Saturday, August 30, 2008

Wedding Flava: D-Nice Marries Malinda Williams

Last weekend, BDP alum Derrick "D-Nice" Jones married his longtime girlfriend Malidna Williams (Bird from Soul Food).

Here's a flashback video from D-Nice before he settled down with one of the hottest chicks in the game.

http://www.essence.com/essence/bodyandsoul/relationships/0,16109,1835128,00.html

New Flava: Talib Kweli - Perfect Beat (Feat. KRS-One)

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Respect The DJ: DJ Premier ( Best of Collabos)

Special Youtube mix courtesy of jamonteiro15.

Part 2 (Featuring Jay-Z, Jeru The Damaga, KRS-One)



Part 3 (Featuring Nas, Biggie, Rakim, AZ, Showbiz & AG)

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Respect The DJ: DJ Premier (Jeru The Damaja/D&D All-Stars)

Jeru The Damaja - Come Clean


D&D All-Stars - 1, 2 Pass It

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Respect The DJ: DJ Premier (Interview)

Check out Premo's phiolosophy on producing, Djing, Pete Rock and his view on today's music scene (Courtesy of Prefixmag in 2007).

Breaking News: Dr. Dre's Son Found Dead


Andre Young Jr., the son of rapper/producer Dr. Dre, was found dead in his Woodland Hills, Calif., home on Saturday (Aug. 23), according to Dr. Dre's representative. He was 20 years old.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Respect The DJ: DJ Premier (Live From Paris)

Thanks to DJ Don Juan of Hip Hop Flavas, we are introducing a new segment called "Respect The DJ". The series will honor the backbone of Hip Hop, The DJ.

Over the years, The DJ has taken a backseat to rappers, when in fact people use to come see the DJ first, then the M.C. (i.e. Grandmaster Flash AND The The Furious Five, DJ Jazzy Jeff AND The Fresh Prince.)

Nowadays, there are cats running around calling themselves DJ's, but their mixing and scratching skills are horrible. This month's honoree does not have those problems.

DJ Premier is regarded as one of the greatest DJ's and producers in the history of Hip Hop. Originally from Houston, TX , then later moving to Brooklyn, NY, Premo and the rapping partner Guru created Gangstarr in the late 80's and he has been a legend ever since.

During this week we will present videos and songs produced by Premo. Today we will kick things off with a live set he did in Paris about a year ago.

Comment on the posts and tell us your favorite DJ Premier song.

DJ Premier Live From Paris

Saturday, August 23, 2008

R&B Flava: Ne-Yo -Miss Independent

While I was checking out Soulbouce.com, I came across Ne-Yo's new video "Miss Indepdendent" which has the feel of on my all-time favorite films Eddie Murphy's Boomerang.

Although Halle Berry and Robin Givens are not in the video, Gabrielle Union, Keri Hilson and Lauren London are not bad options to look at...plus the track is pretty good.
Hey Usher, this is the album you should've made!

--Kevin Lockett



Miss Independent Remix (Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanye West)

http://www.zshare.net/audio/1673255630d6a47a/

Friday, August 22, 2008

Grainy Flava: MC Lyte & Positive K-I'm Not Having It

Sometimes I find a classic video with poor quality; but I couldn't pass up this old classic joint from Lyte and PK.

Cinematic Flava: The Longshots (Ice Cube)

It’s fascinating to watch the evolution of Ice Cube. Who would've thought that the man who made "Burn Hollywood Burn" with Public Enemy and Big Kane 90's in the early 90's would churning out Cosby type films in the late 00's?!? But hey that's what we call growth as an artist and as a person.

“The Long Shots” stars Cube, Keke Palmer, and the lovely Jill Marie Jones in the true story of Jasmine Plummer who, at the age of eleven, became the first female to play in Pop Warner football tournament in its 56-year history.

The interesting thing about the film is that it was directed by Fred Durst. If the name sounds familiar to you, Durst was the leader of late 90's rap metal band Limp Bizkit, who had hits with “Nookie”, and "N 2 Gether" with Method Man. I guess Ice Cube isn't the only person who has grown up these days.

--Kevin Lockett


Tuesday, August 19, 2008

DVD Flava: The Vapors - Juice Crew (Movie Trailer)

New Tracks- The Game w/ Nas and Common (LAX)

From his soon to be released album LAX, here's a a couple of tracks The Game did with Nas and Common.

Letter to the King ft. Nas
http://www.zshare.net/audio/17041150794395a0/

Election 08: Big Boi (Outkast) feat. Mary J. Blige - Sumthin' Gotta Give

While Ludacris has come under fire for his Barack Obama song "Politics as Usual", Big Boi and Mary J. Blige's controversy free pro Obama song " Sumthin' Gotta Give" is on heavy rotation on MTV and BET.

Although neither song is in category of classics like Curtis Mayfield's "Keep on Pushin" or Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" , its still great that successful artists like Luda, Big Boi and Mary J are taking a political stand.

--Kevin Lockett

Monday, August 18, 2008

Teacher's Symposium Preview with DJ Don Juan

Join DJ Don Juan from Hip Hop Flavas as he discusses Keeper of The Art's Teacher's Symposium, which will be held at The University of Akron Gardner Student Center on Friday, September 5th between 6pm-8pm.

The event is free and open to the public, (teachers can obtain CEU’s (Continuing Education Units) when they attend the symposium).

For more information, contact Keepers of The Art at keepersoftheart@yahoo.com or go to www.keepersoftheart.com

Friday, August 15, 2008

New Flava: Ludacris-Politics As Usual (Obama is Here)


Although Ludacris' intentions was sincere, his song "Politics As Usual" (Obama is Here) has been denounced by Barack Obama. In the song, (which uses Young Buck's "Get Buck") Luda dismisses Hillary Rodham Clinton as a vice presidential candidate — "that (expletive) is irrelevant"_ and says presumed Republican nominee John McCain doesn't belong in "any chair unless he's paralyzed." Listen to track and tell us what you think.

New Track: Mos Def - Saturday Night (ft. Brand New Heavies)

Olympic Flava: Spreading Freedom Around The World



Thank You Mr. President for representing the United States with honor and dignity at the Olymics in China. You're the best, sir!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

New Flava: Dope Boy Fresh (Jockin' Jay-Z)-Jay-Z & Kanye West

Check out the new Jay-Z track "Jockin Jay-Z", which Hov and Ye first revealed at Kayne West's recent NYC stop of his "Glow in The Dark" tour.

If you dig the YouTube concert version below, then you can download the clean version of the track at the bottom of the page.



Download track here: http://www.zshare.net/audio/16891084aa9af11e/

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Rare Gems: Fat Joe-Flow Joe

Back in the early 90's, my old Djing partner Big Kev, loved Fat Joe's debut single in 1993.

Although Joey Crack is more about making paper now than being a floetic MC, "Flow Joe" is a reminder how "things use to be before fate Joe he started to "Lean Back" and wear pink fur coats in videos.

--Kevin Lockett


Classic Flava: Issac Hayes-Truck Turner (Trailer) 1974

Since his passing a few days ago, Issac Hayes has been praised for his role as Chef on South Park. But in my estimation, his true acting masterpiece was Truck Turner back in 1974. Check out the trailer and tell us what you think.

--Kevin Lockett

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Isaac Hayes dies at age 65


Man, Bernie Mac yesterday, now Issac Hayes, what's going on?

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Isaac Hayes, the pioneering singer, songwriter and musician whose relentless "Theme From Shaft" won Academy and Grammy awards, died Sunday afternoon, the Shelby County Sheriff's Office said. He was 65.

A family member found him unresponsive near a treadmill and he was pronounced dead an hour later at Baptist East Hospital in Memphis, according to the sheriff's office. The cause of death was not immediately known.

In the early 1970s, Hayes laid the groundwork for disco, for what became known as urban-contemporary music and for romantic crooners like Barry White. And he was rapping before there was rap.

His career hit another high in 1997 when he became the voice of Chef, the sensible school cook and devoted ladies man on the animated TV show "South Park."

Steve Shular, a spokesman for the sheriff's office, said authorities received a 911 call after Hayes' wife and young son and his wife's cousin returned home from the grocery store and found him collapsed in a downstairs bedroom. A sheriff's deputy administered CPR until paramedics arrived.

"The treadmill was running but he was unresponsive lying on the floor," Shular said.

The album "Hot Buttered Soul" made Hayes a star in 1969. His shaven head, gold chains and sunglasses gave him a compelling visual image.

"Hot Buttered Soul" was groundbreaking in several ways: He sang in a "cool" style unlike the usual histrionics of big-time soul singers. He prefaced the song with "raps," and the numbers ran longer than three minutes with lush arrangements.

"Jocks would play it at night," Hayes recalled in a 1999 Associated Press interview. "They could go to the bathroom, they could get a sandwich, or whatever."

Next came "Theme From Shaft," a No. 1 hit in 1971 from the film "Shaft" starring Richard Roundtree.

"That was like the shot heard round the world," Hayes said in the 1999 interview.

At the Oscar ceremony in 1972, Hayes performed the song wearing an eye-popping amount of gold and received a standing ovation. TV Guide later chose it as No. 18 in its list of television's 25 most memorable moments. He won an Academy Award for the song and was nominated for another one for the score. The song and score also won him two Grammys.

"The rappers have gone in and created a lot of hit music based upon my influence," he said. "And they'll tell you if you ask."

Hayes was elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

"I knew nothing about the business, or trends and things like that," he said. "I think it was a matter of timing. I didn't know what was unfolding."

A self-taught musician, he was hired in 1964 by Stax Records of Memphis as a backup pianist, working as a session musician for Otis Redding and others. He also played saxophone.

He began writing songs, establishing a songwriting partnership with David Porter, and in the 1960s they wrote such hits for Sam and Dave as "Hold On, I'm Coming" and "Soul Man."

All this led to his recording contract.

In 1972, he won another Grammy for his album "Black Moses" and earned a nickname he reluctantly embraced. Hayes composed film scores for "Tough Guys" and "Truck Turner" besides "Shaft." He also did the song "Two Cool Guys" on the "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America" movie soundtrack in 1996.

Additionally, he was the voice of Nickelodeon's "Nick at Nite" and had radio shows in New York City (1996 to 2002) and then in Memphis.

He was in several movies, including "It Could Happen to You" with Nicolas Cage, "Ninth Street" with Martin Sheen, "Reindeer Games" starring Ben Affleck and the blaxploitation parody "I'm Gonna Git You, Sucka."

In the 1999 interview, Hayes described the South Park cook as "a person that speaks his mind; he's sensitive enough to care for children; he's wise enough to not be put into the 'whack' category like everybody else in town — and he l-o-o-o-o-ves the ladies."

But Hayes angrily quit the show in 2006 after an episode mocked his Scientology religion. "There is a place in this world for satire, but there is a time when satire ends and intolerance and bigotry towards religious beliefs of others begins," he said.

Co-creator creators Matt Stone responded that Hayes "has no problem — and he's cashed plenty of checks — with our show making fun of Christians." A subsequent episode of the show seemingly killed off the Chef character.

Hayes was born in 1942 in a tin shack in Covington, Tenn., about 40 miles north of Memphis. He was raised by his maternal grandparents after his mother died and his father took off when he was 1 1/2. The family moved to Memphis when he was 6.

Hayes wanted to be a doctor, but got redirected when he won a talent contest in ninth grade by singing Nat King Cole's "Looking Back."

He held down various low-paying jobs, including shining shoes on the legendary Beale Street in Memphis. He also played gigs in rural Southern juke joints where at times he had to hit the floor because someone began shooting.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Bernie Mac Dead At Age 50

Bernie Mac, the Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor and comedian who worked his way to Hollywood success from an impoverished upbringing on Chicago's South Side, died Saturday at age 50.

"Actor/comedian Bernie Mac passed away this morning from complications due to pneumonia in a Chicago area hospital," his publicist, Danica Smith, said in a statement from Los Angeles.

She said no other details were available and asked that his family's privacy be respected. For More information go to www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-bernie-mac-death-fans,0,4402820.story


Hip Hop Flava's Presents Bernie Mac's First Appearance on Def Comedy Jam, which introduced him to the world and made him a legend. R.I.P. Bernie!



Bernie Mac - My sisters Kids (From "The Kings of Comedy)

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

YouTube Contest: Rhyme Your Way To Six Passes For The 1st Annual Hip Hop Showcase

Make a Youtube video and rhyme your way to six passes for the First Annual Hip Hop Showcase featuring Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh and Mick Boogie on September 6th at Lock 3 Park in Akron, Ohio.

In 90 seconds or less, tell us in a rap or spoken word form on what hip hop means to you. You must either use the name Slick Rick, Doug E. Fresh or Mick Boogie in your rhyme.

To enter contest:



1) Go to http://www.youtube.com/group/lock3hiphopcontest

2.) Click on "Upload" in the right corner of page and log in

3.) Write "Hip Hop Showcase Contest" in the title section

4.) Write your name in the description section & select music for video section

5.) Write "Lock 3 Park, "Hip Hop Showcase Contest" in tags

6.) Send your YouTube video link to lock3contest@gmail.com .

7.) Put "Hip Hop Showcase Contest" in the subject line and provide your name, email address, phone number with the Youtube link.

(Information will be not be used for any other purposes but to contact winner) .

Entries must be in by 11:59pm on Saturday, August 23rd 2008. The winner will be announced the following week and the tickets will be mailed to you. The winner will have to supply their own transportation and lodging.

If you have any questions, contact lock3park@yahoo.com

Be creative as you want, but remember no cursing, nudity or inappropriate language allowed on the videos, (I trust you guys, but I had to put that in there). Good Luck!

New Tracks: LL Cool J /Marley Marl and KRS-One Freestyles

LL Cool J Freestyle Produced by Marley Marl





KRS-One: Ride-Freestyle (Courtesy of hiphopmanifesto.org)

http://www.zshare.net/audio/16579978e614ad20/

Monday, August 4, 2008

KRS-One Issues Call To DJs To Get Involved In Million DJ March


Words by Allen Starbury

Rap legend and hip-hop activist KRS-One has issued a call to action from DJs nationwide to join and participate in the upcoming Million DJ March, which is set for August.

KRS has hopped aboard the initiative to help mobilize and bring DJs together to help and educate their large communityacross the world. Beginning his career as a DJ, KRS wants the element of hip-hop to survive, and wants to do what is in his power to make that happen.

"I am a DJ. I started my career as a DJ and a collector of records." says KRS. "The Million DJ March speaks to the longevity of the DJ community. If DJing is going to survive in to the future, we are going to have to take it a little more seriously than just a party past time."

Founded by A. Shaw, after her many years of working within the DJ and mixtape community, The Million DJ March was started in an effort to bring the DJ community worldwide together on issues that effect not just the DJs themselves, but the music listening public they entertain.

"Once and for all, the American public needs to hear from the DJs in a unified voice," said KRS. "There are questions that the American public has for the DJ and one of the concerns of the American public, for DJs in every medium, is the lack of responsibility that DJs show to younger ears. The DJs I know care about the public they play for; many of them are responsible parents themsleves. It is not that DJs are irresponsible, it is that DJs do not speak in one unified voice on anything. By signing your name to this event, among other things, you vow to uphold a standard of excellence in the art of DJ."

To get involved or to get further information, kindly visit http://www.themilliondjmarch.com or contact A. Shaw directly at themilliondjmarch@gmail.com

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Cinematic Flava: Talib Kweli

Here are two trailers the first is for a documentary on Talib Kweli and the second is the official trailer for Talib Kweli Live From The Shine featuring special appearances by KRS-ONE, Strong Arm Steady and Res, which will be released on DVD on September 30th.

TALIB KWELI documentary



Talib Kweli Live From The Shrine