2pac earns 15 million dollars from the grave!

According to Forbes.com, hip hop icon Tupac Shakur (2Pac) earned 15 million dollars last year, although he has been deceased for close to 13 years.

In Forbes.com column The Business Of Hip-Hop: Hip-Hop's Cash Kings 2008 by Zack O'Malley Greenburg the top money grosser’s in the industry are listed.

Along with Tupac Shakur (2Pac), other hip hop notables listed and mentioned in the article include Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Sean "Diddy" Combs, rap artist Kanye West, and Andre "Dr. Dre" Young.

For some reason the article mentions hip hop mogul Marion ‘Suge’ Knight and ‘rumors’ of his involvement in the death of his Death Row Records hip hop / rap superstar Tupac; which lowers the quality of the article. But that aside the article has some good factual info. Check out the entire article at Forbes.Com

Politically Potent Hip Hop MC Paris Drops Acid Reflex 9/9/08

Just in time for election year, San Francisco based conscious hip hop MC Paris returns to the now-seemingly apolitical world of hip hop to once again inject his patented form of sonic fury into the musical landscape with his latest release, ‘Acid Reflex’; available nationwide on Sept. 9^th, 2008.

The outspoken conscious hip hop MC Paris is known for bringing his message with a vengeance, injecting a much needed dose of reality and consciousness into the music industry and to the hip hop community. He lives up to his rep in his latest project ‘Acid Reflex. With commentary on a wide range of topics including black-on-black crime and violence, the ongoing problem of police brutality, illegal and immoral wars, the crooked arena of politics and the need for more of an equal balance between positive and negative influences in entertainment, ‘Acid Reflex’ is the latest installment of cutting-edge funk-and-rock-inspired hip-hop in a career spanning the sale of over 3.8 million units independently worldwide.

The lead single and video, "Don't Stop the Movement," provides a scathing reintroduction toParis' polemics, and serves as a stark reminder of the type of potent politically and socially aware commentary in hip hop that has become less and less frequent as the art form becomes increasingly corporatized and diluted for mass consumption.

Featured performances along with Paris on ‘Acid Reflex’ include Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee and Parliament/Funkadelic frontman George "Dr. Funkenstein" Clinton, Public Enemy leader Chuck D. and newcomer and Paris-protege T-K.A.S.H..

‘Acid Reflex’ is a cutting criticism of modern day American life, and acts as a rallying cry for the need for social justice, unity and awareness.

Being a conscious hip hop MC, Paris has an uncompromising stance on political issues and biting social commentary, which have both aided and hindered his quest to bring solid music and messages to the masses. But in hip hop he is known for keeping it real and for real talk from the real deal - be sure to pick up ‘Acid Reflex’ from Paris on Sept. 9^th nationwide.

For more on Paris please visit:

http://www.guerrillafunk.com

and

http://myspace.com/guerrillaparis

The Memphis rap and In light of the loss of one of Memphis' greatest icons, Grammy Award winning musician, songwriter, and singer, Isaac Hayes, Jr., 65, the music community is responding in remembrance of the music legend.

Hayes was found unconscious in his home in the Forrest Hill area on Sunday, August 10, 2008 laying somewhat lifeless next to a treadmill that was still operating as if he had been alone exercising even though sources say that he was not fully up to par for sometime. Hayes was discovered by his wife and was pronounced dead after being taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital in East Memphis at 2:08pm.

Though one of Memphis' and the nation's greatest icons is gone, it is definitely apparent in the response from the Memphis hip-hop community and elsewhere in the nation that through his music Isaac Hayes, Jr. will continue to live on.

"This is a truly big loss for Memphis and for everyone," stated platinum music producer and Memphis Music Commission Board Member Kurt "KC" Clayton (Three 6 Mafia, The People vs Larry Flynt) to MemphisRap.com. "The city of Memphis and the community has loss one of the true ambassadors of the Memphis music community and the city in whole. At the same time though, heaven has gained one of the greats," KC continued. "He's touched a lot of people lives musically and will surely be missed and never forgotten."

"This weekend was a double dose of reality and a vivid reminder of how I and we need to make good use of the time God gives us. The death of one of the most inspiring soulful musicians from my city Isaac Hayes, as well as gifted comedian Bernie Mac (are gone)" stated rapper Kia Shine, who has had to the opportunity to work beside Isaac Hayes' son, who has followed in his father's footsteps as a producer.

"Mr. Hayes passing really hit close to home because he is from my home, Memphis, and because I am close with his son (Isaac Hayes, III), producer "Ike Dirty" (Money in the Bank, Lil Scrappy)," Shine told MemphisRap.com. "Issac Hayes inspired all genres of music with his sound and soulful swag, I grew up listening to him and I have him in my IPOD now," Shine added. "My condolences go out to his family during their time of mourning, but through his music and every artist he has inspired with his work, his name and legacy will live on."

Longtime radio, TV, and voiceover personality Tina Tilton (host of MCS 88.5 FM and Video Waves TV show) never actually got a chance to meet the music legend, but stated it was one of her most anticipated goals. "Though I did not get an opportunity to physically meet or speak with Isaac Hayes, I had a great time hosting events at his restaurant," stated Tilton. "Almost every time I was there, I would ask about him, in hopes to one day see him walk through the door, but it never happened," Tilton added. "Still the experience is one that I would never forget. May God bless his family."

President at the Memphis Grammy Chapter, Grammy nominated songwriter and rapper/producer Al Kapone (Alkatraz Productions) stated to MemphisRap.com, "We just lost a worldwide Memphis icon and I will always remember the times he connected with me and gave me a glimpse into his musical genius. R.I.P. Black Moses."

Isaac Hayes, the composer, arranger, producer, singer-songwriter, actor, and voiceover personality who had various nicknames (Black Moses, Ike The Ripper, and Chef) would have been 66 years-old his upcoming birthday on August 20th, just a little over one week away of his death. Rest in peace, Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. (August 20, 1942 - August 10, 2008). hip-hop music community is responding in remembrance of music legend and icon, Isaac Hayes, Jr., 65.

Sujata Chakrabarti

Hip hop artist Ishq Bector, who has done a lot of work in Bollywood, has a degree in sports medicine; he has worked closely with the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan

c_sujata@dnaindia.net
Ishq Bector, the hip hop artist, has been associated with Bollywood celebs for a while now. He has written, produced and sang songs for Dhoom 2, Fight Club, Pyaar Ke Side Effects, Race, Maan Gaye Mughall-e-Azam and the Mallika Sherawat-starrer Ugli Aur Pagli. In fact, in Ugli Aur Pagli, the 27-year-old hip hop artist from Canada starred alongside Mallika in one of the tracks.

However, his association with celebs is not just limited to Bollywood. He has a degree in sports medicine and has closely worked for the Indian cricket team, personally assisting Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar, apart from assisting several Canadian and American football players.

Speaking about his interactions with Mallika, Ishq says, “At first she was so horrid. She was like this gangster, always bullying and intimidating everyone around her. It takes time for her to become comfortable with someone.”

However, not many know that Mallika herself is a music enthusiast. Ishq adds, “She suddenly turned very sweet while discussing music with me. I realised that she is a very observant woman and can speak on various topics that do not come within her realm of experience.”

Ishq feels that Bollywood is a big thing in the West thanks to the burgeoning satellite and radio channels. He says, “Bollywood music is part of every Indian household. It is hugely popular in cultural programmes in Canadian and American schools and colleges and also college level radio shows.”

He also says YouTube has been a big boon to foreign language music in the West. In fact one of the songs that he composed for his recent hip hop album titled Dakku Daddy, was picked up by YouTube and in a few days featured in the top 10 songs on the Canadian music charts. He is excited with the success of his album which also sees several collaborations with Indian artists like Sunidhi Chauhan, Shweta Pandit and Zubeen Garg (of Ya Ali fame).

The songs in his album have huge Bollywood influence. Ishq says, “The influence of Bollywood on every Indian child living abroad is strong. I have kept the storyline of my songs almost on the lines of masala Bollywood movies.”

His collaborations are not just limited to Indian stars. He has also written and directed rap tracks for the American band Mobb Deep.

Actor Bernie Mac dies at 50

8.9.08

We've been cheated out of Bernie Mac's second act.

Dead from pneumonia at a mere 50, Mac leaves behind a legacy of great success and unfulfilled promise. We can be grateful for the hits, most notably, his influential, insufficiently appreciated sitcom The Bernie Mac Show. But as with any performer who dies while at the height of his career, you can't help thinking there would have been more to come.

Born Bernard Jeffrey McCullough in 1957 in Chicago — but known to the rest of us as Bernie Mac — he was, in show-biz circles, a late bloomer. He didn't come to national attention until he was already well into adulthood, and his comedy came from a decidedly adult perspective. It could be raw and blustery, but the anger and insights both came from experience, and were often softened by a warmth he could turn on and off at will.

Though he worked in TV and films though the '90s, most notably, perhaps, in the 1995 hit Fridays, Mac's career didn't take off until 2000 with the Spike Lee concert film The Original Kings of Comedy. His costars at the time were probably better known: Cedric the Entertainer, D.L. Hughley and Steve Harvey. But it was Mac who broke out, challenging Hollywood to give him a sitcom — a challenge met by Fox the next year with The Bernie Mac Show.

Loosely based on his own life, Mac cast him as a happily married man who becomes a not-so-happy father when he's forced to take in his sister's three young children. Addressing "America" directly through the camera, Mac let us know precisely what he thought of this and every other turn of event, while his children and his wife let us see they knew how to get around him.

The show ran four years and earned Mac two Emmy nominations. But as ratings fell and network support vanished, Mac moved on to movies: Oceans 11 and its sequels, the Guess Who's Coming to Dinner revamp, and Transformers among them. He also battled health problems brought on by the inflammatory disease sarcoidosis that were clearly more serious than he let on in public.

For all his talents, Mac was not always his best ally. His complaints during the run of his Fox show, while sometimes justified, did not do much to endear him to the network, and may have hastened the end of the series. Most recently, his off-color remarks while introducing Barack Obama at a fundraiser in July got him into trouble with both the audience and the campaign.

Still, it was that fearlessness — that often-rash willingness to offend — that made Mac stand out in a world of pandering comics. It was why many of us hoped he would return to the medium that made him a star and help revive the now-disappearing sitcom.

It's not to be. And yes, that's a cheat.

Rock the Bells Festival Reunites Hip-Hop Legends

Imagine spending a weekend with 12 hours of the greatest rappers performing their greatest hits in person. The Rock the Bells Festival descended on downtown Miami’s Bayfront Park on August 2nd to bring on the beat, old-school style. For the last five years, Rock the Bells has put together annual concerts featuring hip-hop’s greatest legends. This year’s event was no exception.

Attendees at this year’s sold out concert were hyped and hot, and it wasn’t just because of the scorching weather. Featured artists such as De La Soul, Q-Tip, A Tribe Called Quest, Wale, Mos Def, Pharcyde, Dead Prez and many others kept the temperature rising. One of the more animated acts was the duo of Method Man and Redman, who jumped into the crowd to greet their fans. They also paid tribute to their friend, the late Old Dirty Bastard.

Among other highlights, rapper Mos Def performed his song “New World Water,” something the venue needed with the Miami heat. Mos Def later joined Q-tip on stage to perform a few songs. Q-tip and his pals Phife Dawg and Jarobi White, members of the group A Tribe Called Quest, also gave the crowd a chance to hear some of their classic hits.

Of course, the showcase would not have earned its hype without Queens-based rapper Nas hitting the stage and performing a track from his upcoming album “Untitled.” The song’s lyrics called on his fans to “Change the World,” which he claims was influenced by this year’s upcoming elections.

In addition to Nas delivering some deep, thought-provoking rhymes, groups De La Soul and Pharcyde also recited some of their classic hits that kept the show going strong. Throughout the day, V.I.P guests were spotted wearing backpacks from Rock the Bells sponsor SanDisk, a company known for creating flash memory card products and USB removable drives.

The concert brought an array of different ethnic backgrounds and nationalities together, which made the event easygoing, enjoyable and widely diverse. Based on the success of this year’s old-school hip-hop showcase, next year’s concert should attract even more spectators.

Hip-hop could "big up" or burden Obama

By Michelle Nichols

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Presidential hopeful Barack Obama listens to hip-hop, knows many of the genre's moguls, such as Jay-Z, Russell Simmons and rapper Ludacris, admires their business acumen and has been endorsed by them.

That support could be a blessing for the 47-year-old Democratic candidate as he appeals to young voters.

Or it could be a curse, with links to hip-hop's "gangsta" image and offering ammunition for the supporters of Republican rival U.S. Sen. John McCain.

"Hip-hop's public image makes it a hot potato," said Bakari Kitwana, of the Study of Race, Politics and Culture at the University of Chicago. "People don't know what it is so they equate it with hyper-sexuality, violence and drug culture."

"People on the right can always say this doesn't represent family values and they can make these negative associations with hip-hop that then Barack or any other candidate is put in a position to defend," said Kitwana, who is publishing a book in September on organizing a hip-hop voting bloc.

Hip-hop music began in New York's South Bronx in 1970s and has grown into an industry worth billions of dollars with mass appeal beyond its black and Hispanic roots.

Activists broadly define a so-called "hip-hop generation" as Americans mostly aged 18 to 29. There is no data showing how many of the millions of those voters identify with hip-hop.

A March poll by the bipartisan "Rock the Vote" found 47 percent of young voters support Obama, with 28 percent backing the 71-year-old McCain. The hip-hop activists believe a majority of the "hip-hop generation" back Obama. 

'PUSH THE ENVELOPE'

Obama, who would be the first black president, has criticized some hip-hop songs.

"I am troubled sometimes by the misogyny and materialism of a lot of rap lyrics, but I think the genius of the art form has shifted the culture and helped to desegregate music," he told Rolling Stone magazine.

He distanced himself recently from a Ludacris song slamming Obama's former Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, McCain, and President George W. Bush. The song calls Clinton a "bitch," says McCain doesn't belong in "any chair unless he's paralyzed," and calls Bush "mentally handicapped."

Obama's campaign said "Ludacris ... should be ashamed of these lyrics." McCain's campaign did not return calls for comment.

"Hip-hop is a celebration of not only what is right, but what is wrong in society," Benjamin Chavis, chairman of the bipartisan Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, told Reuters. "A lot of times artists like Ludacris, they push the envelope in terms of describing the contradictions of American society."

Chavis said, with Obama running, "all indications show the 2008 election will probably have the largest youth voter turnout, the largest hip-hop voter turnout in U.S. history."

HILFIGER, VERSACE AND OBAMA?

Hip-hop began with a party-focused image. But it later became harder with "gangsta" rap, which focused on violent gang life. Several noted rappers have died violently, including Jam Master Jay of Run-DMC, Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.

Rappers regularly make news for the wrong reasons -- Lil' Kim and Foxy Brown served jail time in recent years and rappers often appear in court.

But rappers are fighting the stereotype, sponsoring programs to encourage fans to vote and making political statements. In 2005, Kanye West accused Bush of racism for the slow response to help those stranded when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, saying "Bush doesn't care about black people."

Rock The Vote says 44 million Americans aged 18-29 are eligible to vote, of whom 61 percent are white, 17 percent Hispanic, 15 percent black and 4 percent Asian.

Simmons, known as the "Godfather of Hip-Hop" for co-founding the hip-hop giant Def Jam, says the youth vote could be the "critical difference" on Election Day.

"They decide whether (fashion designer) Ralph Lauren is cool," Simmons, who has endorsed Obama, told Reuters.

"They built Tommy Hilfiger from scratch and they reaffirmed Versace. There's no reason why they can't help to build (Obama's) brand like they do for Coke or Pepsi."

Ludacris Song Alienates Obama . . . but Not Voters

Written by: Meghan Moynihan

The presidential hopeful has distanced himself from the controversial rapper.

Ludacris’s new song, “Politics as Usual,” has cost him the support of Democratic presidential candidate, Barack Obama, the Associated Press reports.

The rapper’s new song discusses the problems that may be facing the nation’s first African-American president, pointing out how he will want the support of the hip-hop community and all of the influence that they can provide, but how Obama will also want to avoid the controversy that commonly surrounds the genre.

The new song did not strike a chord with Obama however, as his campaign spokesman, Bill Burton, said in an e-mail statement that Ludacris “should be ashamed of these lyrics,” calling them “outrageously offensive.”

The song attacks all of the presidential hopeful’s opponents, saying about Hillary Clinton, “That (expletive) is irrelevant,” and saying that Republican nominee John McCain does not belong in “any chair unless he’s paralyzed.”

So will Obama’s condemnation of Ludacris distance any of his potential voters? Apparently not, according to Jeff Johnson, an activist and host of an upcoming news and public affairs show on Black Entertainment Television. “Hip-hoppers and black folks understand the game,” he said. “They’re thinking, ‘An Obama who knows how to play the game is still better for me than a McCain.’”

He adds that for political reasons, it is expected by some that Obama will “separate himself from anything controversially black.”

While Obama has embraced some of hip-hop’s cultural influences, brushing his shoulder in one campaign appearance in an apparent nod to rapper Jay-Z, it seems that he believes this time Ludacris has gone too far.

Calls to Ludacris’s publicist and manager were not returned on Thursday.