Like I was saying...

I was planning to post my critique of the Discovery Channel's Top 25 Greatest American list today. But, this office is close for July 4 tomorrow and Monday and we're scrambling to finish this project, so I'm swamped, unfortunately. Meanwhile, a couple of of random things I've been thinking about these past few days...I'll keep updating it with quick thoughts throughut the day.

• Vivian Green's album dropped the other day. Heard her on the Bmore station today and found out she's from Philly. She has a lot of Philly in her, too. Matter fact, she sounded very Around the Wayish. I have to say, it was endearing. Based on the "substance" of her lyrical content, her dress and the vibe she gives off in videos, I thought she'd be Def Poetry and she isn't. I might start crushin on her a little bit. Not koppin the album though. For what it's worth...this chick Green, Amerie, all these broads can't touch my girl Teedra Moses. And it's a shame that my homegirl May is the only other person bangin that album right now. Take it from the Music Dude: it's official. Especially as an R&B album.
• Speakin of Def Poetry. I hate that show. Ultimately, I'll support anything that's a Russ-Mos situation, but I don't think there is a more tired, hackneyed, cliche thing out there right now when it comes to hip-culture. The cliche-cadence poetry is past played. It's so rare to get someone on there that breaks the chains or steps outside of the poetic bounds u get taught in a 101 college class. With that said, when I move to NYC (if I move to NYC), I'm headed to BK to be art of the studio audience. Yes, I'm a hypocrit. But have you seen the talent in the crowd? Prediction: Unless I sit there with my eyes closed, I'll be on chubb for least 80% of the show.
• Back to music. Anthony Hamilton has a album out called "Lost Soul Sessions" or something like that. Now, I consider Hamilton no different that John Legend, Kanye West, Mach Gray (at one time), they get critical acclaim because critics think they "should" like them. They get a lot of bandwagon love. I was never big on Hamilton -- for reasons to in depth to get into at the moment...but I heard some snippets of the new joint and it seems like a winner.
• My phone keeps ringing...it's Capitol One Auto Finance...they don't care that I'm broke, they want their money.
• Back to music: I'm hurting right now. My two favorite musics -- hop and jazz -- are in the midst of tragic dry-spells. But is dry-spell really an accurate adjective. One day I'll blog about the Golden Age, the Zenith and the Renaissance -- the three great hip-hop periods -- but for now, all I can do is lament that the hop may never have another great era. Quick, gimme three great albums in the oast year....you can't. DeLa's album was great. Common's new one is really good. Jada's last joint was enjoyable. I think that's it. On the jazz front, we had a brief explosion of young talent from 99-03. But now, record execs are tying the young dudes hands, not letting them record records or restricting what they record. Mark my words, when I move to NYC (if I move to NYC), I'm gonna write a seminal piece on young NYC musicians and their plight in today's jazz. It's gonna run in JazzTimes, the New Yorker, DownBeat or something else and 10 years from now it'll considered "important".
• With that said, my main man Jeremy Pelt -- a young trumpeter I befriended when he was still a sideman with the Lonnie Plaxico septet and now he's winning awards -- is dropping an album in a couple weeks. It's probably my only hope for a jazz fix anytime soon.
• I'm gonna catch a Cinderella Man matinee this weekend. I've heard great things about it, but I wonder if it'll favorably compare to Million Dollar Baby. Crowe and Giamatti are definitely formidable counterparts to Freeman-Swank-Eastwood and a tasty cameo by my dude Anthony Mackie; the Cinderella story is supposed to be comparable to the Baby story; and the directors compute -- I'm expecting a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
• By the way, did anyone catch Fat Joe call Swank a dude on the VMA's red carpet? It was hilarious. I understand she plays masculine roles and she's a strong-back-bish...but why must people continue to do that to her. She's obviously a women and these pretty-face actresses aren't even cooking in the same kitchen as her when it comes to acting. I brush my teeth with Swank.
• I'm also brushing my teeth with the new R. Kelly joint, "Closet". I HATE, HATE, HATE R. Kelly. Hate his music, hate his image and hate his sexual deviancy...but I can;t front on this new joint. It's a masterpiece. Not becuase the song particullarly sounds good, but because it's so genius. He basically made song out of a pretty interesting sounding movie that had realistic, interesting dialougue. I hate the music and his voice, but the song slays me everytime I hear it. More on Kells in another blog becuase I have huge issues with him. Namely: Should I incriminate this black man, when I hate when people do that to other accused black men? Is he an all-time great artist, even if the Music Dude doesn't dig his music? If so, why.
• Yeungling Light is the worse beer ever! I'm not joking.