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Daily Word: Happy Mother’s Day!!!

By: seandrasims Updated May 13, 2012 at 9:10amCategory: Lifestyle

Great day, my Great People!!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to give a special shout out to the most important people in the world…… Mothers!!! Without their unconditional love, without their sacrifice, without their care, without their nurturing, God knows where we all would be!

Cherish your mother and be grateful for all that she has done to bring you where you are today… And when all else fails, remember that she gave you life!!! Something you can never pay back!!
-Ash’Cash

“No gift to your mother can ever equal her gift to you – life.” -Unknown

“All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.” -Abraham Lincoln

“Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes by dozens and hundreds, but only one mother in the whole world.” -Kate Douglas Wiggin

“A mother’s love is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking, it never fails or falters, even though the heart is breaking.” -Helen Rice

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” -Tenneva Jordan

“There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one.” -Jill Churchill

“Mother – that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries.” -T. DeWitt Talmage

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” – Washington Irving

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.

AllHipHop.com’s “Hip-Hop Moms We Love” (Happy Mother’s Day!)

By: seandrasims Updated May 13, 2012 at 8:42amCategory: Features

“There’s no way I can pay you back/But the plan is to show you that I understand/You are appreciated” –2Pac, “Dear Mama.”

Mother’s Day is one of America’s oldest non-religious holidays. It dates back to the Civil War, created by peace advocates who supposed if there was one thing that could people could agree on during the war, it was the love of a mother.

Hopefully, Mom was there for you when no one else was, drying your tears and cooking meals that only she could create. The love of a nurturing mother can inspire a child and give them the confidence to reach for their dreams, but, that isn’t every person’s experience. The relationship between a mother and child is one of the most complicated in humanity.

This weekend, AllHipHop.com salutes “Hip-Hop Moms We Love.” Some of them shine as amazing examples for their artistic seeds, some fueled their kids to be anything but like them. Either way, they gave birth to some of our favorite artists. Whether she was great or not so great, whether she brought you in this world or not, whether she is still here in the physical or on another plane; we hope you take a moment this Sunday to think about your Mom:

Dr. Donda West (Kanye West)

A noted scholar and college professor, Dr. West was, at one point, chairwoman of Chicago State University’s English Department, a position she left to help her son in his business and community service efforts. In 2007, Dr. West published the book, Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Star. The subject of poignant songs by her son like, “Hey Mama,” Dr. Donda West passed away November 10, 2010.

Dr. Mahalia Hines (Common)

A principal in Chicago Public Schools for almost 20 years, Dr. Hines helped her son to write his memoir, One Day It’ll All Make Sense, released last year. A friend of Kanye’s mom, Dr. Donda West, Dr. Hines expresses the grief in the book that she felt when she passed away. Dr. Hines works as Common’s business manager and helps to run his Common Ground Foundation, a community service venture that helps fuel reading initiatives in Chicago.

Dr. Brenda Greene (Talib Kweli)

As a professor of English and the Executive Director of the Center for Black Literature at Medgar Evers College at the City University of New York, it is no wonder that Dr. Brenda Greene produced a son as lyrically prolific as Talib Kweli. Dr. Greene’s scholarly work focuses on African-American and Multi-Cultural Literature. Not coincidentally, Talib Kweli worked for years in a bookstore in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

Gloria Carter (Jay-Z)

On “December 4th,” the classic song from Jay-Z on The Black Album, Gloria Carter provided amazing commentary about the birth and early childhood of her superstar son, Shawn, claiming that when he was born weighing 10 pounds, his birth was painless. Ms. Carter is currently the CEO of the Shawn Carter Foundation, which offers scholarships to single mothers, children who attend alternative schools, those attaining GEDs, the previously incarcerated, and other non-traditional students who need assistance with pursuing higher education.

Maureen Yancey (J. Dilla)

After the loss of James DeWitt “J Dilla” Yancey, Maureen Yancey (Ma Dukes) has fought ceaselessly to not only preserve, but protect and promote the legacy of her eldest son. Despite facing her own health problems and Dilla’s sizeable debts, Ms. Yancey established the J. Dilla Foundation, a community service program to help engage the arts in schools. Ms. Yancey will soon release J. Dilla: Rebirth of Detroit, a new album from her company, Yancey Media, which features unreleased music from the legendary beatmaker.

Nancy Jones (Jim Jones)

After appearing on “Love & Hip Hop”, Nancy Jones was either a mom that you loved or one that you loved to hate. But, one thing was true: it was obvious that Mama Jones has a ferocious love for her only son. Many may not know that Ms. Jones attended and graduated from New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, and with the assistance of the visibility from her appearance on “Love & Hip Hop”, Jones is launching her own clothing line and a community service program for women called Sparkle On.

Debbie Mathers (Eminem)

Debbie Mathers was one of the most-controversial family members the music industry had seen since Courtney Love. Her son’s fame, their estranged relationship, and the many songs made about her made her famous, for a short time, in her own right. At one point, Ms. Mathers made her own CD, sued her son for millions, and frequented the talk show circuit. Despite her many flaws, it’s undeniable that Debbie Mathers is a mother who has inspired some of the most gripping songs in Hip-Hop in recent decades.

Voletta Wallace (The Notorious B.I.G) and Afeni Shakur (2Pac)

No list about Hip-Hop mothers is complete until listing these two phenomenal women. Ms. Wallace and Ms. Shakur (pictured at top) have worked tirelessly to preserve the legacies of their sons, whose memories and music loom eternally over Hip-Hop music and culture. Both Ms. Wallace and Ms. Shakur maintain charitable organizations, The Christopher Wallace Memorial Foundation and The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, which both help young people to achieve success.

Both mothers frequently appear on television shows and in documentaries about their sons. Ms. Wallace and Ms. Shakur have both written books and produced films about the legacies of their sons; they remain the perennial mothers of Hip-Hop culture.

Biba Adams is a Senior Staff Writer for AllHipHop.com. She is also the mother of a teenage daughter, and the only child of a great mom. Wish her a Happy Mother’s Day on Twitter (@BibatheDiva).

“I’ll Always Love My Mama”: Celebs Share Their Most Memorable Mother’s Days

By: ginatorres27 Updated May 13, 2012 at 8:29amCategory: Features

What type of gift would you give your mother on Mother’s Day if money were no object? We spoke with a few folks who are fortunate enough to fall into that category, and asked them to describe their most memorable Mother’s Days.

Rap legend Raekwon; Charli Baltimore, “Love & Hip Hop’s” Olivia; actor and host of “106 & Park, Terrence J.; La La Anthony; and Empire Girls, Adrienne Bailon and Julissa Bermudez, shared their Mother’s Day stories with us.

From super-generous gifts like chartering a boat off the coast of Miami for the special weekend, to the simplistic things like getting up extra early to get your mother’s favorite croissants, we heard an array of stories from artists and actors alike.

Check out the video below to see which celebrity paid off their mother’s house, which one is spoiling their mom with a trip to Jamaica this year, and who whisked their mother away to Europe to honor and celebrate the ultimate sacrifice – motherhood.

Happy Mother’s Day from AllHipHop.com!

EXCLUSIVE: Lil Boosie’s Cousin Speaks; Family Celebrates

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated May 12, 2012 at 2:05pmCategory: MOBILE

(AllHipHop News) Yesterday (May 11), fans, family and supporters gathered outside the 19th judicial courthouse in downtown Baton Rouge Louisiana, in excitement and joy for the ‘not guilty’ verdict in the first degree murder trial of rapper Torrence Hatch, aka Lil Boosie.

Emotions and tears had to be suppressed while in the courtroom, because the judge threatened to arrest anyone who made an outburst.

Just outside the court building, security armed the streets as fans danced and chanted the name of Boosie’s defense attorney “Jason… Jason…Jason!”

The man prosecution said to be the mastermind behind accused hit man Michael “Marlo Mike” Louding and Lil Boosie’s alibi is Boosie’s cousin, Carvis “Donkey” Webb.

Donkey is accused by the prosecution of “being a professional at beating the system.”

It was Donkey who acted as the liaison for Boosie and Louding.

“God is good, I told y’all from jump he innocent,” Donkey said.

Donkey is quoted in many letters telling Louding, “Follow my lead.”

In court, Donkey told the prosecution, “He [Louding] know I know how it go.”

Donkey said he was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1995 but had his conviction overturned in 2000.

After the verdict, Donkey repeatedly told reporters, “If the evidence don’t fit, you must acquit!”

Lil Boosie’s Cousin Donkey Celebrates Acquittal

Police at Lil Boosie Trial After Acquittal

Recap VIDEO: DMX Leaves His Mark/Bark on VH1’s “Couples Therapy”

By: seandrasims Updated May 12, 2012 at 12:27pmCategory: Features

Rapper DMX has been out of prison for less than a year, and he’s been busy ever since with recording (his The Weigh In EP is due on May 15), performances, tabloid drama, and a highly-publicized stint on a reality show.

If you’ve been keeping up with VH1’s “Couples Therapy”, then you already know it was a really emotional ride for X. He let it all hang out as he worked through issues with his on again-off again wife, Tashera Simmons. He even revealed the probable source of his longtime challenges in life – a loveless relationship with his mother as a child.

If you weren’t keeping up, then wait no more! Below is a video of DMX’s time on the show:

Album Review: B.o.B’s “Strange Clouds”

By: K1ng Eljay Updated May 12, 2012 at 11:06amCategory: Features

Rating 7.5/10

B.o.B. has to be one of the most interesting specimens in Hip-Hop. Entering the game with conscious lyrics and unique vibes, the ATLien soared to new heights last year with explosive mainstream success off his debut album- which showed an array of sides to the rapper. With this taken into consideration, fans know to expect an eclectic sound and something outside of the box on his sophomore LP, Strange Clouds. The question is, how strange will this be?

The intro, “Bombs Away” features actor Morgan Freeman for dialogue on the track. The first piece of strange is encountered, though the feature goes well with the cinematic production that Bobby Ray utilizes to flex his straight rap skills (“I am in drive, y’all are in park/ Look at my shot, look at the arc/ Look at the crowd as soon as I start”). Each song takes on its own personality, and makes for an adventurous ride. “Ray Bands” sounds like a T.I. influenced, but ultimately B.o.B.-stamped, boastful track.

Tip makes an actual appearance on “Arena” alongside Chris Brown, and B.o.B. shows some of his best lines (“Flow dumb, but I’m so smart/ I compose art, call me Mozart”). Standout “So Good” is where B.o.B. sounds the most comfortable; with ambitious production, catchy chorus work, and no features. The entire album is filled with big name artists that can cramp B.o.B’s style at times, and this sounds like he’s stretching out his musical arms for a breath of fresh air.

The guest appearances cover a great distance, from Nicki Minaj letting her wild cadence loose on the equally unstable and fluctuating “Out of My Mind”, to OneRepublic front man Ryan Tedder’s involvement on the tranquil “Never Let You Go”. However, the biggest features come on the album’s two biggest singles. “Both of Us” features Taylor Swift; and while Hip-Hop fans may fight the urge to hate inside of them, fans of “Nothin’ on You” and “Airplanes” may have found a song to fill a void these left. In contrast, Lil’ Wayne has a verse on the jamming title track, “Strange Clouds”. Showcasing heavy, distorted bass thumps, both Southern rappers display their excellent wordplay (“I’m top chef/ you Top Ramon/ I’m top shelf…”).

The album’s two singles are polar opposites of each other in sound, but stand right next to each other on the track-listing; which speaks greatly to what B.o.B. is as an artist. He swings for the fences on every song, making the listen incredibly fun. Because he spans such a great length of sounds, there are sure to be a few not to your liking, as well as many aimed right towards it. B.o.B. has nearly mastered the crossover record in Hip-Hop, like music’s Allen Iverson. But if he was an NBA player, Bobby Ray would more accurately be Dirk Nowitzki – a player doing what he’s not supposed to be doing at his position. He dares genre boundaries to guard him.