Over on the official Consequence Discord server, there’s a lively community of pop-culture obsessives having all sorts of conversations. There are channels for music and film/TV fans to swap opinions abut the latest news, share their latest concert experiences, and handed out recommendations. There’s also a place where fans get to take part in events with some of their favorite artists, live on Discord; the next such exclusive experience is taking place Wednesday, September 30th at 1:30 p.m. Et, as drumming great Daru Jones is set to enter the chat!
A two-time Grammy Award winner, Jones is perhaps most recognizable as being Jack White’s man behind the kit. He’s played on each of White’s solo records, and is typically the rhythm leader at his live shows. But Jones’ resume is long outside of his collaborations with the guitarist; he’s played with Pete Rock,...
A two-time Grammy Award winner, Jones is perhaps most recognizable as being Jack White’s man behind the kit. He’s played on each of White’s solo records, and is typically the rhythm leader at his live shows. But Jones’ resume is long outside of his collaborations with the guitarist; he’s played with Pete Rock,...
- 9/20/2023
- by Consequence Staff
- Consequence - Music
Ahmad Jamal, the influential jazz pianist whose style influenced generations of musicians for seven decades, died on Sunday, The Washington Post reports. He was 92. His wife, Laura Hess-Hey, confirmed the news to the newspaper. No further details were disclosed.
Jamal began his professional career while still in high school in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and continued to create and influence multiple music genres through his seven-decade career. Originally performing under the name Fritz Jones, he was among the first African American artists who publicly adopted the Muslim faith and...
Jamal began his professional career while still in high school in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and continued to create and influence multiple music genres through his seven-decade career. Originally performing under the name Fritz Jones, he was among the first African American artists who publicly adopted the Muslim faith and...
- 4/17/2023
- by Althea Legaspi
- Rollingstone.com
Grammy-winning rapper Jay-Z has been in the music industry for over a quarter of a century. Throughout that time, the “Big Pimpin'” rapper has seen the rise of many hip-hop artists, including “Second Round K.O.” rapper Canibus. When Jay-Z got to know Canibus as he was on the come-up, Hov gave Canibus some words of advice to think about.
Grammy-winning rapper Jay-Z | Kevin Winter/Getty Images Jay-Z has been in the music industry for nearly 3 decades
Jay-Z first burst onto the scene in 1996 with his debut album Reasonable Doubt. His debut came in the wake of The Notorious B.I.G.’s stardom, Jay-Z’s friend and former classmate from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He went on to release the album trilogy In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, and Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter. He released his landmark album The Blueprint in 2001.
Jay-Z planned to retire from...
Grammy-winning rapper Jay-Z | Kevin Winter/Getty Images Jay-Z has been in the music industry for nearly 3 decades
Jay-Z first burst onto the scene in 1996 with his debut album Reasonable Doubt. His debut came in the wake of The Notorious B.I.G.’s stardom, Jay-Z’s friend and former classmate from Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He went on to release the album trilogy In My Lifetime, Vol. 1, Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, and Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter. He released his landmark album The Blueprint in 2001.
Jay-Z planned to retire from...
- 2/26/2023
- by Chris Malone
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
There’s no instruction manual for the rap industry. A streaming marketplace flooded with music means it takes more than ever for an artist to stand out from the pack, and figuring out how to improve on your craft and navigate the business end at the same time leaves many rappers scrambling for answers. And in some cases, it leaves artists susceptible to scammers and promoters peddling false promises of easy fame.
Mickey Factz wants to change all that. He’s spent the last 15 years building his own career from the ground up.
Mickey Factz wants to change all that. He’s spent the last 15 years building his own career from the ground up.
- 1/6/2023
- by William E. Ketchum III
- Rollingstone.com
A Megan Thee Stallion verse is not unlike a bag of salt and vinegar chips—there’s something classic and quaint and straight-up hood about the sharp and improbable flavors packed inside every one of them. There were always going to be some quirky juxtapositions with Meg. The twenty-something spitter is an old soul who swears by Pimp C and Biggie and Juicy J. While other rappers her age couldn’t point out Pete Rock in a police lineup, nearly every time Meg spits a freestyle in one of her many viral clips,...
- 8/12/2022
- by Will Dukes
- Rollingstone.com
Shonka Dukureh, a singer and actress who recently portrayed blues legend Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, has died at age 44.
The Charlotte, North Carolina native was found dead in her Nashville apartment on Thursday, July 21, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. The police department confirmed on Twitter that “no foul play is evident,” adding that the actress shared her home with her two young children. A cause of death has not yet been identified.
Dukureh was raised in Charlotte and relocated to Nashville to attend Fisk University,...
The Charlotte, North Carolina native was found dead in her Nashville apartment on Thursday, July 21, according to the Metro Nashville Police Department. The police department confirmed on Twitter that “no foul play is evident,” adding that the actress shared her home with her two young children. A cause of death has not yet been identified.
Dukureh was raised in Charlotte and relocated to Nashville to attend Fisk University,...
- 7/22/2022
- by Emily Zemler
- Rollingstone.com
Shonka Dukureh, who just made her film debut in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, was found dead Thursday in her Nashville apartment, police said. She was 44.
One of her two children discovered Dukureh’s body in her bedroom and went to a neighbor for help. The 911 call came in at 9:27 a.m. Nashville time, police said. The city’s medical examiner is working on finding a cause of death, but foul play is not suspected.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
Dukureh played Big Mama Thornton in the Elvis film. Thornton was the first to record the classic “Hound Dog” song later covered by Presley. Kukureh also is featured singing the song on the Elvis soundtrack.
Originally from Charlotte, Nc, Dukureh received a bachelor’s degree in theater from Fisk University, followed by a master’s in education from Trevecca Nazarene University.
Dukureh has performed and recorded with Nick Cave,...
One of her two children discovered Dukureh’s body in her bedroom and went to a neighbor for help. The 911 call came in at 9:27 a.m. Nashville time, police said. The city’s medical examiner is working on finding a cause of death, but foul play is not suspected.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
Dukureh played Big Mama Thornton in the Elvis film. Thornton was the first to record the classic “Hound Dog” song later covered by Presley. Kukureh also is featured singing the song on the Elvis soundtrack.
Originally from Charlotte, Nc, Dukureh received a bachelor’s degree in theater from Fisk University, followed by a master’s in education from Trevecca Nazarene University.
Dukureh has performed and recorded with Nick Cave,...
- 7/21/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Shonka Dukureh, the singer and actor who portrayed Big Mama Thornton in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” was found dead in her Nashville, Tenn. apartment on Thursday, police confirmed. She was 44.
According to a tweet from the Metro Nashville Police Department, no foul play is evident in Dukureh’s death. “Dukureh, a Fisk Univ graduate, was found dead in the bedroom of her Kothe Way apt that she shared with her 2 young children,” the tweet reads.
Breaking: No foul play is evident in today's death of actress Shonka Dukureh, 44, who portrayed Big Mama Thornton in this year's Elvis movie. Dukureh, a Fisk Univ graduate, was found dead in the bedroom of her Kothe Way apt that she shared with her 2 young children.
— Metro Nashville Pd (@MNPDNashville) July 21, 2022
As reported by The Tennessean, Dukureh was found unresponsive on Thursday morning by one of her children, who went to a neighbor for help.
According to a tweet from the Metro Nashville Police Department, no foul play is evident in Dukureh’s death. “Dukureh, a Fisk Univ graduate, was found dead in the bedroom of her Kothe Way apt that she shared with her 2 young children,” the tweet reads.
Breaking: No foul play is evident in today's death of actress Shonka Dukureh, 44, who portrayed Big Mama Thornton in this year's Elvis movie. Dukureh, a Fisk Univ graduate, was found dead in the bedroom of her Kothe Way apt that she shared with her 2 young children.
— Metro Nashville Pd (@MNPDNashville) July 21, 2022
As reported by The Tennessean, Dukureh was found unresponsive on Thursday morning by one of her children, who went to a neighbor for help.
- 7/21/2022
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
One of the standout films from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival was All the Streets Are Silent, a documentary about the intersection between skateboarding and hip-hop in New York in the 1980s and Nineties. On paper, 1990s East Coast hip-hop has been dissected ad infinitum in countless books, TV shows and films — for a certain age, the culture defined their teenage years more than anything else.
But director Jeremy Elkin, a veteran of skate films who grew up (and continues to be) obsessed with hip-hop, finds fresh material in...
But director Jeremy Elkin, a veteran of skate films who grew up (and continues to be) obsessed with hip-hop, finds fresh material in...
- 7/29/2021
- by Jason Newman
- Rollingstone.com
When Flea refers to you as “the greatest fucking electric bass player,” you know you’ve done something right. Just ask MonoNeon, who appeared in a video on the Red Hot Chili Peppers member’s Instagram this summer. The artist, born Dywane Thomas Jr., likely realized he was headed in a fruitful direction back in 2014, when Prince caught wind of his talents and reached out to jam. But both milestones came before MonoNeon released “Invisible,” his favorite song to date.
A funky pop song with unwavering soul, “Invisible” pulls stylistic elements from the the Sixties,...
A funky pop song with unwavering soul, “Invisible” pulls stylistic elements from the the Sixties,...
- 11/10/2020
- by Samantha Hissong
- Rollingstone.com
As part of our new list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, we are publishing a series of pieces on the making of classic albums, Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly is ranked number 19 on the list.
The first time the Parliament-Funkadelic legend George Clinton heard the rising Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar, he was underwhelmed. “I knew ‘Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe’ and thought it sounded silly as hell,” the funkateer recalled.
But Clinton agreed to meet with Lamar while the rapper was working on his second major-label album,...
The first time the Parliament-Funkadelic legend George Clinton heard the rising Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar, he was underwhelmed. “I knew ‘Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe’ and thought it sounded silly as hell,” the funkateer recalled.
But Clinton agreed to meet with Lamar while the rapper was working on his second major-label album,...
- 9/23/2020
- by Elias Leight
- Rollingstone.com
Colombia’s viral chart is generally awash in tuneful reggaeton — the dominant sound of commercial pop in that country, with its tightly programmed beats and curt rumbles of bass. But in June 2018, an unusual song rocketed to the top of the Spotify ranking: “La Mitad De La Mitad” by Crudo Means Raw. The looping rhythm section evokes old funk records, rather than laptop wizardry, and instead of sketching tales of love (or at least lust), the lyrics rallied against new anti-drug laws in the country.
“La Mitad De La Mitad...
“La Mitad De La Mitad...
- 8/9/2019
- by Elias Leight
- Rollingstone.com
Nas, a rap great by any measure, has released four studio albums in the last 12 years — all ambitious, all restless, all with their own cohesive artistic thread. And despite none of them being as groundbreaking as his storied 1994 debut Illmatic or as narrative-grabbing as his 2001 return to form, every one of them is good-to-great. Even though last year’s Kanye West-produced 11th album, Nasir, got a somewhat lukewarm response, it still featured the phenomenal “Cops Shot the Kid,” which ultimately cracked the Billboard Hot 100. The Lost Tapes II, is...
- 7/23/2019
- by Christopher R. Weingarten
- Rollingstone.com
Nas spits circles around a jazzy beat on his previously unreleased track, “Jarreau of Rap (Skatt Attack),” produced by Eddie Cole and featuring Al Jarreau and trumpeter Keyon Harrold. The track is set to appear on Nas’ upcoming compilation, The Lost Tapes 2, out July 19th via Mass Appeal and Def Jam.
“Jarreau of Rap” is a fitting tribute to its namesake, Al Jarreau, whose rendition of Dave Brubeck’s “(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo à la Turk” serves as the core sample on the song. Nas embraces the playful energy of Jarreau’s “Blue Rondo,...
“Jarreau of Rap” is a fitting tribute to its namesake, Al Jarreau, whose rendition of Dave Brubeck’s “(Round, Round, Round) Blue Rondo à la Turk” serves as the core sample on the song. Nas embraces the playful energy of Jarreau’s “Blue Rondo,...
- 7/12/2019
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Nas will collect unreleased tracks from his last four albums on his long-awaited new compilation, The Lost Tapes 2, out July 19th via Mass Appeal and Def Jam.
The 16-track set will feature songs made during the sessions for 2006’s Hip-Hop is Dead, 2008’s Untitled, 2012’s Life Is Good and 2018’s Nasir. The production credits feature a slew of hip-hop giants including Swizz Beatz, Pharrell, RZA, Hit-Boy, Pete Rock, the Alchemist, No I.D. and Kanye West.
Nas teased the imminent arrival of The Lost Tapes 2 on Instagram last month, while on Tuesday,...
The 16-track set will feature songs made during the sessions for 2006’s Hip-Hop is Dead, 2008’s Untitled, 2012’s Life Is Good and 2018’s Nasir. The production credits feature a slew of hip-hop giants including Swizz Beatz, Pharrell, RZA, Hit-Boy, Pete Rock, the Alchemist, No I.D. and Kanye West.
Nas teased the imminent arrival of The Lost Tapes 2 on Instagram last month, while on Tuesday,...
- 7/2/2019
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Last month, Halsey and Khalid released a new song, “Eastside,” with a silent partner: producer and songwriter Benny Blanco, who’s credited as a third lead artist on the single (and co-stars in its video) even though he doesn’t audibly sing on it. For Blanco, who’s been crafting pop smashes at a steady clip since 2008 for Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Britney Spears and more, a hit single is nothing new. The only difference this time is his name in lights up front.
This type of producer-first crediting began...
This type of producer-first crediting began...
- 8/15/2018
- by Elias Leight
- Rollingstone.com
[Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for “Luke Cage” Season 2, including the finale.]
“Luke Cage” series creator Cheo Hodari Coker is a longtime comic book fan, and it shows with the number of fun Easter eggs he includes in the show’s first outing. Since then, Netflix’s Marvel world has expanded, and therefore in Season 2, the show doesn’t hold back when it comes to pop culture references and full-blown crossovers. Many are obvious, but some are for diehards or eagle-eyed, pause-button-happy fans.
“Luke Cage” is the type of show that references the Avengers but never names them. It also exists in the present but feels retro thanks to the heavy ‘90s hip-hop influence and nods to the original comics when Luke Cage (Mike Colter) was drafting off the blaxploitation craze. Check out all the Easter eggs and pop-culture references we could find below, and let us know what we’re missing in the comments.
Episode...
“Luke Cage” series creator Cheo Hodari Coker is a longtime comic book fan, and it shows with the number of fun Easter eggs he includes in the show’s first outing. Since then, Netflix’s Marvel world has expanded, and therefore in Season 2, the show doesn’t hold back when it comes to pop culture references and full-blown crossovers. Many are obvious, but some are for diehards or eagle-eyed, pause-button-happy fans.
“Luke Cage” is the type of show that references the Avengers but never names them. It also exists in the present but feels retro thanks to the heavy ‘90s hip-hop influence and nods to the original comics when Luke Cage (Mike Colter) was drafting off the blaxploitation craze. Check out all the Easter eggs and pop-culture references we could find below, and let us know what we’re missing in the comments.
Episode...
- 6/28/2018
- by Hanh Nguyen
- Indiewire
Kanye West’s Twitter binge continued unabated through Sunday, as he added albums he’s produced from Teyana Taylor, Pusha T and Nas to a schedule that already included albums from himself and a collaboration with Kid Cudi — all of which will somehow be released in May and June, he says. West was known or reported to be working with many of these artists in recent months, and although he’s worked with Nas multiple times in the past 15-odd years — most recently both guested on French Montana’s “Figure It Out,” and West contributed music to Nas’ 2016 film “The Land” — but a new album was news.
“I’m hand-produced all the albums I tweeted about. Been chopping samples from the sunken place,” he wrote, referencing a hypnotic state from the film “Get Out.” He then sent several tweets about how much he loves driving a Tesla car.
The tally so far?...
“I’m hand-produced all the albums I tweeted about. Been chopping samples from the sunken place,” he wrote, referencing a hypnotic state from the film “Get Out.” He then sent several tweets about how much he loves driving a Tesla car.
The tally so far?...
- 4/23/2018
- by Jem Aswad
- Variety Film + TV
In the middle of a long series of Tweets that will make up a philosophy “book” that Kanye West announced that he’s writing on Twitter, the Mc casually mentioned on Thursday that he’s dropping not one, but two new albums next month.
According to his tweets, one will be a solo album containing seven songs on June 1, to be followed by an album with Kid Cudi on June 8. West added that his new group with Cudi is called Kids See Ghost. West’s rep did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for more information.
The Mc has kept a relatively low profile since cancelling the last 21 dates of the 2016 tour in support of his “Life of Pablo” album after he was hospitalized in Los Angeles for psychiatric evaluation. West’s behavior during the tour had been erratic and included several pro-Donald Trump onstage comments as well as...
According to his tweets, one will be a solo album containing seven songs on June 1, to be followed by an album with Kid Cudi on June 8. West added that his new group with Cudi is called Kids See Ghost. West’s rep did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for more information.
The Mc has kept a relatively low profile since cancelling the last 21 dates of the 2016 tour in support of his “Life of Pablo” album after he was hospitalized in Los Angeles for psychiatric evaluation. West’s behavior during the tour had been erratic and included several pro-Donald Trump onstage comments as well as...
- 4/19/2018
- by Jem Aswad and Alex Stedman
- Variety Film + TV
There should be little, if any, link between Pete Rock and Cl Smooth's iconic 1992 hip-hop track "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" and silent film star Harold Lloyd's 1928 action-comedy classic Speedy. But Z-Trip, the genre-bending Los Angeles musician who provided a live DJ score for the film Wednesday night at the Tribeca Film Festival, has carved a 15-year career unearthing unorthodox throughlines.
In this case, it was Pete Rock's instantly recognizable looped horns of Tom Scott's "Today" laced over one character's call-to-arms bugle blast, just...
In this case, it was Pete Rock's instantly recognizable looped horns of Tom Scott's "Today" laced over one character's call-to-arms bugle blast, just...
- 4/23/2015
- Rollingstone.com
Can documentaries about famous rap groups and albums be a new thing please? A few years ago we got the excellent "Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest," detailing the fascinating and incredible story of the highly influential hip hop group, and now comes "Nas: Time Is Illmatic," another snapshot of a rapper who has inspired a generation of artists. Directed by One9 (huh?) and featuring the participation of Nas, Large Professor, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, L.E.S., DJ Premier, Pharrell Williams, Alicia Keys and more, the movie goes twenty years back in time to 1994, when Illmatic dropped and turned heads everywhere. The doc chronicles Nas' influences, his life story and career—which saw him signing to major label at 20 years old—and how he developed his unique artistic voice. "Nas: Time Is Illmatic" arrives in select theaters beginning October 1st and on nationwide VOD...
- 8/29/2014
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
It may have been the most New York moment in years.
Robert De Niro, onstage Wednesday night at the Beacon Theatre, introduced Time Is Illmatic, the new documentary on Nas' 1994 landmark debut Illmatic, to kick off the Tribeca Film Festival. "Twenty years ago, I would've been 20 years too old for this music," quipped the actor and festival co-founder to a boisterous crowd of fans, media and seemingly every important hip-hop figure in mid-Nineties New York.
Nas: My Life in 20 Songs
Unlike music docs that attempt to deify or elevate the obscure — Anvil,...
Robert De Niro, onstage Wednesday night at the Beacon Theatre, introduced Time Is Illmatic, the new documentary on Nas' 1994 landmark debut Illmatic, to kick off the Tribeca Film Festival. "Twenty years ago, I would've been 20 years too old for this music," quipped the actor and festival co-founder to a boisterous crowd of fans, media and seemingly every important hip-hop figure in mid-Nineties New York.
Nas: My Life in 20 Songs
Unlike music docs that attempt to deify or elevate the obscure — Anvil,...
- 4/17/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Few debut albums of the past 20 years are as assured or as influential as Nas' "Illmatic," a diamond-bullet of a record that helped kick off hip-hop's second golden era and still arguably stands as its greatest achievement. Tribeca has selected "Time Is Illmatic," the documentary about the making of the album, as the opening film of this year's festival, and they've released a trailer for the film. "Time Is Illmatic" covers Nas' journey to make his towering debut at a mere 20 years old, looking through his influences, the musical legacy of his family (jazz musician father Olu Dara, his younger brother Jabari "Jungle" Fret), and the odds he faced after being rejected by labels such as Cold Chillin' and Def Jam and the murder of his best friend DJ Willy "Ill Will" Graham. Nas' highly literate rhymes and rat-a-tat delivery gained the attention of high profile producers...
- 4/11/2014
- by Max O'Connell
- Indiewire
This is the fourth studio album by Non Phixion member Ill Bill and is the follow up to the 2008 Hour of Reprisal. Ill Bill has always been a hardcore underground emcee with impecable taste in producers and this album does not vary from that route. In fact the album’s production credits could read as a who’s who Hardcore Hip-Hop’s best producers; DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Large Professor, El-p, Psycho Les of the Beatnuts and DJ Muggs from Cypress Hill. The list of guests is pretty impressive too; Lil Fame of M.O.P., Jedi Mind Tricks, O.C., Cormega, Shabazz the Disciple and A-Trak. A small point though before I progress on with the review if you are easily offended by bad language, conspiracy theory’s and or hardcore Hip-hop beats then this album is not for you.
The album kicks off with the Ill Bill produced intro,...
The album kicks off with the Ill Bill produced intro,...
- 3/11/2013
- by Scott Ronan
- Obsessed with Film
'I would love to work with him, and I wouldn't turn my nose to it,' veteran producer tells MTV News.
By Nadeska Alexis, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Pete Rock
Photo: MTV News
Pete Rock made headlines last week for getting into a little tiff with Lupe Fiasco over Rock's classic 1992 track "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," but the veteran producer has put the drama behind him, and now he's focused on his upcoming projects, including a possible collaboration with the Chicago rapper.
"If the artist doesn't like something I did or said, then we could work through it with a conversation. That's always my goal — it's never to add fuel to the fire," Pete Rock told MTV News of the falling out with Lupe. "I would love to get in the studio and work with him if his management team can respect me as a man,...
By Nadeska Alexis, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Pete Rock
Photo: MTV News
Pete Rock made headlines last week for getting into a little tiff with Lupe Fiasco over Rock's classic 1992 track "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," but the veteran producer has put the drama behind him, and now he's focused on his upcoming projects, including a possible collaboration with the Chicago rapper.
"If the artist doesn't like something I did or said, then we could work through it with a conversation. That's always my goal — it's never to add fuel to the fire," Pete Rock told MTV News of the falling out with Lupe. "I would love to get in the studio and work with him if his management team can respect me as a man,...
- 6/1/2012
- MTV Music News
'I want to give you that same impact that I had when I put that record out,' Pete Rock says about 'Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free).'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Pete Rock
Photo: MTV News
Pete Rock and Cl Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" is an iconic, classic and unforgettable track that hip-hop fans across the world hold near and dear. But as special as the 1992 track is to the listener, it means even more to the creator, who originally made the track in dedication to his fallen friend Troy "Trouble T Roy" Dixon. So when producer Pete Rock first heard Lupe Fiasco's remake, "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)," on the radio last week, he was quite upset.
"At that point, my emotions were working — I'm still thinking about Heavy D and Troy is a dear friend to me,...
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Pete Rock
Photo: MTV News
Pete Rock and Cl Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" is an iconic, classic and unforgettable track that hip-hop fans across the world hold near and dear. But as special as the 1992 track is to the listener, it means even more to the creator, who originally made the track in dedication to his fallen friend Troy "Trouble T Roy" Dixon. So when producer Pete Rock first heard Lupe Fiasco's remake, "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)," on the radio last week, he was quite upset.
"At that point, my emotions were working — I'm still thinking about Heavy D and Troy is a dear friend to me,...
- 5/30/2012
- MTV Music News
'I'm glad that Lupe did it,' Questlove tells MTV News of Lupe Fiasco's 'T.R.O.Y' sample on his new single 'Around My Way.'
By Rob Markman
Questlove
Photo: MTV News
Lupe Fiasco took on a ton of criticism this week when he sampled Pete Rock and Cl Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" on his new single, "Around My Way," but Questlove is in full support of the Chicago Mc.
"I would hope that Pete would reconsider his position because it's clearly an homage to his legacy," the Roots drummer told MTV News on Wednesday.
After Fiasco dropped his new single on Tuesday, Pete Rock took to Twitter to chastise Lu and the song's producers for remaking the song, which he and Cl Smooth released back in 1992 as a dedication to their fallen friend and Heavy D & the Boyz group member Troy "Trouble T" Dixon.
By Rob Markman
Questlove
Photo: MTV News
Lupe Fiasco took on a ton of criticism this week when he sampled Pete Rock and Cl Smooth's "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" on his new single, "Around My Way," but Questlove is in full support of the Chicago Mc.
"I would hope that Pete would reconsider his position because it's clearly an homage to his legacy," the Roots drummer told MTV News on Wednesday.
After Fiasco dropped his new single on Tuesday, Pete Rock took to Twitter to chastise Lu and the song's producers for remaking the song, which he and Cl Smooth released back in 1992 as a dedication to their fallen friend and Heavy D & the Boyz group member Troy "Trouble T" Dixon.
- 5/25/2012
- MTV Music News
Lupe talks to 'Sway in the Morning' about Rock's 'wack' response to his remake of 'They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Lupe Fiasco and Pete Rock
Photo: Getty Images
Turns out things aren't all good between Pete Rock and Lupe Fiasco after all.
On Tuesday, the heralded hip-hop producer took to Twitter and lashed out at the Chicago Mc for recording "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)," a remake of his and Cl Smooth's 1992 single "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," but a day later tweeted that he and Lu had worked out their differences. But according to Lupe, that's not the case.
"We wasn't on the phone like, 'Oh, I love you, Pete.' At the end of the day, I was hot. My crew was hot, the people who put it together was hot,...
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Lupe Fiasco and Pete Rock
Photo: Getty Images
Turns out things aren't all good between Pete Rock and Lupe Fiasco after all.
On Tuesday, the heralded hip-hop producer took to Twitter and lashed out at the Chicago Mc for recording "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)," a remake of his and Cl Smooth's 1992 single "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)," but a day later tweeted that he and Lu had worked out their differences. But according to Lupe, that's not the case.
"We wasn't on the phone like, 'Oh, I love you, Pete.' At the end of the day, I was hot. My crew was hot, the people who put it together was hot,...
- 5/24/2012
- MTV Music News
Yesterday The A.V. Club brought you the snippets of Lupe Fiasco’s new single, “Around My Way (Freedom Ain’t Free),” which is off his forthcoming (maybe) Food & Liquor 2, which is a supposed return to Fiasco’s storied best form. Unfortunately, it’s also kind of a return to Pete Rock’s form, or that’s what Rock thinks at least. In a prolonged Twitter spiel, Rock called out Fiasco’s use of the saxophone and bass line from his 1992 mega-hit with C.L. Smooth, “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” The song was originally ...
- 5/22/2012
- avclub.com
Catch Lupe Fiasco on 'RapFix Live' this Wednesday at 4 p.m. Et on MTV.com.
By Rob Markman
Lupe Fiasco
Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage
When Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth dropped "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" 20 years ago, the celebrated rap duo was still reeling over the unexpected death of their dear friend Troy "Trouble T" Dixon of Heavy D & the Boyz. What began as the most personal of lyrical eulogies soon became an iconic hip-hop track, so when Lupe Fiasco reworked the "T.R.O.Y." instrumental for his new single "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)" on Monday, things were all good until Pete Rock chimed in.
"No disrespect to lupe fiasco and i like him alot but Troy should be left alone. Feel so violated,the beat is next to my heart and was made Outta anguish and pain. When it's like that it...
By Rob Markman
Lupe Fiasco
Photo: Johnny Nunez/WireImage
When Pete Rock and C.L. Smooth dropped "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" 20 years ago, the celebrated rap duo was still reeling over the unexpected death of their dear friend Troy "Trouble T" Dixon of Heavy D & the Boyz. What began as the most personal of lyrical eulogies soon became an iconic hip-hop track, so when Lupe Fiasco reworked the "T.R.O.Y." instrumental for his new single "Around My Way (Freedom Ain't Free)" on Monday, things were all good until Pete Rock chimed in.
"No disrespect to lupe fiasco and i like him alot but Troy should be left alone. Feel so violated,the beat is next to my heart and was made Outta anguish and pain. When it's like that it...
- 5/22/2012
- MTV Music News
Nas presents his debut album Illmatic and gives first performance of 'The Don' in Austin.
By Nadeska Alexis
Nas performs at SXSW 2012
Photo: Getty Images
A classic never dies and Nas proved that to a packed house during the final night of South by Southwest, with a performance of his debut album Illmatic at Acl Live at the Moody Theatre. The 20th anniversary of Illmatic's release (April 19, 1994) is quickly approaching, and to commemorate the occasion, Vevo tapped the Queens, New York Mc to perform his celebrated album in its entirety.
The stage of Austin's Moody Theater was transformed into an elaborate set designed to replicate the atmosphere of mid-90s Queens. An image of the Queensbridge Houses were set behind a New York City bus stop tagged up with "Rip Ill Will," (a tribute to Nas' childhood friend Willie "Ill Will" Graham) and Nasir Jones climbed a flight of stairs,...
By Nadeska Alexis
Nas performs at SXSW 2012
Photo: Getty Images
A classic never dies and Nas proved that to a packed house during the final night of South by Southwest, with a performance of his debut album Illmatic at Acl Live at the Moody Theatre. The 20th anniversary of Illmatic's release (April 19, 1994) is quickly approaching, and to commemorate the occasion, Vevo tapped the Queens, New York Mc to perform his celebrated album in its entirety.
The stage of Austin's Moody Theater was transformed into an elaborate set designed to replicate the atmosphere of mid-90s Queens. An image of the Queensbridge Houses were set behind a New York City bus stop tagged up with "Rip Ill Will," (a tribute to Nas' childhood friend Willie "Ill Will" Graham) and Nasir Jones climbed a flight of stairs,...
- 3/18/2012
- MTV Music News
Duo have reached an agreement with Syl Johnson over use of his 'Different Strokes' record on Throne track 'The Joy.'
By Rob Markman
Kanye West and Jay-z
Photo: The Washington Post/Getty Images
All samples cleared! TMZ reports that Jay-z and Kanye West have settled a federal lawsuit in which soul singer Syl Johnson claimed that Jay and Kanye illegally lifted a portion of his 1967 record "Different Strokes" for "The Joy," off of their Watch the Throne album.
"The Joy," which was produced by Pete Rock with West, Mike Dean and Jeff Bhasker listed as co-producers, first surfaced in 2010 as a free digital download as part of Yeezy's G.O.O.D. Fridays viral campaign.
The suit claimed that 'Ye attempted to clear the "Different Strokes" sample for his Grammy Award-winning My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy but couldn't get the necessary agreement in place before releasing his LP.
By Rob Markman
Kanye West and Jay-z
Photo: The Washington Post/Getty Images
All samples cleared! TMZ reports that Jay-z and Kanye West have settled a federal lawsuit in which soul singer Syl Johnson claimed that Jay and Kanye illegally lifted a portion of his 1967 record "Different Strokes" for "The Joy," off of their Watch the Throne album.
"The Joy," which was produced by Pete Rock with West, Mike Dean and Jeff Bhasker listed as co-producers, first surfaced in 2010 as a free digital download as part of Yeezy's G.O.O.D. Fridays viral campaign.
The suit claimed that 'Ye attempted to clear the "Different Strokes" sample for his Grammy Award-winning My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy but couldn't get the necessary agreement in place before releasing his LP.
- 3/12/2012
- MTV Music News
This is my list of my favourite Hip Hop albums of 2011. It’s neither the list of the albums that sold the best nor the list of the most anticipated albums of 2011. Just the ones that this 30 something Hip Hop fan enjoyed the most, the ones that I listened to the most, the ones that made me smile and in some rare cases even dance. Although some may call 2011 a disappointing year for Hip Hop I would actually say it was a positive year. There was plenty of good music out there you just had to look for it and that’s always been the case with most genres. A number of new artists came through with good albums and a number of older artists came back to the forefront with strong albums.
10. Phonte – Charity Starts At Home
I missed Little Brother this year so this album from Phonte was much needed and much appreciated.
10. Phonte – Charity Starts At Home
I missed Little Brother this year so this album from Phonte was much needed and much appreciated.
- 1/2/2012
- by Scott Ronan
- Obsessed with Film
Cousin of rap's Overweight Lover reminisces during call to New York's Hot 97.
By Rob Markman
Heavy D
Photo: Getty Images
Heavy D's death on Tuesday has hit the entire hip-hop community pretty hard, but for Pete Rock, who not only collaborated with Heav but was his cousin, things are difficult.
Still, the legendary hip-hop producer took the time to call in to New York City's Hot 97 morning show on Wednesday (November 9) and spoke with hosts Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds. "Just trying to fathom the thought of all of this, it's very hurtful," Rock said of Heavy D, who was born Dwight Arrington Myers. "This man, he gave me everything."
The trailblazing rapper, who rose to fame with his group Heavy D & the Boyz in the late 1980s, died at 44. While the cause of death remains unconfirmed, early police reports say that Heav complained of having difficulty breathing. After...
By Rob Markman
Heavy D
Photo: Getty Images
Heavy D's death on Tuesday has hit the entire hip-hop community pretty hard, but for Pete Rock, who not only collaborated with Heav but was his cousin, things are difficult.
Still, the legendary hip-hop producer took the time to call in to New York City's Hot 97 morning show on Wednesday (November 9) and spoke with hosts Peter Rosenberg and Cipha Sounds. "Just trying to fathom the thought of all of this, it's very hurtful," Rock said of Heavy D, who was born Dwight Arrington Myers. "This man, he gave me everything."
The trailblazing rapper, who rose to fame with his group Heavy D & the Boyz in the late 1980s, died at 44. While the cause of death remains unconfirmed, early police reports say that Heav complained of having difficulty breathing. After...
- 11/9/2011
- MTV Music News
Heavy D, the rapper whose real name is Dwight Arrington Myers, is dead at the young age of 44. He was known for heavyset physique, his dancing and tongue-twisting rhymes.
Lt. Mark Rosen of the Beverly Hills police told the Associated Press that Heavy D died in a Los Angeles hospital Tuesday after collapsing at his condominium building. Rosen said Beverly Hills police officers were dispatched to Heavy D's condominium building Tuesday morning after receiving a report of an unconscious person laying on the walkway of a building. They found Heavy D was conscious and communicative but had difficulty breathing and was transported to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where he later died.
The police found no signs of foul play. According to Rosen, Heavy D "was returning home from shopping. He experienced difficulty breathing while walking into his condominium building. He was being assisted up to his apartment by building...
Lt. Mark Rosen of the Beverly Hills police told the Associated Press that Heavy D died in a Los Angeles hospital Tuesday after collapsing at his condominium building. Rosen said Beverly Hills police officers were dispatched to Heavy D's condominium building Tuesday morning after receiving a report of an unconscious person laying on the walkway of a building. They found Heavy D was conscious and communicative but had difficulty breathing and was transported to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, where he later died.
The police found no signs of foul play. According to Rosen, Heavy D "was returning home from shopping. He experienced difficulty breathing while walking into his condominium building. He was being assisted up to his apartment by building...
- 11/9/2011
- by Gene Demby
- Huffington Post
Soul legend Syl Johnson claims duo used 1967 hit without permission.
By Gil Kaufman
Jay-z and Kanye West
Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage
Jay-z and Kanye West have been sued by soul/blues icon Syl Johnson over allegations that they sampled one of his songs on their Watch the Throne album without permission.
The complaint, filed in Illinois federal court Friday, alleges that the dynamic duo sampled a portion of his 1967 hit "Different Strokes" on the Throne deluxe-edition song "The Joy," according to the Hollywood Reporter. Johnson claims the song was sampled without his permission and has was not credited in the album's liner notes. The song was produced by Pete Rock (Kanye West is credited as producer along with Mike Dean and Mike Bhaskar) and was originally part of the G.O.O.D. Fridays series of leaks.
The allegation of copyright infringement was first raised in late August, when archival...
By Gil Kaufman
Jay-z and Kanye West
Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage
Jay-z and Kanye West have been sued by soul/blues icon Syl Johnson over allegations that they sampled one of his songs on their Watch the Throne album without permission.
The complaint, filed in Illinois federal court Friday, alleges that the dynamic duo sampled a portion of his 1967 hit "Different Strokes" on the Throne deluxe-edition song "The Joy," according to the Hollywood Reporter. Johnson claims the song was sampled without his permission and has was not credited in the album's liner notes. The song was produced by Pete Rock (Kanye West is credited as producer along with Mike Dean and Mike Bhaskar) and was originally part of the G.O.O.D. Fridays series of leaks.
The allegation of copyright infringement was first raised in late August, when archival...
- 10/18/2011
- MTV Music News
Release Date: Oct. 18, 2011
Price: DVD $30.99, Blu-ray $35.99
Studio: Sony Picture Homes Entertainment
The careers of hip hop legends are chornicled in Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
Documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest chronicles the past, present and uncertain future of the influential hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest and its members, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White.
Formed in Queens in the mid-1980s, the group is highly regarded for innovatively mixing jazz infused soundscapes with Afro-centric rhymes. Their innovation created a new sound that kicked off the hip hop movement that still dominates the music scene today.
A passion project of sorts for actor Michael Rapaport (Big Fan), in his feature film directorial debut, the music-and-performance-filled documentary features interviews with the members of the group and a menagerie of the hip hop elite, including Pharrell, Pete Rock,...
Price: DVD $30.99, Blu-ray $35.99
Studio: Sony Picture Homes Entertainment
The careers of hip hop legends are chornicled in Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest
Documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest chronicles the past, present and uncertain future of the influential hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest and its members, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White.
Formed in Queens in the mid-1980s, the group is highly regarded for innovatively mixing jazz infused soundscapes with Afro-centric rhymes. Their innovation created a new sound that kicked off the hip hop movement that still dominates the music scene today.
A passion project of sorts for actor Michael Rapaport (Big Fan), in his feature film directorial debut, the music-and-performance-filled documentary features interviews with the members of the group and a menagerie of the hip hop elite, including Pharrell, Pete Rock,...
- 9/9/2011
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
R&B artist Syl Johnson alleges Watch the Throne track samples his 'Different Strokes' without permission
By Alvin Blanco
Jay-z and Kanye West
Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage
Def Jam's lawyers are about to get busier. According to a post on "archival record label" and publisher the Numero Uno Group's blog, acclaimed R&B/soul singer Syl Johnson is considering a lawsuit against the Throne (Jay-z and Kanye West) for an uncleared sample of one of his songs on their album Watch the Throne. A sample of Johnson's 1967 song "Different Strokes," which appears on the track "The Joy," was allegedly never properly cleared.
"Two decades and several lawsuits later, Syl Johnson is a veteran of copyright infringement cases, and has done very well for himself clearing samples from his fertile catalog (we're glad to say we've helped him with a few) for use in numerous tracks," reads part of the post.
By Alvin Blanco
Jay-z and Kanye West
Photo: Johnny Nunez/ WireImage
Def Jam's lawyers are about to get busier. According to a post on "archival record label" and publisher the Numero Uno Group's blog, acclaimed R&B/soul singer Syl Johnson is considering a lawsuit against the Throne (Jay-z and Kanye West) for an uncleared sample of one of his songs on their album Watch the Throne. A sample of Johnson's 1967 song "Different Strokes," which appears on the track "The Joy," was allegedly never properly cleared.
"Two decades and several lawsuits later, Syl Johnson is a veteran of copyright infringement cases, and has done very well for himself clearing samples from his fertile catalog (we're glad to say we've helped him with a few) for use in numerous tracks," reads part of the post.
- 8/24/2011
- MTV Music News
As one of hip-hop's most influential and prolific MCs, Nasir Jones (born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones) has always defined the genre more than it has defined him. Seventeen years since his classic 1994 debut opus, "Illmatic," the reclusive Queensbridge, New York, native is gearing up to release his latest offering, "Life Is Good," before the end of 2011.
In a recent interview with The Huffington Post, Nas (as he is widely known) opened up on an array of topics, including his latest philanthropic efforts -- as part of Unicef's "Month of Giving" and their support of children in Somalia, as well as details on his new album, fatherhood and marriage advice, among other things.
Can you speak on your involvement with Unicef's "Month of Giving" and what inspired you to reach out to them?
I'm all about what they're all about, I'm happy to work with reputable people. I reached out...
In a recent interview with The Huffington Post, Nas (as he is widely known) opened up on an array of topics, including his latest philanthropic efforts -- as part of Unicef's "Month of Giving" and their support of children in Somalia, as well as details on his new album, fatherhood and marriage advice, among other things.
Can you speak on your involvement with Unicef's "Month of Giving" and what inspired you to reach out to them?
I'm all about what they're all about, I'm happy to work with reputable people. I reached out...
- 8/24/2011
- by Brennan Williams
- Huffington Post
HollywoodNews.com: Watch The Throne, the critically-hailed first collaborative album by mega-platinum superstars Jay-Z and Kanye West on the Roc-a-Fella/Def Jam/Roc Nation imprint, soared to a well-deserved #1 Soundscan debut on first week sales of 436,078 units, it was jointly announced by Barry Weiss, Chairman & CEO of Universal Republic and Island Def Jam Motown, and Steve Bartels, President/COO, Island Def Jam Music Group.
Watch The Throne has also broken the record for the all-time highest 1st week sales on iTunes in the U.S. with nearly 290,000 units sold, besting the previous record held by Coldplay and hitting #1 on iTunes worldwide in all 23 global territories within 24 hours. With no leaks, the innovative Watch The Throne launch campaign kicked off with a four-day exclusive on iTunes before being made available to all retailers on Friday, August 12th. A deluxe physical version with extra tracks is available exclusively at Best Buy until August 22nd.
Watch The Throne has also broken the record for the all-time highest 1st week sales on iTunes in the U.S. with nearly 290,000 units sold, besting the previous record held by Coldplay and hitting #1 on iTunes worldwide in all 23 global territories within 24 hours. With no leaks, the innovative Watch The Throne launch campaign kicked off with a four-day exclusive on iTunes before being made available to all retailers on Friday, August 12th. A deluxe physical version with extra tracks is available exclusively at Best Buy until August 22nd.
- 8/17/2011
- by Anastasia Alvarado
- Hollywoodnews.com
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Jay-z and Kanye West have been talking about Watch the Throne for quite sometime now and its finally here. Originally intended as a five-track Ep by the duo, Watch the Throne was revealed by West to be a full-length album in an October 2010 interview with MTV. At the time he said that they planned to record in the South of France. However strangely enough production for the album began in November 2010 in Bath, England (of all places not exactly what I would call a Hip-Hop Hotspot ) and continued during available times in Jay-z’s and West’s respective schedules in Australia, Paris, Abu Dhabi, New York and Los Angeles.
In a number of interviews, Jay-z said that they often recorded in hotel rooms and that the album went through three iterations, as he and West had scaled back from their original musical direction for the album.
Jay-z and Kanye West have been talking about Watch the Throne for quite sometime now and its finally here. Originally intended as a five-track Ep by the duo, Watch the Throne was revealed by West to be a full-length album in an October 2010 interview with MTV. At the time he said that they planned to record in the South of France. However strangely enough production for the album began in November 2010 in Bath, England (of all places not exactly what I would call a Hip-Hop Hotspot ) and continued during available times in Jay-z’s and West’s respective schedules in Australia, Paris, Abu Dhabi, New York and Los Angeles.
In a number of interviews, Jay-z said that they often recorded in hotel rooms and that the album went through three iterations, as he and West had scaled back from their original musical direction for the album.
- 8/15/2011
- by Scott Ronan
- Obsessed with Film
While vets like Swizz Beatz, RZA and Neptunes contributed, newcomers Lex Luger, Southside and Jugganauts also got in the mix.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by James Smith
Kanye West and Jay-z
Photo: Daniel Boczarski/ Getty Images
High-profile albums call for high-profile producers. So it should be no surprise that for Watch the Throne, Jay-z and Kanye West recruited the likes of Swizz Beatz, the Neptunes, RZA and Pete Rock to help them craft a soundbed for their eagerly anticipated joint LP.
It wasn't all about the veterans, however. The Throne also gave some relative newcomers a chance to contribute.
"They reached out to me for the 'See Me Now' record; I co-produced that with Kanye," Virginia producer Lex Luger said about 'Ye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy bonus track. "So after that he wanted some more material, I flew to New York, and we were just vibing for a little while.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by James Smith
Kanye West and Jay-z
Photo: Daniel Boczarski/ Getty Images
High-profile albums call for high-profile producers. So it should be no surprise that for Watch the Throne, Jay-z and Kanye West recruited the likes of Swizz Beatz, the Neptunes, RZA and Pete Rock to help them craft a soundbed for their eagerly anticipated joint LP.
It wasn't all about the veterans, however. The Throne also gave some relative newcomers a chance to contribute.
"They reached out to me for the 'See Me Now' record; I co-produced that with Kanye," Virginia producer Lex Luger said about 'Ye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy bonus track. "So after that he wanted some more material, I flew to New York, and we were just vibing for a little while.
- 8/3/2011
- MTV Music News
Chicago – In our latest documentary edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 30 admit-two passes up for grabs to the advance Chicago screening of the new film “Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest”!
The film features A Tribe Called Quest along with Ludacris, Mary J. Blige, Mos Def, Common, Ghostface Killah, Q-Tip, Mike D, Phife Dawg, Adam Horovitz, De La Soul, Angie Martinez, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Pete Rock, Ahmir-Khalib Thompson and Michael Rapaport from director Michael Rapaport. “Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest” is an official selection at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.
To win your free pass to the advance Chicago screening of “Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just answer our question below. That’s it! This screening is on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. in Chicago. “Beats...
The film features A Tribe Called Quest along with Ludacris, Mary J. Blige, Mos Def, Common, Ghostface Killah, Q-Tip, Mike D, Phife Dawg, Adam Horovitz, De La Soul, Angie Martinez, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Pete Rock, Ahmir-Khalib Thompson and Michael Rapaport from director Michael Rapaport. “Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest” is an official selection at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and Tribeca Film Festival.
To win your free pass to the advance Chicago screening of “Beats Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest” courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just answer our question below. That’s it! This screening is on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. in Chicago. “Beats...
- 7/11/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Five people were arrested, five officers injured during Smif-n-Wessun's album release party on Tuesday.
By Rob Markman
Smif-n-Wessun
Photo: MTV News
It was all love, according to Brooklyn, New York, rap group Smif-n-Wessun and their producer Pete Rock. That was until the police came and busted up the group's album-release party in Manhattan on Tuesday night.
"It was beautiful, man. Me and my wife and my family walked up in there, everybody giving us love, pounds, they're happy I'm in the house," Pete Rock said of the scene at Tammany Hall, the club where Smif-n-Wessun performed and held an album-release party for their new LP, Monumental, released on Duck Down Records.
According to Rock, the night went smoothly as he, Tek and Steele (the two rappers who make up the group Smif-n-Wessun) performed songs from their new album in front of the sold-out crowd. For the group, the first signs...
By Rob Markman
Smif-n-Wessun
Photo: MTV News
It was all love, according to Brooklyn, New York, rap group Smif-n-Wessun and their producer Pete Rock. That was until the police came and busted up the group's album-release party in Manhattan on Tuesday night.
"It was beautiful, man. Me and my wife and my family walked up in there, everybody giving us love, pounds, they're happy I'm in the house," Pete Rock said of the scene at Tammany Hall, the club where Smif-n-Wessun performed and held an album-release party for their new LP, Monumental, released on Duck Down Records.
According to Rock, the night went smoothly as he, Tek and Steele (the two rappers who make up the group Smif-n-Wessun) performed songs from their new album in front of the sold-out crowd. For the group, the first signs...
- 7/1/2011
- MTV Music News
NYPD commissioner tells MTV News that officers 'used appropriate force' when breaking up the Smif-n-Wessun album-release party Tuesday.
By Rob Markman
Pete Rock
Photo: MTV News
What was supposed to be a week of celebration for hip-hop group Smif-n-Wessun and veteran producer Pete Rock turned violently wrong on Tuesday after cops busted up their Monumental album-release party in New York City.
Concertgoers were attacked by cops, and for Rock, the drama hit especially close to home as police struck his wife and stepdaughter, he told MTV News on Thursday (June 30).
"We were coming out and someone was screaming, 'Yo, Pete, your wife, your wife.' So I ran out to make sure they were Ok and to make sure the cop would stop hitting them," the Mount Vernon, New York, hitmaker told MTV News. "My stepdaughter said the cop was hitting her leg and she jumped in the way for her mother,...
By Rob Markman
Pete Rock
Photo: MTV News
What was supposed to be a week of celebration for hip-hop group Smif-n-Wessun and veteran producer Pete Rock turned violently wrong on Tuesday after cops busted up their Monumental album-release party in New York City.
Concertgoers were attacked by cops, and for Rock, the drama hit especially close to home as police struck his wife and stepdaughter, he told MTV News on Thursday (June 30).
"We were coming out and someone was screaming, 'Yo, Pete, your wife, your wife.' So I ran out to make sure they were Ok and to make sure the cop would stop hitting them," the Mount Vernon, New York, hitmaker told MTV News. "My stepdaughter said the cop was hitting her leg and she jumped in the way for her mother,...
- 6/30/2011
- MTV Music News
Since his pioneering early-’90s work with C.L. Smooth, Pete Rock has bolstered his legacy with a stream of solo albums and production credits that have affirmed him as one of hip-hop’s most respected, enduring architects. Smif-n-Wessun’s recent career hasn’t been nearly as prestigious. The Brooklyn duo never topped its 1995 debut Dah Shinin,’ a marvel of brass-knuckled jazz-rap, and even that album hasn’t been passed down to new listeners like other classics of the era. It’s easy to see, then, why Smif-n-Wessun rappers Tek and Steele are so concerned with their legacy on ...
- 6/28/2011
- avclub.com
Have a look at the new trailer for Michael Rapaport’s Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels Of A Tribe Called Quest opening in NY & La on July 8th. (via Yahoo! Movies)
In April 2011, Michael Barker and Tom Bernard, Co-Chairmen of Sony Pictures Classics, announced that starting July 8th Michael Rapaport’s Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest would commence its platform release. Following in the tracks of A Tribe Called Quest concerts, the release of the film will mirror that of a concert tour. “Sony’s release strategy is a perfect tribute to the spirit of this film. I’m really excited to go on the road this summer and meet other true fans like myself” says Rapaport.
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A tribe Called Quest is a documentary film directed by Michael Rapaport about one of the most influential and groundbreaking musical groups in hip-hop history.
In April 2011, Michael Barker and Tom Bernard, Co-Chairmen of Sony Pictures Classics, announced that starting July 8th Michael Rapaport’s Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest would commence its platform release. Following in the tracks of A Tribe Called Quest concerts, the release of the film will mirror that of a concert tour. “Sony’s release strategy is a perfect tribute to the spirit of this film. I’m really excited to go on the road this summer and meet other true fans like myself” says Rapaport.
Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A tribe Called Quest is a documentary film directed by Michael Rapaport about one of the most influential and groundbreaking musical groups in hip-hop history.
- 6/3/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
True hip hop and rap fans should check this film out. Yahoo! Movies released the documentary of “Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest.” Here is film’s synopsis: Having forged a 20-year run as one of the most innovative and influential hip hop bands of all time, the Queens NY collective known as A Tribe Called Quest have kept a generation hungry for more of their groundbreaking music since their much publicized breakup in 1998. The documentary presents interviews from singers and rappers from De La Soul, The Roots, Kanye West, Common, Mos Def, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Pharrell, Ludacris, Beastie Boys, Mary J. Blige, Monie Love, Pete Rock, Large Professor, The Jungle Brothers and the members of A Tribe Called Quest. Actor Michael Rapaport makes his feature directorial debut to document the inner workings and behind the scenes drama. The film will be released in New York...
- 6/3/2011
- LRMonline.com
One of the best documentaries at Sundance Film Festival this year was Michael Rapaport‘s long-gestating Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest. He finally unleashed it upon audiences and it is an entertaining and insightful look at one of the best bands hip-hop has to offer. Featuring members Q-Tip, Phife, Ali and Jarobi, as well as guests such as Common, Ludacris, DJ Red Alert, the Jungle Brothers, Busta Rhymes, the Beastie Boys, Pharrell, Pete Rock and De La Soul, it is an absolute must-see for anyone remotely interested in the band.
You can check out our review here, but we now have the first official theatrical trailer from Yahoo. It does a great job on encapsulating everything there is to love about the film. Check it out below, as well as the official poster.
Synopsis:
A portrait of one of the most innovative and influential hip hop bands of all time,...
You can check out our review here, but we now have the first official theatrical trailer from Yahoo. It does a great job on encapsulating everything there is to love about the film. Check it out below, as well as the official poster.
Synopsis:
A portrait of one of the most innovative and influential hip hop bands of all time,...
- 6/2/2011
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Four-city festival, kicking off August 20, will feature several artists playing entire albums.
By Rob Markman
Lauryn Hill
Photo: Chris Kim
Lauryn Hill, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep and Cypress Hill — this year's Rock the Bells festival looks to be a hip-hop fan's dream.
Last year Guerilla Union invited headlining artists to play their classic albums in full for concertgoers, and it looks land they are continuing the trend for 2011. During the four festival dates, which kick off in San Bernardino, California, on August 20 at the San Manuel Amphitheater, Lauryn Hill is scheduled to play her 1998 multi-platinum, Grammy-winning The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill from beginning to end. Nas is tapped to perform his 1994 classic, Illmatic.
"For years, people have been asking me to do Illmatic in so many ways, from stage plays to movies to books, but the time wasn't right. Where music is going now, the time is right," Nas said in a statement.
By Rob Markman
Lauryn Hill
Photo: Chris Kim
Lauryn Hill, Nas, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep and Cypress Hill — this year's Rock the Bells festival looks to be a hip-hop fan's dream.
Last year Guerilla Union invited headlining artists to play their classic albums in full for concertgoers, and it looks land they are continuing the trend for 2011. During the four festival dates, which kick off in San Bernardino, California, on August 20 at the San Manuel Amphitheater, Lauryn Hill is scheduled to play her 1998 multi-platinum, Grammy-winning The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill from beginning to end. Nas is tapped to perform his 1994 classic, Illmatic.
"For years, people have been asking me to do Illmatic in so many ways, from stage plays to movies to books, but the time wasn't right. Where music is going now, the time is right," Nas said in a statement.
- 5/25/2011
- MTV Music News
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