The Really Bad Powerade Basketball Commercial – The Music and More

There are quite a few rappers out there. There are quite a few commercials out there, too. But how many brands attempt to combine the two to sell their product? Well, there’s this Sprite commercial that, quite frankly, is terrible. I’m sure there are others, but the most recent is a new offering from Powerade. Check it out then scroll down for more…

I’m Not Against Rap. I’m not against rappers. But I am against those who put them in commercials. The higher ups at Powerade went the urban route with this ad. I’d call it an air ball coming from the brand owned by Coca-Cola, who infamously used AI to create a poorly received Christmas commercial last year. The rapper in this Powerade commercial is Flau’jae. You might recognize her from this Lil Wayne song or from her career playing college basketball at LSU. Her team recently lost in the women’s tournament and there are rumors she’ll declare her availability for the WNBA. I’ve never seen her play so I guess I know her more as a rapper since I’ve now listened to 2 of her songs. In her defense, while the 30 seconds used in the Powerade commercial was pretty bad, the full track isn’t as bad.

I can’t decide which irritates me more– the arrogance or the choppy delivery style of the lyrics. I’ve been listening to rap since the 90s. It was hard to live in Miami, FL and not know at least a little bit of what was going on in this relatively new genre (early 1990s). Clearly it takes talent to perform this type of music. I’m still constantly in awe of rappers in how they word things, weave stories together, rhyme, their ability to deliver so many words in a few minutes, much less how they remember all those lyrics! I don’t want to take anything away from Flau’jae’s goals and aspirations but goodness gracious this is a terrible song. Either that, or I’ve become one of those people who complain about modern music while championing music “from the good ol’ days.” So I’m seriously asking… does anyone out there think the song for this Powerade commercial is good music?

Mainstream rap music, broadly speaking, is usually about feeding one’s high ego… something like the spotlight effect in psychology. “Everyone wants to be me” because of the car(s) they have, the money they spend, the high end lifestyle they live. The world revolves around them. This is the foundation of most mainstream rap music (and the opposite of traditional country music). This track from Flau’jae is no different. Maybe that’s why the song is so forgettable. It’s just another narcissistic track from an average rapper.

Unlike this gem from the good ol’ days.

-Out of the Wilderness

The Oprah Menopause Show That Wasn’t A Joke?

Hello there! I’m assuming you came across this blog post because you were searching for Oprah….. or gathering info about menopauses? If you’re here for menopause info, you might as well stop reading now because I know nothing. All I know is that if you tuned in to American Idol Monday night and forgot to turn your TV off, you were in for a *special* (meaning: uncomfortable and unnecessary) treat immediately after… A menopause show! I know, finally producers have heard the demands of the people! 🥴

A show called “The Menopause Revolution” hosted by the one and only Oprah Winfrey. When ABC started teasing this Oprah special during the American Idol episode, I thought this had to be some kind of April Fools joke. Who in the heeeecccckkkk wants to watch a show about menopause? IN PRIME TIME TV! We’re being punk’d, right?

The absolute only reason this show was green-lit was Oprah. Here’s why: The topic automatically cuts out half of the potential audience (men). Who in their right mind would come up with a show that, before it’s even scripted out, eliminates half of the potential audience? On top of that, I betcha even trans women didn’t watch this show (because they can’t have a menopause, ya know?). Only women over 40 *might* watch, so now your female audience is reduced even more. Of the women over 40, half are in bed already. Whoever else is still awake probably doesn’t want to think about something that gives them a negative experience. So again, the only draw is that it’s hosted by the O. I’m guessing a few million tuned in but if there’s a Menopause Part 2: Return of the Red Dragon, well hot diggity dog I’m in!

I still can’t believe “The Menopause Revolution” was produced. It’s like a show for men called “The Prostate Exam Extravaganza.” No one would watch. Unless it was hosted by Hulk Hogan, of course.

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-Out of the Wilderness

American Idol – Hollywood Week Recap Favorites

Let’s just be honest here– you have your favorites and I have mine. I’m sure we overlap somewhere? I mean, it’s not like Lola Wilson was your #1 pick, so we have that in common. But I bet you love Baylee Littrell, don’t you? I was more of an NSYNC* fan soooooooooo…….

Are we about to have a boyband feud? Bring it on!

Let’s see if we can agree on the following, though. Here are my top favorites from Hollywood week.

Slater Nalley. If he makes it to the live shows, he’ll be top 5.

Thunderstorm Artis. Wow. Love is soft, soothing voice.

Jamal Roberts. Still has the best smile of all the contestants.

At the time of this post there aren’t videos for the following favorites– Josh King and Crews Wright. There are others who performed averagely (is that even a word!?) but I guess we’ll have to wait till next week to find out more specifically who stayed and who had to pack their bags. The show didn’t do a great job of listing all the folks who made it through the first round of Hollywood. Annoying. Can we agree on that?

-Out of the Wilderness

Slater Nalley Foolish Pride – Song Lyrics

This young fella might be my top pick for American Idol. There are a few reasons for this I’ll get into in a different post. For now, here are the lyrics of the original song he performed during Hollywood week, called “Foolish Pride.”

Don’t go wasting any breath on me
I ain’t what they say I am
and I’ve been around way too long to try to be a different kind of man

Don’t go wasting any time on me
I promise time don’t mean a thing
It’s just a word people use to try to make them feel like something’s gonna change

But I’m tired of this foolish pride
This dark inside, it haunts me

When I try to move it carries me away from what my head’s telling my heart

Oh, and when I come back down to my darling, I know just what she’ll say
Oh boy, I love you if you just put that foolish pride away

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-Out of the Wilderness

Thunderstorm Artis Original Song “My Last Dying Breath” Lyrics

American Idol contestant Thunderstorm Artis performed an original song for his first Hollywood week audition. I had heard him once before (when he sang my favorite Christmas song) and since this is the first time we’ve seen him on this season of American Idol, I’d say he completely rocked it. Here are the lyrics to his original song called “My Last Dying Breath.” Is anyone else so happy he didn’t include the irritating, yet trendy, phrase meet-cute anywhere in the verses?

I saw you crying last night
watched the tears fall like stars from your eyes

You don’t need me to fix it, you just need a minute
someone to be by your side

I see the love that you give
each time I look in the eyes of our kids

I’m always reminded how beautiful life is
and how much this time is a gift

If you ever get the feeling
the feeling you’re falling apart
you can give me the doubts in your head
and I’ll hold all the pain in my chest
and I’ll carry your weight on my shoulders
and I’ll carry it over and over

till there’s nothing
till there’s nothing
till there’s nothing
there’s nothing left

Oh, so give me the doubts in your head
and I’ll hold all the pain in my chest
and I’ll carry your weight on my shoulders
and I’ll carry it over and over

Till there’s nothing
nothing left. 

Till my last dying breath. 

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-Out of the Wilderness