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Birthplace Of Hip-Hop Still Up For Sale

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: News
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Despite having survived a previous take-over attempt that would have resulted in the displacement of several low income families, the building widely accepted as the birthplace of Hip-Hop remains in danger.

 

On Wednesday, New York City and State politicians rallied alongside tenants of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx, protesting the proposed sale of the historical building that would result in unaffordable rents for the 100-unit building’s current residents.

 

For close to two years, the tenants have been fighting to maintain the building’s status as one of the last remaining affordable housing complexes in the West Bronx.

 

“We’ve got to keep the fire burning,” DJ Kool Herc told The New York Daily News.

 

Kool Herc is credited with laying the groundwork for the invention of Hip-Hop during a party at the legendary building on Sedgwick and Cedar.

 

“It’s not just happening here, people got problems in all five boroughs. We’re going to keep up the fight,” DJ Kool Herc said.

 

The tenants celebrated a brief victory in February, when the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development denied a proposal by the building’s owners to sell the property to real estate developer Mark Karasick for $9 million.

 

According to The New York Daily News, the price, which the city says exceeded the value of the building, would have been the first step in a practice known as “predatory equity.”

 

The unscrupulous practice allows banks and mortgage lenders to make loans they cannot support as a motive to later sell the properties to private investors, often leaving current tenants out in the cold.

 

The 1520 Sedgwick Ave. Tenants’ Association still hopes to raise funds in time to purchase the building themselves, a move which, last December, the building’s owners said they would not oppose.

Jay-Z Teams with NY Mayor Bloomberg for Summer Streets Program

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: News
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New York City residents will use their streets for a different purpose this weekend, thanks to rap mogul Jay-Z.

 

The superstar rapper has joined forces with the city’s mayor Michael Bloomberg to launch the Summer Streets program, an effort designed to transform local streets into recreation filled, car-free zones.

 

Summer Streets will be held from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday (August 9) on nearly seven miles of Manhattan streets, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park along Lafayette Street, 4th Avenue, Park Avenue and 72nd Street.

 

Residents and visitors can take leisurely walks or bike rides along the streets or take part and enjoy various activities such as dance performances, fitness classes, seminars about bicycle commuting, children’s bike instruction, aikido, salsa dancing, tai-chi, running, rollerblading and hopscotch.

 

Three rest stops featuring art, fitness, dance and cultural activities as well as water stations, bike maps and first aid stations will be located at Spring, 24th and 51st streets.

 

A main stage on 24th Street will offer music performances and other programs.

 

Modeled after cities that use street closures to create temporary plazas on the weekends, Summer Streets is slated to continue on August 16 and the 23rd.

 

Group rides to the event from the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens will be offered by Transportation Alternatives.

 

According to Bloomberg, Summer Streets is a “a grand experiment that could dramatically alter the way we use and look at the streets of New York.”

 

“Streets that are normally tied up with cars and trucks will be turned over to the public – so that we can experience this city as never before,” he said as he embraced the chance to try something new that could potentially benefit New Yorkers.

 

For Jay-Z, the program comes as an chance for teens to get involved in positive activities.

 

The rapper hopes Summer Streets, which offers volunteer opportunities, will become a success and develop into regular program in New York.

 

For a full list of Summer Streets program activities, visit www.NYC.gov.

The Last Word: Rihanna Gets Nominated For Sexiest Stomach, Solange Becomes an Armani Ambassador, and Mary J Blige Is a Thief?

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: Alternatives
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Happy weekend, warriors. Five days down and hopefully two very slow ones to go as we think how census figures show minorities becoming the majority in 10-20 years.Paris Hilton mocked the Presidential candidates with her own political ad and the world’s best athletes will square off against each other with the start of the Olympic Games. R.I.P. to Mr. McDaniel. I never knew you, but you will be missed. Speedy recovery wishes go out to Bernie Mac, who is in the hospital battling pneumonia, and Morgan Freeman, who is expected to pull through after his car flipped over several times this week. And with a divorce coming from his wife, it isn’t hard to figure who didn’t have the best week ever. Shout out to the sounding boards for making power moves when no one is looking. Which brings us to…the Last Word for the week ending Aug. 8, 2008. 1. Usher Trades New Manager In for Mom Out with the new, in with the old. That’s how Usher is thinking nowadays, as rumors of being dissatisfied with his manager Benny Medina were confirmed with Medina’s dismissal. A source close to the hit-making crooner told People that disappointing sales of his latest album Here I Stand were one of the reasons Medina was terminated. But Benny didn’t have anything bad to say on his former client as he took the diplomatic path. “With an artist like Usher, the bar is set really high. Whether it was management, marketing or the music, we achieved a number one single and a number one album,” he said in a statement released Wednesday (Aug. 6). “It is a completely new day and time in music now. In four years, his audience, demographic, and musical direction has changed. Records like Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop” are the type of phenomenon that “Yeah” was in 2004. I had a great time and we parted ways amicably.”The firing comes after Usher’s publicist resigned last week. And with that, Ursh went back to the person that knows him best to help him rebound…his mother Jonnetta Patton. “He wanted her to come back on board and she decided to. He had really poor management and wanted her back,” the source said. Makes you wonder if Usher’s wife Tameka will have something to say about this. Although they seem to be getting along lately, it was rumored that the Mrs. was the one who persuaded the crooner to let his moms go last year. Somehow Usher may have to move more than one mountain to get back on mom’s good side. 2. Joss Stone Prepares for Small Screen Close-Up Showtime’s#### show The Tudors will get a touch of soul with an appearance from Joss Stone. E! News reports the songbird will play Anne of Cleves, the fourth wife of Jonathan Rhys Meyers’ Henry VIII in the period drama’s upcoming third season. In the history books, Anne was a daughter of a German nobleman who entered into a marriage treaty with Henry after the king was shown a portrait of her. The union was soon doomed after Henry became disappointed with how Anne looked when she arrived in England. He annulled the marriage after just six months. The new season of The Tudors, according to Showtime, will center around Henry as the English monarch weds Jane Seymour (Anita Briem) and then Anne of Cleves. Stone’s small screen stint on the show marks the British singer’s first major acting role. 3. Chris Brown Throws His Own Hat Into the Business World Looks like Chris Brown has found something to do with his off time besides downplaying his relationship with Rihanna. Billboard reports that the teen heartthrob will design a line of branded baseball-style caps that will feature six different designs. Among the creations, which go on sale Thursday (Aug. 14) at Lids, New Era stores and newera.com, are an image of a boom box that conjures up memories of the 1980s as well as a cap featuring the initials “CBE,” which stand for Brown’s record label on Interscope, Chris Brown Entertainment. Instead of a flat fee for his services, Brown will receive a royalty based on the number of hats sold. The crooner, who designed 10 hats, will retain ownership rights to the four unused designs. The New Era deal comes as a natural expansion of the singer’s love of the company’s products, which he can be seen sporting in videos for his hit singles “Kiss Kiss,” “Run It!” and “Wall to Wall” as well as David Banner’s “Get Like Me (Stuntin’ Is a Habit).”  Talk about wearing many hats. I guess music and acting aren’t enough. Add businessman and relationship dodger to the resume. 4. Rihanna Collects Another Sexy Body Part In this day and age, many people try to look beyond the surface to appreciate what we manage to accomplish. But every now and then we get a quick flashback of how it used to be (and still is when it comes to entertainment). According to reports, Rihanna has nabbed the honor of having the sexiest stomach. The 22-year-old singer earned the top spot in a poll conducted by the makers of digestive aid supplement AntiBloat. Among those who fell short of the title were actresses Keira Knightley (2), Dame Helen Mirren (3), Sienna Miller and British model/actress Elizabeth Hurley (tied for 4th). The honor is the latest in a string of accolades Rihanna has received for her body. The hitmaker recently captured the best hair in Hollywood honor from In Touch magazine as well as the award for the sexiest celebrity legs. Sexy hair, sexy stomach, sexy legs. Is there a body part that isn’t sexy on this woman? No matter. I like Rihanna as much as the next guy, but she’s got stiff competition in the sexy department from mature heartbreakers like Stacy Dash, LisaRaye, and Vivica Fox, who are gracing magazine covers and continue to keep their sexy well-preserved. But then again, RiRi, Angel Lola Luv, Meagan Good and Kim Kardashian make a good case for the current breed of knockout. So the real question is, can a body part or parts define sexy for somebody? Look for Rihanna to reign supreme in the battle over which star has the sexiest toenails. Coming soon from whatever magazine or company needs a bump in sales or exposure.5. Mary J. Blige Gets Accused of Album ThieveryMary J. Blige is known for creating the best music out of the most trying time periods in her life. Well, she’s about to have some new material to write about, as Mary is being sued for $2 million over debates of stolen music.The New York Daily News reports that the music in question is off her recent chart-topping album Growing Pains. The song “Work That” is listed as produced by a Theron Feemster. However, the song is owned by Dream Family Entertainment. A lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, August 5th. Apparently the Feemster made the song’s music while he was still with Dream Family, so they owned it. Blige in turned used the song without permission.The question remains if Mary knew that she wasn’t entitled to the song. I don’t wanna be the one, but it wouldn’t hurt if Mary had a tiny bit of new drama to fuel some good songs. She’s always complaining that people want her to be sad so she can make some better material. This is like entry level sad, so it can’t be that bad, but good enough for better songs. Right?In Other Words… * R&B icon Patti LaBelle will be the newest honoree to receive the all-star treatment at this year’s United Negro College Fund’s An Evening of Stars. Those lined up to honor Miss Pattie are Anita Baker, Joss Stone, Jennifer Hudson, Dionne Warwick, Yolanda Adams and Fantasia.* The Jacksons will further add to their musical legacy as they get honored by BMI as the organization’s 2008 Icons. The legendary group will receive the recognition Sept. 4 at the eighth annual BMI Urban Awards, which will take place at the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills, Calif., * Giorgio Armani is keeping it in the family with its latest partnership. The Knowles family, that is. The company, who aligned with Beyonce Knowles to promote its Emporio Armani Diamonds fragrance, has recruited the singer’s baby sister Solange to be its “ambassador of Armani jeans” through a new deal the 22-year-old songbird recently signed.

D-Boyz: Life After Cash Money

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: Features
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The D-Boyz are rappers Lac and Stone, former Cash Money Records artists with star power of their own. The duo recently released Life of a D-Boy on 404 Records (home to MJG) and the album is a throwback to the halcyon days of their former recording home. With features from Juvenile, BG and Lil Wayne and even beats from Mannie Fresh, Lac and Stone were served well by keeping a good rapport with their fellow New Orleans natives. Add to that mix the likes of Jazzy Pha, TQ and Wacko & Skip, and you have a classic mix of rap funk from the 504. Peep as the D-Boyz give you a run down of where they come from, where they’ve been and where they’re heading by pushing rhymes like weight. AllHipHop.com: How did you both connect with Cash Money?Lac: I came up like two blocks away from Baby and them, when they were staying in the 1200 block of Saratoga, I was in 1400 and we all hung in the 1300. It was just like I always knew them. I used to do like a little rapping thing, it was a play thing for me because I felt like wasn’t no real rappers coming out of New Orleans anyway.  It was just something that I liked and the when I did decide to get serious with it, that’s what I chose to go deal with it. It took them a minute to get me there and then when they got me there… wooh! Yeah, that is how I hooked up with them. [laughing]Stone: Yeah, me and Juvie was talking and I let him hear some songs I was working on and Juvie suggested I should go over there. So I went and hollered at Baby with the album, he liked it and I was there ever since. Lac: Stone forced his way over there. The bus was leaving to go on tour and Stone ain’t ask nobody. Stone came there with his luggage and everything, put his luggage underneath the bus and got on there, and took him a ride. [laughing]Stone: And we were there ever since, keeping it real, that’s all. AllHipHop.com: That said, when did y’all leave Cash Money?Lac: I think I left like March 3 or March 1 of 2003. I was there since like ‘97. I just got sick and tired man, you can only cook so long on the back burner, then you dry out. So I was like while I still have a little water in the pot with me, I’m going to get on up. I got up but when I got up I had to make a few things right. Because a lot of things went undone because we were on the road like nine months out of the year. A few things I had to make right and once I got that together, I got back at it. I was just going to do my music thing until something popped. I was going to make some money off of it, because if I know how to do nothing, I know how to make some money. I ain’t in DC where they’re printing it at but I know how to make it. The next thing you know Kill comes behind me, when he came behind me he had to take care of a few things. I was in the studio and he couldn’t even come in the studio, because he was trying to take care of a few things. Then the next thing you know, we did one song. Man, I ain’t have to run behind him but I had to hold up for him until he get comfortable to be able to say what he want [to] say.Stone: I wanted to say, what I wanted to say, but I come from a life where n****s are really out there with it. Where a lot of stuff is talked about, I really lived it, me and Lac real D-Boyz. So I was like hesitant to say some things. You really have to come from that life to really say what you want to say, because it’s really like you’re telling on yourself. So we had to pull back and we got back into music but we decided that we just going to do our own label. We were already D-Boyz, we took that name with us from Cash Money because that is how we were coming out around there. We hauled up the group and left. So we just  started to do D-Boyz at Tammity, we just went from there.  The only thing with the Cash Money situation, man we was getting money, we wasn’t getting them checks from royalties and all that but we was getting enough checks to keep a n***a off the block and that was the biggest thing for us. When you come from the hood this is what people don’t realize; “how can you put up with it?” Man when you come from New Orleans it ain’t nothing but a murder rate. Everything murking stuff all day long. So when you traveling the world and you seeing some checks, that’s better than your other situations because it’s legal dollars and everyone wanted legal dollars. That is one of the things that helped me and Lac put up with that situation, because even though we wasn’t where we wanted to be towards putting the album out we were getting eough checks to keep our family straight. Lac: It used to be sometimes, I have an attitude problem so I know I’m dealing with that addiction right now too. That is part of my problem, like I used to click out and be gone for like two, three months. And be done took one of Baby’s whips. I don’t pick up the phone for nobody but Stone. And then pick my check up or have somebody go to the office and pick my check up. I ain’t been around in six months and still got a check. Stone:  They made sure we get it, so we were good on that note. One thing the world needs to know, they’re looking at the D-Boyz and really haven’t had a chance to understand us around Cash Money. But we are some really gangsters that have lived it for real, and we are having a good time with it, though. A lot of people in different hoods on welfare and they’re D-Boyz doing they’re thing, and big ups to everybody putting up with the struggle. We talking because we lived it and when they know who we really is they going to understand. They’re going to see themselves in us and they going to understand the struggle. AllHipHop.com: What is your relationship with Baby and Cash Money now?Lac: We ain’t got no beef in the industry, we ain’t got no beef on the streets. It’s  real out here. If there was a problem on the streets, I guarantee we wouldn’t be able to do interviews  right now because we would be trying to keep it cooking or make it cook us. I can’t be running around here fake beefing and talking about a n***a on a song and it ain’t real. It’s serious out here, you can’t play. Where we come from, we can’t play. Stone: If we have a problem with Baby either he’ll see us or we’ll see him, on some real real s**t. Lac: I could pick up the phone and hit him up like “What’s up B…nothing, bam bam, holler at me.” He might not want to talk to us any more for a year. He might not pick up for me, but it ain’t no beef. We deal with them all, it ain’t no problem with the D-Boyz. D-Boyz go any where on 85 and everything else beyond that, so we are good on that note. D-Boyz “We Gangsta”AllHipHop.com: Life of D-Boy how did it come together? Lac: How it came together, just doing songs, that’s it. It’s just us, we’re going to do us. And before you know it, just like everything else we do, we do it. It will be like, “Kill I got a beat man, we need to get in the studio and do a song.” He might be on the way to the studio and just coming up with something he might want to say and we will be on the same page. When he gets there that is what it is. Stone: We had a couple of songs that we felt we tried to get there. We rode to the beat and thought about it like man I’m feeling this. You know we have a lot of directions like  “The Streets Keep Calling,” there were a lot of directions we wanted to go with that song.    Lac: We were under a lot of pressure, the storm had just hit and we in Atlanta. FEMA hadn’t really even kicked in so we were really out there getting it how we lived. If you had anything back home, we really couldn’t get to it, because they had the floods, watering all up and National Guard ain’t letting you in your house. You can’t get to money, you can’t get to nothing. So it was sort of like get it how you live. You got to make a million dollars out of 15, you know.Stone: Whatever we was coming up with, we was going there. And as we were going, every time we made a phone call, we was like Lac we hooking back up we making our album. We told Juve, “Man whatever, I need to be on it.” We called [Mannie] Fresh, it was the same thing: Whatever man I’m at the studio, come meet me or I will come meet y’all. We right here. Everybody we called, let them know, we were working on the album. We only reached back to the same people we had been working with because that is who we’ve always worked with. We were used to working with them so we went back and said “look, know we working on ours,” They were like “I know you don’t think you’ll about to do this without calling us.” Everybody just came together. We didn’t have to call nobody twice, we didn’t have to look no one. Everybody came together. So right after that we shot a DVD, same thing. We didn’t have to look for nobody, everybody was ready to support the situation. When somebody sees you doing your thing, they are going to ride with you, if it something that is good and they like it. Lac: Real recognizes real. If you real it ain’t really hard to maintain it. It’s just like we keep it thorough. The understanding been laid down where everything is understood. They ain’t on no bull, they ain’t on no fakeness, n****s just doing them and they respect it, so everybody is cool with that. Go to their studio, they come to our studio, we meet in the middle — whatever, we get it done though.  AllHipHop.com: One thing about the album is that you have the old Cash Money drive but it doesn’t sound dated, it sounds fresh for now. Was that on purpose?Lac: No, it’s just us man. We giving you us, the real way. It’s cool to say Cash  Money sound because that is what the world knows — the Cash Money sound, the Hot Boyz, the Big Tymers. But it’s New Orleans, it’s just what it is. You might say, “ I was on the phone with Lac and Stone and they sound like they got an accent, do you hear the way they say baby and the way they say this…” It’s just New Orleans, that’s the way we live. That’s why it sounds like what it sounds like — it’s us. AllHiphop.com: What do you want people to take from this album?Lac: The realness… Stone: The life of a D-Boy, the real life you can see it. I want them to feel like a movie, like your not watching it with your eyes but your hearing it like we’re painting a picture. Your riding, you’re understanding the life of a D-Boy and what they go through in New Orleans. Also I can dare to speak like it’s a universal thing, you can see it, feel it and you can respect it. We somebody who wants everybody to get money  and we know what it is to struggle, gas is high and people are trying to get it. I’ma do my thing but I’m going to let people know I’m here for you too if I can help you. The realness of the D-Boyz.

Hip-Hop Rumors: Game Disses Soulja Boy! Details On “Lil Kim”Party Death! Lloyd Banks To Def Jam?

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: Rumors
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DISCLAIMER:

All content within this section is pure rumor and generally have no factual info outside of what the streets have whispered in our ear. Read on.

TODAY’S RUMORS!

“LIL KIM” PARTY SUSPECT CAUGHT…EXCLUSIVE DETAILS

So, there was a chick that was viciously beaten and killed. Her face has been totally revealed. She took a picture at the party. But, there is more to the sad story of Ingrid Rivera. As you know or should know, she was seen in the VIP section of Spotlight Live. But, Wednesday her body was found on the roof of the building in a shed – dead. She died of a blow to the back of her head. According to tmz, the picture was taken at about 1 am. Here are the exclusive details obtained by the illseed. The girl that was found was allegedly raped before (or after) she was murdered. As you know, she was reportedly drunk and taken away by security. Not sure who took her to the roof. But, she was allegedly violated up there. People are crazy these days.

BANKS WANTS OFF INTERSCOPE – ALLEGEDLY

I’ve been telling you of all the changes going on over at Interscope. A lot of the artists that seemed to be very promising are suddenly on shakey ground. Well, Lloyd Banks seemed to be an Interscope lifer, is looking for a change I am hearing. I heard that Banks, who is G-Unit’s capo, is trying to head over to Def Jam. That would be interesting, right? He’s got some adversaries over there, but some friends too like LL Cool J. I think recently we’ve seen Banks spitting fire so he deserves another outing with a budget.

KELIS AND D’ANGELO FANS REJOICE!

Both Kelis and D’Angelo are looking to make a comeback in a really major way. Well, what do both Kelis and D’Angelo have in common? No, it’s not what you think. They are both working on comeback albums with Tone…Toni…Tony. The man’s name is Raphael Saadiq and he is reportedly been tapped to produce both comeback albums. Maybe Tone, Toni and Tony should tap him for their own comeback album.

YO! MISS JONES WAS LET GO FOR…WHAT?

Well, somebody in Philly definitely got at me over Miss Jones. It seems like Miss Jones may have lost her job in Philly, not because of her talent, but because she couldn’t seem to get long with anyone. That’s what I was told, at least. Rumor has it, her new team in Philly couldn’t take her attitude. Now somebody said to me that it was “rude and disrespectful,” but that’s me. From what I hear Michael Shawn still has a job on the weekend with 100.3 The Beat. Does the future see, “The Michael Shawn Morning Show?” The streets of Philadelphia are talking, but there is no confirmation on that.

SHELZ TALKS ABOUT….

DJ Envy chopped it up with Saigon the other day and there is still no drum roll moment. It’s still the whole “I gots options” thing. I know I’s have to be dotted and T’s have to be crossed, but dang at having my chromed out hover round by the time Greatest Story Never Told drops. He did say Interscope and Roc Nation are still on the short list but they’ve been on the short list…. Working on my patience people, working on it. Anyway, they re-hashed the Prodigy hit and run as well as the Buddens issue. But I do have a question. The freestyle he spit had some inclusions I don’t remember hearing from Saigon before; like hoes and b###### and ass and stuff…… Is this new? I thought dude was allergic to misogynistic lyrics. Someone school me.

[Illseed note: I’m telling you all, dude is going back to Mark Ronson like Amy Winehouse when she gets out of rehab!]

Here is the video:

THE LATEST HAIRCUT

A Jewish rapper has come out in hate of Barack Obama. Click here to hear the hater’s hate rap (or go to illseed.com)! Oh, and he disses Luda for good measure.

ILLSEED’S QUICKIES

I heard Sparkdawg, artist of Scarface, is down with that new brand called Yums Clothing Co.

It would seem to be open season on Rick Ross. Click here to discover that rappers are dissing him, even though many support him.

Kwame Kilpatrick has been put in the clink. I think he needs to resign or something. Its just not looking too good at this point. Read the story here.

Rumor has it, Killer Mike and Big Boi have deaded their beef. That’s good! They are both too big for that.

RANDOM QUOTES

Rosie Perez is hot, but she doesn’t really appreciate that from Kanye West:

“I’m a woman of a certain age and if you’re gonna mention me in a song, have a little respect. He mentions my breasts. When you walk down the street and you have 15-year-old boys.. and they’re like, ‘Yo, Rosie, D’s D’s, Rosie Perez,’ it’s no good.”

The Game has a new song called “Superman” and he says:

“F**k with my cash, I’m getting in ya a** like Beyonce’s thong.” (Not sure if this is somehow a slight to Hov, but it sounds odd. He definitely disses Soulja Boy by saying, “I ain’t no MF’in’ Soulja Boy!” But he does call himself the “New Jay Hova”…and Jay did call himself Superman on Kingdom Come. Click here to hear the song and the diss.)

SIGNS THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END

A lot of people feel that Barack Obama should be our next president. I happen to be one of them. And there are others that feel that they have to stop him and the best way to do that is, not to vote, but to kill him. Wow. Well, a man named Raymond Hunter Geisel was arrested last week for threatening to kill Obama. He had weapons and military-style gear in his hotel rooms and his cars. Dude is only 22 too. Dude reportedly said, “If he gets elected, I’ll assassinate him myself.” He said the preceding comment to somebody in his bail bondsman class. Geisel also said that he wanted to body Bush so its not just Obama that he’s crazy for. Dude says he was kidding with some comments and didn’t say others. Nevertheless, police found his car and hotel laced with 9mm handgun, knives, armor-piercing bullets, body armor and a lot more. Barack, watch your back.

SIGNS PART II: Want to read about the made that traded in his life for a lifelong supply of fried chicken? You have to read this one. CLICK HERE.

SHELZ’S ARBITARY MOMENT

[Illseed note: there are times when I don’t know what the hell Shelz is talking about til I do some research. Below you will find some of DJ Girl Talk’s work. What a name…LMAO! She can explain…]

So there is this DJ and his name is Girl Talk and he creates songs by piecing together very short snippets of other people’s ish. Think of it as a sound quilt if you will. Don’t ask how many songs are sampled in one of his creations. I’m sure you could play Name That Tune for days off one of his cuts. Why is this any of your concern? Because the light bulb just came on over a lot of folk’s heads today when the NY Times reported that Girl Talk has never received clearance for one sample and he has never been sued. Obscure artists rarely pull enough spotlight for people to care, but iTunes pulled one of his CD’s from the sales rotation for fear of legal reprisal and in my opinion because it was actually selling hence his removal from the obscurity safe zone. I’m sure many master holders are raising their eyebrows and plenty of JD’s are sharpening their pencils. But what if Girl Talk is sued and Girl Talk wins? What will that mean for the art of sampling and the ambiguous copyright laws that govern the art? I’m really going to enjoy watching this cat walk the razors edge. Not a rumor, but very interesting.

Here is another video to Rich Boy’s “Throw Some D’s”

He kinda rips it. I cannot tell a lie. If he wasn’t nice, he’d be a sign the world was coming to an end.

IN DEFENSE OF RICK ROSS

On reader I know wrote in and laid it down for Rick Ross:

What’s up Illseed. I visit allhiphop.com daily and love the entertaining rumors. However, I must speak on Mr. Ricky Ross. Now, first off….I’m no street n***a. However, I was born and raised in Miami Carol City. Like Trick Daddy said, Miami is so wild it is compared to people’s entire State. Now I had been heard rumors of Ross working as a CO in his younger days. However, I know street dudes how vouch for Ross that he has lived the life. There were projects in Carol City called the “Match boxes” where Ross hung at that used to be on 37ave and 199th street during his earlier days. Now supposedly he was hanging with the Boobie Boys (watch MiYayo the movie for details on them). Now I do not know if he was affiliated with them boys, but he was with them a lot. Now far as him being a CO, that s### is irrelevant. The thing is, coke is at abundance down here. I wouldn’t say he was a King Druglord and s###, but he touched the white before. You got to think…..keys are everywhere down here. S**t have the country is waiting on that work coming in from Miami ports. That’s why Ross emphasizes so much on drug kingpins down here, because there was a lot of millionaire coming out from that s**t down here. Look at it like this, down here in Miami: “If you touched it, you seen it….and if you Seen it (most cats from Miami have), you COULD have touched it”. Dade County Stand up.

LIL CEASE IS DOING WORK OUT TIPS!

Lil’ Cease has been a lot of things to a lot of people, but I think he might be ready for that Maino rematch. Check out this video! I’m hyped up!! I’m really mad that he misspelled “Physical” in the fitness. I know they want to make this a DVD out of this, but fix that.

I’m convinced!

ILL PICS

Ne-Yo is that dude, but what’s good with these pics? He looks like he just had an E pill and…ummm..well, he’s got an album on the way. Nuff respect due!

Whenever pics like this surface, people say “Oh, he had bad management” or “The wrong people were around him.”

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK or maybe Saturday!

AND RIP TO INGRID RIVERA…she didn’t deserve that, no matter what.

YESTERDAY, WE LOVE YOU!

They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!-illseedWHO: illseed.comWHAT: RumorsWHERE: AllHipHop.com, MySpace.com/TheIllseedHOW: Send your rumors and ill pics to illseed at ah*******@***il.com.– allhiphop rumors

Man Arrested For Killing Woman During Lil Kim B-Day Bash

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: News
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A man employed with a Times Square, New York nightclub confessed to murdering a woman during a birthday bash for rapper Lil’ Kim.

 

According to reports, 24-year-old Rahman Syed was arrested after he confessed to murdering Ingrid Rivera, also 24, and leaving her body inside of popular night club Spotlight Live on Sunday (August 3).

 

Rivera was thrown out of Spotlight Live because she was drunk.

 

According to police, Syed encountered Rivera and offered to take her to a friend.

 

When she refused his advances, he hit her on the head with a pipe in the building’s elevator shaft.

 

Family members filed a missing persons report when Rivera did not return home.

 

While Lil’ Kim was celebrating her birthday, New York Police Department Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the event was also open to the public.

 

Celebrities like Missy Elliot, Lamar Odom, Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes and others were at the event, which drew over 500 people.

 

“We will be taking a very focused look at that club,” New York Police Department Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. “These are advertised events. It was not a private party.”

Hip-Hop Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Sent To Jail

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: News
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Detroit’s “Hip-Hop Mayor” Kwame Kilpatrick will spend at least one night in custody at the Wayne County Jail, following a District Court Judge’s earlier decision on today (August 7) to have the embattled official arrested and held on a bond violation.Kilpatrick was arrested in March along with ex-Chief of Staff Christine Beatty, following an investigation into allegations of misconduct on their parts.Kilpatrick’s bond violation is the result of a business trip across the Detroit River to nearby Windsor, ON, where he was discussing a deal to alleviate the city’s current financial deficit.Unfortunately, per the terms of his bond, Kilpatrick was required to notify the courts, which he failed to do.”We got the deal back on track,” Kilpatrick told Judge Ronald Giles, after apologizing and explaining the amount of pressure and scrutiny he’s been under since the January revelation of personal text messages between him and Beatty.“It wasn’t a spur of the moment, willy nilly, ‘I can frolic in Canada’ trip,’” he added.The exchange took place during a routine hearing where Kilpatrick and Beatty waived their rights to a preliminary exam, which means their case will be presented directly to the Wayne County Circuit Court.As the hearing came to a close, prosecutor Robert Moran asked Judge Giles to ban Kilpatrick from any further out of state travel, calling the Mayor’s most recent trip a “flagrant violation.”“It’s not serious to him that he’s a criminal defendant,” Moran stated. “This court should be outraged.”Giles explained that his decision was based on how the court would be perceived, making it clear that he issued the same ruling for Kilpatrick as he would have for any other defendant.Immediately following the ruling, Kilpatrick’s defense team presented the decision to the Wayne County Circuit Court for appeal. However, Judge Thomas E. Jackson asked for a transcript of Thursday’s proceedings, which he would review before making a decision on the matter on Friday at 9 a.m.Kilpatrick is set to appear in court on August 14, where he will be arraigned on eight felony counts on charges of perjury, misconduct and obstruction of justice.The Detroit City Council accused the Mayor of violating the City Charter by not revealing a confidentiality agreement in connection with an $8.4 million civil suit settlement.A state police investigations into a July 24 incident could bring more legal problems for Kilpatrick, who is accused of physically interfering with a sheriff’s detective who was trying to serve a friend of the mayor’s with a subpoena.Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox is scheduled to host a news conference Friday to announce whether or not he will file assault charges against Kilpatrick.

BOOK REVIEW: Method Man

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: Reviews / Music
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Welcome to world of biblical monsters, hallowed warrior orders, and marijuanaclogged adventures. In Method Man’s self-titled graphic novel via Grand Central Publishing, omni hero Peerless Poe leaves his disheveled private investigation office and joins forces with John Albeit, Arilion Despite, and Jeanne D’Arc to combat Lillith Morningstar, a grand witch who plans to use the tower of Babel to decimate the earth. As descendants of Cain, Poe and his crew find strength in each member’s ability to channel the same wrath against the enemy that their sacred ancestor summoned to commit the earth’s first murder.Meth was looking out for the martial arts fanatics and five percent philosophers in this novel. The Shaolin hall of famer supplies intriguing mathematics for both followings in the form of scripture references and travels to holy grounds. The villain of the novel, Lillith, is an evil version of Eve, created as Adam’s counterpart only to spawn him and declare herself a superior being. Also, Peerless Poe and the order travel to Stonehedge and hold headquarters on the holy Mount Ararat in Turkey. Even biblical demons come into play as the crew battles leviathans, behemoths, and goliaths during their adventure.The book’s urbanisms and sly witticisms set it apart from the regular joe schmo comic.Peerless Poe comes across as a lovable scamp; too rag-tag for his martial arts disciplinebut a tested avenger nonetheless. He is unmistakably strong and Black, holding office in the ghetto and slaying monsters with smack talk and a smirk. He is anti-establishment, tearing into the business of world saving with a Hip-Hop swag. He is the type of superhero not just to forgo his order’s vow of celibacy, but to chide his sidekicks for still following it.Method Man is a delightful hour-on-the couch-read. By now, most of us have heard its brand of Shaolin temple braggadocio in bar form from the various Wu-Tang LPs, but it’s cool to see it manifested in a vivid graphic tale with masters, swords, codes, triumph and all.  Its high voltage illustrations appeals to kids and its vocabulary challenges adult readers. Meth has successfully found another alternative but imaginative medium for the Wu’s glorious, thugged out fairy tales.

Step Your Game Up: Hori Fighting Stick EX2 – Soul Calibur IV Limited Edition

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: Uncategorized
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The Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 have been

lacking in terms of peripherals for die-hard fighting game fans to emulate the

arcade experience. To commemorate the release of Soul Calibur IV for both PS3

and 360, Namco Bandai and Hori, a well-known and respected Japanese video game

accessory company, teamed up to bring fighting enthusiasts the Fighting Stick

EX 2 – Soul Calibur IV Limited

Edition.

 

Licensed by Namco Bandai and both Microsoft and

Sony for their respective releases, the Fighting Stick EX 2 sports two separate

looks for each console’s port;  the Xbox

360 model featuring a more angelic tone with Siegfried, Hilde and Ivy gracing

the cover; and the PS3 rocking a darker tone with Hilde, Mitsurugi and

Nightmare.

 

The only true difference between the two console

incarnations besides artwork is the PS3 version having three turbo buttons

while the 360 version does not.

 

With Hori being a Japanese company, the stick has

a more contemporary arcade look with the rounded lollipop-styled control stick

and the buttons lined in a downward arc. While this may be a turn-off to some

gamers because of the more American-styled arcade cabinets, the stick still

does fighting games justice.

 The FS EX2 is very durable. Accuracy and response

time for the stick is spot on; no delays were experienced during testing. One

interesting perk with this arcade stick is the fact that it clicks with every

input; while it may sound like an annoyance, this isn’t as much of a nuisance

as it is a plus.

 

Any fighter striving for perfection when trying to

pull of complicated combos or chain moves will love the fact that they can

audibly track their directional movements as they go along. The sound isn’t

loud enough to actually interfere with the gameplay, but it is loud enough to

let the gamers know what they are doing. 

  

 

The controller is wired, and this may be a

downside to those of us who have been spoiled with the recent wireless

innovations of the current generation systems. The stick comes with an ample

amount of cord, so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. At least purchasing

batteries won’t be a worry.

 

For those fighting game fans that long for the day

of the arcade, this is probably the closest you’ll get for a reasonable price. In

this case you get quite a bit more bang for your buck. With the natural

advantage of utilizing multiple inputs and a price tag of $60, no fighting game

fan should pass this up. This stick is exactly like what you would find in an

arcade.

 

The only two possible cons noted with this release

from Hori is the fact that it’s a wired controller and you can’t use it for

much else past fighting games. It’s a stick made specifically for Soul Calibur IV and

other fighting game releases, so this really shouldn’t be much of an issue.

 

With so many new fighting games on the way in

upcoming months  – Tekken 5, Street Fighter IV, King of Fighters XII, and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, just to name a few – this stick is a must have, especially if you enjoy high-end products at a low-end price.Here is a user “unboxing” video we found – check it out for yourself:

Rick Ross Downplays Shooting, Emphasizes Positivity

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg) Updated Category: News
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Seeking to end much of the media speculation surrounding a shooting at his August 6 event, Rick Ross has elected to emphasize the positive work done by his charity organization that day.

 

Ross, who remained to meet with fans and do a short performance after the shooting, felt obligated to end the event on a positive note after tragedy was averted.

 

“Some of these people were here before the event started, I couldn’t leave them hanging because of any disturbance,” Ross explained to AllHipHop.com “I’m glad no one was hurt and most importantly I’m glad we were able to provide the Carol City Community with some needed services.”

 

The 2nd annual “Be Out Day” was hosted by Rick Ross Charities, Inc., which provided complimentary health screenings (HIV, onsite insurance) and voter registration to over 2,000 people who attended.

 

The organization’s 2008 scholarship recipient was Carol City High School graduate Diamond Excel, who will attend Florida A&M University this fall.

 

The positive event was marred in controversy, after shots rang out during presentations from City of Miami Gardens Mayor Shirley Gibson and State Representative Oscar Brayon II.

 

In light of recent criticism against Ross’s street credibility, many speculated that the shooting was staged to take heat off the smokinggun.com expose, or the result of angry local fans no longer receptive to Ross’s persona.

 

These accusations were immediately dispelled by Jonathan Cunningham, a writer for the New Times Broward-Palm Breach who attended the event.

 

“Since I was on the ground, I can tell you that all of that is garbage,” Cunningham stated. “The shooting had nothing to do with Ross and came from outside of Carol City Park (venue location), not inside as was reported yesterday. It was basically an argument between some young dudes to the right of the stage, outside of the park, when one person let about 12-15 rounds up in the air.”

 

No one was injured during the gun discharges. Rick Ross Charities, Inc, founded in 2006, is already planning next year’s “Be Out Day” event at press time.