Funky Drummer: Musical Meetings with Eric Bobo of Cypress Hill

11/25/08 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview (click for first interview)

B-Real of Cypress Hill Preps "Smoke N Mirrors" For February 2009 Release

11/25/08 - LatinRapper.com / Mac Media Press Release

Click Here to read our Past Exclusive Interview with B-Real

 

B-Real, a rapper of Mexican and Afro-Cuban heritage, is best known for being the lead rapper in the hip hop group Cypress Hill. Since the group's formation in 1988, the pioneering rap-rock quartet Cypress Hill -- founders B-Real, DJ Muggs, and Sen Dog, along with newest member Eric Bobo -- have come a long way from the streets of South Central L.A. Over the course of its 17-year history, Cypress Hill has sold more than 17 million albums worldwide, including more than 11 million records in the U.S. alone. The group has garnered 15 multi-platinum, platinum and gold certifications from the RIAA; headlined Lollapalooza, Woodstock and the group's own Smokin' Grooves tour. B-Real has appeared on "Saturday Night Live," all the while breaking down the musical and cultural barriers between hip-hop, alternative, metal, rock, reggae, ska and Latin music.

Recently, B-Real, along with Cypress Hill received a VH1 Hip Hop Honors, to celebrate the vision and innovation that the group continues to bring to Hip Hop, strengthening its force around the world. Other artists honored in 2008 were De La Soul, Naughty By Nature, Slick Rick and Too Short.

In B-Real's first ever solo effort, "SMOKE N MIRRORS", he wanted to showcase his musical talent over beats produced by Alchemist, Scoop Deville, & Sick Jacken (from Psycho Realm). B-Real produced several songs on the project as well, including the lead track FIRE with Damian Marley. "Smoke N Mirrors" also features tracks with Snoop Dogg, Buckshot, Kurupt, Too Short, Sen Dog, of Cypress Hill, & Young De.

B-Real is confident his fans will appreciate "Smoke N Mirrors" stating: "I am excited to be putting out my first solo project. It's been in the works for a while now. I want to show my fans a different side to my creative abilities including my own production. I am also excited to have teamed up with Duck Down. They have a strong team and I believe they will push my project to the fullest.”

Two Videos will be filmed off "Smoke N Mirrors" for "Don't Ya Dare Laugh" featuring Young De and "FIRE" featuring Damian Marley.  SMOKE N MIRRORS is in stores February 24th, 2009, courtesy of Audio Hustlaz/Duck Down Records.

Tracklisting and credits for B-Real’s Smoke N Mirrors:

1.) Children of The Night f/ Bo Roc (produced by Scoop Deville)
2.) Gangsta Music f/Bo Roc (produced by Soopafly)
3.) Don’t Ya Dare Laugh f/Young De (produced by Scoop Deville)
4.) Everything You Want f/Buckshot (produced by Soopafly)
5.) 6 Minutes f/Young De & Tek (produced by Alchemist)
6.) Pyscho Revolution f/ Sick Jacken (produced by Sick Jacken)
7.) Fire f/Damian Marley (produced by B-Real)
8.) 10 Steps Behind f/Young De & Tek (produced by J. Turner)
9). Get That Dough f/Mimi (produced by Fifth)
10.) Dr. Hyphenstein f/Snoop Doog, Young De & Trace Midas (produced by B-Real)
11.) Stack’ N Paper (produced by J. Turner)
12.) 1 Life f/Send Dog and Mal Verde (produced by B-Real)
13.) Dude VS. Homie (produced by J. Turner)
14.) When They Hate You f/Mimi (produced by Salaam Wreck)
15.) When Were F*cking f/Too Short, Kurupt and Young De (produced by J. Turner)

B-Real solo website: www.brealonline.com

B-Real on Myspace: www.myspace.com/brealonline

Official Cypress Hill website: www.cypresshillonline.com   

Rio Hip Hop On the Edge: A Filial Release $1,99

11/25/08 - LatinRapper.com / Verge Press Release

 

In a room on the edge of a tropical forest in Rio de Janeiro, five friends lay down tracks on hacked software, coordinating their takes with the purring of fist-size cicadas and the occasional cry of a monkey. The sounds of this global city bleed through every beat on Rio hip hop crew A Filial's $1,99, out December 2, 2008 on Verge Records , an independent label dedicated to supporting both innovative global artists and music education projects in underserved communities. Having kicked off Verge's much-lauded debut compilation, The Inspiring New Sounds of Rio de Janeiro, A Filial returns with their first U.S. album presenting their distinctive hip-hop style.

Unlike the harder-edged sound of Brazilian rap crews from São Paulo, Rio's bohemian scene has sparked hip hop that is perhaps more Brazilian and more cosmopolitan. A Filial's distinct vibe is reflected on their home turf, the neighborhood of Santa Teresa where most of the crew, including founding MC Edu Lopes, grew up. Here, up on a mountain overlooking the rest of the city, sunny exuberance melds with dire poverty. Artists live next to favela dwellers, and a democratic spirit of the neighborhood underpins the music on $1,99. The album title refers to Brazil's equivalent of the American ninety-nine cent store, where you can get almost anything you need and which is accessible to anyone.

A Filial came out of Rio's skateboarding scene and a hip hop circle known as the Hemp Family. "Our first tape was made using a Playstation, a karaoke set, a $10 mic, a toy that made music, and a used cassette," Lopes recalls. "We wanted to develop a hip hop sound that was more regionally based." The following year a track was licensed to the skateboard brand Agacê for their "Todos Ouvidos" or "All Heard" compilation. The group's sound emerged in these early years, which are documented with various music videos found on YouTube.

Fifties bossa nova mixed samba with jazz, sixties tropicália mixed samba with rock, and A Filial mixes Brazilian roots music and other world influences in the envelope of rap and hip hop culture. On $1,99, with the group's percussionist Rodrigo Pacato, A Filial explores the unmistakable rhythms and harmonies of Northeastern Brazil and the new spirit of Rio's old samba spots in notorious neighborhoods like Lapa, where racy nightlife meets crumbling colonial facades. While trumpeter and MC Ben Lamar, who grew up in Chicago listening to his dad's extensive Brazilian record collection, shares the group's love of classic Brazilian popular music, Lopez and the other Brazilian members share Lamar's passion for classic rap from NWA to the Beastie Boys. The musicians take turns writing songs that reflect the band's multifaceted cultural reality.

The album's very structure is a nod to the roda, the symbolic circle in which many dances of Brazil take place. "A Ciranda Continua" gives listeners a taste of what's to come, echoing the hip hop mantra "It don't stop!" and calling out the names of the group members over a maracatu rhythm and leading into "Calma Pedro," another maracatu. The ciranda , a Northeastern Brazilian dance circle, runs through interludes interspersed with the album's tracks and is a metaphor for the cycles and rotations of the planet.

Things get serious on "Baiao One Two," whose name refers to both a forró dance beat from Northeastern Brazil and a favorite Brazilian dish. Lamar's lyrics come from his first-hand experience with economic hardship in Brazil, where many lack the luxury of easy access to food. He raps, "Pass the peas like we used to say, but this time across the ocean, to the world they rank as third, but I am thinking first how to get this plan in motion."

"I think back to my time in Alabama, where my mother's family is from," Lamar explains. "My grandma there taught me that our dinner table extends beyond our family. You have to share your nourishment. This song calls for that sharing on a global scale."

Though the band's politics may be global, there's a special local vibe on "Aqui Se Faz Aqui Nao Paga," which features the vocals and cavaquinho of band member and sambista Flávio 52. The track is like a night out at a Rio institution, the samba de boteco, a hole-in-the-wall bar where samba musicians sit not on stage but at a table full of beers with a couple of mics in front of them.

While Rio has its traditional side, it's full of characters, people doing their own thing. On "Judy does Judo," A Filial uses a classic Partido Alto-style samba rhythm to give a shout out to quirky folks who break the mold; like the song's heroine Judy, who jumps into a capoeira circle karate chops blazing, sporting metallic tube socks that would make Klaus Nomi green with envy.

The light-hearted humor continues on "Brown Sueter," an homage to old school hip hop. "In old hip hop they might be rapping about their Adidas, about material objects," says Lamar. "One day Edu and I were both rocking these ugly brown sweaters. And we were wearing them with pride. It doesn't need to be a million-dollar thing." The track's big band horn sample simulates the traffic and clamor of city life.

While Brazilian beats and Rio life are at the heart of $1.99, A Filial also has a long-standing electronic fascination. "Vira Lata," which translates as "mutt," is an anthem of mixing up musical styles. A Filial does not claim to have any technical pedigrees, but they're proud of their voracious musical palette. Here the typical boom-bap of hip hop merges with samba played on a drum machine and layered with the old-school scratches by the group's DJ Castro. "Like a Baby's Kiss" mixes the march-like frevo style of Pernambuco with Chicago-style house music.

A Filial's home-brewed blend of old and new, organic and electronic, North and South, is as natural as the wild soundscape of Rio itself or the unexpected offerings at the dollar store. "But being in a band is not always easy," says Lopes. "It's like a marriage, but without the sex, and without the money…if I had to describe our style of music, it's music made with love [laughter]."

On the web: http://www.myspace.com/afilial  
Label Website: http://www.vergerecords.org/
 

Dom Pachino of the Wu's Killarmy Joint Venture Release

11/25/08 - LatinRapper.com

 

From the Slums of Shaolin to the international ones across the globe, flowing through the airwaves designating into any true being that supports that real hip hop's playlist, Dom Pachino of Killarmy Napalm Recordings has submerged from the trenches and is back at it again.  This time he's dropping his first official joint venture album between Napalm Recordings and Chambermusik Records titled "Power Rulez" which will be distributed through Koch Entertainment Distribution available November 11, 2008.

Although it's his first album released through Chambermusik, Dom Pachino is no new jack to the hip hop game. During his stay in the Wu-Tang's Killarmy, the group sold over a half million records while also garnering features in two gold and one platinum record. Dom Pachino is the first member of Killarmy to pursue a solo career, creating an indie label titled Napalm Recordings.

Dom Pachino on the web: http://www.myspace.com/prterrorist

Chino XL - Return of the Poison Pen

10/12/08 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Sekreto's "En Tu Area" In Stores October 21
10/12/08 - LatinRapper.com / Photo by Sal Rojas

http://www.sekretorap.com
http://www.myspace/sekreto

For Booking Info: daniel@planethype.com 

Crooked Stilo are on ‘The Other Side of Hip-Hop’

10/12/08 - LatinRapper.com

 

Brothers Victor and Johnny López were so young when they started stealing cars and taking joy rides that their little heads barely appeared over the dashboard. They weren’t even teenagers yet and had to peer through the openings in the steering wheel to see the road. One of their capers ended with a televised police chase and a one-way ticket back to their native El Salvador, courtesy of their parents, not La Migra. Victor Miguel and Armida López, a salesman and a seamstress, had risked coming to this country illegally in 1980 to flee the civil war back home.

They weren’t about to lose their only sons to the street gangs of Pico-Union whose members used auto theft as an initiation. So in 1985, they used their last dime to enroll Victor and Johnny, then 12 and 13, in a military school in San Salvador.

Victor came home with medals and honors two years later. Johnny came home to discover rap. The younger brother remembers hearing his first rap song on the radio, something by N.W.A, the Compton trio that shocked the world with its gangsta lyrics. The boys were not allowed to live the thug life, but they realized they could rap about it.

Today, Victor “El Lunátiko,” 37, and Johnny “El Duke,” 36, are the creators of Crooked Stilo, one of L.A.’s most successful Latin rap acts.

Their latest album, “Cumbia Urbana,” defines a sound that blends hip-hop with the traditional tropical music their parents loved, especially the Colombian cumbia so popular in Central America. The duo performs later this month at the Knitting Factory in a BMI-sponsored showcase titled “El Otro Lado del Hip Hop” (The Other Side of Hip-Hop) that also features Akwid, La Sinfonia and David Rolas.

L.A. has been overshadowed in bicultural hip-hop since the early success of West Coast Latino pioneers Kid Frost and Mellow Man Ace, who used to rehearse in the garage of MC A.L.T. across from where the Lopezes lived.

East Coast varieties, especially reggaeton, have hogged most of the national spotlight in the last decade. The scene here survives in semi-underground fashion. A few years ago, the industry took notice when Fonovisa, a major Mexican regional label, started promoting local Latino rap as the next big thing. But despite the initial success of Akwid, another brother act, the style never quite broke through.

Crooked Stilo had its debut in 1991 with the self-produced album “Crooked for Life.” It was sold by the brothers’ cousin at swap meets, the grass-roots marketplace for immigrant music, where it was discovered by indie label Underworld 805. Even the brothers say they couldn’t believe it when the label ponied up $6,000 for the rights to their music. Even more surprising was performing later in New York and finding that fans knew all their lyrics.

“We just kept looking at each other and said, ‘Man, is this true?’ ” recalled Victor.

They started bilingual, but the label urged them to follow up with an all-Spanish album because people seemed to like their Salvadoran lilt and lingo. Their 2003 “El Regreso” (The Return) included songs such as “La Mota” (Weed) and “Quieren Pleito” (They Want to Rumble) — plus a parental advisory.

By then, the family had moved to Temple City in the San Gabriel Valley, finally finding the haven they had been seeking. But the brothers joke that it was hard to rap about soccer games and backyard barbecues. “We were still thugging it even though we were no longer in that [gang] environment,” said Johnny. It was Fonovisa that finally made it clear they weren’t getting into Wal-Mart with all that foul language. So they switched to rapping about partying and girls and soon were being booked on TV’s “Sabado Gigante.”

The label also helped them hit on the fusion formula that would make them distinctive. The brothers had already sampled songs from their father’s old record collection, storing snippets from Mexico’s La Sonora Santanera, Venezuela’s Billos Caracas Boys and El Salvador’s Los Hermanos Flores. They hadn’t used the samples because, as Johnny explains, “we didn’t think it was hip.”

But when they took a rap version of La Santanera’s “La Boa” to the label, the reaction was immediate. “This is it,” said Nelson Hernandez, a label exec.

“La Boa’s” irresistible hook — “Este nuevo ritmo, ya todos lo saben” (”This new rhythm, everybody knows it now”) — yielded the title of the first single, “Ya Lo Saben” (They Know It Now) from their Fonovisa debut, 2004’s “Puro Escandalo” (Pure Scandal).

In another song, they sampled “El Año Viejo” (The Old Year), a Latin American standard heard every New Year’s Eve in dance halls and home parties from L.A. to Lima, Peru. On their new album, they replace samples with their own original music, still in a cumbia style, and are putting together a band for live shows.

The brothers knew they had hit on something when kids started telling them that their parents had taken their Crooked Stilo CDs. Among their biggest fans are Mr. and Mrs. Lopez, who’ve been married for 37 years.

I met the parents at their impeccable Temple City home. Their mother always has food for an army because, she explained, though she has an empty nest she still has “a lot of big cooking pots.”

Their sons live nearby and visit all the time with their five children. The rappers still need to supplement their incomes, Johnny with a courier service and Victor with a software company. But now, when the brothers go back to El Salvador, they’re treated like stars, not delinquents. At concerts, they’re introduced as the creators of “cumbia urbana.” They still look at each other in disbelief and say, “We are?”
 

Malverde: The Legend Continues

3/5/08 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Coast of Houston and the Return of Artist Expression

3/5/08 - LatinRapper.com/Streetscience press release

 

Introducing an innovative artist that epitomizes Houston hip-hop's new rising force: Coast.  Coast's style is a unique mixture of signature rap, blues, and pop with thoughtful word play with the proven ability to touch and appeal to a wide audience. Coast grew up writing music on the north side of Houston, Texas. His career began under the Houston-based label, Dopehouse Records. It was there that he would form a group, Twin Beredaz, with label mate Quotakey.  As the times and climate in the music industry changed, Coast continued growing as an artist and working on fine-tuning his abilities and he adapted as his career continued progressing. After five years as a loyal Dope House artist, Coast respectfully left the label to explore the music industry as a solo artist.

Coast is currently working on his first upcoming solo project that will be backed by Grammy recognized producer/engineer Jaime "Pain" Ortiz. Coast sees this upcoming project as a great opportunity to introduce himself and his style. He wanted the project's title to describe just that. Coast titled his new project "Lively-Hood."

"Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines the word Lively-Hood as 'a means of support or subsistence.' I want the project to portray my up-bringing in my neighborhood. I want to explain the elements that make me who I am. The album is going to sound nothing like what most Houston rap albums sound like seeing as how some of the songs won't even be rap songs. A majority of the music will be thick with subject matter. I'm more focused on making an album that sounds good rather than an album that will fade out as a quick one-time cash cow" says Coast.

Coast on the web: http://www.myspace.com/coastspace 

Vakero Partners with Sunflower Entertainment

3/5/08 - LatinRapper.com

 

Sunflower Entertainment signed an exclusive worldwide agreement with New York and Dominican Republic based record label Jeremy Records’ recording artist, Vakero, the #1 Dominican Hip Hop artist and leader of the Rap Dominicano movement. The deal encompasses all of Vakero’s Recordings, Publishing, Digital/Mobile Marketing and Merchandising. Jeremy Records President, Francis Belliard, upon signing the deal said, “The influence and popularity of Vakero is undeniable and what better place to grow and prosper Vakero than with Sunflower Entertainment.”

“Vakero is the real deal. A global star in the making,” said Jamar Chess, co-owner of Sunflower Entertainment, who was responsible for the completion of the deal.

The Dominican Hip Hop movement is sweeping Latino communities all over the East Coast, where over a million Dominicans live. Vakero’s infectious tracks are heard at night on street corners and from open car windows in New York City, Boston and Providence. Major League Baseball stars, such as the New York Mets’ José Reyes, the Boston Red Sox’s David Ortiz and New York Yankees Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera, have all been using Vakero tracks as their “at-bat” songs.

Work on the follow-up album to the highly acclaimed “Pa Ke Te Mate” has begun featuring production from longtime collaborator Villano Sam, Salsero legend Joe Arroyo and Sunflower Entertainment artist/producer Propheta.

Sunflower Entertainment’s plans for the new album entail an aggressive digital and mobile promotion campaign along with pursuing strategic fashion partnerships to expose Vakero merchandise and branding to include clothing, footwear and accessories.

“We feel there is a vast potential for Vakero merchandise to cross over to audiences all over the world,” said Juan Carlos Barguil, co-owner of Sunflower Entertainment.

Riding off a successful Zurich, Switzerland club tour, Miguel “Bombon” Taveras, Vakero’s E.U. representative, has booked upcoming shows in Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona among other large European cities to further Vakero’s worldwide presence.

The album “Pa Ke Te Mate” is currently available on iTunes and all major Digital retailers. The singles “Se Partio El Lapiz” and “Hasta Mañana Negra Linda” are currently being programmed on mun2 and mtv3. There have been over 1.6 million views on Youtube of Vakero music and promotional videos.

Sunflower on the web: http://www.sunflower-ent.com

Vakero on the web: http://www.vakeromusic.com

Co-Headliners Baby Bash & Pitbull on MTV Tr3s Sucker Free Latino Spring Tour

3/5/08 - LatinRapper.com/RCA Music Group release

 

Rap superstars, TVT Records’ Pitbull and Arista Records’ Baby Bash, come together to co-headline the MTV Tr3s Sucker Free Latino Spring tour. The cross-country tour kicks off in Orlando on Saturday, March 15 in support of their new albums; The Boatlift and Cyclone, respectively. Pitbull and Baby Bash have massive internet followings, are two of the most searched for Latin artists on Myspace, and both have been the #1 Latin artist on the site. “It’s been long over due for me and Pit to hit the road together; finally our fans can see us both together for one ticket. You can’t beat that with a whoopin’ stick,” says Baby Bash about the upcoming tour.

Baby Bash’s first smash single from the new album, “Cyclone,” (featuring T-Pain) has already sold more than 1.5 million digital singles, surpassed the 1 million mark in ringtones, and hit Top 10 on the rap and mainstream radio charts, making him one of the hottest stars in the country. The second single, “What Is It” (featuring Sean Kingston) is currently Top 10 on the rap chart and is heating up at mainstream radio.

This is the first national tour for Pitbull since joining Lil Jon on the Anger Management Tour in 2005. “I can’t wait to get out on the road with Baby Bash. I want to use this opportunity to connect with my all my fans and million plus Myspace friends,” says Pitbull.

The Boatlift showcases Pitbull’s lyrical prowess as he crusades through 18 tracks penning clever and captivating rhymes on each song. Pitbull has created an incredibly diverse album ranging from R&B-influenced sounds like first single "Secret Admirer" feat Lloyd, to hypnotic club banger “Go Girl” teaming with Trina and Young Boss, and current Afro-Cuban melodic single “The Anthem” with a bombastic chant by Lil Jon. " The Anthem" is number 17 on the Top 40 Rhythm chart and breaking big on Mainstream Top 40 (Pop) radio.

MTV Tr3s and its weekly urban video countdown show “Sucker Free Latino,” hosted by L.Boogs, are the tour’s exclusive national TV partner and will help Pit Bull and Baby Bash reach even more fans through on-air specials, a concert ticket giveaway on “Mi TRL,” and a dedicated edition of TXTO URB where viewers can text their shout outs over Pit Bull and Baby Bash videos. Baby Bash will also be one of the first featured artists on MTV Tr3s’ soon-to-be-announced “Rock Dinner.”

“MTV Tr3ìs has long supported the careers of Baby Bash and Pitbull and we are thrilled to take this support to the next level by bringing our viewers this exciting live double bill concert and a deeper connection with both artists through our marquee programs” said Michael Galbe, Vice President, Music and Talent for MTV Tr3s

Pitbull and Baby Bash will be performing in the following cities (subject to change):

DATE DAY CITY/STATE VENUE

MARCH 15th Saturday ORLANDO, FL HOUSE OF BLUES
MARCH 18 Tuesday PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL CLUB LAVELA
MARCH 19th Wednesday MYRTLE BEACH, SC HOUSE OF BLUES
MARCH 21st Friday NEW YORK, NY FILLMORE
MARCH 22nd Saturday ALLENTOWN, PA CROCODILE ROCK
MARCH 25th Tuesday CLEVELAND, OH HOUSE OF BLUES
MARCH 26th Wednesday CHICAGO, IL HOUSE OF BLUES
MARCH 28th Friday TULSA, OK CAINS BALLROOM
MARCH 29 Saturday OKLAHOMA CITY, OK BRICKTOWN EVENT CTR
MARCH 30th Sunday DALLAS, TX HOUSE OF BLUES
APRIL 1st Tuesday DENVER, CO OGDEN
APRIL 3rd Thursday LONG BEACH, CA VAULT 350
APRIL 4th Friday SAN DIEGO, CA HOUSE OF BLUES

Tour updates can also be found at:

www.myspace.com/babybash

www.myspace.com/pitbull

Hustle and Row: All Aboard Pitbull's Boatlift

1/16/08 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Hip Hop Meets Spoken Wordz 3 - Bronx Museum NYC Jan 25

1/16/08 - LatinRapper.com

 

The first Latino Hip Hop DJ, DJ Disco Wiz presents the 3rd Annual Hip Hop Meets Spoken Wordz. The event will bring poets and emcees together for the greater good of the local community. Non-perishable food items and lightly worn clothes will be collected at the door for admission. All proceeds are being donated to Picture the Homeless, a non profit organization founded by the homeless for the homeless.  Please visit: www.picturethehomeless.org for more information.   Over thirty artists are confirmed to perform including: GrandMaster Caz, JDL & DJ Tony Tone of the legendary Cold Crush Brothers,

Immortal Technique, Cuban Link, Hasan Salaam, La Bruja, Rebel Diaz, Boca Floja, Nightwalker, Poison Pen, Props, Gif, Patty Dukes, Rephstar, Rugged n Raw, Eli Efi, Marxman, Madd Illz, Division X, Red Clay, Mauikai, B Boy Omega, Caitlin Meissner, Survivor, Diabolic, Aja Monet, Ngoma, Rainmaker, Abundance Child, Devin the Poet, Barbara La Guerrera, Mz Nancy V, Precise Science and more!

SueLye will host the evening and DJs include: DJ Johnny Juice Rosado (Public Enemy), DJ GI Joe & DJ Laylo.  Absolutely No Guest List! Admission can be non-perishable food items (canned or dry goods), a lightly worn coat or lightly worn clothing or a $10 donation. All proceeds will be donated to Picture the Homeless. All ages welcome.  Come and Enjoy a Great Night of Hip-Hop for a Real Cause! (This is a drug and alcohol free event)

Trains: D or B train to the 167th St./Grand Concourse. Exit at rear of station, walk South along Grand Concourse two blocks OR 4 train to 161st St./Yankee Stadium station.
Walk East three blocks to the Grand Concourse, then, walk North four blocks along Grand Concourse to 165th Street.

Hip Hop Meets Spoken Wordz 3: Food & Clothing Drive
January 25th, 2008 / 6 pm - 10 pm
The Bronx Museum of the Arts
1040 Grand Concourse
Bronx, New York 10456
718.681.6000
www.bronxmuseum.org

DJ Disco Wiz online: http://www.djdiscowiz.com  
 

Mental Hollow Points with B-Real of Cypress Hill

11/20/07 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Pitbull Returns with "The Boatlift" on November 27th

11/20/07 - LatinRapper.com

 

Respected MC Pitbull is joined by a star-studded crew of artists and producers on the November 27th release of his highly anticipated third studio album "The BoatLift" (TVT Records). Pitbull teams up with GRAMMY award winning producers Play-N-Skillz (Chamillionaire - "Ridin") for his first single "Secret Admirer" feat R&B sensation Lloyd. The single is racing up the charts having held a steady position on the Rhythmic Top 40 charts for the past 5 weeks and steadily climbing.  In addition, Pitbull recently shot the video for the single, directed by up and coming director David Russeau. The video features cameos from Fat Joe and Steven Bauer who starred as Manolo Ribera in the cult classic, Scarface.

"The Boatlift" showcases Pitbull's lyrical prowess as he crusades through 18 tracks penning clever and captivating visuals on each song. Pitbull has created an incredibly diverse album ranging from R&B influenced sounds with his hit single "Secret Admirer" feat Lloyd to techno/dance inspired tracks like "The Anthem," as well as songs like "Midnight" that are heavily mainstream/pop influenced and down south inspired tracks like "Dookie."

"The Boatlift" boasts standout appearances from Trina, Jim Jones, Don Omar, Twista, Lloyd, Frankie J, Young Berg, Trick Daddy, Fabo of D4L and Young Boss. Pitbull teams up with Trina and Young Boss on the hypnotic club banger "Go Girl," which he also filmed a video for in Miami. Other album notables include "Sticky Icky" produced by Lil Jon, featuring Jim Jones, "Fuego" feat Platinum artist Don Omar, produced by Mr. Collipark and the Twista assisted "Candy Man" produced by Echo.

"Most immigrants that came to this country came through some type of boat lift, said Pitbull. "This is my way of taking everybody on a ride through my eyes; this is my boatlift -- my way of bringing them to freedom through the universal language of music. Now let's ride!"

Pitbull's last album "El Mariel" produced numerous radio hits including the club anthem "Bojangles," and the hit rap single, "Ay Chico." In 2004 Pitbull surpassed gold status for more than 600,000 copies sold of his debut album "M.I.A.M.I.: Money Is A Major Issue" in the United States. The feat gave Pitbull the biggest-selling bilingual hip-hop debut since Cypress Hill's 1991 self-titled debut, and put him in the rare category of Latino rappers who have achieved major success at English-language radio. Bolstered by such breakthrough singles as "Culo," "Dammit Man," and "Toma," Pitbull's debut – as well as its highly-successful successor remix album "Money Is Still a Major Issue" – have made Pitbull an unstoppable voice in urban music.
 

For more information visit http://www.pitbullmusic.com

Pitbull on Myspace: www.myspace.com/pitbull
 

Baby Bash: Latin Hip Hop's Quiet Storm

10/11/07 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Tego Calderon Part II: El Abayarde Strikes Back

8/25/07 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Chingo Bling Knocks Down Industry Borders

8/18/07 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Latin Rap Conference Returns September 12-14, 2007 in Los Angeles

8/18/07 - LatinRapper.com

 

Following a successful series of Latin Rap Conferences in the past few years, this highly anticipated event arrives in the City of Angels in September for the 5th installment. The Latin Rap Conference is the only music industry conference focusing on the Urban Latin, Latin Rap & Reggaeton genre.

It has become the forum for the genre’s top music executives, professionals, artists, producers and radio personalities to discuss and take action towards the goals of industry education and Latino community empowerment. The mission of LRC is to educate, empower and create a forum and network for high-quality business and progress as well as community awareness and cultural unity. Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York honored the LRC organizers with a proclamation for their dedication and commitment to this cause. LRC held two outstanding conferences in his city.

Latin Rap Conference 2007 in Los Angeles will be a three day event and will consist of educational seminars at the HYATT on Sunset Boulevard and performance showcases and exclusive private events at world famous hot spots The Key Club and The Whiskey on the Sunset Strip.

Artists currently confirmed include Kemo The Blaxican, Psycho Realm, Frost, Mellow Man Ace, Notch, Malverde, Chino XL and Baby Bash just to name a few.

Panelists, guests and media participants include- Si TV, Power 106, LA TV, Latino 96.3, Machete Music, MTV Tr3s, RikRaf, Jerry Heller, mun2, Yesi Ortiz, Brownpride.com, and many more.

There is no other event on the planet like Latin Rap Conference. Join the international coalition.
Be a part of history. Experience Latin Rap Conference 2007 in Los Angeles!

"Our goal is to continue the movement towards the advancement and solidarity of Latino people in the Music Industry and in all aspects of the American marketplace" states Jesse Perez aka Shysti, Creator and Founder of LRC.

For registration and more information please visit http://www.latinrapconference.com
 

Know The Game: Hip Hop Veterano Kemo the Blaxican

8/8/07 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

 

After 15 Years and four albums with Latin Hip-Hop Pioneers Delinquent Habits, Kemo The Blaxican, the Bilingual MC, returns with his strongest and most musically ambitious work to date. The second solo album from Latin hip hop legend Kemo The Blaxican, ‘Not So Rich & Famous’, follows the success of Kemo’s 2005’s ‘Simple Plan’, whose single “La Receta” was included in multiple films and landed videoplay on MTV, Mun2, and LATV.   It's been two years since the release of  ‘Simple Plan’ when we last spoke with the conscious bilingual rapper, as Delinquent Habits’ only Spanish-fluent MC he spent twelve years with the group which released four albums and went gold with their first single "Tres Delinquentes."    Click Here for our exclusive interview with Kemo the Blaxican

Garcia of Miami Debuts Sophomore Album "Life Unscripted"

8/7/07 - LatinRapper.com

 

Crazy Hood Productions and Latchkey Recordings present Garcia’s new street album, Life Unscripted, set to hit stores on July 17. Executive produced by platinum artist, N.O.R.E, and Miami’s mixtape king, DJ EFN, with national distribution via Koch Entertainment. Garcia’s life inspired album combines Southern, East Coast and Latin Hip-Hop sounds – making him a stand-alone artist in the ever-evolving Miami Hip-Hop scene. Contributors to the project include powerhouse producers such as Midi Mafia (50 Cent), Reef (50 Cent), Diaz Brothers (Pitbull), Scram Jones (Mariah Carey), Dani Kartell (Juvenile), DJ Honda (Fat Joe), Omega One (Aesop Rock) and many more. Guest spots include Bun B., MTV’s Sway and executive producer N.O.R.E.

“Dejalo”, showcasing vocals by Liza Quin alongside Garcia & N.O.R.E., debuted as the first street single late last year, receiving the most requests in 2006 on Clear Channel’s Mega 94.9. Other singles will include “Pornostar”, “Who’s Crazy?” and “GaveHerDat” featuring N.O.R.E.

Acclaimed in 2005 and 2006 as URB Magazine’s “Next 100” and featured as the only unsigned artist on MTV’s “My Block Miami”, Garcia’s second album is set to reach new heights as his 2004 Anti-Social album was selected as the “Best Album” by the Miami New Times. His talent and ambition earned Garcia side-by-side performances with industry superstars such as Busta Rhymes, Pitbull, Outkast, DMX and Mobb Deep.

“After 14 years in the music business, I am pleased to present fans and the city of Miami with Life Unscripted because it truly represents my life and my road blocks. I have grown as an artist and person and I am blessed to be where I am in my musical career,” states Garcia. With influences ranging from Public Enemy, NWA and Uncle Luke, Garcia is not your average Miami MC.

Garcia on the web: http://www.crazyhood.com 

Garcia on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/garcia 

Chingo Bling Inks Deal with Asylum

8/7/07 - LatinRapper.com

 

With an independent empire consisting of music, bobble heads, custom boots and hot sauce listed on his resume, Houston rapper Chingo Bling isn't a guy to take handouts, but when Asylum Records wanted to hand him a label deal, he was all over it. The Latino rapper has inked a partnership with Asylum Records for his own Big Chile Enterprises imprint where he plans to release his next album, They Cant Deport Us All.   Why did he get this deal though? The Latin rapper is kind of out there. At first glance, you might think Chingo Bling is a joke, a novelty of sorts with his 10-gallon hat, Nike swooshed ostrich boots, and his Mexican flag inspired diamond grill, but with a cult-like following, he's proved being different is oh so sweet.

Yes, Chingo is hard to miss. He appropriates all of the typical hip-hop accoutrements, and flips them into something that is not only 100% him, but also represents his people. "Everyone wants to look like everyone else and talk about the same old s**t," Chingo reflects. "Hardly anybody today has their own style, their own voice. You gotta find what you're about, and these days people aren't about too much. I represent for my people, the millions of Mexican Americans who started with nothing and really found their way."

Chingo started out much like most rappers do today -- releasing mixtapes and making sure he showed his face at every major event in his Texas. After realizing he could capitalize off of more than music, he branched off into merchandise and street marketing before ever releasing an official CD. This brilliant marketing plan sparked one of the strongest movements in the South, with Chingo becoming one of the most recognized faces in Houston hip-hop. His successful independent grind sparked the attention of the majors and a serious bidding war began, but after it was all said and done, New York based Asylum Records came out victorious. Via his newly inked deal with the label, Asylum will provide Big Chile Enterprises with creative freedom and allow the label to stay independent, with major, worldwide, distribution.

"I passed on all the TLC deals," Chingo reveals of his choice. "I wanted the Cash Money, No Limit, Ray Charles type deal, so they brought out the big check books. I'm still independent, but with distribution. Look what we as Big Chile Enterprises have done independently, just think what were bout to do now, stay tuned to the Chingo Bling Show!"

They Cant Deport Us All, the first release in the joint venture, will feature a who's who list of Southern heavyweights including Paul Wall, Trae, Fat Pat, Big Pokey, N.O.R.E. and Pitbull, as well as rising Bay Area star Mistah Fab, and Baby Bash.

Its first single is the Carnival Beats produced Like This and Like That, which will be accompanied by a revolutionary video, taking listeners on a journey across the border with a Mexican immigrant.

"I'm not gonna be preachy on every bar." He explains, "I'm talking about all kinds of stuff. I got the hustlers perspective on there, I'm flossin' a little bit. But the video paints a picture, showing what an immigrant goes through and how a person could come to this country, really not hurting nobody, really just working. That's really the main gist of the song, but in terms of the movement, I think that we need a little bit more understanding."

They Cant Deport Us All is slated for release August 14.

Chingo Bling official website: http://www.chingobling.com/

Chino XL Signs with Machete Music (en español - haz click aqui)

8/7/07 - LatinRapper.com

The hits and albums kept coming, and during this time, Chino XL collaborated with some of the best Hip Hop interpreters of the time, basking in great success and recognition. But he soon became un-enamored with the music business and retired himself from the game.

He flawlessly made the transition into acting, appearing in shows like Reno 911!, CSI: Miami, Young and the Restless, to name a few. He also made the leap to the big screen with a role in the movie "Alex & Emma" (alongside Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson). Recently, he debuted his solo project at the Sundance Film Festival.

Music was never far from his heart, though. He continued to write until one day decided to jump back at the game; this time under his own terms. He has enough material ready to retake his position in the Hip Hop world. Sway, from MTV, has heard some of the new material and has this to say: " It immediately connected with me in a major way. The music is different, not all in one style or genre, its just good music all-around."

"Having Chino XL join the Machete Music family is a great honor and we are extremely excited about the project and the future!" states Gustavo Lopez, president of Machete Music.

For more information, please visit http://www.MacheteMusic.com 

Sick Jacken of Psycho Realm Inks Deal with Universal Latino

8/7/07 - LatinRapper.com/D. Baron Media press release

 

Universal Music Latino has launched Rebel Music Group, a new joint venture with Jack Gonzalez aka “Sick Jacken”, the frontman of L.A. based rap group Psycho Realm. In doing so, the label has made a defining move in positioning itself as the leader in Latin hop-hop music by aligning itself with one of the most respected names in the underground hip-hop scene. “We are very excited to be able to work with RMG. We admire the talent and credibility of Jack and his team and are happy that we can be a part of this new stage in his career,” comments John Echevarria, President of Universal Music Latino.  The new partnership with Gonzalez and the Psycho Realm brings Universal Music Latino an alliance with one of the most influential brands in rap music.

The group has already solidified itself as an international phenomenon, selling hundreds of thousands of albums and selling out shows in the United States, Latin America, Europe and Japan, all without the backing of a major record label. This success can be attributed to the group’s ability to connect with the streets by highlighting social conditions while calling for rebellion and change whether it be in Los Angeles or other neighborhoods where gangs, injustice and tragedy exists. In doing so, Psycho Realm has amassed more than fans but “soldiers” and has transformed their music into a movement.

Rebel Music Group will use this influence to market, promote and distribute a brand of urban music that does not confine itself to the boundaries that have become commonplace in the genre. Both the product and the marketing approach will remain unapologetically street, while relying on Universal Music Latino’s reputation as the leader in Latin music to take their successes to new heights. The label will fuse street and lifestyle marketing tactics together and will also focus on the booming online digital market with the goal of developing their artist’s visibility and selling potential without sacrificing the integrity of the music. “Were looking to provide a home for music that doesn’t fit the current formula for mainstream record sales, and we hooked up with the best in the business to help us distribute this idea worldwide. The Rebellion Is Coming,” commented Gonzalez.

Joining Sick Jacken as the General Manager of RMG is Tone Lopez who has managed Psycho Realm for the last three years and will be influential in mapping out the direction that the label will take. “We are excited and prepared for all the challenges that lie ahead with this joint venture” stated Lopez. Also on board are Joey Castillo as the Creative Director and Big Tiny as the label’s Art Director. Both Castillo and Big Tiny have been a big part of the day-to-day activities of Psycho Realm and the various projects that they have been able to roll out in the last few years and are ready for the new tasks that lie ahead.

The first release from RMG will be DJ Muggs VS Sick Jacken “The Legend of the Mask and The Assassin”, a concept album that marks the first time that members of Cypress Hill and Psycho Realm have collaborated since the release of the Psycho Realm debut album in 1997. The album is already one of the most highly anticipated releases in the West Coast hip-hop scene and will fuse Sick Jacken’s unparalleled lyrical skills with the production of hip-hop legend DJ Muggs, a pioneer in the genre. The album will be released on August 21, 2007 and will include the two Spanish-language tracks. A full length Spanish-language Psycho Realm album be released in 2008.

Sick Jacken on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sickjacken
 

Perrealo and Red Bull's Batalla de Los Gallos 2007

8/7/07 - LatinRapper.com

8 MC's chosen from the East & West coast will represent the fiercest lyricists which are to compete at the pre-qualifiers August 26, 2007 (Los Angeles) & September 9, 2007 (New York)

The Pre-Qualifiers which will be held in both New York and Los Angeles will be taking place in August & September of this year and play a huge part in the development of this ever growing genre. MC's from all across the nation will meet to showcase their talents and prowess in the art form of lyrical battle. After two successful years of the batalla, Perrealo.com has taken it a step forward and brought it to one of the most popular and historic stages in the United States. 2005 marked the very first ALL Spanish MC Battle to ever take place in New York and sparked an interest not only nationally but internationally, spawning other events similar in nature. In 2006 Los Angeles held its first pre-qualifier and brought Sammie Cultura to New York for the finals.

Now in 2007 with a whole new following and backing from the industry, Perrealo.com is producing an event which will bring forth the very best the United States has to offer in Latin MC's. A genre still in its infancy, although it has been around pretty much since the inception of Hip Hop, Latin Hip Hop now has some of the hottest artists out and growing ever so popular. With Music now being played in English and Spanish & artists going back and forth between both languages, it has developed into the next popular sound. Batalla De Los Gallos has played a key part in the bringing forth of MC's performing and expressing themselves in Spanish, and takes it world wide by having qualifiers in 14 different Spanish Speaking Countries and all meeting in Venezuela for the World Championship Finals.

Registrants enter into an arena reminiscent of a cock fight to combat each other with flows and lyrics in hopes to defeat one another until the very last word. They take shots at everything from the opponent's outward appearance, to the lack of skills. These MC's which all come from diverse backgrounds and sometimes different genres all have one thing in common, their love for Hip Hop and the fire to win and become number 1. This event has come to become one which no one in the Latin Hip Hop Community wants to miss and all want to be a part of, having already given birth to drama and underground notoriety for rappers!

Press and Media: Perrealo@gmail.com 
Registrations: PerrealoBattle@gmail.com 
Online Registration & Event Information: http://www.Perrealo.com/batalla

Frankie Needles and the Urban Latino Movement

8/7/07 - LatinRapper.com

 

Frankie Needles is taping three episodes of his music TV show One Nation under Hip Hop back to back at mun2 studios in Los Angeles, and he's a tad tired. He gives his trademarked signoff at the end of one show Latinos stand up! and tells the audience hell see them "Tomorrow." "No good, this is Friday's show and there's no show on Saturday. Lets do it again" the director says. "I'll bet money I didn't say that," Needles protests, but he gets back on the set and reshoots the ending. This time he falters in his lines. Third try, he gets it right. Now he does a quick change from mauve sneakers and sunglasses into the black Daddy Yankee outfit for the next show.  One of the top personalities at NBC Universals bilingual youth cable channel, Needles is working on becoming the urban Latin version of Russell Simmons, building an entertainment empire for the burgeoning population of bilingual, bicultural Hispanic youth.

"I see myself as a trendsetter. I want to brand myself," he says in his smooth baritone. "That's the level I want to take it to." Needles, who bears a disarming smile and an easy manner, is well on his way. He has the TV show, a syndicated radio show, Top 20 Urban Latin Countdown, a merchandise line and an upcoming album with Pitbull. He's also launching himself in movies with a recent stint on the soundtrack of Illegal Tender, an action drama to be released in August.

"Frankie is really plugged into the pulse of young Latino Americans," wrote Illegal Tender producer John Singleton, in an email to The Miami Herald. "This generation of Latinos is united by their interest in music and fashion and the urban lifestyle. Frankie is the voice of this generation." Needles, who grew up in New York and Miami, was an early proponent of urban Latin culture, which encompasses music genres such as reggaeton, Spanish rap and hip hop and styles such as souped up sedans and backward baseball caps.

It's a market that is increasingly luring the attention of media companies. MTV recently launched MTVTr3s, and a Los Angeles independent station, Hispanic youth music channel LATV, announced national distribution on digital frequencies. SiTV and mun2 are earlier entrants. "The fact that you have four channels targeting young bicultural opportunities says a lot about the richness of the opportunity," says Manny Gonzalez, vice president/managing director of Abece in Miami Beach, the Hispanic marketing division of Hill Holiday.

Big marketers are also showing interest. Corona, Pepsi, Chevrolet, McDonalds and Burger King have all sponsored Needles shows and tours and Starbucks recently sponsored a California reggaeton festival. That puts a veejay like Needles in the catbird seat. His competitive edge is that hes truly urban Latino. That gives him instant license in this segment, Gonzalez says. "I think he has a strong future."

The 30-year-old Needles, whose parents are Cuban with a dash of Jamaican, started his DJ career as a teenager spinning tunes at weddings, quinces and bar mitzvahs. "That's the grind you got to put in," he says. "I learned how to interact with the crowd."

Needles says being a role model for Hispanic youth is a key part of his motivation. As a teen in Kendall, he started hanging out with the wrong crowd, doing petty crimes such as stealing car radios and shoplifting, until his parents packed him off to military school in Georgia.  He was one of a handful of Hispanics and was the butt of many a racial slur. The experience taught him discipline, as well as gave him pride in his heritage and created in him the impetus to start a network of youth centers in urban areas.  "Everyone was ashamed of being Latino," Needles says. "I say always be yourself and proud of what you are."

Frankie Needles on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/djfn

AIM TV Launches New Online Video Network for Latinos

8/7/07 - LatinRapper.com

The AIM Tell-A-Vision Group (AIM TV), now entering its historic sixth season of broadcast syndication, has announced the scheduled launch of a new video-on-the-web network titled The American Latino TV Network. Amassing a six year library of over 1,000 produced segments of "evergreen," award-winning content, along with hundreds of hours of never before seen footage, Robert G. Rose, CEO and Executive Producer of AIM TV cites the move as a natural progression: "We have the world's largest library of evergreen video content for U.S.-born Latinos. Combined with our powerful promotional platforms, the youth and early adaptability of our target audience and built-in advertising relationships, the formula for a success is there," says Rose. "The American Latino TV Network will offer additional content to our affiliates, an extended platform for our advertisers and most importantly, an unprecedented library of quality, culturally relevant content for our viewers."

The new ad-supported network will receive promotional support from AIM TV's powerful platform of broadcast syndicated programs; "American Latino TV," "LatiNation" and the "American Latino Presents Specials" which deliver over 65 million impressions annually with unrivaled reach to young, U.S.-born Latinos (a market representing over 60% of all U.S. Latinos). The network will receive additional support via AIM TV's radio, print, online & event partners.

In addition to the company's extensive library, the pioneering producers have been busy creating original content specifically for the network including behind the scenes, event coverage, raw and uncut interviews with celebrities and original content such as "The Intern Chronicles," and "Help! Change TV." The company is also busy developing new channels such as "Pasaporte" (travel channel), "Hip Hop Unidos" (Latin Hip Hop) and "Punk Outlaw" (a punk rock & rockabilly lifestyle brand & channel).

"Since the beginning my dream was to have a network with all our work. I am excited to program quality content for Latinos through the internet," says Renzo Devia, President of AIM TV's Maximas Productions. "We're always working to reinvent ourselves and the ALTV Network allows us to be more creative and to interact more with our viewers."

American Latino TV Network demo: http://www.ALTVNetwork.com

Indie Film by Son of Edward James Olmos

8/7/07 - LatinRapper.com

Dreamer seeks revenge for the mysterious murder of their older brother Shaggy (Billy Garcia), but suffers from memory loss after a bullet wound that injured his head during the same street battle. Rookie cop Detective Graham (Resmine Atis) and the corrupt veteran Detective Cunningham (Tom Sizemore) follow the murder case to solve the mystery and try to prevent an all out gang war with minimal support from Captain Garcia (Edward James Olmos), only to discover whom among them is responsible for the chaos in the streets.

Selected theatres include: MANN Theatres, 7876 Van Nuys Blvd., Van Nuys, CA, AMC Ontario Mills 30, 4549 Mills Circle, Ontario, CA, AMC Covina, 1414 N. Azusa Ave., Covina, CA.

As the son of acclaimed actor Edward James Olmos, Michael is becoming an accomplished filmmaker in his own right.He graduated from Columbia University in New York and worked on countless movies, many along side his father Edward and mentor Robert M. Young.  He is also co-founder of Chamber Six Productions, LLC, an independent film production and comic book publishing company founded in 2005.

The Boss is Back: Daddy Yankee Returns to his Roots (en español - haz click aqui)

5/22/07 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Cartel de Santa rapper Says Deadly Shot was a Ricochet

5/22/07 - LatinRapper.com

 

The lead singer of Mexican rap group Cartel de Santa said he accidently killed a band member during a shooting, police said.  Eduardo Davalos de Luna aka el Babo was with bandmate Ulises Nayit Buenrostro at a house in Santa Catarina, in the state of Nuevo Leon, when he reportedly learned that the group's driver, Juan Miguel Chavez, was driving to the house armed to settle a dispute with the rapper, Hollywood Reporter said Tuesday.  Police said Davalos de Luna flashed a .38 Super pistol when Chavez arrived and fired several shots, one injuring Chavez in the leg.  According to the singer's preliminary statement, another shot ricocheted off the floor, killing Nayit Buenrostro.  Davalos de Luna turned himself in to authorities, said police, adding that the incident was still under investigation.

Kemo the Blaxican Drops New Album "Not So Rich & Famous"

5/22/07 - LatinRapper.com

 

After 15 Years and four albums with Latin Hip-Hop Pioneers Delinquent Habits, Kemo The Blaxican, the Bilingual MC, returns with his strongest and most musically ambitious work to date. The second solo album from Latin hip hop legend Kemo The Blaxican, ‘Not So Rich & Famous’, follows the success of Kemo’s 2005’s ‘Simple Plan’, whose single “La Receta” was included in multiple films and landed videoplay on MTV, Mun2, and LATV. The Latin hip hop legends new album includes the track “5th of May” (featuring Tetsuya Nakamura of War on Harmonica), as well as the Anthemic “LCL (Left Coast Latinos)” and the Lyrically-Charged Opener “You Know”.

Two years after the release of his solo debut ‘Simple Plan’, Kemo the Blaxican has stepped up the game with his strongest and most musically-ambitious album to date, the self-produced ‘Not So Rich & Famous.’ The conscious bilingual rapper means business, as evidenced by the opening refrain on the powerful first track “You Know”: “Sixteen bars, three verses – forty eight in all, delivered with a purpose.” Influenced as much by the west coast funk and soul icons he grew up listening to as by hip-hop, Kemo the Blaxican is joined by Tetsuya “Weeping Willow” Nakamura (harmonica player for the legendary War) on “5th of May”; the track is a groove-heavy indictment of urban commercial radio, which has traditionally neglected Latino hip-hop artists except on Cinco de Mayo, “the day they spin some brown.”

As Delinquent Habits’ only Spanish-fluent MC, Kemo spent twelve years with the group, releasing four albums and taking the Delinquent sound beyond borders and around the world. In 1996 the group struck gold with their very first single "Tres Delinquentes", a song that masterfully fused a traditional mariachi sound (courtesy of Herb Alpert's "Lonely Bull") with the raw hip-hop backdrop of the streets.

Official Website: http://www.kemotheblaxican.com

Kemo on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/kemotheblaxican

Orishas Present their New CD "Antidiótico"

5/22/07 - LatinRapper.com/Universal press relase

 

More than a music group, Orishas are an institution.  In Cuba, where they are considered national heros, and in Europe where they continue their fusion of "Son" and Hip Hop, and in all of America, where they are undoubtedly known as pioneers of the rhythms that, in the last decade, have given a Latin accent to street credibility.    For this, and because their work is an unending spring of inspiration and talent, the "Best Of" compilation of their career is one of the most anticipated of 2007.

Accompanied by remixed tracks and new ones, including "Represent" featuring Heather Headly, originally from the movie "Dirty Dancing, Havana Nights", and the other "Quien te dijo" with a cameo from Cuban rapper Pitbull. 

Other tracks include “Silencio”, “Una Página” and “537 C.U.B.A”.  From the time they surprised the world with "A lo Cubano", Roldán, Ruzzo and Yotuel haven't stopped knocking down walls, with over 750,000 album copies sold in Europe, twice-nominated for a Grammy, last in 2006 for their extraordinarty "el Kil" and winning in the Latin Grammies for for "Emigrante".  And so, the reunion of their hits in one CD titled "Antidiótico” is also available with a special edition included in their second CD with exclusive collaborations with Kalliah of French, Portuguese artists Da Weasel and the legendary Beny Moré (RIP), also with remixes “1999”.

Calle 13 Cross Spanish Rap's Musical Borders

4/17/07 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

The Diaz Brothers: Sounds of Success

4/3/07 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Koch Records to Release New Album by Joell Ortiz April 24

4/3/07 - LatinRapper.com/Koch Press release

Watch the new "Latino" video by Joell Ortiz: click here 

 

KOCH Records announces the release of the debut album by Brooklyn’s own Joell Ortiz. The Brick (Bodega Chronicles) will be released on April 24th, 2007. Having earned a loyal following from his lyrically-driven mixtape performances, Ortiz is poised to make an impact with this highly-anticipated debut. The Brick (Bodega Chronicles) also features Immortal Technique, MOP, Ras Kass, Noyd, Graph and Stimuli, plus production by The Alchemist, Showbiz (DITC), Fame of M.O.P., Moss and more.

Ortiz’s single, “Brooklyn” got significant airplay on New York’s Hot 97, and Ortiz has been featured on mixtapes by Tony Touch, Stretch Armstrong, DJ Whoo Kid, and DJ Kay Slay.  The first single off of The Brick (Bodega Chronicles) is “Hip Hop,” and it will be serviced to urban radio shortly.

Ortiz says, ““I love this album because I made it while I was going through the industry bulls**t of trying to get signed and some tough times, personally. It’s full of pain and rage and you can hear it. It’s a soundtrack to the hood version of David vs. Goliath. That’s the best way to describe it. If you’ve ever gone through some rough waters, this album is for you. It’s the common man’s music. Industry people, so-called ‘cool guys’ and ‘posers,’ don’t get this music and they never will. It’s not for them. It’s for us.”

Watch the new "Latino" video by Joell Ortiz: click here 

You can listen to “Hip-Hop” by clicking here.

Joell Ortiz on the web: http://www.joellortiz.com

Down AKA Kilo to Release "The Definition of an Ese" ft Snoop, B-Real & Nate Dogg

4/3/07 - LatinRapper.com/Machete Music Press release

 

West Coast rapper Down AKA Kilo will release his first solo effort "The Definition of an Ese" this coming May 22nd under Silent Giant Entertainment/Machete Music. The album, produced in its entirety by acclaimed hip hop producer Fingazz (Lil' Rob, Kurupt), contains 11 new tracks including the hit single "Lean Like a Cholo", a song already in high rotation in radio stations across the nation and set to become the anthem of the Summer.     The Definition of an Ese" features collaborations by Snoop Dogg, Nate Dogg, B Real and newcomer Nikki Diaz.

The well crafted songs, with lyrics written by the multi-faceted rapper, gives the audience an education into what really defines an Ese. From teaching everyone how to dance in "Lean Like a Cholo" to giving a glimpse of an Ese's soft side in the tracks "G's Need Love Too" and "I'm Coming Home To You" Down AKA Kilo successfully delivers on what will surely become the must have album of the year!

As an added benefit, the album contains a DVD with exclusive videos and footage hosted by Pocos Pero Locos' own Khool Aid. The DVD features guest appearances by Lupillo Rivera, Jerry Heller, Nate Dogg and a special song with Jenni Rivera called "Mami Te Quiero".

Down on the web: http://www.myspace.com/kiloakacholo 
 

New Omar Cruz Mixtape 2007 B.C.

3/2/07 - LatinRapper.com/Geffen Press release

 

Following up on a blazing 2006, and the Scratch Magazine-endorsed mixtape The Cruzifixtion, Los Angeles' lyrical assassin Omar Cruz licks off another shot with 2007 B.C. (Before Cruz). Hosted by DJ Skee and DJ Big Mike, 2007 fans the flames for Cruz's forthcoming debut record on Interscope/Geffen, Sign of the Cruz. "2007 includes some of the classic joints that the streets been asking for, as well as a bunch of exclusive songs," Cruz notes. "It's going to be an understandable segue into my first album. Everything before now was the era before me; it's time I stake my place in the game."

And Cruz is passionate for the game, not merely consumed with his own shine: "People are forgetting the whole purpose of this rap thing. For me, it's about making a name for not only myself, but also Latinos. The 2007 title and cover art reference holy war-- all the beefing and bickering that's going on right now. I'm trying to break stereotypes and put good music out there. One of the reasons album sales are down is that people are making records with only a few singles, and the rest is garbage. And fans are supporting the garbage!"

Dead set against this trend, 2007 sets off right with lead single "Vatos Locos," Other burners include "Armed Robbers" alongside Big Pun, West Coast anthem "Just When" with co-conspirators The Game and 2Pac, and the unforgiving "Gun Talk." As much substance as style however, Cruz offers more than a couple of high-profile guest

appearances: "B.Y.I. Entertainment's Music Producer "Rome" and I are actually introducing a new sound in the game, which I'm excited about. It's a vintage Latino soul sound: heavy organs, heavy horns. This is soul street music unlike any other. The tape goes hard for over 20 songs, and with DJ Skee and DJ Big Mike as the hosts, we feel like we have the best from the West and the East."

Among those 20-plus songs is a freestyle by LA emcee, who won a contest via Omar Cruz's myspace page searching for the hottest 16 spit by a Latin rapper. Despite eventually choosing an LA cat to appear, Cruz was impressed by the scope of the submissions: "The love was from all over: from Canada to New Orleans to Mississippi to Chicago. MySpace is a great way to get feedback and find out what's hot. Also, you can create buzz without needing the machine behind you."

Omar Cruz is part throwback, part firebrand. He laments that making an album is a "lost art in the game," and that each should "should stand alone as a moment in time, as a piece of art." He also promises that despite the effort invested into each of his mixtapes, his debut album expected later this year will take things to another level entirely. Fighting words.

Look out for Omar Cruz on the Cuervoton tour this summer.

Termanology Drops "50 Bodies" Mixtape with Tony Touch

2/16/07 - LatinRapper.com

 

More ammunition for the buzz on Termanology, as he's teamed up with Tony Toca for a new version of the legendary "50 MCs" mixtape series. Only there's one tiny minor little difference: there's only one emcee on it. 50 Bodies highlights the best 50 Verses from TERMANOLOGY, featuring recordings from 2002-2007. Hosted by Tony Touch & mixed by Term's DJ's Statik Selektah & Deadeye. This CD serves as an appetizer for TERM's official debut album and provides a lyrical bio of the upcoming MC.  In the past year Termanology has been featured in XXL, The Source, Scratch and was recently handpicked by URB for their 2007 Next 100 issue.

Termanology on Myspace: www.myspace.com/therealtermanology

Costa Rican Artist "Paco" Debuts Single "Maria!" on International Music Feed

2/16/07 - LatinRapper.com/Street Tropical press release

 

On Monday, February 16, 2007 the video for Paco's single Maria! will air on the International Music Feed's (IMF) show, Bridge Latin America. The show, targeting the fastest growing demographic and musical genre, is well known for bridging culture, music, and continents, by recognizing diverse cultures and uncovering the best music from Latin America and Spain, as well as Spanish-language artists from all over the world.   Paco will be the first artist featured from Costa Rica on the network. "I love the videos, music and range of artists they showcase on IMF. It's a real chance to see and hear great music from all over the world. It is such an honor for my country to be on Bridge and I am humbled to be the artist to represent for Costa Rica."

Maria! is one of four videos that PACO has shot for his album, Urbano, Latinoamericano. Produced and shot entirely in Costa Rica, with local talent and crew, the video could not be a more complete showcase of Costa Rica's rich and beautiful cultural, musical and panoramic resources. The video will air during Bridge Latin America's regular air times, 11am, 3pm and 7pm EST. Please check with your local cable provider for channel information.

PACO, a multi-talented artist from Costa Rica, released his first album in 1996 as a founding member of the group, Ragga by Roots. Both as a member of the group and as a solo artist, PACO has performed in front of crowds numbering more than 50,000, breaking records for CD sales, ticket sales and awards in Costa Rica. His first solo album, Zafra marga obtained the #1 position on the Costa Rican charts. PACO is releasing his critically acclaimed album, Urbano, Latinoamericano, independently. The album features songs from a broad spectrum within the genre of urban Latino music, including reggaeton, hip hop and alternative themes.

To hear his music visit http://www.pacoonline.com or www.myspace.com/pacoonline 
 

Dip Set Capo Jim Jones Still Gaining Altitude

1/15/07 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

 

The Dip Set movement continues to weather the beefs and build on their brand.  Jones' new album "Hustler's P.O.M.E. (Product of My Environment)" moved over 100,000 unites in its first week and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Rap Chart and #6 on the Billboard Top 200.  His third album to date and by far his most recognized, the Harlem rapper has enjoyed greater mainstream status thanks to the hit single "We Fly High".  Jones speaks with us  about the success of his new album, his ongoing beefs with select Def Jam artists and much more in our exclusive interview.   Click Here for our exclusive interview

T-Weaponz Rises to Number 6 on Billboard Charts

1/15/07 - LatinRapper.com

 

From Brooklyn to Billboard, former LatinRapper.com featured artists T-Weaponz's new single "Dem Boyz" featuring Trae and Shamrock has risen to number 6 (HOT SHOT) on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip Hop Singles Sales. Rising in sales and radio play, the single has earned almost 1,000 spins nationally.   Called "the most anticipated independent artists of the year" by AllHipHop.com, T-Weaponz is poised to become the first transnational Hip-Hop group.

 The momentum of "Dem Boyz," a radio track with southern appeal and East Coast swagger, proves T-Weaponz's strength in the mainstream urban market, beyond its debut Spanglish hit "Mira Mira" featuring Pitbull and Notch, which saw over 15,000 radio spins nationally and 50,000+ digital download sales.
 

T-Weaponz on Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/tweaponz
 

N.O.R.E. Testifies at Trial

1/15/07 - LatinRapper.com

 

To rap star N.O.R.E., the Bronx gang members he befriended weren't criminals. The rapper, who formerly went by the stage name Noreaga and whose real name is Victor Santiago, testified Wednesday on behalf of Darryl Henderson, who has been on trial for the past month in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on charges stemming from the Jan. 21, 2002 triple murder a block and a half from Yankees Stadium. Henderson faces a possible death penalty if convicted. N.O.R.E. said he met Henderson in the Bronx in 1998 or 1999 and brought him on concert tours as a roadie, running errands such as ordering food and beer for the performers.

He said he also befriended members of Murder Unit, a Bronx street gang, but did not know that some of them had violent histories, sold drugs and carried weapons. "Hard-core hip-hop tends to sell more records," N.O.R.E. said, noting the advantage of a rough edge in the business. "It's about selling an image." The rapper said he took members of Murder Unit on tour with him to give them a chance in the business. In opening statements, Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Rody said Henderson and two other members of Murder Unit committed the murders to steal 30 kilograms of cocaine worth more than a half-million dollars.

He said two of the victims were stabbed more than 20 times and all three had their throats slashed. Within three days, Rody said, the three killers had fled to Miami, Fla., where they were "drinking, partying, posing for pictures and spending the money they made from the stolen cocaine." Defense attorney David E. Patton has told the jury that his client did not kill anyone and has never been in a gang, though he did sell drugs.

On the witness stand, N.O.R.E. described his touring life as a wild party in which he sometimes smoked marijuana before he performed and regularly chased women.

Rody repeatedly attacked N.O.R.E.'s memory, which seemed sketchy about the facts whenever violence erupted near him but firm in the recollection that Henderson was never in the middle of it.

N.O.R.E. made some jurors chuckle with his observations, including that the prosecutor in his suit looked like a music booking agent. He waved to them as he left the witness stand.
 

Cruz Control: Omar Cruz Stands up for the West Coast

12/5/06 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

 

The Game is known for his desire to put the Left Coast back on the hip hop map, now the artist formerly known as Blunts LLA hopes to do the same for Latinos in the rap industry.  After many years and several mixtapes, the Los Angeles rapper has generated a well deserved buzz.  With BYI Entertainment's 50/50 joint venture with Interscope/Geffen Records and endorsements from industry heavyweights Mister Cartoon and Estevan Oriol, Omar prepares to release his heavily anticipated debut album, we get the scoop in our exclusive interview.   Click Here for our exclusive interview

"Fake Gangstaz" Video ft ZEPS and Amen Almighty of the NY Rhyme Exchange

Click Here to watch the video

Mixtape Awards Pop Culture and More at the 2nd Annual Latin Urban Mix

12/5/06 - LatinRapper.com/Ed Rosa press release

 

After an astounding and satisfying turnout at last year’s Latin Urban Mix debut, the Creative Media Group is dotting its i’s and crossing its T’s in preparation for this year’s (2007) much-anticipated one-day affair. DJs, musicians, fashion designers, photographers, entrepreneurs and artists (in all sense of the word) will converge in this given amenity while simultaneously highlighting their individual art.

The appropriately-named Latin Urban Mix calls for the opportunity to demonstrate how influential the Latin market has been to mainstream by ‘mixing’ five key elements of popular culture and entertainment: art, fashion, music, media and entrepreneurship. In addition, the Mix establishes a relevant opening for the artists to assist each other and collaborate in their future endeavors (a graphics artist designing a DJ’s album cover, a fashion designer donating clothes to a musician, a photographer shooting a model’s portfolio). A clear advantage for everyone attending, the occasion, originally created by Creative Media Group CEO Kevin “Pills” Montano, also opens the door for many newcomers to become acquainted with the world’s most exciting, yet demanding, market.

Last year’s Mix awarded and recognized well-accomplished DJs Camilo, Tony Touch, Kazzanova, Prostyle and Sama for their success in bringing Latino music, primarily reggaeton, to the forefront and, consequently, having the genre accepted into music mainstream. Latin Urban Mix 2007 will award the mixtape DJs for giving the opportunity to artists to have their music heard. The street is where it all starts, so why not recognize those who continuously feed them with new sounds. Anyone can vote for their favorites at. www.latinurbanmixx.com 

With over 450 associates from LA, Chicago, Louisiana, Boston, Miami, New York, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, heavy-duty sponsors Hennesy and Sony BMG and internationally-known artists, producers and DJs (Magic Juan, Boy Wonder, Voltio, Tego Calderon) at last year’s Mix, this year’s event is expected to ring in twice as many hungry industry majors and minors. Expected DJs to attend include Hot 97’s Enuff and Camilo, La Mega’s Lobo, La Kalle’s Precise, Kazzanova, Spin One and Prostyle, Tony Touch, mixtape DJ Willie, DJ Creme and mun2’s Frankie Needles.

The Mix’s 2007 itinerary includes an art exhibition, an urban sneaker display, an artist listening lounge, an entrepreneur and DJ panel and a fashion show, all leading up to the Mixtape Awards recognition dinner, held as the closing event during evening hours. An after party, spot to be determined, will follow.

The Latin Urban Mix 2007 will be held on March 10, 2007 at the widely-recognized Albion Hotel in the heart of South Beach, Miami’s Art Deco district. The Creative Media Group, led by Kevin Montano, strives to provide strong relationships between all aspects of the urban market nationwide. Through various methods of promotion, marketing and management, it works to emphasize the abilities and success of Latino culture, whether it’s in music, art, fashion or business.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING LATIN URBAN MIXX CONTACT:
ED ROSA INFO@EDROSA.NET 310-469-2827

Sen Dog's Still All Bite with the Reyes Brothers

11/18/06 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

 

Two years ago we spoke with West Coast artist Senen Reyes, better known as Sen Dog of the multiplatinum group Cypress Hill.  The Perro is back with plenty of ammunition, and three hot albums on the horizon.  Sen and brother Mellow Man Ace teamed up to form the "Reyes Brothers", and the duo just released one of the most heavily anticipated albums in Latin Rap history entitled "Ghetto Therapy."  Sen speaks to us about a Spanish Reyes Brothers album, his upcoming solo, his rap-rock group SX-10's new record, and the 2007 release of Cypress Hill's next CD.   Click Here for our exclusive interview

Wu-Tang Affiliate Dom Pachino to release debut album "Rice & Beanz"

11/18/06 - LatinRapper.com/Mach-5 Promotions press release

 

Dom Pachino has released 12 independent projects under Napalm Recordings after his major releases with Killarmy, which were Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars, Dirty Weaponry, and Fair, Love & War.  Pachino was also featured on gold albums such as RZA as Bobby Digital and the Swarm Compilation. In 2002 Pachino established an independent record company called Napalm Recordings, which he released its first project Tera Iz Him which sold 20,000 copies, followed by a stream of various projects, DVD's and compilations.

Now Dom Pachino unravels what is his best work to date slated to be release first quarter of 2007 "Rice & Beanz" executive produced by Dom Pachino.  Dom Pachino track previews: Explicit lyrics, you must be 18 years or older to listen to the following tracks: "Box with me" (click here to listen), "La Calle" (click here to listen).

Click Here For our March 2006 exclusive interview with Dom Pachino. 

official website: http://www.dompachino.com/

on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/prterrorist

Pitbull's Album "El Mariel" Debut's at #17 on Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart

11/18/06 - LatinRapper.com

 

Best-selling Cuban American MC Pitbull’s much-anticipated second studio album El Mariel (Diaz Bros./TVT Records) has debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums Chart and #2 on the Billboard Rap Albums Chart, with an opening salvo of 47,969 copies in its first week of release. Bolstered by the number one single, “Dime” on the Latin Urban Chart and second single “Ay Chico” poised to break the Top 20 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Top 40 Chart, El Mariel is off to a fast start.

Pitbull is joined by a star-studded crew of artists and producers on the new release. Pharrell joins Pitbull on “Jealouso”, while Wyclef Jean guests with Pit on “Jungle Fever.” Other highlights include “Bojangles” (with Lil Jon & Ying Yang Twins), “Que Tu Sabes d’Eso”, and “Dime” (where the bilingual Pitbull trades rhymes with popular reggaeton artist Ken-Y on the Lil Jon-produced remix track). Following the popular single “Bojangles”, Pitbull is gearing up for the release of the album’s second single/video, “Ay Chico (Lengua Afuera)”, a steamy call-and-response future club anthem.

Click Here to watch the brand new video for "Ay Chico" by Pitbull

Diamante Studios Opens in NYC

11/18/06 - LatinRapper.com

Diamante Pictures is proud to announce the grand opening of its new production, post-production and recording studios in the former home of the legendary Fania Records. Located in the heart of midtown Manhattan, Diamante’s new 4,000 square foot facility features state-of-the-art editing, recording and design studios, along with an insert / green screen stage on site.

“With the industry evolving the way it is,” says founder Ben DeJesus, “we feel fortunate to be able to offer the full range in multimedia services and content.” Diamante Pictures provides full-service production and post-production for television, web content, music videos, commercials, dvd's and documentaries. Recent projects include a web series with Pitbull, several music videos, over 60 hours of programming for BET, a television mini-series and more.

“With the Fania history that already existed in this spot,” says DeJesus, “we felt this was the perfect place to take Diamante Pictures to the next level.” Diamante’s clients include MTV Networks, BET, Universal Records, HBO, Univision, Atlantic Records, SiTV, Def Jam, Roc La Familia, Warner Records, Urban Latino, La Calle Records, UBO, Sony, Machete Music, The Connection and others.

As founder of Diamante Pictures, Ben DeJesus is one of the rising director/ producers in the youth, urban and Latin markets. Since his days as a producer/writer at MTV (Cribs/News), DeJesus has been building his company into a respected production and post-production one-stop shop, while continuing to produce and direct for several MTVN Networks, BET, HBO, Def Jam, Roc La Familia, Universal, SiTV and more. DeJesus recently directed and produced N.O.R.E.’s “Mas Maiz” feat. Nina Sky, Big Mato, Fat Joe, Chingo Bling, and Lil’ Rob, and prior to that delivered Don Omar’s landmark video “Reggaeton Latino” featuring N.O.R.E., Fat Joe & LDA

on the web: http://www.diamantepictures.com/

Mellow Man Ace: Words From the Godfather

10/11/06 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

 

Godfather of Latin Hip Hop - Mellow Man Ace, recently formed the "Reyes Brothers" duo with hermano Sen Dog of Cypress Hill, releasing one of the most long awaited group albums in Latin Rap entitled "Ghetto Therapy." Mellow Man was the first artist to get mainstream acceptance of Spanglish on wax with "Mentirosa", the first single by a Latin rap artist to go platinum.  He teams up with brother Sen as the Reyes Brothers, and October marked the release of their heavily anticipated debut.  Mellow speaks about the album and industry perils in our exclusive interview   Click Here for our exclusive interview

Frost Returns with La Raza Remix and New Tour

10/11/06 - LatinRapper.com

 

Latin hip hop artist Frost (aka – Kid Frost), has announced that he will be officially on tour between September 29th and October 21st, 2006. From Las Vegas, to San Antonio to Beverly Hills, spreading the word on Goldmark, while performing his undeniable hit tracks. Opening for Frost, will be newly signed Hip-Hop artists Scoop DeVille, aka Platinum Child, and Chedda Boy.  Frost is very well respected and wildly successful hip hop performer, who is a major role model for up and coming hip hop and rap talent. The veteran East Los Angeles rap artist, who became a hip-hop icon in 1990 with his groundbreaking single "La Raza" has stepped up his game in the last decade, sharpening his lyrical skills and becoming an authority figure in hip hop culture.

This will be evident in every one of his shows.  With his hard-hitting mix of hard-core hip-hop, smoothed out cuts, and laid-back songs, versatility is one of Frost's strengths. "The thing that keeps my name in people's mouths is that I keep reinventing myself," Frost explains. "I don't just keep on making the same music. I wanted to make bilingual hip-hop a trend. I was the forefront of one step further while still kicking vivid rhymes about the code of the streets with authenticity."

Frost also says "As I see the KRS-Ones and the LL Cool J's still in it, I won't budge. A lot of people might say that I'm too old. But I don't think it's your age or how you rap. It's your rap skills that keep you in the game. As long as we make that knocking Chevy music, we're going to stay in this rap game."

Opening artists Scoop DeVille and Chedda Boy will inevitably gain from being on tour with the hip hop legend, in addition to their own successes. Scoop Deville, aka Platinum Child, has already produced tracks such as "Get It" for Linkin Park's album "Fort Minor" which was executive produced by Jay-Z, "Mamacita" for Baby Bash, and Frost's complete album entitled "Frost Angeles", all by the young age of 18. Furthermore, Chedda Boy, has appeared in the 2005 August edition of the Source Magazine for one of the hottest mixtapes in the street, and was featured in Explosive magazine as one of the premier New York artists on the rise.

Please visit www.goldmarkentertainment.com  for further information on Goldmark Industries.
 

From the Kennel to the Streets: Pitbull Brings Miami Heat

9/27/06 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Latin Hip Hop College Scholarship:

Latino undergraduate students, check out the new scholarship being offered by LatinRapper.com (click here for details).  This year we will forego corporate sponsors just to build awareness, next year we plan on receiving sponsorships and offering ten times the current prize giveaway.  So while we're taking a rain check from them until next year, a very big shout out to the good people at Upstairs Records (Jose Melendez, Joey & Raul) who immediately offered to match our contribution.  Please support a label that cares about the Latin community, go out and get the New Ridaz CD dropping 10/10/06 and of course Lil Rob's "Twelve Eighteen pt II" when it drops.

The Reyes Brothers Release Long Awaited Album October 3rd

9/27/06 - LatinRapper.com

Followed by a party for Ghetto Therapy on October 4 at Forbidden City (1718 Vine St.) in Hollywood, CA and then a signing and appearance for the troops at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas on October 9.  This will kick off a tour of military base visits with stops at Fort Hood, Texas, Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, the three largest military bases in the U.S.

“My family and I came to this country from Cuba with nothing but the clothes on our backs. We were able to make a home here and to create a life for ourselves and a future for our families,” says Sen Dog. “The opportunity to meet, thank and perform for the men and women who are serving in our armed forces who defend our country and our way of life is a privilege and an honor. Mellow and I are damn proud to be able to share our record with them.” After their time with the troops, THE REYES BROTHERS will return to Los Angeles to headline at The Key Club on Sunset Strip on November 3.

“Ghetto Therapy is by no means a comeback album for either of the group’s members,” heralded Barry Codell in The Source (June 2006), “but instead the beginning of a new chapter for some of Latin Hip-Hop’s all-time best.” The long-player’s divergent styles mesh together seamlessly, sounding as if Sen Dog and Mellow Man Ace have been recording together much of their careers. To help them achieve this effect, they tapped a top-notch selection of seasoned technicians such as producers such as DJ Muggs, Warren G, B Real, Fredwreck (Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 50 Cent), DJ Ace (Ice T) and XL (The Game).

Many have tried to capture the intoxicating “gas/break/dip” energy of West Coast car culture, but few have mastered it in the way that the 808 bass tones of the new single impacting radio now “Traffic” do. Other highlights on the album include the DJ Ace-produced “H.A.R.D.”--an excellent introduction to the Reyes Brothers vibe. (“It’s one of my favorite songs that we put together on the album,” says Mellow. “It’s just so playful, it feels like we’re having fun.”) Elsewhere, there’s “Fight Night” featuring B Real as well as hotly tipped newcomer Bishop Lamont (recently signed to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath label). It’s one of the best examples of how fresh and new everything sounds, an alchemy achieved by combining veterans with talented rookies.
 

Reyes Brothers on Myspace: www.myspace.com/reyesbros

Mellow Man Ace official website: http://www.mellowmanace.com

Latin Thug Music: http://www.latinthugmusic.com

Joell Ortiz Signs to Aftermath

9/27/06 - LatinRapper.com

 

Back in November we interviewed Brooklyn rapper Joell Ortiz (click here to read), speaking with him about being on the grind.  The work paid off, as the Puerto Rican MC just inked a deal with Interscope.  Joell provided details to LatinRapper.com about the signing, and his first album through Aftermath is slated for a 2007 release.    When asked as to whether or not we can expect some hot production from Dr. Dre himself, Joell filled us in that the good Doctor had recently sent him a "gang of beats" to rhyme over.

As of the moment, there's no word on whether or not other Aftermath artists will appear on the album, which Joell hasn't begun working on yet.  Aftermath isn't without its detractors, however.  Rakim, Truth Hurts, Joe Beast and The Last Emperor were all signed to the label but never had their albums released.  When asked whether or not this raised his own concerns of hopping on board, Joell told LatinRapper that he knew nothing about those situations, but that "I do know that my work ethic is very strong in and outs of the studio and my buzz was getting pretty strong long before the deal."  He went on to detail how his hustle would still continue.  "Its funny 'cause so many people told me before I got the deal that no one would sign a fat Latin from NYC. Now that I have been signed, they talking about how I'm never gonna come out. I love a challenge!"  He gave a shout out to his gente that helped build his name up, and called for them to prove the naysayers wrong once again.

When queried over any added pressure that being a Latin MC on Aftermath might create, Joell explained to Latin Rapper that he constantly reps for his community and people, but isn't necessarily trying to represent for Latin rappers as a whole.  "I rap for the people, not for other rappers or executives." the artist exclaimed.  "Joell Ortiz is the voice of the voiceless."

Joell Ortiz on the web: http://www.joellortiz.com

Diamonique Doesn't Lose Sight of West Coast Queen's Throne

9/17/06 - LatinRapper.com exclusive interview

Malverde and B-Real promote Unity on Snoop Dogg's "Vato"

9/17/06 - LatinRapper.com/Cornerstone press release

 

West Coast artist and Machete Music MC Malverde, as well as B-Real of Cypress Hill fame, have made their mark on the official remix of Snoop Dogg's latest street single entitled "Vato."  Snoop has collaborated with the artists in an attempt to promote unity amongst Blacks and Browns, as well as to promote his upcoming album The Blue Carpet Treatment.  Malverde is the process of finalizing his Fall debut on Machete Music entitled  "La Leyenda Continua", with its first single "Baila Baila."   Malverde on the web: http://www.malverde.com Malverde on Myspace: www.myspace.com/malverde

Super Duo Outerspace release "Blood Brothers" CD

9/17/06 - LatinRapper.com

 

A burgeoning brand within the independent hip-hop community, Outerspace are renowned for their deep rooted affiliation with Jedi Mind Tricks and Philly’s vibrant underground hip-hop scene. 2004's Jedi Mind Tricks presents... Outerspace and subsequent full length debut Blood & Ashes (executive produced by Vinnie Paz of Jedi Mind Tricks) established Outerspace as successors to the Philly underground hip-hop mantle, having scanned close to 20,000 units amongst these releases.  Coming off of their recently successful stint as members of the underground super group Army of The Pharaohs,

Outerspace present their highly anticipated sophomore LP, Blood Brothers.  With executive producer Vinnie Paz again in tow and touting guest spots by Vinnie Paz, Royce Da 5’ 9”, D-Block/The Lox’s Sheek Louch and production from the likes of 7L and J-Zone, Outerspace's sophomore effort is a defining achievement from a seasoned pair of underground emcees, poised to once again raise the mantle of expectations for east coast based independent hip-hop.
 

Outerspace on the web: http://www.outerspacemusic.com

BabyGrande: http://www.babygrande.com