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October 31, 2000

Al Gore and Student Discuss Hip Hop

From MTV.com. Presidential candidate Al Gore acknowledged rapper Mos Def's "artistry" but said it was important that his latest CD bears an advisory sticker warning parents to listen to it with their children. The vice president also said, in an e-mail to a University of Michigan student, that he hopes his presidency will result in society having less violence for pop culture to mirror. "I believe, as you do, that if we can heal the worst wounds and solve the worst problems of our society, we are less likely to see those things reflected and even glorified in our popular culture," Gore wrote in the e-mail to Brian Babb. Babb, a senior majoring in religion and sociology studies, asked Gore during MTV'S Town Hall Forum in September to listen to politically conscious rapper Mos Def's CD, Black on Both Sides, and discuss it in a public forum as well as e-mail him his comments. A spokesperson for Gore confirmed the e-mail sent to Babb on Friday came from the Democratic presidential candidate. The 21-year-old student, who participates in freestyles and writes lyrics, said he wanted to challenge Gore about his criticism of the entertainment industry, feeling that he was targeting hip-hop. Gore and his running mate, Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, have claimed the industry intentionally markets violent and offensive material to children. Lieberman specifically has attacked rap music, including the work of MC Eiht and late rapper Tupac Shakur.

'Hip-Hop Is Experience'

"I wanted Gore to recognize people through hip-hop," Babb said Monday. "Hip-hop to me isn't just an 'art form.' It's so much more than that. Hip-hop is experience. ... I think Black on Both Sides is extremely representative of the universal message of hip-hop ... and hip-hop as a proactive response to social injustice." Gore began his e-mail to Babb by apologizing for taking so long to reply, adding, "my staff actually borrowed the Mos Def CD from me and have been listening to it back at my campaign headquarters." Gore went on to agree with Babb that hip-hop is a "reflection of reality," which he called an accurate assessment of all art. "Certainly, the artistry of the CD you gave me can't be questioned," Gore wrote. "What I'm concerned about is when music glorifies violence, sexism, racism, hate, or intolerance," the vice president continued. "Yes, it is the right of an artist to write things like that. But it is wrong for parents to have no control over whether their children listen to it. This CD has a parental advisory on it, and that's important. It doesn't censor the music, it simply lets parents know that they should probably listen to it if their children are."

Social Issues

Babb said he had doubts after reading Gore's letter that he had actually listened to the CD. "It's disheartening," Babb said. " 'Mr. Nigga' and 'Mathematics' are two tracks he could learn a great deal from, to see why racism is still a very salient issue." The student said he believed the album could give Gore valuable information about the issues he should focus on should he become president. Babb e-mailed a response to Gore after receiving his e-mail Sunday night, asking the presidential candidate to rethink some of his statements. Babb particularly objected to Gore claiming that music is "also an interpretation of reality." "To call hip hop music an interpretation of reality is to divorce your ears and mind [from it]," Babb wrote in the e-mail. Babb said he hoped that Gore would still consider discussing hip-hop in a public forum, per his initial request during the Town Hall Forum. "What's a response to me?" Babb said. ""I'm a black male in a privileged position here at the University of Michigan. He doesn't need to attend to me; he needs to attend to those people who are directly affected by savage inequalities. He needs to be talking to them." Babb would not say whether he plans to vote for Gore in the Nov. 7 election. "I'm not going to vote for [George W.] Bush," he said. A Gore spokesperson said he was unsure whether the vice president had seen Babb's response e-mail by press time.

October 30, 2000

Eminem Bites Back At His Canadian Critics

From Sonicnet.com. Eminem struck back at his Canadian critics during his Thursday night show in Toronto, labeling an activist who filed a hate-crimes complaint against him a "b***h," according to local press reports. "I dedicate this next song to that b***h Valerie Smith," Eminem said before playing the critic-bashing track "The Way I Am," from his multiplatinum The Marshall Mathers LP, according to the Canadian Press wire service. Smith, a Toronto resident, filed a criminal complaint against Eminem earlier this month, alleging that his violent lyrics violate Canadian hate-crime laws. That led Ontario's attorney general to demand on Wednesday that immigration officials bar the rapper from entering the country. But Eminem (born Marshall Mathers) entered Canada without difficulty on Thursday after officials determined that they had no grounds on which to keep him out. Eminem reportedly began his set at the Toronto Skydome with "Kill You," one of the songs that sparked Smith's complaint. "Slut, you think I won't choke no whore/ Till her vocal cords don't work in her throat no more," Eminem raps on "Kill You," which includes the refrain, "B***h, I'm'ma kill you." "Bet you didn't think I was going to do that one, did you?" he said to the crowd after performing the song, according to the Canadian Press. Smith said on Friday (Oct. 27) that she wasn't bothered by Eminem's attack. "I consider this a major achievement," she said. "If you work on these issues and your enemies don't know who you are ... you might as well pack up your tent and go home." Detective Rob Cooper, a hate-crimes investigator with the Toronto police, said Friday that no charges will be brought against Eminem, in part because women are not a protected category in Canada's hate-crime laws. He added that he had received no complaints about Thursday’s show. Smith had asked that Eminem's songs be classified as hate propaganda under Section 319 of the Canadian Criminal Code, which prohibits "communicating statements, other than in private conversation, [that] willfully [promote] hatred against an identifiable group." In the code, "identifiable group" refers to color, race, religion or ethnic origin. Eminem is scheduled to play another show in Canada with the Anger Management Tour on Friday at Montreal's Molson Centre.

Black Thought Working on New Album

From SOHH.com. While The Roots have been on a recording hiatus, lead emcee Black Thought has been working on his solo album, Masterpiece Theatre. Currently, the only confirmed producers from Okayplayer.Com include Jay Dee, Chaos, Scott Storch and DJ Krush. Producers rumored to be working on the album are Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, LB, Divine and James Poyser. The album is scheduled to be released in February 2001, with the first single "Hardware" produced by DJ Krush leading things off. Black Thought is currently on the road with the Okayplayer Tour with The Roots Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, Dice Raw, Slum Village, Bahamadia and others.

Xzibit shooting new video

From SOHH.com. While on tour with the Anger Management Tour, Xzibit is gearing up for the release of his third album, Restless. On Wednesday, November 1, 'AveriX to the Z' will be staying in L.A. for two extra days to film the video for his new video 'X' featuring Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre, the first single off the album produced by Dre. The album is scheduled to be released on December 14 and will be executive produced by Dr. Dre. Producers on the album include Mel-Man, DJ Quik, Erick Sermon, Battlecat, Rockwilder and Soopafly. Guests appearances on the album include Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Tha Alkaholiks, Nate Dogg, Defari and others.

October 25, 2000

Dr. Dre Signs Rakim

The rumors are now true. On MTV's DFX Sway reported that Dr. Dre has in fact signed one of the best lyricists of all time, Rakim to Aftermath Records. Rakim has an album coming out in the year 2001 called "Oh My God". Rakim promises that this will be his real comeback album. All I can say is that I can't wait for this album! Check back for more details when they are available.

Rass Kass Readies New Album

From SOHH.com. Left coast emcee Ras Kass is getting ready to set it on the hip-hop nation once again. Tentatively scheduled for a February 2001 release date, Ras' third album, Van Gogh, is said to be his best work yet. Plagued with mediocre beats for his first two albums, Ras seems to have it right this time with production from Rockwilder, Alchemist, Battlecat, and Carlos 'Six-July' Broady. So far, confirmed guests on the album include Xzibit, Saafir, Tash, Bad Azz, Tray-Dee (of the Eastsidaz), Sheek and Nate Dogg. The first joint from the album to hit radio and mixtapes is the Alchemist-produced "Articulate"

Eminem's Ex-Wife Get's Probation

From Mtv.com. Kimberly Mathers, wife of estranged rapper Eminem, was sentenced to 11 months probation and fined $50 after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct in the 37th District Court in Warren, Michigan on Tuesday. Mathers was also ordered to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous orientation meeting on Wednesday night and to stay away from using drugs or drinking as part of her probation, according to a spokesperson for the Macomb County Prosecutor's office. Kimberly Mathers was arrested during a June 4 incident at a Warren bar and nightclub in which Eminem (real name Marshall Mathers III) allegedly assaulted a man that the rapper had witnessed kissing his wife. When police arrived on the scene, Kimberly Mathers verbally assaulted the officers as they took Eminem into custody. She was arrested for interfering with authorities and was originally charged with disturbing the peace. Eminem has since filed for divorce from Mathers, who sought $10 million from the rapper and sole custody of their daughter. Her suit was settled for an undisclosed amount in August, with Kimberly Mathers receiving physical custody of the child and the couple sharing legal custody. The "Detroit Free Press" reported that the couple is still sharing a home in Clinton Township, Michigan, but have not reconciled. The rapper's publicist at Interscope Records had no comment on Mathers' plea, as Eminem is currently on the road with Limp Bizkit, Xzibit and Papa Roach as part of the Anger Management Tour, which is scheduled to resume Thursday night in Toronto.

October 24, 2000

Lil' Kim Goes Plastic

From MTV.com. Taking a cue from 'NSYNC's "It's Gonna Be Me" clip, Lil' Kim transforms herself into a living doll for her new video. Of course, the sugar-sweet pop outfit and the raunchy rapper take very different paths through the toy store. "This is where I get to get freaky," Kim told MTV News on the set of the video. The rapper teamed up with director Francis Lawrence (who helmed Jennifer Lopez's "Waiting for Tonight") in Sylmar, California, earlier this month to shoot a clip for "How Many Licks?," the latest single from her "The Notorious K.I.M." album. Lawrence helped to create three different pocket-size versions of Kim for the clip. "That's something the whole world has been waiting for," Kim said of her plastic likeness. "The first setup has an outfit made out of lollipops. They have me on this catwalk, and I'm walking down the runway, just doing it like Naomi Campbell. "Then there's pin-up Kim, which is like a Marilyn Monroe/Betty Boop kind of thing," the rapper said. Of course, Monroe never stepped in front of the camera draped in nothing but gold chains and matching pasties, as the rapper does when stepping into pin-up mode. "The last scenario is the 'Knight Rider' scene," she continued, "in which Lil' Kim, the clubber doll, is in an outfit made of liquid latex. How cool is that?" The doll personas give Kim a handful of fresh, new ways to wear a whole lot of nothing as she leaves even less to the imagination than usual. However, while Kim gives fans plenty to feast their eyes on in the new clip, viewers won't see Sisqo anywhere in the video, even though the R&B star sings the song's hook. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to get Sisqo in the video, but it's OK," Kim said. "I'm a superstar, and this is going to be very, very huge." You'll soon be able to see if Kim delivers on that promise as the video for "How Many Licks?" debuts this week.

ODB On The Run

From Mtv.com. A bench warrant has been issued for Ol' Dirty Bastard after the troubled rapper ran away from drug-treatment facility Impact House last week. The Wu-Tang Clan MC and solo star fled as he was being transported from the Pasadena, California, facility to Los Angeles Criminal Courthouse downtown. "He physically ran away," Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Michael O'Gara said. "It's my understanding that [ODB's] counselors were taking him to court to discuss his program with the judge." "No one knows where he is," said Ken Holder, bureau chief of narcotics trials for the Queens, New York, district attorney, who is prosecuting ODB in a crack-cocaine case. "He decided he'd had enough of the program, and he left." Holder said he did not believe Impact House counselors are allowed to restrain patients because it is not a lock-down facility. However, the facility is required to notify the court system if the patient is there by court order and leaves without an escort. A spokesperson for Impact House could not be reached by press time. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel issued a "no-bail" warrant for ODB on October 17, meaning that once he is arrested, he cannot post bail for his release. The 31-year-old rapper (born Russell Jones) has been living at Impact House since June after serving six months in county jail for violating probation by drinking alcohol. The sentence stems from his convictions for wearing body armor and making terrorist threats (see "Ol' Dirty Bastard Sentenced To Drug Treatment"). "He's probably looking at prison [time]," O'Gara said. "We're looking at whether he is suitable for probation, and based upon his actions thus far, in my opinion, he's not. We don't have many choices left." Last month, ODB had progressed into the second phase of his rehab program in which he was granted 12-hour supervised passes to leave the facility to do fellowship work (see "O.D.B. Progresses In Treatment Program"). "Unfortunately, Judge Revel still tried to give the defendant as much consideration as possible, [allowing] that a substance-abuse problem may have contributed to his criminal behavior," Holder said. "The defendant doesn't seem to have that much consideration for himself." In addition to the bench warrant in Los Angeles, ODB has outstanding bench warrants in the Queens case and a Brooklyn case also involving allegations he possessed crack cocaine. A woman who accompanied ODB to his last hearing in Queens has filed a harassment complaint against the rapper which police also may use to arrest him, Holder said. Holder said the Queens D.A. office may extradite ODB for the crack case if necessary. ODB's New York lawyer, Peter Frankel, had no comment. The rapper's Los Angeles attorney, Robert Shapiro, had not returned calls at press time.

Eminem To Be Banned From Canada?

From SOHH.com. It seems as though the Eminem hating may know no end. The latest news in the anti-Slim Shady world is that one Canadian woman, Valerie Smith, has filed a formal complaint with the police hate crimes unit in Toronto about the rapper's lyrics. In the complaint she said that he, "promotes hatred and advocates violence against women in his lyrics." Smith also provided the lyrics to the tracks "Kill You" and "Kim." The police have passed the complaint to the provincial attorney general's office hoping to get a decision on whether Eminem's music violates Canada's hate propaganda laws. If it is decided that the laws have been violated, Em's upcoming performance could be stopped, music stores would be ordered to stop selling his CDs, and radio would not be allowed to play his music. Any violator of this decision can also face up to two years in jail.

October 23, 2000

Hip Hop Summit Details

From Sonicnet.com. Rap artists, record execs and civil-rights leaders will meet on Oct. 30 in Harlem, N.Y., for a first-of-its-kind summit on the state of hip-hop. Participants include rappers Master P (also CEO of No Limit Enterprises) and Queen Latifah (CEO of Flavor Unit Entertainment, which also produces the rapper's eponymous talk show). Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons, chairman of Def Jam Records, also is set to attend the forum, along with Jimmy Iovine, CEO of Interscope Records; Steve Rifkind, CEO of Loud Records; and Sylvia Rhone, CEO of the Elektra Entertainment Group. Martin Luther King III and boxer Roy Jones Jr. also are scheduled to attend. The summit will address the ongoing complexities of morality, violence and social responsibility within the industry. Convened by the Rev. Al Sharpton, president of the National Action Network, and David Mays, CEO of the magazine The Source, the summit will address the ongoing complexities of morality, violence and social responsibility within the industry, while also dealing with the "negative stereotypical images perpetuated by the mainstream media," according to a press release. The summit seeks to "develop a formal code of conduct to be embraced by the global hip-hop community," according to the press release. "Together, the participants will establish a national initiative to address typecasting and profiling of the hip-hop community. Organizers of the summit are concerned with the current climate of hip-hop, and believe that media typecasting of the culture is taking away from the positive power that hip-hop possesses to influence both social and political change."

Eminem and Chainsaws?

From Sonicnet.com. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. Rapper Eminem and rap-rock acts Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach kicked off their ode to commercially viable vitriol, the so-called Anger Management Tour, on Thursday at the Continental Airlines Arena by rumbling through hard-edged sets and flashing some surprisingly high production values in the process.

Eminem didn't pour on the glitz quite like Limp Bizkit. But the notoriously ribald rapper wasn't exactly reserved, either. He began his performance by showing a parody of "The Blair Witch Project" on a screen above the stage. When the curtain lifted, fans screamed as Eminem, dressed in overalls, emerged through the stage floor with a running chainsaw. He then kicked into a medley of the Dr. Dre-produced powder-kegs "I'm Back" and "Kill You." Later, British singer/songwriter Dido joined Eminem onstage for a version of "Stan," the obsessed-fan tale on his May release, The Marshall Mathers LP, which samples a line from Dido's song "Thankyou." The singer seemed delighted as she swayed and smiled during the verses. The two hugged as they finished. "Thank you, baby," Eminem said as Dido walked offstage. Toward the end of the show, a set change found the rapper, dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit, sitting in an electric chair surrounded by a castle and torches. Xzibit joined Eminem for another medley, this one featuring "B**** Please II" and "What's the Difference?" The latter appeared on Dr. Dre's 1999 record, Dr. Dre 2001. From there, Eminem jumped into what's become standard for him a defense of his over-the-top, violence-laced semantics in the face of critics. "How many people are tired of people talking sh-- about me?" he said to resounding approval. "They're not even the motherf---ers buying my album. It's y'all."

CNN to Loud Records?

From SOHH.com. "Apparently Noreaga has attacked a member of the Tommy Boy staff because of the lack effort put forth by the label for their new LP The Reunion. In return Tommy Boy has stopped all promotion and put a tap on their budget. CNN is now looking to leave the label and maybe make a new partnership with LOUD Records."

October 18, 2000

Zack De La Rocha Leaves Rage Against The Machine

From SOHH.com. After releasing three incredible albums, leading man Zack De La Rocha has left politically charged rock/hip-hop group, Rage Against The Machine. According to a statement from De La Rocha, he feels that the group cannot work together as a collective anymore. "I feel that it is now necessary to leave Rage because our decision-making process has completely failed," De La Rocha said in the statement. "It is no longer meeting the aspirations of all four of us collectively as a band, and from my perspective, has undermined our artistic and political ideal, " De La Rocha said in a statement. "I am extremely proud of our work, both as activists and musicians, as well as indebted and grateful to every person who has expressed solidarity and shared this incredible experience with us." De La Rocha has been working on a hip-hop based solo project for the past year. Word is that he's been working with El-P (of Company Flow), DJ Shadow, and ?uestlove (of The Roots). The as yet untitled and unannounced project is expected to be released by Epic Records. You can hear Zack rock over hip-hop beats on the Lyricist Lounge Album Volume 1 with KRS-One and Last Emperor on the track "C.I.A.", on the Unbound Project Vol. 1 track, "Mumia 911", and more recently on the Bamboozled Soundtrack with Chuck D and The Roots on "Burned Hollywood Burned."

Hip Hop #1, 2, 3

From Mtv.com. It will be Radiohead out, Ja Rule in at the top of next week's "Billboard" 200 albums chart. According to sales figures released by SoundScan on Wednesday, Ja Rule's "Rule 3:36" will bump Radiohead's "Kid A" from the top of the chart after only one week. The Queens rapper sold just under 276,000 copies of his follow up to 1999's "Venni Vetti Vecci" in its first week in stores to debut at number one. Ja Rule finds himself atop a triumvirate of hip-hop stars on next week's chart, as Nelly's "Country Grammar" holds strong at number two, while Mystikal's "Let's Get Ready" remains a contender at number three. In all, hip-hop artists will take up 10 of the top 25 spots on next week's chart.

October 17, 2000

The Platinum & Ice Concert Shut Down

From SOHH.com. At $95.00 a ticket, the Platinum & Ice Concert was going to be hot (the event was partially sponsored by UBO): Cuban Linx, Shyne, Mya, Nelly, Lil Kim, and Jay-Z. But the show on October 13th at Nassau Coliseum was not. Shyne had to perform twice and the no-where-near-sold-out crowd waited nearly 6 hours to see the headliner, Jigga-man himself. Unfortunately, due to organizational problems, the plug was pulled fifteen minutes into his set. The music was stopped, the lights came on, and everyone was told to go home. Not surprisingly then, two people were clapped at the after party. Promoter Rodney A. Morrison of RAM JAM, Inc. has been relatively silent about the fiasco, but he did jump into his car and book from the scene at the Coliseum before the crowd started a riot. This was a show that could've easily been over within two or three hours and the crowd could have been soothed with some music in between sets, but it seems money was the biggest priority that night, not hip-hop.

October 17, 2000

Eminem Disses Everlast

From Mtv.com. Hailed in the underground as an incredibly gifted battle rhymer at a time when commercial success still eluded him, Eminem appears to be returning to his roots with a biting attack on onetime House Of Pain leader Everlast called "I Remember." The track (a blues infused hip-hop number over which Eminem mostly sings, mocking Everlast's more recent solo output) has surfaced as the B-side to the "S**t On You" single Em released with his group D-12 earlier this month. In the song, Eminem takes the Irish-American rapper/singer to task for his switch in styles over the years, going all the way back to Everlast's pre-House of Pain days as a member of Ice-T's Rhyme Syndicate. Em hits far below the belt with comments on low-points in Everlast's career ("Back in '94/ Like right before Miss Everlast was Whitey Ford/ when House Of Pain was out of fame/ destined to never jump around again"), his age ("Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit came along/ Now nobody wants to hear your old ass sing no more") and even his heart troubles ("I was right there laughing when I heard the news/ I just wish the cardiac would have murdered you"). Em actually censored himself (somewhat) in one line, singing, "I wasn't trying to steal your light or nothin'/ But you're a homosexual white rappin' Irish..." offering a "beep" over what may have originally been a swipe at Everlast's conversion to Islam. In the song, Em seems to suggest that he was once a fan of Everlast, singing, "I went to get your s**t/ Man, I was into it/ But then you went and took your style and switched the s**t/ Now you sound ridiculous." The drama, or at least a good chunk of it, may be attributable to a verse that Everlast (using the alias White E. Ford) contributed to a remix of the Dilated Peoples song "Ear Drums Pop," which appears as the last track on the group's latest album, "The Platform." In the verse, Everlast (whose own "Eat At Whitey's" album is set to drop this week) took an old-school style swipe at America's latest chart-topping white rap sensation. Mentioning no names, he said simply, "I buck a 380 on ones that act shady You know you ain't the one that repped peckerwood status," adding, "let's take it back to the House/ Slide off your blouse/ Lift up your skirt/ And expose your panties/ For the world to see/ You can't rep it like me." "Why would you diss me?" Em snarls back in "I Remember," boasting, "...I could rap circles around you/ Plus I can sing better than you/ And I don't sing/ And probably play guitar better/ And I ain't never touched a string."

October 16, 2000

Lil' Kim, Trick Daddy, and Trina to Join Tour

From Mtv.com. Nelly and the Cash Money Millionaires will be joined by Lil' Kim, Lil' Cease and Junior M.A.F.I.A., Trick Daddy, Trina, and others when the "Jingle Ballers Jam" tour gets rolling next month. As we previously reported, Nelly, the Cash Money camp, Profyle, and R&B crooner Joe were the first artists inked for the trek (see "Nelly, Cash Money, Joe Line Up Joint Tour"). Those acts will now be joined by the aforementioned hip-hop notables when the tour kicks off on November 10 in Miami. The Cash Money contingent on the tour will boast Juvenile, Lil' Wayne, Hot Boyz, B.G. and Big Tymers. When word of the tour first surfaced two weeks ago, Houston had been tapped as the launching pad for the trek, but the itinerary has changed somewhat since then. The tour has also picked up MTV's daily hip-hop show, "Direct Effect," as a sponsor, and has extended its official title to "MTV's DFX Presents The Jingle Ballers Jam."

Eminem Parody Gains Popularity

From Sohh.com. Now that Eminem has garnered worldwide success as well as worldwide disgust, it shouldn't be a surprise that someone would remake one of his songs dissing him ala Weird Al and Michael Jackson. Actor/Comedian Scott Thompson (of Kids In The Hall Fame) has recorded a track called, "Dear Marshall", a parody of Em's track "Stan". The humorous track has openly-gay Thompson playing as himself writing a letter to Em, insinuating that he's gay and is leaving his wife Kim to be with Dr. Dre, saying that "he completes you". He also raps "Dear, 'mister I'm too hardcore to come out of the closet cuz I don't want to lose my street credibility'" as he starts the last verse. The song is available for free in MP3 format at Soundbreak.Com.

October 12, 2000

Puffy Hit With Another Lawsuit

From Mtv.com. Bad Boy Records mogul Sean "Puffy" Combs has been hit with yet another civil suit related to a shooting incident at a Manhattan nightclub last year. Club New York owner Michael Bergos filed a $1.8 million suit against Combs on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. In the action, Bergos claims that business at the spot suffered as a result of the publicity generated after three people were allegedly shot by rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow during a melee on December 27. The civil suit is the second one to be filed against Combs over the club shooting in less than a week. Wardel Fenderson, the man who drove Combs, girlfriend Jennifer Lopez, and bodyguard Anthony "Wolf" Jones from the club that night, filed a $3 million suit against the Bad Boy CEO on October 4.

DMX Gets His Own Label

From SOHH.com. With the recent success of his albums and hit singles, it should be of no surprise that DMX would start his own label. In a joint venture with Def Jam Records, his New York-based Bloodline Records will initially focus on Hip-hop and R&B acts, but will eventually grow to include pop, rock and other genres. Currently, the label is in negotiations with five acts, and plans to release their first project next year. Other than the label, DMX is remaining busy with his budding acting career. He will appear in the new Steven Seagal movie Exit Wounds, and The Crow: Lazarus. Also, expect his autobiography and clothing line, DW, out sometime next year.

October 10, 2000

Hip Hop artists make "OZ" The Album

The hard-hitting HBO prison drama "Oz" has inspired a hard-hitting hip-hop album. Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill, Method Man, Master P, Trick Daddy, Kurupt & Nate Dogg, Goodie M.O.B., Jadakiss and Styles of the LOX, Devin The Dude, and Three 6 Mafia have all recorded new music for an "Oz" album to be released January 9 on the EMI-distributed Avatar Records label. "The hardcore, often violent and controversial themes contained in the show create a perfect forum for some of the most aggressive rappers in the industry," said the label's CEO in a press release announcing the project. A label spokesperson confirmed that Master P and Method Man will both be making cameo appearances on the weekly series when season four resumes in January with eight new episodes. Other musicians who have appeared in cameo or recurring roles on "Oz" include Treach of Naughty By Nature, Evan Seinfeld of Biohazard, L.L. Cool J, David Johansen, and Sandra "Pepa" Denton. The album is also doing double duty as a fundraiser for the Innocence Project, which helps to free wrongly accused death row inmates through DNA testing.

Rah Digga to Rock the Vote

From Sonicnet.com. Flipmode Squad rapper Rah Digga and pop acts Daniel Cage and Hootie & the Blowfish will perform at a Rock the Vote concert and rally on Wednesday (Oct. 11) at North Carolina's Wake Forest University, prior to the debate between presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush at the school's Wait Chapel. Rah Digga also is set to serve as the MC for "Loud Lounge," an interactive political talk show about youth-oriented issues and activism, and she's getting ready to start work on her first big-screen film — she'll play a nanny named Maggie in the remake of the 1960 horror movie "13 Ghosts," a project that began shooting last week in Vancouver, British Columbia, and which is due in mid-2001.

Eminem will not get superstar treatment

Eminem could be spending some time behind bars, if prosecutors in Michigan have their way. The rapper is scheduled to be in a Macomb County Circuit Court on Tuesday for a pretrial hearing related to his arrest on weapons possession and assault charges, and a prosecutor said he's not interested in striking a plea agreement that might spare Eminem from possible imprisonment. Macomb County Prosecutor Carl Marlinga told the Associated Press over the weekend that he has "made it clear to the defense that there should be some incarceration in his sentence for this type of offense." "[Eminem is] charged with a felony, and we intend to go to trial with this case as a felony." — Carl Marlinga, Macomb County, Mich., prosecutor "[Eminem is] like any other defendant for us in terms of the economic consequences of his actions," Marlinga added. "He's charged with a felony, and we intend to go to trial with this case as a felony." Eminem faces up to five years in prison if convicted of the charges, which stem from an incident outside a bar in Warren, Mich., in June, during which the rapper, born Marshall Mathers III, allegedly pistol-whipped a man whom Eminem thought he saw kissing his wife, Kimberly Scott. Mathers has since reached a divorce settlement with Scott, who in turn dropped the $10 million civil suit she filed against the rapper on the basis of intentional infliction of emotional distress.

October 8, 2000

Busta Rhymes Gets 5 year probation

Rapper Busta Rhymes received five years probation Friday (Oct. 6) on a gun possession charge for carrying an unregistered .45-caliber pistol in his car, according to Reuters. Busta Rhymes (born Trevor Smith Jr.) pleaded guilty in May 1999 to the charge, stemming from an incident in which police found a loaded pistol in his 1995 Mercedes-Benz, the news service said. Busta Rhymes entered the plea before Manhattan (N.Y.) Supreme Court Justice Herbert Adlerberg. The rapper would have faced up to seven years in prison if he had been convicted in a trial. Busta Rhymes originally faced sentencing in September 1999, but Adlerberg delayed it because the rapper was under investigation for violating a protective order to stay away from former girlfriend, Joanne Wood, the mother of his 7-year-old son, T'ziah, Reuters said. Wood accused Busta Rhymes of not paying child support, which the rapper denied, and he was ordered to report to Adlerberg's court every two months until the family issue was resolved. Go to Sonicnet.com for more info.

October 5, 2000

Puffy's Driver sues for 3 Million

From Sonicnet.com. The driver who sped Sean "Puffy" Combs, Jennifer Lopez and Combs' bodyguard away from a shooting at a New York nightclub in December is now suing the Bad Boy Records CEO. Warden Fenderson filed the $3 million civil suit against Combs and Bad Boy Records on Wednesday at a Manhattan Supreme Court, claiming he suffered personal injuries and "the intentional infliction of emotional distress" during the incident and its aftermath, according to the New York Post. In court documents, Fenderson acknowledged he picked up Combs, Lopez and bodyguard Anthony "Wolf" Jones outside Club New York on Dec. 27, and said he was ordered by Jones not to stop the vehicle for anyone. The civil suit may be a mixed blessing for Combs — Fenderson, who will serve as one of the primary witnesses against the rap mogul when his trial starts next year, indicates that the 9 mm gun found in the vehicle belonged to Jones and not Combs.

October 4, 2000

Mystikal #1

From Sonicnet.com. After debuting at #1 two weeks ago, Madonna's Music will surrender its spot to Mystikal, according to SoundScan figures released Wednesday (Oct. 4). The former No Limit rapper, who jumped to Jive Records for Let's Get Ready, sold more than 330,000 copies last week, bolstered by the strength of the LP's first single, "Shake Ya A**", which is scoring major airplay on radio and video outlets. While Mystikal rides high on the chart, two other hip-hop notables will crack the top 10, including Shyne, who may have proved there's no such thing as bad press. The rapper, who last year was charged with attempted murder following a shooting incident in a New York nightclub, will land at #5 after selling almost 160,000 copies of his self-titled debut album. Meanwhile, 13-year-old rap phenom Lil' Bow Wow did some serious damage his first week out, selling more than 101,000 copies of Beware of Dog to debut at #8

Scarface blasts DEA for Rap-A-Lot Investigation

On Scarface's new album, Last of a Dying Breed, the rapper slings verbal barbs at federal drug agents for their investigation of Rap-A-Lot Records, an investigation the Dallas Morning News claims was halted at the request of U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters. The newspaper quoted a letter from Waters to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in which the congresswoman wrote that Rap-A-Lot owner James Prince was being subjected to an unfair, racially motivated investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The report claims that Jack Schumacher, the agent who led the investigation, was transferred off the case because of political pressure from Washington. Houston-based DEA agent Ernest L. Howard told the newspaper that the investigation is ongoing, though other agents claimed that Howard told them in September 1999 that the case was closed. On "Look Into My Eyes" from "The Last of A Dying Breed" Scarface says: "But I can't get no peace/ 'Cause Schumacher's been chasin' me/ Tryin' to set me up, bustin' down my streets/ Lockin' up my dog, to see if he can catch me/ But I don't sell no dope …/ F*** the DEA/ F*** the undercover that lock me up for weed/ You can search me all you want to/ But you won’t find no seed." For more info go to Sonicnet.com.

October 2, 2000

Guru brings you "Jazzamatazz: Street Soul"

Gang Starr rapper Guru, who fused hip-hop with jazz on his two previous "Jazzmatazz" collaborative LPs, went after R&B artists for his third, "Guru's Jazzmatazz: Street Soul," due Tuesday. "The 'street' represents hip-hop, and the 'soul' represents black music, like jazz, funk, R&B, and soul," he said. "The reason I came up with 'Street Soul' is because I'm looking at all the black music today, and even in rock and roll, everything is touching on hip-hop." Guru's two previous "Jazzmatazz" albums -- 1993's "Jazzmatazz," the first volume in the series, and 1995's "Jazzmatazz Volume II: The New Reality" -- featured such jazz artists as Roy Ayers, Donald Byrd, and Bernard Purdie. For "Street Soul," Guru's monotone rap is joined by soul artists Isaac Hayes, Angie Stone, and Macy Gray, as well as soulful rappers the Roots. "I put a wish list together," Guru said. "I named people whose music I love and [whom] I've met and had a chance to build friendships with over the years." "Rap and hip-hop is an expression. It's a way to let society and others know what's really going on, basically. What kind of problems we're having in our community, what we're angry about. Politicians want to blame the violence on the music, but they're wrong, because if they were to analyze it correctly, they would understand that what we're saying is that there are some problems that need to be addressed." On the jazzy track "Plenty," Guru and Erykah Badu demonstrate an easy chemistry as they engage in flirty repartee. Guru plays to Hayes' strengths on "Night Vision," a pensive, foreboding track recorded with the soul legend in Fort Lee, New Jersey. "I wanted him to stay right in his element, so I said, 'How about we use one of the old Isaac Hayes songs from 'Shaft' or something?'" Guru said. "Night Vision" contains a sample of Hayes' "Walk From Regio's," a song from the original soundtrack for "Shaft." Guru, 37, is the father of a newborn son, but don't expect him to stop rhyming anytime soon. He'll be taking "Street Soul" on the road, beginning with a performance on October 17 at S.O.B.'s in New York. Go to Sonicnet.com for the whole story.

Made Men involvement in Stabbing

From Sonicnet.com. The young rapper in a faux bulletproof vest with the Made Men logo across the chest and his own group — Latin Homicide — stenciled across the belly stomped around outside the courtroom, shaking his head." He's (expletive) lying," the 20-year-old calling himself D. the Majestic said. An assistant district attorney was in the midst of detailing for reporters what police say happened in the Buzz club the night Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce took a bottle to his head and two knives to his chest, back and neck. "The police are just out to get Made Men, but they won't." — D. the Majestic, rapper Once again, people connected to the rap group Made Men were in trouble with the law. And, once again, supporters such as D. the Majestic turned out to defend the rappers who maintain ties to Boston's street scene despite their success. "The police are just out to get Made Men, but they won't," the rapper said. "All I know is Made Men is being blamed for something they didn't do." But authorities say trouble seems to follow Made Men, who started out more than a decade ago as the Almighty RSO, a group that weathered attempts at censorship over its anti-police rap dubbed "One in the Chamba." RSO also lost a bodyguard to a bullet and a member — Rodney Pitts — to a knife wound. Two of the three men accused of attacking the unsuspecting 22-year-old NBA player have worked as bodyguards for Made Men. All of them are close friends of Made Men frontman Raymond Scott. According to prosecutor John Pappas, within minutes of arriving on the second floor of the Buzz just after 1 a.m. Monday, Pierce was spun around and sucker punched by Tony Hurston, who then bashed him with a bottle across the face. When Pierce fought back, William Ragland and Trevor Watson joined the fray, pinning Pierce against a pool table and stabbing him repeatedly.

Lil' Bow Wow causes stir in record store

This comes from mtv.com. Lil' Bow Wow caused a big scene when he hit New York's HMV Records to help promote the release of his debut album, "Beware Of Dog," this week. The 13-year-old rapper saw his in-store appearance at the Herald Square branch of HMV shut down on Tuesday after an oversized crowd got a little too enthusiastic about Lil' Bow Wow's performance. The "Bounce With Me" rapper managed to serve up at least a bit of his performance until his in-store was shut down after fans outside HMV began banging on the store's windows. While he's causing a stir in record stores, Lil' Bow Wow says that his life remains pretty much unchanged when he's around his friends. "They treat me the same," the young rapper told MTV News. "My friends at school, they don't treat me no different. The girls treat me different. 'Go with him, he got money.' Their parents be saying, 'Go with him.'"