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Rapper Monsieur R Avoids Prosecution By French Government

French rapper Monsieur

R has avoided prosecution by the French government for controversial lyrics that

compared France to a s### and the government to Germany’s infamous Third R####.

In the song, FranSSe,

Monsieur R (born Richard Makela) makes reference to relieving himself on Napoleon

and General Charles De Gaulle while repeatedly referring to France as a "b**ch"

that needs to be taken until exhaustion.

The video for the song, which featured images of atrocities in Africa cut with

naked white women playing with the French flag, had been banned from television.

Outraged French

politicians blamed Monsieur R for inciting some of the riots that ended in parts

of Paris suburbs being burned to the ground last November.

Late last year, French MP Daniel Mach brought charges against Monsieur R accusing

him of broadcasting a violent or pornographic message, accessible to those less

than 18 years of age.

Mach also drafted

legislation that would make it a criminal offense to make statements that insult

the dignity of France and the French state.

Makela faced a three-year prison term or a 75,000 euro fine, but the case was

thrown out of court by the presiding judge who indicated that the MP had not

himself suffered any harm and that there were no real victims.

‘The judges have been courageous,” said Dominique Tricaud, lawyer for Monsieur

R. “The judges have been courageous in their judgment because there was

very strong political pressure. Two hundred deputies from the parliament asked

for a special law from the parliament against the rappers. They wanted to kill

the rap in France.”

The ruling marks the latest victory for rappers against French officials.

In 2003, rap band

Sniper was accused of making anti-Semitic and racist music by Nicolas Sarkozy,

France’s interior minister.

While a criminal

case was filed, the case was found to have merit and the case was thrown out.

Lil’ Scrappy Shoots Two Videos Off New Album ‘Bred 2 Die, Born 2 Live’

Rapper Lil’ Scrappy is setting the mood for his forthcoming sophomore album, Bred 2 Die, Born 2 Live by shooting videos for two of the album’s tracks.

The Atlanta native will travel to Los Angeles, CA this week to shoot videos for “Money in the Bank” and “Gangsta Gangsta.”

Both clips will be helmed by acclaimed video director Marcus Raboy.

Featuring BME head Lil’ Jon and G-Unit member Young Buck rapping with Scrappy over an Isaac Hayes III-produced track, the “Money in the Bank” video captures the three artists living it up inside a backroom casino.

Lil’ Scrappy again teams with Lil’ Jon for “Gangsta Gangsta.”

The video for the Lil’ Jon-produced song features the pair engaging in a high-speed chase after being pulled over by police.

“Money In The Bank” and “Gangsta Gangsta” are the first two singles from Bred 2 Die, Born 2 Live, Scrappy’s follow-up to his near platinum debut EP The King of Crunk & BME Recordings Present: Trillville & Lil’ Scrappy.

The new album, which will be released on BME/Reprise, features cameos from Lil’ Jon, 50 Cent, Scrappy’s label mate Bohagon, Ma$e and Young Dro.

In addition to Jon and Hayes, production will be handled by Jazze Pha, G-Unit’s Sha Money and Shondre (Ludacris, 8 Ball & MJG, Kelis).

The G-Unit/BME venture didn’t shock Lil’ Jon, who attributes the alliance to Scrappy’s talent.

“Lil’ Scrappy is one of the best up and coming threats down south,” he said. “It didn’t surprise me that 50 wanted to be a part of this project. Scrappy has raw talent.”

Shooting for the “Money in the Bank” video will be Wednesday (June 28), while the “Gangsta Gangsta” video begins shooting Thursday (June 29).

Bred 2 Die, Born 2 Live is scheduled to hit stores in late summer.

Lord Jamar: The Greatest Story Never Told

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temming back to Eric B & Rakim classics like “In the Ghetto,” the Nation of Gods and Earths, otherwise known as Five Percenters, have been some of the most successful MCs and producers to date. From Busta to Raekwon to J-Live, this powerful belief system changed the Hip-Hop vernacular from using words like “God,” “Third eye,” and “Cipher.” This rarely discussed history comes alive in the extensive book that accompanies Lord Jamar’s debut, The 5% Album. The music, which features Raekwon, Sadat X, Grand Puba and others, also teaches the wisdom behind these words.

The last Brand Nubian MC to release a solo album, Jamar uses his platform to celebrate his own while educating others. Having spent over two decades affiliated with the NGE, the New Rochelle veteran speaks about some of the issues that his album unveils. Read a discussion on the Five Percent Nation, in search of better understanding a rarely told fabric in our Hip-Hop heritage.

AllHipHop.com: Most know Clarence X started the Nation of the Gods and the Earths [NGE] around 1963, but not much else about the organization…can you tell us some history?

Lord Jamar: Basically,The Nation of Gods and Earths was started by Clarence 13X, who we [NGE] know as the Father Allah. He also belonged to the Nation of Islam and through studying the lessons of the NOI, he came to realize that the “God” they were talking about was the black man. Not just one black man, but all black men and he began to teach that. He was exiled around the same time Malcolm X was silenced by the NOI since they opposed what he taught. He went to the streets of Harlem and began spreading his teachings. He called his nation the “Five-Percent Nation,” meaning that there are five percent who know the truth about the world and have knowledge of themselves. 85 percent have no knowledge of themselves and are just ignorant of what’s going on in the world and then there’s ten percent who have knowledge but withhold it from that 85 percent to capitalize and oppress them. That’s where the terminology comes from.

AllHipHop.com: How and at what age were you introduced to the Nation of the Gods and the Earths? What attracted you?

Lord Jamar: Just the knowledge. Words have energy and that vibration of truth attracted me. What was taught to me about religion just didn’t make sense and once I was exposed to NGE, a light came on. I was about 13 [years old] when someone gave me “Lessons of the Black Man” and that started me on the road to self-knowledge. I became part of NGE around 14, 15 years old.

AllHipHop.com: What is the difference between the Nation of the Gods and the Earths and orthodox Muslims?

Lord Jamar: Orthodox Muslims see themselves as being one who submits to the will of Allah, whereas we see ourselves as Allah himself. We show and prove that we are the Gods of our own universe. Also, NGE is a culture, a way of life, not a religion. We don’t pray or believe in a hereafter; Heaven and Hell is right here on Earth, it’s a state of mind.

AllHipHop.com: How are Hip-Hop artists who belong to NGE, like yourself, spreading the message outside of music?

Lord Jamar: Basically, you live by example. It’s the way I teach my children and go about my everyday life. I don’t necessarily teach Five Percent classes but I do things in my personal life to add on because you are supposed to build. I don’t have an NGE class, per se; my NGE classes are my albums. But I’ve done presentations at my son’s school on the elements on Hip-Hop.

AllHipHop.com: NGE’s states “each man is his own universe, each man governs himself”…that leaves room for no uniformity. What rules does one follow to uphold the beliefs of NGE if everyone is operating under their own rules? Doesn’t that leave room for inconsistency and possible self-destructive behavior?

Lord Jamar: I’m sure for certain individuals, it does. But as a whole it allows for the movement to never dissolve even though our leader was taken away from us. We’re all taught to be leaders so the movement doesn’t dissolve in the event that the leader dissolves. But it requires self-discipline and following basic things, such as don’t eat swine, don’t commit crimes – just live a decent life. But like in any culture people can still misconstrue and exploit principles and take them for what they want to use them for. But as a whole, I think that insulates us from the movement being stopped as a result of one person being removed.

AllHipHop.com: George Clinton once blamed sexism in rap on the fact that Five Percenters bring “customs…from another [Arab] culture” to the traditional black “b*tch, ho” mentality, which by itself, was “just fun and games.” Mixed together, they produce misogyny. Any thoughts on this? With today’s Hip-Hop being some of the most misogynistic ever, how do feel about a statement like this?

Lord Jamar: [Laughs] Come on man, can we really take anything he says seriously? How can he say that we in the Five-Percent Nation promote misogyny when we refer the black woman as the “Queen of the Earth?” She represents the planet Earth, which is what we live on and what we need to live. We don’t represent misogyny. It’s all said in ignorance; he may not even know what a Five Percenter is, you know? Or he may have met someone who called themselves a Five Percenter but his whole belief system was other than that, which is possible. But in any religion that can happen…How many Christians do you meet that call themselves Christians but don’t represent Christianity. Does that person represent all Christians? No.

AllHipHop.com: What is a woman’s role in NGE? Why can a man achieve a level of perfection of seven, while a woman can only achieve a six?

Lord Jamar: Well it starts with America. Living here in America, we’ve internalized European traditions and outlooks. When it comes to explaining this part of NGE, it’s based on the fact that men and women are different. And that’s just real. We are not the same. For example, women can a have a baby once every nine months while a man can have one baby every month for nine months if he chose, because he doesn’t have that limitation. Now, that is not saying that the woman is below the man, it’s just something that makes women different. It’s just how nature was created. Instead of lying to people and saying, “you can go as high as you wanna,” be honest because you can’t. We also say “the woman is necessary but secondary” and women feel like offended by that. I understand that a lot of women feel like we are trying to put them down or hold them back, and we’re not. Everyone just has to play their part and know their position. We have to learn that as a people. And the women’s role in the Nation is to teach the babies, which is very important. She is the mother of civilization. They say when a black woman teaches, she teaches a whole civilization. To complete your cipher, you need knowledge, wisdom and understanding which is the man, woman and child.

AllHipHop.com: What is NGE’s role in the black community, as far as outreach to the youth and poor?

Lord Jamar: You have Gods that you wouldn’t even know they were Gods and they are very active in the community as well as everyday people. You may never know that, but say if another God is around, that person may reveal themselves to them. Since the beginning, NGE has always done outreach and programs within the community. We have Allah schools in different cities where you can build plus they have GED classes and computer classes. But it’s a combination; you have individuals doing things and collectives doing things as well.

AllHipHop.com: How do Gods recognize other Gods?

Lord Jamar: You can just observe somebody by how they act, speak or talk. But if we were just on the street, sometimes you can recognize Gods when they wear the universal flag [a small pin] but most times “mind detects mind,” which is where your third eye comes in and if you’re really in tune, you’ll know.

AllHipHop.com: You play a Five Percenter on HBO’s Oz. The character was very authentic, how involved were you in the development of the character? How do you feel about the impact this character has on people who are unfamiliar with NGE?

Lord Jamar: I was involved with the character as far as who he was and what his background was. I gave them the idea, the name and even the crime of the character and they took it from there. I know Supreme Allah was a bad dude and some people might say, “We don’t want the Gods to be seen like that,” but I’m keeping it real. There are plenty of Gods that are locked up but that’s not everybody; those are individuals. Just like this character is an individual. I felt like it was important for people to see us in any capacity because we weren’t being seen at all. The show is authentic but I felt my character lent even more authenticity to the show. At one point, NGE was being called a jail religion. Although it’s not a jail religion, how are you going to have a show about jail without showing how NGE is a part of that culture?

AllHipHop.com: Explain the connection between jail and NGE. Does it put a black-eye on the organization?

Lord Jamar: Yeah, it is a negative connotation. Because it’s not a religion and it’s not something you have to go to jail to be a part of. In fact, I remember growing up and thinking to myself, “I want to be swift and knowledgeable without going to jail.” I didn’t learn it in jail; I learned it out here in the world. In the penal system, we get characterized as a gang, which is not what we are. Prisoners sometimes get isolated and are treated unfairly because of their beliefs in NGE. We are not a gang and these people don’t need to be persecuted for gang activity when our collective does not control any turf nor organize any crime.

AllHipHop.com: What are some of the biggest misconceptions about NGE?

Lord Jamar: That we hate white people and that we’re a religion or that we’re a gang.

AllHipHop.com: Does division exist between rappers who belong to NGE and Muslim rappers or even rappers who belong to NGE and rappers who don’t?

Lord Jamar: Absolutely. One of the basic things we learn is supreme mathematics and if all people knew supreme mathematics and followed what it meant, we’d be a lot better off. To do the knowledge before the wisdom. You can’t do two [wisdom] before one [knowledge] or you are going to get a bad three [understanding]. A lot of people act before they think and it produces a misunderstanding. Mathematics is the language of the universe; this whole world can be understood through mathematics. If we were taught supreme mathematics, that would be helpful, no matter what your background or beliefs.

AllHipHop.com: Based on your beliefs and the positive messages you put forth in your music, are you disappointed with Hip-Hop music today?

Lord Jamar: Yeah, I’m kind of am disappointed in rap music. But everything happens for a reason and maybe we need for music to be like this in order to appreciate something good. I think the times we live in helped change the music too. This is a more politically-charged time in the world so the music changes with it.

For more information, visit www.5percent.org

GM Grimm: The Hunger For More

GM Grimm, perhaps better known as MF Grimm, has lived the life that many rappers can only write fictional rhymes about. Emerging in the early ‘90s, Grimm collaborated with Hip-Hop greats Kool G Rap, Akinyele, and KMD, to name a few. The rugged rapper even penned undisclosed parts of Dr. Dre’s The Chronic for West Coast rappers, while thriving on 12” releases. Quickly, Grimm was getting courted by labels, living as he rhymed it – immersed in the streets.

With the blast of the gun and the slam of the gavel, everything changed. Today, Grimm is confined to a wheelchair, and an ex-con in the eyes of the state. However, the artist has matured, changing some of his messages, and providing means to other talents in his realm. Grimm’s label, Day By Day Entertainment, began as an outlet for his 2000 album The Downfall of Ibilys: A Ghetto Opera a cult-followed effort Grimm recorded over 24 hours on bail.

Six years later, the Grandmaster returns with American Hunger a triple CD that finds Grimm paired with the likes of Large Professor, PMD, and other familiar faces from his career. As with the name-change, Grimm speaks about his new stylistic approach, as he gives real talk on the ills of being about what you rhyme.

AllHipHop.com: Your flow has a classic street rawness to it. While some try to use the “one shot-one kill” approach, you have a more rapid attack. Does that come from your past in coming up with Kool G Rap or your battle history?

GM Grimm: Of course my style has developed from all of the artists that I’ve had the opportunity to cross. I learn a little bit from this person and a little bit from another. Then you start to come into your own. I can’t say that it’s because of the way that I came up or anything like that. It has a lot to do with the MCs that I chose to surround myself with. Also, it’s just something from with in myself that I’ve always tried to find and push the envelope. I don’t mind falling on my face trying to push the envelope; or trying to discover or modify certain flows or rhyme patterns.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve worked under several aliases such as, the Grimm Reaper, to name a few. You’ve been best known as MF Grimm, but now go by GM Grimm…

GM Grimm: I am still MF Grimm, but okay.

AllHipHop.com: I believe you, but I read somewhere that you were quoted as saying, “MF Doom can keep the MF. I’m GM Grimm now.”

GM Grimm: Yeah, that’s correct. Actually, GM is me and Roc Raida [of the X-Ecutionerz fame], as well. We’re trying to put out an album, Grand Master Roc Raida and Grand Master Grimm. I’m always going to be MF, but yeah, I go by GM Grimm. It’s just that there are too many of us. It’s just that the focus shouldn’t just be me. There’s MF Murs, MF Bash, there’s other ones coming up that are legitimate MF. You’ve got black belt, you’ve got Dan [commonly applied to Japanese martial arts as a means of differentiating experience levels]. GM is just another degree, but MF is a master degree in its own style.

AllHipHop.com: Speaking of MF, you and Doom have done a lot of work together in the past. Do you still collaborate? There was a diss record last year…

GM Grimm: Well actually, I’d prefer to keep the interview on me, but no, we don’t work together anymore.

AllHipHop.com: You recorded 2000’s, The Downfall of Ibliys: A Ghetto Opera, in 24 hours while out on bail for a narcotics charge. How did you find that you performed under the pressure? Do you find that your skills become heightened?

GM Grimm: Well, no. It’s not necessarily “one shot, one take,” because me personally, if I don’t like it, I’m gonna do it over. It was just the fact of doing it in such a small amount of time that… I didn’t hear the album until I was released from prison. I just recorded it and never listened to it. I didn’t have the opportunity til’ 2003. I can listen to it and hear a lot of immaturity in delivery maybe, or styles and stuff. I see flaws in the styles and at the same time it made the style its self. So rushing it in 24 hours, it wasn’t like everything was done in just one take. If I said that, I’d be lying to you. I’m not the one take kind of person. I’m not into that. I want to perfect what I’m trying to get done. It doesn’t take me that long to record an album. Now, I’m playing with different styles that I don’t think the majority of people would even like, but I’m gonna keep playing with it till I perfect it.

AllHipHop.com: Like what? Can you give me an example of what you’re toying with?

GM Grimm: Like okay… there’s a big difference between me now from “So Whatcha Want” to “Street General.” I know that I’ve simplified so much that a lot of people may not realize it gets more complex than what it seems, because it seems so simple now. There’s a difference from just flowing on a beat or riding on a beat. I know how to ride beats. I can flow the beats. I can flow high hats. I can flow a bass line. I can go off of drums. I can go off of sounds from when it comes together. I’m not trying to be cocky and s**t, but that’s where my passion lies. To become part and step inside the music now, not just defining the piece…if that makes any sense?

AllHipHop.com: Yeah, it does because in the, Best of MF Doom/MF Grimm, you did a freestyle with B-One that was rugged. You used phrases like, “Tek-9 dreams and Mack-11 wishes” or “ I’m holding Hip-Hop by the throat, like Whitney Huston holds a note.”

GM Grimm: It was a different time then. I was dealing with circumstances and certain situations when I was much younger. That was my way of expressing it. I dealt with streets and discussing the streets. At the time, it was representation of the anger coming from the streets. I don’t know if it was the proper representation, but it was my representation. Back then, it was a little difficult for me to get to the studio. Now everyone has a studio in their home. Back then, there were other things occupying my life at the same time, which were the streets that stopped me from taking it as seriously as I really needed to take it.

AllHipHop.com: While you were locked up, did you have a lot of visitors like Kool G and others showing support?

GM Grimm: The circumstances that I was under while incarcerated, I wasn’t at times allowed to have visitors. When I did, it was mostly personal family. I got support from everyone that you mentioned in other ways…through mail, phone calls and other things of that nature. The people that you’re discussing are busy men. They run small corporations, so it’s rather difficult for people to come and visit you sometimes. I’d call them. I got a lot of support from around the world. I was getting mail from Yugoslavia, Africa, Japan, you name it. So people definitely showed their love. One person that would come and see me was Lord Scotch. He’s a member of M.I.C. [Monster Island Czars], and would make sure that I was good physically. I wasn’t someone who wanted a lot of visitors anyway. I was kind of occupied, living day by day.

AllHipHop.com: Speaking of M.I.C., you conceptualized the concept and album, Escape from Monster Island. Without being able to physically see the project through, let alone appear on the album as well as other projects, how did it make you feel not being able to contribute?

GM Grimm: It’s interesting that you mentioned that, because for that first M.I.C. album, I had songs completed. I don’t know why they were not on the album. It’s not like I went away and they did the album. I had songs. I don’t know. You’ll have to find that out from Doom, why they weren’t on there. As far as the M.I.C. album, we have a new one coming out that, to me, smashes the other one totally into pieces. It’ll be out around October with the Halloween theme, being that it’s monsters. Our goal is to be as individual artists. We have a whole army.

AllHipHop.com: So you’re manning the controls on this one?

GM Grimm: Without question.

AllHipHop.com: Is it going to be another concept album?

GM Grimm: Yeah, it’s a concept album, but each artist now gets a chance to display his skills. It’s not just everyone rhyming and rhyming and rhyming. I’m around a lot of talented brothers that I appreciate. It feels good that I don’t have to be the strongest member. I’m equally as strong as everyone around me now.

AllHipHop.com: Since the shooting, you’ve been confined to a wheel chair. How did you re-motivate yourself to get back into the game?

GM Grimm: That’s because of the people that surround me. I feed off of their energy, so it won’t allow me to quit. I don’t have room in my life to quit. All the energy that comes from me, comes from them. Sometimes you need others to help you build. I’m around the right people. My strength is a representation of everyone that I’m affiliated with.

AllHipHop.com: You’ve led the life that some rappers can only write stories about. Does having the street credibility make it more real and ok for you to rhyme about those things? Or is it all nonsense and no one should be living that type of lifestyle?

GM Grimm: Of course, I’m surrounded by people and we’ve dealt with and been through some rather traumatic circumstances in our lives. We discuss it and rhyme about it. Of course that makes it more authentic than others who can only rhyme about it, while never having actually gone through it. But it depends on how they express themselves. I don’t know if Steven King has done all of the stuff that he writes about, so it’s difficult for me to say. I do know that Jeffery Dahmer did kill some people, so his is more authentic, but that don’t make it better. That don’t make it right, I feel the same way. I’ve been through what I’ve been through, opposed to some one that hasn’t. All I know is that bullets hurt. It doesn’t make my rhymes better because I got shot and I’m in a wheel chair, but it is what it is. That’s my experience. I wish that I didn’t have to rhyme about that s**t.

Supreme Court Refuses TVT Appeal Of Def Jam Ruling

The United States

Supreme Court has decided against hearing a petition filed by TVT Records to

overturn a legal decision, which voided a $132 million jury verdict to TVT from

Island Def Jam Music Group (IDJMG).

According to reports, the decision comes after a June 2005 ruling by the 2nd

U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which found that TVT’s claims of unsavory

business tactics, including the charge of fraud, were without merit.

The lawsuit stems from allegations made by TVT, which accused IDJMG and Lyor

Cohen of unsavory business tactics and fraud, over an unreleased album by Ja

Rule’s group Cash Money Click.

According to court records, TVT claimed that IDJMG and Cohen sabotaged the Cash

Money Click album by blocking the release as not to interfere with Ja Rule’s

Def Jam release, which was scheduled to be in stores around the same time.

In March of 2003, a jury awarded TVT $132 million in punitive and compensatory

damages against IDJMG, finding Cohen personally responsible for $56 million

in damages.

That award was overturned in 2003 and Cohen’s punitive damages were cut from

$56 million dollars to $3 million, while IDJMG was ordered to pay $50 million

dollars.

TVT was eventually

awarded $126,720 for a breach of contract claim, which IDJMG and Cohen did not

appeal.

Cohen has since

left IDJMG and is now Chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group, responsible for

all aspects of WMG’s U.S. recorded-music operations.

Foxy Brown To Perform At AIDS Benefit Concert, Sources Say Hearing Regained

Rapper Foxy Brown

has been tapped to perform at the first HIV/AIDS awareness reggae concert by

LIFEbeat’s Hearts & Voices Benefit Concert Series.

The concert, dubbed

"Reggae Gold Live 2006 Summer Jumpoff," is presented in conjunction

with E.A.R.S. Entertainment Group and New York’s Power 105.1 FM.

The sixth annual

Hearts & Voices AIDS Benefit Concert will also feature headliners Beenie

Man, Wayne Wonder, TOK, Sasha and Kulcha Don. The concert aims to bring awareness

to the HIV/AIDS crisis throughout the Caribbean community.

"I feel that

this is a very important issue, not only in the inner cities where I’m from,

but across the entire world," said Foxy Brown. "I am just happy that

I can be a part of something like this and bring awareness to my fans."

Jamaica has the

third largest population living with HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean, following Haiti

and the Dominican Republic.

"HIV/AIDS

is a serious threat to the Black and West Indian communities, and Hip-Hop and

reggae is the voice that speaks to and for our community," said Beenie

Man.

LIFEbeat- The

Music Industry Fights AIDS, is a national nonprofit dedicated to reaching America’s

youth with the message of HIV/AIDS prevention.

The Reggae Gold

Live 2006 Summer Jumpoff concert takes place July 18 at Webster Hall. Tickets

start at $25 for general admission and $50 for VIP access.

Tickets can be

purchased online at www.websterhall.com or through Ticketweb at www.ticketweb.com.

In related news,

sources confirmed that Brown has regained 100% of her hearing.

In December 2005,

Brown announced that she had lost her hearing the previous year in May, while

she was recording her album Black Roses.

The rapper underwent

surgery in Los Angeles in February 2006 to correct the condition, which is called

"sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Doctors described

it as a rare condition that remains permanent without treatment.

Pharell Williams Tapped For Louis Vuitton 2006-2007 Fall/Winter Ad Campaign

Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams has been tapped to appear in Louis Vuitton’s new fall 2006 and winter 2007 ad campaigns.

The nationwide advertisements will feature the rapper/producer surrounded by monogrammed Louis Vuitton suitcases, as well as the fashion house’s new Innsbruck carryall bag.

“We brought to this campaign a touch of the street, elevated to a rich, modern chic that embodies the message of our ready-to-wear, accessories and bags,” said Vuitton’s artistic director Marc Jacobs.

The women’s campaign features a variety of models, including Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Daria Werbowy

“Working with beautiful, iconic and powerful faces, we created compositions that boldly display Vuitton’s exquisite, super-luxe style,” said Jacobs. “What we were aiming for was a relentless portrayal of the chic, powerful women who will covet this season’s

creations.”

The ads were shot by frequent Vuitton photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott.

Williams is also gearing up to release his solo album In My Mind, which hits store July 25 on Star Trak/Interscope.

Babs Bunny Arrested In Brooklyn

Bad Boy rapper Babs

of Making The Band fame was arrested early Saturday (June 24) after an

altercation at a Brooklyn, N.Y., house party.

According to representatives,

Babs spent the night in jail after an incident involving two unidentified women.

One woman allegedly believed Babs had stolen her former boyfriend.

The two women showed

up at the rapper’s home and accused her of dancing and flirting with one woman’s

boyfriend, according to Babs’ publicist.

The women eventually

left because Babs did not go outside at that moment, but she later showed up

at the apartment of one of the women, with two friends, the publicist said.

The woman called

the police and accused someone of keying and scratching her car. When the cops

showed up, she told them Babs had threatened her.

"They threatened

not only me but my family and anyone that knows me knows I don’t play when it

comes to my family," Babs told AllHipHop.com in a statement released by

her representative Alyse Feldman, who was also present at the party.

A restraining order

was issued against Babs, who spent the night in a local jail and was ordered

to stay 100 feet away from the woman.

"The woman

knew Babs was the one wearing the red hat so of course she is going to say it

was her," Feldman added. "She wants Babs to pay for supposedly trying

to steal her boyfriend. The charges are absolutely ridiculous!"

Babs is slated

to make an appearance in a Brooklyn court this morning to answer the charges.

Reasonable Doubt (Concert Review)

Artist: Jay-ZTitle: Reasonable Doubt (Concert Review)Rating: 4 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Jason Newman

“Is this Brooklyn’s house tonight?”

As Funkmaster Flex warmed up the crowd before Jay-Z’s concert-come-tribute last night (Sunday, June 25, 2006) celebrating the 10-year anniversary of his classic debut Reasonable Doubt, it’s safe to assume Radio City Music Hall had never heard the phrase before tonight. The venue, not normally associated with Hip-Hop shows, proved the perfect set-up for Hov to bring his colossal stage show to reminisce, re-create and re-interpret his first album.

With enthusiasm at a fever pitch, the curtain was raised to reveal a black-tie, 50-person backing band which included musical director ?uestlove (and his band the Illadelphonics) along with the 30-member “Hustler Symphony Orchestra”. After Pain In Da Ass (better known as the “OK, I’m reloaded!” guy) reprised his opening speech on Doubt from the side of the balcony, a 1996 Lexus drove onstage with Hov riding shotgun. Clad in a white suit and dark scarf, the rapper immediately seemed confident and poised, launching into album closer “Regrets”. Curiously, he chose to perform Doubt, released 10 years ago to the day, in reverse chronological order (Did he feel more highlights came earlier in the album or was he just saving his most surprising guest for the end of the show?).

Not content to simply recreate the album note for note, many songs switched mid-track to give an entirely different take on established classics, changing genres and re-creating classic Hip-Hop beats. After the original “22 Two’s” was performed, the band quickly went into A Tribe Called Quest’s “Can I Kick It?” before Hov doubled the original song and rhymed “44 Four’s” a cappella (Don’t believe him? The screens kept a running total). With Snoop’s voice on “Murder Was the Case” the sampled chorus for “D’Evils”, the ominous sound of “Murder” provided a creepier sonic background than anything found on the album. And in a fitting tribute to his borough, Ol Dirty Bastard’s “Brooklyn Zoo” was used to close out “Brooklyn’s Finest”.

Perhaps even more creative than the sample re-creations, though, were the seamless musical transitions engineered by ?uestlove for many songs that gave a much-added depth to the originals. Highlight “Feelin’ It” showcased the band’s talents by effortlessly going from the original beat to a re-creation of Notorious B.I.G.’s “Unbelievable”, to ragtime to smooth jazz, giving the band a little leeway to jam rarely seen in most live Hip-Hop.

It seemed fitting that given the scope of the event, visuals would play almost as big a role as audio. With five large screens looming above the orchestra, footage alternated between Diamondvision-esque live shots of Jay-Z and images centering on the singer’s past and hometown Brooklyn. Nowhere was this more necessary and emotionally impacting than the aforementioned “Brooklyn’s Finest”, Jay-Z’s duet with Notorious B.I.G. While speculation ran rampant over how Hova would approach the song, in the end, he performed both parts with video footage of Biggie doing his parts at the appropriate times.

This being a special night for Jigga, the big question was who would, and wouldn’t, show up to this epic event. While Sauce Money appeared for “Bring it On”, any hopes of a Jaz-O/Jigga reunion were quickly dashed by his no-show. However, many of the original participants came through, including Memphis Bleek and Foxy Brown for their parts in “Coming of Age”, and “Ain’t No N***a”, respectively. In the biggest surprise of the night, Beyonce took over Mary J. Blige’s part for a jazzy rendition of “Can’t Knock the Hustle”, appearing onstage to deafening applause.

Given that people were selling their children to go to this show, Jay-Z knew he couldn’t just do the 60-minute album and end the night. After a brief intermission, in which Just Blaze and his records replaced the orchestra and a t-shirt and pants replaced Jay-Z’s suit, the rapper came out with Memphis Bleek to run through nearly 20 of his classic non-Doubt hits. Appearing more relaxed and spontaneous than his first set, Jay-Z performed medley-style, doing the first verse of every song and giving the crowd as many hits as could fit before curfew. Drawing off every album released since Doubt, the set leaned more toward the rapper’s commercial, club-friendly side. While “PSA” and “U Don’t Know” were crowd favorites, (The latter strangely showing video of various Kurt Cobain footage throughout the song), it was tracks like “Big Pimpin'”, “Money Ain’t a Thang”, and “I Just Wanna Love U (Give it 2 Me)” that dominated the 30-minute set.

Jay-Z clearly let you know who was running the concert, killing beats sometimes seconds after they started playing and arbitrarily deciding to go a capella on tracks like “Imaginary Player”, and “”N***a What, N***a Who”. The spur-of-the-moment feel of the set only enhanced the energy of the sold-out crowd, who knew the lyrics so well, Hova could’ve slipped on a lyric or two and it would have been barely noticeable. On “Big Pimpin'”, the rapper didn’t even have to rhyme, playfully standing on stage while the crowd turned the track into a karaoke joint. It was a memorable moment, not just for showing the power and ubiquitousness the rapper still enjoys, but for the dedication so many people feel to someone in an industry dominated by short lifespans.

Dedication 2 (Mixtape)

Artist: DJ Drama/Lil WayneTitle: Dedication 2 (Mixtape)Rating: 4 StarsReviewed by: Eb Haynes

“I’m from a town where/everybody drowned and/Everybody died/But baby I’m still prayin’ wit ya/Everybody cryin but/Ain’t nobody tryin/There’s no doubt on my mind/that it was, Georgia…Bush!” Led by a passionate and highly ambitious Lil Wayne, “Georgia…Bush”, is by no means a typical anthem track. Philly native, DJ Drama cleverly borrows Disturbing Tha Peace’s, A-town anthem which speaks volumes for the impressive level of creativity expressed throughout Dedication 2 (Gangsta Grillz). The Holigrove, Cash Money, Young Money representa, offers a personal reflection regarding his political angst and grand affection for his Hurricane Katrina deposed home. Weezy F. Baby aka independently voted “The President” and DJ Drama’s Dedication 2 (D2) is an energized and poignant, music extravaganza for all Hip-Hop fans.

D2 features many highpoints, lyrically and musically, just in time for summer. The southern bounce inspired, “Get Em” sets off the 25 track jambalaya. “Cannon (AMG Edition)” hints to the diversity found throughout the musical medley. With steady horns laced under Wayne’s almost seamless flow, he leads an impressive group of strong lyricist, including Freeway, Willie the Kid, Detroit Red and Juice. “Cannon (AMG Edition)” can easily be a contender for a new-age Hip-Hop classic.

With Weezy offering his own take over so many hits, snagging instrumentals from Dem Franchize Boyz (“They Still Like Me”) to T.I. (“What U Kno”), D2 does not disappoint. “Sportscenter” deserves special attention. Not only does the bass driven track, entice a sincere “lean back” moment, Wayne’s lyrical delivery is glossy. He opens with, “Cover my tracks like butter so where the bread be/I see beef as dead meat.” Post the Carter II, a confident, rightfully so, Weezy glides over the track like the veteran he is-even if he is only 23-years old.

Aside from Lil Wayne’s own solid lyrical performance, he shares the mic with Hip-Hop heavy weights. “Welcome to tha Concrete Jungle” opens with Juelz Santana, who appears again on “No Other”. Sharing most of the collaboration time is Lil Wayne’s, Young Money artists, Currency and Mac Maine. “Poppin Them Bottle” and “Ridin Wit the AK” are the most notable tracks featuring the trio. Remy Martin is featured on the slick, “Where the Cash A and Pharell, the chameleon, appears on “Gettin Some Head”.

Lil Wayne and Hip-Hop aficionado DJ Drama is a proven team. The streets, any street from N.O. to Philly to N.Y. to L.A. can “bounce”, “snap”, “lean back” or “gangsta boogie” to this explosive second journey, Dedication 2.

Waist Deep (Film)

Artist: Movie ReviewTitle: Waist Deep (Film)Rating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Edwardo Jackson

It’s summertime: the weather’s getting hotter, the skirts are getting shorter. So are attention spans and standards. If you’ve been waiting for a film that embraces all those big screen excesses that the summer months afford; time to wade in and get Waist Deep. (Focus Films)

Recently paroled two strikes felon O2 (Tyrese Gibson) gets wickedly carjacked in broad daylight on the streets of South Central, LA. An even bigger problem: his young son (H. Hunter Hall) was in the car. Employing the talents of the sexy clothes hustlin’ Coco (Meagan Good), who helped set him up to get jacked, O2 goes about trying to secure the $100,000 ransom demanded by the nefarious (and mellifluously named) Big Meat (The

Game) in two days time by willfully plunging himself in the middle of a gangland turf war. Aiding – or is he hindering? – the cause is O2’s undependable cousin Lucky (Larenz Tate), who’s got Meat-y problems of his own. With his feverishly knocking over banks and playing neighborhood stick-up kid, will O2 be able to live up to the promise he gave his son (“I’ll always come back for you.”)?

Believe it or not, this movie actually makes you care about the answer. A sometimes implausible but rousingly gritty hood flick, the wonderfully LA-centric Waist (Wessssside!) gets about as deep as a Michael Bay shoot-’em up. Set against an anti-violence, is-blood-thicker-than-water theme yet still indulging in tons of gunplay and gratuitous profanity, Waist Deep is a movie at war with itself, but agreeably so. The Darin Scott/Vondie Curtis Hall script – vice-filled, ebonics-laden, bullet-riddled – isn’t very sophisticated dialogue-wise, but some of the most entertaining ones aren’t, are they? It is, however, clever and energetic while offering more than passing commentary on the deep and wide schism between LA whites and Blacks, the haves and have-nots (driving down Sunset Blvd. for the first time, LA native Coco says, “Damn. This [stuff’s] like a whole other world.”). Establishing a nice, brisk tempo, Hall does a fine job of lusciously keeping Black folks in frame. Definitely not an up with people film that’s going to win any Image Awards, Waist Deep doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not – it’s just a straight up, Hip-Hop-based hood banger.

Good thing then that Watts-reared Tyrese is on board. Filling the bill-and lens-with his blackboard cool skin restrained by a simple ‘wife-beater’ tank top, Tyrese gives his most authentic, quietly charismatic performance to date. Sporting pouty, two-toned lips, Daisy Dukes, and heels stacked three stories tall to make her short frame seem to stretch out like the 405 freeway, Meagan Good, at least visually, surpasses her name, with the former child actress fully enjoying her several sex bomb moments. She is all grown up now, as her character Coco, a onetime single mother and product of the damaged foster care system, is an attitudinal, chain-smoking hoodrat. While Good isn’t consistently believable as an around-the-way girl, she IS consistently “good” to look at, with us being privy to the love affair between her and Hall’s camera. Larenz Tate, another LA native, is eminently believable/watchable as that screw-up cousin that we ALL have while The Game’s snarling film debut is brutal, harsh, but effective in a limited role (think a one-eyed, Nino Brown wannabe – with a machete). Oh yeah, and there’s a laughable cameo by Kimora Lee Simmons as well.

Sure, this flick’s got problems. A cheesy, albeit earned ending that’s about as plausible as a unicorn race. Somewhat superfluous but realistic use of F-bombs and N-words. And, of course, not the most flattering portrait of our people in our most commonly media reinforced economic state.

But this movie ain’t about all that. Waist Deep is a guilty pleasure. This is the type of film where people smoke and cuss, illegally discharge firearms, and nobody goes by their given name (O2, Coco, Big Meat, Lucky, Pookie and ’em…). Not every “Black film” needs to be socially responsible (hell, many the Hollyhood gatekeepers let slip by are downright offensive). Like ANY and EVERY film, it just needs to be ENTERTAINING. If your idea of entertainment is a pint-sized rapper on rollers who can’t act or a 6’5″ dude in drag throwing hot grits on people, well, bless your heart. You’ve obviously checked your brain at the box office. So go ahead and valet park that cerebral cortex with Waist Deep. It’s summertime.

Edwardo Jackson ([email protected]) is an author and LA-based screenwriter, visit his website at www.edwardojackson.com

India.Arie: All About Love, Pt 1

Everyone rides the love rollercoaster, but in the case of India.Arie, we’re privy to the usually private inner-machination of her love movements, since it manifests in the form of her music. With two platinum plus albums to her credit, 2001’s Acoustic Soul and 2003’s Grammy winning Voyage To India, her latest effort, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, offers an even more intimate glimpse into her psyche.

Her latest “affirmation,” as she calls it, “I Am Not My Hair,” features Akon, and visits the issue of African-American women and their hair. Regardless if the inspiration is a painful break up, a declaration of beauty or simply getting out and enjoying life, India.Arie has songs anyone can relate to. Her music, like a valid opinion, doesn’t aim to beat you over the head. She literally prays that it leaves an indelible mark on your soul, if need be. We took some time to reflect with the talented singer/songwriter while she was in New York to attend to some business.

AllHipHop.com Alternatives: Tell us about this new album, when did it start?

India.Arie: Well, I really started it right after my last album. There was a year of formulating it spiritually, and then I spent two years after that actually recording it. I’ve actually been working on it for three years.

AHHA: When you say after your last album, do you mean after it was completed and handed in to Motown?

India.Arie: After Voyage To India ran its course. I toured with it and I had all my singles, then I started recording this next one.

AHHA: Was there a spark or was it just that time?

India.Arie: No, I mean, I always write, but I knew it was time for me to start making an album when I had a lot that I needed to get out. My album is called Testimony Vol. 1: Life & Relationship. The stuff I needed to get out was all about relationships and the things I have learned about relationships, and about the healing process and about forgiveness and compromise and all that stuff that comes along when you’re in a relationship with somebody…when I was feeling all that to where it was overflowing.

AHHA: So songwriting is therapeutic for you?

India.Arie: Absolutely.

AHHA: Can you speak on that relationship breaking up? What happened?

India.Arie: We just broke up. But the thing that hurt about it was that I thought we were going to be together. That’s where the lessons started. You never know what things are going to look like. I started to really explore what things really looked like to me. Explore what I really wanted things to look like in my life, and just break through the barriers and all the expectations I held for myself and for that person. It was about what I have learned – my expectations being cracked open, but in a good way. Now anything is possible.

AHHA: Going back to your previous albums then, what was your motivation for each of those?

India.Arie: I don’t know. I know with Acoustic Soul I just had a collection of songs about things I’m learning, about life. But it wasn’t about being in a relationship so much because I wasn’t. It was a lot of stuff on there about calling love in. Affirming that it’s coming and all that. My second album was very much about being in a relationship and romantic ideals. I wanted to make a really happy album my second time just all about love.

My first album was a lot of, what I like to call life songs. Songs about the human condition like a “Come Back to the Middle,” “Promises,” – a song called “Always In My Head,” it’s about the love of music. “Brown Skin” was the only one, to me, that was very pointedly about relating to another person. And then [Testimony Vol. 1] is about a grounded expression about the lessons I’ve learned about being in a relationship. It’s just about the continuing process with me.

AHHA: What’s the process like musically?

India.Arie: Long! [laughs] The process was long. I wrote a lot of stuff. I picked my favorite stuff. I have my hands in everything. The more you know, the more you’re responsible for, like they say. I know more, so I was like, “This doesn’t sound right.” Just working harder to get things to sound the way I want.

AHHA: Do you start with a lyric, or strumming something on the guitar?

India.Arie: I start all kind of ways. I think that’s probably the thing that makes it slow. I don’t have a formula at all.

AHHA: Do you have a songwriting team?

India.Arie: I don’t have a constant, but I have friends that I enjoy working with, and when it works one time then I just keep trying it. I do have two people that I continue to work with, and that’s Shannon Sanders and Blue Miller. Then other people, and Mark Batson. Then there are other people who I just meet and try – it’s just always experimenting. Everything is a puzzle.

AHHA: Your music is so personal, but you’re an artist on a major record label. How do you balance art and commerce?

India.Arie: It’s just finding ways to balance art and commerce everyday. And just working at it – it’s not an easy thing to do. I listen to my heart. So however long it takes is just how long it takes, and that’s the part that can’t be pushed for me. It’s impossible. If it’s not done it’s not done. But then there are other way that art and commerce don’t mix so easy. But I’m finding ways to make it easier on myself.

AHHA: Have you always been comfortable in your own skin?

India.Arie: No, of course not.

AHHA: How long did it take before you were? Or are you comfortable?

India.Arie: Well it’s an ever increasing comfort level. With the song “Video,” people thought I was trying to say I got it all together, and I would continue to try to explain to people every chance I got; this song is an affirmation. Some days I feel great about myself, other days I don’t. But when I sing this, this is an affirmation because I believe that words have power. As the years go on I get more and more comfortable with myself, because I care less and less about what people think. There’s still people who matter, their opinions really matter and other people whose opinions don’t matter.

AHHA: So it’s an ongoing process?

India.Arie: I’m a human being. That’s what we do. We learn who we are a little more everyday. My process is documented in my music. I see how my life has been documented with each album. I was a little bit nervous about this one, ‘cause I thought it was too dark and melancholy, and something that people were not going to expect from me. But in the process of creating what I pray will be my big body of work, it’s another process in the evolution of myself as a person, as a woman. I honor that.

AHHA: So do you embrace revealing yourself in your music?

India.Arie: This is the most I’ve ever revealed, so we’ll see how I deal with it. My other music is very honest, but I didn’t have access to myself in the way that I do now. You know, I’m just growing. I embrace revealing myself in my songs. I have yet to understand if I can really embrace revealing my songs to the world. We’ll see. I’ve been doing show where I’m singing the songs and I get…it actually makes me laugh more than anything cause I’m like, “I’m saying this in front of these people,” ‘cause I spent so much time with it inside and like, protecting it, it was all just a very personal process. Now I’m singing these songs.

India.Arie: All About Love, Pt 2

AHHA: Atlanta is your home. As far as Atlanta Hip-Hop and the bad rap it’s getting about the images it portrays, do you agree or disagree?

India.Arie: My father is a Black man and I know, it’s almost like a superhero to come out of the ghetto. My father [former ABA and NBA player Ralph Simpson] had eight brothers and sisters, he was the oldest – my grandmother had him when she was 16. He still made it out of the ghetto, became a multimillionaire, he did it through sports. Nowadays, you want to look at it and have this political view like, athletes are coons. Yeah they got their money, but they did it through sports.

Ya know what? My father is the closest thing that you get to a superhero, ‘cause there’s Black men all over Africa who are dying of AIDS, don’t have anything. I feel that my father as a Black man is the closest thing you can get to just being a super man. I look at a lot of these brothers who do this Hip-Hop music and for them it’s a hustle. But they’re making it, they’re feeding their families and they’re making it and I respect it, because I love my people.

On the other hand, yeah, the images are very socially irresponsible. It makes me mad on a personal level. I feel like people should be held responsible for the things that they do. Sometimes people just are where they are in their evolution as a human being, and I can’t tell somebody that you gotta be like me or you’re wrong. Or somebody can’t tell me I gotta be like them or I’m wrong. We just are who we are. I don’t want to do that kind of music. There’s people who don’t want to do what I do. But I love my people and I always gotta make sure I make that clear, because every time they get young Black people together on a television show, they always want to talk about that. I’m tired of that.

Did I get a little mad? I think I got a little mad. My eyebrow got furrowed… I get tired of that. Don’t be talking about my people. I’m protective of my brothers.

AHHA: So who is to blame? At what point do you go from blaming labels to blaming the artists themselves, for these images being portrayed?

India.Arie: Everyone is responsible for what they do. People who buy it are responsible for what they do. The people who make it are responsible for what they do. I mean whatever it is that makes it marketable, every person who buys into that and thinks it’s okay, is responsible for what they do. Whether it’s from a corporate perspective or whether it’s the artist or the person who dances to it in the club – even though it’s talking about you, and they’re talking about you crazy, and you still think it’s okay.

I don’t think that I’m anyone to decide where they blame goes. I feel, that we all have a choice. Some people feel, “I don’t have a choice, this is my way, this is how I’m going to do it.” You have to respect that. It’s not what I want to do. But on a human level-and the world is too crazy to not be looking at each other as people, you have to see each other as people. That’s part of the problem.

AHHA: How does it make you feel when you first came into the game that, despite being a beautiful brown skinned woman, [your image] didn’t fit the “light skin with a whole lot of weave” template?

India.Arie: I’m fine with me. I’m blessed to be where I am. I know a lot of people who don’t get an opportunity to live out their dreams because of some of the same issues that you just addressed. I have friends who sing great, write great, and [may] not be able to get their thing really going because they’re gay. Some people might not be able to get their thing going because they don’t feel comfortable about their size. Everybody has hang ups. To have friends who sing great, and their parents told them, “You have to be a doctor,” so they don’t have the confidence inside to do this thing that God really made them to do.

I’m not going to sit here and act like I’m some kind of victim, I’ve been able to live my dreams and it could be better, it could be worse, whatever. I feel that I am in a unique position, I’m all that more grateful. Everybody doesn’t like everything. I have always felt like, all my life, that I was an acquired taste. There are people who love me, there are people who don’t, and it’s fine. I don’t need to push myself on anyone who doesn’t get me, or anyone who doesn’t feel me, or whatever. I just want whoever my music is for, to get a chance to at least hear it to make a decision of whether or not it touches them or not.

I’m not trying to act like there aren’t days or things that happen where I’m totally disappointed and angry about it or whatever. But in the end, I get to live my craft. I don’t wear anything I don’t want to wear, I don’t say anything I don’t want to say – I say what I do want to say, I sing what I want to sing. I get to travel, I get to meet people. And I know what the whole paradigm is as far as a woman’s place in the music industry, I get it. And I know that I don’t fit it. I couldn’t fit it if I wanted to and I don’t want to.

AHHA: Who are the people that your music is for?

India.Arie: One of my ongoing prayers is that God will take my music and let it touch each person that it’s for in whatever way that they need. That’s always been my goal. That the way that person needs it, if they do, my music is for them. I don’t know how to do that, but I know that prayer is real, and I know that God can. That’s my prayer and those are my intentions. I move through the world and people say I heard it here, I heard it there, I’ve used it in my class.

I get this emotion coming off of people and I know it’s not about me, but it’s about the music. I always want to thank those people cause they give me a sign that my prayers are being answered.

AHHA: It’s one thing theorize, but since your music has touched millions of people, does it ever get overwhelming?

India.Arie: [nods head yes]

AHHA: How do you deal with it?

India.Arie: I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure that out. Even as I grow as an artist and as a person, there comes more responsibility with it. And I always say, another of my ongoing prayers is for God to show me how I can be of service in the world. I have to get on a plane, I have to go to these places, and talk to these [people], it’s work. But I asked to be used, and I get used up [laughs]. But it’s what I asked for. I’m only going to be this person one time so I like to feel like I do as much as I can while I’m here this time. It gets overwhelming and I can see it getting more overwhelming. At a certain point I’m going to have a whole lot of responsibilities.

I remember the first time I was in this room I was doing media training. And that day I decided I was gonna be myself. We talked for an hour and a half and she was [like], “So what would you say if somebody ask you how your different from Erykah Badu?” We went through all these hard questions, then at the end of it I was like, I’m just going to be myself, I got it. That’s the decision I made. I think it’s sometimes more difficult to just be yourself that it is to have another persona that protects you. I’m actually using my life force energy to do all this stuff, it’s a huge responsibility.

Then I have just my personal stuff, my family, make sure that everybody is ok. When somebody’s name is not in my album credit, for real, it gets personal. I have to be on the phone like, “No auntie, I didn’t mean it that way. I just wanted to take a different direction with my album credits this time.” I’m responsible for a lot of people and I never thought, I was always the young one, the youngest one in the family, the smallest one, the quiet one, the secretive one, now I’m the one whose shining this light in my family in heaven and on earth. It’s a big responsibility. But, like I said, I welcome the challenge.

AHHA: Speaking of crazy worlds, at last night’s show you got a big applause over some comment you said about the Bush administration?

India.Arie: Yeah, what did I say? I was saying all kinds of stuff, did I say that?

AHHA: It was something about Bush…

India.Arie: Yeah…ya know, I have a second album called Testimony Vol. 2, Love & Politics, and I have this song on there called “Who The President Should Be.” I just feel like, I would like to see the world leaders be people who have a spiritual level of discernment. Where they’re actually connected to a higher energy so that they can guide people down the right path. The president should be more like a Dalai Lama, a spiritual leader.

The American President is kind of like this person who wants their ego stroked. That’s how most of them have been in my opinion. They want to win, it’s like a football game. It’s a competition. “I wanna win, I wanna win, I wanna win and be the leader, be the man.” Sometimes, especially the scarier the world gets, whoever is going to be our leader, this person should be connected to a higher truth. And I’m not talking about their religious affiliation, I’m talking about their spiritual connection. This is all my opinion. That right there speaks to how I feel about the Bush administration. But it’s not just about him, it’s about the way that our society is structured and how selfish we are and how ego driven you are.

AHHA: When you say “I wanna win,” the next question is what do you want to win and at what cost?

India.Arie: I just don’t like the idea. I’ve had this feeling for a long time that society way just going to have to just crumble all over the place before we’re like, “Ok, let’s fix this.” Something like recycling-to me, that kind of should have been a law a long time ago. I’m not trying to be metaphysical, I’m talking on a very mundane level. Put the glass here, put the paper here. I feel that way about the office of the presidency itself. If someone is going to be the leader of the most powerful nation in the world, this person should be capable of leading.

Sticky Fingaz: Black Superman

W

ith over 40 credits to his name, including roles as a producer and director, let it be known that Sticky Fingaz stands to soon be a household name. As “Slam” continues to get burn on greatest hits compilations, Sticky’s most recognizable feat may come as he takes over for Wesley Snipes as Blade: The Series. The Spike TV original program will find the black superhero conquering evil alongside Jill Wagner, formerly of Punk’d. The first episode premiers June 28th at 10PM. Now the same network that has the rights to The Warriors has the Hip-Hop audience in mind even more so.

As Sticky’s acting pushes the Queens New Yorker to new heights, Sticky still shows his old, unpredictable self in a look ahead at the show. With all the gala concerning the return of Superman, Kirk Jones isn’t afraid to son Clark Kent, and break his character down for the Hip-Hop community. If that role is anything like Sticky’s explanations, Wednesday nights just got a whole lot grimier.

AllHipHop.com: Congratulations on the Blade role. Do you think it will take long to convert all the Wesley fans and establish yourself as the official Blade?

Sticky Fingaz: Nope.

AllHipHop.com: Is there a difference in styles, Wesley is big on Martial Arts and Asian ladies, are you taking it to the streets or did you have to get your Kung-Fu skills up?

Sticky Fingaz: I’m definitely taking it to the streets. But, I did have to up my Kung-Fu game.

AllHipHop.com: Vampires are known for their game, but Blade, in the movies, never really got it poppin’ with the necro ladies. Does this Blade jump it off by getting his bite on?

Sticky Fingaz: Put it like this: Blade is still backed up.

AllHipHop.com: How do you think the Blade villains from the series would fare on the streets of Queens?

Sticky Fingaz: Being that the guy that plays Blade [Sticky Fingaz] is from Queens, New York, they’d probably be buried somewhere. Queens is not having it!

AllHipHop.com: The only other live-action superhero TV series on right now, Smallville, is based on Superman. Do you think Blade can hold his own against Superman, in the street throwin’ the one?

Sticky Fingaz: First of all, Blade doesn’t have any weaknesses. He’d find some Kryptonite and turn dude into a normal human…then snap his neck!

AllHipHop.com: What are your thoughts about Superman coming back, now without Christopher Reeve or Richard Pryor here?

Sticky Fingaz: I’m waiting to see, just like the rest of the world.

AllHipHop.com: A lot of people think there’s a Superman curse… since it’s TV star, George Reeves, killed himself, and we all know what happened to Chris Reeves. Wesley Snipes hasn’t been making movies as frequently as big as he was in the ‘90s. Could a “curse of Blade” exist?

Sticky Fingaz: If there is a curse, the show is cursed to be one of the biggest joints on TV! So I’ll be cursed and can’t walk the streets in peace.

AllHipHop.com: Aside from a reference in Superman III, Superman has yet to smash out Lois Lane. How long would it take Blade to sink his teeth into Lois or is he not a fan of white meat?

Sticky Fingaz: Both Blade and Sticky Fingaz don’t discriminate. We’d probably both turn her out in the same night.

AllHipHop.com: How important do you think it is for children [and adults for that matter] of color to have a superhero that looks like them?

Sticky Fingaz: It’s very important. I think this is a huge step. We came from pickin’ cotton, and now we superheroes. It’s a good look. Real talk!

AllHipHop.com: A lot of people are worried that this might be a drop off from the Trilogy, will the series be just as good or even better?

Sticky Fingaz: If you like the trilogy…you gonna love this.

AllHipHop.com: Aside from fighting evil demons lurking in the night, did you manage to get to the studio and lay down any tracks? I bet it’s really hard to rhyme with those fangs in your mouth…?

Sticky Fingaz: [Laughs] Yeah, I got a solo album coming top of next year and we working on an Onyx album called The Black Rock. And Blade don’t rhyme, I do…so the fangs aren’t an issue.

AllHipHop.com: What’s good on the musical side lately? What music are you feeling in ‘06?

Sticky Fingaz: Everybody’s kind of corny right now; I be bangin the mixtapes.

Bone Crusher: The Tipping Point

B

one Crusher had the world on his side just three years ago. His hit, “Never Scared” was a major muscle in moving Crunk from the clubs to the country club dance-floors. However, as his peers caked up on bigger deals, stronger marketing, and endorsements, Bone Crusher was lost in the Arista merger with Jive. In the three years since, Bone Crusher survived by way of album appearances with Chamillionaire and Young Jeezy, and a love of food.

Today Bone Crusher is beefing up his buzz and trimming the pounds. Like Bizarre and Biz Markie before him, Bone will be appearing in the new season of VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club. To benefit from the surge of watchers, 845 Entertainment will drop Release the Beast through the help of Roy Jones’ BodyHead Entertainment. Will the former frontman of Lyrical Giants get a career turnaround like David Banner, or is a more chiseled Bone Crusher going to use his frame to further the acting he jumped off in ATL? Going into the inevitable answer to that question, he’s still not scared.

AllHipHop.com: It’s been three years since your debut. What’s been going on since that time?

Bone Crusher: Man, It’s just been a lot of work, lots of s**t… lot of stuff that I had no control over. But now, we’re free, and the album is out July 18. I’ve been recording a lot man. I have like five albums.

AllHipHop.com: You’re free from what exactly?

Bone Crusher: The [merger] with Arista [to Jive] really f**ked a lot of people up. The Clipse got caught up in that whole thing, The Youngbloodz too.

AllHipHop.com: So is that why you’re not with So So Def anymore?

Bone Crusher: That’s exactly what it is. The whole thing was all because of what happened with Arista. J-Kwon too, you see he ain’t put nothing out in a while either. We were all in the same situation. Jive didn’t know any of us then, and they definitely don’t know now. So it was a bad deal all the way around.

AllHipHop.com: So you hooked up with Roy Jones & his BodyHead Entertainment. How did that connection come about?

Bone Crusher: My label, Van-glorious Entertainment, it’s a joint venture. I’m not signed to anybody, it’s my own company. We did a 50/50 deal.

AllHipHop.com: Is this just like a one album thing, or do you see it being permanent?

Bone Crusher: Right now, it’s one album, but it’s good. We’ll see how things go. You know, it depends on how things come out with this one album.

AllHipHop.com: So with your label, do you have a team of artists arranged already?

Bone Crusher: Oh yes, definitely. Young Twenty, they got a single called “Feeling Me.” They’re [coming out] right after me.

AllHipHop.com: So starting a label, would you say that was always something you wanted to do?

Bone Crusher: I mean, it was more of a means to an end. In this industry, so many people don’t last, and the only way to have longevity is for you to really know what’s going on behind the scenes with your career. It’s good to have more of a say-so in everything that goes on. My wife and I did the Van-Glorious Entertainment together.

AllHipHop.com: What was it that made you confident that Jones’ label was a perfect match for yourself?

Bone Crusher: You know, at the time, I was introduced to Roy Jones through my wife. She knew an affiliate of Jones and 845 Entertainment. So through that connection, everything came together. He had nationwide distribution, and nationwide distribution is definitely the way to go. That way, I’m in Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and so forth. The first single, it sounds like [Bone Crusher’s 2003 hit] “Never Scared,” and everybody is loving it for that reason.

AllHipHop.com: So is Release the Best copying AttenCHUN! that closely?

Bone Crusher: You already know. They can expect the same vibe from the last album. The first single is “Southern Gorillas,” and it ain’t nothin’ else after that.

AllHipHop.com: In what way have you been “released,” or how does the album title apply to you as an artist?

Bone Crusher: Hell, releasing me from the f**ked up labels. [laughs]

AllHipHop.com: Now I know you were big on cooking before you got with So So Def and did the first album…

Bone Crusher: Right…

AllHipHop.com: And now we see you’re doing Celebrity Fit Club 4. Obviously, your primary reason for getting involved is weight loss, but what else made you want to be a part of the show and challenge?

Bone Crusher: Besides me losing some weight, it was just another avenue for promotion, and a lot of stuff will come along with it.

AllHipHop.com: What’s your weight goal as a whole? How much do you figure you want to lose?

Bone Crusher: Well, I’ve already lost 30 pounds so far. Maybe another 70 pounds, and I’ll be good.

AllHipHop.com: Man, I can honestly commend you for it, because it’s hard as hell losing weight.

Bone Crusher: Yeah, it’s definitely hard. But this diet they have us on for Fit Club, it’s actually really good. You can easily lose 19 pounds over a couple of weeks.

AllHipHop.com: What kind of support have you had, not only from peers, but also from family?

Bone Crusher: The support-level has been really good. Everybody is like, “That’s good man, that’s good,” but I feel like I’m good. Once I get down to 300, I’ll probably be satisfied. But everybody loves it though.

AllHipHop.com: Going back to the music, what do you feel is in the future for you artistically? Do you see yourself doing albums of your own for very much longer?

Bone Crusher: I figure, maybe two more [albums] and I’m done. I’m not trying to go too much further than that. But then, my plan doesn’t really factor in, because whatever God’s plan is, that’s the way things will be.

Wyclef, Ying Yang Twins, Luke, Trina To ‘Sting Miami’

A host of rappers

will lend their talents to Sting Miami 2006, an event organizers described as

a "Woodstock style peace festival" scheduled to take place in September

2006 at the Miami Bayfront Park in Miami.

Wyclef Jean, Ying

Yang Twins, Beanie Man, Luke, Trina and others are featured in the lineup for

the event, which takes place September 24.

The event is being

staged by FSBO Media Holdings and Survival Four Inc.

"The Sting

Miami 2006 concert represents a new era for the company with the specific goal

of producing and promoting events of international standards and quality,"

said Survival Four Inc.’s CEO Nerissa Toney. "Our plan is to capitalize

on the brand name event like Sting, which has established itself as a true reggae/dancehall

brand internationally."

According to Toney,

other Sting events are being organized in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, England,

Germany, Australia and Japan.

"We believe

the general appeal of reggae, reggaeton, hip-hop and R&B will allow us to

draw huge crowds and tremendous attention to FSBO Media Holdings," added

Steve Bazsuly, Chairman of FSBO Media Holdings.

Bazsuly also noted

that the companies are in negotiations with R&B songstress Mary J. Blige

to complete the festival’s lineup.

Juelz Santana Hooks Up With German Record Label; Label Fights Against Government Ban

Dipset rapper Juelz

Santana is featured on a new German rap single, titled "Gangzta Mucke"

("Gangsta Music"), a track from the album Trendsetter by rapper

Fler.

Trendsetter

is a CD/DVD released by Aggro Berlin, one of Germany’s top rap labels.

which has distribution by US-based distribution company, Caroline.

The project, which

features a DVD of 20 videos titled "Aggro Videos," comes amid efforts

to ban rap overseas.

Aggro Berlin has

become a target of the ban the German government, as six of its albums have

been currently "flagged" due to what is deemed in Germany as "explicit

language" addressing sex, drugs, crime and violence.

The lyrical content

of the music has prompted the federal German agency known as "Bundesprüfstelle"

to "index" Aggro Berlin’s six albums on its official list.

"Bundesprüfstelle"

is responsible for examining media works that is allegedly harmful to young

people and entering these works onto an official list.

The process is

known as Indizierung (indexing) in German

Under German law,

once an item makes the list, artwork of any kind can then be banned at any time.

Despite the concerns,

Aggro Berlin says it supports the music’s expression because the artists

are intimately familiar with codes, violence and stories of the streets.

"I grew up

in a bad part of Berlin which I would describe as a typical German ghetto,"

German recording artist Fler told AllHipHop.com. "The neighborhood was

really bad and most of my childhood I spent hanging out with my homies in the

streets instead of going to school. I saw a lot of crazy things happening in

the streets like thefts, murders, rape, etc. and I also did a lot of crazy things

myself.

"The government

has forgotten about us long time ago, though most of the immigrants in our hood

were invited in the 70s to live and work here," Fler continued, citing

a life of crime as the end result of neglect from school teachers and others

looking down on lower class citizens.

"Thus, much

like that of the birth of Hip-Hop in the United States, rap music still stands

for a way to speak out not only against oppression but also in many cases to

demonstrate to the mainstream consistently the types of citizens it has created

when it elects to marginalize people according to race and class. Whether Germany

or the United States, there will always be those who are considered "outside"

and then even limited in their expression of that exclusion.

Trendsetter

by Fler will hit stores in October and a variety of digital retail outlets.

Rhymefest Sets July 11 Date For ‘Blue Collar’

Grammy Award winning

writer and MC, Rhymefest, has signed to Allido/J Records to release his highly

anticipated album, Blue Collar.

Production credits

on the album, which hits stores July 11, include Mark Ronson, Kanye West, Just

Blaze, NO-ID, Cool & Dre, Mike Payne and John Henry (Animal House Productions)

and Emile.

Rhymefest co-wrote

West’s#### "Jesus Walks," from West’s debut album, The College

Dropout. The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, while The College

Dropout earned Album of the Year in 2004.

Since the release

of his first single "Brand New" along with countless mixtapes and

a Grammy Award, Rhymefest has been dubbed the "one to watch" by critics

and fans alike.

According to Rhymefest,

the aptly titled Blue Collar is a reflection of everyday, real people.

Rhymefest offers an introspective look into the war in Iraq on the track "Bullet,"

featuring Citizen Cope.

The rapper also

explains the trouble with failing relationships in "All Girls Cheat,"

which features J Records label mate Mario. Other songs on the album include

"Fever," "Devil’s Pie," "Dynomite," "Sister"

and "Build Me Up," featuring the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

Rhymefest began

touring in the beginning of the summer with Method Man, Little Brother and Common

to support Blue Collar.

Upcoming tour dates

and venues will be announced soon.

Dallas Austin Arrested In Dubai For Drugs

Revered R&B

and Hip-Hop producer Dallas Austin has been detained in a Dubai prison for allegedly

transporting illegal drugs into the Arab country.

According to the

New York Daily News, the producer was traveling to model Naomi Campbell’s birthday

party last month when he was incarcerated.

The report did

not indicate what illicit drugs the producer was accused of holding.

Austin has crafted

beats for the likes of Madonna, Michael Jackson, Brandy, TLC, Aretha Franklin,

the Indigo Girls and Boyz II Men, Fishbone and owns Rowdy Records.

Campbell’s celebration

was held over the course of three-days at the Burj Al Arab hotel. Dubai has

very little tolerance for illicit drugs.

According to the

Dubai government’s official website, penalties for possession, use or trafficking

of illegal substances can result in jail sentences for the offender.

In extreme cases,

the death sentence for convicted drug traffickers is imposed, while possession

of small quantities of various drugs can result in length jail sentences.

Representatives

for Austin weren’t available for comment at press time.

Rapper The Game To Wed Actress Valeisha Butterfield In March 2007

Compton rapper The Game has confirmed that he is engaged to actress Valeisha Butterfield and

the two will be married in March of 2007.

In a recent edition of Sister 2 Sister magazine, the rapper confirmed rumors that he was engaged. He also revealed that he gave Butterfield a 19-carat engagement ring.

The two have selected March 22, 2007 to be wed, the date being the anniversary of his proposal to Butterfield, who has small roles in Remember The Titans and Road Trip.

“I was just as surprised as my family and everybody was,” Butterfield told Sister 2 Sister when The Game proposed. “I didn’t pass out, but I buckled and he caught me. We never dated, that’s the thing; we went from being friends to being engaged.”

Lil’ Jon, Hilary Duff and others were present at a private engagement dinner that was held in California to celebrate to couple’s union. Butterfield is also the daughter of North Carolina Congressman GK Butterfield, who reportedly gave the gangster rapper “the third degree” upon their first meeting.

Fans of the rapper can see him on the silver screen as “Big Meat” in the movie Waist Deep, which opened yesterday (June 23) and stars R&B singer/rapper/actor Tyrese Gibson Meagan Good and Larenz Tate.