We continue our 2007/2008 NBA Preview with a look at the Toronto Raptors.

Toronto Raptors

Projected Starting Lineup:

C Andrea Bargnani

PF Chris BoshSF Jason KaponoSG Anthony ParkerPG T.J. Ford

Coach: Sam Mitchell

The good news: Their international squad has balance.  Call ‘em the United Nations Raptors.

The big surprise of the Eastern Conference is back a year older, a year wiser, and a year hungrier for respect.  Superstar forward Chris Bosh and Co. are coming off winning the Atlantic Division title, though they lost in the first round to the New Jersey Nets in six games.  The talent is there, thanks to GM Brian Colangelo.  While keeping the core of Chris Bosh, T.J. Ford, and last year’s #1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani intact, the Raptors made a splash in free agency landing former Heat sharp shooter Jason Kapono and guard Carlos Delfino from the Pistons.  Perhaps one of the better moves of the offseason for any team was keeping 2006/2007 Coach of the Year  Sam Mitchell, once on the hot seat, back for another run.  Lastly, Jose Calderon.  The Spanish point guard turned some heads last year with his solid play and ability to not turn the ball over.  The Raptors will be very deep with Calderon, T.J. Ford, Joey Graham, and Carlos Delfino leading the reserves.

The bad news: In a division that made many moves, the Raptors didn’t do much.

The Raptors fell back and watched as the Celtics grew stronger via trade, the Nets gained strength via the draft, and the Knicks bulked up in both areas.  The Raps are relying heavily on the current group of players to lead the way.  It’s not necessarily a bad idea, but at this point it’s perfectly justifiable to sleep on this club again.  Personal growth may be a strength, but it also gives other clubs an idea of what they are facing ,which means this could be a year where they get figured out. 

The outlook:

5th seed in the East, 2nd in the Atlantic.  They’ll be out in the East Semi-Finals.

At the 2007 Hip Hop Honors I was asked by AllHipHop.com about my musicalpreferences this year—50 Cent or Kanye West? I chose 50 Cent. At the time my answer was spontaneous and said without much thought. It was simply a quick honest answer. However, the next day I get a Google alert that somehow my comments “dissed Kanye West”. This could not be further from the truth. As I’ve said repeatedly and on many occasions, “rap is something we do; Hip Hop is something we live”, and when youask KRS about his musical choices his answers are going to reflect the life that he (KRS) actually lives. If I have to compare 50 Cent’s album “Curtis” with Kanye West’s album “Graduation” I am more motivated by “Curtis” than I am “Graduation”. Of course, Itotally respect “Graduation” and what it means to and for Hip Hop. But personally, I relate more to 50 Cent’s subject matter more than I do Kanye’s.I like both albums. I personally went to Circuit City and bought two copies of each album the day they came out and listened to them both. After listening to both albums I found myself rewinding several of 50 Cent’s tracks—track 2, track 3, track 4, the rhyme style on track 5, track 12, the joint with Mary-track 15, track 16 and track 17. For me, ALL THAT S### WUZ HOT! On the other hand, when I listened to Kanye’s album I found myself rewinding only track 1, track 6, and track 10.  Honestly, I felt that Kanye’s album related more to women whereas 50’s album related more to men, maybe that’s why I gravitated more toward 50’s album? Maybe I’m just too “old skool?” Maybe I’m just a New York n#### at heart? Maybe I’m still stuck on that “gun  talk?” Whatever. In any event, I totally respect Kanye’s message and his album was clearly a breath of fresh air for Hip Hop. Even Kanye’s musical production style was superior to 50’s in my opinion. But for motivation, hard beats and rhymes, or when I’m driving through the “hood” for me 50 Cents album “Curtis” simply delivered more “bang” for the buck.When I stated that I preferred 50’s album over Kanye’s album the Allhiphop.com interviewer seemed shocked and surprised. This caused me to think about my response a little more. Why did I choose 50 Cent? I began to think about this with more depth. First, when it comes to Hip Hop and its cultural preservation we must never equate record sales with artistic excellence. Just because Kanye out-sold 50 Cent does not mean that Hip Hop as a community has made a choice as to its cultural direction. In fact, I would argue that Kanye out-selling 50 Cent has more to do with the record buying public’s demand for more soulful, thoughtful and innovative music than it has to do with Hip Hop making a statement about itself. Hip Hop is about the mood of the streets; all of  it, the so-called “conscious” streets as well as the so-called”gangsta” streets. True Hip Hop (cultural Hip Hop) is not about the selling of a CD. So one must ask, did Hip Hop buy Kanye’s album or did the American public buy Kanye’s album? Secondly, let us not equate the “conscious” Hip Hop movement with CD sales. Remember, we are still getting ripped-off contractually by those corporations that exploit and sell our music with nothing going back toward Hip Hop’s actual preservation. Just because you put out a “conscious” album does not mean that you are a “conscious” person. Your album presentation does not make you an “activist” or a “gangsta”. It is your actions in real life that determine your propensity for revolutionary thought or rebellious activity. The questions are; what have you done with your success to support and preserve Hip Hop’s actual cultural preservation? How does Hip Hop’s existing organizations benefit from your success? If 50 Cent actually builds Hip Hop’s museum/archive with the money and influence made from his “gangsta” music and Kanye (as an example) buys more Gucci and gold chains with his money and influence who has really served theculture? Please, let us keep things in perspective here. Finally, let me make this last point very clear. KRS ONE is an artist that has produced both “Criminal Minded” as well as “Edutainment” and this is what I have found to not only be the key to my own professional longevity, this is also what has kept Hip Hop itself vibrant and self-sustaining for over 30 years. Hip Hop thrives upon its variety of styles and diversity of ideas. Remember, Hip Hop is a continuous international urban conversation; it is not a dictated lecture or a one-sided statement. It is an on-going urban discussion about life and living expressed through art and culture. EVERYTHING ABOUT HIP HOP IS GOOD! Our music and art reflects life itself.When I hear artists like 50 Cent, Fat Joe, Camron, Jadakiss, Snoop Dogg, etc I hear courage, fearlessness and victory over the streets. And when I hear Kanye West, Common, Talib Kweli, etc I hear vision, innovation, and the pursuit of life’s higher ideals. ALL OF THIS IS HIP HOP! And all of it is good. ALL OF IT! Not one style over another or one style better than another. All of it together is Hip Hop, and you will not have true Hip Hop without this balance of ideas and expressions. Hip Hop cannot be one thing or it will cease to exist as Hip Hop. The key word here is BALANCE, and I am proud to say that in 2007 with the release of 50 Cent’s “Curtis” and Kanye West’s “Graduation” Hip Hop has achieved such a balance. The struggle now is to convince mainstream media to honor such a “balance” in its public presentations of our culture and lifestyle. Yes, I remain Hip Hop’s “teacha” and authentic cultural voice; and yes, I will continue to promote both spiritual and political thought through Hip Hop. Like most people I too seek the “Good Life”, but let’s just keep it really real; “N#### MY GUN GO OFF!”Big respect to both Kanye and Curtis!KRS ONE—the Teacha

Hey what’s good everybody?  Once again, it’s Darrell Butler, your AllHipHop.com fitness specialist. 

You know, I think one of the saddest sights that I witnessed over the past week had to have been the images of disgraced track star Marion Jones appearing outside of a New York courtroom to apologize for using steroids. After bringing home five medals from the 2000 Olympic games, Jones was destined to go down as a national hero.

What makes the situation even more depressing is that Jones is far from being alone when it comes to performance enhancement drugs. From NFL defensive lineman Sean Merriman, MLB slugger Rafael Palmero, Tour de France winner Floyd Landis and deceased wrestling legend Chris Benoit, Jones has plenty of company in the scandal department. 

Across every race, sport and gender, the heroes just seem to keep on falling, don’t they?

There’s been an enormous wave of controversy among various sports and media outlets in recent months concerning the subject of performance enhancement drugs. These illegal substances include but are not limited to anabolic and androgenic steroids as well as human growth hormone (also known as HGH).

Not only do these substances provide an unfair advantage in competitions against non-users, they also promote very serious (and often fatal) side-effects including heart disease, liver failure and brain damage. 

This column is primarily a forum for me to share my genuine passion for fitness and to help you reach your goals. With that said, I have no intention of turning this into a soapbox for ethical issues. I would like to encourage anyone reading this, however, to think carefully before putting any of these dangerous substances into your body. If the shame of being caught and the fact that they’re illegal isn’t enough to make you reconsider, scroll through the headlines of all the recent untimely demises of various users. 

While this subject gets much less publicity due to the major headline grabbing sports and entertainment scandals, non-steroid supplementation among average citizens can often be fatal as well. Although they’re sold legally, the FDA doesn’t strictly regulate supplements; meaning that most products found at your local shops are without their approval. Therefore it’s very important that you read labels, do your research and consult with your physician before putting anything new into your body.     

Most supplements sold in health stores tend to be fairly harmless, such as protein shakes and vitamins, but trickier things, such as thermogenic fat burners for example, affect your heart rate. For someone with a family history of heart disease, this could prove to be a very dangerous substance to ingest.

Another thing to bear in mind before using supplements is that they are just that:  supplements. That means that they are to be used to further what you’re already doing naturally, not to replace it completely. Most nutrients can be found in real foods, and most fat loss or muscle building can be done with a lot of old fashioned hard work and determination. Unfortunately many people just want a quick fix and now their bereaved or disgraced families, and loved ones are the ones ultimately paying the price for these short cuts. 

So before you take anything, first consider the affect it may have on your body in the long run. If it’s a legal product and your research has determined that you’ll remain healthy and active for years to come, then perhaps it’s worth giving a shot.

If it’s an illegal substance or will take years off of your life however; seriously ask yourself if it’s worth the risk. Sure you may end up being the most diesel brotha or leanest female in your coffin, but that doesn’t change that fact that you’re still in a coffin. I don’t know about you, but I’ll gladly take being the most average guy above ground over being the most muscular below ground any day…

In my next column, we’ll begin to break down the three key ways to transform your body. 

For now, as promised, here is this week’s MP3 soundtrack:

“Barry Bonds” –  Kanye West ft. Lil Wayne

“Shoot ‘Em Up” – Nas

“Rehab” (remix) – Amy Winehouse ft. Jay-Z

I’d like to thank all of you who responded to the last article via email or posted comments.  Some of you suggested other tracks to check out so let’s keep that discussion going.  I’d also like to hear your thoughts on the Marion Jones scandal and that controversial beef between fashion designer Mark Ecko and Barry Bonds. 

Until next time, be good… or be good at it

-Darrell

Darrell W. Butler is a certified personal trainer and strength coach with the American Council on Exercise (ACE).  He is the founder of Industrial Strength & Performance (I.S.P Fitness) and has trained at facilities throughout the nation. You can find out more about his work at www.isperformance.com

As the child of a Syrian father and a Ghanaian mother, the Afro-British cinema and television actor Idris Elba built his reputation as a performer in sitcoms and cable dramas. His most notable role to date was on the critically acclaimed HBO series The Wire, where he played business-minded drug deal Stringer Bell. Stringer Bell met an untimely demise in Season Three, and since then Idris has been lying low from the public building up his resume.

Of course we spoke to him during AllHipHop.com’s infamous “Wire Week” and learned of his passion for DJing. Since then, Idris has been developing his skills as a producer and songwriter, and he still has a lot more up his sleeve.

Idris is now ready to make a big splash on the big screen, working side by side with Denzel Washington in the highly anticipated drama American Gangster. We recently spent some time catching up with Idris in the U.K. to discuss his various upcoming work with the likes of T.I., Chris Brown, Ludacris and Angie Stone.

AllHipHop.com: Rappers in the past have come under attack by actors who feel that rappers should not be given big film roles. You’re in a unique position being an actor who wants to also dabble in music. What are your thoughts on the debate?

Idris Elba: By my own definition; if you’re an artist you’re an artist – whether you’re a rapper, actor, musician or painter. If you’re good at various different art forms, then why not… and I’m not just saying this, as I also dabble in music. People may not realize, but a lot of artists actually have acted before they started rapping or singing; Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jill Scott were all actors before musicians. For me it’s really a case of if you can do it then who’s to say you can’t. Certain people believe you should do what you’re best at and stay in your lane, but I honestly feel if you can do a few things well then why shouldn’t you be allowed too.AllHipHop.com: You’re real breakthrough came in the U.S. Did you feel the U.K. market was not supporting you? Is that why you moved?

Idris Elba: For me personally, my ambition is and was huge – larger than life. I always had giant dreams. I always wanted more than I could actually do. In the U.K., I found as soon as I came out I was auditioning against people who I was watching on TV, people who I admired throughout the years and that just made me realize that England couldn’t house my ambition. You could only reach a certain point in the UK and then you would be stuck on that level.

Also, there isn’t really a star support system here in the U.K. for actors of African or Caribbean decent. You could be a white actor in a show and your considered a star and they’ll support that, there publicity and promotions will support that and the next thing you know you’ll get more work and offers and that’s not the case with Black actors. In America they have a history of Black stars – stars in general, not just actors – and they have a history of celebrating people who have done well and are doing well.AllHipHop.com:  Do you think, especially here in the U.K., that Black actors are still getting the stereotypical roles rather than opportunities to do something different?

Idris Elba: I definitely feel [in the U.K.] there’s still the element that “Oh, he’s Black, then he can’t have a story line that isn’t relevant to his culture or the stereotype.” If he’s Black, then they’re like, “Black people are violent, or Black people are angry”. So yeah, I feel England still suffers from stereotypical roles. I don’t feel they know how to express a storyline that has a Black man in it without including some cultural issues. If a Black man’s in a TV show then they have to include some issues that link to his race.

America seems to have gotten over that, which is why you can see characters playing roles that have nothing to do with their race. Me personally, I have always avoided stereotypes. As an actor you have to be able to show you can play different roles, different styles, and different personalities. Idris the person is very much a Black man, I might even be considered a stereotypical Black man, but when it comes to my work I won’t accept that. I won’t have you pigeonhole me.AllHipHop.com:  But in America, your most well known character was a drug dealer right?

Idris Elba: Yeah, but It wasn’t a stereotypical drug dealer. It was a drug dealer that completely flipped it on his head, and since then I haven’t been playing drug dealers, I’ve been playing a variation of different roles. The route I’m taking is a longer route as normally actors will play what they are known for, so you have actors like Tom Cruise that is always hired for action movies, or certain actors that will always do comedy – but I think Black actors really need to avoid doing that as we can be typecast.AllHipHop.com: Your next film is American Gangster. How was it like working with Denzel Washington? All your scenes were with Denzel right?

Idris Elba: Yeah they were. Honestly, I really can’t talk about what it was like working with Denzel the person, it was the character he was playing. Denzel is a method actor, so Denzel the person wasn’t there; it was the character ‘Frank Lucas’ that he was playing. And was that amazing? Of course, because he was very dedicated to that character, and I walked into a room with an actor that is giving 110%, but there are no real personal stories that I can give you. I respect him as an actor.

Too be honest, I don’t like talking about Denzel Washington, because in America for some reason people keep saying the next ‘Denzel Washington’ when my name is mentioned, and I get annoyed with that.AllHipHop.com: Why does that annoy you?

Idris Elba: Well I think that’s kind of limiting me. He’s great, but is that it? Is that the best that there is? Is he the best that ever did it? I don’t think so. There are some fantastic amazing actors that I rather be compared to that haven’t even broken yet.AllHipHop.com: Do you also find it annoying that Black actors are only compared to other Black actors?

Idris Elba: Exactly… I don’t want to be just the next so and so. That’s like saying we can only have one star. So if that’s Denzel then we can only have him until he retires then you can have the next ‘Denzel.’ That’s just putting us in the box. We can all be stars and have individual styles.AllHipHop.com: You’re a household name in America, but not so much in the U.K. where you’re from. Why do you think that is?

Idris Elba: I’m always home, but when I’m home in the U.K. I don’t really like talking to the press. It’s just in my nature to keep myself to myself; it’s who I am as a person. When you see me in American magazines, it’s usually me doing a phone interview here from London.AllHipHop.com: But if you’re talking to American press than why not the British press?

Idris Elba: In America, the support system for stars is crazy, so even if you don’t want to be a star, they’re going to get you out there. In America they really like to celebrate the fact that you’re good, and that’s great. Don’t get me wrong, I know it’s a blessing, and if it means that I get more work then that’s brilliant, but for me personally I honestly don’t want to be famous. I rather you know what I do and you respect and enjoy my work, but you don’t know nothing about me personally, you just connect to the characters I play. I love being in London,as not many people recognize me or know I’m on TV and doing films in the states.AllHipHop.com: That’s going to change though. You’re in a lot of big budget movies that are about to come out?

Idris Elba: I’m definitely embracing the idea that I will have to promote myself to keep the momentum going. I’m not hating on it, and I understand at the end of the day; I have to do it, its work. That’s another reason I enjoy doing music, photography and other projects as then people find it hard to pigeonhole me.AllHipHop.com: Let’s talk about the films you have coming out.

Idris Elba: I have two more films coming out this year; American Gangster and this Christmas film which is with Chris Brown. Next year I have a film called Prom Night which is a good old fashioned American thriller, a slasher film, and I play the hero cop that comes and saves the day on a prom night. Then I have a part in the Guy Ritchie film which is called RocknRolla, and Ludacris is also in that film.

On the music side, I have this character that I have developed, and I have some music attached to this character that I’m about to put out there. When you’re an actor or you’re known for one thing, then people are not willing to use you or hire you for anything else, and people in the acting side also start to act funny – especially music journalists. They’re like, “What’s this guy doing, he’s no artist.”

So I’m putting this character together and putting this music out via this character, so I can say whatever I want basically. The first song that I think I’ll attach to this character is a song called “Pervert.” I like the fact that the project’s going to be faceless. It’s great that all these famous artists and famous actors get their shine, but I think sometimes it takes the focus away from listening to the music.AllHipHop.com: I wanted to also ask you about your ‘sex symbol status.’ You were one of People Magazine’s most beautiful people…

Idris Elba: [Laughs uncomfortably] I guess I look at it in two ways. On one side I’m really pleased. Black people don’t usually get the Black sex symbol status regularly. That’s the sign of the times when you got white girls saying you’re sexy. Black men before were never really considered sex symbols – it was either they’re very athletic, they’re great basketball players or they’re very mean looking or whatever, it is but personally for me it’s like, who cares?

Some people think you’re sexy and some people don’t. If it helps me sell some tickets at the box office then great. While I was growing up; no one ever called me sexy, so it’s strange for me getting that now. It’s a compliment, but not everyone finds me sexy.AllHipHop.com: You seem uncomfortable with that title.

Idris Elba: If you see me every day, you see I’m a scruffy guy. Obviously in films and photo shoots; I’m scrubbed and clean up nice, but it’s not who I am every day. I have a friend of mine, the most beautiful, beautiful girl and anywhere she goes people are like “oh s###” and it just gets on her nerves. She can’t even have a real conversation with someone as they can’t see past her beauty, and therefore she just feel she’s being dumbed downed by people. I rather people talk about my acting than me being sexy.AllHipHop.com: Any directors, actors you really want to work with still?

Idris Elba: Antoine Fuqua who did Training Day and Shooter. I’d like to work with him; I think he’s smart and a force to be reckoned with. I’d like to work with Ridley Scott again. He directed American Gangster. I had fun working with him, he’s fantastic.AllHipHop.com: Are there any roles you would like to try out?

Idris Elba: You know what I would like to start doing comedies. I enjoy goofing around, and think I’d have fun playing some light hearted roles.AllHipHop.com: What is your biggest achievement to date?

Idris Elba: My biggest achievement is my daughter. She I five years old and I love her to bits, she definitely keeps my grounded and focused. She’s changed the way I live.

AllHipHop.com: What’s to come in the future?

Idris Elba: I see myself directing eventually and fusing pictures and music together. I’ve started writing treatments for videos in America, and I might be directing Angie Stone’s next video, her second single. I actually wrote a song on her new album with a partner of mine and she loved the record. It’s hopefully going to be her second single, so she might be giving me a shot at directing the video also. The song is a duet with her and James Ingram and it’s on her new album. Shout out to Angie!

AllHipHop.com: Ok finally just out of curiosity, who did you buy on September 11th? Kanye or 50?

Idris Elba: Kanyeezy! 50’s cool, but his music lately just hasn’t been doing it for me.

Anybody who’s somebody shows up to New York City’s Spotlight Live for their infamous Tuesday night R&B showcase. To commemorate singer Trey Songz’ second album release, Trey Day, on Oct. 2, 2007, BMI and Atlantic Records put together a line-up showcasing Trey and other up and coming R&B artists. Songwriters turned singers was the theme of the night, with guests including P. Diddy, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Liles, and Terrance Howard. First up was Corte Ellis, who has written songs for Beyoncè and Fantasia. He energetically took the stage with his band, back-up singers, and a set that proved he reserved some of his exceptional songwriting for himself. Following was Jaiden, who has worked with Lauryn Hill and Alicia Keys. While his performance was more toned down than his predecessor, it was soulful as ever. The New York native performed a healthy helping of love songs, and even took a seat at the piano. His talent was undiluted by the sex-symbol mantra that other male R&B singers mistakenly carry. Instead he showcased his artistry, letting his talent speak for itself.Sadly, the same accolades cannot be given to singer Ray Lavender. Gaining notoriety for his current single, “My Girl’s Gotta’ Girlfriend” and for being the newest “inmate” on Akon’s Konvict label, Lavender gave a stand-out performance free of a live band and back-up singers. He hyped the crowd on his own, which was admirable, but the praise stops there. Lavendar’s oversexed performance included several tired moves – showing off his abs, doing pelvic thrusts, and suggestive tongue movements. For the most part the audience seemed to enjoy this throwback performance, comparable to old-school Bobby Brown with training wheels.Closing out the show was Trey Songz in all of his pretty boy glory. The self-proclaimed Prince of Virginia opened with a single from his debut album Gotta’ Make It and went on to perform several tracks from Trey Day. Thankfully Trey Songz is a quality artist who sings and performs well without the use of simple-minded lyrics and overdone dance moves. The authenticity of his songs was matched by the crowd’s reception.The climax of Trey’s performance was an extended version of “Gotta Leave,” where Trey called on various members of the audience to sing. Dru Hill’s Nokio (who also sang back up for Trey) and Jaheim were among the singers who elevated the crowd’s excitement level. By the end of the evening, it felt like one big party that all present were lucky enough to attend.