YouTube Must-Sees

The current year end double issue of Rolling Stone Magazine (Dec 28, 2006- Jan 11, 2007) lists 10 Great YouTube moments for 2006 which I recommend checking out if you find yourself bored at work, bored at home, or simply a slave to the interweb.

as an aside, my thoughts on YouTube: "The Devil created YouTube to destroy productivity. Similar to the way that Gargamel created Smurfette to destroy the Smurfs. The idea was to distract from daily life- to brain wash and to absorb the free will of the subjects so as to render them helpless, mindless, slaves to a higher power. The only difference is that Gargamel faild. All hail YouTube."

Anyways, you should pick up a copy of RS to see all 10 recommended videos (as well as a comprehensive year end review of news and entertainment) but I'll show you my 2 favorites below.

1. Notorious B.I.G. Freestyling on the streets of Brooklyn at the age of 17. You know how on E! True Hollywood Story they always interview the high school drama teacher or English teacher of a star about the pre-fame years, and they inevitably say something along the lines of "I could tell that this kid had something special."? Well, usually I respond to that statement with a resounding "BS!" Of course you can say that now after said individual has made tons of money and become famous. You probably hated the kid and would NOT have remembered him or her had you NOT been contacted by the E! Channel to be on TV and say that very thing you just said. Well, I guess my skepticism is limited, however, because after watching this video, which actually gave me goose bumps, there is no denying that this particular Brooklyn kid had talent! To those who debunk hip hop as an art form, I challenge you to project, to lyricize, and to command an audience as well as the late Biggie did. The man had skill!
















2. Elvis Presley Unchained Melody 1977. I have never been a huge Elvis fan, but I acknowledge and appreciate what he did for rock and roll, and celebrate his legacy by singing Heartbrake Hotel at karaoke. The King is often the butt of jokes which portray him in his last days as a bloated drug addict, with an exaggerated wavering voice- a tragic shell of a former sex symbol and musical genius. However, to watch Elvis perform Unchained Melody in 1977, shortly before his death, one can clearly separate his dark side from his true artistic beauty, which could never fade, no matter what was going on in his personal life. While watching this video, one word came to mind: Captivating. My eyes were glued on the facial expression of a man that loved music more than life, and who put every ounce of his being into his performance.