Ataraxia

"Should he decide to come back to music, I believe he would eat up more than half of these so-called rappers making money in this day of age." Thought I'd revisit the first Hip-Hop album I ever bought and share my thoughts. Enjoy. http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/willsmithbigwilliestyle

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Just finished writing this up. I try and keep up with cinema/Will Smith movies as much as I can, and this was definitely way better than the second MIB flick. "My expectations for this film weren't that high, if I'm honest, and the trailer didn't particularly excite me after that very forgettable and unfunny first sequel from ten years ago. However, with a much better script and, thankfully, no talking dog this time around, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with what I saw in Men in Black III." Read on: http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/meninblackiii

I have Willenium and 'Getting Jiggy Wit It' single. That's about it. Anyone have the Lost & Found LP? Was it even pressed to vinyl? Seems pretty rare to me.

Anyone got all Will's LPS/singles on vinyl? Got pictures? I'd love to see if anyone's got the full collection.

Cheers, guys. Much love.

Thought I'd take a moment just to announce that DJ Lord of Public Enemy -- the most influencial hip-hop group of all time -- sent me this pic of him with my book with the classic PE logo in the background. Lord also had these kind words to say on Facebook: "(((BOOOM)))...A straightforward damned good read man...Enjoyed it!" Pretty damn impressive, if I do say so myself. Here's a link to the book of mine that he's holding: http://www.andycarrington.co.uk/pakiloversimaf It's my most recent book of poetry, and the main theme here is racism.

Agreed. But, like you say, music is a business. And that's part of the problem, I think.

Good battles, but damn, that host is annoying.

Yeah, the 'Nod Ya Head' remix is a bit better. 'Just the Two of Us' has also been played to death in my house. I'm pretty fed up of hearing it now, to be honest.

O.K., all of us on here have one thing in common: We love Will Smith/JJFP, right? Well, differing slightly from the usual "praiseworthy" posts that we like to make, I thought I'd ask everyone: Which are the songs that you don't really like listening to by the Philly rapper? I mean, these could be songs that you once loved when they were released, but over time they've gotten annoying. Or they could quite simply be songs that "don't do anything for you". I'll begin with a few examples of my own: 'Freakin' it': Yeah, people might argue that Will is a very good "party rapper", and I agree. But 'FI' is has gotten to be incredibly corny in my mind. At the time of its release, it was fashionable for many to hate on Will Smith, and this track just seems like a pretty weak backlash to the "haters" in question. I just don't like it. 'La Fiesta': An obvious experimentation in styles, this is one of the tracks I always skipped on Willenium. Doesn't work for me. 'Willow is a Player': Gotta admit, this is just plain awful by Will's standards. 'Nod Ya Head (Black Suits Comin'): Can't blame Will for wanting to cash in on the first MIB's success, but this is way below par. Don't misinterprete -- I've got mad respect for Will -- and these are just a few examples from his huge catalogue of music that I just don't like. Does anyone else have any examples?

https://twitter.com/#!/carrington_andy

Some fascinating answers from Will. Thanks for sharing. But, jeez, that laughing woman in the crowd is annoying...

WOW!

Thanks, man.

... and thinking to myself, "This is probably the weakest album Will Smith has ever done." Don't get me wrong, it's not a horrible album, but by Will's standards it's incredibly underwhelming. I think the biggest problem with the album is Will seems to be trying too hard to experiment with a variety of different styles, such as Latin and Reggae. Respect to him for attempting to go in new directions -- during the time Willenium came out and shortly after, it was fashionable to hate on Will Smith, so you can understand his desire to try something new -- but it just doesn't work. 'Willow is a Prayer', especially, is horrible; as is the 'Nod Ya Head' Men in Black II theme tune. It's disappointing 'cause the intro track, 'Born to Reign', lyrically holds up as one of Will's best tracks. I also find 'Block Party' and 'How Da Beat Goes On' quite decent. What does everyone else think?

Nice beatboxing!

Nice! More, please.

I've been on various drugs, but nothing has really helped. I've reduced the amount of dairy and red meat in my diet, however, and it's a lot better than it was a year or so ago. Before that, I had two emergency ops to basically save my life. It was a really tough time; I had to have an Ileostomy (a waste pouch on my abdomen), and that's where the main inspiration to write this book came from.

Another:

Any old videos of him freestyling live in his Fresh Prince days?

Hey, man. It'll be on Amazon kindle within the next month! Alternatively, you can download it via my website at the given link.

Just curious. I've heard him freestyling verses from existing songs over the top of random instrumentals, but does anyone actually have any audio/footage of him spitting spontaneous bars? I recall one interview with him on the set of Bad Boys, where the reporter asked him to do a freestyle about the film, and he rejected. I definitely wouldn't hate on him if he was incapable, but I'd like to know if anyone has a definite answer on subject? Also, I heard a rumour some years ago that he won Big Daddy Kane in the late stages of a battle before becoming a star with Jeff. Can anyone confirm this? Cheers.

Hey, guys, Been away for a couple of months, really digging down and trying to get my career as a writer going. Well, I'm very pleased to come back and announce my poetry book, The Innocence of Not Wanting to Live or Die, has been published! The book primarily deals with apathy, the suppression of one’s emotions and lack of interest in everyday life. I explore the subject of illness and death, as well as the writing condition, relationships between human beings and the concept of the self. The poems included I wrote over a period of seven years, shortly after the death of my Mother to cancer and before/during my severe diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease (an inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract). Basically, this is a journey of one man going through the emotions – not a lesson in morality. Be it that I am only human, many people will be able to relate to the spurts of anger, sexual rebellion, dissatisfaction and even sarcastic hopelessness that I express here in opposition to myself, other people and even fate (if there is such a thing, of course). There's a certain seriousness tinged with humour within my poems, and it's much closer to the "easy-read" style of modern poets such as Charles Bukowski than Shakespeare. So even if you claim you don't like "traditional" poetry, give it a try. The book is selling really well at the minute. Copies are limited, so if you want one, be sure to check the links below. People in the U.K. will get a signed copy from me personally when ordered through my website: http://www.andycarri...uk/theinnocence (you can also preview three of the poems via this link) People outside of the U.K. can order here: http://www.lulu.com/...or-die/18674224 Thanks for listening. Full synopsis of the book: “The mad disease comes in many forms,” says Andy Carrington in The Innocence Of Not Wanting To Live Or Die. Compiling poems written over a period of seven years, this book explores the subject of illness and death, as well as the writing condition, relationships between human beings and the concept of the self. Ranging from the extremes of contemplative suicide after the loss of a parent, and falling head over heels in love with the women who were once deemed his “saviours”, the author attempts to find a middle ground through the means of poetry and alcohol. Whether this results in apathy or having to come to terms with his own ill health, the struggle to identify personal feelings and process one’s emotions begins an individual’s search for clarity and acceptance.

Saw this earlier, Ewan. Absolutely despicable. And the saddest thing is, her kid was sat right there. I hope to God, he doesn't grow up to be like her.