I really hate to hear this, seeing as how the family is responsible for some of the most inspirational music ever recorded. Not to mention some major hits in secular music as well. But, nonetheless, a member of the Winans family has been sentenced to prison. The Huffington Post has the story:
A judge sentenced a member of gospel music's Winans family to nearly
14 years in prison Wednesday for an $8 million financial scam that was
promoted in church pulpits.
Two of Michael Winans Jr.'s victims spoke in federal court, telling a
judge that the scheme to sell Saudi Arabian oil bonds robbed some
people of their life savings, caused divorces and fractured many
families. "I want to apologize to everyone. ... These were decisions that were negligent and irresponsible," said Winans, of Jessup, Md. He said he had no "malicious intent" but acknowledged that he
continued to collect money even after he learned that the bonds were
bogus. Winans attracted more than 1,000 investors in 2007 and 2008, although
he didn't know them all because many were recruited by others through
word of mouth. He promised 100 percent returns in two months, then used
the money for personal expenses or to pay off earlier investors. About
600 people are still owed $4.7 million. Winans, 30, is a third-generation member of one of gospel music's
first families. He's the grandson of Delores "Mom" Winans and David
"Pop" Winans Sr., and the son of Michael Winans Sr., a member of The
Winans, a quartet of brothers. His uncle, Marvin Winans, gave the eulogy
at Whitney Houston's funeral. Winans has performed with his cousins as Winans Phase II. He released his own album in 2011, "My Own Genre." Winans relied on unwitting friends to round up investors, a trait of a
classic Ponzi scheme. When the bonds turned out to phony, investors
angrily turned on the people who recruited them. "There are lots of marriages that have been destroyed. I know family
members who aren't speaking to each other," Tara Hurt told the judge.
The Detroit-area resident declined further comment outside court. U.S. District Judge Sean Cox read from some of the 50 letters
written by victims. He said a young woman joined the Army because her
family had lost money that was intended for her college education. He
noted that Winans made his pitch from church pulpits. "Fraud on good, decent church-going people – that was very, very troubling to me," Cox said. Cox chose a sentence that was in the guideline range of 12 1/2 years to 15 1/2 years in prison. "Investor fraud schemes like this one are just a fancy way to steal other people's money," U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said.
The battle against World Star Hip Hop rages on. Now, I haven't been to the site in a while as I am convinced I picked up a computer virus from visiting that site (a virus that caused my computer to crash last year). Now people are demanding the site be taken down. Wouldn't bother me one bit. Hip Hop Wired reports:
WorldStarHipHop, the site created by Lee “Q” O'Denant,
has dominated the Internets after becoming the online hub for people of
color behaving badly on video. During its rise to infamy, the extremely
successful website has attracted a fair share of critics. Joining in the criticism is Universal Zulu Nation's Minister Of
Information Quadeer “M.C. Spice” Shakur, who penned an open letter
addressing the site and its controversial content. Shakur opens up the letter congratulating O'Denant on the success of
WSHH, making note that the site's creator never finished high school.
After the brief pleasantries, the letter shifts tone and takes the site
to task. From Davey D's Hip-Hop Corner blog:
Doesn't it bother you just a little that another
Black man (that man being yourself), has “made it” out of the “ghetto”,
only to display unnerving images and videos of young adults berating,
belittling, and beating each other solely for the purpose of the
enjoyment of who you are led to believe are “millions of Hip-Hoppers?”
Mr. O'Denant, the followers of your site are impressionable young
men and women who “follow” you for a reason. As salacious as you may
want your site to be, our youth are looking for answers and solutions to
the many problems that plague our communities. The young people use
your site as an outlet to escape the world they are living in, only to
find that you place them right back at the starting point.
Shakur continues to inform O'Denant that while Hip-Hop may have led
to creation of the website, there's little in the way of the culture
being represented. Further, Shakur took offense to footage of a young
man being forced to strip nude then be beaten in the cold while another
person poured cold water on him. Asserting that this video could count
as child p-rnography, Shakur demanded the link be removed. Shakur closed the letter by asking that the site post a disclaimer
written by the Zulu Nation that declares it is not involved with
promoting Hip-Hop music and culture. Read the entire open letter by following this link.
With everybody going to battle with WSHH, I can't help but remember this absolutely hilarious video of 50 Cent going off on Q, the founder of WSHH, a couple of years ago. Peep:
Looks like the "King of R&B" is back to struggling with keeping himself together. Hate to see Bobby Brown on the wrong side of the law again, but hey. Hip Hop Wired reports:
TMZ broke the story ... Brown was arrested in October
after cops pulled the singer over for driving erratically, and smelled
alcohol in his ride.
Bobby was charged with DUI and driving on a suspended license
following the incident. (Brown's license had been suspended as a result
of his previous DUI conviction in 2012. Bobby was also convicted of DUI
in 1996.)
Bobby pled no contest to the charges today. He was sentenced to
the jail time, plus 4 years probation. He was also ordered to complete
an 18-month alcohol program. This is Bobby's third DUI conviction.
Bobby has to turn himself in to jail by March 20 -- and has been ordered to attend 3 AA meetings per week until then.
I want everyone to take a real hard look at this picture. Let this picture be a lesson to anyone hitting those bottles a little too hard. Do you really want people to see you like this? I think not. But, we see this pro football player like this. Hip Hop Wired reports:
A news story about a public figure getting popped for bad behavior is
nothing new, but if there were a prize for craziest mug shot, Desmond Bryant would definitely win---or at least take second place. The defensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders
was arrested for misdemeanor criminal mischief Sunday (Feb. 24) , and
the photo taken in jail isn't helping his image. Not even a little bit. As pointed out by the Los Angeles Times,
the timing of the 27-year-old's legal blunder is unfortunate since his
contract is up March 12, and nobody wants to hire the guy who can get
that twisted in one sitting. According to police, Bryant was "extremely intoxicated,"
when he was arrested for causing a ruckus at a neighbor's home. He also
reportedly had "blood-shot" eyes, slurred speech, and the "strong smell
of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath." Police held the Harvard alum on $1,000 bond.
"They say it ain't no hope for the youth and the truth is it ain't no hope for the future." Word to Pac! With each passing day, the future looks more dim. This kid's parents should be ashamed of themselves for exploiting their 9 year old. Allhiphop.com has the story:
Less than three days after Brockton, Massachusetts police filed for
a Department of Children and Families investigation of Luis Rivera “Lil
Poopy” Jr.’s material, one of the nine-year old rapper’s videos has been
removed from YouTube.
The video, entitled “Lil Poopy getting it in” contained Poopy Jr’ in sexually suggestive situations with women in a nightclub. YouTube initially simply gave the video a content warning reading
““This video may be inappropriate for some users” along with age
verification late Tuesday (Feb 26) afternoon. According to Brockton newspaper The Enterprise, shortly after
an email they sent to YouTube about the video’s content warning is when
the video hosting site took the video down. The details of the video included French Montana’s protegé being
vocally encouraged to slap a woman’s butt by surrounding adults while
the woman s bent over in front of him. In another part of the video a
woman is seen gyrating on the nine-year old MC. On Monday (February 25), Poopy’s father, Luis Rivera’s lawyer Joseph
Krowski Jr called the video “urban authentic” and “well done” while
denying any criminality. In an odd twist of logic, Poopy’s most viewed video is “Pop That Remix Lil Poopy” at a current total of 428,933 views and involves Lil Poopy slapping a woman’s butt as well. “Lil Poopy getting it in” had under 10,000 views by the time it was removed from YouTube.
Man I just got finished watching "A Different World" a few hours ago! And it was a couple of episodes where Mr. Gaines really got the chance to shine too. Nothing like news of a passing to sober you up. Anyway Lou Myers is no longer with us ya'll. TMZ reports:
"ADifferent World" Star Lou Myers -- famous for playing Mr. Vernon Gaines on the 80s show -- has died, TMZ has learned.
The
President of Lou's non-profit tells TMZ, Lou passed away last night in
West Virginia at the Charleston Medical Center following a heart-related
emergency.
Lou was hospitalized in December for pneumonia but
released after New Year's. He collapsed at home a few weeks later and
was hospitalized again.
Lou's heart stopped yesterday. Doctors were able to revive him, but he fell into a coma and passed just hours later. He was 77.
And
yes, his Wikipedia and IMDb pages are incorrect. We're told he lied
about his age. According to official records, Lou's birthday was
September 26, 1935. As one source put it, "You know how actors are."
An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the official cause of death.
We're
told Lou -- who served in the Army -- will receive a military burial in
West Virginia. He is survived by his son and his 95-year-old mother.
The man behind some of the biggest stars in the music industry (Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, etc.) has officially come out of the closet in his new memoirs. It's no real secret the entertainment industry is run by two communities: the gay community and the Jewish community. Clive Davis is apart of both. Not that I care, because I don't...Clive will forever in my eyes be one of the most respectable names in the music industry. But this does raise two questions for me: Why come out now? And how long will it be before another record executive come out? Hip Hop Wired has the story:
Legendary record executive, producer and Rock-and-Roll Hall Of Famer, Clive Davis, comes out of the closet in his new memoir, Soundtrack to My Life. The man who is responsible for bringing the world such acts as Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Christina Aguilera, Carlos Santana, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis and Jennifer Hudson reveals
that after a period of "soul searching and self-analysis," Davis
separated from his second wife in 1985, and says that he went on to have
simultaneous relationships with two women and a man. Via Rolling Stone:
In a candid five-page section toward the end of the
book, due in stores today, he writes that he first had a s*xual
encounter with a man during "the era of Studio 54." "On this night,
after imbibing enough alcohol, I was open to responding to his s*xual
overtures," writes Davis, who says he had only been with women before.
Being with a man, he writes, provided "welcome relief."
Davis went on to reveal that he entered a monogamous relationship
with a male doctor in 1990 that lasted until 2004. Since that
relationship ended, he's been in a relationship with another man to this
day. The multiple-time Grammy winner says that his relationship with one
of his sons, Mitchell, was deeply affected after he came out to him but
worked out their differences after one "very trying year." The book serves as an overdue sequel to his 1975 memoir, Clive: Inside the Record Business.
Wooooooo! Never thought I'd see the day that a professional wrestler would ask for a restraining order against their spouse; it's usually the wrestler who's the abusive one. You would think good ol' nature boy would just out her in the figure four lock and be done with it...not to injure her, just to let her know you don't go for all that foolishness. Anyway, Hip Hop Wired has the story:
The most influential pro wrestler of the modern era has filed an order of domestic violence protection against his ex-wife, Jackie Beems, claiming
she has endangered his life in drunken fits of rage. The wrestler who
is famous for his outstanding gift of gab as well as his flashy
wardrobe, claims Jackie attacked him back in February of 2010 with a
glass object; shattered it over his forehead and cut him severely
requiring medical attention. Beems, who is the wrestling legend's fourth wife, also claims that
she was once arrested for driving while over three times the legal limit
with a blood alcohol level of .22 according to TMZ.
The two have been separated since December but Flair still claims to be
terrified of his estranged wife and wants to void a separation
agreement he signed in October, in which he promised to pay her tens of
thousands of dollars. The Nature Boy's estranged wife is claiming that the allegations are
100% false, and that the WWE Hall Of Famer is doing this as a "cheap
trick to avoid paying her the money to which she is entitled." Flair is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment under a Legend's contract although he is not actively competing.
The owner of the legendary franchise Los Angeles Lakers has passed away. The basketball world will definitely miss this guy. Hip Hop Wired has more:
Buss died early this morning according to multiple reports, including TMZ. A few days ago it was revealed that Buss was suffering from cancer and had been seriously ill for a few months. Radar Online reported:
Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss is dying of
cancer and is currently surrounded by family and friends at his hospital
bedside, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.
The businessman and billionaire is at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
in Los Angeles and a source close to the situation tells
RadarOnline.com that Lakers players have been calling with well-wishes
and even stopping by to see him in what they expect to be his final
days. “Jerry isn't doing well and it's quite sad, but he's surrounded by loved ones,” the insider told RadarOnline.com.
I haven't reported much on the whole Christopher Dorner saga, because I don't have very many facts on the story. I don't buy all of the information that's being reported...just seems like there's more to the story than "they" are willing to tell. Apparently, I'm not the only one. Hip Hop Wired has more:
Christopher Dorner's claims of racism and police brutality within the LAPD has struck a chord with a former officer. Joe Jones penned a manifesto in which he sympathized with Dorner. In the work, Jones says he "understands" why Dorner "snapped," giving
at least three examples of being mistreated by the LAPD, due in part to
being a Black man.
Working as a patrol officer for nearly a decade, and retiring in
1998, Dorner's grievances inspired Jones to reveal a truth that he had
buried inside. However, unlike Dorner, he has no intentions of losing his life
behind his beliefs, noting that he is scared to die. "I also fear
living in a society where innocent people are dying for no reason," he
writes. More from the manifesto:
"To preface my story I will say this: Just like
former Officer Christopher Dorner I used to smile a lot. I loved
everyone. I was voted Friendliest Senior of my Sr. Class in High School.
I always believed in the system and never got into any trouble. I loved
hard and gave to all I could. After Joining the LAPD in 1989 I quickly
found out that the world and society had major flaws. I had flaws as
well for ever believing that our system of government was obligated to
do the right thing. his is what I believed as a young Officer. Without
going into major detail, I need you to first assume that I would not
surface 16 years later with lies about a situation that has me with PTSD
to this very day. The pain forces me to speak as I have yet to shake
the Ill's of my experience as an LAPD Officer. Of course I have moved on
physically. But mentally and emotionally I still live with flaws.
I can't go into re-living the emotions of what I went through so I
will say this. I had my home viciously attacked by a gunman with my
family and myself inside the house. No arrests were made and my family
and I Received very little support. I had my Civil Rights violated on
several occasions. I was falsely arrested at gunpoint by the Sheriffs as
an Officer who ID'd himself and was conspired against by both LAPD and
the Sheriffs when my Civil case went to Trial. I was falsely accused on
more than one occasion and simply placed in a position that the trust
was so compromised that I could no longer wear the Uniform. Also know
there were many more episodes. All of these issues are well documented
and I present them not to be a Whistle blower, However to hope that one
would not assume that all of what is being said is Lies as presented by
Dorner. I don't know him, But I know me. I will say from my experience,
If a person knows they were wrong it is easier to move on without anger.
Seems that Dorner obviously could not move on... Could I just be
content and move on with my life and not say anything? Yes...Then I
would feel that I for once had my chance to speak on something that
hurts me to this day and I did nothing to arouse thought or provoke
reform."
Jones hopes that six things come out of Dorner's killing spree--which
took the lives of four victims, two of which were officers. Among his
dreams, he wants the families who lost someone in the tragedy to find
peace, but also urges politicians and lawmakers to offer legislation
that protects victims of conspiracy. He goes on to ask that the "Honest
and Fair LAPD" and officers from other agencies, keep up the good work.
As for the "Unethical Officers" to look at things from a different
perspective. "Always think what if it were you, How would you feel?..How
would you like if you were falsely accused and your life, lively- hood
and career was taken from you? How would you like if someone was beating
on you just because they felt they could get away with it? You are no
better the criminals you took and oath to arrest when you do what you
do!" Click here to read the entire manifesto.
ATTENTION ALL OF YOU QUEENS OF RATCHET BEHAVIOR. The next time you decide to post a video of the internet of your child mastering the latest dance moves in a music video, think about this little girl named Zora Bell who did something people 4 times her age don't know how to do. Hip Hop Wired reports:
Philadelphia student Zora Ball
has become the youngest person to create a completed version of a
mobile video game application. The seven year old showed off her digital
brainchild at the Bootstrap Expo held at the University of Philadelphia. Ball is in the first grade, and has become a pro at Bootstrap
programming, which she used to configure the game, and was able to do so
upon request, while showing off her creation. She learned the
technology through the Harambee Institute of Science and Technology
where she attends. The school has an after-school program, known as the STEMnasium Learning Academy, which is where Ball honed in on her skills. From Philly.com:
Bootstrapping has many definitions. According to
several technology resources, in computers, pressing a bootstrap button
causes a hardwired program to read a bootstrap program from an input
unit. The computer would then execute the bootstrap program, which
caused it to read more program instructions. It became a self-sustaining
process that proceeded without external help from manually entered
instructions. In complex applications – such as the game Ball created –
Bootstrapping allows for the input and implementation of a string of
several complex commands. The exact incarnation of Bootstrap that Ball
used was a standards-based curriculum and programming environment
supported by the Foundation for the Advancement of Technology in
Education. This specific program teaches students to program their own
video games and applications using purely algebraic and geometric
concepts.
Harambee was one of Philadelphia's first charter schools, and has
become an important and widely recognized part of the city's system of
education. Since its founding nearly two decades ago by late educator
Baba Skief, Harambee has been a frontrunner in community service and
development. The charter school has served as a local source for visual
and performing arts and has been identified as a leader in education and
training programs. Harambee has earned the support of the West
Philadelphia community and the recognition of state and local officials
for outstanding service.
“I am proud of all my students,” said science teacher and founder of the STEMnasium program, Tariq Al-Nasir.“ Their dedication to this program is phenomenal, and they come to class every Saturday, including holiday breaks.” The Saturday program runs for 48 weeks, not including eight weeks in the summer, and allows any students enrolled in a Philadelphia public school to attend. Al-Nasir is currently in the process of teaching students Mandarin.
It's sad to see how this country "takes care" of the soldiers that literally put their lives on the lines in these wars. I'm not against war...because the liberties I enjoy today were made possible by wars. But, I feel if we are going to keep sending these men and women away to war, when they return the government should be looking out for them. Especially in this case. Hip Hop Wired reports:
It wouldn't be a stretch to think that the Navy SEAL Team 6 members responsible for killing wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden in
2011 got rewarded handsomely for their efforts. According to an
exclusive interview from the soldier who fired the fatal shots into bin
Laden, life as a civilian has been a struggle. Esquire magazine
nabbed the exclusive interview with the man simply referred to as “The
Shooter” in the piece. A 16-year Navy veteran, the Shooter joined the
armed services after a failed relationship as a teenager. Although
hailed for his heroics in several other missions, it appears that the
government has failed to take care of own of its own. "They [SEAL command] told me they could get me a job driving a beer
truck in Milwaukee,” said the Shooter. However, the soldier was
reluctant to put his wife and children through the ordeal. "We'd lose
everything," he added. Although the Shooter and his fellow unnamed SEAL Team 6 members have
attempted an unspecified business arrangement, it hasn't been as
fruitful as ST6 member Matt Bissonnette who authored the book No Easy Day. Despite his service and the damage done to his body, the Shooter is
soon to retire without promise of a pension, protection for him and his
family and has to shell out $500 for healthcare. The Shooter didn't
appear bitter and he summed up his role in war history in a simple way.
“I'm not religious, but I always felt I was put on the earth to do
something specific,” said the Shooter. “After that mission, I knew what
it was.”
This year, The Urban Advocate wants to do something special for Valentine's Day. Now, rappers have never really been known to being emotionally vulnerable or showing their softer sides. But, whenever they do, it usually results in a hit song or at the very least a fan favorite track on the album. Over the years, some of our favorite "hard" rappers have released tracks displaying a more sensitive sides showing love for the special ladies in their lives. So for all of the people that love TUA, we want to give some of that love back and share some of our favorite love songs in rap!
10) G-Unit- Smile
Blue Heffner! El Banco smashed this track. "Smile" was easily one of the stand-out tracks on G-Unit's debut group album, Beg For Mercy. And at a time in his life when I'm sure he was doing a lot of bed hopping, Banks still was able to deliver a near flawless song to put a smile on the ladies faces. The production was ill. The hook was catchy. His verses rode the track like a subway. In terms of song making, it doesn't get much better than this.
9) 50 Cent ft. Nate Dogg- 21 Questions
You can't do this list without a 50 Cent song. Say what you will about the man, but in his prime, 50 was releasing one hit after another. Ferrari F50 is one of those "gangsta" rappers that has built his career on catering to his female audience. And this record is what started it all. 50 bursted on to the national scene in 2002, and took over his biggest rival's spot as hip-hop's number 1 crooner. Again, easily one of the stand-out tracks on Get Rich or Die Trying, and one the biggest singles of 50 Cent's career.
8) Busta Rhymes ft. Mariah Carey and Flipmode Squad- I Know What You Want
Until this song came out, I don't think anyone thought it was possible for Busta Rhymes to make a song that would have women swooning. It came from left field if you're a fan of Bussa Bus' catalog. Nevertheless, "I Know What You Want" became the biggest radio single in Busta's career. It showed another side of the emcee and was a far cry from "Woo Hah (Got You All In Check)", which put him on the map in the first place.
7) Ja Rule ft. Charlie Baltimore- Down A** Chick
I know, I know. Ja Rule ranked higher on our list than 50 Cent?! Blasphemy right? For anyone who disagrees with this, I ask you this question: In the modern era of rap (meaning after the deaths of Tupac and Biggie), which rapper made it cool to do a song showing their softer side? Ja, that's who! After "Put It On Me", "Always On Time" and "I'm Real", EVERY major rapper in the country was trying to emulate his formula and his success. Even his biggest adversary, 50 Cent. Sure the sound of Rule singing was absolutely laughable and not quite sonically pleasing, but the songs were hits. Period!
6) LL Cool J ft. Kelly Price- You and Me
Of course the patriarch of hip-hop love songs would be on the list. Ladies love cool James and he has built his career on returning that love. Since "I Need Love", Uncle L has been a sex symbol. Although I can't listen to that song without laughing, the fact is the most emotionally vulnerable record in rap history changed the way rappers did records. He fathered this brand of rap. And every since then, he has released a string of hits in the same vain, like "Freeze", "Hey Lover" and "Luv U Better", just to name a few. L is one of the few rappers that have been able to do it for so long with a less misogynistic style of rap. Worthy of a salute.
5) Jay-Z and Beyonce- 03 Bonnie and Clyde
It wouldn't be fair to do this list without acknowledging Hip-Hop's golden couple, Jay and B. I don't know about anyone else, but when Jay said "Me give my heart to a woman? Not for nothing, never happen, I be forever mackin" on "Big Pimpin'", I believed him. Definitely didn't think within 2 years he'd be singing a different tune. One of the biggest playboys in rap turned in his bachelor card for the life of a family man. The song itself is a classic and it will forever be known as Blue Ivy's parents coming out party as a couple. Can't front on this one.
4) Fabolous ft. Ne-Yo- Make Me Better
I don't think anyone can really argue with this one making the list, though you may argue the placement. It's rare a rapper can make a song showing love to his better half and make it jam hard enough to have clubs rocking to it. Timbaland's hypnotic production, Ne-Yo's catchy hook and Fab's silky smooth flow made this an instant hit. Though Loso has a bunch of street bangers like "Breathe", "Can't Deny It", "Ya'll Don't Hear Me Tho", his biggest hits were his more women friendly records like "Trade It All", "So Into You" and "Killin Em". It's a formula, but Fab has made it work for him.
3) Common- The Light
I don't know who can argue with this song making the list. Com Sense was strung out over the one and only Miss Badu at the time of this song being released. I don't think anyone was too crazy about the Chi-town native's wardrobe in this period of time, but that relationship was the inspiration behind one of the greatest rap love songs ever written. Common is one of those rappers who has been able to incorporate poetry in his music and this song is a perfect example of that. Again, I admire his ability to sincerely express the feelings he has for his woman without being corny. Always an admirable trait! And over a decade later, this is still a fan favorite.
2) Method Man and Mary J. Blige- All I Need (Remix)
This song is special. Not only because it came out in a time when no one was making love songs in rap, but also because we almost never heard the record. Method Man didn't even want to do the record initially...when he finally copped to it, he didn't want to release it as a single. That would've been one of the biggest mistakes of his career. This song made it cool for a thug in the projects to express his love for his significant other. Who didn't sing along when Meth sang, "You're all that I need, I'll be there for you. If you keep it real with me, I'll keep it real with you." This will forever be one of Tical's biggest hits. And any list counting down rap's love songs is incomplete without this joint from the Iron Lung and the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul.
1) Nas- Getting Married
I doubt anyone saw this one coming. I'm sure most people have never even heard this record before now. But, this one is my addition to this list. This is the first half of the Nas/Kelis love story that was told in "Bye Bye Baby". "Say hello to the man, goodbye to the gigolo, it was difficult for me to find the chick I want", words of man ready to grow up, leave the playa life behind him and take his bride. Now, if this was a perfect world, their union would have lasted forever after a great song like this, but unfortunately for everyone involved, this Hip-Hop love story ended tragically. But, on "Getting Married", Nas captured this moment in a man's life the way only the Queensbridge's favorite emcee could have. I'm not sure there is another rapper that could've pulled this record off other than God's Son. It may not have been one of Nas' biggest hits, but that may be because it was never released as a single.
Now of course there are WAY more songs I could've picked, but this is just a few I wanted to share. Have anything you think should be on the list that you didn't see? Feel free to hit us up and give us your suggestions!
Given the history of the LAPD, it's no surprise that this Christopher Dorner thing was only going to result in more bloodshed. Now, two innocent women have been shot in their efforts to locate the former officer. Hip Hop Wired reports:
The LAPD is still searching for former officer Christopher Dorner, and has been shooting innocent people
in the process. Two women in Torrance, Calif. were shot late last week,
during the height of the massive manhunt, kicked off by Dorner shooting
the daughter of an ex-LAPD police chief and her fiancé. Officers believed that the blue pickup truck the women were riding
in, matched that of Dorner's and riddled the vehicle with bullets. One
of the women was shot in the hand, while the other was hit in the back.
Both were taken to hospitals and have not had their identities revealed. Also in Torrance, a second shooting took place at 5:45 a.m., but no one was injured. As Dorner remains on the run, police have announced a $1 million
reward, money of which was pooled from donors in law enforcement,
government, businesses, and individuals. “This is the largest local
reward ever offered, to our knowledge,” said Los Angeles Police Chief
Charlie Beck. “This is an act of domestic terrorism. This is a man who
has targeted those that we entrust to protect the public. His actions
cannot go unanswered.” On Sunday night a Lowe's home improvement store was evacuated
due to a potential citing of the former Navy reservist. Helicopters
swarmed over the parking lot, blocking customers from leaving. Gus
Villanueva, spokesman for the LAPD, said the extreme measures were
necessary, but did not confirm if Dorner was anywhere near the location. Dorner released a manifesto explaining why the killings are
“necessary.” He cited his firing from the department for speaking out
against racism and brutality, as his breaking point. Authorities have since announced that they will look deeper into why he was let go.
Two men have officially been charged in the shooting death of Hadiya Pendleton, the young girl who was killed days after performing for Barack Obama at the Inauguration. Hip Hop Wired reports:
Two men have been charged in the shooting death of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton. According to reports, the Chicago teen was a victim of mistaken identity. The suspects are Michael Ward, 18, and Kenneth Williams, 20, and they
have been charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and
aggravated battery with a firearm. Along with Pendleton's death, their
attack left two others wounded. The Chicago Tribune reports:
Ward and Williams told police that they were en route
to a strip club in Harvey when they were arrested Saturday night--just
hours after Hadiya's funeral, said Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy
in a news conference at Area Central police headquarters this evening.
Williams, of the 300 block of West 59th Street, had been shot in
July, but refused to sign a complaint against those police suspected in
that attack. Williams and Ward targeted the group Hadiya was with
because they believed, mistakenly, they were members of the gang
responsible for that shooting.
Pendleton's murder became a national story, shining a light on the
gun violence epidemic plaguing Chicago and particularly its youth. She
was also a majorette in her King College Prep high school's band, which
performed at Barack Obama's inauguration shortly before her death. As Hip-Hop Wired previously reported, there were 43 homicides in the Windy City in January 2013 alone. Pendleton's funeral was this past Saturday (Feb. 9) in Chicago and was attended by First Lady Michelle Obama. She was buried in Cedar Park Cemetery in Riverdale. "I'm ecstatic that they found the two guys," Hadiya Pendleton's father, Nathaniel Pendleton, told the Chicago Tribune. "(I'm) thanking God that these two guys are off the streets, so that this doesn't happen to another innocent person." The Pendleton family is currently in Washington, DC and will be
guests of President Barack Obama at State Of The Union address Tuesday
night.
One thing I've always respected about Gangsta Gibbs, he always tells it like it is. Whether you agree with him or not, how can you ever deny someone that speaks the truth? Well, in the latest installment of the Freddie Gibbs saga, he got a chance to do just that. Hip Hop Wired reports:
Freddie Gibbs unexpectedly left Young Jeezy's record label, Corporate Thugz Entertainment last year shortly before dropping his critically acclaimed project, Baby Face Killa. After initially saying that there were no hard feelings between the two and the split was amicable, Gangsta Gibbs changed his tune while chatting with The Morning Riot radio show. “I can't really say it was amicable. I could just say that we agreed
to disagree," says the ESGN rapper. "We definitely disagreed. The guy
moves in a different way that I move, and I just wanted to branch out
and do my own thing. I felt like I was wasting time pushing someone
else's brand when I could push my own and do my own thing. Because
that's was what he was concerned with, pushing Jeezy. So I gotta be
concerned with pushing Gibbs.” Initially, Gibbs and Jeezy played it politically correct, as the two
stated in interviews that the two split for the better of each other's
interests. "It was a number of things; at the end of the day, it was a
good decision for myself and my family," he explained to Power 105 in
December of 2012. "It was nothing against him; it was just a move that I
had to make personally and business wise." Moreover, Gangsta Gibbs let off a tweet last
night stating " I spent the past 2 years being "politically" correct in
the rap game cuz I was wit a ni**a that did so. No more filter."
Check out the full interview below. Gibbs speaks on everything from Jeezy, Rozay shooting and rappers on reality shows:
Well, at least one rapper isn't trying to glorify the ever-so-popular drug known as Molly. In a recent interview with Fox 5, Dirty Jerz rep Joe Budden has taken the time to warn the public about the dangers of the drug.
Last night on Fox 5 News in New York, Joe Budden spoke out on the dangers of music's new "it" drug, "Molly." Mentioning things that we broke down in our multiple stories about what is looked at as a relatively "harmless" drug, Budden opened up about the drug binges he went on during this past summer. “I didn't see a problem with the fact that maybe five days would go
by without sleeping. I didn't see a problem with the fact that maybe I
was hallucinating at times. I didn't see a problem with the fact that I
just could not get up and walk some times,” Budden told Lisa Evers of Fox 5 New York. Budden went on to elaborate about his usage during tapings of Love & Hip-Hop: New York and during the making of Slaughterhouse's latest album, Welcome To: OUR HOUSE. “I thought it was important for somebody, anybody to stand up and say, you know, ‘I did that, it's corny.'” The No Love Lost rapper
acknowledged that the use of the drug has run rampant in the music
industry and wants to be the first one to speak out against it now that
he is sober. “I'm hoping that at the end of the day, it won't be me
versus the entire music industry when it comes to who a 13-year-old
should listen to regarding drugs.” Check out the full interview down below.
Also, earlier in the week, Budden crashed an interview with Hot 97 to confront Consequence about being a little too loose at the mouth about him. Check it out:
Hot 97 was interviewing cast members from Love & Hip Hop New York and in between segments, Joe Budden confronted Consequence and Jen The Pen about comments they had said about him during interviews. All three cast mates were on rival station Power 105.1 and threw shade at each other. When Joe Budden was on the Breakfast Club he was asked if he would work with Consequence and pretty much dismissed the notion. When Cons and Jen were on the same morning show, the former also dismissed the idea but added slick commentary about it. While they were at Hot 97, Budden asked them both, "If either one of
y'all got something y'all want to address toward me, we can do it now."
It's difficult to tell if Budden knew the cameras were still
rolling. Cipha Sounds, Rosenberg and K. Foxx played the background while
Joe Budden and Consequence hashed out their differences—Jen The Pen
didn't say anything. "It's radio's job to gas, and you jumped right for the gas," said Budden calmly. "That's what it was," said Cons, who did most of the talking and sounded like he was copping a whole lot of pleas.
Say what you will about Luther Campbell, but the man has come a long way from his days with the 2 Live at Crew. He is definitely one of few OGs in the game that is not afraid to speak his mind and school the younger cats in the game. He recently wrote an open letter to Officer Ricky about his current situation. Hip Hop Wired reports:
After an attempt on Rick Ross' life was made on his 37th birthday, the rapper has kept a relatively low profile. Now a fellow Miami flag bearer, Uncle Luke, is speaking out
on behalf of Ross and urging the rapper to settle his beefs peacefully
with the gang to save his own life. In a weekly column titled "Luke's
Gospel" in the Miami New Times, Luke gives friendly advice to stop portraying a life that he didn't live in order to not "go out like Biggie Smalls or Tupac." The rapper's life has been threatened multiple times by the Gangster
Disciples, a gang founded by Larry Hoover, who Ross has rapped about on
songs like "B.M.F." It's also been widely reported that the Maybach
Music Group boss cancelled the remaining dates on his tour because of
the threats on his life. Read the letter in full down below.
Dear Rick Ross:
As someone who survived several rap beefs, I'm going to give you
some advice. You need to seriously address the threats and attempts on
your life. You have worked hard to become a big name in hip-hop. You've
paid your dues and you've grown lyrically since the release of your
debut album, Port of Miami, in 2006. You've arrived, buddy.
But all this gangster bull***t is jeopardizing your career. No
club or arena is going to risk people getting shot. You can forget about
doing any tours or CD signings. And if you can't make money, watch how
fast Warner Bros. Records turns on you. I know from experience how
venues and the music industry would like to black ball you.
You have the Gangster Disciples breathing down your
neck because you've named-dropped Larry Hoover, the gang's founder, in
your music. Unlike the record and book publishing industries, these bad
dudes don't understand the concept of public domain. They see you
getting rich forever by rapping about their leader, and they don't like
it. That's why they're on YouTube talking about how you need to go see
them and cut a check.
It's a shame you can't enjoy life without spending part of your
earnings on heavy security or risking your freedom by purchasing an
arsenal. Remember, that's what landed T.I. and Lil Wayne in prison. You
don't want that to happen to you. However, those are the consequences of
rapping about being something you're not.
Hip-hop has a rich history of college guys who never committed a
crime rapping about moving kilos of cocaine and taking out snitches.
Every gangster rapper takes on the role of a real hood legend to build
up street cred. But I don't want you to fall into the trap of believing
you are really a gangster.
Trust me, you don't want to go out like Biggie Smalls or Tupac. It's time you squash your beefs.
A close associate to D-12, King Gordy has been shot. If you think back, Gordy made a brief appearance in the movie 8 Mile. Hip Hop Wired has the story:
King Gordy, a close ally of D-12 rapper Bizarre,
was shot five times on Tuesday (February 5) in what some sources say
was a robbery attempt. Although details are scarce, it is thought that
Gordy survived the gunshots. A longtime mainstay of the Motor City's underground rap scene, King
Gordy has worked with a variety of Detroit rappers including Eminem. His debut album, The Entity, was executive produced by Slim Shady and featured D-12's Bizarre and Obie Trice. Gordy, 35, was also affiliated with rapper Esham, and shares the
veteran's penchant for outlandish “horrorcore” rap tracks. Gordy has
also recorded with the late rapper Proof, Tech N9ne and Stic Man of dead
prez. Gordy dabbled in acting, making his debut in Eminem's 2002 film 8 Mile
as the character Big O. Bizarre went to Twitter to voice his support
for his childhood friend. “King gordy.. get well my n---a.. I'm praying
for u... I'm on way back know to the d,” tweeted Bizarre. This story is developing.
Time to send off another legend in the game. Legendary Jazz artist Donald Byrd has passed away. Hip Hop Wired reports:
This is a sad for Jazz music and Hip-Hop music. The legendary trumpeter Donald Byrd passed away on February 4, but his nephew confirmed his death today. Amoeba reports
that Byrd's nephew, musician Alex Bugnon, took to Facebook to confirm
the rumors of death, which had been circulating for several days. "I
have no more patience for this unnecessary shroud of secrecy placed over
his death by certain members of his immediate family," read Bugnon's
post. Byrd's influence on Hip-Hop is indelible. Name a legendary Hip-Hop producer, and he more than likely sampled a Donald Byrd record
or at least made sure to have several in their library. Large Professor
flipped Byrd's "Think Twice" for Main Source's hit "Looking At The
Front Door" and so did Q-Tip/A Tribe Called Quest for "Footprints." Take
a trip to WhoSampled.com and you'll see heavy rap productions names like Evil Dee, Pete Rock and the late J. Dilla that liberally swiped Byrd grooves. Most of Byrd's greatest work was recorded for the legendary Blue Note
Records. In the 70's his collaborations with the Mizell Brothers
resulted in jazz tinged R&B which made for some funky albums like
1975's Places & Spaces. The aforementioned contains heavily
sampled records like "Wind Parade" (Black Moon "Buck Em Down,"
Organized Konfusion "Stray Bullet") and "Dominoes" (DJ Jazzy Jeff &
the Fresh Prince "Brand New Funk"). Open to the talents of Hip-Hop acts that praised his work, it was
Donald Byrd that collaborated with the late Keith "Guru" Elam on
"Loungin'" from the Gang Starr rapper's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 1 album. There is no word on the exact cause of Byrd's death at this time. Listen to "Think Twice" (and some of the records that sampled it
below (1:42, if you're lazy) and the video for Guru's "Loungin'" on the
next page. Do yourself a favor and familiarize yourself with the Jazz
giant's catalog sooner than later.
Apparently, there is no place sacred (or safe for that matter) anymore these days. Who brings a gun into a Chuck E. Cheese? Tawana Bourne does, that's who. Hip Hop Wired reports:
A Connecticut woman was arrested for pulling out a loaded gun at Chuck E. Cheese, Monday (Feb. 4). Tawana Bourne was arguing with another parent when she showed her weapon. Police say that the 30-year-old had a .380 semiautomatic handgun, and
chambered a round. Authorities believe the Bourne intended to use the gun. “That's a step up from just having a handgun in your possession,” said Newington Police Sgt. Chris Perry.
“Obviously taking it out and chambering a round, there's non-verbal
intent there. So that's how I'm assuming the victim took it, and that's
how we took it.” Witnesses say Bourne got into the verbal altercation with a parent
whose child was pushed by her 2-year-old son. Staff immediately called
911, but no one was injured at the establishment. When police arrived, Bourne and the parent had been separated. In a newspaper interview one day after the incident, Bourne described herself as a “very good person” and “very involved in the community.” Chuck E. Cheese released a statement about the incident assuring that they “take great measures to protect the experience children and families have in our stores.” Bourne has been charged with reckless endangerment, threatening,
breach of peace, and risk of injury to children. She had a permit for
the gun, and was released on $50,000 bond. She is due in court Feb. 19.
The IRS is not playing around this year. They are seriously trying to crack down on fraud this year. But, in the process of doing so, law abiding tax payers are having to deal with delays. Yahoo! News reports:
The fiscal cliff is still causing headaches for taxpayers.
Technically, the IRS kicked off tax season Wednesday — a week later than
expected, as a result of Congress’s 12th-hour deal — but tax pros say
it could be weeks before many Americans can actually file their returns.
The various changes to the tax code forced payroll departments to
hold off their end-of-year accounting. A fair number of taxpayers still
haven’t received their W2s, experts say. Those who need to file Form
8863 to claim credits for higher education won’t be able to file until
the middle of February, after the IRS finishes updating its processing
systems, officials said Monday. And people claiming residential energy
credits, depreciation of property, or general business credits will have
to wait even longer — until the end of February at least. The delays generally mean that early-bird filers who would normally
collect tax refunds in January — $3,000 on average — won’t be getting
their checks until at least mid-February, says John Hewitt, chief
executive of Liberty Tax Service. “It’s causing heartache,” says Hewitt,
especially for people relying on that money to pay bills. Refunds are typically issued within three weeks from the date a
return is filed, but some taxpayers will have to wait longer because of
an effort by the IRS to crack down on identity theft. The agency says it
has more filters in place to help spot possible fraud, and some returns
will be getting a closer look, further pushing back the delivery date
of those refunds. And the shorter time frame also means taxpayers getting
professional help will find themselves competing for their accountant’s
attention. “They’re requiring us to do more work in a shorter period of
time,” says Harlan Rose, president of the National Society of
Accountants. Normally, Rose is able to prepare some simple tax returns
in January before his busiest weeks kick off in February, but this year
he lost that calm period — and his clients are already grumbling about
the delays, he says. To be sure, the IRS says the majority of taxpayers, or 120 million
households, can start filing now. And 70% of Americans qualify to file
free returns, according to the Free File Alliance, a coalition between
the IRS and tax-software companies. The IRS is also offering relief to
some taxpayers: Farmers and fishermen, for example, won’t be penalized
if they can’t file and pay their 2012 taxes by March 1, because of the
delay. The famous April 15 deadline, however, isn’t budging. Another setback for many taxpayers: W-2 and 1099 forms, which
people need to have in hand so they can file even the most basic return,
have also been delayed. The forms are due to be sent out by Jan. 31,
but some employers are still amending them, experts say. And while the
late start may push some taxpayers to be more efficient about preparing
their returns, it could lead others to drag their feet, says Laura
Stack, a productivity and time-management expert based in Denver. “Now
they have an excuse for putting off all the things they could be doing,”
says Stack, such as gathering receipts and filling out the forms they
do have. “It’s a classic time-management dilemma."
As if I needed a reason to never eat anything from Burger King ever again, here's one to add to the list. The fast food chain has admitted their burgers may have been tainted with horsemeat. The Huffington Post reports:
This is just the latest chapter in an ongoing scandal in the U.K. and Ireland involving beef burger patties tainted with meat from horses and pigs.
U.K. supermarket chain Tesco and other companies have also been
affected. It's suspected that a meat distributor in Poland, which worked
with all the companies in question, used meats other than beef as
filler in cheap burgers. Burger King had originally stressed that its patties are made with 100 percent beef, although it later dropped Silvercrest, the food processing plant that received meat from the Polish distributor. The Guardian has a statement from Burger King:
"Our independent DNA test results on product taken from
restaurants were negative for any equine DNA. However, four samples
recently taken from the Silvercrest plant have shown the presence of
very small trace levels of equine DNA. Within the last 36 hours, we have
established that Silvercrest used a small percentage of beef imported
from a non-approved supplier in Poland. They promised to deliver 100%
British and Irish beef patties and have not done so. This is a clear
violation of our specifications, and we have terminated our relationship
with them."
That means that there's no actual evidence proving that Burger King
ever served horsemeat, but also that the company admits that some of its
locations may have inadvertently done so. Officials have stressed that
the horsemeat-tainted burgers do not pose a health risk to consumers.
