Same sh*t, different toilet. Join us at the new url, http://therapup.net.
All my blog family, please reset your url to: therapup.net

Labels: The Rap Up

Pimp C had the internet going nuts the other day when he bodied Atlanta in the August issue of Ozone. ATL's 107.9 reached out to the Pimp to find out why he's so mad. The interview is long and Pimp C is screaming on top of his lungs, so I'll sum it up for you:

-His statements are right but you may have heard it wrong
-Atlanta is not part of the south
-Atlanta is the gay capital of the US
-Pimp C is a man
-Pimp C is speaking on behalf of Pimp C, not UGK
-Crunk rappers should mail lifetime royalty checks to Three Six Mafia

And all this is coming from the guy who just worked with OutKast on "Int'l Players Anthem," labeled Young Jeezy "one of the realest n***as," and dubbed T.I. "King of the South."

I have to agree with the Pimp on one thing though: I flew to ATL for the last BET Hip-Hop Awards and had to adjust my watch to eastern daylight time.

Labels: Interviews, pimp c, Shots Fired

Chamillionaire - Hip-Hop Police


Chamillionaire - Evening News

Cham got 99 problems but Bob O'Wildy ain't one.

In the 9-minute 2-part clip, Koopa plays three different characters: Hal Sharpless (hip-hop cop), Bob O'Wildy (news anchor), and Cashus Burns (reporter). Slick Rick will be in on the fun, playing Detective Jeffrey Jackson. They dropped plenty of clues with all those names, but I'm not too sure about Cashus Burns.

One thing, "When did BET start playing music videos again?"

Labels: chamillionaire, Videos

::Deelishis - Rumpshaker video. (I watched it on mute. I recommend you do the same.)

-For as low as $100 you can buy your own Mr. Porter beats. I wonder if he does layaway and/or installment payment plans. [Grandgood]

-5 most disappointing albums of 2007 (so far). [Street Census]

-Nicolay speaks on a number of interesting issues, including his upcoming collaborative LP with Kay of the Foundation. [Boo Goo Doo Boom]

-Little Brother - The Getback cover art/tracklist. Don't they look like they're high on EPMD? [Nah Right]

-Trilla: New joint from Ricky Rawwws tha baws. [Discobelle]

-The 2007 Houston Press Music Awards is now ready to take your votes. [Houston Press]

Labels: Cuban Linx, Videos

No, Kanye didn't grow a beard, that's comedian Zachary Galifianakis acting a fool.

And here's the official remix of "Can't Tell Me Nothing," featuring Jeezy who just seems to have gained some extra bionic powers off of Saigon's "hottest MC" comment:

Kanye ft. Jeezy - "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Remix)

Labels: Kanye West, Videos

Remove whatever's in your system right now and replace it with Monster Maker. Then kick back and enjoy the best 40 minutes of your life. Obvious hyperboles aside, I haven't felt this good about a rap record since Louis Logic unleashed Misery Loves Comedy.

C-Rayz Walz and Sharkey manage to cram some of the fiercest cutting edge hip-hop music of the year into 12 songs. Best of all, the album's brief run time leaves little room for redundancy. So, even if you end up not liking Monster Maker at all (trust me, some of you won't), you would've only wasted 40 minutes, as opposed to, say, the 1.2 hours I squandered on that new Turf Talk album.

Labels: The Listening Session

::History in the making: D-Nice documents Jonnathan Mannion's photo session with Chamillionaire for the cover of The Source. [D-Nice]

-I've been meaning to spotlight Blitz for a very long time now. Thankfully, Ian has relieved me of that duty. This kid is the illest MC you've never heard of. [Different Kitchen]

-Quote of the Day: "He was a good little mama's boy, and now he sings about guns and busting caps...Now [that] Supreme's away, I guess he needs a gun." - Cop who arrested Ja Rule yesterday. [NY Daily News]

-Cee-Lo expands his hustle, acquires rare Jimi Hendrix catalog. [NME]

-Afeni Shakur takes on Suge Knight. What took her so long? [Prohiphop]

-Smoking Section chats up Sean Kingston. [TSS]

-The Roc is still alive. [Straight Bangin']

-Stop the rumors. Nas is still grinding at the Black Oasis. In fact, he's said to be working on his 9th album as we speak. [Ill Seed]

Labels: Cuban Linx

While Al Sharpton was busy burying the N-word, six teenagers in Louisiana were facing various murder charges over a school fight.

Six African-American kids at Jena High School, Louisiana were arrested last year after an altercation between white students and black students. A white student suffered a concussion and multiple bruises from the fight. According to various sources, the six black kids were consequently charged with second-degree attempted murder. Kinda harsh for a school fight, in my non-lawyerly opinion. Here's the ridiculous part though: one of them has already been convicted and will probably face up to 22 years in prison.

The whole saga stemmed from a tree in the schoolyard where only white students sat. Next thing you know, three nooses are hanging from that tree on some prank sh*t. A couple days after the nooses were hung, I gather, the entire black student community held an impromptu protest, crowding underneath the tree during lunch hour. The DA dismissed the nooses as "youthful stunt."

It's "prank" when white students are involved, but it's "crime" when black kids are involved?

I don't care what race you are, this issue deserves attention from the hip-hop community. Too bad, Russell is busy with yoga lessons. And Al has his perm and Beyonce to worry about.

Imagine if Malcolm and Martin had blogs back then...

Labels: Issues

Can you smell what the Chef is cooking? (Pt. 2)

Ice Water feat. Busta Rhymes & Raekwon - Do it Big
This is the official lead single from Ice Water's Polluted Water LP, due out August 28th. Between this and that Hip-Hop Tribute track, I'm already sold on Rae's weed carriers.

Labels: Audios, ice water, raekwon

Skyzoo - Corner Store Classic mixtape

Skyzoo is the truth. Sharp narratives, grit, wit, pizzazz...the whole package. Hell, my copy of the Cloud 9 album is still getting major spin and it's been out since September 2006.

Shoutout to Mick Boogie for the heads up.


[Link via fwmj]

Labels: Mick Boogie, Mixtapes, skyzoo

I don't know how this interview managed to slip past me but it's definitely worth a read. He talks about the concept behind Ultimate Victory, his ringtone hustle, vibing with Lloyd for 3 hours (pause), and beefs in hip-hop.


Complex: Who do you think’s pushing the “beef” envelope in rap nowadays?

Chamillionaire: Well, I mean the corporations really just do it because they make money off it. They’re gonna make money off it, they’re gonna keep on doing whatever’s making them money, but it’s not them, it’s the actual artists that are sitting there arguing over nonsense and don't even realize it. People are like, ‘Oh, well we got to do this to sell records.’ Or people kind of make up little beef and arguments because they think it brings more hype. But if you look at it nowadays, they're not really even selling records like that. That doesn’t really help you sell records. It might get you a little more exposure, but it still doesn’t sell the records. The music just got to be that. You can’t really fool the audience. I don't really see too many beefs that are something real serious. If you get to the real source of the problem, it’s really just little childhood stuff. Like I said, people always want to think that it’s the end of the world until somebody dies and then they go back and look at the source at why they was beefing and be like, ‘Man you know what, this was a dumb argument.’ But they realize later after somebody done lost their life.

[Full Interview]

Labels: chamillionaire, Interviews

It's Friday and I'm in a good mood, so I'm going to play Concert Calendar today and point you to some shows worth checking out for the weekend and beyond:

Soulbrotha at The Grab, Houston on 7/21
If you know anything about The Rap Up's own Soulbrotha, then you know you're guaranteed a swell time at this event. Show kicks off at 9 pm. (See above flyer for details)

Smif N Wessun and Dead Prez at Red Hook, Brooklyn on 7/24:
The is also part of City Parks Summer Showcase. Red Hook is located on 155 Bay Street, BK, NY. Show starts at 7 pm.

Scarface and Black Moon at the Canal Room on 7/26 (FREE show & drinks)
The Canal Room is situated at 285 West Broadway @ Canal Street. The event is hosted by MTV's own Sway, BET's DJ Kelly G. DJ Evil Dee of Black Moon will be spinning all night long.
Sean Price and Uncle Ralph McDaniels will be in attendance.
Head over to Duck Down to RSVP

Big Things Poppin' on 7/21, hosted by Shaquille O'neal at Hush, Houston
Hush is located at 15625 Katy Freeway. $10 cover before 10: 30 pm.

2007 Rock the Bells Tour
This year's RTB is a 13-city tour featuring the avant garde of hip-hop: Rakim, Wu-Tang, UGK, EPMD, etc. Consult the Rock the Bells listings for dates and venues.

(Photo by: Ivan)

-Sample and Example: Common and Paul Simon [Hip-Hop Is Read]

-Apparently, Curtis doesn't want to share the spotlight with Kanye. He wants Hov to pushback Ye's album. I think one of these guys will just have to swallow their pride and back the f*ck down. Better yet, they need to go ahead and slug it out and let consumers decide. Isn't it sad enough that they're dropping on 9/11 (of all dates)? [About]

-Top 7 MCs who never released a solo album. [Street Census]

-Jim Jones comments on Cam'ron beef, says he'd like to collaborate with 50 Cent and Nas, but never Jay-Z. [MTV]

-Suge Knight is a biter. No, I mean literally. [Nah Right]

-The 199-Day Check In: Music of the Half Year. [Straight Bangin']

-Trouble seems to follow D'Angelo around everywhere he goes. Maybe he'll harvest enough inspiration from all these arrests to deliver another classic. [Stereohyped]

-The O'Reilly Factor blames Michael Vick's dog fighting controversy on 'gangsta rap'. DMX and Jay-Z are specifically fingered (pause) for their contribution to dog-fighting culture. [GooTube]

Labels: Cuban Linx

It's been 9 months since Press Play hit the shelves, yet Diddy can't stop, won't stop caking off that album. "Through the Pain" is the fourth single and fifth video from PP. Now, you know damn well that Aasim can only hope for a $50 video budget when his album drops. (Sorry, were you saying something about Black Rob?)

Labels: diddy, Videos

::DTP - Celebrity Chick

-Khia: The Project's Next Top Model. Almost cracked my neck and my back laughing at these photos. [Bossip]

-Music industry continues its assault on journalists/people willing to pay for its product. [Idolator]

-Pepsi's DJ Battle/show at S.O.B. looks like one hell of a good show. [Miss Info]

-Let's get armored vehicles for Iraq. [Prohiphop]

-Don Imus returns to radio, with a black, female co-host as his sidekick. [Hip-Hop Crunch]

-Yes, it's true. Graduation will now be released on September 11, same date as Curtis. Uh-oh. [Reliable Sources]

-Internet Celebrities' How to Attend an Outdoor Concert. [Internet Celebrities]

-The folks att Bump-Mag have some super-official pics from Vida Guerra's Bedroom Party. Whatever that is. [Bump]

Labels: Cuban Linx

(Pic via Complex)

Exactly two months ago, Beans called out Kanye and Pharrell on their fashion sense. In true Angie Martinez style, the issue was fully addressed during Kanye's latest Hot 97 interview. He repeatedly orders them to turn down the music while speaking on the issue, so you know this really hit him in the bone. But to his credit, 'Ye keeps his response funny without necessarily fanning the fire that Beans instigated. He wins again.

Listen up: Kanye Speaks on Beanie's comments
(The interview starts around the 2-minute mark.)

More?
Miss Info has the rest of the interview, including Ye's in-studio freestyle.

Labels: Audios, Beans, Interviews, Kanye West

This, according to Amazon.com, is the official Graduation cover art.

Update: Def Jam has just confirmed to me that this is only a temp cover. I'll keep you posted...

Labels: Album Covers, Kanye West

The King of Free Mixtapes That Actually Bang returns with his latest installment in the Mixtape Messiah series. This one finds Koopa rocking hard-body beats like "Big Things Poppin'," "I Get Money," "International Players Anthem (I Choose U)," and--believe it or not--"Stronger." Enjoy.

Mixtape Messiah 3 Tracklist
1. Get Ya Burners Out
2 Money Already Made
3. Get on My Level
4. Livin Good
5. Its Just Pain
6. The Call
7. Nothin But Lies
8. Ima Playa Fasho
9 Roy Woods Jr. Skit
10. Failures Not an Option
11. Got a lot of options
12. See it in My Eyes
13 Don't Hurt 'Em Hammer
14. Roy Wood Jr. Skit
15. It's On
16. You A Dummy
17. Chamillionaire Speaks
18. Mo Scrilla
19. The Crowd Goes Wild
20. Makes Me Stronger
21. Chamillionaire Speaks
22. Rain (w/ Famous)

Download: Chamillionaire - Mixtape Messiah 3
Bonus: Mixtape Messiah DVD
On the Web: Chamillionaire.com



Previously:
Chamillionaire - Mixtape Messiah 2

Labels: chamillionaire, Mixtapes

David Banner rounded up all the cameo kings on his speed dial and somehow managed to fit their egos on one screen.

Taken from The Greatest Story Ever Told.

Labels: Akon, david banner, lil wayne, snoop dogg, Videos

::Foxy Brown: "I'm Jay-Z's right-hand b*tch, I'm Nas' right-hand b*tch" (spotted via Complex)

-Remy Ma: "I didn't shoot my friend!" [MTV]

-The Smoking Section describes Kano's Home Sweet Home as lyrically earnest. [TSS]

-Xzibit fans, gather round and head over to xzibitcentral.com. [PR Inside]

-Michael Eric Dyson on hip-hop & politics, N-word, Don Imus, etc [Democracy Now]

-Hip-hop made me do it. [Boo Goo Doo Boom]

Labels: Cuban Linx, foxy brown, Videos

Chamillionaire recently threw a listening party for his upcoming album, Ultimate Victory, out in New York. (Don't ask me why he didn't host one in H-town.) Apparently, they also presented him with a plaque for his 2005 debut, The Sound of Revenge, which has now moved an impressive 5.5 million units worldwide.


























(From L - R): Coco & Ice T; Cham & Ice T; Cham & Sylvia Rhone

Labels: chamillionaire, Photos

::"Don't front on Houston" [via SmashTube]

-The Best of the First Half: Chris weighs two "best of" lists that I'm sure you'll easily recognize, while adding his own voice to the mix. He even throws up some mp3s to go. [Culture Bully]

-Ozone Music Editor (and one of my favorite bloggers) Randy Exclusive gets a new gig at HHNLive. [Writers Block]

-Hear this now: Copywrite - Waiting to Inhale (Produced by J Dilla) [zshare]

-Wyclef shatters your dreams of seeing a Fugees reunion, preps hip-hop-themed world album. Speaking of which, what's up with enlisting T.I. as co-executive producer on the album? Isn't that like Tony Yayo producing Dr. Dre's album? [CNA] [XXL]

-Why does Stylus keep dissing Dilla for being dead? [Oh Word]

Video: Hakeem schooling Yao Ming on a few ballin' tricks. [Chronicle]

-Can't make this sh*t up. [ NahRight]

Labels: Audios, chamillionaire, Cuban Linx, Videos

Remy Ma: So much wig it'll blind ya eye

Icewater feat. Remy Ma and Raekwon - Tell Me How You Like It
Look who's cashing in on Remy Ma's sudden popularity. Taken from Icewater's Polluted Water, due out 8/28.

Do you like it?

Bonus Cuts:
Keith Murray - Hustle On
Snoop Dogg - It's the D.O.G. [Odub]

Labels: Audios, ice water, raekwon, remy ma

::Weekly Hip-Hop Wrap-Up via Jumpoff.tv

-Apparently, more than 10,000 people have now indicated that they're eager and willing to be yelled at...by Diddy. [Diddy]

-And what's this I'm hearing about Jay-Z and Beyonce hooking up for a threesome with Steve Jobs? [Moli]

-Top 10 Hip-Hop Cover Songs by Non-Hip-Hop Artists. [Street Census]

-Is Kanye going with "The Good Life" as his next single? I thought this guy had a problem following trends. [Okayplayer]

-Remy Ma keeps it real in the streets, especially after eating pizza. [About]

Labels: Cuban Linx, Videos

Ja Rule + Lil Wayne = Uh Oh

(*G-Unit Stans skip this part*)

It's good to see Ja "the original rap-singer" back on the scene. "Uh-Oh" is the first single from his new album, The Mirror, due out September 25 (Keep in mind: Curtis will now be released on 9/11). It's also featured on an upcoming Step Ya Game Up mixtape, available via Get A Buz.

Boo Boo could not be reached for comment at press time, as he was too busy soliciting a ghostwriter for his next dis song.

Photo via MTV

Labels: ja rule, lil wayne, mp3s

Forget Audio Two, the last person I expected Boo Boo to steal ideas from was Flip.

Labels: 50 Cent, lil flip, Videos

Rap-A-Lot threw a listening party for Trae's new album (due out 9/25) last night at Dave & Busters. I don't have much to tell you about the album, because I spent the entire 2 1/2 hrs scheming on how to jack that tee from Trae.

The boy Enigmatik (from Boo Goo Doo Boom) was in the place to be. In fact, he has the lowdown on Life Goes On.

Labels: life goes on, Photos, Trae

::Jay Smooth - iPhones and Churches. See Part 1 at illdoctrine.com

-Hip-Hop Karaoke is going down at the Knitting Factory this Saturday. Get with the program if you're in the Rotten Apple. [HHK]

-Whose numbers does Boo Boo need to beat? Clyde highlights some of the best selling hip-hop albums of the past year or so. [Prohiphop]

-Wu-Tang Clan URB feature: Widdling down infinity. [URB]

-Throw your ROCs in the air: Jay-Z to settle copyright infringement lawsuit brought by wrestler Diamond Dallas Page. [Bossip]

Labels: Cuban Linx

Earlier in the day TMZ.com reported that a pissed fan tossed a cup at T.I., prompting the 60-pound trapper to leap off the stage and strike the cup thrower with his mic. This video, obtained by Mochacity.com, captures Tip's reaction. Looks like he's trying to milk this split personality shtick dry for what it's worth.

Labels: T.I.

I had a brief sit down with Mike Jones at a recent photo shoot, and thought I'd share some of that conversation with you. Now, before you proceed, purge your heart of whatever grudges you may hold against Mr. Jones and his music.. Reserve that for the comment section.

Rizoh: You've set up an email account (askmikejones@gmail.com) as a way to connect with your fans. How's that going?
Mike Jones: They just saying 'what's up,' [Pulls out a blackberry] This actually how it goes.

Rizoh: You carry that around?
Mike Jones: It's always on me.

Rizoh: What are people asking you?
Mike Jones: Someone just asked me, "Can you help me, Mike Jones? Maybe by me asking help from you gave me goodluck. I've never asked anyone for help in my life." They talk to me and I talk back to 'em. It's good feeling man. I had to erase all of them. Just in a day, I get over 8900.

Rizoh: What's the most interesting thing anyone ever asked?
Mike Jones: Just me being able to uplift their day.

Rizoh: How's this American Dream different from your first album?
Mike Jones: Just the fact that I had more cards to play with. Snoop's on the album, Bun B's on the album, Pimp C, LeToya Lucket, Lil Mo, Trae Songz, Devin the Dude, T-Pain,

Rizoh: What's the common thread between the west coast and the dirty south?
Mike Jones: We all got style, you know. We letting everybody know that we're coming up to unify fronts.

Rizoh: You know you get hated on a lot. Of all the things people complain about Mike Jones, which one bothers you the most?
Mike Jones: People not knowing my mission. Just taking me for granted. People think that I'm just out here just flashing and showing off, when I'm really just trying to help other people and use my money for good. I be flashing to people who don't believe in Mike Jones. But to the true fans, I hold it down for them.

Rizoh: Snoop mentioned tacos in your video. Do you still eat at Taco Bell?
Mike Jones: Ah, you seen the one with Money Stack$? Uh-uh, I ain't never ate there in my life. [Rizoh stands by his statement that Mike used to frequent the Taco Bell at Missouri City]

Rizoh: What's your American Dream?
Mike Jones: My American Dream is being able to help other people live their American Dream, you know what I'm sayin'. It feels good that I'm able to help out other people who're going through stress.

Rizoh: Who was the most fun to work with on this album?
Mike Jones:I have to say it was good working with Trae Songz. It was fun to work with LeToya Luckett. Everyone had a personal relationship with me to where all of them was fun.

Rizoh: My friends go to Club Ice Age sometimes. How's that doing by the way?
Mike Jones:Oh for real. It's doing good. We finna have the one-year anniversary coming up in July.

Rizoh: Anything you want to say to your fans?
Mike Jones: Hit me up on askmikejones@gmail.com, it'll come straight to my phone.

Labels: Interviews, mike jones

Now that Farnsworth Bentley has found a new job somewhere in Kanye's New York apartment, Diddy is looking for a new personal assistant via GooTube. If you decide to apply, be sure to scrutinize the paperwork so you don't end up paying him royalties 10 years down the line. Who knows, you could make like Mr. Bentley and graduate from wielding umbrellas to grabbing behinds.

Labels: diddy, Videos

A rare moment of glory in Jeezy's catalog. The video's vintage vibe is a plus too.

Labels: usda, Videos, young jeezy

-Miss Jones (left) takes a page from Superhead (right) and pens her own tell-all. Have You Met Miss Jones supposedly includes details of affairs with Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z.

-Hip-hop anti-war activist targeted by U.S. Military. [T.L.Army]

-T.I. makes good on his promise to repeat his 2006 feat. [About]

-Looks like we'll finally get some good R&B music out this year. [Billboard]

-Can't make this stuff up. [KomoTV.com]

-Sincere condolences go out to KRS-One and his family.

Labels: Cuban Linx

Can you smell what The Chef is cooking?

Fact: Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2 (The first installment is one of my favorite albums of all time and obviously inspired the most prominent feature on this site) is now up there with Detox and The Growth as potentially-awesome albums that'll never come alive on the shelf. So, Rae figured he'd get his gwap elsewhere.

Peep game:

Under the tutelage of Wu-Tang Clan’s resident chef Raekwon, the four-man crew of Polite, Stomach, P.C. (Paulie Caskets) and D.C. (Donnie Cash) marks Staten Island’s return to prominence as a hotbed for fresh, credible talent. Die hard fans may remember Ice Water from their appearances on several tracks on Raekwon’s last album, 2002’s “The Lex Diamond Story,” as well as their opening stints for the Chef on his subsequent 30+ state tour. As Raekwon confirms, “We knew these cats had potential way back, but the timing wasn’t right. I always kept a radar on dudes, and when I felt they was ready mentally and lyrically, I helped ‘em get on.” Raekwon compares his protracted development of the group to raising pitbulls: “I’m training these pits. I’ve got them on the treadmill, and I’m beating ‘em, feedin’ ‘em hot sauce and steaks, so they’re ready for this industry.”

Honed and focused, Ice Water’s debut, Raekwon presents…Ice Water: ”Polluted Water,” will finally be released on August 28th on Babygrande Records...The album features Method Man, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Three Six Mafia, Remy Ma, Jagged Edge & more.

I know what you're thinking, "Great, more B-list Wu-Tang clowns to worry about." Well before you make that call, peep their buzz single below:

• IceWater ft. Raekwon - Hip-Hop Tribute

Labels: ice water, raekwon

Chamillionaire - Can't Tell Me Nothing
Cham jacks the freshly-Toomped Can't Tell Me Nothing and adds his melody-laden flow to it. This is taken from Mixtape Messiah III. King Koopa's new album, Ultimate Victory, is slated for September 18th.

One question for Koopa: How the hell do you think a thought?

Labels: Audios, chamillionaire

Black Supaman, Master P's new flick, is coming to a hood near you on August 7th.

Labels: black hollywood, master p, Videos

What a graveyard shift looks like...in Canada


Ok, maybe not. Kardinal Offishall and Akon hooked up on "Graveyard Shift," Kardinal's lead cut from Not 4 Sale. The song is a yawn-inducer and the singing is laughable.

In any case, I thought Akon's rap debut was worth documenting.

Labels: Akon, kardinal offishall

::Kanye West and John Mayer performing with The Police at Live Earth

-More Live Earth performances: Alicia Keys, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg

-Rumor: KRS-One's son's commits suicide. [Prohiphop]

-Trent talks about stalking Jill Scott in the frozen food aisle at Super Fresh supermarket in Philadelphia. [Beats & Rants]

-Eskay lashes out at 50's bosses for shooting him in the foot. [NahRight]

-After winning her fourth Wimbledon title, Venus Williams decided to celebrate by poppin' out a nip at a party. [Pic, nsfw]

-Jumpoff.TV's Hip-Hop Newscast for July 9. [Jumpoff.tv]

-Pulp Factions: Magazines starting record labels. [East Bay Express]

-H-town: Home of the Trill. Haters, you may now start your engines. [Boo Goo Doo Boom]

-Shots Fired: Gucci Mane vs. T.I.[P.] - [Writers Block]

Labels: Cuban Linx, krs-one, snoop dogg, Videos

Following in the footsteps of Stacy Dash, Vida Guerra, and countless others, Garcelle Beauvais posed nude in the August issue of Playboy. She doesn't look 5 months pregnant (with twins, for that matter) to me.

5 More Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon Playboy Photos [Obviously NSFW]:
GB in PB 1
GB in PB 2
GB in PB 3
GB in PB 4
GB in PB 5

Labels: eye candy, garceille beauvais, playboy

In the absence of a much-anticipated 2Pacalypse, Live Earth--Al Gore's SOS campaign for a climate in crisis--went dooown like Yung Joc on 7-7-07. Kanye (New York), Xzibit (Tokyo), and Snoop (Germany) were among the 100+ artists that helped make the 24-hour, 7-continent event a success. Let me just add that Alicia Keys looks pretty in pink.

Labels: live earth, Photos

At everyone's behest, I decided to wriggle out ten good hip-hop albums from an otherwise uneventful first half of '07. In case you missed it earlier, here's my list in order of bias appreciation:

10. Black Milk - Popular Demand
9. Hell Razah - Renaissance Child
8. El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead
7. Joel Ortiz - The Briick: Bodega Chronicles
6. Evidence - Weatherman LP
5. Devin the Dude - Waiting to Inhale
4. Pharoahe Monch - Desire
3. Prodigy - Return of the Mac
2. Sean Price - Jesus Price Superstar
1. Brother Ali - Undisputed Truth
(Full gist)

Bonus List:

Rizoh's Favorite Non-Hip-Hop Albums of 2007
5. Rihanna - Good Girl Gone Bad (shhh)
4. Jill Scott - Collaborations
3. White Stripes - Icky Thump
2. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
1. Feist - The Reminder

Sidenote: I was looking at Bol's Best 10 yesterday and thought, "Wow, we agree on all but four albums." In fact, two of the albums I briefly considered for my own Top 10--Ear Drum and Hip-Hop Lives--also made his list. (Btw, that Prodigy album is good, please believe.)


What's yours?

Labels: lists, The Listening Session

In preparation for their debut album, Deep Hearted, Cali crew Strong Arm Steady (Phil the Agony, Mitchy Slick and Krondon) has unleashed a fresh new mixtape for your enjoyment.

from the Press Release:

Their debut album, Deep Hearted (featuring Xzibit, Chamillionaire, Juvenile, Black Thought of The Roots, Talib Kweli, Dilated Peoples, Ras Kass and more) is the culmination of years of hard work. Their never ending grind and consistent track record of creating great music shows why Strong Arm Steady is a force to be reckoned with.

As fans eagerly await the release of Deep Hearted (IN STORES AUG. 28th, 2007, ON NATURE SOUNDS), DJs Truly OdD and Babu prepared a 30 minute taste of what to expect from the trio. This soon to be classic mix contains a variety of never-heard-before joints and exclusives from their debut offering. The late great J Dilla, DJ Babu, and DJ Khalil, among others, handle production on this mix with features from Planet Asia, Dilated Peoples, Chace Infinite, Talib Kweli, and more.

Download: Strong Arm Steady - Deep Hearted

Labels: strong arm steady

Nicole Scherzinger ft. T.I. - Whatever You Like
It's not "My Love" but it'll be the main course on every radio station next week, so get familiar. Taken from Nicole's upcoming solo debut, Her Name is Nicole, due in September.

Labels: nicole, T.I.

Weezy's publicist insists on the word 'greatest' next to his name on every cover. [Free iTunes Download]

-5 reasons why hyphy isn't dead. [Street Census]

-Smoking sessions with Keith Murray. [TSS]

-50 Cent is trying his damndest best to avoid flop on September 4. Here's his new buzz record, "She Wants It," featuring Justin Timberlake. [zshare]

-Just Blaze and his half-deranged tale about Jim Jones and Tru Life singing in Spanish, Big Pun busting through walls, etc. [The Megatrondon]

-The Roots to headline VH1 tours, kicking off in September, as if they don't already have to tour 375 days each year. [Billboard]

-Gore gets last minute DC venue for Live Earth. [Reuters]

-Speaking of live shows, you can catch The Rap Up's own Soulbrotha live at the Grab Bar on 7/21. [Flyer]

-Freebie Friday: Clinton Sparks + Kardinall Offishall - Do The Right Thing [HHIR]

Labels: Cuban Linx

Although I think it's going to be all bark and no bite with the hip-hop vote drive in the '08 election, this documentary looks super-official. "Deliverance" never sounded so fresh in years.

Labels: Bolitics, Issues, Videos

-Keith Murray talks about being immersed in the fountain of youth, calls himself an "intellectual thug." [Soundslam]

- O.J. found innocent by a jury of his peers/And they been f***in with that n***a for the last five years.../Do you do the same sh*t when the defendent face is white? ^{©Mos Def} [Telegraph]

-Islam, Hip-Hop, and the Gods of New York. [AllAfrica]

-T.I. speaks on his altercation with Chaka Zulu, the death of his friend Philant Johnson, among other things. [Sandra Rose]

-Rio's Live Earth concert canceled for security reasons. [BBC]

-Meanwhile, Al Gore III was busted with drugs, while speeding in his hybrid car yesterday. Faux News is going to have a field day with this one. [Reuters]

-Irv Gotti lands Vh-1 reality show. [PR-Inside]

-10 Rappers that should never release another album. [HHNLive]

-Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums of 2007...So Far [About.com]

Labels: Cuban Linx

Def Jam's 3rd Quarter game plan includes a DTP reunion, a fresh disc from Babyface, a futuristic entry from the college dropout, and another LP from Beans, who is expected to move units on the strength of his street credibility and fashion sense. Without further ado, here's the July - September lineup for the Black Oasis:

• Babyface, TBA,
  September 18
  


• Beanie Sigel, The Solution
  September 25
  


• Disturbing Tha Peace, Strength in Numbers
  August 28
  


• Kanye West - Graduation
August 21


• Small World, World Premiere
  September 18
  


• Sterlig Simms, Worth Your While
  TBA
  


• Warren G, Regulate...G Funk Era (2 CD Special Edition)
  July 17

Fox Boogie, where you at?

Labels: def jam

::Actress Garcelle Beauvais is set to expand her hu$tle in the August issue of Playboy. 40 is obviously the new 20 for the ladies these days; First, Stacy Dash, now Garcelle.

-Enigmatik has the lowdown on Little Brother's June 29th Warehouse concert, complete with video clips. [Boo Goo Doo Boom]

-Soulbrotha - The Party Joint. Now, there's a song you rock at your BBQ. [mp3]

-Download links to a bunch of blaxploitation soundtracks. [Hip-Hop Is Read]

-Xzibit and Linkin Park to help Al Gore save the planet at Live Earth. [Thug Life Army]

Labels: Cuban Linx

Apparently, CNN contacted Wise Intelligent and asked him to sit in on a discussion with leaders of St.Sabina, the south-side Chicago church responsible for the Clear Channel-sponsored "TRASH Rappers" billboards that have been raising eyebrows lately. Wise Intelligent respectfully declined the offer to appear on CNN. He explained his reasoning in this detailed email sent to me from Wise's camp yesterday:

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"My reasoning is that, the Euro-American mass media is NOT and has NEVER been the appropriate forum to discuss let alone resolve matters concerning the African-American community! I am more than well-aware of the fact that CNN or any other mainstream American media outlet, for the most part, does not offer a solution oriented platform for black issues, but on the contrary, the platform offered is extremely conflict oriented. As a matter of fact one of the things that the whole Don Imus situation revealed was that these “reporters” and “journalists” are contractually encouraged to be argumentative and controversial. What the network wanted was for Wise Intelligent and the members of St.Sabina to get on national television, attack each other, create further divisions, and exacerbate the problem without addressing some mutual and realistic solutions.

On a 30 minute show with 15 minutes of commercials and 15 minutes of edited dialogue, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY any real understanding or solutions could have been discussed. Knowing that it would have played out like Wise Intelligent and Hip Hop is against the Black Church and the Black Church against Hip Hop; I refused to appear. It was more than obvious to me that CNN could not and does not have the Black community’s best interest at heart! The plan was to supply both of us with weapons and watch us attack each other in classic tribal fashion!

No disrespect but, I am NOT Cam'ron, and I refuse to be used in that way. As I said in the song "UNDA FIRE" from the Blessed Be the Poor album "I don't do this for lack of attention!"

So, being who we are and what we stand for at INTELLIGENTNEWZNET, INTELLIGENT MUZIK, etc. we called St.Sabina and spoke with Rev.Micheal L. Pfleger directly and informed him of what we felt CNN was up to, and that we were not going to allow aliens of the Black Community to sow the seeds of separation and discourse between comrades in the same struggle. Our article/blog was NOT an attack against the Church and their right to post billboards, our intention was to expand the dialogue to include the deeper issues that create and shape the environments in which we live.

When we discuss this or any other issues concerning OUR community, we will do it in the basement of the Church, or in the Intelligent Muzik conference room, NOT on CNN. Their eyes (cameras) should be banned from all discussions, meetings, and gatherings designed to solve our problems and address our concerns with each other! Do they EVER call us up and ask us to appear on CNN to discuss white kids "huffing", pedophilia in the Catholic Church, White on White crime, drug and alcohol abuse amongst the youth in hollywood, and where in the hell are those Weapons of Mass Destruction? Of course not, so why should they be offered a set at the table when we are dealing with our issues???"
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Anyone who's ever listened to Wise Intelligent knows that he's at the opposite end of the so-called trash rappers. Wouldn't that suggest that he'd be in a position to cosign St Sabina's stance, rather than engage in a flame-throwing match with them?

Labels: Issues