Bad Boy joins Interscope

Much to the dismay of many people out there Diddy the shame of New Yorkers has taken his Bad Boy Music Label and hooked up with Jimmy Lovine's LA based Interscope Records. There are rumors that this more based on the fact that Bad Boy Records is actually broke and needs dollars to promote its artists. Bad Boy and "Diddy" on the same label as Death Row, Pac, Snoop, Dre, 50 Cent and The Game who actually is on this video? Wow the rap game has changed !!!
(http://ping.fm/5A6Tm)

This is what one post said:
Diddy is contradicting his image with this "bloody money" concept he keeps talking about. What happened to the polished buisiness man thing? What, he's grimy now? OK... I'm sure he'll make money, but his credibility (at least to me) is shot. Dude is corny.

Good show to catch in San Francisco

Goze aka Bless of 12 Step Records will be performing at a collective hip hop show at the Blue Macaw on Mission St. The Blue Macaw is a 2 story venue with a full bar and an intimate setting.

Marketing Genius

I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but what Kanye West did at the MTV music awards was marketing genius. Now I didn't say it was a classy move or one that may make him look charming but stunts like this are apart of showbiz and more specificly hip hop. Whether its catching a case before a album drop or a “beef” with a rival rapper.

Not too long ago I was talking with a friend about Michael Jackson and the weird shit he did, and I was posed the question, if Michael didn't wear the crazy looking customs, didn't do the middle aged lady hair styles, the plastic surgeries and the marriage to the daughter of Elvis would he have maintained his fame throughout the years. The answer is NO. Although MJ's music was good, or even great, in the world of pop culture its not your quality or essence of work that keeps you at the top, its not your talent. Its how often you keep your name in a conversation.

Advertising dollars, promotional tours and appearances keep you only so interesting. America has proved to love scandal, that's why we read about Jon and Kate (I still don't know who they are, and why people talk about them), or the octopolet mom. We like weird shit. In an information age where millions of pieces of information are shot to us via TV, internet, Twitter, Facebook and alike, how do stars generate staying power?

Eminem has built a career off of shock lyrics, going after Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and most recently Mariah Carey who unlike the others jumped into the battle seeing the marketing potential of such a fight.

How often do Swift fans talk about Kanye West? They do now. And would I write or would you be reading about Kanye West if it wasn't for his stunt. Now I agree, he looked like an ass, but an ass that just pushed himself on front page news which he couldn't get unless he spent millions on an ad campaign or killed someone. With the Jay-Z album release and Kanye's multiple projects, for the reason of loving him or hating him, you will pay attention to him and his next 5 moves.

And I know Beyonce was embarrassed, and shocked and all, but she is no dummy either, and responded with a classy move on her part, which made her look even better than she would of if there was no controversy to begin with. And last but definitely not least Taylor Swift herself although she looked like she was going to cry on stage, has the most to gain.

Country singers are rarely known by hip hop fans, unless they are featured on Nelly songs, and how often does that happen? I now know Taylor Swift. Plus she is a now a media darling, the poor sweet girl that was interrupted by the asshole black rapper guy. She will do interviews she wouldn't of, appearances she wouldn't of and if I can do my best Nostradamus and predict that she and Kanye will do a track together.

Think about all the demographics that will get involved in this conversation. Marketing genius!
All and all this is a win-win.

Somebody Finally said it.

Look Jay-Z is top of the game, everybody knows that. He is the one of the very few that made it out of the Golden Age of Hip Hop (95-2000) without a major case, and alive. So naturally he has walked into the thrown. So nobody says a damn word about him. But the real talk was put out by none over than DMX who's been called a crackhead, crazy and all sorts of other names. It wasnt also appreciated that he came out after 2pac died and said, he didnt give a fuck. But listen, on this one I got to say, DMX is on point. Saying that Jay-Z is super talent (agreed) but soulless (heavily agreed) is ON POINT. And it would take someone like DMX (Crazy) to come out and say something like that, cause noone else would. As a former label mate (Def Jam) and collaborater and self described friend of Jay-Z. He and me will catch heat for saying this, ya we're hatin. But most of you are just dick riding. Jay-Z's soul purpose is money, as DMX said, which is all good as DMX said. So to true artist and hip hop fans this probably doesnt come as a shock. Jay-Z is the same dude that after getting clowned by 2pac repeadedly, realized the tremendous impact of Pac so he would do shout out at concerts and MTV trying to win over heart grieving followers. Jay-Z is talented, a money maker, and damn smart, but he is also soulless. But to most fans it wont matter because hip hop has changed, the fans have changed and music has changed. For the better, you can call me old school but definetly not for the better. Take a history lesson and see how rock music was killed off, the same the purity of hip hop is stripped with wack artist pushed on us my mindless record companies.

Jay-Z, Greatest of All Time?

Some people talk about how great Jay Z is this and that. I agree the music is hot. Some call him the greatest of all time, and thats where I disagree. See Jay-Z has access to the best producers, best studios, top equipment, mass marketing avenues and is at the top of the game. I give it up to him, his success is probably unseen and in that respect he is a hip hop and rap pioneer, with the likes of Russell Simmons, hate to say it Puff Daddy and a very few others alike.

But to call him the greatest of all time is just too much in my eyes.

The way I see it of he could produce the same album as a nobody or even someone with a little name recognition, I would respect him a lot more. For a man traveling in jets, meeting the president, and living the good life, with all the advantages of life.

I think most people with talent, that are given these opportunities will be just as good if not better.

I hate to say this but stop dick riding. Dude is good no doubt. But lets stop calling someone the greatest of all time, everytime they drop an album.

The way I measure a man is how he is when he is down, because we are all delightful when things are good.

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Chicago Rapper faces life for Bank Robbery

Chicago rapper Terrance Boykin, better known as Bump J [click to read], may face life in prison after admitting to a 2007 bank robbery in Oak Park, according to Fakeshoredrive.com [click here]. In the plea deal, signed in late June, Boykin confessed to participating in the heist, which netted over $108,000.

Although Boykin's deal would give him between 37 and 46 months in jail, his admission to threatening bank employees with a .45 caliber gun could land him in jail for life. A mandatory minimum of seven-years is also required for possessing a weapon during a violent crime. According to authorities, Boykin and an accomplice entered the bank on January 4, 2007 and after announcing a robbery, stole money from the bank vault. In November of 2008, Boykin was stopped and arrested at a routine traffic stop, an event that would eventually lead to his admission of guilt in the earlier bank robbery.

Boykin jumped onto the music scene with his Kanye West-produced track "Move Around," which earned him local notoriety and which became a song featured in McDonald's' nationally-aired commercials. Soon after he was signed by Atlantic Records and recorded several mixtapes including Chicagorilla with DJ Drama. At the time of the robbery, he was reportedly working on a new album.

Boykin is scheduled to be sentenced on September 1.

Hip Hop is life

In the mid 90s hip hop was at its golden era. With the abundance of music that came out, each region created its own style and brought a unique sense to the game. Now days it seems like everybody sounds the same. No one wants to step out of the box. So we're all stuck in the box using the same fx Kanye got famous for.