HIP HOP IS DEAD!

Is it true, the latest report is that HIP HOP has been murdered, yep ya heard me murder in the first degree. Why all the bulletins on this latest death, my theory is because everyone wants to be the first one to say they called it right. I mean you have economists (Sorry had to go deep, look at the name of my blog!) every year that guess the rise and fall of the stock market and each year its guaranteed one side will be wrong. But whoa if you're on the right side, you will be published in newsletters, show up on CNBC, and probably even get a book deal if it happens to be one of the largest rises or falls ever known to the market. I will get off this analogy but think of it this way, image if you were the analysts that on tv or on print predicted the fall of the tech boom in the 90's or the market slump after 9/11. These guys were heralded as outright geniuses...but how many of those genius analysts predicted that the market would come roaring back like it has. Haven't checked, well the Dow has recently set its ALL TIME HIGH.

But back to the topic at hand:
Read the HIP HOP autopsy


We are all in the prediction game, but what ammunition do the naysayers have. Well try this on for size. This years 2006 Billboards did not record 1 hiphop artist in the top 10, except for Eminem's Curtain Call...but this was a greatest hits album. I know, your next question is what the heck made up the top 10, check this out and don't rub your eyes...I already tried:

1 SOME HEARTS CARRIE UNDERWOOD 3,721,7622
2 HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL SOUNDTRACK 3,252,743
3 ALL THE RIGHT REASONS NICKELBACK 3,043,246
4 ME & MY GANG RASCAL FLATTS 2,761,915
5 THE BREAKTHROUGH MARY J BLIGE 2,636,062
6 CURTAIN CALL: THE HITS EMINEM 2,576,365
7 BACK TO BEDLAM JAMES BLUNT 2,231,085
8 THE ROAD AND THE RADIO KENNY CHESNEY 2,100,744
9 THE LEGEND OF JOHNNY CASH JOHNNY CASH 2,004,003
10 BREAKAWAY KELLY CLARKSON 1,980,966

As you can see country dominated the theme. Overall these numbers look low but I guess we have been spoiled by the numbers Ludacris, Eminem, 50 Cent, Jay Z and other popular hiphop artists have registered recently. So where is hip hop closest representor that would be TI's King @ roughly 1.5M records sold. As you can see R&B was well represented with Mary J at #5, Mariah Carey #11, pop/hiphop group Black Eyed Peas #14, Jamie Foxx #15, Chris Brown #17, Justin Timberlake #18, Ne-Yo #28, and the next true hiphop artist Chamillionaire at #35 with 1.2 M. Get Rich or Dye Tryin Soundtrack, Notorious BIG, Gnarls Barkley and Lil Wayneare other notables just above 1M.

So what does this all mean, two things in my theory. I think that this was just the year of the singles for hiphop. You have a number of big singles from smaller artists and these artist will need time to crossover. Think of the huge singles of 2006:
Walk it - DJ Unk
Soul Survivor Young Jeezy ft Akon
Lean Wit it Rock Wit it - Dem Franchise Boyz
Chicken Noodle Soup
We Fly High - Jim Jones
What You Know About That - TI
Golddigger - Kanye West
Grillz - Nelly
Ridin - Chamillionaire
Hustlin - Rick Ross

Look at this list closely and realize that most of these artists are on their first or second album. My second theory is the lines of R&B, pop, and hiphop are blurring and definitely more because of hiphop. Again the top albums and in R&B and pop have a heavy dose of hiphop influence. Check this list out:
Chris Brown - newcomer with hiphop influence. Example had a song featuring Little Wayne
Ne Yo - first single was a hiphop track with Peedi
Mary J - long ties to hiphop with classics of her and Method Man, Game, and P Diddy
Mariah Carey - same can be said of her hiphop collabo's
Jamie Foxx - his hit single featured Ludacris
Pussycat Dolls - hits singles featured Busta Rhymes and Snoop Dogg
Fergie - part of Black Eye Peas
Justin Timberlake - productions ooze of Timbaland, a well know hiphop producer and artist (courtesy of Timbaland you can now throw Nelly Furtado and Omarion)
Ciara - featured Bow Wow and Chamillionaire on songs

Do you get my point!!! And to finish things off, we had none of our heavyweights drop albums this year. My prediction, this will be a huge year for hiphop and other artists with huge hiphop influences. These albums and more will make sure of that:
The Game - Doctor's Advocate, not a classic...but creeps close
Jay Z - Kingdom Come, this album has brought even me back to Jay Z's side, check out my write up on his tight track "Lost Ones"
Nas - Hip Hop is dead is the name of the new album and he's teamed up with Jay
Ludacris - great album, and he's evolving...kinda like Nelly has
Young Jeezy - note he was a newcomer less than two years ago
Akon - already blazing the charts
Eminem - he's put together a compilation album "Eminem presents the Re UP"
50 Cent - album coming soon
Snoop Dogg - The Blue Carpet Treatment

My prediction HIP HOP takes its throne back and we shake our way back into 2007!

Nuff said

The Big Game

So what do we do know. With the crazy system known as the BCS, determining who will play for the national championship will be tougher than ever. I don't think that I am a fan of having Ohio State and Michigan square off again in round two of the event. Besides with OSU taking Game 1, it would be fitting that UM takes game 2 and then we find ourselves back in the same predicament. How do you determine who the champion is with both teams potentially splitting the season series. And what about the other teams that deserve a chance...well you do the math.

USC - they lost to Oregon State (hmmm the Beavers aren't even at the top of the PAC10)
The mighty Notre Dame - They got blown out by Michigan
Florida - they make a decent argument but the Gators are not the best 1 loss team, they got handled by Auburn
Arkansas - a good 1 loss team but the strength of schedule isn't as good as Notre Dame

Alas it appears as if it should be a rematch Ohio State and Michigan. And by the watch Troy Smith for Heisman.

A Birthday to Remember...I think

Yeah boyyyy...I'm not Flavor Flav but my peoples had me feeling like I was the man of the hour. Shots out to all of the people that surprised me in some way or another by putting together a few nights of all out fun. Anyone not pictured here, I apologize but it was supposed be a regular night out with maybe 2 or 3 people. Here's what happens when you're friends won't let you get old in peace.

Oldie but a Goodie


Here are some of the pictures from a few nights that I won't be forgetting anytime soon:

Pay It Front, Back, and Side to Side

Now I now you're not sure where I was going with this title but I have to admit I wasn't sure either. I couldn't tell if I had a UGK classic song stuck in my head or if this had real meaning. And by the way, if you are thinking what/or who is UGK and exactly what I am referring to then you are not a true hip hop head. But enough of that, my real meaning for this post is to highlight the importance of giving. So I am telling everyone out there to to give front, back, and side to side. Now I could have been cliche and just said "Pay It Forward"...like the movie but thats not me.
Giving Back


On my quest to better myself, and believe me there is a lot I have to work on. I wanted to share my experience and hope that you all continue or start to do anything at all that you can to make a small difference in the world we live in. So my plea is that in a time where its easy to bash politicians for there slander filled ads and moral injustices, lets move them to the side (because their only human) and take matters into our own hands. Please VOTE, VOLUNTEER, DONATE, and PRAY, so that you can make a difference in what the world looks like tomorrow. Here are some pretty cool experiences from my chance to volunteer with Big Brother/Big Sisters. It doesn't have to be with an organization, it could be you making a difference on your block our at the Y, or donating clothes. Let me know what your thoughts on this.

Jay Z for President

Okay how about more like CEO of Def Jam Records. But if this man was running for president I would have to give him serious thought. I guess I will start off by telling you that I have been a fan of the Jigga Man but I never given the man credit because when the industry came calling and he crossed over I began to wonder…how much of the music is really Jay and how much of it is million dollar beats, ghost writers, and high budget videos.
H to the IZZO

As we all know Jay has returned from retirement and he has a lot to say and do in the world of music and business. Where do we start, this man has amassed an empire fit for a king. With the help of Dame Dash, they started Roc-A-Fella Records and RocaWear clothing. Later follows the epic rise of the artist who then does the music merger of the decade and sells Roc-A-Fella to Def Jam Records and take over as big chief of the entire label. But lets not forget his ownership of the 40/40 Club in NYC and part ownership of the New Jersey Nets. Now my reason for writing this article…Jay Z has released an album after declaring his retirement. So many questions have swirled about Jay’s strange split from Damon Dash and his relationship with Beyonce. Well Jay may have put all those questions to rest with the record: “Lost One”. This is by far one of my favorite tracks my Jay and the reason is because with all the things he could rap about his chose to rap about things in his life in a simple but very skillful way. This laid back song has an old school feel and possibly has the lovely Jill Scott singing the hook. It is my belief that Jay may be finally speaking out about his relationship with Dame Dash, Beyonce, and the choices he’s been forced to make with these relationships. If you don’t believe me, check out these lyrics that I think he used to describe his relationship with (Broken down in parentheses):

Dame Dash

- I heard motherfucka’s sayin they made Hov, made Hov say okay so make another Hov (Common statement made by Dame, he has attempted to start another label)
- We parted ways like Ben and J-Lo (Reference to the split of Dame and Hov, involving Hov using his majority ownership to buy out Dame’s ownership of Roc-A-Fella Records and Rocawear clothing)
- Should have stayed in food and beverage…too much flossing, too much Sam Rothstein (Well known that Roc-A-Fella distributes Armadale, a vodka. And Sam Rothstein is a reference that comes from the movie Casino…Sam a well known mobster who was running a major mob owned casino, but got a big head, spent lots of money, and got away from what he was good at. It was obvious Dame loved the limelight and was in every video actin a fool)
- I ain’t a bitch but I gotta divorce them (Reference to the split)
- Fame, the worst drug known to man

Beyonce
- I don’t think its meant to be, “B”, for she loves her work more than she loves me
- So we aint we, its me and her, cause what she prefers over me is work, and that’s where we differ
- In times she mature, and maybe we can be we again like we were
- And to ask her now ain’t fair (It was rumor that Jay was going to ask “B” to marry him this year)

Indecent Proposal

Now you think you get a little slack for working in the music industry. You get to meet the biggest names in the industry of rock, pop, and hip hop. So working for magazines dedicated to this industry should be the greatest jobs in the world. Could you imagine working for Rolling Stone, Vibe, Source, and XXL. I have this picture that working for a music magazine must be similar to working for a tech company during the dot com era. You got the bean bags for chairs, ping pong tables, and the best cafeteria money can buy. These were the perks to foster innovative thinking and generate enormous profits. So read more to find out what working at the Source Hip Hop magazine gets you. Xtra Read All About It


The perks of working at a hip hop magazine probably include extravagant flights, "relations" with rappers and singers, maybe a little pharmaceutical drug use (and I'm not talking prescription), non stop foul language, and a few movies that probably get the > than R rating. Well its safe to say that no matter where you work we all have to play by the same rules. Kim Osorio, the former Editor In Chief at The Source magazine, filed charges against two executives at the Source at the time. Kim was awarded a $15 million dollar verdict which includes wrongful termination and defamation of character.

In closing, its amazing when art imititates life you are reminded that you still have to play by the rules. The workplace is not a music video and women can't be treated like objects, no matter what you're favorite musician says.

See a write up of the case here: http://sohh.com/articles/article.php/10081

Money, Morals, and Values

There's a story of a man named Brady...Whoa stop the press. You won't see me writing a story about the Brady Bunch. But wasn't it refreshing to see them resolve everyday events in a moral way that incorporated everyday values. Well click here to read a story about an all-star prep football player who definitely wasn't a part of the Brady family when he decided to commit armed robbery. However, the moral catch of today is this kid is receiving scholarships from schools across the country. I guess it is safe to say...It's All about the Benjamins.

This game is loaded
I first found out about this story while I was on the road for work in the great city of Columbus, OH. Now when it comes to Columbus not much comes to mind but they are know as a retail mecca with Gap, Limited, Abercrombie & Fitch located there. Also they get the nod for having a nice number of financial institutions located there. But man, you can't mention Columbus without saying correctly "THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY" and college football. OSU has done a great job over the years racking up the victories and sending players to the professional level. They have also done a great job not preparing some kids for the real world. Notice I did not say all and also its not just a OSU problem. But I decided to write this story shortly after I read another national article on the same subject and same kid a few hours later. What a coincidence! OSU sports bulletin was writing its normal story of top high school recruits possibly coming to the school, while The USA Today was writing about this same kid (Pat Lazear) getting a huge number of scholarships even though he and his friends were arrested for allegedly committing armed robbery. To make things even worse this is the second time he has had a run-in with the law. Lazear was previously in trouble for using a stolen credit card to buy some sneakers.

Now, I am not hating because I previously played HS football and realize today its a big deal. Games are now televised on ESPN and even MTV has a show called "Two a days" about high school football. But when are we going to demand more from our schools, officials, parents, and kids. This kids who resembles Andy Katzenmoyer of OSU has received over 20 scholarship offers from Division 1 schools. Of course, he has changed schools recently and with his new team, the kids have voted him TEAM CAPTAIN. Yep you heard me, the leader of the squad. Things are so crazy that my man has to wear an ankle monitor which he sports during the games.

To end this story what do we make of an institution like OSU when it appears there are repeated examples of the school failing on its students. Must I recall the days of storied LB Andy Katzenmoyer, who was taking cupcake classes to get by. Ohh and posterboy Maurice Clarrett is in the news everyday with a bulletproof vest and 4 guns on in his SUV. I guess we are giving our kids one consistent message of the world today...with reality shows, huge national football tournaments, magazine ranking of HS across the country we are saying ITS ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS BABY!/span>

America's New Pasttime

You may wonder what is America's new pasttime now that all of baseball is on steriods. Okay not all of baseball but most of the good players. Well basketball came and went with the era of Jabbar, Magic, Bird, Barkley, Isiah, Jordan. It may be on its way back with names like Kobe, Wade, Lebron, Amare, Dirk, and Nash. Could it be football with McNabb, Moss, T.O., Manning x2, Brady, and company. Naw, here is my theory its CAR RACING. So I decided to go undercover as a race car enthusiast and uncover the facts.

Welcome Race Fans


Okay so I lied car racing is not the country's favorite pasttime. But you can't deny that someone is watching. Ever since they went to a points format, racers started caring whether or not they smacked into a wall or not. But enough on my lack of knowledge, one thing I don't know is that it definitely is America's favorite tailgating event. Check out my venture down to the Indy 500. Let's just put it this way, people are so ready for this event...we did green jello shots for the green flag. And for yellow flags...yep you guessed it! Check out my latest experiment to find out what is the mystery behind the Indy 500. It's drinking, football, tents, heat, food...ohhh and did I mention drinking. Have a look:

Best Urban Movie

Now this article was started with with me sipping on an old school pack of Nat Ice. The best urban movie award goes to Menace II Society. If you haven't watched this movie, please do because it gets classic status. And the only other movies that make that level for me are: Crash, Boyz N Tha Hood, Unbreakable, Momento, Wall Street, Boileroom, Matrix, Lord of the Rings and a few others.
Read about Menace
This epic movie was directed by the Hughes brothers in 1993. It is a classic depiction of the tough life on the streets of California. The story follows Caine, a young hustler, whose likeable personality surrounds him with with love from his grandparents, friends, women, and the streets. However, Caine is still tormented between his quest for a better life and the fast life of the streets. The movie is filled with a soon to be All-Star cast of actors such as:

Lorenz Tate (Crash, Ray), Samuel Jackson(Pulp Fiction, Unbreakable), Glenn Plummer(South Central,Saw II), Khandi Alexander(CSI), and Jada Pinkett Smith(Ali,Matrix).

This is a movie for any person regardless of background or age. I don't make too many guarantees but if you cry I wouldn't be surprised. This movie connects and touches you in a very human way. The similar needs of us all to want a better life for ourselves and our family, but the constant struggle of the true realities of the real world.

Menace II Society receives a coveted five stars (*****) award.

Etha"NO"l

Ethanol, is it the hope of the future. Sources say no!! The hype might be a little overripe. Ethanol, touted by Bush and your local politicians is the next best thing to save the country from skyrocketing gas prices. Yes, and you've often heard my opinion on the subject...I'm torn between crying at the pump and smiling in my stock portfolio account because I've owned a number of different oil companies.
Don't believe the Hype
Yep you heard it here, ethanol will not be the wave of the future to save us from the huge energy crunch here in America. There are countless problems that are leading to high prices at the pump. The first is simply SUPPLY and DEMAND. The fact of the matter is (I'm included) that Americans are not great at conserving...simply put we're wasteful. Just live saving for a rainy day, Americans are poor at saving money and conserving energy. The boom of the SUV proved that bigger is definitely better. But I forgot to mention the one area where we don't have control over is the Supply piece. Yep, you guessed the majority of the world's oil is controlled by foreign countries. And I can almost safely say that there is a lukewarm reception about American from most of these countries. It is usually to be a love hate relationship with most of these countries. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Venezuela are big players but smaller countries are continuing to make a lot of noise. Both sides have always needed each other, America supplies the thirsty demand and the oil countries SUPPLY the oil whether we like them or not...its okay to say money talk. But what has changed about this scenario...leverage. The oil companies benefit from changing global situations such as Iran and Venezuela speaking out against American at a time where America is preoccupied with bigger issues. The other is the surprising growth of BRIC. That would be Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Again students the growth of these countries has fueled the global DEMAND for oil. And because oil is a beautiful natural resource it has a finite supply. There has even been talk that Saudi Arabia's oil supply has been overstated. And unfortunately for the rest of the world the Saudi's do a great job of keeping numbers like that secret. So a finite resource with increasing DEMAND brings us to where we are at today...Expensive oil. And our policies continue to put us in a bind because countries like China continue to ink deals with countries like Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, and the Sudan to shore up their countries need for the depleting resource.

That brings us finally to ETHANOL. The resource to save the day, maybe not. One of the biggest problems is that if America used 100% of the corn it produces for energy consumption for car, it would still only be able to supply the demand for 7% of the vehicles. To completely rely on ethanol as a source for energy, America would have to use 93% of its land for corn production...not possible. The last piece that I will mention that has been debated is the long term viability of ethanol production. Flat out...its takes more energy to produce say a gallon ethanol than is actually used from that gallon. Food for thought

Put a little Zen in your Birthday

In a effort to do my part to usher in a warm spring we got together and celebrated my roommate's birthday. Even though the weather was a little chilly that night, the fact that it was Cinco de Mayo brought out the best in everyone. Also you'll get a little bonus coverage while you read my review of club Zentra.

Cinco De Mayo

Well nothing says lets have a good celebration like a shot of Tequila...Patron that is. Yeah we had a great turnout for my roommates birthday. I was surprised when an old Boilermaker showed up, I call him Montell Jordan go figure why. We've got the Lake Shore girls who came and celebrated with us. Thanks to all the out of town people that stayed the weekend to live it up.




Bonus Coverage:
Club Zentra get ***1/2 stars for the overall setup. Mainly their main floor level setup is tight. The setup appears to be a mid eastern themed layout with red lights, silk, cushy booths with curtains and a good bar setup. However, the staff at Zentra get * star! The door people are outta control, the host is not very good and this is not the first time that I've witnessed this hear. They are rude at the door, quick to kick people out at times, and the music didn't take off until later in the night. Overall Zentra gets ** stars for being a club with great atmosphere, diverse people, and they have hookahs! These interesting looking contraptions are setup in their reserve tables for group of people who enjoy smoking the flavored tobaccos of the Near Eastern world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hookah

Portfolio Alert - Ballin' of Wall Street

Yeah guess who's bizzack!! Not Jay Z, more like J.G. And I hear to give you the dirt on the market baby. I call this the FREIGHT pick because you are going hear the beep beep beep and I'm going to back my truck up and load up on shares of the following companies:
Click here to pick up shares

Yes sir, its not that often that I come out with a bullish statement on my picks. Okay I lied I always come out with bullish statements. But the key here is that I am usually right. My most recent pick has been a rollercoaster ride of a pick. If you jumped on the bandwagon with CWEI Clayton Williams Energy you saw your security rise 25% is less than a month. And then you saw the momentum move away from the stock...which I say to you, no worries mon! The profit takers took my advice and then ran. I believe the oil crunch is here to stay and you will benefit from another bullish run in this pick. It dropped to the 38 range, where I might add we should have added mores shares. Now at 42 and some change it looks to bust through the levels I originally recommended it at. Stick with it, WHY...because take a look at the station on the corner...Ohhh you forgot you're paying $3.17 a gallon for gas. I didn't and now its time to get into my next recommendation.

WFT - Don't worry this doesn't stand for What the !@#$. Try again my friends its more like Weatherford International. I won't take complete credit for finding this one. A great story was written about this company that completely obliterated earning and looks to be the best in the oil services industry for the next 3-5 years. So you won't believe what I did I went and got my truck and backed it all the way up!!!! And bought into the stock.

And the next two buys are:
FCX Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold and FAL Falconbridge. All I can say is economics baby. Supply and demand. The demand for copper is going through the roof. Thanks to our friends BRIC Brazil, Russia, India, and China...I will be riding the copper craze until our rising industrialized friends need it no longer...and that is never. I won't take credit for FCX, I first was alerted by the crazy host of Mad Money...Jim Cramer, who isn't as crazy as he sounds Booooo Yaaaaaa Jim if you're out there. But I do get credit for FAL, the mutual funds are adding copper stocks like crazy and people if you don't listen to one work I say its that these stocks are going sky high. Also look for other commoditites that are scorching hot: Sugar...a great play is Imperial Sugar IPSU.

ENJOY

Indianapolis loses their "Edge"

I am dissapointed to learn that the Indianapolis Colts have lost their Pro Bowl star running back Edgerrin James. He accepted a free agent offer from the Arizona Cardinals and is getting some big guaranteed money up front. The Colts admitted they took a risk in letting him test the free agent market and it backfired. I was hoping after I learned that Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison restructured their contract that he would be signed but it didn't work out that way. It is a sad day for a great franchise that now has a huge hole in the backfield. I tip my hat off to Dominic Rhodes but he is no Edge. The nice thing is there are a number of great backs coming out of the draft this year. Here are a few of the names:

Reggie Bush
LenDale White
DeAngelo Williams
Maurice Drew
Laurence Maroney
Joseph Addai
Brian Calhoun
Cedric Humes
Mike Imoh

What are you up to?

What am I listening to on my mp3 player: The Roots "Tipping Point", Gorrillaz "Demon Days", Damian Marley "Welcome to Jamrock" & "Halfway Tree"

What are you watching on TV: VH1 Soul, Deal or No Deal, Medium, Grey's Anatomy, Law & Order, BASKETBALL

Whats your drink when your out: Crown w/ a twist, patron, and Hennessey

What did you think of the Oscars: Glad that everyone finally realized Crash was a great movie!

Favorite Songs: Common: "Testify", Floetry: "SupaStar", Three 6 Mafia: "Poppin My Collar", Young Jeezy: "My Hood", "Trap Star", "Go Crazy", Ne-Yo "So Sick", T-Pain: I'm N Luv"

Movies I want to See: 16 Blocks, Madea Family Reunion, Hustle & Flow, Black Like Me (read the book, movie was made in the 60's)

Huff, Puff, & Blow the houses down

Well the numbers are in and the housing market has come to a steeper than expected decline. Is this a sign that prices will soon follow. With a warmer than normal January in most places, the real estate industry actually moved up construction start dates in anticipation new home buyers and speculators will continue to come out.
More on Housing

However, with a high number of unsold houses on the market and rising interest rates...will prices finally start coming down??? Its appears that this may be the case in a few months. Some economists are predicting pricing may begin to decline and guess what, that means that homebuilders are beginning to offer perks to entice home buyers. Ahh is this finally revenge for the rest of us that missed the big housing boom...not completely. Again another reason housing prices may be on the decline is interest rates. The rates are now nationally around 6.26 percent which is not bad but higher than what most of our friends have been getting locked in at over the past few years.

Just the other night I ran into a building company that was offering brand new 42 inch plasma TVs to entice me to buy into their new condo development. I am seriously on the prowl now that I firmly believe that most real estate investors are beginning to get to a point where it may make more sense for them to invest there money in other areas. I am personally not a huge fan of condos and townhomes because of the assessment fees but I am also priced out of the million dollar single family home here in the city.

Link to economic housing data: http://www.census.gov/newhomesales

Say it aint so. This is slightly old news but disappointing none the less. The trials and tribulations of the industry have taken a toll on the masses. It appears that the emcee known as Eminem, Slim Shady or if you prefer Marshall Mathers is looking to retire. I am confused by his on again off again relationship with his ex, now current wife again Kim. It proves that even superstars are not immune from the the tolls of having a family, being married, and being human. Also, two of my favorite emcees Jadakiss and Styles P, 2/3 of the group Lox have also announced their retirement due to creative differences with their labels. 50 cent disclosed that he will probably make two more albums and will retire as a lyricist follow in the footsteps of Eminem and probably be just a producer. This will be a tough time rough for the hiphop world as many complain that music is too commercial, but their will be evolution as their always is.

Here are some upcoming things to be on the lookout for in the hiphop world:
- Another one of my favorite artists: Nore has been signed to the Roc La Familia Label and will 2 albums; one reggaeton and one rap album.
- The Game has a new DVD dissin G-Unit and I believe a diss track; 50 responded with his diss track 'Not Rich, Still Trying' (this is a play on of 50's first album Get Rich or Die Trying) and folks he will be releasing yet another album in July '06
-Nas signs to Def Jam
- Rap is crossing over left and right...stay tuned for an in-depth analysis.

Superbowl & Commercials

Well the Superbowl this year probably got a "B" for performance this year. Seattle really had me thinking they were going to win it after the first half. But when you completely dominate a team and your down at half that doesn't say much huh. Congrats to the Pittsburgh Steelers for always finding a way to win.

And for the famous or infamous commercials during the timeouts they probably get a "B-" this year. Bud Light was definitely representing since they bought every single commercial spot but they failed to floor me like their current commericals they ran before the Superbowl. I have to give it to Ted Ferguson, the Budlight Daredevil. His stunts are hilarious and most guys can relate. If you haven't seen these stunts give them a look at: Ted Ferguson.

And of course for shock value again you have to give it up to GoDaddy.com and their busty women who wash windows and shirts pop off in every episode. As for Cadillac, I have always been a fan...and the new 2007 model looks good. Pepsi, they definitely tried a little too hard this time around with the Diddy commerical and the "Brown & Bubbly" song...but they do get some credit for the funny Jackie Chan 'stunt double' commercial. Diet Coke serves as the stunt double for Diet Pepsi and gets crushed to say the least.

Whats were your thoughts on the game or the commercials? I know I forgot a few of the commercials, were there any that you thought were great?

The Street: Call Me Jerry Maguire

Help me help you is what I say. All I know is that you need to keep up with my recommendations folks. If I was your sports agent would you trust me...I hope so. My goal is to give you results and then earn your trust...how many people are willing to put their necks on the land and stand up for what they believe in: ME.
Show Me!


Stock Ticker, Buy Price, Current Price, %Gain/Loss
CWE 42 54.63 30.07%
CHK 32 35.05 9.53%
ARC 9 9.49 5.44%
ALCO 46.07 44.6 -3.19%
BHI 62.67 77.44 23.57%
BHS 50.3 51.65 2.68%
DPM 24 27.8 15.83%
DDS 24.4 25.9 6.15%
HPY 22.6 24.61 8.89%
KNOL 3.14 3.7 17.83%
KRNY 12.69 13.5 6.38%
LLY 54.47 56.62 3.95%
BFT 6.7 7.88 17.61%
CPST 16.25 19.55 20.31%

PORTFOLIO AVERAGE: 11.79%
- (Not bad for about a month of investing)
- I only have one stock that is down.

Non-believers, Click Here to see my recommendations from my previous post, notice the date stamp of my recommendations: http://urbanomics.blogspot.com/2006/01/stock-update.html

Heard it Hear First...

I not sure whether I believe it either but check out the latest scoop on the gossip trail.
Get the scoop first

Okay well maybe you already knew but I decided to share the latest scope with you. The word on the streets is that Kanye West has been getting cozy with the much older Pamela Anderson. Go figure...and I thought Kanye was just getting to know his new model friend Brooke Crittenden. I guess Kanye has been listening to his own music and has left the Goldiggers behind for the big fish.

And how about the lovely, gorgeous, perfect, not to mention sexy Halle Berry. She had stated that she wanted to have a baby by the time she reached 40... no matter if she was married or just simply dating someone. And I guess this year, 40 will be creeping around the corner. So I wonder if she will still follow through.

Last but not least...Bobby and Whitney may be on the outs. I can't believe it either. They lasted through drug problems, careers on the decline, and a tv show that proves it all. Say it aint so after 14 years...but I guess what took them soooo long.

Ohhhhhh by the way has anyone seen the new Flavor Flav show where he is looking for a date or wife or something?

Your Opinion Matters

I have been debating on a few topics lately and wanted the opionion of the readers out there. The topics are:

Voice Your Opinion

Angelina Jolie - Women want to be her, and guys want to be with her. She has it all and is finally becoming a complete person - actress, humanitarian, and mother. However, the million dollar question is, should she be considered friend, foe, or hoe. As we all know Jolie and Brad Pitt have never admitted to being a real couple, however they have confirmed that they have a baby on the way. It appears that the romance began on the set of their last movie ' Mr. and Mrs. Smith'.
I obviously have been a fan of Jolie... even since her crazy episodes with Billy Bob and carrying his blood in a vial around her neck(Not to mention she looked really good in Lara Croft:Tomb Raider, Original Sin :), and Taking Lives!) She has grown as a person and has even become an ambassador to the UN. Her efforts have gone even further and she has adopted two children. But some say she is also behind the break up of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston marriage. So is Jolie a:
1. Sexy Actress
2. Humble Humanitarian
3. No good husband stealer


Marcus Vick - Can anyone be dumber than this cat. He single handily is responsible for:
1. Getting himself kicked out of Virginia Tech
2. Now possibly not getting drafted (b/c he got kicked out of VT)
3. Embarrassing the family name (See high profile brother Michael Vick)
His latest incidents prove that he is definitely a troubled kid battling with stardom and the shadow of his famous brother. He was in trouble over a year ago for allegedly buy alcohol for underage girls which forced him to miss one year at quarterback for VT. Then there have been the on field problems such as giving the finger to opposing fans and most recently stepping on the back leg of a player in the bowl game. The latter was the final straw for VT and they have officially kicked him off the team. And even more recently he was cited for driving with a suspended license. And when you thought the dumbest of the dumb had been performed he just surrendered to police on brandishing a firearm to three teenagers.

Can he still be an effective NFL player?

Happy New Year

Some may wonder how I spent the beginning of the New Year. Well my goal is to usually travel and bring in the New Year in a warmer climate because the frigid Midwest usually doesn't cover it. But with my recent move to the big city at the end of 2005, there wasn't going to be a trip to Las Vegas, London or Miami this year. So here are some snippets of me living it up with some of my closets friends. Check out my new thing...I bringing the "cuffs" to the forefront of the game!
See my pics:

mOprah - Maxim

Dear mOprah,

After reading the last article I had to admit that even as a guy, Maxim and all the other for men magazines have let me down. They claim to have the secret formula for getting and keeping a woman. However, it just hasn’t proven to be that easy. Without having to do 1000 sit-ups a day and changing my wardrobe to become the ultimate metro-male…how do I get the job done.

Yours Truly,

Feeling Maxim-less

Get the latest story

MOprah:

Well Maxim reader you have definitely come to the right place. As your loyal gender defender, I have talked to women across the land and the secrets are in. I know you’ve been looking for that good recipe like the Colonel’s chicken at KFC. And to tell you the truth this recipe can come in all different shapes and sizes. As the smooth player that I am, I do have to at least say that you must be fashionably comfortable and participate is some personal upkeep. I would say enough not to look like a slob and don’t be surprised that the every now and then a lady takes a look to see how your shoes look (this one I can’t figure out either).
But what you came to find out was what the survey said:

1. Gentlemen – Ladies are still all about some good ole Aretha, yep you got that right RESPECT. They appreciate the gentleman nowadays because I am guessing its been a rarity lately.

2. Strong & Supportive – Now fellas don’t take the first rule completely to the wrong end of the spectrum. Ladies have sounded off and want you to know that they are still looking for a man with a backbone. Just like on the Discovery channel in the wild, females everywhere migrate to the male that offers protection and support. So use this to your advantage and don’t be afraid to slug someone in the bar talking to your date (just kidding).

3. Little Things – Open a few doors, give a girl a jacket when she's cold and don’t be surprised at how many cool points you may rack up.

4. Listen & Communicate – Now I know this one will be tough but just the occasional nod and okay won’t work. Pay attention every now and then to the words coming out of her mouth and try to give a thoughtful response back.

5. Independent – Lastly, make sure you have your act together. The last thing a woman needs is to feel like she’s your second mom. Prove to her that you enjoy spending time with her, but that you can manage on those days that she’s busy with her friends and family. I would not recommend stalking as a positive trait.

Once again mOprah has come through in the clutch.

Stock Update

As you recall from the last edition of Ballin' On Wall Street, I gave you a list of stocks to follow lets see how well we are doing so far.

To further test my theory, I have entered a "simulator" contest at: www.zacks.com and you can follow my stock progress under the handle: JGOTTI.
As of 1/06 on Zacks.com's simulator: I have added the following positions to my account:
Clayton Williams Energy CWEI Buy @ 42
Chesapeake Energy CHK Buy @ 32

I will also watch Pegasus Wireless @ around 10, Cost Plus around 16.25, Bally's around 6.7 and Enbride Energy in the 40s. Again from the research that I have performed, it appears that the Energy sector is heating up again. This assumption my actually have some teeth because recently Russia's natural gas pipeline shutdown is responsible for providing over 25% of Europe's gas. Simply from a suppply and demand standpoint I believe that stocks in this area may rise.

Get the inside story


Here is the latest portfolio update...not bad for a few weeks:
Affordable Residential Communities Inc. $9.00 $9.69 7.67%
Alico Inc. (ALCO) $46.07 $44.96 -2.41%
Baker Hughes Inc. (BHI) $62.67 $63.93 2.01%
Brookfield Homes Corp. (BHS) $50.30 $50.61 0.62%
DCP MIDSTREAM LP (DPM) $24.00 $24.05 0.21%
Dillard's Inc. (DDS) $24.40 $25.38 4.02%
Heartland Payment Systems Inc. (HPY) $22.60 $21.88 -3.19%
Knology, Inc. (KNOL) $3.14 $3.75 19.43%
Kearny Financial Corp. (KRNY) $12.69 $12.31 -2.99%
Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) $54.47 $57.36 5.31%

Current Return 3.07%