Posts Tagged ‘Hip Hop Legends’

Kurtis Blow to Co-Host The Hip Hop Hall of Fame Awards

Hip Hop Legend Kurtis Blow is set to co-host the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame Awards in June. This will be the first broadcast of the awards show since it aired in national and international syndication. It will also appear on the BET Cable Network.

This year’s show, which will take place in New York, will feature a week of activities leading up to the televised program. Among the events will be several community outreach projects, a VIP reception, artist parties and programs honoring industry pioneers and New York City leaders.

The week will end with the unveiling of the Manhattan Home of the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame Museum & Entertainment Complex, which will introduce over 120 jobs to the community, according to a press release. The new museum is expected to generate an estimated $400 million in revenue.

Hip Hop Legend Ice Cube to Drop New Album “I Am The West”

I AM THE WEST…is the name of my new record. After completing about 65% of my music, this is the perfect title. This shit is cocky, no apologies, West Coast gangsta shit. I can’t help it. That’s what I do. June seems too tight for a release, but July is very doable. We’ll see how things go. Now that I have my title, I can work on the concept of my photoshoot and artwork. I want to provide early merch before the drop date.

For 7 or 8 years now the West Coast has been trying to do music that appeals to the South and Mid-West. The words, “too West Coast” would be heard throughout the industry whenever our music was played. Even by our own dj’s. Left coast MC’s were now trying to change their sound to cater to all the followers. We lost our way. Thank God for b-boys like Snoop, The Game & WC for keeping the West alive, but we were all guilty of over reaching. No more. At least not from me. I do it how I feel it; not how I think it should be done. Radio fucked us up. I hate the politics at radio. I don’t know who to pay to get my shit played. Having a hot song is not enough. Ridiculous.

I AM THE WEST. It’s coming….

Keep It Gangsta

Ice Cube

KRS-One on one: Hip-hop needs more women

What do you think is missing in hip-hop today?

KRS ONE: “I am not just saying this because you [a woman] are asking the question, this is my real answer: More women. More women. Not just emcees or b-girls, but women taking control of hip-hop. Let me be culturally-specific- hip-hop’s women should teach hip-hop’s men how to speak to them. Because when we learn how to speak to you, we can learn how to speak to the whole business world. It’s not just about respecting you…it is…but it’s deeper than just respecting another human being. Everytime you degrade a person, you degrade yourself, because you are standing next to that person. You can’t diss a person, and not diss yourself…I should say ‘she’s a queen.’ And what does that make me? A king. So now at the end of the day, what’s missing in hip-hop? Knowledge of self, that should only come from women. I know that sounds feminist, but that’s real talk.

CP: But men can be feminists, too.

KRS ONE: No doubt. But they are scared. They’re cowards.

Original Rap Radio DJ ‘Mr. Magic’ Died Today

Legendary hip hop DJ John “Mr. Magic” Rivas died of a heart attack this morning.

Mr. Magic was the first DJ to bring rap music to a major radio station, he kicked off Rap Attack in 1983 on WBLS-FM in New York City.

Rap Attack featured Marley Marl as the DJ and Tyrone “Fly Ty” Williams as the show’s co-producer. Magic’s reign on New York airwaves lasted six years and was instrumental in broadening the scope and validity of hip hop music.

Mr. Magic reappeared in 2002 on Grand Theft Auto: Vice City’s fictitious radio station Wildstyle Pirate Radio, portraying himself.
Said Biggie Smalls

“Every Saturday, Rap Attack, Mr. Magic, Marley Marl.”

Tupac Shakur revealed that his early days were influenced by Mr. Magic. Shakur mentioned Mr. Magic on the track, “Old School,” from the 1995 release, Me Against The World.

Miss Info posted a letter from DJ Premier this morning remembering the man’s accomplishments:

HE PAVED THE WAY FOR ALL RADIO STATIONS THAT EVER DID MIXSHOWS AND ALSO SPARKED THE CAREER OF BOOGIE DOWN PRODUCTIONS DUE TO THE DISS HE SHOWED WHEN THEY CAME TO SHOP THEIR DEMO TO HIM AND WAS TURNED AWAY WHICH THEN SPARKED “SOUTH BRONX” AND “THE BRIDGE IS OVER

Mr. Magic, Roc Raida damn….

Russell Simmons And Rick Rubins Def Jam Memories

Jay Z on 40 Year old Rappers

Never tell this man when he should drop the mic.

By now it’s safe to say Jay-Z is the Brett Favre of rap.

And lately, the formerly Young Hov has said that as long as an MC’s heart is in it, he or she should continue, regardless of age. He’s about 40, and that’s about all these dissing young rappers could ever say about him that holds any weight as far as his rap career goes. But with the newest effort by Jay, The Blueprint 3, he’s showing young rappers how to do it.

Here’s a recent comment by Jigga to XXL Magazine, as quoted in their October issue:

“No matter what I do, any person that gets to this stage of their life is going to do whatever is in their heart. I think people should make music as long as their heart is in it. As long as they’re pushing past the deadline four times and they’re still making more records. Like, there are thousands of boxers that could have retired before they had that fight, Muhammad Ali for one. But you never stop — because of one, your passion or greed, your financial situation, there may be a need, you know? The thing that I can do is stretch the subject matter. Whether Kingdom Come was your favorite album or not, ’30 Something,’ you have to deal with that subject matter [in that song]. If [the target audience is] 15 to 25, that’s too narrow. What am I going to listen to at 26 and beyond? That’s a quarter of my life. That’s such a small slice of the pie. We have to expand the genre. I would love to listen to hip-hop all day. Of course, now there are other things making their way into my CD changer or iPod, because of the lack of material. It doesn’t speak to me. Everyone is speaking to the kids, thinking that’s the key to success. The sad part of it is that all these [rappers] saying it are 30 years old, at least. Sometimes 35. It’s misleading. It’s that lack of growth that will keep us in a certain place.”

Lack of growth in hip-hop will no doubt kill it. The newcomers needed a blueprint for a true hip-hop album, and Jay gave them three – one in 2001, one in 2002, and this most recent LP. If Soulja Boy did the same type of songs today and he was 40, would any of you children listen to him ?

These are the questions I pose to the youth: is music what it is, or does age dictate what you listen to? My point is this: is rap really for kids, or can you love what you want without caring about what your friends or peers think? Is Drake a rapper or a disney show actor for the kids. Is Lil Wayne Lil anymore? Is Young Buck still Young ?

Jay-Z should rhyme for as long as he wants. Whether he relates to you is up to you, not your friends or the mainstream.

Keep it movin.

Nuff said.

KRS-One Creates A Religion Based On Hip Hop

KRS-One has launched his own religion, complete with a 600 page ‘bible’ for potential followers. The new faith is based on rap and the holy text called “The Gospel Of Hip Hop : The First Instrument.”

“It explores the spirituality of hip hop, the divinity of hip hop. I’m suggesting that in 100 years, this book will be a new religion on the earth. Now you talk about controversy, there’s some Christian ministries if you go online, look up some ministers, they dissing right now. ‘Who the hell does he think he is ?’ Well, I think I have the authority to approach God directly, I don’t have to go through any religion (or) train of thought.

“I can approach God directly myself and so I wrote a book called ‘The Gospel Of Hip Hop’ to free from all this nonsense garbage right now. Respect to the Christianity, the Islam, the Judaism but their time is up.”