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Foot-Long ‘Snoop Doggs’ Coming To Grocery Stores

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Snoop Dogg recently

inked a deal with Platinum One Media to launch a new business with the rapper

– foot-long hot dogs.

According to the Boston Herald, the rapper’s latest venture

is “Snoop Doggs,” a new hot dog line launching with partners Franco

Petrucci and Jeff Earp.

Earp is a former owner of a Joe & Nemo’s in Massachutsetts,

a popular hot dog business that was started in 1909.

“There aren’t any celebrity hot dogs out there,”

Snoop’s brother and business manager Bing Worthington told the Herald.

“Who’s the competition? Ball Park?….Imagine a long, skinny hot

dog just like Snoop.”

The rapper’s line of hot dogs is being made in Massachusetts

and will hit grocery stores in January.

Snoop takes advantage of everything,” Bing said. “This

rap money isn’t long. Just ask MC Hammer.”

In related news, Snoop’s film “Boss’n Up”

will be released Dec. 6. The movie features Snoop starring as Corde Christopher, a broke and frustrated grocery clerk who turns to pimping to earn

money.

According to a

press release, “Corde must choose between the downward spiral of the fast

life and the self-realization of whether he is a pimp or a man.”

Beanie Sigel Launching Publishing Company

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

When Beanie Sigel

was serving time in jail, the readings the rapper read inspired him to start a

book publishing company.

The rapper said that works of urban/street novelists like Teri

Woods Publications, Vickie Stringer of Triple Crown Publications and veteran

scribes like Iceberg Slim and Donald Goines.

Beanie Sigel told AllHipHop.com, "Being in jail, I had

the time to sit down and read a lot of books. I was reading a lot of dudes that

wrote books while in jail, guys that have scripts and things."

Sigel admitted, while his idea isn’t wholly original, it would

provide occasion for convicts to have a chance and break the cycle of prison

bids many fall to.

"It’s the whole Vickie Stringer thing of how she was locked

up and started a publishing company. That’s what I would be getting my book

[ideas] from, people that are incarcerated," he explained. "So, this

is an opportunity to give them a chance, because I was there with them. That’s

what I’m going to be doing."

Beanie Sigel’s real life has read like a novel from Stringer,

Goines or Woods.

In September, Sigel was acquitted of attempted-murder charges

in a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania court and was released from jail in August after

serving nine months on gun possession.

Last month, Sam Derry, Sigel’s stepfather was murdered and his

body was found badly burned and dumped in a Philadelphia alley.

The rapper has

had a number of other legal issues including a 2003 assault case from 53-year-old

man who alleges that Sigel fractured his eye socket.

Chicago Producer Files $10 Million CounterClaim Against Kanye West

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Chicago, Illinois

producer Eric “E-Smoove” Miller and his label, Focus Music Group,

have filed a $10 million dollar counterclaim against superstar rapper Kanye West

regarding several recordings West allegedly produced when he was younger.

In August, West filed a suit alleging that Miller and Focus

Music Group created fake documents, forged his signature and tried to sell songs

he recorded before he was 18.

Miller is seeking $10,485,000 in damages in the counter lawsuit,

claiming that West recorded and co-produced eight vocals and two instrumentals

for an album to be released through the label.

Miller’s suit states that West served as an associate

producer for the label until 1996 and that the rapper turned 18 before he recorded

the tracks.

Miller and his label also maintain that West agreed that FMG

would own the Masters to the recordings.

Miller has produced recordings for Janet Jackson, Total, Michael

Jackson, Al Jareau, Marvin Gaye and others.

In 2001 he was nominated for a Grammy Award for his remix of

Sunshine Anderson’s#### “Heard it All Before.”

The lawsuit is requesting Miller the right to use the Masters

without West’s consent

Miller is represented by Randolph D. Phifer, Esq., the Managing

Partner at Phifer & White, P.C. in Detroit, Michigan, consultant Jeffrey

H. Brown, Esq., a partner at Michael Best & Friedrich LLP in Chicago, Illinois

and consultant Joseph A. Spiriti Jr., Esq. of Joseph A. Spiriti Jr., P.A. in

Miami, Florida.

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Experience & Education

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Reviews / Music

Artist: Sadat XTitle: Experience & EducationRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Jessica Dufresne

As New York as the Yankees, dirty water dogs, Carhartts, and the subway, Sadat X represents the city and its Hip-Hop glory days. But those days aren’t necessarily a wrap, despite all the talk about the city’s crown being taken away by the South. Just like finding most good music nowadays, you’ve got to dig deeper than the surface—and if you search hard enough, this album will be your reward.

After a substantial hiatus, the God MC emerges nearly10 years after his first solo, with Experience & Education (Female Fun Records). Armed with just industry respect because of no major label backing, buzz, a video, or mainstream radio spins, the former Derek X supplies 14 tracks of what his hometown’s been missing. There are no cliché club or ladies songs here and no gimmicks, but what you do get however, is just plain ‘ol good rap music. On point production by Diamond D, Minnesota, DJ Spinna, Agallah, amongst others, lay the foundation for X and his guests to spin tales of nearly everything you can think of. The album starts off with the solemn chant, “God is back in town” and Sadat explaining that he just fell back for a minute, but that he’s still mentally and physically strong. And when the resounding DJ Spinna beat comes in and that trademark nasal flow gets going, you know the God is indeed back.

In a prime example of how he spits about everyday life, “The Daily News” is an interesting ride through some stories in the actual New York City newspaper, which ran on a certain October day. The track is complete with sounds of Sadat turning pages and chirping birds in the distance, making you feel like he’s sitting next to you on a park bench reciting the day’s events. Right afterwards comes the hard-hitting “Back to New York,” where the Wild Cowboy comes hard repeating what he’s heard people say and his own feelings about the Big Apple losing its place: “Saying NY don’t hold down that slot no more/We ain’t making people get up on the dance floor/ We rhyming like other n#####/Dressing like other n#####/using other n#####’ slang when that ain’t our thang.” X ends the song by assuring heads that he’ll hold the city down—and he already has with this release.

It’s likely that Experience & Education will bore those used to the mass-produced rap formula. It’s also a safe bet that the return of Sadat X will only interest his longtime fans—but that’s okay because the God is back and it feels like he never left.

TheLoneliest Punk

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Reviews / Music

Artist: FatlipTitle: TheLoneliest PunkRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Max Herman

Fatlip will always be known as one of the most animated MCs in Hip-Hop. With his gruff, bluesmen-esque tonality and naturally comedic approach, Fatlip never fails to steal the show. But ever since he got kicked out of The Pharcyde some ten years ago, he just hasn’t been around enough to keep his rep up. Hence why on his rare 12” single—2000’s aptly titled “What’s Up Fatlip?”—he poked fun at his absence from the game, amid many other insecurities, as he rapped, “Yeah, I’m a brotha, but sometimes I don’t feel Black / My girl is white, my game ain’t tight / n##### who ain’t seen me in a while be like, ‘Dude, you aight?’”

After dropping this self-deprecating single in 2000, Fatlip spent another five years lurking in the shadows of Hip-Hop. Now in 2005 he’s finally reemerging with his highly enjoyable full-length debut, TheLoneliest Punk (Delicious Vinyl).

Whether he’s rhyming with a bluesy flow or just kicking straight-ahead raps, Fatlip sounds like he’s having as much fun now as he did on The Pharcyde’s classic 1992 debut album, Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde. Sure Fatlip is no longer a kid. But even when he digs into grown man issues (i.e. baby mama drama, having trouble paying the bills, etc.), he maintains his lively delivery. And as usual, he always kicks nothing but the truth. As Fatlip demonstrates on one of the album’s most revealing tracks, “Writers Block,” his inability to lie has played a large part in his absence from the game. Not becoming one of the many fictitious gangstas on the mic, Fatlip divulges that: “I wish I could make people believe that I slang keys and duck thieves / but I’m sorta like a f###### dweeb / and that don’t sell / I never been shot or been to jail / but I’m beginning to wish I had been / just to put it down on a pad with a pen.”

Despite his bad case of writer’s block, what he’s been through the past few years has completely reignited this charismatic MC. From heatedly documenting his daily hustle (“Joe’s Turkey”) to sharing comical tales of trying to pick up ladies (“Cook”), Fatlip clearly had plenty of inspiration in creating this album. He even takes time to offer his eldest son some reassuring advice on the optimistic closing-track “Dreams.” And with Squeak E Clean, Pharcyde producer J-Swift and himself behind the boards, a nice mixture of blues, jazz and funk-infused beats provide the perfect backdrops for Fatlip’s animated flows.

The one potential drawback to this album is the amount of interludes, with there being one in between almost every song. But while there may only be ten full songs featured, every moment on TheLoneliest Punk proves to be entertaining—even if it’s just a recorded phone message. Welcome back Fatlip.

Overnight Celebrity

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Reviews / Music

Artist: Sun.N.Y.Title: Overnight CelebrityRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Danielle Stolich

Most fans know SunN.Y. as the undefeated freestyle champ from Atlanta’s HOT 107.9-FM and later, BET’s ever-popular 106th & Park. His ability to reign supreme for seven weeks straight on BET caught the attention of music mogul Jermaine Dupri, making SunN.Y. the first new artist signed under JD’s presidency at Virgin Records. SunN.Y.’s debut, Overnight Celebrity (SoSo Def/Virgin Records) is a twelve track testament to the skills that got him signed (the kid is nice); however it does little to set him apart from his competitors.

Overnight Celebrity opens with the Chad West-produced “S.O.H (Soul of a Hustla)” where SunN.Y. describes the innermost thoughts of a hustler in first-person over a somber track with a twinkling piano. “I’m on the corner where the Remy pour, crack flow and the dimes/Goons patiently waiting in cuts to clap nines/Playing ‘em like curtains when it’s cued, it’s showtime/ Action! Taking yo’ shine/ You shook wit a look like ‘N*gga what’s on yo’ mind/No questions all he know now what’s yours is mine/ That 44 flash could make a victim go blind/ The next flash you’ll meet the maker of all kind.”

With lyrics like that, it’s crystal clear that SunN.Y.’s strength lies in his imagery and detailed storytelling abilities, which shine heavily on “S.O.H” as well as album standouts “Same Corner”, “Luv 4 Me” and “Life of a Hustla.” His flow is melodic and neutral in the sense where fans from any region can feel his style. This is evident on “Same Corner” where he spits hood tales that anyone from Any Hood, USA can relate to. On the head-nodding “Luv 4 Me” SunN.Y. gets introspective and speaks on his struggles before the record deal. Over soulful, sped-up vocals and violins, he cautions “And handouts is costly, watch those that help ya/Same hands that turned you down tell the town they felt ya/And they say it’s wrong for you to throw it up in they face/And what about that b*tch Kiana that kicked me out of her place/Well I thank her for that, it ain’t no beef between us/Because of her, millions of people’ll hear my name through the speakers.”

While Overnight Celebrity has its highs, there are a few low moments. Trying hard to prove himself as not just another battle rapper but as an artist who can create songs, joints like “Gucci Kicks” and the corny ode to the ladies, “Baby Girl” sound like cliché attempts to appeal to the females and commercial fans. These songs seem forced, especially after a listen to what SunN.Y. is capable of on the album’s stronger tracks.

Overall, Overnight Celebrity is a solid debut that is worth checking. Although this material is likely to appeal to the BET/MTV fan base, with time SunN.Y will discover his own voice, proving to the world he is far from being “106 and Park with the flow.”

‘Run’s House’ A Hit, MTV Renews Series In Record Time

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Hip-Hop legend

Rev. Run has scored another hit with his MTV reality series “Run’s

House,” as the hit show has been picked up for another season.

MTV renewed the show, which has been one of MTV’s top-rated

shows after airing only three episodes – making it one of the network’s

fastest pickups in history.

Run attributed his success to his family values and his deep

spiritual beliefs, which are featured on the show.

“My

show is to preach by letting you look at my life on television,” Run told

AllHipHop.com. “Look at the way I raised my kids, look at the way I treat

my wife. That’s my ministry. Look at me on MTV and say ‘wow, I like

this guy. I don’t really give a big sermon on that show, but my life is

a sermon.”

According to Nielsen Media Research statistics, in the week

ending Oct. 30, “Run’s House” was ranked #5 in the Top 10

Ad Supported Cable Shows in the lucrative 18-35 market.

The show has also been MTV’s fourth most viewed show since

making its October debut.

The show is executive produced by Run’s older brother

Russell Simmons as well as veterans Stan Lathan and John Davies.

Sean "Diddy"

Combs acts as executive producer as well, along with Jac Benson, Tony DiSanto

and Jason Carbone.

According to Carbone, the family-oriented theme of the show

has helped to attract a larger audience.

“It’s

an unscripted sit-com starring one of the legends in hip-hop and at the end

of the day it’s infinitely appealing over a broad demographic,”

executive producer Jason Carbone told AllHipHop.com. “It presents situations

that are universal.”

Rev. Run agreed with Carbone’s assessment of the show’s

success.

“It’s

a show that people fall in love with they fall in love with the reverend,”

Rev. Run told AllHipHop.com. “How I don’t know, how could hip-hop

and this world fall in love with the rev and his family? I don’t know

but they did and we were picked up.”

U of GA Dairy Dept. Names Calves After Rappers

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

The University of

Georgia’s Dairy Farm has paid honor to some of pop culture’s greatest

contributors, by naming calves after various famed celebrities, including Jay-Z,

Snoop Dogg, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Coolio and Ludacris.

According to Red and Black, a newspaper aimed at the University

of Georgia community, twelve calves at the Animal and Dairy Science Department’s

dairy farm were named after various hip-hop artists when students ran out of

names for male calves.

Students working at the university’s dairy farm are animal

science and agricultural majors who are preparing for work in their respective

fields, including the farming and veterinarian industries.

The students work with world-class cattle of all breeds, while

making contact with leaders in various related industries.

Some of the females were named after popular designers, like

Dolce and Chanel. The Red and Black reported that in previous years, calves

were named after popular Presidents of the United States.

The student-run Red and Black was founded in 1893.

The newspaper was

a property of the University of Georgia for 87 years before becoming independent

by the State Board of Regents in 1980.

Resolution Seeking U.S. Government Records On Tupac Introduced

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Georgia House of Representative

member Cynthia McKinney (D) has introduced House Resolution 4210, a new bill that

calls for the United States government to release all documents it has collected on slain rapper,

Tupac Shakur.

Like many, McKinney believes the government was monitoring the

rapper when he was gunned down on the Las Vegas strip in 1996 after attending

a Mike Tyson fight.

Tupac was shot on Sept. 7, 1996 as he rode in the passenger

side of a BMW driven by Death Row CEO Marion “Suge” Knight, who

suffered minor wounds.

The rapper died seven days later from multiple gunshot wounds,

sparking conspiracy theories that ranged from a hip-hop rivalry, to a gang hit,

to government conspiracies.

HR 4210 calls for “the creation of the Tupac Amaru Shakur

Records Collection at the National Archives; and a second repository at the

Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in Stone Mountain, Georgia.”

The Tupac Amaru Shakur Center in Stone Mountain opened Jun.

11, 2005.

The multi-million dollar facility’s construction was spearheaded

by Tupac’s mother, Afeni Shakur, and was mostly funded by royalties received

from the deceased rapper’s albums, DVD’s and film projects.

Tupac’s godmother, Assata Shakur was also a member of

the Black Panthers and the Black Liberation Army.

In a controversial trial and ruling, Assata was convicted of

shooting a state trooper and spent six years in prison.

She escaped the prison’s “deplorable conditions”

in 1979 and in 1984, fled to Cuba, where she was shielded from prosecution by

Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

She was recently placed on a government terrorist watch list

and the United States government recently announced a $1 million reward for

her capture.

In Sept. 2005, McKinney announced her plan for the Tupac Shakur

resolution at the Congressional Black Caucus’ Annual Legislative Conference

at a workshop titled "Countering Culture: COINTELPRO Attacks On Political

Musicians."

The bill is modeled

after McKinney’s 2002 HR 5762, which calls for the “expeditious

disclosure of records relevant to the life and assassination of Reverend Doctor

Martin Luther King, Jr.”

Floetry Preps ‘Flo’ology’, Signing Autographs In NYC

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Grammy nominated group

Floetry is scheduled to host autograph signings in New York this week to support

their new CD, Flo’ology. Group members Marsha

Ambrosius and Natalie Stewart will be signing copies of the album at Borders

at 10 Columbus Circle on Nov. 8 at 12 PM.

On Thursday Nov.

10, the girls will head Uptown to Carol’s Daughter at 24 W. 125th Street,

where they will sign CD’s starting at 6pm.

The first single

and video from Flo’ology is “SupaStar" featuring Common.

The album explores

the concept of romantic relationships and boasts production from Scott Storch,

Rafael Saadiq and Whiteleaf Productions.

“Flo’ology

is about women taking more responsibility for what goes on in our lives,”

Stewart said of the album. “Now that Marsha and I are more mature, we’ve

come to a better understanding of ourselves, and naturally that’s reflected

on the album.”

The group has stayed

busy since the release of their debut Floetic’ and the follow-up,

Floacism (Live).

The South East

London duo recently completed the Kool Philosophy Tour with The Roots and the

Sugar Water Festival Tour with Queen Latifah, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott.

Additionally, they

penned the chorus to Styles P’s#### “I’m Black” and Ambrosius

is featured on The Game’s “Start from Scratch.”

The group will

head back to the UK in Dec. for a stint at the Jazz Café the 14th-18th.

Flo’ology

hits stores tomorrow (Nov. 8).

Russell Simmons Launches Def on Demand, Issues Statement About The Source

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Simmons/Lathan Media

Group has teamed up with Comcast cable to launch Def on Demand (DOD), a On-Demand

channel dedicated to Hip-Hop and Urban music.

DoD which will be the first on demand video devoted to the lifestyle

of the Urban Culture and will be a free service through Comcast’s On Demand

feature.

“The channel will feature lots of stuff that core hip-hop

fans are going to love,” Simmons told AllHipHop.com. “Fans will

also get the underground hip-hop and fun stuff too.”

The new lifestyle channel will feature new and exclusive content

from new videos to exclusive biographies and interviews from artists like 50

Cent, Paul Wall, Nas, Damon Dash and many others.

"With over $1 trillion a year in spending power, hip-hop

consumers, ages 13-34, have become the driving force of a great movement in

popular culture by uniting fans across racial lines,” said Will Griffin

CEO of DoD. “With DoD, we are creating a cutting edge channel that will

fill a huge void and pent-up demand in both the genre of Hip-Hop and Urban music

as a whole."

In addition to music programming, DoD will also feature sports

and celebrity driven documentaries.

Each month DoD will also feature different themes centered around

the culture of Hip-Hop and host will a variety of VJ personalities.

The first month is scheduled to be centered around one of hip-hop’s

most enduring tools- the mixtape.

Founding sponsors include Coca-Cola, General Motors and Reebok.

The company is also backed by Syndicated Communications and Pacesetter Capital

Group, the leading private equity funds in urban media.

DoD is scheduled to launch in Comcast’s On Demand menu November

11th. A listing of markets that the service will debut in is listed below.

In related news, Simmons has responded to recent chatter that

he has plans on purchasing embattled hip-hop magazine The Source.

In a statement

released yesterday, Simmons expressed zero interest in any business affiliation

with the magazine and wished the magazine luck.

Tony Yayo: Real Thoughts

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Features

Meet the other side of a predicate felon. While every Hip-Hop fan is familiar with Tony Yayo’s criminal background and history within the music industry, AllHipHop.com decided to give you the lighter side of G-Unit’s O.G.. While promoting 50 Cent’s new video game, Bulletproof and introducing his own game, Free Yayo, Tony Yayo touches on things you won’t believe. From violence in the media, to racism, to Big Daddy Kane, to first cars and chick flicks, this is the Yayo that some Rap critics never considered.

Tony Yayo: What’s good AllHipHop, what y’all talking about today – Cam getting shot?

AllHipHop.com: [Laughter] That was yesterday, yeah.

Tony Yayo: Yeah, it’s f**ked up man. That’s why I got a bulletproof instead of a Ferrari.

AllHipHop.com: [Laughter] You ain’t getting caught in a Ferrari – huh?

Tony Yayo: Nope, my s**t stops AK’s and everything. I’m good. But what’s good?

AllHipHop.com: I know you are promoting 50’s new video game – Bulletproof – so can you tell us about the game and what the storyline is all about?

Tony Yayo: Well, what makes this different from any game on the market is, it’s written by the legendary Terry Winters. He is the person who wrote to the Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ movie. So that is what makes it a good game and of course, you know it has a good storyline because he wrote it. And the game has me, 50, Buck, and Banks in it. In the game, I’m an expert on bombs. Banks is an electronics expert who can pick doors and things like that. Buck is like the fastest runner in the game.

AllHipHop.com: What video games did you play growing up?

Tony Yayo: My favorite game was Mike Tyson’s Punch Out for the first Nintendo. “Glass Joe” – that was my s**t right there. Cobra was ill. Nintendo had a lot of ill games back in the day. [Then] of course, Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat for the Super Nintendo. I always been a game fanatic though. I just bought Warriors.

AllHipHop.com: Yeah, I heard that’s a hot game.

Tony Yayo: Yeah, I am waiting for our game to come out so bad that I had to buy one today. So I just bought it this morning. I also like Live ’06 right now. I’m not really into Madden like I used to be, I’m more of a basketball fan. I’m into action games like Punisher, where you have kill moves. That’s why our game is so ill, because we have the special kills. I was playing our game for two hours. I just came from Las Vegas because we had 50’s movie premier and everybody was there – 50, Jimmy Iovine, Paul Rosenberg, Floyd Mayweather – there was a lot of people. But they had a room with nothing but flat screens and you could play video games. I was playing our game for about two hours – for real.

AllHipHop.com: Many are blaming violent video games, like Grand Theft Auto, for violent acts by younger kids these days. But why do you think people focus on things like video games and Hip-Hop, and say they influence violence, but not movies. I mean, Arnold Schwarzenegger has killed thousands of people in movies, and now he is the governor.

Tony Yayo: Yeah, of course. Look at movies like The Matrix – millions of bullets flying everywhere and you don’t hear nobody complaining. People always need something to blame things on. If somebody gets shot, they automatically blame it on G-Unit. We are only giving you the harsh realities of our life and what’s going on in the hood and in the streets. I just got out of jail, so right now I’m just chillin’. I’m just trying to get more money and more money. But Hip-Hop always gets blamed. Look at a movie like Scarface. That movie is the reason why a lot of people want to sell drugs. Am I right?

AllHipHop.com: Yeah, that movie has had a huge influence on Hip-Hop.

Tony Yayo: Look at a movie like Godfather III. When that came out in 1990, the Sunrise Movie Theater got shot up. That movie is the reason why they put metal detectors in the Sunrise in Queens. I think it’s the media, because they always give us a bad rap, but dudes are just trying to get their money. Now that we are out the ‘hood, we are not selling drugs or shooting people, even though the media portrays us as doing so. We are in more trouble now because of the media.

AllHipHop.com: Do you think this boils down to racism?

Tony Yayo: I can’t say everybody is a racist, because it’s not like that. Some people are racist, don’t get me wrong, because I have seen it in my new neighborhood. I live in a White neighborhood now. Some of my neighbors are cool, but some are slimy. Just the other day a White lady told my daughter not to touch her and my daughter is only two years old. It is what it is though. Some people are like that. I’m not racist myself. I’m not in a gang. My gang is G-Unit and that is a universal gang. So I don’t’ care if you are Latin King, Blood or Crip, it is what it is.

AllHipHop.com: When racism hits your family like that, how do you react? Especially when it?s close to home.

Tony Yayo: Some people are just ignorant and I don’t let it bother me. Racism has been around forever – long before mine and your time – and it’s always going to be here. Look at [the recent incident in] Toledo.

AllHipHop.com: Nah, what happened.

Tony Yayo: Nazi’s walked through the middle of Toledo.

AllHipHop.com: Damn, thats crazy. On aother note, 50 has mentioned that Rakim has had a big influence on him…

Tony Yayo: Of course, Rakim has had a big influence on the entire Rap game. My biggest influence is Big Daddy Kane. He was one of my favorites back in the days.

AllHipHop.com: I was gonnna ask you that, because you are an artist that makes the gritty street songs, but also the party/sex songs. So Kane has had more of an influence on you than say Kool G. Rap or LL Cool J?

Tony Yayo: I would say Kane because he had records that hit the club, but they were still street. “Warm It Up, Kane” was a big club joint back in the day. So I feel like, as an artist, you can make those gritty street records, but you also have to make them records that can kill the clubs, or the records for the ladies – but at the same time, you are still being you.

AllHipHop.com: Do you remember your first memory of Hip-Hop?

Tony Yayo: I think one of my biggest memories of Hip-Hop was “Self Destruction,” with KRS, D-Nice, Queen Latifah, Monie Love [Yayo starts rapping] – “Self destruction, you headed for self destruction.” When all the rappers got together and made one record, that was my biggest memory.

AllHipHop.com: What about album wise? Which album did you listen to so much that you broke the tape?

Tony Yayo: Run-DMC’s [self-titled LP]. That is when I first had my boom box and me and my brother had to share everything. So we had the boom box with the two cassette players and we had no batteries, so we plugged it up to the socket by the porch – and that tape popped.

AllHipHop.com: Do you think people label you as unapproachable, since you are perceived as a gritty dude?

Tony Yayo: Yeah, a lot of people think I am unapproachable until they talk to me and realize I’m a good dude. I am just a loyal dude. I’m a rider man – that’s what I am. If you are my man, it could be me and you in the club against 30, and I’m gonna get my ass kicked with you, instead of saying I was in the bathroom, by the bar, or messing with a girl. I’m gonna get my ass kicked with you and that’s just how I am. If you are my man and I’m spending the night at your house, and your wife is walking around, then I’m gonna walk around in sweatpants and a shirt, instead of a wife beater and boxers. That’s just me – ya heard.

AllHipHop.com: Do you remember what your very first car was?

Tony Yayo: I never had a first car.

AllHipHop.com: You never had one?

Tony Yayo: Nope.

AllHipHop.com: When did you get your first car, when you were with G-Unit?

Tony Yayo: Yeah, I got an Escalade first. Oh no, I actually had a Hummer first. I was locked up at the time and I never got to drive it because they blew the engine in the car.

AllHipHop.com: Why didn’t you have a car before the Rap game?

Tony Yayo: Because I was just busy doing my thing. I was struggling. I didn’t have the money to buy the car that I wanted. I had my own apartment though. But the car I wanted I couldn’t afford, so why get something and struggle for it. You know how some people go beyond they means?

AllHipHop.com: Yeah, then they are broke and working two jobs because they bought the car.

Tony Yayo: Yeah – I’m not stupid like that. If you can’t afford to buy two, then don’t get it.

AllHipHop.com: Is there any CD in your collection that may surprise fans? Any different types of genres of music you listen to?

Tony Yayo: Let me think – I listen to a lot of old school Soul mixtapes. Stuff with Gregory Abbott, Anita Baker, The Gap Band, the stuff like that.

AllHipHop.com: Hypothetically – say you’re with a woman and you have to put on one chick movie – which one do you grab?

Tony Yayo: I would pick that movie Pretty Woman. Remember that movie, where he takes the h##### and spends all that money? That would be the smartest movie to put on. All females love that movie.

AllHipHop.com: If you could have lunch with any historical figure or celebrity who has passed, who would it be and why?

Tony Yayo: I would say Biggie Smalls.

AllHipHop.com: What would you guys talk about?

Tony Yayo: I would ask him, “How did you learn how to rap like that?” [Chuckles] We would talk about a number of things, like what he would have done in the future? Was he going to start his own label?

AllHipHop.com: With 50’s new movie coming out, do you have a role in it?

Tony Yayo: Nah, I’m not in the movie because I was out promoting my album, Thoughts Of A Predicate Felon. Nobody is in the movie from the crew.

AllHipHop.com: When you are not in the studio, what are you doing in your free time?

Tony Yayo: I just chill with my homies, play video games, but I really spend a lot of time with my daughter. She is two years old and I had my daughter in jail. She is real special to me and she gets bigger every time I see her.

AllHipHop.com: I know you are on the road and promoting constantly, so how tough is it to balance your career and your family life?

Tony Yayo: Yeah, it’s very hard. But my daughter has to eat and she needs a home over her head. As she gets older, she will understand why daddy wasn’t around like that. But for right now, this is my life and this is what I have to do. She will understand when she gets older, because the same money that I’m making now is the same money that will put her through college.

AllHipHop.com: Any last words?

Tony Yayo: I appreciate you interviewing me, I appreciate y’all having me. My album, Thoughts Of A Predicate Felon, is out now. Thank you to everybody who bought it. My next single is, “I Know You Don’t Love Me,” and the video is going to be real big.

El-P: Bombin’ the System

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Features

Producers are growing on trees lately. Despite a surplus of rappers in 2005, it’s still not easy to make money pushing beats. Often, bedroom producers think they can make a buck doing film-work. Producer/emcee El-P has adjusted with the times and recently scored the just-released independent film, Bomb the System.

Like the “End to End Burners” track, a song from his former group Company Flow, the film deals largely with graffiti. El reveals his thoughts on the film, based upon his own experiences as well – holding it down for the graf heads. That’s not all either, He discusses Def Jux’s recent signings, plus some more on Cage’s hot-topic album of 2005. For anybody who wanted to score a movie, bomb a freight, or start a million-dollar indie, El-P is worth the time.

AllHipHop.com: How were you approached to score Bomb the System?

El-P: They just kinda approached me. They had been editing and writing the movie to my music, anyway. That’s what they told me. Fantastic Damage was a big part of writing the s**t. When I saw the footage, and I saw what they had, a lot of my music was already in there from the album. I guess they were like, “F**k it, let’s just try and get El to do some new s**t for us.”

AllHipHop.com: Murs with Walk Like a Man said he doubted the credibility in being approached with his project. I’m sure plenty of student filmmakers hit you. How’d you know this was right?

El-P: I was aware that it was serious when I saw what they had been working on. I didn’t know what the f**k it was till I saw the footage. When I realized who was involved – the editor of the movie edited some pretty f**kin’ fantastic films.

AllHipHop.com: Word? Such as?

El-P: Such as uhhh… Requiem for a Dream and a couple other flicks. I recognized a lot of cats who were in the movie too. It just took me a minute to meet them and see what was up. But once I did, it was pretty clear that it’s a pretty beautifully shot movie.

AllHipHop.com: It’s coming full circle to see Hip-Hop score movies. RZA did Kill Bills and Lord Finesse has done stuff…

El-P: What did Finesse score?

AllHipHop.com: It’s called Off the Hook. He told us he doesn’t like to mention it ’cause the filmmakers stiffed him on the money.

El-P: That’s ill. That’s a lil’ piece of trivia, right there.

AllHipHop.com: What was your technique?

El-P: For me, I been tryin’ to get into this for a while. I don’t even think they knew that. I grew up being obsessed with music scores, and being obsessed with movies that had that tripped-out, f**ked up s**t – the 80’s. A lot of the samples I’ve used on records are from that. I have a huge collection of scores. I was kinda amped to do it. Basically, they gave me the footage, and I put music to it – I scored it. It was basically a process of me sitting there, f**kin’ around, and tryin’ to get it right. It was kinda weird. I wanted to do it the right way, and not just throw this anywhere. They would say, “I need this to happen right here.” What was crazy is that sometimes they re-cut the movie to my score. To edit around the nuance, I’m sure that’s rare. It was really cool. Dude gave me a huge load of confidence.

AllHipHop.com: Coming from a graffiti writing background, what do you think of the film?

El-P: I think the film is beautiful. I think it’s beautifully shot. I think there’s some amazing performances in it. I like the fact that it’s modern. It’s a f**kin’ graf fictional movie set in modern times. And graf is pretty much ignored now. [There are] documentaries here and there about a graf artist or two, but not an actual story set in modern day New York City, and graf now is a much different thing than it used to be. I really liked it.

AllHipHop.com: How did it compare to your experience?

El-P: My experience with graf was as a kid growing up in Brooklyn. My experience with graf was as a fan and as being down with kids who were writers. I didn’t even try, I just ran with cats who were talented. Parts of the film definitely rang true to me. Like graf often ends up starting out as fun and ends up being confusing for a lot of cats, that was definitely true. The whole idea of questioning artistic ideas and s**t – hitting walls and having them buffed the next day. Cats really get heated over that. [laughs] It’s realistic. If I didn’t think the s**t was legitimate, I wouldn’t have f**ked with it.

AllHipHop.com: Def Jux got a lot of their audience through videos. Your video for “Deep Space 9mm” messed me up. So coming from a visual background, how was it challenging to have the video before the music?

El-P: It was a challenge. It’s kinda freeing. With the “Deep Space” s**t, I developed the concept, they’ve all been co-directed by me. But like you said, you already have a song. In this way, it’s easier to make a song, than a film that represents that song. If you hook up with the right people, s**t can happy. It’s kinda like producing other cats’ albums. It’s not about me and my sound and my ideas. I’m just vibing off of theirs.

AllHipHop.com: When you were graf writing, what did you listen to get souped up?

El-P: S**t bro, this was the 80’s – f**kin’ Beastie Boys, Fat Boys.

AllHipHop.com: Cage’s Hells Winter album has been a huge turnaround story for somebody that I feel a lot of Hip-Hop fans wrote off. What’s going on with Def Jux right now?

El-P: The response has been amazing, incredible. I think people just like to see him in a new angle, and talk about s**t that they were not expecting. It’s some real s**t. He knew that. One of the reasons he did the record was because he was tired of feeding into that s**t, he had s**t he wanted to say. This is a 30 year-old man with a kid and a history. As far as Jux, I look at Cage as one of my top tier artists right now. I just look at the whole s**t as being very important. Cannibal Ox is officially just resigned with us. We’re amped about that s**t. We’re getting to work on that. A lot’s happening.

AllHipHop.com: Cage did speak a lot on the politics of the Eastern Conference departure. Company Flow and High & Mighty were together in building Rawkus. What was the confict for you in the politics of that project?

El-P: For what it’s worth, I just do music, man. Cage is my boy and s**t. That s**t is just music, it didn’t have anything to do with anything else. Also, Company Flow and High & Mighty were never really that close at Rawkus. But whatever. It’s just music. I was just chillin’. I don’t have no problem with anybody. That’s really something at the end of the day, that has to be between Cage and them.

AllHipHop.com: Last time I saw my mother, I had High Water with me, and she stole it, she loved it so much. From Co Flow, now you’re making records for moms now…

El-P: [laughs] That?s funny. I’m making music for parents.

AllHipHop.com: That was a crazy Jazz project. What else have you been up to?

El-P: I’m doing a s**tload of remix work. For some reason, the major label world has decided they like me. Obviously, I worked very closely on the Cage record. Now, basically, my main s**t is, I’m working on my follow-up to Fantastic Damage.

Ginuwine: Separate But Equal

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Alternatives

On his new album, Ginuwine is trying hard to be the man he was on his first album. But a bachelor, he isn’t. Since his 2003 platinum album The Senior, the former single singer married JT Money protégé Sole and had two children, so getting women isn’t exactly what he wants to do again. What he is hoping is that his new album, Back II Da Basics, can revive the dancing, throbbing, sexy performer that made Ginuwine a household name. His newest effort features appearances by Jadakiss and producers Jazze Pha, Track Masters, Troy Oliver, and Timbaland associate Danger Handz.

The Washington D.C. native began as a member of a Hip-Hop group and was even a Michael Jackson impersonator at one time. After catching the eye of enigmatic producer DeVante Swing of Jodeci fame, he became a member of the Swing Mob crew with Missy Elliott and Timbaland. After the Swing Mob disbanded, Ginuwine stuck with Missy and Timbaland and the chemistry spawned a single-filled debut Ginuwine…The Bachelor in 1996.

With hits like “Pony”, “Tell Me Do You Wanna”, “So Anxious”, “Differences” and “In Those Jeans”, and four platinum albums under his belt, Ginuwine fully expects to bring it, despite of the recent influx of bare-chested, poppin’ and lockin’ R&B pretty boys.

Ginuwine tells AllHipHop.com Alternatives how he feels about the new fresh-faced singers on the scene, R&B thugs, and the separate but equal parts of being an entertainer and a family man.

AllHipHop.com Alternatives: I saw your new video for the single ‘When We Make Love’. I thought it was real hot.

Ginuwine: Honestly, I was iffy about that song.

AHHA: What is it that you are iffy about?

Ginuwine: I haven’t been out in two years so to come back with a song like that, I was real iffy.

AHHA: A lot has happened in your life in the last two years, how has that affected your music?

Ginuwine: As far as what has happened in my life, I don’t think it affected my music. I think me growing up and maturing more so affects it. I always have felt that this is a job, and you have to stay true to your job and that’s what you do. When you’re not going to be true to your job, you need to get out. So I try to separate the two, stay true to the game and stay true to what I love to do.

AHHA: You’re no longer the bachelor…

Ginuwine: [Laughs] I knew you had to go there. That’s the number one question, that’s funny.

AHHA: So how do you balance being a husband and still being a sex symbol?

Ginuwine: Well, honestly like I said, I’ve been off for a long time, and I’ve balanced it by being mature and do what I do and do what I have been doing. When I go home, I go home. It’s not too hard to separate it. People think it’s so hard, but it’s not. When I’m home, I’m who I am at home with my kids. And when I’m on the road, I’m who [the fans] know. It’s Ginuwine. It’s two different hats.

AHHA: Your new album is called Back II Da Basics. What are the basics you felt you needed to get back to?

Ginuwine: The basics that I felt I had to get back to was going back to the first album, going back to how people know me and that being an all around entertainer and back to the stage period. Not so much of me losing it, but with these past few CDs…it’s me bringing it back to the public eye the way that I did in the beginning. I’ve been having constant reminders to myself of what I wanted to do with this album to bring it back to the basics, so I had to name it something like that. So when I hear it spoken or see the CD is reminds me, ‘Don’t sleep man, get up and do what you gotta do.’

AHHA: Do you look at any of the new crop of R&B singers out and see any of the things you do in them?

Ginuwine: [Laughs] Yeah, of course, you know that! I definitely see that. But it’s always a compliment. It’s not a situation where I’m mad because I’m not out the game. I’ve been successful so far. Every album I’ve put out has been platinum or platinum plus. I’ve been successful at it, and I’m just happy that I am able to put a mark on the industry and keep it moving. When I’m doing my CD, I don’t listen to the radio or anything because I don’t want to be like anyone else. But I do see a lot of artist and think what they’re doing is hot. I like Omarion, I love Usher, I love anybody who brings entertainment back. I love that. I like my boy Marques Houston. I love anybody who brings entertainment to the stage because that’s what it is about. It’s not about grabbing the mic and walking back and forth.

We’re entertainers, we’re in the entertaining business. So you have to entertain in our field. Rappers, well that’s another situation. When you’re a singer and you take the mic and walk back and forth, I’m not feeling you. When people come to your show, they want to see just that. They want to see a show. They don’t want to see anybody walking back and forth. And that’s what I like about the guys that I just mentioned. I love the fact that they bring that to the stage, they own the show. They bring their A game. And that’s what it’s all about.

AHHA: I was just talking to somebody the other day about R&B singers who think that they are rappers.

Ginuwine: I know, that’s crazy.

AHHA: Why is R&B changing? What are the fundamentals that people aren’t honing anymore?

Ginuwine: I think some R&B artists are feeding into just saying anything in a song, like rappers do, especially the down-South guys. But that’s what they do. Singing is supposed to be more substance, you know. It’s not supposed to be about something crazy you just repeat over and over again. It’s supposed to tell a story. And that’s what R&B does for a lot of people. When you’re feeling sad, there’s an R&B song that covers that, when you’re feeling happy, there’s an R&B song that covers that, when you want to make love, there’s an R&B song that covers that. You have to have different elements in everything that you do in R&B and a lot of people aren’t doing that. They’re just looking for a quick dollar or looking for quick way to get out here and get girls. But you have to stay true to the game. That’s why you have to make your stand in the game like I have, and a lot of the people that people will remember and pattern themselves after.

AHHA: Do you think the genre of R&B gets the respect it deserves?

Ginuwine: Not now, because a lot of R&B artists are trying to be rappers. So until we bring it back to where it’s supposed to be as far as us singing and entertaining, without caring about people thought…what people said about me or said about my hair or how I looked. I just stayed true to me, and stayed true to what I wanted to do, and I did it.

AHHA: So do you think that men don’t want to be perceived as too sensitive?

Ginuwine: I never felt that way. If a person does feel that way, you have to question them. When you’re sure of yourself, you don’t care. And if this is what you doing, I could care less about what the man next to me is doing. He can’t do what I do, and I can’t do what he does. That’s what makes us different people and different artists. I’ll do it if don’t nobody else want to do it, because it ain’t a big deal to me. I know who I am, and people make jokes about you but I’ve been through that all my life.

AHHA: And you’re married so it must have worked out for you.

Ginuwine: Yeah, for sure. So it is what it is. I don’t really care about what people think anymore. I used to a little bit, but now it’s like, whatever.

AHHA: Are their certain subjects you don’t want to talk about now that you have a family, or things you don’t want your kids to hear?

Ginuwine: Actually, that’s a situation that I deal with a lot, because as a parent I have to teach my kids about what I do. Music has a big influence over a lot of people so me, I try to do what I do and make it as clean as possible. If it’s not as clean, I try to explain what it is.

AHHA: Did you make any songs with your wife, Sole?

Ginuwine: No. [laughs]

AHHA: Is there a reason why?

Ginuwine: Because she’s going another way than I am. Our styles don’t mesh musically.

AHHA: 20 years from now, what do you want people saying about you?

Ginuwine: I want people to realize what I brought back to the game: that’s the dancing, the eight-pack, and the moves…bringing all around entertainment to it. I just want to be remembered as the one when it was gone who brought it back. I was like the first one that broke it down in my videos, like in ‘So Anxious’. I set a trend, now that’s all what people are doing now.

AHHA: What is your favorite song to perform?

Ginuwine: ‘Pony’ – because it’s the first one, the one that made me. It gets the biggest response of all the songs I do.

Dr. Teeth: Eye To Eye

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Alternatives

If you haven’t been living under a rock for the past few months, then you’ve seen the slew of music videos by Mike Jones and Paul Wall. You may have also noticed the “Dr. Teeth Productions” graphic in the beginning of every video. But who is Dr. Teeth? It sounds like a demonic dentist in a horror film, but in reality, Dr. Teeth is the mastermind behind some of the South’s top Rap music videos.

Born in Cincinnati and raised in Texas, Dr. Teeth has not had overnight success. Incorporating hard work, dedication and the old do-it-yourself frame of mind has finally let him live out his life-long dream of making music videos. Back then no one wanted him, now the labels are all on him. AllHipHop.com Alternatives spoke with the NAACP Image Award winner, documentarian and all around classic film buff about his recent success.

AHHA: How did you get the name Dr. Teeth?

Dr.Teeth: I got it in high school. I used to play basketball and dunk on cats. I would run down the court with a big toothy smile. They had said ‘Dr. J’ but then they changed it to Dr. Teeth. When I started making videos, I was like, ‘I need a name’. Dr. Teeth came to mind, and it’s been that since.

AHHA: How does it feel to have your video for ‘Still Tippin’ nominated by MTV for the MTV2 Viewer’s Choice Award?

Dr. Teeth: It’s was a great and surprisingly shocking. I never expected for it to be nominate for a Viewer’s Choice Award. It means that people liked it and respect the work that I’m doing. Before I made ‘Still Tippin’ I was up for shooting Nelly’s ‘Tip Drill’. Unfortunately, he decided to go in another direction. When we were going to make ‘Still Tippin’, we wanted to go more street, like for BET Uncut – we wanted to go with that street Swishahouse style. We shot it in Houston, which was the way that I wanted to go. I wanted to show its culture. The girl dancing in front of the tables is like the Pied Piper. You also have candy-colored cars swaying in and out on the street. It’s hood, but also artistic at the same time. It all goes together. The amazing thing is that people got it.

AHHA: How did Mike Jones and Paul Wall take to the idea?

Dr. Teeth: When I presented the idea to Mike and Paul, they were all for it. It’s funny because it was a cold ass day in Houston when we shot the video, and we were in the ghetto setting everything up. Michael Watts was like, “Man I can’t believe you have me out here in the hood, with all of this equipment.” Regardless, they trusted me and I’ve developed a very strong relationship with Swishahouse.

AHHA: What are you currently working on?

Dr. Teeth: Actually, I’m an R&B guy at heart. I did the video ‘Aha’ for Devin the Dude. I’m working with R&B guy named Cruna for BET. It’s a different direction, but I like it. I’m also working with Crime Mob on their new video ‘I’ll Beat Your Ass’. I want to capture the true essence of their Crunk sound with mosh pits, etcetera. It will be out later on this month. Paul Wall is also on Access Granted and has been getting mad popular on camillionare.com. I’m also working with Mike Jones on a new video, maybe the new T.I. I’m in the process of taking to Jermaine Dupri and Young Capone, Back-Woods, Tango Redd and Lloyd.

AHHA: Do you see out artists to work with or do they find you?

Dr. Teeth: We’ve been blessed since the making of ‘Sittin’ Sideways’. Labels began to call. A lot of artists have been telling their labels to request me, but I also get calls from the artists themselves. It puts a big smile on my face.

AHHA: How did your company, Filming Company, come about?

Dr. Teeth: I left BET to work with Tracey Hicks. I wanted to develop a company and to do a few projects – that was April. ‘Til then, no one wanted to sign me. In June, Mike [Jones] came to me to do his video. After that all the companies that wouldn’t even look at my stuff started calling me on the phone. It’s funny because I had spent like two years sending stuff to them, only receiving either a negative feedback or no response. Now they all want me to do work for them. By the time they started calling, I was doing it all on my own. I developed Filming Company because I needed a place to work and develop ideas for videos and artists. Besides, it cuts out the middle man. No one works [harder] for you than you. I’ve been doing all of this for four years now. In the first year I did three videos, the second it was four and now, this year alone I’ve done 15. I have three more left to do for this year. It never stops.

AHHA: Sounds like you’re a very busy man.

Dr. Teeth: Yeah, We’ve been very busy. We just got done shooting a video for Slim Thug. It was supposed to be done in June, but because of the busy schedule, we did it in August.

AHHA: Did you know Mike and Paul before you shot the video?

Dr. Teeth: I didn’t know them, but I had worked with a friend of Paul’s named Qua. This was before Paul was on Swishahouse. We were at his boy’s house and they wanted me, so we worked it out and the rest is history.

AHHA: What directors have inspired you?

Dr. Teeth: I study Hype Williams’ work. Spike Jonez, Lionel Martin, Marcus Rayboy, Brett Ratner and a few others. I really like their work. When I study their work, I look at the pictures and try to envision their ways of thinking. I read historical facts. I’m chameleon-like. I do more hood videos, but like I mentioned, I’m trying to work with some R&B artists also. I’m a story teller first. I have a lot of stories to tell. When I start getting a larger budget, I want to start incorporating green screens and more cameras.

AHHA: You used to work for BET and received an NAACP Image Award for Teen Summit. Why wasn’t your work nominated for a BET Award?

Dr. Teeth: I don’t know. I guess that it wasn’t as popular. I spoke with Steve Hill and he told me how proud he was of my accomplishments. The Mike Jones album didn’t really get popular ‘til after the awards. He still performed on the stage with Paul. Next year we’ll get more nominations and people will discover more about Dr. Teeth.

AHHA: What’s in your DVD player right now?

Dr. Teeth: Black Caesar.

AHHA: That’s a good film, but how do you feel about the controversy over “Blaxploitation” films?

Dr. Teeth: It’s a double-edged sword. Melvin Van Peebles really made it all possible with Sweetback’s Bad Ass Revenge. Afterwards, Hollywood jumped on the bandwagon and made their versions. Gordon Parks directed Shaft. We’ve had some good films – Super Fly, The Mack, and Cleopatra Jones. Max Julian [The Mack] developed, directed and produced the film. It opened gates and gave us opportunities in film that normally wouldn’t have been possible.

AHHA: You’ve done a lot in your career. You’re even known for doing documentaries. Have you ever thought about making a documentary on the Houston’s scene?

Dr. Teeth: I’ve already done it – DJ Screw, The Legacy. It’s in a couple of volumes, 1 through 3. I had developed it while in Houston. I just shot different shows and saved the footage of Screw and a few of the original artists that did it. Part 2 has cats like Trey and Slim Thug. Part 3 is more up to date featuring Mike Jones and others. It’s a hot documentary.

AHHA: Tell us about your first film project 21 Crunk Street.

Dr. Teeth: That’s taking it back. It’s a film about murders on a college campus, of course fictitious. The heads of the school send a special task force unit in called The Crunk Unit to investigate the murders.

AHHA: It’s kind of like a CSI type thing?

Dr. Teeth: Exactly. We sold tickets on the college campus for three dollars and made three thousand. It’s kind of a cultish flick.

AHHA: What kinds of other projects do you work on outside of making videos?

Dr. Teeth: I went to Texas Southern University. A lot of industry jobs are out sourced. I was really the only guy that students knew that was really doing something. I began working with the Historical Black College Film Festival. Producers and director from the industry critique the students’ work. We’re in the third year. It’s good because it says that we, as well as them can make it.

AHHA: How important do you feel it is for artists and people in the industry to reach out to today’s youth?

Dr. Teeth: It’s very important for them to connect with their fan base, especially Black artists. Mike Jones is good about that. You have to take time to stop and talk to them. Even just saying ‘hi’ and talking to them for a second can lead to great inspiration.

AHHA: How do you feel about the work that you’ve done so far?

Dr. Teeth: I’m really proud of the development and growth. I’ve done work with the NAACP, BET and MTV. I’m proud, but I’m only getting started.

AHHA: Would you ever make a music video film like ‘Murder Was The Case’?

Dr. Teeth: In a heartbeat.

AHHA: Where do you see yourself a few years from now?

Dr. Teeth: Six years down the road, I want to be in the same arena as the big cats, like Hype. I want to be well respected and known by my peers. That’s my goal. I want to be nominated, not by the popularity of the video, but the quality of work. I’m gonna be an icon. I’ve always wanted to direct music videos. When I get more money, I want to eventually do big budget movies, but mainly music videos. I love what I do.

Trillville’s Don P Introduces Yung Gunn of Alabama

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Alabama isn’t quite considered a hub of the Hip-Hop industry, but Trillville’s Don P feels he’s found a lyricist to change the perception.

Yung Gunn, a rapper from Birmingham, Alabama, has joined forces with Don P’s Trill Villains and production team Track Boyz Ent. to represent for the burgeoning state. “Ain’t nothing coming up out of [Alabama] if I ain’t got nothing to do with it. I’m the mouth of the south. The king of Alabama,” Gunn tells AllHipHop.com.

While Southern sentiments dominate Hip-Hop, Gunn promises to bring a new facet to the Rap game with his Birmingham roots.

“Alabama is bringing something new to the game. It’s not bringing the Houston sound, where it’s chopped and screwed or slow. It’s not bringing that ATL [Atlanta] crunk. We got a blend of everything,” he continues in a confident swagger.

Gunn considers himself to be a younger offshoot of other, now famously successful rap moguls like Sean “Diddy” Combs, Jermaine “J.D.” Dupri and Rap-A-Lot’s J. Prince.

“He reminds me of myself with I was that age,” J.Prince says to AllHipHop.

“I’m a hustler man. I just read Kevin Liles book [“Make It Happen: The Hip Hop Generation Guide to Success”] and I saw myself in it. I’m a young Kevin Liles, man,” the Birmingham resident prophesizes. “Ain’t nobody f***ing with me.”

But, Yung Gunn’s bragging may be warranted. He was instrumental in Trillville’s management switch to Jimmy Henchmen’s Czar Entertainment, who also works artists like The Game, Sharissa and Mario Winans.

He maintains, “S**t wasn’t being done right [with the old managers]. The marketing and promotion was wrong. You got to play a management role and not a homeboy. Don P is a brilliant producer, but his management evidently they didn’t understand that and they didn’t know how to market it, sell it or promote it. I hooked up with him and we clicked.”

Trilltown Mafia, Don P’s new act, recently inked a deal with Rap-A-Lot/Asylum and Gunn was instrumental in making the situation fruitful.

Gunn has aided others with their major label deals and now he hopes to find the right home for his own songs. He says the majors have taken notice and has a number of them interested.

Don P wouldn’t divulge the names of the attracted parties, but said that a signing was drawing near. Gunn said, “Warner is family with Jim Jones. It’s all love. Rap-A-Lot. Universal and Motown. Everybody family. We can get money together.”

Yung Gunn has already opened shows for Baby and Cash Money, Lil’ Jon and The Eastside Boyz and the Ying Yang Twins in addition to sings with R&B crooner Trey Songz. He has a mixtape slated for national release in the immediate future.

Back Like Cooked Crack 3: Fiend Out

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Reviews / Music

Artist: Juelz SantanaTitle: Back Like Cooked Crack 3: Fiend OutRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Bill “Low-Key” Heinzelman

Can’t wait until November 22 for Juelz Santana’s sophomore album, What The Game’s Been Missing? Don’t fret Dipset addicts; Juelz has your fix with his latest mixtape, Back Like Cooked Crack 3: Fiend Out. Following in the long line of memorable Dipset mixtapes, Fiend Out is an impressive collection of new songs, with a few freestyles sprinkled about. The self-proclaimed “human crack in the flesh” continues his development with his new effort, showing his improved lyricism and song making. In fact, Fiend Out’s standout songs are arguably better than just about anything on his disappointing debut album.

In vintage Dipset form, Juelz struts throughout the mixtape with his g’d up swagger. This is seen on “King Of NY” as he nimbly rides in and out of a swift but intense backdrop. Even though Juelz is an emcee never lacking confidence, in a refreshing move, he humbly passes on NYC’s throne, stating, “That’s not me/I’ll let the rest of them fight for that/I’m just doing what I do best.” Continuing the heat, “Murder,” which samples Damien Marley’s “Welcome To Jamrock,” finds Juelz and Killa Cam firing off shots over an intense beat. The Black Sheep influenced “Pick It Up,” is another fun and creative effort from Juelz, who possess uncanny charisma that draws you in as a listener, even though his content is thin at times. Thankfully, “Salute,” which features Hell Rell, proves Juelz is capable of providing content driven music. Over a dazzling piano loop, Santana touches on slavery and the corruption of the prison system, as he states, “We wasn’t born here, we was reeled in/F### a fishing rod/We was hit and whipped with n##### rods/Kicked and picking yards.”

With the mixtape game oversaturated, Juelz Santana delivers a refreshing release that is actually worth your hard-earned money. With its focus on new and original material, Back Like Cooked Crack 3: Fiend Out should keep Dipset fans lined up around the block waiting for a hit.

Object in Motion

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: Reviews / Music

Artist: DaghaTitle: Object in MotionRating: 3 StarsReviewed by: Paine

Despite the high-profile guests on Soul Supreme’s 2003 debut The Saturday Night Agenda, a little known group called The Electric Co. stole a chunk of the show with “Respect Life.” Two and half years later, the Boston group has since spawned Insight to some success, and now Dagha. With a thick-layered, warm musical backdrop, Dagha brings his solo debut, Object in Motion (Last Arc) to help join the heavily saturated Boston independent movement.

Dagha has a way of filling up the tracks to the point there’s very few silences. This persistent delivery may attract fans of Black Thought’s similar technique. In terms of timing and vocal tone, Dagha strikes frighteningly similar to another Philly MC – Last Emperor. “Build” finds Dagha dropping pure math and history. Speaking largely in abstractions, the MC’s diverse references will be a throwback to some, and baffling to others. Though “Build” works, other songs, such as “No Sheets” feel abstract as ideas – a troubling trait to a consumer. However, “No Sheets” may be a clever way of stating that the rhyme is freestyled, which even so, still needs to be reconsidered so early in a debut. Like many of his peers, Dagha struggles to find natural sounding choruses. With his melodic voice, he tends to attempt singing through these refrains. On “De Ja Vu” for instance, this proves to be a weakness.

Despite some lyrical missteps, Object in Motion brings a lot of originality in its production. Electric cohort, Insight, handles many of the duties. “Heaven or Hell” shines, with thick scratches, and a perfectly timed distorted bassline. With exciting beats, Dagha’s skills are propelled by a listener’s comfort in the music. In busier moments, such as “Skoolhouse Rock” the density of the music and lyrics weigh down the song entirely. The album boasts big percussion, led by “Conquerors” and “De Ja Vu.” A fast-paced, cohesive sound holds the album together – and brightens Dagha’s messages a majority of the time.

It’s refreshing to see a 2005 MC speak in a coded language of metaphors and abstractions. A young Kool Keith and Lakim Shabazz would be quite proud – and the listener gets lyrics in the liner notes to appreciate. At times, Dagha’s style falls on deaf ears with his forceful choruses and occasional sloppiness. Still, Object in Motion has a lot of charm with its boisterous production and colorful arrangements. This remains one of the most inventive debuts of the year.

Team Roc Chin-Checker Checked

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

Jaidon “The Don” Codrington, a fighter in Dame Dash’s “Chin Checkers” boxing duo, was knocked out cold in 18 seconds by Allan Green last night on Showtime’s “ShoBox: The New Generation.”

Codrington, a super-middleweight, was an undefeated knockout artist who won all nine of his fights by impressive knockouts. But, Green, 26, was undefeated with 17 victories and was clearly the most worthy opponent for the 21-year-old prodigy.

When Green’s work was finished on Friday at Miami’s Buffalo Run Casino, Codrington was unconscious for nearly three minutes.

A right cross and a left hook to the jaw eventually leveled Codrington sending him face-first through the ropes. The Bridgeport, Conn native was immediately sent to Integris Baptist Regional Health Center in Miami and initial reports indicated that Codrington suffered a fractured vertebrae. That diagnosis was later retracted.

Codrington was released and is expected to fully recover, said promoter Lou Dibella. Dibella and Dame Dash announced Dash/ Dibella Promotions in January 2005 and began promoting prospects like Codrington and Curtis Stevens, who were collectively known as the “Chin Checkers” for their penchant for knocking out their challengers.

Codrington represented Team Roc during the fight was recently granted “The Don,” a sneaker via Dash’s Pro Ked sneaker company. Now a resident of Queens, New York, he has impressed local crowds since his debut in 2004.

R. Kelly Files New Lawsuit Against Jay-Z

By: Grouchy Greg Watkins (@GrouchyGreg)Category: News

R&B singer

R. Kelly has filed a new lawsuit against rapper, mogul and Def Jam President

Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, stemming from last year’s disastrous

“Best of Both Worlds Tour.”

Kelly filed the lawsuit

in Manhattan Supreme Court, claiming that the man who peppered sprayed him at

the Oct. 2004 Madison Square Garden tour stop was rewarded with a job at Def

Jam.

The embattled R&B singer

claims the hiring of Tyran “Ty-Ty” Smith – who is currently

awaiting trial for assault over the incident – proves that Smith was “acting

within the scope and course of his employment by Jay-Z."

Handlers for Jay-Z

claim the entire lawsuit is a publicity stunt meant to divert attention away

from his upcoming felony trial involving an alleged sexual incident with a 14-year-old

girl.

A Chicago, Illinois Judge

recently ruled that Kelly must stand trial over the alleged violations.

The “Best

of Both Worlds Tour” was a disaster from the beginning. The tour was supposed

to capitalize off of an album of the same name, which was shelved when an alleged

videotape of Kelly having sex with an underage girl surfaced and spread.

The album was retooled

and released as The Best of Both Worlds, Unfinished Business, but was

greeted with lukewarm sales, despite the superstar status of both artists, who

have sold over 60 million records combined.

“The first night [in

Chicago] was terrible,” Jay-Z said directly after the Madison Square Garden

fiasco. “I’m waiting in my white suit for two hours. The guy don’t

come downstairs…you don’t do that. I’m like, ‘I don’t

work for you, B.’ I gave him that leeway, because that’s his town.”

Kelly claimed that

several songs into his performance, unidentified men in the crowd flashed guns

in his direction, prompting him to storm off of the stage.

He said that when

he tried to return to finish his performance, Smith maced him and several associates,

prompting a trip to the hospital, where Kelly and crew were treated and released.

In November of

2004, Smith was arrested and formally charged with misdemeanor assault violations

over the incident.

Kelly was booted

from the remainder of the tour and filed a $90 million breach of contract lawsuit

against Jay-Z, who answered Kelly’s suit with his own.

Jay-Z’s suit alleges

Kelly would cry “hysterically" at times and even left a show in St.

Louis where he went to a local McDonald’s and “began to serve food to

patrons at the drive-thru."