What happened to our music?

The other night I happened to catch VH1's top 100 hip hop songs while running on the treadmill. I caught it from Top 15 to Top 1 and ended up running 20 minutes longer than usual. 

I'm a sucker for nostalgia. I love 80's and 90's pop culture and still think that stuff from that era beats out anything produced in the 2000s. My feelings about music is the same. The SO makes fun of me for listening to current pop but it's really just filler music for me. My favorites come from the 80's and 90's and VH1's list did not disappoint. 

15 Eminem - "Stan"

14 Tupac - "I Get Around"

13 Wu-Tang Clan - "C.R.E.A.M."

12 L.L. Cool J - "I Can't Live Without My Radio"

11 Jay-Z - "Hard Knock Life"

10 Kurtis Blow - "The Breaks"

09 Salt-N-Pepa - "Push It"

08 Snoop Doggy Dogg - "Gin and Juice"

07 Notorious B.I.G. - "Juicy"

06 N.W.A. - "Straight Outta Compton"

05 Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five - "The Message"

04 Run-DMC ft/ Aerosmith - "Walk This Way"

03 Dr. Dre - "Nuthin But A 'G' Thang"

02 Sugarhill Gang - "Rapper's Delight"

01 Public Enemy - "Fight the Power"

What struck me most while watching this was the number of songs that actually had really relevant messages. Jay-Z's Hard Knock Life may use a sample from Annie but it's really a story about the hard knock life of the 'hood. When you get into N.W.A and Public Enemy, these songs were all about the hard life of poverty stricken neighborhoods and the oppression faced by African Americans. 

I'm aware that there are current songs that have messages and all but what's important to note is that these rap songs were mainstream popular, Billboard 100 singles. 

The SO went to LA Rising to see Muse and Rage Against the Machine so I went to Youtube to watch some RATM songs. I absolutely love RATM. I saw them in 1999 right before they broke up and I still consider them my favorite rap/rock band. RATM is all about left wing activism and sticking it to the man. 

Killing in the name of ends with the chant "F*!k you I won't do what you tell me" An angry outburst that signifies our refusal to follow the norms of society and promotes individual expressionism.   

You know what's popular right now? #1 on the Billboard 100 is Party Rock Anthem. The inspiring and deep lyrics of the song are such. 

Party rock is in the house tonight

Everybody just have a good timeAnd we gonna make you lose your mind

We just wanna see ya shake that 

In the club party rock, lookin' for your girl? She on my jock

Nonstop when we in the spot, booty movin' weight like she on the block

Where the drank? I gots to know, tight jeans, tattoo 'cause I'm rock 'n' roll

Half black, half white, domino, game the money, op-a-doe

I feel like this ties in with the continual discussion of the age of entitlement that has set in. To summarize, researchers and academics have characterized a growing sentiment by the millenials (those born between the 1980's and 1990's) that they deserve everything and don't need to work hard for it. Self-fulfillment is more important than anything else. This coincides very well with the onslaught of rap and pop songs that laud the glamorous party life artists lead. Pop champagne bitches! Hell, this even coincides with the glut of reality TV in the mid 2000's that catered towards showcasing the wealth and riches of celebrities. MTV Cribs. Real Housewives etc. 

Our generation has lost the ability to look into the problems that people face. Before, we used music and art to bring to light the ills and injustices of society. Nowadays the focus is on making it rich and getting the F out of the 'hood. But really, what am I to say. I'm a guy that was raised in a nice suburban community where people had pools and tennis courts in their backyard. I can only lament that as a generation we've lost the ability to translate the important messages in our society into meaningful prose that could move millions. 

Encapsulate your relationship in 2 minutes

Every Argument Every Couple Ever Has EVER. from Casey Donahue on Vimeo.

I love Bill Nye

His facial expression as he realizes he's talking to a moron is hilarious. *Deep breath* Science is good for you Fox News.

Not a chameleon

I pride myself on being able to adapt to almost every situation. Being the small Asian man I can usually blend into the background and not really "stand" out. 

For the very first time in my life I came across a situation where I felt so out of place I didn't know what to do. 

Last Sunday I had dinner with my roommate from UM-Ross and his gf. After catching up with them and gorging myself on all you can eat pizza it was decided to have a drink at their go to Brazilian bar. 

Trudging across 14th street past Broadway, 6th and then finally near 9th avenue we stopped outside a indiscriminate looking bar. No real sign outside but the bouncer and doorman gave away the fact that this was indeed a bar. So far nothing out of the ordinary. Descending down the steps and to the bar my eyes cast a glance across the bar area. Something was off. 

All the girls seemed really tall. I'm not tall by any means but these girls made me feel Lilliputian. What the hell. All the girls were ridiculously beautiful. Tall, beautiful girls at a Brazilian hangout. I was starting to do the math in my head when my roommate, noticing my bug eyed look, said to me casually, "This is where all the Brazilian models hang out." Oh. My. God. 

I stood there by the bar and watched my roommate and his gf chat up the crowd. It seemed like they knew everybody in there. Surreal. Look over to the side. Hey, that guy looks familiar. Oh it's international soccer star Thierry Henry WTF.

The samba music boomed in the bar and I couldn't stop thinking that this was nuts. This is a world SO outside my normal social network that I just felt starstruck and dumbfounded or dumbstruck. I've heard that places like this exist but it was always part of some bad TMZ article so I kinda blew it off as society merely creating these fantasy worlds to support their celebrity worship. This was real. I got into a quick chat with one of my roommate's gf's friend and asked her "Are you a model too? Why of course she is. How stupid of me to even ask. 

I don't belong in bars like this. My self confidence can't take beatings like that when everyone, male and female, is perfectly proportioned and looked like they came out of a Diesel ad. I think I'm happy with my $5 Bud Lights at TGIF and slightly rotund men in their khakis and polos. But, I guess if there's ever another opportunity it would be rude for me to say no. You know, Brazilian hospitality and all. 

Did I mention it was hot in NYC

This is happening. Well, I guess even if it wasn't hot this could still happen.

I'm melting

It's hot. It's so hot that as I look outside there's nary a soul walking on the streets.

The last 3 days in NYC we've seen record temperatures. Hot enough that the government issued an extreme heat warning. This dog sums up the feelings of New Yorkers.

Car hot? Let the Japanese take care of it

Translation

1. Hot car?
2. Open passenger side window
3. Open and close drivers door 5-6 times. 
4. Instantly cool
5. Look around to see if anyone was watching you do an uncool thing. 
6. No one around? Stay cool. 

Getting punched in the face

Living in NYC is seriously like getting kicked in the face repeatedly. It's just sensory overload all the time. From the ridiculous amounts of people walking around, car horns, fire trucks, police sirens and random bums yelling all over the place it just seems like there's something going on all the time and that's just on my walk to and from work. 

Add in the bars, restaurants and social scene it really is a go-go-go place. I can see why people really enjoy the pace of life here and how they truly feel alive. I spent some time in LA two weekends ago and while I truly enjoyed my relaxing lunch on an outdoor terrace overlooking the Pacific Ocean, I couldn't help but feel like my brain was going to mush from the lack of stimuli. 

Never have I been more aware of the difference between the East Coast and West Coast. I love LA because of its casual, relaxed feel. I love NYC because I feel like I'm part of an extended washing cycle. NYC being the washer and all its inhabitants being the dirty clothes just tumbling around and around. 

I know I'm gonna get tired of NYC and look longingly at those shots of Santa Monica and downtown LA when they show Lakers games. Until then its back in the washer I go. 

This is absolutely hilarious.....

if you're from LA and particularly, the Westside.

Dun Dun Duuunnnnn

I'm getting married in September. This wedding has always seemed so far away. We got engaged 2 years ago right before I was to head off to ESADE. A bit of planning here. A bit of planning there. It never really felt like there was this huge gigantic, life-changing event in front of us.

I got my tux today and tried it on. Bowtie and everything. Seeing myself in front of the mirror it finally hit me.

OMG I'M GETTING MARRIED?!!?!?!

Posting to resume once I return from my whirlwind LA weekend. 

Corporate Social Responsibility aka Please Don't Hate our Company

To combat the laziness I've been feeling lately, I turn to my blog to get the mental juices flowing.

Like many other corporate entities, to appease main street America, my company sponsors and organizes a city-wide community outreach event. It's mostly for PR boosting and to stop people from gathering their torches and pitchforks when prices are raised or god forbid, the company makes money. I guess our situation is not as bad as banks though. I highly doubt cosmetics caused the global financial crisis. More like a certain Calabasas-based mortgage firm, which is now part of an evil banking empire. I kid, I kid.

Anyways, our day starts off bright and early at 9:30 as I head off towards the Lower East Side Ecology center, part of the 52 acre East River Park system.

Walking along the East River Park is actually quite nice as long as you don't mind a freaking highway right next to you.

Nothing like a 6 lane highway next to your park. Only in NYC.

In our company provided free t-shirts we were a noticeable group in the park. Ready to do some volunteer work. There were like 5 activities to choose from. Painting a mural. Planting trees. Weeding and planting. Mending fences. I figured the LES eco center didn't want a Picasso-esque (not in a good way) mural I chose to weed and plant a garden.

An even scarier, crappier version of that would be what a drawing of a girl would look like if painted by yours truly. Seriously, I got a C in sculpture in high school. 

All activities were grouped into small teams of 10 and thus I headed off with my team. As usual, I was the only male on the team. It is very different working in a mostly female company. Now that I think about it, over the last week I've been in about 8 big meetings, of which there were probably only about 6 males total across all meetings. I can't pinpoint exactly what is different but it's definitely not like my old job where there were no females working except for admin. Anyways, 

As the first stage of our activity was weeding, we were told what to yank out and what not to. Amongst those pictured above is the one you're not supposed to yank out. I'm glad they made it painfully obvious for us city-folk.

We got lucky and the weather was beautiful. I was a bit worried because the week prior to this we had a couple of days of 100+ degree days. With the Williamsburg bridge in the background it made the day quite enjoyeable.

I wish I had taken a before picture because it was pretty crappy. Weeds everywhere and there was no semblance of a real garden but we turned it into an area worthy of our overall city beautification project.

After 4 hours of hard, physical labor it was time for me to head home.

Along the way I passed under the Williamburg bridge. Apparently one of the few free bridges connecting Manhattan to the outlying boroughs.

In this shot you can actually see the UN building. It's the white rectangular building.

I found this neat trail but it was only like this for about 100 feet. I can't figure out why they built such a small section. I guess by Manhattan standards this is like Yellowstone though. Old Faithful replicated by the homeless gentlemen peeing all over the place while yelling obscenities at me. I love NY.

So this weekend it's back to LA to celebrate the wedding of one of my closest friends. I'm only gonna be in LA for about 40 hours so it'll be filled to the brim with stuff. Exciting.

TODAY IS OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

Happy 4th everyone.

Oh the horror our kids face

The younger generations are growing up to be gigantic pu!%^es.



Glad that even that the lowest demographic of internet social network, youtube commenters emphatically dislike it as well.