bigted

That's some great stuff right there dawg

Really over the past few years Em's rhyme pattern has been real elementary, similar to 50 Cent's, although I liked some songs on 50's first album, his rhymes were never amazing, he always uses basic rhymes, it makes you wonder if 50's writing for Em now, lol, really at this point I could defeat both of them easily no problem, they ain't on my level, the peeps gonna see soon enough

The Game: Not Like Daddy By Anna Nathanson When The Game visited the UK last week, I was honored to be granted a face-to-face interview. I was however warned that he may not turn up, say little, or could lock it off at any time. As I waited in the lobby of a posh London hotel, the previous journalist emerging from his own interview told me that The Game didn’t look up from under his hood once. I was a little apprehensive. Having grown up in foster care, I was interested in asking him about his own experiences in care. From the age of five through 13, The Game lived in a foster home after his sister accused their father of sexual abuse. But after hearing this from the journalist, I decided to tread carefully. In what turned out to be a candid and personal interview, The Game reveals his experiences pertaining to family, as well as reflects on who many perceived to be his Hip-Hop father: Dr. Dre. This isn’t the kind of conversation normally associated with Hip-Hop interviews, but then again, The Game is hardly a typical Hip-Hop artist. AllHipHop.com: You’ve lived through so much. What’s the most important life-lesson you’ve learned along the way? The Game: The most important lesson I’ve learned in life is that you have to be a father before anything else. As long as I be doing that, I seem to be having a lot of good love with everything else I try and fall into. AllHipHop.com: You’ve said before that Dr. Dre is like a father figure to you. What’s the most important thing that he’s taught you? The Game: Is that you can’t trust anybody in this business, and at the end of the day, you’re all alone so you gotta make the best of what you got. AllHipHop.com: What’s the one thing you wished you knew growing up that you’d like to instill in your son? The Game: I just wish I’d known how it feels to have your father there for you and really taking care. AllHipHop.com: You grew up with a foster family for part of your childhood. What impact did this have on you? The Game: That situation is the reason that I’m as f**ked up as I am today. I’m trying to straighten it out now 20 years later, and it’s a slow process but I’ll get there. AllHipHop.com: I grew up in a foster home too… [The Game looks me directly in the eye unflinchingly for several seconds, then proceeds.] The Game: It’s horrible, you feel alone sometimes, right? And you really wish that you had family, a mom and dad, and placemats and silverware, and mom coming home, dad coming home, shouting, “Honey I’m home!” and then they call you out the room where you’re doing your homework, and you come running down the stairs and jump on your dad - but that’s not our f**king reality, is it? No, it’s f**ked up. It’s a bad situation, and I don’t wish that on anybody. I always try to at least give words of wisdom, if not some type of financial or clothing donation, to kids in foster homes around the world. Because it’s a sad, sad story and people don’t know until they’ve been there, and if you’ve been there you never wanna go back. You can’t say enough how messed up it is to grow up in that type of situation. AllHipHop.com: But going through tough times makes you stronger though… The Game: Of course, and so I would never change that aspect of my life because I’ve learned so much from that situation and others that I went through. But we all know that trials and tribulations make for a good story, which is why there even is a Hip-Hop, or a gangsta rap movement. AllHipHop.com: How does it feel being the spokesperson for West Coast rap? The Game: I just tell my story, you know, I wake up everyday, I do these interviews, and this is just me telling my part, I’m only one person, one man, one father, one musician - and it’s just me speaking my piece. AllHipHop.com: Dr. Dre receives a lot of praise on your new album, yet he doesn’t feature or contribute to production… The Game: Too bad for him! I don’t want anybody to do anything that they don’t wanna do. When I found out Dre wasn’t gonna be working on the album, I lifted my head up and opened my chest out and I had to get it done. AllHipHop.com: So you wanted him on there but he refused? The Game: I didn’t really care, it’s either you do it or you don’t, I don’t have time to be worried about other people’s feelings; I basically just wanted to complete my album and it was either with or without Dre - I was gonna do that. On this album it was without, so I had to make do with what I had. AllHipHop.com: Will he be working on any of your future albums? The Game: If I could tell you that then I should probably quit rapping and start some psychic hotline or something. AllHipHop.com: What about the title track, “Doctor’s Advocate,” that’s pretty much a tribute to Dre… The Game: I was drunk on that song, so I don’t remember or care what I was talking about that night. That was just that night, and it was documented and it’ll forever be remembered ‘cause it’s on that album; it’s just the way I was feeling that night and not the next morning and not the day before. AllHipHop.com: So you and Dre are not as tight as some may think? The Game: I mean, me and Dre didn’t grow up together breaking peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in half. I met Dre in 2001/2002 and we’ve had a great friendship since then, but I haven’t known him for 20 years, so I don’t expect him to jump off a mountain for me, and I definitely wouldn’t do the same for him. But Hip-Hop is every man for himself; we’re all independent artists so we gotta make the best of what we’ve got. AllHipHop.com: Thank you so much for speaking with me, I’d like to talk more but time’s running out… The Game: I would love to talk to you all day but I don’t make the time and [gestures at entourage] these people, they’re crazy. [before I leave, I ask The Game to sign my iPod. He happily obliges, and I wish him all the best with that night's show. On the subway back to the office, I turn over my iPod and see that he’s finished the message with the words “Foster Kids.” I smile to myself and continue my journey.]

Well really I actually realised that my man Max was right all along, really you reach a much more diverse audience with the films than you do with rap music, the majority of those who buy rap records are between the ages of early teens-young adults, but really with movies you reach older audiences as well as younger audiences, really with him acting it actually leads to some people who check out his films to check out his music, it actually extends his rap career, really most rappers who only do music most of the time really have diminishing record sales 'cause a lot of the people who used to listen to them don't really check for albums coming out anymore but with Will doing movies, he automatically has a fanbase that'll check out for his music when it comes out, really acting is a gift more than a curse, Jive Records dropped JJFP after "Code Red" supposedly and if Will never had big success with "Bad Boys" and 'MIB' who knows if a major label would've signed Will ever again? Will might be an independent rapper like basically every rapper from his era except for like LL of course it seems since his acting career helped him somewhat too, they're the only 2 rappers from the '80s era that could still go platinum in the '00s like they did then, LL's most successful album came when he had his sitcom in '96 at its peak, if it wasn't for LL having success in acting Def Jam would've probably dropped him too, really rappers like TI and Luda are starting to follow that blueprint FP and LL paved for them, you need to be successful in film industry to have an extended rap career....

Thanks for the feedback, I really dug deep for this one, really I was just writing a bunch of stuff coming to mind and wasn't really paying attention to how it flowed but I just went over it now and edited some lines, made some smaller so it could flow better, really things are looking up for me now and I seem to have more of a creative spark, the best is yet to come I believe

Hey guys things are looking up for me the past few days it seems, my uncle's girlfriend is starting to feel better now, she's only gonna be in the hospital for a lil' while to get her strength but she's alert and starting to move around, I've been talking to Krystle more often lately, she goes on the computer at least once a day so she emails me, it's more convienant for her to do it that way since she don't have much time to chat on the phone since she's busy with work and school, we're trying to work out a time to see each other soon as well, and I was talking to the boss that I worked for over the summer yesterday and she gave me extra tips to get a job over here soon, things are looking up definately, now I'm keepin' y'all in my thoughts, hope things are going well for y'all too, thanks for the support, I appreciate it

I don't think I could really list them, I don't really feel them that much, sorry, there's many mcs better than both, maybe if Luda could make more albums like his recent one I'll list him somewhere, now Eminem really has been annoying for quite awhile, I hear his new one's better than some of his recent stuff but really nothing amazing

I think Ciara sold less than Janet did in her first week but yet everyone yells out that Janet's was a flop? She sold 400,000 the first week I think, Ciara sold 309,000, lol People are just haters for real....

Well "Lost and Found" did pretty well though, it went platinum worldwide and don't forget he actually beat 50 Cent for an American Music Award, it was a success, sure it should've and would've done better with more promo but really it was successful enough, these days to go platinum is a huge accomplishment, it's like going diamond 10 years ago, really there's not many rappers on their 9th album that could go platinum either, I doubt 50'll even have any fans when he gets to his 9th album if he gets there, sooner or later Eminem's gonna shove 50 off his balls, lol, really 50 Cent is a flash in the pan artist, he won't have much more longevity

Well really I wrote this song today after looking over a random verse I wrote a couple years ago with the first few lines going: "If I Ruled The World Like Nas/I would have a fly girl give me a massage/Especially during the days I work a lot" and decided to basically just add on to the emotion I've been feeling lately to write something inspiring, enjoy: “My Chance To Rule The World” Written By G. Miller Jr. AKA Big Ted Verse One: If I ruled the world like Nas I would have a fly girl give me a massage Especially during the days that I work a lot But I'd spend more days for the youngeons to plot Outways so the future will be to live the words I jot On my flameful songs that I rock To continue moving strong To master piling stocks and bonds The future will continue on We can't crumble to come up lost It's a big puzzle and war is a cost If this happens they will just deliver wasteful flows We gotta be able to catch “the breaks” like Kurtis Blow And we also gotta let it be known That “If I Ruled The World” was his flow Jazzy Jeff and Fresh Prince told me that everything that glitters ain't always gold You might criticise me for droppin' so many names in this rhyme display That'll you'll be callin' me the Game of the east coast Really this all just about homage though Just like when Nas sampled Kurtis Blow Now this is the 3rd opportunity to bring the timeless feel to the globe Hip-hop has to be able to reach everyone, the young as well as the old That's what keeps it alive When we sample somebody It's really about the “vibes and stuff” Like that Tribe Called Quest cut I wish I could take all the homeless to a trip to the Barbados And get them permanent homes Real hip-hop will never die, I want to let y'all know I really feel like I'm gonna cry when I hear somebody say that, it's cold To talk all that flack about what's dead and how it isn't at it's essence I'd rather bring a better way to solution than those who always attack problems This is really just about feelin' good No matter if you're in the 'burbs, rural, or the 'hood Real music has no boundaries That's why I'm touching all degrees from sea to sea Like the web it's a worldwide theme Chorus: My chance to rule the world Bring an alternative to all the negative turns When I rule the world It's 'bout peace for the boys and girls I want it, want it, baby I'd rip the shirt, Off my back, to anyone feelin' hurt Oh yeah, Oh yeah If I could I would My chance to the world It's 'bout lovin', lovin' baby Verse Two: That's right I know that with the “Power Of God” told by LL, aka James Todd I know that I'll be able to make some an impact beyond feelin' like life's hell and shot See I even I get that way, I gotta play motivational hip-hop tapes I want to get back to the start of the pace Where hip-hop is a frontrunner to bringing a positive change The genre started as unity but there's too much beef these days Life is really one large marathon not a simple race I really thought I could go “Fast Pace” Getting hyped up like I'm just ready to dance on stage Sometimes I get down on myself since I don't have a record deal yet But really the music is free in my soul and I don't need to sign onto anyone I could take care of my own Like Janet gotta have “Control” That way y'all could “Call On Me” when you're feelin' cold and alone When I get into that creative mode I could help you get through the trouble When I was younger I sometimes would feel like Fresh Prince on the track Of when mama got on my back I thought how “Parents Just Don't Understand” But now like him I understand that “Momma Knows” As I'm more grown Even before I have any seeds of my own I have a long career ahead to master my goals And continually craft my flow When you're a team player it's more than your average that has to show We gotta look out for others that our on our team in the game of life Throughout the painful strvies You have to roll clear when you blast a flow Everyday could have an exciting goal to fulfill through, you know? Really like the other Jackson I would like to look at life as a “Thriller” It's all a wonder what's ahead for G.Miller Jr. I wish that there was a feeling of being “Invincible” 'Cause I don't like feelin' defeated Getting angered and tellin' peeps to “Beat It” 'cause I want to be alone to reflect I want to do well at everything I put effort in to be someone everyone could respect Even though there's always some who can't accept Love and peace in life as concept and somewhere we need to get I want to continually stay around I want a long and influential career like James Brown Make sure that there's a nice path that I paved down [Repeat Chorus] Verse Three: Trying to bring a dead hault to the faze or hype of the rule I don't cling on the thought of just having the benefits of a top ranked title I gotta correct the faults and move towards phrases that could improve One thought that's logical could create the impossible That the hateful fools won't be able to move through One spark ignites the fire One love to anyone that never expires On what they do to get through moments that're tired Like Wyclef I want to be an inspiration for the “next generation” People go through through wrong situations Need something to keep going many days ahead “Pursuit Of Happiness” can't just come from a vacation Really my peace of mind comes mostly from meditation And knowing that people feel motivated Everytime I give birth to a rhyme with my pad and pen If it was in my power I would eliminate all the pain our soldiers gotta live with I do my part though with my art to uplift them And I know that to feel soul music takes heart The lost ones will understand eventually so I won't tear them apart It's time to do something uplifting Droppin' them off a lil' wisdom[Repeat Chorus]

I think Fat Joe's album is marketed by Fat Joe himself through his Terror Squad imprint

Yeah that Lloyd Banks can spit, if he just finds different things to rap about and gets away from the G-Unit influence he could become one of the top mcs of the game, really he's the one in the camp that stands out

The G-Unit camp will continue to have a pulse in the rap industry if they keep on riding onto Eminem's balls, lol, he's giving them life support but really selling 300,000 in the first week is kinda low for him really even though it's a mixtape especially since that single with him and 50 Cent has been #1 on TRL, btw f sales man that Fat Joe album's dope, with all that money Jay-Z put out to promote his album over the past couple months you figure he'd gone triple platinum by now, lol, if Will had that promo for "Lost and Found" he would've

Yeah Biggie got a tight flow but I don't like much of his songs so I couldn't put him ahead of Will and there's others that feel vice versa I guess, depends who's music you dig more when you make a list, Will's made a big mark on the rap game, he attracted fans in the past, now the present, and will continue to in the future as long as he wants to keep rapping, and really a lot of rappers that people might rank up so high like Jay-Z and Nas recognise Will's talent too, 2Pac loved Will too, and there's a reason why Eminem will never say anything negative about Will ever again either 'cause he knows what Will's capable of since he grew up bumping JJFP, lol....

Yeah TopDawg was right on there, really there's no definate GOAT, a lot of great rappers in hip-hop history really and they have their own unique style, I'd say there's probably a good 20 rappers that could be considered GOAT and Will's one of them that should be in that group no question about it, he's definately one of the best rappers of all time, the career ain't over yet either, he could still make his mark if he wants to 'cause his last album shows that he hasn't lost a step yet from his earlier days of rapping

Well the thing is Will ain't really just a pop rapper, he's represents real hip-hop, the fact is many peeps forgot what real hip-hop is, real hip-hop is supposed to be music that brings people together from all different walks of life in unity and that's what Will does, listen to what the original pioneer of hip-hop Afrika Bambataa says what real hip-hop is,real hip-hop ain't just ghetto music, real hip-hop is worldwide music, and that's what Will has done, he's reached 30 million people worldwide, people from all ages, races, etc. enjoy his music, so what he's done fun songs, real hip-hop is about having fun anyway, check the original rappers, they weren't gun toking in their rhymes,that's what a real mc is supposed to do,Will is the definition of real hip-hop no question about it, and if you don't think so you need to check yourself for real, those who call Will just a pop rapper need to check themselves, most of these so called rap heads don't know the history of the game so basically I don't believe their hype, I just wave them off, they've been brainwashed by too much gun raps and they think that's what real rap is all about, lol, when I put out an album a lot of those fools would probably make fun of me too when I put out an album 'cause I like to rap about real life just like Will, hip-hop is real life music, not just ghetto music, even LL says that you don't have to be rapping about gangsta stuff to be a great rapper, you just have to command the crowd with your performance and your lyrics to be a great rapper, when it comes to talent Will's a long time proven talent, people wouldn't be buying his albums, go watch him perform for 20 years if he couldn't rap, it's like people would always want to watch Jordan play throughout the 2 decades he played basketball and they kept getting his gear, even if Will stops rapping soon there's still gonna be people checking for his music, he's a timeless artist, whoever appreciates fun and thought out music appreciate Will very much....

"David Letterman even said he like that track man Even though he ain’t a rap fan Black radio, they won’t play though Ever since “Summertime” they ain’t liked none of mine Even though the fans went out & bought enough I guess they think Will ain’t hard enough Maybe I should just have a shoot out Run up in the bank, bustin’, grabbin’ all the loot out Whoop somebody ass, taking my boot out Right on TV so ya’ll can see me Just ignorant, attacking, actin’ rough I mean, then will I be black enough Oh wait maybe I’ll jack a truck Full of cigarettes, guns & drugs & stuff" "I always envied how ya’ll rock wit Dre & the Chronic The way that Tupac, Biggie, 50 and Jigga got it A lot like L.L., Chuck D, Slick & Dougie I think ya’ll love me, but ya’ll place other rappers above me & I don’t know if you feel my flow & be at my show & you’ll see where I should go On the charts of rhyme arts & thoughts in rap form Damnit, I expanded the platform Damnit, this Cat’s on a rap song Yeah, it ain’t no braids or plats on Ain’t on stage wit no gats on You know I’m afraid, getting’ my act on It might have stunted my growth But I wanted them both & I hope that it would be less tougher You do two things & then they both gonna suffer I chose to act & it broke my heart not to rap Prodigal son, clever, better than ever, back" -Basically Will says here that people underestimate him 'cause he ain't hardcore enough, but if he was a thugged out rapper he'd be in everyone's top 5, basically most rap fans are immature kids from the ghetto or rich kids who wanna be thugs, lol, Will reaches a much diverse audience 'cause he raps about real issues instead of boasting about guns and drug deals: "Gangsta rap's a menace to society/Flows all the same, my pen spits variety", the only gangsta rappers that I'd consider on Will's level are Pac and Ice Cube 'cause they're somewhat diverse, basically other than that really the only rappers that're on Will's level as far as being consistant with longevity are LL, KRS, and Chuck D, Rakim hasn't rapped in so long it seems, lol,how many rappers in hip-hop history have as many classics as Will does? "Rock The House", "He's The DJ...", "Homebase", "Code Red", "Big Willie Style", "Willenium", and "Lost and Found" are all classic albums, now you sound like somebody who only heard 'Gettin' Jiggy Wit It', buy the albums, listen to them and then tell me that Will ain't a legendary mc and I'll get back to you dawg, peace

Yeah I've had the issue for awhile but I haven't been able to look at it until last weekend 'cause I've been so busy lately, lol, it's gonna be great to have another Boyz II Men disc, they're awesome, you can't get enough real soulful artists in your life, btw is there a great deal somewhere online for the imported version? I don't think I could wait any longer either, lol, btw I tried putting a Boyz II Men avatar in but I wasn't allowed to, does anyone know where I could get a get a good one to put in? EDIT: I just got one but it looks kinda small right? Is there a way somebody could find a lil' bigger one?

Will Smith Discusses Shift in Acting Style in 'Pursuit of Happyness' Experience By Chris Richburg Date: 12/11/2006 1:30 pm Through the course of his career, Will Smith has carved a niche as a likable actor who brings a bit of himself to each role. But that persona, according to the Philadelphia rapper, is nowhere to be found in his latest feature, The Pursuit of Happyness. Instead, Smith brings a new dimension to his acting style by entering a realm that was different from what he’s accustomed to. They (Pursuit director Gabriele Muccino and Ali director Michael Mann) see right through me, all of the Will-isms and the things I know how to do to make the audience smile and cry," Smith told AllHipHop.com during a press conference promoting the film. "It’s scary for me right now because I’m moving into a space where I just have no idea what’s going to happen when I go into these scenes. I’m living in the moment. "I’m at such a different place in my life right now," continued Smith, who shares screen time with Thandie Newton and his son Jaden. "Michael Mann opened my mind up to a completely different way of working and creating and it’s grown through this process right now through Gabriele Muccino and the last little spark coming from Jaden." Based on the true life story of Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happyness follows Smith as he struggles to make ends meet in his quest to support himself and his son (played by Smith's real-life son Jaden Smith), while living on the street. Although Gardner ultimately triumphs over adversity, his biggest obstacle may not be the obvious. "The biggest -ism that I ever had to deal with was not racism, it was place-ism," revealed Gardner, who currently serves as the President and CEO of Gardner Rich, a Chicago-based brokerage firm. "I’m not from a politically connected family. I had not gone to college. I had no money of my own. Who’s going to do business with you? That’s place-ism. That’s not racism... So the racism thing was totally secondary. My love for what I had an opportunity to do and my love for my child and the commitment minimized everything else." Smith’s role in the film has garnered talk of an Oscar nomination for the entertainer, who received his first Oscar nomination for his performance as in 2001's Ali. Smith was recently honored by a friends and colleagues for his film work by the Museum of the Moving Image at its 22nd annual black-tie salute. The annual event is held to raise money to support the Museum’s education programs, which help more than 25,000 intermediate and high school students each year. The salute, which was held in New York City, will air in January 2007 on the Bravo network. Smith, a co-producer of the UPN show All of Us, joins past recipients which include Robert De Niro, Sidney Poitier and Steven Spielberg. Newton saw first hand how involved the rapper became in doing Gardner’s story justice. "I was around Will in probably one of the most challenging roles of his life," she said. It was a very complex role... I do think that this movie stretched him to his limit. And yet you look at it and there’s Will being majestic and giving a beautifully led performance. And there’s his son giving a beautiful performance. Nothing had to be comprised and yet he had so many roles to play in the project." Gardner, who established a solid friendship with Smith, recalled a conversation the two had after showing Smith a picture of him and his son in front of the first house the two lived in, after more than a year of living in the street. "I say to Will ‘We can talk about the script or we can talk about these two guys. What do you want to do?’, " said Gardner, who took Smith on a series of walks to show him the places he and his son slept at during their homelessness. "You know what he chose. ‘Let’s talk about these two guys.’"

So what does everybody think about this article?

I checked out the latest issue of Vibe (December 2006, with Em and 50 on the cover) and I came across this piece on Boyz II Men, who always remain my favorite r&b group, I remember singing to their songs at a young age, I actually won a singing contest at a school dance singing "End Of The Road" when I was 12 years old at my elementary school, really I wanted to be a singer first instead of rapper originally 'cause of them, check it out, btw really whatever happened to Uncle Sam? I actually was listening to his '98 self titled album today and it still blows me away like when I first heard it, he really needs to put out more music for real, he's a great singer, him and Shawn seemed to have good chemistry too, did Boyz II Men ever sign anymore artists to Stonecreek or was Sam the only one?: "Not Too Hard, Not Too Soft" by Laura Checkoway -They've sold more records than any group in the history of Philadelphia, they're the most commercially successful R&B act and they specialized in harmonies to make your heart hurt. But where are they now? -Growing up in the 1970s, Boyz II Men's Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman, Michael McCary, and Wanya Morris were immersed in Philadelphia soul. While housecleaning on weekends, each of their single mothers blasted the sounds of the O'Jays of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, featuring Teddy Penergrass-artists who turned out hits for Philly's R&B legends Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. "It was on the radio every day," recalls Morris, who was raised in North Philly's Richard Allen Projects. After graduating from Philly's famed High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, where they were classmates with ?uestlove and Black Thought of The Roots, Boyz II Men, then known as Unique Attraction, were signed by New Edition's Michael Bivins, BIIM's clean-cut image was a refreshing shift from the bump-'n'-grind R&B that ruled the early '90s, but the group had its misgivings. "We were a little apprehensive about walking the streets in Philly with that preppy Alex Vanderpool bive on," Wanya says, "but we had to live it." Boyz II Men did more than live it-they lived it up. Their '91 debut, Cooleyhighharmony, sold 12 million records, and Geno's Steaks of South Philly became an instant tourist attraction after appearing in the video for the group's No. 1 Pop Single "Motownphilly." The Babyface-penned ballad of 1992, "End Of The Road" was one of the biggest hits in music history, spending 13 weeks at No. 1, braking Elvis Presley's 35-year-old record of 12 weeks at No.1. To date, the group has sold a stunning 45 million records worldwide. But after 5 years of nonstop touring, problems set in. Mike, suffering from back spasms due to scoliosis, had to travel with a team of doctors just to keep him upright on stage. And the group was on the verge of their own breakdown. "We were at one another's throats," says Morris. "We were multimillionaires, there were a lot of girls-same stuff everybody goes through. But ours was on the low 'cause we wore bow ties." When they returned after a two-year hiatus with 2000's underrated NathanMichaelShawnWanya(Universal Motown), the musical climate had changed. Hip hop had completely taken over. R&B stardom was becoming very here today, gone tomorrow, and Boyz II Men- as we'd all come to know them-had been gone. Today the boys are married men with families, save the still-single Nathan. Shawn, Wanya, and Nathan are planning to open a casino in Philadelphia, complete with cheesesteaks and local music memorabilia. Fifteen years after ushering in a new generation of Philly soul, the group continues to record and to tour without Mike(a new album, The Remedy, is due in '07), and though they haven't had a hit record in a while, it's really not so hard for the Boyz to say good-bye to yesterday. "We don't need to be on everybody's red carpet of radio station," Nathan says. "When it comes to Boyz II Men, you want to hear us sing, and that's where we want to be."

Really Iverson's been carrying that Sixer team for all the 10+ years he was there, most of the time the general manager's didn't really accomodate him with the right set of teammates to make them perrenial contenders that they could've been, maybe if it was 2000-2003 Iverson+CWebb would've been a great duo that've gotten them to the championship, if CWebb was on that 2001 Sixer team they could've beat the Lakers in the finals, they lacked inside scoring, but CWebb is past his prime now face it, and btw Garnett basically been in the same boat as Iverson, with the exception of a couple years in between like when the Wolves almost made the Finals, Garnett never had a roster he could win with in his 11+ years, him and Iverson would be a perfect fit, they're still both in their primes, they could make it deep in the playoffs if Iverson gets traded there

Brian Mcknight is one of the most consistant artists of the recent generation, he's the total package, not only does he sing with a lot of passion but he also writes and produces, performs great live, one of the hard working artists, much love to him, btw he could ball really well too, seeing him rip up all those celebrity games makes me wonder if he would've made the NBA if he wanted to, lol

Brian McKnight: The Love Below By Ashlene Nand If R&B is lacking respect from Hip-Hop fans, then how about we let the numbers do the talking? While most rappers strive to go platinum at least once in their short-lived musical careers, Brian McKnight has sold over 16 millions units and released a whopping 10 albums, with his new release simply called Ten as an acknowledgment to his longstanding career. Speaking of numbers, it has been15 years since Brian McKnight first released his self-titled debut album. Since then a lot has changed, and although Brian’s music has been able to evolve with the times, the music industry and R&B scene have been through serious changes. Today, McKnight is facing the biggest challenge in his career - competing with dancing teenagers who are holding their own in R&B. Paradise isn’t without its problems, but they are at a distance on the day we spoke to Brian. He was playing golf with his friends, and as much as we would love to blame the atmosphere for his laidback demeanor, McKnight assures us that he is “a laidback kind of guy.” Of course, that didn’t stop us from asking the more controversial questions. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: Was Gerald Levert ever an inspiration for you? Brian McKnight: He was one of my best friends. The world will miss not just a great artist but also a great person. I’ve known him since I first got into the business, way back in ‘89. We just kept in touch and we became like brothers. He has two decades of music that he’s left us that we will be able to use. That big smile and that great personality…I mean, people will want to be like him. Absolutely. AHHA: Tell us about your situation at Motown. After 16 million albums sold on Mercury and then Motown, why change now? Brian: Let me ask you a question. What was the last record on Motown that actually did well? [silence] Exactly. That is my point. I don’t think they are at a point where they still know what they are doing over there. I don’t know. What they were doing with me…I don’t think we had the same vision anymore. So it was time to go. Plus it was the last record on my contract, so it was time to go. AHHA: Why did you go to Warner? Brian: We both share the same vision, and I looked at their ability to sell records on artists like Josh Groban and Michael Buble. They think outside the box. They figure out ways to get it done that are outside the conventional ways. AHHA: In 2003, you told us that you were starting a new label called Fortress of Solitude. What happened with that? Brian: I’m still working on. I’m developing two or three different things that are taking time. These are singer/songwriters, so they need to develop. And being so busy myself, you know, I’m not done making records so it makes it a little more difficult to do it. But it’s in full swing. Trust me. AHHA: What ever happened to Take 6? Brian: They’re still making records. My brothers did an independent record that came out this year and they are touring right now. Actually, they are touring all over the world. AHHA: You are seen as more of a mainstream artist. You were quoted as saying, “White singers are singing Black, dancing Black, but they are automatically pop stars. I had to fight and fight to break those walls down”. Do you think you paved the way for the Ushers and Chris Browns to be considered in the mainstream arena? Brian: No, not at all. I think that…man, how do I say this… I think that when you come out, people naturally put you [in a box] where they think you are at that time. It’s different for me, because I sing love songs and they automatically put me in R&B. I think it changes every year. I paved the way for nothing. AHHA: So you’re saying they put you in a category? Brian: Not just me, everyone. Everybody is about category, category category. All the time. AHHA: Don’t you think it’s important for marketing purposes? Brian: No. Well it is, because you have to but imagine somebody who doesn’t like R&B as a whole. There may be something on the record that they might like that’s more pop driven or maybe more rock driven. But they won’t know because someone has already told them that it’s R&B. They’ll never know. They’ll never know that there is something on that record that they may love. See what I mean? It can detrimental as opposed to something great. Look at Norah Jones. Nobody said what it was; they just said it was great and people went out and got it. But for some reason with Black artists they have to put it in a category immediately. AHHA: Do you think that happened to your previous album? Brian: I don’t know. There are always other genres on my records. I can’t worry about any of that. I used to worry about things like that. Now I just make a record. AHHA: Of all your Hip-Hop collaborations, which one is your favorite? Brian: On my last record I did one with Juvenile. I thought that that was something that people definitely could have played - and again, we’re talking about Motown’s view of me. They didn’t think it was something that they would be able to run with, when I thought that was something that we could have gotten played in the club. AHHA: What’s you favorite album out of the ten? Brian: I love making them all. I can’t pick one. There’s just no way, because making them was so personal for me that each one is another child. It’s like asking me which one of my children I love the most. I really just enjoy the process itself. [i like] coming up with something from nothing. AHHA: What’s the scene like now compared to when you started? Brian: The biggest thing is that the industry has become much more narrow. If you have too much talent, you can’t win. Because Hip-Hop is so huge, it’s kind of killed the singer in a way. And that’s the part that kind of sucks. It’s so personality driven now and less talent. Some of it technology has to blame. AHHA: Is that a bad thing? How? Brian: It is because now it’s much easier for anyone, no matter the talent level, to be in this business. The beauty of 50 years ago is technology couldn’t match what you couldn’t do. You had to be able to go in there and do it. And now with Protools you can make anybody sound good. You go to these concerts and it doesn’t sound like the record. Everything that I do in studio I can do live. For me technology makes me faster. It doesn’t disguise what I can’t do. AHHA: I want to ask you about your love life. Brian: I bet you do. AHHA: Have you been in a serious relationship since your divorce? Brian: Yes, one. Not for the whole period of time but I have had one since then. Wait - let’s back up for a second. Define “serious”. AHHA: Umm…serious is when commitment is involved. Brian: Define “commitment.” AHHA: Oh gosh, you’re the one who sings all the R&B love songs. You define it! Brian: Yes but here is the deal. This is what I was alluding to. I sing songs about specific periods in time. I don’t sing songs about ‘oh I love you forever’. I always sing about ‘forever’ being much shorter. AHHA: So you didn’t answer my question. How many serious relationships? Brian: I’m not looking for serious relationship. Maybe two since then. I tried. It’s not for me; at least not right now. AHHA: How do you meet women? Brian: I don’t actively go out looking for women. There’s just no way. I don’t hang out at the club; I don’t do any of those things. For instance today a woman approached me at the gas station while I was getting gas. AHHA: After 13 years of marriage, do you regret anything? Brian: No, nothing. We have a great friendship and two wonderful kids. I don’t regret anything. AHHA: You have some crazy female fans. What’s the craziest thing they’ve done? Brian: All sorts of things. Strip butt naked in front of me; in front of my car. I don’t really stick around long enough for them to get that crazy. AHHA: Ok, so tell us about the new album. Brian: It’s obviously called Ten because it’s the 10th CD. It’s the optimism, being on the new label. You can tell when you listen to it that I’m in a different place. There’s a duet with Jill Scott. I produced most of it myself. There are 18 songs on this album. AHHA: What made you put 18 songs on the album? Brian: Well I wrote 40 and I had to cut down. I couldn’t cut it after that, there was just too much I had to say. AHHA: Like what? Brian: Just personal [stuff]. As sort of my first statement in a new place, I wanted to give the fans more than I have given before.

Hey Jim I know how you feel dawg, it's like that DMX song, good girls fall for bad guys, lol, really I personally don't quite understand it, never have understood it, maybe they feel sorry for them and think they could turn them around I guess, btwJim if Rachael really tells you that she's sick of George and she wants to be with you and messages you so much don't fight the feeling just go with the flow and see what happens, and then she could see that she'll be getting on to that "Grown Man Buisiness" like that Brian Mcknight song