Overrated Movies

No Filter,.. No Limits,.. No Rubber!

K. and A., friends from Baltimore's Northern High School, Class of 2003, have quickly made a big impression on Blog Talk Radio with their show No Rubber. Their first episode "Wanna Be Starin' Somethin'" aired just over two months ago on July 14th, and they have already evoked some strong reactions. Their podcast has received two 5-star ratings on iTunes. On the other hand, they have also stirred up a lot of controversy. During their second episode, which explored the divide between Africans and African Americans, Co-host A., conjured up passionate disagreements from both callers and his No Rubber main host, K. (who is of Nigerian descent) . Moreover, No Rubber engaged in a radio battle with fellow Blog Talk program, Hood To Hood, after one of their contributors called in during a No Rubber episode about religion and controversial statements were exchanged.

Kay and Adrian have created their radio broadcast with little more than their laptops and cellular phones. They each conduct the show from their homes, utilizing a switchboard program. As the show's main host, K. usually operates the program, while A. co-hosts by phone; however, they recently traded places for their episode "What's Beef", in which Adrian hosted, as he addressed their Blog Talk adversary Hood To Hood.

"No Rubber was based off of our conversations that we have, they're always raw; and we decided that we needed a show to allow people to hear it because its funny, and its about topics that people talk about all the time," A. stated.

Thus far, No Rubber has discussed topics ranging from relationships, to success, to cultural identity. K. shared that one of his favorite episodes has been "Back in the Day", when they reminisced on childhood memories from the 1980s and 90s, then contrasted their nostalgia with commentary on present-day society.

During their seventh episode, entitled "If Heaven Was a Mile Away", they were discussing religion with their guest-host Pam, when she was profanely interrupted by a caller who was accidently put through to air too early. The caller, Big Mo from Hood To Hood, criticized the Christian beliefs that were expressed earlier in the program by Pam and other callers. Then when A asked Big Mo what he believed in, he answered saying "Nothing. I'm into metaphysics." K. and A. each thanked Big Mo for contributing to the show, but A later made fun of his comments. After Big Mo hung up, A. said, "I think we just had one of those 'when keeping it real goes wrong' moments (a reference to a Chapelle's Show skit). Then referred to him as an "Angry Black Man on an Elevator" (a reference to a Rhymefest song), which Big Mo took particular offense to.

"I wasn't angry about nothing", he said. Offended that A. made the debate racial, he questioned "Why did he have to say 'angry black man on an elevator'?"

However, A was not the only one who found Mo's comments to be aggressive.

"The whole point was 'why are you calling in and being disrespectful?' when the whole idea of the show was about practicing tolerance for other people, and becoming a more respectful society, more respectful of people's beliefs," Pam commented. "So for [Big Mo] to come on the show as hostile as [he] did was just really uncalled for. Even his tone was just ridiculous."

Ladee Dase, hostess of Hood To Hood radio saw it differently. They responded to the No Rubber episode with a "battle" episode, on which they criticized No Rubber, for what they percieved to be disrespect. Since this, representatives from each of the respective shows have called in to the other, and criticisms have been sent back and forth.

"We ran with it on an educated form. We didn't run with it on a corny form", Ladee Dase said regarding A's "What's Beef" episode. "...they actually came back with nothing, and it was mad ignorant, but I feel like we squashed it and it's over."

Pam and Ladee Dase disagree about who started the beef, but they both agree that A took it too far.

"I think that its a situation that definitely could've been avoided. I think Adrian pumped it up a little too much. It's an internet radio station.", Pam added.

K. also showed disapproval of A's comments, but for different reasoning. He thought A was giving Hood To Hood too much credit.

"He was making the whole show about them, but I felt like it would have been an informative show without his call," he shared.

A. believes that everyone else has taken the situation too seriously.

"Yeah, I started it, and I finished it too. You know why I started it? Because its entertainment."

Despite the rawness indicated by the shows title, thus far, No Rubber has only had one episode that was officially deemed "explicit" on iTunes, which has left some llisteners disappointed, or at least confused.

"If they're going to be called No Rubber Nation, they need to decide what exactly they mean; if they're going to be controversial, or say the things that people are afraid to say, and I don't know if they've lived up to that yet"

Jay-Z vs. Nas...8 yrs later

With the recent release of Jay-Z's Blueprint 3, and with questions swirling about why Nas isn't featured on the album (after he was allegedly offered a guest spot); & just for the simple fact that there hasn't been a really good hip-hop battle in a long time (the best rap battle this year involves pop diva Mariah Carey, & almost involved Nick Jr.), I think now is an appropriate time to revisit the greatest battle hip-hop has ever witnessed.

Most hip-hop fans agree that the rap battle which took place between Jay-Z and Nas was one of the greatest; however when it comes to determining the champion of the bout, the decision is less than unanimous. Despite the ambiguous results, the majority of hip-hop fans seem to mistakenly believe Nas won. This misinterpretation is largely due to subconscious superficiality, sympathy, and poor lyrical examination.

To make a legitimate analysis of the battle and determine the winner, one has to understand both possible perspectives of the argument. The ultimate objective in any musical rivalry is to convince listeners that you are better than your opponent. Jay-Z was hugely successful at the time; meanwhile Nas's once-legendary reputation had drastically descended, especially after his worse-received album, "Nastradamous". Therefore, many fans were surprised and excited that Nas, who at the time was caring for his fatally-ill mother, felt inspired enough to respond at all to the challenge. His first straightforward dis, the "H to the OMO" freestyle, was a weak attack on Jay's honesty and originality. Claiming that Jay-Z copied his rhyming style, and fabricated a criminal past, yet giving no explanations or reason for such claims. The most effective line is where Nas claims to have collected money from Jay-Z sampling his voice.

However, on the 'Takeover', Jay flipped this into one of the most memorable lines of the battle. "So yeah I sampled your voice, you was usin' it wrong, You made it a hot line, I made it a hot song", Jay confessed to Nas' influence, while maintaining his superiority. Then adding insult to injury, Jay clarifies that Nas actually did not collect any money from the sample, instead his former publishing company did. Jay-Z belittled Nas's career to "a one hot album every ten year average", and made the blatant assessment, "smarten up Nas". The latter phrase became so memorable that a general hip-hop website has been named after it. The last verse contains rhymes that still pertain to Nas, yet double as timeless philosophies, such as "A wise man told me don't argue with fools, Because people from a distance can't tell who is who'".

Nas's response was not as explosive as diethyl ether, but it was just as transparent. 'Ether' was a plethora of tired battle cliches, including father-son comparisons, sellout accusations, and homosexual implications. Before, Jay made a clever subliminal allusion to involvement with the mother of Nas's daughter, warning "You know who, did you know what With you know who, but just keep that between me and you (for now)". However, since Nas did not heed the warning, and instead made harsher and more sexual disses, Jay-Z decided that detailing his affair had become fair game. Therefore 'Supa Ugly' was full of scandalous imagery which some dismissed as a desperate low blow, but it was a logical course of action that Nas could have prevented.

About a year later, Jay-Z decided to make his victory more apparent, by ending the battle with more respectable and reflective lyrics. Jay-Z responds to Nas's criticism that he traded his soul for riches, by citing his own philanthropy in contrast to Nas's lack thereof. Jay goes on to discuss the fact that people believe Nas to be more artistic, conscious, poetic, or "real", for superficial reasons. He states that Nas's fans fall for his image: he appears to be wise because he wears kufi caps, and sounds deeper because of the vagueness of his lyrics.

Jay's lyrics were more original and didactic, and they were more critical than disparaging. His trilogy of tirades redefined how rappers approach battling, both offensively and defensively. As far as the results, Jay-Z summed it up best, "I've been real all my life, they confuse it with conceit, Since I will not lose, they try to help him cheat."

Recession-Proof First Lady Footwear

First Lady Michelle Obama's footwear caused quite a stir as she volunteered at a Washington Food Bank drive. She wore a pair of tennis shoes designed by Lanvin, a French fashion line that has been around for over 100 years. The sneakers have also been worn by Ellen DeGeneres and Kanye West, and they have been selling out all Spring. Nevertheless, the First Lady has been singled out, because of the shoes' economically insensitive price tag of $540.
In December 2008, the National Bureau of Economic Research declared that the United States had been in a recession for a year. It has since become a global recession, infecting most of the industrialized world. In a recent Wall Street Journal survey, 52% of economists believe that the recession will last until August of this year. The Lanvin shoes are "certainly not a reflection of the poor economy," iMag Style Host Noelle Waters said. Obviously the state of the economy has caused the public to be more intolerant than usual regarding costly fashion choices. Although, the recession is not the only reason Mrs. Obama's kicks have struck a nerve.
Criticism has been particularly strong for the fact that she wore them while doing philanthropic work. Obama was bagging meals at the event sponsored by hunger relief group Feeding America, to help feed 1,000 low-income children in the D.C. area. Critics have pointed out that the money that would have been saved by purchasing more reasonably priced shoes, could have easily provided food to feed many more hungry people. Naturally, this has caused doubt in the sincerity of her charitable efforts.

In the past, Obama has been noted for her taste in affordable formal wear; like the $148 Donna Ricco dress she wore on ABC's "The View". She has even set a frugal example with wardrobe decisions for her daughters; Sasha Obama has been seen wearing a pair of Converse sneakers from Target which cost only $19.99.
Publications like the New York Daily News have suggested that she possibly acquired the shoes through Ikram, the Chicago based retailer that typically outfits her. Still it is possible that the shoes were purchased on sale, or even given to Obama as a gift. From a business standpoint, the $540 a brand would lose by giving a pair to Obama, would easily be overturned, since her endorsement has been the best promotion a designer could ask for as of lately. This was evident by the drastic rise in popularity that the economy-friendly J. Crew line experienced after she showed fondness for their clothing.
It is understandable why some felt disappointed or even offended by the footwear. That disappointment however, is a sign of a greater problem: the public dedicates too much attention and concern to the fashion of First Ladies. An anonymous writer echoed that notion on firstladies.org, "I believe, First Ladies have been reduced to 'fashion mannequins' thus making them of interest to a limited audience" they said. Additionally, the site recounts the legends that former First Ladies Nellie Taft and Julia Grant each had an affinity for flashy jewelry.

Michelle Obama has already faced comparison to past First Ladies. "Well, Jackie O better hold on to her pearls", Jaclyn Bethany of the Jackson Free Press quipped. "We have got a new Mrs. O on the scene, and she’s proving to be the nation’s leading fashionista. The whole nation seemed more abuzz about what Michelle Obama would wear on inauguration day than what President Obama would actually say in his inauguration speech", she added. A book was recently released in dedication to Obama's fashion sense entitled “Michelle Style, Celebrating the First Lady of Fashion”, by Mandi Norwood.
As the above poll points out, the public should take more interest in the contributions that Michelle Obama is making to society. She graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, and is now one of only three First Ladies to ever hold a postgraduate degree. In 1993, she was the Executive Director of a non-profit organization encouraging young people to work on social issues. She has worked as an Associate Dean at the University of Chicago, and has worked for the University's Hospitals. In 2006 her salary was more than double that of her husband's. She cut back on her career, to campaign for Barack Obama, helping him become elected President. Since becoming First Lady she has visited homeless shelters and soup kitchens. She has also advocated public service and the organic movement.
Public fixation with First Lady fashion is what pressures them into flaunting extravagant wardrobes. The ladies feel obligated to live up to expectations, or simply avoid scrutiny. While many were hung up over the sneakers' price tag, several outlets such as Fox News were just as quick to mention that her top did not perfectly coordinate with the rest of her ensemble. In lieu of the recession, the fact that Obama wore the shoes is far less troubling than the fact that those shoes are now selling out as a result. Considering her impressive list of accomplishments and efforts, people should spend less time trying to look like Michelle Obama, and more time trying to be like her.

Daily Delver News Tease II

Daily Delver 2nd News Tease - Bryan Lloyd
Good morning, I’m Bryan Lloyd, broadcasting from Morgan State University, with your latest news from the Daily Delver. President Obama has vowed to help Mexico, along with their President, Felipe Calderon, fight its war against drugs."We are going to be dealing not only with drug interdiction coming north, but also working on helping to curb the flow of cash and guns going south," Obama stated. This U.S. offer of aide could not come at a more urgent time for the neighboring country, as it has been reported that Mexican gangs have implemented something of a drug cartel draft, recruiting innocent civilians by force. The international drug war, recently fought a local battle, when Victoria Carter, the head of a Baltimore city high school's special-education department was arrested on felony drug charges, after police seized at least $4,000 worth of cocaine from her home. In non-drug-related news, NBA champion, Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics, who led the franchise team to victory last year, could be out for the playoffs due to a knee injury. Lastly, will celebriality-mania hold up once Solange, Keisha Knight Pulliam, and Michael Vick all join the long list of stars, or former stars, who have their own show? We will have the details on that story and more when we return after these brief messages.

Daily Delver News Tease

Daily Delver News Tease - Bryan
Good morning, I’m Bryan Lloyd, broadcasting from Morgan State University, with your latest news from the Daily Delver. First off, the Obama administration plans to improve diplomacy by joining European and Asian allies in talks with Iran to block their development of a nuclear weapon. However, Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has stipulated, “If a hand has truly been extended with sincerity, based on justice and respect, Iran will welcome it. “If it’s a hand that is sincere in appearance and deep down dishonest, Iran’s answer will be the same as the one given to Mr. Bush.” Moreover, we have an update on the hostage situation where Somalian pirates are holding American Captian, Richard Phillips captive. In sports news, former star college basketball player, Marvin Webster, of the Morgan Bears, sadly passed away, just nine days shy of his 57th birthday. In local news, Baltimore’s oldest hospital, Bon Secours, which was first established in 1919, is facing closure. And in entertrainment news, did married-athlete Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat, impregnate actress Gabrielle Union? We’ll have the details of that story and more when we return after these brief messages.

Najia: You can get with this, Or you can get with that

Najia McLean is a junior at Morgan State University. She is an English Major, with a concentration in journalism. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Najia found it easy to adjust to Baltimore. She says that the urban environments are similar, both positively and negatively; since she points out that each city has a high crime rate. Although she will always prefer her hometown; Najia has stated that she is considering a permanent residence in Baltimore. Najia plans on making journalism her professional occupation; she has already written for the "Union County Local Source" in NJ, and Morgan’s "The Promethean". I picked her brain with ten simple “either or” questions:
1. Democrat or Republican? Democrat
2. Basketball or Football? Basketball
3. NCAA or NBA? NBA
4.Morning classes or Evening Classes? Morning Classes
5. George W. Bush or George H. W. Bush? Neither
6. Mayor Sheila Dixon or Governor Martin O’Malley? Mayor Sheila Dixon
7. Newswriting I. or Newswriting II.? Newswriting I
8. English or Journalism? Journalism
9. R&B or Hip-Hop? R&B
10. Reality TV or Scripted TV? Reality

EitherOrInterview - BryanandNajia