The Year of the Pig

Nail In The Coffin

2008-01-05T05:13:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday, Barack Obama did the impossible and won the Iowa caucus against the heir apparent to the democratic legacy. While that was an amazing accomplishment, what stands out to me more is the impact it had on the psyche of the black community. It was like witnessing a restoration of hope in the "American Dream" for a people.

Understandably, some members of the collective are having a hard time adjusting, myself included. Sometimes you get so used to being paranoid about some taking away your hard-earned gains, you fall into a "waiting for it to happen" mode but what good does this ever serve?

It's easier said than done to shrug this self-fulling prophecy off, but we owe it to ourselves as a people to attempt it in '08. To a people so used to disappointment, this is no small feat. Every setback becomes a reason to hold on to those doubts and concerns, but I implore you to let go of the pain in the New Year. It's easy to develop a victim's mentality and easier still to identify with people who have one, but it serves no one trying to actually make moves to fall into this way of thinking. Misery loves company, so pray to God to shake it off and eventually you will.

In the words of Dee Jay in Hustle and Flow, "everybody's got to have a dream". Rediscover the belief in yourself from your childhood, before life beat you down to the point where you've given up and become content to not have what you want. Never give up on yourself!

Whether he becomes president or not, the one thing I hope Obama has done is show people that if you continue to believe in yourself - that sometimes, even if only for one day, you can feel like king of the world. It's up to the individual, however, to determine whether that becomes an exception or a rule regarding their life and ambitions.

On a personal note, my two major initiatives in the New Year are trying to create a non-profit organization to honor the memory of my fallen comrade, Travis F. Cooper and work on launching a social networking site.

I know a lot of people don't think I'm worthy to carry the torch on such a thing. To be quite honest, sometimes I don't believe it myself, but I truly hope that people understand this isn't just me latching on to a tragedy to try to create a cult of personality. I sincerely want to make a difference on a higher level, but self-doubt combines with our crabs in a barrel culture is already proving to make it difficult if not impossile.

Please God give me the strength to persevere, because there is a definite need to restore hope to our people. Maybe one man can't make a difference, but no man ever trying is the definition of failure.

I love you all and hope to see everyone prosper from here on out.

The link to the social networking site is http://pigsinablanket.ning.com/

Stop by and see me sometime.

As always, let's get it...

--

AEB

Fade To Black

2007-11-07T20:54:00.000-05:00

All good things must come to an end.

I know that I have been saying that I would last an entire year amongst the living (although I've always felt like I was living, even when it wasn’t on the public stage), but I've changed my mind and have come to the conclusion it is time for me to exit stage left...

When I first started this blog, the purpose was three-fold:

Catch up with a lot of people I had fallen out of contact with and let them know I still care about their lives
Use this blog as a peek behind the curtain into my life, to dispel any and all rumors about my proceedings
Successfully use a blog to make money while focusing primarily on delivering content about my likes and dislikes

As they say (Who are they, exactly? I wish I knew...), two out of three isn't bad.

Part of the problem with successes in life is that you often don't know or don't recognize when you have accomplished your goals and end up shooting well beyond your target(s). Fame and notoriety are seductive and it is extremely easy to get caught up in the feeling that you are somebody important while forgetting the most important thing…what it is exactly that you were trying to accomplish. In regards to my first two objectives, I have succeeded well beyond I ever could have imagined was possible. The third, I believe is not really possible given the content delivered. I mean, come on...who would pay to hear me talk about how I feel about anything when you can get it for free just by being around me

That being said, I'm out of here. This does not mean that the final CD in my project will not be completed. It just means you can look forward to no longer receiving emails from me touting my newest mix CD. I'll also send out the others ones promised last month, however, these will only go to the people who have received at least one CD in the collection. Sorry folks...there's no more room on the ark...

In order to concentrate on getting my business really cracking, it is going to take more effort than it did to even get to the starting blocks. I cannot possibly put the energy into that as well as having time for my familial obligations and volunteer work. Sacrifices must be made, so the first casualty is this site. I'll keep the domain registered, so if you ever want to peruse The Year of the Pig and see what I thought about something or another, feel free to come back and read it.

There is also one last thing I want to get off my chest, but I'll post about that later and without any fanfare.

Again, thanks to all who have listened as my tree fell in the woods. Most of you have my contact info, so feel free to holla at me if you need any help with anything or just want to catch up.

In closing, I leave you with a clip from one of my favorite movies and as always, stay blessed.

It has truly been my pleasure.

--
AEB
"Live Long and Prosper..."

A Glass Half Full

2007-10-31T22:55:00.000-05:00

“The world is a beautiful book for those who read it…”
-My latest fortune cookie

I have some good news and some bad news.

First the bad news…

What goes up must come down and eventually falling off is inevitable.

Now that those astute, yet obvious observations are out of the way, what’s the good news?

If you fall off, then at some point and time you must have been up.

In life the constant cycle of ups and downs should be considered the cost of doing business. Typically, I’m a glass half-full type of cat so I don’t take the constant rise and fall of my fortunes personally. When viewed objectively, it adds perspective, humility, and drive to what would a pretty boring existence if everything went your way all the time.

From what I've seen, for men life tends to follow a typical pattern:

Define oneself
Act according to definition
Successfully defend new self
Start feeling oneself too much
Take unnecessary risk(s)
The fork in the road
Exposure, betrayal, or intervention
Fall from grace
Retreat to find oneself
Repeat steps 1-9

Why am I talking about this? The first and probably most important reason is to remind myself or anyone reading that whether the summer, winter, spring, or fall of your discontent to keep everything in perspective. Secondly, however, this is the structure of the new mix CD release “The Circle of Life”.

Now you glass half-empty cats will probably be like what about the four CDs you spoke on earlier? Well, as I went through the process of making this I pushed that idea back a bit. But fret not, faithful listeners…if you have a little patience, I’ll put those out as well during the last two months before I fade to black. That number does not include the final life listening project-related CD. At some point and time, I’ll collect them all and use them as some sort of incentive to heed my wishes (the next side project is percolating, don’t worry)…

Like always, hit me up with a request and I’ll get “The Circle of Life” to you (free of charge, of course) and as always stay positive.

In parting, I leave you with the most eloquent and ahead of its time lyrical summary of the thoughts presented above…

“Fat titties turn to teardrops as fat ass turns to flab
Sores that was open wounds eventually turn to scab
Trees bright and green turn yellow brown
Autumn called 'em, see all them leaves must fall down, growin' old”

-Andre 3000

I'm Focused, Man...

2007-10-17T19:43:00.001-05:00

Ah yeah...it feels good to be back on that grind again! Being one of the few people who are of the opinion that vacations are for lames but realizing the necessity of the fam's desire to take a break from time to time, I took a short break...but now I'm back up in the b%$&h!

Since last we spoke I've gotten married, quit my job, and started my own company (knock it all out at once -- no need to prolong the anxiety). Now, I'm ready to do the damn thing and finish up a few outstanding items. First and foremost, I planned this project here to be comprised of a 10 CD set and damnit I'm sticking to that...so without further ado, I'm announcing the impending release of my next mix CD, Down By The Beach. A celebration of the laid back vibe of the Caribbean and the more relaxed moments in life, I'm ready to take pre-orders on it. For those first responders, I'm going to be throwing in a bonus CD, but this time it's listener's choice.

Jay-Z's Greatest Hits: also including some tracks from the upcoming American Gangster Soundtrack
The Golden Years: hits from what to me is the greatest hip-hop era of all time, '87-'97
Blaxploitation: songs from and inspired by that decade of my birth, the 70's
The Cornocopia: A hodge podge of new sh@t

Shipping in early November, make sure you get down early before I run out of the penultimate chapter in the musical composition of AEB the Great....be down, or bow down!

The Reason for the Season

2007-09-11T20:35:00.000-05:00

I'll never forget September 11th, 2001. I was living in the Washington D.C. metro area at the time, so it was the beginning of a very emotionally turbulent period for me. It is almost impossible to this day to put into words the fear, anger, resentment, shock, horror, etc. that filled my apartment. Almost as if a cruel irony, my bed was underneath a picture of the twin towers while at the same time I watched them fall on my television. I kept glancing from the TV to the wall, hoping that this was some sick dream...then came the phone calls. From all over, people were ringing my place frantically with varying degrees of success, trying to make sure everyone was alive, while we were simultaneously making calls to our loved ones to determine their status. Even the memory is surreal six years after the fact...

I knew then that life would never be the same again. Just how much it would change, I had no clue. While I, nor anyone close to me, actually lost any family members, I found it impossible to shake the dread that enveloped my entire being. Survivor's guilt, they say...more like a global empathy that marinated the core of my soul in grief and loss. I was actually angry at people from home who were acting like something had actually happened where they were, possessive of the feelings caused by the tragedy. My constantly shifting mental state around this time had two profound effects:

I could not go to work without crying the entire ride. I would try to hide it, suppress it, but to no avail.
This feeling of depression and despair would ultimately be one of the two driving forces in my leaving the area (combined with the sense that I had unfinished business back home).

I no longer wanted to party. I no longer wanted to feel. I was depressed in the classical sense. All the feelings of loss that I had worked so hard to repress, specifically related to the untimely death of my best friend made me long to start over in life. I checked out of DC the moment the towers came down.

When I moved, I put up a mural on my wall of pictures I clipped from the various newspapers the next day. One picture in particular, the one of the man free falling to freedom from the suffocating air and flames, is still burned into my mind. How I longed to be free...

Since them I am doing much better, but every year I would be remiss if I did not give pause to remember the dead. A hearty thanks as well goes to those who made that worst of days bearable. I sincerely hope we never experience such a thing again.

Much love to the survivors...from The Year of the Pig.

Ho, ho, ho?

2007-08-30T05:32:00.000-05:00

Just when I thought that I was out (for a few months at least) they pull me back in. ..

Of course I ended up with an advance copy of Kanye West's Graduation and will probably have 50 Cent's Curtis by this weekend and am in a quandary. Sticking to my vow of never passing on full albums out of respect for the artists and their ability to make bread, I'm considering putting together another compilation just to whet your appetite for the most anticipated September 11th since The Blueprint and the twin towers dropped. However, I find it hard to put the effort into it like I would a typical release due to this little thing I'm working on called getting married. However, if you want one, hit me up because I'm only making enough to satisfy personal requests.

As always, consider this a promotional teaser for both albums and a gift from The Year of the Pig, but get your ass to the store when the full lengths drop.

One last thing...

Team Kanye all the way baby!!!

Soul By the Pound

2007-07-30T22:18:00.001-05:00

"I'm as bad bad, as Leroy Brown Brown
Yo I'm a pro pro, but not a noun noun
If you got beef beef, then you'll get ground ground
Cut up in soul soul, by the pound pound"
-Common, "Soul by the Pound"

This is just a reminder that one of my long-time favorite emcees (now also an actor) drops his new CD tomorrow. Run, fly, skateboard, or swim to your local record store to pick it up. I've had it a couple of weeks now and it is still in the rotation. The Year of the Pig gives this CD 4 mics (out of 5).

In addition to putting out an instant classic, Common will be doing some in store signings at the following locations and dates listed below:

Tuesday, July 31^st

Los Angeles

Starbucks Performance @ Noon

1429 3^RD Street Promenade
Santa monica, CA90401

Friday, August 3^rd

New York

Best Buy Album Signing @ 6pm

529 5^th Avenue (44^th & 5^th Avenue)

NY, NY 10017

Thursday, August 9^th

Chicago

The Experience@ 7pm

The International House

1414 East 59^th Street (59^th & Dorchester)

Chicago, IL 60637

For ticket information call (773) 493 0154 or www.amusicexperience.com

Friday, August 10th

Chicago

Album Signing @ 4:30PM

George’s Music Room

3915 W. Roosevelt

Chicago, IL 60624

Friday, August 10^th

Chicago

Album Signing @ 6PM

Best Buy

1000 W. North Avenue

Chicago, IL 60622

Tuesday, August 14th

Album Signing @ 12:30pm

Border’s

18th & L Street

Washington, DC20006

Support real hip-hop, damnit!!!

Stupid Is As Stupid Does

2007-07-30T21:22:00.001-05:00

Recently Pimp C of UGK fame gave an interview in which he lambasted both current and former hip-hop icons for purportedly being gay. A couple of choice quotes from the interview are as follows:

On Ne-Yo:

"I ain't out here dressing up trying to be sexy licking my lips like old gay ass Ne-Yo. "Licking lips and s**t, n**ga. P**sy d**k in the booty ass n**ga wearing all that gotdamn lip gloss at their video shoots and letting n**gas put makeup on their face. Yeah, I said Ne-Yo, you heard what the f**k I said. N**gas putting all that lip gloss on they f**kin' lips looking like they've just been eating a pork chop sandwich with no hands."

On Russel Simmons:

“I just made peace with the lil n***a Short Dawg cause on the cool, it really wasn’t his fault. It was ol’ d**k-in-the-booty-Russell Simmons fault for not taking the message back to him and telling him to change his name. Yeah, I said ‘d**k-in-the-booty.’ I know what I’m talking about. B***h, I’ll air you out too.”

--Courtesy Concrete Loop

Click here for the follow-up interview

http://rope.whta-fm.fimc.net/pimpc_interview.mp3

(Choose Open with Windows Media Player to hear interview)
--Courtesy Hot 107

At one time in my life I probably would have agreed with him. Hell, the pejorative term for male homosexuals was thrown around pretty liberally on The Declaration of Independence (not the real document--my mix CD). In my opinion, this attitude is one of the more negative, unchallenged pillars of hip-hop machismo and it embarrasses me that as a culture "homo" is and always has been a synonym for weak.

Coming from an early twenties, testosterone filled, narrow-minded kid I could overlook them taking such a stance. Not so much from one of the rap games grizzled veterans. Pimp C should have met enough people by now that he would know better than to make such broad and baseless generalizations about a person's authenticity and/or toughness based on their sexual orientation. Gays, much like ethnic minorities in this country and abroad are persecuted, discriminated against, and even lynched for how they were born. I find it unfathomable that Pimp C would take the position that a person should come forward and "keep it real" when he would probably be the first person to deride them for their honesty.

Get a grip Pimp C. I like your music because I do not necessarily have to agree with everything someone is saying in a song to enjoy it. I also do not feel like a person has to expose themselves to undo harm to their career just because you feel they should be more authentic. It's not your place to judge and it certainly is not mine. Any secrets they keep are between them and their God.

And since I mentioned it, please spare me the religious argument as well because if memory serves that same argument was used to justify the idea that minorities are inferior; not worthy of "mixing genes" with the majority. If you ask me, the real deviants are the sanctimonious assholes that hide behind the church like its position should never be questioned in order to withhold membership to a humanity that is the birthright of all, regardless of race, creed, color, or sexual orientation. The Bible was written by men, church is led by men, and last I checked no man is infallible. It is in the questioning of the precepts that they are tested and those that are least able to stand the test should be reconsidered.

To do otherwise would be stupid, but as the title says...well, you know the rest.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

2007-07-21T19:59:00.000-05:00

Come one, come all to be included in the first shipping cycle for The Year of the Pig Presents: Rated R Superstar - I Declare War! Shipping Tuesday, this CD features Talib Kweli (really this time...I had to cut his tracks off the last one due to space constraints), Black Thought, and Nas -- along with new tracks from Common ft. Lily Allen and the seldom heard Strange Fruit Project ft. Erykah Badu. Most of the people on my internal email list are already slated to get this, so sit tight and keep your eyes on your mailbox. Any others who desire to be a part of the musical revolution, please send me your address and I'll make sure you get served.

Select individuals will also receive the bonus disc - The Declaration of Independence. So get on before you get sh#t on when this is all over in January, 2008.

And if thy right eye offend thee...

2007-07-15T13:20:00.001-05:00

Typically when I put out one of my mix CDs, the title goes without explanation, but for this one I felt that it might be necessary to offer more of an explanation. So the question of the minute is to whom or what am I declaring war?

“And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.”

Holy Bible (King James Version) - Matthew: Chapter 5, Verse 29

I would be willing to bet dollars to donuts that you’ve got people who are like these “offending eyes” in your life. But for some reason, be it guilt or obligation, you keep them around; them and their continual drain on your emotional, financial, and/or spiritual resources. They are easily spotted by any or all of the following identifying characteristics:

Always looking on the negative side of things
Bad-mouthing people who are doing better than they are
Offering excuse after excuse (or “reasons” as they like to call them) about their lack of progress toward their goals, usually taking the form of casting themselves as a victim
Bossiness about what everyone else should be doing to the point of bordering on bullying
Continually being the center of drama, no matter the setting
Exclusionary tendencies toward newcomers or those attempting to enter new arenas
Etc., etc.

You get the point. The list goes on for these people who seem to have the gift of bringing negativity everywhere they seem to go. For some, it is not even a conscious act or can be traced to key incidents in their own lives. That however does not change the fact that their tendency to act as emotional vampires make life harder than it has any right to be. You spend enough time attending to their idiosyncrasies then look around at your life and realize you are not where you are supposed to be, some of which may be directly attributed to their influence. Do not blame them. Blame yourself for keeping them around. Everything has an expiration date.

This CD is the soundtrack to keeping your head up in the presence of such people. Many potentially great men and women are held down by the company they keep. And though I am loathe to use this term, it should be a personal responsibility to shake them “haters” off and go for what you know! While I do not expect to hear a peep from anyone who might need to hear a CD that captures the struggle to persevere in the face of such opposition, I bet there will be severe backlash from the actual offenders. In the words of one of my old home boys, “a hit dog will holler”…it’s just some will be louder than others.

Keep getting it…and I’m out like Shout…

Author’s Note:

The hardest thing about writing, is coming to grips with the fact that you probably come off like a self-righteous prick and being fine with it. While I have dealt with the type of person described above, I also have been one as well. That fact does not, and should not prevent one from thinking about the words presented and determining one’s own opinion.

What has been a surprise thus far is the number of people who share strikingly similar thoughts but for whatever reason choose not to speak in opposition of popular opinion. To those, you have made The Year of the Pig an awesome project. I had always envisioned a one year, ten CD examination of life in hip-hop form but never had the courage to attempt it. Thanks for all your support. Now, for my Busta Rhymes impression…

“There’s only 5 months left!!!”

Rated R Superstar, Volume 2 - I Declare War!

2007-07-10T04:42:00.000-05:00

As I'm trying to get all my mix CDs out before the Year of the Pig comes to a close, I'm speeding up the release of the next release. Get ready for Rated R Superstar, Volume 2 - I Declare War! Set to ship on August 1st, I'm ready to take pre-orders. In addition, due to the overwhelming success of The Traveling Man, I'm going to be increasing the number of CDs from 20 copies, so if you're trying to get one, hit me up with your name and address (for those who have already given me your address, just let me know that you want one) and I'll get it to you.

Note: Rated R Superstar contains mature content and should not be listened to by the faint of heart. If you're easily offended either don't ask for it or don't complain.

To Tell the Truth...

2007-06-21T08:52:00.001-05:00

For background, read the following article on Radical Honesty in this month’s Esquire magazine:

http://www.esquire.com/features/honesty0707

Imagine that recently you worked up the courage to ask that chick that has been stuck in your head like “Lipgloss” since you first ran into her and she actually agreed to go out with you. All day long the clock has been moving like molasses and you’re in the last hour of your work day. Already anxious, the day can’t seem to get any longer and your boss comes up and asks you to stay late to help meet a deadline. Not knowing what time you’d actually finish, you already know your dream date is collateral damage in the never-ending quest to keep your job. Your boss turns to you and asks:

“I hope you don’t mind. This will really help the company and your position within it. You’re fine with staying late, right?”

You reply, weakly, “Sure, anything to help the team…”

What you wanted to say was, “F*$% no I’m not fine with it! I haven’t been on a date in six months and now I’m close enough that I can see the Promised Land, and you want me to spend my night with you! You’ll probably leave in 30 minutes and have me finish up all the work. There is no team…there’s you pimping me on the block…and don’t talk to me about promotions because the only thing you promote is yourself and your agenda, m#$% f#%@!”

That’s radical honesty, a program designed to improve oneself by giving up lying, even the little white ones. I’m sure you hear people say that they always tell the truth, even though that is a lie. Hell, the first person you usually lie to every day is yourself.

I actually tried radical honesty one day and made it about 5 minutes before the ill looks from those around me had me backpedaling like a free safety. It just can’t be done unless you’re trying to live a life by yourself and if that’s your goal then honesty is the least of your problems.

Society not only calls for the individual to lie, but to know when to lie and what kinds of lies are acceptable. “That was a great dinner” is an acceptable lie. “It’s your baby” is not.

If you don’t believe me, try to go a whole day without lying. One would hope this exercise would give all those “truth tellers” out there a dose of reality, but I doubt it. I highly suspect they already know it, but still use that mindset to make themselves feel superior to one who admits life imposes limitations.

In actuality, they’re the people least capable of hearing the truth…honestly…

Author's Note: In all honestly, it's six months into The Year of the Pig and I want to thank anyone who takes time out of their day to read the ramblings of a slightly unhinged individual. Six more months to go until Chinese New Year brings an end to the Year of the Pig. I hope you'll look back at it and will have had as much fun as yours truly, because once it's gone, so am I. Let's have a ball until then!

Last Call!

2007-06-15T20:40:00.001-05:00

OK, here's how it works...I allot myself fifty bucks a quarter for advertising, which buys me about 20 CDs (give or take) and shipping and handling. This quarter though I seem to be running through them faster than usual, so I've only got 10 more left. If you're trying to get one of the limited, exclusive, and might I add unbelievably awesome copies of The Travelin' Man Mix CD (Summer 2007) courtesy of The Year of the Pig, you need to respond pronto! Once they're gone, they're gone...

Send an email to aebraddy@hotmail.com, including your shipping address. Side effects include uncontrollable head nodding, weak bladder, and dry mouth.

Let's get it...

Don't Stop Believing

2007-06-14T21:19:00.001-05:00

I’ve been watching the Soprano’s since my old roommate left the Season 1 DVD in the apartment while I was working from home. The only season I missed was the one that focused on Tony B., and to hear tell I did not really miss anything. After all this time invested, there is no way I was going to let the series finale go by without contributing my two pennies to the intellectual debate.

Tony Soprano was my man. While I am not a gangster by any stretch of the imagination, I am drawn completely into the world of these mob bosses and their complex hierarchy. I’d like to think it was my furtive imagination allowing me to ssstttrrreeetttccchhh my life experiences to fit with those of a capo, but now I’m convinced it is some sort of sick wish fulfillment. A “Say hello to the bad guy” frame of reference that I can’t seem to shake. Ah well…

Back to the subject at hand, I can’t believe all of the negative sentiment about the final episode of the greatest TV show of probably our lifetime. I can understand the segment that feels that the show should have ended on a note that would tie up the loose ends, I never got that it would end in that manner. At the most, all I hoped for was an end to the tale of Tony (gotta love that name!) and his battle against the N.Y. crew. After all the years of attempted self-improvement mixed with a heaping helping of self-denial, the fact that no matter where you go there you are-itis smacked Tony and the family in face like it eventually does all of us. With the cyclical nature of life, how can one even hope for to tie a pretty little bow on it?

David Chase is a genius, and so are the actors (male and female) who have brought the bittersweet nature of existence to life week in and week. I’m ‘bout to pull out my Member’s Only jacket and start humming that old Journey tune while I reminisce on the good ole days.

Don’t Stop…Believin’…

And the crowd goes mild.

Ungrateful pricks.

Mix CD #6 - The Travelin' Man (Summer '07)

2007-06-05T21:48:00.000-05:00

I've been asked a few times, why do I put out these CDs ever so often, but usually it's more like...

"You're not a f#$ing DJ, what the hell is this all about?"

It all started out my first stint in the District. Me and my boys (shout out to House Arrest II) would download all kinds of music so that when we threw our house parties we could keep 'em going from dusk 'til dawn. Other times, when people would come through just to hang out, they'd ask if we had such and such and when we didn't, we would go find that too. After a couple of years I ended up with a catalogue of music you wouldn't believe and a network of fellow music nerds. Eventually the price on CD burners dropped to the point where I actually copped one and I'd make CDs to entertain myself while I drove down to NC to see the fam. Hell, to be honest we even financed a few parties with "exclusives" we'd sell at the shopping center (damn, those were the times). Although those days of debauchery are over, I still make those trips down south and every once in a while will compile a greatest hits of the past few months, along with some oldies but goodies. When I started the blog, it only made sense that I would use them as a tool for promotional purposes.

So here we are today, and its that time again. I'm about to drop The Year of the Pig's mix CD #6 - The Travelin' Man. Featured artists this month are Kanye, Talib, Common, and Pharrell. By now you know the drill...hit me up with an email with your address and I'll send it to you, free of charge (aebraddy@hotmail.com). For those folks in the DC metro area, let me know and I'll find a way to get you one.

Shout outs to www.neosemantics.com. You can check out The Year of the Pig there, as well as their other excellent blogs.

Come And Get It!

2007-06-03T19:48:00.000-05:00

Since I did not have enough copies this weekend of the Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing Mixtape (with appearances by Lupe, Common, Kweli, etc.) as promised I've uploaded it to SendSpace. Click on the link below. The actual download is located in the middle of the page directly below the advertising.

Kanye West - Can't Tell Me Nothing Mixtape

The file type that is downloaded is .rar, so you will need Winrar (download 3.70) in order to get to the .mp3s inside. If anyone has any problems with figuring out how to install, unpack, or anything else, leave a comment with your email address and I'll get right back to you.

One last bit of business. O, my man, congrats again on the nuptials. Good luck with the rest of your life. The game will miss ya, bruh...

Right Back At'cha

2007-05-30T19:03:00.000-05:00

I've got a love/hate relationship with Kanye West. While dude definitely has some issues (and don't we all) he puts out some of the most boundary pushing music being released these days. While I wasn't feeling the mutt comment, I am feeling his new track "Can't Tell me Nothing". Peep it here, courtesy of TYOTP.

Hustle and Flow...

2007-05-28T14:35:00.000-05:00

Theme Song: Common - The People

It's been about a month since I actually dropped a real post on this site and in that time I've been busting my ass trying to ascend to the top of my chosen profession. On the way up, however, I've learned a little something...you can kill yourself for somebody else or you can put that effort into yourself and the things you actually believe will make a difference in this world. Those bonuses (keep 'em coming though, I ain't complaining...) won't give me back that time that I lose with my friends and family and no matter how much I tell myself that it's all for their benefit those extra funds that will be distributed when my time on this Earth is over is of little consolation to those who miss me. In short, I'm done...

This does not mean I'm done doing what it takes to pay the bills. It just means I'm no longer in the game to be the next "New Negro". I spent all weekend miserable because I missed the wedding of one my best friends in order to show how dedicated I was...and it will be the last time.

This blog was never intended to be a money maker, it was sheer therapy from the rat race and I'm re-dedicating myself to that mission. All I ever wanted to do was the following:

Break new music that might never be heard because the radio is garbage, no matter where you live.
Facilitate discussion about various topics of interest to the African-American community and perhaps enlighten the landed gentry of the opinions of those at the bottom of society's barrel.
Give the people who do not get a chance to interact with me on a regular basis a glimpse into the dual-consciousness of a young black man in today's America.

It's back to basics both for the blog and for myself. I'm not the slickest looking blog on the web, nor do I intend to be. That would take more effort than I am willing to expend at this time.

In the words of Goodie Mob, this is Cell Therapy...

Who's that peeking in your window?

Let's get it...

Return of the Jedi...Almost...

2007-05-17T22:07:00.000-05:00

Heads down, tirelessly through the fields my team presses on under the expert tutelage of their fearless leader. One more week to go until we emerge on the other side of the most important software implementation of my career.

Once that's over, I'll be back...with new stories to tell and fresh insights to impart upon the masses. Until then, march on young Jedi, march on...

See you in June!!!

Couscous - it’s not rice it’s teeny, tiny pasta

2007-04-12T08:14:00.000-05:00

Again, I turn over the reigns to Rilo Santiago, bringing you the best in sports commentary from the past week...

This week in sports has been fairly boring, but leave it to Isaiah Thomas and his band of overpaid children to spice up the week. On Tuesday night the New York basketball Knicks played against the Chicago Bulls and the Bulls ended up beating the Knicks by the score of 98-69. Many of the Knicks felt that the Bulls “rubbed it in” and were trying to run up the score. This is troubling to me because the Knicks already used this as an excuse this year when they decided to “get rough” with the Denver Nuggets and damn near incite a riot in Madison Square Garden(Carmelo Anthony was suspended for over a quarter of the season for his role in this melee). The attitude of the Knicks players, in my opinion, has been adversely affected by the culture of “giving every kid a trophy”. These guys have made it to the NBA for a reason, because they have always at every level of basketball been able to be in a position to win. However when things are going bad they take the mindset of “how dare they try to score”. Look if you don’t want to get embarrassed, stop somebody, plain and simple, end of story. In the words of Herm Edwards, “you play to win the game”, so when you are losing and you can’t stop the rain, tuck it away in your memory and use it as motivation not as a reason to act like a 10 year old.

The Devil...not literally

I didn’t want to speak on this but…the “nappy headed hoe’s” comment by that guy Imus was one of, if not the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard. You can clown a political figure, you can clown a professional, but these kids did nothing but play their rear ends off. They played one of the most complete games of the entire NCAA Women’s tournament in shutting down LSU in order to make it to the schools first championship appearance. Seeing this team lose to a Duke team in December by 40 points (and they didn’t complain about Duke running up the score) then come back in March and defeat that same Duke Team took some serious determination. These are the stories that Disney movies are made of but instead these young ladies had to endure being publicly humiliated. They did nothing to this man, have never met or referenced him in a post game interview. However he took it upon himself to degrade them several times and compare them to a men’s basketball team (“they look like the Toronto Raptors”). Personally, he said what he meant, felt and truly believes, that if you are a black woman in America and do not look a certain way you will be categorized as being rough, nappy or a ho.

I ♥ blue jean jackets!!

On a side note I must give a shout out to Coach Roy Williams of the University of North Carolina for being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Also making it to the Hall of Fame was Phil Jackson. We congratulate these fools here at TYOTP.

Artist of the Month - April

2007-04-10T05:20:00.000-05:00

Jay-Z (Shawn Carter)

http://www.rocafella.com/

MySpace Link

http://www.myspace.com/jayz

"Lot of speculation on the monies I've made, honeys I've slayed, how is he for real, is that n#gga really paid?"

Typically, the artist of the month goes to someone who has a CD dropping, or a tour coming up, but this month I wanted to take a second to salute the king. Like many hip-hop heads the only names I would accept in debates about the greatest rapper of all time were Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. Then in the summer of 1996, my cousins from Brooklyn pulled up in rural N.C. pumping Reasonable Doubt by a rapper that until that time I had associated with his double-time flow on Original Flavor's "Can I Get Open". As I listened to the CD, I was surprised by the change in his style as well as his new content, but I can't say I thought at that time he would bully his way into any greatest rapper debates. Two years later, we were having a listening party on the night In My Lifetime, Volume 2 dropped and I knew we were looking at a serious contender for the belt. Now it's 2007 and Jay-Z still has the distinction of being the only rapper to have NEVER dropped a wack verse. Add to that being President of Def Jam and founder of Rocafella Records and you have a new champion. When the case against you consists of feelings about your choice of women (and that woman happens to be Beyonce) it's obvious you deserve it. Check out the 2004 S. Carter Mixtape at the following link:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/fi1rb5

Support good hip-hop. Download the mixtape for preview purposes, but it goes without saying all of his albums are worth picking up.

Jigga!

You Can't Handle the Truth

2007-04-07T12:03:00.000-05:00

As tomorrow is Easter, and Christianity has increasingly come under fire by documentary makers, other religions, myself, etc. I wanted to take a second to discuss the concept of truth and whether it can ever be found. Alfred North Whitehead, a British Mathematician who later in his career became an American philosopher states the following about truth:

“There are no whole truths; all truths are half-truths. It is trying to treat them as whole truths that plays the devil.”

What does this mean? The way I interpret it is that the truth in any situation can never truly be found and it is in the pursuit of the truth that all devilish influences occur. The idea that one can ever truly know the truth about any thing is in and of itself an egotistical venture, presuming that the person doing the research is bestowed with the requisite wisdom to discern the facts from the circumstances presented (the known) and the circumstances not presented (the unknown).

Note that I am also separating the truth from facts. I do not think that the facts of a situation take all facets of said situation into account, and therefore cannot be considered the truth in and of themselves.

So this Easter try not to think about whether or not it could be true that the circumstances surrounding the story of the Resurrection actually occured. Just enjoy the concept of rebirth and apply it to your own life.

Feel free to contribute your thoughts on Easter, Christianity, or the nature of the truth in the comments section.

Much love from The Year of the Pig.

Get Out Of My Way, Pimpin'!

2007-04-04T20:45:00.000-05:00

As I stated yesterday, when you hear that phrase, you need to proceed with utmost haste to a safe location and gird yourself for what is to come...that being said, I make way for guest columnist, Rilo Santiago, reporting live from El Segundo with a bowl of mufungo.

Hello World, I am the part-time contributor/full-time insensitive jerk who will be dropping jewels on this blog. When I got called off the bench to go in the game I didn’t know if I should go for the gusto and throw a deep out, but I decided to be a west coast offense type guy and get with you low-life’s one dig at the time. So my top three issues in the sports world this week are as follows:

1. J. Noah - The University of Florida did the damn thing and are repeat national champions. A feat that has not been accomplished in what, 15 years, but these Gators will be remembered for a much different reason than previous teams. This had to be the first team I ever saw that all the star players had mom’s that looked like they might have been jump-offs 15 years ago. Who am I fooling everyone’s mom was somebody’s jump-off but take a look at Noah’s parents and you decide for yourself.

Noah's DAD

Noah's MOM

2. Pac-Man Jones - This guy had a meeting with the NFL Commish this week to discuss his random, thuggish behavior. For those who don’t know Mr. Adam “PacMan” Jones was accused of “Making it Rain” in the strip club in Vegas before a brawl and shooting took place. Also for those of you who don’t know what “Make it Rain” means, it describes showering women with money, the intent being for one to show his financial prowess in the hood (and all this time I thought a Roth IRA would protect me from the IRS). Sadly his behavior “allegedly” sparked a riot and a shooting that left one person paralyzed for life…like forever.

3. Greg O(L)Den - This guy looks damn near 40 but you know what when he talks he sounds like a young kid. Any groupie love he gets is ABSOLUTELY because of his prowess on the court. If he were rolling around in a (fill in the blank with your city) Department of Sanitation suit on, his love life would be like Ester Rolle’s porn career. He had a great game in the championship game, but you heard it here first…SAM BOWIE! I know every game that he puts up a double-double I will hear about it from someone but the kid is just not otherwordly good. Give me Kevin Durant any day of the week and I’m good. To me Mr. O(L)Den will be like Memphis Bleek, “One hit away his whole career” but as long as they aren’t able to start manufacturing 7-footers, “he’ll be a millionaire”.

Greg Oden

Some Pig

2007-04-03T22:37:00.000-05:00

Stories of the Day
April 3, 2007

In order to keep the traffic flowing on the days in between posts containing actual commentaries or information, I'll be posting the "Some Pig" Stories of the Day.

1. "Get Out Of My Way Pimpin’" – That’s what I want to say to anybody who chooses to get in my way when I’m ready to shoot someone in the face and throw them down the stairs. But for real, although a chick may drive you crazy, no matter how much you may want to do it, domestic violence is a no-no. (courtesy: CNN)

2. Most Misleading Headline Ever - 3 Shot At After Party Following Nickelodeon Awards. Sponge Bob Squarepants unavailable for comment. (courtesy: WPVI – 6 ABC Local Philadelphia)

3. Cash Rules Everything Around Me – Wu Tang Financial advises this is a good time to diversify your funds. Protect Your Neck!

Click here to view the hilarious Chapelle’s Show Wu Tang skit.

Some Pig

2007-04-02T20:32:00.000-05:00

Stories of the Day
April 2, 2007

In order to keep the traffic flowing on the days in between posts containing actual commentaries or information, I'll be posting the "Some Pig" Stories of the Day.

1. Swept Away - Another, albeit less destructive, tsunami hits Asia. No jokes here, just another tragedy. (courtesy: BBC)

2. March Madness - Sharpton, others march in response to Tony Yayo's supposed assault on a 14 year old boy. I mean seriously, I hate "new rap" as much as anybody, but where were you when Laffy Taffy swept the airwaves? (courtesy: EURweb)

Slow news day, but what do you do...

Oh, and in case anybody forgot what yesterday's date was, the post was part April Fool joke, part commentary on "hating" and how it's not always a negative thing. I guess I should have made it a little more clear for you idiots - kidding!