Wednesday, 29 June 2011 19:23
Naledge
All I have to say is last night, a bottle saved my life. I have been unable to sleep for quite a few weeks and yesterday I decided to use the wee hours of my zombie like existence to try out a promotional bottle of the new Jack Daniels Honey Liquor that I received awhile back. While I am usually not a huge fan of specialty flavored liqueur, Jack Daniels has hit a home run with this. I poured some of this stuff on ice and mixed it with some green tea. Not only did I end up getting a good sleep sans a hangover, I also feel like I might've cleared my sinuses...lol. "It manages to be sweet without stickiness, and it balances that sweetness with a lovely amount of cinnamon and spice. We were very surprised when we find out that this liqueur is 70 proof, as there is almost no alcohol burn whatsoever in the spirit. The Jack Daniel’s folks recommend drinking Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey chilled, which only serves to make it even easier to drink – it’s the kind of thing that leads to drinking half a bottle in a sitting. Jack Daniel’s has simply hit a home run with this liqueur and we’re sure it will win a lot of people who are drinking or shooting other liqueurs. We also anticipate it being a bridge to whiskey for those who’ve never explored the category."
Wednesday, 06 April 2011 21:39
Naledge
Move over Grey Goose. Pardon me Ciroc. But the french vodka competition just got a bit stiffer. Fans of the brands previously mentioned may not realize that their is a cheaper and still satisfying alternative coming out of France, but such is the case with a hot new brand that surfaced in 2009 by a company that has been very successful in the vodka market. I’m talking about White Rock Distillers fast rising product, Pinnacle Vodka. If the name draws a blank, just think of Three Olives Vodka. White Rock Distillers were the “mad scientists” behind Three Olives, and more importantly their innovative collection of flavors starting with Cherry and Grape that put the brand on the map. After selling Three Olives to Proximo Inc in 2007, they launched the hot new french vodka, Pinnacle, and with it an ever growing innovative list of flavors. Their current portfolio includes wild flavors such as: Root Beer, Butterscotch, Fruit Punch and Cherry Lemonade. Their latest in release are “Cotton Candy” and “Whipped”, both of which I had the opportunity to sample this past weekend at a local tasting. The distillers in this case obviously realized that in today’s drinking society, the ability create new and exciting cocktails that “wow” your mouth is what drives the business. With a line of flavors like no other, they have insured that they will be in heavy consideration by bartenders around the world. Below are my reviews of each of their latest additions as well as a few cocktail ideas for you to try.Pinnacle Cotton Candy: First thing you notice is the distillers ability to recreate the exact aroma of cotton candy. The base vodka has a very smooth finish with a clean smell probably aiding to the ability to capture the cotton candy aroma so easily. Those with a distaste for sweet in their beverages need not continue, but if you’ve got a sweet tooth like myself, this ones for you. The initial taste is very smooth and very sweet, leaving very little after taste and absolutely no burn. After initial sampling, I tried mixing with with a few different products but noticed it’s best mix for the moment is the basics, club soda, or a lemon lime based beverage.
Friday, 14 January 2011 22:26
Naledge
Check Out this interview I did. 
It’s our second favorite time of year over here at AlreadyTV, time for the NFL playoffs so throughout the next few weeks we’ll be bringing you a new features pertaining to such. To start it off, we get with Naledge of Kidz in the Hall & Brainiac Society, an ill emcee by trade and a Chicago native by nature, to chop it up about one his favorite subjects, the Chicago Bears. So check below for a quick Q & A session on everything from who he’s checking for to take their game to the next level in this weekend’s divisional match-up against the Seahawks, to the Bears chances at another Super Bowl appearance. AlreadyTV: This is the Bears first playoff appearance in 4 seasons, what’s the scene in the city like right now? Naledge: Um, people forget that it wasn’t that long ago that the Bears went to the Super Bowl with Rex Grossman. That was the last time. That team seemed dominant defensively and on special teams. The assumption is Jay Cutler is the deciding factor of whether we will do good because he and the O-line have been erratic. Cutler is being scrutinized daily for being seemingly aloof but we love the Bears here. Them and the Hawks (who just won the Stanley Cup) get the most love as teams go here. Having a black coach makes the southside love the Bears in the hood. The other teams just have certain players we all love. AlreadyTV: How do you and your crew usually post up for a big game(sports bar, friends house, tailgate)? Naledge: I usually watch the game at my crib if I don’t have tickets. I have a lot of friends on the team. I’m superstitious about bars so I only go to bars after they win. Bull and Bear, ESPNzone and Market are good spots. AlreadyTV: What intrigues you most about the match up with Seattle and which player from the Bears are you expecting to show out? Naledge: We’ve gotten a great amount of luck this season by facing three 3rd string quarterbacks and getting away with stealing a win from the Lions. That luck gave us a bye and put us against the worst team in the playoffs at home, it’s made us believe we’ve got a shot if Cutler doesn’t throw too many INTs. I think Lance Briggs and Matt Forte are both due for big games. Hester can be a X factor as always… AlreadyTV: Is this the year for a Bears Super Bowl? and Why? Naledge: As I said, we have a legit shot at it…I think we’ll be best playing at Home. AlreadyTV: If the Bears get to the Super Bowl, will we see a Naledge/Kidz in the Hall/Brainiac Society remake of the “Super Bowl” shuffle, and who would produce it? Naledge: You can google it but Rhymefest, Glc and I made a song for the last Bears Super Bowl and they lost. I’ll wait until they win to decide to do another… AlreadyTV: Speaking of music, what projects can we look forward to from you in the near future? Naledge: Just check brainiacsociety.com. A lot of big things are ahead from Kidz in the Hall. New album this summer… Tweet me @naledgekidz! Paz. story by http://www.alreadytv.com
Wednesday, 12 January 2011 00:03
Naledge
Now that the 33 trapped Chilean miners are home safe, we suppose it's time someone released a product referencing them. Actually someone probably has, and this one isn't cashing in as much as being clever, because this seems pretty tasteful. Finally - if you're just dying to find out how Florencio Alvaros tastes, now's your chance. "Each bottle is named after one of the rescued miners and numbered in order of their resurfacing. Each bottle comes in a tube representing the Fénix 2 rescue capsule, and is buried beneath a layer of rocks. As recipients dig out their wine, they reveal a replica of the message sent up to rescuers which exclaimed "Estamos bien en el refugio los 33", meaning "We are okay in the refuge, the 33 of us"." ChileanWiners [via Creative Review and @liquorsnob]
Tuesday, 11 January 2011 17:58
Naledge
 This new years eve, I wore some black low top sneakers that seemed to be all the rave. Everyone kept asking me if they were Diesel, Polo or some limited edition Vans...everyone was shocked to find out that they were adidas. The Ransom collection has quickly become my favorite lifestyle collaboration Adidas has done aside from the Jeremy Scotts. They fit my Brainiac style, have the comfort of a sneaker and are "bouncer-proof" for those that hate dress codes...partake. For more info on the Ransom for adidas Originals 2011 sneakers click here.
Saturday, 01 January 2011 20:06
Naledge
Naledge's New Years blog.
Thursday, 23 December 2010 17:40
Naledge
Well...its Christmas in Chicago this year for the Brainiac crew and I must say it's a more than fitting way to end the year. Holiday season is naturally a time for reflection and family and I've been think about my future musically with Kidz in the Hall and for the entity that is Brainiac Society. I'm really disappointed that everything didn't turn out exactly the way we planned with the Land of Make Believe album because I felt like with a proper roll out for a second single we could have gave the album a bit more buzz life and caused more chatter amongst the Grammy voters. We actually made to the final round of voting for Grammy Nominees with a song that didn't have a push at radio or any type of accompanying visual. It makes me wonder what could've been but I also a ton positives that have happened this year. As a group, we (Kidz in the Hall) have taken larger control of the business aspects of our careers. We changed our management team, we were more hands on with pursuing licensing, features and show opportunities, and we also used the internet and this site to get the music to you on our own terms. I'm proud of what I've done with Brainiac but I realize that without the music remaining pure, the brand will never be a strong vehicle for people to care about. That being said, I saw a lot of friends and associates play close when big events happen for me and somewhat back off of me when I didn't have certain luxuries in abundance. I wonder if those people were ever around for the right reason in the first place because they always reach back out once any big announcement is made about my career. I don't know...I think that's the nature of life just as much as it is the music industry. People are like seasons sometimes, you just have to weather the storms. That said, you can expect a lot more new music from Kidz in the Hall and few big changes in the way Brainiac will operate as a official company (not just a crew) in 2011..I hope y'all are ready. Should be a fun ride..Well, I'm about to handle some more christmas shopping and download this new Nipsey Hussle... Happy Holidays to all! Paz. photo via darkroomdemons.com
Tuesday, 09 November 2010 22:02
Naledge
Every once in a while Naledge sends over articles which he reads and thinks belong up on the site... here's an excerpt and link from The Harvard Business Review speaking on viral marketing... Given last week's election results, it's a good time to think about movements. Wikipedia defines a social movement as "A coordinated group action focused on a political or social issue." That allows for quite a spectrum of movements. The civil rights movement was designed to bring equality to a system where it was it was lacking. President Obama's campaign had many movement-like qualities. Most recently the Tea Party movement proved that when they gain momentum, they're hard to ignore forces. Indeed, the Tea Party led to a counter movement, The Coffee Party, that first appeared on Facebook. Movements can be desirable weapons in the war to influence behavior, but you need to understand how they work. They are not the same as a major advertising blitz or everyday communication initiatives. The key difference is participation. An ad campaign is something you do to people. A movement is something people choose to do. Can you harness the power of a movement in your business? The following is a basic anatomy of what makes a movement successful. Ripple Effects. Movements are exceptionally prone to contagious behaviors and assets. Often, it starts with a single piece of communication, an e-mail or blog post, which is sent to one group of people and shared with hundreds, then thousands, then millions of others. Ripple effects in movements spread ideas and make the movement itself viral, but it can be hard to predict what communication will make that first ripple.
Decentralization, Organization & Values. Effective movements are often grassroots ones, but that doesn't mean that they're disorganized. The Tea Party has no single leader but it it's organized digitally well enough to spur rallies across the country. Boy Scouts is another organization with a de-centralized and hyper-local infrastructure. Den leaders ensure that scouts partake in events and do the things needed to achieve status within the organization. In addition to the organic infrastructure, The Boy Scouts embody a crystal clear value system: "To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight." This value system drives nearly all activities and acts as a "master narrative" for the organization. For more go to the Harvard Business Review article by David Armano
Saturday, 23 October 2010 15:49
Naledge
Naledge stopped through Cleveland to shoot a video with producer and Brainiac homie M. Stacks and his group the Wrong Guys. Naledge speaks about the hustle involved in being in the rap game and how it can change people.
Saturday, 16 October 2010 15:49
Naledge
Just got finished watching the "social network" movie with the lady. For those that don't know, the movie covers the meteoric rise of the Facebook website and its founder Mark Zuckerberg. Without giving away too much of the plot, I have to say that the movie is the quintessential tale of how a simple idea, when followed through upon, can change a generation of thinking. The movie really hit home with me since I have really been on a free thinking kick lately. Beyond starting work on what I hope will serve to be a daily affirmations book for "twentysomethings," I also have been reading a lot of books for inspiration to write. Just recently I picked up a book called " free culture" by Lawrence Lessig, which is a powerful analysis on the history of copyright laws in America and about how the internet era stands to change the nature and future of creativity. Both the social network movie and the free culture book have gotten me thinking about how quickly music travels on the information highway these days and also how that wave will serve to enhance or dilute this hip hop artform that I've spent the past ten years of my life seeking to perfect. In many ways I think the internet has been positive for our music. It has leveled the playing field for independent artists to be discovered and has allowed social commentary on artistic works to be given un-filtered public opinion and gives the power back to the fan to make a song or an artist hot. Still, at what price has this freedom come? Artists that come to prominence from the blogosphere must learn to monetize their popularity in order to survive in the marketplace and it still seems like the newer age of fans view artists and their music just as disposable as "the party that was cool until the cops shut it down." I can think of a ton of artists with "hot" singles who have yet to crack 200k sold and I think its very telling that just 6 years ago, going gold in a month was a given for that type of artist. This leads me to wonder if corporate branding and licensing is really the future of making money of all music. Will albums even matter in 2 years? It seems like labels already have devalued the worth of an album to no more than a couple singles and a promo tour. With that I ask what idea will serve to be the facebook a-ha moment for music? What is the medium between promoting and embracing free culture while protecting the rights if an artist? As Andre 3000 put it, "if you don't move your feet than we don't eat so we like neck to neck." Long story short, stress to you that your favorite rapper (me included) needs more than just your twitter support or a stream on datpiff...otherwise he/she might be taking your taxpayer money in the welfare line...selling you wack clothing and fragrances or ruining roles in your favorite movies...plain and simple, you know the industry is in a weird place when platinum artists resort to releasing album quality music every week to the blogs in order to build a decent buzz..and that's not even a shot. I WISH I had that luxury... Paz.
Naledge
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