Action Bronson: Stamp of Approval

I know I've been gone a while, but don't let that lead you to think that I've been sleepin' on what's really hood... Speakin' of hood, I need to direct your attention to my dude Action Bronson who is really doin things...



Anyone who knows me, knows 2 things as the absolute gospel of pope truth about me... #1. I am a self loathing asshole w/ a silver tongue and a knack for general "notgivafuckness" and #2. I very rarely will even listen to, let alone give a stamp of approval to, ANYONE in the hip hop game that wasn't doin' the damn thing prior to, let's say........... 2004, give or take a year... Save for a few very select individuals, my personal opinion is that hip hop has done nothing but go downhill since right around 2004... New jack rappers, auto-tuned bullshit, and an overall lack of talent have been ABUNDANT since I gave up on hip hop music. Thus the reason "Throwback Thursday's" came about. Hip hop music has been vital to my upbringing. It groomed me into the man I am today. So I hold the torch, with the sincerest conviction for those that really knew what it took to craft quality music back when quality music was being put out, and more importantly, back when it mattered... Nowadays, in order to be successful in the hip hop world all you need to do is write a hook teaching me how to do some bootsy ass dance, or flood the airwaves with "songs" about lovin' a woman (cough..DRAKE..cough). Long gone are the days of grimey high hats, hard snares, and diggin' for old jazz records to find samples to produce a beat... The internet has made making beats and recording tracks easier than scoopin' your mom dukes for a one night stand after 2 appletini's at happy hour, which has led to a shameless oversaturation of garbage rap music gettin passed onto the people as quality hip hop music. WRONG. The shit is soft. Hip hop is too nice these days. FUCK that. I want cocaine raps, I want diss tracks, I want "I want to kill you" music.

BUT, I did say above "save for a few very select individuals"... Enter my man Action Bronson. He is the perfect mix of ghostface killah (Wu-Tang) with a sprinkle of Ill Bill of Non-Phixion fame. My man AB is bringin' back that good ol' fashioned agressive delivery/gritty beats/grimey persona that blend so well together you can't help but nod your head and want to punch people in the face. Long live hip hop music...

And one more for the road...



-Ollie da Don

Big Shit Poppin', Little Shit Stoppin':

Why in the Fuck is T.I. still getting movie roles? More importantly, How is this dude sharing the same on-screen time as Stringer Bell? With a muhfuckin' british accent? Stringer Bell for president, for real. I swear, I damn near, wait, scratch that, I did tear up when they waxed Stringer on The Wire. I mean, dude was cold, calculated, pure business and grime, with no emotions whatsoever... but ultimately, The boss has got to remain the boss, and Stringer had to go. He will go down as my third favorite character from the Wire, behind Michael. and Marlo Stanfield. Which brings me to my point, didn't mean to run off a recap of why The Wire was so dope (read: IT WAS THE GREATEST CRIME SAGA EVER) but how is it that this skinny lil dude right here:


gets more street credit in a suit than this muhfucka right here:



Wait, you might be wondering where this is all coming from. I promise I have a point. This new movie is coming out. It's called Takers, and here's the trailer:



I'm gonna see it. Call me easily entertained, but give me Paul Walker, Stringer Bell (Idris Elba, but will always be Stringer in my mind) in a british accent, and mr. "whoop that trick" himself C.Breezy and Imma watch it. Sprinkle in some Hayden Christensen (I know, he's awful, but Im nostalgic and I loved Star Wars despite how terrible it was) and a plot about a bank heist with the female lead being Zoe Saldana, you've got a hot ticket...

That is until you cast T.I. as the villain. I mean, really dog? who is Jamie Hector's (Marlo Stanfield) agent? This dude needs more work. I want him on the screen all the time. I have a role saved for him when and if I do ever finish writing my masterpiece (read: he plays Oliver Wrist, as Marlo Stanfield, never breaking character ever, haha)... I mean really tho, was there ever any harder bosses' talk than this:



"My name was in the STREETS?!?!"

ICE-FUCKING-COLD.

Man I miss The Wire, somebody needs to get it together and write this show another 5 seasons. I need to stop here, otherwise I'll go all damn day.

-Ollie da Don

------------------UPDATE---------------------------------------------

Yeah I know Stringer is british, he just does the "not british" role so well that when he goes back to the accent, its like he's discovered a whole new role and an untapped market as the master of british brothas or some wild shit. I'ont'know mayne. Just, you be cool like how you be cool, aight? I aint seent you and you aint seen me? aight.. WATER.

Clipse - Popular Demand

Mother of christ this shit knocks...

Sorry, had to go back and listen again. and again. and again.

Do yourself a favor and cop this album "Til the Casket Drops" on Dec. 8th, but before you do that, go over to The Anatomy Magazine blog and sign up for the free digital magazine set to release in January. BUT, if you sign up now, you can get the first issue in December with Malice and Pusha T (collectively known as The Clipse) on the cover.

Let me just take a quick second to reiterate this... My mellow, my man, CBrett is about to be at the helm of one of the better urban fashion/music/culture magazines that the internet has ever seen. Cover story of the first issue is The Clipse? You kiddin me right now? BIG UPS and 1 brazillion props to Cliff and his crew for putting together what I am sure will be one of the best mags around. I mean, no shots or nothin, but Cliff, you're slippin not havin young Ollie's column in that piece.. HAHA. All in due time..

Oh and did I mention it is free to sign up?

The Anatomy Magazine.

Don't say I never gave you nothin.

Peace.

Oh yeah, shout out to Mr. Makeshift who is set to be featured in the first issue as well...

CLIPSE!!

-Ollie da Don

I'm Going to Harvard

Traditionally, Harvard has been known as the upper tier temple of higher learning. Whether it be law, medical, etc. Harvard has had the game in a yoke for a minute. Sorry Brock and Lake at Us versus Them, I know ya'll are big Duke fans and everything... but yo, back to the point..

Other than academics, Harvard is straight pussy. I mean in every single other facet of life. A safe haven for middle and upper class white yuppies to go get a degree to hang on their wall and never use, because daddy's money will hold 'em over 'til he eventually kicks the proverbial bucket and that nice little inheritance kicks in.

You know I'm only half serious of course, generalizing an entire establishment such as Harvard as a collection of self entitled rich suburban kids is just ridiculous, because of this announcement that just came off the line...

Harvard is now offering a new course based exclusively on HBO’s hit T.V. show “The Wire”.

Yeah I said it. Click that link to get schooled up.

So obviously I have put in my bid to be accepted to Harvard based solely on my knowledge of "The Wire".

Cat's don't know... Let me learn ya. The Wire is without a doubt, the most gangster television show in the history of TV. Yes, better than "The Sopranos", even better than "Sons of Anarchy" (and that hurts me to say cause that show is truly BFA and better than anything else on right now).

Let's catch up a bit...



Now, moving on, Harvard (yes that Harvard) voted via a panel of teachers, students, elites, etc. and gave the green light to use this show as a means to educate students on the rough state of urban society. As Profesor William J. Wilson said:

"I do not hesitate to say that it has done more to enhance our understanding of the challenges of urban life and the problems of urban inequality, more than any other media event or scholarly publication," Wilson told the audience before poking fun at himself, "including studies by social scientitsts."

Now I have a few questions:

1. Will there be character breakdowns and debates as to who was the hardest of hard out there in those Baltimore streets?

Let's examine the characters:

First up we got Avon Barksdale...



I mean, what is there to say about this cat? Avon ruled with an iron fist, stackin loot taller than Manut Bull and still had the stones to body fools himself.

Next, we got Omar...



Yo, for real, this cat was so hard that the dope-spot stash houses would just throw the g-packs from 2 floors up out of fear that he would kill everyone. Oh, and did I mention he had this much street cred while being a blatant homosexual? You gotta respect that..

Now we come to Marlo Stanfield...



No words, Im'ma let this video do the talkin...



"My NAME WAS IN THE STREETS!!?"

Man, Marlo was easily the most ice cold, heartless, kill his momma for $2 dollars type a cat, quietly, the little young'n Michael was the hardest out.



First body before he could drive? CHECK. Took out Snoop? CHECK. Stepped to Marlo? CHIZECK.

matter of fact, lets run some clips...



Now I know that whole bit about "never was one of us" might throw some folks but just know, Michael intended it to be that way. Playin it separate, askin questions, makin himself look soft, all that did was make his game that much tighter.

I give up. I can't call it. I have even forgotten the rest of my questions relating to this shit cause i'm stuck on youtube watchin clip after clip of The Wire.

Get you some.

-Ollie Stanfield