The stakes are high for both men.

Based at Greg Jackson's academy in New Mexico, Evans benefits from some of the premier training partners in the industry, including Shane Carwin, Keith Jardine, Nate Marquardt, Jon Jones and Georges St-Pierre.

Rashad Evans (14-1-1) vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (30-7)

In addition to his world-renowned wrestling game, Evans has developed into one of the division's most vicious strikers. Evans was also awarded his black belt in no-gi BJJ from Rolles Gracie prior to his win over Thiago Silva in January.

Evans has proven that he has legitimate one-punch power. His sensational knockout of Chuck Liddell at UFC 88 in September 2008 was the turning point of his career, which later led to a victory over Forrest Griffin to claim the UFC light heavyweight title.

Fresh off a win over Silva, the 30-year-old Evans will need to utilize head movement and leg kicks to wear down Jackson.

Jackson, a world-class wrestler in his own right, has fought and beaten some of the best fighters on the planet, including Keith Jardine, Wanderlei Silva, Dan Henderson, Chuck Liddell, Murilo Rua and Ricardo Arona.

"Rampage" has won eight of nine fights since losing to the current champ Rua at Pride Total Elimination 2005 with his lone setback being a contentious decision loss to Forrest Griffin in July 2008.

A gifted heavy-handed boxer with the sport's most distinguishable slams, Jackson's Achilles' heel is not dedicating himself to long hours in the gym. When Jackson is motivated, there are few fighters who can hang with the man who unified the UFC and Pride 205-pound titles. Hell-bent on revenge for all the trash talk, Rampage insists the work has been done inside England's Wolfslair Academy where he prepared alongside UFC notables Michael Bisping and Cheick Kongo.

But Jackson has also embraced the movie star lifestyle as he will be playing B.A. Baracus in the upcoming A-Team movie. Ring rust and conditioning will be major factors as Jackson has not seen action since defeating Evans' training partner Jardine in March 2009. If this fight goes past the second round, Evans' cardio could be the difference maker.

 Jackson will undoubtedly possess the power advantage and Evans could pay the price if he shoots in with half-hearted takedown attempts. But Evans can also pick Jackson apart with leg kicks, a technique his teammate Jardine and Griffin both employed effectively against Jackson.

If Evans slugs it out or gets sloppy in close quarters, he will be playing right into Jackson's hands.

Eddie Murphy is preparing to return to the stage as a stand-up comedian, but he insists it will be a year before he has enough material for a full show.

Before he became an in-demand film star, Murphy was one of the world's top comics and could fill huge venues, like New York's Madison Square Garden - and now he admits he's itching to get back out there.

The Shrek star says, "Within the last six months or so, I started getting an itch to do it again. I started writing stuff... I was like, 'I could go and do 15, 20 minutes right now. Maybe in a couple of months I'll start working out again.'

"But it'll take a year before I'm ready to go on the road... It's gonna take at least a year to get the rust off; 20 years of rust." Source: WENN.com

SAN DIEGO - A 32-year-old man died after being shot by a police officer, who had attempted to break up a fight that the victim was in with his roommate, in a Normal Heights neighborhood Thursday afternoon, according to police.

Around 3:30 p.m., San Diego police responded to a report of two men, who were roommates, fighting in the street on the corner of Adams Avenue and Hawley Boulevard.

When a San Diego detective dressed in street clothes arrived he attempted to stop the fight. San Diego police Captain Jim Collins said one of the men started fighting the officer and put him in a headlock. The detective escaped from the headlock, pulled out his gun, and fired one shot at the man's torso, according to Collins.

That man was transported to Mercy hospital and died a short time later. His identity has not been released due to family notification.

The detective was treated at the scene for his injures, but was not taken to the hospital.

The homicide unit closed off Adams Avenue and Hawley Boulevard to investigate the incident.

Though the baseball season is in full swing and the playoffs in the NBA and NHL are at a fever pitch, the biggest sports story of the summer is without a doubt the World Cup, the worldwide soccer tournament set to kick off next month in South Africa. Over the course of a month, the best teams in the world will duke it out for international bragging rights for the next four years. An event this size demands some huge songs, which is why the World Cup will have a handful of official anthems that viewers will hear repeatedly over the course of all the matches. One of them, K'Naan's "Wavin' Flag," has already been making the rounds for several months, and now R&B superstar R. Kelly has delivered his own version: A collaboration with the Soweto Spiritual Singers called "Sign of a Victory."

This isn't the first time Kelly has been associated with an international sporting event, as he performed at the closing ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics (of course, that shouldn't be confused with the Kelly classic "Sex Olympics"). While Kelly has been more interested in constructing freaky sex anthems, "Sign of a Victory" is something of a throwback to his early work (it's more "I Believe I Can Fly" than "Echo"). It has an epic, cinematic quality that features a powerful marching drum roll, multiple layers of voices and one of Kelly's best vocals in years (though why he resorts to using Auto-Tune in the bridge is sort of a mystery. "I can feel the spirit of the nations," Kelly sings during one of the verses. "I can feel the rising beat within." It's incredibly catchy, massive and — somehow — truly uplifting.

Kelly will perform the song live at one of the World Cup venues in Johannesburg when the opening ceremonies kick off on June 11. He'll be joined by the Soweto Spiritual Singers as well as K'Naan, Shakira, John Legend, Angelique Kidjo, Alicia Keys and the Black Eyed Peas.

http://www.jiverecords.com/rkelly/player/

I completely agree with this article... But I don't think this author is giving enough credit to what hip hop has done to move African-Americans forward.  Ever compare Hip Hop to The Blues?  I mean, that's how I see it.  African-Americans not only moved forward because of the blues, but we got people of other ethinicities to copy that shit "in their own way", and they hired African-Americans to teach them how to do what it is what we do...  That's moving us forward no?  Those same jobs exist in the hip hop industry/community.  That's moving us forward in my opinion. 

"A group of teenagers armed with little more than an attitude and some turntables created a rebellion 30 years ago in the Bronx. The fire spread across the globe, from Beirut to Beijing, where youths use hip-hop to rap about being denied freedom, power and a voice.

Back at home, the lingua franca of the counterculture has become the language of vapid commercialism and empty values, according to author Thomas Chatterton Williams.

The argument he makes in his book, "Losing My Cool: How a Father's Love and 15,000 Books Beat Hip-Hop Culture," is not about high culture versus low culture. Neither is the book — Williams' first — a thinly disguised attempt to make money by offering lurid details about hip-hop's royalty.

The stakes are too high for that, especially for African-Americans, said Williams by telephone during a national book tour that touches down Friday at the Book Passage in Corte Madera.

The stakes are higher, he said, because racism and now hip-hop have limited what it means to be black by insisting on one measure: street culture as embodied by Biggie Smalls and Jay-Z.

Jay-Z, who once rapped, "I dumb down my lyrics to double my dollars," is one form of blackness, Williams said. "But why does he set the tone for black culture today? It's tragic."

The irony is that young men have a better chance of being like President Barack Obama than a rap star, Williams said. From Oakland to New Jersey, they will sabotage their future just for the sake of trying to be like their millionaire entertainment idols. The dynamic, Williams said, "has quietly taken the place of white racism as the most formidable obstacle to success and equality in the black middle classes."

Williams used to emulate and idolize the rappers he now criticizes. He still listens to hip-hop but learned to appreciate jazz and Nina Simone and Marvin Gaye while studying at Georgetown University. There he discovered other definitions of what it could mean to be black, ones that included men like James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison — and his father.

It took a long time for him to appreciate his scholarly parent, an African-American man who grew up in the height of segregation in the South.

"Black never looked like my father sitting in a study underlining a book," Williams said. "It looked like a kid who could be walking in the South Bronx."

Growing up in the middle-class New Jersey suburb of Fanwood, Williams remembers watching wide-eyed as Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre and The Notorious B.I.G. swaggered across the TV screen at the local barbershop, Unisex Hair Creationz. The men set the tone for what it meant to be young and black and male: dumbed-down and thugged-out.

"I'm a put it on a bullet and put it in your brain," rapped Eric B. and Rakim while Williams and his friends imitated the rappers' scowl. Others went further because they thought they shared the tragic fate of men like Tupac Shakur.

While writing "Losing My Cool," Williams said he realized how easily he "could have become a statistic." He credits his parents with helping him to break the "python grip" of bad role models and what he called a "relentless and powerful propaganda campaign that steamed into the house 24/7."

Williams changed, but hip-hop didn't despite a promising moment during Obama's presidential campaign. Hip-hop returned to bling obsession instead of, as Williams put it, evolving into an art that describes what it means to be alive and black in America in the 21st century."

See the full article at:
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_15066049?source=most_emailed

UFC president Dana White laid down the challenge to Internet phenom Kimbo Slice and the street fighter accepted it. Kimbo made it through his stint on Season 10 of "The Ultimate Fighter" and got two more fights with the promotion.

Slice went 1-1 in the UFC after the reality show, including a bad loss tonight at UFC 113 against Matt Mitrione. The fight was so one-sided, the UFC president decided to give Kimbo his pink slip.

"That's probably Kimbo's last fight in the UFC," said White. "Listen, Kimbo made it farther than I thought he would."

When Slice was the centerpiece of CBS' EliteXC promotion, his status drove White nuts. He slammed and badmouthed Kimbo, saying the only way he'd make it to the UFC was to take part in the UFC's prospect show on Spike. That was a bitter pill to swallow for a guy who had earned between $250,000-$500,000 in each of three EliteXC fights.

"I didn't know Kimbo, I just knew what I saw," White said of his previous pro MMA fights and his work on YouTube. "The first time I ever met him I said, 'This is going to be an interesting meeting with the [expletive] I've said about him over the years.' "

Slice and his handlers were not combative. They just wanted the fighter to get a chance at legitimacy.

"He came in. He couldn't be a nicer guy. He took things serious, trained and went after it," said White. "His first fight wasn't the YouTube fights you saw. He won that fight [against Houston Alexander on the TUF 10 finale]. He deserved another fight in the UFC and he lost. Got nothing but respect for Kimbo and I like him as a person. And I think he's carried himself really well."

When asked about the "probably" in his original Kimbo quote, White then said definitively that Slice was gone.

Much has been said about Nas and Damian Marley since they announced their collaborative endeavor as Distant Relatives. While much of it was praise in anticipation, expectations grew to nearly unattainable heights. Both Nas and Jr. Gong are no strangers to this - both sons of famous musicians , both with hits in their history. Each held in high regard within their respective genres, individually, they have managed to forge rich legacies in the streets, while always maintaining a message in the music. With the message behind a project like Distant Relatives - drawing strong parrells between the music of Africa, America and the Carribean, as well as the "one blood" that flows within us all, it would be easy to get too preachy, too informational. Luckily, Damian Marley's powerful production creates the perfect surface for he and Nas to educate and demonstrate their points masterfully.
Lyrically, the album boasts thought-provoking, introspective writing. Distant Relatives exemplifies the type of lyrical prowess both artists have become known for, with songs like "Welcome To Jamrock" and "If I Ruled The World" in their respective catalogs. The Realtives speak on current events (“My Generation”), their own triumphs through troubles (“Strong Will Continue”) and worldly issues (“Africa Must Wake Up”) with the same amount of dexterity, deftly covering topics with skill and insight. They lend words to the power of loyalty (“Friends”), good fortune (“Count Your Blessings”) and religious beliefs (“In His Own Words”), sharing personal touches with every turn. Both take risks, and balance their master-plan, as Nas candidly forecasts the birth of his youngest child. Throughout the album, Nas and Jr. Gong ask the right questions (“Why do we all collide? Why do the young die?”) and provide just enough inspiration in the process (“Only the strong will continue, I know you have it in you”). They offer the right amount of positive influence with a balanced realism, juggling intellect with lived experience. They also manage to do something few traditionally "conscious"-labeled artists pull off; they never sound corny or contrived. Only artists of this stature could pull of this kind of undertaking. With honest emotion, intelligent bars, enjoyable melodies and fluid delivery throughout, this is a benchmark album for Damian and Nas, both as artists, but also as social poetical prophets.

The production on the album shows just how much thought was put into the project, one that also shows range. Where many have forgotten about the lost art of full length album making, this project is best served whole. Whether mixing live instrumentation with cleverly flipped samples (“The Promised Land”) or borrowing from various cultures and genres, the beats here do not disappoint. Not often thought of as a Hip Hop producer, Bob Marley's youngest son (with some assistance from brother Stephen) assert themselves as versatile studio conductors. It’s refreshing, for instance, to hear tribal drums on “Tribal War” following the up-tempo breakbeats of “As We Enter”. All of this sets the stage for “Strong Will Continue,” which acts as one of the standouts in a heap of uniqye cuts, an anthem that blares with electric guitars, piano keys and a potent drum pattern. They can also mellow things down (“Leaders”), bringing the acoustic guitars out (“Count Your Blessings” and “In His Own Words”) and borrow from various cultures and languages, something heard on chants in “Patience” “Dispear” and “Friends.” They can go from the accessible (“My Generation”) to the gritty (“Nah Mean”) with ease and keep heads nodding throughout, without ever losing the cohesion that makes this a complete album. Like Madlib, Damian Marley has the ability to make his music sound globally relevant. The production matches the lyrical points perfectly, which may be one of the most challenging achievements on such an ambitious project.

From the moment the listener absorbs opening-cut, “As We Enter,” the chemistry is solidified within Distant Relatives as the two trade bars and this collaborative spirit can be seen throughout the album. Nas' and Damian's work together is superb and each guest (Stephen Marley, Joss Stone, Lil Wayne, Dennis Brown and two guest spots from K’naan) fits sensibly with the project's perimeters, ensuring that nothing is done for show and no detail is spared. Front to back, this album provides no filler and boasts substance. In a genre-bending effort, the duo manages to succeed in creating a best of both worlds collaboration without compromising anything - a feat rarely seen. The relativity between Nas and Marley comes across in this music as well as it does in their message, as both men create a benchmark in their rich careers.

After Floyd Mayweather picked apart an older Shane Mosley on Saturday (May 1), talk immediately switched to the future. A Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao showdown anyone?

The two fighters were set to face off this year, but when Mayweather requested that Pac-Man endure Olympic-style USADA drug testing during his training camp, negotiations ceased and the mega-fight was called off.

Ever since, Floyd has insuated that Pacquiao is using performance-enhancing drugs despite having no proof, prompting the Filipino fighter to file a defamation lawsuit, which is currently pending.

After the fight hit a wall, Pacquiao went on to defeat Joshua Clottey on March 13th, while Mayweather won a unanimous decision against Mosley over the weekend.

Now, however, Pac-Man seems to be softening his stance on drug testing procedures. Two days after Mayweather's victory, Pacquiao said he's willing to compromise.

"I am willing to help the sport for the future of the sport. I do not want to see anyone cheat or cheat this sport," Pacquiao said in a statement on his official website. "For that reason I am willing to consider taking blood [tests] as close as 14 days prior to the fight, as long as my opponent does the same, and it is not a lot of blood, just enough to test."

Mayweather has proven that has no issue undergoing the same kind of testing as his opponent.

The Filipino fighter previous insisted on a cut-off of blood testing 30 days before the fight, but later agreed to 24 days after he realized he did the same in his fight against Ricky Hatton in May 2009. He also agreed blood test immediately after the fight.

Pacquiao resisted Mayweather's requests, arguing that that anything else would weaken him during training. But now, he may compromise a little more to make the fight happen. "I do not want anyone having an unfair advantage where someone may get hurt," said Pacquiao. "I am willing to do my part to help this sport out."

Despite Pac-Man's statements, it's unclear when a fight with Mayweather would take place, because he's currently running for a seat in congress in his native country, the Philippines. That's his main concern at the moment. Then, according to ESPN, Pacquiao plans to go on vacation with family.

After all that, then boxing plans will be discussed.

"As Manny has stated many times, we are willing to fight anyone, anytime, anywhere in accordance with the athletic commission's rules and regulations in which ever state we fight in. We will not be bullied into or entertain any additional rules or regulations to be imposed by our opponent," Michael Koncz, Pacquiao's adviser, said in a statement to Pacquiao's website.

After Mayweather's fight on Saturday, he said he would fight Pacquiao, but only if he agrees to the same kind of testing used during his fight with Mosley. If not, he said there will be no fight.

"If Manny Pacquiao can take a blood and urine test then we have a fight," Mayweather said. "If not, no fight."

"Don't be another sequel." The line comes from N.W.A's "Express Yourself," a track that deals with issues of censorship and a trend within the rap community of following rather than breaking new ground.

The group, whose members included Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Ren and DJ Yella, fought hard against those issues during their too-brief five years together, something that Andrea Berloff will presumably attempt to capture in the biopic she's scripting.

The Hollywood Reporter reveals that Berloff, who wrote Oliver Stone's "World Trade Center," is working now on "Straight Outta Compton," also the title of the 1988 double-platinum album that featured "Express Yourself." The film will follow N.W.A (short for N---az With Attitude) from their early days in the mid-'80s through the success of their initial albums and on to their eventual breakup, which was not a friendly parting.

Straight Outta Compton is considered one of rap's most influential albums, even though it drew much criticism at the time of its release for the controversial Ice Cube-penned single "F--- tha Police."

The film is set up at New Line, with Cube and business partner Matt Alvarez producing along with Tomika Woods, the widow of Eazy-E. The MC died in 1995 at the age of 31, just a couple of weeks after revealing that he had been diagnosed with AIDS. It is not known whether the biopic will cover this period, but E's condition did bring the troubled group to reconcile their differences.

Plans for the N.W.A biopic were first revealed in March of last year, with only the producers named. The group's life together has never been featured in a film before, though they were memorably parodied in Rusty Cundieff's 1994 mockumentary "Fear of a Black Hat," which focused on the fictional rap group N.W.H (N---az With Hats).