Summer Albums

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that time of year is finally upon us. The first official day of summer is here, and you know what that means: it's time for the summer jams. When you think about it, there are just some albums that really encompass the whole vibe of summer more than others. And it being summer, you want to make sure it's an album you can listen to all the way through. So with that in mind, I have assembled a list of a few of my favorite summer-minded albums.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & Mick Boogie's Summertime: The Mixtape
Mixed by two great DJs, this album contains hit after hit from any soul, hip-hip, and R&B summer song you could think of, ranging from Kool & The Gang's Summer Madness to Ice Cube's It Was a Good Day to Pharcyde & Sublime's Summertime to Carl Thomas's Summer Rain. Each track is roughly 1-2 minutes long allowing for a true DJed vibe, one song scratched seamlessly into the next. Enjoy in the car, beach, cookout, or just in the house.

Nas' Illmatic
Every summer needs a classic album, and Illmatic is an undisputedly great record. From the Tri-State or not, N.Y. State of Mind will put you in one. With high caliber 90s lyricism and outstanding beats, you won't be able to stop listening. Even when the topic is serious, Nas finds a way to keep it light and uplifting. Play this while in the crib or rolling around the city.

Lauryn Hill's Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Consider this album your summer school, but a completely enjoyable one about what love really is. Much like Nas, Ms Hill knows how to deliver her message and not bore you. Her genre bending of R&B, Soul, Reggae, Hip-Hop, and Gospel is impeccable and to be envied. Every song has it's own unique sound, guaranteed to keep you entertained. Every head at the cookout will love this, and of course it's great in the car.

Maxwell's BLACKsummers'night

You know I had to throw a little soul in there, and Maxwell is just the man for the job. And with "summer" in the album's title, this joint immediately came to mind. With a distinct voice and smooth instrumentals, this record well ease the thug in you and put some love in your soul.  This is perfect for those late night alone with your beau... between the sheets.

Jay-Z's American Gangster
One of Hov's most looked over but greatest albums, this album will without a doubt make you feel like a certified G. Drawing inspiration from the film of the same name, Shawn Carter becomes Frank Lucas in the booth. The album was released just before the winter; you can feel the cool breeze seep from your speakers. Blast this in your Caddy and receive head nods a-plenty.

Luke O'Brien's The Dopeness
Despite not being well known, this is the first album I associated with summer and the first that landed on this list. Lead rapper of A Cool Stick, Luke produces a solid solo album. Like American Gangster, The Dopeness is influenced by the Wackness, a movie that expands one boy's summer before he starts college. Every track is smooth and includes great lyricism. I cannot even begin to explain how much I love this album. Perfect in the car or hanging with the boys.

Drake's So Far Gone
If you don't love this album, you're a damn liar. This mixtape ruled the summer of 09, and will continue to rule every summer after it for a time to come. Great lyrics, great samples, great composition. This mixtape is easily the best thing Drake has dropped. It's a masterpiece, and I don't care if I seem like I'm dick riding. Play this anywhere, but especially at a cookout just before the old head dance party commences.

Vampire Weekend's self titled album

You know I had to include some white boy music, so why not go with the whitest of the white. Using Afro-beat inspired sounds, VW manages to blend in their own preppy sound perfectly. Fun and high paced, this album will have you everywhere between toe tapping and flailing around without fail. The beach with a giant bonfire is the best atmosphere for this music.

Common's Be

Last but not least, we have one of the Chicagoan emcee's greatest albums. Ranging from lines about "being faithful to the end" to "telling 'em fuck 'em like I do the police," this record has something for everyone. Produced mostly by Kanye West, the album will have you bumping. Let this blast at your crib or your car.

There you have it. A little something for your eardrums
to keep 'em pleased all summer long. Enjoy.
Word.

Post-Rejection Randiness

Let's say one night you go out
and you see someone you think is hot.
They're not out of your league,
and you're completely sure
they're the same sexual preference as you.
So you put in a fair amount of work,
spit your game, talk your shit.
You know, try not to come on too strong,
give them some space.
Yet when the end of the night arrives
and you go in for the final swoop,
there they are, walking out the door with some other stranger.

Well my dear friends [and associates],
this happened to me just last week.
Now, I have no doubt that
all of this return of affection I felt
came purely from my own mind.
However, it doesn't make the rejection any easier to deal with.

How does one deal with it, you ask?
Well it seems my body's natural response to sexual rejection
is to become even more sexually bothered.
You might remember my post about the Male Period a year ago.
Well, that bitch is working overtime right now.
I was doing good, too.
I've been turning down propositions from strangers online for the past 3 months.
But if one was to contact me now, I don't know if I'd be as strong.

Now I can see how some of you may blame this on the season change,
but I'm telling you I've experienced this before.
This is just my first time taking note of it.
But I refuse to believe I'm the only one that suffers from this ailment.
PRR (or Post-Rejection Randiness) is real.
I demand one of you to confirm it!
Otherwise, I shall be forever alone, physically and psychologically.
And we wouldn't want that, now would we?
Outstanding, I shall patiently await your response.
Until then, my dear friends [and associates].
Word.

Lessons Learned Taken Too Far, 1

My mama told me, "If you ain't got nothing nice to say then don't say nothing."
Now, to a three year old Charles
whose mama provided for him
and had never led him astray,
these words would be a key ingredient
in the sauce that would eventually become his personality.

Most people figure I'm quiet when they first meet me.
I'm not really quiet; I'm just observing,
figuring out what I can say without offending you,
just how far I can take my jokes.
Because honestly, I have a very vulgar vocabulary.
So to the people who find such words and phrases "not nice"
I keep my mouth shut around.

The same thing goes for my opinions.
My opinions are necessarily bad or rude,
I just always thought challenging someone like that was impolite.
I was a really nice kid that took things to far,
and it's still pretty hard to shake free from it.

So now, you have a man who's turning 22 tomorrow
still afraid of confrontation
because he doesn't want to upset anyone
or have them not like him.
It really is silly, because I know full and well I can please everyone.
But my mind tells me, "What's the harm in trying?"
The harm is that it can wreck your mind.
Holding things that bother you for too long is detrimental to your health.

So for your own sake,
tell a person to bug off.
Tell your parents this is what you believe and there's no change that.
Tell your obnoxious coworker what you really think of them.
...don't tell the police to suck your dick, though.
I don't want anyone going to jail because of me.
But remember to still be polite about it.
Rudeness is for Rihanna and her boyfriends.
Word.

The Smoky Connection

Smoking isn't all bad.

After a meeting tonight,
the only other guy close to my age came up to me.
I had seen him the week before, too.
It was nice seeing him around.
"You smoke?" he asked.
"Usually only when I'm drunk, but I still do it on occasion."
After pushing my mother to quit and
resenting my father for getting my clothes smelly every time I visited him,
I always told myself I would never pick up a cigarette.
Funny the things we swore as a kid that we eventually end up breaking.
But my casual smoking habits aren't the topic of this post.

As the guy handed me a cigarette and his lighter,
he started a conversation with me.
I handed him back the lighter and just listened as he vented.
I showed off by never removing the cigarette from my mouth
and blowing smoke out the side of my mouth
while offering my two cents whenever he took a pause to pull a drag.
By the end of our cancer sticks,
we had traded numbers to meet up later sometime.

Now I have to wonder...
would we have even talked to each other without the aid of tobacco?
I mean, I am kinda awkward.

I can attest to the connecting power of cigarettes.
I know it isn't the main reason why they hung out,
but within my group of actor friends
there was a group of smokers.
They would go outside during breaks from rehearsals or at parties
to smoke and converse.
Because I'm curious by nature,
I would often follow them and bum a cig off someone.
They usually had some pretty interesting conversations
that I felt privileged to take part in.
So much so I carried a lighter for a few months.
I figured I could trade fire for a rolled up plant.

That's the only appeal I can find for smokers.
I imagine the psychological part of quitting cigarettes
is leaving behind the conversations you have with other smokers
that for some reason you can never have with out a gray cloud around.

I just hope my inquisitive nature doesn't lead to a new addiction.
I have enough of those as is.
Word