Limp Bizkit Signs to Cash Money???

So I wrote about this for CNN and surprisingly folks seem to be more receptive to this news than I initially thought. Honestly, you had to see a move like this coming. Cash Money and Young Money are signing anyone who can hold a pen and fortunately for them they’ve inked deals with folks who if not now, at some point in time were relevant. The question then becomes, is YMCMB the place artist go to re-establish themselves or make a comeback so to speak? Success is easy when you have a Big Three of Lil’ Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj, but outside of those label staples, how strong is the roster really?

Sure, they’ve grabbed some vets like Busta Rhymes and now Limp Bizkit, but Ashanti? Lemme guess, Nelly’s right behind her, followed by Chingy. There’s no denying Weezy and his daddy’s track record speaks for and sells itself, but are they really the artist making/breaking company they’d like us to think they are?

Until then, check out my story over on CNN.

My ‘Eastbound and Down’ Recap: Chapter 15

Yea, I write television recaps for CNN Showbiz and my current show is HBO’s “Eastbound and Down.” The recaps are up every Monday on CNN.com and here’s the latest one.

What Does Sallie Mae Look Like?

Everyone knows someone dealing with student loan debt. If their not garnishing your wages, their blowing up your phone and you avoid the call like the plague. Well, every financial expert will tell you that the best thing for you to do is answer the call and take care of your bills. Well, imagine if the dudes like the guys in “Repo Men” were sent to collect your debt? Well, scratch Jude and Forest and add Jules and Vincent. Still not following?

B.o.B – “So Good” Teaser by Motion Family

#latepass Motion Family recently shot a teaser for B.o.B’s new single, “So Good.” The track comes from B.o.B’s forthcoming “Strange Clouds” album. If you haven’t seen MoFam’s vid for the album’s title track, peep it here.

Gordon Voidwell – “XO Boyfriend” (Whitney Dedication)

Color me confused, but when the homie Steve Pristin hit me with an email titled, “My directorial debut,” I thought he was kidding. Ok, so I’d never seen a Pristin-produced music video, nor did I even know what exactly Steve did, but I had no doubt it involved the word #swagassi. As Steve tells me, “I’ve done a lot of documentary work but that is the first music video I directed.”

BOSCO – “Joker”

I tell folks that BOSCO is unlike any female vocalist you’ll hear out now, and that she’s more of a throwback to the haunting yet ear-bleedlingly beautiful blues and jazz voices of our past. Did I mention she and I make a mean duo on the dancefloor when Michael Jackson is played? OK, so that was one LONG night in Chicago two years back, but trust we can crank that if need be the case.

Back to what matters and that’s her music. Here’s the latest single titled, “Joker,” and I’m digging it. Apparently this is from BOSCO’s forthcoming “Let Go of Me,” set for release on March 6. Be on the lookout for that and in the meantime, you can listen to “Joker” here and download it on iTunes.

Aleon Craft – Cosmic Valentine EP (Download)

I can say there are two things in life that I dread – death and heartbreak. Both are inevitable, but it’s the latter that can sometimes feel like dying without the resting in peace part. So, with that said, I came across Aleon Craft’s “Cosmic Valentine” on Valentine’s day. The perfect time or wrong time depending on how you slice it.

The “Drake Generation” Can Thank Andre 3000 Later

“Make me want you/make me miss you/make me wonder where you are then forget you/girl remind me, just who were are/we’re oh so close, but yet so far.”

Ah yes, the feeling of love, hope, doubt and insecurity all packed into one line is something we’ve come to expect from Aubrey “Drake” Graham. But if you think the above lyrics come from October’s Very Own then I feel sorry for your mother (feel free to respond with, “What you say about my momma?!”). You see, a while back it hit me – I care about women and apparently that’s not cool to say out loud. In the past I could counter with, “Hey I just listened to Craig David’s ‘Born to Do It’ all the way through, gimme a break.” Or there was the classic, “I’m a poet, we’re a bit more emotional.” Well, they tell me that now that this kid from Toronto is going platinum singing and rapping about his triumphs and failures while looking all smug and rocking Nike batting gloves in his videos, it’s cool for the rest of the fellas to talk about how they “get lonely too” and have “trust issues.”

My Interview with TYSOMEONES

So my girl Robin started a dope blog dedicated to the folks in our generation making moves and for some reason they decided to feature the Cool Nerd. Definitely a lot of fun, and if you haven’t seen the blog, read up. Also, if you know any other folks who should be highlighted, give Robin a shout.

Shyril Beck, what up?!

Motion Family on the Cover of Creative Loafing

One thing you can count on with this blog is all the up-to-date information on my brothers, Motion Family. Comprised of David KA, Sebastian “CBass” Urrea (featured in the cover shot) and Diwang Valdez, MoFam is a video production collective that’ve shot videos for all of your favorite rappers and if they haven’t yet they soon will one way or the other.

‘The Grey,’ ‘Dog Soldiers’ and Liam Neeson’s Growl

I have an obsession.

For as long as I can remember, I have been simultaneously fascinated and haunted by wolves, werewolves and everything in between. Maybe it was my brother introducing me to “An American Werewolf in London” at a young age. Or, maybe it can be traced back to my mother reading “Little Red Riding Hood” to me (I made sure this happened every night), and simply laughing at my adolescent, but unsettling quips of, “Hey, let’s skip to where the wolf eats everyone.” Kids in those days…