On Heavy Rotation

E40- My Ghetto Report Card(Sicwidit/BME/Warner Brothers)

E40's return to the mainstream with a joint venture with King of Crunk Lil Jon. 40's latest effort has placed the ever blinking industry eye back on the San Francisco Bay Area.
His first single Tell Me When to Go pairs him with Keak Da Sneak of 3xCrazy. 40 shines brilliantly when he says, " I don't bump mainstream I knock underground all that other shit sugar coated and watered down. I'm from the Bay where we hyphy and go dumb from the soil where them rappers be getting their lingo from"

TI- King
TI was able to solidify himself amongst hiphop's elite by selling a reported 522,000 copies in its debut week. The sales were helped in part by his starring role in the film ATL and his recent business venture with Sprint which offered songs from the album before its debut.

Get Rich Or Die Trying The Movie

After seeing this film I have a greater respect for 50 Cent's character and the struggle in which he endured. Though the film is not a great film it isn't severely lacking substance either. The film captivates an audience much like 50's music does.

Memorable Moments: memories of Marcus's mother and her words of wisdom induced by her own miscalculations

Marcus's prison time and the response from the inmates to his music

His dynamic childhood lve affair

His bound with tragically wheel chair bound childhood friend Antoine

His triumph though still haunted by a past filled with violence and betrayal

Quest For Love Agenda San Jose, Ca

11/6/05 at The Agenda in San Jose, Ca Questlove graced the Northern California residents with funky instrumentals, and some of billboards top 50 alike. Here are some images in which I took. They are a bit incoherent however one can make out the afro sporting musician.

Foxy Brown 1 Out of 10,000

As Foxy Brown began putting the finishing touches on her latest, and said to be best work to date, the Brooklyn MC had began to suffer periodic hearing loss.
For months she tried to conceal her ailment but after a number of embarassing instances she was forced to face her problem head on.


After seeing two specialists she was diagnosed with severe sudden sensorineural hearing loss. This condition affects 1 out of 10,000 people with no symptoms. Brown is exploring her options, which include a surgical procedure which will not gurantee that her hearing will be restored.
Brown remains one of the premier Hip Hop Artist's and has garnered praised since she entered the industry in the early 90's. She is currently signed to Jay Z's Rocafella/Def Jam Records.

Yukmouth West Coast Don Feature

Few artists are able to maintain relevance after being commercially labeled as a one hit wonder. Yukmouth, the self proclaimed Underground King of the West Coast, has been able to build an impressive empire despite having only produced one commercially successful album.

Though he isn't among the most recognizable faces in rap music, he is a major player in the industry and a trend setter. His studio albums, compilations, DVD Documentaries, and even adult films Yukmouth's projects have performed well. He owns a record and film company The Thug Lord as he refers to himself as is one half of the internationally known Luniz. His lone platinum plaques from the their critically acclaimed debut album Operation Stackola. Though he doesn't have more platinum and gold riaa certifications to match the jewelery he sports, his albums have performed exceptionally well independently, without major promotion or airplay.

Yukmouth attributes his success to planting seeds across the nation and overseas and making music for the streets without compromising himself. He is the founding member of The Regime which includes dynamic musicians such as Tech N9ine, C Bo, Kenny Kingpen, Diesel Don, Messy Marv, and Gonzoe. Though many positive endeavors are on the plate for a man who has diamond's in his mouth, his beefs with fellow rap contemporaries clouds his bright accomplishments. Though Yukmouth has emerged victorius in his lyrical campaigns he insists that he has been defending himself his entire career

Recently a controversial incident at The Chi Lounge involving he and G Unit Record's artist Spider Loc has been the talk of the internet and underground. Regardless of the actual accounts of the evening Yukmouth's chain was returned the following day amidst the rumors and
speculation.

However, Yukmouth has recently ended his fued with newcomer and Dr. Dre prescribed The Game. Their truce was urged by mutual collaborator and former Death Row Inmate Eastwood. Ironically the two have a common enemy in billboard chart topper 50 Cent.Afar from beefs and physical altercations Yukmouth looks to release albums from Dru Down, Ampachino, Young Skrilla, Young Dru, and additional collaborations and mixtapes. Most notable is the upcoming Regime album Regime album which will come after the third installment to their All Out War Mixtape series. The album will feature the entire collective and their affiliates.

Regardless of being heavily engulfed in projects Yukmouth is preparing the release of his latest solo offering Million Dollar Mouthpiece.

A Who's Who List of artists will be featured on the upcoming project which will be a collaborative effort between his own Smoke A Lot Records, Rapalot Records, Asylum and Warner Brothers. Having Asylum/Warner Brothers on board will give the album the much needed push that his previous have not recieved.

Given the tentative plans for the release it looks as though he will have more wall decorations that match his eye, wrist and neckware.

Smoke A Lot Records

Rap A Lot Records

Jay Z and Nas Take Over The Super Ugly Industry

Two of Hip Hop's elite have decided to put join forces in the fight to maintain the sanctity of rap music.

Jay Z brought out the Street's Desciple at Power 105.1's "Powerhouse 2005: Operation Takeover". Jay had made remarks pertaining to going to war with unnamed individuals in interviews leading up to the show.
However, those individuals will forever remain nameless as Jay Z put it on his 2001 classic The Blueprint. The self proclaimed God Mc publicly ended his fued with fellow juggernaut Nas.
The two performed Dead Presidents which Jay samples Nas's classic cut The World Is Yours. Though the two have essentially ran in the same music industry circle from producers to business partners the pair has yet to officially collaborate.
Nas also peformed a number of songs from his illustrious career.
These two standing in unity has only added to the recent rumors of Nas possibly signing with Def Jam. Regardless of who releases the Queen's Bridge poets next album the ending of his fued with Jay Z was a victory for the entire hiphop community.

Jay Z Not Playing Game Plans Return to Rap

Jay Z fresh off the hills of a successful collaborative effort with Lincoln Park, has made suddle hints towards making a return. This would mark his 3rd comeback since his first album, Reasonable Doubt was initially termed his last.
Also controversy birthed from his freestyle on Hot 97 where many feel he took shot at Aftermath/G Unit artist The Game. The freestyle titled summer made several references to , "bangers" and the word, "game" appeared multiple times. Many feel that these lyrics were in response to The Game's button up shirt and Maybach references on his song " Westside Story".
The Game quickly dismissed any rumors of potential beef between he and Jay Z and claimed to never disrespect legends. His comments were refuted when while overseas he led crowds in chants claiming , " fuck Jay Z and Murder Inc.
Wars of words are frequent to The Game in that he has been engulfed in lyrical wars lyricists such as Joe Budden, Yukmouth, Memphis Bleek, and Guerilla Black.
Amidst controversy and heated exchanges the Game debuted #1 on the Billboard Top 100 selling nearly 600, 000 copies of his debut The Documentary.

Making The Band Season 3

Media and fashion mogul Sean ( P Diddy) Combs will evaluate another assembly of talent in the 3rd installment of his highly dramaticisized Making The Band. However, Combs and his support staff Phil Robinosn, Johnny Wright, and Doc Holiday have chosen to exclusively seek out the next successful girl group in the context of a Destiny's Child, Xscape, or Bad Boy Record's own Total.
Obviously due to the shift in dynamics between hiphop and contemporary/urban R&B the criteria will change. Dietary issues, compliabiliy, dancing, appearance, and overall cohesiveness should factor in determining elimination.
Who knows what potential issues may arise given the setting Combs has set for himself. I don't think the ladies will be taking many trips from their loft in New York City's Soho across the Brooklyn Bridge. Well, we could be looking at the next masterpiece to come from Bad Boy Records or another travesty due to inflated egos and immaturity.
You can view the results of the expirment yourself as Making The Band debuts March 3rd at 10pm ET/PT.

www.badboyonline.com
www.mtv.com

Genesis

" I"m like all races combined in one man like the 99 Summer Jam, bullet proof hummer man, I'm like being locked down around new faces and none of them fam", proclaimed Nas in Nas Is Like his epic analogical comparison off of 1999's I Am. He further proclaims to be , " a poor man's dream a thug poet" , which is indicative to hip hop in general and what this site represents. Unlike print media and online publications this site will serve as an utter reflection of the streets and urban culture. Also, the effects that urban culture has on the facets of our contemporary society( technology, major corporations, non urban culture etc). Hip Hop was birthed by the voices found in urban communities that spoke for those who otherwise went unheard. Sai' block will continue and never compromise that tradition.....

peace and love
one love one thug
god bless