ENTERTAINMENT THE CIVIL WAY!

I can’t stake claim to be Teena Marie’s biggest fan, but I do know she was one of the more vocally gifted singers of her generation. For those who truly appreciated her music – not the one’s running around saying “R.I.P. Tina Marie” – like Marsha Ambrosius, the passing is more difficult to cope with, especially since it happened so suddenly.

On Monday night in North London, Marsha decided to pay tribute to the late singer by giving her own rendition of Teena’s “Yes Indeed” while performing at Dingwalls. While the originator can always stake claim to the track’s greatness, Marsha more than did her thing on this. Her voice is angelic and according to Ambrosius, Marie co-signed her rendition of the record.

Respect: RR via SoulCultureUK

If it’s one thing I love, it’s learning about how tracks came about. Call me a nerd or what have you, but I like knowing stuff like that. Thankfully for Andrew over at FSD, this Rhymefest and (Killer) Mike Bigga song has one. Somewhat.

Here’s a joint of unknown origin from Rhymefest and one of my favorite emcees, Killer Mike. I’m not exactly sure when or where this joint was recorded (or for what project), but I’m guessing it was long before Fest’s bid for rapping Alderman. Mike and Che trade bars while playing the roles of their favorite superheroes, and tossing around some slurs and slanders throughout. It’s a super track.

A few days ago, it was rumored that Talib Kweli was enjoying a record release party for his upcoming album ‘Gutter Rainbows’, when his wife DJ Eque got into a jealousy fueled altercation with him after he was said to be flirting with other women in the bar.  My homegirl Miss Dimplez hit up Talib directly to find out what went down.

“Although we argued none of the rest of it is true. I definitely did not did not say I would not have gotten married if it wasn’t for Hennessy. I wasn’t kicked out, the party had been over and the footage of what I actually said is on youtube….” – Talib Kweli

His wife DJ Eque took to her twitter to shoot down rumors of the alleged incident.

“Who is making up all these crazy ass rumors? My husband did not hit me & I didn’t go into rage and attack him over flirting?? That’s crazy, Ppl need to check there facts before they start reblogging stuff!! Its time for joy and blessing, just stop with all the negative talk and energy….we all need to be more thankful”

A couple of weeks ago itstheBino.com had a chance to speak with the Mayor of Flint, Jon Connor, when he was performing at the Generation Next concert in Brooklyn. Since then, Mr. Connor has been making some MAJOR moves. One of his biggest moves was his visit at Shade 45, where he received significant praise from the one and only Busta Rhymes.

Coming in at #2 on VIBE’s producer of the year list, Boi-1da earned the silver by lending his talents to Drake and Eminem’s biggest singles of the year — “Over” and “Not Afraid.” Finishing 2010 off strong, the Toronto based composer also helped Keri Hilson and J. Cole make beautiful music together (“For Bayou”) and gave Rick Ross and Ludacris a dream come true (“Black Man’s Dream”).  A few days before Christmas, Mikey Fresh at Vibe.com caught a line out to the 24-year old beatsmith who spoke on his recent hits and future projects.

How’s Drake’s new album coming along?
We were actually just up in New York working, Lil Wayne was in there, too. I gave him stuff for Tha Carter IV. Man, 2011 is going to be a good year for music. Drake’s in tip top shape and what’s amazed me is that lyrically he’s gotten better. He was already an outstanding lyricist but now I’m just in anticipation of what people are going to think when they hear his new music.

Do you think he’s out to prove himself more as a rapper and lyricist?
Yea, I know a lot of people had criticized him for singing, but I think he’s just coming back to show people why they fell in love with him, like ‘did you forget about me?.’ And it’s really coming out in his raps. It’s something I can’t even really explain it.

We were all shocked to see Soulja Boy only sell 13k in his first week with his latest album. You produced his single “Speakers Going Hammer”, what do you think happened there?
I don’t think they pushed that project out properly. Personally, I couldn’t even find the album in stores. Rihanna and Justin Bieber was all in front of the store, and they had Soulja’s all the way in the back somewhere. The average fan is not going to go dig in the back of the store for it. It should have been in the front with the rest of the new releases. I don’t think his numbers have anything to do with him falling off or anything like that, but it just wasn’t placed properly. All the people that I know that were on the album too, said the same thing.

Read The Rest of The Interview on Vibe.com

Not only is mega producer-come-NYU professor Swizz Beatz an avid art collector of painters such as Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat that understands the importance of investing in quality over quantity, but he’s also a painter and photographer. Blackenterprise.com recently sat down with the man of many hats to discuss his inspirations for breaking into the visual arts as why it was such a natural progression for a youngster growing up in the Bronx during the ’80s.

The stepbrother of incarcerated rapper G. Dep‘s 1993 murder victim has spoken out on the shooting and gave his opinion on the ex-Bad Boy artist’s confession. Robert Henkel‘s the victim’s step brother told the NY post, Dep hurt himself by deciding to confess to a 13-year-old crime.

“I think he’s an idiot,” said Robert Henkel, 56, whose then-32-year-old stepbrother, John, was blasted in the chest with three bullets on Oct. 19, 1993. “He has three kids and a wife. It was years and years and years ago. Finally, we’re not always thinking about it . . . and now it has to be dug up all again. His mother told him, ‘Don’t turn yourself in,’” Henkel said, referring to The Post‘s exclusive jailhouse interview with the rapper. “She was right . . . After all this time, yes, he just should have shut up.” (New York Post)

Source

Waka Flocka who can barley turn the clippers on give this unsuspecting guy a very bad haircut, look for him to be bald for a while. He says if he wasn’t a rapper, this would be his calling.