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Lil Wayne’s Manager Explains Third Concert Cancellation

While Lil’ Wayne fans in Rochester, New York may not be getting the show they expected at the Blue Cross Arena tonight (January 21), the superstar promises he will make it up to them with a bigger and better show this spring.

 

His manager Cortez Bryant told AllHipHop.com exclusively that a stop in Rochester is being added to the third leg of the I Am Music Tour, which is being routed right now.

 

Rochester-area newspapers reported that tonight’s show, a make up for two previously cancelled appearances, had been cancelled at the last minute, with no explanation offered to the event’s promoters, RMF Production, or the venue.

 

According to Bryant, the decision to cancel the Rochester show, which was scheduled between stops on the I Am Music Tour, was a difficult, but necessary one.

 

“Now that Wayne’s doing these bigger shows, he wants to make sure that all of his fans are getting the same experience,” Bryant told AllHipHop.com. “It would have been too difficult to travel with the entire band, then turn around and head to Calgary the next day. We didn’t want the Rochester fans to get any less of a show because of logistics. We wanted to deliver the same caliber show we’ve delivered along the tour.”

 

The current leg of the I Am Music Tour will close out this week in Canada, with shows in Calgary, Alberta on Thursday (January 22) and Vancouver, British Columbia on Saturday (January 24).

 

Bryant said Wayne and his staff are currently working out the specifics for a third leg of the successful tour, featuring T-Pain, Keyshia Cole, Gorilla Zoe, Keri Hilson and the Gym Class Heroes.

 

The third leg of the tour will start in approximately three weeks and run through March. As for the fans who do not want to wait until March, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has negotiated a prompt refund for ticket holders. office in December.

 

“Fans who spent their hard-earned money for tickets deserve a prompt refund and my office will continue working to protect their interest,” Cuomo told the North Country Gazette.

 

Those seeking a refund can request one in person at the Blue Cross Arena Box Office during regular business hours, with their original tickets in hand.

 

Ticketmaster customers must obtain their refund directly from Ticketmaster by calling (585) 232-1900 .

 

The deadline for refund requests is February 6.

Bow Wow: No Fakin’ Jax

Last year the Internet was buzzing around Bow Wow as working

video vixens voiced their discontent with him unapologetically and embellished

rumors spoke of fatherhood with a certain retired “brain” aficionado. As

friendly banter via YouTube between he and his friend “Chuck” made headlines in

urban entertainment, so did the embarrassing defeat of losing the subsequent Madden

challenge.  Since reconciling his

friendship with his big brother, Jermaine Dupri, the hitmakers have made

efforts to not repeat the same mistakes Nino Brown & Gee Money did in the

movie New Jack City.

 

This year is about glory as the self proclaimed “Mr. ’09”

prepares to set the tone of his seventh album, New Jack City Part 2.  Releasing

freestyles on YouTube and a mixtape with DJ Infamous called Half Man Half Dog Vol. 1 were daring

efforts to put his lyrical skills out on the table, which pleasantly grasped

the attention of doubting Hip-Hop fans. 

 

On his first official single, “You Can Get It All,” Bow Wow

cleverly samples TLC’s 1992 classic “Baby Baby Baby” while “Rock The Mic,” is a

bass-heavy track where JD and Bow Wow discuss their friendship in a ”Stuntin’

Like My Daddy” type of style. 

Slated for a March 31st release date, New Jack City Part 2 has been promised to be the album to

transition doubting fans into believers. 

As he begins his break out year in full gear, Bow Wow expounds on why he

will not apologize for being a grown man. 

 

 

AllHipHop.com:  You’re going on seven albums deep in

your career right now and Hip-Hop has literally watched you grow.  Are you finding it harder to garner

respect from older people in the industry and older fans?

 

Bow Wow:  Not now.  I think the reason why not now is because of the material

I’m putting out.  I think now they

are seeing a different Bow Wow as opposed to what they’ve been seeing.   There’s a freestyle that ya’ll

put up on AllHipHop.com called “Crooked.” I think as long as I keep coming with

hot material like that, they don’t have anything else to do but to respect the

music and to respect me because the one thing they can’t knock is good

music. 

Bow Wow /f Yung Joc “Big Girls” Video

AllHipHop.com:  I don’t know if you seen the rumor

section lately, but Illseed posted up –  

 

Bow Wow:  He’s wrong!  That’s my song!  I’m mad at

Illseed, but that’s my dude though! 

[laughs]  He’s always posting

up all of my stuff, but actually “Big Girls”– that record was so

old.  That was my

song—actually Young World Music, the same people who produced Swizz Beatz

“Money In The Bank,” produced “Big Girls.”  The song was supposed to be for my album until I redid the entire

album.  I ended up doing a viral

video for [“Big Girls”], which is the one that y’all see with the big girls and

all of that.  So no, I’m not the

swagger jacker.   I like Mike

Epps’ version and it’s funny… That’s what Hip-Hop is for.  If it’s hot, you jack it, you jump on

it.  It’s no different than what I

do with my YouTubes in the Internet world, so it’s all good.      

AllHipHop.com:  Speaking of the Internet world, at

one point last year Dollicia and Rita were going at you when they appeared on

Lip Service that could be seen on a YouTube video.

 

Bow Wow: You’re

talking about Rita G.?

 

AllHipHop.com: Yes.  Where did all of this beef stem from?

 

Bow Wow:  Honestly, I don’t talk about people

that don’t really deserve to be mentioned.  Nobody even knows who she is, so therefore I’m not going to

shine no light on her.  Nobody

knows who Rita G. is, so there’s no need to talk about her.  It’s not even a beef or anything, I

just don’t know her.  I never met

her so it’s kind of like I don’t even talk about people that I don’t know, nor

do I shed light on people that…

 

AllHipHop.com:  So she was talking about you and you

never even met her?

 

Bow Wow:  I never even met her, no.  Dollicia, yes.  Rita G., no. I never met her and I’m

not even going to talk about her. 

I don’t even know her.

 

AllHipHop.com:  Well, everyone knows this

person—Karrine “Superhead” Steffans.  For a while the Internet was buzzing about you having a link

with her. Would you like to speak on the rumor?

 

Bow Wow:  It was just a

rumor.  When I heard it I

laughed.  Everybody was calling me

from my mom to all my homeboys. 

The thing is I don’t play about kids. I grew up without my father.  If I had a kid—that’s something I

don’t even play with—I definitely would be there and I definitely

wouldn’t lie to ya’ll and say, “I don’t have one.”  I’d be the first person to tell the world I got a kid, I

would be thrilled! 

 Marco Polo Feat Soulja Boy –

AllHipHop.com:  When these things happen to you,

what goes through your mind after a while?

 

Bow Wow:  At the end of the day it is all

some type of entertainment and everybody has to be entertained.  I get a kick out of it just like the

bloggers and the people at work who are at their cubicle or their desk… I’m

used to just about everything, there’s nothing that nobody can say to me or do

to me that could really just break me down.  I’ve always just been that type of person.  I’ve seen it all, I’ve been through it

all, and that’s really my whole take about rumors and the things said about me.

 

AllHipHop.com:  Sometimes people like to paint a

picture about you especially with you allegedly running around with vixens and

rumors saying you spat on Chris Brown during your tour.  Do people come at you a certain way in

the industry where they don’t want to mess with you like that because they

think you’re emotional?

 

Bow Wow:  Never, it’s always the press that’s

doing it. I’m respected by everybody in Hip-Hop.  You name it, I could pick up the phone and call any of my

big homies and they’ll get on a song for me and do anything for me.   People know me.  Like I said my work speaks for

itself.  I’m turning 22 in March,

by the way… 

I’m a young dude and I’m winning and I’m doing it. I was on Entourage smashing a chick.  That’s every young 22 year old’s dream

to be on Entourage and doing those

types of things.  When people look

at it, it’s never that because they know my character.  They know that’s not how I get down.  Everybody knows I did a record with

Chris and I toured with Chris. 

That’s my dude!   I

would never do something like that, so when people say those things they

automatically don’t believe it. 

They call me first and say, “I know you didn’t.” instead of, “Why did

you do it?” because they know it’s not true.  Everybody knows it’s not true.  Anything crazy that comes up like that is all the way not

true.  

 

 

AllHipHop.com:  Have you seen a change in your fan

base?

 

Bow Wow:  I have now.  [It’s] more guys. 

 

AllHipHop.com:  What about the ladies?

 

Bow Wow:  They’re going to be there.  The reason why I said that is because

they know at the end of the day I’m always going to shed light to them no

matter what.  What I mean by that

is always making records for girls. 

I love ladies, what guy doesn’t? 

I’m going to always cater to them but now it’s different.  It’s really all due to my freestyles

and my YouTubes.   I think if

I never started my YouTube I never would have connected with another fan base…  A couple of years ago it wasn’t like

that.  Whatever I did the dudes

didn’t like it.

 

AllHipHop.com:  Earlier you mentioned your

appearance on Entourage and that

infamous scene that you did.  How

vulnerable did you feel because you both were naked.

 

Bow Wow:  Yeah! [laughs] She was totally

naked.  [Jenaveve Jolie] was a p###

star.  Actually I had on some type

of boxers but it didn’t look like it though because they actually had them made

to where they matched my skin, but she was completely nude.  Did I want to be nude, of course.  Why not?   I didn’t even know I actually had a sex scene until

that day.  My agents didn’t tell

me, nobody told me anything, so I was just kind of stuck out there.  So when they told me I was like, “What?!”  I went ahead and did it… I didn’t

understand why it was a big deal… This was the first time people seen me in

another light.

 

AllHipHop.com:  But it’s you! We first saw you

almost 10 years ago right under Snoop Dogg.  Here you are now with tattoos and you’re smashing a p###

star.  That’s not what we are used

to seeing, but these must be steps to make people accept you as a man now. 

 

Bow Wow:  I think “make” is a forceful

word.  When you say “make” it’s

like you’re forcing people to like something that you do.  But me, these are things that I’m

doing.  There’s only so much that I

give the people.  They only know me

from Bow Wow.  They don’t know me

for what it is when I’m not on TV or when I’m at home… The reason why I did Entourage wasn’t because I wanted to

prove people I was grown, it’s because I am

grown… I can’t be little all over again… I’m doing s**t because it’s me.  I’m having sex, safe sex, so I don’t

see no fault on me having a sex scene. 

 

Bow Wow f/ JD “Roc the Mic” Video

 

 

AllHipHop.com:  You and JD have a great

relationship together and you’ve said that he’s like a father to you.  Have you spoken to him since he left Island Records Urban Music?

 

Bow Wow:  Of course!  JD is good. [laughs] 

JD is good, man.  He’s not

tripping at all… There’s nothing at this point that could break JD down.  He’s been with two other big labels, he

knows what he’s doing and it’s time for a change.  Anytime you’re at a place you don’t feel comfortable at it’s

time to move on to the next chapter. 

That’s basically what he’s doing, but is he tripping off of it? Nah. Until

another producer could come around and produces an album that sells 10 million

records like he did for Usher in this time, because they’re hasn’t been another

producer that could do that, then that’s what it is.  Right now, JD is good money.  He’s straight. 

 

AllHipHop.com:  Do you think his contribution to music

on an executive level has been overlooked?

 

Bow Wow:  Definitely.  I think Jermaine has been overlooked, period.  I

just don’t understand why Jermaine doesn’t get that respect and he knows

it.  You can’t even say Jermaine

fell off because, like I said, the last album he produced was Confessions…  He brought Mariah back with The Emancipation of Mimi

Even with me when I went off and did my own album, I only went gold on

that album.  When I came back with

Jermaine, I bounced back and sold a million copies. I think Dr. Dre is the best

Hip-Hop producer of all time.  All

around producer I got to give it to Jermaine because he could give you whatever

it is that you want, whether it’s a rap song or an R&B record.

 

AllHipHop.com:  At one point last year you spoke about

retiring after your eighth album.  

How realistic is that now that you’re coming out hard with your music?

 

Bow Wow:  Now?  I can’t stop now. 

I got another mixtape too coming with Infamous at the end of the month

called Half Man Half Dog Vol. 2. I

don’t think I can stop right now just because I’m too addicted to the studio,

I’m too addicted to making records, I’m too addicted to making freestyles and

I’m too addicted to wanting to be the best in ’09.  I’m already kicking off the year in a strong way.  I feel like not only will I be letting

myself and my dreams down, but I’ll be letting my fans down and that’s

something that I don’t want to do neither.   Win or lose I’m going to keep going.   

 

AllHipHop.com:  Are you finished with New Jack City Part 2?

 

Bow Wow:  We’re complete but we’re still

getting records mixed and things like that. It’s different.  Basically what you’re getting is what

you’re seeing. To me, this is the best album yet because it’s that

groundbreaking Bow Wow where I could potentially hurdle over that hump to get

people to say, “O.K., I mess with Bow.” 

The album is crazy. 

Everybody is on the album I got Wayne, T.I., T-Pain, Ron Browz, Nelly,

Swizz did two records for me on the album, of course JD did like six

joints.  This is the one and I

think this is the first album that has a sticker on it.  [laughs]  Like I said I’m not trying to be something that I’m

not.  I’m just being me.  People can’t fault Bow Wow for being

Bow Wow.  I’m going to always be

me.

 

AllHipHop.com:  We got nothing but love for you over

here, but that Madden game with The Game—

 

Bow Wow: [laughs]

 

 

 

AllHipHop.com:  You lost!

 

Bow Wow:  I lost bad, I not even going to front

to you.  I lost really bad. I had

no clue that Game was as good as – [laughs]—he was.  We had fun… He came through he had the

whole Black Wall Street with him. 

They had these Black Wall Street towels waving them around my face.  It was hot in the place.  The place was real small too. I had

like 20 people with me and [he had] like 100 Black Wall Street n****s.  It was home field advantage all day…

Would I do it again?   Of

course. 

 

Snoop called me and told me to give Game a message.  Snoop told me that he’ going to whip

Game’s ass in Madden since he beat up on [his little brother]. Snoop said he

wants to challenge Game to [a Madden challenge].  Snoop was mad. 

Snoop was over in Ireland when he heard about it and he called me like,

“How y’all didn’t put me in it? Just because Game kicked your ass, you tell

Game that your big bro want to kick his ass in Madden.” I’m going to put that

up, Snoop and Game is going to be the next one.  I’m going to kick back and beat down the king. I’m done

getting my ass beat in Madden, I’m cool. 

 

Hudson Murder Suspect Pleads Not Guilty

William Balfour has pleaded not guilty today (January 20) on first degree murder and home invasion charges stemming from the triple homicide of Jennifer Hudson relatives Jason Hudson (brother), Darnell Donerson (mother), and 7 year-old nephew Julian King.

 

Balfour is the estranged husband of Jennifer’s sister Julia, and remains in custody without bail.

 

Prosecutors accuse him of carrying out the three shootings as a crime of passion, jealous that his wife had begun dating another man.

 

The remains of Donerson and Jason Hudson were found October 24 in the family’s home, located in the South Side of Chicago.

 

On October 27, the body of missing 7 year-old Julian King was found several blocks away in an abandoned SUV, the victim of multiple gunshot wounds.

 

Defense attorneys for Balfour maintain that there is no forensic evidence to tie their client to the crime.

 

In addition to requesting a new judge, defense attorney Joshua Kutnick also requested that the courts move Balfour from Joliet state prison to Cook County Jail, citing better access to Balfour in building their case.

 

On February 1, Jennifer Hudson will make her first public appearance since the slayings on Super Bowl Sunday, where she will sing the National Anthem.

 

Five days later, Hudson will also perform at the Grammy’s MusiCares event.

 

The singer has been nominated for Best R&B album (Jennifer Hudson), Best R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song (“Spotlight”), and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group (“I’m His Only Woman”).

 

William Balfour’s next court date is scheduled for January 27.

Daz and Mother Prep Gospel Video

Daz Dillinger is set to make a surprising foray into gospel alongside his mother, Dr. Allean Varnado Lang.

 

Dr. Lang is an evangelist who signed last year with Empty Vessel Music, an independent Atlanta-based label.

 

The video is for the song “I’m Good,” which Dr. Lang conceptualized around the premise of children who are neglected and written off as lost causes.

 

“I want them to know that God made them good, they are valued, and they can overcome their circumstances,” Dr. Lang told AllHipHop.com.

 

The video shoot with Daz kicks off the pilot EV Music Matters Program.

 

The community outreach program will focus on free music education for children in underserviced inner-city locations.

 

The first destination area has been confirmed as Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward.

 

According Scott Free, a pastor who services the Fourth Ward through the Adopt a Block program of the Atlanta Dream Center, skeptics should look past Daz’s gangsta rap persona and commend him on his participation.

 

“To some it may seem controversial and contradictory but I’m all for it,” Pastor Free explained to AllHipHop.com. “Who am I to say? I just know I am in this community everyday to be a different voice on the street and encourage the kids and love the community.”

 

Daz Dillinger’s last album was 2008’s Only On the Left Side, his 11th solo album.

 

The video shoot for “I’m Good” commences on January 31.

Speak President Obama, Speak!: Obama’s Inaugural Address

My fellow citizens: I stand here today humbled by the task

before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the

sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his

service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has

shown throughout this transition. Forty-four Americans have now

taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising

tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often,

the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these

moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or

vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained

faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding

documents. So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation

is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our

economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility

on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard

choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost;

jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our

schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the

ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics.

Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across

our land — a nagging fear that America’s decline is inevitable, and

that the next generation must lower its sights. Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are

serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short

span of time. But know this, America: They will be met. On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and

false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far

too long have strangled our politics. We remain a young nation,

but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish

things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose

our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble

idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise

that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue

their full measure of happiness. In reaffirming the greatness of

our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be

earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for

less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted — for those who

prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and

fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of

things — some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in

their labor — who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward

prosperity and freedom. For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life. For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth. For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.

Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked

till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw

America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater

than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction. This is

the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful

nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this

crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services

no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our

capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of

protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions —

that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up,

dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the

economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only

to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will

build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that

feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its

rightful place, and wield technology’s wonders to raise health care’s

quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and

the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform

our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new

age. All this we can do. And all this we will do. Now, there are

some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our

system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short.

For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free

men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose,

and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is

that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political

arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The

question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too

small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a

decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified.

Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is

no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public’s dollars

will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do

our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore

the vital trust between a people and their government. Nor is

the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill.

Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this

crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin

out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors

only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not

just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our

prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart

— not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common

good. As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice

between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with

perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of

law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of

generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give

them up for expedience’s sake. And so to all other peoples and

governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the

small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend

of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of

peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not

just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring

convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us,

nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our

power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the

justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering

qualities of humility and restraint. We are the keepers of this

legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new

threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and

understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq

to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old

friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear

threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not

apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and

for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and

slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger

and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness.

We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and

nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from

every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of

civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger

and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall

someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the

world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that

America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace. To

the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest

and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow

conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West: Know that your

people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To

those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the

silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history;

but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make

your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved

bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy

relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to

suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world’s resources

without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change

with it. As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we

remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very

hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something

to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington

whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are

guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of

service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than

themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a

generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the

faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation

relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break,

the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a

friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is

the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but

also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides

our fate. Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which

we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success

depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and

curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things

are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our

history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is

required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on

the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our

nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but

rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so

satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our

all to a difficult task. This is the price and the promise of citizenship. This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women

and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration

across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60

years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now

stand before you to take a most sacred oath. So let us mark this

day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In

the year of America’s birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of

patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The

capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained

with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in

doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the

people: “Let it be told to the future world … that in the

depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive… that

the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to

meet [it].” America. In the face of our common

dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless

words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents,

and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children’s

children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end,

that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on

the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift

of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Artists Talk Barack Obama’s Inauguration As 44th President

As the nation prepares for the inauguration of Barack Obama today (January 20), hitmaking R&B crooner D’Angelo and a number of rappers are weighing in on the impact the soon-to-be President will have over the next four years.

 

The singer is among those who believe Obama’s presidency will result in an upward swing for the country in light of current economic issues and negative perceptions among those living in and outside the U.S.

 

“Barack Obama is one of the most progressive and dynamic leaders in the world,” D’Angelo told AllHipHop.com via a statement. “I believe that even in the face of domestic and global adversity, he will bring about important change.”

 

D’Angelo’s comments come on the eve of Obama’s swearing in as the nation’s 44th President.

 

An estimated 2 -3 million people are expected to attend the inauguration, which will feature Obama delivering a highly anticipated 18- to 20- minute speech before the country.

 

On Monday (January 19), the President-elect encouraged everyone to commemorate the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday by actively volunteering in a community service project.

 

A number of rappers have heeded President Obama’s call to action.

 

Russell Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) honored rappers like Bow Wow, T.I. and Young Jeezy last night at the Hip-Hop Inaugural Ball in Washington, D.C.

 

Bow Wow, Young Jeezy, T.I. received awards for their efforts in encouraging youth to vote in the past election.

 

“We celebrated the outstanding contributions of Hip-Hop leaders to make this particular inauguration possible. We not only had the hottest Inaugural Ball, we had one of the most meaningful,” HSAN Executive Director Valeisha Butterfield added. A new CNN poll finds that Obama’s election has resulted in two thirds of African Americans believing that Dr. Martin Luther King’s vision of race relations has been fulfilled in more than 45 years since the slain civil rights leader gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963. “I told my wife ten years ago that this day would happen and she didn’t believe me,” LL Cool J added. “Well, honey, I was right! This is an amazing time period for those who have to see in order to believe. Now you see.” According to Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President and CEO of HSAN, the Hip-Hop community has helped bring about a change that will transform the entire country. “Barack Obama’s inauguration and the evolution of Hip-Hop culture have a defining congruence and, as a result, America and the human family around the world will never be the same,” Dr. Chavis stated.

GS Boyz: Stanky Legg Luminaries

When Soulja Boy Tell’Em taught us how to “Superman,” we thought we had

heard it all. Now we’ve been graced with the new phenomenon called the “Stanky Legg.” Everyone from fly girls to local science teachers

are leaning and shaking to it. Thanks to Arlington,

TX group GS Boyz it looks like Hip-Hop has a new move

to add to its ever growing list of dances.

 

Prince Charmin, Soufside, Slizz, Marc D., and D.K. make up the GS Boyz

and when they caught the attention of Atlanta’s Yung Joc,

these teens found themselves coming off a hot show and into the arms of a record

deal. Are they here to stay? You be the judge.

 

 

AllHipHop.com: So

how were you approached by Yung Joc?

 

Prince: What

happened was that “Stanky Legg” was getting a buzz

out here in Dallas at first and Bay Bay, a  radio DJ for

K104 out here in Dallas, he liked the song and he wanted us to come out there [to] Shreveport, Louisiana at Club Coco’s. We went out there for one of

our first big shows, and at the end of the night we had a good show. We came

out to the VIP room, and he said, “Y’all kids just made history at Club

Coco’s.” And I said, “For real?” Well we all said, “For real,” and he was like,

“Yeah I never promoted the song here; it’s the first time I actually made the

song in the club, and people in Coco’s they are a hard crowd.” He said that we

actually had the crowd loud and we wrecked it. So he told us that he gonna have a deal for us in less

than a month.

 

All I know [is] he called me less than a month [later] and

he was like, “Aye, didn’t I say I would have a deal for you.” I’m like, “Bay Bay what are you talking about?” He was like, “I told you I

have a deal for you!” And then Joc got on the phone

and is like, “Woah, this is Joc!”

And I was like, “Ohhh. you ain’t Joc!” And then we just went

on from there. And [Joc] said, “The song is hot, my

two little cousins came to me and my children came to me and they said, ‘Joc do the Stanky Legg.” And he

was like what is this “Stanky Legg,” so he loaded it

up and he said he’d seen a grandma and her daughter doing the dance and he just

had to get in contact with us.

 

 

AllHipHop.com: Where did the name GS Boyz come from?

 

AllHipHop.com: Well out here in

Dallas, when we first started off doing this there was a lot of fighting

cliques, like fighting groups, gangs, etc. Every time we used to be in the club

we always see before the club gets shut down people always in there fighting.

So me and Slizz we came up

with a word that would attract everybody and that was GS. We had girls in GS,

we had guys in GS and everybody looked at us like we the party people. So when

you go to GS that’s where the guys and girls are kickin’ it. They see us as a club scene. If you pop in our

music it’s going to fulfill everything that you want, so GS was more to see if

we can making something positive out of all the

negative that was going on. Out here in Dallas all the kids are

loving us right and we’re looking good.

 

AllHipHop.com: What have you guys been

working on?

 

Prince: New

music, working on our promo tour.

 

D.K.: We’re

excited for it. Basically we’ve been getting ready for our promo tour and we gotta stay ready for our shows because we don’t wanna go out to our shows and be half-steppin’.

We want everything organized. So we can actually put on a show and everybody

can leave and be like, “They really know how to put on a show.” And if we come

back, they’ll wanna come

back and spend their money. So if Soulja Boy’s

headlining and we’re opening up for him, or it’s vice versa, we’re making sure

that when they leave our name is in their mouth. “GS Boyz

they hot; we really gotta see them.”

 

AllHipHop.com: So you guys think

you’re going to work with Soulja Boy later this year?

 

Prince: Yeah, I

have no problem with that. If he hits us up, sure why not?

 

AllHipHop.com: What is your response

to criticism that you guys are another  one hit wonder?

 

Prince: It’s just

funny because everybody said the same thing about Soulja

Boy and look he’s the master of a lot of stuff right now.

 

D.K.: We ain’t going nowhere.

 

AllHipHop.com: What kind of affect has

growing up in Dallas had on your music?

 

Marc D.: Well, I

wouldn’t say where we lived or where we started the group, but where we came

from and where we were raised at some points does have to do with our music.

Our experiences make our music better. When we write about real life

experiences you can feel the music a whole lot better. Meaning we can go, where

he [Prince] says Soufside brings the party-ness, but then again we can bring the seriousness of it.

Meaning how hard it was growing up at first where we first lived before we got

to where we are now or before we first met. We talk about what has happened and

you can feel it and it makes the music a whole lot better.

 

AllHipHop.com: What kind of music

should we except to hear on this album you’re working on?

 

Prince: Well, Soufside he brings the party-ness

of the GS Boyz. D.K. he’s the singer; he brings the

slowness of the GS Boyz. Marc D. he’s the producer/beatmaker; he brings the music to the GS Boyz. Me and Slizz

we just write the music for the boys and we just in it as a team. So basically,

if threw a little bit of “Snap Your Fingers” from Lil Jon and some old Pretty

Ricky and Jagged Edge together into one group with some normal music in there,

then you got GS Boyz. That’s

us.

 

The Janet Jackson Chronicles

In a sea of Beyoncés, Cassies, Ciaras and Britneys, Janet

Jackson is among the blueprint of female entertainers.

A résumé filled with hit songs, numerous awards and popular

music videos, not to mention everything from the barely there vocals to the

synchronized dance routines with an army of backup dancers, to the sold out

shows around the world. In short, it is easy to see why Janet (Miss Jackson,

if you’re nasty) emerged as the second most successful member of the family Papa

Joe built.

 

Not bad for someone who originally wanted to become a

racehorse jockey instead of one of the biggest selling female artists of all

time.

So what happened?

 

Beginner’s luck may not have struck with her early on, but

the third time proved to be the charm with 1986’s Control, a classic opus that

had Janet asking “What Have You Done for Me Lately?” while exploring “The

Pleasure Principle.”  Three years

later, the singer brought multi-platinum platinum dreams of a social

consciousness with Rhythm Nation 1814.

 

With singles hitting number one in three separate years

(“Miss You Much” in 1989, “Escapade” and “Black

Cat” in 1990, and “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” in 1991),

the album’s impact was cemented as Janet brought her hits and music videos to life

with her first world tour in support of a studio album.

 

Up next came the janet. album, the singer’s 1993 declaration

of independence from her famous family.

 

“…Certain people feel I’m just riding on my last

name…That’s why I just put my first name on janet. and why I never asked my

brothers to write or produce music for me,” Jackson told Rolling Stone, as

she appeared topless for the magazine’s cover story.

 

You know the cover. The one where Jackson’s then-husband

Rene Elizondo covered her breasts with his hands.  That image marked Janet’s official embrace of her sexual

being as she admitted to Rolling Stone that “Sex has been an important

part of me for several years. But it just hasn’t blossomed publicly until now.

I’ve had to go through some changes and shed some old attitudes before feeling

completely comfortable with my body.”

 

Janet’s newfound status as a sex symbol only enhanced the

album’s appeal as it marked another number one debut on the charts and more

hits to boot.

 

So what happened?

 

After all, music wasn’t the only thing that yielded to

Janet’s golden touch. The singer

had three decades of good fortune

on the big and small screen with roles on Good Times in the ’70s, Diff’rent

Strokes and Fame in ‘80s and Poetic Justice in the ‘90s.

 

Even with double duty and occasional philanthropy, the songs

kept coming. Whether it was with Herb Alpert (“Diamonds,” “Making Love in the

Rain”), Shaggy (“Luv Me, Luv Me”), Busta Rhymes  (“What’s It Gonna Be?!”) or

big brother Michael (“Scream”), a collabo with Janet spelled H-I-T. Add to that her late-nineties release of The Velvet Rope and Janet Jackson was approaching 2000 with a new sound and the world in her palm.

 

So what went wrong?

With the arrival of the new millennium came new love as

Jackson began her love affair with So So Def head Jermaine Dupri in 2002.

Despite feedback from critics, the couple endured.

 

But the real test would come two years later during the

Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. After performing her hits, “All for You and

“Rhythm Nation,” Janet was joined onstage by Justin Timberlake, who sang “Rock

Your Body.” By the end of the set, a “wardrobe malfunction” overshadowed the

match up between the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots as

Timberlake tore open Jackson’s top, exposing her right breast.

 

Soon after, Janet’s stock plummeted as MTV washed its hands

of her and public opinion turned the vocalist into a good singer gone bad.

 

“I am really sorry if I offended anyone. That was truly

not my intention,” Jackson said in her apology to disappointed fans. “… MTV,

CBS, the NFL had no knowledge of this whatsoever, and unfortunately, the whole

thing went wrong in the end.”

Nevertheless, the damage had been done. Media sources reported the incident as

being the most replayed in TiVo history. The fallout extended into Janet’s

acting pursuits as plans for her to star in a made-for-TV movie on the life of

singing icon Lena Horne were stopped. Jackson even caught flak from Horne

herself, who was reportedly upset over the halftime incident and pushed for ABC

to pull Jackson from the film. To hear Janet’s reps tell it, their client

voluntarily withdrew from the project.

 

Still, the youngest Jackson persevered and even made light

of her drama by appearing in a Saturday Night Live skit spoofing the Super Bowl

incident in 2004. But it wasn’t enough to keep her musical standing intact as

three singles from her next album, Damita Jo, failed to crack the top 40

despite the album’s number two debut on the Billboard chart.

 

Controversy aside, Janet’s non-musical efforts were rewarded

as she received the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. Artistic Achievement award

and a Humanitarian award from the Human Rights Campaign and AIDS Project Los

Angeles for her work and

involvement in raising money for AIDS charities.

 

Awards and a sense of humor were good shields against

critics still engulfed in the wardrobe malfunction, but Janet’s issues with her

record label, Virgin, came to a head with the release of her ninth album 20

Y.O. Although the 2006 album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, Dupri

resigned from his urban music head position at Virgin, citing the “disappointing

performance” of his girlfriend’s album.

With conflicts surrounding her music, the timing seemed

perfect for the songstress to give acting another go with a starring role in

Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? The hit film resulted in an NAACP Image

Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress for in a Motion Picture for Jackson in

February.

 

But music soon called again and Janet released her 10th

album Discipline that same month. The project was the first under the singer’s

new label Island Def Jam Records. Despite not having long-time collaborators

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on board nor co-writing any songs on the album, the

release debuted at number one.

A national outing inevitably followed as the Rock Witchu

Tour kicked off in September. While things looked good on the outside, behind

the scenes Janet severed her relationship with Island Def Jam as her label

debut sold only 415,000 copies in the United States and spent 14 weeks on the

Billboard charts. According to reports, the split was stemmed by Jackson’s

dissatisfaction with the promotion of Discipline.

 

The label drama was only the beginning of Janet’s bad luck

as she experienced migraine-associated vertigo and lost tour opener LL Cool J

during the tour. The vertigo caused the diva to cancel a string of shows in

Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia, Greensboro, N.C., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.,

Uncasville, Conn. and Syracuse, N.Y.

 

In November, Jackson announced that she wouldn’t reschedule

the canceled shows. A statement released by the tour’s organizer, Live Nation,

cited “conflicts in the singer’s schedule” as the reason for the

decision. As a result, the tour ended early.

Now comes rumors of a pregnant Janet carrying Dupri’s child.

Whether or not the talk is true remains to be seen. In the meanwhile, hope is

there among fans who yearn to see their favorite singer back on top and not

drowning in the ocean of  disciples

who have taken bits and pieces of her style and image to forge their own trail

in the here today, gone tomorrow music business.

What will happen next?

Dr. King: So Where Do We Go From Here?

The opinions expressed in the following editorial do not necessarily represent the views of AllHipHop ans it’s associates.

This isn’t the easiest of topics to tackle.  AllHipHop generally has had something that addressed whether Hip-Hop was living up to Dr. King’s dream, and whether or not that was a task that could even be undertaken by this culture. Well done, in my opinion, but we’ve been there and done that.

 

Then there is the easy way out: posting videos and songs. While it would satisfy the editorial quotient, in this time and this place in history on the eve of perhaps the shining moment of Black people in America, that just seems out of place.

 

Taking this once in a lifetime alignment, the celebration of the dream followed immediately by its culmination, in perhaps this country’s darkest (pun both intended and not intended) hour, with Mr. Obama’s ascension to the seat of the presidency, I don’t want to saturate you with things that you are bound to be beaten over the head with. Without boring you with history lessons, or trying to find some connection between this and Hip-Hop, I just want to take a second and reflect on what this point in our history means.

 

Dr. King was a martyr of the finest caliber, and the tragedy of martyrdom is that while you become larger in death than you were in life, you lose the ability to control your image and message.  In King’s case his “dream” has pretty much been co-opted by anyone attempting to create a movement.  Lost in all these dreams is a legacy of courage in the face of adversity. Dr. King endured firebombings, stabbings, and raw hate on a level we can’t imagine. In the years since, we’ve made an incredible amount of gains professionally and this country has progressed to a certain extent

 

Which brings us to this holiday, and the coming inauguration. Obama’s famous refrain of “Yes We Can” is the dream of today. The dream on ‘roids. Obama’s win is good for your children and their aspirations.  It’s good for your peers and not just your Black peers to see a successful man in love with his wife and who is by all visible accounts a good father.  As men we should all aspire to that.  It would solve many of the problems that plague this country.

 

Yes we can. Can speaks to ability. Ability speaks to possibility. But that’s where it stops. There is no motion in can. However, will speaks to all of that. Do we have the will to stop dreaming?  On this 80th birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. in a time of trouble, can we as Americans muster up the will to do? Obama can’t save America anymore than Dr. King could.  However their shining examples of courage and audacity can inspire us to save ourselves.

 

Preachers and politicians are not saviors. They are representatives. They represent ideals which more often than not have a hard time translating from “can” to “do” and from theory to practice.  This moment offers us a rare opportunity to face down our fears with the hopes and dreams of yesterday at our backs and the promise of what we can do directly in our faces.  Let’s take on that challenge and become doers and not dreamers.

 

Good Day and Good Luck

-Bill

50 Cent Plans Zimbabwe Tour

Mogul 50 Cent is close to finalizing details that will landhim on an international tour of Zimbabwe.Although the nation has been dealing with several severe crisis problems in the realms of public health and living standards,Zimbabwe’s tourism department has made a concerted effort to woo popular artists such as 50 Cent and Beyonce in hopes on bolstering foreign tourism.According to Tongai Mnangagwa, a representative of Longcash Entertainment, the rapper is himself planning to make the tour a tourist trip.”He indicated to us that besides the show, he would love tovisit some of our top tourist destinations,” Mnangagwa told the Herald newspaper. “He will spend at least three days in country.”Since his smash 2003 debut *Get Rich or Die Tryin’*, 50 Centhas made several trips to the African continent. In 2004, the Queens native toured Nigeria. Last year, 50 toured Tanzania, South Africa, and met with Nelson Mandela to discuss Apartheid and current issues facing Africa.The proposed 2009 tour marks 50’s second attempt to reach Zimbabwe. During his aforementioned Africa tour last year, 50 Cent was unable to fit in two last minute Zimbabwean dates.If agreed upon, the tour will commence a little over one month after the release of 50’s anticipated fourth studio album/film Before I Self-Destruct. At press time, the repeatedly delayed LP is due outFebruary 3.