Letter To The King - The Game feat Nas

Somehow, someway, somebody was able to delete this post from my blog. Don't ask me how because it would seem that Blogger would have had to do it. Seems strange because this joint keeps getting deleted from Zshare too everytime it gets put up. I mean I don't mind if it's deleted from zshare but to delete my whole post? Now that just ain't right. Nobody has contacted me personally to take it down either, sounds like a coward move to me. What do y'all think?

Letter To The King - The Game feat Nas

More: New Joints

E-Mail Bag Mix

New Joints:

Concrete Jungle-Buckshot & 9th Wonder ft Mickey Factz

Please Don't Go (Produced by Nottz) - Termanology

Give It To Me - T.R.I.F.E.

RIGHT MOVE RECORDS INTRODUCES NEW ARTIST OUT OF BROOKLYN T.R.I.F.E. The hiphop game as of late has been oversaturated with The hiphop game as of late has been oversaturated with rap gimmicks glorifying commercialism, bland over-repetitive lyrics, as well as recycled beats. T.R.I.F.E. has taken a stand by responding to hip hop's out cry for a new representative. His lyrics are at best a hybrid of savvy punch lines mixed with profound concepts and vivid imagery. T.R.I.F.E. can make the most complex issues simplistic, while leaving the easiest of boastful raps as complicated as a game of chess. With rap gimmicks glorifying commercialism, bland over-repetitive lyrics, as well as recycled beats. T.R.I.F.E. has taken a stand by responding to hip hop's outcry for a new representative. His lyrics are at best a hybrid of savvy punch lines mixed with profound concepts and vivid imagery. T.R.I.F.E. can make the most complex issues simplistic, while leaving the easiest of boastful raps as complicated as a game of chess.

T.R.I.F.E ON MY SPACE

theSHOWshow.com - SixShot TV : You Aint Seen Nothing Like "The Mighty Quinn", Lisa Raye, Rick Ross & DJ Vlad, Lemonade Candy:

NFL Weekly

I have been neglecting my NFL Weekly column for a while now, but with the season about to start you can expect NFL news every Tuesday. I will also be giving my picks against the spread every week, most likely on Saturday. Since there is a game on Thursday this week, here is my pick for that game:

Washington Redskins (-4) at New York Giants: The Giants are favored by 4 points and I am going to go with the Redskins because I think this game is going to be an ugly 17-14 type of game.

This version of NFL Weekly also includes my season preview. I'm not going to make predictions on who is going to win it all without seeing any teams play yet, but I will give a group of teams who I think have a chance to win it all.

AFC East:
1. New England Patriots
2. New York Jets
3. Buffalo Bills
4. Miami Dolphins

Comments: The Jets will give the Patriots some problems when they play head to head but I still don't think they are good enough to win the division. New England should win the division pretty easily again. Their offense is still going to be unbelieveable and I think the defense will be good enough for them to win another 12-14 games this season. I think the Jets will be in the mix for the playoffs. Miami and Buffalo will be lucky to reach 8-8.

AFC North:
1. Cleveland Browns
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Baltimore Ravens

Comments: Both Cleveland and Pittsburgh have tough schedules this year, having to play the NFC East and the ACF South, but the Steelers also have to play San Diego and New England, while the Browns get Denver and Buffalo. I think that will be the difference between these two teams this year. I love the moves the Browns made in the offseason but if Derek Anderson turns out to be a fluke then all bets are off. Baltimore is going to be an awful team this year and should have one of the top 3 picks in the draft. The Bengals will probably struggle with their tough schedule unless their defense is improved.

AFC South:
1. Indianapolis Colts
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Tennessee Titans
4. Houston Texans

Comments: Jacksonville is the favorite pick of a lot of so-called NFL experts this season as a dark horse to win the AFC but I need to see a little more from David Garrard before I'm convinced they can be that good. I still think Indy wins this division but Jacksonville will definitely give them a run for their money. I think this is the toughest division in the AFC and maybe the toughest division in football. I think the Texans are good enough to be a playoff team and they might end up finishing 4th in this division.

AFC West:
1. San Diego Chargers
2. Denver Broncos
3. Oakland Raiders
4. Kansas City Chiefs

Comments: If the Chargers stay healthy then they should win this division going away. Oakland and Kansas City aren't going to be good anytime soon and I don't think Denver's defense has improved enough for them to challenge for the division.

AFC Super Bowl Contenders: New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars

AFC Playoff Contenders: Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans

Middle of the Pack: Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals

Wait 'til Next Year: Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders

NFC East:
1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. New York Giants
4. Washington Redskins

Comments: Dallas should be able to win this divison but the next three teams could finish anywhere. I'll give the edge to the Eagles because if McNabb stays healthly they should be good enough to do some damage this season. I think the Giants are headed for a letdown and they have already been bitten by the injury bug. Washington is a solid team but I'm not sure Jason Campbell is good enough yet to lead them back to the playoffs in this division. I think there's a good chance this division could have three teams in the playoffs because they get to play the AFC South and the NFC West, which are two of the weaker divisions in the NFL.

NFC South:
1. New Orleans Saints
2. Carolina Panthers
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. Atlanta Falcons

Comments: I think Drew Brees and the Saints are primed for a monster season and I think they will challenge Dallas for the right to play in the Super Bowl. I think Tampa Bay won't be able to repeat their performance from last season but they don't seem to have the toughest schedule either. Carolina could be improved but I don't see them as a making much noise even if they do make the playoffs. Atlanta of course is rebuilding with Matt Ryan at QB.

NFC North:
1. Minnesota Vikings
2. Green Bay Packers
3. Detroit Lions
4. Chicago Bears

Comments: I have serious question marks about every team in this division and I could also make the case for each one to win the division, except for the Bears. Minnesota has a great defense and if Adrian Peterson stays healthy, then they should be able to win their fair share of games this season. The Packers still have a strong D, but the jury is still out on Aaron Rodgers. I think he will be solid and I wouldn't be surprised if the Packers have a good year. Detroit is a dark horse to me because if Calvin Johnson has a breakout season at WR, they could be scary on offense but the defense is a question mark as usual. I think the Bears have no chance this season if they are going to use Kyle Orton as their QB.

NFC West:
1. Seattle Seahawks
2. Arizona Cardinals
3. St Louis Rams
4 San Francisco 49ers

Comments: This is still Seattle's division to lose and I think they will win it once again. The Cardinals are promising but never seem to be able to get over the hump. The Rams are better this season on paper but they have a brutal schedule. The 49ers should be better this season but the jury is still out on how effective J.T. O'Sullivan will be at QB for them.

NFC Super Bowl Contenders: Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks

NFC Playoff Contenders: Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings

Middle of the Pack: Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Byccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions

Wait 'til Next Year: Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers

Super Bowl Pick: I'm not going to pick a Super Bowl winner so early in the season, but you can bet I will chime in with who I think will win it all once the season moves along. Right now I feel like the Super Bowl champ will be either New England, Dallas, or San Diego but a lot can happen between now and the end of the season. I don't think any of us thought the Giants would win last season. If the Patriots defense can match their offense, then I think they will win it all. Dallas is the best team on paper in the NFC, so if they still healthy and don't make the Super Bowl then it will pretty much be a choke job by them.


Other NFL News:

- The Detroit Lions signed Rudi Johnson to a 1-year contract and he will compete for carries with rookie Kevin Smith.

- The Carolina Panthers acquired QB Josh McCown from the Dolphins. McCown was brought in to provide a veteran presence to backup Jake Delhomme.

- The Patriots cut veteran safety John Lynch and signed two time Pro Bowl CB Deltha O'Neal to help them out in the secondary.

Angel Dust - Hasan Salaam

Check out this joint from Hasan Salaam that was produced by Lord Jamar. This joint actually came out before Kanye West used the same sample on the "Angel" joint he produced for The Game. This one was produced by Lord Jamar of Brand Nubian. There actually is an older joint called "Angel Dust" from a Boston area group that used this same sample around 1999-2000 but I was never able to find it online even way back then. If anyone has it then hit me up!

Angel Dust - Hasan Salaam

More: New Joints

Updated Links

Updated links for the day, get 'em while they're hot:

In The Rain - Ghostface Killah feat Stevie Wonder

Real Live Shit (Remix) - Real Live feat Ghostface Killah, Lord Tariq, & Killah Sin

Can It Be All So Simple - Wu-Tang Clan

Worldwide Pt. 2 - Royal Flush feat M.O.P.

Sayin Something (Remix) - Ed O.G.

Sayin Something (Produced by DJ Premier) - Ed O.G.

Rising Up - The Roots feat Wale

Bacc On Tha Rise - Tha Dogg Pound

Ain't I (Produced by Timbaland) - Jay-Z

Ain't No Nigga (Rae & Christian Remix) - Jay-Z feat Foxy Brown

'Bout That Time - Large Professor

Exotic Is Raw - Neek The Exotic

Stay On Your Level (Produced by Pete Rock) - Charles Hamilton

New joint from Charles Hamilton produced by Pete Rock.

Stay On Your Level (Produced by Pete Rock) - Charles Hamilton

More: New Joints

MLB Weekly

Cliff Lee: I've already talked a lot about who should win the AL and NL MVP Awards but there is no doubt who the AL Cy Young Award winner should be. Cliff Lee has been dominating the American League since the season started and today he will go for win number 20. Lee is truly an amazing story because he was horrible last season and spent most of it in the minor leagues trying to regain his old form. When Lee came back to the Indians this season, I think most people had written him off but boy were they wrong. Lee has a 19-2 record with a 2.43 ERA and 145 K's in 185.3 innings pitched. That is good for a 180 ERA+, which means he is almost two times better than a league average pitcher. Lee has shown excellent control by walking only 27 batters all season, which has him on pace for a career low. The improved command this season is because he has thrown his fastball more often and is locating it better. He also is allowing less than a hit per inning for the first time in his career. The low walk totals with the decreased hits allowed are definitely good indicators of why Lee has been able to turn things around this season. Don't forget he is also a lefty and it sometimes takes them a little longer to get things together at the big league level, just look at Jamie Moyer for instance. The only other starting pitchers in the AL who have a chance to contend with Lee this season for the Cy Young are Roy Halladay and Mike Mussina. There is also the possibility that K-Rod breaks the saves record and wins the Cy Young but I feel like it would be a shame if Lee doesn't win it and it's about time I showed him some love. On a side note, how tough would the Indians have been in the second half of the season if they never trade Sabathia?

Josh Beckett: Josh Beckett is still having issues with his right arm and was placed on the 15-day DL. The Red Sox don't seem to think it is a big deal but you have to wonder how effective Beckett will be the rest of the season. He actually has not been all that great this season to begin with. He has posted a 11-9 record with a 4.34 ERA and 145 K's in 149.3 innings. That is good for just a 104 ERA+, which makes him just slightly above league average, and not what you would expect from your ace pitcher. Sure, Beckett has been great in the postseason with a 6-0 record and 1.73 ERA with 82 K's in 72.2 innings pitched, but if his arm is bothering him, he may not be able to duplicate his postseason success of the past. Beckett's health and effectiveness could be one of the key factors of the whole playoffs because the Red Sox certainly have as good of a chance as anyone to win the World Series this season.

Tampa Bay Rays: You got to give it up to the Tampa Bay Rays as they secured their first winning season ever and now have climbed to 84 wins on the season since then. The Rays need to only go 16-11 the rest of the season to win 100 games. Yes, you read that right, the Rays have a very, very good chance to win 100 games this season. That feat would be truly incredible for a franchise that has been a perennial loser. I love the Rays pitching with Scott Kazmir, Jamie Shields, and Matt Garza at the front of the rotation, so I think they have a great chance to make some noise in the playoffs. I am still a little leery of their offense though but they just seem to get it done when they need to, so do not be surprised if the Tampa Bay Rays are representing the AL in the World Series this season. It will be a tough task for them though because the Red Sox and Angels are certainly capable of winning it all and these playoffs should be a treat to watch. I will certainly be rooting for the Rays throughout the playoffs and hopefully the fans come out and support their team. It would be a shame to see them playing the Red Sox in the post season and having the Boston fans outnumber the Rays fans.

C.C. Sabathia: Sabathia has been great this season for the Brewers but yesterday there was some controversy involved with his greatness. Sabathia was pitching a no-hitter when he made what appeared to be an error by dropping a little dribbler that was to the third base side of the mound. However, the score keeper in Pittsburgh scored it as a hit and it would up being the only hit that Sabathia would give up in the game. The Brewers have sent tapes to MLB and are trying to get the call reversed so it's possible that Sabathia may still get a no-hitter, which would be one of the most bizarre no-hitter's ever. Sabathia wouldn't even get a chance to celebrate it, so it's almost anti-climatic. Check out the video below for the Brewers reaction and the play itself:

Other MLB News:

- The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired David Eckstein from the Blue Jays for minor league pitcher Mike Beck. I would imagine Eckstein will get the majority of the playing time at 2B with Orlando Hudson out for the rest of the season.

- The Blue Jays also traded Matt Stairs to the Phillies and called up minor league prospect Travis Snider. Snider is their best positional prospect and will get a long look the rest of the season to see if he is ready to be a full time player in 2009.

- The Angles placed Howie Kendrick on the 15-day DL with tightness in his left hamstring. In his place, they have called up minor league prospect Brandon Wood, who was mashing the ball in the minors: .296 with 31 homers and 84 RBI

- The Red Sox acquired Mark Kotsay to help them out in the outfield while J.D. Drew is on the disabled list. Kotsay joints an outfield that already includes Jason Bay, Coco Crisp, and Jacoby Ellsbury.

More: MLB & MLB Weekly