Is Drake’s Hometown To Blame?

After his hilarious write-ups of Watch The Throne and Tha Carter IV left readers crying over their keyboards in laughter, Aubrey Graham becomes his latest victim in the review of Take Care.

“As summa yalls already kno…the god aint really no big  fan of the n*gga whose album I’m bout to discuss nahmean,” he begins. “But Imma give this sh*t a unbiased real ass n*gga perspective yo.”

What makes his reviews so great is that they aren’t just funny, they are actually insightful and show that he really pays attention to the artists he rips to shreds. And his Ghostface impersonation is spot on.

1. Over My Dead Body – A forreal….this sounds like the soundtrack to some Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants type sh*t son. I forget who the broad he got singin the hook on this muthaf*cka is…but i think its Renee Zellweger or some sh*t. I feel like Im inside a Barnes & Noble or a Starbucks b… This joint is more light in the ass than the fushigi gravity balls you see in those infomercials at 3 in the mornin son. But yo…how the first words that this n*gga got the nerve to utter on this muthaf*ckin album gon be “I think I killed errybody in the game last year man”? Pardon me son? Word? You mean the same year that Kanye dropped another classic album in…while yo overrated ass uhhh….DID NOT? That year b? You mean the year when n*ggas predicted you was gon do a milli the first week out n you did 450k instead…n then a few days later Eminem dropped n he did like 750k in HIS first week n kept YOU from gettin back to the top of the charts? The same year that Em n Jigga won all the Grammys YOU was spose to take home? THAT year son? Oh.

2. Shot For Me - I dont even know what to say b. Like forreal…after hearin this sh*t…I wouldnt be surprised if this n*gga could pollinate a flower wit his f*ckin breath son. Im pretty sure that son gets up in the morning n plays his harp for his cats n then slides down the muthaf*ckin banister in his satin man nightie n has a full glass of breast milk before he goes to the studio n hammers out some pooned out sh*t like this b. Sons talkin to a broad thru the whole song on some bitter sh*t n at one point the n*gga even says “The way you walk…thats me. The way you talk…thats me. The way you got your hair up…did you forget? Thats me” Son… Thats you? Aight then… But the boy aint done yet yo…at the end of the joint he proposes a toast. This is how that sh*t go…

READ THE FULL REVIEW HERE

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J.Cole

Any Given Sunday # 1

On Sunday, Jul 31, 2011, at 6:59pm, critically-acclaimed newcomer J.Cole released via his own website (www.DreamVillain.net) a 5-track EP titled Any Given Sunday #1. “Every Sunday ‘til the album drops I’ll be back,” Cole proudly proclaimed to his ever growing legions of followers patiently waiting for his debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story due September 27^th this year.

Replete with a classic, young Michael Jordan-inspired cover, #1 is a mix of new and previously released songs and freestyles that offer just a glimpse into the world of the buzz-worthy rookie signed to Jay-Z’s RocNation imprint. Cole’s diehard fans (the ones with his mixtapes The Come Up and The Warm Up already on replay) will rejoice for flow-switching new joints like the upbeat “Like A Star,” which he admits he “was saving this for the 2nd album,” and the melodic sample-driven “Pity,” featuring Omen and Voli, that remind listeners why he’s been so anticipated for some time now.

“Like A Star”

“Pity”

Those needing a late pass are sure to be taken back by the young lyricist’s diverse subject matter, poetic writing flair and unabashed honesty. Truthfully, what make’s the young MC so compelling and refreshing, is his unique ability to articulate his perceptions of himself and the world around him. One listen to previously released joints like “Knock On Wood,” or  “Unabomber,” make it abundantly apparent that in nearly every verse, the Fayetteville North Carolina-native is capable of fluidly switching gears from personal struggle, to news and world events, to verbal braggadocio, to hollering at females, without indulging in the over-exaggeration that has become all too commonplace in today’s hip-hop climate.

At the end of the day though, at just five tracks, Any Given Sunday # 1 merely showcases J.Cole’s potential for greatness, not solidifies it. Only time will tell if he will live up to the hype and actually do Jordan numbers, or end up just another Harold Miner.

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The weather in New York City on Wednesday December 9th was nothing more than cold and uncomfortable, two words I once used to describe Erykah Badu’s last album, New Amerykah: 4th World War.  The album was a rather dark look at the world we live in and at times showed signs of hopelessness.  However, the album Erykah Badu previewed for a group of journalists in Chung King Studios on this frigid night was anything but cold and uncomfortable.

New Amerykah Part 2: Return Of The Ankh is a complete 180 degree turn from it’s predecessor. With much of the same team from 4th World War on board, the album sounds decidedly more organic, relying far less on the digital bleakness presented on 4th World War. Pianos, harps, jazzy drums and percussion all provide an organic backdrop to an album that takes a rather introspective look at a woman in a relationship.

READ: Erykah Badu & Jay Electronica Have Baby Girl

Badu even manages to pay homage to the late Notorious B.I.G. on the songs “Get Money” and “Fall In Love.”  On”Get Money,” her take on shallow women in relationships, she references the Junior M.A.F.I.A. song of the same name while going even deeper to acknowledge Sylvia Striplin’s “You Can’t Turn Me Away” which was sampled on the classic hip-hop record.  “Fall In Love” finds Badu giving a nod to Biggie’s “Warning” where she cautions “You don’t want to fall in love with me / There’s gonna be a lot of slow singing and flower bringing / If my burglar alarm starts ringing” over a fresh sample of Eddie Kendricks’ “Intimate Friends.”

Listen closely to this video of Erykah Badu at the opening of the Kid Robot store in Dallas, TX for a sample of “Get Money.”

The references don’t stop there as Badu goes back to her own past on “Don’t Be Long” where she revisits the hustler theme from Badu-Izm‘s “Otherside Of The Game” and Worldwide Underground‘s “Danger.” Badu explained that the hustler in these songs represents her.

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Badu compared the three-part album closer, “Out My Mind Just In Time” to Mama’s Gun‘s “Green Eyes,” another three-part song that closed that album. The first part features an acoustic piano with Erykah lamenting “I’m a recovering undercover over-lover / Recovering from a love I just can’t get over / My common law other thinks he wants another.” The second part is a rollercoaster where you almost expect Erykah to fall apart by the time it ends.  Badu stopped the song just before the third part by saying she couldn’t give away everything.

“I don’t have any 99 cent singles for you,” Erykah warned the room before the studio engineer hit the playback button. Despite this, Erykah Badu’s New Amerykah Part 2: Return Of The Ankh is the most immediately satisfying project she’s released since Mama’s Gun.

With it’s smooth flow and inviting ambience, I’m already reserving a spot on my Top 10 Albums of 2010 lists for Return Of The Ankh.

Erykah closed the session by previewing another song that she says might not make the album.  “Jump Up In The Air And Stay There” is a heavily hip-hop influenced record that Erykah says features 10 different emcees. Forever the tease, Erykah only played Lil Wayne’s verse and said that the other 9 emcees will be revealed one by one.

New Amerykah Part 2: Return Of The Ankh
1. 20 Feet Tall (produced by 9th Wonder)
2. Window Seat (produced by Erykah Badu & James Poyser)
3. Agitation (produced by Shafiq Husayn of Sa-Ra Creative Partners)
4. Get Money (produced by Erykah Badu, James Poyser, Karriem Riggins and Thundercat)
5. Don’t Be Long (produced by Ta’Raach)
6. Love (produced by J. Dilla)
7. Umm Hmm (produced by Karriem Riggins)
8. Fall in Love (produced by Madlib)
9. Incense (produced by Madlib)
10. Out My Mind Just in Time (Part 1 produced by Georgia Anne Muldrow, Part 2 produced by James Poyser)

Opinions are like Obama T-shirts, everybody has one. So read on to see what the critics and fans around the web are saying-good and bad- about Ludacris’ latest CD, Theatre of The Mind.

Christian Horde at Rollingstone.com says:

Luda’s thundering cadence and pop-wise club jams are strong on “One More Drink,” where he raps that Hennessy plus Buddha “equals you mixed with … Luda.” Dude’s still a fine horn-dog comedian.

Rating: 3 ½ stars

Paul Cantor at XXLmag.com says:

While Ludacris doesn’t exactly stay in character the entire time, he does achieve his overall goal of positioning himself one step closer to that coveted title of G.O.A.T.

Rating: XL

Byron Crawford at Byroncrawford.com says:

At different points on this album, Luda kicks some of the stronger raps I’ve heard from him. But the production is uniformly lackluster. Even the one with Premier would have been way better as a Nas song than a Ludacris song.

Rating: N/A

Elysa Gardner at USA Today says:

Rating: 3 stars (out of 4)

Martin A. Berrios at Allhiphop.com says:

While Theatre Of The Mind has some great moments (“Last Of A Dying Breed”) scattered throughout the disc, it lacks a true cohesion to bring everything together. As the headliner, Luda’s solo act is also limited to only four out of fourteen tracks which ultimately dims the spotlight on his showmanship.

Rating: 6 1/2 out of 10

Alex Thornton at Prefixmag.com says:

The most apparent theatrical aspect of the project is that he’s added an extensive supporting cast. Almost every track has guests, including Jay-Z, Nas, Lil’ Wayne and the Game, as well as celebrities such as Chris Rock and Spike Lee. Each does exactly what you’d expect. There’s nothing wrong with their appearances, but they do tend do distract from Ludacris.

Rating: 7.5/10

Nathan S. At DJBooth.net says:
Theater Of The Mind takes a decidedly action movie turn, with the usually fun-loving Luda seemingly determined to join T.I. on house arrest on a weapons possession charge…Luda’s a legitimately good actor, but even he can’t convincingly pull off playing the action hero.

Rating: 4 ½ out of 5

MagnumOpus at Exclusiverevolution.com says:

Ludacris certainly solidified his standing with the home stretch of the album. On “Last of a Dying Breed”, Ludacris enlists Lil’ Wayne and yanks him away from the autotune long enough to get a great verse from Wayne. Arguably the best track on the album, Ludacris destroys the track and states his case to being top five, dead or alive: “Top 5, damn right but really it just hit me, that 3 of your top 5′s too scared to f*** with me, so how can I advance if you don’t give me no opponents…”

Rating: 4 Mics

The critics have had their say. Now let us know what you think!

Now that you’ve read The Urban Daily’s excellent review of Beyonce’s I Am…Sasha Fierce, see what other sites, magazines and blogs around the web are saying.

Alexis Petridis at The Guardian says:

“You have to be impressed by the ruthlessness with which “If I Were a Boy” homes in on its target market: it does everything to get the recently chucked member of the girls’-night-out party standing on the pub table and singing tearfully along, short of spiking her Bacardi Breezer. Elsewhere, though, they’ve come up with stuff such as Halo, a pallid rewrite of Rihanna’s Umbrella – same icy synths, same drivetime rock dynamic, same repetitive chorus

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Christian Hoard at Rollingstone.com says:

“Though some of the slow songs have thoroughly memorable tunes, the lyrics are full of bland self-affirmation and saggy lines like ‘You’re everything I thought you never were.’”

Rating: 3 ½ out of 5

Mariel Concepcion at Billboard.com says:

“It’s the classic, more timeless R&B songs on the “I Am” portion of the album that seem like a much-welcomed stretch for the singer…”

Rating: N/A

Sal Cinqueman at SlantMagazine.com says:

“I Am…Sasha Fierce is an admirable vie for artistic credibility (and for a last-ditch revival of the long-player format) but one that is muddled by the fact that the album is being offered in two configurations, a 16-track “deluxe” edition and an abbreviated “standard” edition, which reaches its vocal (if not emotional) climax within the first minute of its opening track and ends abruptly with a song about cell-phone porn.”

Rating: 3 Stars

Donald Gibson at Blogcritics.org says:

“In pensive songs of self-examination, Beyonce contemplates her demons as well as her desires with maturity and music to match. Amid an understated, folkish vibe of “Disappear,” she comes to terms with her own commitment issues, at one point conceding to a lost love, ‘I missed all the signs, one at a time / You were ready.’”

Rating: N/A

Glenn Gamboa at Newsday.com says:

“Beyoncé is clearly feeling more lovey-dovey and less bootylicious these days. Such ballads as “Halo” and “Broken-Hearted Girl” are light-years ahead of the sappy glop on “Dangerously in Love,” as B claims some Leona Lewis and One Republic territory for herself. They’re gorgeous radio-friendly fare, but not exactly distinctive.”

Rating: B

Brian at Concreteloop.com says:

” I assumed Sasha would be offering up a flurry of bombastic, techno-driven Europop sounds much like the leak, “Beautiful Nightmare,” which was retooled and renamed “Sweet Dreams” for the album. Instead, Beyonce taps into her more edgy, urban side on tracks like the Bangladesh-produced, Sean Garrett-penned ‘Diva,’ her stab at Lil’ Wayne’s boast and gloat, ‘A Millie.’”

Rating: N/A

Toya at Toyas-World.net says:

“You can give her a Mary Poppins song to sing and she will find a way to make that song contemporary, fresh and cool…”

Rating: 3/5

Leah Greenblatt at Entertainment Weekly.com says:

“The collection might have been better served had she edited it down to one disc, rather than belabor what ultimately seems like a marketing gimmick. And while fans will surely speculate, there’s little in the lyrics that feels more revealing than previous emotional fire-starters such as 2006′s ‘Ring the Alarm.’”

Rating: B+

The critics have had their say, now tell us what you think in the comments section!

Once you hear that classic John Williams theme to open Force Unleashed, admittedly, your heart will skip a beat. Nerds and newcoming fans alike are mystified by the ideology of Star Wars and its classic good-versus-evil tale. In this game, you’ll find that it delivers both. This title represents a serious step forward in storytelling for the famed franchise (probably because George Lucas didn’t write it…).

The artwork is another big proponent to Star Wars success as a video game. Beautiful and lush, the concepts behind the visuals instill the right moods needed in each level. From the junkyards of Raxus Prime to Felucia, coasting through space with the greatest of ease will certainly catch your eyes. You play Galen Marek, aka Starkiller, Darth Vader’s secret apprentice (and Soul Calibur IV cameo player). With the Clone Wars now ended, Vader sends you on the hunt for the last of the remaining Jedi. Multiple plot twists ensue as you interact with Vader and some friendly and not-so-friendly faces, making this game remarkably intimate.

In due time, you’ll grow fond of Marek and his companions, as their moral conflicts carry a lot of weight. You truly feel like a powerful Dark Jedi, equipped with a variety of force powers and lightsaber slashes to make rebels and imperial foes fear you, alike. Bad points are given to developer LucasArts, as they fail to string all this together into one smooth, cohesive gameplaying experience to keep the momentum going. The targeting mechanism which controls the force is problematic, making it easy to grab something other than what you needed and even more easier to throw it at something that what you intended. The game’s camera is also a nuisance, as getting into a smaller space means claustrophobic angles for this third-person action game.

Weird glitches force this game to come off with a variety of mixed results. Boss encounters elicit some larger-than-life sequences that feature all the acrobatics and pain-inducing attacks that you’d expect from a Dark Jedi. But while they require you to pull platforms or bend metal slabs, the buggy application of your force may make that a headache inducer. There are moments of sheer awe that are ruined by a broken feedback system, bringing what should’ve been Force Unleashed’s most exhiliarating level to a grinding halt.

All in all, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is a well-conceived game with its most interesting storyline to date playing itself out on your gaming platform. If you have the strength and will to resist the Dark Side (throwing the game out of a window due to frustration), then this is one to have for anyone who’s a fan of the series and wants to continue to navigate the Lucas universe.

The sixth feature film by Perry chronicles the inner workings of two interesting families that have been joined together by love, lies and lust. Bates play Charlotte Cartwright, a wealthy Southern belle who’s socialite status has afforded her to live the American Dream. Her best friend is Alice Pratt (Woodard) is a working class woman with high ideals. Their families are linked upon the marriage of Pratt’s eldest daughter Andrea (Sanaa Lathan) to new husband Chris (Rockmond Dunbar) as provided by the Pratt family trust.

Perry is blessed with this gifted veteran cast and his Madea-free script allows the cast to blossom in their roles. The plot thickens when Charlotte spoiled son, William (Cole Hauser), engages in an elicit affair with Andrea. Unbeknownst to the audience and both families, the affair is mildly hinted with subtle reference that when executed has mixed results.

In one scene, Chris – an optimistic and hopeful construction worker with dreams of having more – comes to see his wife after finding out that she has some money stashed away. Andrea tries to shoo him out of the office, but her boss, William, comes in to spoil the mood. In a dramatic flair of ego and cockiness, William is assured in his confidentiality agreement with Andrea, Chris’ wife, and even takes time to entertain his whimsical dreams of fancy and forward movement. The joke comes where William says, “Tell my 2 o’clock that I’ll be 15 minutes late,” and the secretary conveniently calls Andrea seconds after the two bosom buddies to let her know that “the boss” will be 15 minutes late.

It is with that where Perry wins. Past moments of brillance in Why Did I Get Married and Diary of a Mad Black Woman hint at Perry’s keen sense at being able to punctuate a moment, but in other times, he allows the joke to run on too long. Dunbar is as blind as Stevie Wonder in his role as Chris and cannot see what seems to be in front of everyone’s face until it’s too late. A clear sign that all the character’s development is not balanced and correlating truly to the story.

But the affairs and dramatics aside, love and faith – two of Perry’s most common themes – are the driving force behind The Family That Preys. Bates and Woodard blend seamlessly as women from two different sides of the coin who come together amidst a secret of grave purportions. Their unifed strength goes against the grain amongst two houses divided.

The softer moments in the film are subdued and provide a much needed balance to the ‘Ooooh, no you didn’t!” moments that are subliminally and overtly filled throughout this movie. Taraji P. Henson plays baby sister, Pam, who’s the spiritual and physical motivator within the Pratt family. But when the fireworks go off, there aren’t too many people who can deliver dramatics quite like Mr. Tyler ‘Madea’ Perry.

All in all, if Perry has the keys to Hollywood – no matter how he got in – they can no longer turn him away and if he continues to make films with such diversity and style like The Family That Preys – he may have converted some new followers.

For more on Tyler Perry, check out our I’m Just Saying… blog.

The controls are the first noticeable tweak on Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2009 that get some instant feedback. A smoothly designed, real-time swing animation and feedback, gives gamers an accurate way of gauging how much power the want to use and where they want to place the ball at on the green. The user-friendly controls make having to have that perfect swing less punishable if not correctly done. In 2009, you can learn how to straighten your swing or even compensate for a lack of one by adjusting your aim with the press of a button.

There are 16 golf courses, which is the same as last year, but the new courses won’t make up for the lack of downloadable content for more courses. Wentworth, Sheshan, Wolf Creek and Bay Hill are recent additions to compliment the excellent placement ofThe Gary Player Country Club in South Africa. As you earn money playing on the PGA Tour, going up against new faces such as, Se Ri Pak and Darren Clarke, you also have other events like driving the ball a certain number of yards, getting a particular score and more in the Tiger Challenge mode.

You can then use the cash to buy gear or increase you skill attributes. A huge downside is that you can’t skip the turns for the CPU golfers. With the same number of courses as last year, you’ll have to filter through some ridonkulously easy to impossibly difficult shots for the best experience. But even if you don’t feel like searching, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2009 newest announcers will have you channel surfing for the real thing, as they’re just as bland as the old ones.

But it’s not all droll and humdrumness, this game’s improved gamernet integration and four-play simultaneous play makes this a fun and extremely addictive game to play. Now, if only Hello, Beautiful and The Urban Daily can put some money down on a tournament, that’s when the fun would really begin.

When you make your trip back home you have to deal with the inquisition from the haters, friends who wondered why you left and dealing with problems that you didn’t even count on occuring. But in Silent Hill: Homecoming (PS3, XBox 360), you can only dream in your nightmares the problems faced in this one. You play as Alex Shepherd, a soldier recently discharged from a military hospital, who’s on his way back home to his hometown of Shepherd’s Glen to investigate the disappearance of his little brother, Joshua, who has – you guessed it – disappeared without a trace.

Sooner than later, you discover that the absence of your lil’ bro is only the beginning of your problems. The number of missing persons pile up to where milk cartons are no longer necessary and the streets are flooded with disturbing creatures that roam the vacant and devastated streets. As Alex, you’ll travel from the yards of Shepherd’s Glen to the eerie streets of Silent Hill, all the while having to fight for your life and the lives of your loved ones.

Homecoming isn’t about running around like a chicken with your head cut off and fighting gruesome monsters that make you wanna throw up — there are plenty of puzzles that’ll keep your mind occupied, as well. Some are pretty simple — find an access code for a keypad; and others are tricky lil’ devils – such as rewiring an electrical fuse in order to turn the power on. Similar to most Silent Hill titles, you’ll have to move from one area to the next in order to accomplish your tasks, but visually the game continues to keep you on the edge of your seat with sights unseen and creepy sounds flooding out of your speakers to keep you at a heightened sense of suspense.

With this game slated to be out soon in the next few months, The Urban Daily asks for you to brace yourself as we show the trailer for Silent Hill: Homecoming.

While you can never have too many ninjas hiding in the shadows, the secretly dubbed“Ninja Gaiden Killer,” looks to bring a new level of realism that was celebrated by its predecessor. Ninja Blade looks absolutely beautiful with featured character designed by celebrated artist, Keiji Nakaoka, with Production I.G. (Ghost in the Shell, Kill Bill) providing the animated cut scenes.

The 3D action game, that takes place in modern-day Tokyo, features the up-and-coming young ninja named Ken, who is an expert with the katana blade and anything else he gets his hands on

This game is looking to be an XBox 360 exclusive (boo…) and as more develops, The Urban Daily will be right there to provide you with an exclusive review of Ninja Bladeonce it’s available.

The premise is simple enough — you take your favorite wrestler and advance him or her through the ranks to hold the strap (championship belt) of your desire. But for the 2009 version, the #1 fighting game franchise in the world (until Street Fighter IV or Marvel vs. Street Fighter comes out) provides gamers with the definitive simulation of what you see every week on USA, SCI-FI and MyNetworkTV mixed with the technical and visual eye candy that you want for your XBox 360 or PS3.

In a time where WWE failed to provide a well-worth storyline to whet gamers appetities, WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 adds more depth and realism than ever before, which includes a first-ever co-op story mode. Now, you and your tag team partner can use tables, ladder and chairs on opponents via online and with those who challenge your authoritai at home.

One of the things about Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 that makes it one of the premiere games in its genre is the “tag team explosion.” New tag team finishers, high-impact double team moves and creating an online stable allows you and a friend to have matches all across the country.

The thing that makes me think that this’ll finally be better than No Mercy for theNintendo 64 is the create-a-finisher addition. You can create a string of devastating moves that is as long or as short as your choosing and with an imagination like mines – gamers should have nightmares trying to test yours truly online!

With that and downloadable content galore, the McMahon’s and The Urban Daily believe that this game will be able to give a “Rock Bottom” to any wrestling (see: TNA) game that tries to go for the crown!

Don Cheadle’s wide array of characters have given us a very in-depth look at the man in front of Hollywood’s wide-eyed lens. From subtly silly roles (Ocean’s 11) to being humbly heroic (Hotel Rwanda), Cheadle musters up his talent once more for the international action thriller Traitor.

Cheadle plays Samir Horn, a traumatized Muslim youth who witnesses his father killed by a bomb. In turn, Horn grows up to become a special operations officer for the United States. Even though such an event was ages ago, he can not relinquish his past and falls in line with the Muhajadeen Muslim faith in Afghanistan.

We stumble upon Horn giving “advice” about explosives to local Islamicists in Yemen. The government tags and bags Horn and his collective, throwing them into a prison that would makethe innmates of Oz shudder. There he comes face-to-face with the FBI. The problem already starts early, though. With Traitor seemingly so loyal to the political thrillers of old, this Syriana-like experience leaves the viewer confused. Where does all of what Samir Horn experienced leave him emotionally and politically? Does his allegiance lie within the Middle East or to the good ole’ U-S-of-A?

He escapes prison with the help of his new “brothers” and so the adventure begins. Director Jeffrey Nachmanoff, best known for co-writing The Day After Tomorrow, is capable of getting all of the excitement for the destinations covered in the flick — Chicago, Washington, D.C., Toronta and Nova Scotia. But into the movie, you’re really trying to realize what’s going on. Although it shouldn’t be hard with allusions from Horn like, “I don’t feel at home anywhere,” and comments like, “He’s caught between traditional Islam and the West,” adding a twist to a unpredictable plot.

The key to Traitor is its moral gradations. The terrorists aren’t Qu’ran-quoting, frothing-at-the-mouth maniacs, they are believers in their cause. As Horn, Cheadle pulls off the impressive task of blending his unique sense of charisma and emotional blankness necessary that comes with being on both sides of the fence. The scene between Cheadle and Said Taghmaoui are electric and engaging in every scene. While audiences may get muddled down by the dialouge, the underlying focus is not on varying philosophies, it’s about the action and suspense.

With keeping the film lean in runtime and plot, you’d be hardpress not to check out this latest from GIANT Magazine’s latest cover model. Traitor is currently in theaters now.
Be sure to check out the GIANTMag.com for more about Don Cheadle.

Before giving on the bright lights of Hollywood, Dana Marschz’s professional acting career was notably doing commercials for Jack La Lanne’s “Power Juicer” and for herpes medication. Now teaching drama at Tucson’s West Mesa High, his best (and only) students – the closeted gay Rand (Skylar Astin) and Epiphany (Phoebe Strole) are starring in Marschz’s stage version of Erin Brockovich.

Adding another blow to Marschz’s ego comes in the form of a scathing review from a 13-year-old critic (Shea Pepe) – who looks 13-year-old, but gives Marschz his grandest idea yet: try creating something original, rather than copying and pasting flicks for the stage. When budget cuts eliminate drama from the school’s curriculum and a new crop of “gangbanging” classmates join Marschz’s world, he brings the class together for his greatest work - Hamlet 2.

The Andrew Fleming (Arrested Development) directed/written flick works on the level of its absurdity. In one scene, Marschz’s is trying to convince bad boy, Haywood (as inJablowme), aka Octavio (Joseph Julian Soria) and his parents that he should play “Hamlet” in his sequel. But the getcha-gotcha is that he is totally oblivious to the fact that Octavio lives in a nice home and is obviously not from the hood. The dialouge between the characters is irreverent, yet riddled with pop culture references.

But this is no Napoleon Dynamite and even with its awkward humor and a cameo appearances from Elisabeth Shue (as Elisabeth Shue) and Amy Poehler, Hamlet 2suffers from being a little bit too left-of-center. Coogan, as Marschz, is given too much rope with the humor, while the supporting players could take up the slack, but aren’t given anything to do. Catherine Keener, who plays Mrs. Marschz, nails her mark as a fed up wife. Yet, similiar to the Hess Brother’s flick, Hamlet 2 wins on the strength of its final act – the performance.

“Hamlet” in the sequel is not wasting time on soliloquies, here he uses a time machine to reverse the deaths incurred in the depressing Shakespeare original. Featuring appearances by Hillary Clinton, Einstein, Satan and others – not to mention – Jesus Christ moonwalking on water in the production number “Rock Me, Sexy Jesus,” backed by a Tucson gay men’s chorus is riotous hilarity at best. Although nowhere near the standard of the 1999 Watergate spoof, Dick, Pam Brady and Andrew Fleming hit-and-miss with the gags, but the overall concept thou receivest no protest from audience or critic, alike.

For those who aren’t familiar with the 1975 drive-in classic Death Race 2000, Roger Corman and Paul Bartel’s campy film starring David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone,was a hit amongst the groovy guys and gals back in the day, but Stallone and Carradine are both probably rolling around in their graves, right now… (Oh, wait… they’re not dead?) Well, at least the satire and campiness that was found in the original was toned down in favor of badassness. Starring Jason Statham as Jensen Ames, he’s framed for murdering his wife and sent to Terminal Island where prisoners must compete in the brutal extreme sport known as “Death Race.”

Hoping to answer why his wife was killed, Ames’ only chance at freedom is in the form of the warden, Hennessey (Joan Allen). The ice queen tells him that he must take the identity of popular masked champion “Frankenstein,” who was supposedly killed by arch-rival, Machine Gun Joe (Tyrese Gibson), but had won four out of the five races needed for a pardon. With a too-hot-for-prison navigator (Natalie Martinez) and an old-time penitentiary sage (Ian McShane), Ames aims for the fences.

Unfortunately, Anderson and company get called out on a double-play. The plot set-up for Death Race leaves huge plot-holes that would stall even the most ardent adrenaline junkie. Why even kill Ames wife? How did the prisoners/racers never realize that the game was fixed? With distractingly sloppy parts, the key entertainment factor is the races. The good thing is that it’s not Speed Racer on acid and seeing stars, Jason Statham, Tyrese Gibson embark on these races are met with some degree of difficulty. But with too many cut-aways, Death Race seems like it only does a few laps. Although it’s fun to see the blood, guts and gruesome crashes, Statham and Gibson both play typecast roles from The Bank Job and 2 Fast 2 Furious, respectively.

Allen and McShane also phone-in their performances, but Joan’s penchant for delivering diabolical lines with an unique kind of naughty “wink, wink” is ideally worth it. Yet, in the end, Death Race is murder for the viewer and cast alike. Director Paul W.S. Anderson will more than likely have stiff competition for “Worst Remake Or Rip-Off,”going against I Know Who Killed Me at this year’s Razzie Awards.

Things start off interestingly enough with Wal-Mart’s public enemy #1, DMX, rebuking the devil in the name of Jesus with a God awful prayer. Game sluggishly segues from this into “L.A.X. Files.” Spittin’ an aggressive double-time flow, an awkwardly sounding Jayceon loses the listener with this one, but manages to throw a few curious barbs at Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy with:

“Look at what the Bloods did to Weezy/Look at what the Crips did to Jeezy/This gangbangin’ shit ain’t nothin’ to play with/Me and Snoop Dogg just made it look easy…”

The Game then tries to channel old N.W.A. with “State of Emergency,” a noteworthy track because of the Ice Cube feature, but skippable nonetheless. Starting off 0-for-3 (intro included), Murda Game finally surfaces to cook up some crack music with the Chef, Raekwon. Going back and forth over a Jellyroll-produced track, the West and East come together to provide that nightmare soundtrack for the streets to bump to.

Even the Lil Wayne featured “My Life” – which will do much to blow up on TRL and 106 & Park – suffers from what the start of this album has a lot of: somber music. Skippable after you’ve heard it for a few times, indeed. After commiserating for five tracks, a ray of happiness finally appears with “California Sunshine” featuring Bilal.Nottz gives Game an all-right track to name drop, dis 50 Cent and insert a few West Coast staples (Wilshire Blvd., Dodgers, you know…).

Nottz returns to flip Newcleus’s “Jam On It” into a Dilla-inspired “Ya Heard.” One of the better beats on the album, it provides the energetic lift needed to really allow you to enjoy L.A.X. Ludacris guest stars on the track and outshines The Game with a montage of witty barbs that leaves the Cali King sticking to his formulaic approach (name dropping, Dre, 50 dis – get the picture?).

The tracks for the ladies (“Gentleman’s Affair,” “Touchdown,” and “Angel”), are backed by the likes of Ne-Yo, Raheem DeVaughn, and Common. Ironically, Game spits his best lines to the metaphoric lady in his life,  reminiscing over H.E.R. with lines like:

“She got me open, so I even had to fuck her/But I used a rubber/’Cause she was married to Rakim/So, I bought me a gold chain, pretendin’ that I was him…”

The second half of the album brings the album full circle with better songs (“Dope Boys” and “Game’s Pain”), interestingly unique concepts on the last day of our fallen soldiers (“Never Can Say Goodbye”) and a strong political statement made alongside one of the game’s – pun not intended – most controversial wordsmiths (“Letter to the King” featuring Nas).

But somewhere, 50 Cent is getting the last laugh. The G-Unit General said that Jayceon couldn’t make a hit without him and it seems to be the point proven on his latest.You’ll be as amped as DMX is as the outro barks out of your speakers, but L.A.X. is its own bundle of dark thoughts, with a mix of hope for a better day and the love for hip-hop in its purest form. Jayceon may not have another The Documentary on his hands, but this album is finally The Game’s – even if he has a few friends along for the ride.

This year’s entry - 2K9 – is no different. In fact, it’s a step up from previous incarnations. Although the build that was previewed original for us during E3 and again a few days ago at Access Communications PR were both similar, that small fact did little to shake this new millennium Dream Team’s confidence. The oogly part of this game was that the color commentary was almost spot-on exact from the 2K8 incarnation. But even that wasn’t enough to deter fans from reacting to the newness such as an adaptive AI that will read, react and adjust in real time to your strategies.

Teammates will initiate cuts, picks and post-ups based on how you handle the ball truly making the game more than just manual playcalling, turning NBA 2K9 into an organic game of skill. If a true gamer/NBA fan, then last season’s Lakers vs. Celtics battle will have left a sour taste in your mouth. With this new season approaching and game to soon be on shelves, you can avenge those losses with an advanced shot stick. Kobe will be able to change up his shots in mid-air.

An all-new broadcast team featuring Clark Kellogg, Kevin Harlan and sideline reporter, Cheryl Miller will be brought to you in all of its 2K-HD glory. Improved facial and skin textures, better uniforms and improved eye movement will do lots to make the game look cleaner, but the online service takes that so much further. 5-on-5 Multiplayer mode with a new ranking system (bench warmer to rookie to pro to superstar) that shows you how you match up against your opponents.

All in all, NBA 2K9 continues its legacy as being the best basketball gaming title for almost a decade and with a newly revamped Reelmaker, gamers will be posterizing competition for 82+ games straight. Let’s hope that I don’t post any of you clowns on Youtube!

The key to surviving Soul Calibur IV is having a level of intelligence and strategy about your attacks. Button mashers need not apply, for you’ll get the thrashing of your life. And with plenty of different characters to choose from (and unlock), the replay value is stupendous!

With that said, the gameplay – itself – is accessible for veterans and fans alike and with easy-to-learn buttons, the only trick is for you to learn how to string your moves into one devastating combo. Even the match-ending supermoves take some time to learn, but with a beautiful look and the addition of create-a-character, Soul Calibur IV is HDTV ready for an online royal rumble.

The downside to this one-on-one scrapper is that even with the online capability, gone is the team battle mode, so your PSN or Xbox Live is not going to get an extra kick of fun factor with worldwide comp at the touch of your finger. Extra minus points are taken away because the all-needed story mode is short and very disappointing. Even with theStar Wars look, those hoping to see that Darth Vader vs. Yoda battle will have to wait till M.U.G.E.N. does the gaming world some justice.

But with a smooth and hassle-free online component, Soul Calibur IV unleashes its killer kung-fu in hopes that your smack-talking buddies will be waiting to see who’s soul will get crushed first.

After 70 million-and-then-some copies of the acclaimed title made its mark in the minds and hearts of fans everywhere, this special set exclusively takes you through the hallowed halls of Madden glory. It may be a pricey disc to cop at 90 dollars, but the price is more entertaining and rewarding than shelling it out on gas for your Pinto. Sunday couch potatoes will have more pigskin than pot roast to deal with by copping this game.

Everything that you love (and stuff that you hate) return in all its glory. If you’ve been a veteran in the series for awhile, your offensive coordinator status would work greatly amidst all the audibles, hot routes, stats and rosters that make up the meat and potatoes of Madden 2009. But equally rewarding is the fact that Tiburon equips an IQ system that increases the game’s difficulty level the more your own skill level grows.

A highlight is the rewrite/replay feature that allows gamers to relive the ’07/’08 season and/or change the outcome of games that you felt should’ve went the other way (The Browns should’ve won it all!). You can also customize your own playbook, comprehensive fantasy-team content for all you dreamers out there and for the new kids on the block, the game is just pure fun.

The HDTV quality of the game only adds on to the utopia that is Madden NFL 2009 and while it may seem like it’s all Terrell Owen celebrations and cheerleader wet dreams, the road to glory is paved in some pretty interesting designs that will still make you cringe. For starters, the un-retired Brett Favre/Green Bay Packers cover would make heads kind of hope for that Madden Curse to come and knock the soon-to-be Hall of Famer out of the league and back down to Southern Mississippi.

If you wish to not buy the 20th Anniversary Collector’s Edition version, you can save yourself some do-re-mi (30 bucks) and still sing Madden’s praises. But for the serious of the serious who believe they’re the next armchair quarterback great (what Favre should be!), this classic title is another to add to your collection!

Boasting more than 95 tracks set within 25 square miles of a beautifully captured, mountainous desert terrain, you’ll get behind the wheel of this growing California alternative to the droll NASCAR racing that your grandpa loves so much. Edge of Control will feature nine different vehicle classes, most of which are authentic for the annual 300-mile Baja 1000 race (that really takes place this November in Baja, California!).

Racing the Baja bug, unlimited VW, 4×4 class, open wheel, mini truck, class 1, trophy trucks and a “bonus” class, the point that this game doesn’t feature bikes or quads, doesn’t take away from the overall variety that Baja brings to the table. But what is uniquely intricate about this game is the 411 part upgrades, giving the trucks their own comprehensive vehicle options.

As you hit the road hard, you can see all the parts of the car doing their thing – from the shocks to the nuances on the dashboard in first-person view… but all we’re looking forward to is getting behind that wheel. The Baja picks up well, using a clutch button to rev up the engine allows your car to move fluidity with no hiccups. But make a mistake and the realistic damage settings are brutal.

The bad side to Baja: Edge of Control is that it takes a little while getting used to manueverability and breaking. The e-brake you have to learn how to time when going around sharp turns. With mounds and ramps that are large enough to throw you  up into the air, Baja tends to punish rather than reward you for getting big air.

A healthy AI sees drivers cutting you off and making moves like any driver would, but as the racing world continues to expand and grow, Baja: Edge of Control remains cool.

Once again, Brenden Fraser must save the world after his now-18-year-old son Alexresurrects the Dragon Emperor Han (Li). Together with his wife, brother-in-law and a mystical century old sorceror named Zijuan, Rick O’Connell (Fraser) must fight evil and a really old and pissed off Terracotta Army.

After success of the first two Fraser starrers, 800 million dollars were grossed, but withTomb of the Dragon Emperor, the film comes off as D-minus grade movie and the seven-year long wait did little to reignite public interest in a once-popular concept. On the upside, though, the visuals may get a giggle and laugh from the kiddies, but it is a step down from the elaborate facial mapping of its predecessors.

Written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the minds behind Shanghai Noon andSmallville, the film leaves you wanting early on; with dreary family drama dialouge that offsets itself from the chaos surrounding the characters at times. Fraser returns with Maria Bello stepping into the vacated Rachel Weisz role of wife, Evelyn. Getting used to the domestic life seems bothersome to the former adventurer and quickly they jet-set to Shanghai, where they reunite with Jonathan Carnahan (John Hannah) and risk-taking son, Alex (Luke Ford).

It’s almost as if The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is a remake unto itself. You have the swarmy double crossing snake who looks to ride Han’s legendary coattails into the throngs of power, the “mystic” sage who has sworn an oath to protect the world from just this specific type of menace and a villain who can only be killed in one special way.

But just because you throw leftovers in the microwave, doesn’t make it a fresh meal. The stale setpieces strain to drum up that old magic and falls flat after the realization sets it that what has come before was oh, so much better. Director Rob Cohen, who gets more action out of automobiles insteads of mummies, misses the boat by shooting most of the action in medium closeups and provides a scant sense of proximity between characters. All this leads to minimum excitement for fans and foes, alike, it’s more incoherent than not.

The usually amped Tarzan-like, Fraser seems to hit-and-miss his mark, as he shares the spotlight with an overabundance of extras, er… I mean, co-stars. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is a decrepid reimagining of its former self and hopefully now and forever it can remain entombed, never to ressurect itself again.