Nas is still on a worldwide tour for his critically acclaimed Distant Relatives project with Damian Marley. Esco is also in the midst of preliminary work for his next solo album, which will be his first since 2008′s gold-selling and controversial Untitled album. For the past the six months names like Kanye West, Dr. Dre, Swizz Beatz and The RZA have been associated with the project. The above picture was taken yesterday in Oslo, Norway, and is a good indicator we may get another Nas-Raekwon collab, but this time for Nas’ project.
16 years following their work on “Verbal Intercourse,” the pair hooked up earlier this month on Raekwon’s Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang album for “Rich & Black.” Let’s hope this picture is a sign of more to come.
Jay-Z is being investigated by the NBA for potential pre-draft violations for visiting the locker room of the Kentucky Wildcats earlier this week.
The Hip-Hop mogul and stake owner in the New Jersey Nets made a surprise visit to the Wildcats locker room after their Final Four clinching victory over North Carolina. He took time to pose for pictures and shake hands with the players.
The NBA prohibits team personnel from dealing with college players who have not made themselves eligible for the draft. Jay-Z would be subject to a fine if found guilty of violating any rules.
At press time, Jay-Z has not commented on the matter. He was in attendance last night in Newark for the Nets’ home game loss to the New York Knicks, 120-116.
Draft-scouting, Hov! Considering LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony passed on Jay’s wooing attempts, maybe he’ll have better success in the college ranks.
I’m sure Jay went there more so as a fan than anything else. He’s made locker room appearances before, most noticeably for fellow Brooklynite Zab Judah. At the same time, it would be naive to think he didn’t at least mention in passing to a few top guys he’d love to have them with the Nets, or at the very least gave them available channels to contact him if there were any future interest.
It’ll be interesting to see how the NBA rules on this. It could set a precedent.
Former British and Commonwealth champion Danny Williams (42-9, 32 KOs) has made a return to the ring by using a loophole to gain a license under another country.
The 37-year-old Williams, whose international recognition came when he knocked out a faded Mike Tyson in 2004, was thought to be finished in the ring after getting knocked badly by Dereck Chisora in May 2010. That fight was his second consecutive loss following a defeat to Carl Baker. Because of the nature of the defeats, the British Boxing Board of Control advised Williams they would revoke his license if he continued, prompting him to announce his retirement.
But like so many previous boxers, Williams cannot stay away from the ring. After researching boxing rules, he found out he could return to the ring by obtaining a license from the country of Latvia. Although Williams has never visited the European nation, he successfully obtained the license and has already had one bout, a victory over a lowly fighter named Frank Kary Roth (2-22-2, 2 KOs) on March 5.
According to Williams, the comeback is definitely not for money or recognition. His move effectively terminates any chance to fight again for the British title. In addition, he will be earning no money from these fights. Williams knows he can no longer compete at the elite level and wants nothing more beyond the opportunity to continue boxing.
“All I want to do is box. I have no desire to become a trainer or a promoter,” Williams explained to The Times. “I’m a realist, not a fool. I know what skills I’ve got left and what level I can still box at… Because I’m now effectively a Latvian boxer, I’ve given up my right to fight for the British title. I’m just going to see where things take me. I’ve been training at my old amateur club, the Lynn in Peckham. They’ve given me a key and I go in there at night when the amateurs have gone home.”
“All through my career I was hampered because I put far too much pressure on myself. Now that pressure has lifted and I know where I am in the sport, I’m enjoying it so much more. I just don’t want to finish boxing yet. I love everything about it.”
At press time, Danny Williams’ next bout will be on April 8 in Hamburg, Germany against a fighter named Laszlo Toth (9-2, 5 KOs).
Nonito Donaire got some bad news yesterday when a mediator ruled that his newly signed deal with Golden Boy Promotions was invalid. That ruling, based on a signed 2007 decision between the two companies not to target each other’s fighters, leaves Donaire in the unenviable position of still being signed to a promoter he tried to leave. But let’s not overlook another pending ruling that can potentially save Donaire’s move. If he can prove that he’s fulfilled his current three-year contract with Top Rank he’ll be free to sign with Golden Boy. But how good are his chances?
Top Rank signed Donaire in 2008 to a three-year contract. They claim that the deal also included a one year extension provision. Because Donaire was medically out of action on two occasions, Top Rank claims they exercised the extension which would leave him signed until mid 2012. Donaire’s side is of course arguing his fight against Montiel last month fulfilled the deal and it requirements, making him a free agent.
While I’m not an attorney, it doesn’t look good from my vantage point. If the contract was indeed fulfilled, the mediator would have likely upheld Golden Boy’s new deal. It’s still up to interpretation, but Donaire’s indication that he wants to fight the contract sounds like a long and expensive legal battle.
Let’s say Golden Boy and Top Rank battle back and forth for the next 5-6 months and Golden Boy wins. Who do you think they is going to be responsible for all their legal fees? More than likely it gets subtracted from Donaire’s next fight. Top Rank could possibly do the same if they’re the victor. And most importantly, the longer this goes on the longer Donaire stays out of the ring and not building on his phenomenal knockout of Fernando Montiel.
Boxing needs to have great talents like Nonito Donaire competing consistently. It would be the ultimate cruel irony if it’s not another fighter’s fist that derails his career, but a failed political gamble.
“I’m a queen/I don’t swing open like Lamborghini doors do/ Whores do”
Jean Grae says it feels like a ’96 basement party. When you have Talib Kweli and Styles P playing backup, you really can’t argue with that sentiment. Styles, no matter what environment, always brings the tough talk. Grae is sandwiched in the middle but still has a very good laidback verse on her credentials as an elite emcee. With her queen references you get the impression she’s ready to make a run at the crown. Kweli holds down the chorus and last verse with no issues. The DMC vocal scratches and old school sample break go very well with aforementioned basement atmosphere. Hopefully this means Jean Grae will be dropping her next album soon.
Fresh off their scuffle on Monday (March 28) in Montreal, Bernard Hopkins and Jean Pascal squared off again yesterday (March 29) for fans and press in New York City.
Pascal retained his WBC light-heavyweight championship last December with a controversial draw in his native Montreal. Despite scoring two knockdowns, Pascal was dominated by Hopkins over the fight’s entire second half.
While he respects Hopkins’ skill, Pascal says the Executioner has made a career out of complaining.
“He pretends that he won the fight. He’s always complaining. He’s always whining. I won the fight,” Pascal maintained. “It was a close fight, but I am not a whiner. You can never call a close fight a robbery. The judges said it was a draw. I took my pill and swallowed it. With this man it is always some other guy’s fault. I am going to tell you something, May 21 he is only going to blame me because this time it is going to be my fault.”
Hopkins still has personal ill will towards Pascal for implying on Monday that he may be on performance enhancing drugs. The former undisputed middleweight champion says the allegation is an insult that may cost Pascal his life.
“Don’t be surprised if he [Pascal] dies in the ring in May. That is how I feel,” Hopkins said. “I mean that. This isn’t hyping up a fight. This is not for any fucking press conference. Don’t be surprised if I kill him…No one has ever accused me of this [taking PEDs]. He tried to recant it in New York. I am going to make sure I win this fight and bring the championship to where it belongs…in Philadelphia. This shows me that he is desperate and that he is nervous… It was real weak and real stupid. He looked like an idiot in front of a packed house trying to come up with something to say. At the end of the day he is going to have to face what he said in Montreal.”
The trainers had their say in the matter as well. Pascal trainer Marc Ramsay feels his fighter is being sold short because of Hopkins’ performance after the two knockdowns. He emphasized that Pascal can build on the first performance by not being overly cautious and giving Hopkins a relaxed pace to work.
“This is the difference between being a winner and a dreamer,” Ramsay explained. “Yesterday they talked about the professor who taught the student. Bernard was saying that Jean didn’t pass the test. The question is, did the professor teach a good class? Did he back up his legacy? You can’t expect to win half a fight, when you spend half the fight on the floor…After what happened after the 18th of December, Jean has no more respect for Bernard. That is going to be the difference in this fight and we are going to close the show this time.”
Hopkins’s trainer Naazim Richardson also expects to see a better Pascal on May 21. But he urged fans and critics to remember they are witnessing greatness every time that Bernard Hopkins steps in the ring.
“This man [Pascal] is going to fight his behind off. He is fighting for legitimacy,” Richardson reflected. “Bernard Hopkins has nothing to prove. Let’s appreciate this man while we have him. When we close this chapter we lose one of the last great fighters. Bernard is the last of the fighters. Let’s celebrate him while we have him, because there are none left.”
J-Lo been out of the music game for a minute. For her return she takes a page from the handbook of pop’s current biggest star, Rihanna, on her latest ”So Into You.” Wayne’s doesn’t add much beyond his name recognition, but that’ll be enough to get people to check this out. This isn’t mind-blowing, but this mid-tempo track is actually an improvement over the Europop sounds that have taken over commercial radio.
Pretty decent Rihanna impersonation. The only thing missing was J-Lo dying her hair red and singing some of her notes flat.
“Mac was born in ’92 but he rhyme like he from ’82 …”
Don’t sleep on the talent of some of the younger emcees. 1982 (Termanology and Statik Selektah) linked with Mac Miller to celebrate their respective eras on “82-92.” Both are in fine form riding this vintage sample (A.G.’s “No Where To Go”). You can tell from this video that they had a ball recording this. This song should also dismiss the view that Mac Miller is simply Wiz Khalifa clone. No disrespect to Wiz or his fans, but there’s no way would he be able to hang on a song like this. You can cop this single off of iTunes.
Now the contact work begins. Manny Pacquiao began his sparring today for the May 7 showdown with Shane Mosley. Boxing’s pound for pound #1 looked lean, which indicates his earlier training has been good. Many will remember Manny looking sluggish and disinterested when he was training in the Philippines for Antonio Margarito. None of that is visible in the training that is shown (note that the actual sparring is kept under wraps, probably exclusive to Showtime’s Fight Camp 360). If Manny keeps this up, Mosley is going to have all types of problems on May 7. Sugar’s trainer, Naazim Richardson, said last year before the Mayweather fight that he prepared Shane for everything, including Floyd growing fangs and turning into a dragon in the ring. He better have Mosley prepared this time for Manny turning into a buzzsaw.
“Return of 4eva is me introducing southern Hip-Hop to the new generation, and reminding the old generation what it used to sound like.”
Big K.R.I.T. is the emcee of the moment courtesy of his well-received new mixtape Return of 4eva. His last tape (K.R.I.T. Wuz Here) was critically acclaimed, and this latest one proves we’re not dealing with a “one tape wonder” or a fleeting talent. K.R.I.T. is on a mission to redefine the negative perceptions of southern Hip-Hop. This interview also delves into his philosophy on music and the importance he now feels as a community leader. If you haven’t checked out the mixtape, you can do so via the link provided below.
