Good News, Bad News

First, the bad news. And it's really bad...

Black U.S. AIDS rates rival some African nations

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- The AIDS epidemic among African-Americans in some parts of the United States is as severe as in parts of Africa, according to a report out Tuesday.

"Left Behind - Black America: A Neglected Priority in the Global AIDS" is intended to raise awareness and remind the public that the "AIDS epidemic is not over in America, especially not in Black America," says the report, published by the Black AIDS Institute, an HIV/AIDS think tank focused exclusively on African-Americans.

"AIDS in America today is a black disease," says Phill Wilson, founder and CEO of the institute and himself HIV-positive for 20 years. "2006 CDC data tell us that about half of the just over 1 million Americans living with HIV or AIDS are black."

Read the rest here.

Depressed? Appalled? Terrified? Yeah, I don't blame you. First there was the study that revealed 1 in 4 teenage girls between the ages of 14 and 19 was infected with an STD, and that Black girls were infected at a significantly higher rate. Then there was the "AIDS Man" on YouTube. Now there's this. But every cloud has a silver lining. I haven't found one regarding the AIDS story yet, but another story made me feel really hopeful that at least some things are moving in the right direction.

Now, here's the Good News:

House poised to apologize for slavery, Jim Crow

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The House of Representatives was poised Tuesday to pass a resolution apologizing to African-Americans for slavery and the era of Jim Crow.

The nonbinding resolution, which is expected to pass, was introduced by Rep. Steve Cohen, a white lawmaker who represents a majority black district in Memphis, Tennessee.

While many states have apologized for slavery, it will be first time a branch of the federal government will apologize for slavery if the resolution passes, an aide to Cohen said.

By passing the resolution, the House would also acknowledge the "injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow."

"Jim Crow," or Jim Crow laws, were state and local laws enacted mostly in the Southern and border states of the United States between the 1870s and 1965, when African-Americans were denied the right to vote and other civil liberties and were legally segregated from whites.

The name "Jim Crow" came from a character played by T.D. "Daddy" Rice who portrayed a slave while in blackface during the mid-1800s.

The resolution states that "the vestiges of Jim Crow continue to this day."

"African-Americans continue to suffer from the consequences of slavery and Jim Crow -- long after both systems were formally abolished -- through enormous damage and loss, both tangible and intangible, including the loss of human dignity and liberty, the frustration of careers and professional lives, and the long-term loss of income and opportunity," the resolution states.

Read the rest here.

That last paragraph is HUGE. Getting people to see and acknowledge that the effects of slavery and Jim Crow are still evident today has been one of the biggest hurdles to overcoming racism and prejudice. Even though Reparations will not be addressed in the resolution, I think it definitely leaves the area open to lay down the groundwork for future endeavors.

RE: CoupleStop. Where Couples...Swap?

Apparently I was erroneous in my assumption that CoupleStop.com is a social networking site for couples who are swingers. I got this comment from Erik, who appears to be affiliated with the website:

softjunebreeze,

You are not the only one who questions the purity of couplestop.com. Swingers are, in fact, the largest stigma/fear for CoupleStop members. That is why we go out of our way to combat swinger culture:

1) We implemented a logo indicating "No Swingers"
2) We set up non-invasive text tracking systems, which pick up key words in messages associated with explicit content.
3) We approve all profile pictures to ensure appropriate content.
4) Staff is highly accessible to concerned members and members are encouraged to contact CoupleStop, if ever they feel uncomfortable.

Having said that, CoupleStop is only responsible for on-site content and activities. The goal of CoupleStop is to facilitate face-to-face user interaction. Once a user leaves the site, we can not be responsible for their actions. I have gone out with several member couples and can attest to their quality...

The comment finished up by inviting me to try CoupleStop with a money back guarantee, HAHA. I'm not a part of a couple, so I really have no use for it at this point in time. Even if I was...um, no. I'm not going on play-dates with other couples. It's just not going to happen. However, I DO appreciate Erik coming forward to clarifying the misconception that I had. That's definitely good business savvy on their end. Accessibility and oppenness to public dialogue is a definitely a good look.

Nas & the Color OfChange.org Petition

Nas on The Colbert Report yesterday:

Hope Springs Eternal: Nas Delivers a Petition to Fox News

First he addresses misdirected attacks on his character by Bill O'Reilly and the overall irresponsible and unscrupulous nature of the news coverage on Fox News in the song "Sly Fox":

Then he took it a step further by linking up with ColorOfChange.org and directly delivered a petition with over 600,000 signatures to the Fox News headquarters protesting the racist attacks against Blacks and Barack Obama in the news coverage:

Color me impressed.

CoupleStop. Where Couples...Swap?

I've been seeing ads on the train for a social networking website called CoupleStop. One ad says, "Our friends moved to the suburbs. So we found new friends." Another ad that I saw in today's RedEye said "Our friends only talked their kids. So we found new friends." Both are pretty hilarious, because it totally sounds like something I'd say. But peep this: the tagline is "Where Couples Clique." If that doesn't sound like some kind of low-key swinger/spouse-swapping isht, I don't know what does. The homepage says "No Swingers Allowed" but once people sign up on the website, they can do whatever the hell they want. What's stopping them from starting some kind of swinger's clique with people they meet through that website?

This concept of couples actively seeking out other couples to socialize with is completely foreign to me. Of course I understand couples are going to have mutual friends and some of those friends might just so happen to be in a relationship and bring their S.O. around to kick it when there's a group outing or gathering @ someone's home. But setting out on a mission - and paying a fee for it - specifically to find other couples to set up play dates seems a bit dodgy to me. I dunno, maybe that's just what you do when you get married and it's one of those "you have to be there" type scenarios. I already know that if I was in a relationship of some sort, I couldn't socialize with only other couples all the time - I'd lose my mind. Seriously.

In any event, I'm not endorsing or denouncing the swinger lifestyle - I just thought it was funny how CoupleStop.com comes off as a thinly veiled network for people who prefer or are curious about that sort of thing. I wonder if I'm the only one who makes that connection, or is it just my warped mind making bizarre associations as usual...

"And it all falls down..." © Lauryn Hill

The Top Producer Who Hit The Skids
via CNN.com:

MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- Just a few years ago, Scott Storch was one of the top producers in pop music, living in a $10.5 million mansion on an exclusive Miami island, driving a phalanx of luxury cars and dating the likes of Paris Hilton and Lil Kim.

Nowadays, Scott Storch, 34, is missing in action. He owes over $500,000 in real estate taxes and had a warrant out for his arrest when he failed to show up in court in a child-support case last month. He has not had a top 10 hit in three years. He still has his waterfront marble mansion, but his lawyer, Guy Spiegelman, says Storch is attempting to refinance it after a "catastrophic occurrence this year" resulting from "mismanagement." Storch no longer works with his old manager or publicist. He hasn't talked to either of his children in months.

Replete with tragic details and bad behavior, the ballad of Scott Storch may be the swan song of the bling era, a riches-to-rags tale of excess, poor decisions and a hobbled music industry.

Read the rest here...

Looks like Storch drank too much of the proverbial Kool Aid and started living his life like it was a non-stop music video...now he's paying for it, literally.

Favorite Human Being(s) on Earth: Lil Batman vs. Lil Joker

This is so cute it's disgusting. Ugh. Lil Joker is an ace! I love it:

Local Flavor: LooseLeaf Lounge

www.looseleaflounge.com

My guy Philip hit me up a couple weekends ago saying that his new spot Looseleaf Lounge (2915 N. Broadway Ave., just north of Clark/Diversey/Broadway in Lakeview) was finally open for business. It's a comfy cafe that specializes in tea/tea-based beverages and organic versions of classic cafe staples. I was really excited, so I stopped by and took some pics of the space so I could share the good news and help spread the word about the spot. Peep game...

There's cozy furniture for patrons to relax, kick back and pirate the Wi-Fi (okay, it's free so it's not really pirating but you can just pretend if you're feeling sneaky)

OR
If you prefer a little elevation, there's a counter for your seating enjoyment as well

OR
You can people watch through the front window. It's like a really small, not-so-secluded VIP section, HAHA.

My favorite thing @ LooseLeaf Lounge?
(besides the tasty beverages of course)
The hand-painted tables. Absolutely gorgeous...

I really need this table (below) in my life


And of course, you can't have tea and/or coffee without the proper additionals. They hooked up a condiment station out of this desk/bookshelf set. I love it!

Like I mentioned before, this place is brand-spankin' new (the walls still smell like fresh paint) so be sure to stop by and show them some love if you're ever in the Lakeview area. They are also eager to use the space for live musical performances, exhibitions and other forms of artistic expression - so don't hesitate to get @ them if you are a musician or an artist looking to showcase your work. It's a nice venue for low-key performances which will draw a crowd that will patronize the cafe, so everybody wins. You can contact the cafe directly at (773) 348-7881 or e-mail the owner at philip@looseleaflounge.com

Rosario Dawson + bikini + garden hose = the happiest preschooler EVER

I know it's only Tuesday, but I think these are strong contenders for for "Photo(s) of the Week"...note how the little boy is totally oogling her and the change in his facial expression in the 2nd picture:

I think she may have inadvertently caused that little boy to enter puberty about 8 years early. He'll never look at the girls @ his daycare the same anymore...

Listen Up: "My Drive Thru" - N*E*R*D ft. Santogold & Julian Casablancas

N*E*R*D - My Drive Thru ft. Santogold & Julian Casablancas.mp3

It's a crazy combo, but somehow it works. While you're at it, peep the video and other goodies courtesy of Converse.

Sampletastic: America & Janet Jackson

I was sitting in McDonald's smashing an M&M McFlurry when this song came on:

America - Ventura Highway.mp3

Which can be very clearly heard in the song "Someone To Call My Lover" by Janet Jackson:

Janet Jackson - Someone To Call My Lover.mp3

As far as Janet Jackson goes, "All For You" was the beginning of the end for me. I can't listen to anything by her after this album, it just sounds like she's trying waaaaaaay too hard. But this album was decent and "Someone To Call My Lover" was one of my favorite songs. I really like the original too - it makes me want to ride in the back of a pickup on a desolate road and watch the landscape crawl by. Or something like that. I like how they took such a mellow sounding guitar and blended it with with an uptempo beat. Good shit.

Picture of the Week: ESPY-onage Mission?

Justin Timberlake, host of last night's 2008 ESPY Awards, demonstrates why Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo should never, ever mate...by impersonating her? *blink*

Mamma Mia Batman!

I have a feeling that today's movie openings will cause some tensions with couples as they make plans to embark on a Friday night movie excursion. I already know there will be fights over whether to see Dark Knight or Mama Mia tonight - someone will have to concede to the other person's whim and they will not be happy about it. It's pretty funny to think about some dude slumped down in his seat while he watches Mama Mia with looking mad as FUCK because you know he's thinking "I SHOULD be watching Batman and Joker battle to the death right now. This is some bullshit!" Conversely, I can imagine some girl sitting in Dark Knight pouting, being all huffy and the guy is completely oblivious because he's all into the movie.

While I'm not in a relationship and I don't have to worry about having to sit through a movie I'm not interested in...if I WAS going out on a date to the movies tonight, I'd totally go see Dark Knight. I'm going to see it this afternoon after I get off work (I clock out @ 3 PM on Fridays - HOLLER!), but you get my point. This is the first Batman movie I've had any real genuine interest in since well, the original - and that was way before Heath Ledger died. They filmed a LOT of it here last spring and summer, and I want to see how it got incorporated into the film. They had to disguise most of it because it is representative of a fictitious place. Still, for all intents and purposes, Chicago IS Gotham - that's pretty badass! Check out the RedEye photo gallery of the locations around the city where Dark Knight, Wanted and other upcoming movies were shot.

Additionally, I really love how they FINALLY made The Joker look crazy as shit. While Jack Nicholson's portrayal in the first movie was classic and he was perfect for the role, he still looked like a clown so he wasn't really that scary (unless you have a phobia against clowns) and you didn't get a sense for how truly demented the character was. Heath Ledger looks like a complete psycho with his hair all scraggly and fading green like he dyed it using Kool Aid and the paint smeared on his face like he applied it with paralyzed hand. They did a great job with that - when I watched the trailer for it last winter, that's what got my attention and really made me take an interest in the film - in addition to the overall appearance of badassness. Not to mention that I'm certain that this movie will only reinforce my desire to mate with Christian Bale. I've loved him since I first saw him in Newsies back in like 1992:

He's an underrated actor, but I think all of that is about to change with the release of Dark Knight and Public Enemies.

Ante Up (Bert & Ernie remix)

My God this is hilarious...or yet another indication that I'm way too easily amused:

Alicia Keys - Superwoman

Via Starr - this video seriously made my day:

Alicia Keys - Superwoman [New]
Uploaded by Henrietta-Aime-Fumer

The end was made of so much dopeness. It actually made me tear up seeing all the respective "superwomen" who ended up being represented. The Black female astronaut was especially badass. Talk about aiming high! (no pun intended) The word "can't" clearly is not in her vocabulary. That's definitely what's up...

N*E*R*D - Spazz

N.E.R.D - SPAZ
Uploaded by Nerd-Official

Janelle Monáe

Before she took the Interwebz and the electro-funk-soul underground by storm performing as her cyborg alter ego Cindy Mayweather, Janelle Monáe paid her dues on Big Boi Presents...Got Purp? Vol. 2, the Idlewild soundtrack and her own 2003 solo release The Audition. Below is a sampling from each release:

Janelle Monáe - Lettin' Go.mp3




Outkast - Call The Law ft. Janelle Monáe.mp3

Janelle Monáe - You Are My Everything.mp3

You gotta love that kind of versatility. And when both your face and your voice rival each other with their immense beauty, you're quite the force to be reckoned with. Throw in quirky charisma and a willingness to overstep boundaries that need to crossed and well...you get her current persona:

We need more Janelle Monáes...

Stripper arrested for subway pole dances

Via Reuters "Oddly Enough":

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - A stripper who danced on the poles of Santiago subway trains to challenge the prudishness of Chilean society was arrested on Thursday during one of her lightning performances.

Monserrat Morilles, 26, surprised subway riders all week stripping to skimpy underwear, but she refused tips.

She said she was protesting a lack of tolerance in Chile, one of Latin America's most conservative societies where the first generation since the Pinochet dictatorship is reaching adulthood.

"This is just a beginning. We are starting an idea here that will grow and be developed further," she told Reuters as police and subway guards surrounded her.

The professional pole dancer worked quickly all week to avoid arrest, getting on at one station, finding a subway car with no children on it and stripping in time to exit at the next station.

Chilean media dubbed her "La Diosa del Metro" or Subway Goddess. She called her performances "happy minutes."

"Chile is still a pretty timid country," said her manager Gustavo Pradenas. "People aren't very extroverted and we want to take aim at that and make Chile a happier country."

Most Viewed Photo = Klutzy Hot Chick

From Yahoo! News Photos:

"Crystle Stewart of the U.S. attempts to stand after falling during the Miss Universe 2008 evening gown competition in central Vietnam's resort city Nha Trang July 14, 2008. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)"

I'm a klutz and I fall all the time. Maybe I will practice looking as good as her each time when I descend to the ground, so then one day I can compete in a Miss Universe competition and look flawlessly gorgeous when I inevitably fall flat on my face in front of the entire planet. Yup, sounds like a plan!

Closet Freak: The Missing Link

When Cee-lo broke away from Goodie Mob and dropped "Cee-lo Green and His Perfect Imperfections" in 2002 it raised a lot of eyebrows at first. But it brought just the right amount of "funk soul bruhvah" (© Fatboy Slim) to the table so people didn't really seem to mind. Little did we know, it was a precursor to even more daring and ostentatious creative endeavors with DJ Danger Mouse as Gnarls Barkley. Lest we forget, before he was "Crazy," Cee-lo was a self-proclaimed "Closet Freak" and he did a hysterical video to tell us alllllll about it:

Cee-Lo - Closet Freak
Uploaded by madafonka2

Best. Video. EVAR. Pure hysteria - negroes was wilin' OUT when they came up with the concept for this joint. This video is pretty much they key to the missing link between his transition from Goodie Mobb to Gnarls Barkley. I mean...he pretend-morphs into a big sparkly bat at the bridge of the song! If THAT didn't tip you off that he was on some other isht...and he definitely gets the "No Shame In My Game" award for rocking the feather boas/mohawk and not...much...else...

I still bust out "Closet Freak" like once a month, but when I really wanna vibe and lose myself in my thoughts for a few minutes then I throw on:

Cee-lo - Basehead Jazz.mp3

So yeah. Just a few of many reasons why I fornicates with Cee-lo. He doesn't fuck around.

Satire or Poor Taste?

From Yahoo! News Photos:

"This illustration provided by The New Yorker magazine, the cover of the July 21, 2008 issue by artist Barry Blitt, shows Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama dressed as a Muslim and his wife as a terrorist. The magazine says the cover is meant to satirize the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the presidential election to derail Obama (AP Photo/New Yorker)"

I suppose I can see the satire they're trying to convey, but this was done entirely in very poor taste. It's done in a way where 1). people who have no grasp of satire will take it literally and 2). it does nothing to negate all the ridiculous accusations that people throw around at the Obamas. Of course the whole satire explanation could just be a facade and it's very likely that they knew what the hell they were doing. SOMEBODY had to sign off on that before it went to press, so they knew exactly what message it would send and the effect it would have.

Nas - Hero/Sly Fox

Videos for new tracks appearing on the widely controversialized Album Formerly Known as Nigger:

"Hero" ft. Keri Hilson



This joint is such a beast. I fornicates with Polow Da Don's production HOARD. As long as I don't ever have to hear him rap about how I should have a picture of his dick on my wall again, we're good. Apparently Keri Hilson is the new hip hop hook-singer chick along with Chrisette Michelle and Estelle. Not sure if I can take her seriously yet, but then again I'm kind of embittered when it comes to R&B post-2002 (damn you Ashanti. DAMN YOU!) so I'm not the person to ask. Of course Chrisette and Estelle bring an immense amount of redeeming quality to the genre and to female performers in general but for the most part I stick with my tried and trues of the 70s - 2001.

"Sly Fox"



Nas calling out Fox News = WINNER . After that stunt Bill O'Reilly pulled with regards to him performing @ Virginia Tech last fall, I guess he didn't have a choice. Who wants to get punked by the same guy who got punked by Cam'ron and Dame Dash?

Gotta Get Up (Another Day)

I can't think of a song that sums up how I feel right now more perfectly than this:

Jill Scott - Gotta Get Up (Another Day) ft. 4Hero.mp3



Yeah, I've got a bad case of "The Mondays" >_<

DJ Spinna in Chicago

DJ Spinna is doing a set tonight @ Zentra. HOLLER.

I'm not making the same mistake I did last time I went to Zentra to see Miguel Migs and Lisa Shaw. I RSVP'ed to get in for free before 11, and get there (just minutes) before 11 I did. Migs didn't start his set until a quarter to 2 am. I'd been up since 7, so I couldn't hang - especially since I was already tired when I got there. Thus, I only stayed about 30 minutes into his set. I was pretty annoyed, considering I'm a fan of Miguel Migs and I was really looking forward to hearing him spin since I'd never been to one of his sets. Not to mention, Lisa Shaw is a goddess and officially broke my "I hate house music" cherry, HAHA. I'd missed her @ Green Dolphin last November, so I was geeked to have another chance to see her since she doesn't come out this way very often. I RSVP'ed to get in free before 11 (not gonna happen), for $5 between 11 pm - 12 am and $10 afterward. So yeah, I'ma get there @ 11:59, pay my "fiye dahlas" © Ghostface Killa and hope Spinna goes on before 2. I think I can hang tonight though, but I'm going alone so I kinda want things to get moving so I'm not waiting around all night. Because yes, the world DOES in fact revolve around me. Don't act brand new, HAHA.

Before I go, here's some Spinna shit to vibe to:

Betty Carter - Naima's Song (DJ Spinna remix).mp3




DJ Spinna - Computer Love.MP3

Jazztronik - Working Days (DJ Spinna Remix).mp3


Take it easy ya'll.

Condi on Twitter

Not really, but it's still funny:

http://twitter.com/condi

Laila Ali's (Guilty) Viewing Pleasure

From AOL Television's "TV Stars' Guilty Pleasures":

"I used to TiVo 'Flavor of Love.' It's almost embarrassing to say. The show was so ignorant it was like comic relief. No matter how bad my day was, I'd watch it and think, 'I have nothing to complain about.'"

Word. Clearly Laila is a much better human being than anyone who would compete for the affections of Flavor Flav, but I would pay good money to see her go on there and knock a bitch OUT. It just doesn't get much better than a professional boxer going on a show where it's basically a contractual agreement to get involved in at least one physical altercation during your stint on the program. There wouldn't even be a show - she could just beat everyone up until she was the only one left, and I guess that kind of defeats the purpose. I'd still watch it.

The Genius of Mannie Fresh

During it's heyday, I was never really on the Cash Money bandwagon too hard - of course it was kind of difficult since they were EVERYWHERE circa '97 - '02. And who can forget when Lil Wayne introduced "bling-bling" into the American lexicon *facepalm* But yeah...after that era came to an end, and things for them kind of dismantled there was Mannie Fresh standing in the wake. His emceeing abilities leave much to be desired but I fornicate with his production (BTW, "fornicate with" will be used in lieu of "fux with" just because it's just some nerdy shit to do, and the double entendres that can be inferred depending on the context are hilarious. I told you I was easily amused). Anyway, it takes a truly special mind to take two HUGE 80s R&B tender-lovin' slow jams and interpolate them into Southern hood anthems the way he did on his 2004 release "The Mind of Mannie Fresh."

Somehow, some way he managed to take "Make It Last" by Keith Sweat and Jacci McGhee...

Keith Sweat - Make It Last Forever ft. Jacci McGhee.mp3

...and flipped it to become "Shake That Ass" featuring Lil Mo, a dutiful anthem to strippers and their skill at their, um, craft:

Mannie Fresh - Shake That Ass ft. Lil Mo.mp3

(This is SO not safe for work)

Same thing with "Nite and Day" by Al B. Sure, who probably got so much tail off this one song which I'm certain is what enabled women to overlook the fact that he really had only one eyebrow...

Al B. Sure - Nite and Day.mp3

Mannie took the quiet synth strains and added a shitload of bass and some hi-hats to make "How We Ride" with Bun B and David Banner...

Mannie Fresh - How We Ride ft. Bun B & David Banner.mp3
(once again, SO not work safe)

So yeah - I dunno if I'd go so far as to say he's brilliant for flipping those songs like that, BUT the fact that he took apples and made them into oranges that still faintly resembled apples is pretty damn remarkable. I have been forever tainted by his renderings of my childhood favorites - now, if I happen to hear "Make It Last" somewhere, I start singing "Just shake that ass!" and it's just all sorts of wrong >_<

Versions: Amy Winehouse/Jazmine Sullivan

'Round Midnight is said to be the most oft covered jazz standard in all the history of the genre. Chances are if you aren't familiar with the title, you've still probably heard the song in some capacity and by someone other than Thelonious Monk who is said to have composed it in 1940. It didn't originally have lyrics, but when they were added they told a story of deep longing in the late night hours. It's on some hugging-your-pillow-staring-outside-as rain-taps-against-the-window pane-and-sighing isht...with this song playing in the background, HAHA.

That being said, there are a couple of recent renderings of the song that I really dig. The first one is by Amy Winehouse, which appeared as a non-album b-side with the 2004 single "Take The Box" from her debut album "Frank." She wasn't even 21 when she recorded this, but her delivery was impeccable. She knew exactly what to put behind the notes she was singing to make them matter - I think we Black folk call that "soul." The overall production is great - quirky yet sultry, it definitely can get you to feel some kinda way if all the right elements are in place.

Amy Winehouse - 'Round Midnight.mp3

More recently, there's Jazmine Sullivan's live cover. She's straight outta the Black Lily scene in Philly, and getting her feet wet in the industry with the likes of Missy Elliot. There's not much I can really say to prepare you for the voice you're about to hear, so I'm just going to post the track. Give yourself about 5 seconds before you check your arm for goosebumps:

Jazmine Sullivan - Round Midnight (Live).mp3

How THAT is coming from a 20 year old is beyond me, but whatever diety saw it fit to bless her with those pipes I am grieviously in their debt.

So yeah. I don't really prefer one cover over the other - they're both pretty badass in their own respects, so it doesn't do them justice to compare. It's just cool to hear how different people interpret the song and how they choose to convey it in their delivery.

Yet another blog to be foisted upon the masses...

I feel like I should do an inaugural post to get this thing kick-started, but to be perfectly honest I don't really know what to say. However, my compulsion and obsession with order and organization will not allow me to post any real content in this thing until I at least do some kind of brief intro *sigh* I'll make it quick...

I'm not really sure how to elaborate on this thing, because it's a work in progress. Even though I've been journaling online since 2002, this whole "blogging" phenomenon is pretty new to me but I'm taking a stab at it anyway. The best way I can describe this and what it will very likely entail is...well, I'm pretty easily amused (and at times easily distracted) with a broad range of interests and a perpetual curiosity that often leads me to places that I never imagined I'd end up. Essentially, this is the product of all of those elements when they come together and somehow end up written in a fairly coherent fashion. While this won't likely have a single focus, look for frequent appearances of various components like:

• Versions - 2 or 3 versions of the same song compared/contrasted side by side
• Photo of the Day
• Throwback Joint of the Week
• Someone You Should Know
• Under the Radar - rare/little known tracks by a well-known artist
• Favorite Human Being on Earth
• Featuring - looking back on notable guest appearances by an artist at various points in their career
• Where Are They Now?

I'm not an expert on anything, just an avid enthusiast which drives my pursuit of knowledge about a given topic. I have opinions but I certainly don't have all the answers. I'm not one to mince words when necessary but I know how damaging they can be so I try to strike a balance. Let it be known that I am notorious for talking mad shit, if for no other reason than to amuse myself. I crack a lot of jokes and I tend to find the humor in most situations. I also have no problem clowning myself, and I do it on a regular basis and I will not hesitate to clown on you if the occasion calls for it. I learned at a young age that if you aren't pretty or good-looking, you better be damn funny or you won't have any friends. I'm not trying to author teh greatest blogz EVAR, but I intend to try my hardest at being a damn good writer because I'm like 76% sure that's what I'm supposed to do with my life.

So yeah, I guess that's it. Pass this URL around, check out the links on the right and support those folks as well. For the love of Black Jesus, LEAVE COMMENTS - and feel free to contact me if you have any questions. All my specs are in my profile, all of my social networking profiles are linked on the right. Let the foisting begin! *FOIST FOIST FOIST* This is officially official now, so this is only appropriate:

Jaylib - The Official

Take it easy ya'll...more coming up shortly.