A night at the Hilton

Glass Bar @ Hilton

Last night instead of going to our usual drinking hole, we decided to change it up a bit. Go classy for once. Hobnob with the socialites. No guzzling of beers, rather sipping the exquisite Cosmos, the full Rozets, the aged Sauvigon Blanc.

In case you didn’t know, the Hilton in the City (opposite QVB) has been reopened, much larger and grander than before attracting the “hip/exclusive” crowd – those that need to be seen or part of the rush that’s eager to see what’s up. Downstairs is the Marble Bar, where there were fools eager to wait like 45 minutes to get inside, with a 20-30 metre line.

Going inside, it felt like walking into the new Grace Bros/Myer in the city for the first time. Very classy, a lot of glass and marble floors. The Glass Bar, I presume is the waiting area for the restaurant, because the dude gave us a weird look when we said we weren’t eating. Or maybe that’s just a posh doorman signal.

The Bar area actually isn’t that big. It’s got a very different modern look. Wooden floors, massive sophisticated glass windows that overlook the QVB. Behind the bar area, there are shelves of wine that stack up as far as the eye can see.

Oh and by the way, I’m glad I hit up the ATM before I went, because that place is expensive. Your looking at paying for 15-25 a glass for any drink/wine. Unless you wanna order the high roller -I’m big Pimpin style and get the $58 Dom Perignon per glass and do the whole " The back of the club, sipping Moet, is where you'll find me.". Our bill was $150 when only had a handful of drinks. And there was no negotiating in some dodgy pub like when we were in China when we didn't have enough money (Tim knows what I'm talking about!).

So if you like being seen at a new joint, enjoy being surrounded in the room by posh 40 year olds, and wanna blow lots of dough, the Glass Bar is the place to be.

It's so chilled

If your ever in the city near Circular Quay on your lunch break or just wanna chill out, can I suggest buying/bringing some food and eating at the Opera House steps?

It's so chilled out there. Absolutely awesome. You've got to go to the top of the first set of steps - it's still pretty high though. It's got a flat area, just plunk your ass down. Enjoy the view of the Harbour, the Ships, and the funny Asian tourists snapping pics. Go on a sunny day on your lunch break, and I guarantee you won't feel like going back to work. It also helps if you have great company!

Just sit back, eat, relax, chill and not think about work......ahhhhhhh paradise.

muMs the word

Poet from OZ is used to be one of my favourite characters. Why? In the past, he used to do spoken word poetry, hence the name Poet. When I first heard him perform on the show, it was such powerful moving stuff, captivating me with his storytelling voice.


I was looking for that poem by searching for the script from Oz. Now, I found out that he actually is a POET! He's spoken word artist/actor going by the name of muMs (Manipulator Under Manipulation shhhhhhh). I knew he wasn't just acting - it was like his craft when he was rapping. Here's the poem but it's not the same though. No tone inflections, deep booming voice, pitch control or hand actions. Enjoy:

I coulda sworn I seen the m*therfucker in my cell, going through my personal effects
He fingers, fingering my cigarettes
Came out like nothing was happening whistling his tune
So I mushed his ass, like, "Move, m*therfucker, make room!"
"Hey, ain't that my cigarette hanging off the tip of your lip?"
I didn't even give him a chance for any confession
Just leveled his ass with all that aggression
Left, right, to the dolex
Foots to the chest
Uppercuts to the grill
I'm like "Kill!
"He's like "Chill!
"Take that for even being in this place
Take that for that fucking CO for tarring across my face
Feel that for that lawyer who don't give two f*cks about me
And feel this, feel this for me being enslaved by poverty, motherfucker
Gimme them damn cigarettes
Oh, these are Marlboros I don't smoke these.

Pho Shizzle My Nizzle

One of my all time favourite skits from the Fugees "The Score" album. Classic and still funny to this day.

Clef: Yo let's go to this next Chinese-Muslim joint and we can get some shrimp fried rice and mixsalata at the same time....
Pras: aight cool!
Chang-Wei: *humming*You are not alone....I am here with you.... *doorbell* Pras: Ayyo Chang-wei wassup?
Chang-wei: I'll be right up
Pras: Yo can we get somethin to eat man? Chang can I eat?
Chang-wei: Right...right one second....okay then, fine....your order...
Pras: Let me get two of them beef fried rices over there....let me get a half a chicken wing....don't put that lil retarded leg in it....cut that off...don't put NO onions in my white rice....
Clef: yo, yo, yo, yeah, yeah I need four chicken wings fried hard and shit!
Chang-wei: Wait a minute....what's this?
Pras: Yo, I'm not trippin
Chang-wei: Hold on, what's this? *popping sound* The two of you? At Once? Ok then, you want beef?
Pras: No No! We want beef to eat! We ain't got no beef!
Clef: I want four chicken wings fried hard nigga what the fuck you talking about?!
Chang-wei: Fine! I'll kick your monkey asses my fucking self! *jumping and kicking sounds*
Pras: Yo, yo man what you coming over the counter for?
Chang-wei: You think I open a restuarant in the middle of the hood and don't know what is going on? I'll fucking represent!
Clef: I'll fuck you the fuck up!
Chang-wei: I will avenge my brothers by representing and whipping your ass, word is bond!
Clef: This ain't channel 5 nigga, somebody gonna die up in here!
Chang-wei: Okay then, I must show you flying fist of Judah!
Pras: You ain't gonna show me shit! I'mma show you these nuts in yo muthafucking mouth...
Chang-wei: That's right, you AND you....
Clef: Straight from Mortal Kombat....
Chang-wei: You're just talking, obviously the two of you are just bitch ass niggas....
Pras: Nigga well let's do something then! You talking this ole bullshit....
Clef: So what's up? What's up punk ass?
Chang-wei: Okay....alright then....this is a chinese restuarant, but like Burger King have it your way! *punches and kicks connect*
Clef and Pras: Arghh ahhhh...this nigga here!!!

Sleepless in the Inner City

Work dominates my life at the moment. You can probably gather from the posts. I can't help it. Wake up, go to work, finish, come home, study, sleep. A never ending cycle. It doesn't help that I'm studying now. They talk about work life balance but there's no such thing when your doing post grad study. I haven't had much sleep in the last 24 hrs and prolly won't expect much in the next 72 hours until my assignment is handed in.

On another note, gotta give props to my man TJ Ford for bouncing back from a severe spinal injury to playing on the court again. It's good to hear stories like that especially how Jay Williams is coming back too after a motorbike accident.

I really do hope that Kwame Brown pans out in LA - I don't ever think he'll reach his potential as a number one draft pick, but dude at least turn out to be a serviceable power forward. He's got undeniable gifts - athletic and extreme quickness but no motivation to be the best he can be. Speaking of reaching their potential, I also want Darko Milic to silence the critics. Give him some time Flip Saunders! It's too early to call him a bust but don't you think Joe wishes he had drafted Dwayne Wade? Carmello? Chris Bosh? Kirk Hinrich?

Will Kwame or Darko ever reach their potential? Have your say on DJ Ho's blog!

5 shots to the Dome (Dead Wrong)

Man I can’t believe it. The London 5-0 shot the wrong man. This is what happens when you adopt a shoot first ask questions later policy. An innocent man gunned down by trigger happy cops. When I first read the news on Friday night, I was a bit suss on the whole thing, since the only facts the police had were that he emerged from a house under surveillance, he had a thick coat on and ran when the police told him to stop. I know its summer in London, but is it a crime to wear a coat? I know its wrong to run from the po-po but is that worth killing someone? Maybe he had committed a minor crime, had a parking fine, was an illegal immigrant, or had a fear of police. These all reasons to run but not reasons to be shot. I guess it is easy to look in hindsight but do we now need to live in fear of terrorists and the police??

We do live in a time of heightened fear. Front page news is all about the bombings these days. Another 75 people were killed in Egypt. But do we need to live in this police state? There must be an appropriate balance between the rights we give up to live as citizens of a safe society balanced by the enforcement of those rights by the police. But this has gone too far. When an innocent man pays the price for living in country of fear. Operation Krakos? More like Operation “shoot any man that runs”.

Peace.

1 love.

In memory of……………

A couple of days ago, I bumped into Jaarden, an old friend from skool on the train. We got started talking about peeps that we knew from back in the day, and somehow the conversation then led to people that had passed away. A couple of names came up, but the one name which I hadn’t heard in a long time was Martin. We both expressed our shock when he passed away, that day when the Principal came into my drama class and gave us the real drama.

It was weird because in a way we both knew him because he’d always catch the same train as us: the 8.06 slow train in the morning and the one from Beverly Hills back home. Martin, was a larrikin in that he’d always do something stupid that’d make you smile. I remember one morning when I was waiting for the train and he was already inside “Quick Jump in, Man”. Not knowing what to do, I jumped like Air Jordan into the carriage. Martin pulls out some rag from his pocket, proceeds to spray it with deodorant like its got bad B.O and lights it up, leaving a small bonfire on the platform. I could see that he’d been doing it from every station that he’d passed, but this was one of those stupid things that I remember about him.

In a way, and I’m not ashamed to admit it, I looked up to him. He was in the year above me, he was a clown, always made us laugh and never seemed to be rocking full school uniform. In fact there never was a day where I didn’t see him in his green/blue Adidas jacket and his sport shoes. Our school had pretty tight uniform regulations but since he had that “I don’t give a **** attitude” I was like cool, I’m gonna do that too and started wearing my Adidas jumper and black Nike Air shoes.

It’s so sad that someone died whilst so young. He musta been what, year 10? That makes him bout 15 or 16 years old. You think about all the things that he missed out on – going on to complete school, seeing his family, growing up, hanging out with friends, and still doing stupid stuff that’d make people laugh.

I feel bad in that there was this chick who was his friend from his area that also caught the train with us. After I found out he’d passed away, I still saw her on the train and wanted to break the bad news to her, but just couldn’t. She mighta known, she might not have, but I regret not speaking to her after that. It seemed like Martin was the only connecting thing between us, and when he was gone that link was gone.

In a weird de ja vu scenario, when I got home and had dinner that day after catching the train with Jaarden, my bro Will brought his name. Somehow Will had gone to a different school with Martin’s sister. But it was uncanny that his name had been brought up after all these years on the same day.

It seems that some names never die.

RIP Martin.

1 love.

Humanity Critic

Yo, I've been peeping this blog for a while and wanted to share it with you guys. It's written by this guy who goes by the name "Humanity Critic" and its one of the best blogs that I've seen. I hit it up on a daily basis cause its witty, hilarious, violent, touching and makes you think. Trust me it's good. In fact, I've never seen a blog get so many reader responses besides Mark Cuban's blog, so you know its a good thang.

Check the link: http://nappydiatribe.blogspot.com/

Bombs over London

From pure ecstasy to absolute horror in less than 24 hours. That pretty much describes what's going on in London at the moment. A blast has just ripped through the heart of london in six different central transport locations. Can you say terrorist attack?

For a minute there, Londoners were on a high. The Live8 Concert was held on Saturday and got the party started and shifted the world focus briefly to poverty in Africa. Then the G8 summit commenced and all the major country's got down to bizness and violent protests began to erupt. Somehow London won the Olympics, sneaking past the city of Hip Hop (New York New York) , the Vodka drinkers (Moscow) and the city of Romance (Paris). Talking to one of the mangers at work who hails from London, she was buzzing today, reflecting the excitement of what I saw at Traflagar Square and the rest of England last night.

But now, the craziest thing has happened. London has just been rocked with a horrendous bombing attack. I don't think the incidents are co-incidental. With the whole world focused on Harry Potter land for the last coupla days, the terroists saw it as an opportune time to do some damage and its prolly related to the G8 summit and the War on Iraq.

When I came home and switched on the telly, I was absolutely stunned. But my younger brother was like "It doesn't shock me anymore. I'm desensitized to all these bombings. We've had September 11, Bali Bombing, and the Madrid attacks". Maybe its just me but comments like that show that we as a society have come to a sad day in history. The day that we are no longer shocked - when it comes an often occurrence for an event of this magnitute to not stun people. Sure it doesn't rival September 11 in terms of damage, but the fact that another major city, a popular tourist destination has come under terrorist attack shows that we aren't safe anywhere in the world.

The London attack is scary though, because it shows that we (in Sydney) could be under a terrorist attack any time, any place. We as Australians are probably more closer to London than any other city in the world. Many Aussies go there to find work and travel - in fact I've got a few colleagues and friends who have recently decided to go there.

But 4 bombs going off at major transport locations at peak hour? I just think about the months of planning that woulda went into this. The cold bloodness. It was obvious that the terrorists were on some kinda "Murda was the case" sh*t.

The question is - how will this affect us though? Will any of us really change our lifestyle? I don't think it does. We will continue to commute to the city. I'll still catch the train in peak hour. There were people that deliberately came in early to work this morning, to avoid it though. I'll still hang out at popular bars, pubs, clubs, etc... I'll still work around Circular Quay and in one of the largest buildings in the city. Opera house, Harbour Bridge, Governor Phillip and Macquarie Tower, Wynard/Townhall/Circuluar Quay Station, Martin Place - their all a stone's throw from where I am.

But the thing is I don't think any of will live in fear but the bombing will be in the back of all our minds. The idea that it could be anywhere, anytime, anyplace. We could be easily be next on the hit list. Australia was invovled in the War on Iraq. We sent extra troops to Afghanistan recently. If you think about it, it's not a question of "if it will happen" but when? I hate to paint a negative picture but you've got to be realistic about it. If anything, working in the CBD, near the tourist locations, with high levels of pedestrian foot traffic has just become a lot more dangerous.

Today, a couple of the streets (Pitt & Hunter) near where I work just got blocked off. It was probably due to a prank call or some suspicious package, but this is the environment that we have to live in now.

And that environment is Post September 11. Post Bali bombings. And now add the 7th of July 2005 to that list. Post London.

1 Luv to all the families and friends that have lost a loved one. 1 Luv to all the peeps searching for the missing.

Peace.

The MASK

Like the soup on the stovetop after a couple of mins, the build up has been bubbling for days. People dropping by to mention that event on your social calendar.

Talkin'. "What are you wearing?"

Whisperin'. "Is she going to go through with the dare?"

Referencin'. " What was it like last year?"

Despite all the talk, the date was set and there was no stopping it. 2 slash 7 in the year 05. Your probably thinking "what, what? what's he talking about?".

Well its the day when your jaw drops faster than the Bobcats draftpick - when some random hot female walks past you and everyone starts talking to her like they know her. You stare & suddenly it registers - "WOAH! that's Atitude chick from work and that's what she looks like when she scrubs up?". It's the same evening/morning when you can be found with your mask on at Chinatown at fo' in the morning eating Sang Choi Bow.

Once a year, the firm that pays me the cheddar throws an annual work bash. This ain't like no random Christmas party. Or some "he got promoted" drinks. It's a when the major playa's at work crack open the chequebooks like their Nike Execs signing Tiger Woods and wanna celebrate in style type party. You always hear about these corporate parties and until you go to one you realise "my gosh - that was awesome and I only paid Fiddy".

Picture it. A Masquerade Ball where your supposed to wear a mask. Except you turn up in your $3 Optimus Prime number which you picked up from Toys R Us. Ladies in evening gowns showing off their fine assets. Hair done up at the 'dressers in the afternoon, which musta cost a fortune. Expensive perfume wafers through the air. Men in tuxes and Phantom of the Opera masks exchange power handshakes. Their be some serious networking going on - on a work and most definently on a social level. Waiters scurrying around like mice with an endless supply of Savigon Blanc and Merlot wine.

The doors crack open and the crowds enter. It's dark inside - red spotlights shine from everywhere like you're caught in a red light district. The ball room is huge - bringing back memories of your school/uni formal but on a much grander and expensive scale. Your entering some kind of twisted Carnivale par-tay. Two huge white masks the size of bedroom door grace the front stage - looking very freaky bathed in the red glow.

Two 11 foot tall females clad in gold costumes are strutting it on the dancefloor with legs that stretch longer than the Nile, until you realise that no there not basketball players but ladies on stilts. And there are other actors in the scene. Jugglers walking the room tossing pins. A real live man trussed up like a maneqin in a straight jacket in a curtain draped booth. And three weird white powered faced men dressed like they stepped out of Dr Who's time machine after a visit to the 1800's.

Tables stretch as far as the eye can see. Candlebras, rose petals can be found at the centre of each one, creating an intimate atmosphere. Waiters continue to work the floor replenshing the demands of the thirsty patrons. Everyone is here - even those than don't leave their desk at 9pm on a Friday night.

On a heavily subsidised night, heads - not randoms but Accountants - were throwing up figures like $220 per head, we enjoyed ourselves silly. Seeing everyone away from their desk in a relaxed environment was refreshing and we got down to partying the nite away.

I missed the start of it but some Opera Singers got on stage and sang a mix of Italian music. It was amazing - they laced all the famous songs from the Three Tenors and everyone was on their feet. Later on, we got DOWN. A cover band started playing hits from Black Eyed Peas to Robbie Williams to other top 40 stuff. The DJ came on and hit the spot with Fiddy's "In Da Club", Destiny Child and then amazingly put on "Jump" by Kriss Kross. The place went off from the Senior Partners showing the Young 'uns how to get their groove on, the females showing some girl on girl action, to the Boys doing our Robot popping and locking.

My head was spinning and I was feeling pretty wrecked - I guess that's what happens when their's all you can drink alcohol at these functions. And the staff don't ever stop serving it and you order a six pack for your table or countless top ups of red/white wine.

Just to let you know, the Optimus Prime mask was a hit. I made this deal with some dudes at work. We turned up in our superhero styled faces - we had Shrek, Darth Vader, Superman and yours truly the Autobot leader.

There was an afterparty, but we couldn't be stuffed after drinking a ton of alcohol and dancing the night away to go Cargo bar for the afterparty. Instead, we made like cultured folk and headed to Golden Century at 2am in the morning.

1 love.

DJ HO.

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
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When you can't afford the real thing: Homemade innovations
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Check out the latest car security system out West
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too much backhair?
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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.
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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