Jeanius (2008)

 

The talented South African rapper demonstrates that female rappers can compete with their male counterparts without having to rely on their sexuality such as Nicki Minaj, and Lil Kim.  

However unlike Lil Kim and Nicki Minaj she has yet to achieve the mainstream appeal that her talent clearly deserves. This should have been the album to her expose her to a larger audience. 

So why wasn’t it? Jeanius wasn’t meant to be released in 2004 but due to bootlegged versions being leaked the release date kept on getting pushed back. A four year delay meant that many people were already familar with the album by the time it was released. 

Another reason for her lack of success is one of marketing. As addressed Jean Grae does not want to be a sex symbol, she wants to be recognised as the clever MC that she is. For record company executives it is difficult to accept that fans of rap music would listen to a female rapper who does not rely on sexuality to sell records. 

Jean’s frustrations have lead to consider early retirement which would be huge waste of talent. to selling guest features for $800 which greatly undervalues her skill.

She addresses this frustration on This World

“”You don’t like the way I flow/ ‘She needs more emotion, though’/ I’ll give you emotion, it’s you, holdin’ your broken nose”; “controversy works, and plus I got a pussy/ But even with that, people scared to push me/ Who’s a pussy first?”

On Billy Killer is one of the tracks that benefits smooth production and sampling which contrast well with the angry lyrics. Jean Grae is not happy with the fact her man is overworked. 

In other reviews I have read the track Desperada has been criticised for being repetitive which surprised me. The production is not as smooth as on Billy Killer but is still one of the best tracks on the album.

Think About It has a quicker beat and highlights the confidence she has own in her own abilities as she shows she can brag as well as Jay-Z, whereas Don’t Rush Me she expresses herself doubt and nervousness. 

Overall 

A superb album that covers a variety different themes from frustration and anger, to nervousness and confidence. There few duff tracks and the album may have benefited from a track with faster beat, as almost all the tracks have slow retro beats. That said Jean Grae shows that female rappers can compete in a male dominated industry, and for that I look forward to her the release of her new album Cake or Death.

Rating

8/10

I have been awa…

I have been away and haven’t written a new blog for quite some time. So what is the reason for my long absence? I have started a new job and career which has taken a great deal of time. I am now fully adjusted to the commute and have mastered the new computer programmes (I haven’t broken anything computers yet). 

Now that I am adapted to my job I should be posting more regularly. For my first post in a considerable amount of time will be a review of South African rapper Jean Grae’s 2008 album Jeanius.

 

Why am I reviewing this album four years after it is has been released? Well first of all it is an amazing album and deserves all the praise it gets. Secondly I am looking forward to her latest 2012 album Cake or Death that is soon to be released.

Recommended blogs,

I recently came across regarding how 3D films can revive interest in cinemas and cinema advertising called The Number 1 Marketing Blog. It raised a number of interesting points. I tend favour storyline over graphics but if I was going to watch a film in the cinema it would be film with fancy graphics as I want to see the film straight away whilst I am excited about it and secondly home cinemas can’t match the quality of display or atmosphere of a major cinema. The blog takes an interesting look at this issue from advertisers perspective. 

Homeland Blog Series 1 Episode 12 “Marine”

A disappointing finale 

I couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed by the ending of Homeland.

The actual plan for the terrorist attack was clever. Walker misses the Vice President with his sniper but all of the people involved in the cover up of the drone attack that killed Abu Nazir’s son would convene in a “safe room” where Brody could then detonate his bomb vest.

Brody

It was the resoning behind Brody’s decision not to carry out the terrorist attack. He was prepared to go through with the attack and had managed to psyche himself up to assisanate all these people but at the last minute he chickens out due to a phone call from daughter. Admittedly the call was emotional but surely it wouldn’t have been enough to make Brody change his plans.

The finale raised left us unclear of Brody’s motives. He didn’t want to assassinate the Vice President and his friends when he had the chance but he was quite willing to kill Walker, to get rid of the loose cannon and now wants to use his position of trust and influence he has over the vice President.

Walker

Perhaps it is wrong but I couldn’t help feeling sorry Walker. If it wasn’t for his stupid wife Carrie might have been able to locate him and possibly turn his life around. At the very least he wouldn’t be dead.

He got a much worse deal than Brody. He was presumed dead, only had one phone call to his family, in contrast to Brody who had enough time to sort out any family issues, as well getting act as getting treated like a hero.

Carrie

Carrie has nothing going for her now? Her career seems to be good as over and she is receiving she treatment for her bipolar disorder, and she is in love with Brody.

On the plus side Virgil and Saul are very supportive of her through these difficult times and both support her theory that there is more to this attack than Abu Nazir.

Whilst receiving electroconvulsive treatment Carrie remembers Brody mentioning Isla in her sleep, but will she recall this when she wakes up?

What I want to see more of in Season 2…

Politics. The problems that Carrie, Brody, Saul, and Estees had in their personal lives got very repetitive. It would be interesting to see more of how Brody’s image is being exploited by the Vice President for political gain as well as more focus on career politics (such as Estees) and possibly the rivalry between different agencies.

Virgil. Brought a comedy element to all the episodes and a Carrie needs an unconvinced, unwilling, sidekick to drag along in her hare-brained schemes.

Saul’s beard.

What I don’t want to see in Season 2…

Morena Baccarin. The worst actor in the show as well the most annoying character.

What may happen in Season 2

I don’t know. These are all wild guesses.

1) Mike becomes more prominent in season 2 and becomes very suspicious of Brody’s behaviour.

2) Brody asks Carrie for help to stop Abu Nazir.

 

Homeland Blog Series 1 Episode 11 “The Vest”

A really interesting contrast between the two main characters. Whilst Carrie endures a manic episode and loses her job, whereas Brody enjoys a perfect family holiday before he begins campaigning for office.

 

Carrie

I felt it was a really strong performance by Claire Danes in this weeks episode. It was really uncomfortable watching Carrie suffer with her bipolar disorder. Carrie hits rock bottom in this episode. Her thoughts are blurring into one another, her speech is incoherent, and finally she loses her job.

In spite of these setbacks she still manages to show some insight on Abu Nazir which Saul manages to decipher.

Brody 

Brody on the other hand appears to be in complete control. On holiday everything is going  seemingly well, and the Brody family seizing the last opportunity to spend some quality time together before going Brody goes campaigning for Congress. But despite all the smiles it seems that more like Brody is saying goodbye to his family and trying to savour the last holiday he spend with his family.

 

Dana and Saul 

Each episode the focus has been on comparing and contrasting Carrie and Brody, but in this week I thought there was an interesting contrast between Dana and Saul.  Dana acted on her suspicions after being unconvinced by her fathers recent behaviour and looked to find out what is in the package that he claimed was for her mother.  In contrast Saul who had concerns about Carrie’s mental state after she  returned from Iraq opted to ignore them.

 

What I thought might happen in this episode?

When Dana was looking to find out what was in the package I thought she may have accident set off the package killing her. How would Brody have reacted to this? Would he have used to his advantage to gain even more sympathy from voters so he could still execute his plan? It doesn’t really matter as Dana is still alive.

Estees 

The guy was way too happy to fire Carrie. I don’t he is the mole, but he is a bit of a tool.

What I think would be an interesting twist?

Walker made the difficult choice to commit a number of murderous acts and be thought a traitor and a terrorist so he can use the sniper to kill Brody to prevent him from assassinating the Vice President. This won’t happen though.

Homeland Blog Series 1 Episode 10 “Representative Brody”

Carrie

Poor, poor Carrie. Thinking Brody has called and wants to see her again she gets all dolled up. But all Brody wants her to do is keep quiet, so his political career isn’t ruined. She has gone from being convinced to Brody is a terrorist to feeling attracted to him. Needy Carrie isn’t much fun to me, but perhaps she will get jealous and kill off Brody’s irritating wife Jessica.

More importantly she also blackmailed the Saudi diplomat. Firstly she threatens to reveal that he is gay, but when that doesn’t work she threatens to deport his daughter, ruining her future. She is no Jack Bauer but it did show a ruthless side to Carrie.

Brody

Brody was a bit pathetic this episode. He wants to run to Congress, so gets the man who was sleeping with his wife to persuade him that this is a good idea. Mike is probably only doing so Brody will be around less and he can visit Jessica.

Brody has gone from not wanting to be a “poster boy” for the war to running for Congress and neither Mike nor Jessica find that change a tad suspicious.

Walker

He trained that homeless man very well, by telling him keep your head down.

He definitely is a terrorist so my theory about him being deep undercover are ever more wrong, now that he set off a bomb.

Highlight

The diplomats line when admitting he was gay was funny.

Annoying 

The CIA would have been looking at Brody for some time in order to vet him, yet didn’t notice/start early enough to notice him being captured and kidnapped. Which seems pretty stupid to me.

Homeland Blog Series 1 Episode 7 “The Weekend”

Watch the latest episode on 4od

The best episode so far?

In previous blogs I have mentioned that I couldn’t understand why Homeland had received such glowing reviews, despite enjoying the show. This weeks episode justified the praise and was the best in the series so far, in my opinion. There was good acting, great chemistry, tension, suspense and plot twists.

In the latest episode Carrie and Brody spend the weekend together whilst Saul hunts down Aileen in Mexico.

Carrie and Brody

The episode picks up where last weeks episode left off, with Carrie getting into Brody’s car and not really sure why. Both Carrie and Brody are sharing a lot of information with one another, Carrie lets Brody know that he passed the polygrapgh test, whilst Brody reveals his wife, Jess, is having an affair.

After flirting in the car they decide to visit a bar where Carrie is hit on by a white supremacist. Carrie insults him and together Brody and Carrie beat him before fleeing. It’s kinda romantic, isn’t it? Carrie then suggests visiting a cabin owned by her family, where they flirt some more, make love, and seem to be having a genuinely romantic time, although not completely as Carrie decides to arm herself. For the first time in the series both Carrie and Brody seem comfortable and happy, and are relishing each others company. They cook together, and make love. Again.

Things take a turn for the worse when Carrie reveals what she knows what tea he likes with Brody wondering how she could have know that information.

Brody works out that Carrie has been spying she run into him on purpose at the support group. Carrie owns up and reveals why she is suspicious of him. Brody, angry that he has been spied upon, urges Carrie to ask him any questions she has.

Carrie asks if he slipped him the razor blade. Brody denies it but states he wishes he had.                       Carrie ask who is Issa (the name he called out during his sleep). Brody reveals it was guard who treated him well.

Now for more surprising answers. Carrie asks what does Brody do in his garage, and she learns that Brody has turned to Islam. She asks Brody why the his captors killed Walker but let Brody live. Brody reveals he killed Walker otherwise he would have been called. Carrie learns that Brody did in fact meet Abu Nazir, but Brody denies becoming his follower.

Despite making a number of startling revelations without any obligation to do so Carrie still distrusts him, annoying Brody even further forcing him to leave. That is until Carrie answers a call from Sau.

Saul reveals that Walker is the American prisoner of war that has turned and that he is still alive. Carrie now believing Brody to be innocent, realises their romantic weekend together was genuine. She attempts to apologise to Brody whose is not interested.

Saul and Aileen 

Aileen is attempting to flee to Mexico but Saul tracks her down, and apprehends her. Saul uses a variety of different methods to persuade Eileen into talking. He tries to scare by warning her that she is on a death penalty charge, tries to make her feel guilty by telling her parents are worried about her, as well as gaining her trust by using his own personal experiences to relate to her.

The 25 hour car journey gives him plenty of time to persuade Aileen to open up up.He reveals the problems he is having in his own love life, and discusses his strict upbringing by his religious parents, and how he was not to integrate. Aileen who has felt like an outsider for much of her life relates to this. As Faisel as brought up, Aileen wants to secure him a proper a Muslim burial and reveals everything she knows; her task was to buy the house and wait for a man. The man spent an hour on top of the house. Saul wonders what is the eye-line from the roof of the house. The landing pad for the President’s helicopter is within sniper range, and the man she met with was Tom Walker and he is still alive.

Jess and Mike

Does Jess know anyone else other than Mike who can fix things around a house?

How does Jess think Brody would react if he saw the two of them together?

If she wants to save her marriage with Brody stop stringing along Mike. If she wants to be with Mike get a divorce from Brody.

Overall

Great episode. It was really enjoyable to learn about Saul’s background and hope the same will happen with the other characters. A part of me hoped that Carrie and Brody would get together and live happily ever after but obviously that could never happen. I felt sorry for Carrie as clearly she is lonely and work seems to be all she has. I feel sorry for Brody too, as his wife really isn’t worth bothering with.

Thoughts

Walker may have been turned but that doesn’t rule out Brody as terrorist. One could be distracting the authorities for the other to attack.

If Brody is a terrorist (which I think he is), how will he use Carrie’s guilt about suspecting him to his advantage?

Most importantly what does this mean for Saul’s magnificent beard.

Homeland Blog Series 1 Episode 6 “The Good Soldier”

Watch the latest episode of Homeland on 4OD.

An unbelievable but entertaining episode. 

Carrie

Carrie’s behaviour during this weeks episode was very strange to say the least. Her mood has completely changed from last weeks episode. She has gone from wanting to leave her job and questioning her mentor Saul, to upbeat and confident about proving Brody is a cell. She suggests polygraph tests for anyone who had the oppurtunity to pass the blade onto Hamid, which he used to commit suicide in front of Estees’ boss without running it past him first, humiliating Estees. This is the impulsive behaviour viewers should expect of Carrie. 

It’s her bizarre decisions to meet to go drinking with Brody, reveal what the polygraph test is all about, and have sex with Brody that test all reality. Knowing that he lied during the polygraph test, suspecting he is a terrorist cell she decides to get in a car with him. 

Brody

This was an episode that raised more questions about Brody than gave answers. The only thing we really learnt is that he is a hell of a liar. Attending the memorial of Tom Walker, the fellow soldier he was held captive, he remembers giving Tom a savage beating, yet that doesn’t stop him from giving a moving eulogy to his fallen comrade. When asked whether he had stayed faithful to his wife furing the polygraph test he looks into the camera and denies it, despite having slept with Carrie the previous.

However similarly to Carrie his behaviour is also confusing.Leaving the memorial after assaulting Mike, he invites Carrie to drink with him and somehow manages to have sex with her, despite the fact he had a weird sex scene with his wife, where he could not be intimate with her.

The investigation 

The investigation moves on quickly with Saul discovering that Professor Faisel has a partner. But who is this is mysterious lady? Carrie reveals that she is Eileen Maureen Morgan. An examination into her back shows that father works in the oil industry, that she spent five years in Saudi Arabia as a child, and she attended a protest at G8 summit. 

Unfortunatley for the CIA, Al Qaeda is also hunting the pair. A supposed safe house is booby trapped but they are being tracked down. Eventually a gunman sprays bullets into the hotel room where they were staying, killing Faisel, with Aileen managing to escape.  

Saul

I think the fact Saul failed the polygraph test is a red herring. His marriage is falling apart, and I think he is trying to keep Carrie from focusing so much on her job is so that she doesn’t make the same mistakes he made, such as totally neglecting his personal life to focus on his career.

Theories

Perhaps both characters are using each other. Brody thinks he can get useful information from Carrie about the investigation or direct her focus elsewhere. Carrie believes she can lure Brody into a false sense of security. 

Other Stuff

Is Brody’s wife meant to be so unlikeable? The only time I have felt sorry for her is during that awkward sex scene with Brody. Other than she seems self centred. She doesn’t really seem to care for Brody, Mike, or even her children. She has only seemed concerned about her affair with Mike not being discovered.

Overall 

Entertaining enough, but lacking realism. The show needs to go down the entertaining but ridiculous path such as 24, or the rewarding but realistic path such as Sleeper Cell. Despite having problems with this weeks episode, I will be looking forward to next weeks. 

Links

Review of Episode 5

Review of Sleeper Cell. If you enjoy psychological thrillers about terrorism I would strongly recommend this show. You can watch a trailer here. Michael Ealy and Oded Fehr are give excellent performances.

Blog redesign

I have made the decision to redesign the layout of the blog to make it easier to navigate.

Hopefully this will make it easier for readers to find what they are looking are for.

Homeland Series One Blog and Future blogs

The review of the latest Homeland episode can be found here. 

Future plans

A lot of people of people have been comparing Homeland to 24, which I don’t quite understand.

I think a better comparison would be Sleeper Cell. I would reccomend this show highly and plan to do a series review on it very soon.

I am also planning to do some posts about football, or soccer for any American readers, as well as another album review following my last review of Pharoahe Monch’s 2011 album W.A.R. (We Are Renegades). 

My first blog

Hello readers.

Welcome to the first post on my blog.

Over the coming weeks, months, and years I plan to blog about a variety of subjects but mainly music, sport and TV.

If there is a topic you would like me to cover or a film or album you would like me to review just post a suggestion in the comments section.