Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), popularly known as Jay-Z, is an American rapper and current president and CEO of Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella Records. He has been one of the most prolific and successful American rappers of the past decade.
Known for his use of freestyling abilities, flow, and blending of street and popular hip hop, Jay-Z became one of the most respected rappers in the music industry before his "retirement" in 2004. He is admired for his ability to craft lyrics from memory, without the use of pen and paper[citation needed]; he claims his critically acclaimed album The Blueprint was written in only two days.[1]
Along with Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, he is one of the founders of Roc-A-Fella Records, a hip-hop record label which also launched the careers of artists such as Beanie Sigel, Kanye West, Memphis Bleek, Young Gunz, Freeway, and Teairra Marí. He is among the most successful entrepreneurs in hip-hop. As of 2006, he was estimated to be worth around $320 million [2].
****
Birth name Shawn Corey Carter
Also known as S. Carter, S.Dot, Jigga, Hova, Young Hova, Young, Hov, Hovito, Iceberg Slim
Born December 4, 1969
Origin Brooklyn, New York,
United States
Genre(s) Hip hop, Rap
Occupation(s) Rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive
Years active 1991-2003
2006-Present
Label(s) Roc-A-Fella
Island Def Jam
Def Jam Recordings
****
Hip-Hop musician
Early years
Originally from the infamous Marcy Houses projects, in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City, Shawn Carter was abandoned by his father Adnes Reeves when he was twelve years old and he was consequently raised by his mother Gloria Carter. Jay-Z attended George Westinghouse High School in Downtown Brooklyn and Trenton Central High School in Trenton, New Jersey but did not graduate. He claims to have been caught up in selling drugs on the streets of New York in the Marcy Projects. In addition to this, Jay-Z has lyrically alluded to having sold cocaine and marijuana.
According to his mother Gloria Carter, a young Jay-Z used to keep his siblings up at night banging out drum patterns on the kitchen table. Eventually, she bought him a boombox for his birthday and thus sparked his interest in music. He began freestyling, writing rhymes, and followed the music of many artists popular at the time.
In his neighborhood, Carter was known as "Jazzy," a nickname which eventually developed into his stage name, "Jay-Z." The moniker is also a homage to his musical mentor Jaz-O (a.k.a. Jaz, Big Jaz) as well as to the J-Z subway lines that have a stop at Marcy Avenue in Brooklyn.
Jay-Z can be heard on several of Jaz-O's early recordings in the late 80's and early 90's, including "The Originators" and "Hawaiian Sophie." He and Jaz-O once ran into a blossoming LL Cool J in the park and were beaten in a freestyle battle by the self proclaimed G.O.A.T. He also collaborated with Inglewood, California producer Three-1-Zero. His career had a jump start when he battled a rapper by the name of Zai. The battle caught the eye of many record labels, as Jay-Z was able to hold his own against Zai. He also made an appearance on a popular song by Big L, "Da Graveyard," and on Mic Geronimo's "Time to Build," which also featured early appearances by DMX and Ja Rule in 1995.
Commercial work
From the beginning of his commercial recording career, Jay-Z chose a route that many would consider untraditional. Rather than waiting to get signed to a major label, Jay-Z created Roc-A-Fella Records as his own independent label. After striking a deal with Priority to distribute his material, Jay-Z released his 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt with beats from acclaimed producers such as DJ Premier and Clark Kent and a notable appearance by The Notorious B.I.G.. Although the album received critical acclaim, record sales were modest as they topped off at 420,000 units the first year.
After reaching a new distribution deal with Def Jam in 1997, Jay-Z released his follow-up In My Lifetime, Vol. 1. Executive produced by Diddy, it sold better than his previous effort, though Jay later explained that this was one of the worst periods of his life. He was reeling from the death of his close friend The Notorious B.I.G. The albums relatively glossy production stood as a contrast to his first release, and some dedicated fans felt he had "sold out." However, the album did feature some beats from producers who had worked with him on Reasonable Doubt, namely DJ Premier and Ski.
1998's Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life spawned the biggest hit of his career at the time, "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem). He also relied more on flow and brilliant wordplay, and he continued his penchant for mining beats from the popular producers of the day such as Swizz Beatz and Timbaland. Charting hits from this album included "Can I Get A..." featuring Ja Rule and "Jigga What, Jigga Who." Vol. 2 would eventually become Jay-Z's most commercially successful album, it was certified 5x platinum in the United States and has to date sold over 8 million worldwide.
In 1999 Jay-Z released Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter. Despite continued criticism for his increasingly pop-oriented sound and, the album proved to be successful and went platinum three times and sold over 5.6 million records worlwide. Through his lyricism, he was able to retain respect from some of his die-hard fans. Vol. 3 is remembered for its smash hit, "Big Pimpin'" (feat UGK). By this time, Jay-Z was seen as a hip-hop figurehead both by hardcore fans and by the hip-hop industry due to his lyrics and his high album sales. The subject of much criticism, praise, popularity, condemnation, and discussion, Jay decided to begin developing other artists. Around 2000, he and Damon Dash signed various artists (including Beanie Sigel and Freeway) and began introducing them to the public. He next appeared on The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, which was intended as a compilation album to introduce these new artists, though the album had Jay-Z's name on it to strengthen market recognition and by extension, sales.
2001's The Blueprint is considered by many to be one of hip hop's "classic" albums, receiving the coveted "5 mic" review from The Source magazine. Released on September 11, 2001, the album managed to debut at #1, selling more than 450,000 albums in its first week. Sadly, the success of the album was overshadowed by the terrorist attacks that same day.
The Blueprint was applauded for its production and the balance of "mainstream" and "hardcore" rap, receiving recognition from both audiences. Eminem was the only guest artist on the album, producing and rapping on the single "Renegade",The Blueprint also includes the popular "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" and "Takeover," a song which takes on rivals Prodigy of Mobb Deep and Nas. A large portion of the material on this album was produced by Kanye West and represents one of his (Kanye's) first major breaks in the industry.
A feud between Jay-Z and Nas culminated in "Takeover", a diss from Jay-Z to Nas, in the fall of 2001.Nas responded with the diss track "Ether", arguably an even more lethal track than Takeover, even though it contained many false/fictious lyrics such as "Rocafella died of Aids" which refers to John D. Rockefeller (the world's first billionaire, who the label was named after). Over the course of the feud, Jay-Z claims that he and Allen Iverson slept with Carmen Bryan, the mother of Nas' daughter, Destiny. Jay-Z's mother Gloria Carter later saved Nas from planned further embarrasement by advising Jay-Z that he had taken the feud way too far. This feud proved to be a huge draw in the world of hip-hop. The feud died down over 2002 after Jay-Z released a song called "blueprint 2" from his nearly 4x platinum album "the Blueprint 2" aimed at Nas's fake public personality.The feud was finally resolved in October 2005 with Jay-Z signing Nas to Defjam.
Jay-Z's next solo album was 2002's 3.9million (USA only) selling The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse a double-album . It was later reissued in a single-disc version, The Blueprint 2.1, which retained half of the tracks from the original and went on to sell a further 800 000 copies. The album spawned two hit singles "Excuse Me Miss" and "03 Bonnie and Clyde" featuring Jay-Z's girlfriend of 4 years Beyoncé Knowles.
Recent years
In 2003, Jay-Z toured with 50 Cent, Busta Rhymes and Sean Paul while finishing work on what was announced as his final album, The Black Album. Notable songs on the album included "What More Can I Say," "Dirt Off Your Shoulder," "Change Clothes," and "99 Problems." The latter was a cross-over hit comparable to The Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" which some believe pays homage to the now-rare old-school rap style. A few of the songs done on this album portray a more personal side of Jay-Z; for example, "Moment of Clarity" sheds light on his feelings towards his estranged father and coping with his death. It also deals with accusations that he sold out to reach a wider audience. "What More Can I Say" addresses the "biting" accusations with which many critics have impugned him.
In 2004, there was a runaway hit remix project by Danger Mouse called The Grey Album in which Jay-Z's Black Album vocals were blended with instrumentals sampled exclusively from The Beatles' White Album (which subsequently embroiled the DJ in a lawsuit that was later dropped with EMI, the owner's to the Beatle's work). This was made possible by an a cappella version of the "Black Album" that Jay-Z released with the specific intent for others to mix. The success of "The Grey Album" led to a rainbow of Black Album remix projects including "The Red Album," "The Blue Album" and so forth.
Also in 2004, Jay-Z collaborated with Linkin Park. The project was named Collision Course, and contained a six track EP, as well as a making of DVD. Some of the mash ups tracks were entitled Dirt Off Your Shoulder/Lying From You, Jigga What/Faint, and Numb/Encore.
Technique
In his earliest appearances, Jay-Z's style was less polished; he had a propensity for rhyming fast, which gradually lessened over the years. By 1996, he had become more known for his metaphors and similes, as well as being a rapper to stress the ordeals of the drug-dealer's life. Later, flow would become a big part of his style.
He has often pointed to his ability to switch from emotionally provocative material like "Song Cry" to mainstream topics, such as "Big Pimpin," as a sign that he straddles a line between material and intelligent rhymes that not a lot of artists have been able to do. However, he has been criticized for selling out to reach a mainstream audience, and he has acknowledged this on the song "Moment of Clarity".
Recently, producers and artists alike have been praising Jay-Z's ability to create verse after verse completely in his head without the aid of a pen and paper. He uses a difficult technique pioneered by himself and the late Notorious B.I.G as detailed in the August 2006 issue of XXL magazine celebrating the release of Jay-Z's first album "Reasonable Doubt". Jay-Z is on the cover. Rhymes are formulated entirely in the artist's head and the track is subsequently recorded in the studio without written lyrics.
Retirement
On November 25, 2003, Jay-Z held a concert at Madison Square Garden, which would later be the focus of his film Fade to Black. This concert was his "retirement party." All proceeds went to charity. Other performers included collaborators like The Roots (in the form of his backing band), Missy Elliott, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Siegel, Freeway, Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Twista, Ghostface Killah, Foxy Brown, Pharrell and R. Kelly with special appearances by Voletta Wallace and Afeni Shakur; the mothers of Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur respectively.
While Jay-Z had attested to a retirement from making new studio albums, various side projects and appearances soon followed. Included in these were a greatest hits record, mash-up projects and concert appearances with R. Kelly, Linkin Park and Phish. These appearances have kept Jay's name in the spotlight and furthered peoples' speculation that he would not remain retired for long.
Jay-Z was the executive producer of Fort Minor's debut album The Rising Tied. Mike Shinoda got together with Jay-Z himself, as well as his Linkin Park bandmate Brad Delson, and they went over what tracks they thought should make the album.
According to VIBE Magazine Jay-Z has been quietly working on a new album in his private Chelsea, New York City studio with Dr. Dre.[3] A range of producers including Just Blaze, Kanye West, Scott Storch and Pharrell have all purported to be sending Jay beats for his "new project," and Hype Williams (director of many Jay-Z videos) claims the rapper recently asked him to help with the album.[1]
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the release of Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z performed a show at Radio City Music Hall on June 25th, 2006 and a rehearsal show at New York's Nokia Theatre one day prior. These shows will be followed by a world tour in September, calling at various cities throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.[4] While locations for the tour have been confirmed, no dates have yet been given apart from 4 dates in the UK and 1 in Ireland[5]
Famed director Hype Williams recently told Billboard.com that he is getting ready to shoot Jay-Z's newest single, which would be the first from the comeback LP.
Sources at Def Jam Records told SOHH exclusively that Hov's new single, "Show Me What You Got," will be released some time in October. While rumors are that Jiggaman is scheduled to work with video director Hype Williams, the single's video will apparently be directed by F. Gary Gray ("Friday," "The Italian Job").
Rolling Stone Magazine recently reported that the LP would be dropping on November 14 but it has since been shown on the screen at the end of concerts in his Jay-Z worlde tour that he is coming back on the 21st of November. In recent months, producers like the Neptunes, Kanye West, Cool & Dre and the Runners have leaked information about working with Jigga.
The new album will mark Jay's first solo release since 2003's The Black Album. He has since made guest appearances on remixes with Kanye, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, and Linkin Park as well as songs with Beyonce, Mary J Blige and Pharrell Williams among others.
His new album will be titled "Kingdom Come"
"I Declare War" concert
For more details on this topic, see Hip hop rivalries.
Having been such a visible artist in the late '90s through the early 2000s, Jay has been the subject of more rap-related controversy than most artists in mainstream hip-hop. Some of these have been resolved, some are ongoing, and some have simply dissipated.
On October 27, 2005, Jay-Z headlined New York's Power 105.1 annual concert, Powerhouse. The concert was entitled the "I Declare War" Concert leading to intense speculation in the weeks preceding the event to whom exactly Jay-Z would declare war on. As he had previously "declared war" on other artists taking lyrical shots at him at other events, many believed that the Powerhouse show would represent an all-out assault by Jay upon his rivals. However, an anticipated response to subliminal shots taken by The Game and Cam'ron never materialized.
The theme of the concert was Jay-Z's position as President and CEO of Def Jam, complete with an on-stage mock-up of the Oval Office. Many artists made appearances such as the old roster of Rocafella records artists, Ne-Yo, Teairra Mari, T.I., Young Jeezy, Akon, Kanye West, Paul Wall, the LOX, and P. Diddy.
At the conclusion of the concert, Jay-Z put many beefs to rest to the surprise of hip-hop fans. Instead of declaring war, he declared that he was the "United Nations of this rap shit." The most significant development in this show was closure to the infamous beef between Jay-Z and Nas. The two former rivals shook hands and shared the stage together to perform Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents" blended with Nas's song "The World is Yours," from which "Dead Presidents" had sampled the vocals on the chorus. (Nas's verses were rapped over the "Dead Presidents" beat in the vein of a mix song done by DJ Statik Selektah.) Nas later performed songs of his own.
Beefs between other artists were also brought to a close (or put on hold) at the Powerhouse show. The event brought together for the first time in years, P. Diddy and The LOX, both who had a longstanding animosity due to a contract agreement between P. Diddy and The LOX and the latter's departure from Bad Boy Entertainment. Shortly after the concert, the beef was fully rectified.
The event also saw the return of Beanie Sigel from incarceration. There had been some speculation that Beanie Sigel was going to depart from Rocafella Records, but this concert proved otherwise. Beanie and The LOX's Jadakiss also officially ended their own beef when they, Jay-Z, the rest of the LOX and Sauce Money (who had been thought to have some animosity towards Jay) all performed the song "Reservoir Dogs."
The Return of Jay-Z
It has been confirmed that Jay-Z is prepping the release of a new single in October and will follow-up with his comeback album on November 21, 2006 titled Kingdom Come. [6] Sources at Def Jam Records told SOHH exclusively that Jay-Z's new single, "Show Me What You Got," will be released some time in October. Jay-Z is scheduled to work with video director Hype Williams, the single's video will reportedly be directed by F. Gary Gray (Friday, The Italian Job). The album will feature producers like, The Neptunes,Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, Kanye West, Cool & Dre, The Runners and Coldplay's Chris Martin (single entitled "Beach Chair").
Rumored to appear on the album are Rakim, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Eminem, Nas, Raekwon, Busta Rhymes, and others. Despite being turned down by several Wu Tang Clan members in the past, most notably when GZA turned down a Rocafella deal in 2002, Jay is looking to unite the Rocafella and Wu Tang families once again after the death of Ol' Dirty Bastard with the features of Method Man, Ghostface, and Raekwon on Kingdom Come.
Hip-Hop entrepreneur
Apart from being President and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, Jay-Z is also one of the owners and founders of the Roc-A-Fella empire, which includes Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc-La-Familia, Roc-A-Fella Films and Rocawear.
At heart, Jay-Z is an entrepreneur like his fellow hip-hop-moguls-turned-friends Russell Simmons and Sean "Diddy" Combs, who also have business holdings such as record companies and clothing lines. He redirected the hip hop culture from hooded sweatshirts and baggy jeans to button-ups and crisp jeans, and received GQ's International Man of the Year award.
Roc-A-Fella Records
Jay-Z co-founded Roc-A-Fella Records with partners Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke. Def Jam purchased a 50% stake in the company in 1997 for a reported $1.5 million [7].
In late 2004, Jay-Z, Dame Dash and Biggs sold their remaining interests in Roc-A-Fella Records and the label was retained as an Island Def Jam imprint. Soon thereafter Jay-Z was appointed the new President and CEO of Def Jam Recordings by Island Def Jam chairman L.A. Reid. Reportedly this major industry move was prompted by disagreement between Jay-Z and Dash as to what new ventures Roc-A-Fella could undertake.
The publicized split between Jay, Dash and Biggs led to the former partners sending jabs at each other in interviews. Dame Dash has made comment that after the break up he was portrayed as "Osama Bin Laden" to ensure that rappers would stay with Jay and not sign with him.[8] Dash currently operates the recently-founded Dame Dash Music Group as a joint venture with Island Def Jam producing former Roc-A-Fella artists such as Beanie Sigel.
Rocawear and fashion
Co-founded in 1999 by Jay-Z, Damon Dash and Kareem "Biggs" Burke, Rocawear designed for and sought out a share of the lucrative urban fashion market already being capitalized on by labels like Phat Farm.
In 2005, Jay-Z bought out Rocawear co-founder Dash for an estimated $30 million and has sought to expand the company's reach by developing the S. Carter high-end clothing line. Jay also has a line of Reebok sneakers aptly named The S.Carter Collection, which holds the record for fastest-selling Reebok shoe in history [9] and made him the first non-athlete to have a signature line of sneakers. In the spring of 2006, he is in collaboration with Swiss luxury-watch maker Audemars Piguet [10].
Entertainment and lifestyle
Jay-Z co-owns The 40/40 Club, an upscale sports bar which started in New York City and has since expanded to Atlantic City, NJ. Future plans will see 40/40 Clubs in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Singapore. Roc-A-Fella also distributes Armadale, a Scottish vodka, in the U.S.
Jay-Z is a part owner of the New Jersey Nets NBA team, and is one of the franchise owners interested in relocating the team to Brooklyn. In October 2005, he was reported in English media as considering a takeover of Arsenal F.C., an English football team [11].
Personal life
Criminal charges
Jay-Z was accused of stabbing record executive Lance "Un" Riviera for what he perceived was Riviera's bootlegging of Vol 3...Life and Times of S. Carter. The stabbing allegedly occurred at the record release party for Q-Tip's debut solo album Amplified at the Kit Kat Klub, a now defunct night club in Times Square, New York City, on December 9, 1999. Jay-Z's associates at the party were accused of causing a commotion within the club, which Jay-Z allegedly used as cover when he supposedly stabbed Riviera in the stomach with a five-inch blade.[12]
Jay-Z initially denied the incident and pleaded not guilty when a grand jury returned the indictment. Jay-Z and his lawyers contended he was nowhere around Riviera during the incident and they had witnesses and videotape evidence from the club that showed Jay-Z's whereabouts during the disturbance. Nevertheless, he later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge which resulted in a sentence of three years probation. The New York Post reported that Jay-Z had bought out Riviera for $600,000 to cease his cooperation with prosecutors, and without the cooperation of the victim, prosecutors had to cut a plea deal that would not interfere with Jay-Z's touring plans. Riviera also dropped a civil suit, where he asked for $40 million.[13]
Jay-Z makes reference to the trial and incident on his songs "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)", off The Blueprint, "Threat," off The Black Album and "Dear Summer", which was included in Memphis Bleek's 2005 release 534.
Rival rapper Cam'ron has since claimed on his song "You Gotta Love It" that Jay-Z had actually "stabbed Him over Charli Baltimore".
Romantic life
Jay-Z was featured on Beyonce's hit single "Crazy In Love." He made yet another appearance on Beyoncé's 2006 hit, "Deja Vu". The couple never publicly discuss their relationship and have been together for almost four years. Beyoncé has mentioned that not publicly discussing their relationship has helped them. Jay-Z has said in a People Magazine article that "We don't play with our relationship."[citation needed]
Jay-Z did remark during a goodbye party for departing Def Jam head Lyor Cohen in 2004 that he and Beyoncé will "marry very soon."[14] It is rumored that the couple will marry in November 2006 in Anguilla. [15]
Jay-Z and Beyoncé were listed as a Power Couple on Time Magazine's 100's Most Influential People of 2006.
Other
In 2002, Kashmere High School in Houston, Texas hosted Jay-Z as "principal for a day" [2].
After his retirement, Jay-Z has also become involved in philanthropic activity. On August 9, 2006, he met with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at the organization's headquarters in New York. The rapper pledged to use his upcoming world tour to raise awareness of – and combat – global water shortage. Already on the look-out for a way to, in his own words, "become helpful", he had been made aware of this issue during a visit to Africa. The effort will take place in partnership with the UN, as well as MTV, which will produce a documentary entitled Diary of Jay-Z: Water for Life, scheduled for airing on November 24.[16]
Grammy Award history
Career Nominations: 18
Career Wins: 5
Category Genre Title Year Result
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Rap "Numb/Encore" 2006 Won
Best Rap Song Rap "99 Problems" 2005 Nominated
Best Rap Album Rap The Black Album 2005 Nominated
Best Rap Solo Performance Rap "99 Problems" 2005 Won
Record of the Year General "Crazy In Love" 2004 Nominated
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Rap "Crazy In Love" 2004 Won
Best R&B Song R&B "Crazy In Love" 2004 Won
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Rap "Frontin" 2004 Nominated
Best Rap Song Rap "Excuse Me Miss" 2004 Nominated
Best Rap Album Rap Blueprint 2: The Gift & Curse 2004 Nominated
Best Rap Male Solo Performance Rap "Song Cry" 2003 Nominated
Best Rap Solo Performance Rap "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" 2002 Nominated
Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Rap "Change the Game" 2002 Nominated
Best Rap Album Rap Vol. 3...The Life & Times of S. Carter 2001 Nominated
Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Rap "Big Pimpin" 2001 Nominated
Best Rap Album Rap Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life 1999 Won
Best Rap Performance By a Duo or Group Rap "Money Ain't a Thing" 1999 Nominated
Best Rap Solo Performance Rap "Hard Knock Life" 1999 Nominated
Discography
For extended information see Jay-Z discography.
Albums
1996: Reasonable Doubt
1997: In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
1998: Streets In Watching (Soundtrack)
1998: Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life
1999: Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter
2000: The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
2001: The Blueprint
2001: Unplugged
2002: The Best of Both Worlds
2002: The Blueprint 2: The Gift and the Curse
2003: The Black Album
2003: The Black Album
2004: Unfinished Business
2004: Collision Course
2006: Kingdom Come
Top 20 Singles
Year Song U.S. Hot 100 U.S. R&B UK singles Album
1998 "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)" 15 10 2 Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life
1999 "Can I Get A..." (featuring Amil and Ja Rule) 19 19 24 Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life
1999 "Big Pimpin'" (featuring UGK) 18 9 29 Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter
2000 "I Just Wanna Luv U (Give It 2 Me)" (featuring Pharrell Williams) 11 1 17 The Dynasty: Roc La Familia
2001 "Izzo (H.O.V.A.)" 8 4 21 The Blueprint
2001 "Girls, Girls, Girls" 17 4 11 The Blueprint
2002 "'03 Bonnie & Clyde" (featuring Beyoncé) 4 5 2 The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse
2003 "Excuse Me Miss" (featuring Pharrell) 8 1 17 The Blueprint²: The Gift & the Curse
2003 "Change Clothes" (featuring Pharrell) 10 4 32 The Black Album
2003 "Dirt off Your Shoulder" 5 3 12 The Black Album
2004 "Numb / Encore" (with Linkin Park) 20 - 14 Collision Course
Filmography
Streets Is Watching (1998)
Hard Knock Life (2000)
State Property (2002)
Paper Soldiers (2002)
Fade To Black (2004)
****
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
snoop dogg'
Calvin Cordozar Broadus (born October 20, 1972 in Long Beach, California) is an African-American hip hop musician and actor. His mother nicknamed him "Snoopy" as a child, and he took the stage name Snoop Doggy Dogg when he began recording. He changed his name to Snoop Dogg in 1997, when he left original record label Death Row Records and signed with No Limit Records. He is the cousin of RBX and Daz Dillinger.
* * * *
Biography
Snoop Dogg was active in music from a young age, singing in his church choir. Snoop Dogg was frequently in trouble with drugs and the law as a young man. As a member of the Crips, Snoop Dogg was in and out of jail for the three years after he graduated from high school. Pushed by older inmates to make something of himself, he began making homemade rap tapes with his friends Nate Dogg, Warren G, who was a stepbrother of Dr. Dre of N.W.A.. In those early stages, Nate's cousin Lil' 1/2 Dead was also part of the group, called 213 after the area code of Longbeach at the time. Dr. Dre began collaborating with the young rapper, first on the theme song of the film Deep Cover, and then on Dr. Dre's debut solo album The Chronic.
Snoop Dogg's contribution to The Chronic was considerable: the rapper's rhymes were as present as Dre's. The huge success of Snoop's debut Doggystyle is largely due to this intense exposure.
While recording his own debut album Doggystyle with Dre in August of 1993, Snoop Dogg was arrested in the shooting death of Phillip Woldermarian, a member of a rival gang who was later revealed to have had a secret obsession with Snoop. He was eventually acquitted on both self defense grounds and because he allegedly drove the car while his bodyguard McKinley Lee fired the fatal shots (Lee was also acquitted on self defense grounds). Snoop remained entangled in the legal battles around the case for three years.
The Doggystyle album was released in November of 1993 on Death Row Records, and became the first debut album ever to enter the charts at number one, helping to fuel the ascendance of West Coast "G Funk" rap. The singles "What's My Name" and "Gin and Juice" went to the top ten, and the album remained in the charts for several months, even as controversy raged over the murder trial and his allegedly violent and sexist lyrics. Gangsta rap became the center of arguments for censorship and labeling, with Snoop often used as an example of violent and misogynistic musicians.
A short film about the trial called Murder Was The Case, and an accompanying soundtrack, were released in 1994. It is said, to Snoop's distress, that a lot of the hype surrounding his debut was generated by his well-publicized trial. Others argue that the Death Row crew knew that any publicity is good publicity, as this film was directed by Dr. Dre himself.
However, by the time Snoop's second album Tha Doggfather was released in November of 1996, both the furor and the popularity of gangsta rap had begun to fade, dragged down by the death of Snoop's friend Tupac Shakur and the racketeering indictment of Death Row co-founder Suge Knight. Dr. Dre had left Death Row earlier that year, and so Snoop co-produced the album himself with Dat Nigga Daz and DJ Pooh. Missing just Dr. Dre's signature G-Funk sound might not have been such a great blow to this album's reception, if it had not been for earlier mentioned circumstances, thus the album 'only' sold around 2 million copies.
He has since drawn back a bit from hardcore gangsta rap, performing with the hard rock Lollapalooza tour in 1997, and making several film appearances, in addition to producing and directing music videos for himself and other artists. He released an autobiography in 2001. During this period he released two albums on the No Limit Label. His last album on No Limit was 2000's Tha Last Meal. It featured a more laid-back style with a heavier emphasis on his 'pimp' lifestyle as opposed to his gangbanging lyrics on previous albums.
In 2002, he announced that he was giving up drinking and drugs. Later that year he released the album Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$, which featured the hit singles and videos "From Da Chuuuch to Da Palace" and "Beautiful," featuring guest vocals by the Neptunes' Pharrell Williams.
Snoop Dogg has made no secret of his love for some classic music, most notably Frank Sinatra. Snoop Dogg named his cat "Frankie" in the late singer's honor, and visited Mr. Sinatra in the hospital prior to that singer's death. He referred to Sinatra as "the original gangster".
Snoop Dogg has worked with Silkk the Shocker, C-Murder, B-Legit, Babyface, Bad Azz, Bizzy Bone,Young Bellz, Mariah Carey, Bootsy Collins, The D.O.C., Daz Dillinger, Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, and The Neptunes, among others. Snoop Dogg's sound has been heavily influenced by funk, and R&B. Snoop Dogg's music features samples from earlier black artists and groups, including James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and Parliament - Funkadelic.
On 11 April 2003, Snoop was unhurt after a drive-by shooting on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, California. He was riding in a motorcade of five vehicles with seven armed bodyguards when three men in another car fired multiple rounds from a semi-automatic handgun. One bodyguard was injured in the incident.
On 21 May 2004, Snoop Dogg filed for divorce from his wife Shante Broadus, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking joint custody of their three children, Corde, Cordell, and Cori. They have since reconciled.
Later on in the year, he recollaborated with his old friends Nate Dogg and Warren G, as part of the rap group 213 (who had previously released an album about a decade before), and they released a new album called The Hard Way, which featured the single "Groupie Luv", and reached #4 in the US Billboard 200 album charts.
Snoop Dogg is famous for using slang invented by Frankie Smith of "The Double Dutch Bus" fame and popularized by fellow rapper E-40, much of which is simply derived by adding an "izz" or "izzle" sound to the word. Some examples:
Fo' Shizzle = for sure, the real thing
Nizzle = nigga, perhaps an attempt at making it more palatable by altering it
Mr. Dizzle = Himself (He would on his MTV show)
Death Rizzow = Death Row ("Gz And Hustlas" off "Doggystyle")
Nate Dizzle = Nate Dogg ("Ditty Dum Ditty Doo" off Nate Dogg's "Music And Me")
A large number of Snoop Dogg's songs mention "the LBC." This is a reference to the city of Long Beach, California, or to the Long Beach Crips. He and a group of associates from Long Beach's East Side formed the group Tha Eastsidaz, releasing both an album and a direct-to-video film under the name in 2000.
In 2004 Snoop signed to the Star Trak record label, headed by the Neptunes, who produced all of the tracks for his 2004 release R&G (Rythm & Gangsta) The Masterpiece. "Drop It Like It's Hot" (featuring Pharrell), the first single released from the album, was a hit and became his first single to reach number one. His third release was "Signs", featuring Justin Timberlake & Charlie Wilson, which did not do as well; however it showed that Snoop Dogg is such a respected rapper that he can do a song with a pop singer and not have it dent his career (also partly due to The Neptunes production).
As with quite a few rappers, the majority of his songs made it further up the UK Singles Chart than they did other charts.
During the 2004 Christmas season, he was featured in a series of television commercials for T-Mobile, promoting the T-Mobile Sidekick, the company's version of the Danger Hiptop mobile phone and Internet device.
In early February 2005, Snoop Dogg offered to pay for the funeral of Devin Brown, as well as any rallies against the LAPD.
Snoop Dogg also has done a remix of the song "Riders on The Storm" by "The Doors" in the Need For Speed Underground 2 Soundtrack.
[Added by PSP: A suit by a hair dresser that claimed that Snoop and his posse drugged and sexually assaulted her was dropped. In Nov. 2006 he was charged with weapons possession while going onto an airplane in Septemeber. He could face 3 years in jail.]
* * * *
Biography
Snoop Dogg was active in music from a young age, singing in his church choir. Snoop Dogg was frequently in trouble with drugs and the law as a young man. As a member of the Crips, Snoop Dogg was in and out of jail for the three years after he graduated from high school. Pushed by older inmates to make something of himself, he began making homemade rap tapes with his friends Nate Dogg, Warren G, who was a stepbrother of Dr. Dre of N.W.A.. In those early stages, Nate's cousin Lil' 1/2 Dead was also part of the group, called 213 after the area code of Longbeach at the time. Dr. Dre began collaborating with the young rapper, first on the theme song of the film Deep Cover, and then on Dr. Dre's debut solo album The Chronic.
Snoop Dogg's contribution to The Chronic was considerable: the rapper's rhymes were as present as Dre's. The huge success of Snoop's debut Doggystyle is largely due to this intense exposure.
While recording his own debut album Doggystyle with Dre in August of 1993, Snoop Dogg was arrested in the shooting death of Phillip Woldermarian, a member of a rival gang who was later revealed to have had a secret obsession with Snoop. He was eventually acquitted on both self defense grounds and because he allegedly drove the car while his bodyguard McKinley Lee fired the fatal shots (Lee was also acquitted on self defense grounds). Snoop remained entangled in the legal battles around the case for three years.
The Doggystyle album was released in November of 1993 on Death Row Records, and became the first debut album ever to enter the charts at number one, helping to fuel the ascendance of West Coast "G Funk" rap. The singles "What's My Name" and "Gin and Juice" went to the top ten, and the album remained in the charts for several months, even as controversy raged over the murder trial and his allegedly violent and sexist lyrics. Gangsta rap became the center of arguments for censorship and labeling, with Snoop often used as an example of violent and misogynistic musicians.
A short film about the trial called Murder Was The Case, and an accompanying soundtrack, were released in 1994. It is said, to Snoop's distress, that a lot of the hype surrounding his debut was generated by his well-publicized trial. Others argue that the Death Row crew knew that any publicity is good publicity, as this film was directed by Dr. Dre himself.
However, by the time Snoop's second album Tha Doggfather was released in November of 1996, both the furor and the popularity of gangsta rap had begun to fade, dragged down by the death of Snoop's friend Tupac Shakur and the racketeering indictment of Death Row co-founder Suge Knight. Dr. Dre had left Death Row earlier that year, and so Snoop co-produced the album himself with Dat Nigga Daz and DJ Pooh. Missing just Dr. Dre's signature G-Funk sound might not have been such a great blow to this album's reception, if it had not been for earlier mentioned circumstances, thus the album 'only' sold around 2 million copies.
He has since drawn back a bit from hardcore gangsta rap, performing with the hard rock Lollapalooza tour in 1997, and making several film appearances, in addition to producing and directing music videos for himself and other artists. He released an autobiography in 2001. During this period he released two albums on the No Limit Label. His last album on No Limit was 2000's Tha Last Meal. It featured a more laid-back style with a heavier emphasis on his 'pimp' lifestyle as opposed to his gangbanging lyrics on previous albums.
In 2002, he announced that he was giving up drinking and drugs. Later that year he released the album Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$$, which featured the hit singles and videos "From Da Chuuuch to Da Palace" and "Beautiful," featuring guest vocals by the Neptunes' Pharrell Williams.
Snoop Dogg has made no secret of his love for some classic music, most notably Frank Sinatra. Snoop Dogg named his cat "Frankie" in the late singer's honor, and visited Mr. Sinatra in the hospital prior to that singer's death. He referred to Sinatra as "the original gangster".
Snoop Dogg has worked with Silkk the Shocker, C-Murder, B-Legit, Babyface, Bad Azz, Bizzy Bone,Young Bellz, Mariah Carey, Bootsy Collins, The D.O.C., Daz Dillinger, Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, and The Neptunes, among others. Snoop Dogg's sound has been heavily influenced by funk, and R&B. Snoop Dogg's music features samples from earlier black artists and groups, including James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and Parliament - Funkadelic.
On 11 April 2003, Snoop was unhurt after a drive-by shooting on Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, California. He was riding in a motorcade of five vehicles with seven armed bodyguards when three men in another car fired multiple rounds from a semi-automatic handgun. One bodyguard was injured in the incident.
On 21 May 2004, Snoop Dogg filed for divorce from his wife Shante Broadus, citing irreconcilable differences and seeking joint custody of their three children, Corde, Cordell, and Cori. They have since reconciled.
Later on in the year, he recollaborated with his old friends Nate Dogg and Warren G, as part of the rap group 213 (who had previously released an album about a decade before), and they released a new album called The Hard Way, which featured the single "Groupie Luv", and reached #4 in the US Billboard 200 album charts.
Snoop Dogg is famous for using slang invented by Frankie Smith of "The Double Dutch Bus" fame and popularized by fellow rapper E-40, much of which is simply derived by adding an "izz" or "izzle" sound to the word. Some examples:
Fo' Shizzle = for sure, the real thing
Nizzle = nigga, perhaps an attempt at making it more palatable by altering it
Mr. Dizzle = Himself (He would on his MTV show)
Death Rizzow = Death Row ("Gz And Hustlas" off "Doggystyle")
Nate Dizzle = Nate Dogg ("Ditty Dum Ditty Doo" off Nate Dogg's "Music And Me")
A large number of Snoop Dogg's songs mention "the LBC." This is a reference to the city of Long Beach, California, or to the Long Beach Crips. He and a group of associates from Long Beach's East Side formed the group Tha Eastsidaz, releasing both an album and a direct-to-video film under the name in 2000.
In 2004 Snoop signed to the Star Trak record label, headed by the Neptunes, who produced all of the tracks for his 2004 release R&G (Rythm & Gangsta) The Masterpiece. "Drop It Like It's Hot" (featuring Pharrell), the first single released from the album, was a hit and became his first single to reach number one. His third release was "Signs", featuring Justin Timberlake & Charlie Wilson, which did not do as well; however it showed that Snoop Dogg is such a respected rapper that he can do a song with a pop singer and not have it dent his career (also partly due to The Neptunes production).
As with quite a few rappers, the majority of his songs made it further up the UK Singles Chart than they did other charts.
During the 2004 Christmas season, he was featured in a series of television commercials for T-Mobile, promoting the T-Mobile Sidekick, the company's version of the Danger Hiptop mobile phone and Internet device.
In early February 2005, Snoop Dogg offered to pay for the funeral of Devin Brown, as well as any rallies against the LAPD.
Snoop Dogg also has done a remix of the song "Riders on The Storm" by "The Doors" in the Need For Speed Underground 2 Soundtrack.
[Added by PSP: A suit by a hair dresser that claimed that Snoop and his posse drugged and sexually assaulted her was dropped. In Nov. 2006 he was charged with weapons possession while going onto an airplane in Septemeber. He could face 3 years in jail.]
DA GAME
Biography
The Game was born and raised in the "birthplace of gangsta rap," Compton, California. He received his nickname from his grandmother who claimed he was always game for anything. Growing up in Compton, The Game grew up in the Santana Blocc Crips neighborhood. He was placed in a foster home from the 3rd grade until the 9th grade due to family problems with his father. Soon after he was reunited with his mother, one of his older brothers, Jevon, was shot and killed. Just after his high school graduation in 1999, another older adopted brother, Charles, was shot and killed. His half brother, nicknamed "Big Fase Hunned", grew up in a different neighborhood and was an active member of the Cedar Block Piru Bloods. As their relationship grew, The Game became a member of the Cedar Block Pirus as well, all while living in a Crip neighborhood. Prior to rapping, at 6'4" The Game (AKA Chuck Taylor) was a star basketball player at Compton High School. He received a basketball scholarship to Washington State University but was dismissed from the school during his freshman year over drug allegations. He grew up with NBA star Baron Davis, who is now the godfather to The Game's son, Harlem Caron Taylor. The Game eventually got into the lifestyle of hustling with his brother, Big Fase Hunned. Car thefts, drug dealing, and shootings forced his mother to kick him out of the house. He moved into the projects in a nearby city with Big Fase 100 in 2000 and took over the local drug trade. Late on the night of October 1st 2001, he was shot five times during a home invasion. While in the hospital The Game decided to change his life and put the past behind him, to pursue his interest in hip hop music and dream of becoming a rapper. Soon after, The Game was discovered by rap pioneer, and former N.W.A member, Dr. Dre, who signed The Game to his Aftermath Entertainment label.
Although The Game was originally signed as an artist at Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope CEO, Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre decided to have The Game work with 50 Cent and G-Unit (currently made up of 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, Olivia, Young Buck, and The Game). The concept of The Game with G-Unit, was to help increase the popularity of one of the leading acts in rap & hip-hop, and to also increase the notoriety of G-Unit on the West Coast. Furthermore, the already existing popularity of G-Unit along with the support of Dr. Dre, would ensure The Game a high number of album sales, which it did, with The Documentary debuting at the number one spot on the Billboard music charts. His mentors Dr. Dre and 50 Cent were responsible for the debut of The Documentary, an album that explores The Game's life while he was pursuing a career in the rap industry.
Although The Game originally wanted to title his album Nigga Wit' An Attitude - Volume 1, he couldn't secure the album's title because of a court order from the widow of Eazy E's, requesting to not have the N.W.A. name on the album. The Game decided to rename his album to The Documentary. The album went on to top sales charts with singles such as "How We Do", "Hate It Or Love It", and "Dreams" (with the first two featuring 50 Cent).
Controversy
Though The Game is a new artist, he has already made some hip hop rivals: among them Suge Knight and Death Row Records, Memphis Bleek and Jay-Z of Roc-A-Fella Records, Yukmouth, Joe Budden, and even mentor 50 Cent. Game also now has beef with former mentor JT Tha Bigga Figga for releasing old Game material when he was signed to his Get Low imprint. JT has legal right to do so however and still is releasing music from the outraged musician.
Joe Budden
Although Joe Budden didn't really have a dispute with The Game, his disagreement with G-Unit was started through 50 Cent's comments of Joe Budden's debut album. He criticized Budden's album for "lacking street credibility". Joe Budden took offense and released various insults directed at G-Unit. In early 2004, a track on a mixtape had Budden attacking G-Unit on the same track that The Game was featured on. During 2004, The Game had exchanged several disrespectful records with Joe Budden. The Game made many death threats towards Joe Budden. Joe Budden said that The Game was on the TV show "Change of Heart" and had a tongue ring. The Game admitted to both allegations on his Web site. They mutually decided to stop making hostile records towards each other at a party in New York.
Yukmouth
A video surfaced on the Internet in early 2004 that had Yukmouth in a studio with rapper Domination, who happened to be making a disrespectful song aimed at G-Unit. At the end of the clip, Yukmouth makes comments about Game having a tongue ring. In October 2004, The Game released a record directed towards Yukmouth, using the same beat Yukmouth is most famous for, "I Got 5 On It". Yukmouth responded with two tracks and a music video for the second track, featuring an impersonator of The Game. Both songs claimed the same things Joe Budden had said but also said The Game was slapped by Suge Knight. That rumor was supposedly started by Daz Dillinger. The Game responded on his website, saying that if Suge Knight ever touched him, Knight would be "6 feet under". In February 2005, Yukmouth released a mixtape called "All Out War" with several tracks directed towards The Game. Yukmouth claimed on the mixtape that The Game used to be a male stripper and he has a video of it as proof to be released on United Ghettos Of America 3 DVD. Recently G-unit Member and former Crip Spider Loc got in an altercation with Yukmouth in which he punched his face and jacked his chain.
Roc-A-Fella and Jay-Z
Throughout the debut of The Game, he had a rivalry with Memphis Bleek. The origin of the competition emanates from JT the Bigga Figga's old label (Get Low) sounding very similar to Memphis Bleek's label (Dirty Get Low). The Game was on Get Low Records before signing to Aftermath. The Game bashed Memphis Bleek for the name situation on many tracks. Another rivalry is based on a line from The Game's "Westside Story" track where he says "And I don't do button up shirts or drive Maybachs", which Jay-Z took this as a direct insult to him. The result of this is a Jay-Z freestyle that The Game perceived was disrespecting him, with lines like "The Game's through." Memphis Bleek also challenged The Game to a rap battle for $50,000 that night on the same radio station that aired the freestyle.
The Game responded the next day at a concert in Amsterdam where he made several remarks about Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, and Roc-A-Fella Records in an impromptu song. Jay-Z insisted the "Game" references were just about the rap game itself, not the rapper. The Game also retreated when Tim Westwood asked questions about it on a radio station in the U.K. the same day. In his concert in Los Angeles he attacked everyone he had problems with in the past, which included Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella. Jay-Z recently responded on rapper Memphis Bleek's new album "534" on a song titled "Dear Summer". The song itself is mostly about the rap game, but also attacks the rapper The Game, for example in one line Jay-Z states "Like when niggas make subliminal records/if it ain't directed directly at me, I don't respect it" which is talking about when the game said "And I don't do button up shirts or drive Maybachs" in his song "Westside Story". Jay-Z didn't say Game's name in the song, but it is easy to tell that these insults were directed at him. The Game has not yet retaliated to this song.
50 Cent and G-Unit
The Game was the fifth member of the rap group G-Unit just a few months ago, until 50 Cent announced on the radio he was releasing The Game from G-Unit. 50 Cent claimed that the rapper was disloyal for not participating in his rap feud with Nas, Jadakiss, and Fat Joe and not giving him proper credit for The Game's album debut. 50 Cent claimed that The Game was not only a "hard head" but almost a risk for the whole G-Unit group because it caused strained relations with Lloyd Banks and 50 Cent. He felt that his album was being neglected for The Game and his jealousy was fueled by their constant arguing while on tour together. Also there were rumors that 50 Cent had a pushing match with The Game. After hearing of the interview in which 50 Cent was kicking Game out of G-Unit, The Game had gone to confront 50 Cent at the Hot 97 radio station since 50 had not previously talked to Game about his dismissal from the group. When they were not allowed entry to the building, the entourage of both 50 Cent and The Game were involved in a dispute leading to a member of Game's entourage getting shot and wounded. 50 Cent ended his interview while on air as he was rushed out of the building.
The rappers had officially put an end to the disagreement between one another and donated money to charitable causes. Although they rarely made eye contact, they both agreed that they were not risking their lives over this feud. Within a few weeks, 50 Cent and G-Unit were dissing The Game once again. In the XXL Magazine, 50 Cent was still dissing The Game, and claimed that without his support on the next album, The Game will not see multi-platinum sales. He also went on to say that Game is not a gangsta and he only says he has an AK47 to make people think he is a gangsta. Tony Yayo was on Power 105 in New York re-igniting the feud between G-Unit and The Game. Yayo was commenting about the street credibility about The Game and talking about his Change Of Heart appearance. 50 Cent filed a lawsuit against Jimmy Henchmen, the manager of The Game. The rapper sued Henchmen over the filming of the DVD the original "50 Cent" in Infamous Times. The movie chronicles the life of Kelvin "50 Cents" Martin and the rapper authorized footage for the DVD. Henchmen dismissed the lawsuit, stating that 50 Cent's jealousy of The Game was the reason for him suing him.
At New York radio station Hot 97's Summer Jam concert at Giant's Stadium in New Jersey on June 5th 2005, The Game's performance confirmed that his feud with G-Unit has not been squashed. During his performance The Game slandered G-Unit several times, at one point yelling out "G-g-g-g-u-not". The insults culminated in the appearance of a mascot dressed up as a rat sporting a G-Unit tank top on stage. The rat represented 50 Cent, who has been accused of snitching and placing others in jail by other rappers such as Fat Joe and Jadakiss. The mascot was then beaten down by members of The Black Wall Street. During the set, The Game challenged his former G-Unit members, and capped this off by tossing his G-Unit chain into the crowd, and yelling "Fuck this chain!" The outlashing at G-Unit received mixed crowd response.
He recently released "300 Bars and Runnin'", a 15 minute diss at G-unit attacking every single member of his former crew.
Benzino
Benzino and The Source recently attacked The Game over his comments from his album The Documentary. The Game stated on "Don't Need Your Love", his displeasure of The Source. Also The Game recorded a scathing freestyle rap with Malice, a white rapper from Compton to respond towards the situation between Benzino and Eminem. Benzino responded on the song "Check Mate". Benzino has had a long standing feud with Eminem and has disrespected several artists on Interscope Records, which Eminem is a part of, in the past. An affiliate of The Game was interviewed for The Source. The cover story will explain what happened between The Game and 50 Cent after the incident at Hot 97.
The Radio One incident
On January 25, 2005, while promoting his debut album, The Game was in Washington, D.C. alongside his manager Jimmy Henchmen. They were being interviewed for WKYS-FM by intern Kwasi Jones known as DJ Zxulu. A comment made by Zxulu about the earpiece Henchmen was wearing started a confrontation with 20 members of The Game's entourage. Jones suffered a physical assault which lead to him being admitted to the hospital. The incident at the radio station caused Radio One to remove all the singles from The Game off their play lists in some of their mainstream markets. It was soon lifted after The Game and his Black Wall Street group issued an apology to the radio station. Those same comments were also stated while filming his video for the single "Hate It Or Love It". The song original was featured on The Documentary, but the remix was on 50 Cent's The Massacre. The remix featured The Game stating remarks about the incident: "I’m rap’s MVP/Don’t make me remind ya'll what happened in D.C."
Alleged accounts from Jones prompted him file a lawsuit against The Game. Jones sued The Game for $280 million dollars and also named his mentors Dr. Dre and 50 Cent alongside Eminem in this lawsuit. Prince George's County Courts filed assault and battery charges against The Game. The lawsuit was thrown out. Representatives for The Game have had no comment on the situation.
Unity among rivals
The Game along with Steve Harvey, Snoop Dogg and various members that represent California's rap inner circles all came together to form a west coast "peace treaty". The peace treaty ended the rivalry between Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Suge Knight. Although neither person was in attendance, The Game was there on behalf of Dr. Dre and Harvey was on behalf of Suge Knight. The rivalry between Dr. Dre and Suge Knight has been ongoing since Dre's departure from Death Row Records.
While on tour
The Game and Snoop Dogg joined together to promote the "How The West Was Won Tour". They made a stop in Seattle and performed at the Auburn White River Amphitheatre. Richard Monroe, an apparent fan, had went onstage and got too close to Snoop Dogg. The incident sparred a brawl with 12 members of Snoop Dogg and The Game's bodyguards. The incident was filmed on home video showing Snoop Dogg performing his song "Gin and Juice" and Monroe happened to lean his arm on the rappers shoulder. The bodyguards grabbed Monroe and tossed him to ground and repeatedly punched and kicked the fan. Conflicting reports state that Snoop Dogg invited fans onstage to perform with him. The Auburn staff refuted the claim stating the incident between the fan and the bodyguards. They maintained that the safety of all performers was mandatory and the fan had no business being onstage in the first place. Fans also seen The Game punching and kicking Monroe while the incident took place. The representatives of the label Interscope, has comment on Snoop Dogg or The Game. Local investigators are looking into the situation seeking if charges will be filed.
300 Bars and Runnin'
In mid-June 2005, The Game released a 15-minute-long diss song entitled 300 Bars and Runnin' (the title an homage to NWA's 100 Miles and Runnin' EP), addressing various enemies of his, including Memphis Bleek, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Olivia, and Tony Yayo, among others. Notably, The Game explicitly quells rumours of a growing beef between himself and Jay-Z ("That wasn't no subliminal, Jay"), though whether or not the beef will stay squashed is another issue. The track's instrumental is comprised of several famous hip-hop beats, including Jay-Z's Dead Presidents, The Blueprint 2, Eazy-E's Real Muthaphuckkin' G's, Mobb Deep's Shook Ones, 50 Cent's In Da Club, Kanye West's Diamonds (From Sierra Leone) (the first single from his sophomore LP, Late Registration) and more.
The Black Wall Street
The Black Wall Street Records is a label started by the rapper The Game and his half brother Big Fase 100. The label features artists Vita (formerly of Murder, Inc), 4Bent (known as Billboard), Black Friday, Glasses Malone (a Crip), Life and Producer Nu Jerzy Devil. The Game is also appointed as an artist although he is also signed to Aftermath Entertainment and G-Unit Records. The labels are distributed through Interscope. The Black Wall Street Records is not affiliated with G-Unit. Recently it has been rumoured the Black Wall Street Records are preparing to sign Mobb Deep to their record company. It is sad to note though that, in June 2004, The Billboard was murdered in Compton by still yet unknown killers. Game has said to the public he will not retaliate in his movement to end all gang violence in the Los Angeles County area.
Other ventures
After the release of The Documentary, The Game teamed with Kanye West and Ludacris to release the Where You At? Boost Mobile Phone Campaign. Most recently The Game has partnered up with hat-maker New Era in the design of his Capture the Flag 59FIFTY fitted hats. Also the rapper has endorsed his own clothing line. The Game and The Black Wall Street created The Frank Pace Collection. This clothing is dedicated to upscale men's fashion and will be released in spring of 2006. The Game is also promised an endorsement with Reebok to create his own trademark shoes, the Hurricane ("Hurricane Game" is an alias that Taylor often uses). The Game has also shot a movie that is having an upcoming release in the summer in which he is featured in a very explicit and raunchy sex scene.
His appearance on Punk'd
The Game went into the studio to make his new album, but the constuction workers moved into the driveway and start repaving the driveway. The Game didn't know that the parking lot was going to be closed for couple of days, until he came out from the studio. The Game threw two benches and a chair so he could go over the concrete. They were asked to remove the benches and a chair, but one man tried to escape with a Cadillac until his car was stuck inside the concrete. The Game talked to the construction guys until Ashton Kutcher pulled the plug off from this incident.
* * * *
The Game was born and raised in the "birthplace of gangsta rap," Compton, California. He received his nickname from his grandmother who claimed he was always game for anything. Growing up in Compton, The Game grew up in the Santana Blocc Crips neighborhood. He was placed in a foster home from the 3rd grade until the 9th grade due to family problems with his father. Soon after he was reunited with his mother, one of his older brothers, Jevon, was shot and killed. Just after his high school graduation in 1999, another older adopted brother, Charles, was shot and killed. His half brother, nicknamed "Big Fase Hunned", grew up in a different neighborhood and was an active member of the Cedar Block Piru Bloods. As their relationship grew, The Game became a member of the Cedar Block Pirus as well, all while living in a Crip neighborhood. Prior to rapping, at 6'4" The Game (AKA Chuck Taylor) was a star basketball player at Compton High School. He received a basketball scholarship to Washington State University but was dismissed from the school during his freshman year over drug allegations. He grew up with NBA star Baron Davis, who is now the godfather to The Game's son, Harlem Caron Taylor. The Game eventually got into the lifestyle of hustling with his brother, Big Fase Hunned. Car thefts, drug dealing, and shootings forced his mother to kick him out of the house. He moved into the projects in a nearby city with Big Fase 100 in 2000 and took over the local drug trade. Late on the night of October 1st 2001, he was shot five times during a home invasion. While in the hospital The Game decided to change his life and put the past behind him, to pursue his interest in hip hop music and dream of becoming a rapper. Soon after, The Game was discovered by rap pioneer, and former N.W.A member, Dr. Dre, who signed The Game to his Aftermath Entertainment label.
Although The Game was originally signed as an artist at Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope CEO, Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre decided to have The Game work with 50 Cent and G-Unit (currently made up of 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Tony Yayo, Olivia, Young Buck, and The Game). The concept of The Game with G-Unit, was to help increase the popularity of one of the leading acts in rap & hip-hop, and to also increase the notoriety of G-Unit on the West Coast. Furthermore, the already existing popularity of G-Unit along with the support of Dr. Dre, would ensure The Game a high number of album sales, which it did, with The Documentary debuting at the number one spot on the Billboard music charts. His mentors Dr. Dre and 50 Cent were responsible for the debut of The Documentary, an album that explores The Game's life while he was pursuing a career in the rap industry.
Although The Game originally wanted to title his album Nigga Wit' An Attitude - Volume 1, he couldn't secure the album's title because of a court order from the widow of Eazy E's, requesting to not have the N.W.A. name on the album. The Game decided to rename his album to The Documentary. The album went on to top sales charts with singles such as "How We Do", "Hate It Or Love It", and "Dreams" (with the first two featuring 50 Cent).
Controversy
Though The Game is a new artist, he has already made some hip hop rivals: among them Suge Knight and Death Row Records, Memphis Bleek and Jay-Z of Roc-A-Fella Records, Yukmouth, Joe Budden, and even mentor 50 Cent. Game also now has beef with former mentor JT Tha Bigga Figga for releasing old Game material when he was signed to his Get Low imprint. JT has legal right to do so however and still is releasing music from the outraged musician.
Joe Budden
Although Joe Budden didn't really have a dispute with The Game, his disagreement with G-Unit was started through 50 Cent's comments of Joe Budden's debut album. He criticized Budden's album for "lacking street credibility". Joe Budden took offense and released various insults directed at G-Unit. In early 2004, a track on a mixtape had Budden attacking G-Unit on the same track that The Game was featured on. During 2004, The Game had exchanged several disrespectful records with Joe Budden. The Game made many death threats towards Joe Budden. Joe Budden said that The Game was on the TV show "Change of Heart" and had a tongue ring. The Game admitted to both allegations on his Web site. They mutually decided to stop making hostile records towards each other at a party in New York.
Yukmouth
A video surfaced on the Internet in early 2004 that had Yukmouth in a studio with rapper Domination, who happened to be making a disrespectful song aimed at G-Unit. At the end of the clip, Yukmouth makes comments about Game having a tongue ring. In October 2004, The Game released a record directed towards Yukmouth, using the same beat Yukmouth is most famous for, "I Got 5 On It". Yukmouth responded with two tracks and a music video for the second track, featuring an impersonator of The Game. Both songs claimed the same things Joe Budden had said but also said The Game was slapped by Suge Knight. That rumor was supposedly started by Daz Dillinger. The Game responded on his website, saying that if Suge Knight ever touched him, Knight would be "6 feet under". In February 2005, Yukmouth released a mixtape called "All Out War" with several tracks directed towards The Game. Yukmouth claimed on the mixtape that The Game used to be a male stripper and he has a video of it as proof to be released on United Ghettos Of America 3 DVD. Recently G-unit Member and former Crip Spider Loc got in an altercation with Yukmouth in which he punched his face and jacked his chain.
Roc-A-Fella and Jay-Z
Throughout the debut of The Game, he had a rivalry with Memphis Bleek. The origin of the competition emanates from JT the Bigga Figga's old label (Get Low) sounding very similar to Memphis Bleek's label (Dirty Get Low). The Game was on Get Low Records before signing to Aftermath. The Game bashed Memphis Bleek for the name situation on many tracks. Another rivalry is based on a line from The Game's "Westside Story" track where he says "And I don't do button up shirts or drive Maybachs", which Jay-Z took this as a direct insult to him. The result of this is a Jay-Z freestyle that The Game perceived was disrespecting him, with lines like "The Game's through." Memphis Bleek also challenged The Game to a rap battle for $50,000 that night on the same radio station that aired the freestyle.
The Game responded the next day at a concert in Amsterdam where he made several remarks about Jay-Z, Memphis Bleek, Beanie Sigel, and Roc-A-Fella Records in an impromptu song. Jay-Z insisted the "Game" references were just about the rap game itself, not the rapper. The Game also retreated when Tim Westwood asked questions about it on a radio station in the U.K. the same day. In his concert in Los Angeles he attacked everyone he had problems with in the past, which included Jay-Z and Roc-A-Fella. Jay-Z recently responded on rapper Memphis Bleek's new album "534" on a song titled "Dear Summer". The song itself is mostly about the rap game, but also attacks the rapper The Game, for example in one line Jay-Z states "Like when niggas make subliminal records/if it ain't directed directly at me, I don't respect it" which is talking about when the game said "And I don't do button up shirts or drive Maybachs" in his song "Westside Story". Jay-Z didn't say Game's name in the song, but it is easy to tell that these insults were directed at him. The Game has not yet retaliated to this song.
50 Cent and G-Unit
The Game was the fifth member of the rap group G-Unit just a few months ago, until 50 Cent announced on the radio he was releasing The Game from G-Unit. 50 Cent claimed that the rapper was disloyal for not participating in his rap feud with Nas, Jadakiss, and Fat Joe and not giving him proper credit for The Game's album debut. 50 Cent claimed that The Game was not only a "hard head" but almost a risk for the whole G-Unit group because it caused strained relations with Lloyd Banks and 50 Cent. He felt that his album was being neglected for The Game and his jealousy was fueled by their constant arguing while on tour together. Also there were rumors that 50 Cent had a pushing match with The Game. After hearing of the interview in which 50 Cent was kicking Game out of G-Unit, The Game had gone to confront 50 Cent at the Hot 97 radio station since 50 had not previously talked to Game about his dismissal from the group. When they were not allowed entry to the building, the entourage of both 50 Cent and The Game were involved in a dispute leading to a member of Game's entourage getting shot and wounded. 50 Cent ended his interview while on air as he was rushed out of the building.
The rappers had officially put an end to the disagreement between one another and donated money to charitable causes. Although they rarely made eye contact, they both agreed that they were not risking their lives over this feud. Within a few weeks, 50 Cent and G-Unit were dissing The Game once again. In the XXL Magazine, 50 Cent was still dissing The Game, and claimed that without his support on the next album, The Game will not see multi-platinum sales. He also went on to say that Game is not a gangsta and he only says he has an AK47 to make people think he is a gangsta. Tony Yayo was on Power 105 in New York re-igniting the feud between G-Unit and The Game. Yayo was commenting about the street credibility about The Game and talking about his Change Of Heart appearance. 50 Cent filed a lawsuit against Jimmy Henchmen, the manager of The Game. The rapper sued Henchmen over the filming of the DVD the original "50 Cent" in Infamous Times. The movie chronicles the life of Kelvin "50 Cents" Martin and the rapper authorized footage for the DVD. Henchmen dismissed the lawsuit, stating that 50 Cent's jealousy of The Game was the reason for him suing him.
At New York radio station Hot 97's Summer Jam concert at Giant's Stadium in New Jersey on June 5th 2005, The Game's performance confirmed that his feud with G-Unit has not been squashed. During his performance The Game slandered G-Unit several times, at one point yelling out "G-g-g-g-u-not". The insults culminated in the appearance of a mascot dressed up as a rat sporting a G-Unit tank top on stage. The rat represented 50 Cent, who has been accused of snitching and placing others in jail by other rappers such as Fat Joe and Jadakiss. The mascot was then beaten down by members of The Black Wall Street. During the set, The Game challenged his former G-Unit members, and capped this off by tossing his G-Unit chain into the crowd, and yelling "Fuck this chain!" The outlashing at G-Unit received mixed crowd response.
He recently released "300 Bars and Runnin'", a 15 minute diss at G-unit attacking every single member of his former crew.
Benzino
Benzino and The Source recently attacked The Game over his comments from his album The Documentary. The Game stated on "Don't Need Your Love", his displeasure of The Source. Also The Game recorded a scathing freestyle rap with Malice, a white rapper from Compton to respond towards the situation between Benzino and Eminem. Benzino responded on the song "Check Mate". Benzino has had a long standing feud with Eminem and has disrespected several artists on Interscope Records, which Eminem is a part of, in the past. An affiliate of The Game was interviewed for The Source. The cover story will explain what happened between The Game and 50 Cent after the incident at Hot 97.
The Radio One incident
On January 25, 2005, while promoting his debut album, The Game was in Washington, D.C. alongside his manager Jimmy Henchmen. They were being interviewed for WKYS-FM by intern Kwasi Jones known as DJ Zxulu. A comment made by Zxulu about the earpiece Henchmen was wearing started a confrontation with 20 members of The Game's entourage. Jones suffered a physical assault which lead to him being admitted to the hospital. The incident at the radio station caused Radio One to remove all the singles from The Game off their play lists in some of their mainstream markets. It was soon lifted after The Game and his Black Wall Street group issued an apology to the radio station. Those same comments were also stated while filming his video for the single "Hate It Or Love It". The song original was featured on The Documentary, but the remix was on 50 Cent's The Massacre. The remix featured The Game stating remarks about the incident: "I’m rap’s MVP/Don’t make me remind ya'll what happened in D.C."
Alleged accounts from Jones prompted him file a lawsuit against The Game. Jones sued The Game for $280 million dollars and also named his mentors Dr. Dre and 50 Cent alongside Eminem in this lawsuit. Prince George's County Courts filed assault and battery charges against The Game. The lawsuit was thrown out. Representatives for The Game have had no comment on the situation.
Unity among rivals
The Game along with Steve Harvey, Snoop Dogg and various members that represent California's rap inner circles all came together to form a west coast "peace treaty". The peace treaty ended the rivalry between Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Suge Knight. Although neither person was in attendance, The Game was there on behalf of Dr. Dre and Harvey was on behalf of Suge Knight. The rivalry between Dr. Dre and Suge Knight has been ongoing since Dre's departure from Death Row Records.
While on tour
The Game and Snoop Dogg joined together to promote the "How The West Was Won Tour". They made a stop in Seattle and performed at the Auburn White River Amphitheatre. Richard Monroe, an apparent fan, had went onstage and got too close to Snoop Dogg. The incident sparred a brawl with 12 members of Snoop Dogg and The Game's bodyguards. The incident was filmed on home video showing Snoop Dogg performing his song "Gin and Juice" and Monroe happened to lean his arm on the rappers shoulder. The bodyguards grabbed Monroe and tossed him to ground and repeatedly punched and kicked the fan. Conflicting reports state that Snoop Dogg invited fans onstage to perform with him. The Auburn staff refuted the claim stating the incident between the fan and the bodyguards. They maintained that the safety of all performers was mandatory and the fan had no business being onstage in the first place. Fans also seen The Game punching and kicking Monroe while the incident took place. The representatives of the label Interscope, has comment on Snoop Dogg or The Game. Local investigators are looking into the situation seeking if charges will be filed.
300 Bars and Runnin'
In mid-June 2005, The Game released a 15-minute-long diss song entitled 300 Bars and Runnin' (the title an homage to NWA's 100 Miles and Runnin' EP), addressing various enemies of his, including Memphis Bleek, 50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, Olivia, and Tony Yayo, among others. Notably, The Game explicitly quells rumours of a growing beef between himself and Jay-Z ("That wasn't no subliminal, Jay"), though whether or not the beef will stay squashed is another issue. The track's instrumental is comprised of several famous hip-hop beats, including Jay-Z's Dead Presidents, The Blueprint 2, Eazy-E's Real Muthaphuckkin' G's, Mobb Deep's Shook Ones, 50 Cent's In Da Club, Kanye West's Diamonds (From Sierra Leone) (the first single from his sophomore LP, Late Registration) and more.
The Black Wall Street
The Black Wall Street Records is a label started by the rapper The Game and his half brother Big Fase 100. The label features artists Vita (formerly of Murder, Inc), 4Bent (known as Billboard), Black Friday, Glasses Malone (a Crip), Life and Producer Nu Jerzy Devil. The Game is also appointed as an artist although he is also signed to Aftermath Entertainment and G-Unit Records. The labels are distributed through Interscope. The Black Wall Street Records is not affiliated with G-Unit. Recently it has been rumoured the Black Wall Street Records are preparing to sign Mobb Deep to their record company. It is sad to note though that, in June 2004, The Billboard was murdered in Compton by still yet unknown killers. Game has said to the public he will not retaliate in his movement to end all gang violence in the Los Angeles County area.
Other ventures
After the release of The Documentary, The Game teamed with Kanye West and Ludacris to release the Where You At? Boost Mobile Phone Campaign. Most recently The Game has partnered up with hat-maker New Era in the design of his Capture the Flag 59FIFTY fitted hats. Also the rapper has endorsed his own clothing line. The Game and The Black Wall Street created The Frank Pace Collection. This clothing is dedicated to upscale men's fashion and will be released in spring of 2006. The Game is also promised an endorsement with Reebok to create his own trademark shoes, the Hurricane ("Hurricane Game" is an alias that Taylor often uses). The Game has also shot a movie that is having an upcoming release in the summer in which he is featured in a very explicit and raunchy sex scene.
His appearance on Punk'd
The Game went into the studio to make his new album, but the constuction workers moved into the driveway and start repaving the driveway. The Game didn't know that the parking lot was going to be closed for couple of days, until he came out from the studio. The Game threw two benches and a chair so he could go over the concrete. They were asked to remove the benches and a chair, but one man tried to escape with a Cadillac until his car was stuck inside the concrete. The Game talked to the construction guys until Ashton Kutcher pulled the plug off from this incident.
* * * *
Dr.Dre Biography
Dre (Andre Young) was born in February 18, 1965, Los Angeles, California. He was raised in Compton, and got his nickname by adoring basketball superstar, Dr. J. His step-brother is Warren G. His brother got killed in a fight while Dre was on tour with N.W.A "My brother was my best friend. He was three years younger than me." Dre tells of being on the road when he received a phone call with the bad news. "You never forget that." He started off as a D.J for parties as a teenager, and soon earned himself a spot in the "Eve After Dark" club, where he would play keyboards and sing. Once a member of the rather anonymous group, "World Class Wreckin' Cru", Dre earned himself a name by producing tracks for Eazy-E, the D.O.C and others, and later became a gangsta rap pioneer as a co-founder, member, co-producer and rapper in the controversial group, N.W.A. (Niggaz With Attitude). The band was extremely successful and was very promoted by endless scandals and unfettered messages of street violence. The debut album (Straight Outta compton) went platinum with minimal radio play, the second LP entered the charts at number one. "We loved the controversy. It's the reason we blew up as big as we did. It wasn't hurting us, it was helping us." The group disbanded in '91, but Dre didn't stop for a second: He established Death Row Records along with Marion "Suge" Knight, and shortly after released "The Chronic" (1992), which sold over three million copies, won two Grammy Awards, and is still considered to be one of the most influential rap albums ever. The album introduced the new Death Row artists, such as Snoop Doggy Dogg and Tha Dogg Pound, and marked Dr. Dre not only as one of the most creative producers in the rap/hip-hop industry, but also as a fantastic rapper. The following Death Row album, Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Doggystyle", was produced by Dr. Dre, and sold four million copies. "I was trying to take it places no other record company had ever been," he says. "Not just limiting myself to R&B and hip hop. I wanted to branch off into jazz, reggae, and black rock 'n' roll." In 1994 he directed the short film "Murder Was The Case", and co-produced the soundrack. He also added a song to the soundtrack entitled "Natural Born Killaz", which marked the reunion with former fellow band member, Ice Cube. That was his last work with protege Snoop Doggy Dogg. He decided that Snoop, who didn't make a single step without his mentor, should stick to his own work. In that same year he released a compilation album, entitled "Concrete Roots", which contained some old and some newer material. In 1995 Dre contributed a track for the "Friday" soundtrack, "Keep Their Heads Ringin'". The track was a massive success, and won Dre the MTV "Best Rap Song" award in '96. In that same year he left Death Row, and started his own label, "Aftermath Entertainment", a joint venture with Interscope Records. "At first it was just a big family thing," he says. "But the more money that got made, the further apart everybody came. It's like, certain people started becoming what they hated." He adds: "I wasn't feeling comfortable with the people I was around. Everybody wasn't professional. I always wanted things at Death Row to be right and positive, because I'm a positive person. And the situation I was in wasn't, plain and simple. It was too much negativity. Most likely, there are gonna be records coming out dissing me, dissing people I've worked with and am going to be working with. It's just a lot of negative bullshit. So from here on out, Death Row Records don't even exist to Dre." In November 26, 1996, Dr. Dre released the compilation album "Dr. Dre Presents... The Aftermath", which featured new performances from several well-known artists as well as introducing more than a dozen Aftermath Entertainment artists and producers. The albums unites hip-hop and R&B , east coast and west coast, hardcore and pop, male and female, old school and new school, delivered by talented performers hand picked by Dre, the album's executive producer. One of the tracks in the album is "East Coast/West Coast Killas", which collaborates various artists from both coasts such as Nas, KRS-1, B-Real, RBX, and of course Dr. Dre. "Now I'ma be able to do whatever I wanna do," he claims. "If it works, it's on me. If it fails, it's on me. But I'm an innovator. I like trying things." In that year he also released another compilation album, "First Round Knockout". On top of the list of Dre's future projects is Helter Skelter, Dre's long-awaited reunion with Ice Cube, which Dre wanted to do since '94. "If Cube is still into it, I definitely wanna do that record. I don't give a fuck if it's 10 years from now, and we're like walking on canes with gray hair. I wanna do that record, cuz I think it'll be amazing." There were also rumors of an N.W.A. reunion, but it seems that Dre is not interested. "That was my past," he says. "What I thought was the thing to do then. I mean, I think 'Straight Outta Compton' was a classic hip-hop album. But I do look back on a lot of the things we were saying and doing then and go, "Damn!". But the shit was dope at the time. Would I ever do that N.W.A. material right now? No. No way. I'm more into totally positive moves." And what about a solo album? Dre is working on "The Chronic 2000: No Seeds", which will be released on November '99, and has already announced the album will contain two tracks with Snoop Doggy Dogg, with whom he hasn't worked for almost four years, and should also include tracks with Redman, Eminem, RBX, Xzibit and others.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
BIOGRAPHY OF CURTIS JACKSON(50 CENT)
In many ways the ideal East Coast hardcore rapper, 50 Cent endured substantial obstacles throughout his young yet remarkably dramatic life before becoming in early 2003 the most discussed figure in rap, if not pop music in general. Following an unsuccessful late-'90s run at mainstream success (foiled by an attempt on his life in 2000) and a successful run on the New York mixtape circuit (driven by his early-2000s bout with Ja Rule), Eminem signed 50 to a seven-figure contract in 2002 and helmed his quick rise toward crossover success in 2003. The product of a broken home in the rough Jamaica neighborhood of Queens and, in turn, the storied hood's hustling streets themselves, 50 lived everything most rappers write rhymes about but not all actually experience: drugs, crimes, imprisonments, stabbings, and most infamously of all, shootings -- all of this before he even released his debut album. Of course, such experiences became 50's rhetorical stock-in-trade. He reveled in his oft-told past, he called out wannabe gangstas, and he made headlines. He even looked like the ideal East Coast hardcore rapper: big-framed with oft-showcased biceps, abs, and tattoos as well as his trademark bulletproof vest, pistol, and iced crucifix. But all-importantly, 50 may have fit the mold of a prototypical hardcore rapper, but man, he sure could craft a catchy hook! As a result, his music crossed over to numerous key markets, appealing to both those who liked his roughneck posturing and rags-to-riches story as well as those who liked his knack for churning out naughty singalong club tracks. And too, 50 didn't forget about his posse. He helped his G-Unit crew grow into a successful franchise, spawning platinum-selling solo albums for his group members, lucrative licensing deals for the brand name, and sell-out arena tours to promote the franchise internationally.
Born Curtis Jackson and raised in Southside Jamaica, Queens, 50 grew up in a broken home. His hustler mother passed away when he was only eight, and his father departed soon after, leaving his grandmother to parent him. As a teen, he followed the lead of his mother and began hustling. The crack trade proved lucrative for 50, until he eventually encountered the law, that is, and began making visits to prison. It's around this point in the mid-'90s that he turned toward rap and away from crime. His break came in 1996 when he met Run-D.M.C.'s Jam Master Jay, who gave him a tape of beats and asked him to rap over it. Impressed by what he heard, Jay signed the aspiring rapper to his JMJ Records label. Not much resulted from the deal, though, and 50 affiliated himself with Trackmasters, a commercially successful New York-based production duo (comprised of Poke and Tone) known for their work with such artists as Nas and Jay-Z. Trackmasters signed the rapper to their Columbia sublabel and began work on his debut album, Power of the Dollar. A trio of singles preceded the album's proposed release: "Your Life's on the Line," "Thug Love" (featuring Destiny's Child), and "How to Rob."
The latter track became a sizable hit, attracting a lot of attention for its baiting lyrics that detail how 50 would rob particular big-name rappers. This willingness to rap openly and brashly and the attention it attracted came back to haunt him, however. His first post-success brush with death came shortly after the release of "How to Rob," when he was stabbed at the Hit Factory studio on West 54th Street in Manhattan. Shortly afterward came his most storied incident. On May 24, 2000, just before Columbia was set to release Power of the Dollar, an assassin attempted to take 50's life on 161st Street in Jamaica, Queens (near where Jam Master Jay would later be fatally shot two and half years later), shooting him nine times with a 9mm pistol while the rapper sat helpless in the passenger seat of a car. One shot pierced his cheek, another his hand, and the seven others his legs and thighs, yet he survived, barely. Even so, Columbia wanted nothing to do with 50 when they heard the news, shelving Power of the Dollar and parting ways with the now-controversial rapper.
During the next two years, 50 returned to the rap underground where he began. He formed a collective (G-Unit, which also featured Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo), worked closely with producer Sha Money XL (who had also been signed to JMJ around the same time that 50 had), and began churning out mixtape tracks (many of which were later compiled on Guess Who's Back? in 2002). These mixtape recordings (many of which were hosted by DJ Whoo Kid on CDs such as No Mercy, No Fear and Automatic Gunfire), earned the rapper an esteemed reputation on the streets of New York. Some of them featured 50 and his G-Unit companions rapping over popular beats, others mocked popular rappers (namely Ja Rule, who quickly became an arch-rival), and a few discussed his shooting. This constant mixtape presence throughout 2000-2002 garnered industry attention as well as street esteem, particularly when Eminem declared on a radio show his admiration for 50. A bidding war ensued, as Em had to fend off numerous other industry figures, all of whom hoped to sign 50, driving up the signing price into the million-plus figures in the process and slowly moving the rapper into the up-and-coming spotlight once again as word spread.
Despite the bidding war, Eminem indeed got his man, signing 50 to a joint deal with Shady/Aftermath -- the former label Em's, the latter Dr. Dre's. During the successive months, 50 worked closely with Em and Dre, who would co-executive produce his upcoming debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', each of them producing a few tracks for the highly awaited album. Before Get Rich dropped, though, Em debuted 50 on the 8 Mile soundtrack. The previously released (via the underground, that is) "Wanksta" became a runaway hit in late 2002, setting the stage for "In da Club," the Dre-produced lead single from Get Rich. The two singles became sizable crossover hits -- the former peaking at number 13 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, the latter at number one -- and Interscope (Shady/Aftermath's parent company) had to move up Get Rich's release date to combat bootlegging as a result.
Amid all this, 50 made headlines everywhere. Most notably, he was tied to Jam Master Jay's shooting in October 2002, the F.B.I.'s investigation of Murder Inc's relationship to former drug dealer Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, and the shooting incident at the offices of Violator Management. Furthermore, he made more headlines when he was jailed on New Year's Eve 2002 for gun possession. The media relished his life story, particularly his storied brush with death -- and not just the expected media outlets like MTV -- even such unlikely mainstream publications as The New York Times ran feature stories ("Amid Much Anticipation, a Rapper Makes a Debut"). By the time Get Rich finally streeted on February 6, 2003, he had become the most discussed figure in the music industry, and bootlegged or not, his initial sales figures reflected this (a record-breaking 872,000 units moved in five days, the best-selling debut album since SoundScan started its tracking system in May 1991), as did his omnipresence in the media.
The G-Unit debut, Beg for Mercy, hit the shelves in late 2003 and soon went platinum. A new mixtape series with DJ Whookid also kicked off around this time. Titled G-Unit Radio, the series would introduce new tracks by the crew along with cuts from Lloyd Banks and Young Buck, who would both release albums in the coming years with 50 as executive producer. Rapper the Game would become a member of G-Unit in 2004, but by the time his solo album came out in early 2005, things had gone sour with 50. On February 28 as their collaboration "How We Do" was climbing the charts, 50 announced the Game was out of G-Unit on New York's Hot 97 radio station. After the revelation, members of 50's entourage clashed with members of the Game's outside the radio station. Shots rang out and one of the Game's crew took a bullet in the leg.
As this was all taking place, leaked copies of Get Rich's follow-up were flying across the Internet, forcing Interscope to push the album's release up by five days. The Massacre was to officially hit the shelves on March 3, but street-date violations were reported on March 1. By the next day, everyone from the mom-and-pops to the major chains was selling the album at a furious pace. Unsurprisingly, it sold extremely well, rode the top of the album chart for a while, spawned numerous hits, and kept the 50 Cent train a-rollin' mighty fine amid all the requisite controversy and plentiful paper-stacking. Later in the year, the video game 50 Cent: Bulletproof appeared and in November the rapper starred in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin'. The soundtrack for the film featured 50 and also introduced the first G-Unit-produced tracks from the veteran duo Mobb Deep. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
Born Curtis Jackson and raised in Southside Jamaica, Queens, 50 grew up in a broken home. His hustler mother passed away when he was only eight, and his father departed soon after, leaving his grandmother to parent him. As a teen, he followed the lead of his mother and began hustling. The crack trade proved lucrative for 50, until he eventually encountered the law, that is, and began making visits to prison. It's around this point in the mid-'90s that he turned toward rap and away from crime. His break came in 1996 when he met Run-D.M.C.'s Jam Master Jay, who gave him a tape of beats and asked him to rap over it. Impressed by what he heard, Jay signed the aspiring rapper to his JMJ Records label. Not much resulted from the deal, though, and 50 affiliated himself with Trackmasters, a commercially successful New York-based production duo (comprised of Poke and Tone) known for their work with such artists as Nas and Jay-Z. Trackmasters signed the rapper to their Columbia sublabel and began work on his debut album, Power of the Dollar. A trio of singles preceded the album's proposed release: "Your Life's on the Line," "Thug Love" (featuring Destiny's Child), and "How to Rob."
The latter track became a sizable hit, attracting a lot of attention for its baiting lyrics that detail how 50 would rob particular big-name rappers. This willingness to rap openly and brashly and the attention it attracted came back to haunt him, however. His first post-success brush with death came shortly after the release of "How to Rob," when he was stabbed at the Hit Factory studio on West 54th Street in Manhattan. Shortly afterward came his most storied incident. On May 24, 2000, just before Columbia was set to release Power of the Dollar, an assassin attempted to take 50's life on 161st Street in Jamaica, Queens (near where Jam Master Jay would later be fatally shot two and half years later), shooting him nine times with a 9mm pistol while the rapper sat helpless in the passenger seat of a car. One shot pierced his cheek, another his hand, and the seven others his legs and thighs, yet he survived, barely. Even so, Columbia wanted nothing to do with 50 when they heard the news, shelving Power of the Dollar and parting ways with the now-controversial rapper.
During the next two years, 50 returned to the rap underground where he began. He formed a collective (G-Unit, which also featured Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo), worked closely with producer Sha Money XL (who had also been signed to JMJ around the same time that 50 had), and began churning out mixtape tracks (many of which were later compiled on Guess Who's Back? in 2002). These mixtape recordings (many of which were hosted by DJ Whoo Kid on CDs such as No Mercy, No Fear and Automatic Gunfire), earned the rapper an esteemed reputation on the streets of New York. Some of them featured 50 and his G-Unit companions rapping over popular beats, others mocked popular rappers (namely Ja Rule, who quickly became an arch-rival), and a few discussed his shooting. This constant mixtape presence throughout 2000-2002 garnered industry attention as well as street esteem, particularly when Eminem declared on a radio show his admiration for 50. A bidding war ensued, as Em had to fend off numerous other industry figures, all of whom hoped to sign 50, driving up the signing price into the million-plus figures in the process and slowly moving the rapper into the up-and-coming spotlight once again as word spread.
Despite the bidding war, Eminem indeed got his man, signing 50 to a joint deal with Shady/Aftermath -- the former label Em's, the latter Dr. Dre's. During the successive months, 50 worked closely with Em and Dre, who would co-executive produce his upcoming debut, Get Rich or Die Tryin', each of them producing a few tracks for the highly awaited album. Before Get Rich dropped, though, Em debuted 50 on the 8 Mile soundtrack. The previously released (via the underground, that is) "Wanksta" became a runaway hit in late 2002, setting the stage for "In da Club," the Dre-produced lead single from Get Rich. The two singles became sizable crossover hits -- the former peaking at number 13 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, the latter at number one -- and Interscope (Shady/Aftermath's parent company) had to move up Get Rich's release date to combat bootlegging as a result.
Amid all this, 50 made headlines everywhere. Most notably, he was tied to Jam Master Jay's shooting in October 2002, the F.B.I.'s investigation of Murder Inc's relationship to former drug dealer Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff, and the shooting incident at the offices of Violator Management. Furthermore, he made more headlines when he was jailed on New Year's Eve 2002 for gun possession. The media relished his life story, particularly his storied brush with death -- and not just the expected media outlets like MTV -- even such unlikely mainstream publications as The New York Times ran feature stories ("Amid Much Anticipation, a Rapper Makes a Debut"). By the time Get Rich finally streeted on February 6, 2003, he had become the most discussed figure in the music industry, and bootlegged or not, his initial sales figures reflected this (a record-breaking 872,000 units moved in five days, the best-selling debut album since SoundScan started its tracking system in May 1991), as did his omnipresence in the media.
The G-Unit debut, Beg for Mercy, hit the shelves in late 2003 and soon went platinum. A new mixtape series with DJ Whookid also kicked off around this time. Titled G-Unit Radio, the series would introduce new tracks by the crew along with cuts from Lloyd Banks and Young Buck, who would both release albums in the coming years with 50 as executive producer. Rapper the Game would become a member of G-Unit in 2004, but by the time his solo album came out in early 2005, things had gone sour with 50. On February 28 as their collaboration "How We Do" was climbing the charts, 50 announced the Game was out of G-Unit on New York's Hot 97 radio station. After the revelation, members of 50's entourage clashed with members of the Game's outside the radio station. Shots rang out and one of the Game's crew took a bullet in the leg.
As this was all taking place, leaked copies of Get Rich's follow-up were flying across the Internet, forcing Interscope to push the album's release up by five days. The Massacre was to officially hit the shelves on March 3, but street-date violations were reported on March 1. By the next day, everyone from the mom-and-pops to the major chains was selling the album at a furious pace. Unsurprisingly, it sold extremely well, rode the top of the album chart for a while, spawned numerous hits, and kept the 50 Cent train a-rollin' mighty fine amid all the requisite controversy and plentiful paper-stacking. Later in the year, the video game 50 Cent: Bulletproof appeared and in November the rapper starred in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin'. The soundtrack for the film featured 50 and also introduced the first G-Unit-produced tracks from the veteran duo Mobb Deep. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
Friday, August 10, 2007
UNDERGROUND RAP N RAPPAS
In the early eighties, Rappers like “EASY E”, “DR. DRE”,“ICE CUBE”, and “DJ QUICK” were nothing more than young kids growing up in the harsh streets of Compton. Snoop Dog was in North Long Beach, which is on the border of Compton, involving himself with a Crip gang.
Easy E, DR. DRE and Ice Cube were hanging out in the area of Atlantic Dr., a street in Compton known for the sales of narcotics, and a known hang out for “Atlantic Drive, N-hood and Kelly Park Crips”.
The influence of rap started in the Jamaica, then New York City, eventually getting to the west coast. Compton rappers began to sing songs about the street life, growing up as a gang member in Compton. They began making underground tapes, which spread like crazy with the youth of Compton, and they loved it. These rappers would call it “Gangster Rap”.Easy E admitted in a interview that he was able to start his record label from money obtained from selling Cocaine on the streets of Compton. DJ. Quik also started his own record label called Total Trak Productions. If you have any doubts DJ Quik has gang ties, all you really have to do is listen to the lyrics of his songs. If that’s still not enough the initials of his gang is, “TTP”, which of course stands for “Tree Top Pirus”. The initials of his record label are “TTP”, Total Trak Productions, you can make your own assumption, but we know the truth.The early nineties were upon us, Gangster rap had put the city of Compton on the map. N.W.A.’s “ Straight Outta Compton “ album that featured the song “ Fuck The Police “, made the city well known across the world.It was about this time when known “Mob Piru” member Marion Suge Knight wanted to start Death Row Records.Suge’s Death Row Records was making money in the millions with Tupac and Snoop Dog pumping out the hits. Sean Puffy Combs “Bad Boy” label on the East Coast was also a huge success with Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace and “Sean” becoming best of friends. Suge Knight’s “Death Row Records” was constantly being investigated for numerous crimes.Rap music had come a long way too, but the East Coast vs. West Coast clash was about to begin, and it was for real. The top performers in the rap industry were gathered in Los Angeles for the Soul Train Music Awards in 1994, which included Snoop Dog, DJ Quick, etc. Also at the event, the CEOs of the biggest rap labels, Puffy Combs of “Bad Boy Records” in New York City on the East Coast and Suge Knight of “Death Row Records” strait out of Compton on the West Coast. Also present were the respective entourages of the two groups that consisted of off duty police officers from Compton and L.A.P.D., and of course, the gang members from Los Angeles and Compton that made up the crew.The East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry had made its way into the lyrics of the songs and had become increasingly personal. This begun to parlay into the utmost disrespect aimed at members of “Death Row” and “Bad Boy Records”.This was gangster rap, and industry whose code was the code of the gangs in the street. Within the gangs there are certain lines you don’t cross. Certain things you do not say, and when you’re disrespected you hit back hard, or you’re a punk. To people who were involved in gangs or who knew gang culture it was only a matter of time until people started dying.The awards show was televised and went on as scheduled. The east coast/ west coast rivalry and disrespect shown was quite evident to those who understand gangs. To the mass audience it probably played out as the many publicity rivalries established in wrestling and boxing. The show was over for now, and the rap industry insiders went to the after party at the El Rey Theatre. The off duty cops were there but they were by far outnumbered by the gang members. A fight began involving DJ Quick, TTP, and mob gang members against the victim. In the end the man was beat and kicked until he was dead. As is usual in gang related assaults and murders, everyone began leaving in a hurry, and nobody knew anybody or saw anything.Due to the many problems with the “El Rey” murder case, the investigation soon fizzled out with the usual “we know who did it, but get someone to testify” that is so common in gang cases.The American public, who had been in such an uproar at the beginning of the gangster rap over its profanity, violence, and “Fuck the police” messages, had been somewhat quelled by the free speech at any cost liberals, and warning stickers on their kid’s C.D.s.
Gangster rap had become mainstream America, and the kids were idolizing those that preached the narcotics, gang lifestyle. Crips and Bloods were in cities across America, and middle class kids were emulating them, talking, and dressing like them, and joining gangs like them. The gangster rap murders to come would further open the eyes of the public, but would often leave more questions as to why, than there answers.Federal Task Forces formed to investigate the gang narcotic ties within the rap music industry and specifically Death Row Records.
By the time Suge Knight was sent to prison several years later, the Task Force had nothing to violate him on, and he ended up being violated due to his part in the assault of Orlando Anderson (the night Tupac was shot), based on the interview of Anderson by the Compton Police Department’s Gang Unit.Essentially, there was no task force with the ability to gather the needed intelligence to adequately investigate a gang narcotic based industry that was growing rapidly. An industry where extortion, intimidation, and murder was common place and involved cities around the country, but it’s roots were in Compton.The night Tupac and Suge Knight were shot in Las Vegas, Las Vegas Police Department found that just prior to the shooting, a Compton gang member by the name of Orlando had been beaten by Suge, Tupac, and Mob gang members at the MGM Grand.The only Orlando that we knew as a Compton gang member was Orlando Anderson of the South Side Crips (SSC). The SSC are enemies of the associates of Death Row Records (DDR), which include the Mob Pirus, Leuders Park Piru, and Elm Lane Piru, but there were no know major incidents between the sets for sometime.Tupac and Suge were shot the night of September 7, 1996. Most of the Compton gang members involved had returned to Compton on September 8th, and 9th. As we were coordinating with LVPD, contacting informants, and gathering information, the City of Compton was the battleground. The next 5 days in Compton, the toll would be 3 murders and 11 attempted murders as a result of this feud. The Gang Unit was working many hours investigating these murders and attempted murder scenes. Interviewing numerous gang members and informants, conferring with LVPD and LASD, and kicking in doors seizing several weapons, ammunition, and gang intelligence information and photos.all these incidents for use in a large scale affidavit for warrants in an attempt to stop the violence that was escalating.We would serve these warrants within 2 weeks of the death of Tupac Shakur. This was the Compton way, quickly and decisively stopping the ongoing feud in Compton.The Compton Gang Unit was subpoenaed for Suge Knight’s revocation hearing in December 1996, based on information, photos, recovered during the warrants and our interview of Orlando Anderson. The Death Row Task Force was unable to produce anything compelling enough to hold Suge in violation.Detective Richardson testified to what Anderson had really told us about the assault in Las Vegas. Detective Richardson testified, and the Judge revoked Knight’s probation and sentenced him to the maximum 9 years.The affidavit written regarding the murder of Tupac Shakur would in a few months again be broadcast on the news across America. Particularly, the beginning that stated, “There is an ongoing feud between Tupac Shakur and the Blood related Death Row Records with Rapper Biggie Small’s and the East Coast Bad Boy Records which employed South Side Crips gang members as security”.Informants interviewed by us around the time Tupac was murdered had established connections between South Side Crips and New York based Bad Boy Records, and Biggie Smalls.The shooting of Tupac was still fresh in the minds of many who attended the 11th Annual Soul Train Awards in Los Angeles on May 9, 1997, but nobody expected what would happen next. The party for the awards was held at the Peterson Museum in Los Angeles many of the rap music insiders were present including “Bad Boys” Puffy Combs and Biggie Smalls. Suge Knight was glaringly absent due to his incarceration, however many of Death Row Records people were there. Also present were many South Side Crips.As the Bad Boys entourage, including Puffy and Biggie, loaded into two brand new SUVS, and several vehicles as they left the event. A dark green or black impala SS drove next to Biggies vehicle. The lone occupant – a male dressed in black Muslim garb opened fire with a 9 mm. Handgun. Biggie was hit several times by the gunfire. A short time later he would die of his injuries. Though there were several off duty and on duty police personnel, and hundreds of fans near the shooting, the gunman escaped without as much as anyone getting a license number. The Gang Unit met with the Los Angeles Detectives and discussed the murder of Biggie Smalls. The Los Angeles Department had over twenty detectives assigned to investigate the case. During the meeting, it was decided that the prevailing theories of the murder were as follows. That it was a Death Row Records hit in retaliation for the shooting of Suge Knight and Tupac Shakur. The other theory, it was a South Side Crips hit for money owed to them by Bad Boy Records and Biggie Smalls for security fees owed, or money owed for the murder of Tupac.Immediately after the murders of Biggie Smalls, attention again shifted to the Compton connections. Simultaneously, an international gang feud within South Side Crips had erupted with several persons wounded and one killed. We investigated these shootings and immediately wrote a gang search warrant affidavit. Los Angeles Police Department accompanied the Compton Police Department on the service of the warrants. Evidence seized included a new black Impala SS.By July 22nd, 1998, the Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls investigations had been stalled, and Suge Knight was doing time for probation violation. Orlando Anderson was suing Tupac’s estate and Death Row Records for the assault on him. Tupac’s mother Alfeni Shakur was in turn suing Orlando Anderson for the wrongful death of her son.
The suspect in Tupac’s murder- Orlando Anderson was himself killed in a gang drug related shootout in Compton that left three dead in June 1998. The next day a small article appeared in the Los Angeles Times entitled “Suspect in Tupac’s Murder Slain in Shootout
We also continued to talk with informants regarding Death Row murders and the murders of Tupac and Biggie Smalls. We never anticipated that our years of intelligence gathering was going to be brought to an abrupt halt, before being able to complete out investigations which we believe would have produced the identity of the murders in all these crimes.
WELL , without further a - do , i want to make u all sure dat this website helps u all da people who r interested in rap ........ no problem if u havent recorded any songs ...... we'll give u a platform............all u hav to do is send us yo all detail information ...........mail us:
threehoodindaclub@hotmail.com
jostle_hustlebabies@yahoo.com
Easy E, DR. DRE and Ice Cube were hanging out in the area of Atlantic Dr., a street in Compton known for the sales of narcotics, and a known hang out for “Atlantic Drive, N-hood and Kelly Park Crips”.
The influence of rap started in the Jamaica, then New York City, eventually getting to the west coast. Compton rappers began to sing songs about the street life, growing up as a gang member in Compton. They began making underground tapes, which spread like crazy with the youth of Compton, and they loved it. These rappers would call it “Gangster Rap”.Easy E admitted in a interview that he was able to start his record label from money obtained from selling Cocaine on the streets of Compton. DJ. Quik also started his own record label called Total Trak Productions. If you have any doubts DJ Quik has gang ties, all you really have to do is listen to the lyrics of his songs. If that’s still not enough the initials of his gang is, “TTP”, which of course stands for “Tree Top Pirus”. The initials of his record label are “TTP”, Total Trak Productions, you can make your own assumption, but we know the truth.The early nineties were upon us, Gangster rap had put the city of Compton on the map. N.W.A.’s “ Straight Outta Compton “ album that featured the song “ Fuck The Police “, made the city well known across the world.It was about this time when known “Mob Piru” member Marion Suge Knight wanted to start Death Row Records.Suge’s Death Row Records was making money in the millions with Tupac and Snoop Dog pumping out the hits. Sean Puffy Combs “Bad Boy” label on the East Coast was also a huge success with Christopher “Biggie Smalls” Wallace and “Sean” becoming best of friends. Suge Knight’s “Death Row Records” was constantly being investigated for numerous crimes.Rap music had come a long way too, but the East Coast vs. West Coast clash was about to begin, and it was for real. The top performers in the rap industry were gathered in Los Angeles for the Soul Train Music Awards in 1994, which included Snoop Dog, DJ Quick, etc. Also at the event, the CEOs of the biggest rap labels, Puffy Combs of “Bad Boy Records” in New York City on the East Coast and Suge Knight of “Death Row Records” strait out of Compton on the West Coast. Also present were the respective entourages of the two groups that consisted of off duty police officers from Compton and L.A.P.D., and of course, the gang members from Los Angeles and Compton that made up the crew.The East Coast vs. West Coast rivalry had made its way into the lyrics of the songs and had become increasingly personal. This begun to parlay into the utmost disrespect aimed at members of “Death Row” and “Bad Boy Records”.This was gangster rap, and industry whose code was the code of the gangs in the street. Within the gangs there are certain lines you don’t cross. Certain things you do not say, and when you’re disrespected you hit back hard, or you’re a punk. To people who were involved in gangs or who knew gang culture it was only a matter of time until people started dying.The awards show was televised and went on as scheduled. The east coast/ west coast rivalry and disrespect shown was quite evident to those who understand gangs. To the mass audience it probably played out as the many publicity rivalries established in wrestling and boxing. The show was over for now, and the rap industry insiders went to the after party at the El Rey Theatre. The off duty cops were there but they were by far outnumbered by the gang members. A fight began involving DJ Quick, TTP, and mob gang members against the victim. In the end the man was beat and kicked until he was dead. As is usual in gang related assaults and murders, everyone began leaving in a hurry, and nobody knew anybody or saw anything.Due to the many problems with the “El Rey” murder case, the investigation soon fizzled out with the usual “we know who did it, but get someone to testify” that is so common in gang cases.The American public, who had been in such an uproar at the beginning of the gangster rap over its profanity, violence, and “Fuck the police” messages, had been somewhat quelled by the free speech at any cost liberals, and warning stickers on their kid’s C.D.s.
Gangster rap had become mainstream America, and the kids were idolizing those that preached the narcotics, gang lifestyle. Crips and Bloods were in cities across America, and middle class kids were emulating them, talking, and dressing like them, and joining gangs like them. The gangster rap murders to come would further open the eyes of the public, but would often leave more questions as to why, than there answers.Federal Task Forces formed to investigate the gang narcotic ties within the rap music industry and specifically Death Row Records.
By the time Suge Knight was sent to prison several years later, the Task Force had nothing to violate him on, and he ended up being violated due to his part in the assault of Orlando Anderson (the night Tupac was shot), based on the interview of Anderson by the Compton Police Department’s Gang Unit.Essentially, there was no task force with the ability to gather the needed intelligence to adequately investigate a gang narcotic based industry that was growing rapidly. An industry where extortion, intimidation, and murder was common place and involved cities around the country, but it’s roots were in Compton.The night Tupac and Suge Knight were shot in Las Vegas, Las Vegas Police Department found that just prior to the shooting, a Compton gang member by the name of Orlando had been beaten by Suge, Tupac, and Mob gang members at the MGM Grand.The only Orlando that we knew as a Compton gang member was Orlando Anderson of the South Side Crips (SSC). The SSC are enemies of the associates of Death Row Records (DDR), which include the Mob Pirus, Leuders Park Piru, and Elm Lane Piru, but there were no know major incidents between the sets for sometime.Tupac and Suge were shot the night of September 7, 1996. Most of the Compton gang members involved had returned to Compton on September 8th, and 9th. As we were coordinating with LVPD, contacting informants, and gathering information, the City of Compton was the battleground. The next 5 days in Compton, the toll would be 3 murders and 11 attempted murders as a result of this feud. The Gang Unit was working many hours investigating these murders and attempted murder scenes. Interviewing numerous gang members and informants, conferring with LVPD and LASD, and kicking in doors seizing several weapons, ammunition, and gang intelligence information and photos.all these incidents for use in a large scale affidavit for warrants in an attempt to stop the violence that was escalating.We would serve these warrants within 2 weeks of the death of Tupac Shakur. This was the Compton way, quickly and decisively stopping the ongoing feud in Compton.The Compton Gang Unit was subpoenaed for Suge Knight’s revocation hearing in December 1996, based on information, photos, recovered during the warrants and our interview of Orlando Anderson. The Death Row Task Force was unable to produce anything compelling enough to hold Suge in violation.Detective Richardson testified to what Anderson had really told us about the assault in Las Vegas. Detective Richardson testified, and the Judge revoked Knight’s probation and sentenced him to the maximum 9 years.The affidavit written regarding the murder of Tupac Shakur would in a few months again be broadcast on the news across America. Particularly, the beginning that stated, “There is an ongoing feud between Tupac Shakur and the Blood related Death Row Records with Rapper Biggie Small’s and the East Coast Bad Boy Records which employed South Side Crips gang members as security”.Informants interviewed by us around the time Tupac was murdered had established connections between South Side Crips and New York based Bad Boy Records, and Biggie Smalls.The shooting of Tupac was still fresh in the minds of many who attended the 11th Annual Soul Train Awards in Los Angeles on May 9, 1997, but nobody expected what would happen next. The party for the awards was held at the Peterson Museum in Los Angeles many of the rap music insiders were present including “Bad Boys” Puffy Combs and Biggie Smalls. Suge Knight was glaringly absent due to his incarceration, however many of Death Row Records people were there. Also present were many South Side Crips.As the Bad Boys entourage, including Puffy and Biggie, loaded into two brand new SUVS, and several vehicles as they left the event. A dark green or black impala SS drove next to Biggies vehicle. The lone occupant – a male dressed in black Muslim garb opened fire with a 9 mm. Handgun. Biggie was hit several times by the gunfire. A short time later he would die of his injuries. Though there were several off duty and on duty police personnel, and hundreds of fans near the shooting, the gunman escaped without as much as anyone getting a license number. The Gang Unit met with the Los Angeles Detectives and discussed the murder of Biggie Smalls. The Los Angeles Department had over twenty detectives assigned to investigate the case. During the meeting, it was decided that the prevailing theories of the murder were as follows. That it was a Death Row Records hit in retaliation for the shooting of Suge Knight and Tupac Shakur. The other theory, it was a South Side Crips hit for money owed to them by Bad Boy Records and Biggie Smalls for security fees owed, or money owed for the murder of Tupac.Immediately after the murders of Biggie Smalls, attention again shifted to the Compton connections. Simultaneously, an international gang feud within South Side Crips had erupted with several persons wounded and one killed. We investigated these shootings and immediately wrote a gang search warrant affidavit. Los Angeles Police Department accompanied the Compton Police Department on the service of the warrants. Evidence seized included a new black Impala SS.By July 22nd, 1998, the Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls investigations had been stalled, and Suge Knight was doing time for probation violation. Orlando Anderson was suing Tupac’s estate and Death Row Records for the assault on him. Tupac’s mother Alfeni Shakur was in turn suing Orlando Anderson for the wrongful death of her son.
The suspect in Tupac’s murder- Orlando Anderson was himself killed in a gang drug related shootout in Compton that left three dead in June 1998. The next day a small article appeared in the Los Angeles Times entitled “Suspect in Tupac’s Murder Slain in Shootout
We also continued to talk with informants regarding Death Row murders and the murders of Tupac and Biggie Smalls. We never anticipated that our years of intelligence gathering was going to be brought to an abrupt halt, before being able to complete out investigations which we believe would have produced the identity of the murders in all these crimes.
WELL , without further a - do , i want to make u all sure dat this website helps u all da people who r interested in rap ........ no problem if u havent recorded any songs ...... we'll give u a platform............all u hav to do is send us yo all detail information ...........mail us:
threehoodindaclub@hotmail.com
jostle_hustlebabies@yahoo.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)