Posted by Mr.I Get It on November 3, 2009 at 5:58pm
Curtis Jackson known as 50 Cent will present his first perfume created in cooperation with Lighthouse Beauty this autumn. Name of the perfume is Power by 50 Cent, and Curtis himself participated in design. The fragrance will arrive in exclusive sale at Macy's in autumn 2009.The composition starts with accords of lemon leaves, black pepper and artemisia, a heart of dark wood, coriander and nutmeg and base notes full of patchouli, musk and oak moss. The flacon was created of dark, blurry glass, with a silver, metal stopper inspired by design of 50 Cent's favourite watch – Piguet.11/5/2009New YorkMacy’s Herald Square5-7PM__11/7/09AtlantaMacy’s Perimeter Mall12-2PM___11/9/09ChicagoMacy’s State Street12-2PM___11/10/09San FranciscoMacy’s Union Square5-7PM____11/11/09Los AngelesMacy’s Lakewood5-7PM
50 Cent official music video for "Baby By Me"1st single off of "Before I Self Destruct".Album in stores Nov 16th.Digital release: Nov 9thPreorder on iTunes now!Read more…
'Despite my past and stuff like that, I appreciate all of y'all,' Brown tells fans at the New Jersey concert, which also featured Fabolous and The-Dream.EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — Chris Brown is getting back to the music. After making headlines this year for his February assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna, Brown made serious movement in his musical comeback on Tuesday (October 27) with the premiere of his "I Can Transform Ya" video and a headlining performance at Power 105.1's Powerhouse '09 concert.Incidentally, the New York radio station hosted a comeback show for R. Kelly when he was facing legal woes back in 2003. Much like Kelly six years ago, the Powerhouse fans embraced Brown with cheers and singing of their own.After openers The-Dream, Fabolous, Day26, Trey Songz, Keri Hilson and Mario, Brown had his spotlight. Most of the opening acts were eager to see Chris get back to where he belongs: entertaining. Instead of taking off after their performances, you could see Hilson, Songz and Day26 by the side of the stage waiting to see what Brown would do."Chris is a performer. In spite of all that's been going on in his personal life, he's gonna get out there and perform," Songz said before Brown hit the stage. "I'm confident in that. As a friend, as a brother, I wanna see him go out there and shut it down. I believe everybody deserves a second chance. In God's eyes, none of us are perfect, and he forgives us every day. He deserves a second chance, and I commend Power 105 for giving it to him."There was an immediate roar in the crowd as Brown came out in a black-and-red jacket that looked like a futuristic version of what Michael Jackson wore in the "Thriller" video. Brown wasted no time in getting to his new material, starting with "I Can Transform Ya." Chris began at the back of the stage with his dancers, who were all dressed in black up to their face-covering motorcycle helmets. Brown started singing and walking to the front of the stage, where Swizz Beatz also emerged to rap the song's hook."Wall to Wall" followed, with more high-powered dancing. In the middle of the record, Brown's DJ played Jay-Z's "On to the Next" during a choreographed breakdown. Leg kicks, krumping, slides — Brown's arsenal seems to have expanded."Gimme That" was next, and Brown reminded the crowd that he's getting older on the opening lyric: "The young boy now is 20." Shortly after, Brown's DJ asked him how he felt. The singer let the music speak for him as the Clipse's "I'm Good" came on.Brown and two backup dancers walked from the back to the front of the stage with a bop and arms folded. They leaned to the left on the song's chorus, leaned to the right, then they all dropped down low. "Yo" came next, followed by "Take You Down." The latter was Brown in full heartthrob mode. Brown didn't last the entire record without ripping off of his black tank top. The ladies voiced their approval with screams.Juelz Santana came out as special guest to debut his new single with Brown, "Back to the Crib." Next, Brown slowed the tempo and had thousands of backup singers in the crowd on his hit "With You.""Are y'all glad Chris is back doing shows?" Brown's DJ asked the audience. The fans screamed with praise.Brown finally spent some time speaking to the audience after they sang Jordin Sparks' parts on "No Air." "Despite my past and stuff like that, I appreciate all of y'all," he said. His words were barely audible because of the cheering.The singer also promised to be a better man. "How long we gonna do this for? We gonna do this forever!" he also promised.Of course, "Forever" closed the show."It was dope. I loved it," Omarion said after the show. "It's amazing to be able to come out and support my peers. Chris came and did his thing, all the time. Yeah, CB, he's ready. He's right and he's ready. It's time.""Excuse my French, but that mutha----in' boy killed that sh--!" Polow Da Don exclaimed after watching Brown. "The energy was crazy. You could tell that's something that's missing in the game. He's the absolute truth. He's the future."Earlier in the night, Mario paraded out a host of surprises during his short set. Maino came out for "All the Above," then Red Cafe joined the party with "Hottest in the Hood." Jim Jones later came out for "We Fly High." Jones was joined by DJ Webstar for "Dancin' on Me." Finally, Sean Garrett came out for the smash "Break Up."Keri Hilson, the lone female on the bill, lit up the mic with "Turnin' Me On," "Knock You Down" and Timbaland's "The Way I Are." Trey Songz was combustible with his hits "Successful" and "I Invented Sex."
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Video After The Jump
Queens legend Cormega is back with a new album 'Born And Raised'. The album has crazy production from DJ Premier, L.E.S., D.R. Period, Havoc, Large Professor & Lil Fame. Album drops October 20th !
Allhiphop Reports
12 years after the infamous ear-biting incident, former heavyweight champions Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield will meet face to face for the first time live on Oprah.
The meeting is the result of the mass outpouring of support for Tyson following his emotional first interview with Oprah on Monday (October 12). In that piece, the youngest heavyweight champion in history was reduced to tears when recalling the tragic accidental death of his 4 year old daughter Exodus in May.
Also, the troubled ex-champ detailed his abuse-filled marriage with actress Robin Givens, his new acclaimed documentary (“Tyson”), and his three year prison stint for rape.
For Friday’s show, Oprah Winfrey will allow Tyson to field questions from the audience, along with feedback from his first interview.
Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield engaged in two memorable fights in 1996 and 1997. In the first, Holyfield shocked the boxing world by scoring a dominant 11th round stoppage in what was crowned RING Magazine’s Fight of the Year.
In the rematch, a frustrated Tyson fouled out in the 3rd by biting off a piece of Holyfield’s ear. The gruesome assault resulted in Tyson’s boxing license being suspended for a year. Afterward, Tyson alleged that Holyfield’s headbutts prompted the attack.
Each fighter has been recognized in Hip-Hop for their accomplishments, with various references and appearances in songs such as EPMD’s “Headbanger,” DJ Jazzy Jeffand the Fresh Prince’s “I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson,” Ice-T’s “New Jack Hustler,” Cormega’s “F**k Nas,” and Canibus’ “2nd Round Knockout.”
Oprah’s Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield meeting will take place this Friday (October 16).
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London Telegraph Reports
The three-hour event will feature a mix of global superstars such as Beyoncé, Jay-Z and the Black Eyed Peas as well as popular African artists.
Singer Diana Ross memorably fluffed her lines at the 1994 World Cup when she failed to convert a penalty and the concert is seen as a shift away from the flag-waving era towards a more youthful market. The Fifa-sanctioned event will take place at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Fifa has contracted Kevin Wall, who has been responsible for live collaborations with Madonna and Michael Jackson, to produce the events, which have been billed as the "greatest entertainment event to date on the African continent".
Wall said: "We believe sports and music transcend cultural, language and geographic barriers, and through this international event, Control Room will present the sights and sounds of unity and celebration for an unforgettable experience of which all will want to be a part."
Meanwhile, Beyoncé and Aerosmith are set to headline concerts at the first ever Formula One race in Abu Dhabi. The performers will open and close the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend next month.
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Video After The JumpSpin.com Reports
From Karen O's star-studded Wild Things soundtrack to Thom Yorke's new band with Flea, it's an awesome year for supergroups and dream collabos. One of the best yet: Blakroc, a new project from blues-rock duo Black Keys, featuring rappers Jim Jones, Q-Tip, Wu-Tang's Raekwon and RZA, Ludacris, and Mos Def!
Sessions for their self-titled debut album, due Nov. 27, kicked off this summer in Brooklyn with Mos Def, and the smarty-pants boys of Black Keys brought along a video camera -- check out behind-the-scenes-footage from the studio below!
The nearly eight-minute clip -- the second in a series of webisodes to be unveiled at blakroc.com -- shows how one track was recorded. When Mos Def arrives at the studio, the Black Keys (yes, that's guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach; he shaved his beard) present the rapper with a hard-hitting blues track with rumbling bass -- and Def gets right to work. "Your pure heart / Is super cool / You're are elemental / You're sweet and you're true," he ad-libs in a soft croon (Def never writes down lyrics).
After a little mixing in the control room, the guys play the track back. Hip-hop magnate Damon Dash, who, according to Billboard, is releasing the album on BlakRoc records, his new venture with the Black Keys, approves of the song, dancing in circles and flinging his chain. It's a weird scene as he spins alongside a few quaint hipsters girls and the grizzly Keys. But the music is undeniable: "It's got a good beat, you can dance to it -- It's got that right feel!" Def shouts.
Below, watch footage of Mos Def and the Black Keys rocking out in the studio, and working on a second song with Def spitting a poetic rhymes about life and learning over sinister bass and screeching guitar.
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Posted by Mr.I Get It on October 1, 2009 at 5:12am
Video after the break..50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, and Tony Yayo were on Angie Martinez show on Hot 97They talk about Eminem, Jay-Z, Before I Self Destruct, Thisis50 fest and more"Jay-Z is the coolest punk in hip-hop"
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Posted by ChasinDatPaper on September 19, 2009 at 5:52am
A lethal-injection team tried for about two hours to find a usable vein, then gave up. Romell Broom, a convicted rapist-murderer, says another try would be unconstitutional.
LA Times Reports
As executioners poked his limbs with an IV needle, Romell Broom initially tried to speed along his own demise, flexing his arm and tugging on a rubber tourniquet to better expose a vein on the inside of his elbow.
But as prison workers repeatedly failed to find a vein strong enough to take the lethal injections, the convicted rapist-murderer began to despair over his protracted end. Witnesses and the execution-team log from Tuesday describe how the 53-year-old winced and cried as a shunt inserted in his leg also failed to open a pathway for the fatal drugs.
Two hours and 23 minutes after it started, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland halted the execution and scheduled a second attempt for a week later.
The aborted execution has renewed concerns about lethal injection, and raises the question of whether a second execution attempt would violate the 8th Amendment prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment.
Bessye Middleton holds a painting of her daughter, Tryna, who was raped and fatally stabbed by Romell Broom on Sept. 21, 1984. The 14-year-old was walking home after a football game.
On Friday, one of Broom's attorneys filed lawsuits in state and federal court alleging that another execution attempt would violate Broom's civil rights. U.S. District Judge Gregory L. Frost issued a temporary restraining order putting off the attempt for at least 10 days. The attorney, Tim Sweeney, also appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case.
Only once before has a state's execution failed, legal scholars say. In 1946, 17-year-old Willie Francis walked away from Louisiana's "Gruesome Gertie" electric chair after a 2,500-volt current coursed through his body.
"The issue with Willie Francis was, can you re-execute him, or would that be cruel and unusual punishment or double jeopardy?" said Deborah Denno, a Fordham University law professor and death penalty expert.
A divided high court decided in 1947 that Louisiana could lawfully subject Francis to execution again. A second electrocution killed him a year and three days after the first attempt.
"But so many aspects of that case are so outdated or so specific to Willie Francis and that time that even though it is entrenched precedent with the U.S. Supreme Court and frequently cited, one would look at the Broom case very differently," said Denno, whose writings on execution methods were cited by the U.S. Supreme Court majority in last year's decision upholding the constitutionality of lethal injection in Kentucky.
"I think we're in a new day in our treatment of human beings," said Richard Dieter, executive director of the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center.
"To subject someone to being at the brink of death, then yank them back because the state couldn't carry out its own procedures . . . suggests the whole lethal injection process is in need of further review," said Dieter, who has expressed views against capital punishment.
The Supreme Court took what some analysts saw as a narrow look at lethal injection in the Kentucky case, Baze vs. Rees. The state had carried out only one other execution in recent years and, as in the Francis decision, the court found no pattern of flaws with methods.
Other states held off on executions until the justices in April 2008 ruled lethal injection a humane means of execution if carried out correctly.
All 35 states that allow the death penalty use a similar -- though not identical -- three-drug process. It is often administered by corrections officers rather than doctors because the American Medical Assn. advises against physician participation in executions.
Death penalty opponents say the Broom incident should at least compel Ohio to impose a moratorium on executions and review the procedures.
"Ohio has a history here. It's not just him. He's the third guy in three years where we've had essentially variations on the same problem," said Jeff Gamso, volunteer attorney and former legal director for the ACLU of Ohio. He was referring to the executions of Joseph Clark in 2006 and Christopher Newton in 2007 in which prison workers took more than an hour and two hours, respectively, to kill the inmates because of trouble locating veins.
Some legal scholars said they expected little legal consequence from the Ohio incident.
"This certainly put someone through anxiety and stress, but whether that rises to cruel and unusual punishment -- I doubt the Supreme Court at the end of the day would agree with that," said John Eastman, dean of the Chapman University School of Law in Orange
Robert Weisberg, a Stanford University law professor and director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, said public opinion has been little affected by previous cases where executions were botched.
What is likely to happen, he said, is an incremental backing off from capital punishment because of the costs, delays and mounting concerns about executing the innocent.
Last year, 37 people were executed nationwide, the lowest number in 14 years, partly because of states' review of execution procedures. And 111 death sentences were issued, compared with more than 300 a year in the mid-1990s.
Since 1973, 135 people have been exonerated and freed from death rows, five of them this year.
Weisberg said California is a prime example of a state that retains a death penalty in theory yet rarely conducts executions despite having the nation's biggest death row, with 685 condemned prisoners.
In California, executions have been on hold since early 2006: Lethal injections have failed to fully anesthetize inmates in six of the 13 executions conducted in the state since capital punishment resumed in 1976.
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Posted by ChasinDatPaper on September 26, 2009 at 5:30am
Video After The JumpLebron James really is balling out of control. In this interview with Jimmy Kimmel, King James talks about his crib equipped with an ATM Machine, Starbucks, Casino and anything else you can think of. He also talks about Shaq coming to Cleveland and how that might impact the Cavs and whether or not he will attend the wedding of Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian.
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HipHopWired Reports
Fresh off the release of his new book, 50th Law, 50 Cent is creating even more buzz around his name. The G-Unit founder is announcing more additions to his highly anticipated “50 Fest” concert. Leaders of the new school, Wale, Mike Posner and Kid Cudi were already confirmed for the show and now the lineup has been bumped up even more. Along with the previously announced lineup, 50 added Maino, Jim Jones, Uncle Murder, Ron Browz, D-Block, and Corey Gunz. The concert is set to take place October 3 at Governor's Island in New York. Tickets are $45.
Two of the headliners for the “50 Fest” concert, Wale and Kid Cudi, will both shine this weekend during MTV's VMAs weekend. As previously reported, Wale and his native D.C. go-go band, UCB will perform as the “house band” for the festivities Sunday. While not participating at the actual awards show, Kid Cudi, will take the stage Saturday as part of Pepsi and MTV's “A Refreshing Night Of Music.”
Cudi will perform at Terminal 5 club in New York alongside, indie-rock group, Phoenix and DJ Clinton Sparks. Their performances will be part of a benefit for LIFEbeat, the music industry's HIV/AIDS prevention charity.
Tickets for Kid Cudi's Terminal 5 performance can be purchased at LIFEbeat.org.
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NY Daily News Reports
Aubrey O'Day really put her foot in her mouth this time.
The former Danity Kane member dug herself into a hole Monday night in a heated debate on Fox News' "The Sean Hannity Show" when the 25-year-old singer spewed out claims that both Adolf Hitler and Fidel Castro were "brilliant" men.
"As someone who has met [Castro]... I met him and worked with him while I was in Cuba. I'm not defending his behavior, but in many instances, but I do have to say, I will 100% agree, he's an incredibly brilliant man, he has outlived tons of our Presidents," O'Day said.
When Hannity gave the pop singer a second chance to clarify her point, O'Day reiterated, "I'm sure many murderers are brilliant people."
"Was Hitler a brilliant man?" Hannity asked.
"I don't condone Hitler one ounce, but yes, he was a brilliant man," she said. "He ran a country and convinced everyone of horrible things."
In response, Hannity shook his head and cut to Greta Van Susteren. In an effort to save what dignity she has left, O'Day issued a statement to TMZ.
"Murderers and dictators generally are some of the smartest people out there - they just use their brain power for evil purposes. I don't condone any of their evil behavior, but I was asked about their intellectual firepower... and in my opinion you can't have a low IQ and wreck [sic] that much havoc on the world," O'Day said. "What Hitler succeeded in doing, was deplorable... And I hope we never see such an abusive use of power again."
Still, despite such qualifiers, some members of the Jewish community find the singer's statements unforgivable.
Rabbi Chaim Cunin of Chabad House told TMZ, "When a woman like her uses public airwaves, with access to millions of wonderful citizens of America, and calls some of the most despicable, unspeakable hatemongers of history brilliant, then something is lacking with her intelligence. This is a constant reminder of how careful we need to be when we talk about hate, because hatred is always present."
He added, "We need to make sure we are careful and that hatred doesn't rear its ugly head. I'd like for her to think about some older Holocaust survivor having that comment beamed into their home while they are enjoying the freedom that this beautiful country provides and having to listen to her disgusting comments."
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HipHopWired Reports
"F*ck that psychopath redneck, he history/Feed him to the piranhas, shoulda put him out his misery/Respect the legacy, they curl up when they mention me -- I can't be vibin' with them n*ggas, that's a dead issue/He wasn't so official 'til I started f*cking with you/Too overrated, what I'm saying might be fraud to them/They bring that bacon to my house I have to Slaughter 'em” – Benzino (“Good Fellaz”)
Out of nowhere, Benzino seems to have found his way back into the light as he has emerged back into the rap ring.
Oddly enough, however, he has stepped into the ring with formidable odds as he has sent lyrical shots at Eminem along with the group Slaughterhouse in the diss song “Good Fellaz.”
For all of those in confusion, it is needed, as the rapper known for his work, and eventual fallout from The Source, seemed to be attacking randomly. In regards to Slaughterhouse, the problem doesn't stem from the whole group, but mainly Royce Da 5'9” and of course Joe Budden.
In a recent interview, Benzino stated that he felt that the group was overrated and couldn't understand what all of the commotion was surrounding them. He then threw rocks at Budden by referring to his situation with Tahiry and kept it short by saying “F*ck Royce Da 5'9.” He then assured people that it wasn't beef and he didn't have a problem with Crooked I or Joell Ortiz. To make matters worse, he even stepped up to say that his click Made Men could body the group. It seemed obvious Wu-Tang didn't want it with Slaughterhouse so maybe they will finally get their wish and engage in some lyrical tongue wrestling with another crew… or will they.
For those wondering what brought out this challenge to arms, it seems as though Benzino's latest magazine Hip-Hop Weekly wanted to interview Slaughterhouse but they couldn't because Kim Osorio is the wifey of Royce's manager. Osorio was the former Editor-In-Chief of The Source Magazine and the two camps made headlines when she sued the company several years back over sexual harassment and defamation charges and won a $7 million judgment. I guess some wounds won't heal.
In regards to Benzino taking aim, as a public service announcement to rappers, when you say F*ck you to anybody, trust it will be taken as beef and although you may not specify member, by saying F*ck the group they are apart of, you are still getting at them. That was just in case anyone wasn't up to speed with that obvious piece of information.
In response, Royce and Budden stated, via Twitter, that they weren't going to even bother.
"Aye #slaughterhouse ? @mousebudden @joellortiz @therealcrookedi Ya'll wanna do something bout #Bendreamo ?? lol. "Just kidding ya'll...@mousebudden Nah Im f*ckin with yo." (Royce Da 5'9's Twitter)
"@RoyceDaFive9 4 what ?? If he get it, EVERYBODY gets it... & doin that right now ????u already know... NO COMMENT !!!!! Lol" (Joe Budden's Twitter)
Benzino also must want a rematch with the white boy who did some serious damage with the battle/ diss tracks “Nail In the Coffin” and “The Sauce” several years back. At this point, a diss to Eminem is like Ja Rule jumping on Mafia Music and dissing 50 Cent in the fact that it is too late. Going at the person that essentially threw him into the abyss is not smart at all.
As far as it pertains to Slaughterhouse, fans must be growing quite tired of having potential rap beef pushed to the side. Instead of making it seem like you will jump up, just leap. If anything, at least everyone will get a good laugh out of the whole ordeal because turning the other cheek to situations like Wu Tang and now Benzino can only make it seem as though there is too much hesitation for those that have set the bar. There's nothing wrong with friendly fire as long as it's lyrical.
Check out Benzino's “Good Fellaz” below and his video going in on Eminem and Slaughterhouse.
“Good Fellaz”
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Posted by ChasinDatPaper on September 16, 2009 at 8:30pm
London Times Online Reports
‘The greatest fear people have is that of being themselves. They want to be 50 Cent or someone else. They do what everyone else does even if it doesn’t fit where and who they are. But you get nowhere that way; your energy is weak and no one pays attention to you. You’re running away from the one thing that you own—what makes you different. I lost that fear. And once I felt the power that I had by showing the world I didn’t care about being like other people, I could never go back.’ 50 Cent
1. See Things for What They Are - Intense Realism
Reality can be rather harsh. Your days are numbered. It takes constant effort to carve a place for yourself in this ruthlessly competitive world and hold on to it. People can be treacherous. They bring endless battles into your life. Your task is to resist the temptation to wish it were all different; instead you must fearlessly accept these circumstances, even embrace them. By focusing your attention on what is going on around you, you will gain a sharp appreciation for what makes some people advance and others fall behind. By seeing through people’s manipulations, you can turn them around. The firmer your grasp on reality, the more power you will have to alter it for your purposes.
2. Make Everything Your Own - Self-Reliance
When you work for others, you are at their mercy. They own your work; they own you. Your creative spirit is squashed. What keeps you in such positions is a fear of having to sink or swim on your own. Instead you should have a greater fear of what will happen to you if you remain dependent on others for power. Your goal in every manoeuvre in life must be ownership, working the corner for yourself. When it is yours, it is yours to lose - you are more motivated, more creative, more alive. The ultimate power in life is to be completely self-reliant, completely yourself.
3. Turn Shit into Sugar - Opportunism
Every negative situation contains the possibility for something positive, an opportunity. It is how you look at it that matters. Your lack of resources can be an advantage, forcing you to be more inventive with the little that you have. Losing a battle can allow you to frame yourself as the sympathetic underdog. Do not let fears make you wait for a better moment or become conservative. If there are circumstances you cannot control, make the best of them. It is the ultimate alchemy to transform all such negatives into advantages and power.
4. Keep Moving - Calculated Momentum
In the present there is constant change and so much we cannot control. If you try to micromanage it all, you lose even greater control in the long run. The answer is to let go and move with the chaos that presents itself to you - from within it, you will find endless opportunities that elude most people. don’t give others the chance to pin you down; keep moving and changing your appearances to fit the environment. if you encounter walls or boundaries, slip around them. do not let anything disrupt your flow.
5. Know When to Be Bad - Aggression
You will always find yourself among the aggressive and the passive aggressive who seek to harm you in some way. You must get over any general fears you have of confronting people or you will find it extremely difficult to assert yourself in the face of those who are more cunning and ruthless. Before it is too late you must master the art of knowing when and how to be bad - using deception, manipulation, and outright force at the appropriate moments. Everyone operates with a flexible morality when it comes to their self-interest—you are simply making this more conscious and effective.
6. Lead from the Front - Authority
In any group, the person on top consciously or unconsciously sets the tone. If leaders are fearful, hesitant to take any risks, or overly concerned for their ego and reputation, then this invariably filters its way through the entire group and makes effective action impossible. Complaining and haranguing people to work harder has a counterproductive effect. You must adopt the opposite style: imbue your troops with the proper spirit through your actions, not words. They see you working harder than anyone, holding yourself to the highest standards, taking risks with confidence, and making tough decisions. This inspires and binds the group together. In these democratic times, you must practice what you preach.
7. Know Your Environment from the Inside Out - Connection
Most people think first of what they want to express or make, then find the audience for their idea. You must work the opposite angle, thinking first of the public. You need to keep your focus on their changing needs, the trends that are washing through them. Beginning with their demand, you create the appropriate supply. Do not be afraid of people’s criticisms - without such feedback your work will be too personal and delusional. You must maintain as close a relationship to your environment as possible, getting an inside “feel” for what is happening around you. Never lose touch with your base.
8. Respect the Process - Mastery
The fools in life want things fast and easy — money, success, attention. Boredom is their great enemy and fear. Whatever they manage to get slips through their hands as fast as it comes in. You, on the other hand, want to outlast your rivals. You are building the foundation for something that can continue to expand. To make this happen, you will have to serve an apprenticeship. You must learn early on to endure the hours of practice and drudgery, knowing that in the end all of that time will translate into a higher pleasure—mastery of a craft and of yourself. Your goal is to reach the ultimate skill level—an intuitive feel for what must come next.
9. Push Beyond Your Limits - Self-Belief
Your sense of who you are will determine your actions and what you end up getting in life. If you see your reach as limited, that you are mostly helpless in the face of so many difficulties, that it is best to keep your ambitions low, then you will receive the little that you expect. Knowing this dynamic, you must train yourself for the opposite—ask for more, aim high, and believe that you are destined for something great. Your sense of self-worth comes from you alone—never the opinion of others. With a rising confidence in your abilities, you will take risks that will increase your chances of success. People follow those who know where they are going, so cultivate an air of certainty and boldness.
10. Confront Your Mortality - The Sublime
In the face of our inevitable mortality we can do one of two things. We can attempt to avoid the thought at all costs, clinging to the illusion that we have all the time in the world. Or we can confront this reality, accept and even embrace it, converting our consciousness of death into something positive and active. In adopting such a fearless philosophy, we gain a sense of proportion, become able to separate what is petty from what is truly important. Knowing our days to be numbered, we have a sense of urgency and mission. We can appreciate life all the more for its impermanence. If we can overcome the fear of death, then there is nothing left to fear.
Extracted from Robert Greene and 50 Cent’s new book The 50th Law, published by Profile Books
HipHopWired Reports
While fans are reveling in unauthorized leaks of the most anticipated album of the year, Jay-Z is enlisting the help of MTV and Rhapsody to leak the entire Blueprint III himself. The album in its entirety will be available online for free listening starting Tuesday, September 1. MTV's first-rate streaming site, The Leak, and the premiere music entertainment site, Rhapsody, will both have the complete album available for listening online free of charge.
Additionally, Rhapsody is taking things one step further, making the album available for purchase three days before its September 11 release. Rhaphsody.com will have exclusive rights to a deluxe version of the album September 8 complete with two bonus tracks not featured on the in-store version. Adding more fuel to the promotional fire surrounding the project, the media companies are also showing extensive advertisements featuring Jay. Rhapsody will show three advertisements for the album online and will distribute one of them to MTV for their 2009 Video Music Awards on September 13.
In the meantime, Hov appeared at a press conference today (August 31) about his upcoming benefit concert. He was joined by his wife, Beyonce, New York Governor David Paterson, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta and Hip-Hop executive, Kevin Liles. Jay revealed that he would have as many as 10 special guest appearances at the concert but refused to provide details saying, “I don't wanna give too much away...”
He also talked about the sense of pride he felt seeing his fellow New Yorkers respond to the 9/11 terrorist attacks saying, “I saw footage of these heroic actions...people running into buildings and saving each other, and I just saw the strength of New York and it made me proud.”
The “Answer the Call” concert will benefit the New York Police & Fired Widows' and Children Benefit Fund. It will take place September 11, the same day The Blueprint III is released, at Madison Square Garden. Fuse TV will have live coverage of the concert for people unable to attend. Tickets are $50 and go on sale September 8. For people with Citi cards, they can purchase tickets at 8 a.m. that day, hours before the tickets go on sale. The general public will be allowed to buy tickets at noon.
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Posted by ChasinDatPaper on September 2, 2009 at 12:30pm
HipHopWired Reports
The Black Eyed Peas are riding high after breaking the Billboard record for longest act on the top 100 with their successful singles, “I Gotta Feeling” and “Boom Boom Pow.” Unfortunately for the chart topping group, someone's stepped up to shoot them down. A former employee on the Peas' concert tour is suing the band for an undisclosed amount of damages. Winter Sumpter claims that she was severely injured during band's 2007 “Black Blue & You” Tour. During the band's Burbank, California performance, Sumpter says she fell through a flight of stairs when “one of the treads became detached.”
In her court claim she says she suffered “severe and permanent injuries” and was left with “mental, physical, nervous pain and suffering.” Of course she's pointing the finger at the Peas for her clumsiness but she's not stopping there. She is also asking for a handout from their tour manager, and other concert officials. You know what they say; more money, more problems.
Despite the shady lawsuit, the Peas can crown themselves victorious overseas after a ban on one of their concerts was lifted. The band made headlines after Malaysian officials banned Muslim citizens from attending their upcoming concert in the country. Now however, that ban has been lifted and all citizens of Malaysia are free to attend at their will. The ban was put in place because the concert is sponsored by the Irish beer company, Guinness. Muslims are denounced from using alcohol as part of their Islamic law. Muslim officials have yet to provide a reason why the ban was lifted but they are imposing strict rules. Guinness will not be allowed to sell their product at the concert or use its logo for publicity. The concert is part of the beer company's 250th anniversary.
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Posted by ChasinDatPaper on September 12, 2009 at 12:13pm
HipHopWired Reports
Just when you thought crunk was dead, it looks like it might just be back. Lil Jon, the originator and arguably the leader of the south's crunk movement, is stepping back on the scene. Sans his silently dynamic partners in crime, The Eastside Boys, Jon is rolling solo for the first time and releasing Crunk Rock. The new album is set to pack a punch with features from R. Kelly, Akon and the south's current “golden boy” Soulja Boy. Jon told Billboard.com that fans can expect every Lil Jon they've come to know on this album and even hear a new sound of Jon as he works with the electro Hip-Hop group, LMFAO.
“This album has all the Lil Jons you've ever heard. From the crunk Lil Jon, to the Usher-like Lil Jon, to the electro Lil Jon who's hanging with LMFAO. I've got to touch all my fans."
Unfortunately for fans ready to hear Jon and his multiple personalities, you'll have to wait just a little while longer. Crunk Rock is not scheduled to hit stores until November 24. For people that can't wait that long, don't get too upset yet. The first of surely many leaks from the album recently hit the net. The song is titled “Give It All U Got” and has a techno-pop feel. Incredibly bubble-gum and featuring vocals from singer Kee, it should be perfect for teeny boppers and avid listeners to bouncy dance music rappers like Flo Rida and Pitbull.
You can listen to Lil Jon and Kee “Give It All U Got” below:
So does this mean crunk really is dead? This song is definitely NOT what we were expecting….
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Posted by ChasinDatPaper on September 16, 2009 at 11:00am
Alicia Keys stopped by the Today Show Wednesday, September 16th to talk about her new single "Doesn't Mean Anything". The hosts asked her about her MTV VMA performance with Jay-Z of Empire State Of Mind where Lil Mama jumped up on stage and also about Kanye West interupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech.
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