People from across America showed their support for Barack Obama by expressing themselves creatively at the DNC in Dever. Here are a few of the eye-catching sights.
Iowa resident makes good use of corn
Obama is often seen in strange places at the DNC
Did she get attacked by an American flag?
The Hooptie version of the Obamamobile
Cowgirl reps for Obama Texas style
Throw away the teddy bears, Clinton and Obama dolls are keeping kids cozy.
I know this video has been out for a minute, but I have to share with my folks who haven't seen it yet. One of the funniest stand up acts that I have seen in a while.
I was scheduled to go the Ozone Awards (an awards show that honors southern hip-hop) in Houston this weekend, but I traveled to Cincinnati and then Indiana in order to cover the Bengals and Colts training camps instead. Both of the training camps are located in small towns that are miles from meaningful civilization. So during down time, the only form of entertainment that I had was the internet, cable TV, and, of course, watching the locals hit up the Golden Corral as if it was Club Visions in Atlanta, circa 2002. So to kill a few hours (which are kind of like days in a small country town), I decided to listen to a few throwback Southern rap albums. It took me back 10-12 years ago when the South was basically at the bottom (pun intended) of hip-hop when it came to respect. Sure, everyone loved OutKast, some heads were into UGK, 8Ball & MJG made noise, and (hate it or love it) Master P was getting money as if he was printing it. But there were some legit southern rap albums that were great but went unnoticed. So I decided to put together a list of the 5 most underrated southern rap albums in history. I suggest you go back and re-up. 1)MJG-No More Glory: Every now and then, an album gets you from the moment that you press play. While in the 11th grade, a friend handed me his CD player so that I could listen to the first track, “Keep Your Mind.” On the track, MJ didn’t Pimp, sell dope, kill a nucca, or brag about money. The dude rapped about everyday things like paying bills, having a bad job, misplaced desires, being stuck in a bad relationship, and the importance of remaining positive despite all of the bad things that can happen in life. I was already a big 8 Ball & MJG fan, but the way MJG dissected life on No More Glory was almost as potent as Pac’s Me Against the World. Other gems were “Shine and Recline,” “What is This,” and “Middle of the Night.” 2)The Witchdoctor- A S.W.A.T. Healin Ritual: I really believed that Organize Noize was going to sell huge a la No Limit during the late 1990s. But Rico (Wade) and ‘em couldn’t take the artists who were under their Interscope imprint (Organize Noize) to the next level. The Witchdoctor put together a masterpiece, however. From start to finish, the album is as street as Southernplayalistc.., as soulful as Soul Food, and had harmony like The Mis-Education of Lauryn Hill. If you haven’t heard this album yet, pick this up now-it’s still bumping til this day. Hot cuts include “Holiday,” “Remedy,” and “Dez Only 1.” 3) 8Ball & MJG-In Our Lifetime Vol. 1: Ball and J were bringing the heat during the `90s. 8Ball & MJG take turns giving their take on life during a rough time when they both were upset with T. Draper (CEO of Suave House) over shady business. Although the album had some banging club junts, it was very personal and likely the group’s most well-rounded album (it beats out Coming Out Hard and On Top of World when it comes to consistency). Hot junts include “Nobody But Me,” “Daylight,” and “Throw Your Hands Up” feat. Outkast. 4) Playa Fly-Fly Shit: Some of the hottest underground rappers in the 1990s came from Memphis, Tenn. TommyWright the III, Skinny Pimp, and Playa Fly were local stars that put out some interesting music. In 1998, Playa Fly dropped an underground classic with Fly Shit. I remember listening to it for the first time in my homeboy’s car and loving how cheap and hood the songs were. It sounded as if the songs were made in a basement. But that cheap sound blended perfectly with Fly’s rugged voice. My favorite song was “Crownin’ Me.” As I type, that’s still one of the hardest hip-hop songs ever made. Check out, “Havin Things,” “Work to Do,” and “Nappy Hair Gold Teeth.” 5. Devin The Dude-Self titled: I couldn’t have a list about southern rap without adding Houston. UGK’s Riding Dirty was going to be a choice, but that album got a lot of respect from hip-hop heads across the nation as the years went on(thanks to "Big Pimping"). So Devin The Dude’s self-titled classic debut makes the cut. Devin’s silky flow and hilarious take on Texas life allowed listeners to laugh, think, and mellow out. Always clever, Devin did his thing on the tracks, “Write and Wrong,” “Alright,” and “One Day at a Time.”
In about a week or two, youngstas from across the nation will be forced to kiss their summers goodbye as the 2008-09 school year begins. As the big yellow buses prepare to clog up morning traffic and the youngins get their new outfits together, I can’t help but to remember how it felt to get ready for the first day of school. Let’s be honest, we all treated the first day of school as if it was a fashion show. Everybody would be checking each other out and doing their best to make an impression of their own. And the best way to make an impression was to have some fly shoes and clothes. Because in middle and high school, being fresh to def was everything-and to some, it was the only thing. Now there were two ways that you could approach the first day of school. 1) You could wear your “new” clothes on the first day and week to establish a fresh new look. 2) Or, you could reserve all of your new gear for the first three weeks and come fresh during the second month when everyone else's new clothes had become "old."
Either way, the first day of school is the Oscars or Grammy Awards for teenagers. To pay homage to the good old days, I decided to give my list of the top back to school shoes of all-time (really just my era).
Cortez Nikes A.K.A Dope Man Nikes or Eazy E Nikes Created in the 1970’s, these shoes made a comeback in 1991. They were pretty cheap (about $39 in 1990) and could be worn with almost anything. But Cortez Nikes were made for leisure. If you did alot of running or jumping, they would fall apart in about three weeks.
Huarache Nikes Around 1992, the Huarche Nikes were all about flash. Because of the elaborate colors, you really had to think about what you were going to wear with them. But most of the times, the color schemes didn’t deter those who owned them. I mean they were $90 shoes, so who really cared if you rocked teal and yellow shoes with a red and gold t-shirt?
Nike Air Max and AF1’s When I was a teenager, it seemed as if everyone who I knew owned a pair of Air Max or Air Force One’s. I have to admit, Nike had a Monopoly on street wear during the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Stan Smith Adidas Adidas made a little noise with their Kobe shoe in 1996 and their Street Ball shoe line, but the Stan Smith and Shell Toes have stood the test of time. The Stan Smith was a cool back to school shoe that was subtle and respectable.
New Balance In the late-1990’s, New Balance became an alternative to those who wanted to go opposite of the Nike takeover. They came in various colors and (like Cortez Nikes) they could be rocked with almost any outfit.
Honorable Mention: Timberlands, Reebok Classics, Hi Tek Boots, Nike Air Flights, Chuck Taylors. If I missed any shoes, please feel free to put me up on game.
