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  • Friday Throwback – (I Know I Got) Skillz

    I have to tell you a story about a man named Eddy Zucko. Right around the time, Shaq O’neal came into the NBA this man named Eddy Zucko decided that he loved the man’s free, fun spirit. He loved it enough that when Shaq decided to drop rhymes on an album called Shaq Diesel, young Eddy bought it. When Shaq came back for more with Shaq-Fu: Da Return, Eddy bought it again. He loved both albums so much that I’d hear him reciting lines and calling himself the Ken Dogg. I think he may still hold both albums in a special place in his heart.

    (I Know I Got) Skillz is the first Shaq single, though he was first heard on the Fu-Schnickens song What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock?). He’d also do verses on Michael Jackson’s 2 Bad and Quincy Jones’ Stomp. Does anyone remember TWISM?

    • Shaq will do you like Spielberg and you’ll get jurrasic’d in the park.
    • I wonder if anyone ever calls Shaq ET still. Extra Tallums?
    • Look at that, it’s Def Jeff with the Shaq attack.
    • I wonder how much leather it took to make Shaq’s vest and pants?
    • Nah, nah, let him continue.
    • Best line ever: “Built like Chevy Impala/ Shaq’s a smooth baller/ But what about rhymes? /I can hold my own/ Knick knack Shaq attack, give a dog a bone”
    • How you like him now? He drops bombs.
    • Shaq gives a shout out to his cousin Ron, and his other cousin Ron.

    How many of you know that Shaq dropped 5 albums? And what’s more impressive than that (or at least impressive because a label kept putting out Shaq records), is that his first record went double platinum and his second went platinum. Though I don’t think I’ve ever seen a copy of Presents His Superfriends, Vol. 1 and highly doubt we’ll ever get Vol. 2.

  • This Year-The Moonmen Bring Sexy Back

    The MTV Video Music Awards are pretty formulaic. To the surprise of no one, Justin Timberlake and Beyonce walked away with the lion’s share of nominations, with seven apiece. Not to say Justin didn’t deserve his…”What Goes Around…” was a pretty damn good video! But nothing about any of the videos B made in the past year really turned my crank, unless you count that “Beautiful Liar” video with Shakira, which was just as good with the sound off, if you catch what I’m throwin’ atcha.

    Last year presented a few surprises because the awards were wholly voted on by the fans, which meant that bands like My Chemical Romance and Avenged Sevenfold got face time they may not have gotten otherwise. This year is also fan-voted, so let’s hope that they get creative this year as well. It would be nice to see the multi-nominated Amy Winehouse win some awards, not only because she’s excellent, but because I imagine her salty acceptance speeches would enliven up the show a bit. Hell, Kanye’s good for unpredictability, and while I’m not sure why he’s nominated (didn’t “Stronger” just come out, like, a couple weeks ago?)…I anticipate his performance, and hopeful acceptance speech.

    Looks like they’ve eliminated the genre-specific categories this time around (guess that makes it easier, considering how little videos MTV actually plays nowadays), but if you’re going for a little bit of not-as-mainstream love, there are still some bubbling under acts that got some MTV love (hey, the station still wants to be known as being at least a little edgy amid all the “Laguna Beach” marathons). French band Justice is nominated for their clip “D.A.N.C.E.”, which won the Vid of the Year award at the MTV Europe awards and caused a drunken Kanye to go on an ODB-style tirade. Swedish newcomers Peter Bjorn & John are nominated for Best New Artist for “The Young Folks”. Hey, even Best Group nominees Gym Class Heroes could be considered underdogs.

    Anyway, find the full list of nominees at www.mtv.com.

  • Hip-Hop Clash Of The Titans: 2007 Style!!!

    50 Cent bullets

    Kanye West as an angel

    50 Cent and Kanye West both have new albums coming out on the same day in September (the 11th, which I personally don’t think is the most tasteful day to release an album, but oh well…), and this should be an interesting match up. Of course, 50 is rap’s reigning commercial champ, with 12 million sold of his two albums. Kanye has sold half of that (which is still not shabby at all), but has made up for the sales oversight by winning critical raves that elude 50, as well as picking up a slew of Grammy awards to 50’s big fat zero. While neither artist has songs that are setting airwaves on fire, don’t estimate the power of either performer to generate a controversial pop culture moment that will have people flocking to the stores in droves.
    50’s now on his fourth single from the upcoming “Curtis”, as his label, Interscope, is frantically searching for a sound that will connect with radio listeners. This has got to be an album pre-release record. 4 songs? That’s anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 of the album already floating around a month and change before the release date!! The aforementioned fourth single, “Ayo Technology”, features Justin Timberlake, which should help it’s fortunes somewhat. I wonder how 50’s boss Eminem feels about 50’s use of an artist Em has spent almost his entire career making fun of.
    As for Mr. West, his “Cant Tell Me Nothin’” has stoked interest for it’s unforgettable hillbilly themed video, while second single “Stronger” finds Kanye getting airplay on alternative rock radio for the first time, thanks to the song’s usage of a Daft Punk sample. Both videos can be viewed on Kanye’s website: http://www.kanyewest.com/.