KRS1 is a Cocky Bastard, And Rightfully So.

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KRS1 is one of the greatest MCs you rarely if ever hear about in "Greatest Rappers Alive" conversations. He is a pioneer in the hip hop game and is a sharp lyricist who along with his Boogie Down Productions crew gave us hits like "The bridge is over" "South Bronx" and more. Vibe caught up with the legend and asked him to walk through his catalog of hits and we have to say, it brought back memories of the BDP era.

So let’s dispense with the formalities. KRS-One is one cocky bastard. The Bronx, New York rap giant, who once claimed that he was so far connected with the culture and artform of hip-hop that it was his dog, has never been one to shy away from grandiose, what-the-fuck statements. And at the moment, Lawrence Krisna Parker is in another one of those audacious zones. “I honestly now know that I’m the physical embodiment of hip-hop on earth,” KRS declares to VIBE with a knowing laugh. “That’s my only purpose here on earth is to keep the culture together long enough for it to remain everything that we thought it could be when I was coming up.”

 [Vibe]

Inside Ol Dirty Bastard's FBI File

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Thanks to the freedom of information act, the FBI recently released their file on the late rapper Ol Dirty Bastard he and his WuTang Clanners live up to his name. According to the FBI, the Wutang Clan was connected to various murders, drug deals the bloods gang and other shit that probably won't surprise many of you:

Laundering Money Through Their Label(s):

In the FBI files, claims are made that the Wu-Tang Clan allegedly laundered money through their record label in order to pay for their nefarious dealings. The files indicate that once an individual had proven his or her loyalty to the WTC, they were “offered record contracts to record rap type music,” and “numerous recording companies were incorporated, along with bank accounts established,” for this end. According to the files, “this allows legitimate monies to flow into these accounts along with the proceeds from [redacted].” The file does, however, offer that the WTC runs a variety of “legitimate types of businesses,” including its own clothing line.

[DailyBeast]

Chicken And Beer Anyone?

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Atlanta based rapper/actor/businessman Chris "Ludacris" Bridges is expanding his business reach with the opening of his second eatery, this time in the exclusive Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport called Chicken and Beer after his third hit album. The rapper reportedly beat out fellow businessman/rapper Jay Z who according to reports, was also lobbying to open a 40/40 restaurant in the same spot.

This is not Ludacris’s first time as a restaurateur. The rapper opened Straits, an Asian fusion restaurant in Atlanta, four years ago, but will close the eatery to focus on his airport venture. No opening date for Chicken & Beer has been set, but Ludacris tweeted its “coming soon.”

[Wapo]

DJ Kanye Shares New Tracks

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Some artists take a few weeks off after wrapping a major world tour to collect their thoughts and recharge. Not Kanye West. Less than a week after completing the "Watch the Throne" tour with Jay Z, Mr. West was in London debuting tracks from his upcoming CD and the G.O.O.D. music compilation album via his first DJ set at club Le Baron. [BET]

Rapper T.I.'s New Reality

“Ain’t I been to jail enough times for you to know how to treat me when I come home?” 

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That's what Clifford Harris asks his wife Tameka Harris during the first episode of his new reality show "Family Hustle" which premiers tonight on VH1. Mr. Harris also known by his fans as T.I. embarked on a new hustle where he puts his family life out on the table for all to see and VH1 is banking on a hit. We think they will get exactly that as T.I.'s fans will get their hunger for more fulfilled. The rapper has seen his share of legal troubles and did his time. Now he is out and focused on expanding his hip hop empire across film and television and is taking his family for the ride, naturally.

There’s Ward Cleaver, Mike Brady and now T.I., a family patriarch and provider, loving husband, and charming father of six attention-seeking children. T.I. is handsome, wears a shawl-collar cardigan well and has phenomenal teeth — teeth that could get you out of some sticky situations by shine alone.

 [NYT]

Rapper Theophilus London Is Looking Forward to You Seeing His Naked Pix

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Brooklyn rapper Theophilus London's Soho apartment was recently robbed and he reported his mac, ipad etc all stolen. On these devices were some new music, documents and tons of nude photos of the rapper and some female companions. But he doesn't seem worried about the music files or even the naked photos. He is actually looking forward to these photos popping up on the web, and why shouldn't he? It will keep him in the press for a few days and perhaps help album sales.

“I had mad naked pictures on there. A lot,” London said, “of myself and, maybe, of other females.” But unlike most celebrities, he doesn’t seem particularly nervous.

“I’m actually psyched. I’m waiting on my naked photos to leak. I know Bossip and Mediatakeout will have a field day on it. I have nothing to hide,” he said.

 [NYP]

Heavy D Weighed Over 340lbs When He Died Yesterday Morning

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An autopsy is scheduled to take place on rapper Heavy D later on today to determine what stopped the 6'4" rapper in his tracks suddenly yesterday morning after returning from a shopping trip. According to medical filings the rapper weighed a megaful 344 pounds at the time of his death which is already leading tongues to wag that he may have died from an overworked heart (heart attack). The rapper dropped 135 pounds a few years back which he insisted wasn't due to any health issues but was strictly a business decision to land more acting rolls. Like the rest of the hip hop world, we await the results of what took down this talented MC/actor at the young age of 44.

The Tanning of America: Steve Stoute Jay Z Interview Pt. 2

 

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Huffpost Black Voices continues their "Tanning of America" series featuring a string of interviews conducted by the author of the book, marketing guru Steve Stoute. Here is part two of his interview with Hip Hop and business superpower Shawn "Jay Z" Carter

Excerpt from Chapter Two: "Hard Knock Life":

Yes, it's true that in the past the idea of pushing brands would have been seen as inauthentic, or something you did after your career peaked, or as some kind of selling out. But no longer. Why not? Why wasn't it selling out for rappers to embrace and promote Versace when it would have been seen that way for rock 'n' roll and R&B icons or pop superstars? Well, one reason, as we saw with "My Adidas," was that it's not a sellout when it's authentic to your taste and style anyway and you're already doing product placement for free. It was part of the art and far from selling out; Andy Warhol proved that when he painted iconic pop art portraits of products like Campbell's soup cans, paying homage to one of the most classic, enduring American brands ever.