(AllHipHop News) Jay Z continues to make massive waves with his MCHG album and he’s joined forces with HBO for his next venture.
The rapper mogul will premier his new performance video “Picasso Baby” on HBO August 2. The entire experience is being called “Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film.”
See a preview below:
The video was shot earlier this month at Pace Gallery in New York City. The 6-hour taping included Wale, Rosie Perez, Taraji P. Henson and a host of visual artists.
(AllHipHop News) DJ Khaled’s marriage proposal to Nicki Minaj was a strange development in the world of hip-hop this week but Rick Ross has encouraged Nicki to accept the offer from the popular Florida-based spin doctor.
Even though he’s close with Khaled, he told Power 106 that he had no idea it was going down.
“It was some chatter going around, but I can’t say that I knew, but it was some chatter,” Ross told Los Angeles’ Power 106 host Rikki Martinez.”Time to sit that a** on his lap.”
The initial video proposal was aired on MTV and replayed through various blogs and websites. The 10-carat ring has been valued at roughly $500,000. Some have theorized that the proposal is a hoax, Ross said otherwise to Martinez. “He has a ring valued at about half-a-million dollars,” Rozay reasoned. “If they tie the knot, I have to most definitely represent like a boss.”
At press time, Nicki Minaj had not commented publicly.
Foxy Brown has been accused of stealing $900 in WEAVE!
The accuser “G-Star” put Foxy on full blast on Instagram! In this video you see Foxy kinda being in captive in the video! And G-Star threatened to go to “the blogs” but she added it to instagram and it was ON. They say Foxy was trying to run off the premises of the hair place!
Peep the video below!
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They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry! -illseed.
(AllHipHop Features) With over a quarter century of experience in Hip Hop, Pete Rock is one of the most respected producers in the history of rap music. The legendary maestro has crafted classic tracks for Hip Hop heavyweights like Nas, Big L, Common, Kanye West, Jay Z, Rakim, Ghostface Killah, and his own group Pete Rock & CL Smooth.
The Bronx, New York native has now connected with his fellow BX brethren Camp Lo for the sequel to their 2011 mixtape 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s. Unlike the original, 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s Pt. II is a project of all original tracks produced solely by Pete Rock.
The 25-track opus pays tribute to the birthplace of Hip Hop by borrowing the title of Gary Weis’ 1979 documentary about the Savage Nomads and the Savage Skulls gangs from the South Bronx. Besides verses from Camp Lo’s Sonny Cheeba and Geechi Suede, 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s Pt II features appearances by Talib Kweli, Mac Miller, Ab-Soul, M.O.P, and Uncle Murda.
AllHipHop.com spoke with Pete Rock to discuss 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s Pt II, reuniting with CL Smooth, other recent Hip Hop projects, and a lot more.
AllHipHop.com: This is your first official mixtape. Why did you decide to release 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s II as a free project and not as an official studio album?
Pete Rock: I feel like the real Hip Hop that people want to hear they’re not hearing it, so we decided to give it back to our community for free. You’re not hearing it on the radio, and when you do it’s only for one hour. That’s not enough for certain fans that listen for good music. So we decided to do it for free so people can get what they need in life.
There are 25 tracks on the project. Are there more records from those recording sessions that didn’t make it onto the mixtape?
Yeah, we got songs we didn’t throw on the mixtape. We didn’t want it to go over 77 minutes. We wanted to keep it under 74 minutes, and with 25 records we did it. Some records have a verse and a hook. Some records have two verses and a hook. Some have three verses. That’s how it stayed under the 74 minute mark.
Do you think those songs that didn’t make the tape will be put on another project?
They’ll definitely be on the next go round.
You guys dropped the song “Megan Good” with Mac Miller. Did you ever get a reaction from Meagan or anyone on her team?
Not yet, but hopefully it won’t be bad, because the song is about celebrating her and a lot of other people with the names beginning with [the letter] “m.” The song was originally named “Lady Mrs,” and we threw Meagan Good in there for the title. Why not? We were celebrating Meagan Good.
You recently announced that you’re getting back together with CL Smooth to re-record Mecca and the Soul Brother with a live band. How far along are you in that process and when do you think the project will be released?
Not far yet, but we’re doing shows. We got a show coming up in Central Park in New York. It’s a free concert. I can’t wait to get started on that. That’s going to be dope to re-record Mecca and the Soul Brother with a live band. Big shout out to CL Smooth. Be looking forward to that next year.
Not too many Hip Hop artists record with a live band. What inspired that idea?
The idea came from us. We thought it would be a great idea to re-record that album. It was our first big debut album. It’s important to us, and we have a lot of stories that go with that album. I just thought that it would be a challenge to try and do these songs live with great musicians and the right kind of instrumentation.
There are quite a few New York based emcees that have gone back to using the Boom-Bap style of production. Why do you think that sound is starting to resurface in such a major way?
It’s needed. People need to hear something different after hearing the same thing over and over and over again. I think it’s a need for it to be mixed in with new stuff that creates a whole new sound. That could be beneficial for everyone.
What young artists that you hear now are exciting you musically?
Everyone. From Joey Bada$$ to A$AP Ferg, A$AP Rocky. I like Drake. I like AB-Soul. I like Kendrick Lamar. I like Schoolboy Q. You got a whole bunch of the young generation out there contributing to Hip Hop. I like that. Kanye West. People like that.
Speaking of Kanye. What did you think of Yeezus?
It’s different, but Kanye’s a talented producer. He’s going to go and challenge himself every time. Regardless of what people want out of him, he’s going to do him. I appreciate that in a person. But speaking from a fan I felt it was just a little left. Compared to Magna Carta [Holy Grail] where you can hear a couple of Boom-Bap beats on Jay Z’s new album. Nothing against Kanye. He just went a different direction. I respect it.
This has been a hot summer for Hip Hop. Are there any other projects that you enjoyed?
Wale’s album. J. Cole’s album. Nas’ album from last summer. So many good albums came out the past 8 or 9 months. I’m pretty excited. I’m a huge fan of all those people. To hear a new J. Cole and you’re listening to his album and you hear heartbeats. That made me smile. Even with Wale and the stuff that I hear him doing. Wiz Khalifa and a bunch of other cats that I’m checking for. It’s love. The fact that they pay homage to that real sh*t just makes me feel better.
D.M.C. [of Run-D.M.C.] recently commented that he felt there is a lack of respect for Hip Hop’s pioneers. Do you feel like the culture doesn’t show enough respect for the veterans?
There’s ignorance of course out there. There are people that don’t really pay homage to what we put down. I always did that. Before me it was Whodini, Run-D.M.C., The Fat Boys, Salt-n-Pepa, Heavy D & the Boyz, the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J. Run-D.M.C., they were the top dogs. They were number one in mixing rock music with soul and making it in a Hip Hop form. To me without that respect there is no future. People that paved the road for you, you got to pay the ultimate respect.
What about your top five Hip Hop producers dead or alive, excluding yourself?
J Dilla of course is my favorite. Kanye West again. My man Nottz, Kev Brown, and Alchemist. I like way more producers. You can’t just give me five. I have to say that’s the top five for me today. There’s DJ Premier that I’m a fan of, and we got an album we’re doing together that’s coming out next year. So many other guys that make dope beats too. Jake One, he’s dope. There’s so many other guys.
Your production discography contains classic songs. If you had to pick five quintessential Pete Rock tracks which ones would you choose?
Nas’ “The World Is Yours.” “They Reminisce Over You.” “Don’t’ Curse” [by] Heavy D and The Boyz. Remix wise I would have to say [Public Enemy’s] “Shut Em Down.” Another one I would have to say is Big L’s “Holdin’ It Down.”
You’ve been in the game for over 25 years. What would you say is the key to long-term success in the music business?
Passion in your heart, knowing what you’re getting yourself into, preparing yourself for the best and the worst, and never quitting. Those are the elements you need to survive the music jungle. Cause it’s a jungle for real.
Pete Rock and Camp Lo’s 80 Blocks From Tiffany’s Pt. II will be available for free download on datpiff.com on July 30th.
Check out the cover art and tracklist for80 Blocks From Tiffany’s II below.
1. Intro
2. Ladies and Gentlemen (introducing 80 Blocks) f/ Talib Kweli
3. Starlight Glitz
4. Clean Getaway f/ Uncle Murda
5. No Uniform f/ M.O.P. and Pete Rock
6. Lets Toast
7. Megan Good f/ Mac Miller
8. 80 Blocks Party
9. Don’t Ya Just Love It f/ Ab-Soul
10. Y’all Not Ready
11. Rocking With The Best
12. You Never Seen A City Like (The Bronx)
13. Supa Fly S###
14. 80 Block’s From Tiffany’s
15. Bionic
16. Mafungo
17. No Hook f/ Pete Rock
18. Love Traps f/ Tyler Woods
19. Glitter and Gold
20. 99 Bottles
21. Dream Journey f/ Geechi Suede
22. 4 The OG’s
23. Pot of Butta
24. Can I Get A ……
25. Outro
(AllHipHop News) Fox News host Bill O’Reilly has publicly criticized National Action Network president and MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton for signing a book deal with Cash Money Content. O’Reilly called Cash Money a company that sells “entertainment that is harmful to children.”
Sharpton’s decision to release his upcoming memoir, The Rejected Stone, with the same parent company that is home to rapper Lil Wayne has also been a point of compliant. Sharpton played a pivotal role in connecting PepsiCo with the family of Emmett Till after the soda giant broke ties with Wayne because of his controversial lyrics about the brutally slain teenager in the song “Karate Chop (Remix)”.
Tamika D. Mallory, executive director of the National Action Network, contacted AllHipHop.com to issue a statement addressing O’Reilly’s objection to Sharpton working with Cash Money.
Read Ms. Mallory’s full statement below.
As National Executive Director of National Action Network (NAN) and head of the Decency Initiative, I find it a blatant contradiction that Bill O’Reilly would question our President, Rev. Al Sharpton writing a book on the evolution of his principles and ideas, detailing among other things why he is against certain lyrics in hip-hop and has stopped himself from using specific words. Being published by Simon & Schuster in a joint venture with the parent company Cash Money Content, which itself has a relationship with the parent company of Cash Money Records, I find Mr. O’Reilly’s assertions a contradiction because I sit on the Diversity Council of News Corp that owns Fox News and the New York Post in the seat designated for National Action Network. Both of these media are frequent, consistent critics of Rev. Sharpton and NAN, and have done things that many of us disagree with in terms of aspirations of the Black community.
News Corp also continues to support National Action Network functions and events financially, so if Rev. Sharpton can say we disagree with the News Corp entity, but should be open to dialogue, by what standards might he say to Simon & Schuster, that we are not open to doing business with Cash Money, especially since he can express his problems with lyrics and language in the book? Either we have one standard or not.
Secondly, I was in the meeting between Pepsi executives, the family of Emmett Till and Rev. Sharpton. There was nobody from Cash Money in that meeting because Pepsi had severed all ties with Lil’ Wayne, and Cash Money and had done so at the urging of both the Till family and Rev. Sharpton. The purpose of the meeting was for Pepsi to assure the family and Rev. Sharpton they were not going to reinstate the Lil’ Wayne deal. To insinuate that there was some deal in the meeting is a blatant lie. The fact remains that Pepsi had still withdrawn any relationship with Lil’ Wayne, so what would there be a deal around? The book deal with Simon & Schuster and Cash Money Content was signed through Massenburg Media and Rev. Sharpton last year and the book was in publication even before the Lil’ Wayne/Pepsi controversy occurred. The evidence of that is that the galleys are already out.
Finally, as Rev. Sharpton often says, “We can have different opinions, but we can not have different facts.”
-Tamika D. Mallory, National Executive Director, National Action Network
(AllHipHop News) Some artists send out emails to journalists, others forgo press entirely, Game uses Instagram as his press conference. After starting Rolex Records with Stat Quo in late December, legal battles with the luxury watch company Rolex has forced him to change the label’s name.
Do you believe in Bodega? Well lots of their fans do and that’s what makes any live show that they perform in so freakin impressive! They are interactive with their crowds in a way that many artists today don’t bother to try to do.
We aren’t sure if it’s that they don’t don’t know how to pull it off or they simply don’t care anymore about artistry period, but rappers should really take a chapter out of the Bodega Brovas book because when you pay for a show as a fan you want to be entertained. These guys do it with a fervor that is not easily beaten. Not by a long shot.
But even doper than that is the actual music they put forth. The passion they exude on stage is what so completely compliments the bars they drop in the studio. These kids are wild with it, but in a fun way that allows the listener to take the journey with them.
A Bodga Brovas fan is not only able to quote the jokes and punchlines on a Bodega track, they understand the depths and the meanings in the music as well. This is so because there are no smoke and mirror tricks with these guys. Bodega Brovas make the music they want to listen to nothing more nothing less. If only more artists saw it that way what a Hip Hop Utopia this could be!
Check out some examples of what we mean in the videos below!
(AllHipHop News) Either Europe is killing him or Frank Ocean needs to take it easy on his vocal chords as he has canceled his second European tour for vocal problems.
According to a statement from LiveNation, Ocean suffered “a small tear to one of his vocal chords”:
After last night’s concert in Melbourne at Festival Hall, it was necessary to seek medical advice due to vocal issues Frank Ocean experienced during the show.
Frank’s “tight tour schedule” will prevent him from making replacement dates, however LiveNation is “working to confirm a return to Australia as soon as is practical” and refunding tickets for those shows.
This is the second time in less than a year that the channel ORANGE singer has canceled tour dates due to vocal problems. In August of 2012, Ocean canceled his European tour, which included opening for Coldplay because “a tough decision had to be made in regard to my schedule over the next months,” according to the singer’s statement. Prior to making this announcement, Ocean ended a performance at Oya festival in Norway after four songs due to losing his voice according to organizers of the festival.
(AllHipHop News) DMX’s publicist exclusively sent AllHipHop a statement refuting the claims that he was arrested for driving under the influence at 3 A.M. this morning (July 26th)
“Allegations about DMX being arrested for drunk driving are false. He was arrested early this morning but quickly released. X was given a breathalyzer test and easily passed it. He is back at his home in South Carolina and we are continuing our focus on his upcoming album and acting roles.”
Dark Man X last project, Undisputed was released in September of 2012.
