JUNE 29 RAPPERS WHO CALL THEMSELVES 'LIL'

JUNE 29  RAPPERS WHO CALL THEMSELVES 'LIL'

The runaway Song of Summer is 'Old Town Road.' An unlikely pairing of Hip-Hop (Lil' Nas X) and Country (Billy Ray Cyrus) has produced incredible results: Eleven straight weeks atop Billboard's Hot 100 Chart. The last two singles by Pop princess Taylor Swift both peaked at #2, unable to dislodge Old Town Road from the top spot. Wow!  An obvious question arises: Who is the most accomplished rapper named Lil'? Let's get started!

Li'l Abner. Although not a rapper, Li'l Abner is the original character to go by the nickname Li'l. The hunk is the main character in a comic strip that bears his name. First printed in 1932, writer Al Capp created a witty slack-jawed yokel. Wildly successful, Li'l Abner comically bungled his way through American newspapers for 43 years.

Lil' Bow Wow. To clarify: Rappers who use the Lil' nickname do so not because they are SHORT, but because the are YOUNG. Shad Gregory Moss began his recording career at age 13. Ambitious Shad wanted to be the Big Dog in the studio, but instead he got the nickname Lil' Bow Wow. It worked. Before turning 16, he notched three top ten hits. Sadly, in 2002, he dropped the 'Lil' and his career was over.

Lil' Jon. The oldest of the Lil' Clan, Jonathan Smith burst onto the Atlanta club scene in 1995. As the lead singer of East Side Boyz, Lil' Jon was smaller than the other John in the band. As a solo artist, Lil' Jon became the 'King of Crunk,' a bass-heavy, funk-infused brand of Hip-Hop. After winning a couple Grammys, Lil' Jon has parlayed his boisterous personality into a successful TV career.

Lil' Kim. By far the most successful artist on the list, Kimberly Denise Jones has sold 15 million albums. Not bad for a short kid from Brooklyn. Her big break came at age 19 when she was a featured artist on Notorious B.I.G.'s breakthrough single 'Player's Anthem.' Since then, she topped the Pop Charts in 2001, headlined numerous tours and launched a successful fashion line.

Lil' Nas X. Montero Lamar Hill was just another kid from the Atlanta suburbs. After High School, he juggled college classes with jobs at Zaxby's burger chain and the Six Flags amusement park. All the while, he kept dabbling in online contests and promotions. His entry in the 'Yeehaw Challenge' went viral and Lil' Nas X had a hit. To add legitimacy, Billy Ray was brought in as a featured artist.

Lil' Wayne. Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. was born in New Orleans in 1982. It's a city known for both music and crime...and Dwayne dabbled in both. Thankfully, The Hot Boys, were signed to a contract. The 14 year-old lead singer, Lil' Wayne, was the clear star. In 1999, he released his first of 14 solo albums. In a field known for short careers, Lil' Wayne has been amazingly resilient. His #4 hit 'Uproar' proves he is a Big-Time rapper, whatever his nickname may be!

JUNE 21 FIVE ITEMS NAMED AFTER VANDERBILT FAMILY MEMBERS

JUNE 21  FIVE ITEMS NAMED AFTER VANDERBILT FAMILY MEMBERS

It was a touching moment on CNN earlier this week when anchorman Anderson Cooper teared up reading an obituary. See, it wasn't just anybody who had passed away. Nope, it was his own mother...the iconic Gloria Vanderbilt...who had died at age 95. Although many are vaguely familiar with the famed family from the First Gilded Age, we here at the DUNER BLOG have sorted out the backstories behind five famous contributions from the Vanderbilt Family:

#5 VANDERBILT JEANS. Anyone who was alive in the 1970's remembers this eponymous brand of pants. They were truly special: A high-waisted, skin-tight cut made from ultra-stretchy denim that was perfect for the disco floor. Gloria Vanderbilt's autograph was proudly stitched on the left ass pocket. How cool were they? Even Blondie lead singer extraordinaire Deborah Harry proudly rocked a pair! That's the apex of cool.

#4 THE VANDERBILT TROPHY. Anyone who plays Contract Bridge dreams of winning the coveted Vanderbilt Trophy. Since 1928, it proudly celebrates the best card player in the world. The reason why the trophy bears the famous moniker is simple: Harold Stirling Vanderbilt invented the game. While serving in the Navy, Harold spent a lot of time playing cards on the High Seas. Bored with basic Bridge, he dreamed up a new methodology that is still popular a century later. He also won the trophy twice, in 1930 and 1938.

#3. THE VANDERBILT PARKWAY. While the existence of thousands of miles of American freeways seems ubiquitous today, back in 1908 automobiles were crammed onto city streets with horse and buggies. Then William K. Vanderbilt came up with the crazy idea of constructing a path just for cars. Six million dollars later, the world's first highway opened on Long Island. Since it cost a whopping $2 to enter, it was used mostly by the wealthy as a racetrack.

#2. VANDERBILT GATE. A hidden jewel in New York's Central Park, the Conservatory is the only formal gardens in the park. To enter, you must pass under the massive wrought-iron gate. A century ago, Vanderbilt Way connected the grand chateau to Grand Central Station. Both of which had been constructed by Cornelius Vanderbilt. Today, both the road and the castle have been removed, but the gate has survived. It's a really popular wedding photo site.

#1 VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY. Prior to Cornelius, the Vanderbilt's were just like the other thousand families that immigrated from Holland: Middle Class farmers. As a teen, Cornelius left school to operate a Staten Island Ferry boat. He gained the nickname of 'Commodore.' From there, Cornelius worked upwards, becoming a shipping...then a railroad...magnate. Prior to his death, he donated a million dollars to start a university in Nashville. Today, its students are known as the Vanderbilt Commodores.

NOTE: We are still waiting for today's Second Gilded Age billionaires to build a Zuckerberg University or a Bezos Parkway. Sadly, the public outcry that forced Vanderbilt, Carnegie and Stanford to share their wealth is largely absent today.

JUNE 14 THE USA NEEDS TO NATIONALIZE OIL PRODUCTION

JUNE 14  THE USA NEEDS TO NATIONALIZE OIL PRODUCTION

For the second year in a row, Pope Francis held a closed-door meeting with some Big Oil CEO's. On Friday, British Petroleum's Bob Dudley and ENI's Claudio de Scalzi were the among the papal guests at the session. What were they talking about? In short, the Vatican wants a "radical energy transition" to cleaner and safer resources. Francis is worried Global Warming will eventually destroy all of God's wondrous creations on earth. He is also concerned that the poorest people on the planet are paying too much for petroleum and wants more equitable distribution.

Finally! Someone influential has the guts to stand up to the Big Oil Executives. Let's face it: No  politician will talk about the CEO salaries at Mobil-Exxon or Chevron.  One exception was Mexican President Lazaro Cardenas. In 1940, he boldly declared that all natural resources under the ground belong to the people of Mexico. He ordered BP and Shell out of the nation, instantly nullifying all contracts. A flood of international lawsuits and sanctions were enacted, yet few stuck. World War II soon erupted and made the US and UK extremely thirsty for oil. In 1941, trade resumed.

To replace the international corporations, Cardenas created Pemex, a government-run oil company. Here's the fantastic part: Instead of having a few white males earning $100 billion a year, the massive petroleum profits would be given back to the people. Crazy, huh? Some of the revenue is spent maintaining roads, others for public transportation. For example, of the world's ten largest subway systems, the Mexico City Metro's toll of five pesos (25 cents) is by far the lowest. We could do this in the US!! Imagine the possibilities. Clean, efficient and affordable subways. Highways without potholes. Bullet trains connecting cities in hours. All without raising taxes.

While the idea of the government interfering in the private sector sounds alarming, the precedent has already been set. Back in 1911 (when the US government was also ran by big business) a stalwart Supreme Court ruled that Standard Oil's monopoly was unconstitutional. Although there was public outcry at the time (Socialism! Boo!) the end result was fair to all involved. Rates were lowered, and John D. Rockefeller still managed to eat.

Back to the Pope in Rome. Francis concluded the meeting stating that change is needed to "save our common home." The DUNER BLOG echoes this sentiment. Time and time again, we have pleaded for more equitable wealth distribution in the US and abroad. Politicians need to return to representing the people and not corporations. Everyone agrees: Multi-billionaires have enough money already. Let's quote MacKenzie Bezos, who will give half of her $35.6 billion dollar divorce settlement to charity. "I have a disproportionate amount of money." Enough is enough. Share your wealth, Big Oil!

JUNE 7 IS DISNEY'S THE LION KING BASED ON THE SUDIATA LEGEND?

JUNE 7 IS DISNEY'S THE LION KING BASED ON THE SUDIATA LEGEND?

On July 19th, Walt Disney is releasing yet another remake of their beloved movie THE LION KING. This time, the studio is using  photo-realistic computer animation, the technique employed in 2017's remake of THE JUNGLE BOOK. Likewise, it looks to be a summer smash, despite the fact that everyone already knows the plot. However, what most people don't know about the plot is that it is based on an African folk hero, Sundiata the (original) 'Lion King.' Or is it?

From the start, Walt Disney used Fairy Tales for his films. For Walt, the focus was on exploring the new medium of film animation. Telling stories was a distant second. At first, folktales from Europe were used. Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio and Snow White were top-grossing films in the 30's and '40's. Things changed in the 90's, when the re-juvenated animation studio released Aladdin and the Lion King. While Disney writers have acknowledged The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and French translator Antoine Galland for Aladdin, there is no such recognition for the Malian griots who have been telling the tale of Sundiata for centuries.

Are they the same? Let's examine the legend of Sundiata. The family King Suxlu (Mufasa) is killed by his jealous brother Mamota (Scar). Only Sundiata (Simba) is exiled, because he is severely handicapped and cannot walk. While in exile, Sundiata (Simba) grows massively strong thanks to the animals who raised him. With a lion-sized heart, he returns to the kingdom and overthrows his uncle. This fable has been a favorite of West African griots (story-tellers) for centuries. This difference is the simple fact that folklore from Europe, Arabia and Asia was translated into English centuries ago. The first written translation of the Legend of Sundiata didn't occur until Harold Courlander did so in 1973.

While we were at the DUNER BLOG are well-versed in World Folklore, the question arises: Were the writers of Disney even aware of the Sundiata myth? Is it just a coincidence? The world will just never know. See, screenplay writers are notoriously vague when it comes to the matter. That's why film titles always have the absurd phrase: "Inspired by true events" under the title! In fact, even this Blog isn't actually real, it was:

JUNE 1 THE SEVEN BEST NBA PLAYERS FROM AFRICA

JUNE 1  THE SEVEN BEST NBA PLAYERS FROM AFRICA

There was a major surprise in Game One of the NBA Finals yesterday. The high scorer wasn't one of the five All-Stars on the floor. Not Steph, Klay, Dray or Kawhi "The Glove" Leonard. Nope, the man with 32 points to lead all scorers was.. Pascal Siakam, the 'Kid from Cameroon.' Just like Caribbean players in Major League Baseball, African-born athletes are making a huge impact on the sport. Let's check out the TOP SEVEN all time..

#7 PASCAL SIAKAM. When you're six-foot nine (206cm) you'll get noticed. That's what happened when 16-year-old Pascal started playing basketball in Douala, the capital of Cameroon. He, along with his similarly tall brothers, was recruited by Luc Mbah a Moute, a current NBA player also from Cameroon. After becoming WAC player of the year at New Mexico State, he was drafted by Toronto.

#6 SERGE IBAKA. Toronto, the Eastern Conference champions, have two African-born players on their roster. Coming off the bench to replace Siakam is Serge Ibaka. He's from the neighboring nation of the Congo. Unlike Pascal, Serge began playing at an early age. His father played on the Congolese National Team.

#5. LUOL DENG. Born into the Dinka group in Sudan, the Deng Family moved to Egypt as a child to escape persecution. He starting playing hoops in Cairo, then London, then Duke! Drafted #7, his NBA career includes five teams and two All-Star appearances. Like the others on this list, Deng gives generously to charities. The Lost Boys of Sudan helps young male refugees like himself.

#4. JOEL EMBIID. Also from Cameroon is  the fastest-rising star in the NBA today. Joel dazzles fans with electrifying dunks, vicious blocks PLUS a feathery smooth 3 points. Five years ago, the 76ers had the worst record in the league. This year, they made it to the semi-finals. Look to see much more of Joel Embiid on the highlight reel. You'll also see him during the commercial breaks too!

#3. MANUTE BOL. Back in 1982, Don Freeley, a college coach, agreed to help the Sudanese National Team. When he arrived In Khartoum, he was stunned to meet the backup center. Manute Bol was 7 foot 7 (231cm) tall, and could dunk the basketball without jumping. During his ten-year pro career, he used his tremendous wingspan to block 2,086 shots. Although Manute passed away, watch out for his son. Bol Bol plays for Oregon.

#2. DIKEMBE MUTOMBO. Born into the slums of Kinshasa in the DR Congo, Dikembe was noticed by scouts from Georgetown. After pairing with Alonzo Mourning to form 'Rejection Row,' Mutombo was the #4 pick in the 1991 draft. Mount Mutumbo stood proudly for 18 seasons. Anyone who tried to climb above him with a weak shot would be rejected. Then, Dikembe would wag his enormous index finger and say: "No, no, no."

#1 HAKEEM OLAJUWON. Of course the DREAM is #1. Born and raised in Lagos, Hakeem learned about the value of working hard early on. In college, he and Clyde Drexler became known as 'Phi Slamma Jamma.' After being drafted #1 (above Michael Jordan at #3), he teamed with fellow seven-footer Ralph Sampson to become the 'Twin Towers.' They won two NBA titles with the Houston Rockets. More importantly, he was a gentleman both on and off the court. Class act!