WALIOHAMASISHA NA KUTOA KIPAUMBELE SANAA YA MAVUNJO KWA JINSIA YA KIKE NA HISTORIA ILIYOFICHWA
(B-Girls who helped start the female breakdance trend The Untold B-Girl History)

B-girls history dates back to the early 70's with the first official all girl crew called the "Zulu Queens". These ladies were the first to do the top rocks lil burns here and there but they weren't into flares head spins etc...it was more of stylish point of view not getting dirty on the floor. Remember this is the early stages in the b-girl movement so it was like a party thing, hanging out and calling guys out for fun. One of the members I remember off the top of my head was Sha-Rock from a group called "The Funky Four Plus One" which was formed in 1976. Sha-Rock later became big as a female rapper and in the rap world. I also remember meeting Ez-Rock out in California back in 1995 she was a Zulu queen from the San Diego chapter! she had pretty much paved the way for a lot of girls who were out there battling and traveling the world with the Rock Steady Crew in the early 90's with Crazy Leggs. Ez-Rock still break dances today but she is more on the mother tip because she has a little girl to raise but she still down to represent. Then there another b-girl by the name "Honey Rockwell" from New York very down to earth b-girl and a full time mother she got down with the rock steady crew in the early 90's she toured the world and also and went to jam on the Groove Tour. You can see some of Honey Rockwell's break-dance videos on YouTube. There are more b-girlz I could speak on but I just wanted to write quick little history for all the b-girls out there. Some of the b-girls I mentioned may be order than you but you still got to give them respect, without them there would be no foundation for b-girls to showcase there talents. - (Read more about Honey Rockwell - below)

Honey Rockwell BIOGRAPHY
Born and raised in the Bronx, Ereina "Honey Rockwell" Valencia started her dance career at the Bronx Academy of Dance when she was seven years old. Enrolled in gymnastics and dance, Honey hated taking ballet and jazz. She says, "I wasn't good at picking up choreography but I was good at being acrobatic. I was a better flipper than I was doing those dance styles." Continuing with gymnastics all throughout high school, Honey was influenced by the dance scene around her and started picking up breaking moves on her own. She says, "I'm an '80s kid. It was my era, my generation that I grew up with. I lived in the Bronx. Everybody did it around me, everybody did it in my school. I incorporated it in my routines, in my gymnastics routines."

After graduating high school, Honey was offered the role of a dancer in Mannequin 2: On the Move, where she would meet the man who would change her life.

"I met a guy by the name of Louie New Wave. He introduced me to the whole world of the b-boy world that was happening in the '90s. He definitely was a mentor of mine and definitely transitioned my path in this world. I look up to him, I loved his dance style. He was a popper and a waver. He's just off the hook. So he was the turning point of my life. That was like 1990."

After taking some time off to have a baby, Honey called up Louie New Wave to start training again. In '93, he took Honey to her first practice where she would meet her breaking mentors. "I met Crazy Legs, Ken Swift, Mr. Wiggles, the whole GhettOriginals Dance Production, as well as some other guys. And the girls, Rokafella was there.. Masami, Zoraya-Wiggles' wife, Deena, Wandee."

However, Honey wasn't accepted right away. She had to prove she was worthy of Rock Steady's tutelage.

"Some members didn't want me, they were like 'Who is she?,' which is true, very true. But, you know, I guess I showed them proof. I had people in the crew that did believe in me and wanted to give me that opportunity. So they did, like Flowmaster worked with me a lot, Gremlin worked with me a lot, Legs worked, everybody worked with me big time. In order for me to be down, everyone wanted me to be good."

The next step was getting her name, a process that had a little hiccup. "I'm embarrassed. I gave myself my name ... My real name is Ereina. So I was like 'Hmmm.' Rokafella already gave herself a name. Her name's Anita but her b-girl name's Rokafella. I was so jealous. Fucking illest name. I was jealous. I was like Rokafella, fuck! What can I make my name? So, I was like Ereina, I do back handsprings, I do flips. Rainbow."

And how long did Rainbow have her b-girl name for?

"Until I figured out it was gay pride. So, on tape, we're doing a performance and Wiggles has to do this thing: Next up, Rainboooooow... And then they were like 'You gotta change your name. That's not your name.' I was like 'Whatever, that's my name for now.' And Gremlin used to call me Honey. 'Hey Honey, what's up? What's good, Honey?' He called everyone Honey. And then we were at a practice spot in the Bronx and the avenue we turned on was Rockwell Avenue in the Bronx. Kwikstep saw the sign and said you should call yourself Honey Rockwell. And they were like 'Yeeeeah, Honey Rockwell. That's it.' It's funny, I saw it and was like 'Oh yeah, maybe.' So we started writing it graffiti style. It stuck... It's so funny, how you get your name. And it's stuck and been out there for awhile."

What's interesting about Honey is that her b-girl training started as a grueling preparation for a theatrical production. She says, "Training was every single day, eight hours a day. It was for the show though. We were training for something. I came in when there was things about to happen. As soon as I came in and they saw potential in me, they asked me to be a part of it. And it was eight hours a day, literally. Intensive choreography practices. And I was learning how to do the movements, learning the whole style, as well as the choreography, which I sucked at."

However, practices weren't just in the studio. After rehearsals were over, Honey would hit the clubs because "going out was our training." She says, "We didn't have practice spots. No, there was no practice spots back then. Nobody was throwing 'Oh, come over, come to a session at PS whatever.' My house was the practice spot. I remember Storm, and some other dudes that came randomly from Germany, they put water all over my floors and started doing windmills."

The show that Honey had to train so diligently for was Jam on the Groove, the first hip hop musical to debut Off-Broadway. It toured all over the globe and opened in 1995 at the Minetta Lane Theater in New York City. In '96, it was nominated for a Drama Desk Awards for Best Choreography, competing with Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk, the production that took home the win that year. The dance company behind it was GhettOriginal Productions, a group formed by members of the Rock Steady Crew and Rhythm Technicians after showcasing a piece called "So! What Happens Now?" at Performance Space 122. The piece was inspired by the death of b-boy Buck 4.

Honey credits Jam on the Groove with bringing b-boying back to the masses. In the late '80s, early '90s, breaking was allegedly dead, with much attributed to its demise: media saturation, overexposure, b-boys exploited for their talents by big business, and the supposed banning of breaking on public streets. Others say it never died, it just went underground, out of the mainstream's eyes and ears.

The way Honey tells it, another factor contributed to it. "For the most part, people were dancing, kind of like the birth of House, from what I can remember, so that's when House music was coming out, and people started getting more into that %u2026 House was the closest thing to footwork, you know. So there wasn't really a style of music we could do, that breakers could do. The style was House or Hip Hop." Honey continues, "The music was hot though. The music was fire. The birth of House and Hip Hop. Music was dope. And then they stopped playing, actually they still don't play stuff in the clubs like breakbeats and shit."

It's a salient point, that the music just wasn't there for b-boys and b-girls to dance to in the clubs anymore.When Jam on the Groove started touring in the early '90s, Honey says the show made it acceptable to b-boy again. "93, '94, we toured it. We toured it around the world. People were like 'What? You're back? It's back out? What are you talking about?' People were in shock. People were like, some people were like 'Thank god it came out, now I can come back and practice.' The old school guys wiping off cobwebs, coming back in. People were

like, it was something for somebody to do again, it was another outlet again. People could practice again. And then it just exploded. The show we did, Jam on the Groove definitely was the train to get on, the train that definitely put people on. 'Hi, we're back,' you know, and it's never stopped since then. That's what, '94-2010, 16 years."

Breaking is now stronger than ever, with b-boys putting together jams and events, taking the reins on their own culture. And as with all cultures that survive through the ages, it is an ever-changing thing. Recently, conversations about whether b-boying should be categorized as a dance or a sport has been surfacing in different breaking forums and jams. Many have offered their opinions and Honey isn't shy about hers. Her thesis is about semantics.

"Why does it have to be called a sport? Call it a dance competition... Or, what's wrong with the word sport? We don't have to call it a sport, we could just say it's a dance battle. That's it, it's another category. It's another genre of competition. Dance battles. You've got, what are some other names for um, you've got scrimmages, you've got meets, you've got games, so we've got dance battles. You don't have to call it a sport. Don't call it a sport. They are competitions though and people are winning trophies in battle."

Semantics may not matter to Honey, but she wants b-boys to get paid for doing what they love to do. She says, "I'd like to see the evolution of it becoming seen on ESPN, or a channel like that where you could see, watch that on TV instead of watching a basketball game. I'd like to see them win money and be sponsored by %u2026 sponsors. It's already happening."

And because Honey knows the culture so well, she ends her argument with "I'm open-minded about that. I know people are gonna hate on that but whatever."

THE CONVERSATION turns towards the current b-boying scene and Honey says, "It is insane now. The difference is that more people respect it, more people are doing it. It's nice, it's a nice feeling."

For Honey, the one major difference between the scene back then and the scene now are the b-girls. "There's a lot more now, of course there are thousands, I'm amazed. There's no words to describe going to a jam and seeing b-girls. It's emotional for me. You know, because there was none. There was always preachy, we need more b-girls, we need more b-girls." Honey continues with what she hopes for b-girls in the future, "I'd like to see b-girls do every single thing that a guy can do. And I think it's already reached that level, I think b-girls are already like, every power move, endurance, the style. I think there's been enough years since I've been down, 16 years, that girls have like went over the top and everything, so I'm pretty impressed. But the sky's the limit."

So much has changed since Honey Rockwell started b-girling full force back in the early '90s. The pioneers and legends of the dance are getting older and if b-girls like Honey Rock don't know their own history, then as the dance changes and evolves, who's going to remember what the roots of it were? Is it important to know the history? "Absolutely. I mean I'm open-minded. I'm like the wrong person. If you were asking..(story continued below)

... this to guys that invented the dance, or like legends and pioneers like Kenny and stuff, yeah then they're going to be like 'Oh, most definitely.' I'm open-minded. 'Cause I feel like, hey, if this is keeping you out of trouble, and you're doing something positive with your life, I'm not going to hate on you not knowing your history. I'm open-minded like that. You're here to take my class. If you want to know this, if this is something that really really you're into, yeah, then this is important. If you're into it. What ballerina knows who invented ballet? And what year? You don't always have to know that. It's nice to know the vocabulary. I mean it's fairly new. It's thirty-something years old. You should know the vocabulary. There should be set names to

different movements. And I think we need to respect because we have living legends that are still alive. So I think we do need to pay that respect. I'm sure the ballerina culture, their living legends, they were giving them their respect. I'm sure they pushed and pushed and pushed to become a nice recognizable dance form. And this is what we're doing now. It's almost there, we're almost there. The thing we gotta get together is have these OG's document the movements and before, you know, god forbid people start dropping and it's already happening. We're hitting our fifties guys, we're not getting any younger. And these guys, you know, things that they've done in their past is affecting their today, their present, and their future and, you know, we gotta hit them up and get as much information as we can. It's very important. It's a lifestyle that we live right now."

What's next for Honey? Transitioning from a dancer to a businesswoman.

"I'm taking my baby steps. I formed my own company, Rockwell Dance Company and also Rock Da Floor [with Kid Dynamo and Bam Bam]. And teaching classes and outreach, lectures. Just the company growing a little more professional. Merchandising, videos. Just expanding more on a professional level, transition my career from dancing to more of a business, sending people out for shows, getting the company tight for whatever it is people want to do."

50 Cent APELEKWA HOSPTALI BAADA YA AJALI MBAYA  [wakilishi wanasema anaendelea vizuri]
50 Cent was involved in a car accident last night in Queens, when his SUV was hit by a Mack truck.
50 Cent was involved in a car accident in Queens, New York last night and had to be hospitalized.
His SUV was rear-ended by a Mack truck. Reports say that the SUV almost flipped over, and Fif was taken on a stretcher to the hospital, and his driver was also taken to the hospital, where they were going to run tests on his neck and back.
See photos from the accident below courtesy of ThisIs50.
We'll update you as more information on his condition becomes available.

50 akipeleekwa hospitali

gari la 50 cent lilivyo gongwa



50 akiwa hospitali

UPDATE:
A rep for Fifty says that the rapper has been released and he's doing fine following the car accident."He was taken to New York Hospital Queens where he was treated for minor neck and back injuries," his spokesperson told ABC News. "He was released this morning and is doing fine."

Obama AMPA TANO YOUNG JEEZY KWENYE  CHAKULA CHA USIKU JUMBA JEUPE MAREKANI (Shouts out Young Jeezy)

Jeezy reacted to the White House mention on Twitter, writing, "Shout out to @BarackObama." He added, "You know they love the snowman in the white house."
In 2008, Young Jeezy released the song "Mr. President" with rapper Nas. The track, which was recorded when Mr. Obama clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, made Rolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of 2008 list.

Go to 14:30 to hear Mr. Obama's Young Jeezy mention:

Young Jeezy has put on for his president and repped Obama hard in the past including his hit song "My President is Black". Well now it's time for the shout outs to get recipricated as Obama shouts Jeezy out at a recent White House Correspondents Dinner.
and self-admitted rap fan Barack Obama joked about following his impromptu Al Green rendition in January with a take on everyone's favorite Snowman, Young Jeezy. At the 14:30 mark, Obama starts to wrap up his speech by giving a "quick preview of the secret agenda you can expect" if he is re-elected in 2012. "In my first term, I sang Al Green," he says. "In my second term, I'm going with Young Jeezy." Following the nervous laughter from his onlookers (some of whom are likely unfamiliar with Jeezy's brand of thug motivation), Obama followed the joke by saying, "Michelle said, 'Yeeeeah.' I sing that to her sometimes."

HUYU NDIO  PRODUCER/RAPPER P-FUNK MAJANI NA WASIFU WAKE ,MWENYE MCHANGO MKUBWA KWENYE GEMU LA SWAHILI HIPHOP

Paul Matthysse ( P Funk ) ni mtayarishaji wa muziki na pia mmiliki wa Studio ya Bongo Records iliyopo jijini Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. P Funk ambaye nusu Mtanzania nusu Mdachi, kama miaka ishirini iliyo pita hivi .P Funk a.k.a Majani, alikuwa na hisia za kupendelea muziki na pindi hadi kuamua kufanya kweli.. kuvutiwa kwake kupenda muziki ndio chanzo kikumbwa.. kilicho pelekea kufanikiwa vizuri katika muziki.

Kwenye Miaka 1991-92 wakati yupo bado shule IST (International School Of Tanganyika. Alikuwa mtundu mtundu kwenye studio za pale shule.. kupiga- piga midundo mbali mbali ya hapa na pale na kufoka-foka(Rap music) na pia alikuwa mbele sana kwa kupiga musiki kwenye Pati mbali mbali.. na hapo alikuwa kupenda sana musiki kwa ujumla.
Ameshirikiana na

Master Jay, Bonny Luv,Rajabu Marijani, Bizz Man, Boznia nk

Yaliyomo
 1 Elimu ya Muziki na Uzoefu Wake
 2 Tuzo Alizopata
 3 Wasanii Aliowainua
 4 Pia Anajulikana Kama
 

Elimu ya Muziki na Uzoefu Wake

P-Funk alikwenda kimasomo ya Mlio (sound) engineering kwa miezi 18 pale Amsterdam, Netherland kabla ajaingia kwenye kutayarisha muziki. Alikuwa anajua kitu anachotaka kufanya. Mwaka 1995 akiwa na vifaa vyake vichache alianzisha kampuni yake ya kurekodi muziki nyumbani kwake. Na ni katika kipindi hicho hicho neno ’Bongo’lilipokuwa linatawala katika misemo ya kiswahili cha mitaani na lilikuwa linaelezea hali halisi ya maisha ya Dar es Salaam na ndio kipindi hicho album ya Bongo ilipozinduliwa. Akiwa bado ni mtayarishaji muziki mdogo, amefanikiwa kupata umaarufu mkubwa katika fani ya muziki na hasa katika milipuko ya nyimbo zenye ladha ya Bongo.

Anakubali kuwa amepata sana utaalam na mbinu kutokana na kufanya kazi watayarishaji wengine wa muziki wa Kitanzania kama Master J, Bonny Love na Rico. Mawazo yake na namna ya kuyaoainisha na muziki ndio hasa ambacho kinafanya muziki wake ufanikiwe.

Tuzo Alizopata
 1 Kili Music Awards. ( 2003 )
 2 Kili Music Awards. ( 2005 )
 3 Kili Music Awards. ( 2006 )

Wasanii Aliowainua

Kwanza alianza kwa kumpandisha chati Juma Nature ambaye ndio nyota wa nyimbo za swahili hip hop kaendelea kwa kutayarisha santuri ya Imam Abbas,Solo Thang, AY, Zay B, Sista P, Mike T na pia alishawahi kufanya kazi na Professor Jay alipotoa santuri yake mwenyewe. P Funk ana wasanii wengine wengi wanaotumia nembo ya kampuni yake katika Utengenezaji wa albamu.

 
MJUE RAKIM LEGEND ANAYEHESHIMIKA NA MALEGEND WENZIE MAREKANI
 William Michael Griffin Jr. (born January 28, 1968), known by his stage names Rakim, is an American rapper. One half of golden age hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential and most skilled MCs of all time.

Rakim

Birth name

William Michael Griffin Jr. Also known as

Rakim Allah, Ra, R.A.K.I.M., The Master, The God Emcee, The God
Born

January 28, 1968 (age 44)

Wyandanch, Long Island, New York, United States

Origin

New York City, U.S. Occupations

Rapper, CEO, record producer, screenwriter, author, poet

Years active

1985–present

Labels

Ra Records, 4th & B'way, Island, MCA, Aftermath

Associated acts

Eric B., Marley Marl, Large Professor, Kool G. Rap, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Ghostface Killah

Website  www.rakim.com

Eric B. & Rakim's classic album Paid in Full was named the greatest hip hop album of all time by MTV,[5] while Rakim himself was ranked #4 on MTV's list of the Greatest MCs of All Time.[6] Steve Huey of Allmusic stated that "Rakim is near-universally acknowledged as one of the greatest MCs -- perhaps the greatest -- of all time within the hip-hop community."[7] The editors of About.com ranked him #1 on their list of the Top 50 MCs of Our Time (1987–2007).[8] Rakim began his career as the emcee of the rap duo Eric B. & Rakim, who in 2011 were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Contents

1 Early life
2 Career 2.1 Eric B. & Rakim 2.1.1 1986–87: Beginnings and classic debut

 2.1.2 1988–89: Sophomore peak

 2.1.3 1990–94: Final albums and dissolution

2.2 1995–99: Going solo

 2.3 2000–07: Aftermath Entertainment and departure

 2.4 2006–present: Occasional shows and The Seventh Seal

3 Artistry 3.1 Rapping technique

 3.2 Musical style

4 Legacy and influence

 5 Discography

 6 Notes

 7 References

 8 External links

Early life
Rakim is the nephew of American R&B singer and actress Ruth Brown. He grew up in Wyandanch, New York, and became involved in the New York hip hop scene at 18. Eric B. brought him to Marley Marl's house to record "Eric B. is President." At the time Griffin was fresh out of high school and on his way to college, but he decided to forgo higher education and instead chose to record with Eric B.

Griffin then known as Kid Wizard was introduced to the Nation of Islam in 1986, joined The Nation of Gods and Earths (also known as the 5 Percent Nation), and took the name Rakim Allah.

ITAENDELA TOLEO LIJALO.

SEHEMU YA PILI MAISHA YA Emmanuel Jal WA SUDAN

Music
While studying in Kenya. Jal started singing to ease the pain of what he had experienced. He also became very active in the community, raising money for local street children and refugees. With the encouragement of those around him like Gatkuoth Jal who has also went through the same experiece, Jal became increasingly involved in music and formed several groups. His first single, "All We Need Is Jesus", was a hit in Kenya and received airplay in the UK.
Through his music, Jal counts on the unity of the citizens to overcome ethnic and religious division and motivate the youth in Sudan. After escaping to Kenya, he fell in love with hip hop in the way that it identified issues being faced by the neighborhood, which he was able to identify with in a unique manner. Although he lacked any music background or knowledge of its history, he felt that hip hop could provide the easiest and most effective vehicle to express his story and lobby for political change.
He went on to produce his first album, Gua, a mix of rap in Arabic, English, Swahili, Dinka and Nuer. The symbolism of unity is expressed in the title, meaning both "good" in Nuer and "power" in Sudanese Arabic. His lyrics illustrate the desires of the Sudanese people to return to a peaceful, independent homeland. Although the only hip hop Jal had ever listened to was American, while he was in Kenya, the beat to "Gua" is not the usual American hip hop, but rather is strongly African. The title track, also called "Gua", was a number one hit in Kenya and featured on The Rough Guide to the Music of Sudan and Help: A Day in the Life, bringing together some of Britain's best known on a CD in aid of children in conflict zones (produced by War Child).

His next single, "War Child", mixes rap with soul to produce a world music vibe. He begins with telling his story through powerful lyrics; "I'm a war child / I believe I've survived for a reason / To tell my story, to touch lives."[4] He continues the song with the narrative of his life and the pain inflicted upon him. "Written in English, Jal's second language, the new album [War-Child] may lack the poetic gymnastics of hip-hop's more fluent stars, but the plainness of the words - half-spoken, half-chanted over a mix of hip-hop and African-flavored choruses - keeps the focus on the story."[5] His powerful words spread the message of what he has been through, and what many are still living with now.

His unique brand of hip hop, layered with African beats, has led him to be considered one of the rising stars in the world music scene. Prior to Jal, rapping in Southern Sudan was primarily in the local language of Nuer and artists used sticks and clapping hands in place of instruments.

His second album, Ceasefire, was released in September 2005 and includes a re-recording of "Gua". This album is a collaboration with the well known Sudanese Muslim musician Abd El Gadir Salim and brings together opposing sides of the conflict, and different music traditions, to a common ground of the wish for peace in Sudan. The collaboration represents a vision for the future, as two Sudanese men, a Christian and a Muslim, unify and pave the way to overcome differences peacefully. Both musicians endured unimaginable adversity to become important figures, not only in music, but in the future of a country. They accentuate the differences between them and their musical styles, as a symbol of co-existence. The album preaches in four languages, encompasses every type of music in one, in an effort to transform the sound of hope into musical form. Ceasefire is not only the sound of two men collaborating on a musical project, but more symbolically, two halves of a divided nation learning to trust each other. This album's version of "Gua" was played on the American television series ER at the very end of the Season 12 episode "There Are No Angels Here" (aired on May 4, 2006).

Among other places he performed at the Live 8 Concert in Cornwall in the summer of 2005. He was awarded a 2005 American Gospel Music Award for best international artist.

Jal's third album, Warchild, was released by Sonic360 Records in the UK on May 12, 2008. Jal, along with an all-star line-up, performed songs at Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday concert at London's Hyde Park on June 27, 2008. www.emmanueljal.com.

MKALI WA RHYME SKYZOO

Born Gregory Skyler Taylor in 1982 in Crown Heights,Brooklyn,is a New York hip hop emcee.he grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant. He was nicknamed Skyzoo by his parents after R&B group Skyy. The nickname also derives from his middle name, Skyler. He began rapping at the age of nine and went on to work with producers Jay Dee and 9th Wonder, releasing several mixtapes in the hope of securing a record deal. He lost to Jin on BET's 106 & Park freestyle contest, but went on to have tracks used as both the theme to ESPN's Whiplash TV and the soundtrack to a Guinness advert, and set up his own Custom Made Entertainment company. He has also had a long association with North Carolina rap crew the Justus League, whom he was introduced to via his friend Chaundon, and who he describes as his "second family". Jay Dee's death in 2006 prompted Skyzoo to pay tribute with the song "Sky's Last Donut". He worked with 9th Wonder on his debut album, Present Cloud 9: The 3 Day High, which reportedly took only three days to record. He also contributed to three tracks on the Hall of Justus album Soldiers of Fortune.

He released the critically acclaimed Corner Store Classic mixtape in 2007, and released a remixed version, including some new material, as a digital download album in 2008. Corner Store Classic was rated 'XL' (4/5) by XXL Magazine. In 2007, he stated that he had a second album ready, called The Salvation, but was waiting for a major record deal before releasing it. It was released in September 2009 courtesy Duck Down Records.

He cites as influences hip hop artists such as Notorious B.I.G., Jay-Z, Nas, N.W.A., Big Daddy Kane, and Kid 'n Play, as well as artists such as Sade, Nirvana and John Coltrane, and cites Coltrane's A Love Supreme as his favorite album. He credits J Dilla as his biggest inspiration and favorite producer.He has been critical of the direction that Hip Hop has taken, stating "People are taking the 'whatever we gotta do' method, resulting in gimmick records. I'm about making money but it has to be with dope records".
 

WAKA FLOCKA AJIGAMBA NA JIBU MAPIGO KWA WALE WANAOSEMA HAJUI  KURAP.

Earlier this week, Waka Flocka Flame released his highly anticipated Triple F Life: Friends, Fans and Family, and while some critics applaud his energy, others continue critique his lack of lyrical creativity. Now, in a recent interview with Fader, the Brick Squad Monopoly rapper responds to critics' complaints about his raps.

Flocka explained that he fully well realizes that many listeners find fault in his simplistic wordplay, so much so that he even joked that "Lord knows Waka can’t rap," but he maintains he doesn't care. He said that his music is more about energy and emotion rather than traditional rhymes and lyrics. He added that he's always had difficulty expressing himself even in his youth, but that his music has been a means to channel his feelings without having to verbalize them. 

"People say, 'You don’t have lyrics,' so I’m just like, 'Lord knows Waka can’t rap'...I'm being sarcastic...throw it in their faces. I really don’t have an answer for them. I’m doing Waka’s music. My music is different. It don’t sound like a typical rapper’s music...sometimes I’ll go two weeks and won’t record shit, cause I don’t feel it. But another week I might go do 10-12 songs."

He continued, "It’s a mood. If you’re happy as shit you can just rap about whatever cause you’re happy as shit. The best times for me to rap are when I’m happy and mad. When I’m depressed and shit, I don’t too much like rapping. When I’m happy and mad, I love it. Sometimes I verbally release my stress and it backfires on me, because sometimes I don’t express how I really feel. Since I was young it’s been hard to express how I feel, I really don’t like talking about problems. But now, I don’t have to deal with ultimate lame shit. I made my mark, so I can be around what I want to be around."

THE RZA AWAONGOZA MAELFU KWENYE UKUMBI WA JUVENILE HALL SIKU YA BABA DUNIANI.

The RZA will be spending his Father's Day at the Los Angeles Juvenile Hall to teach inmates about fatherhood.

The late Ol' Dirty Bastard once said that the Wu-Tang Clan is for the children, and now, the RZA is putting that into action. This Father's Day June 17, Bobby Digital will be working at an area juvenile detention center in Los Angeles, CA.

TMZ reports that the rapper/producer/actor will be hosting a workshop on fatherhood for inmates at the Los Angeles Juvenile Hall who will be raising children following their release. The Rzarector will be teaching inmates a number of skills and life lessons that they will need for raising their children, including changing changing diapers, dressing kids and more.

"[The RZA will help] educate the young men about their roles, responsibilities and expectations as fathers upon their release from juvenile hall," explained the Los Angeles County Probation Department in a press release.

The RZA most recently appeared as a guest on the Showtime program "Californication" and reportedly been working with Method Man and Busta Rhymes.

GAME ATOA WITO KWA DRAKE NA CHRIS BROWN WAWE NA UWAMINIFU KWENYE USHKAJI WAO.

Game says Drake and Chris Brown need to resolve their issues, but reveals that he has no plans on being mediator.

Compton rapper Game is no stranger when it comes to issues between other artists, but following an incident allegedly involving both Chris Brown and Drake this week the rapper is calling for a truce between both artists.

TMZ caught up with Game to get his thoughts on the altercation which took place at W.i.P. in New York City.

“Come on what kinda questions ya’ll be asking man,” said Game when asked if Chris Brown vs. Drake would become the equivalent of Tupac vs. Biggie. “Chris Brown is like my little brother man. Drake is a cool dude man. They just need to cut that out. It ain’t worth it.”

While Game hopes for peace between Drake and Chris Brown he revealed that he’s in no position to be mediator between the two artists.

“I can’t be ambassador man. I’m just a cool cat man. Imma stay out of they beef and let them do them,” Game explained. “It’s for the bird’s man.”

KANYE WEST, FAT JOE WAFANYA TRAKI YA UZAWA INAYOKWENDA KWA JINA LA 'PRIDE N JOY'

During the early 1990s, the Native Tongues was one of rap's most influential collectives. Comprised of groups A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul and Jungle Brothers, the crew collaborated on beloved hip-hop tracks like De La's "Buddy" and "A Roller Skating Jam Named 'Saturdays'." It's unifying tracks like those that inspired Fat Joe's latest single "Pride N Joy."

"That's exactly what it was," Fat Joe said of the song's Native Tongues comparisons. "It was like Native Tongues, it was like crazy, everybody was in there, and that's what hip-hop is supposed to be."

The track was produced by Kanye West and brought Miguel, Roscoe Dash, Jadakiss, Mos Def, Busta Rhymes and DJ Khaled all together in the studio. It was Yeezy who put the plan in motion.

" 'Ye hit me up and said, 'Yo Joe, it's time.' He don't even get on the phone, so when he said it was time, I flew into New York," Joe explained while backstage at Hot 97's Summer Jam concert on Sunday. "We were up in there working in the lab for like three, four days."

Originally the track featured a bridge sung by R&B stars Trey Songz and Miguel, but West felt the song was better served with a harder rap vibe. "He was like, 'Yo we gotta turn it into hip-hop, we gotta chant the hook. He called a bunch of people, I called a bunch of people, they came down," Crack said.

"And even if she all about the money, I don't really care," the MCs chant in unison while clapping their hands.

"We was all in there together and it was an ill vibe," the Terror Squad leader said describing the scene in the studio. "We brought the microphone outside the studio and no Styrofoam [sound proofing] and everybody together just going in."

Though he is already two singles deep ("Pride N Joy" and the Chris Brown-assisted "Another Round"), Joe isn't going to rush his eleventh album. There is currently no release date.

"I'm taking it back to the '80s, when artists where putting out like four singles in a row," he said. "That way you smash 'em and the fans officially know, 'Yo, this dude got nothin' but hits on this thing, I'ma go cop the album.' "

What do you think of "Pride N Joy"? Is it "what hip-hop is supposed to be"? Leave your comment below! 

THE ROOTS WAUNGANA KID CUDI, DIPLO AND RAKIM KWENYE ANNUAL PICNIC

 Hip-hop's hardest-working band is getting ready to put in overtime this weekend as the Roots put on their fifth annual Roots Picnic in the City of Brotherly Love.

Wale, Kid Cudi, Meek Mill, De La Soul and Diplo will join the world-famous Roots crew and perform during the two-day music festival on Saturday and Sunday at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia. The picnic has grown over the years as the idea was birthed back in the band's early days while they were touring in Europe.Questlove Excited For Annual Roots Picnic

"This year will mark the first time that we're doing two days instead of one," Roots maestro ?uestlove told MTV News back in May. "I'm extremely proud of the diverse lineup that we have. Between Wale, Meek, Kid Cudi, De La Soul, Rakim, St. Vincent, Major Lazer, Diplo, Danny [Brown], it's a whole vast array of acts that we have on the show. “Last Saturday, the Roots will back iconic New York trio De La Soul for their performance, and Sunday they will hit the stage with Rakim to honor his 1987 debut album with Rakim.”On the second day we're celebrating Rakim's 25th anniversary of Paid in Full, so we're going to do the entire album from start to finish,”?uesto explained. "That's like a tradition, last year we did Illmatic from start to finish with Nas."

Last year, ?uestlove, Black Thought and company backed Rakim for an intimate concert at the legendary New York jazz club the Blue Note. "The Roots is hip-hop royalty right now," Ra told us back then. "From what they do, what they bring to the table, for them to holla at me, put this together, invite me out, that let me know, 'Yo, it's official.' Otherwise, they wouldn't. It's a good feeling to be around this long and still get that love."

For ?uestlove, it's all about celebrating good music and bringing the vibe that they absorbed in Europe over to the U.S. "That's all we wanted to do was bring back what we learned and give it to the city of Philadelphia," he said.

RAPPER 50 CENT NA SAFARI YAKE YA KENYA, SOMALIA ILIKUWA KAMA IFUATAYO

On February 11, 2012, Rapper 50 Cent visited Kenya and famine-hit Somalia

50 Cent nairobi na watoto waliokumbwa na janga la njaa

Rap star Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson visited Kenya and famine-hit Somalia this week to raise awareness on hunger and poverty issues. Jackson flew to the southern Somali border town of Dolo, which has provided refuge to the thousands of women and children fleeing drought and conflict in the nation.

"What I am seeing is devastating -- these women and children have risked everything to come to this Somalia camp, just to get food," Jackson said. "They need our help."

Somalia has battled famine conditions in some regions and an Islamist insurgency that has disrupted aid to people in danger of starvation. The United Nations declared an end to Somalia's six-month famine recently, but said the situation is still fragile.

50 Cent Akimbeba Mtoto aliykumbwa na njaa Nchini Somalia

The Rap star teamed up with the World Food Programme for the Wednesday and Thursday visits that included a stop in a slum in neighboring Kenya.

In Nairobi, he visited with children at the sprawling Kibera slum, most of whom are orphans.

"To meet those kids was so inspiring, they have nothing, yet they are so positive and optimistic," he said in a statement posted on the U.N. agency's website. "I want to do my part so they get food and an education. I hope more people will join me to help end this devastating situation."

Jackson has pledged to provide one billion meals for the hungry, and is donating a meal from every sale of a new energy drink, Street King, according to the World Food Programme. The rap star has sold millions of albums and produced major hits including "Candy Shop" and "In Da Club."

50 Cent Akisherekea na Watoto waliokumbwa na nairobi nchini kenya 

50 Cent akiwa Somalia na taasisi ya chakula la UN juu ya tatizo la njaa nchini humo 

ICE-T ASEMA "Art Of Rap" SIO SHAMBULIO KWA POP RAP, BALI INAELEZA KUWA MTAZAMO WAKE NA VIJANA WA SASA WALIVYO.

Exclusive: Hip Hop's original gangster discusses his first foray into film-making, why your local weather man inspired his movie and why he couldn't call Kendrick Lamar to appear in it

Rugged rhymer Smoothe Da Hustler recently employed some “Broken Language” to pay homage to “109 MC’s” over a clever flip of Ice-T’s classic “Colors” track for the official music video promoting his S.M.G. partner-in-rhyme’s new documentary, Something From Nothing: The Art Of Rap.

Astoundingly, Ice interviewed almost exactly half that number of emcees for the film. Notable names the likes of Dr. Dre, Eminem, Rakim, Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Bun B, Nas, Ice Cube, Common, Q-Tip, Big Daddy Kane and Yasiin Bey (along with over three dozen more of their peers) appear alongside Ice as they discuss just what the craft of emceeing means to those that have dedicated their lives to the now nearly 40 year-old culture brought into the universe by some South Bronx kids with little more than two turntables and a microphone.

Reviving the once in-demand industry of in-theater Hip Hop documentaries like The Show and Rhyme & Reason that brought millions of new eyes and ears to the culture in the 1990s, the legendary rapper/actor puts a unique new spin on the old format by utilizing his respected status as the godfather of Gangsta Rap and his personal relationships with his interview subjects to pull out revealing responses that the average journalist could not elicit – along with some impressive, ear-grabbing freestyles (like Lord Finesse’s punch line-packed verse and even some jaw-dropping bars from Ice himself).

Hip-hop DX spoke to Ice late last Friday (May 8th) for a brief promotional Q&A about his film (in theatres today, May 15th), in which one-half of the hit reality show Ice Loves Coco explained why Hip Hop’s devolution into Pop served as the motivation for making his debut documentary but doesn’t serve as the film’s focus, as well as why Kendrick Lamar or any other contemporary spitters were not called in to give their thoughts on the art of rhyming. And after revealing his personal favorite freestyles and interviews in the film, Ice concludes his convoy with DX by delivering a special message to all Hip Hop haters and Bill O’Reilly fans.

BUMPY KNUCKLES NA STATIK SELEKTAH KUTOA ALBUM  AGOSTI INAYOKWENDA KWA JINA LA "AMBITION"

Tracks from 2011's "Lyrical Workout" album, along with new material comes to physical release this summer, featuring Noreaga and O.C.
Emcee Bumpy Knuckles (a/k/a Freddie Foxxx) and producer/deejay Statik Selektah are slated to release a formal, expanded version of their 2011 collaborative album this summer. According to UndergroundHipHop.com, on August 7, the duo will release Ambition on the Gracie Productions label.

Guests include O.C. and Noreaga. This effort, released on CD and vinyl, includes tracks from the pair's Lyrical Workout album released digitally through Statik's Showoff Records imprint, as well as new material.

In March, Gracie released KoleXXXion, the first full collaborative album by Bumpy and DJ Premier. The album debuted on the Top 200 of the Billboard charts.

KRS-ONE AMUELEZEA EARLY HARE KRISHNA MIKAKATI YA KULISHA MASKINI NA SABABU ZA KUBADILISHA JINA  LAKE.

In an exclusive outtake from Ice-T(TM)so the Art Of Rap documentary, KRS-One explains how helping feed the homeless led to a few name changes.

While he answers to many aliases—“Blasmaster” and “The Teacha” to name a few—people generally recognize KRS-One by his Rap name and occasionally by his given name of Kris Parker. All of the above are fine, except Kris is not his given name. It’s Lawrence. In one of the many viral outtakes from Ice-T’s Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap, KRS breaks down how an encounter with the Hare Krishnas led to his name change.

“When I went into the street, I was hanging with the Hare Krishnas,” KRS explained to Ice-T. “They used to come into the shelter and feed the homeless. They used to say, ‘If anyone wants to help us feed the homeless, we’ll give you a free Bhaktivedanta.’ My little philosophical self said, ‘Yeah, I’ll help you feed the homeless.’ And I got my Bhaktivedanta.’”

KRS said he developed an appreciation for a story about Lord Krishna instructing Arjuna on the battlefield. However upon returning to the shelter, the man then known as Larry Parker was uniformly teased by everyone he knew.

“They started calling me Krishna, and I’m like, ‘Yo. Stop calling me Krishna. My name’s Larry. Stop calling me Krishna…that’s the name of their god. That’s like calling somebody Jesus or Muhammad if you’re not down with that.’”

Parker was removed from the shelter due to failing to meet the minimum age requirements. However, due to a clerical error by the Bureau of Child Welfare Services, all of his paperwork said Krishna Parker instead of Lawrence. Krishna was shortened to Kris, and when graffiti bombing became popular, Kris’ tag was shortened to K-R-S. Faced with the prospect of separating himself from the rest of the bombers named K-R-S, Parker changed his tag to KRS-One.

You can ponder how the trajectory of Hip Hop history may or may not have been changed if MC Shan was battling Larry Parker instead of KRS-One, or simply watch the full video below. Ice-T’s Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap releases in theaters Friday, June 15t

O.C. AKIRI KUWA NDOTO YAKE  AWEPO ICE CUBE KWENYE ALBUM YAKE YA "WORD...LIFE"

O.C. Reveals That He Attempted To Get Ice Cube On "Word...Life" Album

O.C. reveals that Organized Konfusion would not have been the only guest on his critically-acclaimed debut.

Veteran Brooklyn, New York emcee O.C. just released his collaborative album with Detroit, Michigan producer Apollo Brown, Trophies. In a recent interview with KevinNottingham.com. the D.I.T.C. member spoke candidly about his 1994 debut album, Word...Life. The Wild Pitch Records effort featured Organized Konfusion's Pharaoh Monch and Prince Po, but according to O, it very nearly had another legendary lyricists guest appearance.

Looking back at the making of Word...Life, O.C. revealed, "I even had [conversations with] Ice Cube [about appearing]…they got at the label or the label got at him about a record called, “Constables” and I think Cube wanted 40 or 50 grand. At that time, he was on the, 'I’m proud/Black' movement." O.C. alluded that his independent label at the time considered the royalty too high. "It would’ve been smart for [Wild Pitch/EMI Records] to pay him that money 'cause it would’ve took us somewhere else."

50 CENT APAKUA ALBUMU YA TANO

During an interview with Hot 107.9 Philly (via HHNM), the G-Unit general revealed that the title of his LP will be Five (Murder by Numbers). "@50cent has a new album dropping July 3rd called Five (Murder by Numbers). Make sure you go and get that," tweeted the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania radio station.last month, Fife said he was going to release the project on July 3rd with or without his label's support. "There’s a lot more business involved [in putting out an album] than the general public is aware of. And that part causes the actual delay with [Interscope]. I’m releasing my album July 3rd, weather is has commercial promotions or not,” he said. “My birthday is July 6 and I planned for it. And I’m doing everything that I planned to do regardless if its huge airplay or not. I could care less; I’m putting the record out.

Nas LENGO LILIKUWA KUTENGENEZA SANAMU LA Jay-Z HALAFU KULINYONGA KWENYE Summer Jam YA 2002

  Nas intended to hang a robotic dummy that resembled Jay-Z at Summer Jam 2002.

A video has surfaced of a robotics team making a Jay-Z figure that Nas originally intended to hang at Summer Jam 2002.

The clip portrays a team making an animatronic figure with Jay's face on it. Esco intended to hang the dummy during his performance at Hot 97's festival, but the radio station forbid him from doing it.

After the station shut it down, the Queens, New York native hopped on the phone with Angie Martinez and went off about his beef with Hov, which had reached critical mass around that time.

 Freeway AELEZA KWA NINI ALIVAMIA MAHOJIANO YA Jay-Z Press Conference KWENYE MJI WA Philadelphia

  Freeway addresses his presence at Jay-Z's press conference in mid-May.

Much was made of Freeway's presence on stage as Jay-Z announced via a press conference in Philadelphia that he would take part in a two-day "Made in America" art festival in the city.

"When I out about the whole festival, and Jay was going to be in Philly, I hit him...and he said 'come down,' and that's what happened," said Freeway in an interview on BET's "106 & Park." "Before he went on stage, he tapped me like, 'C'mon,' and I went up there."

Freeway explained why he wasn't part of the photograph that Jay took with the Mayor of Philadelphia and several sponsors. "[W]hen it was time to take the picture, obviously I wasn't dressed for the occasion. So I slid to the side."

"People understand it, but nowadays with the internet, people wanna make jokes," he continued. "The jokes and everything, when people was making a joke out of it towards me, it was like cool, it was funny to me too. But as far as people trying to put it on Jay...it wasn't even like that. If you got two ounces of sense, you would know that you cannot be near Jay-Z if he don't want you to be. I was on stage with the Mayor of Philadelphia and Jay-Z. If they didn't want me there, there was no way I could've got up there."

"That's the big homie, man... I not going to come around somebody if they don't want me around, because I will feel uncomfortable."

 

Q-Tip WAUNGANA NA Dr. Dre KWENYE "Low End Theory"

 Q-Tip explains how Dr. Dre was the benchmark for A Tribe Called Quest's recording of "The Low End Theory."

Over the course of several years, Dr. Dre and Q-Tip have, in several interviews, provided a timeline of back-and-forth inspiration beginning in the late '80s.

Q-Tip has stated that NWA's 1988 release Straight Outta Compton was a direct influence on A Tribe Called Quest's 1991 album The Low End Theory. In turn, Dre revealed that Tribe's project greatly inspired the Compton rapper/producer's 1992 classic, The Chronic.

In a recent interview on Shade 45's "All Out Show," Q-Tip spoke to Rude Jude and Lord Sear about the nature of his drawing inspiration from Dre for The Low End Theory. "Everybody deals with shit in a competitive way. But not in like an egregious way, how shit looks a little bit today," explained Tip. "But more like one-upsmanship in the music. Tryin' to stay fresh...just keeping your eye on that dude. And for me, personally, when I went in, that dude was Dre."

"The group was NWA, and to me, that was the benchmark. And of course I was listening to everything else around..."

"The bar was set very high," continued the ATCQ member. "Musically, my main thing was Dre. That was like, trying to make something he would like and appreciate in a way. Musically."

Canibus ATOA KITAU CHA MISTARI KWENYE Rap Battle

 UPDATE: After forfeiting in the third round of his "Vendetta: Battle Royale" against Dizaster, Canibus pulled out a notepad.

Canibus was slated to partake in the rap battle "Vendetta: Battle Royale" against Dizaster when things took a strange turn.

The event, which took place Saturday, June 9th at Exchange LA, marked the first time that Canibus took the stage for a one-on-one battle. While wearing an arm sling/cast, Canibus took place in the pre-scheduled three round rhyme bout before ultimately forfeiting. However, ‘Bis was intent on continuing to rhyme, and as various source footage from "King of the Dot"'s Ustream page shows, Canibus pulled out a notepad and began rhyming previously written verses with varying degrees of success.

Things got tense halfway through the pre-written bars, when fans rained down a cascade of boos on Canibus, causing him to pause to address the crowd.

“Yo, y’all wanna hear this shit or not?” he asked. “Yo, don’t be a dick man. I came out here and you paid me my bread, they paid their bread…let me spit my shit!”

Canibus has yet to further explain exactly what happened during the battle. His Twitter feed hasn’t been updated since before the battle, but that hasn’t stopped fellow emcees from weighing in. A portion of the battle can be seen below.

Lauryn Hill ASHINDWA KULIPA KODI ......!! JAMANI WASWAHILI TUJIPANGE KABLA MAMBO KUHARBIKA....!

 UPDATE: Lauryn Hill faces a $100,000 penalty and will go before a judge.

Lauryn Hill has been charged on three counts of failure to file tax returns from 2005, 2006 and 2007.

According to Philly.com, the U.S. Attorney's office in New Jersey filed the charges earlier today. Between 2005 and 2007, Ms. Hill earned $1.6 million in income from royalties and operating four companies: Creations Music, Inc., Boogie Tours, Inc., L.H. Productions 2001, Inc. and Studio 22, Inc.

The former Fugee faces a maximum $100,000 fine and is scheduled to go before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Shipp on June 29th.

[June 7]

UPDATE: Lauryn Hill took to her Tumblr account to post a lengthy response to the charges brought against her for failing to file tax returns. Read the full post below.

“For the past several years, I have remained what others would consider underground.  I did this in order to build a community of people, like-minded in their desire for freedom and the right to pursue their goals and lives without being manipulated and controlled by a media protected military industrial complex with a completely different agenda.  Having put the lives and needs of other people before my own for multiple years, and having made hundreds of millions of dollars for certain institutions, under complex and sometimes severe circumstances, I began to require growth and more equitable treatment, but was met with resistance.  I entered into my craft full of optimism (which I still possess), but immediately saw the suppressive force with which the system attempts to maintain it’s control over a given paradigm.  I’ve seen people promote addiction, use sabotage, black listing, media bullying and any other coercion technique they could, to prevent artists from knowing their true value, or exercising their full power.  These devices of control, no matter how well intentioned (or not), can have a devastating outcome on the lives of people, especially creative types who must grow and exist within a certain environment and according to a certain pace, in order to live and create optimally.

I kept my life relatively simple, even after huge successes, but it became increasingly obvious that certain indulgences and privileges were expected to come at the expense of my free soul, free mind, and therefore my health and integrity.  So I left a more mainstream and public life, in order to wean both myself, and my family, away from a lifestyle that required distortion and compromise as a means for maintaining it.  During this critical healing time, there were very few people accessible to me who had not already been seduced or affected by this machine, and therefore who could be trusted to not try and influence or coerce me back into a dynamic of compromise. Individual growth was expected to take place unnaturally, or stagnated outright, subject to marketing and politics.  Addressing critical issues like pop culture cannibalism or its manipulation of the young at the expense of everything, was frowned upon and discouraged by limiting funding, or denying it outright.  When one has a prolific creative output like I did/do, and is then forced to stop, the effects can be dangerous both emotionally and psychologically, both for the artist and those in need of that resource.  It was critically important that I find a suitable pathway within which to exist, without being distorted or economically strong-armed.

During this period of crisis, much was said about me, both slanted and inaccurate, by those who had become dependent on my creative force, yet unwilling to fully acknowledge the importance of my contribution, nor compensate me equitably for it.  This was done in an effort to smear my public image, in order to directly affect my ability to earn independently of this system.  It took a long time to locate and nurture a community of people strong enough to resist the incredibly unhealthy tide, and more importantly see through it.  If I had not been able to make contact with, and establish this community, my life, safety and freedom, would have been directly affected as well as the lives, safety and freedom of my family.  Failure to create a non toxic, non exploitative environment was not an option.

As my potential to work, and therefore earn freely, was being threatened, I did whatever needed to be done in order to insulate my family from the climate of hostility, false entitlement, manipulation, racial prejudice, sexism and ageism that I was surrounded by.  This was absolutely critical while trying to find and establish a new and very necessary community of healthy people, and also heal and detoxify myself and my family while raising my young children.

There were no exotic trips, no fleet of cars, just an all out war for safety, integrity, wholeness and health, without mistreatment denial, and/or exploitation.  In order to liberate myself from those who found it ok to oppose my wholeness, free speech and integral growth by inflicting different forms of punitive action against it, I used my resources to sustain our safety and survival until I was able to restore my ability to earn outside of it!

When artists experience danger and crisis under the effects of this kind of insidious manipulation, everyone easily accepts that there was something either dysfunctional or defective with the artist, rather than look at, and fully examine, the system and its means and policies of exploiting/’doing business’.  Not only is this unrealistic, it is very dark in its motivation, conveniently targeting the object of their hero worship by removing any evidence that they ‘needed’ or celebrated this very same resource just years, months or moments before.  Since those who believe they need a hero/celebrity outnumber the actual heroes/celebrities, people feel safe and comfortably justified in numbers, committing egregious crimes in the name of the greater social ego.  Ironically diminishing their own true hero-celebrity nature in the process.

It was this schism and the hypocrisy, violence and social cannibalism it enabled, that I wanted and needed to be freed from, not from art or music, but the suppression/repression and reduction of that art and music to a bottom line alone, without regard for anything else.  Over-commercialization and its resulting restrictions and limitations can be very damaging and distorting to the inherent nature of the individual.  I Love making art, I Love making music, these are as natural and necessary for me almost as breathing or talking.  To be denied the right to pursue it according to my ability, as well as be properly acknowledged and compensated for it, in an attempt to control, is manipulation directed at my most basic rights!  These forms of expression, along with others, effectively comprise my free speech!  Defending, preserving, and protecting these rights are critically important, especially in a paradigm where veiled racism, sexism, ageism, nepotism, and deliberate economic control are still blatant realities!!!

Learning from the past, insulating friends and family from the influence of external manipulation and corruption, is far more important to me than being misunderstood for a season!  I did not deliberately abandon my fans, nor did I deliberately abandon any responsibilities, but I did however put my safety, health and freedom and the freedom, safety and health of my family first over all other material concerns!  I also embraced my right to resist a system intentionally opposing my right to whole and integral survival.

I conveyed all of this when questioned as to why I did not file taxes during this time period.  Obviously, the danger I faced was not accepted as reasonable grounds for deferring my tax payments, as authorities, who despite being told all of this, still chose to pursue action against me, as opposed to finding an alternative solution.

My intention has always been to get this situation rectified.  When I was working consistently without being affected by the interferences mentioned above, I filed and paid my taxes.  This only stopped when it was necessary to withdraw from society, in order to guarantee the safety and well-being of myself and my family.

As this, and other areas of issue are resolved and set straight, I am able to get back to doing what I should be doing, the way it should be done.  This is part of that process.  To those supporters who were told that I abandoned them, that is untrue.  I abandoned greed, corruption, and compromise, never you, and never the artistic gifts and abilities that sustained me.”

 

Tha Dogg Pound WARUDI NA  "Doggy Bag" Tracklist & Artwork

  Death Row Records is back for their second unofficial album from Daz Dillinger & Kurupt. This one features two alternate mixes from "Dogg Food," as well as Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg and Warren G.

Death Row Records/WIDE Awake Entertainment will release Doggy Bag from veteran Gangsta Rap duo Tha Dogg Pound on July 3, as reported by DubCNN. Daz Dillinger (f/k/a Dat Nigga Daz) and Kurupt were formerly signed to the label founded by Suge Knight and Dr. Dre in the 1990s. These recordings were kept by Death Row, who was purchased by WIDE Awake in 2009.

The group's mentor, Snoop Dogg, along with Nate Dogg, The Lady of Rage, Warren G and Crooked I are featured on the 15 recordings for sale on Doggy Bag. Original and alternate mixes for early singles "Let's Play House" and "Me In Your World" are included.

Tha Dogg Pound released their first group album, 1995's Dogg Food on Death Row. The album would become a record-breaking #1 independent debut and multi-platinum success for the pair. In 1997, Kurupt left Death Row to form Antra Records while Daz stayed on to be the Musical Supervisor for the notorious label. By 2001, Daz had left Death Row and Kurupt returned to serve briefly as label president with Suge Knight, before departing in the mid-2000s a second time.

Daz and Kurupt have released seven studio Dogg Pound albums since Dogg Food. Death Row has previously released an unofficial DPG album, 2001's ironically-titled 2002.

The tracklisting to Doggy Bag is as follows:

01) Like Dis
02) Every Single Day (Feat. Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg)
03) Gigolo
04) Everybody Needs To Slow Down
05) I Don't Care What the People Say
06) Me In Your World [Original] (Feat. The Lady of Rage)
07) Let's Play House [Original] (Feat. Warren G, Michel'le)
08) These Reasons
09) It Might Sound Crazy [Remix] (Feat. Too Short)
10) Farewell To My Enemies [Interlude]
11) Save a Life (Feat. Prince Ital Joe)
12) Big Pimpin' (Feat. Snoop Dogg)
13) U Ain't Tha Home (Feat. Crooked I)
14) Life I Lead
15) N.Y. 87 (Feat. Deadly Threat)