Russell Simmons Defends Jay-Z
Bill O’Reilly has made his impact on the hip hop community this past year. First Ludicris, then Snoop, and most recently, Jay-Z. O’Reilly recently took Jay-Z and certain elementary schools to task for Jay-Z appearing as ‘principal for the day.’ Russell Simmons appeared on “The O’Reilly Factor” this past week to defend his employee. Here are some quotes from the show:
O’Reilly: “All right. A lot of people said why are the public schools legitimizing a guy like Jay-Z? Why wouldn't you bring in somebody who has a better moral message? What say you?”
Simmons: “Well, first, you have to understand rap is a voice of a lot of voiceless people. You may hear some poverty and ignorance in their voice, but then thats their reality, in some cases, and that reality, that truth, I think, is very relevant and important. You know, I was in the Cong -- Senate hearings, and a senator said that he thought it was very important that every young, 15 -- every 15-year-old American should see "Saving Private Ryan," and, in that case, I think every 15-year-old American should know about the waters (ph) down the block.”
Simmons: “Let me say Jay-Z is a person, let us not forget, who called for students to come out and protest New York City's mayor's budget cuts. A hundred...”
O'Reilly: “Oh, so what? Anybody can do that.”
Simmons: “No one can -- that you know can bring 100,000 people to city hall on six days' notice…And those hundred thousand people came out, and the mayor put $345 million back in the budget.”
O'Reilly: “All right, but I'm sure Mayor Bloomberg is not going to say Jay-Z is the cause for...”
Simmons: “The hundred thousand kids were the cause.”
O'Reilly: “Look, here's -- here's the bottom line on this. To get out of poverty, you need to be smart, you need to understand the system, and you need to work within it, unless you are a Jay-Z or an NBA basketball player or a football player. His message is: Screw the system, don't get educated...”
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Sony Dumps Will Smith
According to published reports, Will Smith has been dropped from the roster at Sony Music because of waning record sales. In addition, label heads reportedly believe that the young consumers of hip-hop no longer want the 34-year-old rapper/actor as a musician.
Smith’s Born To Reign, failed to move a significant amount of units as it related to his massive star power in summer blockbuster “Men In Black II,” which was cross promoted with Reign. Initially, the album failed to debut in the top 10 and moved roughly 60,000 units, steadily slipping despite a bevy of marketing attempts though outlets like BET.
"Men In Black II" was a huge box office success and Smith totally raked in over $28 million from the movie alone.
To date, Smith has sold over 20 million records worldwide since signing to Sony in 1997, but Born To Reign’s slump confirmed the end of the business union.
Nevertheless, insiders speculate that Smith is negotiating with DreamWorks for a new deal.
Smith, as Fresh Prince, started his clean-cut rap career with DJ Jazzy Jeff in 1987 and garnered accolades early with the success of their first album, Rock The House. The pair’s second album, He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper, would go on to sell over 2 million records. Eventually after experiencing success as an actor, Smith went solo, peaking with 1998’s Willenium.
Currently, Smith is grooming his eldest son Trey to rap in his father’s image.
The New York Daily News reports a rep at Columbia insists Will Smith wasn't dropped from the label. "We did not drop him," the rep says. "He had completed his contractual obligation. We had a great run with him." Smith spokesman Stan Rosenfield says he's now "in the enviable position of being a free agent." DreamWorks' David Geffen and Mo Ostin are amongst those interested in signing the rapper/actor.
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50 Cent: “Death Is Entertaining”
With his often humorous, but seemingly risky tirades against Ja Rule and Murder Inc, Wu Tang Clan and others – 50 Cent says his approach to rapping is like a real life-threatening action flick.
“I think anything that has to do with death is kind of entertaining. In an action film, they’ll jump off a moving train,” the 27-year-old rapper said to AllHipHop.com. “It’s a life threatening situation and that’s entertaining because we put it in the back of our heads - death that’s the only thing that’s truly promised to us.”
Additionally, the Queens-bred rapper, who has been slapped with recent gun possession charges, feels that he and his crew, G-Unit, will beat the allegations that they possessed firearms at a recent New York club appearance.
“I think the situation is going to go away, the media expands things, because that’s what sells papers,” he expounded. “My case is adjourned until March 25. They charged me with possession of bulletproof vests and firearms and stuff.” While G-Unit Tony Yayo was released, group member Lloyd Banks remains incarcerated on unrelated charges.
And while his minions of fans want more of 50 than he can seem to churn out through his bootlegs, the Jam Master Jay protégée said he finds it difficult to avoid the ever-watching authorities.
“It’s hard for me to stay out of trouble because I think I’m one of the biggest targets and it’s that way because they know where I come from. They think when you get an opportunity to generate finances and you’re from an environment like the kind of environment I’m from, it’s a possibility for you to become really dangerous,” he explained.
Continuing, 50 said the he hopes that his debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', will change the rap game with its high grade of talent. Currently, the album features the normal suspects of Eminem, Dr. Dre and G-Unit, but also a number of other producers.
50 Cent's first album, 1999’s Power Of The Dollar , was a commercial failure stemming from [ironically] massive bootlegging and lack of label support. In May 2000, 50 Cent was shot in the face, hand and legs while sitting in a car in Queens. Authorities never found the culprits.
Since the shooting, the rapper flooded the streets of New York with dozens of songs until Eminem and Dr. Dre signed him to Shady/Aftermath in a deal reportedly worth $1 million
More recently, Irv Gotti and other members of Murder Inc. have admitted to a 2000 stabbing and attack of 50 Cent. According to insiders, unnamed persons at the label have allegedly released documents stating that police issued a restraining order against Gotti and other members of the group. 50 has denied that he supports the order.
Get Rich or Die Tryin’ drops on February 11.
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(You guys are gonna get a kick out of this next one)
R. Kelly’s Children’s Book Set
Although he is hadn’t been receiving much airplay after his arrest on twenty-one counts of child pornography charges, due to a video tape of him allegedly having sex with a minor, R. Kelly will not only be returning to music stores shelves but bookstores as well.
The Unique Expressions publishing company will be re-releasing a children’s story about R. Kelly’s life titled “I Can Fly! (The R.Kelly Story). The book which was supposed to be released last year, now has the full support of the publishing company as well as the president and author of Unique Expressions, Kim L. Delaney. “Our commitment is to uplift readers, especially women and children”, she said in a statement to the media.
“Due to the encouraging nature of “I Can Fly!” we feel that the book falls right in line with our mission to inspire readers to dream, work hard, and overcome any obstacles that try to keep them from their goals”. R. Kelly is getting steady rotation on national radio with his songs “Ignition” and “Ignition: The Remix”, and will be releasing his new album “The Chocolate Factory on January 28th.
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Benzino: “Beef With Eminem Is Political”
Although it seemed as if the beef between Benzino and Eminem had gone from hot to cold, we may all have been mistaken. Benzino’s new album, “Redemption”, today and those who purchase it will hear Benzino go after Eminem again, lyrically.
Benzino told the NY Daily News, his beef with Eminem is not personal but political. With consistent high sales and numerous awards, Benzino feels that, “Hip hop is being taken away from black and Latin people. …When he comes to Radio City Music Hall (two years ago he performed at the MTV Video Music Awards) with 100 white guys with blue eyes and acts like he's a gangsta, he understands what's going on. That's a slap in the face to all of the black people who did those things before Elvis," Benzino said in the interview. "I'm afraid in 30 years, they'll say the same thing about Eminem."
Benzino not only calls Eminem the Vanilla Ice of 2003 but compares Eminem and his self by saying, “You're the rap David Duke/The rap Hitler…I'm the rap Malcolm (X), the rap Martin (Luther King).” One thing Benzino wants to make clear to all those who doubt his reasoning for coming at Eminem, that it is not to sell records or for his magazine. Benzino said, “I have a huge deal with Elektra. I'm making good music, I don't have to do this," the rapper asserts. "I'm taking him on because I have real issues.”
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Killer Mike Ready For The Big Dogs
Killer Mike, the rambunctious OutKast affiliate, had an album slated to enter the hip-hop rat race in December, during the competitive holiday period, but his record label decided to hold the album for a March release date. Killer Mike said he still expects his debut Monster to compete with the major players of rap.
"I'm looking at Monster like any album that is comparable. I can compete with the big dogs. You're not going to be any less disappointed. If you get Jay's album and my album, you going to have a hard time figuring out what to play when you get in the car and that's real," he said to BET.com. "I'm in this game to compete. I didn't get in this to this to sit in awe of being around people who I respect."
"I understand that in the fourth quarter [of the year] is when the big dogs come out to play. That's when you get your OutKast's and Jay-Z's, and the other big dogs are in the yard," he said, "But my album's gonna win too."
Furthermore, the Atlanta resident said that he hopes his grassroots approach to music will eventually lead to mainstream success.
"There once was a time when everything didn't get released on Tuesdays and what sold records was that the coolest dude in the neighborhood was the tastemaker," he explained. "Like I remember the first dude that brought Too Short back to my neighborhood and it caught on like a virus. I'm just hoping to be that virus."
In order to achieve his goals, the "pro-people" rapper is currently on the Lyricist Lounge tour with conscious group dead prez. In addition, he is nominated for a Grammy for "The Whole World," a collaborative effort with OutKast, in the Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group category.
Killer Mike's debut, Monster, drops on March 11, 2003.
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News on OutKast's New Album
"The next Outkast album is titled Speakerbox/Love Hater. But the thing is it's not really an Outkast album at all. Instead it's two solo albums from Big Boi and Andre and they'll be packaged as a double album. While I don't like the idea of two seperate albums instead of an actual group efforts, Outkast has been one of the most consistantly dope groups of the last decade. Big Boi explained that the album will take half as long to produce since both solos are being recorded at the same time. Big Boi and Andre will drop solo singles, with Big Boi's titled "Church," and Andre's called "Prototype." Luckily, the duo does collaborate on various tracks for the double album, as well as appearances from emcees of the Dungeon Fam, Jay-Z, Bubba Sparxxx, Killer Mike, and Bun B of UGK. While Big Boi's disc will be more or less straight up beats and rhymes, Andre's Love Hater disc will be more of a concept album dealing with relationships and things of that sort."
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Slick Rick To Escape Deportation?
Slick Rick may have had a rough 2002 after threats of deportation back to the UK following his 5 year bid in prison, but it seems that the law has decided to give the ruler an emergency stay of deportation yesterday. It was looking grim for Slick Rick after Immigration all of a sudden wanted to deport the rap artist due to immigration laws that state that any non-US citizen who is locked up for more than 5 years would be deported back to their native land. It was looking so grim that Slick Rick's wife, who has been campaigning against the deportation, had even flown to the UK to prepare for Rick's return. However, with the court having this change of heart, Slick Rick now has a chance to avoid deportation. His lawayer says that he is not out of the woods yet, but things are beginning to look promising for the veteran rap artist.
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Few Other Bits of News
Queen Latifah has pled "No Contest" for her DUI charge. Due to this plea, her case will not go to trial. Latifah copped a three years' informal probationary sentence, was fined $300 and has been ordered to take classes in a 12-hour alcohol-education program.
Rumour: Memphis Bleek is rumoured to be thinking of leaving the ROC as he feels that he has been pushed back with the introduction of Beanie Sigel and Freeway. He's also frustrated with the delays on his third album, which was supposed to drop last year.
Rumour: Eve might have to shell out a huge amount of dough. Word is that someone has pictures of Eve back in her days as a stripper/lap dancer and a man is threatening to leak the pictures unless she pays him some big cash.
Finally, it looks like Remy Martin has turned on Fat Joe. On a track that was recently leaked, Remy goes at Joe for holding her back and breaking numerous promises. Seems that Remy still hasn't got a deal after the collapse of Loud Records and is getting pretty frustrated.
Tha Alkaholiks Sign With Artist Direct Records
Tha Alkaholiks have signed with Artist Direct Records after being previously courted by Snoop to sign to his DoggyStyle imprint. J-Ro told The Source magazine, "Snoop showed a lot of interest and its something that could still go down, but in the meantime we just signed a one album deal with Artist Direct, so we gonna put an album out this summer." The Liks have also partnered with Playboy Entertainment who will release "Tha Alkaholiks 10th Anniversary DVD" late next year. J-Ro added, "Playboy got a hold of our last DVD, 'X.O. The Movie Experience' and the people up there loved it. Now they gonna do the 10th Anniversary DVD with us and they gonna supply all the women." Playboy will begin documenting The Liks on January 5, 2003 at their concert at the El Rey Theater in L.A. J-Ro has also released an underground single, The X Homie, which addresses the tensions between the Likwit crew and former member Xzibit.
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Dre & Morgan Freeman Team for New Movie
Dre from Outkast has teamed with director Morgan J. Freeman for the drama "Love Hater," which takes its name from the solo album and first single the rapper will release next summer. "We're using '8 Mile' as a template," Freeman said of their pitch to financiers. "Except we're going one step further and the movie will be called the same title as Dre's solo album and single." Dre will play an upper-class musical prodigy on the run with a lower-class eccentric, possibly played by "The Rules of Attraction" star Shannyn Sossamon, who's is in negotiations. The couple is forced to flee when the woman's racist brother is involved in an accidental shooting. "It was one of those scripts where I was like, 'I wish I had written it,' " Freeman said of "Love Hater," which he likened to "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Midnight Cowboy." "I wanted to do a movie about people, where the people are odd but they draw you in. I can't pitch it in one sentence." "Love Hater" will begin filming in March in Dre's hometown of Atlanta and will likely be released in September. Aside from his solo album, Dre will also record music and serve as executive producer for the "Love Hater" soundtrack. Freeman said Big Boi might appear in the film, but in an uncredited cameo. "This is Dre's thing," he said.
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Xzibit On Snoop and Mainstream
Xzibit admitted that his work with Snoop Dogg, among others, has contributed to his crossover and mainstream success, he refused to lash out at his associate, who recorded a diss to him ( the recent track "Pimp Slap" ). Xzibit said, "I can't really speak on what Snoop is doing. I got an album out, but no matter what Snoop does, I don't have to follow that. I got respect for him, I got love for Snoop."
X also spoke on how the money has not affected his music : "Being able to afford some jewelry has nothing to do with what I want to do with my music. I'm pretty sure that if I was rubbing oil on my chest and humping on speakers to sell some records, people would have a legitimate right to be upset, but I'm a grown ass man. I work hard for what I do and I'm a father, I provided a home for my family where if it wasn't for rap music I wouldn't be able to do it so I really don't give a fuck about imagery. It's just what comes from the heart."
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Redman, Eminem, and 50 Cent Plan Collabo
Redman is going into the studio with Eminem and his protege 50 Cent. The rappers all hooked up when rehearsing for MTV's Europe Music Awards on Tuesday and Redman confirmed that all 3 will go into the studio early december for the recording of Redmans new solo LP currently untitled. He said backstage, "Me & Em have done a joint together before and I felt energy and we got a chance to discuss music out here, so we gonna throw 50 Cent into the song and put it on my new album." Redman's LP is scheduled to feature appearences from Method Man, P Diddy, Nate Dogg and Dirty Pop Princess Christina Aguilera, and will be released in March 2003.
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Nelly Addresses 'Air Force Ones' Controversy
Nelly spoke with MuchMusic about the Nike "commercial" that is also known as 'Air Force Ones'. "We just did the song," explained Nelly. "You had Run DMC doing the Adidas thing and all that and it was like us paying homage to the shoe of our time." As for whether it crosses the line between art and advertising, he says, "If I tell you it's not then what, are you calling me a liar? I wouldn't lie to you dog. I would love to have a multi-million dollar contract with a sneaker endorsement company but it wasn't like that, the song was made way before. We didn't even have any intent on the song being a single, it just blew up." If it was an innocent track then, it did get Nike's attention. The rapper is currently designing his own shoe for the company.
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Craig G gets ready to drop "This is Now!!!"
Reuniting with his friend and mentor, the legendary super producer Marley Marl, Craig-G is back with full force on the A side of his single "Let's Get Up," (check the audio section to hear the track plus "I get Support Regadless") from the upcoming D&D Records release "This is Now!!!" Marley puts a new spin on a vintage hip-hop beat that we have all heard before, but never quite like this. "When I said Craig-G and Marley formed the ultimate alliance in dropping science believe it when ya heard, I wasn't lying," rhymes Craig in the in the opening line of this reunion track. Surging with a new recurrence of energy that is reminiscent of when he first dedicated a jam to all unoptimistics. On the hook Craig-G calls for all listeners to get up and commands "let's do it" as he assertively makes his intentions known for the listener to dance. On the production side, Marley proves that he still holds an immense amount of relevance in the hit-making department. It is inevitable that even the most stubborn wallflowers will react to this groove.
The flip side takes it from the party straight to the underground, aiming at all phony rappers "screaming gangster till they blue in the face." "I Get Support Regardless" takes the listener on a much different voyage then they are used to hearing from Craig-G. The dark beat allows him to rip apart all the emcees out there following the tired trend of battling everything in sight, without being able to back up their words. From the start of the song, Craig lets out an onslaught, questioning credibility of these thug rappers, while proving his own. This song is sure to get plenty of love from the true hip-hop fans who will appreciate the fact that he "aint got nothing to loose, I should be the beat's personal trainer the way I hustle a groove."
With the release of this single, and his full length LP, "This is Now!!!" coming soon, it is obvious that Craig-G is ready to take back his rightful position in hip-hop. Very few can reach his level of skill, and every one will have to respect his talent and get up, because he will be getting support regardless. Pay attention and "witness history in the making, all over again!!!"
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Missy, Mr. Cheeks Join Lil' Kim's 'Mafia'
Missy Elliott, Mr. Cheeks, Styles P, and Mashonda Tifere are among the guests lending a hand on Lil Kim's upcoming album "La Bella Mafia," due March 4 from Atlantic. Mr. Cheeks appears on first single "The Jump Off," which was produced by Timbaland and has been shipped this week to U.S. radio outlets for airplay consideration.
A star-studded team of producers was behind the boards for "La Bella Mafia," including Swizz Beatz, Kanye West, DJ Twinz, Havoc, and Scott Storch. The set is the follow-up to Lil' Kim's 2000 opus "Notorious K.I.M.," which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart and No. 4 on The Billboard 200. It has sold 1.3 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.
As previously reported, Lil' Kim joins Queen Latifah and Macy Gray for the song "Cell Block Tango (He Had It Comin')" on Epic's soundtrack to the hit film "Chicago."
Since the release of "Notorious K.I.M.," the artist made headlines thanks to her collaboration with Mya, Pink, and Christina Aguilera on a cover LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade," which hit No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100. Recorded for Interscope's "Moulin Rouge" soundtrack, the single picked up the Grammy for best pop collaboration with vocals and MTV Video Music Awards trophies for best video and best video from a film, among other honors.
Kim has also guested on recent albums from Swizz Beatz and 3LW.
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Black Eyed Peas Prepare Return for 2003
After a couple of years of doing other things, Black Eyed Peas is eying a return in 2003. They are currently working on their new album, Elephunk that is set to drop sometime this spring. They have already recorded collaborations with rock-rap band Papa Roach and Blink 182's Travis Barker.
In addition, Will.I.Am has been tapped to host a new MTV2 show called, "My Definition". The show will be a weekly series beginning this spring and will feature Will backed by a live band as he rhymes and freestyles about videos he's about to introduce. For more updated news on the BEP crew, check out their website at
http://www.blackeyedpeas.com.
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Terror Squad Leaves Fat Joe?
First it was Sunkiss, followed by Cuban Link, then Tony Sunshine. Now Fat Joe's "loyalty" is in question as the first female of the Terror Squad, Remy Martin, has bounced and has a new track allegedly calling out Fat Joe for shady business practices.
Word around the block is that Joe was given funding by Atlantic Records for three different projects: his 5th album, Loyalty, Remy's solo album and Tony Sunshine's solo album, but it's speculated that Joe squandered all the cash for his own album.
Although Remy doesn't say his name, all signs point to Joey Crack. Here's some lyrics:
"All I hear is 'Remy you the best with it and yo Remy blessed it /I think if you the best then, you should have the best sh!t' / Every other second, 'Yo Rem you fire'... I know, and I also know that you a liar / You told me you would put me right in / But I'm always left out, stressed out / Trying to figure out the best route / But it's ok though, cause Ima make doe / And when I do, you gon do, what I say hoe / I know I'm going platinum cause everybody loving it / Cuban (Link) don't worry Ima get you all your publishing / Daddy why you always gone, (Triple) Seis Ima put you on.... Before all this rap sh*t, before all the rhymes / You was all into crack sh!t, more into crimes / So don't think for one second Ima let you take mine / I don't give a f*ck what I signed, on your dotted line / Ima still do me, I'm like a real-life movie / And I don't need you, but Ima use you, like you used me..."
Triple Seis and Prospect were also a part of the Terror Squad crew after it was started by Big Pun in the late 90s. All that's left in the crew now is Fat Joe and Armageddon who's scheduled to release his album this year. Reps for Prospect and Tony Sunshine claim that they are still down with Fat Joe and Terror Squad and have not moved on.
Hip-Hop 'Woodstock' Planned For April
Leave it to Russell Simmons to one-up the National Basketball Association. Although a host of rappers are planning to participate in the multitude of festivities surrounding the NBA's All-Star game next month in Atlanta, it's looking like that event won't be the biggest wordsmith-attended fiesta in the ATL this year.
On Tuesday (January 21), Simmons announced plans for not only his second national Hip-Hop Summit, but for the first Urban Hip-Hop Music Festival, with both scheduled to take place in Atlanta.
The festival is slated to commence on April 12 at Turner Field, with a second concert to follow the day after at the same venue. Being called the 'Woodstock of hip-hop," Simmons promises a two-day extravaganza featuring a who's who of rappers, with a portion of the proceeds from the shows to go to charity.
"Just as music played an important role in the changing of our culture after the original Woodstock, we are again at a turning point where music — specifically hip-hop — will have a role in shaping our future," Simmons said in a statement. "It's time to take that responsibility seriously."
A day before the event kicks off, Simmons is also planning to have a wide array of hip-hop community insiders, from artists to label executives, participate in a Hip-Hop Summit at Morehouse College, where they will address issues facing the music industry.
While no participants have been named, Simmons is close to finalizing all the details and securing confirmations, according to his spokesperson.
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Daz Sets Out Plans For The Year
As we reported earlier this week Daz posted on the DPG Recordz forum and stated : 'no more dpgrecordz .com Gangsta advisory.' Well in the most recent DPG Recordz update it appears that the label will now become a sub-label of Gangsta Advisory Records and all future releases will be labeled Gangsta Advisory/DPG and will bear both logo's.
Also in the update was news that Daz Dillinger is currently working with Eminem's label, Shady Records. This includes making beats and also there is said to be a track with Daz & 50 Cent which is said to feature Tupac - the track is due to make its debut on Whoo Kid mixtapes. Another track in the works is a diss song where 50 will take more shots at Murder Inc and others, while Daz is said to attack at least Benzino, Murder Inc, Death Row and possibly Jay-Z.
DPG also announced its next project which is said to be titled, 'DPGC You Know What I'm Throwin Up.' There is set to be an update with more details on this release soon, but what we know so far is that it will be the first project released under the Gangsta Advisory/DPG name and they are hoping to secure a new distribution deal to get this CD in all major record shops. There is also still talk of Daz signing to a major label in the near future as a solo artist, more news on that as and when it comes.
Finally congratulations to DPG Recordz. If the sales figures they revealed are correct then the 4 releases they put out in the past four months (Who Ride Wit Us 2, Gangsta Shit DVD, Daz - I Got Love In The Streetz & DPG - Last Of Tha Pound") shifted upwards of 400,000 units with relatively poor distribution! All they need to do now is sort out past orders where sales of CD's, DVD's and merchandise were not honoured, as many DPG fans have had their money taken and never received their items. Also, it has been rumored that offices of Tha Row have received a lot of prank calls lately, with the callers identifying themselves as "Dat Nigga Daz".
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Trick Daddy Concert: Shut Down!
Although he intended to help the city of Miami celebrate Martin Luther King’s Jr. birthday during the parade, it seems Trick Daddy made the police officers upset.
Trick Daddy was performing during the two mile parade/concert sponsored by WEDR Miami 99 Jamz in downtown Miami on January 20th, which he continuously asked for his sound system to be turned up. The police officers who were protecting the crowd and trying to prevent any violence, said that they didn’t want the music to go any louder. Trick Daddy soon become upset about his request and began shouting F**k the police on stage towards the crowd.
Police decided to shut down his remaining concert time, which shut down the entire concert. Trick intended to bring Latocha Scott on stage with him to perfom his new single “Thug Holiday” before he was shut down. Slip-N-Slide’s first lady Trina also made an appearance so they could perform their hit “Ain’t No N**”. The organizers of the parade were trying to make sure the event didn’t end in violence during the performance, which it didn’t.
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MTV DOCUMENTS HISTORY OF THE MICROPHONE FIEND
MTV Base will air a half hour programme, Friday Jan 31 at 8pm about the enduring phenomenon that is the hip hop battle. 'Survival of the Fittest' will chart some of the legendary hip hop confrontations dating back to the 70s. The programme tracks the development of battles – which started out as head-to-head rapping competitions - from the infamous 'bridge' battles where Scott La Roc tragically lost his life, through the 80s 'slams' of LL Cool J and Coo Moe D and Vanilla Ice’s ill-advised tangle with 3rd Bass. Infamous 90s clashes like those between Biggie Smalls & Tupac and Nas & Jay-Z will also feature. Amongst the hip hop aficionados adding comment are Tim Westwood, Jay-Z, Black Twang and Greenpeace. If that’s not enough to light your fire, look out for the exclusive footage from Eminem’s current ‘8 Mile’ flick.
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Angie Martinez Pregnant
Hot 97 radio personality Angie Martinez has gone on record admitting to a pregnancy that was speculated for sometime by industry insiders.
On Jan. 21, the radio jock-turned-rapper made the announcement live from her radio show. Martinez refused to disclose publicly who the father of her fetus is, but she did state that she was five months into the pregnancy.
Martinez's second album, Animal House, peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 charts. Her latest single, "Take You Home” with Kelis" is experiencing success in both video and radio.
Martinez got her start in radio through her mother, Shirley Maldonado,who was employed as radio station program director in Miami. Martinez did grunt work like manning the office phones and driving the station's van. At 16, she received her first part time job at a radio station and her career has soared through the years.
As a rapper, she started with Krs-ONE on his I Got Next CD on the song “Heartbeat,” which also featured New Jersey rapper Redman. She has released to albums as a solo artist, 2002’s Animal House and 2001’s Up Close and Personal.
, according to Martinez's label. While Angie talked on-air earlier this week about taking time off from hosting on the radio, she isn't going to stop making music — her spokesperson said she is expected to head back to the studio next month and begin recording her third album, which is due in stores before the end of 2003. ...
Linear Mode
