Jay Z talks police brutality on raw new song spiritual

World-weary Jay Z is “saddened and disappointed” that an anti-police brutality anthem he wrote years ago is still vitally needed today.
The rap mogul on Thursday released “Spiritual,” his first new music in three years, in the wake of two black men being gunned down by cops earlier that week in Baton Rouge, La., and Falcon Heights, Minn.

“I made this song a while ago, I never got to finish it,” Jay Z wrote in a statement on his streaming hisite, Tidal. “Punch (TDE) told me I should drop it when Mike Brown died, sadly I told him, ‘this issue will always be relevant.’ I’m hurt that I knew his death wouldn’t be the last...…”

The nearly four-minute-long song, available to stream on Tidal without a subscription, features a haunting hook on which Jay Z raps, “Yeah, I am not poison, no I am not poison / Just a boy from the hood that / Got my hands in the air / In despair don’t shoot / I just wanna do good, ah.”
“Spiritual” marked the rapper’s first new release since dropping his 12th studio album, “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” in July 2013.

“I’m saddened and disappointed in THIS America — we should be further along. WE ARE NOT,” he wrote in the statement. “I trust God and know everything that happens is for our greatest good, but man.... it’s tough right now.”

He went on to offer “blessings to all the families that have lost loved ones to police brutality,” capping off his message with a quote from famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass on societal oppression.

Activism is nothing new for Jay Z, whose Tidal service announced Feb. 5 — the same day slain black teen Trayvon Martin would have turned 21 — that it would donate $1.5 million from its October charity concert to the Black Lives Matter movement and other groups.

The “99 Problems” rapper’s surprise track came on the heels of Philando Castile, a cafeteria supervisor at a Montessori school in Minnesota, dying after police shot him during a traffic stop Wednesday. Just one day earlier, CD salesman Alton Sterling had been fatally shot by cops in Louisiana.

Jay Z’s wife, Beyoncé, also released a statement Thursday condemning what she called “the war on people of color and all minorities.”
“We are sick and tired of the killings of young men and women in our communities,” she wrote on her website, linking to congresspeople’s websites. “It's up to us to take a stand and demand that they 'stop killing us.’”
During a Dallas protest Thursday night in response to the police shootings, a lone gunman opened fire on cops and shot 14 people, killing at least five officers and wounding seven more, officials said.




SOURCE

posted from Bloggeroid

T.I restaurant employees are suing him for unpaid wages

Atlanta-based, Grammy-winning rapper T.I., who ventured into the world of restaurant ownership last year, is catching heat for his latest venture. Former employees of his downtown eatery Scales 925 are suing the recording artist, formally known as Clifford Harris Jr., for unpaid wages, reports the

Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Harris and business partner Charles Hughes are listed as defendants.
The suit was filed in the United States Northern District of Georgia on Tuesday.

Twelve plaintiffs are citing the Fair Labor Standards Act and claim they were deprived of owed wages in a number of ways. Hughes's unscrupulous business practices listed in the complaint include:

Withdrawing money from employees' paychecks to pay Georgia payroll taxes, without actually paying said taxes.

Depositing money from the restaurant into his personal bank account, causing paychecks to bounce.

Deleting overtime hours from the restaurant's payroll software and failing to compensate employees for overtime work.

Coercing employees to work off the clock for three hours "before they were allowed to go home."

The former employees are seeking a jury trial. While no specific dollar amount is listed in the complaint, they're asking for payment of lost wages and attorney fees, plus liquidated, nominal, and punitive damages.

posted from Bloggeroid

New Music: Joe Budden - Making A Murderer Pt. 1 (Drake & Meek Mill Diss)

Joe Budden is ready for war. After teasing and much talk on social media about wanting to spar lyrically with Drake and Meek Mill, the Slaughterhouse MC decides to back up the talk. Released on Thursday (Jun. 30), Joey liberates a new record titled “Making A Murderer Pt. 1.” On the araabMUZIK-produced track, a diss record, Budden fires vicious rhymes at Drake. Jumpoff Joe also takes time to throw subliminals at MMG’s Meek Mill and touches on past issues with JAY Z.
Back in May on his podcast show, the Slaughterhouse MC accused Drake of sounding “uninspired” on his chart-topping album VIEWS. “I think that that kid on that album that I heard sounds real Fuckin ’ uninspired,” said Budden. “That music sounds good and I enjoy it. I played that album all the way to D.C. and all the way back multiple times. 40 you sound amazing. 40 continues to progress. Drake you do not. I said the other day on this podcast I miss the Drake that starts the waves, not hops on other waves and I’ll say it again: I miss the Drake that pushes the FKN’ agenda, not lets the agenda push him.”

Weeks later, French Montana posted a preview his upcoming single “No Shopping” featuring Drake on Snapchat. In the clip, Drizzy raps the words “pump, pump it up,” referring to Joe’s 2003 “Pump It Up.” The quick audio lead many to speculate that the face of OVO is dissing Joe Budden on the soon to be released song off Montana’s MC4 album.

Joe Budden - Making A Murderer Part 1 (Drake & Meek Mill Diss) - Listen Mobile | Audiomack http://www.audiomack.com/song/fresh/making-a-murderer-part-1-drake-meek-mill-diss#.V3dfFNJ2Nio.twitter 

SOURCE

posted from Bloggeroid

Nicki Minaj delivered a powerful performance at a concert to promote race relations — all without singing a single note.

Nicki Minaj delivered a powerful performance at a concert to promote race relations — all without singing a single note.

The rapper's recital of the late Maya Angelou’s poem “Still I Rise” was among the highlights of A+E Networks’ “Shining a Light: A Concert for Progress on Race in America.”

The concert was taped in Los Angeles Wednesday for a two-hour special that will air Friday across A&E Networks and iHeartRadio radio and TV stations.

Minaj gave a stirring reading of the beloved 1978 poem about persevering in the face of oppression and discrimination.

And as one of music’s most unapologetically provocative artists, the star connected with one stanza in particular.

“Does my sexiness upset you? / Does it come as a surprise / That I dance like I’ve got diamonds / At the meeting of my thighs?” 

the rapper recited, smiling widely as the audience cheered.

Many fans noted online that “Still I Rise” was a perfect match for the “Super Bass” rapper.

“It’s almost like this poem was made for her! You can tell it hits home,” one fan commented on the video.

Joining Minaj for the all-star concert were Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, Pink, Sia, Sting and Smokey Robinson, all of whom delivered performances focused on highlighting race relations in America.

The event also paid tribute to the victims of the Paris terrorist attacks with an introductory speech from Morgan Freeman.

“Tonight, as we mourn the loss of life in Paris, let us rededicate ourselves to erasing the hate and to creating an America where we can all move on up together toward justice, community, love, brotherhood, sisterhood and freedom,” the actor said.

Springsteen and Legend launched the concert with a rendition of “American Skin (41 Shots),” a song Springsteen wrote about the 1999 police shooting death of Guinean immigrant Amadou Diallo.

Legend racked up the most collaborations of the night on stage. After kicking off the concert with Springsteen, he was later united with Pink for “Someday We’ll All Be Free” and closed out the event with Big Sean for “One Man Can Change the World.”

ill Scott delivered the night's most captivating performance, crooning "Strange Fruit," the protest song popularized by Billie Holiday, in front of giant screens displaying imagery of lynching.

Between performances, videos about racial inequality and violence in Baltimore; Charleston, South Carolina; and Ferguson, Missouri, were broadcast to the audience.

Proceeds from the sold-out event will go to the Fund for Progress on Race in America through the United Way.

Holly Holm pulled off a stunning upset victory over Ronda Rousey in UFC

Holly Holm pulled off a stunning upset victory over Ronda Rousey in UFC 193, knocking out the women's bantamweight champion in the second round with a powerful kick to the head Sunday.

The fight started at a frenetic pace with Holm landing some powerful shots to the unbeaten Rousey's head, leaving the frustrated champion with a bloodied nose at the end of the first round.

Rousey attempted to dominate the second round, pushing Holm around the ring until the challenger snapped a massive kick to the head that instantly dropped her opponent to the canvas.

Holm (10-0) jumped on the prone Rousey, delivering several blows to her head before the referee intervened. An ecstatic Holm jumped around the ring as Rousey received medical treatment amid the roar of a stunned record UFC crowd.

"I had so much love and support I just thought, 'How can I not do this?'" Holm said from the ring. "This right here is priceless."

Rousey, a former judo Olympian, was unbeaten through 12 UFC fights before meeting Holm, and a win would have been her seventh title defense. Instead, a veteran female boxer from New Mexico has the championship belt.

"I have to say that everything that we worked on presented itself in the fight. Every grab that she tried to get and clinch on the cage, and I just had help with everything," Holm said. "I have not spent this much time in the gym before any fight of my life."

Rousey left the stadium to receive treatment for facial cuts at a nearby hospital after the loss and skipped the post-fight media conference.

UFC chief Dana White said a rematch between Holm and Rousey made "a lot of sense" and would put other potential matchups on the backburner.

She said ……..

It looks like Apple is calling its digital partnership with Beats Music quits

It looks like Apple is calling its digital partnership with Beats Music quits. It was recently announced that the tech powerhouses would be parting ways, ending all Beats Music subscriptions on Nov. 30. The statement from Apple also added that all users should start making their move to Apple Music sooner than later.

Apple acquired Beats Music for $3 billion from founder, Dr. Dre in April of 2014, and it seemed like total, digital bliss. But soon after the billion-dollar deal, Dre, along with cofounder Jimmy Lovine, and creative director, Trent Reznor, started making there way over to a new office to start on a new project which is now Apple Music.

Even better than Beats Music’s impact, Apple Music has attracted over 6.5 million, paying subscribers and 8.5 million users since its launch on June 30. Those booming numbers put Apple Music in the running as the second best streaming platform, under Spotify, which has 20 million subscribers. Apple Music also became available to Android users this week, which is only projected to increase its numbers.

Alongside Beats Music users, the subscribers who stream music through Sonos home systems were also notified of the upcoming cancellation and urged to join the Apple Music movement. Although the more than one-year companionship is coming to an end, there doesn’t seem to be any bad blood between Beats founders and Apple executives. Their statements detail the cancellations and proceeding steps. The statement via Beats claims that great experiences are still in store despite its departure:

Beats Music ends on November 30. Your subscription will be cancelled, but you can move your picks and preferences over to Apple Music right now. All the pros that curated music for you are still crafting more amazing experiences. Plus, on Apple Music, you’ll get even better recommendations based on music you already listen to and love, 24/7 global radio with Beats 1, exciting material from your favorite artist, and more.

Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce, has been made public.

© Getty Caitlyn Jenner and Bruce Jenner

The first photo of Caitlyn Jenner, formerly Bruce, has been made public. 

The Kardashian star appears on the cover of the latest issue of Vanity Fair.

Jenner revealed last month he was planning to live life as a woman.

And now she has told Vanity Fair: "If I was lying on my deathbed and I had kept this secret and never ever did anything about it, I would be lying there saying, 'You just blew your entire life'."

After the cover was revealed, Jenner opened a new Twitter account with the biography: "I'm so happy after such a long struggle to be living my true self.

"Welcome to the world Caitlyn. Can't wait for you to get to know her/me."

Jenner's transition was revealed in a two-hour programme on ABC that was watched by 16.9 million viewers.

He told Diane Sawyer that "to all intents and purposes I am a woman" and said he had felt that way since childhood.

"I've always been confused about my gender identity.

"I'm not stuck in anybody's body. My brain is much more female than male. People look at me differently. They see you as this macho male, but my heart and my soul and everything that I do in life, it is part of me, that female side is part of me."

In 1976 Jenner won a gold medal in the Olympic decathlon before gaining commercial success in advertising and television.

For the past decade he has been better known as the stepfather in the hit reality TV series Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Jenner has been married three times and has six children.

He told Sawyer that Kim Kardashian had handled the news of his transition best, while Khloe had struggled to come to terms with it.

The sisters tweeted that they had watched the interview.

Kim Kardashian wrote: "Love is the courage to live the truest, best version of yourself. Bruce is love. I love you Bruce. #ProudDaughter."

She later added: "Your honesty has opened the doors for others to be courageous and live an authentic life!"

Khloe Kardashian tweeted: "Just finished watching the #BruceJennerInterview with the family. Bruzer, I'm soooo proud of you! Dads really are heros."

50 Cent says Jay Z’s Tidal Would Have Been More Exciting If He Was Involved

After an interview with Los Angles radio station Real 92.3, 50 cent sat down with Letty and DJ Damage for a round of “The Realist Game”. 50 said he wasn’t invited to be a part of Jay Z’s recent Tidal Deal and feels he could have brought a bit more to the table being that he is now an independent artist and owns his music catalog.

“They probably could’ve did something more exciting if they reached out, because the people you saw there don’t even own the rights to their music,” 50 Cent told hosts Letty & DJ Damage.

The “Window Shopper” rapper revealed that the music coming from the artists that are a part of Tidal is not exclusive because it can be heard anywhere.

“They can’t say it’s gonna come out of Tidal. It has to go everywhere. So why would you actually buy Tidal to get something that would be everywhere else?” 50 said.

Does 50 have a point? 

How-jay-zs-new-streaming-service-can-change-the-game

Jay-Z launched the new streaming service Tidal that is subscription based. There is a $9.99 standard package and the $19.99 premium that includes the much talked about Hi-Fi audio,which consits of 16-bit Flac files allowing you to have the original audio data. You are getting CD quality through your stream which is what everyone would dream of. Now is $19.99 worth CD quality music whenever you want it when Spotify, the leader in the music streaming market, offers you a free package that is still of good quality? That question is simple to answer at face value, no. However what Jay-Z is doing is not that simple.

At the Monday press conference, Jay-Z stood with fellow Tidal owners such as; Rihanna, Kanye West, Madonna, Nicki Minaj, J.Cole, Usher, Jack White, Alicia Keys, Jason Aldean, Daft Punk, Arcade Fire, and OH YEAH Beyoncé. Tidal is the first and only service that is owned by artists and to see them all unite in such a way is very awe-inspiring and commendable. What does this mean for the consumer? Well as of today Tidal has access to Taylor Swift’s catalog and Spotify does not, that is the biggest content difference music wise…right now. No successful endeavor is going to begin immediately. After Swift pulled her music late last year, there could now be a precedent set for others to follow suit and receive much more of the pie aka the money. It is no secret musicians are not a fan of the freemium model. They make much less when royalties are paid through ads that you hear when using a free stream service. According to the Financial Times, ad-supported free streaming brought US labels $295 million in the US in 2014. Compare that to the almost $800 million created by paid subscriptions and you see the artist interest in banding together.

What exactly does this mean for new and less established artist in the future? Everything. This is where Jay-Z and friends have an advantage that not many are considering. Tidal in a way becomes a record label as once an artist contracts runs out, they can offer them money and slice in Tidal stock for their content. Imagine if all the musicians at the press conference do what Swift has already done, add-on Tidal reaching an exclusive deal with say a Drake once he has no more contractual obligations. Suddenly you have dealt a major blow to the library of Spotify and others. You can also pay new artists with a buzz to exclusively play their albums. Now you have created a direct to consumer relationship while maintaining artistic creativity and CD quality music streaming. That should be Tidal’s end game by acting as an agency on top of a streaming service, this creates so many more avenues.

Where Tidal has already won is that there is a market for those wanting quality sounding music. Artist and fans who take music seriously are going to invest in this. While $19.99 a month is double what the competitors are charging, it is at a price that is still affordable. You are also getting high-definition videos as well, which may not be the main selling point but has to be considered by anyone subscribing. HD video content adds a possible alternative to Vevo. Since Tidal is solely subscription based you will never get any ads or limit on song skips, which is another benefit. Added to that is exclusive playlists comprised by expert music journalists.

Lastly, the names attached to this cannot be ignored. The world saw what happened when Dr. Dre stamped his name on some headphones. Headphones that many will tell you are poorly made and not of premium sound, yet sell for premium price. Tidal is going to do decent numbers off that fact alone. Marketing is everything and they have all the star power at the moment. Even more interesting is that Jay-Z’s comments with Billboard. Jay said, “I just want to be an alternative…They don’t have to lose for me to win.” This is probably the best way for Tidal to succeed. By not going directly at Spotify or even Beats Music for that matter, Jay-Z and others will have the ability to control their music and profit more from it. The key is going to be exclusive content and hopefully this conglomerate delivers on the making music as enjoyable for the fans as promised and not a one-sided relationship. Time will tell, but if handled correctly this could be bigger than Apple’s purchase of Beats last year.

90's R&B HIT MAKER DAVID PIC CONLEYRESURFACES WITH A NEW ALBUM

ReSurface We Can Fly

90's R&B HIT MAKER DAVID PIC CONLEYRESURFACES WITH A NEW ALBUM   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                           April 30, 2015                                                                                                                                                        There is a whole generation that grew up off love songs wafting from the smooth R&B vocals of 90's groups such as Surface, whose memorable tracks include "Happy" (1987), "Closer Than Friends" (1988), "Shower Me With Your Love" (1989)among others.With an album aptly entitled "ReSurface, Where Have You Been?"-ReSurface-comprised of David 'Pic' Conley and John Feva-are aimed at reasserting their vocals and rhythmic sounds amongold fans, as well as a new generation of R&B lovers.   Set to release June 1, 2015, the CD "ReSurface Where Have You Been?"is produced by David Pic Conley. Fans of the old sound can expect that plus some freshly flavored stylings by the team which consists of; Gene Lennon, Gene Lake, Jam Benton, Derrick 'Derky' Culler and the newest talents to join the team, Martin Blockson and Mjestie Brooks. Both a part of the group and the production ensemble, Conley has remained at the helm byco-producing all of the songs in conjunction with the team, additionally co-writing all of the tracks them alongside John Feva.   The first release, "We Can Fly", produced by Conley with Gene Lake, has already started generating a buzz with its video on YouTube. Showing off his co-writing skills on the song is W. Orange New Jersey based John Feva (formerly managed by Russell Simmons).   Now based in Aurora, Colorado, Conley is gearing up to follow the release with the June 1st full album launch. He states, "Because of my past music I still wanted to keep things pretty much close to the Surface in doing this record. So that's kind of what you should be expecting...  Not a lot is new under the sun but I just took the old and blended it with the new to bring you what we have."Having also produced and written for major artists such as Aretha Franklin, Stanley Jordon, George Benson, and other notables like Victoria Beckham and  Damon Dash, Conley reenters the R&B world as an industry veteran ready to connect with fresh listeners-worldwide.   surfaceresurface.com Resurfacemusic/Facebook Twitter/Davidpicconley   ABOUT SURFACE: Surface landed a record deal with Columbia and released their debut album in 1986. The album peaked at #55 on the Billboard 200 and #11 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart. In 1989, Surface released their second album, "2nd Wave" which peaked at #56 on the Billboard 200 and #5 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA. The single "Shower Me With Your Love" peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, #3 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, and became Surface's second #1 R&B hit single Gold , topping Billboard's Hot Black Singles chart for a week in July 1989, staying on the chart for 20 weeks. Following up with a gold single called "The First Time" #1 on Billboard's R&B, Billboard Adult Contemporary and Billboard's Hot charts.

Maroon 5 is a superstar band that has employed audience engagement tactics throughout its career,

  

Maroon 5 is a superstar band that has employed audience engagement tactics throughout its career, most notably with The Daylight Project. The band released their hit single “Daylight” on their album Overexposed in 2012. Later that year, Maroon 5 announced The Daylight Project, a collaborative effort with their fans to create a music video to accompany the track. Fans were invited to submit videos expressing what they love and hate in life and give them a chance to share their life story with the world. The final product, a nine-minute music video directed by Jonas Akerlund, featured fans covering “Daylight” and conveying aspects of their lives. This project allowed fans to speak from the heart about what was important to them and within the first 24 hours after release, the co-created video generated more than 500,000 views and has now gone on to earn more than 17 million views.

The Daylight Project is also a perfect example of how the band bridged the so-called “fourth wall,” the perceived gap between the superstar members of Maroon 5 and their audience. Often, superstar bands tend to limit interactions with their audiences other than from the stage high above the arena floor. Popular bands often seem inaccessible, making their fans feel as if they are viewing the band from a distance. While an artist’s active use of social media can help reduce this perceived gap, The Daylight Project provided a creative option to involve Maroon 5 audiences in helping the band create new art. The band’s fans felt included and appreciated when asked to participate in the creation of a music video for “Daylight.” And while the attention that The Daylight Project got was in part due to the high profile Maroon 5 already had, any artist can borrow the strategy of asking their fans to comment on something that the audience finds important or meaningful and then incorporating the fan-generated content into a new work. Maroon 5 demonstrated an imaginative course of action to include audiences!

Fox’s Empire Adds More Star Power For Season 2

Fox has announced that Empire, arguably the biggest hit show of the year, will be expanding going into season two this fall.

Empire took television by storm with season that had people all over America glued to their televisions to see Lucious and Cookie’s weekly antics. The makers of empire have announced that season two will expand from 12 to 18 episodes and will be split into two parts; one for the fall and one for the spring.

In addition to the extra episodes Alicia Keys, Lenny Kravits, and Chris Rock will join the cast of Empire as guest roles. Neyo will also be joining the squad by helping to produce some original music for season 2.

It looks like Empire is gearing up to top its last season and more stars may be added to the lineup before season 2 premieres later this year.

This is the official remix of Rico Love's undeniable hit "Somebody Else"

                  DIVISION 1 PRESENTS

                         RICO LOVE

             "SOMEBODY ELSE REMIX"

        FEATURING USHER & WIZ KHALIFA

DOWNLOAD LINK:  https://www.sendspace.com/file/pm4qi0

STREAM LINK:  http://www.rap-up.com/2015/04/28/new-music-rico-love-usher-wiz-khalifa-somebody-else-remix/

This is the official remix of Rico Love's undeniable hit "Somebody Else" which is currently one of the biggest records at radio.  This official remix features Usher and Wiz Khalifa who both dig deep into their past relationships on their verses.  DJ's make sure you download this one right now.  If you support the original version then you'll definitely be all over this one.  Let's keep on supporting our brother Rico Love as we get closer and closer to his album dropping next month.  He works his ass off and deserves this opportunity to shine as an artist now.

HIS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ALBUM "TTLO" IS IN STORES EVERYWHERE MAY 19TH

FOLLOW RICO LOVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

IG - @IAMRICOLOVE

TWITTER - @IAMRICOLOVE

Lil Wayne Signs Stephanie Acevedo to Young Money

        She joins Nicki Minaj, Christina Milian,     Chanel West Coast and Shanell

 

Singer Stephanie Acevedo is the newest signing to Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment, the label announced earlier this week. 

The confirmation comes after months of photos showing Acevedo posing with YME heads Wayne and Mack Maine, dating back to October last year. Young Money also shared a new video with Acevedo covering Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love," while showing off her figure beachside. 

Acevedo is from Miami and of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent, according to a post on the local website The 305 from 2013, and she has previously worked as a model, singer and ring-girl with the Championship Fighting Alliance MMA league.

She joins Nicki Minaj, Christina Milian, Chanel West Coast and Shanell on Young Money's roster of female artists. 

Young Money, Lil Wayne's imprint on Cash Money Records, is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.

Watch Acevedo singing "Bleeding Love" here:

“Hear Me Cry” is Sky Heavens new single.

 Premiering exclusively on Twit Music last week, “Hear Me Cry” is Sky Heavens new single.

“Hear Me Cry” written and co produced by Sky Heavens and produced by Ced Solo of Ivy League Hits. This “feel good” dance track is definitely a song that showcases mass appeal to a broad audience. If you turn on the radio, you can hear this song on any given station with any kind of format ranging from Hip Hop to Dub Step to EDM to Pop.“Everyone thinks Hear Me Cry is about masturbation,” laughs Sky. “But really, it is about finding your inner light and learning how to love yourself. Once you completely understand, accept and love yourself, it will be easier to communicate that self-worth to others. The track’s pulsating beat and catchy hook make it a sure bet as a future club banger.

Fresh off the Historic 2 day Concert at the Wembley Stadium, Sky Heavens recently performed with Rap Icon Eminem, the first rapper to ever headline at the Wembley Stadium, and graciously filled in for Pop Diva Rihanna & Dido on ‘Love the Way You Lie” , “Monster” , & “Stan”

“I have so much respect for Eminem and I’ve been a fan for years, so I’m definitely humbled and grateful for the opportunity.”

Brooklyn native, Sky Heavens was subsequently handpicked to join Eminem’s band as the sole vocalist on his blockbuster Home & Home Tour with Jay Z at Yankee Stadium, NYC and since then, has toured and performed with Eminem all over the globe.

She received her first big break with R&B star Carl Thomas as a background vocalist and recorded background vocals on his 2nd LP Personal Conversations on “Anything” and “Know its Alright”. Soon after she received her first gold plaque as a songwriter on Heather Headley’s 2nd LP In My Mind for “How Many Ways” and then began working with super producer and former Fugees front man, Wyclef Jean who provided Sky with the opportunity to do some vocal production, and writing.

 This latina songstress went on to work and tour extensively -nationally and internationally with some of the biggest names in music including: Nicki Minaj, Robin Thicke, Justin Timberlake/Ciara, performed on Kanye West Glow In the Dark Tour & Alicia Keys International Freedom tour w Melanie Fiona, and also performed as a featured artist w Far East Movement, best known for their hit “Like a G6″ which included a performance that aired on MTV Push in Beijing, China. Sky has made numerous appearances on national/international tv platforms including Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, BET’s 106 & Park, BBC Radio 1, and never ending list goes on.
Sky Heavens has built a respected name in the music industry and with a rapidly growing fan base clamoring for new music Sky Heavens has quickly earmarked as one to watch on the music scene.
She currently gearing to release her new music video for “Hear Me Cry” set to be release in August.“> .

Who is KiKi Smooth?

LA Latin Hip Hop Artist Kiki Smooth was raised by a single mom in Los Angeles, California. Grew up listening to Hip Hop. First broke out in the music industry as DJ. Kiki was one of Lil Eazy E's first DJ's. While working in Eazy E's Record Store, there he met Coolio(Rap Artist). Went touring all over the world with Coolio as his DJ. Kiki Smooth first broke out as a Gangster Rap Artist.

Kiki Has...won many Rap Battles. Kiki Has toured in Japan, and all over New Zealand. Kiki Has won many LA Rap Battles, there he met Super Man CEO of Rascon Productions. He has worked with such Artist as Butch Cassidy, Daz Dillinger, BG Knocc Out, Goon Squad, Brother Kam, Kokane, Cavie, Staino, TJ Gibson, Swiisha, Bun B, Stat Co, Dj Green Lantern, Bo Roc , Slim da Mobster (Aftermath) and Latin Grammy Nominee Arsenal. Has opened up for artist DJ Quik, Dub C, Mann, Frankie J, Baby Bash, Trina, Suga Free, Ice Cube, Fabulous, DJ Drama, Too Short, Akon, Cypress Hill, Busta Rhymes, Razal, Method Man and Ying Yang Twins. Kiki will be featured on the up coming CD of Who Kid mixed tape (G Unit Aftermath). With 10 years of Music Experience he has redefined his talent. "DJ Yella Presents Kiki Smooth CPT First Mexican Out Of Compton"

IG: Kiki Smooth

Twitter: Kiki Smooth

Facebook: Kiki Smooth

kikismooth.com 

Breaking News: Gucci Mane Pleads Guilty To Weapons Possession And Faces 39 Months in Breaking-news-gucci-mane-pleads-guilty-to-weapons-possession-and-faces-39-months-in-federal-prison

Reporting from Dennis Byron live at the federal courthouse.

A hearing was held at 11 am this morning where rapper Gucci Mane plead guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  At the time of his arrest, he was carrying a loaded 40 Glock firearm with 11 rounds of ammunition. Gucci will be sentenced to 39 months in prison and 3 years on probation. He will receive credit for the 10 months he has already spent in federal custody.

During Radric Davis professionally known as Gucci Mane plea agreement today, he stated to the judged when asked what level of education did he complete, he stated that he finished 1 year of college. Federal District court judge Steve C. Jones also asked him did he fully understand what he was pleading guilty to and he responded affirmatively. After the hearing, HHE spoke exclusively with his attorney Drew Findling who stated the following:

“My client is finally taking control of his life and taking responsibility for his actions.” When we asked attorney Findley, whether he had concerns about his other pending state cases, he said those will eventually be worked out as well.

US attorney Sally Yates released the following statement after Davis plea agreement:

On Sept. 14, 2013, the Atlanta Police Department received a call from a concerned citizen, who told police that Davis was acting violent and had a handgun.   Police found the defendant on the street, smelling strongly of marijuana, with a Glock, 40 cal. handgun loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition in his possession.  When police arrived, Davis was waving the handgun and making threatening comments.  

Gucci Mane is also facing a maximum fine of 250k when he is sentenced on July 25th.  He was represented by famed attorney Drew Findling and attorney Capek.

 Assistant United States Attorney Kim S. Dammers is prosecuting the case.

(Q&A) Wendy Day talks artists getting scammed, what labels are looking for, the importance of investing, & more!

             We got a chance to do a one on one Q&A interview with industry guru Wendy Day. For those of you who don't know who Wendy is, you need to check the Hip Hop history books. Wendy has been influential to many rappers careers including Cash Money, David Banner, C Murder, & more. Check out the full interview

What is your advice for artist's who are in a dead zone where their type of music isn't popular?

It depends on the goal of the artist.  Are they making music because they enjoy it and just want to get it out there, or are they looking for a career--to become an Eminem-sized pop star making billions of dollars?  It's like someone 4'8" wanting to be in the NBA, or someone who sucks at science and biology wanting to go to Med School.  There's a point where you have to be real with yourself and ask if you have the talent and skill to achieve your goals.  If someone just wants to be in the music industry, there are a ton of jobs one could take beyond making unpopular music.  But if the goal is to just make music and upload it online, so be it!  Have fun!  Go for it!!  Who cares if it's popular or not if you aren't expecting to make a living with your music!  If you ARE trying to make a living, you better be offering music that quite a few fans are willing to buy.

Why do you think so many artists have it in their head that the internet is all they need to succeed in the industry? 

I believe so many artists solely utilize the Internet to promote themselves because it's somewhat free, and most artists are broke.  What they don't realize is that this is a VERY expensive industry, and they need money/funding/investors to market and promote their music....even with the Internet.  This industry isn't about talent, sadly, or about "getting discovered."  It's about building a huge buzz and attracting labels/investors to your movement.  If your goal is to make money with your music, it's extremely important to build fans and monetize your music--both regionally (in real life) and online.

I've been hearing about a lot of artists getting scammed over the internet. I've read where fake DJ's, promoters, managers, and other industry frauds are charging for services and not coming through with what they promised. Do you have any insight on this?

This industry has always been a hotbed of fuck boys and criminals conning unknowledgeable people out of money.  The Internet and the over saturation of artists and producers has increased scams exponentially.  The key is to educate yourself--learn how the music industry works and learn who's who.  If you know the industry you are in, it will be next to impossible to scam or game you.  We all know who the fuck boys are (male and female), it's just that the real professionals avoid them.  The newbies and the ignorant get sucked into their tentacles.

Another problem we have that I've recently run into, is legitimate industry folks who have been in the industry for awhile with a chip on their shoulder because their perception is that others are making more money than they are.  I just recently had a DJ in FL tell me I'd have to pay him and his crew of 11 other local club DJs $5,000 to get my record spun for 8 weeks because The Coalition DJs in Atlanta are getting paid that to break records.  Excuse me?  Aren't you a DJ?  Aren't you supposed to spin music that you like and that your listeners will like?  And now you will only spin the stuff that puts 5 grand in your pocket??  And you're in a market that's 5% the size and importance of Atlanta?  Fuck you, idiot.  Good luck with THAT scam.  By the way, the majority of those DJs are part of a larger coalition of DJs, so now they are competing with, and taking money directly away from their own coalition, by competing with the other DJ members....but greed is currently prevailing.

I know you receive a lot of music in a day. My question for you is, do you ever actually check out the music? 

I do not listen to music that is sent to me, linked to me, tweeted to me, emailed to me, or spammed to me.  First of all, there's no way I can listen to all of it--there's only 24 hours in a day.  Since I can't listen to all of it, I don't play favorites.  So I listen to none of it.  The reality is, me listening to your music won't help your career.  OK, I like it.  Now what?  I can't help you because you have no buzz, no budget, no nothing!  Sending me music and asking me to listen tells me you're an amateur and have no idea how this industry works.  And since I'm constantly explaining, for free, how it works, why would I tolerate someone that doesn't take the time to learn how to succeed achieving their dream?  I focus on the folks who understand, have put in the time, and have built the leverage to win.  And the ones who don't waste my time asking me to listen to their music.  Get the fans to listen and talk about it.  Now you have something worthy of attention!

On a lot of your interviews and blogs, you speak about the importance of investing. What types of things should artist be investing in?

The most important thing an artist can invest in is their own career.  It's important to have great music, a strong work ethic, and knowledge of how to succeed.  Building a buzz is key, so the best expenditure an artist can make is, first and foremost, GREAT music.  Then artists need to market and promote that great music, spreading it amongst fans who will support the artist with buying music, attending shows, telling their friends, and buying merchandise.  This is key for all artists whether they want to sign to a record label or stay independent.  By the way, promoting this great music will take money.  Invest in yourself or find an investor.

How do you usually determine the artists you listen to?

I listen to those who have a strong, REAL, regional buzz.  Want examples?  In Atlanta: Young Thug, Trouble, Alley Boy, etc.  In NY: Troy Ave.  In Houston: Dough Beezy, Durty Kash, etc.  In Cali: DJ Mustard, Nipsey Hussle, etc.  These are the artists who will either stay independent or sign big deals--like Yung Thug at YMCMB.

I saw you tweet the other day about artists and how they need to "OWN" the streets. What did you mean by that?

OWN the streets means to create a buzz so strong that everyone knows who you are-- that fans support you by buying your music, attending your shows, and buying your merchandise.  The buzz must be real and must be a combination of streets and Internet popularity.

What are record labels looking for in their artists at the moment?

Major labels are looking for artists with a strong regional buzz.  They want artists who reduce their risk that they have when signing new artists....they want artists who OWN the streets with a buzz so strong that everyone knows who that artist is-- the artists that fans support by buying their music, attending their shows, and buying their merchandise.  The labels call around the country asking tastemakers who's who.  The buzz must be real and genuinely created--not bought.  That NEVER works.

What are your future expectations for the recording industry?

I believe the music industry is currently over saturated.  So I expect it to thin out a bit and leave the most talented and most motivated and enduring artists.  I also see the trend of artists finding investors and staying independent, instead of signing one-sided deals with record labels.  Who knew artists would finally want to make more than 12% of the income?!  That was in my sarcastic voice...