T.I Paper Trail

Words by Nic Perrino
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.0

Listeners watched this year as artist after artist claimed to be bringing us the album of the year. While many came close, here comes an album that knocks the others right out of the box. T.I.’s sixth studio album, Paper Trail, is that perfect cocktail of lyrical expertise along with fresh new beats.

Following a 56 bar intro, T.I. starts the album off with a slew of songs, showing off his trademark sound, but proving it never gets old. In “Ready For Whatever,” he gets us ready for what we are about to experience throughout the rest of the album; his honest experiences stirred in with his poignant swag.

Definitely worthy of being the anthem of the New Year, “Live Your Life,” featuring Rihanna, would make anyone walking down the street suddenly walk with a sharper swag. With T.I.’s ability to ride the beat as smooth as a newborn baby’s booty and Rihanna’s vocal abilities that often produce goose bumps, the two prove to be an amazing duo.

“Whatever You Like,” the album’s first single, has already proven its own success, giving men all over the perfect song to approach a woman to and women everywhere a reminder of the existence of men who will take them shopping just for the hell of it.

“No Matter What” is the song everyone can appreciate and deep people will love. After a few years of tracks from artists that we couldn’t quite comprehend much less than take advice from, T.I. gives his fans some real words to live by, “Apologies to the fans, I hope you can understand it / Life can change your direction even when you ain’t plan it / all you can do is handle it, worst thing you can do is panic / use it to your advantage, avoid insanity manage to conquer every obstacle / making possible — possible even when winnings illogical, losing’s still far from optional.”

The last song on the album, “Dead and Gone,” featuring Justin Timberlake, couldn’t be a more perfect song to end a perfect album. In a day where features are becoming a necessity and not an accessory to a song, T.I. has handled it well, proving how strong of an artist he truly is, letting the featured artists be the icing on the cake rather than part of the ingredients.

The holidays are approaching and T.I. has delivered the perfect gift, wrapped in a big bow — including photos, wallpapers, videos and more. Paper Trail brings us a view into the eyes of an amazing artist who has gone through great trials and tribulations in his career, leaving a trail of hot lyrics and dope beats behind

Senseless

PARLE MAGAZINE
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

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Words By Nicole Perrino

 

If you pick up Senseless, a book written by first time author Cheri L Banks, you are actually reading the first step to the California author’s screen play in what she hopes will be the next ‘who done it’ to make its way to the big screen. The book, which is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com, is about a college student turned serial killer after a boyfriend is found straying from the relationship. Cheri admits that the idea for the book “[kind of comes from] a relationship I was in back in 94’. It has nothing to do with real life though, just creative writing.” The book actually started out as a screenplay in 1994, in which she ended up writing as a book, only to turn it back into a screenplay now.

“I just wanted to get the feel of it, I’m just learning from my mistakes,” the Bay Area writer says.

Banks, who enjoys mysteries and who done its plans to write two more books to follow up with Senseless, “because this girl, the main character is killing people and for now, getting away with it.” Although she has no problem talking about her plans for the book to make its way to the big screen, she is keeping most of the details under wraps, “I’m only up to chapter five.” She does admit, however, that in the future she hopes to work with a better publishing company since “AuthorHouse wasn’t really helpful in promoting me.  I decided to go a different path.” But she hopes she can do most work herself. “I’m going to leave it up to the script to take me to a movie deal.” Cheri is aware it’s a lot of work to do most of it by herself, but of course, the end result will be worth it, and the success story will be greater.

            Banks, who quit her job with the government to work part time, is happy to have the extra time to work on the screenplay, “I like the flexible schedule, its giving me time to dive into doing that.” After over a decade of allowing her career to come first, Cheri is finally able to focus on her real passion, and follow the advice of a fellow writer, “Follow your dreams and keep pressing on.” She says to “just keep perusing your dream and be creative. I’m just not letting things get to me, and to keep writing.” Cheri has future plans for a website to better help promote her work, but for now you can find her on her myspace, myspace.com/clbankssenseless.

URBAN FICTION

EDITORIAL FEATURED IN PARLE MAGAZINE, BROOKLYN NY

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Words By Nicole Perrino

 

 

When urban fiction made its way onto tables on street sidewalks, it instantly became a staple in urban culture. A slap in the face to the rest of society, they proved that an urban lifestyle was worthy of being read about, and actually quite addicting. There is something about the realness, the no holds bar of urban literature that intrigues people. The curses, the vulgarity of the sex scenes; its taboo, and people love it. The books became more like movies, with questions over which ones have been read, recommendations and even book swapping.

 

But not only do these books help maintain stereotypes by endorsing sex, drugs and violence, they show how even a community who “supports” their fellow writers, are still not supportive enough to buy the books in a store, buying them for seven dollars on their local street corner.

 

Since these barely edited books made their debut in the late 90’s, people have debated over the use of the word literature when speaking about them. Are they even worthy of calling them literature? Is it really just hip hop literature? Do we want our teens reading about the same things we don’t want them seeing on TV? Did we really accept a new genre of literature just to make room curse words and glamorizing a life that so many try hard to escape?

 

Even though while walking down Jamaica avenue or Fulton Street you will still find a long table with rows of A Hustlers to wife and The Coldest Winter Ever, days of urban fiction have certainly seen some fizzling out. After all, the same concepts are repeated throughout a lot of the reads, and halfway through the book you feel like you’ve already read it. The urban culture has also seen major changes in the last few years, changing the culture in itself entirely. While rappers once bragged about how many guns they had and how many pounds they sold, we are now seeing a happy go lucky bunch of hip hop artists focused more on cool funky beats and ringtone sails. This change makes people less likely to go pick up a book about the fabulous life of a coke slinger, and spend those seven dollars towards a current trend, be it a pair of funky shades or a scarf. But that’s not to say that urban fiction is dead, these changes in society might just give urban authors a new direction to go in their writing.

Smiley The Ghetto Child

PARLE MAGAZINE

BROOKLYN, NY

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Words by Nicole Perrino

 

 

 

Sitting in a car, cell phone to his ear, Smiley the Ghetto Child is on his way to perform at Funk Master Flex’s birthday bash. “I’m deep in public relations,” he says when asked about landing the gig. “I got a lot of ears out there. As Premier’s (DJ Premier) big brother I was always on the m***f*** couch in studio B.  That’s where I met a lot of the people that I know to this day.”  A veteran at rap, but nowhere near ready to retire, Smiley The Ghetto Child is back to take another stab at the industry, but this time he’s taking it more seriously.

            Many who know Smiley might associate him with Gang Starr, or remember him as a ghost writer for Black Sheep and Chi Ali. His legacy runs right beside the lines of many artists whom we might know more about, but that doesn’t take away from his experience. In fact, even though his time away was considered a set back, it also helps the Bronx native sift out the true fans. “It’s really always been the true hip hoppers that always going to be looking for Smiley the Ghetto Child.”

He might have been behind bars for some time, but he didn’t leave his passion behind and more importantly, didn’t get left behind. “I’m not going to be the one to complain about the change because I’m going to embrace the change,” Smiley says about the major differences we have been experiencing lately in hip hop. “A lot of the people that was in the era with me gave up.” With recent evidence of an old school verses new school hip hop battle ensuing, it’s rare to find a rapper willing to cross over, but Smiley has no problem adapting.

The road is long but Smiley is still moving. It has been all about trial and error, gaining experience and knowledge along the way. “I did a lot of things in the UK in the midst of trial and error. A lot of opportunities I fucked up, I passed up on. I didn’t really know what to do back then.” He released his comeback album back in 2006 entitled The Antidote, which he created for those in some serious need of a dose of real hip hop. The album didn’t contain many features so that his own talent could shine through, but today Smiley will admit that the features matter. “It’s a business, its hustling. I know that if I add that on its just going to be more potent.” One of his current singles is entitled “Triple Beam” and features Papoose, which is on his recent mixtape, Money Machine, already released. Smiley is currently working on his album expected to be released at the end of the year through his own label, A Mob Entertainment.

Kevin Garnett, DJ UNK Help Celebrate ‘NBA 2K9′, Unveil New Features

DJ UNK chops it up with Kevin Garnett while he gets in some NBA 2K9 playing time (Photo: BallerStatus.com / Nicole Perrino)

Published: Friday – September 26, 2008
Words by Nicole Perrino

 

Sports and music was blended together last night for the launch party of the 2K Sports’ ”NBA 2K9″ video game, the #1 rated NBA simulation for seven years in a row now, and features some of the most realistic graphics around.

Cover athlete Kevin Garnett of the Boston Celtics, Andre Iguodala of the 76ers, Brook Lopez of the New Jersey Nets, Danilo Gallinari of the New York Knicks, and Rajon Rondo of Boston were among the celebrities who came out to celebrate.

After an introduction by VP of Marketing Jason Argent, 2K Sports’ Marketing Manager Mark Goodrich explained the awesome concept of their The Other Season campaign, a fantasy league where eight NBA pros are the owners and you get to be the player. Stats are recorded through Xbox Live or Playstation online, and players work their way towards a championship. Those interested can sign up at TheOtherSeason.com.

DJ Bobbito returns this year as the DJ in the Blacktop streetball mode, which takes place in the legendary Rucker Park. Everyone laughed as Bobbito exclaimed, “Look that’s me,” when he saw himself on the screen. He later did his thing on the turntables.

The Cool Kids spoke about their involvement with the game and creating an original song for the soundtrack. “We tried to write the coolest song we possibly could for it,” Mikey Rocks said. They later performed after a performance by DJ Unk.

Andre Iguodala and Rajon Rondo showed off their controller skills and played each other on the big screen after guests viewed the hilarious commercials featuring Garnett for the game’s release.

Brand new ‘NBA 2K9′ Trailer

Tim Rosa, director of brand and lifestyle marketing, was very excited about this year’s project, the music specifically.

“We’re touching it all. It’s just about trying to do something that’s fresh and new and unique that kids can have an emotional connection to,” he said when asked about the genres of music picked for the soundtrack.

He is currently busy with getting the Bounce Tour on the ground, which kicks off in November and is headlined by Q-Tip and The Cool Kids. It will travel around the country and will include giveaways and promotions.

AS for the game itself, it is slated to drop October 7th on the Xbox 360, and PS2 and PS3 consoles.