Polanski Case Should Remain A Dead Issue

CLEVELAND - Roman Polanski, creator of some of the greatest films of the past 40 years endured unspeakable tragedy courtesy of Charles Manson and his disciples. He himself was neither perfect nor an angel and his own ancient transgressions have finally come back to bite him.

And unrightfully so.

Polanski, 76 has long been a critically acclaimed director and screenwriter for several classic works including Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown. His successful life hit a roadblock in 1969 when his wife Sharon Tate, who was two weeks from giving birth to his child, was savagely murdered by The Manson Family. That incident sent Polanski reeling for the next several years.

His life took another turn for the worst when he became an infamous figure in 1977. That's when he, by his own admission, had "unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor" after plying her with champagne and drugs. His previously revered body of work suddenly begun being viewed with an asterisk, especially since the disgraced Polanski fled the United States to avoid a possible prison sentence. He ended up in France and since 1978, has been a fugitive from justice in the U.S.

He was caught two days ago, after running for 31 years.

The irony in Polanski's highly delayed arrest is that he was en route to Switzerland to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award when he was apprehended at a Zurich airport. For the time being, the disgraced filmmaker is in custody pending a request by U.S. officials to be extradited back to this country. He has avoided such an occurrence since the 1970's by staying away from countries with extradition treaties to America, but this time it seemed as though fate intervened.

Polanski plans to fight the courts on this historic matter.

I totally understand anyone that feels that Polanski should pay for his misdeeds, no matter how far in the past they are. I'd probably feel the same way if it weren't for the victim in the case, Samantha Geimer. Now a 45-year old mother of three children, Geimer has recently asked that Polanski be forgiven. She's also stated that everytime anything comes up about the case in the media, it disrupts her current life with her family. She maintains that the incident, though "scary" was more than 30 years ago and should be left in the past because she feels that he's paid for what he did.

If the victim herself wants to move forward and just let Polanski be, then who are we to say that justice still needs to be served? The man committed a heinous and despicable act for sure, but arresting a man in his seventies for something that he did over three decades ago one time won't actually solve anything. Hard as it may be for many to accept, Polanski has actually lived all these years in a different kind of self-imposed prison. Even though he continued to make films, he was limited to shooting them overseas and was always unable to come to the U.S. to receive accolades for some of his work, such as 2002's The Pianist, which won Polanski a Best Director award.

No matter how this turns out, Polanski will always have God to answer to in the end.

Bryant's Great Decade Pales Next To Jordan's

CLEVELAND - Kobe Bryant will report to training camp this coming week for what will be his 14th NBA season. This past week, the Sporting News voted him the NBA player of the decade.

Interesting choice.

Bryant, 31 is a legendary hoopster. What he has done in the NBA for the L.A. Lakers has been stunning, especially since he came directly from high school in 1996 without the benefit of college and averaged just 7 points per game in his rookie season. Now, he is arguably the best in the game and has compiled a glittering resume that has included 4 NBA championships.

But I'm not so sure he was the preeminent player of the 2000's.

First off, Kobe bested former teammate Shaquille O'Neal and San Antonio's Tim Duncan for the honor and initially, I felt that his selection was well merited. However, upon closer inspection, I realized that the choice of Bryant was anything but a forgone conclusion once his entire decade is taken into consideration. First off, in the five seasons from 2000 to 2004, no one regarded him as being the best in the league. That's because O'Neal and Duncan were the big-time leaders of the NBA; Shaq had dominated the three NBA titles that the Lakers won from '00 to '02 and Duncan led the Spurs to the dethroning of L.A. in '03 en route to another San Antonio championship (they won their first in the abbreviated 1999 season).

During that first half of the decade, the Lakers won three titles, with Bryant as the secondary star and O'Neal in his prime of imposing, physical dominance. True, Kobe was always the harder, more tenacious worker, but O'Neal was still the biggest reason L.A. won. The two seasons that the Lakers didn't win, 2003 and 2004 were seen as evidence of Bryant's defiance and notoriously selfish style of play. Indeed, he grew more petulant and insolent as his prodigious offensive talents blossomed further. For the first time in his career, he averaged more shot attempts and points than Shaq; 30.0 ppg in '03, thanks largely to a 13-game tear in mid-season in which he routinely dropped 40 or more points several times. At the time, O'Neal was still a prime force and should have still been the focal point of the offense.

In 2004, his frequent ill-advised shots and go-it-alone mentality cost the revamped Lakers in the Finals and though heavily favored, they lost to the Pistons. Trust me, if anyone had asked who the top player of the first five years of the 2000's was, Bryant would have been on few, if any lists as the number one. It's not that he wasn't awesome, because he was brilliant. But O'Neal and Duncan were the cornerstones and impact players of these years. Kobe was simply the best of the rest; better than Iverson, McGrady, Carter, Pierce and the like.

The second half of the decade was even less impressive for Kobe. During the five seasons since the '04-'05 season, the Lakers lost in the 1st round of the playoffs twice to Phoenix ('06 and '07), lost to the Celtics in the Finals once ('08) and missed the postseason altogether in '05. It was only during the final season of the decade (last season) that they finally won an NBA title, the first one minus O'Neal, who'd left L.A. after the '04 Finals loss. One thing did increase for Kobe during the last half of the decade; his scoring exploits. The '05-'06 season was his playground. In December 2005, he scored an unreal 62 points in just three quarters in a game vs Dallas. In January 2006, he knocked in an historic 81 points against Toronto. By season's end, he'd amassed a career high 35.4 ppg average, the highest in the NBA in nearly 20 years.

But again, the Lakers lost in round one of the playoffs.

Bryant returned the following season and dominated on offense again, posting numerous 50 and 60 point games but in spite of it all, L.A. got bounced in round one of the '07 playoffs. The past two seasons have seen a different, more sedate Bryant on offense. He has become a far more willing facilitator and thus, a better teammate. As a result, the Lakers have made the Finals both years, getting trounced in '08 and winning in '09.

In 10 seasons of the 2000's, Kobe Bryant averaged 28.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists. He won one MVP award, 2 scoring titles and 4 NBA titles with one Finals MVP. He shot 46% from the floor, 84% from the foul line and 34% from the 3-point line. His teams made the Finals six times, and their record was 4-2. What's troubling is this: there were four seasons that his teams didn't make the Finals and there was an unreal seven years between NBA titles. O'Neal's teams made the Finals 5 times, Duncan's team made it three. So even if we accept Kobe's choice as player of the decade, there are so many holes in his "great" decade. He's only been considered the consensus best player in the league for maybe half of the ten years.

Which brings me to the next point in this topic; Michael Jordan.

Jordan, the recently Hall of Fame inducted icon of basketball is the man that Bryant has been repeatedly compared to since his rookie season. Though Jordan joined the NBA's Chicago Bulls in the mid-1980's, his decade of dominance was unquestionably the 1990's and trust me, no one will debate whether he was the NBA player of that decade. Jordan's decade comes with an asterisk, though. He played just seven of the ten seasons, due to two retirements and still far out shined Bryant.

Jordan's teams, in the seasons he played, went 6-0 in the NBA Finals. Jordan himself won 7 scoring titles, 4 MVP's and all 6 Finals MVP's. He also won 2 steals titles and authored several of the most historic moments in NBA playoff history. Bryant had the highest single regular season average in nearly 20 years in '06. Jordan's 41.0 ppg in the '93 Finals was the highest scoring average in Finals history.

Gigantic difference.

The only season in the '90's that the Bulls didn't win the title with MJ was the first season; 1990. That was when Jordan's postseason performance was nothing short of genius, yet the upstart team came within one victory of making the championship series. After that, Jordan steered the Bulls to a trifecta of titles in '91, '92 and '93, then retired at the apex of his career less than four months later. During the 1994 season, Chicago performed above expectations without MJ, but lost in the playoffs to New York, who went on to lose in the Finals to the eventual champion Houston Rockets. The following season was far more tempestuous for the Bulls and was wrought with dissension, especially from secondary star Scottie Pippen. Shockingly, Jordan returned to the team with just a month left, but never regained his legendary form. The Bulls lost in round 2 to Orlando, mostly because of a lack of the in shape edition of MJ for the entire season.

The Rockets repeated as champs in the '95 Finals.

The 1996 season saw the return of Jordan from Day one. As a result, he dominated the league as did his team and they rolled to an unreal 72-10 record. The Bulls won their 4th championship and MJ reclaimed his status as the league's top player.

Jordan wowed the league yet again during the 1997 season as he amassed another iconic campaign. As his age escalated, so too did his drive. Chicago was virtually unbeatable again and that resulted in NBA crown number 5, led of course by the excellence of Michael.

There was an air of finality to the 1998 season for the Bulls and Jordan, and the entire campaign was dubbed "The Last Dance." Jordan, an increasingly mythical figure by that time was revered in arenas all over the country. It was rather surreal that his basketball artistry had persisted for as long as it had, he was a ripe 35 years of age at the time and still managed to loom largest over an entire league of young stars.

It was indescribable how giant his impact had become.

After a very adversity-filled season, the Bulls traipsed through the playoffs and onto the Finals against Utah. For the second straight season, the reality of facing off against Jordan in the championship series proved to be too much for the Jazz and they lost the series as Chicago celebrated the 6th NBA title of the decade. Jordan's final jumpshot sent his ethereal legacy into an unreachable universe.

Jordan retired prior to the 10th season of the decade, and a number of the other key players went their separate ways. All in all, Jordan stamped the '90's as his personal proving ground for his stupefying greatness. His raw numbers; 30.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists nearly reflect Bryant's, except for the nearly three points per game scoring difference. Jordan shot better too. He hit 50% of his shots, 83% of his free throws and 36% of his 3-pointers.

The things that stick out to me most in the comparisons are as follows. Jordan was the top player steering his teams to championships the entire decade. When he was in the lineup all season, the Bulls were practically invincible. His dominance spanned the entire decade, without huge gaps of futility. There also was no other player even remotely close to being as accomplished as MJ during the decade. For Bryant, he starred behind the gigantic dominance of O'Neal early in his decade, then endured several long years of mediocrity and losing. When his team finally won with him as the head honcho, it came after a string of other teams winning the title.

In the end, I say this: congratulations to Kobe Bryant for being voted the top player of the 2000's, but there is no way that he's anywhere close to Michael Jordan is the history of the NBA.

But then again, no one is.

All Around Town

CLEVELAND - With just a handful of episodes left until the season finale, Deante Young's shock-tinged web series premiere's its 45th installment today entitled, "Ease On Down The Road."

It takes us all over town.

Young has mentioned in interviews that the racy a Date with Deante will air 30 episodes in the ongoing season 2 before it goes on hiatus for several months. No word yet on when the season finale will air, but officials at April Fool's Entertainment promise that the episode, the 50th overall will be a bit different from typical shows. They declined to elaborate until an official press release is issued.

As for the new episode, Deante meanders down city streets, poking fun at anyone he sees while stopping off for a hot dog and an impromptu discussion with a middle-aged hippie.

As usual, laughter dominates the entire experience.

'Cosby Show' Educated America On Race & Class

CLEVELAND - Bill Cosby became famous in the early 1960's because of his massive comedic gifts. In the 1980's, he became a certified icon and visionary when he reshaped the television landscape, as well as White America's perception of Black families.

What an accomplishment.

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the debut of The Cosby Show, the groundbreaking series loosely based on Cosby's real-life family. It was an immediate hit for NBC and, even though it consisted of an all-Black cast, it resonated with people of varying race and social class. What was so unique about the series was its portrayal of an African-American family. Up until this point, Blacks were portrayed on television as destitute, marginally educated and occasionally buffoonish. Cosby made sure that the sitcom would present an upper middle class family with well educated parents that have successful professional careers. Indeed, his character Cliff Huxtable was an OB/GYN and his wife Claire was a high-powered attorney at a major law firm.

This was unprecedented on television at the time.

The Huxtable children, five in all were inspired by Cosby's own offspring. Ranging in age from kindergarten to college, the children's personalities and "adventures" were so common to kids all across the country that the stories presented on the show began to make non-Blacks aware of just how similar we all are, regardless of race.

Classic Black sitcoms such as Good Times and Sanford and Son gave African-Americans a TV reputation of pervasive poverty and undereducated foolishness in the 1970's. This became the accepted truth amongst many Whites of how Blacks were in real life. When 'Cosby' hit on September 20, 1984, the sight of an esteemed doctor and his educated and intellectual attorney wife living in an elegant, Brooklyn brownstone stunned mainstream America. Success and intellect had never before been shown in this way on television with Blacks at the center of it all.

The Cosby Show lasted for eight seasons and when it finally ended in 1992, it had become a legitimate and important part of America's cultural evolution. Recently, Cosby's on-screen wife Phylicia Rashad declared that "these Black families had existed for decades prior to the show...they were only "new" to television."

Absolutely.

It is amazing to me just how racist and closed-minded America was in the 1980's. Many of these beliefs seemed to be antiquated relics from the '50's or '60's. But, it was still in existence then, and to be honest, even now in some ways.

I salute Mr. Cosby for what he brought to the attention of America. Too bad more lessons weren't learned from this brilliance piece of history.

Public Indecency In Private

CLEVELAND - Deante Young has seen it all while interviewing folks for his outrageous web series. Gays, lesbians, homeless drunks, strange tattoos in odd places, face-to-face racism, drug addicts, bad mothers and girls happy to have a disease.

But episode 44 takes the cake.

One of the biggest nut jobs in the history of a Date with Deante makes a return with a wild and stunning display of um...indecency in his own home when he starts off by showing off his "shortcomings" and ends with a predatory molestation act. Everything in between is actually worse!

Check out the brand new installment entitled, "Blame It On the Boogie" and summon every brave bone and nerve in your body to witness this stunning debacle.

Kanye West: A Cocky, Brilliant...Idiot

CLEVELAND - Kanye West amazed and inspired me from the first time I heard his work as a hip-hop artist. Some said he was arrogant, I said he was very self-assured. Some said he was obnoxious, I said he was cultivating his brand. Turns out, everyone was correct.

He was and still is all of those things.

Sunday night marked the lowest point of West's "social" career, which is saying an awful lot. In a moment destined to become an infamous event in pop culture lore, West hijacked country singer Taylor Swift's acceptance speech after she won an MTV Video Music Award over, among others, Beyonce Knowles. He took the mic from Swift and proclaimed to the star studded audience that Beyonce had "one of the best videos of all time." In other words, West felt as though Beyonce should have won instead of the 19-year old Swift.

I, along with the rest of America was in utter shock.

Swift, momentarily deflated and stunned, gave an awesome live performance of her song "You Belong With Me" just minutes later, but the West backlash had already begun. He was removed from the building and the mere mention of his name garnered boos from the crowd for the rest of the night. The Internet was abuzz with reaction to the incident, even from celebrities who were in attendance at the VMA's. West later posted an apology on his blog, but it didn't matter.

The following day, the debacle was all over the news and West himself was vilified and castigated for the audacious incident. In an ironic twist, he'd been scheduled for months to perform the hit single, "Run This Town" with Jay-Z and Rihanna on Jay Leno's brand new variety show, which debuted just 24 hours after the infraction. During an impromptu interview with Leno, Kanye appeared shaken, contrite and humble -- emotions that have never described him.

The following day, Swift appeared on The View and recounted her thoughts as the event unfolded. She also mentioned that West hadn't personally contacted her to apologize. However, before she left the building, she received a call from him and according to sources, she accepted his apology.

Here's my take: I am one of the few people that has always understood Kanye's personality. Sure, he seems egotistical and arrogant, but I believe he is just a guy that faced so many challenges and had so many doubters, that now that he's a critically acclaimed music producer and recording artist, he chooses to shout it from the rooftops early and often in an I-told-you-so-fashion. I believe his passion got him there, but that passion often manifests itself in less than stellar ways. He tells the world how great he is, then isn't able to summon humility when he needs to and conversely, we get his petulant outbursts at awards shows.

This was different, though.

For West to insinuate himself into a situation that had absolutely nothing to do with him was above the pale. The nominees were female for one, and for two, they were Swift and Knowles. If he had a problem with Beyonce losing, that's fine, he's entitled to his opinion. But in no way did he have a right to crash Swift's speech and defile her moment to satisfy his own (drunken) agenda. That was beyond rude and arrogant. It was selfish and childish and reeked of a distinct lack of respect, class and poise. For Kanye to be so gifted as an artist and producer, he is very lacking in tact and grace.

After reading a few comments online from several black folks, I am even more enraged. While nearly everyone, even West's peers and friends say that his behavior was deplorable, many of the comments were from people upset with West for "bowing to the white man" and for essentially being an Uncle Tom. They even suggested that Swift deserved what Kanye did to her and even labeled her a "white devil." Most of these people applauded him for his behavior and felt like he "sold out" by apologizing.

Wow.

When ignorance, idiocy and stupidity is present, I just want to leave the room. Nothing was acceptable about his actions, and like it or not, he just furthered the disdain that Whites have for Blacks. Kanye made us all fit into a stereotype that so many racists have put us in with his transgression.

Talent means nothing without class and respect.

Leno's New Gig: Familiar, Yet Still Very Funny

CLEVELAND - I've been a fan of late night talk shows for a quarter century, so when Jay Leno ended his 17-year tenure on The Tonight Show last May, I knew a great era had ended.

Until last night.

Leno, 59 debuted his new series on his old network with a familiar template, a few subtle changes and his trademark gags still firmly in place. The effort was strong, his comedy was still highly entertaining and his guests were better than expected.

But with his challenging new 10PM time slot, I hope he can last.

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld was Leno's first ever guest (on this show) and was funnier than usual. When he mentioned to Jay that in the 1990's, retiring actually meant that a person left (instead of starting a new show), it set the stage for a truly funny interview. Media maven Oprah Winfrey dropped into the conversation, via a television and actually added a little spice to Seinfeld's interview, while Leno himself played the straight man.

Gags and short sketches have long been a strength of Jay's brand, and it was no different here. His opening monologue was sharp and witty, a faux "interview" with President Obama was gut-bustingly funny at times but a car wash skit was garbage.

By the time Leno got to a previously unscheduled interview with Kanye West, (the most anticipated portion of the show just a day after his VMA meltdown), I was pretty locked into the familiar looking show. West had long been scheduled to perform with Jay-Z and Rihanna, but asked Leno for a brief sit-down to apologize further for his deplorable behavior at Sunday's award show. West, a notoriously egotistical hothead that just happens to be an awesome music producer and artist seemed contrite and was certainly at a loss for words. The incident, in which he ambushed country singer Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at MTV's Video Music Awards to proclaim that Beyonce should have won, has creating a firestorm of rage around West since it happened. This was his first public discussion about it, and he was visibly uncomfortable during the awkward sit-down that saw him apologize and apparently realize the selfishness of it.

Or maybe he was putting on a hell of an act.

Just seconds after the talking ended, West stepped onto a stage with Jay-Z and Rihanna and the trio promptly went into performing the hit single "Run This Town" from Jay-Z's brand new LP, The Blueprint 3.

Leno ended his inaugural episode with his famous "headlines" bit.

I enjoyed the "new" show and I hope it flourishes. If it fails, it won't be because of Leno; he's still funny as heck.

Swayze's Courage Defined His Character

CLEVELAND - So sad to hear about Patrick Swayze's death last night, not because he was a great and beloved actor, but because he was such a brave and humble guy with a beautiful 34 year marriage to Lisa, the love of his life.

God bless her and his family.

Swayze, 57 succumbed to pancreatic cancer, the horrifying disease that he was diagnosed with less than two years ago. In spite of the immense pain that it causes (not to mention its grim prognosis), he was determined to live and enjoy life and all its little pleasures. He told Barbara Walters last January that he wasn't going to "chase life," but he didn't need to. His understanding of his situation and willingness to embrace life for what it had become as opposed to what it had been when he was healthy was a catalyst in his relative happiness.

I watched Swayze's demeanor and listened closely to his words since his diagnosis and I couldn't help but be inspired. Without question, his courage said a great deal about the wonderful person he was. He was realistic, yet optimistic and had an amazingly high pain threshold. Indeed, just months after he received the bad news, he plunged into filming 13 episodes of a new cable TV series called "The Beast." Though grueling and highly challenging given his condition, he pressed on with a steely tenacity that amazed his co-stars.

And me.

Swayze will be remembered so much for his acting, especially in the 1987 film, Dirty Dancing as well as 1990's Ghost. But, while I recognize that those were two incredible movies, I won't tether his legacy to them.

He was just a hell of a guy. Period.

MTV's VMA's: The Good, The Bad And The Odd

CLEVELAND - For me, last night's MTV Video Music Awards caused a gamut of emotions. There were tears, jeers and cheers from me during the two and a half hour spectacle that began and ended with Michael Jackson.

The in-between was something else.

The good: Pop legend Madonna opened the show (held at New York's Radio City Music Hall) with a moving, occassionally funny and heartfelt speech about Michael, noting a range of similarities between the two of them, then detailing her friendship with the man that she dominated 1980's music and pop culture with. She extolled his kindness and brilliance and labeled him a "human being," but still very much a "king." Though they grew distant, she was quick to assert that "we abandoned him."

After Madonna finished, a troupe of dancers filled the stage clad in various trademark Michael Jackson outfits and ran through a short medley of a few of his iconic songs. Against a large, video screen backdrop, the dancers mimicked Jackson's choreographed dance numbers in sync with him on the screen, which featured him performing in those groundbreaking short films. When MJ's futuristic 1995 clip for the song "Scream" came on, his sister Janet (who featured on the song and video) took to the stage and reprised her dance sequences as well as Michael's while it played out on the screen behind her. It was an electrifying performance by all, and it caused me to shed buckets of tears.

The Bad: Hip-hop musician and producer Kanye West, a notoriously egotistical sore loser, stormed the stage when young newcomer Taylor Swift won an award over a group of nominees that included Beyonce Knowles. West interrupted Swift's exuberant acceptance speech to declare that Beyonce should have won instead of her, which prompted a chorus of boos from the star-studded crowd. Knowles appeared stunned in her seat, as did Swift on stage. West wasn't seen again the rest of the night.

What a total creep.

The Odd: Eccentric pop star Lady Gaga showed up with Kermit the Frog as her date, whom she kissed while she sported a Phantom of the Opera-style face mask. She later performed her hit song "Paparazzi" with heavy theatrics that included a glittery wheelchair and fake blood dripping from her torso. She switched outfits often, at one point wearing a red lace shroud which covered her entire face with matching crown. After that? Gaga's face was encased in a circular haystack. Incidentally, I love her style. I felt that her "oddities" were also among the "good" simply because she is original and isn't afraid to go to extremes to express herself.

More good: Pink has become a favorite of mine. She looked and sounded great during her performance as did Beyonce, who surprised me with how thick and curvy she is. Taylor Swift is a 19-year old knockout and brushed off the Kanye debacle with an awesome performance of her song "You Belong With Me" on a subway train before running through the station and finally, outside the building. Later, Beyonce won an award and asked Swift to take to the stage and use her (Beyonce's) time to finally have "her moment" since West ruined hers. That was true class at its finest.

Great to see Eminem win an award for his music video "We Made You." He stepped onstage and thanked his fans for sticking by him during his hiatus from music, then dedicated the award to his fallen friend, Proof.

Jay-Z made a grand entrance after his motorcade traversed the streets of Manhattan before dropping him off at an exclusive, backstage door. He walked in calm, yet confident, grabbed a mic, then stepped out on stage and launched into his new song "Empire State of Mind" while Alicia Keys crooned the hook and played the piano.

The Odd: Host Russell Brand, who also emceed the show last year. His over-the-top and often racy humor tends to border on the peculiar, and he can be quite disturbing.

The Good: We were finally treated to the trailer for the forthcoming Michael Jackson feature length documentary, "This Is It." The film is comprised of footage from Michael's rehearsals as he prepared for what was to be his swan song as a touring artist. Due in theaters October 28 for a two week run, it also features interviews and other behind the scenes access that we've never seen. From what I saw, it looks and sounds incredible.

Great show overall, but someone needs to invest in a muzzle for Mr. West. Or maybe even a restraining order.

That wasn't a joke, either.

Shakur Hid True Brilliance Behind 'Thug' Act

CLEVELAND - Tupac Shakur managed to be a superstar rap artist as well as a highly coveted sex symbol, but never quite understood the power of his true brilliance because he was busy covering it up.

What a shame.

It was 13 years ago today that arguably the most shocking and pivotal moment in hip-hop history took place; Shakur died from wounds he suffered in a rainstorm of gunfire six days earlier in Las Vegas, NV. His death dealt a gigantic blow to both his legion of devoted fans as well as the music industry, particularly urban music. At the time, Shakur (popularly known as 'Pac) was the biggest star in the game. His magnum opus, the sprawling, double CD All Eyez On Me had been released seven months earlier and received massive acclaim. Additionally, 2Pac had been embroiled in a tit-for-tat feud with rival East coast rap star the Notorious B.I.G. and had recently released a vitriolic song entitled, "Hit 'Em Up" in order to publicly humiliate B.I.G.

Shakur had come into national prominence in 1992 when both his debut album 2Pacalypse Now and his feature film debut Juice were released to glowing reviews. From there, the previously introspective, often political 'Pac began to get involved in trouble of all sorts. He began modifying his image and soon became "thugged out" in both appearance and behavior. Brushes with the law and antagonistic lyrics soon became his trademark and ironically, his fame and status grew significantly.

In 1993, Shakur shot two police officers and was accused of sexual assault on a woman. He himself was shot several times in November 1994, and even though he survived the attack, he went to prison for the sex crime. 2Pac wound up spending less than a year incarcerated, but once his $1.4 million bail was posted by music mogul Suge Knight, he was a free man, but indebted to Knight for his generosity. This is when 'Pac signed to Death Row Records and promptly began crafting music for All Eyez On Me. Strangely enough, 2Pac became more brash and pugnacious once he was out of prison. Being in Knight's camp almost seemed to provide him a security blanket and he let his hubris hang out all over the place with "gangsta' posturing" and sharp bravado designed to paint him as a "hardcore thug nigga from the street."

The problem with all of this was simple; 2Pac only hurt his image by cultivating such a negative one. By the time he attended the Mike Tyson/Bruce Seldon prizefight at the MGM Grand on September 7, 1996, he'd completed his 5th solo album, "Makaveli: The Seven Day Theory" which was scheduled for release two months later. He was gunned down in a still-unsolved drive-by shooting on the Vegas strip after the Tyson fight while riding in a BMW with Knight.

Since he had been shot two years prior, many believed that he would again pull through. He also seemed to be, through the mythology of his music, invincible. He wasn't. He received major surgery and lapsed into a coma before finally fading away on that awful Friday the 13th afternoon 13 years ago. Of course, fans were overcome with major grief and disbelief and Shakur became canonized almost immediately. He was now seen less as a troublemaker and more as a martyr who became the voice of a generation.

What is so wasteful to me is that Shakur was amazingly intelligent, philosophical and articulate. There's an interview of him, filmed in 1988 when he was just 17 years old where he poses some very thoughtful observations and questions about politics and the plight of poverty stricken people and how they are overlooked by the "hotshots" in Washington, D.C. That intelligence and analytical ability was on display occasionally, though not nearly enough because he was busy living up to his contrived "thugness."

Don't get me wrong. I'm aware of Shakur's upbringing and his street-side, so there are no false illusions on my part. I'm just disappointed that the man who became an icon in death wasn't more forthcoming with his genius. I always say that if he were around nowadays, he'd be a far more professorial type, maybe in the vein of Michael Eric Dyson; Dr. Tupac Shakur if you will.

Shakur's lyrics were often a work of art -- when he eschewed the violence and mayhem for poetic amelioration. He was an idealist as well as an activist in his own way, but he too often got in his own way and his potentially transformative influence was extinguished.

Looking back on 2Pac's brilliant career from the vantage point of 13 years later, I can't help but wonder how he would have impacted the world in the 21st century. Remember, he was just 25 years old when he was killed so he had so much room for improvement and time to shake off that young ignorance that we're all cursed with initially. Tupac Shakur was so much more than we knew at the time, but if we continue to listen to his music, we'll continue to decipher his true message, not the commercialized one.

Long live Tupac.

Jordan Cleverly Used Doubts To Fuel His Legend

CLEVELAND - It is officially etched in stone; Michael Jordan is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Man! How did that happen?

Seriously though. Jordan's enshrinement has been a foregone conclusion for at least 20 years given his incandescent skills, epic achievements and seismic impact on sports, culture and big business. He is the most iconic performer in hoops history, his significance is an amalgamation of Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Wayne Gretzky. In short, Michael Jordan was the biggest embodiment of all that a legendary athlete should be. He was remarkably gifted, but that skill was augmented by an incomparable drive, which birthed his impassioned work ethic. He was singularly brilliant, yet hell-bent on winning above all else, which enabled him to imbue his teammates with the requisite confidence to win at a blistering rate.

MJ won a mountain of awards and sassed his competition into submission with his polished fundamentals and superlative athleticism. He was the quintessential star leader and because of the completeness of his game and incorrigible competitiveness, he led his teams into becoming champions many times over.

Last night, we all found out how he became so excellent.

Jordan took to the podium amid a 73 second standing ovation, his face bathed in tears and his voice nearly paralyzed with emotion and served up effusive praise for Scottie Pippen, his superstar sidekick during the Chicago Bulls' trouncing of the NBA in the 1990's. Jordan also spoke glowingly of his childhood influences; Walter Davis and his presenter, David Thompson. Once the tears subsided and the pleasantries had been issued, MJ went on the attack like it was a pivotal NBA playoff game.

He mentioned early basketball rivals such as his older brother Larry and Leroy Smith, a student at E.A. Laney High School who made the varsity basketball team instead of Michael. College roommate Buzz Peterson, whom he secretly targeted to prove himself to be superior to on the court because he was voted top high school player in the state instead of Jordan.

MJ mentioned naysayers in the media, who opined that Jordan was good, but not on the level of then-current stars Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. He thanked Bird, Johnson and Isiah Thomas and George Gervin, who were both in attendance for forcing him to take his game to another level after the apocryphal "freeze out" in the 1985 NBA all-star game, during Jordan's rookie year. Best of all, Jordan brought up his first meeting with Bryon Russell, which took place in 1994. Russell taunted the then-retired-and-playing-baseball Jordan by essentially telling him that he could handle him "if he ever caught MJ in shorts." Of course, Jordan un-retired in 1995, then hit a jumper over Russell to win Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals, but more famously, juked him with a crossover (and shove) and drilled a jumper to win the NBA championship a year later.

MJ also "thanked" former New York Knicks coaches Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy for raising his competitive ire, and praised the legendary Dean Smith, his coach at the University of North Carolina as well as Phil Jackson, whom he labeled a pro version of Smith. He "playfully" derided former Bulls GM Jerry Krause (who boycotted the ceremony) and owner Jerry Reinsdorf, both of whom he has a long-standing icy relationship with. He reminded his three children that they have "a lot to live up to" and that he "wouldn't want to be in their shoes if [he] had to."

What I took from Jordan's speech was this: he expertly used the doubts, negative comments and slights (real or imagined) of many people to ignite his already fiery competitiveness. He may have seemed defiant in his words, and in a sense he was. But it was all about him basically saying, "if you ever doubt me, you'll be proven wrong." He was vengeful whenever anyone sold him short, and that was mostly because he knew how hard he worked to perfect his craft and thusly, took these slights from others as an affront to his colossal commitment. That's not arrogance, that is incredible self-assuredness based on the work he put in. He earned it...he didn't have it handed to him.

Jordan made it clear that he doesn't see himself as the greatest player in history, as he is so often called. He extended praise to his predessessors and greatly acknowledged his contemporaries, especially two who were also enshrined last night; John Stockton and David Robinson.

In the end, MJ will always be the ultimate competitor as well as the most iconic hoopster in history. He'll always dispense praise where it's due and it will be sincere.

As long as you don't underestimate or doubt him.

Jordan's Birthright Becomes Reality Today

CLEVELAND - Michael Jordan will officially become enshrined into basketball immortality today as he gets formally inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, an occurrence so expected for so long, that it should have been put on the 2009 calendar the minute he was born in 1963.

I'm only half joking.

Jordan enters the hallowed halls of hoops heaven alongside other hardwood luminaries such as David Robinson, John Stockton and coaches Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer. In spite of his prestigious company, Jordan is without a doubt the headliner and his entrance has received a disproportionate amount of press and publicity.

He deserves every bit of it and more.

Naturally, I am a gigantic MJ fan and have been for many years, so I am a little biased. Even still, Jordan's expansive accomplishments and historic impact on both basketball and pop culture is simply unprecedented.

I will be waiting with heavy anticipation, ready to dispense a hearty standing ovation.

The Absolute Horror of 9/11

CLEVELAND - Today marks arguably the worst, most brutal day in United States history. It was an unspeakable tragedy of epic proportions that felt like sudden Armageddon and ended in over 3,000 deaths.

September 11, 2001.

Eight years ago today was an overwhelmingly tragic day for the nation, but it was also a terrifying day to those of us that weren't directly affected. Thankfully, I didn't lose any loved ones in any of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA, but it was a very nerve-wrecking day nonetheless. I awoke that morning with two thoughts on my mind; reports had surfaced the previous day about Michael Jordan's decision to return to pro basketball, this time with the Washington Wizards after a nearly four year hiatus. Also, Jay-Z's highly anticipated album, The Blueprint was set for release on this day. Both things delighted me to no end, but watching the see-it-to-believe it situation unfolding on television caused initial shock, then as the day progressed, absolute fear.

I was scared.

There was an air of panic that hovered over that day. There was apprehension just getting on a bus or rapid transit. Bomb threats were reported in Cleveland and the normally populous downtown section was a veritable ghost town at noon, normally the busiest time of the day.

Interesting to me, Jay-Z was set to release The Blueprint 3 today (he released it three days ago) and Jordan is being enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame in a few hours. Talk about irony and coincidence.

With the massive deaths and heroism, this is clearly an indelible day that will forever live in infamy. It is also a day that is symbolic of America's resolve.

God continue to keep us safe from a repeat of such cruelty.

Who's Bad?

CLEVELAND - For anyone that's ever screened the ultra-shocking web series a Date with Deante, nothing should be able to surprise them. Yet somehow, the unadulterated Young manages to do just that every episode.

The newest edition is no exception.

Young debuts the 43rd installment today entitled, "Who's Bad?" and once again raises the bar for obscene comedy. From convincing an already eager guy to expose himself to trying to get a deaf alcoholic to assist him in masturbating, Young knows no boundaries.

Has he ever?

Check out the new clip. It's guaranteed to delight!

Retired Jordan Closed Stadium With 52 And A Kiss

CLEVELAND - With the legendary Michael Jordan being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, tributes and retrospectives of his historic career have been flowing in by the dozens from everywhere.

Here's one more.

It was 15 years ago today that a retired Jordan took to the court to play in former teammate Scottie Pippen's charity game. It was the final game and event ever to be held at Chicago Stadium, the venerable venue that housed countless historic events in its 65-year history. The game was sponsored by Ameritech and served as MJ's first public appearance in a hoops game since Game 6 of the 1993 NBA Finals. By the time this game took place, he'd been retired nearly a year.

With several current and future NBA stars participating, the rusty Jordan would have a tough go at it, at least in theory. He was a member of the White team and sported the white, black and grey Air Jordan X. Pippen was the leader of the Red team, which presented tantalizing possibilities for the two former teammates who had led the Chicago Bulls to three straight NBA championships from 1991 to 1993.

Penny Hardaway, who had just one season of NBA experience under his belt amazed the crowd as expected. Jason Kidd and Grant Hill, who began their rookie seasons a month later, greatly impressed. But it was the bittersweet sight of MJ in a hoops uniform that teased the crowd, all of which were his hometown fans. Since his stunning and sudden retirement the previous October, Jordan had taken to playing minor league baseball, which confounded the sports world.

MJ was electrifying as he netted a myriad of jumpers, layups and dunks. His rust was apparent only in the fact that he missed 22 shots, yet he made 24 en route to a searing 52 points. Of course, this was essentially a late-summer all-star game, so defense was nearly non-existent. Jordan was legitimately awesome, though. Late in the game, the crowd rose to their feet as Jordan and Pippen briefly went one-on-one. Michael scored on a fadeaway and again on a driving layup. Both he and Pippen missed their final shots, then hugged at the final buzzer as MJ's team won.

Final score, 187-150.

Jordan stated in the post game press conference what we already knew. "I can still do this," he said to the media. "I just don't have to do it in front of 18,676 or on anyone else's clock." Without question, the lasting image from that game took place after the buzzer. Jordan knelt down and kissed the Bulls logo at center court. He told the media that he and the arena shared a mutual love and respect. It [the closing arena] had given him a lot and hopefully, he'd given it just as much.

In the following days, Jordan went back to the minor leagues for another run at baseball while the Bulls began playing at the brand new United Center starting in the 1994-95 season. Of course, we all know now that Michael got antsy sometime around mid-season and, aided by the Major League Baseball strike he returned to pro basketball, eventually leading Chicago to another three NBA titles.

Lucky us.

I think it is possible that the "meaningless" little charity game 15 years ago may have been where MJ's original spark to return came from. He was once again on center stage, wowing the crowd, dogging the defense and steering a team to victory; all very familiar territory for the man-turned-icon.

Thank God for charity.

For Jay-Z, 'Blueprint 3' Is Evolutionary Brilliance

CLEVELAND - Talented people are not automatic geniuses and superstars don't always evolve into legends. For one Mr. Shawn Carter, he is the rare exception.

He is a legendary genius, and it continues to show in his work.

Carter, the 39-year old Brooklyn native known professionally as Jay-Z has released his 11th solo album The Blueprint 3 today, three days earlier than planned to lessen the impact of bootlegging the LP, which leaked online a week ago.

I can say with absolute certainty; this album is superb.

While Jay-Z's 2001 album The Blueprint is among the top albums of the decade and 2002's The Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse was a guest-laden, double CD offering that was very good, yet mildly disappointing, the new album showcases Jay as a brilliant lyricist, versatile and evolutionary. His formidable legacy looms large over this album (in spite of the litany of guests) and he deftly proves yet again why he's as great as he is.

Nowadays, it has sadly become popular to ridicule Jay-Z because of his age. Many lesser artists use this as their best defense mechanism since rap is typically a young man's game. But the truth is quite simple; Jay-Z has what no one else in the game has or for that matter, ever had. The man has a resume more expansive than anyone else in the 30-year history of hip-hop. No one has ever enjoyed such relevance for over a dozen years whilst doling out a gigantic catalog of mega hits, guest appearances and indelible lines. And let's not forget the millions upon millions of records sold and endless cache of awards.

And that's just the music.

Jay-Z is a superlative businessman and a tireless worker. He isn't simply a rapper that romanticizes his drug-dealing past and brags about his mega-wealthy present. There is a distinct sophistication in his music, especially the new joint. Jay-Z is an amalgam of hustler, executive and philosopher and merges the wisdom and pragmatism of such contemporaries as Talib Kweli and Common with the glittering commercialism of a Lil' Jon or a Soulja Boy -- just with a far more substantial lyrical dexterity.

Listening to The Blueprint 3, it becomes increasingly apparent that Jay studies everything. He takes hip-hop into unfamiliar and unconventional areas that work for him better than it works for anyone else. Case in point: on the much maligned "D.O.A.," he likens his music to that of iconic crooner Frank Sinatra. For a drug-dealer turned mogul, that is a huge leap but it fits because of his aura. Yes, the track has gotten plenty of flak (many call him an out-of-touch fuddy duddy), but he exudes a smooth elegance on this song that makes him equally believable as a Rat Pack-era star who shares commonality with Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. or a modern day hustler in the 'hood.

Another though that occurred to me as I listened to the album: Jay-Z has actually laid out his blueprint his entire career; hustle your way out of the environment you were born into, never let that place confine or define you, learn from what you see and experience and be smart enough to allow that hard knock life to inspire epic ambitions, of which many he's achieved. On the hit single "Run This Town," Kanye West (who produced much of the album) co-stars, and it was his understanding and acceptance of Jay's philosophy that took him from a Chicago suburb (obviously different circumstances from Jay's) to the top of the music industry as both artist and producer. West has excelled because he's followed Jay's blueprint.

"Empire State of Mind" showcases Jay as a diverse, global figure. He is clearly the most adaptable star in his genre's history and is a student of not just hip-hop and its pioneers, but also Hollywood, sports, politics and pop culture. Coupled with his vast intellect, that is precisely why he's so incredible and witty, not to mention full of substance.

"On to the Next One" has Jay's evolution front and center. He details his significance and prominence in the entire entertainment industry, matter-of-factly mentioning holding company with such icons as Michael Jackson and Oprah Winfrey as well as President Barack Obama. Theme of the song: he doesn't get bogged down by the status quo.

"Off That" is an interesting merger of young and experienced. Current Mr. popularity R&B/rapper Drake features on this track but it's Jay that dominates. He conveys a been-there-done-that vibe with this song, even doing so with grand hubris. Understand this: the inherent nature of hip-hop is flexing one's bravado and swagger, yet most do it without having accomplished anything. Jay actually explains why he's earned the right to do so.

I can't help but admire Jay-Z's excellent wordplay. On "Venus v.s. Mars," he deftly uses double entendres and puns to illustrate the subtle differences between he and his girl. Lines like "shorty like Pepsi, me I'm the "coke" man" are highly entertaining to anyone that actually "gets" it. I feel as though the song loosely represents the metaphorical differences between he and many of his supposed "competition."

My final analysis of The Blueprint 3 is simple. It is a great album and perhaps with time, a classic. Right now though, it is certainly a masterpiece and it stuns me that Jay can still be this good after 13 long years. No, it's not a typical Jay-Z album from his early years. But like he so eloquently states on the CD, "you want the old Jay, buy [his] old album." This is about evolution and improvement, and he's done both very well.

He's only added to his legacy as the best in history.

2Pac Shooting Was Our JFK Assassination

CLEVELAND - Tupac Shakur was an incendiary star in the world of rap and hip-hop music in the 1990's and, through his timeless music has remained so in the 21st century. He was also a brilliant intellect blessed with the wisdom of a visionary and cursed with a follower's flaw to fit in.

In short, he was hopelessly complicated.

Today is the 13th anniversary of Shakur's shooting on the Las Vegas strip. Though it was the second time he'd been shot in two years, it was far more serious. He died from his injuries six days later, forever changing music history and the landscape of hip-hop.

2Pac's shooting was a huge event. Since it resulted in his death at age 25, it became a flash point for urban America akin to President John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963. I'm not suggesting that a musician's death was as important or historic as the president of the United States, I'm simply saying that 2Pac had become a major symbol to black youth who emulated his aggressive and emotional lyrics and lifestyle -- for better and worse. Just like JFK's assassination, 2Pac was gunned down without the presence of the news media filming the event. Another JFK parallel is the multitude of conspiracy claims that have swirled around the murder. The Warren Commission concluded that Kennedy was murdered by Lee Harvey Oswald, though many people have never accepted such a simplistic hypothesis. With Shakur, no one has ever been officially named and with the cryptic nature of his first posthumous album (Makaveli: The Don Killuminati), many have suspected that the rap star faked his death just as Italian philosopher Niccolo Machiavelli did.

Shakur has been deified in the 13 years since his demise. He is hip-hop's foremost icon and continues to inspire a new generation of MCs who marvel at his brazen lifestyle and legendary bouts with the law, not to mention his signature lyrical style and subject matter.

In the final estimation, Shakur was a legitimate legend and inspirational force in spite of his flaws and erstwhile belligerence. It is a shame that he apparently felt compelled to kow tow to a "thuggish" image rather than expose the true genius that resided inside him.

He was greater than perhaps even he knew himself.

Jackson Will Never Be Buried To Me

CLEVELAND - Painful as it is, I must talk about Michael Jackson's burial yesterday, which took place 70 days after his stunning, sudden departure on June 25.

He will forever be on the surface of my mind, never buried.

The funeral, a quaint and exclusive event held at the iconic Forest Lawn cemetery eight miles north of Los Angeles, California was heavily delayed and then commenced with several luminaries speaking on Michael, sharing anecdotes and remembering the legendary entertainer for not only his historic accomplishments in the music industry, but also for the amazing person that he was.

It was dubbed, "a celebration of life."

Michael's closest friend, Dame Elizabeth Taylor attended as did some of Michael's friends-turned-co-stars in music videos; Macaulay Culkin and Chris Tucker. His first wife, Lisa Marie Presley was also amongst the group that bade the music giant a tearful farewell.

I never can say goodbye.

Michael will never become an afterthought to me. His expansive influence and eclectic style will forever inspire me just as it has to this point. I salute the man for his genius, generosity and dedication.

He spoiled us all.

Garrido: The Ultimate Nut Job Pervert

CLEVELAND - I have been absolutely transfixed, stunned and baffled at the criminal audacity of Phillip Garrido, the 58-year old California man that kidnapped, raped, twice impregnated and held captive Jaycee Dugard for a staggering 18 years.

What a loser.

Garrido amazingly managed to abduct Dugard in June 1991 when she was just 11 years old from a school bus stop as her step-father watched in horror from two blocks away. That was stunning enough as it were, but Garrido was a known sexual predator who had served just 11 years of an imposed 50 year sentence in the penitentiary for a litany of crimes (particularly rape) he committed against a 25-year old women in 1976. The fact that he was already "heavy in the system" for unspeakable and immoral crimes, yet went unimpeded in the Dugard abduction for nearly two decades is astonishing to me and scores of other Americans.

Wow.

Garrido was a pervert and sociopath of epic proportions. He molested Dugard at least twice and almost certainly far more times than that; he fathered two children with her when she was just 12 in 1993 and again when she was 16 in 1997. Those children, now aged 15 and 11 never attended school or visited a doctor. They were kept in an elaborate and obscured tent in Garrido's backyard along with their mother Dugard, whom they thought was their sister.

Since I am the father of two young girls and also have two younger sisters, this entire sordid tale sickens and terrifies me to no end. Additionally, it has been reported that Garrido was known to park a short distance from middle schools and high schools and masturbate to the sight of the young girls that would enter the school. That type of information makes me pray to God that my girls are NEVER faced with a devil like that; both for their own safety and my freedom because I would go ballistic when I got my hands on that sicko.

Garrido is in custody now as is his wife, his long time accomplice. Dugard, now 29 and her girls have been reunited with their family who is still in absolute shock that she has returned alive and well after all these years. My hope is that Dugard and her children's' odyssey benefits others, especially potential future victims. Law enforcement needs to step up their efforts and refocus their procedures in dealing with these situations.

It'll keep our children safe and us concerned parents out of prison.

Butterflies In Their Tummy

CLEVELAND - It's easy to see why the sight of Deante Young with a camera aimed is a very nerve-wrecking visual for anyone.

The guy is beyond blunt and brutal.

Young releases the 42nd episode of his web series a Date with Deante today and once again brings his trademark wit and razor sharp obscenities to his global audience. The episode, entitled "Butterflies" touches on such familiar topics as oral sex and drugs while also taking a stab at homosexuality and depression. Through it all, the trio of guests are visibly unnerved by the sheer intimidation of Young's presence.

Watch the brilliantly funny installment and prepare to shake your head in amazement.