Hip Hop News

Let Darina live!

2007-01-11T15:11:00.000+01:00

BULGARIA
13th of January 2007 - remember that date. There will be a hip hop concert. The money we earn will be for Darina. Lets be humans and be part of that angel`s destiny. She deserves new life. The concert will be in Varna city (BULGARIA) - Maykovski city library (near County hospital). It will start at 6.00pm. One ticket costs 2BGN. Young rappers will show their skills.
Be there! Help Darina!

>>More Info About Darina and her condition http://www.save-darina.org/

Busta Rhymes turns himself in to New York police

2007-01-05T18:55:00.000+01:00

Busta Rhymes turned himself in to police on Wednesday in New York and was arrested and charged with misdemeanor third degree assault in connection with an alleged attack on his former driver.

The driver, whose name was not released by police, told authorities that Rhymes, 34, (born Trevor Smith) assaulted him outside a building in Lower Manhattan on December 26 during an argument over money, punching him in the face, according to New York Police Department Detective John Sweeney.

Rumors of Rhymes' imminent arrest had been building for a week, and his lawyer said the rapper planned to turn himself in when he returned from a Christmas-vacation trip outside the country. Upon his return, Rhymes appeared at a police station in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday with his attorney and was promptly arrested and booked. At press time, he was still incarcerated while waiting arraignment. Rhymes' attorney, Robert Kalina, could not be reached for comment, and a representative for his label declined comment on the incident.

It's the latest legal tangle for Rhymes, who was charged with assault in August following a performance at the AmsterJam show in New York, where he allegedly kicked a 19-year-old man in the head because the man spit on his car (see "Lawyer Claims Busta Rhymes Arrest Is 'Payback' "). He was also ticketed by police in November when they saw him talking on his cell phone while driving past a Manhattan police station. And in December, Rhymes was charged with a misdemeanor weapons count for a machete police said they found in his car during the August arrest.

Though officials did not release the name of the driver in the latest case, the New York Post earlier reported that his name is Eddie Hatchett, 39, who claimed in a complaint filed on December 27 that he visited Rhymes at his office on the evening of December 26 to request back pay he said he was owed by the rapper. When confronted by Hatchett, Rhymes allegedly became violent, the Post reported, punching the driver in the face several times and causing a laceration that required a trip to the hospital.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T12:28:00.000+01:00

Just wanted to wish Happy 2007 to everyone who reads my blog. Hope you like it. I'll try to make it even better in 2007. Enjoy people.

Little Bit of Interesting News (50 Cent and Ja Rule)

2006-12-30T10:37:00.000+01:00

50 gets Ticket in Harlem

50 Cent was pulled over by police in harlem yesterday, but this traffic stop went much more smoothly than the one he had earlier this year.

A crowd gathered as police ticketed 50 Cent, aka Curtis Jackson, for making a wrong turn.

Back in September, 50 Cent was pulled over in a Lamborghini in New York City for making an unsafe lane change, and was also cited for driving with an expired license. Looks like 50 caught a break this time.

Ja Rule Plays Santa in his Old Neighborhood

Ja Rule came home to his old neighborhood and brought toys and games for kids in Jamaica, Queens, yesterday.
"I'm trying to spread some holiday cheer, baby," said Ja Rule. "I came to play Santa today. This is my 'hood. This is where I'm from."

The recipients were students at the Amistad Early Childhood Education Center on 164th Place in Jamaica.

"It was wonderful," said second-grader Clyde Quallis, 7. "I'm so glad Ja Rule came to Amistad. I thank him very much for the present."

Ja Rule made the donation on behalf of LIFE Camp Inc., an organization he co-founded to improve the academic and social behavior of at-risk youth.

"I think it's very nice that he came to the community and that he didn't forget where he came from. I like that," said Ellis, a city education worker.

"It's wonderful that he, a celebrity, can inspire them to do good work," said Janilee Yanny, program director for Amistad.

"He does a lot of positive things, and people don't know that," Salt 'n Pepa member Cheryl (Salt) James said of Ja Rule.

Top 10 Hip-Hop/R&B Albums Of '06

2006-12-27T15:19:00.000+01:00

List by SOHH.com *

1. Nas - Hip-Hop Is Dead
2. Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor
3. Snoop Dogg - Tha Blue Carpet Treatment
4. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
5. The Game - Doctor's Advocate
6. Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds
7. T.I.- King
8. Ghostface Killah- Fishscale
9. Clipse - Hell Hath No Fury
10. Jay-Z - Kingdome Come

Billboard's List **

1. Mary J. Blige - The Breakthrough
2. Jamie Foxx - Unpredictable
3. T.I. - King
4. Ne-Yo - In My Own Words
5. Chris Brown - Chris Brown
6. Lil' Wayne - The Carter II
7. Mariah Carey -The Emancipation of Mimi
8. Beyonce - B'Day
9. Eminem - Curtain Call: The Hits
10. Keyshia Cole - The Way It Is

* SOHH's list was based on albums released from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006.
** Billboard's list, which was based on Neilsen's SoundScan, began on December 3, 2005 and ended on November 25, 2006.

Bishop Lamont Expected To Record With Eminem In New Year

2006-12-26T18:17:00.000+01:00

LA HIP-HOP POWER 106 FM:

Bishop Lamont has arranged for some studio sessions with Eminem in 2007 next month; expect some production from Eminem on Bishop Lamont's debut album "The Reformation".

New Wu-Tang album in 07

2006-12-22T22:02:00.000+01:00

SRC Records CEO Steve Rifkind recently announced that he has reunited with the Wu-Tang Clan for a new album.

Wu-Tang, who first came to prominence via Rifkind's now-defunct Loud Records, have not released a group album since 2001. During their six year hiatus, all nine members of the New York bred rap collective have released solo albums.

The group's most infamous member, ODB (born Russell Tyrone Jones), died in 2004 from an accidental overdose while recording his third solo project.

"I just got off the phone with Divine and RZA from Wu-Tang, we are coming back, we are joining forces for one album, coming up in 2007," said Rifkind via a video on his blog , thelabel.blog.com. "I don't know what the name of the album is but we are back, its official. Wu-Tang and Steve Rifkind are back together."

Rifkind is also credited for breaking rap acts like Mobb Deep, Big Pun and Xzibit, among others. His current SRC roster includes Akon, Remy Ma, Pharoahe Monch and Remy Ma.

10 Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2006

2006-12-21T20:07:00.000+01:00

By hhnlive.com

WINNER HIP-HOP ALBUM OF THE YEAR: The Game – The Doctor's Advocate

- Ghostface Killah - Fishscale
- Busta Rhymes – The Big Bang
- The Roots – Game Theory
- T.I. – King
- Jay-Z - Kingdom Come
- Young Jeezy – The Inspiration
- Snoop Dogg - The Blue Carpet Treatment
- Lupe Fiasco – Food & Liquor
- Nas- Hip-Hop Is Dead

Young Buck Interview

2006-12-21T00:19:00.000+01:00

Young Buck isn’t one to blend in with a group. The 25-year-old rapper’s Tennessee twang sticks out like a hitchhiker’s thumb among the New York City slang of his G Unit brethren, yet his lyrical prowess is about as Southern as Philly Cheese Steak.

Even Buck has a hard time labeling his style. “With me being a Southern artist the slang is there automatically,” says Young Buck. “When you put the lyrics with it, you get something that not even I can fucking describe.”

The Nashville native is not nearly as lost for words when speaking on his sophomore album, Buck The World. In fact, he only needs three: “It’s the shit,” says Buck. With production by the likes of Dr. Dre, Jazze Pha, Timbaland and Hi-Tek, Buck is poised to stand out once again, this time in a first quarter stuffed with high-profile rap releases.

Vibe.com chatted with Buck Marley about his beginnings in G Unit, the aftermath of the 2004 VIBE awards, and why some fans have hailed him the Tupac of the South.

Vibe.com: When you first met 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks, they were building up a buzz grinding out mixtapes. When you officially joined the clique did you realize that you would play a major role in something so big?

Young Buck: I didn’t know we would be this big. I was there in the middle of the grind; before 50 even signed with Dr. Dre and Eminem, I was on the outside. To see us grow now and everybody becoming their own fucking artist—I’m proud of everybody. I’m really proud of 50 for the opportunity that he gave me because that’s all I ever wanted from anybody. Even with Cash Money, all I ever wanted from them cats was an opportunity and to let the streets be the judge. 50 was the one who provided that for me, so I’m real thankful and real protective over my homeboy. If somebody chooses to push any kind of line, you know his beef is my beef, on the strength of the opportunity.

It seems like 50 had it planned all along for everything to work out the way it has.

Young Buck: Yeah, this ***** had a plan. And for me, it was just like trusting this ***** with what he’s telling me because I had been burned from that. *****s saying they’ll do this and that for you and then they don’t. That’s how I came up with the “Do It Myself” record.

So your second album, Buck The World, is set to drop early next year. Can you tell me a little bit about the album?

Young Buck: It’s the shit. The content of my album is pretty much based on reality. I base my music around the things that I’m going through in my life. So I’ve been going through situations such as the VIBE awards that the world knows about, and just freak shit that the world don’t know about. I feel like the only way people are going to be a true fan of your music as an artist is if they can pull something from one of these verses we put out and say either “I’m going through that, I know somebody going through that or I don’t want to go through that.” I make my music based around real life in order to get that. That’s why we know that 50’s been show nine times and Eminem got a daughter named Hallie, because they base their music around real life. It lasts longer.

How is it different from your solo debut, Straight Outta Cashville?

Young Buck: It’s totally different than that one. My first album, I feel like I was in a rushed position. I had a date for a solo album and I was really trying to meet it. And at the end of the day, we were on the Rock The Mic tour, so it was the process of getting off the stage, jumping on a studio bus and recording the album. This one, my comfort zone was more laid back. I had more time to create records and really take it there and really decide exactly what I wanted to do with this album. Lyrically, I think I totally stepped my game up. I got a lot of top-name producers from top to bottom, so that made it real easy for me as far as delivering my flows. You’re going to get more features out of this album than you have any G Unit record. And I put my features together on certain records so I could make room for a lot of my solo records.

It’s always seemed like you were more widely considered a G Unit artist from the South than a Southern rapper. Do you agree with that?

Young Buck: I think I’m more looked at as a Southern rapper more than just a G Unit artist. That’s why you see me featured on so many other artists’ records. It’s because they see me more or less as a Southern artist and they respect the brand of G Unit too. In the beginning, I think I was just a totally G Unit artist and now I’ve grown to be a Southern artist.

What’s your take on the snap movement?

Young Buck: I think it’s good. I believe in reinventing myself in the music and I believe in the reinvention of other artists in their music, but just staying the same people that they are. That’s what I do. Snap is something that’s brand new and it’s catchy and the kids like it. The whole dancing thing I think is cool but for me, I think reality rap, real life rap works best. I’ve always lived under the theory that dances get old. You don’t see nobody doing the fucking MC Hammer dance. The same way in snap—you’ll see it now and then after a while it’ll be gone. But the difference is you can always go get you a record like [Tupac’s] “Keep Your Head Up” or “Brenda’s Got A Baby,” which was played so many years ago, and hear that motherfucker every day and bang it. So I feel like that side of me would last longer and I focus more on reality rap than party shit. I do that too, I just don’t make that my focus point.

So it’s safe to say that we might see Young Buck snapping his fingers?

Young Buck: Hell nah. It ain’t safe to say no shit like that. I ain’t gon’ be snapping my fingers on shit. But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t say I wouldn’t, but I ain’t gon’ be snapping my fingers on my motherfucking album. [Laughs]

Some of your fans consider you the Tupac of the South. What kind of influence did 'Pac have on you?

Young Buck: A big one. I started to understand music through Tupac Shakur. I’m just 25 years old, I caught the Tupac and Biggie era, the Run DMC’s, the Kool Mo Dee’s, the NWA’s, I heard it. I started to understand through “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” “Keep Ya Head Up” and “If My Homie Calls.” He was the first artist that I was drawn to and really paid attention to. What I used to get most from Pac was the way that he delivered his message where he could give you the reality and hardship that came along with the street but then deliver you the record like “Keep Ya Head Up” and “Brenda’s Got A Baby.” And that’s a resemblance of my natural character because I’m a ***** that plays a part of this shit out here in these streets, so naturally the hard shit come along with me. You’re going to get that. But I can give you the other side of this shit too. I’m more or less thuggin’ with a conscious. And that’s what mixes it up and makes it all the way right.

Did you do anything to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Tupac’s death this year?

Young Buck: Yeah, I smoke a whole lot of weed every day. Every day is an anniversary for Tupac Shakur to me. The 10th anniversary this year, we had a big cookout in the projects and it was crazy. Brought a lot of meat, hung out, popped a few bottles of Patron, smoked and banged his music out of all the cars and shit. That’s my way of kicking it. Right now, as I’m sitting in my car on some real shit, he’s in the fucking CD player right now as we speak. It’s crazy that you even said some shit like that.

Earlier you mentioned the situation at the 2004 VIBE Awards. How did that incident impact you?

Young Buck: I was blessed to walk away from that. I think I walked away from that situation because I didn’t come in that building with that bullshit on my mind, thinking, “I’m fitting to come in here and start something.” I’m coming in there to win an award and check out some of these fine ass women running around. At the end of the day, shit happens though. You know what I’m saying? If I’m in a situation where I feel like my life’s in danger or my loved one’s life is in danger, I’m going to do anything to protect it. I was actually in the back watching the teleprompter when the shit jumped off. I saw it from the teleprompter. And then I came up to the front of the stage to see Dr. Dre tangled all up. The Don don’t have any business being tangled up with nobody. I’m like, ‘Nah man, let me handle that for you.’ Shit got fucked up but I tell everybody, if you ain’t got no money, don’t follow in my footsteps because that shit cost me a lot of money to be able to keep myself out here on these streets. I got a few years of probation (three years) out of it and a whole lot of hours of community service (80 hours) but I’m still here. At the end of the day, P.U.S.H.--Pray Until Something Happens.

Did you gain anything from the whole situation?

Young Buck: I think a lot of people feel like, “now he got Dr. Dre on his album because he jumped in and held Dr. Dre down.” That was kind of funny to me. But I was always a part of Dr. Dre’s shit before the shit popped off. I did some work with Dr. Dre on my first solo project and I worked with him on the G Unit Beg for Mercy project and I was already in plans to work with Dr. Dre on this project. I think that that’s a misconception that I can clear up real quick.
On a side note, I learned that you have to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Make sure everybody will ride for you the same way you’ll ride for them. I got a chance to see a lot of people that say that they’re down, not down and shit like that. But overall, I learned that sometimes it’s cool for me to lay back and let shit happen another way. But at the end of the day, like I said, if I feel in danger or somebody’s life is in danger, I’ma do whatever it takes.

What do you think makes G Unit like no other crew out there?

Young Buck: The real life issues, that makes us totally different. The Ja Rule situations and shit that come along with 50, that shit’s real life. There’s not many rap groups with known real-life issues out there next to G Unit. So that makes us stand out like a sore thumb in the middle of a motherfucking crowd. And then the success individually that’s come along with G Unit. My album went platinum, Banks went platinum and we know how many 50 Cent albums went platinum. I don’t care if Yayo’s album just went gold—he’s got a gold fucking plaque. We grow as artists and good music will always make its mark. At the end of the day, I feel like the whole theory of a label such as G Unit growing up and falling, you don’t ever have to expect to watch us fall—we’ve made too much fucking money in this shit. *****s got enough money to constantly keep trying. If we did fuck up, there’s enough money to heal the wound.

Would you like to say anything else?

Young Buck: Buck The World. Save the pennies and the ones, because this motherfucker’s set to blow up at any time with George Bush in office. Bet on that.

Producer J.R. Rotem Helping 50 Get Soul, Tossing Beats For Dr. Dre

2006-12-19T18:44:00.000+01:00

Producer J.R. Rotem says he doesn't party. Judging by the schedule he's keeping these days, he probably wouldn't have time for it anyway.

A few years ago, Rotem was your average Joe, sitting at home in his boxer shorts wondering if anybody would actually pay for his tracks one day. Now Rotem has everyone from the Game to Rick Ross to JoJo shelling out top dollar for his beats. He's working with two artists a day, with Britney Spears and 50 Cent being the biggest names on his roster.

"Within a 24-hour time period I was in with 50, then Britney," Rotem said. "Whoever I'm in the studio with, I try to bring the best out of them and let them bring the best out of me. I just try to make the best possible song."

Although he's very secretive when it comes to Spears (see "Britney's New Music Is 'The Next Level,' Producer Says") — including those recently leaked tabloid photos that allegedly captured the two locking lips — he opens up just a little bit about 50's music. Just as 50 told MTV News a few weeks ago, he says the leader of the G-Unit is indeed looking to soul music for inspiration.

"I just sat down with him and we went through tracks," Rotem said. "He's definitely into soulful stuff. He's at a level where he doesn't have to put an album out for money or anything — he's in it for the love of hip-hop. For the next album, he's trying to bring a very powerful new sound. He's an innovator. He puts out a sound and people will copy it. He wants to set a trend. At this point I can't give any more details, but it's definitely going to be a remarkable project."

This year alone, Rotem has worked with Rihanna ("S.O.S."), Rick Ross ("Push It") and the Game ("The Doctor's Advocate," "California Vacation"). His latest projects include new tracks by Jennifer Lopez, JoJo, Mya, Natasha Bedingfield, Ashley Tisdale and Jesse McCartney.

Oh yeah, he's also worked with Dr. Dre on the Detox album (see "Meet Super-Producer J.R. Rotem: The Man Game Calls 'The White Dr. Dre' ").

"He's gotten a few tracks from me for it, and I've heard vocals on some of my tracks," Rotem said. "But with Dr. Dre, he might record 100 tracks and choose his favorite 15 or something. I don't want to jump the gun and say I'm going to be on the album."

Rotem also just inked a deal with Epic Records for his new imprint, Beluga Heights.

"We sat down with everybody," the producer said of the courting process for his label. "I learned that when you get into business with somebody on an exclusive level, you need to really connect with the point people. In this situation, there was no contest as to who we connected to the most. It just felt right to go with them."

First on his roster is 16-year-old Miami rapper Sean Kingston.

"He's incredible," J.R. boasted of his protégé. "I'm giving him his own sound, his own identity. When I work with established people, there's already precedents to their sound, so I have to step it up some and give the J.R. twist to it. With Sean, I'm the one who's actually establishing his sound."

D12's Bizarre Slowly Moving Towards Acting

2006-12-17T18:29:00.000+01:00

In the mainstream world of rap, where chiseled artists like 50 Cent often go shirtless on their CD covers, it's fair to say persona, to an extent, is shaped by physique.

For Bizarre, the most rotund member of the popular Detroit rap group D12, his shape is his image. In some D12 videos, Bizarre, like his thinner musical counterparts, has no need for T-shirts. He wears his trademark shower cap and raps about all things absurd and obscene. He is the lighter side of rap -- pun very much intended.

``I've always been a class clown, a funny guy,'' Bizarre said during a phone interview last week from his home in Atlanta. ``I'm just being me in the rap form.''
Bizarre's form, in all its tattooed splendor, will be on display at 7 p.m. Friday at the Ground Sphere Rhythm Cafe, in Allegan.

Bizarre, 33, whose real name is Rufus Johnson, is putting the finishing touches on a new D12 album, which he said should be released sometime between March and May. And he runs his own label, Red House Records.

But Bizarre is expanding his career options to reach beyond rap.

He appeared as the ``basketball convict'' in the 2005 comedy ``The Longest Yard,'' starring comedians Adam Sandler and Chris Rock. He also was a contestant on the third season of VH1's reality show ``Celebrity Fit Club.'' The series invites overweight celebrities to shed pounds with help from health professionals like former Marine and personal trainer Harvey Walden.

``It was cool. Harvey's a cool guy,'' Bizarre said of the experience.
Since ``The Longest Yard'' and ``Celebrity Fit Club,'' Bizarre said, he has started taking acting lessons and trying to secure roles in comedy movies. He recently read for a part in ``Boulevard,'' am upcoming comedy to be directed by Robert Farquhar that follows a night in the life of Los Angeles teens cruising Crenshaw Boulevard. It is tentatively scheduled for release in 2008.

Bizarre said he's approaching the new career track ``slowly but surely.'' So far, memorizing several pages of dialogue has proved to be a bit more difficult than he realized.

``H--- yeah. It's way tougher. I have a lot of respect for actors,'' he said.
But Bizarre is not giving up rap. Since Eminem burst onto the pop charts in 1999 with his irreverent style, D12 has been able to benefit from his success. Originally formed in 1990, D12 picked up some mainstream success behind 2001's ``Devil's Night'' and 2004's ``D12 World.'' On June 28, 2005, Bizarre dropped his solo debut, ``Hannicap Circus.'' Last week, ``Eminem Presents: The Re-Up,'' a compilation CD featuring Shady Records artists, hit stores. Bizarre only rapped on one verse of one song of the disc.

But on his Web site, Bizarre posted a few new singles, including ``Roman Noodle Soup,'' a take-off on Young B and DJ Webstar's ``Chicken Noodle Soup.''
He raps:

``I can't afford no chicken noodle soup/
That's why I'm at home eatin' Corn Flakes and Fruit Loops/
I'm a big guy who hates all soup/
Eggs 'n' bacon like the fat kid from `Juice.'''

As for the new D12 album, the first since original member Proof was shot and killed in April, Bizarre commented, ``We took it up another level.'' Among the list of collaborators on the yet-to-be named CD are Three 6 Mafia, T.I. and producer Swizz Beatz, Bizarre said.

``I'm excited for this album because I think it's more up-tempo,'' Bizarre said. ``It's the kind of music you can get wild to in the club. I can just imagine performing the songs. I'm excited about performing them because they're so energetic.''

Snoop Dogg, Diddy Launch European Tour

2006-12-14T15:31:00.000+01:00

Snoop Dogg and Sean "Diddy" Combs have announced a major European concert tour, that will feature the former foes as co-headliners of the Snoop/Diddy Tour.

The 18-city tour kicks off March 12 in Oslo, Norway and wraps up with a performance at the Nottingham Arena in the United Kingdom in April. The rappers will visit numerous cities, including Germany, Switzerland, France, Denmark, Belgium, Holland and Ireland.

Diddy will perform selections from his latest album Press Play, while Snoop and his backing band The Snoopadelics, will hit the road in support of his latest album, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment.

The announcement marks Snoop's first major appearances in the United Kingdom, since the rapper was involved in an airport brawl in April in London's Heathrow Airport.

Snoop and an entourage of almost 30 people were en route from Los Angeles to Johannesburg, South Africa, to perform at a major festival, when certain members were denied entry into British Airways' first-class lounge.

A huge brawl ensued, resulting in seven officers being injured. As a result of the brawl, Snoop was banned from flying British Airways. T

he rapper was then allegedly banned by the UK's Home Office, because of his previous criminal record in the United States.

Any alleged ban on Snoop Dogg appearing in the United Kingdom has been lifted, as the tour calls for stops in London, Cardiff, Manchester, Glasgow and Nottingham.

Snoop and Diddy were one time rivals and central figures in a feud between Death Row Records and Bad Boy Entertainment. The bad blood between the two labels resulted in an "East coast/West coast" feud, which climaxed with the tragic, unsolved murders of Death Row rapper Tupac Shakur and Bad Boy artist The Notorious B.I.G.

Tour dates for the Diddy/Snoop Dogg European Tour are listed below:

MARCH
12 Oslo, Norway Spektrum
13 Copenhagen, Denmark The Forum
14 Berlin, Germany Max Schmelling Halle
15 Stuttgart, Germany Schleyerhalle
16 Hamburg, Germany Sporthalle
17 Frankfurt, Germany Festhalle
18 Munich, Germany Olympiahalle
19 Zurich, Switzerland Hallenstadion
21 Paris, France Bercy
22 Paris, France Bercy
23 Dusseldorf, Germany Philipshalle
24 Brussels, Belgium Forest National
25 Amsterdam, Holland Heineken Music Hall
27 London, UK Wembley Arena
28 Cardiff, UK Cardiff International Arena
29 Manchester, UK MEN Arena
30 Glasgow, UK SECC (Hall 4)
31 Dublin, Ireland The Point

APRIL
1 Dublin, Ireland The Point
2 Nottingham, UK Nottingham Arena

50 Cent Speaks About New Movie Home Of The Brave

2006-12-12T23:14:00.000+01:00

50 Cent's first outing in films wasn't exactly a successful one. Amidst poor reviews, many of them pointing at his ability as an actor, and only $30 million at the box-office it's safe to say Get Rich or Die Tryin' sort of died tryin'. With his second effort we meet a film called Home of the Brave, centering on the war in Iraq and what happens when the soldiers return home. 50's role as Jamal isn't an easy one, but it looks like he has made a few improvements in his acting and in talking to him it seems like he isn't about to give up as an actor.

What was it about this movie that made you really pursue it?

50 Cent: It was the action in it that I really wanted to be a part of and it was different than everything I had seen so far from a war perspective. A lot of war films are set during the war and that's it and this film is about re-entering society after the experience of war.

I actually enjoy war films. Prior to doing the research for my character I just watched the films that I had seen that had those types of action scenes in them as entertainment. It's after you start to do the research and you start to see people and images even more graphic than what you have seen in film. You start to have a different outlook on it.

And you were just really focused on the acting side of it, outside of the music…

50 Cent: Absolutely, that's why I didn't create the single for the soundtrack.

Talk about filming in Morocco and your experiences there.

50 Cent: Yeah, don't think because it sounds sexy that it is. Morocco, it's crazy man, we were in Iraq. You see the set, what it looked like in the film, that's what it looked like. Just going out there only required me to be there for about 11 days to shoot my portion of the action and the war scenes. It was cool, I fasted while I was out there because their food standards are a little bit different.

How about filming in Spokane?

50 Cent: After I left from there I went home for about a week and then they called me to Spokane, Washington. Have any of you been to Spokane, Washington before? Try not to ever go to Spokane, Washington. It was so quiet, when they would say "cut" you just wanna say, "Wait, can we just try that one more time?" Because it's only like six o'clock and we were going to be there and I am going to go back to the hotel and do nothing until it's time to come back here. It worked out though, it gave me plenty of time to be focused on everything else that I had to do.

Irwin Winkler wasn't keen to cast you at first, what was it that you did to impress him?

50 Cent: I threatened him. [smiling] No, I'm just kidding… People have a perception of me based on the aggressive content of my music, but that is a reflection of the environment I grew up in and not all that I am. Coming up where I am from I have to be two people, aggressive enough to get by in my neighborhood and I had to be my grandmother's baby.

Your character seemed a little more aggressive when he got home, was that a conscious thing on your part?

50 Cent: Absolutely, that was just choices that I made. When you build so much anticipation toward getting home, Jamal he was looking forward to being back with Keisha, then when he gets home nothing's right after the experience. Everything is not happening on his time, whether it's his discharge, the girl wouldn't talk to him, eight weeks and wouldn't kiss him. He's got issues and he is feeling like it is from the actual experience of the war.

They tell you that it's a legitimate kill, but you are still a human being killing another human being. Some people don't adjust to that very well. I have had the opportunity to perform in front of the soldiers in Iraq and I'm sure the people that I met there weren't the people that their loved ones missed back here. I believe a spirit changes with that much death around you. If you start in a platoon of 50 people and then the platoon is 47, and then the platoon is 30 and then the room is filled up again. Majority of them have death notes that they wrote to the people when they die, because they have to be conscious that any one of these days I could not come back in here.

I think that changes your entire perspective on everything.

After everything Sam Jackson said in the past did you know he was in this movie when you went after the part?

50 Cent: Yeah, Sam said he wouldn't do a film with a rapper. I don't think he meant he wouldn't do a film with Will Smith, who's a rapper, or Queen Latifah, who's a rapper, or Ice Cube, who's a rapper. Initially what I thought when I heard that was he meant he didn't want to do a film under a rapper. A film that's based on my life story couldn't possibly be a film starring Samuel Jackson and 50 Cent. It had to be 50 Cent and Samuel Jackson. He works hard to get where he is and from the perspective that he is speaking you have to understand it, you've got people who bring a lot of work, consider themselves an actor since they were little kids, went to school for it forever and they see someone with an opportunity because of the interest generated through music it absolutely makes sense to give them a shot on screen.

What was the reason to use your real name instead of just 50 Cent in association with the movie?

50 Cent: Yeah, I think when people see 50 Cent they directly associate it to the music and the aggressive content of the music. They may be disappointed when they see my character and he doesn't have that same aggressive edge that they're familiar with from the music. So I told them to put 50 Cent in the middle so they would know it was me still… [laughing]

Did you have the opportunity to speak with people that had similar experiences to you in the war?

50 Cent: I haven't had the opportunity to speak with people directly that have lost their minds from the experience of the war. I mean my character actually gets killed in a hostage situation so it would be difficult to find people who have already done that. I did get a chance to speak with people that were in war before.

What were the differences and similarities in the lives you came in contact with compared to yours?

50 Cent: There was some shootin' going on in both of them, but they definitely dealing with bullets that are a lot bigger over there than those little 9mm bullets. It's a whole other thing. The things that I have physically endured are minimized by what they have to go through. Even the mental process of what happens if you're there and you don't want to be there anymore? Like you are in jail, you're there now. It's the same, you don't wanna fight, but you got to. If you're blessed and one of the lucky ones that do make it back you've got to fit in with everyone, that was just a television show to them. Because we're not at war here. When you see war in the news you flip from it to the thing that you actually want to see. We don't stop because it is on CNN right now.

Do you think hip hop should play a larger role in speaking out about the war?

50 Cent: You can't say hip hop in general because it is more than just hip hop as a genre of music that has a responsibility to be a part of it. When I travel, music has taken me all over the world, I get a chance to see how different news is broadcast in different areas and it makes me feel like even news is entertainment instead of the condition of the minds in the public. So in the U.S. they'll give us a certain picture of the U.S. and then when you get outside of the country you see the craziest stuff, the craziest things… unbelievable what their perception is of the U.S.

Since Get Rich or Die Tryin' what have been some of the scripts that you've read and want to pursue?

50 Cent: This film called New Orleans [now titled Microwave Park] is my next project, me and Robert De Niro and following that it was a screenplay called The Dance, which is myself and Nicolas Cage and I play a fighter in an Angola State Prison he plays a founder of the boxing program in it.

News About Dr. Dre's Detox Album

2006-12-10T23:59:00.000+01:00

The video for the first single from Dr. Dre will feature a guest and will be filmed in late May 2007. The video will premiere on various stations in late June 2007. The album will be released on September 25, 2007, so Dr. Dre's album can be sent in for Grammy nominations. The album is confirmed to be almost a full 80 minute album featuring guests on basically every track. Eminem and 50 Cent are the only confirmed artist to be featured on the album. It has been confirmed a while back that Diddy and Jay-Z have both done vocals made for Detox, but it is not known if they will make the final cut. Dre had told Diddy previously that at least one of the two tracks he recorded would be the album. The album is set to be co-produced by Scott Storch who has announced that Snoop Dogg, Lloyd Banks, and Bishop Lamont have also recorded vocals. Other people working on the album "Detox" consist of Mike Elizondo and Dawayn Parker.

New 50 Cent Movie Brings Money Into New Orleans

2006-12-10T10:43:00.000+01:00

The production of various movies in the city of New Orleans, including the upcoming shooting of the police thriller New Orleans starring 50 Cent and Robert Deniro, has reportedly boosted economic development in the area.

According to The Shreveport Times, numerous production companies are filming in New Orleans to take advantage of The Louisiana Motion Picture Incentive Act, which offers a 25 percent tax break on goods and services bought in the state.

The act, which was enacted in 2002, has made Louisiana one of the most cost-effective places in the United States and Canada for movie and TV production.

Millennium Films, the company producing New Orleans, will shoot two other movies in the Shreveport area and recently wrapped up production on the action / comedy Homeland Security.

"The tax credit is a very good benefit for us," Michael Flannigan, an executive producer with New Orleans told The Times. "Since we had already scouted Homeland Security and set up offices there, we felt that we could do these shows back to back."

As ShadyBlock.com previously reported, New Orleans will center on a veteran police man, played by Deniro, who believes his partner died during the storm, but later learns he was shot and killed. After being assigned a new partner (50 Cent), the duo delve into the shooting investigation, which leads them deeper into the realm of crooked police.

"It's a good cop, bad cop story set in the aftermath of Katrina," explained Flannigan. Production on New Orleans will begin on January 11 and will last about six to seven weeks, but he does not know where filming will begin.

In related news, 50 and Samuel L Jackson recently wrapped work on the war drama Home of the Brave. Set to open nation wide on December 15, the movie centers on three soldiers who struggle to readapt to everyday life following a long tour in Iraq. Jessica Biel (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Eva Mendes (Hitch) and Christina Ricci (Monster) also star in the film.

Usher Hard At Work On New Album

2006-12-09T00:04:00.000+01:00

"It's about time for me to get back in and put my 10 cents in it!"

Usher says his long layoff from making records is over: The singer is back in the studio and expects to have a single and album out by the middle of next year.

"I feel it's about time for me to come out with an album," he said via phone from Atlanta on Tuesday. "I'm not extremely enthused about where music has gone. I say that coming from listening to artists like Stevie Wonder, Prince, Michael Jackson — those great artists and iconic musicians. I feel music is at a standstill."

Usher says he does like what Justin Timberlake and John Legend are doing right now, and that Robin Thicke has released the album of the year with The Evolution of Robin Thicke. Thicke is one of the collaborators on Usher's upcoming opus.

"His album is banging, but also as a producer and writer, he's amazing," the singer said of his friend. "We've been able to get to a point where we can work very easily together. I'll give him an idea and he'll understand exactly what wavelength I'm on."

Jermaine Dupri and the production teams of Dre and Vidal and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are all scheduled to collaborate on the record — as is Jay-Z. Usher, who appears on the Pharrell-helmed "Anything" from Jay's Kingdom Come LP, said he and Hova did a trade-off.

"Jay-Z came to me with the record," Usher recalled. "He said, 'This is one I don't want you to miss out on.' We had been talking for years about doing a record, and as a result of this, we're going to work again on my album. So look out for that next step, but it's a hot one on his album."

Usher has been called many things over the years, but he emphasized that "James Brown" will not be one of them — at least not at the moment. He said reports that he has signed on to play the Godfather of Soul in an upcoming biopic are untrue.

"That was a press release that was put out. I haven't been signed on to play James Brown, but it would be an honor to be considered for the role," he said.

Other projects on his plate are opening up some restaurants around the country, developing a fragrance, promoting his protégés — the R&B group One Chance, who are signed to his Us Records label and have their debut album on tap for early next year — and delving further into helping the Gulf Coast recover from Hurricane Katrina. His charity foundation, New Look, has started an initiative called Our Block for which the group is helping to rebuild and revitalize city blocks in New Orleans, one street at a time .

To help with the funding of the project, he's teamed with Armani Exchange to create "Love 4 Life" dog tags. These dog tags are available at Armani Exchange stores and on the company's Web site (which can be accessed through New Look: www.ushersnewlook.org), and 100 percent of the proceeds go to the Our Block effort.

"I don't have all the answers but I am trying my hardest to come up with a solution," he said.

Eminem Presents The Re-Up is Out

2006-12-05T21:56:00.000+01:00

The Re-Up album is out today. The album has 22 songs including one Eminem, 2 songs with Eminem and 50 Cent, 3 Stat Quo songs, several Ca$his and Bobby Creekwater songs. Album also features Obie Trice and D12. There are also several remixes on the album including Smack That and Shake That remix. Buy The Re-Up and check out new Shady artists.

Bishop Lamont News

2006-12-03T16:48:00.000+01:00

Bishop Lamont has been hard at work lately. He's been in the studio night and day recording music in preperation for an explosive 2007 for Aftermath. Bishop's debut "The Reformation" is currently scheduled for Summer of next year, with Dr. Dre's "DETOX" following in the Fall.

In the meantime, fans can expect to hear Bishop on the mixtape "Nigga Noize", hosted by DJ Skee. That mix-tape, in addition to a mix-tape called "The Pope-Mobile" will probably hit the streets by Spring of next year.

Bishop will soon be hitting the studio with Chris Martin from Coldplay and some other respected Urban artists. No guest artists have officially been confirmed, but planned sessions with Eminem and 50 Cent are in order. Production on the anticipated LP is expected to come from Dr. Dre, Battlecat, DJ Premier, The RZA, Pete Rock and others.

Suge Knight Responds To Snoop Dogg's 'Rolling Stone' Comments

2006-12-01T14:28:00.000+01:00

Death Row Records cofounder Marion "Suge" Knight has responded to comments rapper Snoop Dogg made in a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine.

Snoop Dogg is featured on the cover of the December 1 issue, which contains an in-depth interview with the rapper, who touches on his career, his time spent as an actual pimp and his infamous feud with Knight.

"I felt like challenging him would either expose his whole card or I would have to kill the n***a. And I was ready to do it. That's where I was with it. So when he got out of jail, I'm f****n' with him," Snoop told Rolling Stone. "Never was afraid of him. I was afraid I was gonna have to kill him. That's what I was afraid of."

Knight responded to Snoop Dogg's comments in today's (Nov. 30). New York Post.

"I don't have to go around and convince people I'm tough," Knight told the Post's Page Six column. "The only being I fear is God. Snoop has never been in a real fight. When there's trouble, he runs to the police. He throws up and starts crying."

The two have been at odds since Death Row cofounder Dr. Dre left the label after growing disillusioned with Knight.

The situation grew worse when Snoop left Death Row for Master P.'s No Limit Records.

Knight also commented on Snoop's recent string of arrests, which include incidents at three separate airports and an arrest Tuesday (Nov. 28) that have resulted include gun, weapons and drug charges.

"Snoop is a rat. He's a police informer," Knight claimed. "This is the only guy who never goes to jail no matter what. I don't like rats."

G-Unit Records - New Albums Info

2006-11-29T16:34:00.000+01:00

Young Buck - Buck The World

Buck The World is the sophomore album from G-Unit rapper Young Buck that is slated to release in February 2007.
Guests will include G-Unit, Snoop Dogg, Young Jeezy, T.I., Trick Daddy, B.G.,Bun B, Pimp C, 8 Ball & MJG, Eminem, D-Tay, C-Bo, Lil Scrappy, Project Pat, Prodigy, Jazze Pha, Trey Songz, Lyfe Jennings, and Nate Dogg.
The first "street" single was Do It Myself and is produced by the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League. The first official single is I Know You Want Me featuring Jazze Pha. The song made its debut September 20, 2006. The second single is 4 Kings featuring T.I., Young Jeezy & Pimp C, and is produced by Jazze Pha.
There will be 18 tracks on the album, and Dr. Dre has produced 3 of them, with other production from Akon, Hi-Tek, Timbaland, Lil Jon, Focus, Jonathan Rotem and Eminem.

Young Hot Rod - Fastlane

Fast Lane is the debut album of G-Unit rapper Young Hot Rod. The album already has leaked 4 songs. The first single released was "Be Easy" Featuring Mary J. Blige. The record was produced by Aftermath CEO/Producer/Rapper Dr. Dre. Be Easy made its debut on 106 & Park on September 29, 2006 The second single of the album is going to be Chase Da Cat featuring 50 Cent. Another released song is "Work It Out" featuring G-Unit labelmate Lloyd Banks. Another track produced by Beanz titled Fast Lane was leaked from the album. A track called "I Got Hoes" feat. 50 Cent can be heard on his offical Myspace.

Olivia - Second Chance

Second Chance is the name of Olivia's sophmore album, and her long awaited first G-Unit release. It was originally called "Behind Closed Doors", but the name was changed in order to start the album over. It will feature all new singles. The first single has yet to be determined. The previous singles, such as "Twist It" are believed to not be on the album. Sources say the whole album is being remade, starting with the name. It is expected to be released in late 2007 or possibly 2008. Guest appearances will include 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, Young Buck, and the rest of G-Unit.

Freeway - Free At Last
Free at Last is the sophomore album from rapper Freeway. It will executive produced by Jay-Z and 50 Cent and as a result will be release on Roc-A-Fella Records / Def Jam. It features production from Just Blaze, Lil' Jon, Kanye West, Chad Wes, Scott Storch, Dangerous LLC and Needlz. Guests will include Chad Wes Hamilton, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Beanie Sigel, Black Thought, Nate Dogg, Scarface, Peedi Crakk, Young Buck, Lil Scrappy and others. The first single off the album is the Scott Storch produced song "Where You Been".

Spider Loc - The West Kept Secret

The West Kept Secret is the expected name of the debut album from Spider Loc.

It was originally to be released in late 2005 or first quarter 2006 "at the latest.". In an April 2005 interview, the artist stated he was "trying to get it out 4th Quarter, but realistically, 1st Quarter might be more probable", meaning the beginning of 2006. In a January 2006 interview, Spider Loc said, "I still don't have a release date, tentatively for the end of the summer. Who knows? I don't know. I ain't really tripping..." As of now, there is no release date. On his latest mixtape, he shouts "The West Kept Secret coming soon" in many of his songs. He will also have a track with Aftermath's Bishop Lamont, about their roots as rappers in the west.

The hypothetical album is to feature producers such as Sha Money XL, and Hi-Tek.
M.O.P. – Yearly Physical

Yearly Physical will be M.O.P's first album on G-Unit Records. Guests will include Young Buck, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Lil Scrappy, Bun B, Chamillionaire, Busta Rhymes, Swizz Beatz, D-Tay, Mobb Deep, and Madball. The first single will be called "Murder Rate".

Prodigy (Mobb Deep) – The Return Of The Mac

The Return Of The Mac is believe to be the name of Mobb Deep rapper Prodigy sophmore album, but it is also rumored to be his next mixtape. Not much is known about the album except the 1st single is Mac 10 Handel. The music video is available in Youtube and such. The album is expected to be released in either Nov. 29th, 2007. Not much is known about the guest appearence, but is expected to be featuring the other Mobb Deep rapper Havoc, most of G-Unit including 50 Cent, it is also expected to feature The Infamous Records family such as Nyce, Gail Gotti, and 40 Glocc, the album will probably feature many more guest appearances as well, such as B.G. Nate Dogg, Sean Paul, and UGK. Producers on the other hand are expected to include Havoc, Alchemist, The Neptunes, Sha Money XL, Jonathan Rotem, and many more.

G Unit – Locked & Loaded
Locked & Loaded is G-Unit's second group album has announced to be released in the 2nd quarter of 2007. The album will mainly feature the core of G-Unit, which consists of 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, and Tony Yayo.

Tony Yayo – T.O.N.Y. (Talk Of New York)

T.O.N.Y. is the sophomore album by G-Unit member Tony Yayo. It is due out between December 2006 and March 2007. The album will feature guests such as 50 Cent, Young Buck, Lloyd Banks, Snoop Dogg, Mobb Deep, D12's Mr. Porter and more. Producers confirmed are Cool & Dre, Dr. Dre, Hi-Tek, Alchemist, Sha Money XL, and more. On Nov. 8th 2006 Tony Yayo sent out a Myspace bulletin announcing the tracklist, though he mentioned that a few tracks may be removed due to label issues and that Nelly Furtado's verse will most likely be removed. He said to expect the album before Feb. 2007.
The album is said to be more diverse than his earlier works. It is expected to mark a rebirth for G-Unit in terms of their commercial ventures.

New Tupac Video Has T.I., Ashanti & Unseen Footage

2006-11-28T17:18:00.000+01:00

Over the past decade, Tupac Shakur's fans have wondered what the rapper would be doing if he were alive today. During the filming of a video for Shakur's posthumous single "Pac's Life" in Atlanta early this month, his family and friends had their answers.

Some say he would probably be the most prolific rapper today; some say he would have given up the mic altogether and gotten into politics; others say Tupac Shakur the author would have been a sure bet.

"I think 'Pac is limitless [with] movies, poetry, writing, rapping," Ashanti, who sings the hook on the song, said in her trailer in between shooting. "He probably would have developed another route for all of us. I think he would be versatile in anything and everything."

Also on "Pac's Life" is none other than the King of the South, T.I. The project was particularly special to him: Not only is 'Pac one of his favorite MCs, but the shoot took place in Tip's backyard, at ATL's Tupac Shakur Center.

"I heard it's some of his best work," Tip said of Pac's new LP, the just-released Pac's Life. "I was blessed to record the single. It's an honor and pleasure to be involved with such a monumental artist. If you grew up in the '70s, you grew up listening to James Brown and Marvin Gaye. This is my Marvin Gaye and my James Brown.

"If you gonna represent the urban community in a positive light as well as reflecting all the negatives instances, I think you gotta start with 'Pac," he added.

The video was directed by Gobi Rahmi, who worked with Tupac in the past. "The concept of the video is what 'Pac's mom wanted: using this organic environment to kinda do homage to her son," said Rahmi, standing in the middle of the trees and grass of the Shakur Center. "We created this unique environment in which people are traveling to this central area, which is the statue and the fountain to [the trees], which is the climax of the video. Throughout the video, we've got performances of T.I. and Ashanti, and we're gonna see some never-before-seen footage of 'Pac I shot myself."

"Pac's Life" will air on Tuesday's "TRL."

Eminem Presents The Re-Up

2006-11-27T15:41:00.000+01:00

Eminem has assembled his Shady Records roster — 50 Cent (who throws another jab at the Game on the title track, a duet with Slim Shady), D12 (Em's deceased best friend Proof has a solo cut on here as well), Obie Trice, producer/ DJ / part-time MC Alchemist and the newcomers to the family: Cook County, Michigan-born Ca$his and ATL's Bobby Creekwater and Stat Quo.

"The Re-Up joint, we're kinda putting out a mixtape and doing it as an album," Trice explained. "It's kinda like a compilation/mixtape, it's something different for hip-hop. You get to see the whole Shady roster showcase they skill. I'm looking forward to it on [December] 5th."

Look for a revitalized Em to stand out on the solo cuts "No Apologies" and "Public Enemy #1" while the rest of the gang drop solo tracks and collaborate on group efforts as well. Here is some scoop on Em's crew, told by, well, Em's crew.

Joints To Check For:

"Pistol Pistol" remix by Obie Trice. "The remix was recorded like I did 'Cry Now' and a few other joints after I was shot on New Year's Eve of last year," Obie said. "I felt like I wanted to vent. D12 was in the studio with me. Proof was there. They was letting me go for it. I was doing my thing. I just wanted to express myself. You feel like you been repping your city for the longest and this is the muthaf---in' thanks I get? It's a lot of haterism going on here, 'cause there ain't that many stars here in Detroit. So you see me or Proof at the time, it's a love/hate type of situation. If you're having a bad day and don't feel like being bothered, some people get offended."

"Everything Is Shady" by Ca$his. "I did that record the day after Proof's funeral. I was feeling like I was listening to how everybody was saying our camp was puttin' out flops," Cashis recalled. "I talked with Em and Obie and Creek, I don't like that bullsh--, so I made a record expressing how we felt. Like the hook say, 'We took a break for a minute, now we bangin'/ We been listening to every thing you been sayin'/ And now we comin' for everybody who been hatin'." I sent it to Eminem and he was feelin' it."

"There He Is" by Bobby Creekwater. "Yeah man, I hooked up with Alchemist," Bobby Creek said. "We was at his spot in New York. That particular beat hit me. I caught the hip-hop Holy Ghost for a minute. I had to stop for a minute and pick up the pen and pad. I vibed out. It turned out be a great cut."

50 Cent Gets Soulful On New Album

2006-11-26T00:54:00.000+01:00

Rapper 50 Cent plans to show off his soulful skills on his third album "Before I Self Destruct" after falling in love with Motown classics. The In Da Club hitmaker - real name Curtis Jackson - is planning to shock fans next spring (07) with his new sound. He says, "I want the music to sound like something I haven't done before so I needed to change the guys I worked with on the last project. "On my last album I stuck with what people have expected from me already but now I feel more comfortable to do something else. I've been listening to a lot of Motown stuff - Smokey Robinson - a lot of older music, so I got a lot of soulful loops. "I took material from some old, old records and recreated them."

Rumors are surfacing that 50's third album may be his last as a solo artist. The rumors continue that the LP may be released as a double-album (which may very well complete his 4-disc contract with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Ent. and Eminem's Shady Records).

Eminem Wins American Music Award

2006-11-24T22:42:00.000+01:00

Eminem was one of the winners at the 2006 American Music Awards on Tuesday. He was favourite male rap/hip-hop artist.

Nas - Hip Hop is Dead Tracklist

2006-11-24T10:04:00.000+01:00

1. "QB Tru G's" (featuring The Game) (Produced by Dr. Dre)
2. "Won't Go Back"
3. "You Mean the World to Me"
4. "Where Y'all At" (Produced by Salaam Remi)
5. "Play on Playa" (featuring Snoop Dogg) (Produced by Scott Storch)
6. "Carry on Tradition" (Produced By Scott Storch)
7. "Black Republican" (featuring Jay-Z) (Produced By L.E.S.)
8. "Still Dreamin'" (featuring Kanye West) (Produced by Kanye West)
9. "White Man's Paper (War)" (featuring Damien Marley) (Produced by Afrikan)
10. "Blunt Ashes" (Produced by Chris Webber)
11. "Hip Hop Is Dead" (featuring will.i.am) (Produced by will.i.am)
12. "Where are They Now?" (Produced by Nas & Salaam Remi)
13. "Let There Be Light" (featuring Tre Williams) (Produced by Kanye West)
14. "Can't Forget About You" (featuring Chrisette Michelle) (Produced by will.i.am)

The Game's First Week Sales

2006-11-22T10:01:00.000+01:00

The Game's "Doctors Advocate" tops the HITS chart this week with almost 380k in sales, which was still more than 200k less than his first album.
That was enough to beat back the challenge for Senegal-turned-New Jersey rapper Akon, who rides two smash singles with Eminem and Snoop Dogg to a #2 debut with more than 286k in sales for his Konvicted album.
Next week’s releases, among others, are new Jay-Z's album, Snoop Dogg's "The Blue Carpet Treatment", and 2Pac's new album.

Eminem Presents The Re-Up - More Info

2006-11-21T09:12:00.000+01:00

It first began as a street mixtape project--an underground, unofficial CD with raw production values--designed to help launch new Shady Records artists Stat Quo, Ca$his and Bobby Creekwater. "But what happened is that the material was so good and the tracks were getting produced like a regular album," said Eminem. "Instead of putting it out there rough and unfinished, I thought we should add some other new tracks, make it a real album, and put it in the record stores to give these new artists a real boost." The album was executive produced by Eminem, who also produced the majority of the songs. A handful of ********** were produced by The Alchemist, who also compiled the album in true mixtape fashion. The Alchemist is best known for his work with Cypress Hill, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Mobb Deep, and Jadakiss. Each of the tracks makes its official CD debut on Eminem Presents: The Re-Up, though Stat Quo's "Billion Bucks," and Obie Trice's "Cry Now" (Remix), produced by LT Moe, was recently released on mixtapes and to radio. The first single and video will be "You Don't Know" from Eminem, 50 Cent, Ca$his and Lloyd Banks. With Eminem and Ca$his from the Shady camp and 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks from G-Unit, the rap illustrates the unity of the two organizations.

The Re-Up also gave acclaimed hip-hop producer The Alchemist a chance to work with Shady's new regime. After joining forces on-stage as Eminem's DJ on last year's Anger Management 3 tour, Alchemist and the Shady camp began collaborating in the studio. This new album features the results of this anticipated collaboration with new tracks produced by The Alchemist featuring Stat Quo, Ca$his, Bobby Creekwater and Obie Trice.

Among the album's other recordings are "No Apologies" from Eminem; "Talkin' All That" from Ca$his; "City Of Gold" from Bobby Creekwater; "Murder" from Bizarre and Kuniva (both of D12); and The "Smack That (Remix)" with Akon.

Stat Quo, hailing from Atlanta, was signed to a joint deal between Shady Records and Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment after Eminem and Dre heard him on the Underground Atlanta mixtape series. Creekwater, also from Atlanta, was inked after Eminem heard his work on demos and in the studio with The Alchemist. Ca$his, a Chicago native transplanted in his youth to Orange Co., California, was a member of West Coast underground favorites The Renegadez.

Rampant misinformation about Eminem Presents: The Re-Up included many false internet tracklistings and that the mixtape would be a tribute to D12's Proof, the recently slain rapper and close friend of Eminem. "The D12 album and those unreleased songs with Proof are coming," said Eminem. "But The Re-Up is about these new artists and these new songs. It isn't fair to them or to the memory of Proof to mix them up."

EMINEM: NEW D12 ALBUM IS COMING

2006-11-20T22:50:00.000+01:00

Eminem said that a new D12 album is coming, featuring tracks recorded with member Proof before his death.

The next release for Eminem is a compilation set for an early December release called 'The Re-Up' where he presents new artists like Stat Quo, Ca$his and Bobby Creekwater.

In other Eminem news: He's back at top of the UK singles chart after his "Smack That" collaboration with Akon.

Eminem Presents The Re-Up Tracklist

2006-11-19T18:21:00.000+01:00

1. Shady Narcotics - Eminem Intro
2. We're Back - Eminem, Obie Trice, Stat Quo, Bobby Creekwater & Cashis
3. Pistol Pistol (Remix) - Obie Trice
4. Murder - Bizarre & Kuniva of D-12
5. Everything Is Shady - Cashis
6. The Re-Up - Eminem & 50 Cent
7. You Don't Know - 50 Cent, Eminem, Cashis & Lloyd Banks
8. Jimmy Crack Corn - Eminem & 50 Cent
9. Trapped - Proof of D-12
10. Whatever You Want - Swifty Mc Vay & Mr. Porter of D-12
11. Talkin' All That - Cashis
12. By My Side - Stat Quo
13. We Ride For Shady - Obie Trice & Cashis
14. There He Is - Bobby Creekwater
15. Tryin' Ta Win - Stat Quo
16. Smack That (Remix) - Akon featuring Stat Quo & Bobby Creekwater
17. Public Enemy #1 - Eminem
18. Get Low - Stat Quo
19. Ski Mask Way (Eminem Remix) - 50 Cent
20. Shake That (Remix) - Nate Dogg, Eminem, Obie Trice & Bobby Creekwater
21. Cry Now (Shady Remix) - Obie Trice, Kuniva, Bobby Creekwater, Cashis & Stat Quo
22. No Apologies - Eminem

Kanye West Named World's Best Hip-Hop Artist At World Music Awards

2006-11-17T19:15:00.000+01:00

The World Music Awards took place in London for the first time last night.

The evening, which paid special tribute to Michael Jackson, was billed as a come back event for the world's biggest pop star, but the evening turned out to be a case of more hype than action.

Hundreds of fans waited for hours outside Earls Court arena in West London to get a glimpse of the 'King of Pop.'

Fans were left disappointed after Jackson failed to greet them when he arrived at the venue, resulting in angry jeers from the crowd.

The show was opened by Beyonce Knowles, who performed a mix of her hit singles "Ring the Alarm" and "Deja Vu," which was arguably the best performance of the night.

During the night, Beyonce also won the award for Best International Female, which was presented to her by Fashion Icon and fragrance partner, Tommy Hilfiger.

Other winners included Kanye West, who was named World's Best Hip-Hop Artist, besting the likes of TI, Busta Rhymes and Chamillionaire, who was incorrectly announced as "Shamillionaire."

The World's Best Pop Artist was given to Madonna and the World's Best Pop/Rock Artist went to Nelly Furtado.

Organizers had announced that Michael Jackson would perform his hit single "Thriller," but Jackson claimed this was a "misunderstanding."

Instead, R&B singer Chris Brown performed the legendary 1983 hit single.

Jackson was recognized for selling over 100 million albums worldwide with a Diamond Award, which was presented by Beyonce.

"He's made such a big impact on my life and on every performer's life," Beyonce said. "Michael Jackson, we love you. Congratulations to the King".

During an emotional speech, Jackson thanked his friends, family and fans.

"I'm greatly humbled by this award. It was my dream that Thriller would become the biggest selling album ever," Jackson said. "I thank God and you for it's success. There have been so many who have loved and stood by me for the 25 years I have been in the entertainment industry. I'd like to thank my children particularly Paris, Prince and Blanket for their unconditional love."

Finally, a teenage choir appeared singing the 1985 mega hit, "We Are The World."

It was supposed to be a step towards Jackson's come back, but the performance fell flat.

Jackson managed to sing only a few lines of the song and during the fleeting performance, his voice appeared to crack and falter on the high notes.

The performance finished midway, when the musical accompaniment suddenly disappeared.
Organizers of the annual World Music Awards have also been criticized for a chaotic and unorganized evening.

Timbaland Nabs 50 Cent, Dr. Dre For LP, Starts Timberlake Gossip Frenzy

2006-11-16T18:47:00.000+01:00

Thanks to his work on recent projects by Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado, as well as the upcoming 50 Cent LP, Timbaland is enjoying what he's been accustomed to for the past 10 years of his career — success.

But even with his storied discography of classics for everyone from Aaliyah and Missy Elliott to Jay-Z and LL Cool J, Tim said that over the past couple of years, when he wasn't putting out as much music, he heard whispers that he might be losing his touch.

"Everybody was talking their little trash, y'all know who y'all are," Tim said at his studio last week. "They said, 'Timbaland is falling off.' I don't never fall off. I just relax like a vampire in the coffin. When I wake up, you better be prepared, because somebody is going to get bit on the neck. Next thing you know, I have a slew of vampires running around. When you become the best like me, you never fall off, you just lean back.

"Well somebody call Blade, because Count Drac is wide awake and ready to wreak even more havoc next year when his upcoming LP, tentatively titled Timbaland Presents Shock Value, comes out. "I'm not just hip-hop," Tim insisted. "My mission is to take over top-40 radio — what they call popular music, different genres of music — and reach all types of people."

It seems like Tim reached out to almost everyone in every corner of the music industry for the project, which he's calling a compilation. One track is "what everybody is waiting for," he revealed, "me and Dr. Dre. I did [the beat], it's hard. I got 50, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne. The other stuff is rock: She Wants Revenge, the Hives, I'm about to get the Fall Out Boys, Björk, Elton John." Tim went on to say that he's interested in eventually signing the Hives and M.I.A.

"Last Piece of the Puzzle," his collabo with John, was recorded in Las Vegas. "It was cool. I didn't have him sing, I had him play. I was like, 'Go ahead, John.' I might get a choir to sing on top of it."

Though the album is packed with headline-making names, Tim's first single is already newsworthy. "Give it to Me" has Nelly Furtado, Justin Timberlake and Tim throwing subliminal jabs in their verses, and it's up to the audience to figure it out what — or who — they're talking about. "I seen you try to switch it up, but girl you ain't that dope," Furtado sings. Tim's verse includes the lines, "I'm a real producer and you just a piano man/ Your song moved up the charts I heard, but I'm not a fan/ N---as talking greasy, I'm the one that gave them they chance/ Somebody need to tell them they can't do it like I can."

The Internet has been most abuzz about Timberlake's verse, though, with gossip sites speculating that his harsh words are aimed at Janet Jackson: "I saw you tryin' to act cute on TV, 'Just let me clear the air'/ We missed you on the charts last week/ Damn, that's right, you wasn't there/ Now if sexy never left, then why is everybody on my sh--?/ Don't hate on me just because you didn't come up with it."

A source close to the record said that Timberlake's lyrics have nothing to do with his infamous Super Bowl co-star — but he is responding to another pop artist who has seen career heights few other singers can boast.

Tim's album will come out via his Mosley Music imprint, like Nelly Furtado's Loose. He's hoping to have the LP ready for a March release date.

The Game Week

2006-11-15T18:05:00.000+01:00

The Game will be making a variety of TV appearances this week in support of the release of his sophomore album, Doctor's Advocate.
The Compton bred rapper, who appeared on both MTV's "TRL" and BET's "106 & Park" on November 13th will be seen performing at the first BET Hip-Hop Awards which airs today (November 15th) at 9:00 pm.

He will then make appearances on the "Late Show with David Letterman" on Thursday (November 16th) and "Last Call with Carson Daly" on Friday (November 17th).

Doctor's Advocate, which also hits shelves yesterday (November 14th), features appearances from Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Xzibit, Daz, Kurupt, Nas, Jamie Foxx and Busta Rhymes, among others.

T.I. Wins Big At First BET Hip-Hop Awards

2006-11-13T16:49:00.000+01:00

Grandmaster Flash breathed a sigh of relief after being recognized for his turntable expertise, and T.I. finally believes the South has gotten some respect. The Atlanta-based rapper, who was up for eight awards, won best hip-hop video, CD and MVP of the year at the first-ever BET Hip Hop Awards in Atlanta.

"You can't hate on hard work and talent," he said. "This awards show will show people a lot about where I come from." The show will air Nov. 15 in syndication.

Grandmaster Flash was honored with the I Am Hip Hop Icon award. When Flash received the award, he gave recognition to all other disc jockeys he's met, saying being a DJ was better than rapping. "To get an award for my technological ability means a whole lot more than anything else I've accomplished in my life," he said.

When hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs took the stage, he offered brief words for R&B singer Gerald Levert and Ed Bradley, who both died last week."Let's celebrate their lives," Diddy said. "People will forever miss y'all."

Rappers Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri and Young Jeezy teamed with super-producer Lil' Jon to kick off the show with the 2001 hit, "Welcome To Atlanta." Dupri, who won best producer, said he felt humbled for having the event in Atlanta.

"For the awards to be in my city and I win something for producing, it's exciting," he said. "The outcome was something I could never imagine."

Eminem Nominated in People's Choice Awards

2006-11-12T22:41:00.000+01:00

Eminem is nominated for Favorite Hip Hop song for "Shake That" featuring Nate Dogg. He is up against "Ridin Dirty" by Chamillionaire and "Grillz" by Nelly. Vote.
If you ask me this is a joke. None of these songs are good, and certainly not best hip hop song of 2006.

Eminem signs with ICM for film representation

2006-11-12T00:03:00.000+01:00

Eminem has signed with talent agency International Creative Management (ICM) for representation in Hollywood as the Detroit superstar looks to boost his presence in film.

Eminem left his old firm United Talent Agency (UTA) and has brought his Paramount-based production company, Interscope/Shady/Aftermath Films, along with him under ICM. With the move, Eminem is looking to book more film roles to supplement his previous work in 2002's semiautobiographical "8 Mile," which brought him critical acclaim and earned him a best original song Oscar for "Lose Yourself."

He is currently attached to star in a feature adaptation of "Have Gun, Will Travel" for Paramount Pictures. Eminem continues to be represented in all areas by Goliath Artists Inc.

Eminem and 50 Cent on the cover of new Vibe

2006-11-09T19:17:00.000+01:00

Eminem and 50 Cent cover the December Issue of Vibe Magazine, and I heard it’s going to be a good one. Word is the two will talk about their close friendship as well as business relationship. 50 will reveal that he knows Em is the boss, and he will act accordingly.

They also speak about how their children play together (along with Dre’s kids), and how 50 came to Proof’s funeral even though he didn’t have to.

The Game - Doctors Advocate - New Interview

2006-11-09T19:01:00.000+01:00

The Game's sophomore outing, Doctor's Advocate, is almost upon us. And as it inches closer, the question on everyone's mind is: can he do it again? In The Game's mind, his future is set in stone and no matter who's on his album, he's gonna do numbers. In fact, the rapper says his new name is Mr. Soundscan.

With question marks hovering over his head, The Game seems to never lose faith in his music. And the way his singles have been blazing radio, fans haven't either. Chopping it up with BallerStatus, The Game speaks on what's different as he gears up for his second release, who's helped him keep his name alive and why Black Wall Street is the label to watch for in 2007.

Hate him or love him, he's got all eyes on him. It's Game time!

BallerStatus.com: You've been promoting your album for a month or so now, and it seems every interview I read they wanna know if Dre is on there or how you feel you will do without 50. What do you feel is the most important thing about you dropping your sophomore album?

The Game: That I did it by myself. It's executive produced by The Game.

BallerStatus.com: Although you only have one album out, it seems as though you've been here for a while. Every mixtape or freestyle you've dropped since The Documentary has gotten a lot of attention. Why do you feel you're able to garner so much attention being such still such a new artist?

The Game: I ain't even that new no more man. I've been around for a while now, so can you really say The Game is new? I mean, like, who don't know who I am, as far as hip-hop is concerned. I think that I'm in oblivion, right between new artist and hip-hop legend.

BallerStatus.com: Well, you're definitely not the new kid on the block, but as far as albums, you really only have one out.

The Game: In this day and age, it's like two albums... if you can get two albums out, you like a vet [laughs]. N----s ain't even lasting that long no more. They be putting out one album and the numbers are so ridiculous that you never hear from them again. So, I think if you get two albums out, you're damn near a veteran.

But, I feel good man. This is the best I've ever felt man. I'm talking to you with a smile on my face man. It's a new day. It's Game time again. The Doctor's Advocate is about to drop and I'mma show and prove... show everybody how to really do Soundscan numbers. That's my new name too -- Mr. Soundscan.

BallerStatus.com: You've been through a lot over the past couple years since your debut. What have you learned from your time in the industry thus far?

The Game: I've learned that you can't make no friends and you can't trust nobody 'cause everybody in this sh-- is snakes. And everybody is self-motivated and out to make their own paper, so you just gotta do your own thing.

BallerStatus.com: As far as the future, what does it hold for you right now?

The Game: The future for me is Black Wall Street business. That's it. Any way I can branch out with my company, whether if be clothing, movies, or anything, I'm doing it. I got Black Wall Street Films; I got a bunch of directors, most notably, Tadow with Tadow Productions/Black Wall Street. I [also] got producers -- Nu Jerzy Devil [aka] El Diablo, he's holding it down. I got artists as well. My new artist from the West Coast creating the biggest buzz is Juice. I'm reading scripts, man. We got Black Wall Street clothing coming out. I got a company called Fly Boy, that's an upscale line. I got the Hurricanes out there selling. I'm putting out heavy mixtapes. I'm everywhere, man. I'm on the cover of every f---in' magazine. You know what it is, man.

BallerStatus.com: Like you said, it's Game time again. When you're debut dropped you got a lot of the same attention from the media, radio, etc. How does it feel to come back again and get the same love?

The Game: Ah, man. It feel good. When I first came out there was a lot of mixed feelings between the hip-hop fans. People either loved me or hated me, and that's why I wrote the song "Hate It Or Love It," which had big success. But, now, when I went out on my promo tour on the East Coast... like last time, I was getting mixed phone calls. Some people were saying they were loving the music, but then there were others saying that I ain't brought back nothing, I ain't nothing, I can't rap, just another West Coast flop. Then, the album dropped and everybody jumped ship, you know what I'm saying? Now, I went on the promo tour and everybody was giving me love, saying I'm this and thanks for bringing real hip-hop back. It's just a lot of love out there, man. But, it's enough room in hip-hop for everybody.

BallerStatus.com: The Doctor's Advocate, you've already talked about the features and producers countless times, so talk about the songs themselves a little. How many tracks can we expect on there, and what are your favorite songs this time around and why?

The Game: It's 16 tracks on the album, and that's about as far as I go into talking about it. I like to keep people on the edge of they seats, and of course, you'd love for me to talk about them because that's in what you do. But me, I love to keep that big question mark in the sky, and just ask people to wait until November 14, which is not too far away. You got people still out there waiting for Detox, so it they can wait for that, they can definitely wait for the Doctor's Advocate.

BallerStatus.com: Ok, well, the street single, "One Blood," dropped a while back and it got instant love. You were getting spins the same day you leaked it. Was it a surprise, to you, that the single got as much burn as it did?

The Game: Man, I'm The Game [laughs]. I had "How We Do," "Hate It Or Love It," "Dreams," "Put You On The Game"... I've been around, man. I've done countless mixtapes. I'm definitely most notable for the resurge of the West Coast.

I put out "One Blood" because I knew exactly what it was gonna do -- exactly what hip-hop needed and exactly what I needed to say. It was a dope beat, a dope track, brought Junior Reid out who did his vocals and it was a wrap. It is what it is, it's classic gangsta sh--. It's West Coast; it's universal.

BallerStatus.com: DJ Skee has been instrumental in keeping your music in the streets, via the mixtapes you've dropped with him. How has his knowledge in the game helped you keep your buzz up, and what was it about Skee that drew him to you?

The Game: Me and DJ Skee have been getting down for years now. Like, I don't even remember. I just know that he was like the hottest DJ in L.A. at the time and I was the hottest rap artist, so we decided collaborate.

At first, I thought DJ Skee was a black dude until I seen him man. He's whiter than a white-T, so I gave him that nickname -- DJ Skee, Whiter Than A White-T.

He's talented though. He's got a great business mind and he's my business partner, as far as Black Wall Street is concerned. I can definitely say between DJ Skee and [Nu Jerzy Devil], they kept me alive when the whole deck of cards were stacked up against me and had my back against the wall. These are the guys I looked to for, umm, to uplift me. They gave me a lot of information and a lot of support. Skee drew out the plan, I put my cap on it and we won.

BallerStatus.com: This time around, there is no 50 and you're not on Aftermath, so the success or failure of this album is all on you. Does that give you any added pressure?

The Game: Hell nah, man. I feel free as a God damn slave. I'm glad I ain't got no 50 on this album, no Dr. Dre beats, because nobody can give them all the props for the success of this album. Like I said, a week after this album drops, we gonna know if The Game is the sh-- or if my career died because of the non-Dr. Dre influence or 50 Cent being absent.

I'm doing my thing. I'm about to put my stamp on hip-hop in a real way. Black Wall Street, we're taking over. We're the guerillas and we gonna guerilla the game come 2007.

BallerStatus.com: Now, when that first week comes and you do the numbers you predicted, what will be your reaction?

The Game: I'm just gonna smile 'cause I already know what I'm gonna do. I already know my numbers. I'm probably pretty accurate. I got an accurate number, man. I'm psychic; I already know what I'm doing the first week.

BallerStatus.com: As far as Black Wall Street, your artist roster has changed so frequently, most don't know who's on BWS or off. Can you clear it up for us?

The Game: The only artist I'm focusing on right now is an artist who's gonna take on the weight of the West Coast. He's a new artist outta Arizona named Juice. 50 tried to sign him, he declined. He hit me up 'cause he'd rather get down with us, so we had open arms for him. He came in and he's been holding it down on the mixtapes. That's Juice, remember that name. He's been real heavy on the tapes, he's holding it down and the people are feeling his flow, but I'll let the streets be the judge. And the streets say he's next, so I'm focused on his project. Look out for him next year too.

BallerStatus.com: Putting out artists and being an artist are two different things. Do you feel you have what it takes to do both?

The Game: I take each day as it comes, and make the best decisions for myself, my family and my company.

BallerStatus.com: Last words?

The Game: Sh--, f--- the world, Doctor's Advocate in stores November 14.

You Don't Know video is out + One Blood Remix

2006-11-07T22:38:00.000+01:00

Eminem, 50 Cent, Ca$his, Lloyd Banks - You Don't Know video is finally out. Besides these, you can see a lot other artists from Shady/Aftermath in the video. Watch it here.

The Game - One Blood Remix (Offical). I was very surprised with this. The track is almost 12 minutes long and it features 24 artists! It was OK remix, only the beat is annoying when you listen to it for 12 minutes. Anyway, you can download it here. If anyone is interested in lyrics, post a comment, and I'll upload them.

The Game HHNLive Interview

2006-11-07T00:19:00.000+01:00

Once again interview from The Game. His album is out on November 14th, so we hear a lot from him these days. Just a few quotes from interview:

" B: And who are some of the people handling the production?

Game: Just Blaze, Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Scott Storch and… those are some big names, just to name a few.

B: Who's executive producer? You?

Game: The Game? "

-----

" B: You were in a coma.

Game: True.

B: You once sold drugs.

Game: True.

B: 50's the reason Dr. Dre's not on your upcoming album.

Game: False. "

Read the whole interview here.

Eminem plans new album?

2006-11-06T09:58:00.000+01:00

Eminem is working on his new album. "He has cancelled his retirement plans", said Akon. "Eminem told me he was getting bored with everything' which is why he took a break. But he's back working on an album and I've got some records ready for him to use on it."

Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre

2006-11-06T09:55:00.000+01:00

Snoop Dogg readies for his highly anticipated album "The Blue Carpet Treatment" releasing on November 21. Early buzz from industry insiders promise a classic album complete with the reunion of Snoop and Dr. Dre with three bangers from the dynamic duo.

This classic pairing marks the duo's first collaborative effort in approximately five years and promises to make history once again.

Snoop says, "'That's That' is theme music for a classy gangsta party - that's when you ladies pull out the high heels and the playas pull out the three-piece suits. You'll see in the video! Me and R. Kelly had a lot of fun shooting this one."

The video for "That's That" will make its MTV Prime Time Premiere on November 7.

Source : http://www.aftermathmusic.com/news/

You Don't Know - feat. Eminem, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks & Ca$his

2006-11-05T19:27:00.000+01:00

Video for the first single from album "Eminem Presents the Re-Up" should be out soon. Here is a little sneak peak.

New Game Interview

2006-11-05T10:57:00.000+01:00

Let’s get this straight. Despite titling his new release Doctor’s Advocate, The Game decided to cut the Dr. Dre-produced tracks he recorded for it to demonstrate he can succeed without the G-funk founder’s assistance.

“You’re like the first person who’s got that right, ever,” the rapper confirms during a late-night call from Paris, where he’s promoting the album. And it’s a good thing, ’cause he sounds rather annoyed about it all.

“I appreciate Dre for everything he did, but he produced three-and-a-half, maybe four records,” the Game says of The Documentary, the 10th best-selling LP of 2005. “The album was 18 tracks deep and people were saying I wouldn’t have been able to make a classic without Dre. Then what the f*ck were the other 14 tracks?”

Nine months ago, comments like that started beating The Game down, to a point where he would hide in his closest crying, wondering where the respect he’d earned had gone.

“As human beings, we all face adversity,” he says vaguely. “Sometimes things render us helpless and we’re backed into a corner, so we need to poke our chests out and climb out of that black hole. Once I did, with my son being my motivation, I found my way to the top.”

His son, Harlem Caron Taylor, is only 3, but he’s already attended the Grammys and is apparently a hip-hop fan. “He dances and pops around the car seat to anything with a bass line,” The Game says. “He likes Chingy, [Webstar’s] ‘Chicken Noodle Soup.’ I don’t know who his favorite rapper is right now, but it’s definitely not me.”

The Game’s planning to win Harlem — along with the rest of the world — over, however, with Doctor’s Advocate. And while Dre and now-nemesis 50 Cent received executive producer credits on his multi-platinum debut, the 26-year-old Compton MC took control on the follow-up, even down to sequencing the songs, meticulous work to which he claims few other rappers pay much attention. “And why should they care when they just trying to get that next chain or a number one video on 106 and Park?” he says. “Me, I’m a fan of the old, so I try to format my albums similar to my favorite hip-hop classics.”

Although without the Aftermath and G-Unit stamps, Doctor’s Advocate is still chock-full of A-list names: Kanye West, Snoop Dogg and Will.I.Am, to name a few.
“Will’s got so much f*cking energy, just dancing around the studio all day,” The Game says with his usual lack of f*cking energy, painting an Odd Couple-esque picture of their sessions. “Whatever. He makes hit records and he made me one too. He was signed with Eazy [late rapper Eazy-E] and Eazy was it with me, so that link is dope for me.” (The Game was recently mentoring Eazy-E’s son “but it went unappreciated, so I stepped away,” he says.)

Nas and Marsha Ambrosius from Floetry are featured on The Game’s favorite track, an epic 10-minute jam ironically titled “Why I Hate The Game.” “When we did the song that’s how long it came out and I never cut it down,” he says. “Everybody who hears that song walks away thinking about their life, reanalyzing everything.”

The Game also recorded at least five tracks with his Beverly Hills neighbors, Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte, but those went the way of the Dre material. “This album pretty much decides the fate of the rest of my career and I didn’t want to play any games with it, so everything on here is serious,” he says.

At the Vibe Awards in Los Angeles last November, where The Game accepted the “Hottest Hook” award (for the 50 collabo “Hate It or Love It”) with “G-Unot” carved in his hair, the rapper warned that “G-Unit got problems” when Doctor’s Advocate hit shelves. A year later, though, the album is surprisingly easy on his short-lived crew.

“G-Unit already got problems,” The Game explains. “I thought it was going to take my album to dismantle their squad, but just with the mix tapes, I pretty much melted their hopes of being successful in ’07 months ago. The only person 50 can save at this point is himself. We’ve seen [Lloyd] Banks, [Tony] Yayo and Mobb Deep flop, and I think that says a lot about what I did to that movement.”

He pauses as if patting himself on the back. “You know, what goes around comes around and this time around, I’m not Ja Rule,” he quips, referring to the gruffly-voiced Murder Inc. act who took a beating from G-Unit during their prime.

Although Dre’s still aligned with G-Unit, it hasn’t affected The Game’s relationship with the super-producer. “I talked to him a few weeks ago and he’s proud of me,” he says. As for those shelved tracks? “Maybe if I die, they’ll end up putting it out,” the Game says. “Game-aveli 28 or something.”

Snoop Dogg's New Video

2006-11-04T14:03:00.000+01:00

The video for "That's That" from Snoop's new album "Blue Carpet Treatment" will be premiering world wide on MTV this Tuesday, November 7th at 3:30pm EST on TRL and 11pm EST.

50 Cent to star in Katrina thriller

2006-11-03T17:19:00.000+01:00

50 Cent and Robert De Niro are poised to star in a crime drama set in New Orleans following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

The independent production will see De Niro play a police officer who believes his partner was killed during the storm only to find out that he was in fact murdered. 50 Cent plays De Niro's new partner.
Source : http://www.aftermathmusic.com/news/

Eminem Presents The Re-Up CD Cover

2006-11-03T12:03:00.000+01:00

Here is a CD cover of new album which will be out on December 5th. Eminem said on his radio Shade 45 that he draw the cover free-hand and it took him a month to do it. Take a look...

Nas, Game and Banks

2006-11-02T22:41:00.000+01:00

About Nas - "Hip Hop is Dead"

The new Nas album "Hip Hop is Dead" features production by Dr. Dre, Kanye West, Just Blaze, DJ Premier, will.I.am and Scott Storch. Guest appearances include The Game, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West. "Hip Hop Is Dead" is slated to hit shelves on December 19.
Source : http://www.aftermathmusic.com/news/

The Game

Game's album leaked few days ago, but since its illegal to post those songs, I'll just tell you there are some very very good songs, and you can hear a great song which has the same name as his album "Doctor's Advocate" featuring Busta Rhymes, on his Myspace page. Visit htp://www.myspace.com/thegame

Banks dissing The Game

War between G-Unit and The Game seems to be neverending. Take a look at this video of Lloyd Banks dissing The Game at BET. Very weak I would say. http://videos.gunitworld.com/102_On-B.E.T.-Dissin-Game.html

Hello!

2006-11-02T16:54:00.000+01:00

Hi everybody, my name is Dusan, nickname Mystic. I am 18 years old and live in Serbia, Europe. I have been fan of hip hop music for long time, since I was 12, if I remember correctly. Today when I was surfing the net, I found out this site and I suddenly got an idea : create hip hop news blog. Since I love this music genre and know alot about it, and read news, interviews and all that, I decided to take some of my spare time and write interesting hip hop news daily. Ok, enough with introduction, let me write the first news...