The Rhymes of Our Lives

This is "Liberation" from OutKast's five-mic album Aquemini.

Since I have to be up at 7 a.m. tomorrow (again) I'll keep this short and sweet. I remember when I bought this album back in 1998. I had played OutKast's previous effort ATLiens like I was in search of the cure for cancer in Big Boi's lyrics, so I was primed for a new release from the dirty south duo. I eagerly slid this CD into the deck in my car and reveled in 'Kast's refreshing reinvention.

Everything was going just fine until I got to "Liberation". I was haunted by what I was hearing. Never had I witnessed a hip hop group take such risks on a record. It was impactful and mesmerizing in a whole new way.

And by the time they got to the end of Cee-lo's section, I was almost in tears. I love this song.

peace.

The Shatner

This isn't anything too reflective or insightful. It's just a really entertaining clip from Howard Stern's show in which William Shatner works over a voice-over director that may have been a bit in over his head.

Personally, I love everything about this.

peace.

The People's Car Factory

(sigh) This is a frustrating video.

There was a time in this country (as complicated as it is) when the greatest minds on earth traveled to America and became pioneers at the forefront of scientific discovery and the limits of engineering. So when I see videos like this and then read articles warning us of the brain drain of America, I become quite agitated.

I want a bullet train right now.

peace.

A Whole New World

How do they have a picture of it so fast!? No one has ever been there!

So NASA's discovered a planet in the habitable zone of another star. Cool. The next thing they need to discover is how to get there. I'm trying to visit some Vulcans.

peace.

Emcee of the Month: Rocky Rivera

Yea, I knew this was coming.

Since then, I've learned that Rocky is a Filipino Bay-area emcee who is also a mom. Her career as an emcee is relatively new, although she's been writing for a long while. She's been a hip hop journalist for Mass Appeal, The Source and XXL.

And she's super-fresh.

I've been listening to Rocky Rivera's Pop Killer MXTP for the last week or so and I have to say, I haven't heard too many emcees with the type of exquisite aggression Rocky puts on wax. She rhymes with an elegant relentlessness that is difficult to shape. I'm also incredibly impressed with her ability to construct a rich image life in her writing, a skill that's been developed by all of the best emcees in hip hop history.

I'll be listening to more Rocky in the next few weeks, because I'll most certainly be buying her album in the next couple of days. She doesn't have too many interviews or freestyles on youtube, so I'll be researching that a little more to see if I can find something along those lines. For now, I'll leave you with my favorite track from the Pop Killer MXTP called "Daydream" featuring Nitty Scott.

I'm a sucker for those two-bar soul samples.

peace.

Red Rover

A few days ago NASA launched its most complex and ambitious Mars rover, nicknamed Curiosity. Here is wonderful, albeit nerdy, animation of how the mission might go.

For more information regarding Curiosity's design and mission, see here.

You know, I dig this. I'm all about sending rovers and probes to other bodies in the solar system. However, the last generation of space exploration included the mission to put a man on the moon. If we aren't working towards that same goal in respects to Mars, then what is NASA for? Like Dr. Tyson says, "We don't name schools after robots."

Personally, I hope Curiosity saves Spirit. That would be cool.

peace.

Tea Party Maids

I'm moving tomorrow, so I'm going to bed. In the meantime, check this out.

I could tell you all about what this is, but I think it'd be more fun if you checked out for yourself. Here's the link that will guide you!

peace.