(AllHipHop News) “My beef was with Lyor [Cohen], because I think he’s a fake CEO. I think he’s fronting on my culture… I’m calling him out publicly,” says veteran entertainment executive Dame Dash. The Roc-A-Fella Records’ co-founder has more words for the former head of Def Jam Recordings and Warner Music Group.
Dash has been on a month-long mission of naming individuals in the music business he believes have taken advantage of Hip Hop culture. Cohen has been one of his repeated targets.
“I want him to stop trying to rape my culture. Go make some money with some other people,” Dame suggests to Cohen in his latest interview. “Stop having your agenda be Hip Hop.”
According to Dash, Cohen and other label executives purposely fostered beef in Hip Hop for financial gain. He adds that he never had a beef Jay Z. His only issues were with Cohen.
“He’s the one that ruined Roc-A-Fella. Lyor Cohen,” states Dash. “Lyor Cohen, that’s my beef, not Jay.”
Dash also challenges media outlets to reach out to Cohen, Joie Manda, Kevin Liles, Julie Greenwald, Todd Moscowitz, and other record executives to get them to discuss their roles in the direction Hip Hop culture took and how they got their various positions at major music corporations.
Duck Down Records’ Buckshot recently addressed Lyor Cohen’s role in changing the landscape of the music business in a recent interview with AllHipHop.com.
“If you sign to a major [label] today you’re done. You might as well put your head on the chopping block, because they got something called a 360 deal. For most record labels right now, especially if you’re major, that’s not even an option. They’re automatically taking 360s,” said Buckshot. “That was set up by Lyor Cohen. Shout out to Lyor. Cool guy, but I would never sign a contract with him as far as that level.”
Los Angeles up and comer Raven Felix links up with Taylor Gang’s Chevy Woods and Myles Maleek for “Higher”. Representing for the San Fernando Valley, the 18 year old Felix’s anticipated mixtape Valifornia drops in July. Produced by Tekneek. Cuts by DJ Bonics.
(AllHipHop News) The highly anticipated N.W.A. biopic got one step closer to hitting theaters when part of the main cast for the film was announced. While Ice Cube will be played by his son O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Dr. Dre and Eazy-E’s offspring were not picked to play their fathers.
Marcus Callender will play Dre, and Jason Mitchell will star as Eazy. TMZ reports Eazy’s son, Eric Wright Jr. aka Lil Eazy-E, is not happy he was not chosen to star as his legendary dad.
“I am my father. I look like him. I sound like him,” said Lil Eazy.
According to the Billboard, Eazy’s widow Tomica Wright approved of Mitchell’s selection to portray her late husband. Dre also signed off on Callender despite his own son auditioning for the role.
Lil Eazy-E still plans to support Straight Outta Compton out of respect for his father’s legacy. The film is being directed by F. Gary Gray. It is scheduled for release in 2015.
(AllHipHop News) Ja Rule’s new book Unruly has people talking about his former feud with 50 Cent once again. The autobiography reportedly includes passages where Ja reflects on an infamous fight between his crew and 50’s crew in Atlanta.
In the memoir, Ja claims to have struck 50 with a bat during the A-Town melee and his entourage then ran off. Ex-G-Unit associate Bang Em Smurf was not present during the altercation, but he does assert to have information about what happened.
“[50] told me about the incident. Ja did have a bat in his hand,” said Smurf. “Ja was getting all hype, out of control. 50 is a calm n***a. He’s ain’t really the type to argue with you face-to-face, so he punched the n***a in the eye.”
Smurf then adds that he did not see 50 injured after the fight, but Ja suffered a black eye. He also claims Ja lost his chain during the altercation.
“How you beat a n***a up when you got a black eye and you got your chain took?” asked Smurf. “That n***a 50 walked off like they didn’t even try to get the chain back.”
According to Smurf, Ja is following the same path as former G-Unit member Prodigy. He feels both rappers used their books to make money off of implicating other people.
“He doing the same s**t Prodigy did. You know Prodigy did a lot of f**k ass s**t – incriminated n***as and all kind of s**t in his book,” said Smurf. “This is what sucker n***as do. Sucker n***as write books and try to incriminate n***as for money. I don’t respect Prodigy neither.”
(AllHipHop News) Method Man chopped it up with the people during an online “Ask Me Anything” session. Reddit users were able to question the Wu-Tang Clan member about various topics including working with The Notorious B.I.G., his time filming How High, and what’s next as far as music releases.
(AllHipHop News) The rap trio of 3rd Bass made it big in the late 1980’s/early 1990’s with hit songs like “The Gas Face” and “Pop Goes the Weasel.” One former member now has big issues for not paying income taxes.
The Times Union reports Prime Minister Pete Nice (born Peter J. Nash) pleaded guilty in Albany County Court to misdemeanor criminal tax fraud. Nice was convicted for not paying taxes between 2009-2011.
The district attorney’s office says Nice will have to pay $13,101 in back taxes and will also be on probation for three years. Formal sentencing is scheduled for August 26.
Prime Minister Pete Nice, MC Serch, and DJ Richie Rich released three albums as 3rd Bass – The Cactus Album, The Cactus Revisited, and Derelicts of Dialect. Nice and Rich also released the Dust to Dust LP as a duo.
Nice later opened a baseball memorabilia shop in Cooperstown, New York. He was accused of selling fraudulent items by an auction house. During a legal deposition he repeatedly invoked his 5th amendment rights. A judge sided with the auction house and ordered Nice to pay $260,000.
(AllHipHop News) Rapper Jeezy is all set to drop Seen It All and has revealed details in an exclusive interview.
“My fifth album is entitled Seen It All because I feel like I’ve been through a lot and I’ve seen a lot, and I’m still standing here and I’m still standing tall,” the rapper told Atlanta’s V-103. “That’s what it is, man.”
The rapper made some suggestions about why he hasn’t spoken on the more controversial moments in his life. However, he maintains, things have changed and he’ll be full of candor going forward.
“A lot of y’all know when I came in the game, I pretty much came in the game with my hands behind my back. ‘Cause a lot of the s### I’d a like to talk about or could’ve talked about probably would have got me in a lot of trouble,” Jeezy said. “This is probably my first album where I can explain and let n##### know where I stand. In layman’s terms, the statute of limitations is over with.”
The footage features singer Usher, rappers Future and Ludacris and deejays DJ Drama and Don Cannon, among others.
(AllHipHop Features) Those music fans familiar with classic Diplomats songs like “Dipset Anthem,” “Killa Cam,” “Who I Am,” and “This Is Jim Jones” are aware of the impact the producers of those tracks had on the sound of Hip Hop circa 2003/2004. The sped-up soul samples used by The Heatmakerz production team helped define a rap era.
Heatmakerz have now teamed with another New York based emcee to hopefully set the game on a new course once again. Rsonist and Wayno are serving as executive producers for Joell Ortiz’s third studio album House Slippers. The Slaughterhouse member and the platinum producers are tapping some of Hip Hop’s hottest beat makers and rhyme spitters for the upcoming Penalty Entertainment release.
The duo spoke about Joell’s next LP, whether a Dipset reunion could be happening soon, some of their most memorable studio moments, and more in an exclusive interview with AllHipHop.com.
You guys are working on Joell Ortiz’s next album. How did you first connect with Joell?
Wayno: A good friend of mine HirOshima gave me a call to tell me Joell Ortiz was in the building. So we went downstairs and linked up. We started a conversation, then he came upstairs and listened to some music. That was it. We started working the next day or two.
You’re working as the executive producers for the album. What other producers offered tracks?
Rsonist: !llmind is producing on the record. Frequency and a producer by the name of Prophet. And Sha Money XL.
Joell just dropped the video for the title track. Does the “House Slippers” single represent the direction the project is taking musically?
Wayno: Definitely, it’s a strong album. It’s a serious album. There are a lot of fun moments on there as well. It’s going to be a well-rounded album for fans and for engaging new fans as well.
I saw that B.o.B. is going to be on there. Have you set up any other features?
Rsonist: B.o.B is on the new record after “House Slippers” called “Save My Life.” Maino is on the album. Our artist Mally Stakz is on two records on the album. He’s actually on the first two main singles. And an artist by the name of Kaydence.
Wayno: And Lee Carr and Slaughterhouse.
Mally is signed to you. Is that a label situation or management?
Rsonist: It’s actually a label situation. His manager is my homeboy by the name of Chance.
Are there other artists that you currently have signed?
Rsonist: We’re working with an artist named I.D.R out of Canada. He’s a pop singer/DJ. We work with another artist by the name of GiGi from the U.K., and we have Mally Stakz.
Having had the chance to talk to a lot of artists and producers, some say Hip Hop is appreciated differently overseas than it is here in the U.S. Do you feel the same way?
Wayno: Hip Hop is appreciated here, but overseas they appreciate classic, 90’s Hip Hop. But they do appreciate music a great deal overseas. Even an artist without a really big name can go overseas and tour. As long as you have fans and good music, somebody over there will like it.
Wayno
The Heatmakerz played a big role in the New York Hip Hop sound in the early 2000’s working with Dipset. What’s your take on the city’s sound at the moment?
Rsonist: I actually like the way New York is going right now, because it’s a lot of different things going on. It’s not just the typical “New York Sound”. It’s diversity going on. You might have somebody with the classical old sound like a Joey Bada$$. Then you might have a rapper like a Troy Ave. Then you might have a Joell Ortiz or a Mally Stakz.
It’s a bunch of different sounds, but they’re all from New York and it’s all accepted. I kind of like the place New York is in right now, because we’re not as closed-minded as we used to be to a lot of different sounds.
The Dipset members have been talking about doing a reunion album for a while. Are you interested in doing another Diplomats album with the whole crew?
Rsonist: I can’t wait. I think the city needs that. The city might need a shot in the back right now. That juice. That boost.
Do you think that’s possible in the near future?
Rsonist: Anything is possible. As long as all the members are still here and we all still kind of keep in contact, anything is possible.
Last year you did a track for Kanye West’s album. What happened to that record?
Rsonist: I don’t know what happened to it. We sold a record to him for the Yeezus album. He picked it early when he first announced he was doing another album. Everything was squared away. We got paid for the track. We signed paperwork. I don’t know if he went in a different direction or if he’s going to use it on a later project. I’m not even sure.
You guys traditionally have soulful production. Yeezus had a more industrial sound. Do you think maybe – like you said – he could just be saving it for something else? Maybe it just didn’t fit the album?
Rsonist: Yeah, I think so, because the record we gave him was like an “Otis” type of feel – “Otis” on steroids. It didn’t really fit the Yeezus album. It was kind of in the same lane as “Bound 2,” but it was more action going on.
You’ve had the chance to work with a lot of legendary emcees. Do you have any particular memorable moments from a studio session that stand out?
Rsonist: I was in Sony Studios, and I was recording with Lil Flip. This might have been around 2003/2004. I came out to go to the bathroom, and Michael Jackson was coming through the hallway. They had the lights off, and it was just a crazy scene to me. Michael Jackson is the one person I become an instant fan for. That was something I went home to tell my mother about. That was such a memorable studio experience, because most of the days are the same. But that was something special.
Wayno: I have some really memorable experiences with Fred The Godson just last year with him writing that Contraband album. He writes in this cryptic, chicken scratch code. No one, but him can decipher it. But just watching him put together words – I’ve never seen anything like that in my life.
What else do you have on the horizon?
Rsonist: A bunch of things. We have, obviously, the Joell Ortiz project. We have the Mally Stakz single out now on iTunes – “Lil Boy.” We have Alexandra Burke. She’s an artist out of the U.K. We did something for 2 Chainz’s new album that he’s working on. A group by the name of Monroe. They’re Teddy Riley’s daughters. Abigail Breslin, she’s an actress. We’re working on her EP.
Wayno: And Uncle Murda.
Rsonist: A bunch of different people. Jim [Jones] is in here, so we’ll be working with Jim in a second.
Rsonist
Joell Ortiz’s House Slippers album is scheduled for release later this year.
A woman scorned is nothin’ to play with. Mac Miller maybe learning that the hard way.
MediaTakeout is reporting that the rapper’s “girlfriend” was upset about the fact that Miller has been playing single, and what better way to get even than to leak a few pics of him butt a** naked.
“You see, he’d been PLAYING WITH A YOUNG LADY’S emotions for some time. He pretended to be single, but she found out hat Mac has a SERIOUS GIRLFRIEND.
So she did what SCORNED GIRLFRIENDS do in this new age of social media – she put him ON BLAST. Check out these ics of Mac sleeping AZZ-HOLE NEKKID in his Malibu home. Gee, we hope Mac’s LONGTIME GF doesn’t see these pics,” MediaTakeout reports.
