The Hip-Hop Herald: 02.28.08

Posted by Patrick Robinson on 02.28.2008

What Dr. Dre's been up to, why Diddy should become a stand-up comedian, Juelz Santana's lack of material and why you shouldn't play XBOX with Lil Wayne. All this and more inside!

So it seems with time on my hands, and the opening of a Thursday position for a News Report, I will now be writing TWO pieces a week, lucky you!

For those of you that don't know me, I write The 37th Chamber each week, which is focused on my opinions of the hip-hop world and those that dwell inside it. Naturally, my first love in music is hip-hop but I'll usually give anything a listen at least once, it's only fair.

Now the introductions are out of the way, let's get down to business!

The News

So instead of Detox we get this…

Wondering what's up with Dr. Dre and Detox? Well it turns out that Dre's been working on some side projects of his own. No, it's not that Rakim album…or that Ice Cube album…or any album actually, but rather a partnership with Drinks America Holdings Ltd to promote a new line of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

President and CEO of Drinks America, J. Patrick Kenny had this to say:

"We expect Dre's foray into the beverage business to rival the magnitude of his success in the music business"

So expect to see a new drink from the man every 8 years that will REVOLUTIONIZE the way we drink, but ultimately become repetitive quickly.

Dre is also involved with Monster to promote a line of "new innovative headphones" as well as a multiyear deal with New Line Cinema for his new film company, Crucial Films.


There's ‘CROSS-PROMOTION' written all over this you know

Everybody Hates Chris Cam

For the Dipset fans out there wondering why Juelz Santana hasn't released an album since 2005s, What The Game's Been Missing!, look no further than everyone's favorite pool-side YouTuber, Cam'Ron.

In an interview with Hot97, Juelz explained there have been problems with Cam'Ron.

"Me and Cam gotta work some things out, bottom line. I came in the game when I was young right, so it's no reason for me - to have accomplished and did as much as I did - to be getting treated the same way as I was treated when I just came in."

Juelz debuted at the age of 17 on a remix to Cam'Ron's song, "What Means The World To You" so it's understandable that he was probably taken advantage of in his early days as a rapper.

Wayne's World

You've got to wonder what's going on in that head of his sometimes. In an interview with Blender magazine, Wayne had the following to say.

On his promethazine addiction:

"If I go off it, I go into withdrawal

On his future:

"Fuck it, I'm not even a rapper. I'm past that…I'm an R&B singer now. Call me T-Wayne*. I have an album coming out called Luv Sawngz. It's me being more creative, more talented, more than hip-hop."

*Wayne has a song coming out where he uses a vocoder.

On THAT photo:

"Every n**** talking shit about me? All of they bitches would love to kiss me right now"

On his violent tendencies:

"My mama's a gangsta...She told me every day, ‘N**** play with you, you kill him.' I believed her, and I do everything she say."

"You see these four [tear drop tattoos]? Lord, forgive me. But guess what, you play with me, I'll knock your head open and piss on your motherfucking eyes."

Right, where to start?

- Wayne, get off the syrup. It's for people with coughs, not for getting high on and Pimp C's death should have sent an all too real reminder to you.

- Good Lord, more T-Pain rip-offs. Well, I predict a long, nasty bout of dick-riding a la Jay-Z, which will turn around into hating the man and claiming he's the Greatest Vocoder Of All Time.

- I'm sure they wouldn't.

- You heard it here first, don't you DARE try and play XBOX over the net with him or he'll come to your house and [insert violent ending].

Wu-Tang is good, but Jeezy is for the children

As part of the "Make Your Dreams Come True" contest, Young Jeezy has granted the wish of 13 yr old Davon Jenkins. The contest was a chance for people to share their dreams and aspirations and the winner was chosen based on a letter from the boy's mother.

Davon's father is serving in the military, currently in Iraq and Davon himself has cerebral palsy, and is confined to a wheelchair.

The boy's mother, Tamara wrote:

""My ultimate dream would be for me to provide a Wheelchair Accessible Van for my son, Davon Jenkins. Davon is 13-years-old and has cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair."

Jeezy will be presenting the wheelchair accessible van to the family as well as treating them to dinner at Justin's Restaurant in Atlanta.

Shyne's To-Do List

1. Find Diddy.

Shyne is currently serving the last few years of a 10 yr sentence from the infamous club shooting in 1999. Diddy and then girl-friend Jennifer Lopez were arrested along with Shyne after a short chase although, the charges only stuck to Shyne.

Shyne is expected however, to be released this year on good behavior despite being thrown into solitary confinement for two months back in 2005.

No word on whether Shyne intends to return to the rap game or not but, since he did sign a $3 million deal back in 2004 with Def Jam and has only released one album under their imprint, I imagine he's got at least another two albums to fulfill the contract.


I imagine a lot of people won't remember what he looks like

In Other Diddy News

Diddy is training to be a stand-up comedian! Well not really, but you could be fooled into thinking so after reading this.

Last year, Diddy was supposedly involved in an altercation with Gerard Rechnitzer at a post-Oscars party. Diddy is firmly entrenched in his innocence claiming that after Gerard lunged towards him,

"any contact ...was caused by his forward motion against my open hand"

Excuse me one moment.

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

For you Simpsons fans out there, this may call to mind that particular incident between Bart and Lisa ("I'm going to do THIS and if you get in the way, it's YOUR fault").

The incident stems from the fact that Diddy invited Gerard's fiancé to a private party. No word on whether Gerard received an invite or not though.

Anyway, in a moment of clarity, Gerard's lawyers have responded to Diddy's claim with:

"People do not bounce off hands with their face/body, they get punched. The [Diddy's] defense is engulfed in fantasy and not reality.''.

Ruckus is being caused at the moment as Diddy and his representatives are refusing to hand over documentation stating how much the man earns so that Gerard's lawyers can make a suitable claim for damages. Really, they should just look in Forbes, he was listed as one of the three richest men in hip-hop and made it onto their Top 20 list in 2006.

Thank you Diddy, I had a good laugh indeed today.


"You want some of this! Yeah?! Well come over here and WALK INTO IT! Yeah...that's right, walk away"

Wayne's (Legal) World

Lil Wayne's legal troubles are getting worse. On the 25th of February, he filed a ‘not guilty' plea in Manhattan Criminal Court where he is currently facing two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.

Last summer, Wayne was arrested after a concert in New York City's Beacon Theatre after police saw Wayne and an acquaintance smoking marijuana. Upon a search, police found a .40 caliber pistol. The defense is claiming that the search was not appropriate (justified) and that the pistol did not belong to Wayne.

There is a further court date set for April where his appearance won't be necessary but his attorney Stacey Richman expects Wayne will turn up.

"He'll probably be there, he's very responsible."

GOOD LORD don't let any of the prosecution read Wayne's interview with Blender then or his attorney will be looking the rightly foolish.

Quickies

Nas and Jay-Z could well be collaborating on an album together to be released on Jay's new music label, Carter Music Group. The album, tentatively titled The Kings Of Hip-Hop will probably be released some time next year.

Ne-Yo was arrested for reckless driving last week. Police reported that he was doing well over 100 mph and was also driving without a license. Seriously, you've just won a Grammy, can't you afford a driver?

Snoop Dogg was busted for weed possession. Anybody surprised?

In a recent interview Jadakiss has blamed the changes in the current hip-hop scene on "a bunch of ring tone, tight-pants-wearing motherfuckers". How many rappers do you know wearing tight-pants? I think Jada has the hip-hop scene confused with another genre. Please note, that's NOT me in that picture.

Before we go…

Well ladies and gents, that's all for this week, you can catch me here same time next week or in The 37th Chamber on Wednesdays! *cheap plug*

Until then though, keep telling people, hip-hop isn't dead, it's merely asleep.