Daily Archives: January 16, 2010

· 6:37 pm

Weekly Sales Wrap Up

In this week’s Sales Wrap, newcomer Ke$ha makes her way atop the charts, Alicia Keys finds more freedom in the Top 5, Mary J. Blige stays strong, Black Eyed Peas keep up their energy and Snoop Dogg returns to the charts.

Music newcomer Ke$ha made her debut onto the charts this week as Animal secured No. 1. According to Nielsen Soundscan, the singer’s new album has sold 152,000 records after one week.

Grammy-winning singer Alicia Keys’ Element of Freedom moved down one notch to No. 4 with 61,900. After a month on shelves, the singer’s fourth solo album has moved 841,000 copies to date.

R&B singer Mary J. Blige‘s Stronger also slipped a spot to No. 5 with 46,800. Headed into her fourth week, the singer’s latest effort has sold 440,800 copies.

Pop group Black Eyed Peas‘ E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) remained at No. 8 with 35,900. Going hard after 31 weeks, the group’s new album stands at 1,822,800 records.

R&B singer Rihanna‘s Rated R album received a three-spot boost to No. 11 with 27,400. With seven weeks under her belt, RiRi’s new album has been certified gold with 526,000 records.

Lil Wayne‘s Young Money compilation, We Are Young Money, slipped one spot to No. 13 with 26,000. After three weeks, the album has sold 211,700 copies.

Slim Shady Records’ head honcho Eminem‘s Relapse: Refill dropped three spots to No. 16 with 24,500. Moving into his 35th week, Em’s new album stands at 1,759,800 scanned discs.

Rap mogul Jay-Z‘s The Blueprint III slid one spot up to No. 22 with 18,700. After 18 weeks, Hov’s new album has moved 1,533,400 records.

Michael Jackson‘s This Is It compilation disc dropped one slot to No. 23 with 17,800. Headed into his third month, the late singer’s album has moved 1,304,800 units.

R&B singer Robin Thicke‘s Sex Therapy slipped three spots down to No. 24 with 17,200. After a month in stores, the singer’s new album has sold 227,000 records.

Grammy-winning singer Beyonce‘s I Am…Sasha Fierce received a nine-slot boost to No. 32 with 12,900. After 60 weeks, the singer’s latest effort has sold 2,671,700 copies.

Michael Jackson’s Number Ones slipped two slots to No. 35 with 12,300. After 55 weeks, the late singer’s compilation discs has moved 4,075,900 copies.

R&B singer Trey Songz‘s Ready moved up six positions to No. 37 with 12,200. Headed into his 20th week, the singer’s new album rests at 450,700 records.

Incarcerated rapper Gucci Mane‘s State Vs. Radric Davis fell three spots to No. 38 with 12,100. After five weeks on the charts, the rapper’s new album rests at 203,200 copies.

R&B singer Chris Brown‘s Graffiti moved down six slots to No. 43 with 10,700. After five weeks, the singer’s new album has sold 243,600 copies.

Evening things out in Top 50 is Snoop Dogg’s Malice N Wonderland which re-entered the charts moving up seven slots to No. 44 with 10,500. After five weeks, Snoop’s latest effort has sold 157,400 copies.

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· 3:19 pm

Is Wyclef “Yele” Charity Organization Short Changing The Haitian People?!?

JANUARY 14–The Haiti earthquake has already triggered hundreds of thousands of donations to musician Wyclef Jean’s charitable foundation, which expects to raise upwards of $1 million a day in the disaster’s wake. However, Internal Revenue Service records show the group has a lackluster history of accounting for its finances, and that the organization has paid the performer and his business partner at least $410,000 for rent, production services, and Jean’s appearance at a benefit concert. Though the Wyclef Jean Foundation, which does business as Yele Haiti Foundation, was incorporated 12 years ago–and has been active since that time–the group only first filed tax returns in August 2009. That month, the foundation provided the IRS with returns covering calendar years 2005, 2006, and 2007–the only periods for which it has publicly provided a glimpse at its financial affairs. In 2006, Jean’s charity reported contributions of $1 million, the bulk of which came from People magazine in exchange for the first photos of a pregnant Angelina Jolie (the actress reportedly directed that the publication’s payment go to Jean’s charity, not her personally). As seen on the following pages from the foundation’s 2006 tax return, the group paid $31,200 in rent to Platinum Sound, a Manhattan recording studio owned by Jean and Jerry Duplessis, who, like Jean, is a foundation board member. A $31,200 rent payment was also made in 2007 to Platinum Sound. The rent, tax returns assure, “is priced below market value.” The recording studio also was paid $100,000 in 2006 for the “musical performance services of Wyclef Jean at a benefit concert.” That six-figure payout, the tax return noted, “was substantially less than market value.” The return, of course, does not address why Jean needed to be paid to perform at his own charity’s fundraiser. But the largest 2006 payout–a whopping $250,000–went to Telemax, S.A., a for-profit Haiti company in which Jean and Duplessis were said to “own a controlling interest.” The money covered “pre-purchased…TV airtime and production services” that were part of the foundation’s “outreach efforts” in Haiti. No further description of these services was offered, though the return claimed that “the fees paid are below market” and that the use of Telemax was the “most efficient way of providing these services.” The group’s tax returns also report “consultant” payments totaling $300,000 between 2005-2007, while the 2006 return reported nearly $225,000 in “promotion and PR” costs. These expenses are not itemized further in the IRS returns.

Click here to take a look at the tax records and more of what money has been spent on.

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· 3:04 pm

Music Video: Dirty Money Ft. Rick Ross – “Angels” [Remix]

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· 3:02 pm

President Obama Would Be Assassinator Pleads Guilty To Plot….

Paul Schlesselman, 19, of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas, plead guilty on Thursday to charges he plotted to kill then-Sen. Barack Obama and dozens of other black people in 2008.

Schlesselman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy, one count of threatening to kill and harm a presidential candidate and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
He faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in April.

A co-defendant, Daniel Cowart, 21, of Bells, Tenn., remains in custody.

According to The Associated Press, authorities have described the two as white supremacist skinheads who hatched a plot for a cross-country robbery and killing spree that was to culminate with an attack on Obama, who was then a candidate for president.

They were arrested in October 2008 and have been held without bond since.

Authorities have said that although the two had enough guns to create carnage, they never got close to carrying out their plans.

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· 2:58 pm

Denver Public Schools Experiences Backlash For Offering Fried Chicken & Greens For MLK Day!!!

http://www.chefforbarta.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/FriedChicken-main_Full.259151059_large.jpg

Denver Public Schools experienced widespread backlash after announcing that it would serve fried chicken and collard greens in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The school system claims that they wanted to serve the “southern style” meal to students to pay homage to the civil rights leader’s southern roots but quickly pulled the menu after receiving cries of stereotyping from parents.

Denver Public Schools issued an apology Tuesday for their poor judgment saying that it was,

“highly insensitive in light of certain hurtful cultural stereotypes still harbored in parts of our society.”

So the best way they could think to honor Martin Luther King was through fried chicken???

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· 2:53 pm

Southern Indiana University Basketball Player Jeron Lewis Dies During Game…

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· 2:48 pm

Method Man Teaching “The Laws Of Success” Class

As the most prominent member of the Wu Tang Clan, Method Man was the first out of the pack to take the solo route and serve as the guinea pig for the future of the rappers from Staten Island.

His willingness to take a risk has been able to branch and develop even further outside of the music world as the rapper has also been able to establish himself as an actor and even landed himself a role in a comic book for a self-titled graphic novel that he created.

Clearly one who knows what it takes to achieve success, Mef will be dishing out his secrets during a Learning Annex event where he will give the method to this madness which resulted in him achieving success and turning a faint dream into an everyday reality.

Looking to help those around them bring their own fantasies into the real world, he will offer incite ranging from acting to agents, from dubbing to demos, from publishing to producing a commercial sound while staying true to your artistic vision.  Method Man will also give participants the floor as he will answer questions and give tips on how he made his own story.

In music, he has continued to deliver alongside members of the Clan along with his partner in rhyme Redman.  As time has progressed, he has yet to become a casualty in the fight against the clock as he has maintained true to his own integrity which fans are always looking for.

As an actor, reoccurring roles in shows such as The Wire has led the rapper to lead roles in films such as The Wackness and How High. He is currently working on 3D indie film known as The Mortician where he will play the lead once again.

Living in a time where finances are hard to come by and opportunity seems slim, who better to get advice from than someone who started from the bottom and climbed all the way to the top.

And who wouldn’t want a teacher like Method Man?

The class will be held on January 28th. For more information and to register, log on to learningannex.com.

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· 2:45 pm

Snoop Dogg Signs Cypress Hill To Priority Records

Snoop Dogg is taking his new role as Creative Chairman of Priority Records to heart and making additions to the label’s growing roster.

The Doggfather  has officially signed Cypress Hill to Priority Records marking his first executive decision as the new Chairman.

Snoop released a press release Friday on adding Cypress Hill to the Priority family saying that they were “incredibly talented” and commending them for becoming the first Latino Hip-Hop group to go platinum.

“My role as Creative Chairman of Priority Records has put me in the driver’s seat to help revive the most important west coast Hip-Hop label. As such, I’m excited to announce my first signing as Cypress Hill. Cypress Hill is undeniably one of the most important Hip-Hop groups in music history, not only are they incredibly talented and the first Latino Hip-Hop group to go platinum, they are also from the west coast-so this signing is the perfect marriage.”

The group plans to release their first album in six years, Rise Up, on April 6.

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· 2:40 pm

Lupe Fiasco Speaks On Completing The Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb…

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· 2:33 pm

Eve Leaves Interscope Records

After a hiatus in music, Eve, the Ruff Ryder’s pit bull in a skirt, is announcing her decision to leave Interscope Records and promising to release new music.

Her last album headlined by her single “Tambourine” was due out in 2007 but was canned leaving Evie-Eve to fade into the background of female MCs.

This year however Eve promises to turn that around with new material now that she’s been freed from her contract at Jimmy Iovine’s label.

She announced the news via her @TheRealEve Twitter page telling her followers that she was a free agent and was back in the studio.

“Trust me ya’ll I got ya’ll on MUSIC!!! … Let me tell u what happened with music so ya’ll don’t think I quit. Left Interscope, free agent now. Went back in re-doing music. Trust me….”

Solidifying her statement, Eve had this to say about the state of music today.

“Not letting this year pass wit out an ABULM! Can’t take the non-sense MUSIK ;) .”

In between making new music, Eve will return to her career in acting and is set to star in a new crime thriller “4,3,2,1.” The film has wrapped and is currently in post-production with a release date that is still unknown.

Hip-Hop Wired recently spoke with Ruff Ryders CEO Waah Dean as he shed some light onto the pitbull in a skirt’s label situation and also spoke on how Interscope and Dre tried to pull a jack move a few years back and take her off the Ruff Ryders brand and put her on Aftermath.

“The Eve situation… Eve is pretty much in the process of being released from the Interscope deal right now. We’re in negotiations of helping her get in control of her situation, we’re supporting her.

Interscope is a great label that supported us in our success along with Def Jam and Universal.  So we got Eve from Dre initially [and she wanted to go back] and they went through something.  Eve was working out that way (Los Angeles), doing movies a lot and they kind of like was clicking at that time so we wanted to support Eve in whatever she wanted to do and that’s what we do.  We support our artists and our family so at that time she wanted to do that.  And we was there to embrace and support her and they didn’t do what they was supposed to do on some level but she’s getting released and we’re gonna be here to support her in whatever direction she want to go.”

Waah also revealed that Eve, The LOX, DMX and Drag-On were all on board for the upcoming reunion album, Ruff Ryders Evolution:  Generation I.  The album will include the “Who’s Real Remix” featuring Jadakiss, Eve, Drag-On, Styles P, Sheek Louch, and DMX.  He added,

“The compilation is pretty much finished and we’re looking to knock it out and have it up and running at the end of 2nd, beginning of 3rd quarter.  We got a couple of nice joints.  It’s gonna be a mixture of the old and new… we got this joint called “Family.”  We got a remix on it too and we want to launch the compilation with that. It’s expressing a lot of how families should move and how they should roll.

We’re   gonna feature our established artists, new artists and we’re gonna remix it and just really unify the family thing, bring back the foundation.  We have collaborations songs that we did with The Lox and Cassidy and we get a song from each artist and let them express themselves. I’s gonna be a decent album, we’re gonna do that one independent and we may even take it upstairs (to major label) to do that on a whole other level. This album is really going to be about coming together.”

With new projects scheduled this year from Eve, DMX, The Lox and Drag-On, it looks like Ruff Ryders is indeed back in the building.

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· 2:15 pm

Nelly’s Interview w/ The Fly Guy….

Nelly on cheating in relationships:

Obviously no one wants to get cheated on and noone wants to hurt the person they are with. I think its one of those things where” to each its own”. No relationship is the same and I think that is what we are forgetting when we look at this. A relationship should be whatever makes those two people happy. That’s what we forget. Everyone is trying to stereotype what a relationship should be. If those two people are happy, that’s the way it should be. I hate when you look at all these books on how to make a relationship work. How the hell you are going to say how to make a relationship work when people aren’t the same? Their environment aren’t the same. They go to marriage counselors telling them how a relationship should be and his relationship ain’t even right.

Nelly on the Tiger Woods drama:

I don’t see how all these wimpy ass cats are coming out talking about how they’ve lost all this respect for Tiger…. If I was tiger i would say “I’m apologizing to my wife and my family. I’m not apologizing to nobody else out here. I don’t owe nobody else anything. This was MY wife. That’s who he owes his apology to. He owes that to his kids. It has nothing to do with golf. That has nothing to do with a public perception. That was a personal relationship. That’s what I hate. He without sin cast the first stone. That’s how I feel. Can’t no one mess with that man on the golf course and I hope he comes out and whips everyone’s ass. I’m cheering for Tiger more than ever now.

Nelly on the “Amber Roses” of today:

If Tiger would have been hanging with the brothas, he’d have been up on his game right now and we could have pulled him to the side and said “yo pimp, don’t do that. That’s not a good move right there. She’s gonna get you caught up homes”…and it would have been alright. There are opportunist everywhere and in everything that you do. It’s hard when you are the biggest at what you do. When you do that, they see dollar signs and even though they may not want to hurt you, survival is the most important top of the food chain. So when people see an opportunity to be successful, however it may come, they think about that. You don’t want people to think about being successful at your expense.”

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· 2:08 pm

Amber Rose Partying It Up In Miami…

Amber Rose, was snapped sportin’ a mohawk last night, while partying it up at Club Mansion with a couple of Miami club promoters. Jamie Foxx and Fabolous were in the building too, but I hear all eyes were on blondie and her new do. *Sigh* The Mohawk from the front…

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· 1:53 pm

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARTIN LUTHER KING JR

Martin Luther King Jr. waves to participants in the Civil Rights Movement’s March on Wahsington from Lincoln Memorial. It was from this spot that he delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech on August 28, 1963.

Mini Bio:
With an oratorical style that drew directly on the force of the Bible and a serene confidence derived from his nonviolent philosophy, Martin Luther King, Jr. advocated a program of moderation and inclusion. The grandson and son of Baptist ministers, he helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to organize black churches in conducting nonviolent protests in the service of civil rights reform. From the boycott of Montgomery’s segregated buses to his famous “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington, King was a guiding light during the most crucial years in the civil rights struggle.

Today, through the efforts of his late wife Corettta Scott King and the legions of others who were inspired by his celebration of human dignity, King’s legacy lives on. His philosophy of nonviolent direct action sparked the conscience of a generation and led to significant social change that is now woven into the fabric of American life.

MILESTONES:

1955
Organizes the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which led to a Supreme Court decision outlawing racial segregation on all public transport.

1957
Founds the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to organize black churches in conducting nonviolent protests in the service of civil rights reform.

1963
Writes Letter from Birmingham Jail arguing that individuals have the moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws.

1963
Delivers “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom to over 200,000 civil rights supporters.

1964
Becomes the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

1964
Organizes marches that led to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, outlawing segregation in public accommodations and discrimination in education and employment.

1965
Rallies outrage following Bloody Sunday, a march from Selma to Montgomery that turned violent after police used force against demonstrators. Congress passes the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

1966
Takes the movement North and moves his family into the Chicago slums to demonstrate support and empathy for the poor.
1968
Speaks out against the Vietnam War calling the US government “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today.”
1968
Mr. King is assassinated in Memphis during a visit to support striking black garbage collectors.
1986
Martin Luther King Day established as a United States holiday..

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· 1:51 pm

Gilbert Arenas Pleads Guilty To Felony Gun Charges…


USA Today: Washington Wizards star Gilbert Arenas has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of carrying a pistol without a license in the District of Columbia.

The conviction puts his NBA future in some doubt.

Arenas, 28, was charged yesterday with a single count. As part of the plea deal, his lawyer said, prosecutors agreed to seek a sentence at the low end of the guidelines, which is no more than six months in jail. Sentencing is set for March 26.

The prosecutor offered details of what led to the charge, which grew out of a dispute with a teammate over a card game on the Wizards’ flight home from Phoenix on Dec. 19, the Associated Press writes:

The three-time All-Star has previously acknowledged storing four unloaded guns in his locker at the Verizon Center, saying he wanted to keep them away from his young children and didn’t know it was a violation of the city’s strict gun laws. He says he took them out of the locker Dec. 21 in a “misguided effort to play a joke” on a teammate.

The charge was made hours after the teammate, Javaris Crittenton, had his Northern Virginia apartment searched by police looking for a silver- or chrome-colored semiautomatic handgun with a black handle. The search warrant indicated police were investigating crimes that include brandishing a weapon. No evidence was seized, according to court documents, and Crittenton has not been charged.

Possessing a gun at an NBA arena violates the league’s collective bargaining agreement. Commissioner David Stern has suspended Arenas indefinitely without pay pending the outcome of the case.

No official comment so far from the Wizards or the NBA.

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