Guru, the influential rapper known for his conscious and intellectual themes, his monotone delivery, and his combination of jazz sounds with hip-hop beats, has died after battling cancer, collaborators said. He was 43.
The world has lost “one of the best MCs and hip-hop icons of all time,” according to a statement from Solar, Guru’s producer. It was posted on the Web site of DJ Premier, who with Guru made up the rap duo Gang Starr. The site said Guru died Monday.
Guru worked with top musicians including Herbie Hancock, Isaac Hayes, Chaka Kahn, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Common, Jamiroquai, Macy Gray and Damian Marley.
Rapper Drake’s anticipated “Thank Me Later” album is still weeks away from its June 15 release date, but the “Best I Ever Had” artist is still busy feeding the fire.
VEVO premiered the video for Drake’s first single “Over” today, and the Young Money star hopes it’ll show his artistic side.
“This is my first video,” he explained to MTV in March. “I’ve shot a lot of videos before, but this is my first attempt to establish myself as Drake the artist.”
Drake thinks the video may also help those who view the track as just another club single to see the song in a new light.
“The song — to a lot of people — is ignorant, it’s club. This video is what I was really thinking about,” he told the network while on his “Away From Home” tour. “It’s a struggle between the purities of my past life and what this new life has to offer.”
Drake worked with director Anthony Mandler to create what he calls the “emotion-evoking visuals” in the four-minute video.
“The song is so aggressive, and it’s sort of a love story in the video,” he told MTV. “[‘Thank Me Later’] is about finding love, feeling, ‘Have I sold my soul?’ as far as, ‘Will I ever be able to gain the trust of a woman? Will I only be able to be around the dark, evil women? Will I ever find that pure love?’ Those elements are in the video.”
Ex 3LW member Kiely Williams, formerly known as a Disney Channel Cheetah Girl, strips away the “good girl” image for hot pink lipstick, a scandalous outfit, and a one night stand.
Is this Kiely’s way of leaving the Disney Channel life behind? Is this to far of a stretch?…..
Kiely doesn’t seem to think so, she had this to say after receiving feedback with mixed emotions:
I am an actress and performer. I have been so since my first role in a television pilot at five years old. I played a character when I was a Cheetah Girl. I am playing a character in the music video for the song Spectacular, as I did in the Cheetah Girl movies.
The fact is, that sometimes women get intoxicated and have unprotected sex. My video puts this issue front and center. It is absurd to infer or suggest that I am condoning this behavior. Are Lady Gaga and Beyonce advocating murder with the Telephone video? Of, course not. Was Rihanna encouraging suicide with Russian Roulette? No. Was Madonna suggesting that young unmarried girls get pregnant with Papa Don’t Preach? I don’t think so. Is Academy Award winner Monique a proponent of incest because of her portrayal of Mary in the movie Precious. Clearly, the answer is no.
I wrote Spectacular and made the video to bring attention to a serious womens health and safety issue. Don’t shoot the messenger.”
Everyone’s favorite YouTube rump shakers are back at it again! This time they’re moving their bodies to “Lookie Looky” by the DMV’s own D.C. Don Juan. Watch them twerk…—WPGC
This video was posted today and quickly spread throughout social internet sites. Not the first video like it, the Twerk Team has created a Youtube fan base with their over the top, sexual, “Rump Shaking” videos. Dancing to songs like Barbiie Girl, Got Alotta Money, and Donk It On Me, the Twerk Team has made their ass their prize asset, creating simple choreography to show off their champion “twerk” skills.
The Twerk Team can also be seen in clubs, making appearances throughout the US.
While this dancing may be extremely attractive to the male population, some of the lady viewers may not be so impressed. Is this dancing too provocative? Is it downplaying all the work women have done in America and the World to NOT be viewed as a walking “booty call” or just a “piece of meat”? In the majority of the videos you can’t even see the faces of the three women as they enter and exit camera view, usually in the middle of a hallway or an empty room. The entire purpose of these videos are to show off their asses.
Is this just the new generation of dancing? Are the jitter bug and twist now the grinding that is 1 step from sex that happens between a man and woman at the club and twerking? Should these women not be criticized for the dancing they do? What kind of image is it painting for women? Is it a bad example for younger girls?
By no means are we to judge these women. You agree or disagree to this dancing on your own terms, regarding your own morals and values.
If you thought it was odd that Redskins’ coaches and team officials avoided using the “rebuilding” word, it all seems to make sense today. The team is certainly rebuilding its roster, though it doesn’t look as if Coach Mike Shanahan and General Manager Bruce Allen are pursuing any sort of youth-movement approach.
The trade for Donovan McNabb, in fact, seems to indicate the Redskins feel they can win now. To quote Allen — both George and Bruce — apparently, the future is now.
With a possible lockout looming in 2011, you don’t sign a 33-year-old quarterback because you’re building a foundation for the future. While McNabb certainly has some productive years ahead of him, he might not have many.
How good the Redskins will be this season remains to be seen, but it is becoming increasingly clear that the architects are building something that they hope will be playoff bound in 2010 — not in the distant future.—Washington Post
Is this the hope the Washington Redskins have been looking for? What does this mean for Jason Campbell? What will the chemistry be like for Portis? The Eagles meet the Redskins in October 2010. Looking forward to the game!
Washington Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell (R) hugs Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb after the Eagles defeated the Redskins 27-17 at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland on October 26, 2009. UPI/Kevin Dietsch
This was such a close game! I’m no sports analyst so check ESPN for the full rundown! Twitter seemed to be rooting for Butler, GO BUTLER was the number one trending topic throughout the game!
Washington D.C.’s DURKL introduces first piece of the Capital Collection series.
The Capital Collection is a series of collaborations between DURKL and brands from other capital cities around the globe. The collection seeks to incorporate the individuality of each city while staying true to the street culture we all love. Joining forces with London’s Second Son, together they produced the Capital Collection sherlock cap; a 5-panel hunting cap featuring traditional tan houndstooth fabric and interior diamond quilting. Designed in London and produced in America, the package comes complete with a traditional English tobacco pipe. The limited edition Sherlock package is available Friday 4/2/2010 on http://durkl.com and http://second-son.com
Google decided to play a huge April Fools joke on, practically anyone who logs on to the World Wide Web today.
Early last month the mayor of Topeka, Kansas stunned the world by announcing that his city was changing its name to Google. We’ve been wondering ever since how best to honor that moving gesture. Today we are pleased to announce that as of 1AM (Central Daylight Time) April 1st, Google has officially changed our name to Topeka.
We didn’t reach this decision lightly; after all, we had a fair amount of brand equity tied up in our old name. But the more we surfed around (the former) Topeka’s municipal website, the more kinship we felt with this fine city at the edge of the Great Plains.
In fact, Topeka Google Mayor Bill Bunten expressed it best: “Don’t be fooled. Even Google recognizes that all roads lead to Kansas, not just yellow brick ones.”—Google Blog
McNabb is a much better player than Russell or Gradkowski ever could hope to be. If McNabb were traded to Oakland, quarterback would not be a problem area for the Raiders in 2010. McNabb’s arrival would answer one of Oakland’s issues and instantly improve and give credibility to the offense. But does a trade to Oakland really make sense? —ESPN
No love for the All Star?
McNabb wears that Philly jersey with pride, thats not a question….The question is, why is he unable to get the Eagles to the Superbowl?
Coming off a season where he threw for 3,553 yards, took 35 sacks, and managed to get the Eagles to week 18 only to be shut down by the Dallas Cowboys in a make or break game. Rather upsetting…..But, SO upsetting that you send your All Star player to the team with one pf the the WORST records in the NFL?
The Raiders finished their season 5 and 11….
Very curious as to how this will end for McNabb…Is that not a major slap in the face? There are about 12 other possibilities for McNabb but at this moment, Oakland is looking very promising.
