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Hip-Hop Rumors: UPDATE: Nipsey Hussel And Roc Nation…

By: Chuck Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur)Category: Headlines

AW MAN!

I don’t know what happened exactly, but something has gone awry with the deal with Roc Nation and the big homey Nipsey Hussel!! It seems that when I posted the post last time, there was no signature on a dotted line. I was initially told that the ink was dry. For whatever reason, there was some break down in this deal and Nipsey ain’t headed over to the Roc – YET. At least, this is what I am being told. I don’t know anything else, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there will be a big event later down the line to formally announce it. Stay tuned.

RELATED: Guess Who Is Going To The Roc

“They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!” -illseed.

Illseed, Out.

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5 & Done: Panama

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY)Category: Breeding Ground

(AllHipHop Features) Rapper and actor Armando Cadogan Jr. takes great pride in carrying the flag for his parent’s native country. The Brooklyn born performer embraces his heritage so much that he adopted the rap name Panama as the ultimate representation of the Central American nation. With the release of his latest mixtape The Panama Canal, Cadogan wants to shine a light on his people and provide them with an authentic voice in Hip Hop culture.

Panama is now focusing on his rap career, but the University of Maryland Baltimore County graduate’s first major break in the entertainment business came as an actor on HBO’s classic crime drama The Wire. Panama’s turn as the tormentor of fan favorite Reginald “Bubbles” Cousins made his character one of the most hated in the run of the series. That hate is now transforming into love as the bilingual, dual threat builds an international fan base for his musical progression.

AllHipHop spoke with Panama Cadogan to ask the WOPA Family leader about what led him to Hip Hop, how he got hired for The Wire, and his personal definition of success in “5 & Done.”

[ALSO READ: 5 & Done: Sasha Go Hard]

What lead you to first want to pursue a career in Hip Hop?

It was a combination of a few things. One of the main motivational tools that led me to pursue Hip Hop was the storyline of my country. Reggaeton originated in Panama. Puerto Ricans would come over to the country, linked up with Panamanian artists, take the sound back to Puerto Rico, and then have that market place from Puerto Rico to the United States. Them having a platform to come to America without a visa or passport and debut the sound to the masses and not really bring it back to the original source, that was the light to the fire. Because in my country it’s hard for us to get visas or passports to come to America to showcase the same talent, even on a more skillful level.

I’m an American born citizen but came up under a cultural household all Panamanian. Everything in my house is Spanish. Because I’m being showcased on MTV, the blogs, and social media I have a platform now to give my country a voice. Even though I don’t rap in Spanish, because I carry the name, pump the flag, put images out there, and I speak highly of my people, my country’s receptive and supportive of my music back home. That goes to show they’re looking for a voice in the urban market.

My best friend Shawn Smith is definitely one of the guys that introduced me to the mixtape game. His passion ran through me. He understood and respected where I come from, and wanted me to speak on that. He wanted me to hold that Spanish kid throne, that Panama throne. I have to reward the story of my country, my upbringing, and my best friend Shawn which steered me into getting into Hip Hop.

How did you land your role on The Wire?

It came from working hard and networking my a** off. Before The Wire, I did commercials, plays, and background work. Every time I did anything regarding acting, I made sure I connected with the right people.

Throughout my process I was hearing about a lady named Linda Townsend. I was hearing about Pat Moran. I was hearing about the certain companies that really controlled the DMV. I consider myself a special breed, a black man that you would never know I’m bilingual. That’s how I would pitch myself. That led me to my manager Linda Townsend. She literally controls the DMV. Pat Moran Casting casts all the big shows that come out of Baltimore/D.C. I’m now repped by the biggest agent Linda Towsend. The Wire came down at that same time. It was like perfect timing. I then auditioned for Pat Moran. She enjoyed my performance and told me to come back the following day. The next day I performed in front of Ed Burns and David Simon who are the producers and writers of the show. Two hours later they called my father and told me that they wanted me for season one.

Your character is one of the characters people really hated the most.

I love it though. I love when people meet me and they go, “he’s a cool guy.” Then when I tell them I was on The Wire, and I was that character you see the change in their personality like “Oh my God. I hated you.” It’s love though. It’s like basically saying I loved your performance, but I hated you on that show. I can only respect that.

The track “Come As You Are” on your mixtape samples Nirvana. We all know what happened to Kurt Cobain as far as what the fame did to him. As your buzz continues to grow how do you manage to keep yourself grounded?

Honestly, at the end of the day I’m not a fame w####. I want people to respect me for my craft. If I become popular from it, I’m cool with that. But fame, like I can’t walk into the store because cameras are out crazy, I’m not looking for that type of attention. I do it for a different purpose. I carry a name that’s bigger than me.

I’m doing it for close to 2 million people in my country who don’t even know I’m doing it for them right now. I’m not even performing the same language for them to even know I’m doing it for them. My job is stay loyal and humble, not only to them, but to myself. I’ve traveled so much around the world that my appreciation for life and people is at an all-time high. It’s probably going to be even higher once things continue to grow. I am who I am. We’re all equal.

That’s how I remain humble. I’m not in it for the fame. I’m here to progress on this personal journey and help others as I continue to move on my own merits. As long as I have that mentality that I want to help and unite through my story, I’m going to be fine.

How would you define success for yourself?

I’m already successful. The experiences I have encountered. The things that I’ve seen. The people that I’ve met. The conversations that I have had. I’m successful in my own right.

The mixtape The Panama Canal was an appetizer. The next project is very detailed. It has a little more thought, a little more detail. It’s more lyrical. There’s more storytelling. I get what the tastemakers and socializers want, but it has to come from a personal space. It has to come from the heart; what I think is right. It’s not me following no Waka Flocka lead or no T-Pain lead or no Kendrick Lamar. It’s just Panama. It’s just yes you like him or no you don’t. And it’s all love.

Panama

[ALSO READ: 5 & Done: Bizzy Crook]

Follow Panama on Twitter @itspanamababy

Stream Panama’s The Panama Canal mixtape below.

WTF News: Student Suspended For Shooting Imaginary Bow and Arrow

By: Friday FosterCategory: Rumors

A 10-year-old Pennsylvania boy was suspended after firing an imaginary bow and arrow in his class.

Via the Rutherford Institute:

The incident took place the week of October 14th, when fifth grader Johnny Jones asked his teacher for a pencil during class. Jones walked to the front of the classroom to retrieve the pencil, and during his walk back to his seat, a classmate and friend of Johnny’s held his folder like an imaginary gun and “shot” at Johnny. Johnny playfully used his hands to draw the bowstrings on a completely imaginary “bow” and “shot” an arrow back. Seeing this, another girl in the class reported to the teacher that the boys were shooting at each other. The teacher took both Johnny and the other boy into the hall and lectured them about disruption. The teacher then contacted Johnny’s mother, Beverly Jones, alerting her to the “seriousness” of the violation because the children were using “firearms” in their horseplay, and informing her that the matter had been referred to the Principal. Principal John Horton contacted Ms. Jones soon thereafter in order to inform her that Johnny’s behavior was a serious offense that could result in expulsion under the school’s weapons policy. Horton characterized Johnny’s transgression as “making a threat” to another student using a “replica or representation of a firearm” through the use of an imaginary bow and arrow. 

The Rutherford Institute, a civil rights group, is backing the youngster and branding the action as “senseless.”

Yeah, this is really dumb. I get the desire to keep schools safe but how about we take more rational measures to insure safety.

Funkmaster Flex: [HOT 97] Doesn’t Care If R. Kelly Comes Here!!!

By: Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire)Category: Headlines

(AllHipHop News) Instagram follows = issue resolution, Lady Gaga’s “Do What You Want” video is wack and R. Kelly was not barked on during Funkmaster Flex’s  show on Hot 97 at 7pm. All of those claims were vehemently shouted from Funkmaster Flex on The Angie Martinez Show yesterday (December 9th).

After an early afternoon Twitter tirade on R. Kelly over his reluctance to appear on Hot 97, Program Director Ebro Darden and Funkmaster Flex attempted to clarify the situation on The Angie Martinez Show. According to Flex, his Twitter rant had R. Kelly and his team “folding up, lawn chair style” and were interested in visiting Hot 97.  

[ALSO CHECK OUT: Funkmaster Flex Ready To Air Out R. Kelly Tonight on HOT 97]

The planned 7pm “teardown of R. Kelly” was put on hold, but not before Flex could explain the bad blood between him and Kelly and made a startling accusation that Angie Martinez and Ebro attempted to refute:

The energy existed. It got funneled through. I heard about it. Everyone heard about it. What our issue is New York City. We don’t care if R. Kelly comes.

Ebro admitted that the claim that R. Kelly will not appear on Hot 97 due to prior issues with Funkmaster Flex was purely speculation and was never relayed to Hot 97 by R. Kelly, his management or label.

Check out Funkmaster Flex’s mini-rants on The Angie Martinez Show below:

Tyga – Good Day feat. Lil Wayne & Meek Mill

By: DJ V.I.P. (@djvip510)Category: Multimedia / Video

“Good Day” is a choice selection from Tyga’s new Well Done IV mixtape, which is now available in our mixtape section. YMCMB CEO Lil Wayne and MMG emcee Meek Mill assist T-Raww on the cut.

via @djvip510

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DJ Quik Planning To Give “1989 DJ Quik” On 9th Studio Album (VIDEO)

By: Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire)Category: Headlines

(AllHipHop News) 25 years and counting DJ Quik has been the architect for countless of West Coast classics. In an interview on The Arsenio Hall Show, Quik explains how 19 year old DJ Quik will help his upcoming album.

DJ Quik’s debut album Quik Is The Name was released on Profile Records in 1991 and according to Quik, the “youthful and naive” Quik that appeared in that seminal debut will return in his upcoming ninth studio album:

I’m channeling DJ Quik from 1989. I’m sampling my old s### and thinking like the old DJ Quik from 1989. I’m biting me from then. I won’t be impressed until I sound as youthful and naive as I used to.

Back in August, L.A. Weekly named Quik the greatest L.A. producer of all time. Even after over two decades and hundreds of produced records, the West Coast production legend still believes he is unworthy of such a “lofty honor”:

Somebody else deserves that title. I don’t think I’ve done enough to deserve that title. I mean, I’ve produced a bunch of records, but come on, man. Dr. Dre obviously did so much. Then there’s DJ Muggs. Battlecat. Battlecat helped me get into the business with drum sounds and taught me how to program. So much a better DJ than I am. But me? I try to look back and say ‘what did I do?’ You know what? I’m going to have to accept it at some point, but it’s such a lofty, lofty honor. It’s too big for my skinny body. I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet.

Check out the full DJ Quik interview on The Arsenio Hall Show below:

Hip-Hop Rumors: Lil Wayne Takes A Loss Over Text

By: Chuck Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur)Category: Rumors

Lil Wayne once rapped “as long as my b***hes love me, I could give a f**k about no hater.” And, I would think that his kids, wife or something would be more effective in not giving a f**k about haters. But, now that he’s said that, it seems that he’s taking a real loss right now in the form of “Superhead” Karrine Steffans. The pair duked it out over the text and ended their relationship once and for all. Remember, she wrote a whole book about Wayne. And now she is putting him on full blast. Peep.

Exclusive: Ty Dolla $ign Sounds Off On New EP And Imitators

By: Timsanchez818Category: Features

Tyrone Griffin, better known as Ty Dolla $ign, started a fire in Los Angeles when he played a big role in ushering in a radio and club friendly sound which the streets called “Ratchet Music,” opening up doors for fellow hometown artists to break away from the traditional West Coast G-Funk and Gangster Rap, and getting them back on the good graces of radio and club DJ’s. After a few years of releasing free Mixtapes and a slew of guest appearances, the Taylor Gang/Atlantic Records artist is ready to make another splash with his new upcoming EP (Beach House the EP) and an album in the summer of 2014. AllHipHop.com caught up with Ty backstage after a recent show at Club Nokia with Dom Kennedy to see what’s going on in the world of Mr. Dolla Sign. Check out our exclusive interview below and a few flicks from the show and see why he’s referring to his crew as Death Row Records and certain other L.A. cats as Ruthless (no diss to Eazy).

You have a new EP that’s dropping soon. Please tell us more about that.

It’s called Beach House the EP. I’m keeping the Beach House name because it was successful as a free Mixtape series but now I want to make it as something that I can sell. It’s going for Pre-Sale on January 7 and available on January 20.

You probably should’ve started selling your projects from the start.

I wish I did but there were still a lot of people out there unaware of me. The free Mixtapes were for advertising.

So what’s in for us on the new EP?

Avatar 2.

Avatar 2?

It’s a sequel to Avatar – the best movie (laughs).

Oh I see. You’re going James Cameron on us. What about an official album?

I hope to have that done by June of 2014 so I can take the summer. I’m just trying to perfect it and it to the next level from Beach House the EP, because the EP is on another level than the Mixtapes.

Ty Dolla Sign Show (1)

Earlier on stage, you jumped on the MPC and started playing something and you told the crowd that you produced YG’s first hit, “Toot It and Boot It.”

I produced “Toot It and Boot It” and half of the songs on Beach House 1 and 2 – just like on the upcoming EP.

A lot of people don’t know of your producing side.

I actually taught DJ Mustard how to produce. I gave him the sounds and he passed me up on producing – so shout out to him. That’s my little n*gga, ya know? He teaches me sh*t now.

The Student surpassed the Teacher.

Exactly.

You and DJ Mustard created a new path for artists on the West Coast, because there was a time when artists from the West couldn’t get on the radio, and that started to change after the “Toot It and Boot It” song.

My big homie Big D, he put us all together; Me, YG, and DJ Mustard. We were all up at my old house in Baldwin Hills, at the top of the hill, and we would make music every day. We came up with this sound and people later on ended up calling it the Ratchet sound.

Ty Dolla Sign Show (4)

Were you following a blueprint?

Not really. I was listening to the Atlanta stuff because it was real popular at the time with 808’s and snaps. I took that and sped it up to how we were listening to music out here. The Bay was popping with the Hyphy sound at that time. I was on that same speed but I took the Atlanta drums and mixed it with samples because I love to sample. I like J. Dilla and producers like that. I took a little sample mixed it with some drums and made “Toot It and Boot It.” From there I just started exploring and made different types of beats from House to Cabana. DJ Mustard told me that I was tripping and to just make club sh*t and he went off on that route.

Do you think that you get enough credit on the West Coast?

It’s cool. I don’t care about that. I want to make good music and they are going to recognize it. The music will speak for itself. I’m not one of those dudes that will trip off it and try to get attention – I don’t give a f*ck. I’m going to make good music and all of my family is going to eat.

I ask that because I saw a post on your Twitter feed where you were talking about Ty Dolla $ign and DJ Mustard imitators out there.

That post was about others making up their own sh*t. That’s what we were trying to do. If it starts growing that’s cool, but try to make a new sound. I’m never going to try to copy what’s out and I felt that was the problem with music for the longest time. No matter which producer is hot at the moment, you’ve got a bunch of others trying to copy their sound. Everybody is copying each other but its better when everybody does their own sh*t. If you go back to the 70’s and listen to groups like Lakeside, The Isley Brothers and Earth, Wind and Fire – they all had their own sound. We are the Pushaz Ink band and we make our sound, and so all of the other n*ggas that copy what we do, they lose – straight up.

They say imitation is a form of flattery though.

It definitely shows that we are doing our sh*t. Really, I’m glad to see dudes from L.A. on. When you look back at Snoop Dogg when he first came out, everybody was trying to copy the Death Row sound. It’s cool that we are out here and we are the new Death Row and these other n*ggas are like Ruthless (laughs). No disrespect to Eazy-E – shout out to him and what he did. I’m just saying some real sh*t. Dr. Dre had his sound and everybody else was trying to copy him. Then Dre came out with a different sound on Chronic 2001 and everybody started to copy that too. N*ggas be biting. That sh*t is weak.

What’s next for your sound?

I’ve got a new sound on the EP. There’s the club sh*t too like on Paranoid and the remix. I hooked up with Young Chop and I’ve got one of his beats on there. I got some sh*t with Cardo but the sample didn’t get cleared so I grabbed my guitar, my other homie got on bass, another played the organ and violin and we created something new that sounds like a sample. You can’t stop this.

You made a few songs with Terrace Martin that had a jazzy vibe and I think that’s a good style for you.

Thanks. That’s where I kind of originated. Out here in Los Angeles, there is a station called KCRW with a DJ named Garth Trinidad – a mixture of soul and hip-hop sh*t. Also, back in the day I used to sing background for Sa-Ra Creative Partners. I listen to J. Dilla and all that type of sh*t so that’s what I love and like to do – but the people really like what I’m doing right now, so I’m going to keep on doing it (laughs).

Ty Dolla Sign Show (6)

Earlier, you brought out Wiz Khalifa during your performance.

That’s my big homie in the Taylor Gang. I hit Wiz up to see if he was in town for the show and he was like, “What’s up n*gga? Happy Turkey Day.” He definitely came out and killed it.

E-40 – Champagne feat. Rick Ross & French Montana

By: DJ V.I.P. (@djvip510)Category: Music

E-40 is about to release his 18th, 19th and 20th album of his career. His new 3-pack album, The Block Brochure: Welcome To The Soil 4,5 & 6, is being released tomorrow, Tuesday (12/10) via iTunes.

Here goes one of the bigger features from the albums with “Champagne” featuring Rick Ross and French Montana. You can show your support by copping the albums here.

via @djvip510

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Jay Z Gives Nelson Mandela Tribute On Magna Carta Holy Grail Tour (VIDEO

By: Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire)Category: Headlines

(AllHipHop News) The North American leg of Jay Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail tour touched down at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA last night (December 9th). Jay Z dedicated his Blueprint 3 song “Young Forever” to the late Nelson Mandela.

Check out Jay’s tribute to Nelson Mandela below:

Hip-Hop Rumors: Atlanta Bloggers Coming to a Screen Near You?

By: Friday FosterCategory: Rumors

It’s not far fetched, especially since everyone and literally their mamas have a show. Vh1 tried NYC Gossip Girls and now Bravo has Blood, Sweat and Heels (which we told you about) coming, but industry whispers have been saying that some of Atlanta’s key entertainment bloggers (think Funky Dineva, etc).

Nothing is set in stone but people are being courted. If someone bites on an Atlanta based show featuring media personnel, please believe it’s going to be good. Word on the street is, there’s a lot of blogger beef  down there and it would definitely make for good TV.

Cipha Sounds: R. Kelly Was Late For Interview To Play Basketball And Get Hair Braided (VIDEO)

By: Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire)Category: MOBILE

(AllHipHop News) R. Kelly is one of the most successful artists of all time, however that does not translate into punctuality. At Cipha Sounds’ Take It Personal, host Cipha Sounds told RapRadar boss Elliott Wilson about the time R. Kelly took over five hours to partake in an interview with Cipha in Kelly’s mansion.

According to Cipha, after flying out to Kelly’s home for an interview time scheduled to end at 4pm that was postponed because of Kelly’s personal errands. The UCB improvisers Sean Diston, Phil Jackson, Cipha Sounds and Childish Gambino turned R. Kelly’s unorthodox style of lyrics into a hilarious recording session.

Check out Cipha Sounds’ Take It Personal every Friday at 9pm at 153 E 3rd St.

Check out Cipha Sounds explain his arduous experience waiting for R. Kelly to be interviewed and the sketch accompanying it: