Just where does an executive decision supposedly made in the best interest of kids stop and a personal vendetta begin?
That's the question radio listener's in Houston are asking themselves this morning as a popular dj from 97.9 The Box was fired for playing a record in her off time.
DJ Brandi Garcia was fired from the radio station after being there for five years because she violated their ban against playing any songs featuring Houston rapper Trae The Truth.
Garcia was hired by a private promoter to dj the recent 50 Cent concert in Houston. According to Garcia the concert was not a 97.9 The Box sponsored event.
She played Wacka Flocka Flame's remix of "O Let's Do It" featuring Trae at the show. When Brandi reported to work the next day, she was given her walking papers for playing a song that Trae was on.
Brandi contends she should have been allowed to play whatever records she wants to during her own personal time.
This situation all started in 2009 when six people were shot at Trae's annual "Trae Day" event being held at Texas Southern University.
During a subsequent interview with The Box's Madd Hatta Show, Trae got into an on air altercation with DJ Nnete Inyangumia who accused him of inciting violence at his "Trae Day" events. Trae then mentioned Inyangumia's weight in a mixtape song which is when the ban was put into effect.
Trae is suing Radio One, which owns and operates 97.9 The Box.
"They're using the airwaves for their personal (vendetta)," Trae told The Houston Chronicle. "Truth be told, my situation isn't the very first time this has happened. I'm just the first one to speak on it. Everything else gets swept under the rug. I'm not going to take that. You're not just going to hide me under a rock.
"Nobody should be allowed to stop someone from progressing in their life by being flat-out childish."
Miami's 93.3 caught up with the G-Unit team last week during 50 Cent's 'The Invitation' tour stop and 50 was in rare form.
Fif broke down the straight to DVD game for people who don't realize how profitable it is.
"Some of the movies I've done recently I was financing. And I've already seen a 60% return on what I've involved,: 50 said. "They [critics] don't understand it, they're looking at it and going 'well straight to DVD', they don't realize I'm making another $800,000 off each one of the projects. So you can sit there and go 'well straight to DVD', my ass, that's $800,000 dollars."
50 has accepted that hate comes along with the kind of success he's achieved as an artist, businessman and rapper. His mind set is to just keep grinding and looking for new avenues to bring in revenue.
The Latina host told the crew she was going to teach them spanish. Before she could even get started 50 told her he knew a few words already.
"Callete la boca puta, mamame huevos," he joked. Which roughly translates into "shut your mouth wh*re, suck my b*lls."
There has been a lot of speculation about where 50 and G-Unit's next label home will be. Def Jam has been mentioned a lot, especially since Sha Money XL has become Sr VP of A&R.
"They've reached out, that company has reached out, Def Jam. They're trying to meet the other deal structures I've created for the actual projects," Fif explains.
Much has been made recently of Miley Cyrus' new, very adult oriented choice of clothing and performances. In her recent interview with MTV's Sway she got the chance to just talk about her music for a change and even her favorite rappers.
Sway asked about her rap skills, which she displays on her new album 'Can't Be Tamed'. She was quick to point out that she can't really rap, but she does like a couple of rap artists.
"I'm not a rapper, I've got no flow in that way, I've got no swag," she explains before looking off camera to ask her assistant what rapper's she likes. "Gucci Mane! she made me a mix and I like Gucci Mane and OJ Da Juiceman, I love it. I don't know any of their songs, they all kind of blend in in one with another. I can't really break it up, but I like it."
Lil Jon remixed her song "Can't Be Tamed" and she got a kick out of working with him.
"He's sick, I love him," she said. "He respects my music and we are completely opposite styles. And the fact that he can be like 'ok, this is a good song'. It just shows you don't have to be a certain age. gender, whatever it is. It's a dance song, it's a party song."
Miley's new album 'Can't Be Tamed' is in stores now.
Lady Gaga has been accused by some as having ties to the Illuminati. The pop star reveals a bizarre dream she had that even has her believing the rumors.
“I have this recurring dream sometimes where there’s a phantom in my home,” Gaga tells Rolling Stone. “And he takes me into a room, and there’s a blond girl with ropes tied to all four of her limbs. And she’s got my shoes on from the Grammys. Go figure—pyscho. And the ropes are pulling her apart.”
But it gets even stranger. “I never see her get pulled apart, but I just watch her whimper, and then the phantom says to me, ‘If you want me to stop hurting her and if you want your family to be OK, you will cut your wrist.’ And I think that he has his own, like, crazy wrist-cutting device. And he has this honey in, like, Tupperware, and it looks like sweet-and-sour sauce with a lot of MSG from New York. Just bizarre. And he wants me to pour the honey into the wound, and then put cream over it and a gauze.”
Gaga was confused by her dream and turned to other sources to find out its meaning. “So I looked up the dream, and I couldn’t find anything about it anywhere. And my mother goes, ‘Isn’t that an illuminati ritual?’ And I was like, ‘Oh, my God!’”
She even consulted her good friend and mentor Deepak Chopra about past dreams. “The devil’s trying to take me, Deepak. I’m a good girl!” she told the spiritual leader, who eased her fears.
But she admits her nightmares inspire her eccentric stage shows. “I do have morbid dreams. But I put them in the show. A lot of the work I do is an exorcism for the fans but also for myself.”
01. I Am The Man Feat. Don Connon 02. Straight Off The Block 03. Beamer Benz Bently (Remix) Ft. Lloyd Banks, Ludacris, The Dream & Yo Gotti 04. Gritty Shit Feat. Max Agende & LOX 05. Money Hunt Feat. Styles P 06. In For The Kill 07. Hangover Feat. Corte Ellis 08. Slow Down Feat. Lox 09. All I Do Is Win (Remix) Feat. DJ Khaled 10. Here I Go 11. Still Hatin 12. You Will Remember Me 13. Soldier Survivor Feat. Nas & Sheek 14. Lets Get It Feat. Uncle O & Meek Mill 15. Top 5 Feat. Styles P 16. Bottle Service 17. Dont Know 18. Some How 19. I Think She Likes Me Feat. Nicki Minaj 20. Cant Get Enough Feat. Brova 21. Tipsy (Remix) Feat. Serani & DJ Webstar 22. Speakin Tounges 23. Beat Butcha
Nicki Minaj is not phased when people call her a weirdo. In fact, the "Roger That" rapper embraces it.
"I don’t mind being called a weirdo," Minaj told Interview magazine. "There are a lot of people in hip-hop who are probably never going to get what I do."
Claiming that she's only reached the level she has by being herself and not appealing to what someone else wanted, Minaj says "just being myself, I end up touching a lot more people who might never have paid much attention to a female rapper."
In related news, Nicki Minaj is slated to perform at the 2010 BET Awards. She joins fellow Young Money act Drake, Diddy, Trey Songz and more.
Miami-Dade Police are looking for a group of thugs behind a brutal beating at a strip club that was all caught on camera.
The incident happened outside Coco Lounge at 1430 Northwest 119th Street on June 11, when the victim and five men got into a verbal argument inside the club and were all kicked out.
That's when the five men went after the man, identified as 25-year-old Getro Dolicine.
Surveillance video of the incident shows one of the attackers sucker punch Dolicine, knocking him unconscious. Rather than let him be, the men take turns punching him and throwing heavy objects at his head, including a barricade and what looks like a metal stand.
The suspects fled the scene in a 4-door white BMW.
Dolicine was taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition. He has since been released.
Alexis Mackendly, 30, was arrested and has been charged with attempted first degree murder in the beating, but the four other men are still at large.
Mackendly, who has a tattoo reading "Hood Fellas" tattoo on his fists, confessed to his role in the beating but didn't give info on the other suspects, police said.
Beanie Sigel is ready to start chopping off rapper's heads. Starting with anyone who let's Jay-Z hop on a record to send subliminals his way.
"That lil f*ggot sh*t you [Jay-Z] poppin on Drake and them records. And Imma tell you lil n*ggas something. Yall keep letting that n*gga get on yall records and pop sh*t and Imma start coming at yall lil n*ggas," Beanie vented. "Smack the sh*t outta Drake bitch ass, all yall n*ggas. F*ck all yall, this the Broad Street Bully, B. Sieg. I have no problem seeing anybody on sight!"
Beanie said he doesn't have any more problems with Dipset, in particular Juelz Santana who held him down during his attempted murder trial.
"We aint gonna say f*ck Dipset [anymore] cause Juelz Santana was at every court date I had when I was on trial for attempted murder. He was in court more than you [Jay-Z]."
Beans was a warrior for Roc-A-Fella. Anybody Jay-Z had beef with, Beanie took them on and handled that, but he realizes now that loyalty was one sided.
"Only thing I regret about that Roc-A-Fella sh*t was going at my n*gga [Jada] Kiss," Beans says. "And I did that sh*t for you [Jay-Z] cause you was scared. You knew Kiss woulda bit that ass."
Beanie threw another shot at Memphis Bleek too. The question is, when the hell is Jay-Z gonna respond? He can't say Beanie's not a formidable foe.
Beans roasted Jay-Z on the diss record "What You Talkin Bout (Average Cat)", and he's still roasting him in every interview. Hov needs to show he's still got what it takes in the heat of the battle or else he just looks weak.
Gary Faulkner , the American who was detained in Pakistan while on a one-man mission to kill Osama bin Laden , is resting back home in Colorado today but told ABC News he plans to return to Pakistan and continue the hunt for the world's most wanted man.
On his way home, an obviously exhausted Faulkner said he is undaunted by critics who maintain that a civilian with no formal training attempting to track down the elusive al Qaeda leader was mission impossible.
"It's not like people think it is I woke up one day and said, 'I've got nothing better to do with my life, why not this?'" he said. "People who think it's unrealistic never get off their couch and [stay] in front of the TV set and the movies and do something with their life."
The 51-year-old was arrested June 13 while attempting to cross into Afghanistan from the mountainous region of northern Pakistan. He was armed with a pistol, sword, night-vision goggles, a map, and was reportedly carrying Christian literature.
When he was arrested, Faulkner told police he was intent on avenging the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks by killing Osama bin Laden.
Faulkner told ABC News he left the 40-inch sword in Pakistan because he said he might need it again after he rests and receives medical treatment for an ailing kidney. For him, killing bin Laden is a "personal endeavor."
"Right now, I'm out of wind," he said. "I need dialysis and some rest. Thank you and for all those who had something negative to say -- sucks to be you."
John Martin, Faulkner's brother-in-law, said Faulkner often talked openly with the family about his plans to hunt down the al Qaeda leader.
"He's a very deeply religious individual, very patriotic," Martin said June 15. "It seemed to be his thing. He thought it should be done, and he thought he could accomplish it."
Bin Laden has evaded one of the largest international manhunts in history and remains on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list.
Martin said Faulkner was not trained in any way for a seek-and-destroy mission and had no military training, although he had been to the region before. Faulkner's brother Scott said he was trained in martial arts, and a sword and dagger were his "weapons of choice."
"We initially laughed when he told us he wanted to kill Osama bin Laden," one official, Mumtaz Ahmad Khan, told The Associated Press after the arrest.
While undertaking such a mission -- traveling to hostile territory, with no training, to find the most wanted man on the planet -- may have seemed ridiculous to many, Faulkner's brother said he had made several trips to the area to reconnoiter bin Laden's possible location and believed he had found the cave where he believed the al Qaeda leader was hiding.
Scott Faulkner said last week that his brother had "stood at its entrance, possibly within 100 feet," of the cave.
While Faulkner was likely aware of the hefty $25 million reward for information leading to bin Laden's arrest, Martin said the cause was more important to his brother-in-law.
"The inspiration was more important to him than the money," Martin said.
Since his arrest, a battery of Facebook groups popped up in Faulkner's honor, including Faulkner for President, Gary Brooks Faulkner Is My Favorite Working Class Ninja and Gary Faulkner, American Patriot.
Faulkner's Family: Gary is 'Waking America Back Up
A relative of Faulkner's told ABC News Wednesday the family planned to have him medically examined before holding a homecoming celebration.
Faulkner called his brother, Dr. Scott Faulkner, shortly after he was released. Pakistani authorities did not press charges.
"He said he was treated well, but he can't wait to get back to the good ol' U.S. of A.," Scott Faulkner told ABC News.
Scott Faulkner said that while in captivity, his brother did not have access to any media and was unaware of the onslaught of attention his case had garnered.
One family member told ABC News that while no one could predict Faulkner's reaction to instant celebrity, "it should be fun."
Scott Faulkner told reporters last week that even if he'd died during his dangerous mission, Gary Faulkner would have "loved" the media attention.
"It's waking America back up. ... The fact that it's bringing it back in the forefront of the American psyche, now there's hopefully going to be a renewed effort to get this guy [bin Laden]," Scott Faulkner said.
LOS ANGELES (Billboard) – Another Eminem album, another No. 1 hit.
The rapper's latest release, "Recovery," could sell more than 600,000 copies by Sunday for the biggest sales week of the year, industry sources estimate. It could even surpass the 608,000-unit haul of his last set, 2009's "Relapse."
"Recovery" is on track to be Eminem's sixth straight No. 1 debut -- and sixth overall No. 1. His only album to miss the top spot was his "Slim Shady LP" debut, which bowed and peaked at No. 2 in 1999.
Other albums released this week and due on next Wednesday's Billboard 200 chart include Ozzy Osbourne's "Scream," Miley Cyrus' "Can't Be Tamed," the Roots' "How I Got Over," Herbie Hancock's "The Imagine Project," Sia's "We Are Born," Keith Sweat's "Ridin' Solo," Trip Lee's "Between Two Worlds," Cyndi Lauper's "Memphis Blues" and Macy Gray's "The Sellout."
Next week's chart competes with the same week in 2009 when the newly deceased Michael Jackson claimed the top three albums in the U.S. with "Number Ones" (108,000), "The Essential Michael Jackson" (102,000) and "Thriller" (101,000).
First thing Chris Rock does when he's introduced on Jimmy Kimmel Live! is give a surprised lady in the audience a lapdance.
"The economy is bad, you never know when I might have to give a lapdance," he tells Kimmel.
The comedian has a new movie coming out titled "Grown Ups" with an incredible cast.
Adam Sandler, Salma Hayek, Rob Schneider, David Spade and Kevin James all appear in the movie. Which is about five good friends and former teammates reuniting for a Fourth of July holiday weekend after their former coach dies.
Chris jokes about being on the road promoting the movie with the rest of the cast.
"When we first booked the promotional tour you're like 'Cot damn, four weeks of Schneider!?'. But it's been good, nobody's choked Schneider or kicked Spade or talked bad behind Sandler's back."
Yeah, he's living up to his name. Nipsey Hussle is hustling, building his brand across the board. He has a deal for his own shoe with Pony, just finished a film with Vivica A. Fox and another one with Ving Rhames, he opened a clothing store in his native Los Angeles, appears on the new "Def Jam Rapstar" video game, has a tour coming and still has more mixtapes and a debut album on deck for October.
"My album, it ain't got no wrinkles in it," Nip said recently in New York about his debut, South Central State of Mind. "From the sonic quality of it, every verse, every hook, to the features, to the production. Ain't no excuses for the album."
Nipsey's candidacy for "Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010" comes from his grind in the streets. Last year, he dropped a trilogy of mixtapes called Bullets Ain't Got No Names, which introduced him and immediately captivated fans. His work in the 'hood garnered him co-signs by the likes of Snoop Dogg and the Game, both of whom he toured with. Drake also appeared on the potent Hussle underground smash "Killer." The momentum has made Nip one of the leaders of the new wave of West Coast MCs, also including Fashawn and Jay Rock.
"Nipsey, he brings the real to the table," said Rock, who will be teaming up with Nip for a duet mixtape called Red and Blue Make Green. "He brings that struggle. He's telling you his story. Nipsey is bringing a story as a whole package, as well as he's bringing real music. Reality rap."
"You gonna be hard-pressed to come to L.A. and not hear a car playing Jay Rock music, playing Nipsey Hussle right now," Nip said. "It's gonna be almost impossible. They say it starts in your backyard. I feel we putting forth that legwork. We really took our city without the traditional outlet, the Dr. Dre, the Snoop Dogg, the Death Row. That's not to take anything from them, but we wasn't really waiting. We kinda like stood on our own foundation of hard work. That's the brand that the new breed of West Coast artists gonna bring to the table. Self-made. Off the top!"
Besides the authenticity of his music, Nip's appeal lies in his laid-back delivery. You look at him or hear his music and you see your homie from around the way.
Nip knows that all the love in the streets is eventually going to have to translate in his official releases. He just dropped the single "Feelin' Myself (I'm So Fresh)" with Lloyd and has South Central State of Mind in cook-up mode right now. J.R. Rotem, Scott Storch, Houston's Mr. Lee, Grammy winners Play-N-Skillz, Terrence Martin and Nip's live band, 1500 or Nothin', produced on the album thus far. Trey Songz and Sean Kingston are among the guest performers.
"Regardless of people's opinion about it, the dominant culture in L.A. is gang-banging," Nipsey, a Crip, said about "Blue Laces," a song from his LP. "Us being young dudes in our 20s, we not the cause of that. We was born into this culture. We reacted to it from the perspective of survival. I feel like that record, 'Blue Laces,' speaks on the realness of that culture. We not the cause of this. This is what led us into that mentality."
Nip said South Central State of Mind speaks to young Angelinos.
"I'm kinda revolving around that concept on a lot of records on that album," he said. "On the state of mind in growing up in L.A. Whether you from Compton, Watts, Long Beach, the east side, west side, it's a state of mind that's way more powerful than an individual. I might feel a certain way personally, but this is what it is.
"I might feel like one of my dudes is a Blood, one of my dudes is from Hoover. So me, personally, this is my homeboy and I got love for him," he added. "But I'm from the 60s, and it's a politic that goes with that. I just feel like I revolved around that concept, the cause of this mind state. I want to impact the culture with the project and raise the consciousness of the people that's being affected by this. And bring a human element to what this is about and stop people from looking at us like we just mindless killers and we glorifying this type of life. We really striving for change from within. We ain't gonna go Hollywood with it and get a record deal and start blasting where we come from, but at the same time, we do wanna see change. It's a lot of general concepts that revolve around that theme."
Drake's last week has been a whirlwind of promotional stops, tv appearances and one award show.
His debut album 'Thank Me Later' sold almost 500,000 copies it's opening week. A very impressive feat in today's world of massive bootlegging and illegal downloading.
The Toronto rapper appeared on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno to perform one of the singles from the album "Find Your Love".
Ron Artest made no secret that he wanted to get in Chelsea Handler's pants during his appearance on her show yesterday (June 23).
The Los Angeles Laker's star forward showed up barefoot, wearing pants with pictures of Chelsea all over them.
"I've been trying to get into your pants for a long time and I heard you was playing hard to get so I had to put you on my pants," Ron Ron said.
"Oh, well you heard wrong because I am easy to get," Chelsea joked. "Thank you for not wearing shoes by the way. I like checking out a man's feet before I get involved."
The rest of the interview is very funny. Ron said he finally took a shower after not having one for the two days following the championship win and talked about his new song "Champions".
Bow Wow might need a loan from his Young Money boss Lil Wayne.
The rapper is being sued for $93,000 for missing two shows according to AllHipHop.
According to the report Bow Wow took $50,000 up front from Brad Gould/Macsimus Entertainment for a May 2009 show that was to be held at Saint Charles Family Arena in Missouri.
Bow Wow failed to show up for the concert, but booked a a make-up date for September 2009. The show was to benefit MADD, The Rotary Club and Youths In Need according to the lawsuit.
Again, Bow Wow failed to show. Macsimus Entertainment is seeking the return of the original $50,000 paid to Bow Wow plus an additional $43,000 spent to promote the make-up date.
CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley defended the city's handgun ban Tuesday after a spate of shootings that left 10 people dead and dozens wounded, saying the violence bolsters the city's argument that the 1982 ordinance is needed.
Daley said the city must continue to fight against handguns even if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down the ban as unconstitional. The court is expected to rule later this month.
"Look at all the guns that shot people this weekend. Where did they come from? That is the issue," Daley said at a South Side high school Tuesday.
Ten people have been killed and more than 60 others wounded by gunfire since Friday, city officials said. Daley said about 75 percent of the recent shootings involved people who knew each other.
Chicago officials have said that if the Supreme Court rules against the city, they would look for ways to change gun restrictions so they aren't unconstitutional. Chicago's ordinance that makes it illegal to possess or sell handguns in the city.
Homicides from all causes are up slightly in Chicago over last year. Officials earlier this month said the city had 164 homicides between January and May — a 4 percent increase over the same period in 2009.
Beatrice Sumlin, who raised her children on the city's South Side and said she knows lots of people whose children joined gangs, agreed with the mayor on the danger of family and friends hurting each other.
"People get in heated arguments, drinking and what have you," said Sumlin, 70.
Daley also said Chicago will spend nearly $25 million in federal economic stimulus money on preventive programs for youth in high schools. The programs include mentors and teacher training.
Daley also recently proposed legislation for the entire state that would require semiautomatic pistols manufactured or delivered for sale in Illinois to be capable of "micro-stamping." The technology helps law enforcement link spent ammunition with the gun used to fire it.
The mayor also wants to make it a Class 1 felony to "knowingly sell or transfer a gun to a known gang member."
Gov. Pat Quinn told reporters at a separate news conference in Chicago on Tuesday that Illinois needs tough laws punishing people who commit gun crimes.
"Those who commit gun violence need to go to jail and stay there," he said.
Chicago's ban on the sale and possession of handguns has been weathering legal challenges for years. But it gained newfound attention after the Supreme Court in 2008 struck down a similar ban in the District of Columbia. The court now plans to decide whether the ruling on D.C., a city with unique federal status, should apply to local and state laws, too.
Associated Press Writer Deanna Bellandi contributed to this report.
The late rapper's song "Dear Mama" has been selected by The Library Of Congress for Entry Into The National Registry along with 24 other songs.
“In this moving and eloquent homage to both his own mother and all mothers struggling to maintain a family in the face of addiction, poverty and societal indifference, Tupac Shakur unflinchingly forgives his mother who, despite a cocaine habit, ‘never kept a secret, always stayed real,’ stated Librarian of Congress’ James H. Billington. “The song displays further evidence of hip hop as a musically sophisticated and varied genre that can artfully encompass a wide variety of themes and musical influences.”
Along with Dear Mama other songs selected include:
King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band (“Canal Street Blues”), Little Richard (“Tutti Frutti”), Loretta Lynn (“Coal Miner’s Daughter”), R.E.M. (“Radio Free Europe”) and entire albums from The Band (The Band) and Patti Smith (Horses).
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