
Isabella Swan: [giggles] At prom. Edward why did you save me? You should've just let the venom spread. I could be like you by now.
Edward Cullen: You don't know what you're saying. You don't want this.
Isabella Swan: I want YOU. Always.
Edward Cullen: I'm not gonna end your life for you.
Isabella Swan: I'm dying already. Every second I get closer, older.
Edward Cullen: That's the way it's supposed to be.
Isabella Swan: Alice said she saw me like you. I heard her.
Edward Cullen: Her visions change.
Isabella Swan: Yeah, based on what people decide. I've decided.
Edward Cullen: [somewhat bitterly] So that's what you dream about, becoming a monster.
Isabella Swan: I dream about being with you, forever.
Edward Cullen: Forever?
[Bella nods]
Edward Cullen: And are you ready right now?
Isabella Swan: [hesitant] Yes.
Edward Cullen: [sighs] Is it not enough, just to have a long and happy life with me?
Isabella Swan: [after a second of thought] Yeah. For now.
Isabella Swan: [voiceover] No one will surrender tonight, but I won't give in. I know what I want.
(Source: Twilight)

I have the impeccable gift of, “Out of sight, out of mind.”

Some quotes of the weekend:
“He’s not paying attention to you anyway.”
“I feel like LeBron’s agent right now.”
“Here’s what they don’t understand, you made some decisions in your past that you just cannot take back. And that’s when you went from being wifey material to being a regular chick who just hopes to get married. And to be honest you knew what you were doing was wrong, but you did it anyway. Because you wanted to, and you was like, “I’m young and I’m just trying to have fun.” Well, to be honest with you girl, that’s how the West was lost. There is a double standard out here and the more we try to deny it the more unhappier you will be. As a man, I can get my ish together. As a woman, you are scarred for life. That’s not my problem.”

Women are smart, do whatever you can to stupid them up.

I don’t care what anyone says, no condoms, no birth control, you’re trying to have kids.

The moral of the story is this, it’s going to be a great summer.

I think that there is no such thing as good girls and bad girls, good guys and grimy dudes, it’s just good people and bad people. And the goal of life is to keep all of the good people away from the bad people. Keeping in mind that the bad people hide like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Yeah, if I was a bad person, I’d kill myself too.

Laker baby, you know that’s me. Four more wins. I almost cried on Friday.

Every time I go to NYC, I always somehow end up in Mansion. I have never seen marijuana so liberally smoked in a public place.

And fuck you.
(Glad I got that out my system, since I clearly won’t say it to the people I need to say it to directly.)

Gig and Lig.