Hierocast Episode IV: Hidden Gems

Domino Sheds New Light On Hiero's Slept-On and Underrated Tracks



(Brooklyn, NY- February 28, 2006) Hiero Imperium CEO and producer
extraordinaire Domino hosts the latest edition of the Hieroglyphics'
Podcast. Domino takes listeners on a tour of tracks that he feels have been
overlooked and merit another listen. The 6 tracks span a decade and feature
Hiero stalwarts Opio, Pep Love, O.C., Encore, Casual, and the Hieroglyphics.

For those unfamiliar with the Hierocast, the format is much more
"behind-the-music" than frenzied mixtape. Domino's commentary gives the
songs context that listeners can't get anywhere else by providing the
background stories and underlying concepts of the tracks. Speaking about the
Hieroglyphics' track "Shout It Out", Domino explains, " The vibe of this
song is what Hieroglyphics is all about. It was originally recorded for the
Full Circle album, but didn't make the album. Now when I listen to it I
wonder why it didn't make it. " Domino introduces O.C.'s track "Emotions"
by saying, " One of the things I respect O.C. for is that he has always been
able to make songs that have depth and are reflective. O.C. is a true
lyricist."

Hiero Imperium Records is an artist owned and run label based in Oakland,
California. Hiero's artists have sold over 1 million units and the label was
one of the first record companies (indie or major) to embrace technology as
a new way to connect with fans and disseminate music.







Track listing:

Opio featuring Planet Asia - "Grassy Knoll" from the album Triangulation
Station

Hieroglyphics - "Shout It Out" from the Full Circle Tour DVD

O.C. - "Emotions" from the album Smoke and Mirrors

Encore - "The Schizm" from the album Layover

Hieroglyphics featuring Pep Love - "After Dark" from the album Third Eye
Vision

Casual - "Styles" from the album Casual Presents: Smash Rockwell







The podcast can be downloaded from the following sources:

iTunes Podcast subscription link: Click Here

Link to MP3 version: Click Here

Link to Enhanced version: (Requires iTunes) Click Here

Ice-Cube (Black and White Series) Race Card Video

Jaheim finds third-time charm with "Classics"

By Geoff Mayfield

The third set from Jaheim strikes the right note, as "Ghetto Classics" becomes the R&B singer's first No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

This also marks his first No. 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and, with 152,000 copies sold at the overall Nielsen SoundScan panel, his best sales week.

First album "Ghetto Love" owned his prior R&B/hip-hop chart peak (No. 2 in 2001), but his second set, "Still Ghetto," held his best prior marks on the big chart and on Nielsen SoundScan's scoreboard: It hit No. 8 in 2002, selling 111,000 copies in its first week.

The New Jersey native engaged in a busy release-week schedule, appearing on multiple radio stations and at numerous stores in the New York metro area.

Jaheim's appearances on "Soul Train" and BET's "106 & Park," a commercial buy in major markets during an episode of UPN's "Girlfriends" and the use of one of his songs in a Verizon commercial touting the cellular service's VCast platform helped raise the singer's national visibility.

That exposure makes up for an iffy radio picture. Lead track "Everytime I Think About Her" peaked at No. 36 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, while "The Chosen One" bows at No. 67.

Reuters/Billboard

Recording Of Argument At Busta Rhymes Video Set Surfaces

Tape is reportedly being shopped to media for $50,000; label says it plans to release video in March.



The controversy surrounding the investigation of the tragic shooting that took place during the filming of a Busta Rhymes video took a new turn Friday when New York's Daily News reported that an audio recording of the altercation that led up to the shooting has surfaced.

On February 5, a member of Rhymes' security, Israel Ramirez, was shot and killed outside the Brooklyn, New York, studio where the video was being filmed. According to police, an argument erupted outside of Greenpoint Studios and Ramirez was shot during the fracas. Police have not named any suspects but have said publicly that they want to speak with Rhymes and also G-Unit member Tony Yayo (see "Police Want To Question Busta Rhymes About Fatal Shooting At Video Set"), who sources said was involved in a verbal altercation with Swizz Beatz and members of the Ruff Ryders camp during the filming of the clip. Both Rhymes and Yayo have refused to talk with police about the incident (see "Tony Yayo Won't Speak To Police About Shooting On Busta Video Set, Lawyer Says" and "Busta Rhymes Issues Statement On Bodyguard Shooting").

On Friday (February 24), the Daily News cited an unnamed source who is said to possess an audio recording of the argument that took place on the set, in which Yayo was apparently involved.

According to the paper, a source familiar with the recording believes the fight erupted when members of G-Unit were excluded from appearing in the video, adding that Rhymes seemed to be attempting to defuse the situation. The voice of a third man, whose identity is not clear, is believed to be the shooter. That man is heard calling another man, apparently Rhymes, a "bitch."

The shooting, which took place outside the studio, is not audible on the recording, but the aftermath is. "You can hear screaming and the chaos and the 911 call," the source told the Daily News.

The recording is reportedly being shopped to media outlets with a price tag of $50,000, and has not yet been provided to police or attorneys.

"I hope the person who has this tape or video would cooperate with authorities, especially if it provides evidence in this case," Jerry Schmetterer, spokesperson for the Brooklyn district attorney, told the Daily News. A spokesperson for the New York Police Department said, "It's totally irresponsible of this person to withhold what could be a vital piece of evidence in an active homicide investigation."

NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly has harshly criticized witnesses of the shooting for not coming forward.

Despite the controversy, Busta's label, Interscope, still plans to release the video for the remix of "Touch It." It has already been submitted to video outlets and could begin airing as soon as the beginning of March.

The video begins with Busta and Flipmode member Spliff Starr battling an all-female group of teenage steppers. From there, the video segues into Busta dancing and performing with all six of the guest performers with whom he recorded remixes of "Touch It": Mary J. Blige and her rapping alter-ego Brook, Rah Digga, Missy Elliott, Lloyd Banks, Papoose and DMX. (Elements of the three separate remixes of the song have been edited together for the video.) Each performer is wearing an outfit that matches the color of the set on which they're performing. Other guests in the video also include boxers Winky Wright and Felix Trinidad, reggae singer Sean Paul and DJ Kay Slay.

For his part, Rhymes released two new mixtapes this week, both of which include spoken messages in which he promises to honor Ramirez's memory, as well as that of recently deceased producer Jay Dee, a.k.a. J Dilla (see "Jay Dee — Producer For Common, Busta And Tribe — Dies").

"Before we get into what we about to do, I just want to set it off by saying from this day moving forward, every single thing that I do will be in the loving memory of my n---a Izzy and my n---a J Dilla," Rhymes says at the beginning of The Crown. "Until we meet again, my n---as, rest in peace. Love y'all. Salute."

— Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Jem Aswad (MTV News)

Dead prez's M-1 To Tour With Ghostface To Promote Debut Solo Album

(Brooklyn, NY February 22, 2006) One of hip-hop's rising stars and one of its most legendary figures are teaming up to take the country by storm. M-1 (of the group dead prez) will be joining Ghostface of the Wu-Tang Clan for the "Fishscale Tour."



M-1 burst into the public consciousness with the 2000 dead prez release Lets Get Free, a socially aware, politically driven masterpiece that was equally indebted to Malcolm X and Public Enemy. M-1's solo debut, Confidential, which features appearances by Q-Tip, K'naan, Cassandra Wilson, and a cut with dead prez cohort Sticman, will be released March 21st through Sotti/Koch records.



Ghostface is a founding member of the Wu-Tang clan and is considered one of rap's most revered solo artists. His 1999 album Supreme Clientele was named one of the "Top 10 Albums of All Time" by VIBE Magazine. His upcoming album Fishscale will be released on March 28th.



March 5 - Millvale, PA - Mr. Smalls

March 6 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues

March 7 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's Hall

March 9 - Indianapolis, IN - The Vogue

March 10 - Chicago, IL - House of Blues

March 12 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue

March 13 - Omaha, NE - Sokol Underground

March 14 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater

March 15 - Fort Collins, CO - Aggie Theater

March 17 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theater

March 18 - Park City, UT - Suede

March 19 - Boise, ID - Big Easy Concert

March 21 - Seattle, WA - Showbox

March 22 - Portland, OR - Berbatti's

March 24 - San Francisco, CA - Mezzanine

March 25 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst

March 26 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues

March 27 - Los Angeles, CA - House of Blues

March 28 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues

March 29 - Tempe, AZ - Clubhouse

March 31 - Austin, TX - Emo's

April 1 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live

April 6 - Atlanta, GA - Cat's Cradle

April 8 - Asheville, NC - Orange Peel

April 9 - Charlottesville, VA - Starr Hill Music Club

April 10 - Washington DC - 930 Club

April 11 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar

April 12 - New York, NY - BB King's

April 18 - Providence, RI - Lupo's

April 19 - Burlington, VT - Higher Ground

April 20 - New Haven, CT - Toad's Place



M-1's MySpace Page

Video for "Till We Get There" feat K'naan

G-Unit and Roc-A-Fella hooking up for a 'keep hope alive' concert

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

The G-Unit and the Roc-A-Fella Records crew toured together on 2003's Roc The Mic tour, and it appears the two camps are still getting along. SOHH.com reports that G-Unit artists Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo will join Roc-A-Fella recording artists Memphis Bleek, Young Gunz, Freeway, and Teairra Marie at the Keep Hope Alive concert on March 3rd at the DCUCenter in Worcester, Massachusetts.

In addition to the concert, the G-Unit and Roc-A-Fella will also be working together on Freeway's forthcoming album, Free At Last. Jay-Z and 50 Cent will co-executive-produce the project, which will be released on Roc-A-Fella Records.

Free At Last is slated to feature guest appearances by Kanye West, Mariah Carey, Beanie Sigel, Nate Dogg, and Black Thought.

Mc Eiht Inks New Deal with Koch

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Compton-based rapper MC Eiht recently signed a new distribution deal with Koch Records for his West Music Inc. label. The rapper said, "The label that I have the joint venture with this time is more professional than what was happening with my other independent projects. They don't hesitate to get things done."

The first release under the new deal will be a new album by MC Eiht titled Affiliated. The rapper explained the album's title: "I named it that because there are a lot of misconceptions in the street as far as West Coast music, namely, what we do as far as West Coast music, how we get down with it, and what we represent. A lot of my fans have been anticipating a new record from a true West Coast artist. I get a lot of e-mails asking me questions like, 'When are you going to come back and spit the real?', because there is all this fake-ism in the game out there right now."

The set's lead single is "Say Nothing/Comptons Back" featuring Compton's Most Wanted and King T.

MC Eiht's biggest hit to date is "Streiht Up Menace" from the soundtrack to Menace To Society, the Hughes Brothers-directed movie in which he also starred.

MC Eiht's best-selling album was his 1994 certified-gold debut We Come Strapped.

The rapper's last release was 2004's Veteran's Day.

Universal Zulu Nation Calls Emergency Meeting To Recapture Hip-hop

The Supreme World Council of the Universal Zulu Nation will hold an emergency meeting Feb. 22 to address what the group feels is an imbalance of Hip-Hop played on radio and TV stations.

Expected to appear at the meeting to support the Universal Zulu Nation and founder Afrika Bambataa include Hip-Hop activists Kevin Powell, Davey D, Rosa Clemente and April Silver; rapper KRS-One; the Temple of Hip-Hop, educator and filmmaker Martha Diaz; Public Enemy frontman Chuck D; photographer Ernie Paniccioli; Rock Steady Crew member Crazy Legs.

According to representatives for the Universal Zulu Nation, Bambaataa hopes steps will be taken to bring consciousness back to Hip-Hop.

"We are not saying to stop playing what you are playing on the air or showing on the TV, but to have balance and play it all, old-school to new-school to be true school," representatives for Bambaataa said in a statement.

The group hopes a plan of action will be devised to curtail "death and destruction playing on radio and TV music video shows."

The coalition of artists and activists hope to stop being scared to expose "record labels, radio stations, TV Hip-Hop shows or whatever shows that show us in a BS vision of just being pimps, playas, gangsters and hoes, straight up **removed racist word**, wiggers or any other derogatory words that they use and we use to call ourselves."

The emergency meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the National Black Theater, 125th Street and Fifth Ave. in New York City.

The Universal Zulu Nation was formed in the 1970's by Africa Bambaataa.

Red Cafe in Car Accident - No NBA All Star Performance

Due to a car accident suffered this past weekend in the record setting blizzard, Red Cafe will be unable to make it to NBA All Star Weekend in Houston, TX.

Red was released from Long island Hospital early toady and we had hoped that he would attend his All Star Weekend performances but doctors have advised against that.

Red Cafe would like to thank his fans & colleagues for their concern and wants everyone to learn from this and to "never drive in the snow unless it is absolutely necessary." (See pic of Red's totalled BMW 645 if you need any more motivation)





Red would like to thank all the DJ's from around the country and out of the USA who have been blasting off his new single: Jeep Shit ft Fabolous & Paul Wall and promises to keep the joints coming.

Mos Def In Court Over Child Support

Mos Def appeared in court after filing for divorce from his wife, Maria Yepes-Smith.

Mos Def, born Dante Smith, was ordered to pay $10,000 a month to support their 7- and 8-year-old daughters.

The rapper has paid roughly $8000 a month since the order was issued, but said obligations to his three other children and other business issues prevented him from making the court ordered payments.

Mos Def also argued that his payments should be reduced because Yepes-Smith reneged on an agreement to home school the children.

"I'm the only person who's providing for my children," Mos Def told Judge Sarah Krauss.

Yepes-Smith's lawyer Karen Blaustein cited a commercial for Mos Def's new movie 16 Blocks, which hits theaters next month and received major exposure thanks to an ad during Super Bowl XL.

"I've been seeing him in these commercials with Bruce Willis for his new movie," Blaustein told The New York Post after the hearing. "I'm sure he made enough money to pay his child support for his 7- and 8-year-old daughters

Nypd Commissioner Scolds Busta Rhymes

NYPD commissioner scolds Busta Rhymes
Rapper berated for allegedly withholding info about bodyguard's slaying

The Associated Press
Updated: 8:14 p.m. ET Feb. 15, 2006


NEW YORK - New York City's police commissioner berated rap star Busta Rhymes on Wednesday, accusing him of withholding information about the slaying of his bodyguard at a hip-hop video taping.

Commissioner Raymond Kelly complained at a news conference that the silence of several potential witnesses has stymied the investigation of the Brooklyn killing last week of Israel Ramirez. He saved his harshest remarks for the rapper.

Ramirez "worked for him," Kelly said. "I'd think he'd be knocking on the door. ... If your employee's murdered in front of you, you think you might want to talk to the police."

If the witnesses keep stonewalling, they could be forced to answer questions before a grand jury, Kelly said.

"I find it quite disturbing," the commissioner said. "This individual was shot in front of a lot of people."

The rapper's publicist declined to comment.

Rhymes attended a wake last week at a Manhattan funeral home for the 29-year-old Ramirez, who grew up in Harlem and left behind a wife and three young children

The rapper has not spoken publicly about the fatal shooting. But in a written statement, he said Ramirez "was not only security for me, but he was a friend, one of the rare friends that you come across that you can trust with your life."

Ramirez was gunned down Feb. 5th outside a star-studded gathering at a warehouse where a music video was being taped to accompany a remix of Rhymes' latest hit single. Along with Rhymes, Missy Elliot, Mary J. Blige, DMX and G-Unit members, including Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, were among those in attendance.

Police say the shooting may have stemmed from an argument between Yayo and a producer that began inside and spilled onto the street. They believe Ramirez, who was unarmed, was a bystander who may have intervened only to protect Rhymes.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

© 2006 MSNBC.com

The Bubba Sparxxx "Ms. New Booty" Contest - JOIN NOW!

Are you "Ms. New Booty"?
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-- Bubba


Click here to see the contest


check out the site

Abe Froman Showmen & Inhumanz DJ’s Blend...

Abe Froman Showmen & Inhumanz DJ’s Blend Underground and Commercial Hip-Hop On “Backpack Thugs 2005 Megamix”



LAS VEGAS, NV – As rising stars in Vegas’s burgeoning nightclub DJ scene, members of respective crews The Abe Froman Showmen and The Inhumanz pay tribute to the greatest hip-hop songs of 2005 with “Backpack Thugs 2005 Megamix”.









DJ Five (Abe Froman Showmen) and Pizzo (The Inhumanz), have come together to produce this mix CD, which bridges the gap between the best mainstream and underground hip-hop of ‘05. Taking songs from both sub-genres, each song on the CD is a blend (or mash-up) of an underground song with a commercial one. This unique mix not only showcases a new twist on last year’s fan favorites, but excellent deejay skills as well.



Kanye West’s “Golddigger” is re-imagined on a DJ Premier track (borrowed from AZ), while 50 Cent’s “Just A Little Bit” trades the so seductive sounds of Scott Storch for bluesy, lo-fi boom-bap on Atmosphere’s “Smart Went Crazy” track. On the flipside of things, Edan is found delivering his hip-hop history lesson from “Fumbling Over Words That Rhyme” over the beat from Ying Yang Twins’ “Wait”, while Little Brother “Play” on last year’s David Banner banger. Even cross-genre hip-hop is covered, as Mike Jones spits “Still Tippin” over Gorillaz “Feel Good Inc”, or M.I.A. and Blackalicious exchange beats for “Galang” and “My Pad and Pen”.



“The approach for the mix CD was to basically showcase everything we liked last year, but to do it in a different way,” says Pizzo. “We didn’t want to just give you ‘Lose Control’ or ‘Hollaback Girl’ all over again, because you’ve heard those songs too many times already. We wanted to also spotlight some of the best stuff you didn’t hear, but present it in a familiar way,” he added.



“We wanted to make the mix as smooth flowing as possible, so cats would be able to enjoy the CD from start to finish without having to skip to the next track,” says Five. “I threw in a few of my signature scratches and juggles, but without over killing the track,” he continued.



As an added bonus, Skillz tops off the disc with his “05 Wrap Up”, which looks back at the past year with humorous lyrical insight and commentary.



Tracklisting and credits for Backpack Thugs 2005 Megamix:



1. Common Dreams – Game Vs. Common
2. Corner Blueprint – Common Vs. Blueprint
3. No Cam – Buckshot Vs. Cam’Ron
4. Remember I Used To Love You – John Legend Vs. Fort Minor
5. We Want Preemo – Kanye West Vs. AZ & DJ Premier
6. Smart Went 50 – 50 Cent Vs. Atmosphere
7. Just A Lil’ Scenester – Cage Vs. 50 Cent
8. Joy Live – J-Live Vs. Missy Elliot
9. Play Some Little Brother – Little Brother Vs. David Banner
10. Fumbling Over Ying Yang – Edan Vs. Ying Yang Twinz
11. Wait For Meat – Ying Yang Twinz Vs. Danger Doom
12. Go Quasi – Common Vs. Quasimoto
13. Watch Out For 1 Thing – Atmosphere Vs. Amerie
14. Galangalicious – M.I.A. Vs. Blackalicious
15. Hollaback Vegas – Felt (Murs and Slug) Vs. Gwen Stefani
16. Random Shake – Lady Sovereign Vs. Ying Yang Twinz
17. Stay In Control – Three Six Mafia Vs. Missy Elliot
18. Tippin’ Feels Good – Mike Jones Vs. Gorillaz
19. The I’s Have It – T.I. Vs. Zion I
20. Hate All Or Love Together – GZA/Genius Vs. Game
21. Crazy Memorial Day – Perceptionists (Mr. Lif & Akrobatik) vs. Young Jeezy
22. BONUS TRACK: 05 Wrap Up – Skillz

The 'Stop Snitching' Campaign goes primetime on AMW

America's Most Wanted aired a segment on the 'Stop Snitching' Campaign.


Story originally on America's Most Wanted website.


From Louisville to Boston, there is a culture of intimidation and fear pervading crime-infested inner cities, and it's being perpetuated through an unlikely source: fashion. An increasingly popular slogan --"Stop Snitching"-- is being slapped across T-shirts everywhere, encouraging silence and reinforcing a cycle of violence.

Some in law enforcement suspect that the growing number of unsolved crimes is related to the increasing popularity of the "Stop Snitching" message. In October 2005, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that two different trials in the city were interrupted by witnesses wearing "Stop Snitching" shirts. But the proprietors of the message have not stopped with T-shirts. They've taken their mantra to the Web, recorded threats on video and even made CDs and it's all for sale from Pittsburgh to Baltimore.


"That's why the 'Stop Snitching' thing has been so effective, because it literally scared people from going into court."


Speaking Out Against Silence

Although the "Stop Snitching" message has been spreading since 1998, law enforcement and victims' families are speaking out against the harmful slogan and urging witnesses to come forward to help make their communities safer.

AMW Senior Correspondent Tom Morris traveled to Kansas City, Mo. in January 2006 and explained during a radio interview just how harmful the message can be in communities already riddled with crime. Kansas City itself is a place where about 40% of all homicides in 2005 were still unsolved.

"In the twelve years that I've been with the show, I've seen a significant rise in unsolved cases that come to us," Morris told a HOT-103 DJ during the interview. "I think part of that is because of this culture of, 'Don't tell; let it ride.'"

In New Bedford, Mass, Phyllis Lopes is also taking a stand against "Stop Snitching." Her grandson Cecil Lopes, was killed on Halloween night in 2004, and even though there were people out trick-or-treating, no one has come forward as a witness. In response, Lopes has started her own T-shirt campaign with the slogans, "Keep It Real, Talk About It," "Speak Up, Speak Out," and "Stand."





Keep On Talking

Boston police are hoping that "Stop Snitching" won't interfere with another investigation they are pursuing in the murders of four young men in December 2005. John Walsh and AMW held a press conference with Boston police on Feb. 1, 2006 to discuss growing violence in the city and to encourage people to come forward if they witness a crime.

In Baltimore, police are speaking out against "Stop Snitching" in a unique way. After cuffing several of the thugs who created an underground "Stop Snitching" video, the Baltimore PD released their own video called, "Keep on Talking; We're Listening."

With these efforts and the continued work of victims' relatives, like Phyllis Lopes, witnesses who may be able to help solve crimes will be able to do so safely and without fear of retribution.

AMW Senior Correspondent Tom Morris joins community activist Alonzo Washington on HOT103 in Kansas City to discuss the "Stop Snitching" phenomenon in inner cities throughout the country. Watch the Video!

Kanye West Says Grammy Loss Was Motivation, Still Believes He Deserved It

Although Kanye West swept the rap category in Wednesday evening's Grammy Awards, backstage he openly addressed his loss of Album of the Year to U2.

During his press interviews, 'Ye held up a large typewritten sign reading "I TOLD YOU SO," that he hadn't been able to use during the show because U2 picked up the award he believed would be his.

"It's all good," Kanye told reporters, "U2, those are my boys. I didn't think it was going to happen because of vote splitting." West was referring to how he and Mariah Carey, who was also nominated for Album of the Year , may have split the votes for urban music fans within the Recording Academy. "I didn't win it by a technicality, not because I didn't deserve it. Even [U2 lead singer] Bono was like 'Come on.' Everybody knows it."

West, who has previously toured with U2 and will visit Europe and Australia with them later this year, spoke highly of Bono after the Grammys. "He has taught me a lot about carrying the fame with grace."

Admittedly, Kanye did appear more humble after the awards, considering that since the release of Late Registration last August, he has been on a campaign for a certain Grammy, even going so far as to say, " If I don't win Album of the Year, I'm gonna have a problem with that."

But Wednesday West attempted to downplay the award and turn the focus toward his jaw-dropping Grammy performance, telling the press, "I would have been more disappointed if I didn't have a good performance and I had won Album of the Year. The performance, that's what it's about, the entertainment and people having a good time. I just want to see the black colleges right now. I just want to go onto MySpace right now and see what people are saying.

Kanye also said he would use the Album of the Year loss as motivation to get back into the studio to work on his next album.

"Now it gives me another goal to go and work on Graduation and show them 'Yo, I really deserve this album of the year,'" he said. "I'm gonna keep on delivering albums of the year that are so undeniable to the point where you finally let a rapper come up and accept this award."

New 50 Cent Movie (w/ Samuel L. Jackson)

Jessica Biel, Christina Ricci and Curtis "50 Cent" Johnson are joining Samuel L. Jackson and Brian Presley in director Irwin Winkler's Iraqi wartime drama Home of the Brave for Winkler's production company and Emmett/Furla Films.

The story, from a screenplay by Mark Friedman, revolves around three soldiers who struggle to readjust to normal life after returning home from a lengthy tour in Iraq. Jackson will play a doctor who tries to resume his routine, only to find himself unraveling.

Financed by Avi Lerner's Millennium Films and Emmett/Furla, the independent film is budgeted at $12 million. Winkler will begin shooting next month in Morocco. Production will then move to Spokane, Wash.

Young Jeezy Protege Allegedly Shot

A man believed to be Atlanta rapper Slick Pulla, an artist of Young Jeezy's CTE imprint, was shot during an altercation near a local industry hotspot earlier this evening. Sources tell AtlantaUrbanMix.com that the shooting happened when an altercation between the USDA group member and an unidentified man escalated. Though police sources would not release the name of the victim in this incident, they confirm that he was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where he arrived in stable condition.

Jay Dee — Dies

Jay Dee, a.k.a. J Dilla, the Detroit producer and rapper revered by his peers for his work with A Tribe Called Quest, Slum Village and Common, died Friday (February 10). He was 32.

Tim Maynor, Jay's manager since 1999, said he died Friday morning in Los Angeles, but he had no details on the cause of death. Dee, born James Yancey, had been battling kidney problems in recent years, but Maynor believed he had recovered.


"He was the best ever, and very underappreciated," Maynor said. "Dilla was very reserved, quiet, all he wanted to do was make beats, make music. It wasn't about the glitz and glory. He wasn't doing it for the spotlight at all. He's a dinosaur who will be missed."

"I am devastated at the world's loss of a musical genius of Charlie Parker proportions," Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots said. "Too often we bestow the 'greatest' title upon those who have the attention of the press and the charts and radio. But if you were to secretly ask the most praised hip-hop producers, if given a top three, who they fear the most, Dilla's name would chart on everyone's list, hands down. I am fortunate to have known this man. He inspires me to perfect my craft in every way. Dilla was and will always be my hero."

"Me and Jay Dee were very, very, very, very good friends," said D12's Proof, who got his first tattoo with Jay Dee, an "FC" for Funky Cowboy, their pre-Slum Village/ D12 group. "He produced my first demo. As a producer, he is one of the most influential producers ever, even up to Kanye West or Just Blaze. Jay Dee had a signature sound that a lot of people were influenced by. People will never understand his genius. It's a shame that he didn't get the light of a Dr. Dre or Timbaland or Neptunes, but he took more of a jazz-musician approach to the whole game. He was truly a mastermind."

As J Dilla, the rapper released an album titled Donuts just Tuesday and was scheduled to release another one, The Shining, in April. Maynor said he was also two tracks away from finishing a third release for 2006. "He never stopped working," he said.

In December, Jay toured Europe performing in a wheelchair, due to problems with his knees, Maynor said. When his manager suggested he postpone the trek, the producer said it was something he had to do. "Maybe he knew something we didn't," Maynor said.

Jay came to prominence in the mid-'90s producing tracks for the likes of Common, D'Angelo, De La Soul, Pharcyde and Busta Rhymes, as well as working as part of Tribe's production team, the Ummah, and in his own group, Slum Village.

"He was a trendsetter, the soul sound [in hip-hop] is really Jay Dee," RJ Rice, founder of Slum's label, Barak Records, said. "I don't know if he'll ever get credit for it or not, most people just copied him."

Jay was born and raised in the Conant Gardens neighborhood of Detroit, attending Pershing High School with his eventual Slum Village mates Baatin and T3.

"I'm f---ed up, my n---a just passed away," T3 wrote on his MySpace page Friday.

After recording 1996's underground Fantastic, Vol. 1, Slum Village signed to GoodVibe Recordings and released 2000's Fantastic, Vol. 2. After releasing Best Kept Secret under the alias J-88 the following year, the group returned in 2002 with Trinity (Past, Present and Future) featuring Jay in a limited role.

Dee left the group that year and released Welcome 2 Detroit, kicking off U.K. indie label BBE Music's "Beat Generation" series. He also formed a group with Madlib called Jaylib and released Champion Sound in 2003.

He spent 2004 working on a variety of albums, including Common's Be, as well as his underground instrumental "beat tapes," but also spent some of the year hospitalized.

"What happened was that the doctor told me that I'd ruptured my kidney from being too busy and being stressed out and not eating right," Dee told Urb magazine in 2004. "He told me that if I'd waited another day, I might not have made it."

"Sometimes that fixation can be a good thing and sometimes it can be bad. There'd be days when I wouldn't eat at all because I'd be in the basement working all day," he said in the interview. "This is definitely my second chance, my wakeup call. I still love the music, but I wouldn't put it first in my life. It's family first, and then everything else."

Proof said Jay always told him he was feeling fine, but the close friends seemed to only talk on the phone in recent years. "It didn't hit me until today, but I think he just didn't want his friends to see him in that light," Proof said. "He wanted us to remember him how it was."

[This story was originally published on 02.10.06 at 7:04 PM ET]

— Corey Moss
MTV News

JAY-Z STILL FLIRTING WITH THE IDEA OF COMING OUT OF RETIREMENT

By: Yves Erwin Salomon

Jay-Z is supposed to be retired and focusing his energy on running Def Jam Records, but he seems to be itching to get back in the studio. The rapper, who won a Grammy Award this week for his "Numb/Encore" collaboration with Linkin Park, is allegedly working on a new album with Dr. Dre, which he hopes to release this summer. A music business insider told the New York Post's Page Six, "The big gossip of the Grammys is about Jay-Z. After saying he was going to retire when he became president of Def Jam so he wouldn't compete with other artists on his label, he has a record coming out in June. To make matters worse, Dr. Dre is producing the record, which is huge because Dre hasn't produced an album in years."

The insider added, "Dre is on rival label Interscope, and while Def Jam and Interscope are both under the Universal umbrella, people have their noses out of joint. This album will be huge. But first of all, Jay is not using a Def Jam producer, and second of all, he will be competing with his own artists. Not cool. His ego is so big he can't not release an album. He is a president of a label and should not be doing this."

The insider might be right about Jay-Z coming out of retirement, but they're wrong when it comes to how busy Dr. Dre has been. The super-producer is still working on his own new album, Detox, as well as the Game's new one, Doctor's Advocate.

This Day In Black History 2/10/06

Originally Posted on Late Nite Noise


TODAY IN BLACK HISTORY


1927 - Internationally acclaimed opera singer Leontyne Price is born in Jackson, Mississippi. She debuts at New York City's Metropolitan Opera House in "Il Trovatore".

1939 - Singer Roberta Flack, noted for her hit songs "The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face" and "Killing Me Softly With His Song", is born in Asheville, NC.

1989 - Ronald H. Brown is elected Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He becomes the first Black to chair a national political party.

1992 - Pulitzer Prize winner Alex Haley, author of "Roots", the saga of an American family, dies in Seattle, WA.


LNN HISTORICAL BLACK FIGURE



EDMONIA LEWIS

(born July 4, 1845, Greenbush, New York, U.S.; died after 1909) Mary Edmonia Lewis was an American sculptor whose Neoclassical works exploring religious and classical themes won contemporary praise and received renewed interest in the late 20th century.

Lewis was the daughter of a Black man and a woman of African and Ojibwa (Chippewa) descent. By age four she was an orphan. She then lived with her maternal aunts among the Ojibwa, who called her Wildfire. With the help of an older brother, she obtained admission to the preparatory department of Oberlin College in 1859, and from 1860 to 1862 she attended the college proper.

Lewis thrived at Oberlin, excelling particularly at drawing, but she left in 1863 after having been accused both of theft and of poisoning two of her classmates. A mob beat her severely before her trial for accusations of poisoning; she was later acquitted, with the help of lawyer John Mercer Langston. Again with her brother's support, she made her way to Boston, where abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison introduced her to a local sculptor from whom she received a few lessons in modeling.

Lewis's first work seen publicly was a medallion, advertised for sale early in 1864, that featured the head of militant abolitionist John Brown. Later in the year her bust of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw (a Boston hero who had been killed leading his Black troops in the attack on Fort Wagner, part of the assault on Charleston, South Carolina) was widely praised. Sales of copies of the bust allowed her to sail in 1865 to Rome, where Charlotte Cushman, Harriet Hosmer, and other members of the American art community took her under their wing. Lewis mastered working in marble and refused to hire Italian stone carvers to transfer her plaster models to marble, in order to quell any question that the work was her own.

Lewis quickly achieved success as a sculptor. Inspired by the Emancipation Proclamation, she carved The Freed Woman and Her Child (1866) and Forever Free (1867). She subsequently turned to Native American themes and created The Marriage of Hiawatha (c. 1868) and The Old Arrow Maker and His Daughter (1872),