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"Rock City" is probably one of the most talented up & coming groups in the game right now. They have tremendous buzz & is slowly working their way to becoming bigger household names. In the following video you can see they maybe getting a little frustrated with where they are at the present time which is not uncommon for many artists waiting for their debut album to be released. Akon is actually schooling these brothaz that timing is everything in the entertainment industry & one false move can derail your career regardless of how much talent you have. I've interviewed Akon a few times many years ago before he became a household name & can recall the ups & downs Akon endured before getting to the place where he is at now. Akon is definitely speaking from experience when he tells the brothaz how things really are when you don't have any real support.  The best thing they can do is to continue to make good music, tour, do MANY interviews & overall stay relentless in their pursuit of success. 

Check out this video of Ludacris & 9th Wonder in the studio together laughing at the recent video of K-Ci & JoJo's flawed performance in Australia.  Hopefully 9th Wonder & Ludacris are working on a song together because just seeing them in the studio has us heavily anticipating a few hot joints.  We'll see come November 11th when Luda's album "Theatre Of The Mind" drops...

The "2 Live Stews" are probably the only commercial radio show that I listen to other than satellite radio. They can be heard on 790 the Zone from 1pm-4pm here in Atlanta, but they are also syndicated nationally. They have one of the most fun sports talk shows to listen to because it feels like I'm with my friends talking about everything from women to sports.  Check out this video from their television show where they discuss why brothaz date younger women.  It's pretty interesting & sounds like conversations I have with some of my friends on a regular basis.   

In case you may have missed it, check out this interview of R Kelly speaking about his recent trial in which he was found not guilty. One thing is for sure R Kelly, or some political or underworldly figures around him, must be really connected to get him off.  We've seen the actual videotape so our opinions are not going to change no matter what he says in some interview.  BET has the exclusive interview which makes political sense for R Kelly because he needs BET to continue to play his videos & promote his music. It also benefits the "Pied Piper" because BET has a history of not interviewing black entertainers well who've run afoul of the law.  They all run to BET because they never want to be grilled by the more mainstream media with tougher questions. For those of us who've seen the sex tape, this interview is actually hilarious.  

This past weekend Tommy Hilfiger made a special appearance at the Macy's store up at Lenox Square Mall. Tommy was there promoting and selling copies of his book Iconic America and signing autographs for hundreds of fans. His appearance coincided with Macy's 150th anniversary as a department store. It was a large turn out but one thing I noticed was there was hardly any people of color in the crowd. I thought it was rather funny because I remember when wearing Tommy Hifiger was staple in hip hop culture. In the early nineties Hip Hop artists such as Grand Puba and Q-tip not only mentioned Tommy in their lyrics, they were also sporting it as well. Back in 1994 I recall when Snoop Dogg perfomed on Saturday Night Live dressed from head to toe in Tommy Hilfiger exposing it to a national audience. That same year Tommy Hilfiger sales skyrocketed to over 90 million dollar in gross revenue. I'm sure yall have heard the rumors about Tommy not wanting to be associated with Hip Hop culture and selling his clothes at an astronomically high price so that people of color couldn't afford them. I dont know if this is true but I do know that the upstart of more urban clothing companies such as Phat Farm, Rocawear, and Sean Jean have caused Tommy lose his edge with the urban audience. Tommy Hilfiger had to close many of his specialty stores and his sales at department stores are half of what they were five years ago. Tommy maybe be still doing well (by the average person's standards), but it's crazy to see the how the lack of urban influence has greatly affected his sales. If Nelly is making millions in selling Apple Bottom jeans then other brothers can come up the same way. Tommy sorta paved the way.

Rakim showing why he's one of the greatest lyricists of all time

Raphael Saadiq's new album dropped yesterday....did you cop it? Peep the interview below

CNN gets pranked by two male Howard Stern employees supposedly kissing each other in the background of a live newscast.  The hilariousness starts around :42 seconds into the video below.....

"They should have never gave you n*ggaz money!  ---Dave Chappelle

It seems like our pro athletes in the ATL can't get enough of the strip clubs.  Ain't nothing wrong with it unless your clocked by some cop while speeding from Pin Ups, Magic City, Babes, or any other popular Candy Shop around the "A".   The latest athlete to get caught up last night was Falcons safety Lawyer Milloy.  He got hemmed up at 3:30am this morning on I-85 in his 2006 Range Rover after failing several field sobriety tests & registering a .141 which is more than the DUI limit of .08%.  The arresting officer stated that Lawyer first said he only had "one shot and a beer", but later told the officer that he drank "two shots and a beer."  The former New England Patriot probably never had a taste of the ATL strip club culture & just got caught up in Gwinnett County after having too much fun & one too many drinks.  

We spotted this video over at Necole Bitchie's site & we have got to say that Janet Jackson must be a card carrying member of the "Freak Nasty" club....

Ludacris's new album "Theatre of The Mind" was initially scheduled to be released in October, but it appears that it's been pushed back to November 11th.  In the meantime check out this trailer to Ludacris's new song "Undisputed" featuring Floyd "Money" Mayweather.....

I've come to the realization that no matter how much you try to explain to someone what real hip hop is about they will never fully understand because they probably didn't grow up with it or just don't quite understand what hip hop is about.  As a true hip hop head I find it's better to not argue with fools.  Hip Hop as a culture is only about 36 years old so it's not really about being old in the game more so than the artform growing & expanding.  Other genres of music have been around for decades longer than rap music.  Older artists in the game can still rap, but just need to change their subject matter to adjust, but not just make the same kiddie music they were making in the past.  One example would be to look at how artists like Common have evolved.  In addition, the talent level in hip hop also needs to step up.  KRS-One once said that real artists "rely on talent & not marketing & promotion".  Check out this video below...Nelly doesn't realize that he disses himself in saying that the music is not for old artists, but last we checked Nelly is in his mid thirties.  It's also apparent that Nelly may now have beef with Ice-T....It's almost certain.  

Redman is scheduled to perform later tonight at the Loft over on West Peachtree Street tonight.  It's a free show sponsored by Scion, but you do have to RSVP at www.Scion.com/LiveMetro

Check out his video for "Pick It Up" which was filmed here in Atlanta during the time when he was living in ATL along with his homie Erick Sermon......

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Some of us go to church on a regular basis, some of us go to the mosque, & some of us are just spiritual beings devoid of following any particular religion. You can find God or your higher power in the words left by great individuals who may or may not be still with us. Focus on this quote for the rest of the week. Post it on your refrigerator, at the office, or even on your computer's screen saver. You may be surprised at how much it will get you through the week & even through the rest of your life. This weeks inspirational quote for the week comes from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.  Read it & be inspired to do the right thing.......

A man screaming "All Black People Must Die" runs down a black female bicyclist after his girlfriend leaves him for a black man. It's a rather unfortunate situation for the young lady who will never be same after this incident. The good news is that there will be plenty of Black Men in the jail who will be willing to make this guy their "Girlfriend". Lesson to racist white males who commit crimes against African Americans.....the brothaz run the jails. We're sure they were watching this newscast from the day rooms.

The hook to a classic hip hop song runs over & over saying "it's bigger than hip hop", & that statement couldn't be any more true as the brothers that ran the BMF in Atlanta recently found that it's definitely not ALLHIPHOP as they were sentenced yesterday.

Brothers Demetrius “Big Meech” and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory were sentenced yesterday (September 12) to 30 years in prison, for running the cocaine organization known as The Black Mafia Family. Demetrius and Terry were apprehended in 2005 and indicted under the CCE (Continuing Criminal Enterprise) law, which like RICO charges carry life sentences. Under the federal prison system, there is no parole option. Seeking to avoid spending the rest of their natural lives in prison, the brothers pleaded guilty in November 2007 to the CCE charges and laundering drug money in hopes of serving the minimum 20 year sentence. However, evidence presented by prosecutors resulted in 30 year sentences for both men. BMF was founded by the brothers in Detroit during the late 1980s.  

DJ Rastaroot's "Face Off Friday" monthly event kicks off again tonight at club MJQ.  Roots is the road manager for Dwele & DJ for Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest.  He also reps the ATL as one of the hottest deejays on an international level as he frequently travels to spin at gigs all over the world on a regular basis.  MJQ is a spot we recommend for this evening as you may never know who may show up at anytime & grace the stage with Rastaroot. One of the best nights at MJQ, Root's "Face Off Fridays" provides a good mix of music that deviate from the same songs you hear on the regular radio everyday.  We recommend this spot because there isn't some bulls*t dress codes & crazy cover charge.  Just good vibes & good music really over at 736 Ponce De Leon Ave.   Don't take our word for it, just show up...or check out the video below to catch the vibe.  

The ATLstatus team caught up with Young Jeezy's new R&B artist "London" during his photoshoot.  London has a few joints circulating among the deejays on the mixtapes & on the radio right now for Jeezy's CTE label called "One 2 Many" & "Sometimes".  The upcoming album is to be released on Universal/Motown records.  Check out this video of him explaining how he went from being homeless to getting his current buzz building right now.  

Radric Davis, better known in the ATL as rapper "Gucci Mane" was sent back to jail this morning after having his probation revoked.  At the probation hearing this morning he admitted to his parole officer that he smoked weed & had taken "X" pills.  In addition it was revealed that he didn't serve enough community service hours as he only completed 25 of the 650 required hours.  Gucci Mane also received a DUI & weed possession charge earlier this summer.  The judge sent him back to jail this morning & he is now required to serve an entire year.

It appears T.I.'s "otha baby motha" has recently sued the Bankhead representer for more child support. Lashon Dixon, 29, says she's been receiving $2,000 a month for their two boys ages 7 & 8. The woman claims that she & T.I. have known each other since they were teenagers & dated before he was the current superstar that he is now. Dixon states that she is having a hard time caring for their sons with the current amount of child support she's been receiving. Dixon said she wants a court to order a stipend that is equal to the rapper's current success. Of course many of you may already know that T.I. also has two sons with his fiancee, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, of the defunct R&B group Xscape. T.I. & Tiny also had a daughter who died shortly after childbirth back in 2007.

"To clarify the recent reports, in addition to the $2000 per month I pay in cash to Lashon Dixon, the mother of my sons Domani and Messiah, I also pay for their private schooling, medical insurance, clothing, food, gifts, birthdays and extracurricular activities. Their extra-curricular activities have included football, basketball, baseball, acting lessons, summer camp, and any other activities that they express a desire to be involved in that will contribute to them leading balanced lives and developing into well rounded individuals. I have also made an attempt to help Lashon with additional payments that have included a down payment to purchase her home, purchase of an automobile for her transportation and other financial obligations."

Check out this Erykah Badu Interview....Okayplayer?

Kanye West was recently arrested after a scuffle with the paparazzi in the L.A.X. airport according to various news reports including the LA Times.  Kanye West and his road manager Don Crowley were arrested this morning at Los Angeles International Airport on suspicion of felony vandalism after they confronted two paparazzi and smashed the men's cameras, authorities said. The incident took place about 7:50 a.m. outside the passenger security screening area in Terminal 4, said LAX spokeswoman Nancy Castles.  Initial reports said the incident involved "a commercial photographer, 'paparazzi' " and a camera worth more than $10,000, according to Castles. Kanye recently posted bail & was released, but check out some of the video of what happened.  "Damn these niggaz got me, I hate these niggaz more than the nazi's"-Kanye West