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Jadakiss Discusses ‘The Last Kiss’, Top 5 Collaborations

Jadakiss dropped by the ‘No. 1 Countdown’ on Fuse, where the rapper promoted his new album ‘The Last Kiss’ and talked about what he’s been doing since the lengthy delay between CDs. Jada also cleared up the album wasn’t his last, and the next release will be titled ‘Top 5 Dead Or Alive’. As for who his top five would be, Jadakiss said Biggie, Nas, Jay-Z, Tupac and Eminem. Watch the interview below.

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Mims Discusses ‘Guilt’, Economy, Jewelry & Touring

Rapdirt.com caught up with Mims for a Q&A as the Manhattan rapper prepares to release his second album ‘Guilt’ on April 7th.

Q: So with ‘Guilt’ I’m hearing you are reflecting on your success in the face of the brutal economy and how this is a common sentiment in the game right now, but what are the tangible effects in how you’re writing? How do you not sound tone deaf to what’s going on right now without depressing everybody?

A: Because I think that it’s not about, one, the album ‘Guilt’ is not just about the economy. It’s a understanding of where the economy sits and that means that I’m not gonna be overly braggadocios in my music, but that doesn’t mean I’m not gonna give you records that take it there and have an up tempo sound.

I don’t wanna depress anybody. I wanna make a album that makes people happy, but I also want them to know I’m aware of the times because gonna have people that wanna hear about what’s going’ on and then you’re gonna have some people that wanna just get lost in the music. I give you something’ on the album for everybody.

Q: Break down how ‘Guilt’ compares to ‘Music Is My Savior’. Is there a track or tracks that if people weren’t told beforehand, they’d would be shocked it’s coming from Mims?

A: ‘Guilt’ and ‘Music is My Savior’ don’t compare. The only way they are similar is that the artist is Mims. As far as records are concerned that you’ll be shocked. I think that people who thought so little of me from a record like ‘This is Why I’m Hot’ that for me to come back and surpass them with any music that I do right now is gonna be a wow factor; any record.

Q: You’re not one to wear shiny rocks with perceived value like some others in the game, so maybe the benefit of the economy tanking will be to clear the decks of the stereotype of rap’s focus on flaunting wealth?

A: You know, I’d say this. There’s a time and a place for everything. There’s nothing’ wrong with somebody shining’. I just don’t think now’s the time and I also believe that that doesn’t make you a man ’cause you can put $100,000 around your neck. It doesn’t make you anybody. It makes you a lot more shinier than the next person.

So for me, who really cares about that? That doesn’t determine anything other than – honestly to me, other than the fact that that person was probably stupid for hanging’ a house on their neck when they could probably put that money somewhere better.

Not to say that I’m not interested in jewelry, but I think there’s an extreme. I think when you start talking’ about 100,000 and some of these people aren’t millionaires. Some of these people aren’t even rich and they’re putting’ that stuff around their neck, they’re stupid.
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Busta Rhymes ‘The Marching 9′ Tribute To Nortorious B.I.G.

Busta Rhymes put together a tribute to Nortorious B.I.G. called ‘The Marching 9′, gathering nine of New York’s best rappers to march in tribute to the 12th anniversary of Biggie’s passing. Among those on Busta’s list was Styles P, M.O.P., Maino, and Red Cafe. Watch a promo below.

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Wale And Marc Ronson Talk About Biggie

Wale and Marc Ronson talked about what drew them to the Notorious B.I.G. in a videoclip at Bad Boy Records' YouTube channel. "I got the CD and for the most part it changed my whole aspect on rap music," Wale said. "The way he put words together and flowed. His flow was definitely ahead of its time."

Ronson said, "The records that Biggie came out with first like 'One More Chance', 'Unbelievable Dreams', all those records there's still nothing that can rival those in a way. There will never be records bigger that will eclipse how amazing those records were and the feeling and the rush the crowd got when those came in. By far the greatest of all time as far as I'm concerned." Watch the video below.

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Biggie’s Mom Voletta Wallace Visits Hot 97

Hot 97's Angie Martinez interviewed Voletta Wallace at the stations' New York City studio ahead of her son Notorious B.I.G.'s film 'Notorious' hit theaters. Wallace, joined by the film's producer Wayne Barrow and record producer and Hot 97's own Mister Cee, talked about not liking profanity and how that made the filming difficult for her, the research involved, Lil Kim feeling like she was shut out of the process, wanting Jamal 'Gravy' Woolard to play her son from the start, wanting Angela Bassett to play her from the start, and more. Watch the 2-part interview below.

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‘Notorious’ Almost Brings Bow Wow To Tears

Bow Wow offered his thoughts on the new movie 'Notorious' after watching the Biggie biopic, admitting he was close to crying in the theater. Bow Wow said he didn't want to go to the premiere because he wanted to pay his money to see it. "When you watch that movie, you ain't even gonna want to turn on the radio to hear the bullsh** that's on the radio right now," Bow Wow explained. "The movie was a masterpiece. It couldn't have been no better. Gravy did a wonderful outstanding job." Watch the commentary below.

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Diddy: Biggie Wasn’t Supposed To Be In LA That Fatal Day

In honor of the release of 'Notorious', Sean 'Diddy' Combs talked about how Biggie's death has affected people as a whole and how the film is giving fans their spirit back. "It changed me," Diddy said of B.I.G.'s murder. "It broke my heart. it took my spirit. I can honestly say and confess, me making music, me producing music hasn't been the same since Biggie passed away. It hasn't been fun for me... I was still doing my thing at 80%, but a major part of me was gone and I just wasn't having fun." Diddy said seeing the movie "made me want to get my spirit back."

In part two, Diddy says Biggie wasn't supposed to be in Los Angeles the day that he was killed. He was supposed to go to London, but instead wanted to stay around to hang out with Diddy to celebrate the release of his new album. "It was a call that I'll always remember," Diddy said. "There wasn't a way for me to talk him out of it. I didn't run Biggie. The call just plays over and over in my head. What if he just got on the plane?"

In part three, Diddy said that despite all the talk, there was "so much love and admiration" between Biggie and Tupac Shakur. "The whole east west thing started, we were caught off guard, and that broke my man's heart," Diddy said. "He did not make 'Who Shot Ya' about Tupac. That freestyle was done a long long time ago. The crazy thing about music is that things come to fruition. You got to watch what you put out." Diddy added that when Tupac got shot, he could feel Biggie praying everything was alright. "We didn't care about nothing that was done before, we were like, c'mon, pull through, pull through. After that, Big was depressed for days."

Watch the three part commentary below. (more...)

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‘Notorious’ Trailer

The trailer to the Christopher Wallace biopic 'Notorious' has been posted online. The film tells the story of Wallace, who transforms himself from a Brooklyn street hustler to become one of the greatest rappers of all time, The Notorious B.I.G., charting his meteoric rise to fame and his refusal to succumb to expectation. Biggie's mother Voletta Wallace produces the project along with his managers Wayne Barrowman and Mark Pitts. 'Notorious' opens in theaters January 16, 2009. Watch the trailer below.

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Don’t Ask Rick Ross About A 50 Cent Beef

Rick Ross spoke with Kevin Tate in an exclusive interview with TRUE Magazine and Ed Magik TV at Def Jam Recordings, in Hollywood, California. The Miami rapper discussed his $250,000 piece, talk of a beef with 50 Cent - which got him quite animated with Tate, he got even more pissed off when asked about west coast hip hop. After plugging himself and various projects, the guy behind the camera asked when he could consider it's enough hustling, prompting Ross so lecture about never being content. "When I ride around these streets I think about Tupac and Biggie," Ross said, "and how they lost their life in the game, and how I gotta make sure I'm not a statistic. I'd rather do life on the chain gang before you ni**as bury me." Watch the interview below.

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The Most Underrated MC Of All-Time

Contributed by AdamBernard:

When people start talking about the greatest emcees of all-time the usual cast of characters is brought up. KRS-One, Rakim, 2Pac, Biggie, etc., all get mentioned. Older fans, like myself, will bring up Slick Rick and The Fresh Prince, while younger fans will point to Jay-Z, Eminem and Nas. There’s one artist that seemingly NEVER gets mentioned, though, and it’s someone who has long deserved to be in the discussion... Read the full story at: adambernard.blogspot.com.

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