Nine years after Capone-N-Noreaga's debut album The War Report is considered as a Hip-Hop classic, the duo have ended a two-year rift and are considering a return to the recording studio to produce a new album. The possible collaboration would be CNN's first studio project since The Reunion, which was released in 2000.
Young Jeezy and his label Corporate Thugz Entertainment are putting local Atlanta high school students to the test by offering a $1,000 scholarship to one lucky winner of an essay contest. The rapper announced the 'What Inspires You' Essay contest in light of his latest LP - The Inspiration. High School students in the metro Atlanta area can participate by submitting a 300 word or less essay explaining where their daily inspiration comes from. The grand prize winner will also include an autographed CD and poster and a pizza party for the winner's entire senior class.
Houston based rap label Swishahouse was honored last week by the Texas Grammy Chapter in Austin, Texas. The event was hosted by actor Billy Bob Thornton and Grammy Award winning singer Ray Benson. The label, founded by DJ Michael '5000' Watts and business partner G-Dash, was honored for its contributions to Texas music. Swishahouse has produced such chart topping rappers as Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, Mike Jones and others. Other notables honored during the evening were ZZ Top, gospel singer Yolanda Adams and South by Southwest festival cofounders Nick Barbaro, Roland Swenson and Louis Black.
Established in 1990, Strictly The Best is the longest running reggae compilation series in the business. The annual series is divided into a 2 separately sold discs, providing cutting-edge dancehall hits on Volume 35 and the latest tunes in Roots and Lovers Rock on Volume 36. Each year, VP experts carefully compile a library of exclusive dancehall/reggae tunes to keep the pace with the biggest Jamaican hits. Showcasing the most buzz-worthy and talented artists, STB series has been the proving ground for many of reggae’s biggest stars, including Sean Paul, Richie Spice, Buju Banton, Bounty Killer, Capleton and many others. If you want to know what the next big reggae hit is in the streets or on the airwaves listen to Strictly The Best!
Atlanta rap giants Michael 'Mr. Collipark' Crooms and The Ying Yang Twins have parted ways and will no longer work together. The announcement comes days after the release of the Twins' new album Chemically Imbalanced, which hit stores November 28. Chemically Imbalanced will be the final album the group will release for Mr. Collipark's Collipark Music record label.
Joss Stone is delving deeper into R&B and soul on her new, as-yet-untitled album, due March 6 via Virgin. The 19-year-old Stone hit Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas to record the album, which will feature such tracks as Headturner, Tell Me 'Bout It, Nothing Better Than (The iPod Song) andI Wish I Never Met You. Stone will also make her big-screen debut in the fantasy film Eragon, which opens Dec. 15 in U.S. theaters. Based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Paolini, it also stars Jeremy Irons and John Malkovich.
In a move to harness the power of the Internet, as well as showcase the star quality of a rising artist, Reprise Records will launch G’s Up TV, an online TV show starring Lil Scrappy. The weekly show began on November 21st and will lead up to the December 5th Reprise/BME Recordings release of his debut full-length album Bred 2 Die, Born 2 Live. Each episode will feature the Atlanta-born rapper recounting his life story in candid documentary-style interviews that will air on Scrappy’s website, gsup.tv.
In addition to hearing Scrappy relate his long journey from the ugliness of southeast Atlanta’s merciless underbelly to becoming ATL’s favorite son, viewers will also be treated to guest appearances by such Scrappy pals as Lil Jon, Three 6 Mafia, Young Buck, Jaime Kennedy & Stu Stone, Young Dro, Jessi Malay and producer, Aqua (Jay-Z). In addition, Scrappy will appear in a variety of skits that give viewers a glimpse of his everyday life, such as watch him hold a cognac tasting with Lil Jon, go on a food run with his boys, and sneak into the master tape vault at a secret location.
Disturbing Tha Peace Records R&B Superstar, Bobby Valentino has adopted 15 senior citizens and their families in his hometown of Atlanta, GA. On December 1st, Valentino personally delivered vegetable baskets and a truckload of turkeys to the select families at the Harriet E. Darnell Multi-Purpose Center.
The 15 families chosen are senior community gardeners from the Atlanta Urban Gardening Program (AUGP), led by Valentino’s father, Bobby Wilson in partnership with the University of Georgia Extension Service. As a young kid, Valentino volunteered his time to the AUGP where he taught the youth and senior citizens how grow fresh vegetables, clean vacant lots for garden sites and help build self-esteem. Valentino has often related in interviews his continuous efforts as a young man to donate his time to senior citizens as a result of the difference the program makes in so many families’ lives.
Gospel superstar Kirk Franklin will play himself in an autobiographical feature he's producing called Church Boy. The Lionsgate project follows the singer from his abandonment by a young mother to his direction of a Texas choir at age 11, a teenage dive into sex and drugs and his ultimate redemption and success.
Diplomat Records President Freekey Zekeyy has signed a deal with Asylum Records for his solo debut, Book Of Ezekiel. The deal came about after a meeting with Asylum Executives Todd Moscowitz and Joie "Joey I.E." Manda and Diplomat CEO Cam'ron and is reportedly in the multi-million dollar range.
The Urban Music Awards is set to launch in the USA at the Hammerstein Ballroom, New York on the 7th of July 2007. The US is the heart of Urban Music worldwide and the awards ceremony which is set to be launched in 2007 in New York will celebrate the achievement of US urban based artists, producers, club nights, DJs, radio stations, record labels and artist within the current vibrant R&B, HipHop, Neo Soul, Jazz, and Crunk, music scene.
JAMIE FOXX featuring Fantasia tour dates
December 29, 2006 Sacramento, CA Arco Arena
December 31, 2006 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena
January 6, 2007 Chicago, IL AllState Arena
January 22, 2007 New York, NY Madison Square Garden
February 16, 2007 Las Vegas, NV Aladdin Theater
The self-titled full-length CD from The Pack is due for release on the 19th of December. The debut album featuring Too $hort, Keak da Sneak, Mr. F.A.B., Jody Breeze of Boyz N Da Hood, and The Team, on Too $hort’s new Up All Nite Music label look destined to take the hip-hop nation by storm and further elevate the Bay Area’s ‘hyphy’ movement firmly into the national spotlight.
Sydney’s Lordz of the Fly hit the road for the launch of their brilliant debut album SYMPTOMATIC. Lordz of the Fly combines the divine and lush vocals of the beautiful Rudy Jackson, along with the rhythmic skills and brilliant story telling capabilities of MC Big Buxx. What it creates is international hip hop sensibilities with a distinct and unique Australian flavour.
TOUR DATES
Thursday December 7th - Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
Friday December 8th – Sydney Launch; Hermanns Bar, Sydney University
Friday December 15th – The Nash, Geelong
Friday December 22nd – Rise Above Festival, Kuala Lumpur
Saturday December 23rd – Mona Vale Hotel, Sydney
Sunday December 31st – Peats Ridge Festival, Glenworth Valley
Friday January 19th 2007 – Nimbin Hotel, Nimbin
