Producer Diamond Details New Album
It’s been almost a decade since legendary Bronx producer/MC Diamond has released an album on a label. His debut, Stunts, Blunts, & Hip-Hop is considered by many as one of the finest records ever released. Last year, he dropped some classic unreleased material, as well as new work on Grown Man Talk. Now, he is […]
Queen Latifah: Shop Talk
Forget the fact that Queen Latifah hasn’t done a Hip-Hop album since 1998s Order in the Court, the fact remains that Queen is most assuredly Hip-Hop royalty. From the time she dropped her debut album fifteen years ago, Dana Owens has been putting Ladies First by repping to the fullest. Constantly challenging herself to reinvent […]
Tyra: Country and Luvn It
By now you have probably heard Country Boy on the radio or have seen the video, which has been in BETs 106 and Park Top 10 Countdown for the past few weeks. The sudden buzz has many people wondering: Who is this girl Tyra? The Virginia native has managed to land a nationwide hit with […]
Fight Shuts Down Kanye West Autograph Signing Event
A fight between a patron and a security guard ended a Kanye West autograph signing session in Fresno, California yesterday. West’s autograph signing attracted thousands of people, who showed up at the launch of FTK, a new clothing store that recently launched in the area. According to the Fresno Bee, witnesses said a man attempted […]
Ludacris, Will Smith To Headline MTV African Concert
Ludacris and Will Smith will headline a concert for celebrating the launch of MTV Network’s 100th channel, MTV base, the network’s first pan-African music channel. The open-air concert will take place on April 20, 2005 in Johannesburg, South Africa, in front of over 10,000 fans. "Combining the celebration of MTV Networks’ 1st local African channel […]
Amerie: Perfect Fit, Pt 1
Amerie is no diva. Shes perfectly fine doing her own laundry, she loves being the underdog, and she doesnt understand people with identity issues. While some may have trouble connecting with their different races, she insists that she has always been secure with herself. And though the 25-year-old singer remains slightly under the radar in […]
Amerie: Perfect Fit, Pt 2
AHHA: A lot of female singers tend to get more revealing with their image after their first album. Is that something you think youve done or do you think youve kept a pretty clean image? Amerie: Well, I think definitely [my image] has gotten a little sexier. As far as with short shorts, that hasnt […]
Frankie J: Muy Calienté
The streets fell in love with Frankie J when he laced the hook of Baby Bash’s huge summer hit of 2003 “Suga Suga”. After completing high school in his hometown of San Diego, the Mexican-born crooner got his shot in the music business as lead singer for the successful group Kumbia Kings, and has since […]
Lil’ Kim: Dealing with the Trial for Real
Just a day in the life of Hip-Hop Eshu: Queen B***h 101 couldve answered all the questions posed about the course last semester, including whether or not it would deal with the upcoming trial of Lil Kim. Somewhere along the line, someone decided to simply re-title this course that developed out of my on-going research […]
NHL Player Anson Carter Launches Big Up Entertainment
National Hockey League player Anson Carter has launched Big Up Entertainment, a new record label which the hockey pro aims to turn into the next big Hip-Hop franchise. Carter spent the majority of his career with the New York Rangers. With the NHL on strike for almost a year now, Carter is using the time […]
Common, Kanye Talk ‘Be’
Kanye West is notorious for unabashedly hyping himself as well as his own artists, so naturally the Chicago rapper/producer has projected Common’s upcoming album Be as a classic. Meanwhile, Common has responded to critics who claim West restored his career. "I’m telling you right now it’s five mics [The Source album review rating], five stars […]
ODB’s Mother, Manager Claim Company Exploited Dirty’s Name
Cherry Jones, the mother of Ol’ Dirty Bastard, and manager Jarred Weisfeld have filed a $1.8 million breach-of-contract lawsuit against a Florida-based production company, alleging the company reneged on deals for a rap album and DVD, while using ODB’s name to lure investors. Weisfeld claims AGU Entertainment attempted to exploit Ol’ Dirty’s name after they […]
Paul Wall Talks Grill Biz
The king of chopped-and-screwed, Paul Wall, is knee-deep in the business of teeth, designing and marketing gold teeth for celebrity clients and ordinary folks with his TV Jewelry business. The shop also supplies other jewels besides mouth grills. "There [are] a lot of people that come through there and get their grills done and get […]
Trina Launching Fragrance, Sitcom
Along with a new album dropping this summer, Miami rapper Trina is also set to launch her new fragrance, Diamond Princess by Trina, and is starring in a new sitcom. Trina’s scent is described as floral and feminine, and the box bears an encrusted logo and lavender packaging, according to Trina’s Atlantic Records representative. "It’s […]
ASCAP Honors Jermaine Dupri
Producer/rapper, Jermaine Dupri will be honored with The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Golden Note Award during the society’s 22nd Annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards, the group announced. Dupri will receive the prestigious award during an invitation-only dinner on May 16 in Los Angeles. The newly appointed president of Virgin Records’ Urban […]
Black Market Militia: Struggle Onward
Perhaps it is blind determination that compelled Killah Priest, Tragedy Khadafi, Hell Razah, Timbo King, and William Cooper to unite and form the supergroup Black Market Militia. Each MC respectively conveys a gritty style of street storytelling underlined with Islamic beliefs, Hebraic teachings, and Five-Percenter ideology. This combination of the secular and the spiritual leads […]
Lost and Found
Artist: Will SmithTitle: Lost and FoundRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Houston Williams Will Smith is madly in love with Hip-Hop. This is the only justifiable reason why Phillys first prince of rap would even bother making another rap album. When you are a $20 million-per-film sort of movie star, who needs to rap? However, when […]
The Best Damn Rap Show
Artist: Vast Aire & DJ Mighty MiTitle: The Best Damn Rap ShowRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Maurice Downes Not quite the same feel as a full-fledged album, but not another g-dd@mn mixtape (can we move onto the next forgettable trend in Hip-hop already?) The Best Damn Rap Show (Eastern Conference) occupies a sort of strange […]
The Ripple Effect
Artist: SplashTitle: The Ripple EffectRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Bill “Low Key” Heinzelman Credit is given to Petey Pablo for the introducing North Carolina Hip-hop to the mainstream, but it was Little Brother who broke down the door for the underground. Now the floodgates are open and more Carolina Hip-hop acts are reaping the benefits. […]
Memphis Bleek: Do or Die
Memphis Bleek has been in the wings too long. His albums have moved significant units, and his name transcends Hip-Hop and Pop culture, so why isnt Marcys second son satisfied? Bleek has been around a decade plus, but it is now that he sees as his affirmation to success to be determined this year. In […]
