Tha Rap Critic

Rolling Stone Magazine Revisits The Notorious B.I.G Murder

2005-12-02T13:48:00.000-08:00

"What I need from this lawsuit is that the person or persons who murdered my son are brought to justice," Voletta Wallace, The Notorious B.I.G's mother says. "What I need from this lawsuit is honesty. What I need from this lawsuit is to show that humans have integrity, show that they're not cowards, show that they're not liars, show that they care about the truth."

Voletta Wallace is steadfast in her mission to bring her son's murderer(s) to justice. And in the December 5, 2005 version of Rolling Stone Magazine, they look deep into the still unsolved murder of the late, great Notorious B.I.G's murder, and the circumstances that surrounded it. This comes just weeks before the release of the new B.I.G album "Duets: The Final Chapter" in which contemporary artists rap over existing B.I.G tracks.

The rolling Stone article looks at the ongoing battle between Biggie's estate and the City of Los Angeles. Before her son's murder, Ms. Wallace says, "I trusted everyone. I trusted the Los Angeles Police Department. I had to believe that they wanted to find out who the murderer of my son was. I had no idea there were such powerful forces involved in all of this." And those forces that Voletta Wallace is talking about had shown their head very early in the B.I.G murder investigation. The LAPD's elite Robbery-Homicide Division was absent for the most part, a month after Biggie's death. "They were there that first night," notes Sergio Robleto, a former LAPD lieutenant who would eventually join Sanders on the case as a private investigator. "But they were gone by the next morning and didn't come back to the case until an entire month had passed. In thirty years, I had never seen that: a murder case involving a major celebrity that wasn't taken over by Robbery-Homicide right out of the gate."

"To me it was obvious this wasn't a gang shooting," says Detective Russell Poole, who, with partner Fred Miller, would become a lead investigator on the case when it was finally assigned to Robbery-Homicide in April 1997. "Biggie's murder was much more sophisticated than anything I've ever seen any gangbanger pull off. This was professionally executed."

Detective Poole was immediately ordered to pursue the case as a gang reataliation murder that happened because Bad Boy records had failed to pay a debt to some Crips that were protecting Biggie and company while they were in L.A. Poole began to suspect that the link between Biggie's death and Death Row Records was becoming more and more real after an off duty LAPD officer was shot and killed by an undercover LAPD officer on the side of the highway. The man, who was murdered, was a former security guard for Death Row Records and the then boyfriend of Suge Knight's estranged wife at the time, Sharitha. Immediately thereafter, the cellmate of one of Suge's MOB Piru affiliates stated that Knight's "goon squad" had B.I.G killed.

Two weeks after Suge Knight was found to be in violation of his probation, The Notorious B.I.G was gunned down leaving the Vibe Party. Ironically, in his probation hearing, Orlando Anderson was there to testify on the behalf of Suge Knight. "I seen him pulling people off of me," Anderson swore on the witness stand. Anderson was also at the Vibe Party the night Biggie was killed.

Detective Poole began to amount masses of clues that could provide enough of a link between Biggie's death and Death Row Records that some formal investigations could commence, however, every time Poole presented clues or evidence, he was told to go in another direction with the investigation, which was the gang retaliation theory. This was all baffling to Detective Poole especially after it was found that David Mack, a former LAPD officer, and known associate of Suge Knight, had a black Impala SS, the same vehicle type implicated in the murder of Biggie. Although Poole asked for forensic tests to be run on Mack's Impala, the request was denied.

Several witnesses and informants began to give sworn testimonies regarding Biggie's murder; however as an impeding civil suit against the LAPD loomed, most of these witnesses and informants were either dead or began to recant their stories in fear of their lives. However, one witness’s statements would come to cause this whole case to take a turn for the better for the Wallace Estate. Kenneth Boagni's testimony of confessions regarding Raphael Perez and his knowledge of the Notorious B.I.G's murder was purposefully hidden by lead detective since 1999, Steve Katz. This was the cause of the mistrial, and this could be the most devastating blow to the City of Los Angeles, as they could pay as much as $362 million if found to be responsible for the murder of The Notorious B.I.G.

Kenneth Cole Friends and Family Discounts

2005-12-02T13:47:00.000-08:00

From now until Monday December 5, 2005, Kennethcole.com is offering an unpublished "Friends and family" discount of 25% on all merchandise. There are some items that have already been marked down so when the "Friends and Family" discount is applied, there may be savings of greater than 50%.

Go to Kennethcole.com and use promotion code 31257 at checkout

Jamie Foxx a Busy Man in Hollywood

2005-12-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

With “Jarhead” doing well in theaters, Jamie Foxx also has several upcoming projects that will be sure to keep his pockets nice and phat. Foxx just recently signed on to star in a political thriller called "The Kingdom." In the Universal Pictures film, Jamie Foxx plays a counter-terrorism investigator that is attempting to find the perpetrators who bombed some American workers in the Middle East.

Foxx also has other projects coming soon, including his role as Tubbs in Michael Mann's big screen adaptation of "Miami Vice." Foxx also has to begin shooting for another movie entitled "Dreamgirls," co-starring alongside Beyonce' Knowles and Eddie Murphy

Oprah Visits Dave Letterman

2005-12-02T13:45:00.000-08:00

What Dave Letterman jokingly dubbed "the television event of the decade," for the first time in sixteen years, Oprah Winfrey has visited Dave Letterman on his "Late Show." Oprah Winfrey, who has been the butt of several Letterman jokes over the years, has been less than enthusiastic about appearing on the show, until now.

Letterman stated, "I've been sort of gruff, I've made jokes, and generally been a nuisance... so of course she wasn't eager to come" on the show, adding that he was surprised and pleased when his son was born to receive a gift from Oprah: a box of books – "Harry's Book Club" – for the baby.

Oprah told Letterman that "I have never for a moment had a feud with you" and asked him to tell her "what had transpired" if there were some kind of feud she did not know about. "I can't believe you're this serious," said Oprah, who hadn't expected the opportunity to discuss one of her favorite topics.

Although Letterman and Oprah had some serious moments, Dave still had to make jokes, this time, a comparison of the two television hosts' accomplishments, "Oprah formed her own media empire, Dave makes his own hairpieces," he intoned, in a list of comparisons between the two. "Oprah's studio audience leaves with cars, Dave's leaves with hypothermia... Oprah was once honored as TV Guide's performer of the year, Dave was 23 down in the TV Guide crossword."

To end Oprah's much anticipated visit to the show, Dave cordially walked Oprah out, and over to the premiere of the Broadway Play she is executive producing, "The Color Purple" a remake of the film that she starred in.

Gotti Defense Short Lived, Closing Arguments Begin

2005-11-30T08:27:00.000-08:00

In the federal money laundering case against The Inc. (Formerly Murder Inc.), it took the Gotti defense team of criminal lawyers Gerald Lefcourt and Gerald Shargel one witness and a little over two hours to present their case. The lone witness in the defenses' case was former IRS special agent, and forensic accountant John Ryan.

Ryan was hired by the Gotti defense team to examine the Gottis' financial records and bank statements for their personal and business accounts. However, Carolyn Pokorny, the prosecutor in this case, countered Ryan's examinations, and accused Ryan of just examining the records provided by the Gotti defense team. "The bottom line is you did not analyze every single deposit of cash," Pokorny said, before asking Ryan whether he noticed strange patterns in Chris' account deposits.

"Did you not see notations in their own books to the effect that Chris was cashing checks?" she asked Ryan. He said he had; over the course of three years, Pokorny said Chris cashed, on average, more than $100,000 in third-party checks, using his accounts.

The case is expected to be handed over to the jury today, November 16, 2005 after both sides give their closing arguments.

Simon Cowell to Return to American Idol

2005-11-30T08:24:00.000-08:00

What turned out to be a boost for Fox Television to justify charging between $600,000 and $705,000 for 30 second ads running during American Idol this season, Simon Cowell, the hard nosed British judge, has decided to return to the show. Cowell has been embedded in a legal battle with longtime friend, and Idol creator Simon Fuller, which was a threat to jeopardize his return to the hit reality series. Cowell and Fuller subsequently reached an out of court settlement that led to Cowell's decision to return.

"It is a personal thrill for me to play a role in giving the best young singers in America a shot at realizing their dreams," Cowell said in a statement Tuesday. "I'm also happy to be working with my good friend Simon Fuller for the foreseeable future and I look forward to continuing to be a part of the Fox network and the phenomenal success that is American Idol."

"We're thrilled to continue our partnership with FremantleMedia, Simon Fuller and 19 Entertainment on television's number-one series," Fox Entertainment President Peter Liguori said in a statement. "And that news is only bettered by knowing Simon Cowell will bring his unique talents to American Idol for years to come."

Last year, American Idol's Tuesday-Wednesday schedule averaged 27 million viewers a week. This year, Fox is contemplating a Wednesday-Thursday schedule in an effort to draw more viewers.

Rolling Stones Will Headline Superbowl Halftime Show

2005-11-30T08:23:00.000-08:00

Superbowl XL (40), which will be held on Sunday February 5, 2006, will feature legendary Rock n Roll band The Rolling Stones for the highly anticipated halftime show. The NFL came under some harsh scrutiny after an incident with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake at the 2004 Superbowl, which caused for time delays and stiffer FCC regulations.

"We are thrilled to perform for millions of fans at one of the most exciting and highly anticipated sporting events of the year," the band says in a statement.

"We are excited to welcome one of the greatest rock 'n' roll bands in history to the Super Bowl," says Steve Bornstein, the NFL's executive vice president of media, and the man in charge of the event. "As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Super Bowl this season, it is fitting we work with the Rolling Stones whose music has thrilled audiences around the world for years."

The Superbowl performance will cap a season long cross promotional campaign between the NFL, ABC, and The Stones. Mick and the boys have created several intros and segments for this entire 2005-2006 season of Monday Night Football. This marks the second year in a row that an act from the UK will headline the halftime show for America's unofficial holiday, Superbowl Sunday. Last year it was Paul McCartney.

Donald Trump and The Apprentice Move to L.A.

2005-11-30T08:19:00.000-08:00

The recently added sixth season of the hit reality series "The Apprentice" will be shot in Los Angeles rather than New York City. In a recent statement, Donald Trump said, "While I love shooting in New York City, I look forward to filming season six in Los Angeles."

"Donald has so many recent West Coast projects that it made perfect sense to change locations and along with it changes the flavor of the weekly tasks," Mark Burnett said, the show's creator. "Seeing Donald operate in Southern California will provide yet more insight into his remarkable world."

In a recent interview with ABC radio, Trump also addressed concerns about Martha Stewart's Apprentice having an ill affect on his show. "I think there was confusion between Martha's Apprentice and mine," he told ABC Radio in October. "And mine continues to do well and, as you know, the other one has struggled very severely." It was reported recently by NBC that they will not be picking up Martha's version of "The Apprentice" for a second season.

Jay-Z Declares Peace With Nas at Powerhouse Concert

2005-10-28T08:16:00.000-07:00

For approximately a month, Jay-Z has been having the internet going nuts after an interview with Ed Lover, where Hova stated that he would declare war on certain rappers he felt were being disrespectful. Then, the speculation began as to who he would "air out". Many people thought it would be The Game, others thought maybe The Dipset, and others even speculated The G-Unit and 50 Cent. Well for those expecting war, you have to wait at least one more night, as Jay-Z will be performing in Philly tonight, and maybe the City of Brotherly Love won't be so brotherly when Jigga takes the stage. Philly is also known for producing some of the best boxers, and we all now Hov likes to lyrically box with the best of them.

If Jay-Z is to declare war on any one particular MC or group of MC's, he used Thursday night's Powerhouse concert to round his troops up. Jay-Z re-united with The Lox, Beanie Sigel, and Sauce Money before one of the biggest moments in hip hop history took place. As Jay was coming down the home stretch in conclusion of what was already a great show, the "god MC" introduced Nas by saying, "Let's go Esco." "All that beef sh--is done, we had our fun," he said. "Let's get this money." Nas came out and provided the hook to "Dead Presidents" and then went into his goodie bag and performed hits like "New York State of Mind", "It Ain't Hard to Tell", "Made You Look", and "Hate Me Now" with the help of Diddy.

Jay-Z told the crowd that everyone there witnessed history, and were a part of history. Now will the second chapter in this historical weekend for hip hop be as mind blowing as the first when Jay-Z and friends roll into Philly Friday night. Will the City Of Brotherly Love be that, or will it be Jay-Z's secret battle ground.

ESPN to Boost L.A. Presence

2005-09-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

ESPN, the cable television sports giant, expects to dramatically bolster its Southern California presence by building a $100-million, five-story building with a television and radio production center and an ESPN Zone sports bar and restaurant in the downtown entertainment district proposed to be next to Staples Center.

L.A. Live as the entertainment complex is to be called will feature not only the presence of ESPN, but will also include a 1,000-room hotel, restaurants, retail shops, a 7,100-seat live theater and a 15-screen movie complex. L.A. Live will only serve to boost the once desolate, but now thriving Downtown Los Angeles District that has been economically challenged because of a serious lack of events in the area. That has all begun to change as new housing devolopments, restaurants, and entertainment venues have been springing up throughout Downtown Los Angeles over the last 18 months.

ESPN eventually will add West Coast on-air talent and beam broadcasts live from downtown Los Angeles to the rest of the world.

Be sure to check out Thabocks.com

Jay-Z Vows to Air Certain Rappers Out

2005-09-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

"I declare war!" Jay-Z stated as he spoke with Ed Lover on New York Radio Station Power 105.1. Apparently Hov is tired of certain rappers disrespecting and taking shots at him as of late. Jay-Z said, he will "air them out" at a show he is headlining at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

"I got a lot of records," Hov told Lover. "I'm getting the itch. I need to see the people. It's time for a good show in New York City ... I gotta flip on some people."

Jay-Z also has another show scheduled the following night in Philadelphia, PA. Jay-Z named no names as to who he was referring to, bit knowing Hov, whoever it is better have their get back right...The Takeover 2005.

Vera Wang and Gwen Stefani Big at Fashion Week

2005-09-18T08:08:00.000-07:00

Vera Wang, best known for her design of "Red Carpet Dresses", rolled out more than the red carpet as she debuted her Spring 2006 collection at New York Fashion Week. Influenced by Matisse and The American Old West, Wang's new line featured a collection with a strong vision, beautifully made clothes and intricate details. Wang was most praised for the billiant colors she chose to use to create such pieces as a lavender silk faille corset jacket, white cotton dress shirts with hand-crocheted eyelet trimming and navy floral brocade peasant skirts.

Of her new collection, Wang stated, "In the dream world of Matisse and the gritty reality of the American frontier, the diversity of women in our society offers the chance for greater exploration and even greater inspiration."

On the flip side, music icon Gwen Stefani debuted her L.A.M.B collection Friday night to rave reviews. the collection alternated between street track jackets and red-carpet gowns. During her show, Stefani added some props to the stage adding souped up cars on the catwalk, silver streamers on the ceiling and stardust on the runway.

Music star-turned-fashion designer Sean "Diddy" Combs was in the audience to cheer Stefani on, as were Ashanti, Lenny Kravitz and Faith Hill.

Jay-Z and Diddy Give $1 Million

2005-09-10T18:53:00.000-07:00

When Steve Harvey first introduced Jay-Z and Sean "Diddy" Combs to present their $1 million gift to the Red Cross on behalf of the New York Hip Hop Community for Hurricane Katrina victims, he was told that they haven't arrived yet. However, fifteen minutes later, they did arrive, to the joy of everyone in attendance. "There's been a lot of telethons," Diddy said, "but this is our telethon. These are our people."

Former President Bill Clinton even called in to the BET SOS Telethon stating that, "We always thought faster was better than slower," when asked by Harvey what his administration would have done differently if it were in power when Katrina hit. Others to make appearances at BET SOS were The Game, Alicia Keys, Lil Jon, Kanye West, Patti LaBelle, and Chris Rock.

Laura Bush Ignores Barbara Bush Comments

2005-09-10T18:48:00.000-07:00

In a recent statement, Laura Bush, wife of President George W. Bush, said that comments made by Kanye West about her husband not caring about black people were "disgusting." She also went on to say that she should know that he loves and respects all races because she lives with him. Ironically, no one in the Bush family, including Laura, would comment on her mother in law's comments that stated, “Everybody is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arenas here, you know, were underprivileged anyway. This is working very well for them.”

The White House released a statement saying, "The Former First Lady Barbara Bush was making a personal observation when she said poor people at the Astrodome in Houston were doing better than before Hurricane Katrina struck." Since then, she has been transported to a private location with heavy security.

It's Plain Ole Diddy Now

2005-08-17T03:11:00.000-07:00

Sean Combs has done it again, changing his name that is. From Puff daddy to Puffy to P. Diddy to plain ole Diddy.

"To be honest, the unveiling of Diddy, you gonna see that at the [Video Music Awards]," he promised. "You gonna see that in the entrance. You gonna see that swagger. You gonna see how I'm gonna navigate you through the journey. I'mma play my position, my role. The artists are gonna play their role. We're gonna have an incredible, incredible party."

"A lot of my peeps in music been calling me 'Diddy,' so it's not a drastic change for them. But people around the world didn't know what to call me. We was at [Madison Square Garden] rocking with Jay-Z. The last time I was there, half the crowd was chanting 'P. Diddy,' half the crowd chanting 'Did-dee.' We gonna stop the confusion. 'Did-dee. Did-dee, Did-deee!' Simple. To the point and it sounds strong. It sounds like something is about to happen. It sounds like something is about to go down in history."

Jay-Z to Open Atlantic City 40/40 Club

2005-08-17T03:08:00.000-07:00

Jay-Z spent $1,500 a piece for 500 platinum key invitations for the grand opening of his new 40/40 club in Atlantic City, NJ. The grand opening is set for October 18th, and it will also feature a roulette wheel who's grand prize will be a Mercedes Benz.

Jay-Z reportedly spent $4 Million on the new club, the secong location. Jay-Z stated that he wanted to be a part of the building up of Atlantic City, and passed on L.A, and Las Vegas for the time being. The 500 platinum keys were made by none other than Jacob the Jeweler.

Pharrell to Team With Voltron

2005-07-27T21:30:00.000-07:00

Neptunes producer, Pharrell Williams, is getting a chance to put his beats where his passion is as the producer of the soundtrack to the big-screen version of the 1980's cartoon hit Voltron.

Williams, an executive producer on the film, will also score "Voltron: Defender of the Universe," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The movie is being produced by Mark Gordon ("The Day After Tomorrow," "Saving Private Ryan"), based on a story about five maverick pilots who have to travel to the planet Arus to learn how to operate the massive Voltron, which is made up of five smaller robots. The giant robot is Earth's last hope in the fight against the Drule Empire.

"Voltron" is not the only '80s robot flick on the roster. Steven Spielberg is executive producing a live-action version of "Transformers," which will be directed by Michael Bay ("The Island," "Armageddon"). That movie is slated for release on July 4, 2007.

Snoop Youth League Coming Soon

2005-07-27T21:28:00.000-07:00

The Snoop Youth Football League will kick its season with a match between the Rowland Heights Raiders, Snoop's team, and the Long Beach Patriots.

Snoop, who has coached his eldest son's teams for a few years, will now coach his younger son, but that's hardly where his involvement ends. After witnessing inner-city families struggle to afford the costs of other youth football leagues, Snoop is launching his own league, for which he will serve as commissioner.

To fund the league, Snoop is hosting a benefit concert August 25 at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ice Cube and others will also perform.

To participate in the league, which more than 800 kids will get a chance to play in, players must keep their GPA above a 2.0. "And that goes for anyone," the commissioner declared.

The Snoop Youth Football League is launching in the Los Angeles area, but Snoop has plans to go nationwide soon. "There's other rappers that want to bring it to their areas," Snoop said. "I just wanted to kick it off in my area so I can show others how it's done."

Nas Baits 50 Cent on New Track

2005-07-25T21:43:00.000-07:00

You knew it was going come, Nas' response to getting called out on 50 Cent's "Piggy Bank." A new track labeled "MC Burial" just hit Internet, and on it God's Son rips a hole in 50 and few other unnamed MC's that have been talking wrecklessly. It somewhat reminds you of the Stillmatic single that baited Jigga before Nas released Ether. It's raw, but it's just a jab, not a knock out blow.

"N---as don't want beef, they vegetarians," Nas insists on the opening verse. And while he doesn't mention 50 by name, it's more than obvious who he's going at in the second and third verses.

"They say Jada defeated them, Joe's too street for him/ What's next? I guess it's time for Nas to ether him.

"You's a sucker for death if I'm a sucker for love," he continues. "Scared of me so you talk about family members like I can't point out your grandma, n---a."

Nas has been telling everyone that his next LP is going to be called The NASDAQ Dow Jones, however his label said there's no official title yet. Nas is well into the recording process and his LP should be out this year.

Payola Gets Exposed

2005-07-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, announced a settlement with Sony BMG Music Entertainment, which has agreed to cease its "pay for play" policy.

The label group was the subject of a yearlong investigation that revealed it was paying and providing expensive gifts — otherwise known as "payola" — to radio stations and their employees in return for airplay, in a violation of state and federal law. The payola took the form of outright bribes as well as fictitious contest giveaways for listeners, which actually went to station employees.

Radio stations that participated in the payola schemes include WQHT-FM in New York (Hot 97); WWPR-FM in New York (Power 105); KHTS-FM in San Diego (Channel 933); WRHT-FM in Greenville, North Carolina; WFLY-FM in Albany, New York (Fly 92.3), WWHT-FM in Syracuse, New York (Hot 107.9); and WSSP-FM in Milwaukee (The Beat), among others.

The label group agreed to companywide reforms to detect and prevent future abuses and is making a $10 million donation to local charities to fund programs aimed at music education and appreciation. Meanwhile, Spitzer's office said it is still investigating payola practices at other companies.

Hustle and Flow In Theatres

2005-07-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

Terrance Howard's plays DJay, a pimp who clearly is smarter than his chosen vocation. But he's no pimp with a heart of gold. He has a ferocious temper and sells drugs on the side. But he evolves into a sympathetic if ambiguous character when we see his decency and sense his conflicted state.

DJay has hit a critical point in his life. He can simply continue being a two-bit pimp (his beater car doesn't even have air conditioning), or he can go after his dream of being a rapper. Even though DJay is a well-rounded character, there is a formulaic quality to the ragtag group of musical associates he assembles: Anthony Anderson plays the henpecked husband of a woman who thinks he should reserve his talents for religious music, and DJ Qualls is the skinny white dude who wishes he were black.

Taraji P. Henson plays Shug, one of the ladies of the night who work for DJay, and her performance also is top-notch. Ludacris, who had a memorable role in Crash as well, has a key part as Skinny Black, a Memphis-born music star whom DJay hopes will provide his entrée into the world of hip-h

Notorious B.I.G Life Story to be Told

2005-07-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

Fox Searchlight pictures announced Wednesday [July 20] that it has bought the right to make a film about B.I.G.'s life, and added that the film will be produced by the rapper's mother, Voletta Wallace, and his former managers, Wayne Barrow and Mark Sitts, according to Reuters. Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day," "King Arthur," "Tears of the Sun") is currently in negotiations to direct the film. Cheo Hodari Coker, a former journalist and reportedly the last person to interview the rapper before his death, will write the screenplay.

Harry Potter Works Magic Again

2005-07-18T17:32:00.000-07:00

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the penultimate chapter in J.K. Rowling's epic fantasy series that went on sale around the globe at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, sold an astonishing 6.9 million copies its first day in bookstores in the U.S. alone.

The sales numbers for the 672-page hardcover book easily smashed the record set by the previous installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which raked in a whopping 5 million copies two years ago.

Most booksellers offered Half-Blood Prince, which retails for $29.99, at steep 40 percent discounts to spur the record sales.

Amazon.com, for example, peddled the book for $17.99; advanced orders have kept it at the top of the best-seller list with 1.5 million copies ordered before Saturday, making it the online retailer's largest new product release ever.

Thanks to Half-Blood Prince, Rowling was able to make a Gringott-sized deposit. The author, already the richest woman in Great Britain with a net worth estimated at $1 billion, made $36 million in royalties on Saturday--not a bad day's work. (That includes U.K. sales figures, which are hovering in the 2 million-copy range, according to Nielsen BookScan.)

Hit Series Entourage is Coming Back to HBO

2005-07-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

The "Entourage" crew is coming back for more adventures in celebrity-dom next year.

The Emmy-nominated comedy, which stars Adrian Grenier as a young movie star and Jeremy Piven as his shark-ish agent, has been renewed for a third season to debut next year.

The renewal of "Entourage" topped a state-of-HBO address delivered by Chris Albrecht, HBO's CEO, that included updates on such shows as "The Sopranos" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," as well as news of a formal green light for the long-gestating "John Adams" miniseries.

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg are scheduled to produce a miniseries about World War II battles in the Pacific theater. The World War II miniseries and "Adams" together will cost HBO about $300 million, according to Albrecht.

Ja Rule Involved in Federal Probe

2005-07-18T17:11:00.000-07:00

Federal prosecutors are focusing on multi-platinum rapper Ja Rule in their ongoing investigation of record label The Inc. and the company’s alleged ties to Queens, New York drug dealer Kenneth “Supreme” McGriff.

Ja Rule and two bodyguards face possible federal charges including “conspiracy to commit murder,” after a shooting in December of 2004 left one man dead and another injured.

The charges stem from a December 27, 2004 incident at a club in New York where Ja Rule was celebrating a post-Christmas party.

Ja Rule denied involvement in the shooting previously and his lawyer, Murray Richman also denied that his client was involved.

Alchemist Ready to Return As Eminem's DJ

2005-07-18T17:03:00.000-07:00

Alchemist says he thought he was going to die last week when his tour bus overturned in Missouri. While he saw that his bus was going to collide with a big rig, it happened so fast that there was nothing he or anyone else could do to avoid the accident.

"We started screaming when he swerved 'cause the bus went on two wheels," Al continued. "Then he spun the wheel the other way and the bus went back on the other two wheels. At that point the bus was out of control. It was two semis in front of us, and the bus clipped the back of one of the semis. ... We spun backward one time and we flipped."

Alchemist says he was relieved once the bus stopped spinning: although he was hurt, he was still alive. Stat Quo was the first person he saw, but then relief quickly turned back to horror when he couldn't see his brother, as the wreckage left the back of the bus barricaded. With his lung injured, Alchemist had difficulty breathing and was rushed to the hospital, still not knowing what happened to Neil. Finally, upon arriving to a local hospital, Neil sent word to Alchemist through a doctor that he was OK, and the brothers were later reunited.

Once Alchemist is ready, he will have his spot back as Eminem's DJ.

Chocolate Factory a Big Hit

2005-07-17T11:00:00.000-07:00

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" enjoyed a tasty $55.4 million opening atop the North American box office during its first weekend in theaters, its distributor Warner Bros. Pictures said on Sunday.

This was in line with expectations, which had ranged from the high $40 million range to $60 million, and compares favorably with other recent No. 1 films, such as last weekend's champ "Fantastic Four" with $56.1 million, and "Batman Begins" with $48.8 million.

Its major competition came not from another film, but from the release of the keenly anticipated "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Bookstores around the world started selling the book to millions of excited young fans just after midnight on Saturday.

But Warner Bros., which also has film rights to the "Potter" series, said it could not yet tell how ticket sales for "Charlie" were affected.

The $150 million film stars Johnny Depp as creepy chocolate magnate Willy Wonka. Based on the children's book by British writer Roald Dahl, it was directed by Tim Burton, who previously worked with Depp on such films as "Edward Scissorhands" and "Ed Wood."

Notorious B.I.G. Civil Suit Declared Mistrial

2005-07-06T20:20:00.000-07:00

The federal wrongful-death case of Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace abruptly halted Wednesday.

The lawsuit, filed by Wallace's family's, seeks to lay blame for the New York rapper's death in the collective hands of the city of Los Angeles; the suit sought unspecified damages against the municipality.

No new trial date has been set. Last month the case was put on hold after it turned up that the lawyer for the Wallace family had not received a substantial amount of evidence from the LAPD. In the short amount of time the Biggie trial had been in session, several startling revelations came about, including a former FBI agent and a prison inmate linking Biggie's death to Death Row Records.

Lil Kim to Face Jail Time

2005-07-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

Rapper Lil' Kim was sentenced to a year and a day in prison by Judge Gerard Lynch at Manhattan's U.S. District Court Wednesday afternoon. The rapper was also fined $50,000 and will serve three years' probation after her sentence. She must turn herself in to authorities on September 19.

The judge lambasted her for being dishonest, saying her lies were an insult to him and to the court. "[Providing] false testimony under oath undermines our system of justice," said Lynch, who described Kim's actions as "blatant perjury," with "clear" intent. "It's a serious offense ... and the crimes you covered up were serious, indeed."

The rapper issued a statement two hours after learning her fate: "I would like to thank all of my supporters who have stood by my side throughout this entire ordeal. The many prayers and hundreds of letters of support, e-mails and kind words that have poured in have been overwhelming and critical in helping my family, loved ones and myself stay strong during this time of need. Today was a very difficult day for me, but I am no stranger to adversity and will do whatever I need to do so that I can continue to work hard and give back to my family, amazing fans and community."

Snoop Plans to Help Suge Knight

2005-05-24T09:35:00.000-07:00

Recently, Snoop Dogg has been in a peaceful mood. Last month he brokered a West Coast Peace Treaty where he squashed all his beefs, including his most infamous one with former boss Marion "Suge" Knight. Now, Snoop speaks so highly of Suge, some sort of collaboration between the two doesn't seem like as much of a pipe dream as it did even three months ago.

"I feel like I can help him like he helped me," Snoop continued. "It's just a matter of us trying to come together and me looking at the situation. You know, when you see a brother down, do you kick him or do you give him a hand? I was taught to give him a hand. So I'm just trying to help. I don't have any problem with Suge Knight, Death Row Records, more power to them. I wish them success and luck."

Gucci Mane wanted for Murder

2005-05-19T18:37:00.000-07:00

An up-and-coming Atlanta rapper whose debut album hits record stores Tuesday was expected to turn himself in to DeKalb County authorities Thursday night on a murder charge.

The rapper, known as Gucci Mane, is wanted by DeKalb police in a shooting last week that left one man dead.

Mane, 25, was notified Wednesday of the murder warrant, said his attorney Dennis Scheib, who will accompany him to the county jail when he returns to Atlanta following a promotional show in New York.

"He's got nothing to hide," Scheib said. "Once he found out what the warrant was for, he said he was coming down to straighten it out."

The charge stems from a shooting at a home on Springside Run in Decatur on May 10.

Mane, whose real name is Radric Davis, was visiting a woman when five men stormed into the house with guns and duct tape, Scheib said. Mane fired at the men, who later fled.

"It was self-defense," Scheib said. "They came into the house with the intent to either shoot him or kill him."

The body of one of the men, Henry Clark, 27, was found three days later near Columbia Middle School. An anonymous caller told police they had seen the body in a wooded area on Columbia Drive.

A department spokesman said Mane's contention that the shooting was in self-defense is yet to be determined. "That's his story for right now. That's coming from his camp," Sgt. Herschel Grangent said. "He hasn't made a statement to us yet."

Mane, whose single "Icy" debuted this week at No. 24 on Billboard magazine's Hot Rap Tracks chart, has in recent days been making the rounds promoting his album "Trap House," which is slated for release Tuesday.

Episode 3 Expected to Jumpstart Lagging Box Office

2005-05-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

The movie business is suffering its worst losing streak in at least a decade, with attendance down 8 percent and ticket sales in a slump that has lasted 12 straight weeks. That beats the record 11 weeks of decline suffered in 2000.

That could all change after midnight tomorrow as "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" opens in theaters nationwide. The final chapter in George Lucas' six-part space odyssey is expected to bring audiences out in force and reverse the Hollywood slide.

"The focus will shift to box office boom," predicts Paul Degarabedian of Exhibitor Relations, a box office tracking firm. "What we need to be talking about in a week is box office records, lines at the movie theaters."

If "Star Wars" succeeds in creating gridlock at the multiplex, it's good news for the entire industry, because other pictures will benefit from spillover traffic. On tap for Memorial Day weekend are two potential blockbusters, the DreamWorks animated family film, "Madagascar," and the Adam Sandler remake of "The Longest Yard."

"If people go to the movies to see 'Star Wars' and can't get in, they're not going to go home," says Degarabedian. "Memorial Day weekend could be beat last year's record, where in four days, close to $250 million worth of tickets were sold."

Revenge of the Sith Estimates at $600 Million

2005-05-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

George Lucas's ``Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith'' will probably generate $600 million in worldwide ticket sales after the film, made by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by News Corp., opens in the U.S. May 19, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations Co.

``Revenge of the Sith'' is the fastest-ever selling movie for online ticket seller Fandango.com, accounting for 98 percent of sales this week. The film probably will bring in $80 million worldwide over the weekend, Dergarabedian said.

The sixth and final film in a series that began in 1977 with ``Star Wars,'' ``Revenge of the Sith'' will debut on about 3,700 screens in the U.S. and Canada and may bring total ticket sales for Lucas's saga to $4 billion. The film may help draw viewers back to theaters, where North American sales so far this year have fallen 5 percent to $2.78 billion compared with the same period last year, according to Exhibitor Relations.

Jay and Dame Reunite at B-Day Party

2005-05-05T06:53:00.000-07:00

Dame Dash had a pretty busy birthday night on Tuesday. He had his b-day bash at his New York club, NA; Jay-Z and Cam'ron — who pulled up in his blue Lamborghini — were among those in attendance. The mouthy mogul also made an appearance at Glo, where Lyor Cohen and Kevin Lyles officially welcomed P. Diddy and Bad Boy Entertainment to the Warner Music Group. Usher, Naomi Campbell, Swizz Beatz, Mashonda, Irv and Chris Gotti, and Zac Posen came out for that event as well.

Lil Kim's Troubles Continue

2005-05-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

They say that when it rains, it pours. But for embattled hip-hop diva Lil' Kim, it's been monsoon season these last few months. She is now being sued by songwriters Anthony Jeffries and Vincent Hart.

According to court documents obtained by "Celebrity Justice," both Jeffries and Hart — who are seeking $100,000 in damages — say they were hired by Lil' Kim (born Kimberly Jones) to help her write the tracks "Hold It Now," "Can You Hear Me Now?" and "The Jump Off." The suit also charges that the duo were commissioned to provide vocals for the song "Tha Beehive."

Furthermore, both men say their images appeared in Kim's retail videotapes and DVDs, but that they were never asked to sign consent forms authorizing the use of such imagery.

Pac's Godmother Wanted for $1 Million

2005-05-02T20:15:00.000-07:00

Authorities posted a $1 million reward Monday for a Black Liberation Army member convicted of fatally shooting a New Jersey state trooper 32 years ago, and added the woman to the FBI's domestic terrorist list.

Joanne Chesimard escaped from a women's prison in Hunterdon County in 1979, after she was convicted of the 1973 slaying of Trooper Werner Foerster. She made her way to Cuba and was granted political asylum.

New Jersey officials have failed to persuade Cuba to hand over Chesimard, 57, who goes by the name Assata Shakur, the late Tupac's godmother.

Cam Signs to Warner

2005-04-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

After months of speculation, it's official: Harlem's Cam'ron has parted ways with Roc-A-Fella/Island Def Jam for Asylum/Warner Music Group.

The deal makes Cam’ron the first non-southern act signed to Asylum. The move to Asylum could help Warner Music, a privately held entity, reach their goal of raising $750 million in an upcoming Initial Public Offering (IPO) of company stock.

In addition to Mike Jones moving over 180,000 copies of his debut Who Is Mike Jones, Warner also recently acquired of piece of Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Entertainment for $30 million.

Cam’s previous home, Roc-A-Fella Records, was sold to Universal in December of 2004 for almost $10 million dollars.

In related news, Dip Set member Jim Jones landed a job as A&R at Warner Music, where he will spot new talent for the label.

Snoop and the Dogg Pound Recording New Album

2005-04-26T18:18:00.000-07:00

Don't get it twisted, the Doggfather hasn't gone completely doughboy yet. He's currently working on Tha Dogg Pound's upcoming album with original members Kurupt and Daz Dillinger; the two recently joined the How the West Was One Tour with Snoop and fellow Westsider Game. Cali super producer Battlecat (who's worked with Faith Evans and WC) even joined the guys on the road so the upcoming album's momentum wouldn't be interrupted.

"We're on the road right now working on it," Snoop said of the long-overdue DPG album. "We're trying to put it out in the fourth quarter, so be on the lookout for it."

Hip Hop Queens Duke It Out

2005-04-26T15:34:00.000-07:00

Four-letter words, lemonade and fists were flying in Miami early Monday morning when a fight broke out between Jacki-O and Foxy Brown at Circle House Studios. O said her refusal to "bow down" to Brown, who disrespected her, led to things getting physical.

"I just know that yesterday I did not go there to get in no altercation," Jacki-O said later on Monday. "I went to work, and I did not know I would be winning an ass-kicking contest.

"You don't come to somebody's session acting like a clown," she added. "Something is seriously wrong with her. She's washed up. She needs to sit back and relax and retire. It ain't happening for her no more."

As the harsh words started to fly, the two females locked horns for what an onlooker — who did not want to be identified — said was a brief brawl that had to be broken up.

On Tuesday, Brown was back in an undisclosed studio and neither she nor reps for Circle House could be reached. Brown's label, Def Jam, had no comment.

Jacki-O has also been in the lab working on the new albums by Busta Rhymes, the Ying Yang Twins, Bone Crusher, and Big Gip and Ali.

Game Charged With Civil and Criminal Charges

2005-04-25T22:14:00.000-07:00

Multi-platinum rapper Game has been hit with assault charges as well as a $280 million dollar civil lawsuit, stemming from an incident at a Maryland radio station in January.

Prosecutors in Prince Georges County, Maryland have formally filed assault and battery charges against Game, born, Jaceyon Taylor, after a now-infamous incident in which the rapper allegedly assaulted radio host DJ Zxulu, formerly of 93.9 WKYS-FM in Washington, D.C. on January 21st, 2005.

Another man has come foward claiming that he was assaulted as well. Kwasi Jones’ lawsuit alleges that in addition to the assault of the on air-personality, a group of 20 men accosted him and assaulted him in the radio station.

G-Unit, Shady Records and Aftermath Entertainment are named in the lawsuit as well, since Game is an artist on 50 Cent’s label, which is distributed by companies owned by Eminem and Dr. Dre.

Jones also claims the record labels were negligent for issuing a remix to "Hate It or Leave It," which originally appeared on The Game's album The Documentary.

On the remix to “Hate It or Leave It” featuring 50 Cent Game rapped: “I’m rap’s MVP/Don’t make me remind y’all what happened in D.C.”

"I'm still trying to get over the situation and the song doesn't help," Jones told Celebrity Justice.

"This is my public apology,” Game told BET when the video premiered on BET.

“To all the people at Radio 1, I'm being sincere; we're sorry about what happened in D.C. It'll never happen again."

Radio 1 pulled Game's record, but the ban was later lifted.

Jones alleges assault and battery, emotional distress and negligence. Representatives for Game had no comment.

Violence Erupts in the N.O.

2005-04-25T22:11:00.000-07:00

Police are seeking to question New Orleans, Louisiana rapper 5th Ward Weebie in connection with a fatal shooting in April.

Weebie, born Jerome Cosey, allegedly left the scene of a nightclub shooting with an unidentified man who is suspected of shooting and killing a man at a Vacherie night club.

Police seek to charge Cosey, 27, with accessory to second-degree murder, but sources told AllHipHop.com that rapper has not formally been charged with any crime.

Police have not released details or revealed what led to the fatal shooting.

Cosey released three albums, one for Southcoast Music Group, one for Fat Boy records and another for Kane and Abel’s Most Wanted Empire imprint.

In related news, sources told AllHipHop.com that violence claimed “Boss Playa,” another rapper associated with Kane & Abel that appeared on several of their songs as well.

While details are sketchy, sources said the rapper was gunned down outside a local barbershop.

Beef Squashed

2005-04-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

The major players in West Coast hip-hop, along with comedian Steve Harvey, came together yesterday behind closed doors to squash all beefs. Snoop, Daz, Kurupt, Lil Eazy, The Game, and others were in attendance. The only two major figures missing were Dr. Dre and Suge Knight who Snoop said were both supportive of the meeting, however could not attend due to their strenuous schedules. This is a major step in the new West Coast movement, and possibly the start of a real West Coast ressurection.

Being from the West Coast, this is a positive thing knowing that the West opened the doors for many artists to spit what they spit about today, and to now have someone with the popularity of Snoop Dogg taking initiative to assert himself and become really serious about a cause that many have been waiting for in years past, is saying something about who that man is. Hats off to Suge Knight also for letting all that old stuff go!

Snoop Leading the West in New Direction

2005-04-07T11:01:00.000-07:00

Recently, Game and Snoop held a press conference to officially announce the start of their How the West Was Won Tour. At that press conference, both parties reassured everyone that there will be nothing but love and respect on the tour, especially being that Bloods and Crips, as well as, brothers from Long Beach and Compton have traditionally not gotten along. This is another sign that Big Snoop Dogg is maturing. Earlier this week, Snoop announced that he would personally reunite the West Coast and end all beefs between once friends turned enemies, including with former Dogg Pound member Kurupt.

Snoop Dogg reiterated that the only way record label execs and music media types would let the West Coast shine again is if West Coast artists unite and stop letting the Bloods vs Crips and L.A. vs. the Bay mentality go. Snoop also said that he will nurture the careers of West Coast artists that are skilled, but have long been ignored by label execs. Lastly, he also labeled Game as the choice of the next generation, stating that he has really taking a liking to him regardless of him being a Blood.

B. Sigel B. Coming Mature

2005-04-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

As Beanine Mack sits in a federal prison on gun charges, he dropped an album a week ago entitled the B. Coming. As one of the few artists that stayed with Dame Dash on his new Dame Dash Music Group, Beanie Sigel has put out an album worth every penny one would pay for it. I copped mine at Target for $9.98 and it was well worth it. I admit, I was one of those skeptics that used to think that although Beanie Sigel was probably the hottest MC on the Roc, he would fall under the pressure once Jay-Z retired. The main reason I thought Beans was the illest on the Roc was because he fed off of Jay-Z's energy and kind of used Jay as competition, which enabled Sigel to spit fire.

On the B. Coming, Sigel has seemed to transform his flow into a movie, storytelling his rhymes like the greats before him did, i.e., BIG, Pac, Ice Cube, Jay-Z, and Kool G Rap. The only knock I have on this album is that I wish Beans didn't have as many guest features on this joint. I feel that the songs he did feature other artist on were strong enough to leave the other artists off. Anyway, cop that B. Coming and see for yourself.

Once Again It's On

Snoop and Game on U.S Tour

2005-04-01T11:16:00.000-08:00

After touring Europe together, Snoop and Game unleash their How the West Was Won Tour on April 15th in Utah.

The dates are as follows:

4/15 - West Valley City, UT @ E Center
4/16 - Vail, CO @ Vail Village
4/17 - Denver, CO @ Magness Arena
4/19 - Valley Center, KS @ Kansas Coliseum
4/20 - St. Louis, MO @ Savvis Center
4/21 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
4/22 - Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena
4/23 - Detroit, MI @ Joe Louis Arena
4/24 - Cincinnati, OH @ U.S. Bank Arena
4/26 - Columbus, OH @ Jerome Schottenstein Center
4/29 - Hartford, CT @ CTnow.com Meadows Music
4/30 - Amherst, NY @ University of Buffalo, Alumni Arena
5/5 - Worcester, MA @ DCU Center
5/6 - Ithaca, NY @ Cornell University
5/7 - Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Spectrum
5/8 - Fairfax, VA @ Patriot Center
5/10 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
5/12 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Zoo Amphitheatre
5/13 - Dallas, TX @ Smirnoff Music Centre
5/14 - Selma, TX @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
5/15 - Corpus Christi, TX @ American Bank Center
5/18 - Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion
5/19 - Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Pavilion
5/20 - La Jolla, CA @ RIMAC Arena
5/21 - Anaheim, CA @ Arrowhead Pond
5/24 - Las Vegas, NV @ Skin Pool Lounge at Palms Casino
5/25 - San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion at San Jose
5/26 - Marysville, CA @ Sleep Train Amphitheatre
5/28 - Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
5/29 - Vancouver, BC @ Pacific Coliseum

TI and Lil Flip Beef Goes to Next Level

2005-03-28T09:50:00.000-08:00

TI was in Houston the other day after the tour he was on with Nelly and Fat Joe was cancelled (due to Nelly's sister passing) and was airing Lil Flip out on a local radio station. Apparently, TI then proceeded to go to Flip's neighborhood to film a video and was met by Lil Flip and his Clover G boys. Stories conflict, but TI appeared on Hot 107.9 in the ATL and showed a video to DJ Emperor Searcy, which for the most part validated his side of the story that he challenged Lil Flip to a head up one on one fight while he (Lil Flip) was standing on the other side of a vehicle. While TI was challenging him, someone in Flip's camp hit TI in the back of the head. TI had no visible wounds and says he moved passed that beef because he proved what he set out to prove, which is Lil Flip isn't a real G.

Well TI, from someone that has a lot of respect for you, that's the dumbest way to disprove an image upheld by someone. What you did was more in line with getting killed. I know you said you're willing to die for yours, however don't go provoking the issue.

Lil Kim Found Guilty

2005-03-19T12:20:00.000-08:00

Lil Kim, who came into her own after being introduced to the world by the late great Notorious B.I.G, has been found guilty of perjury for lying to a federal grand jury. Thankfully she was acquitted of the most serious charge of obstruction of justice. After the verdict, Lil Kim could face up to 20 years in prison, which will not likely happen. According to legal experts, she will most likely get no more than 5 years if that.

Former crew members including Lil Cease are being labeled as snitches for their testimony in the trial, but for the record, they were only telling they jury what they already knew via evidence presented by the prosecutor. Lil Kim claimed she didn't know the shooters in an incident involding CNN and Junior M.A.F.I.A at the Hot 97 studios in 2001. Evidence was presented contrary to Kim's story and she was found guilty of perjury. Let's hope she learns her lesson and also doesn't get that much time.

R.I.P. BIG, Thanks 50 Cent & Game

2005-03-09T10:18:00.000-08:00

First and foremost, Rest In Peace Christopher "Notorious B.I.G." Wallace. It was on this day March 9, 1997 that one of the greatest MC's to ever live was gunned down in Los Angeles, CA. Biggie will always be missed and praised for the legacy he left behind.

Fast forward to March 9, 2005 and you have a kid from L.A. and a kid from the NYC that are looking past their minor dispute and are officially calling a truce for the world to see. Yes after 9 long days of wondering what was going to happen to the face of bi-coastal hip-hop, Game and 50 Cent are squashing their much publicized issues. Only those two know the real motives and underlying reasons for the "beef" and the resolution of the "beef", but whatever the case may be, I am congratulating the two on stepping to the plate like men and squashing this before it got ugly.

Last, and most definately least, 50 Cent's new album has reportedly pushed over 1 million units is a little under a week.

50 Peacing, Game Beefing

2005-03-08T14:03:00.000-08:00

In a recent twist to the Game and 50 Cent Beef, Game has been actively promoting the beef while 50 Cent has been trying to squash it.

This past weekend at Vault 350 in Long Beach, CA Game threw some shots at his former crew members of G-Unit. He explained his version of the shooting incident saying that him and his Blood homies went up to Hot 97 to get at the G-Unit members present and shortly after their arrival, security came out shooting, striking one of his homies. Convential wisdom told me that there was only two reasons that someone got shot that night 1) someone was getting beat up or 2) someone was trigger happy. I guess Game clarified which reason as to why the shooting took place.

Meanwhile, on Hot 97 this weekend, 50 Cent offered an opportunity for him and Game to work their issues out, saying that he wants to make a conscious decision to be nice about the situation. The way 50 Cent worded his peace offering makes it seem as if he is doing Game a favor. Anyway, 50 Cent is doing something he said he would never do, and that is take something back. After publicly stating that Game is across the street and around the corner from him and G-Unit, he is attempting to handle the situation diplomatically. What are his motives? We'll see in the comings days/ or weeks. G-Unit was supposed to have a G-Unit West launch party in L.A. in a few weeks, could it be that he knows where the majority of his album sales come from (California) and wants to be cool with Game so that he doesn't get his Cali pass revoked. I've seen footage of his show at Vault 350 and the crowd was as animated and against G-Unit as Game was. Lets hope no one dies over this!

Peace

Somebody Gonna Die?

2005-03-01T06:57:00.000-08:00

It's official. Game is longer a part of G-Unit. In a few short hours on New York radio last night, the whole rap world got turned upside down. In a move that most of us saw coming a long time ago, 50 Cent has officially asked game to stop repping G-Unit. Both parties involved were on New York's Hot 97 radio station at different times. Earlier in the day, Game was being interviewed by Angie Martiniez and was receiving comments from callers telling him that 50 Cent was dissing him, and even got a call from a female that suspiciously wasn't screened by the radio station, and was popping big noise to Game. In a move that also seemed suspicious, Angie Martinez informed Game that 50 Cent would be at the station a little later. Game responded by saying "that's good information Angie."

Angie Martinez was not lying to Game as 50 Cent and the rest of G-Unit (Banks, Yayo, and Oivia) appeared on Hot 97 talking real slick about Game. Whereas Game was more reserved about his comments about 50 and G-Unit, 50 claimed that he wrote six songs for Game and that Game has yet to prove that he can make it without him. 50 Cent also stated that he hasn't spoke with Dr. Dre or any of the Aftermath/ Interscope staff about the issue. To make matters worst, before 50 Cent was finished with his interview, shots were fired outside. Conflicting reports state that a member of G-Unit was shot, while others say a member of Game's Black Wall Street was shot. Regardless, I thought 50 cent and G-Unit was in for a shaking up when 50 Cent took shots at Nas. About a month after the leak of Piggy Bank, G-Unit is not the same. There have also been reports that 50 will be severing ties with Shady/ Aftermath. That fact remains to be seen, but this has the potential to go where no rap beef has ever gone before. 50 Cent is diigin himself a real deep hole right now. He's sold most of his commercial albums in Cali and now he's beefing with Game...he may not be able to go back to L.A.

P.S., As I'm publishing this post, I'm listening to Massacre...and it's wizzzzack...real talk!!!

Game and 50 Cent Beefing?

2005-02-28T19:06:00.000-08:00

In recent interviews, on radio and in the media, 50 Cent and Game have appeared to be throwing subliminal/ direct jabs at one another. For example, in a recent interview with Wendy Williams, Game was asked why wasn't he wearing his G-Unit chain by Ms. Williams, and he replied by saying "because this Aftermath." Also, Game has recently stated that he will not get involved with 50 Cent's newly brewing beef with Jadakiss because Jada is a close personal friend of Game. To add further insult, 50 Cent nor any of the other high profile G-Unit members didn't even attend Game's album release party in New York.

50 Cent has also been taking little shots at Game, saying that he's not that excited about Game's project currently because all the songs that have been released off his new album have him on it. In the March '05 edition of XXL, 50 called Game an outsider, and admited to frequently being upset with Game because he's not always kept in the loop in regards to Game's dealings. There have also been reports of physical altercation between 50 Cent and Game.

Although I'm not the type of person to say I told you so, but I never thought that those two personalities would mesh for too long. There are some people that seem to think that Game and 50 Cent make great records together, but I think that the three radio songs that Game has featuring 50 are three of Game's weakest efforts. 50 Cent has enough heads about to come after him in the coming weeks with Jadakiss and Fat Joe slated for responses to 50's Piggy Bank without having to worry about his own crew member coming at him. Nas has already stated that he'll send a response if he thought he had a worthy opponent. Time will tell how this situation will unfold.

GGGGGG-Unit? For How Long?

XXL to Spotlight the West Coast

2005-02-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

Game and Snoop will don the cover of the new XXL Magazine titled "West Coast Resurrection". Not only will XXL feature interviews by Game and Snoop, the magazine will also take a look at west coast pioneers like MC Eiht, DJ Quik, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and will chronicle the 10 year anniversary of Eazy E's death. Some think that it is long overdue for the West Coast to get some shine, but the music game is media controlled, and they say who gets shine and who doesn't.

For years the South has had dope artist, but it wasn't until the media started covering southern artists when the South started to shine in the public eye. Even when the West Coast was on top, the East Coast had some top notch mc's, but the media was giving all the shine to the west. It's all a cycle; therefore, I hope West Coast artists like Ras Kass and Crooked I finally get some shine.

Ras Kass Dissing Game?

2005-02-08T09:16:00.000-08:00

Although Shady/Aftermath has been heavily recruiting Ras Kass during his stint and release from prison, that doesn't stop Ras from going after Game, or at least that's what I think he's doing on a new mixtape cut called "Caution". Ras starts the song by thanking all West Coast artists for repping the West since he has been incarcerated, then unapologetically, Ras Kass goes on to say that "I will crush all you niggas." I have been hearing this song pop up on the net for a minute now, but didn't want to really comment on it until today when Ras Kass released a statement saying that he was not dissing Game, but "...if the shoe fits, find a matching skirt." Hmmm, sounds a little animated: furthermore, Ras does spit a few bars that could be interpreted as taking shots at Game like "Fools is acting like they what I always was / West Coast lyricist with East Coast love / you was made to run / get a thousand tattoos and won't raise your gun / so when you get merked I'ma raise your son"

Ras also goes on to say that he's the King of the West unless Pac comes back in the flesh this summer. Looks like Ras Kass will be raising a few eyebrows in the coming weeks as I predicted in an earlier post.

Rasassination Baaaaby!

Jay-Z Rapping for Relief

2005-02-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

Jay-Z is one of many music stars that will be peforming at The Anaheim Pond on February 18, 2005 in order to raise money for tsunami victims of Southeast Asia and East Africa. Linkin Park and Jurassic 5 are also slated to join the roster of performers. Jay-Z, who is known for his philanthropic work, being one of the first to donate funds to the tragedy that happened at Columbine High School in Littleton, CO in April of 1999. Linkin Park's Music for Relief organization is staging the event. Thusfar, the organization has raised in excess of $1.5 million, and hope to raise $1 million more with sales of concert tickets.

Black Cloud Over Black Wall Street

2005-01-31T07:52:00.000-08:00

The Black Wall Street, Game's label and community organization, has released a statement in regards to two violent incidents that seem to be overshadowing Game's first week on top of the Billboard charts. The first incident of concern is an altercation that took place at a radio station in the Washington D.C. area where Game's entourage allegedly caused serious injuries to an on air personality named Xzulu. The altercation began when Xzulu allegedly made a remark about Game's manager's headset. Whether or not Game was directly involved in the altercation remains to be proven factual, however, when someone gets assaulted by a member of an entourage as high profile as Game's, then of course Game is going to be blamed. Therefore, Game, Big Fase, Jimmy Henchmen, and the rest of Black Wall Street please control your tempers if you really want to be a force in the community like you say you do.

In other Black Wall Street news, the Compton headquarters they call home was shot at recently. I guess success does breed jealousy. I mean it's not like those less fortunate individuals from Game's part of town that don't have #1 albums are taking his success in stride, especially if those individuals are from rival neighborhoods. There are a lot of people that want to see that man dead, and many of them want to be the one that's responsible for his death. My advice to Game and Black Wall Street is, if you want to continue doing business in Compton, lease some office space and hire some security. Doing business out of a house that sits on an alley is not very smart with such a high profile name associated with your company. Also, Game needs to align himself with some political leaders if Black Wall Street really wants to have an impact on the community. As this would allow him to do more for his city and make it a lot safer doing so.

Peace

Irv Gotti Surrenders to Federal Agents

2005-01-27T11:02:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday January 26, 2005 Irv Gotti, born Irving Lorenzo, the CEO of The Inc. Records, along with his brother Christopher Lorenzo, surrendered to federal agents in New York City. The two face up to 20 years in prison under federal RICO (Racketeering In Corrupt Organization) Laws if convicted on money laundering charges. The charges stem from The Inc's affiliation with former New York drug kingpin Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff and his underwold enterprise.

Irv Gotti was quoted as saying that he has no ill will towards the "Feds" for their investigation and that he is only guilty of making hit records. The brothers were both released on $1 million bonds and are due back in court on March 18.

Jermaine Dupri President of Virgin Urban

2005-01-24T14:12:00.000-08:00

Jermaine Dupri, long time CEO of So So Def and multi-platinum producer, has been named the president of Virgin Records Urban Division. This marks the third home for Dupri and his So So Def imprint that originally was distributed through Columbia/ Sony. JD was under the wing of Clive Davis and L.A. Reid for a couple of years before Arista folded into BMG imprint Jive Records. Dupri expressed dislike for the situation he was in at Jive and wanted out of his contract. Upon his release, Dupri and his stable of artists, which includes Daz Dillienger, Da Brat, and the Youngbloodz have been free agents until recently with the camp being moved to Virgin.

Dupri has stated that he wants to be the first artist to drop an album under the new deal with Daz' long awaited comeback album not far behind. Some speculate that long-time girlfriend Janet Jackson had something to do with Dupri's move over to Virgin being that she is also an artist on the label. However, Virgin's CEO Matt Serletic said it was Dupri's track record of making hits that was the deciding factor in him hiring ATL's finest. With the West Coast rekindling the fire with Game's new release and Dr. Dre's Detox slated to drop before year's end, JD needs to get that Daz out sometime soon.

Welcome to Atlanta, Virgin

D-Block on 50

2005-01-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

In what I think to be a very classy move, D-Block and LOX members Jadakiss and Styles P refused to unleash any verbal abuses at 50 Cent in a recent interview with Funkmaster Flex. Instead of stating what they were going to do to him or releasing any diss record, Jada and Styles simply let it be known that Jada's decision to rhyme on Ja Rule's hit single New York, which also featured Fat Joe, was strictly a business move. Fat Joe also stated that he knew Irv and Ja before their "beef" with 50 so he doesn't see what the big deal is.

Jadakiss and Styles did express concerns that if they were to get involved in a highly publicized "beef" with 50 Cent that Universal, both D-Block's and G-Unit's parent company, that Interscope/ Universal would side with 50 Cent because he's pushing more units. While it seems that the LOX are playing a more diplomatic role in this situation that 50 Cent is seeming to take out of hand, chances are that if he keeps running his mouth, then D-Block will strike back. We'll see, let's hope it doesn't get too ugly.

Peace!

Joey Crack Pushed Back Again

2005-01-20T05:26:00.000-08:00

Fat Joe's latest album, now titled All or Nothing is slated for an April 25, 2005 release date. The album, originally titled Things of That Nature was supposed to drop in mid-November to follow the heavy buzz Joe received from last summer's smash hit Lean Back, but was instead pushed back to a late January release date. Now executives at Atlantic are going to release the album in late April, my guess to give Game's new release The Documentary and 50's March 8th release St. Valentine's Day Massacre time to cool off. Speaking of Game, some experts are giving him the early nod for best album of the year. I don't know about that, especially knowing that Outkast will be dropping 10 The Hard Way in mid-June.

Peace!

Cop That Game

2005-01-18T15:45:00.000-08:00

I'll be the first to admit, I was being skeptical in regards to the new release by G-Unit member Game. I think I was doing so because the West Coast hadn't had a buzz for a new artist like this since Snoop dropped Doggystyle. At first listen, I could actually let the CD ride as none of the songs on the album were just wack to me, although there were a couple songs that I wasn't necessarily feeling as with any album that has came out in the last couple years.

I won't deem this album a classic, however there are some extra solid joints on here making it a good buy. Some of my favorite tracks on the album are the Kanye West produced Dreams, the Havoc produced Don't Need Your Love, the Dre produced Documentary, and the final track Like Father, Like Son. This album is also very introspective, and although one would think this album would glorify the Southern California gang lifestyle, it actually doesn't. Game is actually giving hope to those that come from the "hood", especially on the track Start From Scratch where Game openly expresses his feelings on his life and how he wouldn't change anything if given the chance. Overall, this album brings a lot to the table...hope you enjoy.

Is Compton in the house?

Chingy and Nelly Battle for the Lou

2005-01-15T13:39:00.000-08:00

St. Louis rap heavyweights Chingy and Nelly have been entrenched in a little war of words lately. The "beef" started when Nelly took a subliminal shot at Chingy in his latest release Sweat/ Suit. Chingy taking offense to his St. Louis counterpart released a brutal street dis record aimed directly at Nelly and the Lunatics.

Nelly, in a recent interview, claimed that he was not taking a subliminal shot at Chingy and that Chingy has a problem with being a man because if he really had a problem with Nelly, he should have stepped to him when the two saw each other at an awards show in Vegas. Regardless, this won't be the most lyrical battle ever, but it will be an interesting one being that Chingy's latest album isn't moving the units that his first album did to date. Anyway, how about you guys keeping all this herrre and thurrr country grammar on record, alright derties!

Eminem Face to Face With Dave Mays

2005-01-12T18:36:00.000-08:00

Eminem and Source Magazine co-founder David Mays briefly bumped heads recently at a Detroit radio station. This long standing feud between Shady/ Aftermath and the Source has finally gotten the face to face meeting that Dave Mays and other co-founder Ray Benzino have been looking for. Mays and Benzino have long been calling Eminem out to meet with them face to face, with Slim Shady giving one of them what they wanted. Apparently, Mays was being interviewed at a local Detroit radio station when Eminem made his appearance with a reported 10 man entourage. The two men exchanged heated words, but reportedly, no physical harm was brought to either party.

Gentlemen, lets keep this thing peaceful. Em, if you wanted to holler at Mays, you should have showed up solo so that you guys could have ironed your differences out like men. Apparently, Mays was shocked to see Eminem in person for the first time. In a brief statement, he even joked about whether or not the person he saw was really Eminem. Even after all the confusion, Mays still wants to have a one on one sit down with Mr Mathers.

Hi My Name Is!

Jay-Z signs Foxy

2005-01-11T18:33:00.000-08:00

Long-time collaborators, former label mates, and BK representers Jay-Z and Foxy Brown have reunited. Jay-Z, the new president at Def Jam Recordings, has signed Foxy to a contract with undisclosed numbers at this point. I have never really been a Foxy Brown fan; however, I respect her talent and I am rooting for her to make a successful album, whenever it may drop. Foxy had long been talking a reunion with Jay, but it failed to come to fruition in the public's eye until recently when this signing was announced. I'm curious to see who else Jay-Z will sign in the coming weeks.

Holla!

Nas Married

2005-01-11T18:12:00.000-08:00

Queensbridge legend Nas has just gotten married to singer Kelis in Atlanta, GA. I find the marriage very intriguing because it seems as if only yesterday you started to hear about their relationship. Now they have officially tied the knot. Big up to Nas for taking that step, especially in such a high profile relationship. Lets hope that they have lots of children in order to keep that talent pool going strong for another generation.

Welcome Home Ras Kass

2005-01-08T13:16:00.000-08:00

After serving almost two years in a California State correctional facility, legendary West Coast rhyme smith Ras Kass has been released. Welcome home bro', I hate to see brothers in the beast, especially brothers as talented as Ras. Supposedly Ras has over 100 songs that he is ready to unleash. If I know Ras like hip hop purist East/ West Coasters alike, then I know at least 80 of them are dope. With the Game dropping in a little over a week, Dre finishing up Detox, and Ras Kass being released from prison, it's shaping up to look like a good year for the West Coast!

In A Minute

Outkast Going Back to Their Roots

2005-01-04T13:14:00.000-08:00

Multiple award winning, envelop pushing, good music making, and culture shocking supergroup Outkast will be returning to their Southernplayalistic roots on their upcoming June release "10 The Hard Way." Many have been praying for this release, while others are just starting to get used to the Outkast of the 21st Century. Outkast have been one of my favorite groups every since their ascension in the hip hop ranks in the summer of 1994. Southernplayalistic was a classic, then they outdid themselves with ATLiens, and then they set the bar with the critically acclaimed Aquemini.

Then in 2000, Outkast lost some of their hard core fan base while gaining a whole lot of new fans with the release of Stankonia. After a greatest hits album in 2001, Outkast, amongst rumors of break-up, dropped the double disc Speakerboxxx/ Love Below. The diamond selling album cemented Outkast as crossover pop icons. Now with the upcoming release of "10 The Hard Way", Outkast claims to be going as hard as they did on Southerplayalistic. Talk about a complete 360 turnaround. I'm dying to hear the new album as a die hard Outkast fan. Check me out as I keep you updated on this release.

Stank you!

Hip Hop Isn't Music?

2005-01-03T06:43:00.000-08:00

Who said hip hop isn't music? Well according to the Lone Ranger and his response to my post on December 30, 2004, here's what he had to say "Hip Hop "artists" are street thugs who wouldn't succeed in any other endeavor. The violence will stop only when their audience becomes smart enough to realize that this isn't music at all and tunes them out. So long as there are stupid consumers, there will be violent hip hop."

First of all Mr. Ranger, with comments like that, I can see why you are lone, all alone to be exact! According to the Mirriam Websters online dictionary music is defined as "vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony" and also "the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity" Pick either definition and one can clearly see that hip hop does fit into the definition of what music is. From the Roots to Dr. Dre, numerous hip hop tracks are made with live instruments, not just drum loops and samples. Therefore, I find it hard to take Lone Ranger seriously in his distorted observation. From NBA games to your favorite commercials, hip hop is the music of choice for marketers when it comes to keeping people spending money. Consequently, it seems as if hip hop is a major driver for the American economy, not to mention that it's the highest selling (volume) and grossing (monetarily) music genre in the world.

And as to his comments that hip hop artists "are street thugs who wouldn't succeed in any other endeavor", obviously he hasn't done his homework on that subject either. With several rappers/ producers making money in several other fields that do not necesarily have anything to do with music speaks volumes in itself. Not to mention that several hip hop artists have college degrees. So for someone that has been a journalist for over 30 years, blah blah blah, Mr. Ranger should exercise some journalistic intergrity and research matters that he's so quick to speak on, especially when it comes to my blog. Before I go, violence in hip hop is unacceptable, and that was the main reason I was speaking on it so that hip hop "cops" like Lone Ranger can't take shots at our culture!

Violence In Hip Hop

2004-12-30T07:14:00.000-08:00

When will the violence in hip hop stop? That's the question I am waiting to be answered as two men were shot, one fatally, outside a club in New York after a party hosted by Ja Rule. Apparently, the two men shot have links to Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, the alleged front man for Irv Gotti and The Inc.

There are now reports surfacing that McGriff ordered the hit on 50 Cent's mother when he was just a child. That is where the "beef" between G-Unit and The Inc. allegedly stems from. Obviously, I can't confirm that, therefore, I'll leave that in the rumor mill. Anyway, rap/ hip hop has taken an ugly black eye as of late with the string of violence that has been going on between artists', their entortages, and fans that want to test these rappers street cred. Eminem has recently addressed these issues in a cut called "Toy Soldiers" off his new album Encore. Em has even hinted at squashing the Shady/ Aftermath beefs with the Source, Ja Rule, Royce Da 5'9, and others. Lets hope that he is sincere and that others at least listen to his plea. I'm tired of giving people like the hip hop police reasons to trail our favorite artist and subsequently tarnish their images. It's '05 yall, lets humble ourselves and stop the violence!!!

Is The Game For Real

2004-12-29T06:05:00.000-08:00

Being from Los Angeles (Now residing in the ATL), I get a lot of questions in regards to G-Unit member and Shady/ Aftermath artist Game. As stated, being from the City of Angels, I am privvy to lots of information that others may or may not know. But in a recent article at www.allhiphop.com, Game put mostly all of his business in the air. For weeks, he has been the butt of jokes about him being on the game show Change of Heart, that he rocked a tongue ring on that show, he used to be a male stripper, and that he didn't actually start banging until several years removed from high school, which in L.A. really doesn't give you that much street cred when you start banging after the age of 18.

Another thing that I get when the issue of Game comes up is that other than him screaming Compton every other bar, people still tend to think he is from New York. I mean when people say Young Buck, there's no doubt that people know he is from the South. On the other hand, there are many people that think Game is from the East Coast because of his braggadocios/ metaphorically laced flow. Yes he reps the red rags to the fullest, but then again so does Harlemite Jim Jones, who featured Game on the Eazy E influenced "Certified Gangstas". There's no doubt that as an artist, Game can hold his own, although I happen to think that sometimes he tries too hard to be a pure MC. Some of his bars seem rushed/ or cluttered at times. I know he said he studied the greats and rolled them all into one, and I can tell that's exactly what he did. His good moments are great and his bad moments make you wonder why 50, Dre, and Em hype this kid up.

The album which was originally supposed to be titled "N.W.A. Vol. I" has now been changed to the "Documentary" and is slated for a January 18th release date. Time will tell if the young man that just started rapping three years ago will come and take the hip hop world by storm, much the same way that his G-Unit homies have done over the last two years. His story is eerily similar to 50 Cent's story, and he is receiving the same type of hype 50 received as 2002 was coming to an end. Now it's 2004 coming to an end, and the most anticipated album to bring in 2005 is The Game's "Documentary". A lot of people want to see him fail, just so they can say that the West Coast hip-hop movement is officially dead, while others want to see him blow so they can say I told you so. Me personally, I want to see Game make good music and stop emulating the same beef starting marketing tactics that 50 Cent uses. I've been all through Compton, and know some of the Hub City's finest; therefore, I hope Game can put the Hub officially back on the map like Biggie did for BK.

This is how I do!

50 Cent Needs to Respect Elders

2004-12-24T20:16:00.000-08:00

Once again, former Nas protege' 50 Cent was found unnecesarily running off at the mouth. Word out of the NYC is that 50 is throwing a few verbal jabs at Jada (who is way iller than 50), Fat Joe (who has equal skills to 50), Nas (who is way out of that kid's league), and Kelis (guilty by association). Apparently, the mumble rap king has issues with Jadakiss and Fat Joe cutting the "New York" track with nemesis Ja Rule. He attempted to debut the cut called "Piggyback" on Funk Master Flex's Hot 97 radio show, but Flex declined to play the joint to keep the peace.

Note to Funk Flex: In Los Angeles, we have a saying that states the law of "Bad news travels fast".

Anyway, 50's reason for going at Nas is that he first had issues with the Streets Disciple teaming with The Inc. a few years ago. Since then, 50 has been throwing little slick comments towards Nas' way, but since Nas already knows that he helped raise 50, he wasn't really tripping on the dude just like he wasn't tripping on Jigga when he first started trying to go at Nas. Therefore, during a free concert at central Park, Nas ripped 50, killing the dude in front of real street cats in New York. So now 50 cent has brought Kelis (Nas' fiance') into the fracas. What an idiot?! Well maybe not, because 50's album is dropping in February, but at the same time, Nas is going to murder this dude in a few weeks, and I mean lay dude to rest. 50 is no Jigga, and even Jigga never really recovered from "Ether".

50 Cent has never been an MC that has gotten by on his own merit. Talk about piggybacking, he came into the game piggybacking with "How to Rob". From there he almost got killed and used that as a marketing tool. Then he lucked up and signed to Dre and Eminem, and from there it has been about dissing The Inc. and a few other rappers who were not that equiped to defend themselves like Domination, Joe Buddens, and Shyne. This time 50 has bitten off more than he can chew. He should've learned from the little homie Game and not try to go at veterans with street cred because you just might get ate up. Because Yukmouth, although not as popular as he was in the Luniz days, ripped Game, point blank. 50 shut up and make records!

GGGGGG Gone

Nas On SportsCenter Trashing Kobe Bryant

2004-12-23T13:57:00.000-08:00

Now, I'm at somewhat of a crossroad here. My man Nasir Jones, the illest MC doing it right now, has recently made an appearance on ESPN's SportsCenter dissing top Laker Kobe Bryant. First of all, being an L.A. native, I absolutely love the Lake Show, Shaq or no Shaq. Therefore, I have a problem with anyone taking shots at members of "my" team whether they deserve it or not.

Yes, Kobe is a snitch. Yes, Kobe is a hater. Yes, Kobe is a sucker for love. (Vanessa does run that household) Yes, Kobe needs to learn how to make his teammates better. Yes, Kobe talks entirely too much. With all the facts being stated, I would like to ask Nas to let Laker fans address Kobe issues. That's just like if I know my sister sleeps around, I'm not going to let the next man state that fact, na'mean. I'm feeling the cut "These Are Our Heroes" on the god's new album Streets Disciple, which is the fuel of his fire on SportsCenter, plus it's not "hard to tell" that Nas and Shaq share some sort of relationship with one another because Nas continues to big Shaq up.

When it came to who's my favorite amongst the two (Shaq and Kobe), I would have always chosen Shaq, now that Shaq is no longer a Laker, I have to choose Kobe. You know, I deal with loyalty, especially among the three California sports teams I pull for (Lakers, Dodgers, and Raiders)...Sorry Shaq, u my man and all, the problem I have with you is that I don't like the Heat. And for Nas, you are my favorite MC, and if you would like it to stay that way, stay out of Laker business, period!!!

Jay-Z New Prez at Def Jam

2004-12-22T13:27:00.000-08:00

Is it just me, or is it absolutely inspiring to see a kid from the projects rise through the ranks of the hip-hop world and become the president of the #1 branded label in rap/ hip-hop? Sean "Jay-Z" Carter, a local street hustler turned entrepreneur, who at one time couldn't get a record deal, went from B.I.G sidekick to on again off again King of New York to the new King of Kings of hip-hop labels. (Note: All unsigned acts looking to get signed, have your manager/ or lawyer forward your demo to Def Jam Recordings)

Not only is it absolutely inspiring, it is absolutely the type of material big time Hollywood screenplay writers look for when scripting that new blockbuster film. Word on the street is that Lil Wayne of Cash Money Millionaires has already jumped ship in hopes of working with Hova on a full time basis. Even archrival Nasir Jones (who happens to be my favorite MC in this day and age) has went as far as going on record to publicly squash their long standing beef, while also dropping hints that he would even consider working with Jigga. Hmmm! Very Interesting.

But as with anything positive, there has to be a negative. The new move made by L.A. Reed to make Big Pimpin himself the new Def Jam president has not went without a few riffs in the Roc-A-Fella family. Apparently this move, along with Def Jam now owning the Roc-A-Fella name, has pretty much confirmed rumors that there is "beef" between Jay and long time friend Damon Dash. And unless you have been living under a rock, then you should know that Killa Cam and Jay-Z have never seen eye-to-eye on anything; therefore, the leader of the Dip Set has left Def Jam/ Roc-A-Fella to join his crew over at Koch. Well, enough about what I think at this time, holla back with your thoughts on this new move made by Mr. Reed empowering Mr. Carter

G'Yeah