Big K.R.I.T. "Returnof4eva" Review

                When XXL printed their issue featuring the top freshman of 2011, I was initially disappointed. I did not recognize most of the names on the list and was skeptical of their choices. One of the names which I was shocked to see was someone by the name of Big K.R.I.T.  Besides being unknown to me, I assumed Big K.R.I.T. was a typical Soulja-Boi type of act when I found out he was southern and produced his own beats. I could not have been more wrong. After reading about last year’s critically acclaimed mix tape “K.R.I.T Wuz Here”, I decided to check him out and from then on it was obvious to me that K.R.I.T. was someone who was going to make a difference with his music and I was eagerly anticipating his new release, “Returnof4eva.”

                K.R.I.T. which is an acronym for King Remembered In Time, is an up and coming rapper and producer from Mississippi. Hailing from the third coast, K.R.I.T. unleashes “Returnof4eva” with all of the southern swag one can handle. The whole album is bass heavy which is great for playing in the car with the volume turned up and a system banging in the trunk. Producing the whole album by himself, “Returnof4eva”, is a great showcase of what K.R.I.T. is bringing to the table and what he could provide to the game in the future, not just for himself but for others as well. The reason K.R.I.T. is special and different is his use of soul into his music. The fact that all twenty-one tracks on “Returnof4eva”contain a component of soul into the production adds a new element to his sound and makes him stand out from the rest of the pack, not only in the South but throughout Hip-Hop as well.

                Big K.R.I.T. is an exceptional lyricist as well. He is different in this compartment too because he does not use any witty punch lines or metaphors, yet still gets his message across due to his magnificent word play and smooth laid back flow. His voice glides over the beats majestically and he holds the listener into travelling on a journey through his world. For the most part, K.R.I.T is basically by himself on the record but when he does get support, he is helped out by some of the best the South has to offer including Ludacris, Bun B and Chamillionaire. However, none of these artists outshine K.R.I.T., despite their legendary statuses and he holds his own and proves he belongs among the Southern greats already.

                The opening song on “Returnof4eva” is ‘Rise and Shine’ and from this early on, the listener will already feel as if he is witnessing something special. The sincerity is evident in his lyrics and the honesty carries out throughout the rest of the record. What follows next, is the ‘R4 Theme Song’ and it is here that we get our first taste of Big K.R.I.T.’s Southern pride as the bass is heavy enough to rattle trunks and also sample’s Outkast on the hook. ‘Dreamin’’ is the next song on the record and it is one of the best songs to be featured on “Returnof4eva.” “Dreamin’’ is an inspiring song about working hard to achieve all that you want out of life and a reminder to never give up on your goals. K.R.I.T. tells us of his struggles on the song and all that he had to do to reach his dreams. It is a perfect representation of where K.R.I.T is right now in his life and a good choice as his first single, since he is living out his dreams everyday now.

                The next group of songs on the disc has more bounce to them and are great songs to drive around too while the sound bounces out of your trunk. ‘Rotation’ is a great song to drive slow too with the volume turned all the way up, while ‘My Sub’ has the heaviest bass on the record and should be played at high volume for maximum appreciation.  David Banner appears on ‘Sookie Now’ and despite his Mississippi origins, he offers nothing to the track besides passing the torch as K.R.I.T. easily outshines him and might possibly make better beats.

                ‘American Rapstar’, is one of the most creative songs on “Returnof4eva”, as K.R.I.T breaks down the rap stars in America and questions if they are really living a true life or just playing up to the gimmick. In one of the best lines, K.R.I.T. compares rappers to their chains saying the flashier the better. The ninth song ‘Highs & Lows’ is a slower song but just as heavy as the preceding songs and includes a very catchy sing-a-long chorus how “life ain’t nothing but an EQ of high’s and lows.” The next song, ‘Shake It’, is faster with more bounce and energy showing just how versatile Big K.R.I.T. is. It is a fun song, with exceptional lyrics and production which I am sure will maintain a high amount of replay value.  ‘Shake It’, also includes a great Chris Rock sample at the end which acts as a perfect transition into the next song ‘Made Alot.” ‘Made Alot”, features a sick sample and a great beat as K.R.I.T. raps about people claiming he changed over his new found success but in actuality they’re the ones who changed as they are hoping to see him fail. “Lions & Lambs’ is next, and is a song about how only the strong survive in this world and it is either hunt or be hunted. Even though this is a simple metaphor, K.R.I.T. is able to make it work over the soulful beat and old school scratches.

                Starting with, “King’s Blues” the old school respect and appreciation as well as the soulfulness really shine through, but still remains 100% Southern. The flow is strong on ‘King’s Blues’ as K.R.I.T. spits, “What’s a king without a crown, what’s a car without some sound.” Chamillionaire is featured on the next song, ‘Time Machine’, a car song about riding around town bumping old CD’s in the whip. Both K.R.I.T. and Chamillionaire shout out some of their heroes and legends including the Geto Boys and UGK, as well as many underground artists relevant to Southern Hip-Hop history. Following this, K.R.I.T. hits us with an old school circa 1994 jam in ‘Get Right.’ ‘Get Right’ is a chill laid back bass heavy party song, which I can see being played all throughout summer. ‘Amtrak’ is next and is probably the worst song on the CD. This is not a bad thing though as it is still better than 75% of what is out today, it is just nothing special and could have been scrapped from the album. However, the song does feature heavy bass and transitions perfectly into the following song, “Player’s Ballad” featuring the voice of the South: Raheem DeVaughn on the chorus.   

                ‘Another Naïve Individual Glorifying Greed & Encouraging Racism’ has Big K.R.I.T. vowing to make a better life for himself for which he is proud. This is his way of telling the world he wants to be someone special and not just another nigger, which is an acronym for the songs title. This is one of the best songs on the album with amazing production which has Big K.R.I.T. rapping over trumpets. ‘Free My Soul’ is next and is a look into K.R.I.T.’s conscience. Spitting over a beautiful soulful piano, K.R.I.T. wonders aloud that even though he has achieved all the material items he ever coveted, is it enough for him to reach salvation. The next song on “Returnof4eva” is ‘The Vent’ and it is the song with the best lyrics and flow on the album. The first half of the song features a low beat which is reminiscent of something Wiz Khalifa would rhyme over with K.R.I.T. just spitting fire. Though for this half, the beat is low, the bass hits just as hard as the heavier tracks before it. The next half of the song switches up with the beat becoming louder and K.R.I.T. showing off his melodic singing. ‘The Vent’ is definitely a track where Big K.R.I.T.’s kingly persona comes out and is perfectly placed towards the end of the record. The last song ’Country Shit’ is a remix of one of K.R.I.T.’s most popular songs off his last mix tape and features both Ludacris and Bun B. It is here that Big K.R.I.T. solidifies his place as a great MC as he receives a major co-sign and raps the hardest on the track.

                “Returnof4eva” is definitely a game changing album. Although it is not a major release and was instead released for free, it shows Big K.R.I.T is deserving of all of the recognition he is receiving. With aspirations to entirely produce his full length major label debut, Big K.R.I.T. is on the verge of superstardom. However, there is a sense to K.R.I.T.’s work, that no matter how much mainstream success he receives, he will always remain true to himself and would never sell out. He is clearly influenced by those who have come before him and he uses their influence to shape his sound with their elements as well as his own. “Retunof4eva”, is a breath of fresh air and a record that definitely should be checked out. The replay value is incredibly high because of the different sounds you will experience due to the contradicting heavy bass and soulfulness on each record. Will Big K.R.I.T. be an artist that will be remembered in time remains to be seen, but the future is bright for him and I highly recommend this album and will be listening to it a lot in the upcoming months.   

4.5 out of 5 Stars

Recommended Songs:  Dreamin’, Get Right, Another Naïve Individual Glorifying Greed & Encouraging Racism, The Vent, Country Shit Remix

Wiz Khalifa "Rolling Papers" review

Being a fellow environmentalist, “Rolling Papers” has been a record that I have been eagerly anticipating for a long time. Following the success of the massive “Kush & Orange Juice” mix tape, Wiz Khalifa seemed to become a household name overnight, beating both Nicki Minaj and J.Cole to win MTV’s Hottest MC of 2010, gracing the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, as well as releasing one of the top songs of yesteryear “Black and Yellow.”

               

                Backpacking off of the success of “Black and Yellow”, “Rolling Papers” has been released with much hype behind it and Wiz delivers with a solid major label debut. Putting my excitement behind me, I listened to “Rolling Papers” with an open mind, careful not to proclaim it an instant classic before I gave it a thorough listen. While “Rolling Papers” is not an instant classic, it is a strong album which features fun, catchy songs with big choruses. Wiz mixes it up nicely with his melodic format that showcases both his rapping and singing style, which is enough to satisfy fans of Wiz before and after the “Kush & Orange Juice” era. The album is easy to listen to all the way through and most importantly does not contain any filler. Every song maintains an element of replay value and the reason for that is the approach Wiz takes on all the songs. The composition of the album follows a rhyme and chorus arrangement but this works for Wiz considering he has a knack for creating memorable sing-a-long choruses that are easy to follow upon the first time hearing them. While nobody will ever confuse Wiz for being Jay-Z or Lupe Fiasco, his rhymes and flow are solid enough to carry the song until the chorus hits, where he will win you away.

                “Rolling Papers” opens up with a calm, piano lullaby which gradually builds into a triumphant swagger filled song about living life for today and enjoying the present at every moment before closing with the same piano harmony on “When I’m Gone.” This song sets the theme of “Rolling Papers” perfectly as the album is a testament to Wiz Khalifa’s hard work and struggle to make it to the top and he does not shy away from proclaiming it at every chance he gets. The next song on the record, “On My Level” features Too Short as a guest and is the first song on the record about Wiz Khalifa’s carefree lifestyle. This song is the perfect example of the catchy non complicated choruses Wiz is able to create as he croons over the Jim Jonsin produced beat. Up next are the two songs I’m sure everyone by now has heard: “Black and Yellow” and “Roll Up.” Both songs were produced by Stargate and they are two of the strongest songs on “Rolling Papers.” “Black and Yellow” was one of the biggest songs of 2010 being played everywhere, especially during the Pittsburgh Steelers run to the SuperBowl, and has been remixed numerous times by countless artists. “Roll Up” on the other hand, is the second single from the album and is a clever play on words. Contrary to what fans of Wiz would expect from a song barring this title, the song is instead a song for the females and a strong one at that, again containing a mighty chorus.

 From here, “Rolling Papers” makes a turn as it moves away from the high energy production and settles in on more of a “Kush and Orange Juice” type of vibe. These are the best smoking songs on “Rolling Papers”, and feature spacely production with heavy bass perfect for lighting up. Of these four, “The Race” and “Wake Up” are the strongest with the former containing a Biggie Smalls inspired skit at the end and the latter once again featuring production from Stargate containing a memorable chorus.

                Immediately following these four songs, Wiz hits us with “No Sleep” a poppy high energy song produced by Benny Blanco the creator of Katy Perry’s summer hit “California Gurls.” Again with all songs on “Rolling Papers”, “No Sleep” features a great chorus and I believe it could be perfect for radio later in the year as a third or fourth single off the album. From this point on, “Rolling Papers” gets more creative as evident by “Get Your Shit”, the next song on the record. “Get Your Shit” caught me off guard as it shows a completely different side of Wiz, I had never heard before. There is more anger on this one breakup song then anything Wiz had done throughout his career and he pulls off this risk nicely. However, Wiz hits a bump in the road with “Top Floor.” Wiz usually has an aptitude for choosing great production to rhyme over, but for some reason he chose a beat featuring a loud and annoying, repetitive sample which is distracting and ultimately hinders the song. The beat feels like it drives the track, placing Wiz in the background which is opposite of what I wanted to hear on his debut. The creativity continues on the next song “Fly Solo.” This song has Wiz rapping over a ska influenced beat featuring drums and a guitar and is one of the catchiest songs on the record. Fans of any genre of music will enjoy this song as it offers something for everyone due to its lighthearted nature. “Rooftops” comes next and features New Orleans rapper Curren$y on the track. Back in 2009, Wiz and Curren$y released a mix tape together and it showed they had great chemistry. “Rooftops” is another clear example of that, as the two effortlessly flow over the beat and create one of the stronger songs on the album.  “Rolling Papers” concludes with “Cameras”, a song which has been released for a couple of months now but is a good choice to wrap the album up. Everything Wiz has been through since his rise in popularity over the last couple of months is addressed here and shows just how far the man has come in the short time.

While there is still a lot of room for growth, “Rolling Papers” is an enjoyable release that should make fans of Wiz Khalifa happy. The album is mostly fun and full of positive energy and is an easy listen all the way through. All of the songs flow nicely from one to the next while still containing enough variety to keep the listener on their toes and maintain a level of replay value. One of the elements about “Rolling Papers” which I really enjoyed was the fact that the spotlight always remained on Wiz and never ventured off to a different part of the album. The album does not feature any big time guests or producers and is instead a true solo album, focusing completely on Wiz Khalifa. Something which surprised me about the record was that it did not feature a true smoker’s anthem. I was expecting to hear at least one song solely about marijuana but weed was not Wiz’s focus this time around. Instead, “Rolling Papers” ventures out into different themes and creates a different journey delving deeper into the Wiz Khalifa persona. Although I do respect Wiz for choosing hometown producers who have helped him achieve all his fame and fortune, I would still like to hear him work with some of the major players in the game, such as Just Blaze or DJ Premier to help shape his sound in the future. While it is not an instant classic album, “Rolling Papers” is still a strong showing worthy of the fame Wiz has recently found and is an enjoyable record to burn one and relax too. Overall, “Rolling Papers” is a solid 3.5 stars out of five.

3.5 Stars out of 5.

Recommended Songs: Black N Yellow, Roll Up, Fly Solo, Rooftops

Red Cafe "Above The Cloudz" Review

Shakedown! 

For over a decade, Red Cafe has been one of the most consistent rappers from NYC, and he continues his success with his new street album “Above The Cloudz.” The prequel to his long awaited debut album, “Above The Cloudz” is filled with witty punch-lines and clever metaphors showing Red Cafe at his finest. 

The album opens up like a movie and even has various best of the Joker skits from the Dark Knight throughout. The skits fit in nicely and help transition from song to song, even though they offer nothing to the record. The beats are on point featuring the classic New York City sound and Red Cafe spits over them like a man possessed and hungry to release his first mainstream album. 

Punch lines have always been Red Cafe's strongpoint and he does not disappoint on “Above The Cloudz.” Red spits such gems as “Flow sharper than Steve Harvey's hairline, And I smoke good either kush or the dro, getting high 'til I feel a fucking cloud on my toe. Yea. Perfect view of the world, I'm looking down at much more than a nigga's girl” on the Curren$y assisted “Everyday's A Weekend.” Red Cafe always stands out on the album and does not get overshadowed by any guests, even though he has an all star assemble such as Lloyd Banks, Fabolous, Talib Kweli and Rick Ross. On the chilled out Rick Ross featured track “Faded”, Ross and Red team up and deliver lines such as, “In the presence of a Don, be cautious but calm, Can't be faded, two pills a charm.” “Above The Cloudz” even samples the late Nate Dogg on the song “Put It In The Air” featuring Nate Dogg's infamous “Smoke Weed Everyday” line as Red Cafe makes an ode to the sweet leaf. “Coup got no top like Dr. Phil head. Pop champagne, the most celebrated. Blow purple biatch the most elevated.” Red even claims that he's higher than Smokey from Friday during the song.  

“Above The Cloudz” is the typical strong showing from Red Cafe. For years the man has been putting out hot joints, even getting airplay on mainstream radio with songs such as “Bling Blaow”, “Diddy Bop”, “Paper Touchin”, “Hottest In The Hood” and most recently “I'm Ill. ” Hopefully, 2011 will be the year his debut album finally gets released because Red Cafe is a good rapper and someone who deserves the exposure. Shakedown!

Based on the Beavis and Butt-Head scale: 

3 Beavis' out of 5 Butt-Heads

Recommended Songs:

Above the Cloudz, Put It In The Air, Faded, The Realest

Lupe Fiasco "Lasers" Review

After sitting in limbo for over a year and being pushed back countless times, Lupe Fiasco's forth album "Lasers" finally saw the light of day earlier this year. "Lasers" was supposed to be released in December 2009, but a standoff with Atlantic Records over subject material and Lupe's refusal to make an accessible pop single led to the delay. The hold-up hurt both parties involved as Lupe was not included on MTV's Top 10 Hottest MC List and fans planned to boycott Atlantic Records until the record received a release date. Fortunately, the petition and proposed boycott worked as "Lasers" was finally released and fans were treated to one of the best Hip-Hop records to be released in quite some time.

Upon listening to "Lasers", the first thing I noticed was Lupe's flow and how effortlessly he glided from line to line and how smoothly he rode the beat. His breath work is phenomenal throughout and it brings an extra dimension to his songs because he is in control of the pace the entire time. "Lasers" is also a verse oriented album instead of the typical chorus driven songs the radio always plays and this sets Lupe apart from most other hip-hop artists and shows the world that he is truly one of the best lyricists in the game today.

The best part about "Lasers", is the subject material. First and foremost, Lupe Fiasco is an artist who just so happens to rap and he places a strong emphasis on lyricism and storytelling. Unlike most rap albums, "Lasers" is not filled with club jams or street bravado and instead focuses on messages and communicating the truth to the audience. Lupe is a rebel who tells the other side of the story and his rhymes deal with meaningful things such as social and political issues but in a very creative way. All of the rhymes found on "Lasers" are thought provoking and in some cases the messages in some songs could go over the head if you do not listen carefully enough. I would be very curious to see what "Lasers" would have been like if Atlantic Records did not censor Fiasco and would have let him put out the record he wanted. Still, "Lasers" is a breath of fresh air and an album hip-hop desperately needed to revive it out of the recent trend of mediocrity.

In my opinion, one of the standout tracks on "Lasers" is the second song, “Words I Never Said.” If it is indeed the second single from the record, it is a win for Lupe since it would instantly become one of the realest rap songs to bring awareness to the world since Jadakiss released “Why.” The song touches on many different points and concepts and addresses the problems that are wrong in the world today. “Words I Never Said” is a controversial charged song that opens up calling 9/11 a conspiracy and the war on terror bullshit. Throughout the song, other issues are brought up such as school budget cuts, problems with people abusing prescription medications, the media reporting garbage “a bunch of WTF's!” and people being blinded by it like sheep. We all live in a corrupt world and if it is possible that this song will open people's eyes and realize the truth, Charlie Sheen would not be the only person Winning.

While “Words I Never Said” might be the best song on the record, the rest of the album is just as good at delivering Lupe's intended message. “Beautiful Lasers” is another favorite of mine because it is personal and the emotion Fiasco delivered is clearly felt. The song is about speaking up and standing up for yourself during the darkest most depressing times and it comes across brilliantly on the CD due to Lupe's incredible flow. “All Black Everything” is a song which I feel will get critical acclaim from various publications and for good reason. The song is among the best of the bunch and shows off Lupe's creativity. It is a fantasy song which asks the question of how the face of America  both culturally and economically would be different if slaves got paid in a business transaction faction. “State Run Radio”, is another creative song which touches on Lupe's opinion of the music business and American radio in general. It questions the artists and asks why they refuse to be different and instead succumb to the music company's wishes of the typical dumb catchy formula that the radio plays over and over again all day. Another good song is the first single from the record, “The Show Goes On.” It is inspiring but it is clearly obvious that this is the type of song Atlantic pushed Lupe to create. The songs features a sample beat and is an anthem collar made for the radio.

An interesting thing I noticed, was "Lasers" does not contain a true girl song. Almost every rap CD I ever listened too always had that designated song meant for the women, but this album does not. The closest song would be “Out of My Head,” which features Trey Songz, but after listening to the song a couple of times, I realized the girl that Lupe is rapping about is in fact the formation of a song. The first verse even contains a pretty cool metaphor with a swift delivery of words that changes the complete meaning of the song. The only other time females are mentioned, is during “Coming Up”, which calls for young girls to grow up and be strong and independent. To say the very least, this is very surprising especially in the hip-hop world where it seems every other song is dedicated to the P.Y.T.

To say I enjoyed "Lasers" would be a vast understatement. The record was solid and restored my faith in hip-hop which I felt had been slacking as of late. The sheer creativity on "Lasers" is enough to warrant it a couple of spins. Not only is every song catchy but is also so deep in meaning that it will take a while to fully understand the true point and message Lupe is trying to get across. "Lasers" is filled with positivity and covers every basis while pumping out inspirational vibrations through the speakers. Lupe Fiasco is one of the best and most underrated artists in music today and even if you are not a fan of hip-hop, I'm sure "Lasers" will touch on enough topics to spark your interest and maintain replay value.


Based on the Beavis and Butt-Head System:
3.5 Beavis' out of 5 Butt-Heads

Songs I Recommend:
Words I Never Said, I Don't Wanna Care Right Now, Beautiful Lasers (2 Ways)

UFC Purchases Strikeforce

      The Ultimate Fighting Championship continued it's push into the mainstream on Saturday, as the UFC's parent company Zuffa, purchased the second biggest mixed martial arts organization in the world, Strikeforce. 

      This ground breaking deal caught every person in the MMA community, including the fighters of both promotions and fans off guard. The deal happened so quickly, that the first time it was even considered as a possibility was when the announcement was made. 

     According to UFC President Dana White, the reason for the purchase of Strikeforce was the realization that Strikeforce was a brand that had a following and was well liked and to also “take this thing to another level.” The UFC wants to become the biggest sport in the world and they feel it is their job to put on the fights the fans want to see. Adding Strikeforce to their roster, helps aid in their plan for global domination, since the UFC plans to travel into several new countries this year, such as India, China, Korea and Japan and they need to make sure they have the right fights to get fans interested and excited to purchase their product. In addition, they need the extra fighters, since they plan on putting on more and more events this year and in the future. 

      This is not the first time the UFC has made a mega purchase of their major competitor. Back in 2007, the UFC acquired the rights of top Japanese promotion, PRIDE FC. That purchase brought major stars into the UFC such as Rampage Jackson, Wanderlei Silva and the current Light Heavyweight Champion Maurico “Shogun” Rua among others. Zuffa's idea at the time was to operate the two promotions independently. They were hoping to capitalize the most out of their product, and have the UFC and Pride as two separate promotions, however, when that goal was not achieved, Pride ultimately became integrated into the UFC. 

     The UFC is trying this formula again, as White constantly reiterated that business will be handled as usual. Strikeforce will remain a separate organization and the Strikeforce fighters will remain Strikeforce fighters. Long time owner and operator of Strikeforce, Scott Coker will retain his day job of promotions general operations and managing the contracts of the brand. All that Zuffa will bring to the table is helping the promotion grow and get better, showcasing new talent, while helping out behind the scenes. 

     Unfortunately, this does not mean a Superbowl type event, as the UFC does not and refuses to co-promote even within a promotion they now own. Any current dreams of seeing Alistair Overeem vs Cain Velasquez or Nick Diaz vs Georges St. Pierre are right now not in the works. However, how long this “plan” works out, could just be a matter of time. 

    The main reason, the two organizations are not merging now has to do with Strikeforce's current contract with Showtime. Strikeforce's deal with Showtime runs out in about two years, so it is likely the promotion will stick around until then and will be somewhat of the little brother to the UFC, until they ultimately combine.

     While I'm sure many people are upset about this, I feel it could be a good thing. With Zuffa backing Strikeforce up and promoting them during UFC events, it will add to the viewership of the Strikeforce product. Great pound for pound top five fighters that the casual MMA fan never heard about because they are not in the UFC such as Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez will now have a greater audience to showcase their skills and become bigger stars. 

    It will also help out the entire Women's division. Strikeforce was the biggest promotion for women to fight and featured talent such as Gina Carano, Miesha Tate, Marloes Coenen, and Cris “Cyborg” Santos. Dana White has long stated that the reason he does not add a Women's division to the UFC, is because he feels that there are not enough good girls out there to create an entire division. Hopefully, with the added exposure in the two years, enough women will decide to become full time mixed martial arts fighters and the UFC will finally add a division devoted entirely to females. 

    Until the inevitable merger happens, I personally hope some Strikeforce fighters graduate and make the switch over to the UFC. I am a huge Nick Diaz fan, he is my favorite fighter and I know he would not only make an immediate impact in the welterweight division but I feel he would give GSP a real run for his money, since I feel Diaz has the better boxing and on the ground there is no one better. Alistair Overeem is another fighter who I hope comes over sooner rather than later. Overeem is the current Strikeforce Heavyweight champion and also the current K-1 World Grand Prix Champion. The sheer thought of an Overeem vs Cain Velasquez matchup waters my mouth at the excitement and explosion the two could bring inside the cage. Other marquee fighters such as Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza who could quite possibly have the best JiuJitsu in MMA challenging Demian Maia in a Brazilian JiuJitsu fans dream fight. I also would not mind seeing Dan Henderson knocking Michael Bisping's head off again in a rematch of their UFC 100 fight as well as seeing two heavy hitting heavyweights battle such as Brett Rogers vs. Shane Carwin. Also, how could I not mention the one and only true dream fight in MMA as the two legends could finally meet inside the octagon in Fedor Emelianenko vs Randy Couture. 

    I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it's only a matter of time before MMA and the UFC becomes the BIGGEST sport in the world and this deal proves it. There are so many great fighters from all over the world now competing under the same roof, that it is only a matter of time before some dream match ups take place right before our very eyes. Fighting is the earliest sport known to mankind, it is in our DNA, every person walking God's green earth has a primal nature within them, it is survival of the fittest, only the strong survive and soon enough the UFC will stand tall as the premium and defining sport of our generation. 

Japan Suffers Massive Damage Due To Powerful Earthquake and Tsunami

Early Friday morning eastern time, disaster struck as a massive 8.9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan 150 kilometers off the northeastern coast. 

         The earthquake than triggered a tsunami moments after that was powerful enough to topple boats the size of cruise ships, throw cars around like Hot-Wheels and rip buildings from their foundations. 

     The wall of water covered the farmland miles inward and carried anything in its path including debris, houses, cars, telephone poles, boats and buses. Buildings were moved and cars toppled off of bridges. 

In addition to this destruction, the earthquake has sparked various fires throughout the area of Tokyo including a blazing inferno at an oil refinery, which is unable to be calmed and must naturally die out. 

  It has been reported, that this earthquake was the fifth most powerful of all time and the most powerful earthquake to ever strike Japan. Immediately afterwards aftershocks were felt and one aftershock was even reported at 7.1 which was the same measure as the earthquake which destroyed Haiti a few months back.

  Even though Japan is prepared for earthquakes, nothing could prepare them for this damage. Power has been cut in four million homes throughout Tokyo and the surrounding areas, while their currency the Yen has fallen sharply. 
     People have been left stranded as public transportation has been cut off and are now being forced to retreat to higher grounds to avoid danger. The government is urging people to remain calm as they do not want another crisis, this being a crisis of fear and disorder. 
     There is still a risk though as the damage has weakened many buildings left standing and there is a chance they may collapse. Other factors are landslides and mudslides which recently killed over 800 people in Brazil earlier this year. 

  Many causalities have already been reported and I fear the death toll will continue to rise dramatically. I hope everyone remembers to keep Japan in their prayers, as the nation has suffered tremendous destruction and is in dire need of all of our help as this is an ongoing disaster. 

A Bloodbath At the KFC Yum! Center

                UFC on Verses Yes! KFC Yum Center Yes! New Nicknames Yes!  Fantastic Fight Yes! La Bomba? Yes! Diego Sanchez YES!

                Watching Diego Sanchez fight is always guaranteed excitement and his Fight of the Night performance against Martin “The Hitman” Kampmann was no different. The main event was an all out war and was one of the best and bloodiest fights the UFC has put on this year.

After a nightmarish first round which left Diego Sanchez’ face a bloody mess, “The Dream” showcased his trademark heart and determination to fight his way back in rounds two and three and pick up a unanimous decision victory over Martin Kampmann. The quirky Ultimate Fighter winner was his usual aggressive self, but that aggression almost cost Sanchez early in the fight, as Kampmann lit him up on the feet while barely breaking a sweat.  However, Sanchez said he was in a better place mentally and it showed as he never lost confidence and remained aggressively active over the next two rounds which was enough to earn him the W in the judge’s eyes.

                The fight did have controversy though, as Diego Sanchez might have been the fighter to take the most facial damage en route to getting his hand raised in the octagon. If fights were judged based on destroying your opponents face, Kampmann easily would have won as Diego’s eye looked like a baboons’ ass. It was so bad that Sanchez’ face looked like it was ran over by a lawnmower and I’m not sure if his own family would be able to recognize him right now. Still, I agree with the decision and would love to see a rematch between the two as the fight was an instant classic. 

                Also on the card, Mark Munoz made quick work of C.B. Dollaway scoring a TKO .54 seconds into round number one. Munoz is one of the classiest guy’s in MMA today and with the win he arguably pushes himself into the top 5 of the middleweight division.

YES!
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New York Blows Through NOLA

                After a mind fart in the fourth quarter of Tuesday night’s game against the Orlando Magic, the New York Knicks bounced back against the New Orleans Hornets with a dominating 107-88 victory. Offensively the Knicks had it going all night as they shot 55% from the floor and 45% from three point range. However, the key ingredient for tonight’s game was New York’s ball movement, defense and the fact it was an entire team effort.

                The Two Towers of New York had their regular stellar performances, as Amar’e Stoudemire had 24 points, 7 rebounds and Carmelo Anthony added 22 points. However, the win cannot be placed wholly on their shoulders as every member of the Knicks roster contributed Wednesday night.

Before the game, Coach D’Antoni addressed the media about the Orlando game and said that the supporting cast needed to stay aggressive and not defer too much to the Knicks two all stars and maintain ball movement. He added that they needed to focus on what they did best and not be hesitant to shoot the ball and become part of the offense.

                The supporting cast heard the message loud and clear and they all had break through games against NOLA. None more so than second year point guard Toney Douglas. Douglas who started the game in place of Chauncey Billups, who was out with a deep thigh bruise, erupted out of his three game shooting slump for 24 points and 5 assists.  Douglas’ defense was also superb as he held All Star point guard Chris Paul to only 4 points.

                Another player who was able to arise out of the ashes was Shawne Williams. Williams has not been able to hit water from a boat as of late, but that all changed Wednesday as Williams scored 16 points, shooting 4-6 from downtown and 6-8 overall. The fourth quarter even brought out seldom seen lethal shooter Roger Mason who pointed to the fans after each of his baskets, as they chanted his name.

                After trading for Carmelo Anthony, New York was still considered to be a lousy defensive team. Luckily, the Knicks finally have a competent General Manager in Donnie Walsh, who immediately addressed this issue and brought back a player who Coach D’Antoni had great faith in. Enter Jared Jeffries.

 Jeffries is a defensive specialist, something the Knicks roster clearly lacked and he will fit in perfectly with New York’s current squad. Unquestionably, Jeffries will be an X factor come playoff time as he will be asked to guard the opposing team’s best perimeter player on a nightly basis. This is important, because it enables ‘Melo to focus on what he does best: Score and does not put too much pressure on rookie Laundry Fields.

                All in all, it was a good rebound game for New York after a devastating loss. This reloaded team is coming together quickly and we should all be excited as the regular season dwindles down and the playoffs approach. Knick Fans Be Proud.

"Rope! I Wish I Had A Rope!"

                Family, friends and loved one are going to be missed dearly if you are ever stuck on a deserted island, kidnapped in the wild or lost during a routine hiking adventure. However, as much as you miss and wish you had your close ones near you, you are going to be wishing you had rope more.

                I’m sure all of you who have just read that sentence are probably thinking, “Rope is the last thing I’d want, this kid is crazy, and the doctors’ better check his meds and tighten up his straight jacket.”

But I kid you not and I am not crazy, just half insane and half psychotic. Still, I swear on my mother’s undead grave that if you are ever lost in the wilderness you are going to want rope.

                The benefits of having rope are beyond comprehension as it is one of the most versatile tools and objects one could possess. You can use a rope to climb trees, platforms, boulders, and mountains and could also use it to descend down areas such as pits, and caves. If lost in a deep passage, a rope would come in handy as you use it to not only lower yourself down but also as a means to retrace your way in the complete darkness.

                Another benefit of the rope is too make your way across one gap to the other. Say you are stuck on one part of the ending land and reaching the next part of land is through a large high-up gap. You can hope and pray to whichever spiritual being you hold in power, for a bridge, but if one is not available, guess which item you’re going to wish you had in your possession. In this circumstance, you can tie and lasso one side of the rope to the other and secure the ending and monkey bar your way across the opposing gaps to safety.

                Still, I bet you are continuing to fight my reasoning and think a rope is still pointless, but wait, the usefulness of a rope is not over yet. A rope could also be used as a weapon.

 “Okay, this kid is really off his rocker now. A rope in no way, shape, or form could be a weapon.”

Alas! You are mistaken, a rope could very effectively be used as weapon, especially if you hold both ends and use it as a strangulation device.

“Doctor! Help!”

                No, I am not a deranged serial killer who spends his nights thinking about different creative ways to kill and torture his victims. Well at least not ALL of my nights.

But, a rope as a weapon could be very useful if your gun is out of ammo and your knife is dull and useless. I bet your stomach will thank you for the rope after you use it to catch your prey and make a decent meal for yourself. You can also use a rope to go fishing, just find twigs to create a basket and dump it into the water and there you go, instant fishing pole.

                Other so called necessary items can all be found in the wild if needed be. Matches or a lighter is unimportant, since you can very easily create a fire with twigs and wood just by rubbing them together. You can create yourself a knife, by carving a bark or a log with a stone.  All a human being needs to survive is water, so food is even out of the question, as long as some type of aqua is available. The only object you cannot successfully and confidently recreate is the good, old fashioned, sturdy rope.

                This may seem as complete silliness, but it is actually extremely accurate. I’m sure by now you are reconsidering your judgment about the value of having a rope at your disposal. I find it a little disturbing, that children who have spent countless hours in the boy scouts, learning about the all too important scouts honor disvalue the importance of a rope.

                I have been to a cub scout meeting once in my life and the only reason I joined and attended that meeting was so I could enter my car in the pinewood derby race. After the gate to my car decided not to open and my car was never released from the start, I decided the cub scouts were just a big conspiracy and I wanted nothing to do with them ever again.

                It seems my assessment of them was half correct and they were not completely operated by the anti-Christ, after I tasted one of the girl scouts cookies. Anything that delicious, wholesome and good could not be evil, so I reassessed my opinion of them to a less negative approach and today I can proudly say I almost forgive them for ruining my pinewood derby race career.

                However, I am still five hundred percent confident that I would be able to lead a team out of danger and desperation as long as I had a rope. Having a rope as your trusty co-pilot in any situation is the number one key to surviving.

                Sam Gamgee said it best, “Rope! I need a rope, I’m going for sure to want it when I don’t have it.” Yes, Sam Gamgee you are correct. If you are not going to take my advice, at least take the advice of the hobbit, that had the common sense to remember to bring a rope with him on his journey from the Shire to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring. If that epic journey is not convincing enough, I pray to the heavens above that you are a wizard like me and are able to enchant your way out of any harmful circumstance.

 But if you are not, and I doubt you are since us wizards do not breed with such creatures as your human race then next time you go on an adventure, make sure to bring rope along with you, cause like the hobbit said, you’re going to want it when you don’t have it.

Rebirth of "The Dream"

              Thursday night, the UFC returns to action as they present their third feature on the Verses Network. Headlining the night’s card at the KFC Yum! Center (great name) in Louisville, Kentucky is an exciting welterweight showdown as the newly nicknamed former nightmare Diego “The Dream” Sanchez competes against perennial top contender the Danish hit man Martin Kampmann, for the first time ever in 3-D.

                Sanchez, the winner of the first Ultimate Fighter competition as a middleweight, tries to regain his glory as a top welterweight contender after his disappointing but exciting run as a lightweight. As you can clearly tell, Sanchez has been having somewhat of an identity crisis, after changing divisions, training camps and nicknames all in a short year’s period.

                After abandoning the welterweight division after a successful run, Sanchez decided to test himself out at 155lbs., because he thought it was his best chance to win a championship. His time as a lightweight was short but satisfying to fans as he put up extremely exciting fights during this time, especially his June 2009 contest against the mad man Clay Guida which earned Fight of the Year. His split decision victory over Guida was enough to catapult him into a championship fight with then champion B.J. Penn.

                Heading into the fight against Penn, Sanchez was full of confidence as he spent a majority of his promo time performing his trademark YES! Cartwheels leading up to the fight. The fight was disappointing for Sanchez as in the first thirty seconds of the contest; Sanchez was hurt badly twice by a Penn left counter-boxing hook and knee combination and he was not the same for the rest of the five round bout. Penn was dominant throughout the night and during the final round was able to kick Sanchez on the forehead which resulted in a fitting stop to the fight and caused Sanchez’ forehead to resemble a bloody vagina.

                This was a devastating loss for Sanchez as this was his moment and he felt there was no way he could be beaten. Well not only was he beaten, he was unquestionably dominated to the point where he decided a return to welterweight was the best career choice.

                However, the “Nightmare” still was not over for Sanchez as his return to welterweight resulted in yet another embarrassing defeat, this time to an up and coming John Hathaway, who Sanchez was supposed to be able to run through. Again, early in the fight Sanchez was hurt and was not able to recover, resulting in another dominating performance by his opponent.  

                Recently, Sanchez performed an interview where he stated he did not take Hathaway seriously and was not physically or mentally prepared for the fight. He admitted to not taking his training camp seriously and said after training he would go to the bar and drink and smoke weed. Sanchez knew his career was going down the tubes fast and he needed to make a change, and make it quick.

                The change Sanchez decided to make was one of the best decisions of his life, as he returned to the gym he originally started out with, Team Jackson in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The change back to Team Jackson enabled Sanchez to regain all the tools he was missing and resulted in a breathtaking fight of the night winning performance over the dangerous Paolo Thiago this past October.

Team Jackson is unquestionably one of the best fight camps in the world and many high profile mixed martial artists train there regularly such as Rashad Evans, Georges St. Pierre, and Jon Jones among others.  This crop of training partners allows Sanchez to train with the best fighters consecutively on a day to day basis and are always pushing him to become a better mixed martial artist.

                The result of the return to Greg Jackson has also caused Sanchez to become refocused and rededicated to the sport he loves. They say in fighting 90% of the fight is mental and this is what Sanchez needed in order to return to the promised land. Sanchez has quit the partying and instead spends his free time doing the little things that win fights such as running the mountains in his downtime, lifting weights after training and visiting high school wrestling gyms to practice on his technique. While these extra preparations are without a doubt physically challenging, it is the mental aspect which these practices focus on more.

Heading into Thursday night’s bout, Sanchez in his heart feels he has already won the fight. While he has always been a wacky, crazy confident dude, Sanchez seems to have a different demeanor as the fight approaches. He seems more relaxed than he has ever been and knows that if one thing goes wrong during the fight he will be able to recover. His weight is at the highest it has ever been, in a good way and he knows that if one of his takedowns is unsuccessful, he has ten more different approaches to get the fight down to the mat and work his ground and pound.

                A humbled down Diego Sanchez is a scary, scary man. Sanchez even went as far as changing his nickname from the “Nightmare” to the “Dream” to complete his reformation. The reason for the change is that Sanchez felt nightmares bring negative emotions and consequences and he did not want to represent that. So, what is the direct opposite of nightmares, I’ll give you a second to think about it…..Dreams! A dream represents positivity and all things good and Thursday night, Diego Sanchez looks to continue his dream of becoming the UFC Welterweight Champion.

YES!