Late Lineup, don't judge me.

The Lineup: March ‘12

Editor’s note: This lineup is a bit shorter and (ahem) late because my birthday got in the way.

What I can’t live without: The Walking Dead.  Spartacus. I actually wanted to write about the best TV show, but I realized that I talk about my Zombies all the time. So here’s my #2 show.  Season 3 of Spartacus, in my opinion, was the best yet.  Excellent combination of sex, violence and backstabbing to keep you entertained.

Cuz I am, whatever you say I am?

Creative writing has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember.  Back in the 5^th grade, I was in a rap group and wrote lyrics that ranged from the dance floor to letting the world know that I was “sharper than a razor blade”.  In middle school, I wrote a few short stories.  I found my love for poetry in High School.  There were times I would be on a bus and an idea would hit me and I would have to write a poem on a receipt until I got home to transcribe it to my notebook.  In college, I still wrote poetry but my piece de resistance was a book that I wrote detailing a public protest that I staged on campus – one of my proudest moments.  Since college, I have written album reviews for a Hip-Hop website, co-founded a Hip-Hop blog, Past The Margin, kept a journal of my journey as an entrepreneur and of course, Straight from the Pen.  Despite all of that, I hesitate to refer to myself as a writer. 

And even as a crack fiend, mama...

Sins of the Mother

You know that feeling you get when you drop a bowl in the kitchen?  That instant shock and anxiety as you imagine the bowl shattering on the floor in a million pieces.  How quickly does that feeling disappear when you realize that it didn’t break and all you are left with is a loud noise?  That’s how the death of Whitney Houston hit me.

This Lineup can be used for Black History Month.

The Lineup: February ‘12

What I can’t live without: L.A. Noire.  I can’t stop thinking about how awesome my trip to Barbados was this game was.  L.A. Noire was one of the most unique gaming experiences that I’ve ever had – and I’ve played A LOT of video games.  Think about the movie L.A. Confidential and imagine if you could control the characters – that’s what this game feels like.  The interrogation mode – where you interview criminals and have to decide if they are telling the truth – is worth the price alone.  Add graphics, GTA-style gameplay, a great story and you have a hit.

Linsanity!

(L)inspiration.

Jeremy. Bleeping. Lin.

One month ago the 7 people that follow Harvard Basketball and his mom were the only people who knew him.  Today, he is the starting point guard for the New York Knicks and the most talked about player in the NBA.  He has lead the Knicks to an 8-2 record and scored more points in his first five starts than anyone has in the last thirty years.  For the record, that includes Jordan, Lebron and Kobe.  Speaking of Kobe Bryant – arguably the best player alive – he was recently outplayed by one Jeremy Lin in MSG.  He’s even come through in the clutch with a game winning 3-pointer against Toronto.  Show me someone who predicted that and I’ll show you that weird kid from Jack Bauer’s new TV show. Despite all of the media attention, I believe that people are missing the real reason why this kid is so special.

Why do we have Black History Month?

Blah History Month

This is going to sound wrong.

I’m sick of Black History Month.  I really am.  This isn’t a petition for its banishment because I still grasp its significance; but after nearly 30 years, I’m just tired of it. 

Don’t worry… I have my reasons.

The First Lineup of the year... enjoy

The Lineup: January ‘12

What I can’t live without: Candid interviews.  This month was pretty much bland in terms of things to write about.  Nothing really stood out until I went to Facebook one day and saw a video of a Bow Wow interview with the Breakfast Club in NYC.  One link lead to another and it was 3am and I watched over 6 hours of interviews.  Envy, Angela and Charlamagne are really good at their jobs.  Not everyone knows how to give a good interview and they are incredible at getting people to step outside of their comfort zone and talk candidly about sensitive issues.  Despite being incredibly disrespectful, Charlamagne manages to get honest responses from guests and the result is pure comedy.  A great watch.