大象传媒

While the online community flips their lid for the now officially Def Jam promoed single "HipHop Is Dead", thought it would be nice for you to read the official Def Jam promotional press release

Are we excited about a new Nas album? Will HipHop Is Dead cement his position in HipHop history?

**UPDATE - FULL CLEAN VERSION**

Will.I.Am looping up 'In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida' in a different way to Salaam Remi did for Thief's Theme.

It's been floating around for a couple of days but for those who haven't heard it, here's Jim Jones & Dame Dash's diss towards Jay-Z called Kingdom Done.

Thoughts?

And he's taken Gwen Stefani along with him...

Someone should tell Skateboard P that The Sound Of Music is not the best sample material. I can only guess that he fell of his skateboard and hit his head really hard...

Good job Hov is around to give us some good music. I'm getting more and more excited about the album, especially if the music sounds like this. Lets just hope Pharrell doesn't have another 'attack' like the Gwen Stefani record on the album.

As well as the BET UK HipHop Awards voting (click here people, do your bit and whatnot) there's quite a lot of decent homegrown UK news floating about.

Not got much time now, will give you the headlines and add the rest later (so check back!!)

1) Rhymefest is now the Official face of Hip-Hop in the UK

After meeting with leader of the conservative party David Cameron last week, Rhymefest's people sent out this press release:

RHYMEFEST TAKES THE UK BY STORM

Today Rhymefest has officially become the face of hip-hop in the UK. Fest鈥檚 meeting with Tory leader and candidate for Pime Minister, David Cameron, to discuss their views on hip-hop and it鈥檚 effects on society in the UK have been exploding on to the covers of the news papers, television sets and computers all over the UK and beyond today.

A to the L has already commented on this at but I just wanted to add my 2 penneth worth in too. Rhymefest is not the official face of HipHop in the UK, in fact, he's not even the official face of HipHop in Chicago. He's probably not the official face of HipHop on his street... It was a great publicity stunt for David Cameron to sit down with a rapper but why not sit down with one of the ones he critiscised? Or maybe even sit down with Tim Westwood - who bore the brunt of his comments earlier in the year? Let me know your thoughts as always - was it a cop out sitting down with a second rate Kanye cast off? Is Rhymefest the one out of order for getting his PR people to push that line about him being the official face of HipHop?

Anyway...

2) UK R&B Artist signed to major label with a decent deal shocker

If you haven't heard the name , expect to. His song I Just Wanna Know is not only MissisJam's current favourite but it's also secured him a nice deal with Universal/Island in the UK and the US. From what I've heard so far, Taio has got the skills to take the US by storm Floetry style - lets hope it's another Soul II Soul/Loose Ends style British R&B invasion! In fact, Floetry and Taio Cruz? Sounds like a good combo to me...

3) Wiley's been signed!!

I first heard about this a couple of weeks ago but wanted to confirm it a little before going on here with the news. Seems the people at Big Dada - those responsible for releasing Ty (I'll say it again, GO AND BUY CLOSER, IT'S A BRILLIANT ALBUM) Roots Manuva & New Flesh are now well and truly venturing into the world of Grime by signing Wiley. This is a damn good look for all involved as the music Wiley is coming out with at the moment deserves to find as large an audience as possible - the man's on FIRE!! In all honesty, I'm surprised that a label like Big Dada would pick up on Wiley - but then again, he was signed to XL where Dizzee is still signed...which brings me nicely onto:

4) Dizzee doing D&B and Funky House?

The word on the street is that Maths and English, the forthcoming and long awaited Dizzee album is not just going to feature grimey tracks - he's apparently working with a not that forthcoming Drum and Bass legend and a very big name in the Funky House scene on tracks for the new album.

5) Kano due to work with another Reggae Legend?

Twin B spoke to Kano on saturday (have you voted in the BET UK HipHop awards yet?) about the forthcoming album and apparently the first single from the album will feature a living reggae legend. I can't tell you who it is, but trust me, when I say reggae legend, I mean LEGEND - the guy has been one of my favourites since I was a little 'un so I'm definitely looking forward to hearing how they sound together.

6) The African Mafia rule 1Xtra's Homegrown Shows...

Yes, I (lovingly) call Ras Kwame and Twin B, the two gentlemen who take care of 1Xtra's 2 shows dedicated to British music the African Mafia as they are both Afro-English but dammit, they're doing a good job!! Keep 'em peeled for a new monthly show starting on the 5th November where YOU can take over the show (providing you're from the UK!). 100% Homegrown Cuts will be made up entirely of the music you send into 1Xtra so Homegrown Cuts, 1Xtra, PO BOX 1X, London, W1 is the address you need. Even if you don't make beats, make sure you tune in to give your feedback and help new talent in the UK. Also, Birmingham and Bristol hold tight, 100% Homegrown is on the road and will be with you soon! Chale!!

7) Joe Buhdha and Klashnekoff album gets a release date

January 2007. On Riddim Killa records. That's all you need to know right now!!

8) New UK albums you should own

Braintax's Panorama (best Braintax material YET! Brains and Beat Butcha are a winning combo)
Ty's Closer (How many times do I have to tell you to go and buy this album?)
Doc Brown's Citizen Smith 2 (The PP legacy continues. Not amazing, but a good album nonetheless)

9) An Eastender, a brummie, a Kent and a fatman invade the Southport Weekender

Yup, 1Xtra are taking over the 39th Annual Southport Weekender taking place in Southport during the first weekend of November. The line up this year is MAJOR - . If you're going to be there, I'll be looking for your requests so watch out!! If not, don't worry because I'll be coming live from there on Friday 3rd November, as will DJ B, G Child on Saturday 4th November and 1Xtra Live! Also Ronnie Herel will have highlights from the weekend on Uptown Anthems on the 6th November. 8 Days to go...!!!

As always, I need your comments - am I right? Am I wrong? Am I everything you wanted baby? HOLLA

I haven't been posting on here as regularly as I'd like over the past couple of weeks - think it's because I've been too busy being a consumer of internet comment and content rather than making it myself - so let me share a few of those things that I've been checking out.

If you need a daily fix of the best HipHop news, you need to check out my man Eskay's blog . He's the person I steal most of my news from for this blog (only you get my extra sparkling comments!), so it's only right I direct you to his page once in a while.

The boy Rish interviewed Ghostface at the recent 1Xtra supported Nottingham gig. Check the verbals - interesting read but Ghost must not the most open of interviewees... By the way, have you checked the photos? I look like a fat Ghostface...Kinda...!

If you've been living in a cave, you may not have heard that the US is looking to deport Slick Rick again. While I know the UK would welcome him home with open arms, the US is his home, he's been there for over 20 years and he did his time...what's the problem? XXL Mag have got a really strong feature on this. Check it

Everyone's favorite UK female emcee ISN'T Lady Sovereign, however it seems that Def Jam US is still pushing the annoying untalented midget forward in a big way. Her first US single 'Love Me Or Hate Me' has been given a much needed injection of Missy on the remix.

Comments please...

Go here and make history.

I'm not going to make a prediction so as not to influence your votes so GET VOTING.

If you don't vote, then you can't moan when the wrong person wins it.

Now this post is pretty long so I recommend taking it in bitesize chunks! It would have come a lot sooner *and* would have been split up over the past few days however this week so far has been complete and utter madness!!

Monday night was spent on my final date on the 1Xtra University Fresher鈥檚 tour at my home town of Nottingham, this time at Nottingham Trent University鈥檚 Fresher鈥檚 Ball. As per usual, the Nottingham Trent University crowd were well and truly on it and with a line up of me, Punjabi Hit Squad and Semtex; you know that black tie, ball gowns and 1Xtra is a good look! I have a new regular club night starting at the Glo Bar which is part of the Nottingham Trent student union building from the 1st of November called Heavyweight. Open to students and non-students alike, the night launches with me alongside my 1Xtra bredren the remix kid Seani B and new UK R&B group Trinity Stone. If you鈥檙e in Notts on 1st November then check the for full info and see you there!

Last night I was at at Digital in Newcastle kicking off my new monthly residency! Newcastle is always off the hook and last night they didn鈥檛 disappoint. As is per usual at the moment, the biggest response of the night was saved for Fedde Le Grande鈥檚 Put Your Hands Up For Detroit. It鈥檚 a bit of a marmite record (you either love it or hate it!) but there鈥檚 no denying that it鈥檚 doing damage on dance floors across genres right now: whether at the most traditional of House clubs or your now standard R&B and funky house night or even now at a more traditional Urban music night like LoveDough or Twice as Nice. Keep your ear to the ground for the bootleg of Fedde Le Grande and Rick Ross鈥� Hustlin鈥�

It doesn鈥檛 stop because Thursday night, I鈥檓 back at the helm of the Hip-Hop M1X Show on this fine station after Doc Jnr and Reality? did a very good job filling in for me last week. It鈥檚 Black History Month so we鈥檙e celebrating 4 decades of Hip-Hop with a different decade in the mix each week. This week it鈥檚 the 1990鈥檚 so expect to hear some pure unadulterated classics from that era. Also DJ Kayper from the Asian Network will be doing a nice guest mix for us!

Friday night, it鈥檚 all about the club bangers! Make sure you tune in live and get your requests and shout outs in! Also on Friday night, after the show I鈥檒l be kicking off another new monthly residency at the at Bar Rumba in Central London. If you鈥檙e around, make sure you pass by 鈥� there鈥檒l be bare P Diddy giveaways as it鈥檚 also the launch party for his new album Press Play.

Speaking of Press Play, I managed to get my copy last week promo style and have been listening throughout my travels ever since. The verdict? I personally like it. The beats are the best thing on the album and without a doubt some of the biggest heat of the year. That said, the ghostwritten lyrics are sharp and on point but it鈥檚 Diddy鈥檚 flowing of the lyrics that lets the album down. In fact, I鈥檓 sure that if it wasn鈥檛 for P Diddy being on the album, it would be lauded as one of the best albums of 2006. It is a little schizophrenic and as such flows more as a compilation than studio album 鈥� going from straight up future classic Hip-Hop (Everything I Love with Nas and Cee Lo is without doubt one of Kanye鈥檚 best beats so far) to R&B club tracks (Tell Me with Christina well and truly stealing the spotlight is a definite highlight and an instant club banger) to 80鈥檚 Prince clones (Special Feeling especially). While it鈥檚 worthy of a 7/10, I can鈥檛 help thinking that if Diddy had given these beats to his new artist Aasim and cut out the ego-stroking interludes, the marks would have been a lot higher.

You鈥檝e only got a week left to vote for who you feel deserves to win Best UK Hip-Hop at the first annual BET Hip-Hop Awards to be held in Atlanta, USA on 12th November 2006. so we need to make sure that we put the right person through who will represent the quality of our scene. The choice is between Blak Twang, Sway, Kano, Dizzee Rascal and Plan B 鈥� personally I think we have the mix of artists right: they are all artists who have made power moves internationally in raising (bar Plan B) and all (including Plan B) have worked hard to push the envelope of what British Hip-Hop is with really strong releases and excellent live performances. At the moment, the international community All are deserving of the title so to all those on the message boards, moaning to UK Hip-Hop is what a lead is to a dog so stop fronting and get voting here

As always, I want your comments. Do you agree with me? Do you think I鈥檓 wrong? Do ya think I鈥檓 sexy? Holla back below! I'm off to research this Game/Mike GLC thing before I write about it...

But a funny idiot nonetheless!

Stand by - tomorrow we talk BET awards, Press Play, what happened over the weekend and what's forthcoming...

The way they do it is just ridiculously effortless...Jay-Z + Just Blaze = HipHop Classic. Don't believe me? After the FIRE that is 'Show Me What You Got' comes Kingdom Come.

Def Jam, don't worry, It's only a radio rip from Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 show, but you know this is HEAT. Chopping up Rick James' Superfreak? Just Blaze is just on some next level ish! Listen to it above and

about his forthcoming album 'HipHop Is Dead...The N'. Is it just me or does he not sound so confident that the album is going to see the light of day in 2006? Here's hoping that it still gets a squeeze and Jigga doesn't take over completely (although if the quality of the whole of Kingdom Come is like the 2 tracks out there at the moment, I could wait til 07 for Nas...)

I've always been a fan of his from the days of when but Michael Jackson has gone too far for me now. Not content with changing his appearance from black man to white woman, he's now been photographed in St Tropez dressed as a woman in tight jeans, ruffled blouse, floppy hat and high heels. Come on Michael, why don't you just change your name to Michaela and be done with it...?

Check the HipHop M1X Show tonight, presented by as I'm currently in Belfast getting ready to launch- big shouts to DJ Hix! As always, y'all better make some comment!!

It seems like the UK has gone completely Hoff crazy over the past 6 months or so. He's all over the internet; he's all over the the telly advertising broadband, he's all over the film screens in Click (which is a surprisingly good film - especially if you take your other half) and all over the charts..and now he's been all over 1Xtra!

Big shouts to DJ Shinobi who let me know that London's own Jargon had done his own Hoff tribute over Rick Ross' Hustlin; transforming it into Everyday I'm Hasselhoff! It's been big on the net for a few weeks - even the Hoffmeister himself has added it to his myspace! I hollered at him (Jargon, not The Hoff) got the track and forwarded it on to some of my 1X family - it's gone crazy!! Just hearing the response you guys have given the track so far, I think Jargon has no choice other than get it out there to the people!!

Jargon's been doing his thing for the longest time, one half of Natural Born Spittaz with Mystro, part of the M15 Crew, putting in the work on the battling circuit...

If you haven't heard it, check it on his - (be careful, explicit version!!) What do you think? Everyday I'm Hasslehoff or Everytime I'm turning off?

In other news, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMYJAM!!

Interview coming soon... Keep checking 1Xtra to hear what went down!

A few hours to go, it's gonna be my first big HipHop interview since interviewing Parrish Smith for Grandslam Magazine a few years ago so I'm getting excited now! What do you want me to ask The Game? Keep those questions coming in...

In honour of my interview with his advocate tomorrow, here's a little Dr Dre news taken from AllHipHop.com:

A new Dr. Dre opus is coming sooner than you think, but it's not the long-awaited Detox album--and it's not by Dr. Dre. The acclaimed producer has lived a largely reclusive life outside of the media, but author Ronin Ro's upcoming book Dr. Dre: The Biography aims to reveal the artist's celebrated life through extensive reporting, interviews, and research. "We see his life in context--a few important facts about his personal life, how many of the hits were created, and how he runs Aftermath," Ro told AllHipHop.com. "[Also], the chain of events that led to Tupac's comments [and] how Dre reacted to the changes Hip-Hop underwent during the past few years." The book also examines the viewpoints of insiders around Dr. Dre while chronicling many of the luminaries he introduced to pop culture, including Eminem, 50 Cent, and the Game.

If you read "Have Gun Will Travel" then you know already that this will be a definite must read - but I'm not too sure if it's gonna be that accurate. Dre's always been a quiet guy so will this blow the lid of the shroud of secrecy or just leave us with more questions? Will it tell us why it takes Dre years to get his projects out there? Will it shed light on what really went down with Death Row? or more topically, will it break down what his view of his working relationship with the Game and 50 Cent is? What do you think??

I'm not giving you the link where you can download it - that would be illegal (!) however if you listen to the home of new black music over the weekend (or even tonight) I'm sure you can hear it. My view? SICK track - perfect comeback tune! Just Blaze's beat, Wreckz-N-Effect's sax from Rump Shaker, Flava Flav vocal samples and 3 very sharp Jigga verses. Almost makes up for the lacklustre Birmingham live performance!!

In other news, The Doctor's Advocate himself, The Game is coming to the UK on Monday and yours truly *may* be interviewing him on monday afternoon. If I do manage to speak to him, what do you want me to ask him?

You know how on 1Xtra, we harp on about us being the only station that can do really big things...well, we've done it again:

"For the first time in British Urban Music history, BET (Black Entertainment Television) will be acknowledging the contribution of UK Hip-Hop by providing an International category for the 鈥淏est UK Artist鈥� as part of the Inaugural BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta, USA, on the 12th November 2006.

BET International, Senior Vice President, Michael Armstrong recognised that the UK is a key region as he is contemplates launching the BET brand in global markets. Armstrong commented, 鈥榃e鈥檙e pleased to include the top UK hip hop act in our 1st annual hip hop awards show. As we prepare to reassert BET鈥檚 brand around the world, the UK is clearly a market where we plan to have a presence. It鈥檚 good to know that with the help of our UK partners, British fans will have the opportunity to send their top hip-hop act to Atlanta, Georgia to represent their country."

"British hip-hop fans are expected to play an Interactive role by nominating their favourite acts through a groundbreaking association between MTV Base and 1Xtra 大象传媒 that allows fans to nominate their favourite UK Hip Hop acts via Interactive Television and the Internet. Furthermore, 1Xtra 大象传媒 is giving the opportunity for British fans to win tickets to attend the event live in Atlanta, Georgia in November

The power of the BET brand is undisputable with the primary BET channel reaching more than 83 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand; Hip-Hop 1Xtra 大象传媒 presenter Semtex added his weight to the growing Industry excitement when he observed: 鈥楾his is a massive opportunity to present some of the most creative and innovative talent originating from this side of the Atlantic. It is time for our Hip hop artists to break into the lucrative US market.鈥�

British Hip Hop Nominees will be announced on 12 October; voting will take place until 27 October on 1Xtra 大象传媒 and MTV Base. The UK winner will be announced on 1st November."

Of course this is a VERY big look for the UK scene and of course 1Xtra are the only UK radio station who can arrange this sort of thing... Who deserves the award though? Does this award have Sway or Akala's name on it after their MOBO wins or is it time a UK veteran like our own Rodney P, Braintax or Jehst got some international props?

Right, you have until Friday night at 7pm to listen again to HipHop Weekend in it's entirety! As it was 60 hours, maybe you won't have enough time to listen to it all, so let me give you 5 highlights you need to listen to!

1) The kick off show with Semtex was big - Jay-Z and Nas interviews on the same show!!
2) My man Grouchy Greg from Allhiphop.com and G Money co-presented HipHop Scandal - breaking down some of the biggest controversies in HipHop
3) 1Xtra's Radio 1 ambassadors Ace & Vis presented the 1Xtra Video Music awards - categories included funniest video, video that makes no sense and Best cameo. I'm gutted that my one music video cameo (in Estelle's Dance With Me - which featured Ace as Estelle's main love interest) didn't win...
4) The show I hosted - Over to you! 3 hours of your requests: 1 hour of Old Skool, 1 hour of UK & 1 hour of whenever! The texts entered triple numbers, well worth a listen again!
5) The Life and Times of P Diddy. Over the weekend were 3 profiles of some of the key players in the HipHop game in 2006 - Busta Rhymes, Jermaine Dupri and P Diddy. The profile of P Diddy was my favourite - he was breaking down how he got into the game, how he felt when he made his first mil... you know you gotta hear it!!

No rest for the wicked though... HipHop Weekend has just finished and I'm in Bournemouth tonight with Rodney P & Skitz kicking off the 1Xtra University Freshers tour and tomorrow night hosting the Ghostface Killah gig at Nottingham's Rock City.

So now it's over, lets get some feedback people...what did you think of the HipHop Weekend 2006? Hot or not?