A Modest NBA Proposal

                Despite my previous post I must admit this season has been a little dry. Perhaps, it’s the numerous injuries… Anyways, I had this idea that would revolutionize the NBA: take away some teams. The reason why the NBA isn’t that exciting to anyone except hardcore fans is simple—too many scrubs. That’s been a problem for the longest time; if we have less teams and shorten the season a bit then the NBA will be a lot more popular and more fun to watch.

                Let’s face it, some franchises will never win a championship. Cough cough Raptors! Grizzlies! Kings! Jazz! Seriously, how long does it take a franchise to rebuild? There are way too many talented players who are stuck in hopeless teams and there are plenty of talented players on hopeful teams but they just won’t make it.

                I know that a lot of people will get pissed off if the NBA were to eliminate some teams but they’ll get over it. You think Lil’ Jimmy in Milwaukee gets excited when Daddy gets tickets to the Bucks game?  Do you know how many teams are under 500 right now? 18 teams out of 30. The league could use some trimming. We only have to get rid of 4 teams. That should make things more competitive, too many no name dudes are in the NBA right now. You know when a player is a nobody when he has generic face features in 2K.

                I know this will never happen but it’s food for thought. You know this is a good idea.

Things Haters Say About Basketball

               Basketball has been my favorite sport forever but lately I’ve been hearing a lot of disrespectful attacks against it. I don’t understand why we all can’t get along and respect each other’s preference but if it’s a throw down you want then I’m all in. Here are some common attacks against basketball and my response to them.

               “It only matters in the 4^th quarter.” Well, it’s hard to go HAM for 48 or so minutes without slacking a bit. Maybe it appears that way because the 4^th quarter is the only quarter you actually sit and watch.

                “It’s soft! There’s no contact allowed. Any little thing is a foul!” That I agree with to a certain extent. The NBA has gotten soft but at the same time, it was never a barbaric sport.

                “The players only care about the money!” They didn’t get paid a lick in college so it’s justified if players look out for ways to support their families. And it’s not like basketball is the only sports with flashy athletes!

                “It’s fixed.” Even we basketball fans have their doubts…

                “They score too much which makes it all meaningless” I’m sorry your sport makes scoring seem like an epic journey that is so tough that sometimes you have to settle with a tie. Scoring in basketball isn’t that easy but if you have 24 seconds to put up a shot each time for 48 minutes then you’re bound to see a score past 50. If you think scoring is meaningless then why do 70% of highlights capture people scoring? It’s not like defense is an exciting spectacle.

                 “The season is too long.”  Eh, can’t really argue on that one.

                “Too many fouls!” I don’t know how to respond to this... yeah fouls do slow things down but if we’re going to compare sports then flags slow down football. Baseball is always slow. Hockey looks like the skaters from a Disney On-Ice Show got drunk and pissed off at each other. And soccer is as boring as baseball but once in a while I wake up whenever someone gets a goal.

                 So there you have it. If you have any other critiques on basketball, or anything of that nature, post them in the comments.

 

 

2K14 Rant

      I got NBA 2K14 for the PS3 which might be the reason this post is taking this angle. But as a person who has grown up with this franchise, I can't help but address my biggest gripes with the recent installments. Here are my Top 3 Complaints about 2K.

      1. Juicing Up Players- The 2K developers love to make great players superhuman. There are three kinds of superheroes in 2K:
High Flyers (Rudy Gay and LeBron in 2K11&12)
Sharp Shooters (Carmelo Anthony 2K12&13 and Stephen Curry 2K13)
Deities (Kobe in ANY 2K game especially 2K11, LeBron and KD since 2K12, and Paul George 2K14)
           I understand that some players stand out from the rest but sometimes a player's abilities are over exaggerated to the max. High Flyers can dunk on anything, Sharp Shooters can pull up from half court and make it 60% of the time and Deities are all of those in one. They are aggravating to defend and always score at least 30 points at the hands of the most noobiest player.

      2. Gameplay Mechanics- If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That's a motto that is unfamiliar with the developers. They love to introduce something and take it away next year. Why won't the alley-oop button stay the same for once? Why did they take away the step back button from 2K11? If they aren't taking something away, they're overcomplicating something else: posting up feels like I'm playing Finger Twister and crossovers are unnecessary thumb workouts.

     3. Slippery Defense- This wasn't an issue in the old days when all the players moved in the same speed as if they were on a chain gang. Now it's become way too easy to lose a defender; you don't even have to use turbo. All you have to do is say "excuse me" and the defender politely gets out of your way. It's like the game creates space so you can get J'd on easily. And running after a player can feel like a game of Duck-Duck-Goose.

There are many other issues I have. I'm 4 games in 2K14 and I'm tearing my hair out. That's not to say that it's not a great game; but the developers need to tighten up. If you have any major gripes with 2K, post them in the comments!

The Syndromes

              I've contracted this horrible disease; I just realized it not too long ago. It's called DBS- Douchebag Syndrome. It's when someone sees a beautiful person and acknowledges his or her beauty but immediately points out a flaw.
          It's terrible, I know. I don't do this on purpose to make myself feel better, it's just a natural reaction. But it's not like I sit and try to find a flaw if I can't see one—that's the A—hole Syndrome. I know a few people who have it. They will see an attractive girl and try to pinpoint an imperfection. Because in their eyes, it's impossible to be a perfect 10; there has to be at least one or two things wrong with you.
          I probably sound like a jerk right now but I know I'm not the only one who does this. There are other diseases out there. You go the I'm-a-huge-tease-but-I'm-really-a-prude Syndrome, there are those who suffer Hit-and-Run disorder, and plenty of people who are stuck in Limbo (overly serious relationships that alter your personality). Which disease do you have? Which case have you dealt with and how did it turn out? Let me know in the comments! 

Are There Any Good Movies Anymore?

            When was the last time you saw a good movie in theaters that wasn't a superhero film? I've done a lot of blogging about hip hop supposedly dying but I didn't notice that movies have been sucking recently. Honestly, if it's not a part of a big franchise, a movie won't make any noise. Sure, movies still make millions in the box office but we never hear about it anymore. I see more cellphone commercials than movie trailers. Maybe I'm being a pessimistic snob all I'm saying is it's been a while since I've heard anybody my age talk about seeing a movie that looks good. The movie theater is just a hangout spot for "cool" middle school kids in my town.
             I can't be the only person whose noticed this. There's nothing worth $11 coming out in theaters. What are some of the recent blockbusters? World War Z, That Hobbit Movie, Thor 2, Hunger Games the Sequel. If you have seen these movies, was it really worth the full price or could you have easily waited for the Redbox release? Think about it.

Senioritis + The Struggle

              If you're a senior and you don't feel like your head is exploding at least twice a day, then you're doing something wrong. The first half of senior year is nothing but a cakewalk; which is why once college decisions come out seniors start to slack off. What's negatively connoted as "Senioritis" should actually be called a "Well deserved break." I don't understand how teachers and college admission reps expect kids to grind through three years of high school despite all of the drama outside of academics and all the community service and extra-curricular activities and ball out in the end. It gets old after a while. I can tell you, as a senior, that I'm not trying to hear about homework, projects, and tests. It takes every ounce of self-control for me not to flip over a desk and start a bonfire with textbooks.
             To the seniors who are reading this, you're almost there. To the juniors and sophomores, get ready. Senioritis is real and it's justified. I'm not endorsing slacking off but getting one or two C's won't screw you up; a D will.

Bound 2 Music Video

        I'm going to keep this short- Bound 2 was hands down Kanye's worst music video. When I saw that picture of him and Kim on a motorcycle with that FAKE backdrop in the headline, I knew the music video was going to suck. I was horrified when I actually saw it, I tried to make sense of it all: the horses, the mountains, the motorcycle, that FAKE bird that flew in the screen, the absence of Charlie Wilson, I couldn't do it. It looked like Kanye allowed Kim's cousin to shoot and edit the video for his class project. I don't understand why Kanye would proudly debut that on national TV. I want to hear people defend this music video and find some type of artistic expression in this because I can't find any. Kanye knows better, he's had many great videos: Heartless, Heard Em Say, Touch the Sky, the list goes on. If he wanted to show the world a video of Kim, topless and straddling him, he could have easily done that on a smartphone and uploaded it on Vine. The Kardashian Kurse is real, I don't care what anybody says. Kanye's loosing his mind and his career continues to be affected by it.

Hip hop dying? Say it ain't so!

          Remember that song Eminem made, "Without Me?" In that song, he dissed Moby and said "Nobody listens to techno" Looks like those days are over. For the longest time, Rap and R&B dominated the radio; now I'm hearing more and more of this EDM crap. When I was at a journalism workshop this guy from Power 96 was teaching a class on radio and he had the nerve to say that hip hop isn't where it used to be, we are living in a modern disco age and all the hottest songs are either techno or funk. And to add on that, at my school's Homecoming, the music played was 65% EDM. If hip hop isn't dying, then it's stagnate. It's time to face facts, the end is nigh. Pretty soon rap fans will be a minority, we're going to hear more ignorant comments like: "Ha! you still listen to rap? all it is is money, drugs and hoes!" "Dude, hip hop is dead man! You gotta listen to EDM; this is the future!"

           I wrote about something like this before "Hip Hop Renaissance" but it's really starting to get to me. I heard EDM versions of "Love Sosa" and "Suicidal Thoughts,"

 

WHEN WILL IT STOP?!!??

            What do you think about this? Am I overreacting? Should I let it go and move on? Does anybody out there feel my pain?  Let me know.

CrazySexyCool and 90s R&B

        I've accepted the fact that I was probably one of a few teenage boys who watched the TLC bipoic, CrazySexyCool, Monday night. This is how most of the conversations about it went for me yesterday:

            Me- "Hey, did you see the TLC movie last night?"
            Clueless kid- "You mean the TV channel?"
            Me- "No, the girl group-"
            Clueless kid- "TLC? Never heard of them."
            Me- "You never heard of  'Waterfalls'? 'Creep'? Left-eye???"
            Clueless kid "........."
      
          I often forget that most people don't know much about things they weren't alive to remember, nor do they bother to research them- guess that makes me the weird one. It's a little sad that not a lot of young people know about the R&B scene of the 90s. What made acts like TLC, En Vogue, and Aaliyah so popular were that they made songs with women empowering themes but they weren't corny and it was okay for guys to bump them. I'm not going to get too preachy. All I'm saying is if you ever get tired of hearing Rihanna sing about "strippers going up and down that pole", look up "Ooooooooh.. on the TLC Tip", "CrazySexyCool", "Age Ain't Nothing but Nothing but a Number" or "One in a Million," you won't regret it.  

KD Calling out Wade

        Where does one get the nerve to call out a back to back champion? If you haven't heard, Kevin Durant came out of the blue to promote his playmate, James Harden, saying that he should replace Dwyane Wade as a top 10 player. Wade responded with an instagram picture and KD replied "Don't tweet me, show me."

       My reaction when I heard this was what the hell, why would you do that Kevin?! We're you and Harden pillow talking about how you lost to Miami two years ago and decided to vent some pent up frustration? I hope Wade blocks or dunks on KD the way he did in the Gatorade commercial. These two obviously aren't the best of friends. Just another reason why this upcoming season is going to be fresh.

Kendrick Lamar's Control Verse

         I know I'm way late with this but who cares, let's get into it. Kendrick Lamar has done it again. He managed to hurt a lot of feelings and stir up a frenzy on ANOTHER MAN'S SONG. But let's be real for a second. Kendrick's verse shows how soft hip hop has become. Competition has always been a part of the game, it's a part of life. Rappers have been getting way too buddy buddy with each other, I wouldn't be surprised if  they have sleepovers and schedule play dates. Nowadays, hip hop beefs are a joke, they aren't even consistent anymore. Pusha T came out with Exodus 23:1,Wayne responded and then what? Meek Mill and Cassidy? Are you kidding me?

         Kendrick's verse on Control revived the competition amongst rappers for a bit which is nice, hopefully it lasts. A lot of rappers need to get called out more often, it cleanses Hip Hop of wackness. Thank you Kendrick, now if you could slap some sense into Kanye and bring him back to Earth when you two go on tour, that would be appreciated.

Miley Cyrus

        I remember when Hannah Montana was on the rise, I couldn't stand any of it. I said to myself "Pretty soon, controversy is going to strike". Sure enough, here we  are! Where do I begin? Let me start by saying this- Girls are worshipping Miley Cyrus like dudes worship Tupac. I bet if she got "Slut Life" tatted across her butt, some girls would follow suit. Real quick, am I the only one who's disturbed that she has more Twitter followers than LeBron? Whatever, anyway, I'm not a Miley hater, I just don't get it. Women have been twerking and sticking their tongues out before Miley, so what's the big deal? And if it were a black girl doing the same thing... let's not play that card, but you know where I'm going with that. And as far as her music goes, I would rather listen to a recording from a gas station men's room.

      How long are we going to care about Miley's every move? And what do her "fans" see in her? I guess she's free spirited but so is every other 20 year old. I'm not going to go any further with this. The way I see it, this Miley thing is a phase. Will people remember her 20 years from now-yes, sadly. But let's just be grateful that she hasn't started a revolution of flat white girls actin' a fool. White girls are twerking more often but it hasn't got out of hand. But the moment you see 5 year old girls twerking at a birthday party, that's when all hell breaks loose.

The Return

      So, where were we? A lot has happened since my last post- Kendrick Lamar shook up the rap world (again), Miley has gotten irritating and dumped, Kanye's daughter was born, KD called out Wade and Eminem is dropping another album. I can't promise that I won't ever go away again but I will say this-I'm back- Keeping you in the mix as always.

Farewell

                As I sat in my chair wondering about life I began to look into my successes and failures. While doing this I began to wonder what category this blog falls under. I appreciate all of my visitors but 39 posts and less than 5 comments gets a little discouraging after a while. I have brought this up many times before but still to no avail. It's like I'm on a podium speaking to a mute crowd, sure the undivided attention is nice but I can't help but feel stupid.
                This is not the end of this blog, I am not a quitter. Consider this a see you later, I'm going on hiatus for a while. See you when I see you.

Summer 2013 SOS

          What comes to mind when you think of Summer vacation? Beaches, barbecues, swimming pools, summer love, non stop partying and chilling with friends? That all sounds nice. Is that what you're summer is really like though? If so, kudos to you but for a lot of people including myself summer vacation means laziness, boredom, and trying to hit up friends to do something.

           If I'm not at the gym or at work I'm most likely wondering the house in PJs. Needless to say, I can't wait to hear some school bells. If you are as bored as I am let's work together. Send me some blog topics through the comments or just hit me up on Twitter- @DeiSoFresh.

Yeezus, Born Sinner, WMWTSO, and Talk a Good Game

               Another failed prediction- Kanye West's Yeezus outsold J.Cole's Born Sinner by 30,878 copies in the first week. Here are the sales for all the albums that came out last week including Mac Miller's Watching Movies with the Sound Off and Kelly Rowland's Talk a Good Game.

http://www.complex.com/music/2013/06/first-week-sales-for-kanye-west-mac-miller-and-j-cole-are-in

             What surprises me the most about all of this is the fact that Mac Miller outsold Kelly Rowland. Seriously? Where are all of the Destiny's Child fans at? I thought the story behind Dirty Laundry would for sure attract a lot of consumers. I mean c'mon, Mac Miller beat Kelly Rowland, am I the only one bothered by this?

            Back to the J. Cole and Kanye thing, the way I see it- J. Cole's album sales went up from the last one while Kanye's significantly decreased. I don't know who bought Yeezus, maybe the Kardashian family hoarded a couple hundred copies but regardless, Kanye should send them all a fruit basket.

         Don't get me wrong, Kanye will always be my favorite rapper, but Cole got robbed. By 30,878 people. To Mr. Cole, if you're reading this, don't be discouraged. And to Mr. West, congrats on the baby and I mean no disrespect.

NBA Season Recap and Superlatives

Even though my predictions were a fail the Miami Heat are once again world champions and LeBron's legacy continues to shine. Let's recap the 2012-3 season with some superlatives.

Best newcomer- Damian Lillard. No doubt the biggest standout of his draft class and was close to taking the Blazers to the Playoffs.

Best All-Around- LeBron James and The Miami Heat- MVP, 27 game win streak need I say more? This team was legendary and the addition of the Birdman added more flavor to the franchise.

Biggest Disappointment- Derrick Rose. Like I said, he better pop off next season and I don't want to see any missed games.

Biggest WTF- Andrew Bynum. That Dwight Howard trade screwed over the 76ers big time. I feel bad for Jrue Holiday who had to put up with that for the whole season, not only that but Doug Collins had enough and resigned, that's gotta hurt. Thanks a lot, Bynum.

Most Embarrassing- Brandon Knight. Whether it was getting crossed by Kyrie or being posturized by DeAndre Jordan, this season has been a low point for the young guard.

Most Likely to Succeed- Golden State Warriors. Give them two more years and a healthy roster and this team could make it to the Finals.

Class Clown- Brandon Jennings. The Bucks are going to win in 6, HA!

The Kardashian Kurse pt 2

              So why do the Kardashians have a negative affect on the careers of every black male they've dated? Here's my answer: Phony lifestyle and Reality TV. I don't think any normal person would want to be a part of that family and the way they live. All those cameras, gossip, and meaningless chatter, you could lose brain cells from it.
               As for their little show, I've come up with a solution- Black men and reality television don't mix. Name one black man who has prospered from a reality TV show. Reality TV destroys black men's careers. Whenever a prominent black man has his own reality show he is either
A) Retired
B) Should retire
C) Trying too hard to get back on the saddle and end up making a fool of himself.

              Here's a list of examples: Run's House, Flavor of Love, For the Love of Ray J, Eddie Griffin's Going for Broke, Coolio's Rules, Snoop Dogg's Father Hood, the T.O Show, Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch.

           I rest my case. Brothers need to stay away from reality TV and  interrelationships with famous but talentless women if they know what's good for them.

The Kardashian Kurse

               I'm sorry Kanye but J. Cole is about to embarrass you. I know what I said earlier about Kanye's album being a big deal regardless but it has become apparent that Born Sinner is going to be #1. It hurts me to say this but Kanye is slipping into obscurity. But its not his fault- its Kim's. Kanye West has become another victim of the Kardashian Kurse.
                Every successful black male who was romantically involved with one of the Kardashians has seen their careers go down the drain ever since. Kanye West and Jaden Smith are the latest victims. Kanye's street cred has shattered and his music has gotten noticeably worse since he has been with Kim. For example, Cruel Summer was a disappointment. When did a Kanye West album ever debut at #2??? Jaden Smith, poor kid, has been rumored to be involved with Kylie Jenner. The result- After Earth bombed in the box office. See what I mean? Stay tuned for Part 2

To my Foreign Readers

I looked into my stats and saw that I have a small following in Foreign countries!!! That's awesome! 48 Russians are in the mix and 16 Germans like to stay tuned. спасибо to my Russian fans and hallo to Germany. Here's to staying in the mix around the world!

Topic requests?

Its been 32 posts and a 1000+ views and I still have less than 5 comments on this blog. What's going on? If you have a topic that you would like to put into the mix, lemme know! Post it on the comments and I'll express my thoughts on it. I appreciate all of you who read this but sometimes it feels as though I blogging to a brick wall.

10 Reasons Why I Can't Stand the Indiana Pacers

Yes I am a Heat fan, shut up.

1. Indiana's racist reputation- Every time I see the fans, I can't help but see most of those smiling faces behind white sheets. Like they use that arena for Klan meetings during offseason.
2. Their coach- His name is Frank Vogel, doesn't that sound like somebody you want to punch in the face?
3. David West- Nuff said
4. Lance Stephenson- Dude looks like a lizard and every time he gets called for something he sways his head in a douchey way that makes me want to slap him
5. They always try and start something with LeBron- Mentally and Physically. The Pacers are like the Bad Boy Pistons for Bron right now.
6. Their colors- Just ew
7. Dirty players-  The whole freaking team
8. Corrupt refs well- How else can you explain the non stop bad calls? If these guys regulated pro soccer for any Hispanic country, they would've been killed and their deaths would probably be celebrated.
9. I Cannot stand a Cinderella story in sports
10. Game 7- We'll see how this ends.

B.I.G.'s Killer Revealed

I don't understand how murders can go unsolved. Its all a matter of importance. If the government and the Police Department consider the situation important then they will solve it. Which makes me ask this question, will Biggie's killer ever confess? Is this dude just chillin somewhere in Brooklyn with a small family trying to make ends meet. Maybe he will confess it on his deathbed. Come out with a book titled "I Shot Ya" and do an exclusive interview. The NYPD must be a bunch of country music fans because they don't give a crap whenever a rapper is slain. That's just a thought that came to mind.

Yeezus and my feelings on Kanye

           More information on Kanye West's new album has finally been released. So now we have a title, Yeezus, release date, June 18th and possible cover art. And we also have two singles to listen to: New Slaves and Black Skinhead. As a fan, I don't know what to feel about all of this. When I first heard New Slaves it sounded like a Cruel Summer reject but I will grow on it after a few more listens.

           My predictions are this: Yeezus will be the most creative and groundbreaking album in rap history. Kanye continues to break new ground through artistry and marketing, just look at what he did with New Slaves. Whether you think he's an egomaniac or not you cannot deny that the man is a genius. Twenty years from now when Rolling Stone lists the Top 100 artists Kanye should be top 10. Even though his lyricism may not have been the best of best his creativity has been an inspiration to this generation and won't be forgotten.

I'm definitely getting the album. Like I said, summer 2013 is going to be big for hip hop!

Playoff Predictions revisited

My playoff predictions aren't so wrong. Let's start off with the West-

The Clippers disappointed me, how they couldn't get past the team they beat last year without Rudy Gay is a wonder to me. McGrady finally got past the first round, I expected to see confetti and tears but a Lakers loss is good enough for me. Denver surprisingly lost and now Golden State is going to pull the upset and beat the Spurs. The biggest shock was Westbrook's injury. But KD couldn't be happier playing without him as if this was his dream come true. This Memphis/Thunder is going to be a good one but I have to give it to Memphis.

Western Conference Finals 

Golden State vs Memphis

4-1 Memphis

The Bulls pulled away from soft Brooklyn and now they're going to give Miami a hard time but they're still going to lose in maybe 7. The Knicks are no threat at all, the Pacers could advance but its not going to be easy. Knicks will win in six. 

Eastern Conference Finals

Miami vs NY

4-2 Miami

We'll see how this goes in two weeks. 

Derrick Rose

There is a joke going on about Derrick Rose, it goes like this "Derrick Rose is on the cover of 2k13... yet he hasn't played a single game of the season" I don't know if this was supposed to be an actual joke or an ironic truth but I found it humorous. I was actually waiting for Rose's return and I'm saying that as a Heat fan. I know I wasn't the only one who got pumped from that The Return commercial.

I'm not going to call Rose soft nor question his ways but all I'm saying is if you're not going to play then don't play and keep your mouth shut. Don't get people's hopes up saying that you're "considering it". I have astronomical expectations of him for when he comes back next season. I want to see 40+ point games and a neck to neck run with LeBron for MVP. Rose is a promising player and was fun to watch, I know he will do something special when he actually does return. How do you feel about the Rose-less season and what do you want to see in The Return and will the Bulls ever really be a championship contender?

Real quick- How come nobody is pissed off at Andrew Bynum. Way to get Philly's hopes up and then turn right around and flick them off. I never liked this guy to begin and that stupid hairstyle he was rocking while sitting on the bench was very obnoxious and distracting. Will Bynum make a career comeback? The world may never know

Apology to Mr. Cole

In my Where is Hip Hop At series in part 3 I insulted J. Cole, calling him a Drake clone. After further review of his music and the recent release of Truly Yours 2 I realize that an apology is necessary. Mr. Cole I am very sorry for disrespecting you.

This guy hasn't blown up yet, Cole World was just a warm up, no pun intended. June 25th is going to be a good day for hip hop because Wale's The Gifted comes out the same day as Born Sinner. Hopefully both surprise us because there is no hype around them right now. If you haven't heard Truly Yours 2 yet you're missing out. Now I'm definitely looking forward to his collabo with Kendrick Lamar, no details on that one yet.

Jason Collins Coming Out

This pro basketball player who I never heard of named Jason Collins reportedly came out and admitted he was gay. And of course, everyone is opening their mouth with an opinion. Seems like everybody approves of this, Kobe Bryant expressed his appreciation and support. I'm not going to bash this guy or homosexuality but let's be honest, this isn't a big deal.

Keep in mind Jason Collins is not an All Star, not a champion, he's an unknown in the league. Check his stats, he never averaged double digit points in his 12 year career. While what he did was courageous, let's not blow this out of proportion.  If you look at Collins's pictures, it was obvious that he was a little sweet from the start. An obscure player that we've never even played with in 2k doesn't change anything in the league. The NBA has already been taking a tolerant approach. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, all of the elite players are straight, it's not like there's gonna be an all gay starting lineup any time soon.

I might be taking a cynical approach to this but somebody has to.

Inspiration

I want to dedicate this post to the people in my life who have inspired me and strive to change the world. There are so many people I can thank but I'll try and make this short. We all have people in our lives who inspire us and at times we will inspire others as well. We were all put here for a special reason, given special talents by God to make the world a better place. As I look at the people in my life, I realize that I'm surrounded by ambitious individuals and that motivates me to be the best writer, Christian, brother, son, student, and person I can be.

So thank you to everyone who has encouraged me not to be a bum. Thank you to my cousin Chris who I continue to look up to as a role model and has his own clothing line (Freshco. Fly), Alex, an aspiring rapper and talented football player along with the rest of the Joesph family, Dario, my sunday school teacher who launched his own company to motivate people to use their talents for good (Dario Inspires), Ms. Agostini, who's son is like a brother to me and makes her own greeting cards (Clofran Creations), My Pastors at Calvary Josiah and Chris for their moving words and reaching out to me, everyone down with the Broward County Chapter of the Freedoms Foundations of Valley Forge I met some of the brightest kids through this trip, my friends and colleagues in school, teachers, and my family for the undying love and support. Thank you all, Deion wouldn't be Deion without you.

If there's aybody you want to shout out feel free to do so through the comments! Links are below

• http://darioinspires.com/
• http://www.freshcofly.com/  Freshco.Fly Facebook page
• Clofran Creations Facebook page
• Freedoms Foundation website / Broward County Chapter Facebook group page

Ray J's I Hit It First

So if you don't know already, Brandy's never-has-been little brother Ray J came out with a blatant diss track called "I Hit First" Do I even need to tell you what its about? The song is basically Ray J reminding Kim Kardashian and the rest of the world once again that he's responsible for Kim's super stardom. Not only that but now he has Kanye West in his scope.

First off, you didn't hit it first Ray J. Kim was married before she was with you. Second, why did you attack Kanye? He never bothered you, are you mad because he had Brandy sing vocals on Late Registration and your sorry self was recording One Wish?

If I had one wish it would be for Kanye to respond to this with his own track. Please Ye, put little Ray in his place. "I Hit First" is the type of song for those 20 something year old men who watch highlights of their high school football games because that was the only glorious moment in their lives. In Ray J's case he just sits home with his tape on replay and flips the channel occasionally to watch Moesha reruns. I'm begging you Kanye, please respond. If you can address attack poor Kris Humphries you can confront Ray J. Think of the baby Ye! Think of the baby!!!

Playoff Predictions

It's the most wonderful time of the year, playoffs. A two month period of fierce and competitive basketball leading up to the Finals which we all know will end up as a Heat repeat. What I'm wondering is who's going to come out of the West. Clippers or Thunder? That is the question.

I hope the Spurs beat the Lakers, not because I hate the team and its fans but Tracy McGrady is in San Antonio now and it would be nice to see him advance to the second round for once in his career. I think Memphis' chances of making it left with Rudy Gay and I think the whoever wins the Golden State and Denver matchup can pull an upset .

As for the East my predictions are this, Heat will sweep the Bucks if they don't give them a pity win and coast through the East after getting past the Knicks in the conference finals. I thought the Bulls would cruise past Brooklyn but they just got spanked so that is subject to change. Whoever wins between Indiana and Atlanta won't matter, both teams will lose the next round.

Like I said it doesn't matter in the end because the Heat will win it all in 6 games or less. But until then let's just enjoy the postseason as best as we can.

Let's Talk About R&B

I have to be honest, I'm not feeling the R&B of today. These guys aren't romantic anymore, it's just a bunch of crying heartbroken dudes and sexually aggressive thugs. Who do we have right now? Trey Songz, Frank Ocean, Chris Brown, and the Weeknd. Of all these guys I only like a handful of their songs. I can't bump the Weeknd, dude has no bass in his voice, I would rather listen to Drake. At least when he sings its consistently catchy.
       What I'm saying is our generation doesn't match up in any way to the R&B singers of the past. We don't even have a black boy band, where's the new B2k? Look who the grown folks had: R. Kelly, Jodeci, Boyz II Men, Keith Sweat the list goes on. These guys had it all, heartbreak songs, love making anthems, and style. Our singers are only specialists in some of these categories, we need to step it up.

Maybe I should come out and me an R&B singer, bring the soul back! I got the choreography down all I need now is a chiseled chest and tons of baby oil, the rest will fall into place...

Is Future the new T-Pain?

T-Pain has been absent lately, I guess his time is done. Future came in to fill the void of the auto tune dependent feature rapper and he seems to be handling himself well. It just goes to show that in the rap industry you could have a successful 5 year tenure by being more of a personality than an actual MC. It's pretty sad but true. And if Future is the new T-Pain who did 2 Chainz replace?

Summer 2013 Hip Hop Preview

It looks like its going to be a good summer for hip hop this year. From May to August there's a lot of anticipated releases for hip hop fans to mark on their calendars.

      Next month we'll see the releases of Dreamchasers 3 and My Name is My Name.
June is probably going to be the most productive month. Big Sean, J. Cole's  sophomore albums are coming out, Hall of Fame and  Born Sinner which comes out June 25th, the same day as Wale's Gifted. And for a closer, in August we will hear the debut of Joey Bada$$.

What was the best song last summer, Cashin Out? We won't have to worry about anything like that happening again. There will be several one hit wonders but this won't be a summer to slept on. What are you looking forward to most and was there anything that I left out? Who do you think is going to make the most noise this summer? I have to say Drake if Nothing Was the Same comes out on time but Cole could blow up with this one.  

Prom

I don't know when prom is but I know it's right around the corner because girls are being asked left and right. During my three years in high school, I've seen plenty guys ask girls in some pretty bold and creative ways. Probably the most memorable was when this guy took the mic and asked a girl during lunch.
        There is something about prom that makes me smile. For the same reason I love Valentine's Day, I love the idea of girls getting excited about getting asked while guys are thinking about who to ask and how. The end result is puppy love and nothing is cuter than that. Please excuse me, my feminine side is leaking out.

So what are your thoughts on prom? Do you love it, hate it, why? What are the high lows and lows of prom? Fill me in so I can know what to expect next year.

Jordan Brand Classic/High School Basketball

Did anyone catch the Jordan Brand Classic last night? If you didn't, you missed out on some great basketball. The fact that all of these guys are seniors is amazing. I'm a junior right now so knowing that there are guys only a year older than me, being the best in the nation and hyped up by NBA stars and millions of fans is amazing. I wish there was a hoops prospect in my school or at least Coral Springs, maybe one day..

The players I'm following are Kennedy Meeks and Andrew Wiggins. Meeks because he's going to UNC (go Tar Heels) and Wiggins because he's #1 and undecided. They say he could be going to UNC or FSU, or Kansas... or Kentucky. If he goes to Florida State and stays there until his sophomore year when I attend, that would be bananas but one can only dream. But who is your favorite player right now and what's your college team? Better not be Duke...

Thank You

I just want to take the time to thank everyone who has been reading this. Whether you read one post or are a dedicated follower, thank you. I never know who actually reads this unless someone tells me but I have 496 views right now and that's suprising to me. I didn't start this blog to become popular and get paid, I just have a bunch of stuff in my mind and I sound like a weenie on video so I couldn't make YouTube videos.

Thank you to everyone who reads this and I'm sorry I'm not as dedicated as I could be in posting. I'll try my best to publish at least two post per week (no promises). Shoutout to all of my supporters, I truly appreciate it. Shoutouts to Robert A., Tim, Marco, Robert R., Brother Dario, Eddie, Franny, and all of you reading this right now! I apologize if I forgot to mention anyone in particular.

God bless you all, here's to keeping it In the Mix, Cheers

My MTV and Disney Conspiracy

I never really liked Disney movies all that much. I saw most of them multiple times but it was never by choice. I don't why, maybe it was the lack of diversity and constant musical numbers that disinterested me but I've always been a Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network fan.

I dislike Disney more than ever now because, looking back, I realize how Disney not only advertises stereotypes and gender roles to young kids but it gives false hopes to children. Finding your Prince Charming and living happily ever after after defeating the darker skinned villain is all bologna.

And then I thought about MTV and some of the crap they put out. Filth like Jersey Shore, 16 and Pregnant, and Parental Control that us teenagers were hooked on at one time depict a distorted and trashy fairy tale. In MTV's world the Prince is a juice head, cheating douche and the Princess is a sleazy foul mouth with possible VD's and pregnancy scares. They both live happily ever after in either their parents home, some crappy apartment or Jersey after being defeated by their own stupidity.

My theory is this- Disney and MTV work together to brainwash people. Disney starts off with the young by feeding them this BS fantasy fairytale crap and then once those kids reach the age of 13 they start watching MTV and glorify that demented fantasy. The outcome is reckless adolescents with who think life is all a big party. That's just how I feel.

Where is Hip Hop At Part 4?

Ok, so to recap: The leaders of Hip Hop right now- Drake, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West
Future of Hip Hop- Kendrick Lamar

My solution... We need a Renaissance. A period of new ideas and thinking. A new Golden Age is what we need.

Something similar to the Tribe Called Quest, Leaders of the New School, and De La Soul days. Or takes us as far back as the Run DMC era with LL Cool J, Eric B. and Rakim, and EPMD. Make hip hop fun again, give us something to dance to without having to censor it. Enlighten us with your take on government conspiracy if you will but at least do some factual research first. And have your own ideas, I'm begging you.

Hip Hop is going to end up like a washed up child star with a heroin addiction if we don't do something soon. One man can't carry a whole industry on his back and I don't want to see the day when EDM takes over.

When that day comes, I'll seclude myself from society, listening to The Low End Theory while sucking my thumb in a fetal postion.

This is Deion A. Sainvil, signing off on this series. Comment and tell me how you feel, I really want to know what people think of this.

Where is Hip Hop At? Pt.3

Okay so we talked about the leaders of the game right now, but what about the future? This one might piss you off. The only real future of hip hop... Kendrick Lamar.

Now I know some of you are reading this saying "WOAHH DEION!" and you're probably cursing up a storm and calling me a bunch of names but deep down I know you know I'm right.
Kendrick Lamar, lets break it down. Kendrick has an album that's already called a classic, he's been getting alot of mainstream hype, and white folks love him. Even suburban parents can be heard walking around saying "Drank" Who else can you tell me is in that position? Kendrick already has the ingredients ready for a hall of fame rap career while all of the other people that you were probably thinking about will most likely be fizzled out by 2014. I mean let's be honest.

J. Cole, okay, I like the guy, but he's a Drake clone who wants to be as deep and philophical as Nas and Pac, C'MON!!!

Joey Bada$$, I love his stuff, but he will just be another underground Brooklyn MC with maybe, maybe one hot radio song at the end of the day. And that group of less talented rappers that he carries around like an obnoxious carry-on (Pro Era) will only drag him down. I'm sorry but the truth hurts.

Who else might be considered? A$AP Rocky is a definite no. His biggest songs have features that are better than his own verses. Odd Future? Please! Earl doesn't even make sense anymore (go and listen to "Woah" and you will see what I mean) and their fanbase consists of disturbed teens who came too late to hear Eminem in his prime.

Don't like what I said? TELL ME. I know alot of you are butthurt right now and someone out there wants to strangle me. Until then, Part 4 is coming up next

Where is Hip Hop At? Pt 2

In the previous post I discussed how Hip Hop has become redundant and listed the current heads of rap music of our generation: Lil Wayne, Drake, Kanye West. Let me explain.

Lil Wayne- Lil Wayne was every one's favorite rapper at some point in time. While right now he's more obnoxious and stupid than Flava Flav he was the meanest MC in the game for long time. Remember when you would wait in anticipation for a new Lil Wayne mixtape? Tha Drought, No Ceilings, do any of these ring a bell? And Lil Wayne is still one of the most featured artist in rap. Lil Wayne's longevity and influence in rap is apparent, he made it look cool to say the freshest things and act nonchalant about it. Don't be a hipster, admit it, you were bumping Go DJ back in 04...

Drake- If you were to run a background check on Drake, you wouldn't imagine that this guy would blow up in the industry. Degrassi, Canadian, Half-white, real name is AUBREY. But somehow, Drake made it happen. What makes Drake a leader of this generation is that he exemplifies what most rappers nowadays are doing yet he finds the most success doing it. You can complain about his whiny singing voice, but you can't deny that you sang along at least once in your life. Drake has been on hotstreak for about 3 years now and he's only getting better.

Kanye West- My personal favorite rapper. Kanye will not only be remembered for innovating the rap game but also for the controversy that surrounds him. When Kanye first came out, he made it very clear that he wasn't coming in the gangster image that most rappers boasted. And look what that's done for him. Kanye's career might be waning now but he is still relevant. Paris, Clique, and Mercy are still getting heavy radioplay. The man embarrassed 50 Cent in his prime!!! And think about this, without Kanye, there would be no Drake.

Where is Hip Hop At? Pt.1

Every time I'm in the car, I hear the same tired rap songs over and over again on the radio. And when I look into the underground, I'm not too impressed. Hip Hop is becoming redundant, there is only so many ways that someone can brag about money, street cred, swag, and their extravagant sex lives. Can we have some surburban rappers please? Or at least different themes. I wouldn't mind hearing a few rhymes about living in a gated community and having rich jewish neighbors, as long as its fresh.

Who do you think are the leaders of hip hop right now? Honestly. 10 years from now, who will be remembered as the leaders of hip hop during this generation. Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Drake. Simple as that. Let's be real. You disagree? Let me know, and stay tuned for part 2.

Can We be Honest??? RHOH isn't that funny

What do you think of the new show "Real Husbands of Hollywood". It's supposedly a smash hit on BET but I beg to differ...
The Real Husbands of Hollywood is not that funny, let's just be honest. For 5 weeks I've watched that show and have been disappointed every time. Remember when RHOH started off as sketches on the BET Awards? It was funny then. Bobby Brown was there, saying a bunch of random things, Samuel L. Jackson makes a fat jokes on Faizon Love and pulls out a light saber- That was comedy. This show now is completely different. It's sad seeing a comedian try and make poorly written jokes sound humorous. They have Kevin Hart watered down to the point where he looks like a toddler with ADHD and the supporting characters are just his lackey's.

I mean, c'mon, in the first episode, Kevin Hart's nemesis is a chubby middle schooler. Really? Robin Thicke saying he hasn't blacked out since the Source Awards.... A boxing match for people suffering with Turret's...  Poor writing has hurt this show, the ratings have been on a downward slope. You can't just throw Kevin Hart in and expect us to laugh. Especially black people, we have better senses of humor than that. At least, I would like to think so. What do you think? Am I being a hater? Am I expecting too much out of the first season? Let me know.

Valentine's Day Review

Well my Valentine's Day went well. Once I already did all the romantic things of the day, I realized that Valentine's Day doesn't really last an actual day unless you have a relationship with your significant other. It's more like a few Valentines' minutes. You give her some chocolates, maybe a teddy bear, she says "Thank you," gives you a hug and then you both go back to your regular lives. I don't know, maybe I'm just being pessimistic but my 30 seconds of romance went well, how were yours?
And who else is watching this Heat game right now? LeBron James sure is something else, let me tell ya. Anyway that's all I had. Just a quick write to tell you readers how my day went. In the meantime COMMENT, give me some type of purpose with this thing, it's ridiculous.

Deion A. Sainvil signing out.

Valentine's Day

         Ahh, February 14th, this date is more stressful than Christmas at times, wouldn't you agree? What is it about Valentine's Day that brings out so many feelings? Is it the romance, the pressure to find a special someone and the annoyance of couples reminding you of how single you are? Maybe it's the cheesey movies, the stupid mascot Cupid whom nobody even talks about anymore, maybe its the chocolates and heart shaped candies. The roses and soothing sounds of Sinatra and Nat King Cole's  L-O-V-E. Whatever it is, Valentine's Day brings about two feelings. You either love it or you hate it. You're either the person who anticipates the puppy love and joy of finding a Valentine or you're the cynical sourpuss who acts like you could care less.

           This Valentine's Day is also the day that SAT scores are released for those who took it last month, if anyone cares. It's also my good friend Robert's 17th birthday. Happy Birthday, bro.

How do you feel about Valentine's Day? What are some of your memories, best and worst V-Days?

         Last year was by far my worst Valentine's Day ever. I stayed home with strep throat and a bad cold. There's nothing romantic about spitting phelgm in a bucket all day.  Personally I can't really say that I had a "best" Valentine's Day yet because if I had to choose, it would be my 7th grade Valentine's Day and it wasn't too good-

          I bought my crush one of those cards that sing and the one I got sang Superfreak by Rick James. So on the faithful day, I travelled to my girl's language arts class and delivered the card to her. I went back to class and waited to here what happened since most of my friends had the same class as her. When school ended, my friends came up and laughed at me so I could sense her response wasn't pleasant. Rumor has it, she opened the card and when it sang, it was so loud that the whole class turned around and stared. She freaked out and slammed it shut. Then she opened it again and that's when the laughter started. I heard she threw away, 7 dollars of my affection in the trash. That brought me down and I sulked around for the rest of the day. Until about a half hour later, she found my friends and I at the library and gave me a hug. I guess she figured it was the least she could do.

           See what I mean? Not really a moment worth calling "the best". But at least I didn't get rejected. How could you turn someone down on Valentine's Day anyway? Who doesn't like the attention? You know what I find really annoying? That person who is so popular and receives so many gifts that they act all nonchalant about it, pretentious snob. We all know at least one. It's also annoying with a popular couples when the guy goes above and beyond and gives the most ostentatious gifts as a display of affection. The 6ft teddy bears and Will You be my Valentine banners across the lockers, you know what I'm talking about. Way to make us regular guys look like schmucks, jerk..

           So I might give you all a report on how my Valentine's Day went but until then, I want to hear all about yours. What are you doing this year? What are some of your Valentine's Day highlights and moments you try to forget? Another question I want to ask- what was your freshest way of asking someone to be your Valentine? Is there a deadline for that because I never know. I always fear that I'm going to ask a girl last minute and she's going to be taken by her gay best friend. It's probably happened to someone before...

          Regardless of where you stand on the day, I wish you all a great day and that love gets to you somehow. Don't get a girl a card that sings Superfreak, trust me. And when the day is done, sit back and watch the Heat play the Thunder on TNT at 8.

Love,

Deion

Why I Love You.... Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

             Do you remember OutKast? The Atlanta rap duo that brought us classics such as So Fresh, So Clean, The Whole World, Ms. Jackson, B.O.B. and more. Well I sure do, before Kendrick Lamar and Kanye West became the two rappers that I hold so near and dear to, I had OutKast and the Black Eyed Peas. Yes, I was a huge BEP fan back in the day. We'll discuss that later...
   
            Anyway, this fall will mark the 10th anniversary of Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Meaning that Roses, Hey Ya, and The Way You Move are nearly 10 years old. I repeat, Hey Ya came out nearly 10 years ago! How old do you feel? I remember those days like it was yesterday, this was the first album I ever bought. I remember coming home from Wal Mart and immediately ripping off the plastic. I had this album with me everywhere I went. I would play it before bed, in the morning, I even brought with me to the bus on my way to school. I never played it in school, but I treasured the album so much that I had to have it with me at all times. The main reason I'm writing this post now and not in the fall is because I honestly thought that this album came out on Valentine's Day. Andre 3000s side of the album definitely had a romantic theme and that really stands out to me. Not too many rappers have the cohones to put out an album that with lovey dovey songs not just pertaining to sex. Songs like Behold a Lady and Prototype are one of a kind and if I'm not mistaken, The Love Below could very well be the first and only Valentine's Day rap album in history. I could be wrong though..
          
            Big Boi and Andre brought me many memories with this one. Singing Roses in the shower, listening to the Love Below Intro and instantly thinking about my elementary school crush. If you ever get the chance, check out the Charlie Brown version of Hey Ya, it's quite entertaining. After this album, OutKast made Idlewild and have since slipped into a long and aggravating hiatus. Andre went and made that show Class of 3000 and he eventually slipped from the public eye but he would occasionally pop out of the rabbit hole and have unforgettable guest verses such as 2007's Int.'l Players Anthem and 2012's Party. Big Boi went on to try a solo career and the worst part is he's STILL trying.

Can we get one more OutKast album please or at least a reunion? I don't care how long it takes, but give us at least one single before I graduate.

What was your favorite song on this album? What are your favorite OutKast albums and songs and wouldn't you like to see an OutKast reunion? Let me know.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, you've done so much as far as shaping my rap taste and continue to be a classic to this day. I will always play you during Valentine's Day and whenever I crave the nostalgia, and that is why I Love You.... Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. OutKast will get their own Why I Love You in the future.


WHAT'S COOLER THAN BEING COOL?