Love Supreme: A Universe Made In Heaven on Earth, manifested by Mindbender Futurama

WE'RE GONNA START FUN, GET GULLY, THEN GO BACK TO FUN TODAY!

JOE BUDDENS AND THE SIX WOMEN HE WOULD 'SMASH' IF HE HAD THE CHANCE, LOL:

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JUST WHEN I WAS SAYING THAT LIL JON ABANDONED E-40 TOO SOON... THIS SHOWS UP. HA HA!

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I SUPPORT THIS GUY:

HE THINKS.

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JA RULE REUSED THE 'ELEANOR RIGBY' SAMPLE RECENTLY... BUT IT'S PROBABLY NOT AS GOOD AS THIS:

PEACE TO TALIB KWELI!

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THE HIP HOP MAYOR OF DETROIT DONE A BAD THING! D'OH! DON'T SEND SEXY TEXT MESSAGES TO YOUR SECRETARY IF YOU'RE MARRIED! DIDN'T HE LEARN FROM BILL CLINTON? LOL:

Ending months of legal wrangling, controversial politician Kwame Kilpatrick stepped down as mayor of Detroit yesterday (September 4) after pleading guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice.

The plea ends Kilpatrick’s fight to retain his political seat despite a highly publicized sex scandal with his chief of staff Christine Beatty, which resulted in over 10 counts of perjury charges and misappropriation of city funds.

Under the agreement, Kilpatrick will serve two four month concurrent jail sentences and pay the city of Detroit $1 million over a five year period.

Also, Kilpatrick, 38, will be barred from running for political office over his five year probation period, lose his law license, and forfeit his pension.

Following sentencing on October 28, Kilpatrick will immediately begin serving his prison term.

Once affectionately dubbed Detroit’s first “Hip-Hop Mayor” due to his flashy appearance, youth, and lavish spending, the guilty plea ends Kilpatrick’s run as Detroit’s youngest mayor.

Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm suspended a hearing earlier this week to complete Kilpatrick’s removal from office.

“Today this sad but historic story is coming to an end. It’s very important for us as a state and as a city to turn this page together,” Granholm told the Associated Press. “There is much word to do. It is my profound hope that we can now write a new history of this great but embattled city and that citizens of Detroit can begin the healing process to move forward.”

Upon completion of Kwame Kilpatrick’s resignation, his seat will be assumed by Kenneth Cockrel, Jr.

http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2008/09/05/20476246.aspx

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LET'S LEARN US SOMETHING TODAY!

THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scramble_for_Africa
SLAVESHIPS: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slave_ship
FRENCH COLONIAL EMPIRE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_colonial_empires
SLAVERY: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery

THESE ARE THE WIKIPEDIA VERSIONS. HOW CLOSE/FAR ARE THEY FROM REAL LIFE HISTORY?

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BACK TO THE MOTHERLAND! :)

By Phakamisa Ndzamela

LUDZIDZINI ROYAL VILLAGE, Swaziland (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of bare-breasted virgins competed for Swaziland King Mswati III's eye on Monday in a traditional Reed Dance.

Walking through the dense crowds in a leopard skin loin cloth, Sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarch was expected to choose his 14th wife.

Critics say Mswati, who has courted controversy for his lavish lifestyle while two thirds of his subjects live in poverty, sets a bad example by encouraging polygamy and teenage sex in a country where about 40 percent of adults live with HIV.

Some of the women did not seem to mind, hoping to escape from the southern African nation's hardships for the easy life.

"I came here to dance. I wish the king would have chosen me because it's nice at the king's place. The wives live a nice life," said Tenene Dlamini, 16, in a traditional brown skirt.

"Everything is done for them. They don't work. They earn."

The Reed Dance has been a big date on the Swaziland cultural calendar since Mswati began the ceremony in 1999.

But he may not be as relaxed this year among the throngs of young half-naked women.

Political groups seeking democratic reforms have become more active in a country where the opposition has been effectively banned since 1973 by royal decree.

They are critical of plans to hold next weekend's celebrations of the king's 40th birthday in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of Swaziland's independence from Britain.

Still, some of Swaziland's women came to the Ludzidzini Royal Village to show their admiration for the monarch.

"I respect the king and I respect my culture," said Nontobeko Sdidlamini, 16, carrying a shield made of animal skin and wearing an orange bracelet which read "Sex Can Wait".

Some said they would not want to be part of a polygamous arrangement with the king and were taking part in the ceremony to prove their virginity. Others fear they lost out.

"My sister is the king's tenth wife. I don't think he can choose me because he has already chosen my sister," said Zandisile Ntentesa, a 21-year-old prison employee.

The king, flanked by bodyguards with pistols and sticks, may face pressure from emboldened critics. But he can take comfort from the wealth which wins him tributes and songs at the reed ceremony.

Last month, Forbes magazine listed him as the 15th-richest monarch in the world. He was the only African on the list.

During the reed festivities, one of the king's wives drove up in a fancy BMW. Policemen told people to look the other way.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSL148259220080901?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

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DJ REVOLUTION MURKS FAKE DJS IN ONE FELL SWOOP:

DJ Revolution Speaks On DJ Clue, Whoo Kid, Khaled

Semantik over at Cratekings.com has a good interview up with DJ Revolution, where the legendary (but still relevant) DJ has some interesting things to say about the current state of DJ culture. There are a couple interesting quotes, in particular, when asked about how the role of the DJ has changed, Rev
says:

“When the MC’s decided to cast off the DJ, the DJ had no other choice, but to make a living so he started hustling and doing other things…. Then it broke off into subcultures… you’ve got your turntablists and you developed superstars in that category like Q-bert, The X-Men, Babu, The Beatjunkies, and myself. Then on the other side you’ve got your Clues, and the Whoo Kids, and the people who aren’t’ really doing shit, but are claiming to do shit. Not that I don’t have any respect for these guys, I can always respect somebody’s hustle, but that’s all they really are is hustlers. However you can make your money is all good, but you’re not what you claim you are, you’re just a hustler.”

I’m loving the fact that a reputable DJ actually came out and addressed the DJ “hustler” ethos in hip-hop. It could be perceived as somewhat high-minded on his part, and it’s not like he’s hating on them, but it is true that a lot of these DJs are just great self-promoters. Nothing more really. In reality, they’re overrated and don’t have much talent beyond sucking some “hot” rapper off for an exclusive. That is why the DJ is dead. Still, people perceive these DJs as something they’re not, which is, ya’know, a guy who can play records and maybe even rock a party.

But then he goes on to talk about how this works with some DJs (*cough* Khaled *cough*) purporting to be producers.

“[Producers] need to make their records. Let’ just take DJ Khaled for an example. The dude doesn’t produce and he doesn’t DJ, but he’s on the radio and TV acting like a producer and a DJ, but he’s not…. he’s just an A&R. He pays people money to make a record and puts his name on it. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, but you’re just an A&R, you’re just a guy who put a project together. Everyone perceives him as this guy that just puts records together.”

Wow. First off, I think because Khaled is about “unity and love,” and he’s overall just a pretty gregarious fellow, nobody calls him out for the bullshit he tries to pull with his DJ/producer title. I mean, I like Khaled, but c’mon, his albums are really just an extension of his brand. On his new LP, We Global, he only has production credits on 1 song, and even that track, it’s so ridiculously musical that I doubt he was all that involved in the technical side of it. Everything else is more executive production, which is really just glorified A&R work.

I think the moral of this post is, let’s just keep it real and acknowledge that a large portion of the real prominent DJs in hip-hop are overglorified self-promoters who market themselves as something they’re not.

Does DJ Revolution have a point, or is he just a salty hater?

WWW.XXLMAG.COM

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CAM'RON IS COMING IN NOVEMBER, AND IT LOOKS LIKE NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED: