RESPECT LIFE Web Series Review

What's woody wood, grasshoppers?

Seems like urban web shows on YouTube is the new wave...Money and Violence wasn't the first hood joint, but that web series sure as hell kicked off the popularity of internet drama...at least in the urban demographics

And that leads me to Respect Life

I had zero interest of tuning into web shows...let alone hood joints...thanks to my involvement in the Facebook Angry Fan Movement group, I caught wind about Respect Life on the strength of rave reviews I peeped in the group

So this past weekend, I binge watched the web series created by Brooklyn's own Boom P

Needless to say...

...I was hooked

Boom P's name had rung bells once I saw the series posted in the group...I bugged out and was like, "Wasn't homie on the SMACK DVD?"...then I popped in the official DVD (not them bootlegged shits) that I copped back in 2006 to connect the dots

And BAM!

...there he was

Shout out to Black Star Music and Video that used to be on 128th and Lenox in Harlem (R.I.P)

Click here to peep the Boom P SMACK music video



Funny thing is...

...Boom P's name is nowhere to be found on the DVD, but he stood out to me...not because him and T-Mo from Goodie Mob look like they could be brothers...Boom P stood out because he rhymed waaaaaay better than the other independent eMCees on that issue of SMACK

It's poetic justice for Boom P to create a popular web series 10 years later considering his music video wasn't promoted as one of the acts on the front and back cover of the DVD



The web series kept me on edge...the suspense was crazy...the early parts of the series kept my interest before the middle parts kinda bored me...but once the drama and plot twists had picked up by episode 7, I was permanently hooked!

The series masterfully captured the true essence of Brooklyn, New York to the T...the bodega owned by "Aye-rabs" is the perfect symbol for the hood...there's literally one or two (sometimes three) on every block..."bodega" is another name for a corner store for you out of town headz

Anyway, without giving away the storyline and spoiling the show for those who haven't seen the joint, a few things stood out to me throughout season one:

- Good acting

- Realism of the streets

- Societal issues

- Professional camera work

- Capturing the grit and grime of Brooklyn

- The constant plot twists throughout the series, especially the one that involved Boom P's character, Melo, and his Puerto Rican connect

- Drama in the studio

- Girlfriends in the drug game

- Street politics between hustlers and stick-up kids

- The contrast between how old headz and young dudes move in the hood

- The shocking betrayal

- The introduction of non-Blacks (the Russians) in the street game

- The dope music throughout the episodes (they need to show the tracklistings in the info section for season two 'cause the joints in season one are bangin')

Even though the show is action packed, it's hard to keep up with the characters in the earlier parts of the series...too many characters tend to confuse me...I started recognizing who was who by episode 8 once the show got rolling...Boom P might gotta be mindful of that for the next season and so forth when he writes the show

The other issue I had with the show is the lack of character development

Let's use Boys N The Hood and Menace II Society as examples



Menace is more raw than Boyz N the Hood, but Menace lacks character development whereas Boyz N the Hood showcases a variety of a cast...everybody in Menace is pretty much the same

O Dog is no different from A-Wax and Caine, and even though Stacey is headed to college to play football, his attitude is no different from the rest of the crew...Shareef was just the token ex-knucklehead who turned Muslim and got made fun of most of the time

Boyz N the Hood on the other hand has different characters that make them stand out more...Tre is different from Dough Boy...Ricky was different from Dough Boy...Chris is in a wheelchair...Dooky sucks on a pacifier...Mad Dog rocks shades and braids with the fade on the side, etc.

And there weren't a lot of characters that you had to remember in the movie

Then again, some people don't give a fuck about character development...they just want the action...LOL



Regardless of those two issues of the show, I'll most definitely keep my eyes and ears open for season two...Boom P announced it's April 2016 debut...I have no intentions of watching any other web series besides Respect Life until someone recommends another joint

By the way, STOP comparing Respect Life to Money and Violence...both shows are good pieces of work in their own right...there's enough room for everyone to eat...headz gotta get off this Malcom vs Martin shit and enjoy the shows

FINAL GRADE - 8.5/10

And on that note, I'm Audi

Peace and Afro Grease

Nah'Sun the Great @ www.nahsunblaze.com

Click here to watch episode 1 of Respect Life from your phone

LEAK!!! Bootleg Clip of Math Hoffa Punching Serius Jones

What's woody wood, grasshoppers?

Of course, someone was lucky enough to catch the punch served by battle eMCee Math Hoffa to Serius Jones @ the Smack/URL (Ultimate Rap League) Summer Madness 3 event that happened in NYC 2 weeks ago

Click HERE if you need a short reference between the two dudes

My quick thoughts on the fuckery...

Math should be banned from the sport...real talk...and that's the only thing I gotta say about duke because the stunt he pulled on stage by punching Serius was some straight up sucka shit

Leave the street shit in the 'hood...it's a fucked up look for the sport of battle rap...then you wonder why niggas stay broke in the gutter...Smack/URL not only lost the Stage 48 venue because of the nigga moment, but also sponsorship for future battles

Dumb shit scares away money...you saw how HBO didn't want anything to do with battle rap after mad fights happened at the Blaze Battle back in 2000...headz forgot about that, huh? 

LOL

Anyway...peep the video below courtesy of World Star...and also the next video from Smack, the co-founder of URL, that dropped today (9/17) talking about banning Math

Click HERE to watch from your phone




Click HERE for Smack's comments on Summer Madness 3 if you're watching from your phone



Peace

Nah'Sun the Great @ www.nahsunblaze.com

Fight at Rap Battle Shuts Down Event

Serius Jones

vs

Math Hoffa

What’s poppin’, grasshoppers?

The king is hella busy with writing my 5th book project…I only have a little time to blog…but now I got some free time on my hands like a wrist watch

Anyway…
 
Smack/URL (Ultimate Rap League) had hosted their annual Summer Madness 3 rap battle in NYC at Stage 48 this past Sunday…the battle was going great, but then…
 
…a nigga moment occurred
 
To make a long story short, battle MC Math Hoffa from Brooklyn, NY, notorious for bullying other MCs, punched Jersey’s own Serius Jones on some nigga shit…Serius is a veteran battle MC and has a history with Math…both dudes don’t really like each other, and the small time violence was evident of those feelings
 
The aftermath of those two punches from Math had sent shockwaves throughout the battle rap culture: Smack/URL lost the Stage 48 venue because of the fuckery, Math might find himself blackballed from other rap leagues, and his actions carries on the stereotype that rap events are violent…he couldn’t control his feelings and fucked up
 
Serius came through the battle on some pimp shit with 3 buck nekkid chicks wearing nothin’ but body paint and g-strings….from my interpretation of the punch story between Math and Serius, Math said a rhyme during the battle, and Serius mockingly said, “Woooo!” because the crowd didn’t respond to Math’s rhyme
 
I guess Serius saying “Woooo!” on some Ric Flair shit had triggered Math’s fist to kiss Serius’s jawbone

Clip of the Punch

This isn’t Math’s first time punching a guy in a battle…check out the video below in his battle against Philly’s own J Dose

But Math just lost his composure with Serius

Check out Serius Jones’s side of the story…Math posted a vlog on YouTube and later took it down for whatever reason…I liked Math, but he did some sucka shit by not only punching Serius while Serius wasn’t looking, but also putting a black eye on the culture, no pun intended

Peep the other videos after the Serius joint

By the way...URL doesn't plan on releasing the Serius/Math battle

Peace

Nah’Sun the Great @ www.nahsunblaze.com


Click here to read about what supposedly happened between Serius and Math from someone who was @ Summer Madness 3


Click here to watch Serius's side on the punch from your cell phone





Click here to watch Math punch Dose from your cell phone





Click here to watch Math's side of the Dose punch from your cell phone

SMACK/URL Summer Madness 3 Card and Predictions

What's woody wood, grasshoppers?

This year's SMACK/URL Summer Madness 3 rap battle event is held in New York City @ Studio 48 on Sunday, September 8th, 2013 #BarsOverNames

Click here for ticket info

I'm pissed that Loaded Lux and Hollow Da Don aren't battling...Lux wants 40k to battle Hollow, and SMACK (the co-founder of URL) isn't having it...But hey, I can't knock the man for his asking price

Lux's performance @ last year's Summer Madness was monumental...click here for my recap about his battle with Calicoe

Speaking of Calicoe, homie is back in full effect after fighting off alleged dog fighting charges...I don't feel like giving you the background story behind that...you can Google that shit to see for yourself

Anyway...check out the Summer Madness 3 card and predictions below (based on 3 rounds)


Arsonal vs K-Shine

Prediction: Arsonal 2 - K Shine -1

Ars is too nasty for Shine...point blank 


Math Hoffa vs Serius Jones

Prediction: Math 3-0

Math really has a grudge against Serius, and based on Serius's performance at last year's Summer Madness against Charlie Clips, he really hasn't changed his flow


Big T vs. O-Red

Prediction: O-Red 3-0

O-Red is a beast, and Big T is too inconsistent for my liking


Calicoe vs. T-Rex

Prediction: Calicoe 2-1

A hungry Cal will edge Rex...barely 


JC vs. John John Da Don

Prediction: JC 3-0

JC is dope...I'm not really feeling John John...duke is corny to me

Tay Roc vs. Ill Will


Prediction: Ill Will 2-1

A toss up, but I give Ill the edge


Daylyt vs. Swave Sevah

Prediction: Daylyt 2-1

Daylyt is a dope lyricist and highly entertaining without the bullshit antics he's known for, and Swave is raw as well, but I don't think he has enough ammo for the weirdo


Jaz the Rapper vs. Ms. Hustle

Prediction: Me fuckin' the shit outta both of 'em

The first female battle in URL history will not get a prediction from me...yes, I'm on my male chauvinist shit tonight


Aight ya'll...it's been real

Peace

Nah'Sun the Great @ www.nahsunblaze.com