Hip Hop Files | ProHipHop

February 03, 2012

Young Jeezy Discloses “The Hustlerz Ambition” Tour

If you are a fan of famed emcee Young Jeezy, you probably know that a lot of hip-hop fans are waiting for further announcements about “The Hustlerz Ambition,” his much-awaited tour. In an exclusive interview, the American rapper revealed that the tour begins March and ends first week of April 2012.

As the sales of his fourth studio album, “TM103: Hustlerz Ambition” reach gold certification, the performer has disclosed the dates for his upcoming tour via Billboard. The “Lose My Mind” singer plans to start the tour at Washington, DC’s Filmore on March 3. It will end in Montreal, Quebec at Olympia Theater on April 6.

Check out the tour dates below.

March 3 Washington DC Fillmore

March 4 New York, NY Irving Plaza

March 5 Boston, MA House of Blues

March 6 Hartford, CT The Dome

March 8 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts

March 9 Cincinnati, OH Bogart’s

March 10 Detroit, MI Fillmore

March 11 Cleveland, OH House of Blues

March 12 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room

March 13 Chicago, IL (TBA)

March 20 Las Vegas, NV House of Blues

March 21 San Diego, CA House of Blues

March 22 Los Angeles, CA House of Blues

March 24 San Francisco, CA (TBA)

March 27 Seattle, WA Neptune

March 28 Vancouver, B.C. Gossip Nightclub

March 29 Edmonton, Alb. Edmonton Events Centre

March 30 Calgary, Alb. Flames Central

March 31 Saskatoon, Sask. The Odeon Theatre

April 1 Winnipeg, Man. The Pantages Theatre

April 5 Toronto, Ont. Sound Academy

April 6 Montreal, Que. Olympia Theatre

Posted by Karen on February 03, 2012 in Artists, Hip Hop Files, Music Industry | Permalink

January 31, 2012

Rapper Tyga Discloses “Careless World” Tour Dates

Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson, otherwise known as Tyga, recently shared his experiences in the hip-hop world, including the success of his “Rack City” project. In one of his interviews, he confirmed that it was his self-promotion that caused the material to score top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The famed artist also shared his thoughts about lyricism and stated that “there’s music for every type of thing.”

A lot of the fans of the young emcee were happy to know that he will stage a world tour in line with his album, “Careless World: Rise of the Lost King.” The project kicks off February 17 in Salt Lake City. The tour concludes April 15 at New Orleans, Louisiana’s Howlin Wolf.h.

Check the tour dates below.

02/17/12 Salt Lake City, UT Maverick Center

02/21/12 Atlanta, GA Masquerade

02/22/12 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Revolution Live

02/23/12 Tampa, FL Ritz Ybor

02/24/12 Gainsville, FL The Vault

02/26/12 Myrtle Beach, SC House of Blues

02/27/12 Charlotte, NC The Filmore

02/28/12 Philadelphia, PA TLA

02/29/12 New York, NY Best Buy Theatre

03/01/12 Boston, MA Wilbur Theater

03/02/12 New Haven, CT Toad’s Place

03/03/12 Providence, RI Lupo’s

03/04/12 Sayerville, NJ Starland Ballroom

03/05/12 Silver Springs, MD The Filmore

03/06/12 Cleveland, OH House of Blues

03/08/12 Des Moines, IA Val Air Ballroom

03/09/12 Toledo, OH Omni

03/10/12 Milwaukee, WI The Rave

03/11/12 Minneapolis, MN Epic

03/13/12 Detroit, MI Royal Oak Music Hall

03/15/12 Chicago, IL Metro

03/20/12 Denver, CO Ogden

03/21/12 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre

03/22/12 Tucson, AZ The Rialto Theatre

03/23/12 Phoenix, AZ Clubhouse

03/24/12 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst

03/25/12 Ventura, CA Ventura Theatre

03/26/12 San Luis Obispo, CA The Graduate

03/27/12 Sacramento, CA Sunrise Event Center

03/28/12 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory

03/29/12 San Francisco, CA Regency

03/30/12 San Diego, CA House of Blues

04/01/12 Los Angeles, CA Club Nokia

04/04/12 Pullman, WA Washington State University

04/06/12 Yakima, WA Dos De Oro Buy tickets

04/07/12 Seattle, WA Showbox

04/11/12 San Antonio, TX White Rabbit

04/12/12 Houston, TX Warehouse

04/13/12 Dallas, TX Southside Music Hall

04/14/12 Austin, TX Emos East

04/15/12 New Orleans, LA Howlin Wolf

Posted by Karen on January 31, 2012 in Albums, Artists, Hip Hop Albums, Hip Hop Business News, Hip Hop Files, Music Industry | Permalink

January 30, 2012

G.O.O.D. Music Producer Hit-Boy Talks about the Crew’s Latest Music Compilation

Hit-Boy is one of the most successful artists in the hip-hop industry. The American Grammy Award nominated hip-hop artist and music producer of G.O.O.D. Music record label recently explained what it was like to record with the crew. At present, the famed producer visited London, England with Kanye West and the G.O.O.D. Music rappers to work on the label’s compilation album.

In an interview with Complex.com, Hit-Boy recalled working with Jay Electronica, Mannie Fresh, Frank Ocean, John Legend and more. He stated: “I don’t know if Jay Electronica spit a verse], I was just in my room working on a bunch of ideas Kanye wanted me to do. I really didn’t get to come up there. But Pusha spit a gang of verses to my beats, so did Big Sean, Kanye, and John Legend.” He added: “I know Marsha got on a couple of my beats and did some hook ideas. We were all just bouncing stuff around. Mannie Fresh actually had the room next to the room I was working in. We were bouncing ideas. There was a bunch of creative shit going on with the most talented motherfuckers in the world.”

Hit-Boy also promised that they would produce high quality projects. He candidly enthused: “That’s the genius of Kanye, he knows how to put all those people in a room. You can’t have an ego with person like Kanye around. It’s going to be some fly shit and you are going to have the opportunity to make money off it.” He continued: “It’s been amazing so far. [The album] is going to be what you guys expect it to be. It’s good music as G.O.O.D. Music. It’s going to be quality shit.”

Posted by Karen on January 30, 2012 in Albums, Artists, Artists on Marketing, Hip Hop Albums, Hip Hop Business News, Hip Hop Files, Music Industry | Permalink

January 30, 2012

French Montana Discloses Why He Did Not Sign with Kanye West

Nowadays, hip-hop artists are getting confident in their choices of music labels. There are different reasons attached to their choices from financial-related issues to schedule differences. But it is rare to find hip-hop artists who choose to decline working with a famous rapper’s recording studio because of the lack of cellular phone.

Enter French Montana. The American rapper disclosed why he didn’t sign with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music Company. French recently hinted that he would join G.O.O.D. Music but in due course signed with Diddy’s Bad Boy Records. Initially, the well-known rapper remained tight-lipped why he didn’t pursue signing a contract with Kanye West. But in a recent interview with Hot 97’s Angie Martinez, he finally revealed the reason why he slighted Yeezy.

French admitted that Kanye West’s lack of phone was the reason he did not join G.O.O.D. Music. He explained: “I met up with him one time and then I met up with him again. There were things that I was used to ’cause I was already moving. I’m like a money train. Kanye doesn’t have a phone. If you need to get in contact with Kanye, you have to email him. You can’t tell me how to do that. I don’t know how to use an email, so I guess me and you is never gonna talk.” He added: “And I’ma put my career in your hands? He’s definitely talented and I felt like if I went there, we would have definitely made history.”

After ditching the idea of signing with Kanye West’s well-known music label, French Montana signed with Bad Boy Records, with plans to launch his album in the upcoming months. He candidly shared: “When I met up with Puff, everything he promised me came through. And Rozay was definitely there for me too.”

Posted by Karen on January 30, 2012 in Albums, Artists, Hip Hop Business News, Hip Hop Files, Music Industry | Permalink

January 27, 2012

Roxanne Shante and Stones Throw: Agents of Change in the Hip Hop Industry

The hip-hop industry is fortunate to have one artist and indie hip-hop company representatives who care for others. Roxanne Shante and Stones Throw bosses became agents of change in the hip-hop world when they launched amazing projects for the benefit of their fellow artists.

Roxanne, who is a well-known legendary rap pioneer, collaborated with an actress to help uninsured artists while Stones Throw introduced changes in the Internet music game.

Roxanne collaborated with a Tony Award-winning actor on a new cause to aid struggling performers. The famous emcee recently teamed up with actor Lin-Manuel Miranda for a new program that will allow uninsured entertainers to exchange works of art for medical services.

In a recent report by the Wall Street Journal, Shante and Miranda have worked together to launch the “Lincoln Art Exchange” program at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, New York. It is designed to give freelance artists the opportunity to enjoy a slew of medical services in exchange of painting murals at the hospital or giving performances at hospital events.

On the other hand, the famed indie hip-hop label, Stones Throw introduced changes in the Internet music industry by launching a new subscription-based service for fans. According to a recent article by the Los Angeles Times, the Cali imprint and home to Mayer Hawthorne and Homeboy Sandman is now offering a $10 a month subscription service that will give listeners access to the label’s latest releases. Using a model developed for Ghostly International’s Drip.FM service, fans will be sent MP3 files of the label’s line-up each month. The recent system is designed to promote order and free competition in the Internet music industry by allowing fans to wisely choose quality albums or mixtapes before spending their hard-earned money.

Posted by Karen on January 27, 2012 in Artists, Hip Hop Files, Music Industry | Permalink

January 26, 2012

Maino Disclosed Cover Art and Track List for “The Day after Tomorrow”

Before Maino became known in the hip-hop world, he founded an independent label named Hustle Hard. After numerous mixtape releases and key guest features, he was offered a recording deal by Universal Records. Later on, he joined Atlantic Records, imprinting his Hustle Hard label with the record company in a bid to gain stardom. Now that he had carved a name for himself in the hip-hop music industry, he made sure his fans will know his latest project.

The American rapper has announced the release date for his upcoming album, “The Day after Tomorrow”, which is his second huge hip-hop material. The New York emcee is planning to release the project on October 24. In an interview with Cheddar DVD, he stated, “My album is dropping October 4th, it’s called The Day After Tomorrow. We’re just getting ready for the second round.”

In addition, Maino expressed his desire to release a new mixtape before the arrival of the album. He confided: “It took me a minute to get the right record out there, but it’s a national look for me. It’s not a local record. It’s a big record, it’s gonna be. We just droppin’ this week and then we’re doing another mixtape, keep the streets down and staying on cheddar.”

Based on reports, the project “The Day after Tomorrow” will be released by E1 Entertainment, which is formerly known as Koch Records. The famed record label will launch Maino’s sophomore album with his Hustle Hard Music Group imprint. We remember that Maino released his 2009 debut, “If Tomorrow Comes” on Atlantic Records. The two labels will reportedly work together on this release. Atlantic and E1 have previously partnered on releases from B.G. and Juvenile.

Posted by Karen on January 26, 2012 in Album Cover Artwork, Albums, Artists, Hip Hop Albums, Hip Hop Business News, Hip Hop Files, Music Industry | Permalink

January 26, 2012

Rapper Tyga Discussed Several Topics in a Recent Interview

The well-known emcee, Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson, otherwise known as Tyga (an acronym for Thank You God Always) continuously showed off his talent in the hip-hop world. He became famous with his impressive rendition of “Coconut Juice,” his debut single which featured his cousin, Travie McCoy. As the American rapper is preparing for the launching of his album, “Careless World: Rise of the Lost King,” he shared his thoughts about the process of preparing the album for release.

In a recent interview with Complex, the young rapper shared that it was his self-promotion that caused “Rack City” to score top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. He explained: “[I]n my world, I had a lot of underground hits that weren’t getting pushed to that level. I felt like ‘Lapdance’ was a big song, but it just didn’t get a push. So it stayed where it was at. ‘Rack City’ I pushed myself. I was shooting my own videos and paying my own radio guys and stuff like that. Then the label caught on to it.”

Tyga also talked about how Lil Wayne influences him. He stated: “It’s not what they say, but more what they do. Just being able to see how they move and be in the studio every night. Videos. Tours. To see their hustle and take my new artist hunger and add that to it. The one thing about them is that they don’t talk a lot. It’s their actions, really.”

But the most interesting part of the interview was Tyga’s thoughts about lyricism. He shared: “People have got to understand that there’s music for every type of thing. Hip Hop isn’t ‘It has to be this topic and this topic only.”

Posted by Karen on January 26, 2012 in Albums, Artists, Hip Hop Albums, Hip Hop Business News, Hip Hop Files, Music Industry | Permalink

January 24, 2012

Nicki Minaj Disclosed Dates and Cities for International Tour

Nicki Minaj is one of the hottest hip-hop artists nowadays. The Trinidadian born American musician initially gained success when her debut album, “Pink Friday” was released in November 2010. It quickly reached the radar of hip-hop fans across the world. A month after its release, it peaked at number one on the United States Billboard 200 and achieved certified Platinum status. Because of the tremendous musical success that Nicki enjoyed in the music industry, she became the first artist to have seven singles on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time.

Nicki’s second single, “Your Love” reached number one on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, which made her the first female artist to top the chart unaccompanied since Missy Elliott achieved it with “Work It” in 2002. Consequently, she became the first female artist to be listed on MTV’s Annual Hottest MC List.

The Billboard 2011 Rising Star recipient recently revealed the dates and cities for her upcoming international tour. Even though the locations and ticket information is yet to be announced, the famed lady rapper took to Twitter and announced her plans to visit London, Paris, Berlin and Tokyo during her worldwide tour. She tweeted: “London the 19th-25th. Paris 26th,27th. Berlin on the 28th. Tokyo: March 1st-4th.” The music-related trek kicks off on February 19^th and concludes in Tokyo on March 4^th.

The “Super Bass” singer mentioned that she plans to perform new material at the 2012 Grammy Awards. She posted: “Of course silly willies!!! > RT @WANI_MINAJ: RT @teamminajcunt: RT @urbankidd Are you gonna perform new tracks at the Grammys? @NICKIMINAJ.”

Check the tour dates below.

February 19-25 – London, England

February 26-67 – Paris, France

February 28 – Berlin, Germany

March 1-4 – Tokyo, Japan

Posted by Karen on January 24, 2012 in Albums, Artists, Artists on Marketing, Events, Hip Hop Business News, Hip Hop Files, Music Industry | Permalink

January 23, 2012

Drayz of Das Efx Talks About Hit Squad Reunion Show and More

Drayz was catapulted to stardom when he partnered with Skoob (“Books” spelled backwards) to showcase their talent in the world of hip-hop music under the name Das Efx. Known for its impressive interpretation of the 90’s retro style and music, this hip-hop duo marked the obvious resurgence of the grittier music and garb of the 1990s. These trends also shaped a generation that was born into a decade of baggy clothes and boom-bap beats.

The New Jersey native displayed his happiness as he embarked on a new project without Skoob. In an exclusive interview with HipHopDX, the famed rapper shared his thoughts on being a solo artist. He also revealed the reason why he called his album Showtime.

In the interview, the Das Efx member declared that there’s no split in the hip-hop group where he belongs. He stated, “Um, you know what, man? I don’t even wanna say there’s a split, I just wanna say that there’s a natural progression in Das Efx. You feel me? If that makes any sense. I think what I’m doing is no different than any other duo or trio in hip-hop or in music in general is doing. For instance, I just got some information over my email [that] J-Ro from Tha Alkaholiks is out there doing him. It’s no different.”

Drayz also talked about Showtime, his newest album. He said, “That’s where I come from, and that’s what hip-hop to me is, it’s showtime. If you know Das Efx, we give one of the better shows, I feel, in hip-hop. Coming up under EPMD, they taught us how to put a good show down. So if you see a Das Efx show, that’s what we do, we give great shows.”

Posted by Karen on January 23, 2012 in Albums, Artists, Hip Hop Files, Music Industry | Permalink

January 19, 2012

The New West Side Connection Talks About Dr. Dre, 50 Cent and More

If you are a die-hard hip-hop fan, you have probably come across the latest Youtube video uploaded by Thisis50.com. It features an exclusive interview with West Side Connection, a hip-hop trio composed of Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock and Terrace Martin. In this video, they also reintroduced themselves and shared the advice they got from Dr. Dre and 50 Cent.

Jay Rock shared his experience in working with Dr. Dre in the studio. When asked if the iconic rapper/producer would be on his next hip-hop material, he answered, “Actually I hope so. Shit, I hope so. Nah, that’s the big homie. I had the fortunate time just to be in the studio and see how he works and see how he gets down man. It was just a good feeling being around and seeing what he does and seeing how he gets down.”

Kendrick Lamar, one of today’s most popular rappers and songwriters, praised producer and fellow West Side Connection member Terrace Martin. Later in the interview, he stated that Terrace is one of those producers that will go above and beyond. He added, “A lot of times you meet producers and they just give you a bunch of beat CD’s and let you rap over it. And in my eyes I think the artist really just produced the record because we were putting the words over it. But this dude, he’s going to give you direction because he’s planned everything [live] anyway.”

Kendrick also talks about 50 Cent’s advice to the group. He said, “It’s crazy cause Fif just came in right now and one of the key things he said [was] hard work overrides talent when talent is not [worthy].”

Posted by Karen on January 19, 2012 in Albums, Artists, Hip Hop Business News, Hip Hop Files, Music Industry | Permalink