TeamBackPack announces the dates for its 2015 edition of Mission Underground Los Angeles.
More than 1,000 people attended the 2014 edition of the Mission Underground Los Angeles music conference and now TeamBackPack is back to throw another one.
HipHopDX Editor-In-Chief Justin Hunte will be a panelist for the conference along with Abe Batshon of Beatstars, Damien Ritter, the CEO of Funk Volume. Located at 310 North Madison Avenue, the event will also feature artists such as LockSmith, Futuristic, Demrick, Illmaculate and more. As opposed to last year, Mission
Underground will be three days (May 1 - May 3) and will bring together
artists and fans to "create and witness an amazing hip hop moment,"
according to a recent press release.
(April 4, 2015) UDPATE:Joell Ortiz,
!llmind and Demrick are among the artists slated to appear at
TeamBackPack's Mission Underground Los Angeles event in Los Angeles May
1-3.
The organization has released flyers outlining the event's schedule.
They are follows.
The Saginaw, Michigan rapper announced the news on social media.
Eminem’s Shady Music Publishing has signed rapper Astray, according to the rapper’s social media posts today (April 23).
"I just signed with Shady/Universal Music Group! Excited to be working w these 2 titans in music!! #AstrayXShady,” Astray wrote on Twitter today.
"Pleased to welcome our new writer @ASTRAY_or_SHAWN to Shady Music Publishing with UMP. Keep an eye out for him!” Paul Rosenberg, Eminem’s manager and Shady Records business partner, wrote on Twitter today.
Astray is a Saginaw, Michigan rapper who is a former intern at Eminem’s 54 Sound recording studio, according to MLive.
Dave and Posdnous discuss creating their first album in eleven years.
De La Soul is currently finishing up its upcoming studio album, And The Anonymous Nobody, in Atlanta.
Dave and Posdnous stopped by ATL radio station 90.1's "A Closer Look" to
discuss a variety of topics, including recording their new album
independently and how they have remained a solid group for more than two
decades.
When asked how it feels to release their first album in 11 years, Dave responds:
"It's a good feeling like we're going back to some sort of innocence like 3 Feet High and Rising," he says. "This
part is about not being on a label or tied to a corporation or a
contract or anything like that. That feels good and that space is really
comfortable for the last 11 years, we've of course been on the road and always making music,
but really I think it's just somewhere about just enjoying freedom. To
be signed to a label and committed to an agenda, sometimes not yours, it
felt good for after 15 years - 12 years to just be totally released
from that."
Dave, Maseo and Pos ultimately
parted ways with Tommy Boy Records and Matthew Knowles' Sanctuary
Record Group in the early 2000s. Now, the group plans to release its
first ever album independently.
When asked how the group has stuck together for 25 years, Pos says it's because their "just brothers."
"We've always had opportunities to record on our own," he says.
"We've always tried to include each other and still, the projects have
never come out because De La Soul is where we find our roots, our
foundation. We're just brothers, we're friends."
"Silver Tongue Devil" is slated to be released on the re-launched Battle Axe Records.
Madchild's new album, Silver Tongue Devil, is due out July 24, information he is announcing exclusively through HipHopDX.
The cover art was painted by street artist L'Amour Supreme, the same artist that did Czarface's forthcoming Every Hero Needs A Villain album. Silver Tongue Devil is schedule to be released on the re-launched Battle Axe Records.
Madchild dropped a snippet of the first track last week.
The album is available for pre-order today.
In 2014, Madchild said signed artists underestimating Battle Rappers are risking their careers during an exclusive interview with HipHopDX.
The cover art and tracklist for Silver Tongue Devil are as follows: 1. Untold Story (Prod. C-Lance)
2. Night Time Kill (Prod. C-Lance)
3. Devils And Angels (Prod. Evidence)
4. Lose My Mind f. JD Era (Prod. C-Lance)
5. SLUT (Prod. C-Lance)
6. Everytime f. CeeKay Jones (Prod. The Makerz)
7. Mental f. Demrick (Prod. C-Lance)
8. Painful Skies (Prod. C-Lance)
9. Jackel (Prod. Aspect)
10. Triple Threat f. Slaine & Demrick (Prod. C-Lance)
11. Electricity (Prod. Aspect)
12. 50 Seven (Prod. Rob The Viking)
13. Don't Stop f. Slaine (Prod. Rob The Viking)
14. Slayer f. Demrick (Prod. C-Lance)
15. Zero (Prod. Aspect)
A New York judge ruled that Marvel owns the work and the plaintiff has no standing to claim an illegal sample.
Ghostface Killah has been involved in a lawsuit concerning his sampling of the "Iron Man Theme" song on his 2000 album, Supreme Clientele, for nearly four years.
On Monday (April 20), a New York federal judge granted summary judgment to Ghostface, Sony Music and Razor Sharp Records.
According to The Hollywood Reporter,
the ruling was handed down by U.S. District Court judge Naomi Reice
Buchwald, who reportedly determined that since Marvel's Stan Lee
hired Urbont to create the theme song for the 1960s television show, The Marvel Super Heroes, Urbont's tune was deemed a "work made for hire."
Buchwald's decision means Marvel owns the work and Urbont has no standing to claim an illegal sample.
"The 'hood has been at odds with the police for as long as there have been 'hoods," Freeway says.
The New York Justice League concluded its nine-day march to protest police brutality and demand an end to racial profiling yesterday (April 21) in Washington, D.C.
Hip Hop artist Freeway was
on hand when the activists reached their final destination, the U.S.
Capitol. Donning a T-shirt that promoted his upcoming album, Free Will, the Philadelphia-native participated in a die-in and spoke to marchers at the National Mall.
"Police brutality isn't new. All across this country, the 'hood has
been at odds with the police for as long as there have been 'hoods," Freeway
said, in a statement prior to the event. "But in 2015, the issue has
become an epidemic, and I feel it's only right that I use my voice and
influence to help wake up the community and the leadership. Black lives
matter. All lives matter."
Danny Glover, and "Empire" actor Jussie
Smollett also attended the rally. The Justice League and its coalition
of partners set out to deliver a "Justice Package" of criminal justice
reform legislation to lawmakers in hopes of ending racial profiling, and
demilitarizing police forces.
Dre claims Death Row Records owes him $1.1 million from digital sales of his debut album.
A federal judge ruled yesterday (April
20) that WIDEawke Death Row Records does not have the right to profit
from digital sales of Dr. Dre's seminal debut album,The Chronic.
Since Dre (born Andre Young) has
not been compensated appropriately for the online sales of the album,
U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder ruled in favor of the
producer-rapper.
Dre's attorney, Howard King, clarified the ruling with The Associated Press, stating that although Death Row may no longer sell The Chronic digitally, other entities can sell the album, but Dr. Dre is to receive 100 percent of the proceeds from online sales. Dre sued the revitalized record label
he helped found in the mid-'90s last year, citing several missed
payments as the reason for the lawsuit. At the time, Dre alleged that he
was owed more than $1.2 million in unpaid artist-producer
royalties, $1.1 million from digital sales and more than $600,00 for
mechanical royalties.
"For years, Death Row Records forgot about Dre when they continued to
distribute his music digitally and combined his hits with weaker Death
Row tracks in an attempt to elevate the stature of their other artists,"
King wrote in a statement. "We are gratified that the federal court has
unambiguously declared that Death Row has no right to engage in such
tactics, and must hold all proceeds from these illicit distributions in
trust for our client."
Big Krit, Tech N9ne, Krazie Bone, Layzie Bone, Jarren Benton, and Hopsin are expected to be featured on the album.
Dizzy Wright has announced a release date for his upcoming album, The Growing Process.
The Funk Volume rapper
took to Twitter to tell fans that his latest offering will be available
May 26th and that it is currently available for pre-order. Yesterday,
in honor of the smoker's holiday 4/20, Dizzy released the visuals for "I Can Tell You Needed It" featuring Berner.
Big Krit, Tech N9ne, Krazie Bone, Layzie Bone, Jarren Benton, and Hopsin are expected to be featured on the album.
Fans who purchase hard copies of the album will be eligible to win either an autographed "Growing" hat, a skype call from Dizzy or be able to hang out with him at a show and eat pizza.
The tracklist is as follows:
1. Higher Learning (Intro)
2. God Bless America (feat. Big K.R.I.T., Tech N9ne & Chel'le)
3. Can I Feel This Way
4. No Time Is Better (feat. Irv Da Phenom)
5. Train Your Mind
6. Regardless (feat. Layzie Bone)
7. Don't Ever Forget (feat. Krayzie Bone)
8. Floyd Money Mayweather
9. Smoke You Out (feat. Mod Sun)
10. Good Vibes
11. I Can Tell You Needed It (feat. Berner)
12. Smoke Box (Interlude)
13. Explain Myself (feat. SwizZz, Jarren Benton & Hopsin)
14. False Reality
15. Daddy Daughter Relatioship
16. Will It Last (feat Njomza)
B-Real, Bad Lucc and B-Legit are among the guests who appear on the Luniz' "High Timez."
The Luniz returned from its 13-year hiatus today with a 4/20-themed High Timez album.
The duo best known for its hit "I Got 5 On It" makes its return with records such as "Ultimate Stoner," "Hit Sumthin" and "Marijuana Clouds."
There's a large cast of guests on HighTimez, including B-Real, Bad Lucc and B-Legit.
"High In The Sky" is the only cut without a feature. High Times is available on iTunes.
The cover art, tracklist and album stream are listed below:
1. O.S.P.S.A. (Intro) f. Linno Da Winno
2. Ultimate Stoner f. B-Real
3. Hit Sumthin f. Beeda Weeda, 4rAx & Lesha Brooks
4. My Crutch f. 4rAx, G-Stack, Kuzzo Fly
5. You Know f. 4rAx & Stevie Joe
6. Cookies & Cognac f. H.D & 4rAx
7. O.S.P.S.A. #2 (Skit)
8. Damn Right f. Dru Down & 4rAx
9. Pass It Around (Yukmouth Solo) f. Black Judah
10. High In The Sky
11. Just A Touch (Numskull Solo) f. 4rAx & Lesha Brooks
12. Can You Handle Yo Drug (Skit) f. Linno Da Winno
13. Can You Handle Yo Drug f. J. Stalin & 4rAx
14. Get On Like No Tomorrow f. Curcinado & 4rAx
15. Wut It Dew f. Dru Down
16. High Timez Tale (Skit) f. Linno Da Winno
17. High Timez f. Lil Blood, Bad Lucc & 4rAx
18. Love My Dispensary (Skit) f. Linno Da Winno
19. Marijuana Clouds (Bonus Track) f. Lee Majors, Matt Blaque, Pyro da Banga
20. Still The Highest f. Rass Kass, B-Legit & 4rAx
21. Stang They Ass (Skit) f. Linno Da Winno
22. Too Long (Bonus Track) f. Boobie Trap & Jason Legacy
23. Bye Bye (Outro) f. Linno Da Winno
Berner & B-Real have dropped the second installment of their Prohibition series.
Berner and the Cypress Hill member's Prohibition Part 2 comes "in honor of the impending herbal holiday," according to their press release. Their latest visuals cover the "Faded" cut from Prohibition.
Now a member of Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang, Berner used to do pay-to-play shows, according to SF Weekly. That was until Wiz came through his cannibus club.
The grower-rapper had a hand in inventing the Girl Scout Cookies
strain, and when the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania rapper came through to
buy some smoke, the Bay Area underground emcee pulled out his tape.
Since then, the two 4/20 friendly rappers have worked together extensively. Wiz, as well as Migos and Curren$y, appear on Berner's latest solo release, 20 Lights.
B-Real is a multi-platinum selling artist whose career dates back to the early '90s. His latest tape, The Prescription, is available for download.
The duo's 8-track Prohibition Part 2 EP is available on iTunes.
The cover art, tracklist and EP stream are as follows:
1. Kings
2. Mob f. B-Legit
3. Ain't Nothin f. Cam'ron
4. Get Your Mind Right f. Sage the Gemini
5. Blowed f. Scarface
6. Get You High
7. Blowing Money Fast f. Demrick & Scoop DeVille
8. Go f. Vital
The
sound engineer that filed a lawsuit for co-ownership of recordings like
"Big Pimpin'" has lost his case against Jay Z and Roc Nation.
Jay Z and Roc Nation have won a lawsuit retaining ownership of a batch of recordings that built up his album Vol 3… The Life and Times of S. Carter.
Nearly a year ago, a sound engineer by the name of Chauncey Mahan, who worked on Vol 3... and was credited for engineering on songs like "Big Pimpin'" and "Change The Game," brought forth a lawsuit against Jay Z and Roc Nation
arguing for co-authorship of 41 songs in Hov's catalog. The lawsuit was
filed shortly after Mahan was accused of extorting Jay Z and Roc Nation
for masters, outtakes, and other unreleased material that he retained
on harddrives more than a decade after the recording of Vol3... The Life and Times of S. Carter.
In his lawsuit Mahan claimed to have notified Roc-A-Fella in 2000
that he was in possession of the studio recordings but never heard back
from the label. Mahan says he was asked by Roc Nation last year to meet
at his storage facility in Los Angeles, where the recording material was
being held, and was then the victim of a "sting operation" to seize the
material, allegedly coordinated by representatives for Jay Z and the
Los Angeles Police Department.
Last week a U.S. District Judge in New York favored on the side of
Jay Z and Roc Nation in the lawsuit, arguing that Mahan had reasonable
notice that "royalties were owed to him in this situation" and waited
far too long to bring the lawsuit to court. The judge wrote,
"Considering the depth of Plaintiff’s experience in the music
industry"—Mahan has also worked with artists like Missy Elliot, Whitney
Houston, and The Notorious B.I.G.—"and the substantial commercial
success of the Albums, this assertion strains credulity."
Notably, last year, Just Blaze aired out Mahan on Twitter for ineptitude as an engineer and claimed that the now-renowned engineer Young Guru was
brought into the fold to replace him. "Chauncey stayed effing up," Just
Blaze Tweeted almost exactly a year ago. "Big part of the reason Hip
and I brought in Guru." He later added, "We eventually got tired of it. I
randomly ended up doing a session with this new engineer who called
himself [Young Guru]...He was young, understood the sound, and knew what
he was doing. Brought him in on a Hov session as a test and it clicked.
Rest is history."
A Swedish publisher pressed a book on the history and importance of mixtape cover art in American Hip Hop.
A Swedish company put together a book on the vast collection of US Hip Hop mixtape cover art, according to The New York Times.
The book, Damn Son Where Did You Find This?: A Book About U.S. Hip-Hop Mixtape Cover Art, explores the history of tape artwork from the 1980s up to the present, although they leave out the early to mid-2000s.
KidEight, Miami Kaos, Mike Rev, Tansta and Skrilla are interviewed by authors
Tobias Hansson and Michael Thorsby, who largely concentrate their book
on the fantastical elements of mixtape design work.
Mixtape covers featuring Eminem, 2 Chainz and Jeezy are among those featured in Damn Son Where Did You Find This?: A Book About U.S. Hip-Hop Mixtape Cover Art.
Damn Son Where Did You Find This? was released in a limited capacity (400), but interested parties can still contact the creators for orders. Hiphopdx.com
The Roots rapper says he'll be releasing his own solo album.
For years, fans have asked The Roots rapper Black Thought if he plans to venture from the group to release a solo album.
Although Black Thought has mentioned pursuing multiple solo projects in the past – Dangerous Thoughts, Masterpiece Theater ,Talented Mr. Trotter – nothing has ever materialized.
Yesterday, April 16, on Twitter, the 41-year-old Philladelphia native
revealed to one of his followers that he is currently prepping a solo
offering.
When asked whether or not he plans to release a solo album, Black Thought responded: "Yes. Working on it. Next time someone asks this, you gotta answer for me!"
Check out the exchange below:
The Kickstarter campaign aimed to fund De La Soul’s next album has raised over $450,000 since its launch.
De La Soul members Kelvin “Posdnous” Mercer and David Jolicoeur recently spoke with Bloomberg
to explain why the iconic Rap group’s earlier music is not available on
various digital platforms including, among others, Spotify.
“Unfortunately, a lot of the earlier stuff we did on Tommy Boy
[Records], from what we understand, a lot of the legal language that
needed to a part of the contracts between ourselves, the owners of the
master and the publishing, I guess it didn’t include the world of
digital,” Posdnous says. “It was almost specifically to vinyl, cassettes
[and] CDs. So a lot of those contracts needed to be reworked. So when
dealing with that it took a lot [and] is taking a lot of time to reach
out to these different people.
“And just to rework those contracts to make that language exist for
the benefit of the individuals involved, it’s just a process,” David
Jolicoeur adds. “It’s a long process to make that happen, that’s why our
stuff is pretty much [not] available via the digital world.”
Earlier in the conversation, the pair discussed how the group went
about creating music at Tommy Boy while dealing with the issue of
correctly clearing the samples they wanted to use.
“I think the creative aspect was most
important, getting into the studio, sussing out records and creating a
song out of your favorite sounds that you found was first and foremost,"
Dave says. "And then business time came and we all sat down and we
looked at the list of the different individuals that we sampled from and
figured out whether it was going to be difficult clearing this one, or
[whether it was going to be] hard to find this publisher and really
trying to get clearances on each song. So it was a process but the
creative aspect of it definitely came first.”
The MUSIC Matter’s benefit concert is slated to be held at the Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
A student-led organization at the University of Michigan is bringing Common to campus this week for a good cause.
MUSIC Matters is slated to hold its fourth-annual Spring Festival tomorrow (April 17).
This year, MUSIC, which stands for Michigan Undergrads Serving In the Community, chose Common to
headline the benefit concert. The student organization plans to raise
funds for Detroit’s inner-city youth to attend a leadership camp in
2016.
In years past, MUSIC Matters has brought J. Cole, Ben Folds and 2 Chainz on campus.
Madeleine Chone, Talent & Concert chair of MUSIC Matters recently told The Huffington Post that she believes Common is the most appropriate artist for their mission.
"We really want to use the platform to give a voice to someone who
speaks in the community in an effective and engaging way and I really
can't think of someone more powerful than Common right now," Chone said.
"Not just right now. Throughout his legacy, he's been one of the most
cohesive forces in Hip-Hop and just an inspiration in terms of that. His
artistry expands so much farther than Hip Hop. The way he's
demonstrated to the public is just inspiring and the truths he speaks he
really acts out. "
MUSIC Matter’s benefit concert will be held at the Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
For more information on the Common show and MUSIC Matters visit michiganmusicmatters.com.
For more Common coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
Large Pro released a single off of his upcoming album today (April 15).
Large Professor is due to press Re:Living solo album June 9.
"I’m moving forward,” he says in a press release. “But I went back to
an earlier formula. With this project I feel like it’s the closest that
I take it back to that Main Source style."
The project promises "crisp drums, razor-sharp scratches, and
innovative uprock groovescrisp drums, razor-sharp scratches, and
innovative uprock grooves."
Singles to date include Nas tribute "In The Scrolls," Fortune-assisted "Own World" and "Opulence," which was released today (April 15).
Pre-order the CD, vinyl or deluxe bundle from Fat Beats.
The revered producer released tracks with Eric B. & Rakim, Kool G Rap and others in the early 1990s and also was a part of the group Main Source, whose Breaking Atoms album
was critically acclaimed. Large Pro's style of sampling and layering on
the project heavily influenced Rap production and he has also worked
extensively with Nas throughout his career.
The Re:Living cover art and tracklist are as follows:
All tracks are produced by Large Professor unless otherwise stated.
1. Re:Living
2. Dreams Don’t Die
3. Opulence
4. Earn
5. Off Yo Azz On Yo Feet
6. In The Scrolls f. G-Wiz
7. Own World f. Fortune
8. Sophia Yo
9. New Train Ole Route (Prod. J Love & Large Professor)
10. Industy RMX 2 f. Inspectah Deck, Cormega, Roc Marciano & Lord Jamar
11. NDN
Murs addresses police brutality and black-on-black crime on "No More Control" record.
MURS uncovered the details surrounding his new album yesterday (April 14). The project, Have A Nice Life, is prepped to hit stores May 19 and include an array of personal accounts.
The album's debut single came in form of the "Okey Dog" narrative record. An ode to his homie on the inside, the song tells the story of his real-life Deebo.
According to MURS, Okey Dog differed from the Friday
character in that he was shorter and would only bully people when he
was bored — but he stood as a standalone thug all the same. "There’s a
lot of dudes that rap, talking a lot of shit, but he is that dude," MURS
says.
The Making Underground Raw Shit rapper also released the visual for "No More Control," Have A Nice Life's second
single, yesterday. In it, he urges those behind the #BlackLivesMatter
campaign to seek change in the Hip Hop and Black communities, as well.
"'No More Control' is about not letting the media or the powers that
be control us or guide us into thinking that the problem is anything
other than violence," he says in a press release.
Other conceptual Have A Nice Life records include, "Mi
Corazon," a love song for a half Mexican-half Salvadorian girl, and "The
Worst," an intimate account detailing the temptations that throw a
married emcee on the road.
The Have A Nice Life project will be his first solo effort to be released through Strange Music.
Check out the cover art and tracklist for Have A Nice Life below:
Universal Music to pay $11.5 million settlement despite belief that they “appropriately paid royalties on digital downloads.”
Public Enemy lyricist Chuck D
and the estate of the late Rick James are just a few parties who will
benefit from a recent settlement involving royalties from digital
downloads.
Hollywood Reporter reports that Universal Music
will pay an $11.5 million settlement and also provide an increase in
artist royalties due to a lawsuit stemming from the companies
classification of digital downloads.
The lawsuit states that Universal Music cheated artists out of
additional money by classifying digital downloads as "sales" rather than
"licenses."
Despite agreeing to pay the $11.5 million settlement, a statement
made on behalf of Universal Music states that artists were
“appropriately paid.”
“Although we are confident we appropriately paid royalties on digital
downloads and adhered to the terms of contracts, we are pleased to
amicably resolve this matter and avoid continued legal costs,” Universal
Music said in a statement, according to Hollywood Reporter.
On the contrary, attorney Len Simon, who represented the plaintiffs
in the case, shared his belief that the settlement was “a fair
resolution.”
“This settlement is a fair resolution of this controversy over how to
compensate artists for their valuable work in a new medium which we
believe was not contemplated by their contracts, many drafted in the
1970s or 1980s,” Simon said. “And it compensates these artists now,
rather than after additional years of litigation and uncertainty.”
The $11.5 million settlement will reportedly compensate close to 7,500 artists.
California duo Gangrene is releasing an album with Rockstar Games' "Grand Theft Auto 5" PC version.
The Alchemist and Oh No are set to release new collaboration album April 21, according to Xclusives Zone. The Alchemist and gamer-producer Oh No created Welcome to Los Santos to align with the release of Grand Theft Auto V for PC, which came out today (April 14).
The project comes with features from an all-star lineup: Earl Sweatshirt, Freddie Gibbs, Killer Mike and Action Bronson appear on the album.
Gangrene's last release, the Odditorium EP, came in 2012.
Pre-order Welcome to Los Santos on iTunes.
TheWelcome to Los Santos cover art, tracklist and album stream are available below: 1. Gangrene – Play It Cool f. Samuel T. Herring (of Future Islands) & Earl Sweatshirt
2. Ab-soul – Trouble f. Aloe Blacc1. Gangrene – Play It Cool f. Samuel T. Herring (of Future Islands) & Earl Sweatshirt
3. Tunde Adebimpe – Speedline Miracle Masterpiece f. Sal P & Sinkane
4. MC Eiht & Freddie Gibbs – Welcome To Los Santos f. Kokane
5. Phantogram – K.Y.S.A
6. Vybz Kartel – Fast Life
7. King Avriel – 20's 50's 100's f. A$AP Ferg
8. MNDR – Lock & Load f. Killer Mike
9. Popcaan – Born Bad f. Freddie Gibbs
10. E-40 – California f. Dam-Funk & Ariel Pink
11. Wavves – Leave
12. Curren$y & Freddie Gibbs – Fetti
13. Little Dragon – Wanderer
14. Action Bronson & Danny Brown – Bad News
TeamBackPack announces the dates for its 2015 edition of Mission Underground Los Angeles.
More than 1,000 people attended the 2014 edition of the Mission Underground Los Angeles music conference and now TeamBackPack is back to throw another one.
HipHopDX Editor-In-Chief Justin Hunte will be a panelist for the conference along with Abe Batshon of Beatstars, Damien Ritter, the CEO of Funk Volume. Located at 310 North Madison Avenue, the event will also feature artists such as LockSmith, Futuristic, Demrick, Illmaculate and more. As opposed to last year, Mission
Underground will be three days (May 1 - May 3) and will bring together
artists and fans to "create and witness an amazing hip hop moment,"
according to a recent press release.
The most anticipated collaboration of Tech N9ne’s career is about to happen.
Tech N9ne has wanted to work with Eminem for years.
In 2011, Tech told HipHopDX that Eminem was supposed to be featured on a track titled "So Lonely" off of his All 6's and 7's album.
"That song was originally intended for me and Eminem," he said to
HHDX at the time. "Nobody’s on our lyrical game. So when Em didn’t have
enough time to do it, I put the song to the side."
Tech wasn't able to land his dream feature for his follow-up album, Something Else, either.
Last year, the Kansas City, Missouri emcee may have foreshadowed the feature when he told XXL that he would eventually collaborate with Dr. Dre and Eminem.
"I obviously see what Eminem and [Dr.] Dre
and them be doing because I want my shit to measure up to that," he
said at the time. "I feel like that’s my lane. I feel like that’s where I
should be doing music at that level. Eventually, I’ma be doing music
with them niggas. Straight up. Even if it's just a collabo, you know
what I am saying? ‘Cause I know I am dope enough to do it. I know I got a
lot of substance, motherfucker. There’s nobody that sounds like me. I
met all the qualifications."
Now, it appears Tech N9ne's long-gestating collaboration with Eminem is on the way.
On Thursday (April 2), Tech revealed to Sway on Sway in the Morning, that his fifteenth studio album, Special Effects, will feature Eminem for the song “Speedom (Worldwide Choppers 2)" as well as Krizz Kaliko.
Tech also confirmed the news via Twitter, Instagram and his Strange Music website.
Sway will debut the song on his Sirius XM Sway in the Morning broadcast on April 20.
"I am excited to be an official fixture on the team as Director of Operations,” Guru says.
Renowned recording and mixing engineer Young Guru has been named the Director of Operations for Jamla Records.
The announcement was made Tuesday (March 31) via Jamla's blog.
After years of being loosely affiliated with the upstart label, 9th Wonder, CEO and founder of Jamla Records, appointed Guru to the position. The two met in 2003, while working on Jay Z's The Black Album at Baseline Studios in New York City.
“From then until now, he and I have shared the same principals on
music and on life,” said 9th. “I’ve learned a lot about the game from
Gu, and he has always been in my corner about my career, and most
importantly, Jamla. His genius in dealing with sound, music technology,
music history and the creative process is unmatched.”
Guru also shared his sentiments, after officially joining the Jamla team.
"I am excited to be an official fixture on the team as Director of
Operations,” Guru says. “I am proud of and a fan of Jamla’s work thus
far, and look forward to contributing to the label’s future success.”
In January, Jamla added Karlie Hustle
as Director of Brand Relations. The record label currently consists of
over a dozen artists, including Amp, The Soul Council, and Rapsody.
In response to Jamar’s comments, which were made in 2013, Bambaataa
revealed that anyone who comes into Hip Hop, regardless of their race,
should pay respect to the originators of Hip Hop. He then added that
although the movement started with Blacks and Latinos, race isn’t as
important now that Hip Hop is part of the “world community.”
“Well, that’s true with anybody that really gets in Hip Hop,” Afrika
Bambaataa said in response to Lord Jamar’s comments. “Whites definitely
was guests, but now they’re part of Hip Hop. Cause Hip Hop now is a
world phenomenon. And it’s respected in many different countries, towns,
and cities on our great planet. And yes, it started in the Black,
Latino community…It started from our community and now it’s a world
community.”
Bambaataa also spoke on the moment he began to see white emcees and
deejays in Hip Hop. He says the introduction of white Hip Hop artists
came with those in the punk rock scene.
“Well, that came more when we started doing many of the travels into
many different places,” he said. “Hitting the downtown scene. When we
started playing like Club Negril, The Roxys, Tramps, and all the punk
rock scenes. That’s when a lot of Europeans started getting into it.
Cause the punk rockers are the first of the whites that started grabbing
hold to the Hip Hop. And that’s when you started seeing European
rappers coming out of England…Big-ups a lot to the punk rock movement
that helped bring about that cause.”
Prior to speaking on matters of race and Hip Hop, Bambaataa spoke on
the origins of the word “Hip Hop.” He revealed that the actual term
comes from Keith Cowboy and Lovebug Starsky, a fact also mentioned by Grandmaster Caz in a recent interview, but was chosen as a word to represent the movement by the Universal Zulu Nation.
De La Soul has doubled its initial Kickstarter goal of $110,000.
Its been over a decade since De La Soul released its last album.
Now, the iconic Rap group has returned to the studio and plans to
craft its first LP in eleven years. But, the trio is in a bind.
Posdnous, Dave, and Maseo are seeking support from fans to crowdfund
their new album. Without a record deal, De La has established a Kickstarter account to fully fund their recording, mixing, marketing, design, packaging, and distribution costs.
The trio is trying something new. De La's upcoming album
will incorporate elements of Jazz, Funk, Rock, Country Western and more.
For the new album, De La plans to sample themselves to avoid
copyright infringement concerns. They've enlisted an assortment of
musicians to participate in unrehearsed, jam sessions, where they
re-created the group's iconic body of work. The group plans to use
the sounds recorded to create new music.
So far, the only rapper set to be featured on the LP is 2 Chainz.
The incentives for contributing cash to the album vary by the amount
donated. Fans will receive a 1GB De La Soul thumb drives uploaded with
the new album for donating $30. Sneaker enthusiasts interested in
purchasing an autographed pair of limited edition 2015 –out of stock – De La Dunks by NIKE,
can pledge $500. For $2,500, one fan can receive the opportunity to
dine with De La at the new Harlem restaurant “Street Bird.”
The campaign has already exceeded its goal of $110,000. At press
time, De La Soul's new album has garnered over $176,000, with 32 days
left to go.
Visit De La's Kickstarter page here. (March 31, 2015) UPDATE: De La Soul has doubled its goal of $110,000. The iconic Rap group's Kickstarter page
shows De La has earned more than $250,000 from over 4,000 backers.
Since the crowdfunding campaign has been so successful, De La has
announced via Twitter that "there will be a new De La album released this year!"
Ya' support has been overwhelming! Becuz of YOU, there will be a new De La album released this year! Spread the word! http://t.co/eUDVWr6lwK
— De La Soul (@WeAreDeLaSoul) April 1, 2015" alt="">
"It's an American story of not only rags to riches," Ice Cube says of "Straight Outta Compton," "but David vs. Goliath."
Even though N.W.A’s
material was released on Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records, the
rapper-businessman passed away in 1995 due to complications from AIDS
and, thus, was not involved in the forthcoming N.W.A biopic, Straight Outta Compton.
Nonetheless, Ice Cube,
who was a member of N.W.A with Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, MC Ren and DJ Yella,
says that it seems as though Eazy-E was involved in the film, which is
slated for an August 13 release.
"Working on the movie, it’s like we’ve been engulfed in Eazy-E for the last seven years,” Ice Cube says during an interview with XXL. "So, it seems like he’s right here still.”
As for the story that will be depicted in the film, Ice Cube says that the narrative is one that has universal themes.
"It’s an American story of not only rags
to riches, but David vs. Goliath,” he says. "To me, when you talk about
N.W.A, you talk about non-violent protests against things that we were
trying to comprehend, so we ended up putting it in song. There should be
a movie about us.”
In a statement published to Four Pins,
the retailer and its Founder/CEO Greg Selkoe says that Kanye West and
Dame Dash are among various parties interested in purchasing the
organisation.
“As we confirmed earlier this week, Kanye and Dame are among several
people we've spoken with about Karmaloop,” the statement reads. “We're
having a lot of conversations and seeing intense interest in our brand.”
Early last week, the 15-year-old streetwear e-commerce site filed for bankruptcy protection.
We are thrilled to announce that Brendan Gabriel Murphy's feature film directorial debut #LuckyNumber will be having its World Premiere at the SOHO International Film Festival NYC starring Method Man and featuring tracks by Beat Cartel!
The screening and Q&A will take place Saturday, May 16th @ 6:45pm
at Village East Cinemas. Get your tickets today & look forward to
seeing you all there!! (Link Below) #36films
Black Thought
1. Gangrene – Play It Cool f. Samuel T. Herring (of Future Islands) & Earl Sweatshirt
