June 30, 2006

25–The Compilation

So there’s a grip of artists that I’d lvoe to do lists for but don’t feel like I know enough to do the list properly. I mangled a couple already, so I’m not going to make that mistake again. Instead, I’m going to take 25 acts I really, really dig and list my favorite of their songs. This could be a fun one.

Artist–2Pac
Song–Me and My Girlfriend.

Yeah, you can say this song was made once by Nas–”I Gave You Power”–and another time by Organized Konfusion–”Stray Bullet”–but this was one of the rare times Pac really rode a metaphor. Shit, forget rode a metaphor. Just used one at all.

Artist–A Tribe Called Quest
Song–Scenario

If I have to explain, I can’t help you.

Artist–Aerosmith
Song–Janie’s Got a Gun

I remember seeing once on Pop-Up Video that the label referred to this as “Steven’s Masterpiece.” And considering this was written by someone that has four, maybe five, songs that don’t involve getting laid and/or high, that’s pretty accurate.

Artist–Al Green
Song–For the Good Times

There are a million directions I could go here. I’m really partial to “Simply Beautiful” and “Funny How Time Slips Away,” but I’ll go with “For the Good Times” simply because I’ve seen it, time and time again, paralyze a car full of people, keeping us in the car until the song was over even though we were running late.

Artist–Anthony Hamilton
Song–Float

My favorite singer of today. Straight kills this one.

Artist–Aretha Franklin
Song–Ain’t No Way

I tend to associate this song with an ex-girlfriend–which lends a spectacular irony, lemme tell ya–but it’s still incredible. For me, it’s so interesting how much I dig the song, believe every word…and still, I’m exactly the kind of dude Aretha’s singing about.

Artist–Beatles
Song–While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Yeah, my favorite Beatles joint is the one written by Harrison with Clapton on guitar. It might be the least Lennon/McCartney song in the catalog.

Artist–Bill Withers
Song–Make Love To Your Mind

Big problem, though. You better be ready to make an honest woman outta this one, Bill. If you make love to the mind, then properly do the same with the body, you’ll never be able to shake her. Never.

Artist–Black Sabbath
Song–War Pigs/Luke’s Wall

Perhaps Geezer’s best written song, maybe the most effective groove…just a great political statement from a group most wouldn’t expect one from.

Artist–Bob Dylan
Song–Hurricane

So many directions to go, but I’ll go with one of the harder rocking and driving cuts in the catalog. Plus, he’s just about as concise as he’s ever been, given this topic.

Artist–Bruce Springsteen
Song–Rosalita

Back when Bruce was still fairly optimistic. By the time “Born to Run” came around, he’d sold his folk out. That’s fucked up, Bruce.

Artist–Busta Rhymes
Song–Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See

If you were a college freshman in 1997, please stand up and let ‘em know about this one.

Artist–Curtis Mayfield
Song–Choice of Colors

It’s got some strange moments, but I just love this one to no end.

Artist–David Bowie
Song–The Man Who Sold the World

I really, really wish I’d written this one.

Artist–The Doors
Song–People Are Strange

Really weird, but it explains why so many dudes are messed up about women. Sayeth the Lizard King, “women seem wicked when you’re unwanted.”

Artist–Dr. Dre
Song–Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang

Top 5 hip hop single of all-time. Period.

Artist–Earth Wind and Fire
Song–I’ll Write a Song For You

Not the biggest EWF fan, but this is flawless. Great song, great melody, and the best of Philip Bailey’s falsetto.

Artist–Eightball and MJG
Song–Space Age Pimpin’

Literally flawless.

Artist–Erykah Badu
Song–Booty

I prefer “Other Side of the Game,” but it had to be said that this song begins to explain how she does it to these dudes.

Artist–Juvenile
Song–Juvenile on Fire

So many dreadful things to say about this one. But it’s dope. Hate me if you want.

Artist–Led Zeppelin
Song–Trampled Under Foot

Really, who knew Zeppelin could do funk?

Artist–Living Colour
Song–Solace of You

LC was so friggin’ versatile. If only Vern was a better guitar player. Yeah, I said it.

Artist–Nas
Song–NY State of Mind II

That verse about his friends is real, heartfelt, and incredible. Technically magnificent, too.

Artist–Notorious B.I.G.
Song–Niggaz Bleed

There’s a lotta ways you can go on here and still be in the clear. But since I couldn’t choose between the two versions of “One More Chance,” I went with the best story he ever told. Well, there’s “I Got a Story to Tell.” Yeah, this one’s hard. Lemme get back atcha.

Artist–Pink Floyd
Song–Wish You Were Here

First, it’s one of the few Floyd songs that’s best enjoyed on terra firma. Second, it’s Roger Waters’ masterpiece. Third, just go listen to it. I swear you’ll be glad you did.

Wow, that’s 25 already. Pick this up again next week?

June 29, 2006

Take It Back–Ridin’ Dirty

As not to offend anyone, I’m no longer calling these album retrospectives “Old School” or whatever the hell I was calling them before. Got the feeling a few of you were feeling kinda old hearing records that came otu when they were in grad school “old school.” Face facts, pimpin–you’re gettin old!

Anyway, it’s not called Take It Back. I should try to get a sponsor like EJ’s Neat-O Stat of the Night or something.

The other way, Big Walt told me he went about copped UGK’s Ridin’ Dirty. Many of you know I’m a big fan of Walt’s, so I was glad to see that he’d copped one of the albums that rocked my adolescence. But then I thought that maybe I should listen to the album again and see if it still hit me as hard as it did when I was 15.

And it does. But in more than one way.

Save for the OutKast collection, there’s an argument that Ridin’ Dirty is the greatest record the South has ever produced. It’s better than anything Scarface did, much better than any of the four Goodie Mob albums…just a magnum opus.

It’s also spectacularly misogynist. I mean really bad. But in nearly all cases, the misogyny is executed flawlessly. I’ll get back to that in a few.

The hook of UGK has always been that they’re uncompromisingly gangsta lyrically and spit over hardcore funk beats. But two things–the beats tend to have an infectious melody and almost always have a sing-songy hook. The trick is that neither sounds pretentious or soft. It’s the path that Dr. Dre really broke with The Chronic, but UGK brought that to the South and did that with a less poppy sound than the G-Funk stuff from the early ’90s.

Oh yeah, and Bun-B is one of the baddest mu’fuckas on planet Earth. Pimp C might be the most influential Southern producer ever. They also have the greatest chemistry outside of Atlanta. They might even have more chemistry than OutKast, but in a less impressive way since Bun and Pimp are different in style but not in subject matter (unlike Dre and Big Boi, who are entirely different).

But it’s on Ridin Dirty that they’re in perfect sync. And it’s on Ridin’ Dirty that Bun went from just being nice to being stratospherically good. Pimp’s beats were never better, which is key because he made a big stylistic shift between the previous record, Super Tight… and Ridin’ Dirty. Super Tight… was grounded in what was his trademark then–fire organ licks. Ridin’ Dirty leaves the organ alone and goes all over the place, much of which comes since Pimp outsourced a lot of the production to N.O. Joe.

(I’m rambling because I could talk about this record forever…moving on.)

I was going to start this look at the record by going through the standout tracks, but I really can’t think of how to pick out just a couple of those. “One Day” is great, even though it’s not breaking any new ground (and does not list Ron Isley in the liner notes, so I don’t believe that’s him on the hook). “Diamonds and Wood” is great for summertime riding, but not great for any reason in particular. Just works, yanno? “Good Stuff” samples the R&B classic of the same name to make a danceable record that compromises absolutely nothing, can make asses shake, and will make a system knock.

There are two absolutely spectacular moments on here, though–”Hi-Life” and “Murder/Pinky Ring.” The former is Pimp’s shining moment and the latter Bun’s.

A frequent criticism of UGK is that Pimp C is little more than a passable emcee. I can’t agree with that. But I also say that as someone who firmly believes Too $hort is one of the greatest rappers of all-time. It has nothing to do with his dexterity with words or his ability to craft a spectacular narrative. What makes Pimp so good is that he’s so self-assured and believable on every track–check “Short Texas” on Too Hard to Swallow for one of the best examples–even though he’s usually saying something I find morally reprehensible. “Hi Life” showed an extension that few would have expected. His verse about everything from dealing with his family to frustrations with church to being afraid of having AIDS is sweeping, scattered brilliance. And it’s all because he doesn’t seem to be faking anything. If he is, he’s a helluva fuckin’ actor. Without question, his verse overshadows Bun’s, and Bun’s is pretty good.

But here’s the thing–Bun dropped a verse on “Murder” that may be one of the greatest ever by anyone from anywhere. It’s rapid fire, it’s got a trippy rhyme scheme, it’s powerful, and it’s absolute genius. I can’t take a quote from it because you can’t take one line and not use another. Plus, dictating it would totally strip the power of hearing it. If you wanna hear the verse, I’ll help you get the song. Good lord.

“Pinky Ring” comes next. I look at them as the same song because the transition between the two is seamless, almost as though Pimp meant for them to be seen as one song. In fact, they’re on the same CD track on Trill Azz Mixes, the mixtape that was released while we were all waiting on Dirty Money. Between these two songs, you see why Bun is so revered. Where he’s overpowering on “Murder,” he’s loose and bouncy on “Pinky Ring” while being no less effective, interesting or amazing. Because of these two tracks, Bun’s performance on Ridin’ Dirty is up there with any spectacular one-man performance you can name. And it is easily the greatest improvement a rapper has ever shown from a previous album. If a home run hitter made that kind of improvement, we’d think he started using HGH. It’s that damn good.

There’s one more moment that has to be mentioned, and it’s the one that really makes me thnk about some things. “Fuck My Car” is about chicks that want cats for their cars and not their personalities. Musically, it’s brilliant. N.O. Joe ripped this on the boards, and Pimp and Bun are as passionate and genuine as ever.

The problem, of course, is this is ridiculous misogyny to the nth degree. But goddam, it’s so well written and well-produced that I’d be lying if i didn’t say it was worth praise. The only problem is that it’s not. Pimp offers “unless your pussy makin ten thousand dollars a week/the only way I’ll see you in my passenger seat/you bitch!” Bun’s not so bad, but he’s got a couple moments.

Oh, and I agree with a lot of what they say on here. Not denying it. Not so keen on how all of it’s said, but there’s truth in the madness.

What does that say about me? Good question.

Looking back, this record is better than I thought it was in ‘96. In ‘96, I didn’t know what Bun would sound like on an album without Pimp. Pimp is to UGK what Dre is to NWA and all them other cats he works with. He sets the tone. But it’s more with Pimp because he structures the songs, comes up with most of the hooks, and establishes a foundation that Bun can run wild over. A better analogy might be that Pimp is to UGH what Townshend is to The Who. It’s always been Pete’s band and Pete wrote most of the songs, but he did so in a way that allowed Enwistle and Moon to run wild over his rhythms. He’s in charge but not in a egomaniacal sort of way.

Trill showed that Bun needed that. He sounded so restrained at some moments on his solo debut. He got cliche on many moments. He didn’t take a single chance, and the album suffered as a result (still really good, though). Listen to Ridin’ Dirty then listen to Trill. Just that quickly, you’ll be able to see how important Pimp C is, even if you think his flow is simple.

So that’s it. Ridin’ Dirty will still set off whatever you’ve got going. It’s flawed in some of its messages, but it’s flawless in its execution. It deserves to be on any list of classic hip hop albums, great albums of the ’90s, or whatever you’ve got. Unfortunately, there are moments where it feels like I’m imploring people to praise A Birth of a Nation.

But I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was incredible. I’ll let you know when I figure out what that says about me.

June 28, 2006

Do Women Look Sexy When They’re Angry?

So I was riding around today and heard that Ne-Yo song about how he gets turned on when his woman is angry. Forgive me for being late to get around to this song, but I had an unfortunate attempt and do-it-yourself stereo installation–which would have worked out okay had hte last people in my dashboard not plastic clipped everything–and was without a car stereo.

Anyway, this Ne-Yo song is all him talking about how he just wants to have a session with his woman because of how sexy she looks when she’s angry.

Fellas–am I the only person that can’t attest to that one way or another?

When women get angry, I go away. I have no desire to be around that. I’ve told many a woman “call me when you wanna talk about this.” I ain’t listening to all that screaming. If she’s quiet and brooding when she’s mad, I still don’t wanna be around. I ain’t walkin’ on eggshells just because something’s bothering you, especially if that something’s my fault.

No meaningful conversation takes place when people are angry, so why even try? I believe in letting folks get a grip and an idea of just what’s bothering them. Then we can talk.

And there’s one more thing–if I really messed up and she’s really mad, I don’t wanna have to go to the default.

The default–baby please!

That’s just so unbecoming of someone like me, a child of the Victor Newman School of Dealing with Women.

I hear I miss out on angry sex because of this. The idea is that if you can harness that energy and direct it toward the physical instead of whatever the hell she’s mad at, you can have a mind-blowing experience. I can’t tell you about that. I’d be too busy driving home to try that plan.

So is this just me? Or is there really something erotic about an angry woman? They just look like stress to Young Baba.

June 27, 2006

Best Hip Hop Album of the Year?

I’m a big fan of that new Busta Rhymes. I’ve been meaning to write about it for about the last three weeks, but you know how it goes. I’ve heard mixed reviews of it, but I’m incredulous about those folks that don’t dig this one. The beats are killer, and Busta finally has what he needs to really make things happen–a guiding hand. He’s no different than LL Cool J in that he needs someone to help him focus his energy into something that works in an album format. Cuz as dope as we all know Busta is, he’s only had one really good album (Extinction Level Event).

Well, make that two.

Anyway, that got me thinking about the hip hop albums that have dropped this year. It’s been a relatively slow year–especially compared to the great year that was 2005–but there have been some really great records to drop so far. I talked on here about how much I love the Tip, Ghost, Juve and–never thought I’d live long enough to say this–E-40. I dig One Hunnid from The Product. I’m also hearing word that the new Mr. Lif is hot, but I haven’t gotten around to it. Maybe another day.

But which has been the best so far? At the year’s halfway point, I figure we’re at the right point to start thinking about these things. So here are my five best records of the year, offered with the caveat that I’m not on top of new music like I once was and am open to any listening suggestions.

5. E-40 – My Ghetto Report Card. In ten years, this one may be on the top of the list for 2006. That’s dependent on this hyphy thing blowing up, though. If it does, it’ll be impossible to deny that this record is a perfect introduction to the scene. And the best part–40 spends a lot less time talking in riddles and rips damn near very track with power and brevity. I honestly didn’t know he had it in him.

4. Ghostface – Fishscale. Just three months ago, I had this chalked up as the best record of the 2006. It hasn’t gotten any worse to me, but I’ve reconsidered some other albums. It’s classically soulful Ghostface, full of all his invigorating and disturbing sincerity. “Back Like That” is probably still the best single of the year, though.

3. Juvenile – Reality Check. If you’ve never heard an old school New Orleans album, this is something you must hear. The tracks are fire and the rhymes are what we’ve come to expect from Juve–very matter of fact stuff from the Scarface lineage. Juve’s caught a lot of hell for the line about using FEMA checks to buy cocaine, but it’s unfair to look at that line separate from the thought process he’s been spittin’ since ‘98. His thought is that people should do whatever they must do to get out of poverty, even if that means selling dope. I don’t necessarily agree with that, but that’s pretty easy for me to say from my upper middle-class background. But that line shows that Reality Check is a continuation of his extended treatise on poverty and, like it or not, it’s hard to say he’s not compelling. Check the videos for “Ha” and “Get Your Hustle On” if you need to see more. Oh yeah, “Addicted” is the most unexpected song of the decade.

2. Busta Rhymes – The Big Bang. You know the most interesting thing about this record to me? I learned just how important the mix is on a beat. Pretty much every beat sounds like a Dre track, even the ones that aren’t. The reason is that Dre mixed every song. That’s why every snare snaps, every key hits just right, all of that. Dre made his mark on the record from the background, and that’s really impressive. As for Busta, I shouldn’t have to say anything. Check the record and enjoy. Just try to ignore the mindlessness of “I Love My Bitch,” which proves again that Kelis is the chick to call when you need someone to ride along with gratuitous use of the “bitch.”

1. T.I. – King. You knew this would be on the top. The Big Bang and King are the only records on this list that improved to me after the first listen. My first run through King wasn’t unimpressive, but it wasn’t what I expected. Then I bumped it at the gym and was amazed. There are a couple of disappointing moments–”Front Back”–but the heat is incredible. Mannie Fresh puts his foot in “Top Back” and Young Dro used that song to get me hype for his album. “What You Know” is incredible. “Live in the Sky” hits me in a special way. “Get It” has proven that Swizz Beats is really back. “Hello” is vulnerable without being totally simpish. “Ride With Me” is cool, if for no other reason than shouting out lots of neighborhoods in Atlanta you should work to avoid (thank goodness Little Vietnam is gone). I could go on and on about this one, but I’m not sure who anyone could argue is, right now, the King of the South other than ol’ Clifford. And he’s only 25 years old. More is coming.

June 26, 2006

See Baba on TV August 4th!

Got an e-mail this morning from the wonderful Emma Whittle in London. Emma’s a researcher for Iambic Productions, the company that produced a documentary on Michael Jackson I did a few interviews for. She let me know that the documentary, titled “The Michael Jackson Story,” will air in the US on August 4th on A&E. Check your local listings.

It’s been about three years since I shot the first segments for the film, enough time that my world has been shaken upside down since this first came up.

Here’s the story…
Continue reading See Baba on TV August 4th!…

June 23, 2006

News Flashes and New Piece

Business…here’s a piece I did for the BSN comparing Ben Roethlisberger’s motorcycle crash with Kellen Winslow’s.

So this job at Dook is whoopin’ my ass somethin vicious. Posting will increase after next week, when I get my life back. In the meantime, two things have happened.

First–get ready, Elon University. Baba will be teaching two economics classes there. Let’s see how long it takes them to get hip to just what they’ve stepped into.

Also–get ready, King Magazine readers. Baba will be their official sports blogger. I’ll let you know the start date, and I’ll have a link on the site as soon as all of that’s ready. Let’s see how long it takes them to get hip to just what they’ve stepped into.

And now, back to grading papers. I’ve learned something in this process–it’s real easy to see why teachers come to hate students.

June 21, 2006

MAIL CALL!!!

The Len Bias mail has been absolutely fascinating. If you want a snapshot of cocaine use in the ’80s or of the impact Bias had on folks, check out some of this.

(First–the only negative notes I got were from people saying that Jackie Robinson was more influential than Bias. There’s an argument, but not according to the logic I used. Further, it’s not like Robinson was the first black person good enough to play in the big leagues. Branch Rickey was just the first person courageous enough to let a black man play in the bigs.)

This one’s from Paul in Connecticut.

During my last semester in MBA School at UNC Chapel Hill, I had the pleasure of watching Len Bias’ final game at the Dean Dome. We had scored court-level seats just behind the basket, and it was amazing to watch this chiseled figure single-handedly dampen Carolina’s home finale with medium-range jumpers, powerful moves to the hoop and gravity-defying rebounds.

I distinctly remember reading about Len Bias’ death that summer of 1986 — being saddened by the loss and worried about the fates of my undergraduate friends who were immersed in a recreational cocaine culture that existed at UNC. While I was only four years older, I felt like I was a generation away fearing that other promising “young” people might recklessly throw it all away.

I was glad that I came across your article today — and intrigued by your thoughts that Len Bias’ tragic death had left an indelible mark on campus culture.

From Carla in Champaign.

I have just read your article on Len Bias and was moved. I was a junior in high school when he died and for years I have made reference to him when people have asked me to “go skiing” or “try some snow”. I always told them I was not going to be a Len Bias and have my mama bury me knowing I died from cocaine. It’s funny how our generation identifies with him. In working with my athletes, I refer to him consistently when needing an example of how one decision can literally alter your life. Interestingly enough, many of them have no idea who he is or have only vague notions that he really existed. Thank you for writing about him. With your permission, I would like to print your article and share it with my student-athletes.

By the way, in a “former life” I was a teacher at a rather distinguished East Coast prep school. Mr. Gregg’s children were students at the school. Being from Philly you have a hard time being a Phillies fan, but Mr. Gregg at least made me smile as he came to school functions and I expressed my frustration over the Phillies. His kids were great too! You can tell they were being raised right. I’m glad to see you were able to reflect and learn from your previous stance on Mr. Gregg.

From Matthew, and I post this just for my own ego.

Wow, this is one of the greatest pieces of journalistic material I’ve ever
had the pleasure of reading. I’ve read hordes of sports articles, books,
etc. over the years, including, “Never Too Young To Die. The Len Bias
Story.”

I’m just blown away by this article. Wow, unbelievable. I’ll be looking
for more of your stuff. Wish I had more time to discuss this w/ you.

From Corey in Boston

When I saw the tag line, I thought it was a joke. I was wrong.
This was a powerful piece of writing man. I was only 8 yrs old in ‘86, so I didn’t hear a whole lot about this when it happened. I did hear the jokes a few years later though. I also didn’t realize that Bias was probably the reason Coke wasn’t mainstream by the time I was “experimenting”, and for this I am forever grateful. Just as Len’s death marked the beginning of the end for the C’s, it did the same for the BIG C. Cocaine has made a few mini comebacks since then, but it has too dirty an image now to catch on like it did in the 80’s. When I was a teenager I knew that coke could kill you, that it would make you steal from your mother, and that it left you as a shell of the person you were. So even though I made some pretty stupid decisions, I was never THAT stupid. I never knew it but I guess I have Bias to thank for that, and you for pointing it out.

I post this one from Michael, simply because I’m blown away that white people need to explain their whiteness when stating they were affected by a black person. Never gonna get that one.

As a young white male you would think that I may have never heard of Len Bias, but I have and I agree with you article. I have had my own bout with this drug and I came out a winner. No, Im not bragging but just stating that my addiction was beaten by remembering Len Bias. I hope more people out there get to hear what happened because it seem that blow is starting to be “cool” again. They say if you dont learn about history it is doomed to repeat itself. So I thank you for putting this story back out where people my age and younger can actually see what this drug can do.
Once again I thanks you for this article, may it touch and help rescue many other out there.

From Ben, not to be confused with the former Red Stripe Reader of the Month.

it was the summer before my senior year at college park. and you’re right; coke was everywhere with anyone. nasty stuff. the “culture” that evolved from it was different than the other party choices. people hoarded it like bread during the depression. counted grains. during my junior year a guy who worked on campus, but not a student, came up from S.E. to turn me on to crack. it was too much, but coke wasn’t. but then that summer lenny died and my eyes opened. real big. the previous winter he WAS maryland basketball. in 6 months he was the coke poster child – in a casket. a lot of us did learn from his death.

From Aaron.

I am sure you have received many of these emails over the recent days, but I had to share my own Len Bias story.

In June of 1986 I was 13 years old, growing up in Blue Heaven…otherwise known as Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I had been a Jordan fan since his first minutes at UNC, and being a Carolina season ticket holder, had the privilege to see the greats of the ACC lace ‘um up from the late seventies on through Jordan’s tenure and Len Bias’ ascendancy to legend status. I loved Jordan, even more so after he helped the Heels to the 82 National Championship, but I was awed by Bias. He was the one player from rival teams that you simply could not hate.
Being 13, middle class and white, and living in Chapel Hill in the mid-80’s was was an interesting experience. On the one hand my friends and I were isolated from what we perceived as “big city” issues like violent crime and abject poverty, while at the same time we were part of a youth culture that was beginning to use and abuse “recreational” substances, like alcohol, grass, psychedelics and “harder” drugs, like cocaine, at ever earlier ages. I recall my first “drunk” happening around this time, and in retrospect, I’m sure coke was not far behind.
But then, as has been chronicled many times over the years, the trajedy that was Len Bias’ death occurred. I remember the day, the instant, I saw the news story come across the television…and I remember saying that I would never, ever use cocaine. If it could kill a physical marvel like the great Len Bias, it could certainly kill me was my thinking.
Over the years following Bias’ death I continued to make choices that were in many instances unwise. I drank too much, smoked too much, drove too fast, and and put a number of substances in my body that were not healthy…but I never touched coke. I watched friends use, I turned down many opportunities to use myself in situations that took resisting a lot of peer pressure, but I resisted, always remembering Bias.

I am probably lucky to be alive today for many reasons, but I will always credit Len Bias for keeping me away from one of our country’s most lethal and destructive forces.

Thanks for keeping his memory alive.

From Craig.

Your article on the impact of len bias was amazing. Im a 17 at a Maryland High School and i wrote a 5 page essay on the impact of his death. I had to explain to many who he was and why the impact of his death was the reason i titled the paper “The End Of 80’s Excess”. Many in the class never heard his story and i hoped my paper could explain it to those who didnt know much like your article did.

P.S I keep the UMD 34 jersey my dad bought when he was in College in my closet at all times.

From Avery.

I have never felt compelled to respond to an internet columnist before, no matter how well-written the article or how much I agreed or disagreed. I have to say this, though. Your column on the death of Len Bias was heartbreaking and absolutely true.

I was a good girl, did well in school, probably would never have touched drugs anyway. But nothing Nancy Reagan, ABC after school specials, or anti-drug ads ever said slammed home the danger of drugs like Bias’ death.

I was 15 in 1986 but certainly not a Bias fan. I grew up in North Carolina and graduated from UNC. I sat in my living room in February 1986 and watched him destroy my Tar Heels in OT by himself. I try to describe that game to sports fans who aren’t old enough to remember it and I can never get it right. We had just finished the Jordan years and I’d never seen anything like it. Honestly, I still haven’t.

Hearing on the radio that he was dead is just as impossible to describe.

We can mourn for what Bias dying meant for sports but can you even imagine what life must be like for his parents? To lose one son because of a stupid decision, another because of stupid violence. I can’t imagine how they make it through the day.

The most touching of all is from Arnoldo.

I was reading your story, a marvelous piece. After reading, I flash back to my youth, remembering the day that happen and how I felt. It was a feeling that would not ever go away. I bring this up, because my spouse and I were having a conversation about our youth and her drug use when she was younger. Cocaine was her drug of choice and when I asked her if it was offered to her free, would she every do it again? She told me she could not honestly say no, because how she remembers it made her feel invincible and that she could do anything and the burst of energy she would get. After her response, I thought of Len Bias and the feeling I got when he passed away, but it was amplified, because this was someone I wanted too spend the rest of my life with and would never want it cut short, especially by a drug. Therefore, I forwarded your story onto her and said, “Do you want to be remembered for what you did and who you were or for who you could have been or what you could have done?”

Thank you for your piece.

Thanks for the notes.

June 19, 2006

Mr. Jones Went to Washington and Checked the Cato

My business…I’ve got a piece on Page 2 today commemorating the 20th anniversary of Len Bias’ death. Also check out the piece Scoop has on the topic. We thought it would be cool to both do pieces on this given that we’re of different generations, and I think it turned out pretty well.

Other folks’ business…check out this piece my man Jarrett Carter’s got on the BSN about James Blake. It’s a great piece of work, and I ask you all to check him out at www.jarrett-carter.com.

Speaking of Jarrett, I had the pleasure of sharing a plate of barbecue chicken from T&T’s Carry Out on Kennilworth Ave on my trip to the DC area last week. Since the tables were sticky enough to hold on to your plate, we ate in his ride. Good food, good folks, good story.

I went to DC with my summer gig. I work with the American Economics Association’s Summer Program, whose primary purpose is to prepare non-white students for graduate study in economics. It’s a good program, and I have to say that a free trip to DC was really good for enticing me into the job. DC is like my fourth home behind Houston, Atlanta and Durham. Many of my folks from undergrad are from PG and Montgomery Counties, and a few friends from way back live up that way. I always love going there and love the vibe of the area.

But see, the program decided to go to a few places I wouldn’t. Our trip to the NSF was okay. The trip to the Fed was cool if only for the food (and let it be known you’d be better off trying to rob a Brinks truck with a butterknife than trying to start a ruckus in the Fed).

The real fun trip was to the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank. People say a lot of things about the libertarians, mostly that they’re Republicans in disguise. I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s undeniable that they’re really conservative. That doesn’t bother me so much. They can roll like that if they choose.

I must say that I do agree with some of the things they say. The problem I’ve got with them is that they’re views on economics only work if you assume that everyone started at the same level and all subsequent levels of inequality are market conditions, not market failures. Forgive me, but I ain’t buying that shit for nothing.

So we get to Cato, and a gentleman named David Boaz was the speaker. From what they said, he’s done a bit of television. That’s cool, I guess. But if they’ll put my black ass on television, then it really ain’t that difficult to get on. And if you’ve got a ski mask? Man, they got a show at 10 that’s always lookin for those niggaz.

Anyway, buddy started by explaining that what he thinks is rooted in the public choice literature. I’m okay with that. After all, I’m an alumnus of the Claremont Graduate University School of Politics and Economics. What they do is public choice. To this day, it’s the perspective I tend to default to when it’s time to evaluate a problem.

(To the non-economically inclined–public choice is a thought process that feels it’s impossible to evaluate the actions of politicians and policy makers without looking at their personal utility functions. While policy makers have concerns for constituents, they are also concerned with maximizing their own wealths, but only if that doesn’t prevent them from holding their office and maximizing more utility later.)

Boaz said the problem with government is that it’s based around “concentrated benefits, diffused costs.” That I agree with. Interest groups sway policy, and the costs of whatever initiative is brought forth is paid for by everyone. We’ve got countless problematic examples of that.

Then the dude started quoting Thomas Jefferson, and I started reading Friday Night Lights. Sorry, but you get nowhere with me by praising Thomas Jefferson. I can respect his intellect, but I am unable to ignore his blinding, spectacular racism. Check Ronald Takaki’s A Different Mirror and see Jefferson’s dreadful solution to blacks in America. I’ll give you a hint–it involves children and islands. But hey–at least he liked that black good good!

When I popped back up, someone must have asked the dude about income inequality. He then said that he has no problem with income inequality because it’s necessary to provide incentive for people to strive.

There’s a small bit of credence in that, but not much. First, that assumes that there’s necessarily socioeconomic mobility with this inequality. Sorry, but it doesn’t seem to work like that, and there’s a piece in the new issue of The Economist that discusses that.

Second, what’s the incentive for rich people to keep making money? Why didn’t Bill Gates quit his job much earlier?

To illustrate his indifference toward income inequality, buddy used Gates as an example. He said that if Gates made more money, the income gap widens and nothing’s wrong.

He must have thought we were stupid. That shit made absolutely no sense. Think of the law of diminishing marginal utility, which basically says that the more you have of something, then the less benefit you get from an additional unit of it. If you need an example to get that, imagine how much good a fifth car would do you compared to how much good a car would do you if you only had the subway.

But it just got to be too much, so I had to raise my hand. I was a bit apprehensive about this because, well, I hadn’t been listening that much. I don’t want to ask a question that’s already been answered and call myself out for not listening. That’s not the heat.

But I asked him how he could reconcile an indifference between income inequality and the idea of concentrated benefits and diffused costs. After all, income inequality is why rich people have the money to put toward their causes. And even though he used the AARP as his example of an interest group that could unfairly sway policy, the real damaging stuff comes from big money.

Further, it becomes a circular system. Rich people have the money, therefore they can sway policy to make more money, therefore they can sway more policy, etc.

So he tried to pass that same Bill Gates stuff on me. I then asked him to look to South America for examples of how problematic income inequality can be and the political unrest it causes (and all the World Bank and IMF money that’s had to go there).

He then said the problem was that Latin American countries didn’t have competitive capitalism, so the income inequality was unnatural and contrived.

So I asked him what he would say about the fact that the black/white wage ratio is the same now as it was in 1890. Not 1980. 1890. See William A. Darity and Samuel Myers’ Persistent Disparity for more on that.

You know what followed–bullshit. First, he mentioned that 1890 was the beginning of Jim Crow, so that was an inaccurate snapshot. Dude, it was just twenty-five years after slavery. And just 13 years after Reconstruction, which cripped the Southern economy. You know about the South. It’s where most black people lived then. That would affect them, I’d think.

then came the predictable–the problem is that while lots of black people do good things, we’ve got this black underclass bringing things down. This means Mr. Boaz is qualified to star in his own family sitcom!

But it also showed what I should have known was underneath it all–the same ol, same ol. I mean, it’s not like there’s a white underclass or anything, right? There aren’t white people drinking Crazy Horse in the trailer park, are there?

Nope, it’s just a bunch of niggaz drinking King Cobra in the ghetto. Those are all the poor people in this country.

Whatever.

All in all, it was a respectful exchange, and I enjoyed it. Not just because I got to shut him down, but because I did feel like he was saying quasi-intelligent things. They were just meant to be embraced by silly sheep. Guess I can’t blame him for thinking I was one of those people.

Just turned out he was wrong.

Afterwards, I tried to talk to him and tell him thank you for answering my admittedly long questions. He was talking to someone else and then started walking out the room, which mean walking past me. I wasn’t too keen on how close he walked past me without saying excuse me.

Then I saw him in the hallway and asked if we could swap cards. Without speaking, he pulled a card out of his wallet and placed mine in his billfold. I said thank you.

He turned his back.

Sounds like victory for me. Disrespect is the last resort for the defeated. Sad it had to end like that, though.

As someone that loves discourse, it’s disappointing when people behave like that. But at the same time, it feels pretty good.

June 15, 2006

Piece Later Today

Busy as can be, but I’ll have a piece running on Page 2 later today about stupid people. Trust me–it’s fun. Check this link after 12:30 EDT.

June 14, 2006

The Enemy of the Caniac Nation

As I’ve told a few of you–or as anyone has learned by running a Technorati search on my name–I’ve become an enemy of the Caniac Nation. ‘Tis all based on this little piece, one that incensed people way more than I ever expected. I spent about a week being pelted with e-mails, drilled on message boards, and all that jazz. I could deal with it. That’s just part of this job.

I just never saw it coming. That was an account of my work on a story. Many people e-mailed me and let me know that I just didn’t go to the right places to find Canes fans. They may be right, but you can’t help but wonder how many people really care that much if I have to go to one of a handful of places to watch a game with Canes fans. That’s not to say people don’t care. I see the car flags all over this place (and a lot more now that a championship is pending, which raises a bunch of other questions). But I went out and didn’t find the people. I talked to the manager of a bar, and he said he didn’t experience a spike in turnout behind hockey…and I’ve seen that place packed for boxing, which no one’s cared about since the late-’80s.

People upset with that piece seemed to miss a couple of things. First, it seems that kids really love the Canes, something that bodes will for the long-term success of the team and something that proves that people around here are beginning to get into hockey. Those upset people also seemed to miss that I never said there aren’t Canes fans. I just said I don’t know any of them.

(And I know what a couple of you are thinking. You see my picture see an obvious reason I don’t know any hockey fans. I have but one response to that–I’ve got lots of white friends…)

Around the time I wrote this piece, Lacy Banks of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote a similar piece about going around Miami looking for Sammy Sosa. He never found Sammy in that piece. People told him places to go to find Sammy, but Sammy was never where he went. Does that mean Sammy doesn’t exist? I don’t think so.

Now extend that example to my piece and I think you’ll understand why I’m confused about why people got so upset over this one.

But oh well. People were upset at the notion that I may have questioned their allegiance to their team. Really–I could care less if people like the Hurricanes or not. If the worst thing I can say about the Triangle is that people aren’t thrilled about hockey, then this place is pretty nice. Hell, nice enough for me to buy a house.

After a couple of weeks without being e-mailed about this, I figured the issue was dead.

Wrong.

I got this e-mail from Rick Ball in Vancouver. On Memorial Day, I appeared on his show on Team 1040 to discuss the piece, Steve Nash, Ricky Williams and a few other things.

Hey, Bomani-

Rick Ball from the TEAM 1040 in Vancouver. Had you on my show a couple weeks back re. your ESPN piece on Hurricane fans.

Anyway, our afternoon drive show was attempting to arrange and interview with Hurricane’s GM Jim Rutherford today, only to be told he would not appear on our radio station. The reason? Because you were on our station talking about your column.

Apparently, Rutherford has family in Vancouver who heard it and told him about it. The fact he made a note of it and used it as an excuse to boycott the station two weeks later tells me he was none to pleased (and has skin thinner than rice paper).

I find this hilarious. His team is a win away from a Stanley Cup, we want to give him free publicity, and he still has his knickers in a knot over an interview with a columnist! Nobody holds a grudge like a hockey old schooler.

Let me know the next time you piss off somebody, and we’ll get you on again.

Hope all is well…

Color me speechless. If you know Jim Rutherford, tell him to give me a call. I’d love to talk to him.