Rap's Most Influential Group?

How come in Hip-Hop somebody always has to be "the best?" Have you ever seen a Barry Manilow/Billy Joel/Dan Fogleberg poll? Oh well, your opinion is welcome anyhow.

P.S. "Impact" means whatever you think it should.

Which group has had the most impact on rap music?
	G-Unit
	N.W.A.
	Outkast
	Public Enemy
	Run-DMC
	Sugar Hill Gang
	Wu-Tang Clan
pollcode.com free polls

Hoop Dream '07

Each year in March, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA, holds a tournament to crown its basketball champion. Better known as "March Madness," the tournament is full of exciting plays, dramatic finishes, and shining moments.

I've always wanted to play in the tournament, but God has a different plan for me (which I'm still trying to figure out). However, this doesn't stop me from dreaming...

...With Attitude

In the short history of hip-hop, it can be argued that no group has had a bigger impact on the industry than N.W.A.. Originally composed of Ice Cube, Eazy E, Dr. Dre, MC Ren and DJ Yella, N.W.A. is the godfather (with apologies to Ice T) of "Gangsta Rap."

Click for a look at some of their accomplishments.

The Cross Movement

The Cross Movement is one of the most recognized acts from the "holy division" of hip hop culture. The group is made of four rappers: William Branch, (“The Ambassador”), Brady Goodwin Jr. (“Phanatik”), John K. Wells (“The Tonic”), and Virgil Byrd (“T.R.U.-L.I.F.E.”). Their first album, Heaven’s Mentality, dropped in 1997. They’ve since released five more, including Holy Culture, which debuted # 5 on Billboard’s Heatseeker’s Chart in 2003.

Through dope beats and clever wordplay, Cross Movement raps about the gospel, or good news, that Jesus Christ died for people’s sins; his resurrection giving the chance to be forgiven and reconciled with God. As Phanatik says in All Day, “From pulpit to ghetto, projects to golden meadows, the bread of life brings men back like Hansel and Gretl.” You can watch their videos on Youtube.

AAA Champs: Lowell Cardinals

Lowell beat Mission in overtime last Friday night to win the San Francisco (AAA) high school basketball championship. The game was a contrast of styles: Lowell entered the playoffs as the top seed, thanks to a 28-4 regular season record. Mission came in the #5 seed, with a less impressive 13-11 mark.

The Cardinal’s started four seniors, including guard Jordan Wong and forward Arthur Johnson, two of the league’s best players. Mission had no seniors in its starting line-up.

Lowell’s disciplined offense led to most of its 71 points. The Cardinal’s passed the basketball quickly and often, creating open shots from the outside (Wong hit 6 three-pointers, none of them with a hand in his face) and easy baskets for post players. Mission’s half-court offense was not as good, but did manage 69 points off steals and streaky three-point shooting from guards Harry Howard and Damaree Hampton.

It looked at the beginning that Lowell would blow Mission out of Kezar Pavilion. The Cardinals were up by eleven when Jones, going in for a lay-up from the left hand side of the court, was undercut and came down awkwardly. Jones strained his groin on the fall and badly bruised his shooting hand. Lowell went into halftime up 36-22, but the injury to Jones left it vulnerable to a Mission comeback.

Down 45-35 in the third quarter, Howard and Hampton took over for Mission. The duo scored 21 of Mission’s next 23 points, putting Mission ahead by one with 4:15 left in the game. Lowell got a boost when Johnson limped back into the game. The teams traded baskets the rest of the quarter, keeping the crowd in suspense as to who would win the game. At the end of regulation the score was tied at 61.

In the end, Lowell’s experience and execution were too much for Mission to overcome. The Cardinal’s pulled away with clutch foul shooting and tough defense. Guard Alex Hampton hit a crucial three-pointer to put Lowell ahead by five. Forward Jordan Pusung’s rebounding and free-throw shooting kept the Bears alive, though, giving Howard a chance to win the game with a shot at the buzzer…that missed right and gave Lowell the championship.

Spotlight: Arthur Kelly

King Arthur, a junior at Oceana High School, moved to the Bay from Compton in 2002. Arthur likes hip-hop, photography, and he's a big sports fan. His teams are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Denver Nuggets. Michael Vick and Alan Iverson are his favorite athletes. After high school, Arthur wants to study broadcasting at Cal State Fullerton, then become an NFL sideline reporter.
For the past year Arthur has been seeking a relationship with God. Most mornings he reads the bible and prays before school, and 2-3 times a week he studies the bible with friends at the Bay Area Christian Church. Arthur would like to be baptized sometime soon.

Need a friend?

It's sometimes hard to admit that we need a friend. Some of us don't have a lot friends; others have many. Regardless of which group you're in, though, there is someone hoping you'll choose him as your friend.