I actually have a friend who, while in college, would buy any CD (remember that?) by any artist he had even heard a little bit about. Said artist’s talent was less necessary than supporting various homies and fans of superstar rappers and singers. As a collective, all my friends joked that he was the only one that actually bought Young Turk’s debut album (Hot Boy that Lil Wayne, Juvenile or BG – no shade), Young & Thuggin’ – the album title I had to envision out. (Which is saying something, considering the 1999-2000 debut albums by Cash Money Records artists were a banger.)

Either way, while I often added fun or two to the joke session, I could only be so amused; in highschool, I used to be that friend who bought all the artists’ albums that no one else was buying. I could not help myself; I had such a voracious appetite for music that I had to listen to every thing, even when I had no idea who the artist was, but possibly indirectly they jogged my memory of an artist I would know – especially if he was from the West Coast. I used to be a fanatic about West Coast artists and NWA. While the listening experience for these albums is very different at this point in my life, albums like “The Chronic” by Dr. Dre, Ice Cube’s “Death Certificate”, DJ Quik’s “Safe +Sound”, etc. were my absolute favorites to hearken to Do. Each of these albums still holds spots on my list of favorite albums of all time.

Each of these albums often featured artists or groups who made songs that were cool enough for a verse, but whose subsequent albums weren’t excellent. I do know this because like I said, I purchased ALL of their records, especially the ones related to DJ Quik. Well, it’s getting worse; I used to be so immersed in the sound and music of that era that even the mention of it by one of these artists made me buy the album.

This is how I discovered myself in a small group of individuals who bought the debut album by Lil ½ Dead, rapper and comrade of Snoop Dogg and Dogg Pound from Long Beach, California. I used to be minding my very own little business in October 1994, either at Sam Goody or one of Huntsville’s other now-defunct record stores, Madison Square Mall in Alabama, after I got here across “The Dead Has Arisen.” I learned Lil ½ Dead’s name from a Snoop Dogg verse “The Boy from the Little Ghetto” from the album Dr. Dre “The Chronic”. I suppose I didn’t know if it was the same one, but what number of rappers will be called Lil ½ Dead, right?

Lifestyle

I had the lowest expectations for the album. First, I only knew his name; I didn’t actually hear his voice, much less a verse from him. I didn’t know what I used to be getting, but I assumed it will be the same West Coast G-funk sound that was in vogue at the time.

What I heard knocked me off my feet.

While Lil ½ Dead is funny, even funny as a rapper, the lyrics throughout the album are full of house parties, gang shootings, rampant violence and misogyny; mainly every thing most west coast Los Angeles albums were stuffed with at the time. While this is not a great thing, it was normal in that era. Lil ½ Dead is neither great nor terrible as a rapper, but a serviceable voice and guide to an otherwise true gem of an album.

The production on this album is amazing. Controlled entirely by Tracy Kenrick AND Courtney Branch — two producers I learned produced songs from a litany of my favorite 90s West Coast albums — the entire album is full of smooth, soulful productions that I’ve never heard before. There is not a single beat on the entire album that might be considered even average; The fact that Snoop (or anyone from that era) didn’t hear this album and ask to play on every beat is surprising to me. I’ve been working on this album for 30 years and I’m still amazed at how well it is produced.

If Dr. Dre worked with Tracy and Courtney to combine this album and run it through the Death Row publicity machine, I actually have no doubt that “The Dead Has Arisen” could be as successful as any Tha Dogg Pound or Warren G album, all you Lil ½ Dead homies . In fact, one of the biggest questions I’ve asked myself over the years is why none of these collaborators were featured on this album. Perhaps it was produced and finished on the side and everybody was delighted after the fact.

For example, one of my favorite hip-hop beats ever (and I’m not exaggerating) is on this album: “East, West”. This beat is literally perfect. If Dr. Dre used this beat on “The Chronic”, I’m sure we might speak about this song in the same breath as “Dre Day” and “Nuthin’ But a G Thang”. From the single “12 Pacofdoja” to the Roy Ayers sampling of “That’s What You Get,” each beat hits the spot perfectly, perfect for driving around in a low-rider or minivan.

I still hearken to this album purely for the production quality. It’s reminiscent of the same conversations New York hip-hop artists are having about Group Home’s “Livin’ Proof,” where the conversation often centers on what might have been if higher rappers had these beats. The beats on The Dead Has Arisen are so good that I can not help but wonder what this album might have been in the lyrical hands of Death Row’s more popular talent.

But what is life without a little bit wonder? What I do know is that Lil ½ Dead, a rapper that the overwhelming majority of people either do not know or have already forgotten, still has one of the best-produced albums of all time, even 30 years later and 1000’s of years later. and 1000’s of albums were created. That’s a feat in itself; I still return and hearken to “The Dead Has Arisen” since it sounded SO good in 1994 and 30 years later it hasn’t lost any of its musical luster.

Fans and a few beauty industry professionals say there may be “no doubt” that singer Gwen Stefani has had some facial work done.

After her spectacular return to host “The Voice”, the leader of a 90s band that mixed rock, pop and hip-hop music, many are saying how unrecognizable she looks.

Even though Stefani has been in the general public eye for over three many years, she’s still one of probably the most beautiful women in Hollywood, but fans think she just doesn’t appear like the person they fell in love with when she was within the group No Doubt or made her debut along with his solo project “I’m Just a Girl” in 1995.

On Monday, October 21, the “Blow Your Mind” singer showed up together with her signature blonde locks, but made her debut with a blunt bang on the NBC competition show.

Her makeup was subtle and included peach shades, but despite her hairstyle change, many individuals speculated that she can have undergone cosmetic procedures.

After posting promotional photos on X, some fans shared their thoughts, with a mixture of admiration and skepticism.

Here we go #teamgwen Time for voice battles! you all are amazing!! 🎤 gx pic.twitter.com/PpXdP5hfmX

— Gwen Stefani (@gwenstefani) October 21, 2024

Some admired her youthful appearance, others questioned the changes.

“How can you look younger and younger?” one fan wrote, while one other he said“The Hollywood look is really getting old.”

Experts he said Daily Mail that they believed the singer had work done and based on what they saw, they provided a clinical diagnosis of her face.

Dr. Corey Maas, a facial plastic surgeon in San Francisco, suggested that the fullness of Stefani’s cheeks could also be due to fillers, which help smooth wrinkles and restore volume.

He also noted the tightness of her jawline, noting that “a 55-year-old woman just doesn’t have a jawline like that.”

Maas further suspected that behind her flawless appearance could be a lower face lift, which, if true, would involve tightening the skin round her lower face.

Dr. Maas added that Stefani’s lack of deep wrinkles, which often appear in her late 20s, could also indicate Botox use. Additionally, he noted that while her bangs may distract from any signs of a facelift, it’s unlikely that the fuller appearance of her cheeks is due to the hairstyle change alone.

Another New York-based facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Joel Kopelman, agreed with Maas, suggesting that she could have had a mini facelift, specializing in the looks of her jaw and lower face.

“Looking at Gwen’s recent appearance, especially her smooth jawline and lack of sagging around the cheeks and neck, a mini facelift may have contributed to these results,” he said.

Not everyone criticized the artist. One person criticized the publication, saying: “Two photos taken 18 years apart and MoL says he looks unrecognizable! Most people don’t appear like they did 18 years ago.

Gwen Stefani, little doubt, during one of her earliest appearances, 1989 pic.twitter.com/1jxJxZMzxn

— popular culture (@notgwendalupe) January 17, 2024

Another said: “I think it looks great.”

Other experts also spoke out.

Popular YouTuber Dr. Gary Linkov speculates that Stefani can have spent as much as $428,000 on no less than nine different procedures, including fillers and a brow lift.

Meanwhile, Dr. Michael Bassiri-Tehrani identified that Stefani’s plump cheeks suggest the use of fillers because facial fat tends to decrease with age.

Many people commented on the outlet’s comments section, saying she didn’t need it and sharing their frustrations with celebrities who do unnecessary work.

“I watched The Voice last night and I almost didn’t recognize her,” one person wrote. “My first thought was that he now has bangs to cover the facelift scars.”

Another wrote: “Yes, the (hideous) wig is apparently intended to hide facelift scars before they heal.”

Some people said, “I like Gwen, but she fixes her face too much” and “I went too far, honey.”

“As Joe Gillis from the legendary movie Sunset Boulevard says, ‘There’s nothing tragic about being 50 unless you are trying to be 25.’ I’ll leave it at that,” another person added.

“It’s really sad. “Cosmetic surgery began to be performed on people who needed it, such as those who had been in a car accident or suffered severe burns,” said one commenter, before adding, “Gwen didn’t need it. Her appearance didn’t improve one bit.

Stefani herself hasn’t publicly addressed the speculation, though she did say so once in a 2004 People story interview“I hope my children will protect me from my vanity. If not, cosmetic surgery is an option… Growing up sucks. We all have to accept this.”

Regardless of what treatments she has or has not undergone, the Grammy winner continues to reinvent herself and remains to be a beauty. Her fans could also be divided over her appearance, however the singer’s evolving appearance stays a testament to her status as a popular culture icon.

There will be multiple truths in any given situation at the same time. This is the case in the peculiar case of former Pittsburgh Steelers great Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell’s recent foray into politics to support Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. It’s true that each of them are sitting opposite sides spectrum from Steelers icons and NFL Hall of Famers “Mean” Joe Greene and Jerome Bettis and F. “Dok” Harris, son of the late Franco Harris, who all expressed their support for Democratic presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris. Indeed, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense hasn’t been this explosive since Brown, a former All-Pro wide receiver, and Bell, a former All-Pro guard, left the team for their very own separate but controversial reasons. And it’s true that these two combined for 1,149 catches while playing in Pittsburgh. None of those receptions resulted in Brown or Bell picking up a tip.

Simply put, Brown and Bell is the 2024 installment of the series Diamond and silk.

Brown and Bell joined Trump on the campaign trail last weekend in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, as the campaign entered its final days. Brown also organized a voter registration drive in the state – what many experts consider as a key to Trump or Harris’ path to the White House next month. Brown’s decision to enter the election cycle is his right. He’s a noteworthy (and infamous) figure, and the art of celebrity endorsements now enjoys various degrees of prestige. This is a logical method to have a look at the situation. This is obviously an illogical situation.

Last week at a campaign rally in Atlanta Trump said that blacks and Latinos who didn’t vote for him “must have their heads examined.” The irony is that Trump has brought greater than that over the last week Brown and Bell on stage, but in addition former five-division boxing champion Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns. The latter’s slurred speech worsened over the years, probably because of this of head trauma.

Calling Brown and Bell a “sellout” is unfair. This has to do with the belief that they ever cared enough about the Black community to not ignore when someone was manipulating them in the first place. Listing all the examples of racism in Trump’s history is not even the most important point, but all of these examples have occurred in the last month. He continues torment five famous black and Latino people as the Exonerated Five, blaming them for the gang rape of a jogger in Central Park in 1989, which they didn’t commit. (Trump then ran full-page ads in newspapers I’m calling teenagers marked for execution. He never apologized). In the podcast episode released on October 14 this 12 months. Trump said he quit football because he was afraid to play with guys from “bad neighborhoods”. If schools insist on teaching about slavery, he said recentlythey might not be funded under his latest administration, and the Department of Education would stop to exist. In an interview with Fox News, despite checking the facts, Trump refused to backtrack on baseless comments he and running mate J.D. Vance made about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, who kidnapped and ate pets. (Brown is from Miami, where he lives largest Haitian community in America.)

Why Brown is supporting Trump is obvious. This is not about any political or moral considerations. It’s about accessing the proximity of power. This is because for some, hatred is a way of advancement. And despite quite a few proposed laws that might have a direct and negative impact on individuals who appear like Brown (namely Project 2025), he couldn’t care less.

“I would be the man in the office. House of Representatives or something like that.” Brown said while handing out Trump-Vance Steeler-themed “Terrible Towels” before Sunday’s Steelers/New York Jets game. “Trump is going to put me in the Senate.”

Whether he was serious or not, Brown should examine how Wilt Chamberlain, then the most famous skilled basketball player in the world, after contributing to the campaign in the hotly contested 1968 presidential election, quickly realized how much he was getting used as a puppet as a way to gain black approval that it might never arrive in significant waves anyway. Then-President Richard Nixon sent cards to great games. But Chamberlain said in his memoirs that he “had about as much opportunity to influence (Nixon) as I have to influence the Pope.”

If Brown was bathing in ignorance – most important personality trait in his public persona, very similar to Trump – Bell’s wardrobe was equally pathetic. Bell put on his shirt on the weekend under the slogan “Trump or the bum”. Again, like Brown, he has every right to support Trump. But openly disrespecting the vice chairman, a Black woman, is par for the course in the energy and behavior that has accompanied Trump’s surge in support. This is not about politics, because such discourse was never the goal. This self-considering is destructive. It has the same moral character. Masculinity is hyper-pervasive.

Bell would never wear or support a shirt that read “Harris vs. Deadbeat Dads,” as Trump, Bell and Brown have been accused of doing. Brown was arrested last 12 months for failure to pay alimony, and in 2021 Bell was blown away by one of the six moms of his seven children as “the worst f***ing man on the planet.” Or perhaps “Harris vs. Sexual Predators,” as Trump and Brown have been referred to in the past. Or perhaps “Harris vs. Failed Athletic Directors” because Trump’s tenure in the USFL has been a tortuous one still higher than what Brown was (or was) presupposed to achieve as president at the Donda Sports agency of rapper Kanye West.

This is a classic example of opportunists combining with other opportunists to extend their opportunities. However, just one side gains something necessary. It’s hard to assume a scenario by which an undecided voter allows Brown or Bell to be a source of convincing them to lean toward a selected candidate. Either way, it gives Trump two more celebrity pawns on his warped worldview on the chessboard. He picks up two more votes amongst the small but exceptionally vocal group of Black men who support Trump – a potentially necessary voting bloc in next month’s election. When it involves Brown and Bell, the optics paint an image of these two former football greats missing out on the political turmoil. It’s just as likely that they know they’re being rushed, but the thought that somebody of similar character could turn into president of the United States again is confirmation enough to never change their ways.

Let’s hope Brown and Bell, because of their time and commitment to the campaign process, no less than get an enormous cut from McDonald’s from this deal. On the other hand, paying off debt is not the most rewarding trait of their candidate.