Although this press release from ToneGalaxy.com doesn’t quite count as news, I love the hip hop emphasis of the release. Since the ToneGalaxy.com site features a variety of downloadable content without a specific theme, the inclusion of mostly hip hop titles in the press release and the proposal to “Imagine ‘pimping your phone’”, once again points to the dominance of hip hop in the ringtone market.
November 29, 2004
Alumni Def Filmmaker Award Announced
The creation of the Alumni Def Filmmaker Award was announced today by the Simmons Lathan Media Group (SLMG) and the Kanbar Institute of Film and Television at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Open to recent graduates of the Kanbar Institute, the award will be given to up to two filmmakers to fund either a documentary or feature film with an “urban/hip-hop” theme. In addition to a sizable grant for a first post-college film, SLMG will “secure distribution for the winning projects in home video, television and pay television outlets.” That’s a big deal because, as hard as it is to fund a film, getting legitimate distribution is harder still.
Poking around the SLMG site, which was an eye opening introduction to the film projects with which Russell Simmons is involved, I found out about a documentary called Hip Hop Laws of Success featuring Russell Simmons:
“Russell Simmons will serve as the centerpiece to the film sharing his personal story, his understanding of success and helping to synthesis the tales of these other hip-hop icons, into a clear set of practices, which will lead to both spiritual and material prosperity.”
Sounds like a winner. I was also reminded of an article from early in the year entitled Rapper’s delight: A billion-dollar industry. Will Griffin, former president and chief executive of SLMG, is quoted as saying that the “reason why he [Simmons] is so successful is because of the arrogance of the established companies.” Food for thought.
November 29, 2004
Outkast Stay Busy With Multiple Projects
Although it seemed like Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/ The Love Below was a step toward’s separation for Big Boi and Andre 3000, apparently it inspired them to become as busily productive as humanly possible.
November 29, 2004
On “Old” News at ProHipHop (+MC Eiht on GTA: SA)
ProHipHop is intended to focus on daily and breaking news. But sometimes I discover important and/or interesting news items a few days after the fact. Some of those items I save for mini-reports or as background information. Because some sites will run seemingly new items that are based on press releases up to a month old, I’m still sorting things out. And, although I’m gradually developing systems for making sure I don’t miss anything, sometimes I’ll just have to alert you to items like this extended press release on MC Eiht and GTA: San Andreas.
I’d seen shortened versions of this piece before that seemed a bit dated (possibly similar material was used in the opening of an earlier release) but this extended version includes numerous comments from MC Eiht about his involvement with GTA: San Andreas, including his observations on why he’s involved, aside from the money, and why being in the game is good for hip hop.
November 29, 2004
Yasmin Shiraz to Promote New Novel
Yasmin Shiraz will be promoting her new novel Exclusive in December in the Northeast U.S. The novel is based, in part, on her insider knowledge as an entertainment journalist and tells the story of two women battling for the same rap star.
November 29, 2004
News & Rumors: Money, Management, Beef
Money and management problems have come between Chingy and Ludacris.
The Pulse Report claims that Jay-Z and Beyonce’s manager dad are competing, that Mobb Deep are beefing and that 50-Cent’s next album will attack his “detractors.”
November 29, 2004
More on EA’s Next Level Music
This “Exclusive Report” on the joint venture between Electronic Arts and Cherry Lane Publishing adds some useful quotes regarding the creation of Next Level Music.
November 29, 2004
Target Shoppers Prefer Ice-T Wake Up Call
For a special “Black Friday” wake up call, Target enlisted a few celebrities to record messages that were then requested by customers as shopping reminders. Apparently, Ice-T’s call was the most popular.
November 29, 2004
The NY Times on Hip Hop
Watching the media is lots of fun when you know a lot about a topic. But even I was surprised to see a NY Times editor mispell Lil Jon as “Lil John”. Although it may be corrected by the time you click through, you can still compare Kelefa Sanneh’s unconvincing argument that New Yorkers aren’t responsive to Southern rap in an earlier article to the newer article on Lil Jon, in which Sanneh builds an argument for the popularity of Southern rap, even in NY. However, I generally appreciate Sanneh’s writings and insights on hip hop in the Times.
You know, it doesn’t surprise me when a blogger mispells Jay-Z as “Jay-Zee” (amid other glaring errors) since they’re typically working without fact checkers or editors, but for a NY Times editor to misspell the name of a major artist whose name is spelled correctly in the author’s text, well, that’s just nutty.
November 29, 2004
Now I Get It: Russell Simmons, Rosa Parks
Two recent news items helped me figure out the "why" of news that previously I just couldn’t quite understand. This profile of DC’s Ballou High School sketches it as having an extremely troubled year and puts Russell Simmons’ award/internship that I criticized as seemingly superficial in a more meaningful light.
I’ve also been extremely puzzled by the Rosa Parks lawsuit against Outkast. It seems extremely misguided and somewhat frivolous. This article on conflicts between Parks’ caretakers and family goes a long way towards explaining the "why" behind the lawsuit.
