The Crack Report: Supreme Fall '09

I dig all the cool accessories and the varsity jacket is a beast. Supreme gets better each season.

-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com

Dope Or Nope: Pac Div "Mayor"

I've been hearing about Pac Div for some time but never had taken the time to check out their music. I was kicking back watching MTV Jams the other day and caught their new video for Mayor. From the sound of the beat I thought the joint was a Cool Kids record, but Pac Div definitely has a more West Coast flow. I dig the track. Is it Dope or Nope?

-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com

Random Question of the Day: Child Support Edition

In the rare case that two people are separated and the father is awarded full-custody of the child, should the mother pay child support?

The question comes after actress, Anne Heche said the following about the $3,700 per month she pays to her ex husband for their 7 year old: "He goes out to the mailbox and he opens up the little mailbox door and goes, 'Oh! I got a check from Anne! Oh! I got a check from Anne! Yay!'"

Thoughts????

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

Major Fail: Atlanta Edition

Look at this sign closely. This sign that sits in the center of the AUC, and just blocks from the Morehouse College campus. See it yet? For those of you who don't see it, Martin Luther King Jr. has a street in just about every city. However, Marin Luther King Jr. doesn't have a street anywhere but minutes away from the very college that the man attended, in the city that the man was born.

The city of Atlanta says the sign will be fixed within the next 48 hours. So before it's taken down...before the spellchecked version is placed at the corner of Marin Luther King Jr. Drive and Vine Street, I wanted to let Atlanta know, they FAILED!

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

CRACK Track!!

Drake "Forever" ft. Kanye West, Lil Wayne, & Eminem

Even though this track isn't exactly "new," (Drake and Lil Wayne did this song a while ago), this version has the internet going bananas! Slated to be one of the featured singles off of the upcoming Lebron James documentary, More Than A Game, the track features an all-star lineup of Drake, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and most surprisingly, Eminem. Sidebar: Look at Lebron trying to be like Kobe Doin' Work...clown please.

My personal opinion, Drake did what Drake does. The boy can spit, but I gotta admit, the monotone flow [See: Drake, Big Sean, Charles Hamilton, Asher Roth, etc.] just doesn't do it for me. Kanye, my gosh I'm glad to hear him rapping again. I banged 808's as much as anybody, but it was time to get 'Ye back doing what he does best, flame spittin. Lil Wayne just aint doing it for me on here. He's never been known to really stick to one topic, but his features used to crush everybody on the song; this however, is just ok. Eminem kicked major ass on here. A lot of folks are thrown by his sped up flow, but I loved every second of it. Say what you want about him, but the boy is a rapper.

What do you think of the song?

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

Who Still Reads XXL?

Apparently a lot of you, because while magazines like The Source were going bankrupt a million times, and Vibe and King were getting shut down, XXL is thriving right now. The new issue features Jay-Z on the cover and proposes the question, Is Jay-Z Bigger Than Hip-Hop?

Pick up the new XXL on newstands now!

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

Sen. Edward Kennedy Dies At 77

Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, brother of John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy, has died after battling brain cancer. Edward, known to most as "Ted," was the last surviving brother of the storied Kennedy Family. He served the third longest Senate term in history, having been a member since 1962.

Kennedy was a liberal icon, and an avid supporter of President Barack Obama.

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

They Don't Sing Like This No More

Silk "Lose Control" (live)

Since I'm usually disgusted with most of today's R&B, I like to comb YouTube looking for older alternatives. Thought I'd share this and take folks back to a day where you had to know how to sing to get a record deal. It gets CRAZY at 3:16.

Enjoy!

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

Who's Ready For...

Blueprint 3! In a little less than three weeks, Jay-Z will release the highly anticipated (though only moderately anticipated by me) next chapter in the Blueprint saga. Personally I wish he would change the name, like right now. The first Blueprint had so much soul, and such a connection between the artist, the music, and the lyrics, that it was arguably recognized as the best album in Hov's catalog.

The appropriately underrated Blueprint 2 should have served notice that the original Blueprint name was too delicate to be tampered with. It's detail was too intricate, and to title something under the same umbrella was to draw expectations of perfection. The Blueprint 2 was far from it, and from the songs that have leaked recently, the Blueprint 3 won't be too far behind.

I am one of the biggest Jay-Z fans, but I'm a firm believer that greatness should be left alone. Blueprint had one feature (Eminem, finding his spot perfectly on Renegade). Blueprint 2 & 3 both have enough features that they may have been better off titled Roc La Familia 2 & 3. I'm hoping for the best when this album drops, but right now I feel like Jay is on the verge of dropping a Blueprint title with Kingdom Come content; a few dope songs surrounded by a bunch of uninspired radio tracks.

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

One In A Million...

It doesn't seem like it's been 8 years since 22 year old singer Aaliyah and eight others died tragically in a plane crash on August 25, 2001. Recognized for her unique style and undeniable talents, Aaliyah was one of the great solo R&B artists of our time. She was also one of the first female performers since Janet Jackson to really incorporate dancing into her performances and music videos, inspiring artists like Ciara and Keri Hilson. From her first album in 1994, to her posthumous final release, Aaliyah was one of the rare artists to carry her music through two different era's.

Aaliyah's impact on music will never be gone or forgotten. R.I.P.



-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

New Video: Jay-Z "Run This Town" feat. Kanye West & Rihanna

What do you think of the video/song?

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

Listen Up: JR Get Money "Choosing You"

Check out the new track "Choosing You" from Atlanta based artist JR Get Money. The track is produced by Detroit native Tim Bosky. If you like "Choosing You" check out more about JR at www.myspace.com/jrgetmoney, or you can search him on YouTube.

And make sure you stay looking out for new tracks by Tim Bosky coming soon.

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

Random Question of the Day: Domestic Edition

Do you think its a good idea for couples to live together prior to being married?

Bonus: If you do move in with a boyfriend/girlfriend, do you automatically assume that the two of you will get married?

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

You Should Be Here: The Introduction

Fli Pelican Clothing will be having a launch party on 8.22 here in ATL. This will definitely be a Fli event. For more info, check out www.flipelican.com

-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com

Shawty Is A Teeeeeeeeeeeeennnnnnnnn: Amerie

Amerie is making her way back in to the music scene with her new single "Why R U", but from the looks of this picture, she may have a career ahead of her in modeling.

-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com

Redemption...

In a move sure to bring about legions of both critics and fans, the Philadelphia Eagles signed Michael Vick to a 2-year contract worth up to $9.8 million with player options and incentives over the course of the deal. Vick, once the highest paid player in the NFL, has since been tried in a federal dogfight case, served 23 months in prison, and was forced to file for bankruptcy.

There will be plenty of detractors and protestors who say that Vick shouldn't have gotten reinstated, or signed to a professional team. I personally am not one of them, and I applaud the Eagles for taking a chance on Vick, and being willing to embrace the backlash that will come the very second he puts on a jersey.

Vick can not participate in team activities until the regular season starts and Commissioner Roger Goodell said he may not fully reinstate Vick until Week 6 at the latest.

Do you think Vick deserves a second chance in the NFL? Should the commissioner fully reinstate him sooner than Week 6?

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

Bad Move Wayne...Bad Move

Lil Wayne is facing a little heat about this new song. His new mixtape song "Whip It LIke A Slave", which features Atlanta based group, Dem Franchize Boyz, has brought out critics by the masses. As obviously out of line as the song title is, the songs hook takes it to a different level:

I wake up in the morning, take a sh**, shower, shave/ Stand over the stove and whip it like a slave/ I whip it like a slave, I whip it like a slave/ Stand over the stove and whip it like a slave/

Weezy's verse doesn't help matters much either making various references to slavery, fictional slavery (Kunta Kente...Roots), and anything else coonish. Journalists, music editors, bloggers, parents, fans, and non-fans, have been on fire about the song. I first heard it on the radio, and folks were calling in heated.

What do you think about the song? Does Lil' Wayne deserve the critical backlash he's receiving?

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

George Soros Cares, If Don't Nobody Else Care

Nearly 900,000 children throughout the state of New York will receive some financial relief going into this school year. Thanks to a $35 million donation from billionaire George Soros, children aged 3-17 whose families are currently on welfare and receiving food stamps, will receive $200 for back-to-school supplies and other necessities.

Said Soros, "We're in the most serious recession since the end of the Second World War and exceptional times require exceptional measures, In a way it's an invitation to others who can afford it to step up and do more."

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

Tweet This...

For everyone who swears Twitter is the best thing since birth, and every other social media site is a thing of the past, Facebook is now the fourth largest website in the world behind Google, MSN and Yahoo. Consider that for a moment..this social media site, where people post embarassing pictures, get fired based on status', and try their best to meet dating prospects, is now bigger than Amazon, eBay, MySpace, and whatever else.

Don't believe me? Click here

-Ant

ant@theantandmikeshow.com

Clinton is Committed to Africa's Promise

It is great to see the U.S. taking a proactive approach to aligning with Africa. Clinton x Obama = Team Africa, LOL.

-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com

Photography Meets Illustration

I know I am a little late but I dig the concept of the August/September Style & Design issue of Complex. Noted illustrators/artists SO ME and Augor created intense visuals to coincide with the cover subjects - Keri Hilson & Kid Cudi. Check out the photos and some behind the scenes footage below.



















































































-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com

No More Pausing for Pictures

Sony has revolutionized the art of capturing a drunk group photo at a house party. The recently announced Party-Shot Personal Photographer is “an innovative camera dock that pans 360 degrees and tilts 24 degrees, automatically detects faces, adjusts composition and takes photos for you.” The days of ducking out of photos will be a thing of the past. Facebook blackmail at its finest.

The Party-Shot is compatible with Sony’s new DSC-WX1 and DSC-TX1 Cyber-Shot cameras. Cop your Party-Shot starting in September.




















-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com

New Joint: The Clipse ft. Pharrell - "I'm Good"

This may not be the strongest single, but this song goes hard. I guess The Clipse are forever destined to be an underground act with a strong following. I just knew that I'm Kinda Like A Big Deal was going to take them to the next level, but hey I guess I can be wrong every once and awhile. Nevertheless, I will be copping their 3rd album, Until The Casket Drops, when it hits stores in October.

-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com

Minorities Make "Cents" of the Economy

An interesting new study by Citi Financial shows an interesting turn of events in minority communities in direct relation to the economic challenges of this current recession. Citi surveyed low to moderate income Hispanic and Africans in communities across the country on their individual perspectives on their finances and the state of the economy. The first cities' data to be released is Chicago. The findings are not only positive, but quite interesting when compared to the national perspective in the same tax bracket.

Taken From Target Market News

Eighty-two percent of the African-Americans surveyed said they believe the economy will improve (48 percent) or stay the same (34 percent) over the next six months.

Seventy-five percent of the Hispanic residents surveyed said they believe the economy will improve (49 percent) or stay the same (26 percent) for the same period.

In comparison, 67 percent of the respondents in the cross-ethnic, national sample said they think the economy will improve (38 percent) or stay the same (29 percent).

In terms of the local economy, 72 percent of the Chicago-area African-Americans surveyed believe that their local economy will improve (22 percent) or stay the same (50 percent) over the next six months. This is similar to the results from the respondents in the cross-ethnic, national sample, 73 percent of whom believe that their local economy will improve (22 percent) or stay the same (51 percent). However, among the Chicago-area Hispanics polled, a full 81 percent believe that their local economy will improve (28 percent) or stay the same (53 percent) for the same period.

Other findings in the study showed that even though African Americans and Hispanics have a more positive outlook on the state of the economy, they are taking the financial changes lightly. Respondents admitted to watching their spending and saving much more closely in this new age.

I personally think that it is great to see the minority communities not taking this recession with a grain of salt. It is definitely a time to focus on bettering our financial health, but at the same time not losing all optimism for the future. It will be interesting to see how other samples from major cities compare to the Chicago sample. Let's hope they follow suite.

-MiKe

mike@thenantandmikeshow.com

New Video: Maxwell "Bad Habits"

Nice video, featuring the lovely Kerry Washington. Make sure you pick up that Blacksummers'night album if you haven't already.

-Ant

ant@theandmikeshow.com

The Crack Report: Kid Robot

Kid Robot has some dope designs for this season. Shouts to Wish for the photos.

-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com

Sneaker Sighting: Air Hoop Structure

-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com

Hot Lids: New Hundreds Snapbacks

-MiKe

mike@theantandmikeshow.com