RetroHash Album Review

Early Beginnings

Asher Roth's sophomore LP came out in late April, so I've had about a month to listen to it thoroughly. This much anticipated release shows lots of growth from Roth since his 2008 party anthem I Love College and Asleep in the Bread Aisle, his debut album.  Since then, Asher has released a bevy of mixtapes and an EP with Virginia rapper/producer Nottz, which has only boosted his lyrical and song making abilities.  This earlier Asher Roth and Kid Cudi freestyle shows both artists exceptional skills when it comes to controlling the mic.

Mixtapes

Seared Foie Gras with Quince & Cranberry shows Roth freestyling over a number of classic productions including The Diplomats' I'm Ready and Cam'Ron's Down.  Pabst & Jazz has Asher taking a unique approach by flowing over heavily jazz inspired production via Chuck Inglish, Blended Babies, and others.  These two tapes are my personal favorites and RetroHash contains the best elements from both works.

RetroHash Favorites

Parties at the Disco starts this album with a smooth sound and Ash singing about feeling wishful and partying at the disco.  Dude brings the Blended Babies (they produced the majority of the album) back for another sick track with flawless worldplay also featuring Curren$y.  Spitta and Roth talk about being that dude in an industry where most people compromise themselves.  The album continues with hippy-like dance tracks Tangerine Girl and Pull It until my favorite song, Fast Life featuring Vic Mensa.  On this song, we hear Asher talk about getting caught up in the fast life and the troubles of trying to grow up too quickly.  Last of the Flohicans has Asher putting his lyricism on display with three great verses (just listen to them).  Be Right has Major Myjah on the hook where Asher spits about keys to finding happiness in life.  

Summary

RetroHash finishes up as quickly as it starts - it's only 10 songs and 41 minutes long. I may not have done the album justice with my analysis.  However, each song contains musical elements and lyrics that show Roth's growth as an artist.  Get your copy asap!

Why I Hate Kerry Washington and Scandal

Now before you jump to any outlandish conclusions, I was once a huge fan of Kerry Washington.  However, her antics as of late have really just pushed a nerve with me.  I was first introduced to her when I watched the Spike Lee film, She Hate Me, in which she plays a lesbian and love interest to Anthony Mackie.  No problems with me here, mostly because of the great romance scenes she has with Anthony Mackie and Dania Ramirez (MY GOD!!).

Rise to Stardom

Since 2004, Washington has had unparalleled success by starring in numerous blockbuster films (including Ray, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Fantastic Four, The Last King of Scotland, I Think I Love My Wife, and several others).  I had to do some research and looked back at her older movies.  The Details (with Tobey Maguire), Lakeview Terrace (with Patrick Wilson), Fantastic Four (with whoever played The Thing), and The Last King of Scotland (with James McAvoy) were movies that contributed greatly to her success, where she just happens to be the love interest to some random white guy.

                                                      

Scandal

By 2012, Scandal comes out and she's the envy of women everywhere.  Starring in this television show, she's a "political fixer" who just happens to be having an affair with the President.  I watched the first season and enjoyed it . . . But the way she is portrayed in the show wouldn't allow me to continue watching the second season.  (I tried to watch the first episode and had to turn it off)  The show builds her up as this amazing, independent, smart black woman but for some reason she can't escape the grasp of the President. (Oh yeah, he's a white guy)

Recap
In conclusion, Washington is a huge star today, with young black women emulating her at every chance.  But as a black male, I just can't endorse the subliminal messages the show sends.  We criticize celebrities like Taye Diggs, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Kobe Bryant for their on and off camera interactions with white women, so how is it different for her?  . . . . 

P.S. I don't hate black women, I promise lol

Allen Iverson Video Tribute: BBZ10 StoryMaker

Growing up so close to Philadelphia we here at BrothersPL appreciate what Iverson did for the game. Checkout a sneak peak of a video tribute we have. COMING SOON with some of AI's greatest Highlights!!!

As Always,

The Lonely Blogger

44108 Murder Zone: March Madness Mixtape Special

In the first round of March Madness Dayton represented with an impressive win over Ohio State. King Chip's latest masterpiece "44108" represents another win for the state of Ohio. The Cleveland emcee's work ethic is impeccable as he blesses us with 19 tracks on topics ranging from getting top aka "Crown" from the finest of freaks all the way to getting revenge on a corrupt police officer on "Police in the Trunk".

"I OWN MY OWN NAME"

In a bold move a couple summers ago Chip changed his moniker from Chip the Ripper to King Chip, a fitting title for the new father to son, Cash (named after Johnny Cash) and one of the best to do it from Cleveland. With this classic body of work Chip solidifies his place on the throne.  Peep my 5 picks for the most influential and dopest tracks off #44108! 

Photo Credit: http://rapgenius.com/artists/King-chip

Download 44108 from LiveMixtapes at this link: http://www.livemixtapes.com/download/23455/king-chip-44108.html

1- Best Track to Ride To: 7AM on St. Clair ft. Ray Cash

Easily one of the smoothest tracks on this project. Play this during a trip to your shorty's house, or on the way to your local hoop spot for some pickup basketball. Guaranteed to have your swagger on a hundun. Chip enlists Cleveland vet Ray Cash for the smoothest guest feature on the entire mixtape.

2- Most Creative Track: Vortex ft. Kid Cudi and Pusha T

First of all the beat is CRAZY! King Chip and Cudi may be one of the best tag team duos when it comes to mixtape bangers (just look at Chip's features on Cudi's early mixtapes). Chip and Pusha T deliver some epic verses while Cudi sings to the ladies on the hook "I want to live in your Vortex, you knowin what's comin next!"

3- Best Track to Vibe to: Action Plan ft. Lorine Chia

"My legacy is way beyond my vital signs, I am a god!" Try not to bob your head to this joint. It's impossible. Lorine Chia's vocals set Chip up perfectly for some insightful verses. You can blaze a blunt to this joint and completely zone out.

4- Best Story: Police in the Trunk

This takes NWA's fuck the police to the next level! On this track Chip exacts revenge on an officer that killed one of his homies. If you're squeamish you probably won't want to listen to this track! The imagery is astounding as Chip raps about taking the officer's body to the butcher shop on some real Sopranos type shit. Also, the rock band type break at the end is extra dope.

5- Dopest Track: BLK on BLK 

I had to save the best for last. The production on this joint is flawless. Before each hook Chip raps "Black on black like Morpheus, pills on deck like Morpheus" as he takes listeners on a ride through the realest hoods in Cleveland. "Nigga my hood so crazy man this shit just like the Gaza Strip" pretty much sums it up. JUST WATCH THE VIDEO.

You can follow King Chip on Twitter @Chip216 for word on his much anticipated #CleveLAfornia. The fans are patiently waiting!

Quinoa: SUPER-FOOD of the Week

In our first edition of SUPER-FOOD of the week we bring a grain that is steadily growing in popularity. Quinoa pronounced keen-wa, not queeno like the Eagles fan in the video below seems to think, can be an incredible addition to your new 2014 diet. Read on for some benefits of this amazing food!

Packed with protein

24g in one cup. This is an unbelievable amount of protein. As a toxicologist in training I can't help but wonder why people take supplements when you can get your needs from natural foods. This high protein content makes Quinoa an excellent choice for a post workout meal.

Easy to Cook
As young professionals, the last thing we want to do when we get home is cook. Quinoa eases the pain of post work cooking. Just boil, then cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes. As Future Hendrix would say "Wala, maaagic"

Customizable
It's always fun to put your own twist on things! One of my favorite things about Quinoa is it's customizability (I think I just created a new word). Pair it with barbecue chicken, or add it to some pico de gallo. The possibilities are endless!

We here at Brothers encourage all our readers to give this food a try. How do you plan to customize this protein packed treat?

More benefits at the link below:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4994/7-Benefits-of-Quinoa-The-Supergrain-of-the-Future.html

Signing off,

TheLonelyBlogger

Bainbridge, GA: The worst place in America

I moved around alot as a kid. In Delaware alone I've lived in Dover, Camden, and Frederica. Following high school I lived in Atlanta and lived in Savannah for 5 years while completing college. My dad is a pastor in the AME church which moves it's pastors around as much as any military family. This is how I came to live in the worst place in America...Bainbridge, Georgia.

At first I brushed off the rumors around town of the place being cursed by voodoo http://bainbridgega.com/news/publish/101810voodoo.shtml, but after spending a summer there between semesters it's clear this place is cursed! Check out this list of reasons why Bainbridge is the worst place in America!

1- Killer Gnats

Okay, maybe I exaggerated a little, but these little fuckers are enough to make Bainbridge the worst place in America by themselves!! Imagine being swarmed by gnats EVERY waking second you spend outside! It's insane. Anytime it's over 65 degrees (which is the majority of the year) you can expect to be met by these unpleasant fellows as soon as you step outside.  They're relentless!




2- Crazy Drug Scene


For a sleepy town of less than 13,000 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bainbridge,_Georgia the drug scene is alive and well in Bainbridge. Now this could be a result of being so close to Tallahassee but either way major drug busts seem to be a common theme while I was there. Check out the links below about a couple federal drug stings that took place in Bainbridge.
http://bainbridgega.com/news/publish/031711cocaine.shtml
http://www.thepostsearchlight.com/2012/11/29/five-arrested-during-thursday-drug-bust/

3- General Craziness

If you can stand the gnats and yearly drug busts, the relative craziness of this town will surely do you in. I wish I had a dollar for each time I was threatened by vicious stray dogs while walking to the store.  Once on a trip to CVS I tried my best not to make eye contact with a man walking down the street in a trenchcoat (in the blazing heat of the Georgia summer) who also had a HOOK for a hand! No BS. Trying to escape Bainbridge, if only in my mind, I took a trip to the liquor store across the street. I took my whiskey to the counter only to find out they don't accept debit cards of any kind! FUCK! This place is like Georgia Bizarro world.

If you don't believe me you can always take a trip to this godforsaken place. But be careful! You may not even make it there due to the corrupt police in the adjacent towns. There's a saying about Homerville, a town where I was illegally stopped and searched myself, which is an hour or two away from Bainbridge. "Come on vacation, leave on probation!" So maybe it's best you just take my word for it.

As always,

The Lonely Blogger

PEACE

Iowa State University - Where BEER Happens: Pint Night Exclusive

As a black grad student in Ames there really isn't much to enjoy as far as the nightlife is concerned. This ALL changes on Wednesday nights, also known as Pint Night to beer lovers across the city.

3 Words to describe Pint Night? "One. Dollar. Beer" And
this ain't no PBR, my friends. Olde Main, the local brewery in Ames has a sick selection of beer on tap for whatever your palate may be, and once again THEY ARE ALL ONE DOLLAR.

I spent the majority of my time as an undergrad in Savannah binge drinking the night away (yes on school nights) taking shots of E and J (also known as Erk and Jerk/Easy Jesus in the black community) and playing beer pong with the fellas, so believe me when I say my tolerance is pretty impressive for a guy my size. With that being said two stouts from Olde Main are good enough for a decent buzz!

Here are my three go-to beers at Olde Main's Pint Night:

1- Dinkey Wheat:

 A nice warm up beer. The sweetness makes this one very female-friendly, and it's also one of my favorites. Taste? Think Blue Moon, but for one dollar...can't beat it.

2- Sodbuster:

Stout!! My Turkish friend really loves this beer, as a matter of fact he put me on to Pint Night in the first place. Think of it like this, if Guinness is LeBron, Sodbuster is KD! 2nd place, Yes. But still a force to be reckoned with. It has a creamy, coffee like flavor and the foam is delicious. 3 or 4 of these and you may start sending unsolicited "sexts" so be cautious!

3- Off Kilter:

Finally, MY FAVORITE. Another sturdy stout, not for beginners. I'm not entirely sure there isn't any whiskey in this beer. Olde Main rumor has it the brewmaster actually wears a kilt when he brews this delight, and we all know the Irish like to get fucked up!
Start off with two of these and a shot of your favorite liquor for a night you probably won't remember.

Well ladies and gents, I've gotta get ready for pint night! So if you're not in Ames hit up your local brewery and enjoy a beer in my honor!

Yours Truly,

The Lonely Blogger