SmashTime Radio: Shade 45 Anniversary Edition
Artist: Clinton Sparks & EminemTitle: SmashTime Radio: Shade 45 Anniversary EditionRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: KeiSaundra K.Sincere Henderson The definition of a mixtape at times requires that there be several artist who have come together to help a DJ compile music assisted by mixing and sampling of previously recorded tracks. Clinton Sparks and Eminem’s SmashTime Radio: […]
The Desired Effect
Artist: Moka OnlyTitle: The Desired EffectRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Slav Kandyba The NBA may have pulled out of Vancouver, but not even a sour situation with a major can stop the city’s own Moka Only. The emcee’s recognizable mellow chops have hit U.S. eardrums on a variety of releases and fans accustomed to Moka’s sound […]
DMC, DMX Celebrate ‘Day Of The Child’
Hip-Hop icon Darryl "DMC" McDaniels of Run-DMC and rapper DMX are among the performers at this year’s Day of the Child celebration tomorrow (Nov. 18) at Chelsea Piers in New York. Presented by New York City’s Administration for Children’s Services and Children Uniting Nations, the Day of the Child is described as the community’s way […]
Jim Jones: Boulders At The Throne
For the clueless few, Jay-Z and the Diplomats have had friction between them even when the group leader Cam’ron and company were signed to Roc-A-Fella Records. The tension had settled under the surface, dormant for many years. Furthermore, when Cam’ron issued his own lyrical barrage at the Def Jam president last year…it was basically ignored. […]
Jay-Z Records Diss To Jim Jones
Jay-Z has lashed out at rapper Jim Jones in a freestyle rap called "Brooklyn High," a song that plays upon Jim Jones’ hit "We Fly High."Jim Jones has public berated the Def Jam president in published word and songs like "Kingdom Done," which features former Roc-A-Fella co-owner Dame Dash. In the "Brooklyn High," Jay says, […]
Kanye Named World’s Best Hip-Hop Artist, Michael Jackson’s ‘Come Back’ Falters
The World Music Awards took place in London for the first time last night (Nov. 15). The evening, which paid special tribute to Michael Jackson, was billed as a come back event for the world’s biggest pop star, but the evening turned out to be a case of more hype than action. Hundreds of fans […]
Mos Def Court Date Pushed Back
A court date for rapper Mos Def, born Dante Smith, was postponed yesterday by a New York court reportedly due to the rapper’s schedule.In August, Mos Def and others were arrested for performing his controversial song "Katrina Clap" outside of the MTV Video Music Awards. The rapper was subsequently charged for disorderly conduct. "Katrina Clap" […]
Clear Channel Bought For $18.7 Billion, 448 Radio Stations Up For Sale
Clear Channel Communications has agreed to be purchased to an investor group for $18.7 billion in cash. The company has been purchased by an investor group led by private equity firms Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital Partners. The entire landscape of radio may shift, as the company also announced plans to sell off […]
Jim Jones, Dipset Prep ‘A Dipset Christmas’
Dipset rapper Jim Jones is celebrating the holiday season with another new album, A Dipset X-Mas.The specially-priced album hits stores on Dec. 5 and will feature Jones and his Dipset cohorts on songs like "Have A Happy Christmas," "Wish List, ""Ballin’ On Xmas," and "If Everyday Was Xmas"The ten-track release also features unreleased material including […]
Killing Fields
Artist: MolemenTitle: Killing FieldsRating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Michael P###### Chicago Hip-Hop is in the middle of everything, and that means sedimentary influence: New York boom-bap, L.A. swagger, Southern drawl; it’s all around, all for the taking. It reached a new high in 2005, with Common (Be) and Kanye West (Late Registration) putting out groundbreaking albums […]
DJ Cocoa Chanelle: Ladies Night
Being a woman in Hip-Hop is not the easiest task. Surfing through the waves of misogyny, bias, and assumed physical inferiority, ladies in the industry are faced with multiple obstacles just to align themselves as equals to the fellas. DJ Cocoa Chanelle is no stranger to this struggle. A seasoned DJ- one of the greatest […]
AZ: Superhero with no Disguise
In an industry full of loud, braggadocios rappers feeding gimmicks to the masses, its a relief to see that some of the strong who move quietly arent being silenced. AZ is definitely one of those who has been standing firm for over a decade, and has no plans for slowing down. One of the signs […]
Fat Joe, The Game Show Hip-Hop Unity In New York
South Bronx, NY rapper Fat Joe and Compton, CA rapper The Game took steps toward ending any residual tension between the East and West coasts on Tuesday (Nov. 14), at the Virgin Megastore in New York. The rappers represent the South Bronx and Compton, two Hip-Hop epicenters that feuded during the 1990’s, touching off the […]
Stephen Hill Talks BET Hip-Hop Awards
Viewers tuning into tonight’s broadcast of the BET Hip-Hop Awards will have something to talk about, according to top BET executive Stephen Hill. The inaugural awards show, hosted by comedian Katt Williams, was held Nov. 12 in Atlanta, and honored the best in Hip-Hop with nominees hailing from various regions. “I felt great about the […]
Irv Gotti Officially Signs Vanessa Carlton
The Inc. founder Irv Gotti continues to rebuild his musical empire with the signing of singer/songwriter Vanessa Carlton, the first new artist on the label since Gotti entered into a joint venture with Universal Motown Records. The classically-trained musician hit the pop charts in 2002 with her debut, Be Not Nobody, which yielded the Top […]
Levert’s Family Announces Tribute, R&B Singer Suffered From Heart Disease
The family of late R&B singer Gerald Levert will publicly celebrate his career Friday (Nov. 17) with a musical tribute in Cleveland. Stevie Wonder, Johnny Gill, Angie Stone, Angela Winbush and others are expected to attend the event, which will honor Levert’s legacy. The ceremony starts at 12:00 p.m. at the Cleveland Music Hall in […]
Life Of Ol’ Dirty Celebrated Tonight In NYC
The late Ol Dirty Bastard will be remembered tonight (Nov. 15) as part of a memorial birthday party hosted by the rapper’s Brooklyn Zu crew and Wu-Tang Clan. The two groups will celebrate the late lyricist’s life at a gathering at the Canal Room in New York City. The event will feature performances by the […]
Chauncey Black: Soul Stirrer
Chauncey Black could be the personification of never forgetting where you came from. Although he has achieved Grammy-winning status as an R&B singer, Black remains rooted in his gospel beginnings. So much so, that his official upcoming solo debut Church Boy is a nod to his upbringing in the church as the product of minister […]
Rick Ross Launches Charitable Organization
Miami rapper Rick Ross is organizing the Rick Ross Charities, which aims to create educational, social and mentoring programs to help improve the quality of life for youngsters.Ross will officially launch the organization Dec. 2 during the Florida Entertainment Summit at Rain night club."I started Rick Ross Charity to give back a positive influence to […]
Ghostface Records Album With Son
Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ghostface Killah is making his new album a family affair with the addition of his 17-year-old son Sun God.The duo joins forces for two tracks on More Fish, the sequel to Ghostface’s previous Def Jam effort, Fishcale.In addition to Sun God, who appears on the tracks "Miguel Sanchez" and "God 2 God," […]
