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H2A Event Celebrates Women Pioneers in Hip-Hop
The strength, leadership, challenges and successes of women pioneers in Hip-Hop will occupy conversation among those attending the Hip-Hop Association (H2A) and New York University Center for Multicultural Education and Programs Womanhood Passage Fundraiser.
The event, which will take place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. June 25 at the schools Rosenthal Pavilion, will feature various Hip-Hop artists, executives, activists, media makers and entrepreneurs.
Confirmed speakers slated to be honored include Monie Love, Baraka Sele, Toofly, DJ Beverly Bond, Kim Osorio, DJ Jazzy Joyce, Rachel Ramist, Thembisa Mshaka, Dr. Roxanne Shante, Martha Cooper and Cindy Campbell, billed as the godmother of Hip-Hop.
This event is more than just honoring those that have paved the way, it is also promoting intergenerational healing amongst women, said H2A founder Martha Diaz. Too often the negative associations of women in Hip-Hop go unresolved. We hope to have the Womanhood Passage Fundraiser move us toward a resolution while promoting some of the most positive women in Hip-Hop.
In addition to Osorio, Roxanne Shante and Jazzy Joyce, 15-year-old rapper/actress P-Star will be on hand at the Fundraiser to discuss her documentary P-Star Rising.
The feature was recently screened at the Tribeca Film Festival.
The Womanhood Passage Fundraiser will help kick off the H2A’s initiatives for its Womanhood Learning Project (WLP).
The endeavor is dedicated towards highlighting womens roles and leadership positions within Hip-Hop culture and the community.
This years WLP initiatives involve a resource book titled Fresh, Bold, So Def: Women in Hip-Hop Changing the Game.
More than 300 artists, activists and entrepreneurs are profiled in the tome.
The WLPs second effort pertains to its Ladies First Fund, an initiative that offers a $5,000 grant to a candidate dedicated to social entrepreneurship in the Newark, New Jersey area.
According to the grant, the Fund is labeled as the first grant for women in Hip-Hop.
General admission tickets for the Womanhood Passage Fundraiser, which are $45, are available at www.hiphopassociation.org.
AllHipHop Chartwatch: Black Eyed Peas Rule, One of Pac’s Outlawz Returns
Some
of you guys must have hit Best Buy over the weekend because we have
a couple of artists from the dropping this week section last week make it
on the charts in a major way this week. Im not saying we at AllHipHop.com had anything
to do with that, Im just saying its a nice coincidence.
I
know I might have made fun of them last week (along with Flo Rida and
anyone else who makes Hip Pop) but the Black Eyed Peas enters this weeks
chart at number one. Their new studio album The E.N.D knocks
off the Dave Matthews Band whose album, Big Whiskey and the
GrooGrux King,falls to number two.
Eminem
continues his chart topping sales with Relapse and also earns Em another platinum plate. His raps about drugs, violence, and Mariah Carey make me feel like its 2002 again. Incidentally, Mariah Carey has a diss record against Shady on her new album. Its like she is just asking for abuse. Somebody warn her and Nick Cannon. Chicken Foot follows Eminem at number four with their self titled debut.
Now
yall know how I feel about Lady Gaga. Well apparently a bunch
of people dont feel the same as I do because her album, The Fame,
continues to sell and comes in on the chart this week at number five.
Thats followed by Disneys Hanna Montana: The Movie soundtrack.
Green
Day falls a few positions with their album, 21st Century
Breakdown holding at number seven.
I
dont know what bachata music is so if anyone does please school me
on it. Aventura, a group from the Bronx, does bachata and apparently
they do it well because they enter the charts this week at number eight
with their 8th studio album The Last.
A few years a R&B group by the name of Pretty Ricky started making noise and climbing the charts. As they got popular I thought Who the hell is Pretty Ricky? Then came the devastating news that Pleasure P was leaving the group. This time I thought Who the hell is Pleasure P? Well apparently Pleasure P is rising to the top doing all the things to your girl that you wont do. His album,
The Introduction of Marcus Cooper, debuts this week at number nine
on the strength of the single Boyfriend #2.
Finally,
Dante Terrell Smith a.k.a Mos Def enters the chart this week at number
10 with his album The Ecstatic. He was on the Dropping
this Week section along with The Black Eyed Peas last week.
Lets see who might make it on the charts for next week.
DROPPING THIS WEEK
Tupacs
birthday just passed and a former member of the group he founded over
a decade ago releases a new album. Former member of The Outlawz,
Hussein Fatal, releases his fourth studio album, Born Legendary.
Bay
Area rapper The Jacka drops his third album Tear Gas. Its
been a minute since he released a studio album and now he returns in
full force with an album featuring Freeway, Devin the Dude, Mistah F.A.B,
Paul Wall, and others.
Finally,
it looks like the members of Three Six Mafia are each putting out solo
albums. Juicy J comes out with his second solo album Hustle
Til I Die. Read the AllHipHop interview right here!
Tru Life’s Brother at Center of Shooting/Stabbing
New York police are alleging that a dispute between Tru Lifes brother and several other individuals may have killed a teen and left another man seriously injured.
According to investigators, early yesterday morning (June 16), five gang members ambushed two men at a Manhattan apartment complex, to retaliate against the earlier shooting of a man named Michael Slater.
The man authorities say is a suspected drug dealer was shot in the abdomen outside nightclub Pacha, and is listed in critical condition.
The gang-inspired apartment ambush resulted in the two individuals being stabbed repeatedly in the chest and face.
One man, 30 year old Jason Black, survived the assault and is listed in critical condition.
The other, an 18-year old teen whose name has not been released, died on the operating table.
While details are still being revealed police believe the shooting and fatal stabbing are the result of an ongoing feud between Jason Black and Tru Lifes brother.
The brother, whose name has also not been disclosed, was first introduced to Hip-Hop fans in 2007 courtesy of the punching incident between then rivals Tru Life and CamRon.
According to various reports, the brother joined Tru Life in confronting CamRon outside of Club Stereo.
After an escalation of words and some reports alleging the brother even threatened to shoot up the venue, Tru Life assaulted the Dip Set founder with a single punch to the face.
At press time, Tru Life could not be reached for comment.
Corneille: From Tragedy to Triumph
April 2009 marked the 15-year anniversary of the
genocide in Rwanda, which claimed 800,000 lives in three months.
Approximately 10,000 people were murdered daily. In the end, over
one-tenth of the Rwandan population was wiped out. The stories that
came out of the massacre were heartbreaking, including one of a young
man whose entire family [parents and siblings] were killed.
Corneille was born in Germany where his
parents attended college; he was six when the family returned to
Rwanda. The new singing sensation understands what it felt like to be
in the midst of one of the most horrific events in history. Though
alone, he had the fortitude, drive to escape the war torn country, and
through the pain push forward to a new beginning. He made it to
Kinshasa, Congo, then Germany where he completed college, before
finally settling in Montreal, Canada.
While in Canada, Corneille began to journey
down the path that he desired since a young boy, music. Eventually he
formed the band Original New Element [O.N.E], the group achieved a
little success, but Corneille was ready to stand on his own. In 2002, Corneille released his first studio album, Parce Qu’on Vient de Loin and currently it has sold over a million records. Les Marchands de Rêves, Corneille’s second studio album was released in 2005 and was successful as well.
As Corneilles stardom began to rise, he
started ventures with Sony Music Japan, Universal Motown for the World
ex-Japan (SMJI), France (Wagram), Canada (DEJA) and Universal Music
Group partners in the UK. With that said, Corneille
is on a quest to spread his music all over the globe and his next stop
is the United States. Growing up listening to American singers such as
Nat King Cole, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson and many others, Corneille is more than ready to show us what hes got!
AllHipHop.com Alternatives spoke to the international superstar
about his tragedy, which turned to triumph, signing to Universal
Motown, his debut album in English The Birth of Cornelius and Africa in the eyes of Americans.
AllHipHop.com Alternatives: When you were growing up when do you begin to show signs that you were into music?
Corneille: I cant remember when
exactly, I know that around the age of ten or eleven I started humming
melodies and songs that I would come up with on my own.AHHA: Was a career in music realistic to you?
Corneille: By the age 16 or 17 it
was a done deal; I dont even know how much of a dream it was. Im
realizing that as I grow older, Im actually more aware of the odds
that you have to beat to even start a career. From where it started
out, I was innocent and I basically believed that I could do it. There
wasnt even a question in my mind, even though it took me a while. I
probably recorded my first demo at the age of 17, and I didnt have a
record released until I was 24. So it took a good seven years and
during all that time, I guess for me those were steps that I had to go
through. I never looked at it like it as something overly challenging
to achieve; Im realizing how hard it is now actually [laughs].
AHHA: Your family was killed in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda
and Im sure that was a troubling time for you. How did that tragedy
mold you into the person you are today?Corneille: Those sorts of things are
pretty hard to rationalize and talk about how they might affect
somebodys life. Its so out of the ordinary and its hard to talk
about rationally. I would say that whats really significant is what
was there before the tragedy and how Ive dealt with the whole thing. I
was raised and surrounded by a bunch of very loving, caring people and
when they left this earth, I guess they left me with enough of love to
keep fighting. Coming out of that struggle, I sort of measured what
they had left me with, those lessons and things. Im realizing now what
is really inspiring my music and me as a man in general. So I would say
it’s how I came out it that says a lot.
AHHA: What does it feel like when people compare you to great singers such as Sam Cooke?Corneille: Those comparisons are
more than flattering! I think Im still way too young, those people
have left legacies and I cant even begin to put into words the
importance of their legacies. Were talking about people that well be
talking about for centuries to come. Its nice to know that those
comparisons are coming from Americans. I grew up listening to all the
artists thinking that the first record that I would record would be in
English. Life kind of took me to a different direction and I started doing
music in French because Im French speaking after all, but that was
not the plan. Ive always been sort of longing for the point in my life
when Id be able to write and make music that was done in the same
language that made me love music in the first place. Obviously Im
happy that Im able to take this music to the country that started it
all, so when those comparisons are made its very nice and very
flattering. To the Sam Cookes of this world, Nat King Coles of this
world, Donny Hathaways and Stevie Wonders, all these people
influenced my music.
AHHA: Youre already a huge star overseas, how important is it to you that you have the same type of success here in America?
Corneille: I wouldnt say that its
very important for me to have the same type of success in America, the
success that Ive had in Europe or other French speaking countries has
been kind of phenomenal. I dont think anyone in their right mind
target the US expecting the same type of success. As Im getting older,
Im realizing that my ambitions are a little bit more realistic I
guess. So what I really want is for my music to have a voice, to find its
ears and its audience in the US. Thats very important! Its important
for me to know that my music is being understood and its being well
received by people. As far as the success goes, as long as I have an
audience, a life and a place as an artist/ musician in the US, thats
all I want.
AHHA: How does it feel to be signed to Motown, which is such a big name in music? How did it come about?
Corneille: The story is my manager
back then who is now my manager for Japan, was going around to
different record labels making them listen to my records. Not many
people really got it, they wanted to put it in a box and say this is
Contemporary R&B, Adult Contemporary or Soul. Its very hard to put
a tag on the music and that always throws people off. When the people
over at Motown listened to it, the General Manager got it right away.
Thats sort of what my life stories been!As far as my career, Ive never had anything handed to me and Ive
had a lot of rejections. When one person out of the thousand in some
way got me, it paid off, so hopefully the same story will be rewritten
in the US as well. Motown was at the top of the list of labels that I
wanted to go with, for the symbolisms of it and also because even today
its still one of the most relevant labels that have managed to expand
and they touch on all kinds things. First off, to have that Motown
catalog and to have artists like myself, Ryan Leslie, then to have Lil
Wayne and people like Busta Rhymes and thats what the world is right
now. So were opening up our mind and Motown today is exact with its
time.
AHHA: Talk about your album The Birth of Cornelius. Who did you work with?
Corneille: Actually, on this album,
well I usually write, compose and produce everything by myself. I did
that on this album with the exception of three songs. Two songs
Liberation and All of My Love, I actually co-wrote with my wife
Sofia de Medeiros. I co-wrote with another songwriter/producer out of
London Martin Terefe.
AHHA: Can you name one American artist that you would like to work with in the future?Corneille: When it comes to
collaborations, I have to know who they are and they have to know who I
am. There has to be a connection not just artistically but on the human
level because otherwise I dont like that. One artist that I always
wanted to work with, on the top of my wish list, actually theres two
of them, Quincy Jones and Babyface. That would be great wouldnt it?AHHA: This year Barack Obama was elected President of the United
States and other artists of African decent are emerging, how do you see
the image of Africans changing in the eyes of Americans? Corneille: I think people are going
to start or hopefully start looking at Africans with a different eye.
So far, Africa has been that strange and foreign very far away place
where it seems to be somewhat god forsaken. Anything bad, any sort of,
you know like being famine, being in danger, child soldiers. Anything
that you can think of that the rest of the world sort of looks at and
thinks how low can humanity get or how scary can this world be seems to
be associated to Africa and thats not all that Africa is honestly.Maybe with President Obama, Africa wont be foreign to people
anymore. Africa is going to be that place that people will consider as
very important and very relevant place in this world, politically and
economically. I believe that the rest of the world is going to need
Africa very soon; its probably the only place in the world where
natural resources are still far from being exhausted.
The way that Americans look at Africa might change in a sense that
people are going to start thinking this is not so far from us, that
would be a huge change. Also, I think it will help more African
American people understand about there history and theyll be even more
interested in their history. Im not talking about just slavery; Im
talking about the African history, as we know it today. What makes
Africa today, hows that relation to African Americans all over the
world and Blacks all over the world. Not just Blacks, every human being
in some shape or form are related to Africa. Since we were talking
about music, most of rhythmic music comes from Africa.
AHHA: I read that you were saying in many African cultures,
a job in music or entertainment is not typically, approved, which I
would agree with. What advice can you give the many young Africans
around the world who want to go into music but may be afraid? Corneille: Music has always been my
thing, but I never left school just to pursue music. Education is key,
in whatever your passion or hobby is I would advise any young person
aspiring to become a musician to try to find a way to prioritize
education. In the mean time try to find a way, parallel that so that
you can still make music. From my experience, if music is in your heart
you can only do that. If you prioritize something else, youll find yourself making
music naturally and naturally finding time to do it. Its just
something thats in your blood, something that you have a passion for.
So as long as you keep that in mind youll have time for you to decide
what you want to do out of your life, but education is the key. If
music is your passion, you wont be able to fight it anyway!
Hip-Hop Rumors: Dame Dash Book! Lil Wayne’s Real Gal! Did Somebody Get Jacked?
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.THE DAILY TWO SENSE
Did I miss something with the Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane beef? If I do recall, somebody was straight up killed as that whole thing bubbled into street warfare. I hope the guys have better sense this time as they embark on this new wave of beef. I a lot of beef is fake, but this one has proven to be too real.
WRITE MAX B
74746 Charly Wingate
Bergen County Jail
160 South River Street
Hackensack NJ 07601
FLO RIDA ISSUES STATEMENT ABOUT CANADA DATES
Flo Rida told AllHipHop.com, “I want to apologize to all my fans in Canada for having to cancel my shows this week. The cancellations were out of my control, but I plan to return to perform as soon as possible. Much love!”
SOMEBODY GOT ROBBED AT DRAKES VIDEO SHOOT
I got the official word, dudes. There was no club scene in the Drake video, as directed by Kanye West. I should have known. Rumor has it there were just way too many people in there that were unaccounted for, namely some of Brooklyn’s finest. I heard from a birdy inside of the venue that Jae Millz, who is now signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money, may have been relieved of his jewels. My source told me there was no big ruckus or anything like that, but there was a swell of people and then it went away. When it went away, I was told that Millz was very, quiet and absent some items. I’m not 100% sure since I wasn’t there, but the insider sure is convince.
IS KELIS REALLY BROKE…OR FAKING?
I have people all over the nation and they tell me things. I don’t actually know where Kelis lives, but I am being told some very interesting things. I heard that Kelis recently went to Home Depot and made a bunch of purchases. I heard it was quite significant to the point where the source joked she was probably building a house. It was also so much stuff that the person questioned how broke Kelis really is. But, Kelis’ “broke” and our “broke” are probably two very different things. By the way, I heard Kelis was looking super good.
NAS AND THE BEASTIE BOYS?
Nas is on the next Beastie Boys album. My boy Brian in NC told me that they made the announcement at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in Tennessee this past weekend. The Beastie Boys brought out Nas as a surprise guest during their set. They performed a song called “Let it Out,” supposedly off of the Beastie Boys upcoming album! That’s pretty interesting. The Beasties used to be some wild dudes. What happened to that Nas album with the Marley son?
DAME DASHS BOOK IS NEXT
Books are like the new album these days. Well, first there is Amil and now I am getting the word that Dame Dash is also writing a book about his life and times. In fact, I heard Dame’s book is already finished. Guess who I am hearing the book was written by none other than Kim Osorio, the former editor-in-chief of The Source magazine. Yeah, baby – Dame’s about to be BACK! Anyway, I heard he is looking for a publisher or distribution for this masterpiece! Good luck!
SHOT FIRED?
Looks like Joe Budden is tossing some sublimes at Method Man. Here you go and you tell me:
“A bad contract, team can’t make a trade Majors f**kin’ you in the ass, you gonna stay a slave 5’9” in my ear sayin’ “Hey, behave!” But s### is f##### up and I blame it on the way it was paved So I’ll chill for the sake of your age You’re great live, but let me know when that stage get appraised All in, raisin’ the stakes, I swear you and your label should pray And thank God I was placed in this decade by mistake”
Click here to listen to the whole freestyle and the full context of Joe Buddens rant at old schoolers. Slaughterhouse is the TRUTH!
MORE ON GUCCI MAN, OJ and JEEZY
It may be possible that Gucci Mane sent the first shots to Young Jeezy. I heard Gucci said the following on a mixtape: “Girl I know you a d**k (slick) Pulla but I can’t f**k ya bloodraw.” Basically, he was dissing Jeezy’s CTE cohorts.
I heard Oj Da Juiceman spazzed out on twitter:
“@anton1690 man kill yo self bi**h ass ni**a you and jeezy can both suck my d**k !!!!! get yo ass merked talkin all wreckless lil ni**a,,,”
LUPE FIASCO SPRINGS A LEAK?
There is this singer named Matthew Santos and the dude is on a few of Lupe’s tracks, including the new one. Well, Lupe recently had a leak of a song that Santos is on. I heard Santos said that Lupe’s email account was hacked and the culprit leaked this unfinished song. They are claiming that the final version of the song is way better.
Here is Luper’s explanation:
“Someone hacked my email. I was about to fire my entire staff and cut off relationships over shining down leaking last night. Bun B hit me and was like “the records dope” and i was like “what record?” nobody even has it. the only possible explanation is my email chain with the mix studio (which is air tight…the studio that is) was hacked and thats where the record came from.”
ILLSEED’S QUICKIES
Chris Brown has hired extra security to protect himself from harm. Rihanna should have done that to protect herself from him.
Mariah’s new song is called “Obsessed” and the rumor is, the song is about Eminem.
I heard there is a groupie with herpes and she is running though the industry. I heard she had her way with a certain R&B singer who slept with another R&B singer. I wonder….
I heard there is a parade for the Lakers, but they had to pay for over half of it. The state was supposed to cough up $450,000 as there portion but the Lakers paid a cooooool million.
I totally don’t believe this but I am hearing that both Jay and Nas will show up on Lloyd Banks’ new CD.
Usher and Tameka are over. Sheesh…I think I know what did it. See it at the end of the rumors page.
Sorry. Yesterday I made a post about Eddie Sanchez. Well thats a pretty common name and I didnt realize there might be confusion. The one I was referring to was the brother of one of my readers. My bad.
KENDRA G – ON BET…GOOD GOOGLEY GOO.
Kendra should never be allowed to wear those pants again! She’s wearing the hottest pants ever! Good lord! She gave me a shout out on BET! BET! I’m famous! Shout out to KG!
EPIC FAIL OF THE DAY
People are dumb. I repeat, people are dumb. I don’t know what this woman did to these chicks but she sure got her tail beaten for it. But,here is the dumb part. They beat her down so bad and in front of so many people. Everybody plays by the rules – no snitching. So, this chick is all in the street beat down for all to see in Oakland. THEN, some idiot takes the footage and puts it on youtube. Now, you have a real problem. SMH at these dunces. Here is the footage.
video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsfree video player
SIGNS THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END
Dear Illseed,
Please help enlighten the world through your rumors page on what is going on in Iran. The rumor is that the elections have been rigged in favor of the incumbent. Over a million people have marched in the streets in the past few days and people have been slaughtered by the police and militia. The government has now hired Arabs from Lebanon to come to Iran to beat the marchers. This is the most tragic and horrendous thing that has happened in Iran in 30 years. In comparison, it is as if people voted for Obama and Mcain won.
Thank you,
Arash
And Americans rioted over the Lakers…winning. SMH!!!!!!!!
THIS IS WHY!?
No disrespect to anybody, but this picture is disturbing and my theory is that Usher saw it once that it marked the beginning of the end of the marriage.
LIL WAYNE AND HIS REAL GIRL
There is a fail in here somewhere.
RIHANNA LOOKIN GOOD
For more, go to illseed.com. Or just follow me at http://twitter.com/illseed
TUPAC, 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 al*************@***il.com.
Its Time For A Universal Rap License
Straight up, I propose that Hip-Hop adopt a universal Emcee or Rappers License that consists of a series of tests that a rapper must pass to enter this thing we have created.
Why? For just about every job, you need to fulfill certain requirements to become a master of that trade or to practice professionally.
For example, to be a doctor or lawyer, you must go through extensive schooling, college and other higher education. Doctors dont want some fool in the operating room and patients dont want to be sliced by an amateur! To drive an 18-wheel truck, you cannot just jump in the seat of the big rig. Who wants a guy that drives a Jetta to suddenly switch to a Mack Truck? Even basic things like flipping burgers, require a period of training.
Hip-Hip is most compared to sport, because of the fierce level of competition. I remember how Kimbo Slice was treated when he walked off the Florida streets as a hood legend into the sport of professional Mixed Martial Arts. He had raw talent, but he wasnt quite ready for the big time. (Hes training for the UFC now, but had to go back to basics after a terrible KO loss.)
I feel like a lot of rappers are like Kimbo Slice, only most are less talented. They need training to be emcees and we need to collectively lobby for this new Emcee/ Rapper’s License for all artists claiming to be artists.
Now, this isnt some old head, purist jibber jabber. Nor is this some backdoor way to discriminate against a particular region of rap. Everybody would be judged in their own area, by their criteria. This is simply a theory for quality control in Hip-Hop. Everybody gets better with my proposal.
Sports figures like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Julius Dr. J Irving practiced hours and hours and hours before and after they stepped on the court as professional ball players. How well would they fare if they didnt put in so much work before the game?
They would fare about the same as most of you rappers floundering around the internet trying to get on. It would also keep very person with some money from strolling up in the game and stinking it up. It would seem that people forget that there are some universal principles to success that dont change even though the times do.
The universal Rappers License would force people to adhere to rules and set standards. It would keep unsafe drivers off the road. If your stage show is weak, you fail and must go back and step it up. If your flow is trash and your teacher doesnt think you are ready, you must return to the basement (or wherever you practice). Get it right! When your baby sister beats you in a rap battle your license may get flagged as somebody forbidden to freestyle. Only after you pass the series of tests and read certain texts can you be allowed to rap professionally.
Here is a confession. I failed the written part of my drivers exam. I failed again. I finally buckled down and studied and was permitted to drive. Since then, Ive never had an accident to this day (Knock on wood), because of the skills my dad showed me on the road, and the stuff I learned in drivers ed.
The point is, most music genres require you to have a number of skill sets to be accepted. Even though Britney Spears cant sing, her stage show is reportedly crazy. She knows better than to bust out an acapella like Aretha. Lenny Kravitz was heavily criticized, but he can play that guitar. He went through the fire and came out on top, some 20 years later. The same applies to the greats of rap. Those that established a rock solid base are still here decades later.
We need that universal Rappers License asap.
Until then, here are some tips for your aspiring rap artists. I also recommend you study the other elements of Hip-Hop like Graffiti, B-boying, DJing and even peripheral elements like fashion and beat boxing.
1) Practice over and over and over and over.
I recommend practicing at least one year intensely before even doing so much as a talent show.
2) Learn how to perform in front of a crowd.
KRS-One and Busta Rhymes are two of the best live stage show and they will always have an audience because of it. A lot of other great rappers dont have any more streams of revenue, because they are wack in concert.
3) Have a good team.
I dont mean your mans either. I mean have a strong team of diverse, skilled individuals that can market/sell/promote your product once it gets to that level of quality.
4) Know the ins and outs of technology.
Just because you now can get on youtube and spit doesnt mean you should. Protect your image, because your career depends on it. Learn how technology can work for and against you.
5) Know your history.
Like I said, this isnt some purist rant. But, to know the past is to learn from it. Rappers of old have made strides and mistakes. It would be good to know this. Mike Tyson didnt just pop up and turn into a champion boxer, he used techniques from everybody Ali to Liston.
Chuck Creekmur is the founder of AllHipHop.com, a cultural critic, public speaker and has a really bad messiah complex.
Lost Tupac Interview FOUND
One of the most interesting and intense interviews, Ive ever conducted was with Tupac Shakur.. He had just hit it big with the movie Juice and and everyone wondering was he just acting or putting forth his real life persona in the movie.. Although I had known him for a couple of years it was hard for me to tell.. cause he had a loaded gun on him as we spoke If I recall it was a 38 .Pac explains in this interview his then recent encounter with the Oakland Police Department which resulted in him getting beat. I had run excerpts from this interview in a newsletter I used to publish back in the early 90s. I had completely forgotten about this interview and had misplaced the tape.
A couple of months ago while working on liner notes for Digital Undergrounds Greatest Hits which recently came out on Rhino records, I came across a tape that had an old interview I did with Shock G. I flipped to the b-side and to my surprise I discovered the missing 2Pac interview from 1991.So today in celebration of his birthday we are sending off the transcript of the entire interview. We are also going to be playing the entire interview on our Hard Knock radio show. If you happen to be located in the San Francisco Bay Area or anywhere throughout Northern and Central california tune into KPFA 94.1 FM If you happen to be listening to us up in Seattle where we are also heard tune into Radio X. Everyone else peep us out on line at KPFA.org or radio-x.org.
We will be putting excerpts of the interview up on the site tomorrow. Enjoy the interview.Tupac Shakur considers himself the Rebel of the Underground [Digital Underground] and for good reason. He stirs things up and does the unexpected. Such a person is bound to generate excitement because they have impact on both the people and situations around them.
2Pac in 1992 promises to have major impact in the world of hip hop. Hes kicking things off with a sensational acting debut in the movie Juice where he stars as the character Roland Bishop. His debut lp 2Pacalypse Now is beginning to cause a bit of a stir on retail shelves around the country. And if thats not enough Tupac is branching out and signing new acts to his production company including his older brother Moecedes who raps in the Toni Tony Tone song Feels Good. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing this out spoken and very animated individual at his apartment where he told his tale.
Davey D: Give a little bit of background on yourself. What got you into hip hop?
2Pac: Im from the Bronx, NY. I moved to Baltimore where I spent some high school years and then I came to Oaktown. As for hip hop all my travels through these cities seemed to be the common denominator.
Davey D: 2Pac Is that your given name or is that your rap name?
Davey D: You lived In Marin City for a little while. How was your connection with hip hop able to be maintained while living there? Was there a thriving hip hop scene in Marin City?
2Pac: Not really..You were just given truth to the music. Being in Marin City was like a small town so it taught me to be more straight forward with my style. Instead of of being so metaphorical with the rhyme where i might say something like
Im the hysterical, lyrical miracle
Im the hypothetical, incredible
I was encouraged to go straight at it and hit it dead on and not waste time trying to cover things
Davey D:Why was that?
2Pac In Marin City it seemed like things were real country. Everything was straight forward. Poverty was straight forward. There was no way to say Im poor, but to say Im po we had no money and thats what influenced my style.
Davey D: How did you hook up with Digital Underground?
2Pac: I caught the D-Flow Shuttle while I was in Marin City. It was the way out of here. Shock G was the conductor.
Davey D: Whats the D-Flow Shuttle?
2Pac:The D-Flow Shuttle is from the album Sons of the P It was the way to escape out of the ghetto. It was the way to success. I havent gotten off since
Davey D: Now lets put all that in laymens terms
2Pac: Basically I bumped into this kid named Greg Jacobs aka Shock G and he hooked me up with Digital Underground and from there I hooked up with Money B and from there Money B hooked me up with his step mamma and from there me and his step mamma started making beats [laughter] Me and his step mamma got a little thing jumping off. We had a cool sound, but Shock asked me if I wanted a group. I said Yeah but I dont wanna group with Money Bs step momma cause shes gonna try and take all the profits She wants to go out there and be like the group Hoes with Attitude, but I was like Naw I wanna be more serious and represent the young black male.
So Shock says we gotta get rid of Money Bs step mamma. So we went to San Quentin [prison] and ditched her in the Scared Straight program [laughter. After that Shock put me in the studio and it was on..This is a true story so don’t say anything.. It’s a true story. And to Mon’s step mamma I just wanna say ‘I’m sorry, but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. I’m sorry but it was Shock’s idea-Bertha.. but don’t worry she can get her half of the profits from the first cut after she finishes doing her jail time. [laughter]
Davey D: Whats the concept behind your album 2Pacalypse Now?
2Pac: The concept is the young Black male. Everybodys been talkin about it but now its not important. Its like we just skipped over it.. Its no longer a fad to be down for the young Black male. Everybody wants to go past. Like the gangster stuff, it just got exploited. This was just like back in the days with the movies. Everybody did their little gun shots and their hand grenades and blew up stuff and moved on. Now everybodys doing rap songs with the singing in it.. Im still down for the young Black male. Im gonna stay until things get better. So its all about addressing the problems that we face in everyday society.
Davey D: What are those problems?
2Pac: Police brutality, poverty, unemployment, insufficient education, disunity and violence, black on black crime, teenage pregnancy, crack addiction. Do you want me to go on?
Davey D: How do you address these problems? Are you pointing them out or are you offering solutions?
2Pac: I do both. In some situations I show us having the power and in some situations I show how its more apt to happen with the police or power structure having the ultimate power. I show both ways. I show how it really happens and I show how I wish it would happen .
Davey D: You refer to yourself as the Rebel of the Underground Why so?
2Pac: Cause, as if Digital Underground wasnt diverse enough with enough crazy things in it, Im even that crazier. Im the rebel totally going against the grain Im the lunatic that everyone refers to. I always want to do the extreme. I want to get as many people looking as possible. For example I wouldve never done the song Kiss U Back that way.I wouldve never done a song like that-Thats why Im the rebel.
Davey D: Can talk about your recent encounter with police brutality at the hands of the Oakland PD?
2Pac:Were letting the law do its job. Its making its way through the court system.. We filed a claim
Davey D: Recount the incident for those who dont know.
2Pac:For everyone who doesnt know, I, an innocent young black male was walking down the streets of Oakland minding my own business and the police department saw fit for me to be trained or snapped back into my place. So they asked for my I-D and sweated me about my name because my name is Tupac. My final words to them was f yall . Next thing I know I was in a choke hold passing out with cuffs on headed for jail for resisting arrest. Yes.. you heard right-I was arrested for resisting arrest.
Davey D:Where is all this now?
2Pac: Were in the midst of having a ten million dollar law suit against the Oakland Police Department. If I win and get the money, then the Oakland Police department is going to buy a boys home, me a house, my family a house and a Stop Police Brutality Center and other little odd things like that..
Davey D:In the video for the song Trapped do you think that wouldve had the police want to treat you aggressively? After all, the video is very telling especially in the un-edited version where you have a cop get shot.
2Pac: Well the ironic thing is the cops I came across in that incident didnt know about that video. The second thing is that everything I said in that video happened to me. The video happened before the incident. In the video I show how the cops sweat me and ask for my ID and how I cant go anywhere
Davey D:Lets talk about the movie Juice. How did you get involved? Wheres it at? and whats it about?
2Pac: MMM what led me? Well, we have the Freaky Deaky Money B and Sleuth [raod manager for DU]. Money B had an audition for the movie Sleuth [road manager] suggested I also come along so I went. Money B read the script and said to me this sounds like you- a rebel. he was talking about this character named Bishop. I went in cold turkey, read, God was with me
Davey D:Have you ever had acting experience before?
2Pac: Actually I went to the school of Performing arts in Baltimore and thats where I got my acting skills.
Davey D:Ok so you werent a novice when you went up there So whats the movie about?
2Pac:The movie is about 4 kids and their coming of age.
Davey D:Is it a Hip Hop movie?
2Pac:No, its not a hip hop movie. Its a real good movie that happens to have hip hop in it. If it was made in the 60s it wouldve depicted whatever was down in the 60s My character is Roland Bishop, a psychotic, insecure very violent, very short tempered individual.
Davey D:Whats the message you hope is gotten out of the movie?
2Pac: You never know whats going on in somebodys mind. There are a lot of things that add up. Theres a lot of pressure on someone growing up. You have to watch it if it goes unchecked. This movie was an example of what can happen
Davey D:Can you explain what you mean by this?
2Pac:In the movie my characters, father was a prison w#### and that was something that drove him through the whole movie
Davey D: This was something that wasnt shown in the movie?
2Pac: Yes, they deleted this from the film. Anyway this just wrecked his [Bishop’s] mind. You can see through everybody elses personality, Bishop just wanted to get respect. He wanted the respect that his father didnt get. Everthing he did, he did just to get a rep. So from those problems never being dealt with led to him ending four peoples lives.
Davey D:Do you intend on continuing making movies?
2Pac: It depends on whether or not there are any good parts. I want to challenge myself.
Davey D:What is your philosophy on hip hop? Ive heard you say you dont to see it diluted?
2Pac: Well when I said that, it made me think. It brought me to myself. Now I have a different philosophy. Hip Hop when it started it was supposed to be this new thing that had no boundaries and was so different to everyday music. Now it seems like I was starting to get caught up in the mode of what made hip hop come about. I would walk around and hear something and start saying Thats not Hip Hop. If someone started singing, I would walk around and say Thats not Hip Hop. Well, now Ive changed my mind. That could be Hip Hop.As long as the music has the true to the heart soul it can be hip hop. As long it has soul to it, hip hop can live on.
Davey D:I guess my question would be, how do you determine whats soul and what isnt?
2Pac: Well you can tell. The difference between a hit like Make You Dance [C&C Music Factory] and My Mind Is Playing Tricks On Me [Geto Boys]. You have to ask yourself, Which song moves you.
Davey D: Well actually both. Both songs move me
2Pac: Really? well ok there you go
Davey D:So they both would be Hip Hop, right?
2Pac:I guess so, at least in your opinion. The Make You Dance song didnt move me. But the Geto Boys song did move me
Davey D:Well for the record Bambaataa says both of them are Hip Hop. I asked him what he thought about groups like C&C Music Factory. He said they were part of the Hip Hop family But thats his philosophy on things. So whats your plans for the next year or so?
2Pac: To strengthen the Underground Railroad. I have a crew called the Underground Railroad and a program called the Underground Railroad I wanna build all this up, so that by next year you will know the name Underground Railroad
Davey D:So whats the concept behind The Underground Railroad?
2Pac:The concept behind this is the same concept behind Harriet Tubman, to get my brothers who might be into drug dealing or whatever it is thats illegal or who are disenfranchised by todays society-I want to get them back into by turning them onto music. It could be R&B, hip hop or pop, as long as I can get them involved. While Im doing that, Im teaching them to find a love for themselves so they can love others and do the same thing we did for them to others. Davey D: How many people in the Underground Railroad? Is it a group that intends to keep constantly evolving? Also where are the people who are a part of Underground Railroad coming from?
2Pac: Right now were twenty strong. The group is going to be one that constantly evolves. The people that are in the UR are coming from all over, Baltimore, Marin City, Oakland, New York, Richmond-all over. Davey D: What do you think of the Bay Area rap scene compared to other parts of the country?
2Pac: Right now the Bay Area is how the Bronx was in 1981. Everybody is hot. They caught the bug. Everybody is trying to be creative and make their own claim. New York just got to a point where you could no longer out due the next guy. So now you have this place where there isnt that many people to out due. Here you can do something and if its good enough people will remember you. So thats whats happening. here in the Bay Area, its like a renaissance.
Davey D: In New York the renaissance era got stopped for a number of reasons in my opinion. What do you think will prevent that from happening in the Bay Area?
2Pac: Well at the risk of sounding biased, I say Digital Underground. They are like any other group. Ill give that to Shock G. He made it so that everything Digital Underground does it helps the Bay Area music scene. It grows and goes to New York and hits people from all over the country. That helps the Bay Area. Our scene is starting to rub off on people. We want everyone to know about Oakland. When other groups come down, like Organized Konfusion or Live Squad and they kick it with Digital Underground, they get to see another side of the Bay Area music scene.Its a different side then if they kicked it with that guy I dont wanna say his name, but you know who he is he dropped the MC from his name [MC Hammer].
Davey D: So you think Digital Underground will be more strength to the Bay Area rap scene because they help bring national attention. What do you think other groups will have to do?
2Pac: What we have to do is not concentrate so much on one group. We have to focus more on the area. Its not about just building up Too Short, Digital Underground and Tony Toni Tone and say; Thats it. Theyre the only groups that can come from the Bay Area. We have to let the new groups come out. Nobody wants to give the new acts a chance. Everybody wants to only talk about Too Short and Digital Underground We have to start talking about these other groups that are trying to come in that are coming up from the bottom.
Davey D: When you say come up what do you mean by that?
2Pac: Its like this. Instead of letting them do interviews where nobody ever reads them, let a good newspaper interview them. Instead of putting them on the radio when nobody is ever going to hear them or where nobody is going to hear them, have them where people can hear them and get at them where they had a better chance, just like if they were Mariah Carey.
Davey D: Do you find the Bay Area sound is being respected? Do you find that people are starting to accept it around the country?
2Pac: I feel that the Bay Area sound hasnt even finished coming out. Its starting to get respected more and more everyday.
Davey D: Your brother Moecedes is a rapper for the group Tony Toni Tone. Whats the story with him? Are you guys gonna team up?
2Pac: Hes in the Underground Railroad. Hes also about to come out with another guy named Dana.
Davey D: Who produced your album and are you into producing
2Pac: I co-produced it with the members of the Underground Railroad which is Shock G, Money B, Raw Fusion, Pee Wee, Jay-Z from Richmond, Stretch from the Live Squad. Its really like a life thing-this Underground Railroad. It effects everything we do.
Davey D:Is there anything else we should know about Tupac?
2Pac: Yeah, the group Nothing Gold is coming. My kids are coming out with a serious message NG is a group coming out that I produce.. All the stuff I say in my rhymes I say because of how I grew up. So to handle that, instead of going to a pyschiatrist, I got a kids group that deals with the problems a younger generation is going through. They put them into rhymes so its like a pyschology session set to music. Itll make you come to grips with what you actually do..
Davey D: What do you mean by that? Are they preaching?
2Pac: No theyre just telling you straight up like Ice Cube or Scarface. Theyre being blunt and it comes out of a kids mouth. If youre a black man, youre going to really trip out cause they really call you out and have you deal with them NG will make us have responsibility again. Kids are telling you to have responsibility
Davey D: What do you think of the current trends in Hip Hop like the gangsta rap, Afrocentric Rap, raggamuffin and the fusion of the singing and rap? Some people call it pop rap.
2Pac: I think all the real s### is gonna stay. Its gonna go through some changes. Its going through a metaphorphis so it will blow up sometimes and get real nasty and gritty, then the leeches will fall off and Hip Hop will be fit and healthy. Hip Hop has to go through all of that, but no one can make judgments until its over.
Davey D: What do you think the biggest enemies to Hip Hop are right now?
2Pac: Egotistical rappers. They dont wanna open up their brain. Its foul when people are walking around saying things like; Oakland is the only place where the real rappers come out. New York is the only place where the real rappers come out. They booty out there or they booty over there All of that just needs to die or Hip Hop is gonna have problems. Its gonna be so immature. Thats just conflict in words. We cant be immature we gotta grow.
Davey D: Cool I think we got enough out of you 2Pac.
2Pac: yes I think you got enough
Davey D: Peace.
Lawsuit Erupts Over Timbaland, Nelly Furtado’s “Do It”
A record label based in Helsinki, Finland has brought a lawsuit against multi-platinum super producer Timbaland and pop star Nelly Furtado, alleging that the duo heavily borrowed from a song recorded by Finnish artists to create the song Do It.
The song, produced by Timbaland and written by Furtado, appeared on the Canadian singers third studio album, Loose, release in June 2006.
The plaintiff, Kernel Records Oy, alleges that Do It was recorded using the original and central identifying melodic, harmonic and rhythmic components of the song Acidjazzed Evening, which Kernel Records acquired in 2007.
As explained in the lawsuit, filed in the Miami-Dade Division of the US District Court Southern District of Florida on June 11, the song was originally created as a computer recording by composer Janne Suni in 2000.
The same year, Suni presented the recording at the Assembly 2000 Old Skool Music Competition, taking home the first place title.
In 2002, Acidjazzed Evening was re-recorded in the Commodore 64 SID format by Norwegian musician Glenn Rune Gallefoss at Sunis request.
The suit states that the two are clearly different versions.
The claim alleges that when Timbaland created the beat for Do It in 2006, using a program that emulates the Commodore 64 SID chip, he knowingly and willfully stole Gallefosss creation.
The next year, in August 2007, Gallefoss transferred all transferable rights to the song Acidjazzed Evening to Kernel Records.
Coincidentally, in January 2007, a YouTube video was posted by an anonymous user who made the first accusation that Timbalands work on Do It was not original.
The video shows portions of Do It and Sunis original version Acidjazzed Evening as they appear in recording software to demonstrate just how similar they are.
The lawsuit also cites two 2007 interviews with Timbaland, which the plaintiff claims point to his guilt in the matter.
On February 2, 2007, he was asked about the situation during a chat with WWDCs Elliott in the Morning.
That mess is so ridiculous. I cant really discuss it because its a legal matter. But thats why people dont believe it. Its from a video game, idiot. Sample and stole is two different things. Stole is like I walked in your house, watched you make it, stole your protools, went to my house and told Nelly, Hey, I got a great song for you. Sample is like you heard it somewhere, and you just sampled. Maybe you didnt know who it was by because it dont have the credits listed.
Timbaland went on to explain that he did expect the possibility that someone might levy a copyright infringement suit, but that it was never clear whether or not the sound he utilized was public domain.
With Do It having been released on the multi-platinum selling Loose, the live CD and DVD Loose: The Concert, and as a single, Kernel Records has also named the Mosley Music Group, Interscope-Geffen-A&M and Universal Music Distribution as co-defendants in the lawsuit.
Kernel has charged all defendants with copyright infringement, requested that the ownership of the copyrights held by Mosley Music, LLC and Geffen be transferred back, and requested an injunction prohibiting the further release, reprinting, performance and sale of the song Do It.
Lil Wayne P###. By J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League
“Girls Forever”
Gucci Mane Ft. Snoop Dogg
“Awesome”
Taje Ft. Glasses Malone, Balance and Chevy Jones [Heater Of The Day]
“Only In California”
Lil Boosie Ft. E-40 P###. By DJ Montay
“Scopin Out The Scene”
Mr. Mecca Ft. Donny Goines
“All Over”
Juvenile Ft. Pharrell P###. By The Neptunes
“They Know”
International HipHop – Africa: Kanja Afrikan King
“Fiyah”
Play-N-Skillz, Too $hort Tapped for E! ‘Kendra’ Show Theme Song
Grammy Award winning production team Play-N-Skillz have joined forces with rap icon Too $hort to create a theme song for the hit E! Network show Kendra.
The theme was the end result of a recent studio session between the artists and the shows star, Kendra Wilkinson.
According to Play, the composition of the song was a memorable experience.
We had extreme synergy going into the studio with Too $hort and Kendra to record the theme song, the beatmaker said.
We had a great time recording it and were very happy that Kendra loved the theme song.
With the theme, the Kendra show became E!s newest hit, after it debuted at number one on the night of its premiere (June X), with an audience of 2.6 million viewers.
The series, a spin-off of the networks The Girls Next Door, chronicles Wilkinsons life after leaving the Playboy Mansion and getting engaged to Philadelphia Eagles receiver Hank Baskett.
While Too $hort laid the vocals for her new theme song, the studio session is not the first time the Oakland rapper has worked with worked with Wilkinson.
Too $hort mentored the glamour model as she competed on the MTV show Celebrity Rap Superstar.
The success of Kendra comes amid the popularity of Play-N-Skillz collaboration with Louisiana rapper Hurricane Chris, Halle Berry (Shes Fine).
The song, which features G4 Recordz recording artist Supastar, currently occupies the number 12 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
The Halle Berry (Shes Fine) video ranks as the number two video on BETs 106 & Park.
Play-N-Skillz are currently working on their sophomore album Out Tha Box as well as a new mixtape called Recession Proof, which will be released in the coming weeks.
The Geto Boys Willie Dee: Hits and Freedom
Right now, Willie Dennis sits in a jail someplace in Texas, accused of sales fraud for collecting money for iPhones, but now shipping the merchandise. Well, Willie Dee is still one of the pioneering artists in the Hip-Hop and there needs to be a movement for his release. The “Free Willie Dee” movement starts here. Its not a matter of guilt or innocent, but more of the community saying, “We Care.” And at AllHipHop.com, we definitely care about Willie Dee.
Last year, when there was chaos surrounding the Ozone Awards in Houston, Willie Dee helped the entire AllHipHop.com crew get inside using his hometown juice. In fact, I’m a huge fan of the man. He rapped with a bellowing accent when a lot of Southern artists were trying to sound closer to their New York counterparts. Now, he’s in a bit of trouble, facing 20 years, but Will’s a good dude with a big heart. Furthermore, other rap acts get a slap on the wrist for violent offenses with their fancy inside corporate connects and lawyers. Hopefully, things work out and everybody can move on.
Below are some of the greatest (and sometimes humorous) moments of the great Willie Dee, both solo and with the Geto Boys.
“F**K The KKK”
When I was growing up, the KKK didn’t live too far from where I was reared. So, menacing, my father would sleep in his car with a gun to make sure there were no issues as we built out first home. Well, Willie Dee, to my knowledge, is the only rapper to address the terrorist organization. “How can you say you’re a Christian mother f**ker? When you don’t even love your own brother.” The rest of the song addresses the educational system, crooked cops, television and other societal enemies that Willie says “goes back to the slave days.” You just have to love when he says, “every racist in America can suck my d**k and while you’re doing it, listen to this: “F**k You B***h!”
“F**k Rodney King”
When Rodney King was beaten on video camera by the Los Angeles Police Department, he was a sympathetic figure of all that was wrong with our justice system. But then when the cops got off and he decided to cry for peace, he became an object of disgust to Willie Dee. In 1991, he crafted the record, “F**k Rodney King,” a scathing diss song. “Rodney King, you damn sellout/you gonna cry for a cop/ the same mother f**ker that beat the hell outcha/ now, I wish they woulda shot ya!” Raw as sushi, but much of this song is about empowerment and opposition to pacifist forms of Civil Disobidience. He even goes so far as decrying welfare.
“Bald Head Hoes”
“Bald Head Hoes” would not bode well with Kanye West’s ex, Amber Rose.
But, the song is eternally funny even though it seems like The Geto Boy was
dead serious.
“Actions Speak Louder Than Words”
People really don’t remember this one, but its one of the hardest posse cuts from the Rap-A-Lot crew. The song is from Ganksta Nip’s Southpark Psycho and featured Scarface, Point Black and even Lil’ J (J. Prince). Willie’s verse came the hardest on here – pause – and defiles just about every thing sacred. He spews, “Think its a game when it ain’t/I’m letting you talk, but b***h I’ll knock your lips off/ And get ready for ya kinfolk/ ya lil’ sister be the first one to get smoked/then I’ll grab ya grand ma by her weave hair and whulp her old ass with that wooden leg she wear.” Too much!
“Read Theses Nikes”
Willie Dee often rapped about guns, but any real fan know Willie liked to fight. This title is an ode to stomping somebody out in a fight. It is a well known fact, Willie Dee knocked out Melle Mel in a celebrity boxing match back and the day. We didn’t forget! Willie dared opponents to fall when he was scrapping so he could plant that logo on your body in a few places.
“Homie Don’t Play That”
This song was Willie Dee at his screaming best! The song title was taken from the clown from “In Living Color.” “Don’t say I didn’t warn you about playing them hoe games,” he yells. To a funky Parlament beat, Willie is telling people not to play with him -quite literally. “See we aint that cool, that you can play with my girl and try to get a free feel, fool.” How can you not love that.
“I’m Not A Gentleman”
Question: Why did Queen Latifah record “Ladies First?” Answer: So, Willie Dee could diss it.
“F**k Em”
This isn’t a really a Willie Dee song, but since he wrote much of Bushwick’s material, it a majority Willie Dee joint. This is one of the hardest songs I’ve ever heard in my life.
“Point of No Return”
This is another Geto Boys song where Willie Dee stands out. “J. Edgar Hoover, I wish you wasn’t dead so I could put a bullet in you’re head…we know you put the hit out on Martin Luther King, Fred Hampton, Malcolm and the others.” Scarface and Willie Dee back to back? Classic!
Good Luck, Will!
Sticky Fingaz To Promote Gun Safety In New PSA
Sticky Fingaz has issued a statement to clarify the details of a gun mishap that left friend and fellow rapper Luce Cannon with a shattered shin bone.
Last week, Sticky Fingaz confirmed he was displaying his baby Desert Eagle weapon to Luce when the gun accidentally discharged.
The shot lodged into Luces leg, and resulted in the rapper undergoing emergency surgery.
Although the bullet is still lodged in Luces leg, Sticky Fingaz revealed that he is still on good terms with Luce, who at press time is seeking a second medical opinion on his recovery.
This incident was unfortunate, but could have been much worse, Sticky stated to AllHipHop.com. Im just happy Luce is recovering and in good condition.
The Queens emcee elaborated that hell use publicity from the incident to work with a non-profit gun safety organization, and film a PSA cautioning others on the importance of firearm safety.
In addition, Sticky is making his directorial and writing debut with A Day In the Life.
The film, which ironically has the tagline One Bullet Leads to Another, is the first film presented entirely in rap form, and stars Omar Epps, Mekhi Phifer, Fredro Starr, Ray J, Michael Rapaport, Bokeem Woodbine, Faizon Love, and Malinda Williams.
The motion picture soundtrack is set to be released August 18 through Tommy Boy, and features four new tracks from Sticky Fingaz and Onyx.
Starting July 9, fans can catch Onyx on their latest US and Canada tour, entitled The Black Rock.
The Revolution Will Be Twittered
Editor’s shameless plug: Follow AllHipHop.com at http://twitter.com/allhiphopcomForget CNN, Fox News or even BBC. People are turning to Twitter
to find out what is going on in Iran. Since the June 12th presidential
elections resulted in what many consider to be the rigged re-election
of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, citizens of Iran have taken to the
streets and most importantly the internet to seek justice.
The use of social media has had such an impact that Youtube and Twitter are taking great steps to assure that folks reporting from Iran are spotlighted. Twitter pushed back a scheduled maintenance update that would have shut the site down for one hour until the wee ours of Iran’s Wednesday morning (2pm Pacific time here).
Perhaps
more impressive than Iranians use of the web to capture their
frustration with the system is what they are accomplishing during this
movement without social media. Text messaging and cell phone service
has been shut down by the government since Election Day. Internet
access is touch and go. Still, without the technological luxuries that
we can’t live without, an estimated 1 million supporters of Iranian
presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi rallied Monday.
The world watches, intrigued by the many possible
outcomes of the civil unrest. We hear from the people there, we see
their anger and sorrow. We applaud their courage. Still, there isn’t
much the world outside of Iran can do to rectify the situation. This
isn’t a problem that American can step in and mediate. Our comments on
videos showing the police beating non-violent protestors will do nothing to stop future attacks. Nonetheless, we are glued to the action for several reasons.
As
Americans we are puzzled by the idea that an election can be outright
corrupt. Sure we had our first real taste of an Election Day C-O-N-spiracy
in 2000 and the suspect ballot counting in Florida. The drama of Bush
vs Gore had America holding its breathe. Now imagine if every election
was like that. On election day, you’d be beaten on your way to vote by
henchmen hired to keep you away from the polls. How would you react if
you were told upon arriving to vote that there were no more ballots and
to go home? Not to say this doesn’t happen here, but not on the level
it happens elsewhere.
The power of the vote is what
some Iranians was hoping would swift their country into the modern era.
Presidential hopeful and main objector to the election’s outcome,Mir Hossein Mousavi ran on the platform of more personal freedom for citizens and women’s rights. President Ahmadinejad’s four year reign has resulted in loads of controversy from his disdain for America to Iran’s nuclear weapon program and his push for more Islamic state.
Can the outpouring of protest lead to a reversal in
Iran’s election results, or at least a recount? Would this even be a
topic of conversation if it had not been for the people of Iran taking
to the internet to be heard? The news in Iran is government controlled
so any news of unrest, protest, deaths, etc would’ve been swept under
the rug.
What if Twitter and social media had been
around during other closely watched but not fully covered from the
ground events? Would JFKs killer been found, twitpic’d as he ran from
the grassy knoll? Would Rosa Park tweeted “I’m not getting up” before
she was removed by police? What video clips would have come out of
Vietnam, South Africa, the 1965 Watts riots?
What we are witnessing is historical.
Powerful
world events are no longer lost in the fine print of newspapers or
collecting dust in textbooks. They were watchable on cell phones,
interactive on live feeds and in message boards. No other time has the
saying “power to the people” rang so true. Regardless of whether the
ballots are recounted and a new president is elected in Iran the events
that have transpired, the ground swell of unity and defiance of a
corrupt system is enough to encourage oppressed people everywhere.
And people said you couldn’t change the world with 140 characters or less.
– CHThe X Fact(her) is a weekly column that appears on 99problems.org. Started on Inauguration Day 2009 by the League of Young Voter’s Education Fund, 99problems.org is
a non-profit initiative that aims to keep young people engaged in the
political process through activism and community involvement. Please
visit 99problems.org to find out how you can get involved right now! For more on Chloé A. Hilliard visitwww.chloehilliard.com