Beatz Rants: PlayStation Vita

beatzmckenzie — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 09:06:00 +0000

Howdy, Folks. Welp, it’s a new year and a new opportunity to bash the video game industry. Less than a month from now sony will be launching its successor to the PSP, the ~~PSP 2~~ PlayStation Vita – or PS VITA, whatever – to battle Nintendo’s 3DS… and the iPhone… and the iPad, Droid, Kindle Fire, Galaxy Tab and… well, you see where this is going.

Check the vid to see my ~~glowing~~ predictions on the future of the Vita, Sony’s overall “strategy”, and a slight glimpse into what I think of the future of the handheld gaming market. Ciao, and enjoy.

Relaunch Happening, I Swear.

beatzmckenzie — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:41:58 +0000

Hey, Folks. I know, I know. WTB’s been pretty dry for awhile, but a relaunch is in the works and I have plenty of topics up my sleeve that I want to discuss and break down for you. So sit tight, and feel free to re-acclimate yourself to some of my previous videos and topics in the meantime.

What’s the Beat? Copyright Infringement 101 (Part 2)

beatzmckenzie — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:27:06 +0000

Here’s the 2nd part of my Copyright Infringement 101 series. This part is a little more hands-on as I’ll show some samples of songs from popular infringement cases. Enjoy.

P.S.

In a perfect case of irony, Youtube sent me the following email in regards to this particular video:

Dear Beatz McKenzie,

Your video, What’s the Beat? Copyright Infringment 101 (Part 2), may have content that is owned or licensed by Koch Entertainment.
No action is required on your part; however, if you are interested in learning how this affects your video, please visit the Content ID Matches section of your account for more information.

Turns out it was the 2 Live Crew song “Pretty Woman” that was tagged. Luckily, they didn’t disable my audio, but you may find some random Amazon ads linking to the 2 Live Crew song for purchase on the video page. So once again, 2 Live Crew wins. Me love you long time.

What’s the Beat? Copyright Infringement 101 (Part 1)

beatzmckenzie — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 23:28:15 +0000

Hello, folks. This time I’m tackling copyright infringement, aka, biting. Biting is/was a very rampant practice in hiphop, modern music and entertainment in general. Now, however, most people play nice and get permission to use someone’s work. This change in philosophy is the result of some very crucial legal cases that helped define and narrowly tailor all things related to copyrights (also, thanks to the internet, it’s easier to find the owner of the work and it’s also easier to track down an infringer). I’m gonna knock this out in a 2 part series, similar to my copyright 101 series. I will have part 2 up soon as well. Enjoy.

What’s the Beat? Nintendo Wii Overview

beatzmckenzie — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:16:46 +0000

Back, folks. This time I’m doing a quick rundown of Nintendo’s latest lovechild; the Wii. Personally, I’m not a fan of the console or, most importantly, the impact the Wii is having on the overall scope and perception of gaming throughout the mainstream world/media. But at the end of the day Nintendo knows how to please consumers and also how to create new consumers. They’ve been expanding the realm of gaming for 20 odd years so who am I to question them? Well, enough of that. Check out the video and let me know what you think. Peace.

What’s the Beat? Music Licensing

beatzmckenzie — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:16:42 +0000

Back again, people. Well, this time I’m giving a (very) brief outline of some of the primary ways money is generated in the music business. During these very trying times it’s crucial to take advantage of as many money-generating opportunities as possible. And thanks to avenues such as video games and TV commercials, the music industry still has a viable future in the world of entertainment. Enjoy

What’s the Beat? Disney Acquisition of Marvel Ent.

beatzmckenzie — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:20:40 +0000

Back again, people. Well, well, well. Disney has awakened from its comatose slumber and actually did something. Props to them. I was beginning to the think the company was run by chimpanzees. I think both Marvel and Disney win in this deal. Check the vid. Enjoy.

What’s the Beat? Fair Use

beatzmckenzie — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:40:31 +0000

Hey, people. Today’s topic is going to focus on the Fair Use doctrine and the general rights of the public in relation to copyrighted (or formerly copyrighted) works. My mother, who is a professor, actually brought this issue up and was wondering about the legality of teachers using images and copies of other works in their classroom presentations. So I decided to make a general Fair Use piece to illustrate a few rights we have and to also dead a few misconceptions regarding Fair Use. Hopefully this breakdown clears up a few issues. Enjoy.

P.S.

Shout out to the Artist Formerly Known As…

What’s the Beat? Blueprint 3 Production Review

beatzmckenzie — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:30:13 +0000

Hello, folks. As you may or may not know, Jay-Z’s latest Opus the Blueprint 3 has leaked and I figured I’d review the album in a different light and focus on the production of the album. Check it out.

What’s the Beat? Drake and Contemporary Hip Hop

beatzmckenzie — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 02:46:44 +0000

Ok, folks. I read a recent article on my old/current stomping grounds and I just had to respond. The piece really makes me wonder about the “Standard” perception of hiphop within the hiphop community. Maybe there just isn’t any unified “Standard” as I once thought because this piece seems more damaging than it should be. Check out my response and make sure to check out the original article first so you have some context as to what I’m talking about. Enjoy.