After three years of unjustified beefing… (MTV news)

Ray Benzino reveals his true colors:
Former Source owner Benzino tells SOHH.com that he doesn’t have beef with anyone — not even longtime nemesis Eminem. “I think if me and Eminem ever got together, it would not only be big for hip-hop, it would be big for society,” Benzino said, explaining that he’d team up with Em in the name of race relations. “We have a long way to go and I think he can be a very important voice to make that happen. If it was to ever happen, I’d be with it.” …
This assertions certainly deserves a further comment lol

50 Cent reveals new Eminem album(Music Rooms)

The rapper is supposedly retired from the game, but – surprise, surprise – he has been recording tracks for an upcoming fifth long player.
50 Cent tells Blender magazine, “He’s got a new album coming. He’s not gonna tell people that, but he’s making new music.
“I’ve heard a few songs, and it’s hot. He won’t tell nobody he’s working on a new album, but I’ll tell you: he’s working on new music.”

Swift Corleon: a gritty Carolinian hip hop style

Swift Corleon comes at his listeners with a very erosive, gritty instrumentally harsh style. Buss Em exposes the artist s whole anger against his opponents. The merciless vocals, the knife alike violin background, the beats in the background will enlighten the stomp em out song. Swift corleon leaves no place for prankstas, period.
Explanin starts like a rapid gig. Swift Corleon s song is written in a definite hustling style.
Crowned featuring Deuce has a contrasting keyboard background made of light and darker sounds. Both artists voices totally fit with the dark atmosphere of the song that is rich of the offensive spiritthat makes an emcee s character.
Dats A Party Featuring Semi is a party song. Swift Corleon and his partner in crime, Semi, are determined to make some dead presidents.
Appreciate Swift Corleon s specific style here.
Copyright 2007 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Cynical 3000: a certified banger representing Texas

Of definite Southern inspiration, Cynical 3000 is a Texan emcee who manages to communicate his enthusiasm to the crowd.
Where I kick It At is based on keyboards and violin sounds. The quite monotonous musical background totally contrasts with cynical 3000 s conqueror spirit. Cynical 3000 brings this Dirty South spirit with him and is ready to erase his enemies with this banger track.
Rapid piano sounds and violins will create an over offensive atmosphere during which Cynical 3000 will offer a good demonstration of his lyrical skills. In his song, the emcee questions faith in a very gritty manner.
Rock Me allows the listener to appreciate his softer side. This song has a much more commercial dimension than the preceding ones. Cynical 3000, however, has a nice flow delivery.
Cynical 3000 s main qualities are certainly his confident spirit and the will never to let it go. This emcee is here to stay so remember the name.
All the tracks exposed on his my space account are taken out of his Loose Cannon album.
Discover Cynical 3000 here.
Some of his tracks are unavailable at the moment. However I ‘d advice you to have a look at the gifted Texan rapper.
Copyright 2007 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Obie Trice talks about new album "Bottom's Up" (Rap Basement)

Written by Dave
Monday, 21 May 2007
All is quiet in the Shady camp at the moment — besides the hailstorm of publicity that Shady/Aftermath artist 50 Cent has been stirring up, Eminem and D12 are playing it low-key.
But that hasn’t stopped Obie Trice from gearing up for his next project, Bottom’s Up. He’s a few songs deep and hopes to be able to drop the album by the top of next year. Obie has only been in the lab with Daz Dillinger so far, but it’s another vet he’s recently linked with — former Suave House CEO and current Clipse manager Tony Draper — that has the Detroit rhyme-slinger thinking about the big picture.
“I’m in the makings with him about doing some management [for me],” Obie said of Draper. “We working some things out. It’s a good look. He knows a lot of people and knows how to move things around. He’s been out here for a minute, so that’s a good look as far as I go. I’m just trying to branch out and get in this game correctly.
“I don’t really know a lot of artists — I’m in Detroit,” Obie continued. “It’s not Atlanta, where everybody is everywhere, or L.A. or somewhere like that. I actually think it’s time for me to start branching off and start connecting with cats. Getting my collaboration on and working with some hot producers — unknown and known — and just make them joints that feel good and that are radio. I just want to make that transition.”
With that goal in mind, Obie has compiled a wish list for Bottom’s Up that includes Eminem, Young Buck, Akon, Jazze Pha, and Devin the Dude. He also told us he’d ultimately like to be the type of artist who gets invited to perform at award shows and talked about for having the song of the year.
But Obie’s in no rush to pull a crossover move. He recently leaked his latest joint, “Detroit Summer,” which will also be on his next mixtape with DJ Whoo Kid, The Most Underrated. Obie revealed a few tracks he’s working with, like the cautionary “Short Distance” and “Hold Up.”
” ‘Short Distance’ just talks about how a short distance it is between being right and being wrong and what’s disrespecting a man and what’s not,” Obie explained. “It’s like a short distance between living life and not. Just that quick something can happen when you trying to back a person against a wall.
” ‘Hold Up’ [has] a real banging bass line with a constant freestyle, like a different type of flow,” he continued. “A verbatim, repetition-type flow. It crazy, something different. There’s a few joints I got.”

Sean Price/ Jesus Price Supastar/ album review

Global rating of the product: 3 .75 stars
A brand new album has been released a while ago. It is Sean Price s Jesus Price Supastar. Sean Price s main strength as an emcee are certainly his verbal ease in creating astute wordplays. Follow him into his world, a world in which faith and rapping skills are deeply interconnected.
After a short introduction, the cocky rhymer will punch his enemies in a very merciless manner in Like You. Keyboard sounds, soft vocals and a computerized dark voice announce Sean Price s venue.
Among the most noticeable songs you will find Cardiac. Cardiac is characterized by a nice flow delivery and some good rhyming skills. The overheated atmosphere is softened by the vocals.
Another good demonstration of lyrical power is the King Kong song during which Sean Price blesses the mic with an amazing dexterity and loads of confidence. Based on conqueror symphonic violins and some catchy beats, Sean Price takes over in no time.
One is rich of a spiritual meaning. The song will bring the listener back to the spiritual notion of God s unity and-by extension- to other concepts of unity: one love, one mic, one son, one knowledge, one foundation…
Globally speaking, the CD is rich of some good pieces of work. Obviously Sean Price knows how to rhyme and to captivate his public. His lyrical strength, his good flow delivery probably won t leave him unnoticed on the rap scene. Some of his vocals or instrumentals, however, don t seem to always match with some of his songs. They could be improved a little bit in order to strengthen the meaning that is behind the different songs of the album.
Have a look at Sean Price s Jesus Price Supastar album that will lead you into his spiritual war of words.
Copyright 2007 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Pure Detroit fire: Phat Kat's brand new Jay Dee produced Cold Steel video

Rating of the product: 5 stars
The Detroit hip hop scene barely sleeps: its boiling scene of gifted artists is constantly on the move.
Phat Kat aka Ronnie Cash will bring some hot fire into the cold city of cement. His brand new video features Elzhi of Slum Village.
Cold Steel might shock some sensitive stomachs, but it draws a realistic picture of the Detroit hood where people get gunned down easily.
With his confident flow delivery that is enhanced by some harsh electric guitar sounds combined with some rhythmic drum beats, Ronnie Cash introduces you into the dark world of the Murder Capital. Strident violin sounds in the background will reinforce the tough world of Detroit’s fallen soldiers.
The gun that is shown during the video is a reminder of the harshness of life in the hood. You can anticipate the dramatic dimension of the song while listening to the instrumental and visual background. The viewer will see an environment made of cold buildings, abandoned houses, and cold steel.
You gotta love Phat Kat s way of telling things. No place for a soft bubble gum world. This is the way things are: the Detroit hood is a tough universe.
Instrumentally and artistically, the video is lead from the hand of a master. Phat Kat has an interesting social comment to deliver. He points an offensive finger at the American government’s whereabouts. He will remind us that kids of the age of three only are getting killed in the hood.
As one would probably know, Bush is responsible for most of the problems people face in the hood today in America; weapons, drug deals and poverty are the consequences of our greedy politicians way of acting in this world.
Phat Kat’s way of telling things won t leave attentive listeners indifferent. Discover the Cold Steel video here
Copyright 2007 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Urban Transport: jazz made in Detroit

With its bass and piano accents in the background, Urban Transport will enhance the very soft chillout atmosphere of their Invitation song. Invitation is literally an invitation to hang around and to gently travel through the group s universe. The listener will probably love the mixture of softness and dynamic hammering piano sounds in the middle of the track.
Bass and drums introduce Freedom Jazz Dance, a beautiful, rhythmic track that will probably motivate you to dance along with the track.
Maiden Voyage draws a colorful ambience. Catchy beats, piano notes and drum beats will work together in order to create feelings of excitement and amusement through the music. Trumpets and trombones are also here to spice up the track.
Tokyo Blues is fulfilled with nostalgy and joy; The very sensula saxophone tones in the background will certainly increase your hunger for this gifted group s music.
Listen to Urban Transport here.
Copyright 2007 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Street Spectacles

There is no such pleasure than a free spectacle you are invited to watch while walking in the streets: it is even more fun when the event is unorganized and improvised for the viewer s eyes greatest pleasure.
I had the chance to watch a group of young break dancers on a public place whose charisma, physical agility and dexterity was quite impressing.
Proof was that they attracted a wide range of viewers of all ages.
Besides their gift for break dance acclaimed by the majority of an enthusiastic public, the young break dancers also managed to captivate their public with a variety of rhythmic pantomimes.
At the beginning of the spectacle, one could have thought that the group that accompanied the break dancers didn t really fit, because of the structure of the instrumental composition. I thought so too. But I was wrong.
Tuba, clarinet, violin, drums and other loud instruments totally enhanced the atmosphere of the improvised show during which the orchestra interpreted the well known Jewish Nava Haguila Nava.
An unanimous ovation acclaimed break dancers and musicians.
Open your eyes, your heart and your spirit, because the streets had a story to tell on this occasion.
I d like to thank those young people for sharing their gift with a thirsty crowd.
Copyright 2007 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved

Eminem contributes to hip hop for Habitat(Det News)

Eminem made a donation Thursday to Hip Hop 4 Habitat, a project where members of the hip-hop community will build a home for a family in need. The hip-hop superstar contributed an undisclosed sum of money to help launch the program through his Marshall Mathers Foundation, it was announced on WJLB-FM (97.9) Thursday. Hip Hop 4 Habitat is looking to raise $75,000 to build a home on Detroit’s east side. It’s tentatively set to be built in October. Following the completion of the home, Detroit rapper Trick Trick — who is also participating in the project — will give a concert for volunteers. Hip Hop 4 Habitat is looking for more people — artists or regular types — to volunteer by contacting Habitat for Humanity Detroit, (313) 521-6691.