WISH @ POWER LIVE

Video Footage From The Show Coming Soon

The Office: Top 10 Pranks

IGN has put together a list of the top 10 pranks on NBC's The Office over on there site. Since The Office is one of my favorite shows, I decided to share their #1 pick. Click here to see the list in its entirety. 


Jim has a long history of screwing with Dwight's desk and office supplies, but when it comes to messing with his nemesis' stuff, Jim's vending machine prank is his finest moment. With a little help from the office's friendly vending machine guy, Jim loads the device with Dwight's belongings – wallet included. And although it was nice to see Pam get in on the fun by purchasing Dwight's pencil holder in front of him, this prank really only reached that next level of brilliance once Jim handed Dwight a bag full of nickels. Jim's best pranks always have that second, extra kick to them, and that was certainly the case when he left Dwight to painstakingly purchase all his stuff back nickel by nickel. 

VIDEO: Eminem & Royce Da 5'9" - 12 Minute Freestyle PART 1

THROWBACK

The Complex Holiday Soundboard:

Happy Holidays!!!



Obviously Via Complex

Lucky aka Mark Milly - "MEMORY LOSS" (Pres. by Y.H.G.M. & www.theincrediblecreation.com)

Y.H.G.M.'s Lucky aka Mark Milly releases his newest "incredible creation" on today, his 22nd born day. (Happy Birthday sir, drinks on you?) I've had the pleasure to have had this in my posession for a few weeks now and trust me when I say that this may include some of his best music to date. The title track, "Memory Loss" may be one of my favorite tracks in his catalogue. (And that says a lot considering I proberly have near 100 of his tracks on my computer) Also be sure to check out 'Party Up, which if I'm right about, you'll be hearing everywhere soon anyway. Milly is one of the hardest working people in music that I know. Oh, and he raps occasionally as well. If you were a fan of the "Friendly Competition"project that he did with Fuzeb, you definetly need to check this out. And be sure to visit The Incredible Creation on a daily basis to stay up to date on all things Y.G.H.M. and Mark Milly.

AUDIO: Freddie Mac - "Blog Music"

Received this in my email earlier this week from my homie Freddie Mac. If you arent aware of him you may want to head over to his blog and get familiar........


Says Mac.......

"After releasing the PARTY Mixtape and taking a 2 week hiatus from the blog, it was only right for me to come back and show appreciation to the BLOGGERS who were a HUGE help to the exposure that project recieved. I know for some it is only an act of introducing their readers to new music but I would like to make it known that I am greatly appreciative for each post, retweet, etc."


An artist showing appreciation to the people that help break their music?? Get The Fuck Out of Here!! But really, shout out to my dude Mac and be on the lookout for his new project dropping in 01/10.

The ILLZ - The Pursuit LP (Presented By: 2dopeboyz & DJBooth.net)

After months of recording, the highly anticipated "The Pursuit LP" is finally here. Hip-Hop artist The ILLZ delivers 11 solid tracks, all with their own unique, emotional journeys. Fans will recognize internet sensations "Heaven (Higher)" and "Melfi", as well as "Prelude to the Sickness" featured on DJBooth.net's freestyle series. In true ILLZ fashion, the album is a mix of eclectic, alternative/rock-tinged beats with a few surprises thrown into the mix, such as the New York club-scene flavored, "Let it Fall" and the gritty, Hip-Hop underground track "Dark Side of the Room". Fans and skeptics alike will see a wide range of emotion, depth of character, and full spectrum of what Hip-Hop music can be.

Stream & Download Here

"FRIENDLY COMPETITION" Now Available

NOW AVAILABLE HERE

Shout Out To Fuzeb, & Mark Milly.

VIDEO: Susie Greene's Angriest Moments on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm'

The Best of Susie Greene - watch more funny videos

Via Funny or Die

VIDEO: Mark Milly's Memory Loss (Trailer #1)

Memory Loss {Trailer 1} from Mark Milly on Vimeo.

A visual preview of Lucky a.k.a Mark Milly's new mixtape 'memory loss' dropping on his birthday 12.17.09 @ 4:10pm

Shout Out to my dude Mark Milly......
Are You Incredible?!?                   

Coming Soon.........."Friendly Competition"

AUDIO: The ILLZ - "Faded"

My homie A.R. put me on one to this cat The ILLZ a few weeks back. I've gone back and checked out a lot of his work and he definitely gets my cosign. That being said, here's a sample for you guys to check out.

For those of you who know The ILLZ, understand how honest his music is. The latest installment "Faded" gives us a feeling of vulnerability and over coming obstacles. Through his motivational music he pushes you to keep climbing to your goal and never give up.

"Regardless Never ever, Ever have Regrets" -The ILLZ
"The Pursuit" LP Coming out soon.

Stream & Download Here

                                                          

Check Out The ILLZ Here

Shout Out to GoodFella Radio

DJ Quicksilva 'Where They Do That At?

Don't usually post too much audio here but had to show my man DJ Quicksilva some love with his remixes to his single. He put together two allstar remixes for this and the video for the original version will be debuting on MTV very soon. Below you"ll find both the Baltimore and DMV remixes, as well as links to download. Much love to Quick for bringing together alot of different crews on both of the remixes.

  DJ Quicksilva - Where They Do That At - Bmore Remix  by  Unruly Productions

Featuring Porkchop, Skarr Akbar, Q, Smash, 100 Grandman, Barnes, Tiara Laniece, Los, Comp, Bossman, Paula Campbell, Japiro, and Mully Man ..............Download Here

AND......................

  DJ Quicksilva - Where They Do That At - DMV Remix  by  Unruly Productions

Featuring Southeast Slim, XO, Nu The Mayor, Don Juan, Kingpen Slim, Phil Ade, Proverb, Bear Witnez, Black Diamond, Like Bloodz, Gerredi, Raheem DeVaughn.......... Download Here

VIDEO: 'THE WIRE ; 100 Greatest Quotes

VIDEO: Los - I Can Transform Ya

"Shitting on the world like they gave me a moon suit and some prune juice"

Check out this visual my man Los shot out in Arizona a few days ago for his verse over Chris Brown's 'I Can Transform Ya. It came out pretty dope. "2 Seconds From Greatness" Coming Soon......

VIDEO: Travis Barker's Remix of 'Forever

This guy has been on a roll lately. 3AM, The One, and now this. I hope someone puts all these remixes together for download or even for purchase in the near future. I'd definitely buy that. In any case, check it out and/or download the audio here.

Props to RR for the audio.

What I'm Listening To

Download Here



Purchase Here

Purchase Here



 
Purchase Here  (Available for purchase 11/10/09)

Purchase Here (Available for digital download 11/09/09 and in stores 11/16/09)


Not to mention exclusive tracks off of upcoming projects from Fuzeb, Tonio:From Da Top, Mark Milly and Freddie Mac.

MUSE: On The Grind With Tonio: From Da Top

Shout Out to Nydigritti who just did a nice interview with Mr. 22-5 himself over on her blog. She did a great job too. Check out the feature here ....... DJ Jabril & Tonio: From Da Top "Block Work" Coming Soon.....

The Complex Soundboard 2

The folks over at Complex have done it again. If you got endless hours of enjoyment out of the first soundboard like I did, then this one will have you rolling. (No GNR)

Dear MTV

Dear MTV,

         GTFOH. Let me start off by saying I place no credibility in MTV's Hottest MCs in the Game list whatsoever, but since they put it out there I'm going to speak my piece. I mean what does MTV know about any music in 2009 anyway. Let alone rap music. Now if was the hottest reality tv shows, then maybe I'd take their word for it. But I digress. MTV's "braintrust" has the right to put whomever they want on their list so I won't complain about who they decided to include. I actually agree with most of the artist on the list. But it's who they didn't include that has caused a stir. I, like many others, have no idea how Mr. Marshall Mathers was not included on this list. Sigh... I voiced my opinion about this on twitter soon after the top 5 was released and i just brushed the whole thing off. Then MTV had the nerve to attempt to explain why he didn't make the list.

Back Like I Never Left

Wow, Is this thing on? What has it been about a month now? Damn that's my bad, but had some changes in my life and didn't have the time to blog. I think I'm back now though.Hopefully for good. So let's see what's been going on. The Blueprint 3 = Great Album. Platinum after 3 weeks on the charts. OBFCL 2 = Another great album. Obviously wont do the numbers that Jay does, but pretty solid from start to end and had pretty good first week numbers. Loving the Ghostface cd. It did horrible numbers but the I can play that cd pretty much straight through. (Gotta skip the singles sometimes and the Ron Browz joint gets no plat whatsoever) I could really kill @InfNYC for letting that make the final cut. Anyway, that's about it for new cd's. I heard the "Mixtape Weezy" has a new mix cd dropping early next month called "No Ceilings" If yo follow me on twitter then you know that allegedly its going to feature no autotune and no features. I have a homie on the business side of Young Money, so I'm looking forward to hearing that way before most people.
                                                                                                                            

VIDEO: Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 Commercial

Kudos to whomever came up with the concept for this....
On another note we all know that "Blueprint 3" has leaked a full 2 weeks prior to the September 11th release date. Yes I have heard it but I refuse to comment on it before I have the official copy in my hands. In the mean time if you go over to Rhapsody or MTV you can stream the full album for free.

Rumored 'Relapse 2 Release Date

Eminem's Relapse 2 has shown up on Amazon UK with the release date of November 16th for the 2nd part of Marshall's comeback. The date hasn't been confirmed, but Amazon is usually good about these things and Em did say the second part would be out before the end of the year. The date would make sense since the UK usually releases cd's one day before the US and Nov. 17th is a Tuesday. Guess we will know soon enough.

Via This is Curtis

BURN THA MIC CONCERT SERIES

I had the chance to go out to DonnyRoc's Burn Tha Mic Concert Series last weekend to see a lot of good talent perform. A lot of industry people and good friends were in the building and it was a great show. Most notably I got another chance to see my good friend Wish tear down stage again. If you are a fan of her music, you must get out to see her stage show. The videos below don't even do her justice but, at least you get a taste of what we got sitting front row.In addition if you havent already done so, download 'Skool Gurl Diaries here.









Check Wish out on twitter, myspace, and youtube.

Sidebar: Shout out to MyMassAppeal for traveling down to Baltimore from Massachusetts to see the show and also shout out to James Murphy, Kelson, Mike Star, Skarr Akbar, Carmen, The Mrs. and everyone else in attendance.

The Complex Soundboard

This shit right here!!!!!! HEE-LARRY-US. Hours of fun

Via Complex.......of course

BSA:Blogger Service Announcement

"It's been a long time, I shouldn't have left you..."

I realize it's been a couple weeks since i last did a post but I've been busier than usual. Things seemed to have calmed a bit so I should be able to get back to business. Playing catch up on about 10 post over the next couple days than we should be good. Also working on a couple of original pieces as well. In any case, I'm back......I think.

You can always catch me here daily.

Don't Hate.....Be Hated

Jay-Z - Blueprint 3 (Artwork and Tracklisting)

1. "What We Talkin' About" featuring Empire of the Sun's Luke Steele.
2. "Thank You"
3. "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)"
4. "Run This Town" featuring Kanye West and Rihanna
5. "Empire State of Mind" featuring Alicia Keys
6. "Real as It Gets" featuring Young Jeezy
7. "On to the Next One" featuring Swizz Beatz
8. "Off That" featuring Drake
9. "A Star Is Born" featuring J. Cole
10. "Venus vs. Mars"
11. "Already Home" featuring Kid Cudi
12. "Hate" featuring Kanye West
13. "Reminder"
14. "So Ambitious" featuring Pharrell Williams
15. "Young Forever" featuring Mr. Hudson

Looks promising...

VIDEO: Jay-Z, Rhianna & Kanye West "Run This Town"

Jay-Z |MTV Music

Via MTV

Burn Tha Mic

Nipsey Hussle "Bullets Ain't Got No Name Vol.3"

Download Here...
Via The Homie BDot over at RapRadar

Movie: Chris Rock in "Good Hair"

Via HoneyMag

10 Songs That Let You Know It's Time To Leave The Club

We've all been there. Your friends convince you to come out the club only to find that DJ Wackmaster Wack is spinning shit mix 2009. There have been many times where I've looked up at the DJ booth and mouthed the words "this shit is terrible." Apparently the DJs never hear me because the next song is usually "Crank Dat" by Soulja Boy. It is possible to survive these nights but it always hits a point where you can't take it anymore. Here are 10 Songs That Let You Know It's Time To Leave The Club.

10. HOUSE OF PAIN "JUMP AROUND"

Without fail this song always plays when I'm just about to seal the deal with a hot college chick. The worst part is the drunk girl then usually proceeds to grind up on me and try to dance (off beat as fuck) to lyrics like "I'll never eat a pig cause a pig is a cop." Nobody paid cover to watch a bunch of drunk morons "Jump Around." It also kills whatever vibe is going around the room and prompts women to start dancing in circles thus making it harder to infiltrate. Try and stop me from leaving when this plays.

9. MONTELL JORDAN "THIS IS HOW WE DO IT"

I do like this song but unfortunately it has been high jacked by drunk frat boys who use it as warm up music before their push up competitions. Seriously, I couldn't even count how many times some douche in an American Eagle polo has spilled a drink on me while this song was playing. White dudes who don't listen to Hip-Hop on the regular love that there is a song where they actually know the Rap portion by heart. It makes them feel like it's ok to grind up on some girl quickly forgetting they dance like this:

Check out the rest of the list at BrokenCool

Strickly My Opinion: Ja Rule "The Mirror"

Sooooo, over the weekend along with Slaughterhouse's album, Crooked I' "The Art of The Freestlye Vol. 2", and a few other mix cds, I downloaded Ja Rule's new/old cd "The Mirror". Now anyone who knows me knows that I was a big supporter of Jeffrey even before he was signed to DefJam (via Murder Inc, now The Inc). Back when Murder Inc. was originally a group comprised of Ja, DMX, and Jay-z. I'm talking before X or Jay-z had Def Jam behind them to push the button on their careers. I actually still own every Ja cd from "Venni Vetti Vecci" to "R.U.LE." A lot of people stopped listening to Ja because a guy named Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson told them to. I never stopped listening to Ja but grew very tired of every song he put out being a pop song and not a rap track.(mind you today that wouldn't matter because there is almost no line between the two). I wanted that hardcore rap that I had come to love from the mixtapes and that you could find buried in the albums, but all that was being pushed or played were the commercial pop hits. Now I understand why this was the route they took but I wasn't feeling it.

The second reason I stopped checking for Jeffrey was because I lost a little respect for him over the whole "battle" with 50. It wasn't even the fact that he "lost" the battle. He should have just stayed in his lane and kept doing what he was both known for doing and what he was making money doing. It was cool when he made his diss tracks for the mix cds and all but, to allow another man to play you out of your position was just not a good look. I mean he let 50 affect an entire cd worth of material and that cd ,"Blood In My Eye", was not only horrible, but sold the least amount of units than any of his releases. In any case you know how the rest of the story plays out.

Fast forward some 5 or 6 years later and Ja is just known as 50's come up. The butt of joke after joke. Ja has been quietly playing the background. I mean this album was due to be released over a year ago and even had 2 singles(one featuring Lil Wayne at that) and failed to gain any momentum. On the other end 50 Cent seems to be going through similar growing pains. I mean it took what 5 singles before his last cd gained any traction? And this new cd, "Before I Self Destruct" (which is due to drop next month) still doesn't have a lead single or any buzz
surrounding it.

Back to "The Mirror", I attempted to sit and listen to this cd 4 times over the weekend. Every time I started to listen I was either distracted, interrupted, or just plain lost interest after a couple tracks in. I finally forced myself to listen to it in its entirety today while driving and its actually not horrible. Let me explain. You see, its not that Ja can't rap anymore, its that I don't want to hear Ja rap anymore. I'm just not interested. This cd sounds just like previous Ja cd's. (sans the big name features) The problem with that is I don't know if that is a good or bad thing. I mean all of his previous cds except "Blood In My Eye" moved units using the same blueprint/formula. Hell, even "R.U.L.E." was certified gold and that was his worse cd(again,except "Blood In My Eye"). The problem here is that Ja was before his time. Had he been a new artist with this same type of "sing-songy" flow a couple years ago, he would be praised and critically acclaimed for being "innovative" and "a breath of fresh air". But because he has been doing this for years, and because most of us are now tired of this new influx of rappers trying to sing, it doesn't work. Look what happened to Nelly and even 50 to a certain extent. I mean as much as the "innanets" love Weezy F. Baby, he's even getting some backlash over all the singing. Same with Kanye West. Lets be real, Ja is one of the few rappers that can actually sing without the help of auto tune and could effortlessly transition between rapping and singing, but in order for him to move units today he'd have to have a reality show on vh1 or find a way to get the original Murder Inc. (Ja, Jay-z, DMX) back together. Yea, I'd bet on the former too...

Download "The Mirror" Here...

VIDEO: DJ CLASS "I'm The Ish"

VIDEO: Jay-Z "Blueprint 3 Intro"

Again, YN with the All Points West flipcam clips.....

RapRadar.com


Sidebar: If you actually listen closely you can see where he made some changes to the original verse that he was spitting doing his shows a few weeks ago...

VIDEO: Jay-Z "No Sleep Till Brooklyn"/"Brooklyn We Go Hard"

YN was "flip cam proper at All Points West festival 07/31/09

Obviously via RapRadar

DJ HERO: RENEGADE EDITION

Starting today, on-line retailers are going to begin offering pre-orders for the DJ Hero Renegade Edition game. I've played the final version of this game, and it's really a blast. I'm not going to be surprised if this thing is the hardest-to-get-gift this holiday season, so it might not hurt to get your order in early. So, what's the difference between this version of the game and the regular one? This edition comes with a stand for the turntable that has telescoping legs to adjust the height, as well as a carrying case. The case, which is styled after and feels like a real DJ road-case "coffin", doubles as the top of the stand.

And, this version of the game comes with a special 2-cd set of Jay-Z and Eminem music. I can't reveal everything that will be on the discs (partially because we are still working on it), but there will definitely be some exclusive and new things. The artwork for these CD's is spectacular as well... details later.
So for now, do yourself a favor and put in that pre-order. I'm telling you this game is going to be the one that people are selling on eBay for over-retail amounts and stores will be sold out of. And if I'm wrong, then you still have a great game and CD's nobody else has... So there.

Via P. Rosenberg

BURN THA MIC

Gotta come see my girl WISH tear it down....

Get Play on SHADE 45

All Unsigned Rappers- Get Played on Shade45

All interested rappers/groups that would like to create buzz by being heard on my show email me your track for consideration. Details are below:

Please do NOT send me big ass MP3s!!! If possible, please upload your track to a file sharing website like Zshare

Make sure you include:

Your name

Location

Title of the track

How people can get at you (Myspace, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter… whatever)

Picture

Email it to: kimmicupcakes@gmail.com>

VIP Saturdays is hosted by DJ Self, YOURS TRULY and the VIP Crew every Saturday on Shade45 - Sirius XM radio from 10p-1a (EDT).

At 11p we’re giving unsigned artists the opportunity to be heard on the show which is broadcasted LIVE NATIONWIDE. We’ll play 2 artists and ask the listeners to call up and let us know if they are feeling you or not. If your shit is garbage- please believe they will let you know!!! Our listeners do not hold anything back so don’t get mad, just take it as constructive criticism on how you can improve.

We will be uploading the winner’s track to our pages for further promo.

If you want to call up to the show to plug your single—866-SHADE45

If you want to listen, but don’t have Sirius- we usually stream live on That’sHipHop.com (Swift / Green Lantern’s site); I would suggest going over there to create a FREE account- it’s the PERFECT venue for rappers.

Man, if you’re not a rapper but know someone who is trying to get a break, feel free to slide them this info. Getting a break can be tough so I’m lookin out… just be sure to send me a check when you get put on!!! Lol ;-P

Let’s get it gwinin!!

Via Kimmi


In Addition: You can also send your music to Angela Yee to be a guest on "Dont Quit Your Day Job" at DontQuitMusic@Gmail.com 2 tracks, contact info, and day job.

AUDIO: Eminem f/ Mariah Carey "The Warning"

WHOA!!!!!

"That ether, that shit that make your soul burn slow"

Download Here

The Morning After on Shade 45

First of all if you dont have Sirius XM than you are missing out on the "best radio on radio". (Head over to the website to see about getting a free 3 day trial) In any case my home girl Angela Yee had two of the most entertaining interviews that I have heard in a while. First she had Ghostface killah cohosting with her for about 2 hours on Wednesday, than had Raekwon up there on the air on Thursday. While the Rae interview was great and all, the Ghost interview is must hear radio. Trust Me!

Ghostface Here.....

Raekwon Here.....

Shout out to Ang, DJ Wonder, Emoticon(no twitter having ass)

Audio Via Team Yee

15 Great Moments in Caught ya Lookin

Found this post amusing...





Check Out the other 13 here

PRESS RELEASE:RA and Uncut

(July 28th, 2009)---In the days where video models and strippers get record deals, one would think an uninhibited and revealing style would emerge from these female rappers.

But they would have to be lyricists to make that type of impression, like, a true emcee.

RA the MC is bringing back rap for all those who can reproduce, birthing what hip-hop heads feel has been absent from a woman's perspective---true artistry. Now being the first female MC to grace the stage with the cast of the Generation NEXT tour, RA's musical craft along with her super persona makes for a well-rounded show on July 31st at Europa Nightclub in Brooklyn.

"It's always dope to have a female presence on any show," said RA. "I honestly try not to look at the female part at the end of the day, but I know I can probably hang with most of the male MC's."

That means rocking the stage with her DMV counter-parts, M1 Platoon, who will release they're 5th independent project "We Not Them- pt. III."

RA won't be the only woman on set. Carlitta Durand, the r&b songstress who travels with the cranking live band known as Fat Snacks, has been the only female artist thus far in a crew of nearly fifteen men.

"It hasn't been hard though, probably because I work around family." says Durand as she thinks about her tenure in the industry. "All the men that I work with, I consider family, like M1 Platoon and Phonte, Little Brother. I've been treated well...been smooth sailing," she says smilingly.

Who you work with counts for everything. With Judah, one of the best producers in the DMV and counting, supporting RA on the Strange Music label, she takes on a lot of the heat surrounding artists of her caliber...and of her gender.

"I'm competing with so many women that thinks the 'sex-sells' rap is the only way to go," says RA. "The whole stigma of just being a female rapper makes me compete even harder...."

"....while everyone is going the sexed-up route, I'm doing the opposite."

Website and Twitter

VIDEO: Nicki Minaj @ Velvet Rope 07/25/09

Check Out my future ex jumpoff Nicki Minaj performing 2 tracks off "Beam Me Up Scotty" at The Velvet Rope in Baltimore.

Via Jabari


Sidebar: Beam Me Up Scotty is a pretty decent mix cd. You should probably check it out.

VIDEO: It's The Real: I Date You So Much Right Now

I Date You So Much Right Now from jeff on Vimeo.

Promo: Burn Tha Mic Showcase

For tickets contact Donny Roc or Wish

Jay-z feat/ Rhianna & Kanye "Run This Town"

Download Here

Artists Find Backers as Labels Wane

Story By: Brad Stone

There was a time when most aspiring musicians had the same dream: to sign a deal with a major record label.

Now, with the structure of the music business shifting radically, some industry iconoclasts are sidestepping the music giants and inventing new ways for artists to make and market their music — without ever signing a traditional recording contract.

The latest effort comes from Brian Message, manager of the alternative band Radiohead, which gave away its last album, “In Rainbows,” on the Internet. His venture, called Polyphonic, which was announced this month, will look to invest a few hundred thousand dollars in new and rising artists who are not signed to record deals and then help them create their own direct links to audiences over the Internet.

“Artists are at the point where they realize going back to the old model doesn’t make any sense,” Mr. Message said. “There is a hunger for a new way of doing things.”

Polyphonic and similar new ventures are symptomatic of deep shifts in the music business. The major labels — Sony Music, Warner Music, EMI and Universal Music — no longer have such a firm grip on creating and selling professional music and minting hits with prime placement on the radio.

Full Story Here...

Drake: From teen TV star to rap royalty

Story by Chris Lee

By any modern measure of musical popularity -- YouTube views, radio airplay, ring-tone ubiquity -- the single "Best I Ever Had" by Toronto rapper Drake is not only a hit, it's arguably 2009's "Song of the Summer." Since debuting on iTunes last month, the hip-hop lust track has sold 600,000 digital downloads and topped three separate pop charts. Even if you can't summon to mind its rap-sung vocals or brassy syncopated beat, you've probably heard "Best I Ever Had" blaring out of a convertible somewhere.

Less than a year ago, Drake was basically a zero in the music world, unsigned and virtually unknown as a rhyme-sayer. But thanks to some out-of-the-box branding efforts by several of the best-connected marketing executives in the urban world and the institutional backing of his mentor, rap superstar Lil Wayne, Drake landed two songs in the Top 10 this month -- "Best I Ever Had" as a solo artist and "Every Girl" as part of the rap group Young Money. He had already amassed a devoted fan base before he'd even landed a record deal.

Every Song of Summer has a saga behind it. And Drake's breakthrough arrives as a happy accident built on plenty of high-level networking, a label bidding war and an astonishing degree of cooperation among rap world big shots. Chief among them, Drake's career overseers: the heads of the New York management firm Hip Hop Since 1978 and Cortez Bryant, Lil Wayne's longtime manager.

"They have given me one of the greatest situations in hip-hop," Drake, 22, said of his team.

Under the unusually lucrative agreement he struck with Aspire/Young Money/Cash Money Records distributed through Universal, Drake received a $2-million advance. He retains the publishing rights to his songs and cedes only around 25% of his music sales revenues to the label as a "distribution fee," his managers said. By contrast, the overwhelming majority of new artists sign financially restrictive "360 deals" that sap their touring and merchandise income and offer much more restrictive profit-sharing.

A dissection of how the rapper was able to drive such a hard bargain underscores an evolution in the music industry. At a time when CD sales have declined by 15% over last summer's numbers and major labels remain more fixated on scoring hit singles than sustaining artist rosters, managers such as those working with Drake have stepped into the void to become king-makers in urban music.

"The record company doesn't have any ownership of Drake," Bryant said. "The label does not have participation on profits. They don't have ownership of his masters. We control his entire career. Those deals don't happen anymore."

Full Story Here....

VIDEO: Affion Crockett as Drake "Freestyle Spoof"

You may need to see the original to fully understand this, but its funny regardless

Thanks Ang

REVIEW: Raekwon "Only Built For Cuban Linx 2"

My homie Sumit
was blessed wih the opportunity to hear the complete copy of Raekwon's "Only Built For Cuban Linx 2" and has a pretty good review of it.


A few hours ago, I had the pleasure of being the only blogger/journalist/anyone who has had a chance to listen to the much anticipated “Only Built For Cuban Linx 2″. Every since speaking with Raekwon the last time he was in town, I’ve been very excited to hear this project and honestly, it doesn’t disappoint.Below are just some of my thoughts. At this stage, I don’t have titles for the tracks but do have most of the features and production credits. Hope you enjoy it

The album starts with a skit. The beat is soulful, very smooth. A voice that begins to speak. Its Papa Wu and he’s speaking to the rapper.

“Yo Rae, that you baby, heard all these things about you … we went through so many trials and tribulation, watch the people that cheat you”. Not only is Papa Wu dropping knowledge, but he reminds the listener just how far the rapper from Staten has come.Already from the sound of the track and the opening skit, it sets up a mature album without the raw, gritty sound we are familiar with on Only Built For Cuban Linx. Rae has gone through so much and hes taken it in his stride.

Track 1

Starts off with the classic Shaolin fighting sounds. I think to myself, this is a RZA beat. As the upbeat track is in full flow, I’m still thinking this is a RZA beat. I’m completely wrong, its actually a J-Dilla beat. Already bopping my head, Rae fires some dope rhymes and some swagger “I’ve always been an ill dude”. Ghostface then rolls through and adds some style. Method Man is also featured on this joint. This is the album version, but the single version which will drop next week will have GZA on the hook. Its called “Flying Daggers”

Track 2

Pete Rock produces this next street and grimey track. Its a street tale and its vintage Raekwon.He’s looking to make that paper. One line he raps “I haven’t got my money yet”

The third track on the album features Erick Sermon. It has good chemistry. This is followed by what I’m guessing will be called “Its cold outside”. It has the hook from Rainy Days “Its cold outside” but essentially the track is about Raekwon and everything he’s faced from his street life, his music right through to the present. It also features Ghostface.

Track 6 on the album is produced by the legendary RZA with a rich sounding record. “That black Mozart shit right here”, that’s a lyric that sums up the track.

This is followed by a skit with Raekwon flossing. “yo where them Levi’s at”. He picks out some Gucci.

Then the album goes into some vintage Raekwon and Ghostface. The chemistry is still there, they compliment each other very well. It has an old school feel to it. This is followed by Criminology 2.

Check Out his complete review here

Jay-Z Interview w/ Tim Westwood (preview)

Jay-Z speaks to Tim Westwood and speaks on the new single (freestyles a verse) as well as speaks on the Chris Brown/BET rumor and calls The Game a groupie. Tim Westwood will unleash the full interview on his show Saturday night 25th July 9pm. Shouts to Westwood for the link!


Download Here

Check the full interview on Saturday, 4pm est via live stream Here

VIDEO: KiD CuDi ft. Kanye West & Common "Make Her Say"

Via NahRight

BLUPRINT 3 PROMO INFO

JUST GOT WORD: NEW Jay-Z single coming this Friday called Run This Town with Kanye and Rihanna!

* Sept 10 - Run This Town webcast from Rocawear 10 year anniversary party in NY

* Sept 11 - Blueprint 3 album release & NYC concert assoc. w/NYC Fireman's charity.

* Sept 13 - MTV Awards performance

* Sept 14 - Jay Leno's primetime NBC series premiere performance(first musical guest ever)

Seacrest, Letterman, and more appearances to come...

Via jay-zjournal

Jay-Z unveils latest "Blueprint" for success

By Mariel Concepcion

NEW YORK (Billboard) - At just about any given moment of any given day -- including this sunlit June Friday afternoon -- Jay-Z is a busy man.

Sitting on a swivel chair at his Roc the Mic studios in downtown Manhattan with a glass of Santa Margherita white wine in hand, he tackles interview after interview with Japanese reporters, pausing only to use the restroom or ask his assistant to get him a refill or an order of food from his sports club, 40/40.

But while he handles his international duties, his Roc Nation team -- seven people, including his assistant, longtime publicist and engineers -- make sure his empire runs smoothly. His employees are scattered around the room, some perched on stools or couches, others standing or sitting on the floor, some with laptops before them. His assistant is booking flights, hotels and car service for the BET Awards, which is taking place that weekend; his publicist whispers on the phone about another magazine story.

Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter and raised in Brooklyn's Marcy Projects, is the first to admit he could not have achieved half of his successes on his own. But it's his overarching big-business vision and talent that have positioned him as one of the most well-known and influential artists of his time.

PAYING THE PREMIUM

Following in the footsteps of Madonna and U2, the 39-year-old rapper last year signed a 10-year, $150 million (91.8 million pounds) deal with the concert promotion giant Live Nation that includes touring, publishing and recording.

In May, Jay-Z parted ways with Def Jam, his longtime label home, at the cost of $5 million, but gained control of his future master recordings. In June, he signed a deal with Atlantic to distribute his upcoming, 11th studio album, "The Blueprint 3"; a month later, he signed a deal with Sony for all future Roc Nation releases.

"I still owed an album to Def Jam, but I wanted to have it back for a number of reasons, the most important being that it wasn't consistent with the type of business I planned for me or where I was positioning myself. Everything in my life I had taken charge of, but yet I was still an artist signed to a label. It seemed a little archaic in my plans," he says. "I've always prided myself on being a principled person. It was more so the principle than the amount of money. It was about owning my own masters and owning my own companies, but you have to pay for the privilege, and that comes at a premium."

Full Story Here....
Pic via NahRight

BSA: Blogger Service Announcement

Hey guys whats up? This is just a break from regular content to make a few announcements.

1st and foremost I want to thank everyone who reads the blogs. 2. As you guys can see this isnt going to be a daily blog. its just a place where I can compile lots of things that i find interesting during the week. Mostly music related, however it could be sports, politics, technology, fashion, whatever. It will be updated on a weekly basis as a sort of week-in-review. If your looking for daily updates on you need to be following me on twitter. I tweet my thoughts on everything there and post links throughout the day to all sorts of articles, videos, audio, and anything else I come across.

In addition to that I will be doing reviews, opinion pieces, interviews, and whatever else i decided to include here. I'll also have others post work here as well. Working on a couple of different pieces now so look out for those in the near future. Again, thanks for visiting.

Until Next Time

An Exclusive Excerpt From Jay-Z's Book "Decoded"

Looks like the boys over at Complex got their hands on an excerpt from Jay-z's upcoming book "Decoded".

People love to talk about lyrics: punchlines, puns, double meanings, you name it. And no one is as fond of his own cleverness as one Shawn Carter. To that end, Jiggaman has reportedly inked a deal to write a book called Decoded, wherein he delves into his own inexhaustible arsenal of wit and wordplay to explain what he meant by many of his favorite lines. “I’m gonna pick the select ones,” he told a radio DJ, “all the double entendres and things that people may have missed or may have gotten and want confirmation on it.” Forgive us if we were a little skeptical at first, but it just didn’t sound like anything we’d want to shell out $24.95 for ($9.95 for the Kindle edition—holla at us, Steve Bezos!). But as with so many times before, it turned out that we were wrong. We got a look at a preview of Decoded, and the shit is absolute fire! If you thought you knew what was going through Jay’s mind when he penned his joints (without the pen), you had no idea. Even his not-so-incredible tracks are testament to his penchant for cryptic allusion and restless philosophical examination. Don’t believe us? Peep the excerpt below* to see the thought process behind his 2003 hit “Change Clothes.” And you thought it was just about girls and brand names…
“Change Clothes” featuring Pharrell, (2003)

Uh, uh, uh, yeah, uh, your boy is back

Jay Says:[I wrote that line right after I became a board-certified chiropractor--big up yourself, Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport Campus!]

————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

(Sexy sexy) I know y’all miss the bounce

Jay Says: [I had just gotten Memph Bleek a pogo stick for Christmas, but lil' homie wouldn't stop jumping around the studio when i was in the booth. Instead of grounding him, though, I threw him in the verse.]


Check Out the full interpretation here

VIDEO: President Obama's Speech to the NAACP Convention

PAY ATTENTION!

VIDEO: Slaughterhouse "The One"

Via OnSmash

NEW AUDIO: Camron & Ma$e "Get It" (f/ B. Rossi)

Here's that new Camron and Ma$e I was talking about on twitter last night.


Download Here

Spotted At MissInfo's Spot

Want To Sign to Universal?

Universal/TuneCore deal opens major doors for indie artists

Indie artists who distribute through TuneCore can now purchase major label services from Universal on a flat-fee basis. Artists retain their rights and royalties while still benefiting from those Universal services they need, such as access to world-class recording studios and live performance help.

View the full article here.

I see this as being a win/win for both the indie acts and Universal

Spotted at The Daily Swarm

Ghostface Writes A Graphic Novel

Forget rap songs, the one and only Ghostface Killah has moved on to graphic novels.

Entitled Cell Block Z, and co-written with Marion Chapman and Shauna Garr, Ghost's book is about a boxer with his back against the wall. Here's the full description, via the Hachette Book Group:

To his fans, Cole Dennis is a heavyweight contender with a devastating right hook. To a city being held hostage to chaos and terror, Dennis has a grit and charisma that make him the shining hope for justice--until he is arrested for a brutal murder. Framed for a crime he did not commit, he finds himself captive in a foreboding high-tech superprison whose masters secretly conspire to turn inmates into tomorrow's most terrifying bioweapons--with Cole Dennis as the intended prize specimen. But Dennis is nobody's lab rat. Reborn as a towering engine of destruction, Dennis will prepare for the fight of his life. He will rename himself Ghostface Killah. And his cry of righeous rage will echo beyond the cold steel walls of Cell Block Z.

Cell Block Z, illustrated by Chris Walker, will be available July 29

Spotted at URB

MIXTAPE: Hurricane Chris & Lil Boosie - Category 7 "A Bad Azz Hurricane"

Download Here
1. Intro
2. Bad Azz Hurricane (Prod. Gus)
3. Chest Wide Open (Prod. Big Wayne)
4. Deebo (Prod. Big Wayne)
5. fu*k All You Hoes (Prod. Big Wayne)
6. Gangsta sh*t (Prod. Big Wayne)
7. Going Hard Tonight (Prod. Big Wayne)
8. Grim Reaper (Prod. Phunk Dawg)
9. Southside (Prod. Big Wayne)
10. Lime Lite (Prod. Big Wayne)
11. Money Money Money (Prod. Gus)
12. Purple (Prod. Phunk Dawg)
13. Shaking That Ass Enough (Prod. Big Wayne)
14. Pain “Lil Ivy” (Feat. Locco) (Prod. Big Wayne)
15. Struggle (Prod. Gus)
16. Hate To Hear Our Name (Prod. Big Wayne)
17. Halle Berry (Boosie Verse) (Prod. Superstar)


Spotted At TSS

VIDEO: It's The Real: Best I Ever Vlad

SHOTS FIRED!!!!

Via Its The Real

Jay-Z Still Ahead of the Pack

Mr. Carter comes back to claim the #1 spot on Forbes 2009 Hip-Hop cash Kings list of while Curtis slips from #1 to #4.

1. Jay-Z - 35 Million
2. Diddy - 30 Million
3. Kanye West - 25 Million
4. 50 Cent - 20 Million
5. Akon - 20 Million
6. Lil Wayne - 18 Million
7. Timbaland - 17 Million
8. Pharrell - 16 Million
9. T-Pain - 15 Million
10. Eminem - 14 Million
11. Dr.Dre - 13 Million
12. Snoop Dogg - 11 Million
13. Ludacris - 10 Million
14. Common - 8 Million
15. Will.I.Am - 8 Million
16. T.I. - 8 Million
17. Swizz Beatz - 8 Million
18. Andre 3000 - 7 Million
19. Big Boi- 7 Million
20. Flo-Rida - 6 Million
21. Rick Ross - 6 Million
22. The Game - 6 Million
23. Young Jeezy- 6 Million

Check Out The Full Article Here

They Also did features on Akon, Cars of Hip-Hop Stars, and Hip-Hop Stars using Twitter

Spotted at Forbes.com

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Hellz Yea!

Download Here


Hellz Yea! delivers his third mixtape, "The Graveyard Shift" July 1st.
"The Graveyard Shift" is available digitally for download on Hellzyea.com.

Hellz Yea! is an artist every Brooklyn voice can get behind. No autotunes, played out lyrics, or thoughtless lyrics, Hellz Yea! fully writes, records, and masters his third mixtape, "The Graveyard Shift". DJs Big Steve Gee, Infamous, DJ Trip (Triple Platinum Empire)and Mz Stylez weigh-in on the extended playlist, fueling Brooklyn's flame for artistry to the game of Hip Hop mixtapes. "The Graveyard Shift" will be available for free July 4th 12am digitally online at Hellz Yea! official site www.HellzYea.com.

Brooklyn's multi-talented lyricist and producer, Hellz Yea! born Jamiyl Adams a fresh new sound to the mixtape with various production from up and coming producers to give listeners a brand new sound with classic beats. The mixtape carries a strong vocal presence reminiscent of Rakim and the ability to switch up rhythms and flow which proves, "The Graveyard Shift" will soon become a street classic. The Graveyard Shift features Coast 2 Coast DJs: DJ Infamous, DJ X-Factor, Shade 45's Mz Stylez, Bumsquad DJ's own Big Steve Gee, and Lord Gang DJs PoppaHatz. The smooth emcee line-up continues with V-Stlyez on "The Hood" and P-Mortal on "No Gimmicks". "The Graveyard Shift" brings vocalists Hazel Dolphy "Be Strong" and Levar Thomas on the smash single "What You Mean to Me" to the project to deliver an up tempo summer jam to complete what will be 2009's mixtape rival. For more information visit www.HellzYea.com or contact Jamiyl Adams at HellzYea@gmail.com.

Connect with him on Twitter: Twitter.com/HellzYea
Add Hellz Yea! on Facebook: Facebook.com/HellzYea

ROCAWEAR BARBIE

Check out more photos here

Spotted at HipHopPress

VIDEO: Jay-Z Blueprint 3 Intro

Here's the full version of the freestyle that he kicked in Vegas the other night.



Lyrics via RapRadar

We talkin' about real shit or we talkin' about rhymes
Y'all talkin' about millions or y'all just talkin' about mines
What we talkin' about? 'Cause I ain't got time
For what people be talkin' about all the time
What we talkin' about fiction or we talkin' about fact?
We talkin' about fiction, hold up, pardon my back
We talkin' about life and all I hear is, "Oh yeah he keeps talkin' about crack."
I ain't talkin' about profit
I'm talkin' about pain
I'm talkin' about despair
I'm talkin' about shame
I ain't talkin' about gossip
I ain't talkin' about Game
I ain't talkin' about Jimmy
I ain't talkin' about Dame

I'm talkin' about real shit, them people playin'
What is you talkin' about? I don't know what y'all sayin'
People keep talkin about Hov take it back
I'm doin' better than before, why would I do that?
Ain't nothin' cool about carryin' a strap, about worryin' your moms and buryin' your best cat
Talkin' about revenge, while you carryin' his casket, all teary-eyed about to take it to a mattress.
I'm talkin' about music, I ain't talkin' about rap
Y'all talkin' about who's hot, I ain't talkin' about that
The conversation has changed, let's yap about that
I don't run rap no more, I run the map
A small part of the reason the President is Black
I told him I got him when he hit me on the jack
I'm talkin' about progress, I ain't lookin' back
You know I run track, try not to get lapped
People keep talkin' about Hov left 'em flat
Trying to rewrite history, let's talk about facts
Dame made millions, even Jaz made some scraps
He coulda made more but he ain't sign his contract
And as far as street guys, I mean we was dealin' crack.
That's how the game goes, I don't owe nobody jack
Grown men, want me to sit 'em on my lap
But I don't have a beard and Santa Claus ain't Black

Michael Jackson Memorial

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

via msnbc

PRODUCERS BEAT BATTLE

NimbusCollective.com launches its 1st monthly Straight Cash Producers Beat Battle & Artist Showcase, on Thursday, July 9, 2009 at the Relapse Theatre in Atlanta, Ga. NimbusCollective.com will begin it's monthly Showcases from Atlanta, Ga with it's next stop in Detroit, Mi. The program will be a fraternization of rhythm, rhyme, and beats and will also feature artists selected from previous auditions to compete for cash prizes.

The winner of the Producers competition will receive $1,000. Thanks to private investors, there will be gifts given to some Audience members.

The performances will be judged by a celebrity panel of DJ Aaries, 2009 SEA Impact DJ of the Year; Talib, Audio Engineer and CEO of Southern Accoustic; and Dogmatic, national recording artist; and the list goes on.

NimbusCollective.com, which has been a stepping-stone for many overseas artists in the past, is continuing to set the much needed stage for the music community at the intimate Relapse Theatre, 380 14th St, Atlanta, Ga 30318. The doors open an hour before show time for . The Relapse offers a smoke room and food and drinks will be available in the VIP section. Our official wireless sponsor is Clear and their providing free wireless for your TWITTER pleasure

Tickets, priced at $10 general admission with VIP tickets being $25 in advance. Reduced tickets are available if you're on the guest list of one of the perfomring Producers or Artists.

On-site, parking is FREE. For a complete season schedule, directions to the theater and parking information, log on to http://Events.NimbusCollective.com.

Via hiphop press

R.I.P. Steve McNair

Via NewsChannel5