Hot 97 personalities involved in a parody of the disastrous tsunamis in South Asia have agreed to donate one week’s pay to tsunami relief. Controversy erupted when the Morning Show crew, led by host Miss Jones, made slanderous remarks in a spoof of the 1980s hit “We Are the World” last week. The skit substituted racial slurs and lyrics reportedly stating, "Go find your mommy/I just saw her float by/a tree went through her head/and now the children will be sold to child slavery." After verbal opposition by morning show member Miss Info, who is Asian, comic Todd Lyn said, "I’m going to start shooting Asians." WQHT posted an apology on its website. Sources with AllHipHop.com said that some of the DJs were unaware of the paycut when station management announced it. An online petition had over 10,000 “signatures” at press time and leaders in the Asian community are calling for Miss Jones’ dismissal.
The hip-hop film “Hustle and Flow” starring Ludacris was sold for $9 million to Paramount Pictures and MTV Films, the Atlanta rapper announced Sunday (Jan. 23) during a performance at the Sundance Film Festivals. The transaction was the biggest in Sundance history. The film’s producer John Singleton also inked a two-picture deal worth $3.5 million each. Ludacris said he jumped on when he heard Singleton was filming in the South. Luda’s role in “Hustle & Flow,” which cost $2 million to make, is a southern rapper named Skinny Black who motivates a pimp to pursue a career in hip-hop. Terrence Howard, Taryn Manning, Anthony Anderson and DJ Qualls also star in the film.
Rappers Fat Joe and the Game are part of headwear designer New Era 59FIFTY’s new celebrity design series. Fat Joe says he wanted his cap design, which premieres Thursday (Jan. 27), to represent his home town and honor his two friends, in addition to being stylish. The black faux suede cap features the Terror Squad logo, "TS,” on the front panel, and also bears the number and signature of Joe’s close friend, Knicks Guard Stephon Marbury. Embroidery on the cap, reads “Big Pun 4-Eva,” a tribute to Joe’s comrade, deceased rapper Big Pun. The Game launches his New Era 59FIFTY design February 24.
Nas and his father Olu Dara, a legendary jazz musician, made a surprise appearance at Atlanta’s Morehouse College as part of MTV’s "Stand In" event series on their 24-hour college network, mtvU. Nas and Olu Dara dropped in on Morehouse’s "Improvisational Jazz" class as substitute professors and offered their views on music, jazz and culture. The pair also compiled an original music piece. The mtvU "Stand In" featuring Nas and Olu Dara premieres February 1 at 1 p.m. ET and airs throughout the week as part of mtvU’s Black History Month programming.
After a 10 year hiatus, The Geto Boys’ highly anticipated reunion LP “The Foundation” hit stores today (Jan. 25). “What we’re doing is reminding today’s generation where their heroes got their talents from,” Bushwick Bill told AllHipHop.com. “The Foundation” features production from Mike Dean, Scarface, Tone Capone, Cory Mo & Mr. Mixx.