FNV NEWSLETTER
September 17 2002
In this week's issue

*Ice Cube Is #1 Joins Dr Dre's Aftermath
*Dr Dre Accused of Offending Hindis-Sued For 500 Million
*Red & Meth to Go Ghetto
*Oscar Buzz For Eminem
*Lil Kim Teams w/ Bobby Brown for Flick
*I Don't Want My MTV  By Mike Darrah of winamp.com
*Wendy Day Speaks on MTV: 'I Blame Us'
*A Recap of KRS's 9-11 Conference by Tim Adkins
*An Interview w/ Jurassic 5 by - Mark Eastbase
*Was Cointel-pro Behind the LA Times Article by Cedric Muhammed
*To Flex or Not to Flex

The FNV Newsletter c 2002
Send comments to
mrdaveyd@aol.com
peep the websites

www.daveyd.com
www.rapstation.com
=============================



ICE CUBE IS #1..HE JOINS DR DRE'S AFTERMATH RECORDS
by - Davey D

Ice Cube is the man of the hour and deserves major props for his new
movie 'Barbershop'.  I can not say enough about this excellent movie
which went number 1 at the box office and is like a combination of
'Friday' and 'Soul Food'.  The story centers around Cube who plays the
role of Calvin struggling to keep a Barbershop which has been in his
family for 40 years.  He's definitely stepped it up a notch.  He's
matured and reached his stride as an actor.  Fellow actors like
Cedrick the Entertainer, Sean Patrick Thomas and Anthony Henderson to
name a few, all do a wonderful job.

There's a couple of side plots in 'Barbershop'.  One centers on
comedian Anthony Henderson who steals an ATM from a neighboring
convenience store.  The other focuses on the character played by Eve
and her two timing boyfriend who she seems to not be able to
leave.Like Cube Eve also delivers a stellar performance.  Actor Sam
Jackson who says he hates working with rappers turned actors may have
to re-evaluate those words.

Also we should note that according to label reps..  Ice Cube has
penned a recording deal and will now be teamed up with former NWA
labelmate Dr Dre.  Yep, you read it..  Cube is now rolling with Dre's
Aftermath Records.  We can only hope that the two make time to finally
finish the long awaited Heltah Skeltah Project.
-------------------------

DR DRE BEING SUED FOR 500 MILLION DOLLARS

Speaking of Dr Dre, he and Ice Cube may have to do something
monumental because he is being sued for 500 million dollars.  A Texas
based attorney named Dedra Davis was hired by a Calcutta, India
company called Saregama India Limited.  They claim the song
'Addictive' which is sung by Dre's new R&B artist Truth Hurts'
contains a sped up sample from a Hindi track called 'Thoda Resham Lagta
Hai'.  This song was featured in the movie called 'Jyoti' and
sung by a famous Indian singer named Lata Mangeshkar.  The primary
reason for the lawsuit is that the two parties could not come to some
sort of resolution.  Ms Davis's client feels that there was blatant
disregard for their religious [Hindi ] beliefs and that some of the
lyrics in the song 'Addictive' are obscene and offensive.  For more
info on this lawsuit check out this website...www.musiclw.com
-----------------------------------------

RED & METH GO GHETTO

In other Hip Hop news, Rappers Method Man and Redman are gearing up to
star in yet another movie.  Currently you can see them on TV
commercials hawking deodorant.  This new movie is called 'Ghetto' and
is being billed as an urban comedy that centers around the characters
played by Red and Meth forming a rap label to escape the ghetto.  The
pair made noise last year when they were featured in the movie 'How
High'.  It was your typical B movie that was packed with all the Hip
Hop/ Black stereotypes and clichés.  It's clear that both artists have
lots of potential, lets hope they step it up in major way this time
around.  Cube's new movie should be a clear cut message that the bar
has been raised.
-------------------------------------------

OSCAR BUZZ FOR EMINEM

One movie that may follow the footsteps of Barbershop is the soon to
be released film 8 Mile which features Eminem.  Its being billed as a
cross between Rocky and semi autobiography of Eminem.  It recently
played at the Toronto Film Festival and got rousing reviews and had a
line that stretched around the block with festival goers eagerly
waiting to see the flick.  In fact some said that there's a
possibility it could win an Oscar.  We'll have to wait and see.  One
thing for sure, the trailers look exciting.

The movie stars actors Mekhi Phifer who we know from Soul Food and
more recently in MTV's Hip Hop opera Carmen.There he starred alongside
Beyonce of Destiny's Child and rapper Mos Def who was incredible and
recently starred on a Broadway Tony nominated play called Top Dog.
Also on board is Oscar winner Kim Bassinger and Brittany Murphy.  The
movie is set to open November 8th and I humbly predict it will win its
slot at the box office.

One thing to note, the producers of this movie are saying this is
Eminem's movie debut.  That's not true.  He was featured in a Hip Hop
spoof of the Blair Witch Project.  It was a cheesy flick called 'Da
Hip Hop Witch' that went straight to video and featured all kinds of
rappers like Mobb Deep, Rah Diggah, Vanilla Ice, Pras and Ja Rule.  Em
tried to detach himself from the flick.  In fact he went so far as to
try and get his image removed but was unsuccessful.  Should 8 Mile
blow up and Em gets recognized for his role, folks are gonna head to
the local video store looking for that cheesy movie he'd rather forget
to have as a collector's item.
------------------------

LIL KIM TEAMS w/BOBBY BROWN FOR FLICK

Lastly Lil Kim is set to blow up the spot with her film debut for
'Guns and Roses'.  This movie is being described as an indie urban
Western movie and will feature actors LisaRaye ("The Player's Club"),
Monica Calhoun ("The Best Man"), Marie Matiko ("The Art of War") and
Louis Mandylor ("My Big Fat Greek Wedding").  The plot centers around
the trials and tribulations of five female outlaws who are out to
avenge a murder in the 1800s.  Also in the flick is singer Bobby Brown
who is no stranger to the Big Screen.

----------------------------------


ONLINE PETITION FOR PUBLIC ENEMY

''I Don't Want My MTV'' By Mike Darrah
Http://www.winamp.com
Published September 16, 2002 @ 04:47 PM

A recent decision to not play the latest video from Public Enemy on
MTV sparks an online petition against the music-media monster.  From
the online petition: "MTV has chosen to prohibit Chuck D and Public
Enemy from showing a Video because a political activist such as Mumia
is shown briefly.  I say to MTV, how HYPOCRITICAL!  MTV continues to
show videos that reek of lewd sexual nature and discussion of
violence, drugs, violence against women, in particular Black Women.
MTV played, "Because I got high" over and over again.  I guess that
song stayed in rotation because of the marketing techniques of MTV."
This is more than just trying to get a video played.  This is about
the priorities that MTV is teaching a whole generation to subscribe
to.  Priorities in which money sex and drugs come before independent
thought and intelligence.  Here is the link for the petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/No2MTV/petition.html
-----------------------------------------------
WENDY DAYS SPEAKS ON MTV:  'I BLAME US'
by Wendy Day of Rapcoalition

I blame us (the Hip Hop nation) for letting M-TV continue to own and
control hip hop culture.  We've been bitching and moaning at
conventions (for at least the 10 years I have been running Rap
Coalition) and in the press that we don't own or control anything.
And we still don't.  WE have allowed a middle aged white man who was
barely qualified to promote radio at Tommy Boy (yes, that's where
Calderone is from--De La Soul may prove helpful to you here in
researching him) be the gatekeeper at M-TV.  WE let BET be purchased
by WET (M-TV), and then are shocked because of something so basic as a
Mumia reference--an opinion actually (see freedom of speech amendment,
and by the way, it went way under my radar that M-TV was not even
involved in any of the Free Mumia events of recent) keeps them from
playing one of our videos.

But here we are decades later in the "urban" music industry, with even
less control, less Black-owned outlets, and less power than we had
when we first started complaining about it all.  Just in the music
business alone, I've watched Black-owned company after Black-owned
company sell out to corporate Amerikkka (mostly due to greed, but I
won't dwell on that because afterall, it is the American dream, so who
am I to judge?).  I've watched Black-owned companies start up and fail
just as quickly due to poor business decisions and improper financing
(many of which were owned by rappers themselves, who SHOULD have the
control), or not succeed to the level of success deserved due to poor
business decisions and improper business growth strategies (and very
often due to poor staffing decisions, closed mindedness of the owner,
and/or ego).  I, personally, have negotiated deals that would build
Black empires, if the idiots steering their ships would pay their
staffs and artists (3 Black labels who owned their own masters out of
3 in the history of Black music have not paid people properly, and two
crashed and burned because the artists jumped ship; and the other is
not far behind having already lost every worthwhile artist).

It is not a "black and white" issue (in terms of race, or ease of
understanding).  It is a green issue--money!  And while white
supremacy and racism play a big part in every aspect of life, let
alone the music business, why do we continue to allow it?  Where were
we, the hip hop community, when Bob Johnson chose to sell BET to White
Entertainment Television (M-TV)?  Where were the Black investors?
Where were we when the rap magazines started?  Where were the Black
investors?  Where were we when urban label after urban label chose to
sell it's soul to the major labels for millions of dollars exchanging
50% and 100% ownership (and the control and value in the company) for
chump change that turned into debt due to over-spending?!  Where were
the Black investors?  It's not like this has all happened only once.
It's a fucking pattern.  Hello!!??!!

Dr.  Molefi Asante taught me years ago (my hero) that throughout
history, non-Black peoples, when faced with doing what's right or
doing what's best for them, will NEVER choose doing what's right over
self-benefitting solutions.  Time after time after time.  So why are
we surprised that M-TV won't play a video from a label with no clout,
with a reference to a Black political prisoner?  Because there is no
ramification, no downside, no control on the part of anyone but M-TV,
the only game in town.  Why are we angry at M-TV (and yes, I am angry
too)?  Why are we NOT angry because we gave up control once again to a
corporate structure?  Why are we not angry that there are not enough
powerful Black-owned outlets in hip hop?  And why the fuck do we
continue to NOT do anything about that!!  We are not victims, but
willing participants in our own downfall.

Not doing anything to build our own top rated video outlet is what
should REALLY make us angry.  And the fact that if we did, it would
most likely fail or be sold to corporate Amerikkka for chump change
that would be gone as quickly as it came, should also piss us off.  I
blame us--the hip hop nation.  We are our own worst enemy.

Wendy Day
Rap Coalition
www.rapcoalition.org
www.rapcointelpro.com
www.slavesnomore.com
www.truthaboutprisons.com
"Your ignorance is their power."
============================================

 A RECAP OF KRS-ONE's  [9-11]  'I ON TERROR CONFERENCE'
written by Tim Adkins

While many Americans spent Sept.11, 2002 meditating on death, Hiphop
gathered in Los Angeles to talk about birth - a birth of consciousness
and the responsibilities that come with it.

More than 150 Americans of varying prefixes, including African-,
Caucasian-, Latin- and Asian-, squeezed into a conference room at the
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel for the Temple of Hiphop's I on Terror
summit.  The event - hosted by Temple founder and Hiphop luminary
KRS-ONE - featured an esteemed panel of Hiphop legends, community
organizers and pundits who dissected a year's worth of world events
and boldly stated the duties of the Hiphop generation in a post-Sept.
11 reality.  "Who is this country if it is not us?"  KRS-ONE asked.

The tragedy and its aftermath Ever since the moment the first plane
flew into the first World Trade Center Tower, Americans have struggled
to make sense of what happened.  Conventional wisdom on Sept.  12
suggested that everything had changed forever.  While that may be so
for some elements of American life, the long-ranging impact of the
tragedy has yet to be measured.  However, most would agree that the
events of Sept.  11, 2001 overwhelmed the nation's psyche and forced
explorations of topics that aren' t always popular.  "Sept.  11 was a
wake-up call for everyone," Kool Moe Dee, Hiphop pioneer, declared.

Everyone obviously includes Hiphop.  Even as the culture continues its
struggle for self definition, no one can deny that Hiphop is firstly
composed of human beings - discounting, of course, what the mainstream
press might have you believe.

Continued at......
http://www.daveyd.com/FullArticles/articleN1254.asp
=====================================

AN INTERVIEW w/ JURASSIC
by - Mark Eastbase
mailto:mark@eastbase.com

Jurassic 5 formed in 1993 as the union between two crews, Rebels of
Rhythm and Unity Committee, who came together to record and release
the one-off single titled "Unified Rebelution."  Quickly becoming a
staple on the college radio and mix-show circuit.  The success of
"Unified Rebelution" cemented a union that would become Jurassic - one
of the most revered new artists to emerge in years.

Jurassic 5 was fueled, in part, by their debut, self-titled EP.
Released initially in 1997 on the group's own independent imprint, the
EP sold over 200,000 copies in the US and England (where it cracked
the UK Top 40 charts in its first week of release), a sign that
hip-hop audiences worldwide were hungry for anything that diverted
from the standard hip-hop sounds.  Most impressively, the EP served as
a rallying cry of sorts for a whole new movement in hip-hop, easily
akin to what artists like The Roots, Black Star and De La Soul have
only now begun to endorse.

The major label follow up was "Quality Control", which was equally as
accepted around the globe.  In itself, 'Quality Control' served as a
catalyst for what would become a land mark world tour for the group of
6, known as the Jurassic 5.  A whirlwind of events on tour, and
overwhelming response form live audiences in foreign countries the
crew immediately started working on their new album "Power In Numbers"
which is due to be released on October 8th.

The new album doesn't stray form their already popular style, in fact
it digs even deeper into the catacombs of the Jurassic cranium and
delivers a some what more focused and harder approach as witnessed in
the lead single "What's Golden" and accompanying video.

Today's September 12th interview with Zaakir seemed to begin in
perfect synch with where last November's interview with Charli2Na had
left off; The World Trade Centre attack.  Though both Charli2Na and
Zaakir are of the same mind that the U.S Government was some how
involved, Zaakir was less reluctant to impart information, like his
comrade was.

"I definitely think there's more to it than they're [the government]
letting on" Zaakir cautiously states "The media's pumping it how they
want it to be [perceived] - The government I should say, but the Media
is part of it.  I really think it was Bush, you know?"

He continues "If one guy can mastermind that...He should have been
took over the world.  It shouldn't be that hard to do.  It took a lot
of people out doing that.  But you still can't come over here?  I
mean, you really wanna take this place over.you can't do that after
you did something like that?  Hitting those towers like that..and
around the same time.that's a hell of a lot of intelligence."  After
discussing the Pentagon 'incident' and the lack of finding wreckage
from an actual plane, Zaakir throws a few more ideas my way "The thing
with the Pentagon is.I heard there were some big politicians....

Continued at:
http://www.daveyd.com/FullArticles/articleN1255.asp


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

WAS COINTEL-PRO BEHIND THE  LA TIMES ARTICLE ON 2PAC?
by Cedric Muhammed
mailto:cedric@blackelectorate.com

Yesterday, while a panelist on Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney's
Hip-Hop Braintrust issue forum, at the Congressional Black Caucus
convention, I commented on how many were inappropriately describing
last week's Los Angeles Times' series on Tupac's murder - which
attempts to position the Notroious B.I.G.  as the conspiratorial
mastermind - as bad journalism and sensationalism.  Considering that
we have spent tens of thousands of words, over a two-year time, in an
8-part series, describing the real probablility and evidence that the
government is involved in destablizing Hip-Hop culture and the
industry that it has spawned, and as a result an entire generation and
people(s); it is only natural that we would reject the sensational/bad
journalism explanation as too superficial, and even, an unintentional
trivialization of the murder of Tupac.

While many leading figures in the Hip-Hop community rapidly responded
to the story - denouncing, dismissing and refuting it, there is still
missing a serious critique as to what the driving force is behind not
only the most recent reporting on Tupac's murder, but the entire
"cottage industry" that has developed around both murders.  Is it
purely the profit motive and/or bad reporting that is at the root of
the documentaries, articles, and books that claim that Suge Knight is
behind the murder of Biggie and now, that Biggie was behind the murder
of Tupac?

We think not.

In 1994, I received a letter from the late Colonel Fletcher Prouty who
served, at one point, as the liasion between the Joint Chiefs of Staff
and the CIA.  Part of what Colonel Prouty wrote in his letter to me,
and which he elaborated upon in greater length, in several of our
conversations, in his Alexandria, Va.  home, last decade, was that the
"cover story" of a criminal event is just as important as the crime
itself.  Colonel Prouty spoke specifically of this concept in terms of
the murder of President John F.  Kennedy (it was he who wrote the
portion of the script for Oliver Stone's movie that explains who may
have been behind the assasination of the President of the United
States).  In an August 1994 letter, he wrote to me:

"...you will recall that I view the whole assassination process in a
much different way than others.

From my experience and point of view the whole thing was an
elaborately planned conspiracy to accomplish a Coup d'etat.  To do so
it was necessary to kill JFK, among other things.  This is why there
has never been any prosecution or trial for anyone since that crime.
A coup d'etat of such dimensions is carefully planned, is the
consensus decision of many powerful people, and then the work of pure
professionals who are highly skilled.

For such a plan, the most important part is the "Cover Story."  The
murder took a bit of deft work and then a terrific load of cover story
all the way from Oswald to books and media collaboration and the
masterful scenario of the Warren Commission Report.  We live with a
30-year old story today.

When I was the Chief of Special Operations in the Pentagon during the
years 1955-1964, I worked at three levels, Air Force, Secretary of
Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  In all cases wherever my
office was there would be a "Cover and Deception" office nearby.  I
had the operations to run.  They had the big job of covering the
operation.  That's work, and effective."

It is a historical fact that the media has been used, willingly and
unwillingly, to write cover stories aiding government efforts to
disrupt Black organizations.  One example, which we have presented and
which none of our detractors have been able to overcome is the manner
in which the media was used against the Nation Of Islam in 1959.  Here
is what we wrote in part III of this series on :......

Continued at:
http://www.blackelectorate.com/articles.asp?ID=697
====================================

TO FLEX OR NOT TO FLEX

There's some good news and bad news for Funkmaster Flex.  First the
good news, Flex as you may know is heavy into cars.  Not a show goes
by where he doesn't make some reference to his love for nice rides.
He even had some sort of contest earlier this year where he would
customize your truck.  Well it looks like Flex has stepped up his
involvement by partnering with Lincoln Mercury to create a limited
Team Baurtwell 2003 Lincoln Navigator Edition.  The price tag will be
81 thousand bucks.

Now that's the good news..  Now it appears Flex may have to deal with
another nagging concern that keeps surfacing about how he goes about
choosing his music for his hit radio show on Hot 97.  There is no
doubt that Flex is one of the most influential DJs in the country.  He
can make or break an artist with the drop of one of his trademark
bombs.  He is also credited with being the main force behind the rise
of what is arguably the country's most influential commercial Hip Hop
station-Hot 97.  At one point the brother was repping for Hot 97 in
New York.  Doing mix show for Power 106 in LA and holding it down on
MTV's DFX.  He was damn near 'running' all the big night clubs
including the infamous Tunnel.  If that's wasn't enough he was
releasing his successful series of commercial 'Mixtapes' where he
would break new artists.  He also established Big Dawg record pool and
marketing firm called Franchise.

Well it seems like over the past year there have been grumblings about
him abusing his influence by taking money for airplay and not exactly
delivering.  KRS-One made mention of this a few months back when he
publicly accused Flex of taking 40 thousand dollars and only playing
his record once....
http://www.eurweb.com/articles/musicpages/07172002/musicpages741407172002.cf
m

Nas alluded to this a few weeks later when he went on Hot 97s rival
station Power 105 and put the station and Flex on blast.  West Coast
rhymesayer Easki expresses the difficulty in dealing with Flex in his
song 'Manuscript'.  And that's just the beginning.  Over the past week
an open letter has been making its way on various listserves and
websites calling Flex into account..It comes from an unnamed source
that claims to have infiltrated his business [former employee perhaps?
] and accuses Flex of funneling money through his marketing firm in
exchange for airplay.  It also calls for listeners to call Hot 97.
And it threatens to expose evidence of wrong doing to the NY Times and
other news organizations.  Here's some excerpts from that open letter:

<< I'm sure those of you have noticed the downward spiral music radio
has taken over the past few years.  It all started when Emmis
Communications decided to try an experiment which was to change the
format of their New York and Los Angeles radio stations Hot 97 and
Power 106 from Latin dance music to the Hip Hop & R&B format today.
This became a revolution, which have spread over to their competitor
Clear Channel, and others to become URBAN POP Stations.

Now I'm going to explain to you how hip-hop and R&B records are played
on these stations.  Unless you are a hermit I'm sure all of you have
heard of DJ FunkMaster Flex who spins 5 Nights a week on New York's
Hot 97.  He is also the owner of Franchise Marketing and Big Dawg
Record Pool.

Franchise Marketing is a music promotion company that gets paid by
labels like Bad Boy, Def Jam, Ruff Ryder, Rock-A-Fella, Murder Inc,
Cash Money, Arista, J, Universal and No Limit to promote records to
Radio DJs like FunkMaster Flex and his crew of 25 radio DJs to
convince them that a record is hot.

Big Dawg record pool is similar to Franchise but its really an
non-profit organization that services it's members of Radio, Club &
Mobile DJ's records from the labels before mentioned.  This Record
Pool also has a promotions department that influences their members to
report to several chart publications like Billboard, Hits, Gavin,
FMQB, BRE & DMR.The United States Federal Government has a law called
payola which simply means that it's highly illegal for a Radio DJ,
Programmer or Radio Station to play records that have been paid for by
a record company, manager, producer or artist.

If you're like myself and listen to DJ FunkMaster Flex show you'd
realize that he'll play the same record over and over proclaiming how
hot the record is.  If you were to research the hot record he's so
excited about then you'd find out that this record has been presented
to him by Franchise Marketing.

This means DJ FunkMaster Flex is breaking a FEDERAL LAW and could be
imprisoned like four of his former clients for 25 Years.How I know
this is because I infiltrated his organization and collected enough
evidence to put him and 25 other famous Radio DJ's away for a very
long time.Now why would I do such a thing is because I am a patriot of
the hip-hop nation and Mr. Aston Taylor (FunkMaster Flex) is a traitor
to us all.  If you are an intelligent person you'd realize how
powerful hip-hop is.  Thanks to hip-hop people of all walks of life
have come together and come to recognize who our oppressors are.This
an open declaration of war against payola because I want FunkMaster
Flex to use his limited power for good by opening his playlists to
great hip-hop artists like the following:

The Roots, Common, Q-tip, Talib Kweli, Dilated Peoples, Peoples Under
The Stairs, Pete Rock, Black Eyed Peas, De La Soul, Spooks, 4th Avenue
Jones, Defari, El The Sensei, Life Savas, Blackalicous, Lexicon, Mr.
Lif, Mos Def, J-Live, Lyrics Born, Public Enemy, Slum Village etc.

And other hip artists who are make great hip-hop music.  FunkMaster
Flex has 20 hours a week of airtime for his show.  I strongly suggest
that he and his DJs remind themselves of why they became Hip-Hop DJ's
in the first place....

What I want you to do is call his show at 1.800.523.9797 and tell him
about this post.  Because I promise this is not a threat if he don't
open his playlist with 60 days I will go before an U.S.  Senate panel
and testify against him and others within the music industry.  I will
also turn over all of my evidence to The New York Times and all of the
major news organization...>>

While the email raises some valid points that have been circulating,
one can't help but wonder if this is just a ploy to get more
'underground' artists played on the airwaves.  We'll have to wait and
see.  In anycase the other side of the coin to this is, if Flex wasn't
doing his job, by getting good ratings and maintaining a certain level
of popularity he wouldn't be on the air.  Radio stations are
bottomline in that way.  If cats weren't feeling what he's doing they
would be turning off the radio station and droves and throwing their
support behind other DJs and radio shows.  Who knows, perhaps Flex
should play a few Slum Village records or at least dedicate a couple
of nights a week to showcasing underground material and that'll make
everyone happy...
===================================

The FNV Newsletter c 2002
Send comments to
mrdaveyd@aol.com
peep the websites

www.daveyd.com
www.rapstation.com