Thursday, June 28, 2012

Grown Folks is Talkin'


My love for his daughter, Rashida, should in no way be seen as evidence of bias when I say that Quincy Jones is a great man (although it is worth noting that he helped raise her to be as incredible as she is, which is certainly no small feat). His standing in the music world, of course, is beyond reproach. And, as such, when he fires shots your way, there's not much you can do about it but smile and accept it.

From The Wrap:
Spotify brought producer Quincy Jones to launch their new app featuring artist-curated playlists on Tuesday, but the music legend couldn’t resist dinging P. Diddy for being a music illiterate while touting the music technology.

“P. Diddy wouldn’t know a B-flat” if it hit him, said Jones in a conversation with musician Bruno Mars to mark the occasion of the app launch. “P. Diddy has a doctorate in marketing…. He’s got clothes companies and Ciroc vodka.”

The comment came after Jones responded to an audience question with an admonition to “learn your craft.”
I'm also a Diddy fan, and have a lot of respect for what he's accomplished in his lifetime. But...damn. Quincy don't play.

Throwback Thursday: "Can I Get A..." -- Jay-Z ft. Amil and Ja Rule

As I rewatched this for the first time in years, a few things came to mind:
  1. R.I.P. Chris Penn.
  2. She holds down this verse, but how did Jigga ever think he could sell Amil as a sexpot female emcee?
  3. Amil's girls from Major Coins (dancing behind her) ain't bad, though. But I don't think I ever heard either of them on a single song...like, ever.
  4. This song was a party banger when it first came out. I can't tell you how many times it would come on at a party in college and you would immediately find a group of guys (sometimes including yours truly) on one couch rapping Jay's part of the chorus, and a group of girls on an opposite couch rapping Amil's part.
  5. Ja's first appearance, ever. He drew comparisons to DMX because of his raspy voice (which was a stupid criticism), but somehow avoided catching heat for borrowing Tupac's thug style.
  6. Maybe no one cared because Ja spit a sick verse, with a killer ending.
  7. I really feel like watching "Rush Hour" now.


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Party Pressure

I can relate to this. Most of the people I run with can get a party going on their own, but...yeah, I can relate.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Verbal Assassins

*can't breathe*...




That "work for tips" line almost gave me a heart attack. Love to my girl Steph for the find.

Tail Report: SoSuperSam

One look at Samantha Duenas, and you're instantly aware of her "talents". But let this L.A.-born, NYC-residing beauty near a turntable (or an iPad) and she transforms into SoSuperSam, her DJ alter ego, and you'll be overwhelmed by the kind of talent that doesn't require quotation marks. From her website:
Samantha seamlessly mixes by way of vinyl using a variety of genres, including 80s, 90s, Dance, Electronic, Hip Hop, Indie, R&B and Soul.

Her 2010 mixtape entitled “Cruel Summer” garnered significant attention, leading to clients such as Casio G-Shock, Complex Magazine, Steven Alan and Vans.

In 2011, Samantha began to hit the national and international circuit, playing along the East Coast, and as far as Singapore and Paris. She has had the opportunity to open for artists like Boyz II Men (Decca Records) and Dam Funk (Stonesthrow Records).

SOSUPERSAM is perhaps most familiarly known as the tour DJ for Childish Gambino (Glassnote Records). Her latest mixtape "This Way Up," was released on October25, 2011, shortly before Samantha joined Childish Gambino's "The Sign Up" tour.
This girl's got it all. And she's coming for the world next.







Download: Childish Gambino -- "One Up"


New shit from Gambino's new mixtape. Shut up...




Public Service Announcement

Deon Cole and Conan offer reassurance.


Monday, June 25, 2012

Monday Kickstart: How Else Would You Show Your Swag?

Anyone can buy the bar out. A real boss goes biiiiiiiiggggggggg...



Yes, Mr. Aslanyan. What is drugs, indeed.

And while we're on the subject of unbelievable fantasy lands, I give you mine, replicated here by Carrie, Sarah, and Caycee:


Thank you ladies. Let's go.

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Video: Slaughterhouse ft. Cee Lo Green -- "My Life"

The intro skit with Eminem is a little long and corny; but on the whole this is a pretty slick video to match the always-slick lyrics of Budden, Crooked, Joell, and Royce.



Thursday, June 21, 2012

Mommy Dearest


The Kardashians' fame is a strange commentary on our society. After all, none of them have any real discerning talents, other than being ridiculously hot (Kim and Kourtney) or being married to famous athletes (Kris and Khloe). And, maybe most bizarre of all, it's unlikely any one of us would know who any one of them is if it weren't for Kim's sextape "leaking" back in 2007 (has it really only been five years that we've known her?). And now, a report has come out that has taken what was already unusual and pushed the needle to "absolutely insane".

From LAist:
In a series of text messages, Kris Humphries allegedly told his ex-girlfriend Myla Sinanaj that Kris Jenner persuaded Kim Kardashian to make her now-infamous sex tape.

According to TMZ, Jenner not only instructed Kim to make the tape, but then insisted that she redo it because it wasn't "pretty enough."
What. The. Fuck. ?.

Obviously, KK and her fam are denying the validity of this story. And it is coming from the bitter, special-needs-student Humphries. But just how shocked would any of us be at this point if this story were somehow proved to be true?

Tail Report: Kat Gutierrez

I may have to start calling these, "Tail Report—sponsored by T.I.T.S. Blog". These boys know talent, and they know where to find it. Ms. Gutierrez, their "Cutie of the Week (6-21-12)" is just another example of that.
Kat Gutierrez is 100% Filipina and has been modeling/go-go dancing for years and considers herself a veteran in the game. She currently works as the marketing director for a popular club in Hollywood called Level 3 Hollywood. She was born in the Philippines, but moved when she was just six months old and was raised in Burbank, CA.
I really do have to get back to Cali soon.












Throwback Thursday: "Player's Anthem" -- Junior M.A.F.I.A.

Those of you too young to remember Junior M.A.F.I.A. might still recognize a few of the faces in this video.




Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Tail Report: Kate Upton (GQ Spread)

This girl rules the world. The rest of us are but her drooling servants.

Let me just start by saying that, of this photoset, there's one picture that stands high above the rest as an example of splendiferousness. It's what a friend of mine would phrase, "hnnnnngggggggnnnhhhhhhh". It's also just beyond the bounds of "family friendliness", and as such, I won't be uploading it to this blog. Instead, I'll simply provide a link that any and everybody, regardless of age, can click. Because that's, you know...less sinful.








Drive Me Crazy

Don't ask me who I'm backing in this one: It's just too close to call.





My dude Chris with the assist.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Summer, Summer, Summertime...

Joe Budden had a little get-together with some close friends at his crib a couple of weeks ago. XXL was on hand for a quick look at the proceedings.



Monday, June 18, 2012

Monday Kickstart: "Uhh...I think I'll take the stairs."


This picture may be fake, but I guarantee you there's a Hollywood producer working feverishly to turn this into a terrible movie.

For this week's inspiration, I'm going to turn things over to Emily Addison:


Let's get it.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

The Fast and the Furryous

A heads-up/warning to anyone following me on Twitter: Tomorrow is my crew's annual Furry Safari. If you aren't down with that, then maybe this will change your tune:






TJ with the assist.

Tail Report: Krys Angeles

Chalk up another win for the T.I.T.S. boys.

It occurs to me that we haven't had many blondes featured in Tail Reports, which probably speaks highly to my personal bias towards dark-haired gals (if any fair-haired ladies out there would like to try and break me from this spell, please feel free to contact me to schedule a one-on-one meeting). Hopefully the photos below of Miss Angeles—who, in our personal slanguage, TJ and I would classify as a WGWA (White Girl With Assssssssss)—will help to rectify this wrong.









Throwback Thursday: "Feels Good" -- Tony! Toni! Toné!

If you were older than eight 1990, and you try to pretend that this isn't making you dance at your desk right now, I'm going to call you a damn liar.

On a related note, I think I'm going to hire two hot female bodyguards to dress in miniskirts and shades and stand behind me while I'm at the bar.



Drizzy vs. Breezy

*sigh*

By now you've likely heard the news (from TMZ):
Chris Brown sustained a nasty gash on his chin -- apparently a wound from a bottle

attack -- after his entourage allegedly clashed with Drake's crew in a NYC nightclub brawl.

TMZ has confirmed with the NYPD that the two singers' crews got into a fight at WIP nightclub -- 5 people were injured in the melee.

NYPD arrived on the scene after receiving a call between 4 and 5am. Chris and Drake were not present when cops arrived.

We're told there were no critical injuries ... just bumps, bruises and lacerations. No arrests were made.

After the fight, Brown tweeted a photo of his injury ... along with the message, "How u party wit rich n**** that hate? Lol... Throwing bottles like girls? #shameonya!."
The article goes on to cite rumors that the fight broke out over Rihanna. While I think Ri-Ri is worth fighting for, I think you're a damn fool if you fight over someone you aren't with. Only acceptable scenario where she's the center of the beef: Drake (or someone in his crew) was talking shit on Rihanna, and Chris stood up for her honor as a friend, in return for her having had his back over the last few years. No other combination works here.

By the way... Not to sound like I'm taking sides here, but looking at the facts: Their entourages were obviously heavily involved in this fight, so you have to ask just how active either artist was when shit went down. Since Brown has shown us the cut on his chin, it's reasonable to assume he was in the thick of things (and didn't just, say, get hit by flying glass while standing on the sideline—though we can't entirely rule that out either). In the only glimpse of Drake that we've seen following all of this, though, he (1.) Doesn't have a mark on him, and (2.) is walking with some big burly motherfuckers. So...did Drake play the sidelines while his security crew went to war?

Monday, June 11, 2012

Monday Kickstart: Ain't My Type of Hype


Call me a hater, but anytime an over-hyped fanboy-favorite like Ridley Scott's long-awaited "Alien" prequel gets trumped by an animated film about wise-cracking zoo animals, there's a bright, beaming smile on my face.

For this week's inspiration, let's turn to Jennifer Aniston. Because, personally, I can't think of anything more inspiring than a 43-year-old woman still looking THIS fine:


Let's go.

Friday, June 8, 2012

It's the Weekend

Time for the bare essentials...




Spotted on T.I.T.S. Blog.

Call Me, Anytime

"Call Me, Maybe" isn't leaving anytime soon. I've made my peace with that. And this, in turn, allows me to revel in this rendition, which features The Roots, Jimmy Fallon, and a host of elementary school musical instruments.

This. Is. Awesome.





My boy Chris with the assist.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Throwback Thursday: "24 Hours to Live" -- Mase ft. The LOX, Black Rob, & DMX

It's not often you get a large, six-emcee-collab track; it's even rarer that the subject matter of the track is something very topical and thought-provoking. Rarest, though, is the six-emcee-collab, thought-provoking track that gets turned into a cinematic music video. For all of the criticism Bad Boy took in the late nineties/early aughts, they hit a home run with this one.


Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Something from Nothing

Straight from The Smoking Section:
Hollywood can keep their summer blockbusters, bad popcorn and crowded theaters. Instead, rap heads can focus their sights on Something From Nothing: The Art Of Rap, the flick directed by Ice-T and focused on the music that we love. In a unique promo move, they managed to get two heavyweights in Nasir and Eminem to kick quick freestyles showcasing the film’s raw take on Hip-Hop.
Eminem's promo:






Nas' promo:



Video: Kanye West ft. Big Sean, Pusha T, & 2 Chainz -- "Mercy"

I still don't get naming a song after a Murcielago. 'Ye likes to talk about being "so ahead", but Lamborghini stopped producing Murcielagos in 2010. I guess he had a hard time rhyming "Aventador".



Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Tail Report: Shay Mitchell

This may be the most innocent "Tail Report" we've ever had.

There's no question that Mitchell, an elegant Filipino/Irish/Scotch blend (thank you yet again, Wikipedia), possesses tremendous, natural girl-next-door beauty. But, at all of 25, she has yet to fully embrace her sexuality—or whatever actresses call it when they start posing half-butt-nekked in every magazine from Maxim to Elle. This is no doubt due to her being a part of "Pretty Little Liars", on which she plays a teenager (albeit a muderous, slutty, lesbian teenager, from what I've gathered from people who actually watch the show; but I digress...). Let's just hope her character (if not the entire show) gets killed off soon so we can enjoy her inevitable photo shoot for Complex where she's naked and wrapped around an oversized teddy bear.