Ike Turner Passes

Ike Turner passes away

R.kelly(Trapped In The Closet)

R.Kelly premiered the sequel to his twisted and craftily campy "Trapped in the Closet" video serial with a red-carpet extravaganza in New York on Wednesday night.It's hard for anyone to explain Kelly's ghetto soap opera, which includes a gay pastor, cheating spouses, a convict named 'Twon and a well-endowed midget. In the new episodes — chapters 13 through 22, for those keeping count — he adds an old reverend, ex-con lesbians and a stuttering pimp, played by Kelly himself."I call it an alien," Kelly said of his tour-de-farce. The "alien" first appeared in 2005, when the singer-songwriter premiered "Trapped in the Closet," a five-part song series that kicked off with a man hiding in his paramour's closet as her husband comes in; each song ended with a cliffhanger.Soon afterward, Kelly released a DVD video of the series, adding seven more chapters — and with each chapter, the plot got weirder. But despite — or perhaps because — of its "Jerry Springer"-like appeal, it has become a cult classic.Kelly's upcoming September trial on child pornography charges hasn't dampened anticipation for the next installment of "Trapped": Parts of the new series have been premiering on Independent Film Channel's Web site since Monday; the DVD with the complete series hits stores on Tuesday. The IFC will show them in their entirety in September.

Paid Hiphop Artists

A lot of hiphop artists are laughing to the bank and the fisrt one is Sean "Jay-Z" Carter:who came back after retirement last year with his 11th studio album,selling 2 million copies, owns the 40/40 Club sports bar franchise, with locations in New York and Atlanta and a stake in the NBA's New Jersey Nets , collects income from blue-chip endorsement deals with Budweiser, Hewlett-Packard, and General Motors. All told, Jay-Z banked an estimated $34 million in 2006, earning him the top spot on Forbes' first-ever list of hip-hop Cash Kings. Second is Curtis "50 cent" Jackson:he runs G-Unit( a diverse portfolio of businesses that includes apparel, ringtones, video games and even a line of fiction). "Fiddy" as he is known to fans, made an estimated $32 million last year. Third is Sean "P.Diddy" Combs:who controls Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group,which is responsible for TV series like MTV's "Making the Band" franchise, the Sean John clothing line, the best-selling Unforgivable cologne and a pair of restaurants called Justin's, named after one of his sons. The Bad Boy Record label, backed by Warner Music Group, released albums last year by Danity Kane, Cassie and Yung Joc. P. Diddy himself released his first album last year called "Press Play" and debuted at the top of the U.S. pop and rap charts. P.Diddy made an estimated $28 million last year. (although representatives for Diddy insists that figure is much higher).
The most successful "hip-hopreneurs" run their own labels, taking a cut from the artists they sign. Both Eminem ($18 million) and Dr. Dre ($20 million) boast Interscope-backed imprints; both helped produce and release 50 Cent's last two albums, which have sold more than 20 million copies worldwide. Fifty owns his own G-Unit label which produces artists like Young Buck and Lloyd Banks, among others.
Other lucrative businesses: producing tracks and beats for other artists. Listers like Timbaland ($21 million), Scott Storch ($17 million) and Pharrell Williams ($17 million) are among the most sought after -- and pricey -- producers on the planet. Rappers like Snoop Dogg ($17 million) collect massive fees for cameos on other artists' tracks. Last year, in addition to releasing "Tha Blue Carpet Treatment," his eighth studio album, Snoop Dogg made guest appearances on hit singles by Akon, Mariah Carey and the Pussycat Dolls.
While endorsement deals with top-shelf brands used to be the exclusive domain of pop's biggest acts -- Michael Jackson and Madonna, among them -- hip-hop artists now routinely land such gigs. This year Chamillionaire ($11 million) inked a deal with Energizer; The Game ($11 million) peddles Skechers sneakers. And in an irrefutable sign of just how corporate hip-hop has become: Last October Anheuser Busch named Jay-Z "co-brand director" for Budweiser Select.
Our estimates are based solely on 2006 income. In March, Jay-Z sold his Rocawear apparel label to Iconix for $204 million. Forbes estimates he pocketed about a quarter of that, after taxes and other payable commitments. And in May, Coca Cola announced it would buy Glaceau, maker of VitaminWater, for $4.2 billion in cash. Once the deal is consummated, 50 Cent, who agreed to endorse the brand in 2004 in exchange for a small stake, should walk away with some $100 million.

Hiphop in Africa

Hip hop music has been popular in Africa since the early 1980s due to widespread American influence. One of the first hip hop groups from Africa was Black Noise, a group from Cape Town, South Africa. They began as a graffiti and breakdance crew until they started emceeing around 1989. The government of South Africa's apartheid era tried to ban rap due to its part in the struggle for the freedom of all races. Later the government made hip hop legal in 1993 by playing rap music on radio and rap videos on TV. There also have been many groups in other countries like Tanzania as well that emceed before 1989, although it is not very well known.
In 1985 hip hop reached Senegal, a French-speaking country in West Africa. Some of the first Senegalese rappers were M.C. Lida, M.C. Solaar, and Positive Black Soul, who mixed rap with Mbalax, a type of music that has been played in West Africa for centuries. During the late 1980s-early 1990s rap started to escalate all over Africa. Each region had a new type of style of hip hop. Rap elements are also found in Kwaito, a new genre based on house music which developed in South Africa in the 1990s.

Check out some of the artists:
Property Of Africa (Zimbabwe)
Just Lyphe (Zimbabwe/USA)
Divided Kingdom Republic (D.K.R) (Zimbabwe)
Munyaradzi (Nota) (Zimbabwe)
Kudakwashe (Begotten Sun) (Zimbabwe)
Emmanuel Jal (Sudan)
MayJ (Zimbabwe)
Young Nations(South Africa)
Draztik(Botswana/South Africa)
Abbas Kubaff aka Doobeez - Kenya.
Blak Duo- Kenya.
Exq (Zimbabwe)
Toxic Man (Nigeria)
Stagga (Botswana)
Terror MC (South Africa)
Clench (Nigeria)
Hipe (South Africa)
Jitsvinger (South Africa)
Metaphysics (Zimbabwe)
Karizma (Zimbabwe)
Kantai- Kenya.
Konfab (South Africa)
Outrageous (Nigeria)
Writers Block (South Africa)
Bootleghiphop (South Africa)
Chery Ice (Zimbabwe)
Maskiri (Zimbabwe)
Piccible (Nigeria)
Archetypes (South Africa)
High Voltage (South Africa)
Wanaume (Tanzania)
Cblad (Zimbabwe)
Stunner (Zimbabwe)
Professor Jay (Tanzania)
East Coast Team (Tanzania)
Daz Nundaz (Tanzania)
Bigg Dogg Posse (Tanzania)
Dj Scratch (South Africa)
Dj Cavera C (Angola/South Africa)
E-Sir(Kenya)
Shorty Bang (Angola/South Africa)
Ill-Literate Skill (South Africa)
Driemanskap (South Africa)
Ǣvenger Camp (South Africa/U.S./UK/Netherlands)
Bamboo-Kenya/USA
Hardcole AKA "Anziya the White African"-Kenya(Khwisero)
Chiwawa- Kenya
Nannama- Kenya
Die Hard - Kenya
Wenyeji-Kenya
Prezzo-Kenya
L'ness-Kenya
Moshi-Kenya
Kitu Sewer(Of Mashifta)-Kenya.
Judge- Kenya
Alif (Senegal)
Amplifyd Crew (Nigeria)
ArtQuake (Nigeria)
Baseball Track (Mozambique/U.S./UK/Portugal)
Black Noise (South Africa)
Boli Mootseng (Namibia)
Boyz of Butuburam (Liberia/Ghana/Germany)
Brasse Vannie Kaap (South Africa)
Buk Bak (Ghana)
Ca$hino (Nigeria/UK)
Daara J (Senegal)
Das Primeiro (Angola)
Kin Mafia Style ( DR Congo)
Iceman (DR Congo)
Don klemente ( Dr congo/ Belgium)
Fatima Cia (Dr Congo)
Eedris Abdulkareem (Nigeria)
Eldee (Nigeria)
Goddessa (South Africa)
Hard Blasters (Tanzania)
Hardstone (Kenya/U.S.)
Idouble S (Senegal)
INTIK (Algeria)
JazzMan Olofin (Nigeria)
JJC (Nigeria/UK)
Nka (Congo)
Lopango yaba Nka (Congo)
K-Melia (Congo)
Kalamashaka (Kenya)
K-SOUTH -Kenya
KALLITZ (South Africa)
Kaysha (Democratic Republic of the Congo/France)
Kill Point (Guinea)
Kingpinn (Zimbabwe)
K'naan (Somalia/Canada)
Kwanza Unit (Tanzania)
Le Specialist (Madagascar/France)
Madarocka [1](Nigeria)
Maintain (Nigeria)
M.A.M. (Cote d'Ivoire/France)
Mapenzi (Rwanda)
M.C. Claver (Cote d'Ivoire)
M.C. Solaar (Senegal/France)
Mr. Devious (South Africa)
Mr. II (Tanzania)
Mizchif (Zimbabwe)
MTM (Egypt)
Mutu Moxy (Angola/South Africa)
Mwafrika-Kenya
Nameless-Kenya
Negro Force (Togo)
Obrafour (Ghana)
Of Unknown Origin (Zimbabwe/U.S.)
Pee Froiss (Senegal)
Plantashun Boyz (Nigeria)
Positive Black Soul (Senegal)
The Postmen (Cape Verde/Suriname/Netherlands)
P-Square (Nigeria)
Prophets of da City (South Africa)
Rage (Mali)
Red One (Morocco/France)
Reggie Rockstone (Ghana)
Ruggedman (Nigeria)
South Side Posse (Angola)
Sakpata Boys (Benin)
Styl-Plus (Nigeria)Krazienaija
Shadow Zu (Côte d'Ivoire/Senegal)
Skyhigh Family (Somalia)
Tata Pound (Mali)
TATU CLAN (RDC)
Tic-Tac (Ghana)
Tinny (Ghana)
The WOGS (Uganda)
Tony Tetuila (Nigeria)
Trybe (South Africa)
Ty (Nigeria)
U.M.A.R. (Cameroon/France)
Ukoo Flani Mau Mau- Kenya
Unsung Heroes (Nigeria)
V.I.P. (Ghana)
Walanguzi- Kenya.
Wawesh (Kenya)
X Plastaz (Tanzania)
Ya Kid K (Democratic Republic of the Congo/Belgium)
Zola (South Africa) known for the soundtrack to the film Tsotsi and working with Snoop Dogg.
Zotto Boyz (Mali)

Rapper Foxy Brown caught another case!

Bad- tempered rapper Foxy Brown is in trouble once again,this time for allegedly smahing her neighbour in the face with a Blackberry.Foxy's already on 3 years probation for another assault charge and could be jailed for violating her probation.Arleen Raymond-the victim who was attacked said it started when she complained about Foxy Brown blasting her car strereo in their Prospect Heights Brooklyn neighbourhood,which obviously infuriated Foxy and caused her to go the neighbour's job and began cursing her.While walking home from work on July 30th Raymond siad Foxy Brown hurled her Blackberry at her knocking a tooth loose and bursting her lip,FGoxy was arraigned on Tuesday on charges of felony assault and possesion of a weapon(Blackberry).

Matt Johnson-Rapper

A protege of the legendary KRS-One, MC Funky J a.k.a Loco Gringo, Jungle Doctor (The Medicine Man on da Mic), Mr. Terrific, and most recently added to the list of personas "The Hiphop Freedom Fighter" Uziel Aballah Shalla born Matt Johnson was introduced to Hip Hop in the early 90's. He began rapping at the age of 11. MC Funky J first started in the rap industry in the summer of 1999 as a Freestyle Battle MC. Either exchanging lyrical swords on the street or on stage. At one particular Contest, the Columbus Hiphop Xpo he made his presence known. Even though he didn't win the Comp he defeated the previous years Champion G.A. Capone, in the first round. Later in the Competition Funky lost to Jakki Da Motamouth of the MHZ crew. Which still to this day people say was a controversial decision. He also took part in the Ohio Rave Scene that was booming in the late 90's and early 2000's.

Movies Roundup

USA Weekend Box-Office Summaryweek of 10 August 2007
Rank
Title
Weekend
Gross
1

Rush Hour 3 (2007)
$50.2M
$50.2M
2

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
$33.7M
$132M
3

The Simpsons Movie (2007)
$11.1M
$152M
4

Stardust (2007)
$9.01M
$9.01M
5

Underdog (2007)
$6.46M
$24.7M
6

Hairspray (2007)
$6.37M
$92.1M
7

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)
$5.95M
$104M
8

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
$5.39M
$272M
9

No Reservations (2007)
$3.93M
$32.1M
10

Daddy Day Camp (2007)
$3.55M
$5.04M

Box office data supplied by and copyright Exhibitor Relations and/or HollywoodReporter.com ©2007
MOVIEmeter Top 10week of 10 August 2007
Rank
Title


Rush Hour 3 (2007)

1


The Simpsons Movie (2007)
2


Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
3


Transformers (2007)
4


Hairspray (2007)
5


300 (2006)
6

The Dark Knight (2008)
7


The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
8


I Know Who Killed Me (2007)
9


I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007)
10


Live Free or Die Hard (2007)
11