Tony Dofat, Pete Rock Remember Heavy D on His 45th Birthday

On what would have been his 45th birthday (May 24), two of fallen rapper Heavy D's frequent collaborators, Pete Rock and Tony Dofat, spoke to The Urban Daily about his legacy, and his unexpected passing, remembering him fondly.

"He was an entertainer from when I was 9. He would come in the room and we would play Kraftwerk's 'Numbers' and he would start popping to it. Pop locking to Kraftwerk," said Dofat. "He was still chubby at 11 so when he'd dance his stomach would move under his T-shirt. We would just sit back and look at him and go 'do it again, do it again.' Every time he came over I'd ask him to dance to that record."

Dofat, a childhood friend who went on to produce on several of Heavy D's solo albums, including Waterbed Hev, Heavy, Vibes and his last album, Love Opus, also spoke about Hev's own production prowess.

Legendary producer Pete Rock, who also worked with Heavy D throughout his career, also spoke highly of the "Now That We Found Love" rapper. He remembered their last session before Heavy D died on Nov. 8, 2011, as the result of a pulmonary embolism.

"It was the normal Heavy D session. The normal him wanting to make a perfect song. It was just dope," Pete said. "God does things for a reason. He put me with him one last time to make music and hang out. So that was a great thing to be working with him again, not knowing it would the last time."

                               Watch Heavy D's "Nuttin' But Love" Video

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Lupe Fiasco New Single, "Around My Way,"

Lupe Fiasco Drops New Single, "Around My Way," But Pete Rock Disapproves [LISTEN/DOWNLOAD]

The first single from Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor II dropped, titled Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free) (it hits iTunes tonight at midnight), and it samples Pete Rock & CL Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)."

The original song is widely considered to be one of the greatest Hip-Hop songs of all time, and now Lupe's version has been received with some off-putting public opinion.






Pete Rock, producer of the original song, the prominent veteran was not pleased with the reimagined beat (both version use Tom Scott's "Today") that was so dear to his heart. "No disrespect to lupe fiasco and i like him alot but TROY should be left alone.
Feel so violated,the beat is next to my heart and was made outta anguish and pain," tweeted Pete Rock. "When it's like that it should not be touched by no one! Man I'm a lupe fan and everything but TROY was my homie man. I think about him and Hev every f-cking day!!!! Smh"

Pete Rock was referring to Trouble T-Roy, one of the late Heavy D's dancers whose tragic and untimely death inspired the song "T.R.O.Y." "I'm not flattered @ all. Dat sh-t is wack, and the producer should be ashamed of his f-ckin self. Smh," added the Chocolate Boy Wonder.

Simonsayz & B-Side, the producers of Lupe's single have some explaining to do, b. Check out the song below and tell us what you think.

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Notorious B.I.G.’s Top 5 Tributes To The Good Life

Today marks what would have been the 40th birthday of Brooklyn’s late, great Notorious B.I.G.
Biggie’s life was cut too short too fast, but you have to admit, he did party like a rock star while he was with us.He also left beyond some classics that always get the house rocking, especially on birthdays.
Here is AllHipHop.com’s rundown of  
“Notorious B.I.G.’s Top 5 Tributes to the Good Life”:

1) “JUICY”: Biggie laments on his impoverished childhood, then remembers, ‘Wait, I’m rich now!’

“Birthdays was the worst days/ Now we drink champagne when we thirsty…”:


2) “PARTY AND BULLSHIT”: This is an anthem for ‘hood boys gone wild, and we all know Biggie had major love for his Brooklyn streets. “Loungin’ black, smokin’ sacks up in Acs/ and Sidekicks with my sidekicks rockin’ fly kicks…”
3) “HYPNOTIZE”: At just 24, Biggie was already embracing his grown and sexy on this upbeat winner from Life After Death. “Poppa been smooth since days of Underoos/ Never lose, never choose to…”
4) “SKY’S THE LIMIT”: Just check the lyrics – Biggie seemed super thankful here, and he had a lot to celebrate before his untimely passing in 1997. “I like this young man. When he came out, he went from ashy    to  classy”:
5) “F*CKING YOU TONIGHT” – Ever the mack, B.I.G. knew that no night of partying should end up with your homies still around. “Skip the wine and the candlelight/ No Cristal tonight/ If it’s alright with you/ We f*ckin’ (that’s cool)…“
Happy birthday and R.I.P. to The Notorious B.I.G.! (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997) Tell us your favorites in the comment section!

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Lil’ Kim Brings Out Missy Elliott, Eve, Juelz Santana and Fred Da Godson At Her Bronx Concert

Lil’ Kim, the Queen Bee, held her first hometown show at the Paradise Theater in the Bronx, New York.

over the weekend as part of her “The Return Of The Queen” tour.  The show got off to an exciting start, with Saigon, Papoose Shyheim and Cassidy opening up for the Queen Bee, and Mobb Wives reality show star Drita D’Avanzo hosting. The opening acts did a great job at getting the audience turned up and ready for Kim. Throughout the one hour-long set, Lil’ Kim brought out surprise guests Missy Elliott, Eve, Juelz Santana, and Fred Da Godson, and ran through some of her most notable hits.
Kim hit the stage dressed to kill in a red military inspired jacket with a tan body suit underneath and a full band backing her up. She began her set with the twista-esque “Queen Bitch”, then performed with a vengeance, and even kicked a few dance moves with her backup dancers, nailing the choreography.

 Kimmy Blanco then ran through a catalog of her 2000s hits, including “The Jump Off”, “Big Mama Thing”, “Magic Stick” and “Lighters Up”.

One of the biggest moments during the show was when Lil’ Kim brought out Missy Elliott and Eve to perform
 the “Hot Boyz (Remix)”. The crowd was entranced, seeing what could truly be a momentous moment in Hip-Hop – one that could possibly start a unity among the female rappers of our time.
Lil’ Kim closed out the show spitting verses from her features on two classics – Mobb Deep’s “The Quiet Storm” and Junior M.A.F.I.A.’s “Get Money (Remix)”. Although a few of the costume changes slowed down the momentum at times, Lil’ Kim did a great job at showing the crowd she still has what it takes to compete with the younger female rappers out there. And no, there was not one mention of a certain Ms. Nicki Minaj. Check out the video below to watch some clips from Lil’ Kim’s “The Return Of The Queen” stop in the Bronx:

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Happy Birthday, Parrish Smith PMD celebrates his 44th birthday

One-half of the famed EPMD duo-with Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith is celebrating his 44th birthday today (May 13).

The Long Island native, better known by his moniker PMD (Parish Making Dollars) has been a respected a figure since stepping in with his rap counterpart on 1988′s tour de force Strictly Business. While alongside Sermon,

EPMD would go on to release six group albums-most notably 1989′s Unfinished Business, 1990′s Business as Usual and 1992′s Business Never Personal.

Despite their group success, the two would split twice during their over 20 year spanning career. Within those breakups, Parrish released a few solo albums including 1994′s Shade Business, 1996′s Business Is Business and two others.

As he celebrates his birthday today, XXLMag.com would like to wish PMD a very happy G day.

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Beanie Sigel, Scarface 'Mac & Brad' Album: 12 Songs in, No Jay or Kanye in Sight

Scarface and Beanie Sigel fans will be happy to learn that the duo are apparently 12 songs deep into their long-awaited collaboration album Mac & Brad, and will have an album out sometime next year, according to a recent interview with MTV.

"We doin' songs, I got six, he got six," Scarface revealed. "It's a process that we go through to do this album."

"It's a reality now; you know our word is our bond. We said we gonna do somethin', we gonna do it," Beanie added, via iPhone.

Unfortunately things have changed a bit since the duo recorded their first collaboration on Beanie's 1999 single "Mac & Brad," and solidified their chemistry in the booth on Face's 2002 hit "Guess Who's Back" with Kanye West and Jay-Z.

"I used to have everybody's number on speed dial like that," Scarface explained. "I hit Jay-Z, and Jay-Z pick up on the first ring. Now I might hit Jay-Z and I might not hear from him for two years."

"I used to call Kanye, Kanye pick up on the first ring, now Kanye don't even got no phone, that's how much times have changed," he concluded.

We're not sure where a papa Hov or leather skirt-wearing 'Ye would fit on a Face and Beanie track at this point, so it's probably for the best.

Watch Scarface's "On My Block" Video

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Jury Reaches Verdict In Hudson Family Slayings

CHICAGO (AP) — Jurors have reached a verdict in the trial of the man charged with murdering three of Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson's family members, Chicago court officials announced Friday afternoon.
The verdict is scheduled to be read at 4:30 p.m. CDT. Jurors deliberated for three days in the case of Hudson's former brother-in-law, William Balfour.

He's charged with three counts of first-degree murder in the October 2008 shooting deaths of Hudson's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew.
Hudson was the first witness called and has attended every day of testimony in the trial. She is expected to be on hand when the verdict is read.
Balfour would face a mandatory life prison sentence if convicted on all counts.

Prosecutors say he killed the three victims in a jealous rage after his then-estranged wife, Hudson's sister Julia Hudson, refused to reconcile with him. Defense attorneys argued the evidence tying Balfour to the October 2008 killings is circumstantial.

The announcement about the verdict came after jurors sent the judge a note saying they were split on the verdict. The jury did not say it was giving up, though.
"We are trying," jurors said in their note.

With no surviving witnesses to the Oct. 24, 2008, slayings, prosecutors built a circumstantial case against Balfour by calling 83 witnesses over 11 days of testimony. Witnesses said he threatened to kill the entire family if Julia Hudson spurned him.

Balfour's attorneys proposed an alternate theory: that someone else in the crime-ridden neighborhood on Chicago's South Side targeted the family because of alleged crack-cocaine dealing by Jennifer Hudson's brother, Jason Hudson. During the 30 minutes in which they called just two witnesses, however, they presented no evidence to support that theory.

The killings occurred the morning after Julia Hudson's birthday, and prosecutors said he became enraged when he stopped by the home and saw a gift of balloons in the house from her new boyfriend.

After his estranged wife left for her job as a bus driver on the morning of Oct. 24, 2008, prosecutors say Balfour went back inside the home with a .45-caliber handgun and shot Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, in the back; he allegedly then shot Jason Hudson, 29, twice in the head as he lay in bed.

Prosecutors say Balfour then drove off in Jason Hudson's SUV with Julia's son, Julian King, and shot the boy several times in the head as he lay behind a front seat. His body was found in the abandoned vehicle miles away after a three-day search.

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