(AllHipHop News) Philly Rapper Tone Trump recently spoke AllHipHop.com about his upcoming mixtape, The New Fresh Prince.
Tone Trump’s latest offering, which the rapper says is more of an album than a mixtape, will feature a variety of producers.
He named the project “The New Fresh Prince” as a tribute to legendary Philadelphia rapper Will Smith, in addition to other reasons.
“He’s from West Philly, I’m from West Philly and alot of times he gets alot of hate,” Tone Trump told AllHipHop.com. “People hate on Will ..people hate on me ! I think Will is living proof dreams come true and I’m living my dream right now. He use to walk the same streets as me and now hes almost a billionaire, friends with the president ..all things I see in my future.”
While many rappers claim the title of “King,” Tone Trump is content taking the title “prince.”
“Everyone wants to be king of the world and king of they city ..king of they hood,” Tone Trump told AllHipHop.com. “To me prince sounds flyer. I’m the prince, someone else is the king. There are alot of kings in Philly and I pay homage to all of them.”
“The New Fresh Prince” will be available for download on March 1.
Check out AllHipHop.com’s Mikey T. The Movie Star’s exclusive Interview with Tone Trump below:
We reported yesterday that the National Enquirer had planned to run a photo of Whitney Houston in her casket, and unfortunately that rumor turned out to be true. The gossip rag has released its new issue with the photo on the cover under the headline, “Whitney: The Last Photo!” The image is believed to have been taken inside the Whigham Funeral Home in Newark, New Jersey during Whitney’s private open casket funeral.
We refuse to post this photo on AllHipHop.com, but if you are interested in seeing the uncensored cover of the National Enquirer, you can view it here
Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def recently released a remix to The Throne’s “Ni**a’s In Paris” entitled “Ni**ga’s in Poorest” to commemorate the anniversary of Malcom X’s death. On the track Yasiin Bey takes the exact opposite approach that Kanye West and Jay-Z took on the track and instead raps about poverty and violence. The tone is somewhat chastising towards the original track with Yasiin rapping:
“Don’t get caught up in no throne,” and “Who the f-ck is Margiela?”
This is all pretty odd considering that last time we check, Yasiin Bey was a G.O.O.D. Music affiliate. Check out the video and lyrics below:
“These young bloods is looking scary at the mall
They wearing pants, you can still see they drawers
They rob a n#### in the bathroom stall
They took his life cause he ain’t want to take it off
Poor so hard, that sh-t cray, ain’t it, Bey? Diabetics, fish filet
Poor so hard, your house so cold, ni–a, it ain’t spring
Every winter landlord f-ckin’ with my heat again
Bougie girl, grab your hand, show you how to do this ghetto dance
F-ck your French, we ain’t in France, I’m just saying
Prince Williams ain’t do it right, if you ask me
If I was him, I’d put some black up in my family
Fake Gucci, my ni–a, fake Louis, my killa
Real drugs, my dealer, who the f-ck is Margiela?
Doctors say I’m the illest, I ain’t got no insurance
It’s them ni–as in poorest, be them rebel guerillas, huh”
Do you think Yasiin Bey is taking shots at The Throne?
(AllHipHop News) West Coast underground legend Murs is staying busy with the release of a new graphic novel and album, which will be released with the help of fans and supporters worldwide.
Murs has combined Hip-Hop and comics to give fans “Yumiko: Curse Of The Merch Girl,” via Kickstarter.com, a website that takes pledges and donations for art, music and films projects, so that work like Murs’ graphic novel can come to fruition.
The album and novel unite to tell the story of Yumi Morales, a girl living the tour life, while working the merchandise table for her boyfriend Dominick’s band Murder Acts.
“Yumiko is Hip-Hop and comics done correctly,” said Murs of the project. “Comics have always been a huge inspiration to me. And having the chance to publish my own comic is truly an honor. Working with my partners to create this book was a lot of fun and we are looking forward to making our dream a reality with the help of the fans.”
The 124-page graphic novel is illustrated by Jose Garcia and written by Josh Blaylock, while the ten-song album is produced entirely by DJ Foundation.
Lyrics for the project can even be found amidst the artistic pages of the novel.
Yumiko is available only via the project’s Kickstarter page, where a range of different pledge options will get you everything from the novel and CD, to exclusive apparel, custom download cards illustrated by David Mack and Jim Mahfood and a personal thank-you note and Twitter follow from Murs.
Murs has taken an active role in the the comic book world having reviewed recent issues of Batman, Catwoman and Wolverine for G4TV’sFresh Ink Online blog.
Murs’ Kickstarter Link and vlog advertisement for the novel and album is below.
Let’s be real. This whole Internet/Twitter beef between these two didn’t just come out of nowhere for entertainment’s sake, or did it? It’s more than a safe bet to say that this “war or Twitter words” is all happening to build up to this year’s Wrestlemania which is just a little over a month away.
In the past, personas from all entertainment fields like acting, music, fashion, etc. have all made appearances in some highly-publicized fashion doing WWE events. Why should now be any different??
John Cena is already set to take on The Rock at Wrestlemania in one of the most highly anticipated matches in WWE history, so why would thinking that Chris Brown could be “fighting” CM Punk be unrealistic? It’s not, at all!
Last year, actor Mickey Rourke and wrestler Chris Jericho got into a very similar war of words. Low and behold, Mr. Rourke popped up at Wrestlemania in a not so surprising turn of events!
Now the match that Punk is involved in is currently scheduled for Wrestlemania on April 1, 2012 and has CM Punk going up against Chris Jericho.
You’re hearing it here first, DO NOT BE SURPRISED if Chris Breezy slides into the ring at an opportune moment during the match and fights alongside Chris “Y2J” Jericho.
Any wrestling fans out there with some insight? Do you think this is a reality, and if so, who’s going to “win”???
DMX is back at it and he’s in full battle mode! The troubled, but uber talented rapper, stopped by Power 105’s “The Breakfast Club” this morning and flat out dissed Drake, among others. Check out what Dark Man X said about Drake below:
“I don’t like anything about Drake. I don’t like his f*cking voice. I don’t like what he talks about. I don’t like his face. I don’t like the way he walks. Like, nothing. I don’t like his haircut. I might just… Let me shut up, I’ll just stop right there.”
DMX also said that he was not impressed by Rick Ross and says all he raps about is food and weed! DMX also speaks about his issues with Jay-Z and how he feels Jay stalled his career when he took over as President at Def Jam.
X was very open in the interview, and in addition to his shots at Drake, Jay-Z and Rick Ross, he also talked about his substance abuse problems, why he impersonated a Federal Agent, and shared memories from his movie set experiences. Check out the full interview here.
(AllHipHop News) A man testifying in the drug dealing trial of Memphis native Craig Petties told jurors yesterday, that the group funneled millions of dollars in cocaine to members of Black Mafia Family.
Craig Petties, who is the half brother of 36 Mafia’s DJ Paul, is currently on trial for dealing tens of millions of dollars of drugs from Mexico, in the United States.
According to testimony yesterday by Georgia native Torrance Hill, thousands of kilos were moved from Mexico to members of BMF, which was headed by Demetrious “Big Meech” Flenory and his brother Terry “Southwest T” Flenory.
Torrance Hill was no small drug dealer.
According to the police, Hill raked in over $9 million a month, while dealing drugs for the Petties organization.
Drug shipments would be sent to Hill in Georgia four or five times a month, starting and 2003.
Shipments were no less than 150 kilograms and were as high as 500 kilograms.
Hill said that one time he received a shipment that was 2500 kilograms, which was worth more than $50 million on the street.
Sometimes the drugs were shipped through FedEx, but most times, Hill would meet 18 wheelers that carried the drugs into Georgia.
The drugs would then be sold to dealers in Georgia, Alabama, Tallahassee Florida, Mississippi and parts of North Carolina.
Craig Petties, allegedly a member of the Gangster Disciples, has been labeled the biggest drug dealer in the history of Memphis.
According to officials, Craig Petties received his drugs directly from Edgar Valdez Villarreal aka La Barbie, the incarcerated leader of the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel.
As a drug dealer, Petties lived a lavish lifestyle and amassed wealth and property.
Authorities seized two houses, valued at more than a million dollars, and twenty luxury vehicles.
The testimony is part of an ongoing trial to dismantle the Craig Petties organization.
The information about BMF came during the trial of two hitmen involved with organization, that are accused of multiple murders.
Fred the Godson has always represented the Bronx to the fullest. When the BX native and past Breeding Ground selectee landed on a certain, coveted “freshman cover” last year, the world took notice of his unorthodox rap style, literally. In the year since, his star has certainly risen, and with a slew of new projects on deck including a collaborative mixtape with Olivia titled Beauty and the Beastset to drop any day, Fred is in full beast mode for 2012.
Never one to let the buzz die, Fred has stayed extremely active since releasing last year’s very well-received mixtape, City of God, and he’s now on a short tour of the East Coast before packing his bags and heading overseas to Japan to perform for a few dates there. Upon his return, Fred says he’ll continue to work on his debut studio album – to be released by a label that he can’t name right now due to legalities and paperwork.
AllHipHop.com ventured into the Bronx and caught up with Fred in his team’s newly-renovated Blockwork Studios where he and Olivia were finalizing the last few songs for their soon-to-be released Beauty and the Beast mixtape. In the video below, Fred talks about his writing and recording style and how the tape with Olivia came together, but all of that comes after his short but exclusive AllHipHop freestyle:
In the video clip below, Fred talks about making the cover of XXL’s Freshman Class andwho he thinks should make the cut this year. He also notes what artists he’s feeling, gives details on his signing rumors, and what he has in store for the fans both musically and visually in the very near future:
In case you haven’t caught up, Chase N. Cashe is a member of the Surf Club, a collective group of rappers, artists, producers, and all-around creative minds who have either worked on, or been a part of some of the biggest records in the last few years. Records from the likes of Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Kanye, Flo Rida, and Eminem.
Jesse “Chase N. Cashe” Woodard grew up in New Orleans and was in the city during the horrific, natural disaster that was Hurricane Katrina. After losing his home and having to hit the road with his family, he “relocated” to Los Angeles to further pursue his passions and make a name for himself within the music industry. Recently, Chase released his second mixtape The Heir Up There and is currently touring the country as an opener on Drake’s “Club Paradise Tour“, with a bill that also boasts young giants Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Rocky.
AllHipHop.com spent some time talking to Chase N. Cashe while he was on his tour bus heading to the next stop on the Club Paradise Tour. We discussed the tour itself, his coming from New Orleans, his sounds as an artist and a producer, and what he’s got in the works for fans and listeners:
AllHipHop.com: What’s going on, Chase? How you feeling?
Chase N. Cashe: Good, man. Just on this f*cking tour bus, just kicking it real gangsta right now.
AllHipHop.com: Now when you say your on your tour bus, I assume you’re talking about the tour you’re on with Drake, Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Rocky, right?
Chase N. Cashe: Yeah, man.
AllHipHop.com: You’ve only been on the tour for a couple of weeks now, but can you tell me about what the experience has been like for you so far?
Chase N. Cashe: Yeah, man. We’re a few days in. Miami was a cool show and Gainesville was a cool show, and it’s just been fun, man. Everybody is slowly getting their kinks and rust out from not performing as much as we used to last year, so we’re starting the year off big. Everything is going cool though so far.
AllHipHop.com: How does it feel to be part of a tour that is being headlined by one of the biggest artists and two of the most buzzed about rappers out right now?
Chase N. Cashe: Sh*t is all fun for me, man, ‘cause we’re friends first, and I’m proud of them.
AllHipHop.com: I’m sure you’re performing a number of songs from your past projects, but what’s the record that gets the greatest response from the crowd when you’re performing?
Chase N. Cashe: I like performing “Drug Money,” but I think everybody really likes “Daily Routine”. They eat that sh*t up.
AllHipHop.com: Unfortunately, I don’t think you guys are making a tour stop in New York, but if you do happen to add a date, I’ll definitely be there.
Chase N. Cashe: Oh, for sure.
AllHipHop.com: Now if you wouldn’t mind just telling me a little bit about your background. I know your from New Orleans so I’m curious how being from such an inspiring place affected or influenced you musically?
Chase N. Cashe: Oh, man, it made everything and helped balance the music that I have created. It just moves you with the energy. I grew up on Mannie Fresh and the whole No Limit sh*t. A lot of that was really the first movement to have a lot of commercial success that went worldwide. Seeing things like that and coming up in that environment just made me feel like I could do it, too. One thing I knew while growing up was that people love coming to New Orleans and just love New Orleans period. From our Jazz, to the French Quarter, the whole culture, all of that sh*t really made me confident about what I was doing.
AllHipHop.com: Were you living in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina?
Chase N. Cashe: Yeah, I didn’t move until after. I graduated high school in 2005, and the hurricane happened like two months after my graduation and sh*t so you know, it was some crazy sh*t. I think I graduated in May, and Katrina hit in August or something like that.
AllHipHop.com: And then you relocated to Los Angeles?
Chase N. Cashe: Yeah, well I didn’t even relocate, just evacuated when we could and got stuck in traffic for a long *ss time, and my grandmother and my whole family actually lives in Mississippi and their whole city and area was affected too. Pretty much everybody in my family was affected by the hurricane, not just in New Orleans. So it had a bigger toll on me just because I’m from New Orleans, and I watched that sh*t f*ck my whole city up.
AllHipHop.com: That must have been horrible.
Chase N. Cashe: I ended up losing my grandmother during that time, too. She ended up getting real sick, and of course, she couldn’t get a proper treatment with all the hospitals being closed and us having to keep moving and travel and try to keep her comfortable. And you know, at the tender age of 17, I watched my grandmother slip away each day while I was making beats and doing all this sh*t. That was my encouragement. That was the lady, along with my mom, that were two huge influences in my life. It was some real heavy sh*t, man, and then having my mom deal with losing her mom and me having to watch my mom deal with that sh*t. I just kept working on things for myself and kept my mind going, and I was eventually able to buy a lot of music equipment and a computer to make beats while I was living with my family at the time.
There was just a whole bunch of sh*t going on all before I was 18. I hadn’t even seen the real world yet; I hadn’t even decided what college I wanted to go to. Pretty much, the average lifestyle of a 17-year-old was stripped from me due to the hurricane. It made me mature real fast and forced me to make a lot of tough decisions. I moved to Hollywood at 17 on a whim, just to be like “I’ma make beats, I’ma be an artist. However I have to get it, I’ma get it.”
AllHipHop.com: Well, I’m sorry about you losing your grandmother and the other devastation that surrounded you back then, but I’m curious how much the music you were creating changed from pre-Katrina to post-Katrina. Did the things you experienced at that time change or affect the type of music that you were making at the time?
Chase N. Cashe: After Hurricane Katrina, I started making serious music. It made me more competitive. I always had a knack for sounding like people I was influenced by, like I could easily make a mock Just Blaze beat or a Neptunes copycat track or Timbaland. Whatever I heard, I could easily copy it. So it just really became more of a challenge for me to create my own unique sound.
I went through a period where people were saying “that sh*t sounds like some video game beat,” and I would be the only person that rapped over that sh*t. After a while, when I moved to Hollywood and started seeing that people had their own tastes other than what I just liked, it made me cater to that and cater to doing more business and being able to try and figure out what “making a hit” was and getting “placement.” It just made me more business-savvy man.
AllHipHop.com: Since we’re talking about the music I want to ask you about your most recently released project, The Heir Up There, which has been pretty well-received, at least from the reviews that I’ve seen. Based on what you’ve heard, how has the response been?
Chase N. Cashe: It’s been very good, man. I mean, XXL gave me an L so I feel like I could have got an XL. I feel like n*ggas are sleeping [laughter]. I feel like n*ggas are sleeping on my bar work, but at the end of the day I’m in this situation where I’m independent and grassroots, so I’m glad they’re even checking for me and giving me press, man. A lot of this sh*t just happened naturally, man. I’m out here and hitting the road with my music and giving it to the people and promoting it myself, and just doing whatever I feel like I want to do with my music.
But like you said, I’ve been seeing all good reviews in a matter of a week or two, and I’m a very patient person at the same time as I’m working hard, so I know it’s going to take more than a week for this sh*t to soak in. I’m not just going to let everybody on the Internet who got first dibs on it to be the “light-bearers” of the reviews. You can’t be like that ‘cause I do have a lot of fans, and on the Internet, your fans can have a strong presence ‘cause that’s where there home is and they be tweeting a lot and blogging and all that sh*t. At the end of the day, though, my message comes from real people. It don’t really come from a blog perspective, it comes from living life and being a young man out here traveling and trying to make this f*cking money and do the right thing.
AllHipHop.com: I hear tha,t man. I can say that I personally enjoyed the project, and although I didn’t get to review it I believe it received an 8 out of 10.
Chase N. Cashe: That means the world to me. I’ma keep it real with you, man. All I do is want people to relate to my music. I place myself where I want to go, but I just want to hear that I’m not the only n*gga in this world going through what I’m going through. I’m just trying to show people that I’m out here with this sh*t. I’m not a kid sitting on a laptop uploading and sharing links. I’m out here putting on a great show and striving to be better everyday.
AllHipHop.com: Personally, two of my favorite tracks from The Heir Up There are “Lights Down Low” and “Myself.” I don’t know where those rank on your personal list, but those are the two that I’ve been rocking to.
Chase N. Cashe: Hell yeah, man. “Myself” has been my personal favorite and “Lights Down Low” definitely. Of course, all of my deepest records are my personal favorites, man. Then “Where Do We Go” is a record that’s really just me talking about everything I went through:
“Look I was born in the city/ Where it’s too real, better yet too trill/ Got to keep a burner on you, even when it’s too chill.” That’s just me talking about what I really go through, and even still when I go back home, sh*t ain’t sweet for me. N*ggas know I rap and do what I do, and I can’t personally say I got people who hate on me, but I know I got n*ggas who know I’m kicking it. I see it when I come around, n*ggas used to ask me “what’s up.” Now they want to ask me what I’m doing. Other than that, “Lights Down Low” is a real record, too.
AllHipHop.com: In the short career that you’ve had you’ve worked with huge, huge names in the industry both as an artist and as a producer, and I noticed that there were no features on the project. Was that a calculated decision?
Chase N. Cashe: Oh, man, I ran into some difficulties. I wanted to drop a record I did with L.E.P. Bogus Boys on my mixtape, but I had some issues with corrupt files and missing vocals, I couldn’t even get that sh*t back. It actually ended up working out though cause Cardiak ended up giving the beat to Red Café. To keep it real with you, a lot of my music has been recorded on the go and in different studios, like in New York, L.A., and Atlanta. So personally, a lot of the collabs were me working as an artist with producers, ‘cause I got have produced the whole sh*t myself – but me working with The Bizness, like Dow Jones is a great friend of mine, or working with D-Rich. These are people I’m personal favorites of.
AllHipHop.com: What exactly was the sound you were trying to create with the tape?
Chase N. Cashe: Certain feels that I maybe couldn’t get out of my own production, like I’m a fan of the music Rich did with [Young] Jeezy and Rick Ross. I felt like I wanted that feel, and that I could take a trap beat that most people are probably used to hearing a n*gga talking about selling coke, I turned into something about hustling and balling, more of a motivational song like some anthemic sh*t. I don’t sell coke, but I want n*ggas to wake up and feel motivated by the music I made.
So it was really just about me wanting different feels and some more regional sh*t ‘cause I travel to different places. But I know that a D-Rich beat just moves Miami and Atlanta a lot more than a Chase N. Cashe beat might move them and a Chase beat might move L.A. more than a Rich beat might, so I just wanted to work with different people. Rich Kidd is a talented *ss kid, man. “Drug Money” is a crazy beat, and I worked with Mega Man on “S.S.D.” and these are kids from Toronto. I just wanted to work with a bunch of new talent like AraabMUZIK – that’s my guy! I’m a fan of all the stuff he’s done, so I definitely wanted to take a fan perspective and introduce it in my music. Not only am I influenced by it, but I’m a fan of this sh*t.
AllHipHop.com: I hear you. Last year, you released your debut, Gumbeaux, on Mardi Gras Day so what are you plans musically for this upcoming holiday? Any surprises?
Chase N. Cashe: Oh yeah! I got a performance in New Orleans on the 25th, so I’m ending Mardi Gras like that. It’s going to be some crazy sh*t. It’s funny how the world works, so yeah I’ve got my first big show in New Orleans. I also got some music in the stash that I might drop for that – you just reminded me to do that.
AllHipHop.com: Awesome. I’m glad I could help [laughter]. It was also announced recently that your group Surf Club would be performing at the Paid Dues Festival in a few months. Do you and the crew have anything special planned for that performance-wise?
Chase N. Cashe: Yeah, we’re going to try and put on an amazing show. I think that might be the first show where we try and bring back a lot of our old songs that we dropped as a group on the Internet. We’re probably going to try and put this band thing together, and I’m sure we’ll each do individual sets and then end it real big together and try and make it special for everybody.
AllHipHop.com: What can you tell me about what you are all doing musically right now as a collective?
Chase N. Cashe: Right now we’re doing Kent Money’s project, also Hit-Boy got some sh*t coming. I got some more sh*t coming; I’m always working. We’re really going to try and put a compilation together with everybody but I can’t really put a date no on that sh*t, because everybody in Surf Club is individually out touring and doing they’re own thing. Stacy Barthe is out there touring right now with Estelle, I’m out touring obviously, Kent Money is out doing shows, he just did a few dates with The Game and things like that. Chili Chil is in a group now called MDMA and he’s working on some sh*t both producing and rapping. We all doing individual things, man, trying to make this sh*t come together but right now people just have to keep up with us through our websites and Twitter and our videos and YouTube.
AllHipHop.com: I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what you guys are each cooking up. Personally though, as the solo artist known as Chase N. Cashe, what do you have coming down the pipeline musically? I know you just released The Heir Up There, but what’s next?
Chase N. Cashe: Another mixtape, my n*gga, ain’t sh*t stopping. I can’t promise an actual album but it’s definitely going to sound like an album. Definitely another release from me, possibly another DJ Drama release with like 10 or 12 songs, and then after that I’m just going to get on my creative sh*t and shock the world. I got merch coming and all kinds of other crazy sh*t. Seeing where The Heir Up There can take me in the next months, and at the same time to still be recording is what I got. I just want The Heir Up There to put me in the right spot.
AllHipHop.com: Well, I’ll be bumping the project for a good amount of time, and I can’t wait to hear all of the crazy sounding stuff you’ve been working on. Is there anything else you want the fans and readers to know?
Chase N. Cashe: Oh, man, just let everybody know, Wavy Navy Surf Club, we in this b*tch, man. Chase N. Cashe, Hit-Boy, young pioneers paving the way right now. We young, wise, and humble young men just trying to take it one step at a time, make this paper, and do it the right way.
AllHipHop.com: Alright, Chase. It was a pleasure talking to you. Thanks for your time, and enjoy the rest of the tour.
(AllHipHop News) Rapper Flo Rida is expanding his record label, International Music Group, with the addition of Canadian pop singer Tyler Medeiros.
Flo Rida inked Tyler Medeiros, 16, to his IMG label, through a joint venture with Canadian-based label CP Records, which is co-owned by rapper Belly.
Tyler Medeiros is being touted as one of the flagship artists on the IMG label, which is currently signing various artists, in different genres of music.
“Tyler Medeiros is a superstar, it’s as simple as that,” IMG CEO Flo Rida told AllHipHop.com. “His energy and commitment to producing quality music embodies everything we are doing at IMG and we look forward to quickly watching him become a household name.”
Flo Rida discovered Tyler Medeiros after he saw clips of the singer on YouTube.com, where the upcoming singer has amassed millions of views.
After meeting each other in person, Flo Rida decided that he could help push the singer’s career, through his IMG label.
Like Flo Rida, Tyler Medeiros will be managed by Lee “Freezy” Prince and his company Strong Arm Management.
“The second you hear Tyler sing or see him perform you know you are witnessing something special,” said Tony Sal, CEO of CP Records & Management. “The partnership with Flo Rida’s IMG label and Lee “Freezy” Prince’s Strong Arm Management is a monumental development for him and for CP Records. We can’t wait to introduce this kid to the world.”
Flo Rida will kickoff the partnership by bringing Tyler Medeiros with him on a tour of Canada, with rapper Pitbull.
Pitbull’s Canadian tour kicks off in Vancouver, BC on March 19.
R.M.G. is made up of four solo artists including PRo, Canon, Brothatone, and Chad Jones. Reflection Music Group is a label co-owned by PRo, whom is currently signed as a solo artist to Reach Records (Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashii, etc.).
With rapid fire deliveries, to slow Southern styles, the group has enough variety and skill to appeal to many of today’s Hip-Hop listeners. Take a listen to their single, “Geeked Up”:
Follow PRo at @mynameispro and R.M.G. at @rmgtweets on Twitter. Find AllHipHop.com contributor Chad Horton at www.Rapzilla.com.
Brooklyn rapper Maino dropped by the AllHipHop.com offices this week to discuss his upcoming album The Day After Tomorrow, which is set to drop on February 28. Knowing he’s a huge basketball fan and a New Yorker, we took the opportunity to ask him about the New York Knicks’ newest star, point guard Jeremy Lin.
Check out Maino speaking on whether or not Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin will be able to play well together, and his predictions for the New York Knicks’ potential playoff run:
TGI….Everyday!! And even though today isn’t Friday, today is one of those days that is going to be so good that it will feel like it is!
Today’s Daily Word is dedicated to Smiling! It is a known fact that a smile brightens up rooms. People who always smile have this energy about them, and they always seem more in control, at ease, and of course,
more attractive (I, too, am a chronic smiler!).
Despite the external and perceived benefits of smiling, studies have now shown that there is a strong connection between smiling and ones overall well-being. A study conducted by the British Dental Health Foundation showed that smiling can dramatically improve one’s mood. It helps you feel happy, as well as those around you. It improves your confidence, allows you to be better received by others, reduces anxiety, stress, and even your blood pressure, according to Mark Stibich, a Ph.D. at Columbia University.
The point is this….. unless you work for the Secret Service, FBI, are on a security detail for a high profile client, a boxer, MMA fighter, or a professional gangster, it doesn’t pay to frown! Smiling will not only help you with any adversity you may be dealing with, but it will also help those around you (which in actuality still helps you… Remember you reap what you sow).
Starting today, I need you to practice smiling as often as you take breaths, and while that may be asking for too much, I guarantee you that this simple act will brighten up your day and move you in a positive
direction! It takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown! Stop wasting your energy and become that ray of joy that will improve your existence! Say Cheeeeese!!! The World is Watching!!!
-Ash’Cash
“The hardest thing you can do is smile when you are ill, in pain, or depressed. But this no-cost remedy is a necessary first half-step if you are to start on the road to recovery.” -Allen Klein
“It takes a lot of work from the face to let out a smile, but just think what good smiling can bring to the most important muscle of the body… the heart.” -Unknown
“Even though the outside world might be raining, if you keep on smiling, the sun will soon show its face and smile back at you.” -Anna Lee
“Count your blessings. Once you realize how valuable you are and how much you have going for you, the smiles will return, the sun will break out, and the music will play.” -Og Mandino
“Smile! It increases your face value.” -Robert Harling
“One word or a pleasing smile is often enough to raise up a saddened and wounded soul.” -Therese of Lisieux
“Today, give a stranger one of your smiles. It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.” -H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
“Smiles give others hope, joy and strength. Don’t forget to use yours today.” -Sasha Azevedo
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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.
Legendary Oakland, California, rapper Too $hort has had a long career catapulted by sexually-explicit songs, or “dirty raps” as he likes to call them. But it was his recent controversial video interview giving advice to boys on “how to turn girls out,” that has caused the greatest outpouring of rage that’s ever been directed at him.
There is no question or doubt that a line was crossed, especially when you consider the young boys and girls that the video was meant for and that the advice that leaned toward sexual assault.
Just beyond the controversy, AllHipHop.com was invited to interview Too $hort about his new album, but before getting to that, we had to talk to Uncle $hort about this serious issue – and to his credit, he didn’t duck or hide behind a list of “don’t asks” from his publicist. We went to interview the rapper Too $hort, but instead got a very open and candid interview from the man, Todd Shaw.
AllHipHop.com: It’s been a rough couple of weeks for you in regards to the negative feedback that you received for your recent XXL video. Tell us what that was all about.
Too $hort: At the time, I thought it was something of a comedy nature. As they released it, it was put up in such an irresponsible manner. They just put up a headline without any type of real description of its intended nature. It’s been a blessing in disguise, though, because as the negative reactions poured in, my first reaction was to just be like, “it’s just a damn joke.” It took a moment though to understand what was really taking place here. Initially, I was being nostalgic about my situation growing up with games like “Hide and Go Get It” – you know just doing stuff as bad little kids. That goes from learning to how kiss to a lot more than that.
I say that it was a blessing in disguise because I had a conversation with Dream Hampton about it. Immediately when this happened I began to question why anybody would release the video in the manner that they did, and why would I even allow myself to be recorded? And especially during these times of social media, where you can grab any piece of that video and use it as you wish. The person who asked me to do the video set it up as a joke, but didn’t release it with the premise of being a joke. I did an interview about music and my career. We finished, and while everybody was packing up, they asked for a little drop for their website. I still haven’t seen anything else from the interview put up – just what they got from the video. I should have been much more responsible knowing what bloggers do. I take full responsibility. I have to reverse that bad energy.
Dream Hampton explained to me about how this is a time when women are fighting for their rights, and here’s a video that describes an assault. I’m actually a very knowledgeable brother, but Dream schooled me in the conversation. It really opened up my eyes to something I had not known about. She told me that if we were kids at a pool and I ran by and yanked her top down, it wouldn’t be a joke or a prank to her – that would be a traumatic incident, and it is along the lines of sexual assault. As little boys, we’re running around tapping girl’s a**es like it’s funny, but they’re really victimized by it. I learned that it’s not a joking matter. I feel like I needed that education because had I not, I could’ve continued thinking that it is a joke. Even with my music filled with misogyny, I still have morals.
AllHipHop.com: I’ve listened to your music over the years. Although it’s filled with misogyny, I can’t recall any songs being about sexual assault.
Too $hort: The thing that bothers me is that I never get into that stuff during my interviews. When I do interviews, I talk about music and the business of making records – not about sex, pimps and hoes, or any of that. That video got me out of my element, and I rolled with it and tried to have fun with it – but it was a mistake – a big f*cking mistake.
AllHipHop.com: What was the conclusion of your conversation with Dream Hampton? Did she forgive you?
Too $hort: There can’t be any forgiveness. I don’t expect anybody to be like, “I forgive you for being remorseful.” That’s bullsh*t. You’ve got to do something. I have to reverse the message. I hope that there aren’t any kids who have seen that video. If it never resurfaces again, I’ll be fine with that. Someone else would have ate up the negative publicity and ran with it for the shock-value and sensationalism. I’ve never gone the route of doing shocking things right before a release date. This is something that I could have done without.
AllHipHop.com: Ok, so this wasn’t some type of pre-album release stunt?
Too $hort: Definitely not. I think some people would have been capable of actually creating and building off of something like this. I’m just glad that it gives me a purpose to do something positive now.
AllHipHop.com: Have you dealt with any Women’s Rights or Abuse/Assault organizations yet?
Too $hort: This is still a pretty new situation, and I’ve been focused on my schedule in regards to my album release, but it’s definitely on my agenda to make myself available to some worthy causes where I can be of some help – or do whatever it may take to help. I believe in karma. If you put that bad energy out, it’s going to come back unless you put some good energy out.
AllHipHop.com: The last time I interviewed you, you had some choice words for fellow Bay Area rapper Messy Marv. I recently interviewed him again, and when I brought you up, he seemed to have eluded to a truce in the beef.
Too $hort: I don’t know; he just stopped. I was on the defense, and I was never on the offense. I was only upset about the stories that were coming out of Fillmore – like we spoke about in our last interview. I had guys from Fillmore come to the studio and make songs about him. Some of them were like, “I ride with him but I’m not going to ride with him over you.” All of those songs are in the computer – I’m not even touching it. I dropped one song trying to be funny, and that was enough for me. I could have went to the extent of shooting videos, but I didn’t. All of that stuff is what I feel to be bad energy. I like a challenge and a fight – fair or not – just don’t punk out. I just waited to see where the fight was going to go.
It wasn’t going to be a rap battle, that’s for sure. I’m glad that he didn’t, though, because I was like, “This is more about The Bay, then it is about you.” I’m glad he backed up off of it. Even from that moment, I’ve always said that when it comes to having hustle, fans, reppin’ The Bay and being relevant – I’ve always liked Marv. His name always comes up, and he’s one of the ones that got outside of The Bay and made a name for himself. I’ve always respected that about him. If you can live off of this Hip-Hop and feed your family without having to go get a day job, I commend you.
AllHipHop.com: The new album is called No Trespassin,’ and it comes out February 28. I don’t know how many albums you’ve done. I’ve lost count over the years [laughter].
Too $hort: I’ve kind of lost count myself, but we’re officially calling this one #19. It’s an album designed for – by request – for the older Too $hort fans. I’m not trying to say that I’ve made an album that young people won’t like. I put some stuff on there for all of the older fans that tell me that they don’t like the new stuff. It’s like a combination and mixture of both. This is really the first independent album that I’ve ever put out. The freedom part of it feels really good. I don’t have anybody all over me asking what the single is going to be.
During the recording process, A&R people like suggesting stuff. That kind of stuff doesn’t throw you off – but it affects the album that you make. You’ve got someone suggesting what song to make, which direction to go, what song not to use or which feature to have. This is just me letting everything happen organically, the way that I like to work. I wanted to make an album that had a lot of instruments and a lot of singing. The beats are smooth. I had the option of speeding up the tempo like “Blow The Whistle” but I wasn’t feeling that for me. I do feel that when I’m working with other artists, but there’s a place and time for me. I don’t feel like just because that sound works, that I should make a whole album of that sh*t.
AllHipHop.com: Does being independent take you back to your “tape” days when you were selling them out of your car?
Too $hort: It’s kind of like that, but kind of not because of the Internet. The Internet gives you the opportunity to reach out really far. It’s a lot of fun because it’s not as limited. The time that you referred to, I was riding around vehicles, knocking on doors, and dropping stuff off. Now you can just click a button. The Internet is a motherf*cker [laughter].
AllHipHop.com: I bet you wish you had it back then.
Too $hort: Yeah, but you would also be missing an element of the hustle. I’m glad that I walked the pavement and the route I did to become Too $hort. I’m glad it was a foot thing instead of a social media thing. We really had to go to every trap around the corner and get people aware of us.
AllHipHop.com: What’s next for you after this album?
Too $hort: I have the duo album with E-40 called The History Channel, which will be out in 2012. I’m developing some film projects. I’m not exactly sure how we are going to release them, but it’s going to be something original and with a message. I’m also writing a book. It’s not an auto-biography, because I don’t want you to know what happened when I was five years old [laughter].
AllHipHop.com: So it’s fictional?
Too $hort: No. It’s true, but it’s not in chronological order of my life. It’s my experiences and the first one that I’m telling is my love affair with the city of Oakland, California. The city inspired me to write all of these songs. In light of what happened recently, I need that thing to deliver my message.
All of this negative stuff has sparked my positive juices. Its always been with me but you pay me so much money to rap dirty – I keep doing that. I would have been just as comfortable rapping about life, love and politics. Every time I say “b*tch” and you keep paying me – then I’m going to keep saying it. That was my philosophy all of these years. People are like, “You keep rapping, huh?” And I’m like, “They keep paying me.” If you stop paying me, I’ll stop rapping that day [laughter].
AllHipHop.com: I get it now. So when is the book coming out?
Too $hort: I don’t think it’s going to be a 2012 thing, but I guarantee you that once I get the first one out, I will not stop writing.
(AllHipHop News) Compton, California rap star Game was forced to cancel a date on his Australian tour today (February 22), after coming down with a mystery illness.
Game was supposed to perform in Cairns, Australia tonight at the Velvet Underground, as part of a stop on his “Game Red Tour 2012.”
Fans were disappointed to learn that the rap star could not make the show, after he became sick in Melbourne and missed his flight.
“We werent able 2 make our afternoon connecting flight that would get us there in time Cairns,” Game tweeted earlier today. “I got sick in Melbourne & couldn’t make the flight cuz of a doctor’s visit.”
According to Game, all is not lost.
The rapper told his Australian fans that he would make up the date before the end of the “Red Tour” of Australia.
“Promoters couldn’t get me on anything after. They’re working hard to re-schedule the show while I’m still on my aussie tour…. Appreciate you for being loyal & understanding.”
Game’s next stop in the country takes place tomorrow (February 23) at Festival Hall in Melbourne.
The news of Game’s cancellation comes within 24 hours of news breaking that the rap star was responsible for a $5 million defamation of character lawsuit.
(AllHipHop News) Rebel Rock/Grand Hustle/Atlantic recording artist, B.o.B has released his new single, “So Good,” today via iTunes.
The song is already at #5 on the iTunes charts, less than 24 hours after being released.
The Atlanta rapper/singer and eclectic musician’s new track follows up the previous two album cuts “Play The Guitar (feat. Andre 3000)” and “Strange Clouds (feat. Lil Wayne),” which has been RIAA-certified platinum with sales exceeding 1 million units.
Earlier this month, the rapper headed to Indianapolis to perform his hits “Strange Clouds” and “Don’t Let Me Fall,” at VH1’s Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam, alongside Gym Class Heroes and The All American Rejects.
Strange Clouds comes on the heels of a highly successful debut album B.o.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray,
which was RIAA Certified Gold.
The album yeilded three multiplatinum singles for B.o.B. including
“Nothin’ On You (feat. Bruno Mars),” “Magic (feat. Rivers Cuomo),” and “Airplanes (feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore)” which was certified 4X Platinum by the RIAA.
B.o.B is currently one of the faces of Adidas’ 2011 “All Adidas” global brand campaign, which also includes singer Katy Perry, soccer star David Beckham and NBA star Derrick Rose.
B.o.B.’s sophomore album Strange Clouds is due in stores on May 1.
First off, he’s bringing in that good, steady loot from moonlighting on the “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” show every week. His longtime Hip-Hop band, The Roots, had one of the best albums of 2011 in undun (although we think it’s a sin that they never get as much credit or as many sales as they deserve).
And now, we hear through the grapevine that the Philadelphia native may be setting his sights on Hollywood??? According to our source, Black Thought is being considered for an important role in an epic, upcoming film about a super-famous, deceased Jazz musician and his wife.
Since we’re not ones to gossip (LOL), we asked Black Thought about it directly, as AllHipHop.com’s Seandra Sims interviewed him in a dim, backstage setting this past weekend at his GrassROOTS charity concert in Philly. Watch the clip to see what the extra-private lyricist had to say about possibly appearing on the big screen soon:
Teairra Mari expressed her disgust for Yung Berg for “violating her privacy” and putting her personal dating history in the streets during a recent interview with This is 50.com‘s Jack Thriller. In the interview, Teairra shows her Detroit toughness and threatened to get Yung Berg beat up!
“I’ll get his a** jumped again. I don’t like Yung Berg,” said Teairra Mari
In the interview, Teairra confesses to dating Ray J and not being attracted to light skinned dudes! Huh!
Watch Teairra go in on Yung Berg at the 3:56 mark:
