New Orleans-based artist and sneaker enthusiast Lyrikill returns to the scene in 2014 with new single, 'Runnin Thru My Mind.' The lead off single for his upcoming project entitled 'The Nostalgia EP'....Enjoy!!!
Artist Driven Underground
No apps, No downloads, ...listen directly from your phone or computer.
Artist Driven Underground
No apps, No downloads, ...listen directly from your phone or computer.
Artist Driven Underground
No apps, No downloads, ...listen directly from your phone or computer.
Artist Driven Underground
No apps, No downloads, ...listen directly from your phone or computer.
Artist Driven Underground
No apps, No downloads, ...listen directly from your phone or computer.
Friday, January 31, 2014
Video: Lyrikill - Runnin Thru My Mind
New Orleans-based artist and sneaker enthusiast Lyrikill returns to the scene in 2014 with new single, 'Runnin Thru My Mind.' The lead off single for his upcoming project entitled 'The Nostalgia EP'....Enjoy!!!
Raiza Biza - Stay Down (I Love Jhene Aiko)
Raiza Biza sends his heater Stay Down (I Love Jhene Aiko), produced by Crime Heat with a vocal sample from my dream girl, Jhene Aiko. Stream below!!!
Drake - TROPHIES (REMIX) feat. NatStar
Drake / NatStar / OVO / Cash Money-Universal Music sends the Trophies (Remix) ft. NatStar. Hit the link below to stream & download!!!
Thursday, January 30, 2014
NIH Flu Study Looking To Pay Volunteers $3,000 To Get Sick
Check it!!! Government scientists are deliberately giving dozens of volunteers the flu by squirting the live virus straight up their noses.
Via WJLA:
It may sound bizarre, but the rare type of research is a step in the quest for better flu vaccines. It turns out that how the body fends off influenza remains something of a mystery.
“Vaccines are working, but we could do better,” said Dr. Matthew Memoli of the National Institutes of Health, who is leading the study that aims to infect up to 100 adults over the next year.
Wait a minute: Flu is sweeping the country, so why not just study the already sick? That wouldn’t let scientists measure how the immune system reacts through each step of infection, starting with that first exposure to the virus.
It’s not an experiment to be taken lightly. After all, the flu kills thousands of Americans a year. For safety, Memoli chose a dose that produces mild to moderate symptoms – and accepts only volunteers who are healthy and no older than 50.
And to avoid spreading the germs, participants must spend at least nine days quarantined inside a special isolation ward at the NIH hospital, their health closely monitored. They’re not released until nasal tests prove they’re no longer contagious.
The incentive: About $3,000 to compensate for their time.
Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan engaging in war of words during Super Bowl week
Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan need to contact UFC president Dana White and finally settle their disdain for each other.
Via Shutdown Corner:
Warren Sapp, has never liked Strahan, nor been shy about expressing those sentiments. Earlier this week, Sapp, who played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was asked about the possibility of Strahan joining him in the Hall of Fame. Strahan, a former standout defensive end with the New York Giants, is one of 15 modern-day finalists eligible for induction this year.
Of course, Sapp said Strahan’s résumé did not stack up, and referred to the retired defensive end as “all hype.” Strahan fired back his own set of insults at Sapp, and even said, “The tiger does not pay attention to the opinion of the sheep.”
The war of words between Sapp and Strahan, which resembles trash-talk between two old fighters, continued on Wednesday.
“I can't make a man respect me, but I will stop him from disrespecting me -- I tell you that,” Sapp told Newsday.
Apparently, Sapp did not like Strahan referring to him as a “coward” for expressing his views to Newsday and not speaking with him directly. Was that the classic “he’s talking about me” response from most children?
Sapp believes Walter Jones, Derrick Brooks, Charles Haley and Marvin Harrison deserve induction ahead of Strahan.
“I'm just wondering if it wasn't somebody else saying it would it be taken on face value that those four dudes have a better resume?" Sapp told Newsday. “Like John Quincy Adams said in 1800, 'Facts are stubborn.' (Actually it was his father, John Adams, who said it.)
“It was about his resume; I wasn't talking about the man. But the sheep and the lion and all that? I don't understand. He still can't rush that right end. Three years, 12 sacks!"
Sapp was referring to Strahan's first three seasons at right end in the NFL. Strahan had 13 sacks in 39 games at right end from 1993-95 before he was switched to the left side in 1996. He finished with 141.5 sacks in 15 seasons with the Giants.
Strahan will find out if he is a Hall of Fame inductee on Saturday. If Strahan is voted in by the panel of football writers, this battle will resemble two neighbors arguing over property lines.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Murs & Apollo Brown - The Pain Is Gone
Mello Music Group presents another banger titled "The Pain Is Gone" by Murs & Apollo Brown, from the upcoming "Mandala Vol. 2, Today's Mathematics" available January 28th.
Quelle Chris - Going Swell
Mello Music Group presents the track "Going Swell" by Quelle Chris, from the upcoming Mello Music Group album "Mandala Vol. 1, Polysonic Flows" (available January 28th).
Mack Jones - The Answer ft. Soul Khan
Southwest VA group and company Mack Jones presents the track The Answer ft. Soul Khan.
Monday, January 20, 2014
5 Entrepreneurship Lessons from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Today, as we celebrate the life, achievements, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., entrepreneurs should take note of five important business lessons that can be learned from him, and his role in the Civil Rights movement:
Via Forbes:
1. Make Your Dream A Reality
The phrase people most often associate with Dr. King – excerpted from his landmark 1963 speech — is “I have a dream.” Of course, many people have dreams. Some even have great dreams. But most people don’t work to make their dreams a reality as did Dr. King. Great ideas for new products, businesses, and works of science and art die every day with their inventors. To be an entrepreneur is to dream – but is even more to do.
2. The Way It Was Is Not The Way It Has To Be
At the time that Dr. King gave his famous speech at the Mall in Washington, racism had been entrenched in American culture for centuries. Dr. King challenged the status quo, and raised awareness of a different and better future that could be built from positive change. Likewise, businesses often are averse to changing long-held positions, or denying that major changes for the better can take place, with or without them. Only a few years ago, “experts” were saying that people would reject keyboard-less smartphones like the iPhone, and Blackberry would continue to dominate the smartphone market for many years to come. We know how that turned out.
3. Change Can Happen Fast
The vast majority of the members of my generation – born not that many years after it took a struggle to get the Civil Rights Act passed – consider the notion that people should be segregated based on the color of their skin to be both morally repugnant and downright ridiculous. Attitudes change quickly – especially after positive developments occur and everyone sees the correctness of the change. This is true vis-à-vis business as well. Consider how quickly Blackberry went from market leader to having less than 4% of market share, or how fast Kodak was transformed from having its film products bought by nearly every family in America to filing for bankruptcy as a firm many teenagers “had never heard of.”
4. Build A Large Following
Dr. King was an amazing speaker who inspired millions of people with his words. But, ultimately, it was those large numbers of people who organized, marched, or otherwise influenced legislators and the public. There is little doubt that the grassroots nature of the civil rights movement – and the resulting far reach of its leaders – was a key ingredient in its success. In the Internet era it is much easier than the 1960s to reach large numbers of people; if you have a great message – spread it widely.
5. Success Takes A Lot Of Work
The civil rights struggle did not achieve its aims overnight, and its success was built upon the hard work and sacrifice of many; Dr. King and various others even lost their lives. Thankfully, entrepreneurs do not need to make such giant sacrifices, but, effectuating change and achieving success does not usually happen without hard work. Yes, there are some businesses that skyrocket to the top, and there are some people who get rich quickly. But, the vast majority of businesses are built with a lot of time and effort. Don’t expect to succeed without working hard.
Stream: Kevin Gates “Don’t Know”
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| Follow @Kevin_Gates on Twitter "Don't Know" is available on iTunes next week. |
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Scarface Says Smarten Up: "The Rap Sh*t's Sounding Stupider & Stupider"
Houston rap veteran the legendary Scarface recently shared his views on the state of hip-hop and why the rap game has lost its essence over the years.
Via SOHH:
Despite the widespread diversity from California's Odd Future to New York's A$AP Rocky, Face Mob explained his firm stance on the music biz.
"I feel like our music was dumbed down," Scarface said in an interview. "I feel like our generation is being dumbed down. And it starts with how we educate ourselves. At first, we knew what was going on in Compton by the music that we heard. We knew what was going on in Chicago by the music that we made. We knew what was going on in Houston by the music that was going on in Houston. Now, nobody don't give a f*ck. Everything sounds alike; they say the same thing." (XXL Mag)
The Geto Boys leader also noted how hip-hop had fallen behind other popular genres in intelligence.
"The rap sh*t [is] sounding stupider and stupider, and country music is sounding more brilliant, rock music is sounding more brilliant and alternative music is sounding way more brilliant," he says. "Sh*t sound good as f*ck. Everybody [in hip-hop] wants to turn up now; even in R&B. Who stole the soul? The soul is gone. Twenty-five years ago it was called soul, 30 years ago it was called soul. Then they turned it into rhythm and blues, R&B. What is it now? Is R&B gone too?" (XXL Mag)
Recently, Face made similar comments about hip-hop being dumbed down.
"I be looking at sh*t like a conspiracy. That's the way I feel about music," Face said in an interview. "You know what I mean? I feel like the powers that be are intentionally dumbing down our craft, man. I feel like they dumbing us down because the dumbest sh*t I ever heard is on the radio right now. Number one. Whatever number one is." ("Combat Jack Show")
Last year, fellow rap veteran Nas suggested the level of authenticity and realness no longer existed in hip-hop.
"I saw it come from the corner with the guys with the radios and dudes break dancing on the streets everywhere," Nas said when asked how hip-hop has changed. "Today, it's kind of lost integrity, it's lost its meaning, it's lost its love, which is why I made [2006's] Hip Hop Is Dead album. [What's dead?] The realness." ("Talk Stoop")
Jim Jones’ $700,000 Vampire Life Problems Exposed
Dipset’s Jim Jones may have more serious things to think about than a Diplomats reunion as reports claim he is involved in a nasty and pricey battle over a vampire flick.
Reports Sohh:
Details of Capo’s unexpected legal woes surfaced online Friday (January 17).
Rapper Jim Jones sucked the life blood out of a vampire flick … and now the bitter investors have sued Jones claiming he lined his own pockets with the money that was supposed to be used for the movie. Short story … Jones was supposed to produce a movie called “Vampire Life III.” He was also going to provide the soundtrack for the movie. The investors plunked down $200,000 with high hopes … hopes that were dashed when Jones stopped returning their phone calls and emails. The investors were PISSED when they learned … Jones allegedly used some of the money to make mix tapes that were supposed to go in the movie but Jones was releasing them independently. (TMZ)
In order to correct the situation, Jones’ business investors want him to cough up big bucks.
The investors were doubly upset when they found out Jones allegedly used the rest of their seed money to produce and release a Vampire-Life clothing line that was supposed to be merchandising for the movie. Bottom line — the investors feel like they were had — the movie with a cool soundtrack and clothing line was a fiction … the only thing that was real was Jones using their money to profit from the music and the threads. The investors want $700K minimum. Calls to Jones were not returned. (TMZ)
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Friday, January 17, 2014
Trayvon Martin's mother: 'Don’t think for one second racial profiling doesn’t happen'
Sybrina Fulton was part of a discussion about racial profiling at the University of Utah on Thursday.
Via UPI:
Sybrina Fulton, who's 17-year-old son Trayvon Martin was shot by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman in 2012, visited the University of Utah on Thursday to discuss racial profiling.
Hundreds attended the Martin Luther King Week event, in which Fulton said that an "upside" to her son's death was the "opportunity to save someone else's child."
"Don’t think for one second racial profiling doesn’t happen. Don’t think for one minute even in your community of Salt Lake City it doesn’t happen," she said. "Racism is still alive. Racial profiling is still alive. Injustice is still alive."
Fulton said that the circumstances of her son's death -- he was wearing a hoodie when Zimmerman shot him -- applied all over the country.
"There should not become a time when we are comfortable with burying our children," Fulton said. "What happened many miles away in Sanford should be uncomfortable for you."
"Is it the hoodie that really made the difference? Or the color of his skin?" she asked. "And if by one second, just by one mere second, we think that it's the color of his skin, then something is wrong with America."
"At the end of the day, it’s not about Trayvon. It’s about the person that felt he was suspicious," she added.
Zimmerman, who was acquitted last year, said he was acting in self-defense when he shot Martin. He recently faced domestic violence charges when his current girlfriend said he had threatened her with a gun and choked her. The Florida state attorney's office decided to drop those charges on her request.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
FDA: Acetaminophen doses over 325 mg might lead to liver damage
You're in pain after surgery, and your doctor prescribes you Vicodin, or maybe Percocet. But when you get home, the pain hasn't subsided and you decide to pop some Extra Strength Tylenol.
Unknowingly, you may have just taken more of the drug acetaminophen than is safe. Don't combine aspirin and ...
Acetaminophen is often used in pain medications with opioids such as oxycodone (Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin) and codeine (Tylenol with Codeine). These are called combination drugs, and the Food and Drug Administration is asking doctors to stop prescribing those that have more than 325 mg of acetaminophen per dose. FDA warns of acetaminophen liver damage FDA: Pain meds may cause liver damage
The FDA says no data show that taking more than that amount provides enough benefit to outweigh the risk of liver damage.
Former 'Drake & Josh' star claims Lil Za took the 'coke wrap' for Justin Bieber
From MTV.com:
It's pretty clear that Justin Bieber does not have a fan in Drake Bell.
The former "Drake & Josh" star took to Twitter on Wednesday to share with his nearly 3 million Twitter followers his thoughts on Bieber's alleged egging of his neighbor's house. The incident led to the raid of the singer's Los Angeles mansion to look for evidence, which subsequently resulted in the arrest of his friend, rapper Lil Za, for felony drug possession.
Bieber was not placed under arrest in the event. However, Bell came to his own conclusions, suggesting Lil Za was covering for Bieber. The young rapper was allegedly in possession of Molly and not cocaine as originally reported, according to TMZ. Read Full Story here.
Hey @justinbieber, how much are you paying your friend for pretending that it was HIS cocaine, and taking the fall for you?
— Jared Padalecki (@jarpad) January 14, 2014
Blah blah blah I don't talk tough on twitter @DrakeBell & I do love my brother, that's why 1 day you'll answer for your bully shit.
— Milk Tyson (@MILKTYSON) January 16, 2014
When is someone going to tell this idiot he can't draw.His art is almost as bad as his music. Talentless artless pic.twitter.com/N3xiPFfQNz
— Drake Bell (@DrakeBell) January 16, 2014Richie Wess - Dope (Official Video)
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Tampa Bay area spitta Richie Wess releases the second video off of his highly anticipated upcoming mixtape Wess Side Story. Production on this track is by Tay Lewis, and the video was directed by Omar The Director. Expect more visuals leading up to the release of #WSS. Also check out Richie's track "Detonate" featuring Gunplay of MMG and YTC label-mate Yung Dred.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Happy Birthday Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Today is the 85th birthday of pastor, activist, humanitarian, leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We at Mixtape108.com we like to mark this celebration with this video tribute.
Video done by Harlowe Marlowe
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Desegregation Aid Could End for Arkansas Schools
An agreement awaiting a federal judge's final approval soon could end one of the nation's most historic desegregation efforts following decades of court battles and $1 billion of special aid to Little Rock-area schools.
Via AP:
Lawyers and patrons this week will pick apart details of a proposed settlement among three school districts, state lawyers and others involved in the case to determine if it is fair. Unless U.S. District Judge Price Marshall finds fault with the deal, for the first time in more than a quarter century the state no longer will be required to make extra payments to help fund racial integration of schools.
In November, Marshall gave tentative approval to a plan that would end the state's payments within four years. However, he will hear formal arguments Monday and Tuesday on whether to officially end the dispute that has roots in the Central High School desegregation fight 56 years ago.
"I grew up in Arkansas; I remember the 1957 crisis," said Jerry Guess, the superintendent of the Pulaski County Special School District. "I believe all of this is entwined and I believe this is an important moment in education in Arkansas."
Little Rock was the scene of the nation's first major desegregation battle when President Dwight Eisenhower used federal troops to escort nine black schoolchildren into Central High School, the city system's flagship school. Court cases involving desegregation have been in place during most years since then.
The Little Rock School District sued the state and the Pulaski County Special and North Little Rock districts in 1982, saying their policies had created a racial imbalance among schools countywide. Under terms of a 1989 settlement, the state of Arkansas agreed to give the districts extra money to boost desegregation efforts, including adding magnet schools and allowing student transfers.
Under the proposed settlement, payments that total nearly $70 million a year now would end in four years. Funds in the final year must be used to improve facilities. Without the settlement, the districts risk having payments stopped immediately, which almost happened two years ago.
U.S. District Judge Brian Miller, who has since recused himself from the case, attempted to cut off the funding, saying the districts had become accustomed to the money and benefited more if they didn't fully comply with the settlement.
"It seems that the State of Arkansas is using a carrot and stick approach with these districts but that the districts are wise mules that have learned how to eat the carrot and sit down on the job," Miller wrote in 2011. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned him, saying no one had asked for the payments to end.
Taking that as a clue, the state petitioned to end the payments.
Marshall cannot modify the terms of the agreement; his role is only to approve or not approve it. If the agreement reached among the parties falls apart, a trial on the state's request is set for March.
Aaron Sadler, a spokesman for Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, said he doubted any objections raised would "impair approval of the settlement."
John Walker, a state representative and noted civil rights attorney who also represents black schoolchildren as intervenors, said he also sees no reason the judge would disapprove.
"Factually, nothing has changed since the last hearing," Walker said.
Under the proposed agreement, students currently attending schools out of their home districts would be allowed to continue their studies without having to transfer back.
School patrons in Sherwood, a small city north of North Little Rock, have criticized plans to let the nearby Jacksonville area secede from the Pulaski County district while Sherwood cannot until the judge declares the district officially desegregated, or unitary.
Pulaski County's unitary status has been held up by shortcomings in facilities, discipline, scholarships and student achievement, according to recent court documents.
"That does not offer us a ray of hope. ... We've been in this court case for 30 years," said Linda Remele, a retired teacher and administrator who backs a separate district for Sherwood and has filed a written objection to the court.
However, the rest of the settlement does not necessarily signal an end to discrimination in the schools, he said.
"The only thing historic about (the settlement) is that the state no longer will have to pay money after four years for trying to help these districts do what they're supposed to do," Walker said, pledging to file another lawsuit if the districts falter.
But Walker said a new suburban high school illustrates the continuing problem for black children. The new high school is in heavily-white Maumelle, and a shiny new middle school in Little Rock is in the Chenal neighborhood, among the wealthiest enclaves in the state.
"The idea has to be that the intended beneficiaries (of the settlement) have their issues addressed," Walker said. "Poor sections of the districts, including Jacksonville, are underserved."
Revolt Network Still Not Available In Comcast Hometown
What's up with Diddy's Revolt Network not being available in Philly, the home of cable provider Comcast...
Via Deadline:
Revolt Network, which Sean Combs leads with MTV veteran Andy Schuon, is one of four minority-owned independent networks Comcast pledged to distribute as a condition of getting FCC approval of its NBCUniversal merger. And yet, since its October launch, Revolt has not been available in Comcast’s hometown, Philadelphia. Schoen told TV critics this morning they’re working on that. “People are noticing” he said of the omission.
“Have they given you a date?” a Philly TV critic asked.
Comcast had committed to launching Revolt “to a certain percentage of homes” in its digital basic tier and to roll it out “in more markets over time.” He noted the network is availabie in Seattle, the Bay area and Miami and in some smaller markets.
“We’re a fairly obvious market,” the Philly critic snarked.
He declined to say how many homes Revolt is available in because, he said when pressed, “I don’t think we’ve made it a practice.” Revolt CEO Keith Clinkscales had not got that memo and explained the network is now in 20 million home and hope it hits 26 million by the end of this year.
Last July, at Summer TV Press Tour 2013, Revolt founder Sean Combs said that if cable networks were unbundled and viewers got to decide what channels they’d hang on to, “You’d keep CNN – or you’d keep Fox if you were a Republican — you would keep ESPN and probably keep The Weather Channel” but “if it’s music you want and you are a millennial, you are homeless.”
“My mission,” Combs said, “is to get kids back to television.”
Monday, January 13, 2014
Burglars Hit Home of Eagles Star DeSean Jackson
Philadelphia police are searching for the thieves that broke into Eagles wide receiver Desean Jackson's home. And as NBC10's Nefertiti Jaquez reports, the suspects made off with more than $200K in cash and some other expensive goods.
Friday, January 10, 2014
Koncept & J57 - When I Get There ft. Co$$, Tenacity, Johaz (Dag Savage), Blame One, El Prez, Realm Reality & Mike Maven Mike Maven
Koncept (Brown Bag AllStars) sends the track he did with J57 (Brown Bag AllStars) titled "When I Get There" featuring Co$$, Tenacity, Johaz (Dag Savage), Blame One, El Prez, Realm Reality and Mike Maven. The track was recorded at Red Bull Studios in Los Angeles, CA.
Malice & Mario Sweet - Celebration
Malice & Mario Sweet sends the track titled "Celebration" in commemoration of their 5th Year Wedding Anniversary.
Verbal Kent - Raponomics
Mello Music Group sends the track "Raponomics" by Verbal Kent, produced by Khrysis. The track is from the upcoming album "Sound of the Weapon".
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Coinye: Rapper Kanye West strikes back at Yeezy-inspired cryptocurrency
Coinye seemed like such a good idea at the time...Kanye having a currency named after him, oh Yeezus!!!
Via Yahoo Finance:
Create a new digital currency, name it after rapper Kanye West and delight the online world with this clever, consumer-friendly take on the Bitcoin trend. And it appeared to be working as of last week, when the idea for the cryptocurrency “Coinye West” was first announced, complete with a cartoon version Kanye’s face on its logo and a currency “mining” program called “Gold Digger,” presumably inspired by West’s 2005 hit of the same name.
“We chose Kanye because of his trendsetting abilities and his originality,” the anonymous developers told PC World at the time. Coinye was set to launch on January 11.
Trouble is, nobody asked Kanye about all this, and on Monday his lawyers sent the Coinye developers a cease and desist letter, alleging copyright infringement and accusing the currency’s backers of attempting to profit off of West’s public image.
"Interviews with the founders of the Coinye West cryptocurrency leave no doubt that your clear intent is to trade upon the goodwill associated with the Kanye West mark and Mr. West's international fame and notoriety,” wrote Brad Rose with the law firm of Pryor Cashman LLP. “Consumers are likely to mistakenly believe that Mr. West is the source of your services or is, at the very least, affiliated with, or has sponsored or endorsed the cryptocurrency.”
In response, the currency’s developers pushed Coinye out earlier than planned, on Tuesday. “We want to get this into the hands of the public – after all, it’s peer to peer and unstoppable,” they wrote on their site. But they also appear to be bowing to the legal pressure in some ways, updating their logo to look less Kanye-inspired (by adding a fish tail to the side of his head), changing the name of their currency from “Coinye West” to just “Coinye” and moving their website to a hosting service based in India.
Coinye is, of course, just the latest entrant in the rapidly-growing digital currency space. Buoyed by the success of Bitcoin – the original cryptocurrency that’s now valued at more than $840 per “coin” – the online marketplace now includes competitors like Litecoin, Peercoin, Ripple and Dogecoin, which was launched in December 2013 and features an image of a Shiba Inu dog on its virtual logo. According to The Guardian, there are now more than 60 of these digital peer-to-peer currencies available for online use.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Google Doodle Honors Zora Neale Hurston, Black Cultural Giant
Today’s Google Doodle honors the American novelist, activist and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, who was born on Jan. 7, 1891.
Via TIME NewsFeed:
Born in Alabama and raised in Florida, Hurston would become of the most influential black authors of the twentieth century, mingling in circles of the Harlem Renaissance and influencing generations to come. TIME included her among 50 cultural giants in African-American history, and her 1937 novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, which starkly portrays the life of a black woman in early twentieth century Florida, is often cited as one of the top novels of the last century.
“This is the great tale of black female survival in a world beset by bad weather and bad men,” TIME wrote about the novel in 2010, in its list of the 100 best English-language novels. “Her succulent book has its stretches of overripe prose, but that’s the price of taking the chances she takes with language, chances you have to take to arrive at the witchy places she gets to. (Sizing up her third husband, Tea Cake, she notices “his lashes curling sharply like drawn scimitars.”) It’s a short book, but you savor it.”
Hurston’s work included four novels, dozens of short stories, plays and essays, and two books of folklore based on her anthropological research that captured some of the oral history of African Americans.
“I have the nerve to walk my own way, however hard, in my search for reality, rather than climb upon the rattling wagon of wishful illusions,” she once wrote.
Hurston died in Florida in 1960.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Friday, January 3, 2014
OutKast Reunion Plans Confirmed, Future & Andre 3000 Start Up Their "Benz"
Organized Noize producer Rico Wade has confirmed speculated Coachella plans for the reunion of the legendary duo OutKast.
Via Sohh:
According to Rico, Andre 3000 also has a collaboration with fellow Atlanta rapper Future in the books.
Rico also happens to be Future’s older cousin, which is how Future ended up with “DUNGEON” tattooed on his right forearm and “FAMILY” on his left. “I put Future in the studio for the first time,” Rico explains, eager to shed light on his own under-recognized legacy. As we bide our time in the lobby, he affably spills the beans about unreleased Andre 3000 solo songs from a decade ago and his hopes to score Future a cameo during OutKast’s reunion sets at Coachella. Eventually he pulls out his iPhone and plays me a Future/Andre collaboration he produced called “Benz B*tch” that’s earmarked for Honest. It’s yet another side of Future and one rarely heard: brainy, libidinous space-age funk mined from Stankonia’s dankest caverns, an homage to his Dungeon Family roots. (Stereo Gum)
While details were scarce, a photo of Three Stacks and Future popped up online last month.
André has now been spotted with fellow Atlanta rapper Future. The picture was posted on Future’s Instagram, and once again André 3000 is keeping things interesting by throwing up the peace sign and smiling like a kid who just found out he was going to Disneyland for his birthday. As Future told Complex TV recently, his blood line with André and the Dungeon Family runs deep. The Auto-Tune crooner is the cousin of Rico Wade, a producer that shaped the Dungeon Family sound with his group Organized Noize. Future says he would sit in on recording sessions with OutKast when he was just a kid. This connection is a reunion of sorts for them. Hopefully some music comes out of it as well. (Complex)
Thursday, January 2, 2014
BlackBerry and singer Alicia Keys part ways
After 1 year Blackberry has decided to parts ways with recording artist Alicia Keys.
Via The Verge:
Less than a year after recording artist was hired to come on as the company's "global creative director." The partnership was unveiled at an event last January when the company launched its BlackBerry 10 OS. Keys was tapped to "inspire the future" of the company, which took years to ready a new platform to more readily compete with the burgeoning crop of smartphones and tablets from competitors like Google and Apple. In a statement to CTV News today, the company thanked Keys for her service, without going detail about what exactly she had done during her tenure.
Keys' hire was just the latest in a string of celebrity endorsements for tech companies, though came with some controversy. Prior to signing on with BlackBerry, Keys was an avid iPhone user, and had even developed an iOS app that let users add her image to their own photos. Just a month after signing on with BlackBerry, she sent out a tweet from her iPhone, something she later attributed to being hacked. She also walked away from a very active, and well-followed Instagram account, which at the time was only available on iOS and Android.
The end of the partnership comes as BlackBerry continues its attempt at a comeback. The beleaguered company tallied up billions in losses last year, while shedding executives like CEO Thorsten Heins, who left in November, and was quickly followed by other top executives. Attempts to take over the company have also been scrapped, including one from Mike Lazaridis, who co-founded the company and was its CEO, though more recently has been selling off millions of his shares in the company.
Teddy Bridgewater 'strongly considering' Jay Z's Roc Nation Sports
College Football All- American QB Teddy Bridgewater is considering signing with Roc Nation Sports after reportedly deciding to enter the 2014 NFL Draft, potentially adding to the fledgling agency's impressive clientele.
Via SBNation:
Teddy Bridgewater is "strongly considering" signing with Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports, according to Jason Cole of the National Football Post. Sources told Cole that Bridgewater has been in talks with the agency. An ESPN report Wednesday suggested that Bridgewater has already decided to enter the 2014 NFL Draft.
Bridgewater isn't the only top draft prospect considering Roc Nation. South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has been linked to Jay-Z and co., as has UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley. Clowney announced he will be entering the draft as an underclassman following South Carolina's win over Wisconsin during the Capital One Bowl on Wednesday. Hundley is reportedly still undecided.
Roc Nation Sports has built up an impressive client list since its formation in early 2013. The agency represents New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano, who recently received a 10-year, $240 million contract as a free agent. New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith and New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz are also clients.
