Amoeblog

Steroid abuse from baseball to ... music?

Suddenly the bright lights are shifting away from sports!
I'm reading today about how the District Attorney of Albany, N.Y., David Soares, is investigating allegations that 50 Cent, Mary J. Blige and "others" have been using steroids. (Thank you Digital Music News for the tip.)

Am I the only one who finds this to be absurd beyond comprehension?

Maybe I'm cynical, but hmmm ... they skipped right over the entire NFL (National Football League) in the 'steroid scandal.'

I have an idea! Here's the proud pigskin man of the NFL back in the early days:

 









- and here's a later shot of a steroids slammin NFL player:



....and they have skipped over every violent offender on their docket to go after soul singers? Rap dudes? Seriously?! Come in, american justice upholders! Come in! Are you there? Have you been abducted by Aliens? Should I expect Donald Sutherland to walk up and point at me now and make that horrible screaming noise?


Did someone slip some wacky juice into my cereal or is this a clear cut case of someone pathetically going after HEADLINES?

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Posted by The Bay Area Crew on January 15, 2008 at 11:53am | Comments (1)

50 CENT beaten by KAYNE 'Dollar Bill' WEST

Graduation outsells Curtis two-to-one
With estimated CD sales of two to one (two Kayne to every one Fitty) at Amoeba Music Hollywood and most other music outlets across the country yesterday it seems that Fitty literally is 50 Cent to every Kayne "dollar bill" West - in terms of sales of the long-feuding artists' highly anticipated and publicized new full-length releases. As San Francisco Amoebite and AMOEBLOGGER Brad Schelden outlined in his "Coming Out Today 9/11" AMOEBLOG yesterday the latest round in the ongoing battle between Kayne West and 50 Cent (aka Fitty) would manifest itself at cash registers this week upon the release of each high-profile rapper's new album: Kayne West's "Graduation" and 50 Cent's "Curtis." 

And according to Tuesday's retail sales figures from each of the three Amoeba Music outlets plus online sales figures released by iTunes and Amazon.com it is clear that West's new release greatly outsold Fitty's.  "In terms of sales here yesterday it was pretty much two to one in Kayne's favor," said Amoeba Music Hollywood hip-hop department's John Liu, adding that, "There was definitely a buzz about the two new releases, no doubt generated by all the recent media attention." Meanwhile at Amoeba  Music San Francisco, according to the Haight Street store's hip-hop buyer Luis, the ratio of sales yesterday was even greater in Kayne's favor. It was four to one, indicating that maybe Fitty should perhaps consider changing his name to 25 Cent or Quarta' for short.

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Posted by Billyjam on September 12, 2007 at 12:10pm | Comments (1)

new releases coming out 9/11...

animal collective...shout out louds...kanye west...pinback...black lips...






  vs.






          "Graduation" by Kanye West                                                                            "Curtis" by 50 Cent

9/11 is sort of a ridiculous street date. There is so much coming out today. I really didn't even know where to start. This week will be the battle between two giants of hip hop, Kanye West and 50 Cent. I have not heard either album yet but I am really betting on Kanye coming ahead of 50. I love the artwork for his new album and the song "Stronger" is fantastic. I was a bit confused about Kanye collaborating with Daft Punk, but it works out so perfectly. I was also sort of sick of 50 Cent after "In Da Club." I would be fine with never having to hear him or that song again. But I know a lot of people still love him. So I am a bit biased in my pick for Kanye. But he was awesome at the VMA's if not a bit over dramatic. He has claimed he will never have anything to do with the VMA's again after not winning again. I don't think he really needs to worry. He was all over the show and I don't think the fact that he didn't win a VMA is going to effect the sales of his album one bit.

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Posted by Brad Schelden on September 10, 2007 at 11:05pm | Comments (1)