New York, NY (December 5, 2008) - Sike.  Well, sort of.  They were actually dressed as women.  Shouts to the gods at CNN.com for bigging up Thelma & Louise and their lame-style cohorts:

Armed robbers dressed in drag stole more than $100M worth of jewelry from a Harry Winston store in Paris.  French state radio reported four robbers swiped luxury rings, necklaces and watches from the display cases at the Harry Winston store near the Champs-Elysees.

The store is also just around the corner from a police station.

After they entered the store, the four thieves pulled out their weapons, forced the customers and employees — about 15 people — into a corner, and grabbed jewels out of display cases and safes, state radio said.

The robbers seemed to know the locations of secret hiding places for jewels and called some employees by their first names, the report said.  The group then fled the store, which is located on a wide street near subways and other public transportation, but it was not immediately clear how they got away.

New York, NY (November 21, 2008) - More great news about the best country in the fucking world (yeah, you read that right - NO SARCASM).  As long as there’s a will and people looking for opportunity, the U.S. will find a way to thrive.  Read:

… Global warming could be a boon to Russia, a European country could be overrun by organized crime and the U.S. and its dollar could further decline in importance during the next two decades, says a U.S. intelligence report with predictions for the world in 2025.

The report, Global Trends 2025, is published every four years by the National Intelligence Council to give U.S. leaders insight into looming problems and opportunities.

The report says the warming earth will extend Russia and Canada’s growing season and ease their access to northern oil fields, strengthening their economies. But Russia’s potential emergence as a world power may be clouded by lagging investment in its energy sector, persistent crime and government corruption, the report says.

New York, NY (November 14, 2008) - In anticipation of his new record, “808’s & Heartbreak,” it seems there’s been a deluge of Kanye West appearances in the media, both positive and negative.  Maybe the deluge is always running and it’s only now more apparent because he’s got an album coming out, but either way, if you’re a fan or a hater, there were a few articles floating around this week that should satiate your appetite for the biggest ego on Earth.  Maybe I’m alone here, but I’ve pretty much OD’d.

Kanye West - The Voice Of This Generation

In this article, Kanye calls himself the voice of a generation, something akin to Michael Jordan.  Maybe.  But here’s my question: Can you really be the voice of a generation just because YOU say you are?  I know he’s not my voice, and in all likelihood, he’s not your voice, either.  And I can speak confidently that there are many other more important voices that people have gravitated to since “Blueprint” put him on the map, and even more, in my lifetime.

Maybe I’m not sure what “Voice of This Generation” is supposed to mean?  Did the Beatles actively call themselves that?  Or did they wait until a writer or commentator did it for them before acknowledging it?  I have no shrine built to Kanye West in my apartment; and I don’t look to his music to guide me through the down times or lift me higher during the good ones.  In fact, he’s probably the last person I’d go to for that.  I dunno, when someone SUGGESTS to me that they are the voice of my generation… I’d probably have to tell them to shut the fuck up.

Kanye On His Fader Cover

Fader: great magazine; stylish; cool stories; ahead of the curve.  A great rag to even be associated with.  So… what’s the problem?  I don’t know.  It’s a picture dude posed for.  I’ve seen a lot worse from Ye and many other celebs.  Shit, if this is bad, I’ve taken atrociously awful photos then.  When was the last time anyone, celeb or scrub, took a nostril shot that came out good, though?  I mean, c’mon; I get it.  But… really?

From everything I’ve heard from people that have worked on Ye’s concerts, if homie doesn’t like something, he’s not afraid to let you know right then and there.  And I can’t imagine that a person with that sort of personality, coupled with his star power, would even take this sort of picture if he or she didn’t approve of it first; and if he or she DID agree to take it, they would at least demand to see the results before they were broadcast to the entire world.   Maybe I’m overthinking it, but there are some artists who would kill for that type of exposure.  I can think of a few on this particular site.

Looking For Love

Having to endure the loss of his mother, I understand where these comments come from.  It’s a hardship that can shape the rest of your life, having a loved one taken so suddenly.  And let’s face it: everyone is looking for love, at least at some point in their lives.  Some people are lucky to find it; some never will.  If they do stumble upon it, though, a good number of fairly intelligent folks have blindly pushed it aside for material or personal pursuits when the demands became too great.  Others keep it close, but are keen on abusing it more than embracing it.

Whatever you do with love, though, it’s a tough thing to find at all, and when it is finally found, realizing the impact it can have on your life takes awhile.  Which is why a lot of people remain unhappy; even when they’re IN love.  Your chances of meeting the person you’re going to be with are highest when it’s through someone that you trust.   It’s not likely she’s going to be in gold paint, though.  Again… just sayin.

Kanye West Arrested In England

I’m not trying to hate on the dude, but I’ve seen him be whisked out of the Knitting Factory in NYC without so much as being touched.  In a hallway about 3 feet wide.  Into a waiting car that had the engine running and about 300 screaming kids around it, all with picture phones, video cameras and dirty hands.  In about 60 seconds flat.  The physics were actually pretty astonishing.  Which leads me to my question: how can he escape unscathed from a place like that, yet, at a posh nightclub with security and a spacious exit surrounding him, manage to mush a photog’s camera, who was likely behind a velvet rope, that is solely there to give him more publicity?  Smh.

Epilogue:

Look, I’m not trying to bash the dude.  He’s achieved a lot in a short time.  And he’s worked hard for it, without a doubt.  And I won’t lie, I’ve danced to his songs; there’s been many times where the words have been stuck in my head.  “Gold Digger” is a great party song and “Stronger” is a work of genius.  I got chills the first time I heard “Through The Wire.”  And it’s human nature that EVERYONE will make mistakes or be hypocrites or say things in the heat of the moment that have other people perceiving them a different way than is intended.  It happens to me daily.  And probably to everyone reading this.  That’s really the best thing about Kanye: he is unabashedly exposed at all times (pause) and doesn’t seem to mind.

However, it’s when those moments are overshadowed by a non-stop ego-trip, set inside the life he lives, peppered with an attitude like the world owes him something… I have to draw the line.  I can’t get down with people like that on a personal level, regardless of inner-demons or circumstances I may not fully understand or the dopeness of  the instrumentals they make.  It just doesn’t process.   Sort of like when he says we’re not allowed to feel sorry for him because he did a Louis Vuitton ad, right?  Ok, but… what if I could give a fuck about a Louis Vuitton ad in the first place?  What then?

I dunno, I guess you can just call me the silent scream of the minority.  In the background, doing my best not to pay attention to the noise.  Hoping things will eventually fade to black, but still loving the culture despite the bright lights.  At least until cardiac arrest takes over.

“808’s & Heartbreak” is in stores November 24th.

New York, NY (October 22, 2008) - A friend sent me this one today, spotted over at CNN.com.  They’re talking about Project 10^100, an innovative idea Google came up with to generate “world-changing” ideas that would benefit mankind and help ease global concerns like providing food and shelter, building communities, improving health, granting more access to education, sustaining the global ecosystem and promoting clean energy.  They will whittle down the nearly 150,000 ideas to 100, open them to public voting to get a Top 20 and announce up to five winners that could potentially be up for funding.  Funding is up to $10 million.  Check:

…”We’re thrilled by the large array of enthusiastic responses to Project 10^100. That number has exceeded our expectations,” said Bethany Poole, a product marketing manager at Google.

“We’re also very impressed by the variety and ingenuity of the submissions across all categories, ranging from health to energy, education and the environment,” she said.

Google launched the ambitious project September 24 to help celebrate its 10th birthday. In announcing Project 10^100 (pronounced “10 to the 100th”), the Internet giant said to hoped to solicit and bankroll fresh ideas it believes will have broad and beneficial effects on people’s lives.

New York, NY (July 29, 2008) – Spotted at Nahright. The scoop:

K-Salaam and Beatnick will host the release party for their new project Whose World Is This on Thursday at Crash Mansion in NYC. Hit the jump for the flyer and an oppurtunity to win two tickets and an autographed copy of the CD, plus the special edition DVD.

Can’t wait for that project. AND the one they’re doing with Pharoahe. That will be a good day in hip-hop.