Sometimes I Wonder ...

- Was it always cold on "Good Times?"

- Why did Thelma always whine?

- Exactly how many times did she get engaged?

- How come Willonia just walked in without knocking?

- Who left their door unlocked living in the Chicago projects?

- How come people never say "bye" when they hang up the phone on TV?

- Who picks the people to interview for these VH1 specials?

- How come I don't know half these so-called comedians and actors on "Ego Trippin's Black to the Future?"

- How do I become one of these random people on VH1?

- Speaking of random -ish on VH1, am I the only person who refused to watched the foolishness that was "For the Love of Ray J?"

- Who do I need to curse out and/or beat down over there to stop from putting that crap on the air?

- Why do people give a crap about these D-list celebrities finding "love?"

- Speaking of that damn word, why do you coupled off people want to set your single friends up with other single people?

- If you know both people well, shouldn't you know they're incompatible?

- Don't you think if we wanted to hook up with each other, we would have said something before?

- Why is the dating process so damn taxing?

- What is it about "you irritate the -ish outta me" that you don't understand?

- Note to men on the DL, "YOU'RE NOT AS STRAIGHT LOOKING AS YOU THINK YOU ARE!"

- Do you ever see an odd-looking couple and wonder how in hell they met?

- Is it wrong that I give them names and back stories?

- Do you think I'll be caught doing it and forced to stop?

- I'm contemplating a week of silence, think I'll make it?

- I'm gonna do the 5K Walk for Lupus Now in the Queen City of Charlotte on Saturday. You guys wanna help me reach my fund raising goal? I know it's a recession and all, but I know you got $5. Click the link and help a chick meet her goal!

I'm OK now ...

... last night, not so much.
The finale for Ego Trip's Miss Rap Supreme on VH1 was last night and it did not turn out the way I expected. Though she wasn't my pick to win it all, I would like to congratulate Rece Steele on her victory.
The last time I did a post, I think Lady Twist had just gotten the boot. In case you're not as avid a viewer as I am, let me catch you up. When I last posted about M.R.S., Bree, Nicky2States, Chiba, Ms. Cherry, Byata and Rece Steele were the last ladies standing.
Bree exited the show after a less than stellar showing during the video challenge. That week, she, Chiba and Ms. Cherry were teammates competing against Byata, Nicky2States and Rece Steele to create the best video possible. They had to write a song and make a video using some of the craziest props and extras.
Surprisingly, I thought the low-budget video and song, i.e. Bree's team, was better because they were more creative. The problem was Ms. Cherry out shined the rest of her group members and one of them had to go. It really wasn't that shocking to see Bree go. She stayed longer than I thought she would.
Next to go was the foul-mouthed Nicky2States. With only five folks left and two team captains being chosen from the pageant, that left three ladies to be chosen for a team. That means that three people were on one team and two on the other. Byata was teamed with her arch enemy Chiba and Ms. Cherry, while Nicky2States teamed up with Rece Steele.
For that challenge, the ladies had to write a song that would cross over to the pop audience. Byata said being the white girl came in handy for that challenge and after a power struggle with Chiba, Team Byata reigned supreme. That left Rece and Nicky up for elimination. After the most emotional elimination of the show, Nicky had to leave, but all was well because she pledged that she was going home to "get some."
Last week's episode left Chiba, Ms. Cherry, Byata and Rece Steele to battle it out to get the top three. That show was probably the most funny because Chiba tried to get back in the other ladies good graces and ended up drinking a bit much and stupidly admitted to maybe using previously written rhymes.
Long story short, there was no pageant so it was every femcee for herself. Since there were no teams, nobody got immunity. Chiba did win the competition but of course the other ladies assumed that the rhyme was previously written.
Byata threatened to quit, YoYo fussed her out like Tyra Banks did that model chick Tiffany when she got eliminated. Hearing the ladies' concerns about a possibly cheating Chiba, Search and YoYo deliberated and opted to have Chiba step off because they didn't trust her. I was happy, because, well, Chiba had been on my good nerve for a couple of weeks.
Last night left the top three, Ms. Cherry, Byata and Rece Steele. First off, I think I predicted that Rece Steele was leaving in like week four, but she didn't. I picked Ms. Cherry and Byata for the top three and what can I say, two out of three isn't bad, right?
Anyway, the final pageant was a battle between the three ladies left. Ms. Cherry being from ATL, she wasn't fluent in battle rapping. Byata claimed she doesn't battle, but that didn't stop her from ripping Ms. Cherry a new one, but she went easy on Rece. Rece, however, did NOT return the favor. She cut both of them down like blades of grass and of course breezed through the pageant.
Ms. Cherry had to go because, well, her battle raps sucked. I would still buy her music. I hope Lil' Jon or Luda picks her up because the girl is alright.
That leaves us with Rece Steele and Byata in what I call the "Battle of the Burroughs." Both ladies are from New York City, but Rece hails from the Boogie Down Bronx while Byata hails from Brooooook-lynnnnnnnnnnn!
Their challenge was to write a 16-bar verse and a song complete with a hook to perform in front of an audience and guest judges Mona Scott from Violator Management and Missy Elliot. Both the ladies stepped up to the stage, did their thing and Rece Steele reigned "supreme."
There could be several reasons that the judges chose her, I personally was rooting for Byata. I think the girl can rap, she's got a nice flow to her and she's about having fun. Rece on the other hand is a little too hard for me. She was talking about murdering folks and I can't co-sign on that.
She can battle rap her butt off, but I wasn't feeling her song or her 16 bars in the finale. But, that's why I wasn't judging, they know more about hip hop than I do. I just listen to what I like.
Personally, I think that Rece needs to link up with the Rza, the Gza, Raekwon the Chef, Method Man and the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan. For one thing, we've been knowing since '94 that they "ain't nothing to F@#* with" and I think they need one of those ride or die chicks on their squad and she's it.
All in all, it was a good show. A wonderful alternative to the regular "Celebreality" nonsense on VH1. I can't wait for the next season.

I have a confession.

This is so hard for me to do. My name is Smarty Jones and I'm addicted to Ego Trip's Miss Rap Supreme on VH1.
Seriously. Ordinarily I wouldn't get involved with the nonsense that is CelebReality on VH1, but for some reason, this one has caught and kept my attention. I think it is that the female emcee, or femcees as I've heard them called, amaze me. Not that women shouldn't be able to do it like the men, or better, I'm just amazed.
In the first episode, they narrowed the field from 50 contestants to 10. The 10 left are (1)Byata from Brooklyn, she's my favorite, she's unlike anyone I've heard. She could almost be a female member of the Wu Tang Clan if such a member existed.
(2)Chiba from Neptune, NJ. she's good too. She and Byata are so much alike they can't stand each other. But both of them are off the hook. For whatever reason her pic didn't save when I created that homemade graphic.
Next is (3)Miss Cherry from the 'A,' I like her too, she reminds me of Luda a little bit. That chick has punchlines for days. Then (4)Nicky2States reppin' Huntsville, Ala., she's like a cross between Trina, Lil' Kim and the original Foxy Brown from her "Ill Na Na" days.
(5)Lady Twist is from Dolton, Ill., and that could explain why she reminds me of Twista. Her ability to tell a story reminds me of Biggie though.
(6)Bree is from L.A., though I would have thought Ohio because she could have been a member of Bone Thugs N Harmony. And (7)Rece Steele, I'm not sure about her. I think she's leaving next. She doesn't leave a lasting impression at all.
The others who rounded out the top 10 include one-hit wonder (10)Khia, D.A.B., and this Russian chick Lionezz.
Apparently the fame from "My Neck, My Back" dried up and Khia either needed some money or some exposure. She succeeded in making an ass of herself and getting disqualified for plagarizing herself and she didn't even spell respect right. Now I am all for the beat and making the lyrics fit but there is NO excuse for ignorance.
(9)D.A.B. was alright. She was a wreck though. She is a recovering addict with a helluva story to tell and she told it, over and over and over again but not in her rhymes. She was too needy and needed to be accepted. That doesn't translate well in hip hop.
And (8)Lionezz is a special case. This is the only person to have been eliminated twice. She was the first one voted off, but was brought back after Khia played herself. Her accent killed her. She is from Russia so she's behind the curve on trying to learn how to deliver rap in English. But her lyrics are sick!
They tapped M.C. Search and YoYo to host the show. I haven't heard anything from Search since Third Base came out with "Gas Face," and YoYo did a little bit of acting but has remained under the radar for a while.
Either way, it's my guilty pleasure. Hey, I'm entitled to one right? I didn't watch Flavor of Love or I Love New York and until they do another session of Charm School, I'm fresh out of foolishness.
Seriously, if you love hip hop or rap, take a look. If nothing else, it's good for a laugh.