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President Obama, Rihanna, Beyonce + More React To Maya Angelou's Death

By: Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire) Updated Category: Headlines
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(AllHipHop News) Earlier today (May 28th), world renowned poet Dr. Maya Angelou died and the news

The last musical collaboration the late Maya Angelou worked on was for Common’s The Dreamer/The Believer on the song “The Dreamer”. Even though Angelou was “surprised” by Common’s use of the N-word on the song she was featured, she considered him “brilliant” and Common in turn reminisced about his former collaborator on the day of her death:

Best selling author, Terry McMillian expressed her extreme gratitude for Maya Angelou:

Both Rihanna and Beyonce were not born when Maya Angelou’s debut autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings in 1969. However the two R&B singers shared their favorite pieces from Maya Angelou:

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Back in February 20111, President Obama award Maya Angelou the Medal of Freedom award and revealed that his half-sister Maya Kassandra Soetoro-Ng was named after the late poet. Hours after news of Maya Angelou’s death, Obama issued an official statement regarding her death:

When her friend Nelson Mandela passed away last year, Maya Angelou wrote that “No sun outlasts its sunset, but will rise again, and bring the dawn.”

Today, Michelle and I join millions around the world in remembering one of the brightest lights of our time – a brilliant writer, a fierce friend, and a truly phenomenal woman. Over the course of her remarkable life, Maya was many things – an author, poet, civil rights activist, playwright, actress, director, composer, singer and dancer. But above all, she was a storyteller – and her greatest stories were true. A childhood of suffering and abuse actually drove her to stop speaking – but the voice she found helped generations of Americans find their rainbow amidst the clouds, and inspired the rest of us to be our best selves. In fact, she inspired my own mother to name my sister Maya.

Like so many others, Michelle and I will always cherish the time we were privileged to spend with Maya. With a kind word and a strong embrace, she had the ability to remind us that we are all God’s children; that we all have something to offer. And while Maya’s day may be done, we take comfort in knowing that her song will continue, “flung up to heaven” – and we celebrate the dawn that Maya Angelou helped bring.

Check out Smoke DZA, John Legend and others react to Maya Angelou’s passing below:

Jagged Edge to Release Sequel to 'J.E. Heartbreak' This Fall

By: Rea Davis @IamReaDavis Updated Category: Alternatives
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R&B fans get ready! So So Def Recordings and Hard Case Records has announced a new deal with BMG Primary Wave Artists Services to release the multi-platinum-selling group Jagged Edge‘s eighth studio album, J.E. Heartbreak Too, this fall 2014. The album’s lead single, “Hope,” will premiere this Friday. Written and produced by the group’s twin brothers Brian and Brandon Casey along with Grammy-winning songwriter/producer Bryan Michael Cox, “Hope” is a classic R&B throwback to the signature sound on the initial J.E. Heartbreak, which sold over 2 million records in 2000.

“Making a sequel to a classic album is difficult,” says So So Def CEO Jermaine Dupri, who serves as executive producer on the upcoming prohect. “We don’t want to stray from the blueprint of the first album. It’s definitely a challenge, but the fans won’t be disappointed.” With over 8 million records sold across 7 studio albums (5 of them gold or multi-platinum), Jagged Edge is one of the most successful R&B groups in music. The group has won three Billboard Awards, two Soul Train Awards, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Music & Dance Awards and has earned various Grammy, BET, and American Music Award nominations. Jagged Edge states that they are extremely excited to join forces with Jermaine Dupri again. R&B fans this is what you have been waiting for!!! To get you ready for JE Heartbreak Too flashback to J.E. Heartbreak classic “He Can’t Love U” below!

Busta Rhymes Owes IRS Over $780,000 In Back Taxes

By: Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire) Updated Category: Headlines
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(AllHipHop News) Either hip hop artists have the worst accountants or do not take paying taxes seriously. Today (May 28th), reports surface that Busta Rhymes owes the Internal Revenue Service over $780,000 in past due taxes.

Busta reportedly failed to make tax payment of $611,000 in 2008 and $178,000 in 2012.

In 2012, Busta Rhymes released Year of the Dragon, his first project after signing with Cash Money Records in 2011. Busta informed Vibe in February that he is planning to release his upcoming album Extinction Level Event 2 on July 4th.

Skyzoo & Torae: 'Barrel Brothers' Album Release Review

By: Niki Gatewood (@THE_NikiG) Updated Category: Features
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Ardent supporters gathered at New York’s, S.O.B.’s, to enjoy the enormity of Skyzoo & Torae’s, Barrel Brothers album release. Producers, !llmind’s and Marco Polo’s presence, demonstrated their continued endorsement for the Brooklyn MCs. While manipulating the mic, Livin Proof, Bklyn Stickup, Matthew Ragazino, among others, employed a creative cache of lyricism, enthralling the onlookers.

Delivering a supreme New York soundtrack, Skyzoo & Torae, personify lyricism. Transforming their sixteens into heat, their combined artistry penetrated the crowd. The actual representation of the Barrel Brothers LP, showcased everything from “Talk Of The Town,” “Make You A Believer,” and the ode to Hip-Hop, “Blue Yankee Fitted.” Also sharing solo joints like, “G## It Done,” their competitive camaraderie upholds Hip-Hop’s standards.

Massaged by a beat, or raw a cappella, Skyzoo & Torae’s distinctive voices will improve Hip-Hop until their jersey’s are in the rafters.

EXCLUSIVE: Prodigy Explains That Writing Books Is Harder Than Writing Raps

By: Steve Raze (@SteveRaze) Updated Category: Features
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On the night of the Infamous Book launch, Prodigy see his career taking a solid turn in the book world as an expansion to his artistic and entrepreneurial rupture. With two books already completed, My Infamous Life The Autobiography of Mobb Deep’s Prodigy and H.N.I.C., Prodigy now heads a new situation,  Infamous Books. This has allowed authors like Miasha with Swing, JaQuavis Coleman with The White House and K’wan with his work Black Lotus to all have a distribution house under Prodigy’s new book division.

Prodigy explains on why he created his own book distribution by stating:

“Like the music, I wanted to control the releases of the projects … and I also wanted to control the content. What books I choose to put out”

Prodigy also told AllHipHop about creating a book versus creating an album:

“Creating a book is a little harder. The Mobb Deep albums and the Prodigy albums, I pull more from my life, so it’s a little easier to pull from real life situations. When I write a book …  I can be more creative and come up with stories and plots and twists and turns so it gets kind of intricate … so its a little easier doing rap.”

Watch more of what Prodigy says about his book deal and creating music and books:

Maya Angelou Passes Away At The Age Of 86

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: Headlines
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(AllHipHop News) Legendary poet and author Maya Angelou passed away early this morning (5/28). According to reports, Angelou died in home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She had reportedly been in bad health recently and had canceled scheduled appearances.

Perhaps best known for her memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient wrote several works. She also directed the film Down in the Delta.

Angelou was 86 years old.

AllHipHop.com will update this story as more details emerge.

 

50 Cent Throws Horrible First Pitch At Mets Game (VIDEO)

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: MOBILE
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(AllHipHop News) Fans of 50 Cent praise the Queens native for his rap skills and business savvy, but the G-Unit leader is not going to get many kudos for his performance on the mound at a recent Mets game.

[ALSO READ: 50 Cent On Donald Sterling: “I Just Saw A Man Being Betrayed” (VIDEO)]

Fiddy was on hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field. Bob Uecker of Major League fame probably would have described the throw as “juuuust a bit outside.”

50 was a good sport about the situation though. The Animal Ambition creator laughed as he walked off the mound and later talked about the wild pitch.

“That was Curtis Jackson. I don’t even like when he comes around,” joked 50. “50 Cent is the best. Curtis Jackson – I don’t even know what’s the matter with him.”

[ALSO READ: 50 Cent Expected To Have Huge Surprise Guest At Summer Jam]

Watch 50 Cent’s first pitch below.

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Tragedy Khadafi: Jay Z Was Afraid Of Me & Nas Joining Forces

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: Headlines
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(AllHipHop News) “I was Scarface. Jay was Manolo. It hurt me when I had to kill him and his whole squad for dolo,” rapped Nas on “Last N***a Alive.” Those bars represented the God’s Son rapper taking on then rival Jay Z and his Roc-A-Fella crew by himself. But what if Nas had joined forces with fellow Queensbridge emcee Tragedy Khadafi for that battle?

[ALSO READ: Memphis Bleek Discusses Starting Jay Z/Nas Battle]

Tragedy tells ForbezDVD that he believes Jay Z was afraid that would happen, and he purposely tried to prevent him and Nas from teaming up.

“I think dudes fear me and [Nas] coming together. They really do, and they know who they are. I remember one time somebody told me that Nas said that Jay Z said I was talking crazy about Nas at a show. I was like, ‘What the f**k was that about?'” states Tragedy. “I believe Jay probably did say that… It’s dawning on me like this n***a got that little Roc movement going on, and then he see us doing little s**t together. So he’s probably like, ‘I can’t let these n***as come together like that. Theses n***as would crush our s**t.”

During the sit down, Tragedy also discussed his role in the so-called East Coast/West Coast beef and the New York response track “L.A L.A” with Mobb Deep and Capone-N-Noreaga. The “Intelligent Hoodlum” says he approached Fat Joe about contributing to a counterattack of Tha Dogg Pound’s “New York, New York” song and video, but Joe was not interested in taking sides.

“I called Fat Joe, and I was disappointed,” says Tragedy. “I’m not going say Joe is soft, because I don’t really believe that honestly. What I will say is I guess he felt it wasn’t politically correct for him at that time. I do believe that Suge Knight had a part to play in some of the other brothers I reached out to, because he was running around. He was shaking s**t down.”

Apparently, a Prodigy verse was removed from “L.A L.A” and Nas declined to be on the record as well. Tragedy states Esco did not want to be on the track because he was “not feeling” Mobb Deep at the time.

[ALSO READ: Prodigy Talks Performing In L.A. During 2Pac Beef & Getting Love From Kendrick Lamar]

Watch Tragedy Khadafi’s interview below.

Dame Dash Says Steve Stoute Is A "Culture Robber" Who Hurt Jay Z's Brand (VIDEO)

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: Headlines
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(AllHipHop News) Dame Dash has not been shy about sharing his thoughts on fellow businessman Steve Stoute throughout the year. Back in April, Dash called Stoute “dangerous” and “wack.”

[ALSO READ: Dame Dash Calls Steve Stoute “Dangerous” & “Wack”]

Dame has now elaborated on his dislike of Stoute in an interview with Hip Hop Motivation. The discussion centered around the dysfunction of black businesses, but Dash used the opportunity to explain why he believes Stoute has actually been a roadblock for the expansion of Hip Hop entrepreneurs and damaging to artist’s brands.

Dash said:

You know how many black people I tried to put together to make movies? There always be that one group that just – or because of Steve Stoute or somebody that’s a “culture robber” or doesn’t care about his culture – would break that up. Even other black people break up other black people sticking together, because it would kill their little check. Because they got their connect with white people.

Steve Stoute. That’s what he always do. He always breaks us up, so he could bring us to get robbed. A guy like Steve Stoute would always take the people that are protecting the creative, eliminate them, so he could rob the creative. Just so he could get his money. Even if he kills that black man or that person’s brand.

Like he did with Mary J. Blige. How I was against him putting Jay’s whole name on a $40 dollar sneaker just so they could get a check. How he had Jay doing Budweiser with a confederate flag for a check. That’s not good for your brand… I don’t like that dude, because he doesn’t care about his culture and he’s a liar.

Dame also talks about how Stoute apparently told him about LL Cool J and Nas not “doing well,” how The Notorious B.I.G’s crew put lipstick and a wig on him, and how he had to “run up in his office” to stop Stoute from stealing DJ Clue from Roc-A-Fella.

[ALSO READ: 50 Cent To Steve Stoute: “See How Your Mouth Makes Things Happen” (VIDEO)]

Watch Dame Dash’s interview below.

Chance The Rapper Helps Stop Shootings In Chicago For 42 Hours

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: Headlines
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(AllHipHop News) The issue of gun violence in Chicago has been plaguing the city for years. Chi-town performer Chance The Rapper stepped up and helped halt the bloodshed in his hometown for 42 hours.

[ALSO READ: Kanye West Is Being Drafted To Run For Mayor Of Chicago]

Chance started the stop the violence campaign #SaveChicago with his father. The goal was to prevent shooting deaths in Chicago during Memorial Day weekend by spreading awareness through social media, radio, and community organization. According to the 2014 XXL Freshman, they succeeded in keeping the streets peaceful in the Windy City for almost two days.

[ALSO CHECK OUT: Chance The Rapper: XXL Freshmen 2014 (Freestyle)]

Check out Chance The Rapper’s series of tweets about #SaveChicago below.

Fredro Starr: Sticky Fingaz Bodied Eminem On "Remember Me?" (VIDEO)

By: Yohance Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) Updated Category: Headlines
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(AllHipHop News) New York rap group Onyx is currently in the midst of a musical comeback. Sticky Fingaz and Fredro Starr are promoting their new album Wakedafucup overseas, and while in the United Kingdom they spoke with ill Will about the state of Hip Hop and working as a duo.

[ALSO CHECK OUT: Onyx Ft. Dope D.O.D. “#WakeDaFucUp”]

Starr also speaks on seeing 2Pac the night before he was shot in New York, respecting Drake, and why he feels his partner Sticky had the best verse on Eminem’s “Remember Me?” off 2000’s The Marshall Mathers LP.

“When I look at a n***a like Em, I just think that n***a’s a mad scientist. He goes to work. He’s ill with his s**t,” said Fredro. “The record that Stick did with Em was a great record. I think Sticky bodied the n***a, personally, but it was a good record. It was a competitive record. And that’s what Hip Hop is about.”

[ALSO CHECK OUT: ONYX feat. A$AP Ferg & Sean Price “We Don’t Fu**in’ Care” (p###. by Snowgoons)]

Watch the Onyx interview below.

Dave Chappelle Announces Radio City Music Hall Concerts W/ Erykah Badu, DJ Premier, The Roots + MORE

By: Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire) Updated Category: Headlines
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(AllHipHop News) On September 18th, 2004, Dave Chappelle held a glorified block party in Brooklyn, NY that featured The Roots, BlackStar, The Fugees, Erykah Badu, Kanye West and a bountiful amount of other legends. A decade later, Dave Chapelle has three concerts planned to bring the block party to Radio City Music Hall.

Two months ago, Dave Chappelle announced he would be headlining his first ever stand-up at Radio City Music Hall this June and subsequently sold out the next five shows. The last of Dave’s five stand-up performances is scheduled to take place on June 22nd. Today (May 27th), Dave announces that two days after that final show, he will begin the first of his three full orchestra concerts featuring numerous musical guests:

June 24:  Dave Chappelle and The Roots.
June 25:  Dave Chappelle, Busta Rhymes, DJ Premier and Janelle Monae
June 26:  Dave Chappelle and Erykah Badu

Tickets for the concert dates go on sale on this upcoming Monday (June 2nd) at ticketmaster.com. American Express® Card Members have access to pre-sale tickets from May 29th 10 A.M. – June 1st 10 A.M.

Questlove recently stated that the September 2004 block party was the “day of the Soulquarians funeral”. Check out Dave Chapelle’s “Block Party” below:

Director of "On The Run" Trailer Explains Beyonce Acting, Jay Z Causing Delays + MORE

By: Keith Nelson Jr (@JusAire) Updated Category: Headlines
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(AllHipHop News) On May 17th, less than a week after Solange and Jay Z’s elevator fight footage surfaced, Jay Z’s Life+Times released a faux-movie trailer for his “On The Run (Part II)” song. In a recent interview, the director of the trailer explains how it came to fruition, how Jay Z delayed the process and more.

Grammy award winning music video director Melina Matsouka directed Beyonce  and Jay Z together before for their 2007 collaboration “Upgrade U”. In an interview with Elle.com, Matsouka explains that the fake movie trailer is actually the music video for “On The Run (Part II)”. According to the acclaimed director, the project came together in the past month after previous attempts were stalled:

We were supposed to shoot in January, but he was on tour. We canceled [that] shoot the day before because it was just too much. It came back up last month because the tour [together] was starting and they really wanted a visual for the song. I was excited because I loved the idea and wanted the chance to visualize it. We started shooting and all those cameos came last minute. Once we got one then we got everybody.

Matsouka reveals that while both of the power couple were excited to make the video, Jay Z was apprehensive. Matsouka says Jay Z was  “hesitant about ‘Oh, now I have to be an actor”, however was able to pull in an Oscar winning star in a day’s notice:

Jay put in a call for Sean Penn. It was the end of us shooting the first day. One of Jay’s creatives came up me and she’s like ‘OK, we need to call Sean Penn now. He’s coming tomorrow.’ And I’m ‘What? OK.’ So I’m driving back through the desert and my phone’s not working and it didn’t work that night and I wake up the next morning to a text from Sean Penn. So I talked to him about the project and what were thinking of doing with him. And he’s like ‘I can be there at 3.’ I’m like ‘I kind of need you there in an hour.’ And he went home and got dressed and came camera-ready. It was all improv so it was kind of perfect. [Jay and him] discussed where their characters were at that point in our faux-film. He came up with his own dialogue. That’s actually one of my favorite scenes.

Check out the full interview at Elle.com