NEW YORK (AP) - Kanye West, with a crown of thorns atop his head, poses as Jesus Christ on the cover of the upcoming issue of Rolling Stone. The outspoken rapper defends his brash attitude inside the magazine's pages, on newsstands Friday. He is also pictured posing as Muhammad Ali.

"In America, they want you to accomplish these great feats, to pull off these David Copperfield-type stunts," he says. "You want me to be great, but you don't ever want me to say I'm great?"

West also says his hit song "Gold Digger" was the best song last year and that it should have been nominated for the Grammy's best rap song category: "That's a gimme Grammy."

Nevertheless, the 27-year-old is nominated for eight awards, including album of the year for his sophomore album, "Late Registration." The Grammys will be presented Feb. 8.



West has always been forthright in saying what he feels, most famously when he said "George Bush doesn't care about black people" during a telethon for Hurricane Katrina victims.

"If I was more complacent and I let things slide, my life would be easier, but you all wouldn't be as entertained," he says. "My misery is your pleasure."

The strangest tangent of the Rolling Stone story, however, is when West says he's addicted to pornography. He remembers first seeing his father's Playboy magazine when he was 5 years old.

"Right then," West says, laughing, "it was like, 'Houston, we have a problem.'"

By MARYCLAIRE DALE

(AP) Barry Reese, a rapper who goes by the name Cassidy, is shown in an undated photo released by the...
Full Image

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Baby-faced rapper Cassidy was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault Tuesday in what prosecutors called the planned ambush of a man who had argued with the musician.

The 23-year-old Cassidy (real name: Barry Reese) was grossly negligent for supplying the guns that killed Desmond Hawkins and wounded two of his companions, Common Pleas Judge Jane Cutler Greenspan said at the end of a two-day non-jury trial.

Greenspan sentenced Cassidy to 11 1/2 to 23 months in prison. He has been in custody since his arrest in June, meaning he could be out of jail within a few months.

"You could be a leader in the community," Greenspan said. "All those guns - that's why Desmond is gone now, because of all those guns."

(AP) Barry Reese, a rapper who goes by the name Cassidy, is shown in an undated photo released by the...
Full Image
Police said that four different guns, including an assault rifle, were involved in the April 15 ambush in an alley behind Cassidy's house. Cassidy and his associates had stashed the guns around the alley in expectation of a shootout, prosecutors said.

Witnesses testified that Hawkins, 22, had gone to Cassidy's home to act as a peacemaker after Hawkins and his friends got in an argument with Cassidy and his friends.

"It's a tragic situation for me too," Cassidy told the judge. "I didn't set up for this to happen. Desmond Hawkins was my friend ... one of my closest friends."

Cassidy's debut CD, "Split Personality," peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard album chart and featured the top 10 single "Hotel" featuring R. Kelly. Full Surface/J Records released the follow-up album "I'm a Hustla" on June 28.

Cassidy was convicted of one count of involuntary manslaughter, a misdemeanor; two counts of aggravated assault, both felonies; and possession of an instrument of crime.

Hawkins' companions, Bobby Hoyle and Daniel Irvin, were wounded in the shootout.

By MARYCLAIRE DALE

(AP) Barry Reese, a rapper who goes by the name Cassidy, is shown in an undated photo released by the...
Full Image

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Baby-faced rapper Cassidy was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault Tuesday in what prosecutors called the planned ambush of a man who had argued with the musician.

The 23-year-old Cassidy (real name: Barry Reese) was grossly negligent for supplying the guns that killed Desmond Hawkins and wounded two of his companions, Common Pleas Judge Jane Cutler Greenspan said at the end of a two-day non-jury trial.

Greenspan sentenced Cassidy to 11 1/2 to 23 months in prison. He has been in custody since his arrest in June, meaning he could be out of jail within a few months.

"You could be a leader in the community," Greenspan said. "All those guns - that's why Desmond is gone now, because of all those guns."

(AP) Barry Reese, a rapper who goes by the name Cassidy, is shown in an undated photo released by the...
Full Image
Police said that four different guns, including an assault rifle, were involved in the April 15 ambush in an alley behind Cassidy's house. Cassidy and his associates had stashed the guns around the alley in expectation of a shootout, prosecutors said.

Witnesses testified that Hawkins, 22, had gone to Cassidy's home to act as a peacemaker after Hawkins and his friends got in an argument with Cassidy and his friends.

"It's a tragic situation for me too," Cassidy told the judge. "I didn't set up for this to happen. Desmond Hawkins was my friend ... one of my closest friends."

Cassidy's debut CD, "Split Personality," peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard album chart and featured the top 10 single "Hotel" featuring R. Kelly. Full Surface/J Records released the follow-up album "I'm a Hustla" on June 28.

Cassidy was convicted of one count of involuntary manslaughter, a misdemeanor; two counts of aggravated assault, both felonies; and possession of an instrument of crime.

Hawkins' companions, Bobby Hoyle and Daniel Irvin, were wounded in the shootout.

CAM’RON LASHES OUT AT JAY-Z hear the Exclusive Interview!!!
Does this Beef bring back the luster for the East Coast?





Cam’ron lashes out at Jay-z. What is hip hop coming to? Is this hip hop or is this a matter of a publicity stunt. What ever the answer may be, take it for certain this issue will not be passed over with out media alert’s, press releases, press conferences and more publicity propaganda. (YES…. You have entered the blog of a Music Publicist and a lover of HIP HOP.)

Many Cam’ron fans could actually be split on this particular issue of the disagreement with Jay-z, what could he be actually thinking about. Not taking anything any from Cam’ron . I really think that he falls in to the category of the under-rated rappers.

Not to be confused by a 50 cent scandal or publicity stunt, this Cam’ron and Jay-z quarrel is only the beginning.

Let me please slow down for people who do not know what is going on right now in our illustrious world of hip hop. Hip hop’s poster child for hip hop right now, Jay-z has been ridiculed by the former label mate Cam’ron. We all know if you have been keeping up with rap in this century, you would already know that the two does not care for each other. This was expressed to entities of the Roc-a-Fella staff according to sources; the two rarely had dealing with each other. Steaming from sudden promotion of Cam’ron to label presient by former co-business partner Dame Dash, at that time Jay-z again expressed his dissatisfaction with the ordeal taking place and for whom it was placed.

Prior to Cam’ron getting signed to Roc-a-Fella Records, Jay-z was not aware of the Cam’ron, as an artist, joining the roster. This incident could have brought a slight resentment toward both Dame Dash-Former Partner and Cam’ron- recent adversary!

What does the avid lover of hip hop music takes this one? Well that is the question that I pose for you today rap lovers,

Do you think Jay-z is in fact becoming a bully over the rap world?

Is Cam’ron crying and weeping and need to man up and step his game up?

Has Cam’ron decided to take up for DAME DASH cause of the lackluster viewer ship of Ultimate Hustler?

I would like to hear it from you, fellow bloggers.
It was said in this interview that this sudden mishaps will spark the industry. What will you have artists taking sides?
A lot of the artist today deals with Jay-z and Cam’rom, how do you deal with this problem and how do you try to rectify this forgoing problem.

There could actually be a stand up in hip-hop and create better MC’s and break some as well. You have a new roster of artists that has been added to the Def Jm roster and we would like to know how they feel about the instance lash of words distributed to Jay –Z. As a bloggers I would really like to know how you all feel about who would back Jay-Z and the Def Jam empire, for instance: Young Jeezy, T.I.,The Roots, Beanie Siegal, Memphis Bleek etc. just to name a few.

INTERVIEW FEED:
#1
http://www.streetandindustry.com/interviews/Ed_Lover_show_artist_comments_on_beef.mp3

#2
http://www.streetandindustry.com/interviews/edlover_Stnindustry_pt2.mp3



Is this bringing the Hip Hop movement back to NYC? (Start a new blog with PAUL J.-The Hip-Hop Publicist “Real Talk”)!

Roc-A-Fella Records, Island Def Jam Music Croup and Universal Music & Video Distribution have been hit with a lawsuit by a man who claims he was stiffed out ofpayment for acting in Jay-Z's 1998 movie "Streets Is Watching." Malcolm Crenshaw filed a $1 million dollar lawsuit in Manhattan Federal Court claiming he was neverpaid for appearing in four scenes in "Streets Is Watching," a semi-autobiographicalshort film about Jay-Z's life in Brooklyn, as narrated by the rapper himself.

THIS HAD TO BE A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE ATL.

THIS IS A GREAT PICTURE OF ALL THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN MUSIC PAST AND PRESENT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY THING TO SAY ABOUT THIS PICTURE PLEASE FEEL FREE TO EXPRESS YOURSELF.

I ALWAYS GET TO TALK SO LET ME KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS. I YOU ARE A LOVER OF MUSIC YOU MAY ASK WHERE ALOT OF PEOPLE ARE...... LIKE FOR INSTANCE......(JOI,ANTHONY DAVID TO NAME A FEW)!!


I WILL NOT GET INTO MY SOUP BOX BUT AS A I AM WRITING THIS , I AM LISTENING TO SAMPLES OF ONE OF THE HOTTEST BANDS HERE IN ATLANTA (WHILD PEACH)!

TRUELY I AM DOWN WITH HOW I FEEL AND I HOPE IT IS NOT EVIDENT, I HOPE THAT YOU SEE THE BEAUTY OF HIP HOP MOVEMENT. (SOME MAY SAY HOW CAN YOU HAVE A HIP HOP MOVEMENT WITH OUT SOME OF THE MAJOR ADVOCATES OF HIP HOP)

WHERE IS MALACHI??????????????????????????

HAVE A GREAT DAY PEOPLE

I AM JUST HIP HOP PUBLICIST TRYING TO HAVE SOME "REAL TALK" !

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1934/1973/1600/ATLgroups.jpg

D4L Hates.......Dem Franchise Boys....?????

Jizzal Man of Franchise Boys: They try to follow in our footsteps. We’re trendsetters. It’s like Buddie said, it’s a package thang, man. We dropped “White Teez”, and then people came out with “Black Teez, Red Teez”. All for [some of our] success…

Manager. Johnny Cabbell say... “We have no beef with Dem Franchize Boyz or with any other group,” says Cabbell. “We understand, however, that sometimes when acts have nothing positive to talk about in their careers they resort to criticizing other acts that they feel are more successful. I think that¹s the case here. We would much rather spend time talking about the positive things that D4L is doing: we climbed all the way to number two on the Billboard charts, we’re playing arenas and steadily making appearances across the country and overseas. It’s unfortunate that we have to interrupt such a positive stride to address something so negative.”



Starting this off like this, as you can see it two very conflicting statements. there is some beefs of the two because it was all over Atlanta radio in the morning from the illustrious A-team of Hot 107.9 morning show and also the Frank ski show.

we would not have so much attention surrounding the two acts if they did not have any beefs. I have seen close had for me that the two groups do not care for each other at the November Dirty Awards hosted in Atlanta. I had the opportunity to sit next to the men of D4L and I seen a bit of a rivalry but I also seen a bit of mild hating on the part of the D4L. This came shortly after the show tape for DFB was not working properly. How can we get to the bottom of this believe that I will get to the bottom of this because these are two groups that are taken the industry by storm and making different party music? I am all the way in Cincinnati, Ohio and they are rocking D4L and franchise boys in those clubs.

what ever people say , people may consider this as inflammatory music and they may not consider this hip hop but from a publicist standpoint i would have to say they are very marketable .

from the standpoint of a hip hop lover I can honestly say that this music will not be around .. but one thing I can say is that this music does deserved to be heard by the masses cause as these boys say all the time and they have said it to me before too .... this is a feel good music that actually feels the spirits of most of the world today.

SAID BY MOOK BY D4L:

Mook B.
We aint got nothing but love for them cats but I don't understand all the talking. We hearing nasty rumors that we sabotaged they show at The Dirty Awards and they saying this and that about D4L but we don't do business like that. I don't know what's wrong with them cats man. It's like this. I plugged them cats, I'm the one who put they CD in Coco Brotha's hands, I recorded not wrote, I recorded "White Tee" in our studio, I did that and they know I did that. Then Coco put Rahiem on the record because he had an established label. But they elected to go with the glamour and the bling not knowing it's all about the grimy aspect and relationships more so than money in this game.

To fully understand this you would have to totally appreciate the music and the origin of the "snap music" the "doin it dance"! These are two things that could have very well fueled the beefs because of the origin of these two significant parts of both of these groups.

Both of these groups have a close formula that they use and if you blink twice you might think it is the sam group but indeed it is actually two groups that are trying to have a different flavor.

while they are trying to figure this flavor out , people are trying to pin them against each other. I really feel that the world is trying to weed out one. I presume that the world can’t take too much more of the snap music

It is awesome that we can look at 9th wonder the famous producers reach back to his home town and start a hip hop summit..
I can totally admire the fact that this will take place in his home town of North Carolina.
The main function of this summit will be to create a constructive dialogue between industry professionals and students, in order to achieve a greater understanding of the development of Hip Hop and how to obtain jobs in the entertainment industry.

Now do we understand the culture of hip hop realistically does the average kid even care about hip hop any more. I have to say that we need events like this because as a lover of Hip Ho p I have to say I think we are in the state of apathy about education, spiritual growth but we are also deprived of the real true essence of hip hop.

When are we going to get rid of the era where kid’s don’t even know about the sugar hill gang and the beastie boys and KRS 1. In fact when are we going to realize that the culture extends down to the south not only for crunk music but for thought provoking lyrics coming from the legendary SCARFACE.

I have to say big ups to 9th Wonder and Atlantic Records for bringing out this summit.



Not to forget one of my notable rappers of this time now, T.I. has joined in on this well thought out event to introduce his boys and girls club involvement.

if this is what it takes for hip hop to be understood by the youth then we need to do it and dedicate ourselves to keeping hip hop culture alive.

Date: February 9, 2006

Location: NCCU Campus

Time: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Paul J.