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Lil Kim Speaks On Leaving Atlantic Records, Scott Storch Wanting to Marry Her, Jay-Z & More [Audio]

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The Queen Bee had some girl talk with iPower 92.1's TT Torrez live on air. During their blistering chat, Kim opened up on just about everything under the sun.
On why she left Atlantic Records:
“I left Atlantic Records because of the simple fact I wanted to venture out and become my own boss, my own businesswoman and move units on my own and figure out how to do that on my own so I can finally start making some real money.”
“My record company didn’t understand the direction I wanted to go and who I really was as an artist cause Lil Kim is not just this hardcore rapping artist, that’s what I hate. I don’t just do hardcore music. I’m over here with it, I’m over there with it. I rap, I sing, all of that in one but they didn’t get it. I knew where the music industry was going and I wanted to go with it.”

Today In Black History Month: Veteran Actor Leon Chats New Projects, Cynthia Bailey, Co-Parenting

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You've seen Leon in various movies from The Five Heartbeats to The LIttle Richard Story but his latest foray ventured into the world in Internet television via Robert Townsend's new web series, Diary of a Single Mom. He also appeared recently on The Real Housewives of Atlanta where he visited his ex, Cynthia Bailey, and their daughter. And when he's not busy with acting, it's all about his reggae band, Leon and the Peoples. Here, the renaissance man chats with VIBE about new roles, his music career and making co-parenting work.
What is Diary of a Single Mom about?
Diary of a Single Mom is on PIC TV, which is the public internet channel, which is co-chaired by Obama, and it’s a web series that has a great cast—Monica Calhoun, Valery Ortiz, myself, Richard Roundtree and Billy Dee Williams. It’s real black Hollywood and Robert Townsend created it. It’s a real emotional story about these three women who live in this tenement just trying to get through with their kids and living in a world that’s hard to live in and trying to raise their kids right and all the struggles that go along with that. With the show being on PIC TV, it’s really interesting because what happens is that single moms watch the show through the Internet and they can connect with other single moms throughout the country or anywhere on issues they have, like childcare or how to balance their budget, or getting their GED and all kinds of things. One of the characters on the show has breast cancer and you can click on links on the site and find more information for breast cancer.
Talk about your character.
My character on the show is Mike, and I play the father of the beautiful daughter that I have with Valery Ortiz’s character, Lupe. It’s strange because I wanted to be part of the traditional family situation. I tried everything that I could but I couldn’t control her, she wasn’t doing the right thing and she had to leave him but I still care for my daughter and I still care for her so it kind of represents the facet that we don’t see in these stories—the baby daddy. We see the baby mama but sometimes every baby daddy doesn’t want to be a baby daddy, he wants to be a husband in the house but it’s not his choice. But the only time we usually hear about babydaddies is if they’re doing something wrong.
Aside from acting, you’re also quite active with your band, Leon and the Peoples. What steered you toward reggae?
My band is a mixture of reggae and soul music but my love for reggae started as a youth. The first time I heard Robert Nesta Marley coming out my friend’s window I just—it was the Mighty Dread album and I heard it and said, “Wow, what is this?” And from that moment on, I sought out every reggae singer I could. I just loved reggae. It was the music that actually made me want to sing.
Talk about your album out.
Our record came out a few years ago—The Road Less Traveled—and it got nominated for an international reggae and world music award for International Reggae Artist of the Year, so we were happy with our first effort and we headline the AIDS Walk concert in Central Park and have played all over.
You guys do all of this independently, right?
Yeah. We record out of Pulse Music, that’s our label. Next year, we’re gonna be putting out singles because in this environment it makes sense. The kids don’t sit around and listen to albums like they used to so if you come out with a great album with a good concept you’ll never get to hear it. It’s better to put out a single and promote that.
Your ex, Cynthia Bailey just wrapped Real Housewives of Atlanta. When you initially found out she was going to be on the show, were you apprehensive and how did you deal?
I wasn’t happy at first but at the end of the day, when we sat down and discussed it it’s not really about me it’s about Cynthia and that’s for her and anything that helps her move into another career or enhance her modeling or something like that. So, it’s something I have to do because we’re family.

Lost In Translation: How to Make Mixes That Sound Great Everywhere

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There are few things worse than spending hours and hours on a mix, just to hear it somewhere later and hate how it sounds. Once the track is in the club or on iTunes there’s nothing you can do. But plenty can be done while mixing to make sure you’ll sound right wherever the song is played.
How a mix sounds on different systems is known as “translating.” How well a mix translates depends on a few factors: How accurate your monitors are, and how well you know their strengths and weaknesses.
No speaker is perfect, I don’t care what the people at Genelec and Augspurger tell you. Some may may be huge three-way mains with tons of low end thump, some may be tiny and tinny. A perfect, 100% accurate speaker simply does not exist, so while that is the goal, the next best thing is to find monitors you like and learn them. Be honest, don’t convince yourself your monitors are perfect just because you dropped a grand (or more) on them. Listen to your favorite records on them and learn what they really sound like.
Are your mixes sounding dull when they leave your lab? Your monitors may actually be too bright and are masking how much high-end you need to add (or, how much not to remove). How much you need to compensate will obviously vary from speaker to speaker, but if you compare to your reference music, you’ll be able to tell. If you have to compensate to the point it sounds unpleasant to you, there are a few options.
For one, you can buy new monitors — but, that is clearly the most expensive option. Maybe you took the speaker grill/covers off because it looks cooler. Yes, it does look way cooler, but because of the easily-blocked nature of high frequencies, it may be adversely effecting your listening. Lastly, an age old studio trick is to tape a piece of tissue paper over your tweeter. It may look a little funny, but studio vets used to working on the original Yamaha NS-10 speakers will appreciate it.
The biggest translation problem most small studio setups face is accurate bass. Small monitors are just not designed for the huge low end requirements of a lot of hip hop. Get comfortable with the limits of your monitors, and accept them. What you want to avoid is turning up your low-end so it sound right on your bass-deficient speakers. This will be way too much in the real world. You can also add a subwoofer, but be careful not to overdo it, because overcompensating in the studio will likely mean that your actual mix lacks the right amount of bass on a regular setup.
Voxengo SPANReliable metering will also help your mixes, especially zoning in on midrange issues. Ideally your mix will be well balanced across all frequencies. A good real-time spectrum analyzer will help you spot extreme peaks and valleys and not only correct them, but also help you learn more about your monitors. (Bonus tip: Voxengo makes a great spectrum analyzer called “Span” and it’s free. Check out www.voxengo.com and thank me later)
Once you’ve gotten your monitors sounding right and your mix sounding great on them, stop listening to them. Really. Always check your mix in multiple places; computer speakers, iPod earbuds, a car — really anywhere someone might listen to music is a great place to check your work. Think about where you listen to most of your music and listen there. If you notice big differences between your track and others you’ll know what to address. Remember, the mix may sound great in your room, but no one else is going to listen to it there so make it sound great everywhere.

Jennifer Hudson is set to release her brand new album

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Grammy and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson is set to release her highly anticipated new album 'I Remember Me' on April 25th.

To mark her return to the musical limelight, Jennifer will be making the worldwide television debut performance of her new track 'Where You At' on The Oprah Show in the US today (Feb 10th).

The album title, 'I Remember Me', is based on a poem written by Jennifer and composed into a beautiful song co-written by Ryan Tedder (Beyonce's 'Halo' and Leona Lewis' 'Bleeding Love') that will be featured on the album. Additional writers and producers on the album include multi-award winners Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Rich Harrison, Ne-Yo and Stargate.

''m excited about this album because it's almost like a renewal for me, reflected through the chapters of my life,' comments Jennifer. ''ve called it 'I Remember Me' because of the journey I've been on. I've learned that life constantly surprises you, no matter your plans. My fans have been so loyal, I feel like they have been on this journey with me and I can't wait for them to hear the new album.'

Clive Davis, Chief Creative Officer, Sony Music Entertainment states: "Jennifer is the voice of the new generation and she literally soars on her second album 'I Remember Me.' Jennifer fulfills all of her promise and all of the prophesies that she will be on that short list of great vocalists of our time."

The first UK single will be announced soon.

Eminem gets porn star Sasha Grey to star in new clip

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'Hipster' porn star Sasha Grey will star as Eminem's girlfriend in a clip for 'Space Bound'.

Eminem is preparing to release the fourth single from his mega-smash album Recovery, and despite a couple of Grammys and newfound critical respect, he's keeping it gritty by acting alongside a porn star in the clip.

Of course, Sasha Grey isn't your regular blonde, botoxed, big-boobed porn star.

She made a name for herself in porn with more extreme acts, then scored a lead in a Steven Soderberg film, and pursued decidedly hipster interests like writing industrial music and a book, and doing photo-shoots with Richard Kern for Vice.

Looking at the on-set photos at Rap-Up, it looks like a down and dirty clip, set in a grubby diner with Grey and Em in low-key outfits.

Seems appropriate for the song, which is an angry, lovelorn ballad.

The clip is being directed by Joseph Kahn, who worked with Eminem on the video for the hit single 'Love the Way You Lie'.
More from Undercover.com.au

WC announce Tour Dates

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Entertainment One Music is pleased to announce west coast hip-hop pioneer, WC will tour with multi-platinum rapper/actor Ice Cube. WC will release a new album, “Revenge of the Barracuda” on March 8th, 2011 with the first single street anthem ‘You Know Me’ featuring Ice Cube & Maylay.

The 28-city North America tour kicks off in Aspen, CO on February 24th and will criss-cross the nation over six consecutive weeks, with a grand finale in Bakersfield, CA.

Hip-hop connoisseurs and hardcore west coast music fans alike will experience fist-hand the raw intensity that WC exudes when he hits the stage with longtime comrade, Ice Cube. Together, the duo will hit the road and continue to make history just as they have done over the past decade.

WC is one of Los Angeles’ most dominant street artists. He emerged onto the hip-hop scene with lyrics depicting the harsh realities of street-life, quickly solidifying him as a staple in the West rap scene. Soon thereafter, WC joined forces with Ice Cube to become a member of one of the most controversial groups in hip hop of all time, The West Side Connection. In the mist of dropping solo projects he later went on tour with Dr. Dre, Eminem, and Snoop to show the world how to Crip walk and throw up the “W” on a world-wide circuit.

Dub proclaims, “Revenge of the Barracuda is just another way of saying ‘back to the hardcore’” and on March 8th, 2011 the world will hear his wrath.
WC Tour Schedule
February

2/24 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen

2/25 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre

2/26 Boulder, CO Boulder Theatre

March

3/1 Dallas, TX House Of Blues

3/2 Houston, TX House Of Blues

3/3 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre

3/5 Atlanta, GA Center Stage

3/6 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel

3/7 Baltimore, MD Bourbon Street

3/8 New York, NY B.B. Kings Blues Club

3/10 South Burlington, VT Higher Ground Ballroom

3/11 Buffalo, NY Town Ballroom

3/12 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom

3/13 Chicago, IL The Mid

3/15 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue

3/25 Portland, OR Roseland Theater

3/26 Seattle, WA Showbox at the Market

3/27 Bend, OR Midtown

3/29 Chico, CA Senator Theatre

3/30 West Hollywood, CA House Of Blues

April

4/1 Anaheim, CA Grove Of Anaheim

4/2 Las Vegas, NV House Of Blues

4/3 Bakersfield, CA Fox Theater

"Revenge of the Barracuda" by WC will be released on 03/8/11.

Nicki Minaj won't collaborate anymore

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Hip-hop sensation Nicki Minaj has ruled out the possibility of collaborating with any artists in the near future till she firmly establishes herself in the music industry.

The 'Your Love' hitmaker, who has previously worked with Kanye West, Rihanna, Drake and Sean Kingston has vowed to make no more guest appearances on other people's videos except Britney Spears, E! Online reported.

"I'm done with collabs. No more collabs for the next two years. Although Britney's a snatch like me and she's cute. Yes. We might do something," said Minaj.

The Trinidad-born rapper has recently picked out her collaboration with Bajan beauty Rihanna entitled 'Fly' as one of her favourites due to the strong message it sends.

"I wanted to work with Rihanna for a long time. I'm very proud of her accomplishments; especially since she was born on an island like me. This song is a female empowerment song. But then again, it's not specific to just women. It speaks about flying, soaring high in the face of every single solitary adversity that comes your way," she added.

Salt-N-Pepa to bring Legends of Hip-Hop to Newark

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In 1985, they came across as ordinary young women — giddy, clever, enthusiastic, immediately identifiable.
On the microphone, they were trailblazers.
Salt-N-Pepa kicked down the doors of a male-dominated genre with high-heeled shoes. The first female rappers to earn an international reputation, they became feminist icons for their forthright songs about sex, relationships and self-determination. Cheryl "Salt" Wray and Sandra "Pepa" Denton were tart-tongued but they never had to demand respect from their peers. Their recordings spoke for themselves.
"We like to play things by ear," says Salt, 46. "But with everything that we do, we hope to empower women."
"At the same time," adds Pepa, 41, "we’re always going to party and have fun. We’ll always be pushing it and leaving you with something to remember."
During the ’80s, Salt-N-Pepa were often dismissed by fans of hardcore hip-hop as pop-rap hitmakers. But their singles, most of which were produced by hip-hop impresario Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor, have aged extremely well. "Push It," their first big hit, was an earthquake: here were two women rhyming about sexual desire in language as frank and provocative as that of their male peers. Its winding synthesizer riff remains one of pop’s most recognizable. The engaging "Let’s Talk About Sex" was adopted as an anthem by public health advocates and used in AIDS-awareness campaigns. "Whatta Man" and "Shoop" were crossover classics; the censor-baiting "None of Your Business," which won the act a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance, was straight-up hard rhyme.
"Winning that Grammy was definitely the highlight of our career," says Salt. "But we’re proudest about being the first females in hip-hop to go platinum, get nominated for awards, have international success and do so many other things that no women in rap had done before."
"We’re proud to even be relevant so many years later," says Pepa, "and that people want to hear our music in 2011. ‘Let’s Talk About Sex,’ ‘Shoop,’ ‘Push It’ … those songs allowed us to travel the world: Hawaii, Australia, all over Europe."
This Sunday, they’ll be someplace a little less exotic: the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. Deidra "Spinderella" Roper, their longtime DJ and current host of a popular radio show on Dallas’ KSOC-FM, won’t be there. Still, they’ll have some famous friends along with them. Salt-N-Pepa’s Legends of Hip-Hop Tour is a three-hour musical party and celebration of rap music, but it’s a history lesson, too. Kurtis Blow, the first rapper to earn a gold single — "The Breaks," in 1980 — is scheduled to perform, as is Kool Moe Dee, one-third of the Treacherous Three, whose still-fresh ’79 hit "Body Rock" was one of the first rap-rock crossovers. Big Daddy Kane, part of the Queens-based Juice Crew collective that challenged the Bronx’s rap dominance in the ’80s, was one of hip-hop’s first heartthrobs. A quarter-century after his debut single, Doug E. Fresh is still known as the Human Beatbox for his remarkable ability to mimic the sound of a drum kit with nothing but his own voice.
"We’re honored to be performing with Doug E. Fresh, and we’re so lucky to be able to hear him every night," says Pepa. "He was a legend before we were even a group. ‘The Showstopper,’ our first single — that was a response to Doug E.’s song ‘The Show.’ So we feel like he helped to start our career."
In an irony not lost on either of the rappers, Salt and Pepa will, again, be the only female voices onstage. Salt acknowledges that times have changed slowly, but she’s cautiously optimistic about the future of the culture and its accompanying style.
"Hip-hop started out as a braggadocious art form. It came from the streets. It was masculine, and misogynistic. Lots of female artists weren’t even given a chance. It’s still hard to be heard, but I think there’s a lot more room for female artists now than there used to be."
There has been no new music from Salt-N-Pepa since "Brand New" in 1997. That’s about to change. Buoyed by the Legends tour and a popular reality television series, "The Salt-n-Pepa Show," the act is back in the studio, working on new material.
"We’re trying things, getting our feet wet," says Pepa. "We’re excited that people want to hear from us. We’re going to do what we always do: keep it real to wherever we are, and whatever we’re doing."

Don’t be spooked: Ghost seeks peace

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Sean Hicks is surely an unlikely hip-hop peacemaker, but that very fact might be what could make him effective. Hicks, 39, is about a month out of jail, having served 15 years and nine months for a variety of infractions, including the stabbing incident that involved Celtics star Paul Pierce.
Hicks is also the rapper affiliated with Boston’s Made Men, known by his stage name of Ghost, an allusion to his very pale Irish complexion. He is also the nephew of Howie Winter, legendary crime boss of the Winter Hill gang.
The first session for a series of shoots for a new video being produced for Ghost/Hicks took place Monday at Quincy’s My House nightclub. The theme of the video for the song “This Is It” – which samples Kenny Loggins’ 1979 hit by the same name – involves Ghost and his crew headed to TD Garden for a show, only to be diverted by a scheduling snafu. The group switches the concert to the basement of Ghost’s home, which is represented by My House’s cozy main room. Along with the concert views filmed Monday, the video will feature footage shot of Quincy from the air, and a session on the USS Salem.
The action Monday drew a variety of what is an emerging hip-hop scene south of Boston. During the past month, My House has instituted a hip-hop open mike on Thursdays, and the response has been what the club’s owner, Marcellus Lee, calls consistently amazing. Already, hip-hop luminaries like Johnny Gil and Steve Smith of the group Dirty Vegas have stopped by while in the Boston area.
Hip-hop has often felt the need to operate under the radar because most club owners are wary of the music’s reputation. That’s why Hicks enlisted an amiable Boston native known simply as Casino to forge peaceful alliances with as many of the different factions involved in the music as possible. read more

Cool Kids, Freddie Gibbs & Bun B Form New Rap Supergroup

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Hailing from the Midwest, a new rap super-group called Pulled Over by the Cops has been formed, under the tutelage of Texas rap legend, Prof. Bun B. The group is made of up Chi-Town proto-hipster MC's The Cool Kids, Chip The Ripper and Gary, Indiana gangsta rapper Freddie Gibbs, with occasional appearances by UGK's Bun B.

The crew first appeared with Bun on Freddie Gibbs' 2010 track 'Oil Money,' and have reportedly been working together since, recording several tracks for an album which will be produced by Chicago production team the Blended Babies.

'Authority,' the first offering from Pulled Over by the Cops (sans Bun), pairs the group's smooth rhymes with jazzy production by Blended Babies and a hook by singer Nate Santos, and can be heard here.

Meanwhile, after a three-year struggle with their former label Chocolate Industries, the Cool Kids are finally prepared to release their long-awaited debut LP 'When Fish Ride Bicycles,' while "Gangsta" Gibbs preps his 'Baby Faced Killa' debut for later this year, as well.

video

Janet Jackson opens up on family and her future

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In an interview with HLN’s Richelle Carey, Janet Jackson gets personal, talking about her memories of her late brother Michael, her relationship with their father Joe, and if another marriage and kids are in her future.
On becoming a mom, Jackson told Carey that she's hoping it'll happen.
“But you know I really do leave it [to] God,” Jackson added, noting that filmmaker Tyler Perry has told her that statement is her way of saying she doesn’t really want kids. But, Jackson said, “That’s not the truth... if it's really meant to be it will happen. God will bless me with that.”

And when it comes to taking another walk down the aisle, Jackson has a similar “what will be, will be” outlook.
“It’s really up to God…who knows maybe I will.” But, she adds, she’s in a place where putting a ring on it isn't necessary to make a relationship real.
“There came a point in my life where I said OK, maybe this isn’t for me and I don’t need a piece of paper to validate the relationship that I’m in, my love for that person,” Jackson said. “But, there’s also something to be said to that bond, that closeness that you feel that can’t be penetrated by anyone, anything. But I don’t know, it’s in God’s hands. It really is.”
Of course, with the release of her book “True You," Jackson’s also spoken at length about growing up alongside one of the most beloved music icons, as she did with Piers Morgan, as well what it was like to have Joe Jackson as a father.
You can hear the rest of the interview when you tune in to HLN’s special on Sunday at 7 p.m. and again at 10 p.m. ET. video

Hundreds of pages of recently unsealed documents link two former L.A.P.D. officers with the 1997 murder of Notorious B.I.G.

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Recently unsealed evidence suggests the lead investigator in the 1997 murder of Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace had ties to Death Row Records and was at the scene of the critically acclaimed rapper’s murder working security. The new evidence is the latest finding in the ongoing legal battle between the Wallace family and the Los Angeles Police Department.

“This potentially explosive evidence involves an alleged conversation between former LAPD officers Rafael Perez and Perez’s cellmate in the L.A. County jail,” reports California news station, KCAL9. “The federal judge in the case writes that the inmate reported that Perez had told him about his and [Officer David] Mack’s involvement with Death Row Records and their activities at the Petersen Automotive Museum the night of Biggie Smalls’ murder.”

Within a year of Wallace’s murder both Mack and Perez were fired and convicted of separate crimes including robbery. The new evidence is based on testimony from Perez’s cellmate claiming Perez and Mack not only had ties to Death Row Records, but that Perez was also working security at the Petersen Automotive Museum the night of Wallace’s murder. The unnamed cellmate mentions communication between Mack and Perez the night of Wallaces muder about the wherabouts of Wallace’s SUV, but the testimony reportedly stops short of directly implicating either man in his murder.

The Wallace family alleges this evidence was intentionally hidden by the LAPD because if Perez was working for the city the night of Wallace’s murder and can be tied to the shooting in any way, the city would be liable for millions of dollars.

The Roots Talk About Grammy Wins And Nods

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The Roots will eventually earn a special spot in the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. The crew has been pushing the limits of the genre for decades and show no real sign of weakening. The year 2010 actually proved that they are growing stronger. This week, they won three Grammys for Wake Up!, a collaboration with crooner John Legend. They were also nominated for their greatly acclaimed opus How I Got Over. AllHipHop linked with lead legend MC Black Thought and he gave his thoughts on the win as well as what it means to the group. "Its no time like the present to kick it up a notch," Black Thought said.

Aretha Franklin to make live comeback in May

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Aretha Franklin is to make her live comeback in May.

Last month the soul legend said she was on the mend after being diagnosed with an undisclosed illness. Now she has announced she will return to the stage at Buffalo's Niagara Casino on May 28, reports BBC News.

Last November she cancelled all live appearances for six months on her doctor's advice, but last month said that her medical problem had been "resolved".

It had been reported that she was suffering from pancreatic cancer, although Franklin has not disclosed details of her illness herself.



The Shockwaves NME Awards Tour 2011 takes place throughout February, while Shockwaves NME Awards Shows are also taking place in London throughout the month.

Michael Jackson's estate has earned $310 million since his death in June 2009

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The 'Thriller' singer died from acute Propofol intoxication at his rented Los Angeles house on June 25 2009 and since his tragic passing, the estate has been bringing in the cash, thanks to various merchandising and royalties.

One of the main contributors to the income has been the 'This Is It' movie ' which focused on Michael in rehearsals ahead of his planned comeback shows at London's The O2 ' as it grossed more than $261 million worldwide, while his back catalogue of music has been re-released, as well as previously unheard songs.

Before his death, the estate was on the verge of collapse with $400 million owed to various creditors, but it has now been able to pay off around $159 million in debts and expenses.

The estate has also paid for "substantial improvements" to the Neverland ranch in California, and supports Michael's mother Katherine and his three children, Prince Michael, 13, Paris, 12 and nine-year-old Prince Michael II, who is known as Blanket.

According to court documents, the estate paid more than $115,000 in "family vacation" expenses between June and July of 2010.

It has also paid off the mortgage on Hayvenhurst house, the Jackson family home, bought Katherine a new car and is paying for upmarket temporary accommodation while the family compound is being renovated.

The papers also say Michael neglected to pay his taxes in 2006, 2007 and 2008, so the lawyers have has to address the situation.

Lil Kim Beheads Nicki Minaj on Bloody 'Black Friday' Mixtape Cover

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After a slew of disparaging comments and diss tracks, Lil Kim has escalated her feud with Nicki Minaj with the violent album artwork of her new mixtape, "Black Friday."



The cover shows a cartoon body with a missing head in the background -- it seems to be wearing a dress similar to the ones Minaj wears in her press photos. In the foreground is a pink wig floating in a pool of blood, and Lil Kim is posing above it, sporting some shades and holding a samurai sword as streams of blood are shown behind her.



The "Black Friday" art is Lil Kim's latest attempt to provoke Minaj, whose debut album, "Pink Friday," sat atop the Billboard 200 chart last week. On a New Year's Eve broadcast, Kim ranted, "I'm not playing with this bitch for 2011. I'm saying, we can rock together but bitch you ain't taking nothing from me!"

Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae Announce Joint Tour

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Following their show-stopping performance at the Grammy Awards, Bruno Mars and Janelle Monae will team up for a North American co-headlining tour. The retro-pop singer and R&B songstress will embark on the joint trek, dubbed Hooligans in Wondaland, in May and June, with British singer/rapper Plan B set to open on select dates.

Before they kick off their road trip together, both artists will kick off their own European runs in the coming weeks -- Mars' will begin in Berlin, Germany on Mar. 3, while Monae will start her run in Brussels, Belgium on Feb. 20. Tour dates and venues for the Wondaland tour have yet to be announced.

Mars, Monae, and Atlanta rapper B.o.B earned a standing ovation for their Grammy performance, in which Mars played a doo-wop riff on his former Hot 100 chart-topper "Grenade" and Monae crowd-surfed while singing "Cold War." Mars also walked away with the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance trophy for "Just the Way You Are," the first single from his debut album "Doo-Wops and Hooligans."



Grammys Central 2011



Mars is currently in Los Angeles shooting a video for his next "Doo-Wops" single, "The Lazy Song," and will stay in the city for the 2011 NBA All-Star Game, where he'll perform at the Pregame Show on Sunday (Feb. 20).

Fantasia Boycotts Grammys For Aretha Tribute Snub

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After 11 nominations, R&B singer Fantasia finally won a Grammy on Sunday (Feb. 13) for Best Female Vocal Performance, but the "American Idol" winner was not in attendance to accept the award. Why? Because she felt slighted that she wasn't invited to be part of the Aretha Franklin tribute.


Fanny called in to BET's "106 & Park" yesterday (Feb. 14) and revealed to hosts Rocsi and Terrence how unhappy she was with the award show.

"I'm going to be very honest with you. You know I wasn't at the Grammys last night. I'm kind of going through my own little thing... Last night they were honoring someone who is my idol, Aretha Franklin, and there is no way I could have sat there and not got the happy feet and wanting to jump on the mic because she is my favorite so I felt like, you know, at the end of the day I should have been on that stage so, I kind of did my own little thing last night.
I watched Cee-lo's performance, I love Cee lo, love Gaga, watched Gaga, and I love Rihanna's performance, but I kind of cooked and did my own think last night and was in my own world and was hoping that I won. I have this feeling, like every year I go, I feel like they always look over some of the good singers that are still around and I'm not trying to be funny but that's just the way I felt."

Instead, Christina Aguilera, Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Hudson, Florence from Florence and the Machine and Martina McBride participated in the tribute. Watch a clip of it below:

The Next Generation of Pro Audio Production

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Open yourself to the possibilities. Pro Tools 9 redefines the world’s most popular, most advanced music and audio production platform with a completely re-architected, open version of Pro Tools software, giving you what you asked for—and so much more.
Work with an audio interface—or without. Create bigger, better-sounding mixes with more tracks, Automatic Delay Compensation, and other pro features included as standard. Open your workflow to projects created in other audio and video software—and to the entire Avid Artist Series and Pro Series (formerly Euphonix) console/controller line. With Pro Tools 9, you can compose, record, sequence, edit, and mix the way you want—in more ways than ever.

LINK

Erykah Badu Joins the Core DJs

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Soul singer Erykah Badu has joined the Core DJs, one of the most acclaimed DJ collectives on the planet. Badu has been moonlighting as a DJ for quite some time to widespread acclaim from those in-the-know. The singer/songwriter has been spinning in several small, low-key venues.
"Big move today. [Erykah Badu is] in the Core. My sis is a serious DJ,” tweeted Tony Neal, the Core's founder. Badu has already decided on her DJ name: DJ Loretta Brown.
“I am honored and do not take it for granted. b-girl for life," Badu responded. "Head wrapped and strapped.” Badu will be DJing throughout her hometown of Dallas all Super Bowl weekend.

Naughty By Nature To Drop First Album Since 2002

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The legendary trio readies "Anthem Inc" for a May release.
Naughty by Nature have set a May 17 release for their first studio album since 2002's IIcons, Anthem Inc.
The album, which will drop on Illtown Records, signifies the 20th anniversary of the group, as well as the 15th anniversary of its Grammy for Best Rap album, the first of its kind.
"Anthem Inc. is our way of saying thank you to our incredibly loyal, global fan base for their support over the last 20 years," said Vin Rock of the release. "With a few classic tracks re-recorded and brand new bangers, the album will give listeners a 'Then and Now' perspective of our career.
The group began promotion by performing a medley of songs, in addition to their new single "Flags," on "Late Show with David Letterman" on Thursday (February 3).
Their latest single, "Flags," has been released in two video versions, the "Life Cut" and the "Death Cut," which contain alternate endings. The former guest stars Ice-T, as he helps the video's protagonist make the smart decision and get out of the street life. In the latter, the character is not so lucky.
"The 'Death Cut' depicts what occurs when one makes bad decisions in the face of adversity," explained Vin Rock. "Unfortunately, this is the reality youth are facing across America. We will use both versions to open up the dialogue in our community. We must step up to curb the self-inflicted genocide in our culture."
Naughty by Nature will be going on tour this year, making stops in the U.S., Europe and Australia.
Dates confirmed thus far are below:
2/12 - New Orleans, LA @ Lake Front Arena *
2/18 - Philadelphia PA @ Liacouras Center *
2/19 - Baltimore MD @ 1st Mariner Arena *
3/18 - New York City, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom
3/25 - Richmond, VA @ Richmond Coliseum *
4/9 - Milwaukee, WI @ Milwaukee Theatre *
5/21 - Minneapolis, MN @ Cabooze

Snoop Dogg's Clothing Company Sues Knockoff Design Maker

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Snoop's Serious Pimp company takes action against someone selling oddly familiar sunglasses.
Snoop Dogg's clothing and sunglasses company Serious Pimp has filed a lawsuit against a man who has allegedly bitten the design of Snoop's OG Bandana sunglasses.
According to theboombox.com,the lawsuit claims that the company was solicited by Greg Stefanik, who stated he intended to manufacture and sell the OG Bandana sunglasses in 2007.
The deal never got any further than that, as Stefanik disappeared after he received the artwork for the sunglasses. It was discovered in 2009 that Stefanik had been selling knockoff OG Bandana sunglasses through Lowrider Magazine website.
In conjunction with entrepreneur Damian Kutzner and BIshop Don Magic Juan, Snoop founded Serious Pimp in 1999. "Serious Pimp is a high quality brand that markets high quality products worthy of the many celebrities who wear them. Our sunglasses have never been intended as a mass market product line and selling them at such low prices undermines the value of the products and our brand," said Kutzner in a statement. "The actions of this individual and his cohorts have diminished the value of our brand and negatively impacted our sales."
Stefanik has admitted selling the unauthorized merchandise, and ignored multiple cease-and-desist letters prior to the lawsuit's filing.

Hip-hop crowd responds to Kool Herc’s tough break

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The expression “hip-hop community” gets thrown around a lot, but the outpouring of support for ailing DJ Kool Herc proves that one really exists.
On Thursday night, a solid roster of Toronto’s top DJs, including Starting From Scratch, L’Oqenz and Paul E. Lopes, will assemble at Wrongbar to play “Herculoids Unite! A Benefit for DJ Kool Herc,” who is often called “the father of hip hop.”
The event was put together swiftly after last week’s news that the legendary DJ is unable to pay some $10,000 he has incurred in medical bills. According to his publicist, Kool Herc is suffering from kidney stone-related health problems and in need of surgery. Similar fundraisers have already been organized in San Francisco, New York City and London.
The 55-year-old DJ expressed his frustration over the U.S. health care system to MTV News: “There shouldn’t be anyone fighting for health care! This has been going on too damn long! We fought for 1520 Sedgwick to get landmark status and in 2007 New York State officially recognized it as the ‘Birthplace of Hip Hop.’ Now we are fighting for health care, not just for me, but for everyone,” his statement read.
The Bronx address to which he refers is where he first debuted a new DJ technique at his sister Cindy’s birthday party in 1973. By using two turntables to alternate between the drum break sections of records, Kool Herc invented the musical basis for rapping and breakdancing. As a tribute to that tradition, everyone playing the benefit will only use vinyl records, as opposed to the laptops and MP3s that are now a club-DJ standard.
The irony that a main originator of hip hop’s multibillion-dollar culture (Forbes estimates Jay-Z’s net worth alone at $450 million) can’t afford to pay his hospital bills is not lost on Skratch Bastid, a.k.a. Paul Murphy, who is also spinning at the event.
“It’s funny because we’re an industry that boasts about having money,” he says. “But hip hop in general has this issue where a lot of our forefathers or whatever you want to call them don’t have a lot of cash, and a guy like Kool Herc wasn’t actually a recording artist, so he doesn’t get any royalties or revenue like that.
“He’s a cultural figure, strictly on an iconic basis, which in hip hop doesn’t really get you that far.”
Murphy says that the money raised at Herculoids Unite! will go directly to Kool Herc’s management. “There’s no one in between,” he says. But he does express some concern over the funds raised at various benefits for the DJ.
“I hope there’s going to be some final accounting for this stuff, that it’s all going to go to the right place,” he says. “With everyone coming together, I hope that Herc doesn’t make away with half a million dollars.”
Murphy recalls DJing alongside Kool Herc, at Montreal’s Under Pressure hip-hop festival, in 2006.
“He’s definitely like a pretty old guy, but a really cool dude,” he says. “He’s been around for everything that’s happened in hip-hop, but seeing him, he was still soaking it all in like a sponge. It must be an interesting thing to see the culture evolve from like 1973 ’til now. I’m sure that’s quite an experience.”
Just the Facts
WHO: DJs Skratch Bastid, Paul E. Lopes, Starting from Scratch and more
WHEN: Feb. 10. Doors 9 p.m.
WHERE: Wrongbar, 1279 Queen St. W.
TICKETS: $10 at door only

Hip-Hop DJ Funkmaster Flex Arrested For Allegedly Pushing, Harassing Wife

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Legendary hip-hop DJ Funkmaster Flex was arrested Friday for allegedly sending his wife a threatening text message and then pushing her down in their Westchester County home.
Greenburgh police say the DJ, whose real name is Aston G. Taylor, allegedly pushed his wife down to the floor of their bedroom and knocked the cell phone out of her hand when she tried to call authorities.
Police received a 911 call shortly after 5 a.m. Friday.
Taylor was not there when police arrived, but they caught up with him a short time later and arrested him.
He faces misdemeanor charges of aggravated harassment and criminal mischief when he is due back in court on February 18.

Rapper Juelz Santana Arrested With Drugs and Guns

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 Def Jam rapper Juelz Santana was arrested in New Jersey on Tuesday when police found him in possession of marijuana and guns.

During a raid of the rapper's Bergenfield recording studio, police found "two fully-loaded 9mm handguns and 17 bags of suspected marijuana," Gawker reports.

According to Bergen County prosecutor John L. Molinelli, this is far from Santana's first brush with the law, citing previous arrests for weapons, drugs and making death threats against his girlfriend. The raid on the rapper's recording studio was only part of a 10-month investigation into suspected drug dealing and gang activities in the area.

Molinelli noted Santana's alleged affiliation with the Bloods, alluded to in a number of the rapper's songs, including titles like 'Red Bandana.'

"These guys are the real deal," he said.
Santana, whose real name is Laron James, made it big in the early 2000s with his song 'There It Go (The Whistle Song)' and appearances on his former Diplomats co-star Cam'ron's tracks 'Hey Ma' and 'Oh Boy.'

"I don't like to advertise the fact that he's a rapper, because some of these guys will use the arrest to increase their record sales," Molinelli told The Record. "To me, he's just a criminal."

Santana is being held at Hackensack's Bergen County Jail until his $125,000 bail is posted.

Scarface in Jail Since October for Failing to Pay Child Support

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Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images Though the story has been kept quiet for months, it has now been confirmed that legendary Texas rapper Scarface was arrested in October of last year, and has been imprisoned for almost four months for failing to pay child support.

According to XXL, a representative for the Montgomery County Jail in Texas has confirmed that the Geto Boys founder was arrested on Oct. 13, and is still incarcerated for failing to pay child support in four seperate cases. The charges were filed in Montgomery County, Harris County, Fort Lynn County and Missouri. In additional to the child support charges, Face is also facing undisclosed federal charges, and is being held without bail. His Twitter account has been inactive since Sept. 25, 2010.

The 40-year-old Houston native was hard at work on his twelfth album, 'The Habit,' which was said to include features by John Legend and Drake. His reps have yet to release a statement regarding his incarceration.

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Rihanna's latest video clip banned in eleven countries

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The new clip for Rihanna's 'S&M' single has reportedly been banned in eleven countries.

NME reports that the salacious clip has been banned in eleven countries, although it doesn't specify which ones ' maybe Iran, Indonesia, China, et al.

Oddly enough, her album is currently number one on the international best-seller chart in Saudi Arabia.

MTV are apparently considering re-editing it the clip for daytime play, even though Rihanna tweeted that they had approved the clip in the first place.

The 'S&M' clip is behind an 'adult content' screen on YouTube and BBC Radio 1 will only play the song after 7pm because of the lyrics.

The rainbow coloured clip features reporters wearing ballgags, a whip-wielding dominatrix, blow-up sex dolls, latex outfits, Rihanna walking celebrity blogger Perez Hilton around on a leash and herself in rope bondage.

She also suggestively swallows a banana in the clip, and tweeted afterwards that she hate bananas and had a spit bucket on set.

Rihanna is now hosting an uncensored version on her website.


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Music and audio production

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