Hello, Hi and welcome to RDAT Tourney Talk, brought to you by Black History Month.

Did you know that George Washington owned slaves? He inherited them from his father and while historians note that he was fair and kind to them, they were still his property.

After the war when the national capital was located in Philadelphia, Washington and his property moved to Pennsylvania.

The state’s Abolition Act of 1780 released all slaves living within the state after their 28th birthday. To circumvent this rule, the first President “would travel back to Mount Vernon”, thereby resetting their clock.

The bracket is clearing up with the higher seeds seemingly marching towards a trip to the Final Four. Before we look ahead, here are links back to all the previous matchups.

• Game 1 – Groups – Brooklyn vs. ATL
• Game 2 – Groups – Founders vs. Finance
• Game 3 – NYC – Polaris vs. The Latin Comet
• Game 4 – Outside NYC – The Great White Hope vs. Black Excellence
• Game 5 – Outside NYC – Jersey Blunts vs. Social Chicago
• Game 6 – NYC – Marlo vs. Omar
• Game 7 – NYC – Business, Man vs. Microphone Fiend
• Game 8 – Queens – Reggie Jackson vs. Alan Trammell
• Game 9 – Groups – Drive-In Movies vs. Video Music Box
• Game 10 – Groups – Tina and Amy vs. Bugs and Daffy

And here’s the latest look at the remaining albums:

Outside NYC Bracket – Brought to you by our Corporate Champion, grits. The breakfast food that when properly made makes complete sense and when it’s not can ruin anyone’s morning.

Eminem – The Slim Shady LP vs. Kanye West – The College Dropout

There are numerous ‘What If’s’ within this bracket, but in the end it comes down to a battle between two artists who used the success of this initial album to spark a long-lasting lucrative career. Both have created bigger songs than those off their debut, but still have classics worthy of a replay on each.

NYC Bracket – Brought to you by our Corporate Champion, Jerry’s Pizza in Teaneck, NJ. It’s not ‘New York’ style pizza. It’s certainly not anything you get from Domino’s or Pizza Hut. It’s just good pizza with slices cut so you’re required to fold the crust in half and take a bite.

Jay-Z – Reasonable Doubt vs. Notorious B.I.G. – Ready To Die

I stand by the fact that we remember Christopher Wallace in a different light due to his 1997 unsolved murder. And that Shawn Carter continues to memorialize him by using his lyrics, putting him on a level that seems untouchable. It will be an interesting since Jay’s album has similarly been lifted up way higher than it was when initially released.

Queens Bracket – Brought to you by our Corporate Champion, Hair Relaxer. The chemical substance that has burned black women’s scalps and straightened their hair for decades is something than any true black man would admit doesn’t matter as much to them as it does to  you.

1. Nas – Illmatic vs. the winner of 2. 50 Cent – Get Rich or Die Tryin’ / 3. Black Sheep – A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Game 8 will feature a duo that met in North Carolina against a rapper who admits to sounding like he’s from the South. The winner will face the definitive 5 Mics in The Source album.

Groups Bracket – Brought to you by our Corporate Champion, Group Text Message Chats. Can you remember a time when if you wanted to speak with three of your closest friends at the same time, you had to be in the same room? Yeah, neither do I.

1. Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the 36 Chambers vs. 4. Run D.M.C. – Run D.M.C.

2. Black Star – Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Black Star vs. 3. OutKast – Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik

This bracket, Games 9 and 10, is still the proverbial Group of Death, whether talking about the influence felt across the industry or the quality of the music with an intriguing 2-3 matchup.

Well, there are your brackets and pairings. This is a breath of fresh air before we storm down the final stretch and crown a champion. We’d like to thank our Corporate Champions – Grits, Jerry’s Pizza in Teaneck, Hair Relaxer and Group Text Message Chats.

Artists and albums still in play are currently getting spins and will be ready for a final judgement. The question is, are you?

Be sure to follow us on Twitter, comment on Facebook and network with us on LinkedIn. Thanks for coming out and we hope to see you in the Final Four!