The 52nd annual Grammy Awards air Sunday from the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and it's sure to be a star-packed night. Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Kanye West and Jay-Z lead the nominees, and what we're most looking forward to is some good old-fashioned Grammy wagering.
We love gambling. Some people might even say we're addicted to it. And while we can totally quit whenever we want, the Grammys are perhaps the most excellent betting event of the year. Wagering on them is basically like wagering on which way the wind will blow or what color socks that dude in the cubicle next to you will wear tomorrow: The results are almost completely random, which really spices things up.
Still, there are those out there who are experts at handicapping these sorts of things (they're called oddsmakers), and in the hopes of getting a leg up, we turned to them for some advice. These are their picks for the night's biggest categories — Album, Record and Song of the Year, plus everyone's favorite crapshoot, Best New Artist. We're not gonna lie, we're relying pretty hard on their expertise — we need a new flat-screen TV.
Anyway, from two of the best oddsmakers in the gamble-verse, here are the odds for the 2010 Grammys.
Ladbrokes
"The thing with the Grammys is, it goes through all the markets and is based largely on how the songs are received," said Nick Weinberg, Ladbrokes' chief sports, politics and novelty oddsmaker. "Beyoncé's odds are probably a bit shorter than they should be. Because she's a name, she can release a terrible album, and it would be nominated for an award. ... But Taylor Swift is the selection. All things being equal, she should win it. Quite an impressive record — which is why we made it our favorite."
Album of the Year
» Taylor Swift, Fearless: 11/8
» Beyoncé, I Am ... Sasha Fierce: 5/2
» Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D.: 3/1
» Lady Gaga, The Fame: 6/1
» Dave Matthews Band, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King: 8/1
Record of the Year
» Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me":13/8
» Beyoncé, "Halo": 9/4
» Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody": 4/1
» Lady Gaga, "Poker Face": 5/1
» Black Eyed Peas, "I Gotta Feeling": 5/1
Song of the Year
» Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me": 6/4
» Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)": 9/4
» Lady Gaga, "Poker Face": 3/1
» Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody": 5/1
» Maxwell, "Pretty Wings": 10/1
Best New Artist
» MGMT: 7/4
» Keri Hilson: 11/8
» The Ting Tings: 4/1
» Zac Brown Band: 6/1
» Silversun Pickups: 10:1
Bodog
"This Year's Grammy Awards could be a clean sweep in the three main categories as Taylor Swift is the favorite to win Best Album, Record and Song of the Year," Bodog.com sportsbook manager Richard Gardner said. "And Bodog.com's bettors seem to think it may be possible. As of right now, all the early money is on Swift to do just that."
Album of the Year
» Taylor Swift, Fearless: 5/4
» Beyoncé, I Am ... Sasha Fierce: 2/1
» Black Eyed Peas, The E.N.D.: 9/4
» Lady Gaga, The Fame: 6/1
» Dave Matthews Band, Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King: 13/2
Record of the Year
» Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me": 5/4
» Beyoncé, "Halo": 3/2
» Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody": 4/1
» Black Eyed Peas, "I Gotta Feeling": 5/1
» Lady Gaga, "Poker Face": 11/2
Song of the Year
» Taylor Swift, "You Belong With Me": 3/2
» Beyoncé, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)": 7/4
» Kings of Leon, "Use Somebody": 5/2
» Lady Gaga, "Poker Face": 9/2
» Maxwell, "Pretty Wings": 15/2
Best New Artist
» MGMT: 6/5
» Keri Hilson: 3/2
» The Ting Tings: 4/1
» Zac Brown Band: 9/2
» Silversun Pickups: 10/1
MTV
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
Jessica Simpson accidentally farted during an important business meeting.
The American singer passed wind as she was speaking to executives about her denim clothing line, and was told off by her mother Tina who was mortified that her daughter had displayed such bad manners.
A source said: "While one of the executives was speaking in a room full of five people, Jessica let out a very loud fart.
"Her mother Tina Simpson was there, and it prompted her to turn around and yell, 'Jessica!' The tension was extreme. No one knew what to say."
The reality TV star previously revealed she wanted to release her own range of denim garments because "a girl’s booty needs to look good".
The incident isn’t the 29-year-old star’s first brush with public flatulence. Jessica once farted during an episode of her TV series 'Newlyweds'.
She then went on to tell her then-husband Nick Lachey: "You love my stinky a*s."Music-News Underground
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
Gay rights groups angry about a Grammy nomination for jailed Jamaican reggae singer Buju Banton took out a full page advert on Friday, protesting the honoring of an artist they said had "promoted the murder of gay people throughout his career."
Banton, 36, is up for a best reggae album award for his "Rasta Got Soul" release at the Grammys on Sunday. He is currently in jail in Florida awaiting trial on a cocaine charge and will not be attending the awards show.
In an advert in Hollywood show business paper Daily Variety, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center urged Grammy organizers to use Sunday's televised ceremony to denounce music "that promotes or celebrates violence against any group of people."
The lyrics of Banton's most controversial song "Boom, Bye Bye" in 1988, promote the murder of gay men by shooting or burning.
Several of Banton's U.S. concerts were canceled by promoters last year after an outcry over his lyrics.
Banton was quoted late last year as saying he saw "no end to the war" between himself and gay men.
The Recording Academy has said that the Grammy Awards honor musical achievement "regardless of politics" and that artists from many different political and cultural perspectives have been nominated over the years.
Gay rights groups protested in 2001 over the Grammy nomination and performance of rapper Eminem, whose lyrics also have homophobic elements. Gay British singer Elton John took to the Grammy stage to sing with Eminem that year in a bid to defuse the anger.
Friday's advert, in the form of a letter signed by more than 20 gay, civil rights and anti-violence groups, said that honoring "an artist such as Buju Banton, honors his extraordinary hateful work."
Yahoo
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
Tracklist:
01 - Soo Woop (Intro)
02 - I'm Goin In
03 - The American Dream (Feat. Mike Tyson)
04 - Ransom (Wayne Only)
05 - P#ssy Monster
06 - Kobe Bryant
07 - Lisa Marie
08 - Where U At
09 - Yes (Feat. Pharrell)
10 - Bad
11 - So Many Guns, I'mma Shoot One
12 - Rap Cemetary (Feat. Juelz Sanatana)
13 - Fix My Hat
14 - Ma Money
15 - Outstanding
16 - Spit (Feat. Kevin Rudolf)
17 - I'm The Truth
18 - A Millie (Official Remix)
19 - Dont Tell Me Its Over
20 - Million Dollar Baby
21 - Switch
22 - Im Raw
23 - Ima Go Getta
24. That’s What Niggas Do
25. Murk Off 09 (Prod. By YP)Download HereRead more…
There will be a little extra Who at Super Bowl XLIV on February 7th: in addition to rocking the halftime show, the band’s “My Generation” will debut as a remix. Will.i.am has recruited Slash to help rework the classic track. Following the big game, the song will go on sale on iTunes, with all proceeds benefiting Haiti earthquake relief funds.
“I altered the lyric to fit my generation now,” Will.i.am told Billboard, adding that Slash plays on the track. “It was awesome. I loved that song way before this even came up, and talking to Pete Townshend on the phone is like, ‘What?! I’m talking to Pete Townshend on the phone?!’ Those guys are just awesome.” It’s unclear whether the band will premiere the song during their halftime performance, or whether it will play during a break in the action or an ad.
This marks the second consecutive Super Bowl Sunday to sport a classic song remixed by the Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am. Last year, the rapper-producer teamed with Bob Dylan for a new version of “Forever Young” that played during a Pepsi commercial during the game.
“My Generation” is one of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. As RS previously reported, Townshend told Billboard the bulk of the mashup medley the Who will perform during their Super Bowl set, and the “immortal fuck-off to the elders” as RS called the track, was not among the songs he named. The list did include “Baba O’Riley,” “Pinball Wizard,” “Tommy,” “Who Are You” and “Won’t Get Fooled Again.”
Rolling Stone
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
When tragedy strikes, it can bring out the best in people. Now, it seems that music fans are finding a channel for their own good will toward Haiti, as iTunes and some of the world's top artists are setting records with the Hope for Haiti Now album.
iTunes confirmed Thursday (January 28) that tracks from last week's landmark benefit show have combined to generate more than $3 million in relief funds. On Wednesday, the Hope for Haiti Now album became the first-ever digital-only album to debut at #1 on the SoundScan charts. Through Sunday of this past weekend, the album was purchased and downloaded more than 170,000 times — nearly all of the sales coming from the iTunes store.
As the Hope for Haiti Now album approaches its one-week anniversary, records continue to be set: The album's pre-order, which went live shortly before Friday's massive telecast, became the biggest one-day album pre-order in iTunes history. The album has also hit #1 on the iTunes chart in 18 different countries.
In addition to the iTunes numbers, the telethon itself has gathered more than $61 million in public donations, drew 83 million viewers and attracted 5.8 million streams on the Web.
Much of the success is owed to the acts who performed at the telethon, including Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira, Christina Aguilera, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Coldplay and many more.
MTV
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
After being pushed back from a Feb. 23 release date, Mariah Carey confirmed via her Twitter today (Jan. 28) that her remix album, "Angels Advocate," is now scheduled for March 30.
Carey released two songs this week off the set: a duet of "Angel Cry" with Ne-Yo and "Up Out of My Face" featuring Nicki Minaj. Videos for both songs, directed by Carey and husband, Nick Cannon, hit the web today.
Carey now goes up against Usher, who is set to release his new Jive Records album, "Raymond Vs. Raymond," on the same date. "Angels Advocate" is her 13th studio album and will feature all new remixes and duets of songs off her 2009 release, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel."
Carey is currently on her "Angels Advocate" tour, which is set to wrap up on Feb. 27 at the Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas.
Billboard
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
Death Row Records is about to drop a new 21 track CD from Kurupt Young Gotti titled 'Down & Dirty'. The album will feature four never heard before cuts along with 17 rare joints.
The Philadelphia rapper had a lot to do with shaping the Death Row sound in their heyday as 1/2 of Tha Dogg Pound along with Snoop Dogg's cousin Daz Dillinger.
He recently announced plans to reform The Four Horsemen group. Members are himself, Ras Kass, Killah Priest and Canibus.
In addition, XXL is reporting Kurupt has a new label home with Cash Money Records as well as a new reality show coming up.
'Down & Dirty' will feature guest appearances from 2Pac, Petey Pablo, Danny Boy, Young Tone, and Kokane. The album hits store shelves February 9.
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
ST. PETERSBURG — Police said a St. Petersburg woman took a TV dispute too far Tuesday night when she stabbed and scalded her boyfriend over "American Idol.''
Police arrested Cynthia E. Bettis-Ware, 52, on a charge of first-degree attempted murder of Kevin Johnson, 47.
It happened at 11:22 p.m. at the Empress Motel, 1501 Martin Luther King St. N, which the couple listed as their permanent address, said police spokeswoman Jennifer Dawkins.
The couple were watching American Idol when they began arguing over something that happened on the show, Dawkins said. He changed the channel to stop the argument, Dawkins said, but she kept arguing so "he decided, 'Well, I'll go to bed.'''
He awoke to Bettis-Ware wielding a 10-inch butcher knife. She stabbed him five times in the back and twice in the chest, an arrest affidavit states. Police said she also severely burned Johnson with hot cocoa.
Johnson took the knife from her and ran to the motel parking lot, Dawkins said. Bettis-Ware chased after him with another knife, she said.
Soon a crowd formed and someone called police, who arrested Bettis-Ware in her motel room, she said. She was being held without bail in the Pinellas County jail Wednesday.
St Petersburg Times
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
Madonna and Britney Spears’ kiss at the MTV Video Music Awards has been voted Top Kiss in a new poll.
The on stage smooch during a performance of Madonna’s track 'Like A Virgin’ in 2003 was voted the most famous smooch of the last decade, according to the poll conducted by UK department store Selfridges.
The performance - which also saw Madonna kiss Christina Aguilera – made headlines across the world and is one of the most shocking moments in the history of the music channel’s annual awards.
A source said: 'Madonna performing with both Britney and Christina was a big enough event in itself, but nobody – even the MTV people - expected what happened. It is one of the most memorable moments ever.'
Same sex kisses scored highly in the with Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal’s famous gay kiss in 2005 film 'Brokeback Mountain’ being voted third.
'Bruno’ actor Sasha Baron Cohen and Will Ferrell’s re-enactment of Madonna and Britney’s kiss at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) also made the top ten.
Female on female kisses also proved memorable with the Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson’s first public kiss outside New York’s Mercer hotel making the top ten list, as well as Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz locking lips in film 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona’.
Other popular smooches were on screen embraces by rumoured real life couples such as Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart’s steamy scene in 'Twilight’ and Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in 2005’s 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ – which did blossom into a real romance.
Selfridges conducted the poll ahead of its Valentine’s Day kissing booth opening at its London store on February 12.
Top ten most famous kissing moments of the last decade:
1. Britney Spears and Madonna, MTV Music Video awards 2003
2. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, 'Spider-Man’ 2002
3. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, 'Brokeback Mountain’ 2005
4. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, 'Twilight’ 2008
5. Scarlett Johansson and Penelope Cruz, 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ 2008
6. Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson, Mercer Hotel NYC 2008
7. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith’, 2005
8. Freida Pinto and Dev Patel, 'Slumdog Millionaire’ 2009
9. Sasha Baron Cohen and Will Ferrell, MTV Movie Awards 2007
10. Jennifer Aniston and Winona Ryder, 'Friends’ 2001Music-News Underground
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
Eminem, Drake, Lil Wayne and Travis Barker will team up for a special performance at Sunday night's Grammy Awards. The addition of the rap crew that represents nearly the entire lineup for the remix of Drake's "Forever" — only awards-show fire starter Kanye West is missing — was announced via the Grammys' Twitter early Thursday morning. (A spokesperson for the Grammys could not be reached at press time to confirm the addition.)
They join a major roster of performers that is already packed with all five Album of the Year nominees — Beyoncé, the Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Dave Matthews Band and Taylor Swift — as well as Bon Jovi, Green Day, Lady Antebellum, Maxwell, Pink and the Zac Brown Band. The show will also boast a 3-D tribute to Michael Jackson featuring Celine Dion, Jennifer Hudson, Smokey Robinson, Carrie Underwood and Usher.
The Grammys Twitter also announced that Simon Baker, Ryan Seacrest, Chris O'Donnell, Robert Downey Jr. and Kaley Cuoco will be presenters at the 52nd annual awards show. Previously announced presenters include Kristen Bell, Justin Bieber, Jeff Bridges, Miley Cyrus, Josh Duhamel, the Jonas Brothers, Norah Jones, Ke$ha, LL Cool J, Ricky Martin, Carlos Santana and Ringo Starr.
For the show, Mary J. Blige will team up with famed tenor Andrea Bocelli to perform Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" as part of a fundraiser for Haiti earthquake relief.
The special fundraising segment of Sunday night's program will be released as an iTunes/Target.com download following the telecast, and all proceeds from its sale will go to the American Red Cross for earthquake recovery efforts in the devastated Caribbean island nation. Blige provided one of the emotional highlights of Friday night's "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon with a spirited cover of the traditional folk song "Hard Times Come Again No More."MTV
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
Posted by Mr.I Get It on January 28, 2010 at 8:05am
The Game is not one to bite his tongue, no matter what the topic is. Most recently, the Compton rapper slammed the education system, saying that once you hit a certain grade level, school doesn't help much.He even adds that school is Uncle Sam's way of keeping tabs on kids on a regular basis."After you learned how to read and do addition, what else did we need school for that we use in everyday life as an adult?" Game asked in a tweet (@IHateGame)."I think school was a government's plot to keep track of us and program our lives. Up at 7, out at 3PM five days a week."While Game questioned a school's use in life as an adult, he did explain why he thinks it great -- it gives him a break from his kids." ... Them two dudes is animals!" he tweeted, regarding his two sons. "I get it, school is a babysitter. Martin Luther King said: 'The reason we in school 13 yrs is because, that's how long it take to DESTROY a child's mind."Before ended his rant, Game made sure to send a message to the kids following his tweets ... that is to "STAY IN SCHOOL!""Kids, STAY IN SCHOOL," he wrote. "We all gotta do it. I'm from Compton, so maybe it was just our school system that ain't really do sh** for us. My teachers wore khaki suits n ere'thang."
Read more…
Video After The JumpThis song really didn't need as remix because it was already dope. But Mariah Carey grapped the only femcee making any noise these days Nicki Minaj to drop a couple of verses.
The visuals were on point no doubt. Seeing Mariah and Nicki dressed up as nurses was the best part. Their other costumes before and after were just extra eye candy.
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
After touring with Beyoncé in 2007, Robin Thicke is about to join another R&B superstar on the road next month.
The blue-eyed soul singer has been added as a supporting act on Alicia Keys’ “Freedom” tour, kicking off February 28 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, with stops at Madison Square Garden and Staples Center. He will be performing material from his latest album Sex Therapy.
Thicke has already started rehearsing for the trek. “Hey guys, Hittin the studio today to prep some new moves for the Alicia tour!” he tweeted. “See ya in a month with the show, come check it out!!”
Before embarking on tour, he will stop at “The Late Show with David Letterman” on February 4 and participate in BET Networks’ “S.O.S. Saving OurSelves: Help for Haiti” telethon on February 5 in Miami.
In additon to Thicke, Melanie Fiona is also scheduled to open up for Keys. Click here for tour dates.
Rap-Up
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
Video After The JumpDumout General Mazaradi Fox goes in on Young Buck for being disloyal to 50 Cent and G-Unit. Mazi knows 50 Cent quite well from their days growing up together in Southside Jamaica Queens.
He's watched the entire Young Buck vs G-Unit situation and has come to the conclusion that Buck is an idiot.
Fox also has a few choice words for Young Jeezy's USDA team
Read more…
NBA commissioner David Stern suspended Washington Wizards guards Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton for the remainder of the NBA season Wednesday, and ESPN.com learned that Arenas has agreed not to appeal the punishment.
Stern's disciplinary actions were announced Wednesday afternoon after Arenas met face-to-face with Stern for the first time since the gun incident that put Arenas' future with the Wizards in doubt.
The Washington Post first reported the length of the Arenas suspension, and a source with knowledge of the meeting told ESPN.com that Arenas told Stern that he expects and deserves to be suspended for the rest of the season, which was believed to be the punishment Stern favored. It was unclear whether Crittenton also would decline to file an appeal.
"The NBA has conducted a thorough investigation of events relating to this matter," Stern said. "It is not disputed that, following an argument on the team's flight home from a game in Phoenix, both Mr. Arenas and Mr. Crittenton brought guns to the Verizon Center locker room and -- with other players and team personnel present or nearby -- displayed them to one another in a continuation of their dispute. The players engaged in this conduct despite a specific rule set forth in the collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the Players Association prohibiting players from possessing a weapon at an NBA facility, and reminders of this prohibition given annually by the NBA to players both in writing and in person.
"The issue here is not about the legal ownership and possession of guns, either in one's home or elsewhere. It is about possession of guns in the NBA workplace, which will not be tolerated," Stern said.
"I have met separately with Mr. Arenas and with Mr. Crittenton. Both have expressed remorse for their actions and an understanding of the seriousness of their transgressions. Both have volunteered to engage in community service in order to turn the lessons they have learned into an educational message for others. I accept fully the sincerity of their expressions of regret and intent to create something positive from this incident.
"Nevertheless, there is no justification for their conduct. Accordingly, I am today converting Mr. Arenas' indefinite suspension without pay to a suspension without pay for the remainder of the 2009-10 season, and am also suspending Mr. Crittenton without pay, effective immediately, for the remainder of the 2009-10 season."
Arenas -- just as Crittenton did Tuesday -- met with Stern in what was regarded as the final step before the league announces a finite length to Arenas' indefinite suspension.
ESPN.com reported Friday that suspension lengths for Arenas and Crittenton would be announced this week in the wake of a Dec. 21 confrontation in the Wizards' locker room in which both players have admitted to displaying unloaded handguns.
Arenas entered a guilty plea Jan. 15 in District of Columbia Superior Court to a felony weapons possession charge after admitting to bringing four guns into the locker room following a heated argument with Crittenton during a card game on the team plane.
Arenas missed his 12th consecutive game Tuesday night after Stern announced an indefinite suspension on Jan. 6, Arenas' 28th birthday.
Arenas awaits criminal court sentencing on March 26. His sentence could range from probation and community service and a fine to a recommended prison term of up to six months.
The sentence Arenas receives is expected to be the determining factor for the Wizards regarding their intent to void the remaining four seasons of Arenas' $111 million contract, which is valued at just over $80 million. Many league and legal experts contend that the Wizards could not successfully attempt to void Arenas' contract unless he is forced to serve jail time during the NBA season.
Crittenton, who hasn't played a single minute for the Wizards this season, met with Stern on Tuesday after being sentenced to a year of unsupervised probation following his guilty plea to a misdemeanor gun charge. Prosecutors agreed to drop a second misdemeanor charge of attempted carrying a pistol without a license.
"[Union director] Billy [Hunter] has been consistent with his message and his tone of really kind of waiting until the NBA comes out with what their position will be going forward and until then we can't respond," players association president Derek Fisher of the Los Angeles Lakers told ESPN.com last week.
"It's never happened before, so there isn't anything you can match it to, per se," Fisher said. "If I was commissioner? Well, I'm not privy what he has to balance, what all is at stake in terms of what message he sends to fans, to sponsors, to team owners. So there's a lot more on his plate to contemplate before he makes a decision.
"We respect that process, but from a union perspective we have to protect the short-term and long-term rights of our members, and when members do wrong things or make mistakes, they'll be rightfully punished, and we're just here to make sure that that doesn't go beyond what it should be under the circumstances."
Wizards coach Flip Saunders told The Washington Post on Tuesday: "I think right now, the whole situation, we're all pretty much numb to the whole thing. We knew when it got to the point that it got to, nothing good was going to come out of it."ESPN
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
Call Bishop Lamont hip-hop’s Conan O’Brien. Like the lanky late-night talk show host, the Carson-raised rapper ostensibly received the keys to the kingdom when he achieved the dream of every local MC: signing to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath, “The Tonight Show” of record labels. But things didn’t go according to plan. Despite dropping several highly regarded mix tapes and scoring a hit radio single with the Dr. Dre-produced “Grow Up,” Lamont was left to languish on the sidelines. To add insult to injury, the label sent a cease-and-desist letter to Power 106, barring the station from playing the tune -- a bizarre move that seems opposed to conventional music industry logic. (Aftermath did not respond to requests for comment.)
Of course, common sense has paid few house calls lately to the laboratory that Andre Young built. Since Busta Rhymes’ “The Big Bang” in 2006, Aftermath has released just three records, a pair from 50 Cent and another from fellow longtime meal ticket Eminem. The Interscope subsidiary handed Rhymes, Chef Raekwon, Rakim and Joell Ortiz their walking papers. As for Dr. Dre's “Detox,” the long-awaited “Unicorn of Rap,” both Raekwon’s laughably tardy “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 2” and Guns N’ Roses’ “Chinese Democracy” beat it into stores. At this point, cynics cluck that it ought to be called “Botox,” considering we’ll all need cosmetic work by the time it sees the light of day.
Yet through it all, Lamont remained the loyal soldier -- clearly frustrated with the foot-dragging but unwilling to criticize his mentor (other label executives were a different story) and laboring diligently on Dre’s “Detox” and his own debut, “The Reformation.” Over the last year, rumors swirled that Lamont had been dropped from the label, with the rapper born Phillip Martin vehemently denying the accounts. But last month, he revealed that he had parted ways with Aftermath, telling Shade 45’s “The All Out Show” " that it was like “ 'Shawshank Redemption'… I still love them over there, but thank God… I was going out to the prison yard, shaking gravel out my pants…trying to crawl through the sewer."
Lamont declined to comment further on the disarray at his old home, but spoke to Pop & Hiss about the 700 masters he left with, his forthcoming releases, hanging out with Ram Dass and his future plans for his own imprint, Diocese Records.
You were able to secure your masters per the terms of the severance agreement with Aftermath. What exactly is contained on those recordings?
We’re about to finally bless the world with a lot of music. It got to the point where it wasn’t fair to the fans or to myself to have to keep on waiting. I understand that labels have obligations, but it was difficult to have fans coming up to you and asking when I was going to get a release date. There’s a lot of crazy records I got to take with me. There’s a J Dilla record that I got with the blessing of DJ House Shoes. Tracks from DJ Khalil, Lord Finesse, 9th Wonder, Mr. Porter, Focus, basically a who’s who of underground hip-hop.
And tracks from Dr. Dre?
Yes, there are tracks from the good doctor in there.
What’s the status of your relationship with Dre?
It’s as good as it’s ever been. In the course of the time it took to get out of the Aftermath contract, I never wanted it to cause our friendship to suffer. He's like my big brother. I understand that business is business, and I’m hoping to continue working with him in the future.
What’s the plan for your next release?
I’m going to put out “The Shawshank Redemption,” a mix tape with Bink and DJ Drama that will talk about what I've been going through.
You’d been working on a follow-up to “Caltroit,” the sequel to the original collaboration with Black Milk. What’s the status on that?
There was so much going on over the past year that it had to take a back seat. But we did a record called “Fat Gold Dookie Rope” that’s probably going to be one of the first singles off the new project that we release.
At one point you were planning to release a tape called “No Country For Old Men,” in which you were going to take shots at West Coast veterans for not supporting younger artists. What happened with that project?
Snoop actually reached out to me, which was really dope. I’ve known him since I was a teenager and his brother and I are friends. A lot of people thought it was a ploy for attention, but it was about older artists supporting the younger artists. Those guys are heroes to us and it’s important to carry on the tradition. But we had a heart to heart and he explained that he’s willing to support all of us, which you can see now.
It’s important to keep the West from falling into the standard boxes you think of when you think of West Coast artists. There’s a lot of talented people out here who don’t get the shine they deserve: Pac Div, U-N-I, Med and Rocc C and Oh No from Oxnard, and a bunch more I’m forgetting at the moment. I’m liking the direction we’re going in, but there needs to be more unity and I’m in a great position where I can lead by example and move at my own pace.
You’re not the only West Coast artist who has had difficulty getting a major label to release your record. At the moment, Glasses Malone, Nipsey Hussle and Jay Rock have all been able to land singles on Power 106 and still don’t have a release date in sight. Neither do Pac Div. What do you make of that?
It's ridiculous. Nipsey's been doing his thing, Jay Rock had a hit song with Lil Wayne and will.i.am. and no one can get a release date. People sometimes get it twisted that I hate the skinny jeans kids, but that's not true at all. I love that The New Boyz are speaking for kids their own age in a way that hyphy never had the chance to do. But none of the labels are giving the West Coast artists a chance right now, they're busy trying to figure out a new design for the business -- all of a sudden the machine they created is working against them. That's one of the reasons why I'm working toward getting Diocese Records off the ground.
I'm trying to build a label for everything from rap to R&B to jazz to alternative rock to country. We're trying to do everything in-house, with videos done by DJ Skee and Matt Alonzo, and radio and Internet promotion done right. Artists would come to me when I was at Aftermath and I told them that their best bet was to avoid signing with a major. They thought I was hating, but the labels want to give you 360 degree deals and take all of your publishing and your merchandise and publishing. If an artist can sell 40,000 copies on their own, they're rich. If they sell 40,000 on a major, they get dropped.
What's the status of your own album, "The Reformation?"
It's almost finished. There's so many records, but I've had the blessing to be able to sit with Ram Dass lately in Maui, and the books he's given me and the things I've learned have been so dope. I'm almost overwhelmed. It's hard to know where to begin. I've been sitting down with so many amazing people lately and learning and evolving so much, that's it's just crazy. There's nothing better than being able to have my freedom.
Sory written by Jeff Weiss of the LA Times
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
Video After The JumpPop singer Pink and superstar R&B queen Beyonce won't be having each other over for dinner anytime soon.
Pink, an animal rights activist has been angry at Beyonce for a couple of years because she rocks fur.
When this beef first started back in 2006 Pink was quoted on PETA's website as saying.
"(Beyonce) is a b**ch! "I only hope she gets bit on the a**e by whatever animal she wears. "Some of the practices are so cruel and as a celebrity you have a responsibility to think about the message you're sending out by wearing fur.
"People will think it's ok or cool, but it's not."
Apparently Pink carries a grudge for a long time because at a recent concert she mocks Beyonce by pretending to be her while singing her song "Stupid Girls"
Peep the video below.
Pink Mocking Beyonce While Performing "Stupid Girls"
Follow Me @Twitter.com/ChasinMoPaperRead more…
}