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M.O.P.’s Billy Danze Creates RUN Movement for Unsigned Artists

M.O.P. member Billy Danze is putting his status as an established entertainer to good use by giving aspiring artists a chance to be heard through his “Raps United Nation” (RUN)  movement.

Citing his personal interaction with talented artists he’s met over the years stateside and overseas on tour, the Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York rapper believes his latest venture will be a useful tool for those in search of a vehicle that will garner exposure and elevate them to the next level.

“As an artist I understand the frustration.  There are so many artists out there that possess the talent of being able to produce and record good music. They are determined; they have the drive and dedication, but feel as if no one notices,” Danze expressed in a statement as relayed his commitment to turning dreams into reality. “I’ve seen and heard what’s out there from an artistic level.  These artists need to be heard and have a united voice. I am very passionate about giving them that opportunity and will do anything in my power to help those that really want to win.”

The creation of the RUN movement marks a new chapter for Danze, who continues his tenure as a Hip-Hop fixture with M.O.P.’s latest album, Sparta. The 10-track album, a collaborative effort with the production team Snowgoons, was released in November and features the rapper with his partner in rhyme, Lil’ Fame.

“As a fellow artist, these projects will enable me to be a vital cog in a family of worthy artists that simply need a platform and a voice and to oversee that lends the potential to be the biggest accomplishment of my career,” said Danze, who also said he feels RUN will fill a void that has remained too long in the music industry.

“From a business perspective, I believe “RUN” (Raps United Nation) is a vehicle the industry is desperately lacking. The way to find new talent is to go get it. Industry executives no longer believe in the artist, or artist development. How can the industry grow if we don’t allow new artists to showcase their talent?”

While M.O.P. provides an artistic outlet for Danze, the rap veteran is set on using RUN to create a stable of artists from around the world that will promote unity and raise awareness of them while placing them in the public eye.

“My aim is to get every talented artist a deal.  Support on a globalized scale is all an artist really needs or could ask for. I have contacted all my resources and they in return have done the same,” Danze said.  “A vital key to success in this business is alliance; and I personally have a team in every corner of the world. We can build a team of thousands and support each other.”

For more information about RUN, including how to become a part of the movement and details on its debut project, First Wave, visit www.rapsunitednation.com. To listen to songs from First Wave, click the links below:

D-Dub’s “Grown Man B.I.”:  http://hulkshare.com/i8xjzcshp5fc

Dutch’s “Battlefield”: http://hulkshare.com/h3u0bywvx70k

Daily Word: Stop Stopping!! (Keep Your Momemtum)

TGI….Everyday!! Happy Friday, the 13th!!!

Welcome to the end of a wonderful week, but still the beginning of the rest of your life! Today’s Daily Word is dedicated to keeping your momentum! There is only one thing that really separates great people from the mediocre… It’s not talent, it’s not smarts, it’s not business savvy… It’s the ability to be consistent and the ability to keep going, no matter what the circumstance!

Those who are truly great do not concern themselves with adversity or obstacles, because in their minds, losing is not an option! They don’t make excuses… they just make things happen! They don’t care about failing, because they know that failing is only failing when they give up….. and the truly great ones aren’t smart enough to even know what giving up is!

Stop Stopping and Keep your Momentum! Don’t allow yourself to be a victim of circumstance! You want what you want and should never stop until you get it! Get to the point of no return! Burn any bridge that is enabling you to give up so easy so that you remove that as an option! You deserve to be happy! You deserve everything your heart desires! The only thing standing in your way is YOU!! be persistent, take what you deserve, and understand that nothing is impossible!! You can’t say sky is the limit, when there are footprints on the moon!!  
-Ash’Cash

“When life knocks you down you have two choices- stay down or get up. Winners always choose the latter.” -Tom Krause

“No great achievement is possible without persistent work.” -Bertrand Russell

“Many of the great achievements of the world were accomplished by tired and discouraged men who kept on working.” -Unknown

“Persistence is the twin sister of excellence. One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time.” -Unknown

“If you’re coasting, you’re either losing momentum or headed downhill.” -Joan Welsh

“Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” -Walter Elliot

“One way to keep your momentum is to constantly have greater goals.” -Michael Korda

“How long should you try? Until.” -Jim Rohn

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.

Wyclef’s Yele Haiti Releases Documentary on Experiences in Haiti

(AllHipHop News) Wyclef Jean and Jerry “Wonda” Duplessis have released a documentary chronicling their experiences as co-founders of the nonprofit organization Yele Haiti.

The pair shot “Hours After The Quake: Picking Up The Dead in Search of The Living,” using a handheld camera.

The two founders showcase the plight of the Haitian people in the aftermath of the tragic 7.0 earthquake that devastated Haiti on January 12, 2010.

The documentary sheds light on the ongoing fight to recover from one of the most devastating earthquakes in the history of mankind.

Over 3.5 million people were directly impacted by the natural disaster that killed more than 316,000, injured 300,000, orphaned 1 million children and left another 1.2 million people homeless.

Throughout the documentary, Wyclef calls for a “State of Emergency” and can be seen coming to the aid of dying Haitian residents, as he rides through the streets amidst crumbled buildings and roads.

The documentary shows that Yele Haiti provided 4.3 million gallons of water to Haiti 5 days a week throughout 2010, distributed 98,000 hot meals, 270,000 nutritional bars, and canned goods serving over 200,000 people.

Periods of the movie are graphic in nature, showing dead bodies being removed from the destructed streets during the early periods of the earthquake’s aftermath, .

Despite accusations from the New York Post, that Wyclef’s Yele Haiti organization was improperly using donations received, Wyclef shows that he was in full support of Haiti throughout the crisis, and that he too, was also removing bodies from the street, which were buried in rubble.

For more information on Wyclef’s Haiti non-profit organization, visit YeleHaiti.com and Twitter.com/YeleHaiti.

Hip-Hop Rumors: Drake Confronted “Drake Head” Tattoo Artist”?

DID DRAKE BEAT DOWN TAT ARTIST THAT PUT “DRAKE” ON GIRLS FO’HEAD!?

The dude Kevin Campell tatted a girl with “DRAKE” on her forehead. Well he and Drake went back and forth in the media and well, it looks like Drake made good on his words. I don’t know the facts, but the artist Campbell says Drake and some goons came to his shop. “Drake sent his security detail into the shop to inform me that ‘nobody is going to hurt Drake in the state of California,’ I don’t remember ever saying I was going to hurt him, but maybe they were referring to his feelings. Guess you could call it sorted out. When Drake was in LA last, he parked out front of the shop and sent in his huge security dude. Calling Drake ‘soft’ was like calling Justin Bieber a p***y. I kinda feel bad for the dude now. Drake said he would beat my ass, not me. Now I’m just embarrassed for him. He made himself look like a weenie. I just think it’s funny that he made the threats and when I actually responded, he sent in the troops.”

According to Campbell, there was never any physical confrontation. He merely stated that they told him this was his “first warning.” Drake should go in there and beat his a###!!!!!! This dude has a big mouth!

And this poor girl….smh

Give her a JOB, Drake!

Hip-Hop Rumors: Odd Future’s Syd The Kyd Says Queen Latifah, Missy & Alicia Keys Need to Come Out of the Closet?!

Odd Future’s lone female member, Syd The Kid, tried to “out” Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Missy Elliott as gay in a recent cover story for L.A. Weekly cover story. The outspoken Syd did not hold her tongue, check out her comment below:

“There’s Alicia Keys, who’s married to Swizz Beats – we know that sh*t ain’t real.You got Queen Latifah kissing Common in movies. Missy Elliott saying she don’t wanna hang with b*tches. You know she loves her some b*tches.”

It’s pretty much common knowledge that Queen Latifah and Missy “eat the box”, but Alicia? I bet Swizzy would beg to differ.

Hip-Hop Rumors: Blue Ivy Carter Inspiring Jay-Z To Give Up The Word B*tch??!!

It looks as if fatherhood is really changing Jay-Z for the better. In honor of his daughter, Blue Ivy, Jay-Z has made a commitment to drop the B-word from his vocabulary. Check out the touching letter Jay-Z released today:

Before I got in the game, made a change, and got rich,
I didn’t think hard about using the word B—-.
I rapped, I flipped it, I sold it, I lived it
now with my daughter in this world
I curse those that give it.
I never realized while on the fast track
that I’d give riddance to the word b####, to leave her innocence in tact.
No man will degrade her, or call her out her name
the women won’t despise her and call her the same.
I know it’s gonna miss me
cuz we been together like Nike Airs and crisp tees
when we all used to hang out front
singing 99 problems but a lady ain’t one.
Excuse me miss, can I be your mister
cuz I can tell the difference from a little girl and a sister,
She never grew up, her father left her alone
I promise not to talk like we used to
until Kingdom Come.
I’m so focused on your future,
The degradation has passed
I wish you wealth, health, and insight
forever young you may pass.
Blue Ivy Carter, my angel.

How sweet! Hopefully the N-word will be next!

Snoop Dogg To Unveil “Executive Branch” Premium Cigars At 2012 Coachella Festival

(AllHipHop News) Hip-Hop artist and icon Snoop Dogg, who will be headlining at the 2012 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with Dr. Dre in California this April, will also unveil a new “premium tobacco cigar brand” called Executive Branch at the festival.

Snoop Dogg, who is a brand ambassador for Executive Branch (also known as “The Gentlemen’s Choice”), will bring the two cigar pouches, which retail at $0.99 a pouch, to the festival for an official release over the two weekends of Coachella, April 13-15 and April 20-22. The cigars use premium tobacco from the Dominican Republic and were hand chosen by Snoop to “ensure the highest quality.”

During today’s (January 12) announcement, Snoop said, “Throughout my career I have been lucky enough to travel the world and try all different types of tobacco products. During my travels throughout South America and the Caribbean, I was fortunate to encounter this tobacco company, Executive Branch and was so impressed by their commitment to quality [far superior than all others], I knew I had to bring them to the States for all my fans to enjoy.

He continued, “Throughout 2012, we plan on releasing new styles and flavors, in which I will be working with their team to make sure all products are up to Snoop Dogg standards.”

Executive Branch Cigarillos will be sold for $0.99 a pouch, with two cigars per pouch. Manufactured by Durfort Holdings SA and distributed by Good Times USA, Executive Branch Cigarillos ensures high quality tobacco with a low price point for everyone to enjoy.

Hip-Hop Rumors: “M-M-M-Maybach Music” Drop Girl Identified As Australian Supermodel!!!

Shouts to Complex for the reveal…

Jessica Gomes, an Australian model who has appeared in multiple editions of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue over the years, has been identified as the girl who did the infamous “Maybach Music” drop at the beginning of just about every song from the MMG catalog.

No word on how her and Ricky Rozay hooked up, but at least we’ve got a face (and body) to match with that infamous voice!

Lil Wayne Writing Prison Memoir, “Gone Til November” Set For Fall Release

(AllHipHop News) Young Money founder, Grammy Award-winner, and platinum-selling rapper, Lil Wayne, is moving into a new entrepreneurial venture – being an author.

Wayne, who spent eight months in 2010 on Riker’s Island in New York after being found guilty of a gun charge, will release his first memoir through Grand Central Publishing later this year.

Ben Greenberg, executive editor at Grand Central Publishing, said the following about Gone Til November: “We are thrilled to be publishing Wayne’s prison memoir. He kept detailed journals of his inner and outer life while he was on Rikers Island, and they certainly tell a story. They are revealing.”

The journals are said to detail Wayne’s “thoughts and feelings, the people he met, his plans, his family, his children, his past and his future,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Gone Til November is set for release on November 28.

Lifestyle: Isabel Marant’s High-Top Wedge Sneakers Are On Every Fashionista’s Must-Have List

Celebrity fashionistas everywhere have been clamoring to get their hands on the new “it” shoe of the season, and no, it’s not the latest Christian Louboutin shoe. It’s actually a high top sneaker!

The new Isabel Marant high-top sneakers are completely unique and like nothing out on the sneaker market right now.  These sneakers come in a variety of colors from black to beige to multicolored, and feature a 3.5″ hidden wedge and trio of velvet straps.


The ladies of Hollywood can’t seem to get enough of the Isabel Marant high-top sneakers. Beyoncé famously rocked the shoes in her “Love On Top” music video back in October, and Alicia Keys wore the shoes to the Celtics/Knicks basketball game on Christmas day. They’ve been spotted on actress Tracee Ellis Ross during a shopping trip, as well as many other celebrities including Anne Hathaway, Miranda Kerr and Nicole Richie to name a few.


The Isabel Marant sneakers won’t be available until February, and they are quite pricey, retailing at between $680- $760. If you have an extra several hundred bucks to spare and want to have the hottest sneakers out right now, you can order a pair at Barneys.com for $680.

Fat Joe To Encourage Weight Loss At “Let’s Move!” Fitness Event

(AllHipHop News) Rapper Fat Joe will perform during the Let’s Move! Newark: Our Power (LM!NOP) event to fight obesity and encourage fans to live a healthy lifestyle.

The program was created by Behavioral Health & Fitness Expert Jeff Halevy, who was selected by Newark Mayor Cory Booker to create the program, as an extension of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign.

Fat Joe was hand selected to perform at LM!NOP, due to his recent weight loss, as he shed over 100 pounds after he ballooned to over 460 pounds.

“Of all the challenges I have faced in my life, losing weight was probably the most difficult,” said hip-hop idol, Fat Joe. “I am so happy to be able to spread the word on the dangers of obesity and join the Let’s Move! Initiative with Let’s Move! Newark: Our power.”

The program started last October at five different high schools in Newark, with Barringer High School taking top honors by logging over 619,600 minutes worth of exercising.

“It is shocking that 64 percent of Newark’s elementary school children are obese or morbidly obese,” Mayor Cory Booker said. “Some 44 percent of our children aged three to 19 are overweight. If we are going to have a stronger city, we must have healthier children. We have challenged our high school students to live healthier lifestyles through this competition. Let’s move toward a stronger and healthier Newark!”

The performance will take place on January 23 in Newark.

http://letsmovenewark.com/lmnop/

Check out some images of Fat Joe over the years below:

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Hip-Hop Rumors: Quickies Edition With Swizz Beatz, Chuck D, A$AP Rocky, DJ Premier & More!

Swizz Strikes Back With Mixtape:

After scrapping his album, Haute Living, a little while back, Swizz took to Twitter recently to announce that a new, untitled, mixtape is on the way…

pic.twitter.com/pIFMWJBZ

In the studio working on my mix tape 🙂 oh yeah I also cut all the collars of my shirts lmao.”

Yo Gotti Dropped A Dud!

Gotti’s debut album is on pace to sell between 12,000 and 15,000 copies in its first week. In another words, a major letdown for someone with a pretty decent buzz despite the album’s overall negative critical reception.

“IN NEW YORK N JUST FOUND OUT SO MO F*CKD UP SH*T ABOUT DA LABEL!!! #TheIndustryTrynaHoldMeBack. HOW DA F*CK YU EXPECT A N*GGA TO SALE SUM RECORDS WHEN U DONT SHIP NONE????”

Better luck next time Y.G.!

Meet Cash Money’s Newest Artist, Chris Richardson:

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/34542314]

The former American Idol contestant is the new member of Baby’s Cash Money Records. Another attempt at crossing over? What ever happened to Kevin Rudolf?

Childish Gambino Announces New Mixtape:

The new project, titled Mixtape, will be dropping soon. Just a title and the image above were released. Gambino will be hitting the road and touring with Fool’s Gold artist Danny Brown beginning in March.

A$AP Rocky and AraabMUZIK Collaboration Project On the Way!

A$APMUZIK coming soon! Both artists will also be performing in April at the 2012 Coachella Festival, so expect for some of this heat to be heard for the first time there!

More Quickies:

-DJ Premier revealed in a recent interview with Bootleg Kev that he has worked with Busta Rhymes on several tracks from his upcoming Cash Money debut.

-Lupe Fiasco’s third album Lasers has officially been certified Gold. We want Food and Liquor 2…NOW!

-Chuck D will appear on iconic rocker Meat Loaf’s new album that drops in February. “Chuck D is the rapper’s rapper. He is the original, and every rapper that has come after him wants to be like him. For us to have him on this record is a major coup and I am so impressed with what he wrote!

-J. Cole’s “Work Out” single has been certified Platinum. Keep it up, Cole!

-Nelly was recently photographed in the studio with Dr. Dre, who seems to be working on everything except Detox as of late. Can we all just agree already that that sh*t is NEVER coming out!?

Joe Budden Releasing “Mood Muzik: The Box Set” On February 21st

(AllHipHop News) On February 21, Joe Budden will be releasing a complete box set of his critically acclaimed and fan favorite Modd Muzik series.

The extremely limited edition set comes loaded with Mood Muzik 1, 2, 3, 4 and Mood Muzik 4.5, with “a few extra bonuses as well.” Only 100 copies of this set are being pressed for release and purchase, all of which come autographed by Budden.

Fan favorites like “Bullsh*t Rappers and Metaphors,” “Dumb Out,” “The Future,” “Remember the Titans,” and many, many more will all be included.

Mood Muzik: The Box Set will be available on February 21st. You can pre-order the set now for $70.00.

In addition to this limited release, Joe will be having two exclusive concerts at Irving Plaza in New York City on February 26 and 27, where he will be performing a majority, if not, all of the material from his Mood Muzik series. Tickets for the concert are available now.

joe-budden-mood-muzik-the-box-set

Hip-Hop Rumors: Amber Rose Cries Over Kanye On MTV RapFix Segment!!

Who’s having the bigger week: Amber or Blue Ivy Carter? The obvious answer is little baby Blue, but Amber just can’t seem to stay away from the “news” making lately. Two days after the release of her first single, “Fame,” which featured her man Wiz Khalifa, the model, “actress,” and now “singer,” hit up the MTV RapFix couch to talk about her music and more.

Amber told host Sway: “Today on your show, I just want to let it be known that I am so done with the Kanye questions. That’s my past, I’m done with it. I’m done, I’m moving on with a new career. I’m in love with Wiz. I’m happy. I just want to move on with my life, and we can get everything out right now and then I’m done.”

Check out the video here.

Hip-Hop Rumors: Another Crazy Fan Gets a Drake Tattoo?!!

Another Drake super fan has gotten a tattoo of the rapper. An unidentified fan has gotten a portrait of Drake along with the word “Drizzy” inked on their leg.  I hope to GOD this is a girl and not a dude!

The goofy looking tattoo truly captures Drake’s essence, doesn’t it! At least it wasn’t on her forehead like the other loony chick. Check out a photo of the tatt below.

In related news, forgive me for being a few days late on this, but D12 rapper Bizarre was recently inked with a portrait of Nicki Minaj. See the photo below.

This post got me thinking, would you ever get a tattoo paying homage to your favorite celebrity? Here’s a collection of photos of people who were crazy enough to do just that:

Alrighty then!

“Red Tails” Film Survives Despite “Blackout” By Hollywood Backers

Iconic filmmaker Gerge Lucas appeared on the The Daily Show With Jon Stewart this week to share details about his forthcoming Red Tails movie and the difficulties faced by films like it.

Red Tails, with an all-star cast boasting Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr. singer Ne-Yo, and more, depicts the well-publicized story of the Tuskegee Airmen, a valiant group of fighter pilots in World War II. The Star Wars creator put forth $58 million of his own money towards the overall price tag of the film.

“It’s a reasonably expensive movie. Normally black movies, say Tyler Perry movies or something, they’re very low budget,” the film’s producer, Lucas, told Stewart on the show. “Even they won’t really release his movies, it goes to one of the lower, not major distributors…And this costs more than what those movies make.

“They don’t believe there’s any foreign market for it and that’s 60 percent of their profit…I showed it to all of them and they said ‘No. We don’t know how to market a movie like this,'” Lucas added.

In Hollywood, it seems to Lucas, there must be at least some White element to films in order for them to be seen as lucrative. “It’s an all-black movie. There’s no major white roles in it at all. It’s one of the first, all-black action pictures ever made. It’s not Glory where you have a lot of white officers running these guys into cannon fire. They were real heroes.”

Red Tails hits theaters on January 20. Check out the trailer below: