Daily Archives: February 22, 2010
Curtis Jackson Stars In “THINGS FALL APART”
As reported by Variety
Rapper-turned-actor Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Randall Emmett have greenlit their next feature, “Things Fall Apart,” through their Cheetah Vision Films banner with Jackson starring.
Project’s scheduled to begin five weeks of lensing in May in Michigan with Mario Van Peebles directing from a script by Jackson and Brian Miller. The film centers around a star football running back, played by Jackson, who faces a personal tragedy as well as his own mortality while in his senior year in college.
Emmett and Jackson will produce the film; Brandon Grimes and Scott Robinson are co-producing. Van Peebles, Lynn Whitfield, comedian Mike P and Steve Eastin will also star.
Cheetah Vision recently wrapped production of “The Gun,” starring Val Kilmer, AnnaLynne McCord and Jackson. Film was shot in Michigan and co-produced by Emmett, Furla Films and Action Jackson Films.
Jackson and his Cheetah Vision company plan to co-finance and self-finance three to five pictures a year.
Jackson’s rehearsing for a two-month international tour that kicks off Tuesday in Berlin, in support of his latest album, “Before I Self Destruct.” He told Daily Variety he’s attracted to the film biz because it offers a far bigger canvas for storytelling than music.
“You have 90 minutes and 120 pages, compared with three minutes for a song,” he noted. “I’ve become very passionate about making films.”
Emmett noted that Jackson is able to write a check for a film project that might not easily secure financing, such as “Things Fall Apart.” “Fifty is in the process of losing 65 pounds” for the role, he added.
Jackson’s film credits include “Get Rich or Die Tryin’,” “Righteous Kill” and Joel Schumacher’s “Twelve,” which premiered at the Sundance fest as the closing-night film.
Nas Owes Millions In Taxes & Kelis $200k In Child Support…
Much like fellow rapper Method Man, Nas has apparently failed to pay his taxes. The Queensbridge rapper owes $2,584,206.31 for unpaid taxes in 2006 and 2007. This is the latest financial problem for the rapper, who was recently in the midst of a heated divorce lawsuit with R&B singer Kelis. In the suit, it was alleged that the rapper made nearly $150,000 per month, and spends over $70,000 per month.
It is unclear whether the two are still embroiled in a legal battle, as the former couple were spotted together last month, acting very amicably towards one another [click to read].
UPDATE: The legal battle is still in effect. This morning, Nas entered a not-guilty plea to contempt of court. Kelis’ legal staff has said that Nas has failed to deliver the court-ordered $200,000 child support.
In March the judge will rule on the verdict. If Nas is found guilty, he is at risk of serving jail time.
In related news, Kelis has signed with Interscope Records since the last October hearing.
Rapper Rass Kass Asks Fans To Donate Money To Help Him Release Next Album
West Coast rapper Ras Kass has announced that he has almost completed recording the entirety of his upcoming full-length CD. The as-of-yet untitled project will include 18-20 tracks on a limited edition CD and Vinyl respectively, and will feature unnamed special guests.
The studio time for the album is funded by fans who supported his last release, The Quarterly. Much like his previous album, Kass will look to the monetary support of fans to help produce the physical CDs of the album as well as 500 vinyl records.
With the help of music lovers, the independent rapper hopes to raise $3,800 in the next 60 days. Depending on the range of money donated by each individual, Kass will give a special reward as incentive. For example, those who pledge $15 or more will receive a physical CD of the album, as well as a link and name on Kass’ website, SavetheRasKass.com. Pledge $1,000 or more, and receive a limited edition set of lyrics to “Nature of the Threat,” handwritten by Ras Kass, a signed CD and vinyl of the latest album, two limited edition t-shirts, a phone call from Kass, a “special producer” credit on the album, a shout out on the project, and free entrance to any Ras Kass performance this year. Go to KickStarter.com see other incentives.
Although there is no official date for the project, it is scheduled to drop this spring.
Ludacris Ft. Nicki Minaj – “My Chick Bad”
Nicki Minaj On The Cover Of FADER…
On newsstands in random places now and everywhere else on Tuesday, March 2nd, our annual spring style issue featuring cover stories on Yeasayer and Nicki Minaj, a full-length interview with Gil Scott-Heron and all kinds of other hotness to melt the frost off your eyeballs including Beach House, Fela Kuti, No Mas, Mister Mort, Joy Orbison, Yo Gotti, Midlake, Marina and the Diamonds, Tough Knuckles, Sub Swara, Lynda Needles, Topman, Teki Latex and more. Keep your eyes peeled for the free downloadable digital version of the issue and full stories coming soon.
Young Money’s Nicki Minaj has opened up about her ever-changing personality and why she has steered clear of trying to take on sex symbol comparisons to other female artists.
In addition to her image, Nicki spoke on making a name for herself off the Beam Me Up Scotty mixtape track, “Itty Bitty Piggy” in the upcoming Feb/Mar 2010 Fader Magazine.
“That’s the craziest once I’ve written yet,” she told Fader Magazine writer Julianne Escobedo Shepherd. “I sound like a Martian. I just really didn’t give a d*mn, just being crazy as I could possibly be…I don’t know where I fit in the spercturum of rap yet, I think now I’m kind of proving myself, but before, people thought I was more of a sex symbol or wannabe sex symbol. Now they’re seeing. That’s why I make the goofiest faces, I don’t want people to think I’m up here trying to be cute. I’m trying to entertain, and entertaining is more than exuding sex appeal. I don’t think that’s fun. I don’t find it fun watching someone trying to be sexy. It’s wack. I’m trying to just show my true personality, and I think that means more than anything else. I think when personality is at the forefront, its not about male or female, its just about, who is this weird character?”
CUBANA LUST PHOTOSHOOT w/ FELIX NATA JR.
When Does Being Ghetto Go Too Far?
When Does Being Ghetto Go Too Far? Chicks with raccoon weaves, gold teeth, smoke 3 blunts a day and a pack of newports, goes to the store in pajama bottoms and slippers, drinks more liquor than a man, only dresses up to go to the club or bar, has more than one baby daddy, daily highlights involve watching ‘Maury”, etc. When is enough, enough? Would you spend the rest of your life married to a woman like this?
50 Cent To Release Lloyd Banks & Tony Yayo Albums Independently
G-Unit leader 50 Cent will be dropping new solo albums from Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks this summer. According to Yayo, the projects will mark their first post-Interscope releases. “Everybody all knows, me and [Lloyd] Banks are not on Interscope anymore,” Yayo explained in an interview.
“We’re not on a major anymore. Me and Banks are dropping two albums in the summer independently, through a deal that 50 [Cent] is conjuring up for us. It feels good to know that I have no red tape put on anything…If I had to deal with Interscope, I’d have to deal with the label and they’d have to sign off. Now I can do what I want. It’s exciting to work with new guys. Some of these kids shooting video are [teenagers]. It’s new energy. A lot of these labels need new energy – people who are willing to bust they butt, go in and do what they’ve got to do.”
Earlier this month, the rapper explained why he preferred to be on an independent label.
“If I was still on Interscope, I would say I would probably have to wait a long process to get my mixtape on iTunes,” Yayo explained to DJ Green Lantern. “And now my mixtape’s on iTunes, go pick it up — I get my bread faster instead of waiting on the label to make moves for me. Them days is dead…We’re gonna drop these independent records this summer, it’s more money for me anyway, so, it’s a beautiful thing. It’s the do it yourself [era]. Eh yo, all those Hype Williams days are over. N*ggas used to spend half a million for a video. Now — my videos are done in five minutes.”
Kat Williams’ House Goes Into Foreclosure & Rolls Royce Gets Repo’d
Katt Williams has more to worry about than getting arrested at Walmart. Katt’s house is on the verge of foreclosure and that Phantom that he always jokes about during his stand up show has gone back to the bank. Katt’s house in Calabasas is about to be foreclosed, his Phantom Rolls Royce was re-poed. He owes millions in back taxes and now that he flaked on his show in Dallas, TX during All-Star Weekend he hasn’t returned the deposit. He also has several lawsuits pending from past employees who never got paid, and hasn’t paid his lawyers in Atlanta who helped him w/ recent situation. He refuses to do comedy shows to generate money because he told everyone he retired, so now he’s trying to set up shows where he just does a musical performance (he raps) and nobody wants to book him for that.
Mississippi Family Allege Police Brutality!!!
Mom Makes 5-Year-Old Steal @ Chuckie Cheese
Girl Stabs Mother’s Boyfriend & Goes To School In Bloody Clothes…
A Florida girl appeared in court Thursday after police say she stabbed and killed her mother’s boyfriend before going to school in bloody clothing.
16-year-old Berenice Jaurez is accused of planning and carrying out a plot to kill 42-year-old Gilardo Romas Paz.
Police say Juarez posed as her mother in a text message conversation asking the man to meet her at a local supermarket.
When he arrived, she approached his vehicle and stabbed him at least two times in the chest before leaving to go to school in a blood stained sweatshirt.
Her brother told authorities that she confessed to the crime at lunch time.
Prosecutors are debating whether to try the girl as an adult.
Raekwon Speaks On New “Wu Tang” Album
Currently representing the flag more than any other member of the group, Raekwon has continued to usher in the return of the Wu Tang Clan.
Fresh off the 09 release of Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II, the Chef is back in the kitchen already preparing his next dish in the form of his fifth studio album, Shaolin vs. Wu Tang.
Being an album that Rae has been speaking on for quite some time, many came to believe it was an effort to go against the RZA after the troubles that brewed during 8 Diagrams.
The Chef, however, while speaking with Entertainment Weekly, assures the fact that the upcoming project looks to revisit his stomping grounds and beginnings.
“Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang is another album that I promised the fans a long time ago. It’s not nothing derogatory towards Wu. It’s just that Shaolin [i.e., Staten Island] is the place, Wu-Tang is the crew that came from that place. It’s like me just going back to my history of being an emcee first, before I actually became part of Wu-Tang.”
He adds that everything has two sides and he plans to showcase where he was before Wu Tang along with after joining the crew.
“I always give RZA that support as far as saying he brought Wu-Tang to the table. It was his philosophy. He picked certain dudes to be part of this group, and he said, ‘This is what it’s going to be called.’ Before that, I was on the block. I was living in Shaolin. So this album just shows the street side of me, challenging the great side of Wu-Tang. Which is almost like how T.I. did T.I. VS. T.I.P.”
In terms of production, the rapper only looks to bring a backdrop that will help narrate his story in the best way.
“You’re going to get sounds that relate to Wu-Tang. You’re going to get sounds that relate to great Rae at his best sh*t, too. You’re going to get a lot of animation as far as the skits are concerned. It’s going to be a hot one. Everyone’s going to love that.”
Without a release date, but Wu Massacre on the way, the W flag is making itself more apparent coming into 2010 with Rae leading the pack.
