Elton John Wants to Make Hip-Hop Album

Goodbye yellow brick road, hello hip hop.

Elton John tells Rolling Stone magazine that he wants to record a hip-hop album with Grammy-winning producer Dr. Dre.

"I want to work with Pharrell, Timbaland, Snoop, Kanye, Eminem and just see what happens," John says in the Sept. 7 issue. "It may be a disaster, it could be fantastic, but you don't know until you try."

The 59-year-old says he is a fan of Blackstreet's "No Diggity" and Tupac Shakur's "California Love."

"I want to bring my songs and melodies to hip-hop beats," John says. "I love these beats, but I have no idea how to get them."

John performed Eminem's song "Stan" with the rapper during the 2001 Grammy awards.

John's new album, "The Captain and the Kid," is due in September .

-article courtesy of WashingtonPost.Com

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Pharoahe Monch Dropping LP After Seven Years

Posted at 8/26/2006 06:28:00 AM

Queens emcee Pharoahe Monch is working on an upcoming album, Desire, his first full-length project in seven years.

Since his 1999 solo debut, Internal Affairs, the former Rawkus artist saw a series of setbacks when his label folded into MCA, and later into Geffen. During the shuffle, Pharoahe almost inked a deal with Eminem’s Shady Records housed under the same Interscope/Universal umbrella.

“That was real,” he recently told MTV News. “But I was still contracted to Geffen and Rawkus. It wasn’t like I was a free agent trying to sign to Shady. It was so much red tape, you wouldn’t believe.”

“At the end of the day, everybody is figuring if I sign to Shady, it would pop off and they were looking to get paid. So [Geffen] pretty much blocked the deal.”

Pharoahe is now signed to SRC Records, run by Loud Records founder Steve Rifkind, and his LP is slated for a mid-November release.

In related news, Pharoahe has collaborated with rap mogul Diddy on his forthcoming LP, Press Play, penning two tracks over production by Mobb Deep’s Havoc and D12’s Kon Artist.

-article courtesy of NobodySmiling.Com

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Chingy Talks "Pullin' Me Back," "Some Of The Hardest Dudes Come Up To Me And Tell Me They Love That Song"

Posted at 8/26/2006 06:24:00 AM

Two years after delivering the commercially disappointing Powerballin, Chingy is ready to redeem himself with a new LP, Hoodstar. In this SOHH exclusive, the St-Louis rapper speaks on the pressure to succeed and one hit wonders.

Roughly a year after the monstrous success of 2003's Jackpot, Chingy returned with Powerballin. Though the CD was lead with "Balla Baby," which faired decently on radio and video outlets, Chinga-ling's sophomore disc fell way under the 3 million units sold by its predecessor. Now with the Tyrese-featured "Pullin' Me Back" bubbling, Chingy is confident he's poised to return to glory.

"I don't feel no pressure, cause the only reason Powerballin had mixed reactions is cause I came out with one single. The label messed that up. It was too much trying to make a decision on what second single to drop," Chingy told SOHH.com. "They waited too late and they just messed the whole process of it. They know they messed up with the second album, so they ain't got no choice."

Though Jackpot quickly reached commercial success, Chingy's credibility has arguably never matched his record sales. Critics are usually pretty stingy with the praise while heads have questioned his longevity since his first single, "Right Thurr" came out. But Chingy doesn't sweat it.

"I don't know how you can call somebody a one hit wonder that came out with four hit songs. And that's from my first album to my second album," Chingy explained. "A one hit wonder comes out with one song and you don't hear nothing from them. And when people talk crazy and be hating and all that shit, I don't even worry about that. That don't do nothing but give me drive."

Misconceptions seemingly abound when it comes to Chingy. Ask anybody and they'll tell you his music caters to women. Yet, Chingy says he gets plenty of love from the fellas as well.

"I would rather for all the women to like my music. I don't care. It's fellas that like my music too. I ain't fin to be mad cause mostly women listen to my music. That's what I want to hear my music," Chingy shared. "I always got dudes who came up to me and said they like my music. I figured it's vice versa like with this "Pulling Me Back" song, you wouldn't believe the dudes that come up to me. Some of the hardest dudes come up to me and tell me they love that song. It's more women because I think I attract women. The ladies love my music."

Chingy's Hoodstar featuring production from Timbaland, Kwame, Mr. Collipark, Jermaine Dupri and Three Six Mafia hit stores September 19th.

-article courtesy of SOHH.Com

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Eminem Customizes Kicks For A Good Cause

Posted at 8/26/2006 06:20:00 AM

Eminem has joined the Nike company to create a limited edition Air Max sneaker series, the proceeds of which will benefit underprivileged youths around the world.

Eminem helped design updated versions of previously released Nike sneakers, including the Air Max ’87 and Air Max 360 lines.

“If you told me ten years ago that I’d be designing this whole series of Air Max’s, I never would have believed it,” Eminem said. “It’s one of the hottest lines the Nike ever produced, so I’m honored to make my own contribution.”

Only eight full sets (64 pairs in total) will be produced, numbered, and then autographed by Eminem. The sneakers are set to be auctioned over four weeks starting on Aug. 31, with all proceeds going to the Marshall Mathers Foundation and NineMillion.org.

The shoes will be auctioned off at limited Nike stores and on eBay.

-article courtesy of SixShot.Com

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Rappers, Celebs Prep New Branded Spirits

Posted at 8/26/2006 06:13:00 AM

Straight Up Brands, Inc. has announced various deals to produce wines and branded spirits in conjunction with Hip-Hop stars and nationally known celebrities.

The three-year old company, headed by CEO David McCallen and president Vincent Viola, will produce five branded products that are developed by various celebrities along with leading vineyards, master blenders and world-class distillers.

The new brands include a sparkling wine (Black Rose) produced with Foxy Brown and Jay-Z; a vodka (Storm) produced with DJ Clue; a Long Island iced tea (Gravity Blue) produced with Don "Magic" Juan and a Mohito (MoMo) produced with Ja Rule.

Each celebrity was intimately involved in the production of their beverage, choosing the ingredients, valor, name, and glass packaging.

Ten different distributors, including Southern Wine and Spirits, Opici and Stoller, will disperse the new spirits in over 17 different states.

Straight Up Brands is set to begin producing and adding the new product lines with additional celebrity endorsements prior to the end of 2006, and continuing through 2007.

-article courtesy of AllHipHop.Com

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BET Host Mad Linx Hosts US Open's Arthur Ashe Kids' Day

Posted at 8/26/2006 06:08:00 AM

BET's Rap City VJ Mad Linx is set to host the 2006 US Open's pre-tournament celebration catering to the kids, The Annual Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, which will take place on August 26.

"It is an honor for me to take part in this year's Arthur Ashe Kids' Day," said Mad Linx via a press statement. "Not only does it celebrate one of tennis' greatest players, but it also encourages the next generation of players."

Tennis has always been a part of the Queens, New York vj/dj's life, who not only taught the sport at various Tampa, Fl country clubs growing up, but also has been "playing tennis since 1989. I still follow the players on the circuit as closely as I can and I play every chance I get--My tennis racket is never far from my reach."

Each year, the Arthur Ashe Kids' Day is a summer highlight, attracting scores of families who come to enjoy tennis, music, and more. Presented by Hess and produced by the USTA, the event honors tennis legend Arthur Ashe and continues his mission of using tennis as a means to instill in kids the values of humanitarianism, leadership and academic excellence.

A portion of the proceeds from Arthur Ashe Kids' Day benefit the USA Tennis NJTL (National Junior Tennis League), which was established by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder in 1969.

The Arthur Ashe Kids' Day festivities start at 10 a.m., with shows beginning at 1PM at the USTA National Tennis Center Grounds, Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, New York. For more information about Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, visit USTA Online.

-article courtesy of Vibe.Com

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Friday, August 25, 2006   MUSIC |  VIDEOS |  INTERVIEWS  | NEW ARTIST  | HOME

Master P On His Son, Lil' Romeo: 'I'm Working For Him Now'

Posted at 8/25/2006 01:30:00 PM

Eight years ago this week, Master P was taking a break from running his No Limit empire to rehearse for his Video Music Awards performance.

Oh, how times have changed.

No Limit is no more, and P would be lucky to get an invite to a VMA afterparty. Still — and give the guy some credit — he's optimistic. Especially about his new boss.

"I'm working for him now," P said recently, nodding to his son and protégé, Lil' Romeo. "He's the youngest president in the game right now."

Romeo — or Cookie Monster Jr., as he sometimes goes by these days (dad would be Cookie Monster Sr.) — is the CEO of Guttar Music, home to more than 15 rappers.

"I'm gonna do just like my dad did back in the day with No Limit, just bring a lot of artists out," Romeo said. "We gonna try to drop albums every month. That's my goal."

The label is also setting out to be a trailblazer in technology, releasing DVDs along with all its albums. "Me and Romeo are preparing for the future," P said. "We just been making a lot of great music and making movies [to go along with it]."

Both Master P and Silkk the Shocker are on the label, as well as newcomers like T-Bo and Cognito. "They're from New Orleans, and they're all Hurricane Katrina victims," P said.

Guttar Music's first release will be "God's Gift," a Romeo movie with an accompanying soundtrack featuring his latest tracks. It's due November 14.

"I feel I just matured so much in these new songs," Romeo said.

"He's [17]. He's so old now," P interrupted, joking.

This fall, Romeo plans to enroll in college and play basketball

-article courtesy of MTV.Com

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Diddy Disses Lindsey Lohan and Jessica Simpson!! (Watch the Video)

Posted at 8/25/2006 12:23:00 PM

Hey, My connect over at Atlantic Records, just sent me some funny ass stuff. It's a video of Diddy disses Jessica Simpson and Lindsey Lohan for jumping on the Pro-Active Bandwagon. Let me know what you think? Go to the comment section of this write-up and let me know something because this is some wild stuff. Diddy's crazy!

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DMX PULLS A ... DMX!: Flakey rapper stiffs troops in Iraq and Kuwait.

Posted at 8/25/2006 09:41:00 AM

We knew they were asking for trouble when they booked him, but hey, we figured they don't read the EUR or any publication for that matter, but their decision came back to haunt them. So what the hey-all are we talking about you're asking? Read on.

Earl Simmons, who performs as rapper DMX, cancelled a week-long tour to entertain troops in Kuwait and Iraq. He offered no explanation, reads a press release from the USO, the organization that booked him. Here's the rest of the release:

"Simmons was scheduled to depart on his tour Aug. 22, but delayed his departure until Aug 23. His representative agreed to add a day to the original schedule. However, on Aug. 23, he failed to appear on time for his flight to Kuwait.

'We are extremely disappointed that DMX decided not to complete the tour he asked us to arrange for him,' said John Hanson, USO senior vice president for marketing and communications. 'When we announced this tour, troops were extremely excited about the possibility of seeing a performer they admired. We understand their disappointment.'

The USO and the military worked on an extremely tight schedule to make it possible for DMX to travel when it was convenient to him. 'Typically, it takes up to 45 days to arrange transportation, housing, production assistance and country clearances for entertainment tours,' Hanson said.

'This tour was put together in just under two weeks, because we know how much service men and women appreciate his performances. Mr. Simmons let a lot of people down.'

The USO listens to the troops and does its best to provide the kinds of music and entertainment they request. Celebrities who have performed on USO tours over the last few years include 50 Cent, Toby Keith, Master P, Lil' Romeo, Jessica Simpson, Shinedown, Chely Wright, Shaggy, Drowning Pool, Lil' Mo, La Mafia and Ludacris.

Entertainers on USO tours volunteer their time to perform and meet with U.S. service members around the world. 'We will continue to provide quality entertainment to the people who defend us daily around the world in some remote and often dangerous places,' said Hanson. 'Fortunately, most performers honor their obligation to perform once they make the commitment.'"

Like we said, the USO folks obviously don't read EUR or any other publication or they would've known that this just might happen to them. Oh well.

-article courtesy of EurWeb.Com

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Fat Joe Joins The Mob, Spotted On "The Sopranos"

Posted at 8/25/2006 09:34:00 AM

Photos of Fat Joe on the set of HBO's "The Sopranos" surfaced in the photo gallery of gossip site TMZ.com this week, leading to speculation that the Bronx, NY rapper might be appearing on the final season of the hit show.

HBO is currently taping the final season of the mobster-themed show, which will premiere in early 2007. A photograph of "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini with Joe on the Queens, NY set of the show appeared on TMZ along with photos of "Sopranos" actors Edie Falco, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Michael Imperioli, Steven R. Schirripa and Robert Iler.

Still, fans shouldn't jump to any conclusions that Joey Crack has landed an HBO guest spot.

"He's not on the show," a spokesperson for Fat Joe told SOHH.

If the Terror Squad honcho were to appear on "The Sopranos" he wouldn't be the first rapper to show up in the cast. Rapper/actors Lord Jamar and Treach previously guest starred in the first part of season six.

-article courtesy of SOHH.Com

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Rapper's Tombstone Stolen?

Posted at 8/25/2006 09:31:00 AM

Bay Area rapper Mac Dre's tombstone was stolen from his grave at Oakland's Mountain ViewCemetery this past weekend.

Dre's longtime friend/collaborator AP confirmed the horrendous act to SOHH.com.

"My agent called me and told me," said AP . "My peoples talked to Dre's momma. That's the best source you can get."

The Oakland rapper is now offering a $10,000 reward for anyone who comes forward with information leading to the offender.

"I got 10,000 for whoever bring me the motherfucker that did it," fumed AP. "I got 10,000 to beat somebody ass. If somebody knows what's up, I don't give a fuck who it is. Not because it's Mac Dre. I don't give a shit if it was Joe Blow, you just don't do that type of shit. Let him rest in peace.

"You fucking with dead motherfuckers," he continued. "Niggas done already killed my nigga -- now he's dead. You still messing with the dead, man? I'ma hold it down for Mac Dre if nobody else ain't gon do it, I'm gon hold it down."

Dre (born Andre Hicks) was killed in a drive-by shooting Kansas City's U.S. 71 highway while he was being driven back to his hotel in November 2004.

The murder was followed by the murder of Kansas City rapper Fat Tone. The following months saw the two cities engage in a bloody feud that produced several casualties, including Fat Tone's aunt, rapper Jermaine "Maintain" Hughes and the death of a fan who was killed during a Dre memorial in San Francisco last year.

However, AP, who now resides in Las Vegas, doesn't think Kansas City had anything to do with the stolen tombstone.

"Hell nah, man," said AP . "They not that stupid. They ain't gon do nothing like that. I don't think it's no niggas or nothing like that. I think it's some white fan -- motherfuckers shroomed-out. I don't think that it's anybody that we would associate ourselves with. It's more like a fan.

"We got love for Kansas City," added AP. "We just hate what happened to Dre. Everything is cool. To tell you the truth, ain't none of my niggas going to Kansas City, cause I don't want nothing to happen to nobody. There's somebody out there that really wanna earn a stripe or something. It ain't cool to go out there. We ain't doing no shows or nothing. Since Dre got killed, no Bay area rapper has done no shows in Kansas City."

-article courtesy of SixShot.Com

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