April 2008

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No confirmation for Eminem’s performance at Hyde Park (Detroit Free Press)

April 15, 2008 in Eminem | 1 comment

This is one more reason why people should be very careful about what is written in the tabloids. Don’t believe everything you read!

Read the original article here.

Britain’s Sun tabloid says Detroit rap star Eminem has confirmed his appearance at Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday party in London’s Hyde Park on June 27.

Not exactly, says Dennis Dennehy, Interscope Records publicist. “He’s been approached, but it’s not confirmed.”

Which would confirm the Brit tabs reputation for being notoriously — how can we put it? — inexact.

Exclusive Jericho and The Eburneans interview!

April 13, 2008 in Black Music | 2 comments

Jericho is a reggae musician I had the chance to meet in Paris last February by total coincidence. His music is rich of spiritual life values and reflects positive views on life.
He is the leader of a group called the Eburneans.
Rhythmic, dynamic, enthusiastic, Jericho and the Eburneans spread hope around the world with their reggae sounding rhythms.

More info about the gifted Parisian musicians can be found here.

1. What motivated you to get started in the music industry?

- Since my youngest age, I dreamt about expressing the richness and the values of African culture

2. What is the story behind your group’s name? What does Eburneans
exactly mean?

-Jericho is the name my grandmother gave me. It has a meaning of hope.
Eburnea is Ivory Coast’s ancient name (it recalls the whiteness of elephants’ ivory).
The Eburneans are the inhabitants of the Ivory Coast.

3. Who is your biggest musical source of inspiration?

-My biggest musical source of inspiration comes from the black diaspora

4. Which artists have you collaborated with already?

-I played in the first part of President Brown, a Jamaican artist at New Morning in Paris.

5. Define your music within a few words…

-My music is a mixture of African, Jamaican and Afro-European influences.

6. Could you give us a short presentation about your group?

My group is composed of five musicians:
*Jericho/ leader/ singer of the group, from Ivory Coast
*Jiré/ guitar and vocals/ from Ivory Coast
*Don Marques/ guitar bass, from Trinidad and Tobacco
*Djazz: keyboard and back up vocals, from Martinique
*Mister Jean, drums and back up vocals, from Haiti

7. A few words about your upcoming concert, on April the 26th, that will
take place in Paris?
Jéricho and the Eburnéans are due to perform on April the 26 th at Belleville, Paris, 35
bd de la Villette and afterwards on September the 19th, at l’Inattendu, 20 rue du Pré St Gervais.

8. What is the biggest challenge you had to face since you started making music?

The Eburneans were to perform at the Fête de l’Humanité in front of a huge public. It was very emotional for all of us.

9. Which artist (dead or alive, mainstream or underground) has earned your respect and why?

- The artist I respect very much is Alpha Blondy. He represents Africa with much dignity.

10. What are your songs about?

-My music tells about the history of Africa and contemporary political/ social issues.

11.How do you compose your music? what comes first: lyrics, instrumentals or beats?

-I first compose the lyrics with Jire, then comes the melody. We go on with the whole composition work afterwards and we put everything in place.

12. Besides reggae music, what kind of music do you listen to?

- I’m very fond of Jimi Hendrix’ pop music, James Brown’s soul music and Fela’s Afro Beat.

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

A minute of silence for our fallen soldier RIP Big Proof

April 11, 2008 in D12, Detroit Underground Scene | 2 comments

April the 11th

Thanks to all of you who have been posting messages remembering the brilliant Detroit emcee.

We love you Proof. You will live on in our hearts for ever:)

Tomorrow is April the 11th…Big Proof day!

April 10, 2008 in Uncategorized | 3 comments

2 years ago, Deshaun Holton aka Big Proof was murdered at the infamous 7 Mile CCC Club.

Sad day for the hip hop community:(

However, I want us to remember Proof when he was alive. Therefore, I got a surprise for all of you Proof and D 12 fans.

Enjoy visit from Proof to students in Deaborn, Michigan!

Isabelle

Ice Cube: Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It (video review)

April 10, 2008 in Hip Hop | No comments

Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It

Rating of the product: 5 stars

2008 seems to be a promising year for gangsta rap father Ice Cube. The amazingly skilled emcee is back with a good dose of ghetto rage inspired lyrics, his typical, classy instrumental style and his dope ass beats.

While picturing an annoying white man teaching ‘his truth’ to attentive kids about Compton City on behalf of the government, Ice Cube suddenly appears on the giant screen blind of smoke and ready to reveal the streets’ reality. A rhythmic piano background reflects a tense situation that allows no compromise for political correctness. An angry, bearded Ice Cube shows some teeth to his auditorium.

Angrily pumping his fist at the American government who likes blaming crime rates on gangsta rap, Ice Cube hits where it really hurts.

Blame him as much as you want, Ice Cube’s verbal power will burn you liars down:

“Blame me
You niggas know my pyrocalstic flow
You niggas know my pyrocalstic flow flow
You niggas know my pyrocalstic flow it’s R.A.W R.A.W”

Ice Cube perfectly knows where to point an angry finger when he talks about America’s cocaine business. It is quite easy to find out, as the talented emcee points it out:

“I’m raw as a dirty needle
Choke an eagle
Just to feed all my people
Lyrically I’m so lethal
Plant thoughts in they mind just to defeat you
Ice Cube is a saga ya spit saliva
And I spit lava
I got the fearless flow
Don’t get near this ho
If you sacred to go
I keep it gangsta and why should change that fuck all you muthafukas tryin to change rap
But arent you the same cat that sat back when they brought cocaine back
I’m tryin to get me a may back how you muthafukas gonna tell me don’t say that you the ones where we learned it from I heard nigga back in 1971″

Ice Cube doesn’t fear an hypocritical and corporate government. His verbal pugnacity allies a fighting spirit with a great dose of grittiness and sarcasm.

He’s not rhyming to please you. He is uttering the truth. Be aware that Ice Cube’s lyrics are a flammable product. The talented emcee ignited a fire that will fiercely spread among gangsta rap lovers!

His strong prophetic spirit confers him a real authority.

Watch Ice Cube’s excellent video here.

Copyright© by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Mr Porter reveals details on Eminem, Detox, solo album & more…

April 9, 2008 in D12, Detroit Underground Scene, Eminem, Hip Hop | No comments

(a Hip Hop DX exclusive)

Read the original article here.

Denaun Porter aka Mr. Porter aka Kon Artis from D12 has been a busy man as of late. While putting in work for artists like Little Brother, Pharoahe Monch and Jay Electronica, Mr. Porter revealed to HipHopDX what he has coming up in 2008.

“I definitely am going to help get this D12 album done,” he states about working with his crew. “I got 6 songs that I’m in love with – not just because I did them but because the guys are spitting their hearts out.”

Porter also reveals a solo production album coming out this year titled Who Is John Doe.

“I’m putting out the Who Is John Doe project this year and it’s a great thing because it gives you a CD of all of the beats that didn’t make it (on other albums),” the Detroit producer explains. “It’s all chops and niggas ain’t never heard me do that. They are hearing beats that aren’t even put together. They are raggedy.”

The guest list is full of some of the Motor City’s finest.

“The album has got Guilty Simpson, it’s got Black Milk, myself doing solo songs, Phat Kat. It’s got all these cats I came up to listening with Jay Dee. It’s got Slum Village. Elzhi has a solo song on there. Dwele. So I made that project for myself before I go back out there.”

What Mr. Porter means by “before I go back out there” is supplying beats for Dr Dre’s swan song Detox. He – along with quite a few other notable producers – have been hard at work supplying the good Doctor with a plethora of beats. Many are curious what is going on with the project but Porter can give some insight.

“He just needs that first record,” he says of the hold up on the album. “He’s got records. We’ve busted our ass and I hope Dre feels that way. We really came to the table with different things. But Dre’s going to do that record. We’re not going to do it, we’re just giving him ideas. But Andre Young is going to come with it! It’s just his last record and he’s gotta go out with a bang!”

The one thing that piques the curiosity of many is the whereabouts of Porter’s close friend, Slim Shady.

“Eminem’s been recording, he’s always working. Me and him haven’t talked much because I have my own career.”

But although he hasn’t talked as frequently with his friend as many would think, Porter did take the time to squash a few rumors that had been hovering.

“Em ain’t fat,” Porter laughs as he talks about the blond emcee from 8 Mile. “He fucked his ACL up. What people don’t know is that Em got sick around Christmas and he had pneumonia. Then he fucked his ACL up right after that and that’s a serious injury. He’s straight. He just hurt himself and he’s good. He ain’t high or fucked up somewhere. That nigga is working. I’m going to help him get his record done. I need an Eminem record in my life for my own self. I need that.“

Porter also says that Eminem is completely clean and in great spirits.

“He’s the most clear and at his brightest point. That’s my family. We bump heads because we competitors. I’m cuter than him and he hates it. Bitches love me, they love him too but he got more money than me.“

Keep it tuned to DX for more on Mr. Porter, Eminem and Dr. Dre.

Eminem’s mom sued over book (XXL Mag)

April 9, 2008 in Eminem | 2 comments

Can you seize the irony of such a situation? This is just crazy.

Read the original article here.

Eminem’s estranged mother, Debbie Nelson, is being sued by a man who says he was under contract as her literary agent and has not received his cut of the profits from her tell-all book about her famous son. According to the Detroit News, Neal Alpert and the Rachel Erin Corporation filed the suit against Nelson in Michigan’s Oakland County Circuit Court on Monday (April 7). The suit claims that Em’s mother and her publisher Walton, Little, went behind Alpert’s back and released the book My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem: Setting the Record Straight on My Life as Eminem’s Mother. “As her agent, he was entitled to a percentage of profits but hasn’t seen a dime,” said Drew Norton, Alpert’s attorney. Alpert claims that Nelson hired him as her agent in book, TV and film projects, for which he was entitled to 25 percent of any profits. He claims that the book was his idea and that, under a July 2006 contract, Nelson agreed to have Walton, Little pay commissions from sales of the book to Erin. Alpert and Erin claim that they have not seen any payment for the project. The suit states that the book, which was released in the U.K. last September, has sold over 100,000 copies. My Son Marshall, My Son Eminem is scheduled to be released in the U.S. this week.

Eazy E Day in Compton (Rap Basement)

April 8, 2008 in Uncategorized | No comments

Read the original article here.

Written by Jason

Today (April 7th) people in Compton, California are celebrating the memory of Eric “Eazy-E” Wright. The former major of Compton, Omar Bradley, declared April 7th to be “Eazy-E” day stating “Eric made Compton famous not just in California, but all over the world,” at Eazy’s funeral, continuing “I recognize Eazy as a young man who grew up in the streets of Compton–and brothers and sisters, we know it’s not ‘easy’ growing up in Compton.”
Eazy, known for founding Ruthless Records which released albums by rap groups like N.W.A., The D.O.C., Above The Law, Bone-Thugs-N-Harmony and others. Jerry Heller who co-founded the label with Eazy said “March 26, 1995 was the saddest day in the history of rap music,” continuing “Not a day goes by that Gayle [Heller] and I don’t think about my long time friend and business associate with the fondest remembrances. He was an incredible visionary, and truly ‘the little big man.’ R.I.P my brother.”

I just discovered a quite complete Proof discography…

April 5, 2008 in Uncategorized | 1 comment

I got it from the following wonderful entirely Derty Harry dedicated website.

Unfortunately, it seems that this website has been somehow partially erased from the net, since the homepage is not available any more.

Enjoy that old school Proof track called Anywhere…

April 5, 2008 in D12, Detroit Underground Scene | 1 comment

It is from 1996. Anywhere by Proof: rediscover the emcee’s amazing freestyling qualities:)

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