Humphrey Bogut

First there was Luc Longely.

Then there was Andrew Gaze.

C.J Bruton and Chris Anstey also gave it a shot. Paul Rogers got close, but no cigar.

Only a handful of Aussies have made it, albiet mostly briefly to the promised land - the NBA.

Add one more name to that distinguished list - Andrew Bogut. I'm so excited and proud that an Aussie has gone number 1, not pick 5088 in the 2nd round. A lottery pick. No wait, the lottery pick. Hopefully Bogut will be kicking some NBA style ass in the Eastern conference and prove the haters wrong. He should make a nice inside outside tandem with Michael Redd and rock the world with some Tim Duncan/Brad Miller/Vlade Divacs style basketball.

When it rains it pours

Sidenote: What the freak is going on outside??? I took a big golf style, heavy duty umbrella outside to go to lunch. Huge winds, heavy downpour rain - sound the tsunami warning style weather absoultely mutilated my umbrella. Give me sunshine any day.

Old School

It's excellent to catch up with some old friends. I made it to Nik's 23rd birthday (holla) saw some faces that I haven't seen in maybe 5 years and some in a long long time. We were reminising about old times - when days were spent mucking about in the playground, spitting tales about weird English teachers we used to have, when we were young, dumb and full of fun. And it's just as good to hear how everyone's going and the latest goss - that Craig's a fireman, another dude has a kid, Bassam's gone to South Africa as a missionary, some are still studying and others are considering going overseas to work & travel.

Like Rakim said " It's been a long time" when I've been out with some people not from work or my immediate social group. Some things have changed, some thangs have not. Luke's still putting away those ciggy's like there's no tomorrow. Plunk, Crayzee and Me still share our love for hiphop - sharing the latest news in the rap world, including that Meth - the Ticallion Stallion is coming out to our shores.

High school friends and high school memories. Something that I will treasure for life. For me, most of the closest people to me are the ones from those 6 years we spent together in the pen - nah just kidding, I mean at Tech. Still remember those days - catching the 7.51am train to Bevo, hanging out in the year 12 study playing Big 2, being the first guy cut from the tryouts for the opens team, running around in the oval playing touch footy, getting detentions for having 2 lates in a week. But the thing I remember the most are the people.

I wonder where everyone is now. What they are doing, where they are at whether their married/single/twice divorced with a baby on the way/working/studying and simply where they've been and where they intend to go. It's all about the stories, the memories, and the faces.

Hearing about these mini high school reunions and these informal gatherings, I thing man why can't we have some major bash and try to catch up with every, and I mean everybody. I know its gonna be hard to contact everyone but dang - we graduated in 1999? Its the year 2K5 peoples! That's like 6 years. We don't have to wait 10 years til the year 2009 to meet again.

Let's all try to meet up in a few months time. So I'm throwing it down. I've picked some random date and location - Saturday, September the 3rd 2005 @ Jacksons on George. You contact your peoples, I'll contact mine. Even if only 20 people showed up, it'll still be awesome. Anyone you bump into who's from Sydney Tech, let'em know.

Why do the Knicks continue to mediocre? See below

How could the Knicks trade Kurt Thomas to the Suns for Quentin Richardson and a first round draft pick??? It hasn't gone down yet but supposedly will once Q's health has been sorted out.

That must go down as one of the absurd trades enginnered by Isiah Thomas. Not as bad as Nazr Mohammed for Malik Rose, but what was the purpose for the trade ? The Knicks get back a guy that is intent on chucking up as many 3's as possible.

I was amazed when I read this because the Knicks will have the 3 of the highest volume/lowest percentage shooters in the game - Marbury, Jamal Crawford, Quentin Richardson. Somehow, I fail to see how this team will gel together offensively and defensively. Q won't be able to get the same numbers on a Nash-less team.

I can fully picture this: future coach of the Knick pulling his hair out and going into cardiac arrest after the Knicks go 1 for 20 in the first quarter.

The deal is excellent for the Suns because they get a low post presence who can play center (Thomas), freeing Amare from the dirty work and giving them more of a traditional line up with Marion moving to the 3. And their draft pick wouldn't have been that good anyway at number 21.

I'm not saying that the trade was totally lopsided in terms of talent, I just fail to see why they wanted Quentin with their current lineup. Due to this trade, the Knicks continue to spiral downwards, beset by ever increasing contracts and a lineup that just can't work.

a dj ho production

Better than the Carl Webb "Q", this redneck shows which Car is rooting for. I love it - an inbuilt jersey number
a dj ho production

When you can't afford the real thing: Homemade innovations
a dj ho production

Check out the latest car security system out West
a dj ho production

too much backhair?
a dj ho production

Debut Singie: Rookie on the block

I was really hyped up today when I played my first competitive basketball game in ages. Making my debut for my work team, I scored 6 points!!!!!!!!

I came on as a sub halfway thru the first half, made a nice cut down the middle of the lane, recieved a pass within several feet of the basket. I kinda knew what to do - without even thinking about it. Just naturally, I grabbed the ball from chest high, pulled it down, and layed it up within one swift motion. All whilst moving. I can't explain it, I just knew what to do! It was a nice Kobe Bryantesque move. That was mad, my first shot straight up.

A couple of trips later, I was standing outside the key on the left hand side. Another sweet pass, found me open. Instintively I knew what to do, and buried that Robert Horry style. Second shot in, 4 points for DJ HO!!!

I was tired but pumped up. I ran the fast breaks hard and called for the pass and recieved a nice go ahead pass. Took two steps, extending the arm, layed it up but bounced off the rim. Dang! Shoulda finished that. I had good body control and full extension and blew it.

Then half time and was totally out of breath. One of the managers, wouldn't let me sit out and ordered me back onto the court cause I was a junior. He's like son, you're young and got energy, so get back on!

Running around with cramp in your sides is not fun, but I do it for the love of the game.

Battling inside for the rebounds, a grabbed an offensive board and put that sucker back in.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, in mixed basketball, you apparently can't block chicks. I was warned b4 hand but totally forgot. This chick was on a breakaway and pulled up for a short J. I came over and BAM! Knocked the bleep out of that shot. The girl started laughin and everyone was like cracking up cause they got awarded 2 points straight up.

man, that was a fun time. It's the best fun I've had in a while. A successful debut for DJ HO. And BTW we killed the other team 38 to 24.

Bring on the FLAVOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How to survive in South Central (what you do?)
A place where bustin a cap is fundamental
No, you can't find the shit in a handbook
Take a close look, at a rap crook
Rule number one: get yourself a gun
A nine in your ass'll be fine
Keep it in your glove comparment cause jackers (yo) they love to start shit
Now if you're white you can trust the police but if you're black they ain't nothin but beasts
Watch out for the kill
Don't make a false move and keep your hands on the steering wheel and don't get smart
Answer all questions, and that's your first lesson on stayin alive
In South Central, yeah, that's how you survive

- Ice Cube aka Doughboy on "How To Survive in South Central"

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I watched Boyz in The Hood last Sunday, having not ever watched the whole film in its entirety. This movie is a classic, revolving around a young group of men trying to make it in South Central, LA. An area later becoming famous for the Rodney King beatdown and the ensuing LA riots. The story depicts a world which many people rarely see nor hear or want to know about - the themes of gang violence, police brutality, the poverty cycle, the constant 5-0 presence in the hood, and drugs.

The actors and the characters they play are one of the reasons this movie is mad. Tre, played by Cuba Gooding Jnr is a young man growing up fast. Kicked out by his mother for being violent in school, he's given to his Dad to learn the lessons of life. You see that Tre's on the path to getting out of the hood - he's got the good moral grounding from father, hard work ethic instilled from working a job and got something to work towards, a college education. He's level headed, smart, savvy and the ladies love him.

On the other hand, you've got the two brothers, Doughboy (played by Ice Cube) and Ricky (Morris Chestnut). Without the strong father presence in his life, Doughboy succums to life on the street, becoming hard and going in and out of prison like its the supermarket. Quick to temper and with whipping out his gun, he sees violence as first resort to solving problems. Ricky who is father whilst still in high school, with his love for football might have a chance with a football scholarship as his ticket out of the hood.

One of the key themes in the story is gang violence and the cycle of revenge. When one is threatened, one cannot retreat. To them, especially Dough it was about his manhood. And this is what leads to the problems. A single incident leads to a "Yo we got a problem here?" to flashing out the gat, gun violence, and then tragedy as Ricky becomes another victim of drive by shooting.

To me the saddest moment was not when Ricky was gunned down but straight after the shooting. Before they even start to grieve, Tre quietly whispers to Doughboy "meet me in 5 mins" and storms off to his house to grab his gun, pushing away his screaming girlfriend, intent on blasting those fools away. Tre was going to throw away everything he and his father had worked for - to get out of the hood. I could feel myself shedding a tear for Tre cause he was reverting back to the gangster mentality. And that was one of the turning points in the movie, when the future got thrown out the window, when the lessons his father had preached to him since day 1 didn't mean squat.

I give this movie A DJ HO 9/10 rating. It's quality and a must see if you haven't seen it already. As Ice Cube says in the movie, you've got news media showing stories of foreign wars and people dying in other countries, but what about the stories in their own backyard - of young black men dying by the hands of each other?. Boyz in the Hood presents a poignant look at the life in the hood and the problems plaguing black America.
a dj ho production

The Ruler's Back

Gather 'round party goers as if your still livin
And get on down to the old Slick rhythm
Now this one here is called the Ruler my dear
Its a mere party booster that will set things clear
Its a hundred percent proof from champions of truth
And if you feel you need spirit I'll bring back your youth
Relax your mind, and folks unwind
And be kind to a rhythm that you hardly find
And off we go, let the trumpets blow
Well hold on, because the driver of the mission is a pro
The Ruler's back

- Slick Rick on "The Ruler's Back"
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The ruler is back! Which one? Well take your pick. Firstly, on prime time TV last night Andrew Johns was back in scintilating form, devasting the Maroons with his deft passes, kicking game and fancy footwork. Then there was the Deeeetroit Pistons, with Ben Wallace showing the way with 4 blocks in the first quarter. And last but not least the Zen Master, Phil Jackson returns to the Lakers.

Andrew Johns simply is the man. For someone that has only played 8 games in 2 years, he looked amazingly sharp and fresh. The more he played, the greater his confidence grew and the more his brilliance showed. I must admit that I was one of the doubters - whether he could be back playing at an elite level. I was cringing every time he ran with the ball and when got hammered in a tackle, I was really praying he better not come off second best. He showed in that one performance, that he's back baby, with a vengance. Whether he can maintain that for the rest of the season remains questionable, especially when your teammates aren't so crappy.

I think the biggest shock of the day was Phil Jackson going back to Laker land. My biggest question is why? They are in a shambles. This will test the ability and patience of Jackson. I've always thought that he was a decent coach but more a guy that was able to manage superstar personalities and get them to buy into a team concept. Whether he can do the same without such an all star cast remains to be seen. Perhaps he can turn Kobe into Jordan and Lamar Odom into Pippen. What the Lakers really need is a decent post presence. Maye if they had a guy like Shaq, everything would be cool.........

Above the Clouds

"I self Lord and Master shall bring disaster to evil factors/
Demonic chapters, shall be captured by Kings/
Through the storms of days after/
Unto the Earth from the Sun through triple darkness to blast ya/
With a force that can't be compared to any firepower, for it's mindpower shared/
The brainwake, causes vessels to circulate like constellations reflect at night off the lake/
Word to the father, and Mother Earth"

- Above the Clouds by Guru of Gangstarr.
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Peep the scene. It's 10.30pm, late on a Thursday night. Workers in the rat race be putting their heads to sleep, getting that much needed rest for the next day. Uni students staying up late at night sweating over that assignment. Hot off the press, the next day's news has been printed and is ready for distribution. Mothers be telling their seeds to go to sleep.

But their's a group of zombies that refuse to go silently into the night. Hiphops heads have turned out in small numbers to see Baldhead aka Guru of Gangstarr perform at the Gaelic club. After collecting our prepaid tickets and getting that red ink stamped on our arms, we usher in to the sweet sounds of the night.

The place is packed. Cigarrette smoke lingers in the air, shorties be bouncing, the alcohol be overflowing. Generation Y and Xers are out in full force, in the new -old preppy look: rocking a t-shirt over long sleeved shirt and faded denim. The line at the bar is 3 deep. Corona's in hand we head upstairs to get a better view.

Album art is projected at the back of the stage area - showing old skool covers like Souls of Mischief, of music you'd be hard pressed to find in your local music store (Nate/Ivan you'd be impressed). The warmup act, a local MC named Katalyst jumps on stage and entertains the crowd with his slightly American sounding accent and does his best "Bop Bop Bop, Fire" call complete with handgun action. I ain't really feeling it but interesting sidenote: Tim does notice the dj behind the decks is that dreadlocked Islander baller from the KGV.

The main act is about to arrive. Guru better not pull a Busta Rhyme and not show up and cause a Riot Akt. I know the night will be good because DJ Doo Wop, comes out puts on some hip hop classics like KRS-One which automatically forces everyone to nod their heads in unison. Solar (Guru's producer) comes out to hype the crowd. He looks eerily simlar to the baldheaded one and intially I think he is Guru. Throughout the night, he acts like a backup singer, dropping lines, emphasising Guru's rhymes and overall adds a nice balance to the show.

The man of the hour cames out and the crowd goes nuts. Starting off with recent classics like "You Know My Steez" and " Royalty" heads were mesmerized and enchanted by the deep booming voice. As they kept telling the crowd it was New York Strait talk, America's best. Changing it up, Guru dropped a mad beat in the form of a Jazzamatazz track with Angie Stone, "Keep your worries".

With one of the deepest catalogues in the rap game, classics like "Step in the Arena" and "Just to Get a Rep" had the crowd bouncing. Always a crowd favourite the "Militia" then hit the spot along with "Skillz" from the Ownerz album. We were then introduced to some of the newer tracks from the soon to be released Street Scriptures LP. The energetic emcee showed us why he's still at the top of the game with the hits "Surviving in the Game", "Hall of Fame" and "Cave In". Ever the innovator and biter-hater, he took time out to call out a new MC called "Young Guru" telling the world that's my name, get your own biatch.

As the show came to a close, he asked the crowd what they wanted to hear. Randoms were screaming out all different names but the dude in front of me agreed with me that "Above the Clouds" needed to be heard. Guru then asked for the lights to be switched off, encompassing the stage in pitch black. Telling the crowd to take out their cigarette lighters for the fallen rappers, he then paid respects to the ones who's lives were cut short in their primes. From Big Pun, 2pac, Biggie, Scott La Rock, Freaky Tah, everyone knew where it was headed cause as soon he said "Big L rest in peace" - BOOM!!!!!!!! the place went bannanas as he launched himself into the single "Full Clip". Finishing off the night, DJ Doo Wop cut the music as Guru answered my request with a acappella version of "Above the Clouds".

And as we piled out of the Gaelic club at 1 in the morning, the zombies went quietly into the night, having met their hip hop hunger. And we all agreed - Gangstarr, one of the best yet.

a dj ho production

Sports page news flash: DJ Ho joins new basketball team

Sydney, 3rd June 2005.

Catchwords - DJ HO, basketball, Corporate Games, Big 4, KGV, Da Action Squad, turnaround jumpshot, Flavos Remix.

Rumours were swirling as of Thursday evening that one of the corporate teams in the KGV competition has pulled off a remarkable mid season acquisition. This news bulletin can confirm that DJ Ho, a 23 year old 5'11 guard/forward has officially joined one of the Big 4 basketball teams in the KGV Thursday Lunchtime league.

Coming into this season, DJ HO's status was as a free agent and despite interests from domestic and international teams, he has decided to remain true to his roots and is staying in the domestic league. He has been linked on numerous occasions with several teams, particularly the Flavos Remix. Last night, our sources indicate that DJ Ho was sighted at the KGV sitting on the Flavo's bench cheering them on, which only fuelled rumours that he was making a comeback. Putting the rumours to rest, DJ Ho had this to say:

"Yeah I am coming back but with a different team. I'm still down with the Flavos and still carrying on my role as the director of player development, but now I'm representing a new team in the 05 season. It's a new team so I've got to deal with new players, different coach, different playing style. But I got to do what I do, which is play hard, grab rebounds, play some nasty D and flash that turnaround jumpshot. Can't wait to run out there coz I haven't played in a long time, son. It's all about the love of the game."

At this point in time, the cash terms are undisclosed, but it is understood that DJ Ho is playing for minimal wages, perhaps even for free.

With an illustrious career spanning almost a decade, he has played for several teams including Da Action Squad, Bankstown South Side, YMCA Giants and several games for the Flavos Remix. His career averages to date are 2.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 5 turnovers and three fouls per game.

One question remains on everyone's lips: Which DJ Ho will we see - Bankstown DJ Ho or Blakehurst DJ Ho? He has potential to make an impact in the game with his mid range shooting, effective post up game and ability to cut to the basket. However, when it comes to the crunch (full court competitive basketball) DJ Ho has barely shown more than a glimmer of his potential. Is he this seasons Darko Milic or will he have a devastating impact similar to the Detroit Pistons acquisition of Rasheed Wallace mid way into the season? Only time will tell.

a dj ho production

Sports page news flash: DJ Ho joins new basketball team

Sydney, Friday Evening: Late breaking news flash

Rumours were swirling as of Thursday evening that one of the corporate teams in the KGV Thursday lunchtime competition has pulled off a remarkable mid season acquistion. This news bulletin can confirm that DJ Ho, a 5'11 guard/forward has offically joined the Corporate powerhouse known onl

Only Built for Cuban Linx (Chicks)

At the moment I'm trying to introduce a fellow female work colleague to the world of hip hop. Last night, I started her off with a copy of Only Built For Cuban Linx (Niggaz) by Raekwon as it was one of the only albums I had at my desk.

I swear I saw her nodding her head to the track Guillotine Swords coz with lines like these anyone would:

"I testify, the rest is I, Rebel INS Ya highness
blessed to electrify with voltage of an eel
truth that I reveal
I'll crush the amateurs who screamed to keep it real
Caesar black down hoodied up and fatigues
Part time minor leagues receive third degrees
Attack like a wolf pack
once I pull back then guard you, and bust through like a fullback"

(Inspektah Deck spitting on Guillotine Swords)

Someone else gave her a copy of the new Blackeyed Peas, and I was like pft, that ain't real hip hop. However, in hindsight maybe I should have gave her something a bit less hardcore than Cuban Linx on her first experience to hop hop. I hope that I haven't scarred her for life!!.

Or maybe (albeit less likely) she'll think the album is awesome and become some hardcore Wu-Banger, repping the Wu Family at the workplace. I can just see her:

- when she gets pissed off and yelling at the partners: "Bring the mutha... ruckus!"

- when I ask what style do you want this letter "P.L.O style, budda monks with the owl"

- or when i question her thought process behind the theory of the case: " I bomb atomically, Socrates' philosophies and hypothesis can't define how I be droppin these mockeries"

Maybe we all need a lil Wu-Tang in the workplace.

* Is it just me or is it really cold these days? In the mornings I've usually got my suit on and an overcoat. A lot of people seem to wearing scarfs, trenchcoats, extra layers of clothes....or maybe its just colder out west?

* Been listening to a lot of Kanye West produced stuff lately. I was reading a couple of reviews of Common's album - Be, and just talking to people generally, and this seems to be the notion that there's too much Kanye in the marketplace. Is this a good or bad thing? Depends if you like Kanye or not.

I must say that I really like Common (Sense) new album. The radio friendly song "Go" with John Mayer is continously in my heavy rotation, and "The Corner" with its mad drum beat just sounds off the hook from the first time I heard it playing on Bosco's laptop. And that song "They Say" with John Legend is also killer. Common's got a lot soul/rnb beats in the background to this album and I really dig his sound. He doesn't rap about the typical gangster/hoes/bling bling life style and is known more as conscious rapper talking about everyday stuff.

* Meltdown: What's happening with the Suns? They've comeback after being down 3 games. It's too late. The Spurs will finish them off. Side note: How mad was Amare's block on Tim Duncan's throwdown late in the game? Missing in action: Shawn Marion. Dude ain't scoring at all - too much Bruce Bowen?

It's gonna be the Spurs and the Heat.