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VLAD TV: The Clipse Pt. 2
Vlad Speaks to The Clipse about Rick Ross allegedly being a C.O.
The Clipse’s Pusha T, In His Words…
Its been a winding road for the Virginia duo know as the Clipse. But through it all they continue to grind and are now set to release Clipse Presents The Re-Up Gang via Koch Records. The album will serve as formal introduction, in case youve been lost the last few years, to the groups affiliates Sandman and Ab-Liva. In addition to the Re-Up Gang project brothers Malice and Pusha T are busy working on their third studio album, the first on Columbia, Til The Casket Drops, for a first quarter 09 release. AllHipHop.com chopped it up with Pusha T about Rick Ross situation, the importance of distinguishing reality from entertainment, and Re-Up Gang’s disdain for commercial music. In regards to the [Rick] Ross thing, I still dont know the ins and outs of it. If it was true and he denied it, thats where the issue comes in. I think it couldve been true. I mean it said he was like 18. He was fresh out of high school so what the f**k does that mean? Thats nothing. It was nothing to lie about. I think its more so the lie that raises peoples eyebrows.
This whole Hip-Hop community has given out a lot of passes and let a lot of s**t fly so I, for one, am not going to begin to crucify Ross.
Its unfortunate because I think Ross has the best album out thus far. I watch everybody criticize and critique but the Hip-Hop community has given out more muthaf**kin passes for other s**t. They let n****s play with gayness and homosexuality. They let n****s play with sexual abuse of kids and s**t. All this s**t goes on and nobody checked or chastised none of that. I mean they ready to hang this muthafucka for having a job. But, like I said, if that is true the lie is what gave people the ball to run with. But truthfully, this whole Hip-Hop community has given out a lot of passes and let a lot of s**t fly so I, for one, am not going to begin to crucify Ross.My Lifes The S*** – Clipse Presents: Re-Up GangIn the beginning, Hip-hop was based on what was going on in the streets. It was about what was going on in the lives of the artists. I feel it should always have that basis. It should always have that foundation of some level of reality. We can hear that in a lot of artists. On the flip side, this is entertainment. For instance, I can listen to BIG, listen to Juicy and feel what he was talking bout and I could relate to what he was saying. But I know when I heard I Got a Story to Tell I know he didnt really shoot the basketball player. Even though that was fiction, you still loved the story telling and the imagery.
I dont want no kid going out and doing all the things we say on tracks. If I went out and did everything Kool G Rap said on a track Id be in jail right now.
I think the Clipse, and I think I can speak for my brother, we can say what we say. The drug thing is a concept we play off of but we also do it creatively. Theres an art to it. Like on the Everybody Nose remix. I said, All these rapper o, ki/every line is o, ki/all of that is okey dokey. That s**t is okey dokey. We dont just do it like them. Were different. Im hoping that the listeners, people that are and arent Clipse fans can find the art in what we do. Maybe Im being naïve with that but Im hoping that they do. But I dont want no kid going out and doing all the things we say on tracks. If I went out and did everything Kool G Rap said on a track Id be in jail right now. Im a G Rap fan, been fanned the f**k out. But come on, Id be dead if I did that.Columbia [Records] came to the table with a deal that not only spoke money to the Clipse, but they offered equity in the group and the dudes we were trying to sign. It gave us a chance to have a big future in this music thing. We did two classic albums with the Neptunes. I feel like the fans want to hear us on other production. We got The Runners, Swizz Beatz, Sean C and LV, the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, DJ Khalil and Reefa.
People want to hear us talk that s**t and thats what theyre always going to get. Its always going to be lyric driven.
We dont care about sales. We dont care about none of that s**t. We care about making incredible music and locking in that fanbase and whatever comes from that is what it is. My fans dont gravitate towards ringtone records. People want to hear us talk that s**t and thats what theyre always going to get. Its always going to be lyric driven. If we do a club record itll be our style of club record. We got to bring you into our world. Thats what makes it so hard for the Clipse. We try to bring whole groups of people into our world and not all the time its understood. But when they do get it, its explosive. People didnt understand Grindin at first. It took like nine months but once they got it, it was all over. Thats just what we focus on.
J*DaVeY: Pushing the Envelope
If you can mimic the look, sound and personality of all the cookie-cutter artists flooding the airwaves and music videos, then you too have what it takes to make it in todays industry; although your destiny will only be that of a one-hit wonder. Los Angeles based duo J*DaVeY are here to break the mold and bring the love of making good music back into the cipher. Although making music for the past eight years, Jack Davey (female singer) and Brook DLeau (male producer) are still new to many and are ready to have you relax yourself and please set-tle down while enjoying their funky fresh sound on their double disc The Beauty in Distortion and The Land of the Lost [Interdependent Media] in stores now. Here they talk about what theyre bringing to the table and how they couldve very well named themselves “Fantastic Rocket Ship” as opposed to J*DaVeY. AllHipHop.com Alternatives: Tell us who is J*DaVeY, and how did you come together?Jack: Two free spirits; Its ever changing. Brook: Were kind of discovering who we are. Were representing change right now and attempting to push the envelope of change for music and culture. J*DaVeY is freedom and change.Jack: We met at my senior prom in high school. I went to an all-girls school, and one of my good friends took him to prom and we became cool. Then we went off to college a year later and discovered that we were both into making music, so we just started doing it. AHHA: How did you come up with the name J*DaVeY? Because when a lot of people hear it they automatically think its an R&B guy. Brook: Really? I guess it kinda fell out of the sky. The name is what were utilizing to describe what we are and what we do. So if somebody is trying to describe what we do, they can say, Oh its kinda like that J*DaVeY sound. It just rolls off the tongue doesnt it? Jack: What does it matter really? I mean you can call it Fantastic Rocket Ship but its not going to blast you in the face, so it doesnt matter what were called. A rose by any other name will still smell as sweet.
“Its like it’s got [J] Dilla on the butt, New Wave in its gut, Jazz
Music in its heart, Funk in the head and Punk on top of the head.”– Jack Davey
AHHA: Since you mentioned your sound, how would you describe it?Jack: Its a hodgepodge of a whole bunch of different sh*t, but at the root of it its all based in drums. Its like it’s got [J] Dilla on the butt, New Wave in its gut, Jazz Music in its heart, Funk in the head and Punk on top of the head. AHHA: It has been said that you guys describe yourselves as the Black Eurhythmics. You want to explain a little bit more about that?Brook: Weve kinda fallen in and out of a lot of different descriptions of ourselves. For that comment, its already the same presence of the group a strong female dynamic with Dave Stewart doing the production. It never was really about look at me Im the woman. Annie Lennox focused more so on her character and her strength. I think that won people over. The sound isnt necessarily similar, but we do study acts like that.AHHA: How did you guys make a name for yourselves in the underground circuit?Brook: The internet.Jack: We just gave our music away. When we first started making music, people werent feeling our music; so it was like we gotta try to build a fan base. Brook: I think that is definitely the way to try to build a fan base, because of the fact that anybody is willing to try something for free. Either you love it and then you want to buy it, or you hate it and its done you lost nothing. And for the most part, the response has always been positive as of recently. Jack: Weve gotten better.Brook: When we were first doing this stuff even though we were together making music for eight years J*DaVeY has [been known] for the last four or five years. At first, it wasnt well received but, when Cee-Lo came out with his first album and Andre3000 came out with Hey-Ya, it started becoming more commercially viable because these major artists were putting out these weird freaky records. That only paved the way for us to be like, Oh yea well Mr. Mister is cool now. AHHA: Often times when an artist comes onto the scene, theyre told that they need to switch up their style. How do you intend on maintaining your individuality from the mainstream?Jack: Im just gonna continue to be who I am. At this point, if they wanted me to change something, they should have been trying to do that years ago. Now it is what it is. Were not 18-year-old kids. We already have an identity. Brook: The thing about labels is that theyre trying to make money, so theyre going to go with the formulas that have worked. Even if it has nothing to do with the integrity of an artist. Theyre just the money and the machine. So they suggest a couple things that might work: you can wear this, do that, do this dance, sing like this, do this kind of music, and that will sell because thats worked before. Jack: Word up.AHHA: ?uestlove amongst other artists are huge fans of yours. How does it feel knowing he has such strong support and is really backing this project?Jack: A huge honor. You grow up listening to these people, and you can only imagine how it will be to meet them let alone work with them countless times. Its really a blessing. Hes like big brother, he takes care of us. Brook: Its dope that youre able to meet artists and celebrities and people who are definitely in the eye of the public in the music industry, and for them to still be real music lovers to the core. Thats refreshing, because you dont expect these artists to really love music. Sometimes the business aspect is more frontal than anything else.
“Weve gotten better.”– Jack Davey
AHHA: So you have a double album out called The Beauty in Distortion and The Land of the Lost. Can you explain the title behind both discs?Brook: The Beauty in Distortion is representative of us growing and learning who and what we are, often times thats a bit foggy. So that represents the distortion. And the beauty is being able to share that with other people and people being able to embrace it for what it is. Not just to absorb it, but to love it and appreciate it. Its a diamond in the rough to us.Jack: The Land of the Lost one day just popped up in my head. I kept having these visions of a teenage wasteland where it was a clash between Princes Sign of the Times stage set and an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. I was just kinda playing with the themes of people calling LA, Lost Angels. So I was thinking of how Hollywood plays itself and how LA is really laid back and cool, and you really have to know about the culture to understand. So the music will be a way for you to navigate through all of the bullsh*t thats on the radio and on MTV.
“Im just gonna continue to be who I am. At this point, if they wanted
me to change something, they should have been trying to do that years
ago. Now it is what it is. Were not 18-year-old kids. We already have
an identity.”– Jack Davey
AHHA: What was it like working and performing with Prince?Jack: I dont think Ive ever hyperventilated before a show [before that time]. I dont think Ive ever hyperventilated period. Brook: When was the last time youve ever heard somebody opened for him? Its always just been Prince because he can do a three hour show and kill it by himself. So the fact that he did that was like the most ultimate compliment from somebody who we look up to in the music that we do. Performing with him was not necessarily a pinnacle of our career, it was just surreal. AHHA: What label is your album released under?Brook: Interdependent Media. Theyre responsible for putting out Tanya Morgan, Knaan, mainly a lot of Hip-Hop stuff ,but theyre friends of ours that just enjoy music and what we do. AHHA: So at one point you guys were signed to Warner Bros.Both: We still are.AHHA: Theyre rumors saying that youve been dropped from Warner Bros.Jack: Gotta love those rumors huh?Brook: I honestly think its a great thing that there have been rumors circulating.Jack: Yea that people actually give a sh*t.Brook: It basically gave us a crash course in understanding the major label system for what it is now. You kinda have to understand what it was and what it started out being. Everything has changed now, and often times you go into record labels and they know that things have changed and theyre still trying to piece it together. But in time, they still want to maintain a position of power because they are dishing out the money and taking a huge chance.Jack: They came to us, so they had to be willing to take some chances. Its not like we went looking for them. Thats the thing that we have to pose to them, you guys came to us for a reason. Let us do our sh*t. AHHA: Mr. Mister is the first song and video from the album. Can you explain the concept behind the song and the video?Jack: Mr. Mister is a song dealing with unrequited love, and I want this boy to give me attention and hes not. So Im trying to get him to come and knock on my door. Instead of using a boy, we just took it one step to the left and used a crash test dummy. It was just the one thing that you could do that would set it apart from everybody else.AHHA: What do you hope to accomplish before the year is over, and what are your long-term objectives?Jack: I want to go to Japan and I want to buy a house.Brook: I want our music to afford us the lifestyle we had always wanted. Thats long term for me.
Kidz in the Hall Manager Speaks Out on Naledge Arrest
Days after Kidz In The Hall rapper Naledge was arrested for allegedly interfering with a police investigation of an altercation inside a Tempe, AZ nightclub, the duos manager is coming forward to set the record straight with his take on what really happened at the venue.
Naledge (born Jabari Miles Evans) was taken in to police custody early Saturday morning (July 26) shortly after a fight broke out at the Cherry Lounge & Pit, according to Tempe police spokesman Sgt. Steve Carbajal.
The rapper and fellow Kidz In The Hall member Double-O were scheduled to perform that night at the club.
A police report detailing the incident noted that Naledge was charged with violating a city code of obstructing justice after he was physically removed from the scene after refusing several police commands to leave a crime scene.
The Chicago-based rapper, who was taken to the Tempe City Jail, was later released after posting $500 bail.
Although he confirmed that Naledge was arrested outside the Cherry Lounge & Pit, Kidz In The Halls manager Dan Solomito revealed that Naledge did not witness the incident, which centered around an assault of Double O by several bouncers after Kidz In The Hall finished performing at the club.
Instead, the manager explained that the rappers actions were anything but threatening to the police.
“Naledge’s attempt to get medical assistance for Double-O was misconstrued as a hindrance to the investigation,” Solomito told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “Reports that no injuries were sustained are false as Double O was taken to the hospital with multiple injuries from the excessive force used by club security.”
Solomito further revealed that Double-O was taken to a hospital where he underwent surgery for one of his injuries on Sunday morning (July 27).
At this time, Double-O is “still in the hospital, but in stable condition,” Solomito added.
Saturday’s incident marks the first time Kidz In The Hall encountered trouble at one of their performances with concert security, the club or police, Solomito said.
The group, which is among the acts performing at this year’s Rock the Bells festival, has traveled to more than 10 countries and performed at more than 200 shows in the last two years.
Hip-Hop Rumors: The Rick Ross Haircut! A Nas/Kelis Album? Buck And 50 Working “It” Out?
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!
T.I.s LATEST SIGNEE?
Rumor has it, T.I. was in Philly and recently announced the signing of local artist Meek Millz to Grand Hustle. My dude Mike from South Philly tells me Meek is that dude in Philly right now. Meek has one song with Gillie and Peedi that is getting some air play and his Single “In my Bag.” People are fairly surprised that T.I. signed him. On top of everything, I heard they were actually both on the radio together yesterday. The Hot Boyz had T.I. on for a second after he did his “Behind the beats” thing for Power 99 and they didn’t even know about Meek. All good.
BIG BOI GOES ON WITH OUT THREE STACKS
This is a real song that speaks to the times. Thats what Hip-Hop the REAL CNN of the Black experience. Unless you are not Black, then it speaks for your experience.
THREE STACKS GOES ON WITHOUT TIPPING?
There are times when I dont want to tip a waiter or server that doesnt tend to my needs when I eat. Oh, like serving in a timely manner or checking up on me when in need some ketchup. I got sent a link from Sandra Rose and I was saw how Andre 3000 might have stiffed a waiter for his tip.
Atlanta waiter Matt Moore claims that he went out of his way to hook Andre up with some vegan dishes after the rapper visited the restaurant he works in even though it is non-vegan. Apparently, that effort wasnt enough and Andre decided to complain anyways getting his bill reduced in the process. At the end of the meal, the low-baller left a $0 tip and walked away. Classy.
Whats a guy to do? eBay! Moore was understandably p##### and threw his story up on the auction site, along with a description of the injustice and the offending receipt. The chef had tried to please them with original dishes and took time out of the busy dinner to customize a meal for them, he wrote. Despite the spot-on service and super-catered food, they felt the need to leave me no money. I had nothing to do with the food, yet he stiffed me.
In defense of Andre, here are some other possible scenes. 1) Andre might have left cash on the table and this dude is lying or 2) Andre left a tip and one of the other workers swiped it. That happens also. Just giving the brother the benefit of the doubt. Anyway, the dude did manage to sell the receipt and made like $14.
THE KIDZ ISSUE A STATEMENT
Double O from the hip hop group Kidz In The Hall was assaulted by several bouncers early Saturday morning, July 26, while inside a nightclub in Tempe, AZ following a Kidz In The Hall performance. Group member and friend Naledge, who did not witness the assault on Double O, was arrested outside of the club. Naledge’s attempt to get medical assistance for Double O was misconstrued as a hinderence to the investigation. Reports that no injuries were sustained are false as Double O was taken to the hospital with multiple injuries from the excessive force used by club security. On Sunday morning Double O underwent surgery for one of his injuries. He is still in the hospital, but in stable condition.
In the last 2 years, Kidz In The Hall has traveled to over 10 countries, have done 200+ shows and never before been involved in any altercation, big or small, with club or concert security, or police officers.
ILLSEEDS QUICKIES
I hear Foxy Brown has a show in New York at B.B. with special guests. Well see.
By the way, she and Ross are still cool, if you thought otherwise – I heard.
I dont know how true this is, but rumor has it The Firm might be reuniting and will include Nas. These cats were IT for a hot second.
Nicole Scherzinger has aborted her debut solo album like a pussycat. Apparently, shes just focused on the Pussycat Dolls CD Doll Domination.
Do you remember Keith I Want Her Sweat? Sure you do! I heard he may have a sex tape with former Cash Money rapper Strings. She wasnt too bad.
I just want to say to everybody that thought I was serious about Berg and Bugsy in a reality show together. I was kidding. Sorry. I say jokes and people dont get it.
I am hearing the Lupe Fiasco may be going straight into producing as a new creative outlet.
Not sure where this came from but 50 Cent has admitted to feeling back for pressuring Lloyd Banks to promote his last album even though his father had died. I know Banks took that death hard, as he should.
Mike Knox, the dude running the G-Unit Philly, was in prison. I never knew. I heard he is now out.
ILLSEEDS QUICKIES PART 2
I had so many quickies, I had to make it a deuce. Go to illseed.com for more stuff like the Barack Obama comic book.
I heard Nas and Kelis are hoping to record an entire album together, mtv reports. Do we really need this?
Kelly “My Boo” Rowland has reportedly started at travel show! Oprah is reportedly interested in putting it on her network.
I heard Freeway might be going to G-Unit full time and had been chillin with 50 Cent almost as much as Tony Yayo. You know thats a lot.
Rumor has it, Young Buck and 50 Cent are close to working something out between the two of them. Not sure what that means, but I am hearing that showing up at Games video was bad timing.
I am hearing Spider Loc, Jayo Felony and 40 Glocc have some kind of West Coast super gang group coming.
I know Juelz Santana is supposed to coming out on Def Jam later this year, but I heard that some others are interested in signing him too (both names rhyme with itty).
RICK ROSS FANS UNITE!A picture is worth a thousand words. This one is at least 2,000.
For more, check out illseed.com
RANDOM QUOTES
A rep for Barack Obama condemns lyrics by Ludacris (AHH)!
This song is not only outrageously offensive to Senator Clinton, Reverend Jackson, Senator McCain, and President Bush, it is offensive to all of us who are trying to raise our children with values we hold dear. While Ludacris is a talented individual he should be ashamed of these lyrics.
Wendy Williams and Omarosa keep the catfight going. For now, the last word goes to O.
I knocked Wendy out. Shes so used to bullying people, but for the first time, she met her match. She definitely has a face for radio.
Young Buck keeps talking about the situation with 50 Cent:
“At the end of the day, it was a heartfelt conversation from me. I meant everything I said. I was actually going through a situation at the time. He chose to put it out there to kinda discredit me. I think it backfired if you ask me. (More on this with Shelz)
Charles Cosby talks about his Cocaine Cowboy days (read the feature here).
Griselda Blanco was the first Colombian drug lord in the United States of America. This is just not me saying it, the records say this. She was the first one. By the time 1975 came around, Griselda had five hundred million dollars in cash; thats what she was worth. Thats before Escobar was even a drug dealer. Escobar was stealing cars just to make ends meet.
SIGNS THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END
You know I personally dont subscribe to all that mess about 1 out of 2 new AIDS cases being African American. If thats the case, here is some news that reps the end of the world. Doctors at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston are rapidly closing on a cure for HIV. Here is what one of the doctors said:
We have found an innovative way to kill the virus by finding this small region of HIV that is unchangeable, Dr. Sudhir Paul of the University of Texas Medical School at Houston said.
Dr. Paul and his pal Dr. Miguel Escobar seek to destroy HIV by giving the human immune system with mechanisms that beat the s**t out of HIV. There is a part of the HIV bug that doesnt mutate or change to drugs. This is where they are seeking to attack by way of something called an abzyme. The abzyme takes out the HIV virus. You are probably wondering where the sign is. After the powers that be realize that mostly Black people and Africans are going to be helped by this recent discovery, something tragic will inevitably happen to Dr. Paul or Dr. Miguel. There is no way they are going to let a cure for AIDS pop off. Nevertheless, they now have to work on the human testing to see how well this stuff works on people. Wonder who they are going to run the tests on?
Any real break through is about 5 years off. Oh, thats plenty of time for the man to make something happen.
SHELZ KEEPS ISH POPPIN
Shelz: It Wasn’t Me
So Baby aka Birdman aka Cash Money Man #1 was in court on Wednesday pleading not guilty to a possession charge he caught late last year in Tennessee. It seems an RV he was riding in with 15 other people was pulled over and searched. And guess what the fuzz found; guns and drugs. Now that’s what you call shocking. Anyways, the pound (yes I said pound) of weed they found is what landed Mr. Cash Money in hot water. The guns were completely legit. I don’t think there is a way to make a pound of weed legit, even if you have cataracts.
It WAS me
Sounds like Young Buck wants to take partial responsibility for the dismal sales of TOS. Here is what he said to Buckie Naked Radio:
“I’m glad to see the fans are still here with me. You put me out the element bruh, it’s kinda rough man. I can’t just say that it was me. But at the end of the day, the energy of what was going on between me and 50 Cent, I think definitely played a part.”
I know this is going to sound really odd, but how bout the album didn’t sell because it’s not that good. Does anyone think that may have something to do with it?
F**k you. Pay me.
Is Jacob the Jeweler still running things from the Pen? It seems he (or someone on his locked up ass’ behalf) has filed suit against Wyclef for non-payment of fees for products rendered; $319,680 worth of products rendered. Jacob’s folks claim they have made several demands for payment, but they have received nothing from Wyclef. Damn. I really want y’all to think about this; $300,000 in diamonds? My house isn’t worth that. Hell, my house plus my car plus my savings aren’t worth that. I need to start rapping.
Do You Respect D’Angelo? Well He Doesn’t Think So.
D’Angelo disappeared and it’s his own fans fault! He got all buckety nekkid in that video for “Untitled” and you all started treating him like a piece of meat. How many of you spent the three minutes and change of that song absorbing those heartfelt lyrics? None of you, I’m sure. You probably spent those three minutes trying to change the laws of physics by pulling the bottom of your TV screen down so you could see a lil bit more. Mmm Hmmm. Well it is that type of behavior that drove D’Angelo into hiding. He allegedly had some sort of mental break down due to his fans lascivious behavior. At least that’s what his former Manager told Spin. Anyway, he’s working on some new stuff and looking better than he did in that infamous mug shot (I swear it took a week for my folk to convince me that wasn’t Ole Dirty Bastard in that pic. May he rest in peace) So when he re-appears on the scene ladies remember he’s an artist and he’s sensitive about his sh*t.
Hasta La Vista Babies…
LMAO IS THIS HOT ROD DISSING G-UNIT?
I have to say that I havent seen Hot Rod enough to really know what he looks like when a side profile and a hate over half of his head while sitting on his Grannys couch. With that said, I doubt this is him. But all you Hot Rod fans: please verify for me.
Shout out to Yung Skrilla!
FLESH N BONE IS BACK – FIRST INTERVIEW
ANGELA SIMMONS NEW VIDEO
Im not really mad at this, but what do you think?
SOME SISTAS OF AHH
Bhudda and her Colgate smile!
LTBROWN…reppin!
If you are a sista of AHH, email me at [email protected]. You can be any race, color or creed.
YESTERDAY, 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
Obama Campaign Condemns Ludacris Dedication Song
Presumptive Democrat presidential nominee Barack Obama has condemned an endorsement song from Ludacris, in which the Atlanta MC criticizes rivals Hillary Clinton and John McCain.
The song Politics: Obama Is Here contains celebratory bars on Obamas success (The first is destined and its meant to be), but turns venomous when Obamas rivals are addressed.
Ludacris references the bitter Democratic primary battle by stating Hillary hated on you/So that b**ch is irrelevant.
Regarding Republican nominee John McCain, the rapper rhymes:
Through his campaign team, Senator Obama released a statement condemning the song as offensive and typical of much of Hip-Hops current lyrical content.
As Barack Obama has said many, many times in the past, rap lyrics today too often perpetuate misogyny, materialism, and degrading images that he doesnt want his daughters or any children exposed to, explained spokesman Bill Burton. This song is not only outrageously offensive to Senator Clinton, Reverend Jackson, Senator McCain, and President Bush, it is offensive to all of us who are trying to raise our children with values we hold dear. While Ludacris is a talented individual he should be ashamed of these lyrics.
Previously Obama once that Ludacris music received heavy rotation in his iPod, a point also acknowledged in the song when the rapper says:
With a slot in the presidents iPod Obama shattered em/ Said I handled his biz and Im one of his favorite rappers.”
In November of 2006, Ludacris met with Senator Obama at his Chicago office, where the Grammy Award winners discussed youth empowerment.
The rap has also drawn the wrath of WomenCount, a new organization co-founded by former Rock The Vote President/political commentator Jehmu Greene.
“It is another example of hateful, sexist language being used on the campaign trail, and now is our moment to make it clear: not on our watch! stated Rosemary Camposano, Communications Director, WomenCount PAC. The leadership of both parties must step up to condemn such hateful speech and demand apologies. The Obama campaign has criticized the lyrics, but we call on the presumptive party nominee, who is the celebrated subject of the new song, to go even further: Publicly condemn the song. Demand an apology on behalf of the targets. Now.”
Ludacris could not be reached for comment at press time.
Rapper Suga-T Launches ‘Be About It Project’
Rapper/Actress Suga-T will launch of her new Be About It Project in Modesto, California this weekend, with some assistance from fellow femcee Ms. Toi and Salt-N-Pepas legendary DJ Spinderella.
The Project, which aims to mother, educate and encourage peace and unity in the community, will utilize Spinderellas birthday celebrations on Friday and Saturday (August 1-2), to bring awareness to its mission and upcoming initiatives.
The Be About It Project consists of a series of workshops highlighting economic, political and social issues to empower those who have dealt with adversity.
The program works with youth and parents alike, to develop ways to deal with the pervasive problems created in the community by a lack of educational and recreational options and resources and increasingly difficult economic conditions.
“We created workshops to connect the fan-base, to foster a deeper and more personal relationship in an effort to create real change, opportunities, and solutions and help people improve their lives through the platform of music, Suga-T told AllHipHop.com.
Instead of looking at what’s wrong in the world, let’s look at what we can do to change it through love and respect of all persons; regardless of race, sex, national origin & creed, and work together as the human family to Save Our Planet, added Suga who is a member of Bay Area rap group The Click, along with brothers E-40 and D-Shot and cousin B-Legit.
As a subset of the Be About It Project, Suga-T has united a group of Hip-Hop Moms, consisting of artists like The Lady of Rage, Yo Yo, The Conscious Daughters, and of course Toi and Spinderella, who are equally dedicated to the preservation of Hip-Hop culture and how it affects their children.
She has also created two gender-specific lecture series: G.I.R.L.S., Grooming Insight for Realistic Success; and B.O.Y.S., Bringing On Your Success.
Both programs offer insight into the entertainment business and teaches teens how to implement the components of realistic success into their own lives.
The Be About It launch parties will take place on Friday at the Fat Cat Club, located at 930 11th Street in Modesto, and Saturday at Chativas Sports Bar & Grill at the Waterfront in Stockton, California.
Doors open at 9pm on both days.
For more information visit, www.suga-t.net or www.hiphopmoms.net.
Sneak(er) Peek: Air Questos, Fly McFly and other stuff…
Can you really ever go wrong with a pair of Nikes ubiquitous Air Force 1s? These bad boys here (above to the left & below)pic courtesy of the good folks at The Vault up in Harlem, where you can cop you a pairare a mesh of the Uptowns with the Air Max 97s. Crispy.The Roots ?uestlove has always been a stand up dude, consistently good for some knocking tunes, but his Air Questo will spawn some debate. They are a part of Nike’s 1WORld series that sees Air Force 1’s “created in partnership with global innovators in the fields of sport, music, art & design.” To his credit, ?uest said he wanted to “start off with a very loud statement, a sneaker that sort of has 12 exclamation points behind it.” I’d say say he accomplished that mission. The inside (of the shoe) is of me drumming. Yeah, inside art is very important to me. Even though youre the only person that sees it from a consumer standpoint but, I sorta know you put a lot of work into it as a designer based on how your shoe is designed on the sole.-?uestlove f/k/a B.R.O.THER. ?Kanye West kicked, Youre fly is open McFly on Commons Southside, but its doubtful that he knew Nike was going to pull these jawns out of their sleeves. Only 350 of these Hyperdunk McFlysa take on Kobe Bryants Hyperdunks with Back to the Future II colors and a glow in the dark sole, word to Michael J. Foxwere made and last EBay check, they were going for as much a stack. Ahh, the cost of freshness…They do look better than the Marty McFly OG versions below. Now Ive never been too much of an Aesop Rock fan, but if he had a hand in designing his Adidas and Upper Playground collaboration (available July 31), then the man of the dense lyrical verbiage has impeccable sneaker taste. Save for Rod Lavers, you can’t lose with a pair of Stan Smiths…So Nasir Jones got a deal with Fila. Must say this is an exponential improvement from his days of pushing that Willie Esco stuff. On a slight tangent, am I the only one not impressed by those Filas that look like Prada knock offs? But for real, The Fat Boys are who made me want to cop a pair back in the day. Now? Nah.
The Family That Plays Together Sports Family Ties
Did you know that in 1973 almost a quarter of all pro-baseball players, a third of all pro-football players and two-thirds of all pro-basketball players were Black? Most recently, African-Americans now make up 8% of baseball players, close to 67% in football and nearly 79% of basketball players.
As we cap off July with barbeques and family reunions, we
are bringing you a Black Family Month inside look at some family ties in
professional sports.
Muhammad Ali and
Laila Ali
The last name in this family alone deserves so much praise,
for what it means to boxing and the world of sports in general. The great Muhammad
Ali, born Cassius Clay, took home the gold-medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. His
pinnacle fights included the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” with George Foreman and the infamous fight with Joe Frazier aka the “Thrilla in Manila. Ali finished up
his remarkable career with a record of 56 wins, five losses and 37 knockouts.
His daughter Laila decided to follow in his path and stepped
into the ring, when she made her professional boxing debut in 1999. What a
debut it was, in her first fight she knocked out her opponent 31 seconds into
the first round.
Currently Laila holds the title as the undefeated Super
Middleweight Boxing Champion of the World with a 24-0 record and 21 knock-outs. Laila, now with-child, fought her final fight in 2007,
knocking out her opponent in just 56 seconds. Laila can also be seen mentoring
overweight teens on The N network show Student
Body.
Reggie Miller and
Cheryl Miller
Its Miller Time! The Miller name is very familiar to NBA fans everywhere, especially those whose team lost in the clutch thanks to Reggie. The now retired Miller spent his entire 18-year NBA career as the shooting guard for the Indiana Pacers, averaging 18.2 points per game. He ended his career with a total of 25,279 points, set a record of 2,560 career three-pointers and finished 12th place on league’s all-time scoring list.
His sister Cheryl, though she did not have a lengthy
basketball career due to a knee injury, was drafted in United States Basketball League. She was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic Women’s basketball team and in 1986 she led the team to the World Basketball Championship title in Moscow.
In her latter years, she coached college basketball, and then served as the head coach of the WNBAs Phoenix Mercury for four seasons. Both Reggie and Cheryl, after their basketball careers, have taken on a new role as television basketball commentators.
Many people dont know, but Reggie and Cheryl have a brother Darrell Miller, who was a Major League Baseball catcher for the California Angels in the 80s.
Venus Williams and
Serena Williams
These two powerful sisters stepped on the tennis court and
have forever changed the game. Venus Williams, the recent winner of the Wimbledon, has won 16 Grand Slam titles, which include seven
singles, seven women’s doubles and two in mixed doubles. She is also the winner
of Olympic gold medals in the singles and women’s doubles events.
Serena, the other half of this dynamic duo, has won a title
in all four Grand Slam tournaments. Her other accomplishments include winning
28 singles championships, 11 doubles championships and was a Gold-Medalist at
the 2000 Olympics. In 2002, Serena won the Italian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open.
Grant Hill and
Calvin Hill
Up next is the Hill family, who did not dominate in the same sport, but they were each great in their own lane! Grant Hill was first drafted by the Detroit Pistons and then moved to the Orlando Magic before ending up at his current home with the Phoenix Suns. Hill, a 13-year pro, has played in over 700 games, averages 19.3 points per game and 5 assists. He is a seven-time NBA All-Star and has been named to the All-NBA First or Second Team four times.
On the football field the retired running back, Calvin Hill, ended his career with 6,083 rushing yards and 42 rushing touch downs. In his 12-year NFL career from 1969 to 1981, he played for the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns. In 1972, the four time pro-bowler became the first Dallas Cowboy running back to have a 1,000 yard rushing season.
Karl Malone and
Cheryl Ford
Though this father-daughter combination does not bear the same last name, they share similar skills as forwards on the b-ball court. NBA power forward Karl Malone, otherwise know as The Mailman, spent over a decade with the Utah Jazz. Malone had an average of 25.0 points per game, 10.1 rebounds and 1.41 steals. At the end of his career he scored a total of 36,928 points.
Right now you can check out his daughter, Cheryl Ford, as the star forward for the WNBAs Detroit Shock. Drafted as the third overall pick in 2003, she was awarded Rookie of the year and rallied the ailing Shock to a WNBA championship. Cheryl averages 11.1 points per game and has over 1700 career points thus far.
Malone has another child Demetrius Bell, who was recently drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
Tiki Barber and Ronde
Barber
Now we have the Barber twins, who both had [and are still having] stellar careers in National Football League. The12-year veteran Ronde Barber is the cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has 965 tackles, 21.0 sacks and 33 interceptions. Barber became the first cornerback in NFL history and just the seventh player overall to record 20 career interceptions and 20 career sacks.
Three time pro-bowler Tiki Barber, was the running back for the New York Giants and the all-time leader in rushing yards in G-Men history. Not only did he retire in 2006, but in that same year he became the 21st player in NFL history to rush for over 10,000 yards. Tiki ended his 10 season career [unfortunately before the Giants big Superbowl win last season] with 10,449 yards, 55 touch downs and 2,217 carries.
Ken Griffey Sr.
and Ken Griffey Jr.
Here is another family whose name rings bells, this time its on the baseball diamond. In 1973 the Major League Baseball organizations Cincinnati Reds picked up Ken Griffey Sr. In 2097 games, Griffey accumulated a lifetime batting average of .296, with 152 home runs and 859 RBI (runs batted in). Nearly two decades ago, Griffey was also the Most Valuable Player of the 1980 All-Star Game. He retired after playing 19 seasons, with teams that also included the New York Yankees, the Atlanta Braves and the Seattle Mariners.
His son,
Ken Griffey Jr. is a well-known Right fielder for the Cincinnati Reds. He was initially drafted by the Seattle Mariners where he played for 11 seasons, before going to the Reds after the 99 season. Griffey Jr. has 605 homeruns, 1746 RBI and is currently sixth on the list of most career home runs.
Joe Jelly Bean
Bryant and Kobe Bryant
As another father-son duo, the Bryant last name is probably one of the most
talked about names in sports at the current moment. The NBA super star and
starting shooting guard of the Los Angeles Lakers is the 12-year franchise
player Kobe Bryant. Coming straight out of high school, this remarkable ball
handler aaverages 25.0 points per game and has been selected to every All-NBA Team since 1999. Kobe has won three consecutive championships,
owns an astonishing 21,619 career points and there is no end in sight with him
on top of his game.
His father Joe Jelly Bean Bryant was drafted in the first round by the Golden State Warriors in 1975. He was later traded to the Philadelphia
76er’s with whom he played four seasons, then to the San Diego Clippers for two
seasons, before his final NBA season with the Houston Rockets in 1983. At one
point Joe Bryant played in Europe and was also
the coach of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
With so many notable sports families to choose from, let us
know who you have in mind thats not on our list! Here are a few more honorable
mentions:
Patrick Ewing and Patrick Ewing Jr. – BasketballJulius Jones and Thomas Jones – FootballCecil Fielder and
Prince Fielder –BaseballCandace Parker and Anthony Parker – Basketball
Jacob Sues Wyclef Over $300k Jewelry Bill
Incarcerated jeweler Jacob The Jeweler Arabov and his company Jacob & Co. filed a lawsuit against Wyclef Jean, claiming the rapper/producer owes over $300,000 in unpaid bills.
According to The New York Daily News, a lawsuit filed yesterday (July 29), Jacob & Co. accuses Wyclef of purchasing $765,000 worth of watches and jewels between March of 2002 and January 2006, but failed to pay the balance of $319,680.
In June, Arabov started a 30 month federal prison sentence for his role in laundering over $270 million in drug money for the Black Mafia Family (BMF).
Arabov, 43, pled guilty to falsifying records and giving false statements.
Representatives for Wyclef Jean could not be reached a press time.
VLAD TV: The Clipse Pt. 1
Vlad interviews The Clipse and they speak on Re-Up Gang and those jewels!
Busta Rhymes Ft. Jadakiss
“Get That Paper Remix”
UGK and Akon
“Bad As Hell”
K-Salaam & Beatnick: Hello New World
A revolution is brewing in Hip-Hop and its the liberating sounds from Minnesotan producers K-Salaam and Beatnick that fight to resurrect the vacant soul of a dying culture. On their debut, conveniently entitled Whose World Is This? [VP], the duo set out on a mission to find the answer to this invigorating question. The result: an uplifting, 18-track, compilation that creates a unified musical discussion between some of the industrys most talented Hip-Hop (dead prez, Talib Kweli), Reggae (Sizzla, Buju Banton) and spoken word (Black Ice) artists. On the unconventional but thumping, Sting sampling lead single “Street Life,” featuring Buju Banton and Trey Songz, the former wails, Oh lawd what is the meaning of life/If I aint got a voice and I aint got a choice Read on as K-Salaam and Beatnick passionately explain why their messages needs to be heard around the world.AllHipHop.com: Whose World is This?, could your timing be any better with an album title so relevant to all the confusion going on in the world right now? Nas asked the question more than 20 years ago on Illmatic, why did you feel like it was time to readdress such a prominent issue? K-Salaam: We wanted people to finally start to think for themselves but we definitely borrowed the idea from Nas Beatnick: The album points to the answer but each listener is supposed to take what they need and come up with their own answer. All the artists [on the album] come from completely different walks of life and are giving their individual opinions. AllHipHop.com: Artists are debating whether or not Hip-Hop is dead and then you bang them with an even deeper, more thought provoking question, was the timing and relevancy [for this project] a coincidence?K-Salaam: Its not a coincidence! If you are a real artist the timing and your relevancy is a part of your art. Thats what makes somebody dope the title, message, ideas, production the whole package! Beatnick: Hip-Hop is at such a low point the timing of the album is definitely crucial because things cant go on like this for much longer. People have to step forward, take a chance and do something thats honest and real!AllHipHop.com: What were you looking for from the talent you sought out to work with on this project? The list is so diverse, from Papoose to Luciano, why did these people stand out?Beatnick: It ultimately came down to people who we respected and were feeling K-Salaam Weve been shopping beats and creating relationships for a while now, so with a lot of the featured artists [on the album] it was a mutual thing. We work with good people and good musicians. Thats what were about. We reached out like heres the message and they felt it and in turn chose to get down. For some [of the artists] this topic is not [normally] something they would address in their music but its still something real that they live every day. AllHipHop.com: Can you briefly tell me about your individual journeys? How did you two link up and get into music to begin with? K-Salaam: I been deejaying since the early 90s and then slowly got into production. My moms was a professional piano player. I play the trumpet and mess around on the keys. When I linked up with Beatnick he was already a full-fledged producer. Hes the brains behind the actual musicality of what we create. Nick is a composer, engineer, beat-maker musically we just click. Beatnick: My family is a musical family so this is in my blood. My grandfather was a Jazz arranger and Im a trained musician. I started off playing the guitar and then got into music theory I went to a high school that specialized in music and was introduced to Hip-Hop and producing in that style I met K my senior year [of high school] and weve been grinding side by side ever since.AllHipHop.com: How would you describe your production style? K-Salaam: Our style is that we dont have a style.Beatnick: Theres no one particular sound thats going to define us. The one consistency that youll hear in every track, whether its club, street, or conscious is honesty and substance.K-Salaam: Feel (f/ Talib Kweli) and We Gotta Take It (f/ Papoose & Busy Signal) both really highlight a new sound in music if you really listen to the beat youll say, this is fresh, Ive never heard anything like this before. Papoose deals with the subject on a simple political level and Busy speaks on a gangsta level but both verses come together demanding us to take back our life our culture our freedom!K-Salaam: Babylon (f/ Young Buck & Sizzla) is another brand new sound. Ive been playing that in clubs and people are loving it! Its very colorful and visual. When Buck heard what Sizzla was coming with, he hit me back and immediately wanted to jump on. AllHipHop.com: What a sick combination K-Salaam: Thank you. We dont make 20 beats a day. Good art doesnt work like that. We really take this seriously and put our blood, sweat and tears in it. The producers out there who make 20 tracks a day you can listen [to the track] and tell. K-Salaam: Another thing thats being overlooked in Hip-Hop right now that were incorporating [in our beats] are drums. All the drums suck in Hip-Hop!AllHipHop.com: That actually ties in the question that I have about the dope drum solo [following The World is Ours / Black Ice] whos playing and what type of drum is that? Beatnick: The drum solo is kind of throwback to what Pete Rock used to do. We borrowed that from his creative genius. Its a reward for people who actually listen to the album all the way through they get a little treat. Thats actually just a cheap Gimbe drum that I bought a while back. I was excited about something at the time when I got it and just started playing it turned out to be a hot track and what better place to throw it on the album K-Salaam: Black Ice is one of the most talented people Ive ever met in my life. He was really inspired by the project. Beatnick: Well that Black Ice track is significant because its the direct answer to the question in the title of the album [Whose World is This?] and honestly just sums up what the album is about.AllHipHop.com: How long did it take for you complete this project? For the aspiring DJs/Producers out there who may not truly understand the grind could you describe your coming of age?Beatnick: It took us a while because we basically started with nothing. We started with very few relationships and built from there this whole album is us becoming who we are now. K-Salaam: Nick and I were dropping mix-tapes back in Minneapolis and then eventually just progressed as producers while simultaneously working on this project We were deejaying, shopping tracks, building relationships Weve been in the game for about five years now and still arent even close to where we want to be or where we know were capable of going.AllHipHop.com: Whats your mission in the game overall?K-Salaam: The game needs good music. Were trying to bring truth, honesty and substance back into the music Beatnick: Its been too long that musics been mediocre and uninspiring. When anyone comes around and is just a little bit above the bar theyre considered the greatest. The bar is real low and K & I are definitely raising it.AllHipHop.com: What major projects have you worked on prior to the release of this album?K-Salaam: We actually did a couple tracks on Nass [Untitled] album but he didnt use them. He recorded about four songs over our beats; a couple of them were just crazy. Were working with Young Buck and Collie Buddz right now on their albums heavily with Pharoahe Monch, Outlawz, dead prez, Sizzla and Rihanna. K-Salaam & Beatnick with Pharoahe Monch in the studio from ksalaam beatnick on Vimeo.AllHipHop.com: Growing up in Minnesota, how prominent was the Hip-Hop culture in your life? Listeners may assume that its impossible for two white dudes to address a struggle that they know absolutely nothing about why do you feel like it was your job to do this?Beatnick: The love for music and our responsibility to let people know that theres still good s**t out there K-Salaam: And the love for the people too. I come from an activist Iranian family so I live in the struggle. Beatnick [Albanian rooted] lives in the music. When youre real [even if we were straight up white dudes] and youre bringing something to the table that people can learn from no ones gonna question you, and nobody has. People respect and appreciate it.AllHipHop.com: Why did you guys decide to link with VP Records? K-Salaam: VP came and offered us a major deal. Were both big Reggae heads so it was convenient. We were trying to get our album out in a timely fashion so we decided to run with it and do the best we could with it. AllHipHop.com: Any parting words?K-Salaam: Pick up the album we are really giving something back to people were not just putting out some bulls**t paper music like the s**t thats out now this is real. If youre too poor to buy the album just download it for free and listen.
G Dinero Ft. C-Murder, Akon, Young Buck and B.G.
“One False Move”
Rhymefest Ft. Chamillionaire and Jadakiss
“What’s Up”
Clyde Carson Ft. The Game and Sean Kingston
“In Da Club”
Isaiah Ft. DMC
“The Anthem (Queens)”
Charles Cosby: Cocaine Cowboy’s Griselda Blanco’s Million Dollar Man Part 2
Continued From Part One With Charles Cosby
AllHipHop.com: During your run did you ever go to Columbia yourself?
Charles Cosby: Ive been having a passport for the last eighteen years so I took trips to Columbia as well as Panama and other countries where it was for pleasure. Every time I went to Columbia it was business. I went to the jungles where they have the actual laboratories maybe twenty miles into the jungle. The only way you can get there is by horseback.
AllHipHop.com: It must have been a surreal sight to see workers with shirts covering their mouths mixing the product up?
Charles Cosby: I would say it was surreal but it just let me see what a position I was in. A cat from the hood has no idea how the process goes into bringing cocaine from the coca leaf into the hood. And I actually saw these people stepping on leaves and eating them twenty miles in the middle of a dense jungle. They go for thirty six hours straight, no sleep or nothing. The way they are able to manage is they take the coco leaf and put it in their jaw; it keeps them going.
AllHipHop.com: Its like caffeine in coffee.
Charles Cosby: Exactly.
AllHipHop.com: Since you were Black and you were dating The Godmother, did you feel any tension towards you when you visited Columbia?
Charles Cosby: I felt tension from day one I started dealing with The Godmother but you must understand, The Godmother she is a person of last resort. Whatever she says goes. So regardless what they felt about me, they know Im The Godmothers right hand. A punch against me was a punch against her. So they werent going to cross the line regardless of how they felt. She brought me in so they would have hell to pay.
AllHipHop.com: They rolled out the red carpet for you?
Charles Cosby: Without a doubt as much as they hated to do it, they had no choice.
AllHipHop.com: So you were dealing with the Ochoas during your visits to Columbia?
Charles Cosby: I was dealing with the Griseldas people. She had people she would deal with exclusively. She fell out with the Ochoas many years ago.
AllHipHop.com: When did the moral guilt hit you about what you were doing to the urban communities?
Charles Cosby: That was some years later. This is post Griselda Blanco. This is after the relationship dissolved. I really sat down and thought about the effects of my so called entrepreneurship. Although I wasnt selling directly to the streets, I had a hand in that sh*t.
AllHipHop.com: At your peak how much money were you seeing?
Charles Cosby: At my peak I probably had twenty five million dollars.
AllHipHop.com: Never getting high off your own supply was a cliché statement with in the game during your run. Did you ever touch the stuff?
Charles Cosby: Until this day Im forty years old I have never tasted alcohol, I never smoked a cigarette. I never smoked a joint. I never snorted cocaine. Ive been drug free my entire life. Some say you can never say never, I will never get high period and this is a forty year old man saying this sh*t.
AllHipHop.com: When does the relationship with Griselda start to deteriorate?
Charles Cosby: Griselda was scheduled to get out of federal prison in the mid 90s like 96. It was a guy named Rivi [Jorge ‘Rivi’ Ayala] her main hit man; he killed forty or fifty people. So Griselda is about to get out of jail, and the authorities dont want her to get out of jail because they think she is a very dangerous person. So Rivi approaches the prosecutions office and said okay well Godmother is about to get out of prison and I have information on various murders I committed for Godmother, can you give me some type of deal? So they gave Rivi a deal.
AllHipHop.com: So he snitched on Griselda?
Charles Cosby: Yeah, he snitched on Griselda. They indicted her for first degree murders which were death penalty charges. Of course she went through a wide range of emotions during that time. So she an idea of kidnapping John Kennedy Junior in New York, holding him for ransom until she is released, they going to hold his ass. When she is released and flown to Columbia the kidnappers would release him. So of course FBI got wind of it of her hair brained scheme. FBI kicked my door down but the thing of it is, I told Griselda from the start she mentioned the idea to me and I was against it. I told her Im a drug dealer and dont force me to something I dont want to do.
So she said, If youre not with me, then you must be against me Charles. I said Im not against you, but at the same time there are other ways to go about this. Youre a billionaire; lets spend millions on your defense. We can body slam Rivi in court, who is going to believe a convicted killer who is fighting to get a deal? Griselda is very stubborn so she is going to do things her way. Thats what basically dissolved the relationship.
AllHipHop.com: How did the FBI know that you were her guy to kick your door down?
Charles Cosby: Well most phone calls in federal prisons are recorded. So Griselda and I were on the phone and I asked her something on the Kennedy plan and she readily admitted it on the phone and of course they heard what we were talking about. The FBI alerted Kennedys family and thats how they were able to come to my house.
AllHipHop.com: Can I ask you something man to man?
Charles Cosby: Oh yeah.
AllHipHop.com: Obviously Griselda was older than you.
Charles Cosby: Thats right.
AllHipHop.com: Where you genuinely physically attracted to her? Or was it more the allure of whom she was.
Charles Cosby: At the beginning it was the allure, this larger than life person, this Godmother of cocaine. But when I met Griselda Blanco, I got a chance to sit down and talk to her in person. Aside from that Griselda Blanco was a really beautiful person. Pretty eyes, nice round face like a doll, deep dimples; Griselda was not an ugly woman, she was beautiful. I eventually fell in love with Griselda Blanco. I didnt plan it out, it just did.
AllHipHop.com: After your refusal to take part in the Kennedy kidnapping everything with Griselda stops.
Charles Cosby: After they kicked my door down, the relationship dissolved. At that time I was on probation for a machine gun conviction; I got caught with a Mac 10 in my car I got subpoenaed from the Florida County Generals Office. As much as I didnt want to go I had to. I wasnt going to give them anything relevant because what good would it do me to send Griselda who is already distressed. I had already walked away from the game at that point. So I wasnt looking back. I wasnt going to sh*t on this woman even though we didnt see eye to eye anymore, she did a hell of a lot for me. So I still had respect for her. I wasn’t going to be the n****r who sat on the witness stand and put her in the joint for life. I let Rivi do some sh*t like that. I would have dam near gave my life to prevent any harm to come her way and she knew that. This lady is a billionaire, with a b. Her story you will never see again, and I was just honored to be apart of it.
AllHipHop.com: So you stopped running her operation.
Charles Cosby: I stopped running it around 97. The money was still good but I had become unhappy at that point. The money didnt matter because all the sh*t people say if they were millionaire I wouldnt have any problems. The thing is Ive been there. Ive been a millionaire many times over. So if you a jealous n****r, hiding behind bushes and sh*t, you going to be the same n****r when you get money. Aint sh*t going to change. Money only allows you a bigger house, more expensive house. Money cant make every wish and dream come true. I learned that from first hand experience.
AllHipHop.com: With all the money you made, did the feds ever come to you accusing you of this and that?
Charles Cosby: No the feds never came to me with anything because I could cover it. I had businesses and sh*t; real estate and what not. I can speak freely on the sh*t now. For one the statute of limitations has run out. And two if they want to come and take what I have, fine come and take it. Material sh*t comes and goes, but thats if they can find it.
AllHipHop.com: What was the hardest part of leaving the game for you? Did you miss the action, the status?
Charles Cosby: You know what? I can say this with absolute certainty. I didnt miss sh*t about the game. Until this day I dont even think about it. No matter how much money you make, these streets are a lie.
AllHipHop.com: As a guy who was at the top of drug game, what is the number one mistake this current generation makes to get them selves notice by the law? Is it being too flashy?
Charles Cosby: The biggest mistake any organization can commit is committing murders because that brings unwanted attention. The DEA know, the ATF know, the FBI know they can never ever stop drug dealing but once you bring the murder into things, it becomes a public outcry and they have no choice but to become more aggressive thats how they create conspiracy laws, they connect the dots. But if they sold dope in peace and left the murders alone, you could have a ten or fifteen year run as long as you are under the radar.
As far as being flashy and sh*t, thats another thing. Thats just as worse as committing murders because its one thing for the police to know you a major drug dealer but its an entire different thing to thumb your nose at the police like yeah motherf***er, we doing this sh*t and there isnt a dam thing you can do about it. That a lie, they can take your ass down whenever they feel like it. So for these upcoming cats that want to be more flashy than smart, its a jail cell waiting for them too.
AllHipHop.com: After you stopped working for Griselda, were you still doing your own separate thing in the drug game?
Charles Cosby: When I broke off from Griselda Blanco, I had Columbians ringing my phone off the hook. They knew I knew how to get the job done. They knew if they laid five thousand kilograms on me, that I would move them relatively quickly and they are going to be paid. I passed it up though, I never looked back. Thats a part of my life I didnt want to revisit some eleven years later. Im still living good, I travel, go wherever I want to go, buy any car from any showroom floor. Im doing well for myself. I got a beautiful family, what else can a man ask for?
Cocaine Cowboys 2 is available now.