“Where The Wildout Kings Are” – Kanye and Spike Jonze – “We Were Once A Fairytale”

Yes I spent my Sunday listening to Gucci Mane, watching football, and ripping and converting this to Vimeo…. and you’re all welcome.

and here is the Quicktime…

Comments to come as soon as I finish this Burr…

The story surrounding this piece’s completion, which was first referred to as a follow up from the alt-pop-art-hop besties’ first collaboration “Flashing Lights” and the accompanying visual to “See You In My Nightmares“, was released to the ‘nets attention at the suprise screening of the short at the Los Angeles Film Festival back in late June. {remember this?…of course you do}

And then there was nothing for four months.  Understandably, “808’s and Cudiflow” has been given an extremely segmented {or as ‘Ye would say, “normal”} promotional push.  So when I heard that Dtrain FX, the VFX house that should also be celebrating with Spike Jonze come Oscar time due to the response that the visually amazing “Where The Wild Things Are” will garner his weekend, was releasing the short in celebration of them being actual geniuses…I thought it serve as a perfect companion visual to WTWTA {kinda like what “Hotel Chevalier” was to “The Darjeeling Limited“} while also giving Kanye yet another bookmark in today’s pop-culture RSS Feed…

I also just watched “Where The Wild Things Are”, and ultimately understand how this was a perfectly conceived cobranding effort from both these dudes.  Both offerings bring the psyche back to the meddling, insecure, ego-driven,  impulsive, easily-influenced, 8 year old in all of us.  The timing and the writing is refreshingly vulnerable.  It’s like little kids television for adults…  Good shit guys.

Why won’t Kanye just let Spike be great?… I mean I can’t front though… I’m only a customer. I’ve already pre-ordered both of Kanhenny’s books… *Yooj shrug*

Glow In The Dark – Released October 20th

Kanye West x Bill Plimpton – Through The Wire – Released November 1oth

Ping respect back to UHTN, Nah, and The Older God for forcing me to class up this post for the visitors. And of course ‘Ye for allowing me to be great.

“Free Shyne.”

This is like a dope episode of a Dick Wolf TV Show….

Anyhow, This is what it is thus far…

“We’re not against blogs. We’re not against bloggers..”

For Release: 10/05/2009

FTC Publishes Final Guides Governing Endorsements, Testimonials

Changes Affect Testimonial Advertisements, Bloggers, Celebrity Endorsements

The Federal Trade Commission today announced that it has approved final revisions to the guidance it gives to advertisers on how to keep their endorsement and testimonial ads in line with the FTC Act.

The notice incorporates several changes to the FTC’s Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising, which address endorsements by consumers, experts, organizations, and celebrities, as well as the disclosure of important connections between advertisers and endorsers. The Guides were last updated in 1980.

Under the revised Guides, advertisements that feature a consumer and convey his or her experience with a product or service as typical when that is not the case will be required to clearly disclose the results that consumers can generally expect. In contrast to the 1980 version of the Guides – which allowed advertisers to describe unusual results in a testimonial as long as they included a disclaimer such as “results not typical” – the revised Guides no longer contain this safe harbor.

The revised Guides also add new examples to illustrate the long standing principle that “material connections” (sometimes payments or free products) between advertisers and endorsers – connections that consumers would not expect – must be disclosed. These examples address what constitutes an endorsement when the message is conveyed by bloggers or other “word-of-mouth” marketers. The revised Guides specify that while decisions will be reached on a case-by-case basis, the post of a blogger who receives cash or in-kind payment to review a product is considered an endorsement. Thus, bloggers who make an endorsement must disclose the material connections they share with the seller of the product or service. Likewise, if a company refers in an advertisement to the findings of a research organization that conducted research sponsored by the company, the advertisement must disclose the connection between the advertiser and the research organization. And a paid endorsement – like any other advertisement – is deceptive if it makes false or misleading claims.

Celebrity endorsers also are addressed in the revised Guides. While the 1980 Guides did not explicitly state that endorsers as well as advertisers could be liable under the FTC Act for statements they make in an endorsement, the revised Guides reflect Commission case law and clearly state that both advertisers and endorsers may be liable for false or unsubstantiated claims made in an endorsement – or for failure to disclose material connections between the advertiser and endorsers. The revised Guides also make it clear that celebrities have a duty to disclose their relationships with advertisers when making endorsements outside the context of traditional ads, such as on talk shows or in social media.

The Guides are administrative interpretations of the law intended to help advertisers comply with the Federal Trade Commission Act; they are not binding law themselves. In any law enforcement action challenging the allegedly deceptive use of testimonials or endorsements, the Commission would have the burden of proving that the challenged conduct violates the FTC Act.

The Commission vote approving issuance of the Federal Register notice detailing the changes was 4-0. The notice will be published in the Federal Register shortly, and is available now on the FTC’s Web site as a link to this press release. Copies also are available from the FTC’s Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20580.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,700 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Betsy Lordan
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-3707

STAFF CONTACT:

Richard Cleland
Bureau of Consumer Protection
202-326-3088

What’s an FTC?

Sponsored by the Alphabet Boys Blog.

And just like that, blogs are the new ghettos of America.

DOOM x Mos Def x Make A Wish Foundation

Who says dreams don’t come true?

We can see now how YouTube can serve as a beacon of light for little boys whose only waking thoughts revolve around one day meeting their Rap superheroes… Or, in the heart of this week’s Wednesday’s Child, Dante, Rap supervillains.

Dante is a lively, smart, fun loving kid that enjoys playing the drums, playing the rhodes, playing the bass, playing the crowd, and playing himself…{||}.  These qualities, along with Dante’s submission video, were brought to the attention of DOOM, the New York-bred, under bridge-dwelling, creator of the new form of performance art that cult members fans have grown to call ‘Binge Rap’.  DOOM had a couple of minutes to spare while on his zero-city tour, so he decided to stop by and spend time with his biggest fan, little Dante.

Dante and DOOM spent the day reciting Posdnous lyrics, synchronizing their day-glo G-Shock watches, debating on who was the coolest member of Full Force, deciding on which one of the lovelies from Twerk Team they wanted to make their main squeeze, and discovering that they were both allergic to purple Jolly Ranchers.  Dante even mustered up the courage to play DOOM some cuts from his latest album, The Ecstatic. DOOM said it sounded familar.  Good times.

Lastly, right before they went to meet Puff and Jay Electronica at the mall, the two discussed possibly working together in the future.  They juggled some concepts, including creating Hip-Hop’s first 34 track, 17 minute album.  Some of the possible project titles they thought up were:

Definitely Villains

Mostly The Vile Voices

Hear No Evil, See No Evil

These two are going to be friends for a long time, I just know it.  And all this because little Dante just wanted to let his villain know how he felt… a real tearjerker if  I ever seen one.

This week’s Wednesday’s Child was brought to you by the generous folks at Pigeons & Planes

Testing Is For Lames…

Some things just sit with you.  They sit, and they linger, and they dwell, and they fester, and they take showers, and have families, and get into nasty fights with the neighbors, and re-do the kitchen, and switch bodegas,  and become reference points and benchmarks and theoretic ideals for shit that has nothing to do with what they actually are …nor were ever intended to be.

Now its ingrained in your psyche.  Its processed into your culture…and all of a sudden, you gotta respect it.

And it doesn’t take much.  No math.  No science.  You just get caught sleeping.  At one point in its seemingly meaningless existence, you allow the ash from your teetering blunt to overstay its welcome just long enough to fall on a small—yet prominent— corner of your galaxy.

Now you have to change….damn.

But just as your focus turns towards your saran-wrapped stash of wholesale conformity… it happens.  The zen moment.  That’s when you realize that, as much as you can appreciate the ease and lack of thought required to still stay relevant with the current sensibilities of society, you no longer have to compromise with aesthetics when considering practicality and function as clear priorities. Plus…after a good run…you just think shit got old.

Now anyone who understands the strength of street knowledge can and will understand the swear jar of intention that will be this blog.  By no means am I an expert on anything.  I actually think this will be as consistently inconsistent as the bottom drawer of the dresser. Think 4 parts life, 5 parts history, 6 parts influence, 2 parts inspiration, 3 1/2 parts sweet vermouth, and 1 part that water from Tuck Everlasting.  Chilled. Straight. In a tumbler.  You know…the classics.  That old guy shit.  That shit you order from the fine bartender so she consciously shows you a little more respect than the E&J’rs.  That shit that’s gonna still work either way…today, tomorrow, or next tomorrow.

…shit… I don’t know what I’m talking about…

…but when in doubt, I’m siding with the classics…all day.

Gangstarr – 24-7, 365

“Harold Williams and Sean Combs Are Great Guys.” – Diddy & Dirty Money – “Angels” – {Dir: This Mahfuckuh Hype Williams}

I am a Hype stan.  I will tell you that 10 out of 10 times.   You are going to see alot of some of the same !nughs around here because I simply don’t have time to deal with wild nonsense.  …I wish i did at times…it might be theraputic…but, alas…nope. So I stick to what i know, and I know i like this shit.

I will expound on my straightup father complex with these two within the scope of this post as steadily as need be.

I will also from henceforth be supporting anything Puff puts out in regards to this union.{……..yes hetero}

I still kept the trailer for the archives.

“Guess Who’s The Black Trump” – Raekwon feat. Ghostface and Cappadonna – “10 Bricks” {Prod. by J. Dilla}

I see your Drake, and raise you a ‘Donna…

Isn’t this how it’s supposed to be?  Your favorite rappers leaking {or not leaking..yeahaight} their joints tit for tat.

Is it me, or is Rae turning into the innanets rap bully all of a sudden?  First he was spotrushin’ dudes on they Ustream, now he straight hypeswiped Jay by feeding us with this madness from my favorite Wu trio.  I love it.

And say what you will about Cappa, but The Pillage still gets mucho burn round these parts.

Sidenote: I think we should hereby denote all Dilla beats to the Wu.  Let’s decide on this peacebly before Rae just strongarms them.

Only Built For Cuban Linx II in stores a couple days before Blueprint 3.  Buy it, or Raekwon will come to your crib…thru your broadband connection.

Raekwon feat. Ghostface and Cappadona – 10 Bricks {Prod. by J. Dilla}

one love to OnSmash for the Big Joker

“Sit Back And Watch The Traffic Move” – Jay-Z feat. Drake – “Off That” {Prod. by Timbaland}

I have decided to start posting more music through these here parts.  For street cred. I’ve listened to this seven times, and I am still waiting for Drake’s verse.  You mean to tell me you couldn’t have just had Bleek on this hook. Really?

Timbo has been fien’n for a Hov’over for a couple of bullets now, so it is a refreshing return to the spacepop of yore.  I gotta be honest though, and say that I haven’t really been feeling much of the literal play on “Young Hova” that Shawn Corey has been presenting lately.  It’s like BP3 is setting up to be a “Take Your Rapper To Work” album.

I must say though, especially after going to the NeverLeaveBrooklyn party a couple of nights ago and sneaking into this little treble n bass shindigahoo that was happening next door and zoning to some next shit with 3 shots of Patron Cafe and some of Mother Earth’s best in my system, that I am kind of excited at the fact that within two weeks {internets time} Myrtle Avenue will be swathed with a layer of easy listening with every ‘96 Integra that passes by.

Dear Indian Summer, you know I’m gonna miss you.

Jay-Z feat. Drake – “Off That” {prod. by Timbaland}

“Hovv-Ra The Everliving” – Jay-Z Blueprint 3 Tracklisting

Wait?…. No Bleek?

The presumed final tracklist (and quite possibly rear cover artwork) appeared on Father Time’s site today. It looks like BP3 is gonna be closer to the second installment of the trilogy than the first. Features galore. Here are some of my predictions:

-”Hate” will probably be the most gregarious display of egomaniac greatness that we will hear this year….or at least since “Real As It Gets”.

-J. Cole will black.

-”Reminder” will be my favorite song. I don’t know, Jay is notorious for those late album solo moments.

-Wale and Mickey Factz will commit suicide before their albums are released.

Its pretty apparent that Jay is using this moment to align himself with the “Saved By The Bell – The New Class” “Teen Titans” “Digimon” new crop of rapsters. Kinda wild to think that Jay actually is gaining more from the features than the young guns are (no ChrisNeef-o)

I think it will benefit the old guy though. Hov gets better when he’s got something to prove. And he’s not going anywhere. I can’t wait until my son is on Blueprint 9 going bar for bar with Jay. I know Jay will still be worth a verse in 2029. He’s not the Brett Favre of this rap shit. He’s not the Rickey Henderson of this rap shit. He’s something much more than that….

When Jay gets that young rapper strength…he’s kinda like Mumm-Ra The Everliving of this rap shit.

1. What We Talkin’ About (Feat. Luke Steele of Empire of the Sun) (Produced By Kanye West and No I.D.)

2. Thank You (Produced By Kanye West and No I.D.)

3. D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” (Produced By No I.D.)

4. Run This Town (Feat. Kanye West and Rihanna) (Produced By Kanye West & No I.D.)

5. Empire State of Mind (Feat. Alicia Keys) (Produced By Al Shux)

6. Real As It Gets (Feat. Young Jeezy) (Produced By The Incredibles)

7. On To The Next One (Feat. Swizz Beatz) (Produced By Swizz Beatz)

8. Off That (Feat. Drake) (Produced By Timbaland)

9. A Star is Born (Feat. J. Cole) (Produced By Kanye West and No I.D.)

10. Venus vs. Mars (Produced By Timbaland)

11. Already Home (Feat. Kid Cudi) (Produced By Kanye West)

12. Hate (Feat. Kanye West) (Produced By Kanye West)

13. Reminder (Produced By Timbaland)

14. So Ambitious (Feat. Pharrell) (Produced By The Neptunes)

15. Young Forever (Feat. Mr Hudson) (Produced By Kanye West)

YN scores another one for the old heads.

Major Lazer – “Pon De Floor” – {Dir: Eric Wareheim}

Yeah…. I’ve been to a couple passa passa joints…. and you can take my basement-party-raised word when I say that, if you have never been to one, you cannot truly understand the double coats of brilliance in this video. I love it. *golf claps*

Skerrit Bwoy is a rockstar in this arena. Using him in this capacity is one of those “genius no-brainer”s that was still an essential decision to make if this movement is gonna get moved.  This is not even the tip of the iceberg of the caliber of output that a progressive stream of powerful and creative visuals for this subculture could generate. This shit, fortunately, is very good.  Eric Wareheim’s stuff always touches my sensibilities………………….{||} that’s a pause.  It’s the moments like this, though, that many an artist are afraid of creating, fearing that their integrity will be compromised by the absence of reality (or in this case, a packed, SouthsideJamaicaQueens Boys & Girls Club). It works here, however, because you get to see the caricatured essence of the crossection in a very intense, yet extremely digestable way…. easy win.

Oh,…and about the music…

I think the Major Lazer  album “Guns Don’t Kill People…Lasers Do” might end up being one of my favorite releases of the year by the time it settles.  If not for anything else, for the sole purpose that this shit makes me want to move recklessly. Move Music for real. I’ve been zoning for a second now… and it’s bittersweet to think that we are at a nook in music and culture where great shit is being built on appropriating music styles traditionally made by minorities and then selling it to white people who normally wouldn’t be caught dead listening to said type of music. But hey, what are you going to do, ya’nahmean‽ I still think the album is straightflav.

And you can’t ever really think that this dude is losin out to two white producer/dj’s. Well you can….but you wouldn’t really.

Now I’m hype. shit….  I have to hit at least like two dagger’fests before the summer dips off.  Can’t wait.