Random Geekery: iGoogle Video Game Themes

I use Google's iGoogle page to check my e-mail, news & blogs I follow. For the longest I had been rocking the Marc Ecko theme from their artist's collection. But that all changed when I discovered that they have introduced video game themes! It's officially on like Donkey Kong! I realized that I am way too excited about this, but that's the point of my blog. lol



They have themes for Guitar Hero, Mega Man & everyone's favorite plumber. You can see the rest of the themes that are available here.

I had to go with the Street Fighter IV, myself.


What's your iGoogle theme?

The Foreign Exchange: Live On Subsoniq Radio

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The Foreign Exchange - Leave It All Behind

Just Because

Baby, ev'rything is all right, uptight, out of sight.
Baby, ev'rything is all right, uptight, out of sight.

I'm a poorman's son, from across the railroad tracks,
The only shirt i own is hangin' on my back,
But i'm the envy of ev'ry single guy
Since i'm the apple of my girl's eye.
When we go out stepping on the town for a while
My money's low and my suit's out of style,

But it's all right if my clothes aren't new
Out of sight because my heart is true.
She says baby ev'rything is alright, uptight, out of sight.
Baby, ev'rything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight.

I'm a pearl of a girl, i guess that's what you might say,
I guess her folks brought her up that way,
The right side of the tracks, she was born and raised
In a great big old house, full of butlers and maids.
No one is better than i, i know i'm just an average guy,

No football hero or smooth don juan,
Got empty pockets, you see i'm a poorman's son.
She says give her the things that money can buy
But i'll never, never make my baby cry,

And it's all right, what i can't do,
Out of sight because my heart is true,
She says baby ev'rything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight.
Baby, ev'rything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight.
Baby, ev'rything is alright, uptight, ah ah ah ah,
Baby, ev'rything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight.
Baby, ev'rything is alright, uptight, clean out of sight.

Ivory Dome Gives You Giovanca

Giovanca, model turned singer from Amsterdam is perfect for rainy days . Giovanca's voice has a soft and warm quality that puts a smile on your face. Her latest EP Subway Silence is just that , a lovely smile from her to you. Tracks like Joyride deals with feelings about her uncertainty in a relationship. Her qualm is delivered with an ease that the dude on the receiving end would probably drop his angst at the door. On My Way strikes a note on independence without the aggressive undertone one would expect. For her simplistic style, Dig this please.

Gentrification: East Of Liberty

As some of you may know, I'm originally from Pittsburgh. To be more specific, The Hill District, which you will also hear mentioned in the video. I thought I would give you a bit of a glimpse of my city through a local filmmaker, Chris Ivey. Here are a few videos from his documentary series, East Of Liberty. The series focuses on the gentrification taking place in the neighborhood of East Liberty. I'm sure that your neighborhood or neighborhood's in your city have experienced or are experiencing the same thing.

This is a look at BLACK Pittsburgh:

“I was hired to document the tearing down of the high rises. At the same time I interviewed some of the residents who lived in the high rises and they weren’t happy at all because of the spectacle that was before them. They were really angry. It was their home, it was where they used to live, some for 30 years or more. Even though in many ways it wasn’t the best place to live it was all they had and to see strangers having fun by shooting paintballs at the block left them furious.”

And so began a journey of investigation in which previous silent rage was given space to talk.The film first debuted in the US last Autumn, and the response has astounded the director: “The reception here has been really incredible. It’s the most talked about thing in the city right now. There’s been loads of coverage in the papers and everybody around town is talking about it. All the screenings have sold out. The people at the screenings are really passionate – they’re always asking what they can do to get involved.” - Chris Ivey

For more info on the documentary please check out: EastOfLiberty.com

Know Someone Who Needs A Black Friend?

Wale - Chillin' [Radio Rip] (Featuring Lady Gaga)

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Mos Def Goes Hard . . . Kinda . . . Not Really *sigh*

Is it just me or was his heart not in that at all? I'm afraid the Mos Def I loved on Black On Both Sides is dead and gone.

*pours out Barq's Root Beer for dead homie*



Click Here To Download

Random Geekery: The Ocarina Of Rhyme

The boys of Team Teamwork put some very familiar songs to the instrumentals of The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time.

Asher Roth - Lark On My Go-Kart [Video]

Between this project, the new MF Doom and Wale's album, I think 2009 will be a great year for hip-hop. Well, at least for me! :)



Click Here To Download

Palm Pre Demo

Murs & Roxy Reynolds . . . In A Video . . .

that's actually work safe . . . yup! Who knew?

Random Geekery: Everyone Plays In The Shower

This NES controller is cocoa butter scented!!! How dope is that? You can cop this for yourself . . . or me, here.



You can purchase this Playstation controller, here.

If I ever came across a woman that has an NES soap (I looooove cocoa butter) in her bathroom & she owns these . . . I would be dropping down on bended knee ASAP!

2 Of My Favorite People @ SXSW

Zadi Diaz of Epic Fu interviews Jay Smooth of Ill Doctrine at SXSW.

Ivory Dome Gives You Peter Hadar

I was introduced to the sound of Peter Hadar a while back, by host of radio show Luv4art on wbmbradio.com. I finally got a hold of She's 4 Months and it has been on heavy rotation. The EP is a testament to groovy jazz heavy beats and sensually calm vocals. Hadar's almost whisper like vocal delivery gives songs like Sweatin a sensual edge. His voice is soothing enough to suggest those naughty thoughts and desires, Workin is a testament to that. Dig this please

RAtheMC Performs Nikky Boy [Live]

After she interviews a few of her fellow artists from the DMV, she performs Nikky Boy off A Mixtape About Something . . . I Think!



Btw, the song performed at the beginning was Rock and Roll off of A Trip To Neptune.

Ghostface & (MF) Doom - Chinatown Wars

The track first debuted on DJ Premier's Sirius satellite radio show Live From HeadQCourterz. The track and it's remix will both appear on Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS, which drops 3/17/09.



Download: Chinatown Wars

Download: Chinatown Wars [Remix]

Donwill - Laura's Song.

Donwill going hip-hop Lionel Richie on us. But, in a good way. lol

Stewart Puts Cramer On Summer Jam Screen

While I watched this interview all I could hear in my head were the gunshots that were at the beginning of Nas' Ether. I could sense that a foot was about to be permanently lodged up Mr. Cramer's hind parts, but I didn't foresee this. This was worse than what Nas did to Jay-Z.

Jon Stewart across the belly/Jim Cramer lost already

This was closer to what 50 Cent did to Ja Rule. Can Jim Cramer & CNBC recover?



Stewart was on the top of his game. He was in a zone. It was one thing for him to ask Cramer why the network wasn't looking out for the public, but for him to then show 3 year old clips of Cramer outing himself as a mini Madoff was the nail in the coffin. He basically reverse Rossed him. Ross is a corrections officer who wants to be seen as the biggest drug trafficker in Miami. Jim Cramer is a crook that wants to be seen as someone who truly cares about the public's financial health.

C.N.B.C., Get gunned up and clapped quick/Dylan Ratigan get gunned up and clapped quick/Your whole damn network gunned up and clapped quick

This interview seemed like it should've been on a Beef street DVD. The interview was clearly an example of Stewart being 20 steps ahead of Cramer. This was a chess vs. checkers moment on par with Couric & Palin.

Mr. Stewart, I am comfortable enough in my manhood to say that I love you! Yup, there . . . I said it! You have cemented yourself as my man crush of all man crushes.

Creme de la Creme Mixtape

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Random Geekery: Can You Name That Beat?

As you may know, I'm very fond of video games & hip-hop. So, when the two come together in a funny/quirky way like this, it's certain to make it's way here.

This time it's Mad Decent that is at it. Last time they gave us an interesting take on The Family Guy's, Quagmire. This time they have given some popular songs the 8-bit treatment. Can you guess the songs?



If you like the mix, you can download it, here.

Legends Of Wrestlemania

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On [Beatnick & K-Salaam Remix]

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An Animated Look At The War

Soldier Finds His Voice Blogging From Iraq

By Brandon Griggs

(CNN) -- Bullets were pinging off our armor, all over our vehicle, and you could hear multiple RPGs being fired, soaring through the air every which way and impacting all around us. All sorts of crazy insane Hollywood explosions were going off. I've never felt fear like this. I was like, this is it, I'm going to die.

When U.S. Army machine gunner Colby Buzzell began blogging about his combat experiences from a military base in Mosul, Iraq, he wasn't looking for attention or trouble. Buzzell just wanted a way to chronicle what he saw and did and felt during the Iraq war.

But his visceral, first-hand accounts were a bracing antidote to dry news reports and bloodless Pentagon news releases. In the first major war of the Internet age, Buzzell and other soldier bloggers in Iraq offered readers around the world unfiltered, real-time glimpses of an ongoing conflict.

"Here's a soldier in a combat zone ... writing about it and posting it on the Internet. I don't think that's ever been done in previous wars," Buzzell said.

"It just provides another perspective that no embedded journalist can ever do," said the veteran, now a freelance writer in San Francisco, California, and the author of "My War: Killing Time in Iraq." "An embedded journalist is just there observing. But a soldier writing about it -- you can't get more embedded than that."

Continue reading profile of Mr. Buzzell, here.

For more of Colby Buzzell's writings you can cop his memoir of his time in Iraq, My War: Killing Time in Iraq.

(MF) DOOM - BORN LIKE THIS: Cover Art/Track List

Order - BORN LIKE THIS

01 SUPERVILLAIN INTRO
02 GAZZILLION EAR
03 BALLSKIN
04 YESSIR!
05 ABSOLUTELY
06 RAP AMBUSH
07 LIGHTWORKS
08 BATTY BOYZ
09 ANGELZ
10 CELLZ
11 STILL DOPE
12 MICROWAVE MAYO
13 MORE RHYMIN'
14 THAT'S THAT
15 SUPERVILLAINZ
16 BUMPY'S MESSAGE
17 THANK YAH

Album drops March 24th!

Kooley High - Kooley Is High

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New: Camp Lo - Regulate

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DJ Drama & Cookin' Soul's Biggie Tribute

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A Rapper, A Comic & A Clown Walk Into A Bar . . .

Last night a friend of mine sent me this clip from The Colbert Report.



After watching it I decided that I really wanted to see the full interview with Mistachuck. I love Chuck D.! He's incredibly underrated as an artist in my opinion. Yeah, I know Public Enemy as a whole are legendary. But, Chuck is never really in the discussion of greatest emcee of all time. For my money it's him or this guy.

I'm getting off of topic! The point of this blog was to mention how annoyed I was with the D.L. Hughley interview. A few things:

1. Why did Steele automatically assume Chuck D. was from the projects or the streets?

2. Why didn't they follow up and ask him why the Republicans never cared about US or what WE thought? He is the party's leader, right? Well, he thinks or wishes he was.

3. Why in the hell is he talking about "selling" the party? You need to worry about fixing the party! If the party ever thought about issues that are important to the Black Community we would support it!

4. Steele, you know damn well they were talking about patronization of Black people by the Republican party! They weren't talking about who was in office first, you as the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland or Barack as a Senator. No one cares about a Lieutenant Governor. Even when you were LT. Governor, you didn't matter in your own party! They would trot you out every now and again, but you weren't a face of the party. You were/are just there in a "see we are diverse", kinda way.

5. BTW, if being LT. Governor of Maryland is so impressive why didn't you help improve Fredrick Douglass High School? As soon as you are talking about the failing schools in Baltimore City, it's the fault of the Democrats? What the hell were you doing, twiddling your thumbs?

6. Why are people accepting the spin that Lush Rimbaugh doesn't want the country to fail, just Liberalism? When you root for the President to fail you are also rooting for the country to fail! I did like Bush, but I didn't root for him to fail. I just thought the things he wanted would not work for the country.

7. He was a Republican since 17? *scratches head* I'm speechless over that one.

8. How did this show make it on to CNN? Comedy Central . . . maybe . . . but CNN?

9. Of all people, why did D.L. get to have this show? I've never thought of him as very funny, clever or insightful. CNN, you're an actual news outlet. Why didn't you give this spot in your line up to an actual Black journalist? I would love to have seen Michele Norris, Ed Gordon, Tavis Smiley, Gwen Eiffel, Michel Martin or Ron Allen get some quality time to ask serious questions!

10. CNN, you still have time to address issue #9, now that you put D.L. out to pasture.

* Chuck shouldn't have even shown up for these shenanigans!

Asher Roth - Asleep In The Bread Aisle: Cover & Track List

Order - Asleep In The Bread Aisle

01 Lark On My Go Cart [Prod. By Oren Yoel & David Appleton]
02 Blunt Cruise [Prod. By Oren Yoel]
03 I Love College [Prod. By Mike Carren & Ben Allen]
04 La Di Da [Prod. By Don Cannon]
05 Fallen [Prod. By Novel]
06 Be By Myself [Prod. By Oren Yoel] (Featuring Cee-Lo)
07 She Don’t Want A Man [Prod. By Oren Yoel] (Featuring Estelle)
08 Sour Patch Kids [Prod. By Oren Yoel]
09 As I Em [Prod. By Oren Yoel & David Appleton] (Featuring Chester French)
10 Bad Day [Prod. By Oren Yoel & David Appleton]
11 Lions Roar [Prod. By Oren Yoel] (Featuring Busta Rhymes)
12 His Dream [Prod. By Oren Yoel]
13 Nothing You Can’t Do [Prod. By Nottz]

Album Drops April 20th

Can We Please Bury The Word, Swagger?

This "L" goes to both of them! Him for living the life he lived and her for loving it.

The Discovery Of A Beast

If you've followed this blog at all, you know that I'm a bit of a Joell Ortiz. I've encouraged you to buy his album and cop his mixtape. I can't wait until his Free Agent Mixtape drops! Anyway, in this video he discusses how he was discovered as well as his work with Colin Munroe on Piano Lessons.

An Evening With 8thlight

So, I managed to make my way to the Buckshot, Skillz & Special Ed show and these are the salvageable pics that I took. Special Ed & Buckshot performed their verses from Crooklyn to close the show.

Battle Of The Gas Bags: Race Edition

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

1. I love how Mike Barnicle went out of his way to call Mr. Dyson his friend. lol

2. I agree with Buchanan that Holder's comments can definitely put certain Caucasian Americans in a defensive posture when it comes to talking openly and honestly about race.

3. I can't believe Dyson didn't work in any Biggie or Pac lyrics.

3. Buchanan's citing of statistics is very short sighted. He has his head in the sand in regards to why those statistics are the way they are. I wouldn't be surprised if Buchanan is just a "reformed" Klansman.

4. LMAO @ Dyson calling the White House, "public housing". It's true, but still funny.

5. I'm glad Dyson toned down his pimpish oratory for this television appearance.

The Whitefield Brothers & Guilty Simpson

For all of the crate diggers out there Stones Throw Records is giving away the the vinyl 45 of the song American Nightmare with the sale of The Whitefield Brothers' album In The Raw.

Dub MD & Spectacula Presents Unexclusively Exclusive

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About Damn Time, Talib!/Internet Connection

Since I had given up on another Black Star album YEARS ago, the only other album I ever wanted to hear from Talib was another Reflection Eternal album. It's the only album of his that he had beats that fit him for a whole album. Plus, it just had a really great feel to it. As pointed out to me by others, he's had albums that were engineered better. They may have sounded better sonically, but in terms of musically . . . not so much. He's dropped some dope songs on his solo albums here & there like Get By, Guerrilla Monsoon Rap, Black Girl Pain & Beautiful Struggle. But for the most part he hasn't put together a complete album since Reflection Eternal (Train Of Thought). Hopefully this is a sign of things to come . . .

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