Living Hip-Hop legends Run-D.M.C. are among the artists being considered to be inducted into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, it was announced today (September 22).
The rap group joins esteemed acts like Little Anthony and the Imperials, Jeff Beck, Metallica, Bobby Womack, Chic, Wanda Jackson and pioneering hardcore band The Stooges.
“Run-D.M.C. and Jam Master Jay being considered for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is an honor and a dream come true,” Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons told AllHipHop.com exclusively. “I pray that my DJ, Jam Master Jay is resting in peace and smiling ear to ear. D.M.C. and Jay, job well done! This is exciting beyond belief.”
The 24th annual 2009 induction ceremony, which is open to the public for the first time in the Museum’s history, is slated to take place April 4 at Public Hall in Cleveland.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation was established in 1983, to recognized the contribution of musicians and their artistry to pop culture.
The Museum is located in Cleveland, Ohio and is a nonprofit organization which preserves and honors the continuing significance of popular music.
The organization collects, preserves and a number of artifact through exhibits, libraries, archives and educational programs.
Comprised of Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels and Jason "Jam Master Jay" Mizell, Run-D.M.C. dropped their self titled debut album Run-D.M.C. in 1984 for New York City independent, Profile Records.
The group went on to record a number of groundbreaking recordings, including King of Rock (1985), Raising Hell (1986), Tougher Than Leather (1988), Back From Hell (1990), Down with The King (1993) and Crown Royal (2001).
Run-D.M.C. is credited with bringing Hip-Hop to the masses, through hits like "My Adidas," "Peter Piper," "Walk This Way," "Mary Mary."
Each year, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s nominating committee, which is comprised of rock and roll historians, selects the nominees, who are not eligible until 25-years after their first album was released.
Then, a body of over 500 international experts vote and the performers who receive the highest number of votes and more than 50 percent of the vote - are inducted.
Usually, five to seven performers each year.
In 2007, Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five were the first Hip-Hop group to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
My homey Combat Jack asked me the serious question…“Would you fucks with Asher Roth if he weren’t a white?”
Bascially, could a Black dude get off with the same steez? Damn, I had to think about that one. The truth is that Asher Roth fills the void in my listening taste that has been vacant since Eminem went off the grid. I fucks with Marshall Mathers hard [ll]. I feel like he was able to transcend race in his devotion to Hip-Hop.
When I consider Asher Roth I realize that he uses the privilege of whiteness to make himself accessible to rap.At the end of the day his notion of the suburbs as a place that was devoid of rappers is a fallacy. Just look at De La Soul. They were the originators of the suburban rap lifestyle. De La made that shit available for any kid who didn’t live in the inner city but wanted to be connected to this Hip-Hop movement. De La Soul also got that off without trading in their quote unquote Blackness. It wasn’t like they acted as if they were separated from the disenfranchisement that plagues the kids from poorer neighborhoods either.
De La just saw a wider, larger world to occupy.I’m not downing Asher Roth here. I think he has talent enough to be a recognized Hip-Hop persona. He is just going to have to decide to act like this Hip-Hop shit is more than a hobby. There are Black rappers that treat rap like its their part time job, something they do only on weekends when they aren’t selling drugs or having sex with whoever or designing clothing. Is this the one and only instance of Black privilege? Possibly, but I don’t care about part time rappers anyhoo. Their times limited, hard rocks too.
We need Eminem to return from his hiatus. Along with Jay-Z and NaS, I feel like Em is the reason that kids are trying to be rappers today. Especially Asher Roth. What they need is guidance in the game and the image of people who have a work ethic for making their rhymebooks golden. NaS definitely does that. Jay-Z doesn’t write rhymes, or so he claims. He is a part time rapper anyhoo too busy with doing things outside of the music. The rappers with rhymebooks reign supreme.
Do you think that Sarah Palin would be able to skate if she were as Black as Michelle Obama and she had a teenage daughter pregnant? Do you think the baby daddy could get a pass if he were a Black high school athlete that had a provacative MySpace page? Do you think Sarah Palin’s husband would get by for supporting a secessionist political party if he were Black like Reverend Wright? Would Sarah Palin even be a name we knew if she were a Black chick that loved guns and dropped out of several colleges?
Jesus was a community organizer, Pontius Pilate was a governor, and America is a racist country.
Washington D.C.’s native son, Wale, will headline the Red Bull Big Tune producer battle in the Nation’s Capital on September 24 at the 9:30 Club.
The battle is the seventh in the series leading up to the finals, slated for December in New York.
Beatsmiths from Houston, Chicago, Oakland, Seattle, and Detroit have competed so far.
The winners at the D.C. battle will appear in the final.
Wale and producer Nottz are scheduled to perform at the event, which kicks off at 8PM local time. The witty rapper, who released a “Seinfeld”-themed mixtape, is the main draw and proceeds from the event will go to Words, Beats and Life, a D.C.-based community program. The cost is $5 or free if you RSVP at Red Bull’s Big Tune Web site.
The battled is the brain child of Vitamin D and Jonathan Moore. The pair birthed the idea in 2004 and three years later partnered with Red Bull. A music forum discussion will be held the day before the event, on September 23, at the Columbia Heights Youth Center.
The phenomenon that is Guitar Hero has been a dream come true for adolescents and adults alike who have had a hard time emulating their favorite rock stars in the real world. The makers of the extremely successful guitar game, Activision, are hoping they can do the same for DJ Hero.
According to Kotaku.com, DJ Hero is tentatively scheduled for release next summer, with developers FreeStyleGames still hard at work on the game. The controller has been described as a simplified deejay deck, with three buttons for sampling and a cross fader included on the small platform that will likely be wireless.
Though the development of DJ Hero has run surprisingly well, Activision’s main obstacle has been the abundant amount of songs that feature samples, and licensing could put its premiere on hold. The wait may give a more satisfying result though, as Activision is looking to make DJ Hero and Guitar Hero compatible for game play.
HipHopDX will keep you posted on new developments for DJ Hero as the product is slowly unveiled.
In the latest battle over how low a person can wear pants, a Florida judge struck down a law banning baggy pants, calling the measure unconstitutional, according to an Associated Press report.
The measure was initially approved by voters, and voted on last March, after the necessary 5,000 signatures were obtained to add the measure to the ballot.
Despite passage of the measure, the issue did not take center stage until a 17-year-old was arrested in Riviera Beach in southeast Florida for wearing pants that exposed his underwear. The teen, not identified by name, was jailed overnight.
A local report says the teen was held due to a history of marijuana use.
The judge in the case, Palm Beach Circuit Judge Paul Moyle was simply not having it.
“We're not talking about exposure of buttocks,” Moyle said in his ruling. “No! We're talking about someone who has on pants whose underwear are apparently visible to a police officer who then makes an arrest and the basis is he's then held overnight, no bond."
The teen’s public defender added that “we now have the fashion police,” to which, the judge agreed.
If the law had been upheld, the teen would have faced 150 hours of community service and a fine.
Kanye West has been busy working on his new album, 808's and Heartbreak for some time now. He's revealed that his album is set to be released before year's end and he has even released the first single, "Love Lockdown" [click to listen]. Now, he's blogging about this and the alleged release date showdown that he may re create with 50 Cent.
"I just woke up from a quick studio nap," he wrote in his blog this week. "I've been workin' on 808s and Heartbreak about 16 hours a day and [I] passed out for a little bit ... I'm in Hawaii but I'm still on New York time so I wake up mad early, do some business, blog, jog for an hour, play ball, eat and then hit the stu [sic] by noon. While approving the final cut for the 'Love Lockdown' vid, I marvel at the fact that it was written less than three weeks ago."
Later, Kanye added that he's excited about his album coming together and he even sent a shout out to Fif.
"I'm very excited about the everything ... I guarantee this will be 50's favorite album of mine. This will be gangster's album of the year."
As it stands, the West and cent albums are not scheduled to be released on the same date. Instead, they are currently a week apart, but that could easily change. If the two emcees chose to battle it out on the same release date, it could be done soon. More on this as it develops.
Two years after officially reuniting, Naughty By Nature is in the final stages of completing their first album as a trio in eight years.
Tentatively titled Anthem, Inc., the group exclusively tell AllHipHop.com that music from the album will be available to fans before the end of the year.
“It’s all about when the album is done, to be honest with you,” revealed producer DJ Kay Gee, who departed from the group in 2000 over a financial disagreement.
“There’s no set date, but before this New Year comes in, you’re definitely gonna be hearing some exclusives, some appetizers to let them know we coming,” added the group’s frontman Treach. “We’re gonna be giving the people stuff to let them know the music is there, the group is there.”
According to Vin Rock, the three members of Naughty by Nature have been toying with the idea of releasing a new album for the last two summers, since Kay Gee publicly rejoined the group during a performance by Treach and Vin in New York.
While the album was delayed in coming, the three took the time to repair the fractured bond created by accusations of financial impropriety following the release of the group’s fourth major label release, Nineteen Naughty Nine: Nature’s Fury.
Despite the fact that it has been over five years since even Treach and Vinny released a studio project, the group continues to be as popular as ever, with the two continuing to perform over 100 shows a year.
It is that active touring schedule which makes Naughty by Nature confident that their return will be welcomed.
“When people are still willing to buy Naughty boxers from us, or wanting to buy Naughty By Nature t-shirts or Naughty By Nature hoodies to this day, that says that you’re still marketable in some type of way,” Kay Gee told AllHipHop.com. “I haven’t been out there with them, but the fact that they’re able to do hundreds of shows per year still, without an album. That says that people are still into your music, people are still into your brand and people still wanna see you. So with that being said, it only makes sense to now feed the brand and give them something that’s current.”
As they put the finishing touches on the music and lock in collaborators, Naughty By Nature is turning to the business side of their project.
The group has maintained control of their brand since first emerging on the scene in seventeen years ago.
Now they say that the release of the album will also hinge on finding the proper partner to make the release a success, an arrangement which will be far from the traditional record deal model.
“The industry is going through a little bit of changes,” explained Kay Gee. “But for people like us that have some kind of brand, and where we feel like we could service to just our fans, you have more control over what you can do and what you can ask for. For better or worse, we can’t just go in and do your typical deal anymore.”
Naughty By Nature is also currently preparing for next month’s taping of the fifth annual VH1 Hip-Hop Honors, which are set to air on October 6.
The New Jersey vets will be celebrated alongside Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Slick Rick and Too $hort with performances and appearances by artists including Big Boi, Biz Markie, Bun B, Ghostface Killa, Kid Rock, MC Lyte, Lil Jon, Lil’ Wayne, Q-Tip, Scarface and Wyclef Jean.
While some have wondered why it took so long for the group to be chosen for the VH1 tribute, Treach sees it as an untarnished milestone.
“Put it like this: we got Grammys, we got AMAs, we got everything else,” he reflects. “Our folks ain’t seen us yet with none of them awards. So for a Hip-Hop Honors to come out and give us love like that man: I’m overwhelmed. I love it. It’s a Grammy to me. All the way, all day. It ain’t nothing like it’s just a TV show. It’s like a Super Bowl ring for me.”
Los Angeles, California Hip-Hop recording artist The Game issued a statement exclusively to AllHipHop.com earlier today regarding the tragic Friday night plane crash that critically injured former Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and DJ AM.
"I am deeply hurt by this tragedy. Travis Barker has always been there for me when I needed him creatively. We've done many songs together," The Game told AllHipHop.com. "Just recently he appeared in my video (Dope Boyz) that he featured on. I respect and love him, my prayers are with him and his family in this difficult time for his speedy & complete recovery."
Barker has a long history of working with Hip-Hop artists, and has worked on Hip-Hop related projects himself, acting as drummer for a Hip-Hop inspired punk band, Transplant, whose second release Haunted Cities was screwed and chopped by Paul Wall.
Barker later formed a band called Expensive Taste with Paul Wall and he recently remixed the monster hit "Crank That" by artist Soulja Boy to critical acclaim, as well as another recent smash with Flo Rida's "Low," which was featured on hit video game Guitar Hero.
Four people died in the crash, which occured as the popular musicians were taking off from the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Airport in a Learjet 60, just before midnight on Friday (September 19).
They have been identified as pilot Sarah Lemmon, 31, of Anaheim Hills and co-pilot James Bland, 52, of Carlsbad.
Barker's assistant Chris Baker, 29, of Studio City, CA, and his security guard Charles Still, 25 of Los Angeles, were also killed in the accident.
"It's so shocking and unexpected," Paul Wall told AllHipHop.com. "Travis and AM are such generous people. They would literally give you the shirt off their back. And Lil Chris was such a great friend. He was down for life. I feel so bad for his wife and son that are going through such a hard time right now. Family is something very important to Travis and Chris, we all gotta pull together right now."
Barker is currently in critical condition in an Augusta, Georgia burn unit with fellow crash survivor DJ AM, born Adam Goldstein.
Barker was burned on his torso and lower body, while DJ AM was burned on his arms and head.
Both men are expected to recover, but could be remained hospitalized for weeks, according to doctors.
Another moment in the show that had everyone talking was when 50 had fun with Kanye West, doing his own rendition of “Love Lockdown.” Yayo said the crew was just having a good time and that they would welcome another SoundScan showdown with Mr. West. Kanye’s 808’s & Heartbreak and 50’s Before I Self Destruct are due in December, one week apart from each other.
“That’ll be fun,” Yayo noted. “In my eyes, I don’t think Kanye will never be bigger than Fif, no matter what his numbers do.”
Rap: Lil Wayne - 2.5 mil Rick Ross - 678k (Trilllaaaaaaaa) Plies - 496k Nas - 380k The Game - 377k Young Jeezy - 350k T.O.S. - 217k David Banner - 147k Ice Cube - 130k LL Cool J 44k Kardinall Offishal - 11k
R&B Alicia Keys 3.5 mil Rihanna 1.7 mil Chris Brown 1.7 mil Keyshia Cole 1.5k Usher 1 mil Danity Kane 538k Day 26 348k Ashanti 230k Lloyd 114k Solange 32k Donnie Klang 28k
By: Konsept New Big Pun Documentary coming soon, entitled Big Pun: The Legacy, courtesy of director Vlad Yudin and producer Edwin Mejia. This documentary focuses mainly on Big Pun the emcee. It is a much needed project due to the 2003 documentary called "Still Not A Player" which documented more of Big Pun's personal life (which wasn't too positive for his fans who wasn't aware of his personal life). Along with Liza Rios (Big Pun's widow), featured artists to make a cameo are Raekwon, Cuban Link, Xzibit, DJ Enuff, Armageddon, Snoop Dogg, and many more. XXLmag.com has an exclusive interview with Vlad about the DVD and the man it was done for. Click here for the interview.
By: Konsept Prince Po of Organized Konfusion stated that he and Pharaohe Monch have worked on a new song together entitled "Then and Now". Even though it's a new song by the two, it will remain unheard for now. He also stated it could lead to a possible album and website. Organized Konfusion was formed in the early 90's and recorded 3 great albums before their split which eventually lead to Pharaohe Monch's solo career.
With their debut album already in stores, West Coast Hip Hop group Dubb Union are hoping to bring a breath of fresh air into the West Coast with their unique take on Hip Hop.
Consisting of Bad Lucc, Damani, and Soopafly, Dubb Union is a lyrical melting pot with each member bringing their own personality, lyricism, and even swag.
The trio represent three different areas in Los Angeles including Watts, Inglewood, and Long Beach.
"West Coast Hip Hop is on a bubble right now," Soopafly told HipHopDX. "We so close to a new era in sound, but not quite yet. Torn between the gangbang sound of the 90's and the new pop rap sound that we hear today, it's hard to come up with a sound other than the obvious, but it is in the works. West coast is known for changing music and sound. So that's what we're workin' on."
Dubb Union was able to garner the interest of fellow West Coast rapper Snoop Dogg a few years ago and even made an appearance on Tha Blue Carpet Treatment album.
"Yeah, that's the big homie [Snoop Dogg]. Real talk," Bad Lucc explained to HipHopDX. "The ni**a calls and checks on me all the time. He's proud man. We did it on our own."
Snoop Dogg Presents Dubb Union was released on September 2 on Doggystyle Records and features guest appearances by Snoop Dogg, Kurupt, and Daz Dillinger.
The Padded Room, Joe Budden's sophomore album has been postponed until February 24 due to 'complications with the physical product'. The initial release date for The Padded Room was October 28.
Although the release of The Padded Room has been delayed, fans of Joe Budden will be pleased to hear that his label Amalgam Digital will be releasing a digital album entitled The Halfway House on October 28. The Halfway House will include 14 new tracks by Joe Budden and can be purchased online at www.amalgamdigital.com.
"Though I'm not happy about it being pushed so far back, I do understand the method behind the madness. We've got an album I'm extremely proud of and a lead single that Amalgam Digital and I are both very happy with, but for those of you who are just as anxious as I am, I apologize," Joe Budden said in a statement.
Joe Budden's label Amalgam Digital also issued a statement on the matter, "There is a popular misconception that Amalgam Digital is strictly an internet label. Although the label places a strong focus on new media marketing initiatives, promotions, and distributing digital releases, the company is actually still releasing physical CD's as well. While Amalgam has a unique and progressive strategy, the company still faces the same issues and delays every major label encounters when dealing with physical product."
Kevin Powell, the author, activist, journalist and one-time cast member of MTV's The Real World lost the race to represent Brooklyn's 10th Congressional District to incumbent Congressman Edolphus "Ed" Towns. Powell won endorsements from the likes of Dave Chappelle [click to read], Afeni Shakur and activist Gloria Steinem, but lost to Towns in last week's Democratic primary. Powell received 33 percent of the vote while Towns received 67 percent.
In addition to his own published non-fiction works, Powell contributed to Vibe, Esquire and other publications. The self-proclaimed "Hip Hop historian" more closely resembled his Brooklyn constituency, which has a median income of $30,212. In a prepared statement Powell thanked all his supporters, continued his critique of Towns and promised to run for the Congressional seat again in 2010.
"We know the people of neighborhoods like East New York, Bed-Stuy, Fort Greene, Midwood, and Williamsburg deserve representation that is accessible, visible, and reliable on a consistent basis," said Powell. "Mr. Towns has a history of only helping selected areas and groups in the district, the people he knows are most likely to vote on primary day every two years because he caters to them only."
When Joe Budden announced that his new album, The Padded Room, would be pushed back to next year, he also announced that he would be releasing a prequel and a mixtape, while adding that he would be "having a conversation" with Royce Da 5'9" on wax.
"I will be releasing a prequel of sorts (prequel to The Padded Room) in late October featuring about 14 new records. I then will do my best to get this Big Mike tape out in December, and somewhere in between I’m gonna have a conversation with Royce, on wax, just to ask a few questions to the guy," Budden said via statement.
Royce heard that and didn't appreciate it. In a Loud interview with Royce, he replied to the statement.
"I don't have conversations on wax... I'ma say this and I'm not gonna keep saying it but I'ma say it cause that's the mood I'm in right now. Joe Budden is someone who I respect tremendously. Like, lyrically . I got a lot of respect for Joe Budden. I think he's real ill. I reached out to Joe Budden to do a song. He turned around and dissed me out of nowhere."
He also added that he has no interest in beefing.
"I don't want to have a problem with Joe Budden," he said. "The only way [we] are gonna have a problem, is if he brings a problem. If he asks for a problem, then I'll give him the most serious one he's ever had. But, that's not what I want to do."
Royce reaches out, saying that there is no reason whatever they have brewing could not be handled outside of rap.
"Listen, man. If you want to ask me some questions...He ain't got my number, but he can find me. He do have my e-mail."
While keeping it peaceful, he did say he wouldn't tolerate disrespect.
"I'm not gon' let him disrespect me. I never let that happen before. Why would I start now?"
Finally, he reaches out to him personally, through the video, with his own message.
"My thing to Joe Budden...If you got a question for me, ask me. Don't say it on a track for the whole world to hear. Cause, then you're gonna piss me off. I'm not in the business to piss you off so you shouldn't be in the business to piss me off. We should keep it like that. I'm being a gentleman about it, for the moment."
Even though Royce says he is keeping it off wax, he throws a shot at Budden on the new Bar Exam 2 mixtape.
"Listen to Joe Budden say I fell the fuck off, but he ain't ever fell on. I'm just gonna ignore him," he says on "I'm Nice."
By Ismael AbduSalaam When you hear the ever animated DJ Khaled bellow out his signature catchphrase “We the best!” on his various hit records, you’re not hearing an empty catchphrase, but the slogan by which the man exemplifies his career.
Since 2006, Khaled has ridden the wave of his albums (Listennn...The Album, We The Best) and their various all-star posse-cut compilations (“Holla at Me,” “I’m So Hood,” “Out Here Grindin”) from the DJ booth to fledgling boardroom executive. Now just a few short weeks away from the release of his third LP, We Global, Khaled explains the methods behind his planned worldwide takeover.
AllHipHop.com Your new album We Global is scheduled to drop September 16. What direction were you looking to take on this album from your previous efforts?
Khaled: The direction was just to go harder and bigger out here with these records. “Out Here Grindin’” is another huge street anthem. I got the whole hood representing it. I’m collaborating with the biggest hood stars and street artists in the game all on one record. I’ve got Ricky Ross, Plies, Boosie, Akon, Ace Hood, and Trick Daddy. This is just straight out the projects! That’s what I rep.
And the new single “Go Hard” features T-Pain and Kanye West. And that [one], I can retire after that! I got Game on the record, [and] Nas. I got everyone! So basically the direction is to go harder
DJ Khaled f/ Akon, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Lil Boosie, Plies, Ace Hood, and Trick Daddy "Out Here Grindin'" Video
AllHipHop.com: You’ve been with Koch Records releasing major albums since about 2006. What’s the biggest benefit of working with them as opposed to smaller or bigger labels?
Khaled: With Koch they’re hungry and see my vision. And there’s no hate, when I want to do something they say, “Let’s go.” They work hard and are very hands on. And my work with them helped me get a huge label deal with Def Jam.
AllHipHop.com: Of course Def Jam is a name that’s synonymous with Hip-Hop, but many artists there have expressed discontent with the way their projects were handled. What made you feel comfortable partnering We the Best Music with them?
Khaled: First of all I’m a fan of Def Jam and its artists. I grew up listening to Run-DMC [Ed. Note: Run-DMC was on Profile, though managed by Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons] and LL Cool J. Now you have Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Rick Ross. There’s so many artists that they’ve done well with, so to be under that umbrella is just a beautiful thing for my brand. LA Reid, I look up to him as a boss and somebody in the game that loves the music and the work. Signing my first artist Ace Hood was a true dream come true for me.
AllHipHop.com: How did you hook up with Ace Hood and how has the creative process for his album been going?
Khaled: We hooked up in Miami. He brought his music to the station while I was late on my way to work in the parking lot. I seen him and he looked like a star. So when I got his CD I told him and I’ll call him later after I’d listened to it. So after work I jumped in that Phantom and started bumping his music and I heard the hunger in his voice. So I called him and said, “Yo, I’m going to send you ‘I’m So Hood,’ let’s see you rap over it.” And he ripped it down.
DJ Khaled f/ T-Pain, Trick Daddy, Rick Ross & Plies "I'm So Hood" Video
AllHipHop.com: Now a lot of up and coming artists would love to work with you as well. For everyone out there, what would be the top three things from an aspiring artist that would catch your eye and make you want to sign them?
Khaled: The style or swag, the presence when they walk in a room, and their hunger and work ethic.
AllHipHop.com: Right now you have a winning formula with the posse cuts. So far, they’ve pretty much been your lane exclusively for the last couple albums. As an artist do you subscribe to maintaining the formula as long as it works, or taking risks with your art?
Khaled: My formula is my team. You’re always going to hear me do records with Ross, Ace Hood, Trick Daddy, Fat Joe, Akon, T-Pain, and Jeezy simply because I’m a fan of them and so are you. We make great music. But you’re also going to hear me do different things like “Go Hard” with T-Pain and Kanye.
I believe in making hit records. And when I’m in the studio I’m on it and I feel these guys have to be on it. And by the way, everyone loves the same guys [artists] I like (laughs)…as artists, no homo.
AllHipHop.com: A lot of people were thrown off by the collaboration you have with Nas on the album (“I’m On”). I know you’ve known him for a couple years through Fat Joe. Talk a little bit about how that project came about.
Khaled: I called and told him I wanted to do a “Hate Me Now” but a little different. It was just time for us to do something. We always wanted to work together throughout the years. Somehow the record got leaked and it really pissed me off because I wanted it to be a surprise. It’s a big record. Nas is spitting that fire; talking about drinking champagne out of a beer can. He’s going in. It’s Nas! He’s a legend.
AllHipHop.com: When you’re in the studio with all these different artists, do you have to offer a lot of direction or does everything just flow when the beats come on?
Khaled: I always come to them with the concept, beat, and chorus. And when I’m in the studio I bring a certain energy and get the best out of all the artists. They’ll tell you themselves I’m passionate about my music.
AllHipHop.com: Under your Beat Novacaine producer name you also have a lot of production credits. Every producer has their own habits and patterns, so is there anything in particular that you do when coming up with the arrangements and rhythms for your music?
Khaled: When I make my own beats they be real cinematic and theatrical…and hard. [But] when I get with other producers like The Runners or Danja I always give them passion and they deliver it to another level. So it really depends on what direction I want to go in at that time.
AllHipHop.com: Being that you’re a cornerstone of the Terror Squad, can we expect another album from you guys? Khaled: Joe’s working on a Terror Squad album now. You know, we make hits!
AllHipHop.com: A lot has been made recently about the status the DJ has now in Hip-Hop. Some people say the DJ is dead while others say that’s ridiculous and the DJ has more power now then they’ve ever had. As someone who’s made their name as a DJ, what’s your opinion on that?
Khaled: Everyone has an opinion but the DJ is definitely not dead, and I’m living proof of that. The DJ is involved in a lot of different situations. A DJ can become an executive, promoter, program director, A&R, or producer. DJs are in the heart of the music.
AllHipHop.com: As a producer and DJ you’re really close to the music and can feel trends are they’re developing. Where do you see the culture going lyrically, production-wise, and business-wise? Khaled: Business-wise it’ll go even more independent because major labels want artists to be CEOs and do all the work. They piggyback off it and then put the steroids in you once you’re hot. Lyrics will always be there. That’s why only certain people can be legends. Production-wise it’ll get crazier because sounds are changing every month and there’s crazy talented producers out there. I love Drumma Boy, The Runners, Danja, Infamous, and J-Roc.
AllHipHop.com: Let’s have you weigh in on the ringtone vs. album debate. You’re an artist that sells well on both fronts. Do you feel the importance of ringtone sales have diminished the viability of albums, or do you think LPs are still relevant in today’s market?
Khaled: You got to remember if you have a big ringtone record you got a hit record and you’re a hit artist. Are you a one hit wonder? It depends on that one artist. For me I make big ringtone records and record sales. The sales come when people buy into you and want to be a part of your career. A real fan is going to buy your record and support you.
AllHipHop.com: There’s been a huge backlash against artists whose personas don’t coincide with their backgrounds. Is this because fans themselves are getting too caught up in the images, or because artists aren’t making a clear distinction between their entertainment personas and their real lives?
Khaled: The problem with the fans is that there’s not enough time for artist development. Record companies aren’t doing it because they don’t want to spend the money. That’s why as an artist you have to be the CEO and go hard and not get mad at the record company but work with the new system. And the new system is “get yourself hot.” Go out there and grind and make them want to help you.
The name of the game is to be relevant. If you have a hot record and you’re out there doing shows, going on TV, you’re relevant so that means you can make another record. There’s plenty of artists that can’t sell a lot of records but are millionaires because they do shows every single day and have a huge fanbase. Why they didn’t sell records it’ll be a mystery but the next one might hit. It’s just the game…it’s a recession.
AllHipHop.com: Watching you perform it’s obvious you really enjoy being an artist. Now that you’re moving into the business side do you ever see yourself retiring from music like other artists have done, or do you see it always being a part of you? Khaled: I can’t say that now but I definitely know I’ll be going more into the business side because that’s what I do. I am the brand and now I can spread it to Ace Hood and my other team members.
By Tito Ruiz Aphilliates Music Group’s flagship artist, Willie The Kid is far from another run of the mill artist that is rapping as an alternative to say a street hustle or deflated hoop dreams. Since the first grade Willie has been exercising his penchant for writing and rhyming, performing at school talent shows and writing movie scripts.
After gaining acceptance to Clark-Atlanta University, he departed from his crime-laden hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan, known by most residents as “Gun Rule”. At Clark he linked with DJ Don Cannon and DJ Drama and accelerated the relentless pursuit of his lifelong goal—becoming “the future” of the rap game.
Soon after, he appeared on all of Don Cannon’s mixtapes, as well as DJ Drama’s, and continues to make appearances on all of the acclaimed duo’s releases. But for those who’ve developed the misconception that the Picasso painting MC got a free ride under the armpits of Cannon and Drama, they’re sadly mistaken.
Although it’s taken a little time to reach the top of the ladder, including a minor setback caused by a F.B.I. raid of the AMG offices in January 2007, the “Crown Prince” remains extremely content about building his castle using one grain of sand at a time. Dropping Absolute Greatness on September 30, pay attention now.
AllHipHop.com: What’s been good with you Willie?
Willie The Kid: As you know I'm signed with DJs Drama, Cannon and Sense's label Aphilliates Music Group (AMG) which my brother LA The Darkman is President of. Since Dram released Gangsta Grillz in November, we've hit everywhere from Connecticut, Hawaii, Jamaica, Toronto, Amsterdam, Tokyo and everywhere in between.
I'm dropping a mixtape September 30, on Asylum Records as a pre-album. I'm really excited about it. It's called Absolute Greatness. We're gonna be shooting the video for the first single called "Love For Money" towards the end of September. The single features Trey Songz, La The Darkman, Gucci Mane, Yung Joc and Bun B. Right now, I'm trying to be the best artist I can be.
AllHipHop.com: What’s been going on besides the music?
AllHipHop.com: You’ve been referring to yourself as the Crown Prince for a while now. How did that moniker come about?
Willie The Kid: I’ve always been like royalty, with my family in Atlanta, my family in The Ru [Grand Rapids, Michigan]. Everywhere I go, that’s the role I always play. I’ve always been more like a prince, and not at all a court jester. A lot n***as screaming that prince s**t now, so I’m about to let it go though. They can have it.
AllHipHop.com: What’s the difference between living in Grand Rapids and Atlanta?
Willie The Kid: I love The Rule. It’s home, but it’s totally different. In The Rule there aren’t that many opportunities there. You can be rapping all you want and it doesn’t really mean anything. The exposure to the mainstream is far and few in between. When I came to Atlanta it was becoming a hub for music. If I was still at home I’d be the nicest n***a in the hood. It’s like being an “And 1” n***a. I would just be a hood celebrity. I’m gonna be that regardless.
AllHipHop.com: A lot of industry notables have been referring to you in extremely high regard. Late last year I interviewed another Grand Rapids, Michigan Native, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., for Allhiphop.com. He said that if he had to name one of the nicest rappers in the game that it had to be you. How do you feel about that?
Willie The Kid: Floyd is my cousin through marriage. His family and mine have been linked together since I was a baby. I knew Floyd knew about my music, but I didn’t expect him to go to the mainstream and talk about it. That was a good look! Actually, I didn’t expect a co-sign from him. It feels good when somebody of his status does that. I don’t think he’s saying it because he’s family. I believe he’s honestly paying homage to what’s obvious.
AllHipHop.com: What role did your brother LA The Darkman play in your career?
Willie The Kid: He’s been my manager for life, even beyond music. He started working on his album, Heist Of The Century, in ’96 and released it in ‘98. He sold nearly 300,000 copies independently. He was rolling with Wu-Tang. I was observing and consuming the inner-workings of all of that stuff back then. My s**t goes back further than the Gangsta Grillz mixtapes. It’s similar to being raised in the dojo, so don’t be surprised if I got a black belt.
“We used to rap in [Don Cannon's] closet and [Drama’s] bathroom. We used a sock as a mic filter and had a [Boss] BR-8 4-track board—no Pro Tools. I used carry the crates for Cannon and Dram because I was underage and I needed to get in the club early to avoid getting hassled.”
AllHipHop.com: What was your experience like at Clark-Atlanta University?
Willie The Kid: I got a degree in Mass Communications. I did most of my pre-courses in high school, so by the time I got to college I was almost done. I only had to do two years. The people I met there made it more valuable than anything. Had I not been there I wouldn’t have met Don Cannon and Drama. That’s who I came into the game with. We used to rap in Don’s closet and Dram’s bathroom. We used a sock as a mic filter and had a [Boss] BR-8 4-track board—no Pro Tools. I used carry the crates for Cannon and Dram because I was underage and I needed to get in the club early to avoid getting hassled at the door. As you can see we’ve been grinding together for a minute!
DJ Drama ft. Nelly, T.I., Diddy, Yung Joc, Willie the Kid, Young Jeezy & Twista "5000 Ones" Video
AllHipHop.com: Not too long ago, there was a little back and forth on wax between you and Lil Wayne. What’s that really about?
Willie The Kid: That s**t ain’t nothing! It has to do with the situation that happened when Dram got raided. There was a lot of tension in the air. I ain’t the type of n***a that feels like he has to go the beef route to make a name for his self. I ain’t on it like that. I was in the studio making my record and I said what I said, and I meant what I said. That wasn’t a plan for me to market myself or create an on-going beef with Lil Wayne. I see them n***as all the time—no real beef! If it is real beef, holla at me when you see me--and that’s just that.
“I’m building my s**t thoroughly from the ground up. I don’t want to make one big Hip-Hop cross over song and be here today and gone tomorrow.”
AllHipHop.com: Speaking of the raid, did that have anything to do with your album getting pushed back?
Willie The Kid: The raid happened January 16, ’07. My album wasn’t supposed to come out in until after Dram’s album dropped. They took my album in the raid; they took the hard drive with all of the masters. They tore this whole studio and made holes in the walls and ceilings. They were looking for guns and drugs, so they went extra hard. They set us back, shredded our s**t to shambles. But we rebuilt everything, new furniture, TV, equipment, new cars, new money—everything is new. We put my album back together, put Dram’s album back together, and we’re working on LA’s album. We’re stronger than ever.
AllHipHop.com: How do you feel about the approach that you guys are taking in getting you out there?
Willie The Kid: I’ll tell you one thing, and I’m proud of this--I’m building my s**t thoroughly from the ground up. I don’t want to make one big Hip-Hop cross over song and be here today and gone tomorrow. People are fickle. They love you today and hate you tomorrow, forget about who you were the next day. It may take longer, but it’ll be much stronger. Like the story with the twigs, the sticks and the bricks. When the n***a came to blow the cribs down,the n***a with the bricks didn’t get touched and he was still standing. Anybody who said they heard Willie The Kid and La The Darkman loves us. We’re happy that we’re taking the careful, strategic route.
By Tim “Styles” Sanchez Today we would like to introduce you to a two man group out of Inglewood, CA that’s been making a nice name for themselves on the underground scene as of late. U-N-I is comprised of members Y-O and Thurzday, and although they hail from one of Southern California’s most dangerous and notorious cities, don’t expect to hear any tales about banging in the hood or dope dealing from this group.
Instead, the duo has chosen to relay their music from what they describe as a “regular” person’s point of view. With no street-cred gimmicks or gangsta personas to fall back on, the group is placing a high emphasis on their music in their attempt to build a strong fanbase. But after pushing their Fried Chicken & Watermelon project for nearly a year, will that be enough to propel them into stardom?
That question remains to be answered; however, the group has been attracting attention from MTV and magazines such as The Source and XXL. Now they are ready for their proper AllHipHop.com debut as the group took the time to talk to us about their music, Mohawks, hipsters, their A Love Supreme project and possibly being bitten by a certain pair of rap superstars.
AllHipHop.com: Let’s start off with your name, U-N-I, what’s the whole meaning behind that?
Thurzday: We derived that name from The Roots album, Illadelph Halflife, a song featuring Common called “UNIverse At War.” We are making it our mission to make a statement for good music in Hip-Hop. The U is for Y-O and the I is for myself and it’s U-N-I versus all opposition, contenders, haters and whoever is in our path. It also stands for being Universal and having no limits musically. Music is about expression and we never want to be known for just one type of thing.
AllHipHop.com: When I think of rappers from Inglewood, gangster rappers like Mack 10 and The Relativez come to mind. Had you all not informed me that you were from Inglewood, I never would have guessed it.
http://allhiphop.com/photos/blog_pictures/images/20493344/469x375.aspxY-O: I’m originally from Seattle, WA and I made my way out to Inglewood in 1996. I met Thurzday in my freshman year in high school there. I can understand where you are coming from when you say that. When you do hear of an up-and-coming group out of Inglewood, the first thing that will pop in to your head is someone wearing khakis or Dickies – and rapping about the gangsta lifestyle.
I have nothing against it but that is not the lifestyle that we represent. We are more like the regular people with the 9 to 5’s that grind daily with five dollars in their pocket. We really like to base our music off of our lifestyle. We don’t want to glorify the gangster rap story that California is known for. Gangster rap put California on the map but we just want to step outside and separate ourselves from all of the other West Coast artists. It’s actually a compliment to hear you think that we don’t fit that category because that’s what we strive for – to not box ourselves in with the L.A. gangster rap.
AllHipHop.com: I imagine though that this is a common reaction when fans find out that you dudes are from Inglewood.
Thurz: We get that surprised reaction a lot when fans find that out, especially from people that live outside of Cali. All they see on TV are the Friday and Boyz N the Hood movies. You don’t really see the other people that represent L.A. which are like us. The movement has been going on for a while out here. We often get compared to the Souls of Mischief, Hieroglyphics and The Pharcyde. Those guys are the pioneers of music outside of the gangsta-rap lane in Cali.
“We like to dress comfortably for ourselves. Our music is substance over style, though we are stylish. We are not hipsters nor do we make music for just that type of crowd. We are just regular people.”
AllHipHop.com: What category do you guys fall under? Are you hipsters?
Y-O: Naw, we are not hipsters. We like to dress comfortably for ourselves. Our music is substance over style, though we are stylish. We are not hipsters nor do we make music for just that type of crowd. We are just regular people. We are regular people that puts out good music that the world can relate to. Nothing against the hipster crowd or the gangster movement – we are all for it. We listen to everything in Hip-Hop. U-N-I represents the regular people in our music – and we just happen to be from Inglewood, CA. Image wise people do want to put us in that hipster category but our music speaks for itself.
AllHipHop.com: One of you dudes is rocking a Mohawk. What’s up with that?
Y-O: That’s me – and going on five years now. I see that Chris Brown is growing a Mohawk and I don’t like that [laughs]. I love Chris Brown’s music but I don’t like his Mohawk. The reaction that I get from it is split. One half asks me when am I going to get it cut. And the other half tells me to keep it. Thurzday tells me to keep it because every time we go out it gets recognized. People are like, “You are from that group U-N-I, right?” It catches a lot of attention. I didn’t do it for that either, it was just something that I did one day. I just decided that I wanted a Mohawk.
AllHipHop.com: Did that ever work against you in Hip-Hop? Mohawks until recently haven’t been associated with Rap music. [Ed’s Note: No disrespect to Afrika Bambaataa.]
Y-O: I’ve never had any problems with it.
Thurzday: Sometimes you get statements from people before they hear the music and they are automatically biased against us saying things like, “They are hipsters, they’ve got Mohawks and their jeans are fitted.”
Y-O: When I hear stuff like that I won’t even respond. I just laugh. The only question that I ask is, “Have you listened to us?” When they say “no”, I usually give it about a month and those same people will come back and tell us that our music has substance. When I hear those types of statements, I just let the music back us up. Let the music speak for itself. I am not the type of person that will get in your face and just brag, brag and brag. I’m quiet. I’ll give you the music and in two weeks I will come back to you and ask you if you felt it. If you do, then we have another fan.
“They [the label] will take your mechanicals, your merchandising and your tour money. That doesn’t sound ideal for what we want. We feel that we have worked hard and are building up our own buzz without tagging along under anybody else.”
AllHipHop.com: Do you think that you guys can fit in well with a major rap label? Thurzday: The way the game is going right now, I see a lot of artists get 360 deals. They [the label] will take your mechanicals, your merchandising and your tour money. That doesn’t sound ideal for what we want. We feel that we have worked hard and are building up our own buzz without tagging along under anybody else. We’ve done our own work so we don’t want to be under a slate contract. But if a situation comes up with a label wants to distribute and market us correctly – then let’s do it!
AllHipHop.com: Major labels often look for those radio hits. Is that something that you guys can deliver too?
Y-O: We do that but in different ways, like our song “Beautiful Day.” That song is on MTV – it’s getting played on Sucka Free. We didn’t’ do that on purpose like, “Yo! We have to do a mainstream record.” It comes off naturally. We know how to make good music. It’s not just laying hot verse after hot verse. We know how to make a complete record.
U-N-I "Beautiful Day" Video
AllHipHop.com: What releases are on the horizon that we can look forward to from the group?
Y-O: Before we move on to our next project, which is A Love Supreme, we are releasing our last video that we just shot for Fried Chicken & Watermelon. The song is called “Soul Hop.” That video is going to set us apart from everyone. I believe that all of the people that talk down on us or don’t really big us up, will have their eyes opened up. It’s going to show that U-N-I is not here to play and that we are here for the long run. Thurzday: Then after that we will have A Love Supreme. We are looking to drop that in the first quarter of next year. We might leak a few tracks from it later on this year.
AllHipHop.com: Anything that you want to leave us with as we end this?
Y-O: [laughs] I just want to ask Nelly, “Why did you bite our video?” Why did you have to have J.D. on top of the rim with his Atlanta hat and J.D. chain? Why?
Thurzday: Our first video was K.R.E.A.M. and we paid homage to Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing. I was playing the Mars Blackmon role and I was on the rim with Inglewood spelled out on my hat sitting with a chain that said “Thurz.” Next thing you know, Nelly has a video like that [for the "Steppin’ On My J’s" song]. We did that over a year ago – almost 2 years. Nelly and J.D. bit our video [laughs]. We aren’t salty about it because we know that happens. I just don’t like it when an artist has a creative idea bitten by a major artist with more resources. I’m not salty about it because it lets us know that we are in the right lane.
By Haaron Hines In the Roc-A-Fella film Backstage, Jay-Z had a premonition. He said that somewhere out there there’s a kid sitting at breakfast, eating some Apple Jacks, writing some s**t. And that hungry young dude is going to be the next big thing in Hip-Hop.
Suffice it to say, Cory grew up in Hip-Hop. After proving himself to be a potential monster in the rap game, Peter began mentoring Cory on the finer points of making songs. From 2005 to 2006 Cory began building his street buzz with a steady presence on the mixtape scene.
After a brief hiatus he hit the ground running, delivering noteworthy tracks all over mixtapes and the Internet including the infamous “A Milli” freestyle. But even that’s no indication of what the future holds. So take a minute to familiarize yourself with your favorite MC’s dream MC, Cory Gunz.
AllHipHop.com: You were a fixture in the mixtape scene back in 2005. It was said that you were dealing with Tommy Mottola and people were hearing you a lot but after a while you kind of faded away. What happened?
Cory Gunz: As far as Tommy, shout to Tommy Mottola first of all, he took me to Def Jam. He orchestrated the whole Def Jam move and sat me down with Jay so if anything, he was trying to help. In '05 I was at the pinnacle. I had a crazy buzz in the streets and all he was trying to do was help. It was really me. I took kind of a hiatus because I was kind of turned off on the industry and the transition I felt it was taking. At the end of the day it's all fun and I consider myself like one of the greatest at it and a genius can always find a way. So that's what I'm doing right now, grinding.
“Shout to Wayne because that song gave me a chance to gain some notoriety.”
http://www.allhiphop.com/photos/blog_pictures/images/20506701/375x375.aspxAllHipHop.com: With all the different file sharing sites, social networks, and digital labels coming out the Internet can be your best friend or your worst enemy. What part will it play in your movement?
Cory Gunz: It's going to play a real major part. The Internet has its ups and downs in the music industry. It kind of killed the whole going out and buying an album thing but people are still paying the same amount on iTunes for an album as they would in a store. So it's all about finding a way and coming up with a scheme. Well, I wouldn't even call it a scheme but, coming up with a way to promote yourself on the Internet.
I look at the Internet as the biggest promotion tool in the world. On top of YouTube and MySpace and different things like that, anything is possible. People check those things everyday. There are actually record labels looking at people's YouTubes and MySpace looking at their listens and views, seeing who's paying attention to who to make their jobs easier.
Who's getting these views, who's paying attention to that kid so if we put some money behind him he's going to sell these records so we'll be able to recoup? That's all they're thinking about. You just got to find a way man and if you're a genius and you love the craft, and you're as passionate about it as I am you'll come up with something.
AllHipHop.com: I got the chance to speak with Square-Off, the rap group made up of Doug E. Fresh’s sons.
Cory Gunz: Oh yeah, those are my n****s right there.
AllHipHop.com: They said they had problems growing up because of people knowing who their father was. Did you experience any of that?
Cory Gunz: At the end of the day, that's crazy because everybody gets that. I call it like 75 percent hate. Well, I can even call it that. I call it like 65 percent hate because the majority of the people on my block and in my neighborhood coming up was my whole family. I have a big family and my family basically built this neighborhood that I grew up in. It had its perks, it was cool. Of course you had the haters, the cheesing and the fake friends but, it comes with the territory.
Of course now it seems worse because people are automatically comparing me to my dad and I have to fill those shoes. And I know with Square-Off they have the same pressure. When your dad makes a mark in history so big and makes records like that that make history, well, I don't call them records, I call them anthems. But it’s a lot of pressure to have to live up to something like that.
AllHipHop.com: Given who you father is and the overall historical significance the Bronx has in Hip-Hop, do you feel any pressure when it comes to representing where you’re from?
Cory Gunz: I love the Bronx, I keep the Bronx in my heart. The Bronx is always in my heart I'm going to rep the Bronx in my heart forever. But I'm a world artist. Well, let me not say world artist but if I do something like a down south track with a Bronx flow, you know that gritty, New York flow to it, it's still me. Like, I'm trying to be bigger. I want to represent good music. And I'm not saying there's not any good music out there, shout to everybody doing their thing right now, but I'm doing my thing trying to carve a certain lane so that's really the pressure for me.
AllHipHop.com: Speaking of carving your lane, what you did to the “A Milli” beat got a lot of people’s attention where some were saying your verse was better than Wayne’s. Did you ever receive any feedback from Wayne?
Cory Gunz: I'm going to keep it all the way 100. Like, this is not for no controversy or to start no beef and I'm only saying it because we're 100 percent on the record, but I haven't heard from the homie since I sent him that verse. Shout to Wayne because that song gave me a chance to gain some notoriety. Shout out to every DJ that played my version and helped get that heard. That song definitely got me out there so there's no beef. I know Wayne is busy and he's doing his thing. I'm just focusing on doing Cory Gunz and getting me where I need to be. AllHipHop.com: So what are you working on?
Cory Gunz: I'm working on some things. I got a lot of deals on the table. Labels have been quietly hollering at me but I got a lot of deals on the table and a few really, really good independent deals on the table too. But I'm going to keep making music. I got a couple mixtapes coming out, I got one with Square-Off, my Militia family got mixtapes coming out. We're just going to keep making music.
“When you mention Jay-Z, Eminem, Nas, Luda, I want to be in that category. You can't forget about the legends like BIG, Pac, and Pun, may they rest in peace, but I want to mentioned with them.”
AllHipHop.com: What’s your relationship with Shaquille O'Neal and how is he playing a part in your career?
Cory Gunz: Shaq knew me before I knew me. When I say that I mean before I was even born, Shaq knew me. That's my God dad so he's always going to be there for me and I'm going to ride with Shaq to the death. But yeah, that's my family for real.
AllHipHop.com: When it comes to Hip-Hop, some do it for the money, some do it for the fame, few still do it for the love. Why do you do it?
Cory Gunz: I've been saying this since I was young. I want to be one of the best. Like in somebody’s top five of all time. Like when you mention Jay-Z, Eminem, Nas, Luda, I want to be in that category. You can't forget about the legends like BIG, Pac, and Pun, may they rest in peace, but I want to mentioned with them.
AllHipHop.com: Is there anything else you want people to know?
Cory Gunz: DJ's and everybody can hit me up on the MySpace, Myspace.com/cgunz174. I check it myself so hit me up if you want to get at me. Also, shout out to AllHipHop too because y'all been rocking with me from the beginning.
Hot on the heels of his collaborative album “T.H.U.G ANGELZ: Welcome To Red Hook Houses” with Shabazz the Disciple, Sunz of Man and Black Market Militia member Hell Razah is returning to stores with a new solo effort “Ultra Sounds Of A Renaissance Child” on September 23rd. The album will be available digitally on Itunes a week earlier on September 16th.
“Ultra Sounds” will be Razah’s fourth release since 2007, following up the critically acclaimed “Renaissance Child,” and his joint effort with production duo Blue Sky Black Death “Razah’s Ladder.”
"This album captures my creative mind state, and shows more versatility of me as a solo artist that has matured with the god given gift of being poetic, spiritual, street, and political all at the same time, while keeping interesting concepts alive. I feel like majority of albums have lost that vibe in today's music," said Razah.
"I called it Ultra Sounds because that's what doctors use to see a baby before its fully developed before its born. I sat in the incubator of hip hop waiting for my turn and now its time. This will be the beginning of Hell Razah Music as a label as well as a fully developed solo artist now. I want my fans to see me not only as a good feature or as a group member but to see I can hold it down alone as well.”
“Ultra Sounds” includes production from international producers Shroom, 84 Tigers, D.J. Rated R, and more.
The album will also be his last released under the moniker Hell Razah, and Razah will be known as either Heaven Razah or RazahRubiez for his next full length album in 2009.
“This project will be the last time you see the Hell side of Razah,” Razah concluded.
In the months leading up to his incarceration, Prodigy of Mobb Deep recorded a prolific body of work. A large portion of his efforts will be found on his upcoming album "Product of the 80's" which features Big Twins and Un Pacino, who both share heavy mic time with P.
"Product of the 80's" will be released October 21st on Dirt Class Records.
The album pays homage to the era Prodigy and his Queens cohorts grew up in. Crack-Cocaine, Reaganomics, the Cold War, the Iran-Contra scandal, a U.S. Recession, and the explosion of Hip-Hop all play large roles in the albums content.
As time winded down on the start of Prodigy's prison time, he found sanctuary in his recording sessions at Dirt Class Studios in Brooklyn. Often P arrived alone and left alone. There was no entourage, there were no groupies. These sessions became his momentary escape for writing and recording.
Production on "Product" is handled by Jake One, Sid Roams (Joey Chavez and Bravo) and Sebb.
"Product of the 80's" street single "Stop Stressin" is hitting the internet now, while the Jake One featured single "Shed Thy Blood" will be released in the coming months.
Wale's calling on all hot producers to bless him with some heat.
If you're a producer and think you got what it takes to bless Wale with the fire he needs for his upcoming album on Interscope, send your fire to beats4wale@gmail.com.
After Wale and the HHG team go through the submissions, we'll post the hottest ones and let the fans decide which beat Wale should rock over. Producers, send all your heat by the end of September because Wale's up against the machine's deadline.
Soulja Boy [click to read] may have just gotten his most important cosign yet in the Hip Hop arena a few days ago. Bridging the gap on BET’s Rap City, KRS-One [click to read] and Soulja Boy presented their own takes on Hip Hop, as well as showcased the need for rappers to talk to each other rather than at each other.
Defining Hip Hop as “having fun, rapping, dancing, and partying,” Soulja Boy stated he viewed 50 Cent as an “old school” rapper. Laying down a foundational timeline of Hip Hop to supplement Soulja Boy’s reasoning, The Teacha confronted the problem that arises when old school meets new school. “Every 10 years, we get a “new” old school. In [19]87, we thought that 1977 was the best time for Hip Hop. In 97’, we said 1987 was the best era for Hip Hop. Here we are in 200[8], and we’re discussing 97’, 98’…This is showing us first how time flies, and also how new blood is brought into Hip Hop. We can’t be dissing new blood that comes in and expect [Hip Hop] to exist.”
Though Soulja Boy was not necessarily shell shocked by the chance to meet one of Hip Hop’s most influential characters, he showed immense gratitude to a person who was willing to talk to him like an equal. “From almost every person in the music industry, my name has come out their mouth. But out of all those people that say ‘Soulja Boy this’ and ‘Soulja Boy that,’ KRS-One has been the first person to ever come to me and speak to me about Hip Hop.”
Being in a new age, KRS-One felt there’s a wrong way and a right way to take up a discussion of Hip Hop, but with Soulja Boy, he sees an artist who is ready and willing to make a change for the better. “It’s easy to sit behind a computer and diss and talk. But to meet a man face to face and say ‘look, we appreciate you, we respect you, but this is where we need you to be to keep our legacy alive.’ Soulja Boy respected that totally.”
With open arms, KRS-One professed to Soulja Boy, “Welcome to Hip Hop.”
Veteran New York emcee NY Oil [click to read] spoke to HipHopDX just over a month ago. In promotion for his deluxe edition 2CD release of Hood Treason [click to read], the controversial lyricist was outspoken about fellow rap veteran Nas releasing Untitled [click to read], also referred to as the "Nigger" album.
"When you start talking that conscious shit, there’s an expectation that you [will] have the capacity and ability to articulate your position in a discussion," said NY Oil in July, referring to Nas. The artist added that he had witnessed Green Lantern admit that the hype surrounding Nas' controversial album title was viewed as a marketing tool.
Speaking recently at Harlem's Harriett Tubman School, NY Oil furthered his criticism of the Def Jam star. Telling the audience, "There's no one in this room right now that can claim none of the stripes that go with the word 'nigger,'" he said. "None of you. And I don't even know y'all. If you ain't been blown over by a water-hose, if you haven't been beaten over the head with billy-clubs in the name of marching for your peoples' freedom [chanting] 'We shall overcome,' scared out your ass while doing it, if you haven't had the experience of seeing your people get snatched away and never coming back [...] so forgive me if I have the audacity to expect that if you have the unmitigated goal to name your album Nigger and wear a shirt that says 'Nigger,' with your wife, [Kelis], who has a jacket with 'Nigger' across the back, and you bring a white girl, an Asian girl and a Latina girl to wear the same 'Nigger' shirts on the Grammy's, that you would at least respect the people who really, really went through this! That when the blonde-haired white woman from CNN puts a microphone in your face, that you can articulate a cohesive [argument] to why you've put 'Nigger' on your shirt."
The emcee added, "Whether I agree with Nas or not, that's my brother! And it's my right to call that brother out. And the day that we stop doin' that, we in a world of trouble. So what he made a good song? So what he made a classic album? So-the-fuck-what? Yeah I love the album, but I love my people more."
NY Oil made national headlines when his self-released 2007 song "Y'all Should All Get Lynched" was banned from YouTube, and open letter of criticism to various mainstream rap stars.
Revered as one of the top ears for music in Atlanta, DJ Scream, a 14-year veteran of deejaying, has raised his profile exponentially this year. "I was really just working hard, doing a lot of mixtapes, parties, a lot of promo, just really working hard to get to the next level. I would say that the breaking point was the Shawty Lo I'm Da Man 2 mixtape, with his 'Dey Know' record. I literally sat there in the studio and told him, 'That's it. That's your one.' I literally snuck it out of the studio before it was finished and went to work on it. At the time, I had the XM show, and I went crazy with the record, and it just caught. Everybody gave me credit for breaking that record. It's been a blessing from there."
Scream added that his work with Shawty Lo and breaking the record has led to work with Young Dro [click to read], Big Kuntry, Gucci Mane [click to read], Rocko [click to read] and others.
"I've got the Heavy in the Streets DVD, that's coming soon. That's basically a DVD on the Atlanta music scene, and some of the movers and shakers, the street people and so-forth. I've got a slew of mixtapes [too]. I just finished up the Playaz Circle [click to read] campaign mixtape, before their album. Shawty Lo's I'm Da Man 2008 is coming real soon."
DJ Scream also recently launched a marketing company, Hood Rich Media Group, which also did the marketing for Shawty Lo's Units In The City album. The company is presently working with The Shop Boyz [click to read] "Before, we were doing it for acts like Crime Mob and D4L, we just didn't know we were doing it."
According to Soulja Boy, Scream will be hosting his next mixtape as well [click to read].
Fans of veteran emcee Kool Keith know that he has several characters within his arsenal of releases. After separating temporarily from The Ultramagnetic MC's in the mid-'90s to pursue solo work, Keith explored his two most prolific incarnations.
Dr. Octagon, released in 1996, through the then fledging Dreamworks Records, came in the form of Dr. Octagonecologyst. The release remains seminal for its groundbreaking production, courtesy of Bay area stalwarts Dan The Automator, DJ Shadow, Kutmasta Kurt and turntablist DJ Q-Bert, mixed with Keith's stream of consciousness vocal content. Some critics have argued that the release was the archetype for "acid rap."
Three years later, Dr. Dooom, another Kool Keith persona, "murdered" Octagon on the intro to 1999's First Come, First Served, an effort furthering the longtime working relationship with producer Kutmasta Kurt.
After 2006 witnessed The Return of Dr. Octagon [click to read], the two forces are apparently at it again. To be released September 23 on Threshold Recordings, Dr. Dooom 2 sees another body in "R.I.P. Dr. Octagon." Nearly entirely produced yet again by Kurt, the effort features 15 tracks, including single "Do Not Disturb."
Of the release, Kutmasta Kurt told HipHopDX today, "It's a marked improvement on the original, and a step back into the sound and style that helped to make Keith the cult figure, and fan favorite artist he is today." Keith quickly added, "To the critic's who want to try and compare this album to the first Dr Dooom, fuck you!"
October will be undoubtedly be Ludacris' [click to read] month.
Not only is the Atlanta rapper planning to release his highly anticipated sixth major release, Theater of the Mind, on Disturbing Tha Peace/Def Jam (October 21), but Luda will also co-star in the upcoming films Max Payne (October 17) and RocknRolla (October 31), according to Billboard.com.
Theater of the Mind, for which Luda has had the concept at least since the release of his previous project, Release Therapy, is made up of tracks that act as short plots from movies. Featured guests such as T-Pain ("One More Drink"), The Game ("Call Up the Homies") and T.I. ("Wish You Would") are co-stars. Contributors on production include Dre & Vidal and 9th Wonder.
One track on the album, "Let's Stay Together," with hook and beat provided by Three 6 Mafia [click to read], Ludacris stars as a music fan, begging for artists to stop the beef and come together to make better music.
"Theater of the Mind is all of my albums put together," said Ludacris, who revealed he hopes to hook up with Eminem for the album. "There's the funny Ludacris, the serious Ludacris and the story-telling Ludacris as well as the movie-making Ludacris."
As for his upcoming movies, Ludacris co-stars alongside Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton and Jeremy Piven in RocknRolla, which is about a London real-estate scam. Max Payne is a loose adaptation of the videogame, which has Ludacris playing the role of deputy police chief Jim Bravura. The movie stars Mark Wahlberg in the title role and veteran actor Beau Bridges.
"This adaptation takes the storyline and the characters to a whole other level," said Ludacris of May Payne. "This is the first time I've played any kind of police role. It's funny ... in most movies, Mark plays the dominant role but my character is the dominant one over Mark. That was a power thing and I absolutely loved it."
In a tradition that has now seen Jay-Z [click to read] perform Reasonable Doubt and GZA tour performing Liquid Swords in their entirety, two more legendary '90s albums can now be heard live. Duck Down Records' flagship artists Black Moon [click to view], which includes label co-founder Buckshot, and Smif-N-Wessun [click to read] will be performing Enta Da Stage and Dah Shinin' respectively in one special New York evening.
On September 26, at The Knitting Factory, both iconic Brooklyn Hip Hop crews will be performing, with a live band.
As both albums were helmed by legendary production trio Da Beatminerz, led by Black Moon's deejay Evil Dee, do not assume that the band will hinder the night.
"Evil Dee is involved. He'll be orchestrating the entire show as if he were a conductor. We'll have turntables set up for him so he'll also be providing additional scratches. Evil Dee will play an intricate role in this performance," said a label representative to HipHopDX this morning.
