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Friday Fashion Feature: Out With The Matchy-Matchy Look!

Gone are the days where you would precisely match the shade of blue on your Nike kicks to a graphic tee and New Era fitted.

 

It looks very planned, and sometimes clownish.

 

Speaking of clownish, a perfect example is the above image of T-Pain. He’s doing too much with the patent leather kicks, matching blue tee and then the G-Shock watch to match the tee’s graphic.

 

T-Pain

 

Come on Lil Wayne…

 

Lil Wayne really didn’t need to look like a walking yellow Adidas billboard here.

 

While some may consider this color coordinating, I simply call it O.D. It seems there is a misconception that there’s more skill involved with hooking up an outfit like his, while it’s really quite easy (as long as you are not color blind).

 

Not saying you should clash (although sometimes that works too) it’s more about being classy and subtle, adding a splash of color here and there.

 

Continue reading “Friday Fashion Feature: Out With The Matchy-Matchy Look!”

Crooked Cop Convicted Of Assisting Rap Drug Boss

A former Philadelphia police officer is expected to be sentenced to at least 12.5 years in prison for allegedly tipping off rapping drug kingpin Alton “Ace Capone” Coles.

 

Rickie Durham, 44, was convicted today (September 24) of obstruction of justice and one count of giving a false statements to law officers.

 

Federal prosecutors accused Durham of tipping a friend off about a pending raid, with the knowledge that the friend would warn Coles.

 

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Durham was 12 year-veteran before being suspended earlier this year after his association with Coles was revealed.

 

Coles was the CEO of Philadelphia-based Hip-Hop label, Take Down Records.

 

He was convicted of running a $25 million dollar drug ring and sentenced to life in prison under Pennsylvania’s “Kingpin” law.

The Last Word: Omarion Gets New Deal, Serena Serves Up Pads, Ryan’s New Act

How’s everything going, everybody. Five days down and the weekend arrives as world leaders converge on Pittsburgh for the G-20 summit, actress McKenzie Phillips reveals details about her 10- year incestuous relationship with her father, Mamas and Papas frontman John Phillips and revelation of a potential vaccine for the AIDS virus.

Congratulations go out to Nelly Furtado, whose Spanish-language album, Mi Plan, sold nearly 13,000 copies in its first week to become the highest-selling Latin pop album debut this year, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Shout out to the sounding boards for always letting me know, good or bad, what’s best. It’s been a slow week, so I apologize in advance if this week’s Word doesn’t hit too hard this time around.

With that said, let the light shine through for…the Last Word for the week ending Sept. 25, 2009.

1. Ryan Leslie and Tamia Lean On SuperFriends to Form R&B Supergroups

As the saying goes, there’s always strength in numbers. If rappers can come together, why not R&B singers?

For Ryan Leslie, this seems to work well as he drifts towards a united front with Ne-Yo and Fabolous.

“We’re talking about a triple-team collaboration that’s really gonna hurt the game,” the crooner told MTV, adding that the trio’s forthcoming project will be a well-thought out endeavor. “It’s about conceptualizing. It’s not gonna be a project that’s thrown together. It’s gonna be a real roundtable, and we’re gonna talk about really putting something in the atmosphere that contributes something that’s never been done before.”

And if one R&B supergroup doesn’t do anything for you, how about a second one? Female vocalists Tamia, Deborah Cox and Kelly Price have followed suit and formed their own collective, which goes by the name of TDK.

Fans can get a taste of the new group via “Queen,” the first single from the TDK’s forthcoming album, The Queen Project. Among those working with TDK is producer Warryn Campbell. The trio, who is slated to work with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, R. Kelly and Raphael Saadiq, will document the album’s development with intentions to share the experience in a reality show.

As “a fan first,” Tamia relished working with her new groupmates as she admitted that “There’s something special here musically and we have a genuine bond.”

Although The Queen Project is slated to be released in early 2010, TDK is currently not affiliated with a record company. In the meantime, fans of Price, Tamia and Cox can catch them on Oct. 10when they perform their first concert together at the Circle of Sisters expo in New York City.

All this talk about supergroups is making me think. Who would make up the best male or female supergroup? Get enough of them together and you could have a singing Justice League out to defend us against the threat of the Legion of Bad Vocalists.

Let the recruiting begin! We need a few heroes that can carry a note.

2. Joss Stone’s Colour Is Finally Freed

Joss Stone’s long-delayed album, Colour Me Free will finally see the light of day. Media sources report the Virgin Records release, will be exclusively available at Target and through iTunes on October 20, and feature appearances from Raphael Saadiq (“Big Ole Game”), Jeff Beck and Sheila E. “Parallel Lines”), Nas (“Governmentalist”) and saxophonist David Sanborn (“I Believe It To My Soul”).

For Stone, her fourth studio album is “very, very raw – basically a bunch of musicians, writers, and myself just jamming.”

“The album was not dictated or forced. It was an organic process where each musician was given the freedom to create their sound,” added the songstress, who labeled the project as a solid representation of where she is currently as an artist. “It’s an honest and accurate representation of where I am as an artist and person right now. I am really proud of the music and excited to have people hear the songs.”

Featuring the lead single, “Free Me,” Colour Me Free is scheduled for a November 2 international release.

3. Serena Williams Serves Up Tampon Ads With Mother Nature

Serena Williams may have generated negative talk with her vocal display at the U.S. Open, but the tennis champ is still golden in the eyes of Proctor & Gamble.

Brandweek.com reports Williams has signed an endorsement deal with the company to promote its Tampax in a series of print ads and videos. The print ads, which will feature the younger Williams sister beating Mother Nature in a game of tennis, arrived in various teen publications last week.

As for the Serena videos, Tampax plans on airing those on its web site. Williams will be teamed up with Mother Nature in the clips again for the clips, which are part of a series and feature pair in various predicaments. According to Tampax brand manager Courtney Schuster, Serena is “unstoppable and prepared, like our Tampax girl. [Williams] doesn’t let Mother Nature get the best of her.

Despite all the coverage and opinions regarding her tirade, experts predict that Williams will not be in danger of losing any sports sponsorships. Couple that with public support from Kraft and Nike and Serena comes out unscathed.

4. Eva Longoria Goes Back to School For Her Masters

Considering how she has a hit TV show and a happy marriage to a star NBA player, it would be easy for Eva Longoria to settle in and enjoy life as it is. But the Desperate Housewives star is pursuing the road to higher education for a deeper purpose, as news comes down that she is headed back to school to learn about her Mexican roots.

According to Hola magazine, Longoria will enroll in a master’s program in Chicano studies and political science. The motivation lies for the actress lies in a desire to “learn more about the history of the country we come from.” No word from Longoria on what university she will attend.

All I can say is just picture Eva walking into your class to sit beside you while the two of you learn something new together. Any volunteers for study hall?

In Other Words…

In the latest episode of Celebrities and Their Money Drama, we have a trust fund issue featuring the children of late comedy icon Richard Pryor.

TMZ.com reports that court documents were filed on Tuesday in L.A. County Superior Court by Steven and Kelsey Pryor against Robert Philpot, the person appointed by Richard Pryor to watch over a trust set up for them. The Pryor kids claim that Philpot hid the existence of the trust from them after their father’s death in 2005.

They go on to say that they were forced to figure out the existence of the trust on their own — and are worried Philpot “wrongfully took, concealed, or disposed of assets” during that time. The Pryors would like the court to terminate Philpot as the trustee of the trust and award them any assets he may have taken from the trust.

The trust was initially created in 1998, the year Richard Pryor divorced the kids’ mom for the first time.

Omarion may have hit a roadblock after his label situation with Lil Wayne’s Young Money imprint fell through, but the former B2K member is taking matter in his own hands with the formation of his own label, StarWorld Entertainment.

Under the new imprint, which resulted from Omarion’s newly signed deal with EMI, fans will get a new album from the singer called Ollusion. According to the crooner, his third solo album will be testament to his growth as artist, among other things.

“My style has evolved so much on this album,” Omarion said in a statement. “I was able to express truly who I am from a creative and artistic standpoint, which allowed me to share a personal side of myself with my fans through my music. This is my masterpiece, and I can’t wait for the world to hear my new album.”

Including appearances from Tank, Gucci Mane and Fabolous, Ollusion is slated to hit stores on November 24. The album’s first single,“I Get It In,” will debut on October 5.

The mighty Oprah has struck again as Variety reports that HBO is in the early stages of developing two historical miniseries with the entertainment mogul’s Harpo Films.

The projects will be comprised of The Black Panthers, a miniseries that examines the history of the 1960s movement’s inner circle. The show will utilize source material from the biography of Panther’s leader Huey Newton, Huey: Spirit of the Panther, as well as the Elaine Brown autobiography A Taste of Power: A Black Woman’s Story.

The other miniseries being worked on will be Ida Tarbell, a look at the journalist who exposed the unfair practices of John D. Rockefeller and his Standard Oil monopoly. Tarbell’s work was noted for helping in the government’s eventual breakup of the company in 1911.

World B-Boy Championships & Hip-Hop Festival To Commence in South Korea

The Third Annual World B-Boy Championships and Urban Arts Festival will be held in Incheon, South Korea, in conjunction with the Korean Tourism Organization, and the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, R16, from September 25th through the 27th.

 

Produced by Cartel Creative with art directions from noted visual artist Brent Rollins, R16 is a celebration of Hip-Hop, urban art, and contemporary youth culture.

 

The event, which will be broadcasted on multiple television channels across the world, invites world-class B-Boys (Ken Swift), MCs, graffiti writers and DJs to gather in Korea for three days of competition, art and design showcases and global camaraderie.

 

“R16 is committed to growing the Hip-Hop culture by providing artists and audiences a forum as a multi-cultural celebration,” says Charlie Shin, founder of Cartel Creative.

 

The festival culminates on September 25th in a 16 crew B-Boy Performance Battle followed by the highly anticipated B-Boy Crew Battle on September 26th and a full-blown Hip-Hop concert on September 27th featuring Rakaa of Dilated Peoples, local Hip-Hop icons Drunken Tiger, and Epik High.

 

For a complete list of all teams/countries participating in R16 Incheon, special guest performers, or any additional information please visit: http://www.r16korea.com/en/index.asp

MC Lyte Hosts 1st Annual WEEN Awards In DC

Rapper MC Lyte will host The 1st Annual Women in Entertainment Empowerment Network (WEEN) Awards on Friday (September 25) in Washington, DC.

 

The event will pay homage to Vivica A. Fox, author Hill Harper and actor/philanthropist Malinda Williams, Chief Global Diversity Officer of McDonald’s Corporation.

 

Also being honored during the 1st annual award ceremony include Pat Harris; EVP of Urban Marketing for Universal Motown, Shanti Das; and HIV/AIDS Activist, Maria Davis.

 

WEEN is a worldwide coalition of women of all ages and races, aims to support the positive portrayal of women in media and in society in general.

 

The non-profit is led by former Hip-Hop Summit Action Network Executive Director Valeisha Butterfield, along with co-founders Kristi Henderson, Sabrina Thompson and Lauren Lake.

 

Angie Martinez, Rocsi, Big Tigger, Jeff Johnson and Alesha Renee will serve as presenters during the awards, which take place from 5:00-9:00 PM at the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

 

For more info visit www.weenonline.org. Media requests: [email protected] Sponsorship: [email protected].

THE DAY REPORT: A Successful Sports Label

Why is it that no one has built a successful record label

owned by an athlete?  I want to build the

first successful independent rap record label owned by a sports figure!!!  Now, I don’t mean an athlete who raps….I mean

an athlete who has business sense and wants to be in the music business.  And it would be an added plus if he or she

was looking to run the label after retiring from sports, but not mandatory.

 

When I first moved to Atlanta three years ago, I was

interviewed for ESPN.com.  I was asked

why I thought no sports figure had ever succeeded in starting an urban record

label even though so many had tried.   I

was shocked by the long list of athletes who’d tried and failed.  Millions and millions of dollars had been

wasted.  Last month, that same journalist

called me again.  Although he has since

moved on to Bloomberg TV from ESPN, three years had passed and he was following

up to see if any athletes had come into the business and been successful.  Not one has been successful.  This bothered me immensely, and now I am on a

mission to find an athlete with the right mindset to win big in this industry.

 

Still, to this day, there has not been a successful label

owned by a sports figure.  I’ve danced

around a tiny bit over the past 18 years of my career with Dennis Scott, Nick

Van Exel, Jamal Tinsley, Quentin Groves, and even Roy Jones, Jr.  I spoke briefly with Winky Wright a few years

ago, who eventually chose Damon Dash to help his start his label—neither of

them have labels now.  I’ve spoken with

sports agents who had no interest in their athletes owning record labels, so

they sabotaged them to fail either in the negotiations or the initial stages of

them starting labels (I won’t work with those who have disinterested or

b####### agents—it’s impossible to win, so I am proud to say I’ve never been

part of the failed process).  But I’ve

yet to find the perfect athlete with the right mindset, the proper funding, and

great music.  And of course, the will to

win in this industry.

 

I’ve watched sports guys hire industry people who aren’t

qualified to help them start labels, either because they’ve never done it or

because they run competing labels themselves. 

Some fall into both categories, sadly. 

I have seen hundreds of thousands of dollars wasted on false starts for

artists and on elaborate parties, neither of which have anything to do with

selling records.  Building hype is a

wonderful thing, but isn’t it better to build hype from the grind and the great

music than for throwing parties?  This is

a b-u-s-i-n-e-s-s!  I’ve watched MLB

baseball players waste millions of dollars because they had the wrong staff in

place.  I’ve seen NBA super stars lose

millions on the wrong artist and waste hundreds of thousands of dollars

trusting the wrong consultants (please sue them!!) especially regarding radio

spins.  I’ve seen NFL players spend

hundreds of thousands of dollars on elaborate parties to never even put out an

artist or recoup any of the spending. 

 

To put out a rap record successfully, it takes great music,

artists who work hard, an experienced plan put together by someone with

experience and connections and a successful track record in putting out

music.   It also takes proper funding—to

put out a rap act in today’s economy, an investment of about half a million

dollars per release is necessary…on the low end.  I’ve done it for non-athletes with $300,000

but every penny of the income gets recycled back into the business to keep it

running.

 

To break an act, you need excellent music…not just good

music, but great music.  It needs to

start breaking at the street and club level and be worked in a regional area

until radio is ready to embrace it.  It

then needs to be worked at radio by an experienced independent radio promoter

who can take it to the next level.  The artists

need to get out on the road and stay on the road as long as possible going from

town to town and city to city, working their record.  The indie label needs great, legitimate

distribution that has a hard working sales staff to get the record into stores

and onto the internet for legal downloads– and successfully collect the money

after the music sells from the stores and websites.  I’m making it all sound easy and effortless

but it’s not.  It’s hard work, and takes

experience, connections, favors, proper funding, relationships, and time.

 

As I analyze the sports labels that have come before, I have

seen a large amount of mistakes.  This

advice applies to all labels, but especially to sports labels since the goal of

MANY people in this industry is to separate wealthy people from their

money.  This attitude has always

surprised me because it is just as much work to make money by selling music as

it takes to scam somebody.  So why jack

someone out of money when you can just do the work and be successful?

 

Have GREAT Music and Talented, Hard-Working Artists

 

The biggest mistake I see is in the quality of music.  This is also the #1 reason that I turn down

consulting work with labels—not just athletes, but everyone.  This is a business first and foremost!  Treat it as such.  When you are running a real business, you

choose the best artists with the most commercially viable music you can

find.  You don’t fund your son, your

cousins, your niece, or your neighbors, unless they are worthy of that

investment.  Artists must have talent,

song writing skills, and a work ethic that won’t quit.  Do NOT listen to the artist or the people

surrounding you for advice when determining if an artist has the right stuff or

not.  Listen to professionals (DJs,

retail store owners, fans, bloggers, etc). 

If your neighbor can sing circles around Whitney Houston, that might be

a good funding choice.  A regional rap

group that has found a way to press up their own CD and is already selling

independently on the web and in their local area might also be a good choice

for funding.  But your wack ass nephew

who can’t rhyme or make songs as well as Jay Z is NOT a great choice for

backing, unless your goal is to write off the money you will spend as a

loss.  Of course, you’ll make your family

happy by working with your nephew– until the project fails.

 

In terms of artist work ethic, that goes a very long

way.  Given a choice between a super lazy

artist with supreme talent, and one with less talent but a get-up-and-go work

ethic, I’ll take the one with work ethic any day.  But they can’t be wack!  They must have talent if you plan to sell

music.  On a scale of 1 to 10, the artists

need to be a level 8, 9, or 10 in talent, as judged by others outside of your

circle.  On a work ethic scale, they need

to be 9 or 10 as evidenced by their current work level.  An artist sitting around waiting to be

“discovered” is a bigger risk than an artist who is attending conventions and

events, performing at the local talent shows, or even trying to get their music

out there to the world via the internet or pressing CDs a few at a time and

selling them.

 

Learn The Game Before Jumping In

 

The second biggest mistake I see in athletes coming into the

music business is the lack of knowledge and research about the business.  Just like you didn’t get into sports without

learning the game and the other players, you shouldn’t come into the music

world cold.  Learn how the industry works

and who the key players are.  That

doesn’t mean the key players won’t f### you out of money, but it does mean that

you’ll have an understanding of who is who. 

Once you know who’s who, you can start infiltrating and asking around

about them.  If many of the same people

say the same things, it’s most likely accurate. 

If you want to build a successful company, seek guidance from those

who’ve done it before.  But if they

already own their own labels, they may not be the best person to help you start

yours.  Do NOT be blinded by fame or

hype—99% of what you see in this industry is not real.

 

When you hire someone to run your business for you, choose

the best GM (General Manager) that you can find.  Find someone who has run other labels

successfully (preferably more than one) and who knows what they are doing.  Google them, ask for references, and check

their references.  The best people can

put you on the phone with their last 3 or 4 clients so you can ask questions.

 

This business isn’t a scientific business, meaning that we

go on emotions and feelings a lot.  If

you aren’t a good judge of other people, DO have someone who is good at that

help you out.  Almost everyone who has

complained about losing money was able to mention afterwards something about

the person that made them wonder if he or she was shady.  If you are thinking it, there’s probably a

good reason for it.  Do more research on

them.  And never, never, never hire your

boy/cousin/friend/trusted sports advisor to run your label for you.  This is a specialized business that requires

connections, experience, knowledge that’s specific and hard to find, with

favors from industry insiders in order to win.

 

Keep Your F###### Mouth Shut

 

Because of those who’ve come before you and failed, it is

NOT to your advantage to broadcast to the world that you are an athlete coming

into the music business.  The sharks and

vultures who want to separate money from the wealthy will hone in on you like a

sailor on shore leave looking for a scantily clad h#####.  And the true professionals in the industry

will immediately assume you’ll fail as all others have, and avoid working with

you to avoid a failure on their resume. 

But here’s the kicker—no one will admit this to you, they will either

just give you excuses of being too busy and bow out, or tell you what you want

to hear while they take your money and not deliver (as history has shown time

and time again).  It is best to move

around in silence until you’ve started to experience some success with your

label and then announce to the world that it’s a label owned by an

athlete.  In this situation, silence is

golden!

 

There is only one other way to do this where people already

know you are a sports guy about to start a label….do it SUPER publicly.  Secure a reality show and put a giant

spotlight on you and your project.  This

will scare away the roaches and snakes (people who want to steal from you will

want to do so cloaked in darkness, not with cameras rolling on national TV).  The downside of this idea is that it will

attract to you people who are more driven by fame rather than the true

professionals who can help your label succeed. 

The trick is to find balance. 

You, as the owner of the label, need to step up in front of the camera

and let those behind the scenes do their thing. 

No one wants to fail live in front of millions of viewers, which will

scare away the scammers, but it may also scare away the key professionals you

need, as well.  Yep, balance is key!

 

My plan is to set up a label for a sports figure, but only

to inform folks on a need to know basis. 

The distributor and artists will need to know where the funding is

coming from, but the fans and consumers won’t need to know until the label is

chugging along successfully.  Let’s face

facts, no one cared who owned Death Row, RocAFella, or Bad Boy until their

artists were successful.  If a reality

show can help add positive benefit to the success of the artists, then we will

figure out a way to do so effectively.

 

Do NOT Be The Artist

 

I can’t believe I even need to say this.  If you are an athlete, do not try to sing or

rap.  Even if you have incredible talent,

you will not be taken seriously.  Rappers

don’t try to professionally play ball (yeah, I saw Master P try), box, golf, or

play tennis for the same credibility reasons.  

Rap is especially not an arena where gimmicks are accepted.  We don’t embrace actors who rap (Drake may be

the first to change this thinking), athletes who rap, or game show winners who

rap—yes, I’m talking about “America Has Talent” and “American Idol.”  These may all be fine for the mainstream

masses, but it hasn’t translated into the rap marketplace yet.  Thank God.

 

If You’re Going To Do This, Do It Right

 

This is a business, and like any business it takes proper

funding to build your company.  If you

think this is an arena where you can come in with a small investment and win

big, you are sadly mistaken.  If you plan

on investing less than $100,000 in a rap artist (the barre is even higher for a

singer), save your money.  You will

absolutely end up dumping more money into your company later to save your

initial investment, but you will do so after scaring away the true

professionals who could have helped you if your budget was realistic in the

beginning.  Look at this logically, you

will spend at least $50,000 to secure radio regionally (and this is a MINIMUM

budget).  Most singles take $50,000 to

$100,000 to break regionally at radio. 

That’s just one single.  A promo

tour costs about $15,000 to $25,000 for a thirty day run.  And thirty days on the road is not enough to

support the release of an established artist, let alone break a new unknown

artist.  Add to these costs marketing,

promotion, publicity, advertising, video costs, touring, internet promotions,

street teams, etc. 

 

If you are smart, you will end up paying a consultant or a

great GM $50,000 to $150,000 to guide you in these treacherous shark infested

waters, either monthly or in a single lump sum. 

A great consultant will end up saving you far more than you spend on him

or her, but the point is that there is a cost associated with this.  The bottom line is that if someone is

offering you a great deal to start a label, or says they can do this with a

minimal investment on your part, do more research.  It is highly unlikely!  It is as unlikely as you being able to

purchase a brand new Bentley convertible, loaded, for $30,000.  It just doesn’t happen….something isn’t

right.  If you want a Bentley, you will

pay for a Bentley.  But at least with a

label, you’ll get a return on the investment. 

We hope.

 

Even if your goal is not to start a label, but to build an

artist to the point where a major label will step in and offer you a deal, you

still will need more than $100,000 in investment.  As you do your research on this industry, you

will find that putting out an artist regionally and selling CDs and downloads

IS the best way to attract a larger deal from a major that will lead to

success.  Meanwhile, you still need to

start with a realistic investment to properly fund your goals.

 

The bad business I have seen in this industry is heart

breaking.  I guess it shouldn’t surprise

me that there has never been a successful athlete owned label, but it

does.  I’ve seen athletes higher party

promoters to help them start their labels, spend upwards of $100,000 on

parties, only to end up doing joint ventures with their artists at a bigger

label—do you realize you just paid $100k to give up half of your artist?  I’ve seen NBA All-Stars lose millions in

promoting family members or themselves as rappers, only to sell less than 5,000

CDs and downloads.  Even with a $500,000

budget, that’s a cost per CD of $100 to make a $6 to $8 return.  Was it worth it?

 

This industry isn’t difficult.  Selling music is fun and rewarding when you

know what you are doing or guided by the right, legitimate people.  Not everyone who separates you from your

money means to jerk you—some just promise more than they can deliver.  But at the end of the day, this is a business

and we all need to treat it as such.  My

goal is to find an athlete who wants to win in this business, and until I find

the right one, I’m going to keep searching. 

I had a meeting last week that was VERY promising.  I met with a sports figure who has the same vision

and work ethic as me.  We’re both driven

by success instead of money, and the artists are tight.  So we’ll see what happens…. Maybe we’ll even

build the label publicly to show you how it’s done!!

 

Pioneering Turntablist DJ Too Tuff Battling Cancer

Tuff Crew member and DJ Too Tuff is suffering from thyroid cancer while incarcerated on an aggravated assault charge.

 

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Too Tuff, born Joseph Hicks, recently had surgery to remove his thyroid.

 

DJ Too Tuff, 41, is currently in jail awaiting an October trial for an aggravated assault charge stemming from a fight in front of nightclub Silk City.

 

He is being held without bail, because he was already on probation for possession of marijuana.

 

“It can happen to anybody,” DJ Too Tuff told the Inquirer, while adding that a benefit show was being organized to help cover his medical and legal bills.

 

DJ Too Tuff along with Tuff Crew group members Overlord Ice Dog, Tone Love, Monty G. and LA Kid released a number of classic Hip-Hop records in the late 1980’s.

 

He is noted for being one of the earliest of the turtablists, along with Philadelphia based DJ’s Jazzy Jeff, Cash Money , DJ Spinbad and DJ Miz.

Jay-Z Talks Lil Mama; ‘Empire’ Tops Charts

Jay-Z finally addressed the infamous incident in which Lil Mama hopped on the stage during the rapper’s finale performance with Alicia Keys during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.

 

Yesterday (September 23), Jay-Z called into The Angie Martinez Show on Hot 97 and addressed the incident, when Lil Mama interrupted the performance of “Empire State of Mind.”

 

“Me personally, I would never do that. I would never have the nerve to do that,” Jay-Z said. “We went to rehearsals and went did run through and we worked really hard at the performance to put on a show for people.”

 

Jay-Z said Lil Mama was wrong for interrupting the performance and compared the incident to Kanye West’s stage crashing antics.

 

“I actually thought it was equivalent to what Kanye did to Taylor Swift, but nobody really talked about that because I’m not a sweet little girl from the middle of America.”

 

In related news, Jay-Z’s The Blueprint 3 is the #1 album in the country for a second week in a row, moving 297,911 copies.

 

The single “Empire State of Mind” is also the #1 selling Digital Single in the country Selling 205k copies.

 

Jay-Z is currently performing with Coldplay in the UK and will return to the United States October 9.

Study Says Rap Music Causes Car Crashes

A new study in the U.K. has found that drivers who listen to Hip-Hop music are most at risk to be involved in an accident.

 

A survey of 2000 people conducted by Auto Trader magazine found that almost half of the drivers admitted that rap music changed their mood while driving.

 

Additionally the survey found that 1 in 5 drivers became aggressive, while listening to songs by rappers like Eminem, Jay-Z, Dizzee Rascal.

 

Only six percent of the drivers became relaxed while listening to the genre of music.

 

“We all know the drivers who play loud, pounding rap music where you can hear the ground shake before they arrive,” said Neil Grieg, Director of Policy and Research of The Institute of Advanced Motorists.

 

Grieg told ANI News Service that police do not note what type of music a driver is listening to when they are involved in collisions.

 

“If people recognize within themselves that they were listening to a certain type of music when they had road rage problems or crashes, it would be worth them considering changing the music,” Grieg said. “But if you listen to rap music in the car, you are most likely to be young and male and unfortunately that is the target group least likely to listen to road safety advice.”

Hip-Hop Rumors:New Jack Beef? Another Rapper Heart Attack? More Rumors!

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.

But this is the Hip-Hop Honors Edition so a lot of this is actually

real!DID LL COOL J AND OTHERS BOYCOTT THE HIP-HOP HONORS?

 

We aren’t sure what is going on with the show. The 6th edition of the Hip-Hop Honors seemed ill enough, but was there some sort of boycott quietly taking place? LL Cool J, the first artist to drop an album on Def Jam, was noticeably absent during the evening. LL did do a shoot of some sort to joke about Russell. Perhaps there was just a conflict in schedule.

 

Also, there was no representation from the Roc. No State Property. No Dip Set. I mean, T La Rock wasn’t there to my knowledge. I mean, you can’t complain too much, but I suppose, it would have been even more stellar if Rihanna, Kanye or Jay was there to close out the session with something they did on Def Jam.

THE NEW BOYZ GOT BEEF WITH THE PACK?

 

On of my readers got wind of this one. I don’t know how close he is to the situation so I am not going to use his name. But he in Cali and he is going to a show where The Pack is performing. Well, I heard The Pack got on the stage with some folks and somebody repeatedly chanted, “F*** THE NEW BOYZ I STARTED THIS JERK S**T AND I DON’T EVEN JERK” “F**K THE NEW BOYZ!” I heard after that, people got on stage and started to dance or whatever. Don’t ask me if they were doing the jerk, or whatever that jig is called. The Pack did seem to have a similar rap style to the New Boyz, but since I never listened to either, my opinion is pointless.

LIL BOOSIE MISSES A SHOW!

 

Mr. Street Fame hit me up and gave me some info coming straight out of Atlanta. Well, it isn’t a long store, but it is likely to interest you. In Albany, GA at Club Dejave, Lil Boosie was supposed to perform but the the promoter didn’t pay the rest of the show money. So, Boosie just got the up front money, but not the rest. Mr. Street Fame told me that Boosie is actually taking the hit associated with two years of jail pretty hard. He said that he asked everybody to keep him in our prayers.

 

We should have prayed before the jail time.

 

PRAY FOR KID FROST? DID HOMEY HAVE A HEART ATTACK?

 

DJ Roc Raida had a heart attack and now I am hearing bad rumors about a vet in West Coast rap. If you never heard of Kid Frost, look him up. I would say “kill yourself,” but I understand that everybody’s shoes have different sizes. Anyway, the homey P. LA hit me up and told me he had a show in Colorado for Lowrider Magazine. Latin Rapper Kid Frost was a performer, but he didn’t seem to be himself. They were about to take him to the hospital for treatment for shortness of breath and some other stuff. Somehow, he managed to finish his set, but they allegedly dipped out immediately to get him some care by a real doctor. Now, we are hearing that he was admitted to Denver at Denver Health for a straight up heart attack. How good or bad he is doing is unknown right now. Lets hope this is a bad rumor, but just in case, pray for him!

 

 

EPIC WIN OR BAD WAY TO START A RAP CAREER?

 

 

NORE HAS A NEW ALBUM THAT HE DOESN’T SUPPORT!

 

Check out this! Nore is dissing a new album. Wonder why somebody would do such a thing and is he suing them.

 

 

JAY-Z ADDRESSES LIL MAMA

 

Snooooooze!

 

 

PEOPLE IN GERMANY READ ME! YAY!

 

Peep this letter I got from a reader in Germany!

 

my name is emre i am from turkey but i live in germany…im a big hiphop fan and i read your rumors every time! thought i`d tell you about jay-zs visit to germany..he was in a very well-known tv show yesterday to promote bp3, and everybody over here was excited because it was the first time that he appeared in german tv…but damn, it became a disaster!! the host of the show is quite an idiot and he seemed very unprepared for the interview…i mean, “how do you say it, blueprint 3 or blueprint number 3?”, come on…at the end the host wanted to do a little freestyle session with traditional german music (which he already had done with eminem) and jay quite clearly refused it…all he did was “uh, ah, 1 clap, 2 clap..” and so on…one of my friends said “damn jay got murdered by eminem once again” lol…i think he was confused or didnt want to make a fool of himself…well i would be mad too if i was him, cause like i said the host is such a jerk…anyways, thought i hit you up with that, heres the link…

 

 

When the dude asks Jay, “Are you flexible like Eminem,” I KNOW Jay-Z was thinking “Pause!”

 

 

Jay is like the Woody Allen of Rap now. He’s so witty. LOL!

 

ILLSEED’S QUICKIES

 

Apparently, Tiny (T.I.’s wifey) wanted her reality show to be with Kandi, but BET allegedly rejected the idea. They ended up buying into Toya (Wayne’s ex-wife). Kandi went to that housewives show.

 

I am hearing rumors that somebody may be trying to cyber hack Maino for what he said about Foxy. Apparently, they are starting with his Wikipedia page.

 

I heard that the incident where Ja Rule and DMX made peace actually happened right there in the audience at the Hip-Hop honors. Awwwww…how cute!

 

I continue to hear Slaughterhouse is going to be signing to Shady with Eminem. I can’t tell you how ill this would be as long as the album comes out next year.

 

CHANCE’S CHATTER

 

Here is the homey Chance. He’s got some goodies this time. Check out his rumors.

 

TOLD YALL…Remember when I told you Rihanna was making out with Justin Timberlake at the 40/40?? 

Well she was recently spotted at another NY club giving him a lap

dance.   Word is they’ve been seeing quite a lot of each other but are

forced to sneak around cause JT is still with Jessica Biel. 

COPS CANT CHASE YOU…

If you live in Wellford, South Carolina … After an officer was hurt pursuing a suspect

on foot the mayor outlawed foot pursuits … She said “…the cost

to the town to pay for the injured officer, wasn’t worth it because the

suspect was just a minor drug offender.”NEEDED IMMEDIATELY…Word

is…some more nude pics of ex-Danity Kane sexpot Aubrey Oday just hit

the net.  I cant find them but if you have them please e-mail to [email protected].  I think she is gorgeous … now let me move on before I end up lookin’ like Slim Thug out chea (no shots)

KANYE WEST AND LADY GAGA TOUR

I heard this tour was going doing a couple

months back but when I heard about it it was called The Gay Tour …

THANK GOD that wasn’t true or was changed … check out this trailer

for the tour and click here to find out when it’s coming to your town.

There are also rumors ‘Ye is going to rehab, but don’t quote me. I’m sure that would affect the tour if it were true.I’M JUST SAYIN’

Kia Shine is having a conference call tonight to address the Drake

situation … YOU ARE NOW officially exploiting this situation no one is

confused KIA SHINE DID NOT WRITE BEST I EVER HAD … next pleaseJay

may loose the Nets … Mikhail Prokhorov, a mining kingpin from Russia

worth about $9.5 billion just offered Bruce Ratner, the teams owner,

$700 million and enough money to finish the stadium in BK for the team

I posted a rumor last week about a rapper claiming to be Rev Runs nephew … it was true … Check him out here Rev Run brings him out @ 1 minute and 54 seconds This guy really has a problem with 50 Cent … even calls his kahonas into question … do you think he has a point or is he just mad 50 didn’t want his book?

THANK YOUI

was catching a lot of flack for posting that tidbit about Washington DC

lifting the same-sex marriage ban but this reader let me know it didn’t

fall on deaf ears:

I am a gay female and would

appreciate having the option to marry when and if I choose. It’s crazy

that in this day and age others have to vote on basic rights…We’re just like everyone else

except that we are attracted to the same sex.  The issues in gay

relationships are the same…We go to work

and pay bills/taxes, have families and responsibilities the same as

anyone else. I just want people to be more compassionate and

understanding about the issue…What if the shoe was on the other foot?”Food for thought.WE “SEENT” YOUIT’S

OFFICIAL … that white lady from the Real Housewives was a skripper

… I posted the rumor yesterday and she denied it claiming she was

just a cocktail waitress but my homey Terrance from the A (Atlanta not

Africa) hit me up and let me know the real deal:”He’ll yea she used to work at the cheetah joint I remember lol

Barbie REAL WELL…….threw a stack on her ass on Friday then came

back that

following Saturday of course she remembered a dude and came smack at

me. Lap dance led to me telling her “yea u know I got bread so waz

good?”

After the club closed she was there coat n hand waiting for a n#### and

we dipped”SMH … Why lie???  Especially when dudes got you on video … wait I’ve said too muchPeace – ChanceCDR @ Twitter or Gmail

For more, go to illseed.com. Or just follow me at http://twitter.com/illseed

NEW YORK, WE LOVE YOU!!!

They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!

-illseed

WHO: illseed.com

WHAT: Rumors

WHERE: AllHipHop.com, MySpace.com/TheIllseed

HOW: Send your rumors and ill pics to illseed at [email protected].

  Follow us on Twitter http://www.Twitter.com/AllHipHopCom

Ghostface Wins Judgement Against Wu-Tang Productions

Rapper Ghostface Killah recently reached a settlement with Wu-Tang Clan Productions and Robert “RZA” Diggs in regards to unpaid royalties.

 

According to a motion filed on August 24, Hon. Judge Richard Lowe III ordered Wu-Tang Clan Productions d/b/a as Wu-Tang Publishing to pay Ghost, born Dennis Coles, $158,255.18, with costs.

 

The original lawsuit dates back to 2005, when Ghostface sued Wu-Tang Productions over publishing royalties Ghostface claimed he should have earned on early albums released by the Wu-Tang Clan.

 

The judgment is the latest chapter in a battle between several Wu-Tang Clan members and the RZA, who has been accused by group members of keeping their share of royalties from albums sold.

 

“In support of his alleged right to a 50% producer’s fee, Diggs testified that he created the musical beats for the songs,” a portion of the lawsuit reads. “Because of this, defendants alleged Diggs was entitled to 50% of revenue separate and apart from the 50% received by the lyric writers. This was the proper distribution argued by defendants rather than a proportional share to be divided among all of the creators as urged by plaintiff. Diggs did not dispute plaintiffs assertions that he received the improper fee, rather he provided testimony in support of his receipt of the fee. Furthermore, he proffered expert testimony to support his receipt of the 50% producer’s fee.”

 

Ghostface, Raekwon and The RZA addressed the issue in published interviews. “Don’t play with a grown man’s pockets,” Raekwon told MTV.com of the issue last year. “Don’t ever let a n***as feel like you stealing from him…because we was the n***as that would’ve did anything for you, jump in front of a bullet for you.”

 

RZA also shed light on the lawsuit with Ghostface in a January 2009 interview with Wildstylemag.com.

 

“They took all these times that I got 50 percent, added them up and said I owed them about 300-400 grand,” RZA explained. “How the f**k can that be Ghost?! Every time you put an album out with any producer you do the same thing. Now you are going to change it on me? Not only did I make the beat, I probably gave you some of your lyrics and sat in that f**ing studio for months!”

 

In January of 2008, U-God also sued RZA and Wu Music Group, seeking $170,000 in unpaid royalties.

 

RZA’s attorney Anthony Motta refused to comment on the matter, while Ghostface’s lawyers Cinque & Cinque were not available for comment.

 

All Wu-Tang Clan members have stated that they continue to remain loyal to the Wu brand, despite business turmoil.

 

Wu-Tang group members Raekwon’s recent hit album Only Built For Cuban Linx II features the entire Wu-Tang Clan, including Ghostface and The RZA.

 

In related news, Ghostface is preparing to release his latest album The Wizard of Poetry on September 29.

Ghostdini: The Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City

 

 

DMX Officially Ends Feud With Ja Rule

New York rappers Ja Rule and DMX ended a long running feud last night during the 6th Annual “VH1 Hip Hop Honors” taping, which commemorated Def Jam Records’ 25th anniversary.

 

DMX and Ja Rule stood together last night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and took pictures with fellow Def Jam alumni Ludacris and Foxy Brown.

 

Today (September 24), DMX’s manager confirmed that the picture was not just a promotional opportunity, ending years of speculation about his relationship with Ja Rule.

 

“He has a new attitude , a new team. He looks good and [now] he is squashing beefs. [And] his performances are breathtaking,” DMX’s manager Nakia Walker told AllHipHop.com.

 

“Great to see DMX and Ja Rule squash their beef after all this time,” Ludacris Tweeted. “Vh1 hip hop honors. A historic night indeed.”

 

 

DMX and Ja Rule’s feud goes back to 2000, when DMX recorded the track “Do You,” which took shots at Ja Rule, claiming the rapper had copied his signature, gruff style of rapping.

 

The track set off years of bickering via radio interviews and diss tracks like DMX’s “Ruled Out” and “They Want War,” as well as Ja Rule’s track “Judas.”

 

Both rappers were produced by Irv Gotti, who met DMX during his days as an artist on Ruffhouse Records around 1989.

 

A few years later, Irv Gotti befriended Ja Rule, who was a member Cash Money Clique.

 

After a stint as an A&R with Blunt/TVT Records, Gotti landed an A&R job with Def Jam and helped sign Jay-Z, DMX and Ja Rule to the label in 1998.

 

“He’s always had a [problem] with me. Since the beginning of my career, I ignored it. I felt my way of answering him was to be very successful and that would hurt him the most,” Ja Rule said of DMX in 2002.

 

Tension between the two rappers remained high until this week, when Ja Rule tweeted: “I’m not going to start trouble I’m bringing my daughter but I promise if a n***a get outta line they won’t make it out of Brooklyn lmao.”

 

DMX was released from an Arizona prison in April of 2009 after serving 90 days for fraud, drug and animal cruelty charges and has started rebuilding his career.

 

Last night, he took to the stage in a collaboration with Gym Class Heroes for his 1999 hit single “Party Up,” while Ja Rule and Ashanti as they performed their hits “Down for You” and “Always On Time.”

 

Other performers included KRS-One, Onyx, Rick Ross, Method Man, Redman, Warren G., The Roots, Jazzy Jeff, Erick Sermon and others.

 

“VH1 Hip Hop Honors” will premiere on Tuesday, October 13 at 9 PM ET/PT.