Her Name Is April Rose

Sorry. I just had to add another Shihan jawn up. I’ve been sending all these over to Nii-Amon over AIM.. and no, I didn’t feel like editing the last post to add this on lol.

Shihan = truth. ♥ him + his work.

♥ April Rose

For those who loved that Drake track I posted.

Phonte + Nicolay = The Foreign Exchange
Album: Connected
Track: All That You Are

I had to do my research. As a Little Brother lover, I’m upset that I’m just now hearing this =/

♥ April Rose

Just.. fits my mood. I ♥ Drizzy.

Damn shame. Am I over-expressing the game? Should I hold back on addressing the lame? Cuz they becoming obsessed with my name….

And I can see the heart on your sleeve and I know this shit is hard to believe.. You gonna have to get over it. =]

♥ April Rose

I was reading Glenn‘s blog and he mentioned that he was getting a tattoo soon. I’ve been thinking about getting my tats soon as well. I have.. er.. 4 in the works. I really wanted this memorial type of tat for my Grandmother who passed in Feb. 07 to be my first, but I’m getting somewhat impatient lol. I have to get my boy to draw it out, but I kinda promised him I would make his crossing gift beforehand (blah.. stupid me).

So in the meantime, while I’ve been procrastinating making his gift, my big-headed, asshole-ish brother Aaron hit me up and asked me when I was going to get my tats. He’s anxious to get one with me (ink addict), so I suggested to him that maybe we should just go get matching tattoos. Aaron threw out some random gatness (Nautical stars, an apple?), while the logical one in the family (me of course..) figured that maybe since both our names beging with the letter “A” that we should get.. an A. He suggested the Atlanta Braves type A. You know the kind they have on New Eras? I actually liked that idea. I’m planning on getting that behind my left ear.

As far as the other two tattoos go..

I want a flower. Not a Rose. I don’t care if it’s part of my name lol.. Not a Lily. Dali already has that on her back. I want something beautiful and with a meaning that suits me. I like Jasmines. Plum Blossoms are nice, too. Maybe I shouldn’t even get a flower (DaShun says I’m indecisive… I agree lol). Eh. I’ll figure it out.

And as a firm believer in Zodiac signs and that I’m the DEFINITION of a Taurus (proof to come further down), I want to get that bull (you know.. the one right over there.. on the left..) tattooed on me. I’m thinking about getting it on the nape of my neck or just below it on my back. No color. None needed. I love it =] Maybe if DaShun’s LB finally gets back to me about doing my tats, I’ll be posting my own pictures instead of ones that I find on the internet.

So yes, I’m planning on being “marked up like a subway in Harlem” as Aaron like say to tell me. Random, but I haven’t been to Harlem in years.. Since our 10th grade trip to the Schomburg over on Malcolm X Blvd (I need to go back there..) I think an excursion with some friends is long overdue. Hmm.. Amy Ruth’s maybe?

Oh and as I was typing this up & talking DaShun about my Taurean tat, he sent me over this picture. I think it describes me perfectly lol.

10. Stubborn = definition of me
9. Once my mind is set, you’re most likely not going to change it. Debate with me? Ha. I never lose.. ever.
8. I was just telling my boy the other day how I can’t deal with heels on a regular basis. Yay to Creative Recs, Supras, + Dunks.
7. Am I really that predictable? =/
6. Do I? Really? I guess Jaye says that I’m too hard on myself sometimes if that counts.
5. LMAO!! Sorry for not being one to bite my tongue.
4. I don’t eat just anything. If it means I’m up for trying new things, then sure.
3. Yeah. I’m not too fond of quitting lol (except when it came to the topic of someone’s LB smh..)
2. Very ♥
1. Well duh. =/ 127 days until I’m 21. Owwww

*edit* I just looked at the above photo again. Spell check! “You’re” not “your”. *sigh* Pet peeve. Sorry.

Anyway.. I’m in dire need of a mean ass nap. I’m bout to crawl under my covers and fall asleep listening to Illa J.

Until later..

♥ April Rose

Real random, but a lot of people are still asking me for a review of 808′s & Heartbreak. Well my boy Landon G. Woodson (Yes. It’s only appropriate to put the gov. on here like that lol) wrote such an exceptional review earlier today and tagged it to me on Facebook =]

What happens when you combine the bravado of hip-hop with the vulnerability of rhythm and blues, and serve it to the masses wrapped in the bold bars of one of music’s most controversial artists? You get 808’s and Heartbreak, the latest creative endeavor by none other than Kanye West.

Lyrically, this album is a story about the dark side of the moon—the other side to the glitz and glamour which has come to loudly personify Mr. West. On his previous album, Mr. West welcomed us to the “Goodlife”, but in “Welcome to Heartbreak” Kanye bemoans “My friend showed me pictures of his kids/ and all I could show him was pictures of my cribs.” Clearly, these are the lyrics of grief, an obvious contrast to the classic celebratory choruses of hip-hop’s brazen homecoming king.

Musically, Kanye is daring, enveloping most of the album with the melodies of gloom amplified by the constant pulse of the Roland TR-808 machine. Although many have given Kanye flack for his use of the Auto-tune program, Kanye’s use of the phase vocoder is justified as it serves as a compliment to the album. “Amazing” featuring Young Jeezy isn’t that amazing, but on “Robocop” Kanye manifests a symphony inside an industrial factory as he laments “a drama queen that turned my life to Stephen Kings.” His collaboration with Lil’ Wayne on “See you in my Nightmares” is a clear winner, as Kanye’s lyrical fury provides the perfect goon to Wayne’s undisputed Goblin in an animated declaration of post-love bitterness.

From regret to paranoia to the agony of sleepless nights and pure rage, Kanye covers the spectrum of a love unlocked down—begging the question, “What really happened to this guy?” Through it all, will you connect with Kanye like you did on the College Dropout or Graduation? I “Say You Will.”

5 Favorite Tracks (in no particular order):

Paranoid
Robocop
See You in My Nightmares
Heartless
Pinocchio Story (freestyle)

….What did you think about the album?

So yeah.. I can’t top that lol. Shoutouts to Landon. His eloquence has me speechless at times (I mean this was the man who won that ‘Slither’ card in Apples to Apples. How do you beat Odalis’ snake card with UFO?! But I digress…). Of course I had to throw in my two cents on his note. I stated that I love the album and that although I might have not been feeling the leaked tracks when I first heard them (especially Robocop), I still had to give the 808′s & Heartbreaks a chance. You know Ye was constantly changing his songs for this album.. asking for the opinions of random people in airports. Well his project turned out great and this is definitely one of my favorite albums of 2008.

And now to the main reason for me writing this entry..

I also pointed out that I really didn’t like ‘See You In My Nightmares’. I don’t think it’s a bad song, but I honestly have a strong disdain for everything involving Lil Wayne now. Sometimes I think I subconsciously think less of something if the words “Lil Wayne” or “Weezy” are associated with it.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t hate him. I do put up with his music. Maybe it’s because Jachel doesn’t have any other CDs in her car and makes me listen to ‘Playing With Fire’ 247801438 times. Or because Odalis randomly sends me text messages full of Weezy quotes, but the thought of himself proclaiming he’s the “Greatest Rapper Alive” and people actually agreeing is somewhat… disturbing. Hello? I could have sworn that ATCQ, Common, Nas, Hov, Talib and quite a number of other lyricists were still alive.

He’s not horrible. It’s just this new Sex, Drugs and Rock & Rap thing he has going on. I’m not feeling it. Yes, people are entitled to change and growth (see Kanye West), but his change was for the worse in my opinion. I mean, not for his sales obviously. He’s making so much money and I can’t be mad at that. I’m just one of those people who appreciated Lil Wayne circa 1999. It’s clear that he’ll probably never be that Wayne again. Guess I’ll just have to live with it.

Oh and my boy directed me to these earlier today. Makes me want to get back on my gfx design grind.

Click here for the rest. Fred Hart, you are a beast.

Time for me to take it down.

♥ April Rose