Atlanta rapper
Pastor Troy is preparing to release his next studio album By Choice or By Force
later this month. Troy, who has sold over 1 million records in his career, released
his major-label debut Face Off in 2001. The album was followed by 2002’s
Universal Soldier, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Rap Albums chart.
The first single from By Choice or By Force is "Pop a Few Bottles."
The new album hits stores July 25 on Koch Records and features Rasheeda, Bootleg,
and Criminal Manne, among others.Pharrell
Williams and Prince William are reportedly collaborating on an unknown project
in the near future. The two met during The Audi Polo charity tournament. "I
spoke to William before he played polo," Williams told reporters. "We
spoke about doing something. I can’t say what it is, except it’s going to be big."
Williams added that it was premature to speak on the pair’s venture because "the
paperwork isn’t done," but the Virginia producer added that Prince William
was a hard worker and that the two shared the same views on charitable issues.Sqad
Up has announced a deal with indie label Money Yung’n Records. The group will
release the new album and DVD We Here Now on August 8. Best known for their
dealings with Lil’ Wayne and Cash Money, Sqad Up toured with the New Orleans rapper
but their deal went sour after the label reached an impasse over their contracts.
Shortly afterward, the group signed with Money Yung’n Records. "We saw their
drive and sheer determination to overcome the obstacles that were put in front
of them," said Money Yung’n executive Jay Exclusive. "We knew right
then and there we could work together to take Sqad Up to the next level."
We Here Now features production by Manny Fresh, David Banner and others.Students
in the UK were given a Hip-Hop lesson on the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer, author
of the literary classic The Canterbury Tales. Last week, students visited
New College Nottingham to witness Canadian Hip-Hop artist Baba Brinkman perform
"The Rap Canterbury Tales." Brinkman, who is also a medieval scholar,
taught the course to introduce the young students to Chaucer’s classic novel and
The Miller’s Tale, as well as other works from the world of medieval literature.
Brinkman, who holds a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Medieval and Renaissance
English Literature, explained the origins of the unique course. "’The Rap
Canterbury Tales’ started in 1999 as an experiment, an attempt to adapt Chaucer’s
stories into a rap style to make them accessible," Brinkman said. "Comparing
Chaucer’s poetics to those of rap artists was the subject of my thesis at the
time and this seemed a natural extension. Since then the project has snowballed
into a successful one-man theatrical performance, a series of educational presentations
and workshops, and a CD recording. It is designed to bring the Tales to a wider
popular audience, as well as assist educators to communicate Chaucer’s themes
and narratives easily to students."