Is 2005 The Greatest Year For Music Debuts?

 This weekend the DMV area is celebrating the 20th anniversary of two musical superstars, Chris Brown and T-Pain. T-Pain performed last night at the MGM National Harbor, to celebrate 20 years since his first album Rappa Ternt Sanga. Which produced singles I'm Sprung and I'm 'n Luv (with a stripper).

Tomorrow Chris Brown kicks off a three night stadium show at Northwest Field, dubbed Breezy Bowl. Celebrating 20 years since his self-titled debut album which produced the debut single Run It, Yo (Excuse Me Miss), Gimme That, Say Goodbye, Poppin' and the classic album cut Ain't No Way.

Talking about both artists celebrating 20 years in the game, a light bulb went off about who else debuted in 2005. Now I typically stay in my lane of movies and TV, but I went down a deep rabbit hole and had to share.

 Jeezy of course just finished his orchestra backed 20th anniversary tour for Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101. Keyshia Cole went on tour this past summer to celebrate The Way It Is. That's four artist right there, so who else are we missing?

Though a lot of his actions have turned fans on him and he's proven to be a clown. Trey Songz released I Gotta Make It In March of 2005. Bobby Valentino started telling woman to slow down that year. While Pretty Ricky hit the scene that summer replacing Jodeci as the male group freaks of R&B. Teairra Mari aimed to be the princess of R&B when her album released that year.

Omarion breaking away from B2K released his debut solo album in February that year, kind of counts but also maybe not depends on how you look at it. 

While Ne-Yo's debut album In My Own Words technically did not release until February of 2006. He released two chart topping singles in 2005 to prepare fans for what's to come, Stay and So Sick. 

Chamillionaire, Slim Thug, Paul Wall and Mike Jones bought Houston to the mainstream scene, with their respective debuts. While a icon by this point, Bun B stepped out and dropped his first solo album Trill. Again up to you if that counts or not.

Outside of hip hop and R&B while technically not their debut album, pop rock band FallOut Boy released their major label debut album From Under The Cork Tree. Which produced two songs still beloved to this day, Sugar (We're Going Down) and Dance, Dance. Paramore and The Fray both hit the scene in 2005.

Then we have the Barbados Queen herself, the one and only Rihanna. Who before announcing she was pregnant. I 100% expected her to do a stadium tour and was waiting for tickets to drop. She released Music Of The Sun which really was a prelude to what she could do, when given control. Hey, sometimes you gotta get your foot in how you can.

That is a long and impressive list, when you factor in star power and longevity. I'm sure there are a few I am missing. However, when I look at this list and look at other years that featured a host of musical Debuts. I really don't think anything tops the year of 2005.

I'm sure those kind of stats aren't measured anywhere. From where I'm sitting it is the greatest year ever for musical Debuts.

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10 Well Loved Shows I Havent Watched

 

If you follow my blog you know I've seen alot of movies and TV shows. Of course there is so much content out there you can't watch everything. So I decided to compile a list of 10 show's old and fairly new that are beloved and I've never seen. Hopefully I'll get to some of these one day.

10. Succession

A modern era drama about the big business of wealthy people, death, taxes and inheritance as a family awaits the demise of a media mogul and the family's patriarchy. Now that is drama as we've just seen with the Murdoch family (which the family in the series is loosely based on.) I've heard the show is also funny and has high praise from critics to common folks. I think I thought the show was about the stock market more than family drama, so I didnt give it a chance. It's on my list to watch so maybe one day.

9. Chicago Fire

First I knew Chicago Fire has been on the air for a while, I had no idea it debuted in 2012 and is now entering it's 14th season. I've never really been into TV shows about fire departments, and thats the likely reason I haven't tuned into this NBC staple.

8. Curb Your Enthusiasm 

Larry David's HBO series which debuted in 2000 and across several years just ended it's 14th season in 2024. The largely improvised mockumentary style show about the nitty gritty days of life, I probably would really enjoy if I turned it on. I just havent made my way to turning it on yet.

7 Schitt$ Creek

Starring comedy legend Eugene Levy, his son Dan Levy, Annie Murphy and Catherine O'Hara more famously known as the mom from the Home Alone films. The quartet play a formerly wealthy family who must rebuild their lives in a small hometown they own after losing everything. It's relatively unknown network Pop TV's most popular show. Has gained a cult following and won several awards, and yet I've never watched it.

6 Sons Of Anarchy

This FX drama about a motorcycle club that dabbles in criminal enterprise and alot of family drama was extremely popular during it's original run from 2008-2014. I know alot of people loved it but past knowing Peggy Bundy was in it, and seeing a few clips. I couldn't tell you anything about Son's Of Anarchy.

5. Big Bang Theory

Working in I.T. the assumption is that I'm well intuned in "geek" culture. While I enjoy superheroes and sci-fi properties that is furthest from the truth, which maybe why I never really watched Big Bang Theory. These social akward brianics are on another level in geekdom, and remind me several socially awkward people I've worked with over the years. So in my mind there's no need to watch the show, cause I know real life people like the characters.

4 How To Get Away With Murder

Every Thursday evening in the late 2010's my wife was in front of the TV, immersed in Shondaland. How To Get Away With Murder alongside Scandal were two of her favorite shows during their airings. And I always was watching something else while it was one. My understanding is the show was dramatic, high stakes, and soap operaish. With rapid fire witty dialogue and storylines you just never knew how they would end. Even with all that hype, I always passed on it.

3. The Office

A show that made the mockumentary style sitcom popular in the mid 2000's, well into the 2010's and beyond. Helped make Steve Carell a star and is still very relevant today. Never seen a single episode, seen plenty of clips and memes though. I will admit dry humor shows are hit or miss to me and sometimes I just don't give them a chance. Which I think is the case here despite all the good reviews the show has.

2. Better Call Saul

This one I consider kind of a oxymoron. I loved Breaking Bad and think it's one of the greatest TV dramas ever. As for Better Call Saul never gave it two minutes of my time. My wife said it's just as good as Breaking Bad, but I think since the character of Saul on the OG show. I could take or leave, I didn't see the point of him having his own show and I never tuned in.

1. Homicide Life On The Streets

One of the greatest cop TV dramas ever, filmed in my hometown of Baltimore and I've never seen it. In my defense the show debuted in 1993 on my 7th birthday, and it wasn't a show I should have watched nor 7 year old me would care for. As the years passed I just never sat down and watched it and it took a while to make it to streaming. It's sitting in my peacock queue waiting for me to press play.

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5 I.T. Films

 I had no idea until recently that there is such thing as National IT Professionals Day, a day meant to celebrate IT professionals who keep the world running. It's hard to keep up with these random days but it comes from a good place so I'm cool with it. I work in IT as a desktop support manager, so I figured why not use this holiday to highlight some films that focus on the I.T. industry.

5. Sneakers

I will give this film a great deal of credit for being ahead of the curve, focusing on IT and computer hacking well before it became the juggernaut on the world it is now. Released in 1992 this thriller has an all-star cast Sidney Poitier, Robert Redford, Dan Akyrod, Ben Kingsley, and River Phoenix.

The film follows a team of hackers and pentesters hired to retrieve a mysterious black box, and clear one of the members name. Well the team gets more than they bargained for with the black box. It's a mix between a thriller and crime caper with some computer geek stuff mixed in.

4. Antitrust

This 2001 film stars Ryan Phillippe, Rachel Leigh Cook, and Tim Robbins. Phillippe leads the film as a young programmer who lands a dream job at a major software company. Slowly but surely he learns the job, and the life around him is a very dark place.

It's a very thin satire wrapped in a drama of the big companies like Microsoft, Oracle, Apple, and Google. As well as their tech geek ceo's. How they crush the little man as new products are invented and the cost that comes with it. You'll notice the similarities soon as the movie starts.

The movie is currently available on Tubi.

3. SwordFish

SwordFish as a movie is kind of all over the place, and more known for Halle Berry's topless scene than anything else. This 2001 film stars Hugh Jackman as a hacker, blackmailed by John Travolta's corrupt federal agent. Who plans to hack government systems, steal funds and use ut to support his criminal and terrorist efforts. Meanwhile there's a game of cat and mouse going on with other law enforcement agencies on his tail.

 The plot is a little too overly complicated, and the Matrix influenced action scenes are a bit much for a film supposedly set in reality. Truthfully it's an mindless yet ambitious action film that as I mentioned is a little all over the place.

2. The Net

1995's The Net starring Sandra Bullock, is probably one of the first popular 90's movies that focused on the internet. Sandra Bullock is a recluse systems analyst who gets tangled up in some stuff she wants nothing to do with. When a floppy disk from a connect with details of some government big corporation quarrel. Is sent her way, she soon finds her life upside down and her on the run.

It's by no means a masterpiece. It is however a good moment in time film, of just how strong the internet was back then during its infancy. And how computer systems were ingrained and could change our world within a finger snap.

The Net is currently on Tubi.

1. Pirates of Silicon Valley

Don't be misled by the title of the film, there is no action with pirates involved. Instead this 1999 TV-movie that originally aired on TNT, should be a prerequisite viewing for any IT related major these days. It stars Anthony Michael Hall and Noah Wylie, respectively playing Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.

Showing both men's journies as they developed and built Microsoft and Apple. Showing their grit and determination, as well their trials and tribulations. Being a TV movie its no more than 90 minutes, and it doesn't go too deep into both men's quirks. If you like learning about start ups before they were called it, and how to push forward on a "grand" idea. Watch it!

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Songs I Use To Calm My Fussy Kids

 

The lore of taking care of little ones goes, that when they are fussy, tired and no matter what you do they just wont calm down. Play some white noise, sing a lullaby, maybe even go on a car ride.

I've used the method of playing some r&b to calm both of my daughters down. I aim for ballads mostly but long as its soothing I'll trt it. There have been a few songs I thought would work that didn't.

For the ones that do work, here are ten songs I play when I need to get the kids to relax.

Enigma-Return to Innocence

This song is one you'll never know the artist or the actual title by name. However, when the beat kicks in it instantly takes you back to either those 90's music commercials, an episode of Cold Case, or the ending of Man Of The House starring Chevy Chase and Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

The song mesmerizes my daughter and she just looks at the ceiling while it plays.

Paul Weller-Thinking of you

When I worked at a grocery store, this song was a staple in the Playlist. And eventually found its way into my head on repeat. The guitar riff and backing band is soothing. Which has helped calm the little one down and help her fall asleep.

After 7-Nights Like This

This song performed in the classic 1991 film Five Heartbeats. Was covered by the band After 7 for the soundtrack, and it's a favorite of mine. A true throwback to the motown era of music.

When the bass hits and you hear shoo boom doo dee doo. You feel the soul in the group's voice. My daughter evidently feels it too cause she chills out.

Temptations-My Girl

Speaking of the Motown sound,  an all time classic has knocked the kid out on a few occasions. Not sure if it's David Ruffin's voice or the horns that mesmerizes her. If I play it while she's fussy, she's out in a blink of a eye and that is A-ok with me.

Lenny Kravitz-Ain't Over Til It's Over

This is another song that was frequently played in the super market. I had no idea it was Lenny Kravitz's song though. When my oldest daughter would get up in arms fussy as a baby, screaming at the top of her lungs.

Soon as we turned this on either home, in the car and a few times while we were out. It instantly bought her down and she chilled out.

Even now she bops her head and gets lost in the song when it plays.

Michael Jackson-Human Nature/Never Can Say Goodbye

When I saw the Michael Jackson one cirque du soliel show in Vegas years ago. This mix combining Never Can Say Goodbye and Human Nature had me in a choke hold. Both in itself are beautiful songs so combined its magic.

Good to know the legacy of MJ still resonates and this song instantly calms the fussiness.

Bruno Mars-It will Rain

This Bruno Mars creation for one of the Twilight films, is one of his best in my opinion. You hear his pain in the song, the piano keys are strong but not overbearing. And it sounds like the perfect song for a dreary day just staring out the window.

I guess the idea of a raining day making you sleepy, works for all ages. Cause the kiddo definitely falls asleep as this plays.

New Edition-can you stand the rain

Another song discussing rain, New Editions probably most loved song and best ballad. The harmonizing, the beat, the birds chirping in the beginning. Are all subtle hints its time fo relax and calm down just a little bit.

Which helps when you have a fussy baby or toddler you need to relax. This song gets the job done 

Adele-Chasing Pavements

It's no secret Adele has one of the strongest and gifted voices in music history. Every time she belts out a song you feel that it came from deep down her soul. Chasing Pavements between her voice, and the orchestra backing will have you singing along with raw emotion.

This song is one of my Ace in the holes, if no other song has worked to calm the kids down. This usually gets the job done and they are out like a light.

Rihanna-Stay

One of Rihanna's most powerful ballads. It's a sad song but also soothing and relaxing. For an adult listening it may just have you thinking about life. For a baby that just needs to calm down, it has the right chords and vocals. To get them to chill out and it hasn't let me down yet.

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A Rant: Iconic Theme Songs, Bring Them Back

 It's September which means it's time for a new fall TV season. While fall TV is not a big of a deal as it once was. It is a staple in the media and living room landscape. Giving new television shows a chance to reach audiences, while old favorites return to the air for new stories to tell. 

While we gear up for this season, I wanted to touch on an issue Hollywood has had for the last 15 years or so. TV shows today especially sitcoms, do not have noticeable theme songs that one can instantly associate with the show.

I know the economics of the industry likely played a part in this. As a 30 second to minute and some change intro, cuts into time available for an ad. So today you get cold opens that go right into the show, or if you do get a theme song it's a little instrumental jingle. That's all we get. However it is detrimental to the shows branding and particularly for new shows, the ability to grab an audience attention and draw them into the series.

It's time Hollywood, streamers, broadcast  and cable networks get's it's head out its ass. Hire some damn composers to make music with lyrics, spend a couple hours filming intro's and slap them on the beginning of series. Even show's that may not necessarily be considered classics, are still revered today because they had catching theme songs.

Even classic shows the Fresh Prince, Golden Girls, Friends, Martin, Family Matters, Full House, and Living Singles of the world. While they were great shows, the theme songs that were catchy and instantly associated with them. Gives them additional life, making people who weren't even born during these shows original run. Feel connected to them and enamored with them.

Hollywood, bring back TV theme songs. It's way overdue, the industry needs it. Creators and producers need them if they ever want their shows to have longevity decades down the road. And the fans need them, we need some new tunes to hum and sing to.

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Dad Essentials For The Hospital

 

My wife and I recently introduced our second baby girl into the world. While I'm retiring from that business, I wanted to share some insight for future dads on packing for the hospital. I will admit even though this was my second time around, I failed and failed miserably on packing correctly. Don't make the same mistake as me and make sure you pack these 5 essentials for the big day and the few days in the hospital after.

5. Slides/crocs

I don't know what I was thinking but the only shoes I had during my hospital stay, were the ones on my feet when we walked in the hospital. I kind of got annoyed every time I went to the cafe that I had to put my sneakers on and lace them. Knowing that the average hospital stay during the birthing stage is 2-4 days depending on various factors, pack some slides.

4. Phone Holder

We all know cable TV is in a rapid decline and they don't seem to care anymore. And the only thing available in hospitals are cable, or luckily for us DirecTV which by the way it rained one evening and the signal went out. Anyway, there wasnt much on TV and while I did watch some movies and shows I haven't seen in a while. It was very annoying to constantly try to find something to watch.

When I did watch stuff on my phone, I got tired of holding it and didn't have anything to prop it up with. Thus I realized the phone holder is an essential these days.

3. Hoodie

Hospitals are notoriously cold for various factors pertinent to safety and comfort. Expecting a child in the summer you tend to forget about the time that will be spent in the hospital. Which I kind of remembered, but didn't. I bought a light weight hoodie, but I should have packed some long sleeve t-shirts and a real hoodie. Sometimes I was absolutely freezing.

2. Snacks!!!

I dropped the ball big time with this. I had snacks like gummies and sunflower seeds. I forgot about substance snacks to hold me over at night or early in the morning. Crackers plain or peanut butter crackers. Chips, granola bars items like that. Hell, I should have took some bread, and PB & J.

I spent way too much money in the cafeteria.

1. Pillow and Blanket

I mentioned how I wish I had bought a hoodie, well add a blanket to the list. I remembered how uncomfortable the hospital pillows were for the dad bench last go around, so I made sure to buy a pillow for my stay. What I did not anticipate was the dad bench being right under the a/c vent making me even colder. I had a little throw blanket but man I wish I had a whole damn winter comforter as cold as it was. While you never truly know how cold you'll be, the thin hospital blankets won't cut it...bring something from home.

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5 High School Football Movies You Probably Dont Know

 School's back in session and fall is approaching. Which means its time for some football. While the NFL rules Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays for that matter. College Football owns Saturdays, and Friday nights belongs to high school football.

I started thinking about high school football movies. We all know Friday Night Lights, Varsity Blues, and Remember The Titans. What about those movies no one remembers? 

I'm here to share 5 high school football movies you may not know or remember.

5 Reggies Prayer

Let's start off the bat, this is not a good film but it meant well. Starring the late NFL great Reggie White, the very 90's B-movie film follows Reggie playing an version of himself. Never winning a pro championship and sensing there's a higher calling for him, he retires from pro football and coaches a high school team in Oregon. There he helps steer members of the team on the right path, and works to steer one in particular from a life of crime.

Mr. Miyagi himself Pat Morita is also in the film. Brett Favre makes a cameo, and wrestling legend the Big Show makes his film debut as the villain of the film.

Reggie's Prayer is available on Tubi.

4 Carter High

If you've seen Friday Night Lights, you know their championship opponents Carter High were the big bad thugs of the Texas high school football scene. At least that was the narrative that was portrayed during the film and in subsequent stories. This 2015 film starring Charles Dutton, Vivica A. Fox, and Pooch Hall. Show's the other side of the coin for Carter High School's football team that season. They were not all bad kids, but some got into some serious trouble and a grading scandal rocked the school and almost disrupted the entire season.

Carter High is available on tubi. 

3 Woodlawn

This 2015 film based on real events, follows former NFL player Tony Nathan's life story one season. When his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama integrated he and his teammates at Woodlawn had to lean on one another and faith. To overcome the hate and odds for a successful season. It's an inspirational film and displays a turbulent time in history through football.

Woodlawn is available on Tubi.

2 Johnny B Good

Johnny Be Good stars Anthony Michael Hall, Uma Thurman, and Robert Downey Jr. Although its considered a comedy and is very goofy in nature. It tells a cautionary tale about the college recruitment process of high school athletes. The lengths some schools will go to get a commitment from a player, and how many are always looking to get something out of the recruitment process.

Johnny Be Good is available on Tubi and Pluto.

1 All The Right Moves

This 1983 film was released as Tom Cruise's star was shining from Risky Business. In this movie he stars as a high school standout dreaming of a scholarship offer. So he can escape his small economically depressed town, and achieve career goals he's set out for himself. That all is at risk when he clashes with his coach played by Craig T. Nelson and realizes not everyone in town has the same ambition he does.

Sadly All The Right Moves is currently only available on streaming platforms to rent.

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