Friday, June 20, 2008
All good things must come to an end...
This blog, due to too much other stuff, will be taking a break. For how long I don't know. I am truly sorry.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
What's to come for Guitar Hero in 2008: Part Two
Two days ago (sorry I had to post the article today. I had no time last night), I talked about two "side" games in the Guitar Hero series. Well, with the extreme success of Guitar Hero III, why not Guitar Hero IV?? Well, thanks to Neversoft, RedOctane, and Activision, we are getting that, and then some!! Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce to you Guitar Hero: World Tour (Otherwise known as Guitar Hero IV).
First of all, why would it be named World Tour?? Well, to compete with Rock Band, Guitar Hero has added two new instruments, drums and vocals, alongside the 3 they have already (lead guitar, bass guitar, rhythm guitar). Also, they changed the guitar a little bit, adding a so-called touch-sensitive Neck Slide that's great for solos. And no details have been revealed about vocals yet. But, what about drums? Well, the drums have a snare, two toms, a bass drum pad, and two cymbals on top of the drum pads. These cymbals make the drum look a little more realistic than the drums for Rock Band. Also, to activate Star Power on the drums, you smash both cymbals at the same time. Speaking of realistic, the drums also have "velocity sensitivity'. This means that the harder you hit the drum, the louder it is.
The career mode for this Guitar Hero is also reworked to fit the extra instruments. First of all, if a player is on a hard song and can't seem to beat it, they can drop a level for that song and still be in the same career. On the topic of difficulties, there will be a "Easy Rhythm" difficulty added to Guitar Hero: World Tour for young children to get into the game. Also, a player can switch their instrument in a career without having to restart the whole career!! Isn't that great? And, there's Band Career Mode, in which you can advance by yourself or with other people online. Finally, on the Band subject, Bands can battle against each other online!!!
Now, isn't that such a great game??? Can there be any more possibly added to it? My answer is, yes. Guitar Hero: World Tour has an "Advanced Studio" mode in which you can create your own songs (besides vocals)!!! And even further, you can share them with friends via GH Tunes!! Also, all of the songs in the game will be master recordings!!! Also, besides for GH Tunes, you can download licensed songs if you are playing on a Wii, PS3, or Xbox 360. By the way, this is the first time the Wii can download anything in Guitar Hero.
Well, that's Guitar Hero: World Tour for you!! The game is slated for release on October 27th, 2008 for the US. Hope you have fun with it!!!
By the way, I know I haven't been up to par with my posts that good, but I am in a busy time. And tomorrow, I have graduation, so I cannot post. I'm really sorry, but I will be sure to post the rest of the days!! And as for some good news, I am leaving you with the trailers for each of the games I mentioned\:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_QrPaI-nYA - On Tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyWM0zsjq6E - Aerosmith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QE-NSxGS4M - World Tour
Hope to see ya back here on Thursday!!!
First of all, why would it be named World Tour?? Well, to compete with Rock Band, Guitar Hero has added two new instruments, drums and vocals, alongside the 3 they have already (lead guitar, bass guitar, rhythm guitar). Also, they changed the guitar a little bit, adding a so-called touch-sensitive Neck Slide that's great for solos. And no details have been revealed about vocals yet. But, what about drums? Well, the drums have a snare, two toms, a bass drum pad, and two cymbals on top of the drum pads. These cymbals make the drum look a little more realistic than the drums for Rock Band. Also, to activate Star Power on the drums, you smash both cymbals at the same time. Speaking of realistic, the drums also have "velocity sensitivity'. This means that the harder you hit the drum, the louder it is.
The career mode for this Guitar Hero is also reworked to fit the extra instruments. First of all, if a player is on a hard song and can't seem to beat it, they can drop a level for that song and still be in the same career. On the topic of difficulties, there will be a "Easy Rhythm" difficulty added to Guitar Hero: World Tour for young children to get into the game. Also, a player can switch their instrument in a career without having to restart the whole career!! Isn't that great? And, there's Band Career Mode, in which you can advance by yourself or with other people online. Finally, on the Band subject, Bands can battle against each other online!!!
Now, isn't that such a great game??? Can there be any more possibly added to it? My answer is, yes. Guitar Hero: World Tour has an "Advanced Studio" mode in which you can create your own songs (besides vocals)!!! And even further, you can share them with friends via GH Tunes!! Also, all of the songs in the game will be master recordings!!! Also, besides for GH Tunes, you can download licensed songs if you are playing on a Wii, PS3, or Xbox 360. By the way, this is the first time the Wii can download anything in Guitar Hero.
Well, that's Guitar Hero: World Tour for you!! The game is slated for release on October 27th, 2008 for the US. Hope you have fun with it!!!
By the way, I know I haven't been up to par with my posts that good, but I am in a busy time. And tomorrow, I have graduation, so I cannot post. I'm really sorry, but I will be sure to post the rest of the days!! And as for some good news, I am leaving you with the trailers for each of the games I mentioned\:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_QrPaI-nYA - On Tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyWM0zsjq6E - Aerosmith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QE-NSxGS4M - World Tour
Hope to see ya back here on Thursday!!!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
What's to come for Guitar Hero in 2008: Part One
In the rest of 2008, many things are coming for the Guitar Hero franchise. And by many things, what can I mean besides video games?? That's right, three more games will be added to the lineup of Guitar Hero games this year.
Remember that game for the Nintendo DS called Jam Sessions?? Well, this first game brings a much better guitar experience to the DS. It is Guitar Hero: On Tour, which comes out in exactly a week from now, on June 22nd, 2008. But wait, how can Guitar Hero get onto the DS?? How would you hit frets?? Well, the game comes with an accessory called the Guitar Grip. This grip fits into the GBA slot of the DS and has you sliding your hand into it and then hitting the four frets on it. Oh, by the way, note that the DS would be in book mode while playing this. So, to play on the DS, you hit frets on the Guitar Grip, strum using the touch screen, and look when to press frets and strum on the display screen. What about Star Power?? Well, to activate Star Power, all you have to do is blow or yell through the microphone on the DS.
Guitar Hero: On Tour has 25 different songs, with over 85% of them being master recordings!!! Along with that, 5 of the songs in the game are from Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Besides those, the playlist has quite a number of recent songs for any Guitar Hero game!! By this, I mean songs such as This Love (Maroon 5), Are You Gonna Be My Girl (Jet), All Star (Smashmouth), and All The Small Things (Blink-182)!! The career mode is split up into five tiers, each including five songs. Also, the career mode lets you choose from six different characters. Four of these characters are ones from previous Guitar Hero games, while two are all-new to the Guitar Hero series. As you proceed through the Career mode, you unlock new venues and new looks for the characters.
Along with the Career mode, Guitar Hero: On Tour has Cooperative and Competitive play, thanks to the DS's local wireless capabilities. One mode in Competitive play is called Guitar Duel, in which you throw obstacles at your opponent, similar to Guitar Hero III's battle mode. These obstacles include having to blow out a virtual fire on your guitar, having to sign autographs, and having to fix a string on your guitar. People who have tested this game have said that this is their favorite mode. Speaking of autographs, Along with the game being sold separately, On Tour will be sold in two different DS bundles with the Guitar Hero insignia on the DS. So, that's Guitar Hero: On Tour for you!!
The next game doesn't really introduce new concepts, like On Tour. I am talking about another side game in the Guitar Hero franchise, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, which comes out June 29th, 2008 for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PS2. Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is basically the same as Guitar Hero III when it comes to gameplay (except for modifications on Hammer-On's and Pull-Offs). Although, when it comes to everything else, it is totally different. The game's career mode follows the history of Aerosmith, starting from high school to their Super Bowl performance in 2001. And to go along with that, this game has mostly tracks from Aerosmith, but also tracks from artist having to do with Aerosmith, like Run-D.M.C. and Joan Jett. Also, the venues are one's that are vital in the history of Aerosmith. All of the tracks in this game are master recordings, by the way. And if that wasn't enough, Aerosmith used motion capture to literally "put themselves into the game". Guitar Hero: Aerosmith will be released in a bundle pack, as well as a single game. And that is all for this game.
Now, there is one more new Guitar Hero game coming out in 2008, but I'll talk to you about it tomorrow. See ya then!!
Remember that game for the Nintendo DS called Jam Sessions?? Well, this first game brings a much better guitar experience to the DS. It is Guitar Hero: On Tour, which comes out in exactly a week from now, on June 22nd, 2008. But wait, how can Guitar Hero get onto the DS?? How would you hit frets?? Well, the game comes with an accessory called the Guitar Grip. This grip fits into the GBA slot of the DS and has you sliding your hand into it and then hitting the four frets on it. Oh, by the way, note that the DS would be in book mode while playing this. So, to play on the DS, you hit frets on the Guitar Grip, strum using the touch screen, and look when to press frets and strum on the display screen. What about Star Power?? Well, to activate Star Power, all you have to do is blow or yell through the microphone on the DS.
Guitar Hero: On Tour has 25 different songs, with over 85% of them being master recordings!!! Along with that, 5 of the songs in the game are from Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Besides those, the playlist has quite a number of recent songs for any Guitar Hero game!! By this, I mean songs such as This Love (Maroon 5), Are You Gonna Be My Girl (Jet), All Star (Smashmouth), and All The Small Things (Blink-182)!! The career mode is split up into five tiers, each including five songs. Also, the career mode lets you choose from six different characters. Four of these characters are ones from previous Guitar Hero games, while two are all-new to the Guitar Hero series. As you proceed through the Career mode, you unlock new venues and new looks for the characters.
Along with the Career mode, Guitar Hero: On Tour has Cooperative and Competitive play, thanks to the DS's local wireless capabilities. One mode in Competitive play is called Guitar Duel, in which you throw obstacles at your opponent, similar to Guitar Hero III's battle mode. These obstacles include having to blow out a virtual fire on your guitar, having to sign autographs, and having to fix a string on your guitar. People who have tested this game have said that this is their favorite mode. Speaking of autographs, Along with the game being sold separately, On Tour will be sold in two different DS bundles with the Guitar Hero insignia on the DS. So, that's Guitar Hero: On Tour for you!!
The next game doesn't really introduce new concepts, like On Tour. I am talking about another side game in the Guitar Hero franchise, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, which comes out June 29th, 2008 for PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PS2. Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is basically the same as Guitar Hero III when it comes to gameplay (except for modifications on Hammer-On's and Pull-Offs). Although, when it comes to everything else, it is totally different. The game's career mode follows the history of Aerosmith, starting from high school to their Super Bowl performance in 2001. And to go along with that, this game has mostly tracks from Aerosmith, but also tracks from artist having to do with Aerosmith, like Run-D.M.C. and Joan Jett. Also, the venues are one's that are vital in the history of Aerosmith. All of the tracks in this game are master recordings, by the way. And if that wasn't enough, Aerosmith used motion capture to literally "put themselves into the game". Guitar Hero: Aerosmith will be released in a bundle pack, as well as a single game. And that is all for this game.
Now, there is one more new Guitar Hero game coming out in 2008, but I'll talk to you about it tomorrow. See ya then!!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
How Far Wii've Come: A Look at the Wii's Success in the Past 6 Months
There's no doubt that the Nintendo Wii has been extremely successful over the time of its release until now. In 2007, games such as Wii Play and Super Mario Galaxy propelled the Wii. In 2008, three main games did this for the Wii.
First up is Mario Kart Wii. MK Wii came out on April 29th in the states and since then, it has been doing great. In its first week, Mario Kart Wii sold 1.12 Million!!!! Along with that, it brought a new way of control to the Wii, via the Wii Wheel. Lastly, Mario Kart Wii got great reception from reviewers, due to the large amount of content, as well as the smooth online gameplay.
Secondly, there's the revolutionary Wii Fit. Due to the limited shipments, Wii FIt sold out before even making it to stores!! Wii Fit uses a great system of control, using the Wii Balance Board. It has never been seen anywhere else before Wii Fit!!
Finally, Nintend's ace in the hole was released this year, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Brawl received 9's and 9.5's all over, and sold 2.7 million copies in America from release to April 1st. People were waiting years for this game to come!!! And now that it has come, everyone wants it. Therefore, it has that many songs.
Overall, the Wii has had quite a selection of games this year, with all of them doing great. I hope for this success to continue for Nintendo's sake!!
First up is Mario Kart Wii. MK Wii came out on April 29th in the states and since then, it has been doing great. In its first week, Mario Kart Wii sold 1.12 Million!!!! Along with that, it brought a new way of control to the Wii, via the Wii Wheel. Lastly, Mario Kart Wii got great reception from reviewers, due to the large amount of content, as well as the smooth online gameplay.
Secondly, there's the revolutionary Wii Fit. Due to the limited shipments, Wii FIt sold out before even making it to stores!! Wii Fit uses a great system of control, using the Wii Balance Board. It has never been seen anywhere else before Wii Fit!!
Finally, Nintend's ace in the hole was released this year, Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Brawl received 9's and 9.5's all over, and sold 2.7 million copies in America from release to April 1st. People were waiting years for this game to come!!! And now that it has come, everyone wants it. Therefore, it has that many songs.
Overall, the Wii has had quite a selection of games this year, with all of them doing great. I hope for this success to continue for Nintendo's sake!!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Sorry about Yesterday
I'm really sorry for not writing anything yesterday. My mind just blanked on me, I guess. So, I wrote two articles for today!! Enjoy them!!!
My version of MTV's Hottest MCs in the Game 2008 List
In Mid-May, the second annual MTV's Hottest MCs in the Game List was revealed. The list was made with material from the second half of 2007 and 2008 until then in mind. There's some stuff about the list that is 100% correct in my opinion. But, I have some disagreements with MTV's Brain Trust. So, today, I am going to review their list and make my amendments. First, let's start with the list, from bottom to top:
10. T.I.
9. Andre 3000
8. Young Jeezy
7. Lupe Fiasco
6. 50 Cent
5. Snoop Dogg
4. Rick Ross
3. Lil' Wayne
2. Jay-Z
1. Kanye West
Now, I will state my opinions about the list:
T.I. - If he hadn't been under house arrest, T.I. would have been higher on both this list and my list. Personally, I disagree with him being on the list this year. The only material he has put out himself is No Matter What, which didn't even hit big. He may have also been on Superstar (Remix) and Love In This Club's Unofficial Remix, but To be on my list, T.I. would have had to put out more material. Or at least make his latest single hot.
Andre 3000 - Andre's case is very similar to T.I.'s, except for the whole house arrest part. What material has Andre put out this past 12 months!?!? The Art of Storytelling Pt. 4?? Royal Flush?? Even though he did great on both of them, they aren't his singles!!!! So why is Andre 3000 hot this year??
Young Jeezy - This is a good spot for Young Jeezy. This year, he's had a major hit as a featured artist (Love In This Club), a few remixes (Dey Know, I'm So Hood, Umma Do Me, etc.), and his own single, which was starting to get attention (Put On). With all of this, he could have been higher, except for the lack of an album. IF he had an album out, then there would be no doubt that Jeezy would be higher.
Lupe Fiasco - Just like Jeezy, this is a good spot for Lupe Fiasco. This year, he has had a hit single (Superstar), and a hot album. And if that wasn't enough, he's on one of, if not, the hottest tours right now (Glow in the Dark Tour [Kanye West, Rihanna, N.E.R.D., and himself]). There's not much else to say.
50 Cent - Once again, the Brain Trust hit the nail on the head. 50 Cent, this year, has had one of the most successful albums, and a hit single to go with them (I Get Money would also be counted, but it was counted for last year). Along with that, 50 has been big on the mixtape scene lately, releasing such mixtapes as Elephant In The Sand. Finally, he scored two hits with G-Unit (I Like the Way She Do It and Rider Pt. 2). This has been a big 12-moth period for 50.
Snoop Dogg - What?? I mean, Snoop Dogg had a smash single (Sensual Seduction), and an album to match, but he didn't even write the album!! He let others write for him!! And for that, he doesn't deserve to be hot. The writers do. But still, he did have some hit material, so all I am saying is that he should be lower on the list.
Rick Ross - Now back to the correct channel. Rick Ross has been one of the hottest MCs of the year. I mean, two hit singles belonging to him (Speedin' and The Boss), an album with some pretty hot tracks (ex. Maybach Music, Luxury Tax), and a plethora of other songs and remixes (I'm So Hood and its remix, Beam Me Up, Umma Do Me's remix, Down in Tha Dirty, Out Here Grindin', and more)!!!
Lil Wayne - To have reclaimed the #1 title on the list, Lil' Wayne needed Tha Carter III out by then. Besides for that, he killed it this year!! He had a mega-hit single (Lollipop), some other hot tracks (A Milli, I'm Me, Gossip), and a ton of featured singles and remixes (Pop Bottles, Sweetest Girl, Duffle Bag Boy, Girls Around the World, In The Hood, I'm So Hood Remix, Love in This Club pt. II, and much more). Now, if the album was out by then, he would have definitely claimed the spot of hottest MC in the game. But, without an album, Wayne isn't as hot.
Jay-Z - In my opinion, this has been a pretty good year for Jay. He's had an extremely hot album with three hit singles and headlined two tours (one with Mary J. Blige). But, I don't think he's has as good of a year as Lil' Wayne.
Kanye West - Kanye has had an astounding year. First of all, his album went platinum within less than ten days. Secondly, He has had three major singles from the album since last year's list. But most of all, he has possibly the best one-man hip hop show ever. And yes, I am talking about the Glow in the Dark Tour. Along with that, he's been on a selection of songs, like Lollipop (Remix), Put On, American Boy, and Everybody Nose (Remix). He definitely deserves to be one.
Now, with that, here's my amendments:
10. Flo Rida
9. Snoop Dogg
8. Plies
7. Young Jeezy
6. Lupe Fiasco
5. 50 Cent
4. Rick Ross
3. Jay-Z
2. Lil' Wayne
1. Kanye West
I'm sure there are two you don't get by now, and those are Flo Rida and Plies. So, here we go:
Flo Rida - Flo Rida has established himself as a hot MC. He has had the biggest hit of 2008 so far with Low, and also has Elevator and In The Ayer. Also, he has some featured songs, like Speedin's remix, the Ayo Technology Poe Boyz remix, and more.
Plies - Just like Flo Rida but even more, Plies has made his place in the game. He's had such songs as Shawty, Hypnotized, and now, Bust It Baby Pt. 2. Along with those, he's had some featured songs too, like Ain't Sayin' Nothin', I'm So Hood, Dey Know (Remix), and Out Here Grindin'
Well, do you like my list?? Comment with your opinion!!!
10. T.I.
9. Andre 3000
8. Young Jeezy
7. Lupe Fiasco
6. 50 Cent
5. Snoop Dogg
4. Rick Ross
3. Lil' Wayne
2. Jay-Z
1. Kanye West
Now, I will state my opinions about the list:
T.I. - If he hadn't been under house arrest, T.I. would have been higher on both this list and my list. Personally, I disagree with him being on the list this year. The only material he has put out himself is No Matter What, which didn't even hit big. He may have also been on Superstar (Remix) and Love In This Club's Unofficial Remix, but To be on my list, T.I. would have had to put out more material. Or at least make his latest single hot.
Andre 3000 - Andre's case is very similar to T.I.'s, except for the whole house arrest part. What material has Andre put out this past 12 months!?!? The Art of Storytelling Pt. 4?? Royal Flush?? Even though he did great on both of them, they aren't his singles!!!! So why is Andre 3000 hot this year??
Young Jeezy - This is a good spot for Young Jeezy. This year, he's had a major hit as a featured artist (Love In This Club), a few remixes (Dey Know, I'm So Hood, Umma Do Me, etc.), and his own single, which was starting to get attention (Put On). With all of this, he could have been higher, except for the lack of an album. IF he had an album out, then there would be no doubt that Jeezy would be higher.
Lupe Fiasco - Just like Jeezy, this is a good spot for Lupe Fiasco. This year, he has had a hit single (Superstar), and a hot album. And if that wasn't enough, he's on one of, if not, the hottest tours right now (Glow in the Dark Tour [Kanye West, Rihanna, N.E.R.D., and himself]). There's not much else to say.
50 Cent - Once again, the Brain Trust hit the nail on the head. 50 Cent, this year, has had one of the most successful albums, and a hit single to go with them (I Get Money would also be counted, but it was counted for last year). Along with that, 50 has been big on the mixtape scene lately, releasing such mixtapes as Elephant In The Sand. Finally, he scored two hits with G-Unit (I Like the Way She Do It and Rider Pt. 2). This has been a big 12-moth period for 50.
Snoop Dogg - What?? I mean, Snoop Dogg had a smash single (Sensual Seduction), and an album to match, but he didn't even write the album!! He let others write for him!! And for that, he doesn't deserve to be hot. The writers do. But still, he did have some hit material, so all I am saying is that he should be lower on the list.
Rick Ross - Now back to the correct channel. Rick Ross has been one of the hottest MCs of the year. I mean, two hit singles belonging to him (Speedin' and The Boss), an album with some pretty hot tracks (ex. Maybach Music, Luxury Tax), and a plethora of other songs and remixes (I'm So Hood and its remix, Beam Me Up, Umma Do Me's remix, Down in Tha Dirty, Out Here Grindin', and more)!!!
Lil Wayne - To have reclaimed the #1 title on the list, Lil' Wayne needed Tha Carter III out by then. Besides for that, he killed it this year!! He had a mega-hit single (Lollipop), some other hot tracks (A Milli, I'm Me, Gossip), and a ton of featured singles and remixes (Pop Bottles, Sweetest Girl, Duffle Bag Boy, Girls Around the World, In The Hood, I'm So Hood Remix, Love in This Club pt. II, and much more). Now, if the album was out by then, he would have definitely claimed the spot of hottest MC in the game. But, without an album, Wayne isn't as hot.
Jay-Z - In my opinion, this has been a pretty good year for Jay. He's had an extremely hot album with three hit singles and headlined two tours (one with Mary J. Blige). But, I don't think he's has as good of a year as Lil' Wayne.
Kanye West - Kanye has had an astounding year. First of all, his album went platinum within less than ten days. Secondly, He has had three major singles from the album since last year's list. But most of all, he has possibly the best one-man hip hop show ever. And yes, I am talking about the Glow in the Dark Tour. Along with that, he's been on a selection of songs, like Lollipop (Remix), Put On, American Boy, and Everybody Nose (Remix). He definitely deserves to be one.
Now, with that, here's my amendments:
10. Flo Rida
9. Snoop Dogg
8. Plies
7. Young Jeezy
6. Lupe Fiasco
5. 50 Cent
4. Rick Ross
3. Jay-Z
2. Lil' Wayne
1. Kanye West
I'm sure there are two you don't get by now, and those are Flo Rida and Plies. So, here we go:
Flo Rida - Flo Rida has established himself as a hot MC. He has had the biggest hit of 2008 so far with Low, and also has Elevator and In The Ayer. Also, he has some featured songs, like Speedin's remix, the Ayo Technology Poe Boyz remix, and more.
Plies - Just like Flo Rida but even more, Plies has made his place in the game. He's had such songs as Shawty, Hypnotized, and now, Bust It Baby Pt. 2. Along with those, he's had some featured songs too, like Ain't Sayin' Nothin', I'm So Hood, Dey Know (Remix), and Out Here Grindin'
Well, do you like my list?? Comment with your opinion!!!
Explicit Music and Mature-Rated Video Games: A Comparison
Once again, I'm sorry about the lack of a blog post yesterday. This is what would have been yesterday.
When it comes to Media (Music, TV, Video Games, Movies, etc.), parents worry about explicit content the most. Today, I want to take a look at Music and Video Games. There are several reasons why these two are similar, yet very different. First, let's take a look at music:
The main reason parents don't want their children listening to explicit music is because of curse words and sexual content. They don't want their kids learning about that kind of stuff through songs. But, kids can't really learn about graphic content through songs, in my opinion. On the other hand, they can learn curse words through songs. But enough about curse words. The reason people can't learn about guns and drugs and sex through songs is because it is all graphic content, as in content that is inappropriate when looked at. You can't look at something by listening to music.
The main reason parents don't want their kids getting mature video games is because of graphic content, like mass blood, shooting, and the such. So, unlike music, kids who play mature-rated games can see the material. And usually, kids learn abut things by seeing them, not hearing them. So, in the end, M-Rated video games tend to be more explicit than explicit music.
I know this was pretty short, but I figured that I needed a break after two extremely long articles. Thanks for reading!!
When it comes to Media (Music, TV, Video Games, Movies, etc.), parents worry about explicit content the most. Today, I want to take a look at Music and Video Games. There are several reasons why these two are similar, yet very different. First, let's take a look at music:
The main reason parents don't want their children listening to explicit music is because of curse words and sexual content. They don't want their kids learning about that kind of stuff through songs. But, kids can't really learn about graphic content through songs, in my opinion. On the other hand, they can learn curse words through songs. But enough about curse words. The reason people can't learn about guns and drugs and sex through songs is because it is all graphic content, as in content that is inappropriate when looked at. You can't look at something by listening to music.
The main reason parents don't want their kids getting mature video games is because of graphic content, like mass blood, shooting, and the such. So, unlike music, kids who play mature-rated games can see the material. And usually, kids learn abut things by seeing them, not hearing them. So, in the end, M-Rated video games tend to be more explicit than explicit music.
I know this was pretty short, but I figured that I needed a break after two extremely long articles. Thanks for reading!!
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Album Review: Tha Carter III by Lil' Wayne
Hello again. Today I will be reviewing one of two albums being reviewed over this 14-day span of my blog being back. Both albums I will be reviewing have very good shots at being the best albums of the year. The one I will be reviewing next week after I listen to it has two hit singles and has broken the record for most pre-orders for an album on Play.com (The original record was held by Leona Lewis). But, let's save next week's album for next week. The album I will be reviewing today, when it was still set for release in 2007, was named the "most anticipated album of 2007" by XXL Magazine(a very big hip-hop magazine). If it weren't for Kanye West's Graduation, this probably would have been the best album of 2007 in my opinion. Sadly, the album was moved for a release in late spring 2008. Now, it is here and as good(or possibly even better) than the hype it has recieved. Welcome, Tha Carter III. As you all know, Lil' Wayne is defined as one of the best and most clever rappers in the game. Well, he brings it all on this album, and I am here to tell you about it.
I'm gonna do my album review in a different style this time. This time around, I am going to review each track by itself and then give a final grade for the album:
3 Peat - This track has a solid beat and Weezy starts the album with great lyrics, just as it should be. He even makes a reference to Adam Sandler in the movie "Click"! The creativity in this song is just a little bit better than most rappers. So, as an intro, 3 Peat should sets a level for Wayne to deliver better than. And it does just that. - 9/10
Mr. Carter (featuring Jay-Z) - This is probably my favorite track on the whole album. Two of the best rappers in the whole game collaborating on the same song. In my opinion, you can see the song in two different ways:
1. Jay-Z is basically letting Wayne come into the ring of the best rappers ever, like himself, Notorious B.I.G., and 2Pac. At the end of his verse, he calls Wayne to come.
2. This is the first way I saw the song. Basically as a rap fight between Lil' Wayne and Jay-Z, with Wayne giving the finishing blow at the end and accepting the award of Best Rapper Alive.
Or, you can just see it as a collaboration between Lil' Wayne and Jay-Z. Regardless, Wayne brings some of his greatest lines to keep up to par with Jay-Z:
"Man I got Summer hatin' on me cause I'm hotter than the sun, got Spring hatin' on me cause I ain't never sprung, Winter hatin' on me cause I'm colder than y'all, and I would never, I would never, I would never Fall. I'm being hated by the seasons, so fuck y'all who hatin' for no reason."
This line just shows pure creativity. I mean, who would think of comparing themselves to the seasons?? And Wayne did it perfectly. The Fall part shows that he never loses or does bad. And the last part is saying that Wayne gets enough hate already for thinking he's the best rapper alive and that he doesn't need any more of it from things like using Auto-Tune to reach the top of the charts (referring to Lollipop only reaching one on Billboard because of the infamous "T-Pain" effect achieved by using Auto-Tune). There are other parts in the song that I like a lot, but I won't go into too much detail now. If you were to listen to only one track on the album, listen to this. - 10/10
Milli - It really surprises me that a song with such a basic instrumental (The "A Milli" repeated and two drum pad sounds) could sound so good. To make it so good, Wayne delivers on this track. With lines such as "Muthafucka I'm ill, not sick, and I'm okay, but my watch sick, yea my drop sick, yea my glock sick, and I'm not dead, I'm ill." (Here, Wayne uses terms for being sick as terms for being cool, which is pretty cool), you can see Wayne's greatness as a rapper. Can it follow up Lollipop as a successful second single? We shall see. - 8.8/10
Got Money (featuring T-Pain) - Remember how I was talking about how Lil' Wayne uses Auto-Tune before? Well this is where it starts in the album. You should expect him to use it, especially when the master of Auto-Tune, T-Pain, is also on the track. T-Pain provides a good chorus, as usual, while Wayne tears it up with Auto-Tune!! There's not much to say about the track lyrically, besides for a few lines in the last verse. One of the lines I like a lot is:
"And I cool yo ass down if you think you're hot shit"
In this line, Wayne is basically saying that he's one of, if not, the hottest rappers in the game and because of that, he makes anyone else look cold as ice. Oh. And also, the beat for this is crazy!!- 8.9/10
Comfortable (featuring Babyface) - Babyface, just like T-Pain, has a nice chorus on this song. He says for his girl not to take love for granted and therefore not to get too comfortable in their relationship. In the first lines of the song, Wayne makes a great reference to Beyonce':
"Yeah, to the left, to the left, if you wanna leave be my guest, you can step. Feelin' irreplaceable listenin' to Beyonce', well okay I'll put you out on yo B'Day."
This line also explains part of the song, how Wayne feels irreplaceable, as in, he can be with anyone he wants and if they don't like him, there are others who definitely want to be with him. And if some one Another line I found very clever in the beginning is:
"I got game like EA,"
Once again, this line showcases Wayne's creativity. It's a pretty good track in my opinion, but there's not much else to say about it besides what I have said. - 8.8/10
Dr. Carter - This is one of two songs with stories on the album. The story for this track is that Wayne helps rappers in need of help with their flow and originality. He gets prepared and then gives advice to others. He also gives examples of great MCs, like Andre 3000, Kanye West (100% agree =) ) and Young Jeezy. One of his other lines is this:
"So I stopped writin', now I'm like lightning"
This refers to Wayne's success in the mixtape scene with his freestyles. In the last scene, he saves the "life" of a rapper, making him great. Overall, I find this track to be very intellectual and great. - 9.2/10
Phone Home - This is the other story-oriented track. Phone Home is based around Wayne being an alien from Planet Weezy. The title "Phone Home" refers to E.T. "phoning home". But, the story isn't as oriented as in Dr. Carter. There are only some references, like his voice being sort of altered in one part, and him going back onto his spaceship in the end. The song isn't as good as the others in my opinion. - 7.7/10
Tie My Hands (featuring Robin Thicke) - This track, unlike the others, is more laid back and chill. It has a nice, refreshing guitar in the background and Robin Thicke matches it with his soft, smooth voice. In the song, Robin Thicke refers to "Tying his Hands" as completely limiting him. He asks what he can be when his hands are "tied". Near the end of the song, you realize that Wayne describes it as a trip to freedom from being a refugee to not having your hands "tied". - 8.6/10
Mrs. Officer (featuring Bobby Valentino) - Like other tracks, the featured artist, Bobby Valentino, in this case provides the chorus. This song is more vulgar than the others, with many references to sex. This track, in my opinion, is plain, compared to some of the others. The only plus about the song is that it actually does stay on the subject of one thing the whole time and the lyrics make a lot of police references. - 8/10
Let The Beat Build - This whole song is about improvement and how the beat is at it peak when you are at your peak in rapping in a song. The first verse of the song is very interactive with the title. As Wayne talk about higher status and raps better, the beat builds up. In the end of it, he says "That's how you let the beat build bitch!" Like the previous song, it stays on the theme of improvement. But, thins song is better - 8.3/10
Shoot Me Down (featuring D. Smith) - I find this to be one of the more mellowed out songs of Tha Carter III. But besides that, he lyrics in this song are very clever. Some of the ones I like a lot are:
"I spit Alcatraz bars, I know,"
"And if you shootin' for the stars, just shoot me."
"My picture should be in the dictionary next to the definition, of definition, because repetition is the father of learning"
But what I don't get is how exactly the chorus of the song has much to do with the verses. Maybe its just the whole image of jail and guns in this song?? With both of these factors, the track is alright - 8.1/10
Lollipop (featuring Static Major) - Now this is where Auto-Tune plays a big role in the album's probable success. Lollipop, the first single of the album, heavily uses Auto-Tune to allow Lil' Wayne to sing instead of rapping. This leads to the major catchiness of the song, along with a pretty good chorus from the now late Static Major, that is. But, besides for the fact that Lil' Wayne makes great use of the "T-Pain effect", there is absolutely nothing lyrics-wise. It is even more vulgar and also edgier than Mrs. Officer. If it wasn't for the great use of Auto-Tune on the track and the great beat, this would probably be much lower. - 8.3/10
La La (featuring Brisco and Busta Rhymes) - When I look at the album art, of Tha Carter III, it signifies this track. An extremely silly beat suited for a baby and rapping about money and being on top. With that, you get Lil' Wayne's baby picture on the album art. Er, not really on second thought. But seriously, does Wayne expect people to take him seriously with this beat? I think so. Wayne, Brisco, and Busta all deliver on this track. If it wasn't for such a silly beat, I would like this track a whole lot. - 8.3
Playing With Fire (featuring Betty Wright) - On this track, I think you can say that you are Playing with Wayne, because he is pure fire. With great lyricism, a blazin' chorus from Betty Wright, enough vulgarity to not be too vulgar, and a lot of swagger, you can't say this isn't hot. There are quite a few hot lines on this, but I don't feel like picking them out. I think you get the idea that this track is hot. - 8.9/10
You Ain't Got Nuthin' (featuring Fabolous and Juelz Santana) - First of all, the beat for this track is pretty good. Secondly, everyone kills it on this track. Wayne provides a pretty good chorus, thanks to Auto-Tune. Fabolous starts with some clever lines, then gets into an italian food theme. Sort of, at least. I mean, lasagna, pasta?? And he even says " If ya reach for this medallion, ya must like Italian." Then, Juelz brings some hot lines too. For instance, here's one:
"My dough's a bit longer, my flow is just slaughter, my wrists look like frozen Poland Spring water. So tell me boys, tell me boys, who ya think ya messin' with? I get money out the ass, that's some expensive shit."
Can you sense creativity in that line? I sure can. After Juelz and the next chorus, Wayne raps his verse. Just like the others, his verse is pretty clever. He even takes a poke at the way Diddy talks!! Wayne does something in this song in which he "messes up" in saying saying words a few times. It goes along with the rhyme perfectly. I remember he did that in another song, but I forgot what song at the moment. Anyways, this song is also pretty hot in my opinion. It is a perfect combination of rap and Auto-Tune also. - 9.2/10
Don'tGetIt - This is basically Wayne explaining who exactly he is, if you don't get it already. He raps about him self for the first 2 minutes and fifty seconds, but then, he stops rapping and just talks. He talks about things that Bush was talking about one day on TV about black people. Then, he talks about sex offenders, and how his neighbor was sent to jail for sex offense when he didn't do anything wrong. After, he talked about Al Sharpton and how no one likes him because he gets angry on the subject of sex. Then, he says that whatever Sharpton says about Wayne is invisible to him, as if he was Casper the Friendly Ghost. Then, Wayne says that he is no Martin Luther King or Jesse Jackson and that he is just a rule. Finally, Lil' Wayne says "Fuck Al Sharpton or anyone like him and fuck anyone who understands, cause I like being misunderstood." This songs is sort of disappointing because Wayne raps for not even half of it and the rest of the song is basically saying "Fuck Al Sharpton". It baffles me as to why Wayne would not make the song his glory finish. - ?/10: I can't really give this song a rating. I don't know what to think.
Now, If you bought Tha Carter III in stores (not counting the Best Buy and Target special editions), whether it has the three bonus tracks or not, this is the end. But, if you're like me and bought it on iTunes, then there are two more tracks on the album. And I will review them now:
Lollipop (Remix) [featuring Kanye West and Static Major] - You can say that this is Lollipop 2.0. First of all, the track as a whole is much less vulgarity and much more creativity in lyrics. Kanye's verse in the beginning is 100% creativity. He talks about Gold Diggers and then goes to including different types of chips in two lines:
"Don't worry 'bout my wrist, got so free, tell them girls like Doritos that's not yo (as in nacho) cheese. Tell her friends like Fritos I ain't trying to Lay, I can only have one and I ain't trying to wait."
Another line I think is very clever is:
"Man the flow so cold, chicken soup won't help, man."
That is pure creativity. And Wayne? Not as good and Kanye, but still amazing. Here's an example:
"I got so much chips I swear they call me Hewlett Packard. I got so much chips you can have a bag if you're a snacker."
This and much more great lyrics make up for the original Lollipop sucking when it comes to lyrics. - 10/10
Prostitute 2 - Like 3 other tracks, this track uses Auto-Tune. The song is about Wayne dedication to a girl and how he would love her even if she was a Prostitute and if she keeps it real. The track's beat is nice and soft, to fit the track theme of love. I can't say much about the track lyrically, cause its not a rap. It's a song. And songs don't tend to rely on lyrics as much as raps do. But, Wayne fulfilled the role of a singer great. Once again, he utilized Auto-Tune to its fullest and greatest. - 9/10
So, without the iTunes bonus songs, I give the album a slight B+ (8.7/10). Its a pretty good album, but after listening to it again, not as good as the first time. With the iTunes bonus songs, the album gets a B+ also, but a better number grade (8.9/10).
Yes, I know this has been a very long review, but with an album with so much material, there's so much to write about. But trust me, the album I'll be reviewing next week is not nearly as long song-wise, and therefore will probably have a much shorter review. Thank you for reading this whole review. It's my first in a long while, and I think I made up for the days I was gone with this review.
I'm gonna do my album review in a different style this time. This time around, I am going to review each track by itself and then give a final grade for the album:
3 Peat - This track has a solid beat and Weezy starts the album with great lyrics, just as it should be. He even makes a reference to Adam Sandler in the movie "Click"! The creativity in this song is just a little bit better than most rappers. So, as an intro, 3 Peat should sets a level for Wayne to deliver better than. And it does just that. - 9/10
Mr. Carter (featuring Jay-Z) - This is probably my favorite track on the whole album. Two of the best rappers in the whole game collaborating on the same song. In my opinion, you can see the song in two different ways:
1. Jay-Z is basically letting Wayne come into the ring of the best rappers ever, like himself, Notorious B.I.G., and 2Pac. At the end of his verse, he calls Wayne to come.
2. This is the first way I saw the song. Basically as a rap fight between Lil' Wayne and Jay-Z, with Wayne giving the finishing blow at the end and accepting the award of Best Rapper Alive.
Or, you can just see it as a collaboration between Lil' Wayne and Jay-Z. Regardless, Wayne brings some of his greatest lines to keep up to par with Jay-Z:
"Man I got Summer hatin' on me cause I'm hotter than the sun, got Spring hatin' on me cause I ain't never sprung, Winter hatin' on me cause I'm colder than y'all, and I would never, I would never, I would never Fall. I'm being hated by the seasons, so fuck y'all who hatin' for no reason."
This line just shows pure creativity. I mean, who would think of comparing themselves to the seasons?? And Wayne did it perfectly. The Fall part shows that he never loses or does bad. And the last part is saying that Wayne gets enough hate already for thinking he's the best rapper alive and that he doesn't need any more of it from things like using Auto-Tune to reach the top of the charts (referring to Lollipop only reaching one on Billboard because of the infamous "T-Pain" effect achieved by using Auto-Tune). There are other parts in the song that I like a lot, but I won't go into too much detail now. If you were to listen to only one track on the album, listen to this. - 10/10
Milli - It really surprises me that a song with such a basic instrumental (The "A Milli" repeated and two drum pad sounds) could sound so good. To make it so good, Wayne delivers on this track. With lines such as "Muthafucka I'm ill, not sick, and I'm okay, but my watch sick, yea my drop sick, yea my glock sick, and I'm not dead, I'm ill." (Here, Wayne uses terms for being sick as terms for being cool, which is pretty cool), you can see Wayne's greatness as a rapper. Can it follow up Lollipop as a successful second single? We shall see. - 8.8/10
Got Money (featuring T-Pain) - Remember how I was talking about how Lil' Wayne uses Auto-Tune before? Well this is where it starts in the album. You should expect him to use it, especially when the master of Auto-Tune, T-Pain, is also on the track. T-Pain provides a good chorus, as usual, while Wayne tears it up with Auto-Tune!! There's not much to say about the track lyrically, besides for a few lines in the last verse. One of the lines I like a lot is:
"And I cool yo ass down if you think you're hot shit"
In this line, Wayne is basically saying that he's one of, if not, the hottest rappers in the game and because of that, he makes anyone else look cold as ice. Oh. And also, the beat for this is crazy!!- 8.9/10
Comfortable (featuring Babyface) - Babyface, just like T-Pain, has a nice chorus on this song. He says for his girl not to take love for granted and therefore not to get too comfortable in their relationship. In the first lines of the song, Wayne makes a great reference to Beyonce':
"Yeah, to the left, to the left, if you wanna leave be my guest, you can step. Feelin' irreplaceable listenin' to Beyonce', well okay I'll put you out on yo B'Day."
This line also explains part of the song, how Wayne feels irreplaceable, as in, he can be with anyone he wants and if they don't like him, there are others who definitely want to be with him. And if some one Another line I found very clever in the beginning is:
"I got game like EA,"
Once again, this line showcases Wayne's creativity. It's a pretty good track in my opinion, but there's not much else to say about it besides what I have said. - 8.8/10
Dr. Carter - This is one of two songs with stories on the album. The story for this track is that Wayne helps rappers in need of help with their flow and originality. He gets prepared and then gives advice to others. He also gives examples of great MCs, like Andre 3000, Kanye West (100% agree =) ) and Young Jeezy. One of his other lines is this:
"So I stopped writin', now I'm like lightning"
This refers to Wayne's success in the mixtape scene with his freestyles. In the last scene, he saves the "life" of a rapper, making him great. Overall, I find this track to be very intellectual and great. - 9.2/10
Phone Home - This is the other story-oriented track. Phone Home is based around Wayne being an alien from Planet Weezy. The title "Phone Home" refers to E.T. "phoning home". But, the story isn't as oriented as in Dr. Carter. There are only some references, like his voice being sort of altered in one part, and him going back onto his spaceship in the end. The song isn't as good as the others in my opinion. - 7.7/10
Tie My Hands (featuring Robin Thicke) - This track, unlike the others, is more laid back and chill. It has a nice, refreshing guitar in the background and Robin Thicke matches it with his soft, smooth voice. In the song, Robin Thicke refers to "Tying his Hands" as completely limiting him. He asks what he can be when his hands are "tied". Near the end of the song, you realize that Wayne describes it as a trip to freedom from being a refugee to not having your hands "tied". - 8.6/10
Mrs. Officer (featuring Bobby Valentino) - Like other tracks, the featured artist, Bobby Valentino, in this case provides the chorus. This song is more vulgar than the others, with many references to sex. This track, in my opinion, is plain, compared to some of the others. The only plus about the song is that it actually does stay on the subject of one thing the whole time and the lyrics make a lot of police references. - 8/10
Let The Beat Build - This whole song is about improvement and how the beat is at it peak when you are at your peak in rapping in a song. The first verse of the song is very interactive with the title. As Wayne talk about higher status and raps better, the beat builds up. In the end of it, he says "That's how you let the beat build bitch!" Like the previous song, it stays on the theme of improvement. But, thins song is better - 8.3/10
Shoot Me Down (featuring D. Smith) - I find this to be one of the more mellowed out songs of Tha Carter III. But besides that, he lyrics in this song are very clever. Some of the ones I like a lot are:
"I spit Alcatraz bars, I know,"
"And if you shootin' for the stars, just shoot me."
"My picture should be in the dictionary next to the definition, of definition, because repetition is the father of learning"
But what I don't get is how exactly the chorus of the song has much to do with the verses. Maybe its just the whole image of jail and guns in this song?? With both of these factors, the track is alright - 8.1/10
Lollipop (featuring Static Major) - Now this is where Auto-Tune plays a big role in the album's probable success. Lollipop, the first single of the album, heavily uses Auto-Tune to allow Lil' Wayne to sing instead of rapping. This leads to the major catchiness of the song, along with a pretty good chorus from the now late Static Major, that is. But, besides for the fact that Lil' Wayne makes great use of the "T-Pain effect", there is absolutely nothing lyrics-wise. It is even more vulgar and also edgier than Mrs. Officer. If it wasn't for the great use of Auto-Tune on the track and the great beat, this would probably be much lower. - 8.3/10
La La (featuring Brisco and Busta Rhymes) - When I look at the album art, of Tha Carter III, it signifies this track. An extremely silly beat suited for a baby and rapping about money and being on top. With that, you get Lil' Wayne's baby picture on the album art. Er, not really on second thought. But seriously, does Wayne expect people to take him seriously with this beat? I think so. Wayne, Brisco, and Busta all deliver on this track. If it wasn't for such a silly beat, I would like this track a whole lot. - 8.3
Playing With Fire (featuring Betty Wright) - On this track, I think you can say that you are Playing with Wayne, because he is pure fire. With great lyricism, a blazin' chorus from Betty Wright, enough vulgarity to not be too vulgar, and a lot of swagger, you can't say this isn't hot. There are quite a few hot lines on this, but I don't feel like picking them out. I think you get the idea that this track is hot. - 8.9/10
You Ain't Got Nuthin' (featuring Fabolous and Juelz Santana) - First of all, the beat for this track is pretty good. Secondly, everyone kills it on this track. Wayne provides a pretty good chorus, thanks to Auto-Tune. Fabolous starts with some clever lines, then gets into an italian food theme. Sort of, at least. I mean, lasagna, pasta?? And he even says " If ya reach for this medallion, ya must like Italian." Then, Juelz brings some hot lines too. For instance, here's one:
"My dough's a bit longer, my flow is just slaughter, my wrists look like frozen Poland Spring water. So tell me boys, tell me boys, who ya think ya messin' with? I get money out the ass, that's some expensive shit."
Can you sense creativity in that line? I sure can. After Juelz and the next chorus, Wayne raps his verse. Just like the others, his verse is pretty clever. He even takes a poke at the way Diddy talks!! Wayne does something in this song in which he "messes up" in saying saying words a few times. It goes along with the rhyme perfectly. I remember he did that in another song, but I forgot what song at the moment. Anyways, this song is also pretty hot in my opinion. It is a perfect combination of rap and Auto-Tune also. - 9.2/10
Don'tGetIt - This is basically Wayne explaining who exactly he is, if you don't get it already. He raps about him self for the first 2 minutes and fifty seconds, but then, he stops rapping and just talks. He talks about things that Bush was talking about one day on TV about black people. Then, he talks about sex offenders, and how his neighbor was sent to jail for sex offense when he didn't do anything wrong. After, he talked about Al Sharpton and how no one likes him because he gets angry on the subject of sex. Then, he says that whatever Sharpton says about Wayne is invisible to him, as if he was Casper the Friendly Ghost. Then, Wayne says that he is no Martin Luther King or Jesse Jackson and that he is just a rule. Finally, Lil' Wayne says "Fuck Al Sharpton or anyone like him and fuck anyone who understands, cause I like being misunderstood." This songs is sort of disappointing because Wayne raps for not even half of it and the rest of the song is basically saying "Fuck Al Sharpton". It baffles me as to why Wayne would not make the song his glory finish. - ?/10: I can't really give this song a rating. I don't know what to think.
Now, If you bought Tha Carter III in stores (not counting the Best Buy and Target special editions), whether it has the three bonus tracks or not, this is the end. But, if you're like me and bought it on iTunes, then there are two more tracks on the album. And I will review them now:
Lollipop (Remix) [featuring Kanye West and Static Major] - You can say that this is Lollipop 2.0. First of all, the track as a whole is much less vulgarity and much more creativity in lyrics. Kanye's verse in the beginning is 100% creativity. He talks about Gold Diggers and then goes to including different types of chips in two lines:
"Don't worry 'bout my wrist, got so free, tell them girls like Doritos that's not yo (as in nacho) cheese. Tell her friends like Fritos I ain't trying to Lay, I can only have one and I ain't trying to wait."
Another line I think is very clever is:
"Man the flow so cold, chicken soup won't help, man."
That is pure creativity. And Wayne? Not as good and Kanye, but still amazing. Here's an example:
"I got so much chips I swear they call me Hewlett Packard. I got so much chips you can have a bag if you're a snacker."
This and much more great lyrics make up for the original Lollipop sucking when it comes to lyrics. - 10/10
Prostitute 2 - Like 3 other tracks, this track uses Auto-Tune. The song is about Wayne dedication to a girl and how he would love her even if she was a Prostitute and if she keeps it real. The track's beat is nice and soft, to fit the track theme of love. I can't say much about the track lyrically, cause its not a rap. It's a song. And songs don't tend to rely on lyrics as much as raps do. But, Wayne fulfilled the role of a singer great. Once again, he utilized Auto-Tune to its fullest and greatest. - 9/10
So, without the iTunes bonus songs, I give the album a slight B+ (8.7/10). Its a pretty good album, but after listening to it again, not as good as the first time. With the iTunes bonus songs, the album gets a B+ also, but a better number grade (8.9/10).
Yes, I know this has been a very long review, but with an album with so much material, there's so much to write about. But trust me, the album I'll be reviewing next week is not nearly as long song-wise, and therefore will probably have a much shorter review. Thank you for reading this whole review. It's my first in a long while, and I think I made up for the days I was gone with this review.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Worldwide Developers Conference 2008 Opening Keynote: What happened and my perspective
For the past few days, I have been awaiting many different things. Those things were supposedly all going to happen at this keynote. Over the weeks (or should I say, about a month or two) preceding this keynote, many rumors have popped up, such as rumors of a new iPhone with 3G internet speeds and GPS, as well as the release of 2.0 right after the keynote. Even such an unbelievable thing as a new OS X announcement. Well, that and more is almost exactly what went down at this year's Opening Keynote.
For me, there were several highlights of the session. Firstly, Steve Jobs announced that Bertrand Serlet would be previewing Mac OS X 10.6, named Snow Leopard. What followed was Scott Forstall, once again (referring to when he first did it at the March 6th Meeting when the SDK was first announced), explaining the features of the layers of iPhone OS, as well as explaining and demoing the SDK. Same old stuff. What really caught my attention to this part of the Keynote was when Scott got some developers to come out an show their results with the SDK. The first one was Ethan Einhorn of SEGA, demoing the application which caught tons of attention at the March 6th Meeting, Super Monkey Ball. Ethan started by announcing that the developers for the game have made an astounding 110 levels and have let you, the user, select from the four monkeys, instead of only being able to choose AiAi. Then, he demoed the app, which looks amazing. He finished by saying that Super Monkey Ball will be available on the App Store for $9.99 when it launches. The rest of applications, with the exception of one, didn't catch my attention as much. Remember though, I am only a 14 year old kid, not a person in his twenties or thirties. So, I won't put as much detail for the next ones. So anyways, next up was Ken Sun of eBay, showcasing an eBay applications, supposedly called "Auctions". After him was Sam Altman, who was describing a social networking application called Loopt. This application lets you post photos, text talk to your friends, call them, and even see where your friends are, using location pinpoint technologies. After Sam was Michael Sippey, showcasing an iPhone application for the blogging service called TypePad, which allows you to post pictures and blog as you go. Then, was Associated Press's Benjamin Mosse, who talked about an application called "The Mobile News Network", which lets you see news for a certain city, or even the city you are in. You can also look at news video using this app. Next was Pangea Software, who ported two of their Mac games to iPhone. Brian Greenstone walked us through these two games, known as Enigmo, a physics based puzzle game with the objective of collecting drops of water, and Cro-Mag Rally, a 3D Caveman Racing game. After Pangea Software, was the other application I was ecstatic about, which is from Mark Terry, who is also known for making instrument applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch (thanks to Jailbreak) under the alias MooCowMusic. The app he talked about was one of his more popular ones, known as Band. Band lets you play instruments as a Piano, a Funky Drummer, a 12-note Blues Bar, and a Bass Guitar. You can then record these instruments and save the work. After, Mark was Jeremy Schoenherr, describing MLB.com's native application for the iPhone, which lets you see game info and watch footage of the game. Next were two medical applications, from Modality and MiMvista respectively, which I'm not going to get into huge detail about. FInally, Digital Legends, a company based in Barcelona, Spain, showcased a heavily detailed RPG that they are developing, which will be released in September. After the whole showcase of Apps, Scott came back on and talked about a new feature being released for third-party applications called Push notifications. This means, even when you close an app, such as AIM, and you go into another application, you will get three different types of notifications whenever you get something, like a message. Those are a badge notification, signifying how many messages you got, a sound notification to tell you you got a message, and a text notifications to do the same, like for the SMS application. Then, Scott Forstall came off the stage and let Steve Jobs back on, who talked about some more new features of the 2.0 iPhone Firmware. These features include better Mail organization, a scientific calculator, Parental Controls, and tons of Language support. He then said that 2.0 will be out in Early July, with a $9.95 fee to iPod touch users. To finish the 2.0 part of the Keynote, Steve talked about other ways people could release apps that people requested for, Enterprise and Ad Hoc. To quote Steve Jobs, "something completely different" was about to be revealed.
Phil Schiller now came up and talked to everyone about MobileMe, which was described as "Exchange for everyone else". Basically, what it is is a way to keep your Conatcts, Calendar, Mail, Photos, and iDisk synced between several computers and iPhone and iPod Touch devices. It works with both native applications on devices (e.g. Photos, Mail, Calendar, Contacts on iPhone, iPhoto, Mail, iCal, and Address Book on Mac, and Microsoft Outlook on PC) and the applications available for use straight from me.com. Through Push services, it keeps all of the devices in sync. Along with explaining all of this, he demoed MobileMe. Phil's final statement was that this would come for $99 for a one-year subscription, along with a 60-Day free trial before and that it would replace .Mac . Sadly, there was no exact release date announced.
The final part of the Keynote belonged to Steve Jobs. He started by talking about how far the iPhone has come, with such factors as 90% Customer Satisfaction. Then, he listed what people have been demanding in a list of five things; 3G Internet Speeds, Enterprise Support. Third party applications, More Countries, and More Affordable. To solve these problems, he introduced the iPhone 3G, which has a black plastic cover, metal buttons, and finally, a flush headphone jack. Firstly, he displayed how fast its 3G speeds are, compared to EDGE and Wifi. It is much faster than EDGE! Also, Steve talked about a new feature in the iPhone 3G, GPS. Next, he said how he already explained Enterprise and third party apps. Then, Steve played a video with " It's a Small World" playing in the background, showing how many countries the iPhone would be coming to, which will be a whopping 70 countries!! That's 2.8 times as better as their stretched goal of 25!! Finally, he talked about the new price of the iPhone, only $199 for the 8GB model and only $299 for the 16GB model which also comes in white. Then, he thanked Scott and Phil's teams for what they have done and dismissed the crowd.
Now, you all are probably wondering (or maybe not), what would a 14-year old say to all of this? Well, all I can say is that I am amazed at all the content revealed and how accurate the leaks were.
First of all, I can definitely see why Apple would release their next OS X as Snow Leopard. OS X Leopard is phenomenal, and there is almost no point in changing it. So, all Snow Leopard is is an upgrade of Leopard. No new features are being added, only bugs and the such are being fixed, which I 100% agree with doing. Secondly, the quality of the Applications introduced is amazing. I mean, what took place way back in March completely blew me away. These applications, on the other hand, have done even more than that. I mean, who would think that you could view and quiz yourself on parts of the body on a mobile device (Note that I am describing the app that Modality introduced. I really didn't talk about it, but if you want a more detailed explanation of it, you can watch the Keynote from the link I will post at the end.)??? Or even watch News stories and Baseball gameplay videos!! Heck, who would think of playing Super Monkey Ball on a mobile device?!? Well, once App Store comes out, you will be able to do that and even more!! Personally, I think that this is quite a feat for Apple. And after that, Scott Forstall explained Push Notification, which is also amazing, and Steve Jobs explained even more superb things about 2.0, such as mass mail move and delete options, a scientific calculator, and extreme language support!! The only part about the whole SDK and App Store session that saddened me was that the 2.0 Firmware release date actually got pushed back from Late June to Early July, which means I won't have it for camp. Oh well, you can't get everything you want I guess.
The next thing to be announced, as I said before, is MobileMe. Now, being a 14-year old kid means that I don't have a whole gallery of contacts, nor do I have any need to set Events on a Calendar. In fact, the only things that really would interest teenagers about MobileMe are the push mail and push photos. But, Gmail and such other free web mail services solve the problem of email, which only leaves Photos. So, overall, I think most people under 18 wouldn't be too interested in MobileMe. Besides that, I think it is fantastic, being able to keep many different things in sync with many of your devices. The next thing, on the other hand, is what really caught my attention. That is, as the commercial descries it, the only phone to ever beat the iPhone, the new iPhone 3G. First off, this phone has all of the features I described so far, which is amazing by itself. Secondly, it is thinner, and cooler-looking than the original iPhone. It has metal buttons and comes in a sleek black model and an also cool white model (white is only for 16GB, though). Also, it has a flush headphone jack, unlike the original. So, lets say I lose the headphones the iPhone 3G comes with and I don't want to spend thirty bucks on headphones. Well, now you don't have to. iPhone 3G also succeeds in completing all five things people have been asking for, which are 3G internet speeds, Enterprise support, third-party applications, availability in more countries, and for it to be more affordable. FIrst of all, it has phenomenal 3G internet speeds, being extremely close to WiFi and about two-and-a-half times better than 2G, or EDGE speeds. This is great if I want to download an application from the App Store that is large or if I want to browse a web page with a lot of pictures. Along with 3G though, the new phone has GPS, which is especially good for Maps and applications that search for your location, such as Loopt. The next two things on the list were already talked about, so I'm not going to go through them again. Fourth, was as I said, more countries. Being a member of the iPodTouchFans community, as well as the ModMyiFone community, I see a lot of foreign developers and members. Imagine how much they would have to pay for phone service if it wasn't for being able to unlock an iPhone!! Well, that problem is solved. Finally, the one which most attracted me to the iPhone 3G, price. With the new price of $199, the iPhone 3G is much much more affordable and can reach more of a crowd. The only problem with the pricing is that You have to sign a two-year contract with AT&T when you get the phone (in America at least), which has to have, at minimum, the 3G data plan of $30. You can also add a voice plan for $40. In total, for unlimited 3G internet, 200 Texts a month, and 450 minutes a month, that's $70 a month!!! Personally, I find that to be a total rip off!! Otherwise, the 3G iPhone looks amazing. And the commercial for it is pretty cool!!
Overall, Worldwide Developers Conference 2008 seems like the best of them yet. Even though it is the first one I have paid attention to. That's all for this first blog post in a while. I'm looking forward to a great 2 weeks of blog stories. Also, below are links to the Keynote, as well as the commercial for the iPhone 3G I was talking about:
http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/0806wdt546x/event/index.html - Opening Keynote
http://www.apple.com/iphone/gallery/ads/hallway/ - iPhone 3G Commercial
Also on Apple.com, you can find lots of info on the 3G iPhone and see it in action. The same goes for MobileMe, which has a guided tour. And, if you can't seem to view the Keynote from the link I provided, feel free to watch it on iTunes. See ya!
For me, there were several highlights of the session. Firstly, Steve Jobs announced that Bertrand Serlet would be previewing Mac OS X 10.6, named Snow Leopard. What followed was Scott Forstall, once again (referring to when he first did it at the March 6th Meeting when the SDK was first announced), explaining the features of the layers of iPhone OS, as well as explaining and demoing the SDK. Same old stuff. What really caught my attention to this part of the Keynote was when Scott got some developers to come out an show their results with the SDK. The first one was Ethan Einhorn of SEGA, demoing the application which caught tons of attention at the March 6th Meeting, Super Monkey Ball. Ethan started by announcing that the developers for the game have made an astounding 110 levels and have let you, the user, select from the four monkeys, instead of only being able to choose AiAi. Then, he demoed the app, which looks amazing. He finished by saying that Super Monkey Ball will be available on the App Store for $9.99 when it launches. The rest of applications, with the exception of one, didn't catch my attention as much. Remember though, I am only a 14 year old kid, not a person in his twenties or thirties. So, I won't put as much detail for the next ones. So anyways, next up was Ken Sun of eBay, showcasing an eBay applications, supposedly called "Auctions". After him was Sam Altman, who was describing a social networking application called Loopt. This application lets you post photos, text talk to your friends, call them, and even see where your friends are, using location pinpoint technologies. After Sam was Michael Sippey, showcasing an iPhone application for the blogging service called TypePad, which allows you to post pictures and blog as you go. Then, was Associated Press's Benjamin Mosse, who talked about an application called "The Mobile News Network", which lets you see news for a certain city, or even the city you are in. You can also look at news video using this app. Next was Pangea Software, who ported two of their Mac games to iPhone. Brian Greenstone walked us through these two games, known as Enigmo, a physics based puzzle game with the objective of collecting drops of water, and Cro-Mag Rally, a 3D Caveman Racing game. After Pangea Software, was the other application I was ecstatic about, which is from Mark Terry, who is also known for making instrument applications for the iPhone and iPod Touch (thanks to Jailbreak) under the alias MooCowMusic. The app he talked about was one of his more popular ones, known as Band. Band lets you play instruments as a Piano, a Funky Drummer, a 12-note Blues Bar, and a Bass Guitar. You can then record these instruments and save the work. After, Mark was Jeremy Schoenherr, describing MLB.com's native application for the iPhone, which lets you see game info and watch footage of the game. Next were two medical applications, from Modality and MiMvista respectively, which I'm not going to get into huge detail about. FInally, Digital Legends, a company based in Barcelona, Spain, showcased a heavily detailed RPG that they are developing, which will be released in September. After the whole showcase of Apps, Scott came back on and talked about a new feature being released for third-party applications called Push notifications. This means, even when you close an app, such as AIM, and you go into another application, you will get three different types of notifications whenever you get something, like a message. Those are a badge notification, signifying how many messages you got, a sound notification to tell you you got a message, and a text notifications to do the same, like for the SMS application. Then, Scott Forstall came off the stage and let Steve Jobs back on, who talked about some more new features of the 2.0 iPhone Firmware. These features include better Mail organization, a scientific calculator, Parental Controls, and tons of Language support. He then said that 2.0 will be out in Early July, with a $9.95 fee to iPod touch users. To finish the 2.0 part of the Keynote, Steve talked about other ways people could release apps that people requested for, Enterprise and Ad Hoc. To quote Steve Jobs, "something completely different" was about to be revealed.
Phil Schiller now came up and talked to everyone about MobileMe, which was described as "Exchange for everyone else". Basically, what it is is a way to keep your Conatcts, Calendar, Mail, Photos, and iDisk synced between several computers and iPhone and iPod Touch devices. It works with both native applications on devices (e.g. Photos, Mail, Calendar, Contacts on iPhone, iPhoto, Mail, iCal, and Address Book on Mac, and Microsoft Outlook on PC) and the applications available for use straight from me.com. Through Push services, it keeps all of the devices in sync. Along with explaining all of this, he demoed MobileMe. Phil's final statement was that this would come for $99 for a one-year subscription, along with a 60-Day free trial before and that it would replace .Mac . Sadly, there was no exact release date announced.
The final part of the Keynote belonged to Steve Jobs. He started by talking about how far the iPhone has come, with such factors as 90% Customer Satisfaction. Then, he listed what people have been demanding in a list of five things; 3G Internet Speeds, Enterprise Support. Third party applications, More Countries, and More Affordable. To solve these problems, he introduced the iPhone 3G, which has a black plastic cover, metal buttons, and finally, a flush headphone jack. Firstly, he displayed how fast its 3G speeds are, compared to EDGE and Wifi. It is much faster than EDGE! Also, Steve talked about a new feature in the iPhone 3G, GPS. Next, he said how he already explained Enterprise and third party apps. Then, Steve played a video with " It's a Small World" playing in the background, showing how many countries the iPhone would be coming to, which will be a whopping 70 countries!! That's 2.8 times as better as their stretched goal of 25!! Finally, he talked about the new price of the iPhone, only $199 for the 8GB model and only $299 for the 16GB model which also comes in white. Then, he thanked Scott and Phil's teams for what they have done and dismissed the crowd.
Now, you all are probably wondering (or maybe not), what would a 14-year old say to all of this? Well, all I can say is that I am amazed at all the content revealed and how accurate the leaks were.
First of all, I can definitely see why Apple would release their next OS X as Snow Leopard. OS X Leopard is phenomenal, and there is almost no point in changing it. So, all Snow Leopard is is an upgrade of Leopard. No new features are being added, only bugs and the such are being fixed, which I 100% agree with doing. Secondly, the quality of the Applications introduced is amazing. I mean, what took place way back in March completely blew me away. These applications, on the other hand, have done even more than that. I mean, who would think that you could view and quiz yourself on parts of the body on a mobile device (Note that I am describing the app that Modality introduced. I really didn't talk about it, but if you want a more detailed explanation of it, you can watch the Keynote from the link I will post at the end.)??? Or even watch News stories and Baseball gameplay videos!! Heck, who would think of playing Super Monkey Ball on a mobile device?!? Well, once App Store comes out, you will be able to do that and even more!! Personally, I think that this is quite a feat for Apple. And after that, Scott Forstall explained Push Notification, which is also amazing, and Steve Jobs explained even more superb things about 2.0, such as mass mail move and delete options, a scientific calculator, and extreme language support!! The only part about the whole SDK and App Store session that saddened me was that the 2.0 Firmware release date actually got pushed back from Late June to Early July, which means I won't have it for camp. Oh well, you can't get everything you want I guess.
The next thing to be announced, as I said before, is MobileMe. Now, being a 14-year old kid means that I don't have a whole gallery of contacts, nor do I have any need to set Events on a Calendar. In fact, the only things that really would interest teenagers about MobileMe are the push mail and push photos. But, Gmail and such other free web mail services solve the problem of email, which only leaves Photos. So, overall, I think most people under 18 wouldn't be too interested in MobileMe. Besides that, I think it is fantastic, being able to keep many different things in sync with many of your devices. The next thing, on the other hand, is what really caught my attention. That is, as the commercial descries it, the only phone to ever beat the iPhone, the new iPhone 3G. First off, this phone has all of the features I described so far, which is amazing by itself. Secondly, it is thinner, and cooler-looking than the original iPhone. It has metal buttons and comes in a sleek black model and an also cool white model (white is only for 16GB, though). Also, it has a flush headphone jack, unlike the original. So, lets say I lose the headphones the iPhone 3G comes with and I don't want to spend thirty bucks on headphones. Well, now you don't have to. iPhone 3G also succeeds in completing all five things people have been asking for, which are 3G internet speeds, Enterprise support, third-party applications, availability in more countries, and for it to be more affordable. FIrst of all, it has phenomenal 3G internet speeds, being extremely close to WiFi and about two-and-a-half times better than 2G, or EDGE speeds. This is great if I want to download an application from the App Store that is large or if I want to browse a web page with a lot of pictures. Along with 3G though, the new phone has GPS, which is especially good for Maps and applications that search for your location, such as Loopt. The next two things on the list were already talked about, so I'm not going to go through them again. Fourth, was as I said, more countries. Being a member of the iPodTouchFans community, as well as the ModMyiFone community, I see a lot of foreign developers and members. Imagine how much they would have to pay for phone service if it wasn't for being able to unlock an iPhone!! Well, that problem is solved. Finally, the one which most attracted me to the iPhone 3G, price. With the new price of $199, the iPhone 3G is much much more affordable and can reach more of a crowd. The only problem with the pricing is that You have to sign a two-year contract with AT&T when you get the phone (in America at least), which has to have, at minimum, the 3G data plan of $30. You can also add a voice plan for $40. In total, for unlimited 3G internet, 200 Texts a month, and 450 minutes a month, that's $70 a month!!! Personally, I find that to be a total rip off!! Otherwise, the 3G iPhone looks amazing. And the commercial for it is pretty cool!!
Overall, Worldwide Developers Conference 2008 seems like the best of them yet. Even though it is the first one I have paid attention to. That's all for this first blog post in a while. I'm looking forward to a great 2 weeks of blog stories. Also, below are links to the Keynote, as well as the commercial for the iPhone 3G I was talking about:
http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/0806wdt546x/event/index.html - Opening Keynote
http://www.apple.com/iphone/gallery/ads/hallway/ - iPhone 3G Commercial
Also on Apple.com, you can find lots of info on the 3G iPhone and see it in action. The same goes for MobileMe, which has a guided tour. And, if you can't seem to view the Keynote from the link I provided, feel free to watch it on iTunes. See ya!
It's Back!! But only for a limited time...
Hello to all of my viewers. As many of you have probably noticed by now, I took a break from blogging for around six months. Well, I'm back!! Except, for only two weeks. For now at least...
So, enjoy my articles while they are still fresh and new and welcome back!!!
So, enjoy my articles while they are still fresh and new and welcome back!!!
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