Career Builder: Casual Friday

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6 p.m.

So this isn’t a commercial, but the Jay-Z intro is pretty impressive, because drum beats = drama, and have that lovely orchestral backing that scream “Important sports documentary moment.” And it doesn’t involve Diddy, which everything seemed to about five years ago, so all the better.

You know what’s not a Super Bowl commercial but that I love anyway? Those surreally cheesy Bedding Barn ads with the weird dude in the cape and the women in the costumes playing drums and the big red barn they’ve been using since 1987. It’s the most consistent “What that higgity was that?” moment in advertising, and it’s so awful you gotta love it. Read the full story

Akon was slated to play the South Florida Summer Fest. (AP)

South Florida Summer Fest, an R&B/hip hop show set as a tribute to Michael Jackson, has been postponed.

According to Adrian Ruhi of The Miami Herald, the show was originally scheduled for Aug. 22 at the AmericanAirlines Arena, and would’ve featured performances by T-Pain, Akon, Ne-Yo, Keri Hilson and more.

Ruhi points out the reason given was the weather — specifically, two hurricanes in the Caribbean. But with only Hurricane Bill in the Atlantic even possibly becoming a problem, the reasoning can only be considered specious at best.
Read the full story

The album: Deeper Than Rap (Def Jam)

The artist: Rick Ross

The spin: Between Trilla, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 in February last year, and this album, which debuted at No. 1 last month, more seems to have happened on the outside than on record and in concert. Miami-bred Ross, who had to deal with photos that showed he was a corrections officer and with a running feud with 50 Cent, makes his on-album statement by surrounding himself with lush synths, a huge cast of guests and big bass. It’s in interesting opposition with Ross’ tough-gangsta lyrics. Problem is, he’s really not breaking new ground here — Port Of Miami from 2006 was stronger with a smaller budget.

Grade: B-minus