Despite my love for all things Coach K (Duke) and the amazing color scheme worn by the greatest player of all time (light baby blue and white of North Carolina), I have always identified the Illini as my favorite college basketball team. From the days of first starting to watch college basketball when the '89 team with Nick Anderson, Kendall Gill, and Marcus Liberty made their march madness run, to the magnificently under-achieving Kiwane Garris era. TThen there was Lon Kruger and the Peoria boys, plus the arrival and departure of Bill Self. Bruce Weber was a favorite of mine, and you can't forget his teams' magical run through and over the Big Ten. Dee Brown, Deron Williams, Luther Head, james Augustine...I even loved the Brian Randle/Demetri McCamey teams. Bur since Webber was relieved of his duties, it's the John Croce tenure that has me and other fans completely disapointed. Underwelmed is a word most commonly used. This upcoming season won't change that. The team returns leading scorer Rayvonte Rice, but loses team captain senior Tracy Abrams to a knee injury. Also back are Kendrick Nunn and big man Nnanna Egwu. The rest of the roster is filled with a team wh needs to step up and provie itself, featuring only 3 talents over 6'9 and the rest right around the 6'3 height range. Croce was hoping to change all of that with heavily recruitment of the state of Illinois and Chicago. Cliff Alexander would have changed that. The Cliff Alexander decision to go to Kansas hurt...alot. Alexander would have changed the current culture of hoops for Croce. Some people have said the same about Jalen Brunson, the Stevenson guard who just committed to Villanova. Another big time Illinios kid Croce went after and lost. In turn, Croce has been able to load his roster with mid-level kids from the state, and even snag some of the area's elite (6'7 DJ Williams, 6'4 Aaron Jordan, and 6'4 point Jalen Coleman). The problem is his team is built more for battling smaller conference teams, and lacks the size and talent tit takes to compete in th Big Ten. In fact my alma mater Marian University features more of a height advantage than the Illini (minus the 3 guys they have over 6'10). So how do we fix things? How can we bring some excitement to this program? Well here's a few suggestions:

Let's start big, shall we? There are a few high school seniors still looking for schools that could really help this program. Check out Diamond Stone, a 6'10 center from Milwaukee ranked 4th in the HS 150. Caleb Swanigan is ranked 8th, a 6'8 big forward from Fort Wayne, Ind. Isiah Briscoe is a 6'3 point guard from Union, NJ currently ranked #13th would be an exciting signing, as would PJ Dozier, a 6'6 swingman from Philly (ranked #21). Melvin Frazier is an excited 6'7 game-changer from Louisiana (#87), as is Carlton Bragg, a 6'9 forward in Cleveland, a former stomping ground of Croce (ranked #18). Also close to home is the 6'5 Davon Dilliard from Gary, Indiana (ranked #94).

There's also a look into the future...the class of 2016. The potenial in kids like Ben Coupet (a 6'7 forward from Simeon) and Barrett Benson (6'9 Hinsdale) is hard to miss. Getting those two players to stay in state would be a good move, as would be pursuit of Whiteny Young's Skyler Nash, a 6'5 guard who's heavily on Wisconsin's wishlist.

Chicago has two huge unsigned talents that will generate lots of attention this season in Myles Carter and Marcus LoVett. Both seniors have  tremendous upsides. Carter is a 6'8 power forward playing for Catholic league powerhouse St. Rita (let's go Mustangs!) and features a ton of athletic talent that needs a small does of pushing in the right direction. LoVett...he's been at the center of the Chicago basketball universe recently. There are some who think he's the best point guard in Illinois and even better than Brunson (definitely not better than Brunson). A solid 6'0 tough as nails point guard with handles and passing skills that get crowds excited often, LoVett will get to show off his talents at Morgan Park this year for Nick Irvin. LoVett is the classic over-skilled underdog and if he really is as god as he and Irvin think he is, well he could bring that excitement to Champaign that the Illini has been missing for years.

"And baby It’s amazing I’m in this maze with you, I just can’t crack the code, one day you screaming you love me loud, the next day you’re so cold...."

Holy Grail

It was going to be hard for “The Legends of the Summer” tour to actually top the ultimate anticipation and expectations surrounding its build up, however when that tour includes the number one pop artist and the number one artist in rap, not to mention said artist both promoting new albums, you can see why expectations were high.

Here’s what you should know: Justin Timberlake is a tremendous pop artist. He’s a showman, a song and dance king. He’s been doing this thing before even he remembers. Justin can sing and dance and entertain in his sleep. Where he begs and pleads for approval, his tour-mate Shawn Carter basically demands it, un-apologetically. Trying to find a common comfortable ground, both played wingman throughout the night for each other. With large band in hand and a tremendous stage setting, the show opener “Holy Grail”, echo’ed throughout the 60,000 plus packed Soldier Field like anew generation sing a long anthem…and it’s fitting, in a music industry so fickle and built on stars who rise and fall within minutes, both artists were here, in this moment, with the biggest albums in the world, staring in the biggest concert tour of the year.

So let’s get to the show: Over 30 songs, all full of energy, had the crowd singing and dancing all night long. Their difference in styles comes off more as an Alpha/Omega relation, where as in past concerts Timberlake plays the same, he’s all over different instruments, commanding the crowd, and interjecting some very cool dance moves. Put him next to Jay Z however, and you notice how Jay commands a stage, while Justin fits easily into the sideman role. Jay Z has become one of the better live performers in music. While not built on movement or running and dancing around stage, Jay Z makes every move mean something, every verse, wether he emphasizes a line, a word, his voice…it commands the crowd.

There were the typical show-stoppers: Timberlake’s “Tunnel Vision”, “Pusher Love Girl”, “Mirrors”, “Love Stoned”, and “Cry me a river” put the crowd in the palm of his hands. Plus you’ll rarely find another song that gets a crowd moving and chanting like “Sexyback”. And while Justin was tremendous, it’s Jay Z who dominated the night. Commanding the Chicago audience to sing along to his NYC anthem “Empire State of Mind”, Jay Z rocked the crowd with hits such as “PSA”, “U Don’t Know”, “99 Problems” and “ Ni**as in Paris”.

After nearly three hours, as the clock approached midnight the two kings of music brought this epic night to a close, dominating the nights with hits, living up to most of the expectations fans had been counting on for months and months. Great show, great night.    

My introduction to music started back in 1983. The 80’s were a phenomenal era, and rock music was everywhere, every artist was different, pop music and r&b music had the same sound, and Michael Jackson ruled world. And then Purple Rain happened….changing everything I thought about music. Prince wasn’t like anyone. He didn’t sound like anyone. He didn’t want to be like anyone…and this movie, this movie was just cool. Here was a guy who was bad ass, didn’t care what you thought about what he wore or how he looked and was going to sing and play his ass off. The more I heard from him the more I realized that I need more. This bad ass could do no wrong. His music, not perfect, but provided hit after hit after hit. You couldn’t copy Prince, he was just too original. He was so un-realistic to me, that he didn’t exist in real life, just in music, stories, and the occasional television appearance. He toured, playing in other states, countries, and even here but pushing new material, which may have been good but wasn’t quite up to that standards of the Prince I wanted to see. I wanted the hits. I wanted prince at his best, no restrictions. Finally I got my chance when Prince hit Chicago for a 3 day stint at the United Center.

From top to bottom most people who attended the first show on Monday will tell you it was a disaster.  That won’t change hear. Prince is anything but perfect, yet seemingly a perfectionist. Let’s go on to the last show on Wednesday, which was short on the encore yet had the strongest opening of any of the concerts so far. I’ve seen many shows from some of the greatest artist of my time; nevertheless the opening to Prince’s final show was easily the best I’ve ever experienced. From starting with “Controversy”, Let’s go crazy” Delirious” “1999” “Little Red Corvette”….hit after hit after hit. Prince gave Chicago the proper ending his “Welcome 2 Chicago” stint deserved. With an incredible horn section, including some incredible work done by the legendary Maceo Parker. Prince also has a serious appreciation of the work his cousin Morris Day has done, as he ended the Wednesday show partying it up with fans to “The Bird” and “Jungle Love”.

So with the bad start, and the properly-fitting ending, its Tuesday’s performance that makes Prince’s stay at the UC memorable.

From the get-go Prince was determined to make up for the rough start that was Monday. With the stage set up in the round in the form of his love symbol, prince stomped all over the stage wearing a pair of heels better than most of the women attending the concert. Big on fan participation, Prince often let the crowd do the singing, if not the three lovely (not so) background singers who performed almost every song with him. The show kept a steady rhythm of hits until falling flat when Prince turned over the stage to his latest protégé Andy Allo. While she wasn’t bad, the crowd came specifically to see prince, not Allo, so the energy fell flat.

As if on cue Prince returned and picked up steam quickly, albeit, with a few slow songs. All crowd pleasers, he brought down the house with “Sometimes it snows in April”, Shhh (a song written for Tevin Campbell), and a slowed down version of “I could never take the place of your man”. The biggest reaction of the night came next, with the performance of “Nothing compares 2 u”, as midway through the first verse Chicago’s own Jennifer Hudson took the stage. With a voice bigger than the arena holding her, she owned her part of the duet, bringing tears to eyes and fans out of their seats. It was very funny watching Jennifer (wearing heels) tower over prince (also wearing heels) like Andre the Giant staring down at Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania III. Prince followed that performance with “Purple Rain”, a powerful and magical ending with included confetti and glitter and everything else you’d expect from a Prince performance of the song.

Prince had a lot to make up for on Monday, so four encores didn’t hurt. The fans weren’t leaving, and when they did it only made prince want to come out even more. Whether it was a one song encore, or a musical medley of over 10 songs, prince gave the crowd everything he got, even once screaming “you know how many hit’s I got? We’ll be here all night!”

The end of the night concluded much like Wednesday’s show with fans dancing on stage, with the houselights on (he did this frequently, wanting to see the crowd dance), jamming out to the Batman soundtrack rarity “Partyman”, a fitting song for a man who held the crowd in his hands since the rumors of a prince concert were mentioned. 

And just like that, Thursday morning it was over…like it had never happened, life was back to normal. But for the fans of Chicago who attended, whether the good, the bad, or the great, it was clear (using his own words) that “can’t nobody do it like Prince”.

The Tuesday Night Set-list:

(thunderstorm show intro)

Let's Go Crazy

Delirious

(with Let's Go Crazy)

1999

Shhh…

Let's Work

U Got The Look

Sometimes It Snows In April

People Pleaser

She's Always In My Hair

Dreamer

I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man

Take Me With U

Raspberry Beret

Cream

Cool

(with Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough)

Nothing Compares 2 UP

(with Jennifer Hudson)

Purple Rain

Encore 1:

Controversy

How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore

Encore 2

When Doves Cry

Nasty Girl (instrumental)

Sign O' The Times

Hot Thing

Alphabet St. (instrumental)

Forever In My Life

Darling Nikki (instrumental)

Mr. Goodnight

I Would Die 4 U

Kiss

Encore 3:

Little Red Corvette

Encore 4:

Act Of God

What Have You Done For Me Lately

(Janet Jackson cover)

Which Way Is Up?

Partyman

It wasn't that long ago where I gushed and gollied over what an incredible album Jay-Z and Kanye West's "Watch the Throne" collaboration turned out to be. While so called experts and critics felt it was 'under-whelming" and 'self-absorbed", I knew better. And quite frankly the streets don't lie. You know what else doesn't lie...numbers. And by the shear amount of sell-out crowds and acclaim garnered from previous stops on their 'throne" tour, you just knew the touchdown in Chicago was going to be epic. Not only is Chicago the hometown of Mr. West, its also one of Jay-Z's favorite spots to perform.

I've had the pleasure of seeing Kanye West at Summerfest in June, and while he was very theatrical, he also was extremely emotional and energetic. So I knew what to expect from the hometown kid who was bout to live his dream of playing a packed house in his hometown next to his hero. As for Jay-Z, well he's gotten better and better each time I've seen him, so with their last two shows in my head I came in expecting nothing less than a total euphoric hip hop experience.

No opening act needed for these two, as the sounds of "HAM" came reigning through the speakers (yes I know how I spelled reigned...I like that description!). With both performers on dual rising cubes across from each other, they tore into a "Throne" favorite "Who gon stop me", in which Jay-Z just tears through his verse like Jason through the first hundred Friday the 13th movies. Why Kanye thinks wearing a kilt cool is anyone's guess, but hey, he's Kanye., he does what he wants...clearly.

Both artists took turns on stage seperate and together ripping through crowd favorites back to back to back...there was no time to rests as the crowd spent the concert on their feet the entire night. I once pointed out the differences in stage approaches in both Jay and Kanye, and it was the same here: Kanye, emotional, eccentric, not sure what he's going to do or say, while Hov is like the world's best poker player on stage, never letting his guard down, never giving you too much, always making sure each gesture and lyric is well planned, well thought out...none more evident that the encore where as Kanye would put on any hat thrown on stage by the crowd , as Jay stayed focus...Yankess hat tilted over his eyes, only removed for purpose and to get his point across.

The duo hit an entire catalog of hits, and the visual aspects on the background screen helped give some of the "throne" songs more of an emotional connection. But this show wasnt about selling an album, it was the two kings of hip hop and music worldwide showing just why they are in a league of their own. A setlist like no other hip hop or rock show before it, its clear why they have gotten rave reviews in every city. Its a can't miss show filled with 3 hours of nonstop hits. From die-hard to casual fans of eaither artist, this is the show you'd want to see.

My favorite moment of the show..one that was repeated from last year's Jay-Z show is when the lights go out upon the crowd as Hov finishes up his monstorous crowd pleaser "U don't know", and they show the entire crowd, hands in the air in the diamond position rocking back in unison to Jay-Z like an army...its a breath-taking thing to witness as its amazing when music connects so well with its biggest listeners.

I didnt sit down until the encore...well, midway through the encore, which was the duo ripping through their hit "Niggas in Paris" a record 8 consecutive times! This song is currently the hottest record on radio and even in high school gyms (almost every high school basketball team has this song in their warm-up, which means it must be hot, right? The kids are even listening to it!!) Hearing a song 8 times in a row is just way too much for me, no matter how hot the song is at the moment, but it was clear that the duo was actually having alot of fun on stage together, and enjoying the chemistry and crowd reaction. You could tell they were having too much fun as even the poker-faced king of rap let down his guard with a smile and tip of his hat, as he ripped through his "Paris" verse a 6th and 7th time. And despite it all the crowd ate it up.

There's currently a lil' Wayne/Eminem tour oversees that may make its way to the states before the year is out, but it will be hard-pressed to come close to the energy and emotion given by Jay-Z and Kanye on this night.

SETLIST:

1.Intro: HAM

2. Who gon stop me?

3. Otis

4. Welcome to the jungle

5. Gotta have it

6. Where I'm from

7. Jigga what, Jigga who?

8. Can't tell me nothin'

9. Flashing lights

10. Jesus Walks

11. All falls down

12. Diamonds...

13. PSA

14. U don't know

15. Run this town

16. Monster

17. Power

18. Made in America

19. New day

20. Hard Knocks Life

21. Izzo

22. Empire state of mind

23. Runaway

24. Heartless

25. Stronger

26. On to the next

27. Dirt off your shoulder

28. I just wanna love you

29. Thats mu bitch

30. Good life

31. Touch the sky

32. All of the lights

33. Big Pimpin

34. Gold digger

35. 99 problems

36. No Church in the wild

37. Lift off

38. Niggas in Paris

39. Niggas in Paris

ENCORE:

6 more renditions of Niggas in Paris (tour record).

"Hark,who goes yonder? Well speak up man, what is it?"

"News from the East sire, Mike Kincaide has returned to Buzznews.net!!!!"

I absolutely un-apologetically love hip hop. Always have. Its in my blood. Coming from the rough neighborhood of Englewood on the southside of Chicago, r&b soul music is the soundtrack to life in that area. Growing up its hip hop which dominated the culture and way of life in the community. All your friends listened to it, hustlers sold bootleg t-shirts and tapes, gangsters dressed the part...family and friends lived by it. Happy or sad, tv or radio, it was everywhere.You couldnt avoid hip hop no matter how hard you tried.

With all that said I immediately had a strong connection to Kanye West, another southside guy who grew up in the same areas, listened to the same music and radio, and dealth with the same struggles I did. He had a strong connection with soul music, talked aout places I'd been and hung out at, had owned a very personable personality and affinity for my favorite rapper, Jay-Z...all which drew me to him. In time, while my love of Mr. West has gone back and forth because of his actions there has never been any doubt aout his talent. Continuously puts out quality if not outstanding music. He has begun to transend beyond the hiphop world which may have become his gift and his curse.

The one thing Kanye does really well is hip hop music. He can orchestrate a scene or project feeling and emotion through the artistry of his work, which is something alot of music artists  can't even fathom. Because of this and the numerous opinions and attacks by the media and others Kanye has become very reclusive in his appearances,going so far as to even move out of the country. So with the rare chance to see Kanye's act live in person at Milwaukee's Summerfest, my decsison to see his show was a no brainer.

Again much different than a typical rap shows Kanye's stage set-up is more artistic. He doesnt have a dj and performs with ballet dancers. Opening act Kid Cudi was extremely energetic and had the crowd into his show albeit only for a brief time as he only played for about 25 minutes. Cudi performed with no ballet dancers but was easily a crowd favorite and all over Kanye's upcoming set.

After about an hour wait the booming and radiating sounds of "HAM" played over the speakers. West opened the show performing "Dark Fantasy", the opening from his latest album, from a pole in the audience. Kanye didnt just connect with the crowd he had them at his mercy all night long. Dressed in all black wearing old-school red and black AirJordans and an old school snakeskin Chicago Bulls hat, Kanye opened his show very strong with a ton of energy and confidence. Kanye wasted no time ripping into hit after hit and owning the crowd. And everything he gave the crowd gave right back. West rocked out with "Hell of a Life" and tore the house down with "Monster" before turning to Kid Cudi for some assistance.

Kanye did at one point get on his soapbox, which is fine, as he made up for it by again piling hit after energetic hit together, working the stage and sweating like a madman. Going over material from previous albums including a guest appearances (West really rocked his verse from his Katy Perry collabo "E.T.") Kanye showed his hand to the observant fan on where he got his ideas for creating the setlist and show. Listening to newer material made some songs performed from the first album sound dated. Its a trick however, his mentor Jay-Z has mastered and perfected at his shows. Jay-Z seems to pull it off effortlessly while West rocks them out like they are today's current big hits when there's a strong portion of the crowd who just werent fans back then. West also follows Jay-Z's stage manerisms to a  tee, wether it be him running all over the stage, swinging his arm and hand gestures, commanding the crowd, not necessarry rapping for them. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, however West needs to find his own stage persona and presentation, which he is highly capable of.

Kanye doesnt finish as strong as he starts but the energy and list of hits keep the crowd into it. West re-creates a cool moment of the MTV debut of his big hit "Runaway", "All of the Lights" performed with Kid Cudi whips the crowd into a near frenzy, and then....splat. While I understand the significance of the song "Hey Mama", its use of a closer takes the life out of a great concert. Or maybe I'm just being insensitive. Anyway, Kanye's how isn' t much of a show, but more of a exciting presentation to loyal fans...complete with swan-like ballet dancers.

SET-LIST

1. H.A.M intro
2. Dark Fantasy
3. Power
4. Jesus Walks
5. Can't Tell Me Nothing
6. Diamonds From Sierra Leone
7. Hell of a Life
8. Monster
9. Gorgeous
10. Erase Me with Kid Cudi
11. Make Her Say with Kid Cudi
12. Flashing Lights
13. Good Life
14. Love Lockdown
15. Say You Will
16. Heartless
17. Swagga Like Us (bit)
18. Run This Town (bit)
19. E.T. (bit)
20. Homecoming
21. Through the Wire
22. All Falls Down
23. Touch the Sky
24. Gold Digger
25. All of the Lights with Kid Cudi
26. Stronger
27. Runaway
28. Lost in the World
29. Hey Mama