Okay, the CD that currently occupies the box is the new Northern State album, All City. Yeah, I hear ya: “Demetrius, you live in Atlanta, the Dirty Dirty. You’re from the same city as Goodie Mob, Lil’ Jon and the East Side Boys, Little Scrappy, T.I., and all that is crunk. Why are you listening to three white girls from New York?” Well ,it’s nice to hear a difference perspective. I miss the fun rap. Sure, the gangsta rap was cool for awhile, but you can only hear about women, guns, drugs, and money for so long. Not because it’s so called offensive material to me, but it’s been done over and over so much that it’s boring. People need a change of pace. Like Outkast, Mos Def and Kayne West, Northern State is a great alternative for rap fans who don’t drive Escalades, carry guns, or smack their women around.

Back to the actual album. Northern State managed to get three cool producers to help out,DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill, ?uestlove from the Roots, and Pete Rock. Great beats help them out. Hesta, Sprout, and Spero has improved a lot since their indie release, Dying In Stereo. They remind me of early Beastie Boys. I know that they are probably sick of hearing that, but I think that it’s a compliment. Sure, they are not at the level of a Nas or an Eminem or a Tupac or a Biggie yet, but they have the potenial to be. Like I said, it’s nice to hear people having fun, you know? There’s room for females in rap. Not too many good ones now. The only cool established female rappers I can think of are Lil’ Kim.There is hope. Anyway, different is good. Who knows? Maybe you’ll actually share this one with your friends.

Going to politics: On the ballot in the Peach State this Election Day is whether to make outlaw homosexual marriages. Needless to say, I’m going to oppose the amendment to make homosexual marriages. First off, I’m tired these conservative jackoffs who want to bitch and moan. One of the purposes of the government is to protect us from harm. Tell me how homosexual marriages deny me of life, liberty, or property. What? Sanctity of marriage? When us breeders have a 50% divorce rate? What? Because God said so? It is not the government’s job to compel the citizens to comply with YOUR moral standards, okay? That’s why I hate the American Family Association for dissing Desperate Housewives and all these other conservative, right wing assholes who think that it’s their duty to save us from moral decay. Bite me! Why can’t people let people live their lives in peace?

So it’s the Red Sox and the Cardinals in the World Series. I love the Red Sox because they got the New York Yankees out of it. I’m so damn tired of the Yankees. Yeah, some of that comes from the times they clean the Braves’ clock in the Fall Classic. Just to show you how much Atlanta hates the Yankees, the café I went to erupted in applause when Boston won game four of the ALCS. Every single person. Of course, I dig the Cardinals, if for no other reason, because they knocked the team out of the running who knocked the Braves out of the running this year, the Houston Astros. So I guess I’m a bit torn. I do expect a good set of games though.

I usually don't give a crap about meeting celebrites, but there is one exception. George Carlin. I totally believe is one of the few bright rays of hope to the entertainment industry in specific and humanity in general. You can probably find a lot of my beliefs within his albums and books. I just got to meet him and shake his hand.

He's in Atlanta for a book signing for his new one, When Will Jesus Bring The Pork Chops? I think that I was the only black guy there. In fact, I WAS the only black guy there. I think even George was taken a back a little after he signed my copy.

I shook his hand. " Hi.", I said. They bussed me in." He laughed a little. I continued. "You are my favorite comedians. I've been listening to you since 1980, which explains a lot about me"
"Well, hopefully it will explain some of the good things." I thank him again. "Stay cool," he said as I left. That was it, but it was cool. I know that I was grinning like a dork, but there are few things
that make me sincerely happen. One of those things is George Carlin and his message. So there ya go.

Picked up the new Mos Def album, The New Danger. It's the best rap album that I've heard in a long time. Actually, I wouldn't call it a rap album. Mos has seem to fused punk, R&B, blues, rock, vocals, and rapping to make a serious, articulate album. Yeah, don't let the parental advisory stick fool you. Tracks like Close Edge and War and The Easy Spell will snap you out of that. Hell, even Rolling Stone gave it a four out of five. Nice to see that Mos Def stopped the acting thing long enough to drop some skills. I highly recommend this one.

Got my absentee ballot today. I get to vote early as to which guy I think should be president. Who are they kidding? You don't get to vote for President. You get to vote electors that willl vote for President FOR YOU. Yeah, 99 times out of 100, the electors vote the way the popular vote swings. However, they don't have to. Usually, I vote libertarian, which I consider myself to be. You know, that party who believes that you should be able to do as you please as long as what you do doesn't interfere with the rights of others to do the same? This time, however, I can't risk it. It's sad. I can't vote for the best candidate. I have to vote for the best candidate that can get rid of President Dubya. Fuck your politics. The fact that he can't even admit to make ANY mistakes is scary. I'm sorry, but when I look at the current occupant of the White House, I see a stubborn, silver spooned moron. People say, "What a man of moral and conviction." These people are obviously mentally ill. Oh well, it's your country.

Listening to a Sheryl Crow CD. Call me crazy, but Leaving Las Vegas reminds me of Reno. I guess basically because I lived in Reno and never been to Las Vegas. I miss Reno. I miss it a lot these days. On the other hand, All I Wanna Do is a good, upbeat song. Makes me happy when I hear it. Plus it would be cool to sit in a bar in Los Angeles drinking beer at noon on a Tuesday.

Vicki is one of my best friends. We met when we were both at the University of Georgia. We didn’t hit it off at first, but we did manage to bond. I can’t explain how it happened. I don’t even know how it happened, but it did. Like Clarissa when she was around, Vicki also gives me unconditional love. She is one of the few people that I can tell something to and not worry about being judged or yelled at. Call it crazy, but it seems that of the pillars of our friendship is in swapping weird and strange stories from our lives. It makes us both feel somewhat normal. It’s like saying, "Look, I have problems, too. You’re not the only one." I spoke to her on Tuesday night, trading war stories over the phone. She suggested that I take a trip to where she lives, which is on the beach in Florida. Her house is on the beach facing the Gulf of Mexico. I goof on Florida. A lot. I’ll have to visit her. "The door is always open for you here", she said. It’s comforting when you have friends like that.


I’m still shaking the death of Rodney Dangerfield. I give the man props. He was one of the funniest comedians ever. I dig Back to School and Lady Bugs. Hey, I even liked Rappin’ Rodney! You can’t deny his sense of humor and timing. I think that the best tribute of him was on Saturday Night Live, where St. Peter was asking all these question to Rodney. Rodney answered with his responses that we all know and love. Rodney asks, "So do I get in?" Peter says yes. Rodney ask what was with all the question. Peter replied, " I just wanted to hear those jokes one more time." Incredible. I think that wherever he is, he is getting some respect.


I’m behind and disappointment regarding all over newsworthy items. No, I didn’t catch the second debate. I will try to catch the third one. My Georgia Bulldogs last over the weekend as well as the Atlanta Falcons. The Braves continue the streak of postseason chokes and are out of the playoffs.


George Carlin’s new book is out today! Woo hoo! Carlin is one of my favorite comedians. He’s doing a book signing in my city next week. Woo hoo! I think that the reason I dig Carlin is that we have the same point of view regarding humanity in general: We, as humans, are just playing out the string in this so called civilization. That, and the world is interesting and (at times) amusing if you emotionally detach yourself from it. More than likely, I’ll be Carlin in another 30 years. Sorry, but I’m getting more pragmatic as an older pup.

Watched the debate between President Dubya and Senator Kerry. It was very interesting to say the least. I think Kerry had it on lock. Dubya spoke a little better than he usually did and a couple of good points (like saying that the war on terror should be multifaceted). However, Kerry had direct, articulate answers to every question. The only thing that Dubya was saying is that
tired old mantra that the right wing has been trying to pin on Kerry: Being a "flip flopper". For whatever reason, that pisses me off. Maybe it's because it's an ad hominem attack and really doesn't cover the issue that need to be debated. You run that crap long enough, people will start to believe. I can talk about the hunt for Mr. Bin Laden and the formation of the 9/11 commission alone to show how much of a so called flip flopper Dubya is. I was yelling at the television so much that I will probably be hoarse tomorrow. The fact is that Kerry was more prepared and articulate and Dubya was unprepared and, in a way, acted very smug and arrogant. That's what I got right now. Off to bed.