Eminem's open letter to Detroit

Eminem is really laying the love on his hometown Detroit; first there was the "Imported from Detroit" Chrysler commercial, and now he's penned an open letter praising and uplifting the Motor City.  The letter is presented via video, and can be viewed above. It's stirring, if you're from Detroit, that is. Part of me thinks it's very corny, but I couldn't help but think to myself as I watched the video, "Kanye, Lupe, Common -- can we get some of that love, where are your open letters to the Chi?"

How about it?

Music Review: Lasers

Lasers

Atlantic Records/ 1^st and 15^th Entertainment

Released March 8

3/5

Hometown hip-hop hero Lupe Fiasco’s latest album, Lasers, is a solid effort, but a disappointment compared to his other two major releases, Food and Liquor (2006) and The Cool (2007).

The album’s release comes after a more than two-year struggle between Fiasco and Atlantic over the artistic direction Lasers should take. Atlantic wanted a more commercially attractive album rather than the inventive and unconventional approach the Windy City rapper is known for, according to numerous media reports.

In the context of that tug of war, it’s clear why Lasers is such a conflicted, bi-polar work.

Songs like the melancholy opening track “Letting Go,” featuring vocalist Sarah Green, and the utopian narrative “All Black Everything” showcase the insightful, socially conscience, lyrically deft Lupe Fiasco that fans expect.

But on the other side of the coin is “I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now,” a frenetic, cheesy club joint that’s a definite candidate for being the worst song Lupe has released on any album. Then there’s the lukewarm, “Get you out of my head,” a cookie cutter R&B/hip-hop collaboration featuring Trey Songz that is sure to get radio spin and bring disappointment to Fiasco diehards.

Tracks such as “Beautiful Lasers,” “Coming Up” and “Break The Chain” are decent enough, but that’s the problem — they are easily forgettable, just okay songs without replay value.  The electronic, poppy production on those three songs and throughout the rest of Lasers is too self-indulgent; it draws too much attention to itself — and away from Fiasco.

The outcome is awkward because Fiasco’s strength lies in his role as a thought provoker; but why have sermons if the people in the pews can’t hear the preacher?

He redeems the album to some degree with great songs like “Words I Never Said,” “Til I Get There,” “The Show Goes On” and “State Run Radio.” But following two classic, nearly flawless albums, Lasers is an obvious step back for Lupe as an artist — even if it’s a step forward commercially. It just misses too many times. 

Lasers has reportedly sold more than 200,000 copies in its debut week, reflecting the calculated mainstream appeal injected into the album. However, with Fiasco recently announcing that his next album, Food and Liquor II, will be a return to his roots, it looks like Lasers will go down as the exception, but not the rule.

Lupe Fiasco at last September's North Coast Music Festival in Chicago. 

Photo courtesy of yours truly.

Charlie Sheen does the Chi

Charlie Sheen is headed to the Windy City next month to give Chicagoans a more intimate whiff of all the WTF the eccentric actor has been cooking up as of late.

Sheen's My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat is Not an Option Show "is coming for you" on April 3 at the Congress Theater.

"Will there be surprises? Will there be guests? Will there be mayhem? Will you ask questions? Will you laugh? Will you scream? Will you know the truth?  WILL THERE BE MORE?!?!" Sheen asks/exclaims in the live show's description on Ticketmaster.com.

"This IS where you will hear the REAL story from the Warlock ... Bring it. I dare you to keep up with me," the 45-year-old actor adds.

Wow, that sounds completely nuts. But it's what the people want, at least for now, and Charlie Boy knows it. Milk it Warlock, milk it.

Unless you’re somehow immune to unimportant, overblown entertainment news and celebrity worship — you know that the actor formerly known as Carlos Irwin Estevez is spazzing out — and loving it. And the media loves it (way too much) too.

I’m recommending this show, and not just because I’m a Charlie Sheen fan. I'm not. But because this man is uplifting.

We should all be encouraged by the fact that it’s evidently possible to go crazy, bash our bosses, get fired, throw a veil of charm and humor over our insanity — and then earn more popularity and more money while we’re at it. I wouldn't advise doing ANY of those things, I'm just saying it's good to know it's possible.

But then again, as noted by Good Morning America, Sheen's erratic behavior could be more about mental and professional disintegration than anything else. And it's hard to imagine anyone paying this guy for work in the future considering his, um...  #WINNING streak.