Busta Rhymes Preps 'The Chemo'

via Billboard

I called the album 'The Chemo' because it seems like the industry and music overall is dying slowly," Busta told Billboard.com of the Flipmode/Universal Motown project, slated for an early 2010 release. "The cancer that's stricken the business is killing the music, not only from a business standpoint, but also the value of the content and the creativity behind it. I just want to start the first stage of chemotherapy treatment that needs to take place and hopefully inspire others to do their part and contribute to different stages of the cure."

Still, Busta recognizes those artists who are taking a stand against the "dying industry" by putting out "great music," stating, " Jay-Z put out an incredible album this year and Lil Wayne put out an incredible album last year." Others he commends include Jadakiss, Drake and Trey Songz.

Although a single hasn't been selected yet, Busta says fans can expect new music to hit the radio waves and blogosphere next month. So far, features on "Chemo" include Chris Brown, Trey Songz, Wyclef Jean, Sean "Diddy" Combs and his collective, Dirty Money.

Read the full article here:
Billboard - Busta Rhymes Hopes 'Chemo' Is Cure For Ailing Music Biz

NY Times Examines The Jerking Dance Craze Movement

(photo courtesy of Stephanie Diani for The New York Times)

Julian Goins, the 15-year-old leader of the Ranger$, a five-member jerking crew, hops onto the tips of his sneakers — the Tippy Toe — and then swivels his body ground-ward, legs crossed at the ankle. He pops up like a jack-in-the-box, spins and bounces, gliding backward in the Reject, a move that resembles nothing so much as the Running Man, an ’80s dance-floor step but in reverse.

The other kids in the schoolyard pay scant attention to the star in their midst. Until his Ranger$ schedule exploded and his mother decided to home-school him, Julian was just another student.

Goofy, gentle, nimbly amateurish, jerking was little known outside certain precincts of this sprawling city until a year ago. But in the last nine months or so, jerking began an unexpected run as an Internet phenomenon.

When the New Boyz — two teenagers who had been playing high school auditoriums — released “You’re a Jerk,” the song raced up the Billboard ladder, sold 750,000 copies on iTunes and another 400,000 ring tones, provided the duo with a base for a national tour and, of course, gave rise to untold copycats.

“Jerking started off in L.A. as just a little inner-city dance,” said one of the New Boyz, Earl Benjamin, 18, known as Ben J. “We used to search for it on YouTube and we noticed it had potential to be bigger than it was. It was like when you first saw break dancing: it has so many different parts, and when you get the dance down pat, you wanted to do it all the time. It reminded you of how fun hip-hop used to be.”

Warner Brothers/Asylum and Interscope were among those that quickly signed jerking crews — the Bangz, the Cold Flamez, the Rej3ctz and Audio Push. In late spring, Shariff Hasan, 30, a filmmaker, began filming a feature, “Jerkin’,” simultaneously developing a documentary and a jerking reality show for MTV.

Read the full article here:
NY Times - Hip-Hop’s New Steps

Sean 'Diddy' Combs & Dirty Money At Core DJs Weekend In Las Vegas

(video courtesy of one1xtyme)

Robin Thicke NYC Listening Session

via The Urban Daily

Last night R&B star Robin Thicke previewed his new album Sex Therapy at Chung King Studios in NYC. The lucky husband of Paula Patton was a gracious host to the room full of sweating journalists and photographers. In between sips of Hennessy Black he explained why his latest CD is recession friendly.

“I thought about all of the stress we have in our day and money problems we all have,” he said. “I just thought at the end of the day how can I please my woman if I can’t buy her what she needs all the time? Maybe I can give her some sex therapy.”

The album features guest appearances from Jay-Z, Lil Kim, Nikki Minaj as well as a cover of Rakim’s “Mahogany.” (Not quite sure why he doesn’t consider it an Al Green cover but I’ll let you all work that out.)

Sex Therapy will be in stores December 15, 2009.

Photos from the event:
Music Industry Online

Rihanna 'Rated R' CD Booklet Scans

via Rap-Up

All 'Rated R' CD booklet scans here:
Rap-Up - Rihanna’s ‘Rated R’ CD Unwrapped

Rihanna - 'Rated R' on Island/ Def Jam in-stores November 23.

Sean C & LV In The Studio Video Profile

spotted at illroots

Dr. Dre & Jay-Z Take In The Sights At Victoria Secret Fashion Show

via USA Today

USA TODAY's Andrea Mandell spotted Kings of Leon’s Caleb and Jared Hollowill sitting in the first row pocketing air kisses models blew from the glittering black runway. (Miranda Kerr, left, puckered up.) On the red carpet they told her that morning was “the sexiest time” of day. Plus, “you look skinnier in the morning,” said Caleb with a wry smile.

And Jay-Z may be married, but he’s not dead (as the saying goes) and showed up for the show without wife Beyonce. The rapper/mogul wore a dapper tux and sat alongside Dr. Dre (who’s heading to Miami today to work on his super-secret album), and Keri Hilson.

Photos from the event:
Wire Image
Russell Simmons Tweet Photo