“I’m Raw”
“I’m Raw”
“I Wanna Rock (Remix)”
“Inkredible”
“U Love My Style”
Meet Lanie Alabanza-Barcena, creator of Hellz Bellz. Once upon a time, Lanie moved from San Diego to New York in pursuit of a career in fashion. She worked with urban apparel giants like Rocawear and Triple 5 Soul before she made her own vivid mark in the streetwear industry, with the help of her hubby, Bam Barcena.
Hellz Bellz quickly became one of the most sought after women’s street brands, as it goes far beyond kitschy graphic tees. Lanie entered us into an edgy world of cut and sew pieces, unique collaborations and more.
Kiki got a chance to learn more about Hellz and Lanie, like where the inspiration for the brand came from, exciting collaborations and more:
DrJays.com: How did you come up with the concept behind Hellz Bellz?
Lanie: “Initially Hellz started as a hobbie. More so, as an outlet for my creativity and the need to clothe myself in designs I felt were lacking in the market and/or available to shoppers like me, who wanted edge and style to unite. “From there I started creating women’s clothes for a specific woman; the more forward individual who felt that the same void I felt in the women’s street contemporary market. “At the time, options provided for women were overly feminine and lacked the edge that I wanted. So changed my hobbie into a mission to defy all rules of conformity and any fashion entity that claims a woman’s style cannot breach strength, individuality and feminine flair simultaneously”.
DrJays.com: How do you differentiate yourself from other women’s streetwear brands in the market?
Lanie: “I have great respect for all female street wear brands and I’ve made some amazing friendships with some of my counterparts. We all have our unique niche in the market. “Hellz offers fashion alternatives for the bold fashionista with edgy tops, jackets, denim and accessories, influenced by all things subversive and caters to the burgeoning class of rebellious youth”.
Hellz fall 2009
DrJays.com: On your website, it states that Hellz represents “the bad girls, the book worms and the divas”. Why do you think your brand appeals to such a wide audience?
Lanie: “Hellz has this appeal for the simple reason that we all have a little bit of these characteristic traits within us…at least I know I do!
Beyoncé in Hellz
DrJays.com: Tell us about some of the exciting collaborations you’ve done since the brand launched in 2005.
Lanie: “Ive been blessed to be able to collaborate with brands and artists that I’m a huge fan of, from Insa, to heritage brands like Stussy, Nooka watches and every girls dream – Hello Kitty. This year Hellz is celebrating its 5th year anniversary, which weve saved some of the heavy hitters for, like Vans. Hellz was fortunate enough to introduce and work with new styles, which is major coming from Vans.
We also collaborated with my favorite eyewear company, Mosley Tribes and worked with Casio watches as well.
Hellz x Mosley Tribes
There are many more to come throughout the year, including designers and artists who I admire and have followed through my career.
DrJays.com: Can you give our female readers a few style tips for Holiday 2010?
Lanie: I would say stick with a basic color palette and accentuate it with some great accessories.
See the latest in Hellz Bellz on DJPremium.com by clicking HERE.
“Resurrection”
“Kill The Parking Lot”
(AllHipHop News) Entrepreneurs and Cash Money CEOs Bryan “Baby” and Ronald “Slim” Williams are moving their skills to a new venture in Bronald Oil & Gas, an independent company centered on identifying and using gas and oil reserves.
Bronald Oil & Gas are using several locations to develop oil and gas outlets, such as Osage County, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and unidentified Central America sites.
The Williams brothers have issued a mission statement which lists four key initiatives which they believe will be instrumental in developing oil and gas energy production in the 21st century:
Implementing proven and new cost-effective technologies to profitably recover oil and gas and extend the product life of existing reserves
Forming strategic alliances with other operators to leverage their respective experience and strengths on development
Forming partnerships with service, equipment and technology companies. By partnering with such companies, some of our fields may be designated as testing ground for new and developing technologies.
Building a strong investor and financial partner base by assembling and offering low to moderate risk (relative to the industry) recompletion and developmental drilling opportunities, as well as more risky exploration and development opportunities.
Bronald is seeking to work with government and private investors in these efforts while adhering to regulations that will benefit the environment.
Bronald is committed to working cooperatively with governments and private enterprise to recover energy from known oil and gas reserves throughout North and Central America in an environmentally friendly manner, the company states on its new website. Bronald intends to utilize both historically successful technologies and means, as well as new innovations and technology, to recover energy resources in both and economic and environmentally efficient manner. Bronald is committed to preserving the environment, promoting worker safety and maximizing the potential output of various oil and gas assets.
Those interested in joining Bronald Oil as investors can contact the company via the website http://bronaldoil.com/about.php
“Symphonies”
“You Know What It Is”
“Invented Sex Remix”
“Here I Am”
“Thinkin About You”
History has finally vindicated MC Hammer. The rapper holds the honor of being one of the top selling artists in history (Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em was Hip-Hop’s first diamond-selling album). He’s got an indelible, enduring fashion status that continues to march through the decades (Hammer Pants live). Hammer’s even got hits that can rock any party, anywhere if you put them on (“Cant’ Touch This”). Fast Forward to present day. Hammer is an icon. He’s got almost 2 million followers on Twitter. He a pioneer in technology (dancejam.com), business (equity stake in Cash4Gold) and social media. He even has a reality show (Hammertime) that’s introduced him to a totally new market and a record label rooted in the internet. And everything that he ever was is coming back like it never left. The laugh laugh was never so respectful as Hammer (nee Stanley Burrell) remains humble.AllHipHop and Hammer hold conversation as he scuttles about New York…handing business. AllHipHop.com: I have to ask you about when you stood up to New York on “Turn This M#### Out.” and then what happened after that with Run DMC, 3rd
Bass and things of that nature? From a Hip Hop competitive stand point,
to call New York out at that point in the late 80’s and 90’s was very gutsy and surprising to
say the least.
MC Hammer: You have to understand,
there has always been a difference between the perception and the reality
of who I am. It has always been that way. That’s just the way it is.
Because I chose to be positive, get my groove on. But as you just stated,
you have to keep in mind that it has never been done before. I didn’t
say, “Here comes me and 10,000 people or me and my crew coming.”
I had an issue myself because one I respected where the art form was
coming from and I wanted that stamp of approval from where the artist
was coming from. New York at that particular time was all of Hip Hop.
The other places where we was doing Hip Hop, we were trying to get in
and get our issue. So my thing was first of all, I flew out on a plane
by myself- ’86 went to the Latin Quarters (historic New York club),
there was a lot of cats in Hip-Hop that been around that all. I jumped
up on stage by myself and said, “I’m MC Hammer” and put my
record on “Go Hammer go Hammer go.” I went- by myself. When
I went back after I started releasing some singles, I came to the conclusion
that I wasn’t being embraced just yet by the market that I want that
respect from. Everything in life when you want respect- I don’t care
if it’s music, sports, whatever it is, you want to go against the best,
you want to go against whoever it is at the top. From my perspective,
I’m doing good, I’m hitting hard in Dallas, I’m hitting hard in Cleveland,
I’m hitting hard in Chicago, Miami, but they still saying I ain’t hitting
in New York. Well that’s a problem. So I’m going to address that and
I did it in a way where it wasn’t disrespectful. I’m trying to get ya’ll
attention so I can come up here and let the people in New York know
“It’s Hammer time.” So that’s what that’s all about. I had
to figure out a way to come in and carve out my niche in this area where
I wanted to gain that respect and that validation from. Subsequently
down the road, just in New York alone, on one of my albums I sold 1.8-
almost 2 million records just in New York without even going anywhere
else. So the point of strategy worked. Play a little chess you know.
AllHipHop.com: I heard 3rd Bass had some problems when they came out to Cali.
MC Hammer: It’s just ironic
that even today- 20 years later, the [MC] Serch cat, he wants his claim
to fame to be “I’m telling you Hammer was going to have me putting
the dirt somewhere.” That’s ridiculous. It’s ridiculous that you
want that to be your claim to fame. But when you only sold about 300,000
something records, you have to grab something. So the only conversation
that man can really have with me is to say he was really going to do
something to me one time. But other than you can’t even say anything
because… 300,000 records? Even now, you still ain’t even go wood today-
you’re under gold so the only thing I can say is wood. Even 20 years
later you still really can’t address me. The conversation we have is
only because he can come talk to you as you gon’ do an interview but
relevantly speaking the groups that I’ve created sold more records than
him. All of them. Oaktown’s 357. B. Angie B. Sold more records than that cat. It’s
the only time I’ve addressed it and it’s going to be the last time I
addressed it. It’s ridiculous. I didn’t know who that dude was. Put
your foot in your mouth, said a couple of things, you let your smooth
taste fool you, you thought the running man was more than a dance, whatever
it was and I addressed it the way I always address it with any and everybody
historically. Just addressed it and kept it moving. That’s all.
AllHipHop.com: You mentioned
sales. You are the firs rap artist to go diamond [10 million sales]. What are your
thoughts on the state of the industry now? Sales are very shaky now
and diamond sales are a thing of the past pretty much- for any artist just
not Hip Hop.
MC Hammer: The price point of music is not correct relevant
to the system. We need to adjust that because the cats who actually
control this business are going in the wrong direction. If everybody
is seeing music is assemble, they can download it for free or whatever
the case is, how are we going to raise the price? We have to keep a
hustler’s mentality with this, we don’t even have to get all complex.
The product’s price… man keys are going for less now. They’re going
to get you customers. It’s the same thing here. The price should be
going the other way. If we let them continue to dictate the terms ain’t
nobody really going to make any paper. So it’s time to make an adjustment
and I”m going to participate with a few people in trying to re-adjust
the model. That’s the bottom line. To make it more in line with 2010,
2011. You should be able to get X amount of records for X amount is
price. I also want to help people to get in album mentality again and
move them away from just the single mentality. It’s just not price points,
but the quality in the product is going to help dictate that. So that’s
my thoughts on that.
AllHipHop.com: From what I
understand you have a label now, correct?
MC Hammer: It’s a social media
driven label so the whole concept was before there was a Facebook, before
there even was a YouTube. I used to go and meet with certain individuals
to say “I want to build a community around the music it’s self.”
So take a music product and build a community as we know today around
the content of a song. So if you have a song about whatever it is, then
build a conversation and a community around that song, make the interface
friendly, grow that community and then serve the people the music at
the right price point. So I’ve been trying to do that for about 5 or
6 years. That’s why I got ahead of the curve on social media because
I was trying to figure this out. I saw the direction we were going in
and I realized that we needed to make some adjustments.
AllHipHop.com: What are thoughts
on skinny jeans being that your Hammer pants were super baggy?
MC Hammer: Skinny Jeans (laughs).
My thoughts on skinny jeans are you can wear whatever jeans you want
to. I’m not a follower like that. I might have on my baggy jeans today
and I’ll have on skinny jeans tomorrow- I do me. Cats don’t dictate
what I wear and what somebody else should wear. So whatever you want
to wear, do you. I wear everything. It’s according to how I feel. If
I want to have on some skinny jeans, I’ll put them on. Fat jeans, I’ll
put them on. I’m not attacking anybody based on their exterior because
I’m really about what’s in your heart. I don’t care how you dress yourself
up, do you.
AllHipHop.com: I asked you
that because the commercial you guys had was hilarious.
MC Hammer: Yeah we’re poking
fun, we’re poking fun. We’re not clowning skinny jeans, we’re just having
fun with that on that commercial. I have some straight leg skinny jeans
myself. But no doubt I love all jeans. I like them both.
AllHipHop.com: Everybody wants
to go pop now it’s across the board now for the most part. Those that
don’t are probably in a funny predicament from a sales and even fan
base stand point. From a historical stand point, how do you feel about
that? Do you feel vindicated in some way?
MC Hammer: I would say that’s
the beauty of time. If we are granted time things seem to work them
self out. The time allowed them to work them self out. You didn’t see
me and haven’t seen me in any interviews historically saying “Oh
I was right.” Man I don’t have time for all that. Even from my
perspective, it is what it is. The fact is that early on I thought it
would be important to diversify. I thought it would be important that
if you have the opportunity to do other things outside your core, in
other words, instead of just saying “I’m only getting the best
dollar right here from this”, instead of letting the label and
others get all the dollars everything else and only leaving the artist
a dollar, and they’re walking away with 9 or 10, taking endorsement
money, taking the tour support money, and leaving you saying you don’t
participate in that stream, but you old. So early on, I diversified.
I got involved with endorsement deals, cartoons, toys- everything that
I could because I realized that it’s my brand, my music, my marketing
and promotion that’s creating the value for someone else to get that
revenue. So why not me get it myself? Early on, there was a lot of talk
about that but it was more about envy and jealously more than anything.
It wasn’t every cat wanted to make as much paper as they can, but it
was Hammer versus four different marketing machines. Keep in mind, I’m
on one label. There were four other labels at that time trying to get
their artist to number one or make a impact big enough to make it on
that level. Keep in mind that one of my albums went number one
in January. If you understand this you’ll really get what I’m saying
here. My album went number one in January and then in July, I was still
number one. So six months plus a cat had to go every Tuesday and report
to his boss. From all the other labels, from all the other marketing
budgets. So it’s me, my team, and my marketing budget against four other
marketing budgets- literally millions of dollars. “How do we dislodge
Hammer from number one? I have some paper, I have some paper. I’m buying
ads.” Let’s say AllHipHop is a physical magazine, I’m buying a
whole lot of ads at AllHipHop. “Come on Chuck I’ll buy an extra
page when you review Hammer’s record and say it’s hot and the momentum
has changed.” So I had to go against four machines at one time
because of the impact that I was making. So naturally some of things
they would point out was like “You know what, dude’s a sell out
and get that money.” He literally repeated that and said “Yeah
he’s a sell out for getting money.” Then we know down the road
cats were saying “Man getting money, that’s called ballin’.”
And then the rest of history. You’ll never hear me cry or none of that
about it, but when we talk about it. You have to understand in it’s
proper perspective it wasn’t nothing but some envy and some hate. A
lot of hate. I wasn’t never really mad about it. I understood it when
you get on top, you’re going to be the champ. You have to deal with
all the dudes who want the belt. Even if their employees or they work
on the staff, they still have to answer because if they can’t get the
belt then they’re going to lose their jobs. So how are you going to
keep explaining every week? I caused a lot of cats a lot of problems
and I enjoyed that too by the way.
AllHipHop.com: So a lot of
people forget where your hustle game started, they just see the end
result of what it was. Can you speak on that just a little bit?
MC Hammer: The whole get down
started in my trunk, pressing my own records, riding to LA, getting
into the clubs, dealing with KDAY (Los Angeles radio station that was first to play Hip-Hop), (DJ) Greg Mack back then and
the whole Get Down and really trying to create the buzz necessary to
make records sell.
AllHipHop.com: A lot of people
talk about grinding is there any way to sort of grind backwards? Can
the hustle work against you?
MC Hammer: Can a hustle work
against you? Only to the extent of your success. I never met 50 [Cent].
All this time we’ve passed, we haven’t really crossed. He would be the
perfect example of a cat who hustles- I have a lot of respect for him
all the way around. When I do see him I’m going to say it him. I have
respect for his hustle. He’s not overrated, but even after all his success,
he’s underrated. I study people in the game. 50 is a smart cat. As a
man who understands his Hip-Hop, the sport that this is, and the business
that this is, I’m not talking bout the one thing that everybody would
say he took the stock in Vitamin Water. That was obviously a good move,
but 50 made a lot of good moves before that and after that. This game
is really complex and the inter workings of this game is not necessarily
for public consumption. When I see a young cat like 50 and I watch him
make his moves and I watch him survive, I have to say I respect his
hustle. The only time the hustle works against you means you’re winning.
There ain’t no grinding backwards and losing. The only way we can say
that is that you’re so much on top, here they come. The champ has to
defend the throne. Somebody wants the belt, but that doesn’t mean you
have to give it to them. You have to keep grinding. You have to keep
reinventing and you have to stay sharp.
This game can drain you. You
have to stay sharp.
AllHipHop.com: You were primarily
a positive Hip Hop artist. What are thoughts on Hip Hop now? You gave
up a little bit of everything, but for the most part positive with songs
like “Pray.”
MC Hammer: I did songs like
“Pray” because that’s who I am. Cats Whoodni, LL [Cool J],
they’ll tell you that they knew me as the holy ghost boy before I was
MC Hammer. In the midst of my life in Oakland, in the middle of all
that hell, I always wanted a piece of heaven so I believe in God, Jesus
and the power of prayer. I don’t believe that no man, no style of music,
no movie can ever get me to bow down and say I don’t. If I want to make
a record and say “We have to pray,” I say from my perspective. “What
are you going to do about it? I’m going to do a record called ‘Pray’
and I’m going to put on a robe and have people from the choir. If you
have a problem with it, see me after the song and I’ll see you outside.
I’ll get down with you then pray for you.”
That’s how it went.
I just didn’t say this is what I do. This s what I’ve actually done.
So those records came as I reflection of the spirit man of my heart.
I think that there has been other artist who have done some similar
things. Tupac would make a song that might be abrasive while making
a point, and turn around and say “Dear Mama” or “I shed
so many tears.” So To have these contrasting emotions from a public
stand point, they’re real because nobody is in one mood all day long.
There are some people who are atheist and don’t believe in God and that’s
alright as long as that’s your belief. If you wanted to express that
in a record, that’s your right. Nobody really has the right to say that
you can’t express it.
It’s a great opportunity right now, for a rapper,
an artist, a movement to come along that will address the pain of the
nation. Cats that are going to address with those clever rhymes, great
hooks and melodies that are going to express what the world is going
through- in particular with losses of jobs, foreclosures, a perspective
on life, romance, fathers, death, incarceration. Done in a way that’s
clever. The game is in a severe decline. They can pull the cord on the
game right now. Music ain’t gon’ never stop- of course we gonna keep
making music and it’s gonna be out there. But if the business model doesn’t
exist, what is it? What do we have? Because this is just business. These
cats aren’t going to support what we do as a art form if they can’t
make any money off of this. Let’s increase the creativity.
AllHipHop.com: We have a running
serious where it’s the Top 5 Dead or Alive rappers. Can you give us
your top five, do you have a top five?
MC Hammer: I don’t really have
a top 5. What I’ll say is the number one and the number two spots for
me personally- every time I hear a song from Pac it goes right to my
heart. That’s gonna always be number one. When I hear Biggie [The Notorious
B.I.G.] spit, I can never deny that man’s metaphors and delivery and
it’s crazy. So if there is a one and a two, there it goes right there.
The rest of the cats, I respect everybody. There’s some cats with some
lyrics, but there’s also some cats out there who didn’t sell a lot of
records, who could be on that same list. So when we same Top 5, we’re
really saying Top 5 cats who had visibility, marketing opportunity to
be heard. You know there’s a lot of factors that go into that. I keep
mines at that top two right there. I’m West Side for life.
AllHipHop.com: Did you have
any influences in Hip Hop? You were always in a vacuum as far as what
your style was like- lyrically and the way you dressed. Obviously James
Brown…
MC Hammer: There you go. You
also know that early on, if you can remember Grand Master Flash and
Melly Mel- the way they dressed, very flamboyant. It’s funny how cats
that came after cats who laid it down first try to tell them how they
should have dressed before they even got there. It’s ridiculous, it’s
nonsense. When I came along, I already seen Grand Master Flash and Melle
Mel. I flew to New York myself and literally walked the streets with
Melle Mel. He saw me at the Latin Quarters and yelled out to me in The Marriott, “Go Hammer, go Hammer go!” I went over to him and
said “What’s up Mel” and he said “Man I was Latin Quarters
last night and that thing you were doing that ‘Go Hammer go Hammer.’
Man If that market that right you can be big man.” I was so gassed
up behind that, but what I was saying is they had a flamboyant style-
they dressed a lot like Parliament Funkadelic. I’m a showman. So I
was definitely influenced by the freedom, the way they dress, and to
be honest- because I approached it a little differently at the time
and I was trying to make my mark, but I would not be who I am if Run
DMC wasn’t one of my greatest influences. I hate to say this because
he’s not even that far away from me but LL Cool J- that’s my man. That
cat used to inspire me because keep in mind, he didn’t talk about killing
anybody, but he was hard without saying he had to kill anyone. Without
him saying in his lyrics that he has to kill anybody, he was aggressive
and he had that fire. I can feel him. So LL and Run DMC were some of
my greatest influences. There’s a whole other group of cats that I balled
inspiration from just by the way they carry their self, their swagger.
Whoodni’s swagger was second to none. Them cats put on some leather,
tilted them hats to the side, and got at them women. I subsequently
made records like “Have You Seen Her” and all that because
they already paved the road saying you can be romantic with this here.
So there’s a lot of cats that I balled different abilities from.
DISCLAIMER:
All content within this section is pure rumor and generally have no factual info outside of what the streets have whispered in our ear. Read on.
MISTA MAC HAS BEEF WITH TRAE AND DRUMMA BOY?
I forgot I had written about Mista Mac before, but I did. Remember his lil beef with Yung Berg? Me neither. Nevertheless, here I am writing about him agin. Apparently, he has taken exception to the fact that he recorded the original Incredible, but not Trae of Houston has a song called Inkredible. Both have the same beat that Drumma Boy did. The song is also one Drumma Boy’s discography, but anybody can add that if they want. Mac is apparently a rapper, song writer signed to Poe Boy. Hope they work this out or not.
UPDATE: Trae’s version of Inkredible was produced by a Houston producer named
Mr. Inkredible. So, they were not both produced by Drumma and have different beats. I guess the only beef here is with the name…its “Incredible” that this would be brought to my attention.
CASH MONEY OIL COMPANY!
You can take this one to the bank! Cash Money Millionaires are taking their game to the next level. They are rumored to be starting their own OIL company. Yep. Take this to the bank. Im not exactly sure how they are doing it but Baby and Ronald Williams are getting their G.W. Bush on into the oil game.
EPIC WIN OF THE DAY: ANDERSON COOPER
Anderson: “Im going in ta save the black kid…You got the m-16, right? Ok…cover me” Props to Anderson Cooper. Dude is over there with his security team playing superman. Im not hating though. Respect due! Hes definitely doing more than a lot of people that you would expect to do more.
MENACE TO SOCIETY IN NORTH CAROLINA?
Check out this lil diddy that somebody dropped on me:
P-Wonda was scheduled to perform at club Liquid Saturday Night. According to Frankie Denirro Ent and the owners of club liquid that the ALE Alcohol Law Enforcement approached the club and was notified by the Salisburry Police Department that if Pierre Conway pka P-Wonda enters the building then the place would be shutdown due to what they think is a menace 2 society and rumored to have the wrong crowd and insighting riots at his shows along with the fact he had been charged at the age of 17 with robbery P-Wonda served a 2 year sentence,. There were agents waiting on P-Wonda to show up at Club Liquid Waleed Coyote CEO Othaz Records still hosted the event and explained to the crowd what was going on and the DJ E-Sudd played B#### I do #s 3 times… there hasnt been a date announced on rescheduling the P-Wonda show in Salisburry, NC.
“PANTS ON THE GROUND STOLEN?
LMAO! Somebodys mad! You cant do much of anything without somebody claiming they did it first. Now that old dude from American Idol is looking like a biter, according to another old dude. Tell me what you think by listening to, Pants Below My Booty.
ILLSESEDS QUICKIES
Whew! Wacka Floka got shot two times in a botched robbery. The internet was r-a-w on him no mercy. Jokes were flying like birds coming home from a long winter.
Bossip says my ex Kelly Rowland has signed a deal with Universal just as they lay off people. Dont do my girl wrong!
If we didnt state it, Reggie and Kim K. have no bet for that engagement ring.
Rihanna is all slated to be on Oprah for Haiti special. Was she on Oprah to discuss CB?
I hope Trey Songz and Jeezy dont think Jay-Z is going to start a new group with them called the Mod Squad. LOL..no way.
Shout out to Frank Sirius, a new artist coming out of the DC area.
Damn! 8 Ball MJG are on Koch!? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!
EPIC FAIL OF THE DAY!
This kid’s life is over unless he wants to be a gay comedian. LOL! Just kidding, but clearly, the lil guy doesn’t get the internet. This will live forever. Online. Like in 300 or 3000 years, somebody will find this and it will virally be spread again and again and again…and again.
video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsfree video player
Here is the 300 remix.
He is not a h###!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BORN AGAIN VIRGIN?
My girl Kendra G is a born again virgin or something that makes abstinence cool!
NEW NICKI MINAJ
Your Love is the song check it out.
H### KID, WE LOVE YOU!!! NOW LOG OFF!!!!!!! BACK OFF!
They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!
-illseed
WHO: illseed.com
WHAT: Rumors
WHERE: AllHipHop.com, MySpace.com/TheIllseed
HOW: Send your rumors and ill pics to illseed at [email protected].
Back in the day, one of the worst things somebody could call you was “soft.”
“You soft, dude, you soft.”
“Man, this dude is softer than peeled grapes! He couldn’t bust a grape in a food fight.”
To be soft, you had to be somebody that people could easily pick on or you weren’t able to hold your own in a neighborhood fight. To NOT be soft, you didn’t need to tote a gun or kill people after school. Back in those days, I was the dude that kept it cool with everybody. When it was time to throw hands, I was OK with that and never backed down. When I ever had a bully, I definitely whulped their a**. And there was the occasional “L.” That was all apart of growing up.
Also, I never feared any man. Well, maybe one or two.
Still, I walked with confidence and knew that if something popped off, I was going to be good. I had an arsenal of bats and combat tools in my car at all times. I never had a gun, but I was ready for war – in my mind. But, the notions floating in my head were sufficient. to getting my goals accomplished.
2010.
I am ready for war in a different way.
I am ready for the lawless insurgents that I feel will one day run up on my house like they did Will Smith in “I Am Legend.” I have the ADT full house alarm system. I have the Rotwieler as my “best friend” and I even have man’s other best friend in a passcode protected safe. I even workout to keep my body in shape should I need to knock a fool out.
Man, I’m soft.
I’m scared.
Yeah, I’m not afraid to admit that I am scared of losing what I have. Scared of some young punk catching me unawares. Some scheming scum bag is going to pick my house to kill my kids and future wife. I know it. And I am scared of it. Is this what happens when you become and adult? You get so much stuff that what you have outweighs your instincts for acting a damn fool on somebody. I mean, I wouldn’t mind having a stare down with some chump, but that chump might be strapped and ready to kill. They kill over a eye screw these days.
I was driving one time and this dude hit my car lightly at a stop light.
Not a problem, because it was just a bumper and no scratches. But I got out of my car to confront him about it. Before I got a chance to even say anything, this dude was spazzing about, “Do we have a problem?” He was half my size. I know in my heart of hearts, one well-placed punch to his body would fold him. But he had the eyes of a demon. My only thought was getting home to my family safely. This psycho wasn’t worth it. In an era long gone, I’m sure I would have bombed on him and rolled.
I guess, this is the price of growing up. Losing some of that edge is essential to growing up, right? I’d be a fool if I didn’t use all of my manly insight to avoid needless trouble, right? To get caught up in something foolish would only result in harm to my own people, not really the lowlives, right? I just have to come to terms with the fact that I’m soft as my newborn’s bottom…
Right?
Deep down, I wish I beat the hell out of that guy that tapped my car. Just for old time’s sake.
(AllHipHop News) Rising rapper Waka Flocka Flames was shot, several sources have told AllHipHop.com.
While details are sketchy, sources stated that the rapper was shot during a robbery in College Park, Georgia.
Sources stated he was shot in the arm, but the bullet went through his ribs. He is expected to make a recovery.
His last show was at Atlanta, Georgia hotspot, Tongue & Groove last night (January 18).
According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the rapper was robbed as he washed his car at the Bubble Bath Carwash on Old National Highway
Police see a man with a tattoo of a dollar sign on his left cheek. He also has tattoos betwen his eye brows of two circles, three squares and two more circles.
Waka Flocka Flames is an artist affiliated with Gucci Manes So Icey Entertainment.
The rapper, born Juaquin Malphurs, has worked with artists like Nicki Minaj, Guccie Mane, Lil Wayne, OJ Da Juiceman, DJ Drama and others.
He is currently enjoying the success of his biggest single to date, O Lets Do It.
The remix of the song features Rick Ross, Lil Wayne and Trae Tha Truth.
Donell Jones was among a fraternity of 90s R&B singers that painted a landscape of soul music that some argue was the end of an era of real soul music. The self taught musician whose influences include Stevie Wonder, The Isley Brothers and the late Teddy Pendergrass, made a name for himself as a songwriter and producer penning hits for everyone from Brownstone, Silk and Jade, to Usher and Madonna. It wasnt until 1996 however, that his label at the time, LaFace, and Untouchables Entertainment introduced to the world Donell Jones the artist. Jones debut release My Heart captured the hearts of romantics around the globe with his rendition of Stevie Wonders classic Knocks Me Off My Feet; but it was his sophomore offering Where I Wanna Be that cemented the crooner as an R&B hit maker.”Where I Wanna Be became his signature single and the album yielded #1 hit U Know Whats Up feat Lisa Left Eye Lopes as well as Shorty (got her eyes on me) and This Luv. Unfortunately the climate of the industry changed as well as the climate of his personal life. Battling issues of being a priority at his label and the industry shuffle that occurred when Arista split, not to mention the struggles in his personal life, Jones sought comfort in drinking and soon thereafter decided it was time to take some time to focus on Donell. Fast- forward to 2009 and a clear headed, and sober Donell Jones is back. With his own label Candyman Records, he has released a compilation entitled The Lost Files which is a compilation of unheard music and is a precursor for a new release due out in 2010. Donell Jones sits down with AllHipHop.com and tells us why hes exactly where he wants to be now.
AllHipHop.com: Lets start with why you left?
Donell Jones: Basically I kinda left because I was in a situation with Jive Records that I didnt like being in. Actually I was on Arista and then when Aritsa Records folded, they kinda shifted all the artists they had to Jive Records. So we didnt have a choice in the matter, we all kinda got shifted to Jive. I already had a problem at Arista not being promoted. So, going over to Jive it was my last album which was Journey of A Gemini and when we got shifted over to Jive, they already had like the R. Kellys, the Joes so it almost made it even worse. When I got there I was competing against not only the Ushers and the other people at Artista but now I was competing against the people they had at Jive too. So I mean Jive really dropped the ball on that project. For those years I was just really trying to get out of that contract, out of that situation.AllHipHop.com: They didnt just let you out right away?Donell Jones: Nah nah they was tryin to, you know, stick me up for a minute.AllHipHop.com: Right. If they cant make money off of you, nobody can, huh?Donell Jones: (laughs) right, right.AllHipHop.com: So were you still writing for other people?Donell Jones: At that particular time, to be honest with you, I was going through a lot. I was drinking because I was going through problems. So I wasnt in shape to be writing for anybody. I was trying to get myself together, fix myself, you know.AllHipHop.com: What year was this all this going on?Donell Jones: Like the end of 1996.AllHipHop.com: Ok. So basically was it just personal issues or industry stuff that brought about these problems?Donell Jones: Mostly industry but I had some home issues too; you know girlfriend problems and stuff like that.AllHipHop.com: So how long was that process, what was the healing process for you, how did you kinda snap out of that?Donell Jones: Um actually, I had a problem with drinking years before that. So when that happened, I had already been to like a rehab, I did that but when any problems start, I started drinking again. So what made me snap out of it was just the fact that a lot of family and friends was like Yo man, you kinda going back in the wrong direction. So I just stopped. One day I said just said Yo, you know, this is it and I never looked back. Ive been clean and sober ever since.AllHipHop.com: Do you think that prior to all of that, that your drinking has kind of an effect on how the label was handling you? Was it that much of a problem?Donell Jones: Nah, I dont think so. It wasnt an issue outside. It was more internal. Not many people saw me like that. It never really affected my work.AllHipHop.com: So why are you coming back now? What made you decide that now is the time youre ready?Donell Jones: Because to me, Im better than ever. Over the years Ive gotten better as a songwriter, Ive gotten better vocally and Im a better man. Im happy that Im out of those situations now and I work for myself. I think that is the most special thing to me. Ive always wanted to have my own label and do it myself. I really felt like I never really got the push from any of the labels that I was on. To me I feel like I will work extra hard because Im working for myself.AllHipHop.com: So what is your label situation and how did it come about?Donell Jones: Well, I just decided that I wanted to put my own records out. And its not hard. Today, the internet is a big tool and its nothing to put a record out these days.
I did it through Tune core and so far its been great! I put The Lost Files out to kind of gauge and see where Im at. The proceeds from this album will go towards my new album that will be coming out in 2010.AllHipHop.com: Now The Lost Files is it like a best of? Donell Jones: Its stuff that youve never heard. These are songs that Ive recorded from the beginning of my career in 1996 up until about 2004. Its just a lot of songs that, really this is just volume one, because I have a whole bunch of songs that nobody has ever heard. When Im recording, I will usually record a lot of songs in that down time. And when theyd say, its time to make a record, I kinda just push those to the side and start fresh. So, I have a lot of songs that nobody has ever heard because thats my process. I like to start over.AllHipHop.com: Have you been working with other artists over the last couple years?
Donell Jones: Nah, nahAllHipHop.com: Nobody? No collabos on this upcoming project?
Donell Jones: No. No collabos as of yet. I mean, usually, I dont have a lot of features. AllHipHop.com: Whats your favorite track(s) on this album?
Donell Jones: I have two; I love them all to be honest with you. But two of my favorites are Superman and Bad Boy.AllHipHop.com: Why those tracks?Donell Jones: Superman because it was in the beginning of my career and its one of those songs. Its talking about a woman taking advantage of a man, and all she thinks about is his money, and thats all she wants from him. But anytime he needs her, shes never there. Bad Boy was supposed to go on my Journey of a Gemini album. I liked that record because its real guitars in it and I love the story line. Its about a guy who gets caught cheating, and hes trying everything in his power to get his woman back. He acknowledges the fact that hes a bad guy, but hes just trying to do right.AllHipHop.com: So what is your technique when youre recording a song? Personal Experiences? Whats youre process?Donell Jones: Most of my songs are from personal experiences, I hate to say that . but they are.AllHipHop.com: Where I wanna be seems to stay in heavy rotation even today, with that being said, it seems R&B has lost its luster and soul on the mainstream end. Do you agree?
Donell Jones: Thanks, I do agree, I think over the years and with the young guys in the R&B game now, its more like they want to be rappers, you know R&B Thugs now. Where as back in the day it was about love. I guess thats why Ill never change because I grew up on Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Teddy Pendergrass. It was about real soul. You could connect with a person through just hearing their voice, and the emotions of it. To get back to where it was I just think we need to start listening to better music. I know radio has a big role in that because they dont play those types of records. A person like myself, I can play on any station, but because my music is mature I have to be played on adult contemporary stations.AllHipHop.com: In a perfect world, how would the industry be run if it was left up to you?
Donell Jones: I would be fair. A lot of people write and produce their own material, and the record companies get the majority of the money. Its ridiculous how you have some artists that are legends and they are broke, and the record companies are still making money off theses guys. Thats why I feel if you do people wrong, its going to come back to you in the end, and thats whats happening to them [industry] right now.
AllHipHop.com: So tell me about being independent.Donell Jones: I have my label Candyman Music Inc., and I get too pretty much do what I want to do. I can make a song today and put it out tomorrow. With a record company I never had that option. It feels good to be able to work for yourself because I work harder and I know the end result.AllHipHop.com: What can we expect from you in 2010?
Donell Jones: Top of the year we are going to start doing shows. Music and more music. I know all my fans are like Why does it take Donell 3 years to make a record? But my future consists of me putting out an album every year because now I can. I dont have to waiting on anybody its my project.
Donell Jones – “If You Want”
Donell Jones – “U Know What’s Up”
“All For You”
“Dead Serious”