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May '98
 Lot's of stuff has been going down over the past couple of weeks..so much
it's hard to know where to begin...First props to Hot 97 in New York... I just got back from the East Coast and got a chance to peep them along with WUSL and Jamming 103 in Philly [I hope I got it right] and WPGC in Washington DC... I know Hot gets it's share of criticism from those who feel it could be more 'underground'.. But too me it was pretty cool.. I enjoyed Funkmaster Flex's show along with Big Dennis... And Red Alert is off the hook especially with his midday old school show.. He was truly taking fools back into time..The stations in DC and Philly were also kickin'.. I really like this whole Cypher thing that Jammin' 103 did in Philly..during Zulu's show.. Here people were calling up and rapping over the phone.. It was kinda dope.. I didn't hear too much music from outside of NY.. Even in DC and Philly..Although Red Alert was banging 'Uncut' by Eightball out of Texas and of course Master P was being played.. I heard no Snoop, Goodie Mob, Ice Cube or anything like that.. But nevertheless what I did hear I enjoyed.. Gang Starr's 'Militia' was being played.. Diamond In The Rough's 'The Doe' was crankin, The new Lauryn Hill-'Lost Ones' was being featured and the new LL Cool J where he attempts to come back on Canibus was playing every hour on the hour... While back East.. I also got a chance to peep out Puffy's restaurant Justins.. He gets major props for putting forth a fine establishment.. The place was very plush..complete with marble floors and slammin' soul food.. It's a bit pricey.. But worth it..I wish more rappers would invest their money in businesses like Justins so that they will have something to fall back on long after the limelight has died.. Plus it will allow these artists to give their 'homies' who so many are attached to some sort of employment..My only advice if you're in NY and you visit Justins is don't park across the street like I did cause your car will get towed like mine was... Inside Justins were a whole lot of headz ranging from kids in Tuxedos and guys in b-boy attire.. No one was acting ill... No one was trying to flex... Everyone was in their respective seats listening to the hip hop being piped through the loud speakers and enjoying their meal.. Heavy D was in the place just chilling as well as Jay-Z and his crew.. Speaking of Jay-Z , when I went back east Jay-Z was just releasing his new video/movie 'The Streets Is Watchin'... I told y'all about this a few months back that Jay-Z was combining a bunch of videos and songs and making a long form-semi autobiographical flick... Too bad I along with countless other djs haven't gotten a chance to peep it out.. It's been completely sold out in the few stores that managed to grab a copy... Even the labels headz don't have copies.. However, the movie does sound good.. If this is any indication..You can probably expect a lot more rappers to start doing these long form videos /movies.. I know a lot of folks are giving Master P props for setting things off with 'Bout It 'Bout It'.. and now 'I Got The Hook Up' [We have our premier today].. D-Shot of The Click is getting ready to start filming his movie.. and it won't belong before rappers releasing movies becomes a common occurance..Keep in mind.. a few years back rap artists were releasing long form home videos...Some of you may have that 40 minute Public Enemy PETV and the KRS-One's live video.. I just hope that artists who start moving into the arena of 'film making' really strive to keep the quality up and that they become creative... A lotta brothas think all you need to do is pick up a camcorder and start filming..I know one thing you can really put a lot more things across in a video then in a song... The other thing we should be cautious about is the trend to do x-rated videos.. I can see artists trying to set themselves apart from the rest of the pack by depicting some really raunchy scenes... Speaking of x-rated videos.. Ice Cube just released an x-rated video for the remix of his song 'We Be Clubbin' featuring DMX.. It's nothing to get too excited about.. It shows a bunch of hip hop djs from around the country watching some strippers... If memory serves me correctly some other kids are about to drop an x-rated video.. I believe it maybe Too Short and Daz Dillinger. Over the past few weeks some beefs have started to surface.. First we have an unfortunate situation involving Snoop Dogg and his former label Death Row.. Snoop as you know is now signed to Master P's label and down with The No Limit Soldiers.. Well his first appearence under this new home took place in Los Angeles during a Master P/comedy concert... According to reports a bunch of headz claiming to be Death Row Untouchables stormed back stage after Snoop went on stage claiming.. 'No Limit For Life'.. A scuffle ensued resulting in Master P and his click abrubtly ending their set and rushing off stage to see what happened.. A bunch of pushing and shoving went on and Snoop got smacked.. He along with a few others rushed off the scene and flagged down some police officers who then arrested Snoop and his boys for being high.. They smelled weed on their breath and then searched them and found some more marijuana.. The word is Snoop has been kickin' it in New Orleans recording his new album...I hope his troubles with Death Row get settled once and for all..
 While this was jumpin' off in LA... 500 miles away in Reno, Nevada during
the Impact Convention another beef was emerging.. This one involved Foxy
Brown and Teddy Riley's new rap star Queen Pen.. Apparently Queen Pen
didn't take too lightly to Fox Boogie dissing her on a mix tape that had
been circulating around New York.. Supposedly Ms Brown made some
disparaging remarks about Queen Pen's bi-sexuality status.. Hence when the
two ran into each other in Reno.. Queen Pen came at her.. Some people say
she slapped Foxy others say she chased Ms Brown into an elevator and told
her to step out... That incident was quickly subdued...Ms Brown is also said to aroused the anger of Ms Queen Latifah.. who has just put out a new song called 'Name Callin' Part 2'...Now La doesn't say anyone's name specifically.. She's talking about female rappers who take their clothes off and how wack they are.. She tells them to go back to their first career which was strippin'...and to put their clothes back on when they rap.. Although these remarks could easily apply to Lil Kim.. Folks are stating that they're for Fox Boogie who had been popping off about the Latifah in some recent interviews.. I don't know about this girl.. she definitely seems to be playing herself.. Earlier this year she had beef with L'il Kim which resulted in her getting kicked off Puffy's World Tour.. Prior to that her questionable behavior got her snatched off the Smoking Grooves Tour... Even in the movie Woo where she makes a cameo appearance she has beef with Jada Pinkett's character.. I hope she starts growing up... On the lyrical tip... KRS-One along with a new protege have entered into the LL Cool J vs Canibus foray.. KRS is set to drop a joint called 'Can I Bitch'... This should take this whole battle thing to another level.. Wyclef Jean didn't take too kindly to LL refering to him as a Bob Marley imposter... So now he's gonna drop some lyrical bombs.. I wonder if Wyclef is gonna set Lauryn Hill to light up LL's ass.. Of course Canibus is set to come back with a response to LL's 'The Ripper Is Back'.. I said in the past that I personally think LL could lyrically annihilate Canibus.. I still think he can.. I just don't like the operatic music used on the Ripper song.. Can some one find LL a good beat pleeeeease!!! And since we're on the subject..the beat used in Canibus' record 'Second Round Knockout' was nothing to write home about...So in conclusion I would love to see LL and Canibus battle on the same record behind a good beat... Somebody give DJ Premier a call...I wonder how KRS will figure into this whole thing..At least this is all being confined to wax.. Thus far all involved parties see it as fun.. Folks may wanna check for Paris in the next few weeks.. He along with Kam and veteran producer Ea-ski have just hooked up to form a new group.. The group has no name but their first single will be out in 6 weeks. It's called 'Mobb On'... Paris has just dropped a very commercial sounding track called 'Fairweather Friendz'.. He says he just needed to put something out there while he and his new crew were finalizing the business aspects of their new group... Finally I gotta say something about the recent music convention I went to in Reno called Impact.. First props are in order for my boy Mr Warren Peace who runs The Hip Hop Site http://www.hiphopsite.com He won The Best College Show DJ award.. That was real proper.. Check out his website and tell him I said hello... Also honored was DJ Red Alert.. He got a lifetime achievement award.. That brothas is one of the true pioneers who doesn't get the credit he deserves.. But he's been putting it down for a long time... He definitely needs to be in the Hip Hop Hall Of Fame.. While this convention was great it was over shadowed by the ridiculous antics of the Street Teams who were out promoting their labels and groups.. You had guys walking around in the casino and hotel lobby with bullhorns shouting the names of their respective artists.. You had fools running around putting up stickers like they was out on a local street corner. The Bad Boy Records Street Team had a big flag and were jumping up and down wrappin' people in the flag and yelling 'Bad Boy'... Watching all this makes you realize why we don't get to have too many conventions and what have you within hip hop.. I won't balme the Street Team.. But I'll blame the labels that they work for.. Since these Street Team guys get paid by the labels.. They should've been told to remove their signs and bullhorns and be a bit more professional in their promoting techniques...At the very least there should've been a free panel or seminar that discussed the dos and don'ts of promoting.. so some of these young kids coming up would know better... That's just my two cents for now.. Last but not least.. My 3 hot picks for this week that y'all may wanna peep out include... 'The Doe' by Diamonds In The Rough 'Unstoppable' by Public Enemy & KRS-One 'For My People' by Boo Brown.. Until next time peace out.. Davey D c1998 Go Back To Hip Hop News Directory
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