You never know who you’ll bump into on the streets of SXSW. So when AllHipHop.com saw Georgia native Rittz kicking it with some fans, we had to talk to him about a few things.
In addition to his thoughts on the response he’s received since regarding his most recent project, White Jesus: Revival, Rittz talked about his overall plans for the festival both as a performer and supporter and what he’s got coming in the near future for the fans.
He also sends out a “get well soon” to his boy Yelawolf, who had to drop out of SXSW after suffering from ruptured spleen. Check out our exclusive interview with Rittz below and be sure to download his well-received White Jesus: Revivalmixtape, which features appearances from the likes of Yelawolf, Big K.R.I.T., 8Ball, and more:
Pittsburgh rapper and activist Jasiri X spends a great deal of his time traveling the country in support of various causes and solutions. So, it is only fitting that he would use his unique voice and influence to spread awareness about the shocking case of teenager Trayvon Martin that has taken the country by storm this week.
According to news reports, 17-year-old Martin was walking in a hooded sweatshirt through a gated communnity on February 26 when he was shot and killed by a member of the local civic association who claimed self-defense. Protesters have argued that Martin had done no wrong and was shot senselessly after being the victim of racial profiling. Until now, no charges had been filed against the neighbor, but recent reports state that a Grand Jury investigation will now take place.
After we caught up with him at this year’s SXSW Music Festival, Jasiri X sent AllHipHop.com the following video to help raise awareness about Martin’s case and others like it. Take a look and let us know where you stand on the case:
Follow Jasiri X and get updates on his music and activism on Twitter (@Jasiri_X).
(AllHipHop News) Oakland rapper T-K.A.S.H. will participate in the Oakland Running Festival this weekend.
The rapper is running a full, 26 mile marathon to help stem gun violence in Oakland, California.
“Oakland had 2000 victims of gun violence in 2011″ said T-K.A.S.H. ” The normality of guns in the community has been an issue since I was a child here. I hope that my participation in this marathon will help bring awareness to what needs to be done to solve this issue. Ideally, I feel that key elements to a child’s happiness is cultivation of their physical fitness level and emotional well being.”
T-K.A.S.H. is being sponsored by the Hip-Hop Chess Federation, which also works in the region to provide a positive outlet for the youth, through hip-hop, chess and martial arts.
“T-K.A.S.H. has worked directly with the HHCF to promote physical fitness and peace on the streets,” HHCF Founder Adisa Banjoko stated. “He has stayed on the frontlines to confront the cancer of violence in our community. When he moderated our 5 year anniversary event last month, said he wanted to run the full marathon at the Oakland Running Festival for the cause of nonviolence. The HHCF commends him for being so courageous physically and philosophically.”
T-K.A.S.H., who will run the full 26 miles on March 25, has recorded a new song titled “Run,” to motivate people to stay focused and fit.
Karrine ‘Superhead’ Steffans, the video vixen made famous by writing two tell-all books detailing her sexual escapades with celebrity rappers, is back in the headlines. Steffans posted numerous cryptic messages on her twitter account today announcing that she is pregnant. Check out the tweets below:
“Superhead”, as she is known by for her unique talents in the bedroom, has been linked to Lil’ Wayne, Bow Wow, actor Darius McCrary, as well as several other Hollywood actors. No word yet on who the father of the baby is, but she is reportedly married to a man of Caribbean descent who she berated on Twitter a few weeks back.
This may very well be a case of the girl who cried wolf because Steffans has claimed she was pregnant numerous times in the past, including last January when she posted a positive pregnancy test on her Twitter account. No baby bump ever manifested itself from that claim. Steffans has one child, a 14-year old son with old school rapper Kool G Rap.
Is she lying about being pregnant again? Only time will tell.
It’s been eight years since the release of her first and only album, Complex Simplicity, but New Orleans songstress and former TVT Records signee Teedra Moses says she hasn’t skipped a beat – and her fans haven’t either.
Over the years, Moses spent time writing music for artists like Macy Gray, Nivea, and Mary J. Blige and even released successful mixtapes of her own. Now, she’s affiliated with Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group, and is ready to return with an all-new album this August. AllHipHop.com checked in with the first lady of one of Hip-Hop’s fastest-rising cliques:
AllHipHop.com: It’s been eight years since we’ve had an album from you, Teedra. How’d you manage to stay inspired to keep making music?
Teedra Moses: It doesn’t feel like a long time, but it has been a long time. Staying inspired, it’s really the people. I started writing after TVT and that was giving me enough money to survive. When social netwo,rking came out, like Myspace and all that stuff, it just made me realize that people were interested in my music that I was singing for myself. And I ended up having a cult fanbase that I thought was really fresh and interesting. When my label was telling me that my album wasn’t doing well, saying it was my fault why everything didn’t go well. From that point on, I just got into the habit of making music for myself and for those people.
For a quick minute, because I was writing, my mind did go in a direction of “maybe I can do this.. to gain more people.” That was short lived, because I’m just a person that’s true to myself. I’m a person that when things get really really bad, it goes completely off course when I don’t feel like I’m being true to myself. And I think that partly has a lot to do with the time that it has taken for me to get to a point where I have the music to put out for an album. Not having a clear direction because the first record I ever wrote was on Complex Simplicity called “Caught Up”. Six months later, I had a record deal. I just wanted to make music, sweetheart.
AllHipHop.com: They blamed you for bad record sales?
Teedra Moses: Well, what the marketing guy told me exactly is that “it had no singles.” I was on one of those things like – I like making music, this is fun, this is cool. I didn’t think twice about the business side of it. I didn’t think twice about how it was going to be received or anything. So, I had to kind of go to college and what I learned is it’s still just about the music. Yeah, I realized the business stuff and you gotta know this about the business stuff but you need to just collect a team of people for that – but you have to stay engulfed in the music – which brings me to today where I am, on a mission.
I’m making soul music, and I don’t want to sound controversial, but I know that the only people they really pay attention to that’s singing and making soul music are people that are not black. It’s interesting when you see someone that’s not black that can really sing and it’s soulful. Well, I want to make soul music and either people are going to go with it or they’re not. But, I wanna make the songs that my homegirls like to sing to. And I want to make the records that I feel like are universal to any woman or any man can relate to. And I think soul music has that kind of effect on people.
AllHipHop.com: So, you believe that staying yourself, and not trying to appeal to everyone will work?
Teedra Moses: I believe that sincerely. I believe that music is in a place now where the only thing I think that stands out to my ear is things that are true to the person. You feel a truth from it. I’m so honest with this. I went through a period of time when I was writing robotically because I just wanted to churn something out. But I’m so glad I was able to do that without everybody seeing me. I’m so glad I had a chance to develop. When you start writing and six months later, you have a record deal and you’re going through that whole process, you don’t know what you’re doing. You’re just doing it. People fight their whole lives to get that position to have a record deal and I got one in six months from just saying “I wanna make music.” So, I had to pay my dues and I’m all paid up and I’m ready now.
I want to make the music I love and be successful doing it, and put other people in a position to make the music they love and be successful doing it. That is the whole mission. I want to be true to my art and be a real artist that’s not overly consumed with monetarily what I’m getting from it as much as what I’m putting in the world. For instance, I want to be legendary, like a person that might not be a household name but architects know them. All architects know this architect – he’s legendary as an architect. I want to be legendary for what I do and I think I’m on my way if I keep my head right. I don’t care about being famous honestly. I want to make money, cause I like nice s### – but I want to be able to make music that has a purpose and touches people. And I want to have a career that has a purpose. Like, owning my own publishing and sticking to that. And, making the music that I want to make and having creative control, stuff like that is important to me. And I would just want that to be influenced on another person.
That’s the mission – the mission is not just like sell a lot of records, get a lot of money, it’s like, really inspire. Stay inspired and to inspire somebody else and to help another that’s in my position. I would love to set up a really cool indie label where you can come and get your one-off on as a new artist, gain fans and then go to the big labels. I don’t want to keep you forever. Because now you have to have fans. And there are a lot of people that are really talented and don’t know how to get fans. What I’ve learned, over a period of years, how to just keep performing and making music even if it’s not in a massive way. Gaining people, one person at a time, and over time that can be really lucrative for you if you keep paying your bills.
AllHipHop.com: You’ve got this cult following. No album in eight years, but people are still following your movement. I think that’s dope.
Teedra Moses: I feel so blessed, and it is the premiere thing that keeps me inspired and keeps me going. I can get off stage and talk s### and be crazy like I am in front of my family with these people. I can give them the music that I love and they’ll tell me either they like it or they don’t. They just really have encouraged me and kept me going and I know some of these people by face. I know some of these people from every show in certain cities. I know these people from being on Twitter or from the days of MySpace. I really feel like that connection that I have – I remember when I was younger hearing Teena Marie on the radio. I want to be that kind of artist for the young girl who’s in the car with her mom, who loves my music, over and over, this is what she hears every day and then she can tell the story when she’s older “Oh, I went to meet Teedra Moses at a meet and greet. My mom used to always listen to her.”
That’s how I want to touch people and that’s what I’ve had the opportunity to do. Not on a major level where I’m so high above people and I’m on a plateau where you can’t reach me, I’ve been very touchable. I want to remain touchable always because that is so inspiring. Real people are what matters to me. The fact that I have real people down with me, I feel unstoppable because people f*ck with me.
When you have real, common people – I’m not talking about the tastemakers (because some industry people do, too) but, people will roll up on me in a minute and be like “What? Teedra! I love your music. B*tch!” and feel nothing about talking to me like that. They feel really comfortable being themselves with me and I just love that. That makes me feel so blessed. And I take praise with a grain of salt because I take criticism with a grain of salt. And that’s what they give to me and I really appreciate it.
AllHipHop.com: I see you in the video, looking relaxed, with that glass of wine – is that what gets you in the mood to make music?
Teedra: [laughter] That’s Cognac, baby. That’s not wine. I do wine, but I was in a very Cognac, brown liquor mood at that point. The thing is, I’m a chaotic brain. My mind is always over the place. I’m an artist, I’m all over the place, but, calm is what comforts me. Settled and just a real easy environment. So in the studio, there is no one. There is me and the computer or an engineer. I normally get the music, and I record the vocals and then I send it back to them or we will get together later and go through what’s going to happen with the music. I like calm, I don’t like a lot of people around, I don’t want a party in the studio because I just want to exude calm in my music even when it’s banging because I want you to be able to relax.
I want to have that kind of music that you can clean your whole house to and never skip one song. I want to have the music that you can ride a five-hour drive and just keep me on repeat. I want you to be able to study to me. Study for your final exam, to me, without being bothered. It’s on and your brain can still function. I don’t want to disturb nobody because when I listen to music, I’m already disturbed in my own brain, so I don’t need nothing else disturbing me. I try to create an atmosphere that is real cool and easy, and make you feel good, even when I’m singing about something painful.
AllHipHop.com: Who are you working with on this new album?
Teedra Moses: I’m working with a lot of people that are not very well known. With exception of a few people. Trackademics, Jack Splash, and I’m working on a few with the Klassics. Right now, I’m trying to hunt down Raphael Saddiq because I can’t quite find him. I’m trying to hunt him down for my next single. It’s a song called “Nobody Else”, and a DJ gave me the sample, and I wrote a song to it instantly. At that same time, I was getting ready to do a UStream from a cool spot in Downtown L.A., so I had the band play over the sample and I created the song the night before. So I sang it and that gave me the idea for how I wanted to do the song. Went in with my homeboy Trackademics, and we created a track for it and it’s really nostalgiac. It’s Hip-Hop Soul but modern and clean and fresh like springtime.
I think the only other person whose voice tone that would fit on this track is Raphael Saadiq. What I like about his music from Toni Tony Tone and his solo stuff is when you hear the clairty and tone in his voice. It’s unique, and it’s not like anybody else’s. I want to think that I have my own unique tone, so the whole bridge is written where we just sing together. That’s what I’m trying to do with that, and shoot a video within the next couple of months. I have the record with Wale. A producer that I really, really love and I just started working with, is Jack Splash. He’s from the Melanie Fiona/Cee-Lo record that just won a couple of Grammys. He has a really wonderful Hip-Hop background, and my music has this Hip-Hop base. Soulful, but I just like it to be banging.
AllHipHop.com: Has your affiliation with Rick Ross and Maybach Music changed the scope of your place in the music industry?
Teedra Moses: My affiliation with Maybach Music has definitely given me more attention. People want to help me more. When I was just the girl by myself doing it, it was certain blogs that would blast stuff no matter what because they f*cked with me. But with the MMG affiliation, everybody is with it because they love what Ross is doing. So, I don’t even know if it’s about me. [laughter]. I’m just glad to get it. I really don’t care if it’s about me, because I know once I got your ear, you’re going to sink into it.
I don’t make kick in the door music, I make music that’s going to live with you for the rest of your life. It gives me the opportunity to get ears that I never got before. From young kids that weren’t paying attention when Complex Simplicity came out, to people that didn’t even realize that I was still making music since then. It broadened me up to more people and ultimately, being that I’m a person that really judge my success with the people, judge how well I’m doing with the people, that has been a blessing. Whether it’s opened me up in the industry or not, the people are who are going to take me where I gotta go.
We got Soul from Hip-Hop Soul to Champagne Soul. I’m trying to touch on everything that I like. From the two step vibe, to the head nodding, to the floaty vibes of Pop Soul. I’m just a soulful person. I come from New Orleans, Louisiana, baby, I’m a soulful person. That’s what’s going to be on the album. All Soul. Something you can press play from the top to the bottom, and you gon’ have an emotion for every situation you’re dealing with.
AllHipHop.com: When’s the album coming?
Teedra Moses:I’m looking at August 14 because that’s what I’m trying to push for. That’s why I’m pushing so hard to put out more visuals, because August 14 is the day that Complex Simplicity came out. That would be great!
AllHipHop.com: Anything else?
Teedra Moses: Yeah, I want to say it was great talking to you, darling. And, to the people, I just want to say thank you so much and to all the supporters within media and the DJs, I’m very appreciative, because good music is so necessary. I think that it’s been a void of soul music for a while and now it’s coming back, and GOD held me for the perfect time to come and bring my music. I know this year is the year that people are really open to it and need it. So, I’m grateful.
(AllHipHop News) Rapper 50 Cent has confirmed a release date for his new untitled album.
The highly anticipated release will hit stores on July 2, 50 Cent revealed today (March 20).
According to 50 Cent, he took the opportunity to discuss the album with Eminem backstage, during the Shady Records 2.0 showcase in Austin Texas, during the SXSW music conference.
“I kicked it with EM after the show i told him how I feel about my new album,” 50 Cent tweeted. “I’m gonna get on the phone with DRE today about it.
Apparently, the conversation with Dr. Dre produced results, because the rap star confirmed the release date for the album.
“My album is coming out July 2. I got some heat trust me I’m ready,” 50 Cent said.
According to reports, the album will feature production by Swizz Beatz, Just Blaze, Jake One, Jim Jonsin and others.
The rapper’s 5th official album is also reported to be 50’s final release for Interscope Records.
The release will also come on two important dates for 50 Cent, who has sold over 40 million records.
“My birthdays July 6 so that’s a cool date for ME,” 50 Cent said. “Its gonna be July2 album, July4 independence day, then July6 my birthday.”
Lately, it seems like the only way Teyana Taylor gets any press is when she gets into a physical altercation, or when she allegedly releases XXX pics of herself on the net. Is she still even rapping or singing anymore?
Anyway, Teyana was at it again last night getting into a physical altercation with a stripper named Skrawberry at club LIV in Miami that ended with a window being broken! Queen Latifah was in the house celebrating her birthday and Mary J. Blige was there to perform, but that didn’t stop the foolishness from going down.
The story we’re hearing is that before Teyana ended up at LIV, she and her friends made a stop at the King of Diamonds strip club where she had an argument with Skrawberry the stripper. And yes, as unbelievable as it sounds, that is her real name! Below is a picture of Skrawberry:
Teyana’s friends are saying the argument started because Skrawberry was jealous of the attention that Teyana was receiving at the club. Anyway, Teyana and her friends left KOD and headed over to LIV, where they were sitting at a table with several friends including Baltimore Ravens player Bryant McKinney, when Skrawberry popped up again and approached the table to apparently apologize to Teyana. Things went left, because Skrawberry ended up punching Teyana in the face. Here’s what Teyana’s friend Hazel-E had to say about the incident:
“Miami stripper Skrawberry came over to the table where Teyana Taylor was. NFLer Bryant Mckinney saw the two ladies exchanging words & as Teyana bent down to grab her drink, Skrawberry sucker punched her. But it was the first and last hit she got. Teyana & her crew laid Skrawberry out. She left the club leaking and wearing her dress as a belt.”
Check out a pic during the fight below (Teyana on the left):
The story doesn’t end there. An hour later after the club fight, Teyana and Hazel-E got jumped by Skrawberry’s sister!
“Teyana and her crew were outside the Fontainebleau hotel, retrieving their belongings that were left inside club LIV from the first bout,” Hazel tells TheYBF.com. “All of a sudden, Skrawberry’s sister runs up behind Teyana and grabbed her hair. The ladies fell into the bushes by the window where two guys that were brawling busted through.”
Looks like two different fights contributed to the broken window. Teyana tweeted the photo below of herself at 6AM this morning to show that she was not hurt during the fight.
Teyana needs to get into a studio and relax before she gets hurt out there. That or maybe join the WWE!
(AllHipHop News) Rapper Snoop Dogg and blogger Perez Hilton are being sued by a female driver, who claims that she was verbally and physically abused by Snoop Dogg’s tour manager.
Plaintiff Kim McGee filed the lawsuit in the District Court of Travis County Texas, on March 15.
The lawsuit claims that Snoop Dogg’s tour manager Frank Palomino assaulted McGee during a dispute before the rap star performed at Perez Hilton’s event, during the 2010 SXSW music conference/festival.
According to the lawsuit, Kim McGee was hired by local transportation company C3 to provide transportation services for Snoop Dogg and his entourage during the event in Austin, Texas.
McGee claims that tour manager Frank Palomino became verbally abusive while she was transporting Snoop from his hotel room to the venue, for the performance with Perez Hilton.
Because of this incident, McGee decided that she would no longer serve as Snoop Dogg’s driver while he was in Austin, Texas.
When she informed Palomino that she would no longer be driving, he took the disagreement up a notch and allegedly grabbed her, lifted her off the ground, shook her violently and pulled out several locks of her hair.
The lawsuit claims that Palomino then threw the woman to the ground, where she struck her head.
McGee claims she was then dragged across the room and held against her will.
McGee claims that all of this was witnessed by Snoop Dogg and other employees of C3, who failed to intervene, call police or identify Palomino as the suspect to detectives who were investigating the matter.
“Snoop Dogg failed to properly institute training in this regard and/or failed to provide the supervision necessary to see that such training was utilized on the night of the incident at issue in this suit. It was foreseeable that this type of action would occur, given the history of Snoop Dogg and/or his employees in this respect.”
Kim McGee is suing for assault by infliction of bodily injury, assault by physical offensive contact, false imprisonment by Snoop Dogg and Frank Palomino and negligence.
When AllHipHop did the Breeding Ground at SXSW, we knew it would be a crazy time. But it apparently got super crazy when a certain NFL player was going through the venue (Kiss N Fly) on an apparent tirade to menace people. According to sources, Cedric Benson was a terror up in the venue, which was very crowded. Timbaland and Snoop were there performing. Meanwhile, downstairs the Cincinnati Bengals’ Cedric Benson was getting upset with the people of VIBE magazine (sponsor of the event) because they asked him to move from the stage where pictures were being taken. (We’ll just add in the fact that several women in the VIP section were acting super thirsty around the NFLer – doing body shots off each other and whatnot to get his attention. But we digress…)
Now, Cedric did move to the side as other artists came to the stage to take pics, but he didn’t depart. This prompted several people working the event to continue to ask him to get off. He seemed to get very, very irate and upset and got into a shouting match with the girl manning the camera. He was upset because he called her a b*tch and she didn’t appreciate it. According to a source, Cedric said, “I could buy this place!” Then some of the people said they were going to call security. But this time, Cedric had some of his boys with him. They said, “Go get security!” Security never did show up. He left and came back, but nothing much came about it.
Then upstairs, somebody claims that Cedric got into a confrontation with somebody that left him bloodied. There are conflicting reports. One said he was bleeding from the arm and another from the face. Nevertheless, the security in the whole place convened on this confrontation. This part took place upstairs as Timbaland was performing his new songs. We don’t know all the deal, but we know this…Cedric is a wild guy! Let’s get football training started!!!!
Making it big as a rapper is hard enough. Mix a little God, Jesus, and inspiration into your music, and it just may be nearly impossible.
Still, when you rock with the “King,” they say “all things are possible,” and that’s just the spirit behind Reach Records artist LeCrae. AllHipHop.com first met the talented Atlanta MC after his much-talked-about performance in the 2011 BET Cypher. Since that time, we’ve heard a lot more of his music and witnessed the industry co-signs he’s receiving from the likes of legend Bun B and others.
LeCrae was in Austin a few days ago for the South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival, where he served as proof that Hip-Hop has made its mark on the annual event like never before. On a year when rap showcases exploded beyond venue capacities, there was room for inspirational lyricism, too. And it’s clear that these days, in that lane, LeCrae is the man.
We caught up with LeCrae on the street at SXSW – he was happy to see us and even happier to know that his music and stories have been doing well recently among the mainstream audience. Watch the video below as he talks about his 2012 SXSW experience and where his faith-filled career will go from here:
So, will LeCrae and his blessed brotherhood from Reach Records make their mark on the industry? Only God knows.
In the meantime, check out a video for his recent “Live & Let Live” single produced by DJ Statik Selektah:
Greetings and Salutations, my creatures of excellence!
Welcome to another opportunity to do it better than before! Today’s Daily Word is dedicated to learning the lessons that life will inevitably throw in your way. Ready or Not, Prepared or Unprepared, Knowledgeable or Unknowledgeable – Life will always test you!
These tests are never meant to break you down, but are merely a way to teach you some important lessons that you NEED to learn! The unfortunate part, is that you will never know when these tests will arise, and if you fail, you will continue to repeat the lessons over and over until you pass. The tricky part is that life will keep giving you the same type of lessons, but sometimes may disguise them as a new issue. Whenever issues arise, the key is not to ask “why is this happening to me,” but rather to figure out “what am I suppose to learn?”
In every trial, tribulation, adversity, or obstacle, there is an important lesson that you MUST take heed to! Instead of sitting around feeling sorry for yourself, you must realize what that lesson is and learn it! I guarantee you, if you took an inventory of all the issues you’ve ever had, you will be able to link them all to a common theme… That common theme is the issue that needs to be rectified immediately! You currently have everything you need to live a great life. All you have to do is change your perspective and use what you have in your favor! Life is Great so make it so!
-Ash’Cash
“Other people may be there to help us, teach us, guide us along our path, but the lesson to be learned is always ours.” -Unknown
“Life will teach you the lessons, it is up to you to learn them.” -Unknown
“Life is the cruelest teacher; first she gives the test, then teaches the lesson.” -Unknown
“One thing about the school of experience is that it will repeat the lesson if you flunk the first time.” -Unknown
“Every experience is a lesson, every loss is a gain.” -Sri Sathya Sai Baba
“Some of the best lessons we ever learn are learned from past mistakes. The error of the past is the wisdom and success of the future.” -Dale E. Turner
“In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time.” -Robert Collier
“Fear nothing, for every renewed effort raises all former failures into lessons, all sins into experience.” -Katherine Tingley
“It is all right to forget your mistakes, if you remember their lessons.” -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.
(AllHipHop News) After performing at the Warner Sound showcase last week at the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, Grand Hustle and Atlantic recording artist B.o.B. has officially unveiled the cover art for his sophomore studio album, Strange Clouds.
The album, which will be released on May 1, has confirmed features from T.I., Andre 3000, Nelly, Lil Wayne, and even Taylor Swift, with production coming from Jim Jonsin, Dr. Luke, A.D., Salaam Remi, and others.
The rap artist behind such chart hits as “Nothin On You,” “Airplanes,” and the platinum-certified, self-titled single “Strange Clouds” from his new album, is set to premiere a video for “So Good” this Wednesday (March 21).
Atlantic Records also released the album’s fourth single. “Where Are You (B.o.B. vs. Bobby Ray)”, today. Take a listen to the song below and purchase it now on iTunes.
B.o.B.’s Strange Clouds will be released on May 1.
In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Hip-Hop began its meteoric ascent into the mainstream propelled in large part by MC Hammer. Beginning with his Capitol Records debut, Let’s Get It Started, Hammer deviated from the popular rap style of the times to a more musical and dance-inspired feel. However, it was Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em, Hip-Hop’s first diamond album-in 1990, that catapulted him to superstardom and gave him the ability to produce his own artists.
Members of Oaktown’s 3.5.7 were originally background dancers in Hammer’s massive entourage. Their October 1990 release, Wild & Loose, capitalized on his popularity and sound with rap that inspired dancing – only this time, the music was female-oriented almost to the point of a new Hip-Hop feminism. Their biggest single, “Juicy (Got Ya Krazy)” featured lyrics like, “He’s on his knees/he copped a plea/he wants to get a piece of me.” 3.5.7’s lyrics were the prequel to rappers like Lil’ Kim and Foxy Brown’s raunchiness of the ’90s, to Nicki Minaj’s freakiness of today.
But despite their popularity, especially among female rap fans, Oaktown 3.5.7 didn’t gain the momentum or acclaim of their mentor. Their second album, Fully Loaded, failed to chart and shortly after, the group officially disbanded. AllHipHop.com recently sat down to talk to Oaktown’s 3.5.7 about their Hip-Hop journey and their long overdue reunion with Hammer:
AllHipHop.com: So, let’s get right into it. How do you all feel about where Hip-Hop is right now for women?
Sweet L.D.: That’s a big question. I have mixed emotions about it, because it’s almost like its non-existent. There’s only one female who is in your face and that’s Nicki Minaj. But I’m sure you have a plethora of females underground rocking it out, but you don’t hear about them. I’m not sure how to change that, but it does need to change. Something needs to happen so that you have a variety of women in the market. It’s like women are being shut out, and it wasn’t like that 20 years ago. Yeah, we had to fight to get in, but once we got in, people were happy to hear from us.
AllHipHop.com: So, I know everybody wants to know, what are you guys up to?
Lil’ P: I own a medical supply company in Houston, and we are getting ready to open a home health care agency. That’s what I do business-wise. Entertainment-wise, L.D., and I just did a show for gay pride. It was great; we hadn’t been together in years, and we just kind of picked up where we left off.
Sweet L.D.: I have been spearheading the reunion. I reached out to Terrible T. and we thought it was going to be the three of us, but so far, that hasn’t happened. I mean, we hadn’t seen each other in over 20 years, and it’s worked out great. We’ve made a lot of strides to reintroduce ourselves to our fans and to a new audience. We have a new single out, “Get Up On It,” it’s on iTunes and Amazon. We are working on a dance fitness program that we are in the works to create as well. I’m also a wife, mother, teacher, and all that other kind of stuff.
AllHipHop.com: Do you guys still talk to Hammer?
Sweet L.D.: I think the first time I talked to him since everything had fallen apart was 2010. After that, we didn’t talk again for another year. We really had not solidified our reconnection until recently. We were able to get some things in the clear.
AllHipHop.com: Can you share what splintered the relationship between all of you?
Sweet L.D.: There are so many layers in that story. While everything was working, we were working, we were touring, we were doing videos, and then pretty much, we were told we were being released. Once we were released, we literally left the office without asking any questions. From there, that’s 1992, we just left. We got in our cars and just drove off; we walked away from it almost like it never happened.
I eventually heard everything secondhand, listening to Hammer in interviews talking about how he lost millions. He was in the dark about a lot of money issues. There was mismanagement of funds, bad decisions being made. There were a lot of people involved with him who had ulterior motives. We, myself and Terrible T., weren’t the only ones to get hurt. Hammer was really scarred by some of these bad decisions that were made on his behalf.
Lil P.: With me, I left early on because I think I saw what was coming. We weren’t getting paid in the beginning. My eye-opener came after we did the “Arsenio Hall Show”, and we got a really big check, and somebody told me that was what a dancer earned, and I’m getting that from Arsenio, but not from Hammer, not even half of it. I left right after that.
AllHipHop.com: With all of that being said, what do you wish aspiring artists knew about the entertainment industry?
Sweet L.D.: I have always said that they need to KNOW the business. They also need to own their talent and realize that their talent is separate from the person who gave them an opportunity. Own yourself, own your talent, and stand up for yourself. Respect that, cherish that, and go into any situation knowing that.
AllHipHop.com: I have to say it is an honor talking to you. I think a legend is any person whose contributions bring out real emotion in you and who lives in your heart and mind, and that is very true for me when it comes to your music. It was the soundtrack for my youth!
Sweet L.D.: We are really honored by that. Hearing you say that, especially after meeting with Hammer is incredible timing. It was really hard to see the good in that situation, in that music. For all of these years, I wouldn’t even talk about it. I wouldn’t even tell anybody who I was. It took me a long time to get strong enough to acknowledge what we did. Right now, I own that experience in Oaktown 3.5.7, and I have a totally different, more positive perspective. It wasn’t all bad, it wasn’t all painful. It was good. It was beautiful.
Oaktown’s 3.5.7’s new single, “Get Up On It,” is available on iTunes. Follow them on Twitter (@StreetTeam357) and (@SweetLD357).
Portland, Oregon isn’t exactly a city thought of when it comes to Hip-Hop, but newcomer Blazé (pronounced “blah-zay”) is doing his part to put his city on the map. The Portland native recently caught our attention after his debut mixtape, Room & Board, earned “Hot This Week” status shortly after its release on DatPiff. A video freestyle with OMG (Ice Cube’s son), has also helped this 19-year old up-and-comer gain steam, as it recently passed the 50,000 view mark on YouTube.
As a college student, Blazé puts forth a project heavily influenced by life in college, reminiscent to the theme of J. Cole’s The Come Up. Blazé uses the college theme to his advantage, rapping on topics that range from pursuing his dreams to pursuing his degree, with a dose of girls and partying, and his kick-game in between. Blazé’s versatile style gives him the ability to speak on these topics throughout all of the tape’s 16 tracks.
Bangers like “Over Here”, featuring OMG, find Blazé delivering punchlines over a bass-heavy track on his time spent driving around in L.A., “That sh*t sweep all through LA/ I’m feeling just like a Maverick.” On another banger, “Kat Stacks,” Blazé speeds up his flow and takes time to elaborate on his marijuana habits: “Riding around on two O’s/ like I’m Lance Armstrong.” Blazé invites fellow Portland artists Jové and Cassow to join him and gives the ladies an invitation, “Come converse with a star/ I’m on my Chuck Taylor sh*t.”
On “Unfinished Business,” Blazé continues to speak to the ladies, but does so in a much more intimate way, aided by Jové on the chorus singing, “We done put in too much work to leave it unfinished, unfinished business.” Blazé lets the ladies know how he handles his business in the bedroom on this steamy track. On the piano-filled “Milana’s Interlude,” Blazé takes things to a more personal level on this standout track by speaking to one special girl in particular about his feelings, “All them girls who be calling, blowing up my line/ You the only one that look like you/ ‘gon get some of my time.”
Blazé’s charismatic flow shines through on “Get By” as he addresses haters, “N*ggas didn’t see me coming / Now they on their plan b sh*t,” as well as school, “With this school sh*t, trust me I’m strugglin’ just to get by / scoping in all my classes for sexy b*tches to sit by.” His charisma continues to show on “Dead Presidents,” as Blazé uses clever wordplay involving a Detroit Lions defensive lineman, who also attended the same high school as him, “These other rappers, they be lyin’ like Ndamukong Suh.”
When it’s all said and done, it’s clear that Blazé has the talent and potential to breakout in the music industry. Room & Board is an impressive debut tape from the young MC that will continue to build momentum and keep him headed in the right direction.
You can download Room & Boardhereand follow @ThatKidBlaze on Twitter
As AllHipHop.com invaded the South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival again this year, perhaps the opportunity that appealed the most was getting to see the new MCs who color today’s vast Hip-Hop scene. There were standout names for sure – like Warner Bros. signee XV, AllHipHop Breeding Ground artists like Emilio Rojas and Chevy Woods, the Airplane Boys, and Jon Connor, just to name a few.
We weren’t disappointed, as we saw some energetic stage shows that included the now, nearly-mandatory SXSW crowd dives, and lyrics that ranged from candy paint to trips to outerspace.
But, we went prepared ahead of time to catch up with Young Gliss, a newcomer from Philadelphia with ties to one of the biggest Hip-Hop dynasties in the world – The Legendary Roots Crew. We caught our first live glimpse of him recently as he opened for the Philadelphia leg of Jim Jones’ “Vampire Life Tour.”
His The Glimmer EP just dropped last week (see download below), featuring guest appearances from Killer Mike, Prodigy of Mobb Deep, and more. The project is promising, with tight, clean production and a variety of melodies over which to feature his eager flow. And yes, some of Young Gliss’ themes venture from pimping to hustling to grinding, but they’re packaged in an intelligent way that leaves you cheering him on in the end.
AllHipHop.com caught up with Raw Life Records’ Young Gliss just after his performance as part of the SXSW Nice Kicks Showcase for emerging artists. Check out how he “stole” his MC name, and why he doesn’t plan on leaning too heavily on his “Roots” to earn his stripes:
Download Young Gliss’ The Glimmer EP HERE. Follow him on Twitter (@YoungGliss).
(AllHipHop News) Rapper and producer Chase N Cashe, a member of creative collaborative The Surf Club, has been gaining momentum in the past year – enough to place him as an opener for megastar Drake’s ongoing “Club Paradise” tour, featuring A$AP Rocky and Kendrick Lamar. His newest mixtape release, The Heir Up There, received good marks from critics and, according to him, his production skills are increasingly being sought-after by well-known Hip-Hop artists.
Chase N Cashe took a break recently from the latest leg of Drake’s nationwide tour to make an appearance at the annual South By Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival in Austin, Texas. Watch the video below as he shares some news with AllHipHop.com about the latest leg of Drake’s “Club Paradise” tour:
His latest single from his Maybach Music Group debut, Ambition, is about a struggling relationship that nearly has him on the ropes. Wale takes us behind the scenes for a look at the next single of his album “Sabotage.”
Featuring R&B crooner Lloyd on the melodic hook, the ’90s-themed high school video was shot at Taft High School in Woodland Hills, California, and features up-and-coming singer Sabi as the leading lady:
Cash Money Records continues their expansion into the book industry with the upcoming release of Wahida Clark’s new book “Payback Ain’t Enough.”
The book is the latest from Clark book “Justify My Thug,” which debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at #19.
Payback Ain’t Enough” is the follow-up to Clark’s other New York Times bestseller “Payback Is a M####.”
The third installment of the “Payback” series focuses on a girl named Shan, and her relationship with a drug kingpin named Briggen.
“We are expecting only big things from Wahida,” Cash Money Content Co-CEO Ronald “Slim” Williams told AllHipHop.com. “The Cash Money collaboration with ‘The Queen’ is a match that can do nothing but succeed.”
“Payback Ain’t Enough,” hits shelves nationwide on April 24, 2012.
