The Grammy Award-winning producer behind such hits as Lil Wayne’s “A Milli,” Gucci Mane’s “Lemonade,” and numerous other monster records for Big Sean, Nicki Minaj, Beyonce, T-Pain, and many more, enjoyed the luxuries of his success recently by touring a number of L.A.’s best shopping districts and malls recently.
Bangladesh stopped by a number of shops on La Brea Blvd., as well as the Melrose and Beverly Center Malls. He hit up all sorts of trendy shops and checked out some vintage sportswear, throwbacks, hats, accessories, watches, and shoes. Check out what Bangladesh was up to in the video below:
Check out AllHipHop.com’s recent in-office interview with Bangladesh HERE.
(AllHipHop News) Chicago bred rapper Common recently sat down with AllHipHop.com in an exclusive interview to explain the most recent project The Dreamer / The Believer, produced by No I.D. and set to hit stores on December 20th.
Common released BE and Finding Forever to critical acclaim, but the rapper believes that this project is one of his favorites and best to date.
“The Dreamer / The Believer is the title of the album, and man I’m like super enthused to talk about it becuase I feel like it’s a special moment for me and No I.D. and Hip-Hop,” Common told AllHipHop.com in an exclusive interview. “I feel like this album really captures what the essence and what Hip-Hop is about and two just great art, like when you make great art that is based in Hip-Hop sometimes it hits all types of walks of life, it hits different people, but what I love about the album is it’s really about the love of the culture and its really about the art of Hip-Hop. You know thats we just tried to give our all with that, we didn’t try, we gave it. I think this is one of my best or greatest albums and definitely one of my favorites.”
Common also spoke about working with longtime friend and fellow Chicago native NO I.D.
Although NO I.D. produced the bulk of material for Common’s first three albums, they had not worked together in almost 12 years.
“We got back together after just being around Kanye and we just knew we wanted to work together,” Common told AllHipHop.com. “When we created this album the plan wasnt, Dion, you gonna do the whole album, but then it just became that and we just got into that energy of just working and everyday going into the studio.”
In other news Common recently performed Grandmaster Flash and Furious Five 1982 classic “The Message,” at the Nokia Theatre alongside Melle Mel, Scorpio, Lupe Fiasco and LL Cool J for a special Grammy Awards Nomination Concert.
Former Death Row V.P. Shot and Killed in Los Angeles!
40 year-old, former Death Row vice president John Atterberry passed away earlier this week after being shot by a “crazed gunman” in both the face and the neck over the weekend. The music executive also helped propel the careers of artists such as the Spice Girls and Jessica Simpson. The Hollywood Reporter detailed the events: “Atterberry, 40, was sitting in his silver Mercedes-Benz coupe Friday by the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street when the gunman shot him three times in the face and neck. He was taken to Cedars-Sinai hospital, where he remained in critical condition until Monday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at 4:51 p.m.”
R.I.P. John Atterberry
Nas and Preemo Still Plan on Collaborating For Entire Album?
That’s the word, according to DJ Premier who, in the above interview with HardKnock.tv, revealed that he and Nas DO still have plans to complete that long-rumored and highly anticipated collaboration album at some point. He also speaks on the Re:Generation project, working with Slick Rick, and more!
The Roots Release undun Short:
Yesterday, it was announced that the legendary Roots crew were looking into turning the concept album into a film or play, and today brings forth a short film for undun, which was directed by Clifton Bell. It is a collection of the “music videos” released for the album’s songs: “Sleep,” “Stomp,” “Tip the Scale,” and “Make My.” undun is in stores now!!
Three Rappers Walk Into A Recording Studio…
Well, we already know that a CRS album is basically out of the question, but these three were caught in the studio together working on some new material. Tyler’s new album? Food & Liquor 2? Any ideas?
Quickies:
-Chris Brown has announced via Twitter that he and Godfrey Tabarez will be directing the music video for Wale’s “Slight Work,” which also features Big Sean. Interesting.
-More congrats are in order for the 2011 Grammy Nominee for Best Artist, J. Cole, whose “Work Out” single was certified Gold earlier this week.
-Russell Simmons has stepped in and purchased all remaining advertising space for the TLC network’s “All-American Muslim” to keep the show on the air. Anyone seen it?
-Before Maino’s releases his sophomore album, The Day After Tomorrow, on January 31st, he will be dropping a mixtape titled I Am Who I Am: The Album Before the Album. Guests include Prodigy, Jim Jones, Ace Hood, Lil Wayne, Lloyd Banks, and more.
-50 Cent is P##### at Interscope Records for releasing cover art for a track, “Girls Gone Wild,” featuring Jeremih that isn’t even his true single. Just drop the album already, and eff the label, Fif!
It’s no coincidence that NBA baller Stephen Jackson is so well connected in the rap game. Raised in Port Arthur, TX, home of rap’s legendary Underground Kings (UGK), Bun B and Pimp C, Jackson grew up in the heart of the Texas’ Hip-Hop movement. Now having worked with UGK, Scarface, Z-Ro, Alley Boy, Killa Kyleon, and after rapping over beats produced by Big K.R.I.T. and Cardo, Jackson is for real. Many believe he’s definitely to be taken more seriously than other ballers who have rapped – like Shaq. He has almost 100,000 views on his mixtape, and the project has only been out for a few weeks.
Known for shooting lights out and raining 3’s from behind the arc since 1997, Stack 5, as his friends and other rappers call him, has always been regarded as one of the most emotional and outspoken stars to step onto an NBA court. In fact, “trill” is a word that Milwaukee Bucks 6’8” forward Stephen Jackson takes very seriously, and he says that people have died over that where he’s from. Take a look at AllHipHop.com’s exclusive interview, as Jackson breaks down his plans for his new mixtape with DJ Scream called What’s A Lockout? He also explains his views on the NBA Lockout (literally just before it ended), and he lets us know what’s really “Trill:”
AllHipHop.com: What’s good, bro?
Stephen Jackson: Not much, what’s going on?Stack 5 in the building, ya dig?
AllHipHop.com:You always hitting them three’s, boi! [laughter]
Stephen Jackson: Yeah, man, but I’m bout to start rappin’ and start hittin’ these bars on mo’f**ckas.
AllHipHop.com:So you bout to start rapping now huh?
Stephen Jackson: I been rapping, I’m just now releasing the music.
AllHipHop.com: So, man, you’re from Port Arthur if I’m not mistaken, right?
Stephen Jackson: Oh yeah, please don’t get that mistaken. [laughter]
AllHipHop.com: [laughter] I got you. Talk to me about P.A. [Port Arthur] and how your music has been influenced by the city.
Stephen Jackson: P.A. is everything to me, it’s me, it’s how I talk, how I think, how I breath, how I act, everything. Our whole lifestyle is “trill.” You know what I’m saying? Port Arthur is where we were raised to be trill, and a lot of people out here saying the word and don’t know what it means. It came from the soil that I walked on and that I grew up on before the NBA and after the NBA. I been walking on these same cross streets. It means everything to me, man, and it’s all you are going to hear in me. Pimp C. Bun. Secret Society.
AllHipHop.com:Right… So do you have a lot of songs with them?
Stephen Jackson: Yeah, I got a whole bunch of Pimp C samples, and I got a song with Bun, and I guarantee that before I retire, me and Bun will have a million songs together.
AllHipHop.com:That’s what it is… So, man, you played on a lot of teams over the years. Can you go over some of the teams that you played for, and what your favorite city was?
Stephen Jackson: I played in New Jersey, San Antonio, Atlanta, Indian, Golden State, Charlotte, but I think the area that I liked the best was the Bay Area with Golden State. I had a good time in the Bay.
AllHipHop.com:Yeah, y’all were running a lot in those years, putting up a lot of points.
Stephen Jackson: Yeah, we had a young team, and we all basically, at the same time, we were resilient, and basically had that chemistry and we just made it happen. We didn’t take “no” for an answer from nobody.
AllHipHop.com:Right, now what about this year? You are with the Bucks…they got a pretty solid squad, man.
Stephen Jackson: Mannnn…I don’t really know, man… I don’t know how that’s going to be. I ain’t really been thinking about that, man.
AllHipHop.com:How has it been with the lockout?
Stephen Jackson: What is that? Hold on….. [Stephen Jackson asks everyone in the room what a lockout is about…]
AllHipHop.com:[laughter] Honestly, Steve…. As a whole overall….
Stephen Jackson: I might be able to get someone to explain it to you, but honestly, I haven’t even been paying attention, and I know there was a deal that a lot of people didn’t agree upon. And, I kind of refrained from being on either side, and when they sit down and become adults and sit down, and come to an agreement, then I will come into the picture. Buy while they act like little girls, and some guys are hurting for money, and some guys backstabbing while we supposed to be together, I’m gonna stay out ‘til they become one, if I come in there and they on some fake sh*t, someone gonna get hurt.
AllHipHop.com:So, I want to know more about your label. What can you tell me about that?
Stephen Jackson: Well, the label is called Secret Society Entertainment. We been having it for a while now. We got Messiah; he been on damn near all my songs. I got Pepper Spray, I got Flamez. I definitely have formed a good relationship with my SYS family, with Twin, and also, I definitely got the relationship with Bun B and Scarface. Also, my brother Alley Boy in Duct Tape Entertainment, so I got a big family of people that’s working with me now, but it’s mainly me, Messiah, Peper Spray, and Flamez.
AllHipHop.com:Yeah, so you working with Alley Boy and them, huh?
Stephen Jackson: Yeah, and it was easy for me and Twin to hook up with our business with Atlanta.
AllHipHop.com:There have been a lot of players that have tried to make the jump from NBA baller to rapper. How do you think you will set yourself apart, man?
Stephen Jackson: Well, by being real andby being me. Everyone knows me from when I came into the league. I never changed for money, I’ve always been me, and I always spoke my mind. I’m a real n*gga. Real recognize real. I never said anything that I didn’t back up. You know if I felt like a ref made a bad call, then I told them about it, and if I felt like I got fined wrongly, then I said something about it. I speak my mind. I’m in the streets everyday. It’s not too many NBA players out there like me. I’m gonna let my music do the talking, but I guarantee you will never hear another NBA player with music like this.
AllHipHop.com:I think it’s a general consensus that you and Rasheed Wallace have been the toughest players in the league over the past decade or so.
Stephen Jackson: Yeah, because regardless of your time in the league, they are going to forget about you. I tell people this all the time, and people love me after I tell them this. Basketball is what I do, it’s not who I am.You know what I mean? Walk with me…
AllHipHop.com:So this DJ Scream tape might be one of the most official projects that a athlete has dropped…
Stephen Jackson: You not gonna be able to compare me to anyone. I’m naming real life street rappers, I’m in the same traps as street hustlers…I didn’t just meet these guys. I’m not hustlin’, but I’m there. I feel comfortable there, and we homeboys anyway, and they ain’t dealing with me for money or a relationship with an NBA player. They know me as Stack 5.
AllHipHop.com:Remember Carlos B#####’s song?
Stephen Jackson: That was trash. I wouldn’t even comment on no song like that. The people I’m around they gotta pay to be around. I leave my key in the car in these places. Half these NBA players is scared to be where I’m at.
AllHipHop.com:Why you think P.A. has been such a place for this talent? DJ B-Do has always talked about how much talent is in Houston and P.A.
Stephen Jackson: Jamal Charles, Danny Gore, the Babineux brothers in the NFL, and I’m the only basketball player. Ask them about me. They been knowing me since day one.
[Stephen Jackson at the 2011 A3C showcase co-sponsored by AllHipHop.com]
AllHipHop.com:DJ B-Do told us a lot about the talent out there.
Stephen Jackson: Yeah, with Pimp gone, it’s time for me to bring it back. You know what I’m saying? I’m gonna be the head of that monster, man. It’s a lot of talent out here. You talking about a city with eight projects, one high school, and one main street. So, now you see why we take it personal when people say Trill. We take it personal when people say “trill” not being from Port Arthur, because we seen a lot of people die from that word. That word means more to us than anybody not being from Port Arthur. It’s real hard to explain because it’s coming from this side, and with Pimp gone, it’s even more sensitive, ’cause we know what he did to put P.A. on the map, and we can’t let that die.
AllHipHop.com:That’s real, man. Pimp’s a legend. R.I.P. to the Pimp.
Well, this isn’t going to shock most people. But, I guess I will say it anyway. Sources close to and outside of the Aftermath Camp are saying that Dr. Dre’s 10-plus year waiting a$$ album, Detox, will never see the light of day. I was actually just looking at a car commercial. I guess, extending the life of the allure of the album has been very profitable. I suppose if it flops, the freaking whole ship sinks. Anyway….yeah. The sky is blue. Fire is hot. Water is wet. Gucci Mane is crazy. Detox is never coming out (according to rumors). What’s new?
Pour out some spring water for the album.
Just an FYI. Dr. Dre recently announced he was taking a “break” from music. And his people swore this had nothing to do with Detox and that it was still on the way. Just letting you know, the actual people around him proclaim this Detox album is coming out.”
Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life! Today’s Daily Word is dedicated to Never Losing Sight of Your Purpose! If you are one of the 6,840,507,000 people living on this earth, then you undoubtedly have many things you want to accomplish in life! Because of this, many people begin dividing all of their energy amongst different things! While on the surface this may seem like a good way to get the most done, if you really took a step back and realized what you were doing, then you would change this immediately!
Imagine for a second that you were an athlete… Let’s say basketball, since that’s my favorite sport. Would it be possible to play four games simultaneously? Probably not! The obvious reason is because you can’t be more than one place at a time; but, let’s assume that there is a court on each floor. Theoretically, you can play one quarter in each game… NOW!! Think about that for a second… If you are the star player on the team, what are the chances of your team winning a game with you only contributing one quarter or 25 percent??? That is exactly what we are doing when we begin to pursue more than one thing at a time! We are spreading ourselves thin and not attacking our goals with everything we have!!
It is better to give 100 percent at one thing than 25 percent at four! Put first things first! Stop acting like you are Superman or Superwoman, and start to focus on the task at hand!! I know you want it all and that’s ok, but make sure you are not biting more than you can chew! The world is yours and everything in it, but as the saying goes, “One Step at a Time is Good Walking”!! Master one thing then move to the next! Stop multitasking and be the best you can be!!! -Ash’Cash
“Concentrate on finding your goal, then concentrate on reaching it.” -Michael Friedsam
“There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.” -Napoleon Hill
“Concentrate your energies, your thoughts and your capital…. The wise man puts all his eggs in one basket and watches the basket.” -Andrew Carnegie
“The jack-of-all-trades seldom is good at any. Concentrate all of your efforts on one definite chief aim.” -Napoleon Hill
“Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.” -Buddha
“You can do only one thing at a time. Tackle one problem and concentrate all your efforts on what you’re doing at the moment.” -Maxwell Maltz
“Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” -Alexander Graham Bell
“Do whatever you do, do intensely.” -Robert Henry
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.
The Occupy Wall Street & Together Movement is a reflection of the increasing anger and implosion of the working class in a “profit by any means necessary” driven capitalist system.
Capitalism on its own merit is not the problem. The way it’s approached in America is. There is a dichotomy at play, though. Consumers want products at low prices, and producers manufacture goods in other countries with lower wages to achieve the desired consumer prices.
Somehow, it is easy for some to ignore inequity in pay and unsafe working conditions if it takes place outside of the United States.
The consequence of outsourcing jobs outside of the U.S. to increase profit is that jobs shrink in America, especially in the manufacturing sector. In a recession, more jobs in multiple sectors dry up, affecting almost everyone except for those in the sectors that create new technology or for corporate executives. They actually get richer.
The result is that more workers feel the frustration of finding adequate work, something many in the African-American community have experienced for generations.
What is the real price of all of those inexpensive goods and high profits?
What would a device like a smartphone cost if it were manufactured 100 percent in America?
This problem is nothing new.
There has been anger with the growing gaps between the rich and those trying to get by day-to-day since the founding of this country.
I know firsthand the results of vast inequity in America. That is what I fought against in the Black Panther Party.
When the schools in New York shut down in the 60s, I was angry. I helped organize my community on behalf of my nephews and other children in our community.
I stood up for what was right, and I remained angry.
That anger led me into a tailwind of substance abuse.
Anger has consequences.
It leads to more harm than the original source of the anger. My family was devastated when violence killed my son in 1996. Although my loss was painful, I did not get resort to anger or violence.
Over the past 15 years, I have channeled my pain into the work of the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation. In the spirit of Tupac’s legacy, we established the Foundation to provide opportunities for young people to express themselves creatively, to teach conflict resolution, to improve communities, and to provide an institution that brings people together.
The Foundation has been different things for different people at different times. For some, the Foundation is a source of strength; for others, it’s a place of empowerment. The Foundation is a place of comfort to those grieving the loss of a loved one killed by violence, we increase awareness and prevention of suicide, and we offer acceptance of others regardless of their sexual orientation or background.
We honor and learn from our seniors, and we mentor young women. We honor fathers, and those who have rebounded from substance and other abuse. We empower our community with resources, and provide jobs and opportunities for single mothers, young people, and for those just trying to get by.
The Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation and those that we have helped have long been “The 99%.”
The Occupy Movement has successfully organized people across the globe that share the frustration of the negative results from inequity in the U.S. capitalist system that has existed since I can remember.
But, for the movement to be effective, especially for those involved from the Hip-Hop community, the movement must not ride the waves of anger into waves of violence, but into action.
Community action that helps those most vulnerable in their community – children, young girls, and seniors – is the best defense.
For instance, imagine the impact of thousands around the world flooding shelters to help those most vulnerable in their communities.
Being part of The 99% is nothing new, especially for the African-American community.
Don’t scoundrel this opportunity to leverage the impact of the thousands that have organized. These opportunities do not come often.
When this organizing moment is a glimpse in the history books, will your only accomplishment be a T-Shirt that reads “We are the 99%?”
(AllHipHop News) Today (December 14), rapper Joe Budden appeared on ESPN2’s “First Take,” a sports-debate show often headlined by analysts Skip Bayless, Dana Jacobson, and Jay Crawford. Joe is not the first rapper to appear on “First Take,” as over the years, and most prominently in the past two, artists like Lil Wayne, Fabolous, and Wale have all made appearances.
A few months ago, Budden challenged Bayless via Twitter to a debate on the show, and several months later, Skip accepted the offer. Last week, Joe Budden tweeted the following messages: “Ppl always say “so what, y’all still ain’t gonna win s###”.. N*gga, do u have ANY idea what REAL Knick fans have endured ????…But next week @RealSkipBayless will finally face a rapper who knows sports.. So I’ll chill until then.”
View the “First Take” episode featuring Joe Budden below:
Part 1:
Part 2:
“First Take” Airs From 10 AM EST to Noon on ESPN2 and Repeats at Noon
