(AllHipHop News) Veteran Miami rapper Katrina “Trina” Taylor and The Executive Club Worldwide are teaming up with Penalty Entertainment (Sony Red Distribution). The Diamond Princess’ Rockstarr Music Group imprint will join the Penalty roster, and her sixth studio album will be released via the label.
“I am honored to welcome Trina and The Executive Club Worldwide to the growing Penalty family,” expresses Neil Levine, President and CEO of Penalty Entertainment. “The Trina brand is one of the most prevalent brands within the Hip Hop industry, and Penalty is pleased to continue the trajectory of such an A-list artist.”
Trina’s next project is scheduled for release this summer. The album features executive production credits from songwriter/producer Rico Love (Beyoncé, T.I.). The female rhymer also recruited Love for the LP’s lead single “The Real One.”
“This is the beginning of a new direction and stage within my career, and now my own imprint – Rockstarr Music Group,” states Trina. “I have collaborated with so many different talents during my career thus far, and I am beyond excited to share this phase with the world as I continue to evolve.”
Previously, Trina dropped studio albums such as Da Baddest B*tch (2000), Glamorest Life (2005), and Amazin’ (2010). She also released over 10 mixtapes since first grabbing the attention of the music world as a guest on Trick Daddy’s “Nann N***a” in 1998.
“This is just the beginning of a successful new phase for Trina and her undeniable career growth,” adds Executive Club Worldwide’s Jullian Boothe. “I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside her on all of her albums, and we are entering an exciting new chapter to take it to the next level.”
Pittsburgh emcee J-Haze continues his string of releasing new music with the track “Blue House Slippers.” Xavier handled the production. Haze’s Heroin Habits mixtape is on the way.
(AllHipHop News) Wu-Tang Clan member Raekwon’s 1995 album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… with guest star Ghostface Killah is often cited as one of the most masterful musical projects of any genre. The classic LP will be revisited in a new documentary from Rae, longtime business partner Raj “Trini” Maharaj (executive producer), and AllHipHop.com’s own Steve “Raze” Julien (producer).
The Purple Tape Files: The Documentary & Film will feature interviews with notable artists, journalists, and industry insiders. In order to help fund the project, Raekwon is launching a crowdfunding campaign through FanBacked. Fans can donate $5.00 – $10,000.00 with special incentives for contributors.
Rewards range from a 20th Anniversary Purple Tape Sticker to producing credit on the film. Various packages also include visits to the set, all access to Raekwon’s shows for the next 5 years, the chance to spend a day in the studio with the rapper, and have The Chef review your personal mixtape.
“To ensure the validity and vision of the project, I felt that crowdfunding was the only way to go. This film will be true to the album 100%. This project is for the fans, by the fans,” states Raekwon. “We created incentives that real fans will enjoy.”
The Purple Tape Files: The Documentary & Film is scheduled to be complete in August 2015. It will be released through Raekwon’s newly formed production company Third Eye Vision. Rae is set to speak on the documentary at this year’s Coachella Festival and the Toronto Film Festival.
BET’s Wild-N-Out Wednesday winner, Deanna Stealth aka Ms. Cookie releases”Focus,” a new track off her forthcoming project that is due out this spring. The 106-N- Park Alum and DMV native has teamed up with producer Big Trez to produce an upbeat club tempo that showcases her playful flow over an electro-hip hop beat. Deanna Stealth is working on a new mixtape this Spring that is the follow up to the latest release Stealth Mode
(Photos from left: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images, Theo Wargo/NBC/Getty Images)
For some reason we seem to like Nicki Minaj and Meek Mill together. But hold up… do Nicki Minaj & Safaree want that old thing back? After all their relationship or break up rather served as a majority of the subject matter on her latest album, The Pinkprint. The former couple celebrated their 10 year anniversary last year and just tweeted subliminal loves messages to each other on Twitter. After the subtweets of public love display, fans began to tweet Nicki Minaj begging for the two to kiss and make up. After so many tweets Nicki tweeted “Please Stop”. Check out the tweets below.
We’ve spent two full seasons observing the Harlem hood soap opera known as VH-1’s Black Ink Crew. We’ve spent week after week on the edge of our seats watching the up-and-down, day-to-day dysfunction of Alex, Sky, Sassy, Ceaser, Puma, Dutchess, Oh Sh*t and the rest as they go back-and-forth in the confines of a black owned and operated tattoo shop. And whether we laughed, cried or cringed, we all tuned in.But with season three well under way, the twist, turns and tragedies have escalated to face-palming proportions. Well AHH’s MrMecc sat down with the wild man of the pack Puma to talk Patron vs Hennessy, Oh Sh*t’s rehab chances and the whole chicken-Ceasar slamming debacle.
In honor of the Notorious B.I.G’s 18th death anniversary New York restaurant chefs Chris Jaeckle and Dale Talde have collaborated to create a six-course menu inspired some of the Brooklyn emcee’s bars at the restaurant All’onda.
For an appetizer, patrons can taste spiced tomato soup, inspired by his line “V8 juice drinkin, Slim Fast blendin” from his song “F–k Me.” Foodies can then munch on cracked pepper jerk crab and lobster toast, which Big mentioned on “I Love the Dough” when he rapped “country house, tennis courts, and horseback ridin’, decidin’: cracked crab or lobster?” Then comes a serving of butter poached escargot, which he famously rapped about on “Hypnotize” when he said “Escargot my car go 160 swiftly, wreck it buy a new one, your crew run run your crew run run.”
Biggie also had a love for patties from the Jamaican spot Golden Krust, so Jaeckle and Talde cheffed up curried oxtail patties, pickled scotch bonnet and ginger relish. For dessert, G.O.A.T. milk cheesecake, strawberry jam, cola caramel is served as they channeled his love for Junior’s Cheesecake, which he usually ate with a Coca-Cola on the side.
This menu will be served from 5:30 p.m to 10:30 p.m at All’onda in 22 east 13th street in Union Square. It will cost you $85.
Way Howe holds it down for Westchester, NY with her brand new video for “914 Banga” featuring Earl Franchise. Much like Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz had everyone screaming “Uptown Baby,” I can see “914 Banga” becoming quite the anthem.
Nick Gordon is spinning out of control. He sat down for a interview-turned-intervention with Dr. Phil and a preview has been released.
In the clip, Gordon is distraught over Bobbi Kristina still being in a coma and the loss of her mother Whitney Houston, who died in 2012.
“I miss Krissi and Whitney so much! I want them back,” he said tearfully.
Gordon, who was being consoled by his mother Michelle, also revealed how he really feels about his girlfriend’s father. “I hate Bobby Brown!,” he shouted at Dr. Phil.
Bobby Brown’s sister, Leolah, has cautioned Dr. Phil to not allow Gordon to tell his side of the story.
“Dr. Phil, With all due respect, Nick Gordon is under investigation for the attempted murder of my niece Bobby Kristina Brown,” she said in a Facebook post. “We have strong evidence of foul play. Until this investigation is completed by law enforcement, I would ask that you or anyone else not provide this individual a platform to spin this situation to his benefit.”
The 25-year-old stormed out after the TV doctor cautioned him to go to rehab, even though he obliged after the taping. The full interview will air on Dr. Phil on Mar. 11th.
Lil’ Wayne has dropped a preview for a new music video for a track called “HollyWeezy,” which means the Free Weezy Album is on it’s way.
With stormy skies and Hollygrove, Hollywood and Houston as his backdrop, Wayne raps ferociously in the barely 30 second clip. In a recent chat with Rolling Stone, Weezy revealed that the Free Weezy Album would drop some time in March, so the video will hopefully be premiering soon.
Many entertainment gurus have called the current times the “Golden Age of Television,” but while exceptional writing and acting are dominating the small screen, viewers searching for great content are also turning their attention to an even smaller screen.
The Internet has opened the door for independent minded creators to produce work on their own merits and present stories that have traditionally been ignored by Hollywood. Industry veterans Meagan Good (Waist Deep, Stomp The Yard) and Tamara Bass (Baby Boy, Boston Public) are among the filmmakers embracing cyberspace as the next realm for their for artistic ventures.
Good and Bass joined forces to launch Krazy Actress Productions, and the team’s debut project is the new web series All That Matters. The drama follows a recently engaged couple’s journey after an unexpected turn takes place in their lives.
All That Matters was developed by Bass. Good fell in love with Bass’ script, and the longtime friends decided to co-direct the project – a feat rarely attempted by African-American women. As the duo set to create narratives both directors were passionate about, one partner’s strength counterbalanced the other’s weakness.
Bass also stars in the lead role of Joy alongside Tracey Dukes (Kevin) and Josiah Smith (Kayla). WorldStarHipHop founder Lee “Q” O’Denat and Shade 45 host Sway Calloway serve as executive producers for All That Matters. The 5-episode presentation will stream on WorldStarHipHop.com.
AllHipHop.com spoke with Tamara Bass and Meagan Good about their first foray into creating content for the Information Superhighway. The ladies behind All That Matters address using the series to display positive images of African-American life and to provide a window into the challenges families face everyday.
How did you first meet and what led you to start a production company together?
Meagan: Tamara and I started auditioning with each other when we were teenagers. She moved to California to pursue her career of being an actress. I lived in California. We would see each other, and we bonded on auditions which is very rare in this business. Often times, you’re told the other person’s your competition, but we immediately hit it off.
One day I went home with her, and from there, history was set on its course. We became – not just best friends – but sisters. As we got older, we both wanted to create.
She’s an incredible writer. We talked about the kind of projects we wanted to do and the kind of things we wanted to put in the universe. Also, we talked about the kind of roles we would like to see Black women have an opportunity at and the ways we would like to see Black men portrayed in the world.
How was the transition going from being in front of the camera to behind the camera?
Tamara: I can honestly say directing yourself is extremely difficult. There’s so many things that you don’t always think about, but I’m someone who strives on the difficulties in life. If it’s too easy for me, it’s not as rewarding. I like things that make me step outside of my comfort zone.
That aspect of the transition, while it was a little strange, was very fluid. It felt very natural. It felt very organic in the process. It just seemed like the natural evolution. I’ve always been multi-faceted. I’ve always been someone that liked acting, directing, and writing. I just wasn’t always confident to put it out there to the world completely.
Then one day I said, “What do I have to fear? What’s the worse that can happen? If it doesn’t work out, I can still try.” And to do that transition in the comfort of this friendship made it even easier. Because I have her as my partner, it felt seamless.
Joy (Tamara Bass)
The story that plays out in All That Matters touches on several family dynamics. Why did you choose to tackle those particular themes?
Meagan: Initially, the thought process was you don’t get to see the girl next door’s story. It’s usually the love interest, the victim, or if there is a character that isn’t one of those two then she’s usually not the lead. When you look at women across the world, we come in different shapes, different sizes, different walks of life, different mindsets, different perspectives.
I think exploring this side of the story is really more interesting than a lot of the ones that were projected on screen. Seeing the truths, the vulnerabilities, and the complications of life – it’s a lot more interesting to tell a real story from a woman’s perspective.
As it pertains to men, it’s showing them in a different light. A lot of times when you see a Black man on camera, he’s either the cheater, the guy who left his kid, or the guy who’s all about his money. So for us, it was let’s tell the other side of the story that is less seen, but in actuality is more of the truth of who we are as people. Everybody can relate to it, because it’s your brother, your sister, your cousin, your mother, your daughter.
Tamara: We were just playing with the idea of your plans being derailed. We all as human beings have these plans in our lives. My plan was going to be graduate high school, graduate college, and move to Los Angeles. My career was going to go in this linear trajectory, and then never look back.
Well, life threw me curveballs and a different set of circumstances. Where I thought I was going to go from A to B to C, life said, “No, I’m going to take you from A to J then back to A again.” In my everyday conversations with my sisters and friends, we always talk about what happens when you have to deal with those curveballs.
I wanted to play with that in different arenas. So I threw in a kid – a definite curveball. What does your life look like now? You’re thinking, “I got engaged. I’m planning weddings,” and life says, “Ha, ha. Now you have a five-year-old.’” How do you deal with that? I wanted a creative way to answer those questions.
Kayla (Josiah Smith)
Why did you decide to pursue this story as a web series as opposed to a TV show or a film?
Tamara: For a web series, we got to have a very contained environment. We have control of the narrative. We don’t have to answer to a studio, a network, executives, or everybody and their grandmother having an opinion.
Outside of independent films, when you do any kind of film in Hollywood you have 20-30 people to answer to who all have an opinion. That’s not the world that America wants to see.
With web series and with this platform, you have more control over the narrative. We get to tell the story that we wanted to tell. And it’s creative. It’s a way to get it out quickly. It’s a way to get around the red tape.
If it does eventually transfer to TV, at least we got to own the narrative for however long it lived in this space. It gives us a track record, so if our next project goes to TV, we now have a way to say, “Hey, if you guys step back and let us do our job, this is what we can create.” It gives us a little bit more leverage going into the future.
WorldStar has its supporters, but it also has its critics. That criticism mostly stems from some of the violent and sexual content posted on the site. Were you ever concerned about the negative imagery that’s sometimes associated with WorldStar being connected to your brand?
Meagan: For us, it was instead of complaining about the negative imagery let’s change it. Let’s be on the forefront of creating something different. Initially, when Tam and I put this together it was “Okay, we’re putting this together. We’re going to put it out.”
At the time Q and I were in conversation about doing something potentially different that Tam and I was going to get on. He expressed wanting to change some of the content that was on WorldStar, wanting to go in a more positive direction. Also, he wanted to create more original content. We met with him and told him we do have some original content that might be a good fit for that particular audience and demographic.
We know there are a lot of people that are skeptical and say there are a lot of negative things there, but for us it wasn’t about complaining about it or judging it. It was about being on the frontline of changing it. Let’s put something else on there that’s different for people to look at. It was an opportunity to go into a very active space where people are paying attention, and bring them another option of something to watch.
As we recover from the shock of Drake dropping his unexpected mixtape (album?) If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late, an unreleased verse from the album has popped up. Fans somehow got this verse, which was slated for the track “Madonna,” out of the stash and OG Ron C and The Chopstars uploaded a chopped and screwed version to Soundcloud.
Echelon Music Group artist and Miami native JACC hooks up with New York’s own Chris Rivers. This video took place in the Bronx giving back the hip hop culture by capturing the mecca on camera and becoming another addition to restore the life of the hip hop movement. The track titled, “Like This” produced by Kingpin and engineered by Akeem Dawson is the first release for JACC’S upcoming mixtape, “Untitled” release date coming soon.
Iggy Azalea has left social media jilted as she is trying to escape all the stones thrown her way. Now, she may have to turn off her TV set. Over the weekend Saturday Night Live poked fun as the Australian-born rapper in a skit called the “Iggy Azalea Show.” In the clip, Kate McKinnon played a happy-go-lucky Iggy who tries to be a hardcore rapper who is really nothing she pretends to be.
Jay Pharoah plays her “rap daddy” T.I while a Riff-Raff lookalike, played by Chris Hemsworth, reveals himself as Iggy’s hip-hop coach who give tips on how to fake it till she makes it. The show also mocked Ig’s beef with Azealia Banks, whom the ‘Black Widow” rapper tried to style-swipe during the skit. The real Banks loved it though.
I totally have to chime in on the SNL skit. It was really funny and spot on. I loved my outfit so much LOL . @nbcsnl
SNL isn’t the first TV show to tease the “Goddess” rapper. ESPN anchor Robert Flores took a jab at her recently and said she was “trying to kill hip-hop.”
Big Sean is bringing his dark sky paradise to your city. The “Blessings” rapper revealed on twitter over the weekend that he was hitting the road in support of his new no. 1 album and has included some international stops along the wat. The 25-city trek kicks off in Cancun, Mexico on Mar. 12th and then passes through the Bahamas, Texas, Japan, London, Ohio, Vegas and Minnesota. More dates are expected to be added to the tour.
Upcoming Rapper from Chicago, Bowl King is bursting onto the scene with the video for his single “Street Platinum”. Street Platinum is down-tempo song that gives off a smooth street feel that every hustler can relate to. On this song you’ll hear his rugged rapping style and see the success that he’s made.
In this video you will see that simple is better; he paints a picture with his words of his hustle to go along with selective platinum images. With lines like “I’m counting money on my young sh*t/getting money/f### the dumb sh*t…” he makes it known that he is focused on his money and he’s determined to get it by any means. While most rappers settle for Gold, Bowl King is living in his glory being platinum, street platinum that is. Street Platinum was produced by Chase Davis and the track is one of many that will be on his up and coming project “No Glorification”.
(AllHipHop News) Brooklyn rapper Maino was facing some serious criminal charges after Mellanie Monroe accused him of assaulting her. The p### star later admitted she lied about the incident, and the assault charges against Maino were dropped.
Maino called into the Sway In The Morning radio show to address the false allegations. The “All These Hoes” rhymer reiterated his innocence and offered his thoughts on why Monroe fabricated the assault. According to Maino, his false accuser was upset she was put out of his car.
“Home girl was embarrassed because she was getting kicked out. I guess it was a situation where she thought she could get away with that. But I’m too sexy for jail,” stated Maino.
While Maino’s reputation took a hit from the untrue accusations, the whole ordeal may have cost him financially as well. He tells Sway certain possible business opportunities were put in jeopardy.
“It cost me certain situations I had on the table. We do business in other places. It ain’t just off of rap and shows,” Maino explained. “Nobody wants to stand next to an accused woman beater.”
(AllHipHop News) Ever since news broke that Suge Knight killed a man during a hit-and-run, there have been reports footage of the incident was captured on video. TMZ has now obtained a copy of the surveillance video showing Knight running down Terry Carter and Cle “Bone” Sloan.
Suge’s initial attorney for the case, David Kenner, stated publicly that he believed the footage would prove his client was “ambushed” before the incident took place. The video released by TMZ does show a man allegedly identified as Sloan approaching Suge’s truck before being hit by the vehicle.
Sloan was injured from the hit-and-run, and Carter was killed. Knight is now facing a murder charge. The founder of Death Row Records has since fired his attorneys and has also battled serious health conditions.
Police still believe the footage confirms Knight could have escaped the situation without hitting Sloan. According to TMZ, Carter’s family asked the site to post the video.
“The Carter family is pleased you are releasing the video so the public can see what actually occurred and not be forced to speculate based on third party descriptions of the video,” said the family’s lawyer Gary Dordick.
