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.
I was sitting in my bed watching an episode of The Wire on my laptop when a good friend of mine texted me the following:
"Who's this Canelo Alvarez cat? He have any chance against Mayweather?"
I had no idea the fight between Floyd "Money" Mayweather and Saul "Canelo" Alvarez had even been made yet. My initial response was:
"Probably the only fighter in boxing who can beat him.."
On paper, he may be the toughest opponent Floyd "Money" Mayweather has ever faced! Canelo is a young and hungry champion with absolutely no fear of his opponents. His left hook to the body can be devastating. He has power with both hands. He's bigger than Floyd. He's never tasted the canvas and most importantly, he's never faced defeat. Canelo comes into the ring with an imposing record of 42-0-1 with 30 of his opponents falling victim to knockout. Anyone who's seen Saul "Canelo" Alvarez fight will tell you that when he hits a fighter.. the room shakes.
Now it'd be easy to jump on Canelo's bandwagon and forecast Floyd's first defeat on September 14th, but anyone who's followed Floyd Mayweather's career knows that one of the main components to his undefeated record in the ring... is his ability to manipulate outside the ring.
Floyd is not a crowd-pleasing fighter. He doesn't woo boxing fans with tantalizing power or YouTube worthy knockouts. People don't pay money to see him fight because of his athleticism or his great defensive skills. Most fight fans couldn't even tell you his signature punch (lead right hand). The reason Floyd "Money" Mayweather is the undisputed king of boxing is simple; he's undefeated. If and when Floyd faces defeat, that mystique will be gone. That is why Floyd took this fight. He know's something. On paper it doesn't make sense. Canelo's a lion! A beast in the squared circle! Floyd doesn't fight these type of fighters. He's been ducking Pacquiao for these same reasons... because Pac-Man's a threat to his legacy .
So why would Floyd choose Canelo?
He's in the know. Floyd sees something we don't see. Something that will make this fight much easier than it would appear to be. He's said it himself, boxing is "Chess.. not checkers" and Floyd "Money" Mayweather is five steps ahead of us all.
Fight Analysis:
I see the fight starting with massive tension. Both fighters will respect each other in the first couple rounds with Canelo making it a point to impose his size on the smaller Mayweather. By the 3rd round, Canelo will land and land hard! He will gain Mayweather's respect and that's where the adjustments will be made. I fully expect Mayweather to be a pure boxer in this fight.. Once we reach the mid-point of the bout, you will see Mayweather racking up the rounds and frustrating his opponent. Canelo will not yield to Mayweather and I see him being aggressive throughout the fight, only to be out-boxed and out-witted by the master of strategy. Mayweather will use his aggression against him and counter him with straight right hands all night.
Canelo's only chance is to knock Mayweather out within the first 5-6 rounds and I just don't see that happening. Floyd knows this. Floyd watched the Austin Trout and Shane Mosely fight. He knows Canelo fights in spurts and has a tendency to tire in the later rounds.
My official prediction:
Mayweather wins by Unanimous Decision.
Contrary to popular belief, the sport of Boxing is
strong. The major fights still sellout
and pay-per-view buys are healthy. With
the emergence of MMA and the country’s undying love for its three major sports
(Football, Basketball and Baseball), Boxing’s had to take somewhat of a
backseat in America. I’m not sure Boxing
will ever capture America like it once did in the golden era, but I do know
that a Canelo Alvarez victory over Floyd Mayweather will provide resurgence to the
sport.
Courtesy of www.daily.co.uk.
Floyd “Money” Mayweather has been the face of the sport ever
since Oscar De La Hoya’s steady decline into retirement. Now Floyd’s an incredible fighter and one of
the all-time greats, but he’s not the fighter you want as the face of the sport
at a time where Boxing is considered an afterthought to the average sports
fan. He’s not overly exciting, he doesn’t
engage in action packed fights and most importantly, he’s not willing to fight
the very best fighters in the sport.
That’s not to discredit what he’s accomplished in the ring, but what
makes boxing such a captivating sport is the heart and determination of a
fighter. They’re supposed to be modern
day gladiators!
The greatest era of all-time, in my opinion, was the late
70’s and early 80’s when Sugar “Ray” Leonard, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler and
Thomas “Hitman” Hearns were all in the prime of their careers. What made them so special, was their fortitude
to be known as the best. They fought
whoever was best or was claimed to be the best.. and they wanted to destroy
them!
Floyd’s a businessman in a sport
that’s been stained with a reputation for bad business. It's not a good look.
We need a new face of Boxing… We need a fighter that lures the casual fan
into buying a pay-per-view event and ends the night in awe of how beautiful
Boxing truly can be! A fighter that
doesn’t care who they put in front of him… A warrior… A determined fighter who
will take chances and be carried out of the ring before he gives way to any
opponent. A boxer who will fight Adrien
Broner, Brandon Rios, Sergio Martinez, Manny Pacquiao (hmm..) and the other
best fighters in the sport.
Boxing has that in Canelo, and come September 14th,
let’s hope he dethrones the king.
Struggle is a common word in each and every one of our lives. We deal with struggle on a daily basis. Whether it's struggling with our jobs, struggling with our relationships or even struggling with ourselves; struggle is embedded in the fibers of our everyday being.
In the midst of struggle, we look for a light.. a reason to strive for better.. a path of some sorts. My solution is something I like to call the ultimate tranquility.. and it's our children. The moment you look into the eyes of your child and see the purity of everything this life has to offer can be a mesmerizing experience! It's that moment where you realize that no matter what this life has given or taken from you.. you've created perfection! You've created something that is and will always be yours!
Courtest of Clarocet.co
I often say that my daughter is a "replication of me that I will never be".
I created her (with the help of her mother I guess) and she's the purest part of me. Stress and depression are not on her agenda. At the end of the day, she just wants me to be Daddy. I make it a point almost every night to go in her room after she's asleep and give her a kiss. She's my tranquility and the reason I'm able to push stress and struggle to the side. She's my light.. my reason.. my path.
We're going to face struggle in everything we do. We're even going to struggle with our kids. So when those moments are too much for us, look towards that unconditional love of your child.. that little piece of you that's perfection.. the ultimate tranquility.
