Topics

61

Media / Sean Price Too Real for the Game

« on: October 15, 2009, 12:43:09 PM »

culled off XXLmag.com:



XXL: What should fans expect from the Kimbo Price mixtape?

Sean Price: I can’t even describe it, man. I’m just rhymin’ and havin’ fun, B. I really have fun in this hip-hop shit, so you know… Actually, I don’t have fun in this hip-hop shit at all besides me going in the studio and putting these words together. So I had fun makin’ it, but after that the fun is over.

XXL: What do you mean by that? You getting ready to retire on us?

Sean Price: No, I’m not retiring—don’t get it twisted like I’m retiring or quitting—it’s just that, me and [Duck Down CEO] Dru Ha have talks and I’ll be like, “What can I do with this, that, and that?” Everything he told me I need to do to improve the Sean Price brand I don’t wanna do, so guess what? That means it’s time to leave.

XXL: What exactly was he telling you to do that you weren’t feeling?

Sean Price: I don’t even want to get into detail and expose my homie like that ’cause besides being my manager and my boss, Dru Ha’s my friend. He didn’t say nothin’ wrong to me I just don’t wanna do [industry] shit. If someone hire me to give them a verse, I’m with it and I’ma still do music but I just don’t wanna play the game. All I wanna do is rap, do a show, come home, smoke my weed, play with my kids, and f*** with my wiz—that’s it, man. I don’t wanna front like I’m somebody’s friend and I don’t wanna hang out at your f***in’ party. I’ve been in the game too long for that.

...

more here.

62

General Discussion / Reflections on SA Rap

« on: October 12, 2009, 09:50:44 AM »

it seems like everyone that's actively involved in the industry (rocking shows etc.) is getting along. from AKA to Lez, Tumi, Zubz and Jozi.

i'm begining to grow uncertain about the relevance of some of the shit that gets said here. it's as if things are mad different out on the frontlines.

for one, the industry isn't as divided as people say and second, mad cats seem to be making moves and developing themselves, meaning hip hop in SA is viable as an entertainment industry. you just have to have the strength of spirit to pursue it. thirdly, it's an exciting time for everyone - fans, artists.

so with that said, i'm officially opening myself up to the acceptance of ALL SA hip hop in it's different manifestations - from the swagga cats to the hipsters, from the boom bap cats to the dungeon rap cats.

as long as it's done well and sounds fresh.

peace!

63

Media / Nar8iv

« on: October 09, 2009, 08:40:44 AM »

David Lurie - Mannenberg Avenue

these scans are pretty huge but obviously not as good as what's printed in the actual magazine. which is why you should go here and order the physical copies (they are limited editions though, since the magazine has gone fully digital). i'd say get all of them. they're really dope and only cost R 95. and Mehita is very good for it.

peace.

UPADATE: Supafly has linked to a preview of David Lurie's book here (includes photos and text).

64

Humour / Jokes / The Jagermeister Challenge

« on: October 05, 2009, 01:19:35 PM »

try this at work.

and i quote:

The Jagermeister Challenge was engineered by me while I was on my office computer trying to find out what a "Cleveland Steamer" was. (FYI it has nothing to do with trains.) The challenge works like this. Take a shot of Jagermeister right before you leave for work in the morning. As soon as you get to work do another shot. Then do 1 shot every hour on the hour. The "Challenge" is to see if you can do all 10 shots and get home without being fired or in my case make it through lunch without challenging the Fed Ex driver to a duel.

Here is a tip to get you through the challenge. Unless you work at a strip club or in the state of Louisiana you probably are not suppose to bring hard liquor to work. Hide the Jagermeister by pouring it into an empty bottle of cough syrup. The "illness" guise will also help explain the numerous trips to the bathroom. Your co-workers will think you are suffering from diarrhea, but in reality you are getting frat house drunk on the job for no better reason than because you read about on the Internet.

On the Challenges test run the Jagermeister didn't really bother me until around 10:30 in the morning. I was already staggering a little bit so from then on instead of walking anywhere I just rolled my chair around the office. By noon my chair had ta**els and a horn and I was wearing a helmet. The courier thought I was retarded and gave me a dollar. By 2 o'clock I had started my own office chair basketball league. We used a trash can as the basket until I threw up in it. At 3 o'clock I got fired.

I remember waiting for the elevator because I was yelling at it for being lazy. When I stepped in the only other person there was this girl I use to date. She had recently broken up with me when she found out I was not an astronaut. I met her at speed dating and had written "astronaut" on my name tag. I think she figured out I had never been to space a few weeks later when she saw my other name tag that said "Ask Me About Free Checking!"

This was the first time I had seen Space Girl since she dumped me. I wanted to impress her with a witty comment or a relevant observation. Instead I just farted. I farted long and I farted loud. It had the perfect pitch to it like when fat people fart in movies. I turned to Space Girl.

"That's how we do it on the shuttle."

The awkward silence was broken by the ding of the elevator stopping at the ground floor. She sprinted off the elevator and I started laughing out loud. My hysterics brought to my attention another problem. What I thought was a mere fart turned out to be remnants of a tuna sandwich and a handful of jalapeno chips. I had shat myself.

With a river of dung flowing down my left leg and into my sock I staggered to the bus stop to go home. A stranger sitting there asked me if I had lost a gravy fight. On the bus I had two recurring thoughts. One was that I didn't remember eating corn. The other was that The Jagermeister Challenge had beaten me. I am determined to try it again however. Just as soon as I find another job.

65

General Discussion / sondeza 'doing it big'

« on: October 04, 2009, 08:12:43 PM »

66

General Discussion / The Download Economy

« on: September 15, 2009, 03:27:40 PM »

this poll is self-explanatory.

there was a fourth option: "I only buy the 'commercial' shit". i decided to remove it because everyone would choose the option that allows them to download while 'keeping it real', knowing fully well they f*** with the UGHH thread.

so, where you at?

67

Humour / Jokes / Auto-Tuning the News

« on: September 15, 2009, 09:46:16 AM »

funniest shit i've seen in a minute!

pure brilliance.     

68

General Discussion / Your Internet Connection

« on: September 14, 2009, 11:01:29 AM »

i'm just wondering how many Agians have broadband connections, or rather (since i don't know the specifics of ADSL's and what have you) how many actually have access to downloads and streamed videos on this site?

i have broadband here at work and i use a 3G modem at home.

what's your connection?

i'm just interested in that it seems like there might be a lot of people who are excluded from shit on here, but won't say anything for some reason?

69

Movie Talk / Youth in Revolt

« on: September 14, 2009, 10:36:38 AM »

so what if he's more or less the same character in every film, Michael Cera is the f***ing man. this looks hilarious! 

70

Hot Traxxx / Your Top Five 2009

« on: September 14, 2009, 08:34:48 AM »

i know the year hasn't ended yet, but that's why it's 5 and not 10, see  .

here are mine in no particular order.

1. The Cool Kids & Don Cannon - Gone Fishing


2. Speech Debelle - Speech Therapy


3. Blk Jks - After Robots


4. Zaki Ibrahim - Eclectica (Episodes in Purple)


5. Mos Def - The Ecstatic


what are your 5 favourite 2009 releases?

71

General Discussion / homophobia

« on: September 10, 2009, 07:54:49 AM »

Chris McEvoy goes hard on this one.

no homo 

It's raining bigots
Chris McEvoy
 
Mainstream media is surprisingly out of touch with its target audience, despite best intentions of attracting as many eyeballs as possible to advertisers' messages.

The freak-of-last-week, Brandon Huntley, had every scribbler with a mortgage to pay falling over each other in their efforts to rip him a new arsehole, but the moaning majority of their readers seemed to think that Huntley is some kind of hero for showing the rest of the world how the few remaining poor, guiltless whites in this crime-ravaged country are murdered every day by vengeful, racist blacks.

Then there's affirmative action and black economic empowerment, concepts that we commie columnists think, if used correctly, might be antidotes to the deepening economic rifts blah blah apartheid blah blah blah. But once again, we have it wrong. According to most of our readers, any attempts to even the scales is nothing short of reverse racism, much like demanding a stolen car be returned to its original owner is an attempted mugging.

And this week, we're getting it wrong yet again as we respond to the queer kiss on Generations that appears to have half the country's panties in a twist. A Facebook group, populated by thousands of mostly negative comments, condemns the brief lip-lock as a disgusting display of godless perversion that's only a few short steps away from molesting a cross-dressing sheep. The few positive voices are lost in a deluge of homophobic bile that has me reaching for the rubber bullets.

Most clichés carry an element of truth, but the saying that everyone is entitled to their own opinion is not one of them. This is because the vast majority of "everyone" is ignorant, spiteful, terrified of change, and of each other. Conservatives are the biggest cowards. They camouflage their fears with reactionary bravado, when in fact they are even bigger pussies than the bleeding heart liberals they love to taunt, who, despite their limp-wristed bullshit, at least know to get out of the way when progress comes to mow down their teepees.

Opinions are an earned privilege, not an entitlement, and the hoi polloi are simply in no condition to have them. Not that I'd want to prevent them from expressing themselves, of course. I need the page impressions.

And just for once, I'd like to see someone – anyone – explain to me why the Bible is an excuse to deny gays the same basic human rights as straights. As a moral guide, the Bible is a reductionist orgy of cruelty and intolerance that turns every believer into a hypocrite, because any attempt to follow all its guidelines would probably result in a life sentence. Does anyone actually read the other rules, the ones around the bits that condemn homosexuality? It's scary stuff.

Then there's the argument that homosexuality goes against our culture. Really? Well, here's a response to those who feel this way. f*** our culture. And the same goes for our religions, our families, or anything else that will lead us to end up a laughing stock to our own children a few short decades from now. Conservative values always look stupid in hindsight, and nobody celebrates those who resisted an end to discrimination.

And the one about homosexuality being unnatural? Sorry, but it simply isn't. There are uncountable reported cases of same sex couplings in the animal kingdom. Besides, what's so great about nature? I love my unnatural lifestyle, with my car, my clothes, my running water and my condoms. It's awesome. You nature-lovers should try it some time.

But my favourite argument has to be the one that goes, "Well, I think it's disgusting!" OK. But as a reformed teetotaller, I happen to think that alcohol is disgusting, and I'll bet I can find more evidence to support alcohol's erosion of society than anyone can when it comes to homosexuality. I also think SUV's are disgusting. And braais, and rugby – all of which are on prime time television. Now, where's my Facebook group?

Liberals have lost the plot. In their weak-kneed attempts to be tolerant of everything, they've become tolerant of intolerance – and that's intolerable. Unfortunately, they make up the bulk of the country's mewling minority that oppose homophobia, so I guess I'll just have to respectfully suck it up for now – as I do braais, booze and rugby.

But I'll also respond to homophobes with one of my favourite weapons: derisive laughter. How else could I reply to a group of supposedly straight men who're apparently completely obsessed with what other men do with their penises? And then there's the straight women who feel rejected… come on, that's just sad.

If you're still a homophobe in these enlightened times, homosexuality should be the least of your worries.

I'm bored with arguing, so from now on, whenever some angry little fright-monkey complains to me about the gays, the crime or reverse racism, I'm just going to repeat whatever they said in a high, squeaky voice – and I suggest you do the same. We may not change their minds, but at least it'll make them shut the Hell up and let us evolve in peace.

original article here. (worth checking out just for the comments  )

72

General Discussion / Paycheck

« on: September 09, 2009, 02:59:04 PM »

i'm getting paid more than my usual (small) earning this month.

i have decided - for the first time - to blow every single cent and possibly 'go over-draught' if my bank allows me.

at exactly this time next month i must have as much as i have in my account today, no more, but maybe less.

the premise is that i'll buy 'every f***ing thing' that pops into my head.

i'm not sure why i want to do this, but it seems like i might learn something from it. i don't usually think about 'having money' or 'not having money' the way most people seem to. maybe if i do this i'll realize the 'weight of my situation'. i might see more clearly what spending nine hours in an office space - 5 days a week,  'earning a living' - really means.

i want to know if there is any real pleasure in consumerism. it seems like a common experience for 'everyday people'. iwant to know if i will feel like i am rewarding myself in a way that makes it 'all worth it'.

have you ever done this?

have you spent all your money on things in one frenzy and/or 'shopping spree'?

was it cathartic or did you regret it?

what do you do with your money?

do you pay off debts or do you buy 'unnecessary shit' that makes you feel good?


 

73

Media / Internet Addiction

« on: September 09, 2009, 08:15:00 AM »

is there something to this or is it all just bullshit?

(easy, Colin)

Internet Addiction Center Opens In U.S.
by The a**ociated Press

The center, called ReSTART, is somewhat ironically located near Redmond, headquarters of Microsoft and a world center of the computer industry. It opened in July and for $14,000 offers a 45-day program intended to help people wean themselves from pathological computer use, which can include obsessive use of video games, texting, Facebook, eBay, Twitter and any other time-killers brought courtesy of technology.

"We've been doing this for years on an outpatient basis," said Hilarie Cash, a therapist and executive director of the center. "Up until now, we had no place to send them."

Internet addiction is not recognized as a separate disorder by the American Psychiatric a**ociation, and treatment is not generally covered by insurance. But there are many such treatment centers in China, South Korea and Taiwan — where Internet addiction is taken very seriously — and many psychiatric experts say it is clear that Internet addiction is real and harmful.

The five-acre center in Fall City, about 30 miles east of Seattle, can handle up to six patients at a time. Alexander is so far the only patient of the program, which uses a cold turkey approach. He spends his days in counseling and psychotherapy sessions, doing household chores, working on the grounds, going on outings, exercising and baking a mean batch of ginger cookies.

Whether such programs work in the long run remains to be seen. For one thing, the Internet is so pervasive that it can be nearly impossible to resist, akin to placing an alcoholic in a bar, Cash said.

The effects of addiction are no joke. They range from loss of a job or marriage to car accidents for those who can't stop texting while driving. Some people have died after playing video games for days without a break, generally stemming from a blood clot a**ociated with being sedentary.

Psychotherapist Cosette Dawna Rae has owned the bucolic retreat center since 1994, and was searching for a new use for it when she hooked up with Cash. They decided to avoid treating people addicted to Internet sex, in part because she lives in the center with her family.

According to Dr. Kimberly Young of the Center for Internet Addiction Recovery in Bradford, Pa., addiction warning signs are being preoccupied with thoughts of the Internet; using it longer than intended, and for increasing amounts of time; repeatedly making unsuccessful efforts to control use; jeopardizing relationships, school or work to spend time online; lying to cover the extent of Internet use; using the Internet to escape problems or feelings of depression; physical changes to weight, headaches or carpal tunnel syndrome.

Exactly how to respond is being debated.

For instance, Internet addiction can be a symptom of other mental illness, such as depression, or conditions like autism, experts say.

"From what we know, many so-called `Internet addicts' are folks who have severe depression, anxiety disorders, or social phobic symptoms that make it hard for them to live a full, balanced life and deal face-to-face with other people," said Dr. Ronald Pies, professor of psychiatry at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y.

"It may be that unless we treat their underlying problems, some new form of `addiction' will pop up down the line," Pies said.

There is debate about whether to include Internet addiction as a separate illness in the next edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders," due in 2012, which determines which mental illnesses get covered by insurance.

Pies and Dr. Jerald Block, of Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, said there is not enough research yet to justify that.

"Among psychiatrists there is general recognition that many patients have difficulty controlling their impulses to chat online, or play computer games or watch pron," Block said. "The debate is how to cla**ify that."

Cash, co-author of the book "Video Games & Your Kids," first started dealing with Internet addiction in 1994, with a patient who was so consumed by video games that he had lost his marriage and two jobs.

Internet addicts miss out on real conversations and real human development, often see their hygiene, their home and relationships deteriorate, don't eat or sleep properly and don't get enough exercise, Rae said.

Alexander is a tall, quiet young man who always got good grades and hopes to become a biologist.

He started playing "World of Warcraft," a hugely popular online multiplayer role playing game, about a year ago, and got sucked right in.

"At first it was a couple of hours a day," he said. "By midway through the first semester, I was playing 16 or 17 hours a day.

"School wasn't interesting," he said. "It was an easy way to socialize and meet people."

It was also an easy way to flunk out.

Alexander dropped out in the second semester and went to a traditional substance abuse program, which was not a good fit. He graduated from a 10-week outdoors-based program in southern Utah, but felt he still had little control over his gaming.

So he sought out a specialized program and arrived in Fall City in July. He thinks it was a good choice.

"I don't think I'll go back to `World of Warcraft' anytime soon," Alexander said.

original article here.

74

General Discussion / SA hip hop!

« on: August 31, 2009, 03:35:19 PM »

with all this talk of local hip hop having reached a kind of cul de sac, i figured i would put this up just to see where everyone's at?

so how do you feel?

75

General Discussion / being depressed

« on: August 31, 2009, 09:29:30 AM »

could mean you've got next:


"Not that it's much consolation, but a Scientific American piece going viral explains that those suffering from depression are at an "evolutionary paradox" and are more evolved thinkers than happy-go-lucky types due to their analytical nature." [via Gawker]

a few quotes:

"So what could be so useful about depression? Depressed people often think intensely about their problems. These thoughts are called ruminations; they are persistent and depressed people have difficulty thinking about anything else. Numerous studies have also shown that this thinking style is often highly analytical. They dwell on a complex problem, breaking it down into smaller components, which are considered one at a time."

"Many other symptoms of depression make sense in light of the idea that analysis must be uninterrupted. The desire for social isolation, for instance, helps the depressed person avoid situations that would require thinking about other things. Similarly, the inability to derive pleasure from sex or other activities prevents the depressed person from engaging in activities that could distract him or her from the problem. Even the loss of appetite often seen in depression could be viewed as promoting analysis because chewing and other oral activity interferes with the brain’s ability to process information."

"When one considers all the evidence, depression seems less like a disorder where the brain is operating in a haphazard way, or malfunctioning. Instead, depression seems more like the vertebrate eye—an intricate, highly organized piece of machinery that performs a specific function."


read the entire article here.