Local police, FBI and ATF agents report that two 40 ounce bottles with what is believed to be an explosive chemical were found outside of Grand Hustle’s offices Thursday afternoon. Sources say the one of the explosives was thrown through the window of an adjacent recording studio on the property.
A local resident called authorities after finding the bottles on the property. The Atlanta Fire Dept along with the ATF, FBI and the Atlanta SWAT team responded and conducted the investigation on the suspicious items.
No one was injured in the incident. The ATF has taken over the investigation.
“One of the occupants came out early this morning, started his car up and noticed two suspicious bottles sitting on his front porch near the walkway,” Officer Otis Redmond said, while talking to WAGA Fox 5. “We did have the ATF and the FBI help us determine the substance inside of the bottles.”
An unnamed Grand Hustle employee dismissed the incident as vandalism. Grand Hustle was formed in 2003 by T.I. and Jason Geter. The label serves as home to 8Ball & MJG, Killer Mike, B.o.B, Young Dro and other artists.
Although he had initially planned for a fourth quarter release for Relapse 2, Eminem has now altered his plans and will instead re-issue Relapse with seven bonus tracks.
According to the rapper's homepage, the re-release of Slim Shady's fifth solo effort will be titled Relapse: Refill, and will feature five never-before-heard songs, plus his posse cut with Drake, Lil Wayne and Kanye, "Forever," and "Taking My Ball," which also appeared on the "Renegade" edition of DJ Hero.
"I want to deliver more material for the fans this year like I originally planned" said Eminem. "Hopefully these tracks on The Refill will tide the fans over until we put out Relapse 2 next year".
Eminem elaborated on his recording process for Relapse 2, indicating that the creative process has taken longer than he anticipated. "I got back in with Dre and then a few more producers, including Just Blaze, and went in a completely different direction which made me start from scratch. The new tracks started to sound very different than the tracks I originally intended to be on Relapse 2, but I still want the other stuff to be heard."
On his last effort, Robin Thicke enlisted the help of Lil Wayne for support. His new album, Sex Therapy, will feature a few Hip Hop related guests as well. The singer recently spoke about these guest spots to MTV.
After noting Jay's guest verse on the album, he also said Jigga gave him the idea to use Nicki Minaj on a track.
"It was Jay's idea," he said of his track "Shakin' It 4 Daddy." "We were in the studio, and I played him the whole album. He was like, 'You should get Nicki Minaj on that. She's got that voice. She's got that swag.' So I leaned over and was like, 'Somebody get Nicki Minaj on the phone! Jay-Z said so!' Next thing you know, we called Nicki. She was excited. But once we told her it was Jay-Z's idea to get her on the track, she started screaming on the phone. She was all excited. She's a super, super talent. I can't wait to do a video with Nicki. There's a power in her. It's not just that she's sexy and that's the only way she can get you to like her. She's got charm — not just sex. Some women may use sex to get what they want; others have charm. She's got charm."
Jay also commented on Thicke's use of a Rakim track. On his new project, Thicke flips lyrics from Rakim's "Mahogany," which Jay-Z loved.
Let's keep it real. In the history of mankind, nobody has ever fast-forwarded through a Wu-Tang song in eager hopes of hearing U-God drop a dope 16. If the Clan really is like the New York Yankees, as depicted on that old XXL cover, then Golden Arms is more like the Ramiro Pena to Ghostface's "Rap Derek Jeter." But this "Wu-Tang" video was just a reminder that U-God pulled out a timely double in the bottom of the ninth with his Dopium album. You don't normally expect a chopped and screwed chorus and a blaxploitation-style beat (love the organs) to be a winning combination, but somehow it worked. Applaud U-God. The last time I paid attention to one of his verses, Melyssa Ford was getting out of the pool in that "Cherchez La Ghost" video. And if you didn't do so already, get up off your cheap ass and give this man 10 bucks...Dopium is an album worth buying.
Rising rap artist I Write is preparing to perform at home for the first time in since August. I Write has been working on his second solo effort of 2009 entitled "Whatevers Necessary", the second volume of the Press Release Saga. The concert event will take place at The Elbo Room Chicago and will be a 2 hour extravaganza broadcast by SyncLive and presented by AMP Booking and Grey Goose Vodka. Ticket information is available online at www.elboroomchicago.com. As a pre-concert warm up I Write will make an appearance at The Elbo Room on December 6th 2009 and will be giving out prizes and signing people up exclusive giveaways.Rising rap artist I Write is preparing to perform at home for the first time in since... more
Twenty five years have passed since Philadelphia's Schoolly D burst onto the rap scene with a string of reverb soaked gangster fairy tales like “PSK-13” and “Gucci Time.” In the years he's dropped several Rap classics and expanded his resume to include not only Rap pioneer but also film composer and found an entirely new audience through his theme to Adult Swim's Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Schoolly School recently reached out to HipHopDX to remind us just how the fuck he got so cool.
HipHopDX: So what made you want to get into rapping?
Schoolly D: Are you serious? [Laughs] After 27 years, somebody seriously asked me that shit again? You could have just Googled that shit! How about I make an answer up... It's the same shit. It was all magic, it was bound to happen. When I was 10 years old, I knew exactly what I was gonna be doing when I grew up. It was like keeping your eyes on the prize, as they say. It was never a question in my mind. Either I was gonna be a recording artist or a painter or something [where] I didn't have to go sit behind a desk or change oil on a car or deliver mail. I just felt I was destined to do big shit. And that's what I was told. I grew up in the '60s, when it was like "yes young man, you too can be an astronaut or a president." We believed that shit! Langston Hughes, Issac Hayes, WattStax. I believe in all that shit. Superfly, Bruce Lee. All that shit inspired me. All of it.
DX: Why do you think you were drawn to Hip Hop specifically?
Schoolly D: Well I couldn't sing that good but I damn sure knew something about music. And when you heard it, you was just like, "Wow I could do that." But I was in the era where people were still amazed at the shit that they heard and saw. So if you said you could do it you had to be really confident because we didn't have computers. There was no drum machines out, turntables were still belt-driven, so if you really wanted to do it you [had to] find a way to do it. And it wasn't even a job description then, think about it. You couldn't say, "Oh yeah, I'm gonna be a rapper, I'm gonna start my own record label." You would get fuckin' laughed at. But when I heard Funky Four Plus One and Spoonie Gee, that shit just made it for me. I was on my way to being a painter and [moving] to the south of France and [instead] I said I want to make Rap records. I think I got something to say.
DX: What sort of a Hip Hop scene did Philly have back then?
Schoolly D: Thank god I had moved back down to Atlanta to finish high school. I was back and forth between Philly and Atlanta, if I had stayed in Philly my whole life, I think I would have had a different view of the world. I travelled the east coast and lived in South Carolina, Kentucky, so I had a different point of view. I didn't just have a from the hood point of view, so I knew there was something else outside of 52nd & Parkside. But when I came back it was vibrant, it was colorful, it was like the birth of Jazz. It was all you heard on every block, every weekend. You just wanted to do that, you just wanted to be part of that. You wanted to get the girls to like you. That's another part of being a musician - we all do it for some pussy. [Laughs] It was huge in all the black and brown communities. Everybody else thought it was a fad. So it was something to fight for.
oe Budden is used to speaking his mind and with the media buzz surrounding him lately, he's got a lot to say. Using his latest release, a leaked song titled "Russian Roulette," as an outlet, Joey has decided to speak on Fabolous, Somaya Reece, Tahiry and 50 Cent.
When Fabolous recently took jabs at Joe's new girl Somaya Reece via Twitter, a beef seemed to be brewing. However, Joe puts those rumors to rest.
"No beef with Beans, not a beef with Fab/Just fags that think I'm searching for a beef to grab/I'm too talented to reach for that/It take more than some Tweets, in fact/To get him off the leash..."
Recently, pictures of Tahiry and 50 Cent were released through Tahiry's Twitter page. One showed 50 and Tahiry facing eachother while hugging and the other was of them posing for the camera. Joe had this to say on the images:
"Leakin' pictures of Fif feelin on your ass, but if you seen it like me, you'd be feeling like an ass!"
50 Cent has yet to reply to this track or the statement.
In regards to the Fabolous issue, the two emcees have been involved in a back-and-forth of sorts. After Fab called Somaya Reece a "rebound ass chick," he added more jokes that fans carried on with. Budden, upset by this, released this statement through his video blogs.
Based on first day sales, 50 Cent's Before I Self Destruct is projected to sell between 150,000 and 160,000 units in its first week.
The projection, courtesy of hitsdailydouble.com, prognosticates by far the lowest debut numbers for a 50 Cent album. The rapper's previous three albums - Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2002), The Massacre (2004) and Curtis (2007) - debuted at 872,000, 1.15 million and 695,000 uniits sold, respectively.
The album was originally set for release on November 23, but was pushed up to November 16 because it leaked online last month.
Although 150,000 is a solid sales figure in the current industry climate, the number is dwarfed other similarly anticipated Hip Hop releases this year. Eminem's Relapse sold over 600,000 its first week, and Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 moved over 475,000 units in its debut
It's less than two weeks away from Game's thirtieth birthday. Few seem to realize that the youthful, energetic, and once death-defying rapper is reaching that benchmark in his life. But then again, looking at Ice Cube, Dr. Dre or Snoop Dogg, do gangsta rappers ever really grow old anyway?
If there's one sign that Jayceon Taylor is closing out the third decade of his life, it's his happiness. Speaking with HipHopDX on the evening of November 18 (seven hours prior to publication), the once evasive, sometimes confrontational and always outspoken rapper beams with a confidence and a care in his words. Yes, he still curses like a sailor in a tone reserved for a sidewalk executive, but Game isn't out to offend anybody this time around. Instead, just as the acronym for his R.E.D. album indicates, he just wants to re-dedicate himself to Hip Hop.
The father of two touches upon his recent reunion with one of his mentors, Dr. Dre. He explains why he refuses to "get murdered on his own shit" and why he's chasing down DJ Premier for a pan-am collaboration that he hopes will set Hip Hop ablaze. Two years removed from considering retirement, Game is smiling in the face of adversity. And this time it's sincere.
HipHopDX: I want to start where our last conversation left off, I think it was June, 2008. At that time, you weren't even sure you were going to make another album at all. But you told me, if you were, it was going to be D.O.C. - Diary of Compton. You were talking all these legendary guests and this theme. Maybe that still is a plan of yours, but at what point and why did it evolve to the R.E.D. album?
Game: The way it happened...I was starting to work on D.O.C., right? But, like I told you last time, in order to record The D.O.C., I need to be in the studio with D.O.C., with [Dr.] Dre, with [Ice] Cube, with Snoop [Dogg] - 'cause it's the Diary of Compton. I really want it to sound like...like, after you finish listening to The D.O.C., which will probably be recorded and put out by the end of my career, at some point, when I can get in with those guys and really focus on that project. I want you to feel like you're from Compton after you hear it. You felt everything that I felt and knew everything that I knew; I want it to just sound like you were me. I want you to feel like you grew up with me. You're from Compton [hearing Eazy-E for the first time]. I want you to be on The Diary Of Compton. I want it to be that intimate and that crazy. So to pull off that concept, the key elements were missing at the time when I started the album, so I stopped that project.
HipHopDX's Beauty & Brains is back, and we apologize for the delay. The transition of the new site made for some hold-ups, but here is our latest: a P.Y.T. straight outta Nevada. Aria balances a Criminology major with a modeling career. While her favorite songs, film and activities differ from the usual Hip Hop honey in this section, the video and pictures give hint why we deemed Aria right for the section, even if her shorter answers just stick to the facts.
Beauty & Brains: What are your plans and goals for the future?
Aria: I'm finishing up my degree In Criminology at this moment and would like to eventually pursue a job in this field. If the right doors would open in my modeling career, I would love to follow my desires of doing this full time and use up all my energy doing what I like to do most. Smiling for the camera. Ideally, if I could do both, I will.
Beauty & Brains: What are your turn ons and your turnoffs?
Aria: A turn on would be a man that makes me laugh, has a good personality, looks good, well-educated, and really goes out of his way to make people happy. A turn off would be a man without the qualities above.
Beauty & Brains: What is the stupidest pickup line that a guy has ever used on you?
Aria: The stupidest pickup line that a guy has ever used would be "Do you have a map? 'Cause I am lost in your eyes."
Gucci Mane has released his first official statement to XXLMag.com after being sentenced to a year in Fulton County Jail on Thursday (Nov. 12) for violating his parole.
“I have accepted full responsibility for my actions and I am ready to deal with what is in front of me right now,” explained the rapper, born Radric Davis. “Thankfully, my label is still moving forward with my album release so I will have plenty to look forward to when I get out. I am remaining positive and want my fans to know that I am grateful for their loyalty and continued support. I will get through this.”
The rapper's attorney, Dwight Thomas, also spoke on the matter, offering his opinion on Gucci's presence in the courtroom. “In court, Mr. Davis was extremely articulate and he was remorseful for his conduct,” revealed Thomas in a statement. “He was able to convince the courts that he was not deserving of the two year prison sentence he was facing.”
Gucci's debut major album, The State vs. Radric Davis, is slated for a Dec. 8 release. The album will feature Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, Keri Hilson, Usher and others.
Michael Jackson looks platinum-plausible after three weeks of the This Is It soundtrack, especially with Black Friday approaching. The collection includes Jackson hits like the Hip Hop favorite "Human Nature" various demo and single versions of other hits throughout the last three decades. The work fell two places to #4 from last week.
Jay-Z slid one place with Blueprint 3 in a week that saw seven charting debuts before him. With a new video to "Empire State Of Mind," the Atlantic Records-distributed effort could beat out Black Eyed Peas and Eminem as 2009's top-selling Rap album, although 50 Cent and Lil Wayne loom on the horizon, with releases. Jay's wife, Beyonce, had a massive 50-plus place increase of I Am...Sasha Fierce. The album slipped back into the Top 40, due to touring and appearances, as well as her new Lady Gaga-assisted "Video Phone" video.
Speaking of, The Black Eyed Peas stayed around their usual #20 spot for The E.N.D. The Electro-Pop work may be a departure from even the group's more recent two albums, but the Good Life-birthed outfit remains an underground Hip Hop success story.
Another Interscope artist, DMV emcee and DXnext alum, Wale debuted just units behind, with his Attention : Deficit. Signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation management firm, and backed by Grammy, gold-selling producer Mark Ronson, Wale's debut boasts appearances from Bun B, The Neptunes, Gucci Mane and Roc Nation tourmate J. Cole
Throughout 2009, Nas and Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley have been tucked away in famed Los Angeles studios, recording their self-titled Distant Relatives album. Flowing along with the album's potent union of Hip Hop and Reggae music and culture, the duo has joined National Geographic for a Distant Relatives event.
On December 12, Nas and Damian Marley will come together at National Geographic's Grosvenor Auditorium in Washington DC to lead a discussion on the cultural links between the early days of Hip Hop and its Caribbean and African origins. The discussion will travel the journey from Africa through the slave trade to the American and Caribbean colonies, spawning both the dancehall parties of Jamaica and the park jams of The Bronx.
Key figures of this discussion will be present. Moderated by Sway Calloway, the Distant Relatives event will include DJ Kool Herc, Rakim, Daddy U-Roy, King Jammy, Jeff Chang and Moussa Lo and DJ Red Alert - in addition to Nas and Marley.
This event is significant because it features the often reclusive "Godfather" of Hip Hop: Jamaican-born DJ Kool Herc, who brought about the music elements of the culture to The Bronx as early as 1973. Kool Herc is paired with legendary Jamaican deejay Daddy U-Roy a rarely-credited Rap pioneer for his 1969 hit "Wake The Town," recorded in the country the same year Herc moved to the States. Also speaking together for one of the first times in history classic Rap innovators DJ Red Alert and Rakim will share the stage, as both have incoporated elements of African and Reggae music to their careers. Red Alert and Rakim will be joined by Hip Hop author and scholar Jeff Chang. The panel is coordinated by Reggae deejay and VIBE magazine founding editor Rob Kenner, presently authoring a book on the links between Reggae and Hip Hop.
Jongleurs Lock 17 and Radfax collectively create a great new music event
From November 2009 through to January 2010, every Tuesday night at Jongleurs Lock 17, Radfax and other musicians will be raising awareness and money for the charity War Child.
Entry is FREE to these events, but we encourage you to place a small donation, even your loose change into the Magic Bucket sited stage left.
All proceeds from the Magic Bucket for the period Nov – Jan will go to the charity War Child.
War Child is an organization helping children who are deeply affected by war.
For more information on War Child see http://www.warchild.org.uk/
The venue; Dingwalls, Jongleurs Lock 17 is a busy pub and restaurant in the heart of the famous Camden Market. The venue comprises multiple elements, all of which go to make up a vibrant and exciting place to see and be seen. There is always something happening at Lock 17 http://www.lock17-camden.co.uk
Nearest underground: Camden Town or Chalk Farm.
The show has a schedule and you’ll discover some great live music stream feeds of original edgy music coming out of London music capital Camden Town.
Come along every Tuesday night to Dingwalls, Jongleurs Lock 17, Camden Lock, Chalk Farm Road, London NW1
Nearest underground: Camden Town or Chalk Farm.
If you can’t come along to the venue you can plug in through your MAC or PC.
On http://www.ustream.tv/channel/live-from-london-ukJongleurs Lock 17 and Radfax collectively create a great new music event
From... more
It’s been a decade since the last proper Rakim album – and 12 years since the last Rakimalbum that truly embodied the God Emcee's abilities. But still, while 1999’s The Master wasn’t much of a crowd-pleaser, most Hip Hop heads will take some Rakim over none. In the past 10 years, the Mic God has offered precious few musical morsels for his fans. His defunct deal with Aftermath raised a lot of hopes, but only really materialized in a few features and unreleased tracks. Add in a dope Nike commercial and about 30 different incarnations of “It’s Nothing,” and that’s been the tale of the decade for The 18th Letter. Now, in 2009, perhaps the most influential emcee of all time is ready to drop his oft-delayed third solo outing, The Seventh Seal.
“How to Emcee” is the introductory cut on the album, and it is a fitting one. An off-kilter guitarloop and an energized Rakim let the listener know class is still in session. Things continue to roll on the piano-infused “Walk These Streets.” The track is a taste of what a Dr. Dre-assisted project might have sounded like, which is unsurprising as frequent Aftermath collaborator Needlz mans the boards for this one. Also worth a mention is Maino’s contribution, as he lends some credence to the song’s street tales.
“Documentary of a Gangsta” is just that, as Ra takes a step back and plays the role of observer over heavy piano loops: “Stuffin’ bread, his pockets is hungry / You talkin’ nonsense unless the topic is money / He call a hundred thou a ‘honey,’ mamis, he call ‘em dimes / So his mind’s on his money, but mamis is on his mind / Like an O.G., focused on the come up / Think he effin’ around, he approach you with the gun up / Bang, roll a blunt up and forget it happened / Stash the dollars back in product and get it crackin’”
Rap artist and K.A.R. member Mike Beck passed away on October 20 of this year. The emcee was shot and killed in Brooklyn, New York during a robbery attempt. After being impacted by the tragic news, Maino and Littles decided to put together "Self Destruction," a party and concert meant to provide unity in the wake of ongoing violence in New York.
Grafh, Hell Rell, Saigon, Uncle Murda and Cadillac Tah are some of the acts slated to perform at the event. DJ Kay Slay, Dee Vasquez and K. Foxx will be sharing hosting duties.
Littles added more on why he chose to take part in this event.
“I will do my best to see that the message gets out there to our youth about what has happened to Mike Beck and others alike around the world. We have to come together in peace November 23rd and the message will start in the Hip Hop community. I worked hard along with the rappers performing to get this concert together and also spread the message.”
Maino echoed the sentiments.
"The streets need guidance. The recession has dudes in hoods around America hungry. I’m fresh off a platinum plaque, 'All The Above' just went platinum. So as far as I’m concerned I made it out the ghetto, but Mike Beck's passing has given me the fuel to take a few hours out of my day and give back to the lane that got me where I am...This event will help send Mike Beck’s son to college. We have to start looking out for one another."
Pete Rock and CL Smooth reunited last week to perform in London's Relentlentless Garage in Highbury. After the show, the duo appeared on the Dan Greenpeace radio show to talk about Wendy Williams' role in breaking their first single, "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y)," the Sylvia Rhone era of Elektra Records, and the feeling of performing onstage.
"Wendy Williams was the first one [to play our music]" said CL. "I remember her distinct words on the air. She was like 'Oh my God, I love this! Oh my God Pete Rock and CL Smooth, these new guys!"
They explained that the change of administration within their old record label Elektra in the mid 90s led to a huge change in Hip Hop, for the worst.
Pete said, "What happened back then--not to talk bad about anyone--but I think when Sylvia Rhone came in the picture is when things started going haywire. And all the real rap groups that were once part of Elektra were no more. So, it was like a change that was coming to Hip Hop music. And it was about the dance and the club hits. But at the same time, we still practiced our craft and made other records and still put out our stuff independently. We didn't bank on any more majors once we got off of Elektra."
With their most recent (yet brief) reunion, the two artists say that being on stage is still an addicting experience.
The fourth quarter is upon us, and in case you haven't noticed, your favorite rappers can't sell a CD to save their lives. Sure, Jay-Z and Eminem are platinum. But by now you've likely worn out your Blueprint 3 copy, and I don't know about you, but my girl ain't trying to rock out to "Must Be The Ganja" and "Crack A Bottle." Bottom line is that if you want some action crackin' under that mistletoe, you might have to tone things down a bit. Lucky for you Shakira, Beyonce, Rihanna and Alicia Keys are trying to push some holiday product too. In the interest of holiday cheer and forgiveness, I would throw Chris Brown's "Crawl" in the mix, but dude doesn't play nice with the ladies. We all got dreams of cuttin' an R&B chick (I see you Swizz!), and if I forgive Lady Gaga's butterface syndrome, then all these jawns fit the bill.
MC Hammer, rap phenomenon and self-confessed geek, has kicked the major music labels in their over-sized pants with regard to their anti-piracy strategy. Hammer said that the labels’ decision to go after individual filesharers and ISPs has failed, because it only alienated paying customers.
Treach from nbn fame says he taped it and word is it's still floating around out there. Pac has been putting out music for over a decade after his death now he's about to drop a sex tape?? Pac is one bad mother...Treach from nbn fame says he taped it and word is it's still floating around out... more
