BRAAAVVEEHEEAAARRRTTTT

So being in the industry there are far and few between festive occassions where the typical sneaker and jean clad peeps put on formal threads to party the night away. Nas stepped his game up and threw a fab party at Capitale on Monday. The night was alot of fun. All of you near and dear to me (which is everyone on Team Ballin) knows that my figure is no testament to my love for food. I planted myself at the carmel and white chocolate fountains and even after I spilled carmel on the dress, I cleaned up and returned to get more marshmellows. I know real greedy. Glad I was able to convince LL/Beyonce B'Day to come last minute. It was holiday party...the sequel. Thanks Nas.

Gotta love Harold's

So I don't know how to post YouTube's so please go to the link.
This is for my Chi-town peeps (Coodie and Leigh) in particular, but also for you Mr. Chicken Noodle. I love you Windy City peeps. Props to my l.s. Tiff for puttin me on game.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkVOAWw9yfc&eurl=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkVOAWw9yfc&eurl

Christmas Time is heeeere

Ballllliiinnnnnnnnn!






Somewhere in the middle of the day I went from jokingly scheming about trying to get in to the MTV Holiday Party to being dead serious about it. I hit up Drunker, he hustled an invite for himself but is no help. Called fav, no luck. Emailed all my old co-workers, no help coming from anywhere. I'm slightly daunted but not completely deterred. Around six, I hit up missbridge. We decide we're just gonna go with it and make it happen. I'm feeling pretty positive so hey nothing to lose. I hop a cab ( a grumpy one mind you) swing by and grab MissB and we head down to the Cutting Room for an artist showcase for some French chick named Ayo on Interscope who sounds like Lauren Hill meets India Arie with an accent. She's cute, but clearly striken with the flu. A true performer she sings about 4 songs, in between blowing her nose, taking nasal decongestants, and drinking water. Poor thing. I like her, but she's got these real sad acoustic songs going and it's totally downing my mood. The free glasses of wine help, but I'm starting fall asleep. I keep myself awake by guilting Lights about not inviting people to his performance, and humoring the White business man who's telling me I'm addicted to my bberry. It's over around 9 and we decide to head towards the party. Ok the scheming starts...I hit up Shaheem, Rahman and Sway, they're uptown at some ghetto mixtape something or other, on the way in 15. A few minutes later Me and MissB are outside the Hammerstein scouting the scene. It doesn't look good. They're scanning tickets to make sure they're not counterfeit and checking ids. I don't have a ticket or an ID...but for some reason I'm still sure I can make this work. B goes in...she hits me from the inside, "the outlook is bleek," just then I get an email from my old Producer, who is also on-air talent, "can u believe I couldn't get in to the Christmas party???" Now I'm a lil shook. I wrench around to the Hotel Lobby to get warm and regroup. Hittin Fav, Sha and them...they're on the way. Rahman thinks Sway can get me in...but he may not go...BOOOOOOO, come sway help a sister out. B calls, shes in the pit alone and not having fun...she says shes gonna call it, and head home. Of course the free cars are outside so I come trecking around the corner to join her...As I'm walking some man tries to get me roped up in to some type of Vonage like sales scheme, but I can't even hear him talking to me cause I'm so focused on getting in to this party. I walk up to Bridge, we make like we're standing in the taxi line when I realize we're standing past the ticket check point. A security guard outside starts flirting with us and now I know I'm in. "You should wait inside," he says, "it's cold." I chime in, "well we were gonna leave, but OUR co workers are on the way, so now we might stay"...a lil small talk, wink and nod, and B says, "I think we are gonna go wait inside." Thats it, we're in, we get stopped 2 more times in the lobby and we casually say, "we were in already" a couple people look like they don't believe us, but there's no stopping us now. "We did it!" I'm ecstatic. Let the party begin. Me and Bridge run the building, we have a shot, we have drinks and more drinks. I run in to my whole dept from Vh1, I'm having a blast!!!! Rahman, Sha and Sway join soon, eventually I find my fav, who is wasted! I love the MTV Holiday Party... By midnight I'm toasted, and Snoopy keeps hitting me about getting in...I told him the hustle and what feels like 10 minutes later I bump in to him and Drunker by the door. Jeez they're late, (see SINGIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNN for details), but they're happy to be in the spot...the party is starting to break up but we run the room a lil longer before piling in to a car and heading uptown. I'm am a very drunk but very happy girl...Now who doubted us? Me and Miss B unstoppable!
I love it!
It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!!!

SINGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!

"I feel like I'm getting sick. Tonight's not gonna be a good night." This is all I could think leaving Bible Study on my way to the Sugar Bar. I put my stuff down, it's extra quiet. Not as lively...which to me is a good thing. I can be mediocre tonight, and no one will care. GREAT! Buuuuuuuut seems like people had other plans. Miss Bloginaire walks in. It's good to see a familiar face. I'm getting massive texts about my delinquency inviting the team to come support me. Sh*t, I'm in the doghouse. Let me grab a drink. "I'll have a glass of Jack; neat please." Its going down smooth, but has some kick to it. I can feel my voice warming up tho, and thats a good sign, because Denise Rich and Jacob the Jeweler just walked in the door. "Oh sh*t." Snoop, Kurt, Karen and me all do a double take. As it were, the night was only just beginning to show its face full of high powered execs in the music and entertainment world. I had no clue of what song I was singing, until John Legend's album started playing. I grabbed the bassist, who had NO knowledge of the song, and basically we learned this song on the fly. In a minor rehearsal, it sounded at best, decent. "No problem, I can flip it once I'm back up on stage," I say to myself. Shortly after having the house dj play the song about 3 times, I hear my name. "Jamie...come here for a second." Its obvious Snoop has something important to tell me, because his face is playful as always yet serious. "Dude look over my shoulder," he says. Who do I see sitting there...? 'Joseph', his kids call him. We simply know him as the prototype for parents who drive their kids to greatness...Joe Jackson. Yooooooo Micahel Jackson's pops is gonna see me sing tonight. lol This ish is crazy. My 'support' gave me a pep talk. "Dude you can't sing that song, sing some Donny man, you gotta really kill it tonite!" I listened, but opted to do what I do best, ME. OMG did it take f*ckin forever for them to call me up. We were almost at the point of leaving when they finally did. Music starts, I'm ready...I feel GOOD. "Lets go to the paaaaaark. I wanna kiss you underneath the stars..." The songs going well for an off the cusp rendition. As critical as I am, this was actually one of my better performances. I wanted to thank my people for coming out. And I'll try not to neglect an invite next time. Noodle, man you missed it, g...next time tho.

CORRECTION (to vito post)

I wish i could take credit for starting the blog but is was actually bridgets idea, i just executed it, however great post anyways HOV...lol

RUBY DEE IS TRYING TO DESTROY ME!!!!!

Some Kind of Funny...Jaime Foxx is a fool! (chike fix it, its sooo funny)

By sheer happenstance and mere coincidence

Seems like only yesterday...a few guys a few gals, enjoying a few drinks. 'Uptown Saturday Night' we called it. Bloginaire and The Mongoose engaging us with tales of their day as honorary Dip-Set members. The needle hits the record and the song, that has now become our crew anthem and motto, sets shit off. Hear the refrain, "Baaalliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin." Its obvious the DJ recognizes our immediate attachment to the song. He replays it. "I wear a mean dark pair of shades...," another refrain, "BAALLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" The sound rises electric in the air. At this point the whole place respects our gangsta, the DJ plays it yet again. "BAALLIIIIIIIIIN!" We laugh, we drink, we flirt, we converse, we scheme...but its all love. As if being a creative genius wasn't enough, Chicken Noodle proposes we start a blog. Without hesitation Miss Bridge, in that distinct Miss Bridge voice, seconds the motion, and the thought catches like wild fire. Team Ballin...crew birthed from the cities of NO, "The Crib", ATL, NJ, VA and a myriad of other places. Seed planted in the heart of NYC, and in the process of spreading across the country, maybe around the world. Funny how the smallest ripple can create the biggest wave in the ocean. We have only but to thank Jim Jones for brining us a little closer, and ourselves for being so f*ckin fabulous. Love my crew, Love my team.

Let's keep Baaaalliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!!!

Vito---------------> out!

From Across the Room

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul.
You need a window wash, you're trying to hide it all.
I DO see you looking though.
I acknowledge with a wink of my own.
Our brainwaves are on the same page,
Sending these messages of interest through the matrix.
I hate it that we can't talk, but you know the situation.
She's standing right here. How 'bout some non-verbal conversation?

I chose to name you the Rose in my Secret Garden.

So I only look, feeling like a crook

Stealing a glance of that ass when you dance.

That sexy smile. I dig your sexy style.

Talking dirty to your cleavage for a while.

This conversation is too good to close my eyes and fantasize.

So what am I to do? Can't take my eyes off you.

I keep staring, comparing this to a dream

that I had the other night when I was "bursting at the seams".

I wanna light your fire, that water can't extinguish

Put my tongue on your sh*t, teach you some body language.

Kiss you here, kiss you there, make it nice and wet

You gotta standing ovation, can you 'see' it yet?

We do the once over in almost perfect syncapation

If looks could kill I need your mouth-to-mouth recuscitation.

I know, it's all in my head, but it feels so real.

We made it hot from across the room

We gotta stop from across the room

I see a lot from across the room

What is, is not from across the room

I love the way we flirt from across the room

Mmm I'm up your skirt from across the room

Our lips never move from across the room

But its an understood groove from across the room

Let's take a chance from cross the room

We got romance from across the room

Yeaaaaah I wanna touch it from across the room

Then I'm interrupted from across the room

I look to my left, and see another thief in theft

Your man is checking out my girl from across the room.