Blake Griffin's Monster Slam over Kendrick Perkins sparks passionate debate about best 'slam-dunk artist'

 BG:  The Definition of 'Posterize-Pimpin'!

Given all the well deserved hype surrounding the recent 'posterizing' featuring a 'monsterfied' dunk by L.A. Clippers starting center - Blake Griffin (BG), over Thunder's big man - Kendrick Perkins, it was no surprise to witness passionate debates about Blake's assault on Perkins being the 'dunk-dogg-dunkster' of the year, at familiar places like the 'hood' barbershop today. 

Young and old cats, who love the game of 'b-ball', argued for and against Griffin's dunk being slam of the year -- considering the year is still young. As to be expected, the discussion broadened into best dunk/slam-artist in the NBA. 

Of course, Blake was mentioned in this part of the chit-chat, as well. So what's your opinion? Was BG's slam the tightest dunk in the NBA this year? And to follow up: Who is the NBA's best dunk/slam-artist - period? 

The Aftermath of Blake's Jan.2K12 Assault

 

As the topic continued, names and big-swagg identities like Dawkins, Dr. J, 

MJ (Michael Jordan), (KB) Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, D. Wade, Big Shaq, Chocolate Thunder, Wilkins, King James, Stoudemire, D. Howard, Shawn Kemp, KG (Kevin Garnett), Downtown Shannon Brown

and many others were shouted from, and in no time short, a room full of barbershop regulars.

Like most non-moderated barbershop conversations, someone extended the talks by asking about distinctions between best dunks during a game and those performed during official [dunk] contests. 

It's a discussion, no doubt, that continued well after me and my 'baller-homie' finished gettin' our tops tapered-up and faded. So rather than make an endorsement for top 'slam-dogg', based on more than enough legitimate variables and circumstances, we decided to digg for some of the best quality video highlights we could find, and let you decide who is the NBA's 'King of Dunksville'. The clips include game and dunk contest highlights featuring dominant and creative NBA slams!

Feel free to consider style or swagg when deciding which player does his 'thang' with the best hustle, muscle... and flow. 

To help refresh your memory about the 'get-down', check out a few random examples of a 'jumpin-jams-gumbo-mix' of dunks and slams performed by the NBA's finest hardwood fly-guys and 'hard-in-the-paint' dunk 'doggs': 

Okay, is that enough to refresh memories? Although several worthy players may have been overlooked, a diss to none, due to time and space limitations, hopefully it's enough evidence to fuel the fire for further debate. After all, as time progresses, who knows who'll be tomorrow's next [top] NBA 'Dunk Dominator'.

If you can find better evidence don't hesitate to hit us up, or post to comments, loved one!

______________________________________________

Check Blake Griffin and fellow 2K12 NBA All-Star 'Swagg Mobb' members!

Super Bowl XLVI - Sunday Showdown of Giants and Patriots

The game, players and comparison of this year's red, white and blue 'ballers', representing the New York Giants and New England Patriots, matters to those who cherish the celebrated tradition of watching professional championship football with good food, music, enthusiastic friends and fans, and big game plays; here we go again!

Whether witnessing America's greatest show at the house or tailgating at the stadium's parking lot, this year's 2012 showdown between the Patriots and Giants looks like it's going to be another gun-slinging battle between quarterbacks' Tom Brady and Eli Manning. 

So once the menu items and guests are considered and determined, the backyard is freshly manicured, and the deck, patio and bar-b-que pit is dusted off - drafting and printing the game-pool sheets, and gathering a few helpful pieces of game low-down intelligence would be the thing to do, for those hard core grid-iron gamers', who get-a-rush from having passionate arguments and debates about which team will be crowned champs of Super Bowl XLVI. 

  Regardless of the final score, a good contested battle is a must for dedicated, enthusiastic football fans who crave for brave and heroic athleticism. To help sort out a few facts and opinions in preparation for a fan's analysis, take a look at a few variables that may, or certainly will for some, impact the game's outcome (while keeping in mind..."any given Sunday" is subject to, like most of life's affairs,..."Murphy's Law" - a 'blues' the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens were, regretfully, unable to shake recently):

 

NEP vs NYG Season Productivity - By The Numbers:

Season Record:  13 - 3 - 0 (win % = .813)

Season Record:  9 - 7 - 0 (win % = .563) 

PTS:  32 (ranked 3rd)

PTS:  24.6 (ranked 9th)

YDS:  428 (ranked 2nd) 

YDS:  385.1 (ranked 8th)

Pass YDS:  317.8 (ranked 2nd)

Pass YDS:  295.9 (ranked 5th)

Rush YDS:  110.2 (ranked 20th)

Rush YDS:  89.2 (ranked 32nd)   

  

QB Rating - Brady:  (105.8) 

QB Rating - Manning:  (103.1)

Sacks:  (8, opponents 1)

Sacks:  (9, opponents 8)

Field Goals:  (4/4)

Field Goals:  (6/8)

Kick & Punt Return TD's:  (0)

Kick & Punt Return TD's:  (0)

Turnover Ratio:  (-3)

Turnover Ratio:  (+5)

So who's gonna "run this town" and earn the title...

the Giants...

or the Patriots?

On Sunday, Feb. 5, 2K12...we'll get our answer!

 

'SuperSwaggin' Cee Lo Green and Pop Diva Madonna to 'get-it-in' at NFL Superbowl XLVI - plus, Mike Epps Ambassador!

As far as NFL Superbowl halftime performances go, this year's 2012 show promises to be 'superswagged-out'!

No doubt, pop star - lady Madonna will bring her unique taste, talent and creativity to the stage, as expected, and all the swagg and extraordinary 'fantabulism', embodied in the personification of Cee Lo Green, 

could make for one of the most interesting and entertaining halftime performances, by a duo, in NFL history. Why? 

While it's not an unusual thing to witness performances by a duo during halftime shows, Superbowl XLVI promises to deliver "one of the biggest musical milestones this year!" 

Although hundreds of millions of viewers will witness America's biggest show on February 5, 2012 - this will be the first time the NFL's halftime production promises to be the "hype"; it will be imagined by Cirque du Soleil and Jamie King (Madonna's career choreographer).

And with a venue as large and accommodating as the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, besides the New York Giants and New England Patriots, Madonna, Cee Lo, and Cirque du Soleil will display quite an exciting, memorable, and spectacular array of talent.
 

Oh, and by the way...if you have any complaints about the show or wish to express your satisfaction, feel free to 'holla-atcha-boy'  --  comedian, actor, and this year's 2K12 NFL-SB ambassador 

Mike Epps 
(OA) Official Ambassador - Super Bowl XLVI 

 Yuh digg?

Rapper O.G., Ice-T directs 'Art of Rap' documentary about Rhyming - to release Jan. 21, 2K12

Say what you want, say what you will, but never say O.G. rapper/actor, and [new] director, Ice-T, doesn't have swagg. From the time Ice dropped his first debut album, Rhyme Pays, in 1987 - to his current day credits - the name of the game has always been "self-pimpin". 

By his own admission, Ice never claimed to be the best or tightest rapper, or "King" of this or that. But one thing the legendary West Coast 'G' has been able to do his entire career, in part due to character influences the likes of Iceberg Slim, Schoolly D, Mac (pimp from Hawaii) and the Sugar Hill Gang, and that is:  game, hustle and grind his way to pop-cult dominance! With an established resume in both rapping and acting, Ice has added directing, as mentioned earlier, to his list of conquests.

For those who love to hate 'The Game', and the players, how many of you would trade positions with Ice-T, right now? Stop lyin', homie! Just to get next to one of his dimes (past and present), Mr. Rap Hater wouldn't hesitate to be "Ice-T", or at least his mini-me. 

Inspired by a void he recognized over the years, Ice asked 15 questions of 54 rappers regarding how 'rap' is done. He acknowledges that as many times as he's been asked various questions about rap, never once was he asked, "How do you rhyme?" 

Something from Nothing:  The Art of Rap - directed by Ice-T, is a documentary highlighting the varied distinctions and styles of rhyming, and how individual rap stars actually contemplate, plot and execute them. 

This project makes a lot of sense for Ice, rap/hip-hop music and fans; after suckin'-up game as an actor - he's been getting practically free directing lessons on the job (or on the set). Most of what the world knows about rap are its personalities and symbols of success - finally, a fresh look at how the art is crafted. 

Good lookin' out, Ice! Not everyone can spit-it, but we can all learn to appreciate the art and style of lyrical flow.

"This ain't a movie for rap haters."

"Directed by Ice-T and featuring Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, Kanye West and more comes a feature length performance documentary about Rap music. Ice-T takes us on a deeply personal journey to uncover how this music of the street has grown to dominate the world."

T.O. dissed by NFL, but destined to ball-up with IFL - Wranglers?

Former NFL wide receiver - Terrell Owens has announced plans to play ball with, and co-own, an Indoor Football League (IFL) team - the Allen Wranglers.

Beyond displaying his talents for the Wranglers, having caught 72 passes with the NFL's - Cincinnati Bengals in 2010, T.O. will also be runnin' 'thangs', um...at least half way runnin' 'thangs', as co-owner of the team. 

Due to an unfortunate ACL injury, NFL teams passed on T.O.'s package, although some have suspected his one-sided egotistical rampages may have also contributed to his fall from favor with NFL teams (which began several years ago). During the off-season Wrangler's (GM) General Manager - Drew Pearson, former Dallas Cowboys receiver, hooked up with T.O. to make a deal with the Wranglers. 

The team's first game is scheduled for February 25th, but T.O. is still undecided if he'll play in all or some of the teams games. 

"This may be a good look for T.O." 

Granted he's not playing for the "big show" as he once did, but this new deal in Dallas, with an organization that certainly needs increased awareness, may just be the therapuetic adjustment that finally suits T.O., and his swaggin'-ass personality. 'Yuh-digg'?

Thanks for the colorful show, T.O. Best of luck with the Allen Wranglers, brodie! 

"It doesn't matter what people say about me, I weather the storm."  ~Terrell Owens

In today's new era, Cougar 'reps' more than just team sports

Some of the NFL's, and other sports, greatest and most revered teams are represented by animal mascots. From Denver's Broncos, to Chicago's Bears, to Atlanta's Falcons - animal mascots have and continue to dominate team representation. While many animals have found celebratory refuge with pro football teams, the cougar, unlike 

Carolina's Panthers, seems regulated to college teams such as BYU (Brigham Young University). "The reason why the future student body gravitated toward Cougars is pretty clear: Area collegiate power BYU uses the Cougar as its mascot and enjoys an enormous fan base of area residents and those who follow the Mormon faith (BYU is a Mormon institution)." But wait! Cougar's may be limited when it comes to sports, but not when it comes to greater representative powers...like being identified with mature women. 

Perhaps this exalted status may be too much power for one cat to handle? 

On Wednesday (Jan. 18, 2K12), in spite of its popular selection by their student body, receiving 23% of the vote over other options, school district officials at Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon High announced that the school's team name would be the Charger's, and not the Cougar's as students had hoped. 

On the surface, this story doesn't seem like such a big deal until the reason for not selecting and naming the team Cougars is revealed; "...the Canyons School Board refused to accept the Cougar as a mascot out of fear that it might offend older women." Say whaaaat? 

You mean to tell me that "Cougar" status has grown so influential that it commands political correctness by local politicians? Pure swagg, no doubt, homie! All we can say is, "way to go" to some of the most famous "Cougars" that have contributed to the mystique of 'Cougar Power' [CP]:

  

Madonna

Demi Moore

Mariah Carey

Jennifer Aniston

Cameron Diaz

Eva Longoria

and no doubt, the Cat Woman...

Halle Berry

Considering this disturbing, or maybe not so disturbing, trend - let's keep our eyes open and looking out for further cougar-political-power developments. The future of Cougar may very well be at stake.

E-40: One of the most Prolific 'Spitters' and 'Game-Getters' in Hip-Hop talks Biz under the Radar

Big swagg in the house, Mr. E-40 - the Yay Area's (ghetto) multilingual, and one of rap's most prolific MC's - kicks game, under the Radar with Hip-Hop Official, about how to handle 'biz' and ensure longevity and prosperity in the rap industry. If you ball and go hard all day every day, that's on you, but the "life" does come with [huge] financial costs and consequences. The more you have, the more you consume, and the more you owe. Painting pictures that ain't real and, literally, paying for it on credit is one of the game's traps. When we borrow from the store (money for high-tech productions and exotic car rentals), we exercise the attitude of instant gratification. It's never what you have, or appear to have, but what you actually keep and grow over time; cause once you get it, then what? 

While most [new] rappers starve for the game so tough they neglect crossing 'T''s and dotting 'I''s, on contracts and written agreements with middle-men, legendary rap-vets like E-40 endure due to high business savvy IQ, creative ability and "true-to-the-game" swagg-appeal. 

Though the game is full of tight MC's and rappers, who flex and spit-it real on the mic, far too many fall as quickly out of the game as they once entered. 

Whatever is not already owned by an artist, and she or he requests it from the record label, if granted, it becomes a loan or advance to be later subtracted from future artist(s) earnings, revenue or royalties..."a gift to be taxed". No matter how many claim to know this golden-rule, in spite of common sense, they sign without regard to consequence.   

In the tradition of Yay Area/West Coast get-down, E-40 also realizes what his fellow soldiers, Too Short, Ice T, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Russell Simmons, and others put down years before; "success is gained by cooperation, but sustained and furthered by independent ingenuity."  ~author, T.F. Hodge

"They some funky  

'turf-head' babies. Can I get a lil' mo' of that, playa?"

that there is  
Earl Stevens 
aka: E-40

"In 2012, E-40 will release three solo albums: The Block Brochure series 1, 2, and 3, as well as a collaboration album with Too Short."   [Source:  wikipedia]

 Studio Albums

    Federal (1993)
    In a Major Way (1995)
    Tha Hall of Game (1996)
    The Element of Surprise (1998)
    Charlie Hustle: The Blueprint of a Self-Made Millionaire (1999)
    Loyalty & Betrayal (2000)
    Grit & Grind (2002)
    Breakin' News (2003)
    My Ghetto Report Card (2006)
    The Ball Street Journal (2008)
    Revenue Retrievin': Day Shift (2010)
    Revenue Retrievin': Night Shift (2010)
    Revenue Retrievin': Overtime Shift (2011)
    Revenue Retrievin': Graveyard Shift (2011)
    The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 1 (March 27, 2012)
    The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 2 (March 27, 2012)
    The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 3 (March 27, 2012)

Day of The Get-Down: 2012 NFL Conference Championships

Sunday, January 22, 2012 is a date reserved for the get-down:  
The NFL Conference Championships! 

Representing the AFC will be the Baltimore Ravens 

battling the New England Patriots, 

 while the New York Giants 

and San Francisco 49ers bang-hard for the NFC title.

As always, Baltimore looks good and ready to tear the roof down. But so many teams have felt this way when confronted with New England's gate keepers of the grid-iron. As good as the Ravens look, New England just might figure out, yet again, another way to SuperBowl majesty. 

The New York Giants, as do the Ravens, look as though they may blow right through the 9ers. This particular contest will come down to raw passion and emotion. In other words, this game will be determined before it begins. 

It's been many seasons since San Francisco has smelled and tasted victory on one of the world's finest stages. If they play as hungry as they should be for world football domination, the Giants are in for a long and frustrating end to a hard earned trip to the post season.  

Eric Stark and Mike Gross share their picks for this season's SuperBowl team finalists. What a post-season it has been!

Who has NBA's highest 'B-Ball' IQ?

“Having a high basketball IQ is like having the answers to a test,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I honestly think it’s a feel thing. For the kids with the most basketball smarts – the kids with the best feel for the game – most of the stuff just comes naturally.”

A player with a high b-ball IQ is like having the head coach multiply his spirit in various forms on the court. If not a few, at least one individual, a team's point guard usually, like quarterbacking a football team, must know and expect what his coach, fellow players and he himself wants, and when. While the game of hoops has witnessed great athletes, fewer have possessed such rare qualities as the ability to seemingly "see" where others on the court cannot.   

Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Isaiah Thomas and John Stockton come to mind when considering some of the most dominant 'all-seeing-eye' ballers in NBA history. 

But 2012 NBA pro's have a few good picks of their own with regard to current players, and their high IQ status. After checkin'-out these featured NBA-YouTube videos, who would your top pick for the NBA player with the highest IQ be?

Ultimate 'Swagg': Hip-Hop's Royal Couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce celebrate new family addition!

Years ago, when word first hit the streets that Jay-Z and Beyonce were hookin'-up, they were obviously rounding second base by the time word was bond about their romance. The next thing we [all] knew they were writing, recording and performing hits together...and then - married! They were Mr. & Mrs. Carter and hip-hop's most famous couple. At first, the reaction was lukewarm and a bit surprising; some ignorantly judged their relationship based on who looked better, or who was worth more, financially. But through it all, and as crazy as it seemed at times, popular culture and fans the world over have continued to support and express big love for hip-hop's flavor of Bonnie and Clyde. Now that there's a new life to care for and a new mouth to feed, quite naturally, they'll be some changes to how Jay and B approach the game of parenting, while balancing life as a couple and as individual performers. 

 

No doubt we've all heard the good news about Hov and wife, Beyonce's new addition to the (hip-hop) royal family - congrats, Carter family! Already, their little star - Blue Ivy is shining brighter than mom and dad did when they were her age. The newborn star "enters R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at No. 74 with a song called "Glory", where her rapper daddy proudly professes his love to her while she's cooing and crying. The song has got 1.7 million audience impressions on 54 radio stations, according to Nielsen BDS." 

To date, baby Blue Ivy is the youngest person in history to ever appear on a Billboard chart. Like any proud father, Jigga is just as passionate and committed to giving his daughter and family the best, including strength to ignore all the hateful comments about the name, Blue Ivy, and how she looks, for instance. After visiting a host of sites to view comments about Jay and B's new family addition, most of them were positive - as they should be. But as always, haters were represented among web-heads. Not surprisingly, these are probably the same haters who diss everything about Beyonce and young Hov. 

Before you even think of asking: Swagg won't bother to quote any of those insulting disses, by the way; "we don't get-down like that". Though we live in a superficial, materialistic, fake society - we do not have to eat of its ills. Hip-hop is, and should be, about unity, expression, cooperation, beautiful struggles, truth, integrity, and most importantly...love. For the Carter's, their extended family, friends, and loyal fans - Blue Ivy is the rebirth and extension of hip-hop's love, for which there is no sustainable power of disapproval.