Jaynari of League Of Starz drops a new beat tape titled Loop God w/ 8 all new unreleased instrumentals.
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Three Questions With Chaos
New Jersey’s Jameel “Chaos” Laboo went from throwing punches in the ring to laying down tracks in the booth. The Born 2 Win Entertainment rapper took up boxing to relive stress, but he later realized making music was a more effective outlet for him to release his emotions and aggression.
Inspired by the work of Tupac Shakur, Chaos embarked on his musical journey with street albums like 2012’s Born 2 Win and Streets On Lean. After releasing the Never Change mixtape featuring Troy Ave and Lee Mazin, Chaos is back six months later with the second installment in the series.
Never Change 2 is a 12-track ride through Chaos’ hometown of Newark. Hosted by DJ Drewski, DJ Naim, and DJ Wallah, NC2 lets listeners bare witness to the Brick City native’s tales of going from convicted hustler to recording artist. Pain, family, paranoia, relationships, prosperity, and conflict are all themes layered throughout the project.
AllHipHop.com caught up with the “I Gotta Ball” performer for “Three Questions.” In the off-kilter interview, Chaos shares his thoughts on the potential Floyd Mayweather/Manny Pacquiao bout, the possibility of having to give up sex, and nearly suffering an embarrassing public moment.
[ALSO READ: Three Questions With The 1978ers (yU & Slimkat)]
As a boxer, who do you think would win in a Floyd Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao fight right now?
Me personally, I believe Floyd will win this fight. Reason being Manny is fighting with emotion. He has something to prove. He’s going to try and knock Floyd out. He’s going to be extra aggressive – all the things Floyd will use to his benefit.
Although Floyd knows he can’t take him lightly, Manny can’t get into his head. That’s what determines the fight. Once you’re cool is lost, the fight’s over.
If you had to give up either making music or having sex for at least three years, which one would you give up ?
That’s a crazy situation, but I will give up music. Not only because sex is the best stress reliever in the world [laughs], but I like kids and when all is said and done I need someone to continue the legacy I plan to build.
What has been one of the most chaotic moments during your time in the music industry?
I think one of my most chaotic moments was when I put together a showcase, and the DJ pulled a no-show at showtime. The place was getting packed, and we were playing music off an iPod. Eventually a back up DJ showed, and it was a success.
[ALSO READ: Three Questions With Khary Durgans]
Follow Chaos on Twitter @Chaosdarealest and Instagram @chaosdarealest.
Stream/Download Chaos’ Never Change 2 below.
Wales Announces 'Album About Nothing' Release Date
Wale released his A-Trak assisted mixtape Festivus, in honor of the Seinfeld holiday, earlier this week to hold fans over until the release of his fourth project, The Album About Nothing. When a fan tweeted him thanking him for gifting his fans with such quality free music, instead of saying thank you back the MMG spitter replied with his album release date, Mar. 31st.
With him releasing a mixtape based on a Seinfield holiday, doing the Complex cover story with Jerry Seinfeld and the album titled also being derived from the 90’s show, it’s only right to believe that the comedian will be apart of the album. There’s no word on his direct involvement, but Wale did mention that he had been linking up with Seinfeld.
“I’ve spent some good time with Jerry [Seinfeld] and we’re gonna keep building on it,” he told MTV News back in October. “I wanna make it super incredible and super honest and I’m really putting the fans first on this one. With The Gifted, I [did] things musically and sonically that I felt I wanted to do for myself, but this one is solely for the fans and solely for the people who made me who I am.”
If you haven’t already, peep the album art below.
Roc & Yella – "Wide Open"
Money Gang America delivers the official video by ROC & YELLA titled “WIDE OPEN” produced by Trap-A-Lot-Musik.
Ray J Partners Up With A Watch Company
Besides becoming an official member of the Love and Hip Hop family this year, Ray J has also been inking some business deals.
Ray J and his business partner David Weintraub have reportedly teamed up with RSNL Watches and now the “Wait A Minute” singer is the face of the company. No details on if he is involved behind the scenes or not. The watches, which sell for anywhere from $150 to $500, are available for purchase at Macy’s, Kohl’s and JC Penney.
2 Chainz Hosts 5th Annual Street Execs Christmas Concert
Photo by Paras Griffin/Gety Images
2 Chainz made many children’s Christmas again this year with his 5th Annual Christmas Charity Concert in Atlanta, GA presented by Street Execs & T.R.U. Foundation. Comedians DC Young Fly and Emmanuel Hudson of Archive Entertainment hosted the event and as usual kept the crowd entertained in between sets. The concert was a huge success as concert goers had the chance to see several major acts perform if they donated an unwrapped toy for a child in need. The show did however come to an end before some of the major acts such as Young Thug, Rich Homie Quan, Bankroll Fresh, Young Dolph, K Camp and Boosie were able to hit the stage. Those in attendance were still able to see performances by 2 Chainz, T.I., Travis Porter, Cap 1, Khaotic, OG Maco, Mishon, Spodee, Rich Kidz, We Are Toonz and many more!
Check out more photos from the event below. Photos by Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Tyga Announces Release Date For 'The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty'
Tyga and his drama with his former label Cash Money/Young Money Records has hindered the release of his long awaited album The Gold Album: 18th Dynasty, which was supposed to hit iTunes yesterday (Dec. 23). Now, it has been announced that the Hotel California rapper’s third studio album is officially dropping on Jan. 27th. The official album art, which was created by Kanye West’s DONDA company, was unveiled earlier this week as well.
Tyga will be releasing this album independently.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed Hosts Annual UNCF Masked Ball Brings Out Jeezy, Ludacris, Big Boi And More
Photo by Prince Williams/ FilmMagic/ Getty Images
The United Negro College Fund in conjunction with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed held their 31st Annual UNCF Mayor Masked Ball. The Black Tie affair is one of Atlanta’s premiere powerful events throughout the year. The masked ball is a fundraising event dedicated to supporting the efforts of the UNCF organization and its member colleges and universities.
The event was also co-hosted by UNCF President and CEO Michael L. Lomax and UNCF EVP Maurice Jenkins and held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Grammy Award-winning Chaka Khan, the Queen of Funk performed her roof-raising musical hits for more than 1,200 ticketed guests. She also received the Phoenix Award.
“The Mayor’s Masked Ball is always a spectacular evening supported by the leaders of Atlanta who share in our efforts to raise funds for the education of college students attending UNCF schools, four that are right there in Atlanta ” Dr. Lomax said in a statement to press. “The ball is UNCF’s signature event and significant opportunity to keep students in school and to help them graduate and go on to secure successful professional careers.”
Ludacris, Young Jeezy, Will Packer, Chris Tucker, TLC’s Chilli and more came out to support and even more celebrities were spotted at the after party including Usher, Bobby V, and Teddy Riley.
The United Negro College Fund is the nation’s oldest and most successful minority higher education assistance organization. Since its founding in 1944, UNCF has raised more than $3.6 billion to help more than 400,000 students receive college degrees at UNCF member institutions and with UNCF scholarships. UNCF accomplishes its mission by providing financial assistance to deserving students, raising funds for its 37 member historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) for scholarships and capacity building and providing technical assistance to those member campuses.
Check out more photos from the event below. Photos by Prince Williams/ FilmMagic/ Getty Images
Madonna Talks Working With Kanye West On "Illuminati" & Nicki Minaj On "B*tch I'm Madonna"
(AllHipHop News) Madonna shocked the music world when she decided to immediately release several songs from her upcoming album Rebel Heart. Six brand new tracks were uploaded to iTunes, and within days the Material Girl was number one on the iTunes chart in 41 countries.
The Queen of Pop got a little assistance from two rap superstars for a couple of new cuts. She tapped Kanye West for “Illuminati” and Nicki Minaj for “B***h I’m Madonna.” The 56-year-old music icon spoke with Rolling Stone about working with Ye and Nicki.
[ALSO READ: Kanye West’s ‘Yeezus’ Has Been Turned Into The Christmas Album ‘Kreezus’]
On working with Kanye on “Illuminati”:
When I played a lot of my songs that were unproduced for Kanye, that song resonated with him. He loved the melody, and he was actually jumping up and down on the soundboard. He literally stood on top of the mixing board — we were worried he was going to hit his head on the ceiling, but he didn’t. He ended up being very excited about that track, and then he added his spin to it, musically, and I love it. To me, he elevated the lyrics with the music. It’s like a siren, alerting people.
On working with Nicki for “B***h I’m Madonna”:
Whenever we work together she always sits with me and listens to the song, and says “tell me what this song is about to you.” She’s very methodical in her thinking. We talk about it, she writes down words that I say describing what the song’s about and the sentiment that I’d like her to get out there, and then she goes away and she works on it. She writes it, she comes back. She does a version of it, we talk about it. It’s a back and forth until she gets it right. It’s a total collaboration.
[ALSO READ: Nicki Minaj To Outperform Album Sales Predictions + J. Cole Closing In On Going Gold]
50 Cent To Help Fight Hunger By Partnering With "Feeding America"
(AllHipHop News) Hip Hop performer and mogul 50 Cent is looking to help give back to those individuals not as fortunate as him. CNN did a report on the multimillionaire’s work with Feeding America, and 50 spoke on why he decided to partner with the 35-year-old group to fight hunger in this country.
“Feeding America is the best charitable organization to be a part of if hunger is your cause,” said 50 at New York food bank.
[ALSO READ: K Camp’s Campsgiving Charity Concert Collects 2,000 Donations For Local Atlanta Shelters]
According to Feeding America’s Angela DePaul, more than 49 million Americans are “food insecure.” The organization is a nationwide collective of food banks that provides services to over 46 million people every year, including 12 million children and 7 million seniors.
50 has also teamed his SMS Audio company with Feeding America. Every pair of SMS headphones purchased online will provide 250 meals to families in need.
“When you look at hunger itself, it takes so much to solve it,” added 50. “The only place I see enough finances to do it is in business itself. This is the real part where you give back.”
[ALSO READ: 50 Cent Says He Completed A $78 Million Deal With Frigo Underwear]
Watch the CNN report on 50 Cent and Feeding America’s “Hunger In America” video below.
Malik Yusef Talks Climate Change Awareness Album "Home" Featuring Common, Ne-Yo & More
(AllHipHop News) Malik Yusef took on the task of executive producing the Hip Hop Caucus compilation album Home (Heal Our Mother Earth). The project is centered around bringing awareness to climate change. Home features appearances by Yusef, Common, Ne-Yo, Elle Varner, Raheem DeVaughn, and more.
[ALSO READ: Common, Ne-Yo, Elle Varner & More To Appear On Hip Hop Caucus’ “Home” Album]
Yusef spoke with Rolling Stone about the LP. The frequent Kanye West/G.O.O.D. Music collaborator explained how he plans to address the issue of improving the environment without alienating listeners.
“You can’t preach,” said Yusef. “I always think about how corny anything about an issue is; how the music is always super subpar. All that s**t is out the window. We gonna make music like we workin’ on Kanye’s album. And then we’ll slip the message in. I work with 14- and 15-year olds and cool is its own currency. You have to be cool.”
The Hip Hop Caucus has been involved in the environmental movement since 2005. The organization’s mission includes influencing African-American institutions and elected officials to not accept finances from the fossil fuel industry. HHC also works to create resources that illustrate the impact of environmental issues on people of color.
The proceeds from the sales of Home will go to organizing communities affected by climate change.
Yusef added, “I want people to say, ‘You know what? I can make a small change.”
[ALSO READ: Hip Hop Caucus Relaunches Respect My Vote! Campaign]
Listen to “Trouble in the Water” by Common, Malik Yusef, and Kumasi below.
Nicki Minaj To Outperform Album Sales Predictions + J. Cole Closing In On Going Gold
(AllHipHop News) Positive reviews and a week-long media blitz may have helped Nicki Minaj’s new album outdo early sales predictions. While the Queens rapper’s third LP The Pinkprint was looking at first week sales between 170,000-180,000, HitsDailyDouble reports the final numbers will be closer to 201,000. Add in streaming totals and Nicki will open with around 250,000 units.
[ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE: Nicki Minaj Talks Lil Wayne/Baby Drama & Being The Greatest Female Rapper During CRWN Interview]
That would put the Young Money representative in the runner’s up position behind Taylor Swift (376,000/331,000). Pentatonix just missed the top two (213,000/203,000), and J. Cole maintained a top 5 spot coming in at four (125,000/111,000). The total units for Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive now sits around 478,000 units.
R&B singer D’Angelo’s oft-delayed return to releasing music has appeared to be a commercially successful one. His surprise new album Black Messiah enters the chart at number 5 (109,000/104,000).
[ALSO READ: D’Angelo Releases Long-Awaited New Album: Black Messiah]
Teenager Antonio Martin Shot By Police In Berkeley, Missouri
(AllHipHop News) There are reports coming out of Berkeley, Missouri that 18-year-old Antonio Martin was killed by a police officer. St. Louis County Police have not officially identified the victim, but the department released a statement claiming the victim pulled a gun at the officer.
[ALSO READ: Ferguson Cop Darren Wilson Gives His Account Of Michael Brown Shooting]
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Toni Martin named her son Antonio as the person shot. She spoke with the media at the scene and told reporters she did not see her son leave the house with a weapon.
“He only just left the house to go see his girlfriend. Maybe he started to run and they got shooting,” she said. The girlfriend was at the scene but declined to speak with the press.
Police stated the officer was “conducting a routine business check” at a local gas station. The officer got out of his car and approached two people he saw standing outside the station. One man allegedly pointed a handgun at the officer, and the cop “fired several shots” out of being “in fear of his life.” Police say a gun was found at the scene.
Berkeley is only two miles away from Ferguson, Missouri. That is the town where unarmed teenager Michael Brown was shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson. A grand jury’s decision to not indict Wilson led to protests and riots in city.
While some people arrived at the site where Martin was killed to peacefully protest, there are reports that crowds did clash with the police. A QuikTrip store was vandalized and trash cans were set on fire.
The St. Louis County’s Crimes Against Persons Unit is being asked to conduct the investigation into the shooting.
[ALSO READ: New Report Suggests Ferguson Witness Lied During Investigation]
Watch video taken at the scene of the Berkeley police shooting below.
Jeezy Shocks Kids, Parents With Free "Annie" Screening
Jeezy has done good once again.
The rapper hosted a screening of “Annie” and surprised a gaggle of young kids, who had no idea that they would be able to see the movie for free.
The rapper even bought popcorn he passed out to attendees, according to The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
The people were ecstatic.
“Jeezy was even passing out the popcorn himself,” Tenisha Bell said “What a wonderful way to pay it forward this holiday season.”
<img src=”http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/lt/lt_cache/aresize/600×600/img/photos/2014/12/23/2c/bb/Jeezy.jpg” alt=”Atlanta rapper surprises ‘Annie’ moviegoers with free show photo” title=”Atlanta rapper surprises ‘Annie’ moviegoers with free show” height=”600″ width=”600″>
Image: ajc.com
Find Out Where You Can View "The Interview"
Sony Studios has been fighting an uphill battle since announcing that the Seth Rogen/James Franco comedy The Interview would be pulled from theatres following threats and criticism from North Korea, who weren’t pleased with their leader being assassinated in the film.
Changing their decision, the film will once again be released on Christmas Day. Only available in select theatres, take a look below to find out where it can be viewed.
[Also Read: Sony will release The Interview on Christmas Day]
Alabama:
Edge 12 – Birmingham
Arizona:
Harkins Theatres – Phoenix
Arkansas:
Riverdale 10 – Little Rock
California:
Agoura Hills Stadium 8 – Agoura Hills
Cinefamily – Los Angeles
Cinémas Palme D’Or – Coachella Valley
Commerce 14 – City of Commerce
Crest Westwood – Los Angeles
East Hills Mall – Bakersfield
Foothill Cinema Stadium 10 – Azusa
Fontana 8 – Fontana
Granada Hills 9 – Granada Hills
Janss Marketplace 9 – Thousand Oaks
Jurupa 14 – Jurupa
Los Feliz 3 – Los Angeles
Laemmle’s North Hollywood 7 – Los Angeles (as of Dec. 31)
Mission Grove Theaters – Riverside
Perris 10 – Perris
Santa Paula 7 – Santa Paula
Sterling 6 – San Bernardino
Van Nuys Plant 16 – Van Nuys
University Village 10 – Riverside
Westminster 10 – Westminster
Colorado:
Alamo – Littleton
Lyric Cinema Cafe – Ft. Collins
Delaware:
Penn Cinemas Riverfront – Wilmington
Rehoboth Beach’s Movies at Midway – Lewes
Westown Movies – Middletown
Florida:
Sun-Ray Cinema – Jacksonville
Georgia:
The Plaza Atlanta – Atlanta
Illinois:
Art Theater Co-Op – Champaign
Hollywood Blvd Cinema – Woodridge
Indiana:
Jasper 8 Theatres – Jasper
Louisiana:
Chalmette Movies – Chalmette
The Robinson Film Center – Shreveport
Maryland:
Eastpoint Movies 10 – Baltimore
Massachusetts
AppleCinemas – Cambridge
Michigan:
Alamo – Kalamazoo
The Michigan Theater – Ann Arbor
Missouri:
Alamo Main Street – Kansas City
MX Movies – St. Louis
New York:
Alamo – Yonkers
Cinemopalis – Ithaca
Cinema Arts Centre – Huntington
Dipson Flix 10 Stadium – Lancaster (Dec 26)
Dipson Lakewood Cinema – Lakewood (Dec 26)
Island Cinemas – Mastic
Ohio:
Tower City Cinema – Cleveland
Gateway Film Center – Columbus
Oregon:
The Fox Theater – Dallas
Pennsylvania:
Southside Works Cinema – Pittsburgh
Puerto Rico:
Caribbean Cinemas – Puerto Rico
Rhode Island:
Cable Car Cinema – Providence
South Carolina
Terrace Theatre – Charleston
Tennessee
Belcourt Theatre – Nashville
Franklin Theatre – Franklin
Texas:
Alamo Lakeline – Austin
Alamo Slaughter – Austin
Alamo South Lamar – Austin
Alamo Ritz – Austin
Alamo – Richardson
Alamo Vintage Park – Houston
Alamo Mason Park – Katy
Alamo – Lubbock
Alamo Marketplace – New Braunfels
Alamo Park North – San Antonio
Alamo Westlakes – San Antonio
City Base Cinema – San Antonio
Vermont:
Merril’s Roxy – Burlington
Virginia:
Alamo Loudoun – Ashburn
Dave Chappelle Shines In New Routine
Comedian Dave Chappelle has officially returned to the stage, kicking off a series of quickly sold-out shows across the country. On December 21 he returned to the Louisville Palace Theatre for a showcase hosted by DJ Trauma, convincing all in attendance that Dave is back.
Recently named GQ Magazine’s “Man of the Year,” he somehow found the humor in everything from the Bill Cosby allegations to police brutality.
Milwaukee Officer Will Face No Charges In Shooting Death Of Dontre Hamilton
Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm has announced that former officer Christopher Manney will face no charges in the death of a mentally ill Black man, after a consultation with police experts advised that the officer had allegedly acted in self-defense.
Addressing the press Chisholm stated, “Manney’s use of force was privileged and justified. On a human level, of course, it’s tragic … but our job is not to tell people necessarily what they want to hear.”
Dontre Hamilton, who family members say had not been taking his medication for schizophrenia, was first found by two officers after it was reported that a homeless man had been sleeping inside of Red Arrow Park. After assessing that no laws had been broken the pair left the man alone, with Officer Manney arriving shortly after. After attempting to pat him down an altercation broke out between the two, resulting in Hamilton being shot over 14 times.
Although Manney has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the incident, it was determined that he didn’t follow department guidelines by treating a mentally ill individual like a criminal; he was fired six months after the fatal shooting.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, a federal review of the case will be conducted.
Jill Scott To Be Honored at Essence's Black Women In Music
Essence will honor Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Jill Scott at the 6th annual Black Women in Hollywood event. Over the last five years, ESSENCE Black Women in Music has honored the achievements of the day’s biggest stars and breakthrough artists. Essence stated, “For our sixth year, we’re proud to honor Scott for her incredible achievement, singular artistry, and powerful storytelling.” Scott Jill told Billboard, “It will be 15 years in July that my first album came out, and Essence has been there the entire time. I’m truly honored.”
“Jill Scott is the quintessential Essence woman,” says Essence Editor-in-Chief Vanessa K. DeLuca. “Like many of the female artists who inspired her – she has touched the collective soul of women across generations.”
Past Essence Black Women in Music honorees include Mary J. Blige, Kelly Rowland, Janelle Monáe, and Solange Knowles. This year’s event will feature an exclusive performance from Scott as well as several other performances from several classic eras of music. And for the first time, community fans will be able to join in the festivities of this invitation-only event. The Essence Black Women in Hollywood event will kick-off their year-long commemoration of the 45th anniversary of Essence Magazine, where Black women have always—and will continue to—come first. President of Essence, Michelle Ebanks stated, “Essence was groundbreaking in its founding 45 years ago, as is Jill Scott in her impact on music and the arts. She is a fearless innovator, and it is our honor to continue to build community by bringing together music industry influencers and fans during GRAMMY Week for an epic celebration.”
Essence Black Women in Music will take place in Los Angeles, California on February 5, 2015.
Jodeci Releases Full Version of "Nobody Wins" Ft. B.O.B + Lyric Video
Photo credit:Gabe Ginsberg / Getty Images Contributor
The bad boys of R&B, iconic R&B group Jodeci, have released the full version of their new single “Nobody Wins” Ft. rapper B.O.B. The legendary quartet debuted a snippet version at the 2014 Soul Train awards where they performed a medley of their greatest hits: “Freek N U”, “Stay”, “Come and Talk to Me”, and “Forever My Lady”. The lyric video includes original footage blended with news clips detailing the issues of dealing with domestic violence. This is the first single off the group’s forthcoming album that will feature production from both group member DeVante Swing and Timbaland (who Swing discovered).
The 1990’s garnered many R&B groups but none quite like Jodeci. It was an era dominated by New Jack Swing where Jodeci married R&B soul and Hip Hop to create a sound that is classic and timeless even today. You can’t talk about R&B, soul, and New Jack Swing without mentioning Jodeci, so it’s easy to see why so many fans are excited about the release of their new single. That’s how you know you are iconic when you take nearly 2 decades off from making new music and your fan base is still there off the original music you released. And the same fans has been eager for a new single since 1995. The singe “Nobody Wins” was even No. 1 on Billboard’s Trending 140 chart yesterday. “Nobody Wins” holds a chorus that exhibits Jodeci’s signature lush harmonies and the unparallelled soul, it takes a slightly different turn for the group. They sing, “Nobody wins when we fight, fuss and argue,” as Atlanta rapper B.o.B. contributes to the verses.
Check out the lyric video below.
Salma Slims Ft. Young Lyxx – "Middle Fingers"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VWryC3Mv0Q
Salma Slims premieres the visuals for “Middle Fingers” featuring Young Lyxx off her mixtape Who Is Salma Slims?. Produced by NonStopDaHitMan.