Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Diva Loves GZA


(Em, Uncle GZA, and I at a show he did in Chicago)

I know i'm late with this but I just needed to add my two cents on this youngin Soljah Boy’s recent comments about my man the Genius.

“I wouldn’t even rap against the Genius. I’d put up someone who was born in ’66 to go against the Genius so it can be a tie. He’s got like 50 years on me. I wouldn’t even associate with the Genius. Maybe the GZA need to make “Crank Dat GZA.””




WHO THE HELL DOES THIS JIT THINK HE IS?!?!!?!? Somebody hunt him down and beat him with a copy of Liquid Swords! The GZA is a BEAST! Not only is he an amazing mc he’s an amazing person and always has a smile on his face. Even spittin the hardest of rhymes. A true lyrical genius (it’s not a matter of opinion, but FACT) young artists like Soulja Boy should look to him for guidance. I know the GZA “started it” by saying,”Fuck Soulja Boy” at a show (peep the youtube video above), and that ain’t a way to build a bridge to the youth either but I mean, he did have a point! Below is a link to a Rewind the Rhyme interview I did with the GZA for Allhiphop.com talking about the creative origins of some of his most classic tracks. Hope ya like:)

http://cuban-linx.net/forum/archive/index.php/t-267.html

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

NOT YOU TOO MAYA!!!


(Maya & MLK Jr....How would Marty feel about all this Hill/Bill Love??)

DAGNAMMIT!!!!!!!!!! Lemme start by saying Maya Angelou is on my idols. As a woman and artist she's a class act. But dag on she threw me for a loop with the following statement:

“As a child, Hillary Clinton was taught that all God’s children are equal, so as a mother she understood that her child wasn’t safe unless all children were safe.

I know what kind of president Hillary Clinton will be because I know who she is. Hillary Clinton has always been a strong woman and a passionate protector of families. For 35 years, that’s exactly what she has been doing.

Each generation of African Americans stands on the shoulders of those who came before. Today, the challenges facing us threaten the dreams we have had for our children. We need a president with the experience and strength to meet those challenges.

I am inspired by Hillary Clinton’s commitment and courage — a daughter, a wife, a mother — my girl.”

*sigh* On last weeek's DivaSpeak Tv Ep we WENT IN on the Minister fool from Harlem and here goes Maya pledging allegiance to Bill and Hill! I am just confused and confounded as to WHERE this unwavering loyalty is coming from. So for the sake of not completely discounting the minds of our elder community (who right now are SOOO WATTA) I've decided to apply this theory: perhaps they are they are applying a reverse psychology tactic! Maybe just maybe in their wisdom they're banking on the rebellious nature of us "youngsters" and goin so hard because as to incite us to go for Bams! (long shot, but hey it gets me through!)

Diva Speak TV-Ep:3



NEW EP of DIVA SPEAK TV!
ENJOY!

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Lupe Tour-Supa Cool!


(Me and Lu in ATL...I look mad Dominican with straight hair yo)


Man oh man. Aint nothin like bein on stage! I opened for Lupe in ATL and Bmore and it wass killin! I'm bein easy just me and a dj (Shout to DJ Era who held it down for me in the A) but it's been a success. The audiences have been amazing and I can't believe how responsive they've been to the music. In ATL Lupe left the stage because of technical difficulties and I went to the the side to ask his background singers what was going on. Tell me why people in the audience saw me and strated CHANTING MY NAME!? Straight up like DIVA DIVA DIVA! lol so I said a few words to calm em down and give Lu a chance to get everything together then they started chanting FREESTYLE FREESTYLE!! I can't front! I wanted to go in SOOOO bad, BUT it wasn't my show. This is Lu's time. So I let it ride. But let it happen again...LOL!

The final dates are below hopefully can come check me out. Big ups to Lupe. I know a lotta folks don't like the shit he says, and he does get a lil outta pocket but that's my boy right there and I can safely say he's a good dude. Cop "The Cool" and "Life Experience" :)


JAN 30-DC @ 9:30 CLUB
JAN 31-PHILLY @ The Filmore
FEB 2-NYC @ The Nokia Theater



(On stage in Bmore...peep the color coordination!!)
***


(ATL SHAWTY!)

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Bush is a Suspect

A Laugh Before Leavin:


George Bush on a recent visit to an elementary school


haha, this young man has been taught well.
EVERYBODY is a suspect.

Diva Speak TV-Ep:2



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Monday, January 21, 2008

DA REAL "LIFE EXPERIENCE" AVAIL!

DON'T WANT DIGITAL?! GET THE REAL CD!!

AMANDA DIVA'S DEBUT ALBUM "LIFE EXPERIENCE"
NOW AVAILABLE @ www.myspace.com/AmandaDiva!!!


Amanda Diva & Lupe Fiasco LIVE in ATL!



FRIDAY, JAN 25TH
@ THE ROXY!!!



GET NOTICES ON WHEN DIVA'S IN YOUR CITY!

Send an email to:
DivaTrack@gmail.com
Let us know where you're from,
and get down with the team!

IT'S AMANDATORY!!

--
AMANDA DIVA'S "LIFE EXPERIENCE" ON ITUNES NOW!
DON'T WANT DIGITAL? BUY THE REAL CD @ myspace.com/AmandaDiva!

We Have to Do Better pt.3

(Look at these coons. Yea I know they're white, but this buffoonary at its worst. It's a sad, hateful world folks.)

It's Martin Luther King Jr. day and the Klan folk are in FULL glory! uggh Disgusture.

About 30 members of a reputed white supremacists' group marched through the streets of Jena, La., Monday, expressing disdain for the holiday honoring slain civil rights leader Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., as well as for six black Jena teenagers charged with beating a white classmate.

The group, which included two men who came armed, was followed closely for a while by about 100 counterprotesters who exchanged barbed comments with the group. They later backed off at police request.

"No to King! No the Jena Six!" shouted the group members, who belong to the Nationalist Movement.

Counterprotesters responded, "Down with the Klan!" to which Nationalist Movement spokesman Richard Barrett said, "Up with America!"

Nationalists also shouted, "The streets belong to us, not MLK!"

The two armed men showed up for the rally and parade, and as a result, the LaSalle Parish Sheriff's Office began separating supporters of the Nationalist group from the counterprotesters. The sheriff's office said anyone refusing to separate would be arrested.

The movement by law enforcement came about an hour after the arrival of the New Black Panther Party at the courthouse, where it planned to march.

Close to 100 people opposing the Nationalist Movement's presence arrived at just before 11 a.m. at the LaSalle Parish Courthouse, shouting "No more nooses! We want justice!" as law enforcement tried to route them to behind the courthouse.

As the counterprotesters attempted to march toward the front of the courthouse, they were met by a line of law enforcement officers who physically tried to hold them back. At the same time, supporters of the Nationalists who had assembled in front of the courthouse waved their Confederate flags in the direction of the marchers.

"We ain't stopping! We ain't stopping!" the counterprotesters shouted as law enforcement threatened to arrest them if they did not go to the back of the courthouse.

"We're under threat of arrest if we keep marching. What do you want to do?" one of the counter-protesters shouted to that group with a megaphone. "Keep marching!" shouted the crowd. The crowd backed down once police asked.

Tensions began to rise once law enforcement officials confronted David Dupre of Tioga, La., and his son, David Dupre Jr., who said they came to Jena armed for their personal protection. They each brought a .357 Magnum handgun, a .22- caliber revolver and a sawed-off shotgun that they called a "street sweeper" because when fired it could take out 10 people.

"We're tired of these coons getting away with whatever they want," Dupre Jr. said when asked why he came to Jena.

The two men, each wearing a holstered gun on his hip, were confronted by law enforcement and told to leave the shotguns in their vehicle, and they complied. Law enforcement officials told the men they could not march with the guns.

The Dupres said it was unfair and unconsitutional that they could not march with their guns.

The protest was organized by the Nationalist Movement of Learned, Miss., which describes itself as "pro-majority" but is widely reported to be a white supremacy organization.

Barrett, the Nationalist Movement spokesman, had said group members would not be armed during the protest and requested that supporters do likewise.

The group vowed to come to Jena soon after at least 20,000 people from around the country marched through the streets of the small community on Sept. 20 in support of the black teens, who became known as the "Jena Six" and have drawn national attention.

Six black students were charged with beating a white student outside Jena High School on Dec. 4, 2006, after a series of racially charged incidents, which included white students hanging nooses from a tree at the school.

The white students were not charged in any of the incidents while the six black teens all were initially charged with attempted murder for the beating. Those charges have since been reduced to battery.

Early Monday morning, the Nationalists' group was far outnumbered by the number of media and law enforcement. Among the members of the Nationalists' group were three young men and a young woman from West Monroe, La., with a Confederate flag bearing the message "White Power/Ku Klux Klan."

The young man carrying the flag, Michael Brown, said, "We're here just supporting our white brothers. We're proud to be white."

Another man in the group, Phillip Hampton of Tuscaloosa, Ala., said he was a member of the National Knights, which he said was the oldest Ku Klux Klan group in the nation.

"This is a hate crime against whites," Hampton said when asked why he had come to Jena. "There's no justice for the white man anymore."
This is some new fangled ignorance. There isn't even any reason to speak on this. Just use it as a reminder that this ain't no time to rest and no reason to get comfortable.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

A Word from Marty King & the Deevster


(press play, listen, read, marinate.)

[disclaimor: I AINT PREACHIN! JUST DIVA SPEAKIN!]


In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's birthday I have compiled a list of ways in which we can realistically make his "dream" come true. Because fact is here in 2008, when Golf Shows are talkin bout lynching and Golf magazines have nooses on the cover, the Jena 6 are still in the midst of madness, and New Orleans STILL has not been rebuilt it is clear to see that we are doing just that "dreaming" and need to wake up in order to see that vision come to fruition.


The reality is not everyone is built like Dr. King. Not everyone is strong enough to walk into the line of fire. Not everyone is made to be a martyr. It’s just the facts. But everyone can contribute in some way to making things better for the Black community. Fact is MLK’s speech is still true. Though some think because they can cop whips, chains, and homes, that shit is sweet the reality is that the quality of life for the vast majority of people of color (P.O.C.) in this country is EXTREMELY disproportionate to those on the other side of the color divide. I mean these are like, FACTS folks it’s not just a matter of my opinion. In predominantly Black communities schools are often over crowded, grocery stores are limited and wack (peep the “earth toned” produce), housing is of lesser quality (and overcrowded like the dag on schools), and the cops, the cops are EVERYWHERE! That’s just to name a few of the issues!!


Call me a cock-eyed optimist but I truly think that though everyone isn’t in Marty’s league, we can all do at least a lickle something in the direction of improving the current and long standing situation of the P.O.C. in the good ol’ Los Estados Unidos. So even if you’ve already made your New Year’s resolutions tack this on:


Find out what piece of a dignified, insightful, good, just plain old good person lives in you. What part of Dr. King, Malcolm, Gandhi, Jesus, Harriet, etc lives in you. Be it your pen, your voice, your dollar, or your time find it and apply it. What makes it legit is not your time, or your bread, etc. but your sincerity to honestly trying to create some semblance of unification in the way of improvement. And real talk, we can all do better and NEED TO AT LEAST TRY or the dream will continue to be just that. A reality that exists only in the minds of the unconscious.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Diva Loves Nas

Everybody knows that Nasir Jones is my favorite rapper (recently having to share the top spot officially with Andre 3000 or 3 Stacks as I call him ;). I been waiting for these videos for frickin ever. Check out the previews to Nas's "The Autobiography of Rakim" & "These Are Our Heroes" from his Street's Disciple album (2005):





The Daily Wrap Up-My Bad

Yo, my bad ya'll I been slippin this week. It's been type hectic on my end. Today I picked up the physical copies of my Life Experience ep. IT LOOKS AMAZING!! I know a lot folks still like the actual cd in their hand more than digital so they will be available on my myspace (myspace.com/amandadiva) top of next week. It's so nice to see the fruits of my hard work yamean? Anywho, Ima get back on my blog game this weekend so expect a rack of posts and of course a new DivaSpeakTV ep for next Tuesday!

A Laugh Before Leavin:


I still laugh out loud seein this clip. lol




Tuesday, January 15, 2008

THE FIRST EP OF DIVA SPEAK TV IS HERE!!!!

DivaSpeak Tv
EP 1: Part 1 & 2







Leave a COMMENT! Spread the Diva Speak!

The Daily Wrap Up

Today was a day of peaks and valleys. Ima just leave it at that. Tommorrow is my first day back to VH1 Best Week Ever for Da Ocho…I’m amped. I love those guys. Don’t forget ep 1 of DivaSpeakTV will be posted today (Tuesday) at 5!!!!

A Laugh Before Leavin
:

I don't know whether to big up Fila for this madness or give em let
down. This is a fake Prada shoe!! Now we gonna hear lyrics like, "Are those Filas you got on? Hell no ma you know dem Pradas"...uggh.


(Peep Hurricane Chris's beads, lol...I know Lil Scrappy is tight.
He had a whole song called FILA and they wouldn't endorse him. dag.)

Doozifier


(Disclaimer: I DID NOT put the writing on the pic! Bossip.com got that one son.)

Sources say Hill was living in the Caribbean for a while as the mother of four children by Rohan Marley, son of the late Bob Marley. But now, insiders say, Hill is living in New Jersey with her mother — and the four kids — and may be in significant debt. Her only big solo hit album, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill," was released 10 years ago, if you can believe it. (FoxNews.com <--not that they're credible but still.)

*sigh* we miss you Lauryn.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Obama is Gonna Take it in Da Ocho!


Well the VOTES ARE IN! I asked ya'll to tell me what you thought:
A. Will Obama win in Da Ocho and turn the White House Black? B. Will Obama lose in Da Ocho...folks ain't ready for a brotha on Air Force One C. Will Bams kind of win in Da Ocho and be Hill's VP?
You voted and they've been tallied! 7 folks think nah, America ain't ready for the Blackness. 7 more folks think the US is kinda sorta possibly ready and Barack will end up as Hillary's VP. But 36 of ya'll think our man Bams is gonna kick ass and knock em out the box slick Rick style and become the first Black President of the United States of America. I gotta tell ya, as much as I want to see B Rock in the House that John and Abigail Adams (yikes...they were the worst) built, I dunno man, I honestly don't see this racist, classist, Puritanical, destructive, xenophobic, did I say racist, lyin ass country voting him in office. No matter how many times he does Oprah. :-/

Supa Woman of the Week-Queen Latifah

(I tried to find this in higher quality but couldn't and I REFUSED to put any other pic than the classic!)

Queen Latifah is the Supa-Woman of the week! Ya'll, this chick is in ANOTHER movie ("Mad Money" w/ Katie Holmes & Dianne Keaton)! She be droppin these flicks like hot cakes! Ya gotta give it to the Queen. She came from being a female mc outta New Jersey to being an entrepreneur, movie star, Cover Girl (with her own line, bananas). Granted this new movie is like the white version of "Set it Off" but you know she got a fat chiddddddeeccckkk. Real talk, when you watch how so many emcees in the music business run their course with the music and then find themselves stuck with no outlets or options Da Queen is overwhelmingly deserving of a big up or two!

We've made Dana Owens this week's Supa-Woman for obvious reasons but just to cover the bases here's a couple more:

1. She's all up and through the limelight and still keeps her personal life personal and private parts, private. She proves that you don't have to show your ass or sell your secrets to be legitimate.

2. Her crossover game is thorough as jaxx. She did a jazz covers album for God's sake!

3. Her hair is always together. Always.

"ONCE YOU HEARD WU...

(I took this pic at the concert. It's bugged how it came out right?!
The WU "w" has sure changed since '93)



OUTTA THE BLUE YA FAMILY'S FROM SHAOLIN!"
Well, I went to the Wu-tang concert here in NYC on Saturday night at the Hammerstein Ballroom and lemme tell ya Shaolin DEFINITELY was NOT in the building. It was bugged really. I mean as an artist myself I make music for everyone to enjoy but I definitely am speaking directly to and from the point of view of the Black community so I like to see the Black community in my audience. When I do it's comforting and let's me know they hear me and connect. And it is of the utmost importance that we connect (This is not to say that I don't connect with audiences of all race, gender, and ethnicities but erryone luvs their people!)

Well, after seeing the audience at this Wu show it's safe to say the Black community in NY no longer "connects" with the Wu. Maybe folks just don't find them entertaining anymore. Maybe they've grown out of classics like, "Liquid Swords (I LOVE the GZA)," "M-E-T-H-O-D Man (and might I add that Meff is still an FBM to the fullest!)," "Protect ya Neck," "Ice Cream," and "Triumph." I know a lot of folks say they no longer feel linked with today's hip hop but we're not even showing love to the classics anymore? Not even to the legends!? Many in the hip hop and Black communities stay complaining about "the commodification of the music," about the "mainstream sell outs," etc., but ain't buyin albums or going to shows!

Raekwon had some good things to say on the topic at the show, too bad the folks who NEED to hear it weren't even there:






(It's bugged how he's sayin, "Ya'll niggas" but there were only bout 20 Black folk that were in that piece.)

Sunday, January 13, 2008

We Have to Do Better pt.2


Allen Joplin took out the trash when she asked, he cooked dinner — usually hamburgers and cheese sandwiches — and most of the time he returned home by 10 p.m. But early Friday morning, the 84-year-old Seattle woman received a phone call from Allen's girlfriend saying Allen had been shot.

The 17-year-old was killed shortly before midnight Thursday after two unknown men crashed a party he was attending at an art studio in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood and opened fire. Allen was pronounced dead at the scene, and a 13-year-old girl who was shot in the leg is still recovering.

Police on Friday were still searching for the gunmen.

***

A 14-year-old boy was found shot and killed this afternoon on a South Seattle street, where his body apparently had lain since the night before.

Someone called 911 at 2:40 p.m. today to report finding a body behind a car in the 4200 block of South Rose Street in Rainier Valley, said police spokesman Mark Jamieson.

Police responded, and the boy was pronounced dead a short time later. Homicide detectives are investigating.

Neighbors and family members of the boy, identified by an uncle as DéChé Morrison, gathered just beyond the yellow police tape surrounding the scene tonight as investigators used dogs and flashlights to search for clues. The uncle, Sedric Reine, tried to comfort Morrison's grieving mother.


We watch shows like The Wire, see the movies, and we hear the rap songs about it and it feels like we're getting very accustomed to young men falling to an early death within the black community. It's as if we're being desensitized to not only to the horrible reality of the loss of a young life, but also the regularity of it these days. Maybe I'm just speaking for myself. Reality though, is our babies are dying. They're killing each other. One by one, city by city. It's almost systematic at this point. And i don't know what EXACTLY to do but we can start with doing a better job of teaching, a better job of uplifting, and a better job of uniting before an entire generation completely forgets what it means to be their brother's keeper. RIP to Allen Joplin & Deche Morrison...

Friday, January 11, 2008

Athletes Love Drugs Pt. 2


(She had to give all them jawns back...ain't that a bitch.)

*sigh* Marion frickin Jones. This situation is sooooo WATTA! (see "diva speak lingo" in margin).

Before I go in let's state the facts:

On Jan. 11, 2008, Olympic gold medal winner Marion Jones was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to perform 400 hours of community service after she pleaded guilty in October to lying to federal agents about her use of performance-enhancing drugs and her connection to a check-fraud case.

In 2003, federal law enforcement officials conducted a raid on the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative, or Balco, a California lab that specialized in nutritional supplements and that had ties to dozens of professional athletes. Records from Balco indicated that Jones was also a client, and its founder, Victor Conte Jr., said publicly that Jones used performance-enhancing drugs.


In June 2004, C.J. Hunter American shot-putter and Jones’s former husband, told federal investigators looking into Balco that he witnessed his former wife use illegal substances during the Sydney Olympics.


The following year, Jones’s boyfriend, the sprinter Tim Montgomery, with whom she has a son, was barred from competition for two years by an international sports court after it accepted evidence that he had taken THG, a banned steroid.


After admitting to lying about her use of steroids, Jones relinquished her five Sydney medals to the United States Anti-Doping Agency. The International Olympic Committee is examining how to adjust the medal standings for more than 40 athletes who competed with and against Ms. Jones at the 2000 Games.



I love the Olympics and was a big fan of Marion Jones so when this drug mess started unfolding years ago, I was disheartened. Originally I thought, dag another woman influenced by a no good man when it was revealed that her BF tested positive for steroid use. But when I saw that her next boo was ALSO doin steroids (and also ratted her out) I had to say daaaagggg she must have some Badu type pull on these dudes (Erykah=knit pants, Marion=steroids). I dunno man, I always take it somewhat personal when a fellow Supa-woman turns out not so "supa" for involving themselves in some dumb shit. Her two boys now have to grow up knowing the goal their mother dedicated her life to, was forsaken out of dishonesty, greed, and lack of integrity.

Maybe it's just the age we're in. Folks have become obsessed with instant gratification. I can't say I'm exempt, but we gotta exercise some type of discipline ya'll. Cuz that journey to the top is hard as jaxx (I know, I'm on it) and there's many ways to cheat no matter what race your in be it track, the paper chase, music biz, etc. But is the victory really sweet when you win it through foul means? Your rep is all you've got and once you sell your soul you never get it back...ask Ben Johnson.

Some tips for Marion: be a better liar, stop dating/marrying snitches, or...wait for it...DON'T USE DRUGS!

HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND FOLKS!!
LOOK OUT FOR A NEW EP OF "DivaSpeakTV" TUES!

Athletes Love Drugs


(That's that "white" hype right there...)


Well, Rappers may love jail (see my previous post) but according to today's news, athletes love em some drugs. No, I'm not talking about Barry Bonds and them baseball boys that are being questioned, I'm talking about two broads that have been more than questioned but have been PROVEN GUILTY! Dratz...ain't that a bitch!

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Martina Hingis has been given a two-year ban after testing positive for cocaine, the International Tennis Federation announced...

The 27-year-old Swiss player was found to have tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine while competing at Wimbledon last year, the ITF said in a statement published on its Web site.


At the time the allegations first surfaced last November, Hingis dismissed the test results, calling the claims "horrendous" and "monstrous."


However, following a two-day hearing last month, an independent anti-doping tribunal confirmed the test results, the federation said.


The federation said Hingis would have to repay $130,000 prize money and ranking points won since last year's Wimbledon.


The federation said the ban would commence from October 1, 2007.

Lest we forget, this is the same jawn who years ago accused my favorite tennis supa-women Venus & Serena Williams of abusing performance enhancement drugs. Now, technically cocaine isn't considered a performance enhancement drug, but history has told of overseers giving their slaves leaves from the coca plant because it was proven to increase productivity. So I'm sure a lil yayo in her system could've only helped Miss Hingis, you feel me??!!?!!?








The Daily Wrap Up

Today was a weird day yo. Real talk I have a very strong sense of intuition and a lot of times I get a real sixth sense about people, situations, etc. Today I woke up with a "bad feeling." I just had this feeling that something bad was going to happen or that something bad was going to be revealed about someone I care about or am on my way to caring about. But as you can see it's 2:57am and no dice. In the past it's always been that day or the next that the truth is revealed. I'm hoping my intuition is off key...but it rarely is.


A Laugh Before Leavin:

I'm sure making fun of folks with addictions doesn't help my kharma any either but c'mon people this is just absurd...

They tried to tell you go to rehab and i say, GO, GO GO!!!
QUEEN OF SOUL??? No sir!

Thursday, January 10, 2008

B Dawgs in all Her Glory



I've met Beyance a couple times. She is a very nice woman and you sho nuff can't front on her hustle cuz dagnammit that broad gets it in. She's an honorary West Indian in my book! And though like any normal human being I find her a bit over exposed in my world I don't have time to make videos pointing out all her "funnier moments" but someone in Youtube Land does! And you KNOW its found its way to the kiiid. LOL ohhhhhh B Dawgs, I can't front this video is on some straight hateration but sheeiiitttt this thang is funny as jaxx! And you know DIVA GOT JOKES!! (so I'd be wrong not share it!)


Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Rappers Love Jail


(notice how all these pics take place in a court room or a jail and some did that by choice!)

So everybody goin to jail huh? I mean really folks. I went to Allhiphop.com today and before I could even click on any of the news stories I was hit with, 2 dudes in jail, 1 going to court and anotha dude’s house shot up. ARE YOU FRICKIN KIDDING ME?!

Prodigy of “Mobb Deep” will be heading to Riker’s Island to serve time for a gun charge

Beanie Sigel was sentenced to one day in federal prison and six months in a half way house after violating his probation by going to Atlantic City, NJ.


Game heads to court Feb. 4th in the west on charges that he threatened a man on a basketball court and pulled a gun out him


• The Staten Island, New York house of Barja Walter an associate of 50 Cent and Tony Yayo was shot up and almost set on fire early yesterday morning.


This is unacceptable. These are the times when I say, “Hip-Hop is embarrassing.” Sometimes it’s the music but MOST of the times, it’s the actions of those making it. I just really wish folks with the opportunity to speak and perform (something that everybody and they mama wants to do according to the bazillion emails I get on Myspace from folks sayin, “I’m an aspiring rapper…”), who have a lil bit of bread and whole lot of freedom could actually RESPECT that shit! And you know what’s next right? The FREE THIS NIGGA shirts. I DO NOT wanna see a shirt for somebody that got landed in jail for bein a jackass and not respecting and appreciating his/her freedom when they had it. Frickin fools. They should all be put in the same cell and had their lives taped to find out what happens WHEN KEEPIN IT REAL GOES WRONG!!

But because it seems some folks simply can’t figure out HOW to stay out of jail look forward to Tuesday’s new ep of “DivaSpeak TV" (on youtube.com/ImAmandaDiva) where I’ll have 5 tips on
HOW TO STAY OUT OF JAIL AS A RAPPER!!! COMING SOON!!! ☺

Diva Luv Da Kids...More Emcees Should Too!


(In Seattle @ Rainier Beach H.S....can ya spot me?)


A brotha sent this to me on my myspace and I agree with him. Do you?

A CHALLENGE TO ALL HIP HOP ARTISTS
By Sebastien “Dome” Elkouby

For better or for worse, youth idolize their favorite Hip Hop artists and hang on to their every word. These artists could potentially change the world with the power of their voice alone. After all, wasn’t Hip Hop born out of a need for expression in the face of oppression? Call me naïve but I believe that most artists truly do care about the influence they have over their fans.

However, I know that the “industry” often stands in the way of artists when they try to give back to the people. I’ve seen it happen first hand.

So, I’m issuing a challenge to all Hip Hop artists. IN 2008, GET INVOLVED IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN YOUR COMMUNITIES, FOR THE YOUTH, AND FOR BLACK PEOPLE. Use your money,influence, and any other resources you have access to in order to give back to the people. Don’t allow "industry" heads who don’t really care about you and your community, stop you from being in touch with what really matters.

There are many ways to give back. I run a Hip Hop empowerment program in Los Angeles and work with teens all across the city who want nothing more than honest words of support and encouragement from artists they look up to. Donating money to small community-based organizations that do incredible work but struggle to stay open due to limited funding is another way to make a difference. That 50 G’s you can spend on that chain could be used to change lives instead!

The world is a crazy place and doesn’t seem to be getting any better. There aren’t many leaders that large numbers of people are willing to stand behind like in the days of Martin and Malcolm. Artists, you have the ears of the people who need the most help: USE YOUR FAME AND INFLUENCE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE AND THE LOVE AND RESPECT OF AN ENTIRE GENERATION TO GAIN.

IN 2008, HOW WILL YOU MAKE YOUR MARK?

Respect to David Banner, MC Lyte, Brother J, Mystic, Stacy Epps, and other Hip Hop artists who don’t front when it comes to giving back.
____________________________________________________________
_

Sebastien “Dome” Elkouby is the founder of the Urban Youth Empowerment Foundation, an organization based in Los Angeles which uses Hip Hop as a tool to reach at-risk youth. However, artists from all backgrounds (actors, singers, dancers, authors, etc…) are invited to offer their assistance. Visit the website at: www.thefoundationonline.net and contact him at info@thefoundationonline.net or 310-654-1681.

(In the Bronx @ PULSE H.S....im in the purple jeans)

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

The Daily Wrap Up

Today was an incredibly laid back day. To the point it was irksome. I don’t like too much downtime. But it’s how you look at things right? So I choose to look at this “downtime” as a calm before the madness. In this business “madness” is often times equal to BUSY, ya heard?! So thas what we gon’ do. BRING THE MADNESS ON!!! (you know how it go though, when the madness hits I’ma be cryin to ya’ll like, ‘daaaggg I wish I had a break’…lol)

A Laugh Before Leavin:


Denise: Well, try tucking it in

Theo: IT’S TUCKED IN TO MY SOCKS!

The Gordon Gartrelle Shirt Story

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Gotta love this ep of the Cosby Show. Man that was some funny shit! I STILL laugh out loud at this. (Shout to Lyndon. This is his favorite ep.)

Two Emcees Talk Politics

Heads up, I am posting this not because I agree with Lupe or Rhymefest or their sparring match but because I am curious to know YOUR thoughts on where YOU stand on the topic of election, the candidates involved, etc. So read on and speak on…

Monday, January 07, 2008


A conversation between Rhymefest and Lupe Fiasco

A lot of my comrades have been hitting me up for clarification on the discussion between myself and Lupe yesterday (Sunday, January 6, 2008). So, the following details exactly what happened so that no one gets it twisted.
WARNING: This is for intellectuals only! Please read thoroughly so that you won't miss any of our points. Let's start with the interview on
SOHH.com that Lupe conducted that started this:

SOHH Exclusive: Lupe Fiasco Bypasses Barack Obama, "I Want Hillary To Win"
written by Danica Dow

Over the next month voters across the country will get to pick candidates for the two major political parties. In light of the official beginning of voting season in Iowa, SOHH caught up with Lupe Fiasco to see who he is throwing his support behind.

"I'm not voting for anybody," Lupe told SOHH. "I don't believe in voting on that level. But I want Hillary [Clinton] to win," he says. Surprisingly, the Chicago emcee does not support the junior United States Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama.

"Obama doesn't really impress me like that," Lupe told SOHH. "It's not a shot at him but some of his agendas, the bombing of Iran and all that stuff.* He ain't gonna do nothing but perpetuate the nonsense that all the Presidents before have done, and what Bush is doing now. It's to the point now where the world is so twisted and so messed up that we need somebody to come in."

Tonight's Iowa caucus marks the first major electoral event of the nominating process for the 2008 Presidential election by essentially voting on which candidates should represent their respective parties. Because of its "first" status, the Iowa caucus is especially influential in the process of electing the Democratic and Republican candidates.

If Clinton takes Iowa, she is in a better position to win in the immediate state caucasses that follow.

"I think Hillary will set an example for women all around the world and hopefully effect some change, as opposed to another man pushing for agendas and pushing policies," Lupe said. "I think even if she don't do anything, just the statement that it makes--that the United States is run by a women--would be so phenomenal for the world."

At press time Senators Clinton, Obama, and John Edwards are in a statistical three-way tie according to most polls.

[*Editors note: While all the major Democratic candidates--including Clinton, Obama and Edwards--say they would not remove military option off the table, when it comes to Iran, none have said they support the bombing of Iran.]

===============

Then, here is the blog that I wrote to address it:

Don't Let Your Arrogance Fuel Your Ignorance (SUPPORT BARACK!)

Recently, a prominent Hip-Hop website asked an artist who they supported in the 2008 presidential primaries. Shockingly, their response was Hillary Clinton. Now, I'm not one to judge a person's political, religious or [even] artistic views; however, the reasons that this artist gave were so fucking erroneous and outrageous that it compels me to speak out, even if only to give fans the right information so that we are not following uninformed-ass rappers down the hole of 'abstract nothingness.'

First of all, the facts:
Barack Obama has stated he is not opposed to military action against Iran if they were persistent in their ambitions to obtain nuclear weapons; weapons being the operative word. However, he also states that as president, he plans to talk to Iran without preconditions about certain assurances in the context of them showing some good faith, as well. Barack Obama stated "I think it is important for us to send a signal that we are not hell-bent on regime change, just for the sake of regime change, but expect changes in behavior. And there are both carrots and there are sticks available to them for those changes in behavior." This clearly does not describe the agenda of a candidate who supports 'the bombing of Iran and all that stuff.'

I would be very interested to know if this particular artist even knows what Hillary Clinton's position is pertaining to military action against Iran; and, no, I'm not giving him the answer.

Barack Obama being the only Black senator from Illinois automatically gives me a sense of pride and appreciation for his journey. Of course, for America to be flipped on its axis with a qualified woman president would be a significant milestone in this chapter of our country's history. But, I fail to see how a qualified Black man as president wouldn't be just as significant a milestone. Please, to all artists who dare to speak on political issues in this election: understand that Barack Obama won the Iowa caucus by inspiring more young people and women to vote than any previous presidential candidate. How could it not be impressive to see the new Bobby Kennedy of our day in the White House?

In the words of Gabriel when he revealed the Holy Qur'an to the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the cave: "READ." Please do not let your arrogance be the fuel for your ignorance.

Peace,
Fest a/k/a
EL CHE

===============

<>

Now, the following discussion is what took place on the Okayplayer message boards between myself and Lupe on his thread entitled "And furthermore nigga!!!!..." after someone on Okaplayer said "Damn Lupe, you going to respond to Rhymefest's post?" Lupe responded with the following:
not in public...thats wack...I'll call him tomorrow...

...unless we devise a sinister under the table plot to faux battle each other furiously over the topic via youtube only to bring more attention to our projects then take the ill gotten booty and buy Phantoms with it that we will then proceed to drive in the homemade videos made of the diss records also to be debuted on youtube...

Then, I decided to respond to him. Here it goes:

Rhymefest:
I'm responding to your post because you don't have my number.

Please fam...don't let some of these people on the boards get the situation twisted for you. I'm not dissing or coming at you on any level. In fact, I love the song "Go Go Gadget Flow" off of your new album, and I encourage everyone to purchase The Cool. Chitown is on the rise! However, Barack Obama also lives in Chicago, and at the very least we have to not put out information that is wrong or can be misconstrued by people on the outside OR the fans that love, listen, and follow what we say.

As a brother, all I'm asking you to do is tell the people that you really don't know what Barack Obama's position is on Iran, or at least not when you did the SOHH interview.

In my original post, I did not mention your name or the actual source of the interview. Just to let you know, my mission is not to down you, but to big up Barack Obama.

If you or anyone else supports any other candidates such as Hillary Clinton, Ron Paul, or whomever---I think that those are all fine candidates; I just find it irresponsible to tell untruths about any of them.

Lupe, please tell the people Barack Obama does NOT support bombing Iran.

Lupe:
In Response To Fest...

Have no fear...the misconstruding bias that exists in the OKP doesn't affect me to the point of turning on my people in a negative way...even when my people are the ones misconstruding it...

let me first reinforce my stance on national politics and the American System based on a mispractice and abomination of true democracy...

i have no faith in it...never have, never will...a mindset instilled at a very young age by a pro-active, Black Panther party promoting, revolutionary father and a very intellectual damn near anarchist mother with more than enough facts to back it up...

I've been around politics and politicians my whole life...got the baby pictures with The Honorable Harold Washington to prove it...Recently i was just honored alongside Hillary Clinton as one of shining stars of Cook County (if u didnt know she from around the way as well)...I know and have seen what this system is capable of both good and bad...some of my peeps are state reps and the such...if that even means anything to the point

I say this to let you know first off I'm educated in the process...so much so that I dont agree with it..more importantly I wasnt out to slander Obama...If it was misinformation that I received then I apologize on behalf of the source but like I said I am still going back to recheck the validity of the source...if that is not his stance now then so be it...my opinion of Hillary being in Office over Obama is merely because she is a woman and I believe the act of a woman leading the strongest nation in the world will have unforeseen side effects and may act as a catalyst for change the world over more so than that of a black man...is that a fact? NO...does it even really matter? NO...they both still tow the line and champion the ideals of their respective party...which is flawed in its nature (The Party Line that is)...For Example...Continuing the fruitless and very illegal and very oppressive and very repressive also very very expensive "War On Terror" was one of the first things off his lips @ the Iowa victory speech FACT!!!...Just like all the candidates would've said if they would have won...I say this because they are all the same...Race has nothing to do with it...see Condelezza Rice & Colin Powell (or any of the other black leaders in Africa that continue to rape and pillage the motherland and its people just like the white british & dutch did)...its about Justice and Equality and I dont hear Justice and Equality from any of these canidates that are on the forefront...not even Hillary...I'm not impressed...Im not impressed like i was impressed by Malcolm or Martin or continue to be impressed by Chomsky or Cornel West...I dont hear true Social Equality...I hear traditional American Democracy & retorhic (i dont think I spelled that right) which is my brother nothing but bullshit...

in closing I think that if I said all that in response to SOHH it might have been clearer that Lupe Fiasco doesnt even support the system as a whole so what he thinks of the candidates who are running to head it up isnt even relevant...maybe I'm wrong..maybe it will be the start of a renaissance that will change the face of the world and we will be blessed with Social Utopia or maybe my nigga got the blessing of the Iluminatti and is just meant to bring us one step closer to having a chip in our fucking heads...either way I'm good..as long as there is the word of Allah (SWT) and the leadership of his prophets that will always reign supreme...

Men build castles of sand even when rain is sure to come...

Blessings and Godspeed in your struggles for truth...

Salaam...

I'm still callin too!!! hahaha

Rhymefest:
First of all...

All praise IS due to God, and I thank God that we're able to have this type of dialogue ESPECIALLY in hip hop. However, I was not born into a political revolutionary family like you. My father was a crackhead alcoholic. My mother was 15 years old when I was born. I was raised around gang members. So personally, when I hear Barack Obama speak about hope and its audacity, that is a message that I can relate to.

Being raised on the Southside of Chicago under the conditions that many of us are subject to, I haven't had the opportunity to become desensitized to the political and social ramifications of a Black president. My brother, it does mean something. I don't believe that Barack Obama is the 'same ol' same'. Did you know that in a recent poll 69% of whites think it's possible for a Black president, while only 47% of Blacks thought it was? This suggests to me that our cynicism and disbelief will surely be the death of us.

I believe in Allah and all of his prophets. However, I believe God also sends messengers in the form of parents, community leaders, and yes---politicians. Barack Obama speaks against lobbyists and their influence on the political system and candidates. Did you know that his campaign was funded not by lobbyists with corporate agendas, but by individuals like you and I? Considering the millions that he has raised, a lot of individuals believe in the audacity of his hope.

Lupe, this can be a great moment for us; even though I know you don't have my number, I will still expect your call, LOL.

It seems to me as if you're not sure if change can or cannot happen. Our recent successes, and Barack's recent success in Iowa, is proof that with faith all things are possible.

Lupe:
I admire your audacity in the face of your plights. My faith is where its supposed to be...with the Lord...

trust my opinoins are molded not alone by political thought and high discourse around the house...but also by niggaz getting shot in my hallway, hookers turning tricks in the stairways we played in and finding heroin needles while playing football in the front yard...crooked cops and crooked aldermans with a different gang on every block...that would be the westside my friend...it happened to all of us...so i look for beacons of hope as well and where I see it is not in the face of a politician in this day and age...Sadly and Happily I see it where it's always been...in the face of the people!!!...as far as US who keep US back and are among the cynics and undesireables i wonder what the cleasing process is for US?...Ovens, Internment, re-education on the glorious mechanics of the system or how about Gauntanimo or what about censorship or just a good level of ignoring??? or quarantine them to the worst parts of town give them a shitty education and an econmomy based on narcotics, welfare and minimum wage and let them kill themselves in wars over obtaining luxury goods?...how do u handle your own kind who dont believe in what u beleve?...I guess we dont count cuz we dont vote becuz we dont believe in the hollow promises of liars and a system that has shitted on us for over 400 years using principles that our precious politicians and canidates still hold dear to this very day...a contract of social equality written by slaveowners...that deserves so many "fuck outta here's" it aint even funny...

I pray for change...and change will come...i dont know in what form...is it Obama? maybe...

God gave us the ability to have faith...He also gave us a brain...i like to use mine together sometimes...

Salaam...


thoughts???

PUT YOU ON! *Estelle*


Estelle, London's flyest singer/emcee/ and nice ass person has a new record with Kanyizzle called, "American Boy" off her album Shine droppin in February. She's signed to John Legend's label, Home School so it only makes sense. Props to her mayne. I saw her perform this live at SOB's in NYC and she killed it. She's most def a part of the Supa-Woman movement of women on the mic with class and flair so look out world!!!

http://www.zshare.net/download/6294573af38dd7/

HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA 2

People keep sending me hella funny vids today yo...

wapa commercial!

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How funny is, "STAY OUTTA MY UNIVERSE!?!" Thats STRONG!

HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA

THIS SHIT IS HILARICAL!!!!


why is all that beef mess so tru tho??

God's Got Jokes: Coonery is Alive and Well Folks

Well, yesterday I made the proclamation that Coonery is seeing its final days with the Flava of Love going into its 3rd and final season. Well, I counted my coon before they were hatched. Folks have been passin this video and others like it around for the past couple days. When you see a video like this, you are given a harsh reminder that Coonery, is alive and well and will be for a looooooooooong time! Dratz!

Monday, January 7, 2008

The Daily Wrap Up

[So this is my daily wrap up. Ima TRY to do this every day, you know on some reflection, take no day for granted type steez, but I can’t make no promises!]

In the words of O’Shea Jackson, “Today was a Good Day!” I consider today to be the real first day of the New Year since nobody went back to work last week, at least not mentally. I’m so ready to get things crackin i.e. go on the road, get sponsorship, book some more projects, etc. I’m a workaholic, and just want to get this music and my vision to as many people as possible, what can I say? Hope everybody had a good one and if ya didn’t I hope tomorrow is.



A Laugh Before Leavin:
I went to a restaurant today that had a BLT on the menu. The description said:
"BLT-Bacon, LETTERS, tomato"…hahahahahahaha “letters?!” That doesn’t even look like it could perhaps be “lettuce.” No sir!

Put You ON!

[This is a feature dedicated to puttin ya'll on to some shit whether it be music, movies, literature, television, etc. I'm lucky/blessed enough to stumble across a lot of artists/works that inspire(s) and enriche(s) and in sharing I hope ya'll can take em in and let them do the same for you:) ]

I watched an amazing program on Sundance channel tonight with
Wynton Marsalis called Iconoclasts. Here's a dope quote from Wynton on finding his way:

When I was graduating from high school and trying to figure out what to do next my mother and guidance counselors all told me the same thing, ‘Don’t go into music cause you’ll end up like your father. You’ll basically be broke; struggling-you have to have something to fall back on.’ Then I asked my daddy [Ellis Marsalis], ‘What should I do man? Should I have something to fall back on?’ He said, ‘Man the only advice I can give you is don’t have anything to fall back on. Cause what it’s gonna take for you to make it doing this, whew, it’s going to be very very very very hard. So if you have something to fall back on you gon’ fall back.’

Whoever says tv is just an idiot box, ain't watchin the right stuff.

Kids Don't Stand a Chance

We've gotta do better folks. We've simply GOT to do better.

VIDEO-Detroit Man Beats 2-yr Old Child in Party Store

*sigh*

AND GOD SAID, "THE COONERY SHALL CEASE!!!"


"Flava of Love" has one more season...
And let the people say "AMEN!" AAAAYYYYY-MEEENNNN!!!

btw-I just wasted an hour of my life watching the "I Love New York" reunion. First of all, how the hell does La La keep a straight face hosting this mess?? It never ceases to amaze me! And dagnammit will New York's titties pop already. Them joints is absolutely absurdly big for no good reason. Are we supposed to believe that someone would actually marry this jawn?!?

Mike Vick think he Slick


Whelp, F.B.M. and convicted dog merker Michael Vick looks like he might have pulled a hat trick and could very well be getting out the hoosegow early!

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick could be getting out of federal prison much earlier than anticipated after applying for a prison-monitored drug rehabilitation program and evidently being moved into the program in Leavenworth, Kan. Under the program, Vick could be released after serving only 12 months of the 23-month sentence Vick was given Dec. 10 in Richmond, Va. The program could have Vick out of prison by the end of this year and perhaps back in the NFL by the 2009 season.

As it stands, Vick’s 23-month prison term could translate to a release in the summer of 2009, putting his attempts at a return to the NFL for that season in jeopardy. But if Vick were to be released in late 2008 or early 2009, his opportunity to return to the league after missing only two seasons would be boosted significantly. Members of Vick’s camp continue to hope that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will decline to tack on a lengthy suspension following Vick’s release from prison.


Now I know a lotta folks felt like he deserved his punishment for being involved in the whole dog fighting foolery but I personally think they threw the book at the brotha. I would like to see him back on the field as soon as possible. And let's be real, errybody can act like they’re done with him but we all know that for Falcons fans (and F.B.M. fans alike) all it'll take is one amazing game for folks to jump right back on the Vick Di**!

Supa Woman of the Week: Michelle Obama



Our Supa-Woman of the Week is Mrs. Michelle Obama, for what I consider to be obvious reasons. I mean she really is just dope, period. But just for the heck of it let’s list three:

1. Her kids always look sharp! Not since Jackie O’s seeds have a set of Political Kiddies been so together. It’s also great to see a mother in the spotlight who is realistic about not only why the kids should be present but also why they need to remain protected. (Lynn Spears take notes!)

2. She’s not just standing around plotting which china she’s gonna use in the white Black House if “Bams” picks up the W. SHE PLANNED HIS CAMPAIGN! Brothas stay complaining about the lack of “down ass chicks” out here, well here is a shining example of not just a woman who’s down, but a man who respects her as is his teammate!

3. Cuz with Barack winnin the Iowa and now New Hampshire caucus you know them hate emails is floodin her AOL box. Coretta mode, ENGAGE!

Check out this video of her speaking at the women for Barack Luncheon April '07...so casually fly! She needs her own Cover Girl line, called "First Lady," lol