JumpinJack AJ

JOHN MAYER + ?UESTLOVE - Clarity (Single Remix) Heavier Things Promo EP (2003)

Found...and Found again.

Summertime is perfect. That's the time of year when i can actually put in some vacation time. Perfect time 2 do some real traveling. Even if i wouldn't get 2 go, it's just good knowing that they are performing and that music is still on FP's mind in a big way.

BOYZ II MEN - What Child Is This Winter Reflections (2005) The newer Christmas album is nice...but no where near as classic as 1993's Christmas Interpretations.

COMMON SENSE + WILL.I.AM - I Want You Finding Forever (2007)

Much respect!!

JAGGED EDGE - Put A Little Uhh In It Baby Makin' Project (2007) I picked this album up when it dropped...thought it waz good and neglected it...now i'm liking it more than ever.

Has anyone seen The Director's Cut of ALI? I didn't even know it existed. I waz going thru' a $4.88 sale bin at FYE and there it waz. At that price, would can pass it up. I loved ALI and haven't watched it in 2 or 3 years and had been meaning 2 pop it in again sometime soon. The copy i picked up was released in 2004 and is 165 minutes long (not sure how that is in comparison 2 the theatrical release). On the back it sayes "Superstar Will Smith (Men In Black) gave the performance of his career and recieved his first Oscar nomination as boxing legend Muhammad Ali in an amazing epic drama from Oscar nominated director Michael Mann." SPECIAL FEATURES: -Contains Revised Scenes and Never-Before-Seen footage! -Commentary with Director/Co-Writer Michael Man -EXCLUSIVE NEW DOCUMENTARY ON THE MAKING OF THE MOVIE. Other than seeing the movie in a slightly new light, i'm hyped 2 see the documentary on the movie. Anyone seen this? And opinions?

ANOTHER BAD CREATION + BUSTA RHYMES - Keep Steppin' On It Ain't What U Wear, It's How U Play It (1993) ABC waz the jam...i wish they kept droppin' albums.

Here's how i look at things. He's always said he considers himself an emcee 1st and an actor second. I think that's the foundation of his mind as an artist. But when caught in the middle of love and life (ha ha), he's gotta ride the wave of whatever makes the most sense. Without getting in2 it 2 deep, on the acting side of things, he's paid, succssfull, and the biggest thing out. He has been for awhile. He can't make any stupid decisions that will jepardize that. We all know that's the field he'll be accepted in when he gets older. Hip-Hop...probably not so much. It's imporant for him 2 stay active in that field. I'm not in2 movies like Tim, so i appriciate everything FP does on screen. I can't say i care 2 much about the movies until a new one comes out, but when they do, i appricate it, whether he's playing an amped up version of himself or another character. There's also not a movie FP has done that i haven't liked. It's cool with me with what does when it comes 2 acting. When it comes 2 music vs. movies, i could see FP PUBLICLY avoiding Hip-Hop just so his acting status seems more legit, when he actually could be working on music regularly and constantly writing as an album slowly forms. Think about it, FP did tracks for the Bad Boys 2 soundtrack, but we didn't get L+F for another years. "Tell Me Why" was actually done back in 2003. It could be a way he tries 2 get the masses 2 focus on one thing at a time. When it comes 2 Hip-Hop, i'll always want a new album from him, i'll always wanna know he's involved with music and working on it. But at the same time, look at the commercial stay of Hip-Hop and Rap. It's rock bottom. It's been falling apart for over 10 years. Sure, there is an always respectable underground and indie scene...but is FP really that kinda artist?? I don't really see him that way. Rappers are idiots. They are truely ignorant people and talking ignorantly about ignorant things that really don't mean anything...and if they do, it's never about anything worth talking about. The production is a joke. Their fake personalities are hilarious. And then there's Dirty South Rap...ha ha. The music industry is changing digital downloads and ringtones. The radio is a commercial for the flava of the month ringtone. Who can want 2 be a part of that. I think FP is in a legendary status of emcee where he might drop an album ever 5 years or so. Unless music changes, it's hard 2 come up with an alternate path in my mind. Let's just hope for the best.

This is classic! I rented this from a video store back when it waz new cuz i LOVE The Chipmunks. I freaked out when FP was hostin' it. I got the VHS for this a few years ago and planned on putting all my Alvin + The Chipmunks VHS stuff on DVD...even tho' u know the show will be officially released sometime around or after this new movie comes out.

I thought Mos Def waz hilarious in The Italian Job. I don't remember him in Brown Sugar (tho' i loved the movie). I'll need 2 check out the other stuff. I've always wanted 2 see ...Galaxy. I just bought Smokin' Aces yesterday, so i'll be seeing Common Sense doing his thing real soon.

I don't really want 2 get in2 the scintology topic. I just think it's silly. FP studies all kinds of things. It doesn't mean he's believing or living out all of them. Because tabloids are dying 2 find some dirt on someone who's living right like FP, this does open windows for this kinda stuff. He'll always keep pressing on either way. Alot of people believed he and Jada had that "open relationship" for awhile. Anyone believing this will forget all about it after awhile.

Fresh Prince is easily number one. Come one, all most movies, all those different roles. He is truely the man. He has become the most popular actor AND his movies have substance. Some people look at him strictly as an actor and don't even really know about his music. His music will always be most important 2 me, but 2 have millions of people support your movies like he does, shows that he has gotten an audience way beyond his music fans. Marky Mark is my man. I view him as the 2nd best acting emcee. People will clown him for his mainstream appeal, but i always related 2 his music and still listen 2 it 2 this day. It kills me the way he has neglected his music, but he has totally shaken the bad boy from Boston emcee image to become a huge Hollywood force. He's taken on so many crazy roles and he's gotten better with each one. Queen Latifah walks a fine line. She'll do a critically accaimed movie like Chicago, then she'll do some low budget move like The Cookout. I love both movies, showing that she does what she wants...not what ever will make her more famous. LL Cool J is underrated as an actor. He portrays the bad boy in control just as well has he does the sentemental man. He's made some poor choices in movies, but he's made just as many good ones. I'm actually happy that he isn't seperating himself from music, tho' i feel the music is holding him back. Ice Cube is another one who started slow and started stretching himself more recently. I don't care if people knock him for doing a family movie like Are We There Yet?...i still think it's a great movie. I feel the image from his music holds him back from truely shining. Ice-T i feel is unrated because of his ties 2 music. His image is so rough that i think he'll always be looked at as Ice-T the emcee who is in2 acting. Snoop Dogg is good as acting like himself in the situtation in a movie. At least from the movies i've seen. It's a nice little side job 2 his music, but i think most people could care less about his acting. DMX is limited in the vareity department when it comes 2 the roles he takes. I think with more experience and the right movies, he could truely shine. Mos Def shows alot of promise, but i'd need 2 see more of his acting before critiquing him. Ludacris hasn't really done anything. I can't believe he's even on the list. 2Pac would have truely shined if he got 2 keep doing films. As a fedgling actor, he chose quite a few good roles. I haven't seen Bullet yet, but i've seen all his other movies. For coming out of the box on Juice, he really did his thing. ...i have no idea who Chill is.

Happy Thanksgiving! I love having a day where i don't have 2 go 2 work, see family, eat real food, and relax. This will be my last day like that until Christmas....retail sucks!! Ha ha.

2PAC - Temptations (Battlecat Hip-Hop Mix) Temptations (CD Single) (1995) I wanted this back when i saw it on shelves for $6. Now i'm paying crazy money 2 get my hands on this stuff...ha ha.

I caught some of it. I think the reason that Hip-Hop catch so much flack is because people don't know the difference between Hip-Hop and Rap music. Listen 2 the radio, if u can bare keeping a Lil' Wayne, Young Joc, Lil' Jon, Baby Boy, Young Dro, Hurricane Chris song playing, u realize that beyond the empty awful production and their terrible voices and flows, the lyrics are stupid, pointless, and discusting. Who can support that? I can't. Then u see the panelists...Chuck D, T.I. Nelly, and Mike Jones. T.I., Nelly, and Mike Jones are cumbs next 2 Chuck D. Chuck D is the only one on that panel who i think represets Hip-Hop at all. The other guys said 1 or 2 things i agreed with...but i waz rolling my eyes at alot of the things they said. I give props 2 BET for airing this, but in the past 5 years, they have become a part of the problem. 85% of the stuff they support is ignorant music for ignorant people.

Yeah, i love this article. Very insightful. Definitely one of the best ones in awhile. I love that they laced it with music references. I just wish he mentioned new music.

I'm not saying anything bad about those movies cuz i do like them...but maybe FP doesn't wanna direct people 2 those films. I'm not really defending the site. Many emcees and actors have websites that are regularly updated and moderated. Sadly, FP's site isn't run at all, making it so that the place that most of his fans should be meeting online have no reason 2 want 2 be a part of it.

TOBYMAC + KIRK FRANKLIN - J Train Momentum (2001)

2 quick requests. For continued success at work for my business, the staff, the customer service, the customers, everything. The main request is about one of co-workers...or former co-workers. On of the people who worked for me is an amazing liar, manipulater, and instegator. After introducing drama 2 my work place thru' the form of instigating and lies, she has desided to not show up to more than two shifts, saying she was at a funeral one day and at the hospital the other, both thing straight lies. She didn't even bother 2 call. Well, on the last day she waz there, she came in 2 get pictures done, got a few and stole a few she had stashed away. After having a manager call her 2 see if she waz coming in (even after she is on grounds of firing) she said she would be in but not be working on a day she was scheduled becuz she made plans. She was told not 2 bother becuz if she can't be here when we need her, we don't need her at all and that when she comes to pick up her last paycheck, she can bring the stolen portraits. Otherwise, we'll mail it 2 home office and inform them on the situation. Well, of course 2 this person, she wants 2 myspace mail me saying that we all steal portraits and that she is going 2 call home office about the situation and that we all trashed her reputation and that she is suing us. She lied about taking her last job 2 court and winning...ha ha. So becuz she is a liar and has proved herself 2 be a total idiot, i don't feel i have 2 be worried about any of this, but u know how things like this can go...so i guess i'm asking for prayer support that this over-dramatic fool either does nothing or falls flat on her face while trying 2 cause trouble.

I watched bits and pieces of the show. Why alot of it fell in2 typical award show ground, some of the performances (Alicia Keys, Rihanna + Ne-Yo) were good. And even if i didn't choose all of the winners as my favorite artists, most of the winers are good artists deserving of an award. That country performance with Beyonce waz awful. Beyonce sounded great, but that performance only stregthened me dislike of country music...ha ha. What a way 2 destroy a song.

MARIAH CAREY - Make It Happen Greatest Hits (1991/2001) Man, this takes me back. R.I.P. David Cole.

Wow! I'll do some research on it. When i read that it waz an album that waz previously unrleased, i waz thinkin' it waz much more current.

I saw that the album was said 2 be a shelved album but didn't know if it waz true. It all sounds fresh 2 me. Either way, good music.