There has been a ton of news swirling around the music industry as of late, and with that, I thought it was necessary to cover it all in one big post!  Enjoy reading it, and please leave your remarks on the current news!

• First off, I think that pretty much everyone out there knows about the passing of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.  Even though that is the case, it is still necessary to cover everything, and pay our dues to one of the biggest musicians of my time, and one of the greatest musicians to ever grace the music industry!  I find it kind of difficult to accept the passing of MJ, since it seems so surreal and strange since he was only 50 years old.  Anyway, it is truly tragic, and I know many out there don't know his significance to the music industry, but we will do a full-fledged music tribute to the king once we get some more time on our hands.
• The Game has done an interview with MTV in which he has apologized to 50 Cent, Interscope Records, & G-Unit.  Strange isn't it?  Well I guess the call that Michael Jackson made back in 2005 definitely had something to do with this, and that his recent passing may have spurred the whole thing.  As it stands, 50 Cent is not toying with the Game, and it would appear as though he is going to stay the immature musician he is, and not accept the apology.  Well whatever, I guess it will be his loss, when the two of them went in, they went hard!

“Jimmy always says, ‘Man, I told you guys not to break up the Beatles,’ ” Game said. “He says he told John Lennon the same thing a long time ago. But I was young, man. I was dumb. I did a lot of dumb things. I felt me and 50 clashed. I’m not gonna dis 50. I’m not gonna go back on the plane. He had his side, I had my side. I did what I felt was necessary for me and my career to have longevity and survive in hip-hop and music to be around when I’m Quincy Jones’ age — not just be Quincy Jones’ age, but be a Quincy Jones. Now, four albums in, I can honestly say from Banks to Buck to Dre to Yayo to whoever, if it would have kept going, endless paper. Millions of albums sold — because we were great together. Me and 50’s chemistry was like how Method Man was to Redman when they get in. You know when Method Man gets with Redman, it’s going down.”

True, the Unit, when they were a five-man squad (that’s with Game and Buck), were absolutely unstoppable. We’re still rocking that All Eyez on Us G-Unit Radio Part 5 mixtape.

“It is what KRS-One was with Scott La Rock,” Game added, describing his time with 50. “When you take Ralph Tresvant from New Edition and Bobby Brown goes this way, you might get a Bell Biv DeVoe, but you won’t get no ‘Candy Girl.’ You won’t get no ‘Mr. Telephone Man.’ You ain’t gonna get no ‘Hate It or Love It,’ you won’t get ‘How We Do.’ As a family, we had it. If we never [broke] up, I think Detox would have been out and we all would have been selling millions from Banks to Buck, Tony Yayo. I’m gonna apologize for my role.” - The Game, Interviewed On MTV

• Q-Tip will be gracing the music industry once again with his unreal talents with the release of his unreleased LP entitled, Kamaal The Abstract, which was originally scheduled for a 2001 release.  More news to come on that when we hear about it, but for now, peep the track listing below, looks like we are in for another solid LP from the Tip-Man.

Kamaal The Abstract Track Listing:

1. Feelin’

2. Do U Dig U?

3. A Million Times

4. Blue Girl

5. Barely In Love

6. Heels

7. Reverber For Factory

8. Caring

9. Even If It’s So

LP DROPS SEPTEMBER 15TH, 2009!!! BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR IT

• With the economy falling, people have been losing jobs left and right, and the poor economical status seems to have hit many workers at the famed magazine company Vibe.  It is said that Vibe will be having to let go many staff members due to losing revenue and ad money with the falling economy and poor economical growth in many of their advertising industries (like the auto-industry).  More news on that coming soon, the economy needs to get better soon, otherwise more stuff like this is going to happen!
• Ma$e seems to have seen the light (again?) and is planning on returning to music (again?).  With the recent passing of Michael Jackson, the famed Hip-Hop preacher has decided that he will be coming back to the limelight and will be taking the industry by storm!  Check out a few quotes from the famed musician below on the whole thing!

"Mike passed away and it just lit the fire in me -- it made me go in the studio and do something. I'm excited," he also stated, "I asked my nephew who is the hottest thing out there and he said, "Drake!' When I listened to his music I said, 'I'm going to jump on this joint.'" Ma$e has also stated that, "I've got things up my sleeves, I just need someone to play them." - HipHopDX

 With that being said, I think it is safe to say that we will be seeing more of Ma$e in the coming weeks/months!

Check Back Here For More Music Updates Coming To You Soon!!!

While browsing Sketches of My Soul, I came across a great interview with none other than the sexxxy Keri Hilson. She talks about what it means to be sexy, and how happy she is to produce music. Music is her life.

After watching the interview, I continued on to the site that produced the interview, 24/7 Hip Hop, and realized that they had some pretty tight interviews with some pretty tight rappers and R&B artists.

"247HH.com gets to the essence of the artist, and brings you inside their world. Each episode includes interviews, exclusive freestyles, music videos, and concert footage. Some of the artists we have already filmed include: Busta Rhymes, Nelly, E-40, TI, Dilated Peoples, Three Six Mafia, D.J. Muggs, GZA, Ghostface Killah, Bubba Sparks, David Banner, Juvenile, The Clipse, Pete Rock, Little Brother, Large Professor, Tony Touch, Clinton Sparks, and many more. These Video Podcasts can either be watched here on the site, downloaded to your computer, or put onto any digital video player, just like an audio podcast."

And for your viewing pleasure, I have compiled a set of interviews from our favorite artists:

Keri Hilson
Ludacris
T.I.
The Game
Talib Kweli
Lupe Fiasco
Wyclef Jean
Common

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Tags: Interview, Keri Hilson, Ludacris, T.I., The Game, Talib Kweli, Lupe Fiasco, Wyclef Jean, Common, Hip Hop, Rap

Props To YK2D

So I am browsing one of my personal favorite blogs out there, YK2D, and I am a huge fan of The Game. So when I watched this live video from a concert in LA, I heard that there is another album on the way!!! Surprising how after L.A.X. he was so sure that he would be done with music and focus solely on producing songs and albums (like fellow musician Dr. Dre). Looks like sitting around and only producing isn't good enough for The Game, and I agree, it most definitely is not! Can't wait to hear more from The Game in the near future, we will be sure to keep you all posted. Rumored album title will be D.O.C. (Diary Of Compton)

The Game Live In LA:

Check Out The L.A.X. Review Here

MORE THE GAME INFORMATION IN THE COMING WEEKS!!!

Tags: The Game, Rap

So call me girly if you want to, but for some reason right now I'm just lovin' the song Right Here (Departed) by Brandy. Ever since I first heard it on the radio, I thought it was a straight fire track that everyone needed to know about, not just your goody goody Brandy fans (no offence). Anyway, here's the track, and some other remixes that I found laying around that I thought any Hip-Hip/RnB music fan would appreciate.

Slow your rolls, keep it real, and enjoy!

Original Song:


Remix Ft. The Game:

Remix Ft. Sean Kingston:

Vj Israel Gtz - Seamus Haji & Emanuel Radio Edit:

Reggae Remix:
Unable to embed: Reggae Remix

50 Cent just keeps racking up a strong list of people who he has challenged.  It all started with his infamous beef with The Game, who was once part of the Gay-Unit.  After a few years, Kanye West came into the picture with a record sales competition that ended with Ye' being a winner, and Fiddy having to admit to how crappy his Curtis album was.  After that came some BUCKED up stuff.  Young Buck (like The Game) was kicked out of Gay-Unit, and him, Game, and Fiddy duked it out by releasing diss songs and other material that made the other look bad.  In our minds, Buck won the beef, but only due to the help from The Game... Young Buck didn't have a shot with out The Game's tough support.  And then we come to today, a new era in beef for the man that goes by "50 Cent."

Ya'll know my hate for the guy, I have done numerous posts explaining as to why I don't like him and the reasons why he is just a crappy rapper and an overall bad person.  Anyway, he has recently been starting stuff with some other musicians in the music game, this time targeting the officer turned rap star Rick Ross and the million dollar music maker that goes by the name of Lil' Wayne.  Fiddy started the shots at Ross, and the Boss responded with a track directed right back at Fiddy.  On another track, Fiddy took some more shots at Rickity Ross, and within that track, he takes another jab at Weezy F. Baby, talking about how he had not responded to his last comment.  50 Cent is a moron...

Moving on, Lil' Wayne was genius not to respond to Mr. Cent's comments.  I am going to give my fifty cents on Fiddy, and what he is doing right now is just dumb.  Before I Self Destruct will end up bombing, and will more than likely do worse than Curtis does.  Anyway, check out how this whole scenerio works out, I am almost positive that 50 Cent and Soulja Boy are the two most hated musicians in Hip-Hop right now, 50 Cent may actually go down as one of the most hated musicians, one who will only be sticking to his Gay-Unit pack and always pushing people away instead of welcoming them in.

On January 30th, 2009 50 Cent released "Officer Ricky (Go Head, Try Me)" in response to Rick Ross' disparaging remarks days earlier on "Mafia Music." 50 also took shots at DJ Khaled and Lil Wayne on the song. At the end he claims Ross is "an appetizer. Where you at, Wayne?" He continued to egg Wayne on. "You awfully quiet. You called Em out...You got to pass me to get to him."

It will be interesting to see if Wayne shoots back a response, but I truly hope he doesn't.  We all know that if it is a record sales competition Curtis wants, Wayne or Ross would destroy him.  Wayne should just keep focusing on his Rock album which will be different and may completely suck, but it will for sure be better than anything 50 Cent puts out. 

Be On The Lookout For More Beef Stuff In The Coming Days, Check Back For More Rick Ross, Lil' Wayne, Kanye West, The Game, Young Buck, & 50 Cent Information In The Near Future

50 Cent On Rick Ross Beef... Takes Shot @ Weezy:

Alternate Cover
Deluxe Edition Cover

I was never a huge The Game fan, but something got me to listen to this album. Maybe it was my utter hate for 50 Cent, or maybe it was the interesting choice on the album art... But nonetheless, I gave L.A.X. a listen, and I liked what I heard. It is fresh filled with new types of beats and lyrical schemes. I also fully enjoyed the supporting cast he had for the album, and he sure got the big names out on pretty much every track. If you were like me, and did not give The Game's past albums a listen, I advise you to give his most recent album a listen! It is rather "tight" and is pretty solid!

The Game has stated that LAX could be his last album and the reason for this would to be promote his record company, and to follow in Dr. Dre's steps in becoming one of the most predominant producers in the streets. I think that he should put out more studio albums and produce at the same time, if Kanye West and Jay-Z (hope they still aren't feuding) can do it, so can he!

Track Listing:
"Intro" (N/A out of N/A)
"LAX Files" (9 out of 10)
"State of Emergency (Feat. Ice Cube)" (8.4 out of 10)
"Bulletproof Diaries (Feat. Raekwon)" (8.3 out of 10)
"My Life (Feat. Lil' Wayne)" (9.3 out of 10)
"Money" (9 out of 10)
"Cali Sunshine (Feat. Bilal)" (9.8 out of 10)
"Ya Heard (Feat. Ludacris)" (8.8 out of 10)
"Hard Liquor (Interlude)" (N/A out of N/A)
"House of Pain" (8.5 out of 10)
"Gentleman's Affair (Feat. Ne-Yo)" (9 out of 10)
"Let Us Live (Feat. Chrisette Michele)" (8.9 out of 10)
"Touchdown (Feat. Raheem DeVaughn)" (8.6 out of 10)
"Angel (Feat. Common)" (9 out of 10)
"Never Can Say Goodbye (Feat. LaToya Williams)" (9.2 out of 10)
"Dope Boys (Feat. Travis Barker)" (9.8 out of 10)
"Game's Pain (Feat. Keyshia Cole)" (8.9 out of 10)
"Letter to the King (Feat. Nas)" (9 out of 10)
"Outro" (N/A out of N/A)
"Ain't Fuckin With You (iTunes Bonus Track)" (8.8 out of 10)