Rapper Klelph Dollaz dies

Richmond-based rapper, Kleph Dollaz, 41, was found dead today from an apparent cardiac arrest. Dollaz was former member of the 1990s hip hop group Ill Biskits and later produced music for Sean Price, Sadat X, Talib Kweli and others. Last year he released an album, "Square in the Circle," via his bandcamp page. Kleph's music took a spiritual turn in recent years, as evidenced by the above clip for "Speak the Name," directed by Marcus Holland.

Does the world need more Skillz?

Skillz "Celebrate Life" (Live) from on <">Vimeo.

It's the end of the year and there's new Skillz material. But it's not the annual list of celebirty slip-ups set to music that he's known for. Instead, it's a full fledged album, "The World Needs More Skillz"

The footage above is from the record release party in Norfolk, Va.

Skillz: Call Him Crazy

Skillz is still at it. This is the first video from his forthcoming album, "The World Needs More Skillz," shot in part the Richmond institution and tourist trap, Croaker's Spot.

Trey Songz Show Tanks on BET

A month ago, former music industry executive Kevin Liles was on a roll. The former Def Jam records president received the "Medaille de la Ville de Paris," for hip-hop's cultural contributions to the French capital on July 8. A few days later, he wed a fairly attractive woman named Erika Jones in Birmingham, Liles has had a lot of success in his life, (and you can too, if you buy this.), but I would think that first week of July will have to be one of his best ever. Congrats, Kevin. But it's August now, so don't expect it to be as hot as July.

Liles, who at a low point in his career regularly returned my phone calls, left his record company days behind him and is now the manager of Virginia singer Trey Songz. The popular R&B artist, born Tremaine Aldon Neverson, has a reality show called "My Moment," on BET. The show recently received a unique distinction, as the lowest rated show on cable televison on Aug. 4., according to Shadowandact.com. That's a staggering feat, when one considers just how many cable channels there are. It's doubly bad news for Liles, who was planning other reality show projects.

Like most of America, I haven't seen the show and probably never will. So if you have witnessed this historic program, please let us know. What when wrong with Songz?

Wyclef Gives the 411 on Yele Haiti

Former Fugee and guitarist Wyclef Jean might be the most famous living Haitian. So when an earthquake ravaged Port Au Prince recently, killing thousands of people, many eyes turned to the singer. But some of those looking at Jean's charity organization, Yele Haiti, did so with a critical glance.

The Smoking Gun reports that the organization has been lax in filing its records with the Internal Revenue Service. It also alleges that some of the charity's funds have been channeled to businesses that Jean controls: As seen on the following pages from the foundation's 2006 tax return, the group paid $31,200 in rent to Platinum Sound, a Manhattan recording studio owned by Jean and Jerry Duplessis, who, like Jean, is a foundation board member. A $31,200 rent payment was also made in 2007 to Platinum Sound ... The recording studio also was paid $100,000 in 2006 for the "musical performance services of Wyclef Jean at a benefit concert." The return, of course, does not address why Jean needed to be paid to perform at his own charity's fundraiser. But the largest 2006 payout--a whopping $250,000--went to Telemax, S.A., a for-profit Haiti company in which Jean and Duplessis were said to "own a controlling interest."

The Better Business Bureau, based in Arlington, Virginia, is also looking into Yele Haiti: In 2007, the foundation's spending exceeded its revenues by $411,000. It brought in just $79,000 that year. "It's questionable. There's no way to get around that," said Art Taylor, president and chief executive of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance.

In the above video, the singer denounces the reports and explains that charities have operating expenses, like other organizations. He doesn't deny any specific aspects of The Smoking Gun's report, though he does address why Yele Haiti didn't file tax returns for a few years. Let's hope a more detailed explanation is forthcoming and Wyclef is not in real big trouble. In the meantime, people still need help.

Donate.

D'Angelo is not a Bad Boy.

Despite what one gossip site is reporting, D'angelo is not signed to Bad Boy Records.

"Contrary to various media reports, producer, composer, performer, D'Angelo has not signed with Sean "P. Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records," the singer's manager, Lindsay Guion, said in a press release. "Both gentlemen hold one another in the highest regard, however the stories circulating in the press are totally false ..."

According to the release, the singer is still working on his third album in a Hollywood studio, which is scheduled a Spring 2009 release on RCA Records.

Skillz is For Real

The latest single and video from Richmond, Va.'s Skillz. Don't leave your girl around him.