Timberlake to get pudding pot from Harvard

Killah Priest, William Cooper & Blueprint Announce Remedy Tour

… Continue

Actor Omar Gooding Pursues Rap, Talks Working With C-Bo

In John Singleton's Baby Boy, Omar Gooding played "Sweetpea," who could arguably represent a product of the Gangsta Rap generation. While Gooding has starred in Playmakers, Deadwood and the upcoming Jerry Bruckheimer series Miami Medical, his true passion is that very same Rap that Sweetpea listened to. "I’ve been in the Hip Hop game forever. I’ve had deals before and I’ve been in groups but recently I’ve been focusing on putting out a solo album. I grew up on the west coast so I grew up on N.W.A. and I’m a huge 'Pac fan," "Gooding told HipHopDX recently. The actor/rapper's MoDo Entertainment has previously released several independent compilations, which feature Big O, a/k/a Gooding's music.

The west coast Hip Hop community has taken notice. One west coast legend, Sacramento's C-Bo, both an ally to Tupac Shakur as well as Young Buck, has taken Omar under his wings. “C-BO is awesome," said Omar as both a fan and as a friend. "I had a meeting with the CEO of West Coast Mafia Music [C-Bo's label], and went from there. I had met C-Bo before and we had just hit it off. When it’s time to get down he just doesn’t play, his work ethic is just on point. Our recording process was right on where it was supposed to be. He shows you how to get in and get the job done and we just clicked and it was all love. He’s a talented guy and it’s always great to work with him.” The duo released Trading War Stories, a nationally-distributed compilation in 2008 that featured Yukmouth, The Outlawz and Young Bleed.

With West Coast Mafia distributed by E1 Entertainment (formerly Koch Records), Big O intends to uphold Hip Hop's integrity, but do so on a level that many actor-turned-rappers can't reach. "I’m from the west coast, so [my album will] definitely will be west coast-influenced," he shared. "It’s about the lyrics the and the wordplay. I’m definitely a fan of Eminem’s wordplay more-so than his lyrical content, but how he says [things] is awesome. We just try and give the people what they want, we don’t listen to the radio and make sure that content is in place with the music that I record." Gooding feels, like many, that Hip Hop is in a state of disrepair. "The skill level has been lost and Hip Hop has been made into a joke. Now all you have is kids running, dancing, and jumping around in the music. I think that west coast Hip Hop is not as respected as it was back when [Tupac Shakur] was around. Snoop [Dogg] has always been holding it down, him and The Game is basically all we have. Mostly, as far as the west coast is concerned, it’s a lot of underground Rap." With artists such as Pac Div, Fashawn and Blu making noise, the music may not stay underground for much longer.

Tracing back to N.W.A.'s success, Gooding believes he knows where the steps were missed. "A lot of the Hip Hop that we have here that we believe is still going strong, a lot of other people have never even heard it before. Hip hop just became angrier and lost its respect and the lyrical content was lost. I want to be able to create something of substance that is meaningful to the people. I’m definitely going to do my part to bring the west coast back.”

Many want to know what other, Academy Award-winning brother, Cuba Gooding, Jr. thinks of both Hip Hop and his brother's pursuits in it. Omar confirmed to DX that it's a shared love. “It’s funny that you say that because in the album that we have coming out called Big Business, I called my brother down and had him come to the studio. I kind of just wanted him to freestyle a little bit to get a feel for the music. He’s always been a big fan of my music, even more-so than my acting although he would never say, 'Hey, you should just be a rapper.' If I tell him I have a new show he’s like 'okay, cool,' but if I [tell him] I have a new album, he’s like, 'Oh wow, let me get that right away.' So I wanted to get his opinion of the new project. He’s always been very supportive. So I wanted to get him on the album some kind of way and he was down. He heard the track one time and was like, 'Okay, I’m ready to go, press record.' I mean he didn’t plan it, or write it down but went off the top of the dome. He just went into the studio laid it down and it was deep. The song is called 'Wake Up,' and it talks about where hip hop was, is and needs to get back too.”

With Miami Medical premiering in a little over two weeks, do not expect Gooding to trade the big or small screen entirely for a studio mic. "I’ve been doing this for 15-20 years and it would be impossible for me to turn my back on acting. I’m just trying to let everyone that acting is not the only trick up my sleeve. I’m just trying to bring back that west coast vibe back in the music."

Miami Medical airs Friday April 2 on CBS.

Purchase Trading War Stories by C-Bo & Omar "Big O" Gooding

… Continue

50 Cent's Bodyguard Arrested After Attack On Photog

A bodyguard for rapper 50 Cent has been charged with assault after allegedly attacking two photographers in Copenhagen, Denmark.

According to the New York Daily News, the incident took place while photographers were waiting for 50 Cent to leave Copenhagen’s Skt. Petri Hotel.

"I feared for my life," photographer Nikoloj Vraar explained to RadarOnline. "One of 50 Cent's bodyguards came out and told us to leave. The next thing I knew, he grabs my throat and tried to strangle me. He cut off my airway, and I couldn't breathe. He took my camera and deleted photos."

Vraar was immediately taken to the hospital to be checked out and was very clear about pressing charges against 50’s bodyguard.

"I will be going straight to the police station and complete whatever paperwork is necessary," said Vraar.

50 Cent, who was in Copenhagen for a performance, was not outside the hotel when the incident took place.

… Continue

Monday Mixtape Release Dates: Jim Jones, Consequence, Lil Keke

Today marks the anticipated release of Consequence’s Movies On Demand. Produced by the likes of Clinton Sparks, Kanye West, and Statik Selektah, the star-studded project features over a dozen of Hip Hop’s finest, including Cons’ G.O.O.D. Music labelmates, as well as Pharoahe Monch, Q-Tip, Talib Kweli, and The L.O.X.

Also scheduled for today is former Dipset duo S.A.S.’ Mega & Mayhem’s Excellent Adventure, which will later be followed up by Jim Jones and Cam’ron’s latest on March 23 and April 13, respectively. In addition, HipHopDX, Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes, Datpiff.com, Bottom Feeder Music, and RapStarPromo are well underway in their united process of releasing 31 mixtapes in 31 days. The following is the upcoming release schedule:



March 8
Danny Brown Detroit State Of Mind 4
DJ Whoo Kid (of G-Unit) XXL 10 Freshmen For ‘10
JYoung Black History Year: Installment One

March 9
A-Mafia Lord Of The Streetz
Diamond (Formerly of Crime Mob) Bitch Muzik Vol. 3
Freeway (of State Property), Jakk Frost, Cold World Ent., & DJ Benja Styles Free Money: Defense, Offense

March 10
DJ Greg Street & The Cataracts I Thought They Were Black?!
Epiphany RESPECT Pt. 2 (Womens)
Fake Shore Drive & Maja 7th The Breakout
J The S Wish You Were Here
Jae Millz, DJ Ill Will, & DJ Rockstar The Flood

March 11
Chief Kamachi Mic Messiah
Talib Kweli, Hevehitta, & DJ Unexpected A Tree Grows In Brooklyn

March 12
Meek Mill (of Grand Hustle Records) & DJ Drama Flamerz 3: The Wait Is Over
Spit Supreme & J-Ronin Quickstrike II
Trav Williams & Moonchild Better Late Than Never

March 14
Maestro & DJ Sourmilk Maestro Knows Season 2 Mixtape

March 15
A.Leon Craft & SMKA The Prologue Pt. 1
Consequence Movies On Demand
S.A.S. (Formerly of The Diplomats) Mega & Mayhem’s Excellent Adventure
Theo Martins & DJ Wreckineyez Channel Surfin’

March 16
Solomon Childs (Wu-Tang Clan Affiliate) The Young General

March 17
Arkansas Bo The Notebook (Pt.2)

March 22
Flamboyant Faculty Class In Session

March 23
Jim Jones (Formerly of The Diplomats) The Ghost Of Rich Porter
Shawn Chrystopher, Mick Boogie, & Terry Urban The Audition

March 26
XV, DJ Ill Will & DJ Rockstar Vizzy Zone

March 30
Balance, DJ Ill Will, & DJ Rockstar We All In
Ski Beatz 24 Hour Karate School

April 1
K-Beta Inglorious Beta

April 5
Big K.R.I.T. K.R.I.T. Wuz Here

April 6
J. Stalin & Philthy Rich (of Town Thizzness Records) Early Morning Shift: The Mixtape Vol. 3
Sean Falyon Sean Falyon BE Everywhere

April 12
Chris Faust FAUST

April 13
Cam’ron (Formerly of The Diplomats) Mixtape
Nu Jerzey Devil (of Black Wall Street) The Say Now Digital Mixtape
Royce Da 5’9” (of Slaughterhouse) Bar Exam 3

April 19
A.Leon Craft & SMKA The Prologue Pt. 2

April 20
Lefty (of Bash Bros.), Tab-One (of Kooley High), & DJ Concept Monsters Ink
Lil Keke (of Screwed Up Click) Addicted 2 Fame
The West Coast Road Trip (The Official 420 Mixtape)

April 21
ESSO (DXNext Artist) The Anti-Socialite

April 23
ArtOfficial The Payback

May 4
Styles P (of The L.O.X.) The Ghost 2010

… Continue

Chris Brown Begs Fans for Support

Chris Brown is begging fans for support. In a message sent to fans through SayNow, the young singer explained that radio stations are not "being that supportive" of his new work, including singles off his latest album, Graffiti. In turn, Brown is asking fans for help, adding that he cannot "be an underground mixtape artist."

"I ain’t never really did this but right now I need all of my fans help," he said in his statement. "A lot of radio stations aren’t playing my records. They are not being that supportive and I wouldn’t expect them to. It’s on the fans and what you guys do in your power to bring me back. That’s all I need is you guys and nothing else will do that except for the fans."

"My singing and my music I do it for you guys and everything else but it won’t be possible if I’m not relevant on the radio and it wouldn’t be possible for me to be an artist if I don’t have the support. I can’t be an underground mixtape artist."

Earlier this year, Brown made headlines when he claimed major retailers were blackballing his music.

Among other things, during that incident, Brown told his Twitter followers that he was tired of being blackballed. He went on to say more, including "the industry can kiss my ass."

… Continue