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Fabolous readies Losos Way for a select crowd in NYC
This week, Def Jam Recording Artist Fabolous held a listening session / movie premiere at an undisclosed location in Manhattan. Media, Executives, Producers and fans alike, packed into the venue to take a glimpse at his fifth studio album, Losos Way.
Due to an early partial leak of the album (lets get this corrected, please), a majority of the attendees sung along with the metaphorically gifted wordsmiths technical delivery from track to track. The lead single to Throw it in the Bag featuring The Dream, lifted a few swaying champagne glasses to the ceiling.
But if you know Fabolous track record, the singles are just the ice breaker to the main event. Songs like Lullaby produced by The Alchemist (with scratches by Just Blaze) had necks spinning clear off shoulders; the remix to Money Goes, Honey Stay featuring Jay-Z showed that Brooklyn was in the house in a major way; and one of Fabs favorites Pachanga produced by Sid V for Duo Live was Street Fam tested, and audience approved.
Loso then gave the crowd an exclusive (remember those?). He premiered the video for his next single Everything, Everyday, Everywhere featuring the lovely (add more adjectives here) Keri Hilson and the nerdy dude that come to find out was actually you in high school, Ryan Leslie.
As for the movie premiere of Losos Way, I could give you one guess about the storys plot. Yes, youve got. Its a story about a young man and his entourage a story about an emcee that becomes a huge star a story about leaving the game behind, yet cant seem to shake it off. Losos Way is about an emcee, playing the role of an emcee. I will not say that Fabolous played himself; Ill save that for the Comment Section.
For the most part, there wasnt much to take away from the film. Styles P basically stole the show playing the role of Losos lyrical nemesis. The crowd laughed at DJ Clue before he opened his mouth as the radio disc jockey that documented Losos musical career. The movie was 20 minutes long at the most. One of the attendees (Alamaj) asked Fab where the rest of the movie was at. And Fab just answered if the money that is offered to him is right, hell complete it. Otherwise, hell continue the movie with his next album release. Hopefully in the sequel he becomes a doctor or an engineer.
Losos Way Tracklisting
1. “The Way “Intro”
2. “My Time” (Feat. Jeremih)
3. “Imma Do It” (Feat. Kobe)
4. “Feel Like I’m Back
5. “Everything, Everyday, Everywhere” (Feat.Keri Hilson)
6. “Throw It in the Bag” Throw It in the Bag” (Feat. The-Dream)
7. “Money Goes, Honey Stay (When the Money Goes Remix)” (Feat. Jay-Z)
8. “Salute” (Feat. Lil Wayne)
9. “There He Go” Paul Cain, Red Cafe & Freck Billionaire)
10. “The Fabolous Life” (Feat. Ryan Leslie)
11. “Makin’ Love” (Feat. Ne-Yo)
12. “Last Time” (Feat. Trey Songz)
13. “Pachanga”
14. “Lullaby”
15. “Stay” (Feat. Marsha Ambrosius)
16. “I Miss My Love”
Will Deshair Foskey is a social journalist/blogger, with New Jersey as his home state and AllHipHop.com as one of his many passions. His most recent project, HYPERLINK “http://www.TheRacetoNowhere.blogspot.com” www.TheRacetoNowhere.blogspot.com has launched to rave reviews, early Summer 09.
Warren G Ft. Snoop Dogg and Cass
“Swagger Rich”
Kid Cudi Lands Role In New HBO Series
G.O.O.D. Music artist Kid Cudi will seek to parlay the success of his breakout single Day N Nite into TV when he begins lead acting duties for HBOs How To Make It In America.
In an interview, Kid Cudi defined his role and revealed the fledgling shows strong push courtesy of Hollywood veterans Mark Wahlberg and director Julian Farino.
It’s called How to Make It in America. It’s produced by the guys that did Entourage. Mark Wahlberg is the executive producer. It’s directed by Julian Farino, who also did Sex and the City, several episodes of that and The Sopranos, and Entourage, Cudi explained to The Arizona Republic. I have a lead role. My character’s name is Domingo Dean. I actually named my character after both of my brothers – Dean, who lives in Phoenix, being one of them, and Domingo.
For Cudi, it was important to differentiate his music and acting careers to avoid being typecast as a rapper playing an actor.
It has no reference to my music. It was important to me early on to branch away from music and actually do something outside my comfort zone, Cudi clarified. When we were developing my character with the writers, I was telling them, Man, I don’t want to be anything that has to do with music, just because that’s not really acting.
Cudis debut LP is scheduled for this fall.
While many would feel the pressure of having to deliver on the chart-topping success of Day N Nite, Cudi expressed gratefulness to Kanye West for allowing him creative freedom on his first project.
Kid Cudis Man on the Moon: the End of Day is scheduled to be released on September 15.
It features appearances from Snoop Dogg, The Clipse, Common, and Kanye West. Production credits include will.i.am, Kanye West, and Just Blaze.
Books: “The Scratch DJ Academy Guide” (St. Martins)
The
emphasis is now on the DJ and his performance as the leader of the
dance, Tony McGuinness, contemplative Trance
DJ-turned-scratchonomic-seigneur acknowledges in the chapter, The
Influence of the DJ of On The Record. This is an idea that goes back
to prehistoric times; theres always been a figure in society who leads
a mass dance. For me now, it has become much more of a performance.Since
Hip-Hops birth over thirty years ago, the role of the DJ has
transcended that distinction: Todays DJ is no longer the leader of the
dance, but the dance itself. If he does not play right logarithm of
recordsincluding the necessary blending, scratching, and microphone
interjections to go with itthe sacred life of the party is lost.According
to writers Luke Crissell and Phil White, who have shared leaf in the
ultra hip mag Nylon and both boast major bylines galore, and Phil
White, founder of the Scratch DJ Academy, the ability to DJ is a
dexterous but teachable art. Yet, as On The Record so clearly stresses,
it is an art that requires an appreciative awareness of the cultural
movements that define it in addition to the actual practice of the
craft. And that awareness gives DJing its holism, which todays top DJs
like Craze, Sasha, Yoda, AM, and others elaborate on through various
advice, lessons, and reflections, prepping aspiring DJs just as much
for life away from the turntables as on them.As in the book The
Art of Emceeing, in which Dead Prezs Stic.Man divulges the
step-by-step mechanic of rapping, On the Record breaks down the ones
and twos of disc jockeying. There are so many different options for
DJs these daysthey use vinyl, Serato, Ableton, CD decks, DJ Yoda
comments on the revolutionizing of DJ equipment in the chapter DJ
101, But I think that its important to get used to working with
vinyl first. Its crucial to have that basis, because the new
technology just emulates two turntables and a mixer. The chapter goes
on to break down the art of scratching, beat matching, fading, and
building a set.Sure, DJing is a skill that does not need a
manual as much as it needs lived experience, but the folks at The
Stratch DJ Academy remind us that there is unspeakable value in the
written experience of world-renowned DJs. In that sense, On The Record
is not an alternative way of learning to DJ, but a companion to the
very process itself.
UPDATE: Nas Ordered To Pay $40k in Support for Kelis and Child
UPDATE:
Earlier reports of Nas having to pay over $55,000 in support have been proven false, as AllHipHop.com has confirmed the Queens emcee has been ordered to pay $39, 498.00 per month.
The verdict was put in place until a September 8 hearing, when a judge will again review the monetary stipulations.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Louis Meisinger also ruled that Nas will have to pay Kelis $45,000 lawyer and forensic accountant fees.
Nas lawyer Mark Kaplan requested that Kelis be paid a $20,000 payment until the September hearing, but Judge Meisinger argued that the singer was entitled to maintain her marriage lifestyle, and that the monetary judgment was commensurate with the two parties income filings.
In addition, Kelis will have 30 days to decide whether to return to the couples Los Angeles property, which Nas is paying for.
Kelis high-powered divorce attorney Laura Wasser defended the ruling, stating that Kelis income has significantly dropped this year.
She also confirmed that her client is searching for a new label home.
Originally, Kelis reportedly was seeking $80,000 a month in total spousal and child support.
According to court records, Nas’ monthly contributions will be $30,471 to Kelis in temporary spousal support, and $9,027 to his newborn son Knight.
Nas was last seen on Tuesday night celebrating the birth of the couples son at an all-star Queensbridge concert.
At press time, neither Nas or Kelis could be reached for comment.
Mike Jones Talks Rise and Fall, Sheds 100 Pounds
With rumors swirling about his possible music retirement, Mike Jones is setting the record straight about his future plans.
In an in-depth interview with the Houston Press, Mike Jones defended himself against accusations from former friends and associates that he squandered his career and took advantage of them.
“People hate on Mike Jones and what he done, but I sold 2 million. People hated on Mike Jones back then, but I still sold all my CDs. So I don’t trip. Because you could hate, but at the end of the day the numbers prove that Mike Jones is still relevant and supposed to be here…You know what I’m saying?”
The 2 million sales Jones references is the breakout success of his 2005 debut, Who Is Mike Jones?
Power by a unique promotional campaign that included the rappers own personal phone number and the chart-topping success of Still Tippin, Jones became an overnight superstar.
Unfortunately, the Houston native could not capitalize on the success, and others speculate it was due to the rappers work ethic becoming erratic.
Its alleged that Jones alienated promoters but reneging on shows agreements, and DJ s began to refuse to play his records after breaking commitments with them as well.
Additionally, label issues stalled the rappers sophomore album The Voice for over 3 years.
Undeterred, Jones explained his plans to drop another LP entitled Expect the Unexpected later this year, and will focus on building himself back up through endorsement deals with Subway – he claims to have shed 100 pounds – and Cricket Wireless.
“It’s just my fan appeal lost a little bit,” Jones admitted to the Houston Press. “The buzz, the momentum, lost a little bit. I was on Unsolved Mysteries. They don’t know what happened to Mike Jones. He ain’t dead. I’m in that glass six feet under trying to get y’all attention. Y’all walking right over me. I’m these dominoes right here. And I seen all y’all faces as y’all spit on me, and walked past me, and laughed, and said f**k me. Somehow I got out of that motherf**king coffin, though.
Mike Jones last album The Voice was released earlier this year, and charted in Billboards Top 20.
Livin’ in a Zoo: CNN’s Black in America II
Paul Scott “I’m kickin’ cold facts so true Feels like I’m livin’ in a zoo” Public Enemy Step Right up! In this cage we have the tame, “Negro-intellectualus.” Notice his freshly pressed shirt and creased pants. Go ahead and pet him. He won’t bite…However, watch out for this next animal, “Thug-ignoramus.” Beware of his gold teeth and if he starts reaching for his waist band, call security, immediately!
On July 22 CNN will air Black America Part II, their second attempt to paint a pretty picture of black America for their audience. I don’t know about y’all but I’m kinda tired of being poked, prodded and examined by TV network execs on a life long mission to find out what makes dudes like me tick.
No disrespect to Soledad O’Brien and the rest of the crew who produced the program but I don’t think these types of shows are meant to enlighten black folks, especially the boyz in the hood.
As my lil homie Jae would say, ” How many times are you gonna describe my kitchen to me when we’re livin’ in the same house?”
We all have members of our families that run the gamut from “Left out Lamont,” who can’t keep a steady job to Buford “lil Boo Boo” Jenkins who got his degree, became a stock broker and never looked back at the ‘hood. So, we have our own “Black in America” reality series every family reunion complete with ribs and Marvin Gaye CD’s. Shows like Black in America are definitely for the Caucasian persuasion as they have always been curious about black folks. Scholars like Dr. George GM James and William Leo Hansberry have said that the ancient Greeks were fascinated by the Egyptians and Ethiopians. The early explorers of Africa were also intrigued by the riches of the continent, so much so, that they stayed for hundreds of years. However, after the Trans Atlantic slave trade, Africans stopped being objects of adoration and became oddities. There are tales of Africans being held as exhibits in zoos in New York and during the early 1800’s the voluptuous Saartjie Baartman aka “Hottentot Venus” was paraded around Europe so white men could gaze at her “donk.” During the late 1960’s, white America’s curiosity about black folks became a matter of national security because of the various “riots” that were spreading like wildfires . In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson created the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders to find out why black folks were so angry. The Commission released what was known as the Kerner Report which pointed to the media as partial causes of the “riots.” According to the report, “Important segments of the media failed to report adequately on the causes and consequences of civil disorders and on the underlying problems of race relations. They have not communicated to the majority of their audience-which is white-a sense of the degradation , misery and hopelessness of life in the ghetto.” The report also complained that the media was guilty of giving ” disproportionate amounts of time to emotional events and militant leaders.” As far as solutions, one of the things that the report suggested was that the media needed to: “…publish newspapers and produce programs that recognize the existence and activities of Negroes as a group within the community and as a part of the larger community.” So, the networks have followed this method of operation since then , only deviating, briefly ,during the LA Rebellion of 1992 because of their underestimation of the political potential of Hip Hop. It must be noted that these programs also try to convey the idea that cultural assimilation is the ultimate manifestation of black achievement and the benchmark as to whether one has “made it” or not. While many have quoted from WEB Dubois’ , “The Souls of Black Folk,” few have had the courage to pose the fundamental question that he raised in his essay “The Souls of White Folk,” “But what on earth is whiteness that one should so desire it?” He goes on to say that “Europe has never produced and never will in our day bring forth a single soul who cannot be matched and over matched in every line of human endeavor by Asia and Africa.” However, millions of Americans will spend hours this week watching CNN give complex answers to simple questions such as “why inner city black kids are killing each other” when black psychologist Dr. Bobby Wright gave us the answer over 25 years ago in his work “The Psychopathic Racial Personality” “Blacks kill Blacks because they have never been trained to kill Whites, therefore it is outside their experience.” End of series. Just once, I would like to see a network do a six hour series on what produces the white male superiority complex in men like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. Or who controls the economic system that keeps the hood in perpetual poverty ? But I guess the worn out topics of black pathologies and the salvation of assimilation are better for ratings. Oh, well. As Blue Magic once sang, “Let the side show begin…can’t afford to pass it by…guaranteed to make you cry…” Paul Scott’s blog is No Warning Shots Fired.com
He can be reached at in**@*****************ed.com (919) 451-8283
Wendy Williams Quits The Radio Business
Popular radio talk show host Wendy Williams has announced she is hanging up her microphone for good, to focus on her new television show.
Williams announced that she will leave her position at WBLS at the end of this month and end her Wendy Williams Experience radio show.
She will devote all of her time to The Wendy Williams Show, which launched on July 13 and airs daily on Fox 5 in New York and Fox 11 in Los Angeles.
“I want to tell all of my fans that after July 31st, I will no longer be doing a show with WBLS,” Williams said in a statement. “I really was blessed to have a broadcast home in NY on radio for the past 7 years and I want to thank everyone who supported me. I have one of the best jobs in the world, making a difference in the lives of my fans made all the difference to me and I look forward to doing the same thing in my new role as a TV host. My hope is that you will do your best to find me on your remote so I can continue to entertain and inform you each and every day.”
Williams, who calls herself Queen of All Media, was recently nominated as a potential inductee into the National Radio Hall of Fame, launched her career in 1989.
She gained notoriety in New York radio with her gossip, drawing the wrath of numerous celebrities along the way, including Whitney Houston, Tupac Shakur, Sean Diddy Combs, Method Man and others.
Williams radio show went into syndication in 2001, when she returned to WBLS and New York radio after a stint at Philadelphias Power 99FM.
We are saddened to lose one of our most popular personalities, said Deon Levingston, Vice President and General Manager of WBLS. But we understand what it requires to put a live show on television each and every day and wish Wendy all the best in this new venture.
Kanye Focuses On Education During Fuse TV Special
Kanye West will be featured in an upcoming special on Fuse TV this Saturday (July 25) titled “Fuse Presents Kanye West: Live From the Chicago Theatre.”
The special features an exclusive interview with Kanye West about his mothers aspirations for his non-profit, The Kanye West Foundation.
Wests mother, Dr. Donda West, established the Kanye West Foundation in 2007 to help curtail the severe dropout rate in American communities.
“My mother has always been into education, both my mother and my father,” West said during the interview. “When I started living my dream out, I wanted to help other people live their dreams. Me and my mother started talking about doing some charity work.”
The concert, which took place on July 11, was the first major event for the Kanye West Foundation since the 2007 of Dr. West, who died from complication from plastic surgery in November of 2007.
“Fuse is thrilled to provide a national television platform to help raise awareness of the important work The Kanye West Foundation and S.H.O.W are doing to keep students in school,” said Dave Weier, VP of music programming and talent relations. “To capture an event that is the culmination of the power of music and the hard work and dedication of students is really exciting for us.”
In addition to the exclusive interview with Kanye, performance footage from Wests 2nd Annual “Stay In School Benefit” at the Chicago Theatre will also be highlighted during the special presentation.
“Her [Dr. Donda West] dream would never be fulfilled until there was absolutely no drop out rate,” West added.
Fuse Presents Kanye West: Live From the Chicago Theatre” airs Saturday, July 25 at 8:00 PM ET.
Rick Ross Ft. Fabolous, Pusha T and Birdman
“Maybach Music 2.5”
Smokey Ft. Flo Rida [Heater Of The Day]
“What Girls Like”
Young Buck Ft. The Outlawz P###. By Mick Vegas
“Bury Me Alive”
Slaughterhouse Ft. Chief Stockton
“The One Remix”
Crooked I Ft. One-2 and K-Young P###. by Cookin Soul
“Money Talks”
AHH Stray News, Nate Mathers, OJ Simpson, Jay-Z, Hip Hop Soda Shop
Emimens younger brother Nathan Mathers will appear in Shelby Township district court today (July 23) to stand trial on a drunken driving charge. Mathers was charged with DUI on April 15, after police stopped his vehicle for failing to pull over for an ambulance. Mathers failed sobriety field tests and Macomb County Police said the rappers blood-alcohol level was 0.16, twice the legal limit. Mathers, 23, also has a previous DUI charge.
Producer Madlib and rapper Guilty Simpson have joined forces to form a new group named OJ Simpson. The name of the group is a combination of Madlibs real name (Otis Jackson) and Guilty Simpsons name. The group is planning a 14-track-album that will feature guest appearances by Elzhi and Strong Arm Steady, with scratching by J.Rocc. The group recently released Coroner Music, the title track off of the album, which is due in stores this Fall.
Jay-Z will replace the Beastie Boys as the headlining act at the All Points West festival, which takes place in Jersey City on July 31. The performance will be Jay-Zs first major American festival appearance this year. The Beastie Boys announced on Monday (July 20) that they were postponing the release of their upcoming album Hot Sauce Committee Part 1 because group member Adam MCA Yauch has cancer in his parotid gland. Other artists on the bill for the All Points West festival include Coldplay, Tool, and others. Fans of the Beastie Boys can get refunds, but only for the July 31 performance.
The remaining assets of the Hip Hop Soda Shop were auctioned off yesterday in Tampa, Florida. Less than a dozen people came out to bid on the remnants of the restaurant, which was auctioned off for $525,000. According to reports, the propertys actual value is over a million dollars. The winning bidder was a Tampa business man, who said he plans to turn his newly acquired property into a hotel.
Flames Ft. Flames Krayzie Bone and Layzie Bone
“This Is How”
Rich Boy Produced By Drumma Boy
“Come and Get Me”
Freeway Ft. James Blunt P###. By Oddz and Endz
“When I Die”
Yung Berg Ft. Tony Loco
“We Miss U” [MJ Tribute]