After enormous success in the United States last month with the “Five Out of Five” series, Red Bull Academy took their series to Madrid, Spain, to speak some to some more influential entertainers. The event featured seminal New York Hip-Hop groups like Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang, Black Moon, and the Diplomats all sitting down for discussions about their history, their successes, and their futures, as well as performing for sold out crowds.
The Madrid event kicked off with one of the biggest names in R&B and music in general, Ms. Erykah Badu, who spoke on everything from her albums, to her thought processes and creative inspirations, as well as her thoughts on the music industry as a whole, and what she thinks about her contributions to the entertainment industry. Check out the full video below:
Erykah Badu needs little introduction. Her seminal works like ‘Baduizm’ and the ‘New AmErykah’ series have successively upped the ante in terms of what can be done within the soul spectrum. Erykah fuses cosmic b-girl bravado with the forward-thinking sounds of producers like the Soulquarians, Madlib, and more recently, Academy grad Flying Lotus, to create a sonically varied body of work – selling millions of albums in the process. She also heads up her own record label, Control FreaQ, and has even been caught on the ones and twos recently, under her moniker DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown. Watch her tell the story to Eothen ‘Egon’ Alapatt at the Red Bull Music Academy 2011 in Madrid.
For more videos from the Madrid event featuring MF Doom and Tom Ze, visit Red Bull Music Academy.
AllHipHop News) The controversy surrounding the Occupy Wall Street movement has hit the fashion world, thanks to a controversial T-shirt that was supposed to be released by Jay-Z.
Hip-Hop mogul Russell Simmons, who was seen with Jay-Z the night he debuted the “Occupy All Streets” T-shirt, weighed in on the matter in an interview with Billboard.biz.
“What’s wrong with selling goodness? There’s nothing wrong with it,” Russell Simmons said.
“Jay-Z didn’t make a T-shirt [that said] ‘F**k the Bums on the Street,” Simmons continued. “He wrote a T-shirt ‘Occupy All Streets’ – I’m happy, it furthers the movement, it inspires the movement.”
Simmons, who is worth over $250 million dollars, has also been the subject of criticism for his association with Occupy Wall Street.
But the mogul defended his fortune, by noting his track record for consistently giving back to poor and disenfranchised people around the world.
“I’m going to get every corporation that wants to support us to get branding as part of the process,” Russell Sioms said. “No one’s against business. We’re against business having too much control over our government.”
As I wrapped up my comparison of the best that both Hip-Hop and America have to offer in my blog entry Hip Hop: Home of the Brave, another juxtaposition came to my mind that I’d like to explore: rappers and preachers.
You may scoff at such seemingly disparate individuals, but I ensure you, there are more similarities than meets the eye. While I’ll leave the final discernment to you, the readers, I will offer up a few questioning assessments regarding these similarities. Questions, not statements, that should beckon us to consider whether or not such parallels between secular and spiritual community leaders are wrong or point to a prophetic anointing/calling shared by these individuals which they walk in. Whether that walk is and will remain straight or crooked is another blog entry all together!:
Uncanny Resemblance #1:
S/he has the freshest whip on the lot, threads on his/her back, and jewelry on his/her wrist… Is this a preacher or a rapper?
Uncanny Resemblance #2:
S/he has a following that cosigns EVERYTHING s/he has to say without testing its validity… Is this a preacher or a rapper?
Uncanny Resemblance #3:
S/he has an obligation and accountability to said words yet seems to rely a bit too much at times on “being human” as a scapegoat/loophole for repeated actions that s/he refuses to change… Is this a preacher or a rapper?
Uncanny Resemblance #4:
S/he has on overused/abused reliance on secular vernacular for the sake of maintaining their “street cred”… Is this a preacher or a rapper?
Uncanny Resemblance #5:
S/he has followers that quote and cop his/her sayings as their own… Is this a preacher or a rapper?
Uncanny Resemblance #6:
S/he has followers who namedrop his/her nomenclature is if they have a special relationship going back to childhood that nobody else has… Is this a preacher or a rapper?
Uncanny Resemblance #7:
S/he has lines with internal and external rhyme schemes built into everyday language that put Mother Goose to shame… Is this a preacher or a rapper?
Uncanny Resemblance #8:
S/he has the ability to “move the crowd” with prompts of throwing hands up in the air and sing-along call & response… Is this a preacher or a rapper?
Uncanny Resemblance #9:
S/he possesses charisma that borders on flirtatious interactions with members of the opposite sex (not always, though!) which s /he seems to welcome without seeing the need to set boundaries… Is this a preacher or a rapper?!!
Final thought:
If any of these shared traits concerns you, especially the content(ment) regarding the things that proceedeth from their mouths – if we don’t stop feeding/living off potentially hollow rhetoric – how will these prophets ever reevaluate the source of their talents/gifts and infuse substance into words that lack content?
DMX and Machine Gun Kelly Getting Ready to Work On New Track!??
When AllHipHop.com interviewed Machine Gun Kelly last month after his signing to Bad Boy Records and Interscope, he was asked who his dream collaboration would be with if he could work with anyone. His answer was DMX. Guess dreams really do come true, as the video below shows both MGK and DMX in an Arizona studio together working on some new material:
This will either end up on the new Ruff Ryders compilation that drops next week or on MGK’s Bad Boy/Interscope debut Lace Up that will be released in early 2012.
Tyler, the Creator is Done With Rape and Dead Bodies, Moving On to …Hippies!?
Hard at work on his follow-up to 2010’s Goblin, Tyler, the Creator has let it be known that he’s done “talking about rape and cutting bodies up.” In the newest issue of SPIN, with his Odd Future crew on the cover, he said “it just doesn’t interest me anymore … I can’t rap about the same s###.” When asked about what kind of music he does want to make, he answered, “weird hippie music for people to get high to.” Tyler’s new album, Wolf, is slated for release sometime next Spring.
Watch the Throne Shoe!
Any sneaker heads out there? The Watch The Throne inspired, Nike Lebron 9, is currently in the works, although no official release date has been announced. For now, just stare.
If you don’t know who Chris Webby is, well than it’s time to get familiar with the 23 year-old , Norwalk, Connecticut native who has been selling out shows across the country for the past couple of years. Webby, who helped usher in a new school Hip-Hop movement and mentality several years ago, has been steadily building upon the grassroots foundation he created while simultaneously honing his skills. Having worked with artists like: Freeway, Mac Miller, Joell Ortiz, Big K.R.I.T., and more, Webby has shown and proven his worth time and time again.
AllHipHop.com got a chance to speak to Webby as he prepares for the release of his first commercial project, There Goes the Neighborhood, which will drop later this month. Webby spoke on his come-up, his thoughts on other white rappers, his work ethic, and most importantly, what’s next for the “Suburban Commando.”
Introducing, the newest addition to the Breeding Ground, Chris Webby…
AllHipHop.com: Tell me a little bit about yourself. Who is Chris Webby?
Chris Webby: I started rapping in 6th grade, so I’ve been rapping now for 12, going on 13 years, so more than half my life which, I think, speaks volumes about at least my lyrical capacity because there’s a lot of dudes who just see rappers blowing up nowadays and they think they can do it by putting a couple of songs on YouTube, and on occasion some of them do do it. You know, the Internet is a great thing. It’s made artists like me possible but it’s also made a ton of sh*tty artists possible too. I have been doing it for a very long time though. I grew up ciphering, and freestyling has always been a huge part of my forte. I grew up doing that and battling back in the day and the music has come over time and it’s just been a crazy experience. All of the grassroots growth, from the bottom to where it’s at now, which definitely isn’t the top but we’re getting there.
AllHipHop.com: Would you say that going back a few years, that you always wanted to rap and you used the outlets of parties and school functions at college to show your skills, or were you just messing around and realized that you could make a career out of rapping?
Chris Webby: Definitely the first option. I’ve always wanted to do this and I used all those parties as like my first audiences, you know, freestyling at keg parties. I mean drunk people are easy to entertain, everybody knows that, so you throw out a couple punch lines and get all the sorority girls going crazy, get with them later that night. Battling used to also be a huge part of what I did, but I barely do it anymore. There’s nothing more gratifying then just lyrically slaughtering someone in front of a crowd, like some modern day gladiator’s.
AllHipHop.com: So did you end up graduating college?
Chris Webby: Not even close. I got kicked out of Hofstra [University] sophomore year when my buddies robbed a drug dealer and I drove the car like a dumb*ss of course and then got ratted out and went through a real nice legal situation which sucked *ss. In retrospect though, the reason that I am where I am is because if I was trying to balance classes and this, it just wouldn’t work.
AllHipHop.com: Sounds like a major blessing in disguise.
Chris Webby: It absolutely was.
AllHipHop.com: So since you just mentioned the robbery, I have to ask if you have heard anything or have any thoughts on the supposed shot that Mac Miller took on his Blue Slide Park song “One Last Night” where he raps “A million people in the world, I don’t hate one, even them dummies robbin people with some fake guns, make mistakes young boy”?
Chris Webby: Yeah, I heard about that and checked it out cause I have to stay on top of what people are saying. I don’t think he would take a shot at me, I really don’t, the last time I checked me and Mac were cool, it’s not like we talk everyday but you know. I don’t see any reason why he would. We’re not like buddy-buddy on the phone all the time but it’s not cause we’re not cool, we’re just busy doing our own sh*t. I see him around every once in awhile; it’s good, you know, it’s love.
AllHipHop.com: Well it’s just interesting because it’s coming on the heels of the whole Machine Gun Kelly and Yelawolf “beef” that the Internet ran away with recently. We don’t need all these dope white rappers going at each other, what’s the deal?
Chris Webby: Exactly, exactly. As far as I know, Me and Mac are cool. I met Yelawolf in Atlanta the other day, I saw Machine Gun Kelly at a XXL showcase last week, I try to keep it pretty cool with everybody. I’m not a fan of Sam Adams, but those that are my fans know about that.
AllHipHop.com: Well since we’re on the topic of white rappers, what are your thoughts on these artists individually starting with Yelawolf?
Chris Webby: He is very dope. I really, really like his music. That new Kid Rock song he just released, “Let’s Roll,” is sick. He’s got Shady Records behind him, that guy is about to make things happen, he’s not going anywhere.
AllHipHop.com: What about Eminem?
Chris Webby: Eminem is my favorite rapper of all time. In my opinion, he’s the greatest rapper of all time; I know everybody has their opinions but I mean, to not have him in your Top 5 is ludicrous if you ask me.
AllHipHop.com: And Machine Gun Kelly?
Chris Webby: MGK is cool too. I know a little bit less about him, cause he kind of popped up recently. He’s got the Diddy backing which is interesting, and it’ll be interesting to see how that whole situations pans out. But yeah, he’s cool, he’s got a dope flow. The comparison I hear the most is between me and Mac though because we have a fan base that overlaps so much. But you’d be an idiot to say that we sound anything alike; our styles are so different. It’s really skin color, that’s the only thing in common there.
AllHipHop.com: Well you have to know that everyone is going to go to that first anyway, that’s just a part of the whole game.
Chris Webby: Of course, of course. I understand how people think.
AllHipHop.com: You actually got to perform at a CMJ showcase in October with Machine Gun Kelly. What was the whole New York music festival scene like?
Chris Webby: It’s an interesting vibe because it was at Highline Ballroom, which I’ve personally sold out as my own headlining show, so there was definitely a big Webby following there but there were also people who were like “get this f*cking white boy off the stage,” just because people are very quick to judge. I feel like a lot of people who don’t like me, really haven’t given me a chance or they’ve been hearing the wrong songs, because it’s not just about smoking weed or f*cking b*tches, I mean I do talk about that, I like to do that sh*t, but there’s a lot more to it then that.
AllHipHop.com: What does it mean to you when you look at yourself in the mirror and can say “holy sh*t, I’ve sold out Highline Ballroom by myself and I don’t even have a deal”?
Chris Webby: That sh*t is mad gratifying and I really think it’s the best way to do it ‘cause you can just look back at your accomplishments and know that you f*cking did it yourself. I would say, between me and my manager Dana, the two of us, we really linked up last year around July and that’s sort of how everyone… I kind of already had a little fan base put together but before that we were kind of just spinning the wheels and then in the past year we’ve taken it to a lot of new levels. Me and Dana are just tag-team independent and just been going at it. We have other people obviously who assist and help and sh*t, other boys who drive and sh*t, I’m just here chilling, playing Call of Duty with my DJ right now.
AllHipHop.com: So you’ve pretty much done the whole independent hustler thing on your own for a few years with great success. What is it about the work ethics of new, emerging artists that has worked so well for you guys?
Chris Webby: Well, I mean, I definitely have to attribute a lot of it to the internet; most of it, cause it’s just a new outlet to get your s### up there, like anybody can put something up on YouTube and you could blow up because of it nowadays, you really can. So, I mean, how many times have we been seeing that happen over the past couple of years, you know?
AllHipHop.com: More like in the past couple months.
Chris Webby: Yeah, exactly. It’s very interesting and like I said, it’s a double-edged sword. I think it’s great cause it lets a lot of artists who might not be able to get out there, get out there. Kids like me who didn’t have connections growing up. We don’t know the President of Universal Records, we don’t really have a shot without the internet, so I mean that’s great but it also allows a lot of f*cking sh*tty artists to get out there too, but what are you gonna do?
AllHipHop.com: Are you personally looking for a major deal or would you prefer to stay grinding on the independent, hustler route that you’ve been on?
Chris Webby: Honestly, one of the dudes I look up to most, especially business wise is Tech N9ne, I think that guy is a f*cking genius.
AllHipHop.com: That’s interesting.
Chris Webby: He makes a sh*tload of money, he works his *ss off, but honestly, as lazy as I may be, I never stop working for Rap. This is the one thing that I really do love and for me it’s not work. I’ll be up in the studio till four in the morning and that’s not work, that’s fun. We had a 20-stop tour in July; it beat the sh*t out of me, it was tough you know, we had to get up, we drove from New York to Cali and back, like that was no walk in the park but it was fun. That hour and fifiteen minutes on stage each night makes everything worth it.
AllHipHop.com: Are you currently still touring or did you just wrap one up?
Chris Webby: I had a West Coast tour booked for this month that we rescheduled for when the EP drops, so we’ve got a lot of new music. The EP, There Goes the Neighborhood, is really going to be the best product that I’ve put out thus far. It’ll be the first one on iTunes, so it’ll be the first time I actually see money off of my music, and I want to wait for that to drop before we go out on that tour and then I’ll probably hop on a big-*ss tour after that that’ll make like 30 or 40 stops, something like that.
AllHipHop.com: I got you. You’ve released something like five or six mixtapes in your career; for someone who is about to discover Chris Webby, which is thee mixtape that you want a potential fan to hear?
Chris Webby: I would say the last two tapes for different reasons. Webster’s Laboratory is the most recent, and that is in like the classic mixtape form, there’s some industry beats, there’s some original sh*t, but it’s got a real mixtape feel to it, and then I would say that after you hear that, go check out Best of the Burbs which is the one before that. That has a much more album feel to it because everything is original on that one and the songs are a lot more album driven. So I would say those two, and then you’ll get a good understanding of what I do and what I’m all about.
AllHipHop.com: In terms of production and guest verses on your projects, do you tend to keep it mostly in-house with your crew or do you accept a lot of stuff from other people?
Chris Webby: I mean, I’m open to working with whoever, especially when it comes to producers. I’ve worked with some awesome producers like Statik Selektah. A hot beat is a hot beat though, so it really doesn’t matter who makes it. When it comes to artists, I’m still working on getting myself up. I’m not really in a position to be helping out upcoming dudes right now, like throwing verses to people. So I’m working with whoever really wants to work with me. Without a label backing, it’s all hard to get sometimes because they might not know who you are, your managers asking, it’s not like you’ve got some super powerful dudes asking but for people that want to really look, they see the hustle and they can’t help but to respect what I’ve done whether they like the music or not.
AllHipHop.com: Absolutely. Well that’s the perfect segue-way into talking about the EP, There Goes the Neighborhood, which will be your first commercial release. What can you tell me about the project?
Chris Webby: It’s going to be on a level above anything that I’ve produced thus far. The sound quality, to the songs, the beats, you know, it’s going to pretty f*cking crazy. I mean, we have a Statik beat on there, we have a couple of Sap beats, that’s the dude who made “Donald Trump” for Mac, and he’s a cool dude, I’ve been f*cking with him. I’ve got more beats from a bunch of people, it’s just going to be a dope release, I’m excited for it and to see how it does.
AllHipHop.com: What about in terms of features? You’ve been on tracks with the likes of Freeway, Joell Ortiz, Big K.R.I.T, and many more. Did you call in any favors for the EP?
Chris Webby: Actually, a bunch of the features are going to be last minute, we’re working on them now. You’re just going to have to wait to see and hear it, but yes, there will be some big features on the EP.
AllHipHop.com: Let me get something exclusive…
Chris Webby: Well, one that I know for sure that is definitely going to be on there is the track that I recorded with Statik down at his spot, and that is going to be with Slaine, who’s an underground legend from Boston. I love underground Hip-Hop, so as much as my fan base may not have been ready to hear the same kind of music, cause they’re a lot younger and sh*t, that for me was dope and the track with Slaine is f*cking crazy. That one’s going to be real tight. And the others, I don’t want to say anything without everything being finalized before I have an actual verse in my computer.
AllHipHop.com: You said you listen to a lot of underground Hip-Hop, do you mean artists like Necro and Ill Bill?
Chris Webby: Yeah man, Ill Bill, Jedi Mind Tricks, Apathy, who is actually a close friend at this point because we both rep Connecticut; that’s my dude and it was really cool for him to extend his hand to me.
AllHipHop.com: Well he is someone who is been around for awhile on both ends of the spectrum both as the artist and as the businessman so that’s definitely a great person to have in your corner.
Chris Webby: Of course, of course. I listened to him when I was in middle school, like that’s pretty sick you know what I mean? That’s one of the coolest things; getting to meet and work with other people that I grew up listening to. It’s really a crazy concept.
AllHipHop.com: I can only imagine. Who are some other artists that you’re feeling right now? Is there anyone that you’re listening to more of now than you were before?
Chris Webby: I love J. Cole; his new album is crazy. I can’t wait to hear Yelawolf’s album. I just discovered this dude Hopsin recently, someone told me download his album, and I checked it out and that dude is f*cking nice. I just like dudes who are very lyrical ‘cause that’s what I grew up listening to; it’s kind of like the East Coast thing. Punchlines have always been a huge part of what I do.
AllHipHop.com: Who is Chris Webby in three words?
Chris Webby: Motivated. Lyrical. Goofy.
AllHipHop.com: Perfect Webby. Thanks for your time.
Look what we spotted over at MediaTakeOut! Take it for what its worth!
MediaTakeOut.com just received some EARTH SHATTERING information. This weekend Shaquille O’Neal and his fiance Nikki “Hoopz” Alexander ELOPED. A rock solid snitch told MediaTakeOut.com that the couple wed on a whim. The insider explained, “There was no planning or anything They just went and got married. [Shaq] didn’t talk to his accountants or lawyers . . . there’s no pre-nup.” DAYUMMMMMM Hoopz you came up GIRRRRL!!! We can’t hate on you ONE BIT. We told y’all that 2011 is the year of the HEAUX BE WINNING. All y’all women of LOOSE MORALS better step up your game. There’s less than TWO MONTHS left to 2011 . . . time is a wasting!!!
(AllHipHop News) Legendary Run-DMC group member Darryl “DMC” McDaniels has announced he is dropping a brand-new album titled Rock Solid.
The first single from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member’s new album is a double-sided release titled “Attention Please!” b/w a track titled “Rock Solid.”
The A-side of the single, “Attention Please!” features popular actress Pauley Perrette, who is also a rock singer, in addition to starring on the hit TV series “NCIS.”
“Working with Pauley P is like working with Joan Jett, Janis Joplin, Sarah McLachlan and Sheryl Crow with a splash of John Lennon,” DMC said.
DMC also directed the video for the “Rock Solid,” single, which hit the Internet this week.
“As a longtime fan of the legend DMC, it was outstanding to collaborate on such a hot song with such an amazing guy that I am now very proud to call a friend,” Pauley Perrette said.
DMC’s new album Rock Solid is due in stores in early 2012.
Reading is fundamental. We all learned that at some point in life. However, the world can be divided into two categories: those who read and those who don’t. Reading not only makes you smarter, it may just make you richer. According to the Summer Institute for Linguistics, people who are highly literate, active readers are more self-confident, have better coping skills, and better participate in civic affairs. Further, they are able to amass greater wealth than those who don’t.
Fall is a great time to snuggle up with a great book. As the weather cools and people spend more time indoors, there are a number of great urban releases to entertain or educate. Check out a few releases below:
Power & Beauty: A Love Story of Life on the Streets
By Tip “T.I.” Harris with David Ritz
Rating: 6.5/10
Released in October of this year, T.I.’s first novel, Power and Beauty, is a strong first offering by the rapper. Written while he was incarcerated, the book allows the reader inside the mind of Power, a strong, determined student of life who has a lot of life challenges. When we meet Power (and his “sister,” Beauty) at age 16, his mother has just died and he moves in to be raised by her previous employer, a hustler named Slim. Power then embarks on a life of learning from hustlers across the country, a journey which is fascinating and enthralling. However, in order to get to that journey, the reader has to learn about and accept Power and Beauty’s strange relationship. They are being raised as brother and sister, but are not related, and they are also in love with each other. The somewhat incestuous plot point can make the book hard to follow and accept for its other finer points, like the interesting lessons and experiences that both Power and Beauty have. Power & Beauty: A Love Story of Life on the Streets is only the first of T.I.’s fiction efforts and is definitely worth the read.
Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness: What It Means to Be Black Now
By Toure’
Rating: 8/10
Toure’ is a writer, television host, cultural critic, and much more. However, with Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness, he establishes himself as a strong voice for redefining what it means to be Black in America at this time. The never-ending conversation about internalized racism in the Black community and the debate of the colorism (light versus dark skinned) is explored, but is thankfully not a central theme. Instead, Toure’ explores Blackness in a time where African-Americans have more money, degrees, and a President to represent them. The subject of Hip-Hop, a subject dear to the author’s heart, makes its first appearance early in the book and is revisited. With a foreword written by Michael Eric Dyson, Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness is an excellent exploration of Blackness and a great addition to your library. And, if you put it on your coffee table, you look smart.
Dirtier Than Ever
By Vickie Stringer
Rating: 6.5/10 stars
Triple Crown Publications and all of their offerings are guilty pleasures for the avid reader. While great non-fiction books are substantive and educational, TCP books are strictly entertainment. The founder and still author on the roster of Triple Crown Publications, Vickie Stringer returns with her grimiest female character, the reprehensible Red who never ceases to create drama and mayhem everywhere she goes. Dirtier than Ever is the third in a series of book about Red, a female gangster who participates in every criminal activity under the sun. With Dirtier than Ever, Stringer delivers another gritty, steamy, and intense tale from the streets about a hustler in high heels.
You Are Not Alone: Michael, Through a Brother’s Eyes
By Jermaine Jackson
Rating: 6/10
With the guilty verdict now rendered in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, there is some sense of closure to the sudden death of the King of Pop in 2009. In his book, You are Not Alone, Michael’s older brother, by four years, Jermaine gives us an extremely poignant look at his brother who we knew only as an iconic pop star. You are Not Alone talks about the early life of the Jacksons, their careers, and Michael’s development from childhood to superstardom. Jackson discusses his brother’s relationship with their father, denying that their father abused them but stating that Michael was “terrified” of Joe. While You are Not Alone: Michael, Through a Brother’s Eyes is not getting great reviews, due to the limited relationship that Jermaine had with Michael in his later years, it is a good read for any MJ fan.
The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hop Created a Culture that Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy
By Steve Stoute
Rating: 9/10
Steve Stoute is has a well-known moniker in Hip-Hop, commonly mentioned and juxtaposed with Jay-Z, Diddy, and significantly, natural skin/hair care company, Carol’s Daughter. A marketing genius and former label head, Stoute adds author to his repertoire with his riveting new book, The Tanning of America. Destined to become required reading in college classes, The Tanning of America is reminiscent of excellent and compelling documentary, Hip-Hop Immortals: We Got Your Kids (2004), which also explored the subject of how Hip-Hop gained such an important role in the mainstream. The book reflects on the history of the Hip-Hop movement and its influence on the world and world culture. From what car you drive to what cereal you buy, somehow Hip-Hop has likely influenced it. Steve Stoute has written a cultural commentary, history book, and business text in one. The Tanning of America is a must-read for any true Hip-Hop aficionado.
Dirtier Than Ever
