Is This Hotter Than The HP Commercial?!??

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VERY HOT! KING Magazine article on Kanye West

Can’t Tell Him Nothin’
Kanye West is a risk taker, rule breaker, trailblazer and the only rapper who is bigger than hip-hop

“But he’s a rapper.” Do you know how many people have been dismissed with that one sentence? No matter how much wealth Jay-Z accrues, how many Richard Princes he buys, how many Beyoncés he marries, those words will almost certainly precede him for the rest of his life. Even Diddy, who has come closest to penetrating other spaces—fashion, Hamptons society, Broadway, Hollywood—is still, in the eyes of many, a hip-hop interloper. It’s taken Kanye West to break the cycle.

Of hip-hop but not defined by it, Kanye is the exception to every one of the genre’s rules. He challenges its expectations from within and recalibrates how outsiders view it. He is both local and foreign. He exerts his own gravitational pull. Even though last year’s 808s & Heartbreak, his fourth album, will likely be the lowest selling of his career, it will mark something far more important: the moment that hip-hop began to mint stars bigger than itself.

For any other artist, the album would have been a failure, with its uncomfortably blunt lyrics, which are mostly sung (and poorly at that), and its often inarticulate production. It’s sometimes hard to remember that just five years ago, Kanye was a rap formalist, a producer known best for chopping and speeding up soul samples and, sometimes, awkwardly rapping over them. And yet, despite that, this new move didn’t seem so odd. In a world where egotism is the prime currency, Kanye has been a special case from the start, and releasing 808s felt like just another act of emotional and creative hubris.

Really, though, it was something more. First there were the circumstances: Both the death of his mother and the split from his fiancée left Kanye untethered. And so instead of planning for Good-Ass Job, the album that was to continue the life arc he’d set out on his first three albums, he knocked off to Hawaii for a few weeks with Kid Cudi, Mr. Hudson, Plain Pat, Don C and a couple of friends to put together 808s, a minor opus of depression and petulance.

And once it was done, he kept fighting the grain. Process? What process? He leaked some songs himself. (Some others snuck out too.) He tweaked the font. He changed the release date. And then, into the teeth of a recession, he just dropped the damn thing. No proclamations as to its greatness or its inevitability. Just a guy with an itch to scratch.

For an artist of his stature, this is a new model, one that prioritizes smallness, instinct, portability, urgency. All Def Jam could rightly do was get on board and get out of the way. Kanye used the label much as an independent artist uses a distributor: as a hired hand. The major-label system is increasingly unreliable, as is the major-label way of doing business. And so, instead of shooting for the blockbuster—Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III may well be the last rap blockbuster for some time—he went with the diary entry. The same week, Guns N’ Roses released its decade-plus-in-the-making comeback, Chinese Democracy, which sold half as much as Kanye, then promptly evaporated.

Kanye knows what their long-cocooned lead singer, W. Axl Rose, couldn’t possibly understand: There is only the now. So he didn’t release a rap album—big deal. He’ll go back to it when he feels like it. Choosing to forgo rap was but one of several idiosyncratic choices Kanye made last year. He blogged about his obsessions—Japanese streetwear, barely clothed models, mid-century furniture, big boats—and about how he was portrayed in the media. He expressed interest in interning with a fashion company so he could learn that business from the inside out. He tussled with paparazzi. He wore suspenders.

Kanye’s freedom is predicated upon the fact that he’s less established in, and therefore less beholden to, hip-hop and its mores. Still, people, even those with less complicated loyalties, follow his lead. Lil Wayne wearing tight jeans? That’s a Kanye move. Hipster rap? Blame ’Ye. Flagging sales for 50 Cent? Absolutely, in part, attributable to West and his influence.

Kanye gives people permission to be something other than what they’re generally asked to be. It’s not because he makes it seem easy but because he makes it seem inevitable. And because of him, the list KING comes up with when we’re looking forward from our 100th issue will be nothing like this one.

— Jon Caramanica

Old School Video of the Week: AND 1, VOLUME 1!!!

Bring the Classics BAAAACCCCCKKKKKK!!!

Very Poppin!

Stolen from Kanye's Blog

6 SEXY TIPS FOR SUMMER DIETING!

6 Best Summer Foods for Weight Loss

Lighten up your diet this summer with these refreshing foods and drinks.
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD

WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

You don’t need to starve yourself on a wacky fad diet if you want to look look better in your shorts or swimsuit this summer. The secret to weight loss is to choose healthy foods and take in fewer calories than you burn. And it's just easier to make better food choices in summertime, when heavy, high-calorie dishes seem less appealing. The best foods for weight loss in summer are light, refreshing and, most important, keep you out of the hot kitchen.

The single easiest way to trim calories from your summer diet, experts say, is to load up on nature’s bounty. Produce is at its peak in summer. Delicious fruits and vegetables abound at farmers' markets and in your local grocery. Besides being low in calories, produce is loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

"Enjoy fresh produce in season. You will be thrilled at how fresh, delicious, and satisfying it tastes," says Susan Moores, RD, a St. Paul-based nutrition consultant..

"Save the oranges and apples for fall, and load up on fresh berries, melons, greens, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, beets, pea pods, and all the super-nutritious and low-calorie fruits, greens and vegetables that grow in the garden this time of year."

As a bonus, you can forget about portion control when it comes to fresh fruit and vegetables, Moores say.

"Go for it, because it is hard to do much damage to your waistline with these super-nutritious edibles," says Moores

To keep your cool and cut your time in the kitchen, start with prepared produce, such as cut-up fruit and washed greens. Add rotisserie chicken, prepared soups, and pre-threaded kabobs when you need something a bit heartier. Pre-prepped foods may cost a little extra, but they save time in the kitchen.

Here are dietitian's picks for some of the best foods to help with weight loss during the summer.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 1: Chilled Soups
Moores loves all kind of produce but says cold soups are among her favorite low-calorie dishes. Chilled soups like gazpacho or cucumber-dill that contain lots of chunky vegetables are a great way to start a meal.

"Research shows that a low-calorie, broth-based soup at the beginning of the meal will fill you so you eat less at the meal," says Moores, a St. Paul-based nutrition consultant.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 2: Watermelon
Who doesn’t love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it's hot outside?

"Half of the watermelon comes from water. …It’s a wonderful way to satisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet," says Moores.

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 3: Grilled Veggies
For registered dietitian Dawn Jackson, a plate of grilled vegetables is a summertime must-have. She recommends keeping a plate of grilled onions, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, eggplant, asparagus, and garlic in your fridge. You can use them to make dishes like:

Grilled vegetable and goat cheese salads
Grilled vegetable pitas
Grilled vegetable, ricotta, and fresh herb pasta and frittatas

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 4: Salads
Salads make for quick, healthy meals -- with no recipes required.

"Just give the produce a quick rinse; slice, dice, toss fruits, vegetables, low-fat cheese, a handful of toasted nuts with some salad greens and a light raspberry or ginger vinaigrette, along with a whole-grain roll, and you have a meal in minutes," says Moores.

Or try bean or whole-grain salads, such as wheatberry and tabouli.

Moore suggests flavoring your salads with herbs from the garden so you can go light on the dressing. And when adding meats or fish to your salad, she says, "think of them as an accessory to the greens, vegetables, and grains."

Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 5: Low- and No-Calorie Beverages
Smoothies, sweetened specialty coffee drinks, sweetened teas and sodas -- they all go down so easily, especially when it's hot outside. But the calories add up just as easily.

"Beverages can be the Achilles heel during summertime because we need to drink lots of liquids to stay cool, but liquids quench thirst and don’t usually impact our hunger," says Jackson.

Jackson recommends these refreshing drinks and treats to enjoy this summer without blowing your diet:

Root Beer or Orange Dream Float. 1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt in 12 ounces of diet root beer or orange soda (100 calories)
Tart Lemon Pom Spritzer. 12 ounces of lemon sparkling water mixed with the juice of 1 lemon and 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, served over ice (35 calories)
Large Ice Skim Latte from Starbucks (130 calories)
White Wine Spritzer. 5 ounces white wine mixed with 3 ounces lemon/lime seltzer water (120 calories)
Best Summer Weight Loss Food No. 6: Fruit-Based Desserts
"Cravings don't take a summer vacation and your hot-weather sweet tooth can wreak havoc on your weight loss efforts," says Jackson. "Ditch high-calorie desserts and opt for these naturally sweet treats that can tame the most ferocious sweet tooth."

She suggests:

Grilled banana sundaes made with low-fat ice cream
Grilled pineapple with rum and pecans
Grilled white peaches with blackberries and honey
Frozen, dark, sweet cherries
A chocolate-covered frozen banana (such as Diana’s Banana, with 130 calories)
Frozen grapes

Drink of the Week: 357 MAGNUM!

Ok, ok, ok... Everybody is telling us the drink recipes we post are too costly for the regular college student. So here's us going inexpensive (big word!! LOL)! It's a couple of bottles but we guarantee, if you and your buddies each throw down a good Ten Bucks, grab these bottles and you'll be DRRRRRRRUNK for the next 3 days!

357 MAGNUM
1 oz Bacardi® 151 rum
1 oz vodka
2 oz amaretto almond liqueur
2 1/2 oz 7-Up® soda

Sip Slow... AHH WAT THE HELL! DRINK ERRRRR DOWWWWNNNNN!!!

(Shout to Clint Eastwood... And Chuck Norris too. LMAO)

Keri Hilson Drops Her Album: "In A Perfect World"

"In a Perfect World . . . " might be Keri Hilson's debut album, but it's hardly the work of a record-biz neophyte. As part of the Clutch, an Atlanta-based songwriting squad, Hilson has spent the last few years penning hits for such A-list acts as Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige, and in 2007 she dominated Top 40 radio as the female voice on Timbaland's smash "The Way I Are."

She's not shy about using her connections, either: "Perfect World" features production by Timbaland, Danja and Polow da Don, and sports guest appearances from bigwigs including Lil Wayne, Akon, Kanye West and Ne-Yo.

All that star power can leave little room in these futuristic R&B songs for Hilson, whose sturdy but unremarkable voice rarely transcends its role as a melody-delivery device. In impeccably arranged tracks like "Turnin Me On" and "Slow Dance" (the latter co-written by Justin Timberlake), Hilson describes the ecstasy of desire with all the warmth of an alien observing life on Planet Earth. And compared with Keyshia Cole's and Trina's typically fiery turns in "Get Your Money Up," Hilson comes off like somebody Polow hired as an in-studio chaperon.

She fares much better in the handful of cameo-free cuts, such as "Make Love," where she trills seductively over a slinky slow-jam groove, and "Intuition," a top-shelf Timbaland joint with a haunting minor-key refrain ("I've got this crazy feeling / I'm gonna be single again") that Hilson truly sells.

-- Mikael Wood

Keri Hilson
"In a Perfect World . . . "
(Interscope)
Two stars

A New Appreciation For Lil Kim

After seeing Notorious I've come to have a new appreciation for Lil` Kim. Although she's been catching heat for her recent color transformation, it's obvious she still has image issues. Really though how would you feel if you stood by someone's side constantly, yet they chose to have someone else be on their arm to the public. Big dogged her out, changed her style, and made her famous; but Kim was looking for love. Now a regular girl might just say oh well his loss but, touch her heart enough and there's no telling what she'll do.

After a stint in prison, exstensive surgery, and skin lightening Kim has emerged as a new woman. Currently appearing on dancing with the stars, which she fell in love with while watching the show in prison. Not suprisingly she's doing well and I would love to see her win. Notorious left her vulnerable and allowed fans to catch a glimpse of Kim before the lights came on. So being on this show might be good timing, maybe it'll help her realize that what's on the inside determine's real beauty.

It feels like she needs to find a way to love her self as she is. No more surgeries or skin treatments. This idea of trying to create beauty instead of embrassing yourself as you are seems as though its becoming an epidemic. The average person has had or has thought about some type of elective corrective surgery. why can't more people love themselves? What can we as a cultre do to help more people love who they are and what they look like?

-TT

Just Another Case of the Mondays!

I can't really say I hate Mondays because all days feel the same to me. Work, play, work, play, work, play... But for those of you who need a quick laugh because you partied all weekend and now the week begins, remember this movie???

RIGGGHHHTTTTTTT........

Damn, I Can't Shake This Cold For SHIT!

Most cold and flu drugs attack symptoms, not the specific viruses. They don't cure, but they can bring relief, lighter symptoms, or shorten your illness. There's no one right way to treat a cold or the flu. But here are some questions to ask your pharmacist to get the right over-the-counter medication for you.

#1 Should I take a decongestant or an antihistamine?
This depends on your symptoms. If you have nasal or sinus congestion, then a decongestant can be helpful. If you have drainage -- either a runny nose or postnasal drip or itchy watery eyes -- then an antihistamine may be helpful. Over-the-counter antihistamines often make people drowsy; decongestants can make people hyper or keep them awake. Antihistamines can make secretions thick, which can be a problem for people with asthma. Keep in mind that both these medications may interact with other drugs you may be taking for conditions such as heart disease, and they may worsen some conditions. Discuss with your doctor or pharmacist which cold medication may be best for you.

#2 Is it safe to take a decongestant if I have high blood pressure?
Decongestants can increase blood pressure and heart rate, and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Pseudoephedrine is the primary oral decongestant available. In general, if your blood pressure is well controlled with medications, then a decongestant shouldn't be a problem as long as you monitor your blood pressure. This may not be true with certain types of blood pressure medications. Check with your doctor or pharmacist about what may be best for you.

#3 How often should I use nasal spray?
Nasal decongestants work fast to open breathing passages. But if you use them for more than three days in a row, you may suffer a "rebound effect," and end up more congested than you were at the start. Some doctors suggest using a saline spray instead of a medicated spray. Saline spray works more slowly but has no rebound effect.

#4 What's the deal with cough medicine?
An occasional cough may clear the lung of pollutants and excess phlegm. A persistent cough should be diagnosed and treated specifically. On the shelf you'll find numerous cough medicines with various combinations of decongestants, antihistamines, analgesics/antipyretics, cough suppressants, and expectorants. Ask your pharmacist which combination, if any, would be right for you.

#5 What should I take for fever and aches?
Fever may be a good thing. It helps the body fight off infection by suppressing the growth of bacteria and viruses and activating the immune system. Doctors no longer recommend suppressing fever for most people, except perhaps for the very young, the very old, and those with certain medical conditions such as heart disease or lung disease. However, if you are uncomfortable then it's fine to take medications. Young people (including those in their early 20s) should avoid aspirin. Acetaminophen (Tylenol and others) or the numerous other medicines like ibuprofen (Advil and others) are your best choices. Each has their own risks, so check with your doctor or pharmacist as to which may be best for you. Be careful not to overdose! These drugs are often mixed in with other cough and cold and flu remedies you may also be taking. Your pharmacist can help you make the right choice.

#6 What's best for my sore throat?
Drinking lots of fluids and using salt water gargles (made by combining a cup of warm water and a teaspoon of salt) can often be helpful for easing the pain of a sore throat. Some oral medications (such as Tylenol) and medicated lozenges and gargles can also temporarily soothe a sore throat. Get your doctor's approval before using any medications, including over-the-counter drugs, and don't use lozenges or gargles for more than a few days. The medications could mask signs of strep throat, a bacterial infection that should be treated with antibiotics.

-Via WebMD