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	<title>andPOP &#187; rap</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.andpop.com/tag/rap/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.andpop.com</link>
	<description>POP Culture with Substance</description>
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		<title>Vinny Gets Backlash For His Rap Song</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/30/vinny-gets-backlash-for-his-rap-song/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/30/vinny-gets-backlash-for-his-rap-song/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:46:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Natalia Buia</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Television]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jersey Shore]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[song]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vinny]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=48995</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Just a few hours after Vinny Guadagnino&#8217;s first rap song leaked on the internet, the &#8220;Jersey Shore&#8221; star is already in hot water. According to the Daily Mail, U.S.&#8217;s largest anti-sexual assault organization, the &#8220;Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network&#8221;, slammed &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/30/vinny-gets-backlash-for-his-rap-song/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/30/vinny-gets-backlash-for-his-rap-song/vinny-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-48996"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-48996" title="vinny" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/vinny1.jpg" alt="" width="437" height="246" /></a></p>
<p>Just a few hours after Vinny Guadagnino&#8217;s first rap song <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/30/vinny-from-jersey-shore-takes-a-stab-at-rapping/">leaked on the internet</a>, the &#8220;Jersey Shore&#8221; star is already in hot water.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2068330/No-Mr-Nice-Guy-Jersey-Shores-Vinny-slammed-glorifying-rape-new-rap-song.html?ito=feeds-newsxml">According to the Daily Mail</a>, U.S.&#8217;s largest anti-sexual assault organization, the &#8220;Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network&#8221;, slammed the reality show star for his controversial song lyrics.</p>
<p>The lyrics in Vinny Guadagnino’s new rap song that glorify rape are ignorant,&#8217; a spokesperson told TMZ.</p>
<p>After all that reasonable hysteria, Vinny smartened up and took the song offline. He even wrote on <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/VINNYGUADAGNINO">his Twitter page</a> &#8220;Sorry for offensive rap.I’m 100% against violence &amp; work with many organizations to stop it. Will continue to do so.&#8221;</p>
<p>Good move, Vinny. You were the closest thing to normal on &#8220;Jersey Shore&#8221; and I&#8217;d hate to see you go down a dark, cruel path like your cast members The Situation or Ronnie.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Justin Bieber: The Next Rap Star?</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/03/justin-bieber-the-next-rap-star/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/03/justin-bieber-the-next-rap-star/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:43:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Natalia Buia</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[interview]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jay z]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[justin bieber]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kanye west]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[radio]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=47098</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Justin&#8217;s a busy guy. From recording a Christmas album to allegedly impregnating a 20-year-old girl, he still manages to find the time to rap. At the risk of inflating his ego even bigger bigger, I have to say this &#8216;lil &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/03/justin-bieber-the-next-rap-star/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/03/justin-bieber-the-next-rap-star/screen-shot-2011-11-03-at-5-41-29-pm/" rel="attachment wp-att-47103"><img class="size-full wp-image-47103 aligncenter" title="Screen shot 2011-11-03 at 5.41.29 PM" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Screen-shot-2011-11-03-at-5.41.29-PM.png" alt="" width="478" height="267" /></a></p>
<p>Justin&#8217;s a busy guy. From recording a Christmas album to allegedly impregnating a 20-year-old girl, he still manages to find the time to rap.</p>
<p>At the risk of inflating his ego even bigger bigger, I have to say this &#8216;lil dude has mad skill. On Power 106 FM he performed an original rap to the tune of Ottis by Jay-Z and Kanye West.</p>
<p>As radio DJs and fans hooted and hollered, Justin claimed &#8220;I&#8217;m not done! I&#8217;m not done!&#8221; and continued to kock our socks off. There have been rumours swirling of him collaborating with Lil Wayne and now more than ever I wish it were true.</p>
<p>Check out his sick flow in the video posted below.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XBVXPYTzczU" frameborder="0" width="570" height="360"></iframe></p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Shia LaBeouf Directs Kid Cudi in &#8220;Maniac&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/01/shia-labeouf-directs-kid-cudi-in-maniac/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/01/shia-labeouf-directs-kid-cudi-in-maniac/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:09:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Natalia Buia</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[directing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kid Cudi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[music video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shia LaBeouf]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=46773</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Shia LaBeouf lets Optimus Prime and Bumblebee sit this one out while he directs Kid Cudi in a short film called &#8220;Maniac&#8221;. This isn&#8217; the first time the 25-year-old Transformers star collaborated with the rapper. Last year he directed Cudi&#8217;s &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/01/shia-labeouf-directs-kid-cudi-in-maniac/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><div align="center"><a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/11/01/shia-labeouf-directs-kid-cudi-in-maniac/screen-shot-2011-11-01-at-4-15-31-pm/" rel="attachment wp-att-46779"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-46779" title="Screen shot 2011-11-01 at 4.15.31 PM" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Screen-shot-2011-11-01-at-4.15.31-PM.png" alt="" width="503" height="300" /></a></div>
<p>Shia LaBeouf lets Optimus Prime and Bumblebee sit this one out while he directs Kid Cudi in a short film called &#8220;Maniac&#8221;. This isn&#8217; the first time the 25-year-old <em>Transformers</em> star collaborated with the rapper. Last year he directed Cudi&#8217;s music video for &#8220;Marijuana&#8221; which featured the avid rhymer partying and smoking weed in Amsterdam &#8211; a typical Kid Cudi scenerio.</p>
<p>This time around, &#8220;Maniac&#8221; is like a disturbed episode of Criminal Minds that didn&#8217;t make it past the cutting room floor. Inspired by one of his songs off <em>Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager</em>, Cudi is seen with fellow rapper Cage as they go on a murderous rampage throughout town. It&#8217;s mega-creepy and graphic for just a 10 minute shortie. Expect to be soiling your pants by the half-way mark.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FVemNLOwCJ0" frameborder="0" width="580" height="340"></iframe></p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Betty White Now Has A Rap Career</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/10/12/betty-white-now-has-a-rap-career/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/10/12/betty-white-now-has-a-rap-career/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:52:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>andPOP Staff</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Television]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Betty White]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[luciana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=45793</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Betty White is now spreading her old wings and getting into rap. Betty raps with Luciana in their new video, &#8220;I&#8217;m Still Hot.&#8221; The video shows break dancing, muscle boys and a boa constrictor. A portion of the proceeds go to the &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/10/12/betty-white-now-has-a-rap-career/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><div align="center"><a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/10/12/betty-white-now-has-a-rap-career/betty-white/" rel="attachment wp-att-45794"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-45794" title="Betty White" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Betty-White.tiff" alt="" /></a></div>
<p>Betty White is now spreading her old wings and getting into rap. Betty raps with Luciana in their new video, &#8220;I&#8217;m Still Hot.&#8221;</p>
<p>The video shows break dancing, muscle boys and a boa constrictor. A portion of the proceeds go to the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and is available for download at <a title="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/im-still-hot-feat.-betty-white/id467266185" dir="ltr" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/im-still-hot-feat.-betty-white/id467266185" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/im-still-hot-feat.-betty-white/id467266185</a>.</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5phqDvrWNZc" frameborder="0" width="580" height="340"></iframe></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Man Claims He Shot And Robbed Tupac</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/06/16/man-claims-he-shot-and-robbed-tupac/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/06/16/man-claims-he-shot-and-robbed-tupac/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:45:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alive!]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[confession]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[convict]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[death]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[guilty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[robbed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tupac]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=41328</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>A convicted felon is claiming he shot and robbed rapper Tupac Shakur, reports CTV. New York City police have begun investigating the online posting, which was posted on the website AllHipHop.com. The posted claims he was paid $2,500 by another &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/06/16/man-claims-he-shot-and-robbed-tupac/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-40055" href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/31/fake-tupacs-alive-story-posted-on-pbs-website/tupac/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-40055" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Tupac-236x300.jpg" alt="" width="236" height="300" /></a>A convicted felon is claiming he shot and robbed rapper Tupac Shakur, reports <a href="http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Entertainment/20110616/tupac-shooting-probe-110616/">CTV</a>.</p>
<p>New York City police have begun investigating the online posting, which was posted on the website AllHipHop.com.</p>
<p>The posted claims he was paid $2,500 by another hip hop mogul to rob Shakur outside a studio in Manhattan in 1994, where Tupac suffered gunshot wounds but eventually recovered. He was later killed in 1996 by an unknown killer.</p>
<p>Police are trying to determine if the post is truthful and plan on interviewing the prisoner.</p>
<p>&#8220;Now I would like to clear up a few things, because the statute of limitations is over, and no one can be charged, and I&#8217;m just plain tired of listening to your lies,&#8221; the man says in the posting. &#8221;I still have as proof the chain we took in the robbery.&#8221;</p>
<p>This may be a publicity stunt, or simply a confession that&#8217;s been eating him up on the inside. Either way, we won&#8217;t know if it&#8217;s true or not until the police investigate. Just a couple of weeks ago, a fake story was posted claiming Tupac is still alive, so you never know with these stories.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Karmin, Questlove Release Acoustic Cover Of Nicki Minaj&#8217;s &#8216;Super Bass&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/06/03/karmin-questlove-release-acoustic-cover-of-nicki-minajs-super-bass/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/06/03/karmin-questlove-release-acoustic-cover-of-nicki-minajs-super-bass/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jun 2011 15:23:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[acoustic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[karmin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nicki Minaj]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Questlove]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Remix]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Roots]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[viral video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Youtube Cover]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=40336</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>YouTube favourite Karmin, along with Questlove and Owen Biddle from &#8216;The Roots,&#8217; have released an acoustic version of Nicki Minaj&#8217;s &#8216;Super Bass.&#8217; This cover is amazing. Not only is it a full-on jam session because of all the special guests, &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/06/03/karmin-questlove-release-acoustic-cover-of-nicki-minajs-super-bass/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-37256" href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/04/01/nicki-minaj-to-replace-enrique-iglesias-on-britney-spears-tour/nickiminaj/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-37256" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Nicki+Minaj-168x300.jpg" alt="" width="168" height="300" /></a>YouTube favourite Karmin, along with Questlove and Owen Biddle from &#8216;The Roots,&#8217; have <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byv-wpqDydI&amp;feature=player_embedded">released</a> an acoustic version of Nicki Minaj&#8217;s &#8216;Super Bass.&#8217;</p>
<p>This cover is amazing. Not only is it a full-on jam session because of all the special guests, but the lead singer&#8217;s voice really gives the song a unique spin.</p>
<p>She kind of draws attention to the lyrics, and strips the song down to a bare minimum to give it a new meaning. I also love how effortlessly she raps. For a white girl, she has some serious rhythm. Minaj better watch her back.</p>
<p>Check it out below and let us know what you think! Great cover, or will nobody ever do justice to the original?</p>
<p><object width="600" height="363"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/byv-wpqDydI?version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/byv-wpqDydI?version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="600" height="363" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>T-Pain Vows To Quit Auto-Tune</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/06/02/t-pain-vows-to-quit-auto-tune/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/06/02/t-pain-vows-to-quit-auto-tune/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Jun 2011 19:54:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Auto-Tune]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Never]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[T-Pain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vow]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=40310</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>T-Pain is vowing that he will never use Auto-Tune again, reports AllHipHop.com. The rapper and producer told the hip hop site exclusively that he will never use Auto-Tune in his music again. Auto-tune is the singing effect that T-Pain made &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/06/02/t-pain-vows-to-quit-auto-tune/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-20439" href="http://www.andpop.com/2009/09/10/t-pain-yourself-with-new-iphone-app/lonely-island-t-pain-boat/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-20439" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/lonely-island-t-pain-boat-300x186.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="186" /></a>T-Pain is vowing that he will never use Auto-Tune again, reports <a href="http://www.allhiphop.com/stories/news/archive/2011/06/02/22779369.aspx">AllHipHop.com</a>.</p>
<p>The rapper and producer told the hip hop site exclusively that he will never use Auto-Tune in his music again. Auto-tune is the singing effect that T-Pain made famous, which digitally makes voices sing on key.</p>
<p>It often makes them sound like a robot, too.</p>
<p>&#8220;I vow right here, right now, to never use Auto-Tune again,&#8221; said T-Pain in a statement. &#8220;I&#8217;m onto something that I think is bigger and better called &#8216;The T-Pain Effect.&#8217;&#8221;</p>
<p>No, he isn&#8217;t being funny or ironic. The rapper actually plans to develop a sound called &#8220;The T-Pain Effect.&#8221; He has reportedly partnered with Izotope, an audio technology company, to produce this so-called new effect.</p>
<p>T-Pain without Auto-Tune is like Lindsay Lohan without drugs or Arnold Schwarzenegger without secret love child&#8217;s. It&#8217;s just so bizarre. The man has an iTunes app that Auto-Tune&#8217;s peoples voice, for goodness sake. We&#8217;ll see if this lasts, because it&#8217;s kind of the only thing going for him at the moment.</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

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		<title>ASCAP To Honour Sean &#8216;Diddy&#8217; Combs</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/25/ascap-to-honour-sean-diddy-combs/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/25/ascap-to-honour-sean-diddy-combs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 May 2011 19:11:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ASCAP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[award]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[diddy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sean combs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=39756</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Sean &#8220;Diddy&#8221; Combs will receive ASCAP&#8217;s Founders Award during the performing rights organization&#8217;s 24th annual Rhythm &#38; Soul Music Awards. The invitation-only ceremony will take place Friday, June 24, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Combs joins previous Founders &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/25/ascap-to-honour-sean-diddy-combs/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-20390" href="http://www.andpop.com/2009/09/08/p-diddy-goes-back-to-school/366ad0ae-768f-4a9f-879b-536dceab4558/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-20390" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/366ad0ae-768f-4a9f-879b-536dceab4558-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a>Sean &#8220;Diddy&#8221; Combs will receive ASCAP&#8217;s <a href="http://www.billboard.com/#/column/the-juice/ascap-to-honor-sean-diddy-combs-1005203302.story">Founders Award</a> during the performing rights organization&#8217;s 24th annual Rhythm &amp; Soul Music Awards.</p>
<p>The invitation-only ceremony will take place Friday, June 24, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. Combs joins previous Founders Award recipients Dr. Dre, Stevie Wonder, Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney.</p>
<p>&#8220;To be recognized for my contributions to music by ASCAP is a true honor,&#8221; said Combs in a statement. &#8220;All I wanted to do was make people dance and hopefully inspire others to never settle for anything but their best.&#8221;</p>
<p>As a solo artist, Combs has recorded a string of hits including &#8216;I&#8217;ll Be Missing You,&#8217; &#8216;I Need a Girl&#8217; and &#8216;Coming Home.&#8217; He released six studio albums, and his most recent is the Diddy-Dirty Money album &#8216;Last Train to Paris.&#8217;</p>
<p>In addition to being a producer to Mariah Carey, TLC and Boyz II Men, Combs is also a fashion designer, businessman and actor.</p>
<p>&#8220;His success,&#8221; noted ASCAP president/chairman Paul Williams in a statement, &#8220;is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit, hard work and ingenious ability to add his personal touch to contemporary culture.&#8221;</p>
<p>He&#8217;s a man of many talents and deserves the award.</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

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		<title>50 Cent To Play Blind DJ In Movie</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/20/50-cent-to-play-blind-dj-in-movie/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/20/50-cent-to-play-blind-dj-in-movie/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 May 2011 18:48:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[50 cent]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Actor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[blind DJ]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Odd Thomas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=39460</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Rapper 50 Cent is set play a blind DJ in &#8216;Odd Thomas,&#8217; a film directed by Stephen Sommers and based on the original Dean Koontz novel. The rap-superstar will join Anton Yelchin, Willem Dafoe and Patton Oswalt among the cast. &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/20/50-cent-to-play-blind-dj-in-movie/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-18771" href="http://www.andpop.com/2009/07/20/50-cent-lowers-asking-price-for-mansion/50cent1/"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-18771" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/50cent1.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="298" /></a>Rapper 50 Cent is set <a href="http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/2011/05/19/18168651.html">play</a> a blind DJ in &#8216;Odd Thomas,&#8217; a film directed by Stephen Sommers and based on the original Dean Koontz novel.</p>
<p>The rap-superstar will join Anton Yelchin, Willem Dafoe and Patton Oswalt among the cast. That&#8217;s quite the cast, will he be able to perform?</p>
<p>Koontz&#8217;s bestselling 2003 novel follows the exploits of a clairvoyant cook who uses his powers to track the killer of a young girl. The film starts shooting this summer in Santa Fe, New Mexico.</p>
<p>Kind of a random role for 50 Cent &#8211; I&#8217;m sure he could pull of the DJ thing no problem, but the blind part, I don&#8217;t know. Despite roles in action/music flicks, 50 hasn&#8217;t really done some serious acting, so we&#8217;ll see how this turns out.</p>
<p>Do you think 50 has what it takes to pull off a role like this? What&#8217;s your opinion on music stars turned actors? (Personally, I don&#8217;t like it. Not one bit. Unless you&#8217;re Jennifer Hudson and win an Oscar.)</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

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		<title>Chris Brown Leads BET Awards Nominations</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/18/chris-brown-leads-bet-awards-nominations/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/18/chris-brown-leads-bet-awards-nominations/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 May 2011 16:39:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[R&B]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BET Awards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chris Brown]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nominations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rihanna]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=39282</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Chris Brown is the top contender at the BET awards this year with six nominations, reports Billboard. Brown is up for best male R&#38;B artist, viewer&#8217;s choice and video of the year for &#8216;Look at Me Now.&#8217; He&#8217;s also nominated &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/18/chris-brown-leads-bet-awards-nominations/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-36989" href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/03/25/chris-brown-and-publicist-split/bilde/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-36989" title="Chris Brown" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/bilde-300x238.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="238" /></a>Chris Brown is the top contender at the BET awards this year with six nominations, reports <a href="http://www.billboard.com/#/news/chris-brown-leads-bet-awards-nominations-1005188362.story">Billboard</a>.</p>
<p>Brown is up for best male R&amp;B artist, viewer&#8217;s choice and video of the year for &#8216;Look at Me Now.&#8217; He&#8217;s also nominated twice in the best collaboration category for his No. 1 hits &#8216;Deuces,&#8217; featuring Tyga and Kevin McCall, and &#8216;Look at Me Now,&#8217; with Busta Rhymes and Lil Wayne.</p>
<p>Brown is also getting recognition for his acting, as he is nominated for best actor for his role in the heist thriller &#8216;Takers.&#8217;</p>
<p>Lil Wayne is nominated five times, three of them coming from his guest appearance on Brown&#8217;s &#8216;Look at Me Now.&#8217;</p>
<p>Kanye West, Drake and Rihanna are up for four awards each as well. Alicia Keys will perform and comedian Kevin Hart will host the award show. It airs live on June 26 from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.</p>
<p>Wow, can we call this a Chris Brown comeback? I personally still think he&#8217;s a douchebag, but Rihanna-related-events aside, I guess his music is pretty good. We&#8217;ll have to tune in to see how many awards he actually wins. I know he deserves to deal with the consequences of his actions, but its good to see him on some sort of path to recovery, both career-wise and personal-wise.</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Cali Swag District&#8217;s M-Bone Killed In Drive-By</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/16/cali-swag-districts-m-bone-killed-in-drive-by/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/16/cali-swag-districts-m-bone-killed-in-drive-by/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 May 2011 16:13:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cali Swag District]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drive-by]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[killed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[M-Bone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Montae Talbert]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shooting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=39209</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Montae Talbert, known as M-Bone, of the West Coast hip-hop group Cali Swag District was shot and killed late Sunday night in a drive-by shooting in Inglewood, Calif., reports Billboard. According to reports, an Inglewood police spokesperson said that M-Bone &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/16/cali-swag-districts-m-bone-killed-in-drive-by/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/16/cali-swag-districts-m-bone-killed-in-drive-by/m-bone/" rel="attachment wp-att-39212"><img src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/0-300x225.jpg" alt="" title="M-Bone" width="300" height="225" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-39212" /></a>Montae Talbert, known as M-Bone, of the West Coast hip-hop group Cali Swag District was shot and killed late Sunday night in a drive-by shooting in Inglewood, Calif., reports <a href="http://www.billboard.com/#/column/the-juice/cali-swag-district-s-m-bone-killed-in-drive-1005185092.story">Billboard</a>.</p>
<p>According to reports, an Inglewood police spokesperson said that M-Bone &#8220;sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the head&#8221; while in his car on La Brea Avenue.  He was reportedly taken to a nearby hosiptal and pronounced dead.</p>
<p>Cali Swag District is best known for setting of a dance craze with its hit &#8220;Teach Me How to Dougie,&#8221; which sold 1.6 million downloads and peaked at No. 9 on Hot Hip-Hop/R&amp;B Songs and No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2010.</p>
<p>Very sad news &#8211; my condolences to his family.</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

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		<title>Outkast&#8217;s Big Boi To Launch Kids Record Label With Daughter</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/12/outkasts-big-boi-to-launch-kids-record-label-with-daughter/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/12/outkasts-big-boi-to-launch-kids-record-label-with-daughter/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 May 2011 22:22:24 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Big Boi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[daughter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kids Label]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[outkast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Purple Kidz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[record label]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=39045</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Outkast rapper Big Boi is launching a kids record label with his daughter, Billboard reports. The rapper says he and his 16-year-old daughter, Jordan, have formed Purple Kidz, a new record label that will launch in the coming weeks. The &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/12/outkasts-big-boi-to-launch-kids-record-label-with-daughter/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-39056" href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/12/outkasts-big-boi-to-launch-kids-record-label-with-daughter/big-boi/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-39056" title="Big Boi" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/big-boi-241x300.jpg" alt="" width="241" height="300" /></a>Outkast rapper Big Boi is launching a kids record label with his daughter, <a href="http://www.billboard.com/#/news/big-boi-to-launch-kids-record-label-with-1005180012.story">Billboard</a> reports.</p>
<p>The rapper says he and his 16-year-old daughter, Jordan, have formed Purple Kidz, a new record label that will launch in the coming weeks. The label will feature younger artists but will target fans of all ages.</p>
<p>&#8220;My daughter just turned 16 years old, and you can see it on MTV&#8217;s ['My Super Sweet Sixteen'], where they get cars, and things that depreciate and just don&#8217;t mean nothing,&#8221; says Big Boi. &#8220;I wanted to give my child something that she can grow and build and nurture. So I gave her her own label.&#8221;</p>
<p>Big Boi, 36, says that Purple Kidz&#8217; first signee is Gabbie Rae, a 12-year-old singing prodigy who has appeared on &#8216;The Tyra Banks Show.&#8217;</p>
<p>The rapper, who already heads the Purple Ribbon All-Stars hip-hop label, says that he and Jordan are the sole partners on the new imprint.</p>
<p>As for Big Boi&#8217;s solo career, he says that all is running smoothly as he continues working on the follow-up to last year&#8217;s &#8216;Sir Lucius Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty.&#8217;</p>
<p>&#8220;I had a conversation with Barry Weiss, and he was like, &#8216;Hey Big, great album,&#8217; and he&#8217;s ready for the next album,&#8221; says Big Boi. &#8220;And he wants it ASAP. So, you know, everything&#8217;s good.&#8221;</p>
<p>I actually think gifting his daughter with a record label is a really sweet gesture. Sure, she is probably spoiled to death, but he seems to be implying hard work on her. She will have to maintain the label and nurture it, as opposed to her just being a singer or model or whatever. I&#8217;m guessing she has a huge passion for music, so this path will be a good one for her.</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

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		<title>Charlie Sheen and Snoop Dogg Release &#8216;Winning&#8217; Single</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/10/charlie-sheen-and-snoop-dogg-release-winning-single/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/10/charlie-sheen-and-snoop-dogg-release-winning-single/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 May 2011 17:24:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carmen Electra]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Charlie Sheen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[korn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rob Patterson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[single]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Snoop Dogg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[track]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[winning]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=38856</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Charlie Sheen and Snoop Dogg are releasing their single &#8216;Winning&#8217; on Wednesday, reports CTV. The duo&#8217;s track is set to be aired on radio on Tuesday ahead of its release at midnight, and all proceeds from downloads of the song &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/05/10/charlie-sheen-and-snoop-dogg-release-winning-single/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-36280" title="Charlie Sheen" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/CSHeadshot-241x300.jpg" alt="" width="241" height="300" />Charlie Sheen and Snoop Dogg are releasing their single &#8216;Winning&#8217; on Wednesday, reports <a href="http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Entertainment/20110510/snoop-charlie-sheen-winning-single-110510/">CTV</a>.</p>
<p>The duo&#8217;s track is set to be aired on radio on Tuesday ahead of its release at midnight, and all proceeds from downloads of the song will go to Sheen&#8217;s &#8216;Torpedos Against Tornados&#8217; foundation, set up to help victims of the recent tornadoes which devastated Tuscaloosa last month.</p>
<p>Rob Patterson, a former &#8216;Korn&#8217; guitarist, co-wrote the track and said: &#8220;Look, it&#8217;s a good song. But I honestly don&#8217;t want people to take it seriously. It&#8217;s meant to be fun and entertaining.&#8221;</p>
<p>Explaining the lyrical content of the track, Charlie told E! News: &#8220;Well, the genesis of the song is about, you know, winning. It&#8217;s just everything in life.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;I think Snoop did a really good job at kind of encapsulating the whole vibe of, you know, the movement.&#8221;</p>
<p>Rob was the person who asked Snoop to come into the studio and record a rap for the track, and was surprised by how enthusiastic and quickly Snoop got his part ready after coming over to Charlie&#8217;s home studio.</p>
<p>Rob added: &#8220;He arrived at 9 p.m. and was out by 11 pm. We were all shocked by how quickly and how professionally he was able to just bang it out.&#8221;</p>
<p>The track itself stars off with former &#8216;Batwatch&#8217; actress Carmen Electra saying &#8220;Oh, good evening, Mr. Sheen. Are you winning?&#8221; Snoop then interjects, proclaiming &#8220;No, he&#8217;s smokin&#8217; right now!&#8221;</p>
<p>The track will be available in both a family friendly version and a more hardcore rap version, complete with expletives, from iTunes.</p>
<p>This is too much! I can&#8217;t even comprehend &#8211; wow. Well, it seems like every idiotic idea these days is  backed up with the &#8216;for charity&#8217;  excuse, so once again, I can&#8217;t say anything bad. Please&#8230; support?</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

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		<title>&#8216;Teen Mom&#8217; Baby Daddy Jo Debuts Rap Video</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/04/27/teen-mom-baby-daddy-jo-debuts-rap-video/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/04/27/teen-mom-baby-daddy-jo-debuts-rap-video/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:56:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>andPOP Staff</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Television]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jo Rivera]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mtv]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[N.I.C.K. B]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teen mom]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[video]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=38227</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>When you are a baby Daddy, you have a ton of responsibilities, and that means you need to make some cash. So &#8220;Teen Mom 2&#8242;s&#8221; Jo Rivera is going to get a job, kind of. You may remember Jo with ex &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/04/27/teen-mom-baby-daddy-jo-debuts-rap-video/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-38228" href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/04/27/teen-mom-baby-daddy-jo-debuts-rap-video/jo_rivera_mug_shot_tn/"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-38228" title="Jo Rivera" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Jo_Rivera_mug_shot_tn.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="242" /></a>When you are a baby Daddy, you have a ton of responsibilities, and that means you need to make some cash. So &#8220;Teen Mom 2&#8242;s&#8221; Jo Rivera is going to get a job, kind of.</p>
<p>You may remember Jo with ex Katilyn Lowry and son Isaac. Jo has been trying to launch a rap career, and he thinks the minor exposure he received from MTV is the gateway to singing success.</p>
<p>Using the stage name N.I.C.K B, Rivera <a href="http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2011/04/dad-from-mtvs-teen-mom-tries-to-rap/" target="_blank">performs</a> over a version of Alicia Keys&#8217; &#8220;Unthinkable.&#8221; This video and song make Rebecca Black look like Beethoven. Enjoy!</p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="580" height="340" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/R3SIQlXf97U" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Rapper Lil B Received Death Threats for &#8216;I&#8217;m Gay&#8217; Album Title</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/04/22/rapper-lil-b-received-death-threats-for-im-gay-album-title/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/04/22/rapper-lil-b-received-death-threats-for-im-gay-album-title/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Apr 2011 16:12:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA['I'm Gay']]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[album]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[death threats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[LGBT]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lil B]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=38048</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Rapper Lil B has been receiving death threats after naming his upcoming album &#8216;I&#8217;m Gay,&#8217; reports Perez Hilton. &#8220;People been hitting me up like, &#8216;I&#8217;m gonna bash your head in,&#8217; &#8216;you f—-t,&#8217; &#8216;I&#8217;m gonna kill you,&#8217;&#8221; said Lil B. &#8220;I &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/04/22/rapper-lil-b-received-death-threats-for-im-gay-album-title/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-38055" href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/04/22/rapper-lil-b-received-death-threats-for-im-gay-album-title/lilb/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-38055" title="Lil B" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/LilB-300x219.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="219" /></a>Rapper Lil B has been receiving death threats after naming his upcoming album &#8216;I&#8217;m Gay,&#8217; reports <a href="http://perezhilton.com/2011-04-22-rapper-lil-b-gets-death-threats-for-new-album-title#respond">Perez Hilton</a>.</p>
<p>&#8220;People been hitting me up like, &#8216;I&#8217;m gonna bash your head in,&#8217; &#8216;you f—-t,&#8217; &#8216;I&#8217;m gonna kill you,&#8217;&#8221; said Lil B. &#8220;I got major love for the gay and lesbian community, and I just want to push less separation and that&#8217;s why I&#8217;m doing it. I hope GLAAD sees that I&#8217;m taking initial steps to break barriers.&#8221;</p>
<p>According to Lil B, in the album title he&#8217;s referring to himself as &#8220;gay&#8221; meaning &#8220;happy,&#8221; and he insists that the title choice is not a gimmick or publicity stunt.</p>
<p>The album will released on iTunes within a month or so, and Lil B won&#8217;t be changing the album&#8217;s title.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s sad that people are still so closed-minded in this day and age. He&#8217;s obviously doing something to make a point, yes, but for people to react this way is just so, so sad. Is an album name really going to affect you that much? Will your life really be eternally changed for the worse because some people are gay?</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t get the logic, but props to B for taking a stance on it. It&#8217;s not often you see members of the hip-hop community be so open and accepting of the LGBT community, so I think it&#8217;s a good step forward.</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

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		<title>Kanye West&#8217;s &#8220;All of The Lights&#8221; Gets Epilepsy Warning</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2011/02/25/kanye-wests-all-of-the-lights-gets-epilepsy-warning/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2011/02/25/kanye-wests-all-of-the-lights-gets-epilepsy-warning/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:06:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Christian Allaire</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entertainment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Television]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[All of The Lights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Epilepsy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[grammys]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kanye west]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[muchmusic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[music video]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rihanna]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Taylor Swift]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Telivision]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=36041</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Kanye West&#8217;s new music video for &#8220;All of The Lights&#8221; has received an Epilepsy warning from a British organization called Epilepsy Action, according to MTV News. The charity group provides support for people with epilepsy, and says that the video &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2011/02/25/kanye-wests-all-of-the-lights-gets-epilepsy-warning/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-34728" href="http://www.andpop.com/2010/12/09/kanye-west-is-on-top-of-the-world/kanye-west-904x1200-87kb-media-3089-media-137403-1213673702/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-34728" title="Kanye West" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Kanye-West-904x1200-87kb-media-3089-media-137403-1213673702-226x300.jpg" alt="" width="226" height="300" /></a>Kanye West&#8217;s new music video for &#8220;All of The Lights&#8221; has received an Epilepsy warning from a British organization called Epilepsy Action, according to <a href="http://www.mtv.com">MTV News</a>.</p>
<p>The charity group provides support for people with epilepsy, and says that the video &#8220;should not be broadcast on U.K. television.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;However, the Kanye West video is still available online, most notably on YouTube where it has had several million hits, and no such regulations exist for online broadcasting,&#8221; said the organization in a statement.</p>
<p>As a result of this outburst, the video, which features a barely-dressed Rihanna, has been pulled from many stations including MuchMusic. &#8220;We are pleased to see that YouTube and Kanye West&#8217;s representatives have listened to our concerns and are warning people that the video is a risk to some people,&#8221; Epilepsy Action campaigns manager Aimee Gee said to MTV.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s true that the online world of broadcasting has drastically different rules than the television world &#8211; meaning there really <em>are</em> no rules for online broadcasting. It&#8217;ll be much harder for the music video to be pulled from YouTube than it was to get pulled from television, simply due to the fact that the online world is a free, post-whatever-you-want world. Warning ads have been placed before the video, though.</p>
<p>Now, I don&#8217;t know if I just feel bad for Kanye, but the dude just can&#8217;t catch a break. Ever since the Taylor Swift fiasco at the Grammys, his career has never been able to fully recover. Although the song is currently at number 14 on the Billboard R&amp;B/Hip-Hop chart, his video now risks the chance of getting pulled from all media outlets. Poor guy!</p>
<p>I don&#8217;t know if pulling the video from everywhere is the solution, though. The obvious answer to this problem seem simple to me; if you have epilepsy, don&#8217;t watch a music video called &#8220;All of The <em>Lights</em>&#8220;. I mean, <em>lights </em>is your first clue that you probably won&#8217;t enjoy it. Secondly, I realize that maybe someone could stumble upon the video and have an epileptic seisure, but how about changing the channel if you see bright lights? How are these flashing lights different from Ke$ha or Britney Spears&#8217; videos?</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve personally seen the video and I really enjoyed it. I thought it was different, unique, and a fresh change from the usual videos played today. It seems like all the good videos are getting censored nowadays. Just a couple weeks ago, Rihanna&#8217;s &#8220;S&amp;M&#8221; video got pulled in some countries as it was too &#8216;risky&#8217;. I mean, we live in a modern century, a little risky or bright lights won&#8217;t hurt anyone. Well, maybe, but you know what I mean.</p>
<p>Does that mean all strobe light parties are at risk of extinction too? Will the world become an abyss of black and white? Will all creativity be banished from our lives, and we&#8217;ll be forced to watch Glee episodes on repeat for the rest of eternity?</p>
<p>I know I&#8217;m being rash, but I mean, I feel bad for the guy. The video is good. Let Kanye have his moment.</p>
<p>See the video below and be careful!</p>
<p><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="580" height="340" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HAfFfqiYLp0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Shad Raps The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2010/07/18/shad-raps-the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2010/07/18/shad-raps-the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:43:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>andPOP Staff</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[canadian]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[interview]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[shad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the fresh prince of bel-air]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=32034</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Shad is a perfect example of the amazing musical talent emerging from Canada. After financing his first album in 2005 from winning a radio contest, fast forward to 2010 and Shad has been nominated for numerous awards, and has just &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2010/07/18/shad-raps-the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Shad is a perfect example of the amazing musical talent emerging from Canada. After financing his first album in 2005 from winning a radio contest, fast forward to 2010 and Shad has been nominated for numerous awards, and has just released his third album, TSOL. The new album has been getting amazing praise, placing Shad undoubtedly in Canadian rap royalty. Of course there is no secret Shad is a fan of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, so we couldn&#8217;t help but rap the opening theme song with him.</p>
<p><object width="580" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bWfKqeiNWKA&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bWfKqeiNWKA&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="580" height="349"></embed></object></p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Gang Starr&#8217;s Guru Dies At 43</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2010/04/20/gang-starrs-guru-dies-at-43/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2010/04/20/gang-starrs-guru-dies-at-43/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:42:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Sara Harowitz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cancer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[died]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gang starr]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guru]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=29336</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>Gang Starr&#8217;s Guru died yesterday after losing a battle with cancer, rollingstone.com reports. Guru, who died at the age of 43, suffered cardiac arrest in late February after having surgery to treat the cancer, eventually going into a brief coma. &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2010/04/20/gang-starrs-guru-dies-at-43/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><a rel="attachment wp-att-29349" href="http://www.andpop.com/2010/04/20/gang-starrs-guru-dies-at-43/1267653997-guru_01/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-29349" title="Gang Starr" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/1267653997-guru_01-300x223.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="223" /></a>Gang Starr&#8217;s Guru died yesterday after losing a battle with cancer, rollingstone.com reports.</p>
<p>Guru, who died at the age of 43, suffered cardiac arrest in late February after having surgery to treat the cancer, eventually going into a brief coma.</p>
<p>Born in 1966 as Keith Elam, the Boston native Guru and producer DJ Premier created the rap duo Gang Starr. Together they recorded six records between 1989 and 2003, including critically acclaimed albums such as 1991&#8242;s <em>Step In the Arena</em> and 1992&#8242;s <em>Daily Operation</em>.</p>
<p><span id="more-29336"></span></p>
<p>Guru also became a pioneer with his four Jazzmatazz (hip-hop/jazz) albums. After Gang Star&#8217;s last album, <em>The Ownerz</em>, Guru and DJ Premier ended their duo, but Guru still toured under the Gang Starr name. He also released two solo albums, under his own name and produced by Solar, in the 2000s.</p>
<p>&#8220;The world has lost one of the best MCs and Hip-Hop icons of all-time &#8211; my loyal best friend, partner, and brother, Guru,&#8221; Solar said in a statement. &#8220;This is a matter that Guru wanted private until he could beat it, but tragically, this did not happen. The cancer took him. Now the world has lost a great man and a true genius.&#8221;</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

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		<title>Twista’s Category: F5, A Vicious Vision</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2009/07/22/twista%e2%80%99s-category-f5-a-vicious-vision/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2009/07/22/twista%e2%80%99s-category-f5-a-vicious-vision/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:49:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jeremy Singer</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Akon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Category: F5]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chicago Rappers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fastest Rapper]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[interview]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kanye west]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lil Wayne]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mariah carey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Snooper Dogg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[T-Pain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twista]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=18498</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>In life (and in the hip-hop industry especially), there’s an unwritten code: as you approach the veteran years of your career, you’re expected to lose a step in your game. Twista did not get that memo. In fact, with 18 &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2009/07/22/twista%e2%80%99s-category-f5-a-vicious-vision/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p style="text-align: justify"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-18856" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/twista-300x300-2008-12-12.jpg" alt="Twista" width="300" height="300" />In life (and in the hip-hop industry especially), there’s an unwritten code: as you approach the veteran years of your career, you’re expected to lose a step in your game.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Twista did not get that memo.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">In fact, with 18 years of experience in the business so far, the Chicago hip-hop legend doesn’t see a career decline anytime soon. Nope, on the contrary. He says that some of his best work is yet to come.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Think about that for a moment.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">This is coming from the guy who’s had two of his past six studio albums go platinum and crack the top ten list on the U.S. Billboard top 200, collaborations with some of the music industry’s finest talent including Kanye West, Snoop Dogg, Mariah Carey, T-Pain, Lil Wayne, T.I, and Akon, and not to mention, this is also the former Guinness World Record holder for the fastest rapper in the world.</p>
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<p style="text-align: justify">But despite all of his accomplishments, the 35-year-old is still confident that there’s room to improve, and has thus named his seventh studio album <em>Category F5, t</em>he term for the most severe and dangerous Tornado level known to mankind on the Fujita scale.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“When all is said and done,” Twista tells andPOP, “I want everyone to see Twista as a timeless artist.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“I really want people to see that ‘this n***a came into the game a while back and was blowing away people with his lyrics from the beginning all the way until the end, and still at 35, he’s still competing with some of the hottest n***as in the game now.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">With stakes so high and something planned to be so colossal, the rapper thought it was necessary to be more involved in the production of this record.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“There were a lot of things hands-on this time,” recalls Twista. “I used to have some people do some stuff for me, but this time I really dove into the mixing and listening to the first cuts.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“But this hands-on thing really challenged me, so it was like I was sitting somewhere in the basement going crazy like mad scientist, hard at work, trying to get the album the way I wanted it to sound.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">But hard work isn’t foreign to Twista. Born and bred on Chicago’s West Side, Twista- real name Carl Mitchell -is quite familiar with the feeling of grinding through the ranks, networking, and continuing to push forward. In fact, it’s safe to say that Twista is one of <em>the</em> best networking artists in the entire industry.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Case in show, at the time he released his third album <em>Adrenaline Rush</em> in 1997, Twista’s services as a rapid-tongued lyrical speed-demon were constantly desired by the majority of the biz. Kind of like the way someone requests a special hot sauce to give their food that extra spike, Twista was indeed that secret sauce, and the industry couldn’t get enough of him.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Timbaland, Ludacris, P. Diddy, Kanye West. The list goes on and on.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“Everyone knows I’m happy to help them out anytime,” explains Twista. “I put my heart and soul into everything, and the tracks that they ask me to jump on. So it feels good to know they have my back and can return the favor.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">And the original favor returned was well worth it. His 2004 album <em>Kamikaze</em> attracted, upon many, the likes of longtime Chi-town friend Kanye West and actor/singer Jamie Foxx, who all together created the album’s Grammy nominated star pupil <em>Slow Jamz</em>. The album’s popularity was so hot that it not only reached platinum status, but also earned the No. 1 spot on the U.S. Billboard top 200.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Ever since <em>Kamikaze</em>, however, Twista has yet to generate as much success.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">The following two projects, <em>The Day After </em>(2005), and <em>Adrenaline 2007</em> (2007) did do fairly well- the first going platinum and the second going gold – but somehow their growth was stunted.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">It’s one of Twista’s main hopes that <em>F5</em> will break that trend, and help reclaim his spotlight.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“When people hear this album,” says Twista, “I just want them to see me, and how I’m still a part of what’s going on.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Helping him hopefully meet that goal are the A-listing cast that he attracted once again- no surprise there. Throwing out big names such as Kanye, Akon, Busta Rhymes, R. Kelly, and longtime friend on the production side, The Legendary Traxster, the cast can only be assessed as simply more fire power for this already machine gun rapper.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“I’m still so phased by it now,” says Twista. “It’s a great group to have in the studio, such top artists all working together to achieve excellence- nothing better than that.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Dig deeper, and you’ll find that his allegiances with some of the guys go further than just past one-time gigs.  Take him and Trax for example. Like peanut butter and jelly, they both go all the way back to when Twista first began spitting out beats on records.  Or R. Kelly, who was a guest at Twista’s original release party in 1991. Or even Kanye, who Twista recalls spending tons of time with, at his house, while they were younger.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“Man, I was chilling with him when he was still getting into trouble with his mother,” Twista says laughing. “But overall, I guess I’m just lucky to have a great relationship with everybody.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify"><em>F5</em> also gives Twista a chance to put his career on a path towards “longevity”- a dream and word that he cannot repeat enough throughout the interview. Almost like a four syllable mantra.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“Hip-hop artists&#8217; careers end way too quickly,” says Twista. “It’s sad, and it would be great if they can last as long as the way R&amp;B artists do. Just like James Brown.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Then he pauses.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“You know what, I wanna be like the Jason Voorhees of rap,” he adds, chuckling, referring to the machete-wielding hockey-masked fictional character in<em> Friday the 13th</em> who just never dies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">And for someone who has seen it all over the years- from the CD to the MP3 era -Twista points out the evolution of his playground, and the current “impure” state of the industry.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“Right now,” he explains, “everyone’s trying to make money off of it. It’s more impure than it has been in a long time.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">“But I think that everything has the potential to do a 360. Like there’s a lot of negatives that have come from the whole technology aspect in the music industry, but there’s also a lot of positives. You’ll hear a lot of raw talent from the internet.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify">Adds the rapper, “I guess it’s that I like being a true artist, so I like when a person can really play an instrument, or is really talented to put together a release, or someone who can really rap their ass off. I would like to hear more of that. I’m not against the fans view, because that’s what they love. But I wanna even it out a little bit.”</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

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		<title>GLC Stays True To The Game</title>
		<link>http://www.andpop.com/2009/04/14/glc-stays-true-to-the-game/</link>
		<comments>http://www.andpop.com/2009/04/14/glc-stays-true-to-the-game/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:01:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ilan Mester</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop/Rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GLC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hip Hop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[kanye west]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[True to the Game]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.andpop.com/?p=15762</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p>What do GLC, Ludacris and Macy Gray have in common? They’re all featured artists on “True to the Game,” an album that celebrates everyone who played in the Negro Baseball Leagues and helped set an example for African Americans of &#8230; <a href="http://www.andpop.com/2009/04/14/glc-stays-true-to-the-game/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Posted on <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>:</p><p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-15927" title="Kanye &amp; GLC" src="http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/kanyeglcbigscreen2-199x300.jpg" alt="Kanye &amp; GLC" width="199" height="300" />What do GLC, Ludacris and Macy Gray have in common? They’re all featured artists on “True to the Game,” an album that celebrates everyone who played in the Negro Baseball Leagues and helped set an example for African Americans of today.</p>
<p>Rapper GLC (short for Gangsta L. Crisis) has the track “Big Screen” on the CD and he describes “jumping at the opportunity” once he received a phone call to be a part of the album. But he isn’t alone on the track. Non other than Kanye West is featured on his song, which would be a pretty big deal for any artist but not for GLC. The man clearly has some connections having met West growing up as a teen in Chicago.</p>
<p>The two were introduced to each other through a mutual friend in the early &#8217;90s and became pals. “Back then we was trying to rap. We were young, super young but still had these dreams and these ambitions,” GLC tells andPOP.</p>
<p>These ambitions led the two to grow as rappers and West landed on the worldwide stage. The rapper remained supportive of his friend and eventually was asked to collaborate on the track “Spaceship” off West’s “The College Dropout” album, giving him an official introduction to Hip-Hoppers around the globe.</p>
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<p>He’s also done a few mixtapes, most notably “Hood Celebrity,” a compilation of old records GLC put together while he was touring in 2004, and the “Drive Slow” mixtape, which he compiled with five-time world champion DJ A-Trak.</p>
<p>And when West invited GLC to join his label G.O.O.D., it was pretty much a no brainer. “I decided to sign to his label because he’s my best friend, and we’ve been working together since the &#8217;90s&#8230;we pretty much knew the ins and outs of each other’s rap styles,” GLC admits.</p>
<p>But being signed to G.O.O.D. doesn’t mean G.LC.’s rap is similar to West’s. In fact, he insists his style is unique. “Anybody who’s a fan of GLC or listens knows it’s different,” says the rapper.</p>
<p>GLC says he tries to see the positive aspects in what would normally seem like negative situations, and this is something the rapper can personally relate to.</p>
<p>He started writing poetry at a very young age, and for one very specific reason. “I started writing poetry when I was a shorty because you know buddy,” says GLC, “I found out that women, they were always captivated by a man that had, you know what I’m sayin, a way with words.”</p>
<p>But poetry also became an “escape” and a “departure” as the rapper describes it, from tough situations. Having lost both his parents as a kid, poetry became a tool for GLC to express his anger and emotion in a non-violent way. “But it also helped me get me some girls at a young age,” he jokes.</p>
<p>So where did he get the name Gangsta L. Crisis from? GLC explains:</p>
<p>“The name came when I grew up as a shorty. I was part of a street organization and they used to call me Gangsta L. you know, that’s what my rap name was. So people just call me Gangsta L. or Gangsta Love cause I got love for women.”</p>
<p>The “crisis” part came from many tough crises in his life, such as losing is house and losing his parents at a very young age. But it’s not just crisis that influences his music, GLC says growing up in Chicago has had a great impact on his rap.</p>
<p>“If I grew up in Alabama, if I grew up in Africa, if I grew up in Colorado, it would definitely influence my rap. The things that influence my rap are the things that I’ve lived, the things that I’ve seen, the things that I’ve witnessed.”</p>
<p>So what’s next for G.LC.? Fans can listen to his latest single “Flight School,” featuring Kanye West and T-Pain. G.LC. also plans to release a long-awaited album this summer.</p>
<p>“As long as people are sayin when’s that GLC comin out, when’s that G.LC. comin out, GLC come on with it!’ that’s when it’s gonna drop,” says the rapper.</p>
<p>As for the ladies, GLC has a couple in mind that he wouldn’t mind teaming up with. “I like Keri Hilson, she look real sexy. I like Ciara, she look real sexy. I like Keyshia Cole, she look real sexy,” and the list goes on.</p>
<p>To buy “True To The Game,” go to Amazon or iTunes and for more on GLC check out myspace.com/glc and follow him on Twitter.</p>
<p>Read more at <a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP</a>.

<a href="http://www.andpop.com">andPOP - POP Culture with Substance</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
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