JumpinJack AJ

There have been lots of allegations against Nas over the years. I'm starting to think this he's a pretty crappy person. https://blackamericaweb.com/2022/01/12/pete-rock-nas-illmatic-lawsuit/?fbclid=IwAR00xGs89t4x-694zVxzmczOY5xGiY42DZ6kFsOrgmJgd6_wbG0gVUqqudg Pete Rock To Sue Nas Over ‘Illmatic’ Royalties: Report Pete wants his dough. Alvin aqua Blanco Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% PausePauseUnmuteUnmute Current Time0:00 / Duration Time3:16 SETTINGSFullscreen Black America Web Featured Video Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty Money makes the world go ’round. Legendary producer Pete Rock is reportedly considering a lawsuit against Nas over allegedly unpaid royalties from the rapper’s classic debut album, Illmatic. Pete Rock reportedly told Page Six that he’s never received a dime in royalties from his work on Illmatic, which was released in 1994. The Mt. Vernon producer and rapper produced only one track on the project, but “The World Is Yours” proved to be one of the album’s standout joints and singles. However, Rock and his lawyers say they cut a deal with Nas that would net him millions in royalties, which he has yet to ever see. Despite alleged pleas to honor the deal, nothing has manifested, per Rock and his legal team. “Nas and his people have stonewalled me since 1994; My New Year’s resolution is to be compensated for my hard work on ‘Illmatic’,” rock told Page Six. To the iconic producer’s credit, not only is “The Worlds Is Yours” the only single to go gold on Illmatic but he also performs the tune’s hook. Rock is credited as a writer on the song, which liberally samples Ahmad Jamal Trio “I Love Music,” among other chops. Maybe the publicity will help these two legends work things out, behind the scenes, and get Pete Rock any dough he’s deservedly due. Or Columbia/Sony can do some explaining when it comes to the accounting?

AD keeps going strong. This album has ended up on many year-end "best of" lists in terms of indie albums. If you haven't peeped it, make a point to do so. They just dropped this new video.

I dig it, but the production underwhelms me. It sounds like something average that was slid to him on a CD-R from 2004-2006.

When I saw the news, I was so happy. He more than earned this and this kind of recognition is long overdue. I just hate that it didn't get the traditional televised treatment.

I can only imagine all of the outtakes.

The full trailer is here.

https://www.vibe.com/features/editorial/ode-to-biz-markie-by-cormega-1234623556/?fbclid=IwAR3M836-KSkzkxizF0FjiVtU0ZWQAEktPuf3AS9NjM7-02w5KEh1qEDQWCo Essay: Cormega Shares His Thoughts On The Wonderful Life Of Biz Markie "How does someone define Biz Markie? I define him as one of the coolest rappers you could ever meet..." BY CORMEGA JULY 21, 2021 4:00PM Biz Markie performs at Chene Park on September 3, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. Photo by Monica Morgan/WireImage One must weigh a person’s character, actions, and individual ways to truly define who they are. The things that define a person are the things that a person is remembered by. How does someone define Biz Markie? I define him as one of the coolest rappers you could ever meet, with a sense of humor and warmth that is hard to forget or replicate. My first encounter with Biz was one a true hip-hop fan would consider mythical. It was at a park jam in Queens Bridge Houses Park, with the Juice Crew performing and Marley Marl as the DJ and orchestrator of everything. At that moment, I was happy for Juice Crew member Craig-G, as he just released a song called “Shout Rap” and performed it as well as a song called “Transformer.” Roxanne Shante, as usual, commanded respect with her skills. The surprise that night was someone nobody knew. My initial reaction was, “Who is this?” And it was answered when Biz Markie told the crowd that he’s not the Human Beat Box from The Fat Boys and did a perfect impression of the group’s sonic supplier, Buffie The Human Beat Box. He then said he’s not Doug E. Fresh and did a perfect impression of Doug E. Finally, he said he’s “The Human Orchestra” Biz Markie and beat boxed while harmonizing a rhythm. I never saw anything like that at that time. I don’t think anyone in the audience had. Suffice to say, he caught the attention of everyone. After that set, MC Shan gave an electrifying performance that is still one of the greatest I’ve ever seen…and then the jam was over. On the way out of the park, those in attendance had a lot to talk about and Biz Markie was part of the conversation. The next day Biz was still in the projects, chilling and socializing and it got to a point where seeing him in Queens Bridge was not a surprise. RELATED STORY KRS-One And Big Daddy Kane's 'Verzuz' Battle Channeled Rap's Golden Era He once said on a song, “Wherever I lay my hat is my home.” He laid his hat in Queens Bridge, Long Island, Harlem, New Jersey, Brooklyn to name a few. In the late ’80s/early ’90s, people stayed in their native neighborhoods in New York City. It was dangerous in the streets, but Biz Markie was different. People who weren’t from Brooklyn didn’t necessarily want to go to Brooklyn, because Brooklyn was the stickup kid Mecca of the five boroughs. But on any given day at Albee Square Mall, you could see Biz Markie chillin’ like he’s from Brooklyn. On any given day you could go to Harlem and see Biz near Mart 125 chilling like he was from Harlem. And on any given day you could see Biz at the Coliseum in Jamaica, Queens (especially at Shirt Kings). He was down to earth in every sense of the word and had a personality people gravitated toward, which helped him transition into film as well. But what really impressed me about Biz was his knowledge of hip-hop and respect for the culture, and of course, his talent, which went beyond performing. Biz had a sharp ear for beats and production, which many people didn’t know. He was also a great DJ. When someone has a skill, sometimes the skill is greater than the person. This is not one of those cases. (Did I mention his sneaker collection would tame a hype beast?) Some aspire to be a great person in their field, but to aspire to be loved like he was outside of his field would be a true achievement. I’ve never heard any rapper have something bad to say about Biz Markie. Ever. That alone makes him rare. We will miss the stage presence, the wit, the precision, but we are blessed to be able to listen to music and see videos with him in it. His family and close friends are the ones I sympathize with the most because his presence in their lives will forever be missed, so to them, we must give sincere condolences and respect. Remember life is a fleeting moment in the grand scheme of time and inevitably all will turn to vapors, but nobody beats the Biz. Biz Markie attends the induction of Hip-Hop DJ Icons Grandwizzard Theodore, Grandmixer DXT and Grandmaster Flash into Guitar Center’s Hollywood RockWalk at Guitar Center on March 6, 2014 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Chelsea Lauren/WireImage Cory “Cormega” McKay is an accomplished rapper and original member of Nas’ The Firm super group. Cormega helped blaze a trail for others in the independent production market after being signed to Def Jam Records in the ’90s.

Now that Barry Hankerson has finally gotten some things together with Blackground, all of the 90's/00's music from Aaliyah, Tank, JoJo, Ashley Parker Angel, etc is finally available to be streamed. It looks like he's moving forward with a new Aaliyah album. I think most Aaliyah supports will agree that it's great to hear unreleased music, but it's annoying that they are doctoring it. Here's the first single with the unnecessary doctored collaboration with The Weeknd. Here's an interview with Barry Hankerson... https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/barry-hankerson-aaliyah-posthumous-album-unstoppable-details-1234641117/?fbclid=IwAR24MS_zeI-NIgZ-NsbrbaEOXWSWycgpzMtUxChJutaR5jQJT4PVPNgLHnk Barry Hankerson Details Aaliyah’s Posthumous Album, ‘Unstoppable’ The Blackground Records founder reveals he hasn't been in touch with the late singer's estate regarding her next LP. BY MYA ABRAHAM DECEMBER 17, 2021 4:04PM RJ Capak/WireImage On Friday (Dec. 17), the lead single to Aaliyah Haughton’s posthumous and fourth studio album, Unstoppable, was released. The late singer’s new song, “Poison,” featuring The Weeknd has some leery and others excited for the upcoming full-length LP. Haughton’s uncle, Barry Hankerson—Blackground Records founder and sole owner of her entire catalog—spoke with Billboard about the new Static Major-written song. “When you put a record out, you try to start off with something that gets everybody’s attention,” he said about the DANNYBOYSTYLES and Nick Lamb co-produced record. Hankerson shared how the Canadian singer wanted to obtain some unreleased Aaliyah vocals years ago, but that wasn’t able to come to fruition until now. He also explained what to expect from the Unstoppable album in 2022. The project is set to include a plethora of male artists including features from Drake, Future, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, and Snoop Dogg. “The body of work is pure hip-hop and R&B […] Some of the people that Aaliyah liked are on the album,” Hankerson explained. “She loved Snoop Dogg, who’s done a great record in collaboration with Future. Ne-Yo gave us an excellent song; also Drake. Timbaland produced the track that Chris Brown did. It’s vintage R&B with strong vocals.” Later in the interview, Hankerson admitted that he hasn’t been in contact with Aaliyah’s estate. “We hope they’re happy. Our door and our phone is always available if there are any comments they’d like to make about anything. We’re open to that. I don’t really know who runs that entity, but I’m not hostile at all. Anything that’s connected to Aaliyah in a positive way, we are open to be involved with and do whatever we can do.” He continued, “We hope it’s profitable for them. We hope that the public enjoys what we’ve done so that the estate can accomplish whatever their goals are. I just hope that out of the very terrible thing that happened to my niece that people can heal. That people can look at all the good things and not just the controversial things that may encompass their thinking. I’m not angry with anybody.” Another single is rumored to be released before the album’s arrival in 2022.

We lost another legend. The best smile in Hip-Hop. https://www.npr.org/2021/12/18/1065534280/kangol-kid-hip-hop-pioneer-has-died-at-55 Kangol Kid, hip-hop pioneer, has died at 55 December 18, 20216:47 PM ET Kangol Kid, pictured in 2017 in New York City, has died at age 55 after being diagnosed with colon cancer. Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for BET The influential rapper and UTFO member Shaun Shiller Fequiere, known by his stage name Kangol Kid, has died at the age of 55. "I just wanna hear you again, another hug, another embarrassing kiss," the rapper's son T.Shaun Fequiere wrote in a Dec. 18 Instagram post confirming his death. The rapper's death comes after he announced he had been diagnosed with colon cancer in February 2021. As a member of the hip-hop group UTFO, which stood for "UnTouchable Force Organization," Fequiere was part of a pioneering era of New York City rap in the early 1980s. Along with members Doctor Ice, Mix Master Ice, and Educated Rapper, who died in 2017, the Brooklyn group was best known for their 1984 hit song "Roxanne, Roxanne." The track ignited what was later known as the "Roxanne Wars" after rapper Roxanne Shante responded with her diss track "Roxanne's Revenge," which in turn led to dozens of other groups creating their own records responding to the song. "When you think of hip-hop, hip-hop is a sport," Fequiere told AllHipHopTV in 2017 of the infamous rap beef. "A lot of breakdance is battle, rap is battle, DJs battle, but we were the first to battle on wax." Before becoming a rapper, Fequiere began his career as a breakdancer working with fellow UTFO member Doctor Ice. The two performed as the Keystone Dancers and then danced for the hip-hop group Whodini before forming UTFO. "We don't want to be labeled as a rap group," Fequiere told The Washington Post in 1985. "We want to be labeled as a group that can rap. We want to do everything. We may come out with a country tune." UTFO even landed a performance on The Phil Donahue show in 1984, bringing breakdancing to a wider audience. The rapper earned his name for wearing Kangol hats, a defining accessory in 1980s hip-hop, and ended up earning an endorsement deal with the brand. "It was my thing," Fequiere said in an interview with Hot 97. "The name just stuck. ... It was the hat the cool kids wore, and I deemed myself a cool kid by crowning myself with such a hat." One of Fequiere's Kangol hats would later become part of the collection at the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture. In the months leading up to his death, Fequiere spoke openly about his experience with cancer, urging fans to get screened. He frequently shared updates about his health on Instagram and photos from his hospital bed with visitors from the hip-hop community, including rappers LL Cool J and fellow UTFO member Doctor Ice. In an interview earlier this year with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, he said: "The new look for hip-hop and cancer is to go get yourself checked out before it happens."

Normally I see Will's movies when they first come out, but with the pandemic and how busy life has been, I hadn't made it out. When I checked movie times and saw that it was leaving the theaters in my area, I went out to see the only showing, which was at 11:20 at night, even though I had to get up at 6 a.m. the next day. I loved the film. It's literally perfect. The tone, the costumes, the acting, the casting, the story they choose to tell. I hate that it was released at a weird time when people are selective about going to the movies. I hope this wins big. It's a special project.

I dare you to not nod your head to this new one.

https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/jodeci-reunites-new-management-p-music-group-1234639168/?fbclid=IwAR2q8cR5aEoAZGHlrvyEnr2eCEnU_1TrIqSqcfASPWDpiEwb4BttlPtNrEE Jodeci Reunites Under New Management Deal With P Music Group "We've come a long way," said group member K-Ci Hailey. "It's a blessing to be back together and give our fans what they've been asking for." BY PREEZY BROWN DECEMBER 10, 2021 5:10PM L–R: Mr. Dalvin, JoJo, DeVanté, and K-Ci of Jodeci perform at the Fillmore Silver Spring in Silver Spring, Md. Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post via Getty Images One of R&B’s most popular and iconic groups are officially reuniting as a full unit as legendary quartet Jodeci have announced their return to the music scene under a new management deal with P Music Group. The group, which consists of members Cedric “K-Ci” Hailey, Joel “JoJo” Hailey, Donald “DeVanté” DeGrate, and Dalvin “Mr. Dalvin” DeGrate, plans to build upon their legacy with the possibility of releasing new music under their partnership. P Music Group founder/CEO Michael Paran, who also reps R&B legends Charlie Wilson and Johnny Gill, shared the backstory of how the Jodeci reunion came to be. “During the pandemic, the guys started reaching out to each other and began talking about reuniting,” Paran told Billboard. “They’re ready to build something new, done the right way without continuing the missteps of the past. I want to be long-term with them and help them show the world that they’re back to begin a whole new era.” K-Ci, who inked a solo deal with P Music Group in 2019 and is currently at work on a new solo album, also spoke on his and his groupmates’ new endeavor. “I’m excited for Jodeci to join P Music Group with Michael managing us,” shared K-Ci in a statement announcing the news. “We’ve come a long way. It’s a blessing to be back together and give our fans what they’ve been asking for.” Mr. Dalvin also spoke glowingly of the opportunity to work with Paran and P Music Group. “Michael is a a man with a plan, a vision and a mission,” he said, adding, “We’re looking forward to a great partnership.” Hailing from North Carolina, Jodeci inked their first record deal with Uptown Records, releasing their debut album, Forever My Lady, in 1991. Spawning the runaway hits “Come and Talk to Me” and its titular track, Forever My Lady yielded the group their first platinum plaque and was followed by the equally successful releases Diary of a Mad Band (1993) and The Show, the After Party, the Hotel (1995). Announcing a hiatus in 1996 and pursuing individual solo efforts, Jodeci resurfaced in 2015 with their fourth studio album, The Past, the Present, the Future, the quartet’s first in 25 years. Having sold over 20 million records worldwide and still regarded as cultural icons, Jodeci’s comeback is sure to give fans of their raunchy, yet melodic style of bedroom ballads something to look forward to heading into the new year.

It's out! https://officialarresteddevelopment.bandcamp.com/album/for-the-fkn-love?from=fanpub_fb_pr&utm_source=album_release&utm_medium=email&utm_content=fanpub_fb_pr&utm_campaign=officialarresteddevelopment%2Balbum%2Bfor-the-fkn-love

Yes, I never thought that moment on the reunion was fake or forced, but it's great to see the reunion continue with her showing up to support him and him acknowledging her.

I figured it would be cool to have a post where those in this group leave their review of the book, explaining what they like about it and where they feel there was room for improvement. What parts are you most entertained by?