This Weekend, I tried to be "Hip" and listened to Watch the Throne

Watch the Throne Album Cover

Musical Aside (Yes, I'm "theatrical" now. See below): I'm writing this post as I take my first few listens of Jay-Z and Kanye West's new collaboration album, Watch The Throne. FYI the first single, "OTIS," has special meaning to me as my boy O.K. coined this catch phrase years ago when Otis Redding randomly came on during an iTunes session. In the years since, I have taken this phrase GLOBAL. If you ever hear someone yell out "OTIS!!!" - think of me.


Obviously, this album is downright Amazing. Beautiful. Classic. There hasn't been an album this hyped in the past few years (No, Drake's Thank Me Later does NOT count) - and it's refreshing to have music not only live up to its hype but surpass it.


Initial "Watch The Throne" Thoughts:
1. Kanye's musicality shines through each song on this album. Whether it's the smooth "Made it in America" or the downright epicness of "Lift Off" - every song has its own unique 'Ye vibe. Take it to the stars!
2. By sound alone, I truly believe that this album couldn't wouldn't exist without Kanye's debatable hit, 808's and Heartbreaks. He seems to have channeled everything he learned from that experience and multiplied it by 10 - drumkits and all. I will defend 808's to my grave - so for all the haters, at least it made Throne possible.
3. Jay-Z still has it. As if there was ever a doubt. Call him Harry Potter, he's a wizard with words.
4. "Murder to Excellence" is my favorite song on the album. If  we could go back in time to when Mount Vesuvius erupted and a sea of lava was spilling towards Pompeii - this song could be played and the hot, molten lava would acquiesce to the greater Fire that is this song.

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Early August is upon us, and the constant partying that is summertime in NYC has been starting to drag on me (tragic, isn't it?). As it isn't quite time yet for the "24 hour champagne diet REMIX" associated with the end of the season - I've been looking for new ways to explore the city.

It's a well known fact that I never rarely travel above 14th Street on the weekends. I can be a lot of things - stubborn, "crazy," lovesick, funny - but "Hipster" has never been one of them. Eager to see what it's like, I took Urban Chique (patent still pending) to Williamsburg for Mr. Hyde's birthday. Degenerate stories aside (Oh, there are a LOT of them), here's Where Brooklyn's At:

Pros:

• I'm pretty sure Brooklyn is the only place where you can play classic 80's video games at a bar (Well, besides Dave and Busters, I guess. But I go there too much anyway). For our first stop, we stopped off at Barcade - whose name explains its very existence. Needless to say, the Iron Lung and I have googled how much it would cost to buy one of these machines for the apartment. We have to spend our bonuses somehow..
• Beer, beer and more beer. If you like to drink the potion as much as I do, this is the place to go. Dark Hofbrau!?! On Tap!?!? REALLY??
• You can wear as much plaid/flanel as you want and nobody will judge. Hell, I can even rock that backwards hat look I love and not get stares. #Win!

Cons:

• I don't know whether it was our group of downright degenerate Asian men or the lack of female companions, but I couldn't shake that feeling of being out of place. Remember on Nickelodeon they had that show about The Rugrats when they were in high school? Yeah, that's how awkward it felt sometimes.
• People in the BK must love to walk because places can be VERY FAR AWAY FROM EACH OTHER. Annoying? Check. Tiring? Yes. A walk that seems 10x longer because some friends need to be carried on a stretcher to the next bar? Duh.

While I had a good time in Williamsburg, I think I'm Manhattan to the bone. It's not so bad - At least we have Artichoke!!!

In MTN, in today's class Kru Phil Nurse gave us a speech about digging down and finding that inner energy that can propel you past your normal limits. Whether it's called chi or adrenaline or even rage - it's a place I want to get to. UFC champions like Georges St.-Pierre and Jon Jones have experienced what it's like to reach that place under Phil's tutelage and I want to accomplish the same.

Highlight of the Class: Finally being able to land a spinning back hand punch during some light sparring. Watch out, Warrior Dash. Hey Troll, Lovebird, Workaholic, Big Game Hunter, Ghost, Blackout and Femme Fatale - Get ready to lose this weekend. All it takes, is all you got.

Finally, I've booked tickets to see "Sleep No More" later in the Fall. How can anyone say no to voyeurism, masks, and Macbeth? Stay tuned for my transformation into an "arts lover" now that my attempt at being a Hipster was a fail. Stay tuned.

Peace & Love,
MKP