FoxSports Reports
Authorities are hoping an autopsy on Wednesday can explain the death of French tennis player Mathieu Montcourt, who was found collapsed outside his Paris apartment by his girlfriend overnight.
Mathieu Montcourt reached his highest ranking ever last month by making the 2nd round in the French Open. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP / Getty Images)
The 24-year-old Montcourt's girlfriend found him lying next to his bicycle in the corridor leading to his front door, the French tennis federation's technical director Patrice Dominguez told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
"I have seen the police report and for the moment there is no cause of death, and only the autopsy (Wednesday morning) will eventually find an explanation," Dominguez said by telephone. "She (Montcourt's girlfriend) was staying at his place, and he was coming home on his bike around quarter past midnight, or half (past) midnight."
Montcourt's girlfriend, who was with a friend in the apartment, became alarmed when Montcourt failed to arrive.
"She was with a friend in Mathieu Montcourt's apartment," Dominguez said. "They came out after a while, having left him (phone) messages, and noticed that he was lying on the floor next to his bike ... They called the (ambulance), but unfortunately he was already dead."
Dominguez said the FFT will release a further statement on Wednesday afternoon if the autopsy proves conclusive.
"(It is) totally surprising. He's a player we have been training for more than 10 years and who has always been irreproachable. He had a healthy lifestyle, he didn't drink (and) he's not someone who went out partying," Dominguez added. "For the moment it's inexplicable ... the autopsy tomorrow may reveal something we hadn't noticed."
Dominguez had hopes that Montcourt, ranked 119, would eventually challenge for a place in the top 50.
"He is a player we considered could get into he top 50 or 60 within the next two years," Dominguez said. "He was someone who was really well liked. He was someone who was always one of the best under 12s, best under 16s, best juniors. He was always a fighter, and was a player we liked to watch."
Last month, Montcourt achieved his highest career ranking of 104 after reaching the second round at Roland Garros, where he lost to Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic in four sets.
Four-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal, who grew up playing regularly against Montcourt on the junior circuit, said he was shocked by the news.
"This morning I woke up with one of the worst news anyone can receive," Nadal said on his Web site. "I heard about the death of our friend Mathieu Montcourt. I am still under shock for this. I can't believe it."
Recalling their junior days, the 23-year-old Nadal added: "I knew Mathieu since we were kids. We competed together at all the events at an international level there is (when) you are a kid."
In May, Montcourt was handed a five-week ban and fined $12,000 for betting on other matches. That ban took effect Monday.
Montcourt complained during the French Open that the punishment was too harsh, saying that he never bet more than $3 at any time, and never on his own matches — a fact confirmed by the ATP which oversees the men's Tour.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport said Montcourt had wagered a total of $192 on 36 tennis events in 2005. It reduced his suspension on appeal from eight weeks to five.
The issue of betting in tennis drew increased attention from the sport's governing bodies after an online bookmaker voided all wagers on a 2007 match involving Nikolay Davydenko. About $7 million was bet — 10 times the usual amount for a similar-level match — and most of the money backed Davydenko's lower-ranked opponent.
Davydenko was cleared in September after a yearlong investigation
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BallerStatus Reports
Just as the release of their re-mastered deluxe re-issue of Ill Communication nears, the Beastie Boys have announced the release of yet another new album.
Via their appearance on last night's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," the veteran hip-hop trio revealed that the title of the upcoming, new album would be Hot Sauce Committee.
The upcoming release will be the Beastie's eighth album of all new original material, and is expected this fall. However, exact date will be announced soon.
In related news, an extremely limited vinyl 7" featuring Hot Sauce Committee hardcore punk rave-up "Lee Majors Come Again". An acapella version of the new album's "B Boys In The Cut" has been turning up golden ticket style in random copies of the recently released Check Your Head deluxe limited collectors vinyl edition. One copy was found selling for $105 on eBay -- $25 above the list price of the original Check Your Head package in which it was included!
The Ill Communication re-issue will hit stores on July 14, but preorders will begin at BeastieBoys.com beginning July 6.
Debuting at no. 1 upon its May 1994 release, Beastie Boys' fourth album would quickly an unstoppable force of nature, boasting chart-topping singles such as "Sabotage" and its legendary Spike Jonze/Nathanial Hornblower helmed music video, reminicint of '70s TV police dramas. The album was dubbed 1994's "soundtrack for summer" by Rolling Stone.
The album's highlights also include the opening "Sure Shot," the classic Jimmy Smith homage "Root Down", and the Q-Tip collaboration "Get It Together."
The B-Boys have also returned to the road this summer, beginning with a June 12 appearance at the Bonnaroo festival in Manchester, TN. The band will then headline the July 31 opening night of this year's All Points West festival at New Jersey's Liberty State Park, play August 2 at the Osheaga festival in Montreal and August 8 at Lollapalooza in Chicago, and round out the summer with a return to SF's Golden Gate Park, this time for an August 29 stand at the Outside Lands festival. Confirmed fall dates at present are a September 24 at the Hollywood Bowl and October 2 at the Austin City Limits festival.
For ticket info, visit BeastieBoys.comRead more…
XXL Reports
XXL Freshman alum Wale is scheduled to drop his debut album Attention: Deficit on September 22.
The disc will be released on Grammy-award-winning producer Mark Ronson’s Allido imprint via Interscope Records. Along with Ronson, the Washington, D.C. native has recruited a long list of heavyweights to provide the CD’s soundscape, including Sean C and LV, Dave Sitek of indie group TV on the Radio and Cool & Dre, who are responsible for Wale’s single “Chillin’” with Lady Gaga. Bun B, K’Naan, Marsha Ambrosius and Jazmine Sullivan were also drafted to share mic time with the rapper.
Yesterday (July 6) “Pretty Girls,” another cut from Attention Deficit, was leaked on the net.
Just last month Wale released his latest mixtape, Back to the Feature and held a listening session on his Twitter account (@Wale). The disc, which was offered for free online, included a laundry list of lyricists, such as Bun B, Beanie Sigel, Young Chris, Talib Kweli, Royce Da 5’9″, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz, and Jean Grae.–Elan Mancini
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HipHopDX Reports
Super-groups are the Halley’s Comet of Hip-Hop: rarely are they seen, but when they are, witnesses can surely expect something special. Such is the same for the foursome known as Slaughterhouse. Comprised of Royce Da 5’9”, Joe Budden, Joell Ortiz and Crooked I, the group has had the Internet in a veritable Figure Four Leg-lock since their debut on Budden’s Halfway House. Royce spoke with HipHopDX last week about the group’s unexpected beginnings.
“I had no idea [Slaughterhouse would become like this],” said the Detroit emcee. “I had no idea. I wasn’t even looking in to the future like that…I made my priority to do [the original 'Slaughterhouse' song] because it was Joe [Budden], and then when he got Crooked [I] and [Joell] Ortiz and them, I said ‘Yo, I’ve got to do this.’ I was actually at the hospital [during the recording] because my wife had just went into labor with my daughter. I actually left the hospital, went to the studio and knocked it out real quick and came right back…when the song hit the 'net, it just put [it] in such a frenzy. Joey called me back and was like ‘Yo man, we need to keep doing songs.’ I was like ‘Shit, I’m with you.’ We just kept doing stuff and doing stuff and eventually, it just manifested itself [into a group].”
Yet Slaughterhouse is no average super-group. Where others failed to find success or a cohesive sound, Slaughterhouse most does. Royce says that their self-titled debut album, which is set for an August 11 release on E1 Music, will teach fans and critics alike to expect the unexpected.
“We’re going to give people an album, a real album, and that’s what I don’t think people think we’re capable of doing,” said Royce. “Often times in interviews, I get asked ‘Are you going to have hooks on the album,’ and to me, that’s the craziest fucking question I’ve ever heard in my life, because it’s like, ‘What album have you heard that doesn’t have hooks on it?’ We’re going to be doing some real songs, concepts, everything. There’s going to be times where we’ve got 'Onslaught'-type songs where we just go bar-for-bar, verses back-to-back. We’ve got a few of those. I think people are going to be surprised when they hear we can actually make songs…I think that’s what people expect [from super-groups]. They automatically put you in that box. I don’t necessarily look at it as a problem because I know the album that we have is going to get us out of that box. I feel like we’re honestly about to prove that this group can be big, not just an Internet group that can kick a bunch of fucking freestyles, an actual big group that you see plastered all over your television and all over everything.”
Royce discussed the group’s dynamic in the studio. He says that the group finds strength in the mixture of their individual artistic styles. In addition, "Nickel Nine" notes that working with the three other members affords him the opportunity to grow as a solo artist.
“I think [the mixing of our individual styles] is what makes the album so incredible,” he said. “I honestly think that this album is incredible, especially with the amount we had to do it in and how quickly we got it done. The way that we brought everything to the table…it’s really like Voltron. Like [when] one of the motherfuckers lying around by themselves, it’s cool. Once they all get together and form that big-ass monster, it’s unstoppable.”
He later added, “Every time I’m in the studio with [the rest of Slaughterhouse], I learn something new. I’ve always been like that. I’ve always been a sponge, no matter who I’m working with, [whether] that may be a producer or just an artist. You pick up different little techniques and shit like that because no two people work the same. I always try to pick up new shit from them and factor it into my own shit without biting their style.”
Slaughterhouse is not the only super-group hoping to find success this year, however. Groups like La Coka Nostra, Random Axe and the Undergods are planning to release their own projects in the coming months as well. Royce thinks that the recent rise in popularity of Hip Hop super-groups stems from a fan-base denied creative and original Rap over the past few years
“I think the fans are just ready for anything new and exciting,” noted the emcee. “Hip Hop was so fucked up a couple of years ago…it just seemed like people would just open and listen to anything. So I think that the true Hip Hop fans were ready to embrace anything that just felt like some real Hip Hop shit. And the concept of Slaughterhouse, all four of us were already embraced. Anytime a super-group was ever formed in the past, Hip Hop has always embraced it, but it was that actual group that always fucked it up and didn’t go through for whatever reason. But the fact that we’re done with the album, have a release date and are on the road together, we just proved it’s official.”
Yet Slaughterhouse isn’t the only project on which the Detroit emcee is working. Today, he plans to release a solo EP titled The Revival for digital download, while on September 22, he aims to unleash his long-awaited LP Street Hop on MIC/One Records/The Orchard. He explains the differences between working on his solo material and working in a group like Slaughterhouse.
“The Slaughterhouse album, I always like to say, is like four heads combined,” he described. “It doesn’t take a lot of thought. You’ve got four beautiful minds in the studio together. It doesn’t take a lot of time. All we’ve got to do is just go in there and do what we do best. Now when I’m dealing with my solo shit, it takes all of the thought that that I have in my one brain, so it automatically takes me more time. I don’t have the help of three other guys. So what you’re going to hear is like hearing A Tribe Called Quest album versus a Jay-Z album. We’re talking about two classic albums, totally different formats.”
Royce also spoke on the recent success of Detroit’s Hip Hop scene. He says that Detroit as a city has dramatically progressed over the past few years, and that now, its numerous artists have united together to represent their city to the fullest extent.
“Creatively, sky’s the limit,” said Royce. “We’re going to go straight up. Denaun Porter is the executive producer of my next album; Black Milk is in the Random Axe group, that should win. You’ve got Elzhi; Slum Village is still doing it. D12 is in the studio right now, I heard some new records [from them], they sound phenomenal. What [does Detroit] not have? Detroit is the shit right now. Everybody’s supporting each other; it’s just a beautiful feeling in my city right now…[it’s been a long time coming], because we haven’t always had this unity. There was one point where everybody was trying to blow each other’s heads off. I’m glad that we are where we are, because right now, it feels much better than when everybody had problems with everybody. There’s nothing like peace. There’s strength in numbers and we have those numbers, so I definitely think we’re going to go far.”
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Yes, we all know UFC 100 is this weekend and it boasts the most impressive card of the year (and quite possibly more impressive that UFC 92, aka UFC Ultimate 2008). Here's the fight card.
UFC 100 fight card
Main card (on pay-per-view)
Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir (UFC heavyweight championship unification)
Georges St-Pierre vs. Thiago Alves (UFC welterweight championship)
Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping (middleweight)
Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago (welterweight)
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher (middleweight)
Undercard (may not be broadcast)
Mark Coleman vs. Stephan Bonnar (light heavyweight)
Mac Danzig vs. Jim Miller (lightweight)
Jon Jones vs. Jake O'Brien (light heavyweight)
Dong Hyun Kim vs. TJ Grant (welterweight)
CB Dollaway vs. Tom Lawlor (middleweight)
Matt Grice vs. Shannon Gugerty (lightweight)
Source: NewsDay.ComRead more…
Michael Jackson, without question, was an enigma, but a prodigy in his own right: His personal life was sketchy—at best. However, his life as an innovative, history-making, high-achieving, second-to-none, world-renowned and –loved entertainer and artist was clearly absolute and inarguably the grandest of stature. His sudden death was unthinkable and shocking to me, as I am sure it was to many others. Yet in the midst of all of this jaw-dropping news and heart-wrenching time of sorrow—fore America has lost an entertainer, but the African-American race has lost a brother, a true representation of our race’s abilities, I am even more so stunned at a tribute released by Diddy and The Game, entitled Better On The Other Side, where they refer to Michael Jackson as “my n**ga.”
Michael came from a generation of performers who did not incorporate the use of the n-word in their music; therefore, he should be shown the respect of not being referred to in such a manner. Rappers and others alike may refer to Jackson by the n-word as a way to show their connection to him in terms of race. However, given the history of the term, to refer to Michael Jackson, or any of our brothern, as such is utter disrespect and blasphemy to his name and all that he represented—just as it is blasphemy to our ancestors, all of the struggles they endured, and the accomplishments they attained.
Speaking on the topic of the n-word, all kinds of excuses are devised to justify blacks’ use of the n-word, including changing the meaning of the word through alleged desensitizing and new-age pronunciation, as well as limiting the use of the term. However, all of these “justifications” are senseless, add no validity to deeming the term acceptable for use, and prove that a great majority of the black race remain blinded to their prominent role in the continued stagnation of the black community.
Proponents of the n-word often say that by using the term in an endearing manner, they have desensitized the word—removed the sting. Yet, in a fit of anger, the term is used for its true intent: to disrespect, demean, destroy. Such a paradox illuminates the self-deception and self-deprecation which is so prevalent within many throughout the Black community.
Some argue that replacing “-er” with an “-a” changes the meaning of the term. ‘Brother’ and ‘brotha,’ ‘sister’ and ‘sista,’ or ‘mother’ and ‘mama’ are all the same words, respectively, which means they carry the same definition no matter how they’re pronounced or suffixed! And believe it or not, ‘n**ger’ and ‘n**ga’ falls within this same line of thought. In all of these examples, the “-a” suffix is nothing more than ghetto vernacular.
There is also no appropriate time to use the word. The immoral history behind this word remains intact and cannot be erased. African Americans are descendants of those who were victims of this word in the most abominable and sinister way imaginable. Each and every time we use or condone use of that word, we are in effect condoning all the heinous acts perpetrated upon our ancestors.
In modern terminology, the n-word has been reduced to nothing more than a racial slur. However, during the slavery era, the n-word was born with a despising purpose: It spurred terror into the hearts and minds of our ancestors. The n-word meant they were categorized before they were humanized. It was meant to demote slaves to a sub-human status, easing the conscience of a racist society to do whatever they pleased to them since they were not considered human but “n**gers.”
And as such, this term will continue to live on with this same purpose standing resolute at its core. It will live on, UNLESS African Americans choose to bury that “sucka” once and for all. Some believe it’s impossible to stop using the word, but it can be eradicated from the vocabulary of all Black African Americans if we summon the WILL and DESIRE to do so.
Though things have changed, they remain the same in many ways. Black America is still brow beaten to accept the categorization of being defined as a “n**ger,” only now its blacks serving as a ventriloquist of white supremacy to help keep other blacks mentally enslaved.
Proponents of the n-word obviously think nothing of desecrating the sacred memories of their ancestors. If they did care, then just out of respect, they would not embrace the word. And though all Black Americans are not users of the word, there are far too many of us possessing a cavalier attitude to n-word users.
I adamantly disagree with any African American who refers to self or another with the cold, harsh term, “n**ga,” but to refer to Michael Jackson as such just doesn’t even “sound right.” Michael is a phenomenal icon who never once reflected the mentality or definition associated with that of a savage, beastlike creature—a “n**ga.” A golden heart has stopped beating; hard working hands have been put to rest. All should allow the King of Pop, Mr. Michael Jackson, to rest in peace...with well-deserved respect, dignity, and admiration as our brother, not our “n**ga.”
Written By H. Lewis Smith For BlackNews.ComRead more…
Grammy Award winning Houston, Texas rapper Chamillionaire has announced that the seventh installment of his Mixtape Messiah series will be available on August 4th.
According to Chamillionaire, Mixtape Messiah 7 will be his final chapter in the popular series.
“Download it, take it, do what you want with it, just know that this is the final chapter, no more, done. I’m moving on to something else, bigger and better things. I’m going to call them authorized leaks. CD’s and songs that I have authorized to be in the public.”
After Mixtape Messiah 7, Chamillionaire’s new mixtapes will consist of original material, breaking with the current trend of rhyming over established artists’ instrumentals.
“We aren’t jacking everyone’s beats [anymore]. We are creating a bunch of fresh, new innovative material,” Chamillionaire continued.
Chamillionaire recently released a track off of Mixtape Messiah 7 titled “Denzel Washington,” which features Z-Ro.
Source : AllHipHopRead more…
The woman found dead with former Titan's quarterback Steve McNair, Shaleh Kazemi, had a sister who spoke out and said she was a young woman who wanted to have fun and was incapable of hurting herself or anyone else.
Sepideh Salmani is actually the victim's niece but was raised with Kazemi as a sister. Her family adopted Salmani when she was nine after her mother was killed in Iran, her native country. Salmani said she talked to her sister everyday and said claimed was content with her relationship with McNair, reports USA Today.
She said she does not believe her sister killed herself or McNair.
"She was one, young girl who had so many dreams that they never came true," Salmani said. "She would never kill anyone, ever. Or anything. Not even a little bug. I want people to know that."
McNair was found sitting on the sofa and had suffered four gunshot wounds, while Kazemi was lying on the floor and had only suffered one gunshot wound to the temple. The gun was found underneath her body.
A neighbor, Reagan Howard, who lives in the apartment complex where the bodies were found, said she didn't know if it was Kazemi or McNair's apartment because he was there so often.
"She was such a nice girl," Howard said. "I can't believe she would do that."
When McNair purchased an Escalade for Kazemi, Howard said, she had to help her figure out how to use the remote starter.
Salmani said she had been talking to her sister for several months about her relationship with McNair.
"He started to talk to her a little," Salmani said. "They exchanged phone numbers, and started dating from there."
Kazemi told her sister that McNair was in the process of divorcing his wife.
"That's why she was like, 'OK, now you're divorcing. We can date,'" Salmani said. "He told her, it was going to be finished, the whole divorce was going to be done, two weeks from yesterday."
Salmani said her sister believed that she and McNair would move in together once the divorce was final, and eventually marry.
Davidson County's court record show no pending divorce for McNair and his wife Mechelle. McNair's widow has yet to speak publicly about the murders. Police say she is distraught over his death.
"All she was trying to do was have fun," Salmani said. "Nothing else. I believe there is a third person involved." Salmani believes jealous people in McNair's life are the reason her sister is dead.
Her greatest dream, Salmani said, was to be famous.
"I think she is now," she said. "She is everywhere."
Source : BossipRead more…
The Game may be open to reconciling with 50 Cent and the G-Unit, but when it comes to Jay-Z, it doesn't seem like there is any love for one of his great rap influences.
On Thursday at his tour opener in Las Vegas, Jay kicked an a cappella line where he mentioned some of his past foes, as well as former friends.
"I ain't talking about gossip/ I ain't talking about Game," Hov rapped. "I ain't talking about Jimmy/ I ain't talking about Dame ... Dame made millions/ Even Jaz made some scraps/ He could've made more, but he ain't sign his contract."
Jim Jones and Game responded on the Fourth of July via their Twitter accounts.
"Question: if someone says in the song 'I'm not talkin' bout Jimmy,' is that not talkin' bout Jimmy? LOL," Jones Tweeted. "We are back in business, people."
"Aight so, after about 10,000 responses ... The results read that he ain't dissin me," Game Tweeted. "And as bad as I want to respond to his old a--, he can slide."
However, apparently Game changed his mind. In video footage that has been posted online, Game is seen calling out Hov onstage at a concert in France.
"We ain't come to play no games today," Game rapped. "We in Bordeaux, France ... F--- Jay-Z, if you don't like that, you can find a exit somewhere."
Game then leads the crowd in an obscene chant against Hov.
Game has both given props to and dissed Jay publicly many times before. Hov has never officially responded to him in song, although many inferred that several lines in the original "Dear Summer" freestyle Jay spit several years ago on Funk Master Flex's radio show ("You saying my name to entertain your crew/I ain't playing no games, sh--, the game's through ... You playing a game you know you can't win/ Quit playing them childish games with grown men") were directed at the Compton MC.
Source : MTVNEWSRead more…
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