bigted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSXnQkqYqA4

One of hip-hop's pioneers is waging a battle that has little to do with freestyles or beatboxing - instead DJ Kool Herc is hoping to raise enough funds to keep a high-rise, who many believe is the birthplace of hip-hop, out of the hands of real estate developers. The Bronx building where Kool Herc, whose real name is Clive Campbell, threw a now legendary house party in August 1973 may no longer be affordable to many long-time residents if they are unable to raise enough funds to buy it from the developer. Yesterday (Jan. 15) Herc, accompanied by Senator Chuck Schumer and a number of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue tenants, called a news conference to bring attention to the resident's plight "This is where it all started," Kool Herc said at the press conference, according to New York's Daily News. "But it's turned into a sad story. People are about to be put out of their houses." Last February BSR Management, the company that owns the property, announced plans to take the complex out of New York's Mitchell Lama affordable housing program and sell the building to real estate developer Mark Karasick. If development plans are carried out, rents at 1520 could rise far beyond the reach of the current tenants. While tenants were able to get the building declared eligible for listing on the State and National Register of Historic Places, the new designation had no bearing on the sale to Karasick. Last month Karasick offered to sell the building to the tenants for $14 million, however according to Dina Levy, who works with UHAB, the nonprofit group helping the tenants, even with private lender funding and city subsidies the residents are only looking at an estimated $11.5 million, about $3.5 million short of their goal. In the meantime, Kool Herc is hoping to enlist some of hip-hop's biggest names to dig into their wallets for the cause. "All the Queen Latifahs and Will Smiths," Herc said in his appeal, "We're asking all those guys you see in Forbes magazine that are living hip-hop to recognize this building." Those interested in donating can also do so online at www.save1520.org. If they are successful in their bid to buy the building, residents hope to convert the 100-unit complex into a permanently affordable, limited-equity co-op.

NBA Rumors Lakers contact Webber, could replace Bynum in middle Tuesday, Jan 15, 2008 9:26 am EST Getty Images With Andrew Bynum out eight weeks with a knee injury, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves seraching for a solution to the giant hole in the middle of their lineup. Kwame Brown has started 178 games in his seven-year career, and newly anointed backup Ronny Turiaf is more of a power forward. The Los Angeles Times reported Chris Mihm is at least two weeks from returning, if not longer, from a sore right Achilles tendon. Thus, the Lakers are sifting through the free-agent bin and coming up with such names as Chris Webber, P.J. Brown and DJ Mbenga.The Lakers were intrigued by Webber a year ago and have been in contact with his representatives. They think he fits the mold of a triangle-offense player -- good passer, good jump shot -- but are concerned about his physical condition.

I know that I'm a unique person Whenever I create a scene it's an alternate version A clever mc that gets many topics covered So you'll see opposition fall under

http://www.vimeo.com/439084/

SOHH Exclusive: Ice Cube Says Blaming Gangsta Rap Is ''An Easy Solution'' written by Lauren Carter Saturday - January 5, 2008 As the godfather of gangsta rap, Ice Cube helped to shape a movement that challenged norms and brought forgotten issues to light. In this SOHH exclusive, the rapper, actor and film director tells us about his new crime comedy, First Sunday, personal responsibility vs. organized religion, and why so many people are jumping on the "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" bandwagon. "It's an easy solution, you know, it's an easy target," Cube told SOHH about blaming gangsta rap for society's problems, which he satirizes in the video for his new lead single, "Gangsta Rap made Me Do It." [Watch video below] "Gangsta rap usually talks about the good, the bad and the ugly of what really happens, every day, not no made-up stuff," he said. "Even the lyrics that are just more or less kind of comic book style are coming from a real place. We just kind of tell it like it is ... so we get blamed. It's like blaming the messenger, or blaming the mirror because you're ugly. You're gonna get nowhere doing that." The former N.W.A member says he believes in personal responsibility, not blaming decisions on a song. "People do what they want to do, when they want to do it, how they want to do it, regardless of what they've seen and heard," he said. "Everybody knows right from wrong, I don't care how crazy you are." "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It" is the lead single off Cube's lastest album, Raw Footage, a "strictly for the Ice Cube fans" joint slated to drop this summer. "It's strictly for the mature, intelligent hip-hop fans who want it how they used to get it," he said. "I'm not really expecting no commercial success off this record at all. It's dope lyrics, dope beats. No gimmicks, no bullsh*t. Keepin' it real." Cube will take a slightly more lighthearted approach on First Sunday, the new crime comedy due in theatres next Friday (Jan. 11), which he will star in alongside Katt Williams, Tracy Morgan and Regina Hall. Despite the title, the flick is not a continuation of Cube's hugely popular Friday franchise, but a story about two partners in crime who decide to rob a church and learn some unexpected lessons in the process. "The movie's really funny ... but it's also making a social statement on what churches are to the community," he said. "If somebody would rob a church, evidently they don't respect it for some reason. So that right there is speakin' to a real issue that churches are dealing with today - apathy amongst young people, especially males, going to church." When it comes to religion, Cube, who just launched an Internet network at uvntv.com with DJ Pooh, said he believes in a higher power, but that's where the devotion ends. "I don't really care for religion," he said. "To me it's a big mess ... I believe in God, and everything else to me is bullsh*t. I ain't tryin to dis what people are doing, but when you know right from wrong, that's all you need to know."

It'd been perfect if Will did a concept album for "I Am Legend" talkin' about survivin' as the last man in the world

Playstation 2 is the shiznit

The goal is to keep momentum like competitive sports Right now this world is seeing many wars It's time to have some peace Pave the way for future generations to achieve

Kid 'n Play Member Involved In Accident, Driver Shot By Police written by B Thursday - January 3, 2008 Play, of the seminal rap group Kid 'n Play was hospitalized in Durham, NC after his car was hit by a man attempting to evade arrest. Chris "Play" Martin's SUV was struck by a man who was fleeing a crime scene, according to The News & Observer. The driver, Raul Riva Aldamo, 34, of Greensboro, NC, was shot by police while trying to escape and pronounced dead at the scene. Others involved in the crash, Luis Cazanova, 26, Alonzo Castillo, 39, were charged with breaking into a house and holding three people at bay. The incident took place on Saturday (Dec. 28) and Play was released from the hospital by Wednesday. It is not yet known what injuries, if any, the rapper sustained. As part of Kid 'n Play, Martin scored many hits in the '80s, as well memorable big screen moments starring in the ageless hip-hop romantic comedy House Party. Kid 'n Play were also the first hip-hop figures to have a national cartoon modeled after them. Now Martin teaches a hip-hop course at NC Central University

Well I think anything's possible if JJFP tour this summer, definately something to look forward to! :thumbsup:

Bringin' "Capital Punishment" to fake artists like the late great Big Pun Time to deliver classic hits like JJFP's "Brand New Funk" I don't like hearin' bum rappers spittin' that junk So I'm set to put an end to their gimmick and stunts and bring in another golden era

DMX Planning To Release Gospel Album In '08 -- No Joke! MC has two albums on tap for this year, one of which will be 'straight 'Give God the glory' ' songs. Jan 2 2008 2:42 PM EST Many of DMX's conversations with God have been a matter of public record since his career bloomed to superstar status in 1998. His catalog features nearly as many inspirational ghetto hymns — such as "Lord Give Me a Sign," "A Minute For Your Son" and "The Prayer" — as it does party anthems and street-corner knockers, and last year he pondered changing his name for "spiritual reasons." But now, the Dog has decided to go in full throttle with his first ever gospel rap album, which he told MTV News will be coming out this year. "I [was] the first n---a to put out two albums in one year, now I'm gonna hit 'em again — drop two albums on the same f---in' day, yo," X said from his home in Arizona on Friday. "A double album will make mutha----as mad because they gotta spend more money — plus it's already a long album. I'm talking about a hip-hop album and a gospel album. Combined, the project will be called Walk With Me Now and You'll Fly With Me Later. The Walk With Me Now portion will be dedicated to straight-up, raw raps while the latter will feature his non-secular undertaking. "The same title is gonna be on both albums, but on one album one part [of the title] is gonna be [highlighted]," he clarified, while on "the other album, the other name is gonna be [highlighted]." As for the gospel album, X noted that the lyrics will be "without cursing — how 'bout that one? No songs about b----es, no songs about robbing, just straight 'Give God the glory.' " He wasn't quite as talkative when asked why he decided to put out a gospel album now. "Destiny, I guess," he replied. "I just go with the flow." During a hiatus from hip-hop a few years ago, X said he contemplated leaving music altogether to become a minister, but decided to return to the mic. On Walk With Me Now and You'll Fly With Me Later, he said he'll be working with a variety of producers, from the familiar to the unknown. "It's a mix," he said. "I got my own dogs banging out tracks. Of course I'm gonna feed my pups, but it's always gonna be Swizz [beatz], PK, [Dame] Grease. It's always gonna be that. Real talk." The albums don't yet have a set release date, but the enigmatic and energetic MC said he's planning to have them out within the next few months. He recently inked a deal with the independent label Bodog Music to release the project. Bodog is probably most known for the online gambling division of their company but they have also gotten into promoting mixed-martial-arts fights and other ventures. "Its gonna be real big," Dark Man X said of his new deal. "I got the right amount of money I need. The thing about these big record labels is that they give you a whole bunch of money just so they can take it back from you. Then you don't even own your own sh--. I need to own my sh--, son. [bodog] got enough money to do what I need to do and I'm good. They got more than enough promotion, they got other sh-- I can bridge off into. Not soft drinks, I'm not talking about sneakers — I'm talking about fights!" Another big fight, according to X, was his brief stint on Columbia Records. After he left Def Jam, in 2006 he signed a multi-album deal with Sony — his original stomping grounds. (The label had signed X in the early '90s but only released an underground single.) Airings of a BET reality show called "DMX: Soul of a Man" preceded the August 2006 release of Year of the Dog ... Again (the original Year of the Dog was supposed to come out on Def Jam, but X abandoned the album over creative differences), but X said he time at Sony was doomed almost from the start. "Sabotage!", he howled. "Sony turned out to be phony." He points to what he described as a mishandled rollout of his first single, "We in Here," and an unauthorized A&R call on another potential single "Dog Love," as two debacles. "The second single was gonna be 'Dog Love,' " he said. "It was supposed to be three different broads on the hook: Amerie, Keyshia Cole and my artist Shan. Each one was gonna have their own hook. [sony] put Amerie on there and left [everybody else out]. [Editors' note: Janyce also appears on the song.] They f---ed my whole sh-- up! "I had five #1-debuting records in a row," he continued. "[Year of the Dog, Again] was supposed to be number six. [sony] released another record the same day they released mine, the Now [That's What I Call Music!] CD. They let the sh-- beat me by 1,000 [Editors' note: SoundScan figures show Now selling approximately 127,000 CDs that week while X's album came in just shy of 126,000 copies], and they didn't tell me until after the week was up." DMX's former rep at Columbia was unavailable for comment at press time. Link: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1578827/20080102/dmx.jhtml

It's time to kick the propaganda out the showbiz Find some sort of understanding to find the progression Of what really matters, there must an expiration of fake rappers Once the truth is gathered justice will be served for the lyrical masters

Chuck D is perfect to bring quality hip-hop back to the top again

My team's the Bulls, it's dissapointing to see them struggle so far but usually they finish strong so I'm not too worried yet. I'm surprised how well the Celtics are playing, I knew they were gonna be better but not this much, it's pretty damn remarkable what they're doing, I don't think they'll win 70 games though. Btw, my fantasy team in the JJFP fantasy league is the team to beat right now

Happy New Year Y'all!

What a battle! I'm going for fan4ever

Chuck D of Public Enemy Wants Def Jam Presidency Published Friday, December 28, 2007 3:46 PM By Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur As Jay-Z vacates his post as Def Jam president, another Def Jam legend is vying for the high-level music industry position. Chuck D of iconic group Public Enemy says he is the person for the job. "After 10 years looking on the collapsing of the record industry, and upon hearing the news of Jay-Z stepping down from Def Jam, I would throw my name into the hat of somebody who understands how the hell Universal should establish the name-brands they acquire with stockholders money," Chuck D told AllHipHop.com. Chuck D, real name Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, recorded under the Def Jam banner from 1987 to 1998 and churned out some of the label's biggest hits as the lead rapper of Public Enemy. The rapper has always been a proponent of the internet and launched Rapstation.com in 1999 to offer readers free MP3 downloads and even downloadable ringtones, among other progressive elements. Chuck D, who also runs his own Slam Jamz label, said that running Def Jam is a more viable option than tossing his hat into the political arena. "So instead of me running for politics, this is an easier run into the world of influential culture," he continued. "I'm in Los Angeles, Atlanta and New York on the regular as well as I [thoroughly understand] the international picture," Chuck said. "There would be some seismic changes, and I would be a little Huey Long-ish at it. If folks are clueless about this parallel that's precisely the problem." [Editor's note: Huey P. Long was a Great Depression-era politician that was hugely popular and successful. He was killed shortly after announcing a bid for the presidency.] Chuck D also said that Jay-Z didn't quite have time to grow as the CEO, but cited what has been speculated that he'll be with Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin at Sony Records. "I think a person like Jay-Z needed a bit more time, but I could imagine his corporate limitations, and he's gonna be working alongside a true music cat R.R. [Rick Rubin] to do his thing." The music business' chief concern these days is monetary return and Chuck D, who is renowned for his political and social consciousness, said he could generate revenue as well. "I'd show them how to make a profit, if they care. I will bring the noise. It will be interesting to hear the requirements here [for the job]," he concluded. No successor to Jay-Z has been named at Def Jam and there is speculation as to who will become the next president of the legendary label. Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy "Henchmen" Rosemond and Damon Dash have all been mentioned as potential candidates for the position. Chuck D outlined his plan for Def Jam, as seen below: 1) Being ahead of the technology curve; preparing for a thinned out industry; and managing budget efficient acts is very noteworthy of my resume which is simple. I told these cats the online revolution was coming and they needed big adjustments. They relied on lawyers, courts, and accountants only to now look upward at Apple, etc. 2) Their cost factors didn't fit the times, I come from a world where the $50,000 investments resulted into 6 - 7 figures. Now it's a business where 7 figures are invested to make 6. 3) I would run it like sports. These artists would be busting their tails on tour and on the stage to gain a fan. They would be coached on how to do their thing right. Braintrust will be high, and subcontracting to the right contributors will be comparable of the efficiency of these labels like Jazz and catalog departments. You cannot have people working, that haven't the slightest clue of what they are in the middle of. 4) Any criminal mindedness in artistry, and management would have sit this one out, go their own way. It's like bad apples the long run ain't got nothing to do with entertainment. You can't mix the stage and off stage parodies.

I'd like to see LL be in charge of Def Jam but I don't see it happening either

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainmen...0,3987507.story Hitler comments land Will Smith in hot water Will Smith performs at the German premiere of "Men in Black II." (AP photo) RedEye December 24, 2007 Article tools E-mail Share Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Fark Google Newsvine Reddit Yahoo Print Reprints Post Comment Text size: Will Smith likes to think there's good in everybody. Even Adolf Hitler. In a recent interview with The Daily Record, a Scottish newspaper, Smith said even Hitler "didn't wake up going, 'let me do the most evil thing I can do today.'" "I think he woke up in the morning and using a twisted, backwards logic, he set out to do what he thought was 'good.'" Smith told the paper. "Stuff like that just needs reprogramming." Related links Oscar winners through the years 2007 Best & Worst: Red carpet fashion Photos Celebrity photo gallery Fashionista or faux pas? See what RedEye's Wearwolves have to say Forever young Photos Smith's comments have him in hot water with the Jewish Defense League, which called them "ignorant, detestable and offensive" on its Web site. The JDL also called on movie theaters to stop showing Smith's latest film, "I Am Legend."

My favorite albums of '07 were: DJ Jazzy Jeff "Return Of The Magnificent" KRS-ONE and Marley Marl "Hip-Hop Lives" Chamillionaire "Ultimate Victory" Wyclef Jean "Carnival II: Memoirs Of An Immigrant" Common "Finding Forever"

it's about damn time

I got fan4ever

Congrats to FP :thumbsup: