We’ve got the inside scoop on a brand new forum launching for Deejays of all types and it’s at TurntableTalk.com. Whether you’re looking for tips and techniques, product reviews, the scoop on the latest music or you want to promote your own music or business - it looks like Turntable Talk will have it all for you.
The website has a built in MP3 player feature on the top navigation bar and the owners of the forum tell us that winners of various contests will have the opportunity to stream their own music on the site.
The site has a very slick design - here is a screenshot:
The Official Launch Date isn’t set for several weeks, but feel free to stop by, Join for Free and get the conversation going. We’ll probably see you there!
The Hip-Hop game has plenty of hot faces, but who are the hottest? Everyone has their own taste in women, but we don’t think you’ll deny that these ladies are some of the hottest chicks in the game:
1) Mary J Blige
Classy can be hot, too
2) Faith Evans And again…
3) Beyonce
#1 Reason to be jealous of Jay-Z
4) Free 106 & Park the Car with me…
5) Trina
Baby got back!
6) Foxy Brown The Hot Spot is right her
7) Kelly Rowland Maybe Destiny’s Child should be a Twosome
Fergie Thanks to BEP
9) Lauryn Hill Is she gorgeous or what?
10) Lil Kim Walking proof that plastic surgery works
Who would you add to the list? Take away from the list? Leave a comment and let us know!
Hundreds of musical lyrics sites litter the internet. Most of them are cheap knock offs hoping to make a quick buck from copying and pasting the work done from others. If you want to patronize one of the first Hip-Hop lyrics sites, possibly the best Hip-Hop lyrics site and one that is continually updated with the most recent content, then visit OHHLA.com.
The site is the Official Hip-Hop Lyrics Archive and has been around for a decade and features lyrics to every song you can possibly think of, from chart topping singles to obscure mix-tape remixes.
The system works based on the huge network of contributors, people just like yourselves, who submit lyrics to the editors, allowing them to stay on top of the hundreds of new songs released each week. User generated content has been the trend of late, with juggernaut web properties such as YouTube and Wikipedia earning all the media credit. But the creators of OHHLA.com have been doing it for years.
Give credit where credit is due. The website is clean and easy to navigate making it easy to find artists, albums and songs with a few mouse clicks. It’s a beacon of light in an industry that is dominated by advertising clutter and spam. So next time you’re looking for Hip-Hop music lyrics do everyone a favor and visit OHHLA.com.
Comedians often do impersonations of celebrities and politicians. But in this rare clip, comedian Aries Spears does a spits a flawless freestyle in the voices of LL Cool J, Snoop Dogg, DMX and Jay-Z over the M.O.P instrumental “Ante Up”! Amazing stuff…
Plenty of attention was given to the 2007 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Van Halen, R.E.M., Patti Smith, The Ronettes and… Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five?
Credited with “fomenting the musical revolution known as hip-hop”, the group is the first of the genre elected into the Rock and Roll of Fame. Grandmaster Flash (born Joseph Saddler) and his group of 5 emcees are certainly worthy of the distinction, having pioneered the art of breakbeat deejaying, the fundamental element of remixing used prevalently in Hip-Hop today. But the landmark induction begs an important question: Why aren’t they being inducted into the Hip Hop Hall of Fame? Well… because there isn’t one.
Hip-Hop has solidified itself as not only a chart topping musical genre and multi-billion dollar industry, but a cultural phenomenon as well. The genre has more than surpassed it’s years as a slumbering giant - it has become a global powerhouse - and it’s time to recognize the accomplishments of those who made Hip-Hop what it is today.
Supposing the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame comes to fruition the first question would be the most difficult - where would it be located? In Hip-Hop’s rise, personal tension between Hip-Hop icons Tupac Shakur and Notorious BIG sparked a bitter conflict between the entire East and West Coasts, eventually leading to the brutal murder of each artist. Revisiting this power struggle would inevitably lead to a volatile debate. The natural selection would be somewhere in NYC, likely the Bronx. What location would you suggest?
A far more productive and entertaining question is who would you nominate for election into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame in it’s innaugural year? It’s a tough task, but we’d put a nice round 10 on our first ballot, consisting of the first “phase” of Hip-Hoppers:
Afrika Bambaataa - Grandfather of Hip-Hop, starts to DJ in early 1970s
Kool Herc - Father of Hip-Hop, brings DJ skills and talents from Jamaica
Cold Crush Brothers - Include pioneering DJ Grandmaster Caz
Kurtis Blow - First rapper on a major label (Mercury - Christmas Rappin)
Sugar Hill Gang -Influential artists who wrote “Rapper’s Delight”
Run DMC - Helped bring Hip-Hop Mainstream
Doug E. Fresh - One of the earliest beatboxers and rappers
NWA - Pioneer Gangsta Rap
Public Enemy - Brought political fury to the Hip-Hop world
Year two would bridge the gap into the 1990s with nominated artists such as the Beastie Boys, Tribe Called Quest, Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur and the Notorious B.I.G. Subsequent years would fill in the gaps, past and present. In the most popular “Hall of Fames” (those in professional sports) candidates aren’t elegible for election until they’ve been retired for a set amount of years. This would eliminate current artists such as Jay-Z and Nas would be virtual shoe-ins for entry into Hip-Hop’s hall.
So what group of people would be given the honor and duty of voting on artists for the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame? Should the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame extend beyond music, into of influential Hip-Hop arts such as dancing and grafitti? All viable questions, but one things for sure - no Hip-Hop Hall of Fame currently exists and that’s a problem we need to overcome.
A decade after his murder turned the Hip-Hop community upside down, Bad Boy records released the second post-humous Biggie Smalls album, titled Greatest Hits. While his musical prominence lives on, this effort seems little more than cashing in on anniversary of the legendary rapper’s death.
While the album contains two “new” tracks, it doesn’t provide any extra incentive for long time Biggie fans to dive in. The 17 track album leaves out some of his biggest hits such as Mo Money Mo Probelms, Party & Bullshit, Gimme the Loot, Goin’ Back to Cali and Sky’s The Limit. Perhaps this should have been a two disc album? I think so.
And in the age of CD Burners, there isn’t much to this album - it’s just a heavily promoted Notorious BIG mix tape. With 10 years to prepare for a Greatest Hits album for arguably the Greatest Rapper ever, one would think that P. Diddy would have greater plans for his greatest friend. Why not have a two disc compilation - the first being Biggie classics and the second featuring new artists paying tribute, with original tracks and remixes?
The answer is in the dollars. Slap a few songs together, label it Greatest Hits, put on a couple new songs and watch the dough roll in. It doesn’t do justice to how we should really be remembering one of the most influential artists in the history of music.
With over 14 million satellite radio subscribers in the United States, XM and Sirius have outsmarted these people by selling a product that is well not worth the money. The only reason to buy satellite radio is if you are too lazy and defiant to click through your favorite stations when there is a commercial on FM radio. Here, you will learn the differences between FM and satellite radio, and why there are better alternates to satellite radio.
Satellite radio comes in 2 basic forms - the integrated car stereo, and the portable player, much like an iPod.
Satellite Radio vs. FM Radio More stations, less commercials. That is the reason to buy XM or Sirius radio. But not without exception.
Less commercials- keyword less. Originally, there were no commercials. This is all about money, so $15 a month for your subscription is not enough for XM or Sirius. Expect to hear more commercials on satellite radio, because they can make much more money by playing commercials on their stations. A commercial here, a commercial there does not bother you right now. It should, because it will only get worse.
You listen to what they want. If you don’t like a song, you’re going to have to pull an “FM” and start switching through stations. The real downside to radio is that you can’t say “I feel like listening to ____” and expect to hear it on the spot.
More stations- but since you can only listen to one radio station at a time, there really isn’t that much variety. The stations are just a bit more specialized. XM is just a minor enhancement over FM, it is nothing revolutionary. So why not invest in a more versatile device? (cue iPod commercial)
Satellite Radio vs. iPod (or your favorite portable music player)
Essentially, iPod’s have a radio. With Shuffle Songs (a dandy little feature the iPod comes with), you can SKIP a song instead of having to switch through stations to find something you like. This way, you get a good variety of music and it is all music that you like.
A big argument in favor of satellite radio is that it exposes you to new music (FM radio does the same thing by the way). In the iTunes Music Store, there is a program called “Just For You”. Based on what is in your library, iTunes gives you recommendations on what to buy. Then, you listen to the 30-second sample, and buy it if you like it. And now you get to listen to it whenever you want!
With an iTrip, you can tune your music to an FM radio station, so you can listen to it wherever you want.
You can get music for free by using “Just For You” in iTunes to find new music, and download it through BitTorrent sites such as torrentspy.com (you need a bittorrent client). note: some torrents are illegal to download
Washington DC Radio station Hot 99.5 picked up the $19,000 tab to bail Bobby Brown out of jail on Wednesday morning, when nobody else would. The former R&B star was in jail for failure to pay child support. While Bobby Brown has had several hit songs, he is probably best known for his rocky relationship (and current divorce) with diva Whitney Houston and his legal issues.
The $19,000 needed for bail would have, at one point, been pocket change for the fallen singer. Unable to find anyone to help him out, Hot 99.5 decided to attract some attention by bailing him out of jail in exchange for him “working at the station” for a week. The stunt was organized byKane of the Hot 99.5 morning show along with Brown’s attorney, Phaedra Parks.
According to the station, the singer was given limo service, hotel reservations for himself and friends and other amenities. But when the singer joined them live on-air via telephone, the mood changed rather quickly.Â
Kane framed the promotion as an opportunity for Bobby Brown to have a fresh start and do something positive in Washington DC, potentially winning over fans who have only seen the negative portrayed by the media. In the interview, Kane began discussing the negative portrayed in the media and the singer began a bitter dialogue which disputed the facts surrounding his jailing and release. As tempers began to escalate, Brown hung up the phone, refusing to come to DC as part of the station’s staff as originally promised and contractually obligated.
The On-Air phone conversations with Brown can be found on the station’s website at www.Hot995.com. This follows the “status quo” for Brown, who given every opportunity, refuses to reform his ways. The bitterness surrounding his fall from fame and fortune seem to have perpetuated his negative behavior.
Phone calls around the DC community have expressed anger and frustration at the singer, not only for his antics with the station, but for his continuing legal struggles. Now we know why nobody cared to bail out Bobby Brown… while he’s ashamed of nothing, anyone linked with him should feel very ashamed.
The announcement that Rage Against the Machine would reunite for one time (and one time only) for the Coachella concert sparked huge demand for tickets. The tickets sold out rapidly and the already hefty prices are seeing ridiculous resale value for ticket scalpers, resellers and auctioneers.  A quick glance at ebay showed one 3-day pass about to sell for $465 - with a few last minute bidders likely lurking.
While Coachella tickets themselves are a hot commodity, this particular surge is clearly linked with the hype of Rage Against The Machine uniting - and for good reason. Not only was Rage one of the most prolific sound makers of the 1990s, but the lyrics oozed with passion (often political) and the live shows left every ounce of energy on the stage.  The incredible response for this “one show wonder” is partially what prevented this from being only one show.
Rage Against the Machine will join Wu-Tang Clan for shows in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco as part of the “Rock The Bells” Hip Hop Festival. The LA Times announced that part of this reunion of reunions was politically driven, uniting young people against the War in Iraq and President Bush. Their political agenda isn’t the only similarity - the rebellious sound of both groups has gained the loyalty and respect from  the underground community while appealing to the masses - a formula rarely achieved in the pop culture so which so many artists’ styles succumb.
The news also comes amidst the exciting announcement that this summer, Wu-Tang Clan will release their first album since 2001.
10. Atomship - Crash of ‘47
A new sound of rock. Has its slow moments, but in no place is it boring. The band broke up, but this CD is definitely worth a listen. A new band, Atomship Down, formed from some of the old members, and is currently recording a new album.
9. Anberlin - Never Take Friendship Personal
With the release of Never Take Friendship Personal, Anberlin has really explored themselves and made a quality album, top to bottom. Every song is great, no exceptions. In their last album I don’t feel like they had their own unique style but they definitely get it across on this one. Anberlin is getting seen more by the public eye, so I was a little hesitant to put it on this list, but I couldn’t resist. A pleasure to listen to. (Anberlin’s new album, Cities, comes out February 20th)
8. Alexisonfire - Crisis
If I had to classify their kind of music, I would say Hard Rock/Screamo, but they are far from your average band. They have two singers, both with COMPLETELY different styles: George fills the “screamo” parts and Dallas does the singing. Listen to This Could Be Anywhere In The World, and you’ll understand where Alexisonfire stands. A few weak songs on the album, but the good ones are more than worth it.
7. Sinch - Sinch
Literally a band you “have to see to believe”. One of their members plays a guitar (dubbed the Ocular Noise Machine) that doesn’t make sound, but rather displays visual effects/clips/words/animation on a big screen at the concert. 433 (Hypothetical Situation) and Bitmap are my two favorite songs off the album but every song on this cd is great.
6. Our Lady Peace - Naveed
You may know Our Lady Peace, but probably have not heard this cd. This is their first album, and it has some definite classics, including The Birdman and Starseed. If you like Our Lady Peace, you need to buy this cd.
5. Scary Kids Scaring Kids - The City Sleeps In Flames
One of my favorite upcoming artists, simply because they are a full package. With a punk rock/electronic feel, Scary Kids Scaring Kids really express themselves more than most bands these days, especially when it comes to the song meanings. They have a mainstream rock type of sound, but the electronic feel sets them apart.
4. Jamison Parker - Sleepwalker
Like Scary Kids, Jamison Parker also is able to evoke a lot of meaning through his songs. I like to think of Jamison Parker as the “enhanced” version of John Mayer. Same kind of feel, except Jamison Parker uses more electric guitar, harder drums, but still keeping softer vocals. Amazing album.
3. Edgewater - South Of Sideways
Reminds me a lot of Staind, because the vocals fit perfectly with everything going on. Edgewater seems to bring everything together and just creates quality sounding music. Period. Nothing extremely special, but overall just a really nice sound.
2. Armor For Sleep - What To Do When You Are Dead What To Do When You Are Dead is an album where individually, the songs are good, but when you bring all the songs together, and listen to them one after another in the order they are supposed to be listened in, they are great. Interpreting this music is a pleasure, and the album name envokes thought in itself. This is a must-have.
1. The Working Title - About-Face
Unique sound. Perfectly fitting vocals. Catchy melodies. Meaningful songs. The Working Title’s debut album About-Face has everything a great album does. The band is young, and full of potential. I’m really looking forward to what these guys will bring us next.
Fergie
