#iTunesSounds: Apple Music – Five To Know – October 30, 2015

I subscribe to the monthly Apple Music package that allows me to download virtually any released song or album. The freedom it allows me to preview and download different genres of music is very attractive. I listen to Beats 1 Radio on a weekly basis, which often introduces me to new artists and sometimes reintroduces musicians from the past that may be out of the consciousness of the mainstream.

For instance, I heard Estelle’s “1980” on Beats 1 and immediately downloaded the song ‘free’ of charge onto my iPhone to play whenever I want.

Sample the song here:

By: Jonathan Hemingway @JLHemingwayPSB

Here are the last five songs that are in my Recently Added section in my music section:

“Feel Good Inc.” by Gorillaz – 2005

The Gorillaz are a British ‘virtual band.’ They were particularly popular ten or so years ago. I am a fan of their unique sound.

“Pretend” by Seinabo Sey – 2015

I heard Seinabo Sey for the first time last week on Beats 1 and immediately was drawn in by her rhythmic and international sound. Sey is actually Sweedish with a Gambian ancestry. Her unique background shows up in her art.

“Forever” by Drake, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Eminem – 2009

For some reason this hit was not in my playlist, so it is a must add. My favorite line: 
“Everyone who doubted me is asking for forgiveness,
If you ain’t be a part of it at least you got to witness”

“The Clown” by Maribou State featuring Pedistrian – 2015

Here is another new artist I was introduced to via Beats 1. This electronic duo is also from England. This is their single from their first album Portraits, which I am anxious to sample in future sittings while writing articles for PeachStateBasketball.com.

“Autonomy (Slave)” by Samm Henshaw – 2015

Henshaw released his debut EP this month. This song reveals his gospel and pop influences in his young music career. He is quoted as saying that he has been influenced by Paolo Nutini, Lauryn Hill and Frank Ocean. All those artists who are in my rotation. Check out the London born Nigerian’s song below.

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.
You can follow him on Twitter @JLHemingwayPSB

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#EntertainmentPSB: “The Walking Dead” – Glenn Dies – October 28, 2015

I became a fan of “The Walking Dead” about a year ago. It is an AMC original program and is currently the most popular series on television. My family convinced me to watch a few episodes and after that I was hooked. I went on a personal watching marathon though all the seasons to catch-up before this season’s finale.

By: Jonathan Hemingway @JLHemingwayPSB

Last week’s episode had fans buzzing as it appeared that Glenn (Steven Yeun) dies after being trapped by walkers. The once coward, turned mentally unstable Nicholas (Michael Traynor) chose to kill himself while standing upon a garbage dumpster. Just before he pulls the trigger he says ‘Thank You’ to Glenn, which appears to be an odd thing to say. The limp Nicholas falls onto Glenn and they both tumble into the crowd of zombies where the camera shows Glenn’s face and bloody intestines being strewn everywhere.

We all went into the commercial break believing that we had just seen one of our program’s heroes killed. An impossible, even maddening turn of events when you consider all of the jams that Glenn had helped the group get out of in past episodes. This could not be!!!

Our first clue that Glenn may NOT be dead is when “The Talking Dead” (the talk show that runs immediately following) does not put Glenn in the “In Memoriam.” This segment always gives one last tribute to those who died in the past episode. The producers of the show danced around the issue by saying that they will show Glenn in a ‘flashback’ scene in a future episode and after that they will put him rest.

That had everyone rushing to their DVR’s to look at the scene one last time to see if there were any clues that we could cling to hope that Glenn is in fact still alive. When looking at the tape, it seems plausible that Nicholas landed on Glenn and that the walkers were eating the guts of Nicholas and not Glenn.

The Walking Dead fans are anxiously awaiting the next episode this Sunday to see if our Glenn will be there.
Add your comments below. We would like to hear from you. Is Glenn still alive?

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Like Clay, Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.

You can follow him on Twitter @JLHemingwayPSB

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#ProSportsChop: NFL Fantasy Football – Week 7 – October 28, 2015

Our Fantasy Football League is an annual tradition now in its’ fifth season. With 10 teams, there are plenty of “name brand” players available even in the latter rounds of the draft. As with most quality leagues, the moves made between weeks six and eight are crucial to surviving bye weeks and injury gaps. Our League made the switch in platforms from Yahoo to ESPN and it’s been a good one. I want to drop a special shout out to Commissioner Jonathan Hemingway for making that move. Let me catch you up on the latest at the halfway point.

By: Brandon Clay @bballplusmusic

TEAM NAME: 8 More Than 92 Equals 100 (a tribute to The Game and Drake track that topped the charts earlier this year)

TEAM RECORD: 4-3

Last Week’s Game: 134.1 – 133. 1 win

BREAKDOWN: Going into Week Seven with a 3-3 record and a two-game winning streak, we needed to find a way to win. Tom Brady (New England Patriots QB) was big time once again leading the charge putting up 355 yards, 2 passing TD’s and a rush TD. We needed every play and Justin Forsett (Baltimore Ravens RB) gave us the lead for good at 9:30 pm on Monday as he scored a rushing touchdown.

KEY ROSTER MOVES: With Green Bay on a bye week, both James Jones (WR) and the Packers defense were unavailable. I went to the Waiver Wire to add Rishard Matthews (Miami Dolphins WR) and the Falcons defense. Matthews had 3 receptions for 75 and a TD while the Falcons held the lowly Tennessee Titans to seven points while snagging two interceptions in the process.

Here’s a look at my Week 7 roster:

Screen Shot 2015-10-24 at 12.48.43 PM

Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. Adding in a SLAM (Basketball) Magazine subscription in the late-90’s had him setup up for lifelong success. You can follow him on Twitter @psbpopculture.

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#TeenLifeStyle: Buford Volleyball – “Another Final Four” – October 26, 2015

Ed.‘s NOTE: Located in Buford, Ga., Buford High School is one of the state’s premier public schools. Stella Alverson, an Honor Roll sophomore, will give us an inside look at her life as she knows it.

This year, the Buford High School varsity volleyball team has reached the Final Four of the state tournament, and I couldn’t be more excited. A two-year varsity player as a sophomore, I feel privileged to be apart of such an amazing program. In both seasons, we have made Final Four appearances.

By: Stella Alverson @StellaAPSB

After a heartbreaking fifth set 15-12 loss in the state finals last year, we went back to the gym, working harder than ever with our head coach Hadli Daniels. This year, we are the only undefeated team remaining in Georgia with a 39-0 record and the Number One seed in the tournament.

Our team is full of college prospects. We already have two Division One commitments–Gabby Curry, a class of 2017 University of Kentucky commit, and Tatum Shipes, a class of 2018 Auburn University commit. The past few years, we have gone from a winning team to a team who expects to be amongst the state’s elite annually. Scoring wise, our most dominant this season being a 25-1 win, followed by two 25-2 sets. I think this is directly related to how motivated we are and how hard we have worked as a team in preparation for this moment. This past Saturday in the Elite Eight, we defeated Walnut Grove in three straight sets, 25-10, 25-12, and 25-9. As a part of the second unit, we went in during the third set and converted the match’s final ten points as we won.

As our semifinals match approaches against Woodward, we are working our hardest ever. We are determined. We are motivated. We are family. We are Buford. I’ll check in after we handle our business.

Stella-A-PSBStella Alverson is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com with her #TeenLifeStyle articles. Alverson has been around the PSBPopCulture.com Team since her early days and is well versed in how we do things around here. She is currently a Honor Roll student at Buford High School and is on her way to playing college volleyball upon high school graduation.

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#iTunesSounds – Adele – “Hello” – October 25, 2015

Adele gave us “19” and “21” then took a break to live life for a while. On Thursday, we found out: she’s back. She’s been working on her latest project, “25”, since the summer and will release the album in its’ entirety on November 20th. I can’t speak for anyone besides myself but I’m thrilled to hear it.

SIDENOTE(S):

1) I’ll review both “19” and “21” in the weeks to come. If you missed either one, take a listen before “25” hits the shelves next month.

2) Assist to Blanche Alverson, Taylor Johnson and Dain Pool for the varying conversations since the single “Hello” dropped on Thursday.

By: Brandon Clay @BBallPlusMusic

“Hello” is the lead single off of “25” and has garnered over 40 million video views since the Thursday release. The track is classic Adele as her voice ramps up and floats over the soft melodies in the background. There is definitely not a rust after the hiatus. Truth be told, Adele’s voice seems richer and more mature given the four-year gap in since her last studio album. If “Hello” is any indication of what we can look forward to on November 20th, expect Adele to clean up in iTunes sales this holiday season as well as at the 2016 Grammy Awards.

Check out Adele’s “Hello” Music Video:

Brandon-Clay-Bio-2 Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his #iTunesSounds reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @bballplusmusic.

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#iTunesSounds – Rick Ross – “Black Dollar” Mixtape – October 25, 2015

Since dropping the classic mixtape, “Rich Forever” in 2012, music has been a bit slower coming for Rick Ross. Ross has established himself as one of the mainstays in an industry that sees hit artists come and go faster than NFL running backs. With the latest “Black Dollar” mixtape, Ross dials in to his 2012 self and gets back to the witty punchlines over smooth beats that made him a go-to guy for a feature earlier this decade.

By: Brandon Clay @BBallPlusMusic

Here are my three favorite tracks with signature lines from the Mixtape:

1) “Money Dance”

BREAKDOWN: From the opening sounds of the piano playing to Ross riding a hoverboard in the music video below, this is vintage Ross. Talking success, the law and life as he knows it these days. Toss in The-Dream on the hook and it’s what we expect from the guy who walks around with no shirt on often.

“Slight 2-step as I check the time. Rub my hands when my palms itch. 50 (million) in the bank, diamonds lookin’ flawless. This the sway of a rich brotha, prayin’ for the day my brotha seein’ six figures. Black bottles poppin’ when I’m on the turf. Two private jets what a brotha’s worth.” – This is Ross at his best. Multi-million dollar money talk with a specific picture painted for the listener.

2) “Icon”

BREAKDOWN: Ross teams up with R&B star Anthony Hamilton to deliver a go-to track off the mixtape. The intro to the song is an ode of sorts to Jay-Z who signed Ross during his days as Def Jam president during the mid-to-late 2000’s. Hamilton’s soulful vocals coupled with Ross’ ever growing wordplay made this a hit in my eyes.

“I can’t see em running down my eyes so I gotta make the song cry. I just came to get the millions. Young HOV, I see ya brotha. I got the Blueprint in my back pocket. I did what you told me.” – Ross referencing the Jay-Z track “Song Cry” off of the classic “Blueprint” album

3) “Bel Air”

BREAKDOWN: Ironically, Ross is well known to have an affiliation with the sparkling rose Luc Belaire. That said, the entire song is a double entredre with Ross rapping about both a lifestyle based on the one Will Smith lived in “Fresh Prince of Bel Air” and the aforementioned drink. Both are deemed by Ross to be of the highest quality. Belaire is served in black bottles and promoted by Ross socially through his “Black Bottle Boys” campaign.

All the lines below refer back to topics mentioned above:

“This is the very best of the best. This is top shelf, the caviar of hip hop. Bel Air. Will Smith. Black Bottles.”

“At the Kings game but I got the Heat with me. 10 stacks, you can’t even take a seat with me.”

“Shoutout to Young HOV, my first deal. The transaction my first mil. Island Def Jam, paradise. Yacht Club, sacrifice.”

Check out Ross and The-Dream in the “Money Dance” video:

Brandon-Clay-Bio-2 Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his #iTunesSounds reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @bballplusmusic.

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#EntertainmentPSB: EROVER Hoverboard – October 24, 2015

The Hoverboard craze has swept the country with entertainment artists like Wiz Khalifa riding them through LAX Airport while college students nationwide are riding them on campus. I received a cool SnapChat from a college assistant this week with their players riding through the offices.

By: Brandon Clay @BBallPlusMusic

To date, there are limited supplies on store shelves so the first question becomes where do you get one? I went through Amazon.com struggling with one company while finding success with another. Sanatop was the second company I used. They delivered on time and with no damage to the product. I’ve had mine about a month and love spending time on the board.

Secondly, the boards are running between $269 and $450 depending on the retailer. I would be diligent in reading reviews like this before buying one. That said, WalMart is supposed to be stocking them soon on their online site in time for the holidays. That would be an ideal route to go for both guaranteed assistance and quality delivery times.

I rode mine into #EBATop40 Workout as we closed out the event series for the 2015 calendar year:

Brandon-Clay-Bio-2 Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @bballplusmusic.

Category: #EntertainmentPSB | 1 Comment on #EntertainmentPSB: EROVER Hoverboard – October 24, 2015

#ProSportsChop: USA Basketball Roundtable – Gregg Popovich – October 24, 2015

Earlier this week, current USA Basketball Senior National Team coach Mike Krzyzewski announced that he would step down after the 2016 Olympics. USA responded by striking gold as they landed five-time NBA Championship coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs as Coach K’s replacement.

Here’s what USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo had to say about the decision, per the team’s official press release:

“I’m absolutely delighted to announce Gregg Popovich as head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team for 2017-20. There is no doubt in my mind that we have the great fortune of bringing on board one of the NBA’s best and most successful coaches ever to lead the USA National Team for the 2017-20 quadrennium. By making this decision now, it will allow us to have a clean, efficient and immediate transition following the 2016 Olympic Games.”

Per the same release, here’s Popovich’s reaction:

“I’m extremely humbled and honored to have the opportunity to represent our country as the coach of the USA National Team…What the program has accomplished over the last decade under the leadership of Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski is truly impressive. I will do my utmost to maintain the high standards of success, class and character established by Jerry, Coach K and the many players who have sacrificed their time on behalf of USA Basketball.”

Here is reaction from our PSBPopCulture.com experts:

CLAY: This move is right in line with the type of decisions that Colangelo has executed since taking over as USAB director in 2005. He has been impressive with his forward thinking and has once again made USA Basketball a destination for both elite coaches and players. The youth levels have shown both consistency and production as well. My educated guess is that Popovich will guide the USA to the 2020 Gold Medal and probably step aside after that. It will be interesting to chart who the next coach will be. Will they go in the direction of a younger guy Brad Stevens (Boston Celtics coach) who will be 41 after the 2020 Olympics or choose another veteran leader like Coach K or Pop?

HEMINGWAY: The hiring of Spurs coach Popovich is a home run. There is no other coach that has worldwide respect like ‘Pop.’ His longevity and success in the NBA give him instant credibility among America’s top players. Plus his ability to get superstars to buy into roles makes this a union that will work. Add in the fact that Spurs have traditionally played an international style of basketball and Pop appears to be the perfect coach for the job.

MOORE: Looking at the changes USA Basketball has made over the last decade, it’s evident they are organization working hard to stay ahead of the curve as opposed to reacting and responding late in an ever changing industry. As represented by this summer’s USA mini-camp in Las Vegas, we now have a true national team pool. Unlike the late-90’s/early 2000’s when we were begging players to “give up” their summer and play with the national team, we now have players that are jumping at the opportunity to put on a USA jersey. This is a testament to the work done by Colangelo and Krzysewski. Right now, the U.S. National program is arguably in the best place it has been in it’s history. Popovich is the perfect choice as the standard bearer for continued future success into the next decade.

Brandon-Clay-Bio-2 Brandon Clay is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com through his various genre reviews. A self-professed entertainment & music junkie, Clay has been on his game since picking up his first Nintendo and Sony Walkman in the early 90’s. You can follow him on Twitter @bballplusmusic.

HEMI-HEAD-SHOTJonathan Hemingway is a Chicago sports fan who reps the Bears, Bulls and Cubs. He’s also a diehard NFL Sunday Ticket subscriber. Like Clay, Hemingway’s music taste are wide-ranged and depend on the day. He is also a major part of PeachStateBasketball.com wearing multiple hats with the title of Director of Domestic Scouting and owning CoachHemi.com.

Keil Moore Keil Moore is a Philadelphia sports fan who loves the Eagles, 76ers and Phillies. He’s the go-to NBA League Pass subscriber in the PSBPopCulture.com. Moore will contribute his expertise to multiple categories on the site. He is the owner of Keil Moore Basketball, Inc. You can follow him on Twitter @KeilMoorePSB.

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#iTunesSounds: Three to Know: Migos, Roy Woods and Travis Scott – October 24, 2015

“Three to Know” will give our readers a different look at some of the hottest albums/songs in the music game regardless of genre from our writers iTunes collections. This week, we take a look at three selections from Jordan Davis’ vantage point:

By: Jordan Davis @JDavisPSB

1) Travis Scott’s album “The Rodeo”

Travis Scott has been under the radar for quite sometime now until his debut album “The Rodeo” was released this year. Although having previous mixtapes and quite popular songs, it has been hard for this 23-year-old rapper to break out of the underground circuit and establish mainstream notoriety. Originally from Houston, Texas, Scott is looking to establish himself as the next big thing in the “H-Town” lineage of music artists. Scott added some quality features to this breakout album, including artists such as Future, 2 Chainz, Rae Sremmurd, and his personal favorite, Kanye West. This is an album that hip-hop fans should give a listen if they are looking for new sounds.

2) Migos on the rise?

This time two years ago, radio stations nationwide were playing “Versace” consistently. Since then, the Migos have been a well known household name for the new wave of rap fans. The Atlanta-based rap group has sold out shows from coast to coast and worked with the likes of Young Thug, Drake, Travis Scott, and Fall Out Boy in the process. After releasing their recent album Yung Rich Nation, the Migos are well on their way to becoming more than just a regionally popular rap group.

3) Roy Woods EP “EXIS”

Just a few years ago when Canadian artists were mentioned it immediately brought images of Drake, Justin Bieber, Beck, and The Weeknd. Recently, the powerful status that Drake holds has been able to shine light on talented upcoming artists such as Majid Jordan, PartyNextDoor, ILoveMakonnen, OB O’Brien, Amir Obe, and Roy Woods. Roy Woods being the latest of artist to come on the scene since his song “Drama” featuring the aforementioned Drake was played nationwide. Woods then dropped his EP called “EXIS” in which he displays his singing abilities and unique style. For the record, I’m a fan and even turned my editor, Brandon Clay, on to Woods’ style. There’s no question this is quality late night car ride music or when you’re in the mood to just vibe. It’s easy to see why OVO signed Woods who is bringing a new R&B style to the industry. In that way, Woods’ hopes to duplicate the success of The Weeknd and PartyNextDoor. I’ll keep you posted.

J-Davis-PSBPopCulture Jordan Davis is a contributor to PSBPopCulture.com with a unique blend of #iTunesSounds & #PSBPopCulture reviews. Davis has been dropping jewels in both areas since arriving here in 1995. He is currently a student at Kennesaw State, a Social Media Intern with PeachStateBasketball.com and is well on his way to being the youngest in charge sooner than later.

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#iTunesSounds: Janine and the Mixtape – “XXEP” – October 23, 2015

XXEP is the most recent EP by breakout R&B artist Janine and the Mixtape. It’s been heavy in my rotation since I stumbled upon it in August. XXEP dropped in May of 2015 but like everything in life I was late to the party. Fortunately, I discovered it while at the airport coming home from an international scouting tour in Europe.

By: Keil Moore @KeilMoorePSB

Here is my take on some of the best tracks on the EP:

1) “You Deserve It”

BREAKDOWN: One listen and you feel the pain and emotion in the song. This has to be a true story. I could quote the whole track but the highlight might be “I love her for loving you because you deserve it.”

2) “This Moment”

BREAKDOWN: This is an easy song to listen to with a deep meaning. She starts with an Ekhart Tolle reference and the rest of the song takes us through a deep meditation at the end of what I can only imagine was a bad argument.

3) “Old Beside You”

BREAKDOWN: I love the double entendre with the title of this song. In relationships “Old Beside You” is thought of as a good thing, highlighting the concept of forever. Here she uses “Old Beside You” as a negative. She doesn’t want to get old next to the guy she’s referencing in the song.

4) “Lose My Mind”

BREAKDOWN: This track samples the melody from DMX’s “Up in Here”. Unlike DMX’s version, this is a thoughtful, carefully written, ballad about love that once was but no longer is.

PARTING THOUGHTS: This isn’t an album. However it is a preview of an artist with the potential to put a great album together. Hopefully Atlantic Records puts the resources behind Janine and the Mixtape so she can give us a great piece of art.

Keil Moore Keil Moore is a Philadelphia sports fan who loves the Eagles, 76ers and Phillies. He’s the go-to NBA League Pass subscriber in the PSBPopCulture.com. Moore will contribute his expertise to multiple categories on the site. He is the owner of Keil Moore Basketball, Inc.

You can follow him on Twitter @KeilMoorePSB

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