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Rapper Chamillionaire Planning Video For ‘Industry Groupie’
Houston, Texas rapper Chamillionaire is preparing to shoot the video for Industry Groupie, the latest single from his critically acclaimed sophomore album Ultimate Victory.
The video re-teams the rapper with veteran director Marc Klasfeld, who shot the video for his single “Hip-Hop Police” featuring Slick Rick.
“Most of the time before you choose a director for your video, you have to look at different treatments in order to pick out the right one, but with Marc I just sat down and talked to him and he completely understood where I was going and what I wanted to do creatively with that record,” Chamillionaire told AllHipHop.com.
The rapper also clarified the conceptual song’s subject matter, despite the message the title conveys.
“It’s a conceptual song. A lot of people listen to it and think I am talking about a female that has slept with a whole bunch of rappers, but I am actually talking about the industry overall and how it has changed,” Chamillionaire revealed. “All my songs have a concept and if you just sit back and really listen to my album, you will realize that all the records where it sounds like I am talking about a female, I am really talking about music.”
Chamillionaire, who snagged a Grammy Award in Feb. 2007 for his single “Ridin,” hopes Ultimate Victory will reap the same rewards.
The video for “Hip-Hop Police” was recently nominated for a BET Hip-Hop Award for Best Hip-Hop Video of the Year.
“To me gaining a nomination is a blessing,” Chamillionaire told AllHipHop.com. “It feels good to be recognized for doing something different and being creative. At the end of the day, people fail to realize that we are artists and as artists we have to constantly change and reinvent ourselves so that we can push the envelope and take creativity to a completely different level.”
Chamillionaire, who is currently in Paris, France on a tour of Europe, is also planning a tour of the United States.
He is also developing new artists Tony Henry, an R&B singer and rappers Lil’ Ken and Young Low.
“A lot of artists start to feel like they are too big to go one the road,” Chamillionaire said, “I feel that is the best way to reach people is to go where they are, that is why I am talking to you from Paris. My artists are here with me learning the in’s and out’s of the business because I want them to be the best artists they can be and help them develop creatively, so that Chamillitary can one day be a dynasty like Roc-A-Fella, No Limit and Bad Boy.”
Chamillionaire’s new album Ultimate Victory is in stores now.
Skee TV: Soulja Boy
Skee.TV goes behind the scenes with Soulja Boy. Hate him or love him, Hip-Hops newest phenomenon gives you a behind the scene glimpse into
his sudden burst to stardom
Kidz in the Hall Inks Multi-Song Deal With ESPN
Rap group Kidz in the Hall have inked a multi-song deal with ESPN to provide music for ESPN’s presentation of the 2007-2008 college football season.
The new songs will be featured across a variety of ESPN platforms, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and espn360.com.
Kidz in the Hall features group members Naledge and Double-O.
The pair met during a recruitment visit to the University of Pennsylvania in Spring of 2000 and landed a deal with Major League Entertainment/Rawkus Records in 2006.
The group released their album School Was My Hustle and shortly afterwards, Major League’s licensing division placed the group’s songs on HBO’s The Wire and NBC’s series Heroes.
It is a pleasure to once again be working with the great team at ESPN,” said Mattey Marcus, President and CEO of Major League Entertainment. “Kidz in the Hall are proud to contribute to the college football experience, and hope to be a part ESPNs programming for seasons to come. Having been star collegiate athletes in their own right, Naledge and Double-0 are a perfect fit for this unique opportunity.”
In related news, Kidz in the Hall are working on a new album titled Class Participation.
Pimps Up, Hos Down: Hip Hops Hold on Young Black Women
In Pimps Up, Hos Down: Hip Hops Hold on Young Black Women (NYU Press), T. Denean Sharpley-Whiting offers a gift to the black womens psyche: a scolding analysis of misogyny in modern Hip-Hop culture. She exposes racism to the core, calling to mind generations of racial abuse in the black community as a reason that has defined concepts of physical beauty. As professor of African American and Diaspora Studies and French at Vanderbilt University, Sharpley-Whiting unmasks thought provoking socio-political commentaries concerning sexual obsession in rap music and its affects on the black female sense of self. In a sharp but forceful attempt to alarm the pop masses of Hip-Hops stereotypical representations, Pimps Up, Hos Down boldly critiques and discusses topics such as the allure of ethnically ambiguous females in Hip-Hop videos. Through academic analysis, reporting, and satirical narrative, Pimps Up, Hos Down displays the image of black women in mass media through music videos, television and decomposes its appeal to millions. With an interrogation of gender politics within Hip-Hop, and subsequently the world, Sharpley-Whiting successfully balances the challenge of highlighting the destructive elements of Hip-Hop as a culture while remaining true to the fact that she isan avid fan of the Hip-Hop generation. How women of color make fateful choices regarding their standards for beauty is definitely food for thought. The books demanding presence exemplifies why we should and should not allow Hip-Hop to co-exist with the confines of beauty placed on us even long before Hip-Hop made history.
Gorilla Zoe: Welcome To The Zoo
The commercial success of Yung Joc and his debut, New Joc City, made Block Entertainment a household name, but for how long? Based off of the current underwhelming album sales of Jocs sophomore effort, Hustlenomics as well as the much delayed re-up from Boyz in the Hood, the label is quickly losing momentum and we all know how Diddy deals with unprofitable situations. If you dont, reference the dismemberment of Da Band and various other acts that stayed in the red for too long. Fortunately for Block Ent., they scored a mildly successful hit this summer with the bass heavy Hood Figga that introduced the snarling, baritone of newcomer, Gorilla Zoe. The Atlanta native, on his album Welcome to the Zoo (Bad Boy), plans on staking his claim as king of the jungle while simultaneously pumping the brakes on any talk of his labels demise. Rookie Gorilla Zoe cooks up a solid effort that dwells mainly in the trap but also reaches beyond it. The trap suite of this album takes place on the first five tracks. On Money Man, Zoe makes allusions to white celebrities like Justin Timberlake, Fergie and Paris Hilton to describe his cooking, distributing and trafficking of work. Money Man gives a brief display of Zoes jocose wordplay with keep that white girl Hilary and pounds of Bill Clinton/getting Monica Lewinsky, shes tryna drink my chilen as well as a few other quips along the way. Mid-way through the LP, on Battle Field, Gorilla Zoe distinguishes himself from those who fabricate Scarface or Pablo Escobar-esque fantasies based upon movies theyve watched. He also, vividly and compellingly, narrates the listener through a sequence of events in which the police followed him while he was in a whip loaded with bricks preparing to make a drop off. Gorilla Zoe shows decent story-telling skills on Battle Field but shows versatility by switching gears and taking the listener from the block to the club on Take Ya Shoes Off featuring Yung Joc. Dee Jay Dana (producer of Hood Figga) manages to put together another high energy, heavy 808, club-pleasing beat on this one. Gorilla Zoe uses his verse to rhyme about candy paint dunks, pounding 15s and a car so clean that it would make you do the title of the track; nothing ground-breaking but certainly worthy of a few club spins. Who wouldve thought a guy named Gorilla Zoe would have tracks for the ladies. On the downtempo You Dont Know Me featuring D. Woods (of Danity Kane fame), Gorilla Zoe eases off the gangster bravado briefly to invite women to look past his gruff exterior and to see the other side of him; a nice change-up from the usual tough talk thats present on this album. Welcome to the Zoo is a surprisingly good showing from the ATL newcomer. Hes able to balance his street tracks with club and radio-friendly tracks without it seeming forced or corny; something not many artists can pull off. He also has a discernible comfort on slow or fast tempo tracks. A big part of this albums success is the production as the line-up of producers compliment Gorilla Zoe instead of outshining him, which is usually the case with in-house production as opposed to tapping into solely big names. But, the album is not without its missteps. For instance, the ridiculous track named Juice Box where Yung Joc and Gorilla Zoe attempt to coin new slang for a womans privacy comes off as pure coonery and could have definitely been nixed. Despite a few hiccups here and there, Gorilla Zoe puts together a quality compilation of tracks and forges a name for himself amongst up and comers in the South. SOUNDCHECK:Gorilla Zoe Money ManGorilla Zoe f/ Block & Big Gee Battle Field
AHH Stray News: Dr. Cornel West, Eve, 9th Wonder, Keak Da Sneak
Dr. Cornel West will autograph copies of his new Hip-Hop CD Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations during an interview session with talk show host Tavis Smiley tomorrow (Oct. 3). The interview/autograph session will take place at J&R Music and Computer World in Manhattan, where Smiley will interview West, who will also answer questions from the audience. Dr. Cornel West’s CD is the first release from the Hidden Beach Forum label, a new imprint from Steve McKeever’s Hidden Beach Recordings. Never Forget features a number of high profile appearances from artists like Prince, Andre 3000, KRS-One, Black Thought of The Roots, Talib, Kweli, Jill Scott and others. Dr. West is a world renowned professor and supporter of Hip-Hop music. Formerly a professor at Harvard University, West left the Ivy league school after a disagreement with then President, Lawrence Summers, who disapproved of West’s 2002 CD Sketches of My Culture. West is currently a professor of religion at Princeton.
Eve’s fourth album Here I Am has been delayed for a second time. The Philadelphia rapper’s upcoming album is her first in almost six years. Here I Am was originally due to be released in August, then October. Now representatives have revealed the album will not hit stores until 2008. Eve’s first single from the album was the Swizz Beatz produced track “Tambourine.” Eve recently released a new single titled “Give It To Me” featuring Sean Paul. In related news, Eve is gearing up for a high profile performance at Power 99’s annual Powerhouse concert at the Wachovia Center on October 19, where she will perform with Cassidy, Rihanna, Kanye West and others during the event.
Producer 9th Wonder has teamed with TeamBBC.com, Thisisrealmusic.com and True School to present and host The Brown Sugar Party Volume 3. in Philadelphia on October 6. The event, which will take place at the Mexican Post in Center City, will feature 9th Wonder’s traveling True School tour, which features 9th Wonder and DJ Cuzzin B spinning Hip-Hop music from 1980-1995. The event costs $10. To RSVP and/or to request VIP accommodations, email: [email protected]. On October 9, 9th Wonder celebrate his upcoming album with the The Dream Merchant 2 album release party at APT in New York.
Bay Area veteran Keak Da Sneak has inked a deal with Koch Records and will release a new album titled Deified. The new 20-track album features a diverse group of artists, including Daz, Mr. F.A.B., Alchemist, Chingo Bling, Jacka and others. The first single from Keak’s 23rd solo album is titled “In Front of Yo Momma’s House.” A video for the single will be shot this month and serviced to outlets worldwide. Keak, who is recognized for coining the term “Hyphy,” has sold over 300,000 units since his debut in 1994 at the age of 15 on C-Bo’s classic The Autopsy.
The tracklisting for Deified is listed below:
1. Intro2. In Front Of Yo Mommas House 3. Blurpt 4. The Sneak Come Out At Night 5. Quarterbacking (feat. Jacka) 6. That Go feat. (Lil Darrelle & Yaberation)7. They Don’t Make Em 8. 19 Dummy (feat. Daz Dillinger) 9. I’m A Stunna feat. Prodigy & Alchemist10. I Started This Hyphy S**t!11. All The Way12. Go Dumb Go Stupid13. X214. Oakland (feat. Mr. Fab)15. Her Name16. Drop It On The One17. Grand Daddy Smoking18. On Citas Remix feat. Chingo Bling19. That Go Remix20. Super Hyphy
AllHipHop’s Ill Community
Ill Community Mixtape
Master P Building Youth Centers In Major Cities In The U.S.
Hip-Hop mogul Percy “Master P” Miller continues his charitable efforts, revealing that he will be building and expanding P. Miller Youth Centers in impoverished cities in the United States.
According to Miller, he is opening a number of P. Miller Youth Centers, which will include a gymnasium and a library at each center.
The mogul will start in New Orleans and then open P. Miller Youth Centers in Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles.
Our goal is take kids off the streets, provide education, financial literacy, and hope for a real future,” Master P said of the centers. “We want our kids to pick up a book or a ball and put down the guns. It is time to save our kids lets give them a better vision.”
Master P, who was recently named NAACP Youth Ambassador by Julian Bond, the Executive Director of the NAACP, has sold over 75 million CDs and is the father of actor/rapper Romeo, as well as the older brother of rappers C-Murder and Silkk The Shocker.
The mogul recently released his first book Guaranteed Success, which reveals his rise to the top and what it takes to make it in business.
He also runs Take A Stand Records, a profanity free record label co-owned by his son Romeo.
Chamillionaire: Winner’s Circle
It’s rare to find a rapper who doesn’t have a dance or talks about something other than chicks, cars, and money without suffering for it. Even Jay-Z, the arguable best rapper alive, has continually struggled to find that balance between substance and commercial success over the course of his career. With today’s Hip-Hop becoming more and more pop there are even fewer emcees who even want to try. That is, except for Houston’s own Chamillionaire. Since the platinum success of his debut album, The Sound of Revenge, and the four million ringtones sold of his lead single, Ridin Dirty, you’d think money would change the way the Mixtape Messiah looks at things. But in a time when Hip-Hop seems to fall for anything Chamillionaire still finds a way to stand for something and make hit records. From his first successful commercial single, the racial profiling themed Ridin Dirty, to his current single, Hip-Hop Police from his new album, Ultimate Victory, Chamillionaire continues to find new ways to sugar coat those bitter pills. Not because he feels he has to but because somebody needs to. AllHip-hop.com: With the industry being so focused on dance songs, what made you choose Hip-Hop Police as your first single?Chamillionaire: Well, music today is real trendy and real gimmicky. I wanted to do something different. The song is about what’s going on today with all the people trying to police Hip-Hop. It isn’t what everybody else is doing. That’s the same reason I wanted Slick Rick on the record. It’s telling a story but it’s a different type of storytelling song, and Slick Rick is one of the greatest storytellers in Hip-Hop. And everybody wasn’t using Slick Rick in songs so that was another plus. AllHip-hop.com: The video, like the song, is different from what’s out there right now. Where did the concept come from?Chamillionaire: We had a few different treatments for the video before we actually settled on what it is now. I’m a creative and forward thinking person so I wanted to do something that went with the song but was still very creative. AllHip-hop.com: Was it your idea to be involved as much as you were as far as playing all the characters?Chamillionaire: I new I was going to have to play some of the characters, kind of like Eddie Murphy, but I was only going to do it if it didn’t come out corny. If it came out corny I’d have cut those parts out. Like the newscaster wasn’t supposed to be a white guy. That’s just the way it happened. AllHip-hop.com: The album is called Ultimate Victory. What is the significance of the title? Chamillionaire: You really win when you can beat the odds and see success and still appreciate the little things. When you can win and still be appreciative and humble that’s the ultimate victory. AllHip-hop.com: So what can fans expect from the album? Chamillionaire: The album plays like a story. Every song blends into each other. I talk about everything that comes with victory and success. AllHip-hop.com: Being one of the few rappers in recent years to go platinum did you feel the pressure to live up to or surpass any expectations while making this album? Chamillionaire: It’s funny because as a rapper who sold like four million ringtones it’s expected that I come with that kind of record. The label and the fans are going to want that kind of song from me but I don’t do stuff like that intentionally. A lot of guys try to follow some kind of formula to come up with what they think will be that hit song. I don’t have any formulas. I just wanted to make a good album. And really, there are no formulas. Like Ridin Dirty was a song I did with Krazy Bone. We didn’t know it was going to be what it was when we did it. We just wanted to do a song together. Or like Rick Ross. Hustlin didn’t fit the formula for the songs that were out at that time but people just felt it.AllHip-hip.com: When it comes to the label and other artists, how have things changed for you after the success of your first album?Chamillionaire: It’s funny how fickle people are. People only want to mess with you when you’re on top but when you’re on the way up it’s different. People’s memories get funny. AllHip-hop.com: So even after proving you can move units, people still look at you as the underdog? Chamillionaire: I love that feeling though. I love being the underdog. I love knowing there’s someone above me. It keeps me hungry and focused. I know there’s always someone above me and some young dude right behind me waiting for me to slip and take my spot.AllHip-hop.com: You have your own label. What are some of the moves you’re making as an owner/executive? Chamillionaire: I’m working on building Chamilitary Entertainment. Building Chamilitary bigger and bigger. I don’t want to be rapping forever. Some dudes can still be rapping in their 30’s and 40’s but not me. I’m trying to be more. I have two artists right now. One is a rapper named Fame who’s featured on my album and a R&B singer named Tony Henry. Tony’s going to be coming out on Chamilitary Soul. I won’t be on any of his songs. I’m trying to push him as pure, soul music. When you put a rapper on a R&B or Soul record it kind of cheapens the meaning. It dilutes it a little bit. AllHip-hop.com: So are you a big fan of R&B music?Chamillionaire: I listen to a little bit of everything. When I say a little, I mean a little. I listen to everything, but not that often. Sometimes I don’t listen to music at all. When you listen to music all the time your stuff starts to sound like everything else and I like to be as original as possible. AllHip-hop.com: Speaking of originality, you tend to get your point across without a lot of profanity. Some say it’s because you were once in a gospel rap group, is that true or is there more to it?Chamillionaire: I was never in a gospel rap group. That never happened. I think people get that idea from me not cursing a lot in my songs and me having a Muslim father and a Christian mother. They probably put the two together thinking I didn’t curse because I was super religious but I wasn’t. I was just like everybody else. I talked about rims, diamonds, and money same as everybody else. I was rapping about all these materialistic things which is actually why I changed my name from Chameleon to Chamillionaire. AllHip-hop.com: So do you agree with the notions that rappers need to take responsibility for what they say?Chamillionaire: I’m not one of those people who feel I have to act a certain way because I’m in the public eye. A lot of people aren’t meant to be role models. It’s not our job to raise someone’s child. I say the things I say and I say them in a certain way because of my own morals and personal beliefs not because I feel I have to.Allhip-hop.com: So you’re personally concerned about how your rhymes are reaching people?Chamillionaire: I’d really be bothered. Like it would stick in the back of my head and bother me for the rest of my life if I knew that something I was saying or doing was hurting people.AllHip-hop.com: David Banner recently spoke out on how our “Black Leaders” treat our generation, especially those of us in the public eye. What’s your opinion?Chamillionaire: The problem is all public figures like to point the blame. They like to say who’s fault it is but that doesn’t do anything to solve the problem. You can study leaves all day but if you want to know what’s wrong with a tree you have to look at the root. Like the N word. You can say it’s Hip-Hop’s fault but people will still be saying it. And It’s not only that. It’s a big generation gap. These figures, our black leaders were there for the marches and the riots. They know where the N word comes from and what it means. But we’re a different generation. People in the hood still say it and will keep saying it because we know it as something different.AllHip-hop.com: You seem to have a good mind for politics. If you didn’t make it in Hip-hop what would you be doing?Chamillionaire: Well, for me the most important thing in the world is to be happy. You see people waking up and going to jobs they hate because the money is good or whatever. But they’re miserable. Whatever I’d be doing I know I’d be doing something that made me happy. Nothing’s more important than that. If you have to take a job for less money but it’s something you love, do it! You’ll be better off in the longrun struggling for something you love to do.AllHip-hop.com: They say that money changes you but you’ve always been a real humble dude. Is it hard for you to stay so grounded? Chamillionaire: People act like I’m the rap nice guy or I’m this super nice dude that wants everybody to like him and that ain’t me. I’m a humble man because I appreciate the simple things. All the things that really matter. Like I just went bowling recently for the first time in my life. That meant a lot to me. Some dudes feel they need to go everywhere and do all these things, buy all this stuff when they get to a certain status. I’m more nonchanalant. I don’t need to show off what I have.
Hip-Hop Rumors: Where’s Cam Part 300! Was Common Dissin’ 50 Cent? More illseed!
WHERES CAMRON PART 300
Yesterday there was a Camron sighting in New York! Cam was spotted leaving the EMI Music (Virgin, Capitol Records) in New York on 5th Avenue and 20th street. In Manhattan. From what I understand, Cam was visiting Virgin Records, which is on the third floor of the building. No pictures were taken and nobody I know really got to chat with Cam. Questions are raised at this point. Is he planning a move to Virgin?
Shout out to White Pete! Youre a rebel with a cause!
WHY LIL WAYNE HAD A BABY?
Lil Wayne has a beautiful daughter and thats something to behold. In the new issue of VIBE, he reveals how he came to have his daughter at such a young age 15.
A year after Rabbit was gone, I was on tour like crazy with Cash Money, and my momma said she was bored, alone, and scared in the house by herself. She was like, Why dont you just have a baby with somebody? Just tell the little girls mom Ima take care of the baby, dont worry about that. I was like, I dont have nobody I like like that! She was like, Just find somebody! You dont like Toya? I was like, Alright, I like her then. Toya was 14 when she got pregnant, and I was 15 asking 14-year-olds. Toyas the only person that agreed outta all the ones I asked. I said that my momma wants a child. And they was like, Thats your mommas problem! So Toya was like, Shiiit, when we due, boo?
I think they could have just got mom a puppy.
IS LL COOLING OFF TO THE JAY-Z BATTLE?
You know, LL Cool J IS HIP-HOP. I will explain that in a minute. But, let us start with the gossip. Well, this seems to be mostly about fact and how LL plans to deal with his situation at Def Jam. He recently told New York mag writer Jada Yuan that he wasnt really looking for a drag-out beef with Jay-Z or Def Jam.
He said: We need to meet and figure it out. Its tough. Lets be real. You know, they have an artist (Jay-Z) running a label full of artists. Okay? Thats like Calvin Klein running a fashion label and Varvatos and everyone else is underneath him. What kind of sense does that make? This hierarchy? It doesnt work for me.
Im going to approach [the situation / meeting] from a positive, optimistic viewpoint. Hopefully it will work.
What is interesting is LLs next CD will be called Exit 13: The Icon Versus the Wolf Pack. It is a concept CD where LL battles the very rappers he put on in the game. I want him to battle the older guy lmao!
WAS COMMON DISSING 50 CENT OR WHAT?
You remember when it looked like Common was about to go to war with 50 Cent? Well, he never did. If you heard a line like, with twelve monkeys on stage, it’s hard to see who’s a gorilla, you was better as a drug dealer you kind of think hes talking about 50 Cent. AllHipHop.com got to the root of the line and Common explained:
AllHipHop.com: Speaking of love we know Common is all about peace and love, but what did you mean when you said that gorilla line on Finding Forever? Why you starting stuff?
Common: Nah, people keep thinking I’m going at somebody [50 Cent!] and I’m not really even going at nobody specifically. It’s just that I see a lot of rappers and they always got a lot of dudes on stage and you don’t get to see them perform, because you don’t know who is who. I just gave the example using monkeys, because I was just making it real raw and sayin it the way I would say it
AllHipHop.com: Oh ok, so that wasn’t some subliminal G-Unit diss?
Common: No, I’m a live and direct dude, you know, if I got something against somebody I’m probably gonna say their name. Any time I had a battle you’d know who I was coming at.
AllHipHop.com: Speaking of battle rap, would you battle rap now, because I know a lot of established rappers who aren’t tryin to battle because they don’t want to get played by some young hungry up and comer?
Common: Yeah, if I felt the urge. I was a battle rapper, but you gotta be smart with it
AllHipHop.com: Not even on some beef stuff but who would you like to battle?
Common: Kanye (laughs)
AllHipHop.com: That would be a good one.
Common: Yeah, and because you know it would be friendly and it’s still love, but we could go because that dude got a lot of good raps in him.
I don’t know if I believe Common! Shout out to Octavia Bostick for the interview that I have stolen for my own purposes.
HILLARY CLINTON MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST PRESIDENT!
One of the most important facets of being a president is keeping the nations secrets. Well, this might be where Hillary Clinton falls short. Russell Simmons just turned 50 (actually he turns 5-0 tomorrow) and all his friends and family had a surprise party for him. On Saturday night, Russ was at the Black Caucus thing I couldnt afford to go to and Hillary hollered at Russ like, Sorry I wont be able to make your party. Russ had no clue what she was talking about, assuming the potential president was talking about another random party. So, being clueless turned out to be an asset and the party went off without a hitch. The show offered performances by LL Cool J, Musiq and others so much fun being filthy rich.Here is Mr. Simmons and his lovely daughters.
ELEPHANT MAN HES SO STRONG
Shout out to SLUG fam from Toronto! The homies told me that Elephant Man did perform in Canada with Nas and eluded his detractors. Also, Ele brought a huge chick on stage that I heard was no less than 250 pounds. They tried to dance. But, when she was riding up on him he lost his footing and they fell, knocking over the DJ’s equipment. I heard the whole crowd was in stitches at what they saw. And, you wont get any elephant jokes out of me. I like bigger girls.
KEYSHIA COLE IS COLD
Keyshia Cole heated people up with this interview she did with 92Q Jamz in Baltimore. Click here to listen. She really clashed with the DJ on the mic, but they came back and cleaned it up. People are really talking about it and so should you. LOL. Key Key just had a bad day!
TIMBALAND CONTINUES HIS RUN FOR THE THRONE
I heard that not only is he working with Nelly Furtado, Bjork, Justin, Celine Dion and others, but Timbaland is now working with Duran Duran on some stuff. But, there is nothing new about this. AHH chatted with Tim-collaborator Danjahandz and he broke it down proper.
“The actual process of making the album [with Duran Duran] was cool,” Danjahandz told AllHipHop.com. “We just went in there as musicians, I think that’s what was beneficial for me, playing those instruments, came into play. Because I had to become a musician, not a producer a beat maker, I had to become a musician and write songs. It was just an easy thing for me, the dudes were real open for me and where I was taking them. It was just a cool experience.
Back in the day, Duran Duran was the sure shot. Here is something they did that I always felt was very Hip-Hop.
ROXANNE SHANTE IS 1000% MORE GANGSTA THAN ANY RAPPER
See this. (Shes more of a pimp as well.)
ILLSEEDS QUICKIES
Rumor has it, Kanyes next CD will be called Masters Degree. I think it should be called First Job, Pay Off Loans.
There is a silly rumor going around that Alicia Keys suffered a mild stroke. Silly rumors.
I heard Beanie Sigel recently signed a pair of female rappers named Paperdoll and Nina Ross. I cant verify though.
I heard Mya recently had an interview where she dissed 50 Cent by stating that his new CD, Curtis, was a coaster on a table to her. If you dont know, Mya was in the middle of the 50 / Game beef for a second.
Eva Longoria’s got a sex tape on the internet they say! I saw part on TV, but there isnt much of anything online yet. Well see.
Halle Berrys biracial baby with Gabriel Aubry has been threatened by heathens! She has beefed up security.
My boy Allen told me that Hollywood is planning to do a new version of The Karate Kid with Will Smiths son.
This night be old to you, but its new to me. I heard that Shaqs wife bought that trainer a $650K condo in Miami! What the devil is her problem?! And how big is the trainer? I wouldnt want Shaq mad at me. LOL.
Keith Murray and Francis Ford Coppola [of “Godfather” fame] have something in common. Coppoloa got his laptop stolen from thieves in Buenos Aires. In it was the script for his upcoming film Tetro.Britney lost the kids. That girl is a MESS.
Eve aint coming out til 2008. Why is it so hard for artists to get any traction in this climate? Same thing for David Banner and his The Greatest Story Ever Told.
DAVID BANNER IN TROUBLE?
Now, when David Banner was at AHHs Social Lounge, he was very passionate and articulate. In fact, the people that attended really felt him and what he was saying. A few days later, after AHH Week, Banner goes before Congress to speak regarding controversial lyrics, misogyny and a bunch of other things that they feel Hip-Hop promotes. I heard that Universal Records, the parent company to SRC, wasnt very pleased at Banner being on the panel. What isnt clear is what actually upset them. I heard the higher-ups werent happy about WHAT he said more than him actually being involved.
Here is a bit of Banner and Master P going at it at the Social Lounge.
AHH RUN DOWN!
I miss Scott Sterling from a Boogie Down Productions from a fan point of view. Ever ask yourself What if Scott La Rock Had Lived? Click here to read the piece of fiction.
Check out this really cool interview with Soulja Boy. I know, people hate on the kid, but this was really cool. It is like a lesson in “Creating A Buzz 101.”
Cool & Dre! Last time we got them, one of them was in the hospital after a car accident or something…so we got “him.”
Young Jeezy talks about the Pimp C situation. Very interesting.
Want to see what JR Rotem’s take on Britney Spears, click here. You all might recall, he dated the pop-wreck briefly. That girl needs Jesus.
Read my rumors from yesterday!
SIGNS THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END
Two brothers stab each other in front of their own mother on her birthday. They are both in critical condition. SMH.
Two brothers in their late 30s remained hospitalized, but were expected to live, after they stabbed each other with knives in front of their mother on her birthday Sunday night on the Southwest Side.
Both men remained hospitalized early Monday, but they are expected to live. No charges have been filed.
It was unknown what the two were fighting about, but they eached used knives to stab each other in the abdomen area in front of their mother on her birthday, according to Harrison Area police.
The two men, 37 and 39, stabbed each other during an argument outside their home at about 7:45 p.m., an Ogden District lieutenant said.
“I don’t know if alcohol was involved, but they got mad and stabbed each other,” the lieutenant said.
Two people were taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai Hospital after being stabbed in the 2600 block of South Millard Avenue, according to Fire Media Affairs spokesman Rich Rosado.
JENA PART 2 – HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. A noose was found dangling in the headquarters of a suburban police department that prides itself on its diversity, the police chief said.
David Banner was so right SMH. Read here for the full story on the noose hanging in the New York police department.
Aries Spears Makes Fun Of R. Kelly!
I have to admit, I didnt think this was all that funny, but a lot of other people did.
NAS GREATEST HITS
I heard Nas was dropping an album on the same day as Jays American Gangster and I discounted it. Now, I see where the rumors originated. Nas apparently has a greatest hits CD dude. See the cover and tracklisting below. They really could have left Oochie Wally off.
1. Less Than An Hour (with Cee-Lo)
2. Untitled New Track
3. It Aint Hard To Tell
4. NY State Of Mind
5. One Love
6. If I Ruled The World (with Lauryn Hill)
7. Street Dreams (with R. Kelly)
8. Hate Me Now (with Puff Daddy)
9. Ether
10. One Mic
11. Got UR Self A .
12. Made You Look
13. Oochie Wally
14. Bridging The Gap (with Olu Dara)
LOVE MYA
I love Mya to death, but I am not sure this is the desired look for her career-wise. I have to admit, I was doing the peanut butter stomp after seeing this video.
ILL PICS!The homey Montigo and the super homey Chuck D of Public Enemy. Pink is wild as ever! Here, she shows off her pierced nip nip. Can’t show you, but its like a needle through a light colored raisin. Shout out to Mike, an armed service man…16 years! He saw Meth over in Hawaii! Chillinnnnnnnn!TOMORROW, WE LOVE YOU!
They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!
-illseed
WHO: illseed
WHAT: Rumors
WHERE: AllHipHop.com, MySpace.com/TheIllseed
HOW: Send your rumors and ill pics to illseed at [email protected].
– allhiphop rumors
Lil Wayne Ft. Hurricane Chris, Smitty, Jim Jones and Twista
Them Pots Is Hot
DJ Khaled Ft. T-Pain, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman, Rick Ross
I’m So Hood (Remix)
Pete Rock Ft. Jim Jones and Max B
We Roll
Boyz N Da Hood Ft. Rick Ross
Paper
TQ: Paradise Found
The combination of R&B melodies and West Coast rap has proven itself useful throughout Hip-Hop history just ask Nate Dogg. However, while the West does appear to have stagnant R&B star power, there are some talented gems under the sun. A Compton native by way of Mobile, Alabama, TQ came onto scene in 1998 as an opening act for Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggs tour. He inked a deal with Epic, but this led to a trying time for TQ; his first album wasnt received warmly, and his second barely made it to release in US.TQ still has some tricks up his sleeve and is working on the debut album of athlete-turned-rapper Troy Hudson, point guard for the Golden State Warriors. The soft-spoken but expressive singer still found the time to record his own album, Paradise. Taking some time off from a recording session in his Las Vegas home, the singer-songwriter discusses how hes managed to remain relevant after all these years, how he hooked up with Troy Hudson, and how Myspace aided in delivering him to Paradise.AllHipHop.com Alternatives: Its been close to nine years since your debut, and a lot of projects have happened in-between. Whats changed?TQ: Well, I mean, I grew up. I think across the board, my writing ability [has improved] which is first and foremost to me. I didnt get into this thing to be an artist. I got into this to write songs. What happened was that an artist situation fell into my lap so I went with it. Across the board, from a business standpoint all the way to the artistic side, Ive just grown. Its extremely hard to put anything over my head at this point. I think its been such a lapse in between big releases for me because of that fact. Aside from being willing to work and knowing how to do what it takes to market and promote an album, I just havent gotten into the right situation since the first one.AHHA: Youve been in the studio with Troy Hudson. How is the vibe with an athlete turned rapper?TQ: It was hot. My boy came up with this idea. Hed been working with Troy for awhile selling me on him, but Im thinking what anyone else is thinking – athletes trying to rap? Everybodys been pretty wack. He kept trying to sell me on the idea, telling me I need to do a song. Being that that was my homeboy, I was like Alright, send me the joints. Sure enough, he sent it. At that time, he was working on Troys album. He sent the record and I automatically thought when it came on that it was a hot, and then Troy starts rapping and like he shocked me! I aint going to lie, and I’m not the easiest person to shock, but the fact that the dude really hes really got skills! I honestly think that if he wasnt playing basketball he really would have a shot being a real MC.AHHA: What are the advantages of having your family come from Alabama while growing up in Compton?TQ: Theres something about the South – that real family-oriented community. Especially were I came from, everybody scratches each others back. Nobody has anything, so we need each other to make it through life. Even though I moved when I was a year old, I would go back every other summer.[Compton] gets you ready for real life. My little neighborhood in Alabama, where my family is from, thats like some old-school fairy-tale type sh*t. Nobody on my block in Compton could leave any doors open at night. My grandmas house – you wake up in the morning, theres no telling whos asleep on the couch that wasnt there when you went to sleep. The real world is more like my neighborhood in Compton than it is in Alabama, especially with this business that we are in. Its cutthroat, so growing up somewhere like that allows you to have your guns blazing when you go into it.AHHA: Has anyone brought up the fact that you began singing in the church, but are now singing about intense street situations?TQ: Im sure someone has, but anybody that knows anything about Black music, especially R&B, knows that the church is where you get your practice from. Thats how you learn to perform, thats how you learn to get a crowd into what youre doing, thats how you learn to reflect and be able to deliver. Nine times out of ten, if youre from the hood and you grew up in a Black household like I did with your mother and your father, your ass had to go to church! The bottom line was if you didnt get up Sunday and go to church you werent doing sh*t all week no football practice, no nothing. In order to be able to move around during the week you had to make sure you went to church on Sunday. I always liked to sing, so there it is. Let me get in the choir and do my thing.AHHA: Do you have an overall concept for the new album?TQ: Im calling it Paradise because this album for me is liberation. This is the first time where Ive gone into a project for myself, where I just had total freedom and did it the way I wanted to do it without any constraints. It was freedom. I think for an artist, freedom is next to success on the totem pole.AHHA: You were signed with Epic Records for sometime. What happened with that situation?TQ: I did [this past album] with so much freedom. That situation was the same thing. I went and recorded an album before I actually got a deal, walked from record company to record company pitching that album, then ended up signing with Sony. The thing was you didnt have all the bureaucracy of a record company, you didnt have people breathing down your throat saying, You should do it this way or do it that way, or you should be like this person or that person because the album is done. Its like here it is; if you dont like it, Im going to keep it moving. The staff was in love with the record. They came up with the most explosive, unbelievable worldwide marketing plan for the project. They just had it together overwhelmingly over everybody else. No sooner than we get together to drop this single thats blowing up worldwide, everybody gets fired. Then, you got a new regime of people coming in who werent there from the beginning, who are from a different place and didnt necessarily love the project or love the artist as much as the last people did and had their own agendas for keeping their job. I think thats what slowed the momentum on They Never Saw Me Comin and thats why The Second Coming didnt really get out of the gates. With the second album that I recorded there, there were like six A&R men in the studio everyday reporting on my every move. It was f**ked up. It was f**ked up to the point where I stopped recording and I went on tour with Dre and Snoop. That was it. They said, F**k me, and I said, F**k them. Give me my money, Im out. Do what you want with the album.”AHHA: Has MySpace helped that effort in staying in touch with fans?TQ: You know, I just started using it within this last year. Its a great way to network. Not only am I able to keep up with my fan base, but promoters have hit me on Myspace for shows, and people have submitted me tracks through Myspace that ended up getting on my album.AHHA: Who are some of the new up-and-coming writers and producers youve worked with via MySpace?TQ: There was this one cat called Nigel Payne. I call him Rookie. I ended up hooking up with him through MySpace; hes 17-years-old, hot to death! He plays about three or four different instruments and just took the shot of telling me on Myspace that he had some sh*t. I was down [in Mobile, Alabama] and told him to come to the studio and play. He got on one of them, and its one of the best songs on the album called What You Going to Do?AHHA: Any advice for artists who might be leaving one record deal in search for a better one?TQ: They just got to try to stay the course. I know it sounds cliché, but if you believe in yourself and believe in what it is that youre doing, I think youve got to stick with it. You gotta almost put on blinders, shift gears, go into overdrive and stay in overdrive until something pops.
Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Lil’ Mama Encourage Youth To Stay In School
Rappers Jim Jones and Juelz Santana are among the artists who will join the Entertainers for Education Alliance (EEA), New York radio station Hot 97 and Catapult Online to present the 2nd Annual Stay In School Concert Wednesday on October 17 in New York.
The concert, which takes place at the Hammerstein Ballroom, will also feature performances and appearances by Lil’ Mama, America’s Next Top Model Winner Jaslene Gonzales, Bronx Borough President Adolpho Clarion Jr., New York Knicks legend John Starks, Warner Music Group Executive Vice President Kevin Liles, and others.
“Our goal with this event is to show our children through entertainment, education is important,” said EEA Executive Director, Tonya Lewis. “Our concert/rally is gearing up to be a huge event, as you can see from the line-up and we’re expecting to announce many more mega-stars who are putting their voices behind education.”
The EEA is a nonprofit organization established to provide at-risk youth with positive alternatives to negative behaviors through education.
The concert, which will be hosted by Hot 97/MTV personality DJ Cipha Sounds, will stress the importance of education staying school to receive a diploma.
“The EEA is tackling one of our city’s most significant crisis, the drop out rate,” says NYC City Council Member and Chairman for Education Robert Jackson.
“Everyday in New York City, 500 students drop out of high school,” added Lewis. “New York State has the highest drop out rate for Black and Hispanic students of any state in the nation We’ve brought together some of the coolest music, sports, Hip-Hop, and R&B artists who support education.”
Sponsors of the event include Vitamin Water, White Castles, Lot 29, Catapult Online, and Hot 97.
Partners of the event include Vibe Magazine, Black Beat Magazine, and Right On Magazine.
The Stay In School Concert takes place October 17th from 5pm to 8pm.
Del The Funky Homosapien Heads Out on 11th Hour Tour
Hieroglyphics crew co-founder Del The Funky Homosapien has hit the road in support of his first album in seven years, The 11th Hour.
The title of the Definitive Jux release, according to Del, represented various trials and tribulations the rapper encountered during his career.
“You can’t fully control all the different variables that come into play in your life. Something is bound to be faulty and set you back,” Del said. “I’ve spent the last couple of years dealing with drama in my life, touring the country several times over, and diving deep into studying music theory.”
Best known for his critically-acclaimed album I Wish My Brother Georgia Was Here, Del invaded the rap scene in 1990 as writer for his cousin Ice Cube’s crew, Da Lench Mob.
He would later release a follow up album, No Need For Alarm, in 1994 before joining with Souls of Mischief, Casual, Pep Love, and Domino to create The Hieroglyphics.
Fans can hear songs spanning Dels career on the 11th Hour tour as well as selections from The 11th Hour album, including “Sit Down” and “Workin’ It.”
Hieroglyphics co- founder A-Plus will also be featured on the nationwide trek, along with Devin the Dude with the Coughee Brothers, Bukue One and the Serendipity Projects.
Special guests Knobody, Junk Science and Iller Than Theirs will perform on select dates.
Del The Funky Homosapiens The 11th Hour is slated to hit stores in early 2008.
The following are the remaining dates for the 11th Hour tour:
Oct. 2 Houston, TX The Warehouse
Oct. 3 Austin, TX Emos
Oct. 4 New Orlean, LA Tipitinas
Oct. 5 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
Oct. 6 Tallahassee, FL Beta Bar
Oct. 7 Tampa, FL State Theater
Oct. 9 Orlando, FL The Social
Oct. 10 Charleston, SC Village Tavern
Oct. 11 Athens, GA Georgia Theater
Oct. 12 Asheville, NC Orange Peel
Oct. 13 Carrboro, NC Cats Cradle
Oct. 14 Charlottesville, NC Satelitte Ballroom
Oct. 15 Baltimore, MD Sonar
Oct. 17 Philadelphia, PA World Cafe Live
Oct. 19 New York, NY BB Kings (late show)
Oct. 20 Boston, MA Middle East
Oct. 21 Burlington, VT Higher Ground
Oct. 23 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig
Oct. 24 Columbus, OH Skullys
Oct. 25 Lexington, KY The Dame
Oct. 26 Bloomington, IN Bluebird Theatre
Oct. 27 Chicago, IL The Metro
Oct. 28 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon
Oct. 29 Duluth, MN Pizza Luce
Oct. 30 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
Oct. 31 Omaha, NE Slowdown
Nov. 1 Ft. Collins, CO Aggie Theater
Nov. 2 Denver, CO Cervantis
Nov. 3 Aspen, CO Belly Up Tavern
Nov. 4 Boulder, CO Fox Theater
Nov. 5 Park City, UT Suede
Nov. 8 Portland, OR Roseland
Nov. 9 Seattle, WA Showbox
Nov. 10 Eugene, OR Wow Hall
Nov. 11 Chico, CA Senator Theatre
Nov. 13 San Francisco, CA Slims
Nov.14 San Francisco, CA Slims
LA County Hit With Lawsuit Over Funkmaster Flex Car Show
A concert promotions firm in San Diego has hit Los Angeles County with an $800,000 lawsuit, claiming the Los Angeles County Fair Association violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments by canceling a Hip-Hop car show featuring DJ Funkmaster Flex because the music was “offensive.”
Imagine Media Group LLC, entered into a contract with The Los Angeles County Fair Association on March 9 to host the Funkmaster Flex Car & Bike Show August 11-12 at the Pomona Fairplex, which is operated by The Los Angeles County Fair Association in Pomona, California.
Imagine Media’s lawyer Raymond Buendia alleges that promoters disclosed that the Funkmaster Flex Car & Bike Show would feature entertainment and performances.
Funkmaster Flex is a world famous DJ on New York’s Hot 97 and hosts All Muscle with Funkmaster Flex on ESPN2 and Car Wars.
The Funkmaster Flex Car & Bike Show is in its seventh year and is one of the best known touring car show brands in the automotive industry, alongside others like DUB and Hot Import Nights.
The lawsuit, which was filed on September 20 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, claims that James Henwood, COO of The Los Angeles County Fair Association canceled the agreement on August 8, because he found Hip-Hop music to be “offensive.”
Henwood and Dwight Richards, VP of Sales and Marketing, allegedly canceled the concert “under the guise of unjustifiable public safety grounds.”
Imagine Media claims that Henwood and Richards’ actions violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments and were willful, deliberate and malicious, causing them to lose over $800,000.
The company seeks compensatory damages for violation of civil rights, compensatory damages, exemplary and punitive damages and attorney’s fees.
The Los Angeles County Fair is a popular event that started on the grounds in 1922 and was officially organized as the Los Angeles County fair by the City of Pomona and the City of Los Angeles in 1940.
In the 1942 the area was occupied for six years and used as a prisoner of war camp during World War II for thousands of Japanese, German and Italian prisoners of war.
The company was reorganized in 1948 and has operated the fair on 543 acres of land that includes over 325,000 square feet of modern, column-free indoor exhibit space for cars and other forms of large scale entertainment.
Representatives for The Los Angeles County Fair Association were not available for comment at press time.