Dancing Inmates Think The 'World' Of Michael Jackson

From Soulbounce.com

We're all no doubt still reeling from last night's BET Awards. Notsomuch because of the usual madness that took place, but because the network sold us a false bill of goods, promising a massive Michael Jackson tribute. They went on and on about the adjustments and sacrifice and special surprises and all the time it took to put things in place. Of course I was anxious to tune in, what with all of that hype. And, we all know what happened from there. However, if BET is selling the "not enough time" excuse, I'm not buying. Not when 1,500 inmates from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Phillipines put together a massive tribute to the Gloved One in just ten hours. Yup, 10. Granted, they had nothing but time on their hands, but still, it shows it can be done. And also, as with their previous performance, shows how much of a global reach MJ had. BET, take notes and then do better. And get the number of the prison's choreographers to help out for your next tribute (oh, and there better be another). As for the clip, I think I lost it somewhere around the time "We Are The World" comes on. Love this.

Sy Smith Shows Us The Way To Honor A Legend

I've had the pleasure of seeing Sy Smith peform several times in the Santa Monica Area. She is truely amazing!! Her tribute is genuine, heartfelt, and funny - they way they should be

From Soulbounce.com

Count the soulful Sy Smith among the many artists directly affected by Michael Jackson's sudden departure. Everyone has their own way to deal. Some get creative with it. Others just need to talk it out. During a performance over the weekend, Sy recounted her MJJ experience while doing a cover of The Jacksons' "Let Me Show You The Way to Go," sharing with the audience that she'd just met Michael last month while auditioning to be a backup singer during the London summer shows.

New Music Spotlight: The Noisettes

"Never Forget You" - More good music for Tuesday!!! Enjoy

Noisettes (occasionally written as NOISEttes) are an indie rock band from London comprising singer and bassist Shingai Shoniwa, guitarist Dan Smith, and drummer Jamie Morrison. The band first achieved commercial success and nationwide recognition with the second single of their second album, "Don't Upset the Rhythm (Go Baby Go)" which reached number two on the UK Singles Chart in Spring 2009.

"I Wanna Be Where You Are" The Roots and Erykah Badu Create Magic and Make My Tuesday Morning!!!!

"The Roots - I Wanna Be Where You Are (featuring Erykah Badu)" [Michael Jackson Tribute]
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No explanation needed.....Just good music to get you through the week!!!

Good Ole Pappa Joe

I'm lucky I didn't watch the BET awards in their entirety. 3 plus hours of absolute fuckery and ignorance wrapped completely in song and dance. Its bad enough that awards shows are pretty much obsolete, but this awards show hold special significance in that people are on their grind hardcore promoting, cheesing hard, and otherwise looking like the rent is due while hamming it up for the cameras. Its great that everyone wanted to pay their respects to the great MJ, but did EVERYONE have to have a special moment like they were saying something different than the person did 13 seconds before. And Pappa Joe, I didn't see the pre-interview garbage, but I missed the gold mine with the interview above. Something about this should really raise some red flags, but I tried to chalk it up to old age and confusion. Maybe for all we know, he was giving several interviews at once and the CNN dude just looked too casual and too keen on having his "Barbara Walters" moment so maybe Joe was a bit irritated by that which is understandable. But the punctuated "Aaannnnddd!!!" was the first bit of wtf, followed by the constant back turning, the publicist talking, the lawyer, the introduction of the business partner, and the announcement that Pappa joe will be launching a record label. I mean, I'm not expert, but it just didn't seem like the appropriate time to discuss your other business ventures. Also, the very fact that Pappa Joe was at the awards for their entire duration acting as if he was 30 years younger was also a little unsettling as we have Janet's emotional state as a marker for how the news is affecting the family. Say what you will about Papa Joe, and I will, but my heart sank with this one as I realized that something in the milk and in the family aint clean......still! RIP MJ for you are surely in a much better place.

I'm Good On Food!!! Food Inc in Review

Food Inc, really should be required viewing for all. Stark, fascinating, in your face, and above all telling of an industry that has long followed the model of self-regulation in the wake of new biological food outbreaks, human rights activism, and animal rights activism. Really, I think the most sad part of this documentary is how contentious the whole process is for not only are the animals abused, but so are the workers. Usually bussed in from across the border to preform menial tasks that they have little right to protest. The goal of fast and cheap, first introduced by the McDonald brothers when they completely overhauled the fast food industry has permeated into all facets of society. And because of such, food is no longer grazed and agriculture is an industry that has long been industrialized to the point where basically 4 major corporations have complete control over what we eat and how it is produced from seed to store and/or your dinner table.

The documentary was broke down into several parts that investigate how each of the industries that make up food production (the beef industry, chicken production, pork, corn, etc) are completely controlled by the corporate thumb. And it showed to the extend these corporations go to mask the problems of production instead of finding appropriate solutions. For example, because corn is produced below the cost of production, corn is the essential product by which we genetically mutate to produced all sorts of chemicals and gums and products like Ketchup and yogurts. We also feed corn to cattle, instead of grass, which causes e-coli to build up in their systems. Because these animals are usually sitting in their own feces for days on end even to the point where they are "processed" we have a brand new strain of ecoli that has developed that has now permeated into other industries such as spinach production. As discussed in the documentary, to combat this problem, the simple solution would be to switch up the diet and include grass, but this would drive up the cost of production, so these corporations instead hire teams of scientiest to invent fillers that are resistent to ecoli and other bacteria.

Aside from this problem, another jarring fact is that often times, fast food and dollar menu items are priced at a point well below what it cost to buy fresh fruits and vegetables which forces many families to rely on fast food in order to feed their families thus resulting in problems like obesity and diabetes. The doc directly correlates health with income, making eating healthy a privalede of those that can afford it.

The film explores everything from appropriately labeling cloned food to genetially mutated seads and the soy bean industry. However, as I watched in shock for most of its running time with my mouth agape, one thing that surprised me was the call to action at the end. Watching something like this you feel sort of powerless as to be able to make any kind of significant change, but the film explores our buying power as a means of protest. At the end of the day, we chose were to spend our money and if we demand products that are more organic, the industry will respond. Such as case was presented in which an organic yogurt maker was courted by wallmart after consumer demand basically forced them to explore this option. As well, you can shop at places like farmers markets and buy fruits and vegetables only when they are in season. But the first step is education, and I am thankful for docs like Food Inc. for their goal is to inform the people about what is actually taking place behind the scenes. You may not want to know, but you will be better informed for it. All I know is that after watching this doc, I was sooooo thankful that my mom forced me and my dad to help plant a garden every year. I will inevitably be doing the same with my family.

The Lie is a Lie: Day 26 GTFO!!!

Yeah, we've already established that the time is winding down for these guys and this video does not make a case for their relevancy. I'm kinda shocked because usually it takes in excess of 6 months for these guys to drop a new single and here we have two videos and two singles out in mere days of one another. They must be having a fire sale at Bad Boy. The only good thing I got to say about this video is that at least it doesn't look like Windows Media Player and they appear to be in a natural setting but that setting looks like the LA river. And that, ladies and gentleman, is a subtle as a hint they could ever get that their careers are in the dumps. Here we get even more preening and posing and an attempt at being "artistic." Too little way way too late - FAIL again.

A Legacy Remembered: An Now the Media Influx - Michael Jackson 1958-2009

It's no doubt that Michael Jackson is the Premiere Entertainer of any time, however, in remembrance of this legacy I hope that his life achievements are not overshadowed by the tumultuous turn his career took with the infamous 1993 case. I'm still kinda in shock over the whole thing because as with any icon who you fondly remember from your childhood passing....its a huge reminder of our own mortality. However, there is a lot to celebrate as even though this man became a recluse in recent years, his catalogue is filled with hit after hit after hit of chart topping masterpieces that I'm sure everyone has a different sentiment about. I remember going through my parents old 45's and peeping out J5 hits like "I wanna be where you are" on the phonograph or watching the infamous Mowtown 25 special in which he did the moonwalk while performing "Billy Jean."



I remember the sense of awe and wonder at watching this man perform is ass off and how inspiring it all was because it sent a strong message that you can truly create magic through determination and hard work. Undoubtedly, this man has touched a lot of peoples spirits and its just a shame that he was called home in the midst of his comeback tour in London. At 50, I would say that MJ was still rather young or at least young at heart, but what really saddens me bout the whole ordeal is that MJ more so than any other teen pop idol today is really the archetype for a life and spirit absorbed and completely spit out by fame. I really don't get why so many people want to be famous when its obvious just how people get turned out by fame. MJ is no exception as his transformation seem to be less about conforming to the show biz model of what an "artist" is supposed to be to be sellable and more about the physical execution of self hatred.

Every artist has their demons, but until MJ we had never seen a performer that seemed to be at war with their very own essence. Its simply sad that a more anglo inspired appearance is what MJ felt would make him feel at peace with the world. However, what would be even more disheartening is if his legacy gets marred in the more eccentric exclamation points of his life. Frankly, there will never be an entertainer to perform on a stage quite like MJ and sadly, music will never return to this organic plateau of expression that was his bread and butter.

We have all made jokes at the guys expense and even amongst hearing early word of his passing.....the jokes went soaring....but what's universal, what's communal is that we are all linked by this single performer. It is no doubt that all news outlets will cover every angle of his story ad nauseam equipped with sound bites from Letoya and Jermaine and Marlon and fans screaming and crying. Its no doubt that thriller will once again hit the top 10 as everyone rushes out to buy MJ memorabilia. But in the midst of this all, remember that at the root of it is a troubled soul that unfortunately, none of us will probably know in its human form. All we know of MJ is as a performer and I have always believed that, behind closed doors, this man probably loved sipping on a Strongbow, with one hand down his pants, playing dominoes and cursing like a sailor. If so and if those around him got to see that then its a beautiful thing.

Either way, you can't knock this man's brilliance and you cannot deny his genius. His music will live on in infamy and our great grandchildren will get the pleasure of hearing music as it was when you could still consider it to be music.



To this day, "Off the Wall" is still one of my favorite tracks of all time. And as I write this "I wanna be where you are" is quietly playing in the back of my head reminding me that his passing is in no way a sad event for me. Not in a sense of mourning at least as his spirit is spread across countless tracks and his thumbprint on the backs of millions of individuals. I know that I have yet to fully process just how his passing will affect society and the music industry in general....especially when the new cats seems to be trading off every week on emulating him. But what can be said is that his life has touched the world and that he was inevitably taken too soon. MJ, the world will not be the same without you - batshit crazy or not.

Its Hard to Belive But Michael Jackson Has Died

(CNN) -- Entertainer Michael Jackson has died after being taken to a hospital on Thursday after suffering cardiac arrest, according to multiple reports including the Los Angeles Times and the Associated Press. CNN has not confirmed his death.

A Los Angeles fire official told CNN that paramedics arrived at Michael Jackson's home after a 911 call.

Jackson, 50, had been in a coma at the hospital, sources told CNN.

Brian Oxman, a Jackson family attorney, said he was told by brother Randy Jackson that Michael Jackson collapsed at his home in west Los Angeles Thursday morning.

Family members were told of the situation and were either at the hospital or en route, Oxman said.

Fire Capt. Steve Ruda told CNN a 911 call came in from a west Los Angeles residence at 12:21 p.m.

Ruda said Jackson was treated and transferred to the UCLA Medical Center.

Asked specifics of the patient's condition, he said he could not discuss them because of federal privacy laws.

The music icon from Gary, Indiana, is known as the "King of Pop."

Jackson is the seventh of nine children in a well-known musical family.

At the medical center, every entrance to the emergency room was blocked by security guards. Even hospital staffers were not permitted to enter. A few people stood inside the waiting area, some of them crying.

Day 26 = FAIL

Yeah, I've kept quiet about them for too long and its a shame because their latest offering "Forever in a Day" is actually a rather stellar record (for a two-bit, reality TV band). Its no doubt that these brothers are talented. What urks me about the whole thing is that when it comes to their videos - there is a lot to be desired. A cheap looking, plastic black brick background, spotlight, and random girls has what exactly to do with the theme of the song. And this is actually one of the better cuts off the album!!! All the pointing and posing is why day 26 will never live up to their full potential. And what's worse is that they have no competition in the market cause they are pretty much the only marquee (yeah, I use this term loosely) R&B group. On the fail scale we would be approaching day 25 which means that your time is almost up guys.

Reflection Eternal Is Finally 'Back Again'

from Soulbounce.com

Talib Kweli has been quietly dropping tracks like Hansel and Gretel dropped breadcrumbs for quite some time now whether with Res in Idle Warship or with DJ Hi-Tek as Reflection Eternal. "Back Again," an official single from their fall release Revolutions Per Minute, manages to blend Kweli's previously mentioned collaborators on a banger of track and a visually interesting video.

Kush For $55

Umm....yeah....so....yeah...I watched this and just knew the SNL logo would pop up at any point, but it didn't.......maybe I should call the number just to be sure. In any case, this gizmo, that comes in tan, brown, and black (not even going there) and demonstrated by a fine young woman who looks like she just finished her shift at the burlesque review down the block....is not phallic at all in any way shape or form...but will allow a comfortable nights sleep (yeah, we are not going there either).

It's Still Not "Work"ing - Sad Sad C-Error

I wasn't going to post this video at all until I saw the part where C-error starts whipping her ponytail weave in a circle across a platform and I thought to myself "ohh, no we don't ignore this type of fuckery on Sanspiracy." And you know how much I love Ciara. Interesting concept that again, reeks of desperation on behalf of the Mrs. herself. Its like Beyonce's stand-in went to a junkyard and filmed a video. And Missy Elliott only ads insult to injury.......while again standing on the sidelines in a video doing vocal shoutouts, is Missy thinking "damn yo...where did my career go". Well that would be a more clever rhyme than she has spit out in quite some time....as we have yet to hear any cuts off her forthcoming "Block Party" or whatever its called now.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Review

By Roger Ebert (The most authoritative voice in the game - his reviews are always on point)

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" is a horrible experience of unbearable length, briefly punctuated by three or four amusing moments. One of these involves a dog-like robot humping the leg of the heroine. Such are the meager joys. If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination.

The plot is incomprehensible. The dialog of the Autobots, Deceptibots and Otherbots is meaningless word flap. Their accents are Brooklyese, British and hip-hop, as befits a race from the distant stars. Their appearance looks like junkyard throw-up. They are dumb as a rock. They share the film with human characters who are much more interesting, and that is very faint praise indeed.

The movie has been signed by Michael Bay. This is the same man who directed "The Rock" in 1996. Now he has made "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." Faust made a better deal. This isn't a film so much as a toy tie-in. Children holding a Transformer toy in their hand can invest it with wonder and magic, imagining it doing brave deeds and remaining always their friend. I knew a little boy once who lost his blue toy truck at the movies, and cried as if his heart would break. Such a child might regard "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" with fear and dismay.

The human actors are in a witless sitcom part of the time, and lot of the rest of their time is spent running in slo-mo away from explosions, although--hello!--you can't outrun an explosion. They also make speeches like this one by John Turturro: "Oh, no! The machine is buried in the pyramid! If they turn it on, it will destroy the sun! Not on my watch!" The humans, including lots of U.S. troops, shoot at the Transformers a lot, although never in the history of science fiction has an alien been harmed by gunfire.

There are many great-looking babes in the film, who are made up to a flawless perfection and look just like real women, if you are a junior fanboy whose experience of the gender is limited to lad magazines. The two most inexplicable characters are Ron and Judy Witwicky (Kevin Dunn and Julie White), who are the parents of Shia LeBeouf , who Mephistopheles threw in to sweeten the deal. They take their son away to Princeton, apparently a party school, where Judy eats some pot and goes berserk. Later they swoop down out of the sky on Egypt, for reasons the movie doesn't make crystal clear, so they also can run in slo-mo from explosions.

The battle scenes are bewildering. A Bot makes no visual sense anyway, but two or three tangled up together create an incomprehensible confusion. I find it amusing that creatures that can unfold out of a Camaro and stand four stories high do most of their fighting with...fists. Like I say, dumber than a box of staples. They have tiny little heads, except for Starscream®, who is so ancient he has an aluminum beard.

Aware that this movie opened in England seven hours before Chicago time and the morning papers would be on the streets, after writing the above I looked up the first reviews as a reality check. I was reassured: "Like watching paint dry while getting hit over the head with a frying pan!" (Bradshaw, Guardian); "Sums up everything that is most tedious, crass and despicable about modern Hollywood!" (Tookey, Daily Mail); "A giant, lumbering idiot of a movie!" (Edwards, Daily Mirror). The first American review, however, reported that it "feels destined to be the biggest movie of all time" (Todd Gilchrist, Cinematical). It’s certainly the biggest something of all time.

Let me Just Tell You - The Key Art and the Reviews for Transformers: ROTF are Just Terrible

I knew it was inevitable....you can't have a good thing for too long. I was very cautious about the first Transformers movie, believing that it would totally rape my childhood memories of how awesome the enterprise was. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the technical expertise and the vision of the film. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen holds no pause.....well not by judging from the reviews below. Every single one of the posters is shitty as hell by the way!!!

"If you want to save yourself the ticket price, go into the kitchen, cue up a male choir singing the music of hell, and get a kid to start banging pots and pans together. Then close your eyes and use your imagination." - Roger Ebert - Chicago Sun Times

"Big, loud and definitely not clever, it's a giant, lumbering idiot of a movie that, were it not for all the explosions, would send the most devoted action fans to sleep." - David Edwards - Daily Mirror UK

"The first, comparatively lucid Transformers was a headache, but I sort of enjoyed it....Revenge of the Fallen is more like listening to rocks in a clothes dryer for 2½ hours." - Michael Phillips - Chicago Tribune

"Bigger, louder and more annoying, this won't disappoint fans of the first film, but the deficiencies in script and character are even more apparent this time round and Bay's contempt for his audience is almost palpable." - Matthew Turner - ViewLondon

"There is nothing - nothing - in Bay's film that can be taken seriously - although that becomes something of a problem in itself, given Bay's relentless exploitation of imagery from 9/11 and the Second Gulf War..." - Anton Bitel - Eye for Film