Video After The Jump
West Coast rap legend Snoop Dogg or "The Master Of Munchies" as Alexa Chung refers to him. Shows off his sense of humor and culinary skills in this interview. The Doggfather also talks about his new executive position at Priority Records and new cd "Malice In Wonderland" which drops December 8th.
NY Post Reports
After years of lavish spending that took him to the brink of bankruptcy, Marc Ecko has been forced to give up control of his own trademark.
Confirming a Sept. 22 report in The Post, the hip-hop clothing kingpin yesterday signed over a 51 percent interest in the Marc Ecko brand to Iconix, a New York company that owns a slew of fashion brands including Joe Boxer, Candie's, Rocawear and London Fog.
Scrambling to avoid yesterday's defeat and keep creditors at bay, Ecko this year had laid off workers and auctioned off his watch trademarks and Avirex brand.
Sources said Ecko is still struggling to lease out pieces of his luxurious 280,000- square-foot headquarters in Midtown, which houses everything from a recording studio to a basketball court.
Still, in an exclusive interview with The Post, the debt-ridden designer took it all in stride.
"I've had a crazy, wild ride. I've done a lot of things that have been naive," Ecko told The Post. "I'll take my lumps for a lot of things that, in retrospect, were a little indulgent. Life happens. I don't regret any of it."
Ecko likewise noted that, with creditors breathing down his neck for the past year, losing the title to his brand name yesterday wasn't such a big change.
"I've lived through a leveraged position," Ecko said. "I don't know whether, once you grow up your business like that, you have full control anymore anyway."
Under the terms of his deal with Iconix, Ecko is surrendering majority control of his trademark in exchange for $63.5 million in cash plus $90 million in financing for a newly formed joint venture.
Iconix, which will keep Ecko as chief creative officer for the joint venture, projects between $42 million and $44 million in yearly royalties.
While critics say the urban styles that fueled Ecko's growth have fallen out of fashion, Ecko said his designs are still evolving.
"Reports of my demise have been reported often and early," he said.
"Kids are not wearing big, baggy things with logos on them -- it just looks different now," added Iconix CEO Neil Cole, noting that Rocawear's sales are up recently. "I promise you these kids are not naked out there and they're not wearing my father's clothes."
Still, Marc Ecko's sales at Macy's, the brand's most important wholesale account, dropped by $18 million last year -- more than 10 percent. No improvement at Macy's is expected this year, Marc Ecko's longtime business partner, Seth Gerszberg, admitted.
On the bright side, comparable sales at Marc Ecko's overgrown retail chain are now up 7 percent from last year's steep declines that had fueled big losses. Helped by even deeper cost cuts this year, the brand expects to swing back to profitability.
Elsewhere, Gerszberg and Ecko bristled at reports that they've been squabbling through their recent business woes.
Asked if they planned to keep the basketball court at their offices despite the cost cuts, Gerzberg said he was trying.
"What do you care?" Ecko chimed in. "You gonna come down and shoot? You got game?"
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London Mail Reports
Most people would provoke a shudder by dressing up as a pregnant nun for Halloween.
But when it is 'Octomum' Nadya Suleman and she also disguises her eight babies as little devils, the shudder becomes more of a convulsion.
The mother of fourteen - including her octuplets born in January this year - poked fun at herself as she headed out with her eight IVF babies to celebrate Halloween.
The effort of thinking up eight different costumes for the babies was apparently too much for her, however, as she dressed them all the same - as little red devils.
Complete with two giant prams draped in spider webs, the familiy made for a bizarre sight as they headed out for some trick or treating in La Habra, California, in the run up to Halloween this week.
Ms Suleman is poised to star in her own reality TV show after the saga over her babies' controversial birth
The unemployed single mother faced a backlash after the birth of her babies in January when she and the doctors who treated her were criticised for going ahead with the pregnancy.
The babies, born in California, were only the second set of octuplets in America to survive for more than a few hours after birth.
All eight babies are believed to be doing well.
SixShot.com Reports
The driver of a vehicle involved in an Ohio gun battle that killed a member of the rapper T.I.'s entourage during a wild highway chase has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and other charges.
Forty-one-year-old Padron Thomas was initially charged with murder. But he struck a deal with prosecutors that allowed him to plead to lesser charges in exchange for testifying in December against his brother, who pulled the trigger.
A judge on Wednesday scheduled a sentencing hearing for Nov. 17. Thomas faces 10 years in prison. He's already serving 17 years on unrelated federal drug charges.
Thomas's younger brother, Hosea Thomas, was sentenced to 66 years in prison for shooting Philant Johnson in May 2006 after a T.I. concert in Cincinnati.
Three others were injured in the shooting. T.I. wasn't hurt.
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7NewsBelize Reports
As we reported at the top of the news, Jamal Shyne Barrow – or Moses Michael Leviy, as he is now known is in Belize tonight. He was deported today after 9 years in a maximum security prison in New York. And so what did Shyne do in his first hours of freedom after 9 years in jail? Well he visited the Princess Royal Youth Hostel on the Western Highway. He went there to give residents a motivational visit. He told them they were his priority and that’s why instead of going to the hotel, before eating, and even showering – he went there because he knows what they are going through. And he should, because as Shyne explained, he spent two years in a youth facility. Keith Swift has that story.
Keith Swift Reporting,
The convoy of SUVs rolled into the Youth Hostel compound at 4 pm. That is when we got the first good look at the unassuming rap star as he jumped out of the Ford Excursion and casually walked to the diner area – stopping on the veranda to embrace and talk to Youth Hostel residents.
From there he headed into the dining room which is where the taping stop. He didn’t allow us to film the exchange with students. But it took about 15 minutes – and he spoke to residents about the mistakes he made.
Keith Swift,
“You just met Shyne, how do you feel?”Ian Wade, Resident – Youth Hostel“Well I nuh feel no way because he is a Belizean like we and he gaan dah foreign, he gaan do ih lil rapping and he got caught up, just like how we get caught up. Like he said, all of us make mistakes.”Keith Swift,
“Is this advice that you’ll follow?”
Ian Wade,“Yeah because he gave some positive choice and some good advice for the youths.”Keith Swift,
“Will you follow the advice he gave you?”
Rigoberto Garcia, Resident – Youth Hostel"Yes, that everybody makes mistakes and everybody learn from your mistake too.”Keith Swift,“How do you feel about the fact that as he told you guys, this is the first place he came?”Rigoberto Garcia,"Well that makes me feel soft hearted because the man just came out of jail and he came to see we.”
We were allowed to begin filming at the end of the meeting which is when he was posing for pictures with residents – and just about anyone who wanted one. The Chief Supervisor at the Youth Hostel Glenda Mae Martinez hopes the impression Shyne left on these students will be long lasting.
Glenda Mae Martinez, Chief Supervisor – Youth Hostel“This is an opportunity for our residents in our care to recognize that in life we make mistakes but you don’t lay down and die. I want them to take time and reflect tonight on what happened today and where do we want to go from here. Youths in our care, all they need is guidance and I am sure that Shyne will be a very good motivator for them. So let us see where this will take us but we will try to get the best result from this.”
Keith Swift,
“So you see him as being an example of what not to do?”Glenda Mae Martinez,“Definitely.”
And at the end of it, Shyne jumped back into his SUV and left. He promised residents that he’ll be back.
Shyne left the Youth Hostel and headed to the Radisson Hotel. His legal advisor Professor Charles Ogletree will address the media when he arrives on Saturday.
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Video After The Jump50 Cent teams up with Danny Dyer to cause some trouble in crime thriller 'Dead Man Running.' In his British movie debut, 50 gives the lowdown on playing a violent gangland loan shark. The movie opens October 30th in the UK.
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Chace Infinite Of Self Scientific drops this long awaited mixtape to keep fans satisfied until a full SS album is ready. Anything Chace spits on is fire so make sure you cop this. Download link belowDownload HereRead more…
Tracklist:
01 Swag Surfin’
02 Ice Cream Paint Job
03 D.O.A.
04 Interlude
05 Wasted
06 Watch My Shoes
07 Break Up f. Gudda Gudda & Short Dawg
08 Banned From TV
09 Throw It In The Bag (rmx)
10 I Think I Love Her f. Tyga & Shanell
11 Interlude 2
12 Wetter
13 I’m Good f. T-Streets
14 Make Her Say f. Jae Millz
15 Run This Town
16 I Gotta Feeling
17 Outro
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Rap-Up Reports
Chris Brown returned to the stage on Tuesday (Oct. 27) at Power 105.1’s Powerhouse ’09 concert for the first time since pleading guilty to assaulting Rihanna. Despite technical difficulties, the pop star braved the rain and thrilled the audience with his new single “I Can Transform Ya” with Swizz Beatz, wearing a Michael Jackson “Thriller”-inspired outfit.
Keri Hilson, Mario, Ryan Leslie, Fabolous, Trey Songz, Jim Jones, Omarion, and The-Dream also performed at the New York radio station’s annual show at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, N.J.
Video After The JumpBBC Radio 4's Today presenter Evan Davis speaks to 50 Cent about how overcoming your fears can help you get ahead in business. 50's book, The50th Law is currently on the New York Times Best Seller's List and is available at local book stores everywhere. His new album "Before I Self Destruct" drops November 23rd.
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NY Daily News Reports
A "desperate" Philadelphia Phillies fan was arrested for offering to exchange sex for tickets to see her beloved team play the Yankees, investigators said.
Cops say Susan Finkelstein, 43, posted a pleading ad on craigslist saying she needed two tickets to baseball's biggest game.
"DESPERATE BLONDE NEEDS WS TIX!" the ad was headlined.
"Diehard Phillies fan - gorgeous tall buxom blonde - in desperate need of two World Series Tickets," she allegedly wrote.
Describing the price as "negotiable," she ended the ad flirtatiously: "I'm the creative type! Maybe we can help each other!"
Bucks County Public Safety Director Fred Harran said an officer with the special investigations unit spotted the ad and set up a meeting with Finkelstein at a local bar.
The officer told her he and his brother had tickets to sell.
Finkelstein offered to perform sex acts on both of them, saying, "Well, I'd rather have two tickets, and I could take care of both of you."
"There was no confusion at all," Harran said. "She was pretty explicit in what she was going to trade."
Finkelstein is charged with a misdemeanor count of prostitution. No one answered her home phone yesterday, but she posted on Facebook that she "is wondering about the integrity of our 'police.'"
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Video After The Jump
As big as it gets: Jay-Z won the BET Hip-Hop Awards' MVP of the Year trophy, beating Lil Wayne, Drake, T.I. and Kanye West. Hov also opened the show with a performance of "As Real as It Gets" with Young Jeezy. Taped earlier this month in Atlanta and aired Tuesday night (October 27), the ceremony showcased the hip-hop nation, from the New Boyz to OGs like Jigga.
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Posted by Mr.I Get It on October 28, 2009 at 7:37am
www.ballerstatus.comGucci Mane is gearing up for the release of his first major label album, The State Vs. Radric Davis, due in stores in December.The album follows a slew of independent releases, mixtapes and features over the past few years, which has upped his stock and landed him at #6 on MTV's "Hottest MCs in the Game" list this year.MTV said of Gucci: "No artist this year has more effectively merged the underground with the mainstream. He's broken through in '09 and shined through the clouds of controversy that have continued to dampen his career."2009 has been a very busy year for the Atlanta native. His popularity has landed his on four Top 20 singles this summer including Mario's "Break Up," Trey Songz' "LOL" featuring Soulja Boy, and landing the feature on Mariah Carey's "Obsessed" remix, as well as his first single "Wasted."He also boasts more than 150 songs on over 40 different mixtapes and albums.Despite his success, Gucci Mane remains true to his underground cult following, who continue to demonstrate their devotion to the battle-tested hero. His set-up single, "Wasted" featuring Plies (with OJ Da Juiceman on the remix), is the rapper's most successful single to date. It has earned over 15 million plays on MySpace, and is currently the #5 most streamed song on all of MySpace.(Watch the official video for "Wasted" right here Icon - Video)Gucci's next single from the new album is "Spotlight," featuring Usher.While Gucci continues to release mixtapes, including his latest The Cold War series (available over at MixtapePass.com), the new album will contain ALL new, never-before-heard music, both mainstream and for the street, he promises.Gucci Mane first shot ontoo the scene in 2005 with his smash single, "So Icey" featuring Young Jeezy, off his debut album, Trap House. Disputes over the song's rights resulted in a well-publicized and deadly beef between the two artists and would be the source of legal headaches for years to come. His follow-up album, Back to the Trap House, spawned the hit "Freaky Gurl," which peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot Rap Tracks.Now, we have The State Vs. Radric Davis, due in stores December 8th.
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Video After The JumpRakim breaks his silence and gives his opinion on Nas's song 'Unauthorized Biography of Rakim' off of the Street's Disciples cd. Interestingly enough, Ra says Nas has never reached out to him to this day to explain why he did the song which makes him think the QB mc may have had an "angle" for doing the joint. The one thing that is clear from this interview is Rakim didn't appreciate having intimate details of his life revealed on record. Especially by someone he has no relationship with, business or otherwise.
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Posted by Mr.I Get It on October 27, 2009 at 5:03pm
www.rapbasement.comA new snippet of a track called "Strong Enough" from 50 Cent's upcoming "Before I Self Destruct" album has landed online confirming rumors that the G-Unit general takes shots at former G-Unit members Young Buck and The Game. In the snippet, 50 explains why the five-member group was slimmed down to three. "That Big Poppa, I'lll send your monkey a** to see Allah," Fif raps. "These n*ggas ain't strong enough, they money ain't long enough, when they bump heads with me...When I say I'll kill ya, I'll kill ya/As a kid I wasn't fittin' in/Special Ed kid in the back on Riddelin' -- Hooptie all f*cked up/Pockets all f*cked up/Now n*gga what's up?/I'm rich now, n*ggas know about my dividends -- Crib the size of a New York City clock now/Okay, okay, try me and get shot down/I'm like a Zebra, I got so many stripes/I'm the f*cking general/I run my ciick right/There was five of us, all of us millionaires/Now one's a junkie and one's a f*cking queer/Now it's three of us/That's the way it started..."In related news, the trailer for "Before I Self Destruct," the movie with the same name as 50's upcoming album, recently also hit the internet. The film is included with 50 Cent's new album in a dexlue edition50 Cent - Disses Young Buck & The Game On New Album Track50 Cent - Before I Self Destruct (Move Trailer)
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EarthTimes Reports
Video After The Jump
NEW YORK, NY -- 10/27/09 -- E1 Music is excited to announce the release of "The Avon Barksdale Story - Legends of the Unwired" -- in March 2010. This gripping film won Best Docudrama at this year's NY International Independent Film & Video Festival and reveals the raw truth about death, drugs, and violence in the streets of Baltimore, MD. In "The Avon Barksdale Story," the real Nathan Avon "Bodie" Barksdale tells all to actor Wood Harris, who played his on screen character in HBO's critically acclaimed series "The Wire."
"The Wire" was based on the lives of real gangsters. "The Avon Barksdale Story" is the first to chronicle the actual lives of these real people. Barksdale's real name, Nathan Avon Barksdale, and his nickname, "Bodie," were both used in the series as composite characters. Avon Barksdale was "The Wire's" first season's central character. The storyline focused on the Barksdale clan and their ruthless hold on Baltimore's underworld and the intense efforts of law enforcement to stop them. Barksdale was a real crime figure in Baltimore.
Barksdale says he consulted David Simon, the creator of "The Wire," during the early filming of the highly successful mini-series. He says, "'The Wire' was one long commercial for this!"
During the drug wars of the '80s, long before "The Wire's" drug kingpin Avon Barksdale entered the mind of David Simon, a young man (named Nathan Avon "Bodie" Barksdale) was in the belly of one of the most violent neighborhoods on Baltimore's Westside. The Lexington Terrace Projects was one of the most notorious areas in the city making it the perfect backdrop for HBO's "The Wire." But unlike David Simon, an admitted outsider, this story possesses the intimate detailing which can only come from an insider's view. The real Barksdale brings the riveting fact-filled account of his world now known as "The Avon Barksdale Story - Legends of the Unwired." A must see story for all true fans of "The Wire!"
This film was financed, directed, and produced by the KAJ Enterprise film group.
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Rapper Talib Kweli and singer Res, collectively knows as Idle Warship drop their first project. Talib always delivers so I recommend you download this mixtape.Download HereRead more…
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