text:
Freeze Frames: The Monitor Movie Guide

Movies containing violence (V), sexual situations (S), nudity (N), and profanity (P) are noted. Ratings and comments by the panel reflect the sometimes diverse views of at least three other viewers. Look for more guidance in our full reviews.

o Forget It

+ Poor

++ Fair

+++ Good

++++ Excellent

New Releases

BEAN (PG-13)

+++ To get rid of its dopiest security guard, a British museum dubs him an authority on painting and sends him to Los Angeles, where the arrival of "Whistler's Mother" has the art world in a tizzy. This knockabout comedy centers on the physical antics of English comedian Rowan Atkinson, who conveys the creepiness of the main character so convincingly that he comes off as rather creepy himself. But there's no denying the movie's frequent hilarity, abetted by Mel Smith's superbly laid-back directing and on-target performances by an excellent supporting cast. Contains a good deal of bathroom humor and other vulgarities. P

CREMASTER 5 (Not rated)

+++ Matthew Barney, a rising young star on the art-gallery scene, directed and performs in this avant-garde video spectacle, centering on a lavish musical performance, a bevy of mythological figures, and a series of dreamlike incidents that are as utterly mysterious as they are sumptuously staged. Ursula Andress heads the supporting cast. Jonathan Bepler's music is performed by the Budapest Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra. N V

+++ A young physician grapples with life-and-death issues at a hospital that cares more about technology and profit than health and compassion. Directed by the prolific Sidney Lumet from Steven Schwartz's intelligent screenplay, this biting social satire scores telling points against shortcomings in today's health-care system, and shows unexpected depth when fantasy scenes put these issues into philosophical and religious perspective. The expertly chosen cast includes James Spader, Helen Mirren, Albert Brooks, Kyra Sedgwick, Wallace Shawn, Anne Bancroft, Jeffrey Wright, and Edward Herrmann. S N V P

++ In a rural Louisiana town, a 10-year-old girl grows up in a troubled African-American family that includes a beautiful but unfulfilled mother, an educated but unfaithful father, and an eccentric aunt with an interest in the supernatural. The movie deserves enormous credit for paying serious attention to the family lives of black people, and for casting a compassionate, unsensational light on problems like infidelity and incest. In the end, however, the story is too contrived and melodramatic to reach its full potential. Written and directed by Kasi Lemmons. Debbi Morgan, Lynn Whitfield, Samuel L. Jackson, and young Jurnee Smollett head the solid cast. S V P

HABIT (Not rated)

+ It takes a surprisingly long time for a young New Yorker to figure out that his new girlfriend is a vampire. The picture has a certain sociological interest in its energetic portrait of life among the East Village crowd, but that's its only strong asset. Written, directed, and edited by Larry Fessenden, who also plays the hapless hero. Contains extremely graphic sex and violence. S N V P

++ Argentina is the main setting for this peripatetic look at the lives, jobs, and conflicts of two gay Hong Kong expatriates. Written and directed by the talented Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai, whose energetic and inventive style isn't enough to give the shallow story the substance and resonance it needs. Chinese superstars Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Leslie Cheung Kwok-Wing play the protagonists, and Christopher Doyle did the striking cinematography. S N V P

IN COLD BLOOD (Not rated)

+++ Reissue of Richard Brooks's chilling 1967 drama about a notorious murder that shocked a Kansas town in the late 1950s, filmed with careful attention to the facts of the real-life event. Based on Truman Capote's acclaimed book, which helped launch the nonfiction novel as a major literary genre. Robert Blake, Scott Wilson, and John Forsythe star. V P

+++ An ambitious TV reporter (Dustin Hoffman) happens to be nearby when a gun-toting security guard (John Travolta) storms into a museum with hopes of regaining his former job, sparking a hostage crisis and a frenzy of cynical maneuvering by media manipulators hoping to capitalize on the event. Strongly influenced by Billy Wilder's classic "Ace in the Hole," this dark comedy-drama rambles on too long and strains credibility at times; still, it calls needed attention to the increasingly blurred boundary between journalism, entertainment, and public spectacle for its own sake. Directed by Costa-Gavras, a thoughtful filmmaker with a commendable list of socially alert movies to his credit. V P

++ Richard Gere plays an American businessman framed for murder in Beijing, where the rights of defendants are limited and an independent-minded Chinese attorney is the only person who might save him from a punishment as severe as it is unwarranted. The film wobbles between mediocre suspense scenes and critical barbs aimed at China's criminal-justice system; it would be more persuasive if its sociopolitical commentary weren't squeezed so relentlessly into the familiar formulas of Hollywood melodrama. Bai Ling is very good as the Chinese lawyer. Jon Avnet directed. Contains sex, nudity, and a considerable amount of violence. S N V P

++ Slow, intense, sincere.

+ An intense, gripping, often scary thriller about a lone FBI agent (Dennis Quaid) tracking down a knife-wielding serial killer. The mystery, also featuring Danny Glover, takes several unexpected turns that often make it entertaining. But an all-too-predictable finish, graphic violence, and a script cheapened by Hollywood's current penchant for profanity and nudity leave a foul aftertaste. V N P By John Dillin

+++ Exploitative, action-filled, shocking, gory.

+++ Sensitive adaptation of Henry James's melancholy novel about an illicit affair between an upper-class socialite and a middle-class journalist, which seems headed for a dead end until the man agrees to woo a fatally ill heiress whose fortune will solve their social problems after her death. Helena Bonham Carter and Linus Roach play the lovers, capably supported by Alison Elliott, Elizabeth McGovern, and Charlotte Rampling. Thoughtfully directed by the versatile Iain Softely from Hossein Amini's screenplay, which reduces James's intricately structured narrative to feature-film scale without losing the book's rueful psychological tone. Contains an unerotic nude scene that forcefully conveys the sad wages of immoral behavior. S N

Currently in Release

BADLANDS (Not rated)

+++ Reissue of Terrence Malick's impeccably filmed, highly influential drama about a young psychopath and his baton-twirler girlfriend on a deadly Midwestern crime binge. Originally released in 1973, it helped turn Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen into major stars. S V N P

++ A money-driven pornographer (Burt Reynolds) invites a handsome teenager (Mark Wahlberg) to earn lowdown fame and fortune as a sex-movie star. Heavily influenced by Quentin Tarantino's brand of quirky sensationalism, this high-energy saga by Paul Thomas Anderson goes a long way toward exposing the greed and stupidity of the pornography trade, then loses its moral compass and steers toward a sadly superficial ending. Contains a very large amount of extremely graphic sex. S N V P

+++ Thought-provoking, well-acted, definitely not appropriate for children.

DEEP CRIMSON (Not rated)

++ An unhappy woman falls in love with a small-time con artist, and they set up a sort of lonely-hearts crime operation that soon turns deadly. Mexican director Arturo Ripstein applies his usual degree of cinematic imagination to the sordid tale, which is loosely based on Hollywood's cult movie "The Honeymoon Killers," but look out for some disturbing mayhem before the end. V S N P

++ A talented young attorney takes a job in a high-powered law firm and gradually learns that it's run by the devil himself. Taylor Hackford's thriller makes a mischievous assault on today's legal system, but its points would be more telling if the story didn't veer so often into needless sensationalism and eye-catching effects. Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves attack their roles with gusto under Hackford's direction, and the screenplay is witty enough to name the villain John Milton, after one of literature's greatest chroniclers of infernal doings. Contains explicit sex and violence. S V N P

+++ Clever, chilling, intriguing plot.

++ In a small Midwestern town, a waitress marries an ex-convict she corresponded with during his prison term, and she gradually learns that his newfound religious convictions haven't tamed his dangerous temper. The story doesn't quite add up to a well-told drama, but there's rock-solid acting by Martha Plimpton, Kevin Anderson, Hal Holbrook as the local sheriff, and Nick Stahl as a youngster who is tragically affected by the events around him. Written and directed by newcomer Tim Blake Nelson. V P S

+++ Two girls snap a photo of fairies in their family's English garden, sparking different responses from interested parties, including the author Arthur Conan Doyle, who believes in supernatural beings, and the magician Harry Houdini, who takes a skeptical view of such matters. Charles Sturridge's fantasy is slow and complicated for very young viewers, but others will enjoy its wholesome story and detailed depiction of the World War I era, not to mention the fairyland scenes, which are truly magical. The strong cast includes Peter O'Toole as the celebrated writer and Harvey Keitel as the world's greatest escape artist.

+++ Heartwarming, intricate, marvelous fairy effects.

+++ The time is the 21st century, the setting is a society where biological tests determine everyone's designated role in life, and the hero is a physically imperfect young man who decides to buck the system and cheat his way into an astronaut-training program. Andrew Niccol wrote and directed this intelligent and suspenseful science-fiction drama featuring strong performances by Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Alan Arkin, and Gore Vidal. V P S

u Bleak, uninspired, poor acting.

++ The adventures of two aimless youngsters and their eccentric neighbors, in a Midwestern town recently devastated by a tornado. Written and directed by Harmony Korine, this meandering docudrama blends adventurous filmmaking with the sort of grotesque, sometimes repulsive content found on the sleaziest tabloid-TV shows. Different viewers might find different portions worthy of anything from zero to four stars, but anyone with a faint heart or weak stomach should stay miles away from it. S N V P

++ A young man brings his fiance to visit his family, which includes a mentally unbalanced twin sister involved in an incestuous relationship with him. Written and directed by Mark Waters, who strives for David Mamet-style punchiness but doesn't develop the quirky momentum that would carry the deliberately out-of-kilter story past its implausibilities. Parker Posey is her usual vivacious self as the disturbed young woman. Josh Hamilton and Tori Spelling also star. S V P

++ Two couples who just graduated from high school accidentally kill a man in an auto accident and cover up the crime to save their promising futures. A year later a mysterious figure appears in a fisherman's slicker and, wielding an ice hook, begins to stalk them. The screenplay by Kevin Williamson ("Scream") keeps the lighting low and the tension high, though a bit more wit would have helped. The performances by the young actors are engaging. Contains profanity and some scenes of graphic violence. S V P By Greg Lamb

++ Suspenseful, scary, exhilarating.

++ The setting is a well-to-do New England suburb; the time is the Watergate era of 1973; and the main characters are members of various families whose complex relationships become more tangled when an ice storm causes last-minute changes in their social and sexual arrangements. Directed by Ang Lee, whose exposure of middle-class hypocrisy would be more effective if it weren't rigged to provide evidence for the story's take on contemporary values. Contains material that many will find realistic but distasteful, including sex and drug experimentation by youngsters. S N P V

+++ Compelling, intelligent, disturbing.

IN & OUT (PG-13)

+++ A small-town English teacher takes a new look at his life and self-image after a former student goes on national TV and identifies him as gay. Frank Oz's comedy combines a celebration of tolerance with an affirmation of family and community values, and a surprising amount of laugh-out-loud hilarity. The cast includes Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Tom Selleck, and Bob Newhart. Contains dialogue and other material dealing frankly with sexuality. P S V

++ Clever dialogue, mildly embarrassing, politically correct.

++ When a young woman is abducted, her uncle - a thoughtful police officer - attempts to track down her psychopathic killer. Sensitive acting by Morgan Freeman and stylish directing by Gary Fleder can't overcome the bottom-line pointlessness of the movie's melodramatic material, which never achieves the dark resonance that helped "The Silence of the Lambs" get under the skin of many moviegoers. Contains harrowing suspense and violence. S P V N

++ Creepy, tense, ominous.

++ Under pressure from higher-up, two hard-working angels engineer an earthly kidnapping to bring a couple together and increase the amount of romantic love in the world. Danny Boyle's dark comedy has stylishly filmed moments, but overall it's a queasy blend of amusing, pointless, and sometimes quite nasty material. Ewan McGregor, Cameron Diaz, Holly Hunter, Delroy Lindo, and Ian Holm head the cast. V P S

+ Strange, lacks a plot, wait for video.

+++ Brad Pitt plays an Austrian adventurer who climbs the Himalayas during World War II, lands in a British prison camp, then escapes and treks to the Tibetan city of Lhasa, where he and the young Dalai Lama strike up a mutually illuminating friendship. Jean-Jacques Annaud's epic doesn't delve very deeply into the religious and historical subjects it raises, but it's colorfully filmed and takes a commendable interest in serious issues, including China's brutal invasion and occupation of Tibet. V P

++++ Beautiful scenery, thought-provoking, moving.

++ Newly arrived in the United States, a young Hungarian immigrant becomes the protg of a seedy disc jockey, who teaches him that people are rarely as honest as they appear. Joe Eszterhas's screenplay is vastly more thoughtful than his scripts for "Basic Instinct" and its ilk, but the storytelling is too spotty for the movie to become the effective moral tale it might have been. Kevin Bacon and Brad Renfro are excellent as the sleazy mentor and his immature friend. Guy Ferland directed. S V P

+++ A plain, sensitive young woman is caught between a handsome but penniless suitor and her father, a cool-minded physician who's determined to prevent their marriage. Jennifer Jason Leigh shows a surprising flair for modest, introspective moods in Agnieszka Holland's deftly directed adaptation of Henry James's quietly compassionate novel. Albert Finney, Ben Chaplin, and Maggie Smith head the fine supporting cast. S

+++ Intelligent, strong acting, provocative.

++ Jim Jarmusch's offbeat documentary on rock star Neil Young and his Crazy Horse band, much of it filmed in the grainy super-8 format associated with home movies and music videos. Peppering material from a 1996 tour with flashback footage dating back as much as 20 years, the show is loaded with rock 'n' roll energy. It lacks the depth, wit, and originality of Jarmusch masterpieces like "Stranger Than Paradise" and "Dead Man," however. P

++ Informative, grainy, consistent.

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text:
8THEIST license plate rejected. Why?

8THEIST license plate rejected. But "Baptist" was accepted as a vanity license plate by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. A woman filed suit to get her 8THEIST plate accepted saying the state violated her First Amendment rights.

A New Jersey woman who says she was denied a license plate referencing atheism filed suit this week, claiming her online application was rejected because it was deemed potentially offensive.

Shannon Morgan, of Maurice Township, said in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday that the Motor Vehicle Commission violated her First Amendment rights when its website rejected the plate reading "8THEIST." She said she received a message stating that her vanity plate request was ineligible as it "may carry connotations offensive to good taste and decency."

Morgan then filled out the online application using the phrase "BAPTIST" as a test, which the website accepted. Morgan claims in her lawsuit that she sent the agency a letter of complaint by registered mail and made several attempts to contact them by phone, all of which went unanswered.

Messages and emails left for the Motor Vehicle Commission by The Associated Press on Friday were not returned. A recorded message said the offices were closed in observance of Good Friday.

New Jersey previously, after a brief flap, approved a request from an atheist group's president for a license plate that read "ATH1EST," with the number one in place of the letter "i."

Ayesha N. Khan, the legal director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, a Washington D.C.-based advocacy group representing Morgan, said the fact this has happened at least twice in New Jersey shows the problem has not been fixed.

The Motor Vehicle Commission is "disfavoring atheist plates and not fixing the system. Whatever Internet glitch there might be cannot be the explanation this time," Khan said, adding that they were seeking the enactment of new agency regulations that include "objective, viewpoint-neutral criteria for issuing a plate."

In other atheist news, the leaders of a national atheist group say the best spot to find a nonbeliever is in a place of faith.

To that end, the American Atheists, in an effort to raise awareness and attract new members, are holding their annual conference over Easter weekend in the home of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

They say the church's large influence in Utah has made atheists in the state reluctant to speak about religious doubts for fear of being shunned. Atheist group leaders also criticize the LDS influence as having overstepped its boundaries in areas of public policy.

"Religious morality is dictating the Legislature. That's unconstitutional, and that's why we're fighting this fight," atheist spokesman Dave Muscato said, speaking against the state's ban on gay marriage.

Mormon culture dominates Utah, and the effect can be seen in the state's strict liquor laws and overwhelmingly conservative politics. About 60 percent of residents and about four in five Utah lawmakers identify as Latter-day Saints.

Many residents view the church's influence as responsible for what they consider a "pro-family" atmosphere that makes the state attractive, a University of Utah professor says.

The state prioritizes children, education and good health, said Don Herrin, who teaches family studies. He said this may help people feel "safer, more upbeat, more positive."

The expansiveness of Mormon principles can be seen as "an achievement of something that is valued in the culture," Herrin said.

The head of an LDS anti-defamation group also dismisses the atheists' criticism, saying the church doesn't publicly endorse legislative candidates. Scott Gordon, president of FairMormon, also says in an email that detractors are to be expected.

"Anytime you have an organization that has a large economic footprint in a community, there will be some who will resent it and want to push back against it," he said.

LDS officials say the church isn't responding to the atheist group.

Twice a year, tens of thousands of Mormons arrive in Salt Lake City for the church's general conference. Early this month, attendees heard LDS church officials denounce gay marriage. A group of a few dozen demonstrators, led by Atheists of Utah along with the American Atheists, protested outside the conference.

About 700 attendees came Friday to listen to atheist speakers and discuss their beliefs. The visitors ranged from casually dressed college students to people in business suits to parents carrying toddlers.

Atheist leaders say their group members comprise a spectrum of views. Those who believe for certain that God doesn't exist, those who are unsure but aren't active in their faith and those who don't give the matter much thought all could be called atheists, they say.

Wilson Bateman, a 29-year-old from Sandy, said he was glad to see events that raise the profile of atheists. "Sometimes, it's just fun to be around your own people," he said.

The group plans its gatherings for Easter weekend in part to draw attention, but also because their members are generally available and hotel and convention centers offer good deals. Atheist organizers last brought their conference to Salt Lake City in 1981.

As a warm-up, conference officials hosted a panel discussion Wednesday featuring Mormon and atheist experts speaking about negative public perceptions and stereotypes about their respective groups.

Atheist speakers aimed to dispel notions that members of their community are immoral or unfriendly. LDS panel members, meanwhile, said their faith is neither unwelcoming nor exclusionary.

The American Atheists president, David Silverman, said Friday his group wants to make sure people of all faiths who have doubts, especially disillusioned Mormons in Utah, come to learn more and realize they have allies.

"We hope that they will come in droves" before Easter celebrations, he said, "and see what we're really like."

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Details of Francisco Liriano’s contract with the Pirates

February 9, 2013, 11:14 am
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Francisco Liriano originally agreed to a two-year, $12.75 million contract with the Pirates in December, but the two sides went back to the negotiating table after he broke his right (non-throwing) arm in a bathroom fall. The deal was finalized yesterday as a one-year, $1 million contract with a vesting option for 2014, but now…

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Giants lineup: Crawford not ready, Noonan at 3B

Giants lineup: Crawford not ready, Noonan at 3B
June 20, 2013, 2:15 pm
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In 44 games this season Nick Noonan is hitting .219 with three RBI. (USA TODAY IMAGES)

Programming note: Coverage of Giants-Marlins begins tonight at 6:30 PT on CSN Bay Area with Giants Pregame Live

Tonight's lineups as announced by managers Bruce Bochy and Mike Redmond:

San Francisco Giants
1. Gregor Blanco (L) LF
2. Marco Scutaro (R) 2B
3. Buster Posey (R) C
4. Hunter Pence (R) RF
5. Brandon Belt (L) 1B
6. Joaquin Arias (R) SS
7. Nick Noonan (L) 3B
8. Juan Perez (R) CF
9. RHP -- Chad Gaudin (2-1, 2.83 ERA)

Miami Marlins
1. Juan Pierre (L) LF
2. Placido Polanco (R) 3B
3. Giancarlo Stanton (R) RF
4. Logan Morrison (L) 1B
5. Justin Ruggiano (R) CF
6. Derek Dietrich (L) 2B
7. Adeiny Hechavarria (R) SS
8. Rob Brantly (L) C
9. RHP -- Tom Koehler (0-5, 5.09 ERA)

More Team Talk


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Security experts scoff at Mars rover hack threat

Viewed as a 'weak' attempt at trolling using Anonymous' name, or effort by law enforcement to lure hackers

The word has been out for more than a week now that the hacktivist group Anonymous is looking to break into the communication system between NASA and the Mars rover, Curiosity.

The New York security firm Flashpoint Partners reported that it found a message on an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) by a user called "MarsCuriosity," asking for help to hack into the signals NASA uses to communicate with the rover.

But within the security community, the rumor has been greeted mostly with yawns, shrugs or a few scornful chuckles. No panic buttons are being pressed. It is being viewed either as a "weak" attempt at trolling, or an effort by law enforcement to lure hackers to fall for a sting.

Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure, posted a tweet late last week saying, "The Daily Mail has an article about Anonymous planning to hack the Mars rover. For your convenience, I won't link to it." He later added in an email, "I think it's a joke."

Gary Cutlack, writing at Gizmodo, "Whether this is an idle boast of a rogue member or a genuine hacking attempt we can't tell, we'll just have to wait to see if images of Arnold Schwarzenegger in 'Total Recall' start appearing on top of NASA's imagery."

Steve Ragan wrote at Security Week that the fact that the story has gained legs at all, "proves that the name Anonymous can be used to give even the most outlandish claims a spotlight."

He called MarsCuriosity's message "a weak attempt to troll at best. Trolling within Anonymous is an art form and it's used for amusement mainly ... to target the gullible."

[See slide show: Anonymous and LulzSec -- 10 greatest hits]

Flashpoint reported that on Aug. 9, MarsCuriosity posted the following message on the AnonOps IRC channel: "Anyone in Madrid, Spain or Canbarra who can help isolate the huge control signal used for the Mars Odyssey/Curiosity system please? The cypher and hopping is a standard mode, just need base frequency and recordings/feed of the huge signal going out. (yes we can spoof it both directions!)

PCMag's Damon Poeter reported that Flashpoint co-founder Josh Lefkowitz acknowledged that the post might not be what it appears on its face. He said the name MarsCuriosity was "likely a one-off created and used specifically for the proposed operation."

"There's even the possibility that the poster is an anti-Anonymous actor or member of law enforcement seeking to draw out actual members of the collective," Lefkowitz is reported to have said.

None of this means NASA is invulnerable, said James Arlen, a senior consultant with Taos.

Like his colleagues, Arlen thinks MarsCuriosity is a troll, but said if the threat is real, its success will come down to whether the proper command-and-control link can be subjugated, like an SQL injection in a web app; or whether the proper command-and-control link can be meaningfully replaced, as in an infrastructure hack/DNS spoof.

"I think the answers are 'probably' and 'less likely,' but both remain non-zero," Arlen said, adding that he thinks NASA is making major efforts to tighten the security of the mission. "I think that the instantiation of the multiple layers of communications between the various assets operating on and around Mars is a leading indication that NASA is paying attention to what is important."

"The work done by Vint Cerf and JPL on the Interplanetary Internet is an indication that people smarter than you or me are actively working the problem," he said.

Still, Arlen said anyone on earth can listen to the conversations between NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab and Mars. "Some limitations are imposed by physics -- it's easier to listen to the response than to pick up some sort of scatter on the send -- but overall, as DirectTV is all too aware, radio waves freely propagate."

What kind of damage or mischief could such a hack cause? Arlen said he doubts it would destroy or seriously damage the rover, although "the bad guys don't care what they wreck." What's more likely: "They're just looking to goof things up, preferably in a way that embarrasses the U.S. government."

Arlen said even if this post is simply trolling, "with Software Defined Radio and things like the GNURadio/Ettus USRP, we're entering a new age of 'interesting' when it comes to radio communications."

"Think about things like the NinjaTel network at DEF CON 20 / Shadytel at Toorcamp and the cell-tower-on-a-usb-stick that Ettus has. These are going to be awfully interesting times for people who expect 'the rules' to be followed," Arlen said.

Insider: How a good CSO confronts inevitable bad news
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Link to What's New This Week On the Role of Stories in Discovering Multiple Perspectives

Dear Habermas Logo and Link to Site Index A Justice Site

Practice Module

Mirror Sites:
CSUDH - Habermas - UWP - Archives

California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Soka University Japan - Transcend Art and Peace
Created: September 1, 2002
Latest Update: September 9, 2002

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jeanne's first draft of We Are Scattered Without Our Stories jeanne's first draft of We Are Scattered Without Our Stories

On the Role of Stories
in Discovering Multiple Perspectives

Site Copyright: Jeanne Curran and Susan R. Takata and Individual Authors, September 2002.
"Fair use" encouraged.

  1. Preparatory readings for module.

  2. Discussion questions.

    1. Explain how Dorothy Naor's story is an example of transparency in governance.

      Consider that the media in general are owned by international or national corporations and are part of the present corporate world. Consider that the corporate world (US) backs Israel strongly, for it is a major foothold in the Mid East. Consider that access to world energy is involved: oil and oil lines through not uniformly friendly territories. Consider the adversarial position we take in the corporate world. Consider the number of forums available for expressing dissent.

      Then consider cocneptually linking the concept of transparency in governance to refusing to let any one perspective control information in the interest of dominating other interests. Don't forget to take a careful look at who is making this information available, and what the likely distribution power is of those who are doing so. Then take a look at the power of dissemination of the mass media. Now consider social justice in terms of equality of access to having validity claims heard in good faith. (Habermas' explanation for legitimacy.)

    2. Explain the horror evoked in spite of the relatively small figures in terms of what we have grown used to in wars.

      Consider the size of Israel; consider the proximity in which Palestinians and Israelis live. Then consider that this confrontation, like many in recent decades, is killing civilians, often children, not combatants in a declared war. Consider that in recent conflicts children have been forcefully taken into combatant forces and made to fight. These are not soldiers or combatants in the sense that we have understood them in the past. Consider that in African conflicts, children have been maimed, hands chopped off, so they may not be turned into combatants of the opposition when grown. Consider the spread of such inhumanity. Consider our callousness and acceptance of such data presentations as that Dorothy presents here. Can we have a community of social justice in the midst of such killing? Recall our shock over each killing of a child reported by the mass media in the US. Are the numbers in Dorothy's statistics really small?

    3. How would you respond to a justification of the killings if someone suggested that one cannot make such arguments when there is an intifada going on?

      Consider the moral and aesthetic issues of killing innocents. Consider the stories that might make it much more difficult for us to deny the ahrm we are inflicting, all of us, in denying that there is anything wrong here, if you take into consideration that this is in the midst of armed conflict. Does our denial make us complicit? What does it take for complicity? Consider the silver platter doctrine in the law and the courts' conclusion that no court of justice can simply stand by in wilful blindness while wrongdoing is committed in its name.

  3. Experiential activities related to module.

    1. Speak to your families, friends, acquaintances. How are they handling the killing of innocents? the starvation and misery of so many? Are they hearing it in good faith? or are they denying the whole conflict? Can you explain complicity to them? Please carefully. Not a good idea to make them uncomfortable. But point out to them how much harm is done, just be our failing to say "Enough!" even to each other. Point out to them that understanding and letting all of us know the stories, see the harm, is the first step towards changing injustice. Share your findings with us.

    2. Try to imagine yourself as a Palestinian in Israel. How would it feel when Israelis shied away from you out of fear? Do we have anything like this in the US? Consider driving while black. Can you understand in face of this why we have laws against claiming guilt by association alone? Do our own laws prevent driving while black? If not, what effect do they have? Is the law a good means for initiating social change - like forcing people to stop believing guilt by association?

  4. Self-test questions related to module.

    True or False? And explain briefly why it's true or false. (25 words or less)

    1. All national news media report news from an international perspective without bias.
    2. There are many channels of information so that Americans can stay informed on what those who oppose us are saying and thinking.
    3. We have many TV channels so that there will be a balance in news reporting.
    4. The government has the power in the US to make sure that US viewers know the truth.
    5. There is a truth to be known.

  5. Conceptual linking we had in mind as we prepared the module.


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Wednesday, November 6, 2013 - 2:00pm to 3:00pm

Oviatt 30

These are informal workshops focused on teaching with iPads led by CSUN faculty or Apple experts. Each session will cover a different tip or technique. Bring your questions and interact with your colleagues in a relaxed, informal setting. If you have specific questions or topics you would like covered, feel free to submit them to
in advance. Aimed at faculty but open to all.


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The Cal State Northridge Writing Project

"Writing today is not a frill for the few, but an essential skill for the many. "

-National Commission on Writing in America's Schools and Colleges

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Cal State Northridge Writing Project
Kathleen D. Rowlands, Director
Michael D. Eisner College of Education
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Northridge, CA 91330-8265

Welcome to the Cal State Northridge Writing Project

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We are an affiliate of the National Writing Project and one of sixteen sites of the California Writing Project. Teacher Consultants from the Cal State Northridge Writing Project work with teachers, schools, and local districts to improve student writing and learning. Download a copy of our brochure for an overview of the Cal State Northridge Writing Project and our programs, and share it with colleagues.

Demystifying the New ELD Standards. Back by popular demand, this three hour workshop is designed to help educators in all content areas and at all grade levels understand and apply the new ELD Standards. Saturday, September 12, 2015 from 9 to noon. Download FLYER.

Writing the College Application Essay. This one day workshop is designed to help high school seniors write an engaging and effective personal statement to submit as part of their college application. September 26, 2015 from 9-3 in the Michael D. Eisner College of Education.

The 2015 Write to Literacy Conference. Celebrating our 7th Write to Literacy Conference, teacher, author, and educational leader CAROL JAGO will be this year's keynote speaker on Saturday, October 17th from 8:30 to 3.

Our work with schools and districts has included providing ISAW professional development for English teachers from the Green Dot Schools and training of the trainers sessions in disciplinary literacies and the California Common Core State Standards for the Fillmore Unified School Distruct, Lancaster High School, and several others. More information about in-service offerings HERE.

We are excited about the many opportunities to improve writing and the teaching of writing in our service area. Please email us if you have suggestions for our Web site, ideas about programs you would like to see come to the Cal State Northridge Writing Project, or if you would like us to add your contact information to our email list.

If you are a Teacher Consultant from another Writing Project and interested in working with us, please send us an email, giving your name, professional affiliation, and your home Writing Project.

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OTTAWA -- Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is sticking with his assertion that the middle class is struggling with stagnant incomes and skyrocketing household debt, no matter what Statistics Canada says.

The agency released a study earlier this week that said families have become wealthier, with median net worth rising 44.5 per cent since 2005 and almost 80 per cent since 1999.

Employment Minister Jason Kenney said the study proves Trudeau is "making things up." He credited the Harper government's 162 tax cuts for the "very significant increase" in family net worth -- although about half the growth occurred during years when the Liberals were in power.

But Trudeau on Thursday cited another report -- prepared last fall by experts in Kenney's own department -- which concluded that "the Canadian dream is a myth more than a reality" for middle income earners.

Trudeau has zeroed in on the plight of the middle class since taking the helm of his party last April. He has vowed that measures to improve the lot of middle-class Canadians will be the cornerstone of the eventual Liberal platform for next year's election.

Asked Thursday how he reconciles his depiction of the middle class with the Statistics Canada study, Trudeau said he's looking at data over the longer term, since 1981, and they show "very, very troubling trend lines."

"The reality is that anyone who has spent any time actually talking to Canadians and listening to them knows that people are really, really worried," he told a questioner following a breakfast speech hosted by the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce and Ottawa Business Journal.

"Canadians are worried that, you know what, for the first time, they're not going to be offering to their kids greater opportunities than they had."

Trudeau said Canada "must be a place where upward mobility and equality of opportunity is there for everyone" and added: "I do believe, unlike some others, that the federal government does have a leadership role to play in making that happen."

During his speech, Trudeau didn't mention the Statistics Canada study but he did reference the report prepared by officials in Kenney's department and obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

That report said middle-income earners saw their wages stagnate and debts mount between 1993 and 2007 and concluded they're unlikely to move into higher income brackets.

"It explicitly says that wages of middle income workers have stagnated and that middle-income families are increasingly vulnerable to financial shocks," Trudeau said.

"And it says finally -- something that the Conservative government has so far refused to acknowledge -- for far too many, 'the Canadian dream is a myth more than a reality'."

A spokesperson for Kenney said the departmental report shows the middle class suffered primarily when the Liberals were in power, while the StatsCan study shows they're "faring much better" under the Conservatives.

However, the Statistics Canada study did not paint an entirely rosy picture.

While net worth has increased, largely due to the spike in housing prices, so too has household debt -- by 41.6 per cent since 2005, the study found.

Moreover, the study showed that almost 90 per cent of the improvement in net worth was accumulated by the top 40 per cent of income earners. The bottom 60 per cent accounted for a mere 11.1 per cent of the pie.


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The Way I See It!

I am an Ultra-Conservative, Alpha-Male, True Authentic Leader, Type "C" Personality, who is very active in my community; whether it is donating time, clothes or money for Project Concern or going to Common Council meetings and voicing my opinions. As a blogger, I intend to provide a different viewpoint "The way I see it!" on various world, national and local issues with a few helpful tips & tidbits sprinkled in.

Is a 100,000 sq ft or larger zoning ordinance coming to Cudahy? Part 3

Cudahy, Development, Info, Local Government

More thoughts on indirect way – Retail Market Analysis.

Beware of those that trim facts to fit wants instead of needs or the truth.

Online polls are self-selected!

Remember from geometry, “All squares are rectangles, but all rectangles are not squares”

The process can almost be exclusively surmised as "guessing' and "trial and error" for only time will truly tell the story.  Will it be one for the history books or storybooks?

Counting the right numbers and making the right numbers count is not necessarily the same thing.  Determining which one is the important part!

Don’t have tunnel vision!

When someone’s visions cloud the picture, it is time to change the channel!

This is so important it bears repeating - If the premises are false, then the conclusion that follows must also be false.

I just worry that some people might think that it is gospel instead of a reference tool.

I know it helps to go after business, I just hope people don’t just pin all hope on what the data tells us because Communism on paper looks great!

I hope when they did the study for discount stores (Wal-Mart) it was looked at for as a Supercenter/hypermarket (Auto center, Pharmacy, Eye Care, Groceries, and a fast food chain) which is not the same as a true discount store Wal-Mart.  If the results don’t look at a Supercenter/hypermarket how can the results be accurate?  How can the conclusion be accurate or true?

Outbound/Inbound – Wal-Mart cannot be supported?

Is the fact you are looking at just the leakage from Cudahy outward and based on the leakage it is not enough to support a Wal-Mart of that size.  This is not a fair conclusion because you also have to look the factor of the surrounding communities coming into Cudahy that the store would represent so just looking at what we are losing doesn’t necessarily meaning what we would be gain, they are not equivalent.  The store gets supported by not just the host community, but the surrounding communities and those that shop it!  Also, if it is not store specific, like the Continental one, was something not amiss?

The problem with this type of analysis is that it never measures "drive by" shoppers.  In any shopping area there are a considerable number of shoppers from outside the trade area that shop a locale because it’s on the way to or from a frequent destination.  The employee that lives in the east side of Oak Creek but works in the Third Ward will stop here because it’s easy in easy out before or after work.

Also, the daughter that comes to visit her mother every week in Cudahy might shop here.  The mother taking her kids to soccer on Saturdays in Cudahy but lives in Franklin.  These are examples of trips that happen every day in the retail world and provide the necessary "bonus" that makes a retail store profitable.

Retailers know this and when they do their studies, they incorporate a factor in for this.  In addition, they know that the "float" of credit card debt often causes the percentage of retail sales (as a function of income) to be greatly underestimated.

Without incorporating these two biases into a study, the fact is that NOWHERE in the country will you find an in and out study to support additional retail.  Would you rather believe the single most successful retailer EVER to operate on the planet or a consultant that has never sold anything in a competitive retail market?  Whom should you believe – A generalized city study or the one the businesses will do that specifically pinpoints their market in the targeted city?

In an effort to determine where residents of the south shore are spending their money, the City of Cudahy is conducting a retail market analysis with an eye toward recruitment of new retail businesses.

The city’s Community Development Authority has contracted with a national consulting firm, Basile Baumann Prost Cole & Associates, Inc., to conduct the analysis.  The results will be used to determine what types of new businesses are a proper fit for Cudahy and stand the best chance for success, said Economic Development Director Lara Fritts.”

Now I am not saying the Market analysis IS being used as a 100,000 zoning ordinance, I am pointing out how it could in hopes that it isn’t used in that manor!

I also worry that the study is being told that it is for “In an effort to determine where residents of the south shore are spending their money” and it is only looking at Cudahy data not south shore data.  Plus, “The results will be used to determine what types of new businesses are a proper fit for Cudahy and stand the best chance for success” sounds to me like the study is less like a guide and more like a glove.

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Cheese Burger Soup

1 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion
2 lbs ground beef (lean chuck)
1 cube butter
1/2 cup flour
1 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs mustard
1 tbs mayonase
1 tbs ketchup
1 tbs salt
1 ts pepper
1/4 ts pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 qt milk
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
5 roma tomatoes
1 head lettuce

In 8 quart pot:
Sweat onion with olive oil
Add ground beef, salt, pepper, pepper flakes, garlic and tomato paste.

Prepare rue with butter and flour. Add rue and milk to browned beef mixture. Add mustard, mayonase and ketchup to soup and cook to simmer. Add cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese is fully melted and incorporated.

Cut tomatoes to 3/8" slices and add to soup.

Cut lettuce to small salad size pieces and before serving.

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makes 6 quarts

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no nutrition information available

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1st University Credit Union offers a variety of services to fit your every need. We also offer the following services:

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Cult of Mac Holiday Gift Guide: Gifts Under $50 [Updated]

under50 updated

Believe it or not, Christmas is almost here, and we’ll mark this midwinter festival by getting together with friends and family and continuing to drink and eat far too much.
Meanwhile, we also buy gifts for those same friends and family members, whether they want them or not. Luckily, we’re here to help, and if you follow our festive advice, your gifts just might make it into the “wanted” category.

From now until Christmas, Cult of Mac will be putting together holiday gift guys full of ideas for the special ones in your life, no matter what their interests or your budget. Today, we’re looking at gifts that cost less than $50. Yes, you can appear to be a big spender, but without actually spending that much.


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Culture Bully

Bad Meets Evil “Hell: The Sequel” Review

After splitting in the early 2000’s due to Royce da 5’9”’s dispute with Eminem’s group D12, Bad (Royce) Meets Evil (Eminem) have returned to put their stamp on what has already been a very interesting year in Hip Hop with their offering Hell: The Sequel. It’s fair to say that things have changed since the Detroit rappers first collaborated on Eminem’s Slim Shady LP in 1999; Eminem is now considered by many as the greatest rapper that ever lived, selling nearly 90 million records worldwide, whilst collecting 13 Grammy Awards along the way. Royce on the other hand has released four albums that have all failed to break into the top 100 and has spent time ghostwriting for the likes of Dr. Dre. As said on Royce’s Twitter page “Everything come backs full circle,” and as suggested on the track “Living Proof” (available on the deluxe edition of the release) this album could mark his return to form and relaunch his “free-falling” career.

The album opener “Welcome 2 Hell” starts with the crackling of fiery embers before Eminem’s voice emerges with the message “I told you we would be back, now welcome to hell.” This statement implies the intention behind the entire recording, which is to resurrect Bad Meets Evil and begin right where they left off roughly a decade ago. There are a barrage of formidable tracks on the EP including the lead single “Fast Lane,” which features a chill hook that could have come straight off last year’s critically acclaimed Big Boi album Sir Lucious Left Foot. Both lyrically and delivery-wise Eminem and Royce complement each other perfectly in the track, with Royce ultimately spitting my favorite line from the EP, “Hanging from his balls/From the horn of a unicorn.” The controversial “A Kiss” is also a highlight on the album, with Eminem rapping “Tell Lady Gaga she can quite her job at the post office/She’s still a male lady” over creepy chimes. On occasion it appears that Eminem is carrying the album, but this certainly is not the case on “Living Proof” where Royce takes the lead and shows his true might on the microphone. “Above The Law” is also a showcase of Royce and Eminem’s talent, despite its awful corny hook; in fact the hooks are terrible throughout the album with a few exceptions including the brilliant “I’m On Everything” which shows the two at their strongest and most effective.

The lowest point in the album is most definitely “Lighters” which features Bruno Mars, music’s current vehicle of mainstream success. Having worked with such names as B.o.B and Travie McCoy over the past 12 months, the pop sensation’s collaboration within the dark themes of Bad Meets Evil doesn’t quite make sense. More questionably, why does the track find Royce and Eminem rapping over a beat that sounds like it was produced by Owl City? To generate sales? Not only is the song appalling but feels out of place in an album, a matter made even more awkward when Eminem talks about sticking his penis in Nicki Minaj’s anus in “Fast Lane.” Other tracks that feel equally weak include “Loud Noises,” which suffers from calamitous production and becomes irritating with enthralling strings which lead up to a shrieking “Slaughterhouse!” every 30 seconds. At times it feels that there is too much of Eminem’s Recovery in the Hell‘s genetics which eventually ends up questioning the authenticity of the Bad Meets Evil paring, Royce often appearing a passenger as opposed to an equal contributor. This is evident in the should-have-been-on-Recovery track “Take from Me,” where the acoustic guitar and sombre piano lead up to a catchy chorus which would have fit nicely within the solo album.

Hell: The Sequel is an album that is likely to divide fans down the middle. There is not one solid sound throughout the release, but rather Hell seems to rotate between Em’s earlier material and mainstream pop. There is little common ground among the tracks, which makes the production feel less like a complete album and more like a group of songs hastily thrown together.

[Guest contributor Cameron Jones also blogs at The Audio Beast.]

    It really is an inconsistent album – tracks like “The Reunion” don’t offer up much but then the duo comes back hard with “I’m On Everything,” which is probably one of my favorite tracks of the year at this point.

    • You have got to be the biggest fucking dumbass i have ever seen in my life. Im on Everything is the complete definition of a filler. It is a drug song that is completely misplaced in an era where Eminem has denounced drug use multiple times and swears never to go back to it. Furthermore it is easily the weakest part of the EP with the lyricism being mediocre at best. The best song of this year? I have heard nothing but bad reviews of Im on Everything except from you and the complete idiot of a critic of this review. Also The Reunion not offereing much? Are you stupid or what? The Reunion is vintage shady. Let me guess? You started listening to Eminem when Recovery came out? The Reunion has been praised as the best song on the EP in almost every review i have seen. It is easily the closest to the old Shady we have been since The Eminem Show.

      • Of all the people in the world you’ve come across, I’m the “biggest fucking dumbass” you’ve ever met? Yet you’re saying that the track is immeasurably worse than the Bruno Mars collab? Think you need to get out more Kyle.

        • Sorry for spazzing out haha nothing against you personally man. But, I understand a pop song is definitely out of place on this dark album and a radio hit isnt everyones cup of tea. However, I think in terms of the subject of the song, flow, and lyrically wise Lighters was bette than Im On Everything. You take bruno Mars out of that song an replace the chorus with an Em made one the song easily outshines it. However, as the song is I think its on par with IOE

    Somebody rename this Ep Marshall Mathers part 2, classic!

    • Don’t get over-hyped boy, This EP is damn good but MMLP is beyond classic. They can’t be compared !!!

      • ^^ Agree

      How dare you sir, take it back.

    it’s been said in past interviews and articles that this isnt supposed to sound like a well put together, themed album… because it’s an EP, not an LP album.

    • Throw in the bonus tracks and Hell stands at 11 songs – guess I don’t really see how purposefully not attempting to create a cohesive recording makes up for its inconsistencies though.

      • Its not supposed to be cohesive. Hell: The Sequel is supposed to stand out as a record for true hip hop fans who want pure lyricism and flow in any track. The overall subject of the EP was specifically pointed out to be mixed and contain no overall theme.

    I completely disagree with this review..but reviews are opinions.. and the only thing i ask is that a true review be done without thinking about who you are and what you like, but about what your reviewing, what its saying and how well its done. Fisrt of all, yes an ep, which they said that was a collection of songs..not for an album, that they didnt want to go to waste. That being said, this ep is amazing, it has hints of old Eminem, slim shady, relapse and recovery, and to say the Royce isnt holding his own..is a joke. Lighters isnt weak, if you dont think your a hard ass G..which im 99% sure your not, it has very well written verses, and if your smart, you can find a clever diss in it, stop raggin on how soft it sounds, respect if for being a good all around song, when i read reviews on this song..i imagine the people who say its soft..actually think Ice T is a gangster..and not which is a joke in itself. ..back to ep, it has a mazing songs top to bottom, listen open minded and you’ll find respect..check out ..Above the Law, Take From Me, Welcome 2 Hell, The Reunion ( old Em/ Slim ), Fast Lane..shit all of it..its worth it.. GET YOUR BUZZ ON!!!!!

    • well said buddy this ep is incredible

    • Indeed, any thoughts of this somehow being “weak” while simultaneously praising the “cohesiveness” of Watch the Throne is, in a word, insane. The OP did not make this assertion, but I’m wondering what is this being compared to to even assert some sort of incompleteness.

      The addition of Royce to the session shows the long-held myth that no one can shine on a track with Eminem is not fully true. I guess everyone has a counterpart, and Royce is that to Eminem. I’m not quite convinced that they could successfully compete with eachother–would probably get boring after a while–but together they are a force to be reckoned with…

      I have listened to this EP just about every day. I’ve tried to insert a few listening sessions with Watch the Throne, but I always end up going back to this EP… *EP*!! Are you serious?

      If these are the throw-away songs, goodness–when their album drops (nine-out-of-ten once the Slaughterhouse album drops) it should theoretically shut hip-hop down for a year. The lyrics are well-put together on every song. I’m not fully convinced that “I’m on Everything” is the hottest song on the EP…especially when it is with “Take From Me” (although I strongly dislike the premise of this song since Eminem is one of the greatest sellers of albums in Rap…kind of seems ironic to me), “Above the Law”, “Loud Noises” (really? weak? how could you even hear the beat with the lyrics that are coming from this five-some–amazing…yes, even Joe Buddens), “Welcome 2 Hell”…seriously, the whole EP… This is well worth the $9.99 I paid for it…

      Opinions are like anuses, I guess…

    This review really annoyed me, because it’s clear you are very familiar with Eminem’s career, but just took a cursory glance at Wikipedia & Twitter for Royce.

    So, here is the story on Royce’s career: He worked with Eminem on his 2002 debut LP “Rock City,” which was a mixed bag. Then he had a falling out with Eminem and a beef with D12. He released his critically acclaimed sophomore album “Death Is Certain,” which was listed by many critics as one of the best rap albums of the year. He follows it up with the disappointing third album, “Independents’ Day,” and is sent to in prison for a year due to a DUI. Then he came back roaring with the smash hit mixtape “The Bar Exam,” hosted by DJ Premier, followed quickly by its sequel, “The Bar Exam 2.” These are HUGE online. At this time, 2008, Royce is one of the hottest independent MC’s, and has a crazy buzz on the Net. He joins forces with Joe Budden, Crooked I & Joell Ortiz to form the group “Slaughterhouse.” Their debut album has modest sales, but positive reviews, and a HUGE cult following online. Around this time Royce patches things up with Eminem & D12, drops the okay “The Bar Exam 3″, and the great album “Street Hop,” executive produced by DJ Premier. And here we are with Bad Meets Evil.

    In other words, Royce has been one of the hottest independent MC’s for the past five years. He has two great albums (Death Is Certain, Street Hop), an acclaimed mixtape series (The Bar Exam), and a laundry list of classic songs with DJ Premier. You make it sound as if his career has been one big failure, with record sales being the only way to measure success.

    Then you call Royce a “passenger” on the many songs. How is Royce a passenger? Royce matches Eminem bar for bar, on almost every song. Almost every fan is calling it a draw between the two – on some songs, Royce outshines Eminem (Fast Lane, Echo). On other songs, Em outshines Royce (Lighters, Welcome to Hell). Overall, it’s close to call. Since 2000, Em has gotten worse, and Royce has gotten better. You can’t say Royce sounds like a “passenger” just because you’re an Eminem fanboy.

    • ^ I couldn’t describe my thoughts any better.

    • Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, i agree that i should of went into more depth when talking about Royce and may of downplayed his credentials (Unintentionally) but compared Eminem, when talking about success, they’re a world apart, even you must see that. Just to add i agree with you in the respects that Eminem is getting worse, i only really ever liked one of his albums The Slim Shady LP, so i’m hardly a fanboy, i heavily disliked Recovery and Relapse.

      • Yeah but do you really think success via record sales means anything? If you use record sales as the mark of quality, MC Hammer beats Rakim, Will Smith beats Nas, Nelly beats Big Daddy Kane, etc. Then you have the Grammy’s, which regularly shits on hip hop. Any real rap fan divorces record sales & awards from the quality factor.

        And if you take a second to troll the rap message boards, you’ll see that a lot of rap fans are impressed that Em kept up with Royce!

        I didn’t mean to spaz on you too much, but it’s kinda annoying how so many Bad Meets Evil write-ups are Eminem-obsessed, when Royce has been killing it for a minute you. Give Nickel Nine his props!

        As for Em: I loved SSLP, MMLP, TES and the 8 Mile songs. I hated Encore, except for a handful of songs. I thought Relapse was tiresome, but had some good production, and amazing flows. (“Stay Wide Awake” is a masterpiece.) Recovery suffered from corny punches and too much screaming, but it was refreshing to hear Eminem making honest music over some outside production, for once.

      Realest gangsters are crack to come by and you’re one.down with ya comment.

    I disagree with a lot of the points raised in this review. I agree that Lighters does not fit with the tone of the album (Which to be honest, I found considerably more consistent than this reviewer indicates) however, I see it as not only an effective single that will undoubtedly wreak havoc on the charts as Bruno Mars himself tends to, think Bruno Mars plus the success of Love The Way You Lie, it’s a smart move. However, I think it’s a significantly better track than any of the Recovery singles. In fact, I think this is a huge step forward from Recovery.

    Flow is fresh, Em went somewhere new for him, a direction he only touched on with tracks like Almost Famous (in my opinion the strongest track on Recovery), and to compliment this beautifully, he took the only emcee that’s been able to consistently match him track-to-track. Em tends to eat whoever he raps with, think Forever, Drop the World, Renegade, EVERYTHING he does with other rappers it’s almost guaranteed that Em will devour the track– not with Royce. When I listen to this EP I see Royce and Em standing on a mountain knowing they’ve mastered the flow. The two of them are terrific together. Fast Lane says it all, these two can kill any beat, and keep up with eachother at an even keel.

    I don’t even know how you can, with sound mind or in good conscience, say that the hook of Take From Me is catchy. It’s one of the most disgustingly annoying hooks I’ve ever listened to. Meanwhile the rest are roughly in keeping with the album’s intention, which to me seemed to be, throw back to old times yet maintain the skills learned along the way. I heard a bit of Encore, a bit of Recovery (a lot, at times), a tiny bit of Relapse, and a fun amount of SSLP.

    I think Above The Law is killer, despite many people complaining that they’ve had enough of Em shouting. Loud Noises… Criticized… Really? Ortiz fucking killed it, Budden tried too hard, which is to be expected when he’s preceded by the fastest verses the member of Slaughterhouse have ever done all at once. He can’t keep up, as usual, but it’s Joe Budden, what we can commend is that he was punctual, unlike his usual lazy flow, which I think I dislike most about him. Crooked was great, fantastic flow. Royce’s verse was a bit lackluster but only because the rest of the album we saw just how hot he can get.

    I love that the beats were dark but hit hard. I’m On Everything didn’t excite me like it did everyone else ’til I plugged in my nice buds and heard the incredible force of the beat. Definitely a musical step up from Recovery (thank God) although it didn’t quite compete with the production of SSLP, but hey, what can you do, Bass Brothers had it down pat.

    I don’t know why the reviewer nitpicked the way he did, I don’t see truth in a lot of points he raised, but hey, opinions are opinions, there’s mine ahaha.

  • Am I the only one who appreciates ‘Lighters’? I admit that it doesn’t fit in with the rest of the album. In fact, the hook barely fits in with the verses. But I still like it. I think both Em and Royce spit meaningful verses and I’m sure the Bruno addition was for the radio. Nonetheless, I liked ‘Lighters’ and think it a solid addition to Em’s (and I guess Royce’s) portfolio.
    Not that big of a fan of ‘I’m on Everything’ until the second half. ‘The Reunion’ is reminiscent of Relapse, just without the accent, but still pretty hilarious.
    In regards to the rest of the album, pure gold. Their chemistry is unbelievable and as a listener, you can feel the ferocity behind each word.

    Also, did anyone else notice some of the lines rapped slightly off beat? It might’ve been on purpose, but it was still pretty weird.

  • First of all, This EP is almost classic, downloaded the leaked version and i can’t believe my ears.
    Secondly, Everyone seems to be hating on “Lighters”, Yes it does not fit the album, the song is equivalent to love the way you lie(Kinda better to me), Without love the way you lie Recovery wouldn’t sell that much and i think that’s the same reason for having a song like lighters on the Ep. Eminem wants the album to be successful, he wants to lunch Royce professional career and give him some mainstream recognitions.
    As far who performed better on the album, i personally go with a draw, Em was pretty weak on some songs but he went extremely hard on some.
    My Review !!!
    1—Welcome to hell (I go with Em)
    2—Fastlane(They both went in on this track but i prefer Royce)
    3—The Reunion(Em all the way)
    4—Above the law(Easily Em weakest performance, He was yelling too much. Royve wins here)
    5—I’m on Everything(Hmm…Em started kinda weak here and later outshines Royce towards the End…Draw to Me)
    6—A kiss(Haha..The Gaga diss, Em killed Royce here.)
    7—Lighters( I personally prefer Royce but Em was lyrically on point)
    8—Take from Me(Easily one of the best tracks on the EP, Royce made a very intro and passed the mic to Em. Draw)
    9—Loud Noises(Em’s intro was nice but easily the weakest among all five MC’s. Joell Ortiz Murdered Everyone…Royce Wins Here)
    10—Living Proof(Royce)
    11—-Echo (The best track on the EP, Hmm, Very hard to decide, This is easily Em best performance throughout the album but the dude Royce wasn’t sleeping, he was well alive…Draw)

  • Royce is Em’s best match, he outshines Em on this Ep. The Ep is great but Em fans should accept that Royce Won, Em did very good as well, His rap circled around Recovery/Slim shady Lp Eminem and a tiny bit of Encore. Great EP though. Am definitely Buying this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And hey, “Echo” is Damn Classic ! and stop hating on “Lighters”, it’s a commercial song to boost album sales and radio airplays.

  • Hell : The Sequel for Best rap album/album of the year. Jay-z and kanye better bring watch the throne hard else…. The weakest moment on this EP is “Above the Law”, i kinda skipped Em’s verse, too much shouting but the song is perfect with Royce verse alone. Em made a good decision working with an underground MC and as well bring back some of his old underground skills……Perfect Way to launch Royce Mainstream career.
    Best tracks….My order
    1) Echo———Sick beat and flow from both MC’s. Since Dre fell off Em should start working with DJ Khalli, Dude makes sick beats. Talking to myself is my best Recovery Track
    2) Living Proof——-Sick rap battle beat with Royce killing it while Em seat on the bench.
    3) Take From me——-Chorus is Damn Catchy as hell
    4) Fast Lane——Both Mc’s went in here.
    5) Loud Noises (Tie)——This track is more of “Who got the best flow” with Joell Ortiz murdering everyone. Perfect offbeat beat as well.
    5) I’m on Everything(Tie)——Similar to Fastlane and A kiss, Both Mc’s went in, Mike epps chorus made the whole track funny.
    7) A kiss——-Really one of the highlights, Em brought back his slim shady LP ways here by attacking the Shemale singer Lady Gaga.
    8) The Reunion—–Nice story telling , Who makes song for you ladies ??
    9) Welcome to hell—–Perfect intro
    10) Lighters——–Radio Sh!t, Song for girls.
    11) Above the Law——-Easily the weakest track, Good with Royce verse only, Em ruined it.

  • where can i get the album please post a link

  • The EP’s a lot better than your review suggests, which is very poorly done btw (read: less simplification of the songs and reliance on adjectives).

    “Lighters” is in Hell for the same reason “Love the Way You Lie” was on Recovery. It’ll be the Top40 hit and act as a springboard for the EP’s popularity and chance with mainstream audiences. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s a bad song. In fact, I feel Bruno Mars carries the song quite well, with Em and Royce contributing mellow verses as opposed to the shouting in “Above the Law”, which is refreshing.

    “Take from Me”, “Living Proof”, “Echoes” and “A Kiss” are stellar tracks, trumping almost all the tracks on Recovery. I agree that everyone goes a bit too hard on “Loud Noises” but I feel those Slaughterhouse boys don’t know how to rap any other way.

    Classic EP. Wish I hadn’t listened to the leaked version after hearing “Take from Me”. Imma buy 2 copies when it comes out 6/14 just to make up for it.

  • I think em and royce were pretty even on the album. I do think Em killed it on more songs but unlike royce he also had some weak performances.

    1. Welcome 2 hell (eminem)
    2. Fast lane (Royce)
    3. Reunion (eminem)
    4. Above the law ( both dope with the lyrics but because of em’s shouting have to say royce)
    5 I’m on everything (eminem wins)
    6. A kiss (em)
    7. Lighters (unlike the reviewer I like this track, prefer eminem)
    8. Take from me (one of my fav.. em)
    9. Loud noises (Joel ortiz killed, eminem was a bit underwelming, royce was pretty dope)
    10 Living proof (royce)
    11 Echo (royce)

  • Haha..I even had to go back and listen to above the law again…I guess I don’t know what’s wrong with my ears…besides from fastlane…it’s my favorite song on the ep..got my head bopping more than any other..I’m not seeing how “weak” it is lyrically either.. I disagree on Royce being underground…I disagree with underground all together for that matter.. Sorry but the world is set up by the exposure you get..his exposure dropped when he beefed with em..he said it himself..back and so is the money.. Great is seen heard and grabbed by the masses…but being great in any sort of music just doesn’t only involve one thing..it’s lyrics..flow..voice…beats..all have to appeal to the masses.. Being underground is cool to those stuck..but throw them the money and it’s gone.. Nobody wants to work a 9-5 and rap on the side..they want the rap career and money..if not..there would be no slaughterhouse on shady records..people have been blinded by good beats cause the music industry and radio airplay is catered to women..hints why you need a rhianna or Bruno mars to get massive airplay..ask jayz and kanye..song of their collab has Bruno and beyonce…but bet they won’t get shit for it..jay been doing songs with girls for years..cause he wants money..hasn’t hurt his ability to rap..or respect he recieved from the rap / hiphop world.. And really ..you people think eminem screams..haha…I guess you’ve never been yelled at..I’ve been a fan of hardcore/grindcore music for years..you can’t understand a scream…the funniest shit I see is people hate on change of flow..to me another quality of a great rap artist..same with accents..not everyone can do that..if you can do it all..you got talent..name another rapper who can change so much..and yet still sound good doing it..still sell..still be viewed as a great… This is what I’ve been saying..don’t listen with the thought of this is how it has to sound to be good…btw if you did you wouldn’t like alot of “underground” artist….listen to it by placing yourself into the music..compare it to who’s hot in your opinion..what are they saying..and what is this saying…write down the raps if you have to…understand what your hearing…most of it’s going to fast for you to fully understand..break it all down..you’ll develop a new respect…oh and one more thing for “underground” … I don’t know about your city..but there isn’t one rap station in Baltimore that bumps eminem..they’d even cut his part from the lean back remix…..yet he still sells and appeals to the masses..quote game from their song together..he mentioned it..good shit gets noticed..and good shit creates hype and sells.. And it’s not just because everyone knows em and he was big before..everyones heard of krsone also..he’s good..but doesn’t sell..cause he’s a one trick pony..I’m just saying your underground if being good is just good enough for you..you strive to prove your good and people notice..not just the cool guys who are too good to listen to mainstream.. You don’t have to wait for everyone else you wanna be like to like it and say it’s ok..and it doesn’t have to be hard and hood..tupac was a great..and he had alot of “soft” songs.. Oh and one last..it’s ironic as hell on messaged board after message board people love take from me…yet it’s about stealing music..the only way anyone would have heard that song at this point..haha..sorry I jump around

    • I went and listened again too! It’s my favourite song too (aside from Fast lane), I love the way Em delivers and I can feel the anger. He starts off angry and you can tell and then SUDDENLY at 1:20 he goes crazy and holy f*** I just go crazy with him.

    this ep will be hard to top i dont think there can be anything that can top this …maybe the slaughterhouse album if it does drop later on this year!!!!

  • Dont agree with this review this is a great effort by Royce n Em. i dont even see Jay -Z and Kanye beatin’ this…..imo crooked I easily had the best verse on “Loud Noises” and by quite a distance………. .

  • Realest gangsters are crack to come by and you’ve set the records straight on all thin’s unclear.down with ya comment.

  • ok so….. i expected alot more. 1) this just felt like a bunch of random songs thrown on one album with no common theme… 2) it lacked the darkness i was expecting……. 3) bruno mars? lighters is a decent song but it shouldnt be on an album called Bad Meets Evil ! 4) Em and Royce shoulda listened to the song they made “Bad Meets Evil” and built the album around them……. “tweeenty years ago… 2 outlaws took this whole town over / Sheriffs couldn’t stop ‘em” lolll remember that?? 5) Eminem is stuck on that fast flow… it kills.. but every song cant be like that… its a fast flow that just rhymes wenever he wants… i want him to go back to the basics.. slow it down… (no homo) 6) the album needed more sound effects.. it shoulda felt like a movie !! ok thats it…

  • Review is alright. I don’t think it’s right you mouthing off the hooks though, they contrast well imho.

    Above the law is FANTASTIC. The hook is fantastic, great female vocals and real talk. FROM THE FIRST LINE “terrible but not grippable” haha and the way you think you’re at the end of the first verse and Em just FIRESSSS and goes crazy.

    I agree with the lighters comment though, I don’t get why Bruno Mars was on it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the song, but why is he even collabing with Shady lol

  • I do agree you could tell the reviewer was a little biased in favor of Eminem. He is crazy if Royce was in any way overshadowed by Eminem. They both were absolutely sick. There are some songs that I simply dont like. Lighters is definitely one of them and not because of its out-of-place stance in the album. It simply isn’t a great song and they could have done much with Bruno. “Reunion”, “Loud Noises”, “Lighters”, and “Above the Law” did not do it for me. My favs are “Take From Me” (Masterpeice and best song on the album) “Fast Lane” (Nice and even performance from Em & Royce) “I’m On Everything” (Sick beat) “Welcome 2 Hell” (My ears orgasmed when I heard this) and “A Kiss” (Oh Lady Gaga don’t feel bad). Great album and I hope Royce gets some recognition because of this. And does anybody know when the “Space Bound” music video is coming. It’s been like forever.

  • You guys are ridiculous. “Em killed Royce” or “Royce killed Em”… In case you didn’t notice, they didn’t diss each other but made a full EP TOGETHER.

  • The critic is an idiot who wrote this.

    Firstly, in the current climate who has released such a lyrical album that is a potential classic. Everyone is trying to do the whole ringtone rap or let me make a hot record so I can get paid bull-ish.
    This was a great album, showing their lyrical ability once again. Royce and Eminem held their own and it showed they are both excellent. Moreover, Eminem showed he can drop a chart topping album like Recovery but still excel in what he loves most, his lyrics which shows his versatility.
    Royce was just fantastic as usual and he really showed his abilities again!

    I think this will be the album of the year, has much more to it than a commercial album with tracks that are just floor fillers or cd fillers.

    • Sorry but the lyrical content on this EP was not that spectacular, it was good at times, cliche at others. I found i was more submerged lyrically by Tyler, The Creators album Goblin and that’s saying something, but it’s just a personal opinion, Everybody is entitled to their own.

      • hahaha so you’ve jumped on the Odd Future bandwagon? Well, I’ve got news for ya: The Odd Future kids have a ton of potential, but they have yet to make an album to back it up. Where’s their 36 Chambers? It’s still to come.

        Yeah, Goblin has a couple great songs (Yonkers, She), but it also has a lot of plodding dumbness. One whole song is “bitch suck dick like she sucks dick.” You’re more submerged lyrically in lines that? Give me a break. The Gravediggaz did shock value better, more than a decade ago.

        Not to shit on Odd Future too much – I do like what they’re doing. I’m just saying, they’re not without their flaws, and I find it so many critics are bending over backwards to praise them. It reminds me of the last South Park episode, where Randy pretends like he likes Tween Wave.

        • Also the Bad Meets Evil EP is LIGHT YEARS ahead of anything on Goblin. Royce’s bars especially. They all just flew over your head. And it’s sad, really.

    This album is fantastic.

  • I happen to agree with the writer of this review. I’m On Everything is a stunning track, and the EP has its moments, but overall there is too much of the overly produced Recovery-type crap here.

    You guys think there are no great lyricists in hip-hop anymore? Go listen to the new Saigon album. It pisses all over this thing.

  • EP is good, not a classic but likely to be. The album is more of flow and rhymes then lyrics.. Songs like loud noises was all about who got the best flow. The lyrical songs here are lighters, take from me, reunion, living proof and echo. The Ep is up there with tech n9ne all 6′s and 7′s as the best hip hop albums of 2011 so far !!!!

  • What can i say other than “bad review”. Firstly its not an album, its an ep which is basically a collection of studio songs that arnt connected, therefore, this album should be reviewed for what it is, an ep, and ive gotta say , its one of the best rap eps of all time. People that are comparing it to the marshall mathers lp need to get the heads checked but i get why they make comparrisons, eminem is attempting to go back to his old style on this album and it shoes most on track the Reunion, the last verse where he says “2 feet of lights, flashed out we hit some black ice, spun out forgot we had a trailer hitched to the back, we jack knifed”, he actually sounds like the old eminem when he spits that line, that line is the most ive seen of slim shady since 2002. As for Royce not holding his own, youve gotta be kidding me, im half tempted to say that royce is better than eminem on this ep lol, thats how much he does hold his own, however ive come to the conclusion that both rappers are equally as good on the ep. Overal unlike most of ems work, this cd isnt just for em fans but for fans of hip hop, the beats arnt typical quirky eminem sounds, there more simple and universal to rap, every track could be looked upon as a club banger beat wise yet the lyrics are far from simple, so complex that i dislike using the term club banger in regards to any track on this ep, but put simply, all i can say is if you do buy this album, youll hear an evolved eminem and royce da 59, its the kind of ep that if you didnt like eminem before hearing it, youll change your mind by the time the cds finished, it really is classic no nonsense rap back at its finest

  • I agree Royce came hard with this CD. I don’t understand why some people including this reviewer don’t like Royce. I’ve always loved the shit they do together. However, I do see a great deal of similarity between this and Recovery but it’s and EP so what is expected, I also don’t see it as that dark of an album, except for Echo, and maybe Above the Law. I’m looking forward to Watch the Throne, but I don’t think there is anyway that they can come with more lyrics than this album. Hopefully they come with more dark. Tyler the Creator is definitely where to go for darkness. I think Shady 2.0 is taking over for 2011 kind of like 03 when 50 and Obie came out with albums and soon after Em dropped The Eminem Show, which I think was his best album with almost no songs that weren’t fire. But I def think last years “Not Afraid” was his best single ever.

    • I don’t “hate” Royce…

    Do you wanna know what really fucks me off?

    They both have INSANE bars on Lighters but Bruno ruins it.

    AND HOLY FUCK ABOVE THE LAW IS HARDEST TRACK ON THAT EP. Both of them go in so fucking hard.

    Gonna order my tracks in terms of favourite:

    1) Above the law ++ Because of Eminem getting furious and Royce getting furious I was like woah, bars are strong).

    2) Fastlane ++ Racked up 400+ plays on this since it first dropped and I just remember the feeling when I suddenly clicked that the old Shady was back. They both went hard on this.

    3) Take From Me ++ Love the female vocals and I love Royce on this. I love the way Eminem comes in with this. “Just to give it away to people who don’t even appreciate flows mother fucka”, I love that bar.

    4) I’m on Everything ++ I fucking love this but I don’t like the chorus that much, Royce goes in so so hard on the first verse and I love the bridge to Em’s verse and how he goes straight into a sick flow and then speeds up hahahahaha holy fuck the instrumental is sick as fuck.

    5) Welcome 2 Hell ++ I really like the back and fourth style rather than separate verses separated by chorus, The bars are hard as hell too. The part where they’re like “the 5’9 and the I’m marshall we” is my fav part right near the end

    6) A kiss ++ Royce starts off hard, Shady is too chilled on this but the lyrics put this as one of my top, cmooon “Tell Lady GaGa she can quit her job at the post office, she’s still a male lady” best bar on EP surely.

    7) Loud Noises ++ Haa I actually love this too I dunno how it ended up at 7. Nothing special about it I guess but I love Em’s flow and Royce’s delivery I love too

    8) The Reunion ++ I love this too, I love his story telling songs but as with the one above, it’s ended down my list wtf.

    9) Lighters ++ This song gets me mad, Eminem’s bars are fantastic and so are Royce’s but WTF is Bruno mars doing on HELL : The Sequel. His voice is way too soft and you’re listening to a dark rap EP then suddenly you here a soft voice, Em’s verse makes up for it and I like the way he takes the drop but holy fuck it sounds mainstream, at least the lyrics are good. Naww I don’t mind this song but I just get angry that it was on this dark EP.

    Above the law holy fuck I love how he drops in!

    Right I can’t stop talking about this song. He’s going in hard with insane lyrics then he’s going at a good speed and at 0:59 he goes the fuck in like mad then I’m like woahhh this is fucking hard I fucking love these bars and flow then it gets to 1:20 and he just gets angrier and I’m like DAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH THIS IS TOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The vocals are so so good too. Even after my 150+th listen I still wonder if Royce will match up to it in his verse and he goes hard in the first part like Em did then at 2:44 he does EXACTLY as Em does and he gets angrier! THAT’S THE HELL PART OF THIS ALBUM THE BAD AND EVIL. Listen to it carefully, he’s chilled “they ask me for a hook I tell em left and right and a cut” THEN SUDDENLY HE GETS MAD “WHAT U ALL MESSING WITH, A NIGGA THAT’LL LEAVE YOU FUBAR, FUCKED UP BEYONG ALL RECOGNITION”

  • i just think the people who dnt like this ep have too many bars going over their heads…. i dnt blame them but this is heat……….cause they be servin this shit……….

  • This might be a shocker… but in my opinion Lighters is one of the best tracks on the EP, it is lyrically amazing and lets be honest Bruno Mars’s chorus really isn’t that bad. And you know this track is gonna make BANK with Eminem AND Bruno Mars on it and dont get me wrong Royce is amazing just not well known, mainstream wise.

  • A f***ing decent EP in my opinion. I agree with what Cameron said about too much of Recovery Eminem being on this EP but to be honest I liked most of Recovery. He does overdo the screaming thing a bit much like he killed the accent but it’s a phase just like the accent was and he’ll get over it soon. There are some genius hooks on this EP like on The Reunion (damn Em was catchy with that) and I’m On Everything but the best hook goes to ECHO, goddamn that girl could sing. And Em’s verse on Echo was arguably the best on the album, its between that verse, Royce’s verse on Fast Lane and Royce’s verse on Above The Law. Em and Royce compliment each other extremely well, because both have crazy bars for days and their delivery/flow is untouchable. As good as this EP was there were some problems with it. Some of the hooks were very poorly done: A Kiss, Lighters (well done hook but still terribly generic and that made it awful), Take From Me and Living Proof (I hope that’s not autotune I heard on Royce’s voice). Sometimes it felt like their punchlines were forced and corny. Lyricism is great but you have to be careful not to force it. Also the other problem i had was Writer’s Block not being on this. That song was amazing. Royce KILLED IT. Em had a nice hook. I don’t understand why that one wasn’t on the album instead of Living Proof. The first half or so of the EP is great but then they take a turn downhill on A Kiss. I mean A Kiss was solid but it seemed kind of pointless, after that all the tracks are good yet tragically flawed in their own ways. Up until Echo, which is still as freaking amazing as it was the day I first heard it. Royce delivers a mean verse, Em delivers a classic one. The chorus is epic. The beat is well bloody done.

    Overall, 8.5/10. Would’ve been a 9 if Writer’s Block was on it. For those of you who think it deserves less, I think the good outweighs the bad on this EP. I mean there were some problems but it’s great to have Bad and Evil back together again. When they wanna be, they are probably the sickest duo since Eric B and Rakim. No one else comes to my mind immediately. I’m really happy for Royce too. He’s finally getting the attention he deserves. I hope he doesn’t screw it up. He’s earned his way in this game that’s for damn sure. As for Em, I hope he takes his time, gathers his efforts and delivers another classic album in due time. I think he’s got one or two more in him. I can’t imagine the Rap game without Eminem.

    • Stop hating on “Lighters”, it’s definitely a #1 hit.

      • The verses are sick, but I agree with everyone that the Bruno Mars hook is lame as fuck. The song is manufactured to be a “#1 hit”.

        Which brings me to my next point — if it’s a hit, does that mean it’s good? Kesha has made a few hits but she’s untalented as fuck.

        tl;dr: Bruno Mars ruined the track (and the vibe of the whole album) for anyone who doesn’t have a vagina and isn’t under the age of 16.

    Don’t understand this review to be honest, I think the song that is most like the old Slim Shady is The Reunion, lines such as “She kept asking me to quit caller her cunt, I said I CUN’T” Is genius. Royce keeps up with Eminem on every track and in no way does it seem like Eminem is carrying the EP. And I don’t get how it’s a mix of Eminem early material and mainstream pop, there’s one mainstream pop song on an 11 track EP, so it’s not a mix it’s an exception.

  • when I put the cd on, this is what turn to most:

    1. Above the law
    2. Echo
    3.I’m on everything, fast lane, and lighters
    4.Living proof
    5. Welcome to he’ll, Take from me, Reunion, and a kill. (still great)

    And then loud noises :/

    Overall this ep is amazing. 9/10

  • Some reviewers should lose their fucking right to review Albums and post it over the Internet, YOU included. First of all Lighters is more of a personal heartfelt song, it did NOT ruin the Album, yes it wasn’t ‘dark’ but then it didn’t need to be.

    I love EVERY single track of this EP. Lighters may be different to the horrorcore/hardcore themed Album but it brought the Album out in a conscious way. How can you refer to the song ‘Fast Lane’ when it is a track 2 and Lighters is all the way at Track 9? You obviously didn’t listen it in order, which is a better way to review an Album because you can get better judgement. Even if you DID do that why would you compare Lighters to Fast Lane? Is it cause it is a single.

    There is NOTHING wrong with Loud Noises. So what it says “Slaughterhouse” after every verse so you claim it as weak? What you should be talking about in that song is the brilliant lyricism between Eminem, Royce 5′ Da 9, Joell Ortiz, Crooked I and Joe Budden. You can’t even evaluate on that, but you critic having Slaughterhouse repeated after each verse? Subconsciously the point of that track was to get in your THICK brain that he signed Slaughterhouse. That wasn’t big on a chorus as you probably realised it should reviewed for lyrics in one word was fantastic.

    You say that occasionally Eminem ‘carries’ the Album but not on the track Living Proof with is on the deluxe addition of the Album. Nevertheless deluxe or not they BOTH contributed to the Album. You obviously do not know much about Royce to even have a better judgement. I’m sorry your review is terrible and I KNOW everyone is entitled to their opinion lets not hope your shit interview gets taken into consideration by Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes or any other site. Having said that it probably will.

    I don’t how you can make a prediction that this Album will ‘divide’ Fans apart. Personally from what I heard from Youtube and other people who listened to this Album they have enjoyed this Album saying ‘Shady is Back’. If anything People are saying it’s Eminem comeback.

    • I didn’t know i was conducting an “interview”?…

    There are a lot of Eminem stans in here that are listening to the name rather than the song. If you listen to the EP with zero bias then you will see that it is not a “classic”. It is flawed and needs some trimming and fine tuning. The praise are form fans that can’t seem to understand that Eminem is never going to be as good as he once was. The record is OK but nothing to write home about.

  • The Reunion is best by far… the production is a mess… it feels really inconsistent… but they spent little time on this…. no tracks were cut… usually he records tons of excess tracks…

  • Well, to the author of this article – you said it seems like Eminem is carrying this album, and Royce is just a passenger. Look, Royce is a very talented rapper, he just hasn’t blown up the way Eminem has. So when a very unknown artist collabs with someone like Eminem.. of course everyone is going to overlook the underdog.
    And actually, I’m on everything is one of my favorite tracks on the album. If only you knew the history of Eminem & Royce making songs together, maybe you’d like it. The only song you reference is Bad Meets Evil from The Slim Shady LP. How about you look up every song they’ve made together, maybe then you can appreciate I’m On Everything, and this entire album. They’ve been making music like this forever. To me, the album is a blast from the past.
    The song Lighters.. look dude, you can hate on the song as much as you want, but it’s a great song. Yes, it’s a little misplaced in this CD, but it is a great song. It may be a little softer than every other song, but it’s arguably one of the better songs on the album.

  • As an artist myself I personally found it very hard to find a track where Eminem wasn’t out shined. Royce had the clarity, delivery, and overall quality IMO. I found myself being annoyed with Em most of the time – as I’ve been with most of his songs since his return.

    The review is pretty bias toward eminem IMO and maybe Royce isn’t your cup of tea.. but actually ‘listening’ to what is said instead of catering to a sound – it’s clear who is the superior of the two here. I looked up reviews after reading, on virtually every hip/hop forum that Eminem was outshined. After getting a copy of the album, I agree 100%.

    Appreciate the review though – Take From Me is the best track on the EP IMO.

  • What a shit review. Cant believe i wasted my time on this shit. Bitch u need to listen to bad meets evil,not welcome to hell. Hope u dig asshole!

  • I love royces verse in echo but I do not think he outshined ems for real

  • I admit that I’m a huge Eminem fan. I know more about him in general than I do about Royce, but that being said I think shady still outshined Royce on this EP.

    “Terrible but not Rippable” YES RIPPABLE NOT GRIPPABLE Makes sense when you think about it considering that “rip and “tear” are Synonyms. Has to be one of the dopest opening lines I’ve ever heard

    I like Royce better than Em in Echo and I’m on everything, but thats just about it.

    “She kept asking me to quit calling her cunt”
    “I said I cunt”

    pure genius right there
    His flow was dope as fuck on take from me as well.

    Fast lane in my opinion is also one of the most underrated Em verses on the album.

    “Shawty when you dance you got me captivated just by the way that you keep lickin them lips like them dicks i’m agitated aggravated to the point you don’t suck my dick or you gunna get decapitated otherwords you don’t fuckin give me head then imma have to take it”

    The wordplay and rhymes as well as the flow are unreal in that stanza.

    I could go on and on and list line after line but the point I’m trying to make is that Shady’s still got it

  • Royce killed Em on Take From Me.

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