Future got big support from some of Atlanta’s biggest names earlier this week at his Pluto album release party. Even if you’re not a Future fan, the below video is worth viewing simply on the strength of the dude he had on stage in a full spaceman suit. Shout out to director and homie Cam Kirk for his excellent footage. Future’s Pluto is in stores now.
“A lot of rappers on the carton/ They swag missin’…”
Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka are celebrating their second childhoods with this ode to the folly of youth, “Young Niggaz.” If Watch the Throne was too polished for your tastes, you may enjoy going to the extreme in the other direction with Gucci and Waka’s Ferrari Boyz album. Considering his current predicament, I’m sure Lil Boosie is one rapper who wouldn’t cosigs these guys’ boasts about the benefits of having young shooters on the team. Nice to hear Camoflauge getting a RIP shout on wax after all these years.
ATLANTA, GA — Brick Squad rapper Gucci Mane is still being held in at Dekalb County jail on misdemeanor battery and parole violation charges.
Last week, Gucci Mane was arrested for allegedly pushing a woman out of his moving vehicle after offering her $150 for sex on January 28. The unidentified 36-year-old was treated for minor injuries, including back pain. The rapper had met the woman, a hair stylist, that morning
The latest parole violation is the second Gucci Mane has committed in the last 12 months. Last May, Gucci Mane was released after serving six months for a violation involving narcotics use.
“I have made some mistakes in my life that have hurt a lot of people who care about me,” Gucci said upon his May 2010 release. ”These past six months have been a difficult time but fortunately I have learned a great deal from my experience. I was able to do a great deal of soul-searching; I am coming back with a new attitude towards life… I want to continue down a positive track and truly focus on being a role model to my fans and community.”
At press time, Gucci Mane is being held on $5,700 bail.
“I’m fucking with the white girl/ You can call me Ice-T”
The most amazing thing about this otherwise routine video is the fact that Gucci Mane actually writes his rhymes down. I’d of never guessed. And to top it off, he looks pretty deep in thought. Then again, that could be about the crack that’s being cooked up in the same room. I was also surprised he’s still gloating about the murder rap he beat a couple of years ago. Considering it was Jeezy’s people who attempted to rob him, and they’re supposed to have a truce, it seems inflammatory to still be bringing it up. Hopefully nothing else comes of it.
Next Tuesday (March 22), Gucci drops his street album The Return of Mr. Zone 6 via Warner Bros.
Gucci Mane will have the musical backing of Drumma Boy and the distribution power of Warner Bros. when he releases his street album, The Return of Mr. Zone 6, on March 22.
Most mixtapes are exclusively distributed online and serve to hype official releases. This project will retain the full resources of Gucci Mane’s Warner Bros. label, and be available online and in local retail stores.
Having released dozens of mixtapes over the last few years, Gucci Mane credits the practice as a key component to his initial success. After having moved away from it recently to focus on mainstream albums, the Atlanta rapper is framing this project as a return to his roots.
“The street album is a return to the music that had me buzzin’ in the first place,” Gucci explained in a statement. “It really didn’t make any sense to not have some of the people who’ve been responsible for some of my best street records behind me.”
While the majority of the production will be handled by Drumma Boy, The Return of Mr. Zone 6 will feature beats from Southside and Zaytoven. Guest spots include Waka Flocka Flame, OJ Da Juiceman, Birdman, Wale, Master, Webbie, 8Ball and Rocko.
In the coming weeks, three songs from the album (“24 Hours,” Mouth Full of Gold,” and “I Don’t Love Her”) will have viral videos released via www.guccimaneonline.com.
The Return of Mr. Zone 6 tracklisting can be viewed below.
1. 24 Hours
2. Mouth Full of Golds feat. Baby
3. This Is What I Do feat. Waka Flocka & OJ Da Juiceman
4. Reckless feat. Cap & Chill
5. Shout Out to My Set feat. Wooh the Kid
6. I Don’t Love Her feat. Rocko & Webbie
7. Better Baby
8. Brinks feat. Master P
9. Pretty Women feat. Wale
10. Pancakes feat. Waka Flocka & 8ball
11. Hell Yeah feat. Slim Dunkin
12. My Year
13. Trick or Treat feat. Slim Dunkin, Wooh the Kid & Waka Flocka
Remember when everyone thought Tyson had lost his mind after sporting a face tattoo? Well Iron Mike received nowhere near the ridicule leveled at Gucci Mane, who recently had a three-scoop ice cream cone inked on his face.
In a recent interview with DJ Whoo Kid, Tyson was asked his opinion on Gucci’s face art. While Tyson’s tatoo has a Maori tribal design symbolizing a warrior mentality, the former champ theorized Gucci’s ink likely reflected his player image. The clip can be viewed below.
Gucci Mane hasn’t revealed the meaning behind the tattoo yet. Is it just a visual reminder of his mixtape boasts of being the “coldest nigga in Atlanta?” Tyson’s theory that he just likes to licked? The world waits with bated breath for Gucci’s explanation. In the meantime, I say Queequeg of Moby Dick fame has them all beat.
“When I like my ignorance, I like my ignorance really ignorant…[but] not in a Waka Flocka way.”
Ismael AbduSalaam/Beats, Boxing & Mayhem
Atlanta’s three-day A3C Festival ended last Saturday. On the first day, Jean Grae chilled out in the media room a few hours before her set on Thursday night (October 7). Ms. Grae hung out for close to an hour, and like any group of Hip-Hoppers, we all got into a good discussion on the industry and some of her peers in Nicki Minaj, Waka Flocka, and Jay Electronica. Unfortunately, around the 13:30 mark when she begins talking about her new album, Cake or Death, her voice gets a muffled due to sound checks from the stage. Even though a photographer in this clip bemoans why Jean hasn’t found stardom, it’s readily apparent she’s very comfortable with her spot.
Catch up with Hip-Hop’s very own super-heroine.
Atlanta’s own Drumma Boy recently sat down for an interview with one of my good colleagues in Miss Ls. Drumma got a nod for Producer of the Year at BET’s Hip-Hop Awards (October 12) courtesy of his work with year with Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka and Young Jeezy. In this clip, he talks about his upcoming R&B work with Goapele, Marsha Ambrosius and Mary J. Blige. Fun fact, “No Hands” only took 15 minutes to make. Check out the full interview and my homegirl Miss Ls’s site.
Ismael AbduSalaam/Beats, Boxing & Mayhem
The BET Hip Hop Awards 2010 is over and off to post-production editing. The annual Atlanta event draws most of the big names in urban music for a weekend of partying and networking. This was my second year covering the event for AllHipHop.com, so I knew to arrive very early. The city of Atlanta had other events like an important Atlanta Braves baseball game that added to the ridiculous amount of traffic. Luckily, BET improved this year by supplying a shuttle for media, since every street within a 2-3 block radius was blocked off.
The carpet opened promptly at 2:30 and lasted until close to 5PM. Early on things went smooth. Artists were escorted by their publicists one by one slowly across the line to speak with selected media outlets. But soon, the easygoing pace morphed into organized chaos as more artists and media arrived. Still, the BET volunteers and black carpet escorts were an immense help in getting interviews secured. Below are some of the interesting, and sometimes humorous quotes I got from some of the attendees.
The actual show airs on October 12 at 8PM. Be sure to check out www.allhiphop.com additional coverage of the show.
LOLA ”LUV” MUNROE
Best Cypher Peformer She’s Seen So Far: “I’d have to say Cory Gunz. That was a few years ago but he killed it.”
Next Project: “Being that I’m not going to rush an album, I’m going to give my fans an EP. I’ll definitely be working with different producers, even underground.”
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RAEKWON
On his return to form: “Now I’m where I need to be at. I’ve been in shape [lyrically] the last three years. Still a chubby gangster, though.”
Predicting Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Paquiao: “Wow, I’m riding with Floyd. I think Floyd is our Muhammad Ali of today.”
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DJ Greg Street and journalist Chloe Hilliard on the Upcoming BET’s Top 10 Rappers of the 21st Century Show
Chloe: “What I said about Lil Wayne, you’ll have to see the whole thing. The teaser was to entice you.”
Greg Street: “She said Weezy was the greatest!”
Chloe: “I will not confirm nor deny that!”
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TONY NEAL, CORE DJS FOUNDER
On today’s DJ: “I think we get more respect. It started with the DJ, but we’re kind of being recognized for that [now]. With sales and everything, artists need as much help as possible, so it’s been taken back to the DJ.”
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Laws
Next mixtape: “I’m coming out with a dedication to Paul McCartney called Yesterday’s Future. So it’s a lot more ambitious than the last one.”
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YELAWOLF
Two albums in six months: “0-60 is coming out November 23, my first album for Interscope. After that, I’m going to be releasing an album in March [2011] called Radioactive.”
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WAKA FLOCKA FLAME
New album coming October 5: “Flockaveli on October 5,get it! [Buy] one for the car, one for the house, and one in plastic. Flockaveli is a classic!”
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THE NEW BOYZ
On new album in early 2011: “We don’t have to prove anything, but we want people to know what it really is. We’re going to keep working hard so people don’t think we’re just a jerk dance phase.”
Ismael AbduSalaam/Beats, Boxing & Mayhem
LLOYD
On his next album: “You’ve never heard music like this. You’ve never heard this side of me. It’s gonna be one of the best albums of 2010-2011. I guarantee it. You are the average of the five people you are around. When you add up my five people you get Polow Da Don, Stakeboard P, Timbaland, Jimmy Iovine and myself.”
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SOULJA BOY
On working with Kanye West: “I listend to the finished product and that really opened my mind. I don’t even want to say as a rapper, just as a musician. It really opens your mind to different sounds, drum kicks and all of that.”
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TERRY KENNEDY
Top 5 Dead Or Alive: “Jay-Z, Nas, Tupac, Biggie, and Kanye West.”
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ROSCOE DASH
Top 5 Dead Or Alive: “Tupac, Biggie, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and Ice Cube. I say that because they all played a role in inspiring artists to get out there and make something for themselves, and that you can achieve you dreams.”
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BIG BOI AND SON
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KANGOL KID OF UTFO
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PRINCESS
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TWISTA AND TRAXSTER
Emcees that kept him focused lyrically: ” That’s a good one, it was never really one person. It was different people like Jay-Z, Nas, Biggie, Tupac, and Outkast. Those type of artists that were hot from the perspective of doing their thing lyrically. Those guys kept me on my toes.”
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MERCEDES LADIES, FIRST FEMALE HIP HOP GROUP
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DJ DRAMA
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BONES BRIGANTE, 106 & PARK FREESTYLE CHAMPION
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TREY SONGZ
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YOUNG MONEY
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NELLY
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DIGGY SIMMONS
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MR. BOOMTOWN, DIRECTOR
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ELISE NEAL
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GUCCI MANE
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DJ PREMIER AND THE LATE GURU’S YOUNG SON
There’s nothing like a spirited debate. BET must have learned this by observing the immense feedback MTV receives annually for its Hottest MCs in the Game list, and what Vibe got for its Best Rapper Alive tournament. Next month BET will air its own version with a unique show titled “BET’s Top 10 Rappers of the 21st Century.”
The criterion for consideration is that every rapper nominated must not have had their debut album any earlier than 1999. That means normal all-time list stalwarts like Rakim, Jay-Z, Nas, KRS-One, and other legends cannot be selected. The panel included AllHipHop.com co-founder Chuck Creekmur, So So Def founder/producer Jermaine Dupri, Tony Neal of Core DJs, producer Boi 1da, DJ Greg Street, DJ Timbuck2, DJ Vlad and Vibe writer Chloe Hilliard.
The list of nominated artists are 50 Cent, Drake, Eminem, Eve, Fabolous, The Game, Gucci Mane, Jadakiss, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Nelly, Rick Ross, T.I. and Young Jeezy.
The show airs on October 15 at 8PM. Below is the trailer video.
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Even though I normally disagree with the selections, I love these type of shows. It brings the corner, barbershop and message board arguments fans have to the forefront. And it also gives you a better idea of how industry experts view some of your favorite artists.
What I don’t like is that most of the time the debate centers around album sales over quality of work. You can already see that when someone like Lupe Fiasco, who’s released two of the better Hip-Hop LPs this decade (Food & Liquor, The Cool), didn’t even get a nod. But you have guys on the list like Jadakiss and Fabolous, who in my opinion don’t have any standout albums on their resumes.
It’ll be very interesting to watch how this panel makes its decisions. As far as the artists included on this list, my #1 would be Kanye West. Aside from his own catalogue, I give extra points for his production work. On just lyrical ability Eminem would be #1, but Slim Shady shouldn’t even be on the list. Is BET really going to act like his debut album isn’t 1996′s Infinite (which by the way, had some decent tracks)?
Be sure to check this out. I’m positive they’ll be moments where you nod your head in agreement, shake it in disgust, and flat-out laugh at what you hear.
The show debuts Friday October 15 at 8PM ET.
