And this isn’t as disturbing as those Air Force One flyovers last month?
via NYTimes
Alongside the explosive growth of online video over the last six years, time spent on social networks surpassed that for e-mail for the first time in February, signaling a paradigm shift in consumer engagement with the Internet.
According to a report released in April by Nielsen, Internet use for “short-tail” sites with large audience reach has evolved since 2003. The change is from portal-oriented sites, like shopping directories and Internet tools like Microsoft Passport, to social networks, YouTube and providers of niche content.
In November 2007, the video audience also exceeded the e-mail audience for the first time, and sites with long-form videos (averaging six to eight minutes) are showing much more growth and user time spent online than those with shorter videos.
Industries hit hardest by the recession — retail, automotive and especially finance — have scaled back online advertising, but consumer products, telecommunications and health care have all ramped up ad impressions, figures consistent with trends in print advertising. Read more…
via CNN
(CNN) — Christian Eshiett was a rambunctious pre-teen who spent a lot of time cavorting with his friends in southern Nigeria. He would skip school and run away from home for days, frustrating his grandfather, who oversaw the boy’s care.
“I beat him severely with canes until they broke, yet he never shed a tear,” said Eshiett Nelson Eshiett, 76. “One day, I took a broom to hit him and he started crying. Then I knew he was possessed by demons. … Nigerian witches are terrified of brooms.”
From that day two years ago, Christian, now 14, was branded a witch. The abuse intensified.
“They would take my clothes off, tie me up and beat me,” he told CNN in a telephone interview.
The teen is one of the so-called witch children in Eket, a city in oil-rich Akwa Ibom state of Nigeria. Read more…
via MyFreeze
President Barack Obama will restart military tribunals for a small number of Guantanamo detainees, reviving a Bush-era trial system he once assailed as flawed but with new legal protections for terror suspects, U.S. officials said.
The changes to the system, which will affect a small number of detainees, will be announced Friday.
It seems Regular Joe has gotten himself in deep trouble with one of our pioneers.Melle sets him straight about his Hip Hop history.
Epic fail for Joe Budden.
via MyFreeze
T.I. will be coming to Arkansas by May 26 to serve a prison sentence on federal weapons charges.
The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Clifford J. Harris Jr., will be serving his sentence of one year and a day at the Forrest City low-security federal prison. Paperwork filed in his federal court case shows he has until noon on May 26 to report for his sentence.
Prison officials didn’t immediately return a call Friday for comment.
Harris pleaded guilty to the charges after he tried to buy a stash of machine guns and silencers to protect himself after his best friend was killed. He will also pay a $100,000 fine as part of his sentence.
The cast looks like they really brought it home, especially Mariah Carey.
Source: Skee TV
via MTV
The Game’s new LP, The R.E.D. Album, was not inspired by him being a Blood. It’s not a clever play on words or some type of tip of the fitted cap to Jay-Z’s Black Album. Nah, the Compton native’s CD is all about him restarting his engine.
“The R.E.D. Album, people think the R.E.D. stands for gangbanging. I am what I am. … R.E.D. — that’s rededicated. Rededicated to hip-hop … to my hood, Compton. Rededicated to my family, rededicated to everything.”
And yes, that rededication means the end of Game’s retirement talk. He says the album will be out in ’09 and he’s already been in the studio with Timbaland, J.R. Rotem, Drumma Boy and former Aftermath producer Mike Lynn. Cool and Dre are scheduled to come in on the album and Game also hopes to track Kanye West down for beats.
via XXL
XXLMag.com has learned that DMX has been released from Tent City Jail in Arizona.
X’s publicist Pam Pinnock told XXL that the troubled rapper was freed yesterday and is currently out on bail after serving three months behind bars for drug, theft and animal cruelty charges. Although he has served his time for his problems before entering the facility, the Yonkers MC is not out of the weeds yet in regards to the charges he picked up once in the system. Pinnock says X is scheduled for a May 19 court date stemming from an assault case on a jail officer. The rapper has publicly denied the incident.
DMX, who is currently signed to indie label Bulldog Records, is working on a new rap album with fellow Ruff Ryder Swizz Beatz. His rep tells interested parties that X is presently available for guest appearances.
Stay tuned to XXL as more details become available.
via MTV
SANTA MONICA, California — As far as summer 2009 is concerned, the red-hot writing pair behind “Star Trek” aren’t finished with us yet. Their second strike hits soon with the June 24 blockbuster “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” and these days the screenwriting duo are dreaming about further blurring the lines of pop-culture.
“I’d love to write a scene where Spock meets Optimus Prime,” Alex Kurtzman laughed. 
“I guess we did,” his partner Roberto Orci revealed, making reference to the “Transformers” character who uses TV and radio signals to speak. “Because at one point we have Bumblebee [in the new film] using audio from ‘Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan.’ “
It’s a sly follow-up to Bumblebee’s sampling of “Trek” actress Nichelle Nichols in the original “Transformers” film — and one of many pop-culture touchstones the duo had in mind while constructing the eagerly anticipated film.
This reminds me of when I was looking at a Eddie Griffith special and he went from a comedian to a historian when he started building on topics I never thought I’d hear coming from his mouth. The same with Tommy, he totally caught me off guard with his advanced knowledge he had of this history of Moors and America’s hidden past. Definitely worth watching.
via Times Online
Few would dispute that Bono knows how to write a song, but can the U2 frontman pen a poem? 
This morning, he offered his skills up for public scrutiny by unveiling an ode to Elvis Presley on Radio 4.
In his familiar gravelly voice, the 49-year-old rock icon delivered a fast-paced, 14-minute tribute to The King.
Recorded two years ago, but written in 1994, the poem, entitled American David, contained an array of strange and risqué rhymes set to a musical backing track made up of Elvis tunes and other pop culture recordings from the last 50 years.
via RealTalk
I guess Amazin’ Amie has Coco looking over her shoulder, well she’s back in a BIG way. Nice.
via Woooha
Diddy x Get Him to the Greek. CL has some great photos of Diddy on the set of the new Judd Apatow produced comedy Get Him to the Greek. In the movie Diddy plays a pissed off record label exec…looks like he is taking out his Day 26 and Danity Kane aggressions out in this scene which was shot in Vegas.
via TheSmokingGun
MAY 13–When Jay-Z headlined last month at the University of Arizona, the rapper banked a whopping $750,000 for his set. But the chart-topping performer did not get every perk requested in his concert rider, since the school does not provide artists with alcohol, tobacco, or $400,000 luxury vehicles. As seen on the following pages from his 2009 concert rider, Jay-Z (real name: Shawn Carter) demands that promoters provide him with ground transportation while he is in town performing.
Specifically, the rap star requires a late-model black Maybach (either the 57 or 62 model) with tinted windows. Carter’s dressing room (72 degrees, please) must be stocked with Sapporo beer, vodka, tequila, and two bottles of $300 Champagne. Oh, and the 39-year-old performer also needs two bottles (at $200 apiece) of 2004 Sassicaia, which his rider helpfully describes as a “Red, Italian Wine from Bolgheri Region.” Additionally, Carter requires “Good Quality” peanut butter and jelly, one martini shaker, 12 shot glasses, and a pack of Marlboro Lights.
A marked-up copy of the Jay-Z rider, provided by the University of Arizona, includes the school’s deletion of items it declined to provide the rapper.
Industry insider BIG JOE dishes the dirt on why the game, in particular NY rap is at a standstill. This might be a lil’ too much for those with weak stomach’s but the truth is a rather bitter pill to swallow.
Dan the Man continues to craft classic clips over there at Radio Planet. This one is for Yayo, who has a laid back drawl flow that mysteriously works for homie. Interscope got the Unit on their A-Game, and that’s not a bad thing.
Vampires continue their bloody winning streak as DreamWorks is in the process of picking up a remake of “Fright Night.”
Michael Gaeta and Alison Rosenzweig of Gaeta/Rosenzweig Films are producing along with Michael De Luca. Rosenzweig, who also is setting up remakes of “The Reincarnation of Peter Proud” and “Angel Heart” with De Luca, brought the project to him.
DreamWorks co-president of production Mark Sourian is overseeing for the studio, which has rarely foraged in the horror genre for material. Its most recent two outings — “The Uninvited” and “The Ruins” — grossed just $29 million and $17 million, respectively. But its remake of “The Ring” and its sequel grossed $390 million worldwide.
via WIRED
Every time an American bomb kills civilians in Afghanistan, the U.S. loses another battle in the information war to the Taliban. And despite more accurate weapons, more careful targeting, and speedier responses to the press, the Pentagon can’t seem to figure out how to stop the setbacks in this decisive struggle for influence. A former top military official believes he may have the answer, however: let troops blog in combat, so they can ward off the accusations of atrocities as they fight.
The latest tangle over civilian casualties came last week, when American airstrikes killed dozens of innocents, during a battle in western Afghanistan. Locals said a hundred or more civilians might have died in the crossfire. In response, the U.S. military launched an investigation. Senior American officials hinted that the Taliban might’ve staged the whole thing — while the President and the Secretary of State apologized for the loss of life. After a few days, investigators concluded that the civilian death toll was only about a third of what was initially reported. But the damage was done: innocents were killed; the Americans looked blood-thirsty; and the Taliban notched another win in the campaign for hearts and minds. The Afghan president even demanded an end to American airstrikes.
via Variety
Martin Scorsese will direct the biopic “Sinatra” for Universal Pictures and Mandalay Pictures.
Phil Alden Robinson is writing the screenplay for Sinatra based on the life of the iconic entertainer.
Universal and Mandalay have been quietly developing the project after securing the Frank Sinatra life rights and music rights from Frank Sinatra Enterprises — a joint venture of the Sinatra Estate and Warner Music Group. The process of acquiring the rights took years.
Peter Guber and Cathy Schulman are producing.
via HipHopPress
NEW YORK, May 13 /PRNewswire/ — J Records recording artist Jamie Foxx sets the all-time record for 12 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Urban Mainstream chart with his hit single “Blame It” (TLC’s “No Scrubs” was #1 for 11 weeks in 1999)! This unprecedented feat is coupled with “Blame It” coming in at #1 on the Hot 100 Audience chart for a 4th week with an audience of 119.6 million. The single also maintains its Top 5 status this week landing at #3 on the Rhythmic chart (after a 5 week run at #1), and #5 on the Top 40 chart. Additionally, “Blame It” is currently #3 on Nielsen’s Ringscan chart as it crossed the million tone sales mark after peaking at #2 a few weeks ago. Foxx’s RIAA-certified Platinum album Intuition is currently #6 on the R&B Albums chart.
via Allhiphop
Like fellow superstar T.I., Kanye West has clarified that he has no interest in joining the social networking phenomenon known as Twitter.
In a recent blog entry on his website kanyeuniversecity.com, the eclectic Chicago artist launched a trademark, all caps tirade over a fake Twitter account (@kanyewest) that carried his name.
“DON’T HAVE A F****** TWITTER… WHY WOULD I USE TWITTER???” Kanye stated. “I ONLY BLOG 5 PERCENT OF WHAT I’M UP TO IN THE FIRST PLACE. I’M ACTUALLY SLOW DELIVERING CONTENT BECAUSE I’M TOO BUSY ACTUALLY BUSY BEING CREATIVE MOST OF THE TIME AND IF I’M NOT AND I’M JUST LAYING ON A BEACH I WOULDN’T TELL THE WORLD.”
Jay w/a shapeup? Relic
via RapHeat
“The media Rumors about VIBE Media Group filing for bankruptcy are not true . The source of this false rumor was fired up by a blogger who didn’t make VIBE’s 50 Top Rap Blogs list posted last week.”
The recent list put out by VIBE caused an uproar throughout the rap blogging community. Websites mentioned in the list were never heard of by most and sites like RealTalkNy and ThisIs50 got snubbed. Among the most controversy was the listing of RapRadar, who hadn’t even launched at the time the list was made. Several hip-hop blogging sites responded to the VIBE list by putting out a list of their own, including XXLMag.com.
In related news, VIBE Magazine is going to expand its brand through the creation of THE MOST! Magazine. The new magazine from VIBE will serve as a tabloid and will service newsstands and the web with THEMOSTMAG.com.
“THE MOST! will fill a void at the newsstand by reflecting VIBE’s commitment to urban style, celebrity, beauty and culture through a more tabloid-themed publication. A purely lifestyle and celebrity magazine featuring some of the most trendsetting stars in the world, THE MOST! is “urban” with pride and mega style.”
I might be kinda of late on this but I whole heartedly reaffirm this message, the Hipster must DIE! This movement is a gateway to alot of other activity that has sabotaged black masculinity, so songs like this and Rhymefest’s need to put on 40-foot speakers and blared in Soho.
via AP
Black Fortune 500 CEOs with a “babyface” appearance are more likely to lead companies with higher revenues and prestige than Black CEOs who look more mature, an upcoming study says.
 |
| BABYFACE BENEFITS — American Express CEO Ken Chenault is seen the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York in 2007. Chenault is among four Black CEOs that run Fortune 500 companies. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, file) |
In contrast with research showing that white executives are hindered by babyface characteristics, a disarming appearance can help Black CEOs by counteracting the stigma that Black men are threatening, according to the study from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
The study is scheduled to be published in the journal Psychological Science in September.
A babyface is characterized by combinations of attributes, including a round face, full cheeks, larger forehead, small nose, large ears and full lips, the study says.
Decades of research has shown that people believe babyfaced adults to be more trustworthy, and respond to them with greater patience, sensitivity and compassion, according to Robert Livingston, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of organizations and management at Kellogg.
Read more…
Again, the device we affectionally refer to as the “flip cam” in Hip Hop. This is the BOSS of flip cams though, get familiar.
MTV has got Mixtape Mondays, which has morphed into Mixtape Daily but the hood’s One-Stop Shop destination for mixtapes is still Amadu’s Corner. Peep what the latest releases are and which one’s Amadu can’t keep on the shelves.
I guess they’re about to switch SKYNET on any day now…lol
via Times Online
The man with the claws is back, and this time he’s bringing his memories. For comic fans X-Men Origins: Wolverine is the realisation of two long-held dreams: to see Wolvie go berserk in his first solo screen adventure and, more importantly, to discover how he became the hero he is. The latter. however, could prove to be a bitter pill.
Ever since Wolverine first appeared in the pages of the Incredible Hulk in 1974 and later in The Uncanny X-Men, fans have craved an origin story. Like Jason Bourne, Wolverine is a mysterious figure whose past is a muddy soup of government secrets, black ops and tragedy. Most of his life he could not remember and the parts he did, he wasn’t telling. And that was part of his appeal – that and the claws.
Most superhero comics deal with origin stories in the first few issues but Wolverine was different. Readers became intimate with his mutant abilities – heightened senses, a healing factor that allows him to recover from almost any wound and retractable claws – and his gruff yet noble heart, but not his past. Over the years writers have fed readers little snippets but these have only served to make him more of an enigma: he fought in the Second World War, sinister government scientists erased his memories and covered his bones with an indestructible metal alloy, he may have been the first mutant, he is somehow connected by blood to the villain Sabretooth and his real name is not Logan but James. Teasing readers for almost 30 years is a dangerous game: once you decide to tell the origin story, as Marvel did in 2001, it better live up to expectations.
This is a farce…after engineering a jury to their liking, and using CointelPro tactics like entrapment, the U.S. Government has found success after two failed attempts culminating in the conviction of five out of the Liberty City Six. I guess they’re gonna try to convince the rest of the country that this is the new face of terror.
Many people will take shots at Spitzer on the account of his past infractions without weighing the merit of what he’s saying. Not too many people know that on the eve of Spitzer’s romp with a prostitute in D.C. he released a scathing Op-Ed in the Washington Post that detailed the impending fraud that we know as the Subprime scandal. Bush and his cronies had to get rid of him to finish looting the country and subsequently the same big wigs on Wall St. that he fought against are up to the same tricks, but this time with the protection of a new administration which makes them virtually untouchable. Same crooks, same game, new president= unprecedented fraud…listen to what he is saying at least.
Damn, I sure do hope that Datwon left the building under his own terms. There are very few people in this industry I can personally vouch for, Datwon is one of them. I got my start in Hip Hop journalism in 2000 with the help of Datwon, who assisted in the launch of 4Korners, the world’s first Hip Hop newspaper (sorry Dave Mays). There are plenty of stories like mine circulating. Datwon is rare in this business.
via SOHH
XXL Magazine Editor-In-Chief Datwon Thomas has reportedly left his position at the publication after just over a year.
While details are in short supply, the news of Thomas’ departure hit the net earlier today (May 12).
Word on the curb is that Datwon Thomas has stepped down from his position as Editor-In-Chief of XXL and Executive Editor, Vanessa Satten will resume duties at the top of the masthead. No reason as to why Datwon allegedly left his post, but we’ll have more as this story develops. (Rap Radar) Read more…
via NY Times
About $12 billion was pulled out of accounts at Bernard L. Madoff’s firm in 2008, according to several people briefed on an analysis of Mr. Madoff’s business records.
About $6 billion, or half, was taken out in just the three months before the financier was arrested in December and charged with operating an extensive Ponzi scheme, these people said.
Those figures offer a bit of hope for Mr. Madoff’s thousands of defrauded customers. Under federal law, the trustee overseeing the Madoff bankruptcy can sue to retrieve that money from the investors who withdrew it.
Indeed, the trustee, Irving H. Picard of Baker & Hostetler, filed two lawsuits on Tuesday seeking the return of a total of $6.1 billion, which he estimated had been withdrawn over the last decade.
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