ProHipHop: Hip Hop Marketing & Business News

SXSW Interactive Panels, Black Tech Bloggers

SXSW Interactive has posted their preliminary list of conference panels for their March '08 gathering in Austin.

My proposal on From B2B Blog to Media/Event Empire didn't make it but it was one of those flashes of inspiration that I ended up not pursung effectively for a couple of reasons so I kind of expected this outcome.

However Lynne d Johnson made it on the schedule with a panel titled "Where Are The Black Tech Bloggers?"

On the one hand, if I think of the standard model tech blog, I can't think of any black tech bloggers.  But if I think about black bloggers interested in technology and gadgets, I suddenly have all sorts of examples:
The Megatron Don
Crate Kings
kanYe West

It's true that these aren't tech blogs in the niche sense and Crate Kings may or may not be a black blog per se but they are great examples of blogs that reveal the place of technology, whether in the form of gadgets, communication devices, studio gear or software, in the daily lives of the bloggers, all of whom are involved with studio production and some of whom have an eye for gadget porn.

I'm not sure if I'll make it to the conference but these are some of the panels that caught my eye:
Behind the Scenes at the Onion News Network
(Sean Mills)
Beyond the Blogosphere: How Online Talent is Being Developed Offline
(Dianne McGunigle)
High-Tech Craft: Why Sewing and Knitting Still Matter
(Natalie Zee Drieu)
Pimp My Non Profit – Real Non-Profits Kicking Ass with Online Technology
(Ed Schipul)
Quit Your Day Job and Vlog
(Tim Shey)
Social Network Coups: The Users are Revolting!
(Annalee Newitz)
Totally Wired Teens: How Teens are Using Your Applications
(Anastasia Goodstein)

Official Site:
SXSW Interactive 2008

Kanye West Graduate Mixtape w/Mick Boogie, 9th Wonder

Free download from Kanye's Blog.

Kanye West's Graduation Goes Double Platinum

If we can take the kanYe West : Blog as a reliable source, then Kanye West's Graduation has gone double platinum.

Congratulations.  We have a funeral we need you to sing at.

Blue Magic Video Product Placements & Esquire's Ultimate Bachelor Pad Marketing

KEF MUON Speakers by Ross Lovegrove (Photo: Business Wire)

Pharrell's blog breaks down the Billionaire Boys Club / Ice Cream placements in Jay-Z's Blue Magic video:

PHARRELL...Ice Cream Denim Jacket featuring the Swarovski Crystals Monster Popsicle Logo (only 50 made), The Red “B” New Era Hat, the leather and vinyl Diamonds & Dollars jacket coming out this November as well as a few sneak peak items from Season 6.

TEYANA...Star Trak New Era and a BBC Track Jacket top available soon.

JAY-Z...Billionaire Boys Club Gears & Gauges Logo T-shirt.

KEF's press release announces the appearance of their MUON loudspeakers:

Esquire magazine's newest project, dubbed the "Ultimate Bachelor Pad," is a triplex penthouse apartment in the heart of New York City's up and coming Central Park North luxury district. Hip-Hop artist and Def Jam Recordings CEO Jay-Z filmed his latest video, "Blue Magic," at the apartment, where a stylish pair of MUON loudspeakers was featured.

Esquire North: The New View was one of the locations for the video and it's the fifth of a series of "showcases for sophisticated living" that create the context for Esquire's "ultimate bachelor pad" marketing program:

The apartment includes a Versace living room designed by Campion Platt, a Louis Vuitton master bedroom by Christopher Maya, a Hugo Boss media room by Dean Maltz, a Bally library by Barclay Butera, a Lufthansa home office by Ildiko Sragli, a Kenneth Cole and Intel gaming room by Comma, a Westin upper terrace with outdoor fireplace by Clodagh, and a Rockport lower terrace by Robin Wilson, replete with a shoe-shaped putting green.

Other marketing partners in the apartment include Bloomberg, Acura, Hennessy, The Macallan, Moët & Chandon, Dell and Jaguar, among others. While Esquire foots the bill for putting the project together, the scale of a brand’s exposure in the apartment is related to its advertising investments in the magazine.

I just checked out the video again to see if the speakers appeared which they do in passing towards the end. 

That video is so crammed full of stuff when you look in terms of products and logos, from the cars and marquees to the art and clothing to the apartment, that it would generate a pretty long list, especially if you include the additional product appearances in the lyrics.

I really thought the Euros were the coolest "product" to appear in the video and, as previously mentioned, I was quite disappointed to see the product placement for Armand de Brignac champagne.

Nas Says Def Jam Cool With N-Word 2 & N-Word 1

Nas says Def Jam didn't have an issue with his album when it was called N*gga and they don't have an issue with his retitling it N*gger making me realize that my instinct was right when I thought that maybe we were being a bit quick to trust Fox News claims on this topic.

MTV interviewed Nas about the album and he has a lot of things to say about the title and his relationship to the NAACP and so forth.

Some of it's worthwhile:
You ain't got no business worrying about what the word 'n*gger' is or acting like you know what my album is about without talking to me. Whether you in the NAACP or you Jesse Jackson. I respect all of them ... I just want them to know: Never fall victim to Fox. Never fall victim to the sh-- they do. What they do is try to hurry up and get you on the phone and try to get you to talk about something you might not know about yet.

If Cornell West was making an album called N*gger, they would know he's got something intellectual to say...To think I'm gonna say something that's not intellectual is calling me a n*gger, and to be called a n*gger by Jesse Jackson and the NAACP is counterproductive, counter-revolutionary.

Some of it is delusional:
We're taking power from the word...No disrespect to none of them who were part of the civil-rights movement, but some of my n---as in the streets don't know who [civil-rights activist] Medgar Evers was. I love Medgar Evers, but some of the n---as in the streets don't know Medgar Evers, they know who Nas is. And to my older people who don't now who Nas is and who don't know what a street disciple is, stay outta this mutha----in' conversation. We'll talk to you when we're ready. Right now, we're on a whole new movement. We're taking power from that word.

After talking to so many writers about Nas' tendency to give less than a sentence at a time in response to questions it's always interesting to see what happens when he opens up.

You can decide for yourself or wait for this "whole new movement" to appear but, whatever you feel about all this, Nas' title game has it going on from a marketing perspective.

Universal Music Group to Release Music on USB Sticks

Universal Music Group is exploring their USB options in the UK with USB singles that feature additional multimedia content at a higher price point than CD singles.  U.S. introduction and albums to follow.

I guess this is a variation on the Ringle, a concept for which I may be the sole supportive blogger [having upgraded my previous fence sitting position], since it's basically a bundle of digital content distributed via storage media meant to replace traditional singles and EPs.

Lynne d Johnson makes a key point:
What's missing from this story is whether the content can be copied from the USB to a mobile device or your computer.

Crank That (Soulja Boy) Enters 6th Week at #1

Soulja Boy's Crank That (Soulja Boy) is on top of the Hot 100 singles chart for a sixth nonconsecutive week.

Top 10 Singles on the Hot 100:

1. Soulja Boy - Crank That (Soulja Boy)
2. Kanye West - Stronger
3. Timbaland - Apologize feat. OneRepublic
4. Alicia Keys - No One
5. Colbie Caillat - Bubbly
6. Britney Spears - Gimme More
7. Timbaland - The Way I Are feat. Keri Hilson
8. J. Holiday - Bed
9. Fergie - Big Girls Don't Cry
10. Kanye West - Good Life feat. T-Pain

And just to let us know that American Gangster is going to hit harder than Kingdom Come:
Jay-Z earns his second Hot Shot Debut honor in recent weeks with "Roc Boys (And the Winners Is)" at No. 52. "Blue Magic" debuted at No. 35 three weeks ago.

Common: I Want You Video Trailer

Video Trailer for Common - I Want You

If you'd ask me if I thought a trailer for a music video would be worth watching, I would have asked you to please move along before I caused a scene.

But I'm finding music video trailers like the above for Common's I Want You and the trailer for Jay-Z's Blue Magic are worth watching, maybe not multiple times or after the actual video comes out, but totally in keeping with the microchunked nature of successful web entertainment.

Unlike the snippet previews of Jay-Z's Superbowl ads, these trailers are complete in their own right, though the big draw occurs prior to the release of the video.  And that's why they exist, to help create an enviroment of anticipation while functioning as an entertaining microchunk good enough for the passing moment.

Via Nah Right.

Cam'ron Found! Big Foot Spotted!! MTV Has Footage!!!

Surprise Cam'ron Spotting!!!

The question "Where's Waldo Cam'ron?" has been on everyone's mind for oh so long and now MTV has found him lurking in the above video clip hand-delivered by "Cam's camp".

Oh thank goodness.  Hit 'em with your glazed icy stare!

Hip Hop Needs You!!!

50 Cent/G-Unit's Shoot To Kill Due December 18th

Nah Right will fill you in on G-Unit's Shoot To Kill and close with a 50 Cent diss, one of his current specialties.

Hip Hop Social Networks: XXL, Indie HipHop Online, DaHoneyHouse.com?, RapHappy, Loud.com, Global Grind?, iNTERNETS CELEBRITIES?, List of Priors

Lots happening on the hip hop social network front so I think it's time for a roundup of new announcements of hip hop and related social networks as well as a quick list of previously announced projects.  It gets glutted fast!

Recent Hip Hop Social Network Announcements:

XXL has launched a social network called XXL Block Talk.

Indie HipHop Online, a hip hop social network, relaunched this month.

DaHoneyHouse.com is trying to claim hip hop social network status by allying with Bishop Don Magic Juan.  No thanks!

RapHappy is an mtvU & Cisco-backed "online and mobile-phone-based hip-hop community" that got a lot of digital ink in September.

Universal Music Group invested in Loud.com/BattleRap.com back in the summer.

Possible Upcoming Entrants in the Social Network Sphere:

Global Grind (globalgrind.com) may be adding social networking capabilities.  I found a relevant url but I done lost it!

iNTERNETS CELEBRITIES may or may not be getting into the game via the use of Flux though Oh Word seems a more likely candidate to sprout a network.

Relevant Music Related Social Network Announcements:

Kompoz is a " social workspace for musicians", i.e., a cross-genre social network focused on online music creation that has added desktop software to facilitate uploads.

MyTune.com is a general music network that deserves mention because of their claim to involve music industry professionals in addition to musicians and fans.

Hip Hop Social Networks Previously Covered at ProHipHop:

Streetcred.com - social media network.

Block Savvy - associated with Damon Dash.

RapSpace.tv - with artist collaboration tools and webcam features.

CrackSpace - associated with Babygrande Records.

My Rawkus - associated with the Rawkus record label.

Da Bidness - hip hop business network.

More Tools, More Players, More Networks:

I'm sure there are many more beyond what I've covered and many more to follow with tools like Ning, Flux and even the PHP Social Network Layout 1 Hip Hop, as well as unexpected players like Clear Channel and who knows what else to come.

For periodic hip hop and related social network news please check ProHipHop's Social Networks and Hip Hop 2.0 categories.

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
ProHipHop Takeaway from MC Hammer Interview: DanceJam to Stack Major Skrilla

Wyclef Jean's Carnival II Album Cover Art & Alternative

Wyclef Jean - Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant

Rizoh posted this cover art for Wyclef Jean's Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant reminding me that I wish Wyclef would rap more and that the Fugees could work together again.

Alternative Carnival Vol. II Cover Art

"Chris" posted a comment leading to this very cool alternative version.  Not sure if it's an alternative in the sense that a fan created it or if it was part of the album cover design process but it's the one currently in Wikipedia.

I guess these both have been floating around for a bit.

Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant is due December 4th.

Albums: Kid Rock #1, Soulja Boy Drops Out of Top 10

Kid Rock's Rock N Roll Jesus takes the top spot on the Billboard 200 album chart as Soulja Boy's souljaboytellem.com disappears from the Top 10 after a #4 debut.

I mention Kid Rock since he used to have that rap/rock shtick happening.  I don't know what he does these days.

Top 10 Albums on the Billboard 200:

1. Kid Rock - Rock N Roll Jesus
2. Bruce Springsteen - Magic
3. Rascal Flatts - Still Feels Good
4. LeAnn Rimes - Family
5. Matchbox Twenty - Exile on Mainstream
6. Kanye West - Graduation
7. Reba McEntire - Reba Duets
8. Sara Evans - Greatest Hits
9. Soundtrack - High School Musical 2
10. Josh Groban - Noel

Al Sharpton & Kevin L to Market Peace w/H13 Project

Rev. Al Sharpton and performer Kevin L are teaming up to take the H13 Project on tour.

Initiatives of the H13 Youth Outreach Project:
Initiative 1: "Make Peace Popular"
Initiative 2: "School and Community Peace Rallies"
Initiative 3: "Empowering Youth with Tools of the Trade"

Least interesting is the press release headline claim that this is about the "politics of hip-hop".

Most interesting is the plan to:
furnish students with the media tools required to develop individuality, interests, and positive roles in their community (music, films, television program, etc). The H13 Project will provide the hardware (computers, video cameras, lighting equipment, etc) and software products that will teach students the necessary skills for media creation. This donation will be accompanied by tutorials led by entertainment industry professionals (record producers, film directors, screenwriters, songwriters, etc).

Plies: Shawty Platinum Ringtone, Bidlong Prison Blog

Plies' Shawty featuring T-Pain ringtone goes platinum and he announces a new blog, Bidlong, to be focused on prison issues.

Plies' blog currently features a new version of the 100 Years video and an explanation of his use of the term "cracka" in 100 Years.

Plies mentions that he drops the N-word more than the term cracka and was surprised no one objected.  For the record, I didn't post the video at VidRap for that very reason though I'll reconsider given what he claims to be pursuing.

Let's hope Bidlong goes somewhere serious beyond the realm of marketing though if he's marketing prison reform that's all to the good.

Update:
Ethan Brown has a supportive take on the "cracka" issue.

Since apparently people have gotten worked up about it let me say that it doesn't bother me unless it's directed at me.  I know a lot of progressive white people that refer to Southern white racists as crackers so we're not tripping on it though it does bother me when used to refer to an economic class of Southern whites.

Nelly: Brass Knuckles, Chuck D & the Don Imus Nappy Negro College Fund

Nelly Talks With Sway

Video notes: Interesting comments about his relationship with Bob Johnson; animated presentation of his take on Don Imus; plus, Sway does a nice job of pushing him on the Jena 6 situation.  FYI, the "Hip-Hop Entreprenuer" subheading is misleading.

Nelly's new album Brass Knuckles is due November 13th and it's going to include Chuck D on a tune called Self Esteem.  Nelly had some surprising [to me] comments for MTV about Chuck D so click through for that.

But he really gets in the zone when he discusses Don Imus:

Right when Imus did that, instead of everybody getting all riled up and pulling him off the air, [we could have said,] 'Wait a minute, y'all. Hold up before we pull him off the air. Let's get what we can get out of the situation...this guy is a moneymaker.' It's obvious [MSNBC] didn't want him off the air...So, what can we get out of this?...How about we fine both of them? Let's fine both of them $50 million over the next five years; $10 million a year...

Let's start the Don Imus Nappy Negro College Fund...And then for the next five years, we're sending brothers and sisters to college off his mistake. And let's hope he does it again next year! So we can get 100 million. Let's provoke him! Somebody call up there and piss him off.

But again, us jumping to conclusions, because you got so many people wanting to claim the glory off of it, wanting to step in front of the camera, we got shook out of our 40 acres and a mule again. We missed it again! It was right there! Do I think he should've been fired? Hell no! Stand up, let's dock him. We could've built schools. We could have built rec centers off of that. We could have gone to college. We missed it...

What is he going to do, go home, take a vacation, lay up, watch a little TV, then get a bigger deal on a satellite-radio station?...Now he's even bigger because now black folks know who he is. Now we're tempted to tune in just to hear if he's gonna say some other dumb stuff. Now he's even bigger. All we did was blow him up.

He's got some good points and a legitimate argument for those focused on reparations and related approaches though I still think it was necessary to take out Don Imus, even if it was temporary, because that hurt him and he'll carry that with him despite the big stacks of money he will continue to receive.

For my part, I dug Nelly's first album quite a bit.  I lost interest musically after that but was certainly impressed with the "swipe credit card between buttocks" moment for its encapsulation of how men view the trick/stripper relationship [though not thinking of themselves as tricks].  Given that strippers often view men as ATMs, within the rules of the sex industry game that was fair play and an awesome example of pop surrealism.

It also speaks to all whose intimate relationships are financially based yet legitimated by such social institutions as marriage.

That said, I still understand why people got upset and had to move at that moment.  It's not the kind of thing a smart activist passes up.

Via Real Talk NY.

Celeb Publicist Pam Pinnock Releases Father Fracture

Pam Pinnock - The Father Fracture

Celebrity publicist Pam Pinnock, whose clients have included Jay-Z and Ludacris, has written a memoir titled The Father Fracture focused on the effects of her father's abusive treatment and the relationships that followed.  The book is being released in October because October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Best of luck to Ms. Pinnock in what is no doubt a difficult process of self-revelation.

Def Jam Source Says No Nas "n*gga" Album

Nas has already gotten a strong response to his announcement that he's releasing an album titled n*gga in December.

According to what FOXNews.com's claims is a "source close to Island Def Jam Music Group chairman Antonio 'L.A.' Reid", Def Jam currently has no plans for such an album.

Sounds like mixtape time!

Via Real Talk NY.

Spice Girls & Victoria's Secret, Rap Stars & ?

The Spice Girls' new album will be sold exclusively through Victoria's Secret shops and website.

So far such deals, like Sonic Youth's deal with Starbucks, are focused on pop and rock groups.

I'm curious about what people think would be a natural fit for a rap group at this point in time.

I'm drawing a blank at the moment but such a fit should reflect both the individual group and retail outlet as much as the genre.

Please, good readers [& bad], what are your combos both silly and serious?

Madonna/Live Nation Deal: Industry Restructuring, Not Revolution, Threat to Small Firms & New Artists

The Madonna/Live Nation deal has gotten a lot of attention following Radiohead's move with In Rainbows.  However these are different sorts of changes and those that think the Madonna deal undermines the music industry need to realize that Live Nation's new Artist Nation division has simply positioned itself in the spot where the major labels are headed.

Major labels can't make the money they need off just the music so they want a part of everything the artist is doing.  This is starting to manifest in new artist contracts but deals similar to Madonna's between the existing major labels and big stars will also emerge.  So Artist Nation is an example of what the major labels might become.

That said, this description of Live Nation's new Artist Nation division suggests possible negative repercussions for small firms servicing major labels and for up and coming artists.

In breaking down the resources gathered together by Artist Nation the press release reveals that, while the major labels have a serious new competitor that beat them to an implementation of a major piece of their business plan for the future, it's the smaller independent firms that have been servicing the labels that should be seriously reassessing that future.  I'm not sure how large a sector of the industry that would be but I certainly see major labels and media companies marketing simultaneously through in-house and outsourced services on a regular basis.

If you're a small firm servicing major labels in any of the areas covered by the Artist Nation division, you should be seriously concerned about the possibility of competing with those very labels if they take such services in-house.

On the bright side, this shift does open up new exit possibilities if major labels start acquiring such firms in order to jump start their capabilities.  It also opens up the possibility of leveraging the relationships you've built with major artists and their core partners as they strike out on their own and benefit from moves like that of Radiohead.

Biggest downside I can currently envision:
Once these deals become a more normal part of the major label way of doing business, many indies may follow suit leading to a horrifying world for new artists who will not only have to worry about shady small labels putting them in the studio and staking a claim to all their early work without bothering to promote them but also about bad deals that can affect previously independent revenue streams.

SplashCast Audio Widget Featuring Side Hustle

Thaddeus Clark and Ianeq are Side Hustle

Here's an example of a SplashCast audio widget featuring music by Side Hustle.

Via Different Kitchen who agrees that this is music worth listening to.

But, FYI, it made it on ProHipHop because it was the first SplashCast widget of relevance to come my way.  Though the SplashCast widget wasn't pitched to me as related to my interest in hip hop and web 2.0, that would be one way to get your music on a blog that doesn't do music reviews or artist interviews but is interested in marketing.

Or that would be one way for a few more weeks until widgets are really old news!

Judiciary Committee Hearing on the Jena 6

May still be in progress.  Rizoh has the 411.

I haven't gotten back to my roundup of hip hop support of the Jena 6 [I will] but big ups to everybody that's been pushing this thing.  This isn't the end by any means but it's a great example of how online advocates helped build the initial critical mass that encourages folks like Al Sharpton to step up and provide much needed media visibility.

Related Material:
Ethan Brown feels that the "most useful outcome of the Jena 6 protests is the interest in sentencing reform coming from the likes of Barack Obama and Senator Jim Webb" and links through to a related article.

That's an excellent point since sentencing reform is desperately needed nationwide though I would say most immediately and obviously useful.

I think that's just one example of what could come from a sustained campaign for justice in the Deep South.  I don't say that out of nostalgia for the Civil Rights movement.  I say that from what such movements have taught us.

TV Commercial for The Pack's Based Boys Album

Promo for The Pack's Based Boys

Different Kitchen directs us to this tv spot for The Pack's Based Boys due October 30th.

Hypebot: Interns Sought, Feedback Requested

Hypebot, a music industry weblog regularly featured at ProHipHop, and Skyline Music, an associated booking agency, are seeking online interns.

They also wonder, What Would You Do If You Owned Hypebot?

Screwed Up Click Member Big Moe Passes

Houston So Real and The Rap Up pay their respects to Big Moe, newly departed member of Houston's Screwed Up Clik.

The Wire's David Simon to Set Next Show in New Orleans

Random House Widget for David Simon's The Corner

In an extended profile in The New Yorker, David Simon, creator of The Wire, reveals that he is planning to set his next show in New Orleans.

This guy is one of the best researchers working in television drama and such a show will most likely be an amazing thing.

Via Ethan Brown.

Background on David Simon:
David Simon researched and wrote Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets which led to NBC's Homicide: Life on the Street.

He then researched and coauthored with Edward Burns The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood which resulted in HBO's The Corner.

Finally he created, executive produced and cowrote The Wire, one of the greatest gifts to television and for that we thank him many times over!

Kanye West Labels Radiohead Move "Artist Empowerment"

In a post titled "Artist Empowerment", kanYeWest : Blog links to a roundup of In Rainbows sales news at The Daily Swarm.

Hypebot: Total Music, EMI Memo, Madonna & Live Nation, Facebook Music Store, Open Platforms, Google Vid Ads, Ian Rogers, Music Promo Tips, Hypebot Seeks Interns

Music industry news from Hypebot:

Universal is talking to other major labels about starting a music subscription service "Total Music" funded by portable player manufacturers.

Hypebot has the full text of the leaked Guy Hands memo to his EMI staff. Rumors point to huge changes at EMI North America including new execs from outside the industry.

Live Nation grabs Madonna from Warners for recording, touring and more.

Rumors have Facebook launching a download store or ramping up to compete with MySpace's music content. iLike, AmieSt, Nimbit and others are already using Facebook's open platform for new music apps.

MySpace and Google are following Facebook's lead and opening their platforms and music promotion may never be the same.

Google may also revolutionize music video with an ad program that helps creators monetize output and rewards web sites and blogs for viral promotion. Here's video of how it works.

"Convenience Wins, Hubris Loses and Content vs. Context". Full text of Yahoo! Music's Ian Rogers' speech @ Digital Music West.

Part 9 of 100 Free & Affordable High & Low Tech Music Promotion Tips. The final installment will be published this week.

Hypebot and parent company Skyline Music are seeking virtual interns and asking readers "What Would You Do If You Owned Hypebot?"

See ProHipHop's Hypebot Industry News category for past roundups.

Sample YouTube Video Unit from Google's AdSense

Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com

Hip Hop/Rap YouTube Video Unit from Google's AdSense

You may have been hearing about Google/YouTube AdSense video ads so here's a hip hop/rap version for examination.

Quick Response:
I really don't like ads appearing over the image.  I still think 3 to 5 second prerolls are the best bet onscreen.

I'm also wondering if they're hosting the video units differently than the general site.  YouTube has seen a lot of downtime and poor performance lately and that would not work for an ad network.

Ghostface Mad at Wu-Tang "Hierarchy", Unpaid for Tour[?]

Ghostface is upset with the unspecified "hierarchy at Wu-Tang Clan" for the fact that Wu-Tang's 8 Diagrams got pushed back to his album date and that he allegedly still hasn't been paid for previous Wu-Tang touring.

Turns out that Ghostface had the December 4th release date for his own album, The Big Dough Rehab, for quite a while.

According to MTV:
"I had December 4 for the longest," he explained. "But the Wu album, brothers was kinda late on doing whatever they were doing and pushed it back ... on my date. You can put this in there, I'm not [mad at] all the members. It's not based on the members, but the hierarchy at Wu-Tang Clan is on some bullsh--. They trying to f--- around and make me push my album back and doing all this. But n---as ain't f---ing around or give us money when we did them Wu-Tang tours. The first one, they paid us after a while, but this last one, n---as is holding onto a lot of money...It's a battle right now."

Though Ghostface did not specify who constitutes the "hierarchy", he did clarify who does not:
"It ain't got nothing to do with the regular members. 'Cause I love Raekwon, Masta Killa, U-God, Genius, all them. But it's on right now."

Apparently Ghostface also feels his album would already be complete if he had not chosen to join Wu-Tang for the Rock the Bells tour with Rage Against the Machine, the tour for which he says members have not been paid.

He also claims that Steve Rifkind, who's putting out 8 Diagrams on Loud Records, made some phone calls in hopes of getting label execs to change the date for The Big Dough Rehab.

Sounds like Ghostface was pretty much done with the topic by the end of the interview:
"N---as better pay my f---ing money. Matter of fact, they can keep the money — just get me out of their life right now. They can keep that money, it's all good now. I don't even wanna talk about it no more."

Wow, no wonder Miss Info is sad.

Nas Chooses N-Word for Album Title, Due in December

Nas will title his next album "n*gga".

Uh, say what?

n*gga is set for a December release.