LeBron and His Sight on the Starz

LeBron James, TWO-TIME NBA CHAMPION, is currently not focusing on his mediocre post-game; he has sight on something more, or less, depending on how important the NBA is to you. LeBron James is in cahoots with the premium TV network Starz regarding his new sitcom 'Survivor's Remorse'. Mr James will be the executive producer of the sitcom that is based out of North Philadelphia. The show will not be featuring LeBron James in the show however the two central characters will be modeled off of LeBron's ascension out of the inner-city and his success afterwards. 

The Leader of the New School? Which one?

"Ever since Youtube, (racial slur)'s been callin me the leader of the New school." Okay Drake, I will admit that you are a prominent force to be reckoned with when it comes to honing in on your strengths to become profitable. Money is not the issue here; the issue lies in exactly what school are you referring to. If Drake is referring to the leader of "New School" hip-hop, then he is quite off mark, here's why.

While Drake literally scorched every verse he recorded in the past 12 months, except his own single, leading "hip-hop" does not seem to be his priority. Drake seem like he would like to be considered an "artist" first, who dabbles into hip-hop and occasionally down-tempo r&b. This leads me to believe that he's focused on his artistry versatility more than his hip-hop status.

Drake is probably one of the hottest and popular music artist out right now, who practices hip-hop as a specialty. Confining Drake to hip-hop would be like labeling Rihanna as strictly a pop artist. Rihanna, like Drake, experiments with other genre's enough to point where the lines are blurred, Robin Thicke reference.

Drake, at most, can be the leader of the new school of music in general, where genre's are label-less and artists can weave in and out of them like Money Mayweather in a barrage of punches. Drake, honestly, can NOT release a hip-hop single, along with a R&B pop single and EVER think that he's solidifying his spot amongst hip-hop royalty.

I completely understand Drake's alleged desire to attract audiences from multiple genders and races, but if he continues to "save-face" and please everyone, I am sure he will continue to stretch his self too thin, to where he's just an artist.

Drake can not be the best hip-hop artist or rapper alive because he does not fully absorb his self into hip-hop or rap music, except when he's featured on someone else's song. R&B doesn't seem to important to him either, remember that R&B mixtape he supposedly "shelved" to work on Take Care? 

Now, that's not to say that there is anything wrong with wanting to be identified as an "artist". Some of the greatest music entertainers either weren't bound to a genre or were considered solely artists; Prince changed his name to "The Artist, formerly known as Prince".

Along with that, Drake never passes up the chance to create a modernized Negro spiritual. From "YOLO" to "I hate sleeping alone", Drake's quotable breadth knows no limits. Drake does not disappoint with "All Me", which I am sure is going to be quoted more frequently in the dusk of the anticipation of his album Nothing Was The Same.

Which leads me to my next issue, what to expect from the album since nothing is supposed to be the same. Really Drake? Nothing? Not a single thing? I know Drake is borderline emo and creates music based off of feelings, inspirations, past ex's, strippers, specific times of the morning with the location, and where he is with his life, but his constant, narcissistic, braggadocios lyrics lead me to believe that he believes that he's at the top of hip-hop/rap. Listen to the "Versace" remix where he boldly states "rap must be changing, cause I'm at the top...no one on top of me".

Really? Drake's previous nine singles only had three identifiable rap songs, and only two of them were legitimate: "The Motto" and "HYFR". I don't doubt that Drake's calling was to be an entertainer who could lace a smooth hook, murder a feature, and go platinum...with his eye's closed, but since we've already established that, why doesn't Drake progress further in the realm of hip-hop?

He is definitely not doing bad for his self, 20.5 million dollar take home last year, but 2013 feels "the same" as 2011 in reference to the potential outcome of Nothing Was The Same.

My prediction may be inaccurate and Drake can still prove me wrong, but I think the album will be "the Take Care of an alternate dimension". How do I figure?  Well, with the two singles "Started From The Bottom" and "Hold On..." I think we can see that some things will be the same, see "Headlines" and "Take Care".

MMLP2 Review

Eminems best album since the diamond ladened Eminem Show, and we've had a decade to digest. MMLP2 is a really good Shady album. Way better than Recovery, way way way better than Relapse, better than Encore for sure, Shady is back in pure form #cocaine. I'd say it's mostly on par with the Eminem Show and that's after one venture through the album. Honestly, you can ignore his last three solo projects because this is his best since 2002.

Nostalgic, yet matic this is hip pop and hip rock at its finest with razor sharp, lightning scattered raps that remind you of the Shady that was once lost. Em shows that he is undoubtedly the best rapper alive, rapping over a slew of atypical rap beats effortlessly, without taking a blink or a breath. 

The album is the most diverse, yet cohesive collection of songs that Eminem has presented, opposed to his typical rigid cohesion found on his first three albums. Could've cut a few tracks but this is a very good album nonetheless. Marshall will undoubtedly sell to his fans, and will most likely gain some attraction from new listeners with some of the radio-ready tracks that have not been released as singles.

Ultimately, approach with caution because this is the sequel NOT the original. Eminem does not try to channel inner Shady like he did on Relapse, this is just a peak inside the life of Marshall Mathers at this point in time. With that said, DO NOT EXPECT the Marshall Mathers LP!!! You will be thoroughly disappointed. 

You didn't go into the Godfather II expecting the Godfather did you?!?! Maybe you did, not the point; the point is Eminem revisits the FEEL of his old Shady albums which feature nasal pop hooks and a rapper with a lyrically schizophrenic delivery doing a black, shock comedy stand-up routine. If that's the Shady you know and like, then you will be stanisfied.

Favorite Tracks: Bad Guy, So Much Better, Legacy, Stronger Than I Was, Love Game, Brainless, Evil Twin

Best Tracks: Bad Guy, Legacy, Berserk, Headlights, Evil Twin

????? Tracks: Rhyme or Reason, Stronger Than I Was (the antithesis of Kim) , The Monster, So Far..., Headlights (the antithesis of Cleaning Out My Closet)

Rating: Download, stream, purchase album in the first week. 8.5/10 if MMLP was 10/10.

Prediction: Best Rap Album award winner at the Grammy's...the following year since it was released after the 2013 submission deadline. Headlights, Stronger Than I Was, So Far will be singles on AT40 and Legacy, Love Game, and Bad Guy will be singles on hip hop radio stations. Album will almost go Diamond, 7x platinum at the most, easily 5x platinum at the least since this albums production is thrice that of Recovery's.