But not all was bad as 2011 saw the reemergence of Common and Robin Thicke, gave us INCREDIBLE laughter at Ray J’s expense, and gives us something to look forward to as we now embark on 2012.

Y’all know the routine by now, let’s start this off with the most controversial category!

Most Disappointing Album of the Year

Drake – Take Care – Are we done yet? No? God DAMN!

M.O.P. – Sparta – While this album was by no means wack, it wasn’t overly dope either. For 11 years, we’ve been waiting for that definitive album, that definitive single, that definitive banger. The production on Sparta was flat, so much so that the album sounded like it was 2-tracked.

Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne –Talk about a shit turd of an album. Holy shit this album was horrible and I don’t care what anyone thinks about that. Kanye proved, once again, that he’s the corniest rapper of all time. And Jay-Z? He took more plays off on this album than Randy Moss in Minnesota.

Danny Brown – XXX – I’m fully prepared for the backlash I’m going to get for this but it is what it is. The first half of XXX was chocked full of empty rhetoric and punchlines just for the sake of punchlines. The second half of the album was solid. Overall, the album left me disappointed because of how high Danny has set the bar with previous releases such as The Hybrid and the Detroit State Of Mind mixtape series. The production also left me scratching my head on a lot of the tracks.

The Cool Kids – When Fish Ride Bicycles – Here’s to hoping that we won’t see another TCK album in 2012. Not that they’re weak, but this album was anything but audible. The thing about The Cool Kids is that they’ve waited so long to capitalize off of their buzz that they inspired a whole generation of new artists. A generation of new artists that have taken their niche and do it better than they do.

Snoop Dogg – Doggumentary – Snoop, for the love of God, please stop.

Lupe Fiasco – Lasers – There has always been one bright spot in Lupe’s career – his music. If you can get past his arrogance in his every day speech as if he’s better and smarter than everyone, his music was the catalyst for greatness. Then he dropped the shit turd of the year.

Winner: Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch The Throne and Lupe Fiasco – Lasers

Video of the Year

Cold Men Young – Time Bomb – Talk about a video that’s not only aesthetically dope but completely fits the theme of the song in a unique way! Cold Men Young did just that with the video for, “Time Bomb.”

The Black Opera – Villains – The Black Opera, whoever the hell they are, dropped one of the most powerful videos of the year. The symbolism in the video is amazing!

Mayer Hawthorne – The Walk – An amazing video from an amazing artists, Mayer Hawthorne put a musical bed to a Mr. & Mrs. Smith themed movie.

Hawdwerk & Jansport J – Respect – The West Covina duo of emcee Hawdwerk and producer Jansport J dropped a stirring video to a musical backdrop depicting how black youth are often caught up in the destructive cycle of their surroundings.

RenCen CoolBeanz – Bad Ass – If you’re not familiar with RenCen, don’t worry. You will be soon!

Pusha T – Trouble On My Mind feat. Tyler The Creator – It’s no secret that I’m what you would call the polar opposite of a Tyler, The Creator/OFWGKTA fan but dope is dope no matter who it’s from and this song/video was dope.

Clear Soul Forces – Strangers In The Night – The four man duo of Clear Soul Forces made some huge waves in 2011. The visuals for Strangers In The Night were crazy!

Winner: The Black Opera – Villains

Movie of the Year

The Hangover Part II – To be the sequel of one of the funniest comedies of our time, Part II didn’t disappoint. While most people point out that the plot was the same as the first, I say to them: What the fuck did you expect? Idiot.

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon – Yo, Transformers 3 was dope. Screw you guys!

Fast Five – Yo, Fast Five was dope. Screw you guys! I’ll off myself if they end up making a part 6, though.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol – Good ‘ol Tom Cruise took some time off from worshipping space aliens in the hills of Los Angeles to bring some of that good ‘ol crazy magic he has to the big screen.

30 Minutes Or Less – Although I was hoping Aziz Ansari would have been funnier in this movie, the movie was hilarious none the less.

50/50 – This movie did an amazing job on riding the fine borderline of comedy and drama. It tugged at the emotional strings while keeping you in stitches.

Bad Teacher – Cameron Diaz is back! Wow, she NAILED this role.

Winner: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol

“Where You At?” Award for Best Disappearing Act

Ted Williams – Yo, what in the ENTIRE fuck happened to Ted Williams?

Charlie Sheen – Had a spark when you started but now you just garbage. #WINNING!

2 And A Half Men – Had a spark when you started but now you just garbage. #TIGERBLOOD

Kat Stacks – Wasn’t she being deported?

Winner: Ted Williams

Concert/Event of the Year

Royce Da 5’9” album release for Success Is Certain – I’m not biased to Detroit artists and events but if you’re familiar with just how stagnant local progress can be in Detroit then you know it’s an amazing thing to see Detroit come out to pack a 2k + venue for a local artist. They did that for Royce. It was an amazing night, packed with everything from a surprise performance by Bun B and Slaughterhouse to Paul Rosenberg presenting Royce with his Gold plaque for Bad Meets Evil.

Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival – Q-Tip took over the BK Hip Hop Festival 2011 and really made it his own. What an amazing idea the Brooklyn Bodega had to have Q-Tip headline and run through his rich catalog of music and inviting everyone from Kanye West to Busta Rhymes to rock the stage with him.

Paul Rosenberg’s PR40 Birthday Celebration – The much publicized 40^th birthday celebration for the man who has helped introduce Detroit Hip Hop to the world’s eye. The evening was chocked full of special guest performances from the likes of Nas, Rakim, EPMD, Craig G, and Dana Dane.

eLzhi’s album release for eLmatic – Like Royce’s album release party for Success Is Certain, Detroit came in record numbers to celebrate the release of eLZhi’s album release party for eLmatic. It was truly a great thing to see.

Winner: Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival

“Where They Do Dat At?” Excellence in Ignorance Award

Kwame Kilpatrick – How does this jackass continue to make the news?

T.I. – T.I. is the ONLY person on Earth who can go BACK to jail because of the way he went HOME from jail. It’s not funny, but it’s so fucking hilarious!

Arnold Schwarzenegger – Congratulations, it’s an 18 year old Mexican boy!

The Jury in the Casey Anthony Trial – You’ve GOT to be fucking kidding me!

Gucci Mane – Ice cream cone on the face, huh? Dude likes cream on his face, huh?

Rappers STILL having sex with Kat Stacks in 2011 – SMH!

Winner: The Jury in the Casey Anthony Trial

“N*gga, Please!” Award of the Year

Herman Cain – Perhaps the worst thing to happen to me in 2011 was finding out this African baboon footed sambo coon was my 3^rd or 4^th cousin. Everything about his Presidential campaign was a joke.

Canibus – From Twitter slander to Royce Da 5’9” and former group mate Ras Kass from a page he claims was a fake page to verbally attacking J. Cole for the way he gave him praise. Really? Are you serious? Nigga you should be happy anyone even knows your name these days!

The Entire Tea Party – Really? These people are a joke and a slap in the face to democracy. The scary part is all of the people they’ve inspired to ignorance.

Ray J – MONEY TEAM! Right now, Ray J is outside of Fabolous’ house with 50 Toyota Prius’. #MONEYTEAM

Winner: Ray J

“o_O” Award for Worst Line of the Year

Kanye West on Niggas In Paris – “What’s Gucci my nigga?//What’s Louie my killa?//What’s drugs my deala?//What’s that jacket, Margiela?” What in the letter-f, ampersand, asterisk, k does that even mean?

Kanye West on Niggas In Paris – “You know how many hot bitches I own?” What? You OWN people, now?

Kanye West on Gotta Have It – “Racks on racks on racks//Maybachs on bachs on bachs on bachs on bachs//…oh shit it’s just blacks on blacks on blacks.” SMH. Go fall on a blade.

Kanye West on Illest Motherfucker Alive – “Bullet proof condom when I’m in these hoes//Got staples on my dick (why?) fuckin’ centerfolds.” SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Kanye West on every verse – Look, I could make an entire Best (Worst) of 2011 blog based solely off weak ass Kanye lines so I’ll stop now.

Winner: Kanye West

Best New Artist – Hip Hop

Big KRIT – When Return Of 4eva dropped, I damn near lost my mind. I couldn’t believe that for the first time in YEARS, there was finally a legitimate new artist about to take over the game.

Kendrick Lamar – I’ll be honest, it took me a LONG time to warm up to Kendrick Lamar. I never thought he was weak, but I just wasn’t impressed. Then Section.80 came out but by that time all of the over-hype convoluted my viewpoint and I didn’t give it a fair shake. Once I DID give it a fair shake? Well, you’ll find out later as you continue to read.

J. Cole – Finally, we have a Roc Nation album release. For the half-assed promo and lack of attention to him by his label, J. Cole had a good year.

David Dallas – Back in January, I was introduced to the New Zealand emcee. Then his album – The Rost Tint – dropped and I’ve been spreading the word about him ever since.

Winner: Kendrick Lamar

Best Indie Label of the Year

Stones Throw – This year Stones Throw celebrated its 15^th year in business and saw all of their hard works with who is probably their highest selling artist in Mayer Hawthorne move on to the big leagues with a deal from Universal Republic. They’re definitely doing something right!

Duck Down Music – Duck Down had release after release this year, from Pharoahe Monch and Kidz In The Hall to teaming up with Statik Selektah’s Showoff Records imprint and 9^th Wonder’s Jamla Records imprint to release SO much quality in 2011.

Mello Music Group – Perhaps the most consistent label in Hip Hop, Mello is out here living life like a Denzel Washigton quote, “This shit’s chess, not checkers!”

Winner: Stones Throw

Producer of the Year

Hir-O – Hir-O continued his musical dominance in 2011 with the release of his instrumental LP, The Freakstrumental Joint.

14kt – As if 2010 wasn’t a great year for KT musically, he continued with the tradition of excellence in 2011. He dropped two instrumental albums this year and teamed up with Bun B for a track.

9^th Wonder – 9^th introduced the world to his label imprint Jamla Records in 2011, in addition to dropping quality joints of his own.

Winner: 14KT

Best Song of the Year

Common – Sweet – BAHAHAHAHAHAH! Man, I hate Drake!

Kendrick Lamar – Fuck Your Ethnicity – What a major fucking way to start off an album. WOW!

Common – Blue Sky – One of the game’s best singles this year.

Kendrick Lamar – Ronald Reagan Era – Kudos to Kendrick for getting the generation he inspires to actually get back into LYRICS and LYRICISIM. Not since 2Pac has someone with commercial aspirations been able to inspire with lyricism.

Kendrick Lamar – A.D.H.D. – 8 doobies to the face? Nigga, fuck that!

Young Jeezy – Way Too Gone feat. Future – I could care less about a Future but Jeezy went to work!

Moe Dirdee – We Know feat. Jamall Bufford – Holy shit! I’ve placed this track on about 4-5 mixtapes I’ve made in 2011 easily.

JYoung The General – We Got Ya – JYoung takes on the challenge of tearing down a smooth, 40’s-50’s inspired Rat Pack type of vibe laid down by StewRAT and creates a lyrically digestible, commercially viable single for everyone.

Big  Sean – Dance (Ass) – It’s no secret that I’m no fan of Big Sean but props have to be given where they are due. Sonically, his album was crafted perfectly and, “Dance (Ass),” is one of the year’s most addictive songs.

Lupe Fiasco – All Black Everything – Even on that shit tastic of an album, a little bit of the Lupe we used to love was able to shine through.

David Dallas – Caught In A Daze feat. Freddie Gibbs – When I’ve turned this track on, no one could believe that a white guy from New Zealand could have such a smooth, lyrical flow. David Dallas is that dude!

Jay-Z & Kanye West – Murder To Excellence – I’m surprised that one of the worst album of the year could produce such a quality song.

Winner: Moe Dirdee – We Know feat. Jamall Bufford

Mixtape of the Year

Jean Grae – Cookies Or Comas – It’s been a while since we were blessed with a full-length anything from Jean Grae so to hear her in her element on Cookies Or Comas was good for Hip Hop.

FowL – Live From The D – The next one up from Detroit, FowL opened the year with his debut mixtape Live From The D to RAVE reviews and coverage from everywhere.

FowL – Good Vibes – His 2^nd mixtape of 2011, FowL spazzed out on some of Hip Hop’s greatest instrumentals of the 90’s to create amazing music any hip hop head could vibe to.

Skyzoo – The Great Debater – Skyzoo is the fucking man. Hands down. Nothing else to say.

Kid Vishis – Sick Em Vol.2 – The baby brother of Royce Da 5’9”, Kid Vishis, has been showing the world he can more than stand on his own two feet – on Sick Em Vol.2 he stood on one foot while balancing the pressure of being kin to one of the greatest lyricists in the game.

Nametag – Classic Cadence 3 – The final installment in Nametag’s Classic Cadence series, Classic Cadence 3 perfectly displayed what the cousin of Black Milk is all about.

Winner: FowL – Good Vibes

Instrumental Album of the Year

Hir-O – The Freakstrumental Joint – There seems to be nothing this guy can’t do, and no type of beat he can’t make. Hir-O reached out to the ladies for this sensual stimulating effort that included more than just the beats but a complete visual experience.

Yungclassix – Life On The Grid – One of Detroit’s best kept secrets behind the boards, Yungclassix dropped his highly anticipated Life On The Grid in 2011. From Detroit to the UK, the response has been crazy!

14KT – 14killatape – Any time 14KT drops, it’s a good year.

14KT – A Friendly Game Of KT – TWO 14KT drops in a year?

Trebles And Blues – The Blue Note – In 2011, I was introduced to Trebles And Blues out of Los Angeles. Dude is SURGICAL with an MPC!

Winner: 14KT – A Friendly Game Of KT

Extended Play of the Year

JYoung The General – Black History Year: Installment 2 – Black History Year 2 is the second installment in the first EP series of its kind; a musical series paying homage to the history of an entire race through dope music. G-Unit in-house producer Nick Speed is back behind the boards for this one as JYoung delves into deeper subjects about Black History.

Bad Meets Evil – Hell: The Sequel – Everyone wanted this EP to be what THEY wanted it to be, completing negating the fact that it’s 2011 and not 2001. As Royce told me in the studio when he let me hear it, “I don’t even remember my verse to Scary Movie.” To hear these guys trade bars back and forth like old times – having complete disregard for commercial song structure – was AMAZING. These guys got in the booth for fun, made it an EP, completely disregarded conventional standards for a commercially viable project, and went Gold.

Black Milk & Danny Brown – Black And Brown – Danny Brown redeemed himself from the misses on XXX with the Black And Brown EP with Black Milk. This project had been rumored for a while but it was amazing to finally see it come to light!

Mobb Deep – Black Cocaine – Last year I asked the question, “Where the hell is Mobb Deep?” Welp, I’m guessing they heard me because Black Cocaine saw the duo reach back to some of those roots that got them to where they are now.

Slaughterhouse – The Slaughterhouse EP – Completely under the radar for most but Slaughterhouse dropped a free EP in 2011 that was better than a lot of people’s entire albums.

Zo! – Just Visiting Three – I’m not sure if Zo! considered Just Visiting Three an EP but I categorized it as so because of its length. Zo! is an AMAZING musician!

Winner: Bad Meets Evil – Hell: The Sequel

Album of the Year – R&B

Goapele – Break Of Dawn – Goapele can never do any wrong.

Robin Thicke – Love After War – Robin Thicke is on fire. From the Jesus sandals to the Tuxedo, he’s never released an album short of amazing!

Jill Scott – The Light Of The Sun – One of the best singers of our time, hands down.

Marsha Ambrosious – Late Nights And Early Mornings – If I could create a category for Marsha’s legs alone, I would. My God. Late Nights And Early Mornings made its way through the R&B AND the hip hop head scene.

Winner: Robin Thicke – Love After War

Album of the Year – Hip Hop

Royce Da 5’9” – Success Is Certain – Royce will never make that definitive crossover album and, to me, that’s what makes him so great and worthy of his spot in my top 5 of all time. Royce has the unique ability to evoke the masses via an underground means of communication and he does it better than anyone in the game ever has.

Big K.R.I.T. – Return Of 4eva – K.R.I.T. is the best artist out of the South since T.I. Hands down. And, until T.I. gets his act together, K.R.I.T. has the crown. Return Of 4eva was easily one of the greatest albums from a new artist in the past 10 years.

Kendrick Lamar – Section.80 – I’m truly glad I gave myself the opportunity to warm up to Section.80. The hype machine can be a dangerous beast in the eyes of a critic like myself.  Kendrick deserves every ounce of that hype, though. Another one of those albums by a new artist that one of the greatest of the past 10 years.

Common – The Dreamer, The Believer – It felt really good to get Common back from the edge of the cliff that Universal Mind Control put him on. Pharrell should be BARRED from stepping foot near ANY classic-status artist. This album is proof why Common is one of the top 10 Hip Hop artists of all time.

Young Jeezy – TM103: Hustlerz Ambition – Jeezy is an undeniable force for any urban individual. If you’re from the inner city, REALLY from the inner city, Jeezy resonates with you in a way any of your current sophistications can. I don’t care if you’re a Harvard Alumnus. I bet you Obama listens to TM103 everyday.

The Roots – Undun – The Roots can do no wrong. Ever.

eLZhi – eLmatic – Maybe it’s not that definitive eLZhi solo album we’ve been waiting for for so long, but it’s the closest we’re going to get for a while. The fact that eLZhi was able to take one of Hip Hop’s top 3 albums of all time, and COMPLETELY make it his own? Nothing short of amazing.

Winner: Kendrick Lamar – Section.80

Best Moment in Hip Hop

The Roots’ Michele Bachmann Intro Song – Holy crap, The Roots are amazing humans. God bless your souls!

Common dissing Drake – Clearly the best thing to happen in Hip Hop music all year.

A BET Award Show that was actually tolerable – Who woulda thunk it, huh? God bless you, Kevin Hart! And God bless you, Shady 2.0 Cypher!

Winner: The Roots’ Michele Bachmann Intro Song

Artist of the Year – R&B

Robin Thicke – Robin Thicke is one of the few artists that can step away for a period of time, come back, and reclaim his spot like he never left. He’s THAT good.

Marsha Ambrosious – It’s not often an R&B artist can really transcend the hard body Hip Hop scene and OWN it with making classic R&B music like she did. Goapele kinda did it with, “Closer.” Jill Scott CAN do it at times. Marsha Ambrosious DOES it.

Jill Scott – Truly an amazing talent, she’s another one of those artists who can step away and come back like she never left.

Mayer Hawthorne – People may not consider Mayer an R&B artist but I’ll be damned if he doesn’t continue to OWN the category. 2011 saw him transition from indie label success with Stones Throw to major label success with Universal Republic.

Winner: Mayer Hawthorne

Artist of the Year – Hip Hop

Danny Brown – One of the more polarizing artists in recent Hip Hop years, Danny Brown’s presence is undeniable. He’s been EVERYwhere in 2011 from Rolling Stone to Fader Magazine to the top of the charts for rap and rock magazines alike for XXX. While it may have not been that album for me, it definitely left its mark.

Kendrick Lamar – There’s no downplaying the amount of success that Kendrick Lamar has had in 2011. What Kendrick Lamar did for independent Hip Hop artists everywhere will have a lasting effect for years to come. There hasn’t been a new artist to dominate like him, with NO major label presence, in a long time. Now he has Dr. Dre committed to working on his next album. It’s his time.

Winner: Kendrick Lamar

Who/What To Be On The Lookout for in 2012…

Danny! – It’s ok if you don’t know who Danny! is yet because you will in 2012. Mark my words. You WILL know Danny Swain in 2012.

Slaughterhouse Album – From what I heard of the Slaughterhouse album in mid 2011 was nothing short of pure neck breaking euphoria. Early contender for 2012 album of the year.

Chell – The youngest member of the BLAT! Pack, Chell is poised for an amazing 2012. The young vocalist has already landed a handful of major label features, a potential tour, and is gearing up for the release of her debut EP – Coming Out My Chell. It’s going to be a great year for her.

Stryfe and Marc Byrd are The Last Resort – Trust me when I say that The Last Resort is going to break the mold of what Hip Hop can be sonically.

Red Pill x Hir-O – The Kick – The Kick WILL make SEVERAL top websites and publications favorite album of the year. This album is another one of those early contenders for 2012 album of the year.

Big K.R.I.T. – After dropping Return Of 4eva, I can’t wait to hear Big K.R.I.T.’s official Def Jam debut. Def Jam has the ball in their court – here’s to hoping they don’t dribble it off their foot and out-of-bounds.

The official WHUTUPDOE.COM SXSW Showcase – WHUTUPDOE.COM will be doing an (unofficial) SXSW Showcase this year. It ‘s going to be a BANGER!

Ketchphraze – This man already has THREE projects done and ready to go for 2012. After giving the Hip Hop world a taste of what he can do in 2011 leaking some of his tracks with eLZhi, Guilty Simpson, and others – he’s going to destroy 2012.

Vstylez – I don’t overhype things too often but Vstylez’ s album in 2012 WILL be in contention for album of the year. I’ve heard it several times – each time having pissed myself.

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On the outside looking in, and I think this may be a viable viewpoint, is that the label wants to go the way of the Complex Media Network. What’s that way, you say? Simple. By gobbling up small, buzzworthy sites as their own to simply push their brand and product – in an effort to control and maximize all marketing and advertising dollars, thus taking this network to advertisers and saying, “Look, we have a network of thousands of lifestyle blogs that talk directly to your clientele. Give us a check and your ads are on all of them.”

If that’s indeed the plan, it’s genius from a business/economical standpoint. Is it evil? Of course. Kind of makes you wonder who got HOMELAND SECURITY involved in illegally seizing websites and domain names, huh? What this would do is give UMG the power to control their own brand, promote their own artists, AND MAKE MONEY OFF OF IT VIA ADVERTISING! You mean to tell me I can charge you to advertise on a site about MY product?!?!? Man, that has all of the makings of a Bad Boy Records contract – including the lack of vaseline and hand-holding!

But what’s the deal with blacklisting Soundcloud? Wow!

Check out the list below, and be sure to thank Jose3030 for providing it – or at least being the first person on my timeline to provide it.

57541331-GroupM-Blacklisted-Websites

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Every penny goes directly toward supporting this group of amazing artists and producers fulfill a lifelong dream of performing at a festival of SXSW’s caliber.

You can donate via PayPal:

You can also help out in person at the following shows:

February 18th, 2011 at Mac’s Bar in Lansing, Michigan. 9pm-2am $5 21 & up, $7 18+ with P2daHI and Red Pill.

February 19th, 2011 at The Bullfrog Bar & Grill in Redford, Michigan. 9pm-2am $5. Performing live in concert will be:
Street Justice
P2daHI
Kopelli of Cold Men Young
J.A.E.
Passalacqua (Blaksmith of Cold Men Young and Mister)
Red Pill

February 23rd at The Landshark in Lansing, Michigan from 9pm-2am with JYoung The General, The Amature, and Chell. Free admission, donations accepted.

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Let’s be real, this ENTIRE list could be consumed with a couple of phrases: Dirty South, Chopped & Screwed, Nelly, St. Lunatics, and Chingy. But allow me to delve deeper into it and really unearth some of the worst music of the past 10 years. I don’t expect you to agree with them all but, again let’s keep it real, the following music listed sucks balls. And deep down inside, you know it does.

Pras – Win Lose Or Draw: Are you serious? Pras, are you serious here? There wasn’t supposed to be a member of The Fugees that could do any wrong as a solo act. The Fugees were supposed to be above musical reproach. Welp, Pras definitely dispelled that notion. Talk about shit! I think this album is what Diddy is stepping in in the picture above. In fact, “Ghetto Superstar” is about the only remotely good things that Pras has ever done with his solo career.

And what’s with this “Pras Michel?” Oh, you fancy huh?

Amil – All Money Is Legal: Who’d have ever thought that a Roc-A-Fella in their prime album could be as bad as this  was? I mean, I understand Brothers From Another, 534, Roc-A-Fella Presents: Teairra Marie, and that horrible reggaetone phaze they went through but that was at the END of Roc-A-Fella as we knew it. All Money Is Legal came out at the prime of Roc-A-Fella’s talent boom and the top of their commercial boom. There was no way this album should have been as bad as it was, right? WRONG! The fact that Beyonce was on the lead single leads me to believe that this album was always set to be a disaster!

R. Kelly & Jay-Z: Yeah, they had more than one album and this signifies BOTH albums. You can’t put one of those albums here with out the other album. You just can’t. 2002 started the path of what would be two of the worst albums spanning across all genres of music and all periods of time. There isn’t a single thing from Best Of Both Worlds nor Unfinished Business that is salvageable. In fact, the ONLY thing salvageable about this unholy union of garbage was the extremely comical way that it ended. Jay-Z and R. Kelly coming to blows? Ha! It’s deeper than that. It was sabotage, espionage, and lives on the line! I guess the straw that broke the camel’s back (in this analogy, R. Kelly would be the straw since Jay-Z is always likened to Joe Camel), was their final show in New York where R. Kelly claims that Jay-Z has someone brandish a firearm and take aim at him IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SHOW! In the words of DMX, “another unsolved mystery, going down in history.”

MC Hammer – Active Duty: Now a rapper of MC Hammer‘s lyrically impaired status who achieved commercial success in their day should NEVER attempt a “comeback” in a different era. Apparently, MC Hammer didn’t get that memo. Apparently, no one’s ever sent that memo to MC Hammer because this album came out in 2001 and here it is 2011 and he’s STILL trying to be relevant in a time period where the average buyer wasn’t even born when he was relevant. And those of us who were simply don’t give a damn. If this was “Active Duty” I’d hate to see what a dishonorable discharge is. Probably a little something like this.

Jay-Z – Kingdom Come: Alright all of these Jay-Z references, while it’s no secret I’m far from his biggest fan, are purely coincidental. That or this guy has been a part of some of the worst audible pieces of shit that have been made over the past 10 years (I count four, three of which are on this list). At this point, it’s safe to say that his “retirement” was a marketing ploy. There’s no part of me that believes that The Black Album was ever meant to be Jay-Z‘s last album. I’ll never believe it. Why? Because he’s three more albums in, only one worth listening to, and has a brand new label and multi-album contract.

Swizz Beatz – One Man Band Man: If you guess that nothing about the concept of this album sounds like something that would be audible, you’re right. This album was so bad that the videos were pieces of shit. Then you realize that Swizz didn’t even stick to his own concept of “one man bad” on his track 12 disappointment with SIX of them produced by others and another that was co-produced with two other producers. And then he had six guest appearances over four tracks. Someone please tell Swizz Beatz to go away.

Common – Universal Mind Control: There’s no secret that Pharrell is the BANE of my existence. I realize that’s a very unpopular stance but it is what it is. Without Chad, Pharrell is a musical pile of… nevermind. With Pharrell & The Neptunes it’s either really good or really bad. No in-between. I’ll elude to this point. Listen to In My Mind and if that album is for you then this blog probably isn’t is all I’ll say. NEVERTHELESS, Common teams up with Pharrell and together they release one of the biggest pieces of crap I’ve heard. The album was on sale for a dollar at one point, right? Yeah, I didn’t buy it. I saved my dollar for someone’s low-cost food menu. This isn’t a knock on Common as he’s still one of the best to do it but this album sucked royally. Everything about it sucked. Let’s hope Common leaves his commercialism aspirations where most of us left this album – in the recycle bin.

The following albums, people, and trends listed below compiled so much bad music in the past decade it was no way I could single out ALL of it…

Every Fabolous album ever made: Get real if you think this man knows how to make an album.
Plies: His explanation of how he chose his stage name and it meaning, “shit we use in the hood to pull things out of shit,” should let you know everything you need to know about him as a person.
Yung Berg: Instead of stealing his chains, why don’t someone steal his career and do us all a favor.
Soulja Boy: It’s rappers like this that make you, a) embarrassed to be of the same race as he is (see his comments about slavery) and, b) makes you hate the evolution of technology.
Nelly’s entire career: The fact that on his first album he said, “I got a thing for corn rows and manicured toes,” lets you know the caliber of suck you’re dealing with from the jump.
Black Eyed Peas continued existence: Seriously, how much longer can this suckfest last?
Chingy: From 2003-2007, on a pretty much consistent basis, this suckass bastard has been musically tormenting us.
All Ludacris albums not named Back For The First Time: Each Luda album has gotten so progressively bad to the point where, well, just listen to Battle Of The Sexes.
Anything Jermaine Dupri thinks about doing: Pretty self-explanatory. I hope he reads this.
Ron Browz’s life: How do you go from “Ether” to Etherlibrium? SMH
Nick Cannon’s existence: SMH. Die slow.
Any and all cable reality TV show albums: I’m looking directly at you, Diddy.
Anything Gwen Stefani’s affiliated with: It’s B-A-N-A-N-A-S how much she completely SUCKS!
LL Cool J’s career post 1993: Yeah, some of that doesn’t fall within 2000-2010 but it still deserves to be mentioned.
Anything spawning from the St. Lunatics: If you can name me ONE good song any of them have done, collectively or individually, then click off of this website immediately.

Spread The Good Word!

• 

Without further ado, let’s get into the best of 2010!

Most Disappointing Album of the Year

Drake – Thank Me Later – You all can nut-swaggle this man all you want to but I refuse to make any justification for how aggressively average his album was. ‘Ol sing-song piece of dung. Maybe my anger and disappointment stems from me being a big fan of the Comeback Season Drake but I’ll pass.
B.o.B. – The Adventures Of Bobby Ray – Listen to “Bet I Bust” and the feeling you get from that song sums up the album. It’s a shame because he had two of the biggest singles of the year on this album, too.
Ice Cube – I Am The West – Another legend in this category. Last year it was Rakim, this year is Ice Cube’s turn. It hurts to see legends suffer this bad.
Ludacris – Battle Of The Sexes – Not that I had high expectations for this album, especially considering that each Luda album has got worse and worse, but this album didn’t even meet my expectations of suck. It surpassed them.
T.I. – No Mecry – Last year I told you all to look out for T.I. in 2010 and that the year would be his to mess up. And he did. Royally.

Winner: T.I. – No Mercy

Clothing Line of the Year

10 Deep – 10 Deep continues to be a staple in the Hip Hop community, even landing in the lyrics of Danny Brown this year.
Crooks & Castles - Like 10 Deep, Crooks & Castles continues to be a go-to line for the Hip Hop community.
Polo – Jesus Christ! I felt like it was 1998 and Trick Daddy just came out with “Nann Nigga”. That, or it was 2006 and Young Dro was fresh on the scene. Either way, the youth brought Polo back with furious vigor.

Winner: Polo

“Where You At?” Award for Best Disappearing Act

Mobb Deep – Seriously, where the hell has Mobb Deep been? (note: It’s been brought to my attention that Prodigy is still in jail. But still, where is Havoc?)
The Aphilliates – It seems like they’ve been on the decline since that raid. I would have just put DJ Drama here but the entire crew has been incognegro.
Teairra Mari – She went from Def Jam to obscurity to Interscope BACK to obscurity. Then she came out with one of the WORST songs of ALL TIME with “Sponsor.” Then she went back to obscurity. Here’s to wishing she stays in obscurity in 2011 and beyond.

Winner: The Aphilliates

Video of the Year

Stoopz’N’Breeze – Dade County Cruzin’ - They’re my favorite concept group out and now they have one of my favorite concept videos out for “Dade County Cruzin”!
Black Milk – Deadly Medly – TRUTH BE TOLD, Black Milk is one of my favorites. He’s always been consistent since he stepped on the scene. The feel of the “Deadly Medly” video was so gritty and perfect.
14KT – The Inside – Golden Hour Soundtrack was the first instrumental album I’ve heard that moved me like an album SHOULD. “The Inside” showed how a producer could have an effective video for an instrumental.
Cee-Lo – Fuck You – As if anything could make this song better, the video did just that. It was the perfect layout to the song!
Ruste Juxx & Marco Polo – Nobody – This was the funniest video I’ve ever seen! Any video were Marco Polo is pimp slapping the life out of someone is ok with me!
Fresh – I Do This – Newcomer Fresh stepped in the game with a great video for “I Do This” featuring Colin McShane!

Winner: Ruste Juxx & Marco Polo – Nobody

Movie of the Year

Inception – What more can be said about this movie that hasn’t been said? Top 5 of all time.
The Other Guys – I don’t know why so many people didn’t find this movie funny. This movie was hilarious!
The Social Network – Another classic movie! The story of Facebook may have been doctored for the big screen but this was an amazing movie. It could easily be top 10-15 ever over time.

Winner: Inception

Concert/Event of the Year

Red Bull EmSee Battle Finals – The crowd was electric and the stars were in the house! Everyone from Eminem, Paul Rosenberg, Slaughterhouse to Bun B, Xzibit, and DJ Jazzy Jeff were in attendance to see FowL destroy the competition!
Black Milk’s Album Of The Year Detroit Release – There wasn’t a bigger show for Detroit than this one. I’ve never seen the city come out in such large numbers to support a local, indie artist at St. Andrews. It was truly an amazing night. And it’s the night that Hex Murda made his first appearance since his stroke.
Black Milk’s Album Of The Year New York Release – New York came out and showed LOVE to Black Milk. I definitely wasn’t expecting to see Talib Kweli, Roc Marciano, Pharoahe Monch, Skyzoo, Dru Ha, Jay Electronica, 88 Keys, Torae, and Rah Digga in the audience kicking it. Especially when the Jay-Z & Eminem Home & Home tour was going on at the exact same time!
Crown Royale’s Album Release at the Blind Pig – One of the best shows of the year, with the best lineup! Crown Royale took the stage with Magestik Legend, Danny Brown, DJ Graffiti, and the Athletic Mic League for their album release party!
Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle Finals – Chicago was home to the Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle Finals which saw two Michigan finalists, No Speakerz and 14KT, go head-to-head for the title!

Winner: Black Milk’s Album Of The Year Detroit Release

“Where They Do Dat At?” Excellence in Ignorance Award

Kwame Kilpatrick – Another year and another Kwame Kilpatrick election. It’s almost to be expected. This year he’s facing 33 felony counts of Rico Law violations. And, of course he says he’s innocent of them all.
Charles Hamilton – At this point, nothing this moron does is surprising. From walking into a barbershop to battle Serius Jones dirty and wearing a Hello Kitty skull cap to being homeless, he creates new ways to fail.
Lil Boosie – Jail for life for murder. Rappers are stupid.
Lyfe Jennings – His entire career was based on him getting out of jail and showing people things can get better. Now he’s back in jail for beating his baby momma’s ass. He became one of his songs.
John McCain – In 2010, John McCain waged a race war on an entire demographic of people. And the world sat idly by and let him carry out his racist agenda.
T.I. – Fresh outta jail, T.I. pulls a Tony Yayo and lands right back in with what will probably another year or so bid. He and his wife are pulled over in a traffic stop with enough drugs in the car to fund a small, start-up operation. I guess some people like jail. And that PR stunt where he talked a man off the ledge from committing suicide? C’mon son.

Winner: Charles Hamilton

“Give It The F*CK Up” Award of the Year

BET Awards 2010 – I made a joke on Twitter about the 2010 BET Awards being sponsored by low budget sponsors like Rainbow and Citi Trends. Low and behold, the BET Awards was sponsored by Citi Trends.
MC Hammer – If only MC Hammer could take his own advice and, “Run run.” I asked why he would take issue with a truthful Jay-Z line and not Rick Ross making an entire drug reference track in his name and he felt the need to send me a DM about why, instead of publicly saying it. Fail.
Cassidy – No one cares anymore, Cassidy. Not only are you the owner of one of the worst punchlines of 2010, you just flat out suck. Unless you can re-capture that “I’m A Hustla” magic then go away. Forever.
Jesse Jackson – You want to know what Jesse Jackson had to say about Oscar Grant’s murder? “Why do people riot?” You want to know what Jesse Jackson had to say about Dan Gilbert’s open letter to LeBron James? His own big word count open letter.
Swizz Beatz – Please, for the love of God, GO THE F*CK AWAY! You already got Alicia Keys, what more do you want from us? Take your ill-gotten goods and hibernate. Forever.

Winner: MC Hammer

“o_O” Award for Worst Line of the Year

Kanye West on the Power Remix – We’re going to completely negate the fact that artsy fartsy Kanye West referred to “Islam” as a language – which deserves its OWN o_O – but he proceeded to drop some of the WORST bars of hip-hop in 2010 – in Islam (o_O). “They say As-Salāmu `Alaykum, we say Wa Alaykum-us-Salam //That’s no Oscar Mayer bacon, you should run and tell your moms.” Someone PLEASE tell me what that is supposed to mean.
Kanye West on Start It Up – Shouldn’t surprise you that Kanye is on the list again with another gem. “Told her beauty is why God invented eyeballs//And her booty is why God invented my balls.” That’s the best you can do, huh?
Kanye West on Monster – At this point, this award could be named after Kanye West. 2010 was his reign of wack lyric terror! “Have you ever had sex with a Pharaoh//Put the pussy in a sarcophagus.” **sigh**
Cassidy on Game Time – One of the many flaws of NBA 2K11 is Cassidy. Worst than 2K has made it to pass the ball and drive the line is Cassidy’s “punchlines” on Game Time. “Me goin’ broke is like Michael Jordan getting’ braids.” HOLY CRAP, shut the f*ck up!
J. Cole on Too Deep For The Intro – J. Cole, the children’s champ of rap, had one glaring misstep in otherwise what was a pretty damn good mixtape. “It’s safe to say that I’m gifted as if I’m Christmas shoppin’. “ That’s just flat out corny.

Winner: Kanye West. All three entries.

Best New Artist – R&B

Janelle Monae – Not necessarily new to the music scene, but new to the public’s eye, Janelle Monae made a power move by signing to Bad Boy and did the unthinkable – retained publishing, creative control, and got a release date.  She proceeded to put out one of the best albums and singles of 2010 across all genres.
Bruno Mars – I don’t think there’s an artist that has had a better year that Bruno Mars. Featured on TWO hit singles of the year in “Nothing On You” by B.o.B. and “Billionaire” by Travie McCoy, in addition to his own hit album, has Bruno Mars on top of the world right now.

Winner: Bruno Mars

Best New Artist – Hip Hop

FowL – FowL stepped on the scene strong with a victory in the Red Bull EmSee Battle Championship, a successful weekly single release, and countless amounts of successful shows across the Midwest. So successful that a crowd at a Wiz Khalifa concert at Notre Dame chanted for an encore after he opened for Khalifa.
Young Scolla – Young Scolla came into 2010 like a man on a mission. A simple search of Young Scolla’s name on our site will yield you at least 20 posts of videos and singles after videos and singles. Capped off with a mixtape and a performance at the A3C, 2010 was a great year for Young Scolla.
Fashawn – Fashawn breathed some life into an otherwise stagnant West Coast hip hop scene in 2010
Boog Brown – Her debut album to the masses with Apollo Brown got so much love, praise, and acclaim that you’d have thought she was already a mainstay! Brown Study has cemented a home for Boog in hip-hop for a long time to come.

Winner: FowL

Best Indie Label of the Year

Mello Music Group – Holy crap! How many albums did MMG drop in 2010? What’s that you say? They ALL were quality? What? Including mixtapes, I count 13 if you include instrumental album releases, mixtapes, and EP’s. WOW!
Stones Throw – One needs only to look to Dam Funk to wrap up the year Stones Throw had. Dam Funk was EVERYWHERE in 2010. And you really want to get unfair, Mayer Hawthorne is STILL selling out shows worldwide.
Duck Down Records – Just like MMG, Duck Down came out SWINGING in 2010 with, including mixtapes, 10 projects. 10 quality projects! And by looking at their 2011 release schedule? I’m scared for any of their competition.

Winner: Mello Music Group

Producer of the Year

Black Milk – Every time Black drops, it’s normally his year. I have yet to really hear anything from Black that I haven’t liked.
Hir-O – If you haven’t been introduced to Hir-O, allow me to remove rock from which you’ve been under. The Voyage Home Instrumental Album was better than most albums with words in 2010!
14kt – KT deserves to land on this list every year but 2010 was especially good to him as he won the 2010 Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle!
Apollo Brown – Apollo Brown was everywhere in 2010, having dropped THREE albums in one year with Mello Music Group, one of which is in contention for Album of the Year – all three featured all over iTunes. Not too shabby for his first time up to bat.
9^th Wonder – 9^th dropped four solid projects in 2010 with David Banner, Rapsody, Murs, and his 9^th’s Opus.
Oddisee – Oddisee is quietly the hardest working producer that hip-hop has ever seen. He never has his hands out for recognition. He just works. And kills everything he does. Including EP’s, mixtapes, and beat tapes, Oddisee had 8 projects out in 2010.

Winner: Apollo Brown

Best Song of the Year

Black Milk – Deadly Medly feat. Royce Da 5’9” & eLZhi – It’s going to surprise some people that I have Deadly Medly on this list over Black & Brown but if you really know me then it shouldn’t. I HAD to narrow the list down to what you see – Deadly Medly just happened to make it over Black & Brown.
Danny Brown – New Era – “And I rep this shit, any climate, any weather//in my brand new, blue Tiger’s fitted New Era.” Detroit classic.
FowL – Zero To Hero – FowL had a few songs that could have been on this list but when I learned of what “Zero To Hero” was doing in clubs out in the Michigan capital city of Lansing, I knew this was the one to land on the list.
B.o.B. – Nothin On You feat. Bruno Mars – Listen here, I don’t care what is to be said about this song making the list but you can’t deny how great of a single this song really was. It was amazing.
Cee-Lo Green – Fuck You – This was the song that made me give The Lady Killer a real listen, and I’m thankful for it or else I would have probably missed out on the best album of the year – across any genre.
Janelle Monae – Tightrope feat. Big Boi – I don’t think there’s been a bigger song that’s launched a career like Tightrope in years. I can’t think of any at all. Tightrope is one of the best records of the past decade.
Rhymefest – City Is Falling feat. Slique – El Che was a criminally slept on album. There were a couple of tracks from the album that could have made this list but “City Is Falling” took the cake!
The Left – Caged Birds feat. Finale – Anytime Apollo Brown and Finale get together is something of epic proportions. Add The Left to the mix and you have the blueprint to greatness.
Royce Da 5’9” – My Own Planet feat. Mr. Porter & Big Sean – If anything has been a knock on Royce’s career, it’s been that he doesn’t have hooks and he doesn’t make proper singles for himself. “My Own Planet” proved both of those sentiments wrong. I’m still leading the coalition to get this on radio. And God bless Royce for featuring a Big Sean verse I can go nuts over ‘cause Lord knows there hasn’t been any before this one.

Winner: Janelle Monae – Tight Rope feat. Big Boi

Mixtape of the Year

Danny Brown – Detroit State Of Mind 4 – With the cohesiveness of this mixtape, I actually liked this better than I did The Hybrid.
J. Cole – Friday Night Lights – Jay-Z’s first signing to RocNation dropped a mixtape that played out like an album. The future is bright for J. Cole.
RenCen CoolBeanz Presents Lunch Money: Eat Or Die Starving – RenCen put the mic down on rapping and switched to rock a while ago, but he came back to it to let people know he can still hold his own with emcees in 2010 with this mixtape.
Royce Da 5’9” – Bar Exam 3 – Satire-laced songs like “Vagina” and “I Hate Your Pants” make Bar Exam 3 better than most albums that came out in 2010.
Vstylez – 16’s, Collabs, & Other S#!t – Not only was this mixtape WHUTUPDOE.COM sponsored, it was great! The entire mixtape played out like an album. Can’t wait to hear more music from Vstylez.
Street Justice – Follow The Drip – Another WHUTUPDOE.COM sponsored mixtape, Street Justice delivered an album quality mixtape filled with nothing but original tracks.

Winner: Royce Da 5’9” – Bar Exam 3

Instrumental Album of the Year

Yungclassix – TEKnologic3 – Last year, I told y’all to be on the lookout for Yungclassix. 2010 saw him collaborate with D12 member Bizarre and release two instrumental LP’s, TEKnologic2 and TEKnologic3 – along with participating in the Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle preliminaries in Detroit.
Hir-O – The Voyage Home: Instrumental Album – Holy shit! Hir-O dropped the best instrumental album since 14KT’s Golden Hour Soundtrack!
Nameless – 16 Bit: Bonus Stages – Nameless dropped his latest beat tape in 2010 and even had features from Naledge of Kidz In The Hall and Daru Jones featured on it! Video games never sounded so good.
Chanes – An Experiment In Instrumentation Presented by DJ House Shoes – If you don’t know by now, anything Chanes does is golden. Couple that with a House Shoes co-sign and you already know An Experiment In Instrumentation was next level shit!

Winner: Hir-O – The Voyage Home: Instrumental Album

Extended Play of the Year

BLAT! Pack Present BLAT! Friday – BLAT! Pack is one of the most versatile crew of artists the industry has seen. With over 15 artists and producers, this 5 track EP displayed just a fraction of what they have to offer.
JYoung The General x Nick Speed – Black History Year: Installment 1 – Black History Year is the first EP series of its kind; a musical series paying homage to the history of an entire race through dope music. And with G-Unit in house producer Nick Speed on board, there’s not too much more you can ask for.
JYoung The General – Jahshua 1:6 – Also letting people know that this music thing is something he does, JYoung The General show some musical dichotomy as he gives a closer look into his personal life with Jahshua 1:6 via lyricism.
Crown Royale – A 2Dope EP – Somewhere down the line, hip-hop forgot how to have fun.  Hip-hop forgot to have  fun with good music. Enter Crown Royale.
Nametag – The Soul System EP – As a prelude to his debut album – The Name Is Tag – Nametag dropped The Soul System EP to warm people up. And that’s exactly what it did with bangers like “Beast Mode” featuring Kopelli of Cold Men Young.

Winner: JYoung The General x Nick Speed – Black History Year: Installment 1

Album of the Year – R&B

Janelle Monae – ArchAndroid – With the song of the year, it’s not surprising that Janelle Monae would be up for an Album of the Year award.
Bruno Mars – Doo-Wop And Hooligans – 7 Grammy nominations for his work in 2010, and the only reason his album wasn’t nominated for Grammy’s in 2010 is because it didn’t meet the deadline to be released by should tell you all you need to know.
Cee-Lo Green – The Lady Killer – I’m going to give away the winner of this category by saying this: This is the best album of 2010 – across all genres.
The Foreign Exchange – Authenticity – Foreign Exchange has been putting it down for a while. It should come as no shocker they’re nominated.

Winner: Cee-Lo Green – The Lady Killer

Album of the Year – Hip Hop

The Left – Gas Mask – You’d be hard pressed to find a better hip-hop album over the past couple of years that is better than Gas Mask. Talk about delivering, Jesus Christ! This is what Detroit sounds at its best. This is what hip-hop should resemble at its best.
Black Milk – Album Of The Year – Three albums and three different sounds, Black Milk re-invents every time up to bat and I’ve yet to be disappointed. The kicker for me with this album? His lyricism has greatly improved and grown. The growth displayed on Album Of The Year emcee-wise is amazing. And the live instrumentation through the album sets it leaps and bounds above most.
Danny Brown – The Hybrid – Although I liked Detroit State Of Mind 4 more, due to its cohesiveness, The Hybrid can’t be denied at all. So much dope music on this album. Danny Brown is a polarizing emcee. You either like him or you don’t. There’s no gray area.
Rhymefest – El Che – As I’ve said earlier, El Che was a criminally slept-on album. This was the most well-rounded album of 2010. From politically and socially conscious records to singles and self-reflective music, Rhymefest did it all on here.
RenCen CoolBeanz – CyberPimp – It may not truly be a rap album, but RenCen CoolBeanz dropped an amazing album in 2010 – especially for all of those who love rock/rap. There’s not a single track on CyberPimp that you can skip over.
Ruste Juxx & Marco Polo – The Exxecution – If you love hardcore rap then look no further than The Exxecution. With lyrics that’ll rob you, and beats that’ll slap the shit out of you (see the Video of the Year), Ruste Juxx and Marco Polo sonically assaulted the studio with this album. I love it!
The Roots – How I Got Over – There’s no wrong The Roots can do. This album could have been farts over ?uestlove drums and I’d have had it on this list.

Winner: The Left – Gas Mask

Best Moment in Hip Hop

FowL winning the Red Bull EmSee Battle at St. Andrews Hall – The energy in St. Andrews as FowL freestyled his way to victory and notoriety was electric. Outside of the Black Milk album release for Album Of The Year, I’ve never seen St. Andrews so alive before!
Big Boi finally releasing his solo album – After years of being held up and screwed over by Jive, like every other rapper that has ever been on Jive Records, Big Boi finally secured and released his first solo album. Let this be a lesson to ANY rapper considering a deal with Jive Records – THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT YOU.
The return of the independent artist and label – Looking at the year that Mello Music Group, Stones Throw, and Duck Down Records had coupled with KevinNottingham.com saying that in 2011 their website will be devoted to independent releases only shows you the year that it’s been for the indie in 2010.

Winner: The return of the independent artist and label

Artist of the Year – R&B

Janelle Monae - Any year where you can release an album on Bad Boy Records is a good one, couple that with that the fact that it’s free of ANY Diddy influence and you’re a champion.
Bruno Mars – Over 10 award nominations, including 7 Grammy nominations. There’s nothing more you can do.
Cee-Lo Green – Having the best album of the year will land you here every time.

Winner: Bruno Mars

Artist of the Year – Hip Hop

Royce Da 5’9” – Every year for Royce, since being released from his one-year jail bid, has been better and better for him. Slaughterhouse? Check. Reunion with Eminem? Check. Signed to Shady Records? Check. Touring the world? Check. Rumors of the Bad Meets Evil album possibly happening? Priceless.
Black Milk – 2010 has been Black Milk’s biggest year of his career. With one of the best albums of the year under his belt, Black has been selling out venues that indie artists dream of.
Danny Brown – 2010 was Danny Brown’s year. The hype surrounding Danny Brown landed him on G-Unit Records radar and a mixtape with Tony Yayo. Yeah, it’s Tony Yayo I know, but the power move can’t be denied or cheapened. It’s also rumored that so many free copies of The Hybrid was downloaded on Bandcamp that it forced them to limit how many free downloads everyone gets per month. That’s what you call buzz. Every Danny Brown show I’ve been to, his set ended in chants for an encore.
The Roots – They put out two albums that my media player can’t live without in 2010: How I Got Over and Wake Up with John Legend. There’s nothing that The Roots can’t do.
Apollo Brown – There’s no one in hip-hop that had a better year than Apollo Brown. He may not be an artist per se but, quite frankly, he had a better year than everyone. Three critically acclaimed albums and a beat tape that was re-released? Apollo Brown single-handedly personified the indie artist grind in 2010. It’s not even fair what he did to hip-hop in 2010.

Winner: Apollo Brown

Who/What To Be On The Lookout for in 2011…

BLAT! Pack - With BLAT! Pack members JYoung The General, FowL, and Hir-O making big waves in 2010, 2011 is primed to be an amazing year. The BLAT! Pack Album is scheduled for a 2011 release and it’s going to be epic!
Hir-O – Fresh off the heels of a classic instrumental album, I guarantee you that 2011 will belong to Hir-O. You may even see about 2-3 more instrumental albums (see: Yungclassix below).
Yungclassix – BLAT! Pack producer Yungclassix had a great 2010 capped off with one of the best instrumental albums of 2010 and an appearance in the Red Bull Big Tune Beat Battle preliminaries in Detroit. In 2011, you will be introduced to Weapon X – the collaboration of BLAT! Pack producers Hir-O and Yungclassix. Oh Boy!
JYoung The General – JYoung is going to kick off the top of 2011 right with Black History Year: Installment Two presented by KevinNottingham.com. Be on the lookout!
Red Pill – Red Pill introduced himself to the masses in 2010, and in 2011? You’re going to see him team up with Hir-O for The Kick.
One Be Lo – Having to push back a successful 2010 for an amazing 2011, One Be Lo is going to own 2011 with his mixtape and album. The only reason you didn’t get to see him do it in 2010 is because his former label, MYX, went under.
Nick Speed­ – With production on Talib Kweli’s new album Gutter Rainbows and the Black History Year: Installment Two EP, Nick Speed’s going to have yet another good year.
Royce Da 5’9” - Scheduled for an April release, Success Is Certain is already my favorite album of 2011.
Apollo Brown – While I can’t divulge what Apollo Brown is working on, just know that he’ll once again be up for Producer of the Year and Album of the Year.
Guilty Simpson – Guilty is cooking up something for the 1^st quarter of 2011 and I guarantee you it’ll be an Album of the Year contender. That’s in addition to the release of Random Axe with Black Milk and Sean Price!
Duck Down Records – Duck Down Records is going to OWN 2011 with: Pharoahe Monch – W.A.R., Pete Rock & Smif’N’Wessun – Monumental, Random Axe (Black Milk, Guilty Simpson, Sean Price), and 9^th Wonder & Buckshot – The Solution. They also hinted at Sean Price releasing Mic Tyson AND another Heltah Skeltah album with Rock and new projects from Skyzoo, Torae, Marco Polo, Ruste Juxx, KHRYSIS, and Statik Selektah. I think I know who will be the Indie Label of the Year!
Last Resort – The combination of emcee Stryfe and producer Marc Byrd, they’re going to destroy speakers in 2011!
Ketch P – Ketchphraze of Street Justice is gearing up for a 2011 solo release, and from what I’ve heard already? Holy SHIT!

Spread The Good Word!

• 

I don’t know and, quite frankly, I don’t care to know who to address this letter to. This has been a long time coming and these suspensions levied against Ohio State University football players are enough. Far be it for me to defend the honor of an Ohio State anything but, for years, you’ve superimposed your hidden agenda and reign of terror on collegiate athletes for your own personal gain. Your website bills you as, “a way to protect student-athletes,” but what exactly are you protecting them from? According to stats gathered by your Student-Athlete Ethnicity Report published in February of 2010, there are 420,000 total student-athletes in all three Divisions of competition spanning across all sports governed by you. You have an 11-year, $6 billion dollar contract with CBS to broadcast games. In addition to that, you have a $200 million contract with ESPN for television rights as well for a total of $563 million paid to you annually. We’re not even going to factor in the amount of money you make in sponsorships, licensing, video games, revenue sharing, and merchandising. That’s a lot of money. Where is it going?

While it’s your claim that over 90% of the money raised is paid back out to schools, mostly to Division I schools (which is a bit biased isn’t it), the average college tuition for an undergrad in 2008 was $11,578 per academic year. And that included not only tuition but room and board. And $29,915 for private institutions. This, of course, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. With the median of private and public tuition at $20,748

But the colleges pay the bill for student-athletes so what do you pay for? Of the $563 million per year in television revenue alone they collect, how much of that goes to support the student-athletes? Where exactly does the student-athlete protection come in to play? What are they protecting them from?

When taken into account the amount of money that you all make during championships, bowl games, and tournaments IN ADDITION to the $563 million a year just in television revenue per year they bring in. And the sponsorship, merchandising, licensing, and membership & profit sharing revenue they take it. That number can easily be over $1 billion dollars a year  you take in.

So again, I ask, what are you protecting student-athletes from? The Universities? 20 hours a week is the max that a student-athlete is supposed to spend on athletic responsibilities during an academic school year. But if you believe that there’s a coach that doesn’t go over that on a regular basis then I have a couple of bridges in Terabithia to sell you. So student athletes aren’t being protected from the institutional slavery they’re forced to endure from Universities. For example, when the University Of Michigan plays Ohio State University in football, in their 100,00+ seat venue, gate receipts total excess of $2 million. Per game. Just in ticket revenue for one game. That’s not taking into account the Big Ten Network revenues, merchandising & licensing revenues, concessions, and parking – then you have  tuition for the thousands of students that do pay it. If every player on the University Of Michigan’s roster was on full scholarship, using our median of $20,748 per student at 53 students then that totals $1,099,644. That leaves $900, 356 of ticket revenue alone just from one game.

I'm from Michigan, this is how we treat Ohio!

Yes, student-athletes are largely on full grant and don’t have to worry about paying for tuition, room, or board. But what about other basic living expenses? What about basic life principles that attribute to human sanity, such as entertainment? How are students-athletes expected to pay any bills they may have? And not to mention that all student-athletes are required to sign a waiver in which they sign over all rights to their image from their playing days, for the rest of their lives, that you profit from. Just think of how much money you have made from showing Patrick Ewing vs Michael Jordan in college? How much money have you made from replaying major, beloved moments in collegiate sports that they  strictly own the rights to? The FARCE that only 30% of Division I football and 26% of Division I basketball “post revenues over expenses” is more reason as to why a payment structure of some sort needs to be put in place. You claim to police collegiate sports but who policies them?

Now let’s talk some numbers that matter.

Only one percent of all student-athletes go on to become pro’s in their respective sports. As of 2009, you still prohibited student-athletes from receiving more than one-year scholarships from schools.

Wait, what?

As of 2009, the NCAA still prohibited student-athletes from receiving more than one-year scholarships from schools? So not only are these kids being pimped out to make their respective Universities and you millions of dollars, they can’t even get a full 4-5 year ride? Are you serious?

Let us also not forget that sports are high-impact and high-impact. That promising point guard for a top tier University could blow his knee out and leave his professional sports dream on that college court forever – no longer able to make money off of what got him in college. And where do these athletes come from? Universities scavenge poverty-struck areas for mules to make them billions. College coaches are paid millions of dollars. College coaches at public institutions are paid millions of dollars. That means, not only are we paying millions of dollars in tuition costs but our taxes are going to support the million dollar contracts these coaches are getting. But our kids can’t receive any sort of guarantee? Meanwhile, not only are you not allowing these kids to make any kind of money but they’ve only been allowed to even have jobs during the academic school year since 1998? It’s no secret that the price of tuition and cost of living skyrockets every year while the amount of money American’s make has not risen. Most of these student-athletes come from homes and poverty-struck areas. How are they supposed to support themselves?

And with having to focus on academics and sports, the time they have to work is already limited. So, again, how are they supposed to support themselves?

Quite frankly, NCAA, I’ve had enough of you.

I’m sick of you.

I’m going to negate the fact that you’ve continued to destroy collegiate athletics (see: college football bowl games) with your greed but you’re destroying the lives of student-athletes. And you profit from it all. You don’t want to pay student-athletes while they’re in school to preserve the sanctity of amateur sports? Fine. Store all of that money away in some sort of trust for the student to receive after they graduate. How dare you require these kids to sign a waiver that strips them of the right to profit from their own image while you get to profit from it for the rest of their lives? Completely ignoring the fact that what you’re doing is illegal, as it violates anti-trust laws, it’s completely immoral. A pay scale for student-athletes should be in place by sport and division. No one’s asking to make these kids millionaires before they hit the professional level. But don’t you think an even pay scale among all schools would even out recruiting and give some of these smaller schools a fighting chance at ever being relevant? Would allowing these students to receive a full, 4-5 years scholarship in addition to having a pay scale would further cut down on boosters and game fixing? Would these things not make your product that much better?

You’re the worst kind of crook and it’s about time someone tells you about yourself. I wish professional athletes of all sports would use the platform they have to publicly lambaste you.

Please go away. Forever.

Signed,

People with human decency,dignity, and morality.

Spread The Good Word!

• 

From the Duck Down team:

Buckshot is the co-founder of Duck Down Music & the lead MC for Black Moon & Boot Camp Clik. In 2005, Buckshot reinvented himself with his group project with 9th Wonder, entitled, Chemistry. The duo released a second title, The Formula, in 2008 and are currently in the mixing process of their 3rd album, The Solution, in stores in 2011. In 2009, Buckshot teamed with KRS-ONE for their group album, Survival Skills.

2010 marks the 15 year anniversary of Duck Down Music. Buckshot has taken his 15 year experience and has crafted a pamphlet entitled The Common Knowledgy Of The Entertainment Industry. The pamphlet is comprised of three stages. Buckshot first educates readers on the ‘Basics’ of the entertainment industry providing his definitions for terms associated within the business. Buckshot then transitions to the ‘Framework,’ or inner-workings of a music label and answers commonly posed questions that he receives from fans & interviewers. In the final stage, Buckshot unveils ‘How It All Works,’ and illustrates the process of putting the knowledge to use & executing proposed goals.

Accompanying the pamphlet is a 13-track album provided as a download card, which can also serve as a page place-holder. The album features original Buckshot music based on the concepts from within the pamphlet.

Buckshot, along with co-owner of Duck Down Music, Dru Ha, has been the Executive-Producer of each title released by the long-standing and resilient Independent label. He’s been part of over 3 million records sold, toured the globe performing his hits & worked with greats such as: Mary J Blige, Aaliyah, Tupac Shakur, Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, Talib Kweli, Funkmaster Flex & more. Buckshot has created original music for ESPN, The History Channel, Pizza Hut, Belvedere, HBO, Smirnoff, 2K Sports & others. He’s been a part of campaigns through Duck Down’s marketing arm, Vision, for companies such as: Coca-Cola, Marc Ecko Brand, Sketchers, 2K Sports, Scion, Olde English, Rockstar Games & more. Within the pamphlet, Buckshot provides insight on the many caps he wears, ranging from recording & performing artist, label owner & marketing executive.

Audio Download Card Track Listing:
1. What Is Entertainment?
2. What is Street Team?
3. What is a Producer?
4. What is an Executive?
5. What is Radio?
6. What is a Retail Rep?
7. How Do I Make A Record?
8. What is a Road Manager?
9. How Do Record Label’s Function?
10. How Do I Become An Artist?
11. How Do I Get My Record To A DJ?
12. What is a CEO?
13. How Do I Get My Beats To MCs?
14. How Do I Sell At Digital Retail?
15. What Is A Marketing Campaign?
16. Outro

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• 

The Smart Car. It is a vehicle about the size of the Jolly Green Giant’s G-string. If you look at a Smart Car straight on, it looks like an emoticon with a windshield. It is so cute, you feel like a molester being inside of one. And you know what? I hate all eight devil-worshiping feet of it!

Now you may say, “But Rufio, it’s good for the environment with it’s low emiss… ummm never mind.” I’m guessing you would stop mid sentence because of how I yelled at you in the I Can’t See Me piece. Nonetheless, you are correct. Being a micro car, it has lower emissions, takes up less space; there are a multitude of good things you can say about the car. My beef, however, is actually not with the Smart Car.

Do you know what I hate more than the Smart Car?

“Shape Ups by Skechers?” Not quite.

“Eating right?” NO, jerk!

“Tyler Perry toting a pistol to force feed you the bologna he stuffs his bras with?” Well, yes, actually. That was an eerily specific guess.

But the answer I was looking for was Smart Car drivers. They are the most pretentious, self involved bunch since the creators of Twitter.

If the legends are true, buyers would have them sent from overseas. That is not as much eco-friendly as it is asinine. That’s just strike one. Have you ever seen a bigger living and breathing Summer’s Eve product than one that stepped out of a Smart Car? “Oh, look at me and my tiny vehicle! I’m helping the planet!” I love Earth. But I refuse to drive around in what amounts to the protection of a refrigerator box on the road for nature. Dying in a Smart car crash is akin to the tragic loss of David Carradine (please Google that right now).

No one rides in a weaponless Mario Kart for the environment. They do it to look important. The problem is it’s hard to look important driving with your knees under your chin. So now you look double stupid. Message to the Smart Car owner: get off your high horse. As a matter of fact, a literal high horse would have been a better purchase as it will get you further and has a stronger chassis!

I’m sure you regular humans can find some wisdom in that somewhere.

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• 

Let me start out by saying that I recognize your accomplishments and everything you’ve done in the past. I know you marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. I know you were there when Martin was assassinated. I’m aware that, in the 80′s, you orchestrated a huge voter registration drive that led to millions of African Americans registering to vote and that you were a huge factor in Chicago electing its first African American Mayor in 1983. I know that you helped to found the Chicago branch of Operation Breadbasket, the economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Council. It’s amazing that in 1984, 1990, and 1999 you were able to enter Syria, Iraq, and Yugoslavia, respectively, to negotiate the release of United States soldiers and civilians during war times.

With that being said…

You’ve never let us forget you marched with Martin and were there with him when he was assassinated. In fact, you pretty much remind us just about every time you speak. Your voter registration drives were for your own selfish gain during your presidential runs in 1984 and 1988. I also know that your exact location during Martin’s assassination has been the center of controversy. You were actually suspended by the SCLC, in 1971, for using the organization for personal gain. You then resigned shortly after being suspended by the SCLC only to start Operation PUSH  to “save humanity,” and founded the National Rainbow Coalition that sought out equal rights for African Americans, women, and homosexuals. Ironically, in 2001, it was unearthed that you had an affair with a woman that led to the birth of a child. In addition to that, to keep your mistress quiet, you paid her around $36,000 in Rainbow Push Coalition funds for “moving expenses” and “contract work,” with an additional guarantee for $40,000 more for future, “contract work,” but rescinded once the affair was made public. The same funds from your “non-profit,” that are solicited donations, in most cases I’m assuming, to support the causes your organization is supposed to be supporting.

You are also the same African American activist that was heard saying, during an interview, that, in regards to President Obama, you wanted to, “cut his nuts off,” for lecturing black churches about the state of welfare? The same President Obama that has been a pillar and champion for equality even before his election into office?

The last few times I’ve seen or heard your name mentioned? The highly publicized Duke Lacrosse scandal, the highly publicized scandal of unfunny Seinfeld actor/comedian Michael Richards’ usage of the word, “nigger,” in response to African American hecklers, and the highly publicized N.A.A.C.P.’s burial of the word, “nigger,” and all variations of it.  And now you’re lashing out against Dan Gilbert for his highly publicized open letter to LeBron James with your own open letter.

Well, Mr. Jackson, this is my open letter to you.

Quite frankly, to be blunt, I don’t know the difference between you (along with Rev. Al Sharpton) and an ambulance chasing personal injury attorney. Just that, in this case, the ambulance is free publicity.

Now, I didn’t mention any of the above to point fingers or to be hurtful but to bring up a point: Everyone’s human. We all fall victim to our emotions and actions. No one is above reprieve and everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt and second chances.

However, if there is one thing I am sick of, I am sick and tired of the race card. I’m sick and tired of race being made an issue. And I’m definitely sick and tired of you, your cohort Rev. Al Sharpton, and everyone using racism as a crutch for some sort of favoritism or pity. For me and my generation, slavery is no longer a valid excuse for us not improving the quality of life for us and those surrounding us.

We’re going to have to agree to disagree on Dan Gilbert’s open letter being worded in a way that, “suggests that LeBron has done something illegal or illicit.” Should Gilbert have let his emotions dictate his words? No. He’s the owner of an NBA franchise. Not only could that letter be bad for future business, but as an owner he should hold himself to a higher standard. But, with that being said, he has nothing to apologize for. Are we asking people to apologize for the way they feel? What are we doing here?

LeBron most certainly fulfilled his contractual obligations, thus being allowed to make whatever decision he felt best for himself.

But there is nothing in Gilbert’s open letter to LeBron that signifies a slave and a master relationship, nor is there anything in Gilbert’s open letter that signifies him seeing LeBron James as a, “runaway slave.” Your egregious, extremely exaggerated connections of his letter to slavery and racism is reckless. It does more to hurt race relations in our country than it does to strengthen them.

Let’s look at the facts. LeBron’s announcement WAS a narcissistic, self-promotional machine and the build up culminated with an hour and a half long, national TV show/special of a DECISION ON WHERE TO PLAY BASKETBALL. We’re not talking about a special about scientists recent discovery that can lead to the cure of HIV/AIDS. We’re not talking about a special to air a highly influential minority’s reaction to the egregious court ruling in the Oscar Grant trial. We’re talking about an NBA player who sought to put himself on TV for an hour and a half to talk about where he will be playing a game for the next 4-6 years. And we’re not talking about a show/special that ESPN pitched to LeBron and he accepted, we’re talking about a show/special that LeBron’s camp pitched to ESPN and THEY accepted. There are even reports that LeBron and his camp paid Jim Gray out of their own pocket to be the host/reporter of, “The Decision.”

I don’t remember Michael Jordan pitching his own two-hour long special to announce his first retirement. But, that’s neither here nor there.

Speaking of Oscar Grant, as self-proclaimed activist and champion of minority equality, where is your open letter to the California judicial system in regards to the decision to convict Oscar Grant’s murderers of Involuntary Manslaughter? The only words I heard from you on the matter was in regards to the potential rioting in reaction to the verdict where you said, “Why do people riot?” Was there not enough media coverage of his case for you to get involved?

But, I digress.

The video of LeBron’s jersey burning in the streets of Cleveland went live on ESPN well before Gilbert released his open letter. And, in fact, for the past seven years, LeBron HAS been given excuse after excuse for not being able to take his team to the next level. The media backed his cries of not having a team around him. When, in fact, those two years where it was said he didn’t have a team, they actually finished the regular season with the league’s best record, or close to it. It’s about time LeBron had some personal accountability for the Cavaliers inability to perform when it mattered.

You ask the questions of, “If he believes that LeBron quit in games 2, 4, 5 and 6 of the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals [then] why did he fire the coach? If he believes that LeBron intentionally quit, determining the outcome of those games, why did he pursue him and offer him [an] additional $120 million to stay in Cleveland,” when you yourself mentioned in the second paragraph of your open letter that their transactions were that of, “business partners.” The name of the NBA game is selling season tickets, selling merchandise. And, outside of Kobe Bryant, there’s no one currently playing in the league that does that better than LeBron James.

And, quite frankly, we all believe LeBron James quit. Especially in game 6 against Boston.

You got your wish; Gilbert was fined $100,000 by the NBA. But, are you happy now? Is that what you were seeking? Has justice been done?

LeBron James is a grown man, fully aware of understanding the ramifications of his actions and, “decision.” Surely, he had to know that creating an hour and a half long, national TV special just to announce his, “decision,” would have long withstanding – probably irreparable – circumstances. Had LeBron simply announced his decision in a traditional manner, without the hoopla, we wouldn’t have an issue. But, he was self-involved enough to go on national television and rip the hearts out of an entire state of people that have supported and backed him since he was in high school.

THAT’S the matter at hand.

Mr. Jackson, I think it boils down to the fact that you’re simply out of touch. About as completely out of touch as it was to waste time, money, and effort to tour the United States to have funeral processions to bury a word that’s being widely used now more than ever, because of these processions. But that is an open letter that I guess I need to write to another African American “activist” entity that has failed us.

Speaking as an African American that has personally experienced racism, we as a people need to stop with the excuses. We, as a people, need to stop the blaming of, “the man,” for oppressing us. Does racism exist? You damn right it does. But what are we going to do about it? Are we going to quit living our lives? Are we going to constantly complain, blame others, and make a lot of something out of nothing? Or, are we going to overcome? Are we going to prove to our naysayers that we can be just as useful in this society as our white counterparts? I don’t know about you but I know what I’m going to do. There’s not a man on God’s green Earth that can deter me from living my life.

But, hey, maybe that’s just me.

And, Mr. Jackson, if I’m wrong in anything I’ve said then I’m not above reprieve either. Please let me know.

Check out Daniel Gilbert’s open letter to LeBron James.

Check out Jesse Jackson’s open letter to Daniel Gilbert.

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• 

Right now, I think the health care debate is a great example of why common sense is at an all time low. Let me preface this by saying there’s nothing wrong with protesting the government and its actions. But universal health care? What’s the big deal? People and businesses worry about it hiking their taxes or negatively effecting their bottom line. However, to me, common sense would say that if people can work without worrying about being fired for getting sick, they would be able to do their job a lot more efficiently. More happy and productive workers means more money raining from the sky. More money raining from the sky means harder twerking strippers. And harder twerking strippers means everyone is chock full of glee!

But noooooooo! That would be Nazi Germany! First of all, most of the people calling your president a commufascocialist don’t even know the difference between the three. Secondly, I can’t eloquently state their parallels myself. So let’s just strike it from the record. But I do know about common sense. And because of it, I know that we already do for our cars what other successful countries do for their residents. It’s called insurance.

Too high brow? Well how about this: some “juices” have an ingredients list about a paragraph long. On top of that, the ingredients are words that don’t even exist. That stuff is made by scientists. Wouldn’t it be easier and more cost effective to pay the farmer to just squeeze juice in a bottle? Speaking of farmers, I heard (*resists pun opportunity) they feed cows corn. Cows don’t naturally eat corn. Corn must be planted and harvested which takes time and effort. However, to make that process more effortless, farmers buy giant tractor trailers that run on gas (which we all know is not cheap). Now here’s the funny part. Do you know what cows naturally eat? That’s right, kids! Grass. The same grass that grows back when you cut it. And the same grass that is free.

I obviously equate common sense with capital. But, how does that old African proverb go? Ah, yes, I remember now! “If it don’t make dollars, it don’t make sense.” Even if you don’t agree, it’s a good place to start. I’m a rapper so I’m broke. That’s why I can break down every debate into monetary efficiency. So what I’m saying is vote your favorite rapper into your local government. I think Moe Dirdee would make an excellent replacement for Jennifer Granholm. Here’s to a Dirdee 2010!

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• 

No matter how nice any of the places I’ve stayed in have looked, I went to the nearest dollar store to get my scrubber. Let’s be clear, I know what it’s for so why go all out? Not to mention the fact that dollar store toilet scrubbers come in an array of lovely colors to accent your bathroom, home decor, and personality to a tee (that was an attempt at writing a commercial script. Holler at me, Dollar Tree). But the prices of some of these things are laughable.

I can understand up to $2 if you buy it from Target or some place similar. But there are toilet scrubbers with opaque bases, with chrome handles, with disposable heads, with self cleaning mechanisms; it’s amazing. Moreover, the prices can surpass the tens place. Are you kidding me?! We are talking about a big brush that scratches butt leavins’ off your throne!

But, hey, what do I know? Everyone deserves the best of whatever, I guess. I just worry that people try to impress others with things that don’t matter. I’ve never gone into a friend’s bathroom and experienced this soliloquy (look it up as you will be better for knowing it); “My goodness. The subtle magenta paint and olive tiling marries so well with the oak wood toilet seat cover. EGAD, what’s this?! A clear, plastic toilet scrubber?! It is the order of the heavens to burn this bathroom to ashes for the safety of the human race.” At the risk of making an ass out of U and ME, I’m going to assume you wouldn’t have that thought either.

So I implore you, do what you do. Just make sure it makes you happy. Even if it means buying a $10 toilet scrubber that emits a bubbling solution and turns blue when it’s time to be replaced. But don’t do it for us because we don’t care. All we ask for is your safety and that you have fun with your time on this planet. Well, unless you’re R. Kelly. If you are Robert, please understand that I hope there’s a room reserved for you in Hell that’s ironically the size of a closet.  And in this room, you’re forced to watch live streams of little girls leading fruitful, rapeless lives. In standard definition.

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• 

Literally anything you can think of is dumb. Water dries your skin out. Monogamous relationships go against our genetic makeup and we do it anyway. Somebody used their scientific expertise to make a paper clip. We believe in things we have never seen and chastise other people for believing in something different that they have never seen. The world makes no sense.

Let’s look back at death and taxes. When someone dies, we buy an expensive box to put them in. Then we adorn them with flowers (none of which is being enjoyed by the deceased, might I add). Then we dig a big hole to put the expensive box in. You know who else does stuff like that? Pirates! They bury things that are worth a lot to them that they will never see again. Death is stupid.

Taxes are no better. My check is garnished to pay for roads, health care, etc. But if you just gave me all my money, wouldn’t I be able to do that anyway? So that means Uncle Sam doesn’t trust me with my own money and knows what’s best to do with it. That sounds awfully close to a pimp. Taxes prove I am one of 300 million hoes of Pimpin’ U.S. Taxes are stupid.

The good news is that remembering everything is stupid makes life a lot easier. Consider it as a montra. Because the next time someone drives over a puddle splashing you with dirty water and you realize you should have taken into account that the puddle was there before you were, you can just say, “Well that was stupid.”

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• 

Racism is getting out of control in the United States. Yes, it is 2010 and racism is STILL running rampant. What makes it sad is that these cock stains don’t have the balls to say, “I am racist.” Just like the KKK hide behind sheets, the racists of today hide behind politics.

One HUGE example is how people say they aren’t against President Obama but the things he’s doing. The latest arguing point is what he plans to do about nuclear armament. Many Republicans and Tea Party members are greeting him with nothing but criticism and disrespect. And, in the same breath, they clamor about the great Ronald Reagan and what he’d do (see; everytime Sarah Palin opens her mouth). But, isn’t it ironic that Ronald Wilson Reagan stated that he wanted to do the exact same thing about 20 years ago?

Exact. Same. Thing.

So many Tea Party members are saying that they want the country to go back the way it was when Reagan was running it. But what if you make them realize that many ideas of previous Presidents that were good ideas then, are still good ideas now? But, I guess because a black man is preaching it, it’s not a good idea now is it?

People  say they are against Obama because he’s, “leading this country down the wrong path,” but yet the same people said nothing to George W. Bush’s War of Terror. YES I SAID WAR OF TERROR, not on terror. That’s not a typo.

Sarah Palin (oh God, I could go on forever on this chick) is going to be the next Rush Limbaugh – and I don’t think that’s a good idea. All these people eagerly following Sarah Palin is like… it’s not like the blind leading the blind, it’s more like the dumb leading the dumber.

And to follow her you have to be a moron (mo·ron [môrn, mr-] n.1. A stupid person; a dolt. 2. Psychology A person of mild mental retardation having a mental age of from 7 to 12 years and generally having communication and social skills enabling some degree of academic or vocational education. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive).

I would really like someone to give me some excerpts from her resumé that makes her a credible source on politics. I don’t know, something about her resigning her position of Governor half way into her term, makes me think she’s not dependable. What makes you think she wouldn’t quit half way through her Presidency?

All of this is just one big cluster fuck – white people not liking Obama and smart people not liking Palin. Where will this take us? With the 24hr news cycle and political campaign, later this year we will see those that dare to run for president in 2012. Yeah sometime after Fall we’ll see people trying to pull themselves above the rest. I just hope for our sake that whoever does run has an IQ bigger than my shoe size. I guess that leaves Sarah Palin on the outside looking in.

angryblackman@whutupdoe.com

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• 

With Easter passing a couple weeks ago, it’s something I’ve always wondered about Easter/Resurrection Day or whatever you want to call it. If Jesus died for our sins, wouldn’t he go to heaven? If this is the case why was He resurrected just to go back? If He died, and didn’t go to Heaven, where was He for those 2 days?

I know this will start some drama, especially with all that’s going on with the Catholic Church, but I’ve always questioned religion. I think the problem is that too many people just follow blindly and don’t really know what they’re following.

Most people are born into religions and follow the ways of their parents, never thinking to look outside those beliefs. But no religion has been proven true. They are all based on FAITH, not FACT. I have a saying that goes, “Religion has faith, not fact. Once you get the facts, its hard to have faith.”

Let me explain.

• The Bible says that the universe was created in 7 days, and on the 7th day God rested. Here is something to think about; If the Earth does not revolve on its axis, there can be no day and night. The first thing God created was the Heavens, then Earth and Light. So with no Earth there was day and night? Kind of hard to think of isn’t it? If there is no spinning, the Earth its just going to be either day, or night, not both.
• These so called men of the cloth. If God loves his children, why does He allow these Priests to molest them? I have no problem with the Roman Catholic Church doing nothing because they’re an organization. And like any other organization, they’re just trying to stay in power. But, God does nothing? Please explain this to me. God, the most powerful, is all about people maintaining their innocence yet he lets people – who preach in his name – ruin the lives of these children? I’m sorry, I just don’t understand that one.
• Something else I find interesting is how every few thousand years, the major religion shifts. Am I the only one that has paid attention to that? Yes, I know my history. Before the Abrahamic Religions, the big theology was Greek Mythology, and before that was Egyptian Mythology. In a few thousand years will we be talking about Christian Mythology?

To me, that’s all it is anyways – a myth. No one can prove too many parts of the Bible to be true. And the few that you can prove were written long ago. The story of Noah’s Arc in Genesis has been traced to the Epic of Gilgamesh (do your research people). I’m not trying to ruin anyone’s faith, but what I would like to do is open minds and to evoke these conversations. Don’t just follow blindly just because you’ve been told to. Jewish people were told to just go along with the Holocaust.

Something to think about.

And if you disagree, you know how to contact me:
angryblackman@whutupdoe.com

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• 

I know it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me, but I’m back. Deal with it.

Let me tell y’all what’s really grinding my gears today: Women.

Women are always asking themselves why can’t they find a good man. It’s pretty fucking simple, actually. Women can’t find men to meet their standards because they don’t know how to look.

Women look for men that have certain qualities, whether it’s: appearance, wealth, personal style, etc. A lot men meet these superficial, simple-minded qualities. So, therefore, the men you come across have all of the above mentioned qualities. Guess you really found what you were looking for, huh?

What women don’t realize is that he is what you want, therefore, whether you know it or not you’re pursuing him. Even if he is the one that approaches first, you’ve placed yourself in a situation in which he would see you.  Your tits aren’t beaming and ass poking out for nothing, are they? I didn’t think so.

The direction I’m leading is that women control the men that they talk to. While they are paying attention to the man that has the things she wants, the man that is willing to work to get those same things is overlooked. And that’s why women are unhappy. Relationships take work. Hard work. But you want a man that doesn’t have to work hard and is not willing to. Why does that guy that’s already made it what you? What do you possibly have that could better his situation? Tits and ass? That’s a dime a dozen! Now I know it may seem like in bashing a lot of successful men, but I’m not. If you read between the lines all I said is women tend to go for men that do not have to work at relationships, and pass the men that are willing to strive for the same.

Food for thought.

angryblackman@whutupdoe.com

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FAVORITE TRACK: Nametag – Beast Mode featuring Kopelli of Cold Men Young, produced by Black Bethoven

Close Call: B.o.B. – Nothing On You

FAVORITE ALBUM: Danny Brown – The Hybrid

Close Call: Kidz In The Hall – Land Of Make Believe

FAVORITE EP: JYoung The General x Nick Speed – Black History Year: Installment One

FAVORITE MIXTAPE: Clear Soul Forces – Clear Soul Radio

Close Call: Danny Brown – Detroit State Of Mind 4

WORST ALBUM: Ludacris – Battle Of The Sexes

FAVORITE VIDEO: Kidz In The Hall – Jukebox

Close Call: Phresh Heir – Who The Fuck Is Phresh Heir

FAVORITE SHOW: Detroit invading SXSW!

FAVORITE MOMENT: Mayer Hawthorne on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Coming up in the 2nd quarter:
Cold Men Young – Champagne Nights: Red Stripe Budget
Street Justice – Go H.A.A.M.
Miz Korona – The Injection
JYoung The General – Chapter 1 Verse 6
Finale x Oddisee
Royce Da 5’9″ – Bar Exam 3
Yu (of Diamond District) – Before Taxes
The Left – Gas Mask
Little Brother – Left Back
The Game – The R.E.D. Album
One Be Lo – B.A.B.Y. (Being A Black Youth)
Reflection Eternal – Revolutions Per Minute
Mela Machinko mixtape

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The keys to any professional sports franchise sustaining longevity among their respective league’s elite are two things: a superstar caliber talent to build around and successful drafts.

The Pistons haven’t had a bonafied superstar since they tried to make Grant Hill pull an Isiah Thomas which inadvertently turned him into Bill Walton (see, injury prone… pre Tracy McGrady). So THAT leaves the NBA Draft. You can’t build for the future if you don’t prepare for it today, right? Let’s take a look at Joe Dumars’ draft history since becoming the President of Basketball Operations over at 6 Championship Drive:

2000: Mateen Cleaves drafted with the 14th pick in the draft. Now granted they had Jerry Stackhouse, Dumars left Quentin Richardson and Mateen’s teammate at Michigan State, Morris Peterson on the board. Both of whom had a lot more upside than Cleaves at that time.

2001: Rodney White with the 9th pick in the draft. Really? Rodney White? Not Joe Johnson, Richard Jefferson, Zach Randolph, Gerald Wallace, Tony Parker, or Gilbert Arenas… but Rodney White? I’ll cut Dumars slack on Parker & Arenas but RODNEY WHITE? Dumars got a great draft pick in Mehmet Okur in the second round, but how did that pan out? He was lost for nothing.

2002: Tayshaun Prince drafted with the 23rd pick in the first round. What a hell of a steal, but has the team stunted his developmental growth or has he just ran his course in Detroit?

2003: Ah yes, 2003. Darko Milicic with the 2nd pick in the draft over: Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Chris Kaman, Kirk Hinrich, and TJ Ford. Boris Diaw & David West also went in that first round but no one could have imagined the all-star impact they’d have eventually. And Carlos Delfino with the 25th pick in the draft wouldn’t have been too bad if he was developed and kept around, but to be drafted over Josh Howard?

2004: No first round pick but Dumars did scoop up Renaissance High School and Missouri stand out Rickey Paulding with the 55th pick in the draft. A late draft coup only to ship him off to overseas exile forever.

2005: Jason Maxiell drafted with the 26th pick in the draft. Nice, solid pick. Maxiell DOMINATED in Bob Huggins’ Bearcats system. The same system where small-forward sized players are bulked up and projected to the power-forward/center positions. Yeah, that doesn’t quite work in the NBA. Still not a bad pick, until you realize that David Lee was still on the board. D’oh!

2006: No pick in the 1st round but two picks in the bottom of the 2nd round that netted Chiekh Samb and Will Blalock.

2007: Rodney Stuckey drafted with the 15th pick in the draft. He’s definitely turned out to be the best pick of the 2007 draft that the Pistons had a chance to get, with Nick Young (drafted 16th by Washington), Wilson Chandler (drafted 23rd by Knicks), Rudy Fernandez (drafted 24th by Phoenix, traded to Portland), Aaron Brooks (drafted 26th by Houston), and Ramon Sessions (drafted 56th by Milwaukee) on his heels.

Sitting down, something Darko did his entire NBA career.

The verdict is still out on Stuckey, but he had a hell of a rookie campaign behind Chauncey. Being a shoot-first point guard without a jumper, Chauncey was the perfect person for Stuckey to learn the game from. That is until the Pistons stunted his growth by trading the franchise away for Iverson. The Pistons also managed to land a great pick in Aaron Afflalo with the 27th pick but gave up on him just as he was coming into his own (Seems to be a trend here, huh? See: 1998 NBA Draft, Bonzi Wells drafted by the Pistons with the 11th pick; 2001 NBA Draft pick Mehmet Okur; 2003 NBA Draft Pick Carlos Delfino).

2008: DJ White drafted with the 29th pick in the draft. A great pick for the Pistons. Someone with the attitude, undersized but equipped with the skill set to bang in the post. Exactly what the Pistons needed since Sheed only wanted to shoot jumpers. That is until they traded him a few minutes later for an undersized, super-project in Walter Sharpe. The Walter Sharpe that didn’t make the team by the way.

2009: Austin Daye drafted with the 15th pick in the draft. It seems as if Austin Daye will eventually come into his own with time but, at this point, time isn’t what the Pistons have and another long-term project and small forward isn’t what the Pistons needed. At the beginning of the offseason, Joe Dumars addressed the need for a floor general after saying that Rodney Stuckey was a combo-guard, and not a point. But what does he do? He drafts Austin Daye while leaving Jrue Holiday, Ty Lawson, Jeff Teague, Eric Maynor, and Patrick Mills on the board. In addition to passing up on DeJuan Blair TWICE (SELDOM used DeJuan Summers drafted with the 35th pick in the draft, two picks before DeJuan Blair) as if the team still no longer had a need for front court help and toughness.  Sure, DeJuan’s knee problems were probably a turn off to draft him with the 15th pick, but when the 35th pick came around and he was still on the board? The Pistons have the best medical staff in the NBA.

The Pistons would then go on to draft Jonas Jerebko with the 39th pick and Chase Budinger with the 44th pick. At the time, leaving Patty Mills on the board seemed foolish but Jonas Jerebko turned out to be a steal. So the Pistons drafted THREE small forwards, when having a need for NONE? Smart. And Chase Budinger, a smart, blue collar working, intelligent player with a high basketball IQ and a knack for being in the right place at the right time was the perfect fit for Detroit – the basketball team and its city. But, they trade him to Houston for a future 2nd round pick and cash – thus wasting a pick that could have been used to develop Patrick Mills who managed to slip all the way down to Portland with the 55th pick.

Now, it hasn’t all been bad. Aside from the poor draft track record that Joe Dumars has, he’s made significant moves that netted the team success such as trading away Jerry Stackhouse for Richard Hamilton and trading for Rasheed Wallace & Mike James – in addition to signing Chauncey Billups.

But this is also a franchise that started the path to destruction, despite winning a championship in 2004 and coming one game away from repeating in 2005, when the business of appeasing season ticket holders got in the way of letting a coach do his job (this was rumored to be the real reason behind what started the friction between Davidson and Carlise, and Davidson forcing Dumars to fire him) . Rick Carlise, a rookie head coach, led this young and inexperienced team to back-to-back 50-32 seasons, their first 50+ win seasons since 1997 and first playoff series victory since 1991. After the loss of Carlise, the Pistons’ first successful coach since Chuck Daily, the coaching helm became a revolving door of inconsistency – exactly where it is now.

Ten years later and the Pistons are right back to where they were when Joe Dumars took control of the franchise about ten years ago – in the toilet with one hand on the flusher. The near future doesn’t look too promising either with current ownership in limbo after the passing of William Davidson, the head coaching carousel, and the sketchy-at-best free agent acquisitions of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva and the truck load of money spent to lock them up. Money that means, trading Chauncey for the cap Iverson would free up was completely pointless because the team is back to not having any flexibility for 2010-2011 Free Agency free-for-all.

And, as for the 2010 NBA Draft in which the Pistons are PRIME to land a lottery position between the 5th and 10th pick? Let’s just say that I’m looking forward to another botched draft in Detroit.

Yup, it’s going to be another year as a Detroit resident and sports fan – Lions, Tigers, Pistons? Oh my. Let’s just hope the Wings can return to championship form, or else all we’ll have is false claim to Serena Williams (Sagnasty, stand up)!

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