Hip Hop Music » Editorials

Artwork: Drake – Best I Ever Had

Chozen — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 12:45:34 +0000

Best I Ever Had will be available on iTunes shortly along with the So Far Gone mixtape, Of course I know all of us already have it but that’s not the point. If it does well on iTunes despite the fact that it’s free it will prove that artists indeed don’t need a major record label push anymore to sell records. Plus it might even help Drake decide on whether or not he wants to go with a major label, he has a few deals on the table but he has also stated that it would be great if he could pull it off independently. I think he should really consider the independent route.

For those of you who are apart of the Web 2.0 generation can appreciate the artwork. Artwork by Darkie. By way of October’s Very Own.

New Boyz: More Than Your Average “Jerk”

Omar West — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:33:19 +0000

The Song[See post to listen to audio]

While there is arguably nothing new under the sun, there are times when the recycled past takes on new relevance and meaning within a different context. Enter the New Boyz and their revamping of “the Jerk,” a regional phenomena of the 90’s perpetuated by L.A. street culture and house-party connoisseurs alike.

Armed with a minimalist beat and a hip(ster)-hop fashion sense, the summer-ready single “You’re A Jerk” has been gaining momentum in Southern California, propelling the Victorville duo into national prominence. And the Web is watching, as hundreds of user-generated videos are surfacing on sites like YouTube of youth across the nation imitating the acrobatic and fancy footwork.

MTV recently caught up with Legacy, Ben J and their Power Rangers set to get a first-hand report of the burgeoning resurgence and its significance to their music. MTV News

But “one-trick-pony” the group is not. Though leaders of this new-school dance craze, a look at their Myspace page (myspace(dot)com/officialnewboyz) reveals the track “Want This” feat. Tay, a unabashed juxtaposition of their pop-friendly lead single in the same vein of “The Whisper Song” 2.0.

Living embodiments of the carefree summers of yesteryear, the New Boyz are “geeked” for a smooth transition into their movement’s next step. One jerk at a time.

Check out the You’re a Jerk Music Video

Download:New Boyz You’re A Jerk

Myspace:http://www.myspace.com/officialnewboyz

Imeem:http://www.imeem.com/newboyz

Twitter Legacy’s : http://www.twitter.com/thalegacy

Ben J’s: http://www.twitter.com/benjnewboyz

Jay-Z In Talks For A Deal With Warner?

Omar West — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:07:25 +0000

Earlier this week, reports surfaced that Jay-Z was on his way to bringing his Roc Nation label, an imprint he created as part of his rumored $150 million deal with concert promoter Live Nation, to Warner Music Group. Now the New York’s Daily News has learned more about the possible partnership, this time involving an alleged separate label for Hov.

According to the Daily News’ gossip section, Gatecrasher, Jay has been meeting with former Def Jam associates turned Warner vice president and executive vice president respectively, Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles, about possibly heading his own Carter Music Group on Warner.

“Jay knows Lyor and Kevin from back when they all worked together at Def Jam, and he obviously wants to work something out with his friends,” an inside source told the Daily News. “He wants to get the dream team back together. There have been a few whiffs of a reunion in the past, but only now – and very privately – is something finally starting to happen.”

The source adds that Cohen and Liles tried to get Jay to bring Roc Nation to WMG as well but he has instead decided to release his upcoming album The Blueprint 3 on Live Nation. Jigga recently reportedly bought out his contract from Def Jam for $5 million.

As of press time neither WMG, Jay-Z, or Live Nation have released any statements about the alleged negotiations. – Elan Mancini

Source:XXL

Eminem’s Return To Rap With Relpase Debuts Number 1 With 608k Units Sold

Chozen — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:34:23 +0000

Eminem’s newest album Relapse debuts number with 608,000 sold in its first week, it the biggest numbers so far this year, This is his 5th number one album and between his sex albums Em has sold over 34 million in the U.S., making him the biggest selling hip-hop act in the SoundScan era (1991-present). Method Man & Redman sold 63k while Busta Rhymes debuted with 59k records sold. The margin between the 3 artist most certainly displays who’s buying albums and who isn’t.

I’m a bit surprised by the numbers, I didn’t expect the album to perform this well being that apart from Crack A Bottle, he didn’t have any hit records which goes to show you that Eminem’s past work and legacy is still influencing today sales.

HipHopMusicDotCom Presents: A-Game

Chozen — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:52:06 +0000

Not since Drake (2 years ago) have I done a artist spotlight for the simple fact that there was nothing interesting coming out, but since I’m on my T Dot ish right now I came across another hip hop act out of the city of Toronto called A-Game. I heard something from them a few months back but wasn’t worth posting until earlier this month I received a track called Go Head Shawty (the music video was posted a few days ago) which I’ve been listening to almost everyday which is funny because it’s a auto-tune record and I’m super anti auto-tune. Anyways I’ve been seeing allot a activity in the Toronto area lately as far as hip hop is concerned so I decided to give a spotlight to A-Game, read the short bio below to get acquainted, reference and download links are also below….

-Chozen

“A-Game has been steady making a name for themselves since the age of 13, navigating through this challenging and tumultuous music scene. Born and raised in the city of Toronto, the hip-hop duo consists of identical twins Rommel and Robert Hinds-Grannum also known as Nova and Chase.

In the few short years their pre-pubescent artistic beginnings, the young dou has since garnered thousands of avid fans, and has seen the release of their successful independent debut EP entitled “The World Is Yours”. This grassroots hustle pushed the project to over 10000 units in sales across the greater Toronto area.

A-Game signature sound is filled with vibrancy and paired with thought provoking narrative that connects to the voice of the common man. This is contrasted with undertones of aspiration and achievement that echoes their vision and destination. The dou mix their styles and tempos to instigate a novel on their debut indie EP “The World Is Yours” as well as their recently released mixtape “Running On time” hosted by DJ Lust and Ransom on their independent label, T.A.G. (The Arma-dah Group)”

Myspace:http://www.myspace.com/thisisagame

Music Video:A-Game – Go Head Shawty Music Video

Download:A-Game Go Head Shawty – A Game Go Head Shawty

Download:A-Game Go Head Shawty – The Preparaton Ft Kim Davis

T.I. Covers Vibe (Ain’t No Such Thing As A Secret Snitch)

Chozen — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:25:32 +0000

From Press Release

In an extensive report titled “Cell Therapy,” VIBE Senior Editor Benjamin Meadows-Ingram chronicles the superstar’s history-making legal battle and gut-wrenching journey since his 2007 arrest for attempting to collect three unregistered machine guns and two silencers following his BET Hip Hop Awards performance rehearsal.
After the announcement on March 27, 2008 of what many felt was a shockingly light slap on the wrist for the serious charges, many responded by screaming, “Snitch!” However, authorities agreed to a groundbreaking plea deal negotiated by heavyweight Criminal Defense Attorney, Steve Sadow, who cited the star’s ability to influence others by serving 1500 hours of community service.
US Attorney David Nahmias says, “What [the defense] proposed, and what I ultimately thought was reasonable, is that Mr. Harris has the ability to reach thousands, probably tens of thousands of people, particularly at-risk young people. And that out of the tens of thousands of people he could reach, he has the real possibility of getting at least a few of them not to commit the kinds of crimes we would prosecute.”
T.I. bites back at rumors about how he scored this largely unprecedented deal by saying, “Ain’t no such thing as a secret snitch…Pull up my agreement. It’s public record.”

I can’t front when he first got off I was the thinking he might have snitched, the same way most of you were thinking the same thing but only one person actually addressed it. I mean Remy gone for Eight years for supposedly shooting someone, Mike Vick gone for 3 years for some dog fights. With those stats you can’t blame me for thinking he might have sang, but at the same time I was and still am a fan and started to think that If a Pedophile like R.Kelly can get off for pissing on 15 year old then anything is possible. Plus I think the fact that he’s a high profile artist played a big part in it.

At any rate I’m not a lawyer so I really can’t call it, and at the end of the day I still fux with him and his music.

Your thoughts?

Rapper Mike Jones Finds His “Voice” on April 14

Omar West — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:13:28 +0000

Southern star to release most creative album to date

The wait is finally over! Mike Jones, Houston’s self-proclaimed ‘President,’ will release his second full album, The Voice, April 14, 2009 on Ice Age/Swishahouse/Asylum.

Featuring the smash singles “Cuddy Buddy,” “Drop & Gimme 50″ and “Next to You,” The Voice has been heavily anticipated by fans and industry insiders alike.

“This album is what I wanted my first album to be,” says Jones. “On ‘The Voice,’ I’m showing more of myself to the world, more of my writing skills and my personality…”

Listen to the current single “Next to You” now!

For more info on Mike Jones, visit www.myspace.com/mikejones
Also, Call Mike At (281) 206-4336
Follow Him On Twitter At mr_mike_jones

Kanye’s “808s & Heartbreak” Goes Platinum (Beyonce 1.5 & Lil Wayne 2.8)

Chozen — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:37:13 +0000

So 5 weeks after Kanye West drops his fourth studio album, he hits the million dollar mark. I have to say that it’s definitely my least favorite Kanye album, but there is a few good tracks such as See You in My Nightmares ft Lil Wayne and Amazing featuring Young Jeezy.

On a side note T.I. & Beyonce are both around the 1.5 million mark while Lil Wayne is as 2.8 million and Soulja Boy is up to 80k sold after two weeks.

Overall sales are down as expected and they will never rise again, in terms of retail. Digital sales will continue to rise.

Sales have plummeted 45 percent from the industry’s high-water mark of 785.1 million units in 2000, due largely to Internet piracy and competition from other forms of entertainment such as video games. Digital track sales rose 27 percent to a record 1.07 billion units, but the growth was slower than the 45 percent jump in 2007.
Full Story: Reuters

Lexilex WTF: Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear!

Lexilex — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:59:11 +0000

(Atlanta, GA) – As a resident of Atlanta, I am all too familiar with how 65% to 70% of the population pretends to be someone they are not. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of the people in Atlanta are doing really well; you have a lot of people doing very well in their prospective careers. However, you still have a lot of people who are still faking it until they make it. This includes several members of the cast of the Real Housewives of Atlanta.

Throughout this show, viewers from all around the country have been conned into believing that these women have something serious going on. However, it has been revealed by numerous of sources that there have been many lies within this so called “reality show”. We have been conned into believing that that these women have stacks on deck and are just living it up like there is no tomorrow. However, it has been revealed that my personal favorite NeNe Leakes has been evicted from her Duluth home; which is the same home that has been featured on the show. Her B.F.F. Kim Zolaic was written into the script to add adversity; there is no such man as a ‘Big Poppa’ (a.k.a. Lee Najir) – which means she never bought that Cadillac Escalade. (Before the show finished taping, their relationship ended). Nor does she have a singing career in the making with mega producer Dallas Austin. However, Kim does live in the very nice townhouse shown in the show. Furthermore, Sheree Whitfield’s finances are not as lavish as reported either. The uptight and sadistic diva is known for bouncing checks throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area as she travels and shops with her entourage of people. Unsurprisingly, Sheree was also evicted from her home seen in the show. Lisa Wu-Hartwell recently filed for chapter 7 bankruptcy and is known for having several alias such as Sharron M. Wu and Sharon Lisa Sweat (after her previous marriage to Keith Sweat whom she has two kids).

Now, don’t get me wrong; I’m all about doing well and having things to represent your success. However, prior to their show I have never heard of any of these women (aside from Sheree’s check bouncing through Lenox Square Mall). It seems like the only women who have something legitimate is DeShawn Snow, who is working diligently to get the DeShawn Snow Foundation up and running. Ironically, nobody wanted to give DeShawn any play during her fundraiser at the couple’s home. Perhaps these ladies were just jealous because DeShawn’s money is real.

I suppose this show just goes to show you that you cannot believe half of what you see and none of what you read – even when you’re living in the overcrowded city of Atlanta, GA. Everybody who is somebody is linked to somebody else and it is truly six degrees of separation amongst people.

Although all of these ladies are quick to fight the rumors, the fact of the matter is none of these women have it going on as they proclaim. If they did, NeNe wouldn’t have that $30 a bag dry, bridle, and ugly quick weave in her head and Kim’s clip on pieces wouldn’t show every episode.

Be yourself people! Fronting and flodging will get you nowhere accept for on blast for faking it until you make it!

Kanye Sells 443k, While, “Theater Of The Mind,” Sells 212k

Omar West — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 00:16:19 +0000

Of course Knaye sales this time around would be allot lower than “Graduation”, what with the poor economy, no “50 Cent vs Kanye West” hype, not to mention the his auto-tune induced, 808’s which are really 909’s singer/rap album is a complete three sixty from his previous work which may have thrown his fans off a little. None this less 443k is not a failure by any standard especially given our economic current slump.

Ludacris on the other hand sold half of what Kanye did in his first week even though from a Hip Hop stand point, Luda clearly has a better rap album. This could be a result of him not having a super hit record even though “One More Drink” is currently climbing the charts. None the less 212k is not a failure and if you heard his album you would know he still has a few tracks that could be big singles. He’s only on his second single so far.

So who’s album are you guys feeling more….

Donny Goines Unleashes New Album

Chozen — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:32:15 +0000

New York, NY

Having achieved considerable notoriety with a vast collection of street albums and mixtapes, independent artist Donny Goines and Same Plate Management are proud to announce the release of Donny’s official debut, Minute After Midnight. The album which boasts Dame Grease as Executive Producer will be available through Amalgam (famed for projects from Joe Budden, Dame Grease, El Da Sensei) on December 16th 2008.

Minute After Midnight, is simply a seamless confirmation that Donny Goines is one of the most prolific artists to watch out for in 2009. An abundance of soulful and unparalleled production selected by the Manhattan lyricist is featured on the album and is laced with Donny’s heart-felt, naturalistic and legitimate experiences and stories.

Always exuding originality in his efforts both as an entertainer and a man, Donny is the first to comment on how hard he works to maintain such individuality and relevance. “I worked very hard on this album. Minute After Midnight took a lot of sacrifice, dedication and hard work to complete. I truly put my heart in it and wanted to create something that could stand the test of time. I didn’t have a budget nor label to finance this album but many people came together to help me craft this body of work. This album represents me, not some fictitious character or made up persona and I did everything within my power to make the best album I could. I hope when people hear it they can appreciate the effort I put forth, and enjoy it for years to come.”

In his usual style Donny opts to ride out this opus alone. Not one to clutter his projects with features and collaborations, Donny has very much earned his reputation through his hard work and his creativity and upon hearing his unique piece of work it affirms that for some the right producers and a story is all that is needed to create a masterpiece.

Tracklisting
1) Intro Prod. by Dub Z (1:52)
2) The Triumph Prod. by M Phazes (3:14)
3) Ghetto U.S.A Prod. by Beatnik & K Salaam Ft. Tess (3:13)
4) What I Am Prod. By Apple Juice Kid (3:45)
5) What Happened Prod. By Dub Z (3:22)
6) Ricky’s Story Prod. By Statik Selektah (2:55)
7) I am Moving Prod. by Dame Grease (4:15)
MLK Prod. By Dame Grease Ft. Tess (3:34)
9) Can’t Fit in My Shoes Prod. By DJ Snips (2:43)
10) Can you Hear Me Prod. By Dub Z Ft. Tess (3:52)
11) The Look Prod. By Dame Grease (2:24)
12) As the World Turns Prod. by Dub Z (3:46)
13) Heaven is With You Prod. by DJ Static (4:27)

To view Donny’s video for the Dame Grease single I am Moving, the first single from the album please follow the link below. The video produced by Don Hankins and Justin M Miller was recently featured on The Freshman, mtvU’s video show.

Music Video:Donny Goines – I’m Moving

Louis Vuitton Puts A Stop To T.I.’s, “Louie Rag,” Video Being Released

Omar West — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 19:10:12 +0000

We did it, and it came out hot,” Tip said of the video. “Louis [Vuitton] and Gucci started trippin’ about it. They were saying we were infringing, in one way or another. They weren’t happy about it. They didn’t want it to come out. But it’s hot, though.”
Source: MTV

Yet another brand that is not showing any love the urban community that has help to fatten their pockets for years. We all know what to do hit them where it hurts, in their wallets. I haven’t drank Krystal ever since they said we misrepresented it, I never wore Louie and now I never will, plain and simple.

The rappers need to stop promoting brands that don’t return the same gratitude, when Nelly made the “Air Force 1″ single Nike gave him thousands of free exclusive kicks because Nike is aware of the fact the Air Forces would be nothing without our culture.

Drake – Swagger Like Us Freestyle (Look Out For This Kid)

Chozen — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:07:23 +0000

Yon may remember Drake from his joint Ransom with Lil Wayne on it that we posted about month ago, which he bodied by the way. Ransom was hard body and if you’ve been following this blog for a while then you might have caught some early joints form Drizzy like Replacement Girl featuring Trey Songs and The City Is Mine which we broke almost 2 years ago. If you saw Lil Wayne’s performance at the VMA’s then you heard him spit a different verse from Misunderstood, that was Drake’s verse he borrowed from Money To Blow, and he even shouted Drizzy out at the end saying “Drake Drizzy I Love You Boy“.

Contrary to what was previously reported Drake is not singed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money record label, his debut album Thank Me Later is dropping in 2009 on Interscope.

Apart from Ransom Drake also collaborated with Lil Wayne on another track, Wayne was on the remix to Drakes Brand New. And if you saw his mixtape cover and your wondering why he looks familiar, yes thats Aubrey Graham that plays Jimmy Books in the Degrassi TV show, not that I watch it or anything…LOL

yeah this is another one worth adding to the Swagger Like Us archives

Download:Drake – Swagger Like Us Freestyle

Detroit’s Black Milk Officially Announces Release of Third Solo Album TRONIC

Omar West — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:51:42 +0000

14-track Album Solidifies Prolific Producer and Emcee’s Standing As a Pioneer of Hip-Hop’s Future

(September 17, 2008) Brooklyn, NY- 25-year old Black Milk, the accomplished producer, MC, and vanguard of Detroit’s rising hip-hop scene will be releasing his third solo album TRONIC on October 28, 2008 through Fat Beats Records.

Produced entirely by Black Milk and featuring only three guest verses on the entire album (from Pharoahe Monch, Royce Da 5′9″, and Sean Price), TRONIC shows Black Milk flexing his solo production and emcee skills through tracks that are more expressive and daring than his previous works. The album is a departure from the soul-sample driven sounds of 2007’s Popular Demand, as Black employs more live instrumentation, embraces the use of both vintage and modern synthesizers, and explores more orchestral song structure. Without abandoning his trademark Detroit hip-hop sound, he shows growth as an artist while clearly attempting to raise the bar as a pioneer of future hip-hop music. The album also features a short list of diverse players and vocalists including Dwele, rising YouTube star and new Universal Motown signee Colin Munroe, and the legendary DJ Premier who each add their signature creative nuances and textures to Black Milk’s sound.

In only a few short years, Black Milk quickly has become one of underground hip-hop’s foremost ambassadors. Realizing his vast reservoir of talent, both independent and mainstream artists looked to Black to give their albums a raw underground sound. Black has since produced and appeared on tracks for an impressive roster of hip hop artists including Genius/GZA, Busta Rhymes, Pharoahe Monch, Kidz in the Hall, Kardinal Offishall, Guilty Simpson, and Strange Fruit Project, among others. Most recently, Black released two albums, The Set Up with Fat Ray, Black Milk Presents Caltroit with Bishop Lamont. Black also handed nearly all the production on elZhi’s The Preface, an album that is making many critics’ Top 10 lists for 2008 and bringing serious attention to Detroit’s music scene. Black also produces and rhymes as a member of the ground Random Axe with Sean Price and Guilty Simpson and will release a full-length album in early 2009. TRONIC will be released on CD, vinyl, and digitally on October 28, 2008.

TRONIC track listing and credits:

1. Long Story Short ft. Dwele
2. Bounce
3. Give The Drummer Su
4. Without U ft. Colin Munroe
5. Hold It Down
6. Losing Out ft. Royce da 5′9
7. Hell Yeah ft. Fat Ray
8. Overdose
9. Reppin For U ft. AB
10. The Matrix ft. Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, & Dj Premier
11. Try
12. Tronic Summe
13. Bond 4 Life ft. Melanie Rutherford
14. Elec (OUTRO)

Tupac Shakur Is Way Overrated (A Must Read!!!)

Omar West — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:48:30 +0000

Now for those you who read the post we made a couple weeks ago about Blender magazine’s article about Tupac being one of the moist overrated rappers, you can consider this part 2 of that even though it was written 3 years ago over at ByronCrawford.com. Now keep in mind that this article is very well written and makes some good points and the author is very convincing even though he’s obviously bias. Someone with a weaker mind will read this article and will be completely convinced that Tupac was overrated, whack, trash etc. But I’m a Journalist too and I know when I’m reading a Mind Fuck article and since I’m one of the writers of the number 1 site hip hop music, it’s only right that I place this note before you actually read this article…..ok get to reading you stans.

For some reason, a few readers of this site have labeled me as being a hater of the late Tupac Shakur. I know, I know, I’m from the East Coast and happened to be down with P. Diddy and the Bad Boy crew (no homo) during the middle of the East/ West coast beef, but I never saw myself as a hater. As a matter of fact, one of my favorite hip hop songs ever is “Hit Em Up” where he basically told me “fuck you too” for being down with Bad Boy. Anyways, I was extremely saddened by Mr. Shakur’s untimely demise back in 1996 and even commemorated his death by purchasing all of his cd’s that I didn’t own at the time. At the time of his death, there was a lot of talk about how dude was a poet, a leader of our generation and so on and so on. Of course I associated all this talk with the type of sentimental shit that’s said upon someone’s passing. As time passed though, I became intrigued by how dude was becoming some type of legend. I also became annoyed as fuck.
Last week, I was going through all my songs on my ipod and since all of 2pac’s material came up first, I decided that I would give dude a second chance and listen to his music, just in case I had been unfairly judging his status as a hip hop icon. I listened to his first lp, “2Pacalypse Now”, released in 1991, and believe me when I emphatically say that that album sounds like pure effin garbage and I’m somewhat pissed off that I shelled out some of my hard earned cash on this piece of possum shit. There’s like no decent sounding track on it and I can’t decipher what’s worse, his feeble attempt to rhyme or the piss poor sub par production. Even the “breakout” hit single “Brenda’s Got A Baby” was pure kaa kaa, but being that that was like the first rap song dedicated in it’s entirety to every hood rat ghetto single mother across the country, it was deemed to be prolific by every baby momma alive. Eff that, that shit was weak by any hip hop classic standard. “2Pacalypse Now” got a expeditious delete from my library and I realize I must have been pretty effin amped up a year ago, upon getting a new ipod , what with me importing trash like this unto my itunes library.
Next up was his 2nd Lp, “Strictly For My N.I.G.G.A.S” released in 1993. First and foremost, the title deserves a huge NO HOMO sticker on the cd cover, what with some gay ass title like that. Secondly, I don’t know if the periods embedded in “N.I.G.G.A.S.” is supposed to mean something encoded or some strange Tupac form of Ebonics, whatever, I couldn’t give a rats scrotum about it’s meaning as it’s just plain stupid, then and now!!! The only song on that album that comes even close to being hot is “I Get Around”, but I always saw that as being a Digital Underground song featuring Pac as their weed carrying side artist. What with his first LP being all whack, the Underground decided they would help their lil homey out, similar to how Jay Z helps his lil homey Memphis Bleek out every now and then. Production on that song was tight, Pac’s flow improved dramatically overnight, but Shock G stole the show with his classic line “I’m Shock G, the one who put the satin on your panties.” The rest of the album really really really sucked much moose cock and once again I was pissed that I spent some cash on this vile piece of cat vomit. As I expeditiously deleted this crap from my library, I realized that I must have really been emotional when dude died, what with me including this shit in my music collection. Now I know this lp was released shortly after Pac’s “stunning” acting debut “Juice”, and a whole bunch of people got caught up in his portrayal of the “Bishop” character, but to me, his character suffered from a severe case of bi-polar based mental issues and since I actually knew cats like that back in the day in Brooklyn, I wasn’t impressed since they were all mental bitch made niggas until they had a gun in their hands. In addition, since “Juice” was Pac’s movie, why was the hottest song on the actual soundtrack “Know The Ledge” by Eric B. and Rakim? Sheet, Pac’s music was nowhere on the whole effin cd!!! A lot of people bought into it, but I for one didn’t sip the “juice”.
Next up was “Me Against The World” released in 1995. Now I gotta hand it to that nigga Pac, the hype surrounding this album’s release was incredible and effin unheard of at the time. First, dude got all shot up with five hot ones in his ass (no homo) in a New York studio in 1994 and SURVIVES!!! He then checks himself out of the hospital for “security” reasons and also, because he has to make it to court on a rape charge. I remember the image of Pac getting wheeled out of the courthouse days after being shot, all bandaged up with his middle finger pointed straight to the heavens and thinking “What a gully ass crazy muh fucker this dude is turning into!” He then gets sentenced to a bid in jail and starts blaming like the entire East Coast for all of his misfortunes and I’m feeling really sorry for dude, what with his little ass getting all plundered (no homo) all Oz style behind bars. Then the single “Dear Mama” comes out and it’s the first time dude has great production, rapping skills are intact and he’s saying some shit EVERYBODY can relate to. That song right there is genius in the same way Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” is geniuos, its an effin holiday song that will get played like forever and ever. An effin Mother’s Day song!!!! The only other song on there that’s worthy of a playback is “Old School” what with its tight production and Pac’s improved rhyme cadence. The rest of the album is ehh, lukewarm, not as bad as his prior two releases, but decent enough, especially since the hype behind it made it damn near impossible not to wonder what this crazy ass nigga was talking about!!! Other than the two aforementioned songs, the rest of the lp got deleted from my library.
1996 was the year “All Eyez On Me” hit the streets. With this lp, the world was introduced to the “new and improved” Tupac Shakur. Now down with the infamous Suge Knight and signed to the most dangerous record label of all time, Death Row Records, Pac was geared to drop a classic, especially since he was now armed with one of hip hop’s greatest producers of all time, Dr. Dre. In addition, Pac single handedly orchestrated the weird but historical East/West coast beef and spit venom in every interview about Bad Boy, Diddy, B.I.G. and almost all things East related. Man, dude was like one unstoppable train wreck, impossible to turn away from. Album wise, dude was at the top of his game with the instant classics “Ambitionz As A Ridah” and“Hearts Of Men” (no homo), but now that dude has demonstrated that he has finally learned how to rhyme, he fucks it up by putting too many corny sounding weed carriers on his album. Yeah, cats like Snoop, Richie Rich and even Nate Dogg I can understand, but what in the eff is a Big Syke and a Rappin 4 Tay doing on this joint? Even “Got My Mind Made Up” featuring Method Man and Red Man sounds forced what with Pac declaring civil war on New York. How the fuck did they end up on that track? Finally, I don’t know whose idea it was to make this lp here a double cd, but with too many cuts and too many effin weed carriers, shit just got confusing along the way and would’ve been a better (not classic) cd with like only ten songs.
Finally “The Don Killuminati, The 7 Day Theory” recorded right before and released right after his death in 1996. (I in no way count the hundred or so other albums released after this one, since dude is dead and who knows what the fuck type of “studio magic” went into putting those other shits together.) I have to admit, this was really Tupac at his best, with his new character Makaveli sounding all raw and angry, dude really let you know he had gone way the fuck off the deep end and had become one crazy mother fucker!!!! Beats were tighter than anything ever produced for him, dude had rabid venom in his voice like he was infected by rage, and boy did he let everyone have it, from Jay Z on down to his own producer and label mate Dr. Dre!!!! No one was safe from his insane verbal ass whipping. This was the closest dude had to having a classic album. The reason it fell short? 25 more unknown weed carriers included in almost every effin joint!!!! If I were Pac and had blazing tracks like “Hail Mary” or “Intro/Bomb First”, there’s no way in hell I would allow my whack ass lackey’s to be featured on those tracks, NO EFFIN WAY!!! That being said, this lp had like four solid joints on it, the two I just mentioned along with “Toss It Up” (no homo), “Me And My Girlfriend” and “Against All Odds” which was the perfect song to end his career with. Throw in my favorite “Hit ‘Em Up” which was also recorded around the time this album was being produced (sans weed carriers off course) and you have a decent discography of like 16 strong records (actually 10 strong records once weed carrier and side artist elements are factored in).
After taking all of this in, I can understand the Tupac hype, which comes down to two points:
1) Tupac, if he deserved any accolade, was that throughout the course of his career, he never let go of his initial acting role in “Juice” and lp by lp, he perfected that role until he eventually and actually became that psycho bi-polar crazy ass nigga “Bishop”. If anything, he should have been nominated for a new type of Oscar, one where the actor really and truly becomes the character like five years after the movie came out.
2) You know how every chick with mental/emotional issues loves Sade? Well Tupac touched (no homo) every gangbanger, thug and thug wannabe with mental/ emotional issues. I’m sure most of those dudes are pretty eff’ed up in the head what with them losing homey after homey every other week in ‘da hood due to gunfire and gang warfare. Instead of going to see a therapist (which I can’t even imagine those dudes ever doing) ‘Pac became like their Sade. I even remember some dude posting on this site about how he sits in his truck, listens to Tupac and starts crying like a lil bitch. So yeah I get it, Tupac is like a thug’s Sade,, difference being that Sade dropped like 4 classic albums
That being said, the late Tupac Shakur is waaaaaaaay overrated.

Okay the blatant mind fuck is now over, I can sit here and write about half a dozen things he left out like “many tears”, “keep ya head up” not to mention “trapped” all from “Me Against The World”, and all of his songs from “Above The Rim” soundtrack. He left out the 20 or so CDs that were put out via bootleg or his estate, all the tight tracks on different soundtracks (Pain, Loyal to the Game, Starin at the World Thru My Rearview, Never Had A Friend Like Me etc). This is Hop Hop it’s not like other Genres you have to take in account all the mixtapes, features, unreleased and underground content as well, just look at Lil Wayne the first two Carter albums didn’t make him the hottest rapper, the Drought tapes did.

This article would have you believe your a zombie and that you only like Tupac because someone told you to or because of the hype as if we don’t have eyes, ears and a mind of our own to decide on what we like. Don’t get me wrong I’m not a super Tupac fan my top 5 dead or alive is Nas, Jay-Z, Emenim, Busta Rhymes, 4th is always battle between B.I.G. and Pac. Pac usually wins because Biggie only had two albums but then again I switch my list up all the time. The point is that the article is bias and not written from a true song for song, album for album or even bar for bar perspective……

The article was funny to read though with all the no homos and weed carrier talk……

And so I end with Tupac is not the greatest of all time (not a solid and long enough career) but he’s definitely not overrated, thats absurd.

Omar West – “The Only One Awake In the World Of Dreams”

Freddie Foxxx – “So Tough”

Chozen — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 22:41:01 +0000

“We went from African kings to Martin Luther King / now they wanna make us all Rodney King”

The Song:

“So Tough” is the latest gem to be exhumed from Crazy Like A Foxxx, Bumpy Knuckles’ long awaited release. For fans that have waited the past fourteen years to hear this material, Freddie Foxxx delivers again. “So Tough” is a gritty, raw track as per Foxxx’s usual style. Though the beat and lyrics are hard-hitting, the track is meant to be inspirational rather than intimidating. Foxxx speaks to the people, telling them not to give in to the hardships brought on by racism. Foxxx implores listeners to remain strong despite being put down by the man, especially (but not limited to) those wrongfully imprisoned and beat down based on outdated prejudice, saying “We went from African kings to Martin Luther King / now they wanna make us all Rodney King.” Foxxx lets the audience know that “When the going gets rough / You gotta get tough” which is exactly what he has done over the course of his tumultuous career in the music business.

The Background:

Freddie Foxxx’s Crazy Like A Foxxx was recorded in the early ’90s in New York and intended for an official release by MCA. However, for reasons unknown, the album was shelved after promotional cassettes were serviced to radio and press. This newly remastered release includes both the 1993 demo version on Disc 2 and the 1994 completed version of the album on Disc 1. Largely written for the emcee’s friends in prison, the album has ominous overtones and provides insight into Bumpy’s dark state of mind at that time period. The album is a veritable time capsule from the early 1990’s, with guest spots from legends such as 2Pac, Chuck D, and Kool G Rap as well as production from from D.I.T.C.’s Showbiz, Lord Finesse, and Buckwild. Crazy Like A Foxxx is available from Fat Beats Records now.

Streams:

So Tough

http://media.audibletreats.com/Freddie_Foxxx-So_Tough.mp3

Killa featuring 2Pac

http://media.audibletreats.com/Freddie_Foxxx-Killa_Feat_2Pac.mp3

Crazy Like A Foxxx album preview

http://media.audibletreats.com/CrazyLikeAFoxxxPreview.mp3

Bio, pictures, and streams available here:
http://www.audibletreats.com/download/FreddieFoxxx/
Freddie Foxxx’s MySpace page:
http://www.myspace.com/freddiefoxxx

eLZhi – “Save Ya” featuring T3 of Slum Village

Chozen — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:54:55 +0000

“Infatuated with material things / You only see your feet in those shoes / Your ears in those rings / But, uh, you can come around on your best behavior / But sorry Love, I can’t save ya”

The Song:

The second single from eLZhi’s latest release, The Preface, comes as a warning to all the gold diggers out there. “Save Ya,” featuring T3 of Slum Village, tells the ladies out there to look elsewhere if they want to reap the benefits of eLZhi’s hard earned success. eLZhi’s lyrical skills are on-point as he tells them to get lost over a bouncing, bass-heavy beat: “Infatuated with material things / You only see your feet in those shoes / Your ears in those rings / But, uh, you can come around on your best behavior / But sorry Love, I can’t save ya.”

The Background:

In the late-nineties, eLZhi made a name for himself by moving his way up through the ranks of Detroit’s underground scene and teaming up with Slum Village for his first big taste of success. He has since been making the rounds, working with local Detroit luminaries such as J Dilla, Waajeed of Platinum Pied Pipers, and Dwele, in addition to a well-received solo tour of Europe during his early years in the game. Hip-hop enthusiasts across the globe consider eLZhi to be one of the most skilled emcees in the entire scene, and bloggers and critics have been trumpeting this sentiment since the release of the last Slum Village album in 2005. With the release of The Preface, eLZhi looks to cement his name amongst the greatest emcees in the game. The 16-track album, produced almost entirely by rising star Black Milk, features guest appearances by a who’s who of the Detroit hip-hop scene. Royce Da 5′9″, T3 (Slum Village), Guilty Simpson, Phat Kat, and more add to what many have predicted will be one of the most noteworthy hip-hop releases of 2008. The Preface is in stores now via Fat Beats Records.

Streams:

Save Ya Featuring T3 of Slum Village

http://media.audibletreats.com/eLZhi-Save_Ya_Feat_T3.mp3

Motown 25 Featuring Royce Da 5′9″

http://media.audibletreats.com/eLZhi-Motown_25_Feat_Royce_Da_59.mp3

Bio, pictures, and streams available here:
http://www.audibletreats.com/download/Elzhi
eLZhi’s MySpace page:
http://www.myspace.com/zhifi

Fat Beats:
http://www.FatBeats.com

Eyezon: From South Africa To The Bay To A People Like Us

Chozen — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 20:57:28 +0000

Bay Area Rapper Set To Release His Deeply Personal and Poetic Sophomore Album

“Eyezon delivers his lyrics with a religious conviction, but is blessed with a great sense of timing. He has the ability to alter his rhyme schemes constantly, but without losing sight of the cadence of the mystery man’s beats.” – RapReviews.com

(September 4, 2008- Brooklyn, NY) Eyezon, the South-African born, Northern California resident is set to envelop new fans in an album that delves into life, love, loss, and struggle on his sophomore full-length A People Like Us. The album will be released on January 27, 2009 on Interdependent Media.

With A People Like Us, Eyezon touches on variety of subjects, including the dangers and racism that were rampant in South Africa during his childhood as well as common issues of love, loss, abortion, and homelessness. When asked about A People Like Us, Eyezon says the title was a reflection of “the struggles that a common people can relate to.” The album is brimming with the depth of emotion, vibrancy, and insight that is often put on the backburner in mainstream hip-hop albums.

On the song “Lord Hold Me” Eyezon dissects his struggles, dreams, and pain. The accompanying video explores the problem of homelessness in the United States by juxtaposing images of Eyezon with startling facts about our nation’s poor. Shot by Ethan Lader, the same director who created J*DaVeY’s “Mr. Mister” video, the video challenges our complacency and sheds light on an issue that is often overlooked. Paying homage to Common on “I Still Love Her (Hip Hop)” Eyezon reveals the beginning of his infatuation with hip-hop as a child in South Africa. Hailing from a culture that so far as banned rap music for its political connection to the nation’s oppressed, Eyezon could only hear hip-hop on the mix tapes and recorded radio shows that his uncle brought back from the U.S. Although Eyezon did not yet know English, he found something intriguing in the music and began to learn the rhythms of the delivery.

A People Like Us was produced entirely by Charlotte, North Carolina-based producer Sean Lane. Initiated through online communities OkayPlayer.com and Soundclick.com, the bi-coastal duo shared a love of music, and decided to digitally craft A People Like Us through file sharing. Eyezon, who has been writing verses since 1994, admits, “I’ve never worked like this. All I got was the drum loops, with maybe a sample in the back. Sean Lane went on and added different things to the beats to make them what they are now.” The fruit of his years of labor, A People Like Us stands as a testament to the messages of inspiration and perseverance he delivers in his rhymes. Eyezon has previously released an LP entitled 7 Miles from Earth and has also shared the stage with Murs, Xzibit, KRS-One, and Living Legends.

Streams:

Lord Hold Me

http://media.audibletreats.com/Eyezon-Lord_Hold_Me.mp3

Eyezon MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/eyezon

Sean Lane MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/seanl

Label site:
http://www.imculture.com/

Drake ft. Lil Wayne – Ransom

Chozen — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:50:27 +0000

First off let me just pat myself on the back for once again breaking another artist, I was definitely one of the first ones to put out music from Drake, it was about a year and a half ago we posted The City is Mine which no one up on at the time and every since the first time I heard this kid I knew he was headed somewhere good…

The Toronto native is now signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money records and this is the first joint from him as a Young Money affiliate “titled “Ransom” which both him and Lil Wayne bodied, below are some highlights of the Wayne verse.

Lil Wayne recites the entire alphabet…

He says him and Drake both wrote for Dr Dre’s Detox album…..

Check it out and give us your feedback, oh guess what Lil Wayne is not auto-tuning.

Download:Drake ft. Lil Wayne – Ransom

Tupac is the Most Overrated Artist Ever

Omar West — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:29:40 +0000

I don’t even know where to start after a headline like that, man those Tupac stans are going to loose their minds when they read this…

Reuters reports:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Dead rapper Tupac “2Pac” Shakur, the hip-hop icon who sold more records after he was murdered than during his brief career, is the most overrated person in music, according to music magazine Blender.
Shakur tops a tongue-in-cheek list that also includes “places, trends and other junk in rock,” Blender said in its upcoming October issue, due on newsstands next week.
Other overrated finalists included the Grammys at No. 7, encores at No. 12, Pink Floyd at No. 14 and “the music you loved as a teenager” at No. 23.

I personally thought Pac was the greatest way before he died but of course his death made him even more of an iconic figure and the same can be said for B.I.G., I mean Biggie only had two albums and he’s “Top 5 Dead or Alive“. To say Pac is overrated is crossing the line but will definitely help them sell more copies of the magazine because of it. What do you guys think?

T.I. “Whatever You Like” Single Makes Digital Download History

Omar West — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:33:14 +0000

NEW YORK (Billboard) – Rapper T.I. establishes the mark for biggest jump to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 as his single “Whatever You Like” soars from No. 71 to No. 1 in its third week on the list.

The new chart will be published Thursday (August 28) on Billboard.com.

A No. 1 opening on the Hot Digital Songs chart with debut-week sales of 205,000 downloads is the impetus for the record-setting Hot 100 move, which surpasses the leap from No. 64 to No. 1 that Maroon 5’s “Makes Me Wonder” took in May 2007.

“Like” is the rapper’s first No. 1 as a lead artist (he was featured on Justin Timberlake’s 2006 chart-topper “My Love”), and his opening-week digital sum is the best by a rap track since Nielsen SoundScan began compiling download data in 2003.

T.I.’s new Grand Hustle/Atlantic album, “Paper Trail,” will be released September 30.

The performer pled guilty to federal weapons charges in conjunction with an October 2007 arrest in Atlanta. He will serve a year in jail after completing 1,000 hours of community service.

Source:Reuters/Billboard

Forbes Hip-Hop’s 2008 Cash Kings

Chozen — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:34:24 +0000

While Jay-Z topped Forbes.com’s inaugural Hip-Hop Cash Kings list of the top-earning people in the business last year, in 2008 he cedes the throne to Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, who raked in $150 million over the past 12 months–almost twice what Jay-Z made.

Damn I guess that long journey 50 Cent has been on to get on Jay-Z’s level has finally happend, that vitamin water deal is what pushed him over the top, because it sure wasn’t this and it most certainly wasn’t this. Musically he’s been having a couple misses lately but knowing him he’s probably working on something crazy right now. Check the top 20 Cash Kings below……LoL check out who’ and number one and who’s at number twenty, I see that getting placed into a song.

1. 50 Cent – $150 million
2. Jay-Z – $82 million
3. P Diddy – $35 million
4. Kanye West – $30 million
5. Timbaland – $22 million
6. Pharrell Williams – $20 million
7. Swizz Beatz – $17 million
8. Snoop Dogg – $16 million
9. Dr. Dre – $15 million
10. Ludacris – $14 million
11. T.I. – $13 million
12. Lil Wayne – $13 million
13. Eminem – $12 million
14. Common – $12 million
15. Akon – $12 million
16. Jermaine Dupri – $11 million
17. Lil Jon – $11 million
18. OutKast – $10 million
19. Chamillionaire – $10 million
20. The Game – $10 million

Lexilex’s WTF: Celebrating the DJs, Rick Ross & Khia: still trying,

Lexilex — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 13:36:54 +0000

: HMDJR

Contrary to popular belief, (I.E. Jermaine Dupri’s comments about the DJs being dead), the DJs are reuniting and celebrating together their success. Coming up Aug. 22-25, Atlanta will be rocking full of some of the best DJs to ever touch Hip-Hop. This year, the men will be celebrating their fifth year of making major moves within the music business.

“To celebrate, myself, Greg Street and DJ Bigga Rankin are bringing it all back to where it all started and where the Hittmenn DJs are headquartered. We are at a climax, marking the fifth year of grinding hard and so we decided instead of taking it out of the country let’s take it back to ATL,” says the aggressive business mogul and president DJ Kaspa The Don. In the past, (more like five years ago) the reunion has showcased artist such as Young Jeezy. This year, the reunion will highlight the entire Grand Hustle family which includes, T.I.

Ozone

But before you get to the Hittmenn DJs reunion, let’s not forget that this weekend it is going DOWN in Houston, Texas. This is the third annual Ozone Awards/TJs DJs conference this weekend and it is scheduled to be off the damn chain! I’ve been getting emails about THIS event since got damn last year damn near so I know that TJ Chapman (owner of TJs DJs) & Julia ‘JB’ Beverly (owner of Ozone Magazine) have worked really hard to get this years show together. I just hope and pray that there is no violence this year! As usual, everyone who is somebody is supposed to be there including my new long lost boo Young Jeezy. For more information on this visit the official OzoneMagazine.com website.

Speaking of Rick Ross, he is still denying the allegations that he has completely forged his entire ‘life’ that we’ve all been buying. In a recent interview with Don Diva magazine, Rick Ross issues yet another statement. He says, “When I’m making my music and talking about blow, it’s because I did it,” Rick Ross maintains. “When I say I’m rich off cocaine it’s because I did it. I never tried to hide my past! I put my name inside of all my CDs. My company has my SS #. I could’ve put a company name.” ** Remember, I told you here first that this was a pre-planned stunt pulled by Miami’s own Trick Daddy. Mind you, Trick has a tendacy of turning his back on his artist (i.e. Plies). However, he went on to say “I just talked to Plies two weeks ago and we fixin’ that Trick Daddy and Plies thing. That’s small. We all street n***as that got 30 killers behind us and we all rich and we all wild. I love Trick, cause he the one that brought me in the game.”

Khia

Lord knows, I fight for people to respect Khia.

We have mutual friends… I’ve interviewed her before and even got a deeper glimpse into who she was respecting her even more. As we all know, on July 22, Khia released her highly anticipated album Nasti Muzik 08 (which many didn’t really give a shit about). Since then, it’s been a little rumor flying around the internet saying that she is short of going platinum. Khia even posted this in her highly referenced MySpace blog. However, when I received last week’s soundscan, I did not come across Khia’s name. I thought that there was some mistake. Nonetheless, it has was learned that this was indeed a lie. Khia only sold 1,400 copies her first week according to AllHipHop.com’s Illseed. Keep in mind, I had the opportunity of speaking with Khia a few months ago and I really enjoyed what she had to say. Although Khia parades around the United States demanding that other people acknowledge her and enforce the fact that the ‘hood’ knows about her, the real question is: why didn’t they go out to support her? Don’t get me wrong, I was one of the 1,400 who did. But I think that finally Khia’s negative attitude and snapping on radio personalities on air has definitely caught up with her; even though she claims that’s a publicity stunt.

If you’re interested in seeing what she and I discussed then you should go to: http://gritsandeggs.com/online/?p=544 to read that interview.

Jacki O

Now, I don’t know how true this is, but there is a word on the street that Florida rapper Jacki-O is sexing for advancement funds. Mind you, the industry is really tough right now to be in, especially for independent artist that are struggling to finance their careers. Women in the music business have to use ‘what they’ve got to get what they want’ all the time. Like I said, I’m not sure if this is true or not but since she and I have mutual friends, I can definitely investigate this one. I just hope she’s not that type of chick but hey, sometimes YOU HAVE TO DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.

Mashonda

In a recent interview with Vibe Magazine, Swiss Beat’s ex-wife and one hit wonder Mashonda spoke out about the rumors circulating their recent divorce. When it comes to the whole Alicia Keys & Swiss Beats relationship, this is what she had to say:

How about now? There were some rumors regarding [Alicia Keys’ fiancée´] Krucial Keys.

The media turned this whole Krucial Keys thing into some ridiculousness. Went out to D-Nices’ birthday party – a very good and mutual friend of both Swizz and I – to have a good time and promote the album. I get caught up in all the unnecessary shit for no reason. I don’t even want to make a big deal about it because I’m not worried. Everything I’m going through in my personal life is not for publicity. People don’t risk their marriage, personal beliefs and children for bullshit publicity. I want to dead the assumptions, fake media rumors, and All the Krucial rumors – it’s crazy.

When I say Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz how do you feel?

No comment.

Okay.

No comment says a lot, right? Yeah, no comment says a whole lot.

So you and Swizz were married, had a son, when did you find out it was a wrap?

For legal issues I can’t discuss, but eventually I will. I just want people to understand that in January 2008 at my birthday party, in my eyes my husband and I seemed perfectly happy. Hip-Hop Weekly did an exclusive, and things were fine. Whatever happened after that, I wasn’t aware. I didn’t know about anything, it was a rude awakening. I feel like I gave too much already, but just know I am in no way shape or form using what is going on to push my music. The media is creating a scandal, and I’m creating music, it’s not apart of each other.

Understood. What are you doing for your career so you’re not labeled just Swizz Beatz ex-wife?

There is no ex-wife situation yet, we’re not even legally separated yet. We are still in the beginning stages.

Lexilex scheduled to return soon

Lexilex — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 13:49:38 +0000

Happy Saturday kiddies, I know ya’ll have missed me entertaining you all with all of the downlow and scoop with what’s going on with the world of entertainment. However, with all of these award shows, conferences, and other wack shit, sometimes a chick just needs a break! Needless to say, I will return on Monday with more information about all of your favorite artist. Remember to keep it locked right here to HipHopMusicDotCom.com to receive all of your exclusive gossip from me. “It’s all you need to hear!” With having said that, I’ll see you all on Monday!

LL Cool J’s “Exit 13″ Artwork

Omar West — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:57:02 +0000

Check out LL Cool J’s album cover for his last album on Def Jam and let us know what you think about it, I think it’s hot.

Exit 13 will be the 13th and final album on LL Cool J’s record deal with Def Jam Recordings, a deal that has lasted for more than twenty years. The album was originally titled, Todd Smith Pt. 2: Back To Cool. The album is set to be released September 9, 2008.

Initially, it was said to be executively produced is by fellow Queens rapper 50 Cent, but that remains to be seen. This album will also be the first LL Cool J album since G.O.A.T. to have the parental advisory label for explicit lyrics. LL and DJ Kayslay recently teamed up to release LL’s very first mixtape as a prelude to Exit 13, titled, The Return of the G.O.A.T.

The “warm-up” single, “Rockin’ with the G.O.A.T” premiered on June 20, 2008. The First official single, “Baby” Feat. The-Dream was released on July 1, 2008 at the iTunes Music Store. Other contributors for this album include 50 Cent, Wyclef Jean, The-Dream and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi

Confirmed Tracks:

“Rock the Pole” *
“Baby” (featuring The-Dream) *
“Champion
“Cry” (featuring Lil’ Mo)
“Rockin’ with the G.O.A.T.” *
“Girl If I (featuring Trey Songz)*
“The 5 Boroughs Is Back *
“Come Over”

Artist Spotlight: Riz Repping Harlem

Chozen — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:02:08 +0000

“RIZ is the truth. When I first heard his music, I got the same chills I got when I first heard 50 Cent” – Sha Money XL, Money Management.

Although RIZ’s latest single served as inspiration to 50’s crew anthem toting the same title, the similarities stop there. This self proclaimed “Young, Fly and Flashy” artist repping Harlem, captures sounds and flavors from the East Coast, West Coast, Mid West and even his birth place Charleston, South Carolina. This is evident on tracks penned such as “Brand New Cadillac.”

It’s that vision that has attracted the attention of some of the most creative up coming forces in the Hip-Hop industry. From recording tracks such as “Put Em Up” with LA’s super-producer JR Rotem, (who has also lent his touch to hit records for Rick Ross, Sean Kingston, Rihanna, and Britney Spears), to “Watch What You Say” with the Miami based, The Runners (R.Kelly, Young Jeezy, Lil Wayne), to starring in his ?rst full length video directed by Rik Cordero ( who has also directed for Snoop Dogg, Beanie Siegel, Jay Z, Nas), RIZ continues to push the envelope.

Backed by a solid management team headed by Sha Money XL of Money Management Group, Will “DaBoss” of Media Management and David “Da Jeweler” of Diamond District Entertainment, RIZ has released two critically acclaimed mixtapes, hosted by heavy hitters in the game, DJ Envy and DJ Whoo Kid, respectively. He has collaborated with artists such as Lloyd Banks (GUnit/ Interscope), Trey Songz (Atlantic), Jim Jones
(Sony WMG), Maino (Atlantic), and many more. He is currently recording his ?rst full length studio album to be released later this year independently, all the while
continuing to build his online fan base which is evident by the 80,000+ views on You Tube of his “Red Light Green Light” video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv82C14Hp8I, and over 100,000 hits on various websites, including his My Space page.

Every now and then RIZ can be heard (and seen) displaying his skills on www.hiphopgame.com. He has also been featured on several Hip-Hop documentaries, Smack DVD, Real Talk DVD, Blow Magazine & DVD amongst others. But his slow and steady pace to the top has not always been positive.

After the passing of his mentor and biggest fan, NY’s Power 105.1 DJ Carl Blaze, he had to dig deep to ?nd inspiration again. RIZ lets us in some of the raw emotions on tracks such as “Trials and Tribulations”- Position of Power hosted by DJ Whoo Kid.

RIZ has the creativity, inspiration, knowledge and versatility to bring back to Harlem
what only Harlem can offer. A star.

Riz – Bucktown Homicide SMACK DVD

Rick Ross Exposed, More Proof Of Rick Ross As A Renta Cop

Chozen — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:03:05 +0000

Well Well Well, ever heard the term “only time will tell” well in this case time is definitely snitching. Like I told you guys before I knew Rick Ross use to be a C.O. since last year I just didn’t know it was this big secret and that most people didn’t know about it or the fact that this cat has been denying it.

Ross (real name: William Leonard Roberts) was appointed a prison guard in December 1995 at a salary of $22,913.54, according to the below personnel record, which was provided to TSG by Jo Ellyn Rackleff, a DoC spokesperson. The rapper’s social security number is identical to that of the jail guard. According to the official document, Ross was earning $25,794.34 when he left the department in June 1997. After graduating from the DoC training academy, Ross was assigned to the South Florida Reception Center in Dade County (the lockup is one of three statewide that serves as an intake facility for new prisoners).

I didn’t care that he was a C.O., the Trilla album is still fire but once he once he denied it, it’s only a matter of time before life provides to the proof about who you really are and who knows maybe he did move major weight after he left the force, maybe he made connection with inmates who had connects but you messed up by lying and now you look phony and the greatest rapper alive co-sign you.

Props: The Smoking Gun, making it hard for these rappers.

Rick Ross Responds To Trick Daddy Dissing Him

Chozen — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:39:55 +0000

It seems like Trick Daddy isn’t too happy with the new generation Miami rappers, first he’s pulls Plies card saying he’s not a real goon and he pulls Rick Ross’s card by saying he is a ex C.O., which I thought everyone was already aware of but I guess not.

The strange thing is that Rick Ross denied it and there is proof that he was, why lie? I don’t think is matters whether or not you were a C.O. that doesn’t mean you can’t still be a real individual or that you never sold drugs, because trust me I know my share of dirty pigs (I mean cops).

90 percent of all rappers are not real gangsters but I still like there music, it’s usually someone they grew up or someone they heard about in their surroundings that comes across in the lyrics. I think the Trilla album is one of the best albums that came out this year and I knew about the whole C.O. thing along time ago and that didn’t change the opinion of him. Why he’s denying it I don’t know but lets see how this plays out as the evidence continues to rolls in. Maybe it’s all B.S and I was miss informed.

Sidebar:Why is Trick Daddy coming at the new M.I.A. cats he’s responsible for putting these cats on, makes him look like hater.

Unable to see the video GO HERE

T.I. Paper Trail Album Cover

Chozen — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:55:38 +0000

I’m not really feeling this album cover any rookie photoshop user could have done a better job, maybe the actual scans will look better than this internet photo either way I have a feeling this will be one of the albums of the year. Paper Trail Is drops September 9th………

Tracks from The album:

T.I. No Matter What

T.I. – Swing Your Rag

T.I. A Better Day

Jay-Z in Vogue Italia’s All Black Issue

Chozen — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:01:24 +0000

Of course credits are in order, Pics via:TheMavenReport