2010 was the year full of Twitter beef, "swag" overuse, "the dougie" taking the nation by storm and Kanye West escaping away to exile in Hawaii. Nicki reported record sales, Ricky Rozay got his gangster tested by the real "Freeway" Ricky Ross and Drake continued to shut it down as Wayne and T.I. served prison sentences. Eminem went triple platinum and Dre's Detox still didn't fully come out. Instead he gave us the headphones and the song "Kush". Take a look at some of the most shocking moments in Hip Hop in 2010 as we take a look at the year in review.
Guru Dying
So many times we hear rumors that an artist has passed, has been shot, or is locked up from a gun charge, but most of the time it is expected or reasonable to believe given an individuals previous actions. But Guru's passing was unexpected and unbelievable when the news came out. It rocked the Hip-Hop community to its core in April, especially with the alleged shady tactics of Solar in the wings. The whole drama kicked off with the shady initial letter to Guru's fans, supposedly written by Guru himself. Then it came out that Solar wrote the letter, and was getting in between Guru and his family and friends in his last days and hours of the MC's life, even refusing to let Premier see Guru. The whole thing smelled of foul play. From the F**K Solar campaign to Guru's nephew speaking out about how Solar wouldn't let the family see Guru, the end of Guru's life was unfortunately marred in controversy.
Initially to many, this was the end of the king of monotone, the end of carrying the torch in the underground for one of hip-hops legends. But then at a certain point as a community we began to listen to all the Jazzmatazz projects again, "Moment of Truth" , "Mass Appeal", "You Know My Steez", "Above the Clouds", "Full Clip", "Work" and so many others. Guru will always be a part of hip hop and its legacy and will never be forgotten. Its just unfortunate that Guru's death was surrounded by so much controversy with Solar. RIP GURU.
TI Going Back to Jail -
First question with this is shocking moment is, why T.I.? While reportedly working with Remi Martin on a deal, building up the buzz with his Akoo Clothing line and gearing up to release his most recent project "No Mercy", this was probably the worst time for him to get locked up. He had just been released from jail. While his damage contro tactics are admirable, with charity events, TV programs about staying out of trouble and other projects to guide the youth in the right direction, its still upsetting to see the example set for young kids and the waste of talent. As T.I. sits in his jail cell for this 11 month sentence, it brings up the question of whether or not rappers should even be considered role models. Some maybe should be given that consideration, but with this arrest, its questionable if he should be a role model for the kids of our communities.
Nas Dissing "LA" Reid
In an email entitled, "Put My s**tOut", that leaked across the web, Nas put Antonio "L.A." Reid on blast. The Queensbridge, rapper was supposed to drop a new CD, the sequel to his ablum, “The Lost Tapes” on Dec. 17 but for some unknown reason Def Jam Records’ "LA" Reid didn't want to put the album out. Angry and never one to hold his tongue, Nas went in on Twitter, and shortly thereafter, the email leaked online. As Nas broke it down, its clear who he had in his cross-hairs. "The #1 problem with DEF JAM is pretty simple and obvious, the executives think they are the stars. You aren’t…. not even close. As a matter of fact, you wish you were, but it didn’t work out so you took a desk job," Nas stated in an excerpt from the letter. Its rare that an employee goes in on the boss in that way, and even more rare that its taken up in a public forum. But hey, it leaked.
Shyne Signs to Def Jam
The last time we heard from Shyne, Diddy was dating J-Lo and the game was way different than it is today. Signed by "L.A." Reid in Belize after his recent deportation, Shyne reportedly signed a deal worth between 1 and 5 million dollars and will receive distribution for his imprint Gangland Records. 'It is an honor and a pleasure, not just for me but for Belize," Shyne was quoted as saying around the time of the signing. According to Miss Info, Def Jam won a bidding war between Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine and other labels, for the rights to release Shyne's highly anticipated album, his first since 2004. Shyne later explained that, "L.A Reid was there when I was locked, a few feet away from death row and the Black Panthers. L.A. was on the visit floor on Rikers Island looking at me through them blinding bars, showing me he believed in that gang boy revolutionary music I make." Shyne is also reportedly being managed by HipHopSince1978, the same company that manages the careers of Drake, Young Jeezy and Lil Wayne.
Various Kooky Issues
Ja Rule got a couple years in jail for a gun. Magnolia Shorty, a rapper once signed by Cash Money, was shot 26 times. DMX goes back to jail after testing positve for cocaine. Gucci arrested and released. Waka's house raided and Gucci cuffed , by police. Charles Hamilton in a mental ward. At times, the news read like a police blotter and most times, we were shocked at the news.
Entertainment and Arts - Online Media.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Lil Wayne's Last Letter From Jail
Hello world. Time is ticking and I’m counting every second. Because of my new limitations, this unfortunately has to be my last letter. I don’t think people truly understand how much their thoughts and well wishes have helped me through this time in my life. Not everyone is as lucky as I am and it humbles me daily. You would be amazed what positivity can do in a negative environment. I’m going to miss reading about your lives. I’m going to miss looking at the pictures. They were the highlight of my days aside from speaking with my kids. Don’t stress over this in 27 days, the ride starts again. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who is supporting I Am Not A Human Being. It amazes me each time people go out and support my music. I’ll always be in debt to you for that. Keep rocking your “Free Weezy” tees and rocking out to my music. Trust me when I say this is almost over. I love you. I’ll continue to pray for all of you. Just keep doing the same for me.------>#Freeweezy.
Novation and Serato announce Dicer
Novation introduces Dicer, a performance controller designed especially for the digital DJ, and seamlessly integrated with the cue-point and looping features of Serato Scratch Live. Supplied in pairs, the compact USB-powered devices are compatible with any Scratch Live setup, whether using turntables or CDJs. Dicer is the ultimate performance upgrade for Scratch Live. With a pair of Dicers in your DJ setup, you can mash-up your beats on the fly, and create a unique performance every time you play.
Multi-colour backlit soft-touch 'dice' buttons provide real-time visual feedback from the software, and Dicers are so small and rugged that they can be dropped into your laptop bag at the end of the night. Their compact form factor and versatile mounting options enable them to be fastened securely on the corner of turntables, CDJs or a laptop: Dicer mounts into the 45RPM-adaptor hole on a Technics 1200-series turntable, or on to any flat surface using Novation's removable DJ putty. Battle-style or standard, Dicer fits ergonomically into any turntable setup, and one-deck configurations are fine too: just use the reusable DJ putty to secure the second Dicer to your laptop.
Just like Launchpad, which revolutionised the way electronic musicians play Ableton Live, Dicer will change the way the Scratch Live DJ performs. With Dicer on the corner of the turntable, CDJ or laptop, you have instant control of Cue-Point, Loop Roll and Auto-Loop features literally at your fingertips, allowing you to throw tricks into your set without touching the computer. Now, you have the freedom to turn your DJ set into a true performance.
A pair of Dicers requires just one USB socket; an included mini-jack cable provides data connection and bus power to the second unit. Dicers are class-compliant MIDI controllers, and they can be used straight out of the box on a Mac or PC without installing any custom drivers or additional software. What’s more, using Dicer’s shift functions, up to 60 MIDI assignments can be made, to control everything from effects plug-ins to software samplers and instruments.
Dicer is expected to be in stores in late June/early July 2010, priced:
USA: $99.99 MAP
Germany: €99.99 inc. 19% VAT
UK: £79.99 inc. 17.5% VAT
Enter the Dicer Launch competition on Novation's website here and go in the draw to win a Rane TTM 57SL mixer with Serato Scratch Live.
Entries close July 1st 2010.
Multi-colour backlit soft-touch 'dice' buttons provide real-time visual feedback from the software, and Dicers are so small and rugged that they can be dropped into your laptop bag at the end of the night. Their compact form factor and versatile mounting options enable them to be fastened securely on the corner of turntables, CDJs or a laptop: Dicer mounts into the 45RPM-adaptor hole on a Technics 1200-series turntable, or on to any flat surface using Novation's removable DJ putty. Battle-style or standard, Dicer fits ergonomically into any turntable setup, and one-deck configurations are fine too: just use the reusable DJ putty to secure the second Dicer to your laptop.
Just like Launchpad, which revolutionised the way electronic musicians play Ableton Live, Dicer will change the way the Scratch Live DJ performs. With Dicer on the corner of the turntable, CDJ or laptop, you have instant control of Cue-Point, Loop Roll and Auto-Loop features literally at your fingertips, allowing you to throw tricks into your set without touching the computer. Now, you have the freedom to turn your DJ set into a true performance.
A pair of Dicers requires just one USB socket; an included mini-jack cable provides data connection and bus power to the second unit. Dicers are class-compliant MIDI controllers, and they can be used straight out of the box on a Mac or PC without installing any custom drivers or additional software. What’s more, using Dicer’s shift functions, up to 60 MIDI assignments can be made, to control everything from effects plug-ins to software samplers and instruments.
Dicer is expected to be in stores in late June/early July 2010, priced:
USA: $99.99 MAP
Germany: €99.99 inc. 19% VAT
UK: £79.99 inc. 17.5% VAT
Enter the Dicer Launch competition on Novation's website here and go in the draw to win a Rane TTM 57SL mixer with Serato Scratch Live.
Entries close July 1st 2010.
Christian Rapper Explains Jay-Z Diss
Bizzle. Before his Jay-Z diss “Some Explaining To Do,” the masses didn’t know nor care much about a Christian rapper named Bizzle. But, he quickly garnered the internet’s attention with the song that scathingly charged that Hip-Hop’s biggest star was “dissing Jesus” and “Satan’s soldier.” Bizzle even used his poetic license to out Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Kanye West and Beyonce. All of these allegations, Jay-Z has flatly denied in recent interviews, but the gossip and conspiracy theory persist. (Click here to read Jay-Z's explanation in "Jay-Z Denies Connection To The Illuminati, Distances Himself From Religion").
Bizzle issued a lengthy statement explaining his stance and reasons for his remarks, which were ironically set to Jay’s “Renegade.”Well, it's been a couple of days and the Jay-Z record has done more than I ever expected it to. I've read hundreds and hundreds of comments and feel that I should provide some clarification. Below is the song and the interview follows, along with a poll for readers to "judge" for themselves.
From Bizzle to you:
1. Why I did it? For a few reasons. To those who feel I did it for exposure; who am I? LOL! If you can't answer that, then I'm no good at advertising because I didn't even tell you the product or where you can go to find it. If I wanted exposure, I would have given out my myspace and twitter at the end. =) The truth is, I don't want to be famous, but after watching Christ be disrespected and learning about Jay-Z and a couple of others, I guess my emotions and Love for God got the best of me. I mean, most of you would defend your best friend if someone slandered their name, so I guess you can say Jesus is my best friend.
2. To those who have a problem with me using the N-Word; I apologize for any offense. But I did think it through before hand and decided to include it, because I'm not perfect and I use that word everyday. I felt it would be fake of me to leave it out of the record just so I could look like a better Christian. Being Christian doesn't mean I'm perfect. It just means I'm forgiven and I strive daily to be better and get closer to God.
3. Am I a Christian rapper or just a rapper that's Christian? I guess if there's a difference between the two, you would say I'm a rapper that's Christian. I'm not a Gospel rapper, though I am working on my music and moving in that direction. I'm sure you may hear some older records surface and maybe you should so that you can see how far I've come rather then seeing the word Christian and assuming where I should be.
4. Can Jay worship or believe in what he wants? Yes! This record is not about that. It's not a diss record. It's a "let you know the truth so you can make an informed decision on whether or not you still want to listen to him" record. LOL! It was for those people who heard the record and chose to delete him out of their ipods and jump off the boat when they found out what the destination was. I was also inspired by young singer/actress Tiffany Evans' heart to come out and make the statements she did about Satanism in the industry. It took a teenage girl to speak up when a lot of these so-called hard men in the game wouldn't.
One thing this song did that I didn't expect it to do, was let us know how far we are from Christ. I never expected to see so many "F God" and "F Jesus" comments. It hurt my stomach to read some of those. I'm sure a lot of us didn't know that so many of our peers felt that way. But never the less, God loves them all the same.
Once again, sorry If I offended some of you with the N-Word. I'll work on that. I may be a little rough around the edges but my heart was definitely in the right place. I appreciate all of the love. To my fellow Christians, in no way did I intend to set a bad example for the Kingdom. But people need to see that we too have flaws and that God will accept you with them. Love yall, and God Bless!!!
Bizzle issued a lengthy statement explaining his stance and reasons for his remarks, which were ironically set to Jay’s “Renegade.”Well, it's been a couple of days and the Jay-Z record has done more than I ever expected it to. I've read hundreds and hundreds of comments and feel that I should provide some clarification. Below is the song and the interview follows, along with a poll for readers to "judge" for themselves.
From Bizzle to you:
1. Why I did it? For a few reasons. To those who feel I did it for exposure; who am I? LOL! If you can't answer that, then I'm no good at advertising because I didn't even tell you the product or where you can go to find it. If I wanted exposure, I would have given out my myspace and twitter at the end. =) The truth is, I don't want to be famous, but after watching Christ be disrespected and learning about Jay-Z and a couple of others, I guess my emotions and Love for God got the best of me. I mean, most of you would defend your best friend if someone slandered their name, so I guess you can say Jesus is my best friend.
2. To those who have a problem with me using the N-Word; I apologize for any offense. But I did think it through before hand and decided to include it, because I'm not perfect and I use that word everyday. I felt it would be fake of me to leave it out of the record just so I could look like a better Christian. Being Christian doesn't mean I'm perfect. It just means I'm forgiven and I strive daily to be better and get closer to God.
3. Am I a Christian rapper or just a rapper that's Christian? I guess if there's a difference between the two, you would say I'm a rapper that's Christian. I'm not a Gospel rapper, though I am working on my music and moving in that direction. I'm sure you may hear some older records surface and maybe you should so that you can see how far I've come rather then seeing the word Christian and assuming where I should be.
4. Can Jay worship or believe in what he wants? Yes! This record is not about that. It's not a diss record. It's a "let you know the truth so you can make an informed decision on whether or not you still want to listen to him" record. LOL! It was for those people who heard the record and chose to delete him out of their ipods and jump off the boat when they found out what the destination was. I was also inspired by young singer/actress Tiffany Evans' heart to come out and make the statements she did about Satanism in the industry. It took a teenage girl to speak up when a lot of these so-called hard men in the game wouldn't.
One thing this song did that I didn't expect it to do, was let us know how far we are from Christ. I never expected to see so many "F God" and "F Jesus" comments. It hurt my stomach to read some of those. I'm sure a lot of us didn't know that so many of our peers felt that way. But never the less, God loves them all the same.
Once again, sorry If I offended some of you with the N-Word. I'll work on that. I may be a little rough around the edges but my heart was definitely in the right place. I appreciate all of the love. To my fellow Christians, in no way did I intend to set a bad example for the Kingdom. But people need to see that we too have flaws and that God will accept you with them. Love yall, and God Bless!!!
The Death of Michael Jackson.
The world stopped on June 25, 2009 when news broke over TMZ and filtered through subsequent media outlets that cultural icon Michael Jackson had died suddenly of cardiac arrest.That morning, Jackson was discovered not breathing in his Los Angeles bedroom by his doctor Conrad Murray. Several hours before, Jackson had completed a rehearsal for his comeback London concert series without incident.
Murray attempted CPR for 10 minutes with Jackson 12 year old son Prince Michael present before dialing 911. Because of the lack of a landline and not knowing Jackson’s exact address, the entire process extended to 30 minutes.Murray would later tell authorities that Jackson had a weak pulse when he found him, and that he was still alive when paramedics took him out the house after 42 minutes of failed CPR in the house.
Michael Jackson was transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and pronounced dead at 2:26PM following an hour plus of resuscitation attempts.The fallout was immense.Internet media numbers soared, with popular sites like Google, Amazon, Twitter, and AOL posting record numbers. Stations such as BET and MTV offered sprawling tributes, while mainstream news outlets such as CNN used their shows to focus around the clock coverage to the emerging Jackson saga.
His July 7 memorial service featured over 17,000 fans at LA’s Staples Center, and performances from Mariah Carey, Usher, John Mayer, Stevie Wonder, and Lionel Richie. The event also featured condolences from Nelson Mandela, Diana Ross, Queen Latifah, Berry Gordy, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Martin Luther King III, Al Sharpton, and Brooke Shields. The service is most remembered for its conclusion, with Jackson’s tearful daughter Paris lamenting the loss of her father while surrounded by family.
“I want to say that ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine,” Paris sobbed. “And I just want to say that I love him so much.”
Michael Jackson’s service was one of the most watched events in history, with a reputed 1 billion viewers worldwide. When autopsy results determined the singer’s death with due to a combination of prescription drugs, most notably the anesthetic Propofol, law enforcement subpoenaed Dr. Conrad Murray’s medical records on Jackson, and announced at the end of August the case was referred to prosecutors for possible foul play.
Jackson family members confirmed that the troubled singer had become dependent on prescription drugs, and shunned several intervention attempts, the last being in 2007 when sister Janet and several brothers were turned away by security at Michael’s residence.Earlier this month, the LAPD completed their investigation into Jackson’s death and verified that the case will be delivered to the DA over the next few weeks charging Dr. Conrad Murray with involuntary manslaughter.
According to information supplied to TMZ, the DA will have a difficult case since no laws were broken by Murray supplying Jackson with Propofol. Prosecutors will be required to show Murray’s actions constitute “gross negligence,” and resulted in the icon’s death.To date, Michael Jackson has received dozens of tributes from artists and colleagues such as Spike Lee, Madonna, The Game, Diddy, Chris Brown, Akon, LL Cool J, Usher, Boyz II Men, and 50 Cent.Jackson’s death also catapulted him to the #1 selling artist of 2009. He sold 29 million LPs worldwide, with 8.2 millions in the United States. The King of Pop broke several Billboard records, the most prominent being having four Top 20 best-selling albums (Number Ones, Thriller, The Essential Michael Jackson, This Is It) in a single year.
In addition, the concert footage film “This Is It” has become the highest grossing documentary-concert film of all time with $257 million in revenue.Michael Jackson is survived by his three children Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, and Prince Michael Jackson II.Control and disbursement of his estate, estimated to be over $560 million in assets, is expected to play out over the next several years.
DJ Ross,
SilversparK Media.
Murray attempted CPR for 10 minutes with Jackson 12 year old son Prince Michael present before dialing 911. Because of the lack of a landline and not knowing Jackson’s exact address, the entire process extended to 30 minutes.Murray would later tell authorities that Jackson had a weak pulse when he found him, and that he was still alive when paramedics took him out the house after 42 minutes of failed CPR in the house.
Michael Jackson was transported to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and pronounced dead at 2:26PM following an hour plus of resuscitation attempts.The fallout was immense.Internet media numbers soared, with popular sites like Google, Amazon, Twitter, and AOL posting record numbers. Stations such as BET and MTV offered sprawling tributes, while mainstream news outlets such as CNN used their shows to focus around the clock coverage to the emerging Jackson saga.
His July 7 memorial service featured over 17,000 fans at LA’s Staples Center, and performances from Mariah Carey, Usher, John Mayer, Stevie Wonder, and Lionel Richie. The event also featured condolences from Nelson Mandela, Diana Ross, Queen Latifah, Berry Gordy, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Martin Luther King III, Al Sharpton, and Brooke Shields. The service is most remembered for its conclusion, with Jackson’s tearful daughter Paris lamenting the loss of her father while surrounded by family.
“I want to say that ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine,” Paris sobbed. “And I just want to say that I love him so much.”
Michael Jackson’s service was one of the most watched events in history, with a reputed 1 billion viewers worldwide. When autopsy results determined the singer’s death with due to a combination of prescription drugs, most notably the anesthetic Propofol, law enforcement subpoenaed Dr. Conrad Murray’s medical records on Jackson, and announced at the end of August the case was referred to prosecutors for possible foul play.
Jackson family members confirmed that the troubled singer had become dependent on prescription drugs, and shunned several intervention attempts, the last being in 2007 when sister Janet and several brothers were turned away by security at Michael’s residence.Earlier this month, the LAPD completed their investigation into Jackson’s death and verified that the case will be delivered to the DA over the next few weeks charging Dr. Conrad Murray with involuntary manslaughter.
According to information supplied to TMZ, the DA will have a difficult case since no laws were broken by Murray supplying Jackson with Propofol. Prosecutors will be required to show Murray’s actions constitute “gross negligence,” and resulted in the icon’s death.To date, Michael Jackson has received dozens of tributes from artists and colleagues such as Spike Lee, Madonna, The Game, Diddy, Chris Brown, Akon, LL Cool J, Usher, Boyz II Men, and 50 Cent.Jackson’s death also catapulted him to the #1 selling artist of 2009. He sold 29 million LPs worldwide, with 8.2 millions in the United States. The King of Pop broke several Billboard records, the most prominent being having four Top 20 best-selling albums (Number Ones, Thriller, The Essential Michael Jackson, This Is It) in a single year.
In addition, the concert footage film “This Is It” has become the highest grossing documentary-concert film of all time with $257 million in revenue.Michael Jackson is survived by his three children Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, and Prince Michael Jackson II.Control and disbursement of his estate, estimated to be over $560 million in assets, is expected to play out over the next several years.
DJ Ross,
SilversparK Media.
Top 10 Jay-Z Haters ("Jayters") Of The Decade.
What is a ‘Jayter’, you ask? It’s someone of some importance who for some reason or another can not fathom the thought of Jay-Z succeeding without acknowledging them.
Well, You don’t make it to the top of the rap mountain and not expect an avalanche of naysayers to scream and yell for your demise on the top. But the common bond with most of the Jayters on this list is that they not only had some sort of relationship with Jay at one point or another, but all impatiently await for some sort of full blown reaction from the abnormally calm Jay, which doesn’t seem to happen too often…or does it? Here now are the top Jayters along with Jigga Man’s reaction (or non reaction) on wax.
10. That dude that rolled with Jay is his early days.
We don’t remember his name either, but we do recall him being the one challenger allegedly had dirt on Jay from his early days as a pharmaceutical entrepreneur and and threatened to expose him. What he didn’t have was merit to his claim that…uh…well…we don’t know exactly what he was complaining about, but it may have something to do with Jay not giving him a bit of chee$e to go with his wine.
Reaction: “No Hook” off American Gangster
9. Fat Joe
While it was never “officially” taken to wax, it was no secret that these two kings of their respective boroughs with drug dealer pasts never really liked one other. Since Jay’s ascension to the top in the late 90’s, Joe has thrown many a shot, most notable on “King Of NY” off the J.O.S.E album. The early tension came to a head in 1999 when both Roc-A-Fella and Terror Squad crews clashed at New York City’s Club Exit over what witnesses say was the last hot wing on the plate. The incident left one rapper with a bottle over his head, another one with a career in life-support and a tip-less waiter.
Reaction: “He Asked For It” (Unreleased)
8. 50 Cent:
Who doesn’t 50 (conveniently) throw shots at? Yet, this one seems to border on genuine resentment between two multi-millionaire MC’s from New York and 50 just being bored and up for a new challenge. What started off as one line on the classic “How to Rob,” has accumulated to 10 years of passive aggressive tension that in 2009 finds 50 playing Don King to Beanie Segal’s Mike Tyson in hopes of getting Jay to, for once, react.
Reaction: “It’s Hot”
7. Dame Dash
Everyone knows this one. All Jay wanted was the masters to his first born, Reasonable Doubt. Dame says no. Jay takes a corporate raid-type ownership of Roc-A-Fella and Dame again says no, but in a villain-falling-down-a-bottom-less-pit sort of way. What was looked at by many as a shrewd business move was seen by Dame and his loyalists as sneaky move by Jay to separate himself from the guys who helped him build the Roc. The end result: One of the best executives of his generation is left without a purpose and the other went on to marry Beyonce…and become close friends with the President of the United States…and part owner a of major basketball franchise…and a clothing brand that rakes in millions of dollars a year…and successful sports bar franchise in 3 major cities…and…you get it, right?
Reaction: “Lost One” off Kingdom Come
6. Cam’Ron/Dip Set
When Dame brought Cam on board the Roc-A-Fella ship in 2001 , the house that Jay and Dame built was sailing to dominance as the premier label in rap. When Dame made Cam’ co-captain many on the ship, including Jay, felt a bit sea sick and that’s when s**t went over board. Since the break-up of Dame and Jay, the Dip Set cronies have been the vocal pieces for Dames frustration as Cam, Jim and a somewhat reluctant Juelz play hot potato with jabs at Jay.
Reaction: “Dig a Hole” off Kingdom Come
5. Tupac Shakur
It seemed that by 1996, a relatively unknown Jay-Z was the heir apparent the late Notorious B.I.G’s throne. With Mr. Wallace being Tupac’s nemesis this prompted Shakur to act on the age old principal: “oh, you with him? f**k you too!” The alpha and omega of Pac’s tirade was heard on the Machiavelli album and would be used 10 years later as an intro for Nas’ “Ether.” Fortunately for Jay, Pac would succumb to gunshot wounds before Jay had a chance to run retaliate.
Reaction: “‘03 Bonnie & Clyde”
4.Prodigy
Seems Prodigy was growing a little tired of Jay’s rise to the top as New York’s numero uno ambassador, so he began pelting the throne with various freestyles and unreleased ditties from the Mobb’s vast catalogue of aggressive tunes.
Reaction: “The Take Over” off The Blueprint
3.Jaz -O
Something happened between student and mentor that still goes unexplained till this day. What we do know is that Jaz revisits his saltiness at least once a year via interviews on the internet; turning his opinions on Jay into a viral pity party that has yet to benefit Jaz-O’s plight as a producer, rapper or relevant hip-hop figure in 2010.
Reaction: “Do It for Hip Hop” off Ludacris’ Theatre of the Mind and “What We Talkin’ Bout” off BluePrint 3
2.The Game
“Single white female” is the way Jay has described The Game’s sycophantic approach to attacking him. The Game seemed to admire Jay so much that he began to kind of hate him. This emotional imbalance then lead to Game’s not-so-subliminal shots spanning from first album to “My b***h”, an unreleased gem left on the Doctor’s Advocate“I’m So Wavy” . cutting room floor. The most recent reach for attention being the less-than-stellar-waste-of-time,
Reaction: Hot 97 “Can I Live ” Freestyle (2007)
1.Beanie Segal
How did Jay’s right hand capo, destroyer of Hova haters and one of the most feared MC’s on the planet become the numero uno Jayter? A mixture of business and cough syrup. It seems the NyQuil, along with Beans tendency to shoot it out with other human beings at any given moment, made him a liability to the business minded Hov, who at one point had the chance to let Beans be someone’s else’s case, but who’s ego could not allow 50 Cent to be that someone. Unlike previous Jayters, the Beanie debacle possess somewhat of challenge for Mr. Carter. Beans will not stop until Jay-Z responds and Jay’s lack of response is kind of making Beans upset, which then spawns more Beans attacks at an alarming rate.
Reaction: While Jay has yet to respond, we think the songs like “Thank You” and “Already Home” may have struck a nerve on Beans and led to his campaign.
Note: Nas does not make this list because the resentment was mutual on both ends and was handled appropriately. Boo-yow!
Double Note: Sauce Money, despite being left behind early, never managed to get tangled up in Roc fuckery. Kudos!
DJ Ross.
[SilversparK Media].
Well, You don’t make it to the top of the rap mountain and not expect an avalanche of naysayers to scream and yell for your demise on the top. But the common bond with most of the Jayters on this list is that they not only had some sort of relationship with Jay at one point or another, but all impatiently await for some sort of full blown reaction from the abnormally calm Jay, which doesn’t seem to happen too often…or does it? Here now are the top Jayters along with Jigga Man’s reaction (or non reaction) on wax.
10. That dude that rolled with Jay is his early days.
We don’t remember his name either, but we do recall him being the one challenger allegedly had dirt on Jay from his early days as a pharmaceutical entrepreneur and and threatened to expose him. What he didn’t have was merit to his claim that…uh…well…we don’t know exactly what he was complaining about, but it may have something to do with Jay not giving him a bit of chee$e to go with his wine.
Reaction: “No Hook” off American Gangster
9. Fat Joe
While it was never “officially” taken to wax, it was no secret that these two kings of their respective boroughs with drug dealer pasts never really liked one other. Since Jay’s ascension to the top in the late 90’s, Joe has thrown many a shot, most notable on “King Of NY” off the J.O.S.E album. The early tension came to a head in 1999 when both Roc-A-Fella and Terror Squad crews clashed at New York City’s Club Exit over what witnesses say was the last hot wing on the plate. The incident left one rapper with a bottle over his head, another one with a career in life-support and a tip-less waiter.
Reaction: “He Asked For It” (Unreleased)
8. 50 Cent:
Who doesn’t 50 (conveniently) throw shots at? Yet, this one seems to border on genuine resentment between two multi-millionaire MC’s from New York and 50 just being bored and up for a new challenge. What started off as one line on the classic “How to Rob,” has accumulated to 10 years of passive aggressive tension that in 2009 finds 50 playing Don King to Beanie Segal’s Mike Tyson in hopes of getting Jay to, for once, react.
Reaction: “It’s Hot”
7. Dame Dash
Everyone knows this one. All Jay wanted was the masters to his first born, Reasonable Doubt. Dame says no. Jay takes a corporate raid-type ownership of Roc-A-Fella and Dame again says no, but in a villain-falling-down-a-bottom-less-pit sort of way. What was looked at by many as a shrewd business move was seen by Dame and his loyalists as sneaky move by Jay to separate himself from the guys who helped him build the Roc. The end result: One of the best executives of his generation is left without a purpose and the other went on to marry Beyonce…and become close friends with the President of the United States…and part owner a of major basketball franchise…and a clothing brand that rakes in millions of dollars a year…and successful sports bar franchise in 3 major cities…and…you get it, right?
Reaction: “Lost One” off Kingdom Come
6. Cam’Ron/Dip Set
When Dame brought Cam on board the Roc-A-Fella ship in 2001 , the house that Jay and Dame built was sailing to dominance as the premier label in rap. When Dame made Cam’ co-captain many on the ship, including Jay, felt a bit sea sick and that’s when s**t went over board. Since the break-up of Dame and Jay, the Dip Set cronies have been the vocal pieces for Dames frustration as Cam, Jim and a somewhat reluctant Juelz play hot potato with jabs at Jay.
Reaction: “Dig a Hole” off Kingdom Come
5. Tupac Shakur
It seemed that by 1996, a relatively unknown Jay-Z was the heir apparent the late Notorious B.I.G’s throne. With Mr. Wallace being Tupac’s nemesis this prompted Shakur to act on the age old principal: “oh, you with him? f**k you too!” The alpha and omega of Pac’s tirade was heard on the Machiavelli album and would be used 10 years later as an intro for Nas’ “Ether.” Fortunately for Jay, Pac would succumb to gunshot wounds before Jay had a chance to run retaliate.
Reaction: “‘03 Bonnie & Clyde”
4.Prodigy
Seems Prodigy was growing a little tired of Jay’s rise to the top as New York’s numero uno ambassador, so he began pelting the throne with various freestyles and unreleased ditties from the Mobb’s vast catalogue of aggressive tunes.
Reaction: “The Take Over” off The Blueprint
3.Jaz -O
Something happened between student and mentor that still goes unexplained till this day. What we do know is that Jaz revisits his saltiness at least once a year via interviews on the internet; turning his opinions on Jay into a viral pity party that has yet to benefit Jaz-O’s plight as a producer, rapper or relevant hip-hop figure in 2010.
Reaction: “Do It for Hip Hop” off Ludacris’ Theatre of the Mind and “What We Talkin’ Bout” off BluePrint 3
2.The Game
“Single white female” is the way Jay has described The Game’s sycophantic approach to attacking him. The Game seemed to admire Jay so much that he began to kind of hate him. This emotional imbalance then lead to Game’s not-so-subliminal shots spanning from first album to “My b***h”, an unreleased gem left on the Doctor’s Advocate“I’m So Wavy” . cutting room floor. The most recent reach for attention being the less-than-stellar-waste-of-time,
Reaction: Hot 97 “Can I Live ” Freestyle (2007)
1.Beanie Segal
How did Jay’s right hand capo, destroyer of Hova haters and one of the most feared MC’s on the planet become the numero uno Jayter? A mixture of business and cough syrup. It seems the NyQuil, along with Beans tendency to shoot it out with other human beings at any given moment, made him a liability to the business minded Hov, who at one point had the chance to let Beans be someone’s else’s case, but who’s ego could not allow 50 Cent to be that someone. Unlike previous Jayters, the Beanie debacle possess somewhat of challenge for Mr. Carter. Beans will not stop until Jay-Z responds and Jay’s lack of response is kind of making Beans upset, which then spawns more Beans attacks at an alarming rate.
Reaction: While Jay has yet to respond, we think the songs like “Thank You” and “Already Home” may have struck a nerve on Beans and led to his campaign.
Note: Nas does not make this list because the resentment was mutual on both ends and was handled appropriately. Boo-yow!
Double Note: Sauce Money, despite being left behind early, never managed to get tangled up in Roc fuckery. Kudos!
DJ Ross.
[SilversparK Media].
Jay-Z Denies Connection To The Illuminati.
Rap star and mogul Jay-Z has addressed growing speculation and rumors that he is secretly involved with a cult, or a high ranking member of the “Illuminati.”The rapper appeared on Angie Martinez’ Hot 97 show on January 12 to promote his latest tour, during an showing that included rapper Young Jeezy and R&B singer Trey Songz.Conspiracy theorists claim that Jay-Z’s lyrics and videos are filled Masonic imagery throughout the years, including his most recent hits, “Run This Town,” "On To The Next One" and “Empire State of Mind.”
The chatter only grew louder when "On To The Next One" hit the Internet supposedly linking Jay-Z’s music, hand symbols and extraordinary wealth to freemasonry, the Illuminati and even Satanism."I don't know where it came from, I don't know where it started,” Jay-Z told Angie Martinez today. "No, not me. Never done that before. Why win the world would I do that? That’s retarded.”The rapper gave some insight into his thoughts on religion, which can also be found in the song “Empire State of Mind.”
A line on “Empire State of Mind” added fuel to the fire when Jay-Z rapped: “Hail Mary to the city,/you're a virgin/And Jesus can't save you/life starts when the church ends”"I believe in God, I believe in one God,” Jay-Z said of his religious background today. “I don't believe in religion. I think that separates people."The rapper quipped that if he did belong to a secret organization, it has not helped him in terms of race and acceptance in general.
"I can't even get in a golf club in palms springs,‘ Jay-Z joked. “I'm from Marcy.”As for the imagery in the “On To The Next One” video, Jay-Z admitted to making the video darker than usual."As far as how far people are talking it, I guess I'm an entertainer. I entertain. People make up their own things and they run with it."
Whats ur Take?.
DJ Ross,
SilversparK Media.
The chatter only grew louder when "On To The Next One" hit the Internet supposedly linking Jay-Z’s music, hand symbols and extraordinary wealth to freemasonry, the Illuminati and even Satanism."I don't know where it came from, I don't know where it started,” Jay-Z told Angie Martinez today. "No, not me. Never done that before. Why win the world would I do that? That’s retarded.”The rapper gave some insight into his thoughts on religion, which can also be found in the song “Empire State of Mind.”
A line on “Empire State of Mind” added fuel to the fire when Jay-Z rapped: “Hail Mary to the city,/you're a virgin/And Jesus can't save you/life starts when the church ends”"I believe in God, I believe in one God,” Jay-Z said of his religious background today. “I don't believe in religion. I think that separates people."The rapper quipped that if he did belong to a secret organization, it has not helped him in terms of race and acceptance in general.
"I can't even get in a golf club in palms springs,‘ Jay-Z joked. “I'm from Marcy.”As for the imagery in the “On To The Next One” video, Jay-Z admitted to making the video darker than usual."As far as how far people are talking it, I guess I'm an entertainer. I entertain. People make up their own things and they run with it."
Whats ur Take?.
DJ Ross,
SilversparK Media.
2009: Who Was King of the South?
2009 was another year where the South took center stage in Hip-Hop’s mainstream consciousness. Lil Wayne took completely over while T.I. prepared himself for prison and Ludacris took the majority of the year off. Gucci and cohorts Soulja Boy, Wocka Flocka, and OJ da Juiceman set the streets ablaze, and Young Jeezy began laying the seeds for his 2010 return. New Orleans hit hard with Curren$y (This Ain’t No Mixtape) and the song of the year in Jay Electronica’s “Exhibit C.” Out in Texas, Slim Thug offered a quality LP in Bosses of All Bosses, followed by other releases from newcomer Dorrough, Paul Wall, Mike Jones, and Z-Ro. Tennessee saw albums and mixtapes from DJ Paul, Juicy J, Project Pat, and Young Buck. And in North Carolina Big Pooh (Delightful Bars) and J Cole (The Warm Up) came through with standout projects.
Overall, the South continued to lead and define Hip-Hop’s mainstream sound. And while there will always be issues anytime one region dominates the direction of a global art form, the South cannot be expected to slow down so everyone else can catch up.
Lil Wayne
The Young Money leader followed up the smashing success of 2008’s Tha Carter III with the announcement of a risky rock-project entitled Rebirth.
The album was slated for early ’09 and generated two charting singles in “Prom Queen,” and “Hot Revolver,” but label Universal never felt comfortable with the anticipation and continually pushed the album back throughout the year. After leaking by accident through Amazon last month, the entire album may be scrapped in favor of new songs. As of now, the album has a tentative February 1 release.His teaser freestyles “Swag Surf” and “Wasted” had many anticipating his October mixtape No Ceilings as if it were an album. The project showcased Wayne was still hungry following his mega-success in 2008, as he ripped tracks from Fabolous (“Throw It in the Bag Remix”), Noreaga (“Banned from TV”), Kid Cudi (“Make Her Say”), and Jay-Z (“DOA,” “Run This Town”).
Wayne remained in demand for guest spots, penning verses on tracks with Rick Ross (“Maybach Music 2”), Jay Sean (“Down”), Chris Brown (“I Can Transform Ya”), Birdman (“Always Strapped,” “Money to Blow”), Nicki Minaj (“I Get Crazy”), and Drake (“Forever,” “Successful”).His label’s debut group album We Are Young Money was released on December 21.This year, Wayne will be unleashing the debuts of his 2 young Money stars Drake and Nicki Minaj, while preparing his own Rebirth and Carter IV LPs.Standout Songs- “Ice Cream Paint Job Freestyle,” “Swag Surfin’ Freestyle,” “Prom Queen”
Curren$y
After a staggering 8 quality mixtapes in 2008, Curren$y proved he could translate his skill to an album with his April debut This Ain’t No Mixtape.Another New Orleans talent in Monsta Beatz handled production, supplying Curren$y with creative beats heavy on synths and melody.Most artists would be content and rest on that accomplishment, but Curren$y proved himself to be one of the hardest working emcees in Hip-Hop with two mixtape offerings in Jet Files and the Wiz Khalifa collaboration How Fly. The former was almost exclusively smooth, sample-based riding music while the latter maintained as Wiz rhymed a “weed friendly environment,” but with more thump and synths.This year, Curren$y is poised for even bigger exposure through a new supergroup dubbed Center Edge Territory (Curren$y, Mos Def, Jay Electronica), 2 more mixtapes (Where Is Smokey Robinson, Muscle Car Chronicles), and his sophomore LP The Grand Scheme of Things.And to think, Young Money had him on the shelf in ’07. Jets, fool.
Standout Songs- “Power Button,” “The Seventies,” “Get It Yourself,” “Blown Away”
Gucci Mane
Burr! This was a common word throughout many hoods in Hip-Hop, as the self-proclaimed coldest n***a in Atlanta, Gucci Mane, continued his rise to stardom in 2009.As a staple mixtape artist thought his career, Gucci blessed his devoted fanbase with 6 tapes: The Movie 2, The BurrPrint 3-D aka The Movie 3, and The Cold War Series (Guccimerica, Burrusia, Great Brritian). And as a added bonus, Gucci’s So Icey Entertainment threw in the Wasted: The Prequel EP.Tracks like the Shawty Redd-produced “Dope Boys,” “Gucci Montana,” and “Burr” contain the irreverent humor that’s made Gucci one the most colorful characters in Hip-Hop.
Warner Bros/Asylum threw money behind their surging star, and strategically placed him on key singles from Mario (“Break Up”), Wale (“Pretty Girls”), Mariah Carey (“Obsessed Remix”), and the Black Eyed Peas (“Boom Boom Pow”).Gucci’s mixtape deluge and grind saw him become the prominent artist featured at the BET Hip-Hop Awards. Even with other heavyweights like Jay-Z and Snoop performing, Gucci hit the stage 4 times over the course of the evening with his own set and contributions for Soulja Boy, Wale, and Mario.Gucci’s 2009 end was bittersweet. He was arrested in November for a parole violation, and sentenced to 12 months in prison. This caused him to witness his anticipated album The State vs. Radric Davis post his highest first week sales ever from behind bars.
In personal matters, amends were finally made with long-time rival Young Jeezy. Live on the radio with DJ Drama, the two Atlanta emcees pledged to end their feud that claimed a life and work together next year following Gucci’s release.For 2010, Gucci plans to drop two albums and complete his State Trilogy, entitled The State vs. Radric Davis: The Appeal and The State vs. Radric Davis: The Verdict.Standout Songs- “Wasted,” “Dope Boys,” “Worst Enemy”
Rick Ross
How did Rick Ross rebound from the 2008 exposure of his employment past as a corrections officer? He picked a fight with an emcee that specializes in non-lyrical beef exposures, and also delivered a good album.Last January, Ross ignited a personal beef with 50 Cent via “Mafia Music,” which ridiculed the Queens mogul’s baby momma drama. The retaliation was swift in 50 recruiting Ross’ own son’s mother to denounce him.Although multiple disses were recorded, fans latched onto the soap opera elements, which included cartoons, baby momma shopping trips, and books.This all served as great promotion for Ross’ third album Deeper Than Rap, which debuted #1. The album was helmed by production from the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and the Inkredibles, with features from Nas, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Robin Thicke, and John Legend.Ross followed up the album by inking a distribution deal with Def jam for Triple C’s Custom Cars & Cycles.
After the sales of 50 Cent’s Before I Self-Destruct, Ross credited his beef with ending 50’s sales dominance.Ross plans to drop his 4th album, Teflon Don, sometime this year.Standout Songs- “Mafia Music,” “Usual Suspects,” “Cigar Music”
Young Jeezy
Atlanta crown prince of Trap had another productive year following 2008’s gold-certified Recession album.Jeezy put in the majority of his work as a feature artist, helping every single he appeared on to chart on Billboard, including Kanye West’s “Amazing,” Ciara’s “Never Ever,” DJ Khaled’s “Fed Up,” Lil Boosie’s “Better Believe It,” and Rihanna’s “Hard.”For the streets, Jeezy delivered the Trappin’ Ain’t Dead mixtape. In addition, he rekindled his beef with Gucci Man with the diss track “Kobe Lebron.”Later in the year, cooler heads prevailed and the blood feud was squashed publicly on the radio following Gucci’s conciliatory words on “Worst Enemy.”With that beef history, Jeezy looks to drop in 2010 his 4th LP Thug Motivation 101, to date scheduled tentatively for a 1st quarter release.Standout Songs- “Kobe Lebron,” “Dead Or Alive,” “The Underdawg”
The Verdict
Love him or hate him, Lil Wayne didn’t rest on his 2008 success. He showed and proved in 2009, especially with the No Ceilings mixtape. He remained in demand for guest appearances, and furthered crossed over with a role as a sports analyst for ESPN. With the Carter IV, the Juelz Santana collaboration I Can’t Feel My Face, and possibly a Hot Boyz Reunion this year, Wayne’s star will continue to blaze.
[SilversparK Media ].
Overall, the South continued to lead and define Hip-Hop’s mainstream sound. And while there will always be issues anytime one region dominates the direction of a global art form, the South cannot be expected to slow down so everyone else can catch up.
Lil Wayne
The Young Money leader followed up the smashing success of 2008’s Tha Carter III with the announcement of a risky rock-project entitled Rebirth.
The album was slated for early ’09 and generated two charting singles in “Prom Queen,” and “Hot Revolver,” but label Universal never felt comfortable with the anticipation and continually pushed the album back throughout the year. After leaking by accident through Amazon last month, the entire album may be scrapped in favor of new songs. As of now, the album has a tentative February 1 release.His teaser freestyles “Swag Surf” and “Wasted” had many anticipating his October mixtape No Ceilings as if it were an album. The project showcased Wayne was still hungry following his mega-success in 2008, as he ripped tracks from Fabolous (“Throw It in the Bag Remix”), Noreaga (“Banned from TV”), Kid Cudi (“Make Her Say”), and Jay-Z (“DOA,” “Run This Town”).
Wayne remained in demand for guest spots, penning verses on tracks with Rick Ross (“Maybach Music 2”), Jay Sean (“Down”), Chris Brown (“I Can Transform Ya”), Birdman (“Always Strapped,” “Money to Blow”), Nicki Minaj (“I Get Crazy”), and Drake (“Forever,” “Successful”).His label’s debut group album We Are Young Money was released on December 21.This year, Wayne will be unleashing the debuts of his 2 young Money stars Drake and Nicki Minaj, while preparing his own Rebirth and Carter IV LPs.Standout Songs- “Ice Cream Paint Job Freestyle,” “Swag Surfin’ Freestyle,” “Prom Queen”
Curren$y
After a staggering 8 quality mixtapes in 2008, Curren$y proved he could translate his skill to an album with his April debut This Ain’t No Mixtape.Another New Orleans talent in Monsta Beatz handled production, supplying Curren$y with creative beats heavy on synths and melody.Most artists would be content and rest on that accomplishment, but Curren$y proved himself to be one of the hardest working emcees in Hip-Hop with two mixtape offerings in Jet Files and the Wiz Khalifa collaboration How Fly. The former was almost exclusively smooth, sample-based riding music while the latter maintained as Wiz rhymed a “weed friendly environment,” but with more thump and synths.This year, Curren$y is poised for even bigger exposure through a new supergroup dubbed Center Edge Territory (Curren$y, Mos Def, Jay Electronica), 2 more mixtapes (Where Is Smokey Robinson, Muscle Car Chronicles), and his sophomore LP The Grand Scheme of Things.And to think, Young Money had him on the shelf in ’07. Jets, fool.
Standout Songs- “Power Button,” “The Seventies,” “Get It Yourself,” “Blown Away”
Gucci Mane
Burr! This was a common word throughout many hoods in Hip-Hop, as the self-proclaimed coldest n***a in Atlanta, Gucci Mane, continued his rise to stardom in 2009.As a staple mixtape artist thought his career, Gucci blessed his devoted fanbase with 6 tapes: The Movie 2, The BurrPrint 3-D aka The Movie 3, and The Cold War Series (Guccimerica, Burrusia, Great Brritian). And as a added bonus, Gucci’s So Icey Entertainment threw in the Wasted: The Prequel EP.Tracks like the Shawty Redd-produced “Dope Boys,” “Gucci Montana,” and “Burr” contain the irreverent humor that’s made Gucci one the most colorful characters in Hip-Hop.
Warner Bros/Asylum threw money behind their surging star, and strategically placed him on key singles from Mario (“Break Up”), Wale (“Pretty Girls”), Mariah Carey (“Obsessed Remix”), and the Black Eyed Peas (“Boom Boom Pow”).Gucci’s mixtape deluge and grind saw him become the prominent artist featured at the BET Hip-Hop Awards. Even with other heavyweights like Jay-Z and Snoop performing, Gucci hit the stage 4 times over the course of the evening with his own set and contributions for Soulja Boy, Wale, and Mario.Gucci’s 2009 end was bittersweet. He was arrested in November for a parole violation, and sentenced to 12 months in prison. This caused him to witness his anticipated album The State vs. Radric Davis post his highest first week sales ever from behind bars.
In personal matters, amends were finally made with long-time rival Young Jeezy. Live on the radio with DJ Drama, the two Atlanta emcees pledged to end their feud that claimed a life and work together next year following Gucci’s release.For 2010, Gucci plans to drop two albums and complete his State Trilogy, entitled The State vs. Radric Davis: The Appeal and The State vs. Radric Davis: The Verdict.Standout Songs- “Wasted,” “Dope Boys,” “Worst Enemy”
Rick Ross
How did Rick Ross rebound from the 2008 exposure of his employment past as a corrections officer? He picked a fight with an emcee that specializes in non-lyrical beef exposures, and also delivered a good album.Last January, Ross ignited a personal beef with 50 Cent via “Mafia Music,” which ridiculed the Queens mogul’s baby momma drama. The retaliation was swift in 50 recruiting Ross’ own son’s mother to denounce him.Although multiple disses were recorded, fans latched onto the soap opera elements, which included cartoons, baby momma shopping trips, and books.This all served as great promotion for Ross’ third album Deeper Than Rap, which debuted #1. The album was helmed by production from the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and the Inkredibles, with features from Nas, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, Robin Thicke, and John Legend.Ross followed up the album by inking a distribution deal with Def jam for Triple C’s Custom Cars & Cycles.
After the sales of 50 Cent’s Before I Self-Destruct, Ross credited his beef with ending 50’s sales dominance.Ross plans to drop his 4th album, Teflon Don, sometime this year.Standout Songs- “Mafia Music,” “Usual Suspects,” “Cigar Music”
Young Jeezy
Atlanta crown prince of Trap had another productive year following 2008’s gold-certified Recession album.Jeezy put in the majority of his work as a feature artist, helping every single he appeared on to chart on Billboard, including Kanye West’s “Amazing,” Ciara’s “Never Ever,” DJ Khaled’s “Fed Up,” Lil Boosie’s “Better Believe It,” and Rihanna’s “Hard.”For the streets, Jeezy delivered the Trappin’ Ain’t Dead mixtape. In addition, he rekindled his beef with Gucci Man with the diss track “Kobe Lebron.”Later in the year, cooler heads prevailed and the blood feud was squashed publicly on the radio following Gucci’s conciliatory words on “Worst Enemy.”With that beef history, Jeezy looks to drop in 2010 his 4th LP Thug Motivation 101, to date scheduled tentatively for a 1st quarter release.Standout Songs- “Kobe Lebron,” “Dead Or Alive,” “The Underdawg”
The Verdict
Love him or hate him, Lil Wayne didn’t rest on his 2008 success. He showed and proved in 2009, especially with the No Ceilings mixtape. He remained in demand for guest appearances, and furthered crossed over with a role as a sports analyst for ESPN. With the Carter IV, the Juelz Santana collaboration I Can’t Feel My Face, and possibly a Hot Boyz Reunion this year, Wayne’s star will continue to blaze.
[SilversparK Media ].
Illseed's '09 Person of The Year: Rick Ross
He is the "Illseed Person of the Year!"
In the not so distant future, Rick Ross was just another rapper that rhymed about a lot of cocaine. Sure, there was a bit more to him, but he seemed to be another dude that did cocaine rap to me. All that changed with the 2008 revelation that he was once a correctional officer at a jail facility in Miami. It was the worst-kept secret to come out of Florida. Ross was finished, but it actually made him a bigger star. People couldn't stop talking about him.
Then in '09 Ross plucked 50 Cent's nerves when he said:
"I love to pay ya bills, can’t wait to pay ya rent / Curtis Jackson, baby mama ain’t looking for a cent / Burn the house down, you gotta buy another / Don’t forget the gas can, jealous stupid motherf***er."
- Rick Ross
A risky, but brilliant chess move by Ross.
There was blood in the water and the biggest shark went for a swim.
When it was all said and done, the water was crimson red, but somehow Rick Ross lived through 50 Cent's retaliatory attack.
Embroiled in a beef with the King of Beef is a death sentence for most. 50 Cent threw everything at Ross, save actual bullets. The boss didn't die. He didn't die.
What Ross did...
He did something that people wanted...he made a damn good album with Deeper Than Rap. I never liked the title but the album was dope. I'll go so far as to say that anybody that calls it wack is a straight up, die-hard, self-loathing HATER.
Deeper Than Rap was fashioned like others before it (think Notorious B.I.G.) with the distinct ability to balance hardcore Hip-Hop with commercial gems. Sure, he never crossed over fully, but that didn't stop him from selling a cool 158,000 units his first week out (about the same 50 Cent would go on to sell his first week). When the year was over, Ross had sold 401,000, making him the 4th top selling rap act of 2009. I suspect even the haters picked up Ross on the merits of his music, not his past job.
Heads up...
I have a revelation for some people.
Your favorite rapper isn't all that he is represents in his raps. I am certain people would actually want their favorite coke rapper to have sold insane amounts of coke rather than just rap about it. Sure, they want rappers to actually do crimes they speaketh, because if they don't...they are frauds. Right? I mean, your parents go to work and act "fake" for their manager and co-workers so what's the big deal? Blah!
For me, I never thought Rick Ross was anything more than a rapper. If he is, that's cool for those that need that. But, I just liked the damn album and am grown enough that I don't need him killing anybody in street wars. Can people just enjoy the music? Raekwon did an album that talked about coke and we know he's not in it like that. Dr. Dre was never a gangster and we're waiting for him like he's Santa Claus.
Even more, I like how Rick stood in the eye of the storm and didn't blink. Well, when he first heard 50 go at his baby moms he definitely came out of his cool, but that was about it. Other than that, Rick and crew just kept releasing songs, videos and kept it about the music.
Moreover, Rick Ross even picked a fight with Eminem and the Detroit rapper side-stepped him for Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon. No shots to Em, but...hey...I would have loved to have see that one go down.
What is life without a villain?
Rick Ross is the person that you hate to love and love to hate, an honor once held by Ice Cube.
I've said it hundreds of times: "They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!"
Rick kept people talking and, truth be told, hate is better than the indifference.
Long live the hate!
Long live the music!
Long live THE BAWSE!
In the not so distant future, Rick Ross was just another rapper that rhymed about a lot of cocaine. Sure, there was a bit more to him, but he seemed to be another dude that did cocaine rap to me. All that changed with the 2008 revelation that he was once a correctional officer at a jail facility in Miami. It was the worst-kept secret to come out of Florida. Ross was finished, but it actually made him a bigger star. People couldn't stop talking about him.
Then in '09 Ross plucked 50 Cent's nerves when he said:
"I love to pay ya bills, can’t wait to pay ya rent / Curtis Jackson, baby mama ain’t looking for a cent / Burn the house down, you gotta buy another / Don’t forget the gas can, jealous stupid motherf***er."
- Rick Ross
A risky, but brilliant chess move by Ross.
There was blood in the water and the biggest shark went for a swim.
When it was all said and done, the water was crimson red, but somehow Rick Ross lived through 50 Cent's retaliatory attack.
Embroiled in a beef with the King of Beef is a death sentence for most. 50 Cent threw everything at Ross, save actual bullets. The boss didn't die. He didn't die.
What Ross did...
He did something that people wanted...he made a damn good album with Deeper Than Rap. I never liked the title but the album was dope. I'll go so far as to say that anybody that calls it wack is a straight up, die-hard, self-loathing HATER.
Deeper Than Rap was fashioned like others before it (think Notorious B.I.G.) with the distinct ability to balance hardcore Hip-Hop with commercial gems. Sure, he never crossed over fully, but that didn't stop him from selling a cool 158,000 units his first week out (about the same 50 Cent would go on to sell his first week). When the year was over, Ross had sold 401,000, making him the 4th top selling rap act of 2009. I suspect even the haters picked up Ross on the merits of his music, not his past job.
Heads up...
I have a revelation for some people.
Your favorite rapper isn't all that he is represents in his raps. I am certain people would actually want their favorite coke rapper to have sold insane amounts of coke rather than just rap about it. Sure, they want rappers to actually do crimes they speaketh, because if they don't...they are frauds. Right? I mean, your parents go to work and act "fake" for their manager and co-workers so what's the big deal? Blah!
For me, I never thought Rick Ross was anything more than a rapper. If he is, that's cool for those that need that. But, I just liked the damn album and am grown enough that I don't need him killing anybody in street wars. Can people just enjoy the music? Raekwon did an album that talked about coke and we know he's not in it like that. Dr. Dre was never a gangster and we're waiting for him like he's Santa Claus.
Even more, I like how Rick stood in the eye of the storm and didn't blink. Well, when he first heard 50 go at his baby moms he definitely came out of his cool, but that was about it. Other than that, Rick and crew just kept releasing songs, videos and kept it about the music.
Moreover, Rick Ross even picked a fight with Eminem and the Detroit rapper side-stepped him for Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon. No shots to Em, but...hey...I would have loved to have see that one go down.
What is life without a villain?
Rick Ross is the person that you hate to love and love to hate, an honor once held by Ice Cube.
I've said it hundreds of times: "They keep us talking, but if we stop talking about them then they should worry!"
Rick kept people talking and, truth be told, hate is better than the indifference.
Long live the hate!
Long live the music!
Long live THE BAWSE!
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