50 Cent Loses 54 pounds for an upcoming movie role…He looks pretty damn sick

%0 Cent lost 50 pounds for his upcoming role in a film..

This just appeared in the latest edition of US Weekly.. Its 50 cent looking pretty gaunt and sickly. He lost 54 pounds for a role in a upcoming movie which according to US was inspired by a pal who died of cancer… 50 Cent penned and stars in Things Fall Apart, a flick about a football player stricken with the disease.

“I lost 54 pounds for it,” the 6-foot rapper, 34 — who dropped from 214 pounds to an astonishing 160 with a liquid diet and three-hour-a-day treadmill walks for nine weeks — tells the new Us Weekly (on newsstands now). “I was starving.”

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Should Rap Artists Have a Morality Clause in Their Contracts?

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DaveyD-leather-225This is an interesting concept (having a morality clause) that has obviously grown out of the frustration that many  feel when they hear about a high paid recording artists acting out in public or is accused of committing a crime. The most recent incident being a stash of drugs found in the home of Jadakiss who at press time was not arrested or wanted by police. While a morality clause may have some effect in the NFL or NBA it is likely not to work in the music arena for a number of reasons. 

First, the NFL and NBA are institutions that long ago had the foresight to see that having a good image could be profitable.  As a result they’ve worked hard to control their public image by taking a number of steps ranging from disallowing TV networks to use their name or likeness to imposing dress codes on players when appearing in public.  Their theory is that the league is bigger and more important then one individual player.

This has never been the cased with the music industry. Here we’re talking about an institution that has never been shy about flirting with unsavory elements in our society, either as performers or as behind the scenes executives and employees. Such associations have added to the lore and often cited ethos -sex, drugs and rock-n-roll. In other words, the music industry has thrived off  of having a bad boy rebellious image. Sadly much of that drama filled image is crafted and planned out with the same precision and calculation as the NFL and NBA seek  to move away from trouble.

Second point,  professional sports leagues have a  small number of people who get paid lots of money with very few entry points for one to rebound if they blow their opportunity. Hence its easier to police a sports league compared to the music business which has a lot more entry points. In the  NFL or NBA  players can barred or suspended.  There is no music industry that you can bar one from. You might restrict airplay or stop someone from performing at a concert , but they can always go and do things on the indy tip and record or perform somewhere else.  Putting the word banned or suspended next to their name  will probably result in an artist enjoying more notoriety thus increasing their popularity.

The NFL and NBA is one big institution that controls all aspects of its business. It controls TV, radio, magazines etc. the Music Bizis a made up of a bunch of  individual parts that have symbiotic relationships to one another.  Its by choice we all work hand in hand, but we don’t have to especially if we have economic interests at stake. For example, if Interscope records decides to suspend 50 Cent, that has little bearing on what I  do as a radio programmer. I may still play his music, show his video or highlight him in magazine.  In addition, oftentimes its members of an artists’ entourage that kick up dust and cause drama hitting,  Who do you suspend there?

Third point, The Music Industry has built its business around shady behavior. Controversy and beef are major selling points. Artists going to jail and having brushes with the law have far too often enhanced their attraction and validated them or their record labels who seem to be determined  to garner ‘street cred’. In short bad behavior is rewarded.

Here’s a couple ofexamples.  A few years ago Jay-Z stabbed record executive Lance Un Rivera after it was revealed that he was bootlegging Jigga’s music.  Was Jay-Z suspended? Did he stop receiving airplay? Did MTV/BET tell him he was no longer welcome at their award shows?  Hell naw. The incident made him seem more ‘real’ in the eyes of fans and sadly in the eyes of radio and video executives who often live vicariously through these artists. Some of these folks felt they themselves got street cred from playing or being in good with Jay-Z and his Roc-A-Fella Fam.

Now imagine if any of us stabbed a collegue? It would be a wrap unless we were former Vice President Dick Cheney who shot his boy in the face during a hunting trip-but lets not digress. My point here is Jay-Z was seen as a hero, not by young impressionable children, but by grown ass men and women in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s who work in the music industry who make decisions to present or not present music and images to millions all over the world.

Another example involves The Game and his entourage a couple of years ago. They  came to a Washington DC radio station WYKS to do an interview and wound up and beating  down a popular DJ named X-Zulu. According to the story, they were angry when the DJ made what they felt was an off the cuff remark.  (according to reports he said the blue tooth headset one of Game’s people was wearing made them look like a Klingon from Star Trek fame). 

Radio One which owns WYKS was at first furious with Game and ceased playing his records. However, other stations around the country continued to play him without hesitation. Game later went back into the studio and recorded a new verse to his popular song ‘Hate it or Love It’ where he actually bragged about the incident which sent the deejay to the hospital. Many radio executives had no problem playing that song on their airwaves including Radio One. In fact WYKS eventually resumed playing Game.

The grumblings around the industry was that lots of money was put forth to make sure Game’s music was played and put in heavy rotation. When the station ceased playing his songs, the money (payola) was asked to be returned. Rather then do that the station opted to, play his music. Oh well, so much for morality clauses. If anything maybe its the executive in this industry that need morality clauses..

What I find fascinating about this is that record labels when needed can and do exert control over their artists. They control where artists can do interviews on major radio stations, what concerts they perform at and what magazine’s they grant interviews. This control is all tied into the type of promotion and managing of image that the labels feel they need to have in order to ensure a successful promotion of an album. If an artist doesn’t comply, the label doesn’t promote their record. Over the years I’ve seen labels shut down concerts, have station visits stopped and letters from their lawyers demanding we stop playing a record. Rarely have I seen them push to have us shut things down because an artist did something wrong to the community. I have seen this happen when record executives themselves got beaten up… Like I said a morality clause needs to be imposed upon record executives

something to ponder

-Davey D-

Goodell Effect not always good for NFL but may be good for rap music artist

by Ooh Papi

http://www.playahata.com/?p=7068

NFL logoRoger S.”The Hammer” Goodell is the Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), he was chosen to succeed the retiring Paul Tagliabue in 2006. He is nicknamed “the hammer” because he has been very tough on most NFL players.

Most think he has been to tough at times in fact Terrell Owens said that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been unfair to suspended quarterback Michael Vick and that the union and more players need to speak out. In an interview with ESPN’s George Smith, Owens said he was surprised more players haven’t spoken up in support of Vick and that, “the commissioner needs to go sit in jail for 23 months” to see what it’s like to sit behind bars.”I think it’s unfortunate,” Owens said. “I think the way the commissioner has handled it, I think it’s unfair to Michael Vick. I think he’s done the time for what he’s done. I don’t think it’s really fair for him to be suspended four more games. That’s almost like kicking a dead horse in the ground.”

Remy Ma sghould've had a morality clause in her recording contract

Remy Ma sghould've had a morality clause in her recording contract

However his reputation for toughness has impressed many. In fact, his style may be making its way over to the Warner Music Group and other music labels. Attorney Lauren Raysor’s called a press conference today and asked record labels to put a“Goodell effect” into rappers contracts. For those who don’t know Raysor is the attorney who helped put Bronx rapper Remy Ma behind bars for shooting her client Makeda Barnes-Joseph.

Raysor propositioned that labels put a “morality clause” in their artists’ contracts, providing monetary incentive for artists to not engage in violent or criminal acts. She compared the music industry to the NFL, which enforces codes of conduct stricter than ever since the Republican raised Goodell took over.

Raysor made it clear she wasn’t trying to run amok on free speech / 1st Amendment rights or destroy gangsta rap lyrics and emphasized “It is your outside behavior we are talking about; we’re not talking about what you write.”

What Raysor wants to see become a contractual matter to prevent violence in hip hop is a contractual agreement from artist that will govern acts of contempt, scorn or ridicule that will tend to shock, insult or offend the community, or ridicule public morality or decency, or prejudice the company, producer, and others in the public or in the industry in general

Raysor is looking to meet with label execs in an effort put the morals clause into effect and if this dialogue is picked up in the blogosphere then it will surely be an anecdotal mark in the timeline of rap music’s evolution.

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Before there was 50 There was Tim Dog-Remembering the East-West Coast War

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daveyd-raider2In the wake of the recent skirmish between Joe Budden and Raekwon‘s entourage  at Rock the Bells and the skewering remarks that Game has directed toward Jay-Z, the topic of beefs in Hip Hop has reared its head once again. For many of today’s rap fans they look at success of 50 Cent and him using beef  as way to bring about much needed attention as the blueprint for navigating the maze we call the music industry. They also look at 50 as a pioneering figure who jumped all this off.

Its true that 50 is the poster child for beef. He’s definitely made it a science of sorts and will probably admit to it. But he’s by no means the first on this block. Before there was 50 we have to go back a good 18 years to a guy named Tim Dog who many claim set off the whole east-west coast drama when he released his song ‘Fuck Compton’ .

Tim Dog's infamous Fuck Compton record was the said to be the first lyrical salvo the what became Hip Hop's East-West coast war

Tim Dog's infamous Fuck Compton record was the said to be the first lyrical salvo the what became Hip Hop's East-West coast war

 I wouldn’t say Tim Dog set off the east-west coast beef  persay. First the east-west coast beef was really Bad Boy vs Death Row (Puffy vsSuge and 2pac vs Biggie). They had personal issues that spilled over into underlying simmering coastal tensions that had long existed even before Tim Dogg came along.

What was at the root was the perception of  New York being resitent to artists and music from outside the 5 boroughs.  More specifically the anger was really at New York based Hip Hop radio shows and publications like the Source where on air personalities and critics routinely dismissed and outright dissed Hip Hop music coming from other parts of the country.

From a New Yorker’s perspective the argument was very simple. The Big Apple was the Mecca and birthplace of Hip Hop and hence  set the standard for all to follow or so they thought.  If your music didn’t sound a certain way or your flows weren’t in step with the word mastery being executed by top NY based artist at the time, you were considered wack. Such pronouncements might find their way in print. They might be uttered on a popular radio show like Chuck Chillouts, Red Alerts, or Marley Marls. They were far too often reflected in record reviews.

Outside of NY especially in places like Cali, people were disheartned and then angered when folks would see or hear about their hometown heroes being publicly dissed. Here in Oakland, we all heard stories about artists like Too Short who were extremely popular, could easily pack a show and have thousands chanting along to his songs would go to NY and get booed at his own album release party. I was in NY at the New Music Seminar in 89 or 90 when famed A&R rep Dante Ross sat on a panel and talked about how Miami Bass which was popular throughout the south was wack. An enraged Luther Campbell aka Uncle Luke popped up out of his seat and rushed the stage ready to smash on Dante. Later Luke underscored what many outside of NY was feeling when he pointed out that NY rappers are always shown love on the radio and by the people all around the country, but as soon as folks come to NY the birthplace of a music and culture everyone loves it was outright disrespect. Luke was determined not to be disrespected that day… But New York never really changed. If you was from outside the city you weren’t gonna get too much love.. Whether you from Miami, Oakland or Compton..Enter NWA..

NWA helped break the stranglehold New York had on Hip Hop. They snatched the spotlight in the early 90s and made Compton Hip Hop's Mecca

NWA helped break the stranglehold New York had on Hip Hop. They snatched the spotlight in the early 90s and made Compton Hip Hop's Mecca

Niggas With Attitude did at the time what no other group outside NY could do capture the imagination and media attention of the country like their NY counterparts. They not only brought the spotlight to the west coast.  They also let folks know what many of the indy west coast artists were already discovering which is you didn’t really need   to go to NY to make it-There were 49 other states.  NWA grew, gangsta rap grew, west coast Hip Hop grew, not just in popularity but also with cats getting money. What was also growing was the awareness that what NWA was speaking on was real-There was gang culture that was becoming bigger then life with each song and folks out west especially in LA were realishing in it…New York no longer had the same lure. The rest of the country especially the west coast had come up.

Compton was Hip Hop’s new Mecca when Tim Dog stepped on the scene and attempted to bring the spotlight back to NY.. His song Fuck Compton raised alot of eyebrows as he stepped to NWA hard with a song that was undeniably good..Tim got props when he addressed the controversy surrounding Dr Dre who at the time had made headlines for beating up female rapper and TV host Dee Barnes at an album release party for Eazy E’s group BWP (Bitches w/ Problems) party in front of dozens of artists.  Tim came at Dre hard. What was even crazier was he had a video which they used to rock on the playboy channel and sometimes the Box. I look at the video now and I see a persona that would one day be a 50 Cent.  The biggest irony to this whole thing is that Tim Dogg eventually moved to LA  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzv7ZDqvWn4

Another track to catch where Tim Dogg cobntinued his lyrical assault and challnge to Compton and NWA was with the video ‘Step to Me’. You can peep the video here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzF_NlXYZFI

Now after Tim Dogg dropped his joint there were a number of responses from West Coast groups including DJ Quik ‘Way 2 Funky’, Dr Dre with his infamous ‘Dre Day’ cut and Compton’s Most Wanted’ ‘Who’s Fucking Who’. One of my favorits came from Tweety Bird Locwho is from Kelly Park..  He got at Tim Dogg with this cut ‘South Bronx Can’t Touch Compton’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4FKcG0dPfg

Dr Dre eventually came after Tim Dog in the song Dre Day where he got at Eazy E as well as Luther Campbell.. In this track Snoop goes after Tim Dog

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPaNaD2gr-E

People didn’t really trip too hard with Snoop going after Tim Dog in Dre Day. Tim’s image was never really shown as Snoop was able to further establish himself as an emcee by going toe to toe with him on the lyrical tip. Not sure if people remember but around that time Snoop was offering up a million dollars to anyone who could beat him in a freestyle. I need to check for the video we did where he spoke to me directly about that.. He was definitely all about perfecting his lyrical prowess. But people were pretty much feeling Snoop. What raised eyebrows and intensified the east-west coast thing above and beyond the Bad Boy vs Death Row beef was the video to New York, New York by the Dogg Pound where Snoop is kicking down buildings.

People raised the same objections about the video that west coast artists raised a few years ealier which was ‘Why dis us when we show you love’?  The beef had also taken new levels because during the video shoot shots were fired at DPG after Biggie went on Hot 97 and spoke about West Coast cats being in town dissing the NY.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X_JJeVJLFc

Tim Dogg put out a song responding to Snoop called ‘Bitch with a Perm’  but by then Snoop was riding high and Tim Dog was starting to be seen as yesterday’s news. The East-West Coast beef was in full effect and the Jiggy era was starting to impact Hip Hop.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXRJ6qcqUAs

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Feds Set to Probe Rappers in the Wake of Jam Master Jay Slaying

jam-master-jay turntablesThe Hip Hop world will come together in mass over the next few days to pay tribute for the late Jam Master Jay. First today [Monday November 3 2002] there will be a public and private wake.. Tomorrow will be the funeral.

As the Hip Hop world grieves there have been a number of developments. First, we now know that the police have a video tape of the suspect. Shortly after the slaying newspapers and other media outlets reported that there was no video tape which aroused suspicion because the studio where the killing took place regularly recorded people coming and going. Media outlets were quick to jump on this facet and as a result implied that JMJ may have been involved with some sort of ‘rap war‘ which led to him being killed.

We now know that a tape was given to the police who say they have gotten a small break in the case. They have issued a description of the suspect. He’s described as a dark skin black male who is 6’2″ and 180-210 lbs…There’s no word as to whether or not they will have some sort of sketch. Thus far they are saying they got the description from eye witnesses. We’ll keep you posted on what the they find on the video tape.The police will be interviewing a couple of possible suspects including an unidentified man who supposedly has a long-standing feud with JMJ.

Another disturbing development is a cat named Kenneth Walker was shot and killed in the Bronx over the weekend. Walker was a promoter for rap star 50 Cent. The NYPD has been trying to see if there’s any sort of connection between JMJ and beefs involving 50 Cent.For those who don’t know, over the past couple of years 50 Cent has gotten under people’s skin for doing songs where he calls out so-called ‘gangsta rappers’. His new album has all sorts of dis songs.. As of Thursday last week, 50 Cent has reported to have left town because there have been a number of threats on his life. JMJ was friends with 50 Cent and produced some of music.

While all this is going on, the press has had a field day lambasting JMJ and trashing his image. The NY Daily News ran a disturbing article over the weekend pointing out that JMJ owed close to 500 million dollars in back taxes. They also reported that he owed one cat 10 thousand dollars. They noted that him being killed may have been because he owed so much money.

The NY Daily News article included callous quotes from a NY Franchise Tax Board representative stating that they intend to collect their money from JMJ’s estate. It’s like he hasn’t even been buried yet and already their lining up to get paid. The story also has everyone wondering, if these allegations are true, how in the world does a cat who belongs to a group as famous as Run-DMC which has more multi-platinum albums then we can count and is responsible for running his own label and for discovering and putting out multi-platinum acts like Onyx, be broke and in that type of serious debt?

All sorts of other media outlets from USA Today to the NY Times have jumped on the rap war/rap feud bandwagon. In spite of vehement denials from those closest to JMJ including Russell Simmons, the coverage from that angle has been relentless. This is now resulting in The Federal government intervening and using this as an excuse to probe the relationships that exists within the rap world. In fact the NY Post has a huge headline screaming this fact…

All this is coming at the heels of disturbing accusations suggesting that the recent killings by the accused Beltway snipers John Muhammed and Lee Malvo were inspired by rap songs and rap groups who belong to the 5 Percent Nation. Acts like Wu-Tang‘s Killarmy have been cited as the influence… Folks may wanna peep this latest article..
http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/61299.htm