Ballerstatus.Com: Fat Joe Gives The Ladies A Backseat, Gets Darker For Next Album ‘The Darkside’

Fat JoeSkyline Studios in New York was where Bronx native, Fat Joe -- known for his collaborations with the legendary tongue twister Big Pun and his Latino Bronx bravado -- enlightened skeptics and jaded bloggers on Monday evening (June 14) with his 10th album, The Darkside, set for July 27th.

With Joe entering his 10th album, many pondered whether he had lost a step. After his long and grueling feud with 50 Cent, fallout with his beloved crew Terror Squad, and the squander of his last offering, J.O.S.E. 2, it was safe to say Joe was done.

But, rather than shy away from adversity, Joe -- in typical New York fashion -- grabbed his New York fitted, donning the brim low, entered the studio with a fuel of animosity to produce probably his darkest material to date.

Songs like "Valley of Death", and "I Am Crack" helped destroy the stigma of the Joe who was cracking coconuts with Pleasure P on "Aloha", and displayed the more truculent, and belligerent side of Crack. The man who was on his "What's Luv" swag years back, was now sporting "black gloves" and of course, his "black mask". Even poor Stuart Scott was thrown under the bus with Joe taking shots at his dysfunctional eye. Sheesh.

As mentioned earlier, Joe traditionally catered to the women with on his past albums with some radio friendly singles. But, this time around, Joe made the ladies take a back seat on this turbulent ride. His first two singles, "Slow Down" featuring Young Jeezy and "If It Ain't About Money" featuring Trey Songz, proved Joey Van Gundy is back to "work the magic". With an infectious hook from Trey, and another memorable verse from Jeezy, Joe batted 1.000 with those two perfect singles.

But, arguably the best track on the album came in the form of Scoop Deville's produced "No Problems", featuring Rico Love. From the hook, to the heavy knocking drums, to Diddy's cameo, Joe's best track had everything you could have asked for. The dark instrumentation and Joe's voraciousness makes this track easily the stand out in his personal 12-track opus.

For the people that already scheduled Joe's funeral, you may have to reconsider and call the coroner, because Joe's The Darkside give the rapper him a new look and should give his career an adrenaline. That is if fans give it a chance.

Ballerstatus.Com: Ice Cube Interview

Before there was Kanye West, there was Ice Cube. A man whose tongue not only sliced the hearts of politicians, but also fed the knowledge and wisdom needed to survive in this cold world. Unlike some rappers, who preferred serving their dish of lyricism in a verbose and garrulous manner, Cube was straight to the point. In his 1991 debut, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Cube's oeuvre showcased his fearlessness against his beloved country as he exposed the truth. Not only did he tackle the depths of racism, but he also wrestled with the issues of drug addiction, and poverty.

That was 1991. Now, it's 2010 and O'Shea Jackson is a multi-platinum recording artist, a successful actor, screen writer, and producer. To some, Cube might be the character "Craig" from his grand slam series flick Friday. To others, he may be the same guy who took Nia Long's kids for a ride destined for disaster in his past flick -- and present TV show airing on TBS -- "Are We There Yet". But, to most, Cube was the dude who never bit his tongue. He was the dude who never rapped for himself, but for the words who never had a chance to say what they really wanted.

Ballerstatus.com had the opportunity to speak with Ice Cube in this very insightful interview, in which he talks about his tracks from his new album I Am the West, his conquest in educating the uneducated through his music, robots taking over, and the real s*** going on behind the music industry.

BallerStatus.com: You've never had a problem speaking your mind. Rappers like you, Public Enemy, Pac, and KRS one always addressed issues within our societies without fearing the repercussions. Do you feel a little disappointed that today's new school rappers aren't really addressing the issues like you guys did?

Ice Cube: Well ... I mean, it's true. I mean, some of the new guys do keep it real. I always liked what Kanye was doing. He keeps it real from his perspective. Like, why touch gangsta sh** when you're really not from that environment, you know what I mean? But, he knows what knows. He do what he do. But, you know, of course, I would like more because, I think hip-hop could be life changing. You know, it could be music that could make fun, or make you get information that you might not of gotten in school, or might not have gotten from the TV. You might not get it from wherever you get your information from. You know, sometimes a b-boy gives it to you. But, it systemically has been removed from hip-hop. And, it started from around '93, '94. The major outlets where we get our hip-hop from stopped promoting those kinds of rappers. They stopped caring about the Poor Righteous Teachers, the KRS-Ones, the Ice T's, and the Public Enemys. It wasn't about them no more. That kind of message in rap was being pushed to the side. It became about partying, escapism, drinking, and smoking -- you know, whatever you're thinking of. People don't think about no movements. It was like we got Bill Clinton president. We had nothing to worry about.

BallerStatus.com: We chilling. (Laughing)

Ice Cube: Yeah. He's so called black. That's bullsh**. Motherf***er ain't black. But, anyway, it is what it is. That's what really happens. As a young MC, you're trying to be fly. You come up in the "bling age." You know what I mean? "The ice age".

BallerStatus.com: The ice age. (Laughing)

Ice Cube: But, I'm just saying, that becomes more popular. That's because that's what the young rappers want to do to get that status. Being a b-boy, being a Dead Prez, ain't gon' get you up there. You know what I'm saying? That's gon' keep you underground. Mainstream has decided that this kind of rap goes here, and that kind of rap goes there. And, we've been stuck there ever since.

BallerStatus.com: Are you ever worried, especially with the way our younger generations are built now, like some of the messages you try to send through your songs, may be overlooked especially on this I Am the West?

Ice Cube: You know what's good about music is that it's around forever. It's like a book. You might not read the book the first year it's published, but, whenever you discover it, it's new information. You know what I mean? So, some of my fans and b-boys out there want to take it to the next level, start listening to Cube, and what I did in the past. Then, you'll still get that message. Whether you got it the first year it was out, or the 20th year after it was out. Them records are forever. So, that's what I look at man. You know, it is a hard road. Messages do get lost. People be like "Oh, what you on?" You know what I mean? So, but hey, when I'm gone, there [records] are still going to be here.

BallerStatus.com: Like artifacts?

Ice Cube: Yeah I just don't want to be on a whole bunch of bullsh**. It's street knowledge what I do. You know, it's telling the streets what the politicians are doing. And, it's telling them hopefully if the politicians are listening, it's telling them the streets is thinking in a lot of ways. When I say the streets, I ain't talking about the dirtiest corners, or the dirtiest hoods, I'm just talking about, "We black. We know all of us have been through it. All of us know how it is." So that's what it is.

BallerStatus.com: Like I said you've had songs that always provided a deep message like "Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It," "Why Me?" and many others. I know you said recently in an interview that the album is going to be going in a different direction. Are you going to deviate from those types of messages in I Am the West, or will you bring the same style?

Ice Cube: Yeah, it's like I've never pigeonholed myself as an artist. I think you gotta let it flow. Do what you feel. Sometimes you feel like being preachy. Sometimes you feel like having fun. That's what hip-hop is, you know, not to pigeonhole yourself into, "I'm this style." People have been trying to put me in a style, and then was like, "Yo, you do this." And anything out of the box is, "Cube!? What you doing? You changing?! What's up?!" You know what I'm saying, that's how they come at me. So, with this record, it's the summer. It's California. It's a West Coast record. The people might appreciate that from other places. But if I hear a record from the south, I wanna sound like the south. If I hear an east coast record, I wanna sound like the east coast. I want to feel the concrete. So, when you hear a west coast record, do you want me to do what the east coast is doing, and what the south is doing? No. You want west coast right? So, that's what I'm doing.

But, there's records on there called -- you know there's a record on there you're going to dig -- it's called, "Hood Robbin'", which is talking about how you know everybody knows Robin Hood robs from the rich and gives to the poor. But, in "Hood Robbin", the corporations rob from the poor and give to the rich. You know what I mean? It's about how they beat us on this housing, on health care, pill popping. You got grand mamas drugged out. You got everybody dying off prescription drugs. You what I mean? It's like the whole gang and Klan is with it. So, you know, that's on there. "Man vs. Machine" is on there. That's talking about how we're so dependent on machinery, technology, and we can't even do simple things no more. You know, a lot of women can't cook because of the microwave. (Laughs) And then, if the microwave goes out, and the fast food restaurant ain't open, what you gon' do? You put flour, butter, sugar in front of somebody, and they're like "What the hell can I do? We can't eat this." (Laughs) But, you're grandma could have hooked it up. It's something that's happening to human beings where we're so dependent on trying to even live anywhere without any technology, and we probably couldn't survive. So that's dangerous. Pretty soon we're going to have auto plants, automation, machine, robots, doing everything humans do. You know, everything is going to be done by a robot. You go to the grocery store, they don't even have cashier no more. Everybody is checking their cell phones. You know, pretty soon, we won't need these humans. All we'll need is robots.

BallerStatus.com: Damn. You got this theory locked down.

Ice Cube: It's real. It's happening everyday. We're more and more hooked to these things. You know, if everybody could put one of them cell phones down, we could find a motherf***er nowadays. (Laughs)

BallerStatus.com: So let me ask you something. Could you easily live without a cell phone, iPod, etc?

Ice Cube: I mean, I got a cell phone for if I need to do business. But I'm just saying we're all dependent on it. You know, I'm not the kind of dude who's like, "Oh. I'm not going to wear the white man's product." (Laughs) You gotta have balance. I ain't gonna be so heavily dependent where I'm going to put my whole life into that phone, where I'm going to put my whole life in this thing. And if you can't survive, like if this thing [tape recorder] goes out, then you out? Nah you gotta write it down. You gotta keep writing it down.

BallerStatus.com: In the past, the west had rappers like you, Snoop, Pac, Dre holding the coast down, and today you have emerging stars like Nipsey, Jay Rock, and Game holding it down. Do you feel confident in these dudes holding down the coast like you guys did in the past?

Ice Cube: I feel confident. I feel as long as they rep where they're from, we'll always have representation. You know, it's the industry. It ain't the artists. The industry has basically abandoned the west. It's kind of like, "It's too west coast. That sh** sounds too west coast." What the hell does that mean? So, it's just a stigma. Most the industry is in New York. Most of the industry is in Atlanta. Some of it is in Miami. And, I'm talking about that run the industry. I'm talking about the Radio One, the Viacoms, and the Clear Channels. These are people that in a lot of ways run what's going to make it to the top. They don't think Nipsey Hustle is bumping 'cause they hear what's on the radio. Whoever is bumping out here, the whole country should be listening to that. You know, we don't get a shot. Ain't no major record companies out there no more that's really in the game. So if you're not on a major, ain't getting no awards, ain't on no awards show, you don't get none of that love. You only get love when you're on a major, or if you're a brand new artist and you have a breakthrough record. When you that kind of artist, there's no way going, but down.

BallerStatus.com: That's why you decided to go indie with this album right?

Ice Cube: Yeah. Go indie. Do what I want. Do what I feel. Don't try to follow no trends. Definitely don't listen to no suckas in those corporate buildings telling us how to make a record. Just be who we are.

BallerStatus.com: No Regis and Kelly.

Ice Cube: No, I mean it ain't Regis & Kelly. (Laughs) It's those A&R motherf***ers that sit up in these corporate buildings that say your records should sound like this. They'll be like "You need to do a record that's going to be hot. You need to do a record with whoever's hot. You need to record with Nicki Minaj." Yeah motherf***er, if I do a record with her, she's hot, so of course, it's going to be hot. Man, come up with something original. "Oh you need to do a record with T.I.. You need to do a record with whoever is the hot person."

BallerStatus.com: So, do you really feel there's a point to being in the music industry anymore if creativity is limited?

Ice Cube: Well it depends on what type of artist you are. Sometimes you gotta get in where you fit in. I'm talking from a different perspective. When I was coming up, I wish I had an A&R stuck in the studio with us. What? What is he going to tell me about the kind of music that I'm making? He wants me to sound like what he heard on the radio. So it's a different thing. I came in a different era. Some people gotta deal with that. You know what I mean? You should deal with that if it's the only way you could make a record. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get on. If there's someone with power, kick his ass out. So, you know, I ain't gonna tell people don't get into it because there's barely any people really doing it.

I Am The West drops July 13th. Head over to IceCube.com for more info.

http://www.ballerstatus.com/2010/06/07/catching-up-with-ice-cube-talks-state-of-music-industry-keeping-it-real-in-music/

New Music: CL - Don't Miss Me (Miss Me Freestyle) X The Night After Tracklisting

What's good yall. The Night After Mixtape is done. Everything is a go, and it'll drop on June 8th

Here's the tracklisting.

1. The Night After
2. I Want It All
3. Mr. Frosty Feat. JoeBe & Cally
4. How To Fly
5. Fly Away Feat. G$F
6. Living The Life
7. Just Say Hi
8. Suicide Skit
9. Hello World
10. Make It Alive
11. Stars
12. The Journalist
13 Elmont's Best Skit
14. Heating It Up
15. Bitter Industry
16. I'm Gone
17. The Rank

Here's a freestyle on Drake's Miss Me to hold yall over until Tuesday

Youngin!

Pics From The Ice Cube Interview

Blame Me

Blame Me...

Blame me for finding love in the wrong places

Gazing into those eyes, loving the wrong faces

Perceiving those gifts as thoughts of appreciation.

Claiming your fears were forms of hesitation.

Hesitating, because this love was written by the gods.

Unfazed by reality, gambling against the odds...

Maybe I pressured you, or maybe you were naive.

Naive to believe in the end you'll find me...

Waiting...

Arms opened, face radiant, smiling gleefully, because of your joyous return...

But instead...

You find no one...

House is vacant...

Number is changed...

Relationship status is fulfilled...

There's nothing you could do...

But blame me...

For providing you false will...

HipHopGame.Com - The Game Interview

HHG: I noticed you and Pharrell were recently shooting the video for “It’s Must Be Me”. How’s the video looking?

Game: Ah man that video is going to be a classic. Man we had so much fun shooting that video. We was in Compton, and I had Pharrell all on the block man. It was crazy man. For those niggas that haven’t been to Compton, one thing you need to know is that niggas don’t even get to go to Compton. That’s number 1. Two, you gotta get your hood passes and shit, you know what I’m saying? (Laughs) So we was on the block and shit. We had P {Pharrell} on the block. Then we took him to Crenshaw, and had him chilling with Nipsey {Hustle}. It was crazy man.

HHG: Pharrell was getting love in Compton?

Game: Yeah man. Compton, LA, South Central, we had it locked.

HHG: Oh ok. Now let’s get to your mixtape The Red Room which just dropped last week. What’s the overall reception you’ve been getting for the mixtape?

Game: Man that mixtape is killing the streets. I can’t even understand it man. We on right now man. You know it’s crazy because you know motherfuckers love to say some sideways shit about me man. But, I got no hate. No nothing this time around. On this album, everything I’m doing has been strategically done. I ain’t see no negative shit. I think the most negative might have been “this shit is too long, this 400 bars and shit”. But it’s good, it’s quality music. We shot a video for 400 bars the other day, and put that shit out. That shit got like 3 million hits on Worldstar. We locked and loaded man.

HHG: I gotta admit, you were pretty bold for hopping on Jay Electronica’s Exhibit C for 400 Bars after what he did to it. What was your thought process for not only writing the record, but jumping on that beat?

Game: Ah man. With going through that beat, we were just going through instrumentals, and we got to the Exhibit C beat. I was like it’s a lock. I always wanted to hop on that ever since I heard Jay {Electronica} on it. I called Jay, and I asked him if it was ok if I rock the 400 on it. He was like yeah he be honored. So I jumped on it.

HHG: As for the content, on Twitter, I know Jay Rock felt a certain way as far as a couple of your lines being directed towards him on 400 Bars. Were any shots directed at him on that record?

Game: Nah man. I don’t direct shots at no new cats. If I’m going at somebody, it’s going to be going at the top of the crop dog. BUT, anyway, if anyone feels a certain way about anything I do, then go ahead and drop something. Then, I’m gonna have to do what I have to do. But, anytime you decide to come at me, you gotta think about the livelihood of your career. You gotta think about ff you still love it, or if you still want it, because I’m going to do everything to detonate the bomb that’s going to end up terrorizing your whole rap career. So, that goes for every rapper in the world. Nigga you come at me, I’m coming, and it’s not going to be like a battle or war. Nigga I’m going to destroy nigga’s shit.

HHG: Just drop 500 bars?

Game: Man I might. Shit you never know fucking with me.

HHG: Besides the 400 Bars, another highlight on the tape was “Gangs of New York” featuring Jadakiss & Jim Jones. Being a West Coast rapper, how important is it for you to maintain that relationship with the East coast rappers, more importantly NY rappers in general?

Game: Man it’s because every time I come to New York, New York shows me so much love like I’m a New York nigga. So I appreciate them. And whenever Jada or Capo {Jim Jones} come out here, they already know it’s one love. Even from all the way back with the “Certified Gangstas” - when Jim came out here in the early days, before my album was even out – we were showing the nigga love. And when I went to New York, my nigga Billboard – rest in peace – Jim Jones picked us up from the airport, and the nigga took us all the way to Harlem. He had us on 145th buying leather coats and shit. Those are my niggas man. Kiss used to get me from the hotel and took me to Y.O. We hopped out the liquor store, and was sipping 40’s. So those my niggas man. So New York has always showed me love, and I always show New York love. Everybody knows where I’m from. I’m from Compton, representing Los Angeles. That’s what’s it’s going to be until I die. That’ll never change. But I’m gonna show everybody love. New York, Atlanta, down south, the Midwest. It don’t matter to me. I fucks with everybody.

HHG: Ok. Now as for the RED album, I know you’re dropping June 15th, same time as Drake. Do you think the media will try to conjure up a competition for sales like they did with the whole 50 & Kanye battle?

Game: Man they could do whatever they want, but I’m not going to participate in it because this time in my life I’m sort of phasing beef out. I’m just trying to have a good time, put my squad on, and let them do their thang and shit. I got a couple of new artists that I’m working with. I’m just worried more about the business side of things. I’m not really worried about trying to beef with somebody. But you know, if you pop the right shot, then nigga you know what it is man.

HHG: I know you got that Justin Timberlake track under your sleeve. How do you think people will respond to a track like that.

Game: Oh nah nigga we dropped that. They loving that shit man. I’ve been hearing the dope responses from that everywhere man. We gonna shoot the video for that in the end of May, and in Miami with Pharrell and JT on the boats and shit. That shit is going to be wild. I can’t wait to do that. I’m going to be Dapper Dan for that. I’m gonna have to leave my Bandana home that day man. (Laughs)

HHG: Come through in the tuxedo?

Game: Come through in the tux man, and keep it all the way gully. (Laughs)

HHG: Lets take a trip back to your last album. It was criticized by critics for having too many guest appearances. Do you ever feel maybe having too many appearances could actually serve as a negative since fans are looking to see what you personally could bring to the table?

Game: Man I don’t give a fuck about that man. I don’t give a fuck about the critics. Nigga I do records. I do 100’s of records for my album right? And at the end, I pick the 12-17 records that I think are most reminiscent of each other and gel the best. And if every one of them shits got somebody on it, then I don’t give a fuck about that. It’s a good song. And I don’t make albums or even music for the critics. Man I make music for Hip-Hop. I make music for Hip-Hop fans, and I make music for myself. I ain’t worried about what anybody is thinking. Man I came in with a Cadillac and two pit bulls nigga. Now I got Bentleys, and my pit bulls got houses the size of elementary bunkers, and nigga we good. So shit, I’m gonna do what I want to man. My fucking team is up. Everybody is rocking chains, and got cash in their pockets. Everybody is getting on, and got girls doing their thing man. Me, I’m just sitting back, and I’ve been did all that. I don’t wear jewelry no more. I’m just with my kids, my girl, my homies, and I’m just chilling man. Fuck the critics@gmail.com. (Laughs)

HHG: Now in terms of production, I know you and Dre have history, but recently you Pharrell have been going hard on your album. Who do you think have a stronger chemistry with overall?

Game: That’s a crazy question. Man, I don’t know. I probably say with Pharrell man because with Pharrell, you could kind of like get in there, and do you, while Pharrell is in there doing him, and that could bring us together. With Dre, it ain’t really a chemistry. With Dre, I know exactly what the fuck I gotta do. I gotta fucking go in there, bring my notepad, and learn something cuz’ Dre gon’ teach me. It ain’t about chemistry. It’s about sitting the fuck down, listening to what he say do, and you better listen to what he say do or else you’re gonna fall short.

HHG: Speaking of Dre, what’s up with Detox? Better yet that single?

Game: Man don’t ask me that question. I’m the wrong cat man. I don’t know nothing about Detox. (Laughs)

HHG: I know you’re lying man? (Laughs)

Game: Nah nah I don’t know man. When you holla at Dre, which is never man, (laughs), you could ask Dre man. I don’t even speak on Detox no more man. Until I hear a single on the radio man, then you could ask me all about it. I’ll tell you all about everything I know. But right now, I’m not selling nobody no dreams man. I don’t know when Detox is
coming, or if it’s ever coming. All I know is I’ve been in there, and I’ve heard some crazy shit.

HHG: You’re killing me man.

Game: Nah man. That ain’t my album man. My album comes out in a month and a half man. You good, I ain’t killing you. I’m about to give you something. (Laughs)

HHG: Matter fact, what track in particular do you think is going to blow everybody away? That one track that’s going to give everybody something to talk about.

Game: On my album?

HHG: Yeah.

Game: The Intro.

HHG: You went in?

Game: I went in. I went in so crazy on the intro that the label wanna shoot a video for it this week. So, we on man. When this album drop, we on. You, me, everybody, and the world. We on.

HHG: Switching gears, I know you have a tendency of working with 50’s enemies. What’s the possibility of you doing a record with Shyne since he’s out of jail?

Game: I was supposed to go out to Belize and really get it in with him, but it never really manifested because he over there, and he can’t come here. And I’ve been grinding with my team, and my album. So I wasn’t able to get it in. Shyne is like my brother from another mother man. So we’re going to definitely do a track when time permits.

HHG: A lot of fans have been real crucial of Shyne as far as his freestyles are concerned. If you were in Irv Gotti’s position, and played the manager role, what advice would you give to Shyne on his verge to a comeback?

Game: Man I’m not even going to judge the tracks cuz that’s my nigga. But shit, I would say just stay low until he perfects whatever the gameplan is, and bust out.

HHG: Understandable. I know you have a tendency of changing your feelings regarding 50 Cent & G-Unit. Like last week you said, 50 was cool, but Banks and Yayo were pussies. I gotta know, as of today, April 29th 2010, how do you feel about 50 Cent?

Game: Ah today, I ain’t really tripping off 50 man. Man whatever he doing man, I wish him the best. Tomorrow I might be like fuck him, and after that we might be cool. But that, that’s like even with my whole family and friends man. One day I might be fucking with my family, and the next day is different depending on life’s situation and whatever hurdles, and obstacles it brings. But, I’m just a real nigga. I just say how I feel. I don’t gotta like you every fucking day. You like everybody every fucking day?

HHG: Nah man.

Game: Hell nah. Some niggas might piss you off, and you change your opinion everyday. I was just in the fucking limelight in the media, so my shit looked like it was contradictory. But my opinion changes everyday. When we wake up and get dressed, how many times do you put on that sweater, take it off, throw on that hoodie, take that off, and throw on that tee, and be like “Ok. We can rock?” That’s how people are. We’re very opinionated, and opinions change man. That’s what it is man. I ain’t really tripping off 50 and them today. They should just stay out of my way. I’m like kryptonite for them.

HHG: Lets talk hypothetically. Let’s say Vince McMahon called you and said for Wrestlemania I want you to take on G-Unit in a six-man tag team match. Who are you going to have as your partners?

Game: You already know I’m coming with Raekwon and Beanie Sigel man. If it’s a WWE 6 man tag with G-Unit, me, Raekwon, and motherfucking Sigel nigga. We suplexing niggas for the top turnbuckle. That shit would be crazy. (Laughs)

HHG: Beans would be probably throwing dudes through tables. (Laughs)

Game: Oh nah man. Beans going to definitely be bouncing niggas off the turnbuckle. Me, I’m going go at 50, and put him in the headlock. And after that, I’m going make that nigga tap out. (Laughs)

HHG: Besides wrestling though, are you still going to take challenges for when Madden 11 drops?

Game: When Madden 11 drops, if anybody wants it in Madden 11, they can get destroyed man. Matter fact, you know what I wanna say while we’re doing this interview? Anybody that ever beat me on Madden online, that’s different circumstances. Like my record on this last year, was like 780-90, with like 45 drops. So for anybody that beat me online, don’t think you sweet nigga because if we get up close and personal, and on some real life shit, or I gotta do it for TV, I’ll beat the dog shit out of a nigga in Madden. So whoever claimed they beat me or whatever, I’m slashing.

HHG: Before I let you go, I remember listening to some tracks with you and Nas, and said to myself, these two have some great chemistry together. Would you consider doing an album with Nas before you call it quits?

Game: Nigga, I’m ready. Like Nas is my nigga. If he’s ready, then I’m ready. If we stayed in the studios for 7 days, didn’t go home, and it had like a shower, and a kitchen in that motherfucker, 7 days we would have an album. And that might see the light of day, because I talked to Nas about it before. I mean maybe. Maybe that will happen.

HHG: And if that does that happen, who do you want executive producing the album?

Game: Executive producing that album? DJ Premier.

HHG: Damn.

Game: You like that. Yeaaah! Let’s get that moving. (Laughs)

http://hiphopgame.ihiphop.com/index2.php3?page=game

Janelle Monae: Dance The Night Away

On March 4th, innocent minds of music executives, journalists, and entertainers were galvanized by the effervescent singer Janelle Monae’s debut album entitled The Arch Android. Loud shrills of excitement, and anticipation seeped through the cracks of the Rubin Museum of Art in downtown Manhattan, as P Diddy’s coveted artist delivered a slew of tracks from her long awaited debut.

The 25 year old crooner – known for her eclectic and artistic savvy - transformed the Rubin Museum of Art into her own personal playground for the night. Posters and postcards of the singer were scattered throughout the room, and even pictures of her were plastered on the doors of the main entrance.

“Wow. Atlantic {Records} definitely knows how to treat their artists. We haven’t even walked inside, and all I see is Janelle this, Janelle that. No hate. I’m just saying,” said rapper J.Whizz – real name Jason Miller.

After people walked in, and checked in their coats, many quickly gazed at the little bar which sat discretely at the corner in hopes of alleviating their stressful work day. “Janelle is already doing a great job. She must have been reading my mind, because I’ve been dying for a shot of vodka. And then to find out I don’t need to pay? Kudos to Janelle, I needed a shot of vodka, before we even got loose”, said Alton Rogers.

To make the situation even more interesting, a group of actors dressed in all black attire were ubiquitously swarming the room as their appearance rivaled characters from the movie Star Wars. From first glance, many people seemed a tad bemused by their presence, but as time progressed, the meaning behind their attendance would later be revealed.

As people continued to marvel at the actors and parlay during the cocktail hour, notable music executives began making their way into the building. Recording CEO of Recorded Music for Warner Music Group, Lyor Cohen –who has been influential in the signing and development of marquee artists like Bon Jovi, LL Cool J, Run D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys – was found side by side with Bad Boy Records Vice President Harvey Pierre, and Founder of the now defunct Uptown Records, Andre Harrell.

“Honestly, unless someone has a lot of hype, or a huge following, you most likely wouldn’t see these huge heavyweight executives at an album listening party, said Hip-Hop Journalist Juan Pierre. Janelle obviously has something that everybody is intrigued to see. If she wasn’t talented or had a significant buzz, none of these huge titans would even consider coming. That’s just the truth.”

Before Juan even had a chance to utter out his next word, his eyes steered towards the stairs. Walking up the stairs was the gracious Janelle Monae, laced in an all black tuxedo. An ordinary person wouldn’t be able to tell Janelle had superstar credentials, because her aura was simply enough to refute such thoughts. Light hearted, and full of fervor, Monae embraced the celebration as if she was a 16 year old surrounded by her longtime friends and family. As she walked onto the stage, she hugged everyone who accompanied her, and grabbed the microphone as if she was ready to perform. “First off, I wanna thank everyone for making it tonight. This truly means a lot to me. Thanks to my label, Atlantic Records, and Diddy for allowing me to have his chance, and providing me such a platform.”

Claps and shouts paraded the air as Janelle waved humbly. After she was flooded with a round of applause, she then instructed, “Now, I want dancing. Get up, and act a fool”. Before everyone was able to begin practicing their new dance moves Sean “P.Diddy” Combs abruptly popped on the screen. All eyes were glued towards the screen as Diddy sincerely apologized for his absence, and explained how he was in Paris handling business. As for Monae’s talent, Combs had this to say: "Janelle is my most artistic signing yet. She's not afraid to dream. I'm known for my hype, but her music speaks for itself." And as promised, Monae delivered. For 45 minutes people were up dancing, and having fun without even worrying about having to go to work the following morning.

Track after track exhibited Monae’s innate ability to pen a song. Not only did her seamless songwriting abilities catch the attention of the audience, but her selection of beats, and instruments served as a pleasant side dish to Monae’s quest in crafting a masterpiece.

Even rapper J. Whizz was blown away. “This is what I call music. We haven’t had someone who could blend sounds from different eras, and still make the music enjoyable. That’s what so impressive. She definitely has star potential no doubt. I’m buying the album May 18th. I recommend you do the same. I mean, if you endorse real music of course.