It’s that kind of night. I just feel like throwing together some cool old school stuff which once owned back in the day.  So, get ready to be taken to a new dimension as it’s come to our attention without much mention. Jump in our video time machine and feel the power!

Snap: “Rhythm Is A Dancer”

i’m going to say either late 1992 or early 1993. the beat was always cool to get down to. “You could feel it. You could feel it.“

Technotronic Fea. Felly: “Pump Up The Jam”

who didn’t play this at a house party back in the day or get down to it. heck. it became a common song played at Chicago Bulls games. when i hear it, i think of the misery MJ caused around these parts.

Salt N’ Pepa: “Push It”

this song was hot. no other way to put it. Salt N’ Pepa ruled. they had a lot of good stuff.

Run DMC: “Tricky”

they’re legends in every sense of the word. originators who set the standard. love this video as it’s just comical with a classic ending. Run DMC just rocks!

Quad City DJ’s: “C’mon N Ride It (The Train)”

i’m going to say 1997. i remember it frequently being played whenever New Dorp came out during their home bball games.

Tag Team: “Whoomp! (There It Is)”

Whoomp! Shaka laka! Whoomp! Shaka laka! Shaka Laka! Shaka. Whoomp! Late 1993. the end of this is hoooooottt!

69 Boyz: “Tootsee Roll”

i don’t know what makes me smile more. this or their classic “Daisy Dukes” track. classic beat. check. trendy. absolutely. it wouldn’t work today. i hadn’t heard the latter in forever. it’s a better song. and my god. i would blast this.

2 Live Crew: “Shake A Lil Somethin‘”

everyone knows that their stuff was too offensive for stations to even show. god damn this country is hypocritical sometimes. honestly, they’re stuff is off the hook. enough said!

Sir Mixalot: “Baby Got Back (I Like Big Butts)”

another epic from a different time. he comes right to the point. don’t ya think?!?!?!?!?! haha

Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch: “Good Vibrations”

there’s something about this song. well the video. working out and sex. it’s just a perfect combo. the beat always was great and the video really works. of course it made it’s big cameo in the first Mighty Ducks. yeah. of course i know! i also like the piano and keyboard as it just brings such a good background to the music. the most amazing thing is Marky Mark, better known as Mark Wahlberg made a smooth transition to acting yet it’s rarely ever covered.

C & C Music Factory: “Gonna Make You Sweat”

1990. God. I remember where I was. That’s kinda sad.

Naughty By Nature: “Hip Hop Hooray”

Hey! Ho! Hey! Ho! Hey! Ho! Hey! Hoooooo!!!!! i love this song. classic 1994 Naughty. They had so many good tracks.” OPP!” “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.” Or the infamous soundtrack from Juice, “Uptown Anthem.” All I know is that was one great album. They had other good hits too but that’s the year of Naughty IMHO and what they’ll always be known for. The one thing that really stood out about all these hit songs were how well shot the videos were. It made you feel like you were there in the streets or ghetto. Whoever produced and directed it knew what they were doing.

I could easily link up more old school stuff and make this a crazy long entry. But I want to sleep at a decent hour. So, I’ll check back later.

Hope you enjoyed this retro video edition.

Today’s edition features one of my fave tracks from the new Lil Wayne Tha Carter III album appropriately entitled, “Mr. Carter” featuring Jay Z where the 25 year-old rap star fires back at his cynics with some cool lyrics and also with Brooklyn’s own Jay Z which always helps.

It’s been played over and over on Hot 97 and for good reason as it’s just the bomb. The beat and words are kicking. I never really was into Weezy but he’s pretty good. That rant near the conclusion where he says, “Hector Camacho Macho Man Randy Savage far from average,” is pretty deadly.

Lil Wayne fea Jay Z: “Mr. Carter“-song with cover

Lil Wayne fea Jay Z: “Mr. Carter“- official video

love the end too with the kids singing as a chorus in the background. pretty cool stuff.

Lil Wayne fea Jay Z: “Tha Carter 3-Alternate“

I kind of felt like linking up some Mobb Deep videos. I’ve been listening to their old stuff lately blasting it in the car from the classic The Infamous. I swear it’s one of the tightest hip hop albums. Period. Everyone song is dope. You can FEEL it. Every word is coming in loud and strong right at ya.

Anyway, let’s roll it up and look at some of their best stuff:

Mobb Deep: “Quiet Storm“-original track

how in the world could this be under related while the remix featuring Lil’ Kim isn’t?!?!?!?!?! Unlike most, I don’t hate the remix but the original is just better and where it’s at!

Mobb Deep: “Got It Twisted”

i love the beat in this but it’s nothing like their old stuff. just not enough words going on. if this were done back in the day, this could’ve been so much better.

Mobb Deep: “Survival of the Fittest”

now this right here is from The Infamous and is the real deal. everyone always talks about Shook Ones I and notoriously II which is off the hook but this is a classic in your face track which comes at you with words and action in the video itself. it’s hardcore!

Mobb Deep fea. Nas: “It’s Mine”

another winner off the 1999 Murdah Muzik featuring the one and only Nas. how could you go wrong with that killer combo? the video’s shot great and is super hot.

Mobb Deep: “Hoodlum”

this is a little different but with a cool beat and awesome throwback Godfather scene befitting of the track. it’s also coming from the heart. what’s not to like?

Mobb Deep: “Shook Ones II”

the best ever track from Infamous featuring the second part of the one and only Shook Ones. One of the best rap songs ever made.

I’m only 19 but my mind is old

And when the things get for real my warm heart turns cold

Mobb Deep: “Shook Ones I”

the original debuted in 1994 a year following their debut album Juvenile Hell. i got to agree with what one YouTube user said referring to the beat and the song as “like a shotgun through your speakers.” talk about a heavy beat and delivery. this is the one we never hear but just mesmerizes you. if you like hardcore rap from the inner city streets, then this is your deal. it’s just dope. i have always loved II but there’s something about the original which just registers making you go, ‘Wow.’ teenage geniuses.

Mobb Deep: “Hell On Earth (Front Lines)”

from the self-titled 1996 album coming straight at ya from the streets with that epic Infamous feel from dynamic duo Havoc and Prodigy telling it like it is.

Mobb Deep: “Street Life”

a classic track about survival of the streets with a killer beat and lyrics to go with it.

Mobb Deep: “We Up”

it’s from their 2004 album Amerikaz Nightmare and has that old feel to it which made them so special.

Hot 97’s Peter Rosenberg interviews Prodigy (before he goes back to jail earlier this year)

worth watching as he asks Prodigy about how he and Havoc met and got started in the industry and how they rose to fame. he credits Q-Tip for their early success as he listened to it and gave them instant feedback. interesting to note too that celebrities such as Nicole Kidman, Lindsay Lohan and Mariah Carey are all huge Mobb Deep fans. most interesting were Prodigy’s political views on the upcoming election. i really respect what he said. a great interview.

I’m going to try to put up some more later. Hope you enjoyed this special video feature.

edit: any Mobb Deep video review would be incomplete without this next track from Juvenile Hell. Their first ever single.

Mobb Deep: “Peer Pressure”

they look so young in it, it’s scary. the scene and song is about the peer pressure of the urban ghetto with the lyrics taking on a very strong meaning and sending a powerful message. a classic.

Today, I just felt in a mood to go with a throwback from one of my fave rappers LL Cool J. Sure. He’s making a comeback but come on. There will never be anything like his classic stuff when he first came on the hip hop scene taking it by storm as a high school dropout.

One of my personal favorites is “Mama Said Knock You Out” as the lyrics and beat are freaking kicking. I remember when he performed it on MTV’s Unplugged and he just rocked the mic and owned the stage.

I will say that his Mr. Smith album a decade ago was pretty dope featuring hits such as “Hey Lover” and “Doin’ It.” Those were hot videos too with smoking chicks. Aren’t all rap videos like the best when it comes to that? Sure. There have been some hot chicks in rock videos too but rap is where it’s at.

Anyway, I’ve always dug the LL jam, “I Need Love.” It’s sung at a slower more deliberate pace so he could get his message of love out there. But most of all, the video’s great and 100 times better than the radio version just for the scenes they have of the rapper coming out getting the “Oohhs and Ahhss” from every hottie outside mobbing him as he went to his car.

Did they holla much? Who wouldn’t want to be a star rapper with that kind of fanfare? Sure. There’s lots of pressure to stay on top of your game and it’s plenty more demanding than our average existences. But still. From the outside glass, I think it’s worth it. Still, considering their hectic schedules, it’s no wonder quite a few turn to alcohol and drugs with some even burning out.

In any event, here’s the cool video which still rates as one of LL’s best:

LL Cool J: “I Need Love“

Today’s video features a Spanish band inspired by the Telemundo hit show Rebelde. Even though I could hardly comprehend what was said in this show which believe it or not I did watch from time to time a few years ago, the acting was very good.

What became abundantly clear was how gifted the stars were when it came to singing songs during the sitcom about their elite private school and the shady goings on. This show had your usual drama and kind of reminded me of a better version of 90210. No. Not the cheesy one which is coming out this Fall. Good god. How could they actually consider doing another one?

In any event, when Rebelde finally ended, the stars stuck together and formed a very popular group RBD. In four years together, this Mexican pop group has already sold more than 11 million albums. It consists of six people including the ridiculously hot Dulce Maria Espinoza Savinon. All the chicks in the show were pretty but the stunning 22 year-old redhead is a cut above. She’s an extremely talented actress who’s also written poems and a book and written songs for the group. She’ll be filming a movie this summer.

The band also contains beautiful blonde Anahi Giovanna Puente Portilla, who is a very good singer from Mexico City. Maite Perroni Beorlegui also starred in Rebelde debuting and is engaged to a producer. The male trio consists of Alfonso Herrera Rodriguez, Jorge Christian Chavez and Christopher Uckermann, who is currently working on a book.

Together, their music has become huge in Latin America. I’m not big into pop as I’m more into rap, alternative and classic rock and some metal. However, their stuff is very good and dwarfs most of the pop played on the radio here. It just works.

Here’s their Rebelde video:

RBD: “Rebelde”

Why did I go off the radar and choose this? Because Spanish music is different. I like to watch mun2 and sometimes Spanish rap videos are great. It just has a very good sound which works.

Tonight, I just felt like something different before I retire. Man. At a normal time too. Wow. It’s just nice to be able to chill out after a fun day of working out and blogging.

Damn right I feel good. It’s amazing how much getting in shape helps. I’m so glad I was able to get in this week. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get in tonight for a brief session too before the SI game. We’ll see.

Anyway, I just felt like linking up one of my fave U2 songs, “One.” I really like this song and the words have such meaning and backbone behind them. I’m all about that.

For some reason, this song focuses me. So I think it’s fairly appropriate given how I’m feeling.

One from the greatest Irish rock band and one of my favorites:

U2: “One”

Did I disappoint you
Or leave a bad taste in your mouth
You act like you never had love
And you want me to go without

Have you come here for forgiveness
Have you come to raise the dead
Have you come here to play Jesus
To the lepers in your head

Okay. Maybe you know what cute 1980’s movie I’m referring to. Mannequin was a bit goofy in that you had the incredibly hot Kim Cattrall posing as a mannequin for a department store window which Andrew McCathy’s character ran.

He had just broken up with his girlfriend and then winds up falling in love with what’s perceived to be a female statue which suddenly springs to life transforming into a young Cattrall, who’s a knockout who sweeps him off his feet. Now, while the concept is preposterous, you got to admit it works considering that it’s Hollywood.

I always liked this movie and found it stupidly comical cause some of the scenes were along with the commentary. Plus it’s got the bad guy from Police Academy looking foolish as a security guard with his watch dog, Rambo. It makes for some funny ass stuff as he chases McCarthy and his “imaginary doll friend” around failing miserably.

In any event, someone over at YouTube put together a relatively good video summing up the movie which features Starship hit song, “Nothing’s Gonna To Stop Us Now.”  

Here’s the video along with a bonus one as well:

Mannequin: Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now-remix

Mannequin: Do You Dream About Me

the second one features lines in Spanish before he dances with her. God. Does she look stunning in those outfits. Wow. She aged well too starring in Sex And The City.

Editor’s Note: I found the original Starship song and it appropriately features scenese from the movie. This song was also used during the Rangers’ 1994 Cup video near the beginning when Mike Keenan wanted his team to envision parading down the Canyon of Heroes. When I hear it, that’s immediately what comes to mind as it brings back great memories.

Starship: “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”

Hope you enjoyed this entry even if it was a tad different from what I usually feature in this category.

Occasionally, there are cool videos which just are choreographed to perfection. Say what you will about him but R. Kelly’s one of the most talented R & B singers in the biz.

Whenever I think of his best work, it’s either with the late and great Aaliyah (God Bless her soul- IMHO most talented female singer) or in this almost too perfect song and video, “Down Low” featuring Ronald and Ernie Isley. The music and beat is excellent and the video itself plays out like a mini-movie.

If there’s one thing rappers and R&B musicians know how to do, it’s create these sort of mini-movie videos which draw you in. When do you ever see that in rock videos? Only one comes to mind off the top and that’s Guns N’ Roses priceless epic “November Rain,” where it’s clear a story is being told. Such is how the crazy mind of Axl Rose works. Their videos were always top notch but that one stood out.

Anyway, I happen to like this one from R. Kelly and of course it turns out pretty sad but predictable. :-(  Kudos to the whole production team because it’s outstanding and still is fun to watch:

R. Kelly: “Down Low”

Note: There have been many funny videos mocking the R&B star for his history. Maybe I’ll link some up later.

In all the years since Doctor Dre and Snoop Dogg teamed up to make the awesome Chronic album back in 1994, I’ve never seen the video for the self-named album. Of course, more popular hits such as “Dre Day,” “Ain’t Nuthin’ But A G Thang” and “Let Me Ride” have been seen all over the TV and heard on the airwaves and for good reason as they are freaking dope as hell.

However, I always took a liking to the “Chronic Outro” as it just had that cool funky sound with RBX, The Lady of Rage, Daz, Ruben, Jewell and Emmage singing about getting messed up smoking weed.

Sure enough, when I finally got around to checking out the hidden video, it’s pretty damn good. There’s something about the words, that special plant and blunts along with comical pics and commentary which really works in this P-Funk track.

Yeah. They got it right.

“Make it The Chronic. I wants to get funked up!!!!!”

See for yourself the underappreciated track from this masterpiece:

Doctor Dre: “The Chronic Outro”

As an added bonus video, how about one from the legendary 2Pac on the subject. I still feel this was one of his best as the beat and lyrics are smooth as ever:

2Pac: “Smoke Weed All Day (Rather Be Your N-I-G-G-A)”

Peace out.

George Carlin has been gone over a couple of weeks and it still seems weird that we won’t get to see the legendary stand-up comedian do one of those HBO specials anymore.

For myself, the New York born Carlin was the best in the business and a true innovator when it came to delivering routines which could make the audience laugh and appreciate his warped sense of humor. This man to me was much more than a great comedian but also a very smart individual who made us think about things in a way we never really considered.

Since his passing at the age of 71, the man who dominated like no other on stage for better than four decades has been seen on HBO where the network has reaired most of his acts. Whether it was “Back In Town” or “Life Is Worth Losing,” he always made me come away with a big smile on my face. I can recall watching a few of his specials in the wee hours of the morning after a night out with friends where I had too much to drink. There I’d be though hungover and still able to laugh at his jokes because they always made me feel better. 

Some might not have gotten his act which over the years became a more negative portrayal of the public and America in general. Was he really off tangent though? If you sat on the couch and watched closely, he was giving a reality check to Americans about what’s happened to our country.

Is it still great? Absolutely. Does it make me a traitor if I believe that much of what Carlin said was true and made me view the good ‘ole USA very differently than when I grew up here in NYC? I don’t believe so because like many, I’m old enough to formulate an opinion. It is this respective blogger’s belief that the comic brought up some very interesting observations about the hypocrisy of this country. 

Whether it’s electing a new President only to then complain about the job they’re doing later or hitting home with why so many kids today are bigger and heavier than before due to the surroundings, he had a way like few with words at really stating the obvious but in terms most of the media would never dare say.

Perhaps that explains how during one of his earliest and most infamous act, “The Seven Words You Can’t Say On TV” he was arrested for having the audacity to recite those dirty seven. Was it really that bad or was the country back then afraid of its shadow? One way or another, we all grow up and the vast majority wind up using those words as bad as it sounds.

This radical thinking might not be how I was raised or most of us but sooner or later, we’re all going to be exposed to them. I can recall being a naiive kid who believed in all this country had to offer. Not anymore. I’ve learned that you can’t trust the government. The same one we help elect.

Which brings me to one of my favorite Carlin moments via YouTube. In this video which I recall seeing back in 1996, he states why he doesn’t vote and gives pretty good reasons. I’m sure many have seen this but it’s worth watching again. Especially from a fallen legend who truly got it.

So enjoy a legendary comedian who might be gone but will never ever be forgotten:

George Carlin- Voting

RIP George. You’ll be missed but your legend shall live on.