homepage

Hoodstar

Artist: ChingyTitle: HoodstarRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Jesse Fairfax

Upon scoring their first hit song, every rapper hopes their success

isn’t a flash in the pan. 2003’s “Right Thurr” was monstrous for

Chingy, catapulting him to superstardom as he rode in on the crest of

the industry’s St. Louis wave. After defecting from Ludacris’

Disturbing Tha Peace crew, public interest seemed to wane with 2004’s

Powerballin’ doing much smaller numbers than his Jackpot debut.

Chingy’s latest album Hoodstar (Capitol) finds hope springing

eternally, as he is out to prove that his relevance and star power

haven’t faded.

Topically Chingy isn’t dissimilar from most of today’s Hip-Hop

climate, as he doesn’t stray far from discussing a lifestyle full of

violence, balling, and womanizing. The difference is he doesn’t

execute it nearly as well as some of his more skilled peers. He either

lacks inspiration or is just plain lazy, with one song about “Nike

Aurrs and Crispy Tees” and another titled “Brand New Kicks” (the

saving grace of the latter being Mannie Fresh’s trademark bounce and

voice). It’s not that the music is particularly bad, it just makes for

boring listening accompanied by his gall to look down upon other

rappers whom he feels aren’t on his level.

The album largely caters to women, only switching between the intended

settings of the bedroom and club. “Bounce That” sounds like a parody

of a BET Uncut video rather than a serious song on an album

distributed by a major label, while the lead single “Pullin’ Me Back”

features Tyrese and breaks down relationship problems. “Dem Jeans” is

about females fitting their posteriors into denim, and “U A Freak

(Nasty Girl)” is self-explanatory, as is “Ass N Da Aurr.” By the

second to last track “Let Me Luv U”, one is left questioning his

ability to come up with material he hasn’t already covered on this

album.

Hoodstar is sprinkled with its bright moments, such as the crunk “Club

Getting Crowded” featuring Three 6 Mafia who seem right at home, while

Chingy sounds out of place trying out a faster flow. The

aforementioned “Brand New Kicks” is a gem, and he somewhat succeeds at

introspection on “Cadillac Door”, with Midwest City doing his best

Sleepy Brown impression. Perhaps Chingy isn’t out to be progressive

and is satisfied making music that requires little thought to enjoy,

but the credibility that he will be extended is ultimately up to his

audience.

Ya Tu Sabe

Artist: N.O.R.E. Y La FamiliaTitle: Ya Tu SabeRating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Alex Thornton

Part tribute to his heritage and part attempt to capitalize on recent trends, N.O.R.E. has finally released his long discussed Reggaeton side-project Ya Tu Sabe (Roc La Familia/Def Jam). Fitting the party vibe of the genre, N.O.R.E. invites a long list of guests, but despite the high energy, the album fails to excite past the premise, and barely at that.

While the first track, “Soy Un Gangsta,” hints that there will be a some traditional American Hip-Hop mixed in, but its placement is deceiving. The next dozen songs are a sequence of vague reinterpretations of the same Reggaeton cadence that, for better or for worse, has popped up in virtually every form of popular music for the last two years. Disappointingly, Ya Tu Sabe does nothing to counteract common criticisms of Reggaeton’s uniform sound. With the large group of artists involved in the project, one would expect that someone would have found a way to evolve the genre, but it doesn’t seem as if anyone even tried.

“La Familia” has quite a few members, but no strength in numbers. Bigger names like Fat Joe, Daddy Yankee and N.O.R.E. himself drown in a sea of guests, with only the distinct voices of Nina Sky really managing to stand out. Even Diddy and “Pharrellito” end up lost in the shuffle. On “Bailar Conmigo” and “Vente Mami,” respectively, the moguls are present just enough to warrant putting their names on the tracklist with adlib-only performances that sound literally phoned-in. Ja Rule has a full verse on “Cuchi,” but his appearance is questionable for everyone involved.

While pieces of Ya Tu Sabe would work mixed in to a larger playlist, the package is a scrambled mess that may have come off better had it been released when it was first conceived two years ago. Much of the problem may be Reggaeton’s larger saturation in the market than when the idea was conceived, but the project had everything else working in its favor. There probably is still room for a compilation of this sort, but judging by this release, N.O.R.E.’s time will be better spent focusing on his upcoming solo album instead.

The Crown Heights Affair

Artist: Little EgyptTitle: The Crown Heights AffairRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: N. Context

Straight Out The Sands of the underground, Little Egypt re-emerges to bring you The Crown Heights Affair (East Park). Comprised of Visual Poetics, Forge, Taajwar, Bravestar and Khordz, Little Egypt (L.E.), has been making waves in the underground since their breakthrough single “Sunrise”. L.E., in their own words, “signifies a return to traditional storytelling and artistic expression” and that’s what they deliver with their new EP.

What makes The Crown Heights Affair unique is that it takes you on a Hip-Hop flavored chronological journey from DC to BK following L.E. as they execute their plans to vic Uncle Sam of classified documents in the sinister sounding “Casablanca” and then release them to the UN in “Conspiracy Theory”. Each song is a chapter and within each chapter each emcee tells the story from their individual perspectives. Listening to key laden “The Getaway” you see the story from multiple “camera angles” as they are chased by police. The same with “Casablanca” as they describe how they infiltrate and get away with the stolen goods. “Conspiracy Theory” is their best track with up to date lyrics and in and out flows that proves that their devotion to story telling is no gimmick.

While they get an A for original concept they fall short in their presentation. The interludes tying the songs together could be better presented and thought out. Also, there is some material that sounds dated. But all in all the concept, rhymes and production (Chubb Rock, yes that Chubb Rock, lends a production hand on “The Far East” and “Be About It”) do make The Crown Heights Affair a decent listen sure to you looking forward to their future projects.

Royce Da 5’9 Sentenced To A Year In Prison

Rapper Royce ‘Royce

Da 5’9’ Montgomery has been sentenced to serve one year in jail for violating

his probation, stemming from a driving under the influence charge. Sources

close to Royce told AllHipHop.com that the rapper was arrested and charged with

DUI over the summer, in Oakland County, MI, the Detroit suburb where the rapper

resides."The

actual situation was the DUI, but because he lives in the suburbs, you know how

that goes," a source close to Royce told AllHipHop.com. "The probation

people recommended that he do 30 days, but the judge was like "no."

Normally the judge takes the probation people’s recommendations, but they sentenced

him to a year because they wanted him to think about it."Royce,

who is CEO of M.I.C. Records, was planning to release The Movement Mixtape

with Detroit’s DJ Butter and he was also working on a new album with DJ Premiere.According

to sources, Royce may still have the option to appeal the sentence, which his

immediate associates believe was harsh."He

may be able to appeal it," the source said. "I think they are really

making examples out of people. He didn’t even blow that much over. It wasn’t like

he was drunk and he hit someone – he was driving home at 4 in the morning. It’s

never like this in the city of Detroit, or in Wayne County." Representatives

for the rapper are asking fans to support the rapper, who leaves behind a family.

Free Royce t-shirts are currently being made for supporters.Fans

of Royce can write him in prison: Ryan

Montgomery # 294855 – W1PO

Box 436017Pontiac

MI. 48343

Agallah: Purple Reign

Few MCs and producers can actually say that they came up “Hip-Hop.” We’re talking the true definition of the word. On the contrary, Agallah “The Don Bishop” assures AllHipHop.com that his roots run deep. By the age of 21, he was already considered a veteran in the game, having worked with such names as, DJ Premier, Alchemist, Sadat X, and EPMD to name a few. While having seen and lived through what few could possibly stomach, the Brownsville, Brooklyn native has been considered a force to be reckoned with, living in the dual life of MC and producer for the past 15 years.

Always grinding the rails like an iron horse, Agallah never ceases to stop making moves. His most recent collaboration with Shiest Bub and Un Kasa to form Purple City, have reincarnated the classic “ride or die” gangsta sound. The trio has been dubbed as, “the next generation of Dipset solders.”

While making street records for many, Agallah has yet gain a sense of self-fulfillment by dropping one of his own, until now. You Already Know, was masterminded, written, and produced [also assisting from DJ Premier and Alchemist] by the man himself. With the goals of creating a classic record and bringing the raw side of Hip-Hop back to New York, is there nothing that he can’t do?

AllHipHop.com: What’s the difference between this album and the “Propane Piff” mixtape?

Agallah: More or less, this is a more direct version of me, of who I am. It’s more personal. It’s definitely another way and form to communicate everything. This is an album that I want to make a classic record that people can play. I think that I did just that amongst with what Babygrande presented me. It wasn’t really too big of a budget, but I took that and did what I do, so this record will pop off.

AllHipHop.com: It feels more self-fulfilling. It’s your baby. You’ve seen it grow from an idea or concept and develop into the final product.

Agallah: Definitely! I feel vindicated on this project. I did most of the production myself. Shiest Bub and Un Kasa are on this album. This album is basically for my vindication as an artist. I’ve been in the game for 15 years and this is what Agallah “the Assassin” stands on, and who I am. This is more or less a Purple City record.

AllHipHop.com: A lot of newer fans don’t know that you got your start when you were young.

Agallah: Yeah, I got my start young in the game. My roots run deep in Hip-Hop. For a long time, I’ve been basically keeping it 100. Ya know, I’ve been through a lot coming to where I am now. I’ve seen a lot. These rappers can’t even go through what I went through and still survive nowadays and thrive in this game.

AllHipHop.com: When you’re 18 or 20 getting a lot of money and fame, you’re thinking differently than you would now. Being that young and having mad bank rolls, that’s some s###.

Agallah: It’s crazy when you get a deal, but it ain’t what it seems. Back then, they wasn’t really giving us money. They wasn’t giving big budgets back then. It was just starting to open up. The opportunity that I was coming across, definitely on a level of becoming a superstar was in a slow step form. I’m very well conditioned for what I’m doing right now. The youth feel I’m what’s poppin’, and Hip-Hop heads feel I’m what’s poppin’ [too]. That’s what it is. People are recognizing. I was at Rock Steady and saw Big Daddy Kane rip a crowd in half. It’s something that other artists out now fail to do.

AllHipHop.com: That’s the goal, to bring that feeling to a show.

Agallah: Right. I feel that anything is possible. I put a lot on the table. I’ve come full circle with a lot of my friends that I came up with. I just wanted to bring back a raw feeling of hip-hop back to New York again. At the same time, I wanted to have everybody respectably pay attention to it. That’s what my mission still is.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve made beats for a lot of people, but what makes people want an Agallah beat? What make people come to you? Is it the sound, the overall energy that you produce?

Agallah: It’s the experience. It’s my relationships on top of my experiences, on top of what I do. When I produce, I basically know how to make beats. Ask any artist; I’m a designer that makes terror-based outfits for people. They want to be dressed up in a certain way. My music does that for artists. When I did, “The Foundation,” for Big Pun on the Tony Touch, The Piece Maker, I knew that I had to do something that was going to be really big [laughing]. I knew that he was going with it. With Busta, I knew what he wanted. He likes awkward, from left field beats. I know what to bring him. I know what he likes. If I’m around Jim Jones, I know that he wants some straight up, “G’d out” heavy bounce. He wants gangsta fast keys. His sound is gangsta. It’s tailor made for who he is, so when you look at him, it’s got to fit him. As you can see, I’m a man that makes many beautiful outfits.

AllHipHop.com: You can definitely size people up, but what’s the process that you go through in making a beat? Do you listen to a lot of old records to get ideas?

Agallah: Well, I get many influences from other forms of music; Rock & Roll, Soul, Jazz, Blues, Reggae, Ska, many things. There’s a lot that I draw from that makes my music what it is. On my album, it differentiates the versatility of sound that flows on all the records; on every flow that I spit, so you know my album fits perfect.

Mastermind-designing things are going all right. I had to put that out there to show my colors. I look at it from an artist’s perspective and a detailed perspective. I’m showing and showcasing different energies, different platforms in the music. Hip-Hop definitely has done that and definitely needs to be respected as a platform for that.

AllHipHop.com: If you’re doing everything, how do you balance it all and stay true to yourself?

Agallah: I feel like being an artist, you have to understand change. In order to become a true artist, you can’t be afraid to experiment and do something different. I put a twist on things to make people think, “Where did he get it from?” Always leave that suspense every time. When ever I do a joint or make a beat, I try to leave people in suspense, in order to want to hear me more.

I’m getting ready to record my next album in November. I’m going back into the studio because I feel like I have to keep hitting them consistently with this propane. I feel that the world has yet to see. This is only the beginning. I feel like I ain’t even got a deal. To be honest, I feel like I’m not even signed or have a deal because I haven’t sold any records yet. I’ve helped other people sell records, but I haven’t sold my own yet. When it comes out, we’re gonna see what’s good. This is where the message gets out to the fans and other people to come and support me. Holla at ya boy, I’m here!

AllHipHop.com: Since you’re always working, do you get any free time?

Agallah: Music is my life. People catch me in clubs, but I’m there working too. Everywhere I’m working. Anywhere you see me I’m working. I have to in order for me to benefit off of this. If I’m in a club, best believe I’m there talking to the DJs, getting my music played. If he ain’t got it, I’m in his grill like, “Yo, play my joint!” I ain’t just out partying and popping bottles. I’m out there getting in with the big wigs and trying to make big moves happen. That’s what I do in my spare time. Women are not a focus to me right now. I’m just doing my music. If anything comes in the meantime, then it happens. I take advantage of the little time that I have. Most of my time is spent grinding, hustling, and getting that money. I’m trying to make this bread for real.

AllHipHop.com: In the end, what do you want to achieve from you music career?

Agallah: Seven-to-ten years from now, I want to be retired from the game, owning my own business and stocks. Just managing my money correctly and living like the boss. That’s what the American dream is about, but I might not get to see that American dream with today’s craziness. I’m gonna stay focused and keep putting out albums as long as I can. I’ll do it until people say, “Ag, you ain’t got it no more.” Then I’m done, but I doubt that’ll happen. I’m just…I’m doing this. This is what I was built to do.

Fabolous’ New Album Pushed Back To Feb, Rapper Gives New Producers A Chance

Fabolous’ Def Jam

debut, tentatively titled From the Bottom to the Top, has been pushed back

until February 2007, according to the Brooklyn, N.Y., rapper. Due

to conflicts with the original October release date, Fabolous said the album was

pushed back to December and is now slated to hit stores next year, featuring production

by Just Blaze, Jazze Pha, and Kanye West, among others.While

Fabolous remained tightlipped about the cameos on the album, he revealed that

many of the tracks were crafted by up-and-coming producers."We

got a lot of new producers, because it’s not really about names," the rapper

told AllHipHop.com. "Some of joints on the album that are dope are by guys

you may not have heard of, or heard them on a smaller scale. I took joints from

everybody."Fabolous

also took advantage of new technology, by auditioning producers using popular

Internet sites to find new and untapped talent. "I

set up a MySpace page and put a Gmail [Google mail] account where anyone could

send beats and I checked them out," he said. "Of course it got to be

too much to handle, but at first I got to listen to a lot of the beats on there.

It was definitely helpful, even if I didn’t get to use them on the album. I will,

for future mixtape stuff as long as they are cool with that."Fabolous’

most recent effort, Real Talk, spawned the single "Breathe,"

his highest-charting single to date as a solo artist, but failed to match his

previous successes, selling only 500,000 units. His

platinum-selling 2001 debut Ghetto Fabolous generated the hit singles "You

Can’t Deny It," featuring Nate Dogg, and "Young’n," while 2003’s

Street Dreams has also sold over a million copies.Slow

sales of Real Talk and a rift in his relationship with Atlantic prompted

Fabolous to leave the label last spring and sign a deal with Def Jam, which is

headed by fellow Brooklyn MC Jay-Z. "There

are no hard feelings. Our business relationship over there [at Atlantic] went

sour," Fabolous told AllHipHop.com. "I moved on and it’s time to do

some new deals."Fabolous

plans to precede his Def Jam release with the second installment of his mixtape

Loso’s Way, which will arrive in December."I

wanted to do it during December when people are home from work and school,"

Fabolous said. "Give them [fans] a chance to zone out, to get them hype for

the February release."

AHH Stray News: ODB, The Game Plays Poker, Salt Of Salt-N-Pepa Talks God

A Son Unique,

the final studio album by Ol’ Dirty Bastard, will arrive Nov. 7 via Damon Dash

Music Group. The disc hits shelves a week before the anniversary of the Wu-Tang

Clan member’s death on Nov. 13, 2004. The rapper, who signed with Roc-A-Fella/Def

Jam in 2003, suffered a sudden heart attack after taking what proved to be lethal

amounts of cocaine and Tramadol, a prescription pain killer. He collapsed and

died inside Wu-Tang’s Manhattan, N.Y., studio, 36 Records, just two days before

his 36th birthday. A Son Unique features an all-star lineup, including

RZA, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Method Man, Macy Gray, Missy Elliott, N.O.R.E.,

Pharrell Williams, and Fame from M.O.P.The

Game has been tapped to participate in Hip Hop Hold ‘Em, a new television

series that gives a fresh spin on the poker phenomenon, with celebrities from

the sports, music, television, music, and fashion industries. West Coast rapper

Daz Dillinger, former 106 & Park co-hosts AJ and Free, New Jersey Nets rookie

Marcus Williams, New York Knick Jalen Rose, former Knicks star John Starks, and

songstress Lil Mo’ are among those competing for their favorite charities in a

game of "No Limit Texas Hold ‘Em." The series is produced by Premo Pictures,

a subsidiary of Czar Entertainment and IMG Media. Taping for the first show will

take place tomorrow (Sept. 28) at Metropolis Studios in New York, while the series

debuts nationally on Oct. 6.Cheryl

"Salt" James-Wray of Salt-N-Pepa will be a guest speaker at the C3 Youth

Ministry Friday Night Service on Friday (Sept. 29). Salt will address youth at

New York City’s largest church, the Christian Cultural Center (CCC), which has

over 25,000 members. The former rapper will also host a dialog titled "Let’s

Talk About God" and will share her experiences in the music industry, life,

and her spirituality. As part of Salt-N-Pepa, Salt has sold over 11 millions records

and had hit singles with songs like "Let’s Talk About Sex," "Push

It," "Shoop," and "Expression." The group refocused their

music on religion and more worldly issues with their 1997 album Brand New.

In 2003, Salt teamed with Christopher "Play" Martin, one half of Kid-n-Play

and New York Knicks player Allen Houston to create a gospel Hip-Hop musical titled

Rise. CCC, located at 12020 Flatlands Avenue in the Canarsie section of

Brooklyn, is a non-denominational church, which provides various services to inner-city

youth including senior citizen services, ministries for single men and women,

literacy groups various educational ministry services. For more information, visit

http://www.cccinfo.org.

Funkmaster Flex, Graffiti Artists On Board For New York Sneaker Pimps Show

Hot

97’s DJ Funkmaster Flex will provide the musical backdrop when Sneaker Pimps,

the world’s largest touring sneaker show, heads to New York.The

event, which features more than 1,000 pairs of rare, limited edition, vintage,

celebrity signed, and artist-collaborated kicks, will also include a collection

of sneaker-inspired artwork, fashion, and photography. Live

art from Futura, Stash, Andre (France), Dave White (United Kingdom), Jor One,

Bigfoot, Cope2, Invisible Man, SBTG (Singapore), and JB Classics will also be

featured.Billed

as the world’s largest cultural street art lifestyle exhibition, the Sneaker Pimps

tour has touched down in more than 62 cities throughout the globe, including Australia,

New Zealand, Japan, Belgium, and the Philippines.Fans

can buy, sell, and trade sneakers at the event, which will also include a customization

competition from America’s best female sneaker artists, the release of the Sneaker

Pimps’ New Era cap, and the first ever viewing of the JB X Sneaker Pimps shoe.

A

special Hip-Hop star will be on hand, as well as a live skate demonstration by

the Ice Cream skate team, which is backed by Pharrell Williams. This

year’s Sneaker Pimps show will be 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Oct. 13 at Club Avalon, 47

W 20th St (& 6th), New York. Tickets are $20.

20 Y.O.

Artist: Janet JacksonTitle: 20 Y.O.Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Eb Haynes

“I wanna keep it light. I don’t want to be serious, I wanna have fun.”

Janet makes this declaration at the beginning of her ninth release 20 Y.O. (Virgin). She is referring to the past twenty years of being a trailblazer, addressing serious issues such as racism, spousal abuse, empowering women; the list continues. 20 Y.O. sweetly dedicated to celebrating life, underlines two statements: 40-y.o. is incredibly sexy and keep the party movin’.

20 Y.O. is a wonderful culmination of vintage Ms. Jackson maturing into an unmatched entity, still vulnerable, still learning but drama free. Janet does not stray far from her successful recipe of high-energy dance tracks, mellow ballads and those delicious baby making groves. Excited to be in-love and vocal about her beaux’s influence with the project, Dupri does not taint the integrity of a pure Janet album with tracks too rugged. Not to say, JD and Johnta Austin didn’t add a ‘lil A-town bounce, accompanied with JD’s famous get up and dance instructions. In fact, titling the album 20 Y.O. is appropriate, as the vibe of the work complements yet updates traditional Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis, synthesized, bass and guitar rhythms.

20 Y.O. has a lengthy track list of 16 songs, five being Janet’s famous interludes. Following, “(Intro) 20,” which is a quick melancholy tickle for loyal Janet aficionados, “So Excited” featuring Khia, is undoubtedly a sexy club s######. “Get It Out Of Me” is a fun, early Hip-Hop homage – grab your Kangols. “This Body” is a sensual rock/bounce groove, move over “Black Cat.” Nelly appears on the inaugural single “Call On Me”; ironically the least appealing song on an otherwise flawlessly jubilant album.

Since Janet decided to take Control of her meteoric career back in 1986, her soft angelic voice has always been subject to much scrutiny. On 20 Y.O. Janet has channeled her older brother Michael’s tempo. “With U” and “Days Go By” are great example of this. Feel-good songs are also apart of Janet’s seductive repertoire, “Daybreak,” and the mid-tempo “Roll With U” continues this tradition of euphoric music listening. “Take Care” explores a softer side while the Minneapolis sound Prince popularized, “Love 2 Love” explores the sensual, flirtatious exhibitionist side of Janet.

From beginning to end, 20 Y.O. is 60-minutes of pure Janet; sophisticated, sexual, energetic and fun.

Boost Mobile Rockcorp @ Radio City Music Hall (Concert Review)

Artist: Concert ReviewTitle: Boost Mobile Rockcorp @ Radio City Music Hall (Concert Review)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Dove ~Sheepish Lordess of Chaos~

When the average person thinks of volunteer work, one of the last things that come to mind is the word “fun”. Boost Mobile’s RockCorps has set out to change the face and attitude of community service through their innovative “music for volunteer work” program, made relatable through the motto on their t-shirts: “Got 2 Give 2 Get”. On Saturday, September 23, Boost Mobile packed out the Radio City Music Hall in New York City with young people who gave four hours or more of their time to earn a ticket to the concert.

Things kicked off pretty much on time, and Nelly immediately brought the crowd to their feet when he stepped on stage amidst a flash of pyrotechnics. He ran through a couple of his classics, with duo Ali and Gipp playing hype men, until they broke into their own new joint, “Go Head”. Paul Wall made a special appearance for his verse on “Grillz”, followed by a fan coming out of the audience to do a painful, yet endearing, version of Kelly Rowland’s part on “Dilemma”.

Host Nick Cannon rolled out on a skateboard to explain the “Got 2 Give 2 Get” philosophy of RockCorps, and introduced Don Omar. The Latin sensation wowed the crowd with his energy on the set, which included the single “Dale Con Dale”. He brought out Fabolous for “Get Your Hands Up”, and Fab continued on with his own latest single, “Keep It Gangsta”. Fabolous finished his performance with a relentless version of “Breathe”, leading into a surprise appearance from Webstar and Young B. Papoose was up next, rocking a solo set – no Kay Slay, no Busta. He held his own, and I think we like him better without the 60-man entourage.

After a video about the RockCorps movement, rock group Taking Back Sunday hit the stage with their cool, but excessively titled songs “What’s It Feel Like To Be A Ghost,” “MakeDamnSure,” and “Liar (It Takes One To Know One).” Kelis then brought her ’80s fashion flavor and much shorter song titles out, kicking versions of “Milkshake,” “Bossy” and “Lil Star.” Her performance didn’t necessarily wow the ears, but it did keep the fans in her yard with some sassy gyrations and a confident swagger. As screams from the audience pierced the air, Nas joined Kelis for a naughty rendition of “Blindfold Me,” complete with a loving ass-slap, and continued on with “Made You Look” and “If I Ruled The World.”

DJ Clark Kent faked a power failure to bring Rahzel out of the crowd for a thorough beatbox session. Anticipation was at a boiling point when Jeezy came out to raise the bar with a ferocious and satisfying performance. He tore through several songs with a veracity that upstaged pretty much everyone who went on before him.

New MTV darlings and MySpace favorites, Panic! At The Disco, followed with an impassioned performance of their hit song “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” as nearly every voice in the concert hall was singing along word for word. The men of Panic politely asked the audience if they were ready for T.I. to even more screams, and finished out with a couple more songs. Nick Cannon rallied the troops for a special “Wild ‘N Out Moment” with a few select people in the crowd, seemingly biding some time for the grand entrance of “The King of the South.”

By the time T.I. hit the stage, the energy level had fizzled a tad bit with all the waiting, but any fan of T.I. knows his live show is worth the wait. He rocked through several tracks, and brought out 30 or so kids to assist him with “What You Know” for the finale. All in all it was an incredible and memorable concert, and Boost Mobile did more than enough to prove that volunteering for the good of your community is rewarding and fun.

Check out some of the red carpet photos from the concert in our Flicks section!

FutureSex/LoveSounds

Artist: Justin TimberlakeTitle: FutureSex/LoveSoundsRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Kathy Iandoli

The best way to sum up Justin Timberlake is in two simple words: damn lucky. For the most part, the life cycle of an ex-boybander is relatively short and unprogressive (i.e. Ricky Martin). The listening population struggles with the guilt of actually liking the work that eventually there is none left. Such is not the case with Timberlake’s

second LP FutureSex/LoveSounds (Jive). The album is a praiseworthy production that has placed J.T. in a caliber of the more respectable Pop artists.

The time has finally arrived where no one really remembers that Justin Timberlake was a part of N*Sync. Upon leaving the group to record on

his own, Timberlake released 2002’s Justified. The album was good all things considered from the best voice of the former Floridian quintet. It was, however, safe in its Poppy-ness, laden with dancey pickup

lines and post-Britney trauma. His movement as an artist appeared

stagnant and questionable as to whether or not he’d succeed in this

industry simply by being himself.

This time around, Justin Timberlake offers a considerably risky record

that succeeds in its experimentation. The first single “SexyBack” was

the best re-introduction for Timberlake, despite the universe’s desire

to abuse the opening line “I’m bringin’ sexyback.” The title track oozes with the sexiness of George Michael’s Faith

era to the tune of super producer Timbaland’s chest-thumping digital backbeats. “My

Love” shines on the album beyond the soprano vocals and

modern-meets-new wave synthesizers. It’s understood that this is the

new production direction for Timbaland, and while his beats are always

captivating and innovative, most could’ve easily been interchangeable

with Nelly Furtado’s Loose.

The middle marks the changing pace of the record as it loses momentum

once “Chop Me Up” plays. The Southern flair plus Three Six Mafia was

an attempt for street cred, but abrupt nonetheless. Timbaland goes

soft in “Losing My Way” and “Until the End of Time,” as he drops the

synthy-funk and reverts to watered-down ballads. Rick Rubin joins him

in “(Another Song) All Over Again,” which is especially shocking given

Rubin’s unyielding production style. It’s unfortunate that the latter

part of the album turns safe with songs more suitable for Usher.

Timberlake manages to shine, but would’ve faired better had the whole

album remained consistent. Still, FutureSex/LoveSounds is a giant

step forward for Timberlake, and a guarantee that he’s here for the

long haul.

Joseph “Run” Simmons and Wife Suffer Tragic Loss of Newborn

Tragedy has struck the household of Joseph “Run” Simmons and his wife Justine after the couple’s newborn child was pronounced dead shortly after its birth last Thursday.

The legendary rapper of Run DMC fame was present at a Ridgewood, New Jersey hospital on Tuesday (Sept. 19) for the child’s anticipated delivery. Both Simmons and Justine are popular figures on the family-oriented MTV reality show “Run’s House,” which also stars their children. The pregnancy was initially made public via the show and MTV cameras were filming at the hospital, according to TMZ.com.

A C-section operation was performed on Justine to deliver the child, but the baby girl was reportedly born with organs on the outside of its body. The baby died shortly after being delivered.

Representatives for The Simmons’ were unavailable at press time.

[Editor’s Note: The entire AllHipHop.com Staff offers its sincerest condolences to The Simmons’ family in this time of loss.]

AHHA Fashion: NYC Fashion Week, Spring ’07

Fashion Week in New York City is a constant whirlwind of celebrities, models, designers, press and fashionistas galore. The pomp and circumstance is typically centered around Bryant Park and its infamous tents, but there’s a whole world of fashion beyond the madness in midtown. AllHipHop.com Alternatives’ resident style connoisseurs went to see what fashion lurked off the beaten path.

Two days before Fashion Week was fully underway, Rocawear held the grand opening of their RocPopShop, directly across from the Bryant Park tents. Power 105.1 FM provided the shopping soundtrack in the store, which was newly filled with men’s and women’s sportswear and denim, dresses, shoes and accessories. What is the must-have item? Hands down, the handbags in a rich crimson or forest green will carry you through the holiday seasons.

On the other side of town, Rocawear also debuted their Sleep Sexy line of sleepwear and lingerie at Bed NYC. The collection included negligees, tank top and boy shorts combos, and panties with brown, black and gold link designs. Jay-Z stopped by to join DJ Clue and a variety of tastemakers and executives in the celebration. All attendees received arguably the softest terry robes in creation and a black satin sleep mask, both with the “Sleep Sexy” logo embroidered in gold. Think Carrie Bradshaw meets Zoe Saldana – urban diva chic.

For the first official night of Fashion Week, the real fashion action was uptown at the Museum of New York. Essence Magazine presented “Black Style Now,” the opening gala for the museum’s exhibit highlighting Hip-Hop fashion and the influence of Black fashion across the globe. Style maverick Diddy served as the host, while Lil’ Kim, Kevin Liles, Timbaland, Trina, Jae Millz and more of New York’s fashion elite stopped through. The exhibit itself featured classic items from Fab Five Freddy’s Yo! MTV Raps jacket and Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It” gear; to new school looks from Kanye West, Lenny Kravitz and Andre 3000. Items from music icons such as Marian Anderson were also on display. Anyone can see the exhibit firsthand until it shuts down on February 19, 2007.

Our next stop was into the world of upscale menswear for the Hisham Oumlil Spring/Summer 2007 show. Oumlil, who meshes his Moroccan heritage with French couture influences, showcased 16 suits made of light wool, cotton, linen and the summer-friendly favorite seersucker. His collection ranged from casual vests to tuxedo jackets in rich browns, tans, creams and greens, accented with colorful, classy ties in reds and pin-striped blues. Taking some cues from Kanye, Oumlil featured a non-traditional pale pink tuxedo shirt and untied bowtie slung around the neck. Please note that the true fashion pimps will be rocking trench coats this spring in khaki or seersucker. Don’t say you weren’t warned!

The “road less traveled” brought us right back to 42nd Street. Using Commerce Bank as a backdrop in lieu of the Bryant Park Tents, Indashio Banks presented his Spring 2007 collection. His undeniable creativity was self-evident, especially for a production that was put together in just two weeks. Indashio is bold, stylish and perhaps patriotic with his recurring use of red, white and blue. There were sailor-inspired styles, 80’s throwback one-piece leotards, and, of course, the classic little black dress – a necessity for every woman’s closet. Big wide-brimmed hats were ideal to shade women wearing his jaw-dropping bathing suits. Of course the fellas were not left out for his Spring Collection. Indashio explained, “I wanted to do something more grown and sexy versus my usual South Beach attire.” Bright colors such as neon greens, yellow, and blues were used in blazers, shirts and vests paired with basic jeans and khakis. At the end of the night, the sophomore designer summed up his celebration quite simply: “Buy my s###!”

Freddie Foxxx: Down With the King Part 1

In 1986, Eric B. (Eric Barrier) arrived in Long Island from Queens, looking for the

standout MC that the peninsula had to offer. As legend has it, Rakim

and the legendary DJ made the historic link even though Barrier

had his eyes on another young rapper named Freddie Foxxx. With the end

of the decade, Eric B. made albums with both MCs – one much more

storied than the other – who took very different approaches to their

lyrics and deliveries.

Twenty years later, a sweltering conflict has finally bubbled to the surface.

Both Rakim and Foxxx have evolved into their own legends, respectively, just in

vastly different ways. Rakim’s status has reached mythic levels, as a self-proclaimed Hip-Hop deity. Meanwhile, Freddie Foxxx’s star has risen

through an intimidating “Bumpy Knuckles” character, who proclaimed himself, “the king of the underground sound.” It may not be the ’80s, but these titans still clash as if it were.

In a recent online interview, Rakim explicitly stated that Foxxx was

“not ferocious” as an MC. Upon hearing this, Freddie Foxxx recorded

“The King is Down”, a scathing diss of Ra to be included on

Amerikkkan Black Man, Foxxx’s forthcoming studio album. The

album, featuring production from DJ Scratch, Pete Rock, and DJ Premier, overtly criticizes rappers as well, but it’s this one challenge, perhaps 20

years overdue, that has fans raising eyebrows. AllHipHop.com met

Freddie Foxxx in the studio, and spoke about Rakim, guns, and the glory of an American Black man.

AllHipHop.com: The problem with Rakim stems from an interview with HalfTimeOnline.com, where Rakim said, that “Foxxx ain’t ferocious.” What was your initial reaction upon reading that?

Freddie Foxxx: [Laughs] At first, I was mad, because I was like, “Here he go again.” Like, the thing about Rakim and me is, every time somebody ever said something to him about me, he always took it as what it was – even when he found out it wasn’t true, he never came back to me and said, “Oh, I found out that the s**t the n***a said about Foxxx in reference to me wasn’t true.” I said, “How could Rakim let this f**kin’ guy [J. Butters] who’s interviewin’ him, bait him into sayin’ this bulls**t, when he know [that] I know he ain’t built like that! I’m tellin’ you what I know: Rakim know I will eat his ass alive on any record, any stage, anywhere, anytime. He’s not built like that. Rakim ain’t never had no battles. In the interviews, he’s talkin’ ‘bout all these battles he had, he ducked [Big Daddy] Kane for years. Van Silk had a battle set up with him and Kane [for $70,000], he ain’t show up. How the f**k you gonna write six bars about Big Daddy Kane? F**k is that about? How dare this n***a say [that] I ain’t ferocious. Did the n***a hear “The Militia”? Did he hear “R.N.S.”? Did he hear “Stock in the Game”? Did he hear “P.A.I.N.E.”? Did he listen to the record? Did he read the interviews? This n***a know me. He know me! So I’m like, “Yo, this ain’t the first time that ever happened. Why this mothaf**ka talkin’ all that s**t like he believin’ his own press clippings and s**t?” That s**t is not real to me. I’m like, “Yo, f**k it, it’s on.” He drew first blood, now, let’s see if he can handle the aftermath of what it is – no pun intended.

AllHipHop.com: There is a history here. We have previously spoken about the studio session for “Eric B. For President” that Ego Trip wrote about – you not being there, Rakim being there, history was made. Does this difference between two people stem back to that?

Freddie Foxxx: You know, everybody got the story f**kin’ wrong, man. The real story [is] I didn’t have a session. Eric B. didn’t even have a rapper. The true story, the way it goes is that Eric B. came out to Long Island with a cat named Alvin Toney – you hear Rakim [now mentioning] Alvin Toney, and he ain’t never mentioned Alvin before. Alvin Toney brought Eric B. out to Long Island. Eric asked him, “Who’s the dopest rapper out here?” Alvin Toney, verbatim, told him, “My man Taheem’s brother. That kid Freddie is the dopest rapper out here in this part right here.” I was drivin’, and I had a big-ass Cadillac at the time, and I see Eric in the street with a fur coat on with a leather hat turned backwards with this jewelry all over the f**kin’ place, and Alvin flags me down. He was like, “Yo, this Eric B. He lookin’ for somebody to do this record for him.” I took it as “Okay, what’s up?” He was like, “Meet me at your house at five o’clock,” – I remember like it was yesterday, I was like, “Aiight, I’ll be there.” But as I was driving, I was like, this is just another cat comin’ out here, and he don’t want my guys. I was in [a group called] The Supreme Force, he didn’t want [members] Eric and Kirk, he wanted me. I had a plan with them. I wasn’t gonna abandon them to work with Eric. The second person he took him to, when I didn’t show up for the meeting, was Rakim. Rakim was in a group too – but he ain’t see it like I seen it. He looked at is as an opportunity to get his self in position to do what he do. I respected that. He did it, and I’m glad it happened that way. ‘Cause I don’t know if that would’ve been the same history, who knows?

I think Eric B. & Rakim as a group, made history together. Look at everything Rakim said in the interview about me. [Quoting] “I was dope in the group, but individually, I wasn’t ferocious.” But he made hit records with Eric B. and dropped all this bulls**t afterwards. The Master and all that f**kin’ garbage he dropped, that s**t was all trash! But nobody ever said that to his face! All that s**t was garbage. No classic s**t on them albums – even the stuff he got from Pete Rock and [DJ] Premier, without them beats bein’ what they was, it just another Rakim bulls**t, tiring, sleepy-ass flow doin’ that same ole’ bulls**t. But he tell you I ain’t ferocious – as an individual, throughout the years, without a major figure behind me, still kept my name poppin’ in the street. Now he’s in my position, and he ain’t poppin’. He doin’ old school s**t that he did with Eric, ‘cause that’s where his legacy lies. But his new s**t is bulls**t – all bulls**t, everybody know that s**t is garbage. And anybody who say otherwise is f**kin’ d*ck-riding.

He don’t go to the studio. He don’t show up to his f**kin’ sessions. I made the f**kin’ Freddie Foxxx is Here album ‘cause that n***a didn’t come to the f**kin’ studio. Eric said, “Foxxx, just work ‘til Rakim get here,” – 30 f**kin’ days, he ain’t show up, a whole month. [That’s your] f**kin’ job! That’s his M.O. But his ego is so f**kin’ big that he gonna get in a magazine – I’m f**kin’ fed up with that n***a, f**k him! It’s always the same f**kin’ s**t with this guy. If you’re really that nice, man, and you a legend, then put me in my place. Where you at? Put me in my mothaf**kin’ place, Rakim Allah, put me in my place then. F**k him, man! I’m p##### off because he ain’t gonna get on the mic and say nothin’, know why, ‘cause he think he helpin’ me. [MTV News] asked me recently, “You may just want publicity because your album comin’ out.” If I wanted publicity, I would’ve dissed somebody like 50 Cent or somebody big. I don’t have a problem with them, my issues with mothaf**kas is real issues. I’m tired of this n***a. Every time Rakim hear my name, he got some slick s**t to say, bring it!

AllHipHop.com: “The King is Down” is the record you’ve got that addresses this. Eric B.’s on the intro. Did he play any other role in this? Why’d you get him?

Freddie Foxxx: Eric didn’t have anything to do with this record other than, “Yo E, I need you to come intro this record.” And he came. Eric has been my man. Me and Eric have had our ups and downs, and there’s been times where me and Eric have disagreed on things, and I thought that Eric didn’t do some things right by me, and he thought I overreacted, but the one thing about Eric I respect is, he know how to come back to the table as a man and whatever his issue is with me, we talk about it face to face. I asked him to intro the record. I said, “If I’m lyin’[on the record] B, don’t do it. If I wasn’t the one that you wanted to rock with in the beginning – like Rakim says I’m makin’ that up – then don’t do it.”

Rakim told the dude in the article that I wanted to battle him. I never said that. I never tried to big myself up over Rakim, ever. But had he picked up the phone and said, “Yo Foxxx, blahzay blah,” he would’ve known that. But this is the third or forth time. This was the last straw, man. I’m tellin’ you right now, if he go into the studio, I don’t care who do the beat, Rakim is over! People’ll respect him because of who he is, but he ain’t nice. He’s a wrap. It’s over! Over!

AllHipHop.com: On “The Militia”, you said you’re one of the livest MCs, ever. If we grabbed ten people on the street, I believe at least four would say Rakim is Hip-Hop’s greatest lyricist. Does this battle or call out allow listeners to compare those two qualities?

Freddie Foxxx: In the past, when he was doing stuff like “My Melody”, to me, they classic songs. I can’t knock them records. I’m sayin’, I know for a fact that Rakim wasn’t the best rapper out of the clique of rappers he came from. There were times I know when Rakim was supposed to be on stage, doin’ shows, and he wasn’t there, they put Snake Bliss on stage and pulled the hat down on his head, and you’d think it was Rakim – wasn’t Rakim. He’s lackadaisical. He get in situations where he move like a turtle. Everything is slow with him. Rakim knows how to pen certain things in, but where does all this “dope lyrical” s**t comin’ from? I think the dopest line I ever heard him say was, “I take seven MCs, put ‘em in a line / Take seven more brothers who think they can rhyme / And take seven more, before I go for mine / And 21 MCs…” What the f**k, he can add? Big f**kin’ deal. He ain’t nicer than Kane, Kane’s career was bigger. He ain’t nicer than LL, LL’s career was bigger. He ain’t nicer than KRS-One, KRS-One’s career was bigger.

He opened up a can of worms now, because I’m tired of his mouth. If Rakim is so nice, than hopefully Oh My God or whateva his album is gonna be called will represent. I’m dyin’ to see it. Hopefully, I can boost his heat up. But I don’t see it, dog, I’m sorry.

Davey

D.

Check out Part Two of Freddie Foxxx’s interview with AllHipHop.com.

Freddie Foxxx: Down With the King Part 2

AllHipHop.com: To walk around New York City on the fifth anniversary of 9/11 was a bizarre feeling. In my head all day, I had “When the Angels Sing.” Three years after you wrote it, how do you approach that song?

Freddie Foxxx: When I made “When the Angels Sing”, I was trying to paint a picture for people in Hip-Hop that this was bigger than Hip-Hop [or] rap. I knew that record would stand the test of time because that situation will stand the test of time. It always will be an import record to me, that’s why I did the song. But everybody in Hip-Hop is so caught up on who got the hottest 16 bars and all that type of s**t. This was different for me. For me, I thought about the janitor and the CEO of a company who got in the elevator together, that both went up to the top floor, that both became equal men.

I listen to that song sometimes, man, and I get caught up in it because it was a pure record from my heart. I got a few emails from some fans about the record, how much it meant to them and how much they loved it. But you know, then you got those people who got to go to work, and sit back on the computer and type all this stupid s**t about [what they don’t like on the album]. Nobody liked Industry Shakedown until Konexion came out. I mean, people bought it – but they didn’t get it. [They said], “Oh, I was disappointed ‘cause [Foxxx] wasn’t talkin’ about mothaf**kas.” What I was doing on Konexion was showing people I can make records in other ways as well – it meant a lil’ more.

AllHipHop.com: You rhymed, “I’m a five borough, thorough MC / Where I go, New York goes.” You’ve also spent a great deal of time in the South over the years, and even had a Southern-themed record on the Black Gangster soundtrack a few years back. How you feel about the Southern reign in Hip-Hop?

Freddie Foxxx: When I did the Black Gangster soundtrack, they asked me to do a song about pimpin’. I had uncles that was in that game; that was a part of my family history – dudes being players and hustlers and pimps. I reflected back on that, and what I got from the track is what I spit on the track. I felt that I’d give you the real history the same way I learned it – and I learned it from Alabama, [where] my family’s from. In my heart, I’m a country boy. I spent summers in Alabama. I can’t be mad at the Dirty South, know why, ‘cause that’s their reign – everybody gets it. California had it, New York had it, Chicago has been up and down with it – but they had their run. Everybody had their run. It don’t mean that [New York artists] have to come outside our element to do what we do. At the end of the day, when I go to other cities and other states, I do Bumpy Knuckles, I do Freddie Foxxx – I never had no huge hit records and all that, I just make music, and I still have a fanbase.

I love Rick Ross! I think Rick Ross is bomb. I listen to Rick Ross, and I hear the New York influence in his work. That’s dope to me. I think Ludacris is mad lyrical. There’s others things about him I ain’t really feelin’, but I think he’s mad lyrical; he’s one of the most lyrical MCs in the South. But that don’t mean I’ma go jump on all these dudes’ jocks ‘cause they hot. That’s dope that they hot, ‘cause they have they run. New York cats disappoint me when they start d*ck-hoppin’ like that, ‘cause that’s wack! And any n***a that don’t see that is frontin’. I understand business – I do understand business. But where do your principles come in at? What would be the best show you can see? You know what would be the best show you could see: a New York artist doing New York s**t, a Dirty South artist doing Dirty South s**t, a West Coast artist doing West Coast thing – like Daz and Kurupt and them cats, and then you see a Chi-town artist and all these other people from different places – everybody with a different platform on stage. That way, the crowd gets the best of every world. The f**k you wanna go to a show for and see e’ybody doin’ the same thing? That’s biting, that’s the biggest “don’t do” in Hip-Hop, and everybody’s on it. It’s wack to me.

AllHipHop.com: From the days of “Reverend Glock” to now “The .45 Don”, you’ve been rhyming about guns. To many, that’s a symbol that’s as American as apple pie. Some thing of “the right to bare arms” as a White man’s symbol. Going along with Amerikkkan Black Man, what does a gun mean to you?

Freddie Foxxx: The gun, to me, represents a symbol of power. The reason I say that is ‘cause a lot of times, when you look at the cover of Amerikkkan Black Man, you’ll see a picture of me hangin’ with a bunch of dead Black people from the trees – the strange fruit concept. In the back, you’ll see pictures of Stokely Carmichael, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King – and the gun was used to hurt and harm these guys. The gun was used as a weapon against Black people at one point. Then, when Black people got a hold of they own guns, ie Malcolm X, and people like that – it became a different thing [where] White America was so afraid of Blacks when they became armed themselves. So anytime you see a picture of a gun in any instance, who’s ever holding it, is a figure of some sort of power. Whatever you think about ‘em – whether you think they bad people or good people, it don’t matter, that person has a symbol in his hand that represents power. If you see two people with guns, there’s some sort of equal power – but now you gotta think: who’s the quicker draw? The bottom line is, you can have a gun in your hand all day long, you can be smart or be stupid, it’s not the gun itself – it’s the trigger-finger that’s the cause of the situation. No matter how big the gun, if you ain’t got the heart to pop it, it don’t matter.

I was part of the reason Hip-Hop became [associated with guns]. I brought them twin glocks to the table; I told people about that in ’94. Now everybody follows suit. It don’t make you a badder guy, it’s a symbol of power though.

AllHipHop.com: What about the motorcycle?

Freddie Foxxx: The motorcycle is somethin’ I did after my brother passed away. I rode bikes back in the days, but the motorcycle represents, to me, a symbol of freedom. You’ve got to have balls to get on one. It ain’t no doors to protect you on that joker. It’s a mixture of coordination. You gotta know how to maneuver your bike in a situation – you got a split second while you on that bike. I ride a high-booster 1300, and believe me, every time I get on it, I’m more aware than driving. To me, I get to think when I put a helmet on, I get to really reflect on a lot of my thoughts. I thought of a lot of my hooks and verses when I was ridin’ my motorcyle.

AllHipHop.com: What is the Krupt Mob?

Freddie Foxxx: Krupt Mob is originally a crew that was put together by my brother, Taheem. What I did was I gave them the insight on how to make it noticeable by turning the K around backwards [in the logo]. People will say, “What the f**k is a backwards K for?” It made them look. It represents my brother’s whole idea. When he passed away, I decided that instead of me going through all these changes to keep his memory alive, the best way for me to do it was to do it with somethin’ I knew was dear to him, and would carry over into somethin’ that could go on forever. Krupt Mob, I hand-picked everybody that’s in the club. I know my brother was personally involved in the Krupt Mob’s design, and when he passed, I took that, and I made it to what I thought would be helpful to me. So when I started ridin’, I said to my man Lil’ Rocky, “Krupt Mob is a dope name, let’s make it into a club.”

AllHipHop.com: Being in the studio, seeing the first album [Freddie Foxxx is Here] on the wall, it got me to thinking. Your stage show is highly talked about by fans and artists alike. If people were to ask you to perform something from that 1989 album, could you?

Freddie Foxxx: Yeah, once I hear the music, it kicks in. I got a lot of records. I made a lot of songs that came out and that didn’t come out. I never stopped recording, I’m always recording. I’m one of those guys that if I wake up in the morning and I’m dealin’ with an issue, I come to the studio, and I spit it on a record. I got 21,000 songs in my catalog. People look at me and go, “21,000? Word?” I got piles of DATs that I can just dump out on the floor, and you’ll see. [Moments later, he pours over 100 DAT tapes on the floor – including unreleased full albums with Pete Rock.]

When I do a set, I’m always ready for anything – whether it’s somebody heckling in the crowd, or whateva. That’s the way I was trained, along with De La Soul, and other guys that come from Long Island. I was trained for these things. Back in the days, we was gettin’ into battles and stuff like that – you had to be ready. I got a buddy who’s like a hype-man and a rapper for me, his name is Cap. He’s a human computer of all my songs. He knows every word. If I say, “Cap, I can’t remember how the second verse starts,” he’ll know it off the bat. It ain’t because of my lack of [memory] or anything, it’s ‘cause I got so many songs. I may be focused on my newer start, but I can go back. I can go as far back as “The Master” which is my first single.

AllHipHop.com: On “Give it to the A&R” you said, “If a man got a dream, and his goal is to follow it, leave him alone.” How would you apply that to your life?

Freddie Foxxx: A lot of times, when I try to do things, the preconceived notion is that I’m a hard guy to deal with, I’m a tough guy, I’m a bad guy, I’m very hot-tempered. Most of the people that say that, never met me before. My dream has always been, like anybody else’s, is to succeed at what I do. You get bumps in the road. I apply that statement to my life. [Quotes verse] The reason I say that is ‘cause I’m sick of people always behind my back, makin’ secret phone calls either, “Don’t play this record,” or “Don’t sign Foxxx, ‘cause if you f**k up his record, he’ll shoot up your office,” – all that s**t is bulls**t. I also said in “Real N####”, “To the major labels, please don’t fear me / I just want them to know that I ain’t no b*tch that slaves to be popular while y’all get rich.” I’m a real n***a, don’t cut my balls behind my back and then give me the story. I’d rather you say to me, “Foxxx, right now, this is what it is,” and I can deal with that. But don’t let me find out later that you doin’ it ‘cause some coward-ass mothaf**ka told you not to f**k with me, that’s b*tch s**t! That’s what I meant when I said that statement. If I got a dream, why you wanna cut my dream?

Charges Against Foxy Brown Dropped In New Jersey Court

Two charges against

rapper Foxy Brown were dropped today (Sept. 26) in New Jersey Municipal Court.Rasheeda

Ellis, who was described as a former consultant to Brown’s management company,

claimed that when she attempted to collect back pay from Brown in June, the rapper

appeared at her place of employment with two people and made threats over Ellis’

cellphone.Brown

missed a court hearing in Aug. 23 to answer the two complaints and was ordered

to attend today’s hearing or face arrest.According

to reports, the pair agreed to cease contact with each other and to not discuss

the case with the media. Brown,

who was present during the court proceedings but did not speak, asked the judge

to bar photographers from snapping her picture.The

request was denied and the rapper was ordered to take off her sunglasses in court.Last

month, in a New York court, Brown pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault charges

that stemmed from a 2004 fight nail salon workers over the price of a manicure.Brown

was sentenced to three years probation and anger management classes.

Popular Rap Songs Turned Into Childrens Rap On New Album

With rap songs

like Jibbs’ "Chain Hang Low," Nelly’s "Country Grammar" and

even Fergie’s "London Bridge," there has certainly been no shortage

of children’s rhymes in Hip-Hop. But

now the tables are turning. A

number of popular rap songs will be flipped into tailor-made kids’ songs for the

new album Kid’s Rap Radio. The

disc will be produced by Music World Entertainment, the management and recording

label helmed by Mathew Knowles, and features remakes of rap songs such as Lil

Wayne’s "Go DJ," Nelly’s "Grillz," D4L’s "Laffy Taffy,"

and Cam’ron’s "Touch It Or Not."The

first installment features performances by child rapper Lil Max$o and Steve Wash

(The Wayne Brady Show, The Parkers). Knowles

assured that the tracks will be profanity free, and that all of the lyrics have

been reworked to be palatable for a younger listening audience.

"With

the Hip-Hop industry constantly being scrutinized for lyrical content, Kid’s

Rap Radio allows young Hip-Hop fans to be positively influenced by alternate,

kid-friendly lyrics of songs by today’s top rap stars," Knowles said. "The

messages are positive, there’s no profanity, and younger Hip-Hop fans will enjoy

these versions of today’s hottest rap songs. It’s important to all of us at Music

World Entertainment that today’s youth be able to enjoy popular rap songs without

the parental advisory warnings and that we are able to contribute by sending a

positive message." Music

World will also release Kids’ Rap Christmas, which contains children’s

renditions of popular rap songs themed around Christmas. Kid’s

Rap Radio Vol. 1 & 2 and Kids’ Rap Christmas are all due in stores

on Nov. 21.

Kurtis Blow Produces ‘Slippin – Ten Years with the Bloods’

Hip-Hop

icon Kurtis Blow has recently added ‘producer’ to his manylist of credits. Blow

serves as co-producer on the documentary, Slippin – Ten Years with the Bloods

currently airing on Showtime. The legendary rapper met Slippin director/producer

Tommy Sowards in L.A. over 20 years ago. The

two formed a friendship that led to numerous collaborations, eventually leading

to the project. Once

Blow introduced Sowards to Slippin’ subject Jumbo, a Blood he came to know

through the recording studio he ran, filming began soon after."I

met Tommy while he was still a graduate student at UCLA Film School," Blow

said. "I was doing demos at my studio and met this one cat Jumbo. After I

recorded a song for him, he introduced me to his boys the Rollin 20’s. I introduced

the 20’s to Tommy and he wanted to do a documentary about them with another cat

for German TV. Filming went on for 10 years straight. It’s basically a story about

these 5 cats in this gang and what they go through in ten years of gang activity

and gang life. It’s really an incredible story. Its action packed, thrilling,

and really emotional."Sowards

and co-director Joachim Schroeder compiled over 160 hours of footage into the

films 84 minutes. Slippin

went on to be shown at festivals in Amsterdam, Chicago, and the renowned Tribeca

Film Festival before finding a home on Showtime. According

to director Shroeder, the goal was simple. "We

wanted to show a film that was saying something. MTV provides the glitz and glam.

We wanted to show someone with no money living at home with Grandma. We wanted

to show that not everyone makes it living in the gangsta world."With

a recently acquired distribution deal with Kino International Films, Slippin-Ten

Years with the Bloods will be on DVD in early 2007. Blow

says, "For those that haven’t seen it, you are going to be blown away. It’s

gonna change some lives. It really gives you that education that the ‘life’ only

leads to jail or death."

Method Man Still Signed To Def Jam

Despite the rumors abound, Method Man is an artist still signed to a major label, according to the publicity department at Def Jam Records.

“Method man is still a part of the Def Jam family and he is currently on tour supporting his newest release, 4:21…The Day After,” said publicist Jana Fleishman in a statement.

In the past, the rapper had some expressed discontent with the label, but had not requested to be dropped.

4:21…The Day After, while critically acclaimed by fans, gave the rapper his lowest debut with 62,000 units sold.

“I’ve seeing a lot of weird s**t going on up here since the transition. [Back in the ‘90s,] the procedure was way different. It was like I could just walk up in [chairman Lyor Cohen’s] office and say, ‘What’s good?’ So it’s not like that anymore,” Meth said in a recent interview with AllHipHop.com.

Below are the remaining Method Man Tour Dates:

Sept. 26 – Cleveland, OH — House of Blues

Sept 27 – Ann Arbor, MI — Blind Pig

Sept 28 – Bloomington, IN — Bluebird Nightclub

Sept 29 – Madison, WI — Barrymore Theater (TENT)

Oct 2 – Aspen, CO — Belly Up TavernOct 3 – Boulder, CO — Fox Theater

Oct 4 – Park City, UT — SuedeOct 8 – Portland, OR — Roseland

Oct 9 – Seattle, WA — Showbox

Oct 10 – Bellingham, WA — NightlightOct 12 – Sparks, NV — New Oasis

Oct 13 – Santa Cruz, CA — The Catalyst

Oct 14 – San Fran, CA — Mezzanine

Oct 15 – Santa Barbara, CA — UC Santa Barbara

Oct 16 – Anaheim, CA — House of Blues

Oct 17 – Los Angeles, CA — House of Blues

Oct 18 – San Diego, CA — 4th & B

Oct 19 – Phoenix, AZ — Marquee Theater

Oct 20 – Albuquerque, NM — Sunshine Theater

Oct 22 – Austin, TX — EmosOct 23 – Baton Rouge, LA — Spanish Moon – TENT

Oct 24 – Tallahassee, FL — The Moon

Oct 25 – Ft Lauderdale, FL — Revolution

Oct 26 – Orlando, FL — House of Blues

Oct 27 – Myrtle Beach, — House of Blues

Oct 29 – Carrboro, NC — Cats Cradle

Oct 30 – Charlottsville, VA — Star Music Hall

Nov 1 – Philadelphia, PA — TLA

Nov 2 – Washington, DC — 930 Club

Nov 3 – Hartford, CT — Webster Theater – TENT

Nov 6 – Burlington, VT — Higher Ground

Nov 7 – Boston, MA — Avalon

Nov 9 – Baltimore, MD — Sonar

Nov 11 – New York, NY — Nokia Theater

Lupe Fiasco Show Postponed After Murder

Lupe Fiasco has postponed a show in London scheduled for Sunday night (Sept. 24), after a shooting at the club over the weekend left one man dead.

The rapper, who released his major label debut Food & Liquor on Sept. 19, was booked to perform at The Scala over the weekend.

A shooting at the venue during in the early hours of Sunday morning killed a 22-year-old man, who died from his wounds almost 12 hours later.

Scotland Yard has launched a full investigation into the deadly shooting and is interviewing patrons and employees, as well as surveillance footage that may have captured the shooter.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting to come forward with information.

Lupe Fiasco has rescheduled his performance for Oct. 9 at a different, unannoucned location.

In related news, Lupe Fiasco graces the cover of The Fader’s first international edition of The Fader magazine’s Fader Japan, which hit newsstands in Japan today (Sept. 26).