Probably misinterpreting the contract negotiations and record label ownership tug of war as the best parts of Straight Outta Compton, the BET Network has announced a documentary series called Inside The Label that will take viewers behind the scenes of some of the biggest record labels in hip-hop.
The eight week series is set to premiere on May 17, with each episode focusing on a major label and will feature interviews and appearances from megastars including Jay-Z, Mary J Blige, Rick Ross, Killer Mike, Diddy and, um, Robin Thicke I guess?
The first person narrative accounts will be complemented with never-before-seen footage and will be executive produced by A. Smith & Co. Productions and DTP co-founders Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Bridges’ manager Chaka Zulu and Jeff Dixon, reports Billboard.
Dixon speaks of the inspiration for the series. “The dreams and visions; the successes and failures… we want young aspiring entrepreneurs to have a blueprint as to what really goes on in this business and understand how much work it takes. We [as African-Americans] also want to document our own history, especially in this industry. This is like our natural resource. No one can tell these stories like us.”
The breakdown for each episodes’ interviewees and label focus is below (via Billboard):
Uptown Records: Andre Harrell, Diddy, Jay Z, Mary J. Blige, Babyface, Teddy Riley, Damion Hall, Brett Ratner, Laurieann Gibson, Robin Thicke, Sanaa Lathan, Doug E. Fresh, Al B. Sure, Eddie F, Kim Porter, Father MC, Jeff Redd and Monifah.
Grand Hustle: T.I., Jason Geter, Young Dro, Kevin Liles, Lil Duval, Killer Mike, DJ Toomp and B.O.B.
Loud Records: Steve Rifkind, RZA, Xzibit and E-Swift.
Slip-N-Slide Records: Ted Lucas, Rick Ross, Trick Daddy, Trina and DJ Khaled.
Terror Squad: Fat Joe, DJ Khaled, Noreaga, Cool & Dre and Jesse Terrero.
Ruff Ryders: Joaquin Dean, Darren Dean, Chivon Dean, Swizz Beatz, Eve, The Lox, Irv Gotti, Drag On, DJ Clue, Kool Herc, Lyor Cohen and Jimmy Iovine.
Disturbing Tha Peace: Ludacris, Chaka Zulu, Jeff Dixon, Chingy, Bobby Valentino, Shareefa, Lil Scrappy, Bangladesh, Lil Fate, I-20 and Poon Daddy.
Murder Inc.: Irv Gotti, Ashanti, Ja Rule, Jay-Z, Charlie Baltimore, Kevin Liles and Lyor Cohen.
As yet there is no premiere for Inside The Label in Australia but that’s what Piratebay is for, remember?
Image: Billboard
Throughout his short but extremely influential career, Tupac Shakur dealt a lot with love in his lyrics, from maternal to romantic to brotherly love. So it really should come as no surprise that he was sharpening his skills as a serenading swoon from his younger days, with a love letter written by West Coast’s finest when he was in high school being sold at auction for a ridiculously large amount of money.
The love letter, dated November 22, 1988 is up for sale at auction site Moments In Time for $35,000 USD (approximately $45,000 Australian Dollarydoos). It’s handwritten, which is scientifically proven to increase the romantic factor twentyfold, and was given to a girl nicknamed ‘Beethoven’ on account of her playing the piano.
The letter’s got all the hallmarks of a sweet ode to love, adorable drawings of birds, eyes (it makes sense, trust me), hearts, and telephones, accompanied of course with a phone number. Tupac writes ‘I feel really good vibes from you’ and ‘I want u 2 know that u can tell me anything’.
The more he writes, the more he opens up: ‘I was beginning 2 feel alone & out of the blue, I meet u & it’s almost like I’ve known u 4 years.’ Aww, Tupac.
But high school love can burn too brightly too quickly, and the woman of his affections said in the same article, “I didn’t know the man who tattooed ‘Thug Life’ on his chest and who was gunned down on a Las Vegas street. I never really cared for the music he recorded – it was nothing like those freestyles in front of our school. I knew the kid who loved Prince, and candles and had a broken heart.”
As per NME, the letter isn’t the first to go under the hammer, with a letter written by the rapper whilst incarcerated selling in October for $255,000.
Taking a break from the revolutionary work he’s doing at YouTube, Snoop Dogg has unleashed a spectacular tirade against Mr Olympia, some times Terminator, Kindergarten Cop and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, accusing him of being “a racist piece of shit” in a string of Instagram videos. Specifically Snoop is referring to the release of convicted murderer, Esteban Nunez.
As per Billboard, one of Schwarzenegger’s last acts as governor was reducing the 16 year sentence for manslaughter to just seven years. The kicker here, and why Snoop is dropping it like it’s hot, is that Nunez is the son of former speaker of the State Assembly, and close political ally of Schwarzenegger, Fabian Nunez. To compound things further, Snoop questions why Schwarzenegger would be okay with allowing Nunez to get out of prison early but refused to stay the execution of former Crips gang leader turned peace activist, Stanley “Tookie” Williams.
It’s all quite shady with double standards, perceived racial connotations and perverting of justice abounding. Snoop went further in his rants, via Uproxx:
“So Schwarzenegger lets Nunez’s son out, but he doesn’t let his crimey out. The n**** he did the murder with still in the [penitentiary]. That’s white privilege right there, right? That’s bullsh**. That’s straight bullsh**. So you’re just a f**kery, that’s what you are. You’re just a slut-bucket-mouth motherf**er. I can’t wait to catch you […] I hope he’s running with Trump so we can knock both of you n****s off at the same time.”
These accusations are pretty huge, and the language Snoop is using shows just how mad he is. In a time where race relations are extremely prevalent, and the current political climate isn’t exactly painting a bright picture for the future of minorities, you can understand the anger that Snoop must be feeling.
Image: Mashable
Musicians crossing over to movies can fall on such wide spectrum. On the “OH GOD MY EYES” end is Mariah Carey‘s individual assault on the medium of film in Glitter, while on the virtuoso end is the Thin White Duke himself, David Bowie, enigmatic and otherworldly in The Prestige.
Whilst we’re not entirely sure where the next film staring a musician will fall on this spectrum, we can’t exactly contain our excitement at the fact that a feature length documentary on Rihanna is in the works. Although she has previously starred in two other documentaries, 777 and Half of Mine, she is perhaps (unfortunately) known best movie wise for her brief foray onto the big screen in Battleship; a film which could be politely described as a film that did indeed exist and was seen by some people.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, Battleship director Peter Berg will help the documentary, most likely forgoing his usual tropes of extended fire fights, armies, and Mark Wahlberg being a badass. According to Refinery, Berg says the film will be akin to the 1967 documentary Don’t Look Back, which focused on Bob Dylan‘s early life and career. Berg goes on to say that he envisions the film being “more a character study than a music film”.
As per the film’s website Film45: “Follow this true international superstar as she navigates life as an artist, businesswoman, and humanitarian, while contending with the inherent pressure of artistic freedom. Peter Berg’s Rihanna is an unfiltered look into Rihanna’s life and how she’s ascended to become a global icon, providing a glimpse into the evolution of one of the world’s most well-known pop artists. ”
Rihanna is currently on the ANTI world tour, while Mr. Berg is currently in post production on the Mark Wahlberg versus an oil-rig film, Deepwater Horizon.
Image: Christopher Polk/Getty Images
Taking time out from their super serious acting careers to divulge in their hobby of singing songs, Common and Ice Cube dropped by The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to perform Real People off the soundtrack for their new film Barbershop: The Next Cut (no seriously). It capped off an emotional and eventful week for Cube, with N.W.A’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame followed by a ludicrously enjoyable Twitter feud with Kiss’ Gene Simmons (because why not?)
House band The Roots joined in on the performance of the track which preaches togetherness, community and an end to violence, according to Rolling Stone, with the two artists definitively burying the hatchet of a decades long beef with the most likely U.N sanctioned hatchet burying process of shaking hands in solidarity.
Common discussed his history with N.W.A, including about when he opened up for the rap group in the 80’s and why he decided to join the cast for the new film: “First of all it’s a fun movie, it’s a comedy. It just has a message with heart about really the community and how communities need to take care of themselves. It’s based in Chicago and there’s been a lot of violence in Chicago but the movie is about hope and based on hope and inspiration; but it deals with the subject in a real way.”
In case you’re trying to come up with ideas for a Mother’s Day present, Barbershop: The Next Cut Official Soundtrack is out now via Atlantic Records.
And now, Common shows off his break dance moves
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4JqGA5xbi4?list=PLykzf464sU9_lo9m4bgm_JT_yF5vrvkpA]
Somehow escaping from the clutches of the horrifying world of teen sitcoms, Ariana Grande has managed to forge a successful music career, while also paving the way for her inevitable transition into the regular rotation of Saturday Night Live hosts. However before she ascends to that most auspicious calling she has a few sexist trolls to deal with.
According to Billboard, after the release of the video to her new song Dangerous Woman, the inevitable slut-shaming began, with a Facebook user criticising her look in the video, saying: “Ariana all respect, but dangerous woman I loved but the trouble is that in he video salts like a whore!.. sorry for the rudeness, I only just said the truth…. SORRY”
Of course it’s the truth if it comes from someone anonymous – where would the world be if these brave people didn’t shine a light on things that would only pass in the darkness forever holding back the human race?
Like a consummate professional – she’s done this not once but twice already – she responded with her very own truth bomb:
“When will people stop being offended by women showing skin / expressing sexuality? men take their shirts off /express their sexuality on stage, in videos, on Instagram, anywhere they want to… all. the. time. the double standard is so boring and exhausting. with all due respect, i think it’s time you get your head out of your ass. ♡ woman can love their bodies too!! ♡”
You can check out what all the fuss was about in the Dangerous Woman video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WbCfHutDSE
Photo: GQ Magazine
The Ed Sullivan Theater shook with the might of a thousand suns and gargantuan feedback and reverb as Texan instrumental outfit and bane of Ted Cruz‘s campaign manager’s existence, Explosions In The Sky descended onto The Late Show With Stephen Colbert with an epic performance of Disintegration Anxiety, the first single from their new album The Wilderness.
It’s the type of performance that you’d expect from the group – sprawling, haunting and powerful. Making the cramped stage the landscape for their fully formed visions that feel like a cinematic score to a film that can only exist within one’s own mind, it was truly one of the best on late night TV in, well, ever!
Instrumental performances are usually reserved for the house band on late night talk shows, so having Explosions lay down a heavy yet calming piece that builds into a tsunami of a crescendo is a rare and welcome gift- a branching out that Colbert could seek to attempt more often.
According to Rolling Stone, the post-rock outfit have a sizeable tour itinerary planned to support The Wilderness with dates in North America starting May 2nd as well as a couple of international legs throughout Europe. It’s been five years since they toured Australia. I’m sure there’s enough fans of wailing, hypnotic and ambitious musical interplay Down Under to convince them to return to our shores once more.
The Wilderness is out now via Temporary Residence.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CQNE8ywTCA]
Image: Pitchfork
The video/music/game/everything else mashup that has been spawned over the last few years by the nebulous denizens that populate the internet can range from the genuinely imaginative to whatever the hell this diabolical stain on the conscience of mankind is.
Time Magazine reports that YouTube user and music mashup extraordinaire isthishowyougoviral has made an art of it, so far as one can, and his latest video has Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie throwing some enviously strong rap skills at the rest of the rest of the neighbourhood with their peerless rendition of Warren G and Nate Dogg’s 1994 hip-hop hit Regulate. The video cuts together the song with Bert and Ernie going about their lives on Sesame Street in a way that makes it look like they’re ready to break out and become the hip-hop kings they were born to be.
isthishowyougotviral, or Adam Schleichkorn in non-internet parlance, elaborated, “This song honestly ended up being just as tough as my last one (Bone Thugs-n-Harmony‘s Crossroads), if not tougher. I almost bailed on it several times, but it was the most requested in the comments, and another one of the best rap songs ever, so I felt as if I had to give the people what they wanted.” See, the power of the internet can be used for good.
Schleichkorn is an old hat at this mashup game, already creating some supremely watchable Muppet mixes of the Beastie Boy’s So What’cha Want and Digital Underground The Humpy Dance, so it won’t be long before the interwebs will once again be graced with Schleichkorn’s refined, Frankenstein-like handiwork.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYD3gLCXXuU]
Image from the Independent
In reality bending news that will surely salivate the mouths of hip-hop and Star Wars fans everywhere (there’s some overlap there, surely), Billboard is reporting that Faith Evans, widow of Notorious B.I.G. has given us an update on not only the still in the works posthumous album with her late husband, but that a hologram of Biggie is also coming down the digital pipeline.
The news offers up the sweat inducing thought of an epic rap battle and subsequent superhero team up (that’s how these things work right?) with fellow hologram/higher dimensional being, Tupac Shakur, who famously drifted into temporary existence at Coachella 2012 causing revellers to lose their collective minds.
Talking on the Dame Dash Radio show, Evans gave an update on the projects saying, “I had no idea how I was gonna even go about it but it’s been coming along pretty awesome. If he was alive, I know we would’ve done something like this but the way it’s coming together, the way I’m using his vocals, it’s just giving his stuff new life. I think people are gonna really enjoy it.”
As for Notorious in hologram form, Spin reports that the company that made Tupac look like a giant space chess piece, the woefully unimaginatively named Holograms USA, have been in ongoing talks between both interested parties but were “unable to announce any plans at this time.” Evans explains further (as per NME) that they are in development for the hologram and plans to debut it in a music video first before any plans for a live performance.
The use of holographic technology to resurrect sorely missed artists certainly opens doors to a new kind of concert experience if done the right and respectable way, and not reduced to a essentially a glorified .GIF image. Check out the full interview with Faith Evans below, and join us in praying to the lord Biggie that this comes true.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeMq9Jt6ktA]
Image: Vibe
The Tallest Man On Earth (a.k.a. Kristian Matsson) released his fourth album, Dark Bird is Home (check out our review) last May, and we haven’t heard too much from him since. However, today brings the news that an accompanying short film that documents the creation of the album, sharing some much welcome insight into his creative process is in the works, and it now available for fans.
As per Exclaim, the mini-doc was directed by Dan Huiting and Lauren Josephine, and it captures the musician at work in his home country of Sweden, piecing together what would become the full aforementioned record. It’s a gentle, beautiful, allegorical style of film, taking full advantage of Sweden’s stunning landscape – the mountains, the fields, the forests. The screen almost freezes over with how crisp and fresh the imagery is. The film alternates between footage from recording sessions, and Matsson’s meditative joy outdoors, creating a lovely companion piece to the album.
The Tallest Man On Earth also announced tour dates to support his latest album across North America and Europe with stops at the Nelsonville Music Festival, Pukkelpop and the Ottawa Bluesfest among the lucky places that’ll get to experience him live. Let’s just hope Australia turns up on that list soon!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6VMKc-1xZE]
Image: Pitchfork