Citizen Kane

Sometimes we look at lists of the greatest anythings of all time and openly wonder why certain old films, movies, ballplayers, etc. make those lists. After watching Citizen Kane again the other night it’s still abundantly clear why it’s considered one of the greatest, if not THE greatest, film of all time. Orson Welles’ classic still holds up to the test of time and is worthy of all the praise it’s earned. Following an intrepid reporter seeking the real back story of who Charles Foster Kane was in order to create a proper story on his life we get all the information about Kane at the same time the reporter does with no extra details until the very end. There are dozens of examples of why this film is great, one of my favorites is a beautiful illustration of how distant Kane was from his second wife. The two sit at opposite ends of a room nearly a hundred feet from each other, he in his chair and she by the fireplace, with nothing but space between them, and have a conversation the only way they can, by shouting. Everything about Citizen Kane is on point. If you haven’t seen it you owe it to yourself to find a time to.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Not since childhood have I been so consumed by a work of literature. I initiated contact by opening the book; then the words leapt from the page and transported me across the world to an unknown land. My senses were overloaded with the realities of this place too distant to be real, too startling to be imaginary, replete with ripe fruit bubbling summer joys, cloudless and colorful winter skies, fallen Adams on cold autumn ground…I felt every character’s conflicting emotions like so many of my own, loving and loathing parts of myself in a boy--then man--I heard about but never met. I moved through the pages according to their rhythm, the prose at once fresh and soothing, fierce and subjugating. As the journey neared its end, some loose ones were tied in such perfect bows they disrupted the natural meter I had come to know. But in life I’ve learned to accept even the expected unexpected. In all, The Kite Runner is a 324 page sojourn through heaven, hell, and all the shared space in between that is worth every minute it takes to read it “a thousand times over.”

Stop complaining about Bad Hip Hop on the Radio and in the News and Read this Guy’s Blog!

OK look… I used to complain about the crap that’s on the radio and how the media brings the worst out in Hip Hop. I have hereby decided to stop whining and look to resources other than the conventional media.

There’s a really dope blog that anyone who is starving for an unbiased, honest account of Hip Hop needs to be checking out. It’s called Adam's World. This cat (Adam Bernard) has put me on to some people who I would have never researched before and are now getting bumped in my player on the regular. Not to say that there are some people that I haven’t felt in his blog but they are very far and few between. But hey that’s my opinion, right? You’re not gonna like everyone but you’ve got to be exposed to people first right? Adam Bernard brings it to you raw with an artist of the week and lots of refreshing commentary on the underground as well as the mainstream stuff.

Number Ones - UME

Is your music green? I don't mean new, novice, wet behind the ears or anything like that. I'm talking environmentally safe. Well the folks at UME are concerned about the planet equally as much as they care about releasing great music that's soul healthy. Now available in new eco-friendly packaging are a series of #1s compilations, by legendary artists Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Kool & The Gang, Conway Twitty, and Loretta Lynn. There are also great new #1s compilations like Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Modern Rock and Classic Disco, which include hit songs from artists like Rod Stewart, Sum 41, Poison, Hole, and Irene Cara. (Makes me wanna purchase a copy of Sparkle on DVD and get reacquainted with miss Cara.) In this world of ever changing digital technology that allows one to literally download most any of their favorite tunes in seconds, there are still many folks that enjoy a tangible hard copy. A cd collection in display should consist of your favorite titles fashioning their original packaging. A spindle with a dozen and a half cdrs scribbled on with a Sharpie is awful and lame.

Isopure Zero Carb Protein

As a self-professed gym rat and nutrition freak I’ve tasted my fair share of protein powders. Never has one gone down as smoothly as Isopure’s Zero Carb variety. 50 grams of protein, a host of vitamins, and no carbs, all packaged together in a powder that tastes like a fruit drink (if you get a fruit drink variety, which I recommend). Unlike other mixes Isopure’s isn’t thick and there are no chunks of protein left over. Another welcome feature is that your breath doesn’t smell awful after you drink this, it smells fruity. The lone drawback for some folks with this product is that it can be very sweet, almost Kool-Aid sweet, which can take a few days to get used to. That being said, if you want a quality protein that won’t make you feel weighed down you need to give Isopure a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Death Note - TV Series

From Manga to Anime to two full length feature films and a third on the way dedicated to one of its main characters, the Death Note series has become a phenomenon in Japan and the folks from the Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim want to make sure a new audience in North America knows this as well. Tired and bored of the day to day occurrences in the shinigami world, Ryuk a shinigami(god of death) decides he’ll have a little bit of fun by dropping his 'Death Note' in the human world. The action soon begins once Light Yagami, a certified young super genius, discovers it on the campus of his highschool. Plainly put, the holder of this book is capable of ending the life of his/her victim by thinking of them and writing down their name. It’s the science of visualization gone terribly wrong. As Light’s quest to rid the world of evil proceeds he gains the title Kira. The question remains will he become the god he strives to be and turn his dreaded world into a crime less utopia. For that answer you’ll just have to tune in.

Starbury - Cyclone II

Would a pair of kicks priced just under fifteen bucks revolutionize the sneaker market and bring the likes of corporate athletic wear empires to their knees? The masses suddenly realizing the ridiculousness of paying hundreds of dollars for imported assembly line moldings of rubber, vinyl and polyester. No, of course not. Even still, nothing beats an inexpensive pair of pretty slick looking running shoes. Enter the Cyclone II, one of the most aesthetically pleasing, from a rather wide range of Starbury designs. Available in four color combinations, (I personally favor the Dark Grey/Black/White persuasion) the Cyclone II is a mash up of low end Reebok Classic (a.k.a. Carl Lewis's) and New Balance Classic Retro Running shoe. Interestingly it settles right between its two competitors in terms of comfort and durability. The major issue with these shoes though is that they're exclusively sold at Steve & Barry's. New York has seventeen locations, but only one of those is in the city. If you reside in the insomniatic rotten apple and wear a popular size, good luck on finding a pair.

ReverbNation.com - The Absolute Resource for the Independent Music Artist

Check it, I am considered by my peers as a person who is on the forefront of indie promotion in NYC so I kid you not: Reverbnation.com is the best indie music artist resource out now.

An artist can use the widgets (tools) provided by ReverbNation to pep up and boost his/her own website, Myspace page and postings on message boards in virtually the snap of a finger with seamless integration. They even offer ways to make money by doing nothing but promoting ones own material. When people click through your page, you make money. I know it sounds too good to be true but within 24 hours of signing up for that option I made 63 cents from doing absolutely nothing. That’s residual income! By adding on a Snocap.com account you can sell your mp3s as well. There is a mailing list tool that rivals that of the likes of expensive services like Constant Contact (which charges like $10/month) for the low cost of FREE dollars. You can import your current email list flawlessly and the spam buster policy is fantastic! The media players load instantly (unlike Myspace which can take forever) and you can make custom "tunepaks" with the songs you desire to lure people in from your monthly newsletter. You have the option of using html to spice up your profile and upload unlimited pics and songs. There’s even a widget for your show announcements that has a map built in with full zoom features.

Success is only limited to your creativity and it’s free and all you need to do is take advantage of it with ReverbNation.

Preachermann - Negroes Stay Crunchy In Milk

To follow the path of one's elders in bloodline is generally the natural order of man. Preachermann is no different when it comes to this tradition as there are a number of ministers in his family, realizing this he chose to follow suit but in a very unorthodox way compared to those that came before him. To preach means to teach, something that this administer of soul does throughout his EP entitled 'Negroes Stay Crunchy In Milk'. With a voice that reminds you of Curtis Mayfield with a bit of Al Green during his chain rockin shirtless period, Preachermann channels the energy of many soul singers of the past but still his unique energy and life's experience shine through to reveal pieces of this man as he brings us to the present moment. Apparent in his interaction with audiences at live shows and even out in the jungle of concrete plateaus, you can see that its not all about him, its about the betterment of the hearts of his ever growing congregation, being anointed with the words and sounds he conjures and transmits for his heavenly guide.

Core Rhythm - Nat Turner Reloaded

Core Rhythm's freshmen release, 'Nat Turner Reloaded' has the strength of a senior classman placing anything to follow it in contention for a doctorate in the major of mic management. The album is a tight work that tackles the ever looming issues of race, supremacy and the disenfranchisement of the poor and persons of color on the planet. Guest appearances by artists like Creature, Wells Knotty, GrandMixer DXT, Baba Israel and Farbeon are a complement to an already strong album, they serve to help complete this well thought out and prepared sonic offering. Incredible choices of film soundbites throughout are the glue that seamlessly meld each track together. Album cuts provided by DJ Drilla except Track 2 by DJ Center and Track 8 by GrandMixer DXT.

Slanguage listen