bigted

I'm not feeling this pic either

Ronald Isley is home from jail. As you may recall, Mr. Biggs was sentenced to jail for tax evasion. He served three years, but he is back stronger than ever. Isley spoke with Steve Harvey about coming home and being back in the studio: “I’m overjoyed to be home and to be able to do everything that I want to do. I’m in love with this record business and I’m in love with the fans and everything and I just couldn’t wait to get back to doing that. I’m working on another album and this album is gonna mean so much. I’ve been thinking about it for 3 years and wondering what it was gone be like and what it was gonna be like to sing certain songs and wanting to sing certain songs and now I got that chance to do that.” He also spoke on the effect jail had on his family life: “It changed me a whole lot. My wife was able to visit me like three days a week and my son so that was the great thing about it. It was a little 3-hour drive for her to come to the camp where I was and I was able to get through because of that. That 3 days was everything to me man. [but I'm home now] The family is fine. My son is 3 years old and he’s with me everyday. Me and him boy, Little Ronald.” It appears that Ron used his time wisely while there. He helped inspire others and got involved in activities: “…Talking to young people and crying with them and people that were gonna be in there some years and that part really hurts. To see your people and all kinds of people… older people [locked up]. And they looked up to me and like my music and we talked about our career and it was just like that man. I was working at the chapel and I did gospel shows every week and that kept me up… I’m gone do a gospel album too.” Mr. Biggs also spoke on his other upcoming music projects and who he’s working with: “Some of the people that I’m working with on this album will be Lauryn Hill, T.I., Rick Ross and Burt Bacharach. The group is back and they were just waiting. I would like to also thank L.A. Reid and the staff at Def Jam and Fox Entertainment and Elise Murray. Just all the people that were just waiting for me to come home and for putting this together and supporting everything I’m doing. I feel like I’m 18 again and starting a new career.” source Global Grind

LL Cool J Feat. Keith Murray, Prodigy, Fat Joe, & Foxy Brown "I Shot Ya"(Remix)

Ja Rule Feat. Nas, Ashanti, and 2Pac "The Pledge"(Remix)

http://vibe.com/content/v-vintage-michael-jackson-2001-interview V Vintage: Michael Jackson 2001 Interview VIBE.COM By: Vibe Posted 5-3-2010 8:40 pm VIBE digs into the archives for a candid 2001 interview with the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson Interview by: Regina Jones VIBE: How does it feel to be re-entering the market and competing in sales with likes of ‘N Sync and Britney, kids who were being born at the height of your fame? Michael Jackson: It’s a rarity I think/ I had #1 records in 1967 and 69 and still entered the charts in 2001 in #1. I don’t think any other artist has that range. It’s a great honor, I’m happy. I don’t what else to say. I’m glad people accept what I do. What are your thoughts on the current state of R&B? I don’t categorize music. Music is Music. They change the word R&B to rock and roll. It’s always been, from Fats Domino to Little Richard, to Chuck Berry. How can we discriminate, it is what it is, it’s great music, you know. What are your feelings about Hip-Hop? I like a lot of it, a lot of it. I like the music. I don’t like the dancing that much. It looks like you’re doing aerobics. What made you put Biggie on your album? We were looking for a rap part and it wasn’t my idea, actually it was Rodney Jerkins, one of the writer producers working on the album. It was my idea to put a rap part on the song. And he said, I know just the perfect one – Biggie Smalls. He put it in and it worked perfectly. It was a rap that was never heard before. Why did you choose Jay-Z on the remix of the first single? Because he’s hip, he’s with kids today. They like his work. He tapped into the nerve of popular culture. He’s the new thing, the kids like him. It just made good sense. What was it like for you to appear at New York’s hip hop concert Summer Jam as Jay Z’s guest? I just showed up and gave him a hug. It was tumultuous explosion of applause and stomping, it was a lovely, lovely welcome and I was happy about that. It was a great feeling – the love, the love. What are your thoughts on artists who emulate you such as Usher, Sisqo, Ginuwine, Destiny’s Child? I don’t mind at all. Because, these are artists who grew up on my music. When you grow up listening to somebody you admire you tend to become them. You emulate them, to look like them, to dress like them. When I was little I was James Brown, I was Sammy Davis Jr., so I understand it, it’s a compliment. Did you know that you were creating classics while recording Thriller and Off The Wall, both classics that hold up today? Yes, not to be arrogant, but yes. Because I knew great material when I hear it and it just melodically and sonically and musically is so moving. It keeps the promise. That’s a special piece. Do you feel that there is a larger acceptance of black artists? Of course, I think people have always admired black music since the beginning of time if you want to go back to singing Negro spirituals. Today the market is just accepting the fact that that’s the sound, international, from Britney to ‘N Sync, they are all doing the R&B thing. Even Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, he always tell me, “Man we do R&B.” I said Barry, I don’t categorize it but it’s great music. I understand where he’s coming from. I love great music, it has no color, it has no boundaries, it’s all wonderful music. I love from the Beatles, to the Bee Gee’s, to the Mama’s and the Papa’s, to the Temptations, to Diana Ross and the Supremes, I love all of it. I love Queen, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” it’s a killer, I love it. What’s life like as a single parent? I never had so much fun in all my life. That’s the truth. Because I’m this big kid and now I get to see the world from the eyes of the really young ones. I learn more from them then they learn from me. It’s almost like hypothesis, because I’m constantly trying things and testing things on them to see what works and what doesn’t work. Children are always the best judges to monitor something, especially in my field or any other field. If you can get the kids, you’ve got it. That’s why Harry Potter is successful, it’s just a family oriented movie. You can’t go wrong there, you just can’t. That’s why I write lyrics when I write a song I try not to say things that offend parents because we want a wide demographic. I don’t want to be like that. We weren’t raised to be like that. No way, you know Mother and Joseph wouldn’t say stuff like that. You know them well enough. Are the pressures of your celebrity status on your children? Yes, absolutely, from the day that they were born. What music do Prince and Paris listen to? They listen to all my music and they love classical that plays all around the ranch. They like any good dance music. How would you feel about your children becoming pop icons at 13 and 14 based upon your experience? I don’t know how they would handle that it would be tough. I really don’t know. It’s hard because most celebrity children end up becoming self-destructive because they can’t live up to the talent of the parent. It’s hard. Fred Astair Jr., people used to say o him all the time, “Can you dance?” And he couldn’t dance. He didn’t have any rhythm. But his father as this genius dancer. It doesn’t mean that it has to be passed on. The competition is hard, it’s hard. I always tell them, you don’t have to sing, you don’t have to dance, be who you want to be as long as you are not hurting anybody. That’s the main thing. Don’t you think? What was your experience on September 11? I was in New York and I got a call from Saudi Arabia that America was being attacked. I said no way. I turned on the news and saw the twin towers coming down and I said, “ Oh my God.” I screamed down the hallway to all our people. “Everybody get out, let’s leave now. Marlon Brando was on one end, our security was on the other end, we were all up there but Elizabeth was at another hotel. We all got out of there as quickly as we could. We didn’t know if our building was next. If it was domino effect. How they had girls that had been at the show the night before, prior to the explosion showed the loyalty of fans, were banging on the windows, running down the street screaming, we couldn’t get out of the garage. They are so loyal. It was unbelievable. I was scared to death. What artists past and present inspire you? Stevie Wonder is a musical prophet. All of the early Motown. All the Beatles, I’m crazy about Sammy Davis Jr., Charlie Chaplain, Fred Astair, Gene Kelly, Bill Bojangles Robinson, the real entertainers, the real thing, not just gimmicks, show stoppers. When James Brown was with the Famous Flames was unbelievable. There are so many wonderful singers. Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand, to Johnny Mathis, real stylists, you hear one line and know who it is. Nat King Cole, great stuff. Marvin Gaye, Sam Cook, they are all ridiculous. What do you do for fun, for recreation? I like water balloon fights. We have a water balloon forte here, there’s the red team and the blue team. We have slings and canons and you are drenched by the time the game is over. There is a timer and whoever gets the most points in is the winner. I don’t do anything like basketball or golf. If I’m going to do some kind of sport, if you want to call that a sport, you have to laugh. I want to laugh. Basketball you get very competitive and so is tennis, makes you angry. I’m not into that I like to laugh, have fun, laugh with it. That’s what it should be, fun, therapeutic. I love that. I also like to go to amusement parks, animals, things like that. How involved were you in selecting the artists to perform in your 30th special? I wasn’t involved at all. How were you able to let go of something so big and so special? Trust. Is there still a fantasy that you maintain of something that you’d like to do in your career? I’d like to see an international children’s holiday when we honor our children, because the family bond has been broken. There’s a Mother’s Day and a Father’s Day but there’s no children’s day. I really would I would mean a lot. It really would. World peace, I hope that our next generation will get to see a peaceful world, not the way it’s going now. At what point in your life did you realize that you were different, a visionary? I never thought about, I just always accepted it from the heavens and said on my knees, “Thank you.” Whenever I write a song and I know that it is musically correct, there are no laws to music, but when it feels right, I get on my knees and I say, “ Thank you.” I really do, I mean it. Because it drops into your lap just easy and magical with no effort. Did singing ever stop being fun and become work? It’s always been fun, unless I get physically sick, it’s always fun. I still love it. What is your financial status? I’m taking care of fine. Michael, don’t be embarrassed, when I think about Van Goug, Bach, Beethoven, Elvis, you are an innovator, your work as changed the face of music, changes the face of videos setting a standard that still stands, no one has come close to what you have accomplished, where does Michael Jackson go from here? Thank you, thank you. I have deep love for film and to pioneer and innovate in the medium of film. To write and direct and produce movies. To bring incredible entertainment. What kind of movies? Are you looking at scripts? Yes, but nothing has been finalized yet. Are you writing? Uh huh. Are you ever lonely? Of course. If I’m on stage, I’m fine there. You can have a house full of people and still be lonely from within. I’m not complaining because I thin it’s a good thing, for my work. Why do you think very young children today are as excited about you as if were here to witness your historical landmarks that took place before they were born? They learn from there parents, they hear it. TV shows everything that I’ve done. They hear all the songs on TV, VH1 around the world, they are rediscovering it all over again. It’s not like they missed it, it’s always been there. Tell me about the new CD Invincible. “ Speechless.” You’ll be surprised. I had a big water balloon fight, I’m serious, in Germanym and what inspires me is fun. I was with these kids and we had big water balloon fight and I was so happy after the fight that I ran upstairs in their house and write “Speechless.” That’s what inspired the song. I hate to say that because it’s such a romantic song. But, it was the fight that did it. I’d had fun, I was happy, and I wrote it in it’s entirety right there. I felt it would be good enough for the album. Out of this bliss comes magic, comes wonderment, comes creativity. It’s about having fun, it really is. “Break of Dawn.” Freeze and myself wrote “Break of Dawn.” It’s just a beautiful, strolling in the park kind of song. There’s a good summer feel about it. It’s one of my favorites. It’s Denzel Washington’s favorite song. He blasts it all the time. “You Are My Life.” Thank you. We all wrote that one. Tell me about how your creativity normally comes to you? You don’t force it. Let nature take its course. I don’t at the piano and think, “I’m going to write the greatest song of all time.” It doesn’t happen. It has to be given to you. I believe it’s already up there before you are born and then it drops right into your lap, I it really does. It’s the most spiritual thing in the world. If people could witness what it feel like. When it comes it comes with all of the accompaniments, the strings, the bass, the drums, the lyrics and you’re just the source through which it comes, the channel, really, honestly. Sometimes I feel guilty putting my name on the songs written by Michael Jackson because it’s as if the heavens have done it already, I mean it. Like Michaelangelo would have this huge piece of marble from the quarries of Italy and he’d say, “Inside is a sleeping form. And he takes hammer and chisel and he’s just freeing it. It’s already in there. It’s already there. What do you collect? I like anything Shirley Temple, babies, children, Shirley Temple, Shirley Temple, lots of Shirley Temple. Little Rascals, Three Stooges, a lot of Three Stooges. I love Curly, he kills me. I my brothers we love Curly, we just love him. I love Curly so much that I did a book on Curly. I got his daughter and she and I wrote a book on him. Women have a hard time with all the slapping and poking and stuff, guys love that stuff. My mother loved Abbott and Costello, but we would say, “We want the Three Stooges.” Tell me about your fashion selections. It wasn’t conscious, it happens that way. Is there anything that you would like to say to VIBE readers? I love Quincy. I mean, I really do. I think he is wonderful soul and a beautiful person. And I think you should tell the readers, don’t judge a person by what they hear or even what they read unless they heard from the person. There is so much tabloid, sensationalism going on that’s totally false. Don’t fall prey to it, it’s ugly. I hate the tabloids. I’d like to take them all and burn them. I want you to print it, don’t believe tabloid press, tell them that. Don’t believe tabloid press. Some of them try to disguise themselves but they are still tabloid press.

word i still can't believe that he died, it's hard to believe it's a year, RIP, thank god we could go back to enjoy his recordings or else we'd just have the crap music out these days

That JJFP logo is off the hook!

LL Cool J "I Can't Live Without My Radio"

I agree Game's "LAX" was a great album, he keeps evolving as an artist....

I didn't buy the album yet but from what I heard online I'm definately gonna get it soon, it's about time that he grew up and started making more relevant music and y'all already know how I felt about most of his music over the last 10 years, lol...

As far as mainstream rap goes I rather see Eminem, Game, and Kanye sell more than wack rappers like Lil' Wayne and Drake

Jay-Z Feat. Memphis Bleek & Amil "Hey Papi"

Allhiphop.com gave it 9 out of 10 rating REVIEWS Review: Eminem – “Recovery” Wednesday, June 23, 2010 1:42 PM | 41 comments By Houston Williams ShareThis AHH IconGet Alerts Buzz AllHipHop Radio "To the fans, I never let you down again, I'm back/ I promise to never go back on that promise /In fact, let's be honest/ That last Relapse CD was ehh/ Perhaps I ran them accents into the ground/ Relax, I ain't going to do that now." – Eminem on “Not Afraid” Eminem knew what was on the line with Recovery, and while the title suggests sobriety, he’s now evoking a lyrical potency most associated with a heavily inebriated period in his life. But, a cleaned up Marshall Mathers is good for music and indelibly good for his own career, by his own admission. The first thing listeners notice with Recovery is the inclusion of a variety of producers, from Just Blaze to Havoc to Shady staples like Dr. Dre. The infusion of new energy bodes well for Eminem who had pups like Asher Roth and Yelawolf coming into his lyrical yard. But, Eminem quickly reestablishes “whose yard is this,” as once spit by Beanie Sigel. The aggressive tone is quickly established on “Cold Wind Blows,” with a ridiculously thumping beat by Just Blaze. “Eat s**t, her we go again,” Eminem sings before diving headfirst into a lyrical foray that truly obliterates nearly everything on the charts at the moment. “F**k it, I’m a loose cannong Bruce Banner’s back in the booth / Y’all are sitting duck, I’m the only goose standing.” He doesn’t stop there. Belligerence is a common thread on Recovery, and it is destined to satisfy the most critical blogger or board commentator. Songs like “Almost Famous,” “On Fire,” “Cinderella Man” and others evoke the early 2000’s. On “No Love,” Eminem seemingly trades his normal cohorts for Lil Wayne. Those familiar may be thrown from the sample from "What Is Love," originally crooned in 1993 club music singer Haddaway. After Wayne and Em bless the Just Blaze-produced song, they eradicate the idea of corny discos, silk shirts and men with mustaches. Weirder still is Eminem’s ability to create songs for mass consumption without burning his fan base. The first single, “Not Afraid,” is not well liked by this reviewer, but that isn’t the case with other pop songs on the album. "Love the Way You Lie" (featuring Rihanna) delves deep into a toxic, addictive relationship with an equally addictive hook. “Won’t Back Down” gets down right grungy with Pink and definitely leans towards the rock-formatted stations, but not enough to isolate traditional fans. The chorus on “W.T.P.” (White Trash Party) soon get a lot of burn in Brooklyn, but perhaps it will resonate with Middle America’s trailer parks. The final notable aspects to Recovery are the very lucid personal stories that Eminem crafts. On the Jim Jonsin-produced “Space Bound,” Eminem revisits the love-gone-bad theme but with totally different results. He travels in the opposite direction on “Seduction,” where he employs his rap skills to steal another emcee’s girl. “Let me slow it down some/ its still gonna be a blowout, you’re gonna wanna throw out your whole album.” Em spews. “25 To Life” will surprise listeners on the first listen, as Em gives and old concept a spit-shine. With in-your-face honesty, Eminem raps about his friend Proof on "You're Never Over.” “This depression ain’t taking me hostage/ I been patiently watching/ This game pacing these hallways / You had faith in me always / Proof, you knew I would come out of this slump / Rise from these ashes / Come right back on their asses / go Mike Tyson on these bastards,” Em says with conviction. Eminem has indeed emerged a different person. There has been much dialogue about his recent sobriety, but it seems like Eminem has found other aspects of his existence that are more important that getting high. Recovery oozes dopeness, commercial viably and sincerity in equal parts. “F**k my last CD, that s**ts in the trash,” Eminem raps on Recovery. Fortunately, he’s completely redeemed himself and has constructed an opus that is certain to be recycled for years to come. PS: A special nod goes to all of the producers that laid down the backdrop to the album, because they provided a superior audio change to Eminem’s life changes. Another nod goes to the bonus songs with Slaughterhouse ("Session One") and a new Dr. Dre-produced song, "Ridaz." Click here for those. And, yes...this is Em's best album since The Marshall Mathers LP.

It's nice to see one of the realest artists in hip hop history get honors like this even after all these years he's been gone Tupac Shakur Brought Back To Life, Music Lives On In Library Of Congress Wednesday, Jun 23, 2010 1:30PM Written by Biz Jones Related Articles Game, Busta Rhymes, Lauren London, Soulja Boy & More Remember Tupac Shakur Tupac Shakur Rises From The Dead, "Training Day" Director Confirms Biopic Lil Cease Demands Justice In Notorious B.I.G. & 2Pac Murder Case, "They're Treating Them Like Nobodies" Tupac's Mom Catches Break In Drug Arrest, Court Hearing Delayed Through Summer Late rapper Tupac Shakur's "Dear Mama" song will reportedly be preserved in the Library of Congress. According to reports, Pac is only the third emcee to placed in the Library of Congress. The rapper's 1994 song "Dear Mama," about a mother struggling with poverty and addiction, was selected for the 2009 National Recording Registry for its cultural significance, alongside works by Willie Nelson, Little Richard, Patti Smith and R.E.M.. Tupac is the third rapper to be included, following Grandmaster Flash and Public Enemy. (Washington Post) The terms on what songs are allowed to enter the library have also been released. Selections for the 2009 National Recording Registry are being announced Wednesday. They must be at least 10 years old and be culturally, historically or aesthetically significant. Organizers said Tupac's "Dear Mama" was a heartfelt homage to mothers struggling with addiction and poverty. It's also a "relatively tame" recording, and the cultural impact of hip-hop is undeniable, program coordinator Steve Leggett said. (Access Atlanta) Additional reports suggest that a limited amount of songs may be chosen each year. Annually, 25 works are nominated by the public and expert panelists to be preserved for their cultural significance. "Dear Mama," released in 1995, is a song about mothers struggling to maintain a family in the face of poverty and addiction. The song will be the third rap act to join the registry, joining tracks from Grandmaster Flash and Public Enemy. (TIME) A film based on the life of Tupac is also reportedly being worked on. "It looks like we're doing Tupac Shakur's movie next in September, that's what I've been starting up and working on now," filmmaker Antoine Fuqua said in a May 2010 interview. "I've been working on that for a while with Morgan Creek and Jim Robinson. I just got the greenlight from him and we're going in September. I've just started to prep that." Fuqua added that he is hoping to find an unknown actor to portray the iconic hip-hop star, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas in 1996. "That's the goal, I want to discover someone new," he explained. "I want to discover a lot of new people if I can. Obviously I'm going to have to put some people in it that you know, just because actors have different skills. I want to go to the streets and find him anywhere he might be in the world." (Digital Spy) No further details have been revealed as of now. Check out Tupac Shakur's "Dear Mama" down below:

Keith Sweat's one of my favorite r&b artists of all time, his last album "Just Me" was one of the more slept on albums of 2008, I was happy that he reunited with Teddy Riley on that one 'cause they make one great duo from the New Jack Swing era, is it true that Teddy Riley produced this whole new album? I was reading that on Wikipedia last night... I really got into his music when he released his "Keith Sweat" album back in '96, that's my favorite album from him, and I suggest that you check out his greatest hits album "The Best Of Keith Sweat", it's probably one of the better greatest hits albums out there covering all the great tracks from his career... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Best_of_Keith_Sweat I'm also excited to see that he's involved in bringing Dru Hill back, we need that real soul music again 'cause I'm tired of all these fake autotune suckers out there...

LL Cool J "Doin It"

The Roots Are At 'Crossroads' On How I Got Over, Says ?uestlove 'You really don't hear any hip-hoppers dare use the word 'midlife crisis,' the drummer tells MTV News. By Mawuse Ziegbe, with reporting by Steven Roberts The Roots' long hip-hop career is rivaled by only a few acts. With the release of their 11th studio album, How I Got Over, however, the Philly collective shows it can still push boundaries, exploring some fairly un-hip-hop themes. "The whole premise of How I Got Over is basically ... a coming-of-age record," ?uestlove told MTV News last week of their latest effort, which came out Tuesday (June 22). The Roots drummer added that the band wanted to switch things up and touch on some thought-provoking themes, a practice he said is more typical of rock than hip-hop. "There hasn't been a real precedent of anyone being at the crossroads [in hip-hop]. I hear [it] a lot in rock records ... where it's sort of like, 'I'm at a point in my life where I don't know what to do and things are happening around me.' " The Grammy-winning group known for keeping a tireless touring schedule has more recently eased up on the concert dates, putting down roots as the house band for NBC's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon." The band has no doubt arrived at an enviable level of success for an act that dropped its first effort back in '93. Still, ?uest explained that the group wanted to get candid on How I Got Over about the issues confronting them at this stage in the game. "You really don't hear any hip-hoppers talking about some sort of ... existential existence of God or even dare use the word 'midlife crisis' in any of their verses. So we wanted to make a completely honest record." But How I Got Over isn't all existential musings, ?uestlove insisted. The drummer points to tracks like the upbeat "The Fire," which features soul singer John Legend, who also happens to be working on a collaborative album with the legendary Roots crew. "As far as 'The Fire' is concerned, we wanted to balance the record out also, with a sign of hope, a ray of hope," ?uest said. " 'The Fire' is ... almost an anthem, if you will. It's like a hang-on-in-there, if you will, for us."

Nas "The Message"

RIP

Congrats to the Lakers for winning but you gotta give it up to the Celtics too since they played their hearts out, this was another classic series

Mario "I Miss My Friend"

That DMX song was my joint senior year of high school!! Guy "Rescue Me"

Keith Sweat feat. Joe "Test Drive", speaking of good music from this year!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y09Ivh2CtAQ

DMX "Party Up"(Up In Here)

DMC Still Got It!!