Nicole be Thinking...

Get it. Now .

A while ago I realized that maybe I had outgrown Beyonce's music. And I know… That's not a big deal. But as a loyal Destiny's Child fan, the thought of not supporting "one of my own" is worrisome. (And, yes, I was looking for that Anjel release, and I support Kelly and Letoya in their solo endeavors. No comment on Michelle.)  So imagine my horror when Beyonce released some wack singles. After the third one, I was willing to admit to myself that I'm no longer a fan. I was prepared to ignore 4 the same way I had ignored I Am… That is… until a tracklist surfaced and I saw an Andre 3000 feature… (and y'all know how I feel about 3 Stacks…) Officially, 4 doesn't come out in the United States until tomorrow, but here are the thoughts of someone who's been unofficially listening to it for too long... "1 + 1" - I'm not feeling this ballad that much. I missed the "American Idol" performance , but I saw the rehearsal f...

So... some time last week I tweeted: No... I have not lost my mind. I was reading random things about her new album and it occurred to me that I am not looking forward to it. Like... No plans to listen... no download plans... Her single, "Run the World (Girls)," is hella wack. I felt a little ashamed that I had fallen off the bandwagon somewhere. I mean... I AM a Beyonce fan. I grew up on Destiny's Child. (Shoot... if girls today had some kind of Destiny's Child, they'd be more productive and confident.) I defended Beyonce's horrible acting in Goldmember . I purchased Dream Girls  (even though I haven't watched it since theaters...) But though I continue to defend her against haters and dick riders alike, I never actually listened to I Am...Sasha Fierce.  Ever. I didn't even try to. I mocked her performance in Obsessed  and absolutely refuse to watch her in Cadillac Records . (I do not care what you say. I draw the line at Etta.) How can I really c...

Generally speaking, I don't think it's fair to impose one's superlatives on another. My "Best of..." or "Most..." lists are usually humorous, personal, or not ranked. Music is subjective so it's even harder to give an honest assessment about something everybody loves, especially when your opinion is negative. This becomes even more  difficult when you appreciate everyone's hustle. Honest to goodness, I do not listen to Soulja Boy, but I believe there's a place in music for him. *shrug* Sue me. So... Now that my little disclaimer is out of the way, let's talk about House of Balloons . This is The Weeknd 's debut EP and it generated a huge buzz when it was released this March. I resist buzz, but I try to give everything a chance. Good stuff grabs me immediately. If I can rock to it sitting down, I love it. If not, I take it to the car. If I can ride to it, I love it. If I still need to convince myself, I'll listen to it while I...

I'm a little late to the KING party, but I never want to leave… They are a soulful trio out of Los Angeles who write, produce, and promote their own material. The Story is their debut offering. I don't like to use "perfect" to describe anything, but… this is. "The Story:" I find myself humming this at random times. It's calming, soothing, reaffirming, and true. "Supernatural:" The first time I heard the song I smiled and then the horns kicked in. My eyes closed. I went there . "Hey:" I can't stop playing this song. I have no words for it either. "Beautiful" isn't enough. It's the best $3 anyone could possibly spend these days… This EP is only three songs, but it's perfect. I can't wait to hear more from them. They've given me everything I didn't even know I was waiting for. Read their story , and buy their EP . You will not be disappointed.

Earlier today, Shadow and Act pointed out that She's Gotta Have It turns 25 this year (Hey! Me too!). Their post focuses mainly on the strides (or lack thereof) blacks have made in film. Struggles with ratings and sexual representation seem to have dissipated until you reeeally think about… [Shadow and Act challenges us to name Hollywood movies released last year that features blacks being affectionate with blacks. Can you?] I really like She's Gotta Have It . I was going to watch it after reading Shadow and Act, but I have it on VHS and no longer own a VCR (weird, I know…) I grew up mostly as an only child and movies were my older brothers and sisters. Clueless had me thinking that I'd drive a Jeep, like older dudes, and go to the mall to recover from bad grades (and… well… I do.) School Daze made me believe that college was a magically musical and political place (and… yeah… it sorta is.) Similarly, She's Gotta Have It (though flawed) served as a model of black ...

I have to review this because I love the Clipse. I was a little nervous about it because I’m always weary when a part of a unit goes out on his or her own. But I didn't think it would be terrible... Let's see how it went... Intro : Just a plain Scarface clip. Not too impressive. My God (prod. Hitboy): The beat builds too slowly and it's not as aggressive as I want it to be. I Still Wanna (prod. Inkredibles): I feel like I've heard this song before. It has the same Lex Lugar tings that I'm not fond of. Money on My Mind Freestyle : I don't really have a comment on it. I just don't like it. I skip it too soon. Feeling Myself (feat. Kevin Cossum, prod. the Bizness): There's nothing particularly wrong with this. It's cool. But if I'm going to be feeling myself… I kinda want to do it to Mac Dre. Blow/Funk Flex Freestyle (prod. Unknown): I guess it's cool. It sounds like the rest of them at this point. I think it's interesting ...

If you're anything like me you downloaded each G.O.O.D. Friday track as soon as it was released, you watched Runaway when it premiered (and a few times after), and you've been eagerly awaiting My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy . This is probably Kanye's best reviewed album. Despite the ire his public persona brings, Kanye has managed to deliver an album that makes it "safe" to like him again. Critics are saying MBDTF is a "classic," a "masterpiece." Fans that jumped ship with 808s and Heartbreak are saying, "He's back." Hmmm… Let's take a look at the album. Dark Fantasy Kanye's life is all models and fashion now, and he is drastically different from the producer with the backpack we met in 2003, but on "Dark Fantasy" he shows that he hasn't forgotten about that kid. He reminds us he's always wanted this -- whatever this is. Part of the beauty in every Kanye album is that he's talking about whe...

I am not going to pay for another Will Smith movie until he proves that he can actually act. Now... before you get all defensive, go look at his filmography. Will's 20+ movies fall into one of three categories: - Movies in which he saves the day/world/people - He fights aliens, robots, or bad guys (sometimes sacrificing himself) to save humanity. - Sequels to movies in which he saves the day/world/people - Men in Black 3 is scheduled to be released in 2012. End of the world, indeed... - Feel-good flicks - In these movies he's usually himself as someone else (think Ali ) Will has three characters aside from the character he played in Six Degrees of Separation : - Himself - in most movies he is a charming, witty, funny, handsome ladies man who is terribly loveable. - Himself, tormented by some secret/affliction/skeleton in his closet - he starts off disliked or at odds, but by the resolution of the film, he is back to himself (because he's saved the world, of...

We all know that movies don’t change that much. There are no real genres anymore since most movies these days have elements from many genres. In any event, the stories are all pretty much the same. That said , I saw Takers with my younger brother. Without giving too much away, the plot of Takers is basically the same as any other heist movie. There are some differences, mostly just elements of style, but major themes, character arcs, and outcomes are, of course, very familiar... So… clearly half of the major players die in the end. I know this from being an avid movie watcher since my first (that I can remember) trip to the movies to see Boys N the Hood . I also know that there won't (shouldn’t) be a sequel. However, this concept is foreign to my brother. At the end he looked confused "Everybody dies? Naw, somebody lives and there could be a part two!" Uuuum… what? I can only take this as a sign of the times. My brother's generation did not grow up watching the...

At some point in the conversation that inspired this week of music posts, my mother told me Kanye West isn't a rapper. She doesn't dislike him… (She did one of my numbers…) "I don't not like him. He's just not hip hop." I was shocked at first. Then I thought it through. As I was going through my music to prove Kanye's "hip-hop-ness" to her, I went to Jay-Z songs first. Clearly I still think of Kanye the Producer, first. As I started going through his music, I realized that Kanye the Rapper is pretty solid, too. It all got me thinking about what she said about him not being hip hop. Where does he fit in hip hop? For many of us, Kanye was just another producer when he almost died in a car crash in 2002. The release of his first single, "Through the Wire," in 2003 was like an awakening. The album that followed, College Dropout , went double platinum within 4 months of its release, which is stellar for a debut. The combination of Kanye...

The Boondocks lost me with their last episode and they are officially adding to the ignorance of this younger generation. I understand the episode was taken from an MSNBC segment from a few years ago. Believe it or not, most of the words are verbatim. Starting the episode this way made me think it would be more about pedophilia, but then again, I was focused on To Catch a Predator , not the man raping Chris Hansen. Anyway… I have three main problems with this episode: the homophobia that has become a Boondocks staple, the misogyny, and the glorification of prison. The episode starts by saying that Tom is a "friend of the gay movement," but he has a fear of going to prison and being anally raped. What does that fear have to do with being a "friend of the gay movement?" Is Tom afraid of random gay men raping him? No. Does Tom think all gay men want to rape him? No. He has a very specific fear. What does it have to do with being a "friend to the gay movement?...

I had plans to respond to last night's Boondocks episode today, but I was teaching... then I was working out... then I was on a field trip. So... It'll be posted tomorrow. Until then, I'd like you all to read up on blacks and prisons in this country since so many of you think it's funny... Slavery and Prison - Understanding the Connection (Kim Gilmore) The Social Functions of Prisons in the United States ( Bettina Aptheker ) Masked Racism: Reflections on the Prison Industrial Complex ( Angela Davis ) Women in Prison: How It Is With Us ( Assata Shakur ) Enjoy...

People are upset about the Boondocks' characterization of Tyler Perry and his work. In a recent episode of The Boondocks, called "Pause," Aaron McGruder and his writers attacked Tyler Perry personally, professionally, and spiritually. Since people are ignoring the scene between Riley and Granddad about the importance of saying "no homo" because "If it sounds gay, it's gay," and "How [will anybody] know you not a homo if you don't say 'no homo?'" I can only assume that that's all perfectly fine and dandy. Let's focus on the critiques of Tyler Perry instead. The episode pissed Tyler Perry fans off, to say the least. Twitter was all abuzz with folks on both sides of the action going at the other. The problem is… Tyler and Aaron have two different, yet equally ignorant, fan bases. My light bulb went off and it hit me: the two can't have an intelligent discourse about their opinions because they don't understand ...

My dictionary.com app (#teamiphone #folife) defines "gentrification" as "the buying and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals, thus improving property values but often displacing low-income families and small businesses." I mostly see this when white folks want to "improve" something. Like the situation with Belmont and Rose Park. OH! And when white people want to be edgy and/or gritty and move to East Nashville… I don't really see it happening in other ghettos, though… Nolensville Rd. is still very Mexican... Architecture and civil engineering are interests of mine (In 3rd grade I drafted an entire city without direction or adult input…) so while I was in line waiting for my Mocha JavaKula at Borders The Plan of Nashville caught my eye. It's a great book and an awesome plan. However… does such a plan cross that line into gentrification? One of the 10 principles tha...

So… My dad has a problem with me not supporting "black" movies. More specifically… He wants me to support Tyler Perry movies. I can't get with Tyler because I'm tired of seeing black men in drag. He's promoting this image of a black woman devoid of any femininity. We're just the same as a man except we wear dresses? Get out of here. Also… His favorite storyline is problematic. All of his movies include a woman who needs to be saved. Usually she's saved by a man from chaos of her own creation. That's hella wack. Daddy claims the "black" movies I won't go see, I'd go see if they were made by white people. About that… A lot of these "black" movies I'm supposed to support WERE made by white people. Your favorite black movie probably wasn't directed by black people. Or… If it was, it wasn't funded by black people. Tyler Perry does that well. I can't knock his hustle. Aside from that… He's wrong. I don’t like...

So… Avatar won the award for Best Drama at the Golden Globes this weekend. To date the movie has made $1.6 billion. Second only to James Cameron's other epic, Titanic. Sad to say $10 in there represents me… Of his win, Cameron said, "Hopefully, this is part of a trend of the acceptance of science fiction as a legitimate dramatic form of cinema." But this win is not about accepting science fiction. In Avatar, a paraplegic marine, Jake Sully, has to take his twin brother's place in the avatar program on the moon Pandora. Humans want to mine Pandora for the precious mineral "unobtainium," but the inhabitants of Pandora, the Na'vi, don't want to allow humans to mine and ravish their land, to which they have a spiritual connection. To try to win over the Na'vi, human create avatars that look like the Na'vi but are controlled by humans that are connected to a machine at an army base. This marine sucks as a human. Bad marine. Not smart. Paraplegic. ...

Last week, Future and Sir Lazenby decided that Overnight 6 wasn't good enough to be released, that it needed to be better. A week late, we finally have The Overnight Mixtape, Volume 6. Back in 2001, an Usher album leaked. And it was HORRIBLE. Folks like me, who see no problem downloading albums before making that major purchase, listened to the album and decided Usher had lost it. Somehow, this news got back to Usher... He went back into the studio and redid his album... We fans? Oh, we got 8701 . Definitely a win. That's sorta what's happening here... Except Future was his own slew of downloading fans, criticizing his own work. Volume 6 is solid. How I missed a good Sir Lazenby intro! I love "Overnight Celebrity." I'm surprised Future didn't rap over it sooner. (Btw, what's your GPA Harold? lol) Also... um... If you said what I think you said, I am NOT random... But I'll let that go... =] I liked "Superstar Status." Listening to it, I wa...

Ah, yes... I know it's Monday... But we had an awesome Future Friday. Overnight Mixtape, Vol 5. First thing I notice about number 5 is NO SKITS. and I like it! Feels more like an album than a mixtape and I REALLY like that (remember... I don't usually do mixtapes...). Let's look at this one song by song... "Overnight" - I don't like "Good Life" but I don't know... Maybe I just have a soft spot for Har - um... Future because I like this. I liked the Sir Lazenby intros, though. I would have liked that on this one. "I'm Back" - Future's Kanye flow? It sounds nice... He sounds nice on it. But it doesn't stand out for me. "My Way" - Miss B is back. I love this song. There's not much else to say about it. It's one of my favorites on this one. "Freestyle To Ya" - Another favorite. The last "Freestyle To Ya" was on Vol 4 and it was kind of a sleeper... This "Freestyle To Ya" is sweeter...

We've made it to Overnight Mixtape, Vol 4. This one features Bun B and GLC. How's that for official? =] This one has a nice vibe. Future is always representing Nashville, but you can REALLY hear it on this one. "Uptown" (featuring Bun B) and "615 City Reppa" with Openmic take it to another level. "We Good" is awesome. I love the original and Future just brought it closer to me. (Shout out to the N.O.B.O.T.S.) I like"Superstar" a lot. "Imagine" is really nice. and "Mo Money, No Problems" is real. I really can't pick a favorite. I can't really pick one that I don't like or have a problem with. It's a really solid mixtape. The vibe is kinda... "business as usual." After the Bun B excitement, the rest of it is kinda like what you'd expect from a third album. You know... not as good as the first, not as wack as the second. As always, the skits are cool. "Evan and Robb" with Bill Nye a...