WOW. It is basically open season on young Black men, these days. You really can’t say its a theory or a concept anymore. There is a new case that resembles Trayvon and Jordan Davis. A kid was running with a hoodie on and a man, Claudius Smith, shot him. The difference here is that Claudius Smith is African American. This has not stopped him from evoking “Stand Your Ground” based on his fear. The other difference from Trayvon Martin and Zimmerman is that this Black man has already been charged and arrested. This dude was 32 and the man he killed was 21. Read the BS from Political Blind Spot.
Another potential “Stand Your Ground” shooting recently occurred in Florida. An Orlando man shot and killed a 21-year-old who was allegedly running through (or from, depending on who you ask), his yard. But the young man had not stolen anything, nor broken in to anyone’s home. He was literally just running. He had not threatening anyone, but Claudius Smith nevertheless said that he was afraid that this running youth was a burglar.
That’s when he decided to stalk him, and shoot him. Is this starting to sound familiar? Smith followed the young man over a fence into a neighboring apartment complex. When police arrived, they found 21-year-old Ricardo Sanes dead in the grass, surrounded by six .45-caliber shell casings.
In a confession documented in the Orlando Police Department report Smith said that he was afraid of his victim “because his pants were falling down”. This, Smith explained, must have meant that the “fleeing” young man was “armed.” The irony that Smith himself was armed, was apparently lost on the shooter.
As well, Smith explained that Sanes “had his hands in the pocket” of his hooded sweatshirt, another piece of attire that Smith said indicated the young man was up to no good.
While the similarities with the killing Trayvon Martin are obvious to most, where this case differs is that Smith has already been arrested and charged with second-degree murder. Nevertheless, this is Florida, and a judge may still grant him “Stand Your Ground” immunity from prosecution. It’s happened before, and you had better believe it can happen again.
“They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!” -illseed.
(AllHipHop News) Well, that was rather quick. Less than a month after the original broke the record for the biggest January opening weekend ($47.8 million), the sequel to Ride Along has been confirmed to be in the works.
According to Deadline, Ride Along 2 will have the same director (Tim Story) and scriptwriters (Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi) as the original. Rumors of negotiations for Ride Along 2 surfaced last April, nine months before the original premiered in January.
Ride Along, made on a $25 million budget, has already grossed over $120 million worldwide in less than six weeks. Deadline reports that only 3% ($3.6 million) of Ride Along‘s international gross comes from foreign box offices. In effort to increase their international revenue, Ride Along 2 will reportedly include more multicultural characters.
(AllHipHop News) Schoolboy Q’s debut album Oxymoron will be officially released next week (February 25th) but he is on a listening session tour in New York City. Today (February 18th) Schoolboy Q has decided to stream his entire debut album with Hot 97.
Hosted by Peter Rosenberg, Schoolboy Q will run through the 15 tracks and answer questions. Q previewed the album at a listening session held at Sonos Studios in Los Angeles yesterday (February 17th). He will also be performing and previewing the album at the Beats By Dre popup shop on 67 Green St at 6pm. Those who pre-order the album before 4pm get wristbands to the show.
New York City!!!!!!! Pop up sHow later come freeze yo azz off wit puffy
(AllHipHop) Involvement in the music industry almost always mandates that an artist has to go through tough times to eventually make it to the top. Brownsville’s BK Brasco has had his fair share of ups-and-downs in the business, but the Timbaland protégé is on the path to reaching his goal of having the world experience his music.
Brasco’s career began as a member of the group Brooklyn. At one point, they were signed to Arista Records with the backing of the late Shakir Stewart. The group eventually disbanded, but Brasco later landed a deal with Jimmy Iovine at Interscope. Again, the situation with a major label did not work out as planned. The experience at Interscope did connect Brasco with a superproducer from Virginia that took him under his wing.
BK Brasco has moved past the corporate issues and now he is preparing to release his 18th Floor: Thompson Hotel Edition EP. Hip Hop albums like Harlem World, Life After Death, Hard Core, and early Nas LPs serve as inspiration for BK as he crafts his own project of what he calls “car music.” Brasco plans for 18th Floor to be a celebration for the ladies and fly guys looking to see an element of fun brought back to New York.
In the latest edition of “5 & Done,” AllHipHop.com chatted with Brasco about his forthcoming EP, working with Timbaland, being in the studio for the recording of Jay Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail, and what the pinnacle of success means for him.
AllHipHop.com: How did you first connect with Timbaland?
BK Brasco: Jimmy Iovine gave me an option for me to work with Timbaland when I was signed to Interscope. Then I met my homeboy who managed Pusha T, Steven Victor, that introduced me to Mike Daddy, one of Tim’s partners. We just became friends. He asked me to do some ghostwriting for a couple of people, so we built a report like that. He said I want you to meet Timbaland, and Timbaland wants to meet you. I flew down to Miami, and the saga started from there.
What was the most valuable thing you learned from your past experiences with major labels?
How to win. Not waiting for nobody. You got to do this yourself. I was a young kid given a deal, and I didn’t know how to treat this. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to go, how to turn. I had people around that didn’t know either. I got a lot of the talent, but I didn’t really have the right people in my corner at that point to navigate me through the pitfalls.
You have a track on the EP called “Pray” where you say you pray to be on top. What will being on top look like for you?
To be top for me is to influence the world. I just want to be a voice. Nothing against guys that don’t smoke or don’t drink, but I feel like somebody needs to be out there, a person like me, so the kids can understand that you don’t have to smoke or drink to be cool, fly, or popular. I have a younger brother. He looks up to other rappers that smoke and drink, and he feels he has to do it. That’s cool to them, but I don’t believe that’s cool. I believe being yourself is cool.
You’ve had the chance to work with a lot of high-profile artists. What is one of the most memorable experiences you’ve had working in the studio?
I think it would have to be in VA when we – me, Tim, a lot of people – were just creating. We created the bulk of this EP. Justin Timberlake was there, so it was just a lot moving. I just like to be in zones like that. I just like to be in a place where we’re going to this studio and this studio. I just love that. That’s where we made “Every Bag,” “Big Spenda,” and most of the EP. VA and Miami are the places we really went in.
Working with Tim is great. To see how he does it, I learned so much from him. I use to not write stuff down. I would just write 4 bars, 6 bars and then put them in my phone. Then I saw him when we were working on some record. He would put the melody down, and then add the words. I learned a new technique. It felt so good, because you marry the beat the first time you hear something. That’s the first love. He would just put the melody down then scribble some words. I took that from him, and it’s been working. Being in the studio with him and Jay. That was another memorable moment.
Timbo & Brasco
Were you around when they recorded Magna Carta?
Yeah, I remember the night they made “Open Letter.” When they were making it, I heard the beat… I was sitting outside the A-room like “What the hell is that?” Then I hear Jay rhyming in the booth. I’m in the B-room, and he comes in to get us, because he wanted us to hear it. I remember Jay comes to me like “Brooklyn, I’m the best ever.” I was like “word? Okay.”
I remember him playing me the record. They played the record like 30 times. After they made “Open Letter,” Jay said this feels so good let’s not stop. Tim was on his beat machine. Swizz [Beatz] was right there, so they started doing another beat. Swizz and Tim were going back and forth. I remember Jay writing “Versus.” That whole night was just crazy. They just kept making new songs. I think they made the Jay Z and Beyoncé song [“Part II (On The Run)”] that night too.
Yeah, I was around for that. [Roc Nation’s] Lenny S. heard the EP. He loved it. That’s how we got RaVaughn on “Every Bag,” because Lenny S. manages RaVaughn. I played him the EP, and he was like, “This s**t is crazy. We should put RaVaughn on ‘Every Bag’.” I said, “That’s dope. Let’s do it.” We’ve been just collaborating. When I say on “Pray” I want to be on top, I just want people to have an open ear and listen. I just want to make good music.
(AllHipHop News) R.Kelly is reportedly thousands in arrears for back child support to his ex-wife.
Andrea Kelly, the singers former better half, says kelly has missed the $20,833 per-moth support due.
The singer also fell behind last year for more than $100,000, but brought the payments current.
The singer also faces jail time if he fails to appear at a separate child-custody date on March 27 after missing the first November assignment, A judge said the singer could get 30 days to six months in jail if he fails to appear.
A source told the New York Post that the situation is serious for the embattled singer.
“The judge was clear in November that he wasn’t happy R. Kelly didn’t show up. His lawyer is worried the judge could lock Kelly up if he doesn’t show this time, but he can’t reach his client,” a source told the paper.
(AllHipHop News) Outkast is definitely playing for keeps. The Outkast renuion tour will make a stop in Drake’s home of Toronto to headline the rapper’s fifth annual OVO Festival.
The OVO Festival gig, set for August 4th, would make it the 14th scheduled performance for Outkast from mid April to early September of this year. There are no other guests announced for Drake’s fifth annual OVO Festival.
Tickets for this year’s OVO Festival go on sale this Friday (February 21st) at OcotobersVeryOwn.com.
Aw shoot. It looks like Kendrick is going to take his stock through the roof really soon. I’m hearing Kendrick is going to be working on a “good.kid.maad.city” movie with Spike Lee. They reportedly had a meeting over the All Star Weekend with Top Dawg, who is the CEO of Top Dawg Entertainment (T.D.E.) The movie will reportedly chronicle the life of Top Dawg, who was the subject matter for that great album. Last year, there was a rumor that Shia LaBeouf was doing this, but I think it was just because he was fawning over Kendrick last year.
Would you go see a “good.kid.maad.city” movie?
Somebody did this hilarity and called it a good.kid.maad.city movie! LOL!
“They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!” -illseed.
WOW. It is basically open season on young Black men, these days. You really can’t say its a theory or a concept anymore. There is a new case that resembles Trayvon and Jordan Davis. A kid was running with a hoodie on and a man, Claudius Smith, shot him. The difference here is that Claudius Smith is African American. This has not stopped him from evoking “Stand Your Ground” based on his fear. The other difference from Trayvon Martin and Zimmerman is that this Black man has already been charged and arrested. This dude was 32 and the man he killed was 21. Read the BS from Political Blind Spot.
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