Tehiry will be in 50 Cent’s new video and Joe Budden with his new girl Somaya Reece, it looks like a win win but something tells me this won’t end well. Hats off to Joe he sure know how to pull a bad chick.

With all things considered that’s not bad, especially when the album sprung a leak almost a month before it’s release date. In somewhat related news Raekwon’s, “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. 2,” debuts with 68,000 records sold, which was released independently.

(11:45) I’m sick of myself. Seriously, I gotta shut down after this. I never been on radio or TV this much in my life. I’m sick of myself.

(9:30) [Angie: Where you at with those guys?] Yeah, I speak to Chris often. Freeway as well. I spoke to Beans when his grandma passed, we had a conversation. I don’t speak to Peedi at all, cuz he’s a psycho. [Angie: Jeez, that's harsh.] What? [Angie: That's not harsh?] No, he’s a psycho. That’s what I truly believe. Not trying to be funny or anything.

(14:20) My man OG [Juan], when we talked about Vol. 3, he told me “Man, I HATE that album.” This is my brother. Then I said, “You like ‘So Ghetto’?” He’s was like “Yeah.” “Big Pimpin? Yeah.” After seven, he’s like “Yeah, but that album was terrible.” He liked 7 records out of 14 and said it was terrible. Anybody else has three records, they’re phenomal. I have to have 14 for 14, or it’s terrible. Not even just a good album, it’s terrible. “I hate, hate, hate that album.”

(17:40) I read that you went to go see Shyne and nobody’s asked you about that.
Not true. A lie, gossip, whatever you wanna call it.

(0:25) I can’t freestyle anymore. I’m done. [Angie: Backpackers are gonna have a field day with you.] Finished. Back when I was nice.. [Laughs.]

(8:10) [After Angie plugs ThisIs50 Fest] Nobody invited me there, I’ll take a check. Somebody get at me.

Quotes to cleanup:

I’ll be honest. I almost took Reminder off at the last second.

Are there any subliminals? Nah, never… Couple landmines. Still check for other people’s subliminals? I stopped listening to records in that way.

Do you ever miss Damon? Rocafella was beautiful in its original state. That’s my answer.

(26:55) Flex: So 50 on a new freestyle.. On the new album though, you kinda… [Jay interrupts: That was a compliment.] What made you bring up the Summer Jam stage?

I was really going through the history of it. It’s part of the history… I was actually giving him props. Every single person in that song, I was giving them their time… [Flex: He has a freestyle.] Nah, I think that was already done. No way in the world he could have.. He had that in the tuck. [Flex: You guys aren't moving together with this are you?] Nawwww. You know, he’s a loose cannon. Any given day you could wake up and he’ll start shooting.

(29:00) Flex: T-Pain… Have you had a chance to talk to him? [Jay: Naw.] Were you surprised?

Yeah I was a little surprised because in all my interviews, I’m sure they’re online. They got kids that do that in 30secs. You can find 8-10 interviews of me saying “I’m not talking about T-Pain, he’s a talented guy.” SEVERAL times. So I don’t buy his explanation. [Flex: Is it timed perfectly, around the week of the album?] I guess so cuz I don’t buy that, there’s no way in the world he didn’t hear that. [Flex: Laughs. Were you aware he was there when he came out on the Summer Jam stage?] I didn’t know he was coming out, for one. I had no idea that was him. The first time I looked I didn’t know who it was. I really didn’t. I’m not being funny, I promise you. [Flex: I think people got in his ear after that.] Yeah. That’s what I believe happened. [Flex: So you haven't had a chance to...] What’s there to talk about. It’s not like a real beef. That’s another thing. There’s too much talking. “We squashing a fake beef?” Like we have a real problem. Then we shouldn’t be talking on the radio at all. There’s no real problem so what is there to squash. [Flex: Do you get tired of it?] I know the people get tired of it. They have to. The people just want to hear great music. If it was few, far and between, then it would be exciting. Now it’s like, “ight man, just put out some music.”

(23:50) Flex: Sometimes I look online, and I see Freeway, Peedi Crakk, and other Roc-A-Fella artists saying “Oh, Hov didn’t call me” or “Hov didn’t tell me he wasn’t doing the Roc anymore..” How do you feel when you see those things online?

It’s difficult because I’ve done so much for them… I gave everybody a shot. Everybody got a chance to sit at the table and make something. So whether you parlayed that into something or let that go away. You know, that’s pretty much on you. So if I’m not doing anything tomorrow or the next day, you should be cool with that. [Flex: Do they reach out sometimes?] Yeah, yeah. I still speak to Freeway and Chris. More than anybody else. Chris first, then Freeway. Shoutout to Freeway, he was sick the other day.

(41:30) Flex: Roc Nation, what’s the next thing we’ll see on the label?

The next two artists we’re grooming, who you’ll probably see first are, J. Cole and a girl by the name of Rita Ora. Who’s from London and incredibily talented.

Rick Ross hit up my show and declared he has no Beef with Eminem, how he feels his album is the album of the year, the new Triple C’s project, the prospects of a Birdman/Rick Ross album, how he wants to collaborate with Rakim and His NFL predictions for the season.

Via HipHopRuckus by way of Ready Set

According to Fabolous’s Twitter page

@MyFabolousLife: Yo I’m at Rehab in Vegas.. T-Pain is DJ’ing.. Sayin Fuck JayZ, he old, blah blah.. guess its backlash from D.O.A..

So I’m here wit Rihanna, @richyungamerica, & @paulcainsf.. Drinkin some strawberry/daquiri’s.. Not feelin the Tpain JayZ dissing.. Brooklyn!

Newsflash: they jus played D.O.A. Right after he got off.. Wowwwwwwww!!

Wow it seems like it was all good a few weeks ago at Summer Jam.

We got to work a couple nights, actually, we did a few joints and from what I hear we’re going back in to try and get some more stuff done.

Jay has been one of the most special people to me in this game. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the nights me and Jay had in the studio, and the things he’ll tell me and just the way he embraced me. It’s one of the best feelings in my life. Jay is one of those guys that you can say, ‘I look up to this guy,’ or ‘I like this guy’s music.’ I wanted to be Jay. That’s what they say about the best artists. To be a great rapper, men gotta wanna be you and women gotta wanna … you know.

I wanna be myself, but for me to say, ‘If I couldn’t be me, I wanted to be that man’ — that’s huge. … To have that man in my life and to be able to interact with him and talk to him and, best of all, work with him — there’s not a real sentence I can say to describe it. Hopefully Jay and Drake are as powerful as Drake and Wayne. I hope people see that union and it comes up more than once in the future.

via MTV

In the 1st Episode of the Up Close & Personal series Created & Directed by Executive Nick, Joe Budden sits down with Nick and gives us his views on rival Mc’s.

Directed & Interviewed by : Executive Nick
Edited by : Frederick Orozco
Filmed Exclusively at Fight Klub Studios

Special Thanks to Minya Oh & the staff at missinfo.tv

I kinda done with this whole situation, Joey isn’t the best at picking his words wisely and Method Man shouldn’t taken it that seriously, agree to disagree and move on. And that Busta Rhymes statement wasn’t needed.

Swizz tells us that, yes, he’s in love with Keys and, yes, she did give him a birthday party at that museum. “But we’re nowhere near ready for a baby or a ring,” laughs Swizz, aka Kasseem Dean. “This whole song is not about Alicia. The part about her cooking breakfast for me naked — she never done that for me.” Damn. Swizz didn’t want to talk about Keys till now because, he says, “What we have is so precious.” He also felt it would aggravate Mashonda, who’s also a singer.

Full Story: NY Daily News

Damn Swizz finally lets the cat out the bag, I’ve known about this for a while but now that he actually verifies it, now it’s like wow Alecia is a home wrecker. She can wreck my home any day, lol. You can hear Swizz Beatz talk about Alicia Keys on his, Best I Ever Had, remix Chozen posted a few days ago.

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It all started with this video, then Method Man speaks to DJ Enuff on A-List Radio, the audio quality on this not that great.

Man speaks to DJ Enuff on A-List Radio

Summary:

Part 1: Method Man shouts out Joe Budden
Part 2: Method Man catches feelings (via Brooklyn) and goes on a rant
Part 3: Method Man says Joe isn’t better than him
Part 4: Method Man says he never had a gho

The next day Joey called up Ed Lover’s show on Power 105.1 (with Free) in response to Meth on DJ Enuff’s show last night, and then Meth called in too.

Joe Budden Call Part 1

Joe Budden Call Part 2

&

Method Man Call

So who do you think is better? We all know Joey is capable but lets not forget we talking about Method Man here.

I don’t think I need to reiterate how much I’m a fan of Miss Minaj, in more ways than one. I just received her new pics in my e-mail and this has to be one of the fastest posts I’ve ever made.

Check out her Beam Me Up Scotty Mixtape

Here’s the run down, the XXL Editors received this letter from Louis Vuitton concerning the May 2009 cover of Rick Ross where he is roking fake Louis Vuitton glasses, which Louis Vuitton was not too happy about, below is the letter sent from Michael D. Pantalony, Esq. Louis Vuitton Malletier to XXL .

Dear Editor:

We were dismayed to see the cover of the May 2009 issue of XXL Magazine, which features a photo of Rick Ross wearing a pair of sunglasses prominently featuring counterfeit Louis Vuitton trademarks. Because the photo has generated considerable confusion among your readers and Louis Vuitton customers among others, we feel it is important to clarify several points.

The first is that the sunglasses Mr. Ross is wearing were not made by Louis Vuitton, and in fact, are counterfeit. Louis Vuitton did not grant permission to Mr. Ross or to whoever did make the sunglasses to use our trademarks. The second is that no affiliation, sponsorship or association exists between Rick Ross or XXL and Louis Vuitton. The third is that counterfeiting is illegal.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to correct the confusion.

Source:XXL

Damn Ricky Even your shades are fake, lmao.

So first Cassie and now Rihanna, this is a great time to have a website…..lmao

Check out the picks HERE

Check out the Video

Click the video link above. First the hair now this, below is a response she made regarding the leaked pics on her Twitter page. This is far beyond PG13 so if your at work my apologizes please don’t get your self’s fired…lol

Now that’s what I call cross branding, Eminem is taking marketing to a whole other level.

Who’s killing whom? With Punisher, Slim Shady and Barracuda all armed to the teeth and gunning for each other, expect plenty of bullets, blood and betrayals in PUNISHER/EMINEM: KILL YOU by Fred Van Lente and Salvador Larroca.

Read the Digital Comic here. More info here.

Below is a screenshot of the Relapse video game for the iPhone.

Oh man, I don’t know about you Mega!! According to The Smoking Gun the same site that exposed Officer Ricky, rap goon and Grand Hustle’s muscle use to be an informant for the DEA who snitched out criminal cohorts and testified as a government witness at the trial of an Atlanta heroin trafficker.

Here’s is some of the overwhelming evidence TSG was able to dig up when they dived into the rappers (Cedric “Alfamega” Zellars) past.

Court records show that Zellars began working with law enforcement officials after he was sentenced in September 1995 to 110 months in a federal gun case (Zellars, who had a prior felony robbery conviction, was collared for selling weapons to an undercover federal agent). Zellars “agreed to cooperate with authorities and was debriefed” about the criminal activity of several individuals. “In particular he was debriefed concerning the drug trafficking activities of a Mr. Ali Baaqar,” according to a government court filing, a copy of which you’ll find below. During his cooperation against Baaqar, Zellars met with a DEA agent and a federal prosecutor, and subsequently testified at trial. “Ali Baaqar was convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin based upon the trial testimony of [Zellars] and others.” In return for his snitching, Zellars had 18 months shaved off his prison term when he was resentenced in July 1997 by Judge J. Owen Forrester.

Damn man The Smoking Gun is like kryptonite to rappers. All the more reason to be honest.

Check out the supporting evidence here.

Rick Ross debuts at number 1 this week with 158k copies sold for his third album Deeper Than Rap, His previous albums debuted at 187k(06) and 198k(08) so his latest numbers are his worst compared to the previous ones but is by no means a failure when Jadakiss sold 135k and is considered a success.

Also Asher Roth sold 65k with his debut album, “Asleep in the Bread Aisle.”

With all the publicity the beef with 50 Cent created and the heavy promotion that Deeper Than Rap received I did expected the numbers to be a little higher, but people just aren’t buying music like that anymore, at least not on a retail level.

So with the first week sales in, who won the battle, Rick Ross or 50 Cent?

Source:Billboards

Eminem on the cover of VIBE magazine, which is funny because the Editor and Chief is somewhat of a racist, though I find it hard to believe that a black racist exist. But anyways this is the same magazine that said Robin Thicke couldn’t be on the cover because he was white even though he makes black music. I don’t really care about of this race shit there is far more important this to worry about but it was a thought that just popped in my head as I’m writing this and I just went with it.

Back to the topic at hand, so Em is on the cover of VIBE and we also have his final tracklist below for his upcoming album Relapse.

01 Dr. West (Skit)
02 3am
03 My Mom
04 Insane
05 Bagpipes From Baghdad
06 Hello
07 Tonya (Skit)
08 Same Song & Dance
09 We Made You
10 Medicine Ball
11 Paul (Skit)
12 Stay Wide Awake
13 Old Time’s Sake f. Dr. Dre
14 Must Be The Ganja
15 Mr. Mathers
16 Deja Vu
17 Beautiful
18 Crack A Bottle f. Dr. Dre & 50 Cent
19 Steve Berman (Skit)
20 Underground/Ken Kaniff

“Obama represents so much hope for blacks and Latinos. The hope he represents is bigger than any of the huge problems he could possibly correct,” he said. “When you have positive role models, you can change your life for the better. The day Obama got elected, the gangsta became less relevant.”

Source: Cigar Aficionado Magazine

Relapse on it’s way people, I like the cover what y’all think?

Deeper Than Rap, hits stores April 21st, are you expecting it to sell more or less than Jadakiss’s 135k?

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She wasn’t lying about not having any hair on her body, never been in to bald females but she can get it……

I love to know were those commenters are now that was saying Drake wouldn’t cut it when I posted his joint back in late 2006, hmmm I should be a A&R I swear got ear for talent. I guess this is his first on air radio because there is an interview with him and Angela Yee from about 2 years but that was over the phone.

Could be the next big thing…..

One of the hottest tapes so far this year is dropping this Friday, check out the artwork. If you haven’t heard the leaks yet the links are below.

Wiz Khalifa – Stanky Leg Freestyle

Wiz Khalifa – Boarding Pass (Hot)

Wiz Khalifa – Starstruck Remix

Wiz Khalifa – Get Sum

On T.I., Lil Wayne & Hip-Hop

“I stayed up on the music, and obviously I watch TV and saw what was going on. And without naming any name, it just felt like hip-hop was going downhill. And it seemed like kinda fast. You know, in them three years, it was like everybody just cares about the hook and the beat; nobody really cares about substance. But with this new T.I. album, with this new Lil Wayne album of recent, it seems like things are looking a lot better now. You can appreciate Lil Wayne using different words to rhyme and actually rhyming words that you know. Or T.I., where you hear shit and you’re like Whoa, ah, I wish I would have thought of that! You know what I mean? Or you hear all the compound-syllable rhyming and all that. It just seems like now the craft is getting cared about more.”
- Eminem

It’s looking like it’s going to be a good year for Hip Hop.

via XXL

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Rick Ross goes to Columbia to shoot the video fro All I Really Want featuring The Dream. Judging by the pics it looks like it might be a split video for both All I Really Want and Rich Off Cocaine.

Website:LilWayneGonnaSueYou.com

Previously:Lil Wayne Sues DJ Drama?

Executive produced by Rick Ross, “Deeper Than Rap” shows the young brother of a successful drug dealer witness the murder of his older sibling and associate while in his home. Filmed with a dark setting and with songs from Ross’ album playing in the background, the film jumps to a present-day image of the protagonist as he has followed in his brother’s footsteps within the drug game. Showing he has a business mentality amongst his associates and partners, the story’s main character faces off with the men responsible for slaying his family.

“I feel like it’s much more soulful, it’s much more sophisticated,” Ross said. “To be considered one of the best, you gotta compete. That’s what I feel like I’m doing. I feel like I’m competing for the throne. I feel like the fans and the people can see my hunger. They could see my growth. They could know I’m not satisfied with just two #1 albums and selling 2 million records, or whatever I sold. I want more.”

Source: MTV

Yeah Lil Wayne holds that throne right now and there is no way I can see Ross acceding to that level, anyone out there support Ricky’s imagination?

It’s the 2 second video so you just have to wait.

What’s it been a day since the video dropped? This guy just can’t keep his nose out of the Hip Hop Culture, which according to him is the lowest form of entertaining. Man I really can’t stand this guy, usually I wouldn’t give a shit but this dude disses our culture but then capitalizes from it at the same time. Now he uses Eminem’s lyrics to speak on a subject of Masogyny. Eminem has been here before this will just give him more publicity.

Why is this guy hell bent on destroying himself? He should let the music speak for itself and do less talking when he gets in front of the camera because he’s a few lettuce short of a salad.

As per Miss Info:

Ross calls him “Nelson Gomez from G-unit.” Which makes it painfully obvious that he must have heard Nelson and his co-host Gabby on their Shade45 radio show this past weekend. Nelson was probably definitely tearing down his boss’ rival on the air. The show is called The Gomez Brothers, but those guys aren’t really named Nelson Gomez and Gabby Gomez. They’re not even brothers. However in light of this “gift,” I think they should hit city hall and change their names to Gomez immediately, lol.

I thought the Officer decided to be honest with himself. It’s like he wants everyone to forget he’s making good music and remember he’s a compulsive liar… I was honestly done with this beef but this guy doesn’t know when to cut his losses and move on.

Hmm, two New York artists on the cover Down South magazine?

On the other hand I don’t support those phony DJ’s that go out and sell that artist’s promotional content which was supposed to be free, Sure you can charge a fee for server costs if your streaming mixtapes on a website but the mixtapes themselves are suppose to be free, the Drought and Dedication mixtapes should not be in FYE going for $9.99.

Check out the paper work [ View here, here and here]

And who the hell is this random dude at the end rapping? Wrong platform buddy. And I wasn’t feeling that Pimp C line either.

Also checkout DJ Drama’s response.

A judge sentenced rapper TI to one year and a day behind bars on federal weapons charges Friday. The 28-year-old, whose real name is Clifford Harris, entered court smiling as he greeted his lawyers and family members. (March 27) …

Tip got off easy, but he still has to do years of Probation after his release, yet and still it sure beats 25 years though.

There are you fuckers happy now? I didn’t call him Officer, anyways I just got the album and I can’t front the shit is well done, production rivals Kanye’s Graduation album. Yeah I’m not even bullshitting. The album features the usual suspects, Fat Joe, Khaled, T-Pain, Lil Wayne and pretty much the whole Florida. Kanye is on too plus a bunch more. The rhymes are nothing special it’s what we’re all use to by now, the fraudulent king pin drug raps that resembles the life of the real Ricky Ross. None the less his flow has improved since Trilla and his delivery is about a 7 out of 10.

I’ll give an official review once the album drops…now go ahead and call me bias shit faces.

That gif is classic….

I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who has a problem with weed being legal, not even the people who don’t smoke so it makes sense to legalizing it. It’s the same thing in Jamaica, it’s not legal but cops don’t even want to be bothered with arresting anyone for that. There too busy with trying to keep the country from being the murder capital of the world. Not to mention this would get people out of jail who don’t belong there. I think the problem is that the government knows the best weed isn’t from America, lol.

At the same time you can’t expect Obama to be like “oh yeah we should legalize weed” he’s already under enough scrutiny, we can’t afford him to be labeled as the black pot dealing president.

Speaking of weed I’m about to roll me fatty in little bit, lol.

Your thoughts.

It was all about the fun times in ATL as OJ Da Juiceman shot the video for the second single off his mixtape “The Otha Side Of The Trap”. His label mate and friend Gucci Mane, who was recently released from a 6 month stint at a GA correctional center, was on set for the shoot! When asked about working with Gucci again, Oj says “Man, he’s like family, so its nothing. We just glad he’s back out and gettin’ this money”

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Roc-A-Fella Records and Rocawear co-founder Damon Dash has been slapped with divorce papers by wife Rachel Roy, the Daily News has learned. The stunning fashion designer piled onto Dash’s already sizable stack of lawsuits when she filed for divorce from her husband of four years this month in Manhattan Supreme Court.

The breakup is the latest legal mess for the has-been hip-hop titan, whose empire – which he once pegged at “about $50 million” in a New York magazine profile – has crumbled under massive debt, bad business deals and one suit after another.

Full Story: NY Daily News

Damn, shit was a good just a week…….She probably got tired of his ego or maybe he just can’t afford her anymore with all his money burning up in law suites. Things have not been going down hill for Dame Dash ever since the Roc-A-Fella break up.

I don’t know about 50 Cent passing on the oppertunity to be in the credits of a major motion picture, this is a huge movie and most likely a Guaranteed Smash at the box office.

via MTV News:

While online reports said that 50 had been dropped from the film, the statement says he had to pass on the project due to time constraints.

“50 Cent was offered the role of Hale Caesar in ‘The Expendables,’ however as he is currently in the process of completing his forthcoming album Before I Self Destruct with Dr. Dre and Eminem,” a rep for the MC told MTV News in a statement. “He was unfortunately not able to commit to the project.”

Stallone reportedly told Ain’t It Cool News that former San Diego Charger Terry Crews, who debuted with Arnold Schwarzeneggar in “The 6th Day” and appears in this summer’s “Terminator Salvation,” will take on the role vacated by 50.

Last week, Stallone took to Ain’t It Cool News to defend his choice to cast 50 Cent in the role. The film is reportedly about “a team of mercenaries [that] heads to South America on a mission to overthrow a dictator.”

“The anger of the casting of 50 Cent is understandable, but not fair,” he told the site, adding that he thought the change would be good. “So, trust me, the change of Forest Whitaker to 50 Cent a.k.a. Curtis Jackson is a good one.”

“The Expendables” stars Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Jet Li and Stallone himself as Barney “The Schizo” Ross. Lundgren and Arnold Schwarzenegger have also been rumored for roles in the muscle-bound, testosterone-fueled extravaganza.

It would be better for him to go with the movie at this point because at this point his album could go either way.

Did you consider how a recession might affect the reception of the “Martin Louis King” video you made in Paris?
Kanye West: People tune into me for escapism. When you went to the Glow in the Dark Tour, you were literally transported to another planet. I know there’s anti-rich sentiment right now, with corporate people not using their jets and Obama saying heads of banks can’t make more than $500,000, but I really feel like that tape embodied me and what Louis Vuitton is about. I’d like to think I give optimism to people when I stunt.

What do you all think of the is cover?

I don’t even know what the diss track is called.

50 Cent did an interview with KING magazine and dished the goods on his business world.

People are struggling to make money in the music industry. Do you have a lot of investments outside of entertainment?
Absolutely. I make more money away from music than I do off of music—well, I was. Shit is terrible right now. Look at the economy in general. General Motors and Chrysler are looking for a bailout. It’s going to be a financial issue if they don’t succeed, though. If they don’t receive the assistance, they will go bankrupt in the next couple of years.

Isn’t it sort of like what happens to rappers when they don’t produce what the market wants?
That too. In this climate, it’s not just them. Every time you open the newspaper you see another business or establishment you thought was credible in trouble, like Circuit City filing for bankruptcy. The United States is the place to do business
. So if it’s bad here, where do you go? We’re the feeding ground. All those Asian countries—Thailand, Taiwan, China—they’re manufacturing things to sell here. How long do [regular people] have to survive before we recover? We may lose our middle class. If you have $20,000 in stocks invested in different areas, a home that you actually want to live in and [a] car, that’s middle class. So those people, if you had stocks in GM like I had, [they are in trouble]. My [broker] from Goldman Sachs just got laid off. [If] the guy you got assisting you [with financial] decisions is having issues, then you really got to look into it, right?

Who has the best model for staying relevant to fans?
Puffy has the best model for staying relevant, because [he does it] without a song. He’s been able to maintain an interest and stay in a space to executive produce television and film projects, and stay relevant to hip-hop culture. What was the last record that made you feel like, ‘Oh, my God, Puffy is on fire’? You don’t need it. That’s what makes his business model exciting to me. There are only three of us to look at: Jay, [me] and Puff. [We have] three totally different situations. We’ve just been a part of hip-hop culture. That’s the similarity. I still think they’ll be relevant. I just think they’re like the fire hydrant: You can’t move those guys out of the street. I think they’ll [still] be the guys you need to connect with [to] get a shot.

So where will your brand be in the future?
Well, I believe that I will have a stronger position as we move forward. What I have on my side is age. [Laughs] See, in the next five years they’ll be 45 and 44 years old. And I’ll just be close to where they are now.

Catch the full interview over at KING

Sidebar: With a name like Gunplay you shouldn’t be caught in compromising situations like this, even though it could happen to anybody.

Oh and that slap was funny as shit……That about it though.

Great promo for the album though it definitly generated some buzz.

Eminem.com was recently updated with a new layout. The release date for the upcoming album posted is 5/19/09 along with a new photo of Eminem.

It was also announced in a press release that Eminem will indeed be dropping two albums this year, Relapse and Relapse 2, which will come out later in 2009.

Interscope wrote:Eminem, the biggest selling music artist of the decade, officially announced the street date of his eagerly awaited new album; his first original studio album in over four years. Relapse (Interscope/Aftermath/Shady) will be released on May 19, 2009. The first single from the album and its accompanying video will see a simultaneous release on April 7th.

Anticipation for Relapse has been building since the fall, when Eminem first announced the album title and debuted the freestyle, “I’m Having A Relapse,” during an interview on his Shade 45 satellite radio station. Last month, the release of “Crack A Bottle” from Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent brought that anticipation to a head. The track soared to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (Eminem’s second #1 after 2002′s “Lose Yourself”) and set a Nielsen SoundScan record for opening week download sales (418,000). The recording ranked third in the history of all weekly download sales. “Crack A Bottle” will be included as an album track on Relapse.

With the announcement of the release date for Relapse also comes confirmation of something that had been rumored in recent weeks: Eminem is already working on a follow-up album, Relapse 2, that fans can expect in the second half of 2009. “A lot of people were expecting Relapse to drop last year,” said Eminem. “I was one of them. Then Dre and I went back in the studio in September for a few days, and that turned into six months. We were on such a roll; we wound up with a ton of new music produced by Dre. Putting out Relapse 2 will let everyone get all of the best stuff.”

Eminem has sold more than 75,000,000 albums worldwide. His previous studio album, Encore, reached #1 and dominated the charts in late 2004. Certified quadruple platinum and spinning off four Top 40 Hot 100 hits, the Grammy-nominated disc has sold more than 11,000,000 copies around the globe. The #1, double platinum, 2005 greatest hits collection, Curtain Call: The Hits and #2, platinum, 2006 various artists compilation, Eminem Presents: The Re-Up, followed. In October 2008, Eminem released “Eminem: The Way I Am,” a book compiling thoughts, stories, and memorabilia from various points in his life. The book entered the New York Times Best-Seller list at #11.

Hova touches down on the cover of Best Life magazine, don’t think I’ve ever seen a rapper on this magazine before but then again I’m not a subscriber.

A quote from the upcoming, “Best Life,” issue featuring Jay-Z.

“I’m a mirror…If you’re cool with me, I’m cool with you, and the exchange starts. What you see is what you reflect. If you don’t like what you see, then you’ve done something. If I’m standoffish, that’s because you are.”
- Jay-Z

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?

Full Story:MTV

Yeah 50 this is no joking matter, and I agree with the fact that even if a women started the fight, it gets to a point where you know she can’t fight back and as the photo obviously displayed it went far beyond Rihanna fighting back.

Sidebar: It’s now rumored that Rihanna wants to get back with Chris Brown, who knows maybe his career isn’t as over as you would think Chozen.

[View with PicLens]

Damn, you would think dude was dropping an album with this much excitement around his latest mixtape, he had Lebron James there! Not to mention 80% of the attendees were females and as you can see it’s no lie that Toronto girls are on point. With his city behind him and a strong Co-sign from Lil Wayne this kid could go all the way.

About a 100 more of these pics can be found at Lost In The Wilderness

Man this is crazy, don’t care what she did nothing warrants this kind of beat down. Doesn’t matter if your mother was abused when you were a child that does not excuse your actions. After seeing the real pictures it’s actually worse than the Photoshop ones that were out before and makes Chris Brown’s apology sound so lame.

The LAPD says that it immediately launched an investigation after its media relations department was inundated with press inquiries about the picture, which first surfaced on TMZ.com and which appeared to the cops to be a photo taken “during an official domestic violence investigation.”

A law-enforcement source close to the Brown investigation tells E! News that the leaked photo was one taken by a detective when officers first arrived at the Hancock Park scene of the alleged attack.”There was another set taken at the hospital where the swelling is even worse,” the source said.

Full Story E Online

Chris “ike turner” Brown should do jail time, his career is most likely over especially when 90% of your fan base are females.

The Grammy-Award nominated rapper’s unprecedented deal with MTV will let loose Snoop Dogg’s upcoming, new album, Malice In Wonderland, with global distribution, marketing and promotion. Featuring some seemingly unlikely musical guests, the album will feature tracks by Dr Dre, Pharrell and Lalo Shifrin, is scheduled to be released later this year.

MTV and rapper, icon, record producer, entrepreneur and actor, Snoop Dogg today announced a first-of-its kind global deal that will bring the entertainers’ personality to television in a new variety talk show, “Dogg After Dark,” and his music to fans with a new album release and into the best-selling music video game Rock Band®.

Premiering on Tuesday, February 17th at 9pm ET/PT on MTV, Snoop Dogg will host “Dogg After Dark,” a new jam packed weekly variety talk show from Los Angeles hotspot Kress on Hollywood Boulevard. “Dogg After Dark” will bring his Doggystyle swagger to the airwaves with raw interviews with A-list celebrities and musicians, hilarious sketch-comedy segments and musical performances from the hottest artists. The show will air every Tuesday night for seven weeks and feature Snoop’s own in-house band, the “Snoopadelics.”

“When Van Toffler and I sat down Boss to Boss, a global quintuple threat takeover was masterminded. As the world of entertainment keeps changing, we felt it was the right time to let Snoop Dogg back on MTV so we could continue to run thangs with music, movies, DVDs and bring Hip-Hop to Rock Band.” said Snoop Dogg. “So screw ya wigz on tight and tune in on Tuesday nights for the first step to the next level of Snoop D-O double G. Dogg after Dark is the only nightclub tv show hosted by you know who. So take a journey with me through the mind, body, soul and musical mind state of the most prolific, authentic game spitter. And tha sh*t is funny, so show me da money!”

“Snoop has been a mainstay across MTV screens for over a decade by pushing the boundaries of hip-hop with his signature antics, incredible catalogue of music, legendary videos, larger than life personality and even a little controversy,” said Van Toffler, President, MTV Networks Music / Films / Logo Groups. “I can’t even begin to imagine MTV, my tumultuous career and several raging ulcers without the Dogg being such a big part of our history. He is an undeniable international superstar whose talent and work transcend music, tv and film and we look forward to launching this new multidimensional partnership with the Doggfather.”

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

So it seems that Foxy Brown has decided to come to her boo boo’s rescue.

The G-Unit leader has upset rapper Foxy Brown, who was briefly mentioned in the ballooning war of words with Miami heavy weight Rick Ross.

Foxy Brown says she is granting 50 Cent 24 hours to retract the line where she is briefly mentioned on “Try Me.”

On 50 Cent’s diss track, he says, “The cop f**ked a fox.” The line, although scant, refers to a brief, personal relationship Rick Ross and Brown had. It also refers to Ross’ past as a correctional officer.

Foxy Brown’s camp issued a statement that proclaims that she has no involvement in the conflict between the two rap titans.

In a statement to AllHipHop.com, Brown’s representative stated, “Foxy is giving that n***a 24 hour [period] to retract that statement or she’s going handle [him] Brooklyn Style.”

Ironically, after 50 Cent wrote the initial song, Rick Ross gave 50 Cent 48 hours to offer a more substantial response. 50 Cent returned with a number of insulting videos, including cartoons and a taped shopping spree with the mother of Ross’ child.

Currently, Brown is working on her new album Black Roses, which is expected to be in stores this summer.

Rumors swirled that Foxy Brown and Rick Ross were to be married, but those proved to be false.

Source:AHH

24 hours or what?

According to the Attorney’s statement Rick Ross is a not a deadbeat dad and the reason why the car was taken away from his Baby Mother because she used it as a deadly weapon. Which is completely not true according to Rick Ross’s financial affidavit which 50 Cent managed to get his hands on.

My name is Allan Stephen Zamren, I am the attorney who is and has represented the Platinum Recording Entertainer whose stage name is Rick Ross. Mr. Ross is currently involved in a child support; paternity case with a woman who is claiming he is the father of a three (3) year old male child. There are statements being made alleging Mr. Ross is the father of this child but not taking care of the child financially or otherwise; that is absolutely NOT TRUE.

As a matter of fact and for the record, every month on or about the first of the month Mr. Ross pays a substantial amount of money, in excess of State of Florida, Child Support Guidelines to this child’s mother for the support of the child. This child support money is in addition to money Mr. Ross pays the mother for clothing and other expenses for the child. Mr. Ross has also established a pre-paid college fund for the child and paternity of this child has not yet been determined.

A motion to return the motor vehicle that has been the subject on various internet websites was provided to the mother prior to 2009 for various reasons including but not limited to being charged for aggravated battery, battery and contributing to the delinquency of a minor when the mother used the vehicle as a deadly weapon. The mother failed to put the child in a car seat and purposely drove the vehicle into another while the young child was in the car.

The mother is currently unemployed and has (2) other children from another man whom she receives limited child support for. Statements made by or on behalf of the mother to disparage, defame, libel and slander Mr. Ross as to the child to obtain additional child support payments are untrue. Mr. Ross is an excellent charitable member of the community. I have known him for years. It is my pleasure to represent him and to know him.

Although I wasn’t really allowed to listen to music like Trina’s (since I was only 14), I remember ‘dubbing’ their single off of someone’s tape and reciting it in the mirror as I got ready for school. I remember vividly imitating her style by wearing black spandex, cute summer tops, and rocking the small twist with the weave ponytail to school. Obviously, I wasn’t as fabulous as she was but I began to learn the meaning of what a ‘Bad Bitch’ was. Everywhere I went that summer, all I heard was Trina’s verse being blasted throughout Belle Isle (in Detroit). It was like women had been liberated. It was like a rite of passage to be yelling Trina’s verse to the top of their lungs, no matter how disturbing her verse seemed to be to parents alike. With that one verse alone, Trina landed a record deal with Slip-N-Slide Records. This would completely change the life of a woman who danced to pay tuition. Two years later, she was educating the world by demanding that we all acknowledged her as being the ‘Baddest Bitch’ with her debut album. Since then, men and women alike have been completely mesmerized by the southern beauty. For ten years straight, she’s been every guy’s fantasy and personal pin up girl. Whereas women felt like she’s been a spokesperson representing it for all the women who’s been in love, been hurt, been alone, felt sexy, felt horny, and most of all disappointed with the qualities of a man in the most inappropriate times. In spite of what people’s perceptions of her is as they reflect upon her music, Trina is very much so the average, well rounded, woman. She’s has a college degree and a real estate license. She enjoys cooking. She has fragrance entitled “Diamond Princess”. She also has a foundation geared towards young women called the Diamond Doll Foundation. Like most women, she’s had her share of ups and downs when it comes to love; the only difference is Trina’s has been in the public eye. She’s even had her share of cat fights with other females in the music business. However, what Trina has realized is that all of that (the good and the bad) is all a part of being a successful, black woman in a male dominated business. Recently, Trina and I had the opportunity to sit down to discuss what all of her success has meant to her, from the rich and the famous lifestyle to her highly publicized relationship with rapper Lil’ Wayne. Here’s what the ‘Baddest Bitch’ in the game had to say.

Lexilex: What was it like to work with Keyshia Cole on your single, ‘I Got a Thing for You’?

Trina: It was a great experience. I know her. I’ve known her for a while. It was just like hanging out and having one of my girls around. She’s very professional. We joked, had a great time, and laughed. We talked. It was a real girly type of environment. She’s a beautiful person. It was definitely an honor to get her on this album. We’ve been talking about it for a while but to make it actually come true was a great thing.

Lexilex: Of course, I have to ask you about Wayne. Are the rumors about the tattoo true?

Trina: (laughs as if she’s blushing) I mean, I don’t know what the rumors are and all that… (laughs again) that’s crazy. I don’t know. You know what; you’ll just have to look at the picture. I didn’t hear any rumors or hear anything new so I don’t know. (more laughter as she slightly elevates her voice to making a point) I totally just went all around that question! I just have to laugh (more laughs).

Lexilex: You know what, I totally respect your decision to not talk about it. It’s cool. It’s interesting though because I read a lot of celebrity gossip, and there is always somebody out here talking about your relationships. How does it make you feel when women like Karrine Steffans (and others) comment on your relationship with Wayne?

Trina: I really don’t – I don’t really entertain that. It’s not a major issue or factor to me. It’s irrelevant to the fact that the only person that can speak about my relationship is both I and that person. For someone else to do that, how can you talk about someone else’s relationship and it had no involvement with you. It makes no sense not whatsoever. It doesn’t really bother me.

Lexilex: I saw the video on YouTube when you were performing and the Single Again remix was playing like ‘whatever’ (in a girly way) during his verse. When you first heard the verse Wayne recorded for the Single Again remix, how did it make you feel? Is it reflective of your relationship or was it just you two being creative?

Trina: Actually, that’s just a part of my show. It’s really not ‘yeah whatever’. It’s mostly like, ‘yeah I hear you talking.’ I’m smiling, I’m laughing, and it’s not even a reflective conversation about both of our verses. It’s just a part of us working together – you know, he’s a great artist and I was really honored to have him apart of that. In the part of the show, it’s real spontaneous because a lot of people didn’t even know he was on the remix. When that part comes out, it’s like “Wow”. It’s like all a part of being an artist. We’re working together. It’s a part of what we do. It’s just how it is.

Lexilex: What’s going on with the Diamond Doll Foundation? Are you still working on that?

Trina: Yes, I actually am. I’m doing the second annual event this year. I’m really excited about that. I’m excited to see all of the new activities that we’re planning out and all of the new girls. It’s a fun day; nothing too serious. It’s just a lot of open conversation about life as young girls growing, education and career wise, teen pregnancy, and abuse. There are so many topics of things that girls have to face growing up. I’m just excited this time around to see what’s new and to see what everyone has going on in their lives. I want to see how many people have excelled. I’m interested in hearing their stories, you know, just being able to have a good time with some girls and being able to open up and have fun.

Lexilex: I respect you for doing that as well. At the same time…One can easily say ‘Trina has a potty mouth’ due to some of the topics discussed in your music from sex, relationships, to everyday living. Do you feel like your music justifies your personality or is it just creative writing for you?

Trina: I think music is just a definition of being creative. The things that I talk about in music are a reflection of everyday life. Everything that I’ve talked about has been in someone’s life and their entertaining that. Rather they like to admit it or not, to each its own. It’s just about being real. I’m a realist. I don’t live in a fake world; I live in a real world. I deal with real life issues like any other woman. I don’t feel any different. I don’t speak for anybody else. Through experience, life, and every day obstacles and what comes my way, that’s what I address myself when I’m in the studio making music. If I want to have fun, being sexy, being raw, grimy, romantic, loved, partying – whatever I am in the mood for, that’s what I bring out in the studio. It’s just music. It changes every day. As a person, you change every day. With me traveling, performing, and meeting people all over the world, being in this industry, I’ve been in a lot of situations where I’ve lost a lot of people on the way. There are so many different things that happen in your life, so to me, those are the things that I speak about. I don’t, I’m not a person, who shoots guns or promotes violence. That’s not my M.O. I don’t talk about those things. I talk about the things that is relative to me and that is relative to a lot of things that I see going on around me. It’s a lot of things that I see from being in and out of town, on the road, the things that I see in different arenas, clubs, whatever. Whatever the case may be its reality.

Lexilex: While getting back to the music and being a female in a male dominated industry, how does it make you feel when other chicks try to step to another chick and tare her down?

Trina: I think, to me, its wack. That’s my personal opinion of it. I just feel like we as women, we gotta be strong. Regardless to if you’re in the industry or a regular person with a 9 to 5 job. It comes with egos. It comes with jealousy. It comes with envy. It comes with somebody having something to say. You hear more chicks knocking down another chick then you would hear another dude knocking down another dude. It’s just the way it is. That’s the way society makes it. I just feel like you know, do you and handle your business. Take control of whatever it is that you’re doing and pave the way for yourself; make a name for yourself. Spend that energy elsewhere instead of trying to talk down about somebody else because you’re so busy trying to do what you’re trying to do.

Like most that are born into impoverished neighborhoods filled with crime, poverty, and desperation itching at their finger tips, serving time is a part of life. This couldn’t be truer for Atlanta’s own ALFAMEGA. After growing up in the first housing project in the United States of America, ALFAMEGA was familiar with the justice system by nine years old. While seeing first hand that you’re born with the odds stacked against you, he also learned that if he wanted something he had to go out to get it. That’s exactly what he did, too. Even if it was something as simple as stealing a box of Twinkies, if he wanted it, he went for it. After being inspired by the early culture of Hip-Hop in the mid-1980s, ALFAMEGA realized that he too could be fly like LL COOL J, Kool Moe Dee, and Run DMC. Unfortunately, the road to riches wasn’t as glamorous as it seemed as he was forced to serve time in the penitentiary. Recently, Lexilex had the opportunity to catch up with Grand Hustle’s own ALFAMEGA to discuss how influential his jail time was for him. Here’s what he had to say:

Lexilex: What’s going on? I am so glad to see that you have a sense of humor because when I see you out and about at industry events in Atlanta, you always look like you’re going to punch somebody in the nose!

ALFAMEGA: (laughs) People always get it twisted. I just said that. When I’m by myself, I be looking and watching people. I watch their reactions.

Lexilex: You know, I saw you at Bloodraw’s DJ music appreciation party. I was going to speak to you then but I was afraid that you were going to pistol whip me just for looking at you so I kept it moving. (laughs)

ALFAMEGA: Pistol whip you? Oh my, God! Good Lord! (laughs) That’s another charge! Nah, ask your people about me. We took some pictures at the Ozone awards. They know I’m cool.

Lexilex: What’s been going on with you, lately?

ALFAMEGA: Aye man, I am on my grind. You know, I gotta get it. I have eight children.

Lexilex: Wow! Okay!

ALFAMEGA: Yeah, that’s what they all say, Woooooow! (laughs)

Lexilex: Tell me about your project, I Am ALFAMEGA.

ALFAMEGA: I have the album coming out October 14^th on Grand Hustle Records/ Capitol Records. It’s called, I Am ALFAMEGA. It’s business as usual. “Uh huh” is the name of my first single. It’s produced by Nitti and it figures Tip. It’s on my MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/alphamega) so tell a friend to tell a friend to tell a friend that ALFAMEGA is back at it again.

Lexilex: Okay, let’s talk about your past for a second. While in prison, you’ve managed to keep track exactly of the time – 7 years, 4 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes and 16 long ass seconds – that you were in jail. What was that experience like for you?

ALFAMEGA: It was hell. It was really living hell. It made me strong. It made me who I am today. I wouldn’t change anything about it because I took the negative and make it into something positive.

Lexilex: During that time you wrote 1700 songs, had them registered and copy written. Are any of those songs on this album?

ALFAMEGA: Yes ma’am I did. The most touching song that’s going to be on this album is called “Imagine.” It starts out as a letter that turns into a poem that ends up in a song. I wrote it when I was in a housing unit up in prison. It’s called the ‘hole,’ ‘shoe’, ‘block’, whatever you want to call it. It’s giving eyes to people who have never been in that situation before to know what it is really like. When you hear it, you’re going to be like ‘damn!’ you’re going to feel like you’re there. I am giving you not just my side of it but anyone who is incarcerated side to it. That’s why I call it “Imagine.” People used to ask me why I was so angry when I would call home, ‘why are you so angry? Why you always in fights? Why are you always in the hole?’ and all I can say was ‘can you imagine what I am going through?

Lexilex: What did you actually go to jail for?

ALFAMEGA: I went to jail for being a knucklehead. I broke the law. I was J-walking on a Tuesday night. (burst into laughter)

Lexilex: You’re so silly!

ALFAMEGA: But you’re laughing though. Now, you can tell everyone that ALFAMEGA is a cool dude. If you ever see me fighting then it’s because someone has really done something to me.

Lexilex: Being that you’re from the first housing projects ever, do you feel like that experience has shaped you into the artist that you are today?

ALFAMEGA: It helped shaped me not only as an artist, but as a human. Being that I am from Techwood – big shot out to Techwood – I am from 118 Pine Street apartment number 4. (laughs)

Lexilex: Now let me ask you something. Today, we see more and more studio created and glamorized thugs in this business. How do you feel about those types of lifestyles that people, such as yourself, actually come from?

ALFAMEGA: I really can’t blame them. Everybody wants to be something that they’re not. Growing up, I wanted to be Captain America. I was little though. Then I got older and I wanted to be like LL Cool J. I couldn’t be like him but I could dress like him. Then I got a little older and I wanted him to be like me. It’s all about if the person is comfortable with themselves. For someone to want to be like someone else then they might not be so comfortable with themselves because they have that influence coming in from somewhere else. You have to also blame the powers that be too.

Lexilex: How did you and T.I. become friends?

ALFAMEGA: That’s my potna, that’s like my brother. We come from the same side of town. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t think anybody can question what I say. I don’t mean that in a negative way either. We knew some of the same people. Some of the same people that groomed him, I grew up with them. When I was with Universal Records, Block – shout out to Block Entertainment, hooked it up where I could do a song with Tip. It was a mutual understanding though because I was the only dude that had a song with Tip and Lil Flip together. This was at a time when they were beefing. When I got out of my deal with Universal, Tip found out I was a free agent. He shook my hand. We didn’t sign any contracts. He just said, ‘Welcome to Grand Hustle.’ He said, ‘I am the King, and you are the muscle.’ He said that people needed to hear my story.

Lexilex: Now, you once had a record deal with Universal Records. The album was shelved due to creative differences. What was that experience like? Where any of the (1700) songs on that album?

ALFAMEGA: The songs that I wrote weren’t even on the album. I went and did all new songs. It was frustrating because I wanted to come out but it was a blessing in disguise. I always look at things differently. I can get mad or upset. Then when I get by myself I think. You have to understand I was in an environment where I had to think. I thought about it and saw that it was something up with that deal but I didn’t let it stop me. Just because one person doesn’t sign me in six months doesn’t mean that someone else will not sign me.

Lexilex: Now that you’ve been with Grand Hustle for a while, what do you hope to gain out of this experience? What do you hope to achieve with this project?

ALFAMEGA: I want the people to know I am human. My thing is to bring reality back to music. I don’t mean reality in a negative way. I just mean it’s cool to party, it’s cool to floss and bust head, but when they cut the lights on and scream last call for alcohol, you have to come back down to reality. You have to go home. You have to pay bills. You have to go to work. Another thing, I want to show dudes how to be grown men; instead of being grown males. Just because you’re of a certain age doesn’t mean you’re an adult.

Lexilex: Do you have any features on the album besides T.I.? Or unique productions?

ALFAMEGA: Yeah, I have a song with 8Ball, MJG, Bun B, a hook with Pimp C. B.G., Jeezy, the Outlaws. I’m waiting for Lil’ Kim to give me an intro for this song called, “Never Be Me”. It’s crazy because the people who are like you within the media come to the studio, get to know me, listen to my music and they compare me a lot to Biggie and Pac. They say I’m a combination of the two. We all share the same sign, Geminis.

Lexilex: How does that feel to be compared to the two greatest rap legends of all time?

ALFAMEGA: At first, I was like aye man, don’t do that to me. Then I say, aye man it must be something. It was meant to be. God don’t make mistakes. He put me in a position to put those thoughts in the media’s head. Therefore it must be something he meant for it to happen.

Lexilex: So the next time you’re back at home in the “A” I can come and check you out.

ALFAMEGA: Yeah, call me.

Lexilex: Aside from this album, what’s next for you?

ALFAMEGA: I just did a movie called, Make It Rain. It’s produced by Snoop and Daz Dilligener. I have the star role.

Lexilex: Oh really?

ALFAMEGA: Oh really! Yeah, ya boy is coming on up in the world. I’m like the Jeffersons.

Lexilex: So we’re going to see some facial expressions instead of the mean mug all the time?

ALFAMEGA: You’re going to see some of everything. You might even see a scene that is going to make you call me at two in the morning! (laughs)

Lexilex: I have to be honest with you Khia; I don’t want you to think that I’m attacking you.

Khia: Well you should know that you can never attack me.

Lexilex: Well I just wanted to say that because I think that I have misjudged you… However, I wanted to do this interview with you because after seeing you on Ms. Rap Supreme, I felt that I had been misjudging you. I’ll tell you why. Although you’ve been doing your thing for a while now, it seems like the press never pick up on you in a story unless it’s controversial. Therefore, my question to you is do you feel like people are always misjudging you?

Khia: That’s definitely what’s it’s been. It’s backfiring, even if it is going both ways in the form of a love-hate relationship, either way it is still promotion. Thank you for asking me though because drama sells.

Lexilex: Do you think that people deserve to see the more laid back, professional Khia more so than the labeled ‘shit starter’ Khia, like I’m seeing today?

Khia: You know what though; the real people know the difference. I can’t continue to talk to deaf ears. You understand it or you don’t – of course, the media is going to build you up to tare you down. I’m comfortable with where I am. I’m promoting myself, my music, and it’s all independent. My fan base, that is within the south, know the difference, because they will definitely make you out to looking like something that you are not.

Lexilex: Before the reality show, you’re known for saying that the controversy is free promotion for you. Even though they aired the episode where you were disqualified last night, have you seen an increase or decrease in your credibility?

Khia: Oh girl, it helped increased it. That was the best promotion I ever had. I had so much fun and it did exactly what it was supposed to do. Everybody is talking about Khia. It helped increased it for my fans who wanted to see me for the people who haven’t seen me and for those who have wondered where I was. They had the opportunity to see me. For me to be able to perform “Respect Me”, the ring tones sales have gone up tremendously, people are going to pick up the “You’re My Girl” album. There are so many messages that go beyond the “My Neck My Back”. I’ve touched so many people who have had issues with their mom and have lost their mom, and wanted to go pick up the album. There are a lot of people who are robots. They listen to the media to tell them who’s hot and whatnot. That has been in the blind. I called them ‘delayed’. For the people who have been wondering where I’ve been, it’s like ‘there she goes.’ For those who thought I was dead, it was like ‘she’s risen’. For those who thought all I had was “My Neck, My Back” it’s like ‘no, this is her third album, and sixth mix tape.’ It didn’t do anything but increased my sells, fans, and was a great marketing tool for Nasti Muzik. I love every minute of it.

Lexilex: You’ve stated that you have two beautiful children, for those who might wonder, do you feel as though you’re setting a good example for our children?

Khia: Yes! Oh yes. I teach them to be strong and not to take NO shit. It doesn’t matter what you look like, if you’re different –if you’re Punkie Brewster or the outcast – don’t let other girls or boys judge you or make you feel bad like you ain’t beautiful or cute. If they need to be chastised, chastise them because I will. Sometimes we have to treat our children how to fight. Not everybody raise their children wrong. There are some children who love Khia. They know when to bleep it out and what’s for them to listen to and what’s not for them to listen to. What I represent is strength, and they respect that.

Lexilex: Now, I have to give you mad props. You’ve been facilitating a lot of things within your career for yourself – a lot of things that most people don’t know about. Tell us why people who might have had the same perceptions of you should respect you, or at least, look at you differently from what their reading on the MySpace blogs?

Khia: A lot of people are just now catching up to me like, ‘oh I get it’. Let them catch up to what’s going on now because this has been going on since 2002. I use MySpace and every avenue that I can to promote myself which is why I’ve been around so long without the use of a machine and team to do it. With all the hate, negativity, whatever it’s the streets that love me and keeping me a float. For me to write a blog, after all of the websites and media have picked and chosen their stories without me being involved, it was like me saying, ‘here fans this is the real’. I’m sure that they would rather here it from me than from them. Now, they’re looking forward to it. Everything that they try to use against me, I use for me.

Lexilex: Now, Khia, I have to be honest. I wouldn’t be a journalist if I didn’t ask you this. What’s the story with you and Lil’ Wayne?

Khia: ooh! (sounding as if I hit a touchy subject) Everybody (chopped speech) – that’s my baby. Make sure you get The Carter 3! I don’t really talk about my personal life as far as my kids and other things are concerned. Everybody knows what’s up, much love. I’m his #1 fan.

Lexilex: You can answer this yes or no – is the song ‘Lollypop’ about you?

Khia: Yes.

Lexilex: Okay, I just wanted to ask because I thought I’ve picked up on that but didn’t want to conclude the wrong assumptions…moving along, why did you feel the need to buy Trina’s album and critique it in your MySpace blog?

Khia: She put a diss record out on me. Why put out a diss record – I was like why is this girl talking about me… I went to get the album to see if it was on there and it wasn’t. She was circulating the diss record as false promo for the album. I bought all of her albums – go buy mines. Out of all of them, this one was weak. Therefore, I was like instead of me doing another diss record –since you can rewind the first one since hers didn’t get any better – let me just do a review of her album. You can do the same for mines because I’m not in the business to write diss records. Trina put hers out first, and I made mines. I said what I said about her because she put hers out first, so I put out ‘Hit Her Up’ then she put out another… I was just like ‘you know what, I am a musician, I’m an artist, I don’t write diss records. It’s like buy the album. I did it and then I did the review instead of the diss record. She didn’t deserve the first diss record that I did because really it wasn’t for her, it was for the dude who did the ghost writing for her, that I know, so tell him to come up from behind that pen. All my facts are straight…. All you want to talk about is my dreads and my titties – which are lovely. We done heard it before so is that all ya’ll can say?

Lexilex: What’s up with you and Wendy Williams?

Khia: She is a Trina fan because they have a lot in common… trifling! She hated by giving me a lot of free promotion in the Hip-Hop Weekly and on her radio show. My fans are my biggest supporters. Anything that they want to know, they will let me know or ask about it. Here I come like ‘what’s going on?’ (sounding like she’s clueless – pretty hilarious) and they’ve taped Wendy going off on me in the Hip-Hop weekly, etc. I’m like why is Wendy attacking me when I’ve been on her show plenty of times. It was all love. One of them undercover haters – if I’m for you I’m for you. Don’t try to smile in my face like everything is cool and try to use me. Then behind my back, you want to hate. The same thing with Janet. Let me know so that I’ll know that I don’t have to do you, and I don’t have to deal with you. I took the blog out on Wendy because it was more like ‘Wendy, I thought me and you was cool’ so I had to check Wendy in the blog!

Lexilex: Would you like to clarify what happened between you and Janet?

Khia: I felt disrespected because I’m a realist. I’m a Janet fan, much love to her. When it came time to do the video, and the promo, she hated. I don’t really do features because I don’t respect women as artist. I do my own music. For that reason, a lot of people go and get collaborations because they want to use other people fan base to help sell their records. I felt like that’s what she did. She called me, it was all love. When I got to the studio, she acted like she was fan talking about how she loved the song, ‘My Neck, My Back’. She wanted me to be on her album. I write the song, she loves it. I went to the video shoot, she loves it. Everything is Khia, Khia, Khia – everything is great. When the video aired, I had been edited out. I was on the TV, which was not the way the video was originally shot. Which means to me that in my face, everything was all good but behind my back, she was hating. It was like ‘oh no, this is my video, it’s on the song, I’m Janet Jackson, and that’s it.’ Well if she respected me as an artist, it would have been like ‘Well Khia, I respect what you doing, you’re an independent artist, I want to help you. I called you to be on my record, I want you to be in my video.’ That let me know she was hating. It’s more so like I’ve used you, I got what I needed, BYE. Even though I got my money – don’t get me wrong – if I knew she felt like that then I wouldn’t have done it because it’s not about the money.

Lexilex: Why did you decide to do the reality show?

Khia: To promote myself with my new album about to drop. I’ve already made up my mind that I wanted to go and promote myself. From a business stand point, why would I go on there with a bunch of amateurs who haven’t done anything? The judges haven’t done anything. How can they critique me? In my mind, it was use this time like promote your music. Nobody else got it. It was like ‘Oh, why is Khia on there?’ and it’s like because the show was on VH1. VH1 goes into millions of households. I’m going on here to promote my music and myself. Everybody was like ‘oh she already made it’. No, I never signed a contract. I never had a major deal. That made me eligible to be on the show. Just because ya’ll put me up there with some of the big dogs, that comes from straight street grinding.

Lexilex: Have you resolved your issues with Ms. Cherry?

Khia: No, she’s just young and ignorant. It’s like ‘do something’. Everybody knows that I’m not a one-hit wonder. She’s from the south, she knows. If she was from New York, I could say, oh well you don’t know any better but she does. She was putting on for the TV and I checked her. She simmered down, she knows better.

Lexilex: What inspired you to write a book of poetry? Again, the average person doesn’t get this perception of you so what would make them want to go and buy your book.

Khia: Now with the blogs and my first book, ‘Gangster Love’, it’s like seeing that people are like she CAN be a creative writer. It’s like duh! I’m a writer, I don’t just write music, I write stories, plays, all that. I’m a writer. Now it’s like everybody is like ‘okay… okay…’ but to my fans it’s still entertainment. Everything is going to be juicy because it’s me. I can sell anything to them because it is me and they respect me. Some people get it and some people don’t but that’s what I do.

Lexilex: Let’s talk about this album, what can the fans expect? The cover is hot!

Khia: I know I’ve made it back to Africa. This album is going to seal the deal with the music composer, producer, and artist. It’s not just all Hip-Hop and rap. I created melodies, bridges, blinds, and harmonies. It’s anymore hooks like it was before. It’s music… not just a bunch of metaphors put together.

Lexilex: With your single, ‘Be Your Lady’ was that energy put into that? I love that record.

Khia: Yes, yes, yes…

Lexilex: Any features on the album?

Khia: No.

Lexilex: What is something you’re looking forward to the most with this album?

Khia: Touring with my band. I have a band with this album so to be able to do young and old folks – it’s exciting. I am thirty years old. With the live music with the Hip-Hop and blend, it’s a new level. I’m in a new category all by myself.

Lexilex: Any lasting comments – maybe to those who misunderstood you?

Khia: It’s not too many real people anymore. You have leaders and you have followers. You have kings, queens, and you have peasants. The people who recognize who the real is, and for those who are easily persuaded by the powers whatever that may be, I don’t need to accept them. I don’t need them to understand me, for those who do, that are what’s up. I’m trying to lead my hood, the youth, uplift my company, and make it through the struggle. I dedicate my projects to the fans. I do all kinds of shout-outs and inserts to the fans. They are excited to see if their name made it. I used some of their skits so they’re waiting to hear that. My relationship with my fans are deep. A lot of artist don’t take time to see what’s up with their fans and I do. Everything I have is because of them, so Nasti Muzik 08 is for the fans.

Lexilex: What would you say to the women who are out here wanting to make it but is doing it the wrong way since you’ve done it your way by yourself?

Khia: Love yourself hoe, which is the name of my book. You can’t be out here doing different things with different people and don’t think that they do not want something else in return. Do things for yourself. You have to chase your dreams and make them happen for yourself. You can’t trust people. People have secret motives. You have to definitely take control of your own situation and know that hard work does pay off. Work hard. I enjoy being independent and being in control of me and being the boss of me. You’ll reap more blessings like that.

Lexilex: Well Khia, thank you very much for speaking with me. I really appreciate it, and good luck with everything.

Khia: Yes, thank you… I’ll being checking out the website.

Less than five years ago, Shawty Lo wasn’t even a rapper. Now, he’s the BET’s Rookie of the Year recipient. However prior to releasing his debut album Units in the City, Carlos Walker was facing many different challenges. While facing twenty to forty years of jail time and battling diabetes, Shawty Lo realized there has got to be something else better in life. He began to invest his money into D4L Records, where he would be the CEO. However, shortly after his return from his one year sentence, he began to try his luck at being an official rapper. He recorded his song “I’m the Man” which gained a lot of attention from media and fans all over the nation. And of course, his “beef” with T.I. has helped gain him a lot of exposure as well. Recently, I got a chance to finally sit down with Shawty Lo to talk about what really happened at the Dirty Awards, how the beef with T.I. started, and to see how his life has been since finding out he is a diabetic.

Lexilex: What’s up, Shawty Lo? What’s going on? You’re a busy man to catch up with. I’ve been trying to talk to you since last December. What’s been going on?

Shawty Lo: I’ve just been out here grinding and working hard.

Lexilex: Now, you know I have to ask you. What in the world happened at the Dirty Awards? I thought the conflict had been resolved.

Shawty Lo: It’s really unfortunate that it happened. I regret that it happened. Things just totally got out of hand. I want it to be over cause it’s really nothing to be beefing over. It’s not even worth it.

Lexilex: How did the “beef” with T.I. even start in the first place?

Shawty Lo: It started a while ago around 2006. I had asked him if he wanted to get on a track that I had with me. He told me he would do it. After a minute, I asked his people what was up. They told me he wasn’t doing it. I was like alright, cool. I guess he heard the song “King.” Next thing I know, he releases a song called “Big Shit Popping” where he disses me. “I was king and the niggas started laughing at him, same sucka niggas want the king on the track with them.” Then, I did “Dun Done it All.” After that time, he caught his case, and I fell off with it. At that time, my music was getting a lot of attention so I just let it go. , I never said his name and he never said my name. But when he got out of jail, he went on the radio station saying my name and it went from there. I never mentioned his name on my album once.

Lexilex: Now you’re originally from Atlanta, and Bankhead representative. Do you feel as though T.I. help paved the way for rappers such as yourself that’s from Atlanta and who represent Bankhead as well?

Shawty Lo: I never said that he didn’t put Bankhead on the map because he has. He’s just not from Bankhead.

Lexilex: Let’s talk about D4L for a minute. You guys had major success with your hits “Laffy Taffy” and “Betcha can’t do it like me”. Will we ever hear another record from D4L? Or, is everyone just doing their own thing?

Shawty Lo: You know what I don’t know. People wanted to make it seem like Fabo was the group and he wasn’t the group by himself. He’s supposed to be working on a solo album, now.

Lexilex: Do you feel like songs such as “Laffy Taffy” hurt your street credibility?

Shawty Lo: Nah, I don’t because I wasn’t a rapper then. I was still in prison when I called home and they told me they had a hit. Initially, I was on some CEO type of stuff. I wasn’t trying to be a rapper. They did the record “Betcha Can’t Do It Like Me”. When I first heard it, I was like ‘ya’ll crazy talking about some Laffy Taffy,’ but it was a hit. It wasn’t until 2005 early 2006 when I did the song “I’m the man” and I just kept going from there. The people wanted to hear more music from me. I came home (from prison) that I actually started trying to make something positive out of something negative. I wasn’t trying to go back to the streets.

Lexilex: A few months ago, you won BET’s Rookie of the Year award. How did that make you feel?

Shawty Lo: That made me feel really good that people were acknowledging me for my music and the hard work I’ve put in. It was an honor.

Lexilex: You’re known and seen all around Atlanta. Do you find yourself being bombarded with people asking you to check out their music? Or asking for help with trying to get a deal? What do you do?

Shawty Lo: I just try to keep it real with them. I try to give them pointers on how to be successful. I tell them they have to work hard to get that hit record. You’ve got to have that hit single that people want to hear. You have to get the streets behind you first.

Lexilex: Who are other artists in the game that you respect? Who do you listen to?

Shawty Lo: My number one favorite artist is Jay-Z. My second is Lil’ Wayne.

Lexilex: You’re a known diabetic, which is a prevalent disease in our community. You have participated in the American Diabetes Association walk. Do you ever see yourself doing public service announcements to bring awareness to it?

Shawty Lo: You know, by me really being from the hood I have to take some speech classes because I don’t want to half step with it, I take this seriously. But I am working on my public speaking skills now. I am launching a diabetes health network so that I can help other people struggling with the illness. We are also working on doing a lot more within the community and at homeless shelters. I’ve done huge community days in Bankhead with free haircuts and face paintings for kids. I’ve given away groceries for those who are diabetic. I do a lot but I don’t do it for publicity. A lot of what I do goes unnoticed and that’s fine with me, as long as I’m helping somebody.

Lexilex: What’s next for Shawty Lo? You’re like the new remix king. Is there a new album coming soon?

Shawty Lo: Right now, I’m working on my book and a movie. And both are going to be about my life. It’s going to be called Carlos. I’m going to break it down year by year and let the people know everything. I am in the beginning stages but I hope to have it out by the time the album drops. Right now, the album is scheduled to drop around March 24^th, but that’s not for certain yet. I have a new mix tape out I’m the Man 2K9 with DJ Scream. I have my group Costra Nostra. I have my artists Mook B and Stuntman. I’m just working on a lot of things.

Lexilex: I’ve heard a few new tracks, are those songs from the new mix tape or album?

Shawty Lo: Which ones did you hear?

Lexilex: The one with Trey Songs and Lil’ Wayne.

Shawty Lo: That’s from the album, it’s called “Supplier”.

Lexilex: Will Shawty Lo ever have an official YouTube channel? You seem to have a lot of videos on the internet.

Shawty Lo: You know what? I’ve never really thought about it.

Lexilex: Where can your fans check you out?

Shawty Lo: myspace.com/therealshawtyLO

Lexilex: Any lasting comments?

Shawty Lo: Thanks to everybody who’s supported me. I really appreciate it.

While on the topic of pregnancy, word on the streets is that Mariah could be next. Mariah was spotted leaving an OBGYNs office this week and being congratulated by her entourage.

Speaking of good news, Monica is working really hard with working on her new album. For those ATLiens, you’d know a while ago Monica was working on her reality show The Single on Peachtree TV.(which aired only once due to Monica trying to shop the show around to a major network). Anyways, someone from Monica’s camp leaked this single called Trust which features her new BFF Keyshia Cole. I digs this song, a lot. Anyways, hear it for yourself here: http://www.mediafire.com/?tzzzmzyjvnq

I heard today that T.I. has already started working on his next album. He’s also working on shopping around a new movie as well. When talking to the media about this opportunity, Tip said, “We’re getting offers every day, checking on our availability, on whether or not we’ll be able to take advantage of certain opportunities, film-wise.” Tip has been getting himself up for when he gets back from serving his one year jail sentence. This past week, he was on Howard Stern’s radio show. He said while he’s gone there would be no visits. He said he didn’t want to see his kids nor long time girlfriend Tameka “Tiny” Cottle.

Killer Mike is working on a record deal with Grand Hustle. According to AllHipHop.com, Killer Mike said “Tip is encouraging me to be a business man, and he’s encouraging the efforts I’ve already put forth. This is an industry of slaves and sharecroppers. And most people just try to either enslave you or make you a sharecropper. And sharecropping, it ain’t perfect, but it’s a lot nobler than slavery. I’ll be happy to work the whole field as long as I can own a small piece or make a profit.”

Speaking of Jail, DMX was arrested, again. Accept for this time, he was scheduled to perform in a Florida club. Even though he only sold 500 tickets (at the time), the promoter of the club has to reimburse everyone for their tickets (at $20 apiece) since DMX is in jail. Dang….

I also heard that T-Pain and Plies are beefing, still. Not too long ago, I reported that Plies has a tendency of having a lot of enemies in Florida. In spite of his entire “I’m a goon” image, Plies is really scary. He is known for running from his “beefs.” All of this was exposed at this year’s Jingle Jam. Apparently, TI was supposed to perform and bring out Plies during his performance. T-Pain wasn’t having it and threatened to leave. But before the officials could figure something out, Plies left the building without warning. I also heard its similar situations that have prevented Plies from even going back home to Fort Myers.

Speaking of beefs, actress Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony might be on their way to divorce court. The actress turned singer has been spotted without either her wedding ring or husband lately. As of today, that’s been the longest marriage J.Lo has had as of date. Anthony is the father of the couples twin daughters, born earlier this year.

(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!

Unable to see the video GO HERE

Unable to see the video GO HERE

Unable to see video GO HERE

Universal Mind Control is the 8th album from Chicago hip-hop artist Common. Originally scheduled to be released on June 24th 2008 under the name “Invincible Summer,” the release date was pushed back to September 30, 2008 due to Common filming. However, on September 10, 2008, It was announced that the title would be changed to “Universal Mind Control” and the new release date is slated for release on November 11, 2008. Now it’s been scheduled to be released on December 9.

01. Universal Mind Control (Feat. Pharrell Williams) | Music Video
02. Punch Drunk Love (Feat. Kanye West)
03. Make My Day (Feat. Cee-Lo Green)
04. Sex 4 Sugar
05. Announcement (Feat. Pharrell Williams) | Music Video
06. Gladiator
07. Changes
08. Inhale
09. What a World
10. Everywhere

Looking forward to hearing this album…..

Here are some more video pics from KARDINAL’s upcoming “Tide is High” music video featuring Keri Hilson. Enjoy!

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.

New York, NY (October 15, 2008) – 50 Cent (aka Curtis Jackson) was the top earning rapper in 2007, earning an astonishing $150 million, according to Forbes magazine. He parlayed a stake in Vitamin Water to a 9-figure payout and he continues to be the single savviest businessman in the music game. As he puts it, “If I was just my image, I wouldn’t have made this much money.” 50 Cent’s success is nothing less than the American dream and this show is his coming out party as an inspiration to a new generation of street-savvy entrepreneurs. His forthcoming book, “The 50th Law,” co-authored with Robert Greene (”The 48 Laws of Power”), will share the lessons he learned as a street hustler and how those lessons allowed him to become the massive success he is today. In “50 Cent: The Money and the Power,” hosted by and starring 50 Cent, he will share these lessons with a lucky few. The winner, the young man or woman whose ideas and drive make them worthy of 50’s support, receives a $100,000 investment from 50 Cent himself. “50 Cent: “The Money and the Power” will premiere on MTV on Thursday, November 6th at 10pm ET/PT.

“50 Cent: The Money and the Power” contestants worked together while also living at “Camp Curtis,” a Brooklyn warehouse where they slept in tents named after the five boroughs of New York City. The 14 wannabe moguls, personally hand-picked by 50 Cent, compete in inventive challenges that 50 Cent helped to create, while mastering the skills that took the rapper from his hard-knock life to the top of corporate America. Each week, 50 Cent will narrow down his search by testing the candidates on the knowledge he has taught them while pushing them to their limit. Viewers will be treated to special appearances by LL Cool J, Aubrey O’Day of Danity Kane, Lloyd Banks and radio personality and blogger Miss Info. And since no business mogul can work alone, 50 Cent recruited his G-Unit label mate Tony Yayo to be his “Underboss” and right hand man. Yayo kept contestants in line for 50 Cent throughout series.

Ultimately, the last individual standing will, in 50’s eyes, possess the strongest combination of business flair, strength, ambition, and fearlessness to win the $100,000 and help achieve their dream and pave the way to future mogul status. “50 Cent: The Money and the Power” was mostly shot in New York City (in and around Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, etc…) and will have ten one hour episodes.

In addition to his record label, G-Unit Records, 50 Cent has enjoyed enormous global success across a vast array of entrepreneurial ventures, including videogames, books, clothing, footwear, beverages, personal care products, automotive and more. 50 Cent is set to deliver his fourth major label album, Before I Self Destruct (Shady/Aftermath/Interscope), on December 9, 2008. Accompanying the album is the gritty feature length film, Before I Self Destruct, which 50 Cent wrote, directed and starred in.

“50 Cent: The Money and the Power” is Executive Produced by 50 Cent. Michael Hirschorn, Stella Stolper and Michael Bloom of Ish Entertainment are Executive Producers. Sacha Jenkins and Gabe Alverez are Co-Executive Producers. Chris Lighty and Laurie Dobbins of Violator are Co-Executive Producers. Bruce Klassen is Supervising Producer. Tony DiSanto, Liz Gateley and George McTeague are creative executives overseeing project for MTV. “50 Cent: The Money and the Power” is produced by MTV and Ish Entertainment.

Yes more Jim Jones fuckery, as if his last little tirade wasn’t even he’s back at it again.

Now that you and Cam aren’t really on good terms, is there regret on your part that you went to bat for Cam and got into a beef with Nas?
Nah. F*ck Nas. I don’t give a f*ck about Nas. He’s a rapper that just lost his pizazz. When I was in high school, he was the sh*t. He was the n*gg* that got us hype. “New York State Of Mind,” Illmatic, and all of that.

Is there any possibility of a reconciliation?
What kind of reconciliation? I was never cool with him. I seen Nas a few months ago in L.A with Dame. We was staying in this hotel right above the Ferrari Dealership. Dame seen him and was talking to him. I was laying back on a couch laughing. He didn’t know what to do. I was looking dead at him. [Laughs]. And then Dame was like, “You know Jim?” He started [stammering], “Ah? Ah?” Dame is just burnt out. He not thinking about none of that frivolous [beef] sh*t. Me neither for the most part. Nas was never on my level ever. Ever.

Full Interview: Rhapsody

C’mon Jimmy…SMH, headline gangsters……..anything to stay in the headlines huh?

Unable to see the video GO HERE

Check out TIP covering the October/November issue of GIANT magazine. The ATL trap star is in full hustle mode…and we’re loving it! In the new issue, T.I. talks about his Paper Trail, voting, and more importantly comes clean about his mistakes.

Yeah we swagger jacked this from Str8NYC

Unable to see the video GO HERE

Grafh will be releasing “The Oracle 2″ with DJ Green Lantern soon, here is the cover and the tracklist. check it out.

Grafh & DJ Green Lantern Present: The Oracle 2 Tracklisting

1. SAME INTRO
2. NOT LIKE ME
3. GIVE IT UP
4. BLACKHAND GANG
5. CLIMB UP
6. SOUL OF A RENEGADE feat. PAPOOSE
7. RESERVOIR DOGS FREESTYLE
8. UNDER THE TABLE
9. CHA-CHING feat. D-RILEY
10. ALL THE WAY LIVE feat. PRINZ
11. LIKE OHH (REMIX) feat. JIM JONES, BUN B, JADAKISS, AND PRINZ
12. CHEW ‘EM UP feat. CROOKED I
13. BRING THE GOONS OUT
14. NEW YORK MINUTE
15. GET IT HOW U LIVE feat. SANDMAN
16. WE OUT HERE feat.YOUNG CHRIS
17. CELEBRATE feat. JEW DEW

Now for those of 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.

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

According to TMZ:

Kanye West has just been arrested at LAX for felony vandalism.

A still photographer was trying to take pics of Kanye at the American Airlines terminal. According to our guy on the scene, Kanye allegedly confronted the photog and smashed his camera to the ground.

Our photog then began videotaping the scene when Kanye’s assistant grabbed our camera — a struggle ensued and the assistant threw the video camera to the ground, breaking it.

When Kanye realized our camera guy had videotaped the incident, he rushed our guy and yelled, “Gimme that f**king tape!”

Both Kanye and his assistant have been arrested and will be booked.

Damn Kanye thats not like you, but that shit is funny though they look like a bunch nerds fighting with there big a Louie back packs on….SMH a Celebrities and the people that film them

I’m happy with all the Honorees for this years Hip Hop Honors, check out the press release below….

NEW YORK, August 13, 2008 – VH1 has announced the five honorees for their fifth annual “VH1 Hip Hop Honors,” Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Slick Rick, Naughty By Nature and Too $hort. Hosted once again by Tracy Morgan, this year’s musical celebration will give viewers a chance to step back and reminisce on a time when hip hop music began to make its greatest impact on American pop culture.

Premiering on Tuesday, October 7 at 10PM*, generations of hip hop will bridge the gap for one exceptional night to set it off with the original style and flavor that sparked a revolution and continues to fuel an evolution around the world. Additional performances and appearances will be announced shortly.

“Now in its fifth year, the ‘VH1 Hip Hop Honors’ has come to represent the pinnacle of innovation and achievement in hip hop music,” said Tom Calderone, Executive Vice President and General Manager, VH1. “This year’s five honorees are no different and are being recognized for their significant contributions to hip hop culture and for helping to elevate hip hop into a truly global phenomenon.”

Introducing this year’s honorees:

Cypress Hill: With a driving rhyme style and brutally infectious production, this L.A. based collective brought a welcomed Latino perspective to hip hop storytelling, creating records like “Insane in the Brain” that crossed all barriers and gave Cypress Hill fans in the rock, as well as, rap world.

De La Soul: This Long Island trio brought a playful, smart, and off-center style to hip hop, while pushing their suburban and bohemian sensibility to the fore. Their innovative sound has influenced not only other MCs, but helped inspire the entire underground movement in the culture.

Naughty By Nature: Led by the strident style of lead MC Treach, Naughty By Nature brought New Jersey hip hop into the mainstream by creating hit singles than became anthems for a generation. “OPP” and “Hip Hop Hooray” are two of the most popular records in rap history.

Slick Rick: With vivid storytelling and unique rhyme style Slick Rick has always been one of the most unique and influential figures in the culture’s history. When you combine Rick’s MC gifts with his gold chains, eye patch and regal clothing the result is a figure who embodies the fun, the danger and the flavor that is hip hop.

Too $hort: Too $hort started his career in the ’80s selling 12-inch singles full of freaky tales on his own indie label in Oakland and has remained true to his raw style, in the process becoming a legend in the game while staying true to his hard core values.

Additionally, on September 16 VH1.com will launch its dedicated “VH1 Hip Hop Honors” Web site with honoree profiles, exclusive online programming, show information and more at HipHop.VH1.com. Additional VH1.com and VH1 Mobile efforts around “VH1 Hip Hop Honors” will be announced in the coming weeks.

“VH1 Hip Hop Honors” is executive produced by Lee Rolontz for VH1 and Jac Benson for Blackjac Entertainment. Louis J. Horvitz will direct. Nelson George and Fab Five Freddie are co-executive producers.

I’m curious to see who will be performing, I think Nas should honor Slick Rick……Hopefully this one is as good as last years minus Lupe choking up the lines to a classic joint.

Crains Chicago Business reports that Kanye is planning to open a Fatburger location in Orland Park, IL.

The 2,353-square-foot, 74-seat restaurant will be at 15110 S. La Grange Road.

Hip-hop artist Kanye West’s KW Foods LLC, which has rights to develop 10 Fatburgers in the Chicago area, plans to open another one in January at 95th and Western Avenue in the Beverly neighborhood, according to a spokeswoman for Santa Monica, Calif.-based burger chain Fatburger Corp.

Damn I haven’t had a Fatburger in years……