Keepingitreal

LAKERS 101, ORLANDO 96

The game hopped in and out of the Lakers' grasp, off to a staggeringly slow start but a quarter-inch from ending in Orlando's favor before the Lakers tucked away a victory, sighing heavily when it all finally ended.It wasn't beautiful, and it certainly wasn't Kobe Bryant's night, but Game 2 of the NBA Finals belonged to the Lakers after a 101-96 overtime victory Sunday against the Magic.Lamar Odom, bad back and everything, was an important part of it, and struggling veteran Derek Fisher had a big steal in overtime of a game in which Bryant had 29 points on 10-for-22 shooting but also committed seven turnovers.The Lakers lead the series, 2-0, though it could have easily been tied at 1-1 if Courtney Lee's layup attempt off a lob pass from Hedo Turkoglu had hit the inside of the rim and fallen through instead of bouncing off the outer part as regulation expired.There were 23 lead changes and 21 ties, and any Lakers fan who left Staples Center without feeling a little bit drained must have been one of the newer bandwagon types.After it ended, and the Lakers had exhaustingly moved another step toward their first championship since 2002, Bryant continued to show a stern demeanor, accurately signaling the Lakers' mind-set in the wake of a near-loss at home."What's there to be happy about?" he said. "The job is not finished. Is the job finished? I don't think so."The math doesn't look good for the Magic. Only 14 NBA teams in 222 tries have ever come back from a 2-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven series. That's only a 6.3% success rate.The next three games, assuming they're all necessary, will be in Orlando, starting Tuesday with Game 3.That the Magic won't be going home with a split at Staples Center came down to the simplest of physics.With 0.6 seconds left in regulation and the score tied at 88-88, Lee almost converted a well-executed inbounds play.Turkoglu, inbounding from the right side, found Lee open on a cut down the left side after Bryant was erased up top on a Rashard Lewis screen.Lee's layup attempt caromed a bit too hard off the backboard, energy that transferred to the ball's bouncing off the front of the rim."Honestly, it was just a brilliant play," Bryant said.

Today's Papers: Legality of torture went unquestioned

The New York Times leads with President Obama's decision to step up his role in pushing for health care reform. Rather than leave the contentious issue to Congress as he had said he would, Obama will give speeches and conduct town-hall style meetings to push his preferred policies, including government-run insurance coverage. The Los Angeles Times leads with the united efforts of Iranian conservatives and reformists to oust President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Friday's upcoming election. Whether they are for the opposition or just against the incumbent, the two typically fractious groups have thrown their support behind reformist Mir-Hossein Mousavi. The Washington Post leads local with the final push from Democratic gubernatorial candidates to win over voters in Northern Virginia before Tuesday's primary. The presumed favorite, former state congressman Brian Moran, now faces a tight race against former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe and R. Creigh Deeds, a senator from rural Virginia, among the suburban voters outside D.C. who account for 40 percent of the Democratic primary electorate. So far, President Obama has focused on "bringing disparate factions -- doctors, insurers, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, labor unions -- to the negotiating table." But now that Congress is getting down to business, Obama is set on extending healthcare coverage and lowering costs. He envisions a government-run insurance plan that would compete with the private sector. A column one story in the LAT points out that private insurers are behind the requirement that everyone have coverage, though they balk at the competitive advantage that public health insurance would hold. The WP stuffs a short mention of the President's intentions but goes inside with a story about Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy's draft of a health care reform bill. Kennedy's bill would extend coverage by offering government subsidies to families buying insurance and place a greater burden on employers, while also extending long-term disability benefits. Opponents say the liberal draft is too expensive and harmful to business. To continue reading, click here.

Huey Announces Release Of New Album, $trictly Busine$$ / New Single Free MP3

(June 8, 2009 - Brooklyn, NY) St. Louis-based rapper Huey is proud to announce the release of his highly anticipated sophomore LP, $trictly Busine$$. The album, displaying a new, more mature sound for Huey, will be available this fall via Hitz Committee Entertainment.Only 19 years old when his debut album, Notebook Paper, was released in 2007, Huey is returning with a new album and a new, grown-up sound to match. Over the past two years Huey has developed from a young, budding artist into a seasoned and savvy veteran of the music industry, and with $trictly Busine$$, Huey is releasing music that speaks organically to that growth. Touching on the new sound fans can expect on $trictly Busine$$ Huey says, "I'm on a whole different level. My old album was Baby Huey; on $trictly Busine$$ the bar is raised. I've grown and my audience has grown with me - the first two singles are definitely a departure from 'Pop, Lock, And Drop It.'" Hard at work over the past two years, Huey is excited to show off his new sound, growth, and maturation into a complete artist with $trictly Busine$$.$trictly Busine$$ comprises 15 tracks, including the album's lead single, "PAYOW" featuring Juelz Santana and Bobby V., which is experiencing great early success at radio being number 1 added at Urban Radio in 29 cities nationwide. In addition to Juelz Santana and Bobby V., the album will feature appearances by Trey Songz, Pistol Pete, Pleasure P, members from Huey's own Hitz Committee family, and more. Despite the impressive guest list, however, what stands out most on $trictly Busine$$ is Huey himself, as he prepares to show fans and naysayers alike his growth as a lyricist and complete artist: "I want everyone to actually listen, and realize that I’m actually a lyricist. Not a lot of people have heard Huey spit. They were too focused on 'Pop, Lock, And Drop It.' They weren’t trying to hear it, but they will on the new album."Huey exploded on to the national scene in 2007 with the release of his debut album, Notebook Paper, which featured the wildly successful "Pop, Lock, And Drop It," a song that reached number six on Billboard charts, selling over 3.5 million digital downloads and propelling the sales of the album to sales of over 300,000. Huey has taken part in a number of successful tours and been hard at work in the interim. In 2008, Huey released the street single, "24/7 - 365," launching the viral video with an exclusive premiere on Worldstarhiphop.com. Now, Huey is back with his upcoming sophomore release $trictly Busine$$, and he brings with him a new, grown up image that is the result of the natural progression from young man to adult. The album, which will feature potential singles "No Make Up," "I Go Crazy," and "Celebrate," plans to be a true milestone of artistic progression in Huey's career. $trictly Busine$$ will be available fall ‘09 via Hitz Committee Entertainment. Listen to the first single from the album, featuring Juelz Santana and Bobby V., now available as a FREE MP3: http://media.audibletreats.com/Huey-PAYOW_feat_Juelz_Santana.mp3

Get ready for Sprite Step Off -- The BIGGEST national step competition

Drama. Passion. Energy. Sprite is gearing up to bring you all of that and more with the hottest, largest national step completion EVER. This fall, Sprite Step Off will showcase the pride, team unity, and talent of multicultural Greek lettered organizations on an unprecedented scale. With 30 events in over 20 cities, teams from all across the country will compete for a share of a $1.5 million prize pool.  But it’s not just about stepping -- the teams will be performing community service throughout the competition. Over 1 million hours of community service will be donated and it’s all about inspiring young people to pursue higher education. Also, national/regional recording artists and DJs will perform at every event to get the crowd hyped…there's never been anything like this!

Kobe scores 40 as Lakers roll

Kobe Bryant pounded his dribble the way he does when the game has come down to its final shot and its fate is in his hands. He whipped a dribble between his legs, backed in a few steps closer, then spun into the lane, hung in the air, drilled a line drive in through a foul and marched to the line snarling as if to announce again that he was hungry for much more. There were 15 minutes left to play. But Bryant had grabbed Game 1 of the NBA Finals as surely as if he had hit a last-second shot, driving the Los Angeles Lakers past the Orlando Magic 100-75 on Thursday, with his most prolific-scoring game ever in the Finals. "I just want it so bad, that's all," Bryant said. "I just want it really bad. You just put everything you have into the game, and your emotions kind of flow out of you. "It's a bit of everything. It's a lot of motivation. I'm using it all right now." Bryant started slowly, then ran the Magic off the floor, scoring 40 points, adding eight rebounds and eight assists. Beginning when he returned to the game with 8:40 left in the first half, with the Magic holding a five-point lead, to when he took a seat for the start of the fourth, Bryant took control of the game and did not let it go. In that stretch, he made 12 of 20 shots, scored 30 points, set up 14 more and helped the Lakers build a lead that reached 26 points in the third quarter. Just 3-for-9 when he returned to the floor in the second quarter, Bryant hit his next five shots, all tough jumpers, and either scored or set up 21 of the Lakers' last 23 points of the half, including the drive he finished a half-second before the buzzer. "Offensively there isn't anything that he can't do," said teammate Lamar Odom, who had 11 points and 14 rebounds. "If he's serious before the game, if he's talkative or playful, with him it doesn't matter. We understand how much he wants this, how bad he wants to win this championship. We all want it. Of course Kobe is a focused person. He's ready. He's prepared." He had 18 in the third quarter to blow the game open, adding four in the fourth quarter with the win long-since certain. "He had the smell," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who is 43-0 when winning the first game of a playoff series. "He found kind of the angle, what he wanted to do out there on the floor, and carried that game into the second half, just carried the game his way." CONTINUE READING..

Mehserle ordered to stand trial for murder

(06-04) 15:12 PDT OAKLAND -- Former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle was ordered Thursday to stand trial for murder by a judge who told him he didn't believe the explanation defense attorneys gave for his killing of an unarmed passenger. After listening to seven days of testimony, Judge C. Don Clay concluded that Mehserle hadn't gotten his stun gun and his service pistol mixed up when he shot Oscar Grant in the back at the Fruitvale Station in Oakland early New Year's Day. "There's no doubt in my mind," Clay said at the close of the former officer's preliminary hearing in Oakland, "that Mr. Mehserle intended to shoot Oscar Grant with a gun and not a Taser." The decision set up the first murder trial of a California peace officer for a line-of-duty killing in nearly 15 years. It prompted sobs of relief from Grant's family members, who spoke of having a sense of justice restored.

"This is going to be huge for people of color," Cephus Johnson, Grant's uncle, said outside court. "The community lacks faith in the judicial system when it comes to police officers."

Racial overtones

Mehserle, who is white, was not accused by prosecutors or Grant's family of a racial motive in the shooting of Grant, a 22-year-old African American who lived in Hayward and worked at an Oakland supermarket. But the outcry over Grant's death had racial overtones, with some African American leaders complaining that police officers often avoided consequences after brutalizing black people.  Mehserle, 27, showed little reaction as Clay made his ruling in Alameda County Superior Court. But earlier in the day, as Clay pushed defense attorneys to wrap up their case, Mehserle's father reacted angrily and suggested the hearing had been unfair. "No justice in Oakland," said Todd Mehserle, a Napa resident, loud enough for reporters who were in court to hear. "They want to see what they want to see. This town is a sham."

Seven days of testimony

During the preliminary hearing, Clay heard prosecutor David Stein and defense attorney Michael Rains spar over whether Grant had resisted arrest, whether he had his hands behind his back when he was shot and whether the train platform had been chaotic and scary for officers. One crucial point of disagreement was whether Mehserle acted like a man who had accidentally fired a gun. Rains, who argued that Mehserle lacked the malice necessary for a murder charge, said in his closing remarks that the officer had intended to stun Grant with a Taser after thinking that he saw Grant reach for a gun. Mehserle announced to a second officer, "I'm going to Tase him," Rains said, and then blurted out "Oh s-" after firing his pistol. CONTINUE READING..

Make Me a Supermodel: Branden is a Supermodel

May 15 2009, Nuit Zébrée : The Souljazz Orchestra: The Souljazz Orchestra. At La Bellevilloise, Paris, France

Today's Papers: Military Made Mistakes in Afghan Strikes

The New York Times leads with word that an internal investigation has found that military personnel failed to follow strict rules on some of the airstrikes carried out in western Afghanistan on May 4 that killed dozens of civilians. According to a senior military official, at least some of the civilian deaths could have been avoided if the rules had been followed. The Afghan government claims 140 civilians were killed in the attacks, while an earlier American investigation put the civilian death toll at 20 to 30.USA Today and the Wall Street Journal's world-wide newsbox lead with, while the Washington Post and Los Angeles Times off-lead, confirmation from Brazilian authorities that pieces of Air France Flight 447 were found spread out over a three-mile trail in the Atlantic Ocean, more than 300 miles off the Brazilian coast. An international team of searchers is scouring the area to locate more debris, particularly the plane's "black box" recorders that could shed some light into what could have caused the Airbus A330-200 to "simply drop out of the sky," as the WP puts it. The LAT leads with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pushing California lawmakers to cut spending to deal with the $24 billion hole in the state's budget. "We are running out of excuses and we have run out of time," Schwarzenegger said. The WP leads with news that no one is likely to be charged in last year's death of an inmate in Maryland. The chief prosecutor in Prince George's County said that after investigating for nearly a year, he doesn't have enough evidence to indict anyone in the death of the 19-year-old who had been accused of killing a police officer.

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Make Me a Supermodel FINALE! Male Model Face-off (Videos)

Exclusive: Inside Obama’s White House

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

iPhone Entertainment Blog Buzz 06.02.09

President Obama's campaign promise to his wife Michelle ended up being a cash cow for producers of the Tony-nominated production of August Wilson's play Joe Turner's Come and Gone.Jamie Foxx and Halle Berry kissed, groped and fondled each other during the Spike TV awards Saturday night in Los Angeles. The Oscar-winning actors ended up on stage together when Foxx presented her with Spike TV's Decade of Hotness award. While giving each other a passionate French kiss, he grabbed her behind and she took hold of his crotch.A baby shower was thrown for Jennifer Hudson in downtown Chicago over the weekend, confirming rumors that the singer-actress must be pregnant, reports the Chicago Tribune.CNN's Roland Martin has responded to a New York Post story that claimed he is the reason for the network's ratings dip last month, and that he "has complained the network doesn't promote him enough or book him high-profile guests."Teen vampire romp "Twilight" took home a bunch of MTV Movie Awards Sunday night, but that was completely ignored Monday morning when clips of Sasha Baron Cohen descending from the ceiling to land genitals-first on Eminem dominated the headlines.A new book written by a roadie for Jimi Hendrix claims the late rock icon was actually murdered by his manager, Michael Jeffrey, who told the author he plied Hendrix with pills and alcohol in order to kill him and collect on the guitarist's life insurance.Rapper Earl "DMX" Simmons has reportedly pleaded "guilty" and accepted a plea deal for attempted assault charges he received earlier this year while incarcerated.OutKast's Andre 3000 recently spoke on the status of hip-hop and dismissed the idea of the genre being negatively impacted by the new wave of emcees."Hills" stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt decide they are "too rich and too famous" to stay on the reality show "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here!" and leave the Costa Rican jungle.The "Twilight" stars hope "New Moon" dominates next year's MTV Movie Awards. " 'New Moon' is going to be great," Taylor Lautner promised backstage.Kanye West said it's time to "bust another rap album." "I'm about to take it to a whole 'nother level," West promised. "I'd be scared if I was not me."Before you open that bottle of champagne, can of beer, or bottle of Hennessy in celebration of last week’s decision by the California Supreme Court upholding Proposition 8 and the ban on gay marriage, did you ever stop to think maybe the jokes on us? I mean think about it. Last November, Blacks voted overwhelmingly [...]President Bush did not apologize when Judge Alito said he would take his ethnicity into account in making decisions. So why did President Obama need to apologize for Judge Sotomayor saying the same thing?...

Today's Papers: GM Smiles Its Way Into Bankruptcy

The Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal continue to lead with the nationalization of General Motors. When the automaker filed for Chapter 11 protection yesterday morning it "became the second-largest industrial bankruptcy in history," notes the WSJ. President Obama marked the moment "by barely mentioning it," points out the NYT, instead choosing to focus on how filing for bankruptcy will give GM another shot at survival. Some Republican lawmakers were quick to criticize the Obama administration's decision to infuse more than $50 billion in taxpayer money into the automaker and called it another example of the deepening involvement of the government in the private sector. Others were skeptical that so much money was given "to a company lacking an answer to its most profound problem: how to get more car buyers to choose its cars and trucks," notes the LAT. Some members of Obama's party, particularly from industrial swing states, criticized the restructuring plan that will lead to more job losses.USA Today goes big with GM's bankruptcy filing but devotes its lead spot to the Air France jet carrying 228 people that vanished as it was making its way from Rio de Janeiro to Paris. Investigators began searching a vast swatch of the Atlantic Ocean for any signs of the Airbus 330-200, but there's little hope that anything will be found that could shed light on what happened to the plane as it traveled through a lighting storm off the Brazilian coast. Assuming all the people aboard were killed, it would be deadliest airline disaster since November 2001. Pilots flying another plane said they saw what looked like fire in the ocean along the route early yesterday.To continue reading, click here.

NFL retirees lash out at NFLPA chief's olive branch

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Retired football players angry with the NFL Players Association over disability and pension benefits said Sunday that the executive director of the union may be ahead of himself in seeking their support during upcoming contract talks with the league.The informal group of former football players lashed out at comments made by NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, who said Saturday that retired player benefits would be reduced if there is an uncapped year in 2010 or a lockout by owners in 2011.Several players meeting in Las Vegas about their problems with the union said their benefits are protected by law — lockout or not.But the union says its supplemental disability payments would be cut in an uncapped year, and all payments would expire in 2011 if there is a lockout.Smith also said Saturday at a meeting of the NFLPA Retired Players Organization in Palm Springs, Calif., that he represents all NFL players, active and retired. He wants the retiree groups behind the union in negotiations to extend the contract that expires after the 2010 season, with talks scheduled to start Wednesday.Owners opted out of the current deal last year."I think he might be putting the cart before the horse," said Marvin Cobb, a former defensive back who played six years in the NFL for Cincinnati, Minnesota and Pittsburgh, and won two NCAA national championships with USC in 1972 and 1974.Cobb said Smith must understand the rocky relationship between the union and former players who feel it turned their back on them after they stopped playing football."Mr. Smith has quite a lot on his plate," Cobb told the Associated Press. "He may prioritize his to-do list differently than I would prioritize it."Smith in March replaced the late Gene Upshaw, who often clashed with retired players over benefits and other matters. Smith's spokesman George Atallah said Smith has reached out to retired players, including many who met in Las Vegas over the weekend.Several former stars, including Hall of Fame members Mike Ditka, Green Bay's Herb Adderley and Buffalo's Joe DeLamielleure have been increasingly critical of the union's health benefits and pension plan, which pays some retired players only hundreds of dollars a month. SOURCE:USA TODAY

Donnie Klang of Bad Boy Records on Conversations LIVE!

EXCLUSIVE: Conversations LIVE! Radio is pleased to announce that Donnie Klang of Sean "Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records will be making his first appearance on the show, originally broadcasted on Thursday, May 28, 2009 at a special time 11a.m. CST/12p.m. EST/9a.m. PT. In this special interview host Cyrus A. Webb talked with Klang about his humble beginnings, what it has been like to have his entire career chronicled through a reality show and what he wants his fans to know about him that maybe television doesn't show. Because of Webb's commitment to literacy and his special campaign in 2009, he will also talk with his guest about the importance of reading and what he wants his fans to know about feeding their minds. Listen to the interview live by visiting http://www.blogtalkradio.com/conversationslive or through the switchboard at 1.347.426.3645.

Rep. Charles Rangel, in wake of cop shooting, suggests even President Obama not safe in Harlem Read more: "Rep. Charles Rangel, in wake of cop shooting, suggests even President Obama not safe in Harlem"

President Obama better watch his back if he's walking around Harlem without identification, Rep. Charles Rangel said. Rangel issued the warning after the Daily News asked what President Obama should do during his visit to New York."Make certain he doesn't run around in East Harlem unidentified," Rangel cracked in a snide aside Saturday.The powerful Democrat was making a reference to the fatal shooting Thursday night of Omar Edwards, an off-duty cop. He was shot on E. 125th St. by Officer Andrew Dunton, who was on duty and in plainclothes.Edwards was black; Dunton is white. Police said Edwards, who had his gun out and was chasing a suspect, failed to identify himself as an officer after he was ordered to drop his weapon. Rangel, a Democrat and chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, made the off-the-cuff remark as he left a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Harlem park. Earlier, asked about the shooting of Edwards, Rangel said there's "no question that being [a person] of color puts you in jeopardy in communities like Harlem and East Harlem. "Whether it's me, whether it's the [U.S.] attorney general, or indeed, whether it's the President of the United States, running for a bus can jeopardize you - just because of your color - in a community like ours," Rangel said.An outside investigation would help assure the minority community that the incident was "just a mistake," added the veteran lawmaker.Read more: "Rep. Charles Rangel, in wake of cop shooting, suggests even President Obama not safe in Harlem""This is a tragic incident that requires the federal government to review what has happened to make certain that these type of things don't happen again," he said. The congressman also attended a rally with the Rev. Al Sharpton, who called for a federal investigation. "The President of the United States knows while he is in this town this weekend [that] if he did not have Secret Service with him, they would not know he was the President of the United States," Rangel said. Representatives for Obama declined comment on Rangel's warning. Mayor Bloomberg attended the park ceremony, but left before Rangel's comments. Earlier he told reporters that the city's diverse police force reflects the population it protects."These men and women work together all day long. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find any of them that don't have respect for each other and understand that we're all here together," Bloomberg said.The mayor added yesterday that he trusts Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau to conduct a fair investigation of the case. SOURCE:DAILY NEWS

Dr Boyce Watkins: Barack Obama's Credit Card Bill - What You Need to Know

This is it. After months of speculation, General Motors will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy early this morning. The iconic automaker that was once seen as synonymous with American capitalism, and only 10 years ago was the world's largest company, will be nationalized. The United States will invest $30.1 billion in the company, on top of the $20 billion it has already spent on propping up the automaker. The Los Angeles Times points out that GM will now be "the second-largest recipient of bailout money, behind insurance giant American International Group." USA Today notes that, unlike Chrysler, GM will not announce a companywide plant shutdown. Under the current restructuring plan, the U.S. government would get around 60 percent of the new GM, the governments of Canada and Ontario would get 12 percent, 17.5 percent would go to a union retiree health trust, while bondholders would get 10 percent. The Washington Post devotes much of its piece to once again looking at how the government will have to deal with claims that its restructuring plan favors the United Auto Workers at the expense of regular investors. "The fairness issue will be central as the GM bankruptcy case goes before a judge this week," notes the Post. The New York Times points out that the restructuring plan "places the government in uncharted territory as a business owner" while the Wall Street Journal says that it sets up "a high-stakes gamble for U.S. taxpayers." Administration officials insist they don't plan on putting any more money into the company even while recognizing that there are still unknowns, such as when the car market is going to stage a comeback, that could change the equation. In his speech today, President Obama is expected to argue that the government had no choice but to get involved, because a GM liquidation would have reverberated across the wider economy and sent the unemployment rate soaring. At the same time, he will insist that the government doesn't want to get involved in the automaker's day-to-day operations. To continue reading, click here.

By Casey Gane-McCalla ~ Spike Lee and Tyler Perry Spike Lee Compares Tyler Perry To Amos and Andy Spike Lee had an interview with Ed Gordon on Our World with Black Enterprise scheduled to air this weekend. In the interview he complained about “coonery and buffoonery” and both of Tyler Perry’s shows “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne,” comparing them to characters from minstrel shows. From EurWeB ~“We’ve had this discussion back and forth. When John Singleton [made 'Boyz in the Hood'], people came out to see it. But when he did ‘Rosewood,’ nobody showed up. So a lot of this is on us! You vote with your pocketbook, your wallet. You vote with your time sitting in front of the idiot box, and [Tyler Perry] has a huge audience. We shouldn’t think that Tyler Perry is going to make the same film that I am going to make, or that John Singleton or my cousin Malcolm Lee [would make]. As African-Americans, we’re not one monolithic group, so there is room for all of that. But at the same time, for me, the imaging is troubling and it harkens back to ‘Amos n’ Andy.’”OPINION: Why Tracy Morgan Isn’t Taking Us Two Steps ~“Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors, but I still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is coonery and buffoonery. I know it’s making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better. … I am a huge basketball fan, and when I watch the games on TNT, I see these two ads for these two shows (Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne”), and I am scratching my head. We got a black president, and we going back to Mantan Moreland and Sleep ‘n’ Eat?

Critical Praise for Pseudo Slang: "Pseudo Slang make the thinking fan's kind of hip-hop." - Chicago Sun Times
The Song: Pseudo Slang's new track "Walkin'" feat. Grap Luva is placed right in the middle of their new album We'll Keep Looking for a reason: they want it to be one of the cornerstones of the project. The Buffalo-based duo of Emcee Sick and producer Tone Atlas use this track to give praise to the jazz-tinged side of their many influences. The lyrics are a mission statement - citing their favorite jazz aesthetics (which, conveniently, Atlas uses in synch) while laying down the reasons they were meant to be "reinstatin', invigoratin', integratin', DJ fadin'" music via their brand of hip-hop. They utilize a jazz standard walking bass line from samples and bump it to a simmering shuffle drumbeat. Top this off with the occasional piano trill, horn lick, or guitar riff and suddenly you are "walkin' back to ill tracks." The Background: Pseudo Slang is a hip-hop duo from the Buffalo, NY music scene. Emcee Sick of the Xtracts of Slang and Tone Atlas of the Pseudo Intellectuals teamed up about a decade ago to form Pseudo Slang - a side project that took on a career of its own. After their debut release, The Catalogue (a compilation of tracks PS laid down from 1999 to 2004), Pseudo Slang switched to full time. After being quickly signed to stalwart hip-hop label Fat Beats Records, Pseudo Slang released the single "Broke and Copasetic" in 2006. National and international tours followed, and the build towards their first complete studio release as a duo is almost at its apex: We'll Keep Looking drops June 16th via Fat Beats Records. Listen to the first single, "Broke & Copasetic" featuring Vinia Mojica - http://media.audibletreats.com/Pseudo_Slang-Broke_And_Copasetic_feat_Vinia_Mojica.mp3

Today's Papers: GM Bankruptcy: An American Revolution

This is it. After months of speculation, General Motors will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy early this morning. The iconic automaker that was once seen as synonymous with American capitalism, and only 10 years ago was the world's largest company, will be nationalized. The United States will invest $30.1 billion in the company, on top of the $20 billion it has already spent on propping up the automaker. The Los Angeles Times points out that GM will now be "the second-largest recipient of bailout money, behind insurance giant American International Group." USA Today notes that, unlike Chrysler, GM will not announce a companywide plant shutdown. Under the current restructuring plan, the U.S. government would get around 60 percent of the new GM, the governments of Canada and Ontario would get 12 percent, 17.5 percent would go to a union retiree health trust, while bondholders would get 10 percent. The Washington Post devotes much of its piece to once again looking at how the government will have to deal with claims that its restructuring plan favors the United Auto Workers at the expense of regular investors. "The fairness issue will be central as the GM bankruptcy case goes before a judge this week," notes the Post. The New York Times points out that the restructuring plan "places the government in uncharted territory as a business owner" while the Wall Street Journal says that it sets up "a high-stakes gamble for U.S. taxpayers." Administration officials insist they don't plan on putting any more money into the company even while recognizing that there are still unknowns, such as when the car market is going to stage a comeback, that could change the equation. In his speech today, President Obama is expected to argue that the government had no choice but to get involved, because a GM liquidation would have reverberated across the wider economy and sent the unemployment rate soaring. At the same time, he will insist that the government doesn't want to get involved in the automaker's day-to-day operations. To continue reading, click here.

BLACK FILMS WOULD SELL OVERSEAS CUZ WE SET THE TRENDS

By Casey Gane-McCalla ~ Spike Lee and Tyler Perry Spike Lee Compares Tyler Perry To Amos and Andy Spike Lee had an interview with Ed Gordon on Our World with Black Enterprise scheduled to air this weekend. In the interview he complained about “coonery and buffoonery” and both of Tyler Perry’s shows “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne,” comparing them to characters from minstrel shows. From EurWeB ~“We’ve had this discussion back and forth. When John Singleton [made 'Boyz in the Hood'], people came out to see it. But when he did ‘Rosewood,’ nobody showed up. So a lot of this is on us! You vote with your pocketbook, your wallet. You vote with your time sitting in front of the idiot box, and [Tyler Perry] has a huge audience. We shouldn’t think that Tyler Perry is going to make the same film that I am going to make, or that John Singleton or my cousin Malcolm Lee [would make]. As African-Americans, we’re not one monolithic group, so there is room for all of that. But at the same time, for me, the imaging is troubling and it harkens back to ‘Amos n’ Andy.’”OPINION: Why Tracy Morgan Isn’t Taking Us Two Steps ~“Each artist should be allowed to pursue their artistic endeavors, but I still think there is a lot of stuff out today that is coonery and buffoonery. I know it’s making a lot of money and breaking records, but we can do better. … I am a huge basketball fan, and when I watch the games on TNT, I see these two ads for these two shows (Tyler Perry’s “Meet the Browns” and “House of Payne”), and I am scratching my head. We got a black president, and we going back to Mantan Moreland and Sleep ‘n’ Eat?

MP3: Pseudo Slang - "Walkin' (feat.) Grap Luva"

Critical Praise for Pseudo Slang: "Pseudo Slang make the thinking fan's kind of hip-hop." - Chicago Sun Times
The Song: Pseudo Slang's new track "Walkin'" feat. Grap Luva is placed right in the middle of their new album We'll Keep Looking for a reason: they want it to be one of the cornerstones of the project. The Buffalo-based duo of Emcee Sick and producer Tone Atlas use this track to give praise to the jazz-tinged side of their many influences. The lyrics are a mission statement - citing their favorite jazz aesthetics (which, conveniently, Atlas uses in synch) while laying down the reasons they were meant to be "reinstatin', invigoratin', integratin', DJ fadin'" music via their brand of hip-hop. They utilize a jazz standard walking bass line from samples and bump it to a simmering shuffle drumbeat. Top this off with the occasional piano trill, horn lick, or guitar riff and suddenly you are "walkin' back to ill tracks." The Background: Pseudo Slang is a hip-hop duo from the Buffalo, NY music scene. Emcee Sick of the Xtracts of Slang and Tone Atlas of the Pseudo Intellectuals teamed up about a decade ago to form Pseudo Slang - a side project that took on a career of its own. After their debut release, The Catalogue (a compilation of tracks PS laid down from 1999 to 2004), Pseudo Slang switched to full time. After being quickly signed to stalwart hip-hop label Fat Beats Records, Pseudo Slang released the single "Broke and Copasetic" in 2006. National and international tours followed, and the build towards their first complete studio release as a duo is almost at its apex: We'll Keep Looking drops June 16th via Fat Beats Records. Listen to the first single, "Broke & Copasetic" featuring Vinia Mojica - http://media.audibletreats.com/Pseudo_Slang-Broke_And_Copasetic_feat_Vinia_Mojica.mp3