Daily Mix: July 2007 Archives
After a big night at the annual Art For Life fundraiser Saturday night at his East Hampton estate, Russell Simmons decided to relax poolside with his kids and friends on Sunday at the first annual Art for Life brunch. To cool down from the Hampton's heat, Russell asked the Evian models to spritz him with the brumi spray. After going back a few times for more, he asked to keep a can for himself.
Jive recording artists UGK, universally regarded as the true voices of the south release their highly anticipated seventh album UGK (Underground Kingz) on August 7, 2007. UGK (Underground Kingz) will also be available as a limited-edition 26-song, two-CD set, with bonus DVD.
After a nearly two decade long career, UGK, brings to you a double CD collection that enlists a veritable "who's who" from the hip-hop and R&B universe; T.I., Rick Ross, Slim Thug, Charlie Wilson, Raheem DeVaughn, Three 6 Mafia, Willy D, OutKast, Kool G Rap, and Big Daddy Kane. The star-studded collection production by UGK's own Pimp C, as well as, NY super producer Swizz Beatz, Scarface, Marley Marl and Atlanta hit makers Jazze Pha and Lil Jon. Regardless of the many guests and producers, the album can simply be described as "original UGK material."
UGK (Underground Kingz) will also be available in a limited-edition 26-song, two-CD set, with a bonus DVD. The DVD will contain their latest videos including "Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You) Featuring OutKast," in-depth interviews with UGK and special guest appearances from OutKast, T.I., David Banner, Rick Ross, Jeezy, Three 6 Mafia and much more.
YouTube and 50 Cent are holding a contest to find the best rap and hip-hop artists in the U.S.
The contest starts August 10, 2007, and ends shortly thereafter, on August 17, 2007. Send your submissions in to YouTube, and you could win $10,000 from the Guitar Center, a single deal with Interscope Records, produced by G-Unit, and their music video featured on YouTube's homepage.
The judges include 50 Cent, Common and Polow da Don, who will choose the 20 finalists, and users pick the final winner.
Controversy sells, even when it's been done before.
Ask Superstar Jay, the DJ behind the new Remy Ma mixtape which features Remy crucified on a giant cross on the cover. It's a move that got Nas much hype when he dropped the single, 'Hate Me Now." Now, reinventing controversy is the female emcee Remy Ma and Superstar Jay on a mixtape titled "Shesus Christ."
"She's talking about trials and tribulations she goes through as a woman in the industry." As well as unreleased tracks from Remy, the mixtape also feature full never before seen videos from new, up-and-coming directors Rik Cordero and Andre White.
Trials and tribulation is a common thread for the mixtape industry. The topic on everyone's lips was the DJ Drama situation, a fiasco that affects Superstar Jay as well. Instead of locking up DJ's in a penitenary cell, "A&R's need to be thanking us," says Jay. "The industry needs to go to the street."
DJ's such as Superstar Jay dictate music. "Basically, I have an ear for music," Jay states confidently.
Look what you did Cam'ron! You've unleashed the beast within police authorities.
Authorities are now closing in on Swizz Beats in regards to the hot club banger "Its me snitchez" as a means to further push the anti-snitch movement. The lyrics in the song: Freeze, you know who it is/ It's me, snitches" and "I ain't gonna shoot ya.
According to city officials, his lyrics advocate violence and silencing snitches. The anti-snitch movement makes it difficult for authorities to solve crimes.
"The use of the word 'snitches' in the song was just an edit for radio," Swizz says in a statement Wednesday to The Associated Press.
The world's biggest stars came out to the Museum of Contemporary Art's Geffen Contemporary Gallery last Sunday to celebrate the LA arrival. Power couples Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith threw the highly anticipated event and called upon the World's Greatest Entertainer Doug E. Fresh to host the lavish invitation-only affair.
Doug E. kept A-list celebrity attendees including Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Forest Whitaker, Brooke Shields, Eva Longoria, Queen Latifah, Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Wesley Snipes, Bruce Willis, Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, and too many others to mention, partying well into the night.
Since his 1986 debut with Gangtarr, DJ Premier's work has graced the most important albums in hip hop, including Nas' Illmatic, Biggie's Ready to Die, Jay-Z's Reasonable Doubt and Mos Def's Black on Both Sides. Alongside working on several milestone albums, Premier has received many accolades from Hip Hop enthusiast. The Source magazine named DJ Premier one of the 5 greatest producers in hip hop history.
Producer and DJ extraordinaire, DJ Premier has been a celebrated name in the hip hop genre. Recently he's found himself crossing borders into other genres by producing several tracks on Back to Basics, Christina Aguilera's most recent album. Before making hits for blonde pop tarts, DJ Premier made a name for himself in the early 90s working closely with Gangstarr. Exclusively producing most of Gangstarr's catalog, Premier's distinct gritty style was birthed. Those world famous scratches throughout the chorus of a song is a Premier classic and a guaranteed head-nod from the masses.
The most distinct aspect of Premier's style is the longevity of the sound. Whether it be Common's latest single or a Biggie throwback, the two will be incredibly relevant to in hip hop. Unlike most artists, DJ Premier can be both mainstream and underground simultaneously. His special technique of editing out obscenities and replacing them with sound effects allows the song to run smoothly without any voids in the music. In light of the controversies regarding hip hop and obscene lyrics, the fact that Premier has mastered the art of clean lyrics (way before the Don Imus fiasco) makes Premier a valuable player.
Catch some of Premier's latest work on Common's new album 'Finding Forever."
I usually agree that its quality or quantity. The Dipset state of mind is more like quantity over quality, being that the crew issues out mixtapes every 3 days.
Still, I can't front on the grandiosity of the beats that the Dipset members tend to rhyme over. 'Streets Keep Callin' Me" has a beat that can easily be played in an epic film. To my surprise, Hell Rell manages to shimmer on the dramatic track. Yeah, you heard right. Shimmer. Not shine. One potential hit is "Rep the Set" a catchy song with a youngin' singing the hook.
Rhyming about the ABC's: Ass, Bullets and Cocaine, Hell Rell is definitely not for daytime radio. Maybe the after hour programs when the kiddies aren't listening.
KOCH Records is releasing 40 Cal's album "Broken Safety 2" on September 11th.
40 Cal is the Dipset representer hailing from Harlem, notable for his battle-rap skills. 40 Cal has destroyed other emcees on MTV2's "Fight Klub." Also hopping onto fellow Dipset projects such as "More Than Music Vol.1 & 2, 40 Cal has already had a taste of the rap game.
On the upcoming "Broken Safety 2," 40 responds to Nas' affirmations of hip hop being dead. "Any music form is gonna change, gonna evolve," Cal explains. Cal wrote a track slamming Nas and his "tired music."
Mixtapekings.com is proud to unveil a weekly column by DJ Superstar Jay called "Superstardom: How To Become A Superstar DJ."
The column gives DJ Superstar Jay a space to voice his opinion on the mixtape industry and allow readers a glimpse into the life of the much celebrated DJ, as Jay will give readers an inside look at the day to day grind of a successful mixtape DJ.
The column embraces the Mixtapekings.com agenda, which involves keeping an ear to the street. Thus, the column is an interactive one where readers can email Jay directly with questions and comments.
"Superstardom: How To Become A Superstar DJ" will be updated weekly on Mixtapekings.com.
Man, there aren't a lot of dudes that can rap about crispy Jordans on their feet, pricy shades over the eyes and still be able to spit some shit with some knowledge.
Termanology does that cleverly on "50 Bodies," playing with his words and the number 50 by giving it several meanings. "...That's 50 pair of jeans you traded for 50Gs/ could've had a bank account and be whippin' a V." Ouch! He's talkin' about you Bape wearers with bad credit. "50 Bodies" is definitely one of those songs you need to repeat just to catch all those sly metaphors.
With standout production from a standout roster featuring the likes of Marley Marl, DJ Premier, Don Cannon, Statik Selektah and others, Termanology keeps your head boppin'.
On "In God We Trust," the beat is reminiscent of a Jay-Z track on Blueprint. You know, old school samples, squeaky sped-up soul vocals, hard knock beats and lyrics representing the struggle. Those things, undoubtedly, makes this track a new classic.
Easily switching up the steelo, Term goes on to spit lyrics glamorizing guns and bloody glory. On a track with a title that gives it all away, "Squeeze Ya Rachet," Lil Fame from M.O.P. hops on the track and ups the gangsta factor a few notches.
So, although the mixtape tends to be a bit bi-polar -from uplifting lyrics to shoot bang-bang songs- it just further proves that a true artist is able to deliver both styles flawlessly.
Many people may look at that and think it's contradictory but Term once acknowledged that by stating he's just human. It's a humanly thing to be diverse and have the ability to flip sides ever so often.
Cop this mixtape full of humane tales depicting the struggle and the vices of this emcee.
Polow Da Don and Young Jeezy hopped onto Fantasia's romantic track "When I See You" and added a hint of thug passion. The song suddenly has enough swag for dudes to rock out to it, but still soft enough for the ladies to swoon over the lyrics.
Mixtapes 101 - What it takes to make a mixtape
The process of making a mixtape is actually a lot harder than it looks. Whenever I'm working on a new cd, the majority of my day is spent gathering music. I have to track down artists and talk to record label execs to see what they have and then I spend hours on the computer. I'm usually on there for HOURS! I'm scoping out all the hot websites and even checking out other DJ's sites to see what they're pushing. Sometimes the entire process may take me 12 or 13 hours to complete.
The process of creating a mixtape:
Mixtapes are about 80 minutes long. The key factor for me is to select the best 25 tracks that I possibly can. Lots of mixtape deejays use snippets of songs to try to "cheat" and boost their tracklist.
Getting the mixtape done is usually hectic and it can sometimes come down to the wire. For example, sometimes a record label exec will call me with a hot song and I have to rework the whole mixtape. I'm usually up all night.
My graphic designer lives in Europe, so our schedules never match up. I'm usually on the phone with him at 2 A.M. trying to get my design done.
The aspects of a successful mixtape:
Getting a good collection of music. It depends on what the artists are dropping. Artists really determine the quality of the music, so basically they can make or break mixtapes. If all the well known artists are dropping garbage, that doesn't really leave much to work with. My formula is pretty simple, the mixtape usually starts off with the most well known artists in the beginning, then there's the freestyles, and then I promote new artists towards the end.
The current state of the mixtape industry:
Right now it's more about quantity than quality and I don't respect that! Nowadays, dudes are just downloading music, throwing them on a CD and dropping every 3 days and calling themselves mixtape DJ's. Good music can't come out every 3 days!
The music industry is falling off because these cats are dropping garbage. They are trying to make a quick buck. It's hard to stay competitive when these guys are flooding the market with poor quality mixtapes.
Then, sometimes the artists are another problem. A lot of up and coming artists are getting lazy. Their not as hungry as before and they're not grinding as hard as before. On top of that, now you'll run into new artists who won't even do freestyles. Not for mixtape deejays or even on their own mixtapes. I don't agree with that...that's crazy!
Who's Killin the Mixtape Game Right Now?
50 Cent has a new joint called "I Get Money," that joint is incredible!
Dipset is making a comeback. The new Hell Rell mixtape is crazy!
Max B just came home like 2 days ago. So, the Bird Gang is gonna come hard.
Of course, my man Stack Bundles (R.I.P. Stack) had the hardest grind in the mixtape industry. For real. These new dudes need to follow suit.
Besides mixtapes...the remainder of my day:
Even when I'm not making mixtapes my days can be pretty hectic. Today, I had to meet with some public officials, promoters, rappers and other deejays to get things finalized for The Northside Classic. Which is a non-profit basketball tournament that I'm hosting in Queens on July 28th.
I also just wrapped up shooting the last video for the new mixtape dvd "Shesus Khryst" that I did with Remy Ma. We were in Long Beach and the cops showed up. They were like "We got a call that a woman was strung up on a cross." It was halarious! The shoot turned out really well and the officers were really cool about it.
Plus, I was nominated for DJ of the Year at the 2007 Underground Music Awards, so I've been pushing the fans to go online and vote everyday.
The website address is: www.hiphoppalace.com
Buzzworthy mixtape artists:
Uncle Murda is killing the streets right now!
Top of Da Lyne is hot.
Storm P has the illest flow.
Jo Jo Pellegrino is also on his way back.
My Recommendations:
DJ Teardrops- I Run This Blend Shit and I'm feelin Big Mike and DJ Thoro's new joint.
My new projects:
Of course the "Shesus Khryst" mixtape dvd withwith Remy Ma is up next. Then Storm P's new joint "Mind, Muscle and Hustle" is dropping after that.
Plus, I'm finishing up a new joint called "Rap Formers" with my dude Big T. It's based on the Transformers movie. It'll feature exclusives from Jeezy, 50, Lil Wayne and Jadakiss.
And I'm working on a new R&B mixtape. It's Mary J. Blige vs. R. Kelly. I'm calling it "Respect Tha Throne, The Queen & King of R&B." It's gonna be hot.They started it all, so I gotta pay homage.
Ask Tha DJ:
Send me your questions. Wanna know about the mixtapegame or the music industry? Hit me up at: superstar.j@gmail.com. Put "Ask Jay" in the subject line.
Red Cafe, a man that has been behind the scenes for almost a decade, is stepping out from behind with a new album with DJ Envy via Koch Records titled, "The Co-Op."
With the help of DJ Envy, New York's famed radio personality on Hot 97 and mixtape messiah, the album is set to feature hip hop heavyweights Fabolous, Fat Joe, Styles P, Sheek Louch, Paul Wall, Remy Ma, Nina Sky and others.
Listen for the first singles off of "The Co-Op" from Red Café on "Dolla Bill" featuring Fabolous and JD and "Things You Do" featuring Nina Sky.
"The Co-Op" Will Be Released on September 25th, 2007
September 11, 2007 marks the battle of the egos between none other than 50 Cent and Kanye West. There's no denying the selling power that these two have, but on September 11th, both artists are releasing highly-anticipated albums and their media appeal will be tested.
Of course, the bully of the business, 50 Cent refuses to back down from the release date. During an interview on Hot 97 he says in an almost patronizing tone that Kanye and his peeps are too smart to let him release 'Graduation' on September 11th. Meaning, Fiddy is feeling invincible in the battle of album sales.
50 Cent states, "I'm not moving. I'm coming September 11th. If Kanye comes that day, then he comes that day. That'd be great if he actually stays in that date. I think his people are smart. I think he's smart, too. And I think they'll move. But I'm coming September 11th. I'm not going to move... Jay's not gonna let that happen anyway. He's not gonna leave him there."
So who will prevail in this unpredictable battle?
He has a lazy flow, but that makes it easier to listen closely as he tells you a story about life in the school of hard knocks. A lesson in the school of hard knocks comes disguised in the devastating news of Stack Bundles' death. On "Tell It Like It Is," Ransom unleashes all his vulnerability onto the track, reminiscing over the friendship and telling it like it is after his passing. Admitting the truths behind his mourning makes this track strong and heartfelt. It's a shame that such a good song is birthed under such circumstances.
He recuperates for the sake of the music on "Dinna Time," where Ransom's voice is louder, clearer and his flow has better stamina. Still, the song keeps reality in check as he raps about poor living conditions and aspirations of the so-called American Dream.
Ransom captures the true East coast music style via dramatic beats, visual lyrics and his own personal swag.
One-half of the grittiest duo straight out of Queens, New York, Havoc is reading to debut as a solo artist on The Kush. Set to be released September 18th, The Kush is an entirely self-produced LP by Havoc. Havoc's sound is quite distinct in the sense that it represents the darker side of the streets of New York. "Basically, The Kush is dark and gutter, I really wanted to go that direction," says Havoc.
The Kush is ridded of distracting cameos and instead allows Havoc to enter a zone all on his own. "Besides Prodigy, I did not want a bunch of big stars on it, as it would have taken away from the real objective of the LP, which is grimy and down to earth," states Havoc about the lack of guest appearances.
Regardless of the fact that Havoc's partner in rap has already dived into the solo-artist realm, Havoc took his time to make sure that his debut was at the right time. As well as hectic recording schedule with Mobb Deep, his solo project had to be put on the back burner.
"I was always ready (to drop a solo-album), but the reason why it took me so long is because the timing wasn't right. I was always working on Mobb Deep material and working with other artists and I used allot of the material I was going to use for a solo-LP for Mobb Deep records."
The Kush is ready to be unleashed on September 18th 2007.
You heard the song; you know the man, now know his type of woman.
Yung Berg's smash debut hit single is dedicated to the sexy ladies in the world. So, what exactly is a 'sexy lady' to Yung Berg? Being politically correct about the situation, Berg simply says it isn't about the height, the look or body figure, but rather, he says, "The swagger... whether or not she can light a room up when she enters."
Holla ladies!
The star comedian Dave Chappelle was hospitalized for exhaustion on July 14th. He was released a few hours later. Carla Sims, Chappelle's publicist, states, "It was exhaustion; he had been traveling. He's fine."
Yung Berg, the 21-year-old veteran, had a chance to sit down with me at his video set for the remix to "Sexy Lady". Yes, you heard right, the song that is infecting you with earworms isn't going anywhere just yet.
In the midst of all the commotion - and I mean a lot of commotion- Yung Berg keeps his cool and sits patiently, hands crossed, ready to roll with the punches. However, the first punch hit him before we ever sat down for this interview.
Several years ago, Yung Berg was already on the grind. That grind suddenly came to a halt when he was sent to military school. A move that consequently ridded him of a deal with DMX's record label Bloodline. Later realizing that being sent away to military school was a blessing in disguise since it was the place where he perfected his craft.
With no television and radio, Berg was able to block out all media and transfer all his energies into writing. Still baffled at the thought of no T.V. or radio, I asked again, still skeptical, "How did you cope!?" He smirks and says, "I was writing...and praying."
He says praying with hesitation, but the word resonates after it's spoken. It puts into perspective the experience. Who could blame him for praying? Imagine having a record deal at your fingertips and having that taken away from you.
Fast forward to the present and Yung Berg is already heavily grindin' it out with the big dawgs in the industry. Having seen it all from a tender teen age, Yung Berg asks for nothing but respect. And if you haven't yet learned to respect him then you obviously don't fathom his struggle.
When asked about his young age ever being a concern to others, he slyly answers, "Nah, and if it is, then they haven't checked the resume."
Keep an eye out for the video to "Sexy Lady Remix" featuring Jim Jones and RichBoy.
Salt 'N Pepa are finally ready to step back into the public eye, but not for the love of music, but for the love of reality television.
The super duo that trailblazed a path for all female emcees called it quits back in 2002. Salt had found God and Pepa wanted to pursue an acting career. The two extremes should be quite entertaining on screen.
Premiering Monday, October 15, "The Salt 'N Pepa Show," will follow the ladies as they attempt to reunite on and off the stage. Reuniting the Grammy-award winning duo may be more difficult than they think since unresolved issues still linger.
Salt is bitter about being unappreciated when they were together and Pepa blames Salt for breaking up the group.
The lingering question that the show seeks to answer: Can they overcome their differences long enough to heal their friendship and perform again?
The celebrated Justus League, a crew consisting of artists such as Little Brother, The Away Team, Cesar Comanche, L.E.G.A.C.Y., Edgar Allen Flow, Chaundon and others, hailing from North Carolina, as been the harborer of quite controversy for their clean, politically charged tales of the hood. BET won't play Little Brother's music, but still the League continues to put out new music. The next up under the limelight is Median.
Median first received critical acclaim in 2003 when he emerged on the Hip-Hop scene with his memorable guest appearance on Little Brother's certified-classic debut album, The Listening. Median also left his mark after his 2005 single "Comfortable" produced by 9th Wonder. As well as his outstanding songs such as "Visionary" and "Median Alleviates the Drama (M.A.D.)" from his critically acclaimed independently-released debut EP entitled The Path to Relief EP (2005).
Media is now preparing for his debut full-length album, Median's Relief in hopes of living up to his acclaims.
Expect outstanding production from 9th Wonder, Khrysis, Nicolay, Ant B, and more, as well as guest appearances from the likes of Joe Scudda, Chaundon, L.E.G.A.C.Y. and Spectac.
According to Median, "Median's Relief is a journey through some of my life's experiences thus far. Some of the songs are like excerpts from my personal journal. Other songs are just feel good records; sometimes I even touch on political and philosophical concepts, but always with the goal of making dope music."
Median's Relief is out September 25th via Half Tooth Records.
She looks more like sugar and spice, which I'm sure she is. But as she rhymes with the stamina of a track runner, please don't think it's sweet. Eternia, the female emcee, blazes through the fully loaded mixtape like wild fire. Packed to the brim with 26 tracks, Eternia never loses the passion in her voice, the swagger in her flow and her femininity behind her strong tone.
The mixtape has quick interludes of fellow hip hops acts and friends leaving messages on Eternia's phone. All of it is positive feedback and that comradeship is so refreshing to hear on a hip hop project.
Eternia represents for the ladies as she spits a few bars over Ciara's track, "Like A Boy," and on Beyonce's "Upgrade U." Proving that she can roll with the big dogs, she lets a few hip hop underground champs join her on a few tracks. Wordsworth makes an appearance as well as Chase Money, 9th Wonder, Ness Lee and others.
For more about Eternia:
No gimmicks, no corny story lines, just straight up emcee ciphers merging with reality TV.
The 2007 World Rap Championship dates have been announced. The rap championship is a international two on two emcee battle that will broadcast on Jumpoff.tv. Three hundred rappers across 8 divisions participate in more than 500 battles (60 hours) over a 5 month season for a chance to win a place in the $50,000 PlayOffs in Las Vegas.
"Rap battles are one of Hip Hops most exciting elements, yet mainstream shows like Wild n Out, Yo Mama and The White Rapper Show have done nothing to contribute to the evolution of MC'ing. Genuine hip hop fans don't want gimmicks, they want what's real, so via the internet we can bypass the major networks and broadcast directly to a global audience." said Harold Anthony, Format Co-Producer.
Last year's competition drew an online audience of over 200,000, with fans commenting, sharing and voting on every battle, rapper and punchline. With more divisions, the introduction of statistics for every rapper and a Fantasy League for the fans, this season's audience is estimated to reach over 1 million.
I'll always love a man that can do it all. That man is Andre 3000. Your favorite rapper's favorite rapper is now your children's favorite rapper. Andre 3000 is on the sneak attack with a new album, Class of 3000. Don't expect to hear any of these joints on BET since this strictly a soundtrack for soccer moms.
Class of 3000 is the soundtrack to the cartoon series in which Andre 3000 stars as the superhero version of himself. On the soundtrack he chants clever lines alongside some of the most animated voices you'll ever hear. The contrast between the bubbly characters and Andre's slightly monotone flow is amusing - and not quite suited for a children's album. But you already know, Andre is always against the current so he doesn't need to disguise his flow for the kiddies.
One thing that is undeniable is the Andre-influenced infectious rhythms on each track. Kiddies and grown folks alike will be tapping their feet to this, especially on the funky "Class of 3000 Theme Song".
My personal favorite is "Throw Down" where he dives headfirst into a funky beat and keeps you on yours toes by ALMOST cursing. "Funk what you heard!" he says ever-so-confidently. Phew! Almost had me, Andre!
Class of 3000 can teach some valuable lessons. On "A Richer Shade of Blue," Andre and the kids sing about money and the things it can not buy; like happiness. Talking about the daily troubles of life, Andre cleverly refers to the troubles of the rich as "a richer shade of blue". Short and sweet and straight to the point; money can't buy happiness.
However, this soundtrack will bring a smile to your face.
When you think of Arizona, one doesn't necessarily think; hip hop. But because hip hop has flourished into a world wide entity, it makes sense that the rest of the American continent followed suit.
Recently there has been a huge regional movement in hip hop. There's infectious music coming from The Bay, Houston, Atlanta, M.I.A, New York, Cali and Chi-Town. Add on to that list, Arizona.
The Arizona representer is Atllas, who's also pushing the 'Hood Famous" movement, a song which he claims allows listener a peek into the lifestyle on the streets of Arizona. Atllas is teaming up with mixtape mastermind DJ Statik Selektah for a new mixtape entitled I'm Hood Famous.
"Being Hood Famous is about recognizing that just because you're not on TV doesn't mean you're not a star. It's about no matter where you are in life, if you do what you do well you will be recognized. We all have star potential.... even if you are just well known in your neighborhood. If you work a 9 to 5 and you stack your chips and throw some 24's on your car, if you always make sure you have a fresh pair of white on white's or your getting popping on your block... That's being Hood Famous.....That is the movement," Atllas described.
I'm Hood Famous is being released through Rawkus Records and features hip hop
heavyweights such as Taurus Scott as executive producer and Kay Slay as co-executive producer. Additional producers for the album include up and coming producer Natural from Indiana, as well as long time collaborator Strida Hiryu and D-boy from Phoenix, AZ.
I'm Hood Famous is set to hit stores in September 2007 and can be downloaded now at www.myspace.com/atllas or at www.zune.net.
Fans can watch the Hood Famous documentary at www.atllas.tv and purchase "I'm Hood Famous!" T-shirts on his website www.atllasonline.com. I'm Hood Famous hosted by DJ Statik Selektah will be available in Late Summer 2007.
Lee Woods, a suspect in the recent shooting of two Brooklyn cops is said to be behind the murder of Dipset affiliate Stack Bundles also.
"Woods is bad, just bad," a police source told New York's Daily News. "He killed Rayquon for a dumb-ass robbery." The Queens native was arrested on Tuesday, July 10.
Woods was charged July 11th with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, weapons possession and other crimes. He could face life in prison if convicted.
When I Holler Ay Bay Bay
I Finna Get My Groove On
It's So Hot Up In Da Club
Dat I Ain't Got No Shoes On
Yuck. Can it really be that hot inside of a club, Hurricane Chris?
I think that women who pee on toilet seats and on bathroom floors are the most disgusting people, deserving of the most unsanitary punishments possible in some special hell!
What is wrong with them? Why don't they lift up the seat if they want to squat? Why should I have to wear rainboots in my office building bathroom? Maybe it's just me thinking it should be more sanitary in there than fast food restaurant bathrooms or the men's bathroom...sorry guys!
It says 'women' on the door but I am beginning to think they are some mutant creatures with double vaginas that can't aim properly. We have had our private tools for awhile ladies. You should know how to work it and control your body functions by now. If you don't know, do like Clinton Sparks and"Get Familiar".
Legend is back once again. He's got Torae hosting and for those not familiar with Torae you're missing out a dope MC. There is too much good music out there that goes slept on and with DJs like Legend you get to hear what's really good. DJs overall need to stop playing what they think will sell CDs and start playing quality music. It's like the DJ is the train conductor and he's leading the listener through the musical landscape. Instead of stearing the people to the epitome of hip hop, todays DJs stear the people towards what ever throws them the most money. I don't know who's train your riding on but I like the direction Legend is going in...all aboard mutha fucka's.
Continue reading review here.
There's a war going on outside, and no emcee is safe from being hit over the head with the infectious charisma of Hezekiah's music. Guitar riffs blazing in one track and soulful clapping on the next keeps this album highly diverse. From Gangsta raps to glory worthy rhymes, Hezekiah flow is flexible on his new album, I Predict A Riot.
His eccentricity stems from is diverse influences, which he cites as country music, Quincy Jones and Kool G Rap as well as lucky. Lucky to have been born into a musical family and singing at his family's church eventually led to singing in his Uncle's band, the Funk Disciples.
From the Funk Disciples to Legendary Roots Crewin 1993, Hezekiah has been grindin' it out in the music industry working with the likes of Musiq Soulchild, Bilal, The Jazzyfatnastees and Bahamadia. Now, he's ready to drop his sophomore LP.
Catch Hezekiah touring throughout 2007, opening up for Mos Def. The album features Philly's finest, Freeway, Bilal, Jaguar Wright and Chief Kamachi among others.
Hezekiah laments "I'm not a conscious rapper; I just have something to say. I'm a nerd, a freak, a geek, but I'm dangerous. This is the start of something new." Born to be different---indeed!
I Predict A Riot hits stores September 18th.
The famed Wu Tang Clan member, Raekwon, is back with a vengeance with a long awaited album, Icewater: Polluted Water.
This time he's leaving the past in the dust and forming his own Clan; the Ice Water Clique, a four-man crew consisting of Polite, Stomach, P.C and D.C. The crew made a slight appearance back on 2002 on Raekwon's solo album, "The Lex Diamond Story" and have also opened up for Raekwon on a 30+ state tour.
Even though Raekwon has left Wu Tang Clan in the dark for the time being, that doesn't mean he's not reppin' his stomping ground, Staten Island. The Ice Water Clique also hails from the legendary Shaolin. Raekwon claims Ice Water Clique may be the clique to put Staten Island back on the map. With the release of Polluted Water, Shaolin's voice will be heard again.
"At the end of the day, I knew I'd never build another dynasty with eight or nine dudes. But these dudes' chemistry is perfect. This is the next dynasty," says Raekwon.
The long over due album holds some impressive guest appearances from Method Man, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Three Six Mafia, Remy Ma, Jagged Edge and others.
Ice Water Clique drops Icewater: Polluted Water on August 28th via Babygrande Records.
Houston rapper Kiotti and DVD Magazine SMACK, collaborate on a reality show/documentary titled "Hardbody Yotti 24/7." Filming is scheduled to start in Houston, TX on July 13, 2007.
Cameras following Kiotti will allow viewers insight into Kiotti's life; a fast paced one as he becomes rap's next big artist.
"It is a great privilege to be working with SMACK on a project that I know will change the DVD game for good," Kiotti explains.
The project has already secured major distribution deals from Best Buy and Circuit City, a move that will help expose both Kiotti and Smack DVD to a larger audience.
Capone, of Capone-N-Noreaga, the Queens based rap duo, is giving artists a lucky break to be featured on a track with Capone. The contest starts July 1st and ends September 2007.
For submission info:
http://digimixcast.com/get-featured-on-capone-qb-digimixcast
The Latin hip hop movement reaches yet another milestone. Rebel Music Group was recently launched under Universal Music Latino and with the help of Sick Jacken of the rap group Psycho Realm.
"We are very excited to be able to work with RMG. We admire the talent and credibility of Jack and his team and are happy that we can be a part of this new stage in his career," comments John Echevarria, President of Universal Music Latino.
The new venture further establishes Latin hip hop as a growing genre. Rebel Music Group will market, promote and distribute urban music while simultaneously breaking boundaries that the genre may be set in. Still paying homage to the streets, RMG will fuse street and lifestyle marketing together.
"Were looking to provide a home for music that doesn't fit the current formula for mainstream record sales, and we hooked up with the best in the business to help us distribute this idea worldwide. The Rebellion Is Coming," commented Jacken.
The first release from RMG will be DJ Muggs VS Sick Jacken "The Legend of the Mask and The Assassin", The album will be released on August 21, 2007 and will include the two Spanish-language tracks.
Mixtapekings.com breaks it down with DJ 31 Degreez, the man making temperatures rise nationwide:
31 Degreez, where are you from and how long have
you been making mixtapes?
I was born In Bronx, New York. I lived there 'till I was 13 years old then I moved
down south. I had dreams of making mixtapes because I felt like I had a good
ear for what was hot and what was wack. At the end of the day, I had been fiending to be making mixtapes since I was a kid but I didn't get my jumpstart until 2004. I came out with like four CDs that were like doo-doo but I kept trying harder n harder each time. My joints weren't really connecting with the streets and I wondered was it the track, the covers, or the CD itself? My mentor, Pete said all 3. I took that into deep consideration and he said, 'Think what's
hot right now' and he said those Texas boys running it right now. That's when I dropped my first classic mixtape, Texas Massacre Pt.1. That mixtape turned my whole career around basically. [It] was so major; one of the biggest DJs from the south at the time even jacked my mixtape title and made my series even bigger because I was the original innovator of it.
Tell me something about The Forecast mixtape
series?
Well the previous series I had was Down South Delivery Man & South Star General series. I sat back and analyzed what I was doing. Thought to myself; I listen to music from everywhere, so what's something that represents nationwide and that was the forecast. No matter where you from you got a forecast of the weather, what's poppin' for the day, or even what is the agenda for the day. So forecast represents a slang word I use on the daily, in and outside my community, for what's going on basically. People love something new and fresh when it comes to [mixtape] titles. Titles mean a lot in this mixtape game and I definitely take pride in making something good.
What separates The Forecast mixtape series from all
the others series?
My Forecast series is based off of nationwide [music] with a majority of southern representation. Really, with my series I can play whatever from wherever and don't
have to boil it down to just one coast. Also I can go outside the southern bracket and play music from the west or east, which is great for my fans and my listening pleasure.
Have you always concentrated on Southern music?
My music is basically is what's hot and what I feel my fan base wants to hear. On a personal level I listen to music from everywhere. No discrimination, if you hot it doesn't
matter where you from if you ask me.
How has the Drama situation affected the mixtape
industry? And how has it affected you personally?
It made you think like damn if that can happen to him it can happen to anyone. It was a shock to me when I first heard 'bout the story because that's something you hit street kingpins with. It also made me realizemixtapes are for the streets and still isn't accepted in corporate ways as of yet. Unless it is promoting a big company or even urban clothes I will say. The mixtape industry was most definitely affected it. There was definitely a drought for a while there, but I feel the streets always will have a voice through mixtapes. Some of the biggest selling rappers are legends on mixtapes: from Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, T.I., Jadakiss, Nas, Notorious B.I.G., Young Jeezy, Eminem, Fabolous and the list goes on and on. Those artists' voice was heard through streets first. First time I heard Big was on a DJ Clue mixtape.
So at the end of the day mixtapes represents power, it just got to be a way to channel that power in a positive light. Mixtapes let people from all over experience that raw talent.
Is there anything you would like to tell the Mixtapekings fans about yourself and your mixtape
series?
I appreciate the support most definitely first and foremost. Definitely ride with 31 every time you see 31 Degreez because if I'm not feeling it, it damn sure won't be on my CD. You definitely could expect more classics out of me like Weezyaveli aka Weezy F Baby PT.3.
Also watch out for my homey Kiotti, we got some big things in the kitchen. Just stay tuned for all that.
Definitely want to thank Mixtapekings for this interview, it's definitely a pleasure to be
on the site. I remember when I had dreams of being on Mixtapekings.com and I use too buy the newest mixtapes off here.
I'm definitely a fan of the music first and now I'm on mixtapekings.com doing my thing. That's what's you called 360 Degreez ladies and gentlemen. Peace and remember, don't matter the weather outside when I drop its always 31 Degreez.
Get rid of all those annoying VJ's and get straight to the videos you want to see. DJ EFX hooks you up with the Tupac classics. Putting the mixtape formula on screen, DJ EFX provides you with 41 videos, including interludes featuring other artists.
Relive the Tupac era with the help of DJ EFX . Includes the classics like "I Get Around," "California Love", "How Do You Want It" and countless others.
Buy Here
Is anyone as excited as I am about Keisha Cole's next album? The first single "Let It Go," off of her sophomore album is a collective of hip hop female superstars like Missy Elliot, Lil Kim and of course, Keisha Cole. The three have been on hiatus for a while, so seeing the three of them making a comeback is exciting.
The single, produced by Missy, uses the classic "Juicy" sample by B.I.G. The song has become the new version of "Ladies Night," the female empowerment anthem for the hip hop gal.
"When I first did the beat, like, I immediately thought of Kim...'Cause you immediately think of Big. For people like me from the old school, actually, I immediately think of Mtume, the first people who did it. But you think of Big, and then you think of Kim. And I thought, '[There] hasn't been a record with females all on one thing in a long time, since, like, "Ladies Night". So when you think of that, it's like, 'OK, let's make it official and put Kim on there.' And [Keyshia and I] both was with it; it sounded like a hot idea. And Kim came through and laced it," says Missy.
Keisha Cole's new album Just Like You also features tracks produced by Scott Storch and others.
Yung Joc is quite the businessman. He knows what the public will buy and what will make him become a household name. To execute his marketing plan, Young Joc gave himself a slight makeover. Instead of following trends, he started his own trend. That trend is, an iced-out 80's baby.
Joc copped a huge diamond encrusted 'H' on a rope chain to represent his new album, Hustlenomics. Joc is also rockin' a wacky slanted high-top hairdo.
Joc reveals that the new do' and the flashy chain are all a means to get attentio