Sunday, October 31, 2010

Tonight I am a Saints fan

As you already know, the Baltimore Ravens are on their bye week so we won't see any game action from them today. The Steelers, however, are headlining the 8:15 Sunday Night Football matchup in New Orleans against the (4-3) Saints tonight.

The sights Saints fans, Ravens fans and many others desire to witness is Drew Brees getting the best of Pittsburgh's stingy defense and the Steelers offense underperforming and keeping the game close.

If the Saints win, Pittsburgh is (5-2) and falls behind Baltimore in the standings because of Baltimore's .5 game lead over the Steelers.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Kanye West- The Joy featuring Jay-Z, Charlie Wilson, Kid Cudi and Curtis Mayfield (Prod. by Pete Rock)




The whole "G.O.O.D Friday" campaign has been simply remarkable. Who would have predicted the weekly series of Kanye West's collaborative and album material to last so long?

Here we are again with another track to add to the list, "The Joy". The combination of Curtis Mayfield sampling and a heavy bassline here is just the sort of work Pete Rock has made living upon. Enoy this laidback groove.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Michael Jackson - 2 Bad (Ghosts)

As we are right on the heels of the Halloween festivities that will transpire this weekend, I would like to resurrect a few "scary" music videos that deserve to be forever remembered.

Do you remember the horror themed short film/ long music video by Michael Jackson that came out in 1997?

Well if not, here is a ghoulish jog down memory lane. Enjoy the great choreography, creepy special effects and most importantly, Michael.

Kid Cudi- Marijuana

 
Kid Cudi's ode to his drug of choice. Link above

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Diddy-Dirty Money- Lovin You No More (Official Video)



Broken objects, shameless plug for Ciroc and broken hearts outlines the theme of Diddy-Dirty Money's video for "Lovin You No More". Yes, Diddy takes another shot at singing but it is more pleasant than past attempts.

Drake is featured on the song and adds a semi-emotional verse to the song.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Lupe Fiasco- The Show Goes On


Sped up Modest Mouse in a Kane Beatz production makes for a very radio-friendly single by Lupe Fiasco.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Common- We can do it now featuring Lupe Fiasco and Jennifer Hudson



Actual song


Behind the scenes of "We Can Do It Now"


The inspirational ode to Chicago by three of the city's homegrown represents Common's return to the hip hop game once again. He hasn't released any new material of his own since 2008 but has been featured in a few songs featuring fellow label mates Kanye West and Kid Cudi.

Lupe Fiasco and Jennifer Hudson slide right in and make the No I.D production sound even better. Hudson opens up with soulful singing and Fiasco has the first verse.

Bye Week couldn't come at a better time.

This week the Ravens are taking advantage of a much needed restoration after seven weeks of hard-hitting, emotional, nail biting football. In the past two weeks the games have been decided in grueling overtimes.

In Foxborough, the Ravens efforts were stalled as Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots endured through 77 minutes of game action to drive down the field and kick a game winning field goal.

Last Sunday the result was different ending with sighs of relief and smiling faces in Baltimore. After being down 17-3 at one point, the Ravens rallied back to grab a 34-24 lead toward the end of the third quarter. The seesaw game ended with Billy Cundiff kicking a 38 yard field goal for the win.

As exhilarating as those types of wins are, the players are beat up and a little drained. Todd Heap has suffered from neck problems the past two weeks starting with the helmet-to-hemet hit delivered by Patriot Brandon Merriweather. He will surely take this week to rest and let his neck pains heal as much as possible before going back to work next week to prepare for the Miami Dolphins.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Nicki Minaj- Check it out featuring Will.I.Am (Official Video)



Nicki Minaj has performed this song everywhere from the VMA pre-show to Regis and Kelly but never had the video circulating  Believe that this video will be shooting up 106 and Park and other countdowns like it.

This version is unedited so the profanity is in abundance just like Nicki Minaj's money (according to her).

So THIS is what Pink Friday will look like.

Was Ed Reed a curse or a blessing?

The long anticipated return of Ed Reed was refreshing and inspiring. A man who had not played in a game since January forced three turnovers and instantly catapulted himself to team leader in interceptions.

Unfortunately the means of the win against Buffalo were not pretty. Buffalo accumulated 502 total yards on offense, 374 coming from Ryan Fitzgerald despite Reed's performance. Fitzgerald so far this year has been an efficient but not dynamic passer. Throwing  Yesterday however he impressed throwing four touchdowns on what was the number three pass defense in the league.

Reed definitely did his part to ensure victory yesterday. One of his interceptions was immediately followed by flea flicker touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Anquan Boldin. Another was returned for 40 yards.

His seemingly effortless but risky forced fumble of  is characteristic of the old Reed. Although the Ravens didn't recover it, the statement had been made.

If Lardarius Webb and Fabian Washington played at the performance level of their pro-bowl cohort, the pass defense would have been much better off but instead they both had a bad day.

Nonetheless Reed's return will be a major benefit in the coming weeks as teams like Miami and Carolina that don't have top tier quarterbacks face the Ravens. He has an opportunity to make up for time he has lost and force the turnovers no one else on the defense has so far this year.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Roster moves prepare team for Sunday afternoon

The Ravens placed Jared Gaither on IR and activated Ed Reed to the active roster. Edgar Jones, linebacker/defensive end and productive special teams player, was released to make room for the linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo who is also returning from the IR list.

A roster limitation was the conflict and Gaither was holding one of the spots while his thoracic hip injury recovered.

Reed's still uncertain return is especially significant because of another injury at his position. Tom Zbikowski will miss action in week seven because of a heel injury he suffered in the Patriots loss last week that has caused him not to practice this week.

Brendon Ayanbadejo was on IR while he recovered from a leg injury but is now back to reclaim his title as best special team player on the team. Unfortunately a versatile player such as Jones was the one who had to be sacrificed however this is not the first time he has been a castoff and will probably return to the team soon.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Donnis- Tonight (Official Video)


Donnis - Tonight (Directed by BBGUN) from bbgun on Vimeo.
Donnis, sporting a stripped shirt, bow tie and fitted cap, gives us the video for one of the five songs on his "Fashionably Late" EP.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Fitzpatrick is better than years past but still not good enough.

Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing a pass against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Photo courtesy of Buffalobills.com

Buffalo Bills starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is his giving best performances of his career posting a 99.9 passer rating in his three games of 2010 but still doesn't pose a formidable threat.

The six year backup had the opportunity to play in ten games last season with the Bills but only threw nine touchdowns and ten interceptions.

This year he has faced overrated defenses like the New England Patriots and New York Jets who supposedly pride themselves on stopping the opponent's passing efforts but don't deliver on that hype and the Jacksonville Jaguars who are a laughing stock that makes quarterbacks and offensive coordinators smile when studying them on game film. The Jets and Patriots are ranked 22nd and 29th in pass defense respectively while the Jaguars fall in at 28 in that category.
Needless to say Fitzpatricks' competition has been less than stellar allowing him to post decent numbers. Seven touchdown passes, two interceptions and 595 passing yards in three games are impressive but inflated figures considering the stats listed above.

This Sunday he faces the Baltimore Ravens who are sitting at number three in pass defense and allow 175 passing yards/game.

Besides allowing Kyle Orton of the Denver Broncos to throw for 314 yards, the team has otherwise kept "name brand" quarterbacks in check. Last week Tom Brady led the Patriots to victory but in a gritty fashion throwing two interceptions, one thrown to Chris Carr in the beginning of the third quarter and one thrown to Ken Hamlin at the end of the fourth quarter.

Even though still tentative, the return of Ed Reed would be a huge confidence booster for the rest of the defense who may feel more liberated to take risks knowing they have a player of Reed's caliber standing behind them (literally).

This is the bad news for Fitzpatrick who has neither lost or won games for his (0-5) squad. I expect Fitzpatrick to use his mobility to make a few plays but not enough to worry anyone sporting a purple bird on their helmet.

Crooked I- Hard in the Pain freestyle featuring Joell Ortiz


One half Slaughterhouse, the underground supergroup, bought 4 Lokos and hopped in the booth to spit freestyles over Lex Luger's "Hard in the Paint" beat. This song is the eleventh installment of Crooked I's weekly Hip Hop Weekly Reloaded series.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Ed Reed is back on the practice field.



It's often an exaggeration when the return of one player stirs a lot of excitement but Ed Reed's return to his rightful starting position at free safety in the number three total defense in the league is completely justified.

Above is footage of Ed Reed practicing with the defense for the first time since the 2010 playoffs. Besides yelling advice from the sidelines, Reed hasn't been close to game action so I expect him to have rust and may get beat over the top one or two more times than normal but it is all apart of the recovery.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Asher Roth and Nottz- Dontcha wanna be (My Neighbor)



I almost thought it was an old episode of good ole' Mr. Rogers neighborhood but in fact it is something just as good. Asher Roth on the mic, Colin Munroe on the chorus and Nottz on the rapping on his own drums/loops. The pleasant ode to the places Asher Roth and Nottz call hometowns is some of the most calm underground hip hop out right now.

Monday, October 18, 2010

The Ravens could've had that one

Well here we are, the day after a 23-20 loss to the New England Patriots that can be attributed to a complete, winning performance by the Patriots and a lack thereof by the Ravens.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Quick note on Ravens game.

I just want to reassure you that no two games are exactly alike. Last time the Ravens and the Patriots faced the result was a blowout in the Ravens' favor. Baltimore shot out of the gates with the sensational Ray Rice touchdown run and a forced fumble by Terrell Suggs. We probably won't see that again.

The Ravens are not forcing turnovers at a rate comparable to the past. Ed Reed is not playing but neither is Randy Moss. Personnel changes and power realignment will bring an exciting game today.
We will witness a closer game whose victor will not turnover the ball, limit penalties and score when the opportunity is present. Brady without Randy Moss will generate points on this young defensive back group and Flacco accompanied with a envigorated run can do the same to the Patriots defense.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Rihanna- What's my name? featuring Drake



No this isn't an error. Drake and Rihanna have done a song together for Rihanna's upcoming album called Loud. The track is brought to by the same folks who produced hit singles "Irreplacable" and "Rude Boy" for Beyonce and Rihanna respectively. Listen above.

The Ravens will be alright on Sunday

The Patriots are the number one scoring offense in the league but the Ravens who have performed well on defense this season will give the Patriots hassle, limit the Patriots' big play yardage and allow the Joe Flacco and the offense to score enough points to win.

Rick Ross- I'm not a star (Official Video)



Music video for the intro track on Rick Ross' acclaimed Teflon Don album.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Nottz- The Cycle featuring Joell Ortiz



Virginia producer turned rapper Nottz and Joell Ortiz rap about the vindictive cycle of hustling over piano loops. Not a fan of Joell trying to sing like he's the sixth member of Bone Thugz and Harmony but regardless I'm still a fan.

Are any other players on the Ravens PUP list ready to return?

Linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo is currently on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list and will have the option of reuniting with his team next week or sitting out the rest of the season on the Injured Reserve list. In the season and four games he played with the Ravens he impressed every one with his speed, agility and sure tackling.


The 34 year old veteran is best known for his pro bowl worthy special teams play. Thrice he went to the pro bowl as a special teams gunner, twice while he was Chicago Bears and once as a Raven (2007, 2008, 2009).

Before the gruesome injury he suffered last year in the week four game in New England, he was transitioning into the playmaking linebacker the Ravens have desired to put next to Ray Lewis. While covering a kickoff Ayanbadejo had his legs pinned beneath another player on field tearing his left quadriceps. The next day he underwent season ending injury.

Reports that Ed Reed is feeling physically refreshed confirms the idea that he will be returning from his requried six week absence but Ayanbadejo's return is not nearly as certain.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Yelawolf- I Just Wanna Party featuring Gucci Mane (Official Video)



Yelawolf's dark, Gucci Mane assisted club banger. Wolf's energy and rapid flow brings the beat to life. Gucci Mane's verse is not featured in the video but his ad-libs do more than enough to state his presence.

BET added to their collection of award show cyphas last night

Although the amount of star power was poorly distributed, the cyphers on BET's Hip Hop Award Show were mildy entertaining.

The most anticipated of them being the G.O.O.D Music cypha that featured each of the rappers signed to the label, Kanye West, Common, Cyhi the Prince, Big Sean and Pusha T but I didn't see it as the most intriguing.
The cypha with best concept was the Father/Son cypha with Ice Cube and his two sons rhyming alongside Rev Run and his two sons. It is so comical to hear the difference in both families rhyming styles. The Cube family tree was so liberal with their profanity and gangsta lingo. Each of the rappers in the Simmons family was unique but didn't step too far outside of their reputation.

Watch and decide who the most cunning, slick-tongued rapper of this cypha was. If you ask me, Rev Run reminded the world why he's irreplaceable.


2111225717
Uploaded by yardie4lifever2. - See video of the biggest web video personalities.

Lupe Fiasco and All City Chess Club- Im Beaming


A few months ago Lupe Fiasco mentioned something called the All City Chess Club, a collective of talent lyricists varying in age and race. I wrote a small piece about what I expected to come of the group before we really heard anything from them. Read here: http://birdsofpurplefeathers.blogspot.com/2010/06/is-all-city-chess-club-going-to-stick.html

Well here we are with Lupe Fiasco's "Im Beaming" remix featuring Asher Roth, Charles Hamilton, Blu, Diggy Simmons, B.o.B, Dosage, and the Cool Kids. I doubt we hear any other material from all these rappers together but it could be the portal for other exciting collaborations between artists like B.o.B and Diggy Simmons, two who have never worked together before.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Can someone tell me what Deion Branch is supposed to do?


One day after the Patriots trade away Randy Moss to the Minnesota Vikings they trade a fourth round pick away to the Seattle Seahawks for a 31 year old former Patriot who hasn't caught more than 50 catches in a one season since his first year in Seattle in 2006.

He joins the Patriots just in time to face a Ravens secondary that has exceeded nearly all of the expectations set for them. With Branch essentially replacing Moss, the Ravens will have an even better chance of containing the Tom Brady lead passing attack as the new 5' 9" arrival won't pose a serious threat to the rejuvenated Ravens defense.

Now this doesn't mean the Ravens will necessarily win the game because Bill Belichick and co. have had two weeks to prepare for the (4-1) Baltimore Ravens. This move seems to just be an act of desparation by the Patriots organization to get another recognizable name opposite of Wes Welker. I will say that Branch will have a specific role to fill and be expected to perform well or he will be removed from the team just as fast as he was acquired. His performance against the Ravens on Sunday will a chance to evaluate him.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Just a quick reminder... Ray Rice is still on the team


Besides the Ravens defense keeping Kyle Orton from throwing another 400 yard game, the most exciting aspect of today's win over the Denver Broncos was Ray Rice's impressive outing.

Rice got in stride grabbing his first two touchdowns of the year and running for 159 total yards on 29 carries (4.9 yards/carry). He did not have long gain but consistently got through and around Denver's defense that limited Tennessee's Chris Johnson to only 53 rushing yards last week. As Flacco's early game  was waning, Rice took the initiative especially in the red zone where the run game was the only way the Ravens could reach six points.

Now beyond his first four regular season games of injury and above-mediocre performances, Rice seems to be back in pro-bowl form. The 23 year old running back who was second in the league to only Chris Johnson in total yards from scrimmage last season with 2041 has a few favorable matchups ahead.

A well rested New England Patriots is next on the schedule and was allowing 112 rushing yards per game before their bye week. Rice must take advantage of this vulnerability to capitalize on the performance he had today and make the Ravens offensive attack more balanced.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

GLC- Cold as Ice featuring Twista

 

Chicago rappers GLC and Twista join forces to talk about their how they treat their women. The bass heavy beat gives GLC a good trunk rattler for his upcoming Love Life Loyalty album.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Here's a little bit on Josh Wilson.

Even though cornerback Josh Wilson has yet to contribute considerably to the Ravens defense he has earned more playing time and will play this Sunday.

Coach John Harbaugh confirmed that the four year veteran will definitely be active for this home game against the Denver Broncos. Considering how safety Tom Zbikowski is listed as questionable on the injury report, Wilson will probably be next in line run back kickoffs if his defensive counterpart is unavailable.
If you are unaware of Wilson's body of work peep at these stats. During his time in Seattle he has intercepted six passes in his career, three of those were returned for touchdowns. He often played the role of kick returner and as a second year player in 2008 averaged 25.4 yards/kick return on 69 returns. He is dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands, he just has to be given the opportunity.

With Denver's extremely active passing attack on the other side of the field all the talent the Ravens have on the roster including Wilson will be utilized for defending big pass plays.

Broncos "passing" through this Sunday. How formidable are they?

Baltimore finds themselves on a confidence-boosting winning streak after defeating the rival Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh but must host the Broncos' number one passing offense in the league.

If any are worried about this game it's because all offseason fans and analyst have scrutinized the Ravens secondary, labeling it the team's Achilles heel. Today, Baltimore sits as the number pass defense in the league. That credit can't go completely to the improved pass rush some of it must be given to the corner backs and safeties who have given opposing quarterbacks a hard time without Ed Reed.

It's fair to estimate that the Ravens will slow down the Broncos potent passing attack. Kyle Orton has topped 300 passing yards in the pass three games but none of those teams (Seattle, Indianapolis and Tennessee) have done a great job of stunting effective passing teams. Only Indianapolis has kept the Broncos from scoring more than one touchdown in a game. Denver has put up 17, 31, 13 and 26 points respectively this season.

Has Baltimore faced a lot of quarterbacks ranked in the top half of passing yard rankings? No, in fact Carson Palmer is the only one who has faced the Ravens, still managed to land at number five in the league for passing yards and be the only quarterback to defeat Baltimore this year.

Kyle Orton will connect for numerous first downs but in order for Baltimore to win they cannot let them score points. Joe Flacco and the offense will do their part to score points on their defense but Flacco doesn't want to get in a shootout with Orton, the outcome would not land in the Ravens' favor. The key to extending this winning streak is forcing turnovers and scoring off of them. I am confident the Ravens will stick to this formula and earn another victory at home this Sunday.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Lloyd Banks- Start it up featuring Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Fabolous and Ryan Leslie



I guess Kanye West's habit of throwing random guest features on his G.O.O.D Friday songs is addictive. Lloyd Banks has enlisted everyone to hypeman and superproducer Swizz Beatz to A-list rapper Kanye West for this party jam set to appear on his upcoming Hunger For More 2 album. The biggest surprise on this track is Ryan Leslie whose voice can be heard lightly during the chorus. I wasn't sure he would fit in when I saw his name but it works.

It's funny how his G-Unit cohorts are nowhere to found on this track

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Jim Jones- Gretsky (Remix) featuring Cam'ron, Vado and Yo Gotti



Jim Jones' radio ready Lex Luger produced track features Yo Gotti and two fellow Harlem natives Cam'ron and Vado, heavy bass drums and a corny catch phrase.

League moves make Balitmore's race more interesting


Week five’s shocking trades and anticipated returns have shifted the NFL power rankings one again. Where does this leave the Baltimore Ravens?

Monday, October 4, 2010

Never hold Kanye to his word

Remember when Kanye West said he would never appear on SNL again? Well if not, good because last Saturday he graced SNL with two performance, one for his comeback single Power and one for Runaway featuring Pusha T, both with an immaculate white theme and West as the focal point.

If you missed it, here it is below:

Stopping the run again.

I won't summarize what I observed while watching yesterday's game between the Ravens (3-1) and the Steelers (3-1) however the resilient Ravens' run defense rebounded exceptionally well after last week's disgraceful outing against the Cleveland Browns.

Rashard Mendenhall averaged 110 rushing yards per game before yesterday's 1pm home game. Many including myself believed that Mendenhall would gash the Ravens for long runs and make it easier for his quarterback to throw with the play action pass. This was only the case during the Steelers' first drive when a well-executed play action pass set up a deep, 40 yard completion to Antwan Randel-El.
 
Mendenhall finished a relatively quiet day with 79 yards, significantly less than his 143 rushing yard total of the 38-13 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Considering his recent success he posed a serious threat to the Ravens defense. He was capable of taking over the game, converting consecutive first downs and sustaining drives but he didn't.

Of course, had it not been for the Ravens' final storybook winning drive this would be a different story however the defense accepted the challenge presented and stopped the run in a fashion reminiscent of days during there 39 game streak of not allowing 100 yard rusher.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

If ______, the Steelers will win

If the Ravens allow Charlie Batch to establish a rhythm versus the Ravens' secondary, the Steelers will win tomorrow afternoon.

Joe Flacco and the offense will not score many points so the defense must do their part and keep a lid on the Steelers offense.

With Troy Polamalu playing at safety, the Steelers have the best turnover ratio in the league with +6. The Ravens show up on the opposite end of the spectrum with the worse turnover ratio in the league with -6. I can almost guarantee that Flacco will throw at least one interception but I can't guarantee he will lead the offense to the end zone.

Charlie Batch has been unbelievably productive at the quarterback position ever since Dennis Dixon injured his knee in week 2 at Tennessee. He put up three touchdowns and a 106.5 passer rating against the 2-1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Obviously, Tampa's defense is no comparison to Baltimore's number one ranked defense.

Although no one on the Ravens' defense has snagged an interception, they have only allowed a league best average of 116.7 passing yards this year. The biggest vulnerability they possess is run defense, or lack thereof. Last week's efforts against Peyton Hills and the rest of the Cleveland Browns' offense were pathetic, giving up 173 total rushing yards.

Young running back Rashard Mendenhall has already collected 332 yards on the ground in three games, an average of 110.66 yards/game. With Baltimore's run defending weaknesses, Mendenhall will have a generous outing but not like the 143 yards of last week.

Tomorrow spectators will gather in Heinz Field and watch a low scoring game. Neither team is leaps and bounds better and both defenses have pride to uphold so it will be a hard hitting battle of field position and turnovers.

This is why the Steelers will be victorious Sunday afternoon as their defense has thrived on creating turnovers so far this year, running the ball with Mendenhall and tactically using the play action pass to generate big plays.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Chris Brown- Dueces featuring Drake, T.I, Fabolous, Kanye West and Andre 3000

Listen to Chris Brown f. Drake, Kanye West, T.I., Fabolous & Andre 3000

Finally, a remix for the breakup song of the summer. Kanye West, T.I, Fabolous, Drake and Andre 3000 all add their unique styles to make a masterful remix. Good to hear Andre vocalizing like the Love Below days.