So I realize it’s been a while since I’ve updated this feature, and believe me, there are a lot of ladies that need attention. So this week, I’ll be naming a Future Ex-Wife everyday. First up this week is hip-hop/reggae songstress Jovi Rockwell. I stumbled across this Jamaican lovely in my hunt for new music, and I’m looking forward to hearing more from her. She’s been working with everyone from Diplo, to Ne-Yo, Mr. Vegas, and Sly & Robbie.

Download/Stream – Killin’ Dem

Words cannot express just how brilliant this video is.

Say what you want about the 1996 live-action Phantom film starring Billy Zane, it’s gonna look like Citizen Kane compared to the Sci-Fi (sorry, “SYFY”) miniseries premiering next year. Now, I had been looking forward to this miniseries, having always liked the character, and epsecially loving the animated series Phantom 2040. But From what I’ve heard, and furthermore, what I’ve seen, I just don’t think I can be optimistic about this anymore. For example, I was willing to accept the idea of making the Phantom’s confidant Guran a woman, but Guran’s supposed to be part of a native tribe in Africa (a fictional country in Africa, but Africa, nonetheless), and will now be portrayed by “Eurasian” actress Sandrine Holt.

B-b-b-but wait, it gets worse!!! Take a gander of the concept art for the Phantom’s new costume, courtesy of Sci Fi Wire:

As you can see, they’ve managed to do the impossible, out-gaying the original comic book costume! That alone is a remarkable feat!!

We’re down to the final four, and it’s the first time the show has seen not one, but two all-girl crews to make it this far. There?s a good chance one of them will make it to the finals. This week, it?s the guys vs. the girls, as the crews are called upon to create a routine based on the gender of a popular music artist.

Quest Crew (Chris Brown – “Forever”): A bit distracting given the artist in question, but getting past that, Quest’s performance was good. It was solid, and technically very well executed. Beyond that, there wasn’t really much we haven?t seen before from them. It’s still strong, I just feel the challenges being given just aren’t that “challenging” anymore. They’re not being pushed they way they’ve been in the past.

Beat Freaks (Katy Perry – “Hot n’ Cold”): Now, I think some of the moves and transitions could have been a little cleaner, but still, this was one of the best performances of the season. The opening robotic section was ridiculously intricate, the quick nod to “Beat It” was great, and I definitely agree with the judges, their use of props continues to be on point. To say nothing of the headspin at the end! And I didn’t even notice that she actually put her shades back on WHILE doing the headspin, until I saw the slo-mo.

BOTTOM TWO

Strikers All-Stars (Daddy Yankee): It was nice to see them challenge themselves by incorporating some b-boy moves, ’cause the other crews did kind of stay in their comfort zone. I give it up to Strikers for at least trying to do something totally different from what they’ve done in the past. Unlike Dynamic Edition and their clogging, Strikers were able to incorporate stepping into more varied choreography effortlessly. But this time around, they were just too unfocused. This really isn’t the time to mess up the way that one guy did, completely missing that transition.

Fly Kicks (Rihanna – “Pon De Replay”): A Chris Brown song AND a Rihanna song?!? This MTV?s idea of a sick joke?!?! In any event, the performance was pretty good. Perhaps I have to eat crow when it comes to Fly Kicks. They’ve made it this far, and it’s because they do work well as a crew. They may not do anything you haven’t seen before like other crews, but what for what they do, they do it very well. Still, I haven’t really been wowed by them the same as other crews, and that’s always been a major thing hindering them. There’s too much predictability.

CONCLUSION
Can’t say I’m surprised to see Fly Kicks make it. The Strikers’ performance should have been MUCH better, given how far we are in the competition. They should have been a lot more mindful of their competitors, because Quest Crew and Beat Freaks have had this competition on lock from day one, and haven’t really lost a step since. But now it falls upon Fly Kicks to be even more mindful if they hope to make it to the finals.

It’s another week, and another challenge. This time around, the crews have to incorporate magic into their performances.

Beat Freaks (Levitation): It was definitely fun to watch. They did great levitating the ball and having it moved very well as they did their routine. The pop/lock moves were fantastic, as well. And I definitely agreed with Lil’ Mama, it is a nice change of pace to see an all-girl dance crew that doesn’t need to rely on sex appeal . . . . not that they aren’t sexy, ’cause MAAAANN!!

Quest Crew (Knife Through the Body): What I loved the most about the performance was that they did try to incorporate a story, and it definitely worked when it came time to use their prop for the challenge. But the judges were all right for the most part. At this stage of the came, EVERY performance has to be on point, and Quest could have come with a little more energy and better transitions. I’m still looking for them to clinch a spot for the finals, but we’re at a point now where anything could happen.

Strikers All-Stars (Walk Through An Object): I have to say that this was probably their weakest performance. I just couldn’t get into the choreography, and the energy was down noticeably. I had gotten used to them just going all out when they hit their steps so to the point that they came off really subdued this time around.

It’s actually kind of crazy to see both Strikers and Quest have off performances, given their consistency. I suppose it was bound to happen, and I’m certainly not counting them out, because they’ve clearly got the voting fans on their sides. But like Shane said, Beat Freaks are still bringing it hard.

BOTTOM TWO

Dynamic Edition (Appearing Out Of Thin Air): I like how their routine started, and they did pull off the challenge rather creatively. But while I liked the opening choreography, I thought they could have transitioned into the clogging section a little bit better. I can imagine it’s not that easy, but they’ve done it in other performances.

Fly Kicks (Stretching): The choreography was definitely on point. I have to give them that. They’re definitely doing better than I expected. The stretching part was actually pretty impressive. But I still need to see something comparable to the other crews, in terms of difficulty from them.

CONCLUSION
If I’m being perfectly honest, Fly Kicks did have the better performance. Them staying on over Dynamic Edition isn’t that surprising. I thought their challenge was slightly better than Dynamic Editions, and their choreography was cleaner overall. But now they’re in a true do-or-die situation. It’s not wrong to assume they’ll be in the bottom two next week, given the other three crews. And bearing that in mind, just what can they possibly do to top anything the other crews could do in their sleep?

This week, the crews took on some dances a lot of us have been trying to forget with the Wack Track Challenge.

Quest Crew (New Kids On The Block “The Right Stuff”): I’m not sure what else there is to say about these guys. They’ve been extremely consistent the whole way through, and have pulled off some very complex moves. This week was no different. I loved the beginning, with Hok putting a great spin on the pendulum move.

Strikers All-Stars (MC Hammer “Too Legit 2 Quit”): They definitely put on a show for the ladies. Damn, I need to get back in the gym. Again, great energy, tight formations, and I agree with Shane and his love of their transitions in the beginning. It came off very smooth. I definitely felt like I was back in 91/92 watching that routine. I’m glad Lil’ Mama brought up the one guy who couldn’t get his jacket off in time along with the others, though. But he did keep it moving, and that is what’s important.

Beat Freaks (The Offspring “Pretty Fly For A White Guy”): They had already won me over with the breakin’, but it’s their ability to do such a wide variety of choreography that really impresses me. Them doing “The Carlton” was great, and they really gave it their all. And the headspin was just fantastic.

Dynamic Edition (Billy Ray Cyrus “Achey Breaky Heart”): They definitely got a song well suited to their style, and they more than redeemed themselves for last week. They came out strong and had some really good transitions, going from standard clogging to their hip-hop style of clogging, to the country line dancing, and back to more hip-hop. Everything about the performance worked for me.

BOTTOM TWO

Ringmasters (”Macarena”): They’re definitely starting to get that they need choreography to stay alive on this show. They still maintain their unique style, but it’s great to see them do a routine and function so well as a unit. They had sections that were very smooth, and other sections that were just fun and quirky, but the important thing is that they made it work. The hand moves where slick, the spin they put on the Macarena dance itself, was pretty impressive as well. Doing things where crewmembers have to support the weight of other crew members, while executing certain moves always brings some difficultly.

Fly Kicks (C+C Music Factory “Everybody Dance Now”): I’ll give them points for energy. Every performance from them has been very energetic and lively. They perform like they want to stay on the show, and that’s definitely important. But they still haven’t done enough to really wow me. I’ve gotten past them being former cheerleaders, and I respect them as dancers in general, but up against the rest of the crews, they still don’t stand out enough for me.

CONCLUSION
At the very least, I’m happy the Ringmasters made it as far as they did. They were on just long enough to prove themselves as a solid, cohesive dance crew, beyond their tricks and gimmicks. I’m very happy to see that they could break out of that shell, because they could have easily gone home last week. Meanwhile, Fly Kicks are still around, and I’m trying to come to terms with their continued survival.

Welcome back to our weekly ABDC breakdown. It’s week three, and things are starting to heat up, as the remaining crews perform routines based on choreography from some of Britney Spears’ most popular videos.

BEAT FREAKS (Womanizer)
Kayode: A challenge like this is great for getting the crews out of their comfort zone, and seeing if they can truly adapt, and the Beat Freaks really proved it with this performance. You completely forget that they’re a b-girl/breakin’ group and just see them as dancers first and foremost.

Jon: Definitely true. And it didn’t hurt the one I think is cutest got the lead part ;)

K: Oh, not at all. She worked it, without question!

STRIKERS ALL-STARS (Gimme More)
K: I’m pretty much speechless, ’cause I clearly underestimated their ability to switch things up the way they did. I loved the mirror concept, and they handled it brilliantly. It really was flawless, in my opinion.

J: Word. As good as Beat Freaks were, the Strikers topped it. They worked that mirrror beautifully and they were strong & clean.

DYNAMIC EDITION (Stronger)
K: Beat Freaks and Strikers set the bar so high that I really found myself less than impressed with this performance. I pretty much agree with all the judges. They just couldn’t capture the sexiness or forcefulness that was required of the challenge, and there just wasn’t any real adaptation at all.

J: Yeah, it definitely didn’t help that Beat Freaks and especially the Strikers rocked their challenges. And I have to agree with the judges that Dynamic’s natural cheerfulness was also a disadvantage here. I think that’s a big part of what makes DE endearing, but unfortunately it hurt them here. I’m really not sure they have it in them to come out with more attitude.

QUEST CREW (Toxic)
K: I’m continually impressed by the things this crew can do. The blindfold portion of the performance was fantastic, and I can’t begin to imagine how difficult that must have been to choreograph. Furthermore, they went all out when they had to do the more feminine dance moves. Still, they managed to do all of this while incorporating their signature style, moreso than the other groups.

J: The blindfold section was nuts — how long do they have to practice this stuff?!? As much as I liked Beat Freaks and Strikers, Quest topped them with the difficulty. And yeah, they were working the feminine moves. LOL!

FLY KICKS (Hit Me Baby One More Time)
K: I have to admit, Fly Kicks did pretty good tonight. They finally did something that didn’t look like a cheer routine, and they certainly pulled off some impressive choreography. I especially liked how it ended.

J: Better, but they have a long way to go before they have me rooting for them. Of course, they know how to shake what their mama gave ‘em, so they should keep getting viewer votes.

BOTTOM TWO

TEAM MILLENIA (Me Against The Music)
K: Easily their best performance. Everything was on point, and they handled their props very well. The girls in the group definitely held things together, and brought the sexiness and sensuality necessary for the performance.

J: This challenge was definitely up their alley and they handled it well. I was kind of blown away by the girls — I didn’t really expect that last bit of explosiveness at the end.

K: I knew the girls had it in them, but as a whole team, they were a little suspect until now.

RINGMASTERS (Circus)
K: Good to finally see some choreography from the group. It wasn’t much, but it was more cohesive than anything they had done before. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the song they were given was clearly working in their favor.

J: Honestly I think all the songs and challenges were suited to, rather than against, the groups. I thought this was a better performance from them. And I have to admit, the “gigantic men” were kinda magical.

K: I’m actually surprised the judges decided to keep the Ringmasters. Based solely on this week, I thought Team Millennia had a much better performance. I supposed the judges went more for Ringmasters’creativity, as they are still most unique crew on the show. But now that they’ve been saved, they really have to step it up, and prove that they belong on the show. They need to continue incorporating more choreography, and they really need to pick up the pace.

J: I was surprised too. I also think Millennia had the better performance tonight, but it’s probably like you said — the Ringmasters’ creativity and uniqueness is what kept them in the competition. They stepped it up a bit this week, but so did Fly Kicks; so they’re going to need to do a lot more to stay in.

CONCLUSION
K: Three weeks in, and we’ve already got a few surprises. Fly Kicks’ continued presence on the show is one thing, but from the time I pegged the Ringmasters for this week’s bottom two, last week, I thought for sure they’d be the ones to go. Still, the favorites continue to impress. Although Dynamic Edition may be one of the crews fighting to stay on next week.

J: Agreed all around. (Actually, did you notice the judges didn’t do much of any disagreeing this week?) If we’re saying the top 3 are BeatFreaks, Strikers & Quest, I’m cool with that. While I’d rather see Dynamic up there than Strikers, the All-Stars have definitely earned it, and are on their way to winning me over.

Welcome to our weekly ABDC breakdown. This week the crews are given grueling excercises to incorporate into their routines, and we’re treated to two crews guaranteed a spot on the show next week.

Kayode: I’m certainly happy for Quest Crew, but we’re really keeping Fly Kicks around for another week? Really?

Jon: And when we say “we”, we mean YOU, America :( Remember how proud we all were when we got together and voted for Obama? Let’s keep that “voting right” thing going!

QUEST CREW (kickboxing)
K: A pretty good way to kick off the show (yes, the pun was intented). I have to agree with, that there were a lot of great moments, but I’m not sure how cohesive it was as far as a whole dance routine.

J: On the one hand I’m with Shane, how can you not say they rocked it? But I have to agree with JC too — in between the great moments they did kind of run to their spots, which hurt the overall continuity.

FLY KICKS (springback)
K: Seems like something you’d expect from glorified cheerleaders. There really wasn’t anything to write home about until the last few seconds. Even more now than last week, I’m convinced this crew has no place on the show. Even if they felt like including a former cheerleading/dance squad, I can’t believe they were the best the show could find.

J: Agreed 100%. But considering they were in the top two with the fan votes, I have a feeling they’ll be sticking around longer than any of us want :(

STRIKERS ALL-STARS (monkey roll)
K: They had a really good balance of choreography, stepping, and incorporating the element of the challenge. And yeah, that does take a lot of strength, and like Shane said, to do it with such rhythm and timing is equally impressive.

J: They killed that. I don’t know how much better that performance could’ve been. Did you see how high their body hopping were?

K: Alright, but why the blacks gotta do the “monkey” roll?!?! What’s that about, dammit?!?

BEAT FREAKS (side plank)
K: Really taking into account the challenge element, and seeing what they pulled off, I was really impressed. This was another one that required a great deal of strength. And again, for all of them to do it in sync and be as creative as they were, it’s doubly impressive. These girls are very creative and intricate with their moves.

J: Definitely a hard move, especially for an all-girl group, but they made made it work.

K: Not looking good for Boxcuttuhz, as they’re in the bottom two with Team Millennia.

J: I’m surprised Team Millennia wasn’t safe. With Quest being the only other Asian groups, I would think they would get plenty of (those) votes. But I think Boxcuttuhz will beat them if TM turns in another performance like last week.

DYNAMIC EDITION (high knees)
K: They certainly got the challenge down. I fear I might get bored with the clogging after a while, though. I’m still pulling for them, as they’re definitely something different, and they’re ability to work the crowd, and be as creative with clog dancing as they already are.

J: I have never heard JC so outspoken of a group in his support! So much so, L’il Mama didn’t even have anything to add to it — I repeat, JC left L’il Mama speechless!

RINGMASTERS (soldier crawl)
K: As much as I like them for being so unique, I don’t think they can really last much longer on the show, now that I think about it. I definitely agree with the judges, they really need to step up their game when it comes to choreography. And the energy has to be amped up considerably, ’cause as it stands, I can see them battling it out in the bottom two next week.

J: I thought from the beginning they were too gimmicky. And their gimmick isn’t even dance-related, like say, Dynamic Edition.

BOTTOM TWO

TEAM MILLENIA (leapfrog)
K: If anything, they get points for theatricality. It was a solid routine, but nothing outstanding.

J: True, hopefully we’ll see them pick it up if they survive.

BOXCUTTUHZ (mountain climber)
K: I really like how their routine progressed; anything a dance crew has sections start off moves one after the other in sync with the music like the did gets my attention. I think that had a more difficult challenge element than Millennia, and it was cool the way they switched it from doing it on all fours, to flipping on their backs and doing the hand/feet movement in the air. If I had to fault them for anything, I think some of them still have issues with handling their props.

J: They did handle a difficult challenge pretty well, but once again they leave me wondering if they are a great group that just can’t get it together on stage, or just an okay group that isn’t ready for prime time yet.

K: Definitely sad to see Boxcuttuhz go, ’cause I would have loved to see more from them. I don’t know how much further they would have gotten, but I think they succeeded in being very good with their choreography, while being very fun and theatrical, something most of the dance crews don’t really have working for them at the moment.

J: Yeah, I too am definitely sad to see them go. Like I said last week, I really had the feeling they could bring something great to the
show if they lasted.

THE OUTLOOK

K: I’m definitely ready to say that my faves at the moment are Beat Freaks, Quest Crew, and Dynamic Edition. Of those three, I’d say Quest has the best chance of making it to the finals. They’ve got the energy, the creativity, and the showmanship to really keep the crowd on their side. I’d put the Beat Freaks in contention for the finals, but I just need to see a little more complexity in their breakin’ moves. They’ve shown some good stuff thus far. I just need to see a little more.

J: My faves are also Quest, Beat Freaks and Dynamic Ed. But based on tonight’s peformance I think Strikers could make it pretty far, perhaps farther than Dynamic. And despite being in the bottom two, I have a feeling Millennia can rise above Ringmasters and Fly Kicks.

I wouldn’t say I was necessarily anticipating seeing Notorious, but I was interested. Of all the musical biopics ever made, we had yet to see one focused on a hip-hop artist. And admittedly, it was fascinating to relive some of the events of Big’s life in a dramatic context, having already been around to see most of it play out in real life. The film starts by giving us a brief glimpse of a young Christopher Wallace (played by Biggie’s real-life son), growing up in Brooklyn, and well on his way to being a first-class student. However, a combination of influences from the dangers of standing out as an overacheiver in his neighborhood, to good old peer pressure, led him to dealing drugs. As a teenager (played onward by Jamal Woolard), Wallace had the respect of his peers, but was moving too fast in terms of his illegal activities, and got arrested. While in jail, he returned to his childhood hobby of rapping, influenced by his upbringing and the mistakes he had made. Once release, he became focused on becoming one of the greatest rappers ever to hold a mic, a goal many believe he more than achieved.

Notorious certainly doesn’t sugarcoat things, or try to portray B.I.G. in a completely positive light. Much of the time, he’s portrayed as a womanizer, an absentee father, and sometimes disturbingly apathetic. But there are also times where his natural charm shines through, moments of, and above all, his skills as an emcee and storyteller. Hearing his songs throughout the film, I’m reminded of just how skillful he was. Even if the title of “Greatest Rapper of All-Time” is arguable, he certainly was one of the best of his era, and more than deserving of the acclaim he received. Acting-wise, newcomer Jamal Woolard certainly does Big justice. The voice isn’t 100% spot on, but few could really master such a unique voice. Beyond that, he brings the necessary weight (no pun intended) to the film’s most dramatic moments, and masters Big’s confidence and self-awareness.

While not perfect, the film also does an admirable job in how the people around Biggie are portrayed. Could Angela Bassett (as Big’s mother Volleta Wallace) have done a better Jamaican accent? Sure. But even my West Indian parents’ accents aren’t that strong anymore. The film definitely acknowledges Voletta Wallace’s relationship with her son, and the issues she had with some of his life choices. We’ve also got Derek Luke doing very well as Sean Combs, even getting Diddy’s signature dance down pat! His introduction in the film is classic Diddy, as he boasts about being able to survive butt naked in a jungle and come out with a chinchilla coat and an extra ten pounds from eating whatever animals were around. As for the other ladies in Big’s life, Naturi Naughton was damn near perfect as Lil’ Kim, even if her real life counterpart has issues with how she’s portrayed in the film. If anything, she should be flattered, ’cause Naturi’s breast are way larger than Kim’s were back in the day before she started turning herself into a Barbie Doll. Speaking of breasts, the only thing I’ll hold against Antonique Smith as Faith Evans is how noticeably fake that tattoo on her left boob was! That thing might as well have said “Temporary”! Beyond that, I thought she was lovely. You can see a real chemistry between her and Woolard, and also the anger and sadness in her when Faith is faced with Biggie’s infidelity. This leads effortlessly into the scene of her recording “You Used To Love Me”.

About the only two casting issues I had with Notorious were Marc John Jeffers as Lil’ Cease and Anthony Mackie as Tupac. Neither actor is believeable in their respective roles. In the case of Mackie, I can’t even fault him that much because really, the only person who could probably capture the essence of Tupac in a film would be. . . Tupac. However, I think the film still manages to paint an accurate picture of the kind of man he was in his last days . . . . batsh**s crazy for the most part.

All things considered, Notorious is a solid film. It’s competently shot, and tells as good a story about B.I.G. as anyone else could. If anything, I felt the low-budget aesthetics helped sell the story more. Hip-hop was still a little gritty and grimey back in the day, and even Diddy was just beginning to set a standard for the flashier elements we’ve seen since. For all Biggie’s faults, he was still a master of his craft, and did quite a bit for rap and hip-hop in such a short span of time.

America’s Best Dance Crew is back! Kayode & Jon break down Season 3’s contenders (in order of performance):

STRIKERS ALL-STARS
J: I’ve always wanted to see a stepping crew, but these guys are a little more flamboyant than I expected.

K: It’s definitely an interesting chance of pace. Seeing steppers in the mix definitely threw me for a loop. We may need to see a little more variety though. They’ve got just about everything else going for them.

BEAT FREAKS
K: Oh snap, I’m in love! Seeing an all-girl breakin’ crew is great, and these girls certainly have the skills. Not that I haven’t seenmore complex routines, but let’s face it, you rarely see this with females. I’m looking forward to seeing if they can prove themselves beyond the novelty of them being all girls.

J: Agreed. Gotta love an all b-girl crew.

G.O.P. DANCE
K: So far, these guys have been the most versatile. They incorporated a lot of styles, especially doing the salsa bits, as well as having a little bit of showmanship with the monk robes. I do agree though with Shane’s assessment, that given the fact that this is a competition, they could have come lot harder.

J: They took the robes off so soon that it seemed almost random to me so I would say there was a failed attempt at showmanship. I just wasn’t too impressed with anything they did except the salsa, which was actually pretty smooth and should come in handy in future challenges.

QUEST CREW
K: I remember Hok from So You Think You Can Dance. Glad to see he hooked up with a crew.

J: Ah, I knew I knew him from somewhere.

K: Unlike G.O.P., these guys managed to be versatile but brought the energy needed for the competition. They’re a lot better at working the crowd, as well. And they certainly pulled off some fantastic tricks. Stuff that required a lot of skill, not only to pull it off, but also to make it look effortless.

J: I was pleasantly surprised by Quest. They seemed so different that I couldn’t imagine them meshing together, but they did — maybe better than anybody thus far.

FLY KICKS
K: Well, they’re better than Sass x 7, but that’s not exactly saying much, is it? In all fairness though, they are pretty good with choreography. And yeah, a little bit of sex appeal never hurts. Still, they’re just a little too plain compared to the rest of the crews.

J: You know Shane will try to keep them in the game. He’s such a horndog. But yeah, they were pretty meh, especially considering they’re (former) professional cheerleaders, er, dancers.

RINGMASTERS
K: Their theatricality is amazing, that’s for sure. They definitely get points for that alone. You’ve got such a great mix of styles, especially with the contortionists. Hard to believe this is the first crew representing New York on the show. Where was NYC the last two seasons?!?

J: I know, right? I keep wanting to see a straight up b-boy crew from NYC, but maybe that’s too cliche for this show. Maybe you have to be freaking contortionists =/ Honestly you like these guys? They creep me out.

K: That backflip on the 10-ft. ladder was vicious, though!

J: Okay, I can give them that.

BOXCUTTUHZ
K: They’re very cute and quirky, and given Fanny Pak’s longevity over the course of Season Two, that quirkiness can go a long way. But skill is important as well, and these guys do have the skills. I really like their choreography, especially their footwork. It’s almost mesmerizing.

J: I got an FP vibe too, but I think they’ll prove to have their own style. For some reason I think they weren’t showing their real potential tonight. Then again, I thought the same about Supreme Soul last year and they never really broke .500 so we’ll see. Also, that lead girl is pretty cute.

K: That she is.

DYNAMIC EDITION
K: Hip-Hop clog dancing? And it’s actually good?!?!?

J: I am similarly flabbergasted. I think it’s safe to say they would never have made it on the show if it weren’t for Fanny Pack. In a way, I’m looking at them like this year’s Break Skate. I don’t see them going far, but I’d be surprised if they get cut tonight.

TEAM MILLENIA
K: I honestly don’t really know what to make of this crew. They’ve definitely got skills, showmanship, and energy, but they don’t stand out the way the other crews managed to. This probably has more to do with the fact that they performed last.

J: Last year I felt bad for them because they were in the same bracket as Supreme Soul, Fanny Pack and (I think) Supa Crew on the live auditon, so it’s no wonder they didn’t make the show. But now they come back and try to do this poseur rock crap? Take a lesson from So Real and stick to the slow & smooth style.

BOTTOM THREE
K: G.O.P. Dance, Fly Kicks, and Boxcuttuhz are picked by the judges for the bottom three, and I like the whole “Sudden Death” idea of each crew performing one immediately after the other in one set. I wouldn’t mind if they did this every week. I never liked the whole “judges’ comments” thing for each of the bottom crews.

J: I’m good as long Boxcuttuhz survive :) Although, if they can’t fight their way out of this then they probably don’t deserve to move on anyway.

K: In the end, G.O.P. Dance is the first crew to go, and I can’t say I’m shocked. Not that they’re not a good crew, but they were easily the least energetic crew out of everyone. Ya gotta go hard or go home, buddies. On a sidenote, wasn’t the first crew to get cut last season an all-latina crew?

J: Go hard or go home — that’s a L’il Mama-ism. Did you hear her say “characteristic” instead of “charismatic”? And when she broke into crocodile tears for Ringmasters, oh god :( I knew those boys weren’t gonna end up in the bottom after that outburst.

K: It wouldn’t be the first time she’s used the wrong word. I’ve come to accept it. And yeah, the whole crying thing was a bit much.

CONCLUSION
K: All things considered, I’m really looking forward to this season.There’s more variety this time around, and the best thing I can say thus far is that it really is anybody’s game at this point. Last season, I had Super Cr3w pegged as the favorite to take the grand prize from day one. But as it stands, I really don’t know who has the edge, if anyone. I’m gonna have to wait until after next week’s show to make a real prediction.

J: Well, I won’t call it a real prediction, but right now I’ll say my Top 3 would be Quest, Beat Freaks and Boxcuttuhz. Maybe Dynamic Edition, then Strikers, Ringmasters and (sorry, fellow Asians!) Millenia. Fly Kicks is my pick to go next week. On a final note, I love me some Jabbawockeez, but Kid Rainen is just like another L’il Mama interms of his feedback. This show really needs JC — he’s the only one who brings critical analysis and real advice.