http://www.hip-hopvibe.com: October 2010

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Nicki Minaj teams with Eminem and disses Lil' Kim

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Two of the biggest hip hop figures of 2010 have finally joined forces. Nicki Minaj is a candidate for new artist of the year as she plans to release Pink Friday this week. Eminem, on the other hand, is a veteran on the comeback trail. Both rappers are known for their alter egos.

Their new collaboration, "Roman's Revenge," features Nicki's alter ego of Roman Zolanski and Eminem brought Slim Shady over. The record, which will be featured on Pink Friday, is taking aim at the many haters. On this record, Nicki and Em prove how crazy than can get on their tracks.

In the opening verses, both Nicki Minaj and Eminem come out aggressive. But, in the second verse, the nonconfrontational Nicki took some shots at Lil' Kim. This summer, Lil' Kim started dissing Nicki Minaj for taking her style. Even though Kim made her beef no secret, Nicki refused to respond to Lil' Kim over a song. At one point, Drake had even jumped into the fray.

However, earlier this month, Lil' Kim announced she would not be sending any more diss records in the direction of Nicki Minaj. She extended an olive branch and had hoped Nicki would accept it. No response came from the Young Money camp, now Nicki has gotten on her latest song and taunted Lil' Kim with how she took her spot. Later in the verse, she sent a few threats to the woman who labeled herself the Queen Bee years ago.

In his verse, Eminem hits back at critics who said he could not land a comeback. From the top of the game with the hottest new artist around, Eminem tossed a few verses off. Nicki described the song as not her, but rather Roman, her alter ego, going at Em's Slim Shady and Lil' Kim for that matter.

J. Cole pegs Debut Album for December release

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Late last year, J. Cole's single, "Lights Please," gained him national attention. After his verse on Jay-Z's "A Star is Born," interest in Cole was at an all-time high. When "Lights Please" was released, Roc Nation said his debut album would come early in 2010.

For a brief moment, J. Cole was just as popular as Drake and some thought Cole would be more successful in 2010. After both rappers were pushed back, it appeared as if they would receive the "Saigon treatment." But, Drake dropped in June and took over the game while J. Cole waited.

Early in the summer of 2010, J. Cole heated up the streets with his anthem, "Who Dat?" The song gained traction and an album was expected to soon follow. But, the summer came and went without a J. Cole release. Now, with the year almost over, nothing has come from J. Cole. If he does not soon get an album out, J. Cole may miss his turn because the label is focusing on Willow Smith.

Months have passed since J. Cole has had any news about his debut album, Cole World. Recently, however, the rapper said his debut album may finally see the light of day this December. The album will be released on Roc Nation through Columbia Records.

Geto Boyz - "Mind Playin Tricks on Me"

DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince - "Nightmare on my Street"

Michael Jackson - "Thriller"

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Happy Halloween from A-Thug

Drake wants another Jay-Z collaboration

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Drake finally nabbed Jay-Z for a collaboration when the two teamed up for "Light Up." The song has become a favorite among fans and hailed as a classic. Following the success of the song, the people are left wanting more.

Drake prides himself on being just as big of a fan as the fans themselves. Even after recording with Jay-Z, Drake still feels starstruck when he shares the room with him. Still elated after their collaboration, Drake wants them to do it again.

With his second album slated for a 2011 release, Drake has been recording in an effort to get himself back into the game. Like with his debut album, Drake wants another collaboration with one of his idols, Jay-Z.

Their Thank Me Later collaboration, "Light Up," was considered an underground classic. But, Drake wants to get in the studio with Jay-Z for his second effort in order to record a major hit single. While he accepts the fact that he came up in the underground, Drake understands that the money comes from radio play. Because of this, Drake does enough to satisfy both the radio and the streets.

The next collaboration between Drake and Jay-Z will likely be a street song, but radio ready.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

T.I. changes Album Title and Returns to Prison

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

The road to redemption for T.I. is going to be a little bit longer than he expected. When he first got out of prison, T.I. worked overtime to repair his image. Last month, all of the hard work went right out of the window. Now, T.I. is headed back to prison for 11 months.

His album was supposed to be titled King Uncaged, since T.I. was celebrating his return. But, since he is headed right back to prison, there is no need to celebrate. Because of this, Tip has renamed his album to No Mercy. Not only has T.I. lost his perfect album title, but he has also lost endorsements.

Axe deodorant has decided to pull their endorsement from T.I. in the wake of his legal woes. Remy Martin liquor had given T.I. a lucrative contract, giving him an executive role. While they claim to still have love for T.I., they have relieved him of his duties.

Now, T.I. will spend his remaining free days making his rounds and rerecording his track. Because of his recent legal troubles, T.I. will not be able to celebrate his freedom, so he is creating music to match the feeling. Just like last time, T.I. will be preparing his team for the promotion of his album because he will not be able to do it in person. Not only is T.I. headed back to prison, but it is the exact same place he went before in Arkansas. Before he heads back to Arkansas on November 1, T.I. plans to shoot a few videos for the album.

No Mercy, T.I.'s seventh album, is currently set for a December 7 release date, although many feel the album will be pushed back until sometime in 2011.

Jay-Z and Kanye West join forces for New Album

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

For some time, Jay-Z and Kanye West have been a formidable hip hop duo. When Jay-Z "retired," it was Kanye West who kept the dynasty alive. West has even held his own since Jay-Z returned to the game. Both rappers are great in their own right.

The chemistry shared between Jay-Z and Kanye West is fantastic at its worst. Each year, one of these two rappers will release an album, so fans will always have their Jigga/Kanye collabo. Because of the popularity of their collaborations, the two decided to do an EP.

Over the past few weeks, Jay-Z and Kanye West have been recording this new release. But, as they have been putting music together, their chemistry has grown. Now, instead of simply an EP, the former Roc-A-Fella rappers have decided to put a full album together.

There is no set release date for this new project, Watch the Throne. The album would be a joint release from both G.O.O.D./Def Jam and Roc Nation.

Nicki Minaj nervous over "Pink Friday" first week sales

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Lil Wayne's 2008 prediction came true and it is safe to say 2010 has been the year of Young Money. The summer was dominated by hits from Drake and Nicki Minaj. Drake, who released his debut album during the summer, has a platinum plaque. Nicki, on the other hand, awaits her album release.

Nicki Minaj has been having conversations with Mack Maine, the CEO of Young Money Entertainment. Maine has revealed how nervous Nicki is over her album sales. She has pointed out that Drake sold 463,000 copies in his first week. As a new artist, it is hard to deliver those type of numbers.

Despite Nicki Minaj being credited for carrying female hip hop on her back, she is still nervous. For some reason, Nicki feels as if she will not sell as many records as Drake in her first week. In the past, first week sales did not receive as much attention as they do now. 50 Cent and his 2007 competition with Kanye West is to blame for this.

Mack Maine has been trying to calm her down and have her focus on the quality of the music. He told her about how Juvenile only sold 40,000 copies during the first week with his 400 Deegreez album and it went on to sell 6 million records. The first week is only the first week and each week sales should be higher than the previous week, as opposed to lower each week, which has been the case in recent years.

Joe Budden close to Shady Records deal

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

For over a year, Joe Budden has been involved with Eminem and Shady Records through Slaughterhouse. Last year, it was confirmed that they would sign to Shady Records. The group consists of four members, Budden, Crooked I, Royce da 5'9, and Joell Ortiz.

Signing the artists has been difficult as each artist has been in deals with other labels. But, as their contracts have come to a close, they have officially been able to create Slaughterhouse. For the past few months, buzz about the supergroup has been becoming more and more nonexistent.

Right when people have nearly forgotten about the crew, they come with more news. Joe Budden said they are very close to completing the deal with Shady Records. The reason they have been out of the public eye is because each rapper has been getting out of their label deal. Budden said the deal is complicated because there are so many rappers involved.

One reason why they have remained interested in signing with Shady Records has been because of Eminem and his passion for hip hop. Even with his recent run at the top, Budden says Eminem has been 200% involved in everything concerning Slaughterhouse. The deal is expected to be completed sometime this fall and their debut album will come sometime late in 2011.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Eminem deserves "Hottest Rapper in the Game" title

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Many critics have spoken out against MTV voting Eminem as the hottest rapper in the game for 2010. But, Eminem has been the most consistent voice in hip hop this year. The year of 2010 has been a bust, as far as hip hop is concerned. Major comebacks were expected from T.I. and J. Cole's debut album has yet to come.

Despite a strong effort with Thank Me Later, Drake has not been able to keep up. Yes, "Over" was a hit early this spring, but the song did not carry over into the summer. While "Find Your Love" charted high, it did not have the staying power and the radio play of the singles from Eminem. During each stage of the year, an Eminem song has dominated the radio.

At the very beginning of the year, Eminem was getting airplay due to the "Drop the World" single off Lil Wayne's Rebirth. Ironically, this single would end up being the biggest single off the Rebirth album. Late in the spring, Eminem returned with his own single, "Not Afraid," which debuted on top of the charts and stayed in the rotation until late in the summer. At one point, Eminem was dominating with two singles, "Not Afraid" and "Love The Way You Lie." The run Eminem has experienced this year is similar to Lil Wayne's dominance back in 2008.

Eminem has put the work in and his music is still dominating, as "Love The Way You Lie" is still receiving major radio play and Em's new single "No Love," with Lil Wayne, is rising the charts quickly. While other rappers have had a little bit of buzz, not even Lil Wayne's I Am Not a Human Being has been enough to take the focus away from Eminem. After the mixed response to his 2009 comeback effort, Relapse, Eminem spoke from the heart and he put together Recovery. With this album, Eminem planned to dominate the year of 2010 and he did just that.

T.I. avoids Drug Charges, Suffers Album Delays

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Late last year, T.I. was released from prison and he promised himself, his family, and his fans that he would do better this time around. Earlier this year, T.I. made his first public appearance. For the sake of his company, the Atlanta rapper turned from an urban look to a professional look. No longer wearing the baggy clothes, T.I. was only found wearing suits.

Things were looking great for T.I. until his trip to Los Angeles last month with his wife, Tiny. While driving through the city, the newlyweds were pulled over by the police. During a routine search, the officers found drugs in the car and T.I. had violated his parole. For almost two years, T.I. had been doing all he could to repair his image in the spotlight.

Despite T.I.'s guilt, the fans have not given up on him and they have rallied behind their hero. All of their well-wishes have benefited T.I., as he will not be brought up on drug charges. While he will not be charged for drug possession, all things are not well with Tip. Though he beat the drug charges, the parole violation may land him back in prison for eleven months.

In the wake of this news, Atlantic Records decided to push T.I.'s comeback effort, King Uncaged, back from a November release to a December 7 release date. While the album has currently been delayed to a release in December, most people believe his album has been pushed back until sometime next year. Even with the possibility of the album being delayed even farther, Young Dro reported that T.I. has filmed over eight videos for the album.

Nelly channels Biggie on "5.0"

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Nelly is on the comeback trail once again. The St. Louis rapper is preparing to release his first album in two years. In the midst of rumors about a relationship with Ashanti, there is plenty of buzz surrounding him. While all attention is good, Nelly would rather have the people focus on his music.

With 5.0, his sixth studio album, set to come out next month, Nelly definitely wants some music-related buzz. In anticipation for the release of the album, Nelly has released the track listing. Much like his previous release, Nelly aligned himself with the stars, working with the likes of Diddy, T.I., and Plies.

The one artist Nelly has always admired has been The Notorious B.I.G., as he frequently quotes his lines. Nelly was even featured on his posthumous album, Duets: The Final Chapter. The final result was the "Nasty Girl" hit. Five years later, Nelly has called upon some of Biggie's lyrics for his latest opus. The first single from 5.0, "Just a Dream," put Nelly back in the top ten and he hopes Biggie can help put him over the top.

Track Listing

1. "I'm Number 1 (featuring Birdman and DJ Khaled)
2. "Long Gone" (featuring Nelly and Plies)
3. "She's So Fly" (featuring T.I.)
4. "Just a Dream"
5. "Making Movies"
6. "Move That Body" (featuring T-Pain and Akon)
7. "1000 Stacks" (featuring Diddy and The Notorious B.I.G.)
8. "Gone" (featuring Kelly Rowland)
9. "Don't It Feel Good"
10. "Broke Niggas"
11. "Live Tonight"
12. "Nothing Without Her"
13. "Go" (Bonus Track)
14. "If I Gave You One" (featuring Avery Storm) (Bonus Track)
15. "Kissing You" (featuring Dirty Money) (Bonus Track)

Sunday, October 24, 2010

"Paid in Full" Part 10

"Paid in Full" Part 9

"Paid in Full" Part 8

"Paid in Full" Part 7

"Paid in Full" Part 6

"Paid in Full" Part 5

"Paid in Full" Part 4

"Paid in Full" Part 3

"Paid in Full" Part 2

"Paid in Full" Part 1

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Lil Wayne Back on Top

by Mark Thomas
Hip Hop Vibe Senior Staff Writer

Lil Wayne owned the Billboard Hot 100 album chart this week, with his 'I Am Not a Human Being' album settling in at the No. 1 spot. The hard copy of the album was released on October 12th, two weeks after its digital debut, and sold 125,000 units in its first week. Weezy beat out Hootie & the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker's country-tinged solo release 'Charleston, SC 1966,' which landed at No. 2.

As a digital release, 'I Am Not a Human Being' debuted at No. 2 before dropping down to No. 16. It then propelled to No. 1 following a 443% jump in sales. Jumping from 16 to 1 on the chart is the biggest leap since Radiohead's 'In Rainbows' moved up from 156 to 1 in 2008.

The Grammy winner recorded the music and accompanying videos for the album prior to being locked up at New York's Rikers Island, where he is weeks shy of completing an eight month prison sentence. "He had so much music," Wayne's Cash Money lablehead Brian 'Birdman' Williams stated. "This is what he wanted to put out. We kind of sat down and envisioned what we wanted to do before he left. Putting a project out was one of the things we wanted to do because we didn't want to not put [any] music out."

Wayne is, of course, no stranger to topping the charts. In 2008, at a time when the record industry was struggling in sales, his sixth studio album, 'The Carter III,' sold 1.01 million copies in its first week, making it the first album to top a million since 50 Cent's 'The Massacre' back in 2005.

Wayne is scheduled to be released from prison the first week of November.

Friday, October 15, 2010

New Video of the Day: Rick Ross ft. Chrisette Michele and Drake - "Aston Martin Music"

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Ghostface Killah announces New Album, "The Apollo Kids"

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Following the release of his last album, Ghostface Killah announced he would release a new album each year. In the fourth quarter of 2010, Ghostface Killah is back with his ninth studio album.

Known for his wacky album titles, Ghostface will also keep this feature going. Last year, he gave us Ghostdini: Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City. This year, he will be offering the title, The Apollo Kids.

Earlier this year, Ghostface, along with the Wu-Tang Clan, released the Wu Massacre album. Ghostface has used that work as inspiration for his solo album. This solo album, which is titled, The Apollo Kids, will be released on December 14.

The album will be a release off Def Jam.

Behind the Scenes: Rick Ross ft. Gucci Mane - "MC Hammer"

Throwback Video of the Day: Jadakiss ft. Pharrell - "Knock Yourself Out"

New Video of the Day: Ja Rule - "Rule York Swagga"

Keith Murray clarifies Tupac comments

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Legendary EPMD member, Keith Murray recently found himself in a bit of trouble. The rapper was speaking about the earlier years in his career when one comment was taken the wrong way. Murray is known by most casual hip hop fans for his contribution to both versions of LL Cool J's "I Shot Ya."

In 1995, there were rumors of a feud between Tupac and LL Cool J in the wake of the East/West feud. Tupac released a diss record aimed at the veteran and after Tupac was shot, LL recorded this song. On the remix, his verse takes aim at an unnamed rapper. LL Cool J promised not to mention his name on that record, but he would the next time.

The next time never came because Tupac was literally stopped dead in his tracks right in the middle of his crusade. An untold story was a meeting between Tupac and Keith Murray. Following the release of the song, Tupac confronted Murray over his participation on both versions of the song. When Murray initially spoke on the situation, he made it seem as if he ended up fighting Tupac.

However, after the hip hop media picked up on his comments, the New York rapper came out to set things straight. Murray said he did not disrespect Tupac in the video clip. All he was doing was giving the fans a hip hop history lesson. When Tupac got shot, the "I Shot Ya" record was released and Keith Murray spotted the recently shot Tupac to let him know there was no beef. In the end, the two rappers had a friendly conversation, shook hands, and walked away from each other.

Jay-Z to become face of Election 2010

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Ever since the 2000 elections, the Black community has called upon people in hip hop to get more Black youth to vote. The response was great as Diddy and Eminem were active in the 2004 election. In 2008, many youth and most of the hip hop community was inspired by Barack Obama, so Jay-Z stepped up big.

Jay-Z is a major reason Barack Obama went from being called "Senator Obama" to "President Obama." In the time since this change, Jay-Z has become quite chummy with the President of the United States. Conservative media outlets have tried to use this against the president, but it holds no traction. Jay-Z gave up the thug image a long time ago to go corporate.

With things not looking good for the Democrats, the president has called upon his old buddy for a little bit of help. Over the past few years, Jay-Z has gone from simply a rap icon into a public figure. Because of this, his appeal is simply not with the black youth. As an overall business figure, people take Jay-Z's opinion into consideration, especially in an important situation, such as voting. The nonpartisan organization, HeadCount, is behind the new string of commercials. The commercial will soon be available on Viacom-owned networks and is available on YouTube.

Shyne disses Def Jam and wants Cash Money deal

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Ever since he was released from prison, almost exactly one year ago, Shyne has been involved in multiple label rumors. The last time Shyne spoke on his label situation, he announced he was with Def Jam. He said the deal was much better than the one he had at Bad Boy Records and better than other offers.

While the deal appeared to be good, a year has passed and there has not been any music coming from Shyne yet. Tired of all the games, Shyne said he wants to leave the label because the chairman, L.A. Reid, does not care about hip hop. Shyne accused Reid of not knowing what he is doing up there.

Shyne only has a distribution deal with Def Jam, so it will not be extremely difficult for him to get out of his deal. Once everything is squared away, Shyne said he wants to head over to Cash Money Records to join forces with Lil Wayne and the crew. He said he may just allow Cash Money to distribute his music because he is in business for himself, so he can deal with the company of his choice.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

OFFICIAL COVER: Nicki Minaj - "Pink Friday"

50 Cent's Film Company Hits It BIG

by Mark Thomas
Hip Hop Vibe Senior Staff Writer

50 Cent has hit it big, landing major funding for his film company Cheetah Vision, which is a partnership between the rapper and producer Randall Emmett.

50's company has received $200 million dollars for a 10-picture deal, which is backed by healthcare executive Richard Jackson and real estate developers Gary Sakwa and Daniel Ret.

Production on several films, which will be released by Grindstone Entertainment/Lionsgate, has already started.

50 Cent is attached to a new film titled Set Up, which starts shooting last month, in addition to Catch .44, which stars Bruce Willis, Forest Whitaker and Malin Ackerman.

The movie centers around a group of friends who get caught up in a diamond heist that turns violent.

"The thing about '50 Cent' is that, just like in his music career, he isn't someone who sits around and waits for things to get done. He came to me and said, 'How do we move quicker on projects?' With this new fund, we are able to do that," Randall Emmett told Variety.

The deal will help Cheetah Vision produce roughly five films a year, with a budget of about $20 million dollars.

Cam'ron to replace 50 Cent at Interscope Records

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Many critics of 50 Cent credit most of his commercial success to the work of Dr. Dre and Eminem. They are legends in the game and some feel as if 50 Cent rode their names to the top. Like many giants before him, 50 Cent has crushed under his own weight.

Ever since his album, Curtis, did not live up to expectations, 50 declared all-out war on Interscope Records. He said all the buzz he ever had he created. Once he dissed Interscope, Interscope dissed him. During his feud with Rick Ross, 50 Cent boasted that he might come over to Def Jam.

Following the release of Before I Self Destruct, it was clear the love affair was over. Last month, 50 Cent announced he and his crew had moved to EMI Records. Now that he is no longer a part of the Interscope family, it will be harder for 50 Cent to land those collaborations with Eminem and the ever-busy Dr. Dre. It's clearly time for someone else to move into his shoes.

Throughout his career, Cam'ron has been under the shadow of a bigger name. Even when he had his biggest hits, "Oh Boy" and "Hey Ma," Cam was still in the shadow of Ja Rule. Much like Ja Rule, Cam'ron became embroiled in a high-profile feud with 50 Cent. Early in 2007, 50 Cent made fun of the artists signed to independent labels. He said all artists on indie labels are washed up and Cam'ron, at the time, an independent artist did not appreciate the comments.

50 Cent, at the time, was preparing for Curtis and was still celebrating the success of The Massacre. It did not seem as if a slump was in his near future. But, things seemed bleak for Cam'ron, as his own crew sided with 50 Cent over him and he disappeared from the public eye. Two years later, Cam'ron returned with, what some say, was the best album of his career, Crime Pays. Following the release of the album, Cam reunited with his crew and 50 Cent considered signing to an indie label.

Now, 50 Cent records for EMI Records and Interscope Records agreed to an exclusive distribution deal for the Cam'ron-owned Diplomat Records. Finally having a major label behind them, Cam also will have the production of Eminem and Dr. Dre on his music. G-Unit out, Diplomats in at Interscope Records.

Lloyd Banks hints at 50/Kanye collaboration

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Three years ago, 50 Cent pushed his Curtis album up to a release date of September 11. Meanwhile, Kanye West had to push his Graduation album back to September 11, while the album cover was being done. Throughout the summer, 50 Cent said Kanye West should not release his album close to his.

Once it was confirmed that both rappers would be dropping albums on the same day, 50 Cent started a commercial beef with Kanye. While 50 taunted West each day until the album was release, Kanye laughed it off. He said he did not have to talk because he knew he was going to win the battle.

BET's "106 & Park" got in on the action when they decided to have both rappers attend the show on the date. Even during the show, 50 Cent continued to taunt Kanye West. While they pretended to get along for the camera's sake, the tension was very thick. In an effort to win the New York crowd over, Kanye West had Jay-Z come out.

As the results came closer, 50 Cent boasted that he would retire from rap if Kanye West outsold him. But, he backtracked when he was badly outsold in the United States by Kanye. Internationally, however, 50 Cent edged Kanye out and he was not shy about letting his critics know this. In the time since their face-off, 50 has suffered from his career being on a steady decline. Meanwhile, Kanye West has been on the fast track outside of the Taylor Swift incident.

Recently, Lloyd Banks has been the peacemaker for G-Unit. He said that he could forgive all of the former members of G-Unit, but he could never work with them again. Banks even reached out to Nas and convinced him to record for the album. Even though Nas has been feuding with 50 Cent, he has never called out Lloyd Banks and Banks never mentinoed Nas out of respect. Now, Banks hopes to act as a mediator to end the longstanding feud between the Queens rappers.

Lloyd Banks received a major shoutout from Kanye West and he rewarded him by inviting him to perform on his The Hunger for More 2. Due to the new relationship he has with Kanye West, Lloyd Banks wants to repair the broken relationship between West and 50 Cent. With both rappers working together on his album, the ultimate goal for Lloyd Banks is to have the two rappers appear on the same track together. With the size of those egos, this feat is easier said than done.

Nelly making "Tipdrill" movie

Birdman discusses possible NFL ownership, Young Jeezy, and T.I.

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

As one of the original hip hop entrepreneurs, Birdman built Cash Money Records into a business machine long before Lil Wayne was ever even signed to the label. But, after adding Wayne, along with Juvenile and B.G., Cash Money Records hit the big time. In 1997, Universal Records learned of the movement coming from New Orleans and they soon invited Birdman and his brother, Slim, to their New York offices.

The result of this meeting ended up being a distribution deal, which still remains in tact. Despite having a major distribution deal, Cash Money still retains full creative control and over 60% of all profits generated from their music. With this type of flexibility, Birdman and Slim have been able to do a lot. Some of their actions have been good, while others beg to differ.

Juvenile was the flagship artist of Cash Money Records for some years, but he abruptly left the label when he discovered he had been cheated out of royalties. In a similar fashion, B.G. also left the label. After both rappers had left Cash Money, they took their issues public, which led to a major feud. In 2002, there were rumors of Lil Wayne also leaving the label, but he decided to stay and become the new focal point.

At the time, the move hurt Cash Money in a terrible way, but soon Lil Wayne unleashed the fury onto the world that has made him into a legend in his own right. While Wayne goes off making hits, Birdman watches as his bank account has more money to store. Because of this new profit, Birdman has been thinking bigger than rap.

Earlier this year, he discussed the possibility of owning an oil company. However, after the media interfered with these plans, Birdman said no more about the oil. Recently, he has been thinking about expanding the original Cash Money label into a distribution company, putting out the music of others. But, recently, the rising mogul has been more interested in owning an NFL franchise.

The newest owner of the Miami Dolphins, Stephen Ross, has been selling small stakes of the team to many hip hop and R&B entertainers. Birdman hopes to become the latest hip hop entertainer to become a part-owner of the Dolphins. Outside of football, Birdman also spoke of how he missed out on some major talent that wanted to be on Cash Money Records.

Before becoming the heads of their own labels, both Young Jeezy and T.I. were hoping to be signed by Cash Money Records. While Birdman was interested in signing both artists, he was only focused on seriously putting out music from his own artists. Because they wanted to put out music, they ended up starting their own labels and have made nice careers for them. Birdman also stated Keyshia Cole was interested in being on the label.

Monday, October 11, 2010

A-Thug in the Studio making New Music [Video]

Eminem on CBS' "60 Minutes"

New Audio: Kid Cudi ft. Cage - "Maniac"

New Audio: Redman - "Tigerstyle"

Friday, October 8, 2010

Sinergyst ft. Bizzy Bone and Jae Millz - "In the Zone"

A-Thug: Harlem's Unsung King

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

There is a new king in Harlem. Ever since the late 1990s, the hip hop scene in Harlem has been dominated by Cam'ron. In the past, former Bad Boy star, Mase had a short run at the top. But, A-Thug has been doing his thing right there in Harlem for seven years.

In 2003, the streets of New York were buzzing because their own, 50 Cent, had emerged into the limelight. A few miles away, another legacy was born. A-Thug, at the time 22 years old, wanted to get into the game. After a few meetings with label heads, he decided he wanted to do this on his own.

With no funding, A-Thug put together his debut album, Wish of a Rolling Stone. In order to get the album out to the people, A-Thug went to the streets and sold the music, himself. The album was met with moderate success and made him into a New York street legend.

After releasing his debut album through his own label, Black Rolling Stones Entertainment, A-Thug sought to continue buildng his empire. The year of 2003 was closed with A-Thug adding more artists to his label. Towards the end of the year, the Harlem rapper had planned to release his second album, but instead he found himself behind bars. The time in jail only inspired A-Thug to hit the streets even harder when he came out.

In 2006, A-Thug returned on top of his game. He released his second album, Blow: The Art of Getting Rich, and the people loved it. Fans have the chance to interact with A-Thug, as he doubles as a street vendor. The goal is to become like Diddy and Jay-Z, but A-Thug understands that he has to walk before he can crawl. Outside of music, Thuggatron also unveiled his own clothing line, Black Rolling Stones Clothing, which has also been a major success for him. Running his empire from his home, A-Thug focused on getting the artists on his label exposure.

With the focus on expansion, soon A-Thug added MegaStarDVD to his growing number of products. By the time his third album, Fuel to the Fire, came out, the streets of New York did not have to ask who the rapper, A-Thug was. Ever since being released from incarceration in 2006, A-Thug went to the streets to sell his music. Along the way, he created MegaStarDVD, Black Rolling Stones Clothing, and has added multiple acts to his label.

Because he is on the streets, fans get a personal feeling from A-Thug. It would be a long shot to see Jay-Z in the middle of the street offering copies of one of his albums. Even when he does make it into the mainstream, A-Thug wants to keep this connection with the people. Fans have a distinct feeling about A-Thug and they have made him one of the most-popular street rappers in New York. This means a lot, seeing how flooded the New York rap market is.

In an effort to keep his name popular in New York and to build a market for himself in other places, A-Thug has hopped on remixes with mainstream artists. Not only has he added verses to many of the current hit singles, but he has also done music videos with him teaming up with the artists. Right now, these artists do not know A-Thug personally, but this will all soon change.

A-Thug ft. Gucci Mane and Trey Songz - "Beat It Up (remix)"

T.I. heads to Court on October 15

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

When he got out of prison late last year, T.I. promised he would be on his best behavior. Earlier this year, he began making public appearances. T.I. was on the fast track to putting his career back together. Before the summer came, T.I. even delivered another anthem, "I'm Back."

But, as the summer came, T.I. was caught up in the life that landed him behind bars. Because of his good behavior, the courts had granted him permission to travel to Los Angeles. However, T.I. and Tiny would be caught by the police with drugs. Not completely out of his other legal woes, T.I. faces prison again.

Recently, T.I.'s court date has been revealed. He will have to return to Los Angeles County on October 15. Here, the Atlanta rapper will learn if he is headed back to prison, or if he will get off with a light sentence. Fans and family of T.I. are praying he does not have to go back to prison.

New Video of the Day: Soulja Boy - "Blowing Me Kisses"

Lloyd Banks talks Kanye collabo

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Recently, Lloyd Banks has been all over the place, after a few years of falling off. His plan has worked out perfectly and now he is the biggest name on G-Unit Records. With his album set to come out next month, Banks is back on his game. He feels his third album, The Hunger For More 2 will be 2010's best album.

The latest leak off the album has been "Start It Up." The song features collaborations from Kanye West, Fabolous, Swizz Beatz, and Ryan Leslie. It has been heating up the internet for some time now and Banks is loving it. Now, his confidence in his music is higher than ever.

Fresh off the success of his new song, Lloyd Banks has decided to explain how it all came to be. Kanye West was invited to be on the song after he stated that Lloyd Banks was one of the most underrated rappers in the game. After receiving such a boost from Kanye West, Banks felt obligated to give him a chance to be on his already-stacked song, "Start It Up."

With Fabolous, Swizz Beatz, and Ryan Leslie already on the song, adding Kanye West would guarantee the song to be a tremendous hit. Banks will release The Hunger For More 2 on November 23 and it will be the first release from G-Unit Records since 50 Cent moved them from Interscope Records to EMI.

Drake describes Toronto winter, Talks Sophomore Album

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Despite becoming one of the biggest rap stars and going platinum on his first try, Drake is staying grounded. Instead of heading down to Miami for the winter, Drake will be in his hometown of Toronto. He said winter in Toronto is unlike any winter anywhere else.

The winter is inspiring his R&B mixtape, It's Never Enough. It has been marketed as an all-singing release, but Drake has other plans. While he is definitely a good singer, Drake finds it difficult to do an entire release without doing some rapping. There are two songs in particular that will include rapping.

In a recent sit-down with XXL magazine, Drake also gave information about his second album. Drake said he learned a lot from putting Thank Me Later together and he plans to use this in putting his second release together. One major lesson from that album was learning what works for him and what does not work for him. Drake denied he was talking about a particular track.

Drake knows the next album, still untitled, will be a successful release because he is working with the same people he worked with last time. He feels it is important for him to work with the people he is most comfortable with.

Busta Rhymes discusses J. Cole, Drake, Nicki Minaj, and More

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

To many fans, it seems just like yesterday when Busta Rhymes began his solo career. Time has been flying and Busta is now a battle-tested fourteen year pro. Now, he has the right to check out the upcoming talent. Recently, Busta Rhymes gave his opinion on some of the new artists.

Busta Rhymes recently spoke about the newer rappers looking for entry into the game. While he is listening to most of the new artists, his favorite is J. Cole. Busta said Cole is very creative with the way he comes up with words. The Roc Nation star is definitely in rotation on Busta Rhymes' iPod.

Aside from J. Cole, Busta Rhymes is also a very big fan of the new captain of Young Money, Drake. One thing that really impresses him about Drake is his ability to change his style in different ways. There are not many artists, in any genre, who can do all that Drake does. Busta Rhymes gives him credit for being good at whatever style he jumps into.

Drake isn't the only Young Money star to catch Busta Rhymes' attention. Much like the rest of the hip hop world, Busta has been captivated by Nicki Minaj. He respects what she has brought to the game and how she was able to bring female rappers back into the game. While he respects her as a female emcee, Busta realizes she is more than just a female rapper, he understands how Nicki Minaj is holding her own against the men in the game. He loves her fast-rhymes and her overall character.

Busta Rhymes has also been keeping an ear to the streets and he has become a big fan of Wiz Khalifa, the new sensation out of Pittsburgh. He respects the movement Wiz had before he even started putting music out on a consistent level. Despite working with major labels throughout his career, Busta Rhymes has a lot of respect for the artists who do it on their own, much like how Wiz Khalifa has been doing things. In some ways, he sees a little bit of himself in the rising star.

One artist, in particular, has Busta Rhymes' attention and he comes right out of New York City. While all of the new artists have his attention, Busta is drawn to Reek da Villain because the two have shared so much studio time. The two rappers have been working together ever since 2007, but they did not record together last year. With new music on the way, Busta Rhymes hopes to get back in the studio with Reek very soon and he hopes to jump on his debut album next year.

Busta Rhymes is still in the studio, putting the finishing touches on his ninth album, E.L.E. 2. The album does not have a set release date, but the album will be released on Universal Motown.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

A-Thug - "Just Like You"

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Dr. Dre working with Dipset

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

The past three years have been hectic for both Dr. Dre and Dipset, as album release dates have passed with no music. Dr. Dre has dealt with internal issues with 50 Cent and Game, but got a reunion with his former protege last fall. Similarly, Dipset had a falling out between leaders, Cam'ron and Jim Jones and they also reunited.

No longer having 50 Cent on his roster means Dr. Dre is no longer obligated to hold his grudges. Having put to rest the Murder Inc. feud years ago, Dre is working with more of 50's rivals. In 2007, 50 Cent began feuding with Cam'ron. Last summer, the rappers were close to making a truce, but it fell through.

To date, they are still having problems, but Cam'ron is back in the studio with his crew. They hope to have an album out for next year and they want it to be hot. Because of this, they are dealing with the hottest producer in the game. Earlier today, Jim Jones revealed he had enlisted the help of Dr. Dre to produce their next album.

Lloyd Banks dismisses G-Unit reunion

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Many people credit Lloyd Banks as the realest G-Unit family member. Through all the beefs and all the members who left the crew, he has always said what was on his mind. When the group first went public, they included Game and Young Buck.

In 2005, at the peak of their popularity, Game revealed his deep hatred for 50 Cent. Three years later, Young Buck left the group with a similar statement. Ever since being ousted from the crew, both rappers have gone back and forth.

Recently, both Game and Young Buck said they would not mind returning to G-Unit Records. 50 Cent, who has taken a break from beef, will no longer respond to them. But, there has not been any kind of vow from Lloyd Banks.

While he will not come out and diss anyone, Lloyd Banks said he will do all he can to defend himself. After hearing his former label-mates trying to make peace, Banks does not buy it. He said with all the trash they have talked and all the side-swapping, there is no chance they will be back. In 2007, Game formed an alliance with Ja Rule and Irv Gotti. In 2008, Young Buck attended a party with Ja Rule.

Banks said it would be more beneficial to Game and Buck for a return, but it would not do much to boost the G-Unit crew. Currently, Game is still waiting to release The R.E.D. Album and Young Buck is trying to sue G-Unit Records. 50 Cent has publicly stated he wants a meeting with Young Buck, but he never wants to share a track with him again.

Nelly to appear on "The Mo'Nique Show"

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Over the past few months, Nelly has been trying to re-establish himself in the game. In the early 2000s, Nelly was one of the biggest artists on the planet. But, in 2005, he took a break from music. Nelly returned in 2008, but soon took off, once again.

But, after watching Eminem leave the game for six years and return to the top, Nelly is convinced he can do the same thing. Without the help of Dr. Dre and the machine of Interscope, Nelly was close to selling diamond.

Beginning with his 5.0 album, Nelly plans to get back on his grind and release albums each year. But, before he does all of this, he needs to reintroduce himself to his people. Ever since "The Mo'Nique Show" premiered on BET, it has been all of the buzz within the black community. If Nelly is serious about a comeback, he should start there.

Obviously serious about returning to the game, Nelly has arranged to sit on the couch and talk to Mo'Nique about what he has been doing. Outside of music, Nelly has dealt with deaths in the family and a breakup from longtime girlfriend, Ashanti. All of this pain outside of the music could easily boil over onto the album, which could make it music worth going after when it is released.

Drake removes "I Get Lonely Too" from R&B mixtape

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

2010 has been a hectic, but great, year for Drake. Following a great mixtape and joining Young Money, Drake released his debut album. Yesterday, it was revealed Thank Me Later had been certified platinum by the RIAA.

Keeping everything forward, Drake has concerts in New York City and a video with Rihanna. Not only does he have upcoming gigs and videos, but Drake also has an endorsement deal with Kodak cameras. With all this going on, Drake has bigger plans.

Following the success of "Find Your Love" during the summer, Drake has decided to put together an entire R&B release. With no album planned until next year, Drake is returning to the mixtape scene. But, this mixtape will have nothing but Drake singing.

Properly titled, It's Never Enough, Drake plans to prove to the world he can dominate the hip hop scene and compete with his buddy, Trey Songz, in the R&B arena. The mixtape has been garnering significant buzz, while he is putting things together. One song receiving a lot of buzz is "I Get Lonely Too." The song has been doing well, but Drake has decided to scratch it from the mixtape.

Lil Wayne gets Solitary Confinement for using MP3 player

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Before he went to prison, Lil Wayne set himself up so his crew would still be on top of the game. Not only did he record enough music to hold fans over, but he also unleashed Drake and Nicki Minaj. Now, with only a month left in prison, Lil Wayne is preparing to make his return to the public.

For the most part, Lil Wayne has been behaving himself in prison. But, much like detention, at the end of the day, the person being punished gets restless. Recently, Wayne was caught with a prohibited item, an MP3 player. While the item is not dangerous, it is also not allowed.

Because of this, Lil Wayne has been sentenced to 23 hours of solitary confinement every day for the next month. Even with the punishment, there will be nothing stopping Wayne from getting out on November 4. This will be the same day he ends up releasing his ninth album, Tha Carter IV. With all the music coming from Young Money this year, it is only right Lil Wayne closes the year for the fans.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

New Video of the Day: Deuce Pound ft. Rick Ross "U Gotta Love Me"

Friday, October 1, 2010

On the Rise: LoPro

By Mikey T The Movie Star
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

LoPro has been hard at work preparing to deliver his upcoming mixtape hosted by Bang Em Smurf, Feeding Time. Between working on his mixtape debut for the streets, LoPro has been releasing several records and performing across the Tri State area. Lopro new single, "I Don't See Nobody," was just released as the first single off Feeding Time.

LoPro plans to feature a few members from Feed Da Wolves and is going to have the mixtape circulating in the Northern East Coast. Bang Em Smurf and I, Mikey T The Movie Star, are putting the project together and hope to have it out before the end of 2010. LoPro's release will come after releases from Domination, Money Mo, and Feed Da Wolves South member, South Paw da Don.

Lopro plans to keep hitting the streets with new material, collaboratoons, and visuals for the internet. He is working on his debut album set for a 2011 release, but plans to flood the east coast with a few mixtape offerings.

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