JumpinJack AJ

I was a fan of his since he dropped in 1991. I didn't know he was Donnie Wahlberg's brother til I bought the cassette. I have a book that came out on him at the time and the Music For The People VHS. I used to visit his message board all the time year ago. Alot of that inside info came from HB from the Funky Bunch. He saw my posts on Marky's General Topic message board and hit me up. From there we'd talk music and stuff. I never did get the Funk B'z 2000 album. Now they have a Myspace but i can't find their 2000 album anywhere. Some of the new stuff is good, some of it's okay. There's much more to him being the brother of a New Kid on The Block, dropping a platinum album, setting up for having one of the best follow up albums ever to only be let down, then turning to acting.

I'll have to go back and listen to all of these. Very interesting. I don't remember even hearing about him being sued for music of his 1st 4 blockbusters albums.

Allow 2 stand alone on this one. The lyrics are not bad. His voice is always on point. His flow is a bit lazy. Overall, the beat is trash. It's on the level of alot of weak production that rittled Exit 13. I'm very disappointed. I've been listening to LL's music non-stop all week and i can't wait for him 2 get out of this Exit 13 era. He just isn't requiring the beats he uses to be that good. As much as i want a new LL Cool J album, i think he needs 2 take a break from music for a year or 2 and regroup. LL Cool J is my 2nd favorite emcee of all time. His music has been the soundtrack 2 most of my life. There isn't one bit of disrespect here. I just think that even tho' Todd Smith was a little to R-N-B based (which i love that album more now than i did when it was newer), everything after it hasn't been that good compared 2 his usual standards. Why we are on the topic of LL Cool J. Does anyone know where I can get my hands on the "Freeze" remix from Todd Smith. I heard it on the radio when it was new and ever since i've never found any promo or anything that has the 'Freeze" remix on it.

I have all of those R-N-B albums and i like them all. Being very single at the moment doesn't have me listening 2 R-N-B at the moment. I'm ready 2 start making a slow jam mixtape any day now, tho'.

His stuff with Prince Ital Joe was interesting. Hip-Hop meets Reggae meets Club music was interesting. This was done after Interscope abandoned his 2nd album You Gotta Believe. They were touring with only half the band and Mark sat down with the crew and encouraged them 2 do their own thing. Interscope and Mark couldn't agree on anything. During that time he started turning to acting. He didn't want to let go of music tho.' He started working with Prince Ital Joe overseas to stay busy musically on a branch of Interscope umbrella label. Most US fans don't even know about this era in his music, which is probably good since they don't embrace a whole lot of Euro stuff. Marky Mark did Hip-Hop with some traces of House in his music but i don't think they would accept this Hip-Hop/Reggae/Club stuff at all. Marky's stuff with Prince Ital Joe did alright as they released countless singles and a remix album. He started working on a new album titled All Around The World which never happened. It was lyrically on point but unfocused when it came to production. It was more of a Hip-Hop meets Danceable/Club music with some mainstream appeal. Years after not doing anything for Interscope they still wouldn't let him go. He may still be on the label. He wrote and recorded at least 5 albums worth of material that he never intended on releasing. His last US attempt came in 1997 when someone said "do a soundtrack song like Will Smith did with Men In Black. He said he wouldn't do it if the song was about the movie but would do a regular song. "Don't Sleep" was the track under his real name. He relased one more single overseas in 1998 and that was it. He currently denies that he'll ever return to music. He says that Hip-Hop is still his favorite style of music but doesn't listen 2 it often becuz it inspires him musically. He oten gets asked in interviews if he'll ever return. He says stuff like "Hip-Hop is a young man's game...i'm older" and "don't you see the suit" (refering to the lack of baggy cloths). The Funky Bunch (aka the Funk B'z) still records music and is still cool with Mark. They stay in touch, occasionally hang out and he has made it 2 some of their shows (i acutally have a pic of them with him taken last year on my Myspace (album All Kinds of Ill Stuff). Prince Ital Joe died in a car accident a few years ago. He is known best from his vocals on 2Pac's "Hail Mary" and the unreleased by often bootlegged "Hit 'Em Up: Part 2." When asked if he'll ever do a return to music if it was done right, you see him smile at the idea but then take it back saying there is no "right way" for him to do it. "Life In The Streets" is actually one of my top 3 songs he did with Prince Ital Joe. People try 2 clown Mark for being white, a brother of the New Kids On The Block, or say that he isn't from the streets. Truth is, he is. He grew up in a small house with a huge family. He spent his time in the projects in Boston. He grew up selling drugs, robbing people, and was quick to fight. New Kids On The Block was originally him and his brother rapping and break dancing. After getting attention they turned into the pop group that sang love songs which is when he left. Mark is the real deal. He's always been an inspiration to me. Now that I think I'll bow out after putting all that out there. It's all legit tho.' All that info is from Mark in interviews or from Funky Bunch members (I used to talk 2 HB back in the day). If u love Bad Boys, check Mark's movie The Big Hit. It's maybe my 2nd favorite movie under Bad Boys.

I hadn't heard that. It sounds reasonable I guess.

MARKY MARK - Don't Sleep The Big Hit Soundtrack (1997)

Calvin Klein actually...ha ha. Marky Mark is the man in my opinion. Always will be.

The thing i like about The Ultimate Collection is that they put the previously unreleased stuff on there in it's original form. Some of it was totally mastered and finished. Some of it was very raw. To be honest, i didn't like all of the previously released tracks that much in that box set. But the songs i do like, i like alot. My fear is that they'll take his unreleased work and doctor it up and remix it like they have 2Pac's and Left Eye's music. If they do that, we might be hearing the the MJ + FP track without even knowing it cuz they could take off FP and remix the beat.

This boxing movie thing reminded me of this... MARKY MARK - No Mercy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnOCoBj7E0I And came across this... (definitely an akward segue from Eminem's part on the show 2 Mark's...Em puts a joke out there and Mark looks like he's just trying 2 keep things under control and not knock this skinny corny blonde across the stage)... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53GRtC1Pkdc And this...featuring Marky's "The Illest" which is unreleased. I gotta ask the guy where he got the song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwCieRxzqho

I just came across this article/interview. It has Marky talking about doing a boxing movie with Eminem. Most people here know I'm a huge fan of Mark's and follow everything he does...even stuff like The Haunting (lol). Anyways, he talks about Matt Damon backing out of the movie and how Eminem is attatched. On Eminem's 1st 2 albums he kind of mocks Mark in his lyrics (probably just because he was a successful white emcee). I remember reading that YEARS ago they were both on TRL and when they were on the stage 2gether, Eminem was really quite and standoffish. It was rumored that there wasn't a good vibe between them. So after watching the interview I was surprised to see that they are on good terms. Them working together seems more like a gimmick then a natural thing. But what if it gets Mark 2 loosen up and do a song again...ha ha...it's been 11 years already. I can always hope, right. Here's the article. The link at the bottom has a 7 minute interview video. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eminem In Mark Walhberg Boxing Movie? Wednesday, 15 July 2009 | Written by Jason Grammy-Award-Winning rapper and Oscar-Winning Actor (for his music that is), Eminem, is reportedly being considered to star alongside Mark Wahlberg in an upcoming boxing movie. [watch here] "We were supposed to do this boxing movie together," Wahlberg told DJ Whoo Kid about fellow actor Matt Damon. [watch here] "We were going to play brothers and I don't think he's really feeling up to it so maybe we'll get Eminem to play the part. It's because we want two guys with some real edge and I think he was attached to play one of the parts at one point. Me and him actually talked on the phone while I was in Philly making another movie so um, either that or my brother. There's not too many people that can be believed in as being brothers, maybe half brothers but still, these guys had a really hard life. We want it to kinda feel authentic as opposed to getting some soft Hollywood act." [watch here] In related news, Eminem will be making an appearance in the upcoming "Funny People" movie staring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen. "Marshall Mathers is in it," director Judd Apatow said in an interview. "I still don't know [how it happened.] I was scared to pitch jokes to him then I realized his songs are as nasty as anything that has ever been spoken. There is no way to offend him." http://www.rapbasement.com/eminem/071509-actor-mark-walhberg-says-that-he-is-set-to-do-a-boxing-movie-with-eminem-soon-watch-here.html

LL's "Baby" was okay. Britney's "Me Against The Music" was okay. They both have a body of much better songs when you look at the rest of their work. "Touch My Body" was one of my favorite songs off Mariah's last album, but look how boring that album was. To me The-Dream produces the most watered down and boring music ever. It's not straight up bad when compared to the commerical dirty south sound, but it's so simple and boring. And Def Jam isn't Def Jam anymore so I don't think his position there holds any wait either. Now if Def Jam still had LL Cool J, Slick Rick, Onyx, Warren G, Montell Jordan, Dru Hill, Case, Foxy Brown and so on...(when it actually was Def Jam), it'd be more of a respectable position. Other than Rihanna and Ne-Yo, who is on "Def Jam" anymore who's any good?

I really don't see how Hancock 2 could be a good step. I don't think the good one was. I'm up for FP trying new things...but he needs 2 do something close 2 his roots before his movie fans realize he hasn't been doing memorable movies in awhile.

All I know is that u can't trust a man who puts a hyphen in his name for no reason.

"Straight Playin'"....this was the joint!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX7-Opv5HjY

LL COOL J - 10 Million Stars 10 (2002) One of my all time favorite joints. It always gets my hyped.

Shaq wrote his own rhymes but he had said many times in interviews "Nobody wants to hear an entire album of me rapping" which is why he had guests artists. Off the top of my head, i can remember him working with Erick Sermon, Redman, Method Man, Def Jef, Fu-Schnickins,' Ill Al Scratch, Warren G, The Notorious B.I.G., Rakim, Jay-Z, Lord Tariq + Peter Gunz, KRS-One, Ice Cube, Rza, B-Real, The Roots, Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, S.H.E., 1 Accord, and the list goes on.

I've heard alot of his beats and they seem so average. They don't pop, the don't grab attention, they don't do much except provide a boring, unimpressive background 2 an often lacking-talent. I've only heard of few of his own songs (as an "artist" ) and I don't think they were any good. Does anyone know when Christina Milian's album is coming out?...or is it out? It seems like she dropped that 1st single ages ago. With the lack of music and good movies, i'm worried her star is fading. I think she's a genuine talent and really don't wanna see her sit on the back burner.

U know what, when i saw that u said Puffy was singing, i cringed. I was reminded of how he ruined that song with Keyshia Cole "Last Night" with his awful hook. I checked the video. The beat is dope. The visuals in the video are amazing. I don't think heavy vocoder, autotune stuff is really singing, but u know what, it doesn't sound that bad. He definitely sounds better than Kanye did with his last album. I might watch this again and check the lyrics. 4TH AVENUE JONES - It's Over Now The Evolution of HipRockSoul (2005) Ahmad's solo album is coming...i'm hyped. Since his 2nd one got shelved back in the 90's...this is his offcial 2nd album.

I'm actually a big fan of Shaq's albums. Don't get that twisted with me thinking he's one of the best ever, but i've always liked his music. He never tried 2 be something he's not and that's the 1st thing i ask of any artist. I have a promo single from his 2001 album. If it would have dropped i think it would have been really good. His albums always reflected where Hip-Hop was at the time, Shaq-style. "Outstanding," "Pass, Shoot, Slam," Biological Didn't Bother," "No Hook," "U Can't Stop The Reign," "Superman," the colabo track he did on the Steel soundtrack feat. KRS-One, Ice Cube, B-Real, and Peter Gunz, and the lead single off his 1998 album were all good singles. Let's not forget he even did did "2 Bad" with Michael Jackson on his HIStory album...ha ha.

It's a sad day for everyone. Christina Milian is one of the finest females i've ever seen. The-Dream? Really? Ugh. Nick Cannon came out on top. She's more class than 2 go out like this in a cheezy Vegas wedding. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Christina Milian Gets Hitched in Vegas Posted Tuesday 08 September 02:25 PM By: PopEater Staff Singer Christina Milian officially tied the knot with music producer The Dream in Las Vegas last week, TMZ is reporting. The couple opted for a small midnight wedding at the legendary Little White Wedding Chapel -- the same place Britney Spears married Jason Alexander back in 2004. Milian reportedly rented a $200 wedding dress for the occasion and The Dream rented his tux for $100. Their wedding plans were under speculation since last month when they applied for a marriage license.

I was thinking one of the biggest of an artist and/or album would start a detailed review for whatever album. Anyone else on the board who is a fan can reply with their own review. Anyone who gives an album an honest listen can leave their feedback (agreeing or respectably disagreeing). Everyone on this board LOVES music. I think we'd find out about alot of good stuff this way.

Since this message board is so music based, would it make sense to have another board in the Caught In The Middle section. I would be a message board totally dedecated to reviewing albums. We could use the topic rating feature to rate the albums discussed. I'm not sure if Tim wasn't any boards added to the site. I just wanted to put the idea out there. It would be kinda cool 2 have a message board that archived our opinions on albums. I could totally see myself spending alot of time on that board and we could probably find alot of new music that we all like by contributing and reading the posts on that board. Just an idea.

I like the Terminator movies too. That 3rd was was a bit "blah" tho.'

No, i don't remember an event from this crappy picture where u can see a crowd and FP from the waste and up from the back. Ha ha.