Pharoahe Monch releases an ill new single that will definitely do "Damage." The track produced by Lee Stone is off of Pharoahe's upcoming EP titled P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
Download "Damage" now from iTunes.
Pharoahe Monch releases an ill new single that will definitely do "Damage." The track produced by Lee Stone is off of Pharoahe's upcoming EP titled P.T.S.D. (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
Download "Damage" now from iTunes.
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Ludacris takes us behind the scenes as he works on his new single "Representin." The Atlanta rapper gets assists from the beautiful and talented Kelly Rowland, as well as Grammy Award winning producers Jim Jonsin and Rico Love.
The song is the next single off of Luda's Ludaversal album, which will be released in the first quarter of 2013.
Make sure you download the single "Representin" from iTunes on October 9.
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Fresh off the release of his H.N.I.C. 3 album, Mobb Deep's Prodigyis ready to bounce right back with a new project.
This new disc will actually give fans a bit of the old and new. In April of last year P released The Ellsworth Bumpy Johnson EP for free. He's going to re-release it as an album titled The Bumpy Johnson Album with an additional 5 songs.
There isn't a release date yet, but we do have the cover art and tracklist courtesy of Xclusiveszone.
**UPDATE**
The release date for the project is October 2, 2012
Tracklist
1. Change (Prod. by Sid Roams)
2. The One And Only (Prod. by Alchemist)
3. Told Yall (Prod. by Sid Roams)
4. Go Off (Prod. by Sid Roams)
5. Recipe For Murder (Prod. by S.C.)
6. Hitman (Prod. by King Benny)
7. Medicine Man (Prod. by Alchemist)
8. For One Night Only (Prod. by Alchemist)
9. Twilight (Prod. by Sid Roams)
10. Black Devil (Prod. by Sid Roams)
11. Stronger (Prod. by King Benny)
12. Nobody Can Do It Like This (Prod. by Sid Roams)
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Lil Wayne just added another impressive feat to his list of chart accomplishments. According to Billboard, the rap star has just passed Elvis Presley for the most hits on the Billboard 100 chart.
With his collaboration with The Game titled "Celebration" at No. 82, Weezy now has 109 entries on the chart surpassing Presley's 108.
While it's a big accomplishment for Wayne, Billboard notes that only 42 (39%) of his entries were as a lead artist. The rest were collaborations. All of Elvis' 108 entries were as a lead artist.
In other Wayne related news, his I Am Not A Human Being II album has been pushed back just two days after it's announced release date. According to Rap-Up, the album has been moved from it's original due date of November 13, and will now arrive in stores on December 11.
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Gigi Chao and her father Cecil Chao
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Hong Kong shipping magnate Cecil Chao is willing to pay an outrageous sum of money to see his daughter get married, but there are two major stumbling blocks. His daughter Gigi is a lesbian and is reportedly already married to her partner of seven years, Sean B. Eav, according to the New York Daily News.
Cecil is not deterred though. He is offering a jaw dropping $65 million to the man who can get his daughter to walk down the aisle.
“I don’t mind whether he is rich or poor,” 76-year-old Cecil said. “The important thing is that he is generous and kind-hearted.”
Gigi Chao (right) with Sean B. Eav. Chao
Homosexuality was decriminalized in Hong Kong in 1991, but same-sex marriages or civil unions are not legal. To get around that, Gigi and Sean, who also uses the name Sean Yeung reportedly got married in France last April.
Cecil refuses to acknowledge that his daughter is married despite many reports to the contrary.
Gigi's Facebook page describes her as a "Helicopter Pilot. Social entrepreneur. Creator of expressions in colour and emotion. A woman that cares to look another in the eye and seek what's behind. Loves to stare at a flower and imagine herself a butterfly."
Gigi is an executive director of her father's company, Cheuk Nang.
So far Gigi, who is 33-years old has received around 200 offers according to The Daily Telegraph.
"People are contacting me on Facebook, by email, on Twitter. It's ridiculous. I can't sort out the serious proposals from the half-hearted ones. I can't make head or tail of it," she told The Daily Telegraph.
Her father Cecil, has never been married himself and claims to have slept with 10,000 women. He says he would never force his daughter to marry someone. He added that the dowry is a way to attract “someone who has the talent but not the capital to start his own business.”
“My father took a hands-off approach in parenting,” Gigi told HK Magazine, in a 2007 interview. “I see him as a friend more than a father. My parents never pressure me with high expectations.”
Gigi is no longer accepting friends requests on social media because of bombarded with requests.
“No longer accepting Facebook friend requests … sorry,” she wrote. “Where do all these people come from? Jerusalm [sic]? Ethiopia? Istanbul? ridiculous. It’s also quite scary that my friend requests number keeps jumping up every few seconds."
Cecil Chao offering $65 million to find a man to marriage his daughter
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As the clock ticked toward midnight at the NFL offices inside 345 Park Ave. and Week?4’s slate of games grew closer Wednesday, the league and its referees’ union came to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement. The team owners lifted the three-month lockout, allowing the regular officials to return to the field, flags in hand, for Thursday night’s contest in Baltimore, where the Ravens and Browns will meet at M&T Bank Stadium.
The settlement came at the end of a nonstop negotiation session. The two sides met for five consecutive days, the pace picking up in light of Monday night’s mayhem when the Seahawks defeated the Packers, 14-12, on a blown call in the end zone as time expired. Replacement officials had drawn the ire of players, coaches, fans, gamblers and government officials, including President Obama, who called the play “terrible.”
“We look forward to having the finest officials in sports back on the field, and I want to give a special thanks to NFL fans for their passion,” Goodell said. “Now it’s time to put the focus back on the teams and players where it belongs.”
The eight-year labor deal was completed 48 hours after the Packers-Seahawksdebacle occurred on national television. It would be the last call made by the replacements.
“We are glad to be getting back on the field,” NFLRA president Scott Green said.
Goodell’s leadership was called into question throughout the process.
Governing under the flag of player safety, his decision to allow inexperienced referees to regulate a game played at a speed much faster than many of them were accustomed to tracking left the league’s integrity in limbo. Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers alleged that the league had willfully “tarnished” the game for the sake of saving money on the referees.
“Let’s be clear, when our N.F.L.Fans talk, we listen,” Colts owner Jim Irsay said on Twitter. “If you’re unhappy, we’re unhappy … we’re here to serve you. Everything we do is to please you!”
The league had attempted to temper emotional responses and discipline those going over the line over the last three weeks. Four coaches, including New England’s Bill Belichick and Denver’s John Fox, were fined for demonstrative acts. Belichick drew the highest fine at $50,000for grabbing an official after the Patriots lost. He accepted the punishment without complaint on Wednesday.
The timetable from allowing the ink to dry on this deal to the 121 regular referees being on the field is expected to be minimal. The officials need to meet to ratify any proposal accepted by the NFLRA’s board of directors, and are expected to vote on it in Dallas on Saturday.
Goodell, meanwhile, confirmed that regular officials will be back for the Ravens-Browns game.
Ed Hochuli, the popular referee known for his muscular physique, has kept the officials strong mentally with weekly conference calls to review rules. Hochuli administered tests that would be normally be given during weeks in the regular season for working crews. When word spread of a deal approaching, his name trended worldwide on Twitter.
The two sides struck an accord on the issue of backup officials, too.
The reserves, 21 in all, will not be members of the NFLRA, and will gain experience in a developmental program. They will work with NFL crews during the week, but not call games.
Credibility was at the heart of the criticism from league members and onlookers alike. With officials incorrectly interpreting rules, misapplying yardage and failing to flag obvious interference calls, onlookers and participants were flummoxed. Piling on, the Lingerie Football League announced that several of the replacement officials had been deemed unusable or too inexperienced for their brief encounters.
Monday night’s fiasco at the end of Seattle’s controversial win over the Packers inspired players, coaches and fans to complain about the league’s stance. In the game, Seattle wideout Golden Tate shoved safety Sam Shields to the ground in the end zone, but was not flagged for offensive pass interference. Tate proceeded to reach for the ball, but Packers defensive back M.D. Jenningsgot his hands on it first and appeared to bring it to his chest. The officials, however, called it a touchdown. Seattle won.
The commissioner wants to incorporate improvements to officiating as well. Goodell has sought the power to sit officials who are downgraded during the season. The NFLRA maintains that the league’s ability to keep one to four crews home each weekend already affords the league that right.
For Thursday, there is one certainty: a veteran official, working with a crew of six others, will blow the whistle Thursday night that sets in motion the first game of Week 4.
OFFICIAL RULING
- Eight-year deal.
- Apart from their benefit package, the game officials' compensation will increase from an average of $149,000 a year in 2011 to $173,000 in 2013, rising to $205,000 by 2019.
- The current defined benefit pension plan will remain in place for current officials through the 2016 season (or until the official earns 20 years of service). The defined benefit plan will then be frozen.
- Beginning with the 2013 season, the NFL will have the option of hiring a number of officials on a full-time basis to work year-round, including on the field.
ESPN Coverage
ESPN Coverage 2
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Here's a brand new music video from Azealia Banks for her song "Luxury." The song appears on her mixtape, Fatasea. Produced by MACHINEDRUM
Directed by Clarence Fuller.
Download Fantasea for free from Datpiff.
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Chis Brown releases a new music video for the fifth single off of his latest album, Fortune. Chris co-directed "Don't Judge Me" along with Colin Tilley.
Pick up a copy of Fortune from iTunes.
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By all accounts Jay-Z has become a success story. The rap star has gone from growing up poor in Brooklyn, New York, to being an international rap star and business mogul with a clothing line, chain of restaurants and having part ownership of the Brooklyn Nets NBA team.
The Associated Press caught up with the Roc Nation boss at the launch of basketball video game 'NBA 2K13,' which he executive produced and talked to him about making it big in America.
"I think I am the American dream," Jay said. "You know the whole thing, the land of the free, home of the brave. That whole thing where you can come here and pull yourself up by the bootstraps. That whole thing that America has always put out to the world that we represent. I feel that I've lived that."
Bow Wow and Brooklyn Nets player Kris Humphries spoke on what Hov has done to help bring a professional basketball team to Brooklyn.
"You know it's cool that he's involved in the team," Kris said of Jay's involvement with the Nets. "He's really hyped up Brooklyn and the people want it and they're ready. It's cool, he's done a great job with it."
When asked if he would feel uncomfortable on the nights when Kanye West is in attendance Kris said, "thanks buddy," then walked away.
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"WOH" is the second video from the EP Cigarette Boats released by Curren$y & Harry Fraud featuting Styles P. This video starts where the first left off and is the second of five parts.
Pick up Cigarette Boats for free from Datpiff.
G.O.O.D. Music's Cruel Summer compilation made a successful debut on the Billboard charts selling 205,000 copies placing it at No. 2 this week. The project which features Kanye West, Pusha T, Big Sean, The-Dream, R. Kelly, 2 Chainz, Ma$e, John Legend, Kid Cudi, Chief Keef, Teyana Taylor and others was buoyed by the singles "Clique," "Mercy," and "I Don't Like."
The top debut this week belonged to Pink. Her album The Truth About Love sold 280,000 according to Nielsen Soundscan. It's the first No. 1 album for Pink in her 12-year career.
Other notable entries this week belong to Tech N9ne's E.B.A.H. EP with 13,615 units moved and Kreayshawn's debut album on Columbia Records, Somethin' 'Bout Kreay sold 3,900 units according to SOHH.
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Jim Jones and his fiance, Chrissy Lampkin stopped by Sway in the Morning recently to talk about their new show "Chrissy & Mr Jones," future marriage plans, celibacy, religion and the possibility of children.
Things got a little tense when a caller asked Jim if he and Max B had squashed their beef.
"Tell your mother I said hi," Jim replied.
Sway asked Jim if that was a subject he ever touched on.
"Nah, tell his mother to touch on that subject," Jim said.
He also refused to speak about French Montana, "Nah, none of them n*ggas."
Jim Jones And Chrissy Talk Relationship, Celibacy And Marriage On Sway In The Morning
Jim Jones refuses to speak about Max B and French Montana
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Pusha T appears in episode one of Ben Baller's new reality show where the jeweler from I.F. & Co. in Los Angeles takes viewers behind the scenes as he creates custom pieces for various heavy hitters.
Pusha comes to Ben with an idea for a Mercedes Benz emblem with an old school dookie rope chain. Ben quotes him a price of 20K, which Pusha quickly agrees to and then Ben and company go to work.
The Job:
6 Carats VVS Color Diamonds,
72 Grams 14 Carat Gold Pendant
150 Grams 14 Carat Gold Rope Chain
Time to create = 2 Weeks
When the piece is finished Pusha is happy with it and Ben has another satisfied customer
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No one can ever accuse LaLa Anthony of not being a loyal friend.
LaLa was a guest on The Breakfast Club this morning. Things were all good until someone called into the show and mentioned Kim Kardashian's name.
The female caller said she had a girlfriend with a bad reputation and was concerned that people would look at her the same way since it's always assumed that "birds of a feather flock together."
The caller goes on to mention that she knew LaLa was good friend's with Kim, and wanted LaLa's advice on whether people would think she was a whore because her friend was.
"This is going bad really fast," LaLa said. “We joke around and we have fun, but I’m really starting to get a little tired of people calling her that to me because if I was calling your friend a whore you wouldn’t like that would you? No matter what people’s perception are, I know my friend, and I know her heart and who she is and she’s not a whore. We’re all grown now. I can’t be responsible for what people think about other people. I go off of how a person treats me, and she’s always been an amazing person to me so let's star there,” LaLa said in defense of Kim.
LaLa tells the caller she can't take responsibility for her friend's bad reputation.
“As far as your situation is concerned, again the same thing applies. We are all grown. If your friend has a bad rap, you can’t take responsibility for what your friend does. You shouldn’t be grouped in that category for what she does. You can only be responsible for your own actions. So that's my advice to you,” she said.
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French Montana is getting ready to drop his debut album Excuse My French in December. Vlad TV recently sat down with the Bad Boy artist to talk about advice he's gotten from Diddy on how to market himself in other areas besides music, his upcoming Mac and Cheese 3 mixtape, features on his album and Max B's appeal being denied.
"I think it's a sad situation, but you you know you gotta bounce back and keep fighting," French said, speaking on Max B's situation. "I spoke to him yesterday, he's got positive spirits. He's got another plan. Young just gotta keep fighting."
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Swizz Beatz can add a new title to his growing resume' after being named Global Ambassador for the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation.
Swizz will raise global awareness and help in bringing in financial support for the organization and it's programs. His primary role in the HHC will center on the relationship between the arts and therapeutic healing.
“[Swizz Beatz] is committed to using his creativity, his innovation, and his international stature to help spread the HHC message on a global scale to promote better health in our city and our world,” said Executive Director of the Fund for HHC Joe Schick.
September 27 marks Swizz's first official day in his new role with the HHC.
Source: HipHopDX
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Many people have wondered why Lupe Fiasco chose to have an all black cover for his new album Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1. The Chicago rapper sat down with Fuse's new anchor Ashantito talk about it.
"One of the main reasons I did all black was there's a song called 'Man in Black' written by the late great Johnny Cash. And people always ask because I wear all black onstage and I kind of stay in black, 'why you always were black and why is the album cover all black?' And I always say just listen to Johnny Cash's the 'Man in Black," Lupe explained. "And the reason he wore black was for, 'the prisoner who has long paid for his crime, but is there because he's a victim of the times.' There's meaning behind it."
Lupe also added that an all black album is the easiest to find in a store.
“It’s the easiest album to find,” said Lupe. “Because I wanted [fans] to have something to cherish, like this is kinda history right here.”
Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1 is in stores now.
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DMX has fired the latest shot in his war of words with Onyx rapper Fredro Starr.
During a recent interview with The Breakfast Club, X told a story about Fredro introducing him to a female at a California club. Fredro told X it was cool if he took her home for the night, which X did. But according to X, Fredro actually liked the woman on the low. The entire time X was at a hotel with her banging her out, Fredro repeatedly called asking her if she was still with DMX.
Fredro heard about DMX's interview and decided to make a diss video about him and posted in on youtube.
"This n*gga X talking sh*t right, If he ever try it again/He be in front of the firing pen/If his crew front, there be a lot of dying men/At the funeral, family and crying friends," Fredro rapped.
TMZ caught up with Dark Man to get his response and he dismissed Fredro as being a "midget" who "can't even reach my knee."
"I am not worried about him," X told TMZ. "All he is is a sitcom Moesha gangsta. He should just stick to being a reality gangsta cause that's about all he's good for. [He] is just trying to use me to get back in the music scene."
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Rakim is often referred to as The God Emcee. He is considered by many to be the best rapper of all time. From his early work with then-partner, Eric B, to his later solo projects, Rakim's complex lyrics set him apart from his rap contemperaries.
BET recognizes Rakim's contributions to the game and will honor him with the I Am Hip Hop Icon Award.
The award will be presented during the BET Hip Hop Awards on September 29 at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center.
Previous winners of the award include Grandmaster Flash (2006); KRS-One (2007); Russell Simmons (2008); Ice Cube (2009); Salt N Pepa (2010) and LL Cool J (2011).
Whether you're a rap veteran or just getting into the game, everyone MC remembers the first time they heard Rakim. Check out what some have to say about him as compiled by BET.com.
8 BALL
"The first song I ever heard by Rakim was 'Eric B for President' on a mixtape I got from New York in like '88. I fell in love with Rakim's slow flow immediately! He had very intricate word play for his era and definitely gave me great hip hop lessons in the form of songs like 'Mahogany' and 'Check Out My Melody.'"
JUVENILE
"The first time I heard Rakim was when he dropped 'Paid In Full.' I was in the sixth grade. I had to play it back a few times to understand what he was saying, but that beat went off straight out the gate."
WARREN G
"The first time I heard Rakim, I was in junior high school. The song was 'Eric B for President.' It was a song my older brother Dre [Dr. Dre] use to mix when he was on K Day. From that day on I became a fan and it inspired me and my best friend Snoop [Dogg] to try and become a rap duo. He was Rakim and I was Eric B. From there we did a demo and sent it to the manager, who was Kara Lewis, but we never got a response. But we still loved his sound and how lyrically dope he was and to this day we're still fans of him."
FRENCH MONTANA
"When Rucker Park was rocking, we used to go by Willie's Burgers on 145 Street back in like 1989. I was a kid, but [Rakim] that's what all the hustlers were bumping."
A$AP ROCKY
"I was two years old and my dad showed me 'Know the Ledge,' and I just felt a part of something because my Dad said that’s who we named you after."
PRODIGY
"The first time I heard Rakim, it was like the summer of 1986, 'Check Out My Melody.' I've been in love with that song ever since. Rakim has so many great songs, but that's the one for me."
2 CHAINZ
"The OG Rakim is the original lyrical architect. He had that street flow, but had a finesse. His storytelling paved the way for other great artists, like Nas, Ghostface [Killah], myself and a host of others...he was so versatile."
NO MALICE
"The first time I heard Rakim, I knew instantly this was the new style! I was a Run-DMC fanatic, so I thought you had to yell to get your point across. Then here he [Rakim] comes with 'Competition is none/I remain at the top like the sun/and I burn whoever come in the chambers of torture/I caught ya you shoulda bought ya neighborhood to support ya...' Ever since then, my life has never been the same."
BUN B
"The first time I heard Rakim, I realized that you could be more than just cool as an MC. You could be a poet, a scientist, a historian or a minister, all within the realm of hip hop."
GHOSTFACE KILLAH
"['Eric B for President']. I was coming out of the store and my man had the gold box radio, and it sounded so chunky. He's a genuis. He's a wizard, B."
SHEEK LOUCH
"I been hearing him forever, all my life. He's a monster still to this day. The R is hard body and he sounds just like the records.”
DRIICKY GRAHAM
"The first song I ever heard by Rakim was 'Don't Sweat the Technique' and I just knew instantly about the powerful message you can convey in rap as well as the history of how it all started. Rakim is definitely one of the most influential and most honorable."
FREDDIE GIBBS
"First time I heard Rakim was 'Paid In Full'... 'I used to be a stick up kid' was my favorite line [laughs]."
The BET Hip Hop Awards airs Oct 9 at 8/7c.
What do you remember about the first time you heard Rakim?
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Machine Gun Kelly stopped by the Tim Westwood show while in the U.K. on his current Lace Up tour. MGK takes on two classic intrumentals in Jay-Z's "H To The Izzo" and Eminem's “Role Model” and spits a freestyle.
Don't forget to pick up MGK's Lace Up album when it drops on October 9.
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