STOP ME IF YOU'VE HEARD THIS ONE...

Because alot of heads apparently didn't.

And, let me preface this by saying that because no one was injured, it makes this story absolutely hilarious.

A man in a wheelchair in Paw Paw, Michigan was crossing the street one day when he was struck by a large diesel. Now, the man was fine, but what happened is his wheelchair, on impact, spun into the grill of the diesel and he became lodged or trapped on the diesel's front end. The truck's driver, who has not yet realized that he's carrying a man in a wheelchair on his front bumper, takes off and drives for three miles at up to 50 miles per hour on the highway before realizing the man was there. Check out my broham. He's a Pepper, yo.

Again, I know what you're saying and I won't hear a bit of it. That's mad funny.

Ugh, what else is going on this morning. Uh, I'm tired. I'm drinking coffee. I'm trying to figure out how in the world I'm going to write this California story. I left my camera in the back seat of a bus that was en route to Lubbock, but it's been located and, lucky for all The Root Down readers, it'll be in my possession before too long. At that point, I'll begin to tell the story that almost killed me. California was dope, though. I wouldn't mind visiting for a longer period of time in the future with not much to do, but the only way a Wyrick vacations is to push the limit of sanity and reason.

Al Sharp at Fat Beats played, once again, the new UGK track, "International Players Anthem" and I couldn't agree more with the "song of the summer" comment. It's just hot to death, but thanks to Jive, this probably won't even see the shelves until summer's long over. I love this song so much--the beat, the Andre 3000 verse, that long ass intro that is so not radio ready. Even the video is too long. I just love how the label has been sitting on this album since last summer waiting on radio when all the UGK fans are dying of hunger. They wait until Outkast comes on for a track, the track is recorded, it's hot as hell but it ain't even ready for radio. But that won't stop Jive from trying to work it at radio. And because radio ain't reacting, they're gonna push it again. I can feel it. Meanwhile, the money that was spent on print advertising alone broadcasting fictitious street dates is enough to put roofs over a thousand heads. Whatever. The same industry that throws their hands up in the air saying, "What can we do to save ourselves?" can't even work a UGK record. Let me tell you this, UGK records work themselves. Put the damn thing out.

Some big records coming this summer (about four months too late as the industry is in cripple mode). This last week Queens of the Stone Age released as well as that John Lennon tribute in which Avril was tapped to do "Imagine." Horrible. But not as bad as the botching of "Mother" by Christina Aguilera. Ugh. But "Jealous Guy" by Youssou N'Dour is dope dope dope! Coming in the next couple of months (all streets guaranteed to change): Polyphonic Spree, White Stripes, Ryan Adams, Beastie Boys, Three Six Mafia, T.I., Interpol, Mike Jones, Smashing Pumpkins, Spoon, Chemical Brothers, Talib Kweli, Prince, UNKLE, Common, Ben Harper, Aesop Rock and Bruce Hornsby. Oh yeah, baby, a new Bruce record!

Oops, now all those street dates have changed. None of those above records are coming out this year. They've been pushed to a TBD date so that radio saturation can be achieved on every song from every album. Sorry, folks. Go buy some catalog.

Wow, this coffee's strong today.