Craig Mack has undergone an incredible transformation. To be real, I cannot quite wrap my brain around this one. I definitely get people coming into a better, stronger relationship to God, but Craig Mack is…too. But, if you look at this video, it just seems “off.” I’m not going to judge or offer too much by way of opinion, because what that man does is that man’s business. Before this, there were rumors that Craig was in the Church Of Scientology. And this AIN’T that. So, check this out.
Here is Craig Mack 19 years ago. Wow. Bad Boy Records has an interesting legacy….very interesting indeed.
Do remember the AHH celebration with Raekwon, Prodigy and others this week in New York.
Doors will open at 7pm with a prompt 7:30 PM showtime start.
Tickets for the show are $20 and can be purchased here.
“They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!” -illseed.
(AllHipHop News) Are you down on your luck and happen to see DMX in the nearby vicinity? There is a good chance he may uplift you with a few of his favorite Bible passages as he did outside of the Wi Jammin’ Restaurant in L.A.
TMZ captured video of the rapper born Earl Simmons reciting passages from the Holy Bible to a woman whom TMZ states informed DMX that she was going through hardships.
This impromptu sermon was not delivered simply by a multi-platinum rap artist but also an ordained deacon. Last September, DMX was ordained as a deacon in New York state at Morning Star Baptist Church in Yonkers, NY where DMX frequented.
In an interview with GlobalGrind, DMX explained the life changes it takes to become a deacon:
The biggest step is not in the studying, reading, but the wanting to change the way you live. Wanting different things for yourself, and making that change because if you still want to drink and smoke, you could read as much as you want, that doesn’t mean you’re ready.
Check out the video of DMX reciting from the Bible to a fan below:
Remember Melyssa Ford aka “Jessica Rabbit?” She was one of the most in demand video vixens a few years ago. She went on to appear in some movies and TV shows and she does volunteer and humanitarian work in addition to continuing with acting.
Word on the street is, she’s now working on a reality show. Ford and some other New York City career women have been grouped together in an attempt to film a Sex and the City-style (yes, another attempt) show about NYC it girls. It’s said to be about four or five women, who weren’t really friends beforehand (but viewers aren’t supposed to really know that), that got put together in the name of “sisterhood.”
According to sources, producers have gone to great lengths to orchestrate events like parties and galas to make sure there’s plenty of alcohol flowing and potential misbehavior. I haven’t heard about any fights just yet but it’s looking like the show will air on Bravo as soon as post production stuff (since they taped for most of the spring and summer) is finished.
In the winter of 2006, Nas and DJ Premier appeared on the cover of Scratch, a journal dedicated to DJing. One of the things discussed in the magazine’s pages was a future Nas album produced entirely by DJ Premier. Hip-Hop purists rejoiced, but the project never materialized.
Years passed. And while it was brought up from time to time, nothing definitive was ever stated. However, when Preemo discussed it recently in Atlanta and said, “It’s coming,” it became clear that enthusiasm for the LP hadn’t diminished.
One of the reasons for this is that Nas and DJ Premier have made incredible music together. Therefore, in recognition of their work and in celebration of the anticipated album, AllHipHop.com has ranked their collaborations to date.
In other words, these are the nine biggest reasons to be excited for the Nas and DJ Premier album. It is proof for many as to why this album can’t come soon enough.
9). “Re:Generation”: Nasir Jones and Chris Martin are not only legends in Hip-Hop, but they also have an undeniable respect for culture. It is fitting then that the two of them were part of the Re:Generation music project wherein five traditional styles of music were recreated with contemporary sounds. The project had DJ Premier creating a track with classical music and the 58-piece Berklee Symphony Orchestra. Preemo conducted it himself and then had Nas rap over it. The resulting piece of music is nothing short of a great display of artistic diversity and talent.
8). “N.Y. State of Mind Pt. II”: By the song’s end, it’s clear that this sequel doesn’t top part one. However, it does impressively describe the breakdown of a crew all in the first verse. Nas’ lyrics are rich with detail throughout, and DJ Premier’s beat bumps like a respectable remake of the original. At the end of the day, it’s the two of them playing to their strengths. Ultimately, the record turns out to be a song sequel that surpasses many others.
7). “Come Get Me”: Because of the reputation that Nastradamus has as one of Nas’ weaker albums, this song gets overlooked by more people than it should. Put simply though, Nas’ delivery is great here. Plus, with Preemo scratching in Nas’ vocals from Mobb Deep’s “It’s Mine,” this record is a solid example of dope New York Hip-Hop all the way around. It still holds up almost a decade and a half since its release too.
6). “Represent”: While the chorus to this record is just a glorified chant courtesy of Nas’ cronies, the real significance of it is what it symbolizes. Nas is making a statement that he is here to hold it down for QB and not only make a better way for himself and his generation of emcees, but also honor those who came before him such as Marley Marl and MC Shan.The rhythm of Premier’s beat here is unforgettable and the verses are outstanding.
5). “2nd Childhood”: The commentary that this song provides about not wanting to grow up is very potent. It is as if Tyrese’s opening words in Baby Boytake the form of a song. DJ Premier’s instrumental fit Nas’ lyrical content perfectly and so the combination of the two make for a great record. It’s no surprise that Chris Rock mentioned this song specifically while praising Stillmatic in Rolling Stone back in 2005.
4). “I Gave You Power”: Outlawz member Young Noble told the press in 2003 that 2Pac got the concept for his “Me and My Girlfriend” record from this song. And that’s saying a lot, especially considering that Nas gets dissed more than once on Makaveli (the same album that contains “Me and My Girlfriend”). But who could fault Pac for liking this It Was Written joint? Nas’ rapping from the perspective of a Desert Eagle was very powerful and it gave him a place to vent his frustrations about the ongoing cycle of gun violence.
3). “Nas is Like”: This song found Nas returning to his comfort zone. However, he was still far from complacent here. Over a beat that Premier made using a record he almost threw out, Nasir Jones stepped away from the commercial sounds that he had recently been dabbling in. He instead crafted a song that proved he was still capable of making music like he did at the beginning of his career.
2). “Memory Lane (Sittin’ in Da Park)”: Placed between the singles “Halftime” and “One Love” on Illmatic, this record masterfully utilizes a Reuben Wilson sample in order to juxtapose a melody with the bleak inner-city environment that is described invivid detail. “My window faces shootouts, drug overdoses/Live amongst no roses, only the drama…” Nas and DJ Premier make for one of Hip-Hop’s most memorable pairings, and this song is one of the reasons why.
1). “N.Y. State of Mind”: When Nas first made his introduction on the rap scene, he was referred to by many as the successor to Rakim. And so it was only right, that the original God MC be sampled on the first song from Nas’ debut album. The combination of Ra’s “Mahogany” vocal scratch, Preemo’s drums, and those memorable piano keys made for the perfect soundscape for Nasir Jones to deliver flawless rhymes. “I never sleep, ’cause sleep is the cousin of death,” is one of the best rap lyrics ever.
[Writer’s Note: I Am…’s “Album Intro,” is not part of this list because it is not a song. “Turn up the Mic (DJ Premier Remix),” “Classic,” and “Hip Hop” aren’t included either because there are more people attached to those songs than just Nas and DJ Premier.]
What do you think of the list? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
(AllHipHop News) The epic battle that battle rap fans have been waiting for since SMACK/URL’s Summer Madness 2 has finally found a home. Hollow Da Don confirmed that he and Loaded Lux will square off on at UW Battle League’s event on February 1st.
After Loaded Lux announced his participation in the upcoming Battle League event, speculation grew that his opponent would Hollow after their previous attempt at battling on SMACK/URL’s Summer Madness 3 never came to fruition. On his personal Twitter account, Hollow Da Don confirmed the upcoming battle:
The prior attempt at this battle for Summer Madness 3 was botched due to contractual disagreements on both artists’ part. Lux had a public dispute with Troy ‘SMACK’ Mitchell about wanting $50,000 to participate in the battle. In an interview with HipHopDX, Hollow shared Lux’s disapproval of the business behind Summer Madness 3 and even revealed additional monetary compensation for the artists that he proposed that was dismissed:
My management team came with a plan to reach that audience. We didn’t come Goodfellas style, ‘F### you pay me.’ We came to the table with two additional revenue streams that they were not considering. So we were essentially paying ourselves. Live stream pay per view. If one percent paid $20, that’s $600,000. With proper promotion, one percent was attainable, maybe even more. That’s what we were trying to negotiate. Then, [we suggested] pay-per-view on-demand for, say $2, after the battle. The income was there and we only wanted a 30% share. We were going to let them recoup 50% of my fee from the pay-per-view revenue. I think they were afraid to go get it.
A-AH! Up North, people ain’t fully up on Doe-B, but they soon will. He’s been bubbling down south in the hotbed of Alabama. The young buck also going to be on the set when AllHipHop presents Raekwon at SOB’s this week. Yep! Well, you know where this is headed. I heard Rae and Doe-B got into the studio to cook up some marvelous heat. Obviously, I ain’t heard it, but I heard its good material.
Maybe, on Thursday we got some additional treats? They already added Prodigy to the bill so, I’m thinking…there’s more in store.
Doors will open at 7pm with a prompt 7:30 PM showtime start.
Tickets for the show are $20 and can be purchased here.
“They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!” -illseed.
(AllHipHop News) Sandra Bullock is 49 years old. George Clooney is 52. Both of them are the stars of the $100 million-plus grossing movie Gravity and were impressionable teenagers in 1979 when Sugarhill Gang released “Rappers Delight”. According to Bullock, the accomplished actors rapped a lot on the set of the thriller.
Bullock revealed on LIVE with Kelly and Michael on October 3rd that her and Clooney would rap the Sugarhill Gang classic on downtime during the shooting of Gravity. Bullock later revealed on a recent appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show that she originally learned the lyrics to woo a boy in school she was attracted to:
I was like, ‘Next time I go to that dance, I’m going to know every word. I’m going to make sure he sees me lip-syncing it, and I’m going to catch his eye, and say the words. And he’s going to like me. And sadly it worked.
Bullock then goes on to demonstrate her Hip Hop knowledge and raps a few of the lyrics to the song.
Check out the video of Sandra Bullock rapping SugarHill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” below:
(AllHipHop News) DJ Quik is in an intense search for one of his most prized possessions in his prolific production arsenal: MPC 3000. Quik announced on his personal Twitter account that his MPC 3000 had been stolen last Friday (October 11th).
Quik informed his 140,000+ followers on Twitter that he is willing to compensate the person who recovers his limited edition MPC 3000 in “undamaged conditions” rather well:
REWARD_AKAI LINN MPC-3000 LIMITED EDITION #476 of 100 CUSTOMIZED BY BRUCE FORAT PLUM COLOR & BLACK LACQUER TRIM. “MAD SCIENCE” STOLEN 10/11
Bruce Forat is a legendary producer and co-founder of Forat Electronics in California. Bruce Forat was instrumental in the Forat F-16, one of “the first digital samplers tailored towards drum machines with midi capabilities” according to the official Forat Electronics website.
DJ Quik has spoken highly of the MPC drum machine brand in the past and called the MPC 3000 “one of the greatest drum machines ever made” in an interview with BeatTips.
Check out a picture of the stolen MPC 3000 and a video of DJ Quik explaining his relationship and history with the MPC 3000:
(AllHipHop News) The controversial “Stop-And-Frisk” policy being used by law enforcement agencies has come under scrutiny once again after video of an aggressive police stop in Philadelphia emerged recently. Two unidentified men were approached by 25th District officers after the two merely spoke to someone on the street.
“You don’t say hi to strangers,” an officer identified as Philip Nace tells the two pedestrians. His partner then adds, “not in this neighborhood.”
One of the men is then pushed against the police vehicle as the other tapes the incident with his cell phone. The cop orders that the phone be put away, but the man continues to record apparently without the officer’s knowledge.
As the phone continues recording, one of the officer’s can be heard saying, “I’ll split your wig open.” The officers then claimed that the men were “under investigation” which caused one of them to reply that he felt he was being harassed for no reason.
The cop then asks the man “how do you know what we know?” and mentions that he could have received a radio call for a robbery suspect who fits the man’s description.
“Why don’t you shut up! Everybody thinks they’re a f**kng lawyer, and they don’t know jack s**t,” yells the officer at one point. The officers later claim the two men were seen jaywalking, and accused one of the them of “weaken the f**king country” and “freeloading.”
“We train our officers to conduct lawful stops, and we continuously address this issue where necessary to provide the best service to the citizens of Philadelphia,” said police spokesman Lt. John Stanford.
Philadelphia Police Department’s Internal Affairs is investigating the incident. The department says the investigation and not the video will determine if the officer’s “acted appropriate in all aspects of their job.”
The Pennsylvania chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is monitoring the Officer Nace stop and other Stop-&-Frisk situations in Philadelphia.
(AllHipHop) Lloyd Banks connects with Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon for the new track “Drop A Diamond.” Banks is working on his DJ Drama hosted project All Or Nothing Vol. 1: Failure’s No Option.
(AllHipHop News) Another day, another potential blockbuster movie role for actor Michael B. Jordan. The former star of HBO’s The Wire and the Oscar buzzworthy performer of Fruitvale Station has confirmed that he read for a role in the upcoming J.J. Abrams directedStar Wars: Episode VII.
“I mean, everybody’s going in on this project. They’re trying to figure out what they want,” said Jordan. “That’s another incredible franchise. It’s pretty crazy! We’ll see how it happens. I don’t know how I can do everything.”
Jordan previously worked with Star Wars creator George Lucas on the 2012 movie Red Tails. The 26-year-old has also been linked to a few other movie sequels. He is set to star in the next Rocky film, and it has been reported that he is in consideration for Independence Day 2 and The Fantastic Four.
Star Wars: Episode VII is scheduled to begin filming in 2014. The new installment of the classic sci-fi movie franchise will be the first produced since Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012. The screenplay is being written by Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire).
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