A Piece Of History On This Day... July 28th 1945

A United States military plane crashes into the Empire State Building on this day in 1945, killing 14 people. The freak accident was caused by heavy fog.

The B-25 Mitchell bomber, with two pilots and one passenger aboard, was flying from New Bedford, Massachusetts, to LaGuardia Airport in New York City. As it came into the metropolitan area on that Saturday morning, the fog was particularly thick. Air-traffic controllers instructed the plane to fly to Newark Airport instead.

This new flight plan took the plane over Manhattan; the crew was specifically warned that the Empire State Building, the tallest building in the city at the time, was not visible. The bomber was flying relatively slowly and quite low, seeking better visibility, when it came upon the Chrysler Building in midtown. It swerved to avoid the building but the move sent it straight into the north side of the Empire State Building, near the 79th floor.

Upon impact, the plane’s jet fuel exploded, filling the interior of the building with flames all the way down to the 75th floor and sending flames out of the hole the plane had ripped open in the building’s side. One engine from the plane went straight through the building and landed in a penthouse apartment across the street. Other plane parts ended up embedded in and on top of nearby buildings. The other engine snapped an elevator cable while at least one woman was riding in the elevator car. The emergency auto brake saved the woman from crashing to the bottom, but the engine fell down the shaft and landed on top of it. Quick-thinking rescuers pulled the woman from the elevator, saving her life.

Since it was a Saturday, fewer workers than normal were in the building. Only 11 people in the building were killed, some suffering burns from the fiery jet fuel and others after being thrown out of the building. All 11 victims were workers from War Relief Services department of the National Catholic Welfare Conference, into the offices of which the plane had crashed. The three people on the plane were also killed.

An 18 foot by 20 foot hole was left in the side of the Empire State Building. Though its structural integrity was not affected, the crash did cause nearly $1 million in damages, about $10.5 million in today’s money.

HBO's Insecure Season 2

Insecure is the perfect summer show. It’s alluring, approachable, and fun, and the joy it provides is hard to shake off. It crackles with energy, seduces like great mezcal on a lazy summer night, and glitters much like the Los Angeles cityscape that appears in the first shots of the season two premiere.

In “Hella Great,” Insecure remains heated yet leisurely, in no rush to grant tidy answers to the increasingly tangled lives of Issa, Molly, and Lawrence. Perhaps that makes it all the more apt that the episode begins with a fantasy: Issa sits across from Lawrence at an upscale restaurant. The lighting is hushed, romantic. Cocktails sit between them. She’s quiet as he stumbles almost robotically over his words. “You know I get why you did what you did now,” he says. Just as she processes his tender declaration that he wants to get back together, the scene cuts to reveal that it was all just a daydream Issa was having on her actual date. Moments such as this, which punctuate “Hella Great,” prove that Insecure is much more than a slice-of-life rendering of upwardly mobile, city-dwelling black women. It’s a wistful, surprisingly astute portrait of the interior lives and fantasies of those women, and it enchants as much as it cuts deeply at the interpersonal problems they face.

Free OJ

A group of four commissioners from the Nevada parole board granted parole to Simpson after he served the minimum nine years of his 33-year sentence for a 2007 kidnapping and armed robbery incident in Las Vegas. Simpson, who expressed both defiance and gratitude at the hearing, could be released as early as Oct. 1.

Bruce Fromong, a victim in the robbery case who spoke in Simpson’s favor at Thursday's parole hearing, told ABC News' "Good Morning America" in an exclusive interview today that he believes Simpson "has served his time" and deserves parole.

"O.J. has served his time," Fromong said." "I had told the [district attorney] at the time I had felt like one to three years was a proper sentence for it."

"It wasn't O.J. who put the gun to my head," Fromong added. "He was also the one who said, 'Put the gun down, put the gun down.'".

Before the parole board Thursday, Fromong admitted that the Las Vegas hotel room that was the site of the botched robbery attempt did contain items that belonged to Simpson, but said that on the day of the robbery, "Simpson was misguided."

What are your thoughts? 

Chester Bennington died by hanging, coroner confirms

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles County coroner confirmed Friday that Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington died by hanging.

Coroner's office spokesman Ed Winter says the 41-year-old rocker hanged himself from a bedroom door in his home near Los Angeles.

Bennington was found dead Thursday.

Winter says a half-empty bottle of alcohol was found in the room, but no drugs were evident. Bennington struggled with drug and alcohol addictions at various times during his life.

A suicide note was not found.

An autopsy has not yet been scheduled.

Bennington was one of two lead vocalists for Linkin Park, who became one of the most commercially successful acts of the 2000s. They won countless awards, including Grammys, and their hits include "In the End," ''What I've Done" and "Numb."

AARON CARTER 'YOU WON'T CATCH ME GETTING ANY DUI'S' Days Before DUI Arrest 7/16/2017 11:14 AM PDT

11:51 AM PT -- Aaron Carter has been released on bond, TMZ has learned. A spokesperson for Habersham County sheriffs tells us Aaron's girlfriend Madison Parker remains in jail but is eligible for bond, though she has not bonded out "for unknown reasons." 

8:45 AM PT -- Bail for Carter has been set at $4,610. Parker's bail is set at $4,360. All charges filed against the couple are misdemeanor offenses. 

Aaron Carter has been arrested in Georgia on charges of DUI refusal, possession of marijuana and possession of drug related objects ... TMZ has confirmed.

The singer was pulled over by Habersham County sheriffs Saturday night. We're told Aaron refused to submit to testing for a suspected DUI -- meaning he refused a breathalyzer and testing of his blood and urine to determine if he was intoxicated. 

Carter's girlfriend, Madison Parker, was in the car with Carter and was also arrested. 

Only hours before his arrest, Aaron tweeted that he would be unable to make a performance in Kansas City due to "transportation issues." 

'America's Got Talent' Pays Tribute to Late Contestant Brandon Rogers by Sharing His Powerful Musical Audition

On Tuesday's America's Got Talent, the show paid tribute to Brandon Rogers, who died in a car accident on June 11, after already having filmed his audition.

AGT explained that, at the request of Rogers' family, they were honoring the 29-year-old singer's memory by sharing his audition.

Rogers, who was a doctor of family medicine, was interviewed before his performance, and opened up about his ideal life. "If I could find a way to combine being a doctor and medicine with singing, that would be a dream come true," he shared.

In his audition, Rogers performed a soulful, touching cover of Stevie Wonder's 1982 classic "Ribbon in the Sky," that had Mel B singing along from the judges' table.

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Paris Jackson, 19, spotted holding hands with actor twice her age

Trevor, who also starred in "Melissa & Joey," is the first man Paris has been linked to since she split with Michael Snoddy, whom she dated for a year. Trevor previously dated "Scandal" actress Sonia Rockwell from 2006 to 2009.

Thus far, 2017 has been a big year for Michael Jackson's daughter, particularly in her career.

Last month, she graced the cover of Vogue Australia. Earlier in the year, she was the cover girl of Rolling Stone and Harper's Bazaar. She also scored an acting gig with Lee Daniels, presented an award at the Grammys and launched a career as a model. She also took part in a Madonna-inspired photo shoot under the Eiffel Tower for Chanel.

"Paris is in a very happy place. She is pursuing her creative interests... and feels like this is finally her time," a source close to Paris told "ET" after the Chanel shoot. "She wants to try modeling, acting and has been songwriting. She is grateful for the opportunities ahead."

In April, a source spoke to E! News about Paris' opportunities.

"If you had to put her priorities in order, it would probably be acting, activism and modeling," says a source close to Paris. "She's passionate about all of them. Her modeling career is really taking off and you can expect some big announcements coming in the next month or so."

Blac Chyna details Rob Kardashian's alleged violence

Blac Chyna has accused Rob Kardashian of being violent towards her.

The 29-year-old reality star was awarded a temporary restraining order against her former 'Rob & Chyna' co-star on Monday (10.07.17) after he went on a social media tirade against the beauty which saw him post explicit photos of her, accuse her of being unfaithful and on drugs, and threaten to stop her from seeing their seven-month-old daughter Dream.

In court documents filed by Chyna - who also has four-year-old son King Cairo with her ex-partner Tyga - to secure the restraining order, the beauty accused her former fiancé of being physically violent toward her, and recalled one instance in which he allegedly ''punched'' her and left her ''terrified''.

Chyna stated in the documents, obtained by People magazine: ''Rob was mad at me and was speaking poorly about me in front of me in front of my four-year-old son, King Stevenson. When I told Rob that he could not speak about me in this way in front of the child, Rob exclaimed, 'I can say whatever the f**k I want!'

''I used my phone to call King's father [Tyga]. Rob immediately grabbed my phone and punched me in the side knocking me to the ground where I landed on my hands and knees. Rob is 6'2″ and weighs 280 pounds. I am a petite woman and only 5'2″. Rob hurt me when he punched me. I was terrified and my legs were hurt. I was sore and had a hard time walking for days. I sent my son's nanny a text that Rob hit me.''

Chyna then claims she locked herself in the bathroom to get away from Rob, 30, who allegedly followed her before throwing her clothes over the floor of her closet.

She continued in the documents: ''I immediately called for King's nanny to help by taking my young son to another room after Rob punched me. I asked for her phone to document Rob's abuse because he had taken my phone from me. I then ran to my bedroom and locked the door. Rob was so out of control that he tore the hinges off my bedroom door so I retreated to the bathroom and then hid in the closet in the bathroom after locking the bathroom door.

''Rob then followed me through the bedroom to the bathroom. I began to record Rob by peering around the closet door and through the glass in the bathroom door. I hid in the closet in fear that he would break the glass bathroom door. I recorded Rob with the nanny's phone. Rob was yelling, 'Do you want your phone?! You can record me all you want, I don't care!'

''Rob then went through my outer closet and threw my clothes all over the place - my clothes were all over the floor of the closet. This was a really scary experience for me.''

Chyna's temporary restraining order means Rob cannot come within 100 yards of the beauty, however the pair are still able to co-parent their daughter.

What are your thoughts on this situation? Was Blac Chyna ever really into Rob, or was she just trying to "Rob" a Kardashian???

Jesse Williams & Fans Have Strong Opinions on His Divorce & Dating Minka Kelly

t's safe to say most fans haven't actually met "Grey's Anatomy" star Jesse Williams -- or his wife Aryn Drake-Lee, or his new girlfriend Minka Kelly -- but boy do they have a lot to say about his love life. And boy does Jesse Williams have a lot to say back to those "mother f---kers."

Williams filed for divorce from Drake-Lee in April; they had dated for years before getting married in 2012 and have two young children together. Around the same time the divorce news came out, there were rumors that Williams was dating actress Minka Kelly, with whom he was working on a video game. But it's only now, in July, that "sources" are confirming to People and E! News that Williams and Kelly are dating.

'''They're having a good time together," a source told People. An insider told E!, "They really care about each other and are dating exclusively. Minka has been there for Jesse not only as a girlfriend, but also as a friend. Jesse is really private with everything especially his relationships but feels open with Minka and she has been supportive and that's what he needs now."

An insider told Us Weekly they have been dating for "a few months" and just took the relationship public by heading out to see a movie in West Hollywood on Monday, July 10.

Say it ain't so @iJesseWilliams say it ain't soooo 😫 pic.twitter.com/BAkRKWyfOc

— david barnes (@Blkice1David)

July 11, 2017

There had been rumors that Williams cheated on his wife with Kelly, and Williams addressed those rumors in the footnotes for Jay-Z's "4:44" (via E!):

"I was in a relationship 13 years, 13 real years, not 5 years, not 7 years, 13 years and all of a sudden mother f---kers are writing think-pieces that I somehow threw a 13-year relationship. Like the most painful experience I've had in my life, like with a person I've loved with all of my heart -- that I threw a person and my family in the trash because a girl I work with is cute."

Still, many fans are upset with Williams, whether he cheated or not.

I don't respect Jesse Williams no more for leaving his wife to date some girl named Minka Kelly🙄. #fakewoke

— Jah (@Jah_1_luv)

July 11, 2017

Jesse Williams is a waste man. He did a whole speech on appreciating black women to then cheat on his wife & date a white women pic.twitter.com/lXzNS6tgFi

— Tamar (@cluelessjilbabi)

July 5, 2017

jesse williams messed up...🙄 cheaters are jokers. and after all his speeches we loved him for. smh

— Akosua A-G (@thekoskronicles)

July 11, 2017

I guess I'm late but Minka Kelly? Really!! @iJesseWilliams ? Please please say it ain't so... I feel let down frfr 😑😔

— Shàdē (@GlamyLeo)

July 11, 2017

Jesse Williams dating Minka Kelly!? pic.twitter.com/A5hfVW7Jc3

— Amber. (@Alynn213)

July 11, 2017

It is funny how Jesse Williams referred to Minka Kelly as a 'cute girl' but never defended his wife from people who called her ugly/average

— f. (@coachtamitaylor)

July 11, 2017

Yikes. Jesse Williams isn't having it any easier on "Grey's Anatomy," with fans upset at the love triangle the show seems to be forming between Jackson, April, and Maggie. We'll have to wait for Season 14 to premiere this fall to see where that goes, but ... good luck, man.

Remembering Danny Dias

Danny Dias, who starred in season 13 of MTV's 'Road Rules,' has died and it appears drugs were involved ... TMZ has learned. We're told Dias was at his Brooklyn apartment Saturday with a friend. Law enforcement sources say the friend told them he saw Dias take what he believed was LSD and mushrooms. The friend says Dias freaked out, ran in his room and that was the last the friend saw of him. We're told the friend left the apartment and over the next 2 days called Dias, getting no response. The friend became concerned and on Monday called 911 for to get a welfare check on Dias. First responders had to force their way in, and found Danny dead in the room. Dias appeared on the 2004 season.

Saying Goodbye To A True Superhero

Adam West, the ardent actor who managed to keep his tongue in cheek while wearing the iconic cowl of the Caped Crusader on the classic 1960s series Batman, has died. He was 88.

West, who was at the pinnacle of pop culture after Batman debuted in January 1966, only to see his career fall victim to typecasting after the ABC show flamed out, died Friday night in Los Angeles after a short battle with leukemia, a family spokesperson said.

West died peacefully surrounded by his family and is survived by his wife, Marcelle, six children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

"Our dad always saw himself as The Bright Knight and aspired to make a positive impact on his fans' lives. He was and always will be our hero," his family said in a statement.

After struggling for years without a steady job, the good-natured actor reached a new level of fame when he accepted an offer to voice the mayor of Quahog — named Adam West; how's that for a coincidence! — on Seth MacFarlane's long-running Fox animated hit Family Guy.

On the big screen, West played a wealthy Main Line husband who meets an early end in Paul Newman's The Young Philadelphians (1959), was one of the first two humans on the Red Planet in Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964) and contributed his velvety voice to the animated Redux Riding Hood (1997), which received an Oscar nomination for best short film.

Raised on a ranch outside Walla Walla, Washington, West caught the attention of Batman producer William Dozier when he played Captain Quik, a James Bond-type character with a sailor's cap, in commercials for Nestle's Quik.

West, who had appeared in many Warner Bros. television series as a studio contract player, was filming the spaghetti Western The Relentless Four (1965) in Europe at the time. He returned to the States to meet with Dozier, "read the pilot script and knew after 20 pages that it was the kind of comedy I wanted to do," he said in a 2006 interview with the Archive of American Television.

He signed a contract on the spot, asking only that he be given the chance to approve who would play his sidekick, Robin, the Boy Wonder. (He would OK the casting of Burt Ward, who had a brown belt in karate but zero acting experience.)

Saying Goodbye to a "True" Star.... R.I.P Nelsan Ellis

Nelsan Ellis — famous for his role as Lafayette Reynolds on HBO’s “True Blood” — has passed away at age 39, Variety can confirm.

RELATED

” HBO said in a statement. “Nelsan was a long-time member of the HBO family whose groundbreaking portrayal of Lafayette will be remembered fondly within the overall legacy of ‘True Blood.’ Nelsan will be dearly missed by his fans and all of us at HBO.”

“True Blood” creator and executive producer Alan Ball echoed HBO’s epitaph in a statement of his own. “Nelsan was a singular talent whose creativity never ceased to amaze me,” said Ball. “Working with him was a privilege.”

Ellis’ “The Help” costar Octavia Spencer broke the news on Instagram Saturday morning, saying, “Just got word that we lost (Nelsan). My heart breaks for his kids and family.”

Born in Harvey, Ill. in 1977, he and his siblings were moved to Alabama to live with their aunt before Ellis decided to move back to Chicago at age 15. At 17, he joined the Marines, but quit shortly after. After studying at Illinois State University, Ellis went on to get his B.F.A. from Juilliard, where he just so happened to be a class above his eventual “True Blood” costar, Rutina Wesley.

“The studies were so intense and the institution is so white, and I’m a black man from the South with a very specific vernacular and palate,” he recalled to Backstage in 2009. “I felt like an alien, and I struggled the first couple of years. But it transformed who I am as an actor and a person.”

After a single season on Fox’s “The Inside” opposite Rachel Nichols and Adam Baldwin and an episode of “Veronica Mars,” Ellis was then cast in the role that would define his career — gay short order cook Lafayette Reynolds.

RELATED

‘True Blood’ Finale: TV’s True Death Can’t Redeem HBO Drama (SPOILERS)

“I have more makeup on than any of the females in the (True Blood) cast,” Ellis once famously noted to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “Once they get me with the fake eyelashes and the eye makeup, I listen to some Rihanna and I’m there.”

After 80 episodes over the span of seven seasons, Ellis walked away with a handful of sought after awards: Two Satellite Awards, an Ewwy for best supporting dramatic actor, and a NewNowNext Award for actor on the brink of fame.

Following the success of “True Blood,” Ellis moved from TV to film, landing key roles in movies like “Get On Up,” “The Stanford Prison Experiment,” “Little Boxes,” “The Butler, ” and “The Help.” Most recently, the actor could be seen in a lead role on CBS’ “Elementary,” including the just-wrapped fifth season.

“Crushed today by the loss of my friend and castmate Nelsan Ellis,” said “True Blood” costar Joe Manganiello. “He was a wonderful person, a pioneer, and a one of a kind artist. RIP.”

Ellis is survived by his grandmother, his father, and his son, Breon, as well as seven siblings.

BEYONCE, JAY-Z STILL DEALING WITH TWINS' PREMATURE BIRTH

Beyonce gave birth 2 weeks ago Monday, but she and Jay-Z are still dealing with premature birth issues ... sources connected to the family tell TMZ. Sources familiar with the situation tell us, as of 4 days ago the infants were still in the hospital. As we reported, they are "under the lights" ... which typically means they have jaundice, the result of elevated bilirubin issues. The lights lower bilirubin in the blood to eliminate the jaundice. We're told none of the medical problems should pose serious long-term issues ... nonetheless, we're told doctors did not want the babies released until they were stabilized. As we reported ... Beyonce had a boy and a girl.

Baltimore Bus Shootout

The Baltimore shootout between cops and an armed robbery suspect who boarded a commuter bus was way more fierce than the initial video showed. Prosecutors in Baltimore just released new footage -- a surveillance cam on the bus and an officer's bodycam -- and it shows the suspect pulling out 2 weapons, clearing the bus and opening fire in all directions. The battle went down 3 weeks ago. You also see an officer arriving on scene, mounting up with a shotgun and returning fire. As we reported ... the suspect was eventually shot and killed. One officer was injured by a shot to her leg, and the video shows her comrades in arms rushing to her rescue. What precautions do you think can we take to avoid these situations?

Ben's New Love???

Three months after Ben Affleck filed for divorce from Jennifer Garner, he may have found love again, and the woman involved is Lindsay Shookus, a producer for “Saturday Night Live.”

E! News is reporting that the 45-year-old Affleck met up with Shookus, 37, in London recently, where they enjoyed a number of dates, including going to see Sam Mendes’ play “Ferryman” together.

While a source told E! that they are in the early stages of a relationship, the source insisted: “It’s more than a summer fling.”

The source added: “They are having fun and care for each other. It’s early and they are taking it slow.”

Both Affleck and Shookus have yet to confirm their relationship but E! said they were also spotted in Los Angeles Thursday night, going out for a quick date night.

Affleck and Garner, also 45, filed for divorce in April after splitting in 2015 following 11 years of marriage.

The pair look like they are continuing to pursue a model of the amicable divorce — also called “conscious uncoupling” — which involves estranged spouses staying on good terms for the sake of the children. They have three children, Violet, 11, Seraphina, eight, and Samuel, five.

The A-listers were spotted with their kids enjoying July 4 festivities in Pacific Palisades and they reportedly went on a family vacation in the Bahamas in June.

As for Shookus, she began working on “SNL” in 2002 as an assistant to a producer but quickly climbed the ranks. the Huffington Post reported. 

She was named one of Billboard’s most powerful executives in music in both 2015 and 2016 for booking artists like Chance the Rapper and A Tribe Called Quest on the late-night sketch comedy show for which she won an Emmy.

Shookus was previously married to Kevin Miller, a former associate producer on “30 Rock,” according to a 2010 wedding announcement in the New York Times.

THE BENEFITS & JOYS OF TAKING UP CYCLING

Are you looking for a new way to get active? Maybe you just need something that will fill your time. Whatever reason you have for considering taking up cycling, you might still need some extra convincing. Read on if you want to find out more about the benefits and joys of cycling regularly.

It Helps the Environment

Cycling is great for the environment. It’s certainly a lot better than taking a car everywhere you go. You won’t be polluting the atmosphere every time you want to get from A to B, and that must be a good thing. So, if you’re becoming increasingly concerned about your impact on the environment, taking up cycling might be the best way to go about changing things for the better.

You’ll Save Money

If you do decide to start cycling rather than taking the car everywhere you go, you could save a lot of money. You won’t have to spend nearly as much on fuel. And you can even avoid having to pay a lot of money for public transportation too. That money you save can be put towards other more worthwhile things, and that’s a great reason to take up cycling if you haven’t already.

It’s a Hobby That Can Take Different Forms

There isn’t just one way of cycling. There are all kinds of ways in which you can get involved with cycling, and that’s something that you should make the most of. If you want to just cycle to work, you can do that. Or you could do some competitive cycling too. It’s entirely up to you how you do this. You could pull on a brewery jersey and take your bike to an indoor cycling track. It could be a lot of fun for you.

t Offers You the Ideal Way to Get Active

We all now understand the importance of getting active and staying in decent shape. No one can afford to ignore the importance of this. If you don’t get active, you will put yourself at risk of all kinds of avoidable health problems as you age and get older. Getting active is often seen as a struggle, but you can easily incorporate cycling into your everyday routines if you try to. Make it happen and watch your health improve.

You’ll Feel Invigorated Afterwards

Once you jump off your bike and get back to the day to day things that you must do, you’ll be sure to feel invigorated and energized. This is the best reason for giving it a try. There are not many things out there that can genuinely make you feel better in such a short space of time. For example, people who cycle to work feel much less lethargic when they get to the office and start working.

Hopefully, those benefits and joys of cycling have convinced you that this is something that you should try out for yourself. You might even find that you enjoy it more than you expected.

SZA – “20 Something”

I really don’t need to write much. This weekend, after several attempts at getting Top on the phone, Top Dawg Entertainment released SZA’s long awaited album, ‘Ctrl.’ From the tweets I’ve been reading and IG posts/stories I’ve been seeing, everyone is pleased with the final project after months of teases and dead ends.

I’m going to share one of my favorites today, the album closer, “20 Something.” Accompanied by only an acoustic guitar, the 26 year old songwriter sings from the perspective of a young adult that has learned many lessons in the past few years. She is not jaded from her experiences, only thankful for her present and optimistic about her future over strings strung by Carter Lang, former member of The O’My’s and a few claps provided by The Antydote AKA Scum on their seventh (7 as in, they did half of the 14 tracks that make up ‘Ctrl’) SZA collab this year.

Police Officer Is Killed In The Bronx While Sitting In Her Patrol Car

By - Associated Press - Wednesday, July 5, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) — Police say a New York City police officer who was shot while sitting in her patrol car has died.

New York City police Sgt. Brendan Ryan says 48-year-old Officer Miosotis Familia died at a hospital early Wednesday in what police are calling a “clear assassination.”

Police say other officers shot and killed the suspect after he drew a revolver on them.

They say the attack happened in the Bronx just after 12:30 a.m. while the officer was sitting in her the vehicle with her partner. Her partner radioed for help while other officers spotted the suspect and began chasing him.

The suspect has been identified as 34-year-old Alexander Bonds.

Ryan says police are unaware of any connection between Bonds and Familia.

SMH... We need to do better as people, this world will never change until we do. What are your thoughts or solutions to make this world a better place?

Condolences to Miosotia Familia's family, friends and everyone who is touched or affected by this tragic loss.

DAMN!

KENDRICK LAMAR – DAMN. [REVIEW]

Does he really need an introduction? Look, I love EVERY Kendrick Lamar album, my personal favorite being To Pimp A Butterfly, which in 2017 isn’t an uncommon option. People have high expectations for this man, and rightfully so. He’s, in my opinion, the greatest Hip-Hop artist of our generation. Didn’t say he’s the best… just the greatest. Overall. But maybe he is the overall best too. Definitely the best concept rapper we have right now. Debate me another time. What I’m here to give you right now is my current thoughts on his latest work, DAMN.

I’m here to tell you whether or not this album is the greatest thing since sliced bread, or trash, because on the internet music can only be one or the other. Whenever Kendrick drops, people get anxious. People get worried. They fear that the man will slip, because he’s just been on a streak of greatness that he just has to fall at least once right? Maybe not. Did he this time? Well, let’s dig into the album and see.

K DOT. KING KUNTA. CORNROW KENNY. KUNG FU KENNY. KENDRICK LAMAR. GODDAMN. 14 TRACKS.

Just remember what happens on earth stays on earth!

1. BLOOD.
Produced by Bēkon & Top Dawg

So I was taking a walk the other day

Pretty chilling and interesting introduction. Seems like Kendrick goes to lend a helping hand to a blind woman and ends up getting shot. Who’s the blind woman? Honestly not sure. You could argue that it’s Lucy, of To Pimp A Butterfly fame, or even Kendrick himself. Honestly, I’m still not too sure myself. I believe it’s better off left for personal interpretation.

The track closes off with a snippet from a Fox News segment criticizing Kendrick’s “Alright” performance at the 2015 BET Awards. Fuck Fox News though, amirite?

2. DNA.
Produced by Mike WiLL Made-It
A true banger. This track could truly give you a heatstroke. You hear that beat switch? I drown in my own sweat each time.

I got, I got, I got, I got
Loyalty, got royalty inside my DNA
Cocaine quarter piece, got war and peace inside my DNA
I got power, poison, pain and joy inside my DNA
I got hustle though, ambition, flow, inside my DNA

Heavy bass and aggressive bars. This is track is pure insanity! There’s honestly not much I can say from it outside of that. If you’ve heard it, you know how powerful it is.

Watchin’ all the snakes, curvin’ all the fakes
Phone never on, I don’t conversate
I don’t compromise, I just penetrate
Sex, money, murder-these are the breaks
These are the times, level number 9
Look up in the sky, 10 is on the way
Sentence on the way, killings on the way
Motherfucker, I got winners on the way
You ain’t shit without a body on your belt
You ain’t shit without a ticket on your plate
You ain’t sick enough to pull it on yourself
You ain’t rich enough to hit the lot and skate
Tell me when destruction gonna be my fate
Gonna be your fate, gonna be our faith
Peace to the world, let it rotate
Sex, money, murder-our DNA

I also recommend checking out the music video for the track if you haven’t already, because even the music video is crazy. Shoutout to Don Cheadle.

3. YAH.
Produced by Sounwave, DJ Dahi, Top Dawg, & Bēkon
I love the dark production on this track. Reminds of something I might hear Earl Sweatshirt on.

My mama told me that I’ma work myself to death
My girl told me don’t let these hoes get in my head
My world been ecstatic, I checked the signal that read-

Here, we have Kendrick touching on topics such as his fame and Deuteronomy. I’m pretty sure the track title is a reference to “Yahweh”, which I believe is the Hebrew name of God. Kendrick even makes the claim that he’s an Israelite.

I’m not a politician, I’m not ’bout a religion
I’m a Israelite, don’t call me Black no mo’
That word is only a color, it ain’t facts no mo’

Overall, it’s a petty short track and it sort of goes as quick as it comes, but I definitely feel that it delivers on being a pretty dark and moody track. Kendrick’s sorta sluggish delivery helps add to that as well. I’m digging this track. Fuck Geraldo Rivera.

4. ELEMENT.
Produced by Sounwave, James Blake, Ricci Riera, Tae Beast, & Bēkon
I know someone’s going to get on my ass for saying it, but when the bass dropped on this track I instantly thought of “0 To 100” by Drake. It’s okay though, because that’s a nice Drake banger and this is a dope Kendrick banger. The hook on this track is pretty silly and amusing, but I love it. Kendrick is braggadocios as hell here, and hold nothing back.

Mister one through five that’s the only logic
Fake my death, go to Cuba, that’s the only option

Nice to see Kendrick being aggressive and cocky again. I love it. And he did it over some fairly trendy production. Kudos. A success indeed. (James Blake helped produce this joint too? Crazy.)

Niggas thought they wasn’t gonna see me, huh?
Niggas thought that K-Dot real life was the same life they see on TV, huh?
Niggas wanna flex on me and be in LA for free, huh?
Next time they hit the 10 freeway, we need receipt, huh?
‘Cause most of y’all ain’t real
Most of y’all gon’ squeal
Most of y’all just envy, but jealousy get you killed
Most of y’all throw rocks and try to hide your hand
Just say his name and I promise that you’ll see Candyman
Because it’s all in your eyes
Most of y’all tell lies
Most of y’all don’t fade
Most of y’all been advised
Last LP I tried to lift the black artists
But it’s a difference between black artists and wack artists

5. FEEL.
Produced by Sounwave
This track might be my personal favorite on the album. Very relatable in certain areas, Kendrick basically states that he feels he gives more than he receives. That the world is expecting so much from him, but aren’t willing to give the same amount back in return. You really get a sense that Kendrick might seriously be depressed here.

I feel like it’s just me
Look, I feel like I can’t breathe
Look, I feel like I can’t sleep
Look, I feel heartless, often off this
Feelin’ of fallin’, of fallin’ apart with
Darkest hours, lost it

It’s such a lowkey track, and of course the great Thundercat is doing the bass on here. Definitely a highlight for me.

I feel like the whole world want me to pray for ’em
But who the fuck praying for me?

6. LOYALTY.
Featuring Rihanna; Produced by DJ Dahi, Sounwave, Terrace Martin, & Top Dawg
This track is still growing on me. The track isn’t bad, but it’s not something I’d personally like to hear Kendrick do. As a trendy and commercial track…it’s not bad. Rihanna is pretty solid on this track, and Kendrick is alright. The hook is nothing to die for, and the production here throws off the vibe of the album a bit for me. I don’t think this is a track I’ll be returning to all too much, but if it comes on I won’t be upset or feel the need to rush to skip it.

Kung Fu Kenny now
My resume is real enough for two millenniums
A better way to make a wave, stop defendin’ them

7. PRIDE.
Produced by Steve Lacy, Top Dawg, & Bēkon
This is a really interesting track. The shifting pitch of the vocals throughout here is really dope. Production wise (shoutout to Steve Lacey) this sounds like something I could hear Frank Ocean croon over. I would’ve loved to hear him giving some nasally vocal contributions on the hook here. That aside, this track is definitely a highlight. We have Kendrick discussing the contrast between his ideologies and literal actions.

Hell-raising, wheel-chasing, new worldy possessions
Flesh-making, spirit-breaking, which one would you lessen?
The better part, the human heart
You love ’em or dissect ’em
Happiness or flashiness? How do you serve the question?
See, in the perfect world, I would be perfect, world
I don’t trust people enough beyond they surface, world
I don’t love people enough to put my faith in men
I put my faith in these lyrics, hoping I make amend
I understand I ain’t perfect
I probably won’t come around
This time, I might put you down
Last time, I ain’t give a fuck, I still feel the same now
Steve Lacy crafted a gem. Check him out immediately if you’re sleeping.
Love’s gonna get you killed
But pride’s gonna be the death of you and you and me
And you and you and you and me
And you and you and you and me
And you and you and you and me and-

It’s also worth noting that, Pride is one the seven deadly sins and quite possibly the worst, or rather the one that keeps you the furthest from being God-like.

See, in a perfect world, I’ll choose faith over riches
I’ll choose work over bitches, I’ll make schools out of prison
I’ll take all the religions and put ’em all in one service
Just to tell ’em we ain’t shit, but he’s been perfect, world

8. HUMBLE.
Produced by Mike WiLL Made-It
I think this track goes a lot better with the video as a companion personally, but I still think this is a really great track. It goes further to prove that when desired, Kendrick can make a track that can bump in the club and get massive radio play. As far as other singles he’s released, I don’t think this connects deeply to the theme as much as “Backseat Freestyle” and “Swimming Pools” did with Good Kid M.a.a.d City, or “The Blacker The Berry” and “i” with To Pimp A Butterfly.

Girl, I can buy your ass the world with my paystub
Ooh that pussy good, won’t you sit it on my taste bloods
I get way too petty once you let me do the extras
Pull up on your block, then break it down we playing Tetris

I’d say that the most it does is adds a further contrasts to the hectic mind of Kendrick, but I don’t think it really builds upon any idea or anything. I feel like this track is more so meant to be enjoyed as a trunk knocking banger though, rather than some additional think-piece for the album. Certainly a favorite.

9. LUST.
Produced by DJ Dahi, Sounwave, & BADBADNOTGOOD
The production here reminds me of something. I’m not too sure. The entire beat sounds like it’s in reverse, even the drums. That’s sick.

Conceptually this track is about, well, LUST.

On the surface this may seem like its just about sexual desires, but I think it’s more so about the way people get addicted to a certain lifestyle and end up trapped in this everyday cycle of repeating the same activities day in and out.

I need some water
Something came over me
Way too hot to simmer down
Might as well overheat
Too close to comfort
As blood rush my favorite vein
Heartbeat racing like a junkie’s
I just need you to want me
Am I asking too much?
Let me put the head in
Ooh, I don’t want more than that
Girl, I respect the cat
I promise just a touch
Let me put the head in
If it’s okay
She said, “It’s okay.”

Pretty creepy track with a lot to unpack. Definitely one of Kendrick’s most Andre 3000-esque songs.

10. LOVE.
Featuring Zacari; Produced by Teddy Walton, Sounwave, Greg Kurstin, & Top Dawg

I WANNA BE WIT YOU, AYE I WANNA BE WIT YOU.

Really? Well okay then Kendrick. I can see why so many people could despise this track, but I can also see this appealing to so many who just want a pop flavored track.

I’m pretty mixed about it myself. Most of the time this track is pretty much just background noise for me. Zacari has some nice vocal range. Hearing his vocals on the Isaiah Rashad project, over to the Soul, and now to this…he’s switched it up. Gotta check up on his solo work in my free time. Overall, I’m pretty indifferent towards the track. The production is okay, Zacari sounds fine, and Kendrick’s delivery here is honestly either little cringeworthy or….cute? Never thought I’d say that about a Kendrick track ever. Moving on.

11. XXX.
Featuring U2; Produced by Mike WiLL Made-It, DJ Dahi, Sounwave, Top Dawg, & Bēkon
This is the track I was worried about the most. The track that could potentially hack into all of our phones and terrorize our music libraries against our will no matter how many times we delete it. Truthfully, I’m still not over U2 putting their last album into my phone against my will. I actually had to take the time to delete an album I never asked for in the first place. Even then it would just keep coming back. Fucking hacks, but I digress.

This was one of the biggest surprises on the album. It’s actually GREAT!

The first part of the track is pretty minimalistic, with this bass booming in the background accompanied by some drums, record scratches and later piano keys.

Throw a steak off the ark
To a pool full of sharks, he’ll take it
Leave him in the wilderness
With a sworn nemesis, he’ll make it
Take the gratitude from him
I bet he’ll show you something, whoa
I’ll chip a nigga little bit of nothing

I feel like on the first verse he’s taking on the “survival of the fittest” ideology, or rather he’s taking pride in his strengths as a black man. Could be both.

The second part of this track is INSANE. We have what sounds like sirens in the background and this bass that sounds a lot like the engine of a car. It goes perfectly with the topic Kendrick is tackling here.

Yesterday I got a call like from my dog like 101
Said they killed his only son because of insufficient funds
He was sobbing, he was mobbing, way belligerent and drunk
Talkin’ out his head, philosphing on what the Lord had done
He said: “K-Dot, can you pray for me?
It’s been a fucked up day for me
I know that you anointed, show me how to overcome.”
He was looking for some closure
Hoping I could bring him closer
To the spiritual, my spirit do no better, but I told him
“I can’t sugarcoat the answer for you, this is how I feel:
If somebody kill my son, that mean somebody getting killed.”

Seems that Kendrick’s friend called him for advice after the murder of his only son, and believing that Kendrick is in God’s favor he expects maybe a pretty enlightened response. Well, Kung Fu Kenny has something else in mind. It’s a humorously dark and ironic moment where we have Kendrick basically saying he would shoot and kill the men responsible if he were in his friends shoes, and then goes to end off the verse basically saying he has to end the call, because he’s about to speak at a convention to children bout gun control. It’s some really fucked up stuff.

The last switch on the track is carried by these beautiful piano keys, which I hear are played by Kendrick himself, and we also have some chill, a nice bass guitar, the sound of seagulls in the background. Bono of U2 actually gives a performance that shits on my negative expectations, and I am very grateful for that. Kendrick delivers yet another great verse to close off the track, marking this as a contender for my favorites on this project.

Hail Mary, Jesus and Joseph
The great American flag
Is wrapped and dragged with explosives
Compulsive disorder, sons and daughters
Barricaded blocks and borders
Look what you taught us!

12. FEAR.
Produced by The Alchemist & Bēkon
Roc Marciano said that this track was some of the realest shit he ever heard. I resonate with that statement.

Firs off, I am so happy that Kendrick had this beat on the album, because I remember a good 15 seconds of it on “The Heart Part 4” and being so mad that it wasn’t used just a bit longer. Now we have it here in all it’s glory, and I couldn’t be more satisfied. Thank you Alchemist.

He track starts off with a voicemail from his cousin Carl referencing Deuteronomy, and following that we are presented with the question of:

Why God, why God do I gotta suffer?
Pain in my heart carry burdens full of struggle
Why God, why God do I gotta bleed?
Every stone thrown at you restin’ at my feet
Why God, why God do I gotta suffer?
Earth is no more, won’t you burn this muh’fucka?

Right after, we get the same lyrics, but in reverse. Meaning? I’m not too sure still, but it’s definitely interesting and adds a darker vibe to this already track dark track. Kendrick here describes his different experiences with fear from age 7 (his mother), age 17 (death), and age 27 (judgement). We have some masterful lyricism here, as Kendrick paints such a bleak picture, and it could honestly go down as one of his best tracks to date.

Seven years old, think you run this house by yourself?
Nigga, you gon’ fear me if you don’t fear no one else

I’ll prolly die ’cause that’s what you do when you’re 17
All worries in a hurry, I wish I controlled things

At 27 years old, my biggest fear was bein’ judged
How they look at me reflect on myself, my family, my city
What they say ’bout me reveal
If my reputation would miss me
What they see from me
Would trickle down generations in time
What they hear from me
Would make ’em highlight my simplest lines

The voicemail at the end from his cousin Carl is interesting, though I don’t necessarily agree with what’s said, he speaks on basically how Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans are the true Israelites and that we are struggling people attempting to help struggling people, so maybe we are the cause of problem that we’re so eager to fix? I’m not too sure on it, but it’s definitely something I’ll be looking further into for better understanding.

If I could smoke fear away, I’d roll that mothafucka up
And then I’d take two puffs
Goddamn you. Goddamn me. Goddamn us. Goddamn we. Goddamn us all.

13. GOD.
Produced by Ricci Riera, Sounwave, DJ Dahi, Cardo, & Top Dawg
Honestly. I’m not feeling it. The production is dope, but I’m not feeling his vocal delivery here. I get the concept and all and how it ties into the theme a bit, but musically it’s not something I can see myself returning to. That second beat switch is cold though.

14. DUCKWORTH.
Produced by 9th Wonder & Bēkon
This is a masterpiece. Masterclass storytelling. Perfect production. I could go on and on about this track here. 9th Wonder crafted a true gem. Three beats all within one track. I feel sorry for whoever the rappers were who turned these beats down, but it was for the best, because they were truly made for Kendrick to tell this story over them.

Oh Lamar, hail Mary a marijuana, times is hard
Pray with the hooligans, shadows all in the dark
Fellowship with demons and relatives, I’m a star

Kendrick delivers the story of how Top Dawg spared his father’s life long ago, and how it more or less saved everyone’s life and presented a greater fate in their hands. Was it wickedness or weakness? It really ties in with the theme of this album in an interesting way, depending on how you’re choosing to interpret it. This album almost seems like it’s Kendrick questioning his purpose a bit, or rather questioning if he even has one. I think that his father being sparred by his future mentor really serves to him in his mind, that maybe there truly is a purpose to this all. That everything transpired the way it did for a reason? Maybe.

Pay attention, that one decision changed both of they lives
One curse at a time, reverse the manifest and good karma and I’ll tell you why
You take two strangers and put ’em in random predicaments
Give ’em a soul so they can make their own choices and live with it
Twenty years later them same strangers might make a meet again
Inside recording studios where they reaping the benefits
Then they start reminding ’bout that chicken incident
Whoever thought the greatest rapper would be from coincidence
Because if Anthony killed Ducky, Top Dawg could be servin’ life
While I grew up without a father and die in a gun fight

This is truly one of Kendrick Lamar’s best tracks in his catalog in my opinion, and the perfect closure for this album. The ending of the track is eerily creepy as it replays the entire album back to the start of Kendrick’s first lines in “BLOOD.”, the opening track.

So I was taking a walk the other day.

BOTTOM LINE:

I got so many theories and suspicions

I think this is a great album, a solid addition to Kendrick Lamar’s discography. Do I enjoy it as much as To Pimp A Butterfly? Definitely not. Good Kid M.a.a.d City? Not really. Section.80? Not even that one. But, that’s not say that this album is a letdown by ANY MEANS. There’s certainly highlights here such “DNA,.” “FEEL.”, “DUCKWORTH.”, and “FEAR.”, among many others that could easily be ranked among some of my favorite tracks by Kendrick. I would also argue that this is his most personal album so far. Sure, Good Kid M.a.a.d City tackled his adolescence and his perception of his surroundings, as did Section.80 a bit, and To Pimp A Butterfly I would say is less personal and more of a universal statement in comparison to this album here, if that makes any sense. With DAMN. we have Kendrick walking us into his mind and painting a really dark and sometimes inconsistent picture, that reflects his ideologies.

The album doesn’t require a direct answer, because it doesn’t pose a specific question. And that’s not a bad thing. There were, and still are, many theories flying around about what the albums concept is and what the message is behind the all the reversed lyrics, but I personally feel like it’s an album made for pure interpretation, with no specific and sole meaning like To Pimp A Butterfly. What’s my interpretation? Kendrick is in purgatory. Or Kendrick is stuck in an endless cycle that begins with his death. Maybe both in some sort of way. Who knows.

My biggest issue with the album is the production at times. It’s not badly produced, but I find myself wishing that the production popped out a little more. And I’m sure that Kendrick intentionally went for a more minimalistic sound on a lot of tracks, as well as intentionally going for more trendy sounds on others, but I’m not fully pulled in by it by it from a production standpoint. That being said though, I do find it growing on me more with each listen. Definitely still carries that 3 Stacks influence.

At this point Kendrick doesn’t necessarily have to top his previous work, he just needs to stay consistent and evolve his sound. I feel that if he keeps evolving his sound then his wok can’t really be compared on the same level as each other. It’s a great album. My only real throwaway track would have to be “GOD.”. I’m a bit mixed on “LOYALTY.” and “LOVE.”, but outside of that everything else is a bouquet of fire emojis.

I had a friend (@illohim) mention to me about the interesting fascination Kendrick has with the numbers 9 and 10 and the relation is might have to Ecclesiastes 9:10. I’m not too familiar with it myself, but a few lines do come to mind. On this album Kendrick has the line “Level number 9, look up in the sky 10 is on the way”. In Ecclesiastes 9:10 it reads:

Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

That nearly sums up this whole albums ideals and pretty much Kendrick as an artist. Definitely something to think about and keep n eye out for in the future. I also recall an earlier Kendrick Lamar track titled “Cloud 10”, which is obviously a reference to the phrase “cloud 9”, but when I just read the lyrics to that track without actually listening to the song itself, there’s an odd feeling as if there’s some sort of correlation to this big theme that’s going on within Kendrick’s music presently.

I wonder what correlation there is to Kendrick helping the old blind woman and getting “murdered” to Kendrick not helping the homeless man and losing his spot in heaven on “How Much A Dollar Cost” off the last album. We may never know.

Over the weekend I was listening to my physicals copies of Kendrick’s projects, and on the disc and within the booklet of To Pimp A Butterfly there’s words written in braille. Does that have something to do with the blind woman? We truly may never fully understand this album.