Associated Press Content
ATLANTA — Lil Wayne is facing a year behind bars in February, but don't expect either the rapper or his label, Cash Money, to fall off the radar in his absence.
Birdman, who is the co-founder of Cash Money, already has a plan in place to keep both the label and rap's top-selling artist in the limelight. Birdman recently released his own album, "Pricele$$," and a new Lil Wayne CD is planned for release soon; albums by rappers Drake and Bow Wow are to come early next year. They also have the hot singer Jay Sean, who had a No. 1 hit with Lil Wayne, "Down."
Still, Birdman's biggest concern isn't about Cash Money — he's grappling with how to deal with the pending imprisonment of Lil Wayne, who pleaded guilty last month to an illegal weapons charge. Birdman discovered the 27-year-old rapper at age 11 and often refers to him as "my son."
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The Associated Press: What is the premise behind your CD's first single, "Always Strapped," featuring Lil Wayne and Mack Maine?
Birdman: My philosophy for "Strapped" ain't just about a gun. You could be strapped about life. I think people just took to it. The music and beat was hot, the content of the song. All of it.
AP: Where do you see yourself fitting in the rap paradigm — obviously Lil Wayne is on top. Do you care anymore?
Birdman: I love to still do it. I could be doing a lot of other things. But I love being an artist. I love the other things like dealing with my son Wayne and his music. It's half and half.
AP: Lil Wayne emerged as the best-selling figure in music after last year's success of "Tha Carter III." Now, he'll have to spend a year in jail. How do you think being incarcerated will effect his career?
Birdman: My son is the most rapping (expletive) on earth. But at this point, I don't care about that. Forget rap. It's about him right now. I got to deal with a situation I've never had to deal with in my life. It ain't cool with me, but we have to live through it.
AP: After Lil Wayne left the courthouse, what kind of advice did you give him?
Birdman: To keep doing what he loves — music. That's the only thing we've got. You take that away from us, we really don't need to live. Music, that's the only thing that gets the stress off your mind to make you feel better. It's how good it sounds after you've done it. The enjoyment of it.
AP: Will Lil Wayne continue to release music while he's in jail?
Birdman: Of course. I don't know how many, bruh. It's up to him. It's his world. My son is his own boss. Whatever he wants to do, we'll back him up.
AP: Lil Wayne is easily the mainstay for Cash Money. When he's gone, will your record label suffer?
Birdman: Not as a company. But we will suffer in losing my son Wayne, who we love. Him as a person means more to me than anything.
AP: Up-and-coming rapper Drake is becoming more popular. Do you see him being a bigger star than Lil Wayne?
Birdman: Drake is already a superstar.
AP: But as big as Wayne?
Birdman: That's 20 years from now. Hopefully, he'll be bigger. That's what we're striving for. We ain't tripping. We're working hard for him to be bigger than anyone else. We want the best for him.
AP: How does Cash Money compare to other rap label empires?
Birdman: Now, I don't see any top labels. I look around and see all those people who did it before me. To me, the labels, I don't see no company with constant success with a clique. At some point, there was a lot of people doing this. It used to be crowded. I see a lot of people who have done it, and now don't see them.
On the Net:
Cash Money Records: http://www.cashmoney-records.com/
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Video After The Jump
Drake has had an amazing run in the rap game in a very short amount of time. The Young Money artist spoke from the 52nd Grammy Award Nomination Show about how he and friends from Toronto made his initial mixtape and believed strongly it would work. The Grammys will air on CBS January 31, 2010.
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XXL Reports
XXLMag.com has learned that Dipset Capo Jim Jones has left Columbia Records and recently signed a deal to release his next solo studio album on E1 Music, formerly known as Koch Records. According to the contract, the Harlem rapper will also drop a mixtape vie E1 as well.
Jones has a long history with the E1. Along with releasing a handful of records on the imprint, last January he was appointed vice president of urban A&R.
“Jim Jones put Koch on the map,” label prez Alan Grunblatt said in a prior statement. “He truly knows what it takes to make a hit record. I am thrilled to be working with him for many years to come.”
Jones’ as-yet-untitled new album is set to hit shelves in spring 2010.—Jesse Gissen
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Videos After The JumpL.A. Times Reports
Beyoncé's "Halo" just got a lot brighter: R&B's reigning diva collected a field-leading 10 Grammy Award nominations including album of the year for her "I Am . . . Sasha Fierce" double CD and record for the single "Halo" on Wednesday.
The live nominations show, which set the stage for the Jan. 31 awards night, generously recognized her and two other young women who had stellar years in the pop world: country-pop singer and songwriter Taylor Swift and New York pop provocateur Lady Gaga. The three combined for 23 nominations. All three showed up in the top Grammy categories of album, record and song.
Swift, whose "Fearless" is the top-selling album of 2009 to date, was recognized for her single "You Belong With Me" as record of the year, which awards vocal performance and production. Also nominated in that category are "Halo," Lady Gaga's "Poker Face," the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" and Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody."
In yet another year of sales decline for the record industry, voters relied more than ever on artists who still managed to score gold and platinum record sales. Top categories were largely focused on a few artists and albums, with the Black Eyed Peas, R&B singer Maxwell and rapper Kanye West collecting six each.
"Poker Face," "You Belong With Me," Beyoncé's hit "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" and Maxwell's single "Pretty Wings" got nominations for each of those songs' writers.
In the album of the year competition, "Fearless" and "I Am . . . Sasha Fierce" are vying with the Peas' "The E.N.D.," Lady Gaga's "The Fame" and, in perhaps the biggest surprise at the top, Dave Matthews Band's "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King." U2, traditionally a favorite in the album field, had to settle for a rock album nomination for the Irish quartet's latest, "No Line on the Horizon."
And after several years in which British acts have figured prominently in top categories, Recording Academy voters went virtually all-American with this year's key nominees.
Acts vying for the title of best new artist Southern rock group Zac Brown Band, Georgia R&B singer Keri Hilson, New York duo MGMT, L.A. indie rock group Silversun Pickups and British alt-pop duo the Ting Tings.
Keri Hilson
Other multiple nominees include Black Eyed Peas, Maxwell and West with six apiece, Lady Gaga, rapper Jay-Z, and French DJ and electronic music producer David Guetta with five each.
West, however, appeared in none of the most prestigious categories, collecting most of his nods for rap collaborations.
Still, he fared better than Eminem, whose "Relapse" brought him back into the pop world with an uneven but occasionally brilliant look at the wild swings of his life in the five years since his previous studio collection. He took three nominations, for rap solo, duo or group collaboration and rap album.
The night's multiple nominations were especially sweet for Maxwell, whose last album came out in 2001.
"I'm just beyond," he said backstage. "I've been gone for eight years. I've been throwing out my trash and buying my milk. . . . To come back and make a record based on my own living experience . . . and to have this kind of reception, I feel like I've already won."
He also gave a shout-out to the album format, which many have predicted is on its way out in the iTunes-iPod age of downloaded singles.
"I wanted to bring back the idea that there was this thing that was a record, a body of work as opposed to three minutes of you shaking your butt on the dance floor somewhere," Maxwell said.
Maxwell
Guetta's album "One Love" has sold less than 50,000 copies, but benefited from his teaming with various Western pop acts, among them Black Eyed Peas producer-songwriter will.i.am. "The chemistry," said the Frenchman in halting English, "it's even more crazy than me. We just make music for fun. This guy selling millions of albums, spends time with a guy like me . . . just for fun?
"We're Nashville boys . . . so we'll pull for our locals: Taylor Swift [and] Sugarland," Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill said backstage. The group's "Use Somebody" not only gave nominee presenter George Lopez an excuse to drop in a Tiger Woods joke, but more significantly generated four nominations for the hard-hitting Southern alt-rock band. "You always hear the cliché, 'it's an honor to be nominated,' " Followill said. "It really is a good feeling. . . . To get four, that's pretty crazy."
Three of Swift's nominations came in country categories, including the female vocal category alongside more seasoned and technically accomplished singers Martina McBride, Lee Ann Womack, Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert. That's likely to set her up for more barbs like those she was pelted with following her win in that field at the recent Country Music Assn. Awards.
But Sugarland singer Jennifer Nettles had nothing but praise for Swift on Wednesday. "Taylor has done a lot for the country genre. She brought a lot of young people to country music. When I was 20 years old, I was playing clubs, learning how to drink Jim Beam and Coke."
The Peas' will.i.am acknowledged the sea change the business is undergoing and how his group has adapted.
"To have a No. 1 song for six months is a big accomplishment," he said of "I Gotta Feeling." "We thank all our fans, our team, our management for going out there and trying new things. You can't just pretend it's 1998, come out with a song and do a video. You have to really collaborate with your fans. . . . It's a new day."
Black Eyed Peas
Nominations were announced from Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles. Awards will be announced Jan. 31 at Staples Center in a ceremony to be telecast on CBS. Awards are determined by more than 12,000 voting members of the Recording Academy from eligible recordings released between Oct. 1, 2008 and Aug. 31, 2009.
Maxwell At 52nd Grammy Nominations
Keri Hilson At 52nd Grammy NominationsBlack Eyed Peas At 52nd Grammy NominationsDrake At 52nd Grammy NominationsSong Of The Year Nominees for the 52nd GRAMMY AwardsRecord Of The Year Nominees for the 52nd Grammy Awards
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Rolling Stone
When Rolling Stone caught up with 50 Cent for a Close-Up in our current issue (dated December 10, 2009), the Queens MC was having some of his signature tattoos lasered off his arms to benefit his budding acting career while musing on the leak of his latest disc, Before I Self Destruct. Fiddy also chatted about his new collaboration with Philly rapper Beanie Sigel and mouthed off about another New York legend with a major 2009 LP: Jay-Z.
"I Go Off," your single with Beanie Sigel, recently came out. There's a lot of speculation that he's going to be in G-Unit. Is that going to happen?
There's a strong possibility we're going to be doing it. We're starting with this song, and the deal structure between me and him is a complete 50 percent profit split. It's not like an artist deal, like you get 50 percent of everything. For me to deal with Beanie, I'd have to explore the possibility of doing that the entire project, because I wouldn't want to force him to make commercial music, where he can make decent money — a lot of money — without selling a lot of records, and just let it be what it is. That's the details, the difference between doing a deal with that artist and other artists.
And he has a lot to say about the way he was treated on Roc-A-Fella.
If he writes those things, you should expect it to be all on the record.
When he came out of jail, you offered him $800,000 to sign, but Jay-Z blocked it?
He would have definitely got the 800,000 at that point, because I had just did the Mobb Deep and M.O.P. deals, and at that point, there was a lot more physical cash available. The music business was in a different state. When you say 800,000 now, it ain't going to be that now, just because of the way things are. What the expectations are for return on actual CD sales — I still have to get the money from Interscope, and it has to be deemed a legitimate deal, they're not going to just put money in the bag.
Were you saying Jay had the deal going the wrong way by not letting him take that opportunity?
I think he was saying, "Roc la familia, we family, it's the Roc-A-Fella gang," and then using traditional business tactics. See what I'm saying? At the same time, we had them in a space where they were feeling like they were family, and they didn't have to pay attention to everything. He didn't have their interests in mind, he was just doing what he had to do for himself.
Is Beanie talking about Jay?
I think when you hear it, you'll understand it. He has some stuff he has to get off his chest. You have to actually hear it, I don't want to blow it.
His last single was all about what Jay said about him. Has it changed the way you feel about Jay at all?
With Jay-Z, I don't know him personally. I don't think they do, either. They just had stronger access with him.
Who?
As far as artists he works with. I think he completely has his best interests in mind. When you commit to working with other artists — I have to be passionate about it. Of course, you want to make money, so you only commit to the things that you're excited about, that you feel you have the chemistry with or has something there, but after you get past that point, it should be something that you actually want to see win. I tried to collaborate with him on the Freeway project ? What I did was Freeway went out and found his publishing deal, and we started the album, and Jay did "Big Spender" and I did "Take You to the Top," and when it came time to put the record out, he didn't want to shoot his video, so I'm like, "Why am I going to shoot mine? I'm not shooting it. It's on your label." He has a king complex, he thinks he's fucking Jesus, you know what I mean? This J-Hova shit.
Is that something you'd put on a record?
You have to say something ? I don't really have a passion for this guy. We're compared to each other, because we're both in hip-hop, it would be me, him and Puffy. When they make those comparisons, they compare me to guys who have been here 10 and 15 years longer than me. Can you not see the significance of me being able to make the same deals that they're able to make in 10 years less than they have?
You have no personal beef with him, nothing to jump in on?
I'm just watching him. He said something one time I didn't like, those little things, subliminal things — for me, that's the punk way to do things.
He said something about, "I'm about a dollar."
That was a long time ago, that was '99. That didn't matter. There are little things in his records, he would make reference to things, and it would just be a question mark, but when he was in the U.K., he was talking on the radio, and the guy must have made him feel like he was a punk, because he had to point out that he's not afraid of 50 Cent. "Nobody's afraid of 50 Cent," or whatever he said, but he should have been addressing the guys who made him feel like that, because his approach and presentation has made him so approachable that Lil Mama's on the stage [uninvited at the 2009 VMAs]. He made himself like that. When you wear glasses, when you wear Urkel glasses, what do you associate those glasses with? Intelligence. There's certain things that connect to the man — don't hit a guy with four eyes, right? That's the message he's putting out when he's walking around with these glasses and stuff like that on, and you know he's making himself look safer so he can get in the spot on the Beyoncé path.
It seems he'll have to respond, and he might throw you in there.
I'd love for him to say something he's not supposed to say about me. The difference is the last guy he competed with was Nas, and he lost. Nas just didn't keep his business intact, and later had to submit and sign under him, so we couldn't acknowledge that he beat him when they had to compete. I think he got a phobia from that. You know what the most vulnerable space for an artist is? Confusion. So if you think you're the hottest rapper or the hottest artist, whenever you're losing and everybody knows it, that could be a confusion point for you, right? That's what he went through at that time. We don't know what happens in the future, but we know the facts.
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Life & Style Reports
Life & Style can exclusively reveal the identity of a woman who has quietly been seeing golf star Tiger Woods for months -- as recently as late October.
Kalika Moquin, a marketing manager for The Bank nightclub in Las Vegas, hooked up with Tiger more than once at his Las Vegas hotel during the weekend of Oct. 23, an insider tells Life & Style. Kalika is the third woman to be publicly linked to Tiger. Club promoter Rachel Uchitel and Los Angeles cocktail waitress Jaimee Grubbs have also been named in shocking reports as women with whom Tiger has cheated on his wife of five years, Elin Nordegren.
When contacted by Life & Style, Kalika neither confirmed nor denied an affair with Tiger. "It's not appropriate for me to comment one way or the other," she said. "At this time, I'm just choosing to focus on my job."
Reps for Tiger would not comment. But the insider tells Life & Style, "They've hooked up a bunch of times. Tiger told Kalika that married life isn't all it's built up to be. He said he wasn't happy in his marriage or his home life and that there was just so much pressure on him."Read more…
I caught a very interesting blog on SandraRose.com today regarding Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Certainly made me go hmmm. Read what she has to say below and see what you think.
"Jay Z and his BFF Alicia Keys performed “Empire State Of Mind Pt. 2″ at a World Aids Day Charity Concert in NYC Presented by American Express at Nokia Theatre yesterday.
Judging from these pics taken at the event, Jay Z and Alicia Keys look very cozy. In fact, I’ve never seen Hov look this cozy with Rihanna or Beyonce for that matter.
Am I making too much of these pics? By the way, did you get tested yesterday?"
AllHipHop Reports
The management of Gucci Mane has answered damaging allegations from a 10-page Ozone magazine article accusing them of committing fraud against multiple promoters across the country.
The article, written by Ozone founder Julia Beverly, is scheduled to print in the publication’s next edition, but is available now for download.
In it, several promoters give similar stories of being swindled out of thousands of dollars due to no-shows, double bookings, and last minute booking/travel fees.
Also, several promoters alleged their deposit money, sometimes reaching over $27,000, was never returned.
In an exclusive statement to AllHipHop.com, Johnnie Cabbell first addressed his history within the music industry.
“I am fully aware of the recent allegations which have been made about me and my company Hitt Afta Hitt Entertainment (HAH). I am a licensed and bonded entertainment booker and have been operating my company successfully for almost a decade,” Cabbell explained. “During my career, I have booked thousands upon thousands of shows and have worked with various promoters all over the country. I have maintained an impeccable track record and am operating within the confines of all applicable laws. I’ve always strived to do the best job I can possibly do and will continue to do that.”
Johnnie Cabbell"It has been no secret in the music industry that Ozone Magazine’s Julia Beverly has taken out a personal vendetta on Gucci’s management (Debra Antney) and official booking agent (Johnnie Cabbell.) She has been internet twitting, fictitiously reporting and email blasting false accusations against me and my company. However, it is apparent that the people that know about the business and are familiar with all three parties can weed through the BS. There has been an influx of support from our fan base, business associates, friends and family who really know these individuals for what they are-the good and the bad. Journalist, Isis Wisdom of Wordonthestreetsmag.com has expressed her disdain and personal experiences with Julia Beverly on her site, as well as held interviews to uncover the truth behind the rumors. Local Atlantan news/gossip diva Sandra Rose has come out in attesting to Julia’s scandalous reputation and history in the business. To read the full post, click here. Hitt Afta Hitt would like to thank everyone who continues to support and believe in the REAL throughout it all. What’s done in the dark, will come to the light soon enough.
The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it!!!"
Julia Beverly
Because of the financial and ethical ramifications from the allegations made in the Ozone article, Cabbell disclosed that his efforts to clear his name will take place through judicial means.
“[Gucci Mane’s booking agent] Johnnie Cabbell is a grand vampire,” stated Chicago promoter Godfather in the article, who claims to have lost close to $100,000 in his business dealings with Hitt Afta Hitt Entertainment.
“I don’t want to work with Johnnie anymore. He sucks the blood out of you…They were double booking shows and Johnnie was taking all the deposits,” Godfather stated.
“Due to the sensitive nature of the vicious accusations made against me, it raises some serious and potential legal issues,” Cabbell told AllHipHop.com. “My legal counsel is advising me every step of the way with respect to how I handle this situation going forward. We’re prepared to fight the rumors and are dedicated to the challenge of restoring our goodwill and credibility within the industry.”
You can read the Ozone Magazine article here
At press time, Gucci Mane is currently serving a one year sentence for parole violation.
His anticipated sophomore album The State vs. Radric Davis is set to be released on December 8.
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ESPN Reports:Allen Iverson informed the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday morning that he will accept their one-year, non-guaranteed offer.The contract is for a pro-rated veteran's minimum of $1.3 million."In light of the recent injury to Lou Williams, which will sideline him for close to eight weeks, we felt that Allen was the best available free agent guard to help us at this time," team president Ed Stefanski said.Team officials met face-to-face with Iverson and his representatives for nearly two hours Monday.Iverson announced his retirement last week after an ill-fated stint with the Memphis Grizzlies. The 10-time All-Star was NBA MVP in 2001 when he led the Sixers to the NBA Finals.
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Video After The JumpBBC Reports
Australian Danny Green produced a big shock by knocking out Roy Jones Jr in the first round of their IBO cruiserweight title fight in Sydney.
The 40-year-old Jones, who was seeking a ninth world title, was floored inside the first minute by a brutal punch.
Jones got up but Green continued the onslaught and the referee stopped the bout after two minutes, two seconds.
After only his sixth loss in 60 fights, Jones, who had eyed a bout with Bernard Hopkins, has hinted at retirement.
Jones Jr beat Hopkins to win his first world title in 1993 and floored Britain's Joe Calzaghe in the first round when the pair met for the Ring Magazine light heavyweight championship in New York in November 2008, before losing unanimously on points.
He has won eight world titles in four different weight divisions and has been referred to as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
But he was felled for only the third time in his career and succumbed to the quickest defeat of a professional career that began way back in 1989.
Green, who only came out of a 13-month retirement in April, was close to apologetic after winning his 28th fight out of 31, 25 of them by knockout.
"That almost hurt me to do that to someone whom I aspire to look up to as a professional fighter inside and outside the ring," he said.
"I am just overwhelmed - this is the greatest victory in my entire life."
Jones Jr is now unlikely to continue in the ring and said: "I have got to take my hat off to Danny, it was a great performance. I guess now I go back into retirement."Read more…
Audio After The JumpHipHopWired Reports
“And I ain't sayin n*ggas left us in the hood though/ We ate our little food, did the dishes, cleaned the plates up/ You was eatin steak while we was eatin Steakum/ But I never complained, backed you up and tipped the waiter.”
There has been heavy discussion as it pertains to Beanie Sigel and his recent verbal assaults on Jay-Z. Many are feeling as though he has a valid argument, whereas others look at him as a down and out rapper trying to himself back to relevancy.
No matter how much he sends shots at the throne of his former “friend” people seem to need more convincing that he is pleading a real case.
“We don't believe you, you need more people,” would simply sum it up for Beans.
With that being said, fellow Philly native has decided to end his silence and slip in his own commentary on the ongoing situation with the release of the track “Love Is A Battlefield”.
“All the people want me to get into detail/ Bout Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel/ We shall proceed/ Wanna know if I rhyme with Beanie/ Or if I got feelings on the D L/ We shall, see/ On The Stimulus Package/ When I drop it February 16/ This is how the sh*t be/ The game is to be sold not told.”
Freeway even goes into mention the death of Aaliyah, taking a page from Jadakiss to ask “What If” the plane had never crashed as if her passing put more pressure on relationships in the Roc.
As Jay went into his retirement and the Roc was relatively silent as Sigel served his bid, the rapper gave a glimpse into his life while everything was in a downward spiral.
“I was in the hood stressing with the wolves, while my n*gga Beans was doing a year in the wake up/ Every day I wake up, shooting, robbin, violence, a lot of transgression in the hood.”
Refusing to take sides in the beef, Free simply states that he doesn't know who to blame, but he can only proceed with what is now and create a trail for himself into the future.
With Stimulus Package on the way, however, fans should expect to hear more from the rapper as he did on Free At Last when he aired his grievances about not receiving input from Kanye West or Just Blaze and how much the Roc had shifted since their dominance.
Only time will tell how long the story goes, but as more from the Roc throw in their two cents, it only becomes better for the listeners to realize what happened behind the scenes once the camera's stopped flashing.
“What if the brothers never broke up and foul words was never spoke up/ Would that diamond still stay up?/ Wait up/ What if half these n*ggas wasn't imaginary playa's, would yall n*ggas notice?”
Freeway "Love Is A Battlefield" Radio RipRead more…
BallerStatus Reports
Eminem is getting ready to drop his Relapse: Refill album, which has seven new songs on it, but Relapse 2 is what fans are really waiting for.
In a new interview for Complex's December/January coverstory, the Detroit rapper gets into what happened with the Relapse sequel, and what music fans should expect when it drops.
According to Em, when he finally finished the first installment, he had a ton of songs he couldn't let go of, so that was gonna be Relapse 2. But, in regular Em fashion, he recorded more ... and now a whole new album has formulated.
"When I finished Relapse, I had a whole album of material that didn't make it that I wasn't ready to throw away, so that was going to be Relapse 2, " the rapper explained. "But, then I got with Dre in Hawaii and started recording more, and now the new material has knocked out all the old songs.
"The new material is definitely different. Making Relapse, I was still working the drugs out of my system, so there was a lot of ... just jokey sh**," Em continued. "It was a lot of punchline-y, funny, shock value -- kind of going back to The Slim Shady LP. And that was cool, but I've kind of flipped the page. Now I'm going for songs instead of one-liners. I don't want to make shit that you hear once and then the joke's over; I want to make records that you could play a hundred times, a thousand times."
As the interview continued, Complex writer Noah Callahan-Bever brought up something Eminem never really gave much thought too ... if he became sharper with his lyrics, as he got sober. Eminem agreed.
"You're right, my thinking became sharper again as I went along. If you were to take a song like 'My Mom' or 'Must Be the Ganja,' those were cool -- but they were the beginning stages of me coming out of the [addiction]," said EM. "It wasn't until it got into songs like 'Stay Wide Awake' that it felt like my mind got sharper. I became more on-point towards the end of recording the album. Right now, I feel like I'm more focused than I've ever been. I still feel like I have room to get better but I feel like I'm definitely on my game right now."
So, with Eminem sharp as ever, back with Dre, constantly recording every day. What is Relapse 2 gonna sounds like?
We can't wait to see. Until then, Relapse: Refill hits stores December 22nd.
Make sure to head over to Complex.com to read the rest of the coverstory, which hits newsstands on December 8th.
In the interview, Eminem discusses his obession with working out, how clueless he is with the computer and internet, his sober living, and getting put onto streaming porn.
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US Weekly Reports
Tiger Woods is very, very sorry.
The golfer released a new statement on his website Wednesday. He does not specifically mention his rumored affairs with Jaimee Grubbs, Rachel Uchitel and other women. He does shoot down talk that a physical fight with his wife Elin Nordegren led to his Friday car crash, calling such stories "utterly false and malicious." Yet, in vague language, he says, "I have let my family down...I am dealing with my behavior and my personal failings behind closed doors with my family."
The embattled 33 year-old suggests that he won't be divulging any more details on his marriage or alleged infidelity: "Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions...I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves." He and Nordregren have two children: daughter Sam, 2, and son Charlie, 9 months.
The full statement is below:
I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect. I am dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors with my family. Those feelings should be shared by us alone.
Although I am a well-known person and have made my career as a professional athlete, I have been dismayed to realize the full extent of what tabloid scrutiny really means. For the last week, my family and I have been hounded to expose intimate details of our personal lives. The stories in particular that physical violence played any role in the car accident were utterly false and malicious. Elin has always done more to support our family and shown more grace than anyone could possibly expect.
But no matter how intense curiosity about public figures can be, there is an important and deep principle at stake which is the right to some simple, human measure of privacy. I realize there are some who don't share my view on that. But for me, the virtue of privacy is one that must be protected in matters that are intimate and within one's own family. Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn't have to mean public confessions.
Whatever regrets I have about letting my family down have been shared with and felt by us alone. I have given this a lot of reflection and thought and I believe that there is a point at which I must stick to that principle even though it's difficult.
I will strive to be a better person and the husband and father that my family deserves. For all of those who have supported me over the years, I offer my profound apology.Read more…
UK Mirror Reports
Floyd Mayweather Junior's superfight with Manny Pacquiao is close to being sealed.
A source close to the negotiations claims that world pound-for-pound king Mayweather is edging nearer to agreeing terms.
The date of March 13 has already been pencilled into the fight diary and the Las Vegas casinos, New Orleans and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones are falling over themselves to stage the showdown which will be the richest fight in history.
Both sides have agreed to a gagging order to reduce the chance of the negotiations being derailed by mud-slinging and talks are said to be progressing well.
Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank set the ball rolling when he met Mayweather's promoter, Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy, last week.
Arum says he is now flying to see Pacquiao in his Philippines homeland to discuss the terms of a possible deal.
Pacquiao is coming off his latest win over Miguel Cotto and his showdown with Mayweather is expected to be at welterweight again.
This will be an advantage for Mayweather, who has beaten Oscar De La Hoya at light-middleweight, and two fights ago, Pacquiao was campaigning at lightweight.
Pacquiao's camp are relaxed about the 147lbs-limit for the fight because the Filipino has looked comfortable as he has moved up through the divisions.
The fight to stage the contest is already raging and Jones wants to put it on at his new home for the Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.
The Louisiana Superdome is a long shot and Arum would prefer to see the fight take place in Vegas, where he is based.
He is even looking into the possibility of staging the superfight in 30,000-seater temporary arena on The Strip.
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Video After The JumpMTV Reports
CHICAGO — Today R. Kelly dropped his first album in two years, Untitled, and he's still coming with those eyebrow-raising lyrics.
"See I'm a player so man, I ain't trying to take her on no dates/ But much like Patron man, I'm just trying to take it straight," he sings on the album's last track, "Pregnant." "Until I met this girl in the club with a unbelievable booty/ Sweetest girl in the world to me, and on top of that she's a cutie/ If I had a girl, she'd be the one to bare my child."
Tyrese, Robin Thicke and The-Dream are all featured on the song.
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US Weekly Reports
A Los Angeles cocktail waitress tells the new Us Weekly (on newsstands Wednesday) that she had a steamy 31-month fling with Tiger Woods and has a voicemail recording and text messages to prove it.
Jaimee Grubbs, now 24, tells Us Weekly she began having an affair with Woods, 33, in April 2007.
She tells Us Weekly they went on to have 20 sexual encounters.
Grubbs, who recently appeared on VH1's Tool Academy, also tells Us Weekly she has more than 300 racy texts from Woods, who wed model Elin Nordegren in 2004.
Come back to Usmagazine.com Wednesday morning to listen to a Nov. 24 voicemail Woods left Grubbs in which he suggests his wife might suspect he is having an affair.
Jamie Grubbs On The Far Left Says She's Been Sneaking Around With Tiger WoodsRead more…
Nola.com Reports
Six people were arrested by the New Orleans Police Department Monday after allegedly spray-painting graffiti on a building in the French Quarter during an apparent protest over the incarceration of several local rap artists, according to police.
Off-duty police officers saw the suspects spray-painting "Free Lil Wayne" on the side of a building in the 900 block of Conti Street around 9 p.m. and notified the NOPD, according to spokesman Janssen Valencia.
New Orleans born rap star Dwayne "Lil Wayne" Carter, pleaded guilty in October to attempted weapons possession and expects to receive a one-year jail sentence. He is currently out on bond.
The men also placed a banner across Royal and Canal streets calling on authorities to release Torrence "Lil Boosie" Hatch, a Baton Rouge rapper who pleaded guilty in September to a marijuana possession charge and is currently in prison. The group also placed police barricades and metal garbage cans in the 100 block of Burgundy to halt traffic.
When officers arrived, the suspects fled but were apprehended nearby, Valencia said. The six subjects were charged with disturbing the peace, resisting arrest by flight and criminal damage to property.
Three of the suspects were listed as homeless, two were from Monroe and the third from Pennsylvania.
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