Today is one of those days.

Another one of the early tracks I recorded when I first arrived on the scene post Fall of 2006, this song arised out of an oppurtunity to appear on a Tapemasters Inc. Mixtape when mixtapes were still all the rage.

The myspace boom had helped me reconnect with alot of people (and damn near got me into serious beef with an old crush’s dude). One of these people was my boy Lavell “Vegas” Evans. We had linked up and started doing some R&B writing and collaborating as he introduced me to a slew of his creative team. Most of these people went to the famed Alma Mater of 5Towns College, where my homies ChellezBoogie, Krystle and Hasan Insane attended and rubbed elbows with the likes of Chrisette Michelle (who I had the pleasure of meeting along the way).

Another of these such peoples was a Photographer/producer who goes by the name of John Shotti. He was then apart of a production duo, Shotti and Lefty and had recently released a dope concept mixtape that mashed up Prince’s classic music with Cam’ron songs.

Since he and The Tapemasters were peoples, he reached out to me when he was working on a track for their Nas dedication tape that was slated to release to promote his Hip-Hop Is Dead album coming out (see; Tapemasters Presents Nas – The N; Resurrection). The track that resulted was a smoothed out version of the Eminem produced “The Cross” off of the God’s Son album, which I think is better than the original. Shotti added all kinds of sampled harmonious voices, light drum kicks, and even got a real saxophone player and spoken word artist to round things out. He went in as a producer! He told me he chose me because he wanted to reshape it to have that feeling like we were bringing New York City rap back to the forefront (back then, that was a major concern to most East Coasters) and I was a good choice for it. And so became my very first serious mixtape placement. Not like Tapemasters showed me love or remembered me when it was time for me to release my own mixtape later on…but I digress…

I was summoned down to the music lab in The New School, in a room to lay my verse right then and there on limited time. The boy Jesse Boykins the 3rd was in the room and I remember writing the verse on the spot and having to  do it in just a few takes. But it came out quite nice. I may even be so bold to say I gave Nas a run for his money, but I’ll let you be the judge of that. Remember these are ‘06 lyrics;

“They say New York’s been soft since them buildings fell,

Nigga we are sick! – we ain’t feeling well,

put the apple on their heads like William Tell.

Re-animated, Shotti got Malik to Murk these punks,

(I),

Rihanna haters;

“I don’t wanna be a Murderer!”

The Cross Bearer – Iam permanent,

Ya’ll just temporary – my contemporaries got,

learner’s permits.

I been riding clean,

with the NYC plates since,

In my teens,

Hey!,

M-16, nigga he don’t play!

What he say is law like them Ricos – This Maliko’s Way,

Maricons keep reaching for my Chips and they get Frito-Layed!

Straight out of Harlem is the Secret Weapon

-we gon’ speak for skeptics, who been throwing Salt,

he just bring the Pepa!

(I’m Hot!)

Kriss Kross me,

can’t jump the King,

-Ain’t no checkers – this Cross means,

They not Punking me

-No!,

Ashton Kutcher – I’m hooder than pumpkin seeds,

They try ta’,

Spit on New York like Pumpkin Please!

Citizens, consider Mr. 1,6 in this Bitch again as the Christening for all those who’ve been listening

To Rap at it’s worst,

The game keep gettin Fucked,

cause it’s no Birth Control, like the Catholic Church!

The Cross”.

Hope you learned something.

Here’s that song;

http://www.zshare.net/audio/70363372668a0537/

On as SIDE NOTE:
I know I said that from now on I would focus more on Disney, but I just thought of something…

If someone says Orange Soda or “Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger, Can I take your order?”  or maybe even “Aw, here it goes”….Two people will come to mind….Kenan and Kel.

Kenan and Kel, both had a show on NICK (which is still relevant to this blog seeing as it is an aspect of children popular culture) where they dressed up as other persons and tried to deceive people.

Since this was on a children/teenager-oriented network, was america trying to suggest that boys dressing up as girls was okay…could this show have influenced children into doing what their favorite characcters Kenan and Kel did. Did America realize this and try to correct it…could this be why shows like Tyler Perry’s Madea is intended for adults…could this be why Nick had canceled Kenan and Kel and had REALITY shows like Slimetime LIVE. or better yet this could be why nick renamed their networks to more age-linked names: Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nick @ Nite….

Just food for Thought….EITHER WAY I THINK ITS SAFE TO SAY THAT NICK HAS SOMEONE FELL OFF THE MAP SOOOO

BACK TO DISNEY

Tonight (technically yesterday because I’m still awake at 5am… no idea why) I caught up on one of my favorite shows, Degrassi: The Next Generation. Before you close out of this window, let me explain myself.

Degrassi main cast

I remember the first time I saw a Degrassi episode- I was probably 11 at the time. I flipped through the channels until I saw a show that caught my attention. A guy was getting beat up in an alley. I was completely horrified enough to keep watching the group of men pummeling him, leaving him helpless on the ground. Confusion ensued once I learned that he was attacked because he was gay. I didn’t really even understand what “gay” was at the time, but it seemed like something bad based on the hateful words associated with it. I felt like a voyeur looking into an odd Canadian microcosm that I would never want to be a part of. Yes, I actually felt this way as an 11 year old.

I changed the channel.

A few months later, I came across Degrassi again, in the same way as before. This time a girl was alone in a bedroom with a guy…who was raping her. I actually knew what rape was, and subsequently was even more horrified than I was before. This character (who I would come to know as Paige) was only about three years older than me. Something to me felt so wrong about watching such mature content, despite the fact that I was within the intended demographic. I decided that censoring myself was incredibly stupid, so I went ahead and kept watching. The drama of the series sucked me in once the shock value went away, and I quickly became addicted to the tangled web of plots.

I found myself connecting with each character for various reasons. Canadian teenagers weren’t so different from me after all. I aged alongside them. I saw them get shot, pregnant, killed off, sent to rehab, and move to Africa. Even though my life has thankfully never contained such dramatic elements, I felt like an honorary student at Degrassi Community School.

say goodbye to Degrassi as we know it

But then it all went awry. The characters graduated and left for college, and a new cast was brought in. They seemed so… young. So…naive. I neglected to realize that they were older than I was during my first Degrassi experience. Even now, I long for the old faithful cast of Marco, Ellie, Paige, JT, Emma, Manny, Ashley, Jimmy, Spinner, etc (Degrassi is famous for its large ensemble cast). I just didn’t buy the new kids as actual high schoolers.

I watch old episodes all the time and I find myself still identifying with the fear Marco felt as he was being bashed in the alley, and the pain Paige felt when facing her rapist in court. The new episodes addressing issues like “sexting” just don’t resonate with me. It’s not because I don’t sext. After all, I’ve never been bashed in an alley. I don’t understand why I feel this way. Is there a generation gap so soon? I’m not even of legal drinking age, yet I feel myself becoming obsolete. Degrassi is such a beacon of popular culture for teens for its ability to effectively discuss relevant controversial issues. Am I not relevant?

Despite the fact that I’m now out of touch with today’s youth according to Degrassi, I still watch every Friday online for posterity. I have to at least see what those Canadian kids are doing these days, eh?

-mmbizz

About Degrassi

“Shoot To Thrill” deals with one of the few topics Degrassi hasn’t dealt with yet: sexting (unless you count that shirtless pic of Peter that Emma snapped with her camera phone in ”Tell It To My Heart.”)

Johnny really, REALLY hates PDA.

Things are great between Alli and Johnny, except that Johnny doesn’t like PDA.  What’s so bizarre is that he primarily hates PDA when it happens specifically in front of Bruce, and the no-name kid they hang out with.  For some reason Johnny can’t handle being teased by them about it.  In one scene Alli sits on his lap and feeds him in front of Bruce, and Johnny lays into her.  I felt sorry for her when that happened.

The cell phone has unlimited text, aka unlimited Alli nakedness.

The workaround Alli discovers to Johnny’s anti-PDA attitude is to give him a cell phone and send him naked pictures of herself on it.  Johnny’s all about it and all about showing Alli love until he see’s a blown up picture of himself cuddling with a stuffed toy on the art wall…a picture that Alli took.

While watching the sneak peek for this episode I was with Johnny on Alli needing to cool it with the affection in public.  But watching the episode in full he is a jackass.  Retaliating against Alli posting the picture of him by texting her naked pic to Bruce was wrong, and Johnny keeping the phone was even moreso.  He’s obviously an intelligent, sweet guy (when it comes to Alli), but in public still insists on being known as a bully/loser.

Bruce gets a peek at the "Bhandari Twins..."

This storyline was well done, and even though Ms. Hatzilakos’ return as Degrassi’s principal came out of nowhere with no explanation, I love how she threw in the speech about the dangers of sexting.  Melinda Shankar’s acting is much improved from last season.  You also know what’s improved? The way Degrassi is dealing with the storylines.  The fact Johnny kept the phone with Alli’s dirty pictures shows they’re realizing the mistake of last season with “One and Done” storylines.  They didn’t wrap the episode up in a neat bow at the end only for everything that happened to be forgotten right after.  Hopefully they stick to that philosophy the rest of the season.

...and so does Mr. Simpson.

“SHOOT TO THRILL” MAIN PLOT GRADE: A

**************************

SUBPLOT

If Riley wasn't gay, he and Fiona would make a really cute couple.

Fiona is tired guys hitting on her.  Riley needs a “beard.”  How perfect is this?  What’s intruiging about their interaction is that Riley knows Fiona is using him to keep the guys off her, but Fiona doesn’t know Riley is using HER to hide the fact that he’s gay.

Or at least she’s not completely onto him yet.  While Fiona and Riley are hanging out the guy known as “SoccerStud” reappears.  He confronts Riley, who apparently stopped talking to him altogether.  After SoccerStud asks why Riley avoids him, Riley grabs Fiona and hastily leaves, denying to her that he knows the guy.

He's baaaaaaack...it's SoccerStud!!!

I LOVED this subplot…mainly because it’s setting us up for Riley’s upcoming two-parter, “Beat It.”  They suddenly dropped Riley’s sexuality storyline in Season 8, a believe it has the potential to be one of the best storyline’s this show has had over the last few seasons.

“SHOOT TO THRILL” SUBPLOT GRADE: A+

[WARNING: THIS EPISODE REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS]

If there’s one that’s apparent in the Degrassi universe, they DO NOT like they idea of characters having long-term relationships…with Jane being Spinner’s third long-term girlfriend on the show (Manny doesn’t count), is he doomed to be the lonely Dot manager in Degrassi The Next NEXT Generation?

Jane wants to have her cake (Spinner) and eat it too (Declan).

Right off the bat this episode addresses Jane’s relationship issue: she and Spinner are TOO comfortable for her taste.  They’re always together, and the “spark” in their relationship is gone for her.  Jane is now the lead singer of Studz, and Spinner even tells Jane she’s “just like one of the guys.”

…and so enters Declan stage left; he and Jane are in the same theatre class, and Declan doesn’t hide the fact that he wants her.  Jane wards off his advances at first, yet secretly enjoys the thrill of getting attention from him.  Things get confusing when Spinner moves into Peter’s old apartment (Peter transferred the lease to Spin, and he also quit Studz).  Spinner asks Jane to move in with him, and a confused Jane leaves without giving him an answer.

The #1 commandment of the Boycott The Caf Bible? Thou shall not cheat on Spinner.

The juicy part of the episode comes when Jane goes to Declan’s house to work on their theatre project, and they kiss.  Of course it was no accident; Jane knew that she was going to act on her feelings before arriving.

Now the question is…Is Jane cheating on Spinner an out-of-character move for her?  Jane has never given the impression until this episode that she’d be the kind of girl to cheat, or string Spinner along.  Also, since when is she all of a sudden not happy in her relationship with Spinner?

Despite being blindsided by those two thoughts, “Close To Me” was still interesting to watch, and it’s a solid episode.  Jane actually cheating seems OOC, but the feelings she experienced through it all feel realistic and relatable.  The ending was really great as a conflicted Jane was standing there hugging on Spinner as Declan stood there smirking.  Jane is one of the better characters to watch because Paula Brancati is a good actress.  And I still love Declan, he is just so condescending and manipulative…a character like that who is around solely for the purpose of causing trouble hasn’t existed since Jay Hogart before his “I-Love-Manny-Santos” days.

“CLOSE TO ME” MAIN PLOT GRADE: B

***************************

SUBPLOT

In this episode’s subplot we get another peek into KC’s past.  The basketball coach encourages him to do his best, even though he’s a niner (and they are usually just benchwarmers).  The coach even lets KC play in one of the games.  However, KC doesn’t play well and the coach pulls him out and yells at him.  Because his parents treated him like crap, KC interpreted it as the coach basically telling him he sucks at basketball…so he quits the team.

As much as I wanted to slap KC for overreacting (AGAIN), I have to keep reminding myself they are using a slow-build technique for his character.  Instead of KC vomiting his entire backstory in one reflective moment, they’re gradually giving us tidbits into who he is and how his past has shaped him.  In the end the coach talks some sense into KC and reassures him that he’s not alone, hopefully establishing some sort of trust between KC and at least one adult.

“CLOSE TO ME” SUBPLOT GRADE: B

NOTE: This is the last week CTV will be airing Degrassi episodes out of order. They’re airing 903 (Shoot To Thrill) and 905 (You Be Illin’) this Sunday 10/18. TeenNick will be airing Shoot To Thrill this Friday 10/16.

Erin from www.degrassi-fans.com posted a video from ET Canada, who we behind the scenes of Degrassi’s Season 9 movie (and season finale) “The Rest of My Life.”  This movie will be directed by the awesome Stefan Brogren, and will take place in New York.  As of right now, the only thing we know for sure is that Jane, Holly J and Degrassi newcomers Declan and Fiona are in the movie.  You can watch the video clip below:

So I’m up late and watching TeenNick (formerly known as The N). One show you can always count on catching is Degrassi. My best friend got me into this show maybe last year. Before that, I had seen one or two episodes but I wasn’t a fanatic or anything. But now that I’m all caught up on years of episodes, I have a lot of respect for Degrassi. Of course I am referring to Degrassi: The Next Generation for those who remember the original from back in the day.  This show brings a lot of the diversity that American shows lack. In this one high school, there is a fair mix of people from every ethnicity and economic background and yet they are brought together by those common adolescent issues. Plus. Degrassi has launched the careers of it’s Canadian actors in the US such as Drake, Shenae Grimes (90210), Lauren Collins (Take the Lead), and most recently Nina Dobrev of the CW’s Vampire Diaries. I’ll have to admit the new group of kids seem to be mild in comparison to the school shootings, rape, drugs, mental illness, lesbian love affairs, stabbings, STDs, and so on that the first New Generation kids went through. But the good news is new episodes start October 9 and apparently “It’s About To Get Real”. We’ll see Degrassi. Don’t let the legacy die with this new generation lol.

Of the 3 teen dramas no longer airing new episodes, Dawson’s Creek is the only one not on television at all anymore.

And it frustrates the hell out of me!

The show ended on The WB in spring of 2003 but continued to live on in syndication through TBS and The N.  Each aired them daily for quite some time in either the morning or evening.  Then they slowly disappeared from the airwaves, with TBS first banishing it to 4:30am where it could die a quiet and slow death.

I don’t understand what happened, as no public comment was ever given.  Logic tells me the syndication deals probably expired and the ratings weren’t worth negotiating a new contract.

But why does TBS still have it on their Web site? It doesn’t appear when you just go to the TBS homepage, but doing a search will find a lot of DC content.  You can even access its original page on the site (I have it bookmarked on my Links page), which stills says it airs at 4:30am.  But, of course, clicking upcoming episodes doesn’t yield any results.  (It’s hardly still on the Web site for The N–now called Teen Nick–save for two quizzes.)

Why does Sony still have the official Dawson’s Creek site still up?  Beverly Hills 90210’s home on the web is long gone, as well as The O.C.’s.  If you’re going to keep the site, at least use it.  Most of its features are still functional but the homepage, which features all the DVD releases, hasn’t been updated to advertise the Complete Series set which comes out next month.

Yes, if I long for the show that badly, I can just watch my DVDs.  But there’s a certain satisfaction and pleasure that comes from knowing it’s still on television somewhere and there if I want it. Plus, it not only keeps the show present in pop culture but also deepens its legacy.

I can’t imagine a day when Beverly Hills 90210 isn’t on TV at all.  Hopefully that’s a long way off and keep your fingers crossed that, by some miracle, some channel brings Dawson’s Creek back on again.

This article was written by Tyrone Warner of CTV.ca. The original link is here.

BACK TO REALITY: DEGRASSI GOES DARK IN SEASON NINE PREMIERE
Tyrone Warner, CTV.ca

As “Degrassi’s” go-to bad boy, Peter Stone has always been waist-deep in trouble — but he’s never gone off the deep end like this before.

During an interview with CTV.ca, Jamie Johnston, who plays Peter, reveals that in upcoming episodes his character “Develops a little bit of a drug problem.”

When audiences last saw Peter in the “Degrassi” movie, “Degrassi Goes Hollywood,” his life was looking good: His band Stüdz was destined for fame, dating the hottest girl in school and leaving his problems behind.

But as Peter realizes he can’t seem to fit into the high-fashion world Mia (Nina Dobrev) inhabits, an unlikely guest offers him a chance to escape. 

The two-episode season premiere, “Just Can’t Get Enough” begins Sunday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. ET.

In order to portray such a massive shift in character, Johnston says he did his homework before attempting to portray a drug-addicted Peter.

“Thankfully there are shows like ‘Intervention’ and ‘Dr. Phil,’ where you can see what people are thinking when they go through experiences like that. I even travelled downtown to the more sketchy areas of Toronto to see how people move and how they act when they are on drugs,” says Johnston.

“I just took every piece of information I could get, mixed it all together, put it in the oven, took it out, and now I have Peter on meth.”

Despite taking on the challenge of taking Peter to a dark place, he also says he’s grateful for the opportunity.

“The juicier the storyline is, the better it is. The craziest thing that can happen is the best thing that can happen, and as bad as your character is, that is how good you are as an actor, basically,” says the young actor.

“I’m a nice guy, so it’s fun to play a messed up person.”

Unlike most teen dramas, “Degrassi: The Next Generation” has never shied away from complicated and controversial storylines that deal with problems most young people face. When it comes to a storyline like Peter’s, Johnston hopes viewers use it as a chance to learn.

“I hope that when people see how bad even just a little bit of meth can mess up your life, that people will know to just not do it,” says Johnston.

“There’s been a lot of stuff going around recently about the horrors of meth, the before and after pictures of their faces… its one of the worst things you can put in your body.”

Along with the stark change in Peter’s life, his mother Daphne Hatzilakos, played by fan favourite Melissa DiMarco, will return as the principal of Degrassi Community School.

Johnston, 20, was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, and joined “Degrassi” in 2005, during the fifth season of the series. Outside of acting, his passions also include playing the guitar, which he’s recently featured both on the show and in his personal life.

After being tasked with singing in his on-screen band, Stüdz, he eventually introduced his guitar playing to the group. Between takes, the band immediately noticed they had chemistry, and with the addition of another guitar player, went on to form heir own off-screen group, “Sound Speed.”

Explaining the band name, Johnston says “It’s an actor joke. When we’re on set, and we’re about to film, they say ‘Roll sound, roll camera,’ and then the sound guy says, ‘Sound speed!’ and another guy says ‘Frame’ and then the director says ‘Action.’ (‘Degrassi’ co-star) Raymond Ablack pitched the idea we should be called ‘Sound Speed,’ and all of us, except for Shawn, who’s not an actor, giggled and thought it was a good idea.”

Johnston says the band has already played a few shows, and is currently writing songs for an upcoming album.

New Characters (l-r): Jenna, Declan, Fiona and Dave.

DEGRASSI STUDENTS

ALLIA “ALLI” BHANDARI (14) – Grade 9
“Sav’s Little Sister.” “Our Little Genius.” “Backwoods Bhandari”. Alli is sick of labels. None of them fit. All Alli wants is a normal high school experience. Although, she’s not entirely sure what that is. She knows it includes fun, friends and at least one cute boy (Alli is a little – okay, a lot – boy-crazy). And she knows she needs to deceive her parents to have it. Last term Alli proved that she has no problem breaking rules to get what she wants. Lying to her parents to spend intimate time with Johnny, and cyber-bullying Degrassi’s Queen Bee were merely sneak-peaks of what Alli is capable of. This term, her quest to reign as High School Princess won’t come so easy. Especially when her prince, Johnny, begins to show his not-so-charming side.

SAV BHANDARI (16) – Grade 11
A low-key overachiever, Sav strives for the best of both worlds – a steady girlfriend and loyal friends, high marks and a spot on the football team, a cool band and a secret sticker collection. But as he approaches the latter half of high school, Sav is slowly realizing he can’t have everything. His traditional parents may have allowed him to take the music master class, but they still expect him to pursue engineering after graduation. And while they tolerate Anya for now, they’re still hoping he’ll settle doen with a nice Indian girl. All this makes Sav want to sow his wild oats – now. It looks like Grade 11 may be his only chance to live on his own terms, so Sav plans to spend his precious free time rocking with Stüdz.

CHANTAY BLACK (17) – Grade 11
Chantay’s long climb up Degrassi’s social ladder has finally landed her the plum position – as the eyes and ears of Degrassi’s Anti-Grapevine. Chantay not only works toward her dream of working as an entertainment journalist – she trades in power. Her bluntly hilarious commentary makes her a foil for Holly J and a reality check for Anya. Chantay also gets close with Danny, is there something in the cards for them?

BRUCE THE MOOSE – (18) Grade 12
Bruce is very much enjoying being in Grade 12 and ruling the school, but not in the nicest way. Bruce is a bully and enjoys using his position on the football team and his size to push everyone around. And no one enjoys the new “niner geeks” as much as Bruce The Moose. Frosh meat is so much fun!

CONNOR (14) – Grade 9
Connor is an intense guy who says exactly what’s on his mind. He has the ability to focus completely on one thing. Of course that thing is rarely what someone is saying to him. Connor’s been diagnosed with a mild case of Aspergers Syndrome and he’s cool with it. In fact – he’s embracing it, making great progress with his social skills. He’s incredibly smart and has learned enough conventional responses to fit in. But is it enough to keep up with quickly changing friend Clare? Friendships are important to Connor, but incredibly difficult.

LEIA CHANG (16) – Grade 11
Leia masks her greatest fear – that she’s boring – with a story. That story being, of course, the ‘Story of Leia’. You can never be sure whether the things that come out of her mouth are fact or fiction, and she constantly runs the risk of becoming trapped in her web of lies. All of this serves to mask a deep-seated insecurity; she knows she’s supposed to be confident, that she should feel ‘special’, and that she should believe she can do anything she sets her mind to. But on a deep level, Leia hasn’t bought into the North American “You-Can-Do-Anything” mindset. Ultimately, this may spare her from years of disappointment down the road. But in the meantime, she had to learn to be honest with herself.

BLUE CHESSEX – (17) – Grade 11
New to Degrassi, Blue has a reputation for being a player, and could probably hook up with his choice of girls. But he’s not at all about the notches on the belt. You’ll never find him trading locker room banter about any of his conquests. It’s not about that for him. He’s just a sensual guy who loves the female form. If you’re ever looking for Blue, you can always try the art room where he’s working on his latest piece or trying to win over Holly J.

DECLAN COYNE – (16) – Grade 11
Confident, charming, mischievous, and fresh from prep school in Hong Kong, Declan knows he’ll have Degrassi in the palm of his hand. Due to his diplomat father’s job, the stop in Toronto’s probably not longer than a year. Declan attended the best private schools in Istanbul, Vienna, Seoul – so dropping in on a public high school will be anything but a challenge. Stylish and sophisticated, Declan still never looks like he’s trying. Declan loves using his magnetic personality and beseeching eyes to get people to do what he wants. Declan has never been afraid of indulging in the excesses of his high life – so far he just hasn’t been caught.

FIONA COYNE – (16) – Grade 11
Ethereal, sophisticated and deeply fashion-conscious, Fiona makes her mark at Degrassi the moment she arrives. The daughter of a diplomat, Fiona was born in Japan, and raised all over the world. Fiona’s cool, almost regal exterior stands in sharp contrast with her brother Declan’s social magnetism. Fiona views high school with an anthropologist’s eye, watching the student body and making her own astute observations. For all her worldly attitudes, Fiona is still a virgin, a secret she’d guard with her life. Fiona is no prude – in fact, she’s done everything but have sex – but she’s not sure she’s ready or able to lose control.

JOHNNY DIMARCO (17) – Grade 12
At first, brooding bad boy Johnny was intrigued by Alli, despite her minor niner status. But now they’re officially boyfriend and girlfriend, Johnny feels smothered. After a sexting showdown threatens to reveal more of Johnny than he ever thought possible, he ends the relationship. Johnny’s dark side will emerge once again after his breakup with Alli.

CLARE EDWARDS (14) – Grade 9
Clare’s finally started to get a handle on Degrassi. Her good friend Alli makes everything easier and of course, having an actual boyfriend means all kinds of good things are about to happen. Then, there’s the new blonde bombshell – at first Jenna and Clare have a lot in common, but when KC and Jenna act on an attraction, Clare’s world will look even more unfamiliar. If the world looks unfamiliar, why shouldn’t Clare?

KC GUTHRIE (15) – Grade 9
The secret about where KC lives is out – so he wants to counteract it by being as normal as humanly possible. His goal? – to be like every other 15 year old guy. He doesn’t realize that’s going to mean getting caught between two girls, though. KC’s always loved Clare’s quiet thoughtfulness – but when Jenna bops into his world, the personification of sunshine, KC sees a reason to lighten up. KC’s making other new friends – especially on the all-star Jr. Basketball team– a chance he almost doesn’t get until his cool young coach takes KC under his wing and makes special arrangements.

ANYA MACPHERSON (16) – Grade 11
Sweet, but a bit of a space cadet, Anya is the last one to clue in on a joke (and is often the butt of it). Try as she might, Anya never quite fits in – which only makes her try harder. When she finally stood up to her bullying frenemy Holly J, navigating the social scene at Degrassi should have gotten much easier. But instead, Anya finds herself a little lost. Anya can’t imagine not wanting more friends; experience has taught her that blending in is the key to popularity. Adrift and clique-less in the sea of Degrassi girls, Anya hyper-focuses on her relationship with Sav who is distracted by his band The Stüdz.

MIA JONES (17) – Grade 11
Thanks to Mom’s babysitting help, Mia’s shed her baby-mama skin for some part-time model work and a spot on the Power Squad. Mia struggles to balance work, school, a relationship with Peter, and yes – being a mom to Izzy. Mia’s completely committed to her life at Degrassi, but when the opportunity of a lifetime to model in Paris presents itself, Mia would be crazy not to pursue it (it’s hard to say no to $250,000). Will Peter join Mia as she moves her life to The City of Lights? Or will she leave Peter behind, like so many other have before?

JENNA MIDDLETON (14) – Grade 9
Armed with her guitar, a catchy repertoire, and a contagiously positive outlook on life, Jenna is a ray of light in the gloomy corridors of Degrassi. Having bounced from Newfoundland to Toronto, via a two-year layover in the Albertan Oil Patch, Jenna comes to Degrassi with a guileless agenda: to make friends. Unfortunately, the ease with which she does so tends to upset the delicate friendship balances and established hierarchies in the classrooms, the cafeteria, and in the hallways. For this, Jenna makes no apologies. After all, she’s just trying to be nice.

HOLLY J SINCLAIR (16) – Grade 11
Holly J’s finally learned that there’s more to high school than popularity and manipulation. But that doesn’t mean she’s lost her chutzpah. Despite her family claiming bankruptcy, it’s blue skies for Holly J this term and there are no limits. She’s tired of being poor and waitressing at The Dot is not producing nearly enough income to keep up with the new privileged kids at Degrassi – Declan and Fiona. But life’s too short to complain and Holly J starts a successful babysitting business.

RILEY STAVROS (17) – Grade 12
Riley is THE attractive alpha-male football player. But behind his apparent charm and self-confidence there is an angry young man who harbours secrets about his sexuality. When Riley sees himself walking down the street, it is always with an attractive girl at his side. Being gay is definitely not part of the careful life plan he has spent a lot of time perfecting. Riley feels he can beat this thing – even if it means checking himself into therapy or enrolling in a “scared straight” program. What will it take for Riley to learn there’s nothing wrong with liking guys?

PETER STONE (17) – Grade 12
Still savouring the taste of fame he got with his band while shooting the ‘Mewsical’ in Hollywood, Peter returns to Degrassi on top of the world. His band Stüdz is destined for fame, he’s dating the hottest girl in school – who just happens to be an up-and-coming model – and it seems he’s put his chequered past behind him. But will Peter let his rock and roll dreams go to his head? Peter has always been a troubled kid. But over the past few years, thanks in large part to the influences of his girlfriends (Emma, Darcy and Mia), Peter has assumed the role of a good guy. When fate forces Peter and Mia apart, life becomes a lot more difficult for Peter and he turns to a reckless distraction.

DAVE TURNER (16) – Grade 11
Dave’s the guy who has always gotten by – okay grades, pretty good at sports, likes movies and playing on the computer. In one word: average. Tired of being invisible, Dave is determined to make his mark on the school he’s attended for three years. He’ll approach every conversation armed to impress. Top priorities this term include locking down a catchy nickname everyone will remember, befriending Degrassi’s elite and scoring a date with the hottest girl.

DANNY VAN ZANDT (17) – Grade 12
As he enters the final semester of his high school career, Danny faces a tough choice between having fun and buckling down. With a level head, solid marks, and a wealth of common sense at his disposal, Danny is a naturally cool guy, and his swagger will bloom as he takes his seat as a tastemaker amongst Degrassi’s upperclassmen.

JANE VAUGHAN (17) – Grade 12
Jane knows all she has to do is aim herself at the high school finish line and her new life begins. Her great grades and unusual, football playing CV should make university acceptance a snap. When her well-kept secret – a killer voice – lands her a stand-in gig with Stüdz, Jane proves she can’t be placed in any box. Her relationship with Spinner is still sweet and as close to ‘best friends’ as a couple can be – so why isn’t it enough?

THE GRADUATES

SPINNER MASON – (19, Working Man)
Spinner loves his gig at The Dot and his balance between two worlds – hanging out with Jay, Manny, and new Degrassi teaching trainee Marco, and dispensing advice to the kids who flock to The Dot. Spinner’s world still revolves around the life he’s excited to start with Jane – one that increasingly focuses on The Dot and less and less on Police College.

EMMA NELSON – (18, University Freshman)
Despite the fact that her best friends Manny and Liberty are heading off in all directions, Emma approaches her second freshman semester with a positive outlook. Being away from the girls will allow Emma to spread her wings, meet new girlfriends, and focus on her major – Political Science. Emma still keeps in touch with Manny, who has just made quite the splash in LA.

MANNY SANTOS – (18, University Freshman)
Having just landed the lead role in Jason Mews’ movie Mewsical High, Manny has set her sights beyond the stuffy, pretentious world of her college drama department. With Jay happily playing the role of ‘Loyal Hometown Sweetheart’, Manny’s dreams just might be coming true. And it couldn’t happen to a more deserving person. Manny is the quintessential survivor – she’s faced a lifetime’s worth of ups and downs since Grade 7 with a fierce determination to keep her fun-loving spirit intact. Though far away, Manny will still provide non-judgemental counsel to the likes of Emma and Jane while she’s back.

JAY HOGART – (20, Mechanic)
Jay’s always been a bad ass who’s only looking out for number one but last year we saw a much softer side of Jay… a Jay that can be loving and sincere. So he replaced Manny’s college demo reel with an x-rated one that he and Manny made. So he stole the company tow truck and landed in jail. So he stole the engagement ring back from the pawn shop. So maybe things don’t change. Is Jay just trouble, or can he be redeemed? After helping Manny get to LA to audition for Mewesical High, Jay has made it back in her good books and looks like he has turned a corner.

THE ADULTS

ARCHIE “SNAKE” SIMPSON – (35)
Snake had it tough last year when he had to win his way back into the hearts of his students after, against his better judgement, he provided comfort to Darcy, putting his entire career and life in jeopardy. Now cleared of all suspicion, he must maintain a very clear path and concentrate on teaching. When the new Principal comes in and screws with the new gifted program, Snake feels he must step up… but carefully.

CHRISTINE “SPIKE” NELSON – (35)
Spike manages to be a supportive mother to Emma, and a devoted wife to Snake. Spike’s hope was that, though grateful, Emma would see the sacrifices Spike had to make to keep her baby daughter all those years ago and thus never find herself in the position of being a teen mother. That’s why Emma’s pregnancy scare two years ago nearly gave her a heart attack. But Spike helped Emma through it – with lots of love and minimal scolding. That’s what makes her the super-Mom that she is, and she’s ready for whatever teen angst is around the next corner. When an explosive situation arises in Snake’s life, Spike’s resolve is put to the test.

(l) Pic of Degrassi lot, courtesy of Stefan Brogren. (r) Overhead shot of the Epitome Pictures lot, courtesy of Google Maps.

I apologize for the lack of updates recently…there has been NOTHING out there in Degrassi land about Season 9 except for TeenNick’s promos (which you can view here).  Well the good news is we’re halfway through September so the updates should start flowing in probably starting sometime next week, as we reach the October 4th premiere on CTV.

Meanwhile, the cast and crew were back in action today at the Epitome studios (doesn’t it seem like they’re always on a hiatus these days?).  They’ve begun shooting the 4-parter titled “The Rest of My Life” (920-923).  Looks like they’re churning out another feature-length film, and who can blame them with the success of Degrassi Goes Hollywood.

“The Rest of My Life” will be directed by Stefan Brogren.  Once they finish shooting for the 4-parter, they’re gonna go back and shoot episodes 917-919 (ep. titles unknown).

In other news, there had been NO word about the return of Liberty (Sarah Barrable-Tishauer) in Season 9…until Sunday.  Thanks to some rabid Liberty fans harrassing The Exec all summer, he finally said she WILL make an appearance this season.

Also, TeenNick will have another every-episode-ever Degrassi marathon starting Friday October 2nd.  Scattered throughout the marathon will be sneak peaks of the new season (I’m sure the sneak peaks will air during primetime).  And maybe they’ll even TELL us when Degrassi premieres on TeenNick…I think they really enjoy holding that kind of news until the last possible moment.

Woot for Hermione!

And my awkwardness level wasn’t that hard to predict…

I tend to keep certain aspects of my life hidden… such as my obsession with Jimmy Neutron, my habit of eating waffles with whipped cream every night… things of that nature. I was skeptical for years of proclaiming my hidden love for the show Degrassi until I realized… I am not alone in the obsession, whatsoever. I thought for a long time I was the only one who had ever heard of or watched the channel Noggan (soon to be Team Nick… as in Team Nick Cannon??? Very confused but anyways). I realized SO many of my friends and classmates also are addicted to the originally Canadian show. Seeing as that I am DYING in anticipation for the new season to begin in October, I thought it’d be fitting to post my top 10 reasons I love the show now… just in case any of you are amateurs and want to catch up!

10) Spinner is still on the show — Spinner, the bad boy whose been through more girls than John Mayer has had his fair share of ups and downs, including bouts with cancer and bald heads. He had triumphed over it all however and managed to nab one of the only “FORMER DEGRASSI” spots on the show… AKA he’s one of the older members still returning back on the show. LOVES it.

9) Emma’s now unattractive and a brunette- I’ve always had issues with Emma… she’s hot then cold, up then down.. she never knows which guy she wants. I just don’t relate to her character at all. She used to be hot … after her whole anorexia/pre pubescent phase. The period during which her hair was blonde, she had boobs, and she was dating Peter.

Jimmy aka DRAKE aka Aubrey Graham- I LOVED him on the show, why you may ask? Because not only was he an athlete but a philanthropist, artist, and musician. Who could ask for more in a man I mean really? He also dealt VERY well with his shooting and his eventual handicap.

7) Peter’s on COKE in the new episodes- So me and my best friend Hadassa discussed recently the overlap of Degrassi themes but it’s all good- They’ve already done the “I’M A MUSICIAN THEREFORE I’M ALSO A COKEHEAD THEME” with Craig back in the day… But I love this one even more because Peter’s mom’s the Principle oh and he’s totally straight edge…. minus his “badass desire to drag race”.

6) Paige’s Questionable Sexuality- Ok so I’ll admit that I hated her for the first few years of watching the show… she was unattractive in my eyes and acted like the Queen Bee.. OH and she always says “SWEETIE” or “HUN”… When she decided to become Bi, however, I took a step back and decided she’s pretty freakin’ cool.

5) CRAIG, CRAIG, CRAIG- I don’t know what screams cool to me about him necessarily but I love everything about his character– he’s selfish, can’t decide who he wants more Manny or Ellie, dabbles with Coke obviously because he’s a musician and that’s what they do… and also gives up schooling for music. Yet again I say, “obviously”.

4) Ellie’s relationship with her boss- I can’t remember his name, the guy she started seeing right when she got to college, but anyway, regardless, he was quite the hunk. It also intensified his coolness that he was her boss for the newspaper at college. She’s a lost puppy looking for love and can’t seem to get it quite right ever… I feel kind of bad.

3) Marco’s style- Gay men in general know how to dress, so I can’t say he stands out but lately he’s been stepping up his game — in the new movie “Degrassi Goes Hollywood” he looked quite fly I must admit. Keep it up Marco.

2) The Newbies– Alli, K.C., Clare, and Connor- While 9th grade was SO very long ago for me, I can’t relate quiteee exactly to the new kids on the block but I do think they’re potential for DEGRASSI GREATNESS is high… especially because they all have demons of their own and are totally unique.

1) Last but not least– WHAT’S TO COME FOR….. Peter, Sav, Mia, Holly J, Darcy, and Riley during their final years at Degrassi? WE MUST WAIT UNTIL OCTOBER TO FIND OUT… I AM DYING!!!

Here’s what:

Yeah, I’m totally Jack Donaghy-ish, I guess…

I asked Manny what she thought about Season 8...her face says it all.

I’ve spent most of this weekend re-watching Season 8 of Degrassi on dvd.  To me watching the show on dvd is like a “second chance” to see if the episodes are better or worse this time around.  Watching Seasons 5 and 6 on dvd made me realize they weren’t as bad as I thought…season 7 was worse.

So what do I think about Season 8 now? Below are my original grades for the episodes:

Uptown Girl Parts 1 & 2: D
Fight The Power: B+
Didn’t We Almost Have It All: B-
Man With Two Hearts: C+
With Or Without You: D+
Money For Nothing: B
Lost In Love Parts 1 & 2: C-
Bad Medicine: C
Causing a Commotion: D
Heart Of The Moment: C-
Jane Says Parts 1 & 2: B-
Touch Of Grey: C
Heart Of Glass: A+
Up Where We Belong: C+
Danger Zone: B
Degrassi Goes Hollywood: A

Now here’s my updated grades for the episodes:

Red: grade worsened
Green: grade improved
Black: grade stayed the same

Uptown Girl Parts 1 & 2: D
Fight The Power: C
Didn’t We Almost Have It All: C-
Man With Two Hearts: C+
With Or Without You: D-
Money For Nothing: C
Lost In Love Parts 1 & 2: D+
Bad Medicine: C+
Causing a Commotion: D-
Heart Of The Moment: C+
Jane Says Parts 1 & 2: C-
Touch Of Grey: D-
Heart Of Glass: A++
Up Where We Belong: D-
Danger Zone: B
Degrassi Goes Hollywood: A+

*sigh* so much red…kinda like that one time Holly J had her period all over Jane, Danny and Mia:

Holly J's heavy flow = a bad night at the Halloween dance.

This weekend I realized that Season 8 was FAR worse than I first thought…I guess I was being really kind.  Even knowing that Season 8 was a transition season can’t justify how bland it was.  There were quite a few episodes with great themes, but ultimately had lackluster stories.  Episodes just sort of ended, and storylines were randomly dropped as quickly as they started. 

 Season 8 Booms
Heart of Glass and Degrassi Goes Hollywood (Paradise City).  Heart of Glass is hands down the best episode of Season 8.  If you wanna know why you can read my episode review here.  For me, Degrassi Goes Hollywood was the surprise of the season…it was awesome.  DGH and Heart of Glass saved season 8 from being a total disaster.

Studz.  I know there’s a lot of people who HATE Studz, and I know they’ll never compare to Downtown Sasquatch.  However, I like the fact they’ve brought the “dude clique” back to Degrassi.  It’s something that’s been missing since season 5, and once the members of the Squatch left Degrassi it didn’t feel the same.  Peter, Danny and Sav are a bizarre combo, but they’ll do.

Johnny/Alli.  At first I couldn’t wrap my head around the thought of them, but now I find their weird relationship so cute and adorable.  My love for them was solidified in Heart of Glass.

Characters: Peter, Jane, Danny.  Peter became a likable character for me when he became involved with Darcy a couple of seasons ago.  His likability factor remained consistent throughout season 8, even though he was a part of one of Degrassi’s most pointless couples (Pia).  Jane had great storylines that weren’t executed well enough, but Paula Brancati’s acting was solid all season.  I like how they transformed Danny from comedy relief to the school’s cool starting QB.  Him also becoming a supportive friend to Jane also gave him big points with me.

Season 8 Busts
Mismanaged Storylines.  Jane’s molestation and Riley’s sexuality are GREAT storyline ideas.  However, they didn’t end up being as strong as they should’ve been.  I’ll always believe that Jane Says Pt. 1 spent TOO much time “trying to remember” what happened to her; that could’ve been done in an episode subplot beforehand.  I wanted to see more of Riley dealing with his sexuality, but they basically dropped it after Bad Medicine.  I’m very excited to see they’re bringing it back up in Season 9.

Peter/Mia.  Darcy leaves for Africa, and Peter and Mia hookup waste no time hooking up.  Has there ever been a more forced couple in Degrassi history?  No matter how much Pia was in my face this season (and they had a lot of screentime), I could never buy into their relationship.

Characters: Leia, The Smithdale Crew.  Leia is a boring, useless character.  People might put Blue on the same level as her, but his acting isn’t horrible and there’s a chance for some development with Holly J.  The only way Leia stays relevant is if she stays with Danny.  As much as I have a soft spot for the original characters, Emma, Manny and Liberty are all useless at Smithdale.  Why even bother keeping them around if they can’t give them even moderately interesting storylines?  Kelly isn’t all that annoying, but did they have to pair him up with Emma?

In the end, there’s really no need to worry.  Season 9 will be better than Season 8; they have nowhere to go but up.

***NEW FEATURE***
An audio recap of the blog topic…it’s Degrassi News Extra!

In the most exciting news yet, Stephen Stohn revealed on twitter that Degrassi Season 9 will premiere in Canada on Sunday, October 4th!  The Exec got the info from a press release that CTV sent out today, which revealed their fall lineup:

That means after Degrassi Goes Hollywood airs on August 30th, they’ll have five weeks to promote the new season of Degrassi, whose ratings have gone downhill in Canada over the past few years.  That’s unacceptable, given the fact CTV is Canada’s #1 network.

With the DGH movie having RECORD-BREAKING ratings here in the U.S., the hope is that it’ll do the same in Canada…boosting Degrassi’s CTV ratings and serve as a great lead-in to the new season.  And ever since I’ve started following Stefan Brogren on twitter, I’ve become confident that Season 9 will be the best season in years.

With the new season starting on CTV later than I expected (I was assuming Sept. 27), there’s been no word on how it’ll affect the Season 9 premiere on TeenNick.  Kyle, a mod/admin over at CableTVTalk has access to TeenNick’s restricted press site, and reported a month ago that Friday October 9th was the target date…but nothing has been 100% confirmed yet.

With Season 9 of Degrassi quickly approaching, we’re currently in a “transition stage.” This is where we don’t officially know that much about the new season, so the only thing we can do is speculate.

Of course speculation always leads to ridiculous rumors that ALWAYS end up on wikipedia or imdb, and naive fans go around telling everyone they’re true.  Anyway, here’s just a few of some of the most random (FALSE) rumors in Degrassi history that made me lol.

Stacey Farber Is Pregnant

People saw her outfit, saw a "bump" and automatically assumed Stacey was pregnant. Sheesh.

It all started in the season 7 episode “Jessie’s Girl.”  Fans SWORE up and down they saw what looked like a baby bump on Stacey, and because of what she was wearing people assumed she was pregnant.  That of course led to people thinking they’d incorporate her “pregnancy” into the show by saying Jesse got her pregnant.

Unless Stephen Stohn and Co. did a masterful job of keeping it on lockdown, it turns out Stacey did NOT (and has not) become a baby mama.  Shocking.

Marco Has AIDS

Marco has AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDS....not.

At the end of the season 4 episode “Moonlight Desires,” Marco talks with Caitlin about the possiblity of him volunteering in Africa over the summer.  Shockingly enough, the rumor after that was Marco would come back from Africa and have AIDS in season 5…because it’d be ironic that the gay guy got AIDS while visiting Africa, and not from having sex, you see? No, I don’t see…and that would be a stupid way to go about an AIDS storyline.

No, Marco didn’t contract AIDS. Man, I’m surprised no one has started a “Darcy has AIDS” rumor yet.

J.T. dies….In Season 3

The silliness of people thinking this pic is of J.T. getting killed makes me LOL.

The Degrassi universe will always feel empty without the presence of J.T. Yorke.  But before his untimely death in season 6, people thought he was going to kick the bucket in season 3.  When the promo pics for ”U Got The Look” were released, a crazy rumor went around that J.T. was gonna get struck and killed by a car.

Of course it turns out, after watching the episode, J.T. skateboarded right into a parked car because he was distracted by Manny’s lady lumps.  Apparently some people had an overly INTENSE imagination (remember when 100% INTENSE was the tagline for Degrassi on The-N?)  “Manny Santos, my how you’ve grown….”

On September edit: [the 28th] The-N is changing it’s name to TeenNick.
I hate the new name change.
I’d never think in a million years The-N would change it’s name to TeenNick. I guess every channel has to cater to the tween generation. I grew up with The-N I remember watching Degrassi from 2003 or so and Instant Star. The-N had an edgier name that wasn’t associated with Nick when you think about Nick the images of SpongeBob and The Rugrats pop into my head. Why Viacom do a name change? Nick Cannon the spokesperson or whatever of the new channel was a bad move. So shoot wasn’t TeenNick already tried on Nickelodeon and failed miserably so. If at first you don’t succeed try try again and possibly fail. I still love Degrassi I just won’t be waving my Degrassi/The-N love anymore.

I hate the new name change.
I’d never think in a million years The-N would change it’s name to TeenNick. I guess every channel has to cater to the tween generation. I grew up with The-N I remember watching Degrassi from 2003 or so and Instant Star. The-N had an edgier name that wasn’t associated with Nick when you think about Nick the images of SpongeBob and The Rugrats pop into my head. Why Viacom do a name change? Nick Cannon the spokesperson or whatever of the new channel was a bad move. So shoot wasn’t TeenNick already tried on Nickelodeon and failed miserably so. If at first you don’t succeed try try again and possibly fail. I still love Degrassi I just won’t be waving my Degrassi/The-N love anymore.

I remember back when Myspace was the big thing, and the thought of joining Facebook was stupid.  Then I finally joined Facebook and loved it.

Then there was the time where Facebook was the big thing and Twitter seemed stupid.  Now I’ve joined Twitter, and I LOVE it.

Social media has always been a way that celebs can connect with fans.  Celebs have their own “official” pages on Myspace and the fan pages on Facebook, but there’s still a disconnect of sorts.  There’s always that feeling it’s just updated by some PR person, and it’s being used as nothing more than another promotion tool.

I’m sure it’s that way with some celebs on Twitter, but Twitter is so easy to use it seems like more and more celebs post tweet updates themselves.  This is awesome news for us Degrassi fans.  Whether it’s Stefan Brogren tweeting while on the Degrassi set, or Lauren Collins telling us where she’s headed for dinner, there’s nothing cooler than seeing a Degrassi star tweet about their activities during the day.

Wait a minute…

…even cooler than that is when you tweet them, and they respond back (but at the same time don’t expect them to respond…they receive tons of tweets a day and it’d be overwhelming for them to try and reply to them all). 

Scott Paterson and Melinda Shankar goofing off in a twitter video.

For me, it provides a greater appreciation for the Degrassi characters when you get to see the actor that plays them.  Melinda Shankar (Alli) and Scott Paterson (Johnny) are hands down the two most entertaining Degrassi stars to follow on Twitter.  I not only enjoy the banter between the two real-life best friends, but the videos Melinda posts on twitvid are goofy and fun.  Since we only see them on tv it’s hard to fathom celebs doing ”normal” things like us everyday people.  However, Twitter allows us to see stars in a newer, more genuine light.  It extends beyond what we see of them when they’re in character on tv, or in an interview on an entertainment show; It’s like you’re getting a sneak peak into their lives.

(NOTE: You can find a list of Degrassi twitter profiles in the sidebar to the right of this blog, under “Degrassi Twitters.”)