Can Red Cafe return Bad Boy Records to Prominence?

By Hardcore Critic
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

Early in its run, Bad Boy Records dominated the game. The label quickly built around The Notorious B.I.G. and Faith Evans. Founded by Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, Bad Boy Records was quickly becoming a second-generation Def Jam. While Combs established himself a new-and-improved Russell Simmons, B.I.G. never had the chance to have a legacy like LL Cool J, as he was brutally murdered.

Bad Boy Records has had a number of hits over the past fourteen years, but the label has never had another flagship artist like their original. Immediately following Biggie's death, Mase became the new face of the label. However, during the promo run of his sophomore album, Mase decided to quit rap to become a preacher.

In 1999, Shyne became the new flagship artist for Bad Boy, but he was soon arrested and serving time in prison. Loon stepped up to the plate in 2003, but his career quickly fizzled, also. In 2009, Combs announced he had signed Red Cafe to the label. During the fall, Bad Boy Records left Atlantic Records for a new deal at Interscope Records. Diddy said Red Cafe would now be the focal point of Bad Boy Records.

Aside from being Bad Boy's new flagship artist, Red Cafe was also the head of his own Shakedown movement. Red Cafe has been working for well over five years, trying to gain exposure and release his debut album. After two years of delays, on Bad Boy, Diddy announced Red Cafe would soon be taking his rightful place as the new flagship artist of Bad Boy Records. Red Cafe also discussed the situation and announced his debut album would be released on Valentine's Day 2012.

But, for nearly ten years, Bad Boy Records has been struggling. Bad Boy Records has been struggling two years longer than the New York hip hop scene. Long before his Bad Boy days, Red Cafe was said to be the artist who would return New York to hip hop prominence. Now, he is being hailed as the man who can make the same happen for Bad Boy Records. However, Red Cafe does not have much more buzz than any of the other New York rappers in the game.

Once Red Cafe gets the Bad Boy machine behind him, will he be able to re-ignite New York hip hop and, in turn, place Bad Boy Records back on top of the game?

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Dexter Isaac confesses to Tupac Shakur's 1994 shooting, blames Jimmy Henchman

By The Hip Hop Writer
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer

James "Jimmy Henchman" Rosemond has been known for his business acumen for years. But, it appears all of it was a front for his criminal enterprise. There have been rumors about Rosemond for years, but nothing ever stuck. But, with a warrant out for his arrest, things are coming out.

There was always the mystery of who shot Tupac Shakur in 1994. Shakur blamed his former friends, the Bad Boy duo of Sean Combs and The Notorious B.I.G. However, they have always denied being involved. In 2008, a report said Rosemond was behind the shooting.

Henchmen denied the accusations and threatened to sue if it was not retracted. Now, seventeen years since the shooting and three years since the report, information has finally been revealed. Dexter Isaac was working for Rosemond in 1994 and was paid $2,500 to rob Tupac, but the robbery went wrong and he was forced to shoot him.

Despite things going wrong, Isaac was still able to get away and he said Rosemond gave him $2,500 and all the jewelry he got from Tupac Shakur, with the exception of one of his rings. Isaac said Rosemond kept the biggest ring, a diamond, to put in a new ring for his girlfriend, at the time. Tupac apparently knew something about what happened, as he named Rosemond, along with Biggie in "Against All Odds." Everything is falling apart for Rosemond, who is currently facing DEA charges.

Read the full letter from AllHipHop.com below:

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