JumpinJack AJ

JESSICA SIMPSON - Loving You In This Skin (2003)

I feel that circumstance, busyness, and stress in recent years have robbed me of one of my greatest qualities. Being positive. It's a priority for me to return to state I once was at, and I other may needs to do the same, so I'm sharing this. I'm hoping it might connect with some of you. I got this from http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6106/5-Positive-Ways-to-Start-Your-Day.html. 5 Positive Ways to Start Your Day By Belinda Anderson September 13, 2012 1:00 PM EDT We go to sleep each night and wake up in the morning to a new day with new opportunities - a day filled with the power and freedom to choose. The minute we wake up, we can choose to get out of bed and make the most of our day or press the snooze button, roll over, pull the blankets over our head, and feel dread about the day ahead. This is nobody's choice but ours. Generally, the way we start our day influences how we feel for the rest of the day. Let's look at 5 ways we can start our day off on a positive note: 1. When you wake up in the morning, take a few minutes to check-in (go within). Take a few deep breaths and find something that you're grateful for (your children, partner, your health, the warm bed you are in, nature outside your window). Take this time to be thankful for all that you have in your life instead of wasting your energy on thinking about what you don't have. 2. Instead of pouncing straight out of bed, spend 5 to 10 minutes (or however long it takes) meditating. Simply observe your breath. Breathe in for a count of 4 to 5, allowing your belly and chest to expand, and breathe out also for a count of 4 to 5 allowing everything to drop away. Notice how your breath enters your body, notice how your breath leaves your body, and notice the little pause between each breath. This will allow you to create a sense of peace within and it will also help get you into a good head space before your feet touch the ground. 3. Take a few moments while in the shower and/or while eating breakfast just to be present. Feel the water on your skin, taste the different flavours in your food. It feels good and it's an amazing way to consciously set your energy and intention towards your day. 4. Before breakfast have large glass of water with half a lemon squeezed into it and you may even like to add some ginger or cayenne pepper. This will assist with digestion and is effective in body cleansing and detoxification - it will help get things moving. Follow this with a nutritious breakfast to kick-start your metabolism and fuel your body to face the day ahead. You have just had maybe ten to twelve hours of fasting - your body needs sustenance and is ready to be refuelled, so skipping breakfast is a big no, no! 5. Get clear about your intentions for the day. For example you can intend to have a productive day. You can intend to have quality time with your family and friends with no distractions. You can intend to have a fun and brilliant day. You can intend to have a calm and peaceful day. You can intend to learn something new or be helpful to someone. Whatever it is just be clear about what it is you want your day to be. In order to create, manifest, and attract it, you must first align your heart, mind, and spirit with your intention. In other words, you truly need to feel it! Many people don't understand the power of thoughts, because they live every day on autopilot, doing most things out of habit, and therefore they create their reality unconsciously, as if they’re wearing a blindfold. But whether we’re aware of it or not, we create our reality with our thoughts and behaviour - and this means we have the power to choose to be a conscious, mindful creator and change our reality to what we really want it to be. Remember, you choose your thoughts, you choose your behavior, you choose the outcome. And every choice you make determines how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally. Now, let me ask you this: How do you start your day? Is it with gratification and happiness—or doom and gloom? A day is easily ruined if started by holding onto negativity and resentment. So when you wake tomorrow, ask yourself, do I want to think and act like I did yesterday, or do I choose to be a new me today?

Nas Reviews Lauryn Hill’s ‘The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill’ – XXL Issue 150 Aug 26th, '13 Artist: Lauryn Hill Reviewer: Nas Rating: XXL Anniversary: 15-year Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the September 2013 issue of XXL Magazine. I kept hearing about the album; there was a hype there, and when “Doo Wop” dropped, it was more than I expected. There’s always a void when it comes to the female MC world, and she went beyond that. It checked me as an MC because she was pure. There was no chains, no fancy cars, she checked us on all of that. On songs like “Superstar” and “Lost Ones” and “Doo Wop,” she talked to us, she went into who we were as men and women. And that was needed at the time and to this day. To me it was like the soul of Roberta Flack, the passion of Bob Marley, the essence of Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson and the essence of hip-hop wrapped up in one thing. All that was inside that album. When it starts and you hear the classroom and then they go on to talk about love, she’s teaching people what love is. It made me wonder, “How the hell does this person know about love the way she’s singing about it?” She sang about love and betrayal and hurt and rejoicing and happiness and joy like someone who’s been here longer than she had. It’s a timeless record, pure music. And that’s what we don’t hear anymore. She birthed her sound, and that’s timeless. She didn’t try to be cool, she was already cool. She didn’t have to fit in with any style, she was the new style, and it’s a positive style. It represents the time period—a serious moment in Black music, when young artists were taking charge and breaking through doors. It cleared the way for rap music to be what it is today. We demanded that the whole world pay attention, so the music had to be that dynamic, and she represents that. She was one of the soldiers in that mission. Before then, it was in its place. Beyond that, musically, the content—it’s an album that everyone today should listen to if they wanna make an album. No matter who you are—R&B, rap, rock, soul, whatever—you wanna make an album, I would say everyone should take a listen to this before you start working on yours. And then I’ll go beyond that. It’s a piece of work that’s needed in your deck, in your CD chamber, in your iPod. It’s one of those records that you need, like Legend like Bob Marley, or all those Stevie Wonder albums. See, we didn’t have that, our generation didn’t really have that. We had the soul of Mary J. Blige, but she was pretty much out there alone in terms of an artist who was giving you the music like that, where you can believe it and you feel it. It was the closest thing we have since our parents’ era. She was the other female that gave us the closest thing we had since our parents’ era, Stevie Wonder and all that music that we grew up listening to, no artist in our generation except Lauryn—Mary and Lauryn, as far as women we concerned—and she was doing that thing and gave us a feeling that our parents had, and made sure we didn’t miss out on the feeling. She had that for us. The album cover is her face scratched into the desk and she’s wearing dreadlocks, and she’s proud of who she is, and today I don’t see enough black women—there are lots of proud black women—but there’s so many that don’t really tap into their natural beauty. She tapped into hers and rapped about it. We were like, yo, this girl, we’re about to embark on a journey with this young woman, and we’re just gonna allow her to take us anywhere we want to go. -@Nas (as told to @Dan Rys) Subscribe to XXL Magazine

TAMAR BRAXTON - Where It Hurts Love And War (2013)

Yeah, I can see where you are going with it, but I can't listen to a blend where the sync isn't right. It has moments where it matches up, but before you know it, it's over. It'll be great to compare this to what you come up with in the next few weeks and months.

EXCLUSIVE: Bizzy Bone Talks Bone Thugs-N-Harmony Reunion Album, Competition In Hip Hop & Rumors Of Tension In The Group by Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) August 27th, 2013 @ 2:00pm (AllHipHop Features) Many Hip Hop fans have been looking forward to the reformation of the Grammy winning group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. As one of the culture’s most influential acts of all time, Bone Thugs have made a mark on music that cannot be denied. All five original members are set to hit the stage in their hometown of Cleveland on August 28 and will also be joined by a virtual version of their mentor Eazy-E at this year’s traveling Rock The Bells Festival. AllHipHop recently chatted with Bizzy Bone to talk about various topics related to Bone Thugs like whether a full reunion album is on the way, their mission to make it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, rumored issues between the members, and more. [ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Bizzy Bone Addresses Rumors of Drug Abuse & The Legacy Of Eazy-E] AllHipHop.com: You guys have the Rock the Bells Festival coming up, and you’re performing with a hologram of Eazy E. Have you had the chance to rehearse with the hologram yet? Bizzy Bone: That’s what we’re gonna be doing two weeks prior to the first performance. It’s going to be monumental. What’s the status of the Bone reunion album? Right now we’re really doing a single thing where we put out our singles, the first one “Everything 100″, and we have a site for just putting out some really cool stuff. We’re really just hitting YouTube, hitting the airwaves. Seeing if it works. We don’t want to say we’re gonna do something and not do it. Let’s just see if it works. Let’s see if we still have what it takes to do another great record together. Not being locked in. That’s the mind state. Besides that the five-year plan to get to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That’s what we’re focused on right now as far as a unit and a team. We have a goal. That’s Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s goal for the next 4-5 years, and see if something materializes in the studio, because we’re there. We’re around each other more now. Something’s bound to happen. Speaking of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Like you mentioned you guys have five more years until you’re eligible. That same year you have a few other Hip Hop acts that’s going to be eligible as well like Wu-Tang Clan, Snoop. Why do you think voters that select who’s going to be enshrined in the hall should cast a vote for Bone Thugs? They got to know that each one of the Bone Thugs-N-Harmony members are so humble. That the we carry ourselves is mainly “If don’t nobody want you. We do anyway.” So it’s all in friendly competition with all of our peers. Some of them older, some of them younger. We’ve sold a ton of records, made a lot of money. That’s where we stand on that issue in my view. That competitive nature in Hip Hop had been gone for a while. Do you feel like that competition is needed in the game? If it’s friendly competition.. I mean with Jay Z and Nas, them dudes made it okay to go at it, battle and not kill each other, so I think it’s okay. Depends how you call somebody out. If you calling somebody out like Pac did Biggie or Biggie did Pac, okay then that’s a different thing, or if you calling out somebody out like Jay Z called out Nas. It was clearly I want to battle rap you on wax. That was clearly what Jay Z was saying to Nas. Now we’re smart enough to know don’t kill one another. We need that kind of calm vibe out here for these kids to be honest with you. We need brothers up there in friendly competition and not really gunning for each other. Getting these kids to enjoy that on a clean level. It’s like playing football. Bone had the chance to record with both Biggie and Pac. I believe you guys were the only ones? I think back in our time we were the only ones, and then I think later on people where able to get verses from them for different stuff. Like Eminem did stuff with them afterwards. When it first happened, yeah. Where you guys actually in the studio with them when you did those recordings? Definitely, to see Pac perform phenomenal. To see Biggie watch us do our thing and then do that project afterward, phenomenal. These guys were phenomenal artists and people. Let’s not get in twisted. They’re not just stars in the sky or whatever anybody may think of them now. These were actual cool people, just really good guys in general. Just a phenomenal moment. Talent beyond you could ever expect or imagine from other artists. All of our generations have those, and those two are definitely legends, along with Big Pun. Just that whole school of people. You noticed how it was all the good artists that got taken? Do you have any plans to do another solo album? I’m always working, but I want to be group oriented first. If the group ain’t really doing anything I talk to the group and say, “Hey, this my music out here. Who do you guys know that I can talk to as far as who I can get for a record or mixtape if you’re not working with them? Give me one of your contacts to see if I can do something phenomenal.” That’s kind of like how Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is. We share all of our contacts that we have with people that we need. We’re family, but people don’t know that. And you know what, they don’t have to, because at this point we just want to give them great music. You have to hear the rumors about tension in the group… It’s five brothers from the Midwest. It’s gonna be some tension. It’s gonna be some fighting. It’s just gonna be that without alcohol. Just normal business. “I don’t want to make this move. Well I do.” You’re gonna get stuff like that. It’s up to us to hash all that out, or separate for a couple of months, because we’re pissed off and then meet back up. “Look I still wanted to do that deal.” The next guy says, “well I didn’t.” Alright, well let’s go and find something else. Its’ kind of like that. It ain’t as drastic as people are thinking. It ain’t like this big explosion where everybody gets mad. Nah, a brother go to his own house for a couple of months and get things out and meet back up like okay let’s go find something else. So that’s how men of Bone gets things accomplished. Well, I’m glad you cleared that up because every so often you hear things like “they’re breaking up again” or “they’re fighting and such-and-such is not happening now.” You got to understand when you have major deals on the table and major money on the table, and you have one of your brothers who could possibly help you make that deal even better decide not to do it, it’s always gonna be a sit down like “Why don’t you want to do this?” and [their response is], “I just don’t want to right now. That’s not where my mind at.” So those are the kind of conversations that we have with things that happen in business. A lot things don’t get accomplished, but a lot of things do. From some of the mistakes some of us may make as far as not taking this deal or that deal, we learn from that. Sometimes we make a big decision by not agreeing, plus we’re not doing it anyway if we don’t agree. That’s how we get down. People got to understand that. We’re like true brothers that made it together. So we always come back to each other. We’re always on the road. We’re trying to work half of the year, so we can keep things together for the children. That’s what we’re on the road for to get things moving. Why the f*ck sit down and not make something of yourself? Why sit down on publishing? We’re trying to get up and get it moving for people to see us again, enjoying what we doing. That’s where we are. A couple of months ago Krazyzie said that you guys are working with Kendrick Lamar and Wiz Khalifa. Have those tracks been finalized? [ALSO READ: The AHH Q&A: Krayzie Bone] Krazyzie Bone finalizes all of his stuff. That’s one thing that Krazyzie Bone is known for in the group. He does remarkable guest appearances and when it’s going through one particular member they usually request another member through that member. We just kind of wait for it to see when those guys… Personally, I haven’t heard anything from them as far as that. As far as Wiz, he’s a really cool guy. I had the opportunity to meet him, but Kray Bone has to be leading that charge right there. But of course if it’s good music I’m with it. If it’s a hot twelve lines or something I can do to compliment the song I’m cool with that too. Besides that I haven’t heard anything personally. Does each member have their own niche in the group that they take on as their role? The coolest dynamic of our group is that simple with all five of us with any contacts we get outside of each other we bring back to the table. So just imagine the number of contacts and business people, all different from five different directions. That’s sort of how we do it. We just help each other. Each and every time if it’s a way for each other to make more money, that’s just what we do. Why have two of us when you can have all of us? That’s how we get down. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony will be performing at Peabody’s Concert Club in Cleveland on Wednesday, August 28 and at the Rock The Bells Festival this fall. For more information visit www.ticketmaster.com. Follow Bizzy Bone on Twitter @ThisIsBizzyBone Check out Bone Thugs-N-Harmony’s latest single “Everything 100″ below. http://allhiphop.com/2013/08/27/exclusive-bizzy-bone-talks-bone-thugs-n-harmony-reunion-album-competition-in-hip-hop-rumors-of-tension-in-the-group/

I read it was from Lady Gaga's performance as well, but it was dominated by all the news that it was from Miley's performance...lol. I rarely check that board.

I'm pretty sure we've all seen the Smith's reaction to Miley Cyrus' over the top VMA performance, so let's talk about it. There's not really much to say other than it's hilarious and represents the way millions felt when they watched her. Personally, I think Jaden wins the award fro the best reaction. If only we know if it was because of Miley or because he was thinking "I used to manage Robin Thicke's career and now he's wearing that awful Beetlejuice suit...LOL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R90pFc4RT4Y It looks like it has since been removed, but within an hour, Willow posted on her Facebook "Miley turnt it up though." Maybe as a way to smooth things over since their expressions weren't favorable...LOL

SKEE-LO - At The Mall I Can't Stop (2000/2001) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eZ9sz33ua0

ICE CUBE + KRAZIE BONE - Until We Rich War + Peace: Vol 2. (2000) This should have been a bigger hit than it was.

I feel like I posted this awhile ago, but I recently picked up her book that came out 5 years ago. I haven't started reading it yet, but I just flipped to this page and figured I'd share (again). This excerpt is definitely a little longer than the except I found online years ago... "We were the headliners for this tour, which was also featuring Will Smith. He was calling himself the Fresh Prince, and he and DJ Jazzy Jeff had a hit song out, "Parent's Just Don't Understand." I thought Will was really cute and we would hang out a lot on the road. He liked to take care of me and never let me spend a dime. He was that kind of guy, real generous. I remember when they won their first Grammy. He was so excited. We were walking along the street getting ready to grab something to eat, and he just gave this homeless guy a $100 bill. I sometimes kick myself when I think about what could have been. He was so nice to me, but I really wasn't feeling him. I guess I couldn't appreciate a nice guy like Will Smith. He wasn't thug enough. I was attracted to thugs and hoodlums, the jerks, and the mean guys. Will was too nice for me." http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Talk-about-LETS-TALK/dp/B001TM9L0I/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1377300122&sr=8-3&keywords=let%27s+talk+about+pep

Brandy humiliated by playing to crowd of just 40 people in 90,000 capacity stadium Brandy at a previous concert with a few more fans. Picture: Splash Source: Splash News Australia DID Brandy play to a stadium of 89,960 empty seats? That's what the Twitterverse is saying after reports the singer performed to just 40 people in a 90,000 capacity arena at the Mandela Sports and Culture Day in South Africa on Saturday. The American R&B star was the surprise guest at the FNB stadium in Soweto - the only problem was that no-one knew she was playing. Tens of thousands of people had therefore left the arena before she arrived on stage. "Brandy [just] performed to an empty stadium. With the stadium lights on," tweeted South African musician, Kabomo. "People didn't know there was a concert after the games. No one knew Brandy was around. Maybe a 40 people audience ... She sulked after two songs and walked off. "There are more people there on a random Tuesday... Depressing." Added @My2_Melo: "I gave up the min I saw the empty stadium. Brandy performing for the chairs!" While @dawn_ngwenya said: "Brandy is going to perform for herself and Mbaks only," referring to South Africa's minister of sport, Fikile Mbalula. The singer reportedly walked off in embarrassment after just two songs. The country's national TV channel SABC reportedly also ended their broadcast of the concert before Brandy could even emerge on stage. http://www.perthnow.com.au/entertainment/music/brandy-humiliated-by-playing-to-crowd-of-just-40-people-in-90000-capacity-stadium/story-fnhofkpw-1226702196482

So, it looks like the coma part was a hoax... http://globalgrind.com/2013/08/20/raz-b-coma-life-support-report-hoax-details/

MARY J. BLIGE - Don't Mind My Life II: The Journey Continues... (Act I) (2011) I didn't even realize there was a music video for this. Music videos deserve a proper amount of airing on TV!!

OMARION w/ FABOLOUS + PUSHA-T - Know You Better Self Made 3 (2013) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U8ka0Zt1zg

I would kill to hear those. Seriously, I would.

TONI BRAXTON - Un-Break My Heart Secrets (1996) I remember the Summer that this played non-stop. I miss ballads getting mainstream success.

I guess the coma story is true. Global Grind just posted this story, that he is okay and off life support. Praise God. http://globalgrind.com/2013/08/18/raz-b-off-life-support-smiling-responsive-recovering-details/

I'm not sure if this is entirely true. The day this news broke, there was this article, and there was one who said how he was released and actually submitted comments after leaving, saying how he was going to move back to the US soon and focus on a comeback.

ANOINTED - Adore You Under The Influence (1996)

EMINEM + SKYLER GREY - Survival (2013) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz0oOR4l_0o&feature=share He's back. While I rather have a straight Hip-Hop song, I'm glad he unpredictably did a rock song. He lyrics have been so much better since his come back.

I actually think the "king of New York" line is hilarious. But year, too many legends have the team player attitude toward the guys currently on the radio. Most of them are wack...why support them unless it's somehow benefiting your career?

It took me a few days to get around to responding to this. I think the sound is simplistic and breaks no new ground, but I like that it's not polished. I don't follow any of these guys too closely. I've listened to some of Big Sean's stuff and I find it annoying and elementary, but I feel this verse is the best thing I ever heard from him. Kendrick Lamar has been hit and miss with the stuff I've heard from him. I like a couple of his songs, but I find a good bit of it too influenced by commercial stuff. I admire his boldness and I love that he broke the mole with a verse that long. I like that he's stirring things up, but I don't think he's as nice as he thinks he is...lol. I'm curious how much of this is just to get attention. Jay Electronica, is my favorite of the group overall. It was appropriate for the best emcee to finish the song, but he didn't push to top off the sting of the verse before it. Having some healthy competition during a time where Hip-Hop is mostly absent from the radio is good. Having lesser known emcees and underground emcees coming out of the wood work is nice. I was actually disappointed with Lupe's and B.O.B.'s response. I wanted theirs to be the best, but both of them took a "song" approach and neither bring a proper response. I just hope there aren't any idiots who burn competition into a tired beef. Nice track, but I don't see why so many people find this mind blowing.

I'm really looking forward to this. I love Darkchild, but to be honest, a think a lot of their stuff on Invincible was kinda average. I'm hoping this material is a little stronger.

Back in the mid-90's, Skee-Lo and Ahmad were two of my favorite "new" emcees. They still are to this day. I acknowledged their similarities, but never knew of the connection either. I've been listening to the new album. I don't feel that I'll like any of his albums as much as his first, but I'm loving it. I kinda wish he didn't start cussing in his music though. He made a point to keep things clean up until the last few years.