Artist Spotlight: T’trotta of the Merc Boyz

In this week’s artist spotlight, I had a chance to sit down with up and coming rapper T’Trotta. He is most known famously for the Merc Boyz (Big Hurt and T’trotta) smash hit “One O’clock”  and his solo single “I Feel So Good”.  T’trotta has dropped numerous of singles and mixtapes with his other half, Big Hurt. On January 1, 2011, T’trotta made his solo debut with the alias titled mixtape “Key 2 Da Streetz”.  T’trotta is expected to drop his second solo project in February entitled Campaign Musik and his album entitled “Key 2 Da Streetz - Da Lock-Up.” Check out the interview below!

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RS: Tell the people a little bit about who you are and where you from.

Trotta: Well you know Im T’trotta, also known as “Key 2 Da Streetz (K2DS)”. I am a Southern artist associated with Lil T601 and his Hustle Hard Campaign enterprise. I was born in Clarksdale, MS, then later moved to Greenwood, MS at the age of 17.

RS: Clarksdale, MS, that’s straight down 61, home of the blues and artists like Rick Ross and actor Morgan Freeman. That’s whats up. How did you earn the alias “Key 2 Da Streetz” or K2DS?

Trotta: “Key 2 Da Streetz” was a name that was given to me by a fellow Hustle Hard affiliate meaning if the streetz are on lock then, I got the key. I liked and decided to use it.

RS: What is  #CampaignMusik and Hustle Hard Campaign?

Trotta: “Campaign Musik” is the name of my second solo mixtape. I named it “Campaign Musik” because for one, it originated from the company, Hustle Hard Campaign; and two “Campaign”  is like your election, your promotion. The things you do to put you on the top. The “Hustle Hard” part speaks for itself.

RS:  When and how did you become interested in rap music?

Trotta: I was always into music and free-styling, but I recorded my first track in 2003 called “Shake Something” with da Dirty South Sluggers.  We got that song circulating around the town, the people started listening and that’s how we got started.

RS: I remember that track Shake Something, it was a southern club banger! Didn’t realize you was in the mix dawg.  What do you think it will take to put Mississippi on the Map as a competitor for hip hop artists or do you feel Mississippi is properly represented?

Trotta: No. I feel that it is not nearly enough unity in this state. I also feel that the only way for this state to compete with the “big dawgs” is to form unity.

RS: Do you think hip hop is headed in the right direction?

Trotta: No!

RS: Who are your musical influences?

Trotta: (laughs) Lil T601

RS: Let me get back to your style of music specifically. What separates your style of rap from other rappers and makes your music unique?

Trotta: Because I’m unique, and I rap about me, u feel me?! I created my own style based on me and my everyday life.

RS: If you could work with an artist right now, who would it be and why?

Trotta: I would work with anybody serious, independent or mainstream. This is what I do and if you serious, let’s get it.

RS: Tell me Trotta, where can your music be purchased or downloaded?

Trotta:  You can download my music is off www.hustlehardcampaign.com but you can find me on other sites such as datpiff, Itunes, etc.



RS: How can people interested in your music reach you? (facebook, twitter, youtube, reverbnation, websites)

Trotta:  You can follow me on twitter @T_trotta, look me up at Facebook.com/Ttrotta   Subscribe to me on youtube at  Youtube.com/mercboyz43 http://www.datpiff.com/profile/mercboyz43, http://www.hustlehardcampaign.com/, Or by email, TtrottaHHC@gmail.com

RS: Do you have any upcoming album releases, mixtapes or events coming up?

Trotta:  Yea, I got that “Campaign Musik” mixtape scheduled to drop in February and my album “Key 2 Da Streetz - Da Lock Up”  dropping late 2012.

RS: Trotta I wanna thank you for taking time out of your schedule to do this interview with me. Man, best of luck in the music game and we look forward to hearing more from you. Do you have any shoutouts u want to make?

Trotta: Yea, shoutouts out to  Hustle Hard Campaign man. Shoutouts to all the artists gringind and campaigning to be on the top. Shoutouts to the whole "Sipp" (Mississippi) my nigga! #Campaign

After 3OTs, Grizzlies lose steam to the Thunder: Series tied 2-2

Memphis - (Ron Tillery reporting) What do you call an NBA playoff game that features collapses, comebacks, clutch shots, is a credit to both teams’ will to win and doesn’t abide by anyone’s clock?
A classic.

That best describes the Grizzlies’ 133-123 triple overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal Monday night at FedExForum.

Not only is the best-of-seven series tied 2-2 but it is clearly marking the infancy of a budding rivalry, and a long, fierce fight for the right to play Dallas in the conference finals.

Everything about the nearly four-hour affair between the Griz-Thunder suggested as much.
Memphis led by 18 points in the second period. Oklahoma City stormed back and took a 10-point advantage midway in the fourth.

The Griz got a clutch, fourth-quarter 3-pointer from Mike Conley to initially extend the game. Then, rookie Greivis Vasquez connected on a miraculous long-range shot that forced even more time.
In the end, though, the Thunder had more energy and more key players on the floor in the third overtime. With the game knotted at 121, the Thunder put away the Griz with a 10-2 run that included the final eight points of the game.

Game 5 is set Wednesday in Oklahoma City if either team has enough energy left to play it.
Griz big men Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol each played 56-plus minutes. Randolph finished with 34 points and 16 rebounds. Gasol had 26 points and 21 boards. The Thunder offset that with Russell Westbrook’s career playoff-high 40 points and Kevin Durant’s 35-point and 13-rebound outing.

“It’s a tough loss,” Randolph said. “You’ve got to give (the Thunder) credit. They played well and hit big shots. Their two star players hit big shots toward the end of the game.”

Oklahoma City, which lost Game 3 in overtime after blowing a 16-point lead, reclaimed home-court advantage in dramatic fashion.

“This game is something people are going to be talking about for a while,” Durant said. “I'm glad I’m a part of it.”
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Now that the series is tied 2-2, we are back to square one. Although the Grizz travel to Oklahoma for game 5, I am confident this series will go through for seven games, with that game back in Okc. We need this one. BELIEVE is the team's motto, and I am doing just that.  Before I conclude, I would also like to commend the fans for an outstanding SUPPORT system for our Memphis Grizzlies. This game goes down in NBA history.

Video Premier: Nicki Minaj: Super Bass

It seems Nicki is back at it again. I am not sure this is hip-hop or Pop-Hop but whatever it is, I am sure the #teenyboppers will claim it is the best in music since Do the Stanky leg. Per Bossip, check the video below.

Tornadoes devastate South, killing at least 280

PLEASANT GROVE, Ala. – Firefighters searched one splintered pile after another for survivors Thursday, combing the remains of houses and neighborhoods pulverized by the nation's deadliest tornado outbreak in almost four decades. At least 280 people were killed across six states — more than two-thirds of them in Alabama, where large cities bore the half-mile-wide scars the twisters left behind.
The death toll from Wednesday's storms seems out of a bygone era, before Doppler radar and pinpoint satellite forecasts were around to warn communities of severe weather. Residents were told the tornadoes were coming up to 24 minutes ahead of time, but they were just too wide, too powerful and too locked onto populated areas to avoid a horrifying body count.
The storms seemed to hug the interstate highways as they barreled along like runaway trucks, obliterating neighborhoods or even entire towns from Tuscaloosa to Bristol, Va. One family rode out the disaster in the basement of a funeral home, another by huddling in a tanning bed.
In Concord, a small town outside Birmingham that was ravaged by a tornado, Randy Guyton's family got a phone call from a friend warning them to take cover. They rushed to the basement garage, piled into a Honda Ridgeline and listened to the roar as the twister devoured the house in seconds. Afterward, they saw daylight through the shards of their home and scrambled out.
"The whole house caved in on top of that car," he said. "Other than my boy screaming to the Lord to save us, being in that car is what saved us."
Son Justin remembers the dingy white cloud moving quickly toward the house.
"To me it sounded like destruction," the 22-year-old said. "It was a mean, mean roar. It was awful."
At least three people died in a Pleasant Grove subdivision southwest of Birmingham, where residents trickled back Thursday to survey the damage. Greg Harrison's neighborhood was somehow unscathed, but he remains haunted by the wind, thunder and lightning as they built to a crescendo, then suddenly stopped.
"Sick is what I feel," he said. "This is what you see in Oklahoma and Kansas. Not here. Not in the South."
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said his state had confirmed 194 deaths. There were 33 deaths in Mississippi, 33 in Tennessee, 14 in Georgia, five in Virginia and one in Kentucky. Hundreds if not thousands of people were injured — 600 in Tuscaloosa alone.
Some of the worst damage was about 50 miles southwest of Pleasant Grove in Tuscaloosa, a city of more than 83,000 that is home to the University of Alabama. A tower-mounted news camera there captured images of an astonishingly thick, powerful tornado flinging debris as it leveled neighborhoods.
That twister and others Wednesday were several times more severe than a typical tornado, which is hundreds of yards wide, has winds around 100 mph and stays on the ground for a few miles, said research meteorologist Harold Brooks at the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla.
"There's a pretty good chance some of these were a mile wide, on the ground for tens of miles and had wind speeds over 200 mph," he said.
The loss of life is the greatest from an outbreak of U.S. tornadoes since April 1974, when 329 people were killed by a storm that swept across 13 Southern and Midwestern states.
Brooks said the tornado that struck Tuscaloosa could be an EF5 — the strongest category of tornado, with winds of more than 200 mph — and was at least the second-highest category, an EF4.

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BELIEVE MEMPHIS: GRIZZ MANHANDLE SPURS 104-86

Electrifying! Magnificent! Exhilarating! BEASTLY! All those are words than be used to describe the level of intensity and endurance displayed by the Memphis Grizzlies as we hammered the San Antonio Grizzlies in Game 4 at Fedex Forum in Memphis, TN. You can literally feel the energy from the team and let me give a big HI-FIVE to all the ENTHUSIASTIC fans who came out and rallied the Grizzlies on!!!

Ronald Tillery - (Commerical Appeal) Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins walked into the locker room at halftime and basically hypnotized his players into thinking they were down a bunch.


They trailed by only two points, but Hollins wasn’t at all happy with the energy level. So he implored his troops to rush out into the second half and play with a sense of desperation.
“We responded well,” Griz forward Zach Randolph said.

That would be an understatement.

The Grizzlies opened the third quarter on a 14-0 run fueled by the scrappy, defensive play that has defined their season and pulled away Monday night for a 104-86 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series.

A sold-out crowd of 18,119 in FedExForum watched the Spurs fall into a trance, too. San Antonio wilted, turning the ball over seven times in the third, after hitting Memphis with its best half of basketball in the series.

“They put their foot on our neck and they never let up,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Memphis, the eighth seed, is on the verge of making top-seeded San Antonio cry uncle. The Griz now own a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, which shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Wednesday.

The Griz are trying to become the second eighth seed to beat a No. 1 seed since Golden State upset Dallas in 2007. Like he has all series, Hollins refuses to look too far ahead.
Perhaps that’s a show of respect to the Spurs. But the Griz didn’t have much regard for the former champions in a game they led by as many as 24 points. Neither team won by more than six points in the first three games.

Arthur electrified the towel-waving crowd by making a series of 18-foot shots as the Griz established their lead. An Arthur jump shot ended that decisive third. The Griz won the period 30-15 and led 78-65 when the final frame began.


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Mom 2 Kids: You're Going to Die With Me (Hudson River Drowning)

Lashanda Armstrong (right) drove her minivan into the Hudson, killing 2-year-old Lance (back), 5-year-old Landon (front center) and 11-month-old Lainaina (below). Lashaun (left), 10, survived.

he unhinged mother who drove her minivan off a Newburgh dock and into the Hudson River told her four children that she wasn't leaving this world alone.
"If I'm going to die, you're going to die with me," Lashanda Armstrong told the children before the vehicle sank to the bottom of the river just before 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the only surviving child told authorities.
Armstrong's 10-year-old son, Lashaun, escaped the doomed family minivan - opening a power window and swimming to safety in the two minutes it took for the vehicle to sink.
But as he wriggled out of the window, his mother snatched his pants leg. "I made a mistake," she said before finally releasing the boy, the child told authorities.
After swimming to shore, the dripping-wet Lashaun made it to the road, where he was picked up by Meave Ryan, a good Samaritan who took the boy to a nearby firehouse.
"He was waving his hands, screaming 'Help me!'" said Ryan, 31. "He said, 'My mommy just drove the car into the water.'"
Shivering and barely able to speak, little Lashaun told firefighters how his mother had launched the van into the river with his siblings inside and how, just moments before, she dialed her dad for help, the kids screaming in the background.
"I'm sorry, I'm going to do something crazy," Armstrong said, according to the boy's story.

Police wouldn't confirm details of the domestic dispute that preceded the murder-suicide inside the tan van, but neighbors said Armstrong and longtime boyfriend Jean Pierre were frequent fighters in their second-floor home.

Armstrong, who battled with Pierre over his womanizing, had twice asked to get the apartment locks changed in a six-month period - most recently in March, the building landlord said.

Pierre - nicknamed "Prime" - was the father of the three dead children. He began dating Armstrong, 25, when they were in high schoo

Publish Post

l.

A 22-year-old neighbor said she and Pierre had a three-month affair while Armstrong was pregnant last year with her last child, 11-month-old Lainaina.

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My prayers are to the family for their loss. It so tragic that she did all of this because of a cheating baby daddy who was allegedly sleeping with a neighbor for months.  It seems people do not value life anymore and put all of their emotions and feelings into how others treat them. We are living in  a sad world today.

Grizzlies gear up for Playoffs against Spurs after loss to Clippers

LOS ANGELES --- Rest and recuperation.
That, not necessarily a win for the better part of three quarters, is what the Grizzlies went for Wednesday night in their regular-season finale. The Griz didn’t play three starters in a 110-103 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in Staples Center.
The Griz will enter the NBA playoffs this weekend as the eighth seed in the Western Conference and they are set to face the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
Memphis and New Orleans both finished with 46-36 records, but the Hornets are the No. 7 seed because they hold the tiebreaker over the Grizzlies.
“We knew we were playing against a great team either way,” Griz forward Shane Battier said. “(The Spurs) play good at home and on the road. We have our work cut out for us. I told the guys its the playoffs but it’s still basketball. … We can’t get caught up in the fact that it’s the playoffs.”
The Griz-Spurs series will open with two games in San Antonio, beginning Sunday at noon. Game 2 will take place Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The series shifts to FedExForum April 23 for Games 3 at 6:30 p.m. The Griz will also host Game 4 with a time to be determined.
“We’ve played some good games,” Griz guard O.J. Mayo said of the regular-season series with the Spurs. “We just have to believe in ourselves and believe in what we’re doing.”
The teams split its four-game season series at 2-2. The Griz and Spurs each won their home games.

Projected Schedule:

Game 1 - Sunday, Grizzlies at San Antonio, noon, TNT
Game 2 - Wednesday, Grizzlies at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3 - April 23, San Antonio vs. Grizzlies at FedExForum, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 - April 25, San Antonio vs. Grizzlies at FedExForum, TBA
Game 5 (if necessary) - April 27, Grizzlies at San Antonio, TBA
Game 6 (if necessary) - April 29, San Antonio vs. Grizzlies, TBA
Game 7 (if necessary) - May 1, Grizzlies at San Antonio, TBA


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Lesson Learned: Kobe fined 100K by NBA for Derogatory Comments

The National Basketball Association fined Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers $100,000 on Wednesday for "offensive and inexcusable" comments he made during Tuesday night's game, the league said in a statement.

Bryant used an expletive and an anti-gay slur directed at a referee after receiving a technical foul in a game against the San Antonio Spurs.

In a pregame phone call Wednesday night to Joe Solomonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, Bryant apologized for using the slur, the commission said in a statement.

"We had a very sincere conversation in which he expressed his heartfelt regret for the hurt that his words caused," Solomonese said. "He told me that it's never OK to degrade or tease, and that he understands how his words could unfortunately give the wrong impression that this is appropriate conduct. At the end of a difficult day, I applaud Kobe for coming forward and taking responsibility for his actions."

Earlier, Bryant issued a statement saying his remarks should not be taken literally. "My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period," he said. "The words expressed do not reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were not meant to offend anyone."

• Kobe Bryant
• National Basketball Association
• Los Angeles Lakers
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But, said NBA Commissioner David Stern in a statement, "Kobe Bryant's comment during last night's game was offensive and inexcusable. While I'm fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated. Accordingly, I have fined Kobe $100,000. Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society."
The Human Rights Campaign said earlier it supported the fine.

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18 Year Old Accidentally Shoots and Kills Twin Brother

(Bolivar, TN 4/13/2011) An 18-year-old died after his twin brother accidentally shot him in the face Tuesday.

At 11:57 a.m., Bolivar police responded to a call in the 300 block of East Jackson Street.

There, the police chief said they were met by 18-year-old Jarmall Williams.

"He directed us into a home and we found his twin brother laying on the bedroom floor," said Bolivar Police Chief Bill Irons.

Irons said that the victim, Jeremy Williams, had suffered a gunshot wound to the face.

He was airlifted to The MED, where he died early Wednesday morning.

His twin, who allegedly pulled the trigger, was distraught.

"Very distressed," Irons said. "To the extreme of being in distress. Took a while just to get him to calm down and tell us what had gone on."

Jarmall Williams allegedly told police they had purchased the .380 semi-automatic handgun illegally, off the streets.

Irons said once the investigation is complete, the department will determine whether charges should be filed.

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Kelly Rowland Gives you "MOTIVATION" in new Video

It seems the R&B Diva has found a new swag with her new video MOTIVATION which features a lot of bumping and grinding along with the most recognizable voice in hip hop Lil Wayne. The video is oozing with sexuality and even includes a woman rubbing Kelly down. All this is a part of her revamping to make the world recognize that Kelly Rowland is back! After a new duo with Nelly entitled "GONE", Ms. Rowland is set to be a force this season. Peep the video below




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HATE it or NOT: GRIZZLIES beat Celtics 90-87

Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies celebrates after he made a three point shot in the second half against the Celtics on Wednesday in Boston, Massachusetts. The Grizzlies won 90-87. (Elsa/Getty Images)

BOSTON — Grizzlies newcomers Tony Allen and Leon Powe received a warm welcome from the TD Garden crowd during player introductions.

The former Boston Celtics players gladly absorbed the appreciation. They were just as happy to send the Celtics crowd home sad.

Allen and Powe took their return to Boston personally and the Grizzlies treated the start of a two-game excursion like a business trip. The result for the Grizzlies on Wednesday night was a 90-87 victory over the Boston Celtics, followed by a loud celebration from the visitors’ locker room.

“You see the smile on my face,” said Powe, who tied Zach Randolph with a team-high 13 points off the bench.
The Griz (40-32) began their toughest week of the remaining schedule on the right foot, considering that the surging Chicago Bulls are next Friday. Memphis then hosts the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.


The Grizzlies’ largest lead of the night was 36-26 in the second period, largely because of Powe’s work on both ends of the court.
“This team plays my style of ball,” Powe said. “It’s a post-up team. I felt like I got in a rhythm and the guys worked hard. This was a good win for us. It’s huge. It just adds fuel to our confidence.”


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ALL I CAN SAY IS GO GRIZZLIES!!!!!! 

WTF: Woman Eats Needle in Chili's Mashed Potatoes

A New Mexico woman bit into a meal at Chili's and wound up with a 2-inch needle in her tongue, according to a lawsuit.

Ashely Phillips, 23, was chowing down on ribs and mashed potatoes in July when the mishap left her in pain. Then there was the alarm over whether she had been exposed to a life-threatening disease.
Phillips said Chili's employees quickly took away the needle and a manager refused to hand it back to her when she and her husband returned to request it for testing. She said the company took 52 days to send the needle to a testing lab.

In the meantime, Phillips said she tested negative for HIV, hepatitis and other potential infections. But she has stopped nursing her 2-month-old child.

"I had to stop nursing my son," Phillips told the Farmington Daily Times. "Nursing is so important for an infant's health and emotional development that we are suing for emotional damages."
The lawsuit was filed in the San Juan County District Court on March 9.
The couple said the needle tested negative when the chain got the results back. But Phillips said there's no way to know whether the needle was cleaned.

"It takes a while for some of these things to show up," she said. "We have to go back for more testing in a year."
Representatives at Chili's declined to comment.

Mitch Burns, attorney for Phillips, said his client was "injured by the needle once and then twice by Chili's corporate office who failed to produce the needle" soon after it was requested.

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I guess its a good idea to look at your food before you eat it? I wonder if she was texting on her phone and just picking up food? At any rate, OUCH!!!!!! I am sure she has nightmares about eating out in any restaurant

RIP Nate Dogg: Hip Hop Legend

One of rap's most lauded male hook singers, Long Beach, California native Nate Dogg (born Nathaniel Hale) died on Tuesday at the age of 41 after several years of health problems.
With his deep, melodic voice and smooth soul rumble, Dogg was one of the key elements in the rise of the West Coast G-Funk sound pioneered by Death Row Records in the early 1990s. Though overshadowed by such peers as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Warren G, Nate was a critical participant in a number of major left-coast gangsta hits, including G's "Regulate" and Dre's iconic solo debut, 1992's The Chronic.
Hale's death was first reported by the Long Beach Press Telegram, which noted that his family announced his death on Tuesday. The cause of death was not announced at press time, but Hale had struggled with serious health issues recently, including suffering a massive stroke in 2007 that left him partially paralyzed and another the following year. A spokesperson for the singer could not be reached for comment at press time for further details on his passing.
Nate was a four-time Grammy nominee, earning his first nod in 1995 for the legendary Warren G collaboration "Regulate," followed by another in 2001 for providing a hook to the Dre and Snoop tune "The Next Episode." He earned his third notice in 2002 for singing on Ludacris' "Area Codes" and another in 2007 for his work on Eminem's "Shake That.

"We lost a true legend n hip hop n rnb" tweeted Snoop. "One of my best friends n a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at poly high where we met. I love u buddy luv. U will always b wit me 4ever n a day u put the g n g funk u put the 1 n 213 n u put yo stamp on evrybdy u ever didit wit ... I miss u cuzz I am so sad but so happy I got to grow up wit u and I will c u again n heaven cuz u know d slogan. ... All doggs go to heaven yo homie n baby brotha bigg snoopdogg!!"
"R.I.P. TO MY HOMEBOY NATE DOGG DPGC DOGG POUND GANGSTA 4 LIFE," tweeted Daz.
"There is a certain void in hip hop's heart that can never be filled. Glad we got to make history together. RT @SnoopDogg: RIP NATE DOGG," tweeted Ludacris.

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RIP Nate Dogg. I will always remember you from Regulators as a child growing up. You truly had a voice that was recognizable in the hip hop game. We need more artists with your style. You will be missed brother.
 

Poet Spotlight: Audaciously Speaking (Utronda Wilson)

It gives me pleasure to spotlight my cousin that I grew up with in the rural Mississippi Delta of Ruleville, Utronda "Audaciously Speaking" Wilson. Not only did we graduate from high school together (Ruleville Central High School Class of 1997), we also completed our undergraduate studies together at Rust College in Holly Springs, MS (Class of 2003).  Audacious is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, incorporated. I am so proud of her accomplishments thus far. Below you will find more information about Audacious via her website www.audaciouslyspeaking.webs.com

BOLD, DARING, and COURAGEOUS are all adjectives often used to describe Dallas newest poet/author, Audacious.  Birthed through the intoxicating waters of the Mississippi Delta she arrived in the Metroplex of Dallas/Fort Worth and definitively made her mark on the literary world.

 

Growing up in Ruleville Mississippi, the wild child of the late E. V. "Jug" and Christine Wilson, she discovered through life's hurdles that there is power in words.  Audacious fell in love with the word early in life first taking stage at the age of twelve while being inspired by her favorite author Nikki Giovanni.  Life has lead her to travel around the world from Africa to New York spreading her positive messages of uplift and outreach. 

 

In 2008, she catapulted her journey and founded Audaciously Speaking, dedicated to change, and regeneration through spoken word.  Often described as infectious, Audacious provides experiences through her revolutionary style of poetry.  She has allowed her words to possess her taking stage at venues such as The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, The University of Texas at Arlington, Café Madrid, Embargo, Tephejez and Absinthe Lounge to name just a few.  Her own Evolution of Spoken Word is an Annual Red Carpet event to raise literary awareness. 

 

In 2009, Audacious launched the Backpack Foundation to support sponsored schools with the supplies they need to equip today's youth to become tomorrow's leaders.  She continues to be a motivational force both in the community, and on stage. 

 

While in 2010, she completed her first state wide tour "The Southern Made Tour" covering 5 states with tour-mate Lady BSmoove.  She also became the fourth member of the National Fort Worth Poetry Slam Team, ranking 24th in the nation ed Team in the Nation in 2010. 

 

I Can Make Walls Talk is her published work of spoken word and poetry (Released Date:  October 2009) was named BEST LITERARY WORK of 2010 by The Legacy of Success Foundation and is an open invitation to experience the one, the only, AUDACIOUS.

 

For more information about Audacious, her work, and booking information, visit http://audaciouslyspeaking.webs.com/

Way 2 Go: Michael Vick picks up another endorsement deal

Donnie McClurkin sung a song that is perfect for the Michael Vick situation that includes the words "WE FALL DOWN, BUT WE GET UP." A few years ago, it seems PETA and the rest of the world hammered the NFL superstar over his ties with fighting pitbulls.  Vick was sentenced to prison and served his time. In my opinion, he did the crime and completed his time now we must move on and quit hampering on the past. Well it seems I am not the only one who thinks the same way about Mike Vick who has, despite negativity, has returned to play in the NFL.

The controversial player signed on to rep Core Synergy titanium-infused silicone wristbands.

Vick will be joining fellow NFL players Pittsburgh Steeler Maurkice Pouncey and Green Bay Packer A.J. Hawk who also inked a deal with the Lutte Licensing Group, the makers of the Core bands.
The high-tech silicone bracelets tout improved flexibility, balance and increased core strength. They are quickly becoming a fad among athletes.

Now, the powers that be at Core Synergy are ecstatic that Vick decided to come on-board to rep their brand:

"We are extremely excited to add Michael Vick to our list of outstanding athlete endorsers," says Michael H. DiSabato, CEO of Lutte Licensing Group. "Michael epitomizes what the Core Synergy brand stands for. He's a pure, authentic athlete who dominates one of the most competitive sports in the world.

 Do you think this is a good deal? Personally I do
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KOBE BRYANT: 13 Degrees of Superiority

The name Kobe Bryant is to the NBA as Beyonce's name is to bootylicious: WORLDWIDE! An article by Steven Barboza of the Atlanta Post recently discussed the 13 degrees of Kobe Bryant. I will list a few of them.

1st Degree: Salary King Kobe
Last April, legendary NBA-er Kobe Bryant signed a three-year, $83.5 million extension on his contract with the LA Lakers, which meant he would be paid $108 million over four years, with $30.5 million due for the 2013-14 NBA season alone.

In 2013, Bryant will earn $371,951 per game, not including incentives or bonuses – and he will play at least 82 games. “That’s a nice chunk of change,” said BonafideSports.com website owner Hugh Lewis. “Right now he’s at the top of his game, and nobody on the court can touch him salary-wise.”
Bryant is the highest-paid NBA player this season. The second highest-paid, Orlando’s Rashard Lewis, will earn $20.5 million. With the sole exception of Michael Jordan (who earned $33.1 million in 1998), no NBA player has ever earned a fatter salary than Bryant in a single year.

2nd Degree: Marketing Maverick
As basketball royalty, Bryant gives assists to many big-name corporations, from clothing companies to soft drink kings. In 2010, in Forbes’s list of the world’s best-paid athletes, Bryant, with earnings of $48 million, ranked third behind Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan.
Bryant graced the cover of Forbes back in the 90s, when he signed a six-year contract with Adidas worth about $48 million. He then signed a $40 million deal with Nike. His other deals: endorsements for the Coca-Cola Company, McDonald’s, Spalding, Upper Deck, Italian chocolate company Ferrer SpA’s brand Nutella, and the Russell Corporation.

4th Degree: Man of La Mamba
Bryant nicknamed himself the Black Mamba, after one of the world’s deadliest snakes, not exactly a kid-friendly name. His reason? “The mamba can strike with 99% accuracy at maximum speed, in rapid succession. That’s the kind of basketball precision I want to have.”

8th Degree: One Sleek Fleet
When slumming, Bryant rides in expensive cars – chic, precision instruments as fine-tuned as his jump shot.
If you peek into his garage, you will find a half-dozen of his favorite things.
#1  Range Rover: $94,000. Horsepower: 510. White Rover; pink car seat for the kid.
#2  Ferrari F430: Well over $300,000. Can hit 60 mph in under four seconds. Kobe’s comment on driving it: “It feels like you’re strapped onto a rocket.”
#3 & #4  Bentley Continental GT Coupe (MSRP $189,900) and Bentley Azure Milliner (MSRP $334,990): Who wouldn’t want book-end Bentleys?
#5  Cadillac Escalade (MSRP $63,160): When you’re cruising with six- and seven-foot high-earners, you need a XXXL SUV ensconced in luxury.
#6  1963 Chevrolet Impala ($38,995): For leisurely drives along the Pacific Coast Highway.

9th Degree: Kobe’s World
“Kobe is easily the most popular American NBA player among the Chinese,” said Tony Perkins, host of “Sports Scene,” an ESPN-style show on China Central Television (CCTV). ”He comes to China every off-season on a tour that includes visiting schools and playgrounds, and often answers questions at an auditorium session in Beijing.”

13th Degree: A Career for the Record Books
Finally, Kobe Bryant will be remembered mainly for his athletic ability. He ranks as one of the greatest basketball players in history. He led the NBA in scoring during the 2005-06 and 2006-07 season, holds numerous scoring records, and led the LA Lakers to consecutive championships in 2009 and 2010 (he holds 5 championship rings). He was named NBA Finals MVP on both occasions.
He is the leading scorer in Lakers history, started in every NBA All-Star Game, and won the All-Star MVP award in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011. He was also named NBA Player of the Decade by Sporting News and TNT.
Among his most amazing achievements: scoring 81 points in a single game, the second highest point total in NBA history. Only one NBA-er has topped that – Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 100 points in a game in 1962. But that’s another story.

To catch all of the degrees of Kobe Bryant
visit the source
image courtesy: GQ magazine



 

SMH: Party crashers beat teen to death in NY after yelling anti-gay slurs

We really need to go back to the days when Dr. Phil and the rest of these "DONT SPANK YOUR CHILD" believers were nonexistent because children/teens today do not have respect for anyone or anything. It is a shame that a straight teenager, attending a party hosted by two gay friends, was beaten to death after he decided to leave a party when thugs showed up and clowned.


Party crashers yelled anti-gay slurs, then beat and stomped a teen to death at a Queens birthday bash, sources and witnesses said.

Anthony Collao, 18, a recent high school graduate who wanted to help run his family's ice cream business, died Monday at Jamaica Hospital.

It's not clear why Collao was targeted. Friends said he had a girlfriend and was not gay - though the two men who threw the party are openly gay.

Four suspects - Alex Velez, 16, of the Bronx, and Nolis Ogando, Christopher Lozada and Luis Tabales, all 17 and from Queens - were arrested soon after the Saturday incident.

Lozada was wearing the victim's Atlanta Braves baseball cap, and the others were covered in blood, sources said.

They were arraigned Monday night on charges of manslaughter and assault in Queens Criminal Court and were each held on bail of $100,000 to $200,000.

They came uninvited to the Woodhaven party - advertised on Facebook - and refused to pay a $7 cover charge. They stormed the 90th St. home, busting windows and picking fights, witnesses said.
The party was held in an abandoned home without electricity, lawyers for the suspects said.
The crashers flashed gang signs, yelled anti-gay slurs and scrawled epithets in red marker on the walls, the two party hosts said.

"They called us homos and all kinds of stuff," said one of the men, who was celebrating his 20th birthday.
Sensing trouble, Collao left with a friend and was chased, sources said. The gang caught up to him, pinned him against a car and "beat him to within an inch of his life," a source said.
He was kicked and punched. Velez carried a pipe, sources said.
Collao was on life support until Monday.

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ZBO Leads Grizzlies against Clippers 105- 82

If you havent been excited about the Grizzlies before, now is most definitely the time. The Memphis Grizzlies (37-31) continue to prove to the NBA that they are a force to be dealt with. 
heir foibles had been written on a white board for all to see and digest.
The Grizzlies spent the past two weeks allowing opponents to shoot about 50 percent. They gambled too much in the passing lanes, didn't contest enough shots and lacked the ball pressure the coaching staff expects.
"We've been atrocious," Griz forward Shane Batter said.
All of that changed Monday night during their 105-82 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in FedExForum.
The Griz went from atrocious and back to attack mode, snapping a two-game losing streak before a crowd of 15,989.
Memphis (37-31) never trailed and never allowed the Clippers to get closer than 12 points in the second half behind the power of Zach Randolph's 30-point, 12-rebound performance and a stronger defensive effort than they had displayed in the past seven outings.
"It was an important game for us," Randolph said. "We came out with a lot of energy. We came out focused. We did what we had to do. We took care of business on the defensive end."
The Grizzlies) were more physical. They were more aggressive," said Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro, whose team shot 37 percent through the first three quarters. "They were denying passing lanes. They beat us up."

Grizzlies' next game
Who: New York Knicks
When, where: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Madison Square Garden
TV, radio: SportSouth, WRBO-FM 103.5

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Photo courtesy: Mark Weber (commercialappeal)

UPDATE: Baby Placed in Oven Was Alive!!!

A couple weeks ago I posted an article in reference to a Greenville, MS mother who placed her 3 year old son in an oven, literally baking and killing him.

A coroner says a Mississippi toddler was alive when put in the oven and died
from heat.

Tristan Robinson, 3, was found dead inside an electric oven at his mother’s Greenville apartment shortly after midnight Wednesday.
Terrie A. Robinson, 24, faces a murder charge in the case and had her bond set at $5 million Thursday by Greenville Judge Michael Prewitt.

Source

RIP lil Tristan. Sorry you had to go so soon but we can rest assured you were one of God's angels.

Quick Romantic Dinner Idea: Baked Lemon Peppered Chicken Breast & Alfredo pasta

Valentine's Day has passed but it is never too late to impress someone for the first time or to show someone you have been dating/married to how much you care. I have a meal that is surely to be quick and simple yet inspire a smile, kiss, and maybe even more. Now it will be up to you to set the mood but I will give you a few tips for this candelight dinner. Light a few candles in your home (fragrant ones, scents that turn your partner on whether is strawberries and cream or tropical mango--remember tropical fruits enhance sexual desire) and put on your favorite old school or new school r&b (recommendations-- Marsha Ambrosius- Late Nights and Early Mornings, Avant- Director, KEM to name a few)and lets get started.

Dish: Baked Lemon-peppered Chicken breast with Cheese, Alfredo Pasta, French green beans and toasty Garlic Bread

Prep:
Marinate several skinless chicken breasts (Known as Brining: Instructions on Brining) Here you would add your seasonings which I recommend a combination of lemon pepper, garlic salt, and a dash of Tony's creole seasoning (lightly)
Slice up several slices of green and red bell peppers
Slice up several slices of white onions
Preheat oven to  375 degrees
That is the longest part of your meal, getting the breast marinated and chopping up the vegetables. Now lets get to cooking

In a baking dish, add a small amount of water (not to cover the chicken breasts). Add the chicken breasts, onion, and bell peppers.  If you didnt heavily season your chicken, feel free to sprinkle some on the top because you dont want to serve bland chicken (that wont go over too well). Add a few slices of butter into the water.  Cover your dish and bake for 35-40 minutes (we dont want to overcook the breasts but no worry, the brining will keep them juicy) After 40 minutes, cover the top of the chicken with mild/sharp cheddar cheese and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes unconvered and remove from the oven.

Now, on the stove, bring a pot of water to boil and add your pasta (linguini is my favorite but feel free to use whatever pasta you like) and follow the instructions on the package. Once it is done, add alfredo sauce, mozarella cheese, milk, butter, pepper/salt (seasoned to taste). Bring to a boil then reduce heat to warm.

French Green beans (follow instructions, add butter, season to your own taste)

Now that your chicken breast and pasta are complete, go ahead and pop your Garlic bread into the oven (follow instructions)

On the table, add a candle, fix the plate with the chicken breast slightly on the side of the pasta, drain the juice from the green beans before placing on the plate and include your breadstick.

Add a glass of your favorite WHITE wine (since this isnt red meat), preferably a nice Moscato or Reislin.

There you have it.. A dish that is quick to cook and very pleasing. Trust me.

If you dont want the green beans, you could always throw in a simple spring mix salad. It goes over just as good.

Disclaimer: If it doesnt taste right, its not my fault :)

Congratulations: NEYO and Baby Mama Expecting Again

Singer and actor Neyo has not only been busy these days with starring in movies (BATTLEFIELD: LOS ANGELES) and working to release his 5th studio album, he and his current girlfriend Monyetta Shaw are currently expecting the couple's second child.


Four months after giving birth to a premature baby girl, local Atlanta Socialite Monyetta Shaw is expecting again.
This will be the second child for Shaw and R&B singer/songwriter Ne-Yo, who are proud parents of Madilyn Grace Smith. Ne-Yo is hoping for a boy this time, according to a source close to Ne-Yo’s camp.
You may recall that Ne-Yo, real name Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr., was duped into believing a boy born in 2005 was his. But subsequent tests revealed the child was not his.

In an August 2010 interview with British tabloid The Sun, Ne-Yo said of Monyetta, “I have a friend. Not a girlfriend. She’s carrying my child, but knows I can’t commit. She doesn’t mind other women.”
As for Monyetta, she is living the high life after opening a high end clothing boutique in Buckhead last year with Ne-Yo’s money. The boutique has yet to turn a profit. But Monyetta can often be seen steering her Maybach drop top around the Buckhead area with a baby car seat in the back. The luxury automobile has room for 5 additional baby car seats, and sources tell me that Monyetta isn’t done dropping babies for Chimere.

Source 

Update: Mother of one of the accused rapers of 11 yr Old Goes In on Victims Mother

Earlier this week I posted a story about an 18 year old girl who was gangraped by initially 18 men. Well, that number was updated to 28 and included college football players. This is really a disgrace. Take a look at the video below and what do you think? Personally, the lady in the video should be charged with something if not just for her plain ole ignorance.

Source

8.9 magnitute Quake Rocks Japan: Hawaii on alert

Read More: SourceTOKYO — An earthquake of 8.9. magnitude struck off the coast of Japan on Friday, the strongest ever recorded in the country. The quake churned up a devastating tsunami that swept over cities and farmland in the northern part of the country and threatened coastal areas throughout the Pacific and as far away the west coast of the United States and South America.

Walls of water whisked away houses and cars in northern Japan, where terrified residents fled the coast. Trains were shut down across central and northern Japan, including Tokyo, and air travel was severely disrupted. A ship carrying more than 100 people was swept away by the tsunami, Kyodo News reported.

The government evacuated thousands of residents near a nuclear plant about 170 miles northeast of Tokyo after a backup generator failed, compromising the cooling system, the Associated Press reported.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said the disaster caused major damage across wide areas. Several hours after the quake, Kyodo News reported 59 deaths, but with rescue efforts just getting under way, the extent of injuries and damage is not yet known.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake reached a magnitude of 8.9, making it the most severe worldwide since an 8.8 quake off the coast of Chile a little more than a year ago. It was less powerful than the 9.1-magnitude quake that struck off Northern Sumatra in late 2004. That quake spawned a tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people around the Indian Ocean.

The survey said it was centered about 230 miles northeast of Tokyo and at a depth of about 17 miles.

The quake occurred at 2:46 p.m. Tokyo time and hit off the coast of Honshu, Japan’s most populous island. The quake was so powerful that buildings in central Tokyo, designed to withstand major earthquakes, swayed.

“This tremor was unlike any I’ve experienced previously, and I’ve lived here for eight years. It was a sustained rolling that made it impossible to stand, almost like vertigo,” said Matt Alt, an American writer and translator living in Tokyo.

President Obama said the United States was ready to help with any assistance. "Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the people of Japan,” he said in a statement. He said he had instructed federal agencies to be prepared to assist Hawaii and any other areas in the United States affected by the tsunami.

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LEAKED: Chris Brown's LOOK AT ME NOW VIDEO:

Seems today that Chris is having a bit of a LEAK problem. First they leaked his album photo, followed by a nude photo, and now his unofficial video for LOOK AT ME NOW. It makes me wonder if he is actually behind all this leaking. You know, the stars have figured out if they can cause a big enough controversy before an album or video release, it normally equates with bigger sales. At any rate, please enjoy the unofficial copy of LOOK AT ME NOW

source 

Dream into a Nightmare: Bosh & Lebron Clash in Miami

Well it seems that the DREAMTEAM supposedly built in Miami which include superstar players Lebron James, Dewayne Wade, and Chris Bosh may be turning into a nightmare after all. Man it seems these NBA players today whine more than baby pigs. They already make more money than doctors yet complain when they get a little bump on the arm or not enough playing time.  Chris Bosh is complaining that he is not getting the ball enough but it seems Coach Erik Spoelstra disagrees.

As the Heat attempted to pick up the pieces following their fifth straight loss and prepare for a stern test against the red-hot Los Angeles Lakers Thursday, Spoelstra all but dismissed Bosh's statements about wanting more low-post plays.

"I think our minds were cluttered last night," Spoelstra said. "Today, it wasn't about talk. It was about working and practicing."

After bringing up his frustration about not getting the ball where he wants it in a postgame news conference Tuesday night, Bosh said that he didn't even talk to Spoelstra or teammates Dwyane Wade and LeBron James about the issue before or during practice Wednesday. He did say he planned to address it before the game with the Lakers.


"You just notice a trend going on and that was something that was on my heart for a while," said Bosh, who was the last Heat player on the practice court as he worked on post-up moves with teammate Juwan Howard. "I just wanted to be honest."

Spoelstra was being honest as well, saying the team actually had a good game when it came to interior scoring against the Blazers, racking up 48 points in the paint. Spoelstra also implied that improvement needed to be a team-wide effort, not just from getting Bosh more looks.


James, who spent the end of the practice conferencing privately with Wade while other teammates went through shooting, said Bosh can get more chances.

"Chris can always voice his opinion," James said. "If Chris wants the ball then he can ask for it and he can get it. If Chris wants the ball and wants to be more aggressive and wants to be more inserted into the offense, all he has to do is ask for it. When's he's productive, we're a better team."

Source: www.espn.com

What happened to loyalty? Maybe Chris should have stayed and built his fame in Toronto??

Illinois abolishes the Death Penalty

I can imagine the guys in prison on death row did a Victory dance after hearing this news! Illinois has officially abolished the death penalty from its justice system. Although they are locked up I imagine it feels like they are free since they no longer have to look forward to a date when they would be fried like your grandmother's famous chicken on Sundays.

According the associated press,  Illinois abolished the death penalty Wednesday, more than a decade after the state imposed a moratorium on executions out of concern that innocent people could be put to death by a justice system that had wrongly condemned 13 men.

Gov. Pat Quinn also commuted the sentences of all 15 inmates remaining on death row. They will now serve life in prison with no hope of parole.

State lawmakers voted in January to abandon capital punishment, and Quinn spent two months reflecting on the issue, speaking with prosecutors, crime victims' families, death penalty opponents and religious leaders. He called it the "most difficult decision" he has made as governor.
"We have found over and over again: Mistakes have been made. Innocent people have been freed. It's not possible to create a perfect, mistake-free death penalty system," Quinn said after signing the legislation.
Prosecutors and some victims' families had urged Quinn to veto the measure.
The governor offered words of consolation to those who had lost loved ones to violence, saying that the "family of Illinois" was with them. He said he understands victims will never be healed.



Read More Here

Source: www.clarionledger.com/Associatedpress.com

Lupe Fiasco Didn't Vote For President Obama

If you are Black and reading this I am sure you have been in conversations regarding being Black and supporting (voting) for the President because he is Black. I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion, that is, when they vote; otherwise, its really wasted space. Take a look at  musical artist Lupe Fiasco and what he had to say regarding his decision to not vote for President Obama? Do you think that mentality hurts or helps? Did you vote or did you have the same thoughts he did?


Lupe Fiasco didn't vote for President Obama. In fact, he didn't vote for any President. The video clip of Lupe being interviewed by Tim Westwood talking about President Obama and United States foreign policy is making its way across the internet with an interesting message.

Photo courtesy of Atlantic Records 

 

"I haven't voted for anybody, for that matter," the rapper answered when asked if he voted for President Obama. "The American federal government, the American system, America's foreign policy is something I can't [support]. When you vote for that person, you vote for that."

Lupe continued, taking his position a step further. "If you look at it, like, the taxes pay for everything. The taxes that I pay, I'm paying for bombs. Lupe's paying for American bombs. I don't want to represent that. I don't want to have that blood on my hands."

Although Lupe is moreso expressing his disgust with American politics than he is with the Pres, he does talk specifically about Obama. "One of the first things Barack Obama said as President-elect was that we gotta get out of Iraq, and instead of saying we've got to get out of Iraq, we've got to get Afghanistan, and come with a more cordial non-military way to end these kind of problems. [He said] we need to go out of Iraq and get to the real war in Afghanistan and I was just like, 'here we go, same ol' ol.'"
So is it counterproductive to the cause for an opinionated rapper like Lupe (who happens to also be from Chicago) to make these statements about the country's first Black President? Probably not. But for Lupe, it's just a critique. "I have no problem critiquing my fellow brother or anybody. I'll critique Bush. I'll critique Clinton.... I'll critique anybody that's in a position of power that in some instances is not looking out for the better of the people," he said in the Tim Westwood interview.

For his upcoming album "Lasers" (scheduled to be released on March 8), there is a song called "All Black Everything," where he talks about reparations, creating a story behind the idea of slaves getting paid. As one of few rappers who actually has something to say, Lupe is no stranger to tackling these type of political issues. Now, all he has to do is start voting for them.

SOURCE: www.BET.COM