tagged w/ Entertainmentment
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Jay-Z has announced that he will be exteniding his North American tour in support of his newest album, The Blueprint 3. It will begin on February 22, 2010 in Houston, Texas, according to Billboard.com. Young Jeezy is scheduled to open all dates on the tour.
Tickets for the tour go on sale Nov. 13 on LiveNation.com, while Citi cardmembers can access presale tickets on Nov. 10 at 10 AM. Details are available on citiprivatepass.com.
Additional dates will be announced in the coming days.
In other news, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys will record a sequel/remix to their hit song, "Empire State of Mind." Part 2 will contain a new verse from Jay-Z and will appear on Keys' upcoming album, Element of Freedom, slated to hit stores on Dec. 15.
Here are the newly announced dates to Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 tour:
Feb 22: Houston, TX (Toyota Center)
Feb 23: Dallas, TX (American Airlines Center)
Feb 25: New Orleans, LA (New Orleans Arena)
Feb 27: Atlanta, GA (Philips Arena)
Feb 28: Greensboro, NC (Greensboro Coliseum Complex)
Mar 03: Washington, DC (Verizon Center)
Mar 07: Norfolk, VA (Scope Arena)
Mar 11: Boston, MA (TD Garden)
Mar 16: Pittsburgh, PA (Mellon Arena)
Mar 19: St. Louis, MO (Scottrade Center)
Mar 20: Indianapolis, IN (Conseco Fieldhouse)
Mar 22: Denver, CO (Pepsi Center)
Mar 24: San Jose, CA (HP Pavilion)
Mar 26: Los Angeles, CA (Staples Center)
Read more on Jay-Z here......................
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.10082Jay-Z has announced that he will be exteniding his North American tour in support of... more
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She has one of the greatest stories Rap has ever known. Dana Owens came up in the east coast, enthralled by a young, budding Rap culture, enchanted by promising emcees and filled with a passion for poetry and music. A young, driven beat-box loving girl, she grew to enjoy the uplifting allure of the microphone rockin’ element, channeling her poetic spirit to what would become a powerful female emcee’s rhymes, something many weren’t ready for.
Eventually, those rhymes would become anthems for many as she rhymed for “U.N.I.T.Y.” and respect, pushing her name towards legendary status as she went from sneaking in to small clubs in New York to breaking out on Broadway. Her resume is as impressive as any you will find in the genre, one stocked with incredible accolades and nominations. She’s won a Golden Globe, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Grammy to match six other nominations, an Emmy nomination and an Academy Award nomination for her part in Chicago. By now, it’s clear that Dana Owens has gone beyond Hip Hop’s beautiful graffiti’d walls but she acknowledges that Hip Hop is where it all began. The culture that the young girl from Jersey fell in love with has allowed her to, as she put it, “do a whole lot” for two decades.
While she was introduced to Rap at an early age, she was also confronted with hardship and pain early on. As a young girl, she was sexually abused, a moment in time that scarred her for years, something that she has rarely talked about in her long and illustrious career. But, the rain didn’t stop with that painful and traumatic experience. Later, as the accolades and awards kept pouring in, she couldn’t resist the tears from pouring out because while her career had taken off, her brother, Lancelot H. Owens, couldn’t celebrate the success with her. On April 26, 1992, he died in a tragic motorcycle accident just as his sister’s career was gaining momentum. With the release of her new album Black Reign and the success of her television show Living Single, it should have been the time of her life, but instead it was a nightmare to live through. “I couldn’t even feel it or enjoy it because I was just so depressed.” Like many before her have done when faced with unbearable suffering, Queen looked to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain she felt, only to find that it worsened her condition, adding more layers of agony.
Obstacles, tragedy and hardship couldn’t hold her down. After speaking with her, you get a sense that she’s a “hopeful” spirit, one that has managed to turn every negative into a positive, not just for her, but for others, too. So, while she had a lot to endure, she also had a lot to give. See, her success isn’t solely based on the remarkable achievements, though they are enough to make any entertainer proud. Her success is based more on the positive effect she’s had on the culture and the world.
Recently, the celebrated emcee, singer, activist and actress candidly spoke to HipHopDX about all of this. She not only spoke on the state of Rap, her successes and her upbringing. She was also sincere about the pain she suffered as a child, the heartbreaking loss of her brother and the fight to come out of deep depression to become a positive light for others to follow. Sure, she’s lived a life that can be concidered one of Rap’s greatest success stories already, but with her latest album, Persona, in stores and a slew of other projects coming soon, Queen Latifah is far from done. The Reign continues. Long live the Queen.
Read more on the Queen here........................
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/features/id.1414She has one of the greatest stories Rap has ever known. Dana Owens came up in the east... more
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Aside from Kanye West [click to read] and Taylor Swift’s awkward moment at the beginning of the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, the VMA’s did consist of a number of other high’s and low’s.
Janet Jackson kicked off the show with a tribute to her brother, pop legend Michael Jackson. Thanks to a huge screen displaying clips of Michael Jackson, Janet seemed to dance alongside her brother during her performance of “Scream”, a song the two recorded together in the 90’s.
Aside from Janet’s performance, the show was also dedicated to Michael Jackson and towards the end of the VMA’s the trailer for This Is It was revealed. This Is It will feature clips from Michael Jackson as he prepared for his This Is It tour which would have taken place this summer.
Hip Hop didn’t seen to make a huge impact at this years VMA’s, Eminem and T.I. were the only rappers to win awards. T.I. was awarded Best Male Video for “Live Your Life” while Eminem was able to nab the award for Best Hip Hop Video.
Other noteworthy winners included Beyonce for Video Of The Year and Lady Gaga for Best New Artist.
The VMA’s also consisted of performances from Best Female Video nominee’s Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Pink. Backed by a slew of female dancers Beyonce performed “Single Ladies”, Pink performed “Sober” while taking part in some aerial acrobatics, and Lady Gaga performed “Paparazzi” soaked in fake blood.
The 2009 VMA’s ended with Jay-Z [click to read] and Alicia Keys performing the New York City anthem “Empire State Of Mind.” [click to watch] Although their performance was also some what spoiled by an impromptu performance, this time by rapper Lil Mama.
Read more on the VMA's here.............
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.9803Aside from Kanye West [click to read] and Taylor Swift’s awkward moment at the... more
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Striking a nerve in the Hip Hop community, two instrumental members of President Barack Obama’s administration were attacked in the media, labeled as “radical” and ideas compared to “Nazi propaganda.” Anthony “Van” Jones, Special Advisor for Green Jobs, who announced his resignation on September 6, and now Yosi Sergant, Director of Communications of the National Endowment for the Arts, have been the topic of conversation on internet blogs, talk radio, and news stations, causing most controversy with Fox political commentator Glenn Beck.
Jones resigned from his position within Obama’s administration following an attack in which Beck referenced Color of Change, an African American political advocacy group co-founded by Jones, and accused him of being a radical and a communist. Globally recognized as a community organizer, Jones has used Hip Hop culture as a vehicle to promote awareness among young people to combat injustice and inequality. The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, another organization co-founded by Jones, has been monumental in community organizing and activism, paving the way for a new generation of Hip Hop activists in the mid '90s with projects like Third Eye Movement and Silence the Violence. The Ella Baker Center has also funded various Hip Hop compilation albums including Shame The Devil: Hip Hop Tells The Truth About The Prison Industrial Complex featuring Zion I [click to read] and Amp Live, and Wartimes: Reports From the Opposition featuring artists like Goapele and CES One, with commentary from Jones himself and political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.
East coast emcee and political activist, Jasiri X, as well as Hip Hop journalist and author, Jeff Chang, have both openly voiced their opinions about Jones’ resignation. Jasiri recently posted a video on his Myspace page titled The Crucifixion of Van Jones which streams clips of Jones, Beck and Obama. On Chang’s blog, he discussed Jones’ role in the community, “[Van Jones] brought inner-city youths to anti-prisons and environmental justice agendas using Hip Hop.”
Read more on this story here...............
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.9784Striking a nerve in the Hip Hop community, two instrumental members of President... more
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Harlem rapper Max B [click to read] was sentenced to 75 years in prison this afternoon, based on his role in a robbery attempt-turned-homicide. In a Hackensack, New Jersey court house, Max B (government name Charly Wingate) and co-defendant Kelvin Leerdam were convicted of multiple counts of kidnapping, armed robbery and felony murder.
The victims, Allan Plowden and David Taylor were robbed in a Holiday Inn in Fort Lee, New Jersey in September of 2006 that left Taylor shot dead. A third accomplice, Max's then-girlfriend and stripper Gina Conway testified against Leerdam and Max B. Leerdam received a life sentence (with an additional 35 years), while Conway reportedly faces an 18 year-sentence, if convicted.
According to AllHipHop.com [click here], Max B fired his attorney, Gerald Saluti, in the closing days of the trial.
Speaking with HipHopDX earlier this year, Max B's outlook on 2009 was, "It's a new year and new money, baby! Go log-on, go look online, go to YouTube, go to wavycrocket.com; go to my MySpace, and look at me on the French [Montana] joint pulling out that '09 money and how I started the year off. That's how I'm doing it for now!"
At the time of his sentencing, Max B had reportedly still maintained a recording contract with Boston-based Amalgam Digital Records. Previously, Max B had been a reported artist at Koch Records, where he co-wrote Jim Jones' 2006 smash hit "We Fly High (Ballin')" and was an early member of the Byrd Gang. The two ended up feuding over financial disputes.
In recent months, the Harlem emcee had been working closely with famed DMX/D-Block producer Dame Grease as well as rising Rap figure French Montana.
Read more on Max B here..................
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.9749Harlem rapper Max B [click to read] was sentenced to 75 years in prison this... more
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Brooklyn born and bred emcee Mos Def kicked off his North American leg of the Ecstatic Tour August 1 in Minneapolis, MN. Accompanied by rapper and producer Jay Electronica, the two celebrated artists will continue to headline cities across the United States in addition to select locations in Canada.
Special guest and first lady of Neo Soul, Erykah Badu, will be joining Mos and Jay on stage along with Talib Kweli [click to read] and Medina Green (Mos Def & DCQ) in certain cities. For the Bay area portion of the show, an additional city has been added to the tour schedule due to popular demand.
Mos, Jay and Erykah will now be hitting the stage September 4 at the Paramount Theater in Oakland, CA following a previously scheduled performance September 3 in San Francisco, CA. Ticket holders will also be able to see Erykah with confirmed appearances in Hollywood, CA on September 5 and Philadelphia, PA on September 17.
Mos’ 19 city tour, including the bonus concert in Oakland, is in recognition of his fourth solo album The Ecstatic [click to read] which dropped June 9 on Downtown Records.
Read more on Erykah Badu here............
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.9673Brooklyn born and bred emcee Mos Def kicked off his North American leg of the Ecstatic... more
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Former New York City Department of Correction Commissioner Martin Horn gave a speech to City Hall in 2008 about juveniles in the justice system. This is what he had to say about the adolescents on Rikers Island.
“…They tend to be detained on more serious charges than our older adult population. While 76% of our older adult males were in custody on felony charges, 93% of our adolescents were charged with felonies…Most adolescents in our custody are people of color; approximately 65% are black and 30% are Latino.”
In other words, an astounding 95% of the adolescents on Rikers Island are either Black or Latino and are facing serious jail time.
Here are two ways to explain these statistics:
A. Younger criminals are less experienced and are, therefore, easier to catch.
And/Or
B. Younger arrestees don’t know any better and fall for police interrogation tactics. Therefore, they confess to crimes at a higher rate than adults with more experience in dealing with the police.
If (B) is true, we have a problem. As some of you may know firsthand, confessions don’t always mean you’re guilty. You’d be surprised at what actually constitutes a “confession” in the eyes of the jury.
Put simply, if you’re not careful, you may find that your words will make you confess to a crime you didn’t do.
The goal of this article is to give you the confidence to never, ever confess to a crime you didn’t do.
It’s easy. If all else fails, just remember these two words: SAY NOTHING.
Let me say it again. If you only read two words in this entire article, let it be these two: SAY NOTHING.
Again, if you want to stay out of jail, SAY NOTHING.
SAY NOTHING!!!!!
It sounds like a no-brainer but you’d be surprised at how easy it is to forget this simple rule, especially when law enforcement “creatively” employ tactics designed to get you to say things you really shouldn’t. I went undercover in two New York-area District Attorney’s Offices and uncovered some examples of “creative” law enforcement. I’ve changed names and places to protect the innocent.
But before I spill the beans, what was that rule again?
SAY NOTHING!!!!!!!
Read the whole article here..................
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/columns-editorials/id.1393Former New York City Department of Correction Commissioner Martin Horn gave a speech... more
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Sam Ferguson, a writer for New York based urban publication Don Diva Magazine [click to read], was gunned down on the Florida Turnpike on Friday, August 14. After being shot multiple times and crashing into the concrete divider, Ferguson was pronounced dead on the scene.
A native of Miami, Ferguson was brought onto the Don Diva team only a few months ago to increase the magazines presence in South Florida. Ferguson was also named the president of Don Diva South.
“He was involved in all aspects of our operation,” Tiffany Chiles, Editor-in-chief of Don Diva Magazine told the Miami Herald. “He was helping us gather relevant stories. He was doing interviews, distribution -- he was really trying to market our magazine in Southern and Central Florida.”
Currently, police have found no motive nor do they have any suspects. But police are looking for a black, four-door car that was possibly carrying several passengers.
“We used to think of him as invincible, immortal,” Ferguson’s sister, Daryl Ferguson-Omoruyi explained to the Sun Sentinel. “But he was slaughtered in the afternoon.”
Police are asking that anyone who has information on the shooting contact them at 954-693-8200 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477).
Read more on this murder here..................
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.9644Sam Ferguson, a writer for New York based urban publication Don Diva Magazine [click... more
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Ever since his start in the Los Angeles underground, Murs [click here] has been making noise. By working with The Living Legends, Slug [click here], DJ Quik [click here] , 9th Wonder [click here]and a slew of others, he’s allowed his fan base to grow through the years and after signing with a major label, he’s built his buzz even more. This week, Murs spoke to HipHopDX about his upcoming projects including a new Felt record, new music with 9th Wonder and a project with a pun rock band.
“Everything that I do from now on will be with somebody else,” he said of what fans can expect to from him. “A lot of people keep asking about Murs and 9th Wonder. It never went away. We never stopped doing shit. We’re going to do shit forever. So, Murs and 9th Wonder coming next year. Felt 3 coming out this year. I got a punk rock group called The Invincibles with this gang called Whole Wheat Bread coming out this year. I’ve also been working on some stuff with DJ Quik and Terrence Martin. We’re doing a whole ghetto, hood, electro, dance, sex, party record. We’ve been working on that. We’ve got a few songs knocked out. I’ve also got Varsity Blues 2, man. So, I got like 4 records coming out. I’m going to have like 10 records in the next year, man. Stay tuned because as soon as I get free from Warner Brothers, it’s going to be a party.”
Don’t think this means that he’s retiring from solo work.
“I just think that I work better like...Me and 9th Wonder, I don’t consider that a solo project because we work together. I’m going to have solo records, it’s just like...In the punk rock band, I’m the only rapper. I’m going to start making different sounds so people don’t think that Hip Hop just has to all sound the same.”
The first of many Murs projects to drop may be the upcoming Felt record, which fans can expect to hear very soon.
“We’re going to leak a song in a couple days,” he said, adding that he wants to wait before giving out information on who this album will be a tribute to. “There’s a new producer, too.”
With a goal to release ten albums in the next year, he’s got a lot on his plate.
“I’m working on some stuff with Sick Jacken [click here] hopefully and just working with whoever wants to work. You know? If you’re out there and you want to work-as long as you’re doing something in your scene, I want to bring my kids to what you’re doing and your fans to what we’re doing and we’ll just have one big party for good music.”
Read more on Murs here..................
http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/news/id.9604Ever since his start in the Los Angeles underground, Murs [click here] has been making... more
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NEW YORK — Music manager Allen Klein, a no-holds-barred businessman who bulldozed his way into and out of deals with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, died Saturday, a publicist for his company said. He was 77.
Klein, who was one of the most powerful figures in the music business in the 1960s but ended up feuding with some of his biggest clients, died at his New York City home of Alzheimer's disease, said Bob Merlis, publicist for ABKCO Music & Records.
An accountant known for his brashness, temper and tenacity in tracking down royalties and getting better record deals, Klein garnered clients including Sam Cooke, Bobby Darin and Herman's Hermits.
But he became most famous _ and later infamous _ for signing on the Rolling Stones and then the Beatles. Both arrangements eventually spurred lawsuits, with some Beatles fans blaming Klein for contributing to the tensions that broke up the group.
Klein was convicted of tax fraud in 1979 and served two months in prison for failing to report income from sales of promotional records by the Beatles and other groups; the records were supposed to be given away. The Rolling Stones grew so infuriated with Klein _ whose company still owns an enormous chunk of their 1960s songs _ that Mick Jagger once chased him down the hall of a posh hotel.
Klein was reputed to be the basis for the slick manager "Ron Decline," played by Jon Belushi, in the parodic 1978 film "The Rutles," and the inspiration for John Lennon's bitter 1974 song "Steel and Glass."
Regardless, Klein remained "very proud of the position he was in and what he was able to do with the different artists he was able to work with," Merlis said.
Klein began building his reputation by auditing record companies' books and finding unpaid royalties for Darin and other artists. After meeting Cooke in 1962, he helped the soul singer secure a then-unusual level of control over his music and finances. "I never wanted to be a manager," he told The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., in 2002. "It was going over the books that I loved. And I was good at it."
That helped him win over the Rolling Stones, who hired him in the mid-1960s. He helped the group negotiate a new contract with its label, but the relationship soured after Klein bought the rights to the band's 1960s songs and recordings from a former manager.
He was fired in 1970, but the animosity continued for decades, culminating in dueling lawsuits over rights and royalties and a 1984 trial. Jagger testified in a federal court in New York that Klein "wanted a hold on us, on our futures" _ and that a 1974 discussion about money ended with a shouting Jagger chasing Klein down a corridor at London's Savoy Hotel. The lawsuit was settled soon after, with Klein keeping the song rights but agreeing to pay royalties promptly.
In the meantime, Klein had set his sights on managing the Beatles and saw his chance when their longtime manager, Brian Epstein, died in 1967.
Initially rebuffed, Klein eventually won John Lennon's favor.
"He not only knew my work, and the lyrics that I had written, but he also understood them, and from way back. That was it," Lennon told an interviewer in 1970.
The group hired Klein in 1969 over the objections of Paul McCartney, who preferred his father-in-law, Lee Eastman.
At the time, a New York Times profile referred to Klein as "the toughest wheeler-dealer in the pop jungle." Klein himself once sent out a chest-beating holiday card with a profane takeoff on the 23rd Psalm: "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, because I'm the biggest bastard in the valley."
But his relationship with the Beatles was bitter and short-lived. The group broke up the next year, and McCartney sued his bandmates in an effort to break free from Klein, an action once unthinkable among the harmonious foursome. McCartney went on to revile Klein in a 1997 biography, "Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now."NEW YORK — Music manager Allen Klein, a no-holds-barred businessman who... more
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