“Throw Up DPG”
“Throw Up DPG”
“Colder Blood”
“No Panties On”
“Yodel”
“Monica Lewinsky”
“We Getting To Tha Money”
Today (October 6), rapper Shyne will be released from prison after serving 9 years on assault and attempted murder charges.
At the time of his sentencing in 2001, Shyne has secured a gold debut album, and was poised to have a successful career run.
In an exclusive interview with AllHipHop.com, Sean Diddy combs spoke on his former star pupils release and their current relationship.
Shyne is not signed to Bad Boy anymore, Combs revealed to AllHipHop.com exclusively. I looked forward to this day. The whole situation was a tragic situation. Hes a young man that has a whole life ahead of him to live to be successful and to come out here and put his foot in the game.
Like the initial bidding war that preceded his Bad Boy signing, Shynes new label home has been the subject of much media speculation.
Mogul Jay-Z denied meeting with the rapper, but acknowledged a Roc nation signing was a possibility and there would likely be a future meeting.
On this matter, Diddy offered clarity on whether there would be further music projects between the two.
I dont have anything to do with his personal business or his career, Combs told AllHipHop.com. As far as our relationship, only time will tell.
Shyne, born Jamal Barrow, was sentenced to the lengthy stint in prison after a violent shootout inside of Club New York, while he attended a party with Combs and Combs then girlfriend, Jennifer Lopez.
Both he and Combs stood trial for the shooting. Combs was acquitted during the sensational trial, while Shyne was found guilty.
According to Shynes lawyer, Oscar Michelin, the rapper is required to complete two and a half years of parole per a special request from New Yorks Correction Department.
At press time, Shynes rumored 3rd album is set to be titled Godfather Exhumed.
After a successful reunion show last month, Goodie Mob has agreed to a deal with promoter Guerilla Union to embark on a nationwide tour.
Despite this being the groups first tour in 10 years, Cee-Lo explained that the decline in todays popular music set the stage for Goodies reunion, which played to a sold out, turn away crowd in Atlanta.
The reunion was inevitable. The void in todays music and marketplace ironically has become the very place prepared for us, he stated. Theres a need and a want for what we do and represent as The Mob. Consider the tour a mission an order if you will. The last of a living breed, the Goodie Mob marches on.
Assisting Goodie Mob is legendary lyricist Scarface, who has been confirmed for every date on the tour.
This will be the Houston legends first nationwide tour since announcing his retirement following his last critically acclaimed album, 2008s Emeritus.
Additionally, the Atlanta collective will be a part of several high-profile shows, starting with the BET Awards taping this Saturday (October 10), Cypress Hills Smokeout event (October 23), and an NYC show with Slaughterhouse and Tech N9ne.
At press time, Goodie Mobs tour will run for 11 dates over the next two months.
Listed below are the confirmed tour dates:
October 15 New Orleans, LA House of Blues October 17 Austin, TX Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheatre October 19 Houston, TX House of Blues October 20 Dallas, TX House of Blues October 23 San Bernardino, CA The Cypress Hill SmokeOut October 24 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore October 28 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot October 29 Denver, CO The Gothic Theatre November 13 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom November 14 Washington, DC The Scene November 15 New Haven, CT Toads Place
I spit the truth in lethal/
Its not the mic; its the mind I
speak through/
KRS-One &
Buckshot, Connection, Survival Skills,
2009.
Hip-Hop as a whole, as a cultural community, has always had a problem
accepting criticismwhether constructive or conjured, exact or exaggerated.
Its in our bloodline. We suffer no critics, antagonists, or haters the
opportunity to reduce our art-form to a spectacle. We respond with the
quickness. We trot out the best amongst us, the brightest in our midst, to push
back, blow back (military style), against anyone perceived as unjustly
attacking it.
The reason is clear: Hip-Hop has stood the test of time as one of the only
artistic developments, throughout the history of humanity, to come to life
without the help, supervision, or even awareness of an adult population. Youth
of color, relegated to the ghettoes and barrios, took the dead scraps they
found lying around, breathed life into it, and created a cultural force of
irreducible significance that would change, and perhaps even save, the world.
Three decades later, Hip-Hop is still
standing. And though it is true that without the groundwork laid by Muhammad
Ali, The Last Poets, Langston Hughes, Phillis Wheatley, Zora Neale Hurston, Gill
Scott Heron, and many other pre-Hip-Hop poets, artists, and folklorists,
Hip-Hop might have never come to be, it is also true that up until the mid
80s, most adults still openly expressed doubt about this budding phenomenon of
creative genius they saw some potential in. And those were good old
folks. There were those who simply despised it, because, to take their word, it
presented nothing originalit simply borrowed from pre-existing traditions,
remixing what was old into new, upbeat, catchy, repetitive loops.
To an extent they were right.
But never before had street kids, most without astute academic backgrounds,
created their own cardinal directions to map out a future of possibility and
hope: 1). They would paint pictures of the legacies they intended to leave
behind 2) set music to it 3) carve out dance steps to supplement the sound 4)
and prophesy upon the waves and melodies. That was genius! Immitigable
genius.
Still, some adults couldnt see the forest from the tree stumps. They hooted
and hollered, cursed and castigated the young folks they saw selling their
future in a fleeting pursuit of, to invoke Lauryn Hill, every tree bearing
the wrong fruit. But as the late 80s roster unveiled a line-up of
rhetorical acrobats, back straightened and eyes widened. The world began paying
attention.
The 90s came and didnt disappointup until it lost track of purpose and
position, surrendering to the will of divide and conquer, drafted by enemies of
Hip-Hop culture.
The new millennium, however, produced a radically dissimilar outlook, cranking
out Hip-Hop junkies with virtually no chance at rehabilitation. As the
paraphernalia of materialism left its needle eye, the vein of creativity,
originality, and fidelity that had sustained Hip-Hop hitherto collapsed,
rendering the body powerless to the powder of the peddlers who could care
lessas the aim, above everything else, is to make moneyabout the caricature
of commercialism, commodification, and consumerism they were transforming
Hip-Hop into.
So maybe some adults had it right. Or maybe the blame was misplaced.
We might never know. Maybe instead of belittling what work of genius their sons
and daughters were crafting, they might have better served providing guidance
and cautionsimilar to the kind Popa Wu and the older gods have made a life
ministry ofto the vibrant generation coming after them. Again, we might never
know. What we do know, nonetheless, is that though criticism hurts, it can also
force the soul into self-examination and introspection, which, in turn, guarantees
substantive reevaluation and reassessment.
* * *
A couple of weeks back, Motown legend Gladys Knight held nothing back in sounding off on Hip-Hop culture.
Speaking with BlackNews.com, Hip-Hop, she said, has been bad, in my opinion,
as far as the quality of the music and the stories that they tell. Its one
thing to be raw about your history, but they took it to another level and it
became vulgar. It has not elevated our industry musically. As a people, we
have lowered our self-esteem with these performances and presentations, she
said, referring to Hip-Hop.
While some saw it an opportunity to return fire with fire, they might have
missed a crucial point that poignantly expresses her pain and passion. Her remarks
might dovetail with previous rants, rendered by older Black entertainers, about
Hip-Hop, but rarely has the word We been used to call into sobering
reflection Hip-Hops darker side. More often than not, other critics have
chosen the less inclusive
theymeaning otherto do the dirty work. In fact, it makes more sense that
one who finds no redemptive value in Hip-Hop would dismiss it as something far removed
from the true essence of Black art, thus unqualified under the canopy of we.
But Ms. Knight, being the caring elderly stateswoman she is, went against
conventional wisdom, thought, and practice. Thats significant.
We stay highthats why old folks down us/
Lost, nobody found us; the force that surrounds us/
Aint with us; they get us on the ground and hit us/
We paint pictures of the chains under their names and
scriptures/
Among the many responses to
her comments was an editorial written by acclaimed North Carolina producer,
9th wonder. 9th, the preeminent beatsmith since J Dillas
passing, showed just why he landed a gig two years ago as adjunct professor at
North Carolina Central University.
He lamented the refusal of
the older generation of our people… to see or seek the GOOD facets of
Hip-Hop, or even the cultural aspects of Hip-Hop when it comes to
improvisation, creativity, research, and skill. The fact that TRUE Hip-Hoppers
respect, glorify, and honor the great ones who came before us in our records,
and the use of what we call samples speaks volumes.
9th theorizes the lack of patience in this older generation to
hear the voices of the younger generation as a principal factor why younger
folks are less interested in mastering the musical history that gave birth to
them.
I agree to a great degree with 9ths assessment, more so with the
fact that we have in place a dominant media apparatus determined, over and
above all obstacles, to promote commercial junk to a young, oblivious fan-base.
Not only I am an ardent fan of 9th Wonders beats, I also admire
his intellectual vigor. We need that.
But I must say, it is clear Ms. Knight is no C. Delores Tucker. Unlike Ms.
Tucker, she has actually contributed her fair share to the reproduction of the
Black Arts Movement. And her love on behalf of the Hip-Hop generation is
undeniable. Ms. Tucker, in all her eloquence and fervor, was less a
conscionable community activist and more a rambling rebel with no coherent
causeas it concerned Hip-Hop. Gladys Knight, it should be apparent, has more
dignity than to sue
a dead man for emotional distress.
And, of course, Ms. Knight is hardly alone.
Earlier this year when First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a Jazz celebration concert
in the White House, she mentioned how important it was for her young girls, who
attended in flesh, to [be] alive and aware of all kinds of music other than
hip hop. The President was less ambiguous in an
interview with BETs Jeff Johnson nearly two years ago, chastising Hip-Hop
artistsor at least the ones he listen to (Jay-Z, Ludacris, et. al.) for
degrading women and using the N-word a little too frequently. Not to talk
about the obsequious obsession with material things how I can get something;
more money, more cars.
Of course it all boils down to what kind of Hip-Hop one chooses to digest. Personally, I prefer a good meal enriched with
the ingredients of J Dilla, DOOM, GZA, Jean Grae, Invincible, Ian Kamau, Canibus,
Jasiri X, MC Lyte, Big L, Mos Def, M.anifest, Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco, Ol
Dirty Bastard, KRS-One, Nas, 9th Wonder, Raekwon, and other well
prepared supplements to go along. And, yes, it might taste of misogyny and
materialism every now and then, but the nutritional count is balanced enough to
keep me physically, mentally, and spiritually sound.
We also have to be frank about the reality Hip-Hop today consists of. In an
age when prominent artists share no shame humiliating themselves infinitely (thats you: Budden), dry
snitching repeatedly (thats
you: Fabolous), pulverizing the art of freestyling (thats you: Drake), taking
self-degradation to unfound lows (thats you:
T-Pain), dancing with the devil over the good of their communities (thats
you: Daddy Yankee), assaulting their ancestors with remarkable effrontery (thats
you: Lil Wayne), elevating themselves50
was dead-onabove the banner of Hip-Hop (thats
you: Jay-Z), giving elitism a facelift (thats
you: Alicia Keys), its more difficult to feign righteous indignation at
anyone critical of the culture.
But thats not Hip-Hop! we retort with rage. Thats the
commercial element many mistake for
Hip-Hop. To an extent, were right.
What if, though, what is not has become what iswhere
the new face of Hip-Hop isnt that of courageous youth of color mustering up
the courage to define their humanity and worth within the hostile society they
were born into, but of inebriated, intemperate souls lost in the paradise of
lust?
Tolu Olorunda is a cultural critic and
a columnist for BlackCommentator.com. He can be reached at
[email protected]. The views expressed inside this editorial aren’t necessarily the views of AllHipHop.com or its employees.
Kiante Young is The Sneaker Mann.
Traversing the country as on of the best known sneaker heads, he frequently appears on early morning shows as an on-air stylist, highlighting the latest styles and trends in sneakers.
“The Sneaker Mann”
He has appeared on ABC, NBC, FOX and WB affiliate stations in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Dallas and more.
The Sneaker Mann recently went on a 15-city Back to School Tour wherein he showcased the freshest sneakers for students returning to class.
The Sneaker Mann on CW11
Born in Vegas, Kiante moved to Harlem as a young man. It was not long before he was interviewing a cast of hip hops “whos who” like Damon Dash, LL Cool J, DMX, Faith Evans and Beenie Man on his Manhattan cable access show Young, Black & Doin It.
Kiante launched Young & DoinIt Magazine to empower urban teens to reach for success. The magazine’s fashion section also featured the latest trends in sneakers. In efforts to promote the magazine, Kiante began doing segments on news shows about sneakers – and Kiante The Sneaker Mann was born.
Kiante has won many awards honoring his entrepreneurial spirit and skills, such as the “Fleet Young Entrepreneurs Award” (three years in a row, 2001-2003), as well as the “Oppenheimer Funds Social Entrepreneur of the Year” (2006) to name a couple.
He recently cruised DrJays.com to highlight the hottest kicks for fall 2009 – check out The Sneaker Mann’s picks below!
ADIDAS FORUM MID RS REDMAN Price: $100.00
Anyone who knows me knows that I love the Adidas Forum Mid, and these are the hottest ones to be released since last years NBA promo pairs released only at the NBA All-Star weekend in Phoenix. Actually these may be a little bit hotter! Classy in style, the colorway is sick and perfectly combine making of the hottest new sneakers of the season.
NIKE AIR TRAINER III Price: $110.00
This season I have decided to exercise three times a week and these sneakers are what I will be working out in. Fashion and function, these new Nike Bo Jacksons are ill. I feel like I can rock these in the gym then take a shower, change my clothes and wear them out on the town as well.
REEBOK COMMITMENT MID Price: $90.00
These kicks are a very style focused sneakers. Great for trotting up and down college steps, these sneakers will turn heads. Reebok equipped these with ankle support and 2 pairs of laces in different colors. I would depend on these sneakers for comfort if I ever have to stand for on long line.
FILA SPORTA CREST HI Price: $100.00
Fila is stepping their game up with this sneaker. Available in black leather, these are a perfect concubine to a pair of black skinny jeans. Clean and smooth, they will definitely turn heads. The embossed logo is a sleek, but not obnoxious, addition to the sneaker. Get these kicks!
ADIDAS SUPERSTAR 1 REDMAN Price: $90.00
When I was growing up, I was rocking Adidas Superstars while blasting Redmans Muddy Waters album. Now the two have become one with this sneaker. Beautiful to the eye, the suede gives the shoe an somewhat elegant feel while the colorway makes it easy to blend into a cool outfit not to mention the speckled sole. If you get the Redman label t-shirt, rock them with black jeans and a black suit jacket and I guarantee the ladies will stop and stare.
BABY PHAT SARAH THIGH HI BOOT Price: $120.00
There nothing sexier than a beautiful woman whos wearing a killer pair of boots and these boots by Baby Phat are killers! Extending past the knees, you have to have good fashion sense when putting your look together with these, because the wrong outfit can result in fashion suicide.
PASTRY TURN OVER SNEAKER Price: $51.99
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending an in-store event at the Foot Locker in Times Square where Angela and Vanessa Simmons where in attendance promoting these very Pastry sneakers. When I saw them I though to myself These are fashion-forward. During New York City fashion week, houndstooth was a staple of several couture lines. These are hot and even better, they are on sale!
See more kicks on DrJays.com by clicking here.
Find out more about The Sneaker Mann through his MySpace.
Who is hotter in the streets than OJ Da Juiceman? If you have a long list of names, perhaps you aren’t quite in tune with what is going on in the seedy underbelly of Hip-Hop. Otis “OJ” Williams Jr. has been doing it for the ‘hood since his 2003 hit Black Tee. Since, then OJ has done what only a select few can do, sell out venues across the nation based on his hustle and tenacity. Without a major release yet, he’s resolved to push until he infiltrates Hip-Hop like his cohort Gucci Mane.
If you can survive in these harsh streets, you can conquer just about anything,” OJ says cpnfidently. If youre in the trap, it makes you grind harder. When youre riding solo-you pop something in and reflect on the lyrics. He’s got his own label, 32 Entertainment, which has banged out six official mixtapes and innumerable bootlegs. The buzz has transcended the streets and the demand has hit the internet and all of its digital extensions.
AllHipHop.com caught up with OJ Da Juiceman at a recent stop and got the 411. Peep it!
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Many new artists aspire to enter the music business with dreams of selling millions of records and performing in front of millions of adoring fans. A lot of new artists spend time and money perfecting their songs, their sounds and their image. But how much time goes into perfecting a live performance? There are many aspects to performing live on a stage. In addition to conquering a little thing called stage fright, your memory must serve you well. Artists like Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and The Roots are amazing because of the amount of information they must remember and execute flawlessly in front of millions of people. But there is one aspect of performing seldom spoken of – the dangers of the stage. As you chuckle at the latest viral clip floating around of Rick Ross falling off the stage, just remember, the stage can be a deadly place. Rick Ross taking a fall…First off, most artists can be blinded by the glare that is associated with the bright lights the beam down upon the stage, which usually causes the floor to heat up. Sometimes these floors can be quite slippery. The Game slipping during a performanceThe lights can also make it hard for an artist to see where the edge of the stage starts and where a nasty fall begins. Rich Boy goes tumbling downThen, there is the electricity. Thousands of feet of wires are required to hook up turntables, speakers, guitars, microphones elaborate lighting systems and other needed equipment. Steps can be a performers nightmare, especially for the ladies out there who are fond of wearing heels and long dresses, which can get tangled. Those steps jump right out at you Bey…Hip-Hop lost one of its own in July of 1990, when Heavy D.s backup dancer Troy Trouble T-Roy Dixon was killed after he fell from the stage. Pete Rock and CL Smooth named their classic Hip-Hop track T.R.O.Y. They Reminisce Over You in honor of the fallen dancer. “T.R.O.Y.” Just a month later, in August of 1990, R&B legend Curtis Mayfield was paralyzed from the neck down, when a piece of lighting fell on him on stage. The injury would eventually cause Mayfields untimely death in 1990, at the age of 57. In July of 2009, two people where killed and 10 people were injured when Madonnas stage entire stage collapsed. The Material Girl has taken a few falls throughout her career as well.Madonna’s falling off…Lets not forget about the deafening roars of the crowd, in addition to the music, which must be amplified and mixed loud enough an audience to clearly hear the performance. So as you view on your mobile device or at your computer and enjoy a good laugh when you witness one of your favorite, or not so favorite artists take a spill, Just remember, the stage can be a deadly place. R.I.P. to Greg Ladanyi, a Grammy Award winning engineer/ producer who died last Tuesday (September September 29). Ladanyi, 57, was the CEO of Maple Jam Music Group. He suffered severe head trauma after falling 13-feet off the stage. Ladanyi worked with legendary artists like Jackson Browne, Hollywood Undead, Type-O, Don Henley, Fleetwood Mac and others.
Harlem, New York rapper Jim Jones entered into a guilty plea in relation to a scuffle inside of the Louis Vuitton store in New York city last December.
Jones plead guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge earlier today (October 5) in Manhattan Criminal Court after being accused of assaulting Ne-Yos manager Jayvon Smith.
According to Jones attorney Scott Leemon, the rapper was sentenced to time served, based on the time he spent incarcerated shortly after the arrest in January.
Jones pled guilty in order to avoid probation, which could have interfered with his ability to tour, Leemon stated.
The rapper originally pleaded not guilty to the charges last February and initially denied his involvement in the altercation with Smith, which happened in the pricey store last December 22.
Harlem, New York producer/rapper Ron Browz recently revealed to AllHipHop.com that he has split from his label, Universal Motown.
According to Browz, he could not see eye-to-eye with the label, despite experiencing success in 2009, including two BET Award nominations for hit records he recorded.
Browz, who produced classic tracks by rappers like Big L, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, DMX and Nas, was signed to Universal Motown via his own imprint, Ether Boy Records.
Since signing with Universal Motown in September of 2008, Browz produced three massive hit singles: the collaborative track Pop Champagne featuring Jim Jones, Jumpin Out the Window and Arab Money featuring Busta Rhymes.
Currently me and Universal decided it was best for us to part ways as far as business, because little creative differences, Browz told AllHipHop.com exclusively. I love Sylvia [Rhone]. Sylvia was the first person to give me an opportunity to show the world what I could as far as being an artist.
Browz, born Rondell Turner, is continuing on with his career, while negotiating with various recording companies for his next deal.
The rapper recently shot a video for his new single $20 Dollarz, which should be released in the next two weeks.
The remix to the track features OJ Da Juiceman, Jim Jones, Shawty Lo, Nicki Minaj and a new verse by fellow Harlemite, Mase.
On the production side, Browz recently produced Shes A Killer on Ghostfaces new album The Wizard of Poetry, Nicki Minajs new track Get Crazy and an upcoming tune by crooner Bobby Valentino.
Browz, who used the controversial Autotune technology on his two biggest hits, as well as the track he just produced for Ghostfaces Wizard album, shared his opinion on the voice enhancing effect.
People criticized it, but you cant deny hot records, Browz told AllHipHop.com. All these records was crazy in the club. And the funny thing is, after D.O.A., it seemed like more Autotune records came out after the record came out.
Ron Browz is currently working on his major label solo debut.
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Rapper Trick Daddy expressed his feelings on working with fellow rapper Trina in a recent interview with AllHipHop.com.
The Miami, Florida, native, who was originally known as Trick Daddy Dollars dropped his debut album Based on a True Story in 1997.
The Trick Daddy-Trina duo was first introduced on his hit single “Nann N***a,” a popular track which helped solidify the latest male-female rap tag teams position in the game.
The pairs relationship has cooled since Trick Daddy left Slip-N-Slide Records, the label where both artists started their careers.
“I need you to call Trina and you need to talk to her, Trick Daddy told AllHipHop.com. I personally think that Trina is a better Trina with Trick I would love to work with Trina. I was actually talking the other day about even just doing some songs, giving it to her and say okay this is what were gonna do.
Slip-N-Slide recently entered into a new deal with EMI label services to market, promote and distribute Trinas upcoming 5th solo album.
In related news, Trick Daddy also revealed that he is almost “98 percent” finished on a book scheduled to be released at the top of next year via MTV/Pocket Books.
Trick Daddy, born Maurice Young, is putting the finishing touches on his autobiography, titled Magic City: Trials Of A Native Son.
“The book is my lifestyle and what I’ve seen, Trick Daddy said of the upcoming book. Its like the autobiography of the whole Miami, before me and while I’m here. It’s the Scarface, The King of New York, The First 48, all the things you’ve ever heard about Miami all in a bubble. All raw, it’s real and respectable to the point it will make you think, so that’s how it was. It’s 98 percent wrapped, pressed, and ready to go, said Trick Daddy.
Trick Daddy will next make an appearance on DJ Khaled and E-Class compilation album Live From the 305, which is scheduled to drop in October.
“Harlem Forever”
Tax problems have finally caught up with Wu-Tang Clan rapper Method Man, who turned himself in today (October 5), to the Staten Island District Attorney on felony charges related to a back tax bill.
Method Man, born Clifford Smith, surrendered to officials at the Staten Islands D.A. office around 8:00 am this morning (October 5).
The rapper faces felony charges for failing to pay back taxes in the amount of $32,799 dating back to 2004.
In March, Method Mans Lincoln Navigator was repossessed when the rapper was $52,503 in debt to the IRS.
The rapper claimed he suffered from memory loss – due to his penchant for smoking marijuana – as the reason he did not pay his taxes.
In addition to the back money, representatives for the IRS also claim Method Man has not paid his taxes in at least three years.
“O.M.G.”
“Mighty Floe Young”
“Get Wit Me Shorty”