I'm Still Standing, Pt. 2

Scottieholics! Salutations! Before I commence into writing this blog entry, I'd like to give thanks to those who wished me a happy birthday a couple of days ago via my Myspace page. There were some I expected from the usual suspects. There were some I didn't expect and took me by surprise. It was really awesome you guys took time out of your busy schedules to do so. When your birthdays come around, I'll most definitely return the favor.

As you all probably know, I hate to leave this website unattended. I put too much time and effort into it to leave it idle. For the past x-amount of months, I've been busy with 3 jobs. The first one to keep the lights on over here at the lovely Scottropolis is doing administrative work. The second one is doing reserve duty. And the last is independent contracting as a financial consultant.

To many of you, that's a lot. It can be at times, but like Batman, I'd prefer to call it multi-tasking. The bright side of it is you won't be reading about myself being in Tibet and trying my best not to bore you with exhilarating tales of assassin cults and deadman spirits yearning for vengeance.

However, my military contract is set to expire in December and I'm seriously planning to walk out. It's time to do this since I'm still young, single, and have no little Scotties running around. That's where the third gig becomes a second. When I learned there was ownership, stock options, and growth, it was an opportunity I couldn't afford to let go to waste and will help me out in the long run. I put so much foresight into things I can come off light years ahead than the 85%.

Anyways, I must run. I have a good week ahead of me. In the meantime, arrivederci and Godspeed.

Who Am I Listening To These Days--Part 2

Scottieholics! Salutations! I decided to this type of entry many months ago. I thought it'd be cool to flex my collection in any shape or form here in Scottropolis. This brings me to this song you'd be playing shortly. While I was younger, I really started to dig Stevie Wonder and one of my favorite songs from his catalog is "My Cherie Amour."

I can relate to the lyrics when it comes down to being unnoticed by the opposite sex. Over the years, I've found many cover versions of this song through many artists. Such as Quincy Jones, Rhythm Heritage (the band who did the theme song for S.W.A.T. tv show), Jackson 5, and many others.

Just recently, I came across this obscure version of the song done by the band, Electric Indian. I almost fell out of my chair playing for the first time. I'm sure many of you will find this groovy tune a delight. In the meantime, arrivederci and Godspeed!

The Master Technician

Scottieholics! Salutations! Usually, you'd get posts like this from various music sites around Black Music History month. As a music collector, I believe music history should be celebrated all year round whether it's Black, Celtic, Hispanic, and etc. Since you may not read this from mainstream society, you read it here at "In The Pad..."

I'm talking about the pantheon, the echelon of emcees in this culture of Hip-Hop. The man who is known as Mohandas Dewese better known by his stage name, Kool Mo Dee. He is the beginning of the intricate lyrical content. He is the creator of more wordplay rhyme formulas than anybody in the game. From restructuring sentences, to breaking words down and rhyming them syllabically, to bringing two words together to rhyme with one, to introducing and upgrading high levels of uncommon vocabulary, to creating the high speed fast rhyme style.

That high speed rhyme style has been heard through many rappers such as Rakim and Eminem. If you go to Amazon and download "The New Rap Language", you will get an example of the fast rhyming style he created. Kool Mo Dee has brought many things you'd still hear today in the current hip-hop/rap music scene. Such as the chanting-song hook style and the first rap record with a rock guitar riff on it to name a couple.

From being inspired by Luv Bug Starski and DJ Hollywood, he started off on his trek to stardom back in 1977 with the rap group The Treacherous Three who consisted of Special K and L.A. Sunshine along with their DJ, Easy Lee. The separation of Kool Moe Dee with the Treacherous Three began after his 1981 battle with Busy Bee Starski. This battle was the pivotal moment in the development of battle rap.

In 1985, the group disbanded and ventured off as solo artists. Kool Mo Dee went to State University of New York and received a degree in communications. Shortly afterwards, he teamed up with then-unknown young producer Teddy Riley and released self-titled album which consisted hits, "Go See The Doctor" (the perils of unprotected sex) and "Monster Crack" (the perils of crack in the Black communities). He kicked up more steam the following year with his second album, "How Ya Like Me Now?" in 1987. It became the most selling record to date and achieved platinum status.

The album consisted hits "Wild Wild West"(tells differences in gangs dealing with violence), "No Respect", and the title track that sparks the feud with up-and-coming rapper, LL Cool J. This battle goes into much of an intricate detail at this site. Mo Dee was rubbed the wrong way when LL had been dropping innuendos in his rhymes, making references to washed-up, old-school rappers, and proclaiming to be the "Greatest Rapper in the History of Rap Itself" which is heard on LL's "I'm Bad." Mo Dee respected-and still does-LL's skill level, but he knew LL didn't have an understanding or mastery of battle.

The battle did indeed go and make Hip-Hop history, but there were bigger things on the table. Many people don't remember what the climate was like for Hip-Hop in 1988, but it was in a very perilous position. Radio was all but boycotting the music. Radio was forcing the most prominent emcees in the game to conform to making certain types of records in order to get airplay. Unfortunately, that stance still consists today where you're hearing more about drugs, violence, and misogyny.

The formula was: no airplay, no sales, no sales, no deal, no deal, art form kaput. Mo Dee, Will Smith, and Heavy D saved the art form with the radio-friendly hits. The final stroke for Mo Dee was doing interviews on BET and Arsenio Hall. The Black adult market was finally paying attention. They never thought emcees or rappers could speak proper English. That was what turned me on to rappers such as Will Smith, Kool Mo Dee, and LL Cool J. They were not afraid to flex their intelligence.

Due to his popularity, he became somewhat of an ambassador for the Hip-Hop culture. He was able to get into areas where other rappers weren't allowed. He was able to get people who didn't listen to listen. He articulated their struggles as an inner city youth and the elders were able to connect. As a virtual emcee, he managed to make more of a social impact because of the records he made. It is no different when rapper Jay-Z used his 2006 world tour as a vehicle to promote the awareness of global water shortage.

Strangely enough, Mo Dee received a lot of flak from the very industry he was fighting for. There were other elements in regards to saving the culture, but at that time, his contribution was very significant as the face of educated Hip-Hop. Coming off of the heels of his best work, "Knowledge Is King" in 1989, he began to see the music industry for what it was. Mo Dee wanted to use his stature to give people hope and inspiration, but the industry wanted money. The industry began pressuring Mo Dee to make violent theme records and for him it was the most ultimate hypocrisy. He began to battle the monster sized industry and silently became black balled. In 1990, he was one of the few rappers who were picked to work with Quincy Jones on Jones' "Back On The Block" album. Afterwards, he released "Funke Wisdom" in 1991 which he, himself, calls it his worst piece of work. It was focused on battling the industry instead of making an album. That year, he received a Grammy and in 1992, he induced his release from Jive Records. When you study Mo Dee's body of work from upgrading the lyrical intricacies, writing, performing, and producing hit records with the Treacherous Three, going solo, reinventing and creating more hits, introducing the world to high-level Hip-Hop battles, going undefeated in battle from 1978 to 1992, you'd be amazed by this impressionable resume.

Scotteiholics, this conclude this dissertation of the legendary Kool Mo Dee. If you have any questions and comments, feel free to drop them in the comment box. With that in mind, arrivederci and Godspeed!

Wrestling News Sites

Scottieholics! Salutations! Just to reassure you I'm not an advertising blog site. I don't plan on treading that ground soon. I have plenty of things that keep money in my pocket as far as opportunities. Unfortunately, I don't know who is actually checking out Scottropolis. However, if there's someone who is into many of the same activities I post here, email me at scottiepoindexter@gmail.com and we can segue from there. Here are two sites that may interest you: http://www.mondaynightmayhem.com/ and http://www.wnlradio.com/.

I'm sure some of you readers may groan, "Oh, here he goes with the wrestling shtick again." Yes, feel free to groan and moan. I could go on and say those guys at Monday Night Mayhem are wild, crazy, and knows how to hit it hard and have a good time with it. But they know it. These guys do not only talk about wrestling. They talk about MMA as well. As for an example, this past show they had Erin "Steel" Toughill. I'm sure many of you know her from either MMA, American Gladiators, or may never heard of her and going, "Who?"

If you go over to http://www.mondaynightmayhem.com/, they have a track sheet of who has appeared on the show. You'll be amazed who actually poked their heads in and chatted for a while. It's a very entertaining show. Like for example, I don't listen to the radio. These days I'm really turned off by what radio has to offer these days. When I do listen to the radio, it's either classical, easy listening, or jazz. I do surf around for podcasts that may peak my interest. It breaks the monotony of listening to the music in my ever-so-eclectic library. I came across those wild, crazy, jet fueled kids via http://www.wrestleview.com/.

Speaking of Wrestleview, one of the creators, Adam Martin co-hosts a radio show with the Trey Dawg on WNL (Wrestling News Live) radio. You'll be receiving interesting insight from him and stay. I must forewarn you to stay on your toes. He may come out of leftfield on you when you least expect it. I can relate to him in that aspect. Sometimes I'm told that I'd say something out of random. That's what makes me interesting, isn't it? They have some guests from time to time. Like for an example, I listened to an interview Trey conducted with "The Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase. It gives good insight from a man who has been in the business as a wrestler and back in the business as a road agent (wrestling term for producer). I cannot stress this enough if you're a wrestling fan you'll feel so snowed if you hadn't gave them a listen.

In the meantime, give those websites a whirl. Also, I cannot forget about The Pro Wrestling Rewind with "The Power" Andy Knowles and Adam Martin. If you go through Wrestleview, you'd find a link that'd take you to Pro Wrestling Rewind podcasts. Considering they pimped me out on a couple of their shows, I'm pimping them out in the second go 'round. If you live in southern Ontario and upstate New York, you can listen to the Pro Wrestling Rewind live every Saturday night from 9 pm to 11 pm.

Before I conclude this entry, The Power" Andy Knowles has an auction up for a replica WWE Intercontinental Championship belt with the proceeds going to the Generation Rescue autism charity that WWE is working with for Saturday Night's Main Event this weekend. You can view and bid on the auction at this link.

By the way, tell them Scottie Poindexter of Scottropolis sent you. Scottropolis is pronounced in a way Metropolis is. Just take out the M-e and throw in the Scott. Before I drag this out into boredom, arrivederci and Godspeed!