Chris Brown at your Service, Richmond

 

Don't Call it a Comeback Concert

D'angelo, according to a source close to the singer, will not be performing at an after party for the Video Music Awards. A post on ticketalternative.com claims that the reclusive singer along with "Tony S. Soulfinger Sam, Herbert Holler & Marc Smooth" will perform at New York night spot called the Country Club. The site also says the show is sold out.

I've never been to Country Club or met Soulfinger Sam, but I would wager that there a better places and company in which to stage a return to the music game after nearly a decade between album releases.

Expect an official denial and refund demands shortly.

UPDATE: D'angelo's manager denies that the singer is performing in New York this summer.

Ya Still Tellin' Lies to Me

There are quite a few doctors in the music game, Dr. Dre, Dr. Ice, Dr. Demento. But it's uncommon for a musician to actually become a legit doctor of philosophy or medicine. Perhaps that's why a story about a underground rap artist who went on to graduate from Cornell on the music industry's dime was so charming.

This Slate.com expose on Roxanne Shanté says her story broke this summer, but I recall hearing about it on the interwebs awhile back. It was a rare tale of a woman taking control of her destiny and exploiting the music industry in order to live her dreams. But now it seems Shanté's rap was just lies.

Shanté has been telling the world how she used a clause in her Warner Records recording contract go to college, eventually earning a Ph.D. She has alleged that she's used her degree and experience to create a hip-hop therapy clinic. A moving story of redemption and determination for an artist whose career had been ruined in part, by one line from rival MC KRS-ONE. (If you don't know this line, ask somebody who has actually bought records in a record store in the 1980s or listen here around 1:50.) But the real story is much more complicated.

According to Slate, Warner Records says it never had a contract with Shanté, and it was not obligated to pay for her education. Shanté—real name Lolita Shanté Gooden—doesn't have a Ph.D. from Cornell or anywhere else. Indeed, she admitted it in an interview with Slate. And Cornell has no record of Gooden (or "Shanté") ever attending or receiving a degree. According to Marymount Manhattan College records, Shanté enrolled there but dropped out less than four months later without ever earning a degree. 

New York state records indicate that no one named Lolita Gooden or Roxanne Shanté is licensed to practice psychology or any related field.

The rapper claims she graduated from another college, not Cornell, under another name. When told this school has no record of her graduation, she blames it on a "computer error?" Or perhaps it was Untouchable Force Organization, up to their old tricks again.

Chris Brown Doesn't Remember Beating Rhi-Rhi

The full interview airs Wednesday on the Larry King Show on CNN.

Nas talks to Nardwuar

It's not easy to get a rap artist to expand beyond their stock answers and prepared comments. This guy finds a way, but at what cost?

Bombing The Sound

Back when indie rap lable Rawkus was flush with street cred and Fox, Inc. cash, I talked them into flying me to New York for the Soundbombing 2 release party/concert. They booked us on a small plane that left me and my partner DJ Reese shook ones. Our ride back would also be ... problematic.

DJ Reese was on the radio back then and had better connects than I did. While I could only swing airfare from the record company, he had a hotel room and some other perks. But when he said there would be a man with a card with his name on it waiting for us at the airport, I didn't believe him. Sure enough, when we got off the plane, we didn't see the man or the card. Resse made a call (I remember it was from a pay phone. Damn, this is an old story.) and within a few minutes a man with a card appeared and took us to a ... limousine.

Reese and I were like Arnold and Willis Jackson in that ride, rolling the windows up and down, taking pictures and (watch out 'deah now) talking on the car phone. Could it get any better than this?

More about this trip later. Above is some of the footage from the concert, featuring Sadat X and Common doing "1-9-9-9."[

Rapper Baatin of Slum Village Dies

Detroit's hip hop community lost another pivotal member this weekend. Baatin, a founding member of Slum Village, died yesterday. The rapper, who had recently rejoined the group, was found dead on a Detroit street after leaving a cookout. The cause of death is unknown.

The 35-year-old rapper's death, follows the unfortunate demise of two other major players in the Detroit scene. Rapper Proof, of D12, was shot to death outside a Detroit nightclub in August of 2006. Former Slum Village member Jay Dila, also died in 2006, from cardiac arrest.

The Not So Fast and Furious

Ice Cube starred in "Torque," a box office bomb that borrowed heavily from the hugely successful "The Fast and Furious." Both movies feature rappers-turnt-actors in major roles and have the characters head for Mexico when things get tough. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Neal H. Moritz, produced both films.

Fortunately I never had to suffer through this flick. Former Wavelength host Yasmine Weaver was flown to Los Angeles back in 2004 to see a preview of the film and meet the people who should be held partly responsible for it's lack of merit.

Cube was so irrelavant as a rap artist at this time, Yaz doesn't even bother to bring it up. She does mention a shot to the face he took on the set of the film, which finally gets the stone-faced O'Shea Jackson to loosen up a bit.

Chris Brown says he's "sorry"

Who believes him?

The Day Has Come, I Guess

Like murder, there is no statute of limitations on sampling. That's why Lonnie Lynn can be sued today for using the music of songwriters Andrew Andrew Marks and London McDaniels, on his debut album, nearly 20 years ago. I guess the recession has songwriters in a pinch, too.

The song, "Take it EZ," was the top single from "Can I Borrow A Dollar," one of two albums the Chicago rapper did under his original name, before a legal claim from a reggae band forced him to drop "Sense."

The original song, by a group called Rasa, follows.

Steve Harvey knows what boys want

Since being crowned a king of comedy and starring in the long-running sitcom, "The Steve Harvey Show," Steve Harvey has kept busy. His current day job is hosting a syndicated morning radio program, "The Steve Harvey Morning Show." I guess he saves his creativity for his jokes and doesn't waste it on coming up with cute titles for his projects.

Harvey is also known for his popular book on relationships, "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man." During this brief exchange with former Wavelength host Yasmine Weaver, the comedian gets serious when he talks about what boys want and what girls need to know about them.

So We Can Rock Forever

The death of Micheal Jackson has been hard to process. Like all seventies babies, I haven't lived in world without Mike and his sudden death has me a little shook. I've found some comfort remembering what comedian Lucille Ball's daughter said after her mother died.

Lucie Arnaz said that for fans of her mother's work on radio,television and films, her mother wasn't dead. She would continue to be there for them the way she always had and they could enjoy her jokes and pratfalls forever. Death wouldn't change the wacky readhead's relationship with her fans. While she had lost a mother, the people who appreciated her mother's artistry hadn't lost anything. They still had their Lucy.

If Micheal Jackson were alive, it's unlikely that we would've seen him complete those 50 show. It's also unlikely that we would've heard any new music from the King of Hype anytime soon. Micheal Jackson hadn't followed up the unlistenable "Invincible," 8 years after its release and had no record deal at the time of his death. He wasn't coming with anything but promises.

Now that Micheal is gone, we can reflect on his legacy and finally hear some of the music that has been locked away for years. An expert on the marketing of dead celebrities suggest that Micheal Jackson may be worth more than Elvis. He added that MJ may become the most profitable fallen star of all time, surpassing the current leader, Lucille Ball.

The Thriller is Gone

Hammer's Words to Third Bass

MC Hammer finally addresses a story MC Serch of the defunct rap group Third Bass has been telling for years. Although he doesn't confirm or deny what happened, Mr. Stanley Burrell's careful word choice and knowledge about the trio's commercial in impact is revealing.

For those who don't have dog-eared copies of The Source magazines in their attic sealed in plastic containers, the story went something like this. Serch, along with members of Run-DMC, (members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame who Hammer dissed at least twice) abashed Hammer with their song and video,"The Gas Face." In the clip, an over sized hammer with eyeglasses is toppled and carried away as Hammer is dissed for about ten seconds straight. Also, on their debut, "The Cactus Album," they rapped "the cactus turned Hammer's mother out."

In certain communities, speaking ill about someone's mother is an invitation for violent confrontation. Since MC Serch and Pete Nice, as white boys, were visitors with passes in the hip-hop world, this might seem like a rather bold and unnecessary insult, in retrospect. Actually, it was more of the clever wordplay that filled the duo's first record that made it so appealing. "Turn this Mutha Out," was a single from from Ham's second album, "Let's Get it Started." They weren't talking about his mom, but his music. 

Getting Done
According to legend, that's not how the Hammer saw it. The former Oakland A's batboy allegedly called a Def Jam executive and said, "Don't send your boys to Cali. They're gonna get done." As much as Serch lampooned Hammer and his music, this time the dancing man in the baggy pants and space goggles was taken seriously.

In the above interview with allhiphop.com, Hammer says "It's ridiculous that you [Serch], want that [the alleged contract on his life] to be your claim to fame." It's hard to characterize this comment as a denial of the sequence of events Serch has shared. He could of killed (whoops) the issue once and for all, just by saying it never happened. But he didn't. 

Hammer goes on: "I didn't know who that dude was ... " Well, if he didn't know then, he certainly did his research, as Hammer is able to pull estimated sales figures for Third Bass albums out of thin air. Predictably, he considers himself above discussion about the group, as his platinum-selling titles dwarf their "wood" status. (Actually Stanley, wiki lists two of the three Third Bass albums as "gold.")

Please, Hammer Don't Hurt 'em
Was Serch's story about a supposed hit legit? It's hard to say. Hammer made pop rap, but he is from a rough section of East Oakland. He also hung out with Suge Knight and flirted with a gangsta image while signed to Death Row. But this is same artist who made gospel rap with a group called "Holy Boys" before he blew up and is now a minister. Death threats certainly aren't very Christian. What I can't get past is why Serch would think creating a story about being threatened by a pop rapper would enhance his reputation.

20 years later, who's ahead?
So where are they now? Who's making the best use of that rapper's pension fund and trying to take their 15 minutes of fame into overtime? In the interest of allowing us all to sleep better at night, I've taken a look at this issue.

Artistry
Third Bass rhymed circles around MC Hammer back then. Their disses of him were clever, artful and humiliating. Yeah, I would've been mad too, Ham. Their music holds up pretty well, but you might not realize it as it's seldom heard on the radio. With only three releases, their catalog is considerably smaller than Hammer's, but it doesn't contain the missteps and screw-ups that his does. Pumps and Bump anyone? Hip-hop purists viewed much of Hammer's work as treasonous back in the day, but in retrospect and in comparison to today's ring tone rap, it really isn't that bad. I kind of like this one, in a nostalgic sort of way. But if the aim of the game is to create compelling work that holds its value years afterward, and I think it is,  Third Bass knocks this one out of the park.

Long Ball
Airbody knows Hammer squandered millions of dollars on elaborate stage shows and funky pompadour hairdos for his 32 back up dancers. But his biggest mistake might have been not retaining the publishing rights to his hit records. It's a terrible and unfortunate situation when an artist has to part with the music that they made. This is part of the reason has to humble himself with self-effacing  commercials like this one. 

and this ...

Serch's catalog may not be filled with platinum hits that are part of the popular culture landscape, but it hasn't changed hands. Not only does the rapper retain the rights to his own music, he owns other artists' music, including Nas' "Illmatic," which is considered one of the greatest hip hop records of all time. Jay-Z made note of this during his feud with the Queensbridge rapper, reminding him that when he sampled Nas' voice he paid "Serchlite Publishing." 

The rap careers of Serch and his partner Pete Nice seem to be over, but Hammer never stopped releasing music, even if you didn't care. He's put out three albums since 2000 and shows no signs of stopping. Serch's most recent release consisted of unreleased music from the 1990's, which succeeded in proving that there is a reason why some songs never come out. Hammer might not hit like he used to, but he keeps swinging, while Third Bass can't step up to the plate. 

Both Serch and Hammer have worked in the post-career graveyard of reality television, but only one of them has their own show that airs on A&E Sunday nights. The reality is Hammer is a rare pop icon who can appear on the Today Show and allhiphop.com while MC Serch and Pete Nice are largely forgotten rappers. A tarnished image beats no image. Score one for Hammer.

Final tally: 1-1. Tie goes to the running man. 

 

Kansas Just Don't Understand?

Skillz and DJ Jazzy Jeff had their show at Kansas City Power & Light District Saturday night cut short. The dj and the rapper say the powers that be in the club didn't want to hear any hip-hop music. The event organizers claim that Jazzy Jeff ignored requests to turn down his sound and they cut the show to save their speakers.

Skillz gives his version of events in the video above.

Bruno Crash Lands on Eminem

MTV Shows

It's a matter of debate of whether Marshall Mathers (Eminem) agreed to let Sasha Cohen, performing as his "Bruno" character, land on his lap ass up at the MTV Movie Awards last night.

Em hardly needs the publicity and his sensitivity is well-noted after he mushed a puppet that insulted him at the same award show, so I find it hard to imagine him agreeing to an idea such as this. What do you think?

UPDATE: It was all planned.

Bazerk in the Studio

If and when Son of Bazerk returns to the stage, they might have some new songs to perform. The group is in reportedly the studio with DJ Johnny Juice in New York.

Juice is one of the unsung heroes of the Public Enemy phenomenon, playing the background while bringing the noise to P.E. recording sessions. The other P.E. producers, the Bomb Squad were responsible for most of the bands combustible debut, "Bazerk Bazerk Bazerk," on Soul/MCA.

Dolla's Family Speaks Out

The family of slain rapper Dolla released this statement today:

“First and foremost we, the Burton family would like to thank everyone for all their kind thoughts and prayers during these trying times,” the statement reads. “Most recently, the Burton family was made aware that there have been numerous false claims of information floating around the ‘net and also reported in reputable media outlets. Part of this was due to someone who was not authorized to speak on the family’s behalf and who claimed to be the publicist of record decided to disseminate false information on her own and without the consent of the family to several media outlets.

“Due to the circumstances of the situation no other information will be released at this time. We are grateful for your continued support in these trying times. We now ask everyone to allow us to mourn the loss of our beloved Roderick Anthony Burton.”

Rapper Dolla Dead

Dolla, shown here with DJ Lonnie Battle during a Richmond, Va. appearance at Pearl Lounge, was shot and killed yesterday. The rapper was slain while waiting for a ride at the Beverly Center mall in Los Angeles.

The rapper was signed to Akon's label in 2007, and was in L.A. to put the finishing touches on his oft-delayed debut.

Dolla was part of the Konvict Entertainment family and an incredible artist. This is a senseless crime and the industry has lost a real talent. Our heart goes out to his family, friends, and fans,” Akon said in a released statement.

Clipse of Reality

In the above video, Malice, of The Clipse, all but confesses that the cocaine raps that they put out for young minds to consume, may not have been true stories. As that guy used to say on This Week In Baseball, "How 'bout that?" While this admission is not surprising, the fact that he made it is.

“There’s a lot of foolishness in hip-hop as my grandmother would say,” he said. “And I just want to say that I am and have been a part of the problem, the thing about it is I need foolishness in my hip-hop, I need foolishness in my movies. I happen to like that."

Given that Malice likes dwelling on foolishness, it's a safe bet that the duo will continue telling lies to our wives and children with their next release. But they may be on the hunt for new source material. Their manager was recently indicted for allegedly operating a large drug ring in Virginia.