Once a church choir boy, Lee Charm is out to make his mark in the R&B world.   The 21 year-old New Jersey native just released his debut EP, Prince Charming, having received over 2 million plays on his MySpace page.   Mr. Charm had been working on the project with Musaic and Legend Factory since June 2009, which includes his hit singles “Detox”, and “Go”.   Lee Charm   The independent artist/model has shared the stage with T.I., Ciara and Sean Paul, and has been dubbed as one of R&B’s up-and-coming sensations.   He will also surely be a hit with the ladies in the heart throb department which is always good!     With votes of confidence from various media outlets, we want to know if he has yours.   Kiki got a chance to speak with Lee Charm about his musical influences, future goals, and one of his (and DrJays.com’s) favorite brands, Rocksmith.   Check it out:  

I swear history just travels in unimaginative circles. The same issues our fathers faced in their day, we are facing now in this post-millennium BS that we call modern society. After years of lying history books, recycled headlines, uninspired lectures, and cheesy fireside chats, I’ve grown hip to the fact that significant people, places, and things revisit us over and over in different vessels. So, in honor of the Jay-Z song “22 Twos” and being old enough to see history repeating itself before my eyes, here are “22 News.” 1.     Beyonce is the new Diana Ross. The lovely torch for diva-incarnate has been passed. Beyonce is as iconic as the Motown legend, with less made-for-TV drama. Destiny’s Child was the new Supremes. I’m just waiting for 2024 when one of ex-members of DC get strung on coke, making way for Dream Chicks starring Keke Palmer as Kelly Rowland. 2.     Cornrows were the new Afros (until Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson got rid of theirs). In the 70’s everybody and their mama had a ‘fro. In early 2000’s, everybody and their mama had cornrows. I mean everybody. Lil Bow Wow, Ludacris, Alicia Keys…David Beckham, Kevin Federline. Now cats are either back to Caesars or walking around with those iffy ‘Frohawks. 3.     The recession is the new Depression (maybe not). Ok so the recession is definitely not the Depression. But the Lehman Brothers’ collapse gave those dudes in the three pieces minor strokes for a few weeks. Plus more homeowners have defaulted on their mortgages this past year than hood Chinese food restaurants have been robbed. It may not be Of Mice and Men out here, but times is hard. 4.     Barack Obama is the new Martin Luther King Jr. And “Yes, We Can” is the new “I Have a Dream”. Now instead writing cliché essays on their favorite civil rights leader, students across America are writing cliché essays on their favorite president. Let’s just hope sixty years from now, there are no liquor stores on Obama Boulevard. 5.    Ron Artest is the new Dennis Rodman Dennis Rodman wore 91. Ron Artest wore 96. Both were hired by championship teams who felt muscle was the missing puzzle piece in their dynasties. Both have mindfucked their opponents on the basketball court. Rodman, through dyed hair and sexual psychology. Artest, through temper tantrums and “prison rules” defense. Oh yeah, both are randomly supporters of PETA. 6.     Air Force Ones are the new Air Force Ones As validated by the sneaker’s 27 year old history. Put it this way, what do a seventeen year old and a 43 year old have in common? They both wore Forces when they were sixteen. 7.     Tupac is the new Malcolm X. And Thug Life is the new Nation of Islam? Sounds weird, but let’s really think about this. Both ‘Pac and Malcolm were fiery orators. Both icons have made a stronger impact after death than when they were living. Both had memorable beefs. Malcolm with the honorable Elijah Muhammad, Tupac, of course with the Notorious B.I.G. There’s still some debate as to how political Tupac was during his life, but the other similarities all but suggest reincarnation. 8.    Lil Wayne is the new Tupac Though Wayne has yet to brandish his on screen finesse, the New Orleans omni-lyricist parallels the great ‘Pac in many ways. Both have that lugie-spitting I-don’t-give-a-f###-ness and both love showing their chests off. Plus, look at the work ethic. God forbid Wayne meets an untimely demise. Do you know how many posthumous mixtapes will be swarming out there? 9.    Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the new Sugar Ray Leonard Pretty Boy and Sugar Ray have combined for 76 wins and 3 losses. They’ve split their combined 50 knockouts dead even. Leonard’s 80’s flash and vigor is Mayweather’s post-millennium swag and bravado. 10. 30 is the new 20 With more and more people enrolling in graduate school, accruing those loans, and putting off marriage and children to their middle ages, life is starting later and later these days. Jay-Z perceived it on the Kingdom Come (even though he’s nearly forty) and a whole platoon of middle-aged 90’s rappers rejoiced. 11.   Weed is the new Tobacco In Massachusetts, marijuana possession is no longer a criminal offense. Plus, celebrities, drug dealers, and radical doctors have done all they can to demystify weed’s unhealthy side effects. Just like with gay marriage, American will fall into place the same way with legalization—state by state. Stay tuned for the THC patch y’all. 12.  Las Vegas is the new Los Angeles It is not uncommon to catch a glimpse of someone like Ben Affleck at the poker table or see the whole front row at Caesar’s Palace lined with celebrities for a world-class boxing match. If Los Angeles is where average joes like me go to see celebrities, Las Vegas is where celebrities see celebrities. 13.  Brazil is the new Las Vegas Remember, prostitution is legal in Nevada, not Las Vegas. So, you might find your chin to the pavement the next time you try to fulfill that sex vacation that you and your pool buddies have been entranced by. Brazil is the new spot. Ask any barbershop in the hood, Rio makes even the most underwhelming libido seem like it’s been souped up on goat weed. 14.  Global Warming is the new Ice Age I know…why think the destruction of the world into existence? Well, I’m just reminding everyone that we’re only a few factory puffs, gas guzzlers, and carbon emissions away from being on the next What Happened to H### Sapiens?  NOVA documentary. Unless we want to steal shine from the wholly mammoth, this is not a good look. 15. September 11th is the new Pearl Harbor C’mon, are you really gonna fight me on this one? September 11th is the new Pearl Harbor because September 11th was the first attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor. I’m just making sure I eat my veggies so I can be one […]

Men, let’s give denim a rest.   Modern non-denim pants are just as easily dressed up or down as a pair of jeans.   Rock them with either sneakers, work boots or dress shoes. Throw on a graphic tee, denim or leather jacket, polo, cardigan – you name it.   Lil Wayne   Think fabrics like canvas, twill, and even corduroy in classic chinos and cargo pants. Get the rundown on good looks for this season below:  

When Will Rap Artists Stand Up For Their Rights?   “Our troops need to leave Iraq/ And Rap Ni**as need to go on strike so we could get more cash/” —Raekwon ft. Ghostface Killah, “Cold Outside,” Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II, 2009. “The highest paid artist gets like 26 cents off a dollar. And they sell your sh*t for $20. I can’t use my own music without getting your permission? I wrote it, paid a Ni**a for the beat; I paid you for loaning me the money, I paid you back your money; now, we splitting because you owed me the money but you own my sh*t. I don’t owe you a motherfu**ing thing. Why [are] you holding on to my sh**? And that’s standard. Get the f**k out of here, man.” Those are the words of none other than DMX—still one of the most prolific voices Hip-Hop has been blessed with. For all his erratic impulses and character flaws, it’s always been a blessing to wrestle with the concerns X has continually raised throughout his career. Those comments, made in an interview with Sounds Like Fire, a forum for independent artists, are as profound and courageous as it gets. DMX is ringing the alarm, but, as with the epigraph to this editorial, how many peers are likely to listen up and take appropriate action anytime soon? While the dominant Hip-Hop media plays into the hands of major label executives who hope to keep the fan-base everlastingly fixated on the most supercilious of spats, rappers are still being swindled, left and right, for all their worth. In this new age, where CD sales are plummeting faster than failed parachutes, the labels have found news ways to make up for lost ground, essentially ensuring that even if music downloading takes over, as it’s poised to, as the wave of the future, they can still make as much money—if not more—from artists as they once did. They searched far and wide for mechanisms to bring into fruition this desire, and they found it: The 360 deal. I know of no other contractual clause more draconian than the 360 deal. It is the Patriot Act of the recording industry. It effectively robs the artist of any and every opportunity to make money independently—without the major labels’ claws deep into his/her pockets. What it says, with no attempt at equivocation, is, You work for us. Your blood, sweat, and tears are ours. We own you. Now, pay us! For two pertinent commentaries, see: Interview: Did the Marketing Department Kill Hip-Hop?   The Death Of Record Labels: Artists: Take Charge! The giant, but crawling, labels are not only having a field day with these deals; they’re increasingly becoming mandatory. The excuse given is that since fans no more purchase music or buy records, the only way a label can reasonable make profit is to tax every venture an artist is involved in. Of course this is convenient amnesia at work. As I’ve written before, the same suits seemingly at a loss for words over the sharp decline in record sales know just why this is so, but would rather feign ignorance. The same free market fundamentalist sensibility that humbled the national economy to its knees is no different than the deregulated, mass-reproduced, oversight-devoid music supply that reduced the insatiable demand fans once had for creative and meticulous music production.  You see, these label executives share the same spirit with European pimps who strike deals with certain relatives of indigent young women in African, or Asian, or Latin American countries, then transport—smuggle—them abroad, only to confisticate their passports upon arrival, lock them up, hold them hostage, and inform them of the enormous cost involved in the traveling expenditures, and just how they’re expected to make up for it—from then onward. The point: An ATM machine is only as functional as the amount it contains. Once upon a time, artists understood that the best a label could do is solicit a few radio interviews and magazine front covers. So, all they wanted, and asked for, was a foot in the door, and the rest would be history. They would work hard in building key, strategic relationships, respectfully promoting their brand, and engaging in extracurricular ventures that guaranteed a stable, and to an extent excessive, lifestyle. Movie roles, TV advertisements, endorsement deals, and merchandise sales were but a few of the avenues explored. For a while, these artists managed to make a considerable amount of money, more so because, as Redman recently confessed, “Hip-Hop is not paying all the bills.”  Hip-Hop alone has never been able to pay all the bills. Artists learned quick to forge business partnerships with corporate America and, in turn, diversified their brands. But the labels just couldn’t see the children of Israel cross over the red sea into freedom. And thus arose the need for the 360. Cedric Muhammad, economic guru and former General Manager of the Wu-Tang Clan, recently put in explicit terms the logic behind the 360 in an age of economic uncertainty. The appeal of a 360 to rap artists is even stronger, he noted, because most “will do almost anything to avoid heavy-duty critical thinking and the nuts and bolts of business activity because it saps their energy and free spirit.” Of course it boggles the mind that the same macho-minded artists, quick to brag out loud about past violent exploits, wouldn’t raise so much as a whimper when jerked by far less threatening executives. Chuck Creekmur, entrepreneur extraordinaire and co-CEO of AllHipHop.com, was prophetic two years ago when he warned developing artists not to “wait around for a major label to hook you up, because that system is about to be dead in the next 5 [years].” The brand new era bubbling, he explained, would eliminate outright the need for “a label to put your music to the world.”  I’ve said it before and it begs repeating: There is absolutely nothing an artist, at this stage, requires […]

The much anticipated “Ocean Runner” by Greedy Geniu$ is set for release on Black Friday – Novemeber 27th, 2009.   Jamie Foxx in the Big Blue Ocean Runnerby Greedy Geniu$   First previewed back in spring 09, the high top sneaker has a boat shoe feel and comes in multiple solid colorways, including the latest addition “Big Blue”.       Unlike some of the Greedy Geniu$’ flashier looks, these clean kicks feature tonal nubuck upper and lacing details on the sides. The brand also unveiled a full grain leather navy/white colorway that will be released at the same time.     Greedy Geniu$ launched back in 2005 with men’s sneakers, graphic tees, hats and more. The brand introduced its women’s line, La Femme GN$, in 2008. Greedy Geniu$ has quickly spread into almost every major city around the world and has collaborated with huge international companies like Toyota, AT&T and Proctor & Gamble. Jamie Foxx, Ludacris and Trey Songz are just a few famous fans.   Ludacris in Greedy Geniu$   Are you feeling the Ocean Runners? Check out some of the latest Greedy Geniu$ kicks on DrJays.com:   The Dominator by Greedy Geniu$   The Rojo by Greedy Geniu$   See more from Greedy Geniu$ by clicking HERE. Images: Bossip, HypeBeast

  Developer/Publisher: Take 10   Platform: XBOX 360   Players: 1 – 8 (Online) Rating: A   Ever wondered what it is like behind the steering wheel of a million dollar plus high performance racing vehicle? Many have pondered but very few will ever know that feeling. With the release of Forza Motorsport 3 (Microsoft / Turn 10), any gamer can rip up race tracks worldwide in this racing simulation.   At first look, one can’t help to notice the mass amount of detail that went into this game. Forza 3 features over four hundred fully upgradeable vehicles from fifty of the world’s leading manufacturers including Aston Martin, Audi, Lamborghini, Ferrari and more. Choices range from exotics like the 2004 Saleen S7 and the immaculate Bugatti Veyron to every day rides like a Scion xD and Nissan Sentra. And the best part is all the aforementioned cars unlocked for purchase from the start.       As far as visuals, Forza delivers in every way. The graphics are stunning. Every automobile has an immense amount of detail; with each car model coming with its unique exterior and interior designs. Your racing environment is top notch too. Scenery like the rocky Montserrat region in Spain, the Italian Amalfi Coast and the infamous Sebring International Raceway are all beautifully presented.       With any racing title, the game flies or dies on its mechanics. Forza 3 shines brightly with an incredible physics system. Once you get behind the wheel you get a true sense of how much went into this driver. First off each car drives entirely different from the next. Players will have to take this into consideration with hitting any corners as every track will provide a different experience with each car. We also get real time tire distress, all types of wear and tear from collisions and very credible artificial intelligence.   What sets Forza 3 apart from other driving releases is its accessibility. Newbies can easily grow their skills with helpful assists such as auto-braking, and a helpful rewind feature that lets players replay any slip-ups on the course. Other great features include a very deep career/season mode and seemingly infinite choices of car customization.       One obvious eye sore is the multiplayer or lack thereof. Its predecessor featured a bunch of ways to get busy online. Now matchmaking is no longer, along with specific criteria searches while looking for some competition.   Nonetheless, very rich with customization coupled with a near flawless attention to detail¸ Forza 3 is in pole position to be king. It provides a great balance for hardcore fans of racing sims and casual gamers alike. Buckle up.   Forza Motorsports 3 Official Trailer

Grown, clean and sexy is what it’s all about this season for men. Clothes that just fit right and don’t look sloppy.   One category you should consider stocking up in is button down shirts.   Not only are they multi purpose – as you can rock them from the office to the night club with denim, chinos etc. – but many of the styles we recently got in provide a sharp yet edgy urban look.   T.I.   Not your typical boring or cheap looking shirts, these pieces have small but effective details and dope designs.   Check out a some of Kiki‘s picks:   Flannel Woven Shirt by Mighty Healthy   Flannel has to be one of the most desirable fabrics to wear in the cold, with its soft hand and warming powers.   Add in a fresh plaid design, and you have a mighty combo.   This piece by NYC’s Mighty Healthy comes in a eye-catching color way, blending vibrant shades of red and navy with brown and black.    Print Gingham Shirt by Evisu   This premium cotton all over gingham shirt is a smart look with its navy/white color combo and red button details.   The shape of the chest pocket and the stitching on the back of the shirt subtly make out Evisu‘s logo.   Although gingham may typically be associated with spring/summer, I think this one works for fall…   I can envision it with super dark raw denim and perhaps a brown leather jacket.   We Go Hard L/S Button Down by CAVI   This button down comes from the originators of the military-inspired shirts that made such a huge splash in the urban market – CAVI.   Well the militant look is going strong, and you can achieve it in a classy way with this piece.   I also have a thing for solid black button downs ever since I saw Bradley Cooper rocking the black on black suit in The Hangover:   Tell me that wasn’t fire!   The look left fashionable men everywhere buzzing on the net about where to get that suit.   Film Fest Woven Shirt by Zoo York   Zoo York is really bringing it this season with more clean contemporary looks in fitted hoodies, pants, outerwear, wovens and more.   This shirt, made of breathable cotton fabric, comes with a subtle check print, shoulder epaulets, and just a small logo on the left chest pocket.   Now how do you make sure you look right in these fabulous shirts?   Have it buttoned up all the way to the top like Chris Brown does below, leave it open with a tee underneath or just undo a couple of buttons.   One big no-no: if you’re leaving a couple of buttons undone, do not wear a crew neck tee under it! Just don’t do it please. I’d rather see a hairy chest peeking through than this fashion faux pas.   Chris Brown A few more tips when wearing a button down?   – Iron out wrinkles   – If you’re wearing a jacket, keep the collar of the shirt inside   – If untucked, the bottom of the shirt should not go below mid hip   – Make sure it’s your true shirt size   See more shirts on DrJays.com and DJPremium.com!

The N-Word may be the more polarizing, confounding, confusing, charged word in the history of HUMANKIND.   Its origins have been discussed, debated, and dialoged for hundreds of years and still – to this day – there has been no clear resolution on what it truly means.   Perhaps that is because the word has come to mean so many different things to so many different people. Furthermore, the word seems to evolve and meld to the “host” much like a virus adjusting to a vaccine.   KRS-One recently talked about the topic of the N-Word, a term that we at AllHipHop.com refrain from using. Still, we couldn’t help but relate to the eloquence and fresh look that the Bronx-bred rapper offered via this online video.    

Jack Frost is about to kick down the door on us, but at least you can look fly as you freeze your ass off.   Lupe Fiasco in one of the season’s most popular pieces – a fitted leather jacket   See below for a rundown on some of the freshest outerwear this time around:   THE VARSITY JACKET:   Jay College Letterman by 55DSL   Charm Knit Varsity Jacket by Akademiks   Varsity jackets are a hot commodity right now, but these are not your typical college styles. Cool color combos and edgy stitched designs provide a more modern look.   THE DOWN PUFFA:   Chest Striped Snorkel Jacket by Triple F.A.T. Goose   Aika Down Coat by Miss Sixty   Down puffa jackets are available in all shapes, sizes and fabric finishes. Get a glossy one, like the Aika Down Coat by Miss Sixty, or go for a classic look like the Chest Striped Snorkel Jacket by Triple F.A.T. Goose.   THE PARKA:   Denim Parka by True Religion   Metropolis Parka by The North Face   Grown up parkas are where it’s at this season. If you invest in a down piece, you can go for a sleek look and still stay very toasty.   MILITARY INSPIRED:   Amado Military Coat by Fornarina   Garrison II Coat by Zoo York   No need to O.D. on looking militant, subtle details like buttons or the shape of the jacket work for this look.   THE PLAID WOOL BIKER JACKET:   Local Plaid Jacket by Scotch & Soda   Plaid Motorcycle Jacket by William Rast   Plaid has been hot for a minute, as well as the rocker look. Get yourself a nice wool jacket like the ones above to keep you warm. The furry collar is a fresh added touch. Leather sleeves are becoming increasingly popular, namely denim and wool jackets such as the Plaid Motorcycle Jacket by William Rast (Justin Timberlake‘s#### clothing line).   THE LEATHER BOMBER:   Hooded Leather Bomber by MadeMe   Leather Bomber by Scotch & Soda   This season’s leather jacket is not the ridiculously over sized joint with rhinestones and embroidery all over it. Cop the more fitted bomber style for a clean updated look.   What kind of outerwear will be keeping you warm this winter?

Like it or not, Will Smith is a member of Hip-Hop’s Royal Family.   The man once known as Fresh Prince has ascended his career to heights only imagined back in the late 80’s when his career first started with cohort DJ Jazzy Jeff (also a legend). Through it all, Smith has been charismatic and wise with his business moves – from Philly to Hollywood.   But, beyond his achievements as an actor and artist, Will Smith has further diversified his legacy into that of a guru of sorts.   While some  parties in rap have taken shots at Will, watch this video and check out the strength of Will Smith’s knowledge! The Fresh Prince!    

Author’s Disclaimer: For those who read my columns weekly for its, as I’ve been told, “intellectual value,” this might not be for you: “Never read the Qu’ran or Islamic scriptures/ Only Psalms I read was on the arms of my Ni**as/” —Jay-Z, “Intro,” The Dynasty Roc La Familia, 2000. Listening to Beanie Sigel excoriate his former (?) “Big Brother” last week couldn’t have put a wider smile on my face. Simply put, it’s about time. For those whose lives are forever buried under a rock, it all started last weekend when the AllHipHop rumor section reported Beanie Sigel had made certain unflattering advances—or allusions—toward Jay-Z at a Philly concert.   Upon reading the rumors—which depended solely on accusations that Sigel had repeatedly declared on stage, “I run this town tonight”—I couldn’t but hang my head in shame for what, as I believed, Hip-Hop media had come to. I saw this as yet another validation of my lamentation a few months back that “[t]he present state of Hip-Hop media is regrettable. The days of intellectuals, cultural critics, and music scholars are all but over. Now begins an age of pseudo-journalists and half-witted bloggers who’ve convinced themselves that a column consists of 400 words and two paragraphs.” And that, “Everyone has a blog but not enough brains to match them.” But in less than 24 hours, further details surfaced, which told of Sigel being escorted by police officers from the venue—compliments of the Jigga man. As time advanced, it was becoming increasingly clear to some that the best, and worst, of this ordeal, was yet to come.     Sure enough, a couple of days later Sigel dropped the much-anticipated diss record, “What You’ Talkin’ ‘Bout (Average Cat),” implicitly revealing some salacious secrets about Jay-Z, the Roc-A-Fella dynasty demolition, and the Jigga man’s newfound corporate identity—which some of us have known, and written about, for a while.    Sigel complained of indifference directed his way by Jay-Z while incarcerated—the many times he’s been locked up. He also threatened to expose some personal elements Jay-Z might want to keep secret (“I was the fly on the wall: sh** I witnessed/ I can say sh** that make B look at you different/”)—for as long as his reputation is valuable. The climax, however, seemed to be the recounting of a meeting held with HOVA, in which he pleaded to be released from his contract, but the man in the suit “bounced that tennis ball around your office for an hour, and went back and forth with me, and told me you ain’t want to let me go.” (Bounced a tennis ball? He learned that from the White folks, Beans!) Sigel says Jay-Z asked if he was cash-strapped, but he shot down any offers: He just wanted his freedom. Plus, 50 Cent was plotting a couple of power moves with him and Freeway—both stopped in their tracks shortly after.   Why did Jay-Z find it so important to have Beanie around him? The reasons aren’t at all indecipherable—for all the street credibility lost these last few years (trust me: it matters to HOVA), to keep his most respected Colonel/Major General around, and, most importantly, to repudiate rampant rumors that he only cared about a few pet projects (Jay-Z, Jeezy, Rihanna) who would work the tracks for him.   But in spite of it all, Sigel insists “Average Cat” isn’t a “diss record.” It’s also not “the green-light for everybody to start making a diss Jay-Z record.” Far from it. “This is me taking my brother in the yard for 5 minutes.” Here’s some salient advice for HOVA: Run like the wind! Don’t attempt to battle Beans. And don’t send no lieutenant his way, either. If you want J. Cole’s career eviscerated before it begins, unleash him on Beans. Your best bet, it seems, might be making things up with Sigel. This is a guy who, even with all the bullsh** you’ve put him through, still believes loyalty comes first. You might want to humble thyself, and listen carefully to his concerns and/or demands. Unfortunately, Jay-Z appears incapable of humility—as his first response was to accuse Sigel of squandering golden opportunities and of being ungrateful.   Those of us who’ve followed Beans for years were only left wondering what took so long. It was evident before long Beans would bust and spill—there’s only so much a man can take before breaking bounds of loyalty. And, in fact, that might have been the most loyal thing he did his whole relationship with Jay-Z—refusing anymore to take slugs for a man whose conscience is only as costly as the next business deal signed.     And it’s not just Beans. Dame, Calvin Klein, De-Haven, Jaz-O, Jim Jones, Peedi Peedi, Joe Budden, DMX, LL Cool J, and Teairra Marí (“I was shocked, I was sad … Jay didn’t call me himself”), all share similar views. C’mon, Jay-Z. They can’t be all wrong. Unless, of course, he sees this as some secret conspiracy to bring a Black man down! The Jay-Z-Beanie Sigel controversy couldn’t have been more timely, as it coincides with reports that Lil’ Wayne, scheduled to be locked up for a year on July 2007 weapon possession charges, might have avoided sentencing if he refused to take the fall for the true owner of the guns. For all my quarrels with Lil’ Wayne, I respect his loyalty.    Late January 2008, video surfaced of the 30-year-old rapper cussing out his entourage, hurling his jacket at his DJ, and leading the concert crowd in chants of “F**k You,” directed toward the men behind him. “I just want all the m####***kas that [have] been with me, that ain’t gon ever be with me again, to know I did it for ya’ll,” he said, much to the school-girl-crowd’s oblivion-infused amusement. Earlier that day, his tour bus was stopped at an Arizona U.S. Border Patrol, and in it discovered four ounces of marijuana, over 1 ounce of cocaine, 41 grams of Ecstasy, and various drug paraphernalia. He […]

This season we are seeing the return of the baggier jean for men, bootcut and wide legs for women, and 80s looks continuing to go strong.     Here’s just some of the hottest denim trends this season from DJPremium.com and DrJays.com:    

16 Producers.   Atlanta.   Beats GALORE!   A magnificent event is about to descend on Atlanta, one of the new Meccas of Hip-Hop. The event will line up 16 talented producers for a battle for the next “big tune” that will move the Hip-Hop crowd.   On November 3rd, Atlanta’s Opera will host the national finals of Red Bull Big Tune, where the eager crowd will determine who the winners and whose beats knock the best. Here’s how is will go down:   Eight qualifying battles were held across the US bringing the winner and runner-up from each stop to represent in the ATL.   Before each producer rocks the stage they will have one-on-one experiences with top name talent Just Blaze, Mr Porter, DJ Toomp, The Bizness and Don Cannon. The Hip-Hop heavies will help them gain industry insight during two days of mentorship.   Then, on the 3rd, Opera will host a night that will offer performers like Jadakiss, Alchemist, Mr Porter, Just Blaze, and The Bizness.   Here are a listing of the producers and the runner up in each region.   Phoenix   Winner: LiftedRunner up: Young Seph Denver   Winner: Boon DocRunner up: Xperiment   Chicago   Winner: J RellRunner up: J Mac   Seattle   Winner: Marcus DRunner up: KD Cutz   Minneapolis   Winner: NicademusRunner up: G Mo     Detroit   Winner: Apollo BrownRunner up: Frank Dukes   New Orleans   Winner: Hannibal the Beat AnimalRunner up: Sky Scrapa   Las Vegas   Winner: DJ FinylRunner up: D1 (Deuno)   One of these aspirant beat maestros will be proclaimed the victor and will receive the opportunity of a lifetime. They will be bestowed with the opportunity to record at the Red Bull Studio in Los Angeles with an A-list emcee of their choice.   Presently, the artists have yet to be announced, but previous rappers include Nas, Young Buck, Common, The Game, Ludacris, Lupe Fiasco and Talib Kweli. Last year’s Red Bull Big Tune winner, C-Sick, recorded his song with Nas and loved the experience.   “The way Nas spits over beats is crazy. It’s exactly what I expected,” he said of the experience.   AllHipHop.com will follow the 2009 winner as he moves through his mentorship, victory and eventually recording with a Hip-Hop mega star.   Until then, watch C-Sick as he meets and works with Nas.         NAS – “FILM” – PRODUCED BY C-SICK    

Jay Z is probably the only “rap” dude that can get grown men excited.  Now, for what may appear to be obvious reasons, after that statement, I feel the need to interject “no h###.”  Do people even say that anymore?  And not to digress, but I ask, was it ever cool to say anyway?  Last year, my wife and I had the privilege of witnessing the sold out, Heart of the City tour when he and Mary J. Blige visited Baltimore.  And on several different occasions during that day, I recall gleefully saying, “I’m excited!”  Truth be told, I did have an early afternoon sip of my favorite blended Canadian whisky, but I won’t put my gleefulness on the drink.  Instead, I was honestly excited to hear Jay spit his lyrics in person.  You know, “flyer than the piece of paper bearing my name.  I got hottest chick in the game, wearing my chain.  My name is Hov!”   That night wasn’t my first time seeing Jay on tour.  As a matter of fact, I had the opportunity to see him on two prior occasions.  The first time was probably him at his best, entertainment wise, and that was during the Hard Knock Life Tour.  It was a Roc-A-Fella, Ruff Ryder collaboration with special guests Method Man and Redman.  That show was bananas.  Anyone who was there would concur and if you were unable to bare witness yourself, I suggest you go rent the movie Backstage.    The second time I saw Jay was when he toured with R. Kelly.  I believe that tour was billed “The Best of Both Worlds.”  I must admit, the CD was and still is incredible.  I think their plan to record and then tour together had the potential to be monumental; however, we all know the outcome.  For reasons never mentioned (wink), Jay and Kels didn’t hit the stage together until an hour after the scheduled time.  Still, the show itself was amazing.  And once again, Jay did him.  That was during the time when he rapped, “it’s not even close, just leave it alone.  I’m Michael Jordan, I play for the team I own.”  Hey, I was impressed then and I’m even more impressed now.   In preparation for the Blueprint 3 experience, initially scheduled to drop on Friday September 11, 2009, I recalled all of my Jay moments, which culminated with me being in attendance at his sold out show last night at the First Mariner Arena.  Before purchasing the BP3, I first viewed my copy of Backstage, which I own on VHS. As I watched the tape, I rejoiced in my memories of seeing the actual live show.  I also wondered if the Muslim brother who killed the cipher that Jay and DMX had going on backstage, as seen in the video footage, ever got signed.  He was nice!  That night in the spring of 1999, Red and Meth were dangling from the rafters above the crowd performing How High, Beanie Sigel was introduced to us spitting acapella to an attentive and astonished crowd, we heard the growl and bark of DMX and saw him stand toe to toe with Jay.  And Jay, well hindsight shows now that he was just getting started.    In preparation for the Blueprint 3 experience, I also listened to the first and second Blueprint’s remembering my favorites and recalling what I was doing during the times those songs were played in heavy rotation.  And as I watched his Madison Square Garden performance on FUSE, I wore my do rag (just because), which my wife found to be hilarious.  Needless to say, I’m a Jay Z fan.   Last night’s performance was immaculate.  I stood on my feet for more than ninety minutes with a crowd of roughly 14,000 people.  I sung along to countless hits.  I two stepped and brushed my shoulders off.  And in the midst of it all, I had an epiphany.  As I watched Jay Z’s influence on the crowd, which ranged in ages from 3 on up (yup a 3 year old got on stage and put the Roc sign in the air), with representations of all different ethnicities, I admitted for the first time, that he is the greatest rapper of all time.  That was hard for me to say, because up until then, I always professed Tupac to be the G.O.A.T.  So in my comparison of Jay to Pac, I concluded that I was fond of Tupac because he spoke to my youthful and rebellious spirit.  Tupac captured and voiced feelings that I could relate to as a young man, minus the responsibilities that I have now as an adult.  That’s not to say that Jay Z did not voice relatable experiences when he initially debuted as a Roc-A-Fella artist, but to Jay’s advantage we’ve had thirteen years to grow together, and as I then related to Tupac as a child, I now relate to Jay Z as a man.        I think it’s ludicrous for an artist like Gucci Mane to say Jay Z isn’t the best.  Then again, no it’s not.  Maybe it’s bothersome knowing that if Gucci Mane is saying that Jay isn’t the best, the thought of who he may suggest is better, which I honestly hope isn’t himself, is offensive.  Allow me to also add that I don’t think Baby was serious when he most recently said Lil Wayne was better than Jay Z because “he does the most and make the most money.”  If he was serious, then in the voice of Ed Lover, facial expression intact I must say, “C’mon Son.  Get the f### out of here!”    In addition to being lyrical and the fact that he’s been successful on all levels, he has debuted eleven number one albums, surpassing Elvis Pressley.  But probably more important than anything else to me is what Jay Z embodies, which is the essence of young men raised in inner city America.  We shared the […]

Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. and Val Kilmer star in the new direct-to-DVD flick Hardwired, a new physiological thriller.   After losing his wife in a horrific car accident, Luke Gibson (Academy Award ® Winner Cuba Gooding Jr., Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Jerry Maguire, 1996) wakes up in the hospital to find his once idyllic life on the brink of destruction.   Implanted with a lethal microchip and monitored closely by a Hope Industries executive (Val Kilmer), Gibson is plagued by strange visions and haunted by a past he cannot remember.   If he wants to survive, his only chance lies with a group of renegade hackers who may be the only ones who know how to stop the dangerous corporation before it’s too late.   Also starring Michael Ironside (Terminator Salvation).   Hardwired lands in stores on November 3.   Check out the trailer premiere of Hardwired below: video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsfree video player

Here is the second installment in the series of “Bad Ideas In Hip-Hop.”   Last week, we examined an obscure, but not forgotten act, The White Boys. This week, we dive deeper into another bad idea in the world of Hip-Hop. This time, the topic is P#### Rap.   What we deem P#### Rap has taken on many manifestations in the history of rap music. It isn’t really new. Back in the day, the Two Live Crew were spittin’ those raunchy, profane lyrics that got the PMRC and all he conservatives all in a frenzy. Then there was Lil Kim and, to a letter degree, Foxy Brown and their p#### mouths. And certainly, since then, there have been a number of artists that have done “dirty rap.”   But as time moved forward, the real genre of P#### Rap emerged. This ain’t the same thing as “dirty rap.” Now, this is an opinion, but I have to place the blame of “P#### Rap” one person.   That man’s name is Akinele.   Do you know Akinele? He had an album in the 90’s called V##### Diner. The album was good, but that title got him banned from a lot of spots. Now, Ak was really considered a dope rapper who represented well on “Live At The BBQ,” which featured a stellar performance by Nas. In 1996, he released an EP called Put it in Your Mouth and the rest is history. Akinele then turned into a P#### Rapper. Certainly, this is arguable, but with songs like “P***y Makes the World Go Round,” “Rather F**k You,” “Take a Lick,” he made a bed…so to speak and it as full of sex raps.   Later, people wonder why Ak went  so hard with P#### Rap. Nobody I know…knows. But, since then, he has spawned some “offspring” that really didn’t need to be rapping in the first place.   Heather Hunter – “So Serious, So Sincere”   Heather Hunter is a mega star in real life and a legend of p###. She even did a video with Tupac. Since her active days, she has taken a few different turns in her life (she’s a great artist) and Hip-Hop music is one of them. But, rap may have been a bad turn, but I’ll let you decide. Check out “Double H” with cameos from ghost writer Akinele and Wyclef Jean (those dirty dogs!).     B. Pumper – “Rick Ross Diss”   Warning: This video is NSFW. P### star Brian Pumper donned the name B. Pumper after Rick Ross said he did a gay p### movie. He was so mad that he did a horrible rap video. Pumper comes next…pause:     Ghostface Killa – “Stapleton Sex”   WARNING: This movie is not safe for work, wife, kids or mom. But, these days, even a legendary Wu Tanger was affected by P#### rap! Ghostface went all the way in on this one, but it still didn’t shock most fans into buying his new album.     Look what Akinele has created:   Here is the godfather of P#### Rap and his classic “dirty rap” record, “Just Put It In My Mouth”: Bonus: Ak’s “Love Me For Free,” which was the clean version of “F**k Me For Free.”

Many have argued on who is the better rapper between hip hop stars Jay-Z and Nas, but we are here to compare the two gentlemen in a different light – their fashion sense.   Although they have adopted newer skate/streetwear brands like Play Cloths and BAPE, both rappers have managed to maintain that old school hip hop style…   Jay-Z and Nas Basically, Nas and Jay have not succumbed to skinny jeans! They still rock their gear slightly baggy, and keep it cool with basic tees, hoodies, black leather jackets, etc.  

After seeing “Law Abiding Citizen,” I have the urge to avenge my family and exact unbridled, demented rage upon those that choose to do them wrong.The only problem is nobody has done my family wrong in the horrible ways that Gerald Butler’s lead character suffered. The other problem is I am just not built to plot and plan vengeance over the course of 10 years.I am more of a 30 second to 7-day revenge kind of guy. Heck, I really don’t have the patience of Clyde Shelton (the character played by Gerard Butler).Furthermore, the extent of vengeance for me has always been either a middle finger in a fit of road rage, a knuckle sandwich or murder that only occurs in the recesses of the mind.But from the earliest part of the “Law Abiding Citizen,” the tone is set.The horrors that immediately take place for Clyde Shelton could easily turn a loving nun into the Punisher if there was even a fissure of anger in her heart. His wife and daughter are slain early in a horrific home invasion that he was forced to witness with his own eyes (as opposed to?).In his quest for conventional justice, Shelton entrusts the wheeling-dealing lawyer Nick Rice (played by Jamie Foxx) only to realize that a high conviction rate is the priority for the attorney.”Some justice is better than no justice at all,” he touts. Rice does a fool’s deal that he and his staff will pay dearly. The main murder turns into a snitch and gets a sweet deal in exchange for ratting on his pals.Well, Shelton happens to be a technological militaristic genius, unlike myself. It is like all parties –criminals and the city’s justice system – hit the revenge lottery…and it’s a jackpot. What happens next is “Biblical,” to use Shelton’s exact verbiage. The doting family man is now reborn as a brutal, yet sympathetic character that will likely generate a myriad of conflicting emotions in the viewer.That’s the sort of movie “Law Abiding Citizen” is. It gets the blood hot.God forbid anything of the sort happen to my family or myself…BUT…if it should, I would love to turn into Clyde Shelton. He is the Hannibal Lector of vigilantes.  Body parts are cut off. “Innocents” are killed in an effort to gain leverage on this bloody playing field. Sure thereare moments where the unbelievable happens, but that doesn’t detract in any way from the believability of the film. Does that even make sense? It does since anything is feasible under these circumstances.There is an interesting, subtle dynamic between Rice (Foxx) and  Shelton (Butler) that  jibes well. Rice is ultimately responsible for the plea deal with the murderer, yet he is spared from Shelton’s atrocious slaughter spree time and time again. The reason is never explicitly stated, but is likely because Rice’s present family life mirrors his nemesis’ former existence to a green tea.The interesting part of this, for me, is that I was able to relate to both of these seemingly opposite characters at the same time. Rice is a career-driven family man, most people’s reality.Who do others and I want to “be?” We want to be Clyde Shelton! We are Clyde Shelton in our minds in “what if” scenarios that will never happen. We just want to be peace-lovers, but if you cross that line, we are going to decimate your lowly existence and make you wish you werenever conceived!IN THEORY.So, “Law Abiding Citizen” gets huge thumbs up for making a violent murderer charming and honorable. The film also makes action heroes out of those voyeurs such as myself. Lastly, the movie will provoke thought about the nature of the U.S. Legal System and what the aimsreally are.This movie is one sadistic trip that is worth its weight in road kill.

Brace yourself for some “Tough Love” from MadeMe.     Erin Magee, the brand’s creator, is now presenting fall 2009 – a “handsome” collection featuring “traditional masculine silhouettes with feminine fits and New York street sensibility”.  

“Come test me: I never cower/ For the love of money, son, I’m giving lead showers/” —Jay-Z, “D’Evils,” Reasonable Doubt, 1996. On August 11, 2004, Jay-Z became minority-owner of the New Jersey Nets. With a measly 1.47% to his name, it made no sense why more successful, majority-owners like real estate developer Bruce Ratner included Jay-Z in the dream team that acquired the Nets. Then, as with everything else, truth crushed to earth began to rise. The reason(s) why this famous Brooklynite was chosen started surfacing. Shortly after, Ratner presented his plan to relocate the Nets from East Rutherford, New Jersey, to Brooklyn, New York. And who better to use as the public face for this transaction than the Brooklyn-born Jigga man himself. (Plus, he, and only he, could help put King James in a Nets Jersey!) So, when Jay-Z took Oprah on a tour around his old neighborhood a couple months back, and some Hip-Hop observers couldn’t keep from salivating over, as they saw it, how far Hip-Hop had come, a few of us were forced to admire from a distance—and with a sense of suspicion. One or two questions had to be answered, we figured: Why would Oprah want to tour Brooklyn? What’s in it for Oprah? What’s in it for Jay-Z? Who really orchestrated this event?  What connection does this ostensibly spontaneous, Hallmark moment have with the ongoing public relations campaign, geared in full-throttle mode, to convince Brooklyn residents that the demolition of sacred, public property is, in fact, in their interest (!), and that protesting the ambitious, $4 billion, 8-million square feet Atlantic Yards Project (AYP) would cause more harm than good? With the recent onslaught of lawsuits filed against Forest City Ratner Companies, the developing firm at the helm of AYP (most expensive in history), it’s no more secret what role Jay-Z would be asked to play—even as the community pushes back harder and further on what it considers grotesque misuse of eminent domain laws, to serve the indifferent interests of capricious corporations. Among the many groups against this proposal stands Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB), a coalition consisting of 21 community organizations. One of the reasons DDDB is firmly against Ratner’s plans is that at least $1.6 million of the anticipated (though likely to be much higher) $4 billion would be plunged from the public’s purse. Of the few promises made to Brooklyn residents, most important seemed to be the thousands of units in public housing—to compensate those who would be modestly asked (stick-up fashion) to give up their homes for a sports complex. But, according to BrooklynSpeaks, an advocacy group wary of the proposal, “two thirds of the units in the development will be sold or rented at market rate, and 60% of the affordable units would only be affordable to families making in excess of the Brooklyn median income, which is $35,000.” So, rather than help assuage the crisis of affordable housing, it could “actually accelerate the gentrification and displacement that is already in progress.” Residents also fear that the plan, expected to include a basketball arena (Barclays Center) with 16 office and residential towers, would only bring more congestion to an already-congested town, clogging up what’s left of Brooklyn’s arteries.  The issue of public housing, however, seems to envelope all other concerns. In 2008, when Bruce Ratner revealed new designs for the Atlantic Yards Project, he again underscored the guarantee of “over 2,250 affordable housing units among the total 6,400 residences at full build-out.” At the time, protesters feared that “given the credit crunch, increased construction costs and the downturn in the real estate market, Forest City will not retain certain key aspects of the project it has promised to deliver.” That was May last year. Well, a few days ago, The Brooklyn Paper, a community journal, fully corroborated their concerns: “State development officials are drafting a new deal with Bruce Ratner that will give the Atlantic Yards developer a loophole out of the project’s main selling point: thousands of units of affordable housing.” It revealed that new clauses were clandestinely inserted into a Sept. 17 lease proposal which frees Forest City from providing the 2,250 units of affordable housing promised. The provision essentially absolved Ratner from independently, as once agreed, including the housing plans, subjecting it, instead, “to governmental authorities making available … affordable housing subsidies.” As one who lives in a city where the local library board promised community members last year that the only branch the Black community could call its own was safe from any budget-balancing plans—come what may!—and then proceeded to close it in June this year, I understand wholeheartedly the sense of shock and betrayal Brooklyn folks are starting to feel.   In response to these attempts of everyday folks lifting their voice in courageous chorus against highway robbery, ACORN’s chief organizer said in a statement: “We are, of course, disappointed by the delays brought about by endless litigation, [but] we remain confident that, at the end of the day, Atlantic Yards will mean thousands of new units of affordable rent regulated housing and new home ownership opportunities for working families.” ACORN, which has partnered with Forest City to ensure the building of affordable living arrangements (thus barring it “from saying anything negative about the project”), is not the only lackey stored in Bruce Ratner’s basement—only to be let out when protesters, especially the Black ones, refuse to lie down, hands tied, and be molested by private firms. Rev. Al Sharpton, Roberta Flack, Jason Kidd and Vince Carter all reside in the basement. The tragic reality of unkept promises concerning provision of substitute living accommodations in matters of athletic exhibitions is nothing new. Just ask South Africans, or Vancouverians, or Chicagoans. And now: Brooklynites. On July 28, 2009, BrooklynSpeaks sent a letter to the Empire State Development Corporation (ESDC), the agency responsible for approval of property development, expressing concern that the ESDC was prepared to give AYP the go-ahead “without further environmental review… that would […]