“Born and Raised”
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Freeway Ft. Rita Tyle
“Hustler’s Life”
Capadonna Produced By J-Love
“Do You Remember”
N.O.R.E. Ft. Sean Kingston
“On and On”
Bun B Explains Plans for Final UGK Album
Almost 2 years after his untimely death, Pimp C will receive a musical sendoff via the release of UGK’s final studio album.
Entitled UGK 4 Life, surviving member Bun B is crafting the LP as a work that culminates not only UGK’s 20 plus year history, but also the life of Chad Butler, known to fans worldwide as Pimp C.
“The new UGK album 4 Life is the final studio album from my late great brother Chad Butler aka Pimp C and myself,” Bun said in a statement. “It is my sincere hope that it’s a fitting bookend to the legacy of UGK and to the life and times of Pimp C.”
UGK first appeared on the national scene with the 1988 EP The Southern Way.
The duo went on to have one of the most consistent careers in Hip-Hop with five well received albums: Too Hard to Swallow, Super Tight, Ridin’ Dirty (Gold), Dirty Money, and Underground Kingz (Gold).
Their last album was the group’s first #1 LP, courtesy of the Grammy-nominated, Outkast collaboration “International Player’s Anthem (I Choose You).”
According to Bun, the new album will be a fusion of the signature UGK sound they’ve cultivated over the last 2 decades.
“UGK 4 Life is an album for the people,” Bun declared. “For all those people who have been with us from the beginning to those we’ve gained along the way, family, and friends, the street cats and the squares, the supporters as well as the detractors.”
Jive Records has targeted UGK 4 Life to be released in Spring 2009.
5 & DONE: Ron Browz
Nah, despite the
title of his latest single, Jumpin (Out the Window),
Harlems Ron Browz isnt trying to harm himself. With
an album due in March (Etherboy) via
Universal/Motown Records, and certifiable hit singles whether his own (Pop
Champagne) or thanks to his tracks (Busta Rhymes
Arab Money and all its remixes), the kid needs to be in the best of health to maximize that
momentum.
While his use of
the Auto-Tune demon drew the ire of the robo-sound
weary, Browzs track record proves he wasnt a slouch
who lucked into
the game. A beat for a storied underground lyricist?
Check Big Ls Ebonics. Helping a wavering legend get his mojo
back? Check Nas Ether. Keeping the heat coming for
choosy artists? Pick one: 50 Cent (Ill Whip Your Head), N.O.R.E. (Rotate),
G-Unit (Straight Outta Southside), et al. But now
seeking to establish himself all over againthis time as an artist in his
own rightthe exuberantly confident Ron Browz
insists hes just trying to, Make hot records that people will like.
Fair enough. Heres five, actually six, reasons why he may make it happen.
On working with the late, great Big L.
Big L is my
first experience being able to work with a real artist, an artist that was
signed. Ebonics, the song I produced for him was the first song I actually
produced that was played on the radio. It was the first time actually being in
the studio with an artist. This is my whole introduction to the game.
I’m from Harlem
and Big L’s from Harlem. I was hanging out one day on my block and he just
happened to walk by. I told him I had some music and beats for sale and he came
by my house. I played him some musicno I played him one beat actually
and that was the Ebonics beat and he didn’t even wanna hear nothing else, he just wanted to take that.
I was using the same [equipment] I use now; I had an Akai MP60 [and] a
keyboard, that’s pretty much what I had. It was an O1/W, a Korg.
My name was
kind of underground. I did three other beats on that project [The Big Picture]. That
was my first plaque, it went Gold. When he
passed away I was trying to make up my mind if this is what I really wanted to
do. So I pursued it and my next placement after that was Ether for Nas.
On helping Nas
get his swagger back.
I was still an
underground producer at that time. So any way to get to artists, I had to get
to artists. I actually went through his travel agent, and his travel agent
actually looked out and handed him a CD with my music on there. My manager at
the time, his name is Fuzz, he knew her, they were
friends and kinds she looked out. She passed him the CD.
I didn’t know
what he was doing with it. Actually, he held it for a couple of months, like
three or four months. Then that month December 2000, he told me to come to the
studio and listen to what he had did to the track. When he played the track, my
mouth just dropped like, Wow. I was thinking that being that I was a part of
the record that I wasn’t going to be able to work with no other artist in the
game because that was Jay-Z and he was on fire at the moment.
I didn’t [feel
any backlash]. After that it was a domino effect. I started to work with all
the artists. All the artists wanted to know who produced that track for him, so
actually it catapulted my career.
On going from emceeing to producing, and now
back to emceeing.
When I was 12 an
artist. I was signed to an independent company called Big Boss Records out of
Harlem. The CEOs of the label had got incarcerated. So before they got
incarcerated they had brought the equipment. That’s when I took the equipment
when they got locked up and taught myself how to produce. I just started dabbling
into the production and just left the mic alone, but
I always when I made tracks, would rap in my head to know if the tracks are
even good enough to rap on. Knowing the artist can say this on here and that
artist can do that on there, or like an artist can say a melody like this on
there for the chorus. I always had stuff like that in my head that helped me be
creative.
I always had
the spirit and passion for rapping, but the production just took off, it took
me to another level. At the beginning of 2008 I started to be an independent
recording artist; put out songs on the Internet, shoot independent videos to
try to build my buzz, build my brand like that. I was like this year I’m going
to give it all I’ve got and I told myself, Yo, I’m going
to get a deal this year.
I studied the
game, watched, I did a lot of homework on the industry. Online was really big,
I put out records on MySpace, YouTube, got feedback. I got a lot of good
feedback when I recorded the song Pop Champagne, I got a good response online.
So I felt it was time to take that record to another level, you know, trying to
get in the clubs, put it in the DJ’s hands and get it in the right people’s
hands at radio.
Ron Browz & Jim Jones f/ Juelz
Santana Pop Champagne Video
On Pop Champagne popping off.
Just before I made
Pop Champagne, I had other records I was going to the labels with. They
wasn’t saying they were wack, but they was like, Ehh, you know get it hot in the streets and we’ll see whats
up. So by the time I recorded Pop Champagne and got it buzzing, it was too
late to go back, I didn’t have to search for a deal, people started to reach
out.
Universal
Motown, Asylum, Sony… I wanted an album deal and Universal was giving me an
opportunity. [Other labels] just wanted me to do single deals and stuff like
that. Universal was offering me an album deal. Thats
what I wanted, and I wasn’t going to take nothing less than that.
Pop Champagne has a version by myself, and that was the version that was getting all the
buzz. So the DJ’s was playing it on the radio and I saw Jim Jones at this Pepsi
thing and he was just like, Yo I heard your record
and I wanna be a part of it, let me get on it, and
the next day, he got on it. That’s how that version came about. It was a
license deal meaning he can put it on his [album]. But automatically it goes on
mines. So I’m kind of doing my own thing and he’s doing his own thing.
Busta Rhymes f/ Ron Browz
Arab Money Video
On the vocoder/Auto-Tune
phenomenon.
When I feel
like using it, I’ma use it. My album, Im going to
have records with it, I’m going to have records without it. I really know how
to use it without being annoying, so that’s what I’m going to do. People are
liking what I’m doing so I’m not going to switch up the formula too much if
peoples loving what I’m doing. It’s a computer program anybody can buy. You
know, just like a set of turntables, Pro Tools or a drum machine. I use it like
its an instrument.
I just have fun
and I be creative with it. I just try to make hot records that people will
like, hot catchy records. Because at the end of the day,
that’s what it’s about. Cause I can have Auto-Tune, you can have it; you
can make wack records with it, and I can just be
making dope records with it. So it’s all in how you use it and how creative you
are. Its not like I just jumped out the window like, Yo
I’m here and doing this now. I was already an established producer.
Ron Browz Jumpin (Out the Window)
Video
What to expect from the album, Etherboy.
On Etherboy you’re going to party. I’m
just going to make creative music. I’m not just going
to pigeonhole myself into one particular sound, I’m
going to have fun with it. The records I’ve been putting out and producing like
Arab Money, Pop Champagne, Jumpin (Out The
Window), all [are] records that are catching, so people are gravitating to
what I’m doing.
Get the latest AllHipHop Features on twitter @ twitter.com/ahhfeatures
Young Buck Ft. Jimmie Hoffa and Blood Raw
“Stupid Money”
Lil Jon Ft. Ice Cube and The Game P###. By Lil Jon
“Tha Killas”
DJ Class Ft. Lil Jon, Jermaine Dupri and Trey Songz
“I’m The Sh*t”
U-N-I Ft. Talib Kweli
“Return”
Hip-Hop Rumors: The Truth Behind Jay-Z’s New Song! Yung Berg Is BACK!
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.
TODAY’S RUMORS!
THE DAILY TWO CENTS
Is it me or is there a new cult being formed? The Snuggie has infiltrated our lives and homes. Not my home, but it would seem that this is the dumbest thing ever. Click here for my mini-editorial on the Cult of the Snuggie. There is a video too.
Click here for that on illseed.com.
Also, I am now accepting writer submissions. I know I put this out there last year, but I took on too much, too fast for illseed.com. So, if you are a journalist with a keen ear and a witty style, hit me up at [email protected]. Send a writing sample, description of yourself and put illseed.com writer in the subject. Thanks!
JAY-ZS NEW SONG
Looks like Jay-Z has a new song, right?! A-HA! I got the scoop! The song might be new to most of us, but its over a year old, in fact. Here is what happened. Last year, Jay-Z released American Gangster. There was a song called Money Goes and it chronicled the downward spiral of the gangster. The only thing is, that song was pretty repetitive of other songs that were on a similar note. It was cut from AG. Now that we are in a full-blown recession; it appears that the song has new meaning.
Check it out here: Money Goes
CHARLI BALTIMORE TALKS LIL KIM, FAITH AND BIGGIE
Here is the part 2 of the interview with Charli Baltimore. She goes into a number of things, but here she talks about the one time she saw Biggie go off on Lil Kim.
Charli Baltimore: The only violence I ever saw was a situation where Big and I were together on the bus and my clothes were strewn all over the bus and I couldnt figure out why I didnt know what was going on at the time. I said, Why are my clothes all over the bus like this? They were folded up nice and neat. We were in the back of the bus and I walked off the bus and when I was coming back on Kim was getting kicked off the bus foot to her butt, onto the ground. She had rummaged through my clothing, Big was upset about it and he kicked her on the butt off the bus. That was the only violence Ive ever seen between them.
YUNG BERG RESURFACES!
The Love Project is the name of the new Yung Berg album. The guy is working with some new dude on his project and the new dude is working on Bergs. Berg makes it clear: NO BEEF! We aint beefin [and] we aint talking to no haters. Its all about music and putting out hit records.
I guess there will be no come up for Cap1 through Berg?
SOULJA BOY EXPLAINS THE HOME INVASION
As told to Big Boy, the radio host:
Basically I was at my crib and I had my album release party at my club that night. I got back to my house at around 3 in the morning and I was in the studio recording. So two of my homeboys was in the living room and Me and Arab we was in the studio recording. And somebody kicked in the door. One dude ran in put the AK to my homeboy head, put him on the floor. The other two ran in my homeboy jumped in the other room so the other two dudes ran back so I peeped in the door and they running through my house with Ks and pistols so I ducked back. I really cant dwell on what happened after that, but it was a messed up situation [and] Im glad everyone made it out alive.
I thought perhaps it was a publicity ploy.
CHARLES HAMILTON VS SERIUS JONES…A BATTLE!
ouch.
MIKE TYSON CLEARS UP THE RUMORS
Mike Tyson has released a statement denying that hes going to fight anybody. The rumors about me fighting Evander Holyfield are just that, rumors. Last week the rumors had me making a marriage proposal to a girl from England and this week they have me fighting Evander in October. This is good news. WHEW. Mike is far removed from the boxing ring.
ILLSEEDS QUICKIES!
Kanye West emailed me! He gave me permission to stream some song. I dont know, but I was glad to get that email.
According to Bossip, Kelly and Matthew Knowles are no longer working together. Now, Matthew can make a star out of my girl Keri Hilson.
Producer Choke No Joke is claiming that Aaliyah was Jay-Zs girl before Dame Dash. Im not touching that.
Angela Simmons is still reportedly dating Skillz of Play-N-Skillz.
There was a crazy rumor that Fabolous had a bit of credit card problems when he went to hang out with his crew. They say he tried like five cards and none of them worked. They ended up just paying cash, I heard.
Janet Jackson was supposed to tour Japan, but she has canceled it.
Rihanna is rumored to be in contention for one of Charlies Angels when they decide to bring the movie back.
I think I had a rumor that counters this but, Amy Winehouse has reportedly applied for permission to visit her buggy hubby in jail. She wants to work it out.
What will Jay-Z do upon retirement? Jigga man says he might open up an art gallery and run that.
RANDOM QUOTES
Some news caster named Eamonn Holmes wants to slap fire out of Rihanna (Star magazine).
“I find the entourages that some people come with, especially the Americans, really pathetic. Rihanna, for example, is a beautiful girl, but if she was your daughter, you’d give her a slap and tell her to wise up. She is surrounded by people who treat her like a little flower.”
ILL PIC
So what is Puff saying?
ILL PIC 2
I know some jag-off is going to tell me how this isnt Hip-Hop, but here it is. Jessica Simpson has put on some weight. Do we care? I think this is a set up to get an endorsement via Jenny Craig or something.
Now:
Then:
SIGNS THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END
Ladies, if you are with a man, think twice about how crazy that dude is. A UK man murdered his wife after she had changed her marital status to single Facebook. The two were totally estranged, but she made the mistake of not de-friending him. Edward Richardson, 41, killed Sarah Richardson, 26, in her parents house last May. The guy really thought it out too. He went to the house, broke into the home through the front window and killed her. He then tried and failed to kill himself. Why not just kill yourself I mean, sheeesh! Here is another crazy Facebook story from the UK. A British man sliced his wife up with a meat cleaver after she changed her Facebook status to “single.” Hes doing 14 years in a U.K. prison. That was a pretty light sentence!
EPIC FAIL OF THE DAY
Man, break dancing aint what it used to be. I put this on illseed.com yesterday, but here you go. THE BREAK DANCE FAIL!
Epic Fail 2: If you do a lot of masturbating, you might want to get checked for cancer. Click here for the horrible news.
MY HOMEY JASIRI X- This Week With Jasiri X Episode 18
This dude is one of my favorite MCs and you can straight quote me on that. THIS IS THE HIP-HOP I LOVE. Thats all I have to say, This is the end of the season but Jasiri, thank you.
This is our defining moment .even if it seems like times are hopeless.
SHELZ!
Where Have I Seen This Before?
This concept looks so familiar to me. Has someone made a show like this before? And will this come on before or after Terrell Owens new show? Damn, TV sucks.
Guess What Uncle Murda’s New Website Features.
Yup, murders. Why just get stuck with the same ole run of the mill murders you catch in your home town when you can see murder from other states, murder imported from other countries and even from other continents. The murder news stories that grace the center of the page are sandwiched between shorter, blotter-style murder stories on the left and murder scenes from movies on the right. It’s like a big murder one stop shop.
Want to Know What Phonte Thinks About Notorious? Sure Ya Do!
His movie in a minute series is pretty informative, especially for folks like me who spend Saturdays watching movies about talking dogs or pandas who know kung fu.
RIHANNA GETS HER OWN SECTION
I know I love Keri Hilson, but I have to cheat right now. Stunning.
For more, go to illseed.com. Or just follow me at http://twitter.com/illseed
REMEMBER OSCAR GRANT – KEEP PROTESTING!
THE CULT OF SNUGGIE, 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].
– allhiphop rumors
Ja Rule Descends Upon Baltic States In February
Queens, New York rapper Ja Rule will export his brand of Hip-Hop to Europe next month with high profile performances in Latvia and Romania.
The rapper will appear in Riga during a stop in the Baltic State of Latvia, on February 5.
Ja Rule, born Jeffery Atkins, will perform at Essential night club, marking the second time he has appeared in Riga.
Last February, Ja made an appearance in Riga during a stop to promote his album eighth solo album, The Mirror.
On February 6, the rapper, who is set to star in the upcoming flick Don’t Fade Away (opposite Mischa Barton), will perform at the Bamboo Club.
Ja Rule is currently in the studio working on his untitled upcoming solo album.
And 1’s Hot Sauce Signs With ABA Franchise Helmed By Hip-Hop Pioneer
The American Basketball Associations College Park Spyders is promising fans an exciting debut year, with the addition of AND1 superstar Phillip Hot Sauce Champion to the expansion teams roster.
The Spyders, which joined the ABA in December, made the announcement today with team president Duane Spyder-D Hughes comparing the acquisition to a previous high-profile ABA signing.
This signing reminds me of when Julius Erving first came into the ABA with the Virginia Squires, Hughes explained to AllHipHop.com. There were no trumpets blaring or fanfare. The Squires executives knew just what they were doing though. They were signing Mr. Excitement.
Champion has already brought his fare share of excitement to basketball through his six year stint on the AND1 Mixtape Tour.
The Orland, Florida-born, Columbus, Georgia native joined the AND1 team during the summer of 2000, recruited after the same street-style of playing that kept him off his high schools basketball team, found him a following on Atlantas Run N Shoot courts, a popular gym for pick-up games.
Hot Sauces popularity on the AND1 circuit led to a role in the basketball movie Crossover opposite Wayne Brady and Wesley Jonathan.
Hughes, who previously helmed the ABAs Charlotte Krunk, has no doubt that his newest player will fit into the ABAs more conventional style despite his street ball roots.
I told Sauce just to be himself on the court, he said. Basketball is basketball when you are born with God-given gifts. Like the ABA of old, people will come to see something they have never seen before. Thats what the great ones do: they create, improvise and mesmerize. That is our challenge as an organization. That is Hot Sauces challenge as a player who will be leading an expansion franchise.
Hughes, followed a successful high school basketball career with a pioneering Hip-Hop career.
He then returned to basketball with the ABA in 2005, but has not retired his rap aspirations.
The Big Apple Rappin artist, who was one of the first rappers to launch his own label, Newtroit Records, in 1979, is currently working on an autobiography.
He is also putting the finishing touches on his final rap album, Legendary, so named as an homage to those he has worked with throughout his career, including Roxanne Shante, Sparky D, Father MC, Eric B, and countless others.
Soulja Boy Interview On Big Boy’s Neighborhood
Soulja Boy speaks on his home invasion!
Living The Life with JD
JD is back in the studio garing up for Usher!
Jenny Boom Boom Interviews Styles P
Jenny Boom Boom Interviews Styles P
D.O.E. Ft. Precious Paris
“The Hottest”
Movado
“Something Special” Director’s Cut
Evidence Freestyle At Fat Beats LA
Evidence Freestyle At Fat Beats LA
AHH Stray News: Lupe Fiasco Gets ‘Character Approved Award’
Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco was one of seven winners of USA Network’s first ever Character Approved Awards. The network chose seven artists based on their “cultural impact, legacy and persona.” Lupe Fiasco was honored with an award for Music, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales was honored for his role in the New Media/Technology field, David Chang was acknowledged for his chain of Momofuku Restaurants, Shepard Fairey was awarded for his Street Art, while Patrick Robinson, Head Designer for Gap, Inc. was recognized for his contributions to the fashion world. Also honored are Charles Best, Founder of DonorsChoose.org and Jennifer Siegal, a celebrated West Coast architect/designer. USA Networks will air a spot featuring Lupe Fiasco tonight (January 27).