Thanksgiving was a great day. Family time, great food, and great music. Everyone was anxiously waiting all the projects that were supposed to be dropping on this day, especially a certain one more than others. Lil Wayne dropped the sequel to one of the greatest mixtapes ever... Let's just say, it didn't live up to the hype. Well actually I can't say that since I still haven't heard it, but from what everyone else is saying I probably won't ever, but I digress. I'm here to talk about the mixtape that won the day, Summertime Shootout.
Fab has made a habit of blessing our holidays with a project for a while now, and Summertime Shootout was no different. Fabolous last project was his album, The Young OG Project, which he dropped last Christmas. He gave us Summertime Shootout to hold us off until his next album on Christmas, The Young OG Project 2. He dropped an excellent sorry for the wait mixtape, and we'll definitely be bumping this one for a while.
What was dope about this album? So many things, I might as well start from the beginning. Your first track is supposed to set the tone for the rest of the tape, and Fab did just that with For The Summer. For the Summer was one of the hardest joints on the whole tape, and it was full of what Fab does best. PUNCHLINES. With the Ukulele chords being plucked in the background, the beat was produced masterfully by one of Fab's go-to's , Sonaro, giving the song that relaxed, country feel. The bars he was dropping were anything but relaxed though; his first verse was followed by a smooth chorus then he hit us with another dope verse before the beat switches up, and leaves us with a clever outro. Fab used a nice mixed of original songs and remixed ones, which leads to two other stand out tracks, Tell Ya Friends and Sorry Not Sorry. He hopped on the Weeknd's track and provided some much needed rapping that sounded like it should've been on the original. On this one he discusses the flaws of women and their penchant for gossiping. "Big mouth bitch, we just call her g-mail, we know everybody had a Gmail" he continues to body the song with more witty lines " I said she fucking like a nigga, that's a she-male, every group got a shady one just like D12" ""gossip just a broke people sport, deep pockets even deeper thoughts, snakes in the grass, keep it short". Sorry Not Sorry followed up. This was the first song I heard on the whole tape. I peeped Fab's voice on this track in one of my homies snaps, and I got excited. Fab provides the intro and the outro for this one, keeping the best parts of the Tiller original, the first two verses and the chorus. Fab drops one of the most memorable lines of the whole mixtape here " I guess we wasn't working out, time to get back flexing, same phone, who this? Yeah I switched up on you, what happened to old boy? Oh he bitched up on you" Niiiiiiiiiiiceeeee ( Fabolous voice). My personal favorite song on the whole tape was Trap Royalty though. Assisted by Mike Davis on the chorus here, Fab continues to pack punchline on top of punchline on this one, probably the most Radio friendly song on the whole tape. When I say most radio friendly I just mean it's the most sonically pleasing song on here, but that doesn't mean he didn't snap. I personally feel the best verse of the whole album came off this song. The second verse started off with Fab tightly fitting his words into such a tight musical space only the way he can " Trap king need a trap queen, that's royalty, told her we'd be rich forever, that's loyalty, baby gets whatever from papa, that's spoil-ty, hustle like Russell, so I need a young Kimora Lee." Dude was floating all over that verse, it was ridiculous. Other standout tracks were Real One, another song filled with quotable lines, plus chorus duties were handled by newcomer, Jazzy, she also sang a very different yet beautiful sounding verse at the end (Must Listen!!!!) , Motivation and The Plug, both produced by Sonaro. Also, make sure you check out Doin It Well, it features both Nicki Minaj and Trey Songz, watch out for this one on the radio too.
Disappointments? One for sure was Vanilla. I ain't vibe with the song at all, then Rich Homie Quan got on it, and made it sound even worse . I don't know what's been up with Rich Homie lately, but he's been ruining songs left and right recently. I also didn't like how he closed out the tape. He closed out with the two worst songs on the tape. They weren't necessarily bad songs, but I just didn't really like them that much, and his placement of the songs wasn't very wise either. Aside from that, nothing else.
Summertime Shootout saved us from the disappointment No Ceilings 2 brought. Fabolous gave us a gem that will be in the rotation for months. He gave us bars after bars, real life quotes, punchlines on punchlines, and made one of the best songs of the year even better, can we ask for much more? One thing is for certain with the excellence of this tape and the failure of No Ceilings 2, if he wasn't already, Fabolous snatched the crown from Lil Wayne, and is now the undisputed Punchline King.
Link to download Summertime Shootout:http://www.audiomack.com/album/sermons-domain/summertime-shootout
We are now officially a full month into the new NBA season, and it has been a great month. This first month of the season showed me how much I really missed the NBA, but I digress. This is about week 4, and I can define week 4 in one word... Historic.
They did it, despite all the doubts, despite all the skeptics, they made history. The Golden State Warriors
The Golden state Warriors are 16-0. They have the best start in NBA history, winning their 16th straight game in a blowout win over the Lakers. The game wasn't close at all. I honestly thought the Lakers would end the streak, that the old Kobe would make an appearance, but boy was I wrong. The man behind it all, Stephen Curry, finished with 24 and 9 assists. Draymond added 18. The game to reach the milestone was easy, but the rest of the week was not. They started the week against the Clippers, the team I thought would end the streak, and it looked like they would. Clippers were up 23 at one point, but like always the Warriors started charging. Behind an 8/9 from 3 in the 4th quarter and 73% shooting, the Warriors mounted the comeback. Oh, and Steph finished with 40 and 11, hitting all the important big shots. 13-0. Next they played Chicago, another tough one, but even with Jimmy Butler going for 28, 9, and 7, the Bulls didn't have enough. 14-0. Next the Warriors played the Nuggets, who they handled fairly easily. Curry had his lowest scoring game of the season with only 19, and this happened to him.
Get 'em Rook!
Aside from that little embarrassing moment, 15-0. Then the rest is history.
So who else made history this week? A pair of former teammates
Dwyane Wade
Wade entered exclusive territory this week. Vs the 76ers, Wade scored his 19,000 point, allowing him to enter into the top 50 on the all time scoring list. He finished that game with 27 in a comeback win over them.
LeBron James
Why does it seem that every week LeBron has some new career achievement? Well this week, LeBron entered the top 25 in assists. Why is that so significant? LeBron is only the second player in NBA History to do this. Who's the other? The Big O, Oscar Robertson.
Since we're already talking about James, let's get straight to his team
The Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs entered this week on a two game losing ship, and LeBron was not happy. Let's just say I think they got the message. They exacted their revenge against the same team that ended their win streak. In a blowout win vs the Bucks, LeBron led the way with 27. Next game they destroyed the Hawks in a game the final score makes seem closer than it actually was. LeBron finished just shy of a Triple double, with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 8 assists. Lastly, they closed the week out with their 3rd straight win vs the Magic. Lebron finished only 15 points, but he did add a season high in assists with 13. Kevin Love really took off this game with 34 and 8, including a 27 point first half. JR Smith pitched in 26 too. Look out for LeBron to make history yet again this week, he is only 6 points away from passing Reggie Miller on the scoring list. I'm pretty sure he'll reach that.
Porzingus
"Godzingus gon' Godzingus" Joe Budden couldn't have said it any better. Kristaps Porzingus has officially arrived. He has been making noise all season, but he woke up everybody when he erupted for 29 and 11 last week. Well it was no fluke, he kept it coming this week. He led the Knicks to a win over James Harden and the Rockets with probably his best game yet. He totaled 24 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 blocks. He followed that up with another solid performance with 20 points and 14 rebounds in a loss to the Heat. He's starting to look like New York's best player, yes over 'Melo. And you heard it here first, Porzingus will win Rookie Of The Year. I know I predicted Mudiay, and I'm jumping ship about 15 games in, but this man is just too good too soon.
Paul George
I wish the NBA would introduce a Comeback player of the year award, because if they did, they would be forced to name it after this man. Coming off a fully broken leg, PG13 hasn't missed a beat, in fact he looks better. He started off the week by giving the 76ers 34 points and followed that up with a 20 piece to the bucks. He decided to save his best for last this week because last night he erupted for 40 including 7-8 from 3 to beat the wizards. Paul George now has 10 straight 20 plus point games for the first time in his career. He's averaging 25.9 points per game to go along with 8 rebounds and 4 assists. To top it all of the Pacers are winning, currently 4th in the East and they have won 9 of their last 11 games. Superstar.
Russell Westbrook
I can't have a week recap without talking about Westbrook. Let's just say, Westbrook was Westbrook once again. Westbrook started the week off by going for 43, his 3rd 40 point game of the young season. He willed his team to victory with a performance that included 15 made free throws, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. He would then fill up the stat sheet two nights later in a loss to the Knicks with 34, 7, and 7, but the losing would stop there. He played the Mavs, and gave them 31 and 11 assists. Westbrook took that game over in crunch time, hitting 2 mid range pullup jumpers with under a minute left to seal the game. The next game all was well in OKC because a certain someone arrived.
Kevin Durant
Durant finally returned from his 6 game absence, and he did not miss a beat. He came back and dropped 27 on 10/13 shooting. This man is unreal.
Los Angeles Clippers
Whats going on with the Clippers? These Clips have looked horrible this season. Is it injuries? Is it Coaching? Or are they just not good enough? I'm starting to think it's the latter. They were on a 3 game skid, until they won last night bringing them back to .500. One of those loses include the debacle vs the Warriors. They were up 23, and still lost vs the Defending champs. When it's crunch-time, the Clippers cannot develop offense. They are very stagnant in the 4th quarter. Blake can't create his own shot, and it seems like Chris Paul loses his. They need to fix this as soon as possible or they'll be looking at a very early playoff exit.
San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are probably the best team in the NBA that no one is talking about, but is that really surprising? They are currently 2nd in the Western conference with an 11-3 record. They have an upcoming superstar in Kawhi Leonard that leads them in scoring, while almost single handedly locking down the opposition's best player. LaMarcus Aldridge is starting to fit in the system making them even scarier. And to top it all off, Tony Parker has got out of his slump and is starting to look like the Tony Parker we know. I think people need to start realizing that these Spurs are no joke this season.
Well that's it for week 4! Y'all know the spot by now, WhyToby.blogspot.com
follow me on twitter to see my live NBA Tweets. Link in blog! Be back next week.
Week 3 of the NBA season was packed full. Packed full of good games, packed full of injuries, packed full of highlights, and surprisingly packed full of drama. After three weeks, we have two teams who are still perfect, and we'll start with one of them.
Philadelphia 76ers
Yup the 76ers are still perfect, perfect losers. They are currently the only winless team in the NBA this season with a 0-11 record. They are currently 6 straight loses away from matching their start from last season, and if they are trying to enter the record books, 8 straight losses from having the worst start in NBA History. The 76ers are awful, Gawd awful. If we are to go back to last season, they are actually on a 21 game losing streak, their last win came on March 25th. With all this losing, they do have one thing to be happy about, one bright spot about this season.
Jahlil Okafor
Okafor is having an excellent rookie season. He is currently averaging 19.2 Points per game, which is first among rookies. Honestly, that's really not a surprise. Everyone knew he could score, but it's his defensive that's been surprising. He's currently averaging 1.8 blocks per game, second among rookies. This week was an excellent week for Okafor too. He started the week by going off on the Raptors, dropping 26. His next game vs OKC was probably the worst of his young career, he finished with only 6 points and 6 rebounds, but he came back nicely. The next two games he had 2 big double doubles of 21 and 12 and 19 and 11 to end his week pretty good. Well at least so far in this terrible season, the 76ers found their big man of the future.
Now for the truly perfect team in the NBA...
Golden State Warriors
I feel like I talk about them too much every week, but honestly they deserve it. The Warriors are a perfect 12-0. I'll say this, this was definitely the hardest week of the season for them . It started in Memphis. Y'all remember Memphis though right? The team they embarrassed by 50 two weeks ago? Let's just say it didn't get much better for them this game, especially when Stephen Curry had the ball. Curry actually struggled this game, going 9/ 21, yet he still finished with 28. And he did this to end the 3rd quarter.
Then as if he was just playing with them, he threw this up.
The torture of Memphis continues. But hey, at least they ain't lose by 50. Well you've heard the saying "another week, another Steph 40 Piece"? Well, it's true. He burned the Timberwolves for 46. Curry's 3rd 40 point game of the season. Then things got interesting for the Warriors. Their next game was vs the Nets, one of the THE worst teams in the league. They entered the game with a 97% chance of winning. Well Brooklyn took it to them, HARD. The Warriors were down as much as 17. Come 4th quarter time, the Nets looked like they were gonna end the Warriors streak... then this happened
Game goes to OT. I knew it was over, that was Brooklyn's worst mistake. The Warriors score the first 10 points of the extra period and pull away. Improving to 11-0. Steph finished with 34, and Draymond added a triple double of 16 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. One of the best games of the whole week was last night, the Warriors faced the Raptors. Competitive game, looked like the Raps would end the streak. Toronto had the game in their hands, down 1 with 24 seconds left and in the bonus. Then Kyle Lowry makes two crucial mistakes on back to back possessions, effectively sealing the game for the Warriors. Steph finishes with 37 and 9 assists, and the streak continues. It's now up to their next opponent, who gave them their toughest game of the year so far.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers have been having an up and down season so far. They are currently 6-4. It's been hard for them since their best player, Chris Paul has been out most of the season with a strained groin injury. Luckily, their second best player, Blake Griffin, has been a monster. Blake's been averaging 26 and 9 rebounds this season. They started this week on a two game losing streak, but thanks to a herculean effort from Jamal Crawford, they were able to pull out a victory vs the Pistons. Crawford went OFF for 37, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Will they be able to end the Warriors streak tomorrow?
Let's keep it in California shall we?
Sacramento Kings
Before this week, the Kings were having a terrible season. They had lost 6 straight games leading to a player's only meeting and a very angry Demarcus Cousins. Cousins early in the week blew up on his head coach George Karl, cursing him out in front of the whole team. Well that must've done the trick because after that the Kings took off! They've won three straight since the incident, mainly on the backs of two players, you can probably guess one of them.
DeMarcus Cousins
He has been outstanding this week. Starting the week off he went for 33 and 9 vs the Pistons. Then he absolutely demolished the Nets to the tune of 40 points and 13 rebounds. They had no answer for him in the paint, doing anything he wanted in there. He then followed up that performance in a win vs the Raptors, he gave them 33 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Excellent week, good enough to earn him Western Conference player of the week honors. Behind most good big men, is a good point guard, and the King's PG finally re-emerged.
Rajon Rondo
Y'all remember a couple years back when there was a debate that Rondo was a top 5 PG in the league? And if he had a jumper, he would be the best by far? Well if he keeps up what he did this week, that conversation might just come back up. Rondo looked like the Rondo of old this week. Rondo had two straight TRIPLE DOUBLES to start this week. First he gave one to the Pistons, tallying 14 points, 15 assists, and 11 rebounds, then he followed that right up by giving an even better one to the Nets, 23 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds. He finished his week with another strong performance of 7 points, 7 rebounds, and 14 assists. Rondo used to be the best passer in the league, and it's starting to look like it again.
There's another player in the league known for getting Triple doubles too
Russell Westbrook
When Durant is injured, something takes over Westbrook. We saw it all last season, and this week we were graced with it again. Triple Double madness. Durant went out in the first half vs Washington, and you didn't have to tell Westbrook twice. He recorded his first one of the season finishing with 22, 11, and 11. The next game the madness continued, Westbrook tallied another one in a win vs the 76ers, he had 21 points, 17 rebounds, and 11 assists. The rest of the week was good for Westbrook, but not in the win column. OKC ended up losing to the Celtics with Westbrook scoring 27, then Westbrook gave the Memphis Grizzlies 40, yet they still lost. Let's hope OKC can get back to their winning ways.
Week Three was also the week of returns, a lot of players faced off against their former teams this week.
LaMarcus Aldridge
He made his return to Portland for the first time since he left them for San Antonio, and he didn't disappoint. Aldridge gave his former team 23 and 6 rebounds, and most importantly came out with the win. He later played Portland again later in the week, but had a pretty bad game, recording only 6 points and 6 rebound, but at least the Spurs pulled out another win.
Nicolas Batum
I'm gonna give it up to Batum, he had a fantastic week, so good he earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors. He had a string of good games, his best which he saved for his old team. He started the week of beating the Knicks and giving them 24 points along with 5 rebounds. Next game, in a loss to Chicago, he dropped 28 and 8 rebounds. He decided to save his best game of the season so far vs Portland. He gave them 33 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds, and took the win.
Dallas Mavericks
The team everybody suspected to drop off this season, including myself, has done just the opposite. They look better. The Mavericks are currently 3rd in the Western Conference with a 7-4 record. They are on a 4 game win streak , which includes a win against the Clippers, or more so, DeAndre Jordan. They,specifically Nowitzki, spoiled DJ's pretend homecoming. Dirk dropped 31 and 11 on the Clippers, including 5-6 from 3. The other big name free agent, Wesley Mathews, the one that actually followed through with his deal, gave the Clips 25. Then the icing on the cake, courtesy of the Mavericks twitter account (it's funny if you followed the whole DeAndre saga)
This week had some surprises too
Phoenix Suns
The Suns have been a pretty decent surprise this season. They were expected to be a below average team, one that wouldn't make the playoffs. They just are not good enough to compete in the West. Well on the season the Suns are 6-4, currently on a 3 game win streak, and their two guards are the reason why
Brandon Knight
Remember when Brandon Knight was the joke of the NBA?
You know when Kyrie did this
Then DeAndre Jordan did this
Well it looks like those days are over because now a days, Brandon Knight has been putting people on the highlight reel, especially this week.
Victim Uno- Lakers Rookie PG Huertas
Victim dos- Paul Pierce
Trust me, Brandon Knight has been doing more than just making fools of people this season. He's averaging 20.2 points per game and 5 assists. Aside from giving the truth to The Truth, he dropped 37 on the Clippers heads, then he went to the other side of Los Angeles and gave them a triple double to the tune of 30 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds. Brandon Knight has been snapping this year, but so has his Co-Star.
Eric Bledsoe
Eric Bledsoe busted on the scene last season, and he's been continuing his amazing play this season. On the season, he's averaging 23 a game, almost 6 assists, and 4 rebounds. This week vs the Clippers he almost had his own triple double finishing with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. He gave the Nuggets 30 and 7, and he completed his week vs the Clips with a respectable 21. The Suns have one of the best backcourts in the entire league, and they are showing it.
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant has been bad this season... historically bad. Because of the fact it is Kobe Bryant, it's a shame to say this, but Kobe finally had a good game. It took him about 10 games, but Kobe is starting to play well. It started vs the Mavs, Kobe finished with 19, an inefficient 19, but 19 nonetheless. His first really good game came vs the Pistons. He finished with 17 points,8 rebounds, and 9 assists. Even though it was another inefficient game, he contributed in other ways aside from scoring, and what makes it more impressive, it was a win over a quality team. The Kobe of old is gone. You're just not being real with yourself to still think Kobe can come and still average 25 with ease, but I do believe Kobe can average 16 with 6 assists and rebounds. For the hope of Laker nation, let's hope Kobe continues to play this way.
Houston Rockets
The second best team in the NBA last season has went from bad, to good, to really bad this season, They've been battling bouts of inconsistency all season, and this week it was more apparent than ever. They are 4-7 on the season, currently on a 4 game losing streak. James Harden hasn't been himself. He's been super inefficient, even more so than usual, and very turnover prone. In each of the last 4 loses, Harden has had at least 4 turnovers. Then to top it all off, the Rockets just fired their coach, Kevin McHale, and he really didn't deserve it. Houston we have a problem.
And lastly we shall end with my favorite team.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs started the week like they had been doing all season. Winning. They played the Knicks again. He's obviously been watching Kyrie because he broke this out
During the 4th quarter, he schooled Porzingus multiple times, and then with the game tied with under a minute left, LeBron hit a jumper right in Melo's face, to put the Cavs up for good. He also locked up Melo all of the second half, limiting him to just one field goal. He finished the game with 31, and the Cavs had won 8 straight... but since then, it's been going downhill. The next game the Cavs played the Bucks, which they lost in double OT. LeBron did what he does, finished the game with 37 and 12. Greg Monroe was huge with 16 points and 17 rebounds, and the game saving offensive rebound. Their next game was vs the Pistons, another closely contested contest which the Cavs couldn't pull out. Andre Drummond had another huge game with 25 and 18 rebounds, plus Reggie Jackson played huge also with 23 and 12 rebounds. LeBron went for 30, his 4th straight 30 point game, and his 5th 30 point game in 6 outings. During the game, he also passed the Logo, Jerry West, on the all- time scoring list, which he is now 19th on. The Cavs are now 8-3, all their losses coming against divisional opponents. The Cavs have some issues to work out; LeBron has been calling his team out lately, saying they're not hungry enough and feel too entitled to have lost in the finals. Let's hope they listen to him or that championship in Cleveland might be a pipe dream.
Well I hope I have caught you up with all of week three. By now, Y'all know the spot. see you same time next week!
Week 2 has come and gone, but not without a lot of interesting developments. Week two had everything you could want in a good week; a lot of great games, and in those games a lot of spectacular performances. Their were highlight reel dunks from superstars and rookies alike, their were mighty comebacks, and hey even a lit buzzer beater. Some players started coming into their own, other players finally started getting their groove back. The Good teams remained good, and the bad teams... Well you should already know how that goes. But let's get into it!
Who should I start off with? Well it's always good to start with the best.
The Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are off to a sizzling start. They are currently 8-0. The ONLY undefeated team left in the league. They are dominating teams on both sides of the ball, and its starting to become ridiculous. They are beating teams by an average of 17.7 points with their biggest being a 50 point shaming of the Memphis Grizzlies. They did play some exciting games this week though. Their closest game of the season came against their rivals, The Clippers. They won that game by only 4 points. The Clips simply had no answer for Curry when it was crunch time. He finished the game with 31 and the go ahead 3 pointer with under a minute left. The Warriors are dominant, and it is primarily because of one man.
Stephen Curry
Come week 2, Steph didn't slow down one bit. He didn't go off like he did last week in any games, but he still played better than almost everybody else in the league. On the season, Stephen Curry is still averaging just over 32 a game, the league leader. He is seriously looking to repeat as MVP, and he keeps up these Numbers and his team keeps winning at this rate, it's all but his.
The Warriors have been the best team in the league so far, but who has been second best?
The Cleveland Cavaliers
Weird the best two teams so far are the ones who played in the finals last year? Not really. The Cavs are currently on a 7 game win streak, their only loss being the season opener to the Bulls. Since then they have been on a roll, and this week proved no different. They beat the Knicks,76ers, Pacers, and the Jazz this week, and each game was close until one man decided to put his fingerprints all over the games. Can we guess who that man was?
LeBron James
LeBron was sensational this week. Started the week off by outplaying Melo in New York, but after that game the LeBron of old started making appearences. The first half vs the 76ers was a tightly contested game, but LeBron came out after halftime and dropped 18 of his 31 in the 3rd quarter to put it away for good. And oh yeah, He added a season high 13 assist too. The next game vs the Pacers, he was playing against a familiar foe in Paul George. He lost the stat battle to George, but LeBron's 29 was able to get his team that W. His best game of the week came last night vs the Jazz. The game was close all the way through tied at the end of the 3rd quarter. Then LeBron asserted his will. In the 4th quarter LeBron dropped 17 of his 31 points on 6-8 shooting to close it out. Remember I was talking about highlights? well here's the first one.
7'2 Rudy Gobert was shook to even try and go up with LeBron. Ya'll saying he too old though. I'm sleep.
But trust me when I say LeBron was not the only Cavalier doing his thing this week.
Kevin Love
Kevin Love is back, and I mean it. He's starting to look like his old self again after a disaster of last season. K-Love is averaging 17 and 12 this season including a monster 22 and 19 performance vs the Pacers. LeBron said this season the offense would be based a lot more around Kevin Love and it has shown.
Since we were already talking about Indiana, lets jump straight into the next topic.
Paul George
I don't know if yall are aware or not, but I'll gladly be the first to tell you, Paul George is BACK. After his gruesome leg injury and missing almost all of last season, Paul George is picking up right where he left off. He's looking like the top 10 player he was again. He is averaging 23.2 points, 5 assists, and 8 rebounds a game. This week with the exception of Orlando, he hit 26 and 7 rebounds every game. He went off for a season high 36 with 12 rebounds vs Miami, and he followed that up with 32, 11 and 6 vs the Cavs. I'm so glad to George back, he's gonna make Indiana very interesting this season.
Keeping it in the East, another team that's been suprisingly good?
Detroit Pistons
Stan Van Gundy has had a history of turning teams around, and with this year's Piston's team, he's showing it again. The Pistons are at 5-2 and currently 3rd in the Eastern Confernce, no one, I mean no one expected them to look this good to start out, and it's mainly because of their 2 headed beast of Jackson and Drummond. Jackson is averaging 23 and 5 in his first full season as a starter, and that includes a 40 point outburst Vs the Blazers. Andre Drummond has been looking like the second coming off a young Dwight Howard with his crazy 20-20 double doubles. He had 14-15 vs the Warriors and that was his worst game of the season. That says it all right there.
The last headline of the week is someone who shouldn't be. Or at least that's what we thought.
Kristaps Porzingus
He was supposed to be a bust they said. He wasn't suppose to even play this year they said. Well he's playing... a lot, and he's playing well. It could actually be up for debate that he is the Knicks second best player. He's averaging 11 points and 8 rebounds per game and even a block. He is the league leader in putback dunks this season with 7. It might not sound all that impressive, but consider this, There are 6 teams in the league that doesnt even have one putback this season. He's pretty darn good. I'm not saying he's the next Dirk, but I will say one thing. He is a highlight reel.
Now back to the rest of the Wild Wild West...
James Harden
The man got his groove back. He REALLY got it back. After starting the season horrible and losing their first 3 games, James Harden destroyed the Thunder to the tune of 37 points to end last week. It seems like all that momentum continued into this week because he has been going off. He started this week by dropping 28 on Orlando, then next game all hell broke loose. Harden went for 43 and 13 on the Kings, pretty much defeating them single handedly. The next game he didnt want to stop because he dropped 43 the Clippers. Now his team is on a 4 game winning streak.
Five years ago, on this date of November 12th, J. Cole released what I consider a top 5 Mixtape of all time... Friday Night Lights. Friday Night Lights is the third mixtape released by J. Cole. I feel this was the release that finally put people on notice about his talent. I won't even lie, this was the first project I heard from Cole. Ironically, when I heard it for the first time around my Freshman year of high school, I thought it was terrible. I only liked one song off it, 2Face. It took me two years until I realized the masterpiece he created. So on its 5th year anniversary, I've decided to review it.
Friday Night Lights is a mixtape about of J. Cole's youth. He rapped on a myriad of topics, so many that it's hard not to relate to something on here. I think what makes this tape so relatable is the way J. Cole told stories on these songs. J. Cole was storytelling. He was descriptive. You could hear all the emotions he dealt with, and that's where J. Cole excels. He tells tales better than any other rapper in the game, and Friday Night Lights is the highlight of it.
So Standout Tracks? I kid you not... All of them. There is not a bad song on this mixtape. So I'll start with my most favorite song on the whole mixtape
Too Deep For The Intro
For anyone who hasn't heard this mixtape, I'd advise you to listen to this song first. I love this song, like I listen to it every day. I think it's my favorite because it's the most relatable to me. Cole talks about being a kid in high school. He then talks about domestic violence, and why it happens. The second verse was the verse that really gets to me. My favorite part of the song is when he starts talking about his virginity. " But being a virgin was something to be embarrassed about, I used that ass for practice so I wasn't scared out my mind". Raps about all this on a soulful Erykah Badu sample.
The Autograph
Another one of my favorites. He opens up with one of the most quotable lines in rap history. "They say anything's possible, you gotta dream like you never seen obstacles" The first verse is all about reaching your dreams, and how it feels to finally start doing so. The second verse he starts talking about this girl he knew. How he was this girls sidepiece. He kinda regrets making a women cheat on her husband. He keeps it's a buck with her the whole way though " I wouldn't say that you a hoe, just made a hoe decision" . The song is full of quotable lyrics all the way through, must listen.
Villematic
On this track Cole remixed Kanye's Devil In A New Dress, and he snapped. A lot of rappers remixed this song, and Cole had the best one... by far. Another song full of quotes. This song has a lot of college references because Cole did graduate. He talks about the hate he gets for no reason. Then he talks about the hoes and the temptation of cheating. " But I'm tryna be strong, remind myself she ain't about shit, These hoes the same all that change is the outfit"
In The Morning
This was probably the most popular song off the album. It was a nice slow jam, the ladies loved this track. Cole's first verse was him trying to run game. "Baby you summertime fine... You fine as hell, I guess I met you for a reason, only time will tell." The next verse comes from the 6God before he officially was. Drakes comes in singing. " Baby you wintertime cold, The night is still young drink that dinner wine slow," He goes on talking about his love for thick women, and even subs Serena Williams on here " That thing is pokin' , I mean you kinda like that girl that's in the US Open" Cole then delivers a dope third verse to close it out.
Love Me Not
This was a song to Cole's girlfriend at the time. He talks about how the music changed him, and how it's hurting their relationship. He talks about how he's always gone, and the struggles of being a rapper on the road. I love this song because it's something straight form the heart, you hear the hurt and the truth about the whole situation. He then raps from his girl's perspective which was so creative. " The way you braking my heart, I should sue you for that, call up my uncles and my cousins, have 'em do you for that. "
Blow Up
Another very popular song of this tape. Cole explained this song perfectly in the chorus. This is a song for his haters. He knows the fame and success is coming, and no amount of hate will stop it. One of the hardest bars of the whole tape comes on this song with his use of double ententes and irony. " It's funny how money, chains, and whips, make us feel free." Cole says it's ironic that the things that kept us in slavery are the things we chase when we have money. Genius line.
2Face
2Face is probably the best bar for bar song on here. Cole was straight spitting the whole time. You could hear the anger all over the track, and it sounds even more prevalent considering how laid back the beat is. This was the first Cole song I actually liked, and the only one I liked when I first heard Friday Night Lights. Very quotable on here too, definitely a must listen if you one of those people that love straight spitting.
Farewell
Another top song is the tape's closing one. On Farewell, Cole raps from the perspective of him looking back on his life. He wonders what they will say about him when he dies, debating between many positives and negatives. He then starts reminiscing on his childhood and how that was such an easier time. " Yet I won't forget my past, and I hope it won't forget me" Cole closed the album out perfectly with this one.
Looking For Trouble
Looking For Trouble was the bonus track for this mixtape. This is one of THE hardest songs... ever, Looking For Trouble featured all G.O.O.D. Music. We were blessed with fire verses from Pusha T, Kanye, Cyhi, Big Sean, and J. Cole. Back to back to back. Pusha T laid down a solid verse, a nice opening, then Kanye came in and started eating dropping bars like "The devil stay testin', cause when you chase pussy it's a sin, but when it fall in your lap it's a blessing". Cyhi followed by Big Sean. Then J. Cole came in and literally dropped one of the hardest verses I've ever heard. " Cole world make way for the chosen one, what you now hear putting fear in all the older ones." " Fucking hoes while teaching niggas to hold they sons, this the rap Moses, scratch that, Mary and Joseph son." He even dropped this line that blew up twitter for the longest. " They say you are what you eat, and I still ain't pussy" He by far had the best verse, dropping quote after quote. A J. Cole must listen.
Friday Night Lights is one of the greatest projects ever. Considering the fact it's a mixtape and not an album makes it even more prestigious. My personal belief, this is Cole's magnum opus. He's dropped three amazing albums, but none have surpassed the excellence of this tape. His flow was a work of art, the way he strung together stories on here is unrivaled. This mixtape deserves it's ranking as a Top 5 mixtape ever, and if you've truly listened to it, you would not debate it. Thank you J. Cole for this masterpiece, and Happy 5th Birthday.
Chance The Rapper's concert at the Tabernacle defied my expectations completely. I came in with a group of friends, and within 30 minutes the crowd was so wild, I lost all of 'em. We waited about 40 minutes for the show to kick off (Albeit we did get in early) . I was hot, I was sweating, my feet were hurting, but hey, I'm about to see Chance The Rapper, so I knew it was all gonna be worth it.
Towkio kicked off the show. I've heard his name before, but I never listened to his music. I won't even lie though, his performance might change that for me. He brought the energy. There were only a few people that knew his lyrics, but he had EVERYBODY in the crowd jumping. He brought out Joey Purp for God In Me; that was the first time I heard it, but I loved it. Joey Purp's verse was dope as hell too. Another song I clearly remembered is a song I think called Abstract. He was singing on it, and when I tell you the whole crowd was shocked to see that, I'm not exaggerating. Towkio was the perfect opener, got the crowd jumping and wanting more.
METRO BOOM MAKE IT BOOM ON THESE HOES! And that's just what he did . Metro's set was spectacular. He opened up his set with one of Future's hardest, Thought It Was a Drought .
He then proceeded to dole out the Drake bangers with Energy and Big Rings, but shit got crazy when he played Flocka. He played Grove Street Party and Hard in The Paint and had the whole crowd moving! Literally I had no control of my movements, I just swayed with the crowd. That was probably the most turnt moment of the whole concert. S/O to Boomin'. He then turnt the crowd up once again with a CLAASIC. Can't Tell Me Nothing had everyone singing along. He even threw in a couple Kid CuDi songs that had the crowd going crazy. Metro Boomin' finished his set with the smash mixtape he executively produced, What A Time To Be Alive. Fantastic set Boomin'.
Another thing that was dope about Metro Boomin's set was not only his playlist, but him as a performer.
He is Atlanta. Now I see why he gets so much love from the city. He literally represents Atlanta in everything about him. From his dressing, to his speech, to his stage presence. The way Metro Boomin' was turning up,dancing, having fun on stage is the same way I'd see a homie getting lit at a party. I met Metro the other day, and the way he talked to me is the same way any regular dude would've, exact same lingo and everything. Cool dude.
FINALLY.
Chance is up.
Chance The Rapper Setlist
Everybody's Something
Pusha Man
Smoke Again
Lost
Baby Blue
The Way
Church
Paranoia
14400 Minutes
Family
Long Time
Brain Cells
Juice
Favorite Song
That's Love (Interlude)
Rememory
Miracle
Angels
Wonderful Day
Family Matters
Sunday Candy
Cocoa Butter Kisses
Chain Smoker
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Bird noises. That's all we heard until we see Chance pounce on stage amidst the colorful flashing lights and smokescreens. When it finally clears up, everyone can finally see him, and he stands there soaking up the applause. He's dressed Aiight. Just a black polo and camo pants, nothing too serious... Oh yeah, and some black Yeezy Boosts, my bad. He then goes right in to Everybody's Something. Obviously a favorite because the whole crowd was singing back to him.
He performs Pusha Man another obvious favorite.
It was kinda funny when he cut off all the music to introduce himself like everybody didn't know who he was...
Then he performed my favorite song, Lost... I'll just let y'all watch it for yourselves.
As he went deeper and deeper into his set, I realized something. I thought I was a huge Chance the Rapper fan, but I was mistaken. There were some people who knew all his lyrics, tongue twisters and all. I was kinda shocked; I was even more shocked to see the diversity in the crowd. Easily, Chance has one of THE most diverse fan bases. Easy. From blacks to whites, to Indians, to 80 year olds, Chance had 'em all there. He then went into his 10Day set, which was lit also.
He performed Long Time, 144400 Minutes, and my personal favorite was Brain Cells. He then turnt the crowd back up with Juice, which every single body was jumping and singing to. It was hype as hell.
He then went into what I would call his ATL set. He started Dabbin' and what not; it's kinda funny how Dabbin' has really taken over, and how every artist shows tribute to it when they in Atlanta. But oh yeah, he surprised us and brought out Jeezy to perform Put On.
Then as if that wasn't enough, he brought out 2 Chainz to perform his hit Watch Out.... Lituation.
He performed a couple more songs, including his newest song, Angels, then sadly closed out with Wonderful Day and Family Matters....
Or so we thought. Chance blessed us with an encore of 3 of his top songs. Sunday Candy, Cocoa Butter Kisses, and Chain Smoker.
Finally the Finale.
Chance's stage presence is undeniable. If I can sum him up... He's a performer. It helps his personality shines through his music and performances. He showed the goofy side, dancing all over the stage. If I could use one word to describe his performance, I would say Cartoon-ish. It was colorful, and full of visuals, funny, but full of energy and excitement. You can tell he honestly loves being up there and doing what he does . But then, he has his emotional, serious side that's also in his music . To me, it came out when he was performing his second verse of Paranoia. As he rapped about the struggles of youth in Chicago, you could hear the seriousness in his voice, and feel the anger in his demeanor. He even free-styled a bar at the end of it talking about black boys still getting killed. Dope.
All in all, the concert was freakin' amazing. Best concert of my life. I might've struggled to stay up, I might've had no breathing room, and it was musty as hell. Shit, it was so hot in there too; I told myself I wouldn't let another man spray water in my mouth, but hey, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. To top it all off, I sweated out my clean ass new Stussy shirt, but I'd do it all again. I'll close with what a buddy of mine said. "Chance's show is the best I've seen since Beyonce"
Enough said.
