A legend is gone. In the midst of all the purple ambiance, condolences and endless loops of classic material, only one thought seizes my mind; The world lost a genius.
Wherever you come out on Prince is irrelevant. His place in history is cemented. Forty-four top 100 hits on the Billboard charts for a twenty year span doesn't even scratch the surface of the man's influence on the music industry.
But to me, Prince was more than music... he was the epitome of artistry.
His character in the movie "Purple Rain" related to me in a way that transcended the way I looked at the creative process. Prince didn't just make music.. he extracted every aspect of his inner being to a melody.
"Your music makes sense to no one... but yourself" - Purple Rain
Never did he attempt to appease or appeal to the masses. Monetary success to Prince wasn't a goal, it was merely a byproduct of his artistic expression. I've continued to follow his career while most only remember the classics from years before... and in a musical era where following a trend seems to be the right of passage, Prince continued to express himself.
Prince was more than music. He's been a major influence in my life from a creative standpoint. In whatever facet I choose as an outlet for my artistic expression, Prince remains an auspice.
When digging deep in the crates of classic Prince material, these songs will always resonate with me .
"Beautiful Ones" - Purple Rain
"Adore" - Sign 'O' the Times
"Insatiable" - Diamonds and Pearls
"When Doves Cry" - Purple Rain
"Future Baby Mama" - Planet Earth
Rest in Peace Prince... there will never be another like you.
Today I was asked if there was anything in the world I could
have for Christmas, what would it be? World peace comes to mind… maybe a
million dollars... an Xbox One… eternal life would be quite intriguing… but if
I could have the choice of anything in the world, it would be to sit ringside
at my imagination’s ultimate boxing card.
The event would take place on Christmas Day at the MGM Grand
in Las Vegas. I’d fly in early Christmas Eve for the
weigh-in where the stare down between Mike Tyson and Rocky Marciano would be
eerie. The crowd would make Mayweather-Hatton’s
weigh-in look like a backyard cookout.
Mexican flags would dominate the backdrop with Puerto Rican and
Panamanian flags sprinkled throughout the crowd. Chants of “Chavez, Chavez” would cause
Roberto Duran to shout obscenities at the obnoxious fans while Sugar Shane
Mosley’s devious smile belittled Pretty Boy Floyd. It would be mayhem! The type of weigh-in that
was so spectacular, that it could only be seen on pay-per-view.
Prior to the card, I’d have dinner at Battista’s Hole in the
Wall accompanied by Bert Sugar, Al Bernstein and Dan Rafael. We’d discuss each fight in detail, only to
disagree on our final predictions.
When I’d walk into the MGM Grand escorted by the gorgeous
Minka Kelly, the atmosphere would be scintillating. The arena would be electric… DJ Premier in
the center of the ring warming up the crowd playing hip-hop’s finest… Movie
stars, singers, personalities everywhere… I’d take my seat with Jack Nicholson
to my left and Charles Barkley to Minka’s right. Nothing could beat my viewpoint of the
ring. HBO would broadcast this amazing
card with the likes of Jim Lampley, Emmanuel Steward and Max Kellerman. Joe Cortez would ref every match and Michael
Buffer would announce every fight like it was the main event. This is the preface of my one wish… my one
dream.
The
ultimate night of boxing
Ultimate Featherweight Championship
Salvador Sanchez vs. Manny “Pac-Man” Pacquiao
Fresh off his 15th round TKO of Azumah Nelson,
Salvador Sanchez would come into the ring against Manny Pacquiao an
overwhelming favorite. Chants of
“Me-hee-co, Me-hee-co” would reach decibel levels unheard of. Once the bell
rang, Manny would utilize his agile footwork to create odd angles to land his
vintage straight left. His hand speed
and footwork would confuse the Mexican superstar. The beginning of the fight would belong to
Manny with Salvador’s
moments coming few and far between. In
round 6, and over-aggressive Manny would get countered by a beautiful right
hand, landing him on the both knees.
Cortez would get to an eight count before Manny rose up. The round would end with both men on their
feet, but momentum clearly swinging in Salvador’s
direction. They’d battle back and forth…
Manny’s one-two… Salvador’s
counter right and left hook to the body… it would be the ultimate battle of
attrition. By round ten, Manny would
slow down just enough for Sanchez to land a barrage of punches forcing referee
Joe Cortez to stop the fight! The crowd
would erupt!! Sanchez would run to the ring post closest to me with his arms in
air, thanking God for this one last opportunity to prove he’s the best
featherweight in boxing history.
Ultimate Lightweight Championship
“Pretty Boy” Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. “Sugar” Shane Mosley
I’ve always dreamt of what a Mosley-Mayweather Jr. matchup
would look like with both fighters in their prime. Sugar would be a slight favorite upon
announcement of the fight, but the thought of Mayweather Jr. losing would have sports
books in Vegas having no choice but to declare the fight a pick-em. From the moment the clock began to tick in
round one, it would be evident that we were seeing something we’ve never seen
before. The amount of hand speed
administered in the ring would be blinding.
Mosley’s jab-jab-right would keep Mayweather Jr. at a distance while
Floyd studied his opponent for the first two rounds. In round three, Mosley would connect with a flush
right hand, too quick for Floyd to incorporate the infamous shoulder roll, and
wobble the young champ. Mosley would
press and go for the finish but Floyd’s superior footwork and athleticism would
allow him to escape near tragedy in the ring.
The crowd would be in a frenzy!! The next round would change the course
of boxing forever. The young Floyd
Mayweather Jr. would come out in round four with something to prove. He’d control the first half of the round sticking
Shane with his jab and opening up lanes for his quick combinations. Shane would look for opportunities to counter,
but Floyd would be too slick. A
flustered Mosley would throw out the countering strategy and box with
Floyd. Jab with his jab.. match Floyd
punch for punch. A flurry of hand speed
would explode in the middle of the ring only to finish with a beautiful left
hook ending what would forever be known as “the hook that changed boxing”. There would be no need for referee Joe Cortez
to count as the recipient of this beautiful left hook would lie face down on
the MGM branded canvas. The face of
boxing for coming years would only be known by his moniker…. Sugar.
Ultimate Jr. Welterweight Championship
Julio Cesar Chavez vs. Roberto Duran
If I had to choose only one fight, this would be it. This would be the ultimate battle of will,
heart, strength and determination. It’s
the type of fight that would be so action packed, you wouldn’t wanna
blink! Duran would start off fast!
Slipping punches and countering everything Chavez brought his way. Julio would absorb Duran’s punches while
working to land his patented left hook to the body. Rounds would pass and each fighter would lose
just a little bit more with each passing moment. The fight wouldn’t end their careers, but
each fighter would never be the same.
There’d be no knockdowns and each round would be incredibly tough to
score. Duran’s face would look unscathed but his gasping for air would suggest
that his body had gone through war.
Chavez’s face would wear a mask of blood with a grimace so rugged, the
doctor wouldn’t have the guts to call a halt to the bout. It would be a man’s fight. At the end of round eleven, both men would
collapse on their stools, pleading with their corner not to stop the
fight. I’d sit there wishing the fight
was over because my respect for both fighters is so high, I’d want them to
fight another day. Luckily, Chavez’s
corner would throw in the towel to the dismay of the beaten Mexican
superstar. It’d be a fight so
tumultuous, the entire crowd would need an hour intermission to recover from
the brutality. Hands of Stone vs. El Cesar del Boxeo… doesn’t get much better than that.
Ultimate Jr. Middleweight Championship
Thomas “Hitman” Hearns vs. Felix “Tito” Trinidad
I love boxing more than any other sport. No sport is more emotionally taxing than the
sweet science. My favorite fighter of
all-time is Felix “Tito” Trindidad. To
get the opportunity to see him fight Thomas “Hitman” Hearns would be boxing
entertainment at its finest. The amount
of tension in the crowd was so thick, it would look like the fighters were
walking in slow motion to the ring.
Thoughts of Hagler-Hearns would run through everyone’s mind. We would all know that this fight wouldn’t
last more than three rounds, but the action would be enough for three fights
combined. Chills would capture my body
from head to toe. The bell would ring
and I’d be shaking. There’d be no
feeling out process, this was war.
Hearns would stick Tito with his stiff jab with the pure intention of
opening up a lane for his devastating machine-gun like right hand. Tito would
eat the jab but fire his off his own version.
Tito’s sole intention would be counter his right hand with his
award-winning left hook. By the middle
of round one, Hearns right hand would create an opening and pull the trigger.
No counter, just an explosion of power.
Tito’s body would stumble forward as if he was shot by a sniper. In round one?! The crowd would react with a
shock! What a right hand!! The same right hand that saw Roberto Duran collapse
face first on the canvas! But Tito would
rise before Joe Cortez’s ten count. He’d
escape the round. Tito’s father, his
trainer, would slap him on both sides of his face, pleading with his son to let
his hands go. Round two would begin and
Tito would be a different animal. Hearns
would come out intent on ending the fight, but Tito would share the same
intentions. Hearns would unload another
vicious right hand at the same time as Tito, but Tito’s landed first with a
demoralizing left hook to follow. Hearns
wouldn’t know what hit him. He’d crumble
to the canvas, only to attempt to rise too quick and fall across his body like
a dizzy child. Hearns would make one
more attempt to pull himself up, only to rise a second later than Joe Cortez’s
ten count. It would be over and the
crowd would explode!! Everyone in the arena would look at each other in awe of
what they just witnessed. Power… pure
power. In the end, while Hearns right
hand was the greatest of our era, “Tito” Trinidad
possessed lightning in both hands.
Ultimate Heavyweight Championship
“Iron” Mike Tyson vs. Rocky Marciano
What better way to end my ultimate fantasy boxing card then
to have toughest man in the sport face the baddest man on the planet! Both fighters would enter the ring to nothing
but crowd noise. No entry music. No announcers. Marciano would enter in his old school satin
robe and Tyson in his famous white towel, black trunks and black shoes. The fight would end in a knockout, that was
inevitable… the question was “who?”… The
stare-down in the middle of the ring would be that of a chase scene in a horror
movie. We all would know what was about to happen… mayhem in the form of
organized boxing. There’s no need to go
into the specifics of this fantasy fight.
We all know what both fighters are about and that’s hitting with bad
intentions. Tyson would knockout Rocky
Marciano, giving him his first loss and appeasing his mentor Cus D’amato. The hype, weigh-in and post-fight interviews
would all be longer than the fight itself.
Either way, the crowd would walk away satisfied.
If I could choose whatever I wanted for Christmas, this
would be the ultimate gift! The power to
create my own fantasy fight card would be heaven for me. My life would be complete! Well, almost
complete… is it too much to ask for a Cleveland Browns Super Bowl Victory?
From time to time, a boxer emerges from the cluster of
decent fighters only to hi-jack the imagination of millions of boxing fans
around the world. Ideas begin to nurture
about potential match-ups and comparisons with the legends cultivate after each
fight. It’s a beautiful sight, mostly
because it proves once again that boxing continues to regenerate itself through
the emergence of world class fighters.
Next up… Adrien “The Problem” Broner.
Broner possesses the type of talent in the ring that could
captivate America.
He has blinding hand speed. He’s an
incredible athlete. His defense is world
class. The twenty-four year old “superstar
in the making” has power in both hands and WANTS to hurt you. That’s what separates Broner from fighters of
the past that had similar attributes.
He’s in the ring to embarrass you… stop you… and prove day-in and
day-out that he is the best fighter in the world. He also possesses the type of personality that
will sell and have the world enthralled by his antics.
Comparisons have already
been made linking Broner to Floyd Mayweather Jr. They do have similar fighting styles, but
what seems to separate Broner from Mayweather Jr., is his willingness to take
chances in the ring. Broner will finish
you. He’s not a defensive fighter. The moment he sees his opponent in trouble,
he looks to punish him. It’s a trait
that boxing fans have been BEGGING Floyd Mayweather Jr. to incorporate, only to
be let dow over and over again. Adrien
Broner’s a different breed. The one aspect of his game that we have yet to
see is going to determine whether or not Adrien Broner will solidify himself in
elite status; his heart. Luckily, boxing
has an innate way of showcasing what we all want to know.
Tonight, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, TX,
Adrien Broner puts his 27-0 (22 KO’s) record on the line against his toughest
and most rugged opponent yet; Marcos Maidana.
Maidana’s not an elite fighter but he’s a quality opponent and poses the type of
threat that will push Broner to a different level. Broner will be hit and hit hard. How will he respond? What happens if/when he
gets hurt? Knocked down even? These are
questions that boxing fans want answered and I have a feeling after tonight,
we’ll find out everything we need to know about Adrien Broner.
“Imagine the journey
of a man facing an insurmountable task…
Visualize the trials and tribulations that man must go through in order
to accomplish his goal… and when all seems lost, somehow he turns it around. The accomplishment is climatic and exudes the
feeling of a majestic moment! In the
end, he rides into the sunset beloved for not what he achieved, but the
struggle it took to get there.”
What you just read was the tagline to the LeBron James
story… or at least it should have been.
On the eve of his return to Cleveland after leaving three and a half
years ago, the player who’s been scrutinized more than any other athlete in our
lifetime will never be able to please everyone.
The consensus was, once “The King” wins a title, he will silence the
masses and the incredulous amount of negative energy towards him. Unfortunately, that will never happen. It’s not solely because of “The Decision”,
his self-centered prophecy of 8 championships, and it’s definitely not because
of his play on the court. LeBron James
is and will always be vilified for ruining the ending of an epic story.
It was all set up perfectly; Hollywood-esque! The Akron
born ‘phenom’ gets drafted by his hometown team who had been starving for a
championship since their conquest of the National Football League in 1964. The goal was simple and the task was heavy,
but with LeBron it was possible. While
LeBron had his share of critics with Cleveland
as well, he was also perceived in a positive light. People wanted him to win! It was the “feel good” story that we all
crave during the doldrums of everyday life.
We all knew, or thought we knew the ending… but it didn’t matter…
because the story leading up to the climax was THAT good! So when LeBron James decided to leave Cleveland after the worst
playoff performance of his career, he re-wrote our ending. What began as a cultivating story of a hero
looking to restore hope and bring glory to his hometown turned into the makings
of a great story with a horrific ending. The so-called “glory” he was supposed
to bring Cleveland
ended with him casting shame on the city.
This was a twist that no one saw coming.
Looking back on his last year in Cleveland, one game comes to mind…
It was January 21st, 2010. NBA fans across the nation were dreaming of a
LeBron vs. Kobe
finals. This regular season matchup between the Cavaliers and the Lakers was
simply a pre-cursor to what we thought was inevitable. The game was a true testament to what we all
believed was different about the 2010 iteration of the Cleveland
Cavaliers. They beat everyone from the
elite to the doormats of the league and with LeBron James’ free agency looming
in the background, it was almost written in the stars that he would bring a
championship to Cleveland. This game was also the first time where I
genuinely believed that LeBron would re-sign with the Cavs.
There was a moment in the 4th quarter… where LeBron made one
of his patented “and-1’s”…
He ran to the side of the court to address the crowd..
flexing his muscles, pulling the Cavs embroidery towards the cameras
signifying that “this is my team!”…
I
said to myself -- “There’s no way he leaves Cleveland…”
Oh how I was fooled.
We all know what happened next.. The Cavaliers failed to
make the NBA Finals, losing to a lesser talented Celtics team, and LeBron took
his talents to SouthBeach.
Did LeBron make the right choice? Yes. Did he earn his two titles? Of course he
did. He’s solidified himself as the best
player in the NBA and one of the best we’ve ever seen. His playoff performances are for the
ages! The only thing LeBron failed to do
was give us the climax we all wanted to see.
Sports are great drama, but what also makes sports so
amazing is the fact that it’s NOT scripted.
This is reality and LeBron James is not a character; he’s a man. He’s also the writer to the story we all
wanted to see. Unfortunately for us, he
had his own ending in mind.
Imagine being told that you won’t have the opportunity to
reach your ultimate goal in life because you’re told that the competition to
reach that goal is not good enough. Not
only that, but if your competition IS good enough, you still can’t reach your
goal because the reputation of that competition is still weak. It’s a quintessential no-win situation.
I’m speaking about this myriad of corruption that is better
known as Division One College Football.
Each year we witness this corruption which I like to call modern day
brainwashing.
Before every season, the public is fed a pre-season poll
that basically dictates the entire year’s rankings and National Championship
participants. How you may ask? It starts
with reputation. For the past 7 years,
the reputation is that the SEC is above and beyond every other BCS conference
in College Football. To the conference’s
credit, they do own the National Championship Trophy for the past 7 years. I
personally think the SEC is a great conference and would even say it’s the
nation’s best, but to discredit other schools in major conferences and not judge
them in the same manner is corruption at its finest.
Let’s take a look at the pre-season rankings for the 2013
season:
College Football Preseason AP Top 25
Ranking
Team
1
Alabama
2
Ohio
State
3
Oregon
4
Stanford
5
Georgia
6
South
Carolina
7
Texas
A&M
8
Clemson
9
Louisville
10
Florida
11
Florida
State
12
LSU
13
Oklahoma
State
14
Notre
Dame
15
Texas
16
Oklahoma
17
Michigan
18
Nebraska
19
Boise
State
20
TCU
21
UCLA
22
Northwestern
23
Wisconsin
24
USC
25
Oregon
State
Six of the Top 12 teams are from the SEC. On the other hand, only one team in the Top 12
is from the Big Ten. As of Week 10,
there are 5 teams from the SEC in the AP Top 25 and still only 1 team from the
Big Ten. That lonely Big Ten team in the Top 12 just happens to be the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes, who are currently
on a twenty-one game winning streak. The
Buckeyes are ranked #4 in the AP poll, Coaches Poll and BCS. This is where the brainwashing really comes
into play.
The SEC is a great conference but is highly
overrated. The Big Ten is not as good as
the SEC from top to bottom, but is vastly underrated. Other conferences such as the ACC, Pac-10 and
Big 12 are victims of this corruption as well, but not one team is being
punished more than the Buckeyes.
Ohio State started the year ranked #2 in the
pre-season poll and has yet to lose.
They’re 5th in scoring, 9th in points allowed and
7th in rushing. Their average
margin of victory is thirty-one points.
After twenty-one consecutive victories, including an undefeated 2012
campaign, the Buckeyes have fallen in the polls and may not get the opportunity
to play for a National Championship.
Why you may ask? It’s simple… brainwashing.
Voters do not want to give the Big Ten any
credit, therefore any and all Big Ten conference wins are somewhat weightless. Look at the top teams in SEC and the top
teams in the Big Ten. Alabama and Ohio
State are at the top of their respective conferences. So let’s compare the rest --
Auburn is ranked #7 in the AP poll and their
biggest win is against Texas A&M (conference game). Their one loss came against LSU (conference
game). Missouri is 8-1 with their lone
loss being against South Carolina (conference game) in a thriller. Their biggest win is against Georgia
(conference game) who was ranked #5 in the pre-season poll but has since lost 3
games and is not currently ranked. Other
top teams in the conference include LSU who is ranked #10, Texas A&M ranked
#11 and South Carolina who is ranked #13.
The three aforementioned teams each have 2 losses, yet maintain a Top 15
ranking in the polls.
Every team in the SEC plays roughly 8-9
conference games a year.. Since the SEC
is consistently perceived to be the “dominant” conference, then not only will
their conference wins be valued significantly higher than every other non-SEC
team, but their losses will be as well.
How is this not corruption? If a
conference is “considered” better and the teams in that conference
pre-determined to be better than the rest of the nation, how can the NCAA
consider their system/league to be legit?
Now let’s take a look at the rest of the Big
Ten. In the pre-season polls, Michigan
was ranked #17, Nebraska #18, Northwestern #22 and Wisconsin opened the season
ranked #23. Northwestern is a perfect
example of this corruption. With their
victory over another overrated SEC team (Mississippi State) in last year’s
Gator Bowl, they opened the season in the Top 25.
Fast forward to week 10 and you’ll only find one
of the previously mentioned teams in the Top 25. That would be the Wisconsin
Badgers who are currently ranked #21 in the AP Poll and display a 6-2
record. One of those losses was a 2
point loss in overtime to #22 Arizona State.
The other loss was a 7 point loss on the road to #2 Ohio State. So please tell me, what’s the difference
between Wisconsin and Texas A&M? or LSU? or South Carolina? All four teams lost twice, with Texas A&M
and Wisconsin having the “best” losses (Alabama and Ohio State). Brainwashing at its best!
It gets better… Let’s look at a few other Big 10
teams.
Michigan was ranked #17 in the preseason poll
and Nebraska was ranked #18. Both teams are
currently 6-2 and both are NOT in the top 25 anymore. Michigan lost to Penn State (conference game)
in 4 overtimes and #17 Michigan State (more on them later) who is currently
8-1. Nebraska lost to UCLA who is ranked
#16 and Minnesota (conference game). Then there’s Michigan State whose only
loss is on the road to #24 Notre Dame and happens to have one of the best
defenses in the nation. With Michigan,
Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State, how can anyone justify the
validity of the conference? It’s easy to fall into the hypothetical “Well if
they played against Texas A&M/LSU/INPUT YOUR FAVORITE SEC TEAM HERE…” garbage. The point is they DON’T play each other, so
the hypothetical match-up is a facade that’s determined by brainwashing.
The perception is that the Big Ten is weak and
futile… therefore their wins against each other don’t mean much and their
losses in conference are devastating.
The perception is that the “almighty” SEC is incredibly
strong… therefore their wins and losses against each other hold more weight,
which in turn means higher rankings, better bowls and a continued quality
reputation.
It’s a cycle that puts a team like Ohio State in
a no-win situation. If wins against
Wisconsin, Michigan and Michigan State are minimal due to a pre-determined
ranking and a perception that is not credible, then the system is beyond
broken, it’s corrupted. On top of that,
the validity of the school’s victories are scrutinized and dissected. Not only does a team like Ohio State have to
win, they must DESTROY the teams in their conference in order to gain
respect. Beating a quality Wisconsin
team by seven points hurt the Buckeyes. Yet,
when Alabama barely beats Texas A&M, it only strengthens their position as
the best team in the nation.
How about the LSU Tigers? They lost to the un-ranked
Georgia Bulldogs and un-ranked Ole Miss, yet they are somehow ranked #10 in the
AP Top 25. So when Alabama destroys them
in tonight’s match-up, it’ll just be another “quality” win on Alabama’s resume.
It’s corruption… brainwashing… and a cycle that
needs to be broken.
There’s a very good chance that the 2013 Ohio
State Buckeyes will be on the outside looking in and despite winning
twenty-four games in a row, will not a not have a chance to accomplish their
ultimate goal of winning a National Championship. A team that was perceived as the #2 team in
the country before the season started, yet fell in the polls despite never
losing a game.
A world where people want to be shown rather than told.. given instead of earned.. settle rather than invest the energy in something sustainable. It's part of the reason this country's younger generation is struggling with debt and lacks the innate ability to save for the future. Society has adopted the "Y.O.L.O." (You Only Live Once) attitude..
"Get yours now.. worry about later, well.. later"
This couldn't be more prevalent than in Hip-Hop today. Hip-Hop's a culture that's been showcased through visual art (graffiti), dance, fashion and most notably, music. The musical aspect was birthed by the DJ but sensationalized by the spoken word. Unfortunately, the culture has continued to see a steady decline in its most unique quality; lyricism. An emcee used to be a modern day poet. Rapper's like Rakim, KRS-ONE, EPMD and LL Cool J were rhyming with more creativity and meaning behind their rhymes than the artists of today. Why is that?! Art is supposed to evolve. The culture's supposed to build upon itself and continue to push the envelope. Why would the foundation of what made the art so unique become an afterthought within the culture? The answer's easy... instant gratification. It's the same reason poetry is damn near dead in today's society. Nobody wants to interpret what a poet/writer is conveying through their words. They want the idea handed to them without having to use an ounce of thought. That's why movies have completely taken over the entertainment world and we've seen a decline in the popularity of books. What's the point in imagining what will happen when I can see it played out on screen right in front of me?? That's another reason reality shows are so popular. People don't have time to think anymore...
"I start thinking, how many souls hip-hop has affected, how many dead folks this art resurrected.. how many nations this culture connected, who am I to judge one's perspective?.. Though some of that shit y'all pop true, I ain't relating.. If I don't like it, I don't like it, that don't mean that I'm hating.. I just wanna innovate and stimulate minds.. travel the world and penetrate the times..." - Common
It was 1997... The highly anticipated follow-up album to Wu-Tang Clan's "36 Chambers" was set to release in a few weeks. YO! on MTV had an exclusive premiere of Wu-Tang's first single "Triumph" off the new album (Wu-Tang Forever). The bees were swarming.. RZA's production was symphonic with beautiful strings seeping through my television speakers.. and then it happened. Inspectah Deck. hanging off the side of a skyscraper, dropped one of the sickest verses in Hip-Hop history...
"I bomb atomically, Socrates, philosophies and hypothesis can't define how I be droppin' these.. mockeries, lyrically performed armed robbery.. flee with the lottery, possibly they spotted me.. battle-scarred shogun, explosion when my pen hits, tremendous.. ultra violet shine blind forensics..." - Inspectah Deck
That's a moment in Hip-Hop that I'll always remember.. and honestly, there haven't been too many moments like that since. Moments like the first time I heard "Stan" by Eminem. The subtle way he told a story from the perspective of a crazed fan, only to make it all come together at the end. How about when Nas made his Hip-Hop debut on "Live at the BBQ" and it was obvious he offered a type of lyricism we had never seen before?! I couldn't wait for my monthly issue of The Source to see who had the "Hip-Hop Quotable of the Month". I remember reading the lyrics to Chino XL's "Inferiority Complex" and being stunned by his ability to fit so many words in a bar! Canibus's coming out party on the Lost Boyz "Beast from the East" where he crucified everyone including Redman on the record...
"A hundred times nicer than the best is, twice as arrogant as KRS is, who wanna test this?.. Fuck y'all, you can't impress me and no one can test me.. an emcee so ill, I got AIDS scared to catch me.. All that shit you poppin' will stop, when I put you in a headlock and apply pressure to your muthafuckin' noggin.. I grab mics and push niggas to the left, so fast their hearts end up on the right sides of their chest.. my hypo-thesis, is that nobody can see this, lyrical genius.. I got it sewed like a seamstress.." - Canibus
The truth is I could write a book on the "Death of the Lyricist" in Hip-Hop. Don't get it confused, there are some incredible lyricists in the game today, but the industry has suppressed the talent. A main aspect to the demise of lyricism is the fact that rapper's drop too much product. There's no anticipation anymore! Every time I visit sites like www.hiphopdx.com or www.datpiff.com, there's a new track by today's finest emcees. It's too easy for an emcee to broadcast himself and it's easy publicity. Drop a new verse and get some free pub! It's become quantity over quality.. and for the listener, once again it's instant gratification.
The 90’s was definitely the decade of the sitcom.. The list
is deep with the likes of Friends, Roseanne, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and many
more. With all the heavy hitting sitcoms
in the 90’s, two were able to set themselves apart from the rest and impact situational
comedy like no other show before.
Seinfeld and Martin changed the landscape for not only sitcoms, but also
for stand-up comedians looking to land their own show.
While both shows made
their mark in their own way, only one can be crowned as the greatest sitcom of
all-time.
The tale of the tape is quite one-sided. Seinfeld trumps Martin in overall accolades,
winning 10 Emmys including having the #1 rated show in 94-95 and 97-98. It aired for 9 seasons and the show’s star,
Jerry Seinfeld, was offered an astronomical amount of $5 million dollars an
episode to return for a 10th season.
I’m not sure what’s crazier; NBC offering him that amount or him turning
it down? Either way, the show is in
syndication and continues to find itself as a fan favorite. Martin, on the other hand, was on the air for
5 seasons and won the 1993 People’s Choice Award for Favorite New TV Series. It
is also in syndication.
Seinfeld’s about nothing.. Martin’s about, well,
Martin. It’s a tough debate, but one
that has to be settled once and for all.
The only way to resolve such a monumental debate was to break it down
into specific categories:
Characters
Cultural Impact
Favorite Episodes
“Seinfeld Funny” vs.”Martin Funny”
Quality Seasons
CHARACTERS -
MARTIN VS. THE FIELD – This category was tough to judge
because of one reason; it’s an ensemble cast vs. one man. In Martin, it’s all about Martin Lawrence
playing a number of characters. From Sheneneh,
Dragon Fly Jones, Otis the Security Guard, Mama Payne to my all-time favorite
Jerome, Martin is a one man wrecking crew of comedic characters. His supporting cast is strong, but at the end
of the day, it’s all about Martin.
Seinfeld’s main characters have a story line that all comes
together in each episode. They all have
their moments and all have their individual attributes. Jerry Seinfeld is the smart-ass.. George
Costanza is the insecure one.. Cosmo Kramer is the clumsy goof-ball and Elaine
Benes balances them out. On top of the
main characters, “Feld” has a number of outlandish characters that make
appearances such as Bania, Uncle Leo, Newman, Soup Nazi, “The Drake” etc… I’m a
huge George and Jerry fan! The episodes
usually shine when they’re at their best.:
Conclusion – Such a tough choice to make, but when it’s all
said and done, Martin is the funniest man on the screen. At any point of any scene, Martin WILL make
you laugh regardless of how good the episode is.
Edge – Martin
CULTURAL IMPACT –
Both shows have impacted the culture in
their own ways. Seinfeld is the master
of catch phrases:
“No soup for you!”
“I had lobster
bisque, we went back to my place, yada yada yada, I never heard from him again”
“Serenity Now!”
“These pretzels are making me thirsty!”
Martin is no slouch either:
“You go girl!”
“I’m a playa.. from the Himalayas!”
“Wuzup, wuzup waaazuup!”
“What’s wrong? You can’t call nobody?”
“Cole…you stupid”
Seinfeld and Martin both related to society in different
ways. Seinfeld related to the everyday
middle class American by subjecting the viewer to the most basic of
situations. Whether it’s keeping a
reservation with a rental car company or waiting for a table at a Chinese
restaurant, Seinfeld related to people because it’s about basically
nothing. You can literally reference a
Seinfeld episode with something you do every single day. Now that’s impact!
Martin’s impact is more demographic. It impacted the urban culture in a massive
way! It represented struggle with its main character starting the show as a
radio disc-jockey living in Detroit. It represented Hip-Hop by basing episodes
around the likes of Kid from Kid “n” Play, Biggie Smalls, Snoop Dog and Method
Man. Most importantly, it represented
the African-American culture in a positive light. Gina Waters (Martin’s girlfriend/wife) and
Pamela James (Gina’s best friend and Martin’s arch-enemy) played successful and
powerful black women. The show never
fell victim to the stereotypes of urban culture.
Conclusion – Both shows impacted society in different ways,
but only one of the two impacted it in a way that had never been done before
and hasn’t been done since.
Edge – Seinfeld
CLASSIC EPISODES –
If by any chance you find someone who
hasn’t seen an episode of either Martin or Seinfeld, reference them to the list
below:
Seinfeld –
5. “The Cigar Store Indian” - Jerry helps George out with a
coffee table stain and makes Elaine take the subway home with a TV Guide in
hand. While on the train Elaine meets a strange man obsessed with television.
George meets a woman at a refinishing store and passes off his parent's home as
his. Jerry presents Elaine with a cigar-store Indian as a peace offering.
Kramer has an idea for a coffee table book.
4. “The Contest” - George is caught masturbating by his
mother causing a contest between the four of them to see who can go without
"it" the longest. Elaine meets John F. Kennedy, Jr. George's mother
is hospitalized and Jerry's girlfriend Marla wants to have sex which he has to
prevent.
3. “The Mango” -
George tells Jerry about his lack of confidence below "the equator"
when he thinks that his girlfriend is "faking" it. Jerry begs Elaine
for another chance when he finds out she faked her orgasms. Kramer gets banned
from his favorite fruit shop.
2. “The Marine
Biologist” - Jerry meets an old college classmate who asked about George, whom
Jerry says is now a "marine biologist." An Russian writer tosses an
Elaine's electronic organizer out of a limousine that hits a woman in the head
and sends her to hospital. Kramer takes up hitting golf balls into the ocean.
George is called on to use his marine
biology skills to save a whale.
1. “The Hamptons” -
Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer visit a house in the Hamptons. George has a
bout with "shrinkage," Kramer steals lobsters, and Elaine is called
"breathtaking" by a handsome doctor.
Martin –
5. “The Parents Are Coming, the Parents Are Coming” - Gina wants Martin to
meet her conservative parents but Martin's feeling nervous. Wanting to make a
good first impression, he takes advice from Tommy and Cole that causes him to
act like an idiot.
4. “Really, Gina is Not My Lover” -
Martin is going to his high school reunion and he wants Gina to be ready for
the big day. So he sends her on a day of beauty, but it ends disastrously. But
Martin is determined to win the Man of the Decade award at his high school
reunion that evening. His pride makes him want to brag to all his old
schoolmates that he is rich and famous, and has a beautiful fashion model
girlfriend.
3. “The Cabin Show” - The gang goes on a camping trip in the woods,
and on a nature walk Pam sprains her ankle, and Martin has to help her back to
the cabin. The two get lost in the woods, just as darkness falls, and nobody
knows how to find them.
2. “Whole Lotto Trouble” - Martin
wins the Michigan Lottery. He celebrates by going out
and buying tons of expensive luxury items and gives money away to his friends,
BEFORE picking up his lottery money. But when he does, he finds out that the winning
ticket is split - 300 ways!
1. “Suspicious Minds” - Martin's new CD Walkman disappears. Stan convinces
him that one of his friends must have taken it since they all have keys to his
apartment. Martin goes around to each of his good friends and accuses them.
ENJOY!!
Conclusion – Both shows have so many quality episodes and that’s why they’re
in this debate in the first place. The
main factor for this category is that Seinfeld had more classic episodes while
Martin had more classic moments.
Edge - Seinfeld
“SEINFELD FUNNY” VS. “MARTIN FUNNY” -
While both sitcoms are funny, there’s a difference between
Seinfeld funny and Martin funny.
Seinfeld is goofy, highly relatable and easily identifiable. Episodes follow a certain theme of
intertwined stories pertaining to its main characters and somehow connecting in
the end. One of my favorite Seinfeld
episodes is “The Chinese Woman” where Jerry dates a girl who’s name implies
she’s Chinese (Donna Chang, short for Changstein) but she’s really, well as
Jerry tells Elaine, just like her. She
offers advice to George’s mother influencing her not to divorce George’s dad,
only for George’s mother to change her mind after finding out she’s not Chinese. The episode ends with a classic Jerry ending…
“You know, you should probably change your name…” - Jerry
That’s "Seinfeld funny." The situations they find themselves
in are second to none and each character offers something different in a
comedic way.
"Martin funny" is a whole different animal. The situations aren’t nearly as creative as
Seinfeld, but the comedy is just as pure.
You can turn on a Martin episode at any time and laugh. Martin is that funny. If you
want to see classic Martin, all you have to do is YouTube the interrogation
scene from the “Suspicious Minds” episode where Martin re-enacts a scene from
New Jack City. Martin is laugh out loud
funny! Only Martin Lawrence could pull off a scene like that..
“Cole, sit your five dollar ass down before I make change…”
- Martin
There are so many moments in Martin that warrant my
attention and this blog would be fifty pages long if I referenced them
all. He’s a clown in every sense of the
word and his blend of incredible timing and physical comedy is second to
none.
Conclusion:
Both types of funny have their place and to choose one over
the other is a tough task. I’d honestly
say that it really depends on your mood.
If a gun was held to my head, and I had to choose one, I would choose
Martin only because I could watch the same episode of Martin repeatedly and he
still makes me laugh.
Edge – Martin
QUALITY SEASONS –
Seinfeld has nine quality seasons and Martin was on the air
for five, but only four were quality.
Unfortunately for Martin, the last season was severely hindered by the
conflict between Martin Lawrence and his leading lady, Gina Campbell. By the middle of the season, they wouldn’t
even share a scene together. The show
suffered severely and it was a foregone conclusion that the series was coming
to an end. The writers turned the focus
towards co-star Tichina Arnold, who played Pam, in an effort to build a
following for a spin-off show. Martin’s
last season was tough to watch but it know way did it tarnish the legacy that
was already built. Seinfeld didn’t have
writer Larry David for the last season, but the show didn’t skip a beat.
It’s hard to overlook Martin’s last season when comparing
the two franchises, but one element that Martin carries over its opponent is being
efficient. Every Martin episode, sans
the final season, is incredibly funny. I
can’t say the same about Seinfeld.
Seinfeld has a number of episodes that I would consider “filler”. That’s not to say they’re not funny episodes,
but they don’t carry nearly the same weight as the majority of Feld shows.
Conclusion: Martin had quality seasons, but in the end,
Seinfeld reigns supreme. Too many classic seasons and too many classic
episodes.
