“Secret Lover”
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Lil Flip Ft. Bobby Moon
“Swagger”
Tyrese Ft. Game P###. by Scott Storch
“Poppin” [Snippet]
AHH Stray News: Asher Roth Not Gay, Kay Slay Sued, Common, Hip-Hop High
DJ Vlad, who serves as Executive Vice President of Loud.com/SRC Records has come forward to dismiss rumors about Asher Roths sexuality. Reports surfaced last week that Asher Roth had come out of the closet during an interview about Clay Aiken on the E! Channel, which was also supposed to be airing Roths coming out announcement as well. Asher Roth is not gay, and is not scheduled to be interviewed on the E! Channel. Furthermore, Asher has not been dropped from SRC Records, and is a top priority at the label after having sold over a million copies his “I Love College” single, DJ Vlad said in a statement. Asher is currently working on his next album for SRC.
DJ Kay Slay has been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit in Manhattan Federal Court. The lawsuit was filed by a pair of songwriters named Raymond and Richard Grant. The Grants claim DJ Kay Slay illegally used a sample of their song “Angels Around Me” on his track “Angels Around Me” which featured cameo appearances by 50 Cent and G-Unit. The song was produced by DJ Twinz and is featured on DJ Kay Slays 2004 album The Streetsweeper Vol.2-The Pain From The Game. Also named in the lawsuit is Loud Records and Sony BMG Music.
Rap star Common has teamed with New York based club Giant Step to ring in the New Year in Miami. Common will be the featured artist at this years New Years Eve party in The Florida Room at the Delano. The rapper will be backed by his live band during the intimate performance for the 200 people who manage to grab tickets. Also on the bill is Baltimore native Rye Rye, DJ Mateo DiFontaine and DJ Tommy Ryk.
The Portland Oregon school board has officially approved a new charter high school that will highlight Hip-Hop music and culture. The school board unanimously approved the high school in a 6 to 0 vote paving the way for The High School of Recording Arts Portland to open in 2011. The next 18 months will be spent developing the schools curriculum according to local news reports. The school’s goal is to prepare students for society through education and incorporating hip hop culture. A number of popular local rappers also participated in the development of the curriculum including versatile of the local group Lifesavas as well as hometown favorite rapper Cool Nutz.
Kurupt And Problem
“I’m Burnt”
No Agreement: The Hypocritical Commercialization of Felas Legacy
No Agreement: The Hypocritical Commercialization of
Felas Legacy
No agreement today/
No agreement tomorrow/
Fela Anikulapo Kuti (With Africa 70), No
Agreement, No Agreement, 1977.
Im sorry: It’s not enough to simply
watch Music is the Weapon, or pour through Michael Veals impressive
biography, Fela: The Life And Times Of An
African Musical Icon, or, for the younger ones, bob your heads frantically
to the pulsating polyrhythms of Red Hot +
Riot: The Music and Spirit of Fela Kuti. Nope!
Theres a Fela hysteria sweeping the
nation, captivating minds that ordinarily wouldnt have nothing to do with Afrobeat,
or couldnt tell you what place on the world map Nigeria is located. But this
is the sort of event those of us who not only grew up listening to Fela, but
grew up in the conditions he spoke life and meaning to, saw approaching a
million miles away. We knew the same cast that commercialized Bob Marleys
legacy, and reduced his politically-charged music to mere aestheticism, had
eyes set on an equally great iconFela Anikulapo Kuti.
Hollywood liberal commercialization of
Black culture is nothing new. For as far back as history dates, the relationship
of Blacks with Hollywood has been of co-optation and commodification. Nothing
new here. But Hollywood especially prefers these Black rebellious souls when
dead or too impotent to fight back. Tupac and Muhammad Ali are two succinct
examples. When alive or, in Alis case, alive!,
both were reviled by the White bourgeoisie of Hollywood, portrayed as
miscreants with maniacal motives. Both caught hell for bearing their heart out
and telling the white world what it needed to hear from a people taught to bow
and scrap before their former masters offspring. Both faced the brutal
backlash of a White majority not too fond of indignation from Negroes. But
since deathin Tupacs caseand since retirementin Alis caseboth have been resurrected
as mainstream icons, accepted and appreciated by former presidents, current
presidents, and, as was revealed a couple of weeks back, even
the Vatican.
Its hard to miss why: When alive and in
the prime of their youth, bothin equal measurecould push back hard against
any attempts to be made into caricatures by Hollywoods billion dollar machine.
But, as confirmed with Will Smiths horrendous portrayal of Ali in the 2001 biopic, in due time even
historical facts could be rewritten and rearranged to meet specific agendas.
This should give worry to anyone familiar
with Felas true legacy. Those who were in touch with his music understood
how much a threat he was to General Sani Abachas regime of terror, not only for
his courageous songs of protest but for his growing popularity amongst oppressed
peoples in Nigeriaand beyond. Fela was also a threat because, unlike musicians
before him, he saw the unity of African countries as more important than the
singular independence of those same countries from forces of colonialism. Fela
was a miracle to millions whose freedoms had been truncated to stash the trunks
of dictators and money-worshipping embezzlers. No artist before him had spoken
with such unflinching candor to authority figures whose names immediately
conjured urban legends of mass-executions, mass-graves, and mass kidnappings.
Fela wasnt just some half-naked multi-instrumentalist secluded in a Shrine.
The music was, yes, integral to his
mission; but the message was more important. Fela understood, much like Paulo
Freire did (Pedagogy of the Opressed),
that to help an oppressed people out of their subdued state, the pedagogue, or
musician in Felas case, had to minister to them in ways unlike that which the
oppressor had used to keep them fearful and feckless. Any attempt to reach them
couldnt be didactic or condescending. The agent had to walk amongst the
peoplenot ahead of them. The agent had to speak to the peoplenot over them.
Fela mastered these concepts and, in short time, rose as leader of a revolution
threatening to bring back power to the disenfranchised.
No
agreement now, later, never, and ever/
But Fela also knew more was at stake. He
knew without
the backing of megalomaniac Western companies and governments, most of
those leaders couldnt carry out serial crimes against their own people. When
he toured the U.S. in the late 60s, the militancy of Malcolm X and the Black
Panther Party helped put in perspective many of the ideas he had about liberating
Africa from its oppressors grips. And as he prescribed much later on, the key
to African unity was simple: No Marxism, no Leninism, no CapitalismAfricanism.
This made Fela an even greater threatto Western powers. Fela understood that,
since the advent of colonialism, any African who dared unite Africa faced not
only insurmountable obstacles but also the very real prospect of death. Kwame
Nkrumah was living proof.
Today, rarely are these issues
discussed. What we have, instead, is a fetishization of Felas legacya
hypocritical commercialization that seeks to rebrand that ferocious rebel into
a commodity. Now, you can go to the store or Broadway and purchase a piece of Fela.
It was surprising to read the New York Times review of the hit
Broadway show, FELA! Hardly a progressive or leftist or liberal
establishment, the Times hasnt been
too kind to Fela in the past. More than two decades ago, when Music is the
Weapon was first released, a Times critic,
John Corry, complained
that Fela’s accent may make him unintelligible to American listeners. Strike
one! He went further in disparaging the careless thinking of the romantic
French film makers who let Fela tell lies about the evils of his government:
In 1979, in an extraordinary experiment in democracy, the military government
voluntarily returned the country to civilian rule. A country made up of 250
ethnic groups held elections. The military replaced the civilian government in
December 1983, at the time he was interviewed, Fela was living in a free
society. Strike two! (Never mind that Fela was arrested some 356 times for his
activism.) This great apologist for the evils governments do felt so swell
about his astute knowledge of
Nigerian history that he couldnt help sharing it with the world: Nigeria has
no tradition of concentration camps or pogroms.
Politicians may be bought, but they are not often shot. Thus he
concluded: As a political statement this is not much. The music, however, is
awfully good. Strike three!
Back to my earlier point: The
dance-monkey-dance model is simple when applied to insurgent Black artists:
Dance, but dont expose Western hypocrisy. Dance, but dont make us uncomfortable with your political
monologues. Dance, but dont tell us you can do more than tap-dance and scat
nonsensically. Entertain us, by all means, with your best act. But dont get
all preachy or philosophic.
Fast forward to last month, the Times couldnt
be restrained from gushing and salivating over the pot-smoking,
sax-tooting icon whose charismatic authority can now be consumed by White
liberal eliteswithout the messiness
of incendiary political rhetoric. There is even a parallel constructed between
FELA!, Hair, West Side Story and Bye Bye Birdiefitting. And though the
author is mildly titillated by the political and cultural undertones that are
brought to bear in Felas work, he believes its the music and the movement
that tell us most about the man and his world. Thus his excitement couldnt be
contained since Fela! never stops dancing. And even while paying opportunistic
homage to Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (Felas mother), a worthy emblem of womanhood,
he cautions that the heart, soul and pelvis of Fela! are located most
completely in the phalanx of female dancers (I counted nine, but they feel
legion) who stand in for the 27 women Fela married.
This is the new Felaa trendy, tasty flavor.
A couple of months ago, I stumbled upon
a librarian who felt it necessary to share her love for Fela with me. The
conversation couldnt have been more rewarding until she mentioned that the
allure of his music had more to do with its rhythmic intensitywhich, she
explained, is the perfect treadmill accompanimentthan any other factor. Being
the perfect gentleman, I smiled, walked way, and shook my head in mild
astonishment. Of course worse reasons have been afforded.
The Broadway show, Fela!, is being
directed by renowned choreographer Bill T. Jones. Jones has also been joined
recently by Jay-Z, Will Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith as co-producers. Who
would have thought in a million years that Jay-Z, a staunch
capitalist with a greater
affinity for the Horatio Alger mythology, and Will Smith, a Black actor who
has proven cash rules not just everything around him but often his integrity as
well, would want to align themselves with a revolutionary artist the latchet of
whose shoes in 10 lifetimes they still wouldnt be worthy to unloose? Not unless
this revolutionary has been dampened and extinguished of all political flame!
But Jay-Z and Will Smith arent alone.
The conscious sector of Hip-Hop has found much use for Fela in recent years.
Everyone from Mos Def, to Talib Kweli, to Erykah Badu, to Common, and even
Alicia Keys have either sampled his music or voice on songs. I applaud the
candor and courage of Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Erykah Badu in trying to raise
the consciousness of a dominant, White Hip-Hop audience that might be merely
interested in voyeurism than wrestling with themes of White Supremacy and how
it often works unimpeded in Hip-Hopfans who, as Brother Ali
once put it, feel they are a part of hip-hop, but are listening to and
prefer mostly white MCs. Credit is due. But its one thing to sample; its
radically different to rise to the level of statesmanship Fela remained at from
the late 60s till his death August 2nd 1997. Its not just enough
to scream Free Mumia at concerts, when the prison industrial complex, and the
many corporations without whose help it wouldnt function, are left
unaddressed.
As Fela gains increasing grounds in
Hip-Hop, and producers seem more interested in the horns of his music than the
heart which produced them, what would be the response of those who hope to keep
burning the candle lit by his poetic wisdom and political wit? Should the same
folks who cant even conceive independent thoughts about their Black president
be allowed to contaminate Felas legacy with their arm chair-revolutionary
drivel?
As you read this, biopics are being
prepped to cash in on the recent rise in demand of all-things-Fela. More
than likely there would be factual errors of epic proportions. There would be a
disproportionate obsession with his 27 wives, rather than the philosophies
undergirding such practice, or the tradition it is merely a legatee of. As Beverley
Hills capitalizes on sensationalism in portraying Fela, and refuses to cover
the complex, complicated, conflicted legacy he left behind, would true Fela
fans, worldwide, stand up and remember him in the most fitting way
possiblecarrying on the tradition of critique against imperialism; in whatever
shade or shape it comes? Would we let the Hollywood machine transform Fela
Anikulapo Kuti into a flawless, lifeless, feckless commodity, rather than a
legitimately flawed human being with the will of steel strong enough to make
life a living hell for the VIPs of the world?
Tolu
Olorunda is a cultural critic whose work regularly appears on TheDailyVoice.com
and other online journals. He can be reached at: [email protected].
Monday Fashion Feature: The Biggest Fashion Trends Of 2009 – Hot Or Not?
We recently highlighted major trends of 2009 in the urban market. Now it’s time to focus in on key pieces of the year and vote on whether they have longevity or not.
Cassie
Cassie is rocking one of them above – the romper. This one piece delight is made in all different fabrics and fits, and saves a lot of time for us ladies when it comes to matching up tops and bottoms!
Do you think it will stick around for a while?
The harem or “MC Hammer” pant is a questionable piece, flattering in some cases and not so much in others. This pant comes in various fabrics, lengths and degrees of bagginess.
Oh, the leotard. We saw it go from Rihanna‘s on stage attire to everyday wear. Do you think this trend will continue spreading or disintegrate quickly? It requires lots of confidence, especially when worn without tights like Nicki Minaj did above.
With the rock trend being such a hit this year, it was inevitable that leather would takeover everything from pants to dresses and tops. Leather (or even faux leather) leggings and pants were rocked from the office to the club in many cases this year. Are you sick of seeing this look?
Buffalo plaid…seriously, it has been everywhere this year. Black combined with yellow, pink, teal, purple, blue – you name it. While well known brands were knocking them out, so were stores like Forever 21 and Strawberry under private labels or generic brand names. Lately we’ve been seeing brands flirt with variations on the typical check design.
Is it played out?
After a period of clean denim being in, heavily destructed denim took the stage. Bleached, ripped, distressed – have we had enough of these loud styles? Is it back to clean, crisp denim soon?
Ah, the murse. With fans like Kanye assisting in their popularity, and brands like COOGI creating some dope designs, will more men start carrying them?
Short(er) shorts for men. It may be a runway image you see above, but even urban brands like CAVI and LRG have started slimming their shorts’ fits and cutting them just above the knee. Are the days of drooping, wide shorts over?
Chris Brown
Flashy high top sneakers in bright or shiny metallic colors – will they have to make room for the cleaner more understated kicks?
Let us know your thoughts, and if we missed any other notable fashion pieces of 2009!
Hip-Hop Rumors: T.I.’s Getting Out Today!? Asher Roth Gay? Beanie Sigel’s Not Dead!
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.THE DAILY TWO SENSE
R.I.P. to Brittany Murphy. Terrible, just terrible.
T.I. IS GETTING OUT TODAY!
We got this information yesterday and I just had to give the news section at least a day to confirm it. But, they were unable to get anybody to verify it as factual. With that said, the sources that have offered up this info claim Tip is coming home TODAY. Please remember that I had one source, then DJ Drama twittered about it and now another source says he’ll be home today. Remember where you heard this one and the FLACK I got when I first ran the rumor.
ASHER ROTH GAY?
I know these rumors and can spot a fake on a mile away. This is not to say whether or not Asher Roth is gay or not, but to say there is no way son is coming out this week about it. I’m not sure where this originated. I just saw people saying that it wasn’t true on twitter, as if that meant anything. Anyway, Asher is supposedly going to come out on the E! channel this week. Some people have said these rumors have been around for a while, but all I know is that dude likes girls and college. Oh, yeah – he’s still on SRC.
KANYE TO MARRY AMBER ROSE?
According to hollyscoop.com, Kanye West and Amber Rose are going to be tying the know or jumping the broom. Here is how they are reporting it:
Kanye is reportedly planning on tying the knot with the former stripper sometime next year in the Caribbean. A friend told the Britain’s Daily Star newspaper: “He has really bonded with her since losing his mother and needs another strong woman in his life.” Apparently they’re going to stay in a eight-bedroom villa in the Dominican Republic for the romantic occasion. The friend added, “He’s very serious, otherwise he wouldn’t be spending that much money on her.”
Not sure I believe this one.
HOW IS BEANIE SIGEL DOING?
So, you know last night AHH broke the exclusive news of Beanie Sigel being in a car accident. Yet and still, nobody knows exactly his status. Some have assumed that he is in very bad condition, but the fact is, nobody really knows. What is pretty funny and interesting is a lot of people have assumed that the big homey Jay-Z had something to do with this. I mean, who is to say? I think it is very funny to hear this stuff going on the internet. I will let you know what I hear with regards to Beans. He’s not dead though! Stop that!
YUNG BERG’S CHAIN – THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS GIFT?
My homey Danny Boi hits me up and tells me a rumor that I kinda sorta heard already. Another Yung Berg chain rumor. Honestly, I feel bad for Bergie at this point, but a rumor is a rumor. Royce da 5’9″ reportedly had a party called the “Christmas Break Bash” and there was an interesting object being shared in Detroit. All of the attendees were reportedly passing the chain around “like a trophy.” LOL! Anyway, Royce performed for the people and it was hosted by a chick named Ice who was on “Flavor of Love.”
DAME DASH FOOTAGE?
Remember all that footage of Dame Dash that has been leaked out on the internet? Well, I heard it may be possible that Dame has some other footage that has NOT been released yet. In this alleged footage, it tells a different story about the end of the Roc. I am not sure what this all means, but lets just say…there MAY be some footage that’s not flattering to Jay-Z. Now, I can’t call this one, because it seems to me that Dame has moved on from all that.
Here is some more stuff on Dame.
I am also hearing that Dame Dash was in Jamaica over the weekend at Breezes resort for the Jam Band festival “Caribbean Holidaze,” hosted by rock groups Umphreys McGee and The Disco Biscuits. He along with Currency when down as the guest of one of the host bands, The Disco Biscuits. The Biscuits brought Currency on stage one night and Dash was seen at alot of the shows and talking business with the bass player from the group. He was also very friendly to concert goers taking pictures and hanging out. Marc Brownstein, bassist for the Biscuits, confirmed on his facebook page today that he is working on a project with Dash and also Currency. It would seem that Dame is quietly making some adjustments to his situation and looking for a serious comeback in 2010. By the way, the Disco Biscuits are some sort of alt/ rock/ electronic group.
ILLSEED’S QUICKIES
I am hearing that Akon has found a new artists in Dubai.
I am hearing Def Jam is leaving the Universal building. Uh oh…the REAL rumor is getting closer to coming out.
I am hearing some bad things about E1 aka Koch. Not sure if they are true though.
Along the same lines, I am hearing Omarion’s indie label may be folding up.
There is a new Tiger Woods movie coming out. LOL! Its not the one that Tiger wanted though. This is called “Tiger’s Wood” and it is a parody of his exploits.
SIGNS THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END
Twitter is going to be the death of some people. They just don’t understand it and they are crazy! Shellie Ross is catching HELL all over the internet. And she should. This woman’s son was drowning in their pool and she gets on Twitter and says the following, “Please pray like never before, my 2 yr old fell in the pool.” This is BEFORE died and as he was dying! Now, about 19 minutes after that, the boy was dead. Shortly thereafter, she was on Twitter again, telling everybody the boy was dead. WHAT? Some say she should have been helping her son and others say she was requesting prayer from her followers. I’m not going to judge, I would have been in that water trying to save my kid.
NOKIO – THAT YOU?
I think this was in circulation last week, but I just got the email from Nia. This is Nokio from Dru Hill and he now officially makes Sisqo look manly. Dude, I hope Angie has cut him off for her sake!
NOKIO, WE LOVE YOU!!! BUT…GOT DAMN, HOMEY…LAST DECADE YOU WAS THE MAN HOMEY, WTF HAPPENED TO YOU?
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].
Beanie Sigel In Car Accident
Philadelphia rapper Beanie Sigel was injured in a car accident last night, reps say.
Representatives for Sigel maintain a large tractor trailer truck ran his vehicle off the road. Sigel was not the driver of the car and sustained injuries.
The full breadth of those injuries is unknown, as is the exact location of the accident.
AllHipHop.com will continue to offer developments on Beanie Sigel’s status.
Knockout Nation:Pavlik Wins, Calls Out the Punisher! Mayweather-Pac News, Hatton Return, Dawson, Duran vs. Moore Classic
Knockout Nation Radio Drop
Before we begin, here was my appearance last week on The Boxing Truth radio show discussing the connections between boxing and Hip-Hop, MMA, and my early prediction on Mayweather-Pacquiao.
http://www.directorslive.com/video/2415/Hip-Hop-Nation-and-The-Boxing-Nation
Pavlik TKOs Espino, Accuses Williams of Ducking
In his native Youngstown, middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik (36-1, 32 KOs) made a successful return to the ring on Saturday (December 19) with a 5th round corner stoppage of a fearless Miguel Espino (20-3, 9 KOs).
Espino went straight at Pavlik in the 1st. Both fighters waged war on the inside, trading hard body shots. Pavlik proved stronger, and rocked Espino with a jarring right uppercut. Espino was stunned, but let Pavlik know he was not giving in by trading punches to close out the round. His aggression carried too far, and referee Steve Smoger took a point from Espino for hitting after the bell.
Miguel Espinos will was not enough to suppress Pavliks skill, and the champion started to take over more clearly in the 2nd. They continued trading, and Pavlik as the stronger man and more accurate puncher got the better of it. Another uppercut forced Espino to hold, and Pavlik remained focused on his body attack.
By the 4th, Miguel Espino was taking prodigious punishment. Kelly Pavliks main weapon in this battle, the right uppercut, dropped Espino for a 9 count. The challenger was all heart, and went against better judgment to wage war back in the trenches. That decision sent him to the canvas again, courtesy of 2 right uppercuts. Pavlik nearly ended matters, but Espinos determination kept him upright to close out the round.
Espino had no plan B once his strategy of outworking Pavlik failed. His stubbornness to fight inside gave him another unhealthy does of uppercuts, and he was dropped for a 3rd time off a straight right, left-right uppercut combination. Espino rose quickly, but his corner had seen enough and threw in the towel.
In his post-fight interview, Top Rank CEO Bob Arum and Pavlik both went on the offensive against Paul Williams. The Punishers camp has derided Pavlik as a ducker since pulling out of their December 5 bout for injury, only to reschedule for December 19 with a lesser opponent.
We fought Bernard Hopkins because Paul Williams pulled out of the fight, Pavlik declared. Paul Williams you are not the most feared fighter because you have a guy standing right here in Youngstown, Ohio that wants you.
Arum added the fight can be made for early 2010 if Williams still wants it.
I had a contact signed by Kelly and Paul Williams to fight on December 5th, but Kellys hand didnt allow it to happen, Arum stated. I say to these loudmouth guys with Williams, just intial the contract and well do it first thing next year. Thats all they have to do. And if they dont, let them shut their damn mouths.
All the verbal jousting aside, this fight needs to happen. Both Pavlik and Williams are lacking in the defense department, so well see a fight with both men landing heavy leather on each other. Pavlik is the harder puncher, but can he dent Williams enough to overcome the Punishers non-stop punch output? That would be the crux of the fight. Make it happen!
For those of you who werent interested in plucking down $40 to see this PPV mismatch, check out the last two rounds of the fight below before it gets taken down.
Mayweather-Pacquiao Venue, Sparring Partners/Training
With a little more than 90 days remaining before the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao superfight, business is being finalized quickly in preparation for the January press conference.
After proposals from Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, and New Orleans, AOL Fanhouse is reporting that Las Vegas MGM Grand is the frontrunner to secure the lucrative matchup. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made a strong $25 million push to have the event at the 110,000 seat Dallas Stadium, but Mayweather refused to fight outside of Vegas. Additionally, the casino revenue played large part in the decision, as potential sites like the New Orleans Superdome or the Georgia Dome wouldnt have the betting income.
For better or worse, Las Vegas has had a stranglehold on all the major fights, and its no surprise they would be securing the biggest bout in decades. The unfortunate reality is that while this match sells itself, having it in another location besides Vegas would have done exponential good for the health of the sport.
For those who havent been to the MGM Grands Grand Garden Arena, its moderately sized at 17,157 seating capacity. This fight will sell out in minutes, and most regular fans wont get the chance to see this live. At Dallas Stadium or the Superdome, the place would be filled not only with hardcore fans and celebrities, but with a 110,000 seat capacity many casual fans would get the opportunity to be reintroduced to the sport.
Jerry Jones was acutely aware of this. Reports indicate that his fight proposal included a full week of events preceding the fight, which wouldve been great revenue for the host city and build the electricity for fight night. And New Orleans, with Bourbon Street not far from the Superdome, would have been a constant party.
Las Vegas has paid the cost to be the boss so to speak when it comes to these superfights. But like I said in my radio piece, the real test for boxing will be what happens after Mayweather-Pacquiao.
On the training, GMA TV News has confirmed that Manny Pacquiao will begin his training next month. As reported here previously, Pacquiao was hoping to get in over 8 weeks, since Mayweathers style is completely different from his most recent opponents. Trainer Freddie Roach plans to use that period to study Mayweathers habits and devise a perfect gameplan.
On Mayweathers end, the Michigan native is looking to southpaw Zab Judah to prepare himself for Pacquiaos speed. Mayweather won a unanimous decision over Zab in 2006, a fight noted for Mayweather early round difficulty with Judahs southpaw stance and speed, and Zabs riot-igniting 10th round low blow.
Judah, who won the undisputed welterweight title in 2005, favors Mayweathers chances because of a sharp accuracy with counter-punching. However, the Brooklyn native did not rule Pacquiao possibly outworking Floyd to a close decision.
If Floyd fights the fight that hes supposed to fight, then yeah, it could be an easy night for him. [Mayweather] is hard to hit, Judah explained to GMA TV News. I dont think Pacquiao is going to be able to run in there and throw those kinds of shots that he was hitting [Miguel] Cotto with, with [Oscar] De La Hoya with, [Ricky] Hatton with. Hes not going to hit Floyd with those kinds of shots. Floyds not a hard puncher but Floyds gonna connect. Hes sharp and hes going to be right there. Hes going to connect on him so were gonna find out if Pacquiao is really the truth. If Pacquiao beats Floyd, hey, you gotta take your hats off to him. The only way I see Pacquiao winning is a 12-round split decision.
Judahs a smart choice for Mayweather. Although hes not the complete fighter the Pacman is, both men possess an explosive first step. The Brooklynite will be able to emulate Pacmans quick left hands and get Mayweather used to adjusting his defense for the angles. Where Judah wont be able to help as well is emulating Pacquiaos right hand, which has improved immensely since the Filipinos campaigns at featherweight and 130. Still, Judah did drop Mayweather with a missed knockdown off a right hook counter, so Money may yet get some good work in that area as well.
Picking Judah also leads me to believe Mayweather may forego the shoulder defense in favor of the high guard, which he used to walk down previous southpaw opponents in Judah, Mitchell, and Corley. If true, this will be exciting for viewers, since it does open Mayweather to be hit more, even if hes blocking the punches. The trade off is that it allows Floyd to work the right hand straight down the middle, and coupled with his other weapons like the left jab to the stomach, hes been able to wear out his southpaw foes in spite of taking some leather. See below.
This will be dangerous to do with a puncher like Pacquiao, but would keep the fight in ring center for the majority of the time (advantage Mayweather), and lower Pacquiaos opportunities to drive him to the ropes and work him over if he ran (advantage Pacquiao).
[Looks at calendar] Is it March 13 yet?
Ricky Hatton Thinking of Mid-2010 Return
Former junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton has been taking some well-deserved time off since his May knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao.
In a recent interview with the UKs Mirror, Hatton revealed that he was aiming at a return next year.
Ive not made up my mind for certain but it looks like I will fight again next year. Ive heard a lot of read a lot of speculation about my future and I have to admit there are some great fights out there, Hatton told The Mirrors Steve Bunce. Ive enjoyed my time off from fighting and promoting has been brilliant. People told me that I would get the itch when I was at ringside at my own show and they were right!
The junior welterweight division is now loaded with names like Timothy Bradley, Nate Campbell, Devon Alexander, and Paulie Malignaggi. But if he does return, Hatton is looking for his end-game to be a UK showdown with Amir Khan.
A fight against Amir would be an enormous fight for everybody in the boxing business, but I would have to be one of the promoters, he explained. I know that Amir would take the fight and it is something that I have talked about; its a long way off, but it could happen. Amir has his own promotional company now and that is all that would be needed to make the fight happen.
Id put money on a prime 2005 Hatton to maul Khan to an ugly decision win. But in 2009 Ricky has slowed enough where Khan would likely KO him. Hattons punch resistance hasnt looked strong since the Mayweather loss, and Khan is punching very sharp these days. Hatton should pursue Juan Manuel Marquez for early 2010 (if the lightweight champ will stay above 135), and then look for a Khan cash-out to finish the year.
Chad Dawson Looks to Jean Pascal for June Fight
Even with two recent decisive rematch wins over Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson, light-heavyweight champ Chad Dawsons HBO run has so far not generated the interest many expected.
Dawson promoter Gary Shaw is looking to match his man with WBC titlist Jean Pascal, who is coming off a decision win over Adrian Diaconu.
The reason for the June target date is that Pascal injured himself during the fight and is currently convalescing following shoulder surgery.
After beating Glen Johnson by a wide decision in November, Dawson called out Bernard Hopkins. To date, the Executioner has scoffed at the notion due to Bad Chads limited drawing power. But the Philly legends options are limited due to the 1st knockout of Roy Jones earlier this month. This makes the Dawson fight, or a showdown with Jones conqueror Danny Green, possible options for 2010.
Dawson will be a guest this evening with my good friends over at The Boxing Truth (www.theboxingtruth.com) discussing his upcoming fights, and his desire for a passing the torch bout with Hopkins. Make sure to check it out at 9PM EST.
Streaming .TV shows by Ustream
Other Fight Results
– Edwin Valero (26-0, 26 KOs) won TKO6 over Hector Velazquez (51-14-2, 35 KOs) to retain his WBC lightweight title.
– Sam Peter (33-3, 26 KOs) KO4 over Gabe Brown (18-13-4, 9 KOs) in an 8 round comeback fight.
– Humberto Soto (50-7-2, 32 KOs) UD10 (100-87, all cards) over Jesus Chavez (44-7, 30 KOs)
Throwback Fight of the Week: Roberto Duran vs. Davey Moore (June 16, 1983)
With all the pageantry, colorful personalities, and voluptuous card girls, we sometimes forget that boxing at its core is a glimpse into the savage, animalistic urges for our evolutionary past.
No one epitomizes those atrributes more than Manos de Piedra (Hands of Stone) Roberto Duran, and his unmerciful temperament was on full display in this horrific beating he gave to young WBA champion Davey Moore.
At this time, there were whispers of Duran being washed up at 32 years old. After losing the 1980 rematch in disgrace to Sugar Ray Leonard for quitting, Duran phoned in lackluster performances at junior middleweight against low-level opposition. Calls for retirement grew louder after being schooled by Wilfred Benitez and upset by Kirkland Laing for back to back losses in 1982. But after a sensational KO of Pipino Cuevas in early 83, Duran was given this chance to win Moores WBA title.
With less than 15 fights, Moore was not ready for the beast that was in front of him. Moore was thumbed hard in the right eye in the first round, and over the ensuing rounds the eye would swell grotesquely, cutting off his peripheral vision.
Instead of moving like most Duran opponents, Moore tried to trade punches on the inside. Duran easily slipped the blows, and would drive home wincing hooks to the body and head. Moore was beat all over the ring, and hurt badly several times despite remaining upright.
The last two rounds were difficult to watch and dangerous for bleeding and swollen Moore. Duran added rough fouls to the mix, slashing Moores face with the strings of his gloves (lacing). Duran smashed home a clean right overhand right in the 7th. Moore crashed into the bottom rope, but beat the count. Neither the referee nor his corner stopped it, and Moore took another beating in the 8th and was nearly killed before the towel was finally thrown in.
The win redeemed Duran from his disgrace in the Leonard rematch, and made him the 7th man in history to win world titles in 3 different weight classes.
Duran would go on to face Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns in losing efforts the following year. He would fight on for an astonishing 18 years before retiring in 2001 with a record of 103-16, 70 KOs, and recognition as one of the greatest fighters of all time.
Moore was ruined, but managed to post a decent 6-4 record over his final 10 bouts, one of which being a win over Wilfred Benitez.
Tragedy struck in 1988 when Davey Moore was accidently killed at his home. He was trying to open his garage door, but failed to turn off his car, which rolled backward and crushed him against the door. He was 28 years old, and his final record stands at 18-5-1, 14 KOs.
Full Fight
“8 Mile” Actress Brittany Murphy Dead At 32
Actress Brittany Murphy was pronounced dead this morning after going into cardiac-arrest in her Los Angeles home.
The 32-year-old actress starred as Alex opposite of Eminem in his hit 2002 autobiographical film, 8 Mile.
Murphys husband Simon Monjack placed a call to 911 around 8:00 am PT this morning (December 20).
The actress was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical, where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Brittany Murphy first gained attention on the screen in 1996s movie Clueless, which starred Alicia Silverstone.
Murphy also starred in movies like Sin City and Just Married, in addition to doing extensive voice over work.
Murphy was the voice of the character Luanna Platter on Foxs TV series King of the Hill, as well as Gloria the Penguin from the movie Happy Feet.
She also provided the voice of Karen in Marc Eckos Hip-Hop/graffiti inspired video game, Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure.
Shawty Lo Teams With Falcons To Give Children Bikes
Atlanta rapper Shawty Lo has teamed with Atlanta Falcon’s Defensive End Chauncey Davis to giveaway bikes this holiday season.
Davis Bike For Life initiative encourages young children to remain physically fit and fight obesity through exercise and education.
Shawty Lo will be joined by various Atlanta Falcons players, sponsors of the event and the 92 children who will be the recipients of the bikes, on Tuesday (December 22).
“I’m more than happy to donate bikes for Chauncey Davis’ Bike For Life initiative as a way to help kids stay active and healthy,” Shawty Lo told AllHipHop.com. “As a diabetic myself, I appreciate all of Chauncey’s efforts in the community to promote diabetes awareness. I also understand the importance of educating young people early on and encouraging them to get the proper exercise to maintain a healthy weight.”
The event is even more personal for the rapper, as his mother, father and grandmother suffered from diabetes and had to continuously monitor their weight.
“Anything I can do to help fight this disease, I am more than willing to lend my time and resources,” Shawty Lo said.
The Bike For Life giveaway takes place December 22nd at 2:00pm at the Manuel Maloof Auditorium in Decatur, Georgia.
Lupe Fiasco Cancels Christmas Mixtape
Lupe Fiasco has canceled a mixtape that was slated for a Christmas release via the internet.
The rapper’s mixtape, Friend of the People, was slated to drop on the holiday following the Thanksgiving Day release of Enemy of the State: A Love Story.
The rapper created a frenzy by making the mixtape announcement on Twitter as he did the cancellation.
He said, “Friend of the people is canceled…sorry folks. super busy training right now for SOTS [Summit on the Summit] climb…”
The rapper has been training to physically prepare his body to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, an effort to raise awareness about the need for clean water. Singers Santogold and Kenna are also making the climb.
Lupe Fiasco, an apparent response to fans, said that he would be releasing more music in the new year after the climb.
“DON’T WORRY!!! SO MUCH MUSIC COMING IN 2010. JUST GET READY…,” he said.
Slip-N-Slide Hosts Annual Toy Giveaway
Florida based record label Slip-N-Slide Records is making the holidays a joyous occasion for inner city youth as it joins forces with the Ted Lucas Foundation for the 2009 Santas Christmas toy giveaway and season of giving celebration.
The event took place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. today (December 19) at Buccaneer Park at 3100 NW 207th Street in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The Santas Christmas toy giveaway and season of giving celebration is one of many endeavors involving the TLF Foundation.
The nonprofit organization, founded by Slip-N-Slide president and CEO Ted R Lucas, is dedicated towards helping boys and girls in Miami’s inner cities improve their reading, writing and mathematical skills while preparing them to become productive members of society.
The toy giveaway and celebration comes as Slip-N-Slide prepares to release the latest album from the hitmaking R&B quartet Jagged Edge.
The group, which was previously affiliated with So-So Def Records, is enjoying the success of its latest single, Tip of My Tongue.
The Trina and Gucci Mane assisted tune is the first single from Jagged Edges forthcoming album, The Remedy, which is slated to be released in 2010.
UPDATE: Lil Wayne Avoids Charges, Reschedules Show
Lil Wayne will not face drug charges related to a raid of the rappers tour bus yesterday (December 18) in Falfurrias, Texas.
The rapper and 11 members of his entourage were detained yesterday by United States Border Patrol, after drug sniffing dogs caught the scent of marijuana on two tour buses.
A search of the vehicles turned up an undisclosed amount of the drug. A lawyer for the rapper told TMZ.com that several members in the group were given citations, although Lil Wayne was not one of them.
The detainment caused Lil Wayne to miss a scheduled performance at The Laredo Entertainment Center last night, although the show has been rescheduled to take place tonight (December 19).
Lil Wayne is slated to begin a year-long prison sentence in February after pleading guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon, after a police officer found a .40 caliber pistol on the rappers tour bus in New York in 2007.
Above The Law’s Cold 187um: From Ruthless to Redemption
In the late 80s and early 90s, Ruthless Records was a premier label for Hip-Hop, especially on the West Coast. With the emergence of Eazy-E, and N.W.A., the label produced the rawest form of Hip-Hop ever presented at that time.
Instrumental in that movement was Above The Law, on of the groups on the iconic label. Consisting of Cold 187um, K.M.G., Go Mack, and Total K-Oss, the group was a self-contained unit of lyrics, production, and DJ’ing. Cold 187um was one lyricist as well as the main producer behind the group’s funk-laced sound. Even though Dr. Dre received most of the production credit for their first LP, Livin’ Like Hustlers, 187 says the group laid the foundation to what has become a string of Platinum, and Gold status albums.
Although Cold 187um reached a level in the industry that most of us only dream about, he was convicted in 2004 of conspiring to traffic 100 pounds of marijuana and served 105 weeks in a federal institution.
The time spent in prison did not sour 187’s view on the world of music he flourished in. He does however have a story to tell from his perspective. Now, the South Central don has a fresh start on life, and new insight on the trends in music. Cold 187um took time out to discuss his views on the current state of Hip-Hop as well as his views on the legendary Dr. Dre.
AllHipHop.com: Do you feel like the that artistry has disappeared from rap while you were in jail?
Cold 187um: One thing that’s missing in Hip-Hop is people putting themselves out there. Everybody bases it on the statistics or the masses, or the latest instead of saying, “This is how I feel about it.” I think as an artist, I can paint the picture and still entertain. Everybody can’t do that. It’s because of what I’ve been through in my life, being a hustler, and getting into the music industry, falling, and getting back up that I have something to say. Also being a veteran as well. I have a lot to say from my point of view because I saw a lot.
AllHipHop.com: Where do you think that disconnect came with old and new school?
Cold 187um: What happens with a lot of G-cats is that they’ll say, “Young people don’t have nothing to say.” They do, but they just don’t know how to do it because they’re young. Instead of them looking at us and embracing us, we have to start talking to each other in order to be a bigger and better industry. For me, I try to talk to people instead of at people. I’m not a teacher, I’m not a preacher, I’m a hustler, and I’ve been through some stuff from a real side of life. I want to tell people something that will help them. I think it’s very important to put yourself on the record, as yourself, if you’ve been through something. If you’re a fake mother f***er that’s looking outside the s**t, you shouldn’t talk about it.
AllHipHop.com: So what in your opinion is the major problem in Hip-Hop?
Cold 187um: Some of it to me is surface level. A lot of it is about the tennis shoes, the chain, the car, the b***h with the big booty. A lot of it has a little substance, but it started becoming just about that. It didn’t have a balance. Hip-Hop has always been about bling, girls, and shining. It’s just that in the beginning, you had diversity. You had people talking about bling, other people talking about political s**t, certain people talking gangster s**t, and a certain amount talking the abstract s**t. The beautiful part of Hip-Hop is that we’re the only form of music that can have one form and have all these types of styles in it. It doesn’t turn into something else. That was the beautiful part about the industry that was built. When I looked at what cats were doing, I found the problem. It’s not it’s bad, it’s just that only one aspect. It’s not like in the 80s you could go from De La Soul to N.W.A.
Above The Law – “Murder Rap”
AllHipHop.com: Livin’ Like Hustlers was easily one of the best, well put together, albums on Ruthless Records. That album took you through a journey.
Cold 187um: We were one of the first groups that got banned talking from a real perspective. We were the ones who got banned for saying some real s**t to youngsters.
AllHipHop.com: Switching gears to the production, many don’t know that you were instrumental in the production of that album. Even though Dr. Dre is listed as the producer, what was your contribution?
Cold 187um: I brought Livin’ Like Hustlers to Ruthless Records done. The whole blueprint to Livin’ Like Hustlers was done. I had 75 percent of that record done. All me and Dre did was reproduced it because it was done on eight and sixteen track on the demo. We went and took every sample that I used, every groove that I used, and re-cut everything. To me, Dre was more of an engineer on that aspect of the album. Now there were songs that we produced together were like “Freedom of Speech,” “The Last Song,” “Kickin’ Lyrics,” and I think “Another Execution.” Everything else was done. I learned a lot about making Hip-Hop records from Dre. The thing about it was people don’t know that because I allowed myself to learn at that level. The theory, the production, the creation; I was just as much a part of it as Dre was. Dre didn’t hold my hand. Above The Law’s concept and the things we rapped about was already done.
“Dre did take, and was influenced by the things that I was doing at
Ruthless Records. I don’t care what nobody says. Even he would tell
you. That’s why he took me under his wing.”-Cold 187um
AllHipHop.com: Do you think that hurt you in hindsight to allow Dre to take the credit for it?
Cold 187um: Definitely. It’s a bittersweet thing. It’s just like saying if you become and understudy or and intern for somebody and it blows up. Then that person wins from it, but you’re in the game now. So yeah it hurt me, but it helped me a lot. It enabled me to have the great knowledge that I have now about making records. It was free, I didn’t have to go to college for it. I’m Dr. Dre’s understudy, but I don’t get the credit. People don’t know that when It comes to doing all [the production] I’m sharp as he is. I was taught by him, how to make records.
AllHipHop.com: You coined yourself “The originator of the G-Funk style” and you guys were doing that type of production right after Dre left Ruthless.
Cold 187um: You gotta realize that Black Mafia Life was cut before The Chronic. Black Mafia Life was cut when N***az For Life (Efil4zaggin)was cut. There’s no conception of The Chronic during this era. The thing that happened was we were in a transition leaving Sony to go to Warner Brothers. The Chronic came out [in stores] before Black Mafia Life. But it was done, when N***az for Life was wrapped. When you run them next to each other, The Chronic is more of Hip-Hop funky album. Black Mafia Life is a funk album. It’s a straight gooney, ill, dark, grim, parliament meets Isaac Hayes meets Willie Hutch meets the Isley Brothers meets Above The Law.
AllHipHop.com: So what does that say about Dre and his claim on the G-Funk style?
Cold 187um: Dre did take, and was influenced by the things that I was doing at Ruthless Records. I don’t care what nobody says. Even he would tell you. That’s why he took me under his wing. It was taken from me, used, and it was ran with. I benefited none from it. I ended up being the guy in the middle of the room trying to convince everybody that I’m the guy that put it into place.
AllHipHop.com: A lot of producers were saying that Dre does take talented producer’s ideas at times.
Cold 187um: The whole thing about it is that I’m a real musician. To me it is about giving. I didn’t have a problem with him trying things that I did or any of that. Here’s my problem. When you don’t get on TV and say ” I was influenced by this person or that person.” I don’t like when you don’t pay homage to the guys that you get it from. That’s what I don’t like. I love Dre. I don’t have no problems with Dre. He’s talented, he’s not wack, he’s not a sucker or any of that s**t. My whole point is give me mines homey. I respect what you do, and what you did for me. Dre helped me dog. I don’t like what he does as far as West Coast Hip-Hop is concerned. I don’t like how he turned his cheek and went the other way. But, I can’t say nothing about him as a producer and what he’s able to do.
“The thing when you talk about the West Coast is that we don’t have that pride no more. I do, but us as an industry don’t. I’m not going to sugar coat it for the West. It’s like when anything gets bad everybody goes for themselves.”
-Cold 187um
AllHipHop.com: So, you feel Dre turned his back on the West?
Cold 187um: I know where we all come from so I can say that. You’re not [helping people out] so to me you’re not doing enough. That doesn’t make you wack or nothing, that’s just the decision and the position that you want to play in the game you’re in. Cool! It makes you more so look like you’re a person that will leave the ghetto but when the ghetto needs help, you won’t go build a community center for the kids. It’s not the time for us to be like that.
AllHipHop.com: What’s your impression of West Coast Hip-Hop now?
Cold 187um: I think the West Coast Hip-Hop is suffering because we don’t have a support system. The saddest thing I realized when I got home was the “West Side Wednesday” on a West Side radio station. When I was down South they played Southern music all day, and then had like a West Coast hour. I respect that. I come home and I should hear West Coast all day. That’s how it should be. I think because of that, a lot of us aren’t inspired to do us anymore. A lot of us end up wondering and second guessing ourselves. We end up acting like something that we’re not. Game is great and Snoop is phenomenal. I hear people disrespect artists where we come from for no reason.
Above The Law – “Black Superman”
AllHipHop.com: Yeah, when I was coming up, we loved West Coast Hip-Hop. We would learn about L.A. life without actually having to go there.
Cold 187um: That’s the beauty of Hip-Hop. How you gonna tell me to switch it up when all the other places are being like themselves? Hip-Hop is about moving people in other places but how you do it where you’re from. It’s about being relevant everywhere else, but you’re doing it how you do it. It’s no fun if you come to L.A. and hang out with me and hear the same thing you’ve been hearing in New York.
AllHipHop.com: How influential was Eazy-E’s death to the decline of the West Coast?
Cold 187um: You gotta realize, Eazy had a real love for the music. But he wasn’t a music person, he was a business man. You can tell a person like Dre loves the money, because he’ll jump on whatever is happening. Eazy found groups like Above The Law, Bone Thugs N Harmony, a few of the Black Eyed Peas. He signed a lot of people based on how he felt about what they were doing. When you lose that, hell yeah, it was a nose dive. Death Row was at it’s point going down. When Dre moved on and did Aftermath, he really didn’t have any concern. There’s a reason why East Coast rap still has an industry. When Russell Simmons was at that breaking point, Puffy emerged, then Rocafella came, then Murder Inc. A lot of those guys cared about East Coast music. [The West Coast] had two conglomerates. One dismantled [Ruthless Records] and one got taken over by somebody’s wife [Eazy-E’s wife] and it was never seen again.
AllHipHop.com: Yeah but that was when they had ownership over the music right?
Cold 187um: The thing when you talk about the West Coast is that we don’t have that pride no more. I do, but us as an industry don’t. When Rap-A-Lot was at it’s height, a lot of other labels came out of the South through the emergence of them. Nobody out here on the West Coast protected the legacy of a Eazy-E, Ice-T, N.W.A. There’s a few of us who try to preserve it. I’m not going to sugar coat it for the West. It’s like when anything gets bad everybody goes for themselves. You can’t give your record to a DJ out here and him just support it because you’re from the West. You got to have Akon, T-Pain, or these type artists on it in order for them to say it means something. But guess what, they ain’t from Compton, Long Beach, or Los Angeles.
AllHipHop.com: Do you think the West coast music is coming back around though?
Cold 187um: Life is full circle. Other people will come back and bring that real along. There has to be a cause and effect. It has to be put out there with truth in it. Some people have to get real about what they stand for.
AllHipHop.com: When you say truth in it, do you think that’s lost in the music?
Cold 187um: As Hip-Hop artists are we just allowing people to believe our bulls**t? I’m a ex-con. I’m not proud of it. Those were the worst times of my f***ing life. I don’t get up there and brag about being a tough guy, when all I did was hurt everyday and miss my family. I was a angry motherf***er everyday. That’s not fly. But understand one thing; if your Mom is on crack, the block is one solution, it’s not the solution. People get on TV and advertise about the block and how tough they are and ain’t never did a day in the streets. Stop lyin’ and tell then your raps are just like Scarface the movie. Tell em’ you’re talking about somebody else’s life. Drug dealing ain’t fly. I’ve been in fights, shoot outs, and been indicted. Shining was good. I liked throwing five or ten stacks on the table for some nice hot jewels. But, sitting in that box for it, I hated it. That’s a part of it. So if you’re looking to get into it because the rapper is doing it, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. We need to always be real. But we also have a duty to stand up and tell why conditions are like that.
Lil Wayne, Entourage Detained in Texas for Marijuana Possession
Lil Wayne has been detained since earlier this evening after Texas border patrol agents discovered traces of marijuana on his tour buses.
Waynes group was stopped in Falfurrias, 100 miles from the Mexican border, as part of a routine stop done by border patrols.
Outside the two buses, a patrol K-9 picked up the marijuana smell, prompting the agents to search the vehicles.
The search yielded an undisclosed amount of marijuana on both buses, and Lil Wayne along with 11 members of his entourage were taken into custody.
The superstar was on his way to Laredo for a concert at the Laredo Entertainment Center.
That event has now been postponed.
At press time Lil Wayne and his party remain detained at an undisclosed Border Patrol checkpoint, but has not been arrested and charged with any crimes.
AllHipHop.com will post more information as it becomes available.
UPDATE
Lil Wayne and his entourage have been released, according to Border Patrol Agent Joe Trevino.
An investigation is now open, and will be handled by the Brook’s County Sheriff’s Office.
Wayne and Cash Money Records have not released any statements at press time.
Jus Dizle: Paris’ Champion DJ
Just Dizle, aka Le Champion, is one of the most sought after DJ’s hailing out of France. I had the pleasure of witnessing this first-hand as the spin doctor manned the wheels of steel at a recent party for industry staple Patty Laurent. With a crowd of insiders and celebrities, the self proclaimed outsider rocked the crowd like it was as unground sweat box in his native Paris.
Rocking parties is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Just Dizle’s domination strategy includes spreading his brand across the world to go along with his strength in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Holland, Norway, the UK, Canada and the States. He’s been on BETs Rap City and also hosts a daily show on AllHipHop Radio.
He’s a gladiator for Hip-Hop that does not believe in taking prisoners. AllHipHop.com: Tell me about the state of Hip-Hop in France and specifically Paris.Just Dizle: Man, Hip-Hop here is extremely big, the movement is really on and popping over here, from the artists, the clubs, the dance scene, even American Hip-Hop acts stay here every week, Paris is the second marker [for Hip-Hop] after the USA -as a city not a country just to tell you how big it is.AllHipHop.com: What is the state of the DJ in your opinion?Just Dizle: It’s bad real bad -Michael Jackson [laughs]…I miss the days where the DJ’s were really digging, mixing, blending, cutting, like you would go to the club or listen to the radio just to escape, discover new music, rediscover old music, I mean the DJ’s would take you to a journey, now DJ’s are cyborgs or human ipods – no disrespect – but shouts out to the real…AllHipHop.com: How would you characterize yourself as a DJ?Just Dizle: I’m all about good music, I don’t have restriction of genres, era etc…I’m always attracted to the risk, I like to try new things, man…”I love you, music, I want everybody to know it. Once I touch the turntables, just to know that somewhere somebody will forget his problem just by listening to one of mixes keeps me going.AllHipHop.com: How were you as a child and what got you interested in Hip-Hop?Just Dizle: I was surrounded by music, playing several instruments, almost my whole family was into music, musicians, singers and all that, my dad got me interested in Hip-Hop. I mean i couldn’t escape, from the music videos, to basketball, it was everywhere I became the music carrier in my school.AllHipHop.com: Who did you admire growing up?Just Dizle: DJ Premier, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Grandmaster Flash, Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson and Wolverine (super hero)…. I know… [Laughs]AllHipHop.com: People also may realize that you spin for AllHipHop Radio too. How has internet Radio helped further your career?Just Dizle: It gave me a big push, ’cause I’ve always been into technology, it helped me reach a bigger audience, the internet is so powerful. I could be deejaying live from a club in Paris and share the link, then a promoter from New York would be watching live and book me for a gig in the big apple, that’s one example amongst many.
AllHipHop.com: How does the internet compare to the many TV, radio and live appearances that you’ve made?Just Dizle: The biggest difference to me is that I have more control over the internet and less limitations than TV, radio and live appearancesAllHipHop.com: Where does the DJ fit into Hip-Hop now?Just Dizle: I almost feel like the DJ doesn’t fit nowhere, look at all the performances on TV for example, the DJ is in the background doing nothing. Just pressing play, no cuts no juggle, no nothing, just screaming, I’d rather see a performance without a DJ than that. That’s sad. DJs need to collaborate with artists like they used to and vice versa. I noticed in the States, DJ’s are even forced to play some records. I mean, they cant even break records anymore? But I keep on grinding, because I know its a lot of DJ’s out there that still have they same motivation and passion that i have, and real soon, the horoscope will be really bad for the ones disrespectful to the culture.AllHipHop.com: Can you speak on some of the mixtape things you have going on?Just Dizle: Man, I don’t even know where to start, I just finished two mixtapes with two big french artists, I’m about to release a series of mixtapes in the states called “Style De Vie”, watch out for those series, you will never know where I’m gonna take you, also everyweek i feed the streets with tons of mixes on my podcast, http://tinyurl.com/justdizlepodcast spread the word.AllHipHop.com: You have been to the U.S. a lot. How have the rappers and DJ’s in the States treated you?Just Dizle: They treat me really good…mostly, the DJ’s are skeptic of course, because they are really not aware of what’s going on outside of the States, so its gift and a curse. More a gift though, because I have no limitations, I’m outside looking in, so my vision and approach is different, most of the times they are surprised.AllHipHop.com: Has anybody thrown you shade or dissed you for being from Paris?Just Dizle: Yes, at APT four years. I had breads, a white Tshirt on, and blue jeans, this guy had the nerve to tell me, I’m “trying to be too American, I should just stick to skinny jeans, frogs and french fries.” He had a Girbaud shirt (French designer) on with Adidas sneakers…with french brands by the way. Of course I had to let him know, he got emotional and left.AllHipHop.com: Give you Top 5 DJ’s of all time.Just Dizle: In no particular order, DJ PremierDJ Jazzy JeffDee NastyDJ CrazeDJ PoneAllHipHop.com: Give us your Top 5 Keys to rocking a party.Just Dizle: Here they are:- Read the crowd
– Please the crowd then take them wherever you want to (almost treat them like women)- Be versatile, surprise the crowd- Don’t over talk or over-scratch, let the music play – Play the right songs at the right timeAllHipHop.com: Give us 5 Paris or French artists Americans should look out for.Just Dizle: In no order:James IzmadDJ Baba FlexDJ Lord IssaBoobaSexion D’assautAllHipHop.com: Who are the Top 5 American Hip-Hip acts in Paris?
Just Dizle: Again, in no order:
Jay-ZJ-Dilla (R.i.P)Lil WayneNasPrimoAllHipHop.com: Where can people find you online?Just Dizle: People can find me on my podcast: http://tinyurl.com/justdizlepodcast or on Twitter http://twitter.com/justdizle. They can also catch me on Facebook: Just Dizle and last but not least on AllHipHop Radio where I have a show, everyday of the week at 2PM called G.U.R.T MuzikAllHipHop.com: Anything else?Just Dizle: Keep doing everything you do for Hip-Hop, keep the culture alive, let’s make our pionneers proud, let’s keep this movement going forward, that’s all we got, shouts out to Lynden,Vito, Patty, Kiz, Fanny, Issa, BBG and off course the whole AllHipHop.com team.AllHipHop.com: Thank you, sir.
Willie D. Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud; Sentencing In April
Houston rap legend and former Geto Boys member Willie D. appeared in a Houston court today (December 18), where he formally pleaded guilty to wire fraud related to a fake company, Texas One Wireless.
Willie D., born William Dennis pleaded guilty to the charge, which stemmed from an international scam the rapper was running on customers who were attempting to buy iPhones and other electronics on eBay.
The rapper scammed over 29 people out of $132,000. The victims ordered the phones in bulk, made payments and then received phony tracking numbers.
Willie D. was taken into custody by federal agents in May of 2009 in the Bush/Intercontinental Airport.
He was eventually freed on bond and in July, he pleaded not guilty to 15 counts of wire fraud.
Willie D., 42, will be sentenced to prison on April 23. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Zaytoven Working With Jamie Foxx, Fantasia; Gucci Mane Update
Producer Zaytoven has revealed details surrounding a number of new projects with Jamie Foxx, Plies and Fantasia.
Zaytovens production can be heard on hit songs for Usher (Papers), Gucci Mane (So Icey), Soulja Boy (Eazy), Yo Gotti (Aw Mann), and others.
In 2010, he will work with a diverse group of new artists, while focusing his attention on crafting tracks for Young Jeezys upcoming mixtapes and album.
Im working with Jamie Foxx and Fantasia, those are both good looks for me, Zaytoven told AllHipHop.com. “Right now Im working with almost everyone. As far as rappers I did a lot of work with Jeezy, I did a lot on Plies new album, and Big Bank Black video should be on 106 & Park in the next few days.”
The producer, born Xavier Dotson, also revealed that the Trap or Die II remix featuring Gucci Mane is official, despite it being leaked late last month.
It was a song I did with Jeezy Gucci and Jeezy ended up seeing each other and squashed the beef and thats when Gucci went in and put a verse over it for Trap or Die II, Zaytoven said of the track.
Gucci Mane was sentenced to a year in prison for violating the terms of his previous probation.
The rapper was incarcerated when his album The State Vs. Radric Davis dropped, on December 8.
Despite his incarceration, the album is currently the #1 Rap/Hip-Hop album in the country, moving over 89,000 units the first week out, with no promotion from Gucci Mane.
Gucci been locked up a lot of times since weve been doing this music. Every time he calls me, he talks to me like hes still out, Zaytoven told AllHipHop.com. He talks to me about what he wrote. Hes always in good spirits man. Its funny because every time hes in, he calls me like every other day, and he always has a lot of content, but when he gets out, he just starts from scratch, I guess its just a feeling, but he goes to a whole another song.”
Zaytoven has been working in the music industry for over a decade.
He was introduced to studio production by Hip-Hop legend JT the Bigga Figga, when he lived in the Bay Area.