Una luz que nunca se apaga

I dislike the winter months. Not solely because they are cold, but because that cold makes me want to stay in longer, and that reminds me how lonely the world can be. (this is not a post on the new Charlie Kaufman move, Synecdoche, I promise.)

That this melancholy bile that rises in my heart, makes me listen to my entire Smiths collection. But, Morrissey and his crew, ain't just for the emo, dark haired plain-clothes of "alternative" America, but oddly enough, also for the Chicano community of east LA. What connection do they share that makes him so meaningful?

Peep the OC Weekly article

And Take a gander at this great video below!

Toronto Fire?

I started looking into this rapper from Toronto called Kardinal Offishall, not because of who he is, but because of who he'd like to be. Michaelangelo Matos's 33 1/3 book on Prince's Sign 'O' The Times, speaks on the Prince clones that started to appear at the peake of his career. Kardinal seems to be one of those clones- for a rapper who i can't speak on just yet- cuz I hope to use it in a review. So- peep this video, think on it some- and we'll revisit the issue.

"Dangerous" From Kardinal Offishall's NOT 4 SALE

Joeseph Coombe Mixes Parody with Social Commentary Creating "Comm-ody"

If you run over to Know Yr Product, you'll see a hilarious piece on the band/ Arcade game, Crystal Castles. This post is genius because not only does it jab at the fabricated reality that the band is a genuine creative entity ( their name, music, and Madonna artwork were all grifted from other original (and better) creative sources), but it also doubles a lite hipster humor through the vehicle of bar owner/ promoter Hary J:

When asked if he would get rid of the game to allow more interest in the bands, leaving the rat traps exposed, the owner said, “Not with the Rat Traps, a local band, playing next Friday. It’s too risky. The kids today they love their irony. If I book a band like the Rat Traps, they may rather drink my cheap beer and stare at real rat traps all night.”

While Mr. Coombe has presented his astute commentary most often in the form of factual music and pop culture writing, his ablity to throw satire into the mix promises at least one other funny blog post, but hopefully several ( no more than three).

Rip Nagi Noda

I watch a lot of music videos. You may not realize how egregious of an understatement that is, but its the truth. Anyway, today, a great music video director, Nagi Noda passed away, leaving a legacy of greatness to the expansive history books we know of as the internets. In celebration of her passing, I leave you her reel, to enjoy and celebrate.


Tiga- "(Far From)Home"




Some Random Eyeball's Jamin'



Coca-Cola Commercial



2004 Olympic Games Silliness



Cut Copy- "Hears On Fire"





Some Japanese Video You Won't Understand, but Will Laugh At




Ummm.........




Scissor Sisters- "She's My Man"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1s2zNtKuSI

(embeds disabled)

Money, Power, Respect; In the Key of Life

I'm reading Real Punks Don't Wear Black (Frank Kogan) , trying to strain from it the key to being both a good writer, and discover what writers look for in good music- the ever important essence of music. The reason I'm enjoying it so much, is that Kogan has no better idea than I do, and cites Lester Bangs & Richard Meltzer in trying to clarify his points on "authenticity" and the real in music. I've been toying with the idea, that is supported by Kogan's musings that music is authentic as long as it speaks emphatically about power (emphatically not necessarily meaning genuinely).

"Great rock thrives on insecurity." Or so Kogan paraphrases, but it's really about one's insecurity about where one stands contextually to power. Do you have it? Do you want it? Do you hate it? Do you love it? James Brown was amazing in that he both conducted it, and directed us all to fight it, yet had the power to disguise struggle with funk. Likewise, punk music is powerful in its admittance to lack of power, and it refusal to acknowledge power's existence, yet is made up structurally of mostly power chords and jaring lyrics.

L'ultimo bacio

It's often the work of Know Yr Product to discuss the sub-textual value of film and its reach in society, and I never want to attemp to play fiddle, chair two, in that regard. However, in this particular instance, I feel its only right for me to bring this film to the virtual table for his, and more importantly your consideration.

L'ultimo bacio is the original, and Italian version of Zach Braff's Last Kiss. It tackles infidelity, and the cause of such an act, fear. The fear of monotony, and the discomfort with which some, most, many, or all of us may feel when in an intense and serious relationship. I will now attempt a KYP-esque analysis:

Carlo, and all of his friends, are challenged with the threat of settling for the known, instead of the adventure and uncertainty, and most important, lack of responsibility that couples with the unknown. They claim they need to feel alive again, until they are then faced with two compounding extremes (Carlos with a young affair that is also in the search of love- which solidifies that regardless of age, that commitment is a constant value & the death of a close friends father, suggesting the lasting quality of death, but the devotion of loved ones), which makes the players realize that the real, has already been attained, but the renewal of such is a task they must work towards.

Exclusive Wale Interview with Metropolitan Segue:

So, way back in November, when Wale was just blowing up, I stareted writing this interview. I went through all the strain of writing the interview, setting it up, and writing it up, but vibe ultimately passed on it. So, here it is for you, cuz somebody might as well read it (If you make it to the end, there is a prize!):

D.C. native Wale is quickly becoming a major voice for the Mid-Atlantic region. Take an emcee with deep ties to his community, and add Mark Ronson’s diligent hand and tutelage, to develop a unique voice the likes of which has yet to be heard in hip-hop. Wale has been building a career that is fueled off of determination. He’s one of the few rappers that can boast touring Europe before acclaim and you can bank that it’s based more on talent than connections. He has yet to drop a full length, but has mix tapes that draw as much attention as his Nike boots and tighter than status quo jeans, and least hood-wise. Throw in verses over Justice’s D.A.N.C.E remix, and it seems pretty certain that this voice won’t remain encapsulated in the eastern seaboard for long. Rightfully so, and with a lot to say on D.C. Go-go music, the industry as a whole, and the labels that support the industry he’s dedicated to taking over, he manages to work both willingly with the system and keep his guns drawn.

MS/ VM: What unique aspect do you feel you add to hip-hop?

Wale: Being from a different region; the mid-atlantic, or DC to be exact, ain’t nothing really come out of there with a lot of commercial appeal. It would be pretentious of me to say that I’m marketable, but I guess they call me marketable. I understand the concept of lyrics and song making. Lyricism and song making is rare in hip-hop, period, right now.


VM/ MS: Being a DC emcee, you have a large go-go element as a background. Do you and Mark and who ever else is responsible for your beat production, plan on drawing that into your beats, or do you have something else in consideration?
Wale: Oh yea, we’re gonna do it. Like I’ve said in every interview, the greatest advice Jay-z ever told me was to just make the best possible song you can make. So I’m just going to make the best possible music. If that happens to be something with Go-Go music, then we’re going to attempt it, but if I don’t feel like, in my heart of hearts its justifiable good- something that the people where im from can relate to, or it sounds watered down at all, then no one is going to hear it. But We’re going to try. We’ve been successful thus far, but the album is going to be a whole body of work, and its gotta flow together; one whole consistent picture with several colors.

MS/ VM: On the track "the People", from your A Hundred Miles And Running mixtape, you paint a vivid localized image of you being the liaison to the rest of industry- how do you see yourself connecting people?

Wale: This is how the ‘ambassador’ title came. I do a lot to help other artists. I help out producers; I have producers that did one of my first singles, and then we get to work with Rhymefest, Talib Kweli, Clipse, and the Entourage thing is a good look. My manager understands how important this is to my, and he takes producers that he likes and he tries to get them placement. That’s the type of stuff that I do. Me being the liaison, or ambassador, or whatever you want to say, that’s the thing that I’m trying to do. I can’t say that I’m going to kick down the door and everybody is going to get in, but I’m going to make it my duty to try and help other people out. Because there is money in this music business, and why not give out the opportunity?


MS/ VM: It's said that you have had a career prior to being signed that was almost as intense, in comparison to those with label deals. This is in terms of touring. What effects will that have on you as an artist? Do you think that it could potentially take away from some of the edge that comes with being a newcomer?
Wale: I could be bougie a little bit, in a sense, because I’ve done a lot before my deal, but its just going to make me work harder. Right now, I don’t have any resources. I have a couple of friends, and a manager, and collectively we sleep about 5 hours a day all put together. Basically, all we’re going to do is use our resources and go crazy on ‘em, you know? We have this person or that person’s phone book, we looking at more money, more opportunities, more Wale, more Mark Ronson, more Daniel Weisman, more Rich Kleiman.

VM/ MS: What can we look forward to on your album? Who are you working with?

Wale: Ronson is going to do most of the album, but JustBlaze is going to do some stuff. Young Guru is going to step away from the mixing boards and do a couple of things on the album. Kanye said…, me and Kanye talked and said we would do a couple of things together. I also want to do some things with Justice, and Calvin Harris, and Adam London. Calvin Harris’ got some things that I think could fit well with me and Mark’s sound.

MS/VM:
You seem to approach hip-hop in a way that isn't all hood-rap, but aware of all sides of the street- so to speak, if you had your way, how would you want listeners to classify you?

Wale: The thing is that I feel that the most successful people in this business are the people that is most comfortable in their skin. Like Jeezy is 100% a motivator, He lives what he’s talking about, while he lived it. I don’t go around glorifying it, but I understand it enough. I understand it from a narrative, because I have a lot of friends who grew up in that, and I grew up in that, and I just want to tell their story because they can’t rap, or just tell it a little better because I have more people listening.

And I’m comfortable; I live in the Washington D.C. suburbs at this particular time in my life, and I’m comfortable. I’ll go on TV, cuz its not like I’m out there flippin’ birds or nothing, but more or less, to define me in one sense: I’m not out there doin’ it, but if you need it, I can make it happen. I’ll call my man, you know what I’m saying? It’s a narrative. I feel like I’m the one that everybody wants to know, but my hands are clean. That way I don’t feel like im contradiction, in any sense. I’m not trying to poison the kids, or anything like that, but at the same time I’m not trying to save the world either. That’s not my fight. My fight is to make great music, and to motivate people, and for people to understand my story and my train of thought. If in the process, I write a record, and at that point in my life I feel like somethins’ really on my heart, then I’m going to express it, and hope that people relate to it, as they have to all the rest of my records.


MS/ VM: What albums have defined your youth; hip-hop or otherwise?

Wale: Most of the go-go music that came from 92’- 99’, that’s been the soundtrack of my whole growing up. Also Doggystyle, Bob Marley & The Wailer’s Greatest Hits, the first or second Jodicie album, Kris- Kross’ first album. Just anything I could my hand’s on; Tribe, [Camp lo’s] Uptown Saturday Night, albums like that.


MS/ VM: Are there other, non-musical aspects of your life that you pull on for creativity? Family, politics, cultural (ie fashion, art, etc).

Wale: I’m around positive people, like chilling with my manager and my friends, Zay, Dan, my girl, my family, people like that. They re-inspire me to be the person that I am, the person that I write. Being around a whole bunch of people that need favors is not the life I want to live. That’s kind of the life that a lot of musicians choose. They surround themselves with a lot of people that need stuff, and I surround myself with a lot of people that I need. I need my people, my friends, and my family.

VM/ MS: Black thought has had a big influence on you as well-what is it about his style that you like?

Wale: His flow, man. It’s just his flow is so confident, so amp’d, and I hear he’s got a memory like an elephant. He just memorizes everybody’s lyrics verbatim, and his style is so cut and dry and straight to the point. It’s just his whole aura when he raps, like Jay got it. I don’t like saying Jay anymore because I know him pretty good, now. I don’t like saying “Oh Jay is such an influence on me”, even though I told him last time we were together, I was like “Man, I really look up to you”, but I was drunk. So I don’t really know Black Thought, I ain’t even met him, so I can say that, til I meet him, then I’ll have to say somebody else.

MS/ VM: How did you develop your flow?

Wale: It derived from a lot of different things. Like, Jay, both the members of Camp Lo, Lil’ Wayne, Lupe; I take from everything. I feel like that’s how you get good at what you do. Kobe takes from Jordan; Jordan was still playing when Kobe was playing.
Everybody takes from everybody. Like when I played football, I modeled my game after Berry Sanders and Warrick Dunn, those are the people I look up to, so I took from both of them.

VM/ MS: Being a native of the D.C. area, what do you think on the popularity of the 930 club?

Wale: You ready, for this? I’ve never been to the 930 club, I probably dove past it, or maybe I was there on a drunken night or something like that. They have “go-go” there, but I’ve never been to a go-go at the 930 club. Only clubs that I know for- real, for- real is that Mark Bonds got it on smash and Abdul got it on smash. That’s where I go when I go out, but go-go could really be anywhere.

MS/ VM: With some of the music that you use as a beats, you move outside of traditional hip-hop, and this has been said to cross over into your fashion as well. How would you respond to being categorized as a “blipster”/ “hipster”?

Wale: I don’t even know what a hipster is. You ain’t gonna find no hipster in D.C. or Maryland, period. I feel like I embody; for the most part maybe I might dress differently than a lot of people, but the way I dress is the way a lot of people my age is dressing now back home. Secondly, I don’t even understand what a hipster is, like I can’t wait till I get an opportunity to see what that person in Complex Magazine meant, cuz I kinda took that personal.
Just cuz I’m working with a white producer, does that mean I’m a “blipster”, or whatever that is? It’s like, are you serious? I like MUSIC. That’s the first thing you should hear when you hear about me. You should be like “He’s eclectic.” I wanna rap on everything, anything that sounds good. There isn’t anybody you can hear the beat to that “D.A.N.C.E” and say it’s not a great beat. Just because I ain’t tryin to rap on snap music, what does that mean? Hip-hop beats just don’t inspire me that much anymore. If you ask any of the top producers, candidly, what they think about the production going on in Hip-hop music, they’re going to tell you that it’s uninspiring. So when you hear something fresh, which is like our music, or you hear somebody rap on some Euro-dance music, then you’re like “Yea!” If that makes me a hipster then you know, give me some bellbottoms or whatever they wear.

Download his smash mixtape for freeeee, here!

Welcome Today, to The World of Tomorrow

Short post on futurism. If you don't watch the morning news, like me, or the rest of America not working on Wall Street or in a teacher's union, you missed the story on one of the first successful, possibly consumable, jetpacks.

The BBC reported that inventor Glenn Martin, and his guinea pig of a 16 year old son, tested out the flying machine for all of 45 seconds. Orville Wright took his Flyer for a 12-second, joyride. So yea, Martin family in effect. Orville...yr a half-assing chump.

I say all of this because, all I really want, is for the 16 year old son of a mega nerd to grow up to be the Rocketeer. As of right now, the jet packs, with their dork-protected shock absorbers are of course in their most infantile stages, and can only fly for 30 minutes, and a mile a minute. Also the Government wont let you fly the thing over congested areas, which totally shanks its super hero assisting capabilities. Hopefully by the time the kid is 21 he can fly these things for hours, and maybe the pack will have a beer holder.

The Real Hip-Hop

For some reason, everyone wants to cater to children. I never had no indie band singing to me from the pancake mountain on high. What gives?!? Kangaroo Alliance/ The Buddy System/ Kindercore of Athens, Georgia is new to the kiddy indie scene, and comes with a hilarious amount of cartoons with excessively immature aspects and sometimes guns!!!! Which is what motivated me to post these for you to enjoy and pass on to your children.

As a cool little tidbit of info, Kevin Barnes is involved (since kindercore is the label that used to exist and put out Of Montreal albums from 1998- 2001) and if this is the manifestation of his humor, animated, that makes these even better!
















[And yes, that is Of Montreal's Wraith Pinned To The Mist And Other Games]

Don't Hate Cuz its 2008

I messed up, ok? I fucked around, got involved in some covert, Viet-ching chang-cong bullshit which in my minds eye is the equivalent of job hunting. "My B." In the time I've been gone, pop songs have jumped off, road trips have taken place, and full out jack moves have gone into full effect, but you prolly don't care none too much 'bout that, right? All you're concerned with is the content that was, and the content that was not, and how we can get back to the good old days. Well let's try to work something out.

I'm not promising anything- because i'll inevitably get busy and jump ship, and then you'll start with the "why big don't call me no more" references and things will get awkward AGAIN. So lets say this for starters. I'm sorry, but I'll try to take this back to the "weekend" roots it once had, so you can get yr info, yr jollies, and yr freshly squozen piece of whatever makes this blog interesting. If it was ever even remotely interesting. I'm gonna try to recommit.





and why say anything if someone has already said it better:

Bizack with Beef

It's been a long time, I shouldnt'a left you, but I did...so lets please try to move past that. I promise that there are some things in the works that should regain your precious favor. For now, let us speak of beef, shall we?

The Clipse, my favorite VA beach coke rap duo seems to be at odds with Lil' Wayne. Wayne gave an interview with complex magazine and was all "The Clipse is tryin to be me, yada, yada, yada- beef- beef- beef". So the Clipse, in pun like fashion responded via a youtube clip. Check it out:

I'm Not A Thug

We know that goes without sayin...I mean....I do have a blog, it's rather obvious that I'm more so the inverse of thug. Plastic Little, from Philadelphia aren't thugs either. Bullies maybe, but thugs they are not. They have just released their third single tittled what else but "I'm Not A Thug" in celebration of this fact, or mourning. Either way, they currently went to the UK to promote this new jam, so they wont be around the US too soon. To see if you enjoy this brand of brash and idiotic party music, viddy these two songs, to see how you fancy them (note the brit speak cuz their in the UK-holla):

Club Banger-








Dopeness-








Plastic Little myspace

A Huge Cry From Whoville

Dang-flabit!

I was all set to go see The Grinch! Musical with my Christmastime friend, when a threat of a strike put those plans to an end.

Luckily for me, and my fellow Who's

the actors had a choice, and to not strike they did choose!

James Sanna, the producer of said adventure,

said he would keep the show open, to spread joy, merriment, and holiday splendor.

But all of a sudden, the producers' league silenced such jubilation,

and threatened the Grinch with a mild stipulation.

Those jerks and those monsters, those bastards abound,

are dedicated to the idea, of keeping The Grinch! on lock down.

The cast of the show, prevented from serving their function,

then slapped that damn league with a legal injunction!

But unfair and unjust as this fiscal malarkey still is,

those jerks and those suits have forgotten the kids.

So now we must wait, most likely past Christmas day,

much to the chagrin, tears ,and feverent dismay of not just of the audience, but those in the play.

So now that you know, perhaps change your plans? It's sad; not even Christmas can escape the grasp of "the man"....

Tis The Season Pt. 2

Back to hints!

This group, is from the UK and will soon embark on a US tour. The band is said to have a very punk rock feel, and has been written up in Drowned In Sound Magazine.

Happy Hunting!

My First Anti-Def Jam Rant

I love-love-love Def Jam for what they've done for hip-hops, so don't take this as hatin'. It's just that, they just released a rarities album that firstly, only contains 13 tracks, and secondly is limited to Nas, Ne-yo, Redman, Bobby Valentino (He's still releasing albums?), Rihanna, Fabolous, and one song from Method Man.

Oh, Ghostface doesn't have any outakes? Bullfunky! Jay-Z can release 5000000 underground tracks that I can search the internet for days to find, but if I buy an outakes album, I can't get one? I can't help but feel cheated. Maybe I've just come to expect more, or perhaps [more likely] I just haven't fully realized how corporate Def Jam has become. Weak.

The Cool- Revisited

So its just snowballin from here. After the five post from yesterday alone on Lupe, now we have a tracklist. So you can make up raps in your head to pretend you can perceive what's going on to be this album. I'm hoping "Free Chilli" is about mexican penguins (it makes sense- don't judge), and that "Hello Goodbye" is not a Bealtes cover- because that could ruin Lupe for me...

Here yo go kids:
The Cool:

01 Iesha Poem
02 Free Chilly
03 Go Go Gadget Flow
04 The Coolest
05 Superstar [ft. Mathew Santos]
06 Paris Tokyo
07 High Definition [ft. Snoop Dogg and Pooh Bear]
08 Little Weapons
09 Hip-Hop Saved My Life [ft. Nikki Jean]
10 Gold Watch
11 Street on Fire [ft. Matthew Santos]
12 Hello Goodbye
13 Gotta Eat ["Perhaps the oddest song is 'Gotta Eat', which is apparently written from the perspective of a cheeseburger and is rife with food/life metaphors."]
14 Dumb It Down [ft. Gemini and Graham Burris]
15 The Die [ft. Gemini]
16 Put You on Game
17 Fighters [ft. Matthew Santos]
18 Go Baby Go

Mo things to mention-
The album is officially slated to come out December 18th, and boast production from Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump(GAH!), UNKLE, Chris & Drop, and Soundtrakk.

Also- word is that The Cool suggests that after this album, there will be one more release titled L.U.P.N., then Lupe's done with the game. But no more on that till an interview drops or the album is analyzed.

Mo' Magic

It's been a post heavy day, and I hope that this will be the last one, so I can spend the rest of my day trying to find a job. So Mos Def- remember that dude? He released a record last year on Geffen, that only sold 86,000 copies, called Tru3 Magic. Well he's switchin gears, and jumpin ship, and is working on a new album on Downtown Recordings.

I was just talking shop with my boy Buzzed Recall about how Mos has had creative inconsistencies and fall's short of grace because of his dedication to his own craft rather than popular tastes. He is supposed to work with Kanye on this album, so I'm hopping that 'Ye can help tap into some solid expression, so that he can get the acclaim that he deserves. I just hope the sound doesn't get to glossy. Mos doesn't rock chains, or bust caps, or move weight, but he does spit hot fire. Here's to hopin!

I Did It My Way

Jay-z speaks on his growing popularity at the open of "I Did It My Way"(the Blueprint 2: The Gift & The Curse) with "They have people, waitin at the airport like five days like I'm a Beatle or somethin" before he launches into a contemplative banger about his climb to fame. The track, backed by Paul Anka didn't warrant much thought at the time, and was dismissed as Hip-hop chauvinism. A week after the release of American Gangster, it seems that perhaps, Jay is a little more like a new age Beatle(looking past the Grey Album) than we could have ever imagined.

Jay just claimed the number one spot on the Billboard 200 list, for the 10th time in his career, ting him in second place with Elvis. Number one, with 19 number ones- Da Beatles. Now, don't get all guff, and think that I'm saying Jay is going to overshadow our beloved band, but I am saying he may quickly parallel their accomplishments. It's a dizzying thought , to consider one of our own, as in our lifetime, reaching such a historic and meaningful tier. Consider how we all muse and question how there will never be another group like the Beatles, and that their talent combined with their impact and marketability have changed how music is approached today. Lofty thoughts, ya dig? I just thought, for those who, like myself, want badly for hip-hop to have a significant and huge impact on culture globally, that this could be an exciting, as well as sobering thought. Hip-hop ain't just for the block anymore, its for the ages.

Nigga

Speaking of Nas (and albums I forget to mention), the controversially titled Nigga is due out December 11th. I'm just going to stop saying "the list of albums you need to cop" because I keep sticking my blogger foot in my intermouth. I'm still lookin for word on the Fixer's album too, to add to that stupid list.

Anyway, Nas has proven to be at the helm of hip-hop consciousness, and this album will definitely help accent that. This clip is awesome because this poor white girl doesn't realize that regardless of what Nas may say, if she was talking about Nigga with any nigga, she would get those polka-dots stomped. Sorry sweetheart, those words ain't fo play-play, its really real.





It's a pretty charged debate surrounding the album, the word, and those polka-dots, but I'm gonna hold my opinion till after the 11th. Yay for social commentary!

Yes... He Was Still Fresh To Death

After reading up more on Lupe's The Cool, I has ascertained that if you don't know what you're getting yourself into, this is gonna crack any mental processing you may have once been proud of. So you need some back story to properly prep you, and to prevent any brain from oozing from your cranial orifices.

On 2006's Food & Liquor, there was a track called "The Cool", which was a metaphoric tale of ghetto ills. The main character was essentially a hip-hop zombie that refused to die. Peep lyrics to catch up some.

Flash-forward to the album of the same name, and you have this image fleshed out, with complete metaphoric characters personifying unique aspects of our beloved hood. I've said in confidence what I feel confident of saying now- Lupe may be our new Nas, more evolved, and with a distance from the appeal of involvement in underhanded dealing. I'll include an explanation of each character on the album, provided by child rebel solider.

Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool - Cast of Characters

Lupe Fiasco (star/narrator/writer/director)
Born: 1982
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois

Biography: Born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, Lupe Fiasco is a rarity in today’s record industry – an artist more concerned with creating timeless, not timely, music. After years of false-starting label deals and mixtape dominance, Fiasco broke through the mainstream’s shield in early 2006 with “Kick Push,” a breezy skateboarder’s ballad that only hinted at his lyrical wizardry. Such verbal gifts became crystal clear on his critically lauded debut, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor. Having brushed with fame while admirably maintaining his integrity, Fiasco is now taking his substance-over-style approach to new, conceptual levels on his sophomore effort, Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool.

Cool Points
- In 2005, Fiasco delivered a scene-stealing verse on Kanye West’s hit single, “Touch The Sky.”
- Fiasco was nominated for three Grammy Awards—Best Rap Solo Performance (“Kick Push”); Best Rap Song (“Kick Push”); and Best Rap Album (Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor).
- In addition to the Grammys, Fiasco was also honored at the 2007 BET Awards (Best New Artist nomination) and 2007 Soul Train Awards (Best New R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist nomination for “I Gotcha”).
- His most nominations came at the 2007 BET Hip Hop Awards: Hip Hop CD of the Year (Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor); Hip Hop Video of the Year (“Kick Push”); Rookie of the Year; and Element Award – Lyricist of the Year.
- Through Atlantic Records, his homebase, Fiasco launched his own company, 1st & 15th Entertainment. His first artist (outside of his own projects) will be Gemini.
- In January 2006, Fiasco signed a deal with Reebok. As part of the footwear/apparel company’s “O.G.” campaign, he designed his own sneaker.
- GQ Magazine named Fiasco as the “Breakout Man of the Year” for 2006.

Michael Young History
Born: March 2006
Birthplace: Every Hood, USA

Biography: Since his early childhood days, Michael Young History was conflicted. Raised by a single, hard-working mother, History never really knew his father, a man who abandoned both History and his baby sister. This lack of paternal guidance turned an otherwise intelligent, promising boy into a drug-selling, money-grubbing Scarface-wannabe. Starting off as merely a petty crook, History’s torrid affair with his mentor’s (Game) wife, The Streets, sent him on a downward spiral of greed, deception, and, ultimately, death.

Cool Point
- An unabashed atheist, History anointed his own “holy trinity”—himself, Streets and The Cool.

The Cool
Resurrected: Amongst the undead since September 2006
Birthplace: Six feet under the Earth’s surface

Biography: The Cool is the physical manifestation of History’s debt to humanity. Payback for every user abused and every family torn apart by History, The Cool walks amongst the living as a zombie. “He” – that term used lightly, considering The Cool isn’t human – reeks of death, an ironic contrast to his polished three-piece-suit appearance. Searching for his purpose, The Cool haunts The Streets.

Cool Points
- His only possessions—two diamond earrings, a gold chain, and a letter from History’s eight-year-old sister.
- Despite the long-finished settling of rigor mortis, the sharp sensation of three bullets constantly causes aching in The Cool.
- Only one thought plays in his head like a broken record – “Hustler for death, no heaven for a gangster.”

The Game
Born: Given life the moment the snake suckered Adam and Eve
Birthplace: The Garden of Eden

Biography: An immortal, soulless entity, The Game scours city blocks and country landscapes with equal menace. Scheming from morning until night, he changes targets like the wind – hustlers, politicians, celebrities, and impressionable youth have all succumbed to his charms. His most valued accomplice is his wife, The Streets. Together, this “Bonnie and Clyde” duo have affected the lives of every man, woman, and child. The victim closest to their affections, however, was Michael Young History, a tortured man seeking acceptance through fame and fortune. Of course, nothing from The Game comes without a price.

Cool Points
- Quite convincing, his foolproof method of touching minds is through blunt fingertips.
- Through his wire-tapped ears, he’s able to hear the approaching of any enemy.
- When not hovering over common society, he lives behind bars, plotting ways to see his son, Heroine, and secretly conversing with his marital lover, The Streets.
- Despite carrying out such heartless actions, The Game does have a blood-pumping system – an amplified system pumping beats through woofer-like veins.

The Streets
Born: Conceived thousands of years ago, when the first paths and roads were paved.
Birthplace: Unknown

Biography: A temptress like none other, The Streets possesses an uncanny knack for seduction and betrayal. An equal opportunity heartbreaker, she exudes an allure irresistible to both men and women. Some have accused her of pedophilia, having lured people into her tangled web at ages as immature as eight years old. The word “love” isn’t in her vocabulary –although The Game is her admitted soulmate. Yet, The Streets has always felt a peculiarly strong connection with Michael Young History.

Cool Points
- Often referred to by her condemners as a “demon in a dress.”
- No stranger to loss, she’s tattooed the names of her murdered ex-boyfriends across her breasts.
- Her ambitions are clear upon eye contact, with dollar signs in the place of her pupils.
- Witnesses to History’s slaying reported seeing brown, almost Hennessy-colored tears roll down The Streets.