(AllHipHop News) Oakland bred rapper MC Hammer is reportedly being sued by the United States Government for $779,585 in back taxes owed from his earnings.
The money in contention dates back to 1996 to 1997, during the years in which Hammer was believed to be facing his worst financial problems, since he filed for bankruptcy in 1996.
But according to Hammer, he’s already taken care of the debt.
The rapper took to Twitter to assure fans and naysayers, that has proof that he took care of his debt with the IRS.
“700k … Don’t get too excited .. I paid them already and kept my receipt. Stamped by a US Federal Judge,” Hammer Tweeted from his Twitter account @MCHammer.
Despite his bankruptcy claim in 1996 due to $13 million worth of debt, just half a decade earlier in 1991, Forbes Magazine had estimated the rapper’s net worth at over $33 million dollars.
Hammer, who is known for his hit songs “U Can’t Touch This” and “Too Legit to Quit,” admittedly mismanaged his finances during that period.
“I didn’t just take money and say, ‘I want to be a blessing to myself,'” he said. “I took my money and employed 200 people in my community. I had a payroll of a million dollars a month at times.”
What’s hap’nin, y’all!? It’s been more than a minute since we’ve vibed. I left the industry by choice 13 years ago, but I never put the pen down. I even hit the studio every now and then because of my undying love for Hip-Hop.
Lately, I’ve been in the kitchen creating delicious originals or cooking the Creole and Soul recipes handed down to me from my grandmother. Because she was such a firecracker, I wrote a cookbook/memoir in her honor. When I threw the bullet in the movie I’m ‘Bout It, it was because my grandma kept a bag of bullets on the shelf next to her bed, and she would often joke with friends and my uncles by pitching them at them and saying, “You might catch this one, muthaf*cka, but I bet you won’t catch the next one.” Her eyes would move towards her b######## purse that held two guns, a pool ball in a sock, and a rock covered in foil paper.
The cookbook is perfectly titled Things My Grandma Told Me, Things My GrandmaShowed Me, and it has chapter titles that I often tweet from my Twitter account like:
“P*ssy Don’t Make Him Stay; It Makes Him Skeet”
“The Way To His Heart Is Not Through Your Panties”
“I’d Rather Have A Second Job Than A Wet *ss From A Poor D*ck”
“If Ya Mama Didn’t Name You Doormat Or Punching Bag, There’s No Reason To Be Getting Yo *ss Walked On And Kicked”
…just to name a few. My cookbook is raw and real with some of the best food recipes you’ve ever tasted. This is who my grandma was on top of being a great cook. Today, I’m going to share our famous “Dirty Rice” recipe. Dirty Rice is great along side of any meat, but it’s also a stand-alone dish because it’s full of flavor. I’m going to be bringing many easy and tasty dishes to you, with the hopes of getting people back into cooking.
In the South, it really goes down in the kitchen, y’all. We discuss everything from who’s in jail, who’s pregnant, who’s in love, and who’s about to break up, to who graduated got promoted or fired. Y’all know how real life is. All types of conversations are held while we whip up the bomb food. To me, the world is in a microwave now days. Everything is moving so fast. Families, couples and friends don’t talk and bond the way they used to, so I’m hoping to get us back in the kitchen at least for the fire Sunday dinners, if not a few nights a week.
Cooking is not as hard as you think when you put a lil’ love and care in every pour and stir. People will be jocked out on your food in no time. My grandma use to say, “He can get head from a crack h*e n’ p*ssy from the neighborhood hot *ss. What else you got?” So my motto is: “I’m Smart…I Work…I Can Cook…n’ I’m Better in Bed!”
Make sure you follow me on Twitter @TheRealMiaX and become part of my clique, #TeamWhipDemPots. Also, be sure to try out my Dirty Rice dish. It will be a great change up and addition to all the goodies at the table this holiday season. Oh yeah, check out the title song from my forthcoming cookbook. There’s nothing like cooking some bomb ass food while you jammin’, ya heard me, baby?
1 lb of Patton’s hot sausage links removed from its skin (optional but the Bomb)
1/2 ground pork (optional)
1/3 pound of minced chicken livers
1 green bell pepper, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, chopped fine
2 yellow onions, chopped fine
4 garlic gloves, chopped fine
1 celery stick, chopped fine
5 cups of cooked, parboiled rice
2 beef bouillon cubes, crushed
2 chicken bouillon cubes, crushed
1/4 cup of dry parsley
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook your meats in a large pot until browned. Add in bouillon cubes and chopped seasonings cook until seasonings tender. Add in your cooked rice and stir everything until evenly mixed.
A cool tip for additional flavor, I like to boil my rice in a combination of beef and chicken broth instead of using water. To make smaller portions, you can always cut your ingredients down to fit the number of people you’re serving. If you’re a non-beef/pork eater, turkey and ground chicken are great substitutes.
Canibus Says Sorry to Hip-Hop and J. Cole for Recent Diss:
We’re not even going to question the level of bipolarity that Canibus is dealing with, because clearly, this has to be one of thee worst attempts at generating publicity and awareness for an album ever seen. Let’s be real, that’s this cheap shot was, man! Want to know more about Canibus’ album? That’s what Google is for, people.
Even worse is that this seems like more of a blatant diss than the record itself that he released. SMH.
The Return of the Men In Black!
MiB3 will be hitting theaters during a very crowded Summer 2012 as far as movies go. Thoughts?
Quickies:
-The Roots, whose new album, Undun, dropped last week, are currently in the process of seeing the concept album turned into either a film or play at some time in the near future.
-MC Hammer is being sued by the government for owing them about $800,000 in back taxes. Damn, Hammer.
-Questlove recently revealed his top concept albums. #3 … MF Doom with MM…Food, #2 …J Dilla with Donuts and #1…De La Soul with De La Soul Is Dead. What say you?
–Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 has generated $1 BILLION in its first 16 days of release. It overtakes the film Avatar as being the highest grossing entertainment release in the shortest amount of time.
-Rhymesayers and Atmoshpere have just announced the “Welcome to Minnesota Tour,” a six-date tour taking place in – you guessed it – Minnesota! The tour kicks off February 20th.
-Gucci Mane has struck a custody deal with his baby’s mama, Sheena Evans, where she will receive just over $2,000 a month to support their four-year-old son.
(AllHipHop News) Philadelphia rapper Gillie Da Kid has landed a deal with NFL Star Tamba Hali and his label, Religion Records.
Tamba Hali and Religion Records are backing Gillie’s Hip-Hop imprint, Figga Gang Records.
“He gave me the money to do my own thing so you know that’s what it is,” Gillie Da Kid told AllHipHop.com.
The news of Gillie’s deal with Hali, who was born in Liberia and raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, comes on the heels of his $60 million deal with The Kansas City Chiefs.
Gillie revealed that he was working on a new “Gangsta Grillz” project with Philadelphia native/Atlanta resident DJ Drama.
He said he was also working with Superstar Jay on a new track titled “King.”
As for his untitled album, most of the material is in the can and Gillie is preparing to begin promotion on the singles and the album.
“The music is done, I’m just shooting videos now and getting them in order,” Gillie told AllHipHop.com.
Gillie has remained active over the past several years, in the city of Philadelphia.
In addition to dropping his “Validation” mixtape with popular DJ Cosmic Kev, Gillie has shot several movies.
The rapper stars in the movie “Caged Animal,” and is preparing for the release of “Brotherly Love,” which stars Ving Rhames.
Welcome to the start of the best week of your life! Today’s Daily Word is dedicated to paying yourself first! As a financial literacy expert, I always encourage this as a key principle in getting your finances in order, but today, I am not just talking about paying yourself first monetarily! Today as I discuss this principle, I am discussing what you owe to yourself, your duties, your obligations!
Often times, we tend to put other people’s needs in front of ours, not realizing that we’re doing both parties an injustice! If you are not consistently improving yourself, you are limiting what you can give back to the world! You weren’t put on this earth to be mediocre! You were put here to maximize your full potential, and the only way you can do that effectively is to constantly work on you! You have a duty to give back to the world, but how can you if you aren’t at your best???
Stop being selfish and be selfish!! Work on making you the best you that can possibly be and in that you will be doing yourself and the world justice!! Pay yourself first! It’s not only the best way to go but your mandatory duty!! -Ash’Cash
“For today and its blessings, you owe the world an attitude of gratitude.” -Unknown
“”Doing your own thing” is a generous act. Being gifted creates obligations, which means you owe the world your best effort at the work you love.” -Barbara Sher
“Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.” -Anthony Robbins
“We have to do the best we can. This is our sacred human responsibility.” -Albert Einstein
“You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.” -Marian Wright Edelman
“Your most important obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself.” -Richard Bach
“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” -Abraham Lincoln
“The day you take complete responsibility for yourself, the day you stop making any excuses, that’s the day you start to the top.” -Unknown
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.
[See who tops the list at #25 to #1 in Part 2 HERE!]
As 2011 comes to a close, it’s only right that we take a look back at what records have been hits and misses in the past year. Rather than draw any more attention to the misses of 2011, AllHipHop.com has chosen to award the “hits” by compiling a list of the “Top 50 Hottest Songs of 2011.”
You may or may not agree with the choices we’ve made, but in this day and age, if it’s worth discussing, then we’ve done our job! It’s no coincidence that a number of repeat artists appear on this list, both with their own songs as well as with features on others. There’s no denying that in 2011, some rappers made it a point to keep the fans talking and talking by putting out hit record after hit record.
But before we countdown from #50 to #26, let’s take a look at a number of songs that were without a doubt some of the year’s hottest songs, but just missed the list by a hair. Here are our “Honorable Mentions” of 2011:
Wale – “600 Benz”ft. Rick Ross & Jadakiss; B.O.B – “Strange Clouds” ft. Lil Wayne; Future – “Tony Montana” ft. Drake; A$AP Rocky – “Purple Swag;” YC – “Racks” ft. Future; Childish Gambino – “Bonfire;” Wiz Khalifa – “No Sleep;” Common – “Blue Sky;” J. Cole – “Lost Ones;” Kreayshawn – “Gucci Gucci;” and Meek Mill – “Tupac Back” ft. Rick Ross
And now, without further ado, here is AllHipHop.com’s “Top 50 Hottest Songs of 2011” – Part 1:
50. Bad Meets Evil – “I’m On Everything”
“Syrup, painkillers, cigarettes, weed, Hennessy, vodka, I’m on everything!” It’s no surprise that during a year when artists were bragging about being on one or even two illegal products, Bad and Evil glorify the use of everything they can get their hands on and have no shame in doing so. The production from Mr. Porter, along with the Mike Epps sample, made this one of 2011’s most fun and talked about records.
49. French Montana – “Shot Caller (Remix)” ft. Rick Ross & Diddy
French Montana has been one of the more buzzed about artists of 2011, with rumored offers coming in from the likes of Kanye, Diddy, Rick Ross, and many others. With a few records that could be considered hits or misses depending on your musical tastes, there is no denying that “Shot Caller” was and will be the record that put French on the map. Add in a dash of Rozay and a pinch of Diddy, and you’ve got yourself a hit, Mr. Montana!
48. The Cool Kids – “Penny Hardaway” ft. Ghostface Killah
2011 finally saw Sir Michael Rocks and Chuck Inglish release their major-label debut, and despite the time it took to drop, The Cool Kids did not sacrifice nor falter in their sound. Catchy production and cool lyrics justify the smooth title, and being able to grab Ghostface for a nasty verse is the musical equivalent of an “And-1.”
47. Nicki Minaj – “Moment 4 Life” ft. Drake
Billboard’s Rising Star of 2011 had more than her fair share of radio hits this past year, and there is no denying that this was the biggest of them all. Ms. Minaj’s song came out early in the year and is still getting daily play on radio stations across the country. That is a feat unto itself, and this is why “Moment 4 Life” earned the #47 spot on our list.
46. Talib Kweli – “Uh Oh” ft. Jean Grae
This track was so dope it was featured on both artist’s albums in 2011. There is something special that happens when two wordsmiths play verbal volleyball with each other, and longtime friends and collaborators Jean Grae and Talib Kweli do it oh-so-well on this “who did that?” track.
45. A$AP Rocky – “Peso”
We think it’s safe to call A$AP Rocky one of, if not, thee rookie of the year, who “blew the f*ck up” with trill-tinged, Harlem music. This song was his biggest of the year, and even had people in California singing: “I be that pretty m*thaf*cker, Harlem’s what I’m reppin’…”
44. Drake – “Make Me Proud” ft. Nicki Minaj
Don’t front, guys – you memorized Drake’s part, and we know a “bazillion” girls memorized Nicki’s. The appeal these two have when they link up is uncanny – like a modern-day Donny and Marie, without the creepy sibling love. We’re proud of what the two standout stars of the YMCMB brand have accomplished in 2011. We wonder what they have in store for 2012!
43. Wale – “Tats On My Arm” ft. Rick Ross
Wale may very well have been one of the hardest working men in Hip-Hop this year, and it’s no surprise that his boss, MMG founder Rick Ross is, too. Flaunty production brought braggadocios lyrics, and not many are keeping up with the D.C. rep in the clever lyrics category these days. This song makes you want to run to the closest tattoo parlor.
42. Pusha T – “Feelin Myself” ft. Kevin Cossom
Rest assured, this will not be the Pusha man’s only record on this list. Commend him for crossing over to, not just the mainstream with this track, but still managing to maintain his signature bravado, poise, and lyricism. This was one of the most “feel-good” records of summer, whose life-span is far from over. 2011 was a very “G.O.O.D.” year in Hip-Hop for the Virginia native. The “feelin’ himself” is justified.
41. Lil Wayne – “John” ft. Rick Ross
“If I die today, remember me like John Lennon/ Buried in Louis, I’m talking all brown linen.” This was clearly one of the hottest songs of summer, and it turned out to be one of the standouts on Wayne’s Tha Carter IV as well. The two heavyweights’ sound meshes perfectly on this track, showcasing the dynamic collaborations that themed this year.
40. Red Cafe – “Fly Together” ft. Ryan Leslie & Rick Ross
Add Rick Ross’s swag-laced grunts to Ryan Leslie’s can’t-miss hooks and production, and Red Cafe’ has a recipe for success on this definite headbanger of late 2011. The accompanying video, with its dark, ballerific loftiness, cemented these three as having one of of the clear R&B-laced rap winners of the year.
39. Drake – “Headlines”
“Soap opera rappers/ All these n*ggas sound like all my children,” Drake raps on his sophomore album’s first single. Taking a break from relationship turmoil, Drake reminds the listeners that he is indeed a rapper, with one-liners for days.
38. Young Jeezy – “I Do” ft. Andre 3000 & Jay-Z
Honestly, just look at that lineup and then say this song doesn’t deserve to be on this list. Even if TM103 never sees the light of day, which seems unimaginable at this point, Jeezy managed to provide Hip-Hop fans with a “grown *ss man” record that will be talked about for years to come.
Warren brings some of that O.G. flavor while Murs lays down a verse full with one-liners, but really, the show is stolen by Kendrick Lamar: “Call ‘Pac and resurrect ‘im/ For sure to cause a spectrum/ Especially when my mental telepathy/ Starts to F ‘em.” Oh yeah, and this was all over a 9th Wonder beat. Son!
36. Common – “Sweet”
You know how in the beginning of the video to this song there’s a man twirling around a sword? That’s Common on this record. Over a deadly beat and throwing around an abundance of foul language, we felt like Common was mad at us, and we almost wish he’d get angry more often if this is the kind of product he delivers.
35. Kendrick Lamar – “Rigamortis”
Quite simply, this is Kendrick Lamar just unloading shot after shot after shot, over a racetrack-esque, horn stab. If this was a race, Kendrick just pulled a Usain Bolt. You might get tired singing along to this track, but never tired of hearing it!
34. Bad Meets Evil – “Fast Lane”
“Autobahn on auto-pilot”. Yep, that’s it right there. Royce and Em are going 150 MPH the whole damn time here, and with two of the best lyricists of the year behind the wheel, they could be ticketed for reckless rapping.
33. Killer Mike – “Burn”
After BET banned the video from playing, “Burn” caught even more fire and became a politically fueled, Hip-Hop anthem. Always known for speaking his mind, Killer Mike may have outdone himself on this one, and we hope that’s a trend that follows for many years to come. Ban or not.
32. Common – “Ghetto Dreams” ft. Nas
Remember when Common dropped “The Corner” as his first single for Be, and you couldn’t stop bobbing your head emphatically in approval? This is like that same soulful-goodness, but with Nas. Winning.
31. Ace Hood – “Hustle Hard (Remix)” ft. Rick Ross & Lil Wayne
In the hard work ethic spirit of “Grindin'”, this track’s grimy beat and viciously intoxicating hook had Ace Hood’s single rattling in trunks nationwide. Throw in a quality verse from Rick Ross and a superb effort by Lil’ Wayne, and you have a certified street banger, almost by formula.
30. Smoke DZA – “4 Loko” ft. A$AP Rocky
“I’m a loko, n*gga straight loko,/ So think twice ‘fore you cross my path/ ‘Cause frontin’ on DZA’s a no-go” raps the Kushed God who enlists fellow Harlem resident and current “it” rapper A$AP Rocky for this slowed down ode to all things “loko.” Rocky’s cadence and flow meshes perfectly with the Kushed God’s lyrics about weed, drank, “sittin high and tippin slow.”
29. Travis Barker – “Let’s Go” ft. Yelawolf, Lil Jon, Twista & Busta Rhymes
Some of the fastest rappers in the game unleash a lyrical onslaught over Travis Barker’s drums and production, which is sure to get you amped before a night out, a party at your buddy’s house, or even a street fight.
28. J. Cole – “Work Out”
The day the samples were cleared and this record came out, the world finally knew we’d be getting Cole World sooner rather than later. Although not the most lyrical J. Cole record by any means, “Work Out” helped the North Carolina native cement himself in the mainstream and propelled his debut to the #1 spot – all with no major radio hits in rotation at the time. Now, we just can’t get enough.
27. Big Sean – “My Last” ft. Chris Brown
Big Sean’s playful and optimistic lines are great, but how awesome is Chris Brown on the hook? The two linked up perfectly to make this jam, not only Sean’s first big single, but his first big summer smash. This was the appetizer for a number of Big Sean hits that would soon follow.
26. Pharoahe Monch – “Assassins” ft. Jean Grae & Royce Da 5’9″
The underground, backpack, conscious rapper – or whatever you like to call it – fans, loved this song. Pharoahe, Jean, and Royce each do verbal gymnastics over the attacking instrumental, making it, hands down, one of the best lyrical demonstrations of Summer 2011.
Stay Tuned for Part 2 of Our “Top 50 Hottest Songs of 2011,” Counting Down #25-#1…
(AllHipHop News) Rapper Snoop Dogg will make his first appearance on “The Price Is Right” in January, during the show’s first-ever celebrity week special.
Snoop Dogg will join co-host Drew Carey and other celebrities, who will take on contestants for good causes.
The proceeds from the celebrity edition of “The Price Is Right,” which is the longest-running game show in TV history, will go to the celebs’ favorite charities.
Snoop, who also gets to spin the wheel during the show, may have faired better than his opponents, according to the show’s producer.
“It was a lot of fun to watch these celebs play our iconic games,” Executive Producer Mike Richards told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “Each one had their own unique strategy to win. Let’s just say Snoop knows more about the price of grocery items than you might think!”
Other celebs who will compete during “The Price is Right’s” first ever celebrity week include Jenny McCarthy, Neil Patrick Harris, Chris Daughtry and supermodel Heidi Klum.
Snoop is playing to raise funds for his Snoop Youth Football League (SYFL) non-profit, which teaches children the importance of teamwork, camaraderie, and education through football.
Celebrity Week:
Monday, January 2 — Snoop Dogg playing for Snoop Youth Football Leagu
Tuesday, January 3 — Jenny McCarthy playing for Generation Rescue
Wednesday, January 4 — Neil Patrick Harris playing for The Noreen Fraser
Thursday, January 5 — Chris Daughtry playing for Alzheimer’s Association
One of the things that makes Hip-Hop so entertaining is the level of unpredictability contained within it. Thanks to music opening doors for everyone and the revolution of the Internet, there are things that can happen now that originally seemed to be unthinkable or even ludicrous. For instance, Meek Mill might not have been here if it wasn’t for Twitter blowing up Rick Ross’ mentions of him on Twitter. Jay-Z and Kanye might not have been able to pull Watch The Throne without building hype through the Internet reporting on their listening sessions.
However, for every reasonable explanation, there’s always one unexplainable item that is unable to be rationalized, no matter how you attempt to tackle it. In one of the more confusing moments of 2011, it was announced that Gucci Mane and White Girl Mob representative V-Nasty would be teaming up to release a joint-album entitled BAYTL. It sounded like a bad idea at the time, and now that the LP is upon us, that doubt is reaffirmed in almost every way.
The one single thing that hinders this album from being even a decent output is the people attached to it, or rather the females. It’s unfortunate that Gucci Mane chooses this album to actually improve his flow and his bars, because the N-word toting V-Nasty is by far the weak link, and her weaknesses easily outweigh Gucci’s rap improvements and upgrades. The songs quickly slide into the typical topics of drugs, money, girls, and more, but with the added twist of V-Nasty taking pleasure in being one of the guys in every aspect. If there was ever any doubt, V-Nasty’s first verse on the project makes it clear what her subject matter’s going to deteriorate into:
“Hide the young ones, Cuz I’m comin’ for your daughter /
If she ain’t sellin p***y I ain’t gon’ bother /
Got a pornstar, a ho, and a model /
In the club we do big sh*t, pop a hundred bottles /
We getting’ h*es wet, they gon’ need goggles /
They said get that gas, ho I’m on that full throttle /
If I had a d*ck, then I’d tell that b*tch to swallow /
Thirty in my clip and it’s letting out hollows..”
Later in the project, she even goes as far as to ask listeners how she became “more ‘hood than David Banner.” And, by this point, it’s hard to take her seriously. The cameos here (aside from Slim Dunkin) aren’t worth checking for either; Mistah F.A.B. makes a forgettable appearance on “Loaded” (capped off by the obligatory Equestrian line that Drake’s has helped to make popular), and the other features just seem bland.
As mentioned before, it’s unfortunate that V-Nasty is tied to the project because Gucci Mane really did a decent job whenever he stepped to the plate. With clever lines (“I’m not romantic, but I cook my dope candlelit”) and his switching flows rather impressively (for him, at least), Gucci Mane sadly picked the wrong time to deliver a solid performance. One is only as strong as their weakest link, and thanks to V-Nasty and company, what little replay value that’s to be had is siphoned out, due to the generic topics and the all-around unappealing idea in general.
Hip-Hop is unpredictable (and that’s a great thing), but let’s hope that unpredictability never plays into something like this happening again. Unless it’s much, much better.
K1ng Eljay is the founder of his site, K1ngEljay.com, as well as a contributor to GoWhereHipHop and RapGenius.com. Follow him on Twitter at @K1ngEljay for more.
2011 is almost a wrap, and by some standards, it was a strange year mixed with highs, lows, and epic happenings. Read on as we highlight some key moments from the year:
On the homefront, the world economy struggled along, improving for some but mostly signaling, at least here in the U.S., that tough times are nowhere near over. “The 99%” raised their voices across the globe, mobilizing “Occupy” movements to protest the vast disparities between the haves and haves nots. Even a few actors, artists, musicians, and other wealthy do-gooders latched onto the “common man’s” cause. The movement, with its good intentions, has yet to accomplish much tangibly, but has yielded thousands of arrests, some violence, and only a meager interest by Corporate America. Then, there were the natural disasters, like Hurricane Irene, that took an unprecedented toll on the upper East Coast, where catastrophic storm rarely hit.
In politics, the Republicans and Democrats continued to dook it out as the all-important 2012 election draws closer, with the country’s first Black president facing his toughest year in office yet. Skeletons were dug up by the dozens on Herman Cain, the Black, Republican forerunner in the forthcoming primary battle, ousting him in shame and indicating that the American decision in 2012 is far from certain. Elsewhere, President Obama was busy trying to gain consensus from Congress, bring home the troops from the Middle East, solve the economic problem, and craft his campaign – all while capturing and killing 9/11-conspirator Osama bin Laden, who had been on the run for an entire decade.
Sports and entertainment collided as the lengthy NBA Lockout threatened to push many basketball players into the recording studio, or worse even, into the regular workforce. Samuel L. Jackson found himself crowned the highest paid actor in film history, and Beats, Rhymes & Life, the poignant documentary about A Tribe Called Quest held its own, receiving numerous nominations and awards alongside bigger budget, bigger star films.
In Hip-Hop, there was the never-ending race to sell units and downloads, as the old industry sales model took a nosedive for good. There were several standout themes in 2011, and they all combined to make for an interesting year, to say the least.
The Year of the Collabo – there are no statistics here, but it seems as if everyone rapped with everyone in 2011, at never-before-seen levels of collaborations. Barriers between states, regions, and styles fell away, as the booth became the place to share meetings of the mind between MCs. Genre giants like Young Money, Maybach Music Group, and “The Throne” weren’t afraid to go there, mixing with others at times, and then dominating with the strength of their individual conglomerates.
The Year of the Mixtape – continuing in the spirit of 2010, the evolving sales model seems to be prompting artists to release full-length, studio-quality mixtapes in the hopes of staying relevant between album campaigns and as a way to gauge audience reaction to different sounds. Mixtapes certainly aren’t new, but these days, it appears that artists are willing (or heavily persuaded) to give away their best for free in order to keep the fans happy and prime them for paying for the real album somewhere down the road.
The Year that Bridged Generations – Rap is no baby. The genre, which has spanned nearly 40 years, has witnessed two, or nearly three, generations of fans embrace its rebellious, creative style. Some rappers joined in the notion that what’s old is new, and (as predicted by AllHipHop.com in 2010) the Old School met the New School halfway, in an effort to keep rap alive for years to come. The result was the release of some of the best rap we’ve heard in years.
The Year of the Early Demise (or Near Demise) – the good die young. Hip-Hop mourned the loss of a giant in November 2011 – the incomparable Heavy D, who died at just 44 after helping lay a foundation for several of the culture’s biggest stars of today. Comedian Patrice O’Neal, who embraced urban culture in his jokes, died at just 41. Still, all clouds have silver linings – EPMD-half Eric Sermon suffered a heart attack at 42, but is recuperating. We’re awfully glad about that. Lastly, demise came in the form of prison sentences, as we saw too many rappers take on prison as their homes (read more in our News Feature on rappers and crime in 2011 later this week).
Heavy D. Funeral Program
2011 had many more happenings worth pondering, and AllHipHop.com invites you to tune in all this week, as we take a look at 2011 – especially the Hip-Hop music and moments we won’t soon forget.
