Justin Timberlake (and the Tennessee Kids) shakes off the controversy and releases the video for “Take Back The Night”, the first single from his second installment in the 20/20 Experience.
For this video, JT mixes street performances, club scenes and clips from him performing the song at Yankee Stadium while on his and Jay-Z’s Legends of the Summer tour.
His new album is due out September 30th.
Check out the new video below:
(AllHipHop News) DMX seems to have hit a low point in this career with him filing for bankruptcy yesterday (July 29th). However, the 42 year old Hip Hop legend says the bankruptcy was to solve restrictions he’s had on obtaining a passport in a statement sent to AllHipHop by DMX’s publicist Domenick Nati:
“DMX’s financial strains have been inhibiting his career for several years. Poor financial management by prior representation have caused him to be ineligible to retain a passport. The purpose of this bankruptcy filing is for reorganization so he can perform for his fans oversees. We are currently planning a tour in Europe and Africa for the fall of 2013.”
DMX was set to embark on a European tour last year in promotion of his seventh studio album Undisputed.
[ALSO CHECK OUT: DMX Files For Bankruptcy]
(AllHipHop Features) In June news broke that Chicago rapper MarVo was suing Disturbing Tha Peace co-founder Ludacris over the song “Sex Room” claiming he is one of the original writers of the tune. The track featured Trey Songz and appeared on Luda’s 2010 album Battle of the Sexes. MarVo had remained silent on the lawsuit publicly, but he spoke exclusively with AllHipHop to give his version of events and to reinforce his claim that he deserves credit and compensation for “Sex Room.”
[ALSO READ: Chicago Rapper MarVo Sues Ludacris Over “Sex Room” Song]
“I want my side of the story to be shared. I never wanted any bad blood,” says MarVo. “I am not looking to prove to you what I did. I’m telling you what I did, and somebody’s being dishonest. Not me per se. Not Luda per se, but somebody is being dishonest.”
According to MarVo, he worked with a DTP producer on the track back in 2009, and he wrote the hook that was eventually used for “Sex Room” for a song he was working on. He contends the producer, who according to reports is named Kajun, then gave the track with MarVo’s hook to Ludacris without his permission or knowledge. MarVo says the song was then re-worked with Luda writing his own verses and Songz added to sing his chorus.
MarVo also contends that him seeking compensation for his contribution has been ongoing for years. Apparently, conversations about receiving a financial percentage for his part in the creation of “Sex Room” took place before the song was released, but the issue was never resolved. That same year MarVo says his mother passed away, and as a result his attention turned away from the dispute over “Sex Room.” Supposedly, MarVo was not fully aware a lawsuit was ultimately filed in his name.
“It hit the surface back in 2009 before the record even came out. Things were silent, because I’m a dope emcee, and I don’t want people to feel like I trying to use Ludacris’ name to gain me some fame,” says MarVo. “Getting information [about the lawsuit] was almost like a shocker to me. I knew what was going on, but it wasn’t even something that I had actually initiated. It was a call made to me like, ‘we did this and this is going into motion’.”
MarVo made it a point to clarify that he has no ill feelings towards Ludacris or associates at Disturbing Tha Peace. For him, it is about business and fairness.
“I don’t have no beef with anybody, but Ludacris even said, ‘sometimes people write hooks.’ He’s in the industry. Everybody who’s in this industry really understands how it goes. Sometimes a person will write a song. He’ll say, ‘Hey I love that song. Let me buy this song,’ and what’s suppose to happen is everyone who is involved in the process of making that song is supposed to get compensated,” says MarVo.
“I don’t condone anyone to get out here and say Luda is a snake, because I don’t personally know Ludacris. I have never met Ludacris in my life. It just happens that I was in communication with people around Luda, so it’s not impossible for him to hear a record composed by myself. However, the person letting him hear that record might not be telling him there’s a kid in Chicago who actually wrote the hook to this record and we gotta take care of him.”
There has been backlash in the press against MarVo. Some media outlets have suggested he is just an unproven local rapper looking for a come-up off the success of an established artist. MarVo insists that is not the case and maintains that he has proof in the form of video footage from 2009 of his participation in the making of “Sex Room.” The video is currently being held as evidence in the case.
“I do have proof. There’s a video where you can see that MarVo did write the record. We were in the studio filming while we were recording this record, me and the producer,” says MarVo. “This video is going to be the crippling blow. The video puts the situation in my favor, because you have on the video me singing the lyrics to another person.”
Marvo claims that being left out of gaining publishing rights to a top five R&B/Hip Hop song like “Sex Room” could have cost him anywhere between $500,000 to $1 million in potential revenue. MarVo has been working in the entertainment business for years making a majority of his money from corporations who license his music for television shows and commercials. His track “Attitude” was recently featured on the “I’m Not Kelly Pitts” episode of BET’s The Game.
MarVo also works as a “professional ghostwriter” helping other emcees craft their songs, and he releases his own music like the DJ Head Debiase & Don Cannon hosted Change mixtape, 2011’s “Derrick Rose” with Yung Berg, and the single “This Ain’t New To Me” featuring Future.
After making important connections in the industry that last few years, MarVo feels at this point getting what he calls his proper credit for “Sex Room” is mainly about being properly recognized for his work.
“I saw his interview on The Breakfast Club where Luda was like, ‘I’m straight. I’m good.’ Even knowing that this man is good, and he makes all these millions of dollars, from the jump I would have been willingly to sell for a very small amount,” admits MarVo. “At the end of the day this is Ludacris, DTP. They are successful, so Luda having this record and being successful with it would not be detrimental to my career.”
No matter how the situation turns out, in MarVo’s eyes he played an important role in a single that was performed by a platinum selling rapper and one of the leading voices in R&B music today.
“If I wasn’t born that song may never have been in existence, so if you can make a statement like that it’s like me being able to really look in the mirror and be comfortable looking at myself and say, ‘Yeah, I’m the cause of this hit record’.”
[ALSO READ: Jermaine Dupri Files Counterclaim Against SunTrust Bank’s $2 Million Lawsuit]
(AllHipHop News) Redman along with 211 Media organized the recent 8th annual Lincoln Park Music Festival in South Jersey this past Sunday (July 28th).
Heavy rain forced the show to end before Redman could perform, however Funk Doc took time out to EXCLUSIVELY talk with AllHipHop about the Lincoln Park Music Festival, if How High 2 will follow Spike Lee’s lead and get a Kickstarter as well as more.
Check out the interview below:
THIS S**T IS NOTHING BUT A JOKE!
Yesterday, Nicki spilled the beans on DJ Funk Flex’s Hot 97 show.
“I was shocked just like the rest of the world and I was cracking up laughing with the rest of the world.”
“Khaled is my brother and Khaled was not serious with that damn proposal, ya’ll. Please let it go. He was kidding. He’s not attracted to me, he doesn’t like me. We’re brother and sister.”
I’m thinking DJ Khaled is like, “Yeah, we brother and sister that think incest is ok.”
This is what the real deal…they are promoting a new song they have together.
They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry! -illseed.
Illseed, Out.
GET INTERACTIVE WITH ALLHIPHOP.COM!
Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook!
Email illseed rumors: ki*********@***il.com
(AllHipHop News) DMX has filed for bankruptcy as his financial woes have climaxed.
The rapper, Earl Simmons, has long had money issues, but days after he was arrested for a suspected DUI, he made the filing.
The Wall Street journal reports:
Filed Monday in the Manhattan bankruptcy court, the Chapter 11 petition of Earl Simmons, aka DMX, lists less than $50,000 in assets and $1 million to $10 million in debt. The rapper said in court papers that he filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which is available to both businesses and consumers, “to enable me to reorganize my financial affairs.”
The New York native and current South Carolina resident owes $1.24 million in child support and more than $21,000 on an auto lease, among other obligations. His principal asset is a 50% stake in property in Mount Kisco, N.Y.
[Source]
The 90’s Hip-Hop icon has been a constant fixture in reality TV and news for various exploits. He was never charged with DUI after momentarily being arrested last week.
This past Friday, Naughty By Nature’s Treach stopped by Cipha Sounds’ weekly Hip Hop Improv Show Take It Personal and revealed a few intriguing things about himself.
[ALSO CHECK OUT: Deric D-Dot Angelettie Reveals Ma$e’s Bad Attitude @ Cipha Sounds’ Improv Show (VIDEO)]
The Hip Hop legend responsible for anthems such as “Hip Hop Hooray” and “O.P.P.” among a litany of others explained how he has a marijuana problem. Not the normal problem (breathing complications, financial ruin, etc). Treach’s problem stems from not knowing all the names of all the new strains of marijuana.
[ALSO CHECK OUT: Jadakiss Tells a “Legendary Biggie Story” @ Cipha Sounds “Take It Personal” (VIDEO)]
The improv group Nobody’s Token consisting of improvisers Ray Cordova, Keisha Zollar, Monique Moses, Abbi Crutchfield, James III, Suni Reyes and Cipha Sounds took that bit of information and spun it in a few hilarious scenes.
[ALSO CHECK OUT: Maino Tells Story of a Sweaty Encounter With A Rapper (VIDEO)]
Cipha Sounds’ Take It Personal improv show is every Friday at 9pm at the Upright Citizens’ Brigade Theater on East 3rd Street and Avenue A in the Lower East Side of New York City.
Check out Treach explain his problem below:
(AllHipHop News) Def Jam recording artist 2 Chainz spoke with MTV’s Sway Calloway about some serious issues related to Hip Hop. The Georgia native addressed his choice to use dark-skinned models in his latest video for “Feds Watching” and the recent rash of apologies by rappers over lyrics some critics have considered offensive.
[ALSO READ: J. Cole Apologizes For Lyrics About Autism]
Chainz admits that “Feds Watching” drew concern from executives at the label and Pharrell Williams, who is featured on the track, about certain lyrics on the song.
“Pharrell brought it up, and then the label brought it up,” said 2 Chainz. “Basically I said the word prosecutor. It’s almost a cuss word. You almost can’t say it, because this is a government official.”
He also says there are other lyrics on his new album B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time that he has had to question if they may be going too far. Particularly, one line where he says, “I blew myself up like a Unabomber.”
Chainz also makes the point that rappers have to constantly find a balance between their rights as an artist to free speech and possibly harming their connections to corporate interests with their controversial rhymes.
“One end, you want to talk about the first amendment, you want to talk about freedom of speech, but on the other end, everything is so delicate, you cannot say anything,” he added.
“When you’re just trying to be slightly creative and just try to use a metaphor in a different way that people can appreciate, maybe laugh about, it’s taken out of context the wrong way and you find yourself losing millions dollars out of the kind of deals that you have set-up.”
One area of free expression 2 Chainz has fully embraced is highlighting women of different complexions in his video. He says he purposely used dark skin women in the visuals for”Feds Watching.”
“We always get battered, us rappers, because we always talk about red girls, light-skinned girls,” said Chainz. “We’ve been brainwashed like little girls with baby dolls.”
Watch the full MTV interview and the video for “Feds Watching” below.
–
(AllHipHop News) Brooklyn’s new prince of Hip Hop Joey Bada$$ released his second solo project Summer Knights earlier this month. The Pro Era frontman sat down with 2DBZ recently to discuss the new mixtape, his relationship with Statik Selektah, and his growth over the last year.
“Summer Knights to me is like a playlist of my past two summers,” says Joey.
[ALSO CHECK OUT: Mixtape Download: Joey Bada$$ [#BGA] : Summer Knights]
Watch the interview below.
(AllHipHop News) There has been a lot of talk over the last week about DJ Khaled proposing to fellow Cash Money artist Nicki Minaj. It turns out it was all just for promo for Khaled’s new single “I Wanna Be With You” featuring Nicki, Rick Ross, and Future.
[ALSO READ: Hip-Hop Rumors: DJ Khaled Proposes To Nicki Minaj!]
The Young Money first lady shot down the idea that Khaled asking for hand in marriage was ever serious. She told Funkmaster Flex in an interview last night, “Khaled is my brother, and Khaled was not serious with that damn proposal, ya’ll. Please let it go. He was kidding.”
Flex also happened to premiere the new Lee On The Beats produced track on his show. “I Wanna Be With You” is the second single off DJ Khaled’s upcoming album Suffering From Success due out September 24.
Listen to “I Wanna Be With You” below.
(AllHipHop News) Two Roc Nation affiliated emcees that released number one albums this summer are getting together for a nationwide tour this fall. J. Cole and Wale are set to head out on the “What Dreams May Come” tour starting in September.
The Born Sinner artist and The Gifted rapper will hit 30 cities including Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, and Las Vegas. Presale tickets for J. Cole fan club members will go on sale July 31 and general sales tickets will be available August 2 at www.jcolemusic.com.
The “Beautiful Bliss” collaborators are also scheduled to perform at Rock The Bells Festival stops later this year. Cole will appear at the iHeart Music Festival on September 20, and Wale was just tapped to join Drake at his OVO Festival on August 5.
[ALSO READ: J. Cole, KRS-ONE, Wale, Action Bronson & More Added To Rock The Bells]
[ALSO READ: Wale To Perform At Drake’s OVO Festival]
Do not miss this show. WDMC
— J. Cole (@JColeNC) July 29, 2013
“If your self-worth is based on anything other than your relationship with YOUR-SELF and your HIGHER-POWER, you are in big trouble.”
-Hyrum W. Smith
“Self esteem really is the foundation of success and happiness. The more you can grow your self esteem, the greater your chances are of achieving true success, becoming who you truly are.”
-Unknown
“People will judge you for no reason. Use the stones they cast to build a solid foundation because once you are strong, you are unstoppable.”
-Michael Kilby
“Obstacles are weak walls without foundations; if you fear them, they will defeat you. But the fact is that they are even afraid of you. So why frightened?”
-Israelmore Ayivor
“Don’t fret! All of your failures and frustrations are actually laying the foundation for the understandings that will create the new level of living that you are destined for.”
-Anthony Robbins
“Build this day on a foundation of pleasant thoughts. Never fret at any imperfections that you fear may impede your progress. Remind yourself, as often as necessary, that you are a creature of God and have the power to achieve any dream by lifting up your thoughts. You can fly when you decide that you can. Never consider yourself defeated again. Let the vision in your heart be in your life’s blueprint. Smile!”
-Og Mandino
TO HEAR THE AUDIO VERSION OF THE DAILY WORD **CLICK HERE
—
Ash’Cash is a Business Consultant, Motivational Speaker, Financial Expert and the author of Mind Right, Money Right: 10 Laws of Financial Freedom. For more information, please visit his website, www.IamAshCash.com
Aaliyah’s status has almost reached the coveted mythic status these days. She has people like Drake and Chris Brown singing with her even thought she’s not here physically. DMX stays dissing those dudes. Timbaland is saying its not too late to apologize even thought he knows he’s the one that needs to be putting out new Baby Girl.
OH…here’s something else to rile up the fans of the one and only Aaliyah.
There is a crazy rumor that the chick Solange has landed the role to play Aaliyah an upcoming biopic. Now, the rumor is Solange went out for the role earlier in the month and ended up getting it this week. She reportedly will be working with the same people that did the movie “Think Like A Man.”
I don’t know. I didn’t even know Solange was any sort of actress. But, she almost never has her hair straight like Aaliyah did. This is as close to Aaliyah as could see with Solange.
They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry! -illseed.
Illseed, Out.
GET INTERACTIVE WITH ALLHIPHOP.COM!
Follow us on Twitter! Like us on Facebook!
Email illseed rumors: ki*********@***il.com
[Download]
Tracklist
By now most people have heard Jay Z’s controversial response to legendary activist/artist Harry Belafonte’s critique of his lack of social activism. But just in case you haven’t, it went like this:
“Yeah I’m offended by that because first of all…this is going to sound arrogant…but my presence is charity, just because of who I am. Just like Obama’s[Barack] is. Obama provides hope. Whether he does anything the hope that he provides for a nation and outside of America is enough. You know what I’m saying?”
Actually, I don’t know what you’re saying. Especially in light of the dwindling hope very few in our community still have in President Obama’s ability to make real change for Black America. Black unemployment continues to rise, homicide is still far and away the leading cause of death for young black men, and according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, one in three black men can expect to go to prison in their lifetime.
But if Jay Z, does actually believe his “presence is charity”, here are 5 places he needs to visit immediately. Not now, but right now!
1) Florida
Maybe Jay not joining Stevie Wonder’s boycott of Florida is a good thing. When he shows up the Sunshine State on his tour with Justin Timberlake, he can stop by Tallahassee and join the Dream Defenders like Harry Belafonte did on Friday. The Dream Defenders are attempting to get Florida to pass Trayvon’s Law, which would repeal Stand Your Ground, ban racial profiling, and end the school to prison pipeline. Coincidentally, after Mr. Belafonte’s visit, the Florida Capital Police refused to allow the Dream Defenders to bring in food for the over 100 men, women, and children that were inside. To make matters even worse in Florida, an unarmed Black man was just shot, by sheriff deputies, 5 times for parking his car outside of his own home. They need you there bad Jay Z.
2) Chicago
Yes, the city which had over 500 murders last year really needs Jay Z. 54 people were shot in between last Friday night and Monday morning. 10 of them were killed, including 2 boys, between 16 and 20, who were found naked, lying face down.What’s Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to stop the violence? Close 50 schools, where 9 out of the 10 students effected are Black.
3) Detroit
By now almost everyone has heard about Detroit’s near-bankruptcy. Surprisingly, many people still have not heard about the death of 7 year old Aiyana Jones, who was killed by a Detroit Police Officer while they were filming a episode of the reality TV show “The First 48″. Even fewer people seem to know that a mistrial was declared for Officer Joseph Weekley who shot and killed a sleeping Aiyana. Thankfully, it seems Officer Weekley will be retried in the shooting of little Aiyana before the end of the year. Maybe if Jay Z shows up it will make the national news.
4) Pine Ridge
Pine Ridge, South Dakota according to the New York Times is a, “poster child of American poverty“, with the, “the lowest per capita income in the entire United States.” “Half the population over 40 on Pine Ridge has diabetes, and tuberculosis runs at eight times the national rate. As many as two-thirds of adults may be alcoholics, one-quarter of children are born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, and the life expectancy is somewhere around the high 40s — shorter than the average for sub-Saharan Africa. Less than 10 percent of children graduate from high school.” According to the website Re-member.org, the unemployment rate is 80-90%. Damn Jay, they need some inspiration. Fuel up your private jet and fly there ASAP!
5) Brooklyn
That’s right Jay, your people really need you in your own hometown. Why? Gentrification has gotten so bad in Brooklyn that many poor people of color are being gentrified into homeless shelters. Of course the Barclay Center , of which Jay Z is the public face, has been in many ways the crown jewel in the remaking of Brooklyn. And don’t forget it wasn’t that long ago when 16 year old Kimani Gray was shot and killed by police, while he was unarmed and on the ground,according to an eye witness. Kimani was hit with 7 shots, 3 of which were in his back, and his death lead to several nights of protests by young people of color. Sadly, Jay Z’s presence was nowhere to be found.
For the record, I’m in no way attempting to blame Jay Z for all of America’s ills, that would be ridiculous. But it’s also ridiculous to think your mere presence some how improves the reality for young people of color, that goes for Jay and President Obama. That’s not only arrogant, it shows how out of touch he actually is. It also takes me back to his infamous line of his song, “Moment of Clarity” where he states, “Truthfully I want to rhyme like Common Sense”. With our community in the condition it’s in, especially after the George Zimmerman verdict, I wonder what, or who is stopping him.
