Jay-Z has announced that he will be moving the street date of his 6th album, The Blueprint up two weeks to September 11th, due to massive bootlegging on the street, the internet, barber shops and even record stores. The album was originally scheduled for release on September 25th, then it was switched to September 18th. Due to the massive street buzz the record has gathered, the label decided to beat the bootleggers to the punch and fill the demand for Jigga’s album, which many are calling his best album since 1995’s Reasonable Doubt. "I just think when someone puts there heart and soul in making an album, and they like it, they should buy it," Jay-Z said about bootleggers. Music shouldn’t be traded so freely. Paying for a CD is way easier." Jigga announced that he will be touring to support The Blueprint. Here are the dates: 09/14/01 Newport Music Hall Columbus 09/16/01 Agora Theatre Cleveland 09/19/01 Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel Providence 09/22/01 Hammerstein Ballroom New York 09/23/01 Nation Washington 09/24/01 Electric Factory Philadelphia 09/26/01 Jay-Z Ritz Theatre Raleigh 09/27/01 Grady Cole Center Charlotte 09/28/01 Boathouse Norfolk 09/29/01 Atlanta Civic Center Atlanta 10/1/01 Level 3 Nightclub Miami 10/2/01 Hard Rock Cafe Orlando Orlando 10/4/01 Bayou Place Entertainment Complex – Aerial Theater Houston 10/5/01 Bronco Bowl – Theatre Dallas 10/8/01 Riviera Theatre Chicago 10/11/01 Warfield San Francisco 10/12/01 Shrine Auditorium and Expo Center Los Angeles

Jerry Heller, the man N.W.A., in particular Ice Cube helped launched to fame (or infamy) has come out of his semi-retirement to helped get another fledging label get off the ground. The label, Hit A Lick Records, is similar Ruthless Records, the label that brought hard core Gangsta Rap onto the American public’s radar. Hit A Lick was founded by KDAY Hip-Hop poineer Tony G. and Pablito Vasquez. The label is claiming to be the first to have an all Latino roster. Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Heller said "It’s very difficult to come in cold turkey and sell a movement, but this will draw national attention and set the stage for the records we have coming." The first single the label has released is "Dreamin On Chrom," off of the G’Fellas album Gangster 4 Life. The album made an appearance on Billboard last week at the number 68 slot with a bullet. Other acts on the label include Mellow Man Ace who hit big with his 1990 bilingual joint "Mentirosa," and Kid Frost who also had a smash the same year with his song "La Raza." Completeing their roster is 20 year old Lil’ Blacky and groups Eastside Ghetto, Big Shots With Malice, ALT and a new take of N.W.A., the group that made Heller his millions. Heller is betting the new version, M.W.A., short for Mexicans With Attitudes will bring his new label just as much notoriety. "I think I can do this one more time." Heller said. After being called out on Ice Cube’s "No Vaseline," a long battle with Eazy E’s wife and Estate, as well as several Libel lawsuits over his portrayal in Ronin Ro’s cotroversial "Have Gun Will Travel" book, Heller left the music industry for awhile. "Maybe it was a hiatus," Heller continued. "Maybe I was burned out. But retirement is so final. In my mind, I don’t think I was ever out of the music business for good."

The community forum known as HipHop Speaks! returns to Harlem Thursday, September 20, 2001 at 7:00 pm. This event, the third in a series, has proven to be a popular outlet for a healthy exchange of ideas and issues related to the hip-hop nation and the community-at-large. The evening’s program will lead with presentations by activist, educator, poet Ras Baraka; Raquel Cepeda, Editor-In-Chief of One World Magazine; Jessica Care Moore, featured poet on HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, 5-time Apollo winner, and publisher of Moore Black Press; writer, activist Kevin Powell; and activist/cultural arts entrepreneur April R. Silver. Bobbito AKA DJ Cucumber Slice will moderate the program and on the ‘one and twos’ will be DJ Kuttin Kandi. The new venue for the program will take place at the National Action Network (founded by Rev. Al Sharpton) located at 1941 Madison Avenue (off 125th St.) in Harlem, New York. Admission is free and open to the public. What’s new about this edition of HipHop Speaks! (HHS!) is its performance component. Da Cypha MC Battle, produced by Mahogany Browne, will showcase local rappers and their arsenal of talent. When asked about this new feature, Kevin Powell (who conceived of the forums last year) stated, “It has always been our intent to do forums for the people, not just for industry cats. What better way to manifest that than to have an mc battle as part of HipHop Speaks! If there is anything that heads check for in the hip-hop community, it is the battle, and we know this is going to introduce HipHop Speaks! to an even bigger crowd.” The battle will be held after the discussion and participants will be expected to ‘freestyle’ about at least one of the issues raised during the panel. The audience will serve as judges, while artists compete for prizes donated by Phat Farm, Rawkus Records, Motown Records, DaDa Footwear, and PNB Nation. Registration is on-site and begins at 6:00 PM Co-organizers Powell and Silver first bought HHS! to Harlem in March earlier this year. The standing room only audience heard from a dynamic panel that included two of hip hop’s most respected pioneers, rapper KRS-ONE and Doug E. Fresh, the Original Human Beat Box. The program also featured longtime hip-hop activist and City Council Candidate Erica Ford and core HHS! presenters Powell, Silver, and Baraka. In June, Monifa Akinwole-Bandele and Rosa Clemente of the Malcolm X Grassroots Organization (sponsors of the Black August Benefit Concert) helped lead the discussion. The forum has also served as an outlet for community organizations to disseminate information and attract membership through the free space that is allotted for at each event. The community and key organizations that have been consistent supporters of HHS! since its inception include The National Black Theater, The National Action Network, KISS-FM, WLIB, and Odell’s Restaurant, which donated dinner for nearly 200 guests at the June event. “It has been a labor of love for us and the volunteers to do this program. The least of what we hope to see come out of this is for people to get a balanced view of the full spectrum of hip hop – – in its variety of forms. We believe that an informed perspective is the most fair one,” said the CO-organizers For additional information, media, or sponsorship inquiries: call 718.756.8501 or send email to hiphopspeaks@aol.com.

Jadakiss & Beanie Sigel have peacefully resolved their "beef." Founders ofAllhiphop.com contacted the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network after hearing Beans talk negatively about Kiss on Philly radio station Power 99. After being briefed on the tensions by Allhiphop.com, Russell Simmons then contacted both artists, inviting them to meet, with him as the mediator. Instead, the artists decided a one-on-onemeeting in an undisclosed area of Harlem, resolving their issues. The tension apparently began when a writer for The Source magazine quoted Kiss where he “allegedly” claimed that Philly rappers had bitten his style of rhyme. In an interview with Allhiphop.com, the Ruff Ryder said, “That was the writer twisting the s### around. That was some real b#######. I’m catching some real flack of that! I would never say nothing about Philly because that’s where I sell most of my records at.” However, after reading the Source story and also hearing of the comments, Beans took the diss personally claiming to be the only person Kiss could be referring to. Shortly thereafter, bootleg versions of Jadakiss’ Kiss the Game Goodbye circulated with a song dubbed “Here We Go Again,” featuring DMX. In the song, Kiss quips he stopped eating beef because he ate “too many Bean Macs,” referring to Sigel. Sige lthen responded with an even more vicious diss on the Empire Strikes Back CD(Roc-a-Fella’s first mix CD) with DJ Envy. His hookless verse included witty, yet violently laced, rhymes (“I’ll spark him up, leave him stiff like that cleaners”) aimed at Jadakiss and “any muthafuckin’ hater that act like he want to put down paper.” “I’m ‘bout to sun Kiss like a soda and make “J-to-the-Muah” put his lips to his nine and really Kiss The Game Goodbye//Its funny Jason really think he grimy too and everybody liked him better in that shiny suit.” However, less than a few days after the Empire Strikes Back CD hit the streets, Kiss’ reply was already on major radio stations like Power 99 and eventually on mix CD’s like New York’s DJ Green Lantern. Some of the lines Kiss said were equally street and lyrical aswell. "I don’t even like you Sigel, Your flow is all mine so don’t bite the hand that feeds you//MOS DEF,I’ll get someone to bury your carcass, for a KOOL G and I’m not from Rawkus//I’m rhyming on a Disco beat, you a fag, the next rhyme you kick should be over a Sisqo beat." However, despite the vile lyrics from both ends, the clash ends as fast as it began. The resolution suddenly ends a conflict that seemed like it could potentially become violent, as both Beans and Kiss run with large crews. Russell Simmons told Allhiphop.com that the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network would continue to call for peace in hip hop via Minister Ben Chavis, the director of the program. “It’s important for the idiots to know thebeef is squashed,” Russell Simmons said.

Ja Rule‘s third album, titled Pain is Love, is scheduled to hit stores on October 9th of this year. The Murderer’s first single has just been released called "Livin’ It Up". The track samples the legendary Stevie Wonder’s "Do I Do" which guests Def Soul R&B artist Case singing the hook. The song was originally recorded for Rule’s Rule 3:36 album but Stevie initially turned down the use of the sample. When asked why all of a sudden Stevie allowed use of the song, JA himself told MTV News "I sold some records". He then added "Nah, maybe (my first album) didn’t reach too many people. Rule 3:36 reached a lot more people and maybe Stevie got a chance to hear my music and said ‘This guy’s alright.’" Other tracks that will be included on the new album include "Always on Time" featuring female newcomer Ashanti and "Down Ass B####" featuring Charli Baltimore. So far, JA and Murder Inc. label head Irv Gotti have selected 10 tracks for the LP and will probably add 4 more. Also included on the album will be Ja’s duet with Missy Elliot that appears on the Violator 2.0 album and his duet with Jennifer Lopez, the remix to her hit single "I’m Real". When asked about J.Lo’s use of the word n#### on the song, Rule replies "I think it’s silly. I think the whole thing, like everything else is being blown out of proportion. She’s not the first Latino to use that word on a record, and it’s never been an issue before. I think it’s just that she’s a very high-profile star and it’s something to let people get a chance to poke fun at her".

Kim Mathers, wife of Eminem was busted Sunday in Harrison Township in Michigan on an outstanding bench warrant according to the Macomb County Sheriff’s department. According to local news reports, Deputies from the marine division were responding to calls about a possible Jet Ski accident. While investigating, they found two women carrying life jackets. After questioning the women, the Deputies determined they were the operators of the Jet Ski’s and after the women gave their identification, they were arrested because they both had outstanding warrants. Kim Mathers warrant came from a disturbing the peace charge, out of Warren Michigan. The police searched the vehicle and found a baggie of a white powdery substance, which police suspect is cocaine. Other charges are pending, depending on the lab results.

Dr. Dre has reached a settlement with the now shut down file swapping service, Napster. According to the terms of the settlement, Napster agrees to identify and block access to files that Dr, Dre does not want to allow users to share. On his part, Dr. Dre has agreed to make certain of his material available from time to time once an acceptable model is in place that ensures payment to artists and publishers for the uses of their works. "I work hard making music — that’s how I earn a living," Dre said. "Now that Napster’s agreed to respect that, I don’t have any beef with them." A judge ordered Napster to halt all trading and remain shut down until they could implement the technology they have to identify songs. Napsters CEO Hank Barry said "The Judge issued an order prohibiting Napster from enabling file transfers unless Napster reaches 100% success. The Court delegated to the technical expert further examination and testing of the Napster system." While Napster fights to stay alive, other file trading services such as Audiogalaxy and Gnutella continue to thrive and offer users an alternative to Napster.  

Killarmy, the 6 man collective of Wu affiliated emcees and one in house producer, prepare for war once again. The group’s third album, Fear, Love and War, bears the mark of maturity. “On this album, we are showing a more mature side of the group but we are still the same as ever,” member Killa Sin said. "We are just doing us and not falling into the traps of the system.” The album, a 2-year project in work, comes after a significant lay off from the group. The group emerged in 1995 with the impressive album, Quiet Weapons for Silent Wars and then 1998’s Dirty Weaponry. With the RZA backing the group, the future appears promising but the climate for hip hop isn’t exactly perfect for the group. They aren’t about to conform to the ways of the rap world. While commercial rap is still somewhat trapped in arena of cash money and hoes, the crew say they plan to move forward with their own plan. “We’re not with all those funny style raps about cars and jewelry. We’re trying to feed the mind with our music.” Still, portions of the group still want to enjoy the finer aspects of life. “I want those things, but the thing is, that’s not all there is to life,” said Baretta 9.

Krayzie Bone is working on developing his movie, "Ghetto Cowboy," which is based on a song off his 1999 album, Thug Mentality. The movie will see Krayzie starring as Sawed-Off Slim, who he calls a Robin Hood styled outlaw. The plot centers around Krayzie, who is a fugitive from justice and on a quest to find a hidden treasure. ”When I was younger I used to love watching Western movies, they were the s###!” Krayzie said. While Krayzie hasn’t cast the movie as of yet, he is looking beyond using just rappers. "I could see Da Brat and Ice Cube starring in certain roles, but I am not just going to use just rappers. I wanna use some serious actors for the movie, because I am serious about the project." Krayzie Bone also is excited about releasing the soundtrack to the movie as well. "Wait til yall hear the soundtrack to the movie," Krayzie said. "Hip-Hop mixed with Country. It’s gonna happen, yall just better be ready for it." The movie has drawn serious attention from Hollywood and he hopes to get production underway before the end of this year.

A Liberal politician and a family lobby group are still calling on the Australian government to keep Eminem out of the country later this month, when his tour is set to land. Peter Slipper, who is a member of Prime Minister John Howard’s Liberal Party, said on Monday he had written to Howard asking that Eminem be banned from Australia. "There is no way the Australian government should allow those who pray on the disenchanted and disillusioned youth of Australia to visit our country and promote a culture of drugs, violence and foul language,” Slipper said. The Australian Family Association was the first to request Eminem be denied entry, claiming his lyrics are violent, homophobic and misogynistic. Prime Minister John Howard said the decision to keep Em out of the country was not his to make, but he did comment, "You cannot have these constantly gratuitous exhortations to violence and not expect some impact, some consequences, some spin-off. I’ve got to say the lyrics of Eminem are sickening.” It has been announced that Eminem will address his Australian critics. Sources state that Eminem has scheduled a press conference in Melbourne on July 26th to discuss the controversy. He plays in Melbourne that night and Sydney on July 27th.

Canibus’s release party turned ugly last night around midnight at club Aria. Canibus, who was celebrating the release of his sophomore album, 2000 B.C. (Before Canibus), was sucker punched in the face, and stomped in the ensuing chaos. The perpetrators were Harlem World’s Blinky Blink, Cam’Ron, who’s rhyming abilities are limited, thus the fight. The fight was a result of Canibus dissing Blinky Blink on a track titled "Die Slow." Canibus was also struck over the head with a glass encased candle that was from the bar, and is in serious condition. The club’s security was extremely low according to witnesses to the melee. A number of celebrities were on hand to help Canibus celebrate, including Biz Mark and Special Ed. The party was hosted by Doowop and Max Glazer. Canibus was supposed to have a second release party this Thursday at Club Chaelra in NYC, and will still go on as planned.

Above The Law, one of the pioneering West Coast Hip-Hop groups to come out of Eazy E’s Ruthless Records fold, have announced that they are officially signed to Suge Knight’s Death Row imprint. Above The Law group members Big Hutch aka Cold 187um, KM.G AKA Vin Loco and DJ K-oss, severed their ties with Tommy Boy in 1998, due to lack of promotion, marketing and "basic enthusiasm." After breaking from Tommy Boy, the group formed West World records and released Big Hutch’s debut solo album Executive Decisions and Above The Law’s seventh album "Forever-Rich Thugs." The group was approached by several major labels (including their former label Ruthless Records) about a new record deal, but according to group leader Big Hutch, "instead of taking two steps forward these deals would have had us going three, four steps back." According to Big Hutch, the group hadn’t been given the creative control and financial backing since the death of Eazy E. "Ruthless owed us a lot of money and still do. We tried to renegotiate a deal with Ruthless and Ruthless fronted on us. So Enter CEO of Death Row Records, Suge Knight, who is looking to reestablish Death Row Records as a leading powerhouse in Rap. Suge made an offer that the group couldn’t refuse. "Suge saw the light," Hutch continued. "A lot of people don’t realize that Suge used to manage Above The Law when we were on Ruthless in the early days when he managed us and D.O.C. I love Ruthless and what we built, but you gotta move on. She (Tamika Wright) sold the label anyway, so it is what it is." Having full creative control, distribution promotion and marketing, the group feels all is in place for them. "Suge knows how our whole collective operates," said Big Hutch. "We see eye-to-eye on how we want Above The Law to be presented to the streets, the people, and the industry. He’s giving us the artistic freedom we haven’t had in years." Hutch has also announced that he has formed an production team for Death Row Records. Big Hutch and Darren Vegas have formed The Executioners. Big Hutch over saw the production of a handful of songs on the new Dogg Pound 2002, which is slated for a July 31st release. "We gonna peel some caps back for real, cause Suge is letting us do our thing," Hutch said. "We are really getting focused with this Death Row Record cause you know we wanna come out punishing fools. Certain fools we think out there need punishment."

The hip hop world patiently awaits, for Rakim, the god of rap to emerge after signing with Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Records. In a recent interview with Jerry Barrow, a freelance writer, Brooklyn’s M.O.P. said they were contacted by Rakim to be on his yet-untitled album. "I had a convo with Rakim. He said he got a slot for us on his new album," Billy Danz said. "I get a chance to rock with the God." While Rakim has popped up with Kool G Rap on "Ghetto N####" from Bad Boy’s G-Dep’s debut, the Long Island rap resident has laid low since his last album, The Master. Being on Aftermath has possibly given another fan of Rakim the chance to bless the mic with the God. "You better believe I want to work with Rakim!," Kurupt said in an interview with Allhiphop.com. In the past, Kurupt has said, "My idol ain’t no joke so why in the f### would I be," referring to Eric B and Rakim’s "I Ain’t No Joke." Representatives for Aftermath would only confirm that Rakim was formulating how he wants to present himself creatively on the album.

The Sanitation Department in New York City is cracking down on illegal poster advertisements and has found its biggest victim to date-a record record $100,000 fine paid by Jay-Z‘s Roc-A-Fella imprint. New York City officials have cracked down on illegal stickers and posters, as the music industry has recognized their marketing and promotional power. Roc-A-Fella is appealing the decision, but under city law has to pay the fine before they can do so. There were 2,000 summons against the label for illegal posters, each carrying a $50 fine. "It is by far our biggest poster-law violation," Assistant Sanitation Commissioner Anne Marie Santangelo told the New York Daily News. "We are trying to send a message. We are hoping we can deter people from doing this." "Without warning, the city issued to Roc-A-Fella the largest amount of summonses ever issued to a record company. Being the proverbial law-abiding citizen, Roc-A-Fella paid," said a lawyer for the label, Robert Kalina. "Roc-A-Fella Records does not put up posters as a marketing device," Kalina said. Until the Roc-A-Fella fine, the largest fine for illegal posters was $67,500, paid by five music labels in August for marketing rapper Jay-Z. Warner Music Group paid $25,000 in October for signs touting Busta Rhymes.

Russell Simmons, organizer of the historic Hip-Hop Summit that took place in New York recently and served to galvanize the hip-hop community around the theme of "Taking Back Responsibility," has taken another step forward toward accomplishing its goals and formed the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, dedicating to realizing the initiatives that came out of the Summit. The national headquarters will be located in New York within the offices of The Source magazine, with field offices in Washington D.C. and Los Angeles. Executive Director of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will be Minister Benjamin (Chavis) Muhammad, who also acted as executive producer of the Summit. In addition, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network also announces the formation of its board, which will include such members as Russell Simmons, the Reverend Al Sharpton, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Minister Benjamin Muhammad, Dave Mays, Def Jam President Kevin Liles, Motown President Kedar Massenburg, Loud Records CEO Steve Rifkind and Interscope/Geffen/A&M Executive Vice President Steve Stoute. "The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will be inclusive and representative of the entire hip-hop community, which has emerged on the global scene as the most significant cultural and socio-political force of the 21st century," commented Minister Benjamin. Added The Source publisher Dave Mays, "Realizing the goals that came out of the Hip-Hop Summit is something we’re all very serious about, so we are very happy to extend the use of our offices as the headquarters for the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network. We look forward now to working with Russell, Minister Ben and the other members of the board to help our community realize the power it holds to create positive and proactive change and to also celebrate and inform the world about the good works this community already has accomplished." Unprecedented in its scope and level of cooperation, the Hip-Hop Summit drew together more than 300 hip-hop artists and executives, Congressional Representatives, as well as some of the most influential civil rights leaders and organizations in the country. Martin Luther King III, the NAACP, the Urban League, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Million Family Movement, the Nation of Islam, Nkiru Center for Education & Culture, The Schomberg Center for Research and Culture and Rock/Rap The Vote all lent their support. At its conclusion, the Summit served to "not only bridge generational gaps, but also to link the financial and political acumen of the social groups with the rappers’ youth outreach capabilities." (USA Today, 6/18/2001). Through this potent alliance, the initiatives that were created at the close of the Hip-Hop Summit are already being acted upon. The initiatives included Parental Advisory Labeling for CDs and its subsequent marketing and advertising; Industry Adoption of Hip-Hop Mentoring Programs and Political Empowerment of the Hip Hop Community. "The hip-hop community has been incredibly receptive to our attempt to organize and mobilize their efforts toward making young people’s concerns a priority in Washington and in US government, in general," commented Russell Simmons. "We’re very excited and we are sure their input will help to shape a better America." Stay tuned for information on the upcoming Hip-Hop Summit follow-up meetings in Los Angeles and Miami.

Omar Gooden, who plays the wild, young gangsta Sweet Pea, in John Singleton’s Baby Boy is preparing to release a rap album. The actor has a crew called Legion, a group hoping to drop their freshman album sometime this year. With the first single, "Mamacitas," the group has received some airplay on commercial radio. The 24 year-old Gooden comes from an acting and musical family. Brother and actor Cuba played in Singleton’s first movie, Boyz N the Hood, and his father was a member of the 70’s soul group Main Ingredient. Omar has played on shows like Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper and Ghost Dad.  

On Sunday, July 15, 2001, at Cedar Sinai Hospital in California, Anthony Berkeley aka Poetic of The Gravediggaz succumbed to his two year battle with metastatic colon cancer. Poetic had been fighting for his life for the past two years, ever since he collapsed in the studio in 1999 from stomach pains and became diagnosed with the dreaded disease, cancer. At the time he was give 3 months to live. The Gravediggaz came on the scene in 1995 after dropping their album 6 Feet Deep (Niggamortis). They then turned the industry on its collective heads in 1997 with the release of The Pick, The Sickle and the Shovel (Gee Street) which showcased the "horror" of oppression and the hard "core" realities of life. Originally the group consisted of RZA of Wu Tang Clan, Frukwan of Stetsasonic, Prince Paul, renowned producer of De La Soul and Poetic AKA The Grym Reaper of The Brothers Grym. The RZA was unable to contribute to the new album Nightmare in A-Minor (Echo International), set to drop August 23 but that obviously has no effect on the versatility that shines through on the singles Rest in Da East b/w Nightmare in A-Minor and on the album. "Poetic was the brother I never had," says Frukwan. "I love him dearly and I always will, we always had each others back. He did this album, despite this illness and showed a true love for hip hop against all odds." It’s true that Poetic fought the odds, going into the studio despite the nausea and pain that came with cancer treatments, he never stopped his creativity for this album. It shows intensely on songs like "Burn Baby Burn" where he rhymes about the horrors of cancer and how he dealt with it. Poetic’s lyrics stream forth from a mind faced with terrible realities. "I was honored to have worked with him," says Prince Paul, "whatever he has done musically is going to live on, and I am proud to have been a part of that." Poetic touched other artists as well. Kool G. Rap’s wife and Emcee Ma Barker said "He was like a brother. I met him from mikey dee from Main Source and we became family after that. I remember recording tracks Thanksgiving at his house. He will be missed dearly regards to his sister Dawn , his brother Eddie Goldfingers and his niece Courtney who loved him dearly."