| UGHH News: March, 2005 |  |  | Found: 9
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| It's The Main Season To Flow | 3/31/05 |
|  | By: Food Stamp
We're used to seeing 7L teamed up with his rhyming partner Esoteric, which has been a combative forced in the last decade, but, as any artist should, 7L is expanding. As we speak, 7L and Ohio's Main Flow have already banged out 10 cuts for Flow's new LP Flow Season. After his recording stay in Beantown, Flow headed back to the Nat and is finishing up the rest of the album there, but while he was in the Bean he did lay a cut down with Eso. Other possible guest emcees include Planet Asia and Talib Kweli. Besides Flow Season, Main Flow is currently bangin' out cuts for the new Mood album as well as burning up joints for other unnamed producers. "This shit is just coming out so hot," said 7L. "We did one joint on the spot, like I was loading up a beat and I loaded in the wrong one, he was just feeling it, and we knocked out a song right there on the fly. So we are both pleased." Keep it locked to UGHH.com for further information. | | | | Subscribe RSS |
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| Hip-Hop To Be Big Mac Attack Strategy | 3/31/05 |
|  | By: VanStylez
Just when we thought the line between artistic expression and corporate advertising couldn't become more blurred by brand laden mainstream hip-hop, McDonald's has hired Maven Strategies to bribe artists to reference the Big Mac in their songs. McDonald's is offering artists $1-5 each time their song citing the Big Mac is played on the radio. This pay-per-play marketing strategy will work out great for McDonald's since according to CEO of Maven Strategies, Tony Rome, "If an artist isn't able to deliver [a hit], there's no out-of-pocket cost to the client." While Rome told magazine Advertising Age that artists will be allowed to choose how they reference the oversized patty, he also admitted that McDonald's will have the final say on the content of the song with the name check. According to Rome, the reason for McDonald's interest in becoming affiliated with rap music is that "Hip-hop's endorsement of different brands gives them a cool factor and representation among the youth." It makes my liver quiver to think of all the budding alcoholics nodding their heads to Petey Pablo's shout out to Seagram's Gin on "Freak-A-Leek" which according to the Billboard Top 50 hip-hop songs of 2004, was the number 2 song of the year, and received over 350,000 spins on the radio.
If it isn't enough that we've got over-priced, yet outsourced, brand name clothing and hard liquor being marketed through hip-hop, now we've got Mickey-D's using the cultural medium to market their biggest artery-clogger to the genre's predominantly youth audience. What makes this even more disturbing is that the majority of us aren't going to realize that our favorite rapper may not even be into the Big "heart-attack" Mac. Ludacris could be a vegetarian, but if he's boasting about taking the baddest b*tch on the block out for a Big Mac, I guarantee we'll see G'd up junior high kids swapping their Jesus pieces for golden arches, before rolling up to the drive-through to get some grub.
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| C-Murder: No Pens In The Pen (Another Classic Installment) | 3/31/05 |
|  | By: VanStylez
The C-Murder saga began in September ‘03 after the rapper was convicted of second-degree murder for the 2002 shooting of a 16-year-old inside a Harvey, Louisiana nightclub. What began on a somber note for everyone involved, including mainstream rap culture as a whole, has evolved into a ridiculously amusing game of cat and mouse. At first, C-Murder's lawyer, Ron Rakosky, was successful in smuggling both a music video and an entire album of C-Murder's out of the pen. Sheriff's attorney, Ken Fonte, pulled a check-mate however, when he recently announced that the defense attorney will only be allowed to use pencils from now on. Apparently even the hollowed out innards of a pen are considered fair game for C-Murder's crafty lawyer to smuggle lyrics to the outside. Meanwhile, a pen-less Rakosky has asked the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider their March 10th decision to uphold C-Murder's conviction. | | | | Subscribe RSS |
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| Mixtape Awards Reveal Who Rules The Streets | 3/17/05 |
|  | By: VanStylez
Justo Faison's 9th Annual Mixtape Awards ceremony was held last Wednesday at B.B. King's Blues Club, Bar & Grill in midtown Manhattan. Hosted by Rap City's Mad Linx, this invitation only event featured performances by Common and Rah Digga, along with Shady/Aftermath newbie Status Quo. Green Lantern was the biggest winner of the night, seizing the awards for "Best Mixtape DJ," and "Best Mixtape Producer." He and Big Mike then took home another two awards for "Best Mixtape Duo" and "Best Mixtape of the Year" for their Jadakiss compilation The Champ Is Here. Jadakiss was undoubtedly snickering to himself when he then received the award for "Mixtape Artist of the Year" over current rivals 50 Cent and Lloyd Banks, who had won the award the last two years in a row. The Game, who earlier in the day had made charitable donations at the Schomburg Center For Research in Black Culture in Harlem, while also squashing his beef with label-mate 50 Cent, was a presenter, but was met with little enthusiasm by the primarily east-coast crowd.
Although he was scheduled to host Power 105.1's Biggie Tribute, P. Diddy surprised the crowd when he stopped by to accept his Mixtape Top Executive & Lifetime Achievement Award, the first of its kind to be handed out since the award ceremony was launched in 1995. Although it seems strange that this award went to an artist/label-owner whose career seems to have been in the decline for the past few years, Faison told MTV, "I don't know another executive that even deserves this award. His whole basis of his record label is based on mixtapes, and he saw the vision 12 years ago in the mixtape game, on how mixtapes were being made and how [DJ] Ron G was mixing R&B and hip-hop beats. He really saw something in mixtapes. He didn't invent the remix, but he brought it to the world. He took it from the streets and brought it to the public."
Unable to attend the ceremony, Russell Simmons presented via a prerecorded video the "Mixtape Legends Award" to Lovebug Starski who used the opportunity to ask artists and deejays to stop the violence in hip-hop and start showing love to one-another. It seems that the industry temporarily took these words to heart, and although police presence was in full-force outside the venue, the event remained without incident. Other award-winners included Kay Slay for "Best Personality on a Mixtape," Papoose for "Best Underground Artist on a Mixtape," J-Love for "Best Underground Mixtape DJ," Lazy-K for "Best Female Mixtape DJ of the Year," DJ Radio for "Rookie of the Year," DJ Ron C for "Best Dirty South DJ," Sweet-Sweepers for "Best Mixtape Team," Greg Street for "The DJ Pinkhouse Award," Smooth Denali for "The DJ Threat Award," Smack for "Best DVD Magazine," Ron G. for "The Red Alert Award," Bump J for "Best Mid-West Mixtape Artist," DJ G-Spot for "Mid-West DJ of the Year." and DJ Warrior for "West Coast DJ of the Year."
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| Step Into The Arena: Jadakiss Beckons 50 Cent To Put Up His Piggy Bank | 3/15/05 |
|  | By: VanStylez
Everybody knows beef is an easy way to sell albums. Serious hip-hop fans understand that the true test of an emcee's skill however, lies in his freestyle abilities. Maybe that's why Jadakiss told Washington D.C. based Ave Entertainment, that "I challenge 50 (to battle) for a Million Dollars cash on Pay Per View in Vegas." Not leaving room for any excuses on 50's part, Jada reiterated his proposal saying, "The judges can be Jay-Z, Dre. Whoever he wants can be the judges…Anywhere, we can do it in Nigeria if he wants to." While it's clear that 50 Cent knows how to translate his thug image into high album sales, Jada, who is known for his complex lyrical delivery, seems to be set on not only burying 50 in the ring, but also profiting off the beef. While the immediate response to the derogatory versus aimed at him in 50 Cent's "Piggy Bank" have been released on the internet as the song "Animal" the official retaliation will be in the form of the full length "Shots Fired" on the upcoming Styles P album Time is Money. While Fat Joe, Nas, Ja Rule and Shyne were also attacked on "Piggy Bank," Jadakiss is by far the most intent on profiting off the beef and revealed an upcoming F*ck 50 Volume 1 mixtape, along with a F*ck 50 tour. Jada says he also plans to begin work on a new album, which he told the Ave will be titled Kiss My Ass. | | | | Subscribe RSS |
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| In Memory Of Mass Appeal Co-Founder & Publisher Patrick Elasik | 3/15/05 |
|  | By: VanStylez
While the hip-hop community was reminiscing over The Notorious B.I.G. on the 8th anniversary of his death last Wednesday, Mass Appeal Magazine co-founder and publisher, Patrick Elasik died. According to reports, Elasik, 26, had just left a friends birthday party when he entered a subway station in Greenpoint, Brooklyn from the wrong side, attempted crossing the tracks rather than leaving and re-entering, and was electrocuted by the highly charged third rail. Published bi-monthly, Mass Appeal is one of only a few urban magazines to keep the lines of communication open between fans and artists in both the mainstream and underground hip-hop community. Magazines like Mass Appeal are especially important since if left to depend solely upon XXL and The Source for our news, we'd know very little about what's going on in the industry and would risk forgetting that a lot more than designer clothing and lengthy rap sheets comprise hip-hop culture. We at UGHH.com wish Elasik's coworkers, friends, and family the best in coping with this tragedy. | | | | Subscribe RSS |
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| C-Murder Denied New Trial | 3/15/05 |
|  | By: VanStylez
In September 2003, C-Murder a.k.a. Corey Miller was convicted of second degree murder for shooting a 16-year-old to death after the teenager snuck inside a Harvey, Louisiana night club and began arguing with Miller in January of 2002. Judge Martha Sassone approved a new trial in 2004, after discovering that the prosecution had not revealed that some of its witnesses had prior criminal records. Unfortunately for Miller, last Thursday, two other judges on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed with Sassone's ruling and cited "an abundance of other evidence which fully establishes Miller's guilt," as reason for dismissing the appeal. While Miller is currently facing a mandatory life sentence, his attorney is planning to appeal the decision to either the same court or the Louisiana Supreme Court. Miller was recently the center of controversy after he recorded both a music video and new album from inside the penitentiary. Miller was able to record acapellas for his new album on a recording device provided by his lawyer during their sessions. Miller's new album The Truest Sh*t I Ever Said, is scheduled to be released on March 22nd. Whether or not Miller is actually guilty of murder, I don't suppose his upcoming release will feature him focusing on ways to uplift the youth so that they don't find themselves facing an equally bleak future behind bars. | | | | Subscribe RSS |
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| FBI Closes Investigation Of The Murder Of The Notorious B.I.G. | 3/15/05 |
|  | By: VanStylez
Two days after the 8th anniversary of the death of The Notorious B.I.G., the Los Angeles Times published a report Friday that the FBI has officially ended its investigation into the legendary rapper's death. Despite Biggie being shot in front of hundreds of people after leaving a 1997 Vibe Music Awards after-party at the Peterson Auto Museum, the FBI has been unable to ever identify a shooter. Just recently, Officer Philip J. Carson spent 18 months following a theory proposed by since retired detective Russell Poole, that corrupt former Los Angeles police officer David Mack, and infamous Tha Row (formerly Death Row) Records' President Marion "Suge" Night, conspired to have Biggie killed. While this line of investigation had been discontinued in the past after supposedly conflicting information had been gathered, court documents show that the investigation was reopened by Carson in 2003, after he was inspired by a television special in which Poole reiterated his theory. According to the Times article, the FBI closed this investigation again in January, after learning that Carson had been involved in discussions with a lawyer for Biggie's mother, Voletta Wallace. Ms. Wallace has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles on charges that the LAPD covered up police involvement in the murder of her son. The trial will be held in a Los Angeles Federal Court on April 12. | | | | Subscribe RSS |
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| 50 Cent vs. The Game: The Publicity Stunt & The Aftermath | 3/15/05 |
|  | By: VanStylez
All eyes are on hip-hop these days after the radio feuding, turned street shooting, which took place a couple of weeks ago outside the offices of Hot 97 and Violator (the company that manages 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes, and Missy Elliot). Since then, the catalyst for all this drama, 50 Cent, along with G-Unit's former member of the month, The Game, have met and put their so-called "beef" to bed. I for one, have a sneaky suspicion that the details of this pseudo-beef were spelled-out specifically, in the contract The Game was forced to sign before being able to join G-Unit. Furthermore, I propose it went something like this: 50 helps The Game get his album off Interscope's backburner, and in exchange, the day 50 drops The Massacre, The Game uses his Compton roots to help 50 boost album sales by resurrecting a little east-coast, west-coast beef from the Tupac & Biggie era. No matter how it actually went down though, the publicity stunt worked wonders for 50, who's The Massacre went on to sell 1,100,000 the first four days following its release. Having profited off the drama from the two crucial weeks following his sophomore debut, it was really B.I.G. of the two conspirators to wrap up the publicity stunt by shaking hands and making donations at a press conference on the 8th anniversary of Biggie's death. I guess that despite using his commercial status to reinforce rap's negative reputation, we can all love 50 again because he donated a minute percentage of what he made off the pseudo-beef to a worthy cause, while at the same time appearing to pay homage to the late, great, Notorious B.I.G. | | | | Subscribe RSS |
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