Akon’s ‘Smack That’ Breaks Billboard Record
By Chris Richburg He may not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, but Akon is making huge, record-breaking strides on the charts these days. The singer/producer’s latest single “Smack That” rose from No. 95 to No. 7 on last week’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart–the largest surge in Billboard’s 48-year history. […]
Nick Cannon To Launch Flagship PNB Store In L.A.
Nick Cannon has announced details of his involvement with clothing line PNB Nation after several months of vague association with the brand. The budding entrepreneur is an equal partner in the company, which was sold by the original owners in 2002. He also serves as the spokesperson and creative director, while the Gurman Twins (Jon […]
Bacardi Mojito/G-Unit Launch ‘Music Cafe” Series
Bacardi Mojito has launched a "Music Cafe" artist series with G-Unit rapper Lloyd Banks, which will travel to seven major cities in the United States this fall. The invite-only event takes place tonight (Oct. 9) at an undisclosed location in New York, where Banks will preview his upcoming release, Rotten Apple. Banks, 24, will also […]
Marques Houston: All The Right Moves
Actors turned singers. singers turned actors. child stars turning childhood success into adulthood success – three things that few people are able to successfully pull off, let alone accomplish all of them within a lifetime. While it took him some time to shake the image of Immatures Batman and Sister Sisters Roger between his solo […]
Diddy Links With YouTube/Burger King For Branded “Diddy TV”
Sean “Diddy” Combs has teamed up with Burger King for a new advertising campaign and a co-branded channel on YouTube called “Diddy TV.” “Diddy TV” launched yesterday (Oct. 7). Viewers received a personal message from the mogul, as well as exclusive access to music tracks and video clips from his upcoming album Press Play. “I’m […]
A Kings County Tale
Artist: StimulusTitle: A Kings County TaleRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Latifah Muhammad On his debut solo album, A King’s County Tale (Sugar Water), Stimulus provides us with lyrical ear candy, by impeccably telling one story after the next on this 15 track disc. The Brooklyn dwellers album opens with “The Story”, a well-written tale of […]
Heroes In The City Of Dope
Artist: Zion I & The GrouchTitle: Heroes In The City Of DopeRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Kathy Iandoli The California independent Hip-Hop scene has been seriously slept on since the dawn of its inception. Whether inhaling the THC-induced sounds of the Bay Area or improving your swagger to the rugged LA street beats, Cali is […]
Show And Prove
Artist: Wiz KhalifaTitle: Show And ProveRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Paine Pittsburgh’s Wiz Khalifa is finally getting well deserved nods after a sparking grassroots movement from an unheard city and without major cosigns. Since his Big Mike hosted mixtape Pittsburgh, Pistolvania at the top of the year, Wiz achieved tremendous buzz and Show and Prove […]
Defari: Steroid Music
In 1999, Defaris debut Focused Daily gave Tommy Boy Records one of its final notches in the catalog during the independent Hip-Hop glory years. Since then, both the artist and the label have heard cries from the masses on bringing it back. At least one of them appears to have listened. Now on the ABB […]
Snoop Dogg: From the Left Pocket Part 1
When telling the story of “how the West was won” in the world of Hip-Hop, you can’t leave out Snoop Dogg. When he first appeared next to Dr. Dre, he was young and fresh, but his words were straight and to the point and let folks know immediately that “Tha D-O-double G” wasn’t for play. […]
Jadakiss Arrested, Hit With Gun Charge
Jadakiss was arrested in Yonkers, New York and charged for weapon possession this morning (Oct. 7). According to police, Jadakiss was one of four people in a car stopped around 4:30 am. Authorities searched the vehicle and found a loaded handgun inside of the vehicle. Jadakiss, 31 and three other passengers were charged with criminal […]
Def Jam Takes Jay-Z “Show Me” Leak Seriously, Song Explodes On Radio
While millions of fans are not complaining about today’s (Oct. 6) leak of Jay-Z’s single "Show Me What You Got" his label, Def Jam is taking the breach seriously and may pursue legal action against the individual responsible for the leak.While no one knows who the culprit behind the leak is, sources told AllHipHop.com that […]
Former Employee Names R. Kelly in New Lawsuit
R&B crooner R. Kelly has found himself the target of a new lawsuit filed by a former employee. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Henry Love Vaughn is suing the singer for “breach of verbal contract,” alleging that Kelly reneged on a promise to pay for his collaboration in the creation of Kelly’s#### “Step in the […]
Back2School Concert Promoters Issue Apology For Concert Fiasco
The fallout from the Back2School Jam concert continues, as promoters have issued an apology to fans and placed the blame for the evening’s violent climate on Nassau Coliseum management. The Sept. 30 concert, presented by Hot 97 and Big League Entertainment, was to feature rappers Yung Joc, T.I., Foxy Brown, Lloyd Banks, DMX, and Jim […]
Nas Considers Diddy/Nas Branded Champagne, Diddy Disses Cristal
Nas is in full support of a continued, formal boycott of Cristal–but only if Hip-Hop steps up to replace the champagne, which typically sells for $450-$600 per bottle."I support a boycott if we could come up–like if we put up something, our own champagne. There’s tons of vineyards we could get into and buy," Nas […]
Omar: Internationally Known
After his fifth album, Best By Far, was released, Omar inexplicably stepped into the shadows for a half-decade. Now Englands longest reigning soul provider is back – and it would appear to be by popular demand. Omar aligned himself with the incomparable Stevie Wonder for his new album, entitled Sing (If you want it), which […]
Pigeon John: No Scrub
Pigeon John isn’t just one of the freshest voices to emerge in Hip-Hop this millennium, he may also be the realest. The Inglewood native has never fronted about packing heat or slinging rocks despite the rough environment he came up in. In fact, the Quannum MC carving out a niche in Hip-Hop as the Average […]
Russell Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation Gets $100,000 Donation
In an effort to support local urban youth programs, Carnegie Corporation of New York has donated $100,000 to Russell Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. The one-time sizable donation will assist the foundation in its mission to provide disadvantaged urban youth with significant exposure and access to the arts. “This gift couldn’t have come at a […]
Rapper Cassidy Critically Injured In Car Accident
Philadelphia rapper Cassidy is in critical condition, after an accident last night (Oct. 4) in New Jersey. The rapper was leaving New Jersey enroute for a Yonkers, New York recording studio, when a U-Haul truck swerved into oncoming traffic and crashed into Cassidy’s side of the SUV he was riding in. "He was the only […]
Dr. Dre Biography Set To Hit Stores In Early ’07
A new Dr. Dre opus is coming sooner than you think, but it’s not the long-awaited Detox album–and it’s not by Dr. Dre.The acclaimed producer has lived a largely reclusive life outside of the media, but author Ronin Ro’s upcoming book Dr. Dre: The Biography aims to reveal the artist’s celebrated life through extensive reporting, […]
