Change

  Change, one of the few things in life that are constant and consistent. Change is a guarantee in life, depending on the circumstances it can be a change for the better or the worst. As we move closer to a new year making changes is always brought up. People want to make changes for the better in their personal life.
  Along with change being consistent, it is also one of the hardest things in life to do. Not sure if it’s because of fear of what will happen if the change is not successful. Change can bring a sense of uncertainty especially in the beginning stages. Change also brings strong resistance, some people are just purely unwilling to really make a change.
   Right now our society is experiencing that resistance in several regards. No matter how many cry’s have been heard for gun reform after multiple acts of senseless violence, there are still people who oppose any type of gun reform for any reason. No matter how much fight there has been for an improvement in race relations, there are those who oppose that. Either due to their own ignorance or own insecurities, they attempt to stand by their opinion in the name of patriotism. People have been asking for school reform for years, much of it in the way students are taught or the curriculum they are taught, to better prepare them for the game of life and to relate to them better. Yet there are still decision makers who stand by the out of date and out of touch curriculum.
  There are a few changes that appear to be occurring for the better. People are becoming more conscious about what they eat, and how important maintaining a healthy diet and exercise is. Taking control of our finances and proper budgeting is something a lot of people are becoming more aware of. The recent Hollywood scandals of predators seems to be changing the course of Hollywood wheelers and dealers. Alternative forms of medicine that actually assist in curing ailing patients is becoming more accepted. Homosexual relationships and marriages are becoming more accepted.
   I often wonder is society change a case of the “old guard” being the primary decision makers, and as younger generations come along the tune will change? Or do the majority of the population have a “it’s always been done this way” approach to things. The same rule applies to individuals, some people have a thought process that they’ve always ate like shit and never been sick and will continue to do so.
   One thing to keep in mind change is very important to promote evolving not just as a society, but as people as well. This new year let’s vow to make our own personal change for the better, but also find a cause society needs to make a change for the better on and champion that change. Like the great Michael Jackson said if you wanna make a change, look in the mirror.

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Critics vs. Word of Mouth

   This past weekend Netflix released their most ambitious original film yet “Bright". A 90 million dollar film starring Will Smith and directed by David Ayer who wrote films like Training Day, the 1st Fast and Furious film, S.W.A.T. and Dark Blue. He also directed Street Kings, End of Watch, and Suicide Squad. The film was also written by Max Landis who wrote Chronicle. A pretty impressive pedigree for this film.
    Reviews came out and critics absolutely slandered the movie. Calling it the worst movie of 2017 and a dud. I watched the movie and enjoyed it, I enjoyed the action, the concept, the world that was built and teased enough without giving away to much. Reading social media and message forums, a lot of other people enjoyed the film as well. It had flaws, but what film doesn’t?
   That poses a question while critics have a job to do, can you really take a critics recommendation seriously? Now there are some projects that are flat out terrible and can be agreed upon throughout every part of the critic/audience ecosystem.
     But there seems to be a consistent divide between what critics and the general population view as good films. The average person when they sit down and watch a film want escapism for a few hours. Critics are paid to dissect films, sometimes they can go overboard on their dissection. Thus destroying films that don’t deserve the hate.
     When it comes to films that one may be iffy about, I think sometimes you have to take word of mouth from average people opinions , wayyyy more than you would a critic. If not you run the risk of missing a film that is actually very good.
    Critics are needed, they can provide a account of what to expect before people spend their money and time invested in something that may not be worth it. However often times they are not the intended audience for the film their reviewing. General audience members may be blindly loyal to a particular brand or actor/actress, but for the most part they won’t steer you wrong. In my opinion when your unsure of a movie, ignore the critics and listen to word of mouth you’ll make out better in the end.

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What Make's Musicians Washed?

    Eminem recently released a new single, “Walking on Water” featuring Beyoncé. So far reception has been spilt down the middle, some people love the song, others feel meh about it. Now combine this recent single with his freestyle on the BET hip hop awards, the consensus seems to be Eminem has lost a stepped, he’s washed, he’s fallen off. That poses a question, Do artist really fall off or are fans too disloyal?
     Music is a fast moving business, there’s always a new sound that’s “hot”, a new artist ready to take the “title”. And fans waiting to move on to the next trend. Of course you’ll have your purists who stick with what they came up with, or feel the new sound is shit. For the most part, people will go with what’s hot at the moment. One year so and so’s new album is the shit, people dubbing it a “classic”, and playing it all day. Maybe six months later they drop something else…”garbage”. The fickleness of people is a contributing factor to this trend, but what other factors cause this?
       Since hip hop's inception, it has always been a young man’s game. Jay-Z has been the only artist who has managed to stay relevant throughout the years, he won’t be dethroned anytime soon even as he approaches 50 years of age. Most people connect to artist who are relevant during the “come-up” of their generation. They’ll remain loyal to the sound they first fell in love with and brush off anything that comes after that. You’ll have others who won’t acknowledge anything that came before their time. That’s part of the problem, especially in hip hop the pioneers are often ignored and relegated to secondary status. Once the average rapper hits 30 plus, they can’t connect with the next generation. The generation gap is one contributing factor.
        Image is another contributing factor in an artist falling off. Eminem in his heyday was known for being controversial in his raps, poking fun at pop culture, and sharing his demons. As the years went by, the targets of his raps were no longer “in”, his demons had been defeated, and he rapped about new topics. People didn’t like that. Other artist may be known as “street” rappers, once success comes and slowly they start moving away from the street image, their image is no longer valid. A rapper who throughout his career has been known as a weed head who doesn't care about anything, can’t turn around and start rapping about his investments in the stock market. Success brings changes, the changing of an image and song topics comes along with that. Along with the changing song topics and success, comes new found interest.
        People’s interest change throughout their life and artist are no different. Especially now with all the avenues a successful artist can use to make money. They’ll use music as their launching pad, then branch into tv and movies, next thing you know they pushing a liquor brand or fragrance, or their a clothing designer. In their personal life they may get married and start a family focusing on that. Look up and you’ll notice they haven’t released a album in 5 years and people forget about them. Once they return fans notice a drop off in the quality of their music and move on.
        Speaking of their music, this next factor is the fans and the artist fault. After an hiatus, or the artist wants to experiment the results can vary. Their song topics may change, a normally somber artist may go for a partying celebratory vibe, a smooth r&b artist tries a rock inspired sound. They’ll break ties with a producer they made magic with, for a new direction. An artist known for metaphors that get you thinking, decides a commercial album won’t hurt, and a commercial artist suddenly goes conscious among other things.  On the same token you have artist who never change their sound, and that greatly harms them. The artist may misfire and boom, gone just like that. Even if they have made six straight certified bangers, on that one misfire the fans don’t cut them any slack. They turn away in droves and stick to their previous albums. The artist maybe should have looked within themselves and their team before releasing this misfire, on the other hand fans if their real fans should still support that artist. Growth is a part of life and often times it’s not appreciated in the music industry.
      Some artist have been able to reinvent themselves and stay relevant or somewhat relevant. Rihanna, Mary J. Blige, Madonna, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Usher, Mariah Carey, R.Kelly, the late Prince to name a few. But the vast majority are not able to do that. While it can be the artist fault, It’s mainly other contributing factors such as time and general population taste changing, leading to the stigma of being “washed up”. Hopefully people can began to appreciate artist more when they try to grow, and switch it up. However for the right now, artist are kicked to the curb when their not “hot” anymore and that needs to change.

       
   

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Baltimore Quality of Life Debate

     Last week Baltimore City council approved a property tax break to entice first responders, to move into the city. Later City council president Jack Young  made disparaging remarks about City police officers who choose to live elsewhere.
     Jack Young implied these officers who live elsewhere were “raping the city”. I never knew it was such a big issue, seeing as how most people do not work in the same jurisdiction they live. After receiving backlash he retracted his statement...but bought up a few interesting topics. First that statement clearly shows Jack Young is another in a long line of politicians, who are out of touch with the current reality. We as voters have to stop voting based on name recognition and give politicians with lesser profiles, but fresh potentially successful ideas a chance.
     The other topic it bought is the quality of living within Baltimore City. Like other inner-cities Baltimore has big problems with crime and drugs. That issue and the perception that comes with that is what drives many residents away. There’s so many factors and layers involved in this epidemic, along with decades of decline. It’s difficult to conjure up new ways to solve the staggering crime issue.
     Another issue is the cost of living in Baltimore City compared to neighboring Counties. Man to be a homeowner in Baltimore City is a bitch. There are plenty of affordable homes that won’t break your budget. However the property taxes are to damn high, the water bill is ridiculous and even more expensive to cover the cost of  a new sewer infrastructure. The shell-shocked I experienced when I received my first water bill was out of this world. The new speed and red light cameras, which Mayor Pugh clearly said was a “revenue generator” already appear to be rip-offs. Living in a state that already bends you over in taxes, these factors don’t help folks decisions to move in the City. Throw in families with school age children, they’ll go elsewhere with the current state of the City school system.
      City officials are always trying to woo potential residents. They do that by highlighting areas such as downtown, Federal Hill, and Fells Point. What about the other neighborhoods? The quiet, middle class neighborhoods where working people have raised families. Home’s that have been occupied by multiple generations of an family for 30 plus years. Residents who worked hard for their home, have retired and aren’t going anywhere. How will the city attract new residents as some of these residents downsize or sadly pass?
      Why isn’t the City highlighting these neighborhoods to attract people? Why after all these years is the school system still subpar with no concrete plan in sight? Blame can be placed on parents, teachers, inadequate funding,  depleting schools, kids who don’t want to learn etc. officials have a find some kind of working solution.
       Blame everyone for the crime, blame lack of employment opportunities, blame Suburban flight. At the end of the day Baltimore is a beautiful City with so much potential, but it can’t get out of it’s own way. There are ways to improve things and it won’t be easy, I don’t have the answers. I do think it’s time to start shifting from the old guard and start thinking forward about making Baltimore the great City it can be.
     

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Ticketmaster woe's

        Plain and Simple Ticketmaster is a crock of shit!!! Friday I attempted to buy Bruno Mars tickets for his upcoming show at the National Harbor MGM casino. Myself and three other people I know, all logged on before 10:00 am to secure a spot. 10:00 am the tickets released and……Nothing!! No seats available, which is even worse because there wasn’t a presale. Wait 15 minutes and all the tickets are available for resale on all the secondary sites.    
                                  
        How in the world is that possible? For years Ticketmaster has been dogged by complaints and lawsuits. The outrageous fee’s that come with purchasing a ticket, the poor customer service, but no complaint is louder than “bots” and brokers buying all the tickets before actual fans are able to purchase any. Yet it seems nothing is really being done to prevent this.

        Ticketmaster claims they want to prevent these occurrences from happening, but it happens entirely too often without any resolution or even a care from Ticketmaster. Sure people can go to resale sites such as StubHub, Vivid seats, even Ticketmaster owned TicketsNow, but the markup on those tickets price most people out of purchasing them. The markup becomes even more outrageous for extremely in demand events.      
                                                      
        So how many pissed off people have to complain before Ticketmaster really does something? Unfortunately, they have a headlock on the ticket provider game. The closest Competitors are AXS and Ticketfly, and neither have the market share or clout to really take a stab at Ticketmaster’s market share.                              

       The indifferent attitude Ticketmaster seems to display towards this ticket availability issue sends mixed messages to the public. On one hand their brand will continue to get dragged through the mud due to unhappy customers, on the other hand they are pretty much a monopoly on event tickets. Where are we going to go for first hand access? How can we fix this? Will they ever really care and go after those who break the rules to purchase insane amounts of tickets? I do know this it creates a dogged fan experience for people who just want to see their favorite artist, or attend a bucket list type event. Ticketmaster get your shit together!!!

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Civil Rights Allies

    Earlier this baseball season there was an ugly situation between Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones and Boston Red Sox fans, racial taunts and comments were hurled towards Adam for no reason other than being black. After he made it public about the taunts he received, several other black players came out about similar treatment they’ve received playing in Boston.
    Earlier this week Fenway Park was once again the epicenter of racial controversy as during a game against the Oakland Athletics a few fan’s displayed a sign over the green monster with the statement “Racism is as American as Baseball”. The sign was quickly removed and the fans ejected. Now upon an initial look at the scene one would think it was a statement from a fascist make america white again group of fans.
    It was quite the opposite, actually it was displayed as an anti-racist message by a group of white protesters who stated they side with the black lives matter movement and other civil rights groups. They held this mini protest against racism in Boston and the country as whole. This poses an very good question.
  At times like this in the era of a new civil rights movement, should any allies who stand with the oppressed but who are not the oppressed be included in the movement? Should the stand their taking be applauded or denounced? To get the message across should any allies be accepted or just certain ones?
  You’ll have some people who will welcome anyone willing to join their cause with open arms. Then you’ll have others who will shun them away simply because they don't know what it's like to be oppressed. In both 90's films "Malcolm X" and "Panther" there are individual scenes in the respective films where Malcolm X and Huey Newton are approached by white supporters wanting to join their cause. They both turn down the supporters, both men were great leaders and agents of change during the civil rights era of the 60's. I understand why they turned the support down, but I  personally feel like the more voices and varying voices available to get the point across. The better for everyone trying to make a change for the better.
   We as human beings are naturally conditioned to always point out the differences between us. Whether race, gender, sexual orientation, income level, even what part of town or side of the street you live on. We segregate ourselves individually just as much as the establishment and societal standards that have been put in place for generations. When we find common group on social issues we need to take advantage of that. Looking past any outer differences especially if they're genuine about the cause can only help the movements.  In cases of social change for the greater good, the more allies any movement has can only increase the chance of real change regardless of if they are the opporessed or not.

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Legends who let us down

  Colin Kapernick has become a rather controversial fella within the last year, after initially sitting then kneeling for the National Anthem as a means of protest against social justice. He has been considered a hero or villain depending on who you talk to, been blackballed from the NFL, and everyone has an opinion on him even though he’s kept his head down and keep his activism alive.
  Recently two “legends” in the black community shared their thoughts on Colin. Jim Brown who was an civil rights activist himself during his playing days in Cleveland and after he retired. Jim Pretty much said not standing for the national anthem is like shitting on the flag and Colin needs to pick between football and activism. Jim has gotten his fair share of backlash for his statement.
 The other “legend” George Foreman criticized Colin and others such as Kevin Durant for not being patriotic, or looking for attention and mentioned he supports Trump and feels he  is a great president. George has also received backlash and been labeled all kind of coons.
   Now my question is are these two coons or are they out of touch with reality? Both men became successful off of brutal sports that they turned into an opportunity for other lucrative businesses. George Foreman is in his late 60’s while Jim Brown is in his early 80’s. They were smack dab in the middle of the civil rights movement and the struggles of black people during that time...now they seem to have forgotten about it.
   I’m gonna play devils advocate here but we must remember though that their reality is different from the average reality. We all know money changes things your life, your opportunities, and the circle you associate with. George more than Jim has a lot of money that has put him in a certain circle. Being famous and rich he doesn't experience racism the same way most people do, his thought process and views on things have changed. Same for Jim Brown.
  Combine their status with their older age and it’s clear they’ve lost touch and their reality is much much different. We’ve seen similar situations with Ray Lewis, Michael Jordan, and the original famous coon O.J. Simpson. We call them names, question their blackness, talk about how disappointed we are in them and more. However we never really stop and think about how much different their life is…...until they go broke. They are no different from an regular person who grew up in the hood, becomes successful and moves their family wayyyy out in the suburbs to keep them from certain elements.
  Instead of getting bent out of shape by their comments we must learn to understand they just don't get it and at this point won't get it. We have to focus our energy on working towards legit goals that can legitimately changed things, George and Jim have lived their lives and at this point their gonna be who their gonna be, detached from how the real world is now. We just have to chalk it up as an lost and keep pushing.
   

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Mayweather's Legacy

  Tonight is the highly anticipated match between Floyd Mayweather and Connor Mcgregor. Mayweather is considered one of the greatest if not the greatest boxer of all-time, while Connor has his own rounds of success in the UFC world. Both are brash, arrogant, love nobody like they love themselves guys. Some even consider both assholes, which they both can be.
 One thing for sure is they are both smart businessman and excellent fighters who have bought interest back into boxing that hasn't been there since Mayweather fought Pacquio. Over the past twenty years boxing has lost its popularity to mixed martial arts particularly UFC, Mayweather has been seen as the last true boxing superstar, highly skilled and talented while also having justtttt enough personality to keep fans entertained in the boxing world. Connor has had his fair share of entertaining moments and success as well.
  While This fight is considered a exhibition there is an lingering question hanging around. If Mayweather loses to Mcgregor is his legacy tarnished? Mayweather is pound for pound the best boxer over the past twenty years, his footwork, style, and patience in the ring has made him one of a kind. Tied with Rocky Marciano for a 49-0 record, a win here will put him on the top all by himself.  Mcgregor is a skilled Mma champion who is stepping into Floyd's world in boxing. The one thing Mcgregor has that can be seen as an advantage is the 8 oz gloves they’ll be using which Connor is used to, as opposed to the s 10 oz boxing gloves which are standard for the 157 weight class. That small detail shouldn't really be a hindrance to Floyd if he's trained properly using those size gloves,
   I highly doubt it will happen but let's say Mcgregor beats Floyd. That would tarnish Floyd's record, his company, even his mouth. How could a man as braggadocious as Floyd confidently talk as much shit as he does if he gets knocked out?  A man who has fought some of the best fighters boxing has ever seen and defeated all of them, a man who trains with such attention to detail and dedication.  Who retired on top as to not make a joke of himself.
   A lost to Connor I don't think he could come back from, not only Floyd but boxing in general. Floyd would be considered a joke, which in turn boxing would be considered a joke. It would lose even more popularity and interest from casual fans. A lot of people don't like Floyd’s character but respect his craft, how much respect would he lose if he suffers a knockout?
   On the other hand how much would Connor gain being seen as the guy most unlikely to defeat Mayweather, and succeeding. Right now is the perfect time for Mayweather to get the younger generation interested in boxing. This whole event is one big show for both mans egos, pockets, and get some much needed hype in the boxing world. On the flip side Floyd has to be thinking about how much more he has to lose in the grand scheme of things, should he suffer a defeat to Connor. Depending on how things go his legacy will be cemented or tarnished and we will be tuned in to find out.

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DCEU Movie Plans

     In my last blog I covered Marvel’s “MCU” and the growing concern that eventually the shared universe would become to cumbersome. Since the MCU has became wildly successful, Hollywood does what Hollywood does best and looked to create their own film universe. Universal is trying with iconic horror characters in their “Monsterverse” (Mummy, Dracula, Wolfman, Frankenstein). Paramount is creating a “Transformers” Universe and are currently filming a “Bumbleebee” standalone movie, even though they should have stopped long ago with Transformers. There’s the Godzilla, King Kong universe. Of course there is the DCEU (D.C. Extended Universe) slate of films starring D.C. Superheroes and is Marvels biggest competitor.
   Since the DCEU began with “Man Of Steel” for the most parts their films were considered failures. “Batman vs. Superman” was horrible, “Suicide Squad” while enjoyable was flawed, this year's “Wonder Woman” was the first D.C. Movie that was successful, and hopes are high for this fall’s “Justice League”, I hope Justice League is an enjoyable film. Despite the failure of most DCEU films so far and the lack of uncertainty and overall direction in the universe, DC has crafted a plan where they may get a leg up on Marvel.
   News released this week that D.C. was planning a Joker origin movie that was it’s own story and not tied at all to the DCEU. Following that was news that D.C. was planning a new line of films that are stand alone movies, this is something I think can turn the tide of superhero movies. As much I enjoy Marvel movies me being the fan I am likes to connect the dots. That can become more cumbersome than it already is. Stand alone films give fans a chance to enjoy the movies without worrying about the payoff three movies down the road in another character's film.
   These new movies also give the creators of these films reign to tell their own stories without trying to cram in the overall arc of the DCEU. The Joker movie reportedly is being developed as a crime film set in the 80’s devoid of Batman. That in itself would put a new spin on the Joker and give the actor filling that role a chance to make the Joker his own.
   This route would also open the door for D.C. to create films around characters that are second tier characters and don't fit into their overall goal of the DCEU. Characters such as Nightwing, Bumbleebee, Constantine, Swamp Thing, maybe a Legion Of Doom film, Teen Titans, Birds of Prey, Robin, Batgirl, Supergirl there's endless potential. D.C. may even opt to go the route Disney took with Star Wars and create sub anthology films. D.C. Could even go the route that the Flash tv series employed from the comics and base films on the 52 earth story. This could offer exciting and fresh takes on characters and story's. Maybe on earth 1 Lex Luthor is the mastermind criminal we all know him to be…...but in earth 38 he’s the greatest superhero in the world.
    D.C. has always had better animated films than Marvel Flashpoint Paradox, Son of Batman, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Justice League: Throne of Atlantis to name a few. There tv series on cw which share their own little universe Flash, Arrow, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow for the most part are way better than Marvel tv shows. If D.C. is committed to taking this approach along with their DCEU they just might unsurp Marvel from their throne.

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Marvel's MCU

 Netflix released Marvel’s “The Defenders” this past weekend, an 8 part miniseries that bought together Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist to save New York City. This series is the culmination of Marvels phase 1 of their TV shows in the MCU. This begs a question is it time for Marvel to have more stand alone TV series and movies? Or have sub universes that don't have to be binded to the overall main universe?

  Next year will be 10 years(Hard to Believe) since the MCU started with Iron Man, when Nick Fury appeared after the credits to set up the Avengers, people went nuts. Since then Marvel has had us in the palm of their hands with their connected movies, Easter eggs, and the feeling if you miss one film in their series you’ll be lost. While a well thought out innovative plan, it is starting to show cracks.

  One of the biggest complaints against Iron Man 2 and the Avengers 2 was that they spent more time setting up future films and storylines and not focusing on the current film at hand. ABC’s Agents Of Shield has both benefited and been hampered by being the first TV show included in the MCU. It took a while to find its footing trying to fit into the MCUs overall plan. It benefitted from the MCU when the fall of Shield was tied into Captain America: Winter Soldier. Since then Agents of Shield has been random at times with figuring out if the shows stories and timeline are consistent with the films. A major crack was this summers Spider Mans: Homecoming where the beginning of the film is connected to Avengers but the timeline doesn't match up. Even the individual series of the Defenders characters are in the MCU but really aren't. 

   Being on Netflix The Defenders and the respective shows before it are more adult than the mainstream marvel movies and shows. Each show in one way or another mentions the events of the first Avengers to let everyone know it's one world they're all in. In my opinion it’s cool for everything to be connected, but the Netflix shows can't really stray to far from the main Marvel agenda and cater to a different audience. There's always the fanboy question of when are the Avengers and Defenders going to team up?

    Marvel could have their main MCU they could keep a tight leash on so that it doesn't grow out of hand and become stale. Then have smaller universes that are off on their own like the Netflix shows. There have been rumors that Blade is being developed for TV, Blade is so bad ass and deadly being a half vampire, half human, do we really need him to interact with the Avengers? Would his character and story benefit from being a self contained story? Deadpool whose film rights are not owned by Marvel benefitted from having it's own vibe and playground to tell its story in.

    Hulu will be debuting “Runaways” this fall which is connected to the MCU someway, and holding reservation until the show debuts I don't see how that show can be apart of the MCU other than a nod hear and there. Same with freeforms upcoming “Cloak and Dagger”. 

Now Over on ABC “Inhumans” will be debuting and is set in the MCU. If the show is successful and has subsequent seasons it can nicely tie in to the next outer space focus of the MCU films. I have to give Marvel credit for the free publicity of their next phase.
 

The MCU is a gift and a curse, I really enjoy the films and enjoy piecing the different puzzles together, but  I also feel with the depth of characters they have to bring to life. All of them won't be a good fit and having more stand alone or secondary universes will offer more creative opportunities. 

At the same time not stifling other creators by forcing their stories to fit into this predetermined narrative. Maybe a lame argument but not all of their cartoon shows and characters are connected, so why should all their films and TV series be?

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How WWE can freshen their product

  This weekend WWE will present their second biggest event Summerslam, only behind Wrestlemania in terms of promotion, extravagance and the culmination of storylines. It’s also seen as the next reset of storylines to lead into next years Wrestlemania. There’s even rumors that there could be another superstar shakeup sometime after Summerslam.
   This is good news as often times WWE can get quite stale really fast. There’s only so many times you can see the same wrestlers lock up and the same ideas rehashed with maybe a slight variation. Also missing is a fresh presentation of their respective shows. I’d like to offer three things I think could help the product freshen up.
   First I think WWE should bring back inset promos on a consistent basis. It’s a small change that they’ve done from time from time mainly on Smackdown but I think could be more. One of the biggest knocks on today's roster no matter how talented they are is that a lot of the roster just doesn't connect with the audience. Not entirely all of the rosters fault as there's only so much tv time between Raw and Smackdown to share. Guys and gals like Apollo Crews, Baron Corbin, Cedric Alexander, Emma, Chad Gable, and more could benefit from this. A lot of the wrestlers are very athletic and talented but they have no personality that draws people to them. On the flip side if they have a little charisma and personality but not enough time to attract people, the small 30-45 second inset promos will allow them to gain a personality and confidence in cutting a promo, while in a controlled pre taped environment and hopefully becoming more connected to the audience in the process.
    Next up I believe this will really help a good deal of wrestlers out is if they bring the managerial role back. Lana did very well in her act with Rusev before she decided to become a wrestler. They have Titus O’Neil being a hybrid manager/ wrestler role but he himself is not that great of a talker. I’m talking about the Jimmy Hart, Bobby Heenan, Captain Lou, Paul Bearers of the world. Someone who has just enough personality of their own and can talk on a microphone but won't steal the spotlight away from the wrestler their working with. Managers became a lost art when attractive valets became the norm, and hey T and A sells but managers can also sell. As Paul Heyman showed this past Monday he is one of the best of the game, and when you have a manager who add’s to your act and can hype a match up and sell it bigger than it already is…..it can greatly add to the wrestlers appeal.
    Lastly The era of unpredictability really needs to make a comeback. During the Monday Night Wars on Raw and Nitro you just never knew what was going to happen to change the landscape. I’m not saying return to those times as the Attitude era was a product of its time and was a great time, however times have changed. Those shows kept you engaged and wanting more by switching things up within a blink of a eye. WWE had what I think was a golden opportunity to bring the feel of unpredictability back this past Tuesday. Baron Corbin cashed in his money in the bank and looked like a dumbass afterwards when he lost the match. Had he won..it would have made Summerslam a little more interesting. Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura wouldn't be for the title any longer, and John Cena vs Baron Corbin stakes would be higher. At the last minute after some protest from Jinder and Shinsuke the two matches could've been combined into a Fatal Fourway for the title. With anyone but Cena winning, it would present a new champion/challenger dynamic and show people things can change at anytime. With all the entertainment options grasping for people's attention, doing something like this would have people thinking it’s must see tv and they have to watch it live.
     These are just a few ideas I feel would help WWE keep their product interesting, I think the same applies for Ring of Honor and TNA/GFW as well.  I know there's a lot more variables involved and times and people have changed. I'm a guy who loves wrestling and thinks if you look back at small details of the past it can help improve and freshen up the current and future product. All the while improving the overall product.
 
 

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Top 5 Hip Hop Movies

   This past weekend we celebrated 44 years since the birth of hip hop. A culture that wasn't given a chance when it was invented, is now a worldwide phenomenon that dominates the music landscape. While we all love hip hop I wanted to touch on a overlooked part of hip hop...Movies.

  We’ve all seen the biopics and the Musician focused B-movie level films (State Property, Baller Blockin, Cool as Ice, Tougher than leather, Get Rich or Die Tryin etc.) I want to give my opinion on the top 5 films that I feel embody hip hop.

  # 5 Brown Sugar starring Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, and Mos Def. The movie is at it’s core a love letter to hip hop. It’s about two people meeting because of hip hop and falling in love throughout the years because of hip hop. If you’ve never seen it and can tolerate romantic comedies but love old school hip hop check it out.

  # 4 Krush Groove is one of the first mainstream films that bought hip hop to the world. Loosely based on the beginnings of Def Jam, it contains a who’s who at that time. Run Dmc, Sheila E, Kurtis Blow, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, The Fat Boys and more. It has the classic tropes of following your dreams and being hungry but connecting with the wrong people when things go wrong, pay for the consequences in the meantime. It also shows how new found fame and money can tear apart long lasting friendships and family.

  # 3 is CB4, one of my personal favorites it’s a satire of gangsta rap of it’s time. Written and starring Chris Rock it displays his comedic genius at it’s best. Playing a aspiring rapper along with his two best friends, they live boring middle class lifes. Crafting a “gangsta” image and persona they find success, at the same time finding out how hard it is to maintain that image. Also how being yourself is usually your best bet, the parody of N.W.A.s “Straight Outta Compton”, “Straight outta Locash” is a hilarious catchy song that would have you wishing it was real.

  # 2 on my list is 8 Mile starring Eminem. Also loosely based on his life before he hit it big, Em plays Rabbit. All Rabbit wants to do is go to work, and hone his craft hoping to catch his big break. Along with his friends and fellow rappers 313rd they battle rival crews trying to make a name in the Detroit rap scene. Em’s acting is top notch here probably because he lived it. It has classic mid-90s hip hop songs, sick freestyles due to Em’s masterful delivery and lyricism and battle rapping.. Which  free styling and battle rapping are often overlooked as pillars of hip hop. The movie also contains an ambiguous ending. Definitely one of the better musician focused films, maybe even surpassing Purple Rain.

   #1 on my list is Beat Street, it gets this honor not because of it’s story, but because of it’s cultural influence. Along with Wild Style these two films helped bring hip hop to the masses nationally and internationally. Beat Street is about a group of friends in the bronx (Home of hip hop) who all are involved in hip hop, each taking a particular interest in one of the five elements of hip hop. Djing, graffiti, breakdancing, mcing, beatboxing all are shown love and appreciation in this film. Also featuring cameos by Afrika Bambaataa, Doug E fresh, Kool Herc, Treacherous Three, Grandmaster Melle and the Furious Five and more. If you love hip hop you can’t go wrong with this one. Check out this originator if you’ve never seen it.

   These are the top 5 films I feel convey hip hop and what it stands for.  There are honorable mentions such as Breakin', House Party, Fear of a Black Hat, and Hustle and Flow. Each of the films listed above show just how influential hip hop can be. Some more than others but they all do a great job. If you’ve never seen any of them I strongly encourage tracking them down and watching them. In the meantime I feel we are overdue on a new film in our current age that’s a ode to hip hop and its culture.

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Streaming Media The Future

  Streaming media especially streaming tv is a platform that has really taken off within the last few years and is only growing. With people wanting to watch what they want when they want more and more streaming services have cropped up over the years. We all know about the platforms that changed the game Netflix and Hulu, and a couple years later Amazon Prime stepped creating the big three of streaming services.
  Netflix has found their stride with original series and seemed to have found the right balance between critically acclaimed and niche appeal series. Their original movies are very much hit or miss but one thing at a time. Netflix also invented binge watching.
   Hulu has found their stride in producing quality dramas, and succeeded in their deals with major networks that make most of their programs available a day or two after original airing. Hulu also has hit the nostalgia market bringing back well loved classic series and lesser known series of yesteryear. They also made headlines when they struck a deal to bring back the classic “TGIF” block of shows such as Full House, Family Matters, Hangin with Mr. Cooper, Perfect Strangers, and Step By Step. Bring the cheesiness of the 90’s back.
   Amazon original series haven't seemed to gain much traction their most acclaimed series is The Man in the High Castle. It’s a crowded market but it’s Amazon they’ll find their way in.
    Speaking of crowded markets everyday there is some news about a new streaming service. Disney recently announced their going to severe their deal with Netflix and start their own streaming service featuring all Disney movies. It’s a risky move but with the worldwide appeal of Disney the chances of success are high.
    There's Crackle which is free and owned by Sony Studios so you can catch a lot of good movies on there. Crackle is also known for Comedians in cars.
   Kevin Hart recently jumped into the game creating Laugh Out Loud with Lionsgate designed to give up and coming talent a platform to create content. It was just released this month so we’ll see how it grows. One major draw it has starting out is every season of the classic Def Comedy Jam is available on Laugh Out Loud.
   For the crowd that can't get enough of Shaft, Superfly, Foxy Brown and other blaxploitation films there is Brown Sugar. Released late last year at $3.99 a month Brown Sugar is a pretty good deal if you love the over the top 70s film and either want to reminisce about bell bottoms and afros, or wish you were alive during that time rocking fish in your shoes.
  Horror fans have what seems to be a unlimited supply of streaming apps to choose from. There’s shudder, Screambox, Frightpix, Full Moon Streaming, and the Crypt. All these services play high brow and the good low brow b movie sometimes laughable Horror movies.
  The mushy feel good cheesy TV movie loving viewers need attention to. Hallmark has them covered with Feeln. Giving you all the same warmth movies on the Hallmark channel give you.
  WWE changed the game in my opinion with the WWE network, for a huge wrestling fan like myself to be able to watch all the old Raws, Smackdown, PPVs, and current ppvs for $9.99. You can't beat that!
   Anime breathen has CrunchyRoll to statisfy any and all anime. Gamers have Twitch which shows real life gaming tournaments.  Even video game console manufacturers have joined the bandwagon with PlayStation Vue and Xbox.
   YouTube which helped bring streaming more mainstream has started YouTube Red. A subscription service displaying original films and series. It has yet to gain a lot of traction but has me intrigued with news that their reviving the Karate Kid universe with “Cobra Kai”.
    It’s not all roses for all streaming services Yahoo tried and failed with Yahoo Screen. NBC owned Seeso which featured all comedy shows and specials failed to catch on with audiences and will be shutting down later this year. I’m sure there are other services out there that failed to catch on.
   This new platform has opened so many doors and new avenues for content. It’s only a matter of time before streaming services send cable companies and the traditional Hollywood distribution system scrambling to stay relevant. One thing is for certain streaming platforms are the present and future.
   

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August movies to check out

 I’m a little late on this post but it’s August typically the time of year when folks realize the end of summer is near. It’s also the end of the summer movie season and typically the weakest as far as the volume and anticipation of the movies released in August.
  This year is no different first up and the most anticipated film to be released this month is “Dark Tower”. Based on a series of books by Stephen King and starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. From my understanding the story has a old west meets mysticism vibe to it and has been set up to start a series of films and tv shows based on this property. I haven't heard much feedback on Dark Tower so unless it's flying under the radar I don't think that's happening.
  The other highly anticipated movie released this month is “Detroit” based on the 1967 12th Street Riot and the Algiers Motel incident. The film has received mixed reviews from what I’ve seen, but most of the reviews have been positive with several reviewers proclaiming it an oscar contender. It’s telling a very important mostly unknown story in history so let's support it.
    Next up is Halle Berrys “Kidnap” which is a mix of her previous film “The Call” and “Taken”. It’s about a mother who takes matters into her own hands when her son is kidnapped. I don't think it's one of her best and from my understanding the storyline is highly flawed. But everyone needs a paycheck.
     On the documentary front is “Step” a inspiring story about a high school step team in Baltimore. Showing young students using the step team to help them achieve their goals and fight through curveballs life has to offer. I’ve heard it’s very inspiring for young girls.
    For the horror fans coming out this Friday is “Annabelle Creation” a prequel to “Annabelle” and a part of the larger “Conjuring” universe. The film tells the story of how Annabelle came to be. “Annabelle” was mixed but if “Annabelle Creation” can create the chills and scares like the “Conjuring”. It could really provide the spark needed heading into the fall movie season, which is when most horror films are released.
   On the comedy action front is “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” starring Ryan Reynolds and legendary cool Samuel L. Jackson. Reynolds is the bodyguard who must protect his client Jackson who is a hitman. The previews took a while to grow on me but I started coming around. If the laughs are there and the action has that random zany action like the previews show this could be one of those underrated sleeper hits.
   There are a few more movies released this month but these are the biggest. If you noticed this blog is a little lighter than the May-July editions. Showing again how August is a afterthought during blockbuster movie season.

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Renassiance of Black TV

    Last night HBO premiered the highly anticipated new seasons of “Ballers” and “Insecure”, along with a new episode of the Starz hit “Power” Sunday is a must-see tv night. While watching all three shows which cover different genres, characters, and stories. I sat back and thought to myself are we experiencing a Renaissance of majority good to great black tv shows?
   Think about it for decades we have asked for compelling tv shows that offer relatable characters that show the different nuances of black people in America and not just stereotypes. We all know about classics like Julia, Good Times, The Jeffersons, The Cosby Show, Martin, Living Single, A Different World, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, In Living Color, The Wire and Chapelle show. Or shows that may not be considered classics but are still universally loved Moesha, 227, Girlfriends, My Wife and Kids, Everybody hates Chris,What’s Happening, Steve Harvey show and more. If you noticed something I named mostly sitcoms and that's because for years that was the only genre given a chance on major networks.
   Within the past 3-4 years due to the rise of streaming channels, newly created networks targeted towards blacks, and more platforms for content creators to share their stories. It’s created more opportunities for more stories to be told that we can connect with and offers something for everyone.
    On the comedy and dramedy front “Insecure” definitely tackles what relationships and dating is like for black Millennials. Some of the situations in that show are so hilarious because you’ve been there or know someone who has. ABC’s “Blackish” which has DNA sprinkles of the “Cosby Show” as far as the family dynamic, and the “Hughley Show” and “My Wife and Kids” for the successful black man moving to the suburbs for a better life for his kids. Is very funny but also very socially conscious and the creators use interesting plots to teach the kids on the show relevant issues affecting our community. Give it a few years and “Blackish” will be a classic. Also on tying social commentary into humor the “Carmichael Show” tackled touchy subjects such as rape, spousal abuse, and death but the humor and care in the stories made it a one of a kind show. It’s a shame it was cancelled.
    I would be crazy if I didn't include “Atlanta” I love that show!! It tackles a guy and his friends just trying to get ahead and the mischief they get into. The story also has a dark humor that resides in a surreal reality opening up new avenues for comedy. Such as the invisible car nightclub episode, if you haven't seen an episode watch “B.A.N.” which is a satirical episode which shows the genius of this show. I’m personally disappointed we won't get season 2 until Fall 2018.
     Covering the soap opera drama front we have Scandal which I personally think started the black soap opera show format. Going into it’s final season it helped pave the way for “Being Mary Jane”,  “How to Get Away with Murder”, “Empire”, “Queen Sugar”, “Star”, and “Greenleaf”. The soap opera genre is one I don't watch so I don’t have much of an opinion on these shows.  From what I hear from folks that love these shows they are very engaging, drama filled and keep you coming back.
    Along with these heavy hitters we have shows that are new such as “Claws” starring Niecy Nash as a hairdresser mixed into some business with the Cajun mafia. “Dear White People” on Netflix based on the recent film about life race relations on a modern college campus, “Hood Adjacent with James Davis” which is a sketch comedy show like the “Chapelle Show” and “Key and Peele”. “Snowfall” on FX which covers the beginning of the crack epidemic in 1980s LA. Underrated shows like “Survivors Remorse”, and “Rebel” Mini series like “Shot’s Fired”, even recently cancelled shows that had more to offer like “Pitch” and “Underground”. Coming up we have Netflix’s “She’s Gotta have it” which is an adaptation of Spike Lee’s 1986 movie. The CW will be bring a black superhero to the fold in “Black Lightning” mid season 2018.
    All of these options we have available now are wonderful, as with anything we’ll have shows that just aren't good or don't stick for some reason. As we support more of the good shows and more shows are given opportunities it will only bring more good black tv shows to the forefront with higher standards Let’s embrace this renaissance that we’re living in and expect higher quality programming and more well rounded characters. Let’s thank our past content creators for kicking the door down(Bill Cosby, Wayans Family, Mara Brock Akil, Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Dave Chapelle, Russell Simmons, etc.) and opening these opportunities up for our current content creators such as Ava Duvernay, Shonda Rhimes, Oprah Winfrey, Kenya Barris, Tyler Perry, Issa Rae, Donald Glover, John Singleton, Lee Daniels and many many more. Thank You All!

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July Summer Movies

    It’s July which means more exciting movies being released. July is usually
the heart of the summer movie season and this year stays true to that notion.
     First up to bat was the long awaited official inclusion of Spider-Man into the MCU with “Spiderman Homecoming”. The MCU did not disappoint with this version of Spiderman, Tom Holland did a wonderful job as Peter Parker/Spiderman and he really displayed the overzealousness that a teenager can have and the hardness that comes with being one as well. Michael Keaton also did a wonderful job as one of the better developed villians in the Marvel Universe. His reasons for why he does what he does while not agreeable were understandable.
   Releasing this week is War Of the Planet of the apes. If you’ve seen the first two films in this trilogy you are anxiously anticipating this third one. The films are very realistic and paint a good picture of possibilities if humans dont stop tinkering with everything even if it is for the intended greater good of man. The cgi of the apes will have you forgetting their computer generated as its that damn good.
   For those looking for a little horror Wish Upon is also released this week. Other than a trailer here and there not much is known about this movie. It involves a mysterious box and making wishes come true. If done right it can be a surprise hit and feed the appetite of those who love a ol fashioned horror flick.
   Dunkirk a war movie from Christopher Nolan(director of the recent Batman films, inception). It’s a movie about allied soldiers being rescued during world war II. Nolan is a highly talented filmmaker so the film has a good pedigree. While it may not be as harsh with depicting war such as Saving Private Ryan, expect a film more along the lines of that than Pearl Harbor.
   On the comedy spectrum is Girls Trip starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Tiffany Haddish. I’ve heard from people who seen advanced screenings that this movie is Hilarious. With that cast and the director of best man holiday and Barbershop: The next cut Malcolm Lee and creator of Blackish Kenya Barris, I’m sure that's true. It’ll be good timing as well as we all could use a good laugh.
    For those wanting some sci-fi action Valerian and the city of a thousand planets is released this month. Directed by Luc Besson who directed the Fifth Element and The Professional and based on a French comic book. It looks to be a true out of this world space based film. With plenty of action and twist and turns. We’ll see if it can match up to the Fifth Element in time.
    Speaking of action Atomic Blonde starring Charlize Theron comes out the end of July. It looks to be in the same vein as the John Wick movies. Full of some badass fishfights and gunfights, and a decent story to keep you somewhat interested in between all the action.
   These are the movies coming out this month you should check out. Next month will cover August as it’s another reminder the end of summer is near.

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My Random Thoughts on the WWE

 If you know me you know I am a huge wrestling fan, I gained a interest in wrestling when I was 11 years old around the time seeds of the attitude era were being planted before it skyrocketed. I follow all wrestling in some capacity ring of honor, TNA, independents, highlights of New Japan. Of course WWE is the big dog and I wanted to give my random thoughts on some of their relevant current events.
  While I know it's consistently difficult to have interesting 3 hour events every Monday Night, Raw for the most part does a fair job. I’m not a fan of Brock Lesnar at all but I think his match against Samoa Joe has some great potential to be a true knock em down brawl as evident by their pull apart fight last week. With the return of Braun Strowman who should steamroll through Roman Reigns(who I’m a fan of) I would like to see Strowman vs. Brock or even a triple threat between Strowman, Brock, and Joe at Summerslam. With Strowman or Joe taking the WWE universal title for two reasons, first for the sake of something fresh as far as a new intimidating champion. Also for the Universal championship to mean something a champion needs to defend it at all cost and you know actually be around.
   Recently The Miz recruited talented but going nowhere fast guys Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas to join him in his fight against Dean Ambrose. Those two have been going at it for months back and their rivalry should be winding down soon. I’m looking forward to Miz and his entourage which the wwe will probably give a silly name like the “Miz-tourage” but it has potential to be hilarious especially if Curtis and Bo play caricatures of entourage members. Also once The Miz ends his feud with Dean and Goldust is finished with R-truth, a feud between The Miz and Goldust with their respective movie star roles could be really fun and exciting if done right.
   Lastly on Raw I am against the break up of Enzo and Big Cass, both are talented guys but I feel they need each other to really succeed. I hear rumors Big Cass is in line for a big push (mostly due to his size and Vince Mcmahons love of big guys.) I don't think he can pull of it by himself but hopefully I’m wrong. Their act had grown stale but they could have benefitted from a heel turn using their same overbearing in your face personas just dialed up a little. I could be wrong but that move was a big mistake by WWE.
   Over at Smackdown which overall is a consistently better show they have a few hiccups. I like Jinder Mahal and don't mind him being the WWE world champion as it's something different and people always ask for something fresh and complain when the freshness occurs. I like the Singh Brothers being his associates but his anti-American act is hella old and overdone, Kevin Owens pretty much has the same persona with a few tweaks. Speaking of anti-American characters when the hell is Rusev coming back?
   Jinder Mahal may not be a top tier wrestler but he’s decent and is trying. Besides in my opinion his act is holding him back, I could see potential if his act was he's very proud of his heritage but he's so over the top and in your face about his heritage. If making Jinder a star was the plan maybe he should have went against someone who could assist in that aspect. I like Randy Orton but his act is stale as well and he’s not the type of guy who can elevate his opponent and make them look good while teaching him ways to improve at the same time.
    The Woman's division recently had the first ever woman's money in the bank match which was a great match ruined by a horrible finish. Both Raw and Smackdown have great woman wrestlers but right now Smackdown is using their roster better. Each female has their own character and individual personality quirks. In case you didn't know I am a huge fan of Naomi who while still improving has come a long way. Also the WWE needs to grow the hell up, before the woman's money in the bank match they played a video package discussing woman who were trailblazers. Mae Young, Jacqueline, Lisa, Trish Stratus, Alundra Blaze, and Beth Phoenix among others were touted as trailblazers. Left out was none other than Chyna, despite her personal problems and her strained relationship with Triple H she was the true trailblazer and woman of many first in WWE and deserves all the credit in the world.
   The tag team division is doing pretty good right now. The Usos who I love their heel persona and the line “It’s not paranoia..it’s the Usos!!” Btw I’m waiting on a t-shirt with that slogan. I wish they would be given more mic time because they bring a different aspect to their promos. Breezango have resurrected their careers when they were finally given a chance. I don't always catch their type of humor but it works for them. Of course who doesn't love the New Day who can be overly corny but are all talented. Sadly American Alpha and the Colons both talented teams are spinning their wheels at the moment. Poor  Ascension they had a good thing going in Nxt that just hasn't translated on the main stage.
    I can't go without mentioning the current MVP Kevin Owens and the current hands down best wrestler in the WWE and maybe all of wrestling AJ Styles. They look to start a feud over the US title and both should bring out the best in one another. I wouldn't mind seeing a best of 7 series between them much like Booker T. Vs. Chris Benoit for the Tv title back in the WCW days, or Matt Hardy vs MVP during the mid 2000s Smackdown era. Those matches probably would be epic
   For the rest of the Smackdown roster with guys like Dolph  Ziggler, Nakamura, Sami Zayn, and Baron Corbin on their side they’ll have consistent quality matches but it’ll always be against each other. The WWE has to figure out a way to give all of those guys something meaningful to do. Mike and Maria Kanellis just debuted and it looks like their act is over the top, so in love it makes you sick heels. Mike would be a good fresh opponent for Sami or Nakamura, hell even Randy Orton may be a good foil to Mike. With John Cena returning and no one for him to go against maybe Dolph or Baron could benefit from a feud with Cena.
   These are my random thoughts on the WWE at the moment, I’ll surely be offering my thoughts on current events in the future.
 

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My random thoughts on "All eyez on me"

 Tupac’s biopic “All Eyez On Me” was released worldwide yesterday. It’s been getting mixed reviews with some folks outright slamming it. I’ve seen it and just wanted to provide not a traditional review but just my random thoughts as I watched the movie and afterwards as I processed certain parts of the film. ​​​​​​​​​​​First things first Demetrius Shipp Jr. did a great job as Tupac wayyy better than Anthony Mackie's performance in Notorious. Not only does he physically resemble Tupac but he did a wonderful job of emulating Tupac’s mannerisms and personality. During certain parts of the film you may actually believe you’re watching the real Tupac and not just an actor. Dressing him in iconic Tupac attire also helped in drawing you into his performance.​​​​​​​​​​The movie had some time jumps that were a little random and confusing.
     The beginning of the film showing his youth were a little all over the place and rapid fire from this point to that point. Not sure if that was by design to show that his youth wasn’t stable or was just a circumstance of not having enough material to draw from on that part of his life or bad storytelling/editing. They showed the beginning of his career with Digital Underground and how he parlayed being a hype man into getting behind the mic. I wish a little more time had been spent into how he developed his skill and convinced everyone to let him record his solo album “2Pacalypse Now”.​​​​​​​​​
      His friendship with Biggie received more attention which was interesting. They showed that they respected one another and Biggie looked to Tupac for some guidance. The true way their relationship disintegrated off a misunderstanding would have been nice to have been covered more. Tupac has a scene with Faith Evans that goes nowhere and really could have been cut out.  I also wish his relationship with Quincy Jones daughter Kidada could have gotten a little more attention. I would have been interested to see how much she changed him for the better during their relationship as the film portrays he was very happy while he was dating her.​​​​​​ ​
     The music I felt​ was placed evenly throughout the film and at good portions of the movie. The reenactments of actual music videos as well as key scenes from a few of his movies were also nicely done.  Demetrius also embodied Tupac’s stage presence during his concert films. I was a little disappointed that they didn’t play a snippet of one of my favorite Pac songs “Pain” but everyone could honestly have that gripe about which songs were excluded.​​​All in all I felt it was a decent not great biopic.
      Of course it will be compared to “Straight Outta Compton” which was a better overall film, and “Notorious” which I enjoyed but “All Eyez On Me” may have a leg up on only time will tell on that scenario. Only thing I enjoyed was that it showed different personalities of Tupac from his soft side, silly fun side, militant side, gangsta side. The multiple facades of his personality show’s that he was human and even though he accomplished a lot he was still a very young guy trying to find his way in the world. That could explain his radical metamorphosis when he joined Death Row and the film kind of poses the question of was he just desperate for a better situation when he joined Death Row? Some folks love him, some hate him, some question his authenticity but Tupac is a hip hop legend and icon ,this film while skips out on a lot and has its flaws, does give some insight into his mentality of the man and who he may have become had he lived a little longer. ​​​​​​​
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The Orioles Pitching Problem

  The Orioles where oh where do we begin?? They have been in a slump that is quickly erasing any chances or hopes they had of being contenders this season. Before the season started many baseball analyst predicted their starting pitching would be their achilles heel this season as it has been the past several seasons. After a hot start they looked to be proving the analyst wrong, well the analyst were right.
  The starting pitching has become abysmal, but truth be told the Orioles starting pitching has been abysmal for years they’ve somehow found ways to band-aid it and chug along to respectability.
  Therein lies a problem there is a deep rooted problem with the way the Orioles organization develops and handles their pitchers, it needs to be addressed on a global scale from single A to the major leagues. They haven't had a true Ace or successful pitcher that came up through the organization since Mike Mussina, he left nearly two decades ago.
  Since then we’ve had guys like Pat Hentgen, Sidney Ponson, Rodrigo Lopez, Erik Bedard, and Chris Tillman much as I like his talent and skill as our aces. None of them are on Mike Mussinas level but not necessarily their fault.
   We’ve had the next big thing that didn't pan out such as Adam Loewen, Daniel Cabrera, Brian Matusz, and Jake Arrieta who once he was removed from the O's system became the dominant star pitcher everyone knew he could be. The jury's still out on Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman but both have shown several cases of inconsistency.
   Let’s not forget the squandered first round picks that didn't make it to the majors either at all or with the O’s or where a blip once they made it. Matthew Hobgood, Pedro Beato, Garrett Olson, Wade Townsend, Beau Hale.
  Everything combined somewhere along the Orioles train a cog is broken. Either the scouts and evaluators don’t look at other intangibles such as mental capacity, the ability of prospects to learn or if their honestly potential major league caliber talent. Or they just don't know how to properly scout talent.
  Once their drafted and in the Orioles system are these prospects getting the proper attention? Are they getting the proper one on one training to work on their mechanics, their arsenal, their conditioning, their individual personalities and skill sets or does the Orioles have a cookie cutter one size fits all approach?
  One thing that is crystal clear is alot of issues these prospects have that become apparent once they reach the majors were always there. They didn’t materialize out thin air and the major league pitching staff can't fix every band aid.
  Quality, dominant starting pitching is a hefty premium in the major leagues. The Orioles have long been opposed to spending that premium and have looked to developing. That method isn't working so they need to try something else. They got burnt big time on the Ubaldo Jimenz deal so I can't blame them on being hesitant in another big money deal on a pitcher.
  They’ll eventually have to shell it out if their serious about contending and competing with the Yankees and Red Sox while staying within their means. They won't be able to go after the Stephen Strasburg's or Clayton Kershaw's of the world but if they go after a few true tier 2 pitchers who can eat innings and are dependable they may have a shot.
   Right now their talented offense as one dimensional as they may be, wont and cant have a shot when their down 6 or more between the 1st-3rd inning. While they try to turn this season around the Orioles organization needs to look in the mirror and start making that change of better developing pitchers.

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June Movies To Check Out

   We’re heading into the second week of June and it's time for my June movies to check out. I’m a little late in getting this out but as they say better late than never.
   So far this month “Captain Underpants” based on the children's book was released and I heard it was a very funny, engaging family movie with a good story. If you’re looking for a family film I would recommend that.
   Released this past weekend was a reboot of the Mummy, what was suppose to jumpstart a planned Universal Monster Universe may have killed the project before it began. I was really looking forward to this movie and had plans to see if….but reading reviews I changed my mind at the last minute. I’ll wait until it comes on cable.
   I would be remiss without mentioning “Wonder Woman”, if you have not seen it yet I highly recommend it. It was the best film of the DC movie universe released so far. Gal Gadot did a great job as Wonder Woman. The story made you care about the characters and didn't overstay it welcome. It also benefitted from not having to cram nods to the other films planned in the universe. While the nods are fun it can become cumbersome and forced which alot of the Marvel movies suffer from.
  Releasing this week is the biopic of Tupac “All Eyez on me” a legend in the hip hop game this film is highly anticipated. With the backing of his estate and a actor who looks the part hopefully this film does Tupac's legacy right and is one if the better biopics released in recent years. I already have my plans to see it opening night.
  Also dropping this week this time for families is “Cars 3”. I’ve never watched any of the Cars films to judge how the latest one may play. Pixar has a strong track record and Disney is the undisputed king of marketing to families and kids so it’ll probably be worth checking out.
  For the females, releasing this week is “Rough Night” starring Zoe Kravitz, Kate Mckinnon, and Scarlett Johansson. This dark comedy is about a bachelorette party that takes a wrong turn. Its molded in the vain Bridesmaid so it has potential to be hilarious, we shall see.
  Next up released next week is “Transformers: The Last Knight”. I think the less is said the better. The first two while flawed were mindless enjoyable fun, the third one dragged on and tried to be “smart”. The fourth one which was a “reboot” of sorts went far left and I really don't think anyone was asking for this one. With all that being said it’ll probably make alot of money to justify a sixth film.
   “Baby Driver” coming out June 28th starring Jamie Foxx, Kevin Spacey, and Ansel Elgort. It’s a familiar story of someone in the crime business doing one last act to escape the business for good. Ansel Elgort is the star of this film as a getaway driver who listens to certain tunes when driving. We’ll see how the soundtrack helps the film.
   Back to the family side of the spectrum “Despicable Me 3” comes out june 30th. The story sounds interesting villain Gru has to team with long  lost twin brother against a common enemy. This is another franchise the kids love so it’ll probably be decent and make alot of money.
    Last movie to think about checking out this month is “The House” with Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell. The duo are a couple who starts a illegal casino in their home to help pay for their daughter's college education. The basic story seems funny enough and relatable and both stars are very funny individuals by themselves. This film has potential to be highly funny like StepBrothers and Talladega Nights or it could be Get Hard the potential is there but it fails somewhere.
   This are some films to check out in June some heavy hitters, some not sure about, and a dud. Check back next month for my July recommendations.

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Biopic overdose

  This past Monday lifetime premiered their latest biopic “Searching For Neverland” based on Michael Jackson’s later years of his life told through his bodyguards eyes. It was a farrrrr cry above the mid 2000s Michael Jackson starring Flex Alexander, but it was a typical lifetime production.
  In watching the movie I thought about something, are we about to reach a point of market saturation regarding biopics?  Whether we like to admit it or not we all enjoy learning a bit more about celebrities and the paths they took to reach success and anything they endured on their level of success. With that though comes some biopics being produced for folks who don't need them or who’s story is not yet complete to tell an engaging fully fleshed story.
  After the New Edition Story was released in January creating the trifecta of biopics along with The Jacksons: An American Dream, and The Temptations. We as fans started asking what’s the next story to be told? What I have seen coming down the pipeline shows Hollywood's reliance on following trends. Rumors or a Jodeci biopic being developed surfaced after the New Edition film released. There are two biopics in development for Xscape which no disrespect to that group but I don't know if they have a compelling enough story to tell. Dionne Warwick, tv one is supposedly developing a biopic on Debarge which if done right could be very interesting. A biopic about Bobby Browns story aside from New Edition, Outkast is rumored to have one in the works, Master P, Faith Evans, Bobbi Kristina is getting a biopic told through her eyes.
  There are also biopics that the subject deserves their story being told. Othe big budget scale we have “All eyez on me” based on the life of Tupac released later this month which I believe has the potential to be a very good film.  Richard Pryors biopic has been stagnant for years, along with a biopic of Marvin Gaye. Michael K. Williams (Omar from The Wire) is slated to play Miles Davis. Jennifer Hudson has been rumored to play Aretha Franklin in a movie. Jamie Foxx as Mike Tyson. The Supremes deserve a biopic, Whitney Houston deserves another proper biopic.
   With multiple biopics in the work projects become watered down and films are rushed to capitalize on a recent craze. Also throw in the fact when there is no participation from the subject of the biopic or their estate, it leaves a mostly hearsay sometimes silly depiction. Throw into account when the producers can't obtain the music rights….it’s not even worth making the movie at that point. We all saw the Aaliyah movie and saw how that turned out.
    I love a good biopic as much as anyone especially when I'm a fan of that artist. Sitting down for a few hours seeing their path all the while jamming to their music or recalling certain events I remember shown in the film are always fun. I just hope they are done with care and planned out so that we as an audience don't suffer from biopic overdose and eventually turn away for good.
 

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The Get Down: Gone Too Soon

   Netflix has canceled the ambitious Baz Luhrman production “The Get Down”. While it’s rare for Netflix to cancel shows that receive good feedback the cost of “The Get Down” was just too much. Reports say the series cost $120 million which is by no means chump change.

   I’m not here to get into the behind the scene's cost and politics of the Get Down, I’m here to bring up the missed opportunity caused by the cancellation of the Get Down. Hip Hop and the exact origin of Hip Hop has never received its due in pop culture and the Get Down set out to change that.

  Incorporating all five elements of hip hop(djing, Mcing, break dancing, graffiti writing, and knowledge) and incorporating it into the main character's of the Get Down Brothers.  Zeek aka Books, Shaolin Fantastic,Dizzee, Boo-Boo, and Raa-Raa their adventures across 1970's NYC while learning a new genre bought them into hip hop legends such as Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool Herc, and Afrika Bambaataa.  That's where I think The Get Down had the most potential.
   

The last episode mentions Sugar Hill Gang “Rappers Delight” being released in September 1979 a year from the timeframe of the last episode. Had there been more certainty regarding another season who’s to say the Get Down brothers wouldn't have been in the room for the initial performance of rappers delight?

   Depending on how many season's the show could have had the crew could have been in the surroundings of pivotal moments in hip hop, they could have been our “eyes” and tour guide through the early year's of hip hop.

   Episodes started in the mid 90's during a Books concert and the story picks up in 1977 during Books teenage year's. That's a 20 year span the show could have covered jumping a few years between seasons. The crew trying to get signed to Sugar Hill record's, or other early hip hop labels, meeting a young Bronx rapper named Krs-One, being a catalyst for breakdancing taking off, hearing about a new record label Def Jam, seeing things change when Run Dmc and Aerosmith collaborate,  the crew being a pivotal part in the golden era of hip hop in 1988, disbanding by the 90's.

   To me having these characters growing as individuals and a team along with hip hop against the real backdrop of hip hop's rise was the most untapped potential of the show. The first half of the season was wayyy better than the second one but they had sooo much more to explore. We’ll never know what the creator5s had in store for future season's but while it would have been over the top I’m sure the stories would have improved and seeing hip hop's birth, the culture, and the seeds that would influence the world would have gave a new generation the history they need on this great culture.

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Movies to checkout in May

          This past weekend Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was released, helping kick off the summer blockbuster season. My quick review of GOTG 2 was that I enjoyed the movie, good action scenes and good acting butI felt it got bloated at times and some of the jokes fell flat. The core message of the movie was a very good one and in my opinion helped save the movie. The soundtrack also was very good the choice of songs were completely different than the first films, but it fit the story this one was trying to tell.
     Now onto the summer blockbuster season I am a big movie buff. With everything that’s grasping for our entertainment dollars nowadays, I still really enjoy going to the movies on opening weekend with my popcorn and watching a movie I’ve anticipated seeing since it was announced. I always enjoy the trailers and sometimes wish I haven't seen most of them already by time I see it in theaters. Random rant aside this blog is about what movies to check out in May.
     First up coming out Friday is King Arthur: Legend of the sword starting Charlie Hunnam (Jax from Sons of Anarchy). This rendition of the King Arthur is suppose to be put a gritty spin on this age old mythology explaining the origin of the Excalibur sword and King Arthur's rise. I honestly don't think it’ll be a good movie the King Arthur myth is a interesting one, but I don't think the market is there for a medieval tale no matter how “cool” their trying to make it.
     For the ladies Snatched starring Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn as a mother and daughter on a exciting excursion will probably suck. It looks like another run of the mill movie meant to cash in on Amy's popularity and Goldie's star power with her generation.
     May 19th brings us Alien: Convenant which I hope rights the wrongs bestowed upon the alien franchise from alien 3 all the way up to 2012s Prometheus. This movie has a lot of potential to introduce a whole new generation of fans to the alien world and continue to build on that legacy.
     Also on May 19th is a reboot of the Diary of a wimpy kid franchise The Long Haul. Call me a big kid but I really enjoyed the original trilogy of the wimpy kid films and with the books still very popular hopefully the new films can maintain the fun, wacky adventures of a kid just trying to get ahead in life.
     The Heavy hitters of May are Baywatch and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Baywatch starring The Rock and Zac Efron I really think will be funny. The trailers have given enough hint of some over the top comedy and wisecracks but since it’s Rated R it’s the tip of the iceberg. I’m sure the jokes will be raunchy and hilarious and we’ll be laughing uncontrollably once it’s released.
     Pirates of the Caribbean has been a fun if misguided film series. Lots of explosions, wild twist and turns, memorable characters. Everything you can ask for in a traditional summer blockbuster. After the so-so reaction to at worlds end and On stranger tides I hope Disney goes back to the streamlined formula that made the first one and parts of the second one work. Javier Bardeen as Capt. Salazar has potential to be a more cutthroat and frieghtening villain than Capt. Barbosa.
     I’m including Wonder Woman even though it comes out in June since it’ll be released before I probably do my June suggestions. I was really apprehensive about Wonder Woman Gal Gadot is a very pretty woman but a eh actress. Along with the epic fails the D.C. Movie Universe has produced so far especially Batman Vs. Superman my hopes for this movie were low. The trailers have drastically improved my expectations and I’m turning the corner where I believe Gal can be a believable bad ass, exotic, amazon female warrior. Way more attractive and dangerous than Xena: Princess warrior. Not much has been given regarding the true villain which I think could be a good thing as some things you have to save for people actually seeing the movie. I’m hoping this film turns around the fortune of the D.C. Universe.
     These are my suggestions for May check out one or check out all if you can. I’ll write up suggestions each month for blockbuster season...until next time.

   

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Are we our own worst enemy?

   David Banner recently interviewed with the breakfast club. In his interview he said that he doesn’t mind white people being racist because they are looking out for other white people. Black people on the other hand are not racist enough. This raises a good point and question.
   For all the call’s of being “woke”, being my brothers keeper, and more for the culture. We still have a overwhelming majority of the population who still harbor that crab in a barrel mentality. There are still a lot of successful black people who are in position to help other black people and refuse to. Not just financially but in mentoring, encouragement, etc. We’re quick to throw one another under the bus.
   Are we our own worst enemy? For the most part we are. Despite all our accomplishments and advancements sometimes it seems we haven't learned much. While we acknowledge mistakes previous generations have made we aren’t doing enough to turn that tide. We’re still glorifying a lot of bullshit. We know we don’t keep our money within our community yet don't really do enough to support businesses in our community.  When we do we as consumers always expect a discount when shopping at black owned businesses. On the other hand a lot of businesses in our community don't know what it means to be a business or customer service.
     Generations of bad financial decisions are passed down. Going through life with no life insurance, not saving, rather buy certain items to maintain a image as opposed to maintaining a good foundation. Fathers still not dealing with their kids because of a dispute with the child's mother, even though their father was not in their life for that very reason.
    One big issue that makes us our own worst enemy is we don't show each other enough love. We dont give each other enough credit when we succeed. When someone is into different hobbies that’s not understood by the masses their questioned for their choices. We’ll walk by one another as strangers and not say a friendly hello as respect to one another and keep it moving.   
     These are a few issues within our community. There are more complex underlying issues that contribute to some situations we find ourselves in. These are a few where we could instantly work to fix. We’re  a very resilient, ambitious, creative, intelligent community but when will we look in the mirror as a community, make that change, and better ourselves  to become a more respected community not just now but for generations to come.

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Baseball in the Black Community

    

     This past Saturday April 15th MLB conducted their annual “Jackie Robinson Day” celebrating Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball in 1947. In the ensuing decades the world was introduced to some of the best baseball players in history who just happened to be black. Willie Mays, Ernie Banks, Reggie Jackson, Frank Robinson, Hank Aaron, Eddie Murray, Ozzie Smith, and  Ken Griffey Jr. to name a few. While Black players are some of the most athletic players the sport has ever seen the game today is mostly a white  and hispanic game. Where have all the black players in the MLB gone? 
      Within the past 15-20 years the population of professional baseball players has steadily decreased while young black kids playing little league in inner cities has pretty much become non existent. In doing some research I found that Black professional baseball players make up 7.7 % of the league with a handful of teams having four black players on their team, most team 1 to 2 players, and one team no black player on their team. That causes a huge disadvantage when black kids look for stars like them and can’t find them.
When I was a kid in the 90s we had Griffey to look up to if you were a black kid playing baseball Griffey was your idol. Along with Griffey we had Frank Thomas, Barry Bonds, Barry Larkin, Kenny Lofton, Bobby Bonilla, Daryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Tim Raines, Brian Jordan, Ozzie Smith and Rickey Henderson even at the tail end of their careers could put on a show, Albert Belle probably was someone’s role model. Today’s kids have Adam Jones, David Price, CC Sabathia, Andrew McCutchen, Matt Kemp, Justin and BJ Upton to name a few. While these guys are all talented and superstars none of them have that factor to draw black kids in.    
     Some of the factors against baseball in the black community are basketball and football are seen as the cooler sports. It’s perceived the young ladies will flock all over you if you play those sports, but not if you play baseball. I’ve heard that baseball is a very expensive sport to put your child in, I don’t know how true that is but that could play a big factor if money is tight. One of the biggest factors is if you’re one of the lucky few gifted with the talent to make the pros, you’ll ascend quicker to the pros in basketball and football. First round pick in basketball and football you’re in the pros the following season. Baseball on the other hand you can toil around in the minors for years before being called up to the majors and making a shit load of money. If you’re striving to move your family in a better situation that’s not the ideal move.
  Baseball is always going to be behind basketball and football in the popularity contest, basketball and football are fast moving games, with out of this world superstars, and that certain “cool” factor. Baseball is a slower paced game full of chess like moves, alot of methodical play calling and substitutions among other things that cause the games to drag.This gives baseball the label of “boring”. While at times it can be boring, there are also times it can be one of the most exciting games you’ve ever seen. Along with the fact if a child today turns on a baseball game and see’s every other race but them, more than likely they’ll turn the game off and never gain an interest.
  Despite all of the real or perceived reasons that baseball is not popular in the black community, I honestly think it boils down to the black mlb population dwindling. Not only on the field, there’s two black executives in professional baseball Hanks Aaron with the Braves and Kenny Williams of the White Sox. While there are only two managers in baseball Dusty Baker of the Nationals and Dave Roberts of the Dodgers. As with anything no decision makers that look like us, not alot is being done to keep us. MLB does have some programs in place to reach out to the black community to try and reverse this trend. Black players have a profound history in baseball history as far as players, statistics, and most importantly changing the course of the game for the better. My question is if MLB is genuinely extending their hand out to have more black players in the major leagues, will we as community extend back and teach our kids the beauty of the game or do they simply need a brief history lesson on the greatest black players in MLB history to spark their curiosity?                   

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