To Bite or Not to Bite...

Rappers are always complainin about biters.  Everybody seems to be so worried about folks stealin their style.  It seems as though a culture of egoism and and greed has pervaded the rap scene, and even all modern music to an extent.  To me this is one of the strangest and most counter intuitive products of music's digital age.  At no other time in history can more people hear the music you create, and yet the desire for it to be emulated and influence others has never been less. 

 Especially with regards to the rap genre this presents the ultimate paradox of hypocrisy.  Just about every hip hop song out is made using a sample from a songs that these dudes love.  The sample helps to shape the sound and influence the song, in some cases more so than others, but other music always serves as an inspirational influence for the song.  I feel there is a desperate need to change the guarded nature of modern day rap to a sentiment of sharing creativity for the sake of the sound. As Nas himself said, "Theres nothin new under the sun.  Its never what you do, its how its done."  So lets celebrate what sounds good to us and let it inspire us to create great music.  Here are some of the funkier examples of what other peoples music can do to inspire greatness.  Lots of love to Ronnie Hudson and George Clinton for inspiring the people who make some of my favorite music of all time.  Sound familiar?  :)

Creedence Clearwater.......Revisited?

I am one of the luckiest cats you will ever come across, but rarely has destiny smiled so radiantly upon my young shoulders.  Free backstage passes to see C...C...R?  While there was no Fogerty out in front of the Revisited crew, I was thoroughly stoked to see some of the most recognizable and beloved songs from American music history rocked out appropriately.  And thats not to mention, the chance to kick it with legends Stu Cook and Doug Clifford (the other two dudes that are still alive from the original band) backstage.

And so Tom and Amy (I love you forever for inviting me, not that I didnt already) and I descended from our alpine paradise down to the agricultural wasteland of the Sacramento Valley, a subtle plain thats been manipulated into vast enterprise of massive cattle productions and dotted with casinos.  It was there, at the Thunder Valley Casino, that I was introduced to the cultural phenomena that is the CCR crowd.  A potent blend of heartland cowboys, forgotten hippies, and gold diggin cougars all gathered together to enjoy the indelible sounds of a band that is nearly synonymous with the counterculture of 1960s America.

Armed with only a thick whiskey buzz and the bonds of friendship we dissented against the culture of assigned seating and a slow starting older crowd to rally one of the funkier concert gangs I've ever been a part of.  And we sang, and we danced, and Tom and I played a lot of air guitar.  And soon enough we were rockin out with bald dudes and fending off fake tittied 50 year old women the way LT throws stiff arms at safeties.  Needless to say some of us were fending them off harder than others.  And soon we realized that it didn't matter with or without Fogerty.  Those songs are forever to be recognized as part of the intrinsic soul of American music and good times. And so I ask you all to enjoy these timeless folk songs that will continued to be played and sung for as long as I am alive, and certainly long after.

Click here to download "Have You Ever Seen the Rain"


Download Creedence Clearwater Revival Have You Ever Seen The Rain

Yea thats me and Stu drinkin a beer.

AZ feat. Nas - How You Livin

Yo its been a minute since my last post and I wanna thank all the readers and contributors and especially Big Leks for keepin the website super irie. Fortunately, I have been spending my time trolling through the past, fishing for jams...and jams I have found. When I first heard "How You Livin" drivin down the freeway, hand out the window, warm breeze accompanying the setting sun, I knew it was a classic. Didnt have to hear the words, I could feel the nostalgia building as the flow and beat intertwined into a vibe that I knew was golden. Its not so much the lyrics or the content, its a kind of euphoric feeling intrinsic in the track. And though I didnt do anything to deserve it, I felt like I was on top of the world, right there next to AZ and Nas.

These two cats knew how to make a hit, and they did it all the time. From the hip hop legacy of "Life's a Bitch" off Illmatic to their days chillin with Foxy Brown at The Firm, AZ and Nas were two masters who loved to get together to shoot the gift. Its no wonder that when they got back together on another L.E.S. beat (same dude who produced Life's a Bitch, not to mention Gettin Jiggy With It) it was gonna be gold. Its got the same smoothness of a Warren G/Nate Dogg jammer with unreal rhymes. No one will ever doubt the AZ flow, but the complexity of the words he rhymes boggles my mind, at least 2, sometimes 3 syllables. AZs second verse is pure intellectual fire, and Nas is always up to par, be sure to check the lyrics while you listen. The whole jam is a celebration of what their skills have brought them, and you can feel the success in a way that lyrics cant convey. You can hear it in the sound. The sound of a classic.

How Ya Livin by jamandahalf

The Chairmen of the Board - Give Me Just a Little More Time

Jam and a Half is all about feeling passionate about music.  And nothing makes me feel the fire of inspiration like someone who is jammin straight from the heart.  While The Chairmen of the Board may have been conceived by record company execs to pump out glossy hits, there is nothing phony about this classic track.  The soul quartet made up of General Norman Johnson, Eddie Custis, Danny Woods, and Harrison Kennedy put out a number of albums throughout the 70's, but it was their 1969 hit "Give Me Just a Little More Time" that has proven to be an all time golden jam.

Something in the voice of that General Johnson just gets stuck in your chest and it seems as though the only relief is to wail the chorus as loud as you can.  The General's pained moan is heartbreak and you cant help but empathize with the hiccuping hero.  My homie Lew Dogg called it desperation.  Dripping on every line.  It twists his voice until hes squealing on the mic.  And the band plays something grand enough to match.  Tight knit sound, full compliment of horns, steadyrockin baseline, and keys to match. Simply known as The Funky Brothers, they lived up to the billing.  The outro breakdown comes in too silky accompanied with the key rasta brrrrraAAA!!!  This jam is a personal favorite and I know many cats who claim the same.

  Give Me Just A Little More Time by jamandahalf

Much love

Moose

Bob Marley - Guava Jelly

Music can get popular for any number of reasons, but sometimes the sound is so good you cant help but love it.  When I think of truly transcendental musicians one man always seems to come to the front of my mind: Robert Nesta Marley. Theres something about the sound, it always sounds right, always on time. Bobby and his band created something so pure and natural that its actually impossible to not feel the vibes. I'm pretty sure it's everywhere; I've heard it in grocery stores in Mexico, bars in Canada, pool halls in Argentina.  Amsterdam or Afganistan, I dare you to find someone who cant pick up what my boy Bobby is puttin down!

Now Bobs got a lot of classics, every one of them a jam in their own right, but this ones got a special twang.  Bob carries this measured passion, rollin along smooth like guava jelly.  Now I've never had guava jelly, but from what it sounds like that must be one sweet sweet jelly. When a Bob song strikes a chord with me its never a cognitive thing. I'm never stoked on the powerful message or flawless organ play. But something grabs me on an emotional level. Listen to the easy rocksteady flavor with Bobby layin the lovin on thick, backup vocals highlighting each line. It all blends together into the vibrations of the world, the sound that makes you feel like times are gettin better. And somehow it hits everybody with a powerfully uplifting spirit. Try it for yourself, put this one on, lie back a little, and roll with it. Sounds like things are lookin up.

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  Bob Marley - Guava Jelly by jamandahalf

Isaac Hayes -Walk On By

Some people say that there are times when music can mirror life as it whips and wisps its course.  If that is true I can only hope to have a moment as ridiculously funky as the one Isaac Hayes appears to have for 12 minutes of his life.  Now when Isaac Hayes is cheffin up anything on the mic you know the soul is gonna be spread thicker than syrup on Aunt Jemima's very own pancakes, but this is potent stuff man. This is soul music on the jam tip something serious. The band takes the incredible energy of a passing glance and magnifies it into an epic orchestral portrayal of emotion as a fleeting moment plays out. The beginning of the track is a flood of strings as violins and guitar tango the track up slowly. A beautiful and slow duel between the two drips with the sadness of a someone who has lost the person they loved.  A blues guitar comes in piercing but distorted like time against the smoothness of the violins and vocals, backed by a light beat, an easy base line, and a few weird space noises for good measure. But as the emotion builds, everybody wants in on the jam: the flute player moseys in and out, the horn section starts feelin the flow, and by the time the organ hits, its a wave of soul.

The groove rolls on like heady swells, up and down, rocking on a heavy sea.  Building and subsiding, jumping back and forth between the past and the future right over the top of the present.  While the song portrays a hurt that only love can make you know, the jam brings forth a rejuvenation of spirit in a culmination of funky jammin.  The closing half of the track is a celebration of what was beautiful in the past as a man walks towards his future; all in one tumultuous musical journey.  This epic cut is actually a transformation of the Dionne Warwick (amazing lady) hit from 1964, and appears on Hayes' 1969 album Hot Buttered Soul...yeah its that funky.

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Young MC - Bust A Move

 

There was once a time, some call it the late 80s, when the future of the rap game lay itself down to rest in the hands of up and coming rapper/writer Young MC.  He had already penned the popular classics "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina" for his homie Tone Loc, and his own debut album was highly anticipated.  Thats when Young knew he had to elevate his game: he brought in the transcendental talent of Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea, and included some ethereal vocals from Crystal Blake on what would be his first single... "Bust A Move". 

What ensued was a jam so impossibly smooth that it could not be stopped.  Not until it could start every party, not until it could top every chart, not until it pulled down hip hops ultimate prize...respect.  Young rolls on the beat sticking tightly to his flow helping to create a building up effect on each verse.  Young's mastery of rhythm allows him to explore the same cadence with different rhymes the whole song through, providing fresh and hilarious images (well portrayed by the video) throughout. In a way "Bust A Move" was more than just inspiration to holler at that girl, it was the battle cry for Young, it was his time to bust a move and solidify himself as a great rapper.  The beginning of a great career.

We should celebrate this Jam and a Half, this spark, for the great track that it is.  That initial spark that may have burned a little too bright.  I dont blame Young, its clear that his rhyming skill was of the top tier, but the direction that hip hop was moving was away from his lighthearted party style.  The 90's became the era of gangster rap, at least in the popular venue, and Young could never duplicate the incredible success of "Bust A Move".  However, we should never forget the serious talent of Young MC, a man who didn't need a false persona, didn't need graphic lyrics, didn't need anything but a funky beat to shoot the gift like a master.

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lyrics

The Slickers - Johnny Too Bad

 

Often times people misinterpret reggae music: they label it as a product of weed culture, as lacking substantial themes, as all sounding the same...if you are one of these people (which I know you are not) prepare to free yourself from ignorance.  The Slickers may not be one of the best known groups out there, but they achieved a certain level of success behind this super jam "Johnny Too Bad."  Following its release, they were forever immortalized when their song was used in Perry Henzel's 1972 film The Harder They Come starring reggae legend Jimmy Cliff.  The film introduced me to The Slickers as well as other dope artists like Desmond Dekker, Scotty, and The Maytals when I saw it back in my younger youth.  This article may be about a Jam and a Half but it could easily be a "Flic and a Half" as The Harder They Come masterly portrays the sentiments and themes its soundtrack presents.

"Johnny Too Bad" presents a youth that has turned to a life of crime, as well as the social implications of the culture that such choices produce...in 8 lines!  I dare you to name another genre that can get a point across in less.  But while the lyrical material may be heavy, The Slickers keep the jam light with a rocksteady style characteristic of the late 1960's Jamaica.  Add in a serious organ solo and you have rhythmic piece of soulful social commentary.  So enjoy the track, and all reggae, for the fantastic music that it is; and if you get a chance find a copy of The Harder They Come.  As a forewarning, you might not be able to understand any of the words in the movie, in fact, unless you are from Jamaica you wont understand any of it (outside of the music).  But the soundtrack prefaces the scenes of the movie to give you an understanding of the plot, and either way the flic is so dope that you dont even need to know what the hell they're saying. Trust us.

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The Band - It Makes No Difference

 

Well its been a cool minute since I dropped my last post so I figured I would take it way back.  The Band, not to be confused with Da Band, are a great example of true rock and roll.  A sound born from blues and country, they never got the popular acclaim that their talent deserved, but in a way that just suits their style.  The Band got started playing back up for Ronny Hawkins, after which amidst searching for their own identity,  Bob Dylan recruited them to play behind him on his '65 and '66 tours.  When they did step out on their own, the name The Band seemed only appropriate as thats what they had been called for years playing behind Hawkins and Dylan.

It Makes No Difference isn't the most characteristic Band song, other than the fact that it emanates soul and flavor, but it does show the incredible range of the band.  Makes No Difference is like a 1960s power ballad, but Rick Danko's metaphors come out strong, smooth, and with so much emotion that its infections.  The Band was introduced to me when my pops showed me The Last Waltz, a Martin Scorsese flic of The Band's last concert in 1978.  Probably the greatest concert movie ever made and certainly the best produced, the Waltz takes you on the journey of the band while kickin some of their dopest cuts.  The show has jams for days but it always seems like Makes No Difference gets sung the loudest regardless of who I watch it with...or maybe I just have a voice that carries.  Either way Marty cut out a verse from the song so Im puttin up the film version and the full version.  Enjoy.

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The Spinners - Rubberband Man

Some things are funky: psychedelic shades, old chinese food, afros.  Then some things are super funky: Jimi Hendrix on the guitar, Doug Drozd's dance moves, anything ever said by Issac Hayes.  Then there is the Rubberband Man.  Enjoy responsibly, and remember that some things arent quite so funky.  Special thanks to Doug Fresh, much love buddy.

Black Star - Respiration

When the skills of masters intertwine and combine the product is not always greatness, it takes a subtle connection, and only with this do the truly great collaborations come to be.  When the vision and talent of great artists meet it elevates everyone included for the enjoyment of all.  Thankfully as soon as Mos Def and Talib Kweli (circa 97) discovered the magic they could make, they both set aside their solo projects set out to create a full album collaboration.  Black Star, the name a tribute to Marcus Garvey's shipping line, pushes the limits of philosophical exploration, critical social analysis, poetic device and rhyme styling.  I couldve taken any track off the album for this JamandaHalf because theyre all that dope so I stuck with my favorite cut.

Along with Common, the Black Star crew bring the spirit of the city to life by exploring urban culture through rhymes.  A steady dose of personification gives the city the breath and heartbeat that city folk feel the world round.  The tone is dark and ominous but has a special beauty that reflects the hardened passion that each rhymer has for their hometown.  I cant come close to matching the grace and skill of this track's poetic styling in this small intro so Ill let the tune speak for itself.  Please enjoy the lyrical mastercraft of three of the world's finest MCs.

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Gimmie What You Got - St. Lunatics

This post goes out to the cat who hollered at us through the chat window to throw some love to the lunatics for this classic jam, and I couldnt agree more.  Some songs take you right to the roots of the artist, make you feel who they are, where theyre from, how they feel.  Gimmie What You Got takes you back to St Louis circa 96, when the Lunatics were holdin it down locally as a group of kids that were just comin up.  This was before Nelly blew up, before Murphy Lee was puttin out whack solo albums, even before City Spud got put in prison for a decade.  This was when they were simply reppin their city and their style with nothing to lose.  And you can feel the authenticity.

Each members verse compliments the others filling the song with a diversity of rhyme styles and flows, but the combination is so fluid and natural it leaves the track live with energy.  You can feel more than just the passion of the group, you can feel the fun that they had cookin the jam up.  The content is genuine, the style fresh, the sound great, and I dont even have to mention the killer hook.  Put all these things together and you got a classic rap song, and a true JamandaHalf.

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Outkast - Player's Ball

Ahhh I would like to welcome all of you fine folk to a special christmas edition of JamandaHalf, and in the spirit of the holiday season I wanted to grant you all some musical knowledge that some may already know.  Not all christmas music blows!! I know for some this is a shocking development, and in the past I didnt think it was possible, but music comes in more shapes and styles than you can dream up and thus I was introduced to my first christmas song JamandaHalf.

Now many of you Im sure have come to appreciate Player's Ball for the fire that it truly is.  The 1994 release of the single marked Outkast's maiden voyage into the hip hop mainstream and the rest is history.  However, while it is common knowledge that the easy rolling flows and infectious chorus can get any party movin, it is not as widely known that the track was originally recorded for the LaFace Records Christmas album.  At first glance the song is a jam in any season, but as you look deeper the references are clear.  Jingling bells, snow boots, egg nog, and the rest of a chritmas feast (minus the ham hocks of course).  Check the lyrics as you listen for a more spherical perspective.

And thus one of my all time favorite tracks was really a christmas jam in disguise making my hipocritical hatred of christmas music both ignorant and unintelligent.  So now that Ive learned my lesson teach it back to me a few times over, post up any of your favorite holiday songs, or anything else for that matter...

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Steel Pulse - Man No Sober

Yooooooooooooooo its been too long since I reached out to all you good people through the blogosphere, but this is the beginning of a new season and a fresh start. One of the things that I believe JamandaHalf stands for is diversity. The more types of music you listen to the bigger your world becomes and that is why I am so upset. There is not a single reggae song on these pages...and it makes me sick. Which is the reason I turn to an all time classic roots group and SD favorite: Steel Pulse.

The legendary band out of Birmingham, England has been an inspirational force in the reggae world since they formed in 1975 known best for their politically intelligent subject matter and super irie-funky flavor.  Powered by lead singer David Hinds the Pulse simply puts on one of he greatest shows music has to offer, as a large portion of San Diego and I know from experience many times over. While not one of their most famous jams, Man No Sober is a track that embodies the spirit of Steel Pulse. To construct a critical piece of social commentary while laying down some of the thickest licks around is an everyday thang to a group that has been doin it for decades. The band paints a window of connection to the world in which they live and let the rest of us get up and dance to it. This is what it takes to truly harness the power of music allowing people a glimpse into faraway lands. So crank it up and enjoy!!

That being said diversity is all the more reason to get involved, send us your favorite tunes and expand all of our minds no matter who you are.  Send us something that makes a difference in your life and we will get to see your world too 




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Cat Stevens - Here Comes My Baby

Im talking about Cat Stevens, or Yusuf Islam as he goes by these days. The British singer songwriter turned Islamic warrior for peace has certainly had one of the strangest runs of any musician I have ever come across. After coming up quickly in the British music scene at the age of 18, he got knocked back to reality by a serious bout with tuberculous, and credits it with shifting his ideology and opening his eyes to the real importance of life. His songs got more introspective and in this period he wrote a lot of the songs that would make him the cult figure he is today.

Cat Stevens is one of my personal favorite artists (yeah I know thats kinda embarrassing), Im all about his classic easy listening tunes; the ones filled with whispered wisdomisms and soulful croons. Great joints like Trouble, The Wind, Hard Headed Woman, and I Want to Live in a Wigwam (thats not a joke...its a jam). But this track aint those, not even close, this is more bubblegum pop than folk; but that doesnt make it bad. Contrarily, it may make it even better. To hear Cat Stevens playing as a youth before his stand against popular culture is a bright glimpse of ignorance's bliss.

Here Comes My Baby is a classic pop hit, easy on the ears, long on the chorus, and catchy on the beat. Its the same tale of heartache that has echoed throughout the annals of music ever since people started singing or falling in love, one of the two. But rather than being discredited by these plastic qualities, instead it rises above them and shows that music can be great regardless of the style or subject. So please sit back and enjoy the uplifting pop stylings of the one and only Cat Stevens.

Jimi Hendrix - Red House

It has been brought to the attention of myself and the big man that while we are postin dope songs there has been a serious under representation of the electric guitar. So what better way to rep the most recognizable instrument in modern music than with an all time classic. Widely (though certainly not universally) regarded as the greatest guitar player to ever live, Jimi had not only one of the most unique sounds but also styles ever played. Growing up in Seattle the lefty simply took his Supro Ozark, flipped it upside down, started wailing, and never stopped. As Hendrix taught himself to play he developed an unprecedented style nearly impossible to duplicate.

While Jimi's tale took a number of incredible twists on its way to an all too early end, that is a story unto itself. This is simply about a song. A song thats sings the soul of the man himself. Its a blues song and as Jimi sings, lord mercy does that guitar weep. The slow and heavy rythms just set James up to spark the guitar and let the fire speak for itself. It builds, and builds, just pourin on the sauce until Jimi lets you know whats comin, and then lights it. And that my friends is like watching lightning strike, like watching a falling star streak the sky. He tells a story with his solos that doesnt need words, each note is so descriptive that it fills you with emotion. And every string comes off so clean that you understand his meaning just by listening to how he bends each note. So, sit back, turn up the volume as loud as youre comfortable with, and enjoy. I threw in a live clip so you could see the man in action (not to mention one of the funnier hippies of all time on the bongos).

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John Lennon - Watching the Wheels

Music is all about feeling free to express yourself as you truly are, and here at JamandaHalf we feel as though respect is deserved for stickin your neck out. Whether its Andre 3K singin about vampire love or Willy Nelson puttin out a reggae album (yeah those actually happened) these are the people pushing music forward. Don't be fooled, not all of them turn out to be jams, let alone Jam and a Halfs, but the ones who do need to be recognized.

While some people may feel as though anything related to the Beatles is as mainstream as music can get, they are forgetting the criticism that the four faced after their acid soaked departure from classical pop music in the middle 60's. John Lennon, the real song writer, not to mention spiritual leader and front man of the group, faced the most criticism from the yuppies of the world. Furthermore, as he and his relationship with Yoko Ono received more and more of the blame for breaking up the Beatles, even some of his fans started to turn on the man. It's no wonder he might have been feelin a bit estranged, but in this condition he put together a classic track for all the world's misunderstood.

Watching the Wheels is a celebration of individualism , of doin your own thing, a classy F*** Off to anyone who is mindin your business instead of their own. Lennon wrote the song for what would be his final album released just three weeks before his death in 1980. While the album version is nice, my favorite is the acoustic cut where Johnny pours some real genuine soul into the vocals. Watching the Wheels is a stand for individuality...as well as a certified Jam and a Half.

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Raekwon - Incarcerated Scarfaces

Straight from the slums of Shoalin, a force so cryptic and mystical that a single title fails to encompass all it represents. Im talkin about Raekwon, the Chef, Lex Diamonds, Louie Diamonds, Shallah Raekwon, the Black Stallion, or simply Rae. The master of slang forms one ninth of the original Wu Tang Clan, but it is off his debut solo album Only Built for Cuban Linx that the Chef cooked up a track that would become an all time rap classic. "Incarcerated Scarfaces" is simply the definition of what Rae is all about: (1) kickin the hardest, grimiest, most thuggish raps around, lettin everyone know how it happens in Staten; and (2) spittin one of the most frenetic rhyme styles around.

Few cats have the dexterity of lexicon to include so many rhymes and keep the flow fresh, but Rae relishes each line, fillin em up to the brim. The RZA cuts one of his vintage beats to accompany the chef mixing influence from the far east with the simple and rugged style that he has become so well known for. The combination is an explosion of street flavor and fly rhymin that left a mark on the rap game, that still hasnt faded for those who know where to look. I did hear that you could catch it in Ceaser's Palace eatin salads...
(For best results listen with the lyrics)

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The Jam Behind the Jam: James Brown-The Funky Drummer

This is the first manifestation of a segment me and the Big man like to call "The Jam Behind the Jam." Its a spot where we pay tribute to the legendary roots of music, the artists whose own jams are so powerful and awe inspiring that they in turn spark the creation of other jams. That being said there is truly only one place to start.

Hip hop is a culture that was born out of an oceans worth of musical influences: jazz, funk, soul, blues, and so many more that were woven into the breaks of early hip hop. As both technology and rap stylings progressed, the art of sampling parts of songs to be included cohesively on the track became a staple of the hip hop genre. While rap tracks have sampled everything from Enya to Earth, Wind, and Fire, no artist has been sampled as much as the Godfather of Soul, Mr. James Brown. But beyond this, one key song was laid down in that fateful summer of 1969 that would become the most recognized beat in all of hip hop: The Funky Drummer. It was that day that drummer Clyde Stubblefield dropped a beat that was so funky, they had to name the entire track after it. So funky they had to throw in a "bonus beat reprise" of the track at the end of the side. So funky that it has become the most sampled track in rap history.

Check the stats: http://www.xampled.com/blog/sampled-from/funky-drummer-james-brown/ its not even close. You want a chart?





















...there you go. The song has been used so many times that it is ingrained in what hip hop is and will continue to be. The beat creates a standoff: energy, emotion, and intensity; you could see Muhammad Ali steppin into the ring to the beat, ready to square off. In this same way hip hop tracks have been using it to tip off battles or kick off any track since day 1. The whole song is in fact a jam and a half, but if you want to kick right to the beat you can skip to 5:30 or just check out the reprise. Enjoy.

The Impossible Cypher

The hollows and crevices of the internet are the place my man Big Leks calls home, and on his last trip to the pad he stumbled across this diamond. This impossible cipher, the product of modern day science which solely has the technology to bring rap slingers of this type and quality together, is brought to you by the mad doctors at BET for their award show. Now Im not sure how genuine the set up is, but I can tell you that the product is nothin but the realest. So for your enjoyment, the likes of Mos Def, Black Thought, and Eminem brought to you by the chiefs in white coats at BET. But beware, this is that FIRE, like liquid hot lava fire, check it at your own risk, you have been warned.