New Badu: Wack or That Crack?

This album is definitely THAT CRACK, but then again it is Erykah Badu, so how could it be anything less? She's one of the most purely and effortlessly cool artists in the game and this is no more in evidence than on her fourth LP (of original material), New Amerykah Part 1: 4th World War.

It's been five long years since Ms. Badu has graced us with her presence, and hard as it may be to believe, this album was well worth the wait. Every track flows effortlessly into the next, and there's a great energy and cohesiveness to this record that she hasn't shown since... well, who am I kidding? She does it every time. Erykah Badu consistently brings it, and brings it hard. I better not have to wait another 5 years for Part II.

My 3 Favorite Tracks:

Me (Track 3): Great relaxing jazz infused beat, puts you in the mood to do something smart. Find someone you love and get all deep with them about... whatever. Favorite Lyric: "And in this world of greed and hate, they may try to erase my face, but millions spring up in my place. Believe me."

Soldier (Track 5): My favorite on the album. Beat reminds me of something Commonish, only richer than what he would have done. Sorry Common lovers.

Master Teacher (Track 8): On this she sings, "What if there was no niggas, only master teachers? I stay woke." Odd, esoteric, and resonant. If I may soap-box (as if I do anything else here), that's what distinguishes your artist from your amateur.

So cop this album immediately. Do it in a store not only to support a singer who actually deserves it, but to get the little booklet in the CD case with all it's pretty pictures and handwritten lyrics and messages!

This album is a dream come true and I'm not saying that just cause I'm in love with EB and want to make a home with her crazy ass.

Posted by: Hannibal

Cloverfield: WACK or THAT CRACK - (Movie Review)

What’s J.J. Abrams problem? Why does he favor protagonists who are bland saps with no discernible personality? Could it be that’s what he most closely relates to? Could it be that’s what he is?

Take Jack of Lost. A boring nice guy with a boring hair cut, who looks like he’d be more comfortable on Guiding Light.

Take Tom Cruise in the Abrams helmed Mission Impossible 3. What rhymes with ‘Yay,’ and aptly describes Tom Cruise trying to look tough on film?

Fortunately for Cloverfield, it’s a triumph of marketing. It has a great trailer, and a mysterious concept, which coupled, should ensure a highly profitable opening weekend.

Unfortunately for Cloverfield, it’s an absurd waste of time and money for which if you’ve seen the trailer, you’ve seen the movie. There’s nothing more to it. You learn nothing more worthwhile about the creature, the people involved, or even the title. By the time its Beauty and the Beast running time of 84 minutes is up, you’ve learned the following:

“It is worth endangering the lives of everyone you know, as long as it is all in the interest of recovering from a collapsed building, in a destroyed city, a boring chick whom you had a crush on in college and slept with once.”

Still, I can’t hate Abrams. He’s doing his thing, making his money, and entertaining people. Of course what he calls entertainment could just as easily be accomplished with several Barbie dolls voiced by celebrities, but that’s another story.

This movie was almost as big a letdown as There Will Be Blood. Which probably means it’s will be up for Best Picture come Oscar time.

Verdict: WACK!

Posted by Hannibal
Photo Courtesy of Paramount Pictures