The Hip-Hop Herald 07.09.09: Hate It Or Love It

Posted by Patrick Robinson on 07.09.2009

This week: The Game attacks Jay-Z, Lil Wayne enlists former FBI help, Mase and Ja Rule Comebacks v2.0 in progress, details on albums from Mack 10 and Wale and the Black Eyed Peas are in trouble again!

How did I end up listening to "Umma Do Me"…

No seriously, I'm trying to work out what I was meant to be clicking instead of Rocko. You know it's one of those songs you happily sing along to because it's unbelievably moronic, then you suddenly realize that you are in fact, singing along to a really moronic song.

Anyway, enough fun and games.

The News

Top Story

Game Attacks Jay-Z



The Game has sparked controversy after a performance in Bordeaux, France, on July 5, where he called out Jay-Z. Flanked by two members of his entourage, Game stormed onto the stage during his performance at the Le 4 Sans, where he immediately took aim at Jay-Z.

"I'ma tell you like this. I don't care what a n***a say. This is how I am coming out today. F**k Jay-Z. Straight up. And if you don't like that, I am pretty sure you can find an exit somewhere. This is a Blackwall Street party. We sayin' f**k Jay-Z."

The rapper and the crowd repeated the explicative six times in unison, before The Game labeled the Roc-A-Fella founder an "old ass n***a."

Arrrrrrrrrrgggg I thought we finally put this age thing to rest. Look, I don't see anybody calling out GZA or Chuck D for being old, and I think those two, apart from Flava Flav are actually the oldest in hip-hop. Then again, you'd have to be pretty stupid to call out GZA, especially because the whole Clan would likely get involved.

As the crowd began to chant, Game launched into an impromptu freestyle over Jay-Z's "Death of Autotune" instrumental. The Game's scathing diss comes just days after Jay dropped a freestyle at The Palms in Las Vegas concert on Friday July 3, which name checked The Game, Jim Jones, Damon Dash and Jaz-O.

"I ain't talkin' about gossip, I ain't talkin' 'bout Game/I ain't talkin' about Jimmy, I ain't talkin' about Dame/," Jay-Z rapped.

The Game is currently touring across Europe until August 15, with confirmed dates in Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, Australia and other countries. He is also working on a new movie titled House Arrest starring Stacey Dash, the cousin of former Roc-A-Fella CEO, Damon Dash.

I love Game, I do, but the man is unbelievably bi-polar. This happened back in 2004-05 where he called out Jay, then loved Jay, then called him out again, then loved him again. I get the feeling Game doesn't even know who he's meant to be loving and hating anymore.

New R. Kelly Sex Scandal?



Representatives for R. Kelly have responded to recent media reports claiming the singer was involved in another scandal, this time allegedly with a 17-year-old girl. Reports had stated that the singers home in Olympia Fields, Illinois had been raided the day before Kelly's first ever tour of Africa. Police were allegedly seeking a girl who was 16-years-old at the time, who was rumored to be staying with Kelly.

Well, at least she was older than the last supposed victim who was…14 at the time? I think this comes back to the "when you say underage, just how old do you mean" thing Kelly was saying a while ago.

Internet reports stated that anonymous sources claimed police were "gathering evidence that included signed affidavits from several witnesses within R. Kelly's circle."

Police Chief Jeff Chudwin confirmed that they investigated Kelly, but "found there to be no crime and the matters have been closed."

Representatives for Kelly also shot down the report, labeling it "wildly exaggerated and inaccurate."

I>"No police ever showed up at Kelly's house with a search warrant nor was his house ever searched," a rep for Kelly said in a statement. "It is also not true ... that any such girl ever stayed overnight in Kelly's house or that she had been there but left shortly before some mythical police search."

Honestly, I feel sorry for R. Kelly cause this kind of thing is never going to leave him alone, but he really needs to stop making dangerous comments like the one earlier.

Mase Making A Return



The death of Michael Jackson has inspired a return to rap by Mase.

"I'm excited. Mike [Jackson] passed away. It lit a fire under me and made me want to go in the studio and do something," Mase told DJ Self of New York's Power 105 FM after the legendary pop singer died.

Still, Mase said that he knows nothing of about contemporary rappers and needed help finding out Hip-Hop's top talents.

"I asked my lil' nephew and said, 'Who is the hottest thing out there?' He said 'Drake, Drake.' I said I gotta see what record he got and I said I'm going to jump on a joint."

Why don't you ask 50 Cent? Because that worked wonders last time you made a comeback Mase.

He said he eventually got the re-make to DJ Self to break the record.

"You know I stay with a couple [rhymes] under my sleeves. I just need a place to play them," Mase said.

Does the world really need another Mase comeback? I liked "Welcome Back" off his album of the same name but ah…I don't really remember much else about his album. The less said about his time with 50 Cent too the better.

Mack 10 Reveals Details Of New Album



Mack 10 plans to wrap up the summer in grand fashion with his forthcoming album Soft White. The release is the follow-up to Mack's previous offering, 2005's Hustla's Handbook, which included the Nate Dogg-assisted single "Like That."

For Soft White, Mack 10 admitted to having "fun" while working on the project as he explained the meaning behind the album's name.

"I went with that title because this album right here is just raw and uncut, it's just me. We had fun on this one and I had to bring them all out, I've been smiling all year."

Among those on hand to craft Soft White are Jazze Pha, Anthony Hamilton, J. Holiday and Akon.

Jim Jones, Birdman and Glasses Malone have also been recruited for the album as well as Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, who both appear on Soft White's first single, "So Sharp."

Mack 10's Soft White is slated to hit stores on August 25. A video for "So Sharp" will be released in the coming weeks.

I'm a little disappointed with that potential track list. Jazze Pha, Akon, Lil Wayne and Rick Ross are just everywhere in hip-hop right now and it would make sense NOT to stack your album with the same artists everyone else is using. Still, the album could turn out alright in the end, I just hope Wayne drops a focused verse instead of that random scattered crap he does on other people's records.

Mixtape Messiah 7 Gets A Release Date



Chamillionaire has announced that the seventh installment of his Mixtape Messiah series will be available on August 4th. According to Chamillionaire, Mixtape Messiah 7 will be his final chapter in the popular series.

"Download it, take it, do what you want with it, just know that this is the final chapter, no more, done. I'm moving on to something else, bigger and better things. I'm going to call them authorized leaks. CD's and songs that I have authorized to be in the public."

After Mixtape Messiah 7, Chamillionaire's new mixtapes will consist of original material, breaking with the current trend of rhyming over established artists' instrumentals.

Oh geeze, I'm behind. I'm on Mixtape Messiah 3 which I think was released like 3 years ago or something. I'll catch up at some point…story of my life.

"We aren't jacking everyone's beats [anymore]. We are creating a bunch of fresh, new innovative material," Chamillionaire continued.

Chamillionaire recently released a track off of Mixtape Messiah 7 titled "Denzel Washington," which features Z-Ro.

I think that's a smart idea. I know that when I listen to an artist freestyle over another beat, unless it comes out like an actual song with like, a hook and everything, I can't help but hear the original lyrics in my head. I just hope he saves something for his proper albums then.

Lil Wayne Enlists Former FBI Geneticist



Lil Wayne has hired a former FBI geneticist in his attempt to avoid being prosecuted in New York on a gun charge. Wayne has enlisted Bruce Budowle to challenge DNA results linking him to a .40 Caliber handgun found on his tour bus following a performance with Ja Rule at The Beacon Theater in New York in July of 2007.

According to The New York Post, Budowle will argue that Manhattan prosecutors used an unreliable testing method in their attempt to link Lil Wayne's DNA to the gun.

Defense lawyers for Lil Wayne have dismissed the arresting officer's allegation that she smelled marijuana emanating from the bus, resulting in the search which uncovered the gun.

Lil Wayne's lawyers also maintain is a legal firearm registered to his manager, Cortez Bryant. Lil Wayne has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. If convicted, he faces up to three and half years in prison under recently passed New York gun laws.

What do you guys think, is it a move of desperation or confidence by doing this?

For any Wayne fans out there, this is probably the main reason why Rebirth is getting pushed back further and further. That and I don't think the singles are being received well.

Random Thought

Ok, so I'm listening to Royce's Revival EP, and the track with Slaughterhouse and had a scary thought. What would happen if Slaughterhouse and The HRSMN (Canibus, Ras Kass, Killah Priest and Kurupt) hooked up for a track together? Also, anyone else think Slaughterhouse is kind of like this decade's version of The HRSMN? Except they're actually going to put a proper album out by the looks of it.

Details On Wale's New Album



With the Lady Gaga-assisted "Chillin'" gaining ground on rhythmic radio, Interscope Records announced that Wale's Attention Deficit will be released on September 22.

Besides the single, the album reportedly features "W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.," an update of Justice's "D.A.N.C.E." hit single from 2007. A previous version of the Wale cover appeared on his 2007 mixtape, hosted by Nick Catchdubs 100 Miles & Runnin'. The album also reportedly features K'Naan ("Warrior"), Bun B ("Mirrors") and Jazmine Sullivan. Production duties include Allido Records founder/Grammy Award-winner Mark Ronson, as well as Cool & Dre, Sean C & LV and Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio.

Michael James has a review of Wale's most recent mixtape, Back To The Feature here.

Some Positive Michael Jackson News

According to Billboard, Michael Jackson is continuing to dominate the charts with his impressive number of albums sold. This past week, Billboard reports that Michael Jackson sold over 800,000 copies of his albums.

The numbers, which have been provided by Nielsen SoundScan, are the preliminary numbers for the tracking week ending Sunday, July 5. Jackson's album sales have nearly doubled compared to the previous tracking week when only 422,000 albums were sold.

Another change in Jackson's album sales is in regards to physical versus digital albums. The week of Jackson's death 43 percent of albums sold were physical as opposed to this past week when 83 percent of albums sold were physical copies.

Nielsen SoundScan also reports that Jackson's Number Ones will be the top selling album in the United States while Thriller will be the second top selling album.

On top of selling close to a million albums Jackson has completely dominated the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart. Albums by Jackson and the Jackson 5 fill up the top ten positions on the chart.

I think this is wonderful news because it shows that his music is again, touching a whole new generation of people. It's just sad that his death was the catalyst for it.

Black Eyed Peas Accused Of Plagiarism


In accordance with the Brian Griffin rule

Yahoo News and other media outlets report that representatives from the Black Eyed Peas and DJ Adam Freeland are in talks after the UK-based deejay accused the group of using his song "Mancry" as the basis for the Peas' song "Party All The Time."

As is the current trend, Freeland took to Twitter to air his grievance stating, "OK. Check this. Listen to our song 'Mancry'. Now listen to Black Eyed Peas 'Party all the time' WTF!"

Ugh. Twitter…you know I wouldn't mind if they called it something like Trickle or Bibble or something less retarded than Twitter. You know, you trickle something, like you trickle updates because they go through at certain times, like a trickling water stream? Or Bibble because it sounds funny.

After his being involved with Peas' manager Polo Molina during last month's MuchMusic Video Awards, Hilton offered to help Freeland file a lawsuit against the band. On his Web site, Hilton wrote, "According to reports, Black Eyed Peas member and producer will.i.am was at an event last year where Freeland performed this song in question."

Dear Perez Hilton,

No offense, but I am going to sew your hands and lips together so you cannot talk or type ever again.

Yours sincerely,
Angry Internet Ranter

The Black Eyed Peas denied the claim and gave an explanation on DipDive.com saying, "This was not a case of plagiarism, in that the band's manager had offered them a beat and it was a case of working together. It was a lack of finalising [sic] legalities before releasing the record, clearance was not done and that was what it was about."

IF YOU DON'T GET CLEARANCE, YOU DON'T AIR THE RECORD!

Simple as that because then THIS happens. This is almost as bad as the Timbaland "I didn't know who did it so I never bothered to check" defense.

Ja Rule Declares His Comeback


Take your pick: 1) Ja Rule needs a hug
2) Ja Rule sees Lil Wayne and Birdman kissing
3) Ja Rule realizes he just said iPhizzle
4) Ja Rule imagines his dick in another man's mouth

Ja Rule is coming back, and he's apparently got a chip on his shoulder. Not only is Ja in the studio working on new tracks, he also promoting his new video blog "Rule York TV." In his first video off "Rule York TV" Ja exclaims, "That's the motherfucking first blog on Rule York TV on the iPhizzle cam, nigga. I'm getting a lot of hardcore footage. All you bitch ass n***** out there, I'm letting y'all know I'm coming and I'm fucking, oh, I got a chip on my shoulders this year, bitch."

In the iPhone-filmed premier, Ja had some choice words for those emcees out there, "Nothing fucking stale, nothing faded, brand new, n****. Get ready. I'm lettin' y'all n***** know, man, you got about 60 to 90 days then I'ma put my dick in your mouth, man. Watch yourselves homies, telling you."

There is no word yet which label will be distributing Ja Rule's next album (reportedly called The Mirror: Reloaded), as Murder Inc. is reportedly in negotiations with several imprints since parting ways with Universal earlier this year.

O…K…

Where to start…

1. ‘Rule York TV' is quite possibly the stupidest thing I've heard since Twitter
2. Did he really just say iPhizzle?
3. Why does he want to put his dick in a MAN'S mouth?
4. Did we ever get the first Mirror album?
5. Ja is coming to Australia soon. Anybody want to pay for my ticket so I can go and air out these grievances in person?

Contrary to what this may seem like, I AM actually interested to hear new material from him, but someone needs to issue a genre-wide declaration that rappers must stay 10 feet away from all blog, YouTubes, Twitters and now apparently, iPhizzles at all times.

Scratch that. All rappers must now actively engage in using these things as much as possible for the sheer unintentional comedy value. Get it on camera and I guarantee us an Oscar winning performance for Best ‘Actors'.

Sales Figures

Jeremih, who appears to be missing an ‘A' from his name, was the top seller this week in hip-hop and R&B with 59,000 copies of his self-titled debut album sold. Further down the charts, Ace Hood and Maino also debuted with 20,000 and 18,000 copies of Ruthless and If Tomorrow Comes sold. Rounding out the new albums this week was Wu-Tang's compilation album with Wu-Tang Chamber Music selling 10,000 copies this first week.

Eminem is starting to lose a bit of steam, with 39,000 copies sold this week giving him a total of 1,207,000 so far. Mos Def is slowly but surely heading towards 100,000 with 6,600 copies of The Ecstatic sold this week. Lil Wayne is close to 3.2 million with 6,400 copies of Tha Carter III sold. Jadakiss cracked the 300,000 mark last week with The Last Kiss selling 3,600 copies, and rounding out the Top 200 and out Sales Figures for this week is Cam'Ron, as Crime Pays sold 2,400 copies, giving him a total now of 84,000.

The Signoff

Well, I hope you enjoy the new format, remember starting next week, The Hip-Hop Herald will continue to go live on Thursdays, and the 37th Chamber is coming out of retirement for a Saturday release!

Catch you next week!