Of course the amount of tourist combing the streets of the nation's first capital was astounding. The actual day, I flew under the radar just choosing to have dinner with a few friends and fall asleep to the John Legend concert on TV. (Phreaked don't do crowds baby) Not that John wasn't rocking it; he performed with my lady Estelle too, but I was full of delicious steak, corn-jalepeno muffins, potato salad and MORE! Don't worry, I made up for it Saturday night.

Time to get back to work.

The week ahead:

'Raising a Toast' -The featured coctail I just can't get out of my head... and where to get it

'Red Hott Wedding' - The color red makes a commitment

'Spot O' Lunch' - Profiling a great lunch spot in Center City

Check back in soon!

Regardless, the 4th of July in Philadelphia was great. A concert by John Legend with a guest appearance form Estelle was appreciated. But it was a wet and rainy night. Wait, maybe not rainy. Maybe drizzly is a better word for the situation, weatherly speaking. Which was annoying. No one brought an umbrella even though some of us knew there was expected light rain. While the rain was light, even standing under the trees to avoid the wetness wasn't all that successful, so we left the show a little early and waddled our way back to the nearest SEPTA station, uncomfortably moist, probably molding, and definitely satisfied.

And, my camera has a really sweet Black and White function that I've been using obnoxiously. It also has a Sepia option, but that's not nearly as universally applicable or artsy as the B&W selection. And I'm still having trouble figuring out what it does when it changes the color setting from "Natural" to "Vivid." Exaggeration, that's what. And it's a gosh darn lie. Even my camera lies to me these days. It's a gosh darn shame.

And about why I'm here:

Teaching hasn't started. I'm still learning how to lesson plan. I still don't know how to lesson plan, so I think to myself "The students won't mind if I just lecture them the whole time without getting to read the passages I'm talking about right? Do you think they need to have homework? Because I really don't want to grade it. Is it bad that I'm having trouble defining characterization, when I have to teach an hour + class about it? Hmmm..." Moral: I'm clueless. And not in the Alicia Silverstone way. More like the homeless man on the corner who's talking to the trashcan he's eating out of. Left field, (wo)man. Way out in friggin' left field. That's where I'm at, and until some sort of coherent system settles onto my brian, I'm imagining that my students are going to think I'm the biggest idiot, and then they're gonna start not coming to class, and they're not gonna graduate high school, and it'll all be my fault. Seriously. The pressure TFA puts on me is so "life or death" (definitely partially true) that it makes me want to just fail from the beginning.

And the fact that there is this clearly defined level of "committed teachers" and "here for the fun, and I'm not sure how to do this whole teaching thing..." Guess which group I'm in. No wait. Don't. Bad Idea.

So when I'm violently shaking during my first day, do you think my students will notice? Or maybe I'll just pass out from not breathing, so then I won't have to worry about it. It's all in the planning, baby, and planning is what I suck at.

Go with the flow guys do not survive well in a TFA world.

Chaka Khan
Borgata Music Box
Saturday, August 9th - 9pm
$65

The multiple Grammy Award-winning singer Chaka Khan, known for hit songs such as "I'm Every Woman", "I Feel For You" and "Through the Fire", will perform at Borgata's Music Box on Saturday, August 9.

With the 2007 release of her album FUNK THIS, Chaka returns to her musical roots, bringing together a selection of her own compositions and collaborations with fresh readings of classic tunes originated by Prince, Joni Mitchell, and Jimi Hendrix.

A renowned proponent of ‘old school' soul music, her energy, dynamism, and passion through live performances for over three decades, Chaka has brought her special brand of vocal magic to audiences the world over.
New Kids On The Block
Borgata Event Center
Friday, November 7th - 8pm
$125; $85

New Kids On The Block - the group that forever defined what the modern boy band would look and sound like - are back together for the very first time in nearly 15 years with their hotly anticipated international concert tour stopping by Borgata's Event Center for a second show on November 7th.

The band, comprised of Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg and Danny Wood, are taking charge of their own destiny with new music that they found and funded themselves. The Kids' new tour will include all the familiar hits such as "You Got It (The Right Stuff)", "Cover Girl", and "Step by Step".

"I want it to be redemption for the fans," Donnie Wahlberg explains. "I want them to feel entertained, to feel treated to something special. And I want them to be so satisfied by what they get that they'll realize they weren't crazy all those years ago - that they put their heart into the right place back then and that it was worth the wait to come back again."

Borgata's Entertainment Schedule

Chelsea Handler
Music Box / July 5 - 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.

John Legend
Event Center / July 6 - 8 p.m.

Two Funny Philly Guys starring Joe Conklin and Big Daddy Graham
Music Box / July 6 - 9 p.m.

Russell Peters
Music Box / July 11 - 9 p.m.
Music Box / July 12 - 9 p.m.

Van Morrison
Event Center / July 12 - 7:30 p.m.

Eagles
Event Center / July 17 - 8 p.m.
Event Center / July 19 - 8 p.m.

Dom Irrera with Richard Belzer
Music Box / July 18 - 9 p.m.

Brad Garrett
Music Box / July 19 - 8 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.

Aretha Franklin
Music Box / July 25 - 9 p.m.

Crosby, Stills & Nash
Event Center / July 26 - 8 p.m.

The Killers
Event Center / August 1 - 8 p.m.

Earth, Wind & Fire
Event Center / August 2 - 8p.m.

Jill Scott
Event Center / August 3 - 8 p.m.

K.T. Tunstall
Music Box / August 8 - 9 p.m.

Counting Crows & Maroon 5
Event Center / August 8 - 8 p.m.

Stone Temple Pilots
Event Center / August 9 - 8 p.m.

Chaka Khan ***
Music Box / August 9 - 9 p.m.

Chris Rock
Event Center / August 15 - 8 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.

Herbie Hancock
Music Box / August 16 - 9 p.m.

Bob Dylan
Event Center / August 16 - 8 p.m.

Rod Stewart
Event Center / August 22 - 8 p.m.
Event Center / August 23 - 8 p.m.

Andrew Dice Clay
Music Box / August 22 - 9 p.m.
Music Box / August 23 - 9 p.m.

Carlos Mencia
Event Center / August 31 - 7 p.m.

New Kids on the Block
Event Center / September 27 - 8 p.m.
Event Center / November 7 - 8 p.m. ***

The Black Crowes
Event Center / October 11 - 8 p.m.

About Borgata
Borgata is a joint venture of Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) and MGM MIRAGE (NYSE: MGM). Located at Renaissance Pointe in Atlantic City, it features 2,000 guest rooms and suites, 161,000 square feet of gaming, 200 gaming tables, 4,100 slot machines, 11 destination restaurants, 12 retail boutiques, a 54,000 square foot spa, 70,000 square feet of event space, and parking for 7,100 cars. For more information on Borgata or to obtain a copy of this press release, please visit theborgata.com or use AOL keyword: borgata. Additional news and information on Boyd Gaming can be found at boydgaming.com; additional information on MGM MIRAGE can be found at mgmmirage.com.

btw....XM radio is the SHIT!

• NO commercials!
• straight music
• all the time

fuck all the rappin' juss listen to this track that had me SSSpazin' in the MAYBACH

                                                                                           ~dAVY jONES~

http://www.imeem.com/johnlegend/music/b7yN6q3E/john_legend_feat_andre_3000_green_light_main/

LISTEN to 'Green Light'

The snippet of this song made it's way to the internet in May and excited many music fans. The full track was released a few weeks ago. John Legend and Andre 3000 are one of the bests in their time and together they made a great collaboration. This sound is different for John Legend, but I love that feel-good shit. "I'm ready to go right noooow..."

Check out the COLORWAY on these SneakerFreaker Blaze of Glory Black Beasts'

5.Post Jump= John & Andre 3-stax track - Green Light

New Exclusive tracks after the jump ;)

Treats-

I Keep It Gutter Like- Lupe & Stack Bundles

Where Do I Go- Lupe

Announcement- Common & Pharell

Lupe Freestyle

Green Light- Andre & John Legend

x=)MiaAlien

Ok so this CD is full of new material and not the usual covers that are the theme of this blog. But the CD has been put together with talent and love and the instrumentation of an Al Green LP from the Seventies so it fits right in with my theme of "Everything Old being New Again". Besides it's my blog and I can do what I want to (LOL).

This CD is truly awesome and proves the point that new is not always better. There is not too much more that I can say that isn't explained in "The Making Of" promotional video provided for you below.  All I can add is that this product ranks right up there with Reverend Green's classic albums of 1972 -- "Still In Love With You" and "Let's Stay Together".

Everyone involved in the collaborative effort to put this project together should be applauded for bringing the 62 years young Rev. Green a shot of 1972 with a twist of the new millenium and coming up with a "new classic."

Congratulations to Blue Note Records for giving Rev. Green a venue for his considerable  talents.

And last but not least, much love, admiration and respect to producers Al Green, James Poyser and Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson; co-producers Chalmers "Spanky" Alford and Adam Blackston; Executive Producers Richard Nichols and Eli Wolf ; musical artists Corrine Bailey Rae, Anthony Hamilton and John Legend and the hosts of musicians and songwriters involved in creating these heartwarming sounds. Everyone involved should be very, very proud of their accomplishment.

Here is the track list along with three of my favorites form the CD:

1 Lay It Down featuring Anthony Hamilton
2 Just For Me [audio http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/1530787_1wj1c/02.JustForMe.mp3]
3 You've Got the Love I Need featuring Anthony Hamilton
4 No One Like You
5 What More Do You Want From Me?
6 Take Your Time featuring Corrine Baily Rae [audio http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/1530789_plqa4/ourTimefeat.CorinneBaileyRae.mp3]
7 Too Much
8 Stay With Me (By The Sea) featuring John Legend
9 All I Need
10 I'm Wild About You
11 Standing In The Rain [audio http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/1530788_fibk2/11.StandingInTheRain.mp3]

This is the promotional video on the "Making of Lay it Down" that I watched on Youtube that made me aware of the CD coming out. It had slipped my mind until I saw the great tribute to Rev. Green on the recent BET awards so I went out and made the purchase and it has been in my CD player ever since.

I have got a four hour road trip coming up and I am gonna give this CD even more of a workout. Now that you have heard a sampling I just know you are gonna purchase this set for your next summer road trip as well. Right?

Thanks for dropping in. Hope to see you again soon.

• The Alkaline Trio --- Agony & Irony: Pop-rock.
• Beck --- Chemtrails: An etheral, spacey (not for radio) single from the two turntabled maestro.
• Crooked Still --- Still Crooked: Moody folk bluegrass.
• Jessica Simpson --- Come On Over: I had to at least listen once and am thinking she's a bit late to jump on the country train. The genre is already crowded with young blonde solo artists.
• John Mayer --- Live in Los Angeles: If you like John.
• Kutless --- To Know That You're Alive: Melodic Christian hard rock.
• LL Cool J --- Baby: The multi-talented Cool James keeps a toe in the music pool with this raunchy tale of a night out(and thus radio-ready).
• Los Lonely Boys --- Forgiven: Easy listening Mexicana rock from this band of brothers (I liked "Heaven" back in the day, but this comes up a bit bland).
• Mariah Carey (featuring T.I.) --- I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time: No, this isn't about Vietnamese ladies of the street ... instead it's a standard slow grooving summer love song.
• Robin Thicke --- Magic: Robin's single sounds like a John Legend song.
• Tech N9ne --- Killer: The cover is a playoff of Michael Jackson's "Thriller," but the music is the usual zany, dark, introspective and hostile Tech. KC represent!
• Yann Tiersen --- Tabarly: Modern classical creations.

Esta particular y carismática voz

O la desgarradora voz de…

Y si hablamos de melosos…

O la fina elegancia de este otro..

 y finalmente me disponía a colocar un videito con muchas voces de hombres, cual simil del video de la señora Franklin, pero luego algo me hizo click... basta de etiquetas, de géneros, de colores y de edades... después de todo me quedo con este video... y como dijo Mr Marley....   ONE LOVE.

 
[>] We are the World - Quincy Jones and Friends
 

Snoop Dogg ft. Doug E. Fresh - Lodi Dodi. Live at VH1 Storytellers.

MGMT - Time to Pretend. A juicy little jamb.

Truck full of 12 million bees turns over. Apparently it's economically practical to cart a truck full of bees off to pollinate some blueberries and then, I guess, recapture them and ferry 'em back. That's bonkers.

This guy didn't like Hancock. This may have to be the first Will Smith movie I miss in forever, not so much because of the bad reviews but because Smith has basically been outed as a Scientologist. Too bad. Go see Wall-E instead this weekend, people.

They're gearing up for a big Night at the Museum sequel. The first one was unusually funny in parts (Ricky Gervais, even though I think he's bad at stand-up) so here's hoping this one is worth a trip to the IMAX too. Bill Hader's presence bodes well.

What Wesley Clark really said about McCain. I made a similar comment to my dad last week - it would be one thing if John McCain had experience making strategic decisions and leading troops, but he doesn't - at least not during wartime. Your everyday conscript has more applicable military experience than a guy who spent the whole thing locked in a cell (where, if you missed it, his captor claims he was never tortured. No, I'm not taking either of them at their word.). I don't know why we want someone with military experience anyway considering everybody just wants to get out of the war we're already in.

If McCain really wanted to be cool, he would publicly denounce these Obama rumors. But he won't. Probably. Then again, I also didn't predict CM Punk winning the World Heavyweight Championship last night, so shows what I know.

John Legend ft. Andre 3000 - Green Light. '08 Dream Team.
Acenate

I knowwwww...I know. I am stupid late with this, but I never posted it and it still is jammin to this day. Ya'll are late on Estelle though. I've been up on her since about '03-'04 when she had this track with the legend John Legend and the homey Talib Kweli called freedom. I've decided to post more music from my harddrive cause ya'll need to hear it. So not only am I going to post American Boy...but that track that got my attention back in early '04 called Freedom.

AMERICAN BOY (prod. Will.I.Am)
--------------------
FREEDOM (prod. by Kanye West)

Ei! Esta é uma colaboração entre John Legend e Andre 3000 e ficou bem boa! No começo achei que não tinha nada a ver, mas ela foi me consquistando aos pouquinhos e agora já tô até dando uns passinhos enquanto escuto.  Ótima para andar por aí pensando em nada.

John Legend "Green Light" part. Andre 3000

 [audio=http://www.filefreak.com/pfiles/61147/greenlight_ft.andre3000dirty.mp3]

Tracklist:
CD 1:EARLY DRINKS
01.BACK TO BLACK-AMY WINEHOUSE
02.NO ONE-ALICIA KEYS
03.SAME MISTAKE-JAMES BLUNT
04.THE LOOK OF LOVE-NINA SIMONE
05.SUMMERTIME-BILLIE HOLIDAY
06.LOST-MICHAEL BUBLE
07.IF YOU GO AWAY-DUSTY SPRINGFIELD
08.NEW SOUL-YAEL NAIM
09.AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE LOVE-AYO
10.MI NINA LOLA-BUIKA
11.STEREO-JOHN LEGEND
12.JE REALISE-SINIK FEATS. JAMES BLUNT
13.WAKE UP CALL-MAROON 5
14.TAINTED LOVE-KWAN
15.YOU AND NOT TOKIO-MARQUESS
16.INDIAN SUMMER-MANIC STREET
17.CONSTANT CRAVING-K.D.LANG

CD2:LATE SHOTS
01.VOYAGE VOYAGE-KATE RYAN
02.LET GO-PAUL VAN DYK
03.SHE BOP-MATISSE
04.NOW YOU'RE GONE-BASSHUNTER
05.HOT STUFF-CRAIG DAVID
06.HUMAN TOUCH-MARY JERAS
07.FEATHER-V SAG
08.UNIDOS PARA LA MUSICA-DAVID VENDETTA
09.CANTA CONMIGO-BLUE MAN GROUP
10.AMERICANO-BRIAN SETZER
11.LES PARFUMES DE L'ORIENT
12.ME ENAMORA-JUANES
13.SOMEBODY TO LOVE-NELLY FURTADO
14.DO IT WELL-JENNIFER LOPEZ
15.LOVE STONED-JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
16.ME LOVE-SEAN KINGSTON
17.GIMME MORE-BRITNEY SPEARS

links:

http://rapidshare.com/files/12434747...ND_8_-_CD1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/12435002...ND_8_-_CD2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/124402704/COVERS.rar

enjoy!

[STREAM] [DOWNLOAD]

Tracklist after the jump

The Lessondary - Lessondary Nose ft Von Pea, Elucid, Che Grand & Spec Boogie
John Legend - Greenlight ft Andre 3000
Wale - The Star
T.I. - The King
Naledge - Nez and Rio Freestyle
EPMD - Rampage Demo ft LL Cool J
Blu - The Classy Man
Tanya Morgan - Be You ft Czelena
Brand New Heavies - Sometimes Ummah Remix
Kam Moye - Where and Why
Quasimoto - Strange Piano
The Lessondary - Buss it Down ft Ilyas, Che Grand, Von Pea & Jermiside
Cesar Commanche - The Life ft Phonte & Darien Brockington
Too Short - Nuttin but a Word To Me ft Ice Cube
Third Bass - Brooklyn Queens
Nas - Day Dreamin Stay Schemin
Chuckii Booker - Dont You Know I Love You
Radiohead - All I Need

But this ain't the honeymoon

We've passed the infatuation phase

We're right in the thick of love

At times we get sick of love

It seems like we argue every day

I know I misbehaved

And you made your mistakes

And we've both still got room left to grow

And though love sometimes hurts

I still put you first

And we'll make this thing work

But I think we should take it slow

We're just ordinary people

We don't know which way to go

Cause we're ordinary people

Maybe we should take it slow

Take it slow, oh oh, this time we'll take it slow

Take it slow, oh oh, this time we'll take it slow

This ain't a movie, no

No fairytale conclusion y'all

It gets more confusing every day

Sometimes it's Heaven sent

Then we head back to Hell again

We kiss, then we make up on the way

I hang up, you call

We rise and we fall

And we feel like just walking away

As our love advances

We take second chances

Though it's not a fantasy

I still want you to stay

We're just ordinary people

We don't know which way to go

Cause we're ordinary people

Maybe we should take it slow

Take it slow, oh oh, this time we'll take it slow

Take it slow, oh oh, this time we'll take it slow

Take it slow

Maybe we'll live and learn

Maybe we'll crash and burn

Maybe you'll stay

Maybe you''ll leave

Maybe you'll return

Maybe another fight

Maybe we won't survive

Maybe we'll grow

We'll never know

Baby, you and I

We're just ordinary people

We don't know which way to go

Cause we're ordinary people

Maybe we should take it slow, hey

We're just ordinary people

We don't know which way to go

Cause we're ordinary people

Maybe we should take it slow

Click here to view the video at youtube

liriknya bagus ya..videonya juga..suara penyanyinya juga...such a touching song!

So to re-enter the world of bullshitting about pop culture, I introduce five dudes that have it going on. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally straight, but I am man enough to admit when another man is charming and handsome enough to actually steal a date or two from me (no small feat).

Here they are in no particular order:

Hugh Laurie: Say what you will about Hugh Grant, but if this man was the one in Love, Actually women would have stopped wearing panties in March of 2004. That's how dangerous his charms are. Why do you think he had to do the Stuart Little movies instead? So he wouldn't ruin all women for the rest of us honest blokes.

Most people know Hugh Laurie as one of the most American-sounding British actors on TV (especially now that The Wire is kaput). What people like me with a Wikipedia widget surgically implanted in their heads (not really stop worrying) know is that he is also an accomplished British-sounding British actor who has starred in a healthy wealth of British comedies, many with fellow comedian Stephen Fry (you know, the guy with the Koran in V for Vendetta). He also plays piano and guitar really well, rides motorcycles, and wrote a fucking detective novel. Seriously. Go to Amazon and buy The Gun Seller right now.

John Legend: I had to go to his concert by myself because I didn't want my girlfriend to have stratospherically high expectations for the men in her life or get arrested for indecent exposure when she would have tried to take her Legend-born lust out on me in the middle of the Orpheum. He can sing, he plays piano like a fiend, he dresses impeccably, and who does he pay to keep his facial hair so neatly trimmed? Classy all the way.

Thomas Dolby: Naw I'm just kidding. It would speak poorly of me as a guitarist if everyone on this list was a piano/keyboard player. However, as a corrollary to the last posting and as a lemma to a potential future posting, any woman that will have sex with you with "She Blinded me with Science" playing in the background is a total keeper.

David Boreanaz: How can you have a name like David Boreanaz and not be the shit? Seriously. Forget the tallness, the spiky hair, that laser-carved jawline, the brief time in Buffy where Angel was wickedly awesome and evil instead of Emo Vampire Supreme, and the phallically-named show he's on now. His fucking name is David Motherfucking Boreanaz (note: His actual middle name is Paul, but if middle names were earned instead of simply owned I would be right). Ladies, if there is one name I want to be called in bed that isn't one of my many nicknames, it's David Boreanaz. Don't judge me until you try it yourself. This hombre is definitely not a Paul Gasol (pictured, age 2)

Barack Obama: This one is not even close to a maybe. He looks good, he has a way with words, he's spent significant time overseas in his childhood, and soon he will be the handsomest President of the United States since.... well... does the black guy from 24 count?

Let's face it: Power is sexy, but most presidents are usually too old, too ugly, or too scary to really capitalize on it (not that that's any excuse. If FDR can wheel himself from mistress to mistress for his whole career, so can any president). Barack Obama is none of those things (unless you're John McCain. Then he's all three. But if you're John McCain, you're also senile as holy hell and probably need new glasses).

On an unrelated note, how messed up is it that my mom, a lifelong democrat, is pro-McCain and my dad, a lifelong-republican, is pro-Obama? The former is true because my mom really wanted to see a woman president before she died and holds grudges like a Birtish Bulldog, and the latter might be because Barack reminds my golfophilic dad of Tiger Woods, who would also be on this list if he gained 15 pounds, got a goattee, and wore sunglasses more often. Sorry, but he still looks like a 16 year-old to me. No problem though. Between the two of them and [insert future quadroon that will break Wayne Gretzky's records' name here], no white sports will be safe!

Omar Rodriguez-Lopez: Lefty-guitar player. Afro. Glasses. Propensity for jumping around on stage like a madman. Writer of complex songs. Anyone that saw my band in high school (Livid Serene. Man, the names high school kids come up with...) really shouldn't be surprised about why I love this man. He is a skinnier, bilingual, more skilled version of yours truly the Omstar Runner. You want proof that God exists and is looking out for the women and music fans of the world? Both he and I exist. I rest my case.

Green Light (feat. Andre 3000)

John Legend know he was wrong for sliding in some pants that tight. We won't ever get why this is the style. SMH.

• Powered by Mountain Dew Voltage(blue colored raspberry-citrus and ginseng flavored) my wife's Hooters leftovers, and Fort Worth's finest tap water.
  

And so it is, June 24, 2008 and it is time for another illuminating snapshot in Black History.

Yeah, folk, hate all you like, the BET awards are a snapshot in time for where the culture of our people is in 2008.

I am not endorsing this snapshot, I am merely putting it on display.

A fact that my wife just reminded me is an astounding misuse of my God-given ability.

7:00pm – The show opens with one of the many young men who should be paying royalties to Michael Jackson, one Usher Raymond Foster.

Who is apparently getting to the stage in his life where he is too old to be putting out club bangers and has been off the scene (getting his Broadway on, but still) long enough that he looks like he is biting Chris Brown and Ne-yo (who, as I stated earlier, are all biting Michael Jackson.

Speaking of Broadway, I am a bit annoyed that such an accomplished performer as Mr. Raymond is SHAMELESSLY lip-synching. As the elder statesman for male R&B singers, I find this most unacceptable. Surely he could slide in and and do a classic Usher Run or two…but, alas, no.

Michael Jackson is not going to be pleased.

MC Lyte is still doing voice work for BET.

What did I learn from all the names…That SouljaBoy's last name is Tellem. (Tellem what?)

DL Hughley, (who clearly is the least busy of the Kings of Comedy these days) is the host this year and pretty much came out and proved why he is the ONLY King of Comedy who is ONLY collecting residuals from his show.

7:11 - Jennifer Hudson and Terence Howard prove that having Oscar Nominations won't prevent awkward and unentertaining banter

Best Male R&B artist: Chris Brown, Raheem Devaughn, J. Holiday, Ne-Yo, Trey Songz .

Chris Brown wins and reminds us that his people skipped past the whole speech making part of artist development. Berry Gordy is mumbling about folk not learning anything from the Motown years.

The hierarchy is: Label, managers, momma, God…and then a promotion of the fans to number one.

Chrysler tries to sell us vehicles that just don't fit in the modern $4 dollar a gallon economy. But LOTS of cool Gadgets.

Pepsi dusts off an old Super Bowl Commercial with Justin Timberlake. Apparently they don't have anyone Black on the endorsement list.

Verizon breaks out a good random commercial.

Dreamworks highlights a movie with Iron man playing a brother. Apparently the irony is lost on them.

Hell Date is up for season number 2.

American Gangster season 2 is on DVD. Cause you don't know nearly enough about the Criminals in our culture.

Oh right…HipHop vs. America.

7:18 - DL Hughley tells us that Jeezy is one of the most exciting rappers to come along in a long time and Jeezy shows us by appearing on stage without so much as a fuckin DJ. Flames and a big screen? Check. Some source for the music? Even a DJ as a prop? Naaaaah.

Apparently Jeezy is too big for HipHop Rule #5: EVERYONE sounds better with a live band.

Cue Kanye who I forgot was on this song. Shows you how much I listen to the radio. Sadly…The best verse is pretty much blanked out. Come on Kanye toda…surely you can clean up the verses for the chirren.

7:23 - Kevin Hart (whose claim to fame is….drumroll…Soul Plane. A Movie so bad even DL Hughley apologized for it.) and Mel B. (who IS fine, just not fine enough to overcome A. Being a Spice Girl and B. getting knocked up by Eddie Murphy only to lose him to the Former Mrs. Babyface(who went on to lose him to Johnny Gill…the Lesson? If Being fine and making a baby can't keep a man, just being fine wont keep him either…especially if he likes OTHER MEN.)) present…well I still don't know yet..they are STILL bantering.

Best Male Athlete.(Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Chris Paul, Tiger Woods)

Okay wait. I LOVE Chris Paul but, COME ON NOW…BEST MALE ATHLETE? He aint even the best BASKETBALL PLAYER LISTED…yet.

Tiger ain't gonna win cause you know Tiger ain't there. I know Kobe ain't there cause he is off getting his Tony Romo on with Mrs. Bryant. (cause Kobe has the good sense to lose in the playoffs THEN go on vacation to Cabo).

Kobe wins. Kevin Garnett Paul Pierce and Ray Allen feel cheated…but only for a second.

Mel and her headlights show Kevin Hart the way back to obscurity.

Um..i don't know WHO these two are pimpin that whole viewers choice thingy.

Target tries to help Usher sell records. Or tries to help remind Black women to buy records at Target while they buy their towels.

Pizza Hut sells Calzones to black people with only one black dude in the commercial.

Southwest Airlines tells you that the only thing worse than getting your Black Girlfriend's hair wet is damaging some random Black Man's classic Mustang.

Post shows you that regular lack folk make cereal for them.

Eddie Murphy has a movie. It's only PG so it might be funny. Uh oh…Kevin Hart sighting…the movie is doomed.

T-Mobile thinks that Black people know who the Hatfields and McCoys are. Props to them.

O.B. sells tampons…with cartoon ants.

Baldwin Hills is back…and it's still painful to watch.

I think DL Hughley changed his clothes, but I wasn't paying attention.

7:31 – Keyshia Cole is singing a song I don't know from way up in the air only to descend into a puff of smoke. with no band wearing a shredded bed spread..which gets pulled off in exchange for go go boots and shorts.

Yup…she could still get it…

Lil Kim…not so much. You know you are short when Keyshia Cole towers over you. Apparently Missy Elliot is busy.

I kinda wish Keyshia had lip synced.

7:36 - Now we see MC Lyte Read. Toni Braxton wonders if Lyte can afford to pay royalties to her for jacking her 1992 hair game.

Oh look…a Boyz in the hood reunion. Cuba, Cuba Cuba….sigh.

Best Female HipHop Artist (Missy Elliot, Eve, Kid Sister, Lil Mama, Trina)

Wow, Missy's album isn't even out yet…Eve dropped a hot single (or two) and was rewarded with a postponement of HER album…Kid Sister is on the periphery of HipHop at BEST(although the video is rather intriguing)..Lil Mama is fighting off one hit wonder status with all she's got and Trina is currently best known for being the woman who broke up Lil Wayne's marriage…We should just give this to Lyte, Rah Digga and Jean Grae and K.I.M.

Missy won, but she's too busy finishing the album she won this award for to attend.

Hancock is coming out soon. Mr. Independence day strikes again. Hard to imagine this being another Wild Wild West.

Subway and Get Smart….hard to get whiter than that.

Chrysler is still selling that mini truck.

AT&T sells black people a cool phone with a commercial they obviously made for use during the Hills.

Two people I don't recognize tease a show called Somebodies…BET's first scripted show. 28 years later…I can smell it already.

Baldwin Hills again. Sigh.

DL Hughley rushes through crap written for him to get to a reasonably funny joke that fails because he mangled the lead (Ne-Yo has been with more fine Black Women than Robert DeNiro )…proving again why he is the only King of Comedy without a regular gig.

Ne-Yo gives the performance Usher SHOULD have given.Here is a hint for all yall Michael Jackson wannabes. If you run around and dance for us…we will allow you to sound kinda out of breath. We aren't that wack.

Ne-Yo gets WAY out front on performance of the night. Shame BET wouldn't spring for any of these folk to bring out a band. So sad.

LL Cool J leads out Ashanti. LL is so moved by the moment that he didn't bother to dress up. (BTW…if you haven't heard LL's mixtape with Kay Slay…you are missing out)

Ashanti looks like she stole one of Alicia Keys old dresses from the Grammys

Best New Artist (Dream, Estelle, Flo Rida, Chrisette Mchele, Soulja Boy Tellem)

The Dream wins. He didn't bother showing up because he was so sure Soulja Boy was gonna win.

Ashanti can't even walk in her heels.

Diet Pepsi Max revives their Grammy Commercial.

Nissan shows Chrysler how to build a car for 2008. If you are too embarrassed to mention the gas mileage…you ain't got the right car.

Back comes the creepy Verizon wireless commercial.

Pizza Hut and their Calzone.

Roscoe Jenkins is now on DVD, for all y'all bougie mofos too good for bootlegs.

State Farm puts out a decent commercial for Black Folk, reminding me to include them in my hunt for Life/Car insurance.

O.B. again.

Cadillac sells Black folk the Escalade Hybrid. 50% more efficient in the city…which means instead of TWELVE miles a gallon…you'll get EIGHTEEN MPG. Yeah…that will show those greedy Oil Companies.

Baldwin Hills gets more irritating with each promo.

Yes, I will be watching HipHop vs. America II so you won't have to.

7:54 – DL Hughley points out Queen Latifah, who clearly doesn't have anything to plug, or else she would be ON the show. Diddy and mini-him. Then comes Alicia Keys.

Alicia Keys brought her curves and her band and her back up singers dancers. We are grateful. Greens and Cornbread clearly agree with Miss Keys.

Alicia has been in the sun lately. Quincy Jones nods in approval.

Alicia summons the spirits of SWV and gets me weak in the knees, stealing best performance from Ne-Yo.

Then comes EnVogue all of whom are STILL fine. Let us pause for a moment of silence.

Then comes T and C (L rest in peace)…T-Boz is hoarse and Chili is still Fine.

Then comes the reunion. What do we notice…that SWV sold the fewest records but have eaten the best.

8:02 - We love Neicy Nash. Fuck what you've heard. I love Neicy Nash so much I will watch the Style network to see her sans Reno 911 butt pad.

What passes for Comedy on BET ensues, but her delivery was on point and she's Neicy Nash, so +100 for her. (silly me thought she was ACTUALLY trying to encourage the adoption of African-American children, but why would anyone let a critical issue in the Black Community get in the way of a good joke?)

Best Male HipHop Artist – Common, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West)

David Paterson can see this one coming. If Kanye had any integrity…yup…he does..he brings up Wayne. If only he had handed over the trophy. No such luck.

The Cast of Baldwin Hills proves they can read. Still can't act. But they can read.

Tide sells Detergent with White-Tees, Drew from Everybody hates Chris and MC Lyte on the voice over.

McDonald's sells Big Macs with HipHop.

Wanted is coming out Friday. Hello DVD.

Toyota shows Chrysler how to sell cars to Black folk.

Baldwin Hills STILL sucks.

Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka is pandering to Black folk.

Hell Date season Two…as if you didn't know THAT was coming.

Wyclef Jean sells Voting in the US while wearing a Poland soccer Jacket.

BET's American Gangster season two is STILL on DVD, in case you missed it an hour ago.

8:10 T-Pain is on stage with all kinds of props. Singing some random song that might be on his album…His lil magic Mic is working well. Noooo..hes Lipsynching.

We are regaled with all the hits Teddy Pinherass down has Sung um…. On.

Flo-Rida

Rick Ross

DJ Khaled

Big Boi wasn't about to lip synch his verse.

Neither was Ludacris.

Let the record show that BET couldn't be bothered to silence the N-Word.

8:17 - Derek Luke and Gabrielle Union don't do the bad BET writing bit any better.

Video of the Year (Ashanti – The way that you love me, E. Badu – Honey, Mary J. Blige, Just Fine, Alicia Keys – Like you'll Never See Me again, UGK n Outkast – Players Anthem, Kanye West, Good Life)

UGK wins, giving us a chance to hear from one of the smartest Rappers in the industry, Bun B.

I see Pimp C. had a wife…there is a certain irony in that just tickles me.

Big Boi doesn't miss a chance to plug his solo project.

Target shows Black people they are classier than Walmart.

Ford makes better cars than they used to.

KFC has chipotle flavored Chicken. Seriously.

Ice Cube is STILL making kid movies. This one should be Called Akeelah and the Skinny Post. Apparently they are still trying to get the movie down to a PG rating, because it isn't rated yet.

Lincolns are fly….even if they are gussied up Fords.

Baldwin Hills STILL sucks.

(dudes are calling women scrapes? SERIOUSLY?)

8:28 – DL Hughley just introduced Marvin Sapp as the man with the most recognizable Warren Sapp. Ima need a few minutes. *pauses the recording*

10 minutes later…

Ladies and gentlemen…the best singers still sing for Jesus. And OFCOURSE HE has a band (complete with string section)AND a choir.

8:31 cue the obligatory shot of Kirk Franklin.

8:32 so…FOUR minutes into the performance…I notice that there has been a slide show behind him…showing singular moments in our history, culminating with a shot of the Obamas in Iowa on June 6. The show SHOULD be ending right here…but this IS BET after all…and the notion of any kind of perspective is just anathema to them…so let the fuckery commence as soon as this is over.

8:34 and DL Hughley is apologizing.

8:35…Mary Mary and Lisa Lisa…I guess Mister Mister was busy.

Best Gospel Artist - The Clark Sisters, Kirk Franklin, Deitrick Haddon, Marvin Sapp, Trinitee 5:7

Marvin Sapp wins just for showing up and singing. Now someone get him back to humanity.

Dr. Ian Smith wants yall to lose weight.

Only white kids wear Pull-Ups but buy them anyway.

Go see wanted because Common is in it.

Wendy's makes milkshakes.

What's the best way to sell a sleek new Cadillac? White women talking bougie.

Baldwin sucks more now than it did an hour ago.

I still don't know who this guy is BET gave a show to.

BET tells you why you should vote.

Baldwin Hills sucks but Buy the 1^st season on DVD, cause nothing eases the sucking like adding scenes that sucked so bad that it intensified the sucking to levels BET couldn't tolerate.

HipHop vs. America II is coming on tomorrow.

8:43 – See, Ursh? Even Chris Brown is Singing…you know you dun Effed up, right?

Whoaaa….Easy with the gyrations Chris…Youll never get on Nickelodeon like that.

The shower in the back ground showed me that it was Ciara, cause my old ass wasn't sure.

8:47 David Banner Brandon T. Jackson, Solange, Soulja Boy Tellem and Cassie represent Generation Now, even though NONE of them have had a hit in this calendar year. (no, Yaaah Bitch Yaaaah, doesn't count as a HIT.) I had to look up Brandon T. Jackson to learn that he has a show on the N network…which I am sure I get, but I don't know where it is.

What passes for a public Service Announcement happens.

Best Collaboration – T Pain and, TPain and, TPain and, TPain and, Keyshia Cole and Kim and Missy

Kanye and TPain win. But not before David Banner plugs HIS new album. TPain comes up in slow motion. Kanye says we should be blessed to be in TPain's presence. This from the same cat who said Soulja Boy Tellem was on some Nas level. Kanye ya Killin me.

I wonder if David Banner knows that Nas' album drops on the same day as his? The rest of the world knows…because Def Jam paid good money to advertise.

The recycled Pepsi Commercial with Justin Timberlake is back

So is the Pizza Hut Calzone commercial.

The Eddie Murphy movie looks funny, (it is 3am right now...so take that for what it's worth)

Verizon sells black folk smart phones by showing a white man texting on a Black mans phone.

Lincoln sells Cars with classy innuendo. The Irony is totally lost on all parties involved.

Southwest sells flying to Black folk by showing uncomfortable white folk.

Crest shows you Black girls with pretty teeth.

Hell Date blah blah blah.

Baldwin Hills.

8:57 - John Legend gets a free plug while introducing Al Green.

John Legend misses the easiest Joke in the world by leaving out the most logical end to this comparison: Says

Al Green is Gospel He is Soul he is Rock and roll he is Collard Greens Cornbread Spades and Church Fans. But MOST OF ALL….he is Hot Grits.

Take notes chirren…see if you can learn something from this.

(and WHERE IS OUR AL GREEN BIO PIC?)

On comes Jill Scott to serenade us with an Al Green Song

No one lives Jilly from Philly like Inkognegro…but…isn't there a certain irony in the stereotypical strong black woman singing Rev. Grits Green? Sorry…this is BET. The people who brought us Yolanda Adams singing Chaka Khan's Sweet thing. They are impervious to Irony.

Let us bring on the man who will PLAY Al Green in the BIO PIC he deserves…Anthony Hamilton, who has finally sold enough records to not look homeless.

Uh…Maxwell steps in out of ABSOLUTELY NO FUCKIN WHERE AND KILLS simply beautiful. I think women all over southern California melted into a pool of bodily fluids and perfume.

Maybe NOW we can get another fuckin album dammit.

Ill even forgive him for the sneakers.

This is why I even bother with this damn show.

Shout out to Donna Richardson – Joyner (Ill never admit that wack yellow dude scored my favorite fitness diva)

Al sounds like he passed his speechwriters on to Chris Brown.

Then they let him sing.

But not from off his NEW album….only the young folk can plug their new shit.

Let's stay together….and let us see random black celebrities mug for the camera.

The only thing this segment is missing is the Obamas.

So…here.

And yes…the ENTIRE crowd knows the words.

Al Green takes it to the Gutter…err Pulpit…errrr…somewhere familiar to ALL of us.

He proceeds to RIP Love and Happiness.

There is a certain poetic quality to this moment. Which BET is about to fuck up by not allowing HIM to close the show. Cause we got more Fuckery to go.

Why close the show with history…when we got Lil Wayne in the house.

Only BET would let Wayne upstage Al Green. Like he can Possibly TOUCH Reverend Albert Green.

Now I am irritated.

Alicia Keys hands over the Inkognegro Best Performance award without protest.

Target reminds Black people that Target is cooler than Wal-Mart.

Nissan reminds GM, Ford and Chrysler why they are hemmoraging money.

Go see HellBoy II even if you didn't see HellBoy I.

Yup…Its true….KFC has Smoky Chipotle Crispy Chicken.

There is that anonymous cat with the show on BET. I think I make more than he is getting for this show that I refuse to name OR Google.

Fuck Baldwin Hills. (the show…not the place)

HipHop vs. America II blah blah blah.

Wyclef says BET says vote for Obama…REALLY subtly.

This shit is STILL on 2 and a half hours later.

Terrence Rocsi and some random dude present the Viewers choice award

Chris Brown and whatshisname – Kiss Kiss

Keyshia Cole and her and her – Let it Go

Alicia Keys – No One

Soulja Boy Tellem – Crank Dat

Lil Wayne feat some other dude I aint even know was on the song- Lollipop

Jordin Sparks and the dancing fella – No Air

Wayne gets his award and brings his family….or is that ALL of New Orleans with him.

9:30 - DL Hughley tells a Young Buck joke.

9:32 Rihanna has the unfortunate task of following Albert Green. That no one smacks the shit out of whomever thought this would be a good idea is a travesty of Robert Kelly verdict proportions.

Hey Ursh…EVEN SHE is singing. And better than usual.

And Jay-Z knew better than to send her out there bandless.

Number of obligatory Chris Brown shots during this song:

Other awards.

Best Group – UGK. Nothing like death to get you a posthumous award.

Best Video Director – Erykah Badu and Chris Robinson (Honey). But not best Video? THAT makes sense.

Best Actress – Halle Berry – did she even HAVE a movie last year?

Best Actor – Denzel Washington – DUH.

BETJ award – Raheem Devaughn. But…he aint even JAZZ?

GM talks about 0% financing….ill let that joke tell itself.

Will Smith's kid sells McDonald's

Verizon has the white dude texting with the black dudes phone. And then smackin the Black dude's hand off. On BET…seriously.

The Lizard and Naomi Campbell sell that drink I remember.

Cartoon Ants and Tampons from O.B .

White folk and Garnier Fructis…can black folk EVEN USE that shampoo?

Disney tells black folk to go see Wall-E on Friday

Chrysler is STILL shilling that truck.

Hell Date….still.

Diddy and his BET Awards After Party by Ciroc ultra premium vodka.

Debra Lee comes out for her yearly appearance…and the words I am sorry don't cross her lips ONCE. Aaron McGruder shakes his head in sadness.

She introduces Quincy Jones for the Humanitarian award. Cause NO ONE has done more for Humans this year than Quincy Jones. That was snarky. But the lionization of celebrity in our culture deserves some snark.

Congratulations, Mr. Jones.

Queen Latifah introduces Quincy Jones.

Quincy Jones says thank you. It takes a while…but he does say thank you.

Eventually.

Ford tries in Vain to keep up with Nissan and Toyota

White Folk black folk how to use Bounty Towels.

Wanted starts Friday.

Baldwin Hills

Hell Date.

Rap it up.

HipHop vs. America II….in case you didn't see it the first three times.

Ashanti interrupts DL to talk about some stuff I don't know ANYTHING about.

Nelly has no shirt on…Jermaine Dupri has a Jacket on…but

Now...um…this is a song about …Jordans. From a man about had a song about Air Force Ones…

Cause we ALL know what we need now is a song about Tennis shoes.

Universal must have REALLY ponied up to get Rihanna, Nelly and Wayne to close the show.

I guess Nelly knows this is his last shot to make it.

Diddy and Lauren London get their mutual Congratulation on.

Its been a Great year for Black folk.

Obama or die.

Bring out the liquor.

The fuckery is so bad my eyes are starting to glaze over.

Best Female R&B (Mary J. Blige, Keyshia Cole, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Alicia Keys)

Alicia Keys Kills the competition….as if there actually was any.

Clearly, Clive Davis showed Alicia Keys how to give a thank you speech.

10:05 - As we approach Overtime, Lil Waynes performance is teased for the 4,532,676,111^th time.

The white dude shills for a Cadillac truckish vehicle.

Buy Toilet Paper

The really cool and smart State Farm Commercial

Southwest Airlines breaks out the shiv for the other airlines.

Pizza Hut doesn't want black people to know they serve pasta…just pizza wings and calzones.

That show with the black kids in Southern California.

10:07 - He needs no introduction.

The perfect rapper has to have tattoos, sell a million a week, and be from New Orleans.

That's what the boy said.

Three halves of a song later…it was over.

So…what did we learn…we learned that the show ended with Reverend Albert Green and then Universal came out to sell records.

Thank you BET.

See ya for the HipHop awards.

Prepare to be bamboozled. As you know, John Legend is mostly known for his slow tempo’d melodic music. This song is different. Like Andre 3000 heralds at the end of the song “Sometimes you got to step from behind that piano! Let them know what’s going on! Even Stevie Wonder got down sometimes!” And that’s exactly what John did. He traded in his grand piano for grand synthesizers and a trip hop beat; and the surprising thing is….it works! Andre definitely adds a nice touch to the song.