April 2007 Archives

Almost everyone backing the kid Saigon was let down when his first single, "Pain in My Life," was swagger jacked and overshadowed by Ludacris' fake, out-of-place "Runaway Love." Looking for Saigitty's take on the whole ordeal? I got it right here. Gitty's debut The Greatest Story Never Told better than Nas' debut Illmatic? That's exactly what he said.

Shout out to the kid Mikey Fresh putting in work at The Source, who sat down with Saigon in the office and got this exclusive interview, available on TheIndustryCosign:

Welcome to the SOHH edition of "Where Are They Now?"

First came Dame's departure from The ROC in 2004. Then, after Universal refused to renew the contract with Dash and his Damon Dash Music Group towards the end of 2005--forcing him to find the label and its artists a new home-- Dash linked with KOCH, where he, like at Universal, has failed to crack even a single hit. That blood-curdling "Ultimate Hustler" theme song with Sizzla hardly counts.

According to the NY Post, Dash's long road post-Hov has been nothing but non-profit.

Fashion will be in full effect at Fashion 40 this Friday, Apr 27, at 10pm. Location: 202 W 40th Between 7th & 8th, Manhattan. Ladies are free before 12:30am, and gents free before 12 midnight. Dress code is strict; men, no sneakers or boots allowed. Collared shirts are a MUST, shoes, loafers, or "prada-styled" shoes are highly recommended. For more info, click this link.

Wu-Tang's RZA, one of the group's key players, had a thing or two to say about where the sickly hip-hop lies his head at this moment in time. Via Thuglifearmy:

"Hip-hop is just unbalanced. Right now, rappers are glorifying their hell. How you gonna tell me it's cool to live in the ghetto? Who wants to live where you got rats, roaches, pissy elevators, shootings, killings, rapings, drug addicts, alcoholics, all in a four block radius?"

Damn son... aint this a schnoobie doobie/ They aired my police report, now I look like Goofey-troopie

Before Cam'ron even appeared on "60 Minutes" to address the tired "Stop Snitching" campaign and his "code of ethics," Thesmokinggun.com had already obtained an official police report that was processed for the then 23-year-old Cameron Giles by the NYPD back in 1999. I would provide a direct link, but since these documents are official, I will leave it up to you to go and see for yourself.

The Blastmaster KRS-ONE released a statement for all who are interested in his May 22nd album release with Marley Marl, called HIP HOP LIVES (without the dash between "hip" and "hop," as he claims this is the correct way to spell it).

Via Reelrap (formerly known as Bronxrap):

And it's round two for DMX, who is trying to make a comeback after the first flop in his entire career. According to the folks over at Island Def Jam, June 26th will be the day that The Definition of X: The Pick Of The Litter, will be hitting stores. I doubt that. And I thought he burned his bridges when he exed out IDJ for Sony to promote his last LP, which only lifted about 200K and change before it fell off the face of the earth. Good luck.

(Pic via Villagevoice)

When asked by "60 Minutes" host Anderson Cooper if he knew a serial killer was living next to him, Cam'ron responded (via CBS News):

"If I knew the serial killer was living next door to me? I wouldn't call and tell anybody on him â€" but I'd probably move. But I'm not going to call and be like, 'The serial killer's in 4E.'"

Tomorrow, C.I.N Productions is taking over Club Venue (formerly known as Club Deep), located on 16 West 22nd Street / Between 6th & 5th Ave, Manhattan. This is a 21+ event only.

From this Friday on out, catch C.I.N all over NYC, from Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx.

But this friday is gonna be hot, as a celebrity birthday bash is going down, complete with live performances and two floors of Salsa * Merengue * Bachata * Freestyle * HipHop * Reggae * House * Reggaeton and more, brought to you by Hot 97 Heavyhitters DJ Enuff, DJ Camilo, to name a couple.

LADIES FREE UNTIL 12 ($10 After With Party Pass), Guys $10 UNTIL 12 ($20 UNTIL 12 / $25 AFTER W/Party Pass). Dress code is trendy ,sexy ,chic and seductive. For more information, click here.

Damn. I've been trying to avoid posting about this shit 'cause I never cared, but apparently everyone has made it into a big deal, including talk shows, various internet outlets, discussion panels, and...New York's Power 105.

Who gives a fuck about Imus and what he said? He called them "nappy headed hoes" because they probably needed a touch-up or a new set of box braids, like most black chicks with kinks and naps. Selena and Serena both look like horses and monkeys and you know this. So what if he said they belong in a zoo. What's the big deal when Hot 97's Miss Jones takes it over the top ALL THE TIME? I can't count how many Asians, Latinos, whites and other people she's offended. But a racist white man comes out of his mouth and there's a big uproar. And all of a sudden, because Imus used hip-hop lyrics as a justification, the whole world started screaming it's "hip-hop this, hip-hop that." Yawn.

The Lox is back. When I first heard about their comeback I brushed it off, thinking the only comeback would be a series of mixtape releases or some half-ass album effortlessly thrown into stores, but this joint has changed my mind. If they keep this same kind of momentum going at a steady pace (the hard-core flow, kick-in-the-door hooks and gritty beats), with a little help of their good ol friend Hot 97, they could turn the entire Tri-State area up to full volume. This might very well be one of "The Rap Joints" of the summer.

Through the rain, through the storm, they still remain buddie-ol-pals.

As many may or may not have known, Tru Life was put on blast via YouTube last week, which exposed him poppin shit about Snoop Dogg, the very guy that helped Tru catch a come-up. Yes, the footage itself is old. But whoever put that vid into rotation knew what they were doing; Snoop is executive producing Tru's album, so apparently this person was trying to throw salt in the game. I remember reading about Tru saying himself that nobody was fucking with him before Snoop gave him a chance. But in the footage Tru was saying "We ain't fuckin' with Snoop. He called me after his house got shot up." Blah blah blah.

However, Snoop dismissed the footage found, telling MTV that he's still down for Tru being that the footage was shot before they started doing biz:

And Uncle Murda thinks he has a chance?

According to the folks over at Hiphopgame, N.O.R.E has a blazin new freestyle, called "Shame on You," which he used to vent his anger out on his "former" record label, Roc-La-Familia. Apparently, this label did pretty much nothing to push his last effort, N.O.R.E Y La Familia, which lifted about 5 copies upon arrival on the charts.

Listen to Remy Ma's "Fresh" via Defsounds.

Earlier today, they were playing this record in the office over, and over... and over. The more I heard it, the more I felt like I had orange juice in my mouth directly after brushing my teeth: bitter sweet. Or sour. Uh... yeah.

Friday Apr 13, 2007at 10:00 PM

Location: PASSIONS, 709 E. Tremont Ave. between Crotona and Clinton, Bronx

For more information click here.

Like I've said before, Fab said he wanted to prove himself a lyricist rather than just the ladies man who makes a bunch of girlie-girlie songs. He tried it back in '04 with the Just Blaze-produced "Breathe," which, unfortunately, was the only good song on the album. He retracted everything he said when he followed up the first single with the for-the-ladies "Baby."

Cassidy tried it and nearly pulled it off. But then again, Cassidy is on a whole 'nother level. Fab, on the other hand, isn't a freestyle genius, and has pretty much built his entire career on the whole I'm The New LL Cool J swag. And I'm afraid that if Fab can't prove everything he's been saying about changing lanes with this next effort, the crowd will turn their backs for good. And where's the hype? No one's talking.

Many internet and street sources have said that 50's leaked joint, "Straight to the Bank," is trash. Gah-bage.

And I'm co-signing. Listen here via the kid Cic over at Rapblog

Haha. He's got to be kidding me.

Nope. He's not.

Mobb Deep's Prodigy will be starring in his indie film, "H.N.I.C," which is slated to begin shooting this spring. At first I thought this was just some low-budget, cheap, use-your-camcorder-while-you-film kind of production, but apparently Infamous Films has recruited acts such as Rick Gonzales from "Coach Carter" and Davetta Sherwood from "The Young and the Restless," to name a couple (with some real acting experience). Don't expect any corny Ja Rule cameos, cheesy 50 Cent save-the-day moments or stale Dipset appearances. But still, the only actor to ever do it right was Pac. And did anyone even see Prodigy's last movie? Doubt it.

"You ballin' but ya man doin' stick-ups/ I guess your paper ain't that long, nigguhhhhhs" -- Tru Life, "The Dips is Over"

In a collect call interview with Hip-Hop Weekly, ghostwriting Dipset member Max B had a lot to get off his chest. Quite frustrated, Max B suggested that Jim Jones--in addition to the blatant fact that he hadn't been paying Max as he should have--has done absolutely nothing to help a brother out. Check out (part of) his story:

DMX speaking to Ventura County Star Newspaper (via Crackspace):

"You know, there's talented rappers everywhere, and one West Coast rapper who I like and respect is Game, because to me, he has a New York style. But I don't like a lot of West Coast rappers. West Coast rap is too laid back, too focused on marijuana with all the blunts and lowriders. There's nothing honest. There's no trouble in it, you know? There's no hardship in it. Everyone in L.A. that raps has a lowrider and a fat blunt. Back here in New York, we're still walkin' and still smokin' dirt, you know? There's no hardship in their rap, there's nothin' to make you say, 'I can relate to that.'"

Hit up the X-Bar every Thursday for the sexiest dancers in the Tri-State area and cash giveaways.

It's going down tonight, April 5th at 10pm. For more information click here.

If you sit and think back to three years ago, maybe three-and-a-half, G-Unit was just that: a unit. They were the crew that was unstoppable, even though I would say they were one of the worst crews I’ve ever heard of. “Stunt 101” was on madd peoples’ cell ringers. 50 hopped on just about everyone’s record just to keep his presence thick. Now? He told Hot 97’s Miss Jones that it’s time for G-Unit to stand on their own. He also said this:

"If you listened to the Angie Martinez show when Young Buck was on there, he made references to himself as being his own man and making his own decisions, and trying to make friends with people that I have issues with,” explained 50. "I hold him in the same space that I held Game in...now since then, Game has released a record and dissed him again. That right there just shows you."

I remember Hov spitting that line on Kanye's "Diamonds are Forever (Remix)."

Now, two years later, the streets are buzzing about a new Bleek joint which features the King of the Hooks, Akon. The song, which appeared on Kay Slay's mixtape Sign of the Times, is called "Never Forget Me." It's commercial, but it's street. It's almost, kinda-sorta Just Blaze, but it's not. It's hard, it's fiyah, and it's... unexpected. Especially coming from a rapper as inconsistent as Memphis Bleek. The only thing consistent with duke is his starving record sales, and that's nothing to recognize.

This pic is not a good look. But fuck it.

"We are conducting our own investigation to determine exactly what happened in Manhattan on Tuesday, March twentieth," --50 Cent's lawyer Benjamin Brafman via statement

Number one, 50 is worried about his "thug image" which has now been put into jeopardy. Folks are suggesting that 50 runs with a bunch of bitches who beat up on little children that aren't capable of putting up a fight.

As far as the investigation, 50 figures that if he can throw in a few bucks at the powers that be, they'll get the child (and the witnesses, if any) to slightly shift the story, thus making the situation with Yayo and the little boy somewhat justifiable.

Not long after the Queens G-Unit affiliate Tony Yayo physically attempted to back up his sharp, armed-and-dangerous gangster lyrics by mercilessly slapping down a defensless fourteen-year-old child, the child's mother, Cynthia Reed, Russell Simmons, Rev. Al Sharpton, and a ton of other supporters will be publicly joining forces to protest the unthinkable acts of violence committed towards children. I'm not going to say "violence in hip-hop," because I don't see rappers encouraging violence towards children in rap lyrics. If so, it's not ringing a bell at the moment.

Everyone knows Yayo was getting sonned up in jail. Done all up in his behind n shit. You made a public spectacle out of yourself, now your "gangster" image is tarnished forever. How you gonna get out of this one? Oh... I got it. Stop rapping. I mean, the dismal sales pretty much suggest that we never gave two fucks in the first place.