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Immigration ruling could send message to states

PHOENIX — States that had been watching Arizona's immigration law in hopes of copying it received a rude awakening when a judge put most of the measure on hold and agreed with the Obama administration's core argument that immigration enforcement is the role of the federal government.

The ruling marked a repudiation of the Arizona law as U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton indicated that the government has a good chance at succeeding in its argument that federal immigration law trumps state law. It was an important first-round victory for the government in a fight that may not be settled until the U.S. Supreme Court weighs in.

But opponents of the law said the ruling sends a strong message to other states hoping to replicate the law. "Surely it's going to make states pause and consider how they're drafting legislation and how it fits in a constitutional framework," Dennis Burke, the U.S. Attorney for Arizona, told the Associated Press. "The proponents of this went into court saying there was no question that this was constitutional, and now you have a federal judge who's said 'hold on, there's major issues with this bill.'"

He added: "So this idea that this is going to be a blueprint for other states is seriously in doubt. The blueprint is constitutionally flawed."

Gov. Jan Brewer called Wednesday's decision "a bump in the road" and vowed to appeal.

Her spokesman Paul Senseman said the state would ask the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Thurdsay to lift Bolton's preliminary injunction and to expedite its consideration of the state's appeal.

The key sponsor of Arizona's law, Republican Rep. Russell Pearce, said the judge was wrong and predicted that the state would ultimately win the case.

In her temporary injunction, Bolton delayed the most contentious provisions of the law, including a section that required officers to check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws. She also barred enforcement of parts requiring immigrants to carry their papers and banned illegal immigrants from soliciting employment in public places — a move aimed at day laborers that congregate in large numbers in parking lots across Arizona. The judge also blocked officers from making warrantless arrests of suspected illegal immigrants. CONTINUE READING...
 

The Mind of Ise Lyfe" featuring Ise Lyfe w/ live band

Usher, Chris Brown & Mavado Invade Jamaica For Sumfest

Words by Rob Kenner - After a historic Dancehall Night at Reggae Sumfest, Jamaica's leading reggae festival—and a platform for top international stars from Jay-Z, Weezy, and 50, to Beyoncé, Mary, and Lionel Richie—Usher Raymond appeared at a press conference at Montego Bay's luxurious Iberostar Hotel. Sharing his love for Jamaican music and culture, and warned the Sumfest crowd to get themselves ready for something special. He has a tough act to follow.

Thursday's (July 22) dancehall night is being hailed as one of the greatest in the festival's 17-year history, with stellar performances by Bounty Killer, Mavado, and Vybz Kartel, who put aside their Gully versus Gaza lyrical feuds to urge Jamaican people to come together in the wake of recent violence and civil unrest that have cast a negative light on the popular vacation destination that is also the birthplace of reggae music.

"We need to go from a state of emergency to a state of urgency," said Bounty Killer, who was honored onstage by Sumfest promoters for his contributions to Jamaican music.

"Jamaica as a country still, we fi unite, and cool offa certain war, certain crime, and certain violence" added Kartel, who took the stage an orange "Jail Bird” outfit and handcuffs. "So we nice as a nation and unite, a so we fi unite pon we ends, inna the garrison, round the lane, pon the Gully, pon the Gaza, pon the plaza."

"I feel privileged to be a part of this incredible festival that highlights not only Jamaican music but also your culture," said Usher, seated alongside the Jamaican reggae/soul singer Gramps Morgan and representatives of Reggae Sumfest, the Jamaica Tourist Board, and sponsors like Digicel, Red Stripe, and Wisynco. "I'm glad to be able to be here to share a little bit of our musical culture from America."

Although a passing tropical storm brought thunder, lightning and occasional showers, a bit of mud did not dampen the spirits of the Sumfest crowd, which turned out in great numbers on all three nights, including International Night 2, which featured Gyptian performing his worldwide smash “Hold Yuh” and Chris Brown, who electrified the Montego Bay massive with his catalog of hits and his familiarity with the latest Jamaican dancehall steps. The Jamaican crooner Jah Cure shifted the vibes to a romantic rootsy feel, showcasing romantic duet “Call On Me,” their voices blending seamlessly in the warm night air. Queen Ifrica’s fearless set—filled with incendiary social criticism—was followed by a masterful closing performance by veteran DJ Tony Rebel, whose catalog never seems to get old.

"I hate that the weather is looking the way it is but it's gonna be an incredible mashup no matter what,” said Usher of his closing night performance. “I hope you guys are ready for it. This is my first time being at Sumfest, I plan on making this show one of a kind for my audience tomorrow. I'm sharing the stage with some incredible performers and I'm looking forward to seeing some of the other performers as well. But I'm truly happy to be able to come to perform for my Jamaican fans and be a part of this incredible culture."

When asked if he planned any future reggae collaborations the R&B superstar who famously incorporated Jamaican dances like the Thunderclap and the Rockaway into his smash video "Yeah" said he was open: "Of course. The influence is obvious. It can be heard it in my music if you hear songs like "Pull Up" on my most recent album. I think the combination of reggae and hip hop is beautiful. It's a chemistry that has worked for many years. The attitude is there. The attitude of reggae music sticks out over everything, and the resiliency in the message, as well as the energy from the sound of the rhythm that comes through the drums and the guitars and the keys etc. It's like a ritual almost when I hear reggae music. And you know hip hop has attitude as well and together they can make a great marriage. As long as I'm able to sing and dance and perform I'm gonna entertain people whether it's R&B, hip hop, reggae, whatever," he said, adding. "I've always considered myself somewhat of an honorary Jamaican. That's why you always hear me say 'Yeah man.' So I'm coming home."

Despite Usher’s fair warning, few could have imagined the night that lay ahead during International Night 2. After stirring performances by newcomer Romain Virgo and the soulful vocal stylings of Gramps Morgan, Shaggy took the stage and blazed through his catalog of international smash hits from “Mr. Boombastic” to “Angel.” Then it was time for Usher, who opened his set with “Caught Up” and never looked back, delivering a flawlessly choreographed tour de force complete with state of the art lighting and amazingly skilled troupe of backup dancers. But he soon one-upped himself. 

By the time Usher started saying “Lick a shot Gully God lick a shot,” it was clear something was up. Then Mavado stampeded onstage taking the crowd to higher heights of excitement with hits like “So Special.” But the surprises weren’t finished. Usher brought out Elephant Man and then walked to stage left and brought out Chris Brown. When Elephant had two reigning R&B and dance champions doing the “Nuh Linga” and the “Gully Creeper” the crowd quite simply went berserk. Although Elephant Man went as far as to hand Chris Brown a mic and implored him to “sing something for the girls dem,” Elly did his best to tampe down any talk of a battle. “This is unity, this is love. Usher and Chris Brown, trust me. Jamaican live you like them life.” Fortunately Usher saved his latest smash “OMG” for last, and he needed it sustain the crowd’s energy after a triple play like that. 

The task of following Usher’s performance fell to Tarrus Riley, the foremost of Jamaica’s new roots singers. He had the crowd in his grasp from his opening number “Lion Paw” and when he was finished, his musical director Dean Fraser led his band through a tribute to the late great Sugar Minott. After that it was all about Beenie Man the Doctor, who ran thrilled the crowd with his new banger “Rum and Red Bull” then delivered the final gesure of unity at Sumfest 2010: he shared the stage with his once-estranged wife D’Angel, who has become a star in her own right in recent years. Like Bob Marley said, it’s all about “One Love.”

Texas Battles Health Law Even as It Follows It

AUSTIN, Tex. — There are more uninsured residents of Texas — 6.1 million and counting — than there are people in 33 states. The state’s elected officials might be expected, therefore, to cheer a federal health care law that is likely to deliver billions of dollars from Washington to Austin and cover millions of low-income Texans.

Instead, the Republican political leadership has greeted the law and its anticipated costs with open hostility, leaving policy makers to move forward with a complex set of changes even as the governor, attorney general and ranking legislators rage against it. The same awkward dichotomy exists in many of the 21 states that are challenging the health reform act’s constitutionality, but are nonetheless required to follow it while their lawsuits meander through the courts.

In Austin, legislative hearings and agency planning sessions proceed despite Gov. Rick Perry’s vow to fight “on every front available” against a law that he characterizes as “socialism on American soil.” Bureaucrats apply for federal grants and collaborate with the Obama administration at the same time that Attorney General Greg Abbott strategizes to eviscerate the law in court.

“Sometimes it seems a little schizophrenic,” acknowledged State Representative John M. Zerwas, a Republican who favors the law’s repeal but also leads a House committee that seeks to maximize its benefits to Texas. “There are plenty of laws out there that I might not agree with. But if the law of the land says we have to do it, the last thing I want is for Texas to not be prepared or not put things in place to comply.”CONTINUE READING...

The iPhone Fashion Shoot

Bishop Walter Hawkins Ticket Giveaway

OAKLAND, CA. by Ronald Fulcher ~ When I arrived at the Paramount I was initially shocked by the sheer number of people but I wasn't surprised because Walter Hawkins meant so much to so many people, in Oakland young and old. He was a celebrity to a lot of people and he was a messenger of faith to so many. In many ways he is and will be identified by his music and his charismatic presence on stage and on his recordings. The line wrapped around the block on both sides of Broadway and Telegraph streets in Downtown Oakland. The tickets were free of which each individual would get 1 ticket per person for each event if they so choose. When speaking with people in the crowd I really didn't have to ask why they were here that was self evident. Many people had been here since 6am the day prior. They had prayer, food, chairs and some people likened this event to Michael Jackson's farewell. Bishop Walter Hawkins, who I refer to as the Mr. Hawkins, was someone I met several years ago, and initially was so mesmerized by his presence. He was a soft spoken man but very powerful in the pulpit and on stage. If you ever had been to Love Center especially in the earlier years when the church was on MacArthur prior to its present location, when you left you were moved not only by the wonderful gospel music, but the message and the people. Love Center Ministries  was a non-traditional church of sorts, because people came and still do as they are. Love Center Ministries embraces people young and old, from all walks of life. People in the crowd were very joyful and glee while waiting for the distribution of the tickets, not knowing exactly whether they would get one or not. The Paramount holds about 3,040 people and given the church members, family, friends and guests there were not very many tickets to be given out. When asked of the Paramount management on how many would be given out. I couldn't get an answer to that question. In the crowd you see so many people, some I have known for years and have not seen in so long. The passion on their faces amidst the chaotic ticket distribution. Bishop Hawkins and his family have contributed so much to the City of Oakland, its residents, and the city as whole. They are truly the first family of gospel music in this City. It is truly phenomenal that this event is being held at one of the city's premier concert halls. The guest list of the potentially the whose who of Gospel music throughout the country will be in attendance for this momentous event. Although the ticket distribution was little out of sorts, and disorganized we have to remember that this event is out of love and put aside the bad stuff and focus on the good. Having this event at the Paramount Theater will be truly a "Home Coming" for Bishop Walter Hawkins and the Love Center Family.

Homegoing Celebrations for Bishop Walter L. Hawkins

Homegoing Celebrations for
Bishop Walter L. Hawkins
is as follows:

˜ Musical ˜
Tuesday, July 20th at 7:00pm

˜ Homegoing Service ˜
Wednesday, July 21st at 11:00am

BOTH services will be held at:
Paramount Theatre
2025 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94612-2303
(510) 465-6400

Hotel Information:
Hilton Oakland Airport
1 Hegenberger Road
Oakland, CA 94621
(510) 635-5000

$85.00 a night, plus tax
Must Use “Love Center Ministries, Inc”

*We are requesting everyone to
wear “CREAM” for Wednesday Morning Service!

Miami heats up with welcome party

<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/video?vid=dd795554-f70f-4803-8439-ab30891d89ae" target="_new" title="">Miami heats up with welcome party</a>

LeBron James booed at Carmelo Anthony's wedding

Last Saturday, while you were enjoying bratwursts and s'mores, Carmelo Anthony(notes) was marrying LaLa Vasquez, an MTV VJ. Cool weekend plans, I suppose. And since Melo is a big-time NBA baller, he attracted more than a few celebrities to his New York City nuptials. In attendance were Kim Kardashian, Spike Lee, Justin Timberlake and Ludacris, who hopefully provided entertainment during the reception. Oh, and LeBron James(notes), whom you may have heard of.

That's right — LeBron James was in New York City just two days after choosing the Miami Heat in his highly rated one-hour ESPN special. You can imagine how well that went over with Knick fans. From Fox Sports:

[LeBron] James was greeted by a round of loud boos from angry New Yorkers outside the wedding in Cipriani 42nd Street when he arrived with his girlfriend Savannah Brinson, myFOXny.com reported.

[Photos: See more from Carmelo and LaLa's celeb-studded wedding]

Geez, LeBron. Way to almost ruin your friend's wedding by choosing to play in Miami. It's like that old saying: "You made your multi-millon dollar free-agency bed, now get booed by Knick fans in it." Or something like that. LBJ might as well hear the jeers now, since he'll be getting heckled basically everywhere but Miami-Wade County. Better to start with a few scattered New Yorkers than 20,000 rabid Clevelanders who hate his guts.

Of course, if those same classy Knick fans had stuck around a little longer, they might have gotten some good news. According to the New York Post's Marc Berman, attendee Chris Paul(notes) made a pretty interesting speech at the ceremony.

During Carmelo Anthony's wedding Saturday night at Cipriani's on 42nd Street, Chris Paul, the superstar New Orleans point guard, predicted a future Knicks Dream Team. [...]

According to a person who spoke with wedding attendee Amar'e Stoudemire(notes), Paul made the reference during a speech of a potential union of himself, Stoudemire and Anthony, saying, "We'll form our own Big 3," Paul allegedly said.

[Photos: More celebs who love pro athletes]

I'm sure that won't get New York fans' hopes up for the summer of 2012. Surely they'll take this potential joining of forces in stride and not get too upset if it never comes to fruition. At least I hope that's the case because VJs don't grow on trees these days. If things change, it'd be unfortunate for Knicks fans to have to boo Chris Paul for passing Jesse Camp on the street.

Walter Hawkins, award-winning gospel singer, dies

RIPON, Calif. -- Walter Hawkins, a Grammy Award-winning gospel singer, composer and pastor from Oakland, died Sunday. He was 61.

Hawkins, who was battling pancreatic cancer, passed away at his home in Ripon, Calif., his older brother Edwin Hawkins said."Today, I lost my brother, my pastor, and my best friend," said Edwin Hawkins. "Bishop Hawkins suffered bravely but now he will suffer no more and he will be greatly missed." Born in Oakland, Hawkins studied for his divinity degree at the University of California, Berkeley.

While at the university, he recorded his first album titled "Do Your Best" in 1972.

The next year, Hawkins became a pastor and founded the Love Center Church in Oakland, where he also formed a choir.

In the 1980s, Hawkins recorded a number of albums and earned nine Grammy Award nominations, according to friend and family representative, Bill Carpenter.

His "The Lord's Prayer" won a Grammy in 1980 and he also performed on the televised Grammy Awards ceremony that year.

In 1990, Hawkins released "Love Alive III" which spent 34 weeks at the top on the Billboard gospel album sales chart, while going on to sell more than a million copies, according to Carpenter.

In 1993 his next album, "Love Alive IV," also hit the top spot on the album sales chart. Between work on the two albums, Hawkins was ordained a bishop in October 1992.

At the time of his death, Hawkins was planning a new "Love Alive" CD concert recording for this fall.

Besides his brother Walter, Hawkins is survived by two children, two grandchildren and a number of nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements were pending.

Editorial: We must learn from Oscar Grant's death

THIS WAS never going to be an easy decision.

It required jurors to reach into the mind of former BART Officer Johannes Mehserle the morning of Jan. 1, 2009, when he fired that fatal shot into the back of Oscar Grant III. It required them to try to figure out what Mehserle was thinking with all the chaos around him on the platform of the Fruitvale station. It required them to second-guess whether the transit-system cop intended to reach for his gun or his Taser.

Apparently the jurors didn't believe that Mehserle acted without regard for Grant's life — a requirement for second-degree murder. Nor did they believe that he was provoked and acted in the heat of passion — voluntary manslaughter. Instead, they found that he acted negligently, but without malice. They found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

It was a quick verdict. The case was given to the jury on Friday. Monday was a holiday. A juror was sick Tuesday. And then on Wednesday, one juror was replaced because of a previously scheduled vacation, forcing the jury to restart deliberations with a new member. Talks that day were cut short because of another juror's medical appointment. So Thursday was the first time jurors had the opportunity to deliberate for a full day. But by midafternoon, they had reached a verdict.

It's a verdict that will be second-guessed for years to come. It's a verdict that will haunt the Bay Area. We all saw the video of the shooting, over and over again. And most of us had an opinion. No matter what the jurors concluded, the verdict was sure to meet with disapproval from some of us. No matter the outcome, some would be disappointed.

But there's an important point to remember here: Reasonable minds could have looked at the evidence from the three-week trial and come to different conclusions. This was never a clear-cut case.

And so it's incumbent on all of us to respect the legal process and respect the jurors' verdict. Their decision might not be perfect in the minds of many, but it was a rational outcome. And a reasoned process.

Judge Robert Perry didn't allow the courtroom to become a circus. He kept a lid on the proceedings.

It's now up to us to keep a lid on it. As we move forward, we should feel free to express our opinions about the verdict — but we must do so peacefully. Destroying property and injuring others will not bring back Oscar Grant.

But Grant's death must not be forgotten. We all must learn from this.

Police agencies must review their procedures to make sure that such a tragedy never happens again. And all of us must keep in mind that horrible things can happen when chaos breaks out. Police can make mistakes. After the fact, we can try to determine whether an action was premeditated, without regard for life, in the heat of passion or merely negligent. But, after the fact, it's too late. It's better to de-escalate before violence breaks out.

That was a message that would have helped on Jan. 1, 2009. That's a message for all of us in the days, weeks, months and years ahead as we reflect upon, and react to, the verdict. As a tribute to Grant, let's not forget it.

Summer Issue Swagga Digital Magazine

Morning Newspapers 07.07.10

1. Skimmers Cleaned Just 3 Gallons of Oily Gulf Water Tuesday
   High winds and rough seas from Hurricane Alex have kept skimmers docked for the past week while also pushing oil over containment booms and barges.
   Read original story in ABC News | Wednesday, July 7, 2010

2. Several Afghan Soldiers Killed by NATO Friendly Fire
   A spokesman with the Afghan Defense Ministry condemned the mistake early Wednesday morning, adding that, while not the first, "we wish that at least this would be the last one."
   Read original story in AFP | Wednesday, July 7, 2010

3. Feds Take Aim at Arizona Immigration Law
   Obama administration files suit against Arizona in a bid to strike down the state's controversial immigration statute.
   Read original story in The Washington Post | Tuesday, July 6, 2010

4. Japanese Court Convicts Whaling Activist of Assault, Other Charges
   Peter Bethune received a two-year prison sentence suspended for five years, which means he won't be jailed, for attacking a Japanese whaling vessel with stink bombs and attempting to detain the captain.
   Read original story in BBC | Wednesday, July 7, 2010

5. LeBron James Will Announce Future Plans on ESPN Special
   Will LeBron stay in Cleveland? Will he accept a huge contract to sign with Chicago, New York or Los Angeles? The "most-hyped free agency period in N.B.A. history" will end on Thursday night.
   Read original story in The New York Times | Wednesday, July 7, 2010

6. Obama and Netanyahu Kiss and Make Up
   Meeting at the White House, the President and the Israeli Prime Minister downplayed their differences and pledged to restart peace talks.
   Read original story in The New York Times | Tuesday, July 6, 2010

7. First Bull Run of the Season Goes Gore-Less
   Participants in the first bull run of the summer in Pamplona, Spain, were knocked to the ground and trampled, but no serious injuries were reported.
   Read original story in Associated Press | Wednesday, July 7, 2010

8. Trying to Catch a Foul Ball, Fan Falls 30 Feet
   A Rangers-Indians game was delayed while a rescue team treated the fan. He fell from the second-deck club level and landed on top of four spectators far below.
   Read original story in MLB.com | Wednesday, July 7, 2010

9. Young Women Are Addicted to Facebook
   Before they go to the bathroom in the morning, one-third of young women aged 18-34 sign in to the social networking site, which they use for everything from networking to research.
   Read original story in Mashable | Wednesday, July 7, 2010

10. Pope Rethinks Vatican's Sex-Abuse Rules
    In an unusual move, the Pontiff is rewriting a decree issued by his predecessor in an attempt to streamline the Church's handling of sex-abuse cases.
    Read original story in The Wall Street Journal | Tuesday, July 6, 2010

11. Solar Plane Begins 24-Hour Test Flight
    A team hoping to circle the globe in a solar-powered plane launched a massive prototype from Switzerland this morning.
    Read original story in Engadget | Wednesday, July 7, 2010

12. EPA Gets Serious About Smog
    Officials say ambitious new clean-air rules will curb power-plant pollution, saving 36,000 lives and hundreds of billions of dollars a year.

The unemployment emergency

By Eugene Robinson ~ The good news is that unemployment has fallen to "only" 9.5 percent. The bad news is that the jobless rate is down only because so many people have given up hope of finding work. Perversely, the jobless who aren't actively looking for jobs are not counted as "unemployed." Perhaps there should be a new category: "mired in existential despair." If anyone in Washington wants to know why people in the hinterlands are angry, one simple answer is that our political leaders seem to be so calculating and unmoved about the parlous state of the economy.

The disheartening employment figures released Friday quickly became fodder for the kind of political to-and-fro that has become standard operating procedure. President Obama quickly put his spin on the numbers, noting that the private sector added 83,000 jobs in June. The president's Republican opponents noted that overall, the economy lost 125,000 jobs -- taking into account not just the private-sector gain but the end of 225,000 temporary jobs for census workers.

Last month, it was the other way around. The overall number, showing what happened in May, indicated a healthy-looking gain in jobs -- so that was what Obama wanted to talk about. But the increase reflected mostly census hiring, with the private sector adding a paltry 41,000 jobs -- which was the number the Republicans wanted to highlight.

All the spinning and counterspinning drives people crazy. And why shouldn't it? The employment numbers aren't just a monthly set of partisan talking points. They represent actual lives. They represent mortgages that might not be paid and college educations that have to be deferred; they tally mental health crises and broken marriages. Those sterile, emotionless figures speak of pain and anxiety. They mock our faith in the American dream.

Let me put it in terms that Washington understands: The party that begins to treat the unemployment crisis with the hair-on-fire urgency that it deserves is the party that will do well in November.

In the past, a steep fall into recession has often led to an equally steep climb back to prosperity. Clearly, that's not the case this time. In relatively short order, the economy lost about 7 million jobs. So far this year, we've gained back more than 600,000 -- not bad, given that in early 2009 we were shedding that many jobs each month, but not nearly enough to have the kind of impact the nation can really feel.

The debate among economists about whether or not this will prove to be a "double-dip" recession is beside the point. For most people, this feels more like one long, uninterrupted dip -- with no end in sight. Adding 83,000 private-sector jobs in June sounds like something of an accomplishment, until you realize that the U.S. economy has to add more than 125,000 jobs a month just to accommodate the natural growth of the workforce. With a gain of 83,000 jobs, we actually lost ground.

Our political leaders know that unemployment is on their constituents' minds, so they talk about it. A lot. But we're not seeing either party show the kind of courage that's really needed.

Republicans block an extension of unemployment benefits, rail about the deficit and complain that Democrats don't understand that economic renewal will come when the private sector is unleashed. The problem is that since Republicans are in the minority, they have to work with the Democrats to get anything done. I suspect that their strategy -- standing on the sidelines and yelling, "The Democrats are doing it all wrong!" -- will not win as much favor from voters as the GOP hopes.

Democrats, on the other hand, do have the power to enact an agenda. But individual members of Congress act as if they are more concerned about their own electoral prospects than about bringing those unemployment numbers down. If a second economic stimulus is the answer, then that's what Democrats should do. If the answer is something else, fine. But they should know that whether they call themselves progressives or Blue Dogs or whatever, voters see them as one party and will hold them accountable.

Washington gets all excited when someone commits an embarrassing or impolitic gaffe. Beyond the Beltway, people cannot understand why our leaders can't be similarly focused and energetic about the most tragic spasm of economic dislocation in eight decades.

Critics' Choice - New Cds Review

“Love King” (Def Jam)

In 1863 Charles Baudelaire suggested a modernity test for painters. It would be in how they depicted courtesans of their time. He said the painters had to be able to record “the carriage, the gaze, the come-hitherishness” of these women. Because therein lives spirit of the age, something that can’t be cribbed off the masters.

Charles, meet Terius Nash, also known as The-Dream. He depicts unchaste women for a living. He first got a leg up writing R&B for other people, particularly “Umbrella” for Rihanna. That was three long years ago, and now Mr. Nash is on his third solo album, writing and producing and singing.

Lately he has been receiving some criticism for his extraordinary focus or, if you like, his lack of breadth — so much that he recently threatened to quit making records. But there’s something about his persona Baudelaire might have liked: his obsession with surfaces, the endless trysting, the strings of brand names, the way he concentrates his talent in pursuit of casual pleasures, so casual he seems to barely even feel them. Not everything he makes is great, but everything he makes is modern. (Even when he’s copying Prince. Even when he’s copying R. Kelly.) His best work feels quick and intuitive.

In “Make Up Bag” you hear finger snaps on the two and four, digital bass tones with Taser voltage, a piano plinking around an A-minor chord. There’s a trite little narrative: He’s been cheating on his girlfriend and actually has lipstick on his collar. But he’s been through this before.

The chorus brings his lousy advice: “If you ever get your girlfriend mad/Don’t let your good girl go bad/Drop five stacks on a make up bag.” Gracefully he hammers it in: “The make up bag. The make up bag. The make up bag. The make up bag.”

The song’s flaw is that it’s a little confusing. He’s talking about buying a purse, not a cosmetics container, to make up for his indiscretions. Its glory is how complicated a symbol the bag becomes: wealth, treachery, shallowness, his own power and anxiety, his girlfriend’s. Somewhere in there the narrator knows how craven he is. But The-Dream knows that he’s just repeating four syllables that sound good together. That’s it, that’s all. By the time you work this out, there’s a good chance you want to hear it again.

There are similar small-scale epiphanies in the title track, on which, over a luxurious, summery beat with a piano bass line rolling upward by half-tones, he catalogs his girlfriends by their preference in footwear, liquor, airlines and data plans. And in parts of “Turnt Out,” on which he sings in falsetto about sexual positions for most of four and a half minutes, he tries to beat Prince at his own game.

The epiphanies aren’t there so much in “Yamaha,” a much more studious Prince homage that’s a few minutes too long, or “February Love,” the ebb-tide slow jam. And even though he’s trying — with songs flowing into one another, and characters and phrases resurfacing from earlier records — his album doesn’t transcend its highest individual moments. The-Dream is best in four minutes or less, describing carriages and gazes and moving on. He’s made some pretty seriously entertaining songs. And on some level it remains unclear why he should be making albums at all. BEN RATLIFF

PLIES

“Goon Affiliated”

(Big Gates/Slip-N-Slide/

Atlantic)

As ever, hip-hop is changing and, as ever, Plies is not. From Fort Myers, Fla., he’s been a model of consistency since his 2007 debut album: scratchy howl, dirty words, winning sneer, secret soft spots.

“Goon Affiliated” is his fourth album, but could be his 14th or 40th. He’s staunchly committed to his style, anomalous though it may be. A bare-bones rapper, he mostly works permutations of the same expletives, but he’s deliriously emphatic, often making them sound new.

Still, this album is less pungent than the two electrifying ones he released in 2008, “Definition of Real” and “Da REAList,” his signature style now approaching shtick. The brightest moments come from his exceedingly thin attempts at concept. On the fantasy “Rob Myself” he realizes there’s no one richer around, so why not. On “Becky,” about an intimate sexual act, he flips the title word umpteen different ways — “Becky, Becky, she’s so cool/I don’t get Becky, I can’t sleep,” etc. — making awkward comedy of the repetition.

“I don’t wear tight jeans like the white boys/But I do get wasted like the white boys,” Plies rapped on “Wasted,” last year’s Gucci Mane hit. Here he attempts to co-opt some other slacker slang on “Awesome,” over a martial, chipper beat by Zaytoven. (Though another Zaytoven production here, “Bruh Bruh,” is only so-so.)

Elsewhere Plies does a lot of undifferentiated grunting, though his mood and tone shift notably when feelings are involved. Plies is among the most empathetic of rappers, and on an unprintably titled song about his friends behind bars, he sounds wracked with stress: “Gotta make sure they get a chance/Gotta make sure they lawyers paid.”

Furthermore, despite his gruff presence, he’s always had a surprisingly uncomplicated approach to romance, a sweet talker through gold teeth. On “She Got It Made,” with its tacky updating of “Escape (The Piña Colada Song),” he aims to spoil rotten: “All five-star suites, we ain’t doing no Ramadas/You ain’t got to cook, baby, all you got to do is order.”

And on “Goonette,” he celebrates the ideal woman, one who understands his unchanging world: “For her birthday, I bought her a pink ski mask.” JON CARAMANICA

Morning Papers 07.01.10

1. Al-Qaida Launches English-Language Magazine
   The editors hope that their new magazine, Inspire, will recruit English-speaking Muslims inside of the United States and European countries to carry out terrorist plots.
   Read original story in The Atlantic | Thursday, July 1, 2010

2. Leading Republican Calls for Increase to Retirement Age
   In an interview, the House minority leader said increasing the retirement age by five years is one way to fix the looming Social Security crisis.
   Read original story in Newsweek | Thursday, July 1, 2010

3. Police Reopen Investigation Into Sexual Assault Charges Against Al Gore
   A massage therapist who claims the former vice president made unwanted sexual advances said she called off the 2006 investigation because if she didn't, one friend told her, climate change would destroy the world.
   Read original story in Talking Points Memo | Thursday, July 1, 2010

4. Taliban Refuse To Enter NATO Peace Talks
   "We are certain that we are winning," the Taliban said in a statement. "Why should we talk if we have the upper hand?"
   Read original story in The Daily Telegraph | Thursday, July 1, 2010

5. Apple, AT&T Slapped With Class-Action Lawsuit
   The lawsuit claims several breaches of warranty, misrepresentation and fraud in the release of the new iPhone 4, which users have complained drops because of a faulty antenna design.
   Read original story in Gizmodo | Thursday, July 1, 2010

6. NBA Teams Battle For LeBron James
   For the next seven days, everyone, it seems, will meet with and try to court the basketball prodigy, hoping to lure him to their team.
   Read original story in The New York Times | Thursday, July 1, 2010

7. Senate Confirms Petraeus 99-0
   One of Gen. David Petraeus' first tasks when he takes over command of U.S. forces in Afghanistan will be considering whether to revise Gen. Stanley McChrystal's strict rules of engagement.
   Read original story in The Associated Press | Wednesday, June 30, 2010

8. Lexus Drivers Complain of Faulty Engines
   Toyota is considering another recall. About a quarter-million cars worldwide, the automaker said Thursday, may have faulty engines that stall while the vehicle is moving.
   Read original story in The Associated Press | Thursday, July 1, 2010

9. Bob Bennett: Republicans Have Slogans, Not Ideas
   The soon-to-be-former senator expects Republicans to take control of Congress in November, but that doesn't mean they'll have any idea what to do when they get there.
   Read original story in Talking Points Memo | Wednesday, June 30, 2010

10. Is There a Woman in the Oval Office?
    Kathleen Parker says Barack Obama is our first female president. It is not intended as a compliment.
    Read original story in The Washington Post | Wednesday, June 30, 2010

11. Toronto Police Display "Weapons" Seized in G20 Protest
    Police officers spent the week stripping protesters of their bicycle helmets, tennis balls, and bandanas, then collected all the gear (plus some stuff seized from nonprotesters) and presented it to journalists as proof of how dangerous the dissidents are.
    Read original story in The Globe and Mail | Wednesday, June 30, 2010

12. Christopher Hitchens Cancels Book Tour
    The author is undergoing treatment for esophogeal cancer.
    Read original story in The Washington Post | Wednesday, June 30, 2010