#MNR: MINOLTA

#MNR: MINOLTA
 
“I pop a bottle. We’re not promised tomorrow. Showing love is the motto. Flicks in cowboy hats, strapped like desperados. (Gun fires) They [done] lit one out the chamber, no iron fired. In a vegetative state when that man China died.”
Nas
 
This week’s #MNR rap bars are courtesy of Nas’ first verse on “Thun” from the album King’s Disease III. The song is amazing. So is the album. My other favorite track is “Reminisce.” Hitboy (Nas’ exclusive producer for the last four projects) slowed down a portion of Mary J.’s “You Remind Me” for background vocals to accentuate a nostalgic, laid-back track. It just hits different. Other standout tracks include “Michael & Quincy,” “Recession Proof,” “Serious Interlude” and “WTF SMH.” The fourth time's a charm for Nas and Hitboy.
OFFICIAL TY MONDAY #MNR REVIEW (*INITIAL): 8.3/10.
 
*INITIAL – I reassess music in time, long after the initial hype and excitement have subsided. Being that Nas is my favorite, it’s the only way I can objectively assess his work.
 
Please forgive my tardiness. Excuses are the tools of the incompetent, BUT... I just copped Cyberpunk 2077 for the PS5, and I can’t stop playing in my precious bits of free time. Just so you know, I’m cheap when it comes to purchasing non-sports games, so I waited for the PlayStation Black Friday Sale to cop the game for $24.99. Yeah, I’m that type of Negro. Anyway, the game is fire AF. I harbored interest when the game first dropped a year or so ago, but there were too many stories about bugs and how they made fluid gameplay a shitshow. The news I received must’ve been accurate because the game makers did a pause and relaunch. It was apparently successful because I’m a quarter of the way through and haven’t run into any snags thus far. So... what’s CP2077 like? Imagine an open world with a map like a GTA5, but the city gives futuristic Tokyo/Times Square vibes. It’s in first-person, so your eyes are the entire screen, like COD. The shooting also resembles COD, with futuristic weapons like Perfect Dark. I don’t really play RPGs (role-playing games), so I don’t have a recent example of one, but I think the Legend of Zelda franchise suffices. The choices you make have immediate effects and potential consequences. The game is also like a GTA or Saints Row in its ability to offer side jobs for additional income. Fuck what you [might have] heard, CP2077 is fireworks.
OFFICIAL TY MONDAY #MNR REVIEW: 3/4 STARS.
           
I pray everyone had a blessed Turkey Day. Brandi cut a fool in the kitchen. Errything was hittin’ too. Won’t even any raggedy ass peas to talk crazy about (IYKYK). Ever since Shareon transcended, family affairs have been few and far between. I’m blessed to say that I have Brandi in my life. I love you, lady. Thank you for being my rock. Bigs up to Rhino, Riyel, Mama Tonya, B and LJ.
 
 
I KNOW I’M LATE ON THIS ONE (AND EVERYTHING ELSE) BUT IT DIDN’T FIT WITH THE LAST BLOG. I’M PLAYING CATCH UP. PLEASE BEAR WITH ME.
 
Hey 21 Savage...I respect your abilities. You can [in part] thank Jermaine Cole for the respect I have for your ability to hold a microphone down. Or maybe it was the sample on the track. “I love you...for so many reasons.” Whatever. Look, I respect the fact that you gave Nas his flowers for being an elite MC. That’s cool. But it does not negate the disrespect you spewed by calling him irrelevant. He may not be relevant to you, but I’m certain he would sellout a big venue faster than you. And by big venue I mean O2 or MSG. I ponder whether you’d be able to do the same without Drizzy on the bill. Nas has been successful for damn near 30 consecutive summers. You better hope your run is half as long. It’s cool though. I’m guessing your proclamation was inherently linked to Jay saving your blue blood ass from being deported back across the Atlantic. You’d probably be down on the scorecards in a pub fight somewhere in Brixton at this very moment if it weren’t for Sean Carter. Leave the god alone.
 
INSTANT UPDATE: “One Mic, One Gun” by Nas featuring 21 Savage is crazy!!! Boffum killed it. My prior vitriol toward 21 was mostly reaction based. I have a great deal of respect for him for putting the issue to rest by jumping on a Hitboy track with the god. No funny, he really did his numbers.
 
“I ain’t going against no legend, nigga, I’m trying to be next in line.”
21 Savage
 
SALUTE TO YOU. I FUX WITCHA.
 
Yeah, I know. And yeah, you’re right. I’m petty AF. Richard. Tom. Betty (shouts out to Tim’s mama). I’m gon always be petty when it comes to Nas/Jay. I’m loyal. Having said that, if you’re willing to overlook more than a decade of disparaging tweets and semi-hatred, so am I. I’m certain you would benefit from the services of 2NN, Mr. Carter. Holla at your folk. Business is never personal.
 
Big ups to JP, my barber of 24 years, for returning home earlier than anticipated from seeing Bri, Mack and the family down VA for Turkey Day. I was looking semi-homeless in the hairline. You are appreciated.
 
LIFE IS GOOD, EVEN WHEN IT AIN’T.
 
(Midnight Marauders Tour Guide voice): The NFL Crew, aka Niggas for Life, consists of six members: Nick, Erik, Donnell, Vinny (Roger), Brian and Ty.
 
If you’re familiar with Midnight Marauders, imagining the Tour Guide reading that should bring a smile to your face. LONG LIVE PHIFE DAWG.
 
Big ups and love infinite to my HCHS squad, the NFL clique. Nick, Eric, Vinny and Brian came up together in Cody area. Donnell and I lived in SoBo; we were NYC transplants. We all cliqued up around ’94 and we’ve been family ever since. We’re spread out, so there hasn’t been a reunion in forever; hopefully that will change shortly. We do have a group chat that we use semi-regular, which is a beautiful thing when you make it to our age. I got the opportunity to chop it up with my brother Nick this past week. We spoke for a couple of hours about all types of everything: love, family, mistakes, redemption, life. Nick is a blessed man with a lot of wisdom for the youth. He lived a life that a lot of y’all fantasize about, and he made it through. And damn it, he’s got one heaven of a testimony for all street niggas. The fellowship was blessed. I love the fact that we [at our age] are both able to enjoy and appreciate how precious life is. We’ve lost quite a few homies along the way, enough to make one ponder. But we’re still here, and we’re still thriving. I thank God for true friends like Nick. We are family. Here’s to family, blood and otherwise. Big ups to Halifax County, VA. #NFL.  
 
That’s all I have for this week. I’ll try to stick to the schedule (British pronunciation) and handle my handle in a timely manner next week. If I don’t – don’t worry about it; I’m not paid for my time (yet). Happy trails to you... until we meet again.
 
Ms. Julia Koch: if [somehow] you come across this blog, @ a brother on the blogs.
 
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