Kobe Bryant buys a $329,000 Car.

Ferrari 458 Italia

According to reports, Kobe Bryant is now the proud owner of a Ferrari 458 Italia. Its 4.5-liter V-8 engine won the Best Performance Engine category in the 2011 International Engine of the Year competition. "We're told the Black Mamba paid $329,000 for the car ... cut the check. Cosby Sweaters points out that Kobe has an endorsement deal with Mercedes — he's also got a deal with Smart. I bet Kobe spent that Smart and Mercedes money on the new whip. Ha. Ball Out Kobe! MadOne  

Wal-Mart is Worried about Amazon

Five years ago, the world’s largest retail chain didn’t have to worry much about the world’s largest online mall. Only about a quarter of Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) customers shopped at Amazon.com (AMZN), according to data from researcher Kantar Retail. Today, however, half of Wal-Mart customers say they’ve shopped at both merchants. That’s leaving the mega-retailer—which long ago bested local brick-and-mortar merchandise stores and supermarkets across America—with a massive online competitor that is too tough to ignore. Threatening Wal-Mart’s dominance are two trends: The discounter’s traditional customers—bargain hunters making less than $50,000 a year—are getting more tech-savvy, and more-affluent shoppers who began frequenting Wal-Mart during the recession are returning to Amazon as their finances improve. 

In the last year Wal-Mart has increased its investment in its online business. The company has spent more than $300 million acquiring five tech firms since May and hired more than 300 engineers and code writers in the U.S. and India. Wal-Mart is trying to improve links between its store inventory, website, and mobile phone apps so that more customers can order online and pick up their purchases at stores, which half of Web customers do already. Wal-Mart is trying Web-based shopping tactics, like its Pay With Cash program for Wal-Mart customers who don’t have credit cards. The new program allows them to reserve products online and pay cash at their nearest store. To cater to its affluent customers, Wal-Mart is selling more expensive items—for example, high-end televisions from Sony (SNE) and Samsung—only online. What's my take on all this.... shop Amazon. MadOne / Bloomberg BusinessWeek

MADNESS PREMIERE: Mystikal feat. Birdman & Lil Wayne

MADNESS PREMIERE: Meek Mill - Lean Wit It

UNDERGROUND JUKEBOX: Rello - "Make It"

Neofilliac: Trey Songz - Sex Ain't Better Than Love

Kicks On Celebs: March 20th, 2012 - Rocky Fresh, V-Nasty, Nas, Tommy Lee....

Nas in the Air Jordan 10 "Stealth"

Jay-Z in the Nike Air Yeezy 2 Black/Pink

Tony Yayo & 50 Cent in the Nike Air Foamposite One "Galaxy"

Rockie Fresh in the Air Jordan 9 "Olive"

2 Chainz in the Nike LeBron 9 "Galaxy"

V-Nasty in the Air Jordan 1 Silver/White

T.I. in the adidas Rod Laver Orange/Green

LowKey in the Nike LeBron 9 "Freegum"

A$AP Rocky in the Air Jordan 4 "Cement"

Killa Kyleon in the Nike Zoom KD IV Navy/Orange

Victor Cruz in the Air Jordan 13 "Flint"

Doughbeezy in the Nike Air Foamposite One "Metallic Red"

Lil Wayne in the Air Jordan 12 "Playoff"

Tommy Lee in the Supra Skytop Black/White

Slim Thug in the Air Jordan 6 Black/Red

ScHool Boy Q in the Reebok Answer 1 Black/Gold

Nipsey Hussle in the Converse Chuck Taylor Low Red/White

Meek Mill in the Air Jordan 6 "Carmine"

Mystikal in the Vans Old Skool LX Black/White

B.o.B. in the Jeremy Scott x adidas Originals Africa

Kicks On The Hardwood: March 22nd 2012

Amar'e Stoudemire shooting in the Nike Air Max Sweep Thru

Gary Forbes wearing the Nike Lunar Hypergamer "Green Camo"

Amir Johnson (right) wearing an iD version of the Nike Zoom Kobe VII

Sundiata Gaines defending in the Air Jordan 14 White/Varsity Red

Josh Smith in the adidas adiZero Shadow

Nate Robinson shooting in the Air Jordan 10 "Stealth"

Nick Young and Kevin Durant in an iD version of the Nike Zoom Kobe VII and the Nike Zoom KD IV, respectively

Chris Paul and Derek Fisher in the Jordan CP3.V and the adidas adiZero Crazy Light, respectively

Jrue Holiday in the adidas adiZero Crazy Light

Stephen Jackson and Luke Ridnour in the Air Jordan 11 "Concord" and the Nike Zoom Kobe V, respectively

Ty Lawson laying it up in the Nike LeBron 9 "Mango"

Ben Gordon in an iD version of the Nike Zoom Kobe VII

Ramon Sessions in the Reebok Zig Encore

Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant in the Nike Zoom Kobe VII "Duke" and the Nike Zoom Kobe VII "Poison Dart Frog", respectively

Dwight Howard wearing the adidas adiPower Howard

Shannon Brown sporting the Air Jordan 14 "Last Shot"

Jose Calderon and John Lucas III in the Li-Ning Yu Shuai 7 "Camouflage" and the Nike Zoom KD IV, respectively

Coming Soon to Theaters: Snow White and the Huntsman

Nike Zoom Kobe VII “Lakers Home”

Nike Zoom Kobe VII System
White/Concord-Del Sol-Pure Platinum
488371-101
March 31, 2012
$140

Coming Soon to Theaters: Prometheus Full Trailer

Flashback Classic: RUN DMC - Beats to the Rhyme