Life Is Good - For Nas & Us Too

Life is good, and not just for Nas, who’s tenth studio album, Life Is Good, is number one on the Billboard charts. With his album reaching number one, it’s a sign that good music can top the charts again. Fans of hip-hop, celeb and non-celeb, are enjoying this album, with the word “classic” being thrown around.

It’s simple really, Nas had something to say, and thankfully we were ready to listen. He poured his heart out on this album, detailing personal events in his life that were very public.  He worked with great producers; performed over some great beats and an album that can easily play from start to finish has been created.

I take this as a sign, a sign that good, quality music is making a comeback. For too long, hip-hop has been flooded with songs lacking substance. And while fun, party songs are always needed, it’s as though party songs were all we were getting. Nas is oft referred to as a poet, a storyteller, and on this album he paints vivid images of life, whether its his own or life in general.

Hip-Hop has been thirsty for an album like this and Nas quenched its thirst (yeah I said it!). Seriously though, this album is a great look for an industry that at times seems like it’s being taken over by the youth who have no idea of how great music can actually be. I salute Nas for this great album and hope this inspires more substantial albums from our favorites as well as the burgeoning new hip-hoppers.

Frank Ocean's Bi - Why We Shouldn't Care

Frank Ocean is a dope artist. And before he came out as bisexual I bet you thought the same thing as you rocked out to Nostalgia/Ultra, his first official mixtape. I mean who didn’t love “Novacane” last summer. “I met her at Coachella…but girl I can’t feel my face, what are we smoking anyway, she said don’t let the high go to waste”, the song has a great beat and tells a story. We loved it. And we shouldn’t feel any different towards him as an artist, a creator of great music, who happens to prefer both men and women.

While his lifestyle may not be the preference of the masses, it has nothing to do with the quality of music he makes and it’s really none of our business. I think all the discourse about sexuality is a sincere case of everyone being way too concerned about other people’s personal business.

It’s 2012, and we are aware of people having different sexual orientations. Therefore we should be able to accept a person for who they are and not whom they date. I have no doubt that Frank Ocean will continue to make great music. I just hope that people use this as an opportunity to explore being more open-minded and appreciate others for being themselves.

Because in reality, it makes no sense to be so concerned about what someone else is doing privately, especially if it doesn’t concern you. And now I will patiently await the release of Channel Orange and I hope you do the same.

Mike Tyson: The Undisputed Truth

When you think of Mike Tyson, I’m guessing the word “thespian” doesn’t come to mind. But that is exactly the new title he will be adding to his resume. Inspired by the play, “A Bronx Tale”, Mike will be making his Broadway debut with his one-man show “Mike Tyson: The Undisputed Truth”. 

And with his recent cameos in The Hangover movies, it’s easy to assume this play is based in comedy, yet it is far from that. Iron Mike will be sharing the most personal of stories, baring his emotions to the world, and you have to respect him for it.

It’s always so easy to brush off athletes for being more brawn than brain, for being more physically gifted than academically gifted. And Mike Tyson has been ridiculed for that and more throughout his impressive boxing career. But, in just watching his interview on the “Today Show”, I became both impressed with his honesty and intrigued by the show itself.

With Spike Lee (director of his show) by his side, Mike talked of his volatile past and what finally made him choose to live a healthier lifestyle. He comes off as a man that is both humble and genuine in discussing the life he has led. He’s also brutally honest, a little too honest for morning TV as he was often steered in another direction during the interview.

It’s his honesty in that interview that perfectly sets up the premise for his show. A one-man show, where Mike Tyson will divulge his darkest secrets in front of a live audience, how is that NOT something you want to see? No topic is off limits, as Tyson will discuss being in prison, drugs, prostitutes, and the rest of the debauchery in which he has engaged. The show debuts on July 31, if you can, check it out. 

Rabid Fan Groups vs. Everyone Else

Not everyone gets along with each other, and really, there’s nothing wrong with that. The world would be a lot less interesting if everyone was best friends with each other. If there were never any conflicting opinions and viewpoints, we might not experience new things. And perhaps, that is no more evident than in the world of celebrity.

It seems like a new celeb beef rears its ugly, yet entertaining head everyday. There are so many it’s hard to keep up at times. Pusha T vs. Lil Wayne, Lupe vs. Pete Rock, Chris Brown vs. Meek Mill, and then there’s Team Breezy vs. anyone talking negatively about Chris Brown. Yeah, celebrity fan groups are now instigating celeb beefs, a trend that is all too familiar these days.

Chris Brown was a performer at the recent Billboard Music Awards show and many people commented on his choice to lip-synch, tweeting their critiques. Immediately Team Breezy ganged up on Chris’ detractors, spewing unwarranted hatred to one person in particular Chrissy Teigen, fiancé of John Legend.

Despite their best disrespectful efforts, Chrissy held her own. Yet, being the stand up guy he is, John Legend stood up for her as well. Chris even encouraged his fans stop sending out death threats, however that tweet has since disappeared from his timeline.

Stans (stalker fans) have become quite the phenomenon in celebrity culture. They blindly defend their favorite celeb from any type of negative comments, ganging up on whoever disagrees with them. And like any gang, the various Stan groups have names, like Beyhive (Beyoncé), Beliebers (Justin Bieber) or the Rihanna Navy.

But, the issue with aggressive fan groups going after people, be they celebrities or not, for simply stating a differing opinion is a problem. Both Roseanne Barr and Kelly Osborne were targeted for commenting about Beyoncé, and there are plenty more examples like that.

In fact, just over the holiday weekend, The Beyhive went after Dream Hampton’s daughter, who attended the comeback concert at Revel with her mother. Somehow a picture of Hampton’s daughter with Beyoncé surfaced and the Beyhive started in on her daughter, calling her ugly and wishing she was not in the picture at all.

No one is safe from Stans, not even people’s children. And what is worse is that the behavior of Stans brings negative attention to the celebrity they claim to love.

It’s quite telling and sad that people (Stans) choose to put so much negative effort into defending someone they don’t actually know. Stans should take a step back and let their fave celebs handle their own drama. That way we can just enjoy celebs beefing with each other, which is always more entertaining anyway! I mean who didn’t get some sort of entertainment value out of that whole Common vs. Drake fiasco?!!