VIDEO: Iggy Azalea On The Effects Of “The Freshman Class” And Her Expectations of “Glory”
IGGY AZALEA ON FRESHMAN STATUS, BEING HIP-HOP, AND DABBLING ELSEWHERE
JP DelaCuesta
AHH Stray News: LL Cool J Working On New Album; Childish Gambino Announces Mixtape Date; Romeo In Talks To Join “Hunger Games” Sequel
AHH STRAY NEWS: NEW LL COOL J & CHILDISH GAMBINO RELEASES; ROMEO AND THE “HUNGER GAMES” SEQUEL
NBA 2K13 Cover To Feature Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose
Two years ago, 2K Sports did the unthinkable with the release NBA 2K11; they got Michael Jordan on the cover and included him throughout the game with multiple features and game modes. One year later, 2K Sports lined up Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan to grace three separate covers for the game’s 2012 incarnation. With the infamous lockout looming before the game’s initial release, 2K Sports decided to feature a number of the sport’s greatest players, like Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, in last year’s game. This year, the cover will feature three of this generation’s most gifted, praised and talked-about players: Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant, and Derrick Rose, according to ESPN. Durant, who plays for the 2012 Western Conference Champion Oklahoma City Thunder, said in a statement, “Being crowned as one of the NBA 2K13 cover athletes is a huge honor and something I always dreamt about. It’s definitely humbling to grace the cover after the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird.” “It’s a dream come true to be one of the cover athletes for NBA 2K13,” said former league MVP Rose. “I’ve worked closely with 2K Sports since NBA 2K10, and I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan as the latest Chicago Bull to be featured on the cover.” Heralded as one of this decade’s greatest dunkers, Los Angeles Clipper Blake Griffin said of this year’s cover, “There’s so much young talent around the NBA, so it’s very exciting to be chosen for NBA 2K’s ‘New Dynasty’ alongside Kevin and Derrick. The NBA 2K series has always been my first choice when I want to get a game in.” In year’s past, each player featured on the cover has been honored with the Rookie of the Year award among other accolades . NBA 2K13 is set to be released on October 2.
VIDEO: “Love & Hip-Hop’s” Lil Scrappy Releases “Tha Grustle”, Racks Up Mogul Respect
LIL SCRAPPY RELEASES “THA GRUSTLE”, TALKS RELATIONSHIPS WITH LIL JON, LUDA AND 50 CENT
MMG Pop-Up Shop Opening In NYC For “Self Made Vol. 2” Album Release
IN NYC TODAY? STOP BY MMG’S POP-UP SHOP FOR THE “SELF MADE VOL. 2” RELEASE!
Tickets For Kanye West's Two-Night Stint In Atlantic City Sell Out In Minutes
(AllHipHop News) Tickets for both of Kanye West’s first North American solo shows in over a year have sold out in minutes. The tickets, which went on sale to the general public today (June 22) at 10 a.m. were unavailable almost instantly, with pre-sales from American Express and other companies devouring most of the seats before they were even made available this morning. West is set to play Atlantic City’s new resort and casino, Revel, on Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7. The dates are his first solo shows since his 2011 Coachella performance. Tickets for the Revel shows were priced between $99.00 and $500.00. Now, they are already ebbing sold for upwards of $3,000 on third party sites like StubHub. For years, the issues with ticket sales and reselling have been serious, and the Kanye West instant ticket sell out is an example that the days of obtaining tickets for highly-anticipated and publicized shows when they go on sale may nearly be over, no matter the venue size. For the past several months, West has been touring overseas with Throne-mate Jay-Z on the duo’s highly successful and revenue generating “Watch the Throne” tour. In other G.O.O.D Music news, Pusha T revealed yesterday that the label’s first compilation, Cruel Summer, will be released on August 7.
Meek Mill Announces Dates For "Dreamchasers" North America Tour; "Amen" Now On iTunes
(AllHipHop News) Meek Mill has announced cities and dates for his upcoming “Dreamchasers” North American tour, following the success of his last two mixtapes, Dreamchasers and Dreamchasers 2, and next week’s release of Maybach Music Group’s second compilation, Self Made Vol. 2, The North American tour announcement comes a day after it was reported that Meek would be canceling his European tour due to legal restraints. This will be Meek’s first national headlining tour and comes on the heels of his two-month stint on Drake’s successful Club Paradise tour that also features J. Cole, 2 Chainz, French Montana, and Waka Flocka. Self Made Vol. 2 was also just made available to stream thanks to Warner Bros. and Complex. Preview the album which hits stores on Tuesday, June 26 here. Meek’s current Drake-featuring single, “Amen,” comes from his Dreamchasers 2 mixtape which has been downloaded over six million times since its release. The single is available now on iTunes, with a video reportedly set to drop in the one to two weeks. Meek Mill’s debut solo album, Dreams and Nightmares, is set for release on August 28. Check out a full list of dates and cities below: THU 8/2 Denver The Fillmore Auditorium SAT 8/4 San Francisco The Fillmore MON 8/6 San Diego House of Blues WED 8/8 Los Angeles House of Blues FRI 8/10 Houston House of Blues SAT 8/11 Dallas House of Blues MON 8/13 Miami Beach Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater TUE 8/14 Atlanta Tabernacle THU 8/16 St. Louis The Pageant FRI 8/17 Chicago House of Blues SAT 8/18 Detroit St. Andrews MON 8/20 Cleveland House of Blues WED 8/22 Boston House of Blues FRI 8/24 Washington DC The Fillmore Silver Spring SAT 8/25 Philadelphia TLA MON 8/27 New York City Irving Plaza For tickets, which are on sale June 30th, and more information visit Ticketmaster.com.
EXCLUSIVE: Iggy Azalea Sets the Record Straight On Her Grand Hustle Deal And Split From Interscope
EXCLUSIVE: IGGY AZALEA ON WHERE SHE STANDS WITH INTERSCOPE AND GRAND HUSTLE
Lil Wayne Earns 100th Entry On Billboard's Hip-Hop/R&B Charts With "Pop That"
(AllHipHop News) Lil Wayne has officially earned his 100th entry on Billboard’s Hip-Hop/R&B Charts with the debut of French Montana’s “Pop That” record at #57 which features Wayne, Rick Ross, and Drake. Wayne is only the third artist and second rapper in history to reach the 100th entry milestone since the R&B chart was created in 1942. However, Jay-Z currently holds the record for rappers with 108 charting entries, while the all-time charting leader is James Brown who saw 111 of his songs make their way to the R&B chart between 1956 and 1993 according to Billboard. Wayne’s first appearance on the Hip-Hop/R&B chart was in 1999 when he appeared on Juvenile’s#### single “Back That Thang Up.” Eventually the song peaked at #5 which was the first of 29 entries that Wayne has had in the Top 10. He is currently tied with Ludacris for a rapper having the most Top 10’s. If there is any asterisk to be added to Wayne’s accomplishment, it would be that only 31 of his 100 charting songs were his own, while the other 69 were records that the New Orleans native was featured on. Wayne’s first song as a lead was “Tha Block Is Hot”, which featured his fellow Cash Money artists at the time, Juvenile and B.G. According to Billboard, “Lil Wayne’s popularity hit new heights in 2011, when he bowed a career-best 22 titles. He also logged his longest No. 1 run as a featured act on DJ Khaled’s “I’m on One” (11 weeks). The track also features Drake and Ross – the same guests who join Lil Wayne on his milestone 100th chart entry. “Of his 100 charted songs, Lil Wayne has sent eight to No. 1. Among rappers, only Weezy’s protégé Drake and Jay-Z, each with nine, have more.” Jay-Z on the other hand has had 69 of his 108 songs chart while the other 39 were records he was featured on.
D'Angelo's First Televised Appearance In A Decade Happening At 2012 BET Awards
(AllHipHop News) With his recent revival being one of the most talked-about highlights of the 2012 Bonnaroo Festival in Tennessee a few weeks back, BET has announced that D’Angelo will be hitting the stage as a performer on July 1 for the 2012 BET Awards. The platinum-singer’s awards show performance will be the his first live television appearance in over a decade. BET’s President of Music Programming Stephen G. Hill said of D’Angelo’s highly anticipated performance, “Usually, we love to keep surprises…but this year we want EVERYONE watching when D’Angelo takes the stage at the BET Awards!” Hill continued, “His talents have been away from us for far too long, and we’re excited and honored that he’s decided to make his American re-entry at this year’s BET Awards.” Recent additions to the performers list for the 2012 awards show include G.O.O.D. Music, Usher, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, MMG, Chris Brown, and Nicki Minaj. The 2012 BET Awards will air live from the Shrine Auditorium on July 1 at 8p.m.
Flo Rida's "R U On the List" Tour Adds Cee-Lo, B.o.B. and Kirko Bangz; July Dates Announced
(AllHipHop News) With one week to go before his fourth studio album, Wild Ones, hits stores, Flo Rida has announced the month-long “R U On the List” tour, which is set to hit cities across the country with openers Cee-Lo, B.o.B., Kirko Bangz, and Karmin in tow. Flo Rida currently has a number of songs from Wild Ones on the charts with the album’s self-titled track featuring Sia sitting at #7 on Billboards Hot 100, while the album’s first single, “Good Feeling,” rests at #49. Tourmate B.o.B. released his sophomore Atlantic Records release, Strange Clouds, on May 1 while Hip-Pop duo Karmin released their debut album, Hello, one week later and Kirko Bangz, who is preparing for the release of his debut Warner Bros. album later this year, currently sits at #28 on the Hot 100 with his track “Drank In My Cup”. The addition of Cee-Lo to the tour comes about a month after NBC’s#### singing competition, The Voice, wrapped its second season and the rapper and singer prepares to bring his Las Vegas residency as”Loberace” to the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino. Check out some dates and cities for the “R U On the List” Tour below: 7/3 – Coral Gables, FL – Bank United Center 7/5 – Duluth, GA – Gwinnett Center 7/7 – Las Vegas, NV – Mandalay Bay 7/8 – Los Angeles, CA – Sports Arena 7/20 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center 7/21 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center 7/25 – Washington, DC – Verizon Center 7/27 – Atlantic City, NJ – Boardwalk Hall 7/28 – East Rutherford, NJ – Izod Center For tickets and more information visit Ticketmaster.com.
AHH Stray News: G.O.O.D. Music Performing At BET Awards; A$AP Rocky Announces International Tour; 2 Chainz Joining Nicki Minaj On The Road
(AllHipHop News) The list of performers for the 2012 BET Awards continues to grow with the recent addition of the G.O.O.D. Music ensemble, which will include Kanye West, Kid Cudi, and Pusha T, among others. Last week, it was announced that 2 Chainz, Big Sean, and Usher had also been tapped to perform. Nicki Minaj and Chris Brown will also hit the stage with more performers to be announced in the next few weeks. The Samuel L. Jackson-hosted 2012 BET Awards will air live on July 3 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. A$AP Rocky has revealed dates for an upcoming 13-stop international festival tour that will see the Harlem native hit countries like England, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, and of course the United States. Beginning on July 5, Rocky and the A$AP Mob will perform at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark and continue to rock sets at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, the OVO Fest in Toronto, and Rock the Bells in Mountain View, California. The group, which is signed to Polo Grounds/RCA, is putting the finishing touches on their soon-to-be-released mixtape compilation. Rocky will be releasing his major label debut, LongLiveA$AP, this summer as well. For tickets and a full list of tour dates visit ASAPMob.com. Recent Def Jam signee 2 Chainz continues enjoy the fruits of success in 2012 with the news that he has been added to Nicki Minaj’s “Pink Friday Tour.” Billboard reports that 2 Chainz will be hitting the road for 14 of Nicki’s upcoming tour dates beginning on July 16 in Chicago, Illinois. On August 14, two days after the tour ends, the rapper who is currently opening for Drake on the “Club Paradise Tour,” will release his debut solo album, Based On A T.R.U. Story.
VIDEO: Wordsmith, The "Thinking Man's MC", Cranks Out Blue Collar Music On New "King Noah" Album
BALTIMORE’S WORDSMITH IS A SELF-PROCLAIMED “THINKING MAN’S MC” – READ UP!
VIDEO: Final Trailer From "The Dark Knight Rises" Debuts; Midnight Tickets Already Sold-Out
WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER OF “THE DARK KNIGHT RISES”; FILM IN THEATERS ON JULY 20
EXCLUSIVE: Nappy Roots' Skinny Deville Provides Meaning Behind New Mixtape "Sh!t's Beautiful"
SKINNY FROM NAPPY ROOTS ON WHY “SH!T’S BEAUTIFUL” – MIXTAPE AND TOUR ON THE WAY!
MIXTAPE DOWNLOAD: Crooked I [BGA] – "Psalm 82:V6"
SLAUGHTERHOUSE’S CROOKED I DROPS “PSALM 82:V6” – DOWNLOAD IT HERE!
DJ Trackstar and Karmaloop Team Up For "Into The Wild Tour Mixtape" Featuring Killer Mike, El-P, Mr. MFN eXquire and Despot
(AllHipHop News) With their 22-city “Into the Wild Tour” officially kicking off today in Atlanta, Georgia, DJ Trackstar, and Karmaloop have teamed up to present a mixtape featuring content from the four tour members: Killer Mike, El-P, Mr. MFN eXquire, and Despot. The 17-track Into the Wild Tour Mixtape features cuts from Killer Mike’s recently-released album, R.A.P. Music, El-P’s Cancer For Cure which dropped in May and eXquire’s Merry X-Mas and Suck My D*ck from last December. Records like Killer Mike’s “Ghetto Gospel” and “Go”, El-P’s “Stay Down”, and “Works Every Time”, as well as songs from eXquire, Despot, and a number of tracks featuring collaborations from all of the “Into the Wild” tourmates are also found on the Into the Wild Tour Mixtape. Check out a full tracklisting and download link below: For tickets and more information on the Into the Wild Tour, visit Ticketmaster.com.
Barclays Names Jay-Z Director of Brooklyn Arena Firm; Grand Opening Set For Late September
(AllHipHop News) The NY Post is reporting that Jay-Z, who is already a minority investor in the Brooklyn Nets and their new home, the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, has been named director of the Barclays Arena firm. Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, who recently helped design and debut the new logo and line of apparel and gear for the Brooklyn Nets, is now listed as director for the company that runs the Barclays Center, Brooklyn Arena LLC. “The new title emerged in papers filed by arena developer Forest City Ratner Cos. in its bid to secure a liquor license for the future home of the Brooklyn Nets,” according to the Post. “As one of seven directors, the rapper and music mogul will attend board meetings and help direct arena senior staff on daily operations, Barclays Center officials confirmed today.” The Post states that “Jay-Z is listed as an arena director along with Forest City CEO Bruce Ratner, David Berliner, Mary Anne Gilmartin, Christophe Charlier, Irina Pavlova, and David Carlock. Pavlova is Nets majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov’s right-hand woman in the United States and president of his Onexim Sports and Entertainment Holding USA, Inc. The Russian oligarch Prokhorov owns 80 percent of the Nets and also has a 45 percent share in the arena.” The new title comes several days after news broke that Jay-Z plans to open a brand new 40/40 Club in the arena later this year. The rapper, entertainer and all-around business man is also planning to officially open the Barcalys Center on September 28 with a headlining concert. For the full story visits NY Post.
EXCLUSIVE: Chevy Woods Offers Update On Taylor Gang Compilation; Speaks On His Recently Released "Gangland" Mixtape
CHEVY WOODS GIVES US THE SCOOP ON THE UPCOMING TAYLOR GANG COMPILATION
EXCLUSIVE: Bangladesh Titles Album "Flowers & Candy"; Speaks On Debut West Coast Collaboration
(AllHipHop News) With the recent release of his first single “100” featuring Pusha T, Jadakiss and 2 Chainz, Grammy Award-winning producer Bangladesh has announced the title of his debut album and details on some of the collaborations that fans can expect when Flowers & Candy is released. Bangladesh announced the Flowers & Candy title during a video blog he filmed in London and stated that the album, which currently doesn’t have a release date, would be coming soon. Bangladesh spoke on some of the other collaborations to expect from Flowers & Candy. “I got a song with Ice Cube and Kendrick Lamar and Snoop [Dogg] that’s just so crazy. I just can’t be on that one,” he told AllHipHop.com. In addition to providing the sounds for Flowers & Candy, Bangladesh also plans to rap on the album, which fans were given a preview of on “100.” “I’m rapping on it, I’m making beats, I’m doing everything on there,” Bangladesh told AllHipHop.com. “I’m not rapping all over the album, but there are some songs I’m on and there’s some songs that I just don’t belong on so I didn’t get on them.” On the Kendrick and Ice Cube collaborations, Bangladesh continued, “It’s a West Coast theme, and it’s stupid! Kendrick killed it, Ice Cube killed it! When you hear the album, you’re gonna be like, ‘Damn, that’s Cube; he came hard!’ And that’s what to expect from this album; your favorite artist or artists that you didn’t think could spit are busting and really going in because they hear the beat and the beat influences them to go in, cause I never heard some of the artists rapping as good as they are on this.” In addition to his upcoming work on Brandy’s sixth studio album, Two Eleven, Bangladesh recently produced tracks for Fra East Movement, E-40 and revealed that some of his work will end up on a record from Pusha T’s currently untitled major label solo debut that features Lil Jon on the hook. Flowers & Candy is expected to be released later this year.
