Game ft. Tyler, the Creator & Lil Wayne – Martians vs. Goblins,” from the Game’s R.E.D. Album

Young Jeezy - A Hustlerz Ambition (Documentary)

INTRO MAGAZINE INTERVIEWS ARTIST COCKY

Thomas Pr Group has a new artist in the fold and he is known as K.O

Born in Louisville but raised in Baltimore Maryland. he said he
was born into the streets so what he raps about is his reality.
He has worked with several local artist and continues to make a
name for himself.

Linkin Park - Rolling In The Deep (Adele Cover - Live)

Beyonce Pregnancy Fake???

Machine Gun Kelly Interview from the 2008 Red Carpet issue.

DjQuest95: We are standing here with Cleveland artist Machine Gun Kelly. Please tell our readers what you are nominated for.

Machine Gun Kelly: I am nominated for best new artist and best live performance.

DjQuest95: Man that is hot. How are you just going to come on the scene and get both best new artist and best live performer. So tell me about the new project?

Machine Gun Kelly: The new project is called "Stamp of Approval" mixtape coming out October 12th and we have a release party at Peabody's. You know we have to do it all ages. We have Lazy Bone and a couple other people that I am not going to reveal right now. You know its hot!.

DjQuest95: You have alot of special stuff going on. (Sly from the back mentions ChipThe Ripper) You have Cleveland's own representing on your mixtape. Let me ask you a serious question right now about the status and presence of hip-hop right versus rap or is hip hop and rap the same thing or do you feel there is a difference with one leading the other or vice versa?

Machine Gun Kelly: Hip-Hop is something that you listen to. Rap is something that you just hear. I am just trying to make good music to listen to. You know what I mean.

DjQuest95: Alright.

Machine Gun Kelly: As far as what the state it is in I am not to sure. I am not sure of the difference. It is obvious that there is a difference between rap and hip hop but to distinguish between the both I would not know. I just make music. Whether it is hip-hop or rap I really don't give a fuck. You know all about Machine Gun Kelly right now.

FIRST LADY OF GRAND HUSTLE INTERVIEW NOV/DEC 2009

“No offense to Nicki Minaj but I am a deeper artist than that”

Who is the first lady of Grand Hustle? Lady Bola is one half of the Grand Hustle duo Xtaci that is also signed to the label. Lady Bola is stepping out on her own as a solo artist. You can catch her new video with label mate Young LA. INTRO caught up with Bola as she was getting her Cheesecake Factory on.




INTRO: How did you become the first lady of Grand Hustle?

BOLA: I hailed from a group called Xtaci. We were doing our thing for a minute. I am branching off doing my own thing while she is on down time. We been knowing T.I. and the family before it was Grand Hustle. They hadn't even thought of the name yet but it was all a blessing really to get the family together since 1999-2000 and you this where I am at now. Stay down stay loyal so I am the first lady.


INTRO: Female Mc are very few. Right now they are really only talking about Nicki Minaj. What will you do as a female artist. Will you change the game?

Lady Bola: Oh yeah! I feel that the Foxy, Lil Kim and the Eve were different. They each brought a lot to the game. I feel like I have to bring a different vibe to the game (it has been a challenge for me). There has already been a Lil Kim. As a woman you have to bring something different to the table. I feel like I have the best of both artists. No offense to Nicki Minaj but I am a deeper artist than that. I talk about a lot of different things. I do music for different reasons than many other artists. I want people to feel my music. Being a different type of artist breaks down doors for us and shows that there are different types of female artists. We have so much more to talk about.

INTRO: I understand that you have been rapping since the age of 15. Who are some of your influences?

Lady Bola: I am influenced by Pac, Outkast, Nas, and T.I.P. I am really influenced by real rappers. As far as females I am influence by Salt ‘N’ Pepa, Eve and a lot of old school artists. I love all types of music.

INTRO: Where do you see yourself in two years?

Lady Bola: I see myself taking it to the next level, personally as far as what I put on record. I can see growth. I have a lot of goals.

TWITTER:

@BOLABETTYBOOP

The Underground Railroad:Hip-Hop’s express to escape the Minstrel Show PART 3

"We all chase money 'cause we scared to chase dreams" Talib Kweli is a perennial underground hip-hop artist. His albums Black Star and Reflection Eternal are critical- ly acclaimed classics and considered essential hip-hop records. Since those albums, Kweli has struggled to find a balance between the underground and mainstream audience while maintaining his positive sociopolitical messages. His latest release, Eardrum, debuted at number two on the Billboard 200. It was the highest debut he ever had. The album is filled with messages about positivity in hip-hop and the world. Despite the album debuting at number two, the album never received a video for the lead single and the singles never heard the light of day One of his songs entitled “Oh My Stars” shows Kweli speaking to his children. The message that he gives to them is something every parent with a child could relate to. It is also a message that many children should hear. Kweli raps, “And even though mummy and daddy might fight all through the night / Argue and fuss, you a part of us that we've got to get right / I don't love you to death, cause I love you to life / And you a teenager, you might not want my advice / You .might be full of spite, think you're grown, still a tyke / And say things that cut like a patient under the knife / I say this, cause I was once a teenager too / And respect for my peers is really all that I related to / But I made it through, you gonna make it too / So much I wanna say to you...” What parent would not like hearing a song with lyrics like that on the radio? It is very musical and the entire song is filled with similar lyrics. He is an African American man who is professing his love for his children. Most African American males are considered horrible fathers and known for leaving their families behind. To have an artist who is a proud parent is a good thing. It should not be hidden in the underground like it is. Along with Talib Kweli’s messages to children and adults, Lupe Fiasco is an- other artist that talks about things that receive little light in the world of hip- hop. His first single “Kick, Push” chronicles the growth of a kid who uses a skateboard. As the kid gets older, his attachment to hi skateboard grows and the events in his life revolve around it. Hip-hop artists claim to be many things, but a skater is not one of them. A skater is typically viewed as a punk-rock white kid. Yet through Fiasco’s song and lyrics, he has opened the door for an alienated part of the hip-hop audience to find a home. The chorus for the song captures the essence of a young skater. “And so he kick, push, kick, push, kick, push, kick, push, coast / And away he rolled / Just a rebel to the world with no place to go / And so he kick, push, kick, push, kick, push, kick, push, coast / So come and skate with me / Just a rebel / Looking for a place to be / So let's kick...and push...and coast.”

Now with Talib Kweli as the proud parent and Lupe Fiasco as the skater, MURS could be looked at as the average joe. He isn’t perfect and does not claim to be. MURS takes pride in being an under- ground hip-hop artist. His appeal is that he comes across as someone a person could bump into on the street and not have nightmares about. His last album, Murray’s Revenge, received positive re- views because of the issues he chose to talk about. The All Music Guide wrote: “In Murray's Revenge, like in his 2004 release, Murs 3:16, his even-paced delivery shies away from ten-cent words and his songs often deal with the standard rap subjects — a hard life, women, and his own talent — but he is also unafraid to dispel some social constructs that many of his peers only help to perpetuate. In "Dreamchaser" he explains that the draw to gang life is because of a lack of positive opportunity ("We all chase money 'cause we scared to chase dreams"), and he discusses the difficulties of not fitting cleanly into racial stereotypes in "D.S.W.G. (Dark Skinned White Girls)," an issue that's fairly common in contemporary, diverse America. When Murs does slide into talking about himself and his skills a topic no true MC can avoid — he's such a good storyteller that his boasting isn't boring, and he's also willing to admit the bad decisions he's made, creating a real sincerity in his rhymes. Some of the songs are meant to be didactic, but he's usually subtle enough to convey his message without being preachy ("For if a soul is avenged through the deeds of a friend/Then success has always been the best form of revenge"). It's not all seriousness, though; Murs has always been one for a chuckle, and there are some humorous tracks (the aptly named "Silly Girl," for example), but there's enough quality, content, and warm West Coast soul samples in Murray's Revenge to make it a good album that should please fans of any type of hip-hop.

If underground hip-hop albums contain so much positive and relatable issues, why aren’t artists such as Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco and MURS heard on the radio? Why aren’t their videos on MTV’s Total Request Live? Why don’t they even have videos? Why are these artists, who are making critically-ac- claimed classic albums, having such a difficult time finding a buying audience? These are very easy questions that all contain one simple answer. Those artists don’t fit in the mold of the hip-hop minstrel show. Through commercialization, industry executives want people to believe that hip-hop is filled with pimps, thugs, gangsters and hoes. They want everyone to think that every woman dresses in scantily clad material and wants sex all of the time. The images produced on the television screen that are considered “hip-hop” make African American males look scary. If a person turns to a channel to find an angry black- man talking about how he will kill some- body, then that is what the person will think? This is not morally right. That is why I believe it is morally wrong for record companies to promote commercial rap over underground hip-hop. What kind of morals do industry executives have if the only things they promote are sex, drugs and violence? They can not be very high at all. Especially not when there are artists out there who show that black people are more than those stereotypes. Hip-hop music originated with African Americans and now in 2008 commercialism has taken away its true meaning. The Minstrel Show will continue as long as people keep a deaf ear to underground hip-hop.

“My culture's not a trend, being Black is not in / But for you it's just a phase you're gonna have to transcend / While even if I tried, I could never blend in / To society's mainstream, American dream / Yeah, it's all one love, but remember one thing / This music is my life, not a cultural fling / It's an expression of the soul when we dance and sing / And you are blessed to have a chance to even glance the scene.” – MURS, And This Is For, MURS 3:16 the 9th Edition.

Rapper Returns, With Punch Lines but Little Soul

"He’s a punch-line rapper who rarely thinks about his lines beyond the rhyming couplet. Coherent verses are a rarity, coherent songs even more so. And his choice of words often feels arbitrary; he’s not obsessed with picking the right ones or the most important ones or the most revealing ones.

“So misunderstood, but what’s the world without enigma?” he asks on “6 Foot 7 Foot,” setting himself up for a chance at self-excavation. The second half of that couplet? “Two bitches at the same time, synchronized swimmers.” Oh well."

This is part of the review for the Carter IV. I will admit that I have not heard it yet but I thought this was interesting.

NY Times:

There goes Lil Wayne, wearing bleached leopard-print skinny pants — women’s pants, as it happens — and stalking the stage of the MTV Video Music Awards with Iggy Pop attitude. There goes Lil Wayne, riding a skateboard and falling off. There goes Lil Wayne, who can’t sing worth a lick, taking a ballad, “How to Love,” into the Top 10 of the Billboard pop chart.


Judging by his behavior in recent months, rapping seems to be the furthest thing from Lil Wayne’s mind, odd behavior from the person who is ostensibly the most popular rapper in the country. This week he released “Tha Carter IV” (Cash Money), which is on track to have the second-biggest opening sales week of the year, behind Lady Gaga (and notably ahead of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s collaborative album, “Watch the Throne”).

That it’s the least memorable Lil Wayne album in years might not matter, least of all to Lil Wayne, who since his release from jail last November after serving eight months on gun charges has taken his idiosyncratic ascent to the pinnacle of hip-hop in ever odder directions.

He is our strangest hip-hop superstar, and maybe the last antiaspirational one: he’s the one who won’t harp at length about his watches and cars, the one who still thinks it’s acceptable to record a rap-rock album (last year’s “Rebirth”), the one who became more famous the more he rapped about turning into a Martian.

In retrospect, Lil Wayne’s dizzying mixtape output from 2006 to 2007, when he was at his most bizarre, most confusing and most prolific, set an almost impossible standard, one that he has failed to live up to for the last couple of years.

“Tha Carter IV” shows off those flaws, highlights them even, if only because everyone is looking so closely. On a handful of songs, particularly “President Carter” and “Megaman,” he raps as if something were still at stake. He can still toss off a neat double entendre (“I ain’t working with a full deck/But I deal,” on “It’s Good”) or a hilarious left-field insult (“You’re dead to me, brown grass,” he raps on “President Carter,” which amusingly samples the inauguration of Jimmy Carter), but mainly, this is Lil Wayne at his laziest or most uninterested.

He’s a punch-line rapper who rarely thinks about his lines beyond the rhyming couplet. Coherent verses are a rarity, coherent songs even more so. And his choice of words often feels arbitrary; he’s not obsessed with picking the right ones or the most important ones or the most revealing ones.

“So misunderstood, but what’s the world without enigma?” he asks on “6 Foot 7 Foot,” setting himself up for a chance at self-excavation. The second half of that couplet? “Two bitches at the same time, synchronized swimmers.” Oh well.

That reluctance matters quite a bit, actually. Lil Wayne’s been through so much in the last two years, and examined almost none of it in song. In a couple of places he refers to his recent jail term — “John,” “How to Hate” — and on “Nightmares of the Bottom,” there are flickers of reflection: “I’m a gangster by choice/ I hope my sons choose wiser.”

Maybe the most gnomic boast is on the hit “She Will,” on which he declaims, “I’ve been at the top for a while/And I ain’t jumped yet.” Statement on the pressures of fame? Workaday boast combined with cheap imagery? We’ll never know.

Vintage Lil Wayne was the equivalent of speaking in tongues, words flying in unexpected directions, in unlikely combinations. But those were the syrup-sipping years. Sobriety is a condition of Lil Wayne’s probation, and it appears that the lucid Lil Wayne has less interest in bending words into strange shapes.

In recent years, but especially on this album, he’s become the least quotable great rapper, with lines that land harder more because of his voice than because of his wit, which was once prodigious. Because Lil Wayne has been so sharp, so dexterous in the past, it’s tempting (and ultimately necessary) to overanalyze him. But even on this album’s weak tracks, and there are several, he remains a commanding presence, deploying just enough of his insistent croak to tether the song together. He doesn’t bother appearing on two of the best tracks on the album, “Interlude” and “Outro,” which are instead full of eager guests.

read more at NYTIMES
By JON CARAMANICA
Published: August 30, 2011

VMA RE-CAP

1) Beyonce made everyone forget Alicia Keys pregnant performance

2) Lil Wayne is mad that Jay and Bey's spawn upstaged him

3) Brittany is still confused why she had to introduce Beyonce while she was getting her award

4) Justin Bieber was ready to leave soon as he sat down

5) Lil Mama still lives

6) My caucasian friends are still trying to figure out who Tyler the Creator is?

7) I am stiil trying to figure out who Tyler The Creator is?

8) Lil Wayne still dreams of being a rock star

9) Bruno Mars dressed and performed like Frankie Lymon to give a tribute to Amy Winehouse

10) Lady Gaga reincarnated Pony Boy from the Outsiders and Billy Joel during her performance

RIZ INTERVIEW

“I have discipline. I have a good work ethics. I am not a person that will go to a studio for 20 hours and make one record”

“RIZ is a talented songwriter and visionary with concepts and flow. His songs have a vast array of style that will provide him longevity in the industry” Lenny S. Senior A&R, Def Jam. It is not often that I start off an article with quote but I wanted you to understand how serious this Harlem artist is. We now INTROduce to you RIZ.

INTRO: I know that you have been in the industry for a minute and you have been working on a new project. Can you elaborate more on that?

RIZ: I haven’t been on the scene for about a year or so. I took a break from it because I was being pulled in different way creatively. There were a lot of different people involved with the project. I really wasn’t able to make the records that I felt good about because I wasn’t putting up the money. When you get in situations like that its really a rough situation. So I just stepped away for a minute to just redeem my own artistic views. I am just approaching it different now.

INTRO: How would you describe yourself as an artist?

RIZ: I am well rounded artist because I understand that the music business of today is nothing like in the business of yester year or the B-boy days. It’s a different structure. It took me a lot of years to really understand the business. I have identified a sound that I was comfortable with. You have to have a u certain so people can identify you. When you hat hear 50 Cent you know its 50. When you hear Drake you know its Drake. When you hear Lil Wayne you know its Lil Wayne. They have that niche. Years ago it was hard to find that niche. I found that out working with so many producers that and being pulled by so many people. In that nature I could not find a consistency so now I am able to create an identifiable voice. I have discipline. I have a good work ethics. I am not a person that will go to a studio for 20 hours and make one record. I am not going to blow a budget just sitting in the studio. I am going to make sure it sounds good before I leave the house. I don’t roll with an entourage. I used to that and try to put people on (trying to do positive stuff). You can’t control other people’s actions because what they do that stigma falls on you. I just really had been moving light. I feel like I am full circle and more prepared.

INTRO: How did you hook up with Sha MoneyXl?

RIZ: I hooked up with Sha Money through David the Jeweler. I had been doing records with David for about three or four years before meeting Sha Money. Dave has all these music industry types that he makes jewelry for so he wood take me around me around video shoots. I went to 50’s video shoot and Lloyd Banks video shoot. They would see me around but they just didn’t know what I was doing. So at the time Dave was it was James Cruz from Violator Management that came to Dave and was talking about some jewelry and Dave jumped on it and played some of my music so we started a venture with Violator. Then right after that we linked up with She Money cause he was mixing Young Buck’s album at the time while he was still with G-Unit. Dave went into the studio and played some of my music. Sha was blown away and he said to Dave “When I hear that kid he giving me that feeling like when I first used to hear Fif out with that hunger” so that attracted him so we started working on some records. We around to a few labels but things didn’t pop off they way we wanted them to pop off.

INTRO: So you are still independent? Self Made.

RIZ: You got it. Self Made is a company that I started in 2005. I was doing other things. I had caught a case and the case slowed me down and like changed my life. I wanted to do things different in my life after that so I wrote all down all my experiences. The music is really a form of expression for me because I really don’t talk much. I am sort of like a loner because people will mess your whole world up. People are so negative and I am really trying to stay away from negative people. When I got to the studio its like therapy I get to say whatever I want and talk over these beats cause the beat don’t talk back. I put a tape together and put it out in my neighborhood and people were feeling it and they said I should stick with it and that’s what I did and I haven’t stopped since. We are still basically are in a process of building a following. I have had a meeting with Jay-Z and I have met with Atlantic records, Fifty and all the top people in this industry people. The research in the industry has changed in the industry so now we are in the progress of developing a new following with the new way that I am making my music as compared to a year ago. I am starting over ago again and building a new awareness.

INTRO: What artist have you worked with that you haven’t worked with yet?

RIZ: I am at the point in my career that I don’t want to work with anyone that doesn’t want to work with me. I am not the type of person that picks and chooses who I work with. If it makes a good record, it makes a good record. I don’t intend to make albums with other artists to boost my own morale. Some artist will do an album with another artist because that artist is relevant to other people. That’s not how I function. People tend to see that I did the video with Ray and tend to think that I tried to attach myself with something hot and that is not why I did it. I did a favor for him way back so I went to shoot the video with him. I did it to show him love cause he asked me to come through so I did it. In the end it was like a return. I prefer to work with people that are keen to working. I tried to work with Bun B and he was like $16,000. He wanted $1,000 a bar. It kind of threw me because here I am an up and coming artist and here it is this guy is trying to make money off of me. He deserves to make his money but for me to pay $16,000? I would rather take that money invest it into another song and make a couple videos. That’s why I don’t do songs with a lot of rappers cause they are thinking about making that quick bread. I am not really trying to do a feature with nobody if I don’t have to.

INTRO: Where do you see yourself in the next 5yrs?

RIZ: Retired. I come from a community where people feel like its nothing left for them to do besides drink, smoke, and be violent. I want to make a shift in that. If I make it then I will be in a position to give back. I want to start an organization like a basketball AU team but it also has a nutritionist and personal trainers to show them how to work out. They would also have the schooling because you can have all the knowledge in the world but if you can’t pass that SAT then you will be back in the streets. I see myself doing some really ground breaking things once I get this foundation set.

INTRO: Do you have any shows coming up?

RIZ: I used to do showcases where I was the featured artist but I stopped that because it was a scam. I really don’t do many shows now because I am focused on rebuilding my awareness. I am working hard on the Internet because it is extremely hard to get the radio. It’s hard to get the radio because it’s controlled. The only people that you hear on the radio is the artists that labels have paid to the stations because those artists have to make it than the average artist off the street because they are not benefiting from it because they are in the business of making money.

INTRO: Do you think that Djs are important when it comes to breaking a record?

RIZ: I say no and yes. The DJ has to feel a connection with the artist that he is breaking the record for because there are so many people in the business that. What one Dj think is hot 10 other Djs may not. What I am starting to see is that some people only want to attach themselves to certain people because it only makes themselves look better. If I come to the club tonight and see me with some jewelry and I am popping bottles the Dj is going to give a shot out cause it looks good. If I come to the club and I don’t have any jewelry and I only have a cup the Dj is not trying to rush to play my record. It’s a ruff business. Its crazy that I say that and I am trying to get in the business. It’s a million people out here waiting to get your money because you are uninformed about the business.

FOR MORE INFO:
@RizSelfMade

JUNE/JULY 2010

INTERVIEW WITH LMFAO

“We got into Dj-ing real heavily because we wanted to really wanted play our shit”

LMFAO also known as Redfoo and Sky Blu have been getting the party started with their smash hit “I’m In Miami Bitch!”. So how did they get the name LMFAO? “While searching for a name for his Electro/Hip-Hop group, Sky Blu decided to shoot an iChat message to his grandmother with the latest idea, seeking her opinion. "Our new name is gonna be Sexy Dudes...what do you think of that?" Grandma Goodfoot replied, "LMFAO". The two knew grandma was on to something”. If that is not enough check out the origins for their names. Sky Blu (his given name is Sky and the sky is Blu, after all) and Redfoo (the Red symbolizes his passion, and the fact that he acts a Foo.... in bed). While the tour schedule has stayed packed the duo were able to take the time to get with INTRO.

INTRO: How did you guys end up on Will.I.Am's label?

LMFAO: Well, we grew up with Will and we have been friends for a long time. He was familiar with our project and the internet buzz was pretty crazy so Will called us and said “We should be on his Goddamn label. Black Eyed Peas”. Through a long process we ended up on the label.

INTRO: Did you expect the song "I'm in Miami Bitch" to take off the way that it has?

LMFAO: Hell Yeah! No! We were surprised at the longevity of the song. We now realize what it is. We have made a classic kind of song for a traveler to Miami and has that feeling of being in paradise. I’m in Miami Bitch! Actually it’s really done way over what we init-ially thought but as we analyze we realize what the song could be. It’s really becoming that great song

INTRO: I know that this song has an electro pop feel. Is this the particular style that we can expect coming from your album?

LMFAO: It has a POP feel but it also has a jazz feel. There are a lot of feels on the album. Its all party but its different types of party. We have B-more on the album. We have songs on the album like “Lil Hipster Girl” that are a little more aggressive. It represents one side of the party. If we are talking club terms Miami is like the dance floor. You got the bathroom that you take the Freakies you know after the drinks. We are building a club. Its part of the layout baby.

INTRO: How long have the two of you been working together?

LMFAO: On this project we have been working together on this project for 3yrs. Well 2yrs. No wait a little over two years but we have always been working together on things. You know hanging out and vibing. We was selling t-shrts before. It was always a hustle.

INTRO: What other artists have you worked with?
Continued pg 14


LMFAO: Lil John, Pitbull, Paradiso classic kind of song for a traveler to Miami and has that feeling of being in Girls. Done a lot of remixes. You really don’t get to work with the artists on that. We have also worked wit Eric Deluxe.

INTRO: How did you make the transition from Djs to artist?

LMFAO: We have always been artists. We made the transition from actually we have been artists and producers first. Dj-ing is a way to solicit new music. We got into Dj-ing real heavily because we wanted to really wanted play our shit in the clubs. We didn’t really know that many Djs ourselves we said that we have to do it ourselves. We have to D. I. Y. So we started playing our own music and songs in the same type of lane like electro and we tried to break that sound in the mainstream clubs in Hollywood and thats how we did it you know. It started catching on and we started writing more and more songs about our experiences in the club. We started getting ideas from the blogs. Stuff like that .

FOR MORE INFO ON LMFAO:
www.myspace.com/lmfao
MAY/JUNE 2009

NEWS: NYC Fashion Week Opportunity for Models & Designers Courtesy of Blazetrak

BLAZETRAK PROVIDES UNIQUE NY FASHION WEEK OPPORTUNITY FOR ASPIRING MODELS & FASHION DESIGNERS
Winners will work with designer Mychael Knight on his NY Fashion Week "Lost World" show

NEW YORK, NY (August 15, 2011): Blazetrak, the world's first website that allows direct video access to the world's top superstars in music, fashion, entertainment, is announcing a unique, official NY Fashion Week opportunity for aspiring fashion designers and high-fashion models.

Designer Mychael Knight, best known for his appearance on Project Runway (where, in Season 3, he was voted the "Fan Favorite" and placed fourth in the overall competition), is accepting submissions for both an assistant, and a high-fashion model, to work with him at his "Lost World" show during NY's Fashion Week on September 10, 2011.

"During this month, I will be searching (via Blazetrak) for an enthusiastic, down-to-earth young lady ready to blaze down the runway!" said Knight. "Each submission will receive a video response from me and whether or not you are in the running for the opportunity. The chosen model will be notified on September 5th, 2011 and will receive one (1) domestic flight to NY and one (1) night hotel accommodations. The show is on the evening of September 10th 2011, so be prepared to travel between September 9th - 11th. The event will also be streamed to a live audience via Ustream."

To qualify, models must be between the ages of 18-25, must have measurements of 34-25-36 (dress size 2/4), and be at least 5'9" in height. Applicants not meeting those requirements will not qualify.

In addition, Knight is also accepting submissions for an assistant to work with him behind-the-scenes on the day of the "Lost World" show at NY's Fashion Week. This is a perfect opportunity for aspiring fashion designers to get first-hand experience at a prestigious NY Fashion Week event -- a resume booster like no other!

Said Knight: "Create & submit a video (up to 2 minutes) and clearly explain why you deserve this opportunity. You can show me past work, projects, photos, ANYTHING you want to prove you have what takes! No sewing or garment construction skills are required, BUT you must have a strong style sensibility and an acute appreciation of fashion! Applicants must be ages 18 and over. Each submission will receive a video response from me and whether or not you are in the running for the opportunity. My assistant will be chosen and notified on September 5th 2011 and will receive one (1) domestic flight to NY and one (1) nights hotel accommodations."

Interested applicants are directed to apply at: http://www.blazetrak.com/mychaelknight -- opportunity is accepting submissions beginning August 15, 2011, at 11AM!

Additional opportunities in music, fashion, acting, & entertainment are available at http://www.blazetrak.com -- SIGN UP TODAY!

Kreayshawn - Gucci Gucci

http://kreayshawn.com/
Grab exclusive download of 'Rich Whores' from @KREAYSHAWN, and NYC, CHI, SF, LA, PHL pre-order tix! http://t.co/0d2Vgnc

Shaolin MCs Ft Sage - Collie Weed OFFICIAL

INTRO MAGAZINE INTERVIEWS MAINO AFTER THE 2011 SUMMER JAM CONCERT

CLEVELANDS Z1079 SUMMER JAM 2011

CLEVELANDS Z1079 SUMMER JAM 2011

YC WORLDWIDE PRESENTS THE "RACKS' REMIX VIDEO

Fresh off his BET Awards red carpet performance this past Sunday, Atlanta's YC Worldwide brings you the "Racks" remix video. A few of the cast members from the 16-verse original are missing but YC managed to round up Nelly, B.o.B., Yo Gotti, Trae Tha Truth, Cyhi Da Prince, Dos and Ace Hood for the Atlanta shoot, which is no small task.

Look out for YC's new single, "I Know" which also features Ace Hood, coming soon to a radio/blog near you @1YungChris

Young Yonny Young Younny speaks on his secrets to success in the entertainment industry

Originally on Trillvison
http://www.trillvision.com/2011/06/young-yonny/

2nd Annual 2011 Female Hip Hop Honors Awards Part 2

On May 21st 2011 INTRO Magazine covered the 2nd ANNUAL 2011 FEMALE HIP-HOP HONORS that took place in Los Angeles California. The 2nd Annual 2011 FEMALE HIP-HOP HONORS were created to acknowledge and honor the achievements and contributions of legendary females in hip-hop, unsigned and independent artists within the urban music scene. The Female Hip Hop Honorees this year was Hip Hop Legend/ Breast Cancer Survivor, Roxanne Shante. Rapstress, Songstress, Songwriter, Actress, Producer, Educator, Businesswoman/CEO and the founder of "Sprinkle Me Fragrances" Tenina Stevens (a.k.a. Suga-T). A special award presented to Legendary Songstress "Michel'le". Another Special Award for the Evening: "Female Publicist of the Year" to Treavion Davenport CEO of Trea Day Management & Publicity. Check the video below with exclusive interviews with Shawna, Roxanne Shante, Oaktown 357, Trea Davenport, Blake Hightower and many more. Check out part 2 of the interviews with Ms. Toi, Iceman, Medusa, Justin Reynolds, Lady Enchantment, Joe Exclusive, and many more.

2nd Annual 2011 Female Hip Hop Honors Awards

On May 21st 2011 INTRO Magazine covered the 2nd ANNUAL 2011 FEMALE HIP-HOP HONORS that took place in Los Angeles California. The 2nd Annual 2011 FEMALE HIP-HOP HONORS were created to acknowledge and honor the achievements and contributions of legendary females in hip-hop, unsigned and independent artists within the urban music scene. The Female Hip Hop Honorees this year was Hip Hop Legend/ Breast Cancer Survivor, Roxanne Shante. Rapstress, Songstress, Songwriter, Actress, Producer, Educator, Businesswoman/CEO and the founder of "Sprinkle Me Fragrances" Tenina Stevens (a.k.a. Suga-T). A special award presented to Legendary Songstress "Michel'le". Another Special Award for the Evening: "Female Publicist of the Year" to Treavion Davenport CEO of Trea Day Management & Publicity. Check the video below with exclusive interviews with Shawna, Roxanne Shante, Oaktown 357, Trea Davenport, Blake Hightower and many more

z1079 WENZ Summer Jam 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Cleveland, OH- May 23, 2011):

THE HOTTEST CONCERT OF THE SUMMER IS BACK!
Z107.9 ANNOUNCES 2011 SUMMER JAM LINE-UP TO TAKE PLACE
SUNDAY, JULY 10TH AT JACOBS PAVILION AT NAUTICA!

Z107.9 WENZ, CLEVELAND’S HIP HOP AND R&B STATION, IS PARTNERING WITH
ENTERTAINMENT POWERHOUSE LIVE NATION TO HOST THE Z107.9 SUMMER JAM
2011! THE BIGGEST HIP HOP AND R&B SHOW TO HIT NORTHEAST OHIO WILL STAR
WIZ KHALIFA, MIGUEL, LLOYD, MACHINE GUN KELLY, TRAVIS PORTER, BIG SEAN,
ACE HOOD, YC, KIRKO BANGZ, DJ DRAMA, BRITNI ELISE AND RAY JR ON SUNDAY
JULY 10TH AT JACOBS PAVILION AT NAUTICA ON THE WEST BANK OF THE FLATS.

Z107.9 SUMMER JAM! TICKETS GO ON SALE SATURDAY, MAY 28th AT 12:00 NOON.
PRICES START AS LOW AS $30 FOR GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS, AND $45 FOR
RESERVED SEAT TICKETS. A LIMITED NUMBER OF “GOLD CIRCLE” PREMIUM
TICKETS AND VIP BOX PACKAGES (WHICH INCLUDE VIP CLUB PASSES AND
PARKING) WILL BE AVAILABLE.

ON SALE SATURDAY, MAY 28 AT NOON!

PURCHASE ONLINE AT LIVENATION.COM,
ALL TICKETMASTER LOCATIONS, OR
CHARGE BY PHONE (800) 745-3000.

Z107.9 WILL BROADCAST LIVE FROM THE MARC’S GREAT AMERICAN RIB COOK OFF
AT JACOBS PAVILION SATURDAY, MAY 28TH FROM NOON TO 3 PM!

**GET YOUR TICKETS WITHOUT ANY SERVICE FEES SATURDAY, MAY 28TH FROM 12:00
NOON TO 3:00 PM EXCLUSIVELY AT THE JACOBS PAVILION BOX OFFICE.
ADMISSION TO THE RIB COOK OFF IS FREE FROM NOON TO 3 PM EVERY DAY
MEMORIAL WEEKEND!

Handshakes and Middle Fingers is what Classified is giving

Oh Canada stand tall and proud as we INTROduce Classified. Hip Hop artist Classified has had over 2 million views for his tribute to his beloved Country called "Oh Canada" . Now he brings to you his new 14th album entitled "Handshakes and Middle Fingers". His first single "That Ain't Classy" reached #45 on the Canadian Hot 100 and the album debuted at #7 on the Canadian Albums Chart, making it his highest charting album to date.

The album is reminiscent of 90's hip-hop where hip hop had a more layed back feel. Fourteen albums in and Classified shows that he still has passion for what he does regardless of what others may feel about him as a rapper. He wants you to know that he is going to kill your misconception of him and he is not just talking about his complexion.

‘Lollipop’ Producer Deezle Speaks On His Lawsuit Against Lil Wayne

The producer is seeking $20 million dollars from the rapper and his label.
In March of this year Deezle, the man who produced Lil Wayne’s hit “Lollipop”, filed suit against the New Orleans rapper and his Young Money/Cash Money label seeking $20 million. In the suit Deezle claimed that he was owed unpaid royalties from sales of the single and its parent album, Tha Carter III. Now, according to AllHipHop.com, Deezle has issued a statement regarding his lawsuit.
He says, in part, “After consultation with my team I have decided to make a statement as it relates to the litigation pending against Cash Money and Young Money. At this time I am owed a sufficient amount of money and will protect the rights afforded me by the State of New York. My team is of the opinion that the matter will be resolved in a timely fashion.” Deezle, born Darius Harrison, is also seeking $2.5 million in owed royalties for another Tha Carter III track he produced, “Mrs. Officer.”
In Deezle’s suit he states that Tha Carter III has sold six million copies, amounting to over $70 million dollars in revenue. Deezle won three Grammy’s for his work with Lil Wayne. Neither Wayne nor any of his representatives have commented on this new statement.

by KEVIN S. GARY (IStandard Producers)
Source: HipHopDX.com

The Underground Railroad:Hip-Hop’s express to escape the Minstrel Show PART 2

“She dances seductively and is always seen with her pimp or thug”

Every African American man and woman does not deal with street violence, drugs and pimping women. They deal with everyday issues that any white, Mexican or Asian person would struggle with. Topics such as religion, school, genuine love, friendship, homo- sexuality and abuse are discussed in underground hip-hop. These are very important issues that someone may face in his life, but commercial hip-hop stays away from it. One underground artist who does not stay away from it is Common.

Common is a Grammy award winning hip-hop artist who is known for spending the majority of his career in the underground. Just recently, mainstream media has be- gun to give him the credit that he so rightfully deserves. His catalog of music is one of the most impressive and critically-acclaimed hip-hop music since its birth. He has constructed songs that every man woman and child can relate to. Some of the serious topics he has covered include abortion, finding religion and death. Common is one of the most respected hip-hop artists in the genre today.

Common’s 2002 album Electric Circus is his most personal and diverse. He covers topics such as the effects of child molestation, cancer, homosexuality and true love. Many hip-hop albums before and after Electric Circus have not delved into those topics with so much sincerity. Critics recognized the range of topics discussed on the album and praised it for its bravery. “The album may not be for everybody,” according to a December 10, 2008 Prefix Magazine review of the album. “Songs like "Heaven Some- where," which includes many of the guest artists singing gospel, may turn you off. But Common brings together many different textures and goes off on several musical tangents but still man- ages to have DJ's cutting over a few tracks -- a refreshing touch. Still, Electric Circus is one of the most daring albums released in a while, and Common shows a lot of balls to put out such a diverse collection, regardless of how hip-hop fans might react to it. If you like conscious rap mixed with a fresh, original sound, you should dig this.”

Another issue that is rarely, if ever spoken about, in hip-hop is the acceptance of adultery. Little Brother is an underground hip- hop group whose song “Breakin’ My Heart” on their recent album, Getback, tackles the issue head- on. In the second verse of the song, Phonte of the group raps about a woman who learns that her husband is having numerous affairs. She ends up leaving and taking the children to her mother’s house. Although the scenario could be described as typical, Phonte’s set of lyrics give light to a very real issue that is never discussed. Phonte raps, “Momma was like, "Baby now, I hate to see your tears / But I been with your daddy for bout 35 years / And in my day, I had to turn a blind eye to cheatin'' / but I ain't never had to wear no black eyes from beatings / As long as he doin right, by you and the kids / How you gon expect that man not to be who he is? / I ain't sayin’ that it's right, but we often pay the price / cause a woman's life is love, a man's love is life / and he gon live it to the fullest, / and I ain't tryna pull you down, or sound like a broken record / But you should know by now that ALL n**as is dogs / Better to have a rich Pit than a broke German Shepard, uh!” In commercial rap, the Ho accepts infidelity only for the chance to have her revenge. Phonte’s verse shows that all women don’t want to have their own affair. It shows that some women really do love their husbands, but it is their mother who tells them to continue living a mistreated life.

Real issues such as the ones that described above are hidden from a person who just turns on the radio to hear music. The real issues are hidden from those who are trying to find people that are talking about them. It is because of artists like Common and Little Brother that make underground hip-hop so great. They are talking about real issues that everyone con- fronts at some point in their life. The growth of underground hip-hop will show that African Americans are more than thugs, gangsters, pimps and hoes. Despite what commercialism has done with rap, underground hip-hop maintains the essence of what hip-hop has always been about. It holds the reality of everyday life that people from all ages can enjoy. That is what made hip-hop grow into one of the largest forms of musical entertainment in the world today. Its ability to define a culture in a way that everyone can see and relate to is what makes the growth of underground hip-hop to mainstream media important and morally right. There are many artists nowadays that are saying motivational things but just need the chance to be heard. Artists such as Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco and MURS rap about topics that are relevant and fun.

INTERVIEW WITH 112'S SLIM

“When God has a plan for you sometimes the devil comes in and tries to mix things up for you. You have to see the bad before you can see the good”

INTRO: So tell me about the new album.

SLIM: Yup, well this is what it is its Slim from 112. Actually I have my own label entitled M3 productions. Its under- neath Asylum/Atlantic so the way that I am doing it is that I assigned myself as an artist to my own label. I am doing it the independent way. Basically the al- bum “Loves Crazy” is suppose to come out in September. I have my single “SoFly” featuring Young Joc and Shawty Lo in the remix. Its doing really well. Its in the top 20 across the board. Its do- ing extremely, extremely well. That's what it is. I didn’t want to do a solo project really but to start up the label faster I knew that I already had a sound/brand and the type of system that they had in Asylum worked for me. I put my stuff just to get things started. I am work- ing on my new artist Die- sel AKA Fresh Money. He also performed with me today. I am getting him groomed. Getting him on the stage so that he can get used to it so I can sit back relax and watch him grow.

INTRO: You didn’t want to do a solo project. Will you be doing another group project or better yet will there be another 112 album?

SLIM: There will definitely be another 112 project. I can say that for sure be- cause I am the CEO.

INTRO: I loved 112! I will admit I didn’t like the way that the last album was promoted. I don’t think that it was promoted properly.

SLIM: Here is the thing the one pro thing about being on Bad Boy. Its a boutique label and when it is a boutique label its not that many artists so that they can concentrate on one particular artist. Puffy is a marketing genius. So of course your gonna see us whether you like it or not. Fortunately for us we made quality music so our fans were there for us thru and thru. Once we left the system and went to another we had to get used to the system. The last album “Pleasure and Pain” went platinum. We have a fan base following.

INTRO: You have a large fan base.

SLIM: Fortunately for us when we drop an album our fans are like “We got you”. We sell the records its just the the hype around it. Some- times we work with the hype and some- times we work without it. We feel that as long as we make great music we can we have the have the outlet to get it out there. We kinda have ourselves 68% out there. That is why I started my own label. Me and Puff are in cahoots right now. He is grooming me to be a young CEO. He hit me up and said that “ I feel you, I am feeling you right. You are making the moves” I reached out and asked him to help me out. We are still boys. He seen me out there working. I didn’t ask him for anything. He came to me and said “I got you”.

INTRO: Tell me a little about Diesel. Who is he?

SLIM: 19 yr old phenomenon. He is probably the best 19 yr old rapper that I never heard. I will go on record with that. You don’t have to baby-sit him. He can really put his words together. He knows how to write songs and put them together. He can work with the younger artists that are out right now. We did a song called “ Freak Bunch” with legends like 8 Ball, MJG, and 36 Mafia. I don’t know many 19 yr old s that can get down like that.

INTRO: He was able to step to the plate.

SLIM: I think I found a diamond in the ruff. I have to give a big shout out to my M3 staff. They really hold me together because I will admit at one particular point in time I was ready to give up. When God has a plan for you sometimes the devil comes in and tries to mix things up for you. You have to see the bad before you can see the good. There were a lot of times where I thought that certain people had my back didn’t. So just going through that over and over again I decided to got to Australia to do some soul searching. I went to Bondi Beach and said to my self what am going to do? I had incredible investments. I was mak- ing a whole lotta money their. However I still had a love for music. I wasn’t sure if I was going to give up music or what. My staff and I were all friends first before we were in business together. That’s why we call ourselves Fam First. They grabbed me and said “listen to yourself. Tell your fans that you don’t want to sing anymore and listen to what they have to say”. So I did it first in Australia. I told the fans that I wasn’t going to sing anymore and they started crying. I had some fans asking me “How could you do that to us”? I had one guy come and ask me that he has been there since the beginning and that my songs helped him through his life why my songs don’t help me through mine. That is why the new album is called “Loves Crazy”. Its like a music type therapy situation. Not only will it help every- body else but it will also help me. You know I said that if this was my last hurrah then I said that I am going to do it my way. Frank Sinatra my way. I said that If I am going to do it then I want to be the CEO. I thank GOD for using his talents through me. special edition 2008

KEYSHIA DIOR INTERVIEW

"I would wear different color lipsticks and my fans wanted to know where they could purchase them"Keyshia Dior is the new “It Girl” that has been featured in the Timbaland and Drake video “Say Something”, the new Gucci “911” video, “Loose My Mind” with Jeezy and Plies, and also the next issue of Show Magazine. As the new “It Girl” it hard to make time for interviews but we got a chance to get one from Keyshia Dior.




INTRO: I understand that you are in the beginning stages of creating your own cosmetics line. What was the inspiration for the line? What do you think will make your line different from current cosmetic lines?


KEYSHIA DIOR: What inspired my lipstick line was my fans. I would wear different color lipsticks and my fans wanted to know where they could purchase them. My line would definitely be different from other lines because I will
have crazy unique color lipsticks.

INTRO: I read that you are also a stylist. Who have you styled and for
what occasions?

KEYSHIA DIOR: I've styled for many people for different occasions.

INTRO: You wear many different hats as a business woman. What lead you to become a model? What other videos have you been in?


KEYSHIA DIOR: People would automatically think I was a model when I wasn't, so I took that and ran with it. I've done Say Something w/ Timbaland feat Drake... 4my town w/ Birdman, Wayne and Drake also Bedrock with Young Money.

INTRO: I read in an interview that you did with 24HourHipHop that you are interested in acting. Are you currently taking any acting classes or
audition?


KEYSHIA DIOR: Yes, I just started acting classes.


INTRO: How did you get the name Keyshia Dior?


KEYSHIA DIOR: Keyshia is actually my real name. The Dior represents my fashion side.


INTRO: Who is your favorite photographer and what photographer would you like to work with?


KEYSHIA DIOR: My favorite photographer is Alain Green. I would love to shoot with Derek Blanks.


INTRO: What video/movie director would you like to work with and why?


KEYSHIA DIOR: I would love to work with Hype Williams because he's very creative and so am I.


FOR MORE INFO:
@KeyshiaDior
www.keyshiadior.com

Secret Kisses Lipsticks vs Keyshia Dior's Ka' Oir Lipstickhttp://www.intromagonline.com/2012/01/keyshia-diorby-aaviana-while-surfing.html

J. HARDEN INTERVIEW BY LOLA SIMS

“165 shows won in a year and a half, 36,000 single giveaways, 4 shows a night until I was hoarse for a month”


Hailing from Atlanta, GA, J. Harden is the original “King of Hood and Blues.” With a sound that is uniquely his own, his new single “Work Dat Pole,” which pays homage to the women who take their craft seriously, is making quite a few waves. Inspired by Marvin Gaye, Teddy P, BB King, R.Kelly, Prince, and a number of other greats his sound is completely different from what is out today. Bringing originality, power, excitement and a one of a kind stage performance, J. Harden has the ability to make a mark.

LOLA SIMS: What makes you different from other new artist that are now coming out?

J HARDEN: I do HOOD & BLUES. I don't have a direction. My direction is whatever comes to heart weather it be motivational, street, inspirational. do what the artist of the past did. I write what I see and just so happen a lot of people can relate to it. For instance work dat pole, Strippers can relate to it and professional pole dances can relate to it. It is art imitates life. Another song is. We fucking , everybody fucks lol. Songs like lifting me up feat. Jadakiss in today’s economy people need to be lifted up spiritually. People don't understand the state of society shit it's about more than the bezzeled out necklaces, 32 inch rims and super models. health care is down, houses are foreclosing left and right and instead of bringing our troops home we are sending thousands of them away. So I understand that someone needs to be lifted up!!

LOLA SIMS: As an independent, what do you find is one of the biggest challenges you face in trying to get your music out there?

J HARDEN: Finding real people ,that do real shit, to help you accomplish a real goal and what I mean is that you have real people out here like Wendy Day, Bigga Rankin, and list of other DJ's and promoters that will see you grinding hard and will jump in the game with you. Then you have these other people who just want suck your pockets dry and won't give a dam if you make it or not.

LOLA SIMS: You had some early success with your 1st single. How do you feel you were able to make such a great first impression without being on radio?

J HARDEN: 165 shows won in a year and a half, 36000 single giveaways, 4 shows a night until I was hoarse for a month, performing in front of 1000 people, 100 people, performing in front of just chairs, loading up my pole by myself on cold winter nights and searching hot summer days riding from town to town trying to prove myself, having pole dancers come and go, having business partners stop believing and parachute out of what they thought was a burning plane and last but not least believing in J Harden and hoping that god would make a way and he did. "Work Dat Pole" has been making money for me and that shit feels awesome.

LOLA SIMS: How do you stay consistent in your genre?

JA HARDEN: Stay grinding and sticking to my single and sound no matter what " WORK DAT POLE". and " THE KING OF HOOD & BLUES!

LOLA SIMS: What are you working on now and when can fans expect to hear more from you?

J HARDEN: I'm Working on taking Work dat pole to radio and letting the masses here it and feel this Hood & Blues. The street album is coming The King Of Hood & Blues!!!

@lolasims

The Underground Railroad:Hip-Hop’s express to escape the Minstrel Show PART 1

“Hip-hop, as a culture, was a masterpiece painted by folks with no art supplies, no art training, and whose arts funding had been cutoff.”


African Americans have always been faced with negative stereotypes in the United States. During the U.S. colonial period, African American slaves used the Underground Railroad as a means to es- cape slavery. The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad, but a system of routes and checkpoints designed to help slaves reach free states. Along with the Underground Railroad, white people showed what they really thought of Afri- can Americans through min- strel shows. Minstrel shows made fun of African Ameri- cans and displayed them as lazy, buffoonish, cheerful, ignorant, gullible and musi- cal. The Underground Rail- road and minstrel shows were major issues through- out the 19th century. Al- though no longer utilized, there are traces of both that exist in today’s music industry.

Today, hip-hop is one of the most popular forms of music throughout the world. What originally started as a cul- tural movement in the 1970s has become a million dollar industry. Hip-hop was used as a musical way for African-Amer- icans to speak about things that were hap- pening in their lives. Over time hip-hop has divided into two distinct sub genres, commercial rap and underground hip- hop.

A hip-hop artist named Derek Jennings wrote an article about hip-hop in the booklet of Little Brother’s 2005 The Min-strel Show album. In the article he gave a timeless definition of hip-hop. Jennings wrote, “I know what it started out as was ‘party music.’ But it was also more than that. It was some- thing created by marginalized people living in marginalized conditions. Hip-hop, as a culture, was a master- piece painted by folks with no art supplies, no art training, and whose arts funding had been cutoff.”

Commercial rap is hip- hop music made strictly for the radio by very wealthy record compa- nies. The music is typi- cally hollow in regards of meaningful messages for African-Americans. Underground hip-hop is hip- hop music that is not backed by wealthy record companies and not made for the radio. The music usually consists of hip-hop artists who speak about more adult issues such as politics, church, reduc- ing gun violence and raising a family. I believe it is morally wrong for record companies to promote commercial rap over underground hip-hop because 1) commercial rap is the modern version of a minstrel show, 2) the issues spo- ken about in underground hip-hop need to be heard, and 3) the growth of underground hip-hop will show that African Americans are more than thugs, gangsters, pimps and hoes. Commercial rap is the modern day version of a minstrel show. The common themes of pimping, gangsterism, bling and slang are typically found in every song. Every artist claims to be a pimp or thug. Whether they are in color- ful suits with long hair, wife-beaters and sagging pants, or oversized shirts with doo-rags, they are displayed as a typical black male. They come off as male pri- ma-donnas and are shown in videos as being extremely narcissistic and very chauvinistic. These “pimps” are loaded with jewelry from head to toe. Their necks are covered with large pieces of jewelry that hang to their waist. If the man is not in a suit, his pants start at his knees and end at his ankles capped off by the newest pair of tennis shoes or Timberlands. On top of his appearance, the rapper stresses how easily he will kill or stomp somebody into the ground. They are the standard characters in com- mercial rap.

The second, and maybe the more important, character is the “Ho.” She is in every single rap video there is wear- ing almost nothing. The Ho always makes sexual gestures with her lips. She dances seductively and is always seen with her pimp or thug. The Ho is always considered to be a conniving “bitch” who is very promiscuous and the subject of verbal and physical abuse. She is degraded to the point where she is noth- ing but eye candy on her man’s arm that can easily be replaced.

These characters are the most preva- lent in commercial rap and looked at as the typical African-American. It is this collection of images that the music in- dustry pushes over underground artist who don’t fit that mold. The artists that the industry pushes justify it by saying they are making music for the people.

50 Cent, a rap artist best known for being shot nine times, justified the con- tent of his music over an underground artist in Spin magazine. He stated, “In the music business, you do what makes sense for music and business. So if the artist makes a record they know ain't gonna sell, then why do they allow the company to spend money marketing it?” When the music industry has an artist justifying the violent degrading nature of his music because of record sales, it only makes the industry right. It allows the industry to continue making deci- sions they believe are accurate about black people. The artist is selling mil- lions of records and he fits into the mold that works. The industry executives know that the artist is not a direct repre- sentation of all black people, but it is their representation. They are in control of the music that comes out and those images are the ones they push. It is a modern form of minstrelsy where whites are once again mocking African Ameri- cans. The minstrelsy of commercial rap is the main reason why the issues spoken about in underground hip-hop need to be heard.

“To be blunt, there are many avenues available for black folks wishing to live fulfilling lives in this country, but still precious few (*cough* rap and sports) that get the Good House Negro Keeping seal of approval from the mass media,” Jennings continued. “And boy it seems like the road to riches in the music biz is much easier for those whose subject matter mostly includes pimping, selling crack, strip clubs, and materialism. Sure, all those things exist, but is that ALL there is to talk about? ALL there is to us?”

NICKI MANJI INTERVIEW

“I talk about “Nicki Manji” in a third person because that is the only way that I know I am not suicidal"

Hate her or love her you can’t deny that Nicki Minaj has brought back the buzz for female Mcs. “Its Barbie Bitch” has become the most popular phrase among the ladies of this Hip-Hop generation that have been patiently waiting for someone to help bring the focus back to them. Nicki Minaj has not only brought back the hardcore lyrics and sexiness that was first seen in rapper Lil Kim but she has also gained the attention and respect from Lil Wayne who signed her to his label “Young Money”. I got a chance to sit in on a conference call conducted by Rapstarpromo as they conducted an open conference with Nicki Minaj.



Rapstarpromo: Wow! Where does the motivation come from? What gear are you in?

Nicki Minaj: Well, to be completely honest I have been trying to step it up. I think people were losing site of my lyrical abilities. I just slacked off. I am not even going to lie, I was dealing with a lot of and craziness and I just started relying o n stuff that was just getting me by. I was doing a lot of get by verses. I had a long talk with Wayne and its funny how a confrontation at the moment can change your life. It was crazy throughout the whole conversation but he mentioned to me “Nick you used to be cold what happened”? Having him tell me that I really had to stop and re-evaluate my lyrics and everything. Wayne said “I didn’t sign you because of the way that you looked. I wanted to sign you because I heard you and I felt that you was spitting as the dudes. We fucked with you cause of that”. For the Djs that are not familiar he was talking about the “Come-Up” Dvd volume 11. Thats what he saw Nicki Minaj do. I think that I stopped focusing on that thinking “I don’t have to do that but I do need to do that because I think its important to show that I am smart enough to do metaphors just like the boys and witty enough to do playful flows and all that stuff. Recently I stepped it up and on the Robin Thicke song it was a perfect example of me doing that.
My Motivation is that girls look up to Nicki Manaj now and I have to go hard for them. There are so many girls that argue my case everyday so now I have to give them a crazy buzz cause every time I am out there so they can say; “Nicky said this, Nicki said that.. She is nice. She can go up against the boys”. I need to do that for them.

Rapstarpromo: What was your mind frame during the “Come-Up” dvd days, before the whole Young Money thing.

Nicki Minaj: I just wanted to make money and take care of my mother. My frame during the “Come-Up” Dvd days was “grind, grind, grind, grind, grind”. I was going up on Jamaica Avenue and handing out my Cds and selling my mixtapes to the Africans in the mixtape spots and and speaking to the Djs. I would ask them “would you host my tape” and speaking to people like Jadakiss and asking “can you do a feature on my music”. It was grinding season for me at that time and it still is. It was a more grinding time at that time because I wasn’t getting that money at that time. I wasn’t being booked at that time so it was do or die. I now have that luxury to say that “ I am not doing shows for the month of December”. At that time I didn’t have the luxury so it was like my life depended on that and I think that’s why I illustrated that in the way that I rapped I was a little more hardcore at that time. When I started living a little better my rhymes started to get a little more playful so now I am just trying to balance the two.

Rapstarpromo: What projects do the Djs need to be looking out for?

Nicki Minaj: Well the Robin Thicke album I have a song with him called “Shaking It For Daddy”. I am on a record on Gucci Mane’s album called "Crazy”. I am on a record on Baby’s album, the Young Money Compilation, Wayne’s “rebirth”, and Maria Carey’s remix album. I am mostly gearing up for the Young Money tour.

Rapstarpromo: Do you miss anything from those days? Like before fame, money, facebook, twitter with the 300,000 followers.

Nicki Minaj: You know what I will say that I miss them (those days) but I have taken them with me. I allowed them to make me remember when I didn’t have anything and so many people did not believe in me so I take that. I don’t miss anything.

Rapstarpromo: I have to ask “how does it feel to be Nicki Manaj” ? You have a cult following. You got a bunch of “Barbies” coming up.

Nicki Minaj: Why does it have to be a “cult”? That is such a strong word.

Rapstarpromo: For real, for real I see chicks that used to look “bummy”, that are used to looking a certain way and I believe that you have motivated them seriously to put on a little eye shadow, whatever yall call it, for real. How do you feel about that?

Nicki Minaj: I feel blessed to be given a forum to speak to girls. That is why I try to have more if an intelligent interview now and because they watch everything I do cause they listen to everything that I say. It is is important for me to show them that they have to be smart. Being cute and sexy and all that stuff means nothing if you are stupid. You just get taken advantage of. That is all you get. I like that the girls wanna be pretty I do shows every weekend and you can ask anybody that has ever come to my shows and they will tell you that I always speak about college and being independent because that is what I want the girls to take away from Nicki Minaj. I am not going to act like I am a saint. I may say the most craziest freakiest shit in my raps at times but no matter what I say in my rap I have never been loose. Since I was little I was always the girl that the boys wanted but could never have. I anything.

Rapstarpromo: I have to ask “how does it feel to be Nicki Manaj” ? You have a cult following. You got a bunch of “Barbies” coming up.

Nicki Minaj: Why does it have to be a “cult”? That is such a strong word.

Rapstarpromo: For real, for real I see chicks that used to look “bummy”, that are used to looking a certain way and I believe that you have motivated them seriously to put on a little eye shadow, whatever yall call it, for real. How do you feel about that?

Nicki Minaj: I feel blessed to be given a forum to speak to girls. That is why I try to have more if an intelligent interview now and because they watch everything I do cause they listen to everything that I say. It is is important for me to show them that they have to be smart. Being cute and sexy and all that stuff means nothing if you are stupid. You just get taken advantage of. That is all you get. I like that the girls wanna be pretty I do shows every weekend and you can ask anybody that has ever come to my shows and they will tell you that I always speak about college and being independent because that is what I want the girls to take away from Nicki Minaj. I am not going to act like I am a saint. I may say the most craziest freakiest shit in my raps at times but no matter what I say in my rap I have never been loose. Since I was little I was always the girl that the boys wanted but could never have. I always kept myself as exclusive and that is what I speak about. You can be a freak with the person that you are with but if you are running around giving it to any and everybody then you are not a “Barbie” you are “Corny”. That is what I hope they are taking away from me.

Rapstarpromo: That was deep but you didn’t answer my original question so I gotta go back: “How does it feel to be Nicki Minaj”?

Nicki Minaj: I can’t answer that cause it is like a double edge sword because “Nicki Minaj” is either hated or loved. There is no in between so to answer that is to be reminded of some really mean things people say and to also enjoy the great things that people say so I tend to black it out o be honest. I don’t think of myself as “Nicki Minaj”. They either ‘love her or hate her”. I talk about “Nicki Minaj” in a third person because that is the only way that I know I am not suicidal.

Rapstarpromo: I think they do love you but they are not looking at themselves in a good way. A hater will be the first person to go out and buy your cd. They just add to your first week sales.

Nicki Minaj: You know what part feels great? The amount of people that have reached out to work with me. I never thought that in a million years that at this stage in my life I would be contacted by Maria Carey, Robin Thicke, Jennifer Lopez, Usher, and Puffy Daddy. Interestingly enough Jay-Z recommend me for the Robin Thicke feature. Does it get Any better than that? It really feels good when I think about it in that light.

Rapstarpromo: People wanna know when is the “Nicki Minaj” doll coming out?

Nicki Minaj: I have no idea. I am more focused on when the “Nicki Minaj” album is coming out. My album is slated for the second or third quarter of 2010. I would rather it come out in the third quarter because I try and take my time. My last mixtape that was “Beam Me Up Scotty”. I you know anything about me I like to take my time. I am not going to rush it because people think that is what you are supposed to do. I am going to let my features come out and I am going to work on a master piece. I don’t think females have had something and this is no disrespect to anybody and I respect all those girls that paved the way for me but I remember when Lauren Hill came out with “Miseducation” and you cried with her and the cd was on repeat for 10 years I want it to be monumental. I don’t want to rush it. People should know that I am taking my sweet time and that I am being a perfectionist which is what I do so when you get the album it will be worth the wait.

For More On The Interview Visit:
Young Money TV or
@rapstarpromo

More Nicki Manaj Info Visit:
@nickimanaj
JAN/FEB 2010

B.o.B AKA BOBBY RAY INTERVIEW JUNE 2009

"My love for music will never go away even if I take a year off to act I would not stop doing music. I just can’t stop"

In June 2009 I caught up with B.o.B aka Bobby Ray as he toured with Asher Roth and Kid Cudi on “The Great Hangover” tour at the House of Blues.

INTRO: So how did you end up on the tour?

B.o.B: I ended up on the tour because it seemed like the most logical thing to do. My affiliation with Kid Cudi and Asher Roth. We are on the cover of XXL Magazine for the “Freshman Issue”. I am real cool with Asher. We really didn’t have anything to do this summer. We didn’t have any tours lines up so it just seemed like the most productive, proficient, and proactive thing to do, so here we go.

INTRO: You are very different from other rappers. You are an artist not a rapper. How did you become an artist?

B.o.B: (laughs) I became an artist basically from circumstances and what I have been thru. Basically I became an artist thru life. The type of inspiration that you receive from this industry you can make it negative or positive energy but I always wanted to do it. When I was a kid I used to play and write songs on the piano and sing. I didn’t know what The hell I was doing but finally after all these years I finally got it right. I play the guitar on my set. Whenever I can I bring my whole band and my back up singers. I have my back up singers on tour with me right now. I try to keep it as musical as possible. Its really a growth process. Growing into being a musician and a musical artist and you really have to learn the music. You can’t imitate it. It has to come from the soul
and when it doesn’t it just looks like you are trying to be something.

INTRO: Do you find that more artists are more appreciative of you because you are opening doors for the type of music that they want to create.

B.o.B: Definitely. I definitely feel that a lot of artists are fans and its kind of humbling. A lot of artists can take that and respond to it with a cocky type of perspective. Its really humbling because you realize that the influence you have to be able to inspire millions of people to or correction I don’t know how many people. You never know but to inspire people in general whether its just one person or a billion you inspire them to do more than what the norm is. If It wasn’t for artists that inspired me like Gnarls Barkley, Andre 3000, Mos Def, and other artists that grew out the norm and said “fuck it I’ma do what I want to do” I would not have that audacity to do something.

INTRO: what happen at the ESPY Awards. What was the experience like?

B.o.B: ESPY Awards (laughs). Samuel Jackson said whassup . It seemed like he was paying attention to the performance. The ESPY was crazy because there is a lot of preparation that goes into producing these shows. I did the BET Awards for two years but I didn’t realize that there was so much money in sports. The hotels were branded ESPY. The hotel decals said ESPY. They gave out gift bags with hundreds of dollars worth of gifts. Its just crazy how much they put into it but the overall experience was great. I got a lot of priceless exposure.

INTRO: I know that you have been doing this for awhile but where do you see yourself in the next two years?

B.o.B: I see myself in a movie. I see my self winning a Grammy or a couple of Grammies if GOD desires.

INTRO: Do you do any acting?

B.o.B: Yeah videos require acting but I want to really act. My passion for my music is greater than my passion for acting. I want to see how deeper I can go with my music before I aspire to do something more. My love for music will never go away even if I take a year off to act I would not stop doing music. I just can’t stop.

INTRO: What artists would you like to work with that you haven’t yet?

B.o.B: Seth Gold, M.I.A, Janelle Monet. Its a lot of female artists that but its because they are very unique and very bold. I feel like the feminine energy in this day and age is really balancing out. For so long its been a man’s world or perceived to be a man’s world for such a long time. Like James Brown said “This is a man’s world, but it would be nothing without the touch of a woman or a girl”. I feel that because this feminine energy is balancing out on this planet a lot of female artists are aspiring to be something greater than just a sexual image or sex symbol. Its nothing wrong with that because we are sexual beings but when everything gets the same it gets monotonous. I want to do a track with Cee-Lo. I don’t want to do it where we email tracks to each other. I would rather get in the studio with you or not do anything at all. Its more organic when you actually there with that person.

INTRO: So I understand that you are going to be working on tracks later.

B.o.B: Yeah me an Asher are talking about doing a mixtape together. He has a studio on his bus so I am going to roll with him and kick it on his bus. We are just going to have some fun. Even though this is my job you still have to keep that balance between work and play so you don’t go stale. You know what I mean?

INTRO: I don’t know what you mean?

B.o.B: You know what I mean!

INTRO: I don’t know what you mean. I work all the time.

B.o.B: You gotta have fun sometime. You deserve it.