February 2007 Archives

Daddy Yankee is taking is time putting his follow-up out. First it was February now it’s late May, which actually makes sense since reggaeton is better suited for the hot weatherâ€"asses tend to shake more in the summer.

After listening to Fabolous rhyme on DJ Green Lantern’s Sirius Radio show a couple of nights ago . . . he’s proving my prior post, wrong. Still I never said he was total basura, just that he doesn’t try hard enough.

The 6th Annual GM Ten Event took place last week in L.A. and I don’t give a shit. What I do care about is Christina Milian looking like a million bucks. Check the pic below.

The first single off of Calle 13’s highly anticipated sophomore album, Residente o Visitante, is “Tango del Pecado.” Sounds pretty dope…reggaeton with a smidge of tango courtesy of two-time Oscar winner Gustavo Santaolalla.

Word in the mag world is that The Game’s friend, Vida Guerra, will be gracing the cover of your favorite men’s mag. In it she airs out the L.A. rapper for his dumb ass comments she did about her. More info on this later.

So aside from being one of the illest on the mike, saving the kids you can now add acting to his list. Tego Calderón will be appearing in the John Singleton-produced film, Illegal Tender.

So I couldn’t let the whole body guarding shit slide. What exactly did Tru mean when he said I was Kevin Costner to Jim Jones’ Whitney Houston? See below.

Oh, Tru, Tru why you gotta hurt’em so bad. What I never understood is how the whole beef with Jim Jones happened. Well let Tru-Life explain it below.

“I know the bitch girl nigga really well. The nigga felt like the ‘New New York’ record was dissing him when the media started putting it in his head that they thought I was dissing him. But the shoe fits. He was supposed to wear that. He was a little bit embarrassed and he started to say my name in the streets. I hear everything that goes on in the streets,” says Tru. “I’m Kevin Costner, I once body guarded the bitch ass nigga. I put bulletproof vests on the bitch nigga’s back. So the nigga wanna play little clown games and be a hoe. I don’t fight fire with fire, I put water on fire.”

Sorry for the delay on blogs mi gente. Been taking care of personal BI. Anyway it seems like one of our favorite raperos is pushing everything but his music.

With three Latin Grammys under their alternative belts, Calle 13 ain’t changing their out-of-the ordinary music. On their new album, Residente/Visitante, the half-brothers explore those Latin genres beyond their native Borinquen.

First Eva Mendes and now Christina Aguilera drops it for Maxim. Again I gotta say CA has been getting finer every day she’s been married. Don’t know what it is? Maybe she’s having her maid cook more beans for her . . . we know her ass ain’t cookin.

Wanna know how to expand your business? Ask legendary tattoo artist Mark Machado AKA Mister Cartoon. He’s tattooed every single motherfuckin rapper you can think of. Check the rèsumè: Method Man, Eminem, Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Fat Joe, and many more. He’s got his clothing line, Joker, a damn sidekick he designed, sneakers, etc. According to that other rap site, the Chicano OG is toiling away on a new graphic novel, The Lost Angel, published by Warner Books. Those dudes stay in hustle, just look at Estevan Oriol. He directs and shoots some crazy visuals.

The Billboard Latin Music Awards are stacked with reggaeton dudes and pop chicks. This year, the awards will be handed out in Miami on April, 26. Check the list below. As always I think Wisin Y Yandel should take everything and anything they’re up for. Also, Rakim Y Ken-Y have seven nominations, how the fuck did that happen. There were some catchy ass songs but better than Calle 13 or Tego, I think not.

Fabolous is coming back. Yes, I know hip, hip hooray. Check the sarcasm, people. I mean dude had a lot of potential and totally squandered it. He had that crazy “Breathe” joint but let’s be real here, Just Blaze was the star on it.

Look at this creepy ass photo taken at the Grammys on Sunday. Fucked up, right? Doesn’t it seem like Marc Anthony is that skeleton from Tales from the Crypt trying to take Kanye to his grave? Shit, he really need to lay off that pipe and start laying pipe on J Lo…she’s gonna leave his ass for a scientologist soon enough.

Dr. Dre is always a huge plus for your career. Ask Em or 50. So we know Joell Ortiz is in good hands. But what happens when Dre opposes your wishes, when you know your decision is right. You bounce like Rakim?

She’s back… or at least she will be officially on March 27. La Caballota . . . Ivy Queen.The only woman in the reggaeton game that can hold her own against the dudes. Think Rah Digga with better sales.

Well in a video game of course. We all know Jimmy wouldn’t have a shot in real life. But in the world of Electronic Arts' DEF JAM: ICON Jones can whoop Joey’s fat behind from here to kingdom come.

Jim Jones even looks dirty in CGI form.

What if the Aztecs picked up a mike? I’d bet all my beans that would sound a lot like Mexican-born, Midwest-based trio Kinto Sol. The brothers are out to broaden their brand of Spanish hip-hop with their fifth album, Los Hijos del Maiz. Their group name is derived from the Mayans and Aztecs which believed that the last sun to set in this lifetime was the fifth.

So I told y’all last week N.O.R.E. is going back to his Noreaga glory days. His “My Name Is N.O.” over that D-Nice beat us getting some burn and for good reason, it’s classic N.O.R.E.

They all have’em but they don’t want to admit them. Ghost producers. Dr. Dre had Scott Storch, Pharrell has Chad Hugo, Timbo had Danja and Diddy has well everyone. It’s no different in reggaeton. The genre’s biggest hitmakers Luny Tunes had Nely. Tired of playing the backdrop Nely left the Dominican duo last year to start his own imprint, Artillery Records. I mean duke is responsible for monster hits like Daddy Yankee’s “Gangsta Zone,” Wisin Y Yandel’s “Rakata,” and R. Kelly’s “Burn It Up”

When it comes to materialism, hip-hop is as greedy as it gets. Some rappers even go as far as renting jewels for their big budget video. Filmmaker Raquel Cepeda, former EIC of Russell Simmons’ One World Magazine, is putting out Bling'd: Blood, Diamonds, and Hip Hop. The documentary premieres on Feb. 22 at 8PM (Eastern and Pacific times) on VH1.

If you didn’t know already I’m co-signing Termanology hard (no Juan Gabriel). Just like your favorite rapper when he was still hungry the Lawrence, Mass.-product stays putting out new music. His most recent mixtape, 50 Bodies, comes out next week on Valentine’s Day (2/14).

DAMN! Beyoncé really wants those Latino dollars. First a Spanish version of her song, then she gets down with Shakira and now she’s doing a duet with Mexican powerhouse Alejandro Fernandez.

Shake it for us, B!

A resounding yes! I dig Jay-Z as well but Big Pun was a lyrical monster. Yes, Jigga has been the preeminent dude in hip-hop for years now, I still would put my money on Pun if were still around. BTW on a side note the two posts yesterday on the anniversary of Pun’s passing is to make y’all think. There’s a duality to everything in life. Open your mind people, nothing is what it seems.

Who would be the King of New York?

I loathe what Big Pun did. Yes, I very well know he was one of the best that ever held a mike but duke was dead wrong for what he did to his wife.

Big Pun . . . the best that ever did it if you ask me. When Biggie came out I supported because he was from Brooknam. Pac was cool but his impact wasn’t felt until after he died. But Big Moon Dog was the dude that made me feel proud to be brown. He made Black Thought run for cover on “Super Lyrical” (we can all agree he ate his ass up) and made any MC who was sharing the song with him whether Nas or Raekwon step their game up. He was just that nice.

In case you haven’t seen it, Pitbull’s new video for “Be Quiet” has been circulating. Dope song good hood shit from one of rap’s most overlooked MCs.

So N.O.R.E. is coming back to this hip-hop shit. He’s getting the help of one of Miami’s most known mixers, DJ EFN.

After being in a lull bachetero, Toby Love, is once again getting some, well, love on the charts. His second single off he self-titled solo debut, the Alexis y Fido-assisted “Don’t Cry” hit number 10 on the Latin Rhythm Airplay and the General Latin music charts.

Left Coast MC Malverde is in agreement with Nas. He recently did a Spanish version of “Hip-Hip Is Dead,” titled “Hip-Hop Ha Muerto,” which you can check on at myspace.com/malverde. Dope lil’ remix but it doesn’t do justice to this prolific MC’s talent.

Online men’s magazine AskMen.com just released its Top 99 Women of 2007 list. Needless to say a lot of them were Latinas. Check the list below.

Come one, come all. The Cuervotón competition has started and it's accepting submissions. They’re looking for the next Latino urban artist to blow. To help them with their decision they’re getting help from MIA’s Pitbull, walking stereotype Chingo Bling and Malverde (duke is sick with it).

Jennifer Lopez’s first ever Spanish language album, Como Ama Una Mujer, which comes out on March 27th, if it’s at least decent, will make her even more of a dominant figure in our pop universe. I mean she’s already got the king of modern day salsa by her side and now she’s hoping her pipes can do some damage in Spanish.

Photo by Maggie Rodriguez

Damn! I didn’t know so many of y’all were Game Stans. But let it be known I also dig some of his musak. Check this MTV preview for the video for his model diss song, “Wouldn’t Get Far.”