March 2006 Archives

Today marks the official opening of ATL and box office sales are expected to be astronomic. The biggest hurdle holding ATL back from monopolizing theaters this week is Spike Lee's Inside Man and Ice Age with Queen Latifah. But, I wonder if the hype is heard nationwide like it is in the South?

Yeah, Atlanta is most definitely locked in to see ATL at the theaters this weekend. It's a sure thing, like Bush winning electoral votes in Texas.

Chris Robinson, the super music video director who gave us the unforgettable images for Amerie's "1 Thing", Snoop's "Beautiful", and Jay-Z's "Change Clothes" finally gets his chance to wow us on the big screen with ATL. And you thought T.I. was the only talented newcomer with something to prove.

SOHH sat down with Chris to talk shop about T.I. and how the movie was made. Peep...

Chris Robinson on working with T.I.:

“Tip Harris! That’s my boy. He’s really the truth. When I first made this movie I said no rappers to myself. I mean I had worked with rappers before but I wanted my feature film debut to be different. I looked at actors in LA, New York, Atlanta. I saw every black actor that you’ve seen on every TV show and movie, but Tip came in and he killed it. He was always in the back of my mind because I did his video [I’m Serious] five years earlier.”

“And you know Dallas Austin always mentioned Tip like “What do you think about T.I.?” He was a young man, already from Atlanta. He had an old soul, and when I met him at 18 he was grown then. And that’s what Rashad’s character is. So T.I. brought his experiences to the room and if he hadn’t experienced it he at least knew what I was trying to communicate. He brought so much authenticity to the role because if we were doing something that wasn’t what happened in that neighborhood he would be like ‘nah it wouldn’t go down like this’. And he’s the expert. He’s from Atlanta. He is ATL.

I think he’s going to surprise people because he was brave enough not to be T.I., but to be Rashad. And we purposely didn’t put his music in the movie until the end because of the detachment it makes, you start feeling like its T.I. but its Rashad. I think that you’re going to see a lot more of that cat.”

Yes Sirrr ya' boy is still getting his head together after yesterday's premiere screening of ATL at Atlantic Station. It was big no doubt, so many people came through and showed love, it was good to see. The red carpet was thick (as in Serena Williams thick...yeah she was in the building).

Who was there? Let's see Michael Vick, Too Short, Monica, Serena, Jeezy, T.I, and really it was just a who's who of Atlanta shindig, and the after-party down the street at Fox Sports Grill was on point too, but that's another story.

But yeah, I finally got to see the movie. After T.I came out before the movie began and thanked everybody for their support we got to see an above-average movie that held your attention throughout.

Had 100 1's/Bought a slab and flipped another one/Sold my lil' 380, Eazy said I need another gun/The lil'est in the trap and got it poppin' like some bubble gum --T.I from "I'm Straight" off the King CD.

ATTENTION! This is not a leak....

Roll out the red carpet, A King has finally arrived. Let me stop playin'. But on the real, T.I dropped King today and if you haven't picked it up yet, get in the whip with somebody who has. The whole disc is nice.

Well...95% of it is nice. Tip reached on a couple songs (I'm Talkin To You & Stand Up Guy) but he needed some abstract tracks to keep the CD balanced I guess. I'm hearing the word classic tossed around but we'll have to wait and see on that.

Now that the toy cops have finished spraying haterade throughout the city concerning the movie ATL, maybe now we can finally focus on one of the most anticipated flicks to premiere in a minute.

First, let's not get caught up in the whole T.I and Big Boi factor, because lost in the shuffle are some pretty big names associated with the movie like Antwone Fisher (writer), Will Smith and Dallas Austin (Producers), and Chris Robinson (Director). These are some heavy hitter's for real.

Did anybody catch the "secret" warning letter sent out to several local theaters by the Head of Security at Perimeter Mall? In his letter he expresses his concern at the "probability of serious violence" breaking out at area theaters when ATL opens next week.

My Ghetto Report Card (Sick Wid It Records/BME Recordings/Warner Bros. Records), by platinum-selling E-40 debut at #1 on the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Charts (#3 on Billboard Top 200 Chart). Real talk.

T.I and longtime girlfriend Tiny, formerly from Xscape, have decided to go separate ways. He recently discussed the situation in a recent interview with BET.COM so it is confirmed.

I hope it all works out for ya' boy, the only thing I'm really interested in right now is the release of his new album KING, which will drop on Tuesday.

I just got finished listening to Christina Milian's new track "Say I" featuring Young Jeezy.

On the hook, lil' Christina holla's "I'm a keep it gangsta, I'm a make it hot..." but I'm like who you trying to fool? Since when did she even become remotely associated with being gangster?

Didn't she just break up with Nick Cannon? Yeah he's a real gangster.

It's almost here,ATL the movie, premieres on March 31st after being pushed back, so we'll finally get a chance to see what all the fuss has been about. Plus, everybody wants to find out if T.I and Big Boi can make the "big screen" transition that Luda and Andre 3000 made.

The movie was shot throughout the city from the West-End to Decatur, so at least visually, outsiders should get a true depiction of life in Atlanta. Everything aint always a party...I know for a fact they did hit up Eddie's and the Cascade skating rink, as well as some other major spots during filming.

Longevity. Lyricism. Versatility. You can associate all of this with Dilated Peoples.

The group will be in concert on Tuesday, March 21st at The Roxy. I love it - it just shows that we in Atlanta love hip-hop as a whole, and we'll give it up to all cats when deserved.

Where is Stat Quo? Has anybody seen Stat? How long do we have to wait for the album to drop?

Is he being mishandled out west, if so come back to the dirty and I'm sure Jon, Jazzy or JD will put you on in a minute.

It's deeper than skin/It's the system that's keepin us in -- Dead Prez

Young Jeezy? Here we go again, another artist...another case. Is it that hard to separate the biznezz from the streetz?

These are smart men getting caught up on the same type of BS. It's been some rough years in ATL alone, from TI, Jeezy, Gucci, Don P, even back to Chi Ali's mugshot plastered all on AMW.

It looks like Big Cat Records is set to make major waves throughout Atlanta and the south this year. After suffering several unforseen setbacks last year the future is looking extremely good for the upstart independent label.

The label's most visible artist, Gucci Mane is already in the works on his second album, the follow-up to Trap House , an independent banger in the streets of Atlanta without much promotion due to his incarceration.

Say what you will but D-Roc from the Ying Yang Twinz and his two brothers, Mr. Ball and Da Birthday Boy, The Muzicianz, have the hottest radio and club joint in the city right now with "Camera Phone."

No snap, no crunk just vintage Ying Yang sound. That means it's strictly a club banger, reminiscent of "Salt Shaker" and "Wait". No dope selling or beefing, just partying through the whole album is what I hear.

Incase you haven''t picked up that new Juvenile CD Reality Check, here's a word of advice...cop it. It's probably his best CD since he dropped 400 Degreez which sold nearly 5 mill. That's not saying much but this new CD is on point.

His cut "Loose Booty" with 8Ball and Skip is beastin, as is "The Way I Be Leanin" with Paul Wall, Mike Jones, and Skip and Wacko. Chris Bridges even steps in and collab's with Fat Joe on "Pop U".

Real talk, the CD is fire.

Not one to comment on the unconfirmed but I'm hearing rumors everywhere about your girl Jacki-O being picked up for shoplifting out of Neiman Marcus over the weekend. Say it ain't so Ms. O'.

This past weekend over a legal session of Patron and cuban cigars, fam had a borderline meaningless discussion on which hip hop show in Atlanta is better from 6-10 PM.

(This was of course sandwiched in between the "how Hoopz can get it" and "Lebron vs. Kobe" discussions)

I tried to prepare the critics far in advance for this one. The south is in the building! Three-Six Mafia is heading back to Memphis with an Oscar for "Hard Out Here For A Pimp" from the Hustle and Flow soundtrack.

Atlanta super-producer K-Rab who some credit with being the driving force behind "snap" music, has been signed to a deal with Lil Jon's BME/Warner Bros. Records, who will promote and distribute all of K-Rab's music as well as the debut album from K-Rab's group BHI (Born Hustlers, Inc.).

K-Rab has been credited with work on D4L's project and several others, and most notably his infamous single "Do The Poole Palace".

Three 6 Mafia might pull down an Oscar for "It's Hard Out Here" on that azz, who woulda thunk it? Believe it. Big props have to go out for the nomination. Personally, "It's Hard Out Here" is cool but "Whoop That Trick" was the lick off the Hustle and Flow soundtrack.

From the ATL rumor mill we hear that Usher was real close to putting a beatdown on Atlanta photographer Sandra Rose over the weekend. Instead he settled for just mushing the chic in the face.

I guess some of that Ike Turner Tennessee Smack-A-Bitch-Around syndrome actually rubbed off on lil' Usher.