Over at the Tampa Bay Times, I wrote a profile piece on Nick Major, a mainstay in the Tampa hip-hop scene. I have known Nick since his days with All-Stars Wrestling of Florida and in my opinion, although his wrestling promotion was a local favorite of mine, his skills at putting together a hip-hop show is far, far better.

Over at Bus Leagues Baseball, I wrote about what promotions I would like to see happen in Minor League Baseball in 2012. Among my ideas are a Star Wars night in the Florida State League and the destruction of the worst minor league movie ever.

Finally, and speaking again about wrestling, I cameoed at The Wrestling Blog again, this time with a post on why Impact Wrestling should move from its current location in Orlando.

First, a great read on Etta James by Rebel Frequencies. I never got into Etta James, but I think it is damn past time for me to do so, especially after reading this.

A really cool description of political songs in Sierra Leone and their effect on elections (with videos).

Rebel Frequencies interviewed Egyptian political hip-hop group Arabian Knightz. Very cool insight on the Egyptian scene and the message coming from there.

Finally, a video from several Columbian hip-hop artists in a song that translated means “Conspiracy for Peace”. Interesting to see such a wide swath of the Columbian hip-hop culture. There are parts that resemble the LA scene, there is the skateboarder scene, and all four of the “essential” elements of hip-hop: MCing, DJing, break dancing, and graffiti.

Here are a few music links I found interesting from around the world. Some of these links are from Global Voices Online and the rest from other sites I read regularly.

In Trinidad and Tobago, Master Drummer JaJah Onilu passed away. Here is a good bio on him and his career. He turned down touring with Bob Marley and The Wailers to stay in his homeland.

Here is an interesting book called “Live from Dar es Salaam” about the Tanzanian music economy which has grown from nothing to something in 16 short years.

The 2011 Neilson Soundscan report came out recently listing album sales. Purchased music actually went up, lead by digital downloads. iTunes is changing the game. Total album sales went up by 4 million, which is coincidentally exactly how many albums Adele’s 21 sold. I, meanwhile, found more sites to download free albums and added over 1,000 free songs to my collection.

This site explores the independent music scene in Puerto Rico.

There is a dance called “Azonto” gaining popularity in Ghana and spreading worldwide. It looks complicated. I have trouble with the Hokey Pokey.

In Columbia, there is a Salsa song criticizing the public transportation system in Bogata.

Finally, from the mean streets of Orlando comes rapper Wes Fif’s latest video “International Drive”. I’ve talked to Wes Fif on twitter a few times and he seems like a cool dude. Unfortunately, I can’t get into a song where he is rapping about peeling caps on a road more known for tourist traps. It’s gangsta, yo.

Ok, well maybe one that captures the true feeling of spending money for Christmas.

Sung to the tune of the Big Tymers’ classic rap joint “Still Fly“, this song perfectly posits the juxtaposition of the American working man to his struggle to buy material goods for his family while still maintaining economic self-legitimacy in the cutthroat capitalistic nvironment of 21st Century America.

In order to capture the spirit of the song, I recruited famous rapper and actor Ice-Tay and the musical genius of the world renown Jingle Jamboree band. Unfortunately, I only had the money to pay the Jingle Jamboree band to stand behind Ice-Tay; I didn’t have enough to pay them to play music. So you don’t hear them.

But you do hear Ice-Tay. And to me, that’s worth the price of admission.

Let me know what you think!

I bet you didn’t know Chewie got down like that.

Anyway, here are a few links worth checking out . The post title might seem a little strange, but I promise it will make sense.

As I mentioned a few days ago, Star Wars has been taking over Major League Baseball ballparks across the country this month. A few days ago in a state far, far away, they invaded Shea Stadium Citi Field, home of the Mets. Jason Fry, one of the writers from Fear and Faith in Flushing, one of my favorite baseball websites, dressed up as a stormtrooper and joined the festivities. Check out his account of the day.

Over at National Geographic there is a neat article on overconfidence, what causes it and why we are prone to exhibit it on occasion. In the last few months, a few people have called me arrogant and other not-so-flattering things. That’s not true. I may have my tendencies to think a bit too highly of my abilities, but as Nat Geo points out, that’s human.

I don’t normally read Andrew Sullivan. I think I’ve heard he is a prominent blogger or something. But I couldn’t resist checking out this post on the decline of meth use and the rise of marijuana use in the US. If I was going to invest in illegal narcotics on my block, in my town, or in my state, I think it would be time to dump the meth lab equipment and put my money in hydroponics.

Speaking of local, one of my neighbors is an aspiring rapper. His name is M-16 and he recently put an new song on youtube. Check it out.

Since this blog has gone in a million different directions lately, I figured I might as well go somewhat political or military-strategic with it today.

In the last few years hackers have caused almost as commotion and aggravation to governments and businesses as terrorists. I’m sure there are people out there that would label them “cyber terrorists”. Two of the premier hacker groups are the associations Anonymous and LulzSec. Both of these groups aim to debilitate the powers that be that they feel are taking advantage of the little guy. They are sticking it to The Man as they see fit.

More power to them.

But my question is, are there any rappers who name-check them yet? Rappers are big in name-checking African rebels, Muslim terrorists, domestic terrorists, freedom fighters, and other folks who fight the power. But do they ever mention either of the two groups who are causing the most ruckus? I’m sure there is a lot you can rhyme with Anonymous or LulzSec.

Second thought:

I was reading an article on a conspiracy web site that talked about how a terrorist attack at Disney World could severely destroy what remains of Florida’s economy. According to the counterterrorism analyst, if the tourism goes, so does Florida’s economy. Makes sense to me.

But I have always thought terrorists could take a Disney attack to the next level. Why stop at Disney World? Why not attack Tokyo Disney, Euro Disney, and Disney Land as well? If a group of suicide bombers synchronized their watches and exploded bombs at the main entrance of each Disney park at the same time, it could send ripples through the global tourism industry. Granted at least one bomber wouldn’t claim any victims as the parks would be closed, but I don’t think that’s not the point of most terrorism.

If the point is to show global reach and the ability to scare people from doing what they would normally not be scared to do I think an attack on each Disney main entrance at the same time would do that.

Disclaimer: I like my blog. I like writing on it. I am not advocating or supporting the actions of any group mentioned in this post. Nor am I advocating any violence. I own Disney stock, why would I not want people to go there? What I am doing to expanding on issues that are in the news and brainstorming a little.

After having over 3 CDs worth of ideas, Hooper narrows his selections down to 30. There’s some Elvis, some Skynyrd, some Michael Jackson, and many others.

But in my opinion, however, his list leaves a bit to be desired. It’s not bad, but I think it could be better.

Here are a few changes I would make:

1) First of all, Hooper has zero blues songs on his list. That is unacceptable. He has a lot of soul and Motown, but nothing directly influenced by the Mississippi Delta. Since Hooper starts his list in the mid-1950s, that eliminates a lot of the classics, from Robert Johnson to BB King’s The Thrill is Gone (1951). But since there is also no Jimi Hendrix (perhaps Hooper considered him a “British act”), I would include Red House. If possible, I might also add a Stevie Ray Vaughn tune.

To make way for Jimi, let’s remove Saturday in the Park by Chicago.

2) Hooper’s hip-hop selections are off. He lists The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, which is great, but then he lists Dear Mama by 2Pac and Lose Yourself by Eminem. I would delete both of those and replace them with Fight For Your Right by the Beastie Boys and Nuthin’ but a G Thang by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

The reasoning there is that Nuthin But a G Thang is perhaps the best West Coast rap song and it talks about the scene, where as 2Pac only talks about his family relationships. The Beastie Boys need to be on there as they were one of the biggest links between rock and rap and it was they, moreso than Run DMC, who made hip-hop acceptable to white audiences, without of which it would not be what it is today. And Fight For Your Right is a great party tune.

There is also a huge need for Public Enemy on this list, especially since he lists Marvin Gaye’s What’s Goin On and Sam Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come. I would add Fight the Power. Let’s remove Don’t Stop Believing by Journey.

3) Hooper also misses out on heavy metal. Nirvana is as heavy as he gets and Bon Jovi is the only hair band on the list. Keeping Bon Jovi as the 80s hair representative and Nirvana as the model grunge band, I would add a Metallica tune, since they typify American Metal probably more than any other band. As for which Metallica tune, I would go with Master of Puppets. Not only is it one of Metallica’s best, but it also addresses the social issue of drugs, which doesn’t get talked about much in Hooper’s list.

To make room for Metallica, I’d take out I Want You Back by The Jackson 5. Hooper already has Michael Jackson on the list, so there is no need for Tito and the rest of the gang.

4) There is a definite lack of punk rock on Hooper’s list. I’m no punk expert, so I’ll leave that to others who might be, but at least a song or two from that genre needs to be on the list.

So I added five songs, with a chance to add more with punk input. That means I kept 25, which I definitely have to give Hooper credit for. His list might not be perfect, but it is a great start.

Westside Connection’s “Gangsta Nation” – with Ice Cube, Mack 10, and WC.

Ludacris’s “Area Codes”

Tupac’s – “All About You”

By The Time I Get To Tucson:

At a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized – at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do – it’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds. – President Obama, January 2011

This Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I can almost guarantee hip-hop fans, civil rights advocates, and people who believe in fighting the power will be viewing, linking, liking, or sharing Public Enemy’s hip-hop masterpiece “By The Time I Get To Arizona“. In the wake of the attempted assassination of Representative Gabrielle Giffords, I say watching PE this year is the wrong answer.

The American media has spent the last week preaching the need to increase civil discourse. Analysts of all ideologies have proclaimed that we must stop the yelling and try to talk out our issues. Arguing and belligerence is not the answer, and neither is violence.

The first reaction after Rep. Gifford’s attempted assassination was to blame Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and the rest of the right-wing media for the actions of Jared Loughner. Right-wing phrases such as “re-load” and “2nd Amendment solutions” made Palin and her ilk the target of intense national discussion. Whether or not Loughner was influenced by these phrases was irrelevant, but the fact that there could have been linkages was the point of debate. Yet those same violent innuendos permeate the video for “By the Time I Get To Arizona”. Within the first minute, we see Public Enemy frontman Chuck D leading a posse of people carrying M-16s, practicing karate, and shooting in a gun range. Even Chuck D’s lyrics advocate violence as a political solution.

Until we get some land
Call me the trigger man
Looki lookin’ for the governor
Huh he ain’t lovin’ ya

.

.

The cracker over there
He try to keep it yesteryear
The good ol’ days
The same ol’ ways
That kept us dyin’
Yes, you me myself and I’ndeed
What he need is a nosebleed

Of course, supporters say “By The Time I Get To Arizona” is political art, not unlike Ice-T’s “Cop Killer”. It tells the story of a person fed up with being disrespected because of his or her skin color and their desire to see the sacrifices of their heroes acknowledged in by the Government of Arizona. I completely understand that, and the freedom to create art – no matter how it could be interpreted – should never be infringed.

However, celebrating Chuck D’s message, especially in light of what happened in Tucson last week, is not the way to go. If “rap is the black CNN“, as Chuck D once said, then “By The Time I Get to Arizona” is The Glenn Beck Show. For the impressionable, Chuck D’s lyrics and images are no different than the words of any political shill who drums up ratings by spouting off controversy. Repeated daily in a medium that promotes itself as a provider of news and educated opinion, these words are not art, they are calls to action. And unfortunately action words – those of anger and emotion – sell more commercials than voices preaching calm and discourse.

(Of course, rap voices are persecuted more frequently in the media than other form of communication, as Davey D of AllHipHop.com writes in this post. Although back in the day, music was how the black community communicated it’s message of frustration – through rap, blues, or spoken word poetry.)

Just because the song’s subject matter is about Martin Luther King, Jr. does not mean it should be played every MLK Day. It’s meaning was important and relevant when it was released in 1991, and it should be remembered and respected as a voice of dissent during a very difficult time, but today, in the words of President Obama:

“let us use this occasion to expand our moral imaginations, to listen to each other more carefully, to sharpen our instincts for empathy, and remind ourselves of all the ways our hopes and dreams are bound together.”

Let’s leave a farewell letter on the door in Arizona and move on to higher ground.

(Interesting note: The classic country song “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” starts with the image of a man leaving a note on the door of his lover. Martin Luther posted the “Ninety-Five Theses” on the door of the All Saints’ Church in Wittenburg, Germany, beginning the Protestant Reformation in 1517.)

In case you’ve never seen it, here is “By The Time I Get To Arizona”: