(AllHipHop News) French Montana is serving up more than Mac & Cheese on his new album. During a recent interview, the Coke Boyz leader explains helpful tips from Jay Z, Khloe Kardashian’s input on his album and a song on his new album that is slightly dedicated to Gucci Mane.
In his interview with Billboard, French Montana explains that he purposely went “left” with his second single “Freaks” featuring Nicki Minaj off his debut album Excuse My French. He explains he made the move to abandon the Hip Hop sound of his first singles “Pop That” in favor of the reggae-inspired “Freaks”, because “when you go to the club and every record they’re playing is yours, you try to go left, and I made that mistake.” Luckily, according to Montana, Jay Z gave him some words of wisdom on how to approach his second album.
Jay Z told me he once made that same mistake too. Your first album you never know what’s going on with the business and labels. The second one you’re like, ‘F— this.’ You get the ball in your own court.
The final tracklist for Montana’s second album Mac & Cheese 4 has not been released, however the article reveals that Rick Ross, Miguel and Lil Wayne are confirmed features. The collaboration between Montana, Ross and Wayne is on a Kanye West co-produced song entitled “Gucci Mane” with a chorus that goes “”I’m about to lose it, man/I’m about to go Gucci Mane.”
With Marlon Wayan’s A Haunted House 2 hitting DVD this week and with a new sketch comedy on TBS called Funniest Wins gaining in the ratings column, Marlon Wayans sat down to discuss his recent movie A Haunted House 2, his take on his family legacy and the evolution of Black actors’ roles in Hollywood.
While the conversation was short due to Marlon Wayan’s busy acting schedule in both movies and TV, Marlon made it clear that he is diligently working on being the best actor, writer and producer he can be, regardless of the legacy that his family has established in Hollywood to date and regardless of the opportunities available to Black actors in Hollywood. Marlon has taken his own career by the reins and is taking an active role writing, producing and directing his own films and TV shows.
Take a look at our conversation with Marlon Wayans as we catch up with the talented and hard-working actor with a legacy that’s still in the making.
AllHipHop: Can you talk about how you incorporated Hip-Hop in this most recent film A Haunted House 2 if at all?
Marlon Wayans: “Well I think that Hip-Hop is such a big part of pop culture, that you gotta reference it and I think that the rhythm of the movie and hard-core edge of this movie kind of represents rap. I look at rap as such a fearless genre and people get to speak their minds and speak freely and they don’t apologize for s###, and I’m the same kind of way. So I think me and Hip-Hop go way back as far as that’s concerned.”
AllHipHop: You’ve done a number of films that are parody films or that take pieces or make fun of common movies, can you talk about why you enjoy these types of films?
Marlon Wayans: “This isn’t a parody film, this more of an original comedy, with parody moments, I don’t use pure parody, I think its more an original movie unto itself. I think that this has new moments and I think this is still funny and still relevant. I like the challenge of finding funny in dark places, and I’ve been a class clown my whole life making fun of people, so making fun of movies and finding the funny in those types of situations are intriguing to me. I like the challenge. You think its easy, some people think its easy, it’s very hard to write something like that.”
AllHipHop: Can you talk about what it was like growing up and how you got into film writing and production. You obviously come from a family with a great legacy in film, what was that like?
Marlon Wayans: “I was 8 years old, my brother had been nursing me and tutoring and teaching us since we were kids. Teaching us about film making since we were kids and about telling jokes, so it was very early on, so I was kind of blessed in that way.”
AllHipHop: How does this film fit into your family’s legacy of films and do you think about you family’s legacy at all when you are making these movies, or do you just do the film?
Marlon Wayans: “I just do the movie, I don’t really think about my legacy or where I will be or what I will become, I just put my head down and I just work and do whats in my heart and do it as best as I can, and as long as I can. When it’s all said and done, people can label me and who I am and my place in history. For me we can’t make history trying to make history, we just do the work.”
AllHipHop: Ok, so one of the funny parts of the film that’s gotten a lot of attention is when a group of church going black women confront you on your front step about having married a white woman. Can you talk about how and why you included this in your film.
Marlon Wayans: “I think its important when you do movies like that you include the perspective of… – you know – look having a white girl as the lead girl in the movie is a bold step, there’s so many interracial couple nowadays, so it’s not so much about ignoring the Black perspective, but this is a big thing, so paying attention to it kind of eased the tension of it.”
AllHipHop: What was it like working with Cedric the Entertainer?
Marlon Wayans: “Working with Cedric was fun. Cedric is he’s a funny dude. The thing about Ced is you say, ‘Ced do this,’ and he can do it. He’s funny as all hell, he improvises and for me that’s all I look for. I say, ‘Go for it’ and I’ll find a way to edit it and keep it. His best stuff I’ll keep it.”
AllHipHop: We talked with Ice Cube a few weeks ago about the role of Black actors in Hollywood. Whats your perspective on if things have changed over the years as far as the opportunities available for black actors?
Marlon Wayans: “I don’t think its changed much, I think what people are starting to do is more writing and trying to get it done. But it hasn’t changed much, there’s not that many roles still for brothers, you get a movie every now and again, there’s a part here or there and an ensemble piece twice a year with Black people in it, but I still think there’s a lack of diversity, but I stick to what I do on my end. But I write produce so I can act. So, I don’t complain about it, I just do the work man.”
AllHipHop: Is there anything What can fans look forward to on the DVD, there’s probably some pretty funny outtakes, anything else you want to tell fans?
Marlon Wayans: “Theres outtakes, there’s 12 extended scenes in there, and a bunch of stuff thats’s not in the movie, make sure you check it out. Also make sure to check out my new show ‘Funniest Wins,’ it’s on TBS , its comedy competition reality show and the winner gets a show on my digital network WhatTheFunny.com.
You gotta check it out man, its on TBS every Friday night, everybody is talking about it, it’s a new way to do a sketch show, its a competition reality show and it’s really funny, every week the ratings continue to climb. Every week the Viners and YouTuber’s battle it out.
AllHipHop: Do you ever pull anything from the In Living Color Days?
Marlon Wayans: Well definitely, I was taught by the best and I’m teaching these guys and I challenge the new comedians to be better, its a good thing to help comedians learn. I’m giving them tools to learn and make them better.
If there was a dream team cast of Hollywood movies like the US Olympic basketball teams of old, this movie would be the one that brought everyone together for the gold. This time with a few new characters in the mix, The Expendables 3 is back with an over the top cast and more explosions than you could imagine. While the movie still keeps the original Expendables cast, Stallone also recruited some of boxing and MMA’s best to be part of this epic action packed flick, that is at times funny and at times simply just unrealistic.
For the first time on film Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jason Statham joined forces with Mel Gibson, Wesley Snipes and Harrison Ford, along with 11 other legends and rising stars for a film that starts shooting from the jump. Filled with explosive stunts and enough Sylvester Stallone yells, grunts, and slow motion shots for the ages, this film is so over the top, that the violence and explosions and stunts are hilarious entertainment.
Directed by Patrick Hughes, this film required more than 1,000 people to work on the film, but still had the feel of a close-knit group as the cast had a noticeable chemistry. Stallone seemed to know how to make all the characters fit, as fellow co-star Jason Statham complemented Sly Stallone’s action film writing.
“He creates real characters with soul and heart,” Statham notes. “Superheroes in capes are great, but Sly writes about real heroes. He’s played a hero for his whole career. No one does it better.”
“I was so happy to be in it and work with Wesley,” Terry Crews said during the press conference, “All is right with the world now that Wes is back.”
After a mission gone bad in which Terry Crews’ character is almost killed by co-founder and now villain Stonebanks (Mel Gibson), Barney (Sly Stallone) forces the original Expendables crew into retirement . To replace the old squad, Sly Stallone recruits none other than some of boxing and MMA’s top fighters (Randy Couture, Victor Ortiz, Ronda Rousey) who help the Expendables team battle the onslaught by Stonebanks’ militia.
Of the more memorable moments in the film, Hip-Hop fans will surely enjoy all of the Wesley Snipes scenes, as the 52-year-old actor shows he still has the ability to move around. Sly Stallone wrote this one and he clearly worked with the cast on their lines, as there are some great one liners and references to several of the actor’s personal lives outside of film.
“They are all fresh, all new. Some of the them are already quite accomplished in the sports world, so they bring that fire in the gut, which is exactly what I was looking for. This isn’t Shakespeare in the Park. I was looking for salt-of-the-earth individuals that the audience can identify with,” Stallone explained.
Ultimately this film was Sylvester Stallone’s baby, as he was somehow able to coordinate the schedules of all the actors to make this an incredible action adventure. When you think about what it probably took to bring all of these characters together for another blockbuster flick, you can imagine the scheduling was insane.
At the end of the day it will likely prove to be worth it, as the previous films The Expendables and The Expendables 2 grossed more than half a billion dollars with the fantasy league casts.
Aside from the money this movie will make, this is definitely worth the watch if you like over the top movies with big time explosions and action in the summer. This isn’t going to be a movie that you take all that seriously, but its the perfect movie to get away from world for a few hours in the A/C and sometimes that’s all we need.
(AllHipHop News) First the Fat Boys breakup, now everyday I wake up, another 90’s rap group got a problem internally. During a recent interview, Naughty by Nature’s Vin Rock explains why Treach does not want to tour with him, how Treach is disrespecting the Naughty by Nature brand and more.
Naughty by Nature performed at the Masters of Ceremony Hip Hop Reunion concert at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles on July 18th. Treach informed HipHopDX that the Masters of Ceremony Hip Hop Reunion concert will be one of the final performances of the group in its original form due to “Treach’s mandate”:
This is one of our last few dates based on Treach’s mandate. He doesn’t want to tour with me anymore. You’ll see attempted configurations, [him] out there by himself, some with Kay [Gee, Naughty By Nature’s third member] and let’s see how it works
Back in early to mid May 2013 Treach released a diss song aimed at Vin Rock entitled “Tallest Midget”, attempted to fire Rock from the group and claimed Rock “suck punched” him in a meeting years ago.
(AllHipHop News) Hopefully The Pinkprint has explanations on how to deal with tardiness. Earlier this week, Nicki Minaj was sued by event producers IMP Entertainment for arriving late to a performance during the 2011 NBA All Star Weekend.
According to the suit filed by Cahuenga, Inc in Manhattan Supreme Court in representation of IMP Entertainment, it states that Nicki was scheduled to perform at midnight for an hour at Hollywood’s Siren Studios on February 19th, 2011 for an hour. However, the suit alleges that Minaj not only arrived 90 minutes after her scheduled start time, but the YMCMB MC performed for less than 30 minutes.
The suit claims that Minaj was paid $53,050 prior to the concert.
(AllHipHop News) Change is the only constant unless you’re talking about the Eastern Conference in the past four years. During his interview on ESPN’s First Take, Lil Wayne explains why Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will not make the NBA Finals this year, why Aaron Rodgers is a better quarterback than Peyton Manning and more.
After Lebron James joined the Miami Heat in 2010, he appeared in every single NBA Finals for the next four years. When asked if Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will appear in the 2015 NBA Finals, Weezy clarified that they would make the playoffs and the Chicago Bulls are the reason he is hesitant to place the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.
Lil Wayne did remark that Lebron’s former team, The Miami Heat, will be contenders for the NBA championship. One of the reasons for Wayne’s confidence in the Miami Heat is a rejuvenation of the Heat point guard, Mario Chalmers:
I think Chalmers is a different player this year. I think Charlmers is a beast. I think everybody know that Chalmers and Bron didn’t see eye to eye. Bron gone. Bron gone. We going to see a different Chalmers.
The NBA season begins October 28th, the same day Lil Wayne is scheduled to release Tha Carter V.
(AllHipHop News) The first step in justice for 18 year old Michael Brown. Earlier today (August 15th) , Ferguson Police chief Tom Jackson identified the police officer who fatally shot Michael Brown.
According to Jackson at a news conference held earlier today, six year veteran Darren Wilson was the cop who shot Brown last Saturday (August 9th). Wilson’s name was hidden for almost a week due to safety concerns and he is currently on paid administrative leave.
Jackson states that Wilson was responding to a strong-arm robbery at a Ferguson convenience store when he encountered Brown and Dorian Johnson. Jackson did not disclose if Brown was a suspect in the robbery. Jackson states that either Brown or Johnson attempted to grab Wilson’s gun before the officer shot Brown.
(AllHipHop News) This must have got lost in translation. The NBA has denied reports that they asked the Toronto Raptors to remove Drake as its global ambassador following a $25k fine it incurred due to Drake’s “public recruiting” of Kevin Durant.
The NBA’s senior vice president of basketball communications released a statement to The Canadian Press on Wednesday (August 13th) informing them that “as the Raptors’ global ambassador, Drake must follow our anti-tampering rules.” The statement also categorically refutes claims that the NBA offered to remove the fine if the Raptors relinquished Drake of his “global ambassador” title:
At no point did we suggest his title be removed but we were clear that as long as he acted as a representative of the team, he is subject to the league’s rules
During his OVO Fest earlier this month, Drake informed the crowd in Toronto that Kevin Durant was at the event. The anti-tampering violation came when he asked the crowd to help “[Kevin Durant] see what would happen if he came to play in Toronto.”
J. Cole releases the new track “Be Free” inspired by the tragic killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
“Rest in Peace to Michael Brown and to every young black man murdered in America, whether by the hands of white or black. I pray that one day the world will be filled with peace and rid of injustice. Only then will we all Be Free,” states Cole.
(AllHipHop News) When Tameka “Tiny” Harris released her new song “What The F**k You Gon Do?” speculation began instantly that the track was directed at her husband Clifford “T.I.” Harris.
The reality show couple had reportedly been going through marriage troubles, and the theme of “WTFYGD” played right into the story line that Tip and Tiny were playing out their issues publicly.
T.I. spoke with MTV about Tiny’s single. When the Atlanta rapper was first asked about “What The F**k You Gon Do?” he replied by saying he had “no reaction” to the track and called it “comedy.”
The Hustle Gang boss did reveal that Tiny asked him if he wanted to review the song before it was released, but Tip said he decided to experience hearing the single with the rest of the general public. He now thinks the audience’s reaction to “What The F**k You Gon Do?” has been positive.
“I’ve been hearing very very good things about it, [from] people in the community, just saying that it’s a lot better than the stuff they’ve been hearing lately — so that’s good,” added Tip. “[Tiny] kinda has her own ideas about business so I stay out of it.”
While The Family Hustle clan’s latest music moves may have been received positively, T.I. does have other personal matters that has to address as well.
According to TMZ, Tip is being sued over a $50,000 stage roll drop he used during the “America’s Most Wanted Tour” with Lil Wayne. The company that owns the equipment claims the “About The Money” rhymer never returned it and is seeking twice the value of the screen.
(AllHipHop News) “Now she want a photo. You already know though. You only live once ‒ that’s the motto n***a YOLO,” raps Drake on the Take Care single “The Motto.” The acronym, which became commonly used in Twitter hashtags and online memes, has now been added to the online Oxford Dictionary.
You only live once (expressing the view that one should make the most of the present moment without worrying about the future, and often used as a rationale for impulsive or reckless behavior)
Other abbreviated phrases like ICYMI (in case you missed it), FML (f**k my life), and SMH (shaking my head) joined YOLO in the 2014 edition of Oxford. Additional new words include amazeballs, sideboob, binge-watch, and hate-watch.
While some news outlets are crediting Drake for popularizing the word, it should be noted that Rick Ross also used YOLO on the track “Lord Knows” which appeared on Take Care as well.
During the song’s interlude Ross says, “You know I love this. YOLO – you only live once. I’m going so hard my n***a. I swear homie. Everyday is another opportunity to reach that goal.”
Last year’s Oxford Dictionaries Online saw the inclusion of twerking, selfie, digital detox, and badassery.
(AllHipHop News) The popularity of battle rap has become so big, a legend of the culture believes it is inevitable that Hip Hop heavyweights like Eminem, Nas, and Jay Z will jump into the ring.
Speaking with VladTV, Loaded Lux discusses how the sport is at another level at this point and mainstream rappers are going to want to participate.
“[Battle rap in big venues] is becoming the new normal. Why Meek Mill couldn’t jump in there with Lil Wayne? It’s so many that could do it. Everybody in Slaughterhouse could do it,” said Lux. “Eminem, come on he’s from that. Let him get a big enough playing field. Em versus Nas, or Em versus Jay – it’s coming.”
According to Lux, the public’s interest in battle rap equals opportunities to make a lot of money, so artists and companies will want to tap into that commercial potential.
“[If] people just stop buying albums, and they start paying just to see battles. What you think the game gonna do?” asked the Harlem native.
(AllHipHop News) Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover) has spent the last few days sharing his thoughts about his personal experiences of being a black man in America and the criticism he has received by some observers that he is “a white rapper.”
The former star of Community took on the label and began tweeting about what he felt are the advantages of being a white rapper, advantages Gambino expresses he does not receive as an African-American performer.
(AllHipHop News) It took nearly a week, but according to CNN the Ferguson Police Department will officially reveal the name of the officer that killed Michael Brown. The hacktivist network Anonymous claimed to have already found and published the officer’s name, but authorities say that information was inaccurate.
There was another major development in the situation in Ferguson, Missouri in the last day. Heavy-handed police tactics against protesters were not used overnight. Gov. Jay Nixon put Missouri State Highway Patrol in charge of security instead of local police, and the federal Justice Department assisted in handling protests.
Nixon placed African-American Capt. Ronald S. Johnson in charge of the SHP’s involvement. Johnson, a native of the area, was seen walking with protesters, and he set up a media staging area for journalists covering the story.
According to reports, police did not use SWAT teams, riot gear, tear gas, smoke bombs, and rubber bullets in the city like had been done in previous days. Also, no journalists were arrested for simply doing their job of reporting the news from the town.
“We are going to have a different approach and have the approach that we’re in this together,” said Johnson.
The protests in Ferguson began after a local police officer shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown. The officer’s account is that the two struggled over his firearm which led to the shooting, but witnesses at the scene stated Brown raised his hands in the air before being shot multiple times in the street by the officer. The recent high school graduate was unarmed at the time.
(AllHipHop News) Dame Dash has sued famed Hollywood director Lee Daniels for $25 million, according to reports.
Dash filed the court papers in Manhattan Supreme Court today, alleging that Daniels owes him the money as well as executive producer credits movie and TV projects like “The Butler,” “Precious,” among others.
Daniels has not commented publicly on the matter.
The former Roc-A-Fella honcho was credited on movies Daniels crafted like 2004’s “The Woodsman” and 2005’s “Shadowboxer” with Cuba Gooding Jr. Dash says he was never paid for those efforts.
The unflappable King of Beef may have landed a big situation with Live Nation, according to reports on the internet. There seems to be huge deal to the tune of $300 million for the G-Unit General. Seems like this report started at thisis50.com and continued to roll downhill. Now, I am not sure if this is true, but it may be possible that is popped off because of the G-Unit reunions. I don’t know to be real, but that could be it. Anyway, 50 is getting money all over the place. I heard a few deals he’s working on overseas too. The next album is coming too. Don’t get it twisted, he made money off that last one.
