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Hip-Hop Rumors: MGK Confronts A$AP Rocky Over “Corny As F*ck” Comment?

By: ginatorres27Category: Rumors

Although we hear A$AP Rocky initially refused XXL’s 2012 Freshman cover, in an interview with FUSE that was released this morning, A$AP seemed a little aggy about not being on the cover and even went as far as calling a few of the cover artists out as “corny as f*ck”.

“Personally, I’ma speak my mind, I think a lot of the motherf-ckers on the list are corny as f-ck. Shout out to Danny Brown. I think a few people on there are eligible for it and I think that they deserve to be on that cover.”

Peep the video below:

Well, it looks like MGK, who is on the cover, had a thing or two to say about A$AP’s comments. The two were seen earlier today at SXSW in Austin, Texas having an intense conversation.

Our insider tells us that while the two were not beefing, “A$AP was particularly expressive.”

Do you think A$AP was copping a plea, or was he manning up to what he said? These two have both expressed wanting to work with each other in the future. I hope this doesn’t ruin that.

Anyway, A$AP Rocky will be releasing his A$AP Mob album in May, followed by his debut in early July.

Snoop Added To Vibe House/AllHipHop.com Breeding Ground SXSW Showcase

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

(AllHipHop News) Rap superstar Snoop Dogg has announced he will be part of tonight’s lineup at the The Vibe House during SXSW.

Snoop Dogg will headline AllHipHop.com’s Breeding Ground Showcase, along with superproducer Timbaland.

The rap icons will perform with a number of upcoming artists who have been featured on AllHipHop.com over the past year.

Snoop, who as an artist is usually on the edge of technology, is offering fans a limited run of Vibe House signed posters through MarketPage, a new e-commerce platform built for Facebook.

Snoop Dogg, who is the first artist to utilize the technology, is using Marketpage to power his SnooperMarket on his Facebook page.

AllHipHop.com’s Breeding Ground Showcase takes place tonight (March 16) at Kiss & Fly at 404 Colorado St. in downtown Austin, Texas from 8:00 PM to 2:00 AM.

The highly anticipated Respect the West showcase being presented by Stampede Management and Cashmere Agency will take place tomorrow (March 17) at Kiss & Fly as well, from 8:00 PM to 2:00 AM.

The official SXSW event, #VIBEHOUSESXSW is powered by Cashmere Agency, VIBE Magazine and MMXLII and presented by adidas Originals.

Fans around the world can tune-in to watch the entire show at http://new.livestream.com/vibehouse.

Non Hip-Hop Rumor: Is This the Man Who Sold Whitney Houston’s Casket Photo?

By: ginatorres27Category: Rumors

It looks like the mystery of who sold Whitney Houston’s casket photo is over, and all fingers are pointing to her confidant, Raffles Van Exel.

The Whigham Funeral Home in New Jersey where Whitney was buried is saying that one of their employees witnessed Van Exel take the photo. A source from Whigham’s says when they saw the photo on the cover of the Enquirer, they told the Houston’s that it was Van Exel and, “They didn’t do anything ab0ut it.”

“They’re protecting him. How come they haven’t gotten him out of their circle?” said the source.


After doing some digging, we found that this Van Exel dude is one shady person. First of all, he has numerous alias including Raffles Benson and Raffles Dawson. He even pretended to be famous R&B singer George Benson’s (“Give Me the Night,” “Turn Your Love Around”) son and weaseled his way into his mansion, all the while allegedly stealing $25K in cash and then disappearing. Van Exel is a washed-up, wanna be singer who is a well-known Hollywood mooch. This guy even mooched off of Michael Jackson for a while! It’s incredible how he could get so close to these legends.

Van Exel  was the only non-family member who accompanied Whitney’s sister in law/manager and newly appointed executor Pat Houston in her car to Whitney’s memorial, funeral, and viewings. He even traveled with the Houston family on the private plane from Los Angeles to New Jersey.

This sounds a little shady to me. Especially because when Pat Houston was interviewed by Oprah, and she said she didn’t care who took the photo of Whitney in her coffin. How could she not care?! Maybe she doesn’t care, because she already knew who it was and somehow has something to do with it. Could they have split the money? What’s even worse is that Pat was with Whitney in L.A. the week before she died and did nothing to stop her from drinking and taking prescription medication. How could you witness your best friend and sister-in-law going down a dangerous downward spiral and do nothing about it?  So many questions!

I wonder what Whitney’s mother, Cissy Houston, is going to do about all of this information that is now coming to light?

Hip-Hop Rumors: Did Snoop Dogg Jeopardize the Lives of His Fans?

By: ginatorres27Category: Rumors

Last December, Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa performed at the Wiltern Theater in Hollywood, California, and according to an employee of the theater, some shady and down right dangerous things took place to accommodate the habitual smokers. Here’s what the witness had to say:

“I was there when they were setting up the show and soundcheck. What tripped me out was when the fire Marshall turned off all the smoke detectors in the Wiltern Theater, because he knew Snoop Dogg had a reputation for smoking weed. I was shocked. I’m still shocked.“

The concert was attended by nearly 2,200 people. If a fire would have broken out at the theater, there would have been no warning since all of the smoke detectors were allegedly turned off.

Wow, if this is true, that was incredibly irresponsible of the Fire Marshal! I don’t think Snoop or Wiz would approve of this at all.

A Retrospective: The Year Hip-Hop Descended On SXSW

By: Chuck Creekmur (@ChuckCreekmur)Category: Features

Technically, Hip-Hop has been at the massive South By Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas, since the early 1990s, but in the early 2000s, something changed. Right around 2003, Hip-Hop smashed the festival, and it has been growing ever since. But, will the growth continue to explode, or will it crumple under its own weight? AllHipHop was there that fateful year that Hip-Hop truly impacted SXSW and interviewed three of the key players at the time: SXSW’s Hip-Hop director Matt Sonzala, label exec-turned-tech mogul Theda Sandiford, and activist Dave “Davey D” Cook.

AllHipHop.com: Matt, you are consider to the the person that brought Hip-Hop to SXSW.

Matt Sonzala: Well, there’s been Hip-Hop shows since like 1990, I think, at SXSW. They just didn’t have as many until recently. I came in in late 2003 wanting to make sure some of the Houston guys like Swisha House, Chamillionaire, Bun B, etc. all got on SXSW as I felt like things were really about to happen for Houston. So I sent an email to the general address at SXSW asking if I could possibly put together a showcase full of all these folks from Houston, and they wrote me back basically saying that if I could make it happen, they’d be down to do it. So I hit up all the artists, and explained to them what SXSW is, and we did the first shows in March of 2004 – with everyone from Zin and OG Style to Bun B and Chamillionaire. Paul Wall came with Magno, we had some Austin artists on there, Play N Skillz, and it just grew every year from there.

I also worked under Andre Walker from 1993-1996 helping him put together the Hip-Hop  shows in those years. There’d be just a couple each year, but sh*t, we had the first Gravediggaz show ever, Mad Flava, ESG. Man, I remember seeing Erykah Badu come out as Erika Free to sing just one song with this group Heads N Dreads. I remember it like it was yesterday. She had short hair and braces and was wearing a sweater and some jeans. She brought the whole place to their knees with just one song – it was incredible. Pretty sure that was 1995.

AllHipHop.com: Theda, can you explain why it was important for you, since you were at Def Jam Records?

Theda: I was the first urban label exec to recognize the importance of the festival and worked tirelessly to get my labels to attend the event just as the interactive festival was beginning to jump the shark in 2006. The intersection of Hip-Hop, interactive media, and emerging technologies is intoxicating mix of gumbo ya ya. Having grown from a regional music festival to include film and interactive media, SXSW attracts a very diverse audience looking for “what’s next.” Jumping in early ahead of the curve gave my artists a significant edge over those that ignored the festival and exposed them to a “crossover” audience.

AllHipHop.com: Davey, you are widely regarded as a political activist. What was so important about this that you were involved in it?

Davey D: It was important because SXSW has a huge audience, and far too often, Hip-Hop was treated as a stepchild. Matt was someone who was down to treat it as an equal with other genres. The panels I did were designed to further that mission.

AllHipHop.com: Now, Davey, Theda was on one side of the coin by bringing acts from major labels to SXSW. But what is your take?

Davey D: I seen this phenomena occur on several cases, where a good thing designed to give voice to a voiceless segment of the music industry blows up and them becomes a “marketing” tool for the majors. In each instance, something special gets lost.  As much as I like a Snoop Dogg or any number of artists of his caliber, the best part of SXSW was discovering an Anita Tijoux, or seeing a Rebel Diaz, or coming across a Toki Wright or meeting local indies from overseas. I hope that flava and spirit doesn’t get lost.

(Continued below)

Matt Sonzala, SXSW Director of Hip-Hop

Matt Sonzala, SXSW Director of Hip-Hop

AllHipHop.com: What was it like bringing Hip-Hop to this major festival that was mostly known by those outside of urbana? Do you remember the events that went on at that time.

Theda: The early Hip-Hop events at SXSW where Texas Hip-Hop showcases and some DJ sets. Swisha House and Rap-a-Lot were well represented. I remember Bun B’s first solo album had just come out, but was already a legend as one half of UGK in Texas. When Bun hit the stage, it was complete pandemonium. Anyone in the audience who was not from Texas recognized they better catch up quick. The conference has grown from there. Last year, there was an African Hip-Hop showcase, Kanye performed a free show, and there was a major DJ competition put on by Red Bull. SXSW has become a must for emerging artists and established artists alike.

Matt Sonzala: Yeah, man, it was incredible. I loved bringing folks to SXSW for the first time because it’s such an incredible event. Besides all the fun you can have, you can always find work and meet like minded folks to work with. It’s still one of my favorite things about the conference, opening young artists eyes and minds to the bigger picture of the music business. But when I was starting it was hard, I literally had to explain every aspect of SXSW to every single person I dealt with. And I got a lot of doors closed in my face, especially from the major labels in those days. But I will tell you this, Bun B was always supportive, and he really understood it once he came down for it, and his voice was a major factor in the success of SXSW Hip-Hop for sure. He was always so positive about it.

AllHipHop.com: Davey?

Davey D: The first time I went to SXSW was to do a panel on bringing healthcare to artists. It was with Rock Rap Confidential and Rock-A Mole. When there it was crazy, because there was thousands of people and no Hip-Hop. I think there was like one rap act performing with a rock band, and it was really big deal that a Hip-Hop act was there. When Matt started bringing acts, I believe he brought Dizzee Rascal from London, and it was huge deal. By the time I was doing panels…the line up for Hip-Hop had grown dramatically. It was still a lot of underground acts alongside local/Texas artists. That was pretty good, as it was nice to see  the underground scenes from different regions link up.

AllHipHop.com: Theda and Matt, you have both moved to Austin for good from New York and Houston respectively. Can you speak on the changes that have occurred in the city over all since this awareness has been made?

Matt Sonzala: Man, its gotten pretty crazy Hip-Hop wise. Just the sheer numbers have increased artist and fan wise. It’s crazy. Austin has always had a lot of concerts of all kinds throughout the year, but I will say for sure that in these past few years, those numbers have grown. It’s like every Hip-Hop artist comes through Austin now, at some point in the year. And everyone is here for SXSW. Austin is the type of city that most people want to return to once they have experienced it, that is for sure.

Theda: Austin during SXSW is not at all like Austin not during SXSW. The city is one massive gridlock alert day meets Madri Gras for 10 days straight. SXSW is one of the largest drivers in the local economy. I believe South By infused more than $100 million into the economy last year. With all the major brands that are participating this year, that number will only grow. Since the SXSW hotels always sell out, probably the biggest change in recent years is the number of locals leaving town to rent out their homes to SXSW goers via HomeAway or AirBnB.

Matt Sonzala: What do you think of the present state of Hip-Hop in general and how it has evolved at SXSW?

Theda: I think a lot of these guys were raised eating way too many soy products to be real with you, but in the end, Hip-Hop is in a great place right now. There’s so many different styles coming down the pipeline and regional sounds are becoming more mainstream. Not that that hasn’t happened before, but I am saying as a whole. When I sit back and look at who is really doing it right now from indie to major, it really spans a pretty wide diaspora of music. I personally would like to hear more rappers attempt to lyrically overthrow the government, but whatever. There’s some great music happening right now.

AllHipHop.com: Have you ever feared it will get too big, like say Freaknik? [laughter]

Davey D: My one concern was seeing a lot of mainstream acts show up and do these side parties and events. I don’t think they are concerned about nurturing the underground scenes. They just wanna piece of the large audience showing up SXSW on many levels was designed to set up infracsture for indie artists, not be a farm team for the majors. This means when an artists comes to SXSW, he/she is interacting with folks. They are part of the makeup, not flying in to do a show, have 50 bodyguards  and do a VIP tent keeping them at arms length from everyone. I recall the year before last, when there was a couple of showcases for artists from overseas, that got lost by huge side parties being thrown by majors who flew in major artists who saw this as a pit stop and not a building block.

Matt Sonzala: I am very, very extremely afraid of that to be honest with you. I mean, we have a small city here for real, and more and more people come every year. I think we attract some real cool music fans, and SXSW is generally a lot of fun. I am not tripping. But space wise? Sh*t, try to get a hotel for SXSW 2013 right now. You will probably already have issues. It’s nuts.

Hip-Hop Rumors: Is Wyclef Being Extorted?!

By: ginatorres27Category: Rumors

This is one explosive rumor right here! Word on the block is that Wyclef Jean is allegedly very close to filing for bankruptcy because he is being extorted! Our snitches tell us that Wyclef is allegedly “robbing everybody because he’s damn near broke. Clef ripped off the Yele Charity because he’s having money problems.”

Reports of Wyclef allegedly stealing money from his Yele Haiti charity have been swirling for years, but it looks like now we know why. The source also says that ‘s wife, Claudinette, is allegedly “running around in New York and New Jersey with bad credit cards and bounced checks. It’s embarrassing.”

Here’s the kicker. Guess who the source says is allegedly extorting Clef?! None other than Czar Entertainment owner, Jimmy Henchman, and notorious muscle Haitian Jack.

“Jimmy Henchman and Haitian Jackhave both been extorting Wyclef for years. Jimmy’s in jail now, I’m sure Wyclef is happy about that. But Jack is still extorting him from the DR (Dominican Republic). Clef is paying Haitian Jack $15,000 a show and Clef’s money ain’t right.”

Wow, that’s a lot of information to process. I don’t know what to think about this one.

Eminem Affiliate Denaun Porter Announces New Solo EP “tHe mEmO”

By: seandrasimsCategory: News

(AllHipHop News) It’s been over 10 years since Detroit’s D12 made their major label debut, Devil’s Night. Since then, the group has undergone challenges – the most significant being the death of leader, Proof, in 2006. Following his death, Denaun Porter stepped up to act as rapper Eminem’s hypeman during his infrequent stage shows.

A producer who has contributed hits to most “Shady” affiliated artists like 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Royce Da 5’9”, and more, Porter is stepping out on his own with a new album, tHe mEmO, and a new production company, My Own Planet.

“I’m just really stepping out on faith. Encouraging people to take that leap with the life we have left and LIVE IT!” Porter told AllHipHop.com in an exclusive statement reacently. “Do what you need to do to make yourself happy.”

His first solo project, tHe mEmO, is an EP, to be presented by My Own Planet, and includes a title track first featured on Royce Da 5’9”’s album, Success Is Certain. Porter produced and sang on the hook, and one version features Joe Budden, and on another, Big Sean. Porter plans to develop and produce several artists who will follow his release.

tHe mEmO is being released as “Denaun,”, his first name, not his previous moniker, “Mr. Porter.” He states that this is him in his purest, rawest form:

“I’m representing regular people with regular problems. People trying to find themselves. The music is “conscious” music. Each song has a powerful message. This is me expressing a higher level of creativity.”

tHe mEmO has yet to be released, but check out the teaser video below. Denaun Porter is currently in Austin for SXSW with Eminem.

Daily Word: Be Extraordinary!!!

By: seandrasimsCategory: Lifestyle

Happy Friday, my creatures of Greatness!!

Welcome to the best day of your entire life….. EVERYDAY!!!! Today’s Daily Word is dedicated to
Being Extraordinary! Contrary to popular belief, no one was put on this earth to merely survive! We were not put here to struggle, and we were surely not put here to be “regular.”

Out of all the two million species living on earth (that we know of), the human being is the most
advanced, intelligent, and fascinating! With everything that our creator has given us, it would be a shame to just allow it to waste without fully maximizing it! YOU ARE GREAT! YOU ARE POWERFUL BEYOND BELIEF! ANYTHING YOU WANT IN LIFE IS ALREADY YOURS, YOU JUST HAVE TO CLAIM IT!!

The days of just doing enough to get by are dead and gone!! We must ALWAYS go above and beyond in everything we do! Be Extraordinary!! Take your abilities to the highest level possible and never let up! If you truly want everything you say you do, then stop talking yourself out of your blessings!! Do what you know has to be done in order to get what you know you ought to have!! IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING!! AND NOTHING CAN STOP YOU!!!!
-Ash’Cash

“Most people can do extraordinary things if they have the confidence or take the risks. Yet most people don’t. They sit around and treat life as if it goes on forever.” -Philip Andrew Adams

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.” -Jimmy Johnson

“The most absurd and reckless aspirations have sometimes led to extraordinary success.” -Vauvenargues, Marquis de

“We must overcome the notion that we must be regular…it robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre.” -Uta Hagen

“Perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” -Angelique Arnauld

“Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. Weak men wait for opportunities; strong men make them.” -Orison Swett Marden

“Ordinary people believe only in the possible. Extraordinary people visualize not what is possible or probable, but rather what is impossible. And by visualizing the impossible, they begin to see it as possible.” -Cherie Carter-Scott

“Carpe Diem! Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary.” -Dead Poet’s Society

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.

R&B Has a New Thug? Meet August Alsina

By: @KareemTaylorCategory: Alternatives

Move over Trey Songz. We’ve got a new R&B thug in town, and he goes by the name of August Alsina.

If you’ve had your ear to the streets over the past few weeks, you’ve heard the New Orleans Native Alsina’s remix to the Kirko Bangz jam “Drank In My Cup.” (But at just age 19, his cup better not have too much drink!)

Now, he’s back with a music video for his original single “Heavy”, which appears on the Party & Bullshi* three-song, m###-single, available here.

Follow August Alsina on Twitter (@AugustAlsina) and www.facebook.com/augustalsinamusic.

Red Bull Music Academy Rolls Through Philly with 9th Wonder, Phonte & DJ Rich Medina

By: seandrasimsCategory: Features

The Red Bull Music Academy rolled ahead with a stop at Philadelphia’s legendary Sigma Sound Studio late last week, where it spotlighted producer extraordinaire, 9th Wonder and former Little Brother member and current collaborator, Phonte.

The duo, who met as fellow dorm mates at North Carolina Central University, found a common, passionate interest in rap music, prompting Phonte to quit collegiate football to begin pursuing their mutual dream. 9th Wonder, who now works with artists under development such as Rapsody and Big Remo, recalled that Pete Rock’s production on “They Reminisce Over You” inspired him to want to make music.

“I wanna see what that is about. I want to see what the mystery was,” he said of the track that featured CL Smooth. “That’s what inspired me to do it.”

As for Phonte: “Big Daddy Kane was my favorite rapper – I loved how he showed the battle sdde and the lady side. Kane was my biggest influence. For me, I liked the skill. I just like to play with words. I spend a lot of time to myself.” With [an] English [degree], I just translated that to MC’ing. I started with a thesis statement, then I wrote rhymes to back it up. It’s like talking like you’re Rick Flair or something!” the comedic MC joked.

Watch the video as 9th Wonder and Phonte share more about the early, discovery years that eventually led to a record deal, Grammy nods and a win, and several classic albums:

Their influences were rooted in the Dirty South, but over the years, as Little Brother, the duo honed their own unique song-crafting processes. Phonte’s singing emerged during the recording of hooks for The Listening’s reference tracks. “After The Listening came out, people started asking me to sing…as time went out, I just did it more and more. I tried my hand as a songwriter but that sh*t got old,” said Phonte. In 2006, on “Leave It All Behind”, he says he decided to “go for broke” and sing for real.

In this clip, 9th Wonder and Phonte talk about how they created the Little Brother sound and beyond, and they share a poignant story about the “immature” four-year break in their creative and friendship bond:

The stop was the second in as many months for Rich Medina, who spun a magnificent set for The Roots at their GrassROOTS Community Foundation concert in mid-February. As for Red Bull, they use stops like this in major cities across the country to tout the experiences of participants from the Music Academy.

Along with a video spotlighting former Academy members like Erykah Badu, Jesse Boykin was also built into the Philadelphia event to lend firsthand props to Red Bull for the life-changing opportunity. In the end, a few members of the eclectic Philly crowd were treated to a rare in-studio moment with the two as they offered advice to aspiring artists, while others kept the party going at Club PYT.

Red Bull Music Academy receives up to 10,000 applications each year – only 60 musicians are chosen annually for the coveted spots. Applications for this fall’s academy are accepted through April 2 – grab one HERE.

Roc-A-Fella Founder Kareem “Biggs” Burke Pleads Guilty: Faces Five Years In Prison

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Roc-A-Fella Records co-founder Kareem “Biggs” Burke has pleaded guilty in Manhattan Federal Criminal Court, for his role in a massive marijuana ring.

Burke appeared in court yesterday (March 15) in Manhattan Federal Court, where he pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute, more than 100 kg of marijuana.

Federal authorities connected Burke to a massive marijuana trafficking ring that involved over 50 people.

“With Kareem Burke’s guilty plea today, another member of this sprawling marijuana trafficking ring stands convicted,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara told AllHipHop.com in a press release. “We will continue to pursue and punish those who traffic in illegal drugs.”

Burke was arrested in October of 2010, after federal authorities connected him to three separate, but interconnected marijuana trafficking cells.

The network distributed the marijuana to customers in Florida, New York and New Jersey.

According to federal authorities, most of the organization was based in Florida, but they also bought marijuana from growers in California.

When Burke was arrested, police found the remains of a marijuana growing operation, as well as $15,000 in cash.

The 38-year-old, who founded Roc-A-Fella Records with Jay-Z and Damon Dash in 1995, faces the mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

In addition to the prison sentence, Burke must forfeit his $660,000 residence in New Jersey, a 2010 BMW and the $15,000 in cash that was seized.

Kareem “Biggs” Burke will be sentenced by Judge Laura Taylor Swain on May 18, at 12:00 PM.

@SXSW Live Stream 8:40PM EST: Grand Hustle, MMG and More Featured in Warner Sound Showcase

By: JP DelaCuesta (@JPdelacuesta)Category: News

(AllHipHop News) Warner Music and Nikon have teamed up to stream The Warner Sound Showcase tonight (March 15) at this year’s South By Southwest (SXSW) Festival in Austin, Texas,  which will feature performances by Grand Hustle’s T.I. and B.o.B., and Maybach Music Group’s Wale, Meek Mill, and Stalley.

In addition to the aforementioned performers, Curren$y, Kirko Bangz, XV, and Snow Tha Product will be backed by DJ Drama, with Hip-Hop personality Sway handling host duties.

The showcase, which takes place at La Zona Rosa in Austin, will begin at 8:30 p.m., with the stream kicking off at 9:40 p.m. CST.

For more information, visit Warner Sound and watch the showcase stream below:

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Grooves To Hip-Hop As War Rages On

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

(AllHipHop News) Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a fan of Hip-Hop music, in particular Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes and Chris Brown.

The findings are contained in over 3,000 personal emails sent by President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma.

President Bashar al-Assad’s emails were released by the main opposition group fighting in the country, The Supreme Council of the Revolution.

President Bashar al-Assad and his wife Asma are accused of living a luxurious life, as the country is engaged in a bitter civil war that has left over 8,000 people dead.

Despite United States sanctions, Bashar al-Assad used a New York address to buy tens of thousand dollars worth of luxury goods that included candlesticks, iPad and music from the iTunes store.

The messages were obtained and released by the Guardian yesterday (March 14).

The Guardian said that a mole in al-Assad’s inner-circle stole his email and password and released the information to The Supreme Council of the Revolution.

Early today (March 15), the President of Syria took to his official Twitter account to denounce the story as a hoax.

“Documents published by an [sic] UK newspaper yesterday are hoaxes created against Syria and my family,” al-Bashar tweeted.