This is a great in-depth interview with Jay-Z, discussing the American Gangster album, Beyonce, and his rise to rap stardom. A must see for any Jigga fan.

LL is still mad as hell. Everyone knows LL Cool J is unhappy with having Sean Carter as his boss, likely because his last album flopped and he thinks he should be running the label. In a recent interview with MTV, the one the ladies love sounds off on Jigga’s ability to run a record label. [Blasphemy.] He says, “I just don’t feel like he had the necessary experience to do that job”. He further states,

“I don’t know any other record company that he worked for where he learned how to run this business. This is a label that started in 1984 and you just can’t give somebody a job because you want to attract talent and look sexy… because there are artists that suffer.”

Ahh what about Rocafella? Rocawear? 40/40? part ownership of the Nets? LL also had this to say in regards to Jay-Z’s American Gangster album,

Let’s take this soundtrack for instance; shouldn’t there be other Def Jam artists on this soundtrack? Shouldn’t this be the big Def Jam project with Def Jam artists involved..Nas has a record…You have LL working on an album for a year and then you have the president putting out his album in the middle of the schedule. I mean… really look at what’s going on.

Huh. Jay’s album isn’t the soundtrack to the movie American Gangster. Is LL really that old that he is becoming senile? All I know is dude f’d up the promotion of his last (and final) album. Maybe Hov will make you his assistant? Anyway check out this free ipod touch.

WTF. Jigga is really taking hip hop to the next level right here.

Styles P with a surprise hit. Song is a smash.

Not that I actually care, but since most of you have become “internet A&Rs”, Jay-Z’s sales of American Gangster appear to be a “non-event” unlike the spectacle the Kanye Vs. Fifty sales race was. In fact, if Amazon.com is any indication of the first week sales, it looks as if Jay’s sales will not eclipse last year’s Kingdom Come (which sold 680,000 in its first week) as it is currently sitting at #8 on Amazon.

However, Jay-Z’s American Gangster album has made it to #1 on The Billboard 200 with an estimated 179,000 units scanned in the first day according to 79% of retailers polled. This puts Jay-Z in a two way tie with Elvis for having 10 albums at the #1 spot on Billboard. Both artists are behind The Beatles who have 19 albums chart. Knowing the kind of competitor Jay is, I think we are in for about 10 more Jay-Z albums.

I’m glad the American Gangster album is not being hyped up so much as it gives the music time to breathe…like it used to be. No one cared about album sales, or even know what The Billboard was. Jay seems to have planned it this way as his album is a throw back to when albums were a complete work of art, instead of radio friendly singles. Though, I’m sure American Gangster will sell decent, it wont be a blockbuster as “the kids” don’t seem to like it. I know, I know everyone’s waiting for Tha Carter 3.

I aint even a fan of this beef, both dudes are so-so. But for the sake of entertainment and because Mistah F.A.B. recorded a 11 minute plus diss I have to post it. It’s pretty much in the same vein of other sub-par dissess before it, you know where they run through the catalogue of “beef” instrumentals. I gotta be fair though since I begrudgingly posted the Royce response. I have feeling these two are going to kiss and make-up. Ahhhh, the things people do to get featured in YoRapper.

Best line: “You a million years old Royce!”

Mistah Fab Response (Royce 5′9 Diss)

This is the hottest video I’ve seen in a minute. For all of yall living under a rock (get it), Jay-Z’s album drops today. You can pick that up in its entirety here American Gangster [EXPLICIT]. You can’t, however, get it of Itunes as Jay announced today that the album would not be available for single song download. This means you have to buy it in its entirety, Jay’s claiming artistic integrity as the album is a whole, not individual pieces. Sounds like a business decision to me. Speaking of business decisions, check out this $500 gift card from Best Buy by clicking here, it’s a damn good deal if you ask me.

Ain’t a damn thing going on today, it’s getting irritating. The Royce 5′9/Mistah Fab beef is not worth a mention to me (I guess it is). [Here's Royce's latest diss to Fab]. Biggest thing right now is Cousin Jeff trying to be the next Al Sharpton by making “thought provoking” email statement about Dog the Bounty Hunter’s racist rant. For all those not aware, Cousin Jeff, more formally known as Jeff Johnson is that “cool guy” preacher BET props up on their “youth” oriented shows to appeal to the middle-class Black conservatives (and maybe turn a few kids lives around) [sidebar: not buying it]. I really have no clue about what this guy is ranting about, maybe some of yall can help me. He says,

I appreciate Duane’s [Dog the Bounty Hunter] self-awareness in saying (in so many words), “I am a racist, so stay away from me”. I have more respect for an honest racist who admits their feelings, than a lying two-face that talks about tolerance and acceptance (even privately), yet can’t stand anyone different than himself or herself. Black leadership needs to focus its attention on the legitimate, systemic institutional racism that continues to plague this nation from top to bottom. But that is a harder fight than targeting a lone bigot, not worth the energy. Legitimate leadership should begin to recognize that.

Huh, what does Black leadership have to do with this? So your saying we shouldn’t go after Dog? Black people are not even the one’s going at him, it was The National Enquirer that “entrapped” poor Dog. It is the whole media and ultimately us (regardless of race, I might ad) that are going after Dog. Just like we did with Kramer and Imus. I’m sorry but going after these individuals does accomplish more than complaining about the agenda of Black leadership because;

(1) There is no Black leadership. Every Black person is their own person. Just as every other human being is there own person. To have a collective leader of a race, who is self appointed, (*hint*hint*cough*cough) is demeaning.

(2) All people, regardless of race, who are against racism are the one’s feeding Dog to the wolves (haha get it). I may say some disparaging things about white people, but in these instances (even if they are just to get ratings) I am happy white people are burning up racist such as Dog, Kramer, and Imus. It only goes to show you how far we have all come along and that systemic institutional racism, albeit still apart of society, is slowing disappearing. Racism will not go away when Black leadership gets its act together, but when everyone gets their act together ya digg.

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Not much going on today, just Joe Beezy breaking it down. Check.

Jay got so much class.

I’m speechless. *Crosses fingers, please don’t blame hip hop, please don’t blame hip hop.*

Here we go again. The National Enquirer, of all publications, has recently released an audio recording of Duane “Dog” Chapman, better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, from the self entitled TV show on A&E. Apparently, Dog was none to happy about his son Tucker, (who has just been released from prison serving 20 years on drug charges!), dating a black women. Here’s theaudio and transcript of what went down.

Duane “Dog” Chapman: I don’t care if she’s a Mexican, a whore or whatever. It’s not because she’s black, it’s because we use the word ni**er sometimes here. I’m not gonna take a chance ever in life of losing everything I’ve worked for for 30 years because some fucking ni**er heard us say ni**er and turned us in to the Enquirer magazine. Our career is over! I’m not taking that chance at all! Never in life! Never! Never! If Lyssa [Dog's daughter] was dating a ni**er, we would all say ‘fuck you!’ And you know that. If Lyssa brought a black guy home ya da da… it’s not that they’re black, it’s none of that. It’s that we use the word ni**er. We don’t mean you fucking scum ni**er without a soul. We don’t mean that shit. But America would think we mean that. And we’re not taking a chance on losing everything we got over a racial slur because our son goes with a girl like that. I can’t do that Tucker. You can’t expect Gary, Bonnie, Cecily, all them young kids to [garbled] because ‘I’m in love for 7 months’ - fuck that! So, I’ll help you get another job but you can not work here unless you break up with her and she’s out of your life. I can’t handle that shit. I got ‘em in the parking lot trying to record us. I got that girl saying she’s gonna wear a recorder…

Tucker Chapman: I don’t even know what to say.

Me neither. Nas really is Nastradamus. We need that NIGGER album more than ever homie! Incidentally, A&E has released this statement,

A&E has just learned of the story released by the National Enquirer concerning Duane Dog Chapman. We take this matter very seriously. Pending an investigation, we have suspended production on the series. When the inquiry is concluded we will take appropriate action.

So let’s now add Dog to Racist Island along side Kramer and Don Imus. 2007 is shaping up to be the year of the Racist Rant.

Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe
Release date: November 2, 2007

Review: 3 out of 5

Best Scene: When Denzel pops that dude from “Daddy’s Little Girls” in the head.

What do you do when you attempt to make a “serious” film about a gangster from Harlem’s rise to riches and spend over a $100 million doing so? You pander like a politician to to the young generation to fill seats. And who better to fill seats than the “dumb” hip hop generation. The marketing of this film has been impeccable. Everything from the trailers showing Denzel Washington pumping his fist over Jay-Z’s classic record “Heart of the City” to casting rappers T.I., Common and RZA and let’s not forget Jay-Z releasing an album by the same name that he says is “inspired by the movie”. To any hip hop head, having Jay-Z inspired by your movie, so much so to make an album about it, is a flashing light sign saying “MUST SEE”. Read more »

Sigel getting his Biggie on fo’ real. Never thought I would see him dancing in a suit.

PS. I’m feeling this song heavy.