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Xzibit Lands Appearance In New TV Drama ‘Detroit 1-8-7’

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: News
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(AllHipHop News) Rapper/TV personality Xzibit will be featured in an episode of ABC’s new crime drama, Detroit 1-8-7, the network has announced. According to a press release, Xzibit has signed on to star in an episode of the new series, which is slated to premiere September 21st. In the episode starring Xzibit, the rapper will play a “hustler” turned businessman named Russell Pitts, who is now in the business of producing Hip-Hop artists. Detroit 1-8-7 started shooting in July in Detroit, according to the series’ producers. The drama stars Michael Imperioli (Detective Louis Fitch), Aisha Hinds (Lt. Maureen Mason), James McDaniel (Sgt. Jesse Longford) and others. The executive producer of the show, Jason Richman, stressed they would be using artists and local talent in the show and extended an invitation to one of the world’s most famous rappers, Eminem. “I would love it,” Jason Richman told Vulture. “He’s a great actor, and he’d a good representative for the city…I’d love for him to be involved in any way possible.”Xzibit will also make another high profile appearance on television this September, when he is featured on Extreme Makeover rebuilding a house in Wisconsin, with host Ty Pennington, homebuilder Paige Hemmis and stylist Michael Moloney.Air-dates for Xzibit’s appearances on both shows are not available as of press time.

Bilal: One Man’s Revenge

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: Alternatives
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Not many artists can go into album exile for eight years and emerge with much of their fan base still intact. But Bilal Oliver is a fighter and survivor. Instead of bowing under the mainstream demands of his former home Interscope, Bilal opted not to record ready-made radio tunes and completely severed ties with the major label.

On September 14th, he returns with Airtight’s Revenge (Plug Research), his official sophomore project and “unofficial” third offering following Interscope’s shelved Love For Sale. And for the first time in nearly a decade, Bilal is giving fans his art in an uncut and raw form.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve been an artist that’s experienced the good and the bad with the Internet. Talk about what made you comfortable with Plug Research going forward and creating your own label situation.

Bilal Oliver: Well, I think Plug Research is doing their thing. Digitally, they’re one of the biggest companies. With the Internet it’s a gift and a curse, and you have to deal with it in the best way. I think it’s a cool deal I have for an independent venture.

AllHipHop.com: A couple years ago Dave Chappelle had a comment about how art suffers when it meets corporate interests. Based on what you experienced with Interscope and the type of music you make, do you believe it would ever be beneficial for you to return to a major label?

Bilal: It just has to be set up in different way. In order for you to get respect and be able to do what you want to do you have to make noise indie first. Once you do that you can get better leverage like a Master P or some s###. My music is no weirder than any white indie band. But we’re in a system where they think white indie bands or rock bands can experiment all they want but black people have to follow the corporate guidelines. It used to be totally the opposite years ago. All I want to do is push the envelope in music and I’m going to do that regardless. And I’m in a good place to do that.

 

AllHipHop.com: On the unreleased Love For Sale album you’ve mentioned people like Charles Mingus and Howlin’ Wolf were influences on the sound. What influences did you pull from for Airtight’s Revenge?

Bilal: I really used a lot of concepts from Frank Zappa on this record; just because it’s a mix of a lot of different sounds with a nucleus of rock and soul. And even with that nucleus there’s a mix of jazz, blues and electronic influences. Frank Zappa was dope at that; mixing a lot different artists in a band to create one distinct sound. And that’s where I was with this type and just musically in general with my writing now.

AllHipHop.com: One of your collaborators for this album is Shafiq Husayn (“Levels”). How was the chemistry working on a song from scratch with him?

Bilal: It was real cool, man. I always get a lot out of working with Shafiq. We were just experimenting and having fun doing it. I always like to experiment with cats that are just as experimental as I am. Shafiq is like a scientist and just to watch him is really cool.

 

AllHipHop.com: I know Airtight’s a nickname. How did you get it?

Bilal: You know Common started calling me that. I used to read a lot of Donald Goines and Iceberg Slim books. Com got me into that and that’s a nickname that stuck from years ago. Not that I’m old or anything [laughs].

AllHipHop.com: The album cover replicates the famous Malcolm X photo now known as “By Any Means Necessary.” How does that tie in to the work on the album?

Bilal: The concept is getting my art out by any means necessary. Even through all the pitfalls, the dark side of industry and the b####### you go through. I’m going to get it out in the manner it should be; not watered down or anything against how I want it. That photo is a reminder of that. It’s uncut, raw music that I’m putting out. And I’m willing to do whatever to get it out.

AllHipHop.com: I wanted to commend you on the “Who Are You” track. I can really relate to it being that I also grew up a religiously mixed household with a Christian mother and Muslim father. Explain how your spiritual process and evolvement has affected your music.

Bilal: It’s helped me a lot. Spirituality is an ongoing deal every day. I’m the type of person that whatever I’m dealing with or thinking about, it kind of shows up in my music. I just felt like really speaking on religion and how it’s separating everyone when a lot of the religions are very similar. But no one really knows that because everyone likes to focus on the negative. If everyone would really study the other religions they would really see. So I wanted to bring the light that we’re all spiritual beings and should not separate each other. It’s not a gang; we’re all trying to be connected to God.

AllHipHop.com: The consistency of putting out albums before was out of your hands due to the label issues. Now that you have that control back, do you see yourself putting out albums often or more extended breaks?

Bilal: I don’t know it depends on how the music comes to me. I just try to empty myself but I won’t rush anything out. I don’t think it’ll take me long. It really took me a long time in the last couple years because of stuff going on behind the scenes. But when I’m in a good space mentally and good recording space I can do music all the time.

One of the main things I’d like to do before my next record is build my own studio and have my own space to do things.

AllHipHop.com: What would you say was your weakest point as an artist and what made you decide to keep going?

Bilal: My lowest point was battling with Interscope to put Love For Sale out without changing songs and finding a single. That was the worst; writing a song with the intent of it being a single. And then after doing that it getting bootlegged and the label telling me I had to start from scratch. That really upset me because I had gone through such a fight for the music. To have them tell me they were giving up on it and to start over just left a sour taste.

[What kept me going] was when I started to get responses from people online saying they enjoyed the music. When I got that it really opened me up to saying “man, maybe I can keep going.” Even then I was very reluctant to start music. I would just write music for myself and record with my garage band. I just started doing my own s### privately. But it was really when I started getting responses online that I opened up.

AllHipHop.com: What are the touring plans? Are you going to focus on the States or take it international?

Bilal: I’m going to focus everywhere. I just came back from overseas. I plan to do a tour in the States and then Japan. I’m really interested in making music that’ll reach the whole world and not have boundaries. I really try to scale my music down to melody. I’d love to touch the whole world with this.

AllHipHop.com: If you could meet the Bilal from 2002, what advice would you give him?

Bilal: I would tell him…s### I don’t know [laughs]. Artistically I’m not mad at anything [I did]. I would have kept my music more under wraps. I wouldn’t have recorded at so many different studios and tried to protect my music a little bit more. But everything happens for a reason, so a lot of times I try not to look back. I make sure I put my best foot forward.

Ismael AbduSalaam is a senior staff writer for AllHipHop.com and the creator of Beats, Boxing and Mayhem, a website specializing in boxing and Hip-Hop coverage.

AHH Stray News: Big L, Jim Jonsin, Ice Cube Tracklisting

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: News
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A new collections of songs by rapper Big L is due in stores today (August 31st). The rapper, who was killed when an unknown gunman shot him to death in February of 1999, is regarded as one of the best rapper’s to ever touch a microphone. Now, a new 12-song collection titled 139th & Lenox, a tribute to the rapper’s old stomping grounds. The unreleased tracks feature Big L during his height, with producers like Buckwild, Hi-Tek and the late Roc Raida lending tracks to the collection. 139th & Lenox is in stores now. Grammy Award winning producer Jim Jonsin recently commented on the success of his debut artist, B.o.B., who has been nominated for five MTV VMA Awards from his hit debut album, The Adventures of Bobby Ray. Jonsin executive produced the album for his own label, Rebel Rock Entertainment. “It’s great to see a true talent like B.o.B succeed, and it’s equally as fulfilling to see a great person win,” Jonsin said of B.o.B’s success, which includes a pair of #1 singles. “I’m really proud of my label, Rebel Rock Entertainment, for continuing to put out great music that the fans are loving.” Jonsin is currently in the studio making tracks for T.I., Pitbull, R. Kelly, Snoop Dogg and Yelawolf. Ice Cube revealed Details surrounding the release of his highly anticipated ninth studio album, I Am the West. Ice Cube unveiled the record yesterday (August 31st) in New York, to an elite group of executives and journalists. The rapper played tracks from the 16-song album, which features guest appearances from WC, Jayo Felony, Young Maylay, Doughboy and OMG.The tracklisting for I Am the West is listed below: 1. A Boy Was Conceived2. Soul On Ice3. Life In California (feat. Jayo Felony & WC)4. She Couldn’t Make It On Her Own (feat. OMG & Doughboy)5. Urbanian6. Y’all Know How I Am (feat. OMG, WC, Doughboy & Maylay)7. Too West Coast (feat. WC & Maylay)8. I Rep That West 9. Drink The Kool-Aid 10. No Country For Young Men11. It Is What It Is12. Hood Robbin13. Your Money Or Your Life14. Nothin’ Like L.A.15. All Day, Everyday16. Fat Cat

Hip-Hop Rumors: Kat Stacks Snitches On Carmelo! 50’s Threats!

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: Rumors
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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.WHO: illseedWHAT: Rumors, Funnies, Fails and more!WHERE: illseed.com, twitter.com.illseedHOW: Send your rumors, sightings and ill pics to illseed at al*************@***il.com. I’MA BOSS!!!

Yesterday, I posted the chopped and screwed version of “I’ma Boss,” a song that features both Rick Ross and Slim Thug. Shout out to Country Boi! Who was the best on it?

KAT STACKS SNITCHIN!??

I noticed a lot of people do a lot of talking trash on twitter, but looks like Kat Stacks decided to bring in the law on Carmelo.

Here is what Melo did first. He says his account was hacked.

 

THE RETURN OF LIL ZANE?!?

Do you remember Lil Zane? He was like a bigger Lil Bow Wow minus the success. I heard he’s BACK! I heard dude has been off the scene because he’s been caring for his ailing mother. I send that off to all my Twitter Family, who had their jokes! Here is a recent picture and the new rumors comes next.

       

Here you go, from one of my readers:

OK illseee, Real Quick I went out to club Kress in Hollywood this weekend with out knowing i step in and they say in Bizzy Bone is suppose to perform at Midnight.

Midnight came and No Bizzy people start asking WTF is up so the guy was a no Show i heard maybe a money issue not to sure but long and behold I Don’t know where the f### the Promoter Found Lil Zane under a Rock on Some Last Min S### ye Lil Zane you from Back in the days with 112 and s### well the last time I saw this guy was back in 03 on the back of a Milk Carton lmao any ways Dude started performing with out a Shirt and first Dam the Dude is LIL he a petite lil f##### N E Ways his first song was Anywhere he did his verse and he continued for the next 15min with a Hole bunch of Songs no one had ever heard half the club walked out on him and the few groupies that Stayed where like “Is That Lil Bow Wow”  lmao poor guy then he proceeded to walk around the club no one really gave a Dam even with the Camera guy except for a Couple of fat girls taking Pictures

this was a 21 and over spot and this guy ain’t had a song out since 2000 I’m not surprised no one knew who he was

your boy J Smooth from LA Out

R.KELLY FLOPS IN ANGOLA

Peep what I scooped off one of my source African sites, VintageEva.com about R. Kelly in Angola.

R Kelly’s concert took place this saturday (28th) in one of Luanda’s stadiums. The show had been highly anticipated and there was a huge hype about it. The tickets started at $50!! Good idea if your goal  is to get a sold out concert  in a  football stadium. Obviously the concert wasn’t sold out and the audience was quite disappointed as they expected to see their idol perform the songs they grew up listening to. Instead, they were surprised with a bunch of unknown songs they never heard before for almost the whole show!

THE RETURN OF THE HEARTLESS MONSTER

I wonder how the Hip-Hop World takes this on….50 Cent is about to come back as a heartless monster, he says. I thought ht was always that. Well, he’s generally going buckwild on Twitter, as you can see, but recently he took specific aim at Diddy! “Sept 6 the return of the heartless mosterDon’t miss it! Total mayhem. Puffys a fun boy a happy man, a fruit loop a lucky charm a skittle chase the rainbow lol Sept 6! Mayhem” Now, Diddy has been going against this in subtle ways with his Love Movement or something like that. He’s not mentioning any names, but he’s just talking about haters and being suckerfree or something. I don’t know. Maybe he and 50 can have a “smooth off.”

THE JAY-Z / EMINEM SHOW DATES AND TIMES

I have been informed that for the people in NY, we’ll be giving away some tickets for this event and we’re working on Detroit.

SEP  2, THU

 

Comerica Park

Detroit, MI

07:30 PM

 

Eminem & Jay-Z

 

SEP  3, FRI

 

Comerica Park

Detroit, MI

07:30 PM

 

Eminem & Jay-Z

 

SEP  13 ,MON

 

Yankee Stadium

Bronx, NY

07:30 PM

 

Jay-Z & Eminem

 

SEP  14, TUE

 

Yankee Stadium

Bronx, NY

07:30 PM

Jay-Z & Eminem

 

Here are some of Jay-Z’s Yankee gear:

BRANDON JENNINGS – HOW U DOOIN?

Shout out to my Seattle homeboy, who send me this. For those that don’t know, Brandon Jennings “is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA.” It seems like these NBA cats are all coming clean. Peep how he gets down to some Lady Gaga. Brandon is from Compton. This ain’t the Compton that Ice Cube, Dre, Eazy and Ren rapped about the year Bran Bran was born in 1989.

MORE BONE THUGS RUMORS!

Grammy Award winner Layzie Bone of the platinum selling group Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, is planning to sue a fan over a 2005 incident where the rapper almost got his finger bitten off by an irrate fan. Layzie Bone was over-heard this week by the press telling his “Bone camp” about the plan to sue the fan. Its not known how much Layzie Bone is asking for in the case. The September 2005 incident caught the attention of the media. Layzie Bone was in his room with his wife when they brought some fans up to the hotel room to hang out, and that’s when it occured. The Bone Thugs-N-Harmony group has been rumored to be in talks with Sumerian Records for a possible rock-n-roll album.

GINUWINE IS A PICKY S.O.B.

 Ginuwine didn’t show up to perform at 1234 Night Club in Montreal,Canada on Sunday August 29 2010. WHY? I don’t know all the reasons, but he and the promoters didn’t see eye to eye on some things. Ginny made it for sound check but he apparently had some additional demands for the promoters and the promoters refused to honor them. They got Lil Zane to perform in Ginuwine’s place. LMAO! Just kidding!

 

MIKEY T’S HOOD RUMORS!

I may need to tell Mikey T to hold off on his Bang Em Smurf rumors a bit! Sheeeeeeet! But I was talking to Bang ‘Em Smurf on Twitter and he had some interesting things to say! Here is the Mikey T report..,unedited and from the hood!

Whats good it’s the kid @MTMovieStar better known as Mikey T The Movie Star back with the hottest in news & rumors ….

 

This Goes back a few years 2 the real G-unit of 02 when Bang Em Smurf & Domination were banging hard for the unit as well as many other pre – fame gunit members , Domination speaks on taking heat from his block , bang em smurf & 50 CENT  over accepting music from Eminem back in 1999…peep what he says…

 

 

QUEEN YONASDA – “SO SPECIAL”

 By AHH Staff

When the topic of female MC’s comes up, most people mention Nicki Minaj or an artist from the 90’s. But, Queen Yonasda, an artist that is the granddaughter of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, is seizing the reigns. Yonasda has been on the grind, but not just the Hip-Hop grind. She’s been in the community working for the people in philanthropic movements for Haiti and immigration rights in Arizona. Here is the official video for “So Special,” which evokes the Denzel Washington film “Book of Eli.”

 

 

SIGNS THE WORLD IS COMING TO AND END

 Alison Alsbrooks Scurry is a dirty woman. The 31-year-old South Carolina woman was jailed after she was allegedly raising her kids in a house that looked more like a landfill. She reportedly had a over a FOOT  of trash throughout the whole house. It was literally a flood of TRASH. The kids were totally neglected and police say they were living in absolute filth. The kids were 8, 9 and 10 and a neighbor snitched on Alison, calling her out. After being caught, Alison complained about how hard it is to be a single parent and that she was trying to get her life in order. She failed. Her kids are in foster care and she’s in jail.

 TRASH LADY, WE LOVE YOU AND YOUR IN-HOUSE LADNFILL!They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!