Guest Columnist: "The Blueprint III Review"

By MJG

Back in 2001, Shawn Carter, a.k.a. Jay-Z, drastically altered the landscape of the rap game with his magnum opus The Blueprint. In that album, The Jiggaman called upon a team expert beatmakers, including then up-and-comers Just Blaze and Kanye West, to construct a sonic backdrop of vintage soul influenced melodies fused with traditional East Coast boom bap to effortlessly weave tales of street hustler lifestyle, straight up i’m-better-than-you-and-we-both-know-it braggadocio, and even some thought-provoking introspection sprinkled here and there. The album not only signaled a major stylistic shift in hip-hop production towards a more soul-centric approach from the keyboard-driven, syncopated rhythms popularized by Timbaland and the Neptunes in the late 90s, but it also served as the impetus to motivate many of his fellow peers (i.e. Nas) to go back to the drawing board and step their lyrical game up. Fast forward eight years and the hip-hop status quo is once again unsafe as the venerable emcee looks to pioneer a new age in hip-hop with his newest release, The Blueprint 3. But at almost 40 years old (a social security eligible senior citizen in the hip-hop world) and seemingly years removed from his alleged creative peak, does he still have what it takes to lead the charge?

Lyrically, the subject matter hasn’t changed much in eight years, which, for the most part, isn’t a bad thing. Jay-Z’s favorite subject is still, well, Jay-Z. Tracks such as “Reminder,” “Thank You,” “So Ambitous,” and “Hate” reminds listeners how much better Jay is than all of the naysayers, haters and critics out there. “Off That,” “On To The Next One,” “Already Home” and “What We Talkin’ About” not only inform the listener that Jay is a trendsetter, but that he’s, well, better than all of the naysayers, haters and critics out there! While listening to the same subject matter over and over can be frustrating at times, it’s a testament to his skill as a lyricist that he is able to keep things relatively interesting throughout the album. One of his strongest lyrical performances came in the aforementioned “Already Home.” In this song, he unleashes some serious venom on everbody, from rappers: Don’t they know that they boring?/Don’t they know that I yawn?/Only time they exciting is when they mentioning Shawn/Seen Single White Female when she dyed her hair blonde?/Sometimes I look at these rappers/The movie remind me of them to the critics: And as for the critics, tell me I don't get it/Everybody can tell you how to do it, they never did it. He does manage to spice things up a bit in other tracks: “Venus vs. Mars” shows that he can still stitch together metaphors and raunchy double entendres better than just about anybody else in the game, while “A Star is Born” and “Empire State of Mind” show that he can (sorta) take the focus off him for a moment and pay homage to hip-hop heavyweights of yesteryear and his hometown respectively. Musically, however, is when the album gets very intriguing:

The opening track entitled “What We Talkin’ About” relies on an epic fusion of techno-inspired synths, lush orchestration and some unexpected, but welcomed assistance from Luke Steele of the Australian-based group Empire of the Sun. It’s a risky combination, especially for the opening track of a hardcore hip-hop album. But the risk pays huge dividends as Jay sounds right at home in the unique soundscape. The blaring horns and heart thumping percussion heard in the street single “D.O.A. (Death of Autotune),” produced by the criminally underutilized No ID, provide the perfect backdrop for Jay-Z to ruffle a few feathers as he bombastically lambast his peers for hopping on the auto-tune bandwagon. The second single from the album, “Run This Town,” proves to be a solid follow-up track as its frantic, rolling drums and the militia-style foot drill cadences heard throughout the song provide a nice change of pace. I’d be remiss if I failed to mention that the song also features the latest example of Jay-Z getting murdered on his own track, this time, courtesy of Kanye West. “Empire State on Mind,” which is far and away the best song on the album in this reviewer’s humble opinion, will undoubtedly have even the most hardened New York hater pumping their fist and nodding their head to Alicia Keys’ trademark piano chords and surprisingly organic, soulful bellows. Krucial Keys provides an ideal compliment for Jay-Z as he breezily delivers an authentic, heartfelt ode to the city that helped raise him.

Things aren’t all positive, however. Calling the Young Jeezy featured “As Real As It Gets” disappointing would be a huge understatement, especially considering the stellar track record the duo has whenever they collaborate together. Everything from the bland Inkredibles track to Jigga and Jeezy’s lazy raps seem to lack the energy necessary to make this a memorable collabo. The same can be said for the customary Neptunes contribution to the album, “So Ambitious.” While Jay-Z, Chad and Pharrell’s chemistry is still undeniable, the track is too formulaic to stand out from other ones by the trio. Elsewhere, the irritating clatter, banging of pots and pans sound concocted in the Swizz Beatz produced “On To The Next One” prove headache-inducing enough to immediately warrant pressing the Next button. The irony of Jay confidently boasting Welcome to the future in the first bar of the Timbaland assisted “Off That” is glaring as the beat sounds like one Justin Timberlake probably (and wisely) rejected three years ago during the Future Sex/Love Sound recording sessions. Additionally, adding current pop-music sensation Drake to simply do the hook on the song seems like a wasted opportunity. “Hate,” arguably the worst song on the album, has little going for it other than Kanye West’s hilarious depiction of a laser sound. While the album’s closer, “Young Forever” certainly earns brownie points for daring to sample Alphaville’s 80’s hit “Forever Young” on a major hip-hop album release, it unfortunately fails to hit the mark.

Whether this album mirrors the success of The Blueprint in moving hip-hop in a different direction will be left for future debate and analysis. Listeners in the present simply want to know whether or not this album is a dope listen. Wide-eyed Jay-Z stans will undoubtedly proclaim he dropped an instant classic filled with witty wordplay and game-changing melodies that will once again change the rap game as we know it. While Jay detractors will call him a washed up, near 40 has-been rapping about the same subject matter and desperately trying anything to remain relevant. The truth, I suspect, lies somewhere in the middle. While he certainly hasn’t strayed far from his lyrical comfort zone of talking about money, haters and women, nobody can make the status quo interesting quite like Jay. Musically, the album produces both head nodding and head scratching results. The unevenness of the album, especially its second half, ultimately results in a solid listen, but short of classic status.

3.5 out of 5

Kayne West and the VMAs. . . stop the conspiracy theories!

Okay, if you didn't get to see Kanye's rude (yet you have to admit humorous disruption of Taylor Swift's VMA acceptance award, then watch below. When it originally aired, I wa sleeping post call. However, the facebook status' of 100s of users began commenting on Kanye.

"Taylor is too good for Kanye West and MTV"
"First Serena, now Kanye"
"I'm boycotting Kanye".

Seeing these comments, I decided to use google and find out what the deal was. . .

Anyhow, there are many people who claim this whole "Beyonce had one of the greatest video's of all time" bit was staged. Here is why I think it wasn't.

1) Single Ladies was NOT one of the greatest videos of all time. I repeat NOT. The song isn't even all that hot. There are 100s, probably thousands of videos better than that one. The Scientist by Cold Play, You Got Me by the Roots, pretty much any Michael Jackson Video, Hello by Lionel Richie (ok, that last one was a stretch, but you get my point). . .
2) I think Ye was DRUNK. He was holding a big ole bottle of liquid courage all during the red carpet. Liquid courage combined with the biggest ego in the world = rude comments on national TV
3) Single Ladies was NOT the best video of all time :)

Oh well, love him or hate him, Mr. West=interesting

dsadsf from The Smoking Section on Vimeo.

Horrible

Over the weekend in Mexico, a Mexican legislative candidate, his wife and two sons age 10 and 13, were found murdered in their home. The bodies of Jose Francisco Fuentes Esperon, wife and 2 sons found inside their home. It is suspected that the family was murdered by drug traffickers, however, there are currently no suspects in custody. The murder occurred in Tabasco, Mexico.

This is honestly horrible. I am not sure what is going on in Mexico. . . maybe murders by the drug cartel have been common for years and for whatever reason, the world news is now deciding to cover the stories. . . but still, I find this very heart wrenching. Think about trying to serve your country and make it a better place only to have your life snatch away from you. . . let alone your entire family. I'm not sure what the Mexican government plans to do about the recent publicized violent activities, but hopefully those who terrorize other will be bought to justice swiftly.

For more on this story, feel free to reference this story "Mexican legislative candidate, family killed" at cnn.com.

Sylvan Inn Bed & Breakfast

The Sylvan Inn Bed & Breakfast is located in Glen Arbor, MI in Sleeping Bear Dune country. Glen Arbor is approximately five and a half hours from Detroit, MI is home to some of the most magnificent and peaceful views of Lake Michigan.

The Sylvan Inn has 14 sleep quarters, some with private baths (which was a must for me). The inn is located 1 block from Lake Michigan and is in the middle of endless hiking trails, scenic routes, and of course, the Sleeping Bear Dunes. These particular group of dunes were given their name because travelers said that the layout of the dunes resembled the back of a pack of sleeping bears.

While visiting Glen Arbor, which is approximately 30-45 minute drive past Traverse City depending on traffic, there are several sites one must see during their trip.

1)Nature Trails: There are several to chose from. We selected the Empire Bluff Trail which provides breathtaking views of the shore line. This particular trail is an easy one for people of all athletic level AS LONG AS YOU STAY ON THE TRAIL. This trail is located in Empire, Michigan which is a 15 minute drive from Glen Arbor. There is also a public beach not to far from the trail where you can park and enjoy a beverage at the local tavern and then swim all day.

2) Scenic Drives: The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive provides the best sunset that I have EVER seen! (This includes sunsets in Mexico, Spain, France, and Costa Rica). The only sunset that I have seen so far that gives this sunset a run for its money is the one at the Grand Canyon. Make sure to drive to lookout points 9,10 which provides an awesome scene over Lake Michigan. Couples should pack a picnic basket and arrive at 7:30pm to enjoy dinner over the most gorgeous scene that nature has to offer.

3)Lake Michigan: Enough said. Pick a spot, bring your grill, and have a ball.

4) Sleeping Bear Dunes: Well, its sand. Lots and LOTS of sand. Many naive climbers expect to see Lake Michigan when they reach the top of the first dune and unfortunately all you will see is more sand :). You must walk up and down several dunes prior to reaching Lake Michigan. The total distance to the Lake and back is 3.5 miles, so you probably need to be in pretty good shape to walk up and down sand for that distance. If you plan on traveling by foot all the way to the Lake, make sure to start early, pack plenty of water and get ready to SWEAT!

5) Funistrada: This is a restaurant approximately 15 minutes from Glen Arbor that offers fine dining. Your bill will be a bit pricey but the food is GREAT. It is a nice romantic dinner. If you are traveling in Glen Arbor though, I would just eat in town because face it, children aren't going to appreciate a $20 salmon.

The Sylvan in itself is nice and relaxing. Don't expect a full course breakfast though, it is mainly fruit (which is healthy and all). The only bad thing is that breakfast is served from 8-9:30 so if you aren't an early riser you could potentially sleep through breakfast. All in all, Deer Creek Bed and Breakfast is a MUCH nicer B&B, but there is a MUCH more activity in Glen Arbor. Plus as long as you get a room with a private bath, you are good to go.

True of False: If there is a mercury spill you can clean it up yourself

I know that 99.9% of the world's population could truly care less about me the online modules I completing, however, for the 0.1% of the Earth's population that might be bored enough to read this, continue on.

Prior to one's start date in most health systems, employees are required to complete online training or modules that deal with certain health topics, protocols, and safety measures. I have 30 modules to do before tomorrow (no, I'm not a slacker, I just didn't realize that I had to do this again, since I did this before as a medical students at the same institution). At first, I thought to myself this would be difficult to complete, until I took my first quiz. Below are examples of some of the more comical (or as I call them "Duh" questions or "I can't believe this is really a question" questions).

Warning, after each question, a comment containing EXTREME sarcasm will be found.

1. True or False: If there is a mercury spill you can clean it up yourself
Sure, because we ALL know that mercury is good for us, tastes just like chicken if you ingest it.
2. True or False: If you are very careful, it is okay to eat in an area that contains hazardous materials
OF COURSE, because who wouldn't want a hole in their intestines from eating a hamburger with a side of hydrochloric acid.
3. True or False: While a child is waiting for a procedure in the hospital, it is acceptable for the child to wait in a hallway by themselves without staff supervision.
This is 100% TRUE, kids just don't know how to act. Ask the stranger in the grocery store who slapped someone else's child for acting up! Now THAT is how a village should raise a child.
4. True or False: It is okay to not to change gloves between seeing patients if you kept them clean
I never do
5. Which of the following conduct electricity:
A: Wet Skin B: Wooden Chair C. Plastic D: Wooden Pole
I know the answer to this one! It's wet skin, which is exactly why my answer to number 4 is true!

Now, I am not saying that I am a genius, but I am pretty sure that anyone who can READ could pass these tests even without reading the module. On one hand, I am glad that the questions were at the difficulty level of a 5th grader since I am going on a vacation this weekend and needed to finish this thing ASAP. On the other hand I am a little paranoid. . . could I be working with people that failed this exam? People that think "If you are very careful, it is okay to eat in an area that contains hazardous material?". Hmmmm.. . . naw, no one could possibly fail these exams. . . . could they?

The Final Step is Complete

As I am five days away from working again, I received great news this morning that came in the form of an email that has plagued medical students for years and brings a distant memory of anxiety for current residents, the notification that your score report is available for viewing. If you are unfamiliar with the medical field, then you are probably a little lost. . . keep reading, you will understand.

The USMLE (also known as the "Step" examinations)are a series of exams that test the knowledge of medical students and physicians at various phases or "steps" in their career. At the end of the second year of medical school, students across the country take Step 1. This is arguably the most difficult of all the USMLE exams. It is associated with the most steps as some residency programs and specialties (foolishly) have specific cutoffs in order to receive an interview when applying to their programs. This test is 8 hours long.

Step 2 is typically taken after a medical student completes their third year of school. Doing well on this exam can make up for a lower Step 1 score so that the "foolish" programs can overlook a marginal Step 1 score if the med student can replace it with a "stellar" Step 2 score. This test measures the clinical knowledge learned during the medical students' clinical rotation. This test is also 8 hours long.

Step 3, the most chill of them all (though I managed to stress myself out for three weeks while waiting for my score). This exam can be taken at any point during a resident's (yes a resident IS a physician)training. In order to receive a permanent medical license, the resident must pass Step 3. It's focus is to test a physician's knowledge in general medicine and not just in their specific specialty. It's better to take the test during the first couple years of residency. I recently found out that you can register in any state to take the exam and can get around waiting the mandatory 9-12 months that some state's require in order to take Step 3 (I can't remember which states and frankly I'm done so I'll let you look that up if you are curious). This test tops them all at a total of 16 hours spread over two 8 hour days :)

Each test cost about a grand give or take. It is a mass money making machine for the ACGME/NBME, etc. . . and I'm happy to never see you again :) For those of you still in the process, hold your head up high and know you will finish all of this before you know it!!!! Good luck to all, I wish you much success!

Best Michael Jackson Tribute Ever!

Well, MJ's death has been ruled a homicide. While Dr. Conrad is (and should) go down for violating the first and foremost principle to "do no harm", we must remember that MJ was also not totally innocent. Prescription drug abuse must no longer be overlooked.

The physicians who feed this should be punished, but those who abuse prescription drugs should also be held accountable, just as the crack head who goes to jail, so should the Vicoden abuser. . . or better yet, maybe people will realize that drug users DO NOT belong in jail, but in rehab. Until then, treat everyone equal under the law. . .that includes you Rush Limbaugh.

Now enough of the preaching, enjoy the best Michael Jackson Tribute ever. It was created and performed by inmates at a Filipino correctional facility (aka prison). ENJOY!