How $100 Million Won't Make Michael Vick Rich

News broke yesterday that Michael Vick signed a new $100 million ($40 million guaranteed) contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.  From the outside looking in, it seems like he's finally returned to the pinnacle of his sport (at least financially) after doing jail time for dog fighting charges, making animal lovers and the crazy asses at PETA lose sleep (quick sidenote:  am I crazy for thinking less of celebrities that do PETA ads?  Like Nia Long did one of those naked ads and I find her less attractive now.  Not for physical reasons, but because I'm 99% sure she's crazy like the rest of PETA).  But a deeper look in to his financials will reveal the truth:  this $100 million won't make Mike Vick rich (take a look at this ESPN article on the subject).  Vick had to file for bankruptcy during his bid at Leavenworth so the creditors are on his ass.  Compound that with the fact he had to give the Atlanta Falcons $20 million of his bonus back and that makes for a broke football player with a lot of debts.  In his debt restructuring the court put Mike on a strict montly budget, starting with a smooth 10% that goes to various creditors.  That amount goes up the more he makes a year, so that'll turn into 40% once he gets his new paycheck.  He has allowances for other expenses, such as his mortgage, private school for his kids, and support for his ex-girlfriend and their child together.  After all is said and done, Vick has a personal allowance of $3750/month.  To the average joe that's a nice haul (especially after taxes) but when your contract is for $100 million that ain't shit....thats .27% of what he's supposed to make per month (given he earns the whole $100 million).  To go even further, if he just earns the base $40 million, he'll still owe his creditors.  So for all of you all that think that Michael Vick shouldn't be making millions for what he did to dogs, the reality is he isn't doing much better off that most of us.  Meet Michael Vick, the only man in American that NEEDS a $100 million contract.

-Dub

What I'm Listening To: Big K.R.I.T.-The Vent

Glad to see this track have a video...this is probably my favorite track off his Return of 4Eva mixtape.  The homie's doing big things...just dropped a mixtape last week and is gearing up for an album from what I heard.  KRIT is one of my favorite artists out right now...dope lyrics and he has stayed humble during his rise in the underground scene.  I'm still hyped from his show in Carrboro in April....IT'S THE RETURN OF 4EVA HO!!!!

-Dub

Ignant Classics: Coo Coo Cal-In My Projects

When I was in high school (and I didn't have baseball practice) my favorite activity was watching Rap City. You know...when they had Big Tigger and had decent interviews with the artists.  Of course I've always had an affinity for ignant ass music...so sitting here one day I figured I'd take a trip down memory lane and share it with my readers.  So I'm starting something new on my blog...Ignant Classics.

Anyone know what happened to Coo Coo Cal? Or did he go the way of all of rap's one hit wonders of the early 00's (i.e. jail, regular jobs, their momma's couch)?   I'm still bugging at how they were playing pool outside...the humidity and cold would have wreaked havoc on that table...but no one cared, it's the projects.  This song taught me one thing:  the hood loves hoodrats.

-Dub

New Big K.R.I.T. Mixtape-Last King 2

Newness from one of my favorite artists out now, the big homie Big K.R.I.T.  Haven't given a full listen all the way through but I'm sure it's pimp tight.  You can download the mixtape here.

-Dub

It's All About The U

For those of you all that follow sports closely I know, like me, are becoming sick and tired of these college football scandals involving improper benefits.  We all know it happens...it isn't anything new and it happens everywhere.  Like I'm supposed to believe that Mario Williams paid for his tricked out Hummer I saw him driving at NC State (hell...it had a Superman logo on the back...I know damn well that isn't standard).  But within the past week there are reports about a improper benefits scandal at the University of Miami (FL) and man...this one might take the cake.  Most of the allegations center around booster-turned-felon Nevin Shapiro who, allegedly, made it rain on the football program with Ponzi-scheme dough.  The benefits ranged from VIP treatments at clubs (drinks included, of course), an engagement ring, cash bounties for on the field achievements, and even one abortion (because we know...football players only believe in pass protection.).  The list of players reaches many current NFLers...even Andre Johnson's squeaky clean ass.  I'll give it to Da U...when they do something they do it big.  Even a negative scandal has their trademark flair.  I'm sure heads will roll but I hope they don't get the football program death penalty SMU received in the 80s.  I've always had a special place in my sports fan heart for Miami...plus there's too much TV money to be lost...I'm sure they'll get smacked by the NCAA but they'll still be able to make that bread.

-Dub

My Take On "Watch The Throne"

So it finally dropped...after months of hype and no pre-release track leaks (further proving that Jay-Z is in the Illuminati), Kanye and Jigga finally released their joint project Watch The Throne.  I've heard many different opinions on the project, ranging from "OMG!! This album changed my LIFE!!" to "Man...it's whack...they didn't go hard enough" and everything in between.  I really dig the album...although I feel like it could have been so much more with the talent present at EVERY studio session, it was by no means whack.  It has substance in places and gets personal on a couple of tracks...here are some of my thoughts on the album overall.

-I've heard/read multiple times but I feel like it's worth repeating:  this album feels/sounds like a Kanye album that's featuring Jay-Z rather than a collaborative effort.  Most of that is due to Kanye producing almsot every track on the album...it has his distinct sound with heavy soul sampling.  Now that's not to say that Jay-Z isn't good and doesn't have his moments, but Ye definitely outshined his Big Brother on this one.  Maybe it's payback for the Diamonds remix?

-Why is that whenever Charlie Wilson features on a track, he can never just be on one song?  Not that it's a bad thing, but it seems like whenever he lays some vocals down he's outside the booth asking "do you need anything else? Another hook?"  From UGK's Underground Kings to Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Uncle Charlie is gonna give you your money's worth with the background vocals.

-Does Beyonce make Jay-Z put her on Roc-A-Fella songs?  The track that she's on doesn't seem to mesh well with the rest of the album.  She was on a bonus track on Ye's last album too...and you know Uncle Charlie was on the hook too belting out them Gap Band goat notes.

-I really like the track "New Day"...we're used to Kanye sharing his feelings (about anything really) but it was refreshing to hear Jay talk how he's sorry to his unborn children for having the papparzzi follwing them already.  If they could get cameras in to Beyonce's uterus I'm sure they would...damn vultures.  That track is in the running for my favorite on the album, but my favorite name has to be "Niggas in Paris."  How you can NOT like a song with that name?  There are going to be many Facebook photo albums with that name soon...

-I know it's been out for a while but HAM is my new cooning out song.  That song gets you turnt up for no apparent reason.

-And what was that 3 minutes of silence about at the beginning of Illest Motherfuckers Alive about?  Furher proof that Ye is too cool for school.  Placing long pauses all willy nilly...had me confused as hell.

Solid album front to back.  I would encourage you all to go buy it...but I'm sure there are many download links on the innanets so...just give it a listen.

-Dub

I Ain't Your Boy

There's been a lot of testing of the President's gangsta over the past couple of weeks.  Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) said, in regards to the recent debt/budget crisis, that touching Obama was like touching a tar baby.  After that, Pat Buchanan, in a converstation with Al "A Pimp Named Slickback" Sharpton, refered to the President as "his [Sharpton's] boy."  Both of these touched a big, black, militant nerve with me...there has been so much thinly veiled racism and bigotry in our political discourse since Barack was sworn in.  I may not agree with every thing that he is doing, but those of you that are his critics must understand that the president does not and can not do anything by himself.  In today's atmosphere, political acumen is measured by how much you can stifle the other side and pander to your base and not by how well you can make compromises for the better good.  To put it simply:  Congress is so busy hating on each other that it's damn near impossible for anything to pass (see: the debt ceiling fiasco).  Not just pointing the fingers at the Republicans...the Democrats are just as much to blame for the gridlock.

But I digress...even with the nastiness that is inherent with American politics, the racial component at one figure wasn't as strong as its been recently.  Am I to believe that the fact it came along with the nation's first black president was a coincidence?  Let's take the first incident...Mr. Lamborn was pulling the same "the other party's president is at fault for all the problems" card but the fact that he refered to our President as a tar baby was too far....WAY too far.  Now of course he's gonna refer to the fact that the first definition of tar baby was someone that was stuck in a quagmire (a real one...not the giggity one) and not necassarily a black person.  That's like saying that a faggot is a bundle of sticks...but when someone says it you know they ain't talking about no damn sticks.  Of course you know he's going to apologize and say he wasn't aware of the reference.  You can't blame ignorance all the time...the only politician that can get away with that was Dubya becuase he was a plum fool  You can't play the "I don't know card" on EVERYTHING race related.  What made you think it was ok to sign a pledge saying that black children were better off under slavery because they grew up in a two parent household?  What made you think it was ok to photoshop a watermelon patch in front of the White House?  The correct answer is:  there isn't anything that even remotely lets you know that it is/should be ok.

And what would make you think it'd be cool to call the President of these United States of Amerikkka a boy???  That gets under my skin to a level almost too much for words.  To call me a boy...a grown ass man a boy...is a level of disrespect that sends me into a rage that'll make you think that I was listening to every Waka Flocka song.  I'd ALMOST rather a white person drop the N-bomb on me than call me a boy.  Calling me a boy assumes that you're above me in some way, shape, or form and I'm not about that life.  Hell I snapped on a baseball parent in high school because he called me a boy.  Technically? Yes I probably was classified as a boy in any other circle but I'm not about to have a white person call me a boy...period.  Not to say that one person is better than anyone in terms of personal worth, but the POTUS should be someone that you reserve a great deal of respect for.  You can hate their guts and their politics, but you return his phone calls (Boehner).  You don't spread lies about him being a Kenyan muslim terrorist (Trump).  You stand up and salute that man when the motorcade drives by and mumble your true thoughts under your breath.  Some of these politicians are taking this freedom of speech thing too far...I guess that's too much to ask to treat the first black president with the same respect as the others.

-Dub

All Growed Up-Vanessa Baden

This is Vanessa Baden...better known as Kyra Rockmore from Kenan & Kel.  I was watching Teen Nick the other day (that channel is WINNING by bringing back the 90s shows) and got curious as to what she was up to these days.  Man the years have been very kind to her...not like that girl from Family Matters that starting doing porn when her parents spent all of her dough.  Had the biggest crush on her when I was younger...now Kyra is all growed up...

-Dub