Me & My Baby Brothers

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Hoop Clips Pt. 1

Hoop Clips Pt. 1 / YouTube

Joshua Rhyanes

El Paso, Texas

This evening we got together for a family dinner and screened the latest b-ball mixtape featuring some highlights from Joshua Rhyanes that Meagan recorded. I took care of the editing along with some instrumental sounds to go along with the game play. You can view the video by clicking on the image or link above! Currently working on Pt. 2 and a tape featuring Isaiah's time with the Andress High School Eagles.

To view Hoop Clips Pt. 1: click here

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Every1Plays Music Review: Xscape

Every1Plays Music Review: Xscape

We first heard the new MJ record on the Kyrie Irving commercial with the track ((Love Never Felt So Good)). In doing a soundtrack of my life (Big Brother Lee), my first cognizant music moment was MJ's Thriller. It's my earliest music memory and where my love for music started. In thinking about Thriller today, along with MJ I think of Quincy Jones. During my time on radio, I'd go back to Q's previous work, digging & listening, especially everything Hip Hop sampled and stuff that was popping up on films like Austin Powers. I have always been interested in Quincy Jones' life and how he survived through the times making history through something he was able to pick up as a youth.

In thinking about a record like Xscape, a reason I wanted to get it was for me & my baby brother to listen to while we drove around town. Noticing the CD at Sam's Club I decided to buy it. It's been a long time since I've purchased an MJ record. Most of my MJ collection dates back to Bad and everything before including his 70s solo records and the Jackson 5. One of my youngest brother's favorite Michael Jackson records is Off the Wall. Listening to the mixtape we made called the Early Weekend No School Mix you can hear my brother, then 12 years old, singing the lyrics to ((Off the Wall)) during the skits.

We enjoyed Xscape and listened to most of it on our way to Game Stop for the midnight release of the PS4 game Destiny. Some of the songs on there made us think of how cool the record would sound on a video game or a film, especially a track like ((A Place With No Name)).

In listening to Xscape and reflecting on the album for this blog, I was interested in knowing if Quincy Jones had any involvement or thoughts about the record. I searched and found an interview where he not only shares his thoughts on the Xscape record, but some notes from his life, childhood and up. He mentioned also that he felt the MJ record was more so about money, shaking his head in disapproval for what it was. I've got a lot of respect for Quincy Jones, and listening to Xscape could only imagine what a collaboration would've been beyond just Thriller and Bad. Those were special times in music and something we can appreciate without having to wish or expect anything else. Listening to what is used on Xscape though, you can't help but wonder under different circumstances and without all the controversy MJ dealt with, the what ifs. He literally had the ear of the universe at his door step.

Regardless, we appreciated the record for what it was or wasn't... if anything we appreciated the voice that will forever be familiar to our music memories. Rest in peace MJ.

Below is the interview I reference with Quincy Jones.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

NBA Live Forever

NBA Live Forever

Have pretty much played them all when it comes to basketball simulation and arcade style video games. From Double Dribble, All-Pro Basketball, Jordan vs. Bird, NBA Live 95, Coach K's College Basketball, NBA Jam, NBA Shootout, NBA Action, NBA In the Zone, NBA Streets, the 2K series, etc.

NBA Live has always been the preferred go to b-ball video game since the mid 90s... Never quite lasted a full season or any competitive rivalries amongst gamers playing other simulation video b-ball game except Live. Especially amongst my brothers... for more than five years we stayed on NBA Live 2010. Never understood the hype of 2K. It played and felt generic, from the player's look to the controls. When we seen the advertisement behind the Jordan machine and 2K11, we decided to give the game a chance abandoning the Live series which by this time became a Dead series.

We played 2K11 for a couple of weeks and decided to sell it. Disappointment is not even the final word... just had to get rid of it. We decided to keep playing NBA Live 10' until something else came out. Even manually updating the rosters ourselves as we went along with our main squads, Boston, Miami, and the LA Lakers.

Fast forward to this year (beyond the epic fail of NBA Live 14) and EA Sports finally delivers with the installment of NBA Live 15. From the soundtrack, camera angles, controls, set up, feature player, halftime report, etc... it feels as if basketball as we always thought we knew it on video game platforms has finally arrived to the PS4.

As brothers, including our nephew E-Man, we keep track of each others beat downs... a custom we started playing Live 10'... whether it was Josh's Heat vs. Isaiah's Lakers, or E-Man's Heat versus my Celtics, we tallied the wins and loses for bragging rights on a small dry erase board. The records are now also available here on the Me & My Baby Brothers blog (to the right scroll down)... it's a point of access for us to see who's up and to share with anyone else out there that's connected to NBA Live Forever.

Great game. Glad its back.

Friday, December 19, 2014

E-Man's Shelf Game World, A Novel

E-Man's Shelf

It's too cold to be reading on a stoop, but we're still reading! Also added E-Man's Shelf to the links list to the right. His latest read, Game World by C.J. Farley!

Saturday, December 6, 2014

Reading Console Wars by Blake Harris | El Paso Public Library

"There was no such thing as a magic touch, and it wouldn't have mattered if there were, because the only thing it takes to sell toys, vitamins, or magazines is the power of story."

P. 26, 'The Story of Tom Kalinske', Console Wars, Blake Harris

Monday, December 1, 2014

Every1Plays.org RBros Web Launch Announcement

Every1Plays.org

New RBros website is up! Come and check us out ya'll. Have several posts up including photographs, a new component of the site called Every1Reads, a calendar of upcoming games/events, an about us page, and other thoughts on education, sports, programming, etc.

Special shout out to KDeezee aka Mz. Utep, El Paso's no. 1 graphic design specialist. One of the most creative people I've ever met. She designed the official Every1Plays logo featured above which we will be adding on to our sites and business cards very soon! :)

You can also find us on social media at the following links:

twitter.com/every1plays

facebook.com/e1p44

youtube.com/rbros44

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Lincoln Park Hoops Summer 2014

Lincoln Park Hoops

Pt. 1 & 2 of Barrio vs. Barcelona

Summer 2014

El Paso, Texas

Pt. 1: click here

Pt. 2: click here

El Paso has a lot of cool spots to play a game of street ball. All over the city. Passing over Lincoln everyday on my way to work, I always thought how great it would be to record a game underneath the city's Spaghetti Bowl at Lincoln Park. Featured is one of our brothers in light green, BB.Josh.

We added some intro beats from El Paso producers, check the names in the rolling credits. The beats were productions from a beat contest probably long forgotten back during the radio days.

The videos were recorded on the mobile phone... the second in landscape.