Dos and Do Nots of College: Fashion Wise

Well, School has started here and at alot of places around the country. And in the two days of it I've seen alot of ridicoulus clothing. I havent seen this many people dressed in wack ass clothes since ugly day in high school. So as a service to the children here are examples of what not to do in school.



1. Never ever wear fake brands....Look I know the prices for things you might like may be expensive but never ever buy fake stuff. For the money you waste on fake stuff you could save on discounted real things. The most common fake product are Jordans. I have seen alot of Jordan 13 fusions lately, the problem with that is there are NO JORDAN 13s out or coming out for months. I hate fake shoes probably because people try to play them of as exclusives like Chuck Inglish says,"I see you with them lime green 3, except they never made them, they some lime green fakes"....lesson dont wear fakes



2. Always Match...I dont know what it is that makes people not match. Didnt your mom's tell you what colors match. Don't pull some totally different bright colors out your ass and think you're are styling because you're not. You look ridiculous, you look like crayons, and not Crayolas but them cheap ass Dollar General ones that all the colors have a strange dullness to them lol



3. Here are some brands that are pretty wack right now....Coogi(yeah I said it), Akademiks,Ecko,Girbaud(the strapped ones, normal jeans are okay),Shady(never was cool),and Makavelli(the biggest disgrace to Tupac's name ever. He would never have worn that wackness)



4.And now for some you better not have these on or you will be clowned....Avirex, Southpole,U.S. Polo Assn(lol you better not have these on. People will make you wanna kill yourself afterward I have seen it many a time, and everytime I see it, and its worse each time.) and Fubu(never wear that or Old people will joke on you.)


5. Most importantly, If you wear tall tees still kill yourself lol

Summer Recap and What 2 Look Forward to This Fall

Well I don't know about the rest of you but this summer was pretty cool but also seemed like the longest summer of my life. So besides the bonfires, beers, and friends you hungout with, you might have realized the drought musically we were in this summer. I think the two biggest party songs were, "Ice Cream Paint Job" by Dorrough and "You're A Jerk" by the New Boyz. I do think one of the better songs from this summer was probably "Poke Her Face" by Kid Cudi ft. Kanye & Common. That song is just so cool you forget how degrading it is to women. And anytime you can get girls to sing degrading lyrics its always funny. Another big song, at least to me was "Pretty Girls" by Wale ft. Gucci Mane. I think part of it is the shock that either one would work together. But hands down the biggest song this summer has to be "D.O.A." by Jay-Z. And what is great about that is one of the most popular songs this summer talked about how a genre is horrible right now. I think Blueprint 3 easily has the momentum to be the best selling album this year. But after Jay-Z, what other albums are there to look for? Well Secondly I think Lupe Fiasco's LASERS is something to look for. Lupe seems to get better each time out and I'm sure this album is worth the wait. And plus Lu is so stingy with music everytime its something new I'm happy to hear it. But after Lupe, we have probably the last albums of Class of 09' rappers(and the Heavyweights of the class). First up is Kid Cudi, Cudi easily has the best success so far with Day N' Nite and Poke Her Face. Plus all the music I heard outside of that is really good and innovative. So along with Cudi, I have to put Wale & Drake as the next hottest albums this fall & winter. Even though Wale is one of my favorite rappers I think Drake will outsell him and get more media attention(actually he's already doing that) but Wale is a fighter and I think he may have a dedicated following like Lupe. But I think Drake is the favorite of every girl and every non hip-hop head. I would like to see Wale pull a classic with commercial success out but I've got doubts. Drake is on MTV.com everyday for gosh sake. And plus is the only rapper I know that is not from the hood and starred on a teenage drama to have a huge street following. So those are my favorites this summer musically. Hope the fall doesnt suck lol

How College Dropout Changed My Life.....

Its funny when you look back at your life and relive moments that ultimately change it. That can be said about my life and College Dropout. By the time, College Dropout, came out I had already fallen in and out of love with Hip-Hop. I first fell in love with it right around when 2pac died. But by the time 50 Cent dropped Get Rich or Die Trying, I almost hated rap. Its probably because the first rapper I really knew was Pac, and by the time 50 got huge everyone compared him to Pac. I decided then and there that if hip-hop was so empty of emotional stories and good music that 50 Cent is 2pac, I AM DONE WITH RAP. So in 8th grade I started listening to anything but rap: Nirvana,Weezer,The Beatles,Led Zeppelin,The White Stripes,The Strokes,Miles Davis,George Benson, and anything else. But as I went to high school rap cameout with really good music. First Speakerboxx/Love Below dropped(classic), Black Album(Jay-Z) dropped, and College Dropout dropped. College Dropout is what offically brought me back into Rap. Because like me Kanye West was a suburban black kid, who loved fashion, was educated about the plight of black people, and loved things not stereotypically black. So his swagg got me and when I got his album it clicked. From that first skit featuring Deray as Bernie Mac, I was hooked. I listened to that cd nonstop for weeks and months. I could relate to everything on that album. How people try and label you, ignorance, religon,fashion,humor, politics, struggles, and victory. After that I felt a connection with Kanye. It was more than just a good music connection, it was like he was the first rapper to talk about shit I was feeling. All his albums parallel with my life at different points. College Dropout-came in my freshman yr in high school, Late Registration-an album about having things you always wanted but lacking something cameout my Jr. Yr of HS. Graduation came out 4 months after my high school graduation and explained the joy felt of moving on to adulthood and having fun partying. 808 and Heartbreak, is the most connected to any album I felt since College Dropout. 808 came at a time in my life where I was in a huge depression in my life. I didn't want to do to school anymore, my love life was fucking horrible, my life was totally just out of wack jus like 808. So Kanye West, despite being an asshole is one of my heroes. And I feel like he is the best artist this decade...If you don't fuck you lol Holla

Artist To Watch: Dane One

I recently heard about Dane One, through a friend working through his street team. I looked him up on Myspace and heard a couple of his songs. And I have to say I'm feeling him. Dane One seems to be something that is missing in rap in this age. A dude who is holding down for his city(Chicago) and who is influenced by the sounds of his environment. He's style is pretty original but if I had to describe it to someone who hasn't heard it I would say a mixture of Chicago based rap(i.e. Crucial Conflict) and a mixture of a young 50 in his tone and delivery. His music is street but a more conscious street. In true Chi-Town form he speaks of the glamour involved in the street life but the pain and hard knocks involved in it. But I suggest that everyone check him out and support the man. For more info and a listen to some of his tracks go to www.myspace.com/teamfirst Holla

Malcolm X: The Black Conservative

The title of this post to some might feel is ridiculous. After all in the history books at your school you are basically taught that after slavery there were two Civil Rights leaders: Dr. King and Brother Malcolm. After that in a round about wat they tell you MLK was the "good one" and Malcolm was the "bad one". These two figures are presented as polar opposites. They present MLK as the angel of light, unifying people of different races with his poetic words and non-violent protest. They present X as this demon, dividing people and calling for the murder of all white people. That is unfortunate. True MLK and Malcolm X are different in philosophies. But to present them as "bad and good men", respectfully, is a crime to history and their legacies. Also the characterization of Malcolm is so far from the truth. By all means Malcolm was no more radical than any modern day Conservative. Malcolm X advocated that the best way for black America to advance in America was by not accepting handouts from white America. That includes not accepting welfare, food stamps, and the things that many feel don't support hard work. He was a deeply religous man and tried to live his life on the principles given in the Quran and the Bible. Also he was an advocate of the 2nd amendment. He believed that people where given the right to own and defend themselves with guns. But this is where people usually say he advocated hate. Malcolm didn't advocate hate but he saw a double standard. The people who said he was a hoodlum for advocating defense were the same one turning hoses on black people and lynching black people. But one difference between King and X was that Malcolm felt a non-violent struggle could not give Black Americans true freedom. He felt the only successful fights for freedom in history were by force. And if you don't believe that why do we fight wars? Remember America became a country by declaring war on their former homeland. So was he wrong in feeling that? Maybe. But his conservative views on welfare and programs also opened the door to him feeling that people couldn't ask for freedom. He felt that when you ask for something guaranteed to all Americans you are not being treated as an man. So what is controversial about that? And also if you put him in the context of history his statements describing white people as "white devils" wasnt as controversial as the American government doing testa with Syphillis on black men in Tuskegee, the acceptance of lyching in the south, or the murder of Emitt Till. I think it became easier to White America for them to be scared of Malcolm X than Martin Luther King. But while doing that they closed their mind to how Malcolm X was conservative in many aspects of his life. Even some of the leading Black Conservatives today realize that. Michael Steele has said his favorite historical hero was Malcolm X because he was about action. Also Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said Malcolm X was his hero. So why do we not give Malcolm X credit in the Civil Rights Movement? The better question I might ask is why are Martin Luther King, George Washington Carver, and Harriet Tubman the only black people we learn about in school. Is it because we believe they're not as threatening? And if not that are there only a few important black people in American History? Think About it....

Happy Birthday SPlifted!! We are 1 Year Old...

1 year ago today, I started SPlifted Research, the website. The website was started out of one of our favorite past times, talking music, politics, and (explicit) lol. With the help of my friends and those of you who kept reading and giving support through Facebook and Myspace, a year later I'm still doing it. I want to thank you all for giving me to time to express my views(though sometimes Crazy) and responding with yours. Although we been around for just a year I feel like alot has changed in the world. We lost a music legend, got a new president, and the economy sunk. So I guess you can say we started when the president was white and the economy wasnt as bad. But through all the joy, pain, laughs, cries, and music of the past year we have talked about all of those things on this site. I never thought that when I started this website I would do it for more than a couple of months. I literally started this an hour after thinking about it. All I can say is I knew that I had strong opinions about things that I felt were getting neglected by other people.But with all of that, I promise to do more with this blog than before. I'm gonna feature new artists(including 1 I heard about through a friend named Dane 1) and the latest in politics and style. Also I wanna finally do the next part of the website and create a mixtape(artist rap and rock holla at me). And If you wanna join the team hit me up on Facebook or Myspace. Or by my email. Anyway lets keep the ball rollin'. Let's make it another great year. Holla

Yours Truly,
Juice, Editor in Chief

Coolest High Schooler Ever: Zach Morris Vs. The Fresh Prince

Okay in this time of politics and debates we have neglected a special topic. Yes, long before Obama or McCain, Kobe or Lebron, and iPod vs Zune there was one debate...who was the coolest teenager ever? Zach Morris or Will Smith(Fresh Prince). Now both are easily the two coolest TV teens ever but who reigned supreme? Lets Begin

Background
Zach Morris-Rich Kid who lives in Southern California, had his own cell phone(before most of America), and is the biggest troublemaker at Bayside High School.
Will "Fresh Prince" Smith-Poor Kid from West Philidelphia(Born & Raised) for a punishment for getting into a Fight he is sent to live with his Uncle & Aunt in Bel-Air.Coolest Kid and biggest troublemaker at Bel-Air Prepatory
Decision-While Will's family is richer and his life is a rags to richest story, it is easier to be cool at a Private School than a Public School. Also Zach Morris commited more felonies than any TV character not to be arrested...plus Zach had a phone. 1 for Zach

Clothes
Zach Morris-Zach was a pretty cool dresser but didnt start any cool fashions.
Will Smith-The Fresh Prince is the prototype of cool as he wears the bright colors, Jordans, Earrings, and the coolest fade ever(sorry Kid from House Party).
Decision: 1 for Will

Girls
Zach-He not only had Kelly(who is still fine) but hooked up with Jessie,and the fine Lisa Turtle,(all of which on and off camera) and every other female to be on the show.
Will-He got some of the finest girls in History. He had a young Tisha Campbell, Nia Long(twice as two different characters), Naomi Campbell, Vivica A. Fox, Jasmine Guy, Kim Fields, Tyra Banks, Robin Givens, and Garcelle Beauvens. All he was missing was Halle Berry and thats a perfect list. LOL
Decison-Will was a whore LOL 1 For Will.

Special Powers
Zach-He could Freeze Time, Damn
Will-none
Decison-Zach

Actors who Portrayed them
Zach-Mark-Paul Gossalor, after Saved by the Bell, nothing lol
Will-Will Smith is one of the top earning actors of all time. He has been nominated for 2 Oscars, He has several Grammys, married to Jada Pickett(damn), his kids are good actors.
Decision-No Competion 1 for Will

Impact
Zach-Saved by the Bell is a classic teen show and remains popular to this day
Will-Fresh Prince introduced Hip-Hop to many people, remains popular today and the episodes never get Old. Also on Saved By the Bell they watched Fresh Prince beat that....
Decision-1 for Will

Winner-The Fresh Prince(Hip Hop wins)



HOLLA LOL