bigted

Well that's the point no matter who'd win there'd be somebody complaining, I don't think Will got any beef with Three Six Mafia 'cause they won an Oscar before him either

A lot of people in the hip-hop buisiness got love for Will too though, I was just listening to Fat Joe saying on Tim Westwood's that Fresh Prince sounds like money and everyone in hip-hop got love for him, anyways I enjoyed reading this LL article, hopefully this'll get everyone anticipating his album, btw if this was 5 years ago and somebody asked LL if he thought he was a legend he'd say yes, he has really humbled himself over the years, lol....

Thanks for that Tim, Jazzy and Fat Joe were vibin' there, it was nice to see Fat Joe show love to FP too...

Yeah I like that E-40 track too, it's hard to believe that Lil' Jon produced it, I don't like much of his production but this track is hot, I saw that special on the Bay Area on MTV2 last weekend

This topic should be pinned if this is so important, I'm gonna think of a really good question to send to that link, btw Johnny you should post the link to your 'Tell Me Why' video there and ask Will what he thinks of it

http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/feature/art...t_id=1002154697 LL Cool J: 'I Do What Comes Natural, What I Love' March 08, 2006 LL Cool J "Few are able to get to the top. LL Cool J has stayed there and thrived. From 'Rock the Bells' and 'Around the Way Girl' to our new collaboration 'Control Myself,' LL's hard work and inspired creativity have allowed him to stay as relevant and influential today as ever." -- Jennifer Lopez "LL Cool J did what everyone said was impossible. He defied every rule and paved the way for hip-hop to reach a whole new level of global influence and achievement. LL Cool J was the cornerstone of Def Jam Records, the first superstar who proved that rap artists could be career artists. Over the past 20 years, he has continued to reinvent himself and stay on top." -- Atlantic Records president Julie Greenwald "I've seen him grow up and come through the clinches of this business and manage to keep his head, his integrity and his strength as a strong black brother. I am very proud of him and have nothing but love for him. We made it to the top. I was there four or five years before him, but now it's good to see him sitting across from me. We're still in it to win it." -- Angie Stone "LL Cool J was one of the first teen hip-hop artists and one of the first hip-hop artists to bring the music to the masses. As a teen artist I realize how hard it can be for people to accept many of my records as mature. LL Cool J showed that he too was relevant." -- JoJo "LL Cool J is one of the founders of the hip-hop revolution and without a doubt is one of the most important rap artists of all time. His influence goes beyond music alone. LL Cool J is a cultural force." -- Warner Music Group executive VP Kevin Liles "We've been fans for a long time. LL is a hip hop legend n it was an honor to work with him especially on a song that speaks our language!" -- Mary Mary's Erika Atkins "He has been a pioneer. At a recent industry function, younger artists such as Ludacris, Kanye West and Chris Brown talked to Def Jam executives about LL Cool J's important influence on them. Not only has he opened doors, but he has served as an inspiration to them." -- Flipsyde's Piper "I knew he had a rare combination of talents and was destined to be a musical pioneer who would forever have a profound impact on the world of music. Hip-hop owes a debt of gratitude to LL Cool J. Hip-hop and rap wouldn't be half of what it is today without his influence and amazing body of work." -- Warner Music Group chairman/CEO of U.S. recorded music Lyor Cohen "LL Cool J gave me belief, being I'm from Queens... His work ethic and staying power was a key example for my life professionally." -- Yummy Bingham Quotes compiled by Debbie Galante Block. March 08, 2006 Gail Mitchell Grow. That word pops up frequently in conversation with LL Cool J. Indeed, since the rapper became the first Def Jam artist to release a single some 20 years ago, it seems to have become part of his mantra. His focus on professional and spiritual growth has resulted in a slew of hit records, two Grammy Awards and noteworthy roles on TV (including hosting the 2005 Billboard Music Awards in December) and in film. That still does not take into account his numerous humanitarian efforts, his role as a product pitchman or the recent launch of his Todd Smith clothing line during New York's Fashion Week. "I'm having a great time, a real good time," he tells Billboard. "Very thankful about where my career is at. Hopefully, I'll be able to give people some good, quality music and film in the future." Fresh off the success of his latest film with Queen Latifah, "Last Holiday," and on the eve of releasing his 12th Def Jam album -- "Todd Smith," which comes from the rapper's given name, James Todd Smith -- LL looks back on what has powered his double-decade career. The theme of "Last Holiday" was all about possibilities in life. This could be applied to your own. Did you think 20 years ago that you would be where you are now? Honest to God, I can tell you that the answer is no. I mean, where I'm at was a fantasy back then. I guess I focus so much on trying to build and trying to grow that maybe sometimes I don't even pay attention to where I'm at. What was your aim starting out? Just to record and album and get on the charts? A: My aim was just to hear my record on the radio. I just wanted to hear my record on the radio and get a Mercedes [laughs]. In that order [laughs]. That was it. I just kept working at it and God blessed me. I've just been focusing on growing as a human being spiritually and as a businessman and as an artist; To consistently go after new things and allow myself to mature. Let more people into my life to help me creatively and on all levels. This all has just been a growing process. In the past you have said you feel you are at the beginning of your career again because there are so many possibilities out there. Do you still feel that is true? Yes, of course. I'm still very young in dog years. I've just been doing this a long time in terms of being a professional. I still look forward to having a lot more fun [and] introducing the world to some interesting things I have going on in my life, [like] doing more films [and] working on more companies. Since finishing your new album, "Todd Smith," how would you compare the studio process then versus now? If I had to choose whether or not it gets easier or harder, I would have to say it gets harder. Well, you know what, maybe that's not correct. It's just different. The challenge always becomes trying to do the best work you can, trying to make the best music you can, trying to do something that's really exciting -- and at the same time not repeating yourself. On the album you have as guests Mary J. Blige, Lyfe Jennings, Freeway, Jennifer Lopez again... Also Mary, Mary, 112, Teairra Mari, Ginuwine. Juelz Santana. What producers did you work with? A: Bink, Trackmasters, Pharell Williams, Jermaine Dupri. In such a youth-oriented industry, do you feel pressured to make records that will attract that market? I don't really know how to do that. All I can really do is what I do and what comes natural, what I love. All I can do is make the best music I can and hope that people enjoy it. Whatever project I'm involved with, I try to make it positive and fun and cool. I just make it to my taste, in other words, and go from there. Along those lines, you're a father of four children whose ages range from 5 to 16. The subject matter of hip-hop and videos has gotten much racier over time. As your kids get older, how do you reconcile that with what you do? A: Look, let's be frank about: it could be cleaner. There's room for a little more positivity. I think women can be displayed in a way that's beautiful without making them look like tramps. It is what it is. There's no need in pretending that's not a problem. It is. Everybody has the right to see what they want to see and at a certain age. God gave us free will, so who am I to try and impose my will on someone else? But that being said, he gave us liberty, but at the same time you still want to take responsibility for the people you're influencing. That doesn't mean I won't do any sexy videos. It doesn't mean I don't want to have beautiful girls in my videos or in the stuff I'm doing. I just think it could be a little classier sometimes, that's all. I don't want this to seem like I'm bashing my industry because I'm not. The industry as a whole is in a good place. We've just got to take a few more risks [and understand] that people would like something different. What was your aim when you started out in this business? I just wanted to hear my record on the radio and get a Mercedes. In that order. [laughs] That was it. I just kept working at it, and God blessed me. What has changed the most about the music industry in the last 20 years? Rap music has become much more visually driven, much more money-driven and even more producer-driven. Is that a good or bad thing? Just different. The visual thing is tough but not necessarily bad. Nowadays, your video is as important as your song. So now you not only have to be a person who can make great music, but you have to be able to deliver a vision on it. But then again, that part is good, because it makes you really have to dig deep as an artist. As far as it being more economically driven, I mean, you know, that's good and bad. You make more money, but at the same time it's a trade-off. Do you think you could start in the record business today? It's cool that's a question I'll never have to answer. [laughs] I'll let you answer that. Whatever you say is right. How about no? That's even funnier. After all these years, do you consider yourself a legend? A legend? I guess I'd say no, only because considering yourself a legend would mean letting your past hold your future hostage, and I don't do that. At some point you embrace what you've done and [are] happy. If you've got your hands on the plow and you look back, the lines won't be straight in the ground. You've got to keep moving forward. But I definitely respect and appreciate the amount of time I've been doing what I'm doing, and I know it's a unique position to be in, and I don't take it for granted. But it's still fun for you? Absolutely. I love it. I love the creative and the people. The politics I could do without. But the politics and the hard work just come with that. Jay-Z once said no one wants to see a 45-year-old rapper. Do you agree there is a shelf life, so to speak, for rappers? We've got to see where this industry is going. As much as I respect that sentiment, the reality is there will be 45-year-old rap fans. Who will they want to see? So the question more importantly for me would be, do I want to be doing this in 10 years? I can't answer that. I don't know what I want to do 10 years from now. I don't know if when I'm in my mid-40s I'll want to do what I was willing to do in my mid- to late 30s. For the past 10 years you have managed your own music career. Is it hard juggling being an artist and a manager? Do people think they can take advantage? [laughs] Well, you can think what you want to think. Now whether or not you can actually pull it off, that's another conversation. This ain't just been... 20 years of champagne popping and going chain swinging. I prefer to take a hands-on approach to my career; it just gives me a certain level of comfort. I don't want to make it seem I'm the be-all, end-all and the buck stops here all the time. I have a lot of people I consult with You have had your brushes with disses, and watched the feud between Nas and Jay-Z play out. How do you feel about these types of feuds in the hip-hop community? Peace is always better than war. Competition is fun in hip-hop, but you can be competitive by making good records. We don't have to dis one another. But at the same time, there's nothing wrong with that either as long as it stays [rooted] in fun. Which of your albums represents the quintessential LL Cool J? I don't think there is such a thing as quintessential. To use Michael Jackson as an example, you could compare "ABC" to "Rock With You" -- they are from different eras but equally important. On a sentimental level, "Mama Said Knock You Out" is an important record, because it was dedicated to my grandmother [who] passed away. Album-wise, I don't really have a favorite. Maybe the "Mr. Smith" album to a certain extent, just because it was a time of maturity and a time when I went to a different level in my mind -- spiritually, emotionally, mentally, psychologically. Art is funny. I don't have one [favorite] record. I have quite a few singles I like lot. My favorite single is "Doin' It." Who are your biggest influences? I'm influenced by everything. As music changes, my influences change. What influenced me in 1996 is not necessarily what influences me now. Right now, I'm influenced by everything that's out now, that's going on now. Madonna has been a strong influence on me in a lot of ways. I've always admired the way she's handled her career. They counted her out, and she's caught up right now. There's a very what-have-you-done-for-me-lately mentality in the music business. But art and the music business are two different things, and you can never count a great artist out. Who haven't you worked with yet who is still on your wish list? Those are the types of things I kind of let happen naturally. Are you planning to tour? I haven't toured on any of my albums since, like, "Mr. Smith," but I think I may tour on this one. I like it. I think it's worthy. Not that the others weren't. But I think this one feels like a record that I want to get out and tour on. It just feels right. Do you like touring? I like the actual concert. Everything in between I could do without. [laughs] The airports, [going] in and out of the hotels, that's tough for me. That's why I hardly tour. It's just so grueling. But I think I'm going to go ahead and give people some love on this one. What is your take on the whole debate about rappers turning to acting? It's our responsibility as human beings to maximize the use of all of our talents. That's a biblical principal. You're supposed to use all of your talents. If you don't put everything to use, then it will be taken from you. So to limit yourself and not take advantage of everything you have the potential to do is foolish. Do you find yourself pigeonholed in terms of scripts because you are a rapper? People would only be able to pigeonhole me if I was greedy. I could work a lot more as an actor doing stereotypical roles that people associate with rappers, but I choose not to. It's not easy. They didn't think of me for "Last Holiday," [because the role was] way, way different than anything I've ever done. The studio had to be convinced. People don't associate me with an everyday guy like the guy in the movie. It's not so much about the degree of difficulty, it's about how far away it is from how people perceive you. I've definitely been through that, and I still go through that. But I think "Last Holiday" is a perfect example of me getting the opportunity to get outside of that box. This next question is for the ladies. How often do you work out to maintain your physique? I'm actually in the process of doing a book. We just put together a deal for a workout book that will give people the ins and outs of how I do what I do physically -- my diet, my workout, my philosophy, my ideology. It will probably come at the top of next year. Is there a second autobiography on the horizon? I want to see what happens with this workout book. It has a lot of material in there, [and] it will be very personal. We'll see what happens from there. If, God willing, I live a little bit more, then we can address the sequel.

Well hey now it's quality over quanity, you don't have to have 10 albums out to be considered among somebody's favorite artists, now I think Kel Spencer with the few material he's made is definately as talented as those who made 10 albums, especially since a lot of established rap artists like FP, Heavy D, Teddy Riley, Diddy(oh nevermind him 'cause most of the industry makes his lyrics, lol), and MC Lyte have asked him to help them with their lyrics, not many could say that, that mixtape he dropped is definately one of the best albums I've heard in years, record labels should be fighting over signing this man, putting him in the top 10 is more legit than a lot of the rappers some of y'all mentioned here, even though you should already know who they are, lol, I'm not gonna say who 'cause I don't wanna start beef but Kel definately could rip a lot of your favorite rappers out now and that'll be seen once he gets on, I think the compilation project he's working on with Will is gonna help a lot of people get to know him.... I'll happily agree with anyone who says Kel Spencer is one of their favorites 'cause he's one of my favorites too, I'm gonna be posting a review on that mixtape, if he don't blow up soon the music industry has no heart, his time'll come soon and a lot of hip-hop heads will be putting him among the all time greats... Btw, I gotta add Heavy D, Mary J. Blidge, Rakim, Blackstreet, Guy, Slick Rick, Destiny's Child, James Brown, and DMX to the list of my favorite artists I like listening to....

It looks like we're finally getting some hip-hop albums to look forward to over these next few months, it's been a slow start to this year so far, that gave me time to get Kel Spencer's mixtape which I'm gonna post on soon and I still gotta get Aceyalone's album which I'm surprised Tim didn't make a post about here unless I missed it, lol, but anyway these are the albums I'm looking forward to, fingers crossed they don't get pushed back: March 7 Public Enemy - Rebirth Of A Nation(looking forward to copping this by the weekend) Various Artist - Paris Presents: Hard Truth Soldiers Vol. 1(I'm looking forward to getting this one soon as well) March 14 DMC (formerly of Run DMC) - Checks, Thugs & Rock N' Roll(does this really come out next week?) Various Artist - Dave Chappelle's Block Party March 21 nothing interesting this week March 28 Jagged Edge - Jagged Edge April 25 Diddy - Against All Odds(might check out for this album since Kel Spencer, Nas, and Common are ghostwriting on it, lol) April 2006 Busta Rhymes - The Big Bang Outkast - Idlewild (OST)(I heard this got pushed back till the summer but we'll see) Pharrell Williams (a.k.a. Skate Board P) - In My Mind May 2 LL Cool J - Todd Smith(the album I'm most looking forward to!!!) May 2006 Redman - Red Gone Wild(who knows if this ever comes out???) I'm not looking any further than that for now if all those above came out I'd be very happy, anything released after that is wishful thinking like JJFP and Biz Markie doing a "So Fresh Part II" on Slick Rick's "The Adventure Continues" album which we don't know'll ever come out, we'll probably also have to wait a few years for the Kel Spencer/Will Smith compilation album, lol...

So "The Return Of The Magnificent" won't be coming out within the next year? :tantrum:

I don't really think Will's doing that bad selling albums either though, he's a bad example to use to make your point here, maybe if you said KRS-ONE then that'd be a legit argument of a positive artist not selling much, "Lost and Found" was one of the 10 highest selling albums in the rap industry last year that sold more than a lot of explicit rappers like Tony Yayo and Lil' Kim so it shows you that if there's still a market for positive rap, LL Cool J and Busta Rhymes got videos in major rotation right now so they'll probably go platinum again when their albums drops plus we got Kanye West, Black Eyed Peas, and Common having more success than a lot of explicit rappers so rap is starting to be a lil' bit more balanced than it was a few years ago and is still the highest selling music genre, but it's still not close to being another golden era....

I don't think Three Six Mafia gets as much airplay as 50 Cent or Mike Jones but with this win they probably will now, they'll probably sign with G Unit next week and go triple platinum then bring their pimp homies along with them tippin' on fo' fo's throughout the airwaves some mo', lol, this seems to be the industry's intent to blow more trash to the public for the kids to love and for everyone else to diss, mainstream hip-hop has turned into teenybopper pop since it's so generic, there's no credability for the public eye to see anymore, it's depressing to see blacks potrayed as pimps and hoes on the highest stage, people who don't know much about hip-hop and watch think that every rapper is like that so they won't ever wanna give hip-hop a try, this is another black eye for the image of hip-hop, but most of Hollywood is gimmicks anyway, I'll be surprised if Will ever wins an Oscar, I just don't get how such a powerful performance in Ali where Will poured his blood, sweat, and tears gets snubbed into while another rap group does another general song about pimpin' wins, tell me why? The Oscars are supposed to be the highest award just like the Grammy awards, the highest honors of the entertainment industry, it's like I'd care less if they won a BET or Source award, that's the problem with the Oscars and Grammies now, they're trying to draw in the TRL audience rather than award the most credible artists that poured their soul into their work, Terrence Howard deserves some of the dissin' here too 'cause he was the one who performed that trash song in a generic movie that shouldn't have gotten nominated in the first place 'cause it's another stereotypical black film about violence and pimpin', why couldn't a powerful, inspiring film like "Glory Road" get nominated instead? That was a wonderful movie that displays the courage of black men, not to mention we would've had Alicia Keys performing the powerful song "Glory Road" she made for that movie, well then again nobody ever question the credability of white people when they do stereotypical things so it makes me mad that they come after blacks when they do that, there's always positives and negatives that everybody does so who gives a **** especially since stereotypes get rewarded, people just can't look for entertainment for an image....

Yeah AJ like Turntable said Nick Cannon is far from the best, to put him in the same sentence as JJFP, LL Cool J, and Public Enemy is a joke, I'd replace him with Nas

I think if hip-hop was less explicit and had more of a positive message it'd draw a more broader audience than it does now, with the way it is right now basically only teenagers and young kids are the ones listening to what's on the charts, like I can't picture that many over 30 years old listening to Ludacris, rock music and other genres don't have that problem 'cause it seems there's artists out there that reach to the TRL fans and artists that reach to older audiences but it ain't like that with rap though even though hip-hop/rap is considered the highest selling genre but most of that genre's fanbase who buys a lot of albums 15-30 years old, it seems like the rap game is just catering to the youth unlike when it started and it appealed to all audiences, people older than that might of grew up on it but they probably can't stand what's it's turned into so they don't listen anymore or just listen to the old music although there's always a few trying to fit in with their kids and listen to Jay-Z, lol, but I think that the majority of older folks can't stand it 'cause they look at it as trash, like I could picture a 50 year old watching the Oscars and seeeing Three Six Mafia on there and they'll be like "damn that hip-hop music is the devil", lol, there won't be so many older folks against hip-hop if it were more positive... It wouldn't be the thing for kids to call Will bubblegum if there were a lot more hip-hop artists out there like him dominating the game even if they did have a "parental advisory" sticker like for instance a Public Enemy or a Common, it's up to the new generation of artists coming along but I see that the ones who're inspired off of 50 Cent'll and Mike Jones'll probably make it in the game before someone like me who's inspired from JJFP and Chuck D will and the cycle'll continue

Kirby Puckett, 44, dies day after suffering stroke Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS -- Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett, the buoyant, barrel-shaped outfielder with the perpetual smile who led the Minnesota Twins to two World Series titles in a five-year span, died Monday at an Arizona hospital. Otto Greule/ALLSPORT In his 12-year career, Puckett won six Gold Gloves, the 1989 batting title and two championship rings. Puckett, whose weight gain in recent years had concerned friends and former teammates, died after suffering a stroke early Sunday at his home in Scottsdale, Ariz. He was 44. He's survived by his children, Catherine and Kirby Jr., and his ex-wife, Tonya. "This is a sad day for the Minnesota Twins, Major League Baseball and baseball fans everywhere," team owner Carl Pohlad said. Puckett died at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Scottsdale. The youngest of nine children born into poverty in a Chicago housing project, Puckett was drafted by the Twins in 1982 and became a regular just two years later. He got four hits in his first major-league start and finished with 2,304 in only 12 seasons before an eye problem cut short his career in 1996. Though his power numbers weren't exceptional -- 207 home runs and 1,085 RBI -- Puckett was voted into Cooperstown on the first ballot in 2001. His respect and enthusiasm for the game factored in as much as his .318 average, 1989 batting title, six Gold Gloves, 10 All-Star Game appearances and two championship rings. He made his mark on baseball's biggest stage, leading heavy underdog Minnesota to an unlikely seven-game victory over St. Louis in 1987 and then doing the same against Atlanta in one of the most thrilling Series in history in 1991. The Twins returned to the Metrodome that year after losing 14-5 in Game 5, needing to win two straight to get the trophy. Puckett famously walked into the clubhouse hours before Game 6, cajoling his teammates to jump on his back and let him carry them to victory. Sure enough, after robbing Ron Gant of an extra-base hit with a leaping catch against the wall in the third inning, Puckett homered off Charlie Leibrandt in the bottom of the 11th to force Game 7. "There are a lot of great players in this game, but only one Kirby," pitcher Rick Aguilera said when Puckett announced his retirement. "It was his character that meant more to his teammates. He brought a great feeling to the clubhouse, the plane, everywhere." His best year was 1988, when he batted .356 with 24 home runs, 42 doubles and 121 RBI. A contact hitter and stolen-base threat in the minors who hit only four homers in his first two major-league seasons, Puckett developed a power stroke in 1986 and went deep a career-best 31 times. He became a fixture in the third spot in Minnesota's lineup, a free-swinging center fielder with a strong arm and a flair for nifty catches despite a 5-foot-9, 220-pound frame that made him look more like a fullback. The man known simply as "Puck" was immensely popular. Fans loved his style, especially the high leg kick that preceded his swing. Public address announcer Bob Casey, who became a close friend, introduced him with vigor before every at-bat, "KIR-beeeeeeeeee PUCK-it." As free agency and expansion turned over rosters more frequently in the 1990s, Puckett was one of the rare stars who never switched teams. "I wore one uniform in my career and I'm proud to say that," Puckett once said. "As a kid growing up in Chicago, people thought I'd never do anything. I've always tried to play the game the right way. I thought I did pretty good with the talent that I have." Hit by a pitch that broke his jaw on his last at-bat of the 1995 season, Puckett woke up one morning the following spring and couldn't see out of his right eye. It was eventually diagnosed as glaucoma, forcing him to call it quits that July. He received baseball's Roberto Clemente Man of the Year Award for community service that year, and the Twins -- trying to boost sagging attendance during some lean seasons in the late 1990s -- frequently turned to Puckett-related promotions. He had a spot in the front office and sometimes made stops at the state capitol to help stump for a new stadium. Though he refused to talk pessimistically about the premature end of his career, Puckett's personal life began to deteriorate after that. Shortly after his induction to Cooperstown, his then-wife, Tonya, accused him of threatening to kill her during an argument -- he denied it -- and described to police a history of violence and infidelity. In 2003, he was cleared of all charges from an alleged sexual assault of a woman at a Twin Cities restaurant. He kept a low profile after the trial and eventually moved to Arizona. His relationship with the organization ended in 2002, but the Twins kept trying to re-establish a connection and get him to come to spring training again as a guest instructor. Puckett put on considerable weight, as well. "We were all concerned. We would tell him. But he enjoyed life. He enjoyed the size he was. That's who he was," said former Twins and current Chicago Cubs outfielder Jacque Jones, who never played with Puckett but was one of the many who considered him a mentor. Another Minnesota great, Tony Oliva, was concerned about Puckett's condition, too. "The last few times I saw him, he kept getting bigger and bigger and bigger," Oliva said Sunday after learning about the stroke. "And we worried about him." Funeral services were pending.

Well the thing is in the early days of hip-hop from the early 80s til the late 90s there wasn't really any "Parental Advisory" albums until NWA came along but there was still quite a bit of rappers like MC Hammer, Heavy D, JJFP, LL Cool J, KRS-ONE, Salt-N-Pepa, Tribe Called Quest, etc. who would have albums without "Parental Advisory" labels sell millions and then once Dr. Dre's "The Chronic" blew up really there weren't that many popular hip-hop albums without parental advisory stickers anymore 'cause labels made a lot of money off the negative images so they dropped all the positive artists, really this has a lot to do with the way record labels sign artists, they're looking for the next 2Pac imitator, like I said quite a few times before if Kel Spencer was a gangsta rapper that cursed a lot like 50 Cent he'd be selling millions right now but instead he's still trying to get on, there's a lot of positive mcs like Kel out there but they ain't gonna get signed 'cause of their image, and now with Three Six Mafia winning an Oscar I'd say it'll take years before we see more positive hip-hop get high on the charts, the industry is getting rich off of the pimp image and they don't want nothing clean to do well :paperbag: It seems that more rock fans are more open minded to listen to rock with "parental advisory" and rock without "parental advisory", they won't call clean/positive rock songs bubblegum, backpacker, or corny like rap fans seem to call clean/positive rap songs bubblegum, backpacker, or corny like we see them say about Will Smith and MC Hammer but it seems that rap fans are programmed to just like "parental advisory" rap, it all starts with the fans, if they keep on buying what labels give them, then there won't be a change anytime soon....

Yeah Three Six Mafia is basically an underground group that's a carbon copy of what we hear on the radio all the time so it wasn't any different than if they gave the award to 50 Cent or Mike Jones, if the Academy wants credability by having independent artists on there, that's not the way to go...

That's what makes it so bad that they won, a lot of people who ain't familar with hip-hop probably'll think that all hip-hop is trash after they hear that song, lol, btw Three 6 Mafia only wrote the song, Terrance Howard was the one who performed it in the movie so they're getting too much credit to Three 6 Mafia, well after seeing them win this I wouldn't be surprised if Bow Wow wins one next year, **** the Oscars....

:word: It's a sad day to be a hip-hop fan :shakehead:

Three 6 Mafia Win First Oscar; Make Hip-Hop History By Nolan Strong and Houston Williams Date: 3/6/2006 2:36 am An uncharacteristically exuberant Three 6 Mafia won an Oscar Award at The 78th Academy Awards last night (Mar. 5) in Los Angeles, California. The awards took place at the Kodak Theatre and were televised with a 5-second delay on the ABC network. Three 6 Mafia, made history as the first rap group to ever perform at the Academy Awards. The group also won an Oscar for Best Song, for "Its Hard Out Here For A Pimp," a tune they wrote and produced for the movie Hustle & Flow. Hustle & Flow star Terrence Howard originally recorded the song under the rap name D-Jay, but declined to perform it at the Academy Awards. Three 6 Mafia performed in their normal Hip-Hop garb, but the stage scene was set in the Memphis streets with actors and dancers sashaying as pimps and prostitutes across the stage. The performance also featured a cameo by actress Taraji P. Henson, who sang the hook on the original song and during the live performance. The group bested stiff competition in their field, beating out "In The Deep" from the movie Crash, which won Best film of the Year. Group members Jordan "Juicy J" Houston thanked Jesus, while Paul "DJ Paul" Bauregard "thanked everybody," including their mothers, distributor Select-O-Hits, the Academy, Ludacris, actor George Clooney and others. Darnell "Crunchy Black" Carlton and others were on stage as well. The crowd gave the Hip-Hop group a rousing round of applause and a few quips came from in the aftermath of the show. "You know what? I think it just got a little easier out here for a pimp," Stewart joked after the group accepted their award. "How come they are the most excited people here? They are thrilled. That's how you accept an Oscar.” "Martin Scorsese [the legendary filmmaker] zero Oscars - Three 6 Mafia, one!" Stewart joked. Later in the evening, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel cracked his own jokes on a special edition of his ABC late show. “I guess those guys are gonna melt the [Oscar] statues down and make [gold] teeth," he said. Hustle & Flow revolves around the life of a small-time Memphis, Tennessee pimp, who aspires to be a rapper amidst a mid-life crisis. Submit News!

I can't believe that trash song by 3-6 Mafia won, this is not a good look for hip-hop!! :ohdear:

Thanks for sharing that, nice to hear the Source show love to Will there, hopefully Will'll be getting some collabs on soundtracks as well...

JJFP/Big Will Boyz II Men LL Cool J Nas KRS-ONE Wyclef Jean Keith Sweat Mariah Carey Queen Latifah Naughty By Nature Many Many More...

Damn Kel's dropping new tracks at a constant pace, I'm gonna check these out later, btw did Kel get a record deal yet? I can't wait till he blows up in the music industry :pony:

Have a good birthday! :2thumbs:

Well if you say Hammer's a sellout then Kanye West is a sellout too 'cause he's supposed to have this gospel rap image but then he publicly says that he watches pornos and then turn around to say that he should be in the bible, back in the days he'd get dissed hard for acting like that, people actually used to care about image but not anymore, I might as well listen to Nelly instead of Kanye 'cause at least he don't front... That's more contradictory in my opinion than Hammer performing with Snoop, Kanye also collabs with a lot of hardcore rappers too so why doesn't he get flack for that? I see Kanye putting himself on this pedestal like he's the most righteous artist but I don't see it that way at all, he dumbs down and sounds ignorant a lot of times, he needs to stop acting like he's perfect, Hammer's not like that, his music has always had a message no matter who he's down with, "Funky Headhunter..." was a lil' less happier than his previous work 'cause he was simply responding back to all the haters and critics who were callin' him out, he put his feelings into the music but it was still positive like "Lost and Found" and that's what should mattered most and it's not like he's running to work with G Unit now like Mase who went from Paster Mase to Murder Mase, now that's the definition of selling out, Will said that he liked "The Chronic" album around the time he said "nine-trey everyone wants to be a gangsta buck-buck-buck but no more thanks to me" so I'm sure he'd do a track with Snoop and Dre around that time if they had time to do so, he had a track with Warren G that was supposed to be on the comeback "Big Willie Style" album that never came out, Will don't got beef with any artist either so that shouldn't make him a sellout, he could work with whoever he wants to as long as he keeps it positive.... I'm also sick of people saying that Will sells out by cursing in his movies when he's supposed to be this clean cut rapper, people need to leave Will and Hammer alone and start dissin' these egotisical rappers that're out now, I think a lot of the fans have sold out on Hammer and Will who have basically stayed true to themselves the fans were the ones who rode the gangsta rap bandwagon, and if Will's acting career didn't take off he'd be in the same situation as MC Hammer is at this point...