MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMA's) 2010 (Re-cap)

So the MTV Africa awards were held in Lagos, Nigeria. It featured both local and international artists, Rick Ross, Eve, 2face, Wande Coal, Sasha, MoCheddah and a host of others. The host was Eve.....I must say very impressive....

    MAMA 2010 Winners

·         Best Francophone - Fally Ipupa (DRC)

·         Best Lusophone - Cabo Snoop (Angola)

·         Artist of the Year- 2Face (Nigeria)

·         Best Female - Sasha (Nigeria)

·         Best Male - 2Face (Nigeria)

·         Best Video - Fally Ipupa (DRC): “Sexy Dance”

·         Best Group – P-Square (Nigeria)

·         Brand New Act - Mo Cheddah (Nigeria)

·         Best Performance - Big Nuz (South Africa)

·         Song of the Year - Liquideep (South Africa): “Fairytale”

·         MAMA Legend – Miriam Makeba (South Africa)

·         Best International – Eminem (USA).

video viahttp://www.jaguda.com/2010/12/14/mtv-africa-music-awards-mama-2010-video-review/

Lebron James Announces He's Joining Miami Heat With Dwayne Wade & Chris Bosh!

I personally don't favour this move, my thoughts are that this may ruin his legacy as a player, but lets see what happens at the real business end of the season..the play-off's next year...I say Lakers 3PEAT....Christmas Day will never be the same!!!!

As if Miami was not already hot!!!

Jay-Z addresses his faith through lyrics

Jay-Z takes aim at all those who have questioned his spirituality on the new Rick Ross song "Free Mason". At the top of the year, while on New York radio, Jay dismissed rumors that he was a member of the illuminati, worshiped the devil and had Satanic images in the video for "On to the Next One".



"I got a lot of money," Hov told Power 105.1 radio host Ed Lover on January 13. "When people get a lot of money, they start getting those rumors, like Tom Cruise, Willie Smith. That's ridiculous."

On "Free Mason," which is a play off the rumors that Jay is a Freemason, Hov shoots back.


“N—as couldn’t do nothing with me, they put the devil on me…I would have preferred n—as squeeze the metal on me/ Rumors of Lucifer, I don’t know who to trust/ The whole world wants my demise, turn the music up.
“If y’all n—as fear me, just say y’all fear me…F— all these fairy tales/ Go to hell, this is God engineering/ … I said I was amazing/ Not that I’m a Mason …/ I’m on my third six, but a devil I’m not…”-Jay-Z

Hopefully this puts all those stupid rumour and conspiracies to rest!!!


info via mtv.com (Shaheim Reid)

President Obama and President Medvedev discuss beef

President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (left, in white shirt) talk over burgers Thursday at Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington, Va.

"I have managed to dine with President Barack Obama in an interesting place which is typically American, probably is not quite healthy," Medvedev said later in the leaders' joint news conference.

"But it's very tasty," Medvedev allowed.

"Our daughters will never forget having tea in the Winter Garden of the Kremlin," Obama said. "And Mr. President, I hope you'll remember having a burger at Ray's Hell Burger today."

Before munching on beef, they talked turkey over a slew of serious issues.

Among them, they reaffirmed commitments to work more closely on intelligence and military matters, even as both nations' legislatures still work to approve the renewed nuke reduction treaties.

Medvedev is especially interested in expanding business ties, and Obama hailed a deal to sell U.S. poultry in Russia, admitting it's "odd when you're sitting in historic meetings with your Russian counterpart...talking about chicken."

Serious issues remain between the nations, but their leaders worked hard to show how much better relations are, joking about nukes and Twitter, which Obama uses and Medvedev signed onto yesterday.

"So we may be able to finally throw away those red phones that have been sitting around for so long," Obama quipped, an allusion to the Hot Line set up during the Cold War to avoid an accidental nuclear shootout.

Notice the irony..trying to squash beef over some burgers...nice!
nydailynews

Vocal Slender

Most hip-hop artists talk about coming from tough surroundings-

In Vocal Slender’s case, he started off making his living primarily as a scavenger and the proceeds were used to further his dream to become an accomplished and successful music artist. Vocal Slender born Eric Obuh from Ajegunle, was shown working on his “Owo Yapa” during a BBC documentary on Lagos,Nigeria. His style is similar to that of most artists from Ajegunle like Showkey, Baba Fryo, Daddy Fresh, African Chine, Danfo Drivers etc. Rhythmic vocals infused with party and socially conscious lyrics laid on reggae beats served up with the Ajegunle flavour.

His determination and self belief has taken him far, to the point that his music is available on itunes and promoters managed to bring him over to the U.K...

info via worldfamousnaijablog
pic via cokobar

Stoudemire, Knicks reach 5-year deal

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

The New York Knicks and Amar'e Stoudemire have agreed to a five-year deal worth about $100 million.
The power forward and his agent met with team owner James Dolan earlier in the day to finalize the terms. Stoudemire's agent, Happy Walters, says the deal is for the maximum allowed. The deal can't be signed until July 8.

"I feel great about being a pioneer and showing my leadership," he said at Madison Square Garden, where signs throughout the entrances showed the player pictured in a Knicks uniform and reading "Welcome, Amare Stoudemire."



foxsports

Robin Thicke (Feat. Estelle) - Rollacoasta

I like this one, its got that funky soul vibe....Robin Thicke and Estelle i did not see that happening...good tune though

Jay-Z At The Ceremony For The Nets New Stadium In Brooklyn

This guy is inspirational,enough said!

McGrady says he'd take paycut to play with stars in New York

GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) -- Tracy McGrady is going to get a chance to show he is still a top NBA player.

And he wants to stick around if the New York Knicks bring in some bigger stars this summer, even if it means taking less money.

McGrady joined the Knicks on Friday after being acquired in a three-team trade a day earlier. He said he is nearly 100 percent after microfracture knee surgery, vowing that, "This is not the same Tracy from last season, when I was hobbling on one leg."

The seven-time All-Star knows he could just be a short-term rental before the Knicks pursue players such as LeBron James or Dwyane Wade this summer, but said he would take a considerable pay cut from this season's $22.5 million salary to stay in New York if the Knicks got those types of players.

"I've made a lot of money over my career and I could retire right now and I could be fine financially. My kids can be fine when they get older. Money is not an issue for me," McGrady said.

"So if these guys were to bring in a LeBron, a D-Wade, along with a Chris Bosh or a (Amare) Stoudemire, I'd be a damn fool to not want to stay here. So I'm just telling you right now that I will definitely embrace the opportunity to be here. Money is not an issue."

McGrady said the Knicks were his preference once Houston decided to try to trade him, adding he would have sought a buyout if he were sent elsewhere. He finally got his wish Thursday in a three-team deal that included Sacramento, saying he was disappointed this season by a lack of communication from Rockets management.

"I didn't know. I really didn't know," McGrady said. "And that's just the unfortunate situation, that I just like for management to be upfront and honest with me. That's all I ask, honesty. And if we can't sit and have a conversation eye to eye and be honest with me, then all the respect and trust goes out the window."

Though he has played only six games this season after the knee operation a year ago this month, McGrady will be featured by a Knicks team that has only faint playoff hopes. That could start as early as Saturday, when McGrady and fellow newcomer Sergio Rodriguez could debut against Oklahoma City.

And it'll be in Mike D'Antoni's old offense. The Knicks traded away big men Jared Jeffries and Jordan Hill in the deal for McGrady, so they're going to be undersized and have to try to run teams out of the building the way D'Antoni's Suns did.

"We're going back, speed it up again," D'Antoni said. "We're going to have to spread the floor and we're going to have to score."

McGrady once seemed an ideal player for that style, averaging 21.9 points and winning a pair of scoring titles in 13 seasons. But the 30-year-old swingman has played just 41 games the last two seasons, and D'Antoni said they're anxious to see his health.

"Stay tuned," McGrady said. "Only thing I can do is just go out there and play my game and be me."

D'Antoni had Stoudemire in Phoenix, so he's had experience coaching players coming back from microfracture surgery.

"There were no restrictions on Amare and there were days you'd go, 'I don't know if he's quite back' and there were days you'd go, 'Oh man, he's back,"' D'Antoni said. "So a little up and down, a little roller-coaster."

The Knicks can accept that, because everything they've done has positioned the team for the summer, not this season. Their moves Thursday left them with nearly enough money to offer maximum salary contracts to two top players.

McGrady realizes he's lost his place in that category and now would be happy just to join them when basketball turns around in New York.

"Last couple of years I've been injured, so I recognize that," he said. "And I realize that you've got one of the best players in our league that's going to be a free agent. You've got a couple of them. LeBron, D-Wade, Chris Bosh, Stoudemire, I recognize that. Those guys are on top right now. I'm just a guy that was injured. No sweat, I'll just come out here, do what I've got to do for two months, and then I can put my name back in there.

"Now don't get me wrong, if I come back and I'm healthy and I'm playing well, we're obviously going to do some negotiating. But what I'm saying is if a LeBron comes here or a D-Wade comes here and you're matching them with, pairing them up with Stoudemire or Chris Bosh, I know I'm not going to get the big bucks, but save a little for me."

NOTES: Eddie House, acquired from Boston in the Nate Robinson deal, wasn't yet available but could be Saturday. ... The Knicks waived Brian Cardinal, acquired from Minnesota on Wednesday for Darko Milicic.

Am excited for this summers trades and the rest of the season, I hope TMAC has a good run!!!!

info via nba.com

MissInfo Exclusive: Def Jam signs Shyne Po to a 7-figure deal

Here’s the scoop:

Multiple sources have confirmed to me that Shyne Po has signed a 7-figure deal with Def Jam.*

This ends a bidding war that had industry bigwigs vying for Shyne’s attention, flying to Belize, calling and courting, ever since the Brooklyn emcee was released from prison and deported to Belize back in October.

For Shyne to turn down hard-court pressure from Jimmy Iovine/Dr.Dre and others and instead join LA Reid back at his last known recording-residence actually seems like an inevitable move….because I’ve been hearing that Shyne has been pow-wowing with veteran manager Kyambo “HipHop” Joshua for a while now. Joshua and his HipHopSince1978 partners, Gee Roberson, also manage Lil Wayne, Drake, Young Jeezy and more. Meanwhile, my old friend Al Branch is both a partner in HipHopSince1978 and a high-level exec at Def Jam…see how that works? Synergy! Now there have been recent reports of new label-wide pressures, but with this team in place, Shyne is in good hands.

As for the logistics, the plan is for Shyne to work out of London, it’s a buzzing hip hop hub with all the necessary facilities. Oh, and about that first verse which appeared on an early DJ Khaled album leak (and is allegedly scratched from the final tracklisting)…I’m hearing that Shyne didn’t intend that verse to be his first look. After nearly a decade inside, he’s allowed a little time to figure out what direction he’ll take.

When Miss Info drops an exclusive like this, I believe her, hence the name, am looking forward to new music from Shyne, I was still rockin with his last two albums while he was incarcerated, wonder what Puffs views are on the deal, also why would he go Interscope when Badboy has moved over there...Jimmy Iovine chill out!!! Shyne make that money...7 figures..God Damn (no blasphemy)

via missinfo

The Ipad

Did anything even matter before the iPad? Or did the lives of tech geeks as they knew them officially begin today?

My first impressions of the device are largely positive. Apple has once again built a product that looks good and feels great in the hand, and the familiar user interface, borrowed from the iPhone and iPod touch, is perfectly suited to the bigger screen. The iPad whizzes along, opening applications, re-sizing web pages, and zooming in and out of maps almost instantaneously.

It's a great, fun gaming platform, and it's lovely to view full-size web pages while browsing the internet. Developers, no doubt, are already rubbing their hands with glee about the apps and services they could tailor specifically for this device.
The new touch-optimised iWork suite is beautifully realised, making it quick and easy -- and, dare I say, fun -- to piece together a spreadsheet or presentation. It also helps to elevate the iPad to more than just a plaything.

As Steve Jobs said during his keynote, if you're going to create a third category of device, between the smartphone and the laptop, then it needs to be better than either for certain tasks. In many areas, this is true for the iPad -- web browsing is much better on the iPad than the iPhone, just because of the bigger screen, and physically flicking through photos, music and movies is just more enjoyable on the iPad than a laptop.

But in several crucial areas, the iPad falls short of the functionality that would have made this more than just a large iPod touch. The lack of Flash support is a major issue; the iPad's big screen is designed to make the best of multimedia content and the full-screen browsing experience, but the sight of little blue squares dotted around web pages where embedded video should have been just makes you feel like you're being short-changed.

The iPad's inability to multi-task could also severely hamper its appeal. It's being pitched as a portable device that you could kick back and use on the sofa at home, but you can't listen to your Spotify playlists at the same time as writing an email, or browse the web while using an instant-messaging app to chat with friends. It's one or other, just as it is on the iPhone and iPod touch, but for the extra money you're paying for the iPad, you expect something more akin to a laptop computing experience.

I love Apple's new e-reader application, iBooks. The virtual bookshelf, on which your digital tomes sit, is an example of Apple design at its best; elegant, simple, well-executed. The reading experience itself was also delightful, with the pages of the virtual books having the sort of patina you would expect to find on a printed novel. Turning pages is achieved with a swiping gesture, or a single tap in the right-hand margins.

But I think the backlighting of Apple's pin-sharp display is going to cause a lot of tired eyes; e-Ink is deeply unglamorous, but it does the job superbly, and I don't think serious bookworms will be swayed to chose the iPad over the Kindle or a Sony Reader. For the casual reader though, the inclusion of the iBooks app, and the iBookstore, is a boon, and likely to inspire impulse purchases of novels in much the same way as the iTunes music store on the iPhone and iPod touch is a constant temptation.

Before yesterday's event, analysts were adamant that the iPad would be the saviour of newspapers and magazines, but there was little sign of that at the launch. The New York Times showed off a slick application, but it just felt like a larger-scale version of their iPhone app rather than a genuine step-change in the way printed content is delivered and consumed. I had hoped to hear more about how the iPad could be used to read magazines or shape the day's news agenda. However, it's still early days and Apple are only now able to talk more openly to prospective content partners about mutually beneficial deals.

The iPad is a lovely device that gadget fans will lust after, but I'm yet to be entirely convinced that it offers enough of an advantage over my smartphone or laptop. I do think it has the potential to be a game-changing device, but it will be the second- and third-generation versions that really drive the agenda, and introduce a new and innovative way of computing.

Ultimately, the iPad is a large iPod touch: a great device to draw your inspiration from, but perhaps not the seismic shift in technology that we were expecting. But watch this space...By Claudine Beaumont, Technology Editor, in San Francisco
Published: 1:19PM GMT 28 Jan 2010
via telegraph.co.uk

Telegraph rating: * * * *



This is for those who dont know about the ipad or want to know about the ipad. Apple are really breaking boundaries. My personal thing is that I have the ipod touch, and am not really hyped about this device, i bet by summer 2011, they will have a faster slimmer one, for the tech geeks and people with money to burn, this is a good device to have am still thinking of how to get them 'beats by dre' headphones but not at £279 lol.... *sidenote, peep the video even if not for the whole length just to see Steve Jobs talking and wearing his ' I get money, have no dressing sense jeans'

Baseline Studios Closes Down

If u listen to new-york or east coast hip-hop genrally then i dont really have to explain the significance of this studio, this is where one of my favourite hip hop producers made some classic music with the likes of Jay-Z, Roca-Fella, The Game etc
Check what he had to say

LTD Presents Conversations: Just Blaze (Episode #1) from LTD Magazine on Vimeo.

Jay-Z, Bono, The Edge & Rihanna – Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)

Go buy this track on itunes...100% of the proceeds go towards helping the Haiti earthquake victims, am still thinking of hosting an event where all proceeds will help the people there!!!

Jay-Z Addresses Freemason/Illuminati Rumors &Jay-Z Speaks On Birdman Saying Lil Wayne Is More Lyrical & Makes More Money

“I think I need to remind people I’m from Marcy Projects. You can’t get into those prestigious clubs. I can’t even get into the golf club in Palm Springs.” (In response to Illuminati and Freemason rumors)


“This rap music and the competitive by nature, nothing really surprises me anymore but I’ll honestly say, that was one that was like a shocker. When you from a certain place, cut from a certain cloth, there’s certain things that’s just off limits. When you cross that line, it puts you in a different box.” I think people are running out of ideas and it’s all marketing at this point.(In response to Beanie Segal disses)

- Jay-Z
full interview

The Director Of, “On To The Next One,” Speaks

Jay-Z Speaks On Birdman Saying Lil Wayne Is More Lyrical & Makes More Money
Watch when Jay talks about the money part, this is priceless, this moment Vs the 'men lie women lie, numbers don't', its a tie...lol

Esquire article on Jay-Z

“African-Americans were very rarely considered pop culture,” he says from behind o

ne of his color-blind podiums. “When Whitney became pop, she did a lot of things that were

not necessarily her. Look at her first album” — she looks like an African goddess — “versus

her second” — a black Olivia Newton-John — “and you’ll see what she did. Michael Jackson, same thing. He put Jheri curls in his hair. Those were the things they had to do to be loved by the masses.” But Jay-Z didn’t do anything but keep being himself, he say

s. “The masses came to him.” Full Story: “Why Jay-Z Is Everything We’re Not,” @ Esquire

I should have called this particular post.. the 'jigga man' lol....anyway these are just a few articles you can read on, especially the whole conspiracy theories about S.Carter, I put a bunch of interviews and articles together...call it a read

ers digest, am tired of people telling me hip-hop is evil etc, this rapper is the anti-christ etc....anyway enough said 'On to The next One'!!!

“Rap for me is like making movies, telling stories, and getting the emotions of the songs through in just as deep a way. And I grew up in rap and movies the same way. I recently watched Once Upon a Time in America (1984) on a plane. Back in the day, Noodles”—played by Robert De Niro— “was my man. But when he rapes that girl, I couldn’t sit through it anymore. You come to realize that actions have consequences.” -Jay- Z

full interview

pics and articlesvia vibe, realtalkny, hot97 , interview magazine& esquire

Obama Awarded Nobel Peace Prize

*Congratulations to President Obama for winning the Nobel Peace Prize award. Some say it has come to early and question his achievements. I feel it was inevitable that he would get this award and I also agree with some optimists who stress that he strives to change the face of the U.S. He is effortlessly the most inspirational politician worldwide in a longtime, the man has a tough job and am sure he will make history, wait a second...he already has....*


"The announcement drew gasps of surprise and cries of too much, too soon. Yet President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday because the judges found his promise of disarmament and diplomacy too good to ignore.

The five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee — four of whom spoke to The Associated Press, said awarding Obama the peace prize could be seen as an early vote of confidence intended to build global support for the policies of his young administration.

They lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation, and praised his pledges to reduce the world stock of nuclear arms, ease U.S. conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthen its role in combating climate change.

"Some people say — and I understand it — 'Isn't it premature? Too early?' Well, I'd say then that it could be too late to respond three years from now," Thorbjoern Jagland, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, told the AP. "It is now that we have the opportunity to respond — all of us."

pics and info from abcnews

MTV's Hottest MCs In The Game

Ok so the top ten hottest MC's were announced last week and we got the full table this weekend. I think the list is quite concise, however I do question Gucci Mane's number as being one of the hottest and also the fact that Jadakiss did not make the list but Raekwon did.

Thats not to take anything away from Gucci or Raekwon because they bith put in work their craft. In my opinion this year the top 5 Hiphop Albums are

Blueprint 3
Deeper Than Rap
Loso's Way
The Last Kiss
Only Built For Cuban Linx 2

Another question people were askin was why Eminem was not mentioned in the top 10 'hottest MC's' This was their statement...I f I may say so, this is a valid argument.

*His hotly anticipated return to hip-hop after a long absence drove first-week sales of over 600,000 — the highest first-week sales of the year so far. But then Em retreated to the lab, where he spent the summer crafting Relapse 2. From June to September, Em all but took himself out of the public eye, while other MCs generated week-to-week heat with mixtapes, guest appearances, performances and Web activity. Eminem is one of the best ever on the mic. His track record is undeniable. The Hottest list deals with right now, though. If the Brain Trust had compiled the Hottest list back in May, there’s no doubt Eminem would have made the Top 10.*

So as clearly stated the Top Ten is

1 Jay-Z
2 Lil Wayne
3 Drake
4 Kanye West
5 Rick Ross
6 Gucci Mane
7 Young Jeezy
8 Fabolous
9 50 Cent
10 Raekwon



pics and info via mtv.com

President Obama On Letterman

Its always good to hear from the president even though am British!!! He is intelligent,charismatic and pretty genuine, I think he is doing a good job so far....

Sneak Peak: Oprah Talks to Jay-Z

The Exclusive O Interview
At 13 he was selling crack. By 30 he was a hip-hop legend—having gone, in his words, "from grams to Grammys." Now Jay-Z charts his escape from the hard-knock life, describes the reunion that healed the wounds of his childhood—and even reveals the standing Sunday date he has with what's her name.

The complete interview will be availabe in the October 2009 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, on newsstands September 15th. Get a first look right here.
Oprah: So tell me how you got into the drug dealing.

Jay-Z: It was natural.…

Oprah: Because drug dealers were your role models. There wasn't a teacher or a lawyer or a nurse or a doctor or an accountant in the neighborhood?

Jay-Z: Well, we were living in Marcy by then, so, no. And if anyone did become something like that, they moved out. They never came back to share the wisdom of how they made it. If anyone made it, you never knew it. That's why I've always said that if I became successful, I'd come back here, grab somebody, and show him how it can be done.

Oprah: So by the time you were 13, this was a way of life. Did the lifestyle frighten you?

Jay-Z: No. It was normal. And at some point, you become addicted to the feeling. The uncertainty and adrenaline and danger of that lifestyle.

Oprah: This is where we differ. This is where we differ. Because I'd be very scared! Weren't you shot at three times—within six feet—and you lived to talk about it?

Jay-Z: That was divine intervention. Divine intervention, and nobody knowing how to shoot.

Oprah: What happened in each situation?

Jay-Z: It was one situation, three shots.

Oprah: So he was a bad shot.

Jay-Z: Well, no one really practices shooting a TEC-9 machine gun, right? And when you're a kid, with little bony arms—no wonder nobody could aim.

Oprah: Many of the little boys who grew up in the Marcy projects are either in jail or dead. Why do you think you got to grow up and buy your mom a house?

Jay-Z: There's the gift, there's the spirit, and there's the work—all three have to come together. If one of those things is off, it can stop you from becoming who you were meant to be.

Oprah: When I met you a few years ago, we discussed our disagreement over the use of the N word and misogynist lyrics in rap music. Do you believe that using the N word is necessary?

Jay-Z: Nothing is necessary. It's just become part of the way we communicate. My generation hasn't had the same experience with that word that generations of people before us had. We weren't so close to the pain. So in our way, we disarmed the word. We took the fire pin out of the grenade.

Oprah: Do you and Beyoncé have a pact that you just won't talk about each other?

Jay-Z: Yeah. When you're a public person, you have to keep some things to yourself, or else people will just—

Oprah: Eat it up. I know. But can I ask how in the world you kept your wedding a secret?

Jay-Z: Late planning!

Oprah: How many people knew?

Jay-Z: Very few. The sad part is that we offended some. But people who love you understand. Because at the end of the day, it's your day.

Oprah: So here we are, talking on a Sunday afternoon. If you weren't sitting here with me, what would you be doing?

Jay-Z: I'm gonna get killed for this, but I'll tell you anyway. There's a great pizza spot we go to every Sunday. It's our tradition. It's a small place in Brooklyn, you can bring your own wine, and there are candles there. It's a nice date.

pic & article via oprah.com

It is pretty much Jay-Z week, so more stuff, exclusive promo and videos, am not leaking no tracks though and yes BP3 Is looking serious enjoy...

Jay-Z Talks on Blueprint 3 Leak

“I may be the most bootlegged artist in history,” he told MTV News shortly after his album leaked. “It’s a preview. I’m excited for people to hear the album. I’m very proud of the work I’ve done, so enjoy it.”

All day, fans were weighing in on the new record on Twitter and Facebook. Jay kept it cool despite his material leaking out 10 days before the official release day. The iconic MC, though, had reason to relax: He has his own indicator to let him know whether reactions to his music are good or bad.

“My pager is actually ringing right now, so people are probably calling me and telling me they pretty much like it,” he explained. “I can tell by the way my pager rings if a song is good or not. It’s really going crazy right now.”

via mtv

Jay-Z- XXL Cover (October Issue)

Mr 'All Black Everything'

...Came through and crushed the building.

CRITICISM OF “D.O.A.”: 
“I’m not hating on young people. Like, when people say that, I’m like, What are you talking about? It’s just stupid. I’m not hating on young people… I’m not Bill Russell, [saying] Michael Jordan ain’t shit. I’m saying Lil Wayne and Kanye are like LeBron and Kobe. My job as someone at the forefront of the game is to leave it in a better position than when I came in. Same way that Russell [Simmons] left it to me. ’Cause this thing saved my life. Literally. So I have a responsibility to it karmically. And after that it’s on you. I did my part. I made ‘D.O.A.’ I said it. I made the statement. I made the push. Here, y’all take it from here.”

HIS LEGACY AS FORMER DEF JAM RECORDS PRESIDENT: 
“So if you ask me to grade my performance as the president, I’d say A-plus. No one can bat a 100. It’s impossible. I mean, everyone is looking at my shit. But if we really looked under the hood [of] every single [record exec] and the acts they put out in that time, I’d be comparable to anyone.”

HIS STANDING IN THE GAME: 
“But when I say I’m the best, I don’t say that outta my ass. I say that with all my stats behind me. I put that against anybody. I mean anybody. I really believe that… I believe in a lot of things. 
I believe that ‘SportsCenter’ is the best thing on TV. I shouldn’t have to prove it. But I do have these stats to prove it. I’m talking about real run. I’m not talking about years off. I’m talking about straight—boom, boom, boom—back to back. We’re not talking about heritage acts either. We’re not talking about respect what I’ve done. I’m talking No. 1 [albums] 10 times. The Beatles is the only one [to have more 
No. 1 albums]. They got 19, and if I get a surge of creativity, I could make nine albums next year.”

…Speaking of Jim Jones, he and cats like The Game stay throwing shots at you, referring to you as old and washed-up. But you’ve always thrived off that type of competition. So, currently in the most comfortable position of your career, how competitive are you?

Not really that competitive, because the competition isn’t based on real competition. I mean, Game, I’m his fuckin idol. If you ask him and he’s being truthfully honest with you…it’s just based off his insecurities and, for the most part, pretension. That type of competition doesn’t do anything for me. It’s almost like someone trying to set you up, and everyone knows they’re to set you up, and everybody. It’s just dumb. It’s not in the spirit of competition, because he’s not competition for me. He’s not. Not then, not ever—he’d have to improve considerably. Competition for me competition is Nas, Eminem. Like Jim Jones? That’s ridiculous to me. So how do I respond to that? I can’t win. If I win, then they’ll be like, “See. Now chill. You’re a fuckin’ bully.” And if manages to throw a haymaker from the West Coast, then it’s like “Oooooh.” It’s not even fun. Like, before I did it, because I would diss anybody. Now who has time to do this shit everyday? But before, when I was running after the little fat nigga from Ma$e’s camp, I was doing anybody. Anybody said anything. If I thought you said something. When I was running in the streets, I wanted all that type of activity. Nobody wanted nothing. Now everybody’s a tough guy.

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