The iPhone Craze

For the past 3 months, I (along with the entire world) have been obsessed with the release of the iPhone. Taunted with mere images, I found myself checking apple.com regularly and other cellphone forums to find out the latest gossip on the phone. THEN, apple released those videos showing how the iPhone worked and my jaw dropped. I tried to deny how HOT it was....simply because I had signed a two-year contract with T-Mobile and knew I wasn't going to be able to simply get an iPhone.

Then, the day came....the release of the phone. My co-worker ordered his and awaited the arrival of his phone to come in....secretly, I awaited the arrival of his phone also. When Monday came around, his shiny new iPhone came in and I just couldn't wait until he gave me the opportunity to play with it.

The first impression of the iPhone is that it's thinner than I imagined it would be. I thought it would be thick and similar to the iPod. But it's as thin as the iPod if not thinner. The screen resolution is also incredible and is the best that I have seen on a phone....period.

There are a few points that I HAVE to point out about the phone. When you receive a voice message, the phone not only allows you to listen to them in ANY ORDER....it shows how many and long the messages are, who is the message is from. Also, you get the ability to watch YouTube content on the device. As of now, they have not gotten ALL of YouTube content on the phone, but Apple has promised that all the YouTube videos will be available for viewing on the iPhone. Last, Being able to scroll through pages like you are turning a page in a book is another one of the great features.

The internet....is just as advertised....it is the INTERNET. Not watered down for a phone....just clearly the internet. You can scroll the page like pages in a book on the internet, along with being able to zoom in to a specific part of the page to read.

There are so many features to talk about on this phone that I clearly could not go through them all in this article without it being super long. From the maps, the iPod part, email, calendar, the clear pictures, etc, etc. The phone is a great multimedia device. Now, for the business professional it maybe a tad bit too much and cumbersome to use to handle business. But for that trendsetter, looking to turn heads in the clubs....you definitely will get a conversation starter with this phone....which is why we buy phones anyway...to start conversations. fin

Wise

Click to see full post.

The Burial of the N-Word

The N-word...better known as nigga. It has evolved from nigger, to its present form of nigga. It is used as a word of endearment amongst young black people across the ghettos and hoods around America, yet used as a way to demoralize our ancestors by slave owners in the past.

Somewhere between the first Africans getting off the boat and N.W.A. releasing their first album, we blacks found comfort in calling each other "niggas." I can't lie, even I use the word whether I'm just making jokes or arguing with another black man. That word has embedded it's self into our culture...into our vocabulary...into our lifestyle.

Jamie Foxx says a joke that black people have the ability to use the word "nigga" through an entire conversation to express how they feel: whether happy, sad or angry. Although funny, it is very true.

However on July 9th in Detroit, the NAACP held a mock funeral for this multifaceted word. People from across the country marched from downtown Detroit's Cobo Center to Hart Plaza. The Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, claims that by burying the word they are "taking it out of our spirit."

We as a young black male, I find it hard to believe that this word is dead. When I look at the funeral, i feel indifferent about having a Michigan's governor, Jennifer Granholm, speak at the funeral of that word. At a funeral, the euglogy is given by the person's family and close friends....not the dude from out of town that knows absolutely nothing about the deceased!!! There was absolutely NO ONE from the hip-hop community at that funeral to be a representative for our culture; the culture that uses this word daily.

As I read several articles, I read interviews of people that were there that claim to never have used the word. Although I find it hard to believe, its just not a good look for the NAACP to waste time, money and energy to create a symbol of the end.

What have they truly done? They have knocked the word over the head, and dragged the word to its grave....kicking, crying and screaming for help. They didn't clear it with the users of the word as to whether its COOL to bury the word. Even the mafia clears it before they kill a member of another mafia family....just watch the Sopranos.

So I apologize, but I do not agree that this word is dead. If they killed it at that funeral...I'm sure it was resurrected 5 minutes from leaving that burial site by one of the attendees when they turned on their cars and listened to their favorite T.I. album. fin

Wise

Click to see full post.

Album Review: T.I. - T.I. vs T.I.P.

We all fight with ourselves: Whether or not to buy those shoes? Should I take this shot of Patron, knowing I have to drive home? Well, with Clifford Harris - a.k.a. T.I. - he fights with whether or not to make music for the clubs or music for the streets. On his 5th album, he brings his battles to the mic with T.I. vs T.I.P.

The album starts with T.I.P. speaking on behalf of Mr. Harris and giving us the T.I. that we were introduced to with hits like Dope Boys, Top Back, Bring 'Em Out, and What You Know About That....songs like Raw, and the first single, Big Shit Poppin' proves that. We also are treated by the long awaited collaboration of the King of the South and King of NY, Jay-Z on Watch What You Say To Me (produced by Khao.)

As the album progresses we are introduced to the more calm side of Mr. Harris, T.I. With the help of Just Blaze, T.I. lets hip-hop know that he is not going to let it die with "Help Is Coming". He also answers the question of why is it that he stays on top while doing what everybody else is doing with Wyclef Jean produced song, "My Swag." By the end of the album, we find T.I. and T.I.P. exchanging words with one another about things that have gone down since T.I. has been in the game.

The album takes time to grow on you. The first time listening, I wasn't impressed, feeling I wanted more from T.I.P. and less of T.I. But after taking a second listen to what T.I.'s side of the album....I had to tip my hat to the young man for the entire album. I will say that T.I.P. does have MORE of what you are looking for than T.I. and I would dare to say T.I.P. won this battle.

-Wise

Click to see full post.