29.3.12
For your viewing pleasure: Top Boy
A thriving but underground drugs business is being run by Dushane ('Ashley Walters' ) and his friend Sully (Kane Robinson) to become the richest men on the block. To live rich Dushane and Sully go into partnership with top don Bobby Raikes (Geoff Bell). Rivalry with Kamale (Scorcher) and his gang results in their loan from Raikes being stolen, and they swear revenge. Thirteen-year old Ra'Nell (Malcolm Kamulete) gradually gets lured into the gang and drug business as his mother Lisa (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) has a breakdown and is hospitalised - with devastating consequences.
Episode 1:
Episode 2:
Episode 3:
Season Finale:
28.3.12
Like Father like Son.....
“Time is Illmatic, keep static like wool fabric, pack a four matic, to crack ya whole cabbage…“
Hip Hop is the perfect tool for pushing knowledge....
Rass Kass has always been a major spitter in the game.... These tracks are from his first album called Soul on Ice, which was released in 1996 by Priority Records. Get familiar if you been sleep all of these years.......
Man Offers Soulja Boy $25,000 To Retire
A Glendale California man is so irritated with the music Soulja Boy makes, that he is pledging $25,000 for the Atlanta rapper to stay away from the booth for good. According to reports, the man, Kyle Burgens, described as a financial adviser for an investment firm in Los Angeles says the ‘Crank Dat’ rapper is a detriment to the community and has single handily set hip hop back 20 years.
He’s so serious he’s shown media outlets a legally binding contract and a written check in Soulja Boy’s name (we assume his government name). Soulja Boy, who’s no stranger to controversy and criticism, was unavailable for comment. In reaction to the news, fans have to wonder if Soulja Boy is worth $25,000 to retire, how much would Lil B go for?
27.3.12
GZA lectures at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Wu-Tang Clansmen GZA has always been characterized by the intellect he injects into his lyrics, and last week Wednesday he shared some of that intellect with a room full of students (who happen to be pretty bright themselves) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Harvard Crimson reports that the MC participated in a lecture and discussion at the school entitled “GZA @ MIT: Hip-Hop as Civic Media,” during which he spoke about his artistic growth and the concurrent development of Hip-Hop as a cultural unifier.
“When I was trekking across Brooklyn, looking for emcee battles—and believe me, there were plenty of those—I would never have dreamed I would be standing at this podium,” GZA told the crowd. “I must say, it feels very intimidating.”
Intimidation notwithstanding, GZA, also known as The Genius, spoke on topics ranging from the origins of his supreme respect for lyricism (“I remember going to the park and seeing these young poets, and I was blown away.”) to the Wu-Tang Clan’s formation and subsequent worldwide cultural impact (“[P]eople have visited certain countries in every corner of the continents, and seen people wearing Wu-Tang t-shirts all over.“). When asked about the current state of lyricism in Hip-Hop and why it hasn’t “moved away from misogynistic and homophobic content,” the Crimson reports, GZA replied, simply, “I really can’t answer that. It just hasn’t.”
This is the GZA’s second recent visit to MIT. This past December he visited the school and Harvard University while in Massachusetts to lecture at the Harvard Black Men’s Forum. He spent his on time on campus — which lasted a total of three days — touring the grounds and visiting with scientists from each of the prestigious institutions, with whom he discussed common topics like the ideal alkalinity for drinking water and how DNA makes proteins. You know, the type of everyday stuff rappers like to talk about.
GZA said he planned to use some of what he learned during that December visit on his next album, Dark Matter, which he says is influenced by his love of quantam physics and astronomy. “I will take a quantum leap and discuss the universe while taking us on a journey through deep space,” he recently said about the album.
A release date for Dark Matter has not been announced, so you’ve got time to get your thinking caps ready.
22.3.12
20.3.12
K’naan f/ Nas – “Nothing to Lose” (Will.i.am Remix) | Music Video
In January, Somali bred rapper, K’naan released his new EP, More Beautiful Than Silence. The five-track EP, was an effort that explored a various range of topics from empathy to help for the Somalian children. From the EP,K’naan has released singles, “Nothing to Lose,” featuring legendary emcee Nas, as well as the recent visuals for “Is Anybody Out There,” featuring Nelly Furtado, which you can watch here.
18.3.12
Kan Sano -- Vayu
Here we have a taste of Kan Sano‘s upcoming “Bha” EP, which will be released April 4th onSpirit Notes.
I dont know who the hell this is, but i think it is dope.
Blu – no york e mo work (rmx z 1.3) | Album Stream
Blu being Blu, the enigmatic Californian rapper releases yet another unannounced project with no york e mo work (rmx z 1. Remixes come courtesy of Hezekiah, Thavius Beck and more relatively unfamiliar talents, which accompany the obscure tracklisting and potentially controversial album cover bearing the Twin Tower attacks. Welcome to the quintessentially lo-fi world of Blu. 3), a nine-track project consisting of remixes of his 2011 album, NoYork!.
15.3.12
Mar - Our Attempt
Dear music appreciator.
I present to you.
"Our Attempt"
The single from my debut EP "Seeing Her Naked"
http://soundcloud.com/
download link: http://wtrns.fr/5__
The free EP will be released thru my website later this month.
With full endorsement from record label Wonderful Ear and entrepeneur Nalden..
Cover by Angela Tellier & Dennis de Groot.
Identity by Dolly Rogers.
Love and Bless.
Nas unveils cover for new single “The Don”
Taking hiatuses are somewhat of a forte for Nas. After stepping back into the mindset of that hungry young rapper from the Queensbridge Projects and returning with “Nasty” in June of last year (with the video arriving later in October), God’s Son seemingly set up shop and took off once again, averting his focus on writing raps for K’Naan,Rick Ross and Chris Brown (the latter we have yet to look forward to).
Unveiling the cover art for his new single “The Don” today, however, indicates at a much more welcoming turn (or U-turn, depending on how you look at it). If the pinky piece is anything to go by, this forthcoming track looks to accompany “Nasty” in heavyweight company as the potential second single from the record.
Perhaps as fans we expect too much from our artists in this rushed internet age. It’s easy to forget that the veterans actually had time to breath in between projects once upon a time in the ’90s. Whatever the case for Nas, it’s been far too long since 2008′s Untitled. Just don’t keep us in suspense for too long, Mr. Jones.
13.3.12
House Shoes “Castles” Ft. Jimetta Rose
NIKE SPORTSWEAR 2012 BASKETBALL PREVIEW
FAB MELO INELIGIBLE FOR NCAA TOURNEY
Despite earning a No. 1 seed in this year’s NCAA tournament, Syracuse now faces an uphill battle in its quest for a national title.
The Orange (31-2) announced on their website Tuesday that sophomore center Fab Melo will not participate in the tournament due to an “eligibility issue.”
12.3.12
Damn Ricky.....
The Minnesota Timberwolves point guard will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL in his left knee, the team announced on Saturday. Now the upstart Wolves will have to keep chasing a playoff berth without one of the players who was most responsible for the franchise's resurgence.
"I feel bad for Ricky having to miss the rest of this season,'' Wolves president David Kahn said in a statement. "But Ricky is a competitor, and I am confident that he will work hard to get back on the court next year and continue his progression as one of the top point guards in our league.''
It also means that Rubio will miss the upcoming Olympics, where he was expected to be a vital part of Spain's bid for the gold medal.
"All my support to my big friend and teammate (at)rickyrubio9,'' tweeted Toronto Raptors guard and fellow Spainiard Jose Calderon. "Hard news about his knee. He'll be back stronger.''
Rubio went down in the closing seconds of a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, when his knee buckled as he tried to help out on defense againstKobe Bryant. He immediately clutched his knee and had to be carried off the court by teammates Martell Webster and Derrick Williams.
There were plenty of long faces in the Wolves locker room after the game, and not just because they lost their 18th straight to the Lakers.
Rubio had an MRI on Saturday that revealed the torn ligament, sucking the wind out of a team that had been brimming with confidence thanks in part to his flashy passing that energized a club that lost 132 games over the previous two seasons.
"Love my teammate and friend (at)rickyrubio9,'' All-Star forward Kevin Love tweeted. "Here's to a quick recovery. We will miss you.''
In his first season after coming from Spain, the 21-year-old was averaging 10.6 points and 8.2 assists, but his impact has been so much greater than his numbers.
The floppy-haired, irrepressible young point guard changed the dynamic of a rebuilding team almost from the moment he set foot in Minnesota. His unselfish play galvanized his teammates, and his fun-loving nature has been an immediate draw at the box office, where the Timberwolves have already sold out seven games this season, their most since 2006-07.
His lob passes have dropped jaws and his behind-the-back assists in transition get the home crowd on its feet on a nightly basis, making Target Center the place to be in the Twin Cities for the first time since Kevin Garnett roamed the paint here.
Chants of "Ole! Ole, ole, ole!'' have filled the building, which just last year was half empty almost every night as the Wolves sunk to the bottom of the league.
Rubio was the fifth overall pick in 2009, but stayed in Spain for contractual reasons. His decision to come over this year is one of the biggest reasons for the franchise's quick turnaround this year - along with the addition of coach Rick Adelman and Love's emergence as an elite player.
He's one of the most popular players in a tight-knit locker room and has helped forge chemistry with the team that has paid dividends through the first 41 games this season.
"Terrible news,'' Wolves forward Derrick Williams tweeted. "Pray for my boy.''
He has been playing professionally since he was 14 years old in Spain, and all that experience has served him well in his first NBA season. Rubio quickly picked up Adelman's offense when the lockout ended and has already asserted himself as a leader, with a steady hand on the ball and an underrated effect on the team's defense.
Rubio is averaging 2.2 steals per game and is one of the better help defenders on the perimeter in the league.
It wasn't just the Timberwolves and local fans that were taking notice.
"He just has great anticipation defensively,'' Bryant said. "He reads the floor extremely well, he's extremely patient. He's developing more and more confidence with his jump shot. I don't know what ... they're doing in Spain to develop their individual talent, but they're doing something right.''
Several of the game's biggest stars, including Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade tweeted well wishes to Rubio on Saturday.
"Ricky Rubio's injury isn't 1 that any basketball fan wanted 2 C,'' Wade tweeted. "He's had an amazing rookie season & has brought life back 2 a franchise.''
Most importantly, Rubio's play has translated to victories. The Timberwolves were eighth in the West, putting them in position to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2004, before losing to the Lakers on Friday night to fall a half-game behind Houston.
Guard J.J. Barea is also injured, with a sprained left ankle keeping him out of the game against the Lakers and making him questionable for the game against New Orleans on Saturday night. That meansLuke Ridnour, who has been starting at shooting guard with Rubio at the point, is the only player with experience playing the point guard on the roster.
The Wolves called up second-round draft pick Malcolm Lee from the D-League on Friday, but he has yet to play in a game in his rookie season because of a knee injury.
Minnesota has one more game at home before embarking on a demanding two-week road trip that could define its season.
"We have 25 games left this season,'' Kahn said, "and I look for our team to continue to play hard and fight for a playoff spot.'
9.3.12
Kendrick Lamar is now an official artist under Dr. Dre
After a historic year for the Top Dawg Entertainment family, Anthony Tiffith, founder of TDE has announced that they’ve secured a joint distribution deal with Interscope Records.
With rumors starting as early as last summer, Kendrick Lamar is now an official artist under Dr. Dre. His album, Good Kid in a Mad City will be jointly released by Top Dawg/Interscope/Aftermath. As for the Black Hippy group, ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, and Jay Rock will all begin to release albums via Top Dawg/ Interscope.
Congrats are certainly in order for the California natives as they’ve been grinding for a minute and the dividends are beginning to show. In the last 12 months, Kendrick released Section. 80, ScHoolBoy Q dropped Habits & Contradictions, and Jay Rock released Follow Me Home which were all great projects. Things should only continue to look up for the Black Hippy collective.
8.3.12
Well Deserved Deal
Running back Arian Foster has signed a five-year, $43.5 million deal to stay with the Houston Texans.
"I think both sides expressed that they wanted to get a deal done," Foster said Tuesday.
Foster, 25, was the Texans' workhorse the past two seasons and helped them reach the NFL Playoffs for the first time last season. Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee in 2009, Foster was paid $525,000 in his previous contract.
He will be paid $18 million in base salary next season, plus incentives, in 2012.
Foster was the NFL's leading rusher in 2010 with 1,616 yards. He then ran for 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He was due to become a restricted free agent next week, but his agent said Monday that Foster was eager to work out a deal with the Texans.
"I'm very thankful that we have an organization that reached out. They didn't have to come to me with a deal," Foster said. "They still had the rights to me for the next two or three years. They didn't have to do this. They did it off of the fact that as a player that has been playing good for 'X' amount of years and they wanted to take care of that player and take care of their organization and solidify that they want to be a team in this league to compete at a high level. I'm very fortunate that they were able to see that and they did that."
Since becoming a full-time starter in 2010, Foster has led the NFL in rushing yards per game (97.9), rushing touchdowns (26) and yards from scrimmage (4,061). He also leads all running backs in yards receiving per game (42.1).
In the 2011 playoffs, Foster had 285 yards rushing and three touchdowns in a win over the Cincinnati Bengals and a loss to the Baltimore Ravens.
—Contributing: Associated Press
Inside 9th Wonder's 'Soul Sampling' Class At Duke University
9th Wonder: A Wonderful Professor
Grammy award-winning producer, 9th Wonder, not only spends most of his days in the studio, but also the classroom. He's co-teaching the "Sampling Soul" class at Duke University, part of a huge movement of hip-hop based classes on college campuses across America. Gary Hamilton reports and produces with Evan Groll for CBSNews.com and Channel One News.
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