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MIXTAPE DOWNLOAD: Celeb Forever & DJ Drama: Lights
Celeb Forever & DJ Drama first mixtape did over 120,000 downloads so check out their new mixtape “Lights” and download it now!
[Download]
Kanye Wants Big Sean to “Be Better Than Me”
From our friends at Vibe
G.O.O.D. Music rapper Big Sean has high hopes. The Detroit rapper hit big with his debut album, “Finally Famous,” and is now completing the G.O.O.D Music compilation while working on his sophomore album.
Big Sean got some advice from his mentor Kanye West, who is encouraging him to be the best of what his generation has to offer. “Kanye said ‘I want you to be better than me and better than [Jay-Z],'” Big Sean shared. “‘I want you to be the best, because you’re the younger generation. We’re passing our secrets on to you.”
The G.O.O.D. Music compilation is due sometime this spring. Photos revealed a session in Los Angeles with Common, Big Sean, and CyHI the Prince. Teyana Taylor and Omarion were also pictured in the studio. The album is also rumored to feature Mannie Fresh, Jay Electronica, and Frank Ocean.
Read more about Big Sean and his big dreams here.
Alternative Pick: Kevin Cossom “Vegas Love”
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Boldy James [BGA] Considers His Detroit Upbringing and Working with The Alchemist
(AllHipHop News) Detroit rapper Boldy James’ recent rise to notoriety across the Internet and in the streets of Detroit was reason enough for AllHipHop.com to find out more.
The newly-crowned Breeding Ground Artist, who is the cousin of Chuck Inglish of the Cool Kids, spoke about growing up in the rough neighborhoods of Detroit, and how he managed to survive. According to Boldy, his raps are based on real life, documented experiences from his struggle to survive on the streets.
“I’m from Detroit, and a lot of sh*t goes on around here. Sh*t, just growing up around this maf*cka, just off bill, you see things and you wonder about things, and before you know it, you dibblin’ and dabblin’ in a whole bunch of bullsh*t that you don’t know why you in. You know what I’m saying? You look up, and this sh*t just became your life, and you get consumed and caught up and look up, and now you going with the trials and tribs that come with the bullsh*t,” Boldy James explained to AllHipHop.com in an exclusive interview.
“I always just took time in between the door knocks and the bull sh*t and the trap when I was trying to get a couple of dollars. I would take time to write in my journal on some ‘Dear Diary’ sh*t. I just try to capture the feel and the emotion of everything that’s going down at the moment or that went down,” Boldy said.
Boldy James has told the stories of his life on tracks not only produced by his cousin Chuck Inglish, but most recently with famed producer, The Alchemist, in Los Angeles.
“I was with Alchemist for like a month, man, f*ckin’ around in the studio and just trying to make something work and doing what’s natural,” he said. “And Al got my particular style of beats anyway, and anything that he played, the sh*t that he made me was limited, and everything that you will hear, that’s all we did. We didn’t do no extra sh*t and have to pick from it or none of that. We just gonna give it to you the same way we cooked it up.”
Boldy James’ first mixtape, Trappers Alley, is available for listening on www.BoldyJames.com, and his newest project Consignment: Favor for a Favor, The Redi-Rock Mixtape is also available on the site for download as well.
His verses can also be found on Alchemist’s newest project called Russian Roulette, releasing on June 26. The project features songs created from Russian samples, and features a host of Hip-Hop artists, including, but not limited to: Evidence, Action Bronson, Roc Marciano, Guilty Simpson, Fashawn, Danny Brown, and Schoolboy Q.
Boldy James’ full interview with AllHipHop.com will run tomorrow, as we welcome him to the Breeding Ground.
Ronve “Workin”
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Mixtape Review: Beanie Sigel’s “Broad Street Empire, Vol. 1: Lost Files”
Rating: 8 / 10
One of the most memorable moments in Hip-Hop came with the introduction of the now classic animated series “The Boondocks.” The show was usually talked about and dissected by fans and critics to the tenth degree (and at times, it still is due to it’s multiple references to Hip-Hop and culture in general). By far, one of the standout moments of the three-season series takes place when a couple of the characters are discussing a plan to woo candy sellers to their side due to a business rivalry in its infant stages (Season 3, “The Fund-Raiser”). One of the characters mentions that they should try to offer better prizes or incentives, only to be shot down by a different character who states:
“That’s not what Beans would do. Beans would go to war.”
The same could be said about Beanie Sigel now, musically. After mostly holding his tongue throughout the majority of his tribulations, he’s finally opened up completely about his thoughts and feelings towards things in the rap game, via mixtape. Broad Street Empire Vol. 1 is a call back to simpler times when Beans was known for his witty punchlines and gritty delivery; in essence it’s the same Mack we vibed with when we thought the Roc-A-Fella Dynasty would last forever.
BSE starts off tough, and it paces itself well throughout to remain interesting for almost all of the 17 tracks. The first few songs have Sigel unloading the lyrical Mac (pun intended) as he showcases his hunger. The notable tracks at the beginning are special for a couple of reasons: “Show Must Go On” addresses the “glitches in the system” that led to the demise of the golden era of Roc-A-Fella/State Property run, but in a sudden switch Beans goes from introspective to all-out assault as he drops strong bars concerning two of Hip-Hop’s heavyweights during the second and third verses of “The Pay Back”:
“I got caught with a gat, they tried to roof a n*gga /
Offered me 30 flat for shootin a n*gga /
Shorty got caught with some hardware /
And he home already, somethin’ wrong there /
If I don’t see it I don’t say it, that’s how I play it /
I’m just sayin’ what they sayin’, but they scared to say it /
And I ain’t sayin’ holmes told, but tell me somethin’ /
Sh**, a silencer alone get you 20-somethin’ /
Am I right or am I wrong? I stand corrected /
The guidelines [are] the guidelines, no exceptions /
Whoever ridin’ with that s**t? Man, y’all tippin’ /
You can take it how you want n*gga, I’m rippin’…”
“…You were hyping me, inviting me, enticing me to rhyme /
Didn’t know at the time you were taking my lines /
Take off my coat, you were stealing my quotes /
Every line I was writing, you were biting ‘til the last note /
You take an idea, go in the booth and spill /
And make the world think the thought took years to build /
Still steal a rhyme after the next one /
Yeah, I think it’s ‘bout time that I check son…”
It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out who he’s addressing in the excerpts above. Although the rest of the project is relatively light on disses after that, it doesn’t reduce the song quality by any means. “B Boy Stance” has Beans dropping several references to prove his point, and “Mack B***h” features Sean Anthony and is somewhat reminiscent of the old school sounding tracks such as Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman”, but there’s nothing quite like hearing State Property and company rap together again. Thankfully for five of the last six songs we’re treated to that, and it’s as if none of them had lost a step lyrically.
The project isn’t perfect by any means (some of this is due to the hit-and-miss production on a few songs), and most of the tracklisting doesn’t exactly feel like “songs” in the traditional sense. This is a mixtape through and through, but if anything has been learned from Broad Street Empire Vol. 1, we know that this project serves its purpose for two things: it fulfills that itch some may have had for the type of rap that was being served in the days of the Roc, and it shows that Beans is back and never lost his step lyrically. With this project serving as the precursor to his upcoming album “The Classic”, Beans has set the bar high out of the gate. Long story short, the Mack is back, and it’s not farfetched to hope he continues to impress with his next LP due to the quality street rap he’s providing here, but only time will tell.
You can download Broad Street Empire Vol. 1: Lost Files here.
Video: !llmind On The Beat Society Effect, Schooling NYU, and Bringing Korean Music to the U.S.
If “sleep is the cousin of death,” then consider Ramon “!llmind” Ibanga, Jr. to be immortal. With over 400 produced tracks to his name, calling !llmind a “force to be reckoned with” is an understatement, and since he officially started producing in the early ’00s, he has never showed a sign of slowing down.
Having worked with the likes of Heltah Skeltah, Skyzoo, Little Brother, 50 Cent, Emilio Rojas, Redman, Chaundon, Tek, Jared Evan, KRS-One, Buckshot, Scarface, Sean Price, Akrobatik, Saigon, and countless others in such a short amount of time, almost sounds too good to be true, but to !llmind, it’s just another day at the “office.”
!llmind checked in with AllHipHop.com on a plethora of topics, including his background in production, his early aspirations to be a rapper, and having the opportunity to meet his all-time favorite producer, J. Dilla, before he passed. Check out the first part of our interview with !llmind below:
In part 2, !llmind spoke on the Beat Society and the integral role it played in his life and career, his experiences teaching at New York University, and making people aware of his new venture, B.L.A.P. (Beats, Love, Alcohol and Party):
In the final part of our interview, !llmind talked about the work he’s currently doing in the studio with Jared Evan and Skyzoo, as well as his goal to bring Korean music to the U.S. in a major way:
Check back next week for a continuation of our time with !llmind, where he speaks on the Five Beats he is most proud of and his “Top 5 Producers Dead Or Alive.”
Follow !llmind on Twitter: (@IllmindProducer).
Alternative Heat: Sabi Ft. Wale “Where They Do That At”
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Ransom Ft. Jay Rock and Kendrick Lamar “Pray For Me”
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FLICKS: Future’s Celeb-Packed “Pluto” Album Release Party in Atlanta
It was an out-of-this world kind of night. Everybody who is anybody in Atlanta was in attendance for the Pluto listening party last night (April 17) at Masquerade. The venue, which in late October often serves as a haunted house, is large and ancient and was the perfect setting for an out-of-body experience.
Big Boi, DJ Drama, Rocko, Gucci Mane, T.I., Young Jeezy, and even L.A. Reid were all in the house for the celebration of the release of Pluto. And Future put on a real show. Pulling out all stops, he performed the entire album as well as most of his mixtape catalog. The almost two-hour stage show was epic and the audience roared as Atlanta artist after Atlanta artist kept appearing on the stage.
Check out some pics that our incredible cameraman, DJ Blak Magic, took of Future and friends at the release party for Pluto, in stores now:
EXCLUSIVE: Rap Legends Kurtis Blow, DMC Talk the Passing of “American Bandstand” Host and Icon Dick Clark
(AllHipHop News) Dick Clark, entertainment icon and long-time host of “American Bandstand” and “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve”, died earlier today (April 18) at the age of 82 from a massive heart attack.
Clark, who began hosting “American Bandstand” in 1952, was an early supporter of showcasing the fledgling Rap genre and Hip-Hop culture on mainstream television. On August 24, 1985, Rap legends Run-DMC performed on his popular “American Bandstand” and were also the first Hip-Hop group to make an appearance on the show.
Over the years, Hip-Hop legends such as Kurtis Blow, LL Cool J, Sugar Hill Gang, and The Beastie Boys performed and made appearances on “American Bandstand” alongside Clark.
Following the news of Clark’s death, DMC of Run DMC said exclusively to AllHipHop.com, “Dick Clark is the gatekeeper of Rock ‘n Roll! He is also a B-Boy! He didn’t diss Hip-Hop as a fad like a lot of people did in the early years! He saw a little Rock ‘n Roll in us, and having us on his show one of my greatest accomplishments!”
Kurtis Blow also reached out to AllHipHop.com with the following message: “Dick Clark is an American institution and much more than a legend. I truly want to thank him for giving me a shot on ‘American Bandstand’. When we met, he was really nice to me and treated me with the utmost respect. God Bless Dick Clark, and may he rest in peace!!!!”
After suffering a stroke in 2004 that left him partially paralyzed, Clark, who also suffered from Type 2 diabetes, dealt with a speech impediment, neither of which stopped him from returning to television for his annual New Year’s Eve celebration a year later in 2006. Dick Clark also appeared in cameo roles on two episode of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” alongside Will Smith.
Clark was the host of seven shows throughout his career that included “American Bandstand,” “Pyramid,” and “Scattegories.” He was recognized by the Emmy’s four times, and was given a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Peabody Award in 1999. Clark has also been an inductee of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Broadcasting Magazine Hall of Fame.
Bay Area Rapper Baygeen Surrenders Over Homicide Charge
(AllHipHop News) A local Bay Area rapper has surrendered for the Valentine’s Day murder of a 23-year-old man in San Francisco.
Rapper Baygeen was a member of Mac Dre’s Thizz Nation and he even appeared in DJ Vlad’s documentary “Ghost Ride the Whip.”
But, authorities claim Baygeen, born Derek Ray Pittman, was responsible for the February 14 murder of Danell Lashawn Stevens.
Stevens was shot and killed in North Vallejo and after an investigation in February, police issued a warrant for Baygreen’s arrest.
Baygeen, who was also part of the group The Crest Creepaz, turned himself in yesterday (April 17) and is being held without bond in the Solano County Jail.
10 Hip-Hop Artists We’d Like To See Hologrammed Like Tupac
The world is still in an uproar over Hologram Tupac at the Coachella Festival last weekend. With the “reincarnation” of Tupac, we at AllHipHop.com couldn’t help but recollect on all the artists we would love to see recreated in the digital form. Clearly, there are too many to name in a single list, but we tried it anyway. Holla-gram if you hear us!
Editor’s note: The real cost of the so-called “hologram” didn’t venture into the millions – these are really possible!
1) Ol’ Dirty Bastard
There’s no question ODB would be harder to beg down than Tupac, but we’d still love to see the manic master of Wu Tang digitally recreated. ODB was, without question, one of the wildest and craziest showmen in all of entertainment. To see him perform one more time – even if a cartoon fake – would bring nothing but delight.
2) Jam Master Jay
J-A-Y are the letters of his name, cuttin’ and scratchin’ are the aspects to his game! To check out the master as he cuts the records of the day would be awesome! Nobody, and we mean nobody, rocked a concert the way Jam Master Jay did with Run DMC. We are certain there won’t be any such hologram, but it may be time to head over the YouTube to check the archives.
3) Big Pun
With all respect to the late, great big man, we think he may be easy to create as a hologram. The main focus would have to be on the Bronx giants tongue twisting ways, not his mobility. Big Pun was a great, no doubt. Now tell those guys to get a Big Pun hologram to say, “Dead in the middle of Little Italy little did we know that we riddled some middle men that didn’t do diddly.”
4) Left Eye
Now, Left Eye was one of the most flamboyant and interesting people that the music industry ever saw as a member of TLC. No hologram could truly emulate the magic that Left Eye emitted when she was alive. We won’t be holding our breath, because the expenses associated with it would be too great for any company to afford.
5) Eazy-E
It’s the Hip-Hop Thugsta, Eazy-E, the first n*gga to kick a lyric in a straight coat! Can anybody fathom Eazy-E, the mastermind behind NWA and the iconic Ruthless Records, dropping “Boyz In The Hood” strapped down in a straight jacket? We can! Dre, here’s the hologram you and Snoop need to rock with next time!
6) Heavy D
Guess what? Ever since spending some time with Heavy D in Atlanta and then seeing him perform at the BET Hip-Hop Awards last year, we’ve wanted to see him again live. Now, we know the big man from Mount Vernon isn’t easy to replicate, as he was very light on his feet. But, perhaps BET and Diddy, with his Forbes-List-Topping-Self, could join forces to make it happen.
7) The Notorious B.I.G.
Speaking of holograms, you cannot have a discussion about holograms and NOT mention the Notorious One! We’d absolutely love to see the recreation of Biggie in the hologram form! He was so dope and had so much swagger that this needs to be pre-sold! And, if we had our wish, we’d get him and ‘Pac to reunite and really make the peace and amends that never got to occur on Earth.
8) Pimp C
When you are talking voices we need to hear again, we need to hear the late Pimp C! The UGK co-founder was a real dude and said the funniest, most outrageous things. Not for nothing, if Pimp was here right now, he’d probably have something to say about the whole hologram mess anyway. It’s only right to bring back the OG and have him perform with Bun B.
9) Nate Dogg
The early rumors said that there as going to be a Nate Dogg hologram to go along with the Tupac recreation. But, it never happened on the Nate front. We need Dr. Dre and Snoop to make that happen if they truly want to make this thing complete. Nate was so under the radar as his health failed, that we fans never truly had the opportunity to say bye. Chop, chop, guys!
10) Guru of Gang Starr
Guru is another one who we never got to say bye to in the right way. Guru’s passing was so mixed up in controversy, that we totally need him to come back in hologram form and tour with DJ Premier, so that we had have that everlasting Gang Starr memory in our heads! Gang Starr was a popular group, and it still is…and that’s on everything!
Honorable Mention:
Aaliyah
Obviously, we cannot put every person on this list, even though we’d like to. But, there is one person that we wanted to include, even though she’s not a rapper! Aalyiah was somebody we all came to love as “baby girl.” To this day, she keeps us talking and reminiscing! Heck, Drake is even rumored to be doing a whole duet album with her. Come on, let’s get Timbaland, Missy, DMX, and even Dame Dash to bring Aaliyah back!
Now, add the rappers and artists you’d like to see hologrammed back to “life.”
Azealia Banks Signs With Lady Gaga’s Manager
(AllHipHop News) Azealia Banks has signed with Lady Gaga’s manager, Troy Carter, after a headline-making performance at the Coachella Music Festival recently.
The rapper, signed to Universal Records, has been steadily building a buzz and now has the powerful exec to support her already popular music. Banks received a huge co-sign by Kanye West earlier this year, and has been on a sharper incline ever since.
The 20-year old was once signed to XL Records.
Cymphonique, Romeo Draw Thousands During Charity Event In Jackson, MI
(AllHipHop News) Hip-Hop mogul Master P. and his children inspired thousands of teens last weekend during a free event in Jackson, Mississippi.
Master P.’s kids, Cymphonique Miller and Romeo, appeared at the “Always Dream Big Event” with Mayor Harvey Johnson.
“So many excited kids with big dreams to go to college made this event a success,” Master P. said of the turnout.
Lucky teens received bicycles, toys, clothing, and even book scholarships for college at the “Always Dream Big Event,” which was sponsored by College League Apparel and WJMI/WKXI radio stations.
Cymphonique, who stars in Nickelodeon’s#### show “How to Rock”, and his son, actor/rapper Romeo, said that education has always been stressed in the Miller household.
“In our family, education is extremely important,” Master P. said. “The Always Dream Big campaign inspires kids to dream big by making college a reality,” said teen TV star Cymphonique Miller.
Check out some video below:
Daily Word: You Already Know!!!
Happy Wins-Day, my Great People!
Welcome to the day that you continue to take back your own power!! Today’s Daily Word is dedicated to following your gut instincts! Many people would be a lot further in life if they just stopped thinking and followed their gut! Yes!! I said stop thinking!!!
There’s a saying that says “you can be too smart for your own good”…. That’s exactly what happens… Sometimes we think we’re so smart that we begin to trust our logic and reason more than we do our intuition… That’s backwards! Your logic and reason is biased and influenced by everything except you! YOU ALREADY KNOW!!!
All the answers you seek are already implanted in your subconscious, and the only thing you must do is listen! Your internal GPS, or “emotional guidance system” as Oprah calls it, will always lead you down the right path! Stop second guessing yourself! Go with what your heart and soul is telling you to do… Even though it may seem crazy at times, trust and believe that it will never steer you wrong!
Hindsight is 20/20; think about all the wrong decisions you’ve made in your life. Now think about all the right ones…. I’m almost willing to bet the house that when you listened to your gut you always got it right! Starting immediately allow your instincts to be your guide! Know that if something doesn’t feel right then it is most likely your intuition trying to protect you! Go with what you know!! Stop Second Guessing!!!
-Ash’Cash
“Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself.” -Oprah Winfrey
“Your mind knows only some things. Your inner voice, your instinct, knows everything. If you listen to what you know instinctively, it will always lead you down the right path.” -Henry Winkler
“Good instincts usually tell you what to do long before your head has figured it out.” -Michael Burke
“Intuition is the power that cuts out all the routine processes of thought and leaps straight from the problem to the answer.” -Robert Graves
“Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The power of intuitive understanding will protect you from harm until the end of your days.” -Lao Tzu
“Success comes from trust. Trust your instincts. And never hope more than you work.” -Rita Mae Brown
“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.” -Albert Einstein
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.
Hip-Hop Rumors: Kanye West Denies Calling Kim Kardashian His “Beyonce”
Kanye West doesn’t usually do press or respond to rumors, but one rumor in particular was so off base that Kanye reached out to celebrity rag, US Weekly, to set the record straight. The ‘net was buzzing about Kanye and Kim Kardashian’s blossoming relationship, and rumors were spreading that Kanye West thought of Kim Kardashian as his Beyonce.
Well, Yeezy reached out to US Weekly set the record straight. Check out what he said below:
“…of course there are a lot of media inaccuracies surrounding this past couple of weeks, especially the ‘She’s my Beyonce’ quote. I would never compare anyone to my friend’s wife.
“Come on now, that doesn’t even sound like me. If I don’t say something in a rap or on Twitter, it’s not true.”
Glad to see that Kanye isn’t delusional about the situation!
New Orleans Newcomer August Alsina Releases “The Product” Mixtape [Download]
Photo credit: Artemus Jenkins (@artemusjenkins)
We recently had the chance to chop it up with R&B’s new thug, New Orleans-bred crooner August Alsina. Now, the 19-year-old has released his all-new mixtape, The Product.
The DJ Scream-hosted mixtape is dedicated to Alsina’s older brother, who was gunned down in New Orleans on April 15, 2010. Inspired by the tragic events, Alsina began to seriously pursue a career in music. Now, he’s paired up with Atlanta’s Noon Time Unltd, and his impressive work ethic is not overlooked as the young MC has been very consistent, dropping new music and complimenting videos.
The 15-track DJ Scream-assisted mixtape features appearances by G.O.O.D Music’s CyHi the Prynce, Houston’s Trae Tha Truth, Atlanta’s own 2Win, and New Orleans female MC, 3D Na’tee. Though he does not yet have a feature with him, Alsina was able to score co-sign by New Orleans own Juvenile. In our interview just a few weeks ago, he even announced that he penned a yet-to-be released song with Mannie Fresh and Juvenile.
Just a word of advice – you must listen to “Ode To My Project Chicks”, a very creative R&B cover on Cash Money’s 2000 hit “Project Chick”. Trey Songz needs to get on his job – Alsina doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon!
Download August Alsina’s The Product here.
Follow August Alsina on Twitter (@AugustAlsina).
Hip-Hop Rumors: Did Rick Ross Get Kicked Off Supafest?
Last week, Diddy went ballistic on Twitter after the organizers from Australia’s Supafest dropped him from the lineup. Well, we are hearing that Rick Ross may have also been dropped from the festival as well.
Apparently, the concert tickets were not selling as much as the organizers thought, and finances were the main reasoning behind dropping both artists from the lineup.
Chris Brown, Kelly Rowland, Lupe Fiasco, Ice Cube, Trey Songz, Naughty By Nature, and Big Sean are still on the roster, with T-Pain and Ludacris making special appearances. Supafest runs April 12-22.