rap olympics 1997 - battles - eminem

The asshole who shot this video took my money but never delivered the video... but here it is for free from YouTube!!!

La La La Human Steps 'Human Sex' 1985

This is my favorite Dance Troupe in the world...

Jeezy's Party @ Tabernacle in ATL the day after his album released

I RARELY go to shows, because, well, they bore me most of the time--why should I stand around waiting to see an artist do on stage what I can often see in my own damn living room (I do this for a living, eh?)... But I made an exception for Jeezy. He performed live with a band backing him up (remember M-TV Unplugged?). In fact, the band wore face masks like bank robbers, which was WAY cool...

Parked out in front of the club was a Lambourgini showroom. I had to catch one of them on film because it was just so damn special...





Ah, the pre-requisite strippers...


I may have spent more time watching Kinky B enjoy the show than I spent watching the show my damn self. It was a happy moment for Kink--he got to be a fan. I adore this man...


Here's our boy Jeezy doing his thing....

Three weeks ago, I picked up a friend who was getting released from the FEDS after 7 years, and drove him home to Detroit. Here are photos I took of two things in Detroit that stood out (sorry, no flicks from our awesome trip--protecting his privacy is important to me): a billboard for Proof, and one of the most famous places in Detroit to hip hop (St Andrews Hall). Those of you who know my history with Em, know the importance of this spot. Sorry that you can't really read the billboard, but it's a tribute to Proof from Shady Records (way to go, Marshall!!).

SoundScan has a tremendous image problem and they do NOT seem to care. I called at 8:30 this morning to find out Young Jeezy's first week's numbers (352,392 thanks to Warner Music Group and a BIG fuck you to SoundScan!!!)and some corporate idiot told me I could "buy a report" because they "don't give info away for free." Buy a report, Chris? To find out how many CDs one artist sold in his first week to mention on a free Blog? You are a joke, sir! Chris is an idiot who "works" in Client Services at SoundScam: (914) 684-5525--ClientServices@soundscan.com. Way to tote the corporate line, you dweeb!

So I called a friend at Warner Bros and we had a long talk about why SoundScan is so hated in the industry. Aside from the fact that their numbers are not 100% accurate in urban music (yet they repeatedly claim they are), and that one can even affect the charts by "buying" soundscan scans from stores (I have personally done this in the past so I know it's possible), they charge exorbitent rates from the labels to access this less than perfectly accurate data. Perhaps that's why Universal told them to "fuck off" last December, and got rid of their soundscan access until SoundScan came back to them with a reasonable price to access their data... I can't blame them. SoundScan has gotten crazy with their policies and pricing.

They have always been all about the money, but they've gotten REALLY outlandish with it lately. So the moral of this story is that if you want some quick info from Soundscan about an artist, don't bother. They are assholes and proud of that fact!! Better to call a friend at a label and get the information... or pay those dweebs at soundscan close to $20K a quarter to access their not-so-accurate data that they seem to feel is worth more than it really is.

Dear Jeezy;

Well, you did it again. You made a great CD from start to finish. Now in fairness, Young Jizza from the bottom of the map, I may be biased towards you, because Thug Motivation got me through a really difficult breakup this summer. It was also right there with me riding shotgun while I made the move to Atlanta, like a comfortable, dependable friend. It was my soundtrack to picking up a good friend at the FEDS last week in St Louis (after 7 years) and bringing him home to his new life of restricted freedom (but freedom none the less) in Detroit at a halfway house. (I spent a lot of time avoiding BMF over the years--too flashy for me).

Because of all this, I put a lot of pressure on you for this new CD. If it was even the slightest bit wack, I would have seen it as a violation. But you did your thing, muthaphukka. You delievered good product, with outstanding production, at an affordable price. You even thanked me in the liner notes (hell, I'm thanking you everyday--I haven't listened to any one CD this much since 1996).

I've watched your team work this record with less than perfect support from Def Jam (especially in the early crucial days when your label president was the focus because he had his own album dropping) and they didn't complain once. I didn't hear you complain either, like every other artist who dropped on Def Jam in this difficult Quarter. You just worked. And delivered the crack--your best shit! Nobody got to see what you went through behind the scenes. I did. Nobody got to see you take it like the man you are with no complaints. I saw it. I'm not even sure your team knew how fucked up the situation really was. They just handled it. I saw it, and I know. And for that alone, you are a fucking star!! Surrounded by competent hustlers. You should be proud.

Thank you, Jeezy. You've given me another reason to spend more time in my car with the stereo blasting. Nas is wrong, hip hop isn't dead--making wack albums is. Thank God.

Wendy

PS- Kinky B is the BOMB! You need to buy that man a helluva toy for Christmas...