African Artists: Stormin' Into The Hip-Hop World   For some reason or another, there exists the misconception that African artists cannot be authentically Hip-Hop, or that their sound is exotic—foreign to the indigenous Hip-Hop rhythm. Of course, like all misconceptions, this is grounded in falsehood. Any true Hip-Hop fan is aware of the contributions old school Jamaican Reggae music made in the conception of this cultural phenomenon we today take great pride in; but many might not...(read more)

Veteran rapper Pete Nice of 3rd Bass fame is ensnared in a legal battle with a former business partner that has lead to an FBI investigation over missing baseball memorabilia from the New York Public Library.   In addition to rapping, Pete Nice, born Peter Nash, was a well known baseball memorabilia collector in his post-rap days.   According to the New York Times, Pete Nice in an expert on baseball history, while collector Rob Lifson is president of Robert Edwards Auctions, a prestigious...(read more)

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Let’s face it. Groups today are a rare and endangered species in Hip-Hop. With every Voltron-united collective comes a natural urge for members to forge a solo path towards their own success, beyond the protective shadow of a former life. Although they have dabbled in outside collaborations and projects, the members of Slum Village remain rooted in maintaining a united front.   And with the return of group co-founder Baatin, SV is more focused than ever, as they travel around the country...(read more)

After a spectacular night of satisfying a good load of die hard Wu-Tang fans in Raleigh, NC, Trife Diesel and Ghostface Killah sat down with AllHiphop.com for an interview after an energetic Method Man & Redman show. The kid Trife couldn’t have  named it better with the release of his anticipated debut album Better Late Than Never. Matter of fact, Trife deserves a pat on the back from Hip-Hop, proving that he still hold valuable weight in the game after all these years. You never...(read more)

Fresh off the positive reception of All In a Day’s Work, Saigon has confirmed with AllHipHop.com the release of Warning Shots 2.   Working again with label Amalgam Digital, the project will be marketed as a full-length album distributed through CD and digital formats.   Saigon’s previous 2009 LP, the Statik Selektah collaboration All In a Day’s Work, was recorded in 24 hours and released in just a week.   With the funds for traditional promotional campaigns shrinking, Saigon...(read more)

Original Dipset co-founder Cam’ron has formed a new company called The U.N. and has launched a subdivision titled Dipset West.   The new brand includes a film, music and DVD subdivision, which will be headed up by Omar “Iceman” Sharif, the CEO and co-owner of the new company, which includes a new roster featuring Vado, Begetz, Fly Boyz, Charlie Clipse, Byrd Lady and Young Hustle.   “When we started Dipset, it was more than just a crew, it was a movement. The U.N. is a continuation...(read more)

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When I read the headlines of the death of boxing legend Vernon Forrest, I was stunned, but not nearly as stunned after a friend told me what he released to the internet. I was shocked after seeing what the former champ had sent out on Twitter a mere week prior to his murder.

 

On Sunday 19th July 2009, @vernonforrest said:

 

Man I had a nightmare last nite I dreamt I come home and found 4 guys were breaking into my house. I pull my heater and it was empty they chased me and was about to shot me then I woke up. The first thing I did was get my heater and made sure it was loaded. That dream will not come true.

 

(Note: If you are wondering how Forrest tweeted so much past the 140 character limit, he used twitlonger.com to extend what he could say. Also, a "tweet" is a short message sent out on Twitter.)

 

I say this respectfully, but I just feel like Forrest was divulging too much information about himself and possibly setting the table for disaster. And, not to say there is ANY connection between his death and that tweet, but I definitely feel that "the tweets are watching." There are those that are always going to be one step ahead of regular, casual social networkers and some of them use their wisdom for nefarious activities.

 

A family went on vacation. The man decided it was a good idea to send out a "tweet" on Twitter informing all of his followers that the entire family was away from the house. Well, he didn't do just that, but that's what it ended up being. In telling everything about his vacation, he unwittingly tipped off burglars. They got in, robbed the home and escaped scott-free. Now, much of this is speculative, but that is what the family suspects.

 

There is another similar incident.

 

On May 24th, @izzyvideo dropped this on Twitter:

 

We made it to Kansas City in one piece. We're visiting @noellhyman's family. Can't wait to get some good video while we're here. :-)

 

And then four days later ...

 

Well, it's confirmed. Someone stole my Mac Pro and two displays while I'm visiting relatives here in Kansas City.

 

As the digital divided disappears (does it still exist?) and the implementation of mobile technology, people are able to mobilize and stay connected easily. The 'Net is no longer comprised only of invisible, tech-savvy geeks. Hey, crooks are all over the internet and often ready for a T.M.I. moment online. As it pertains to your favorite rapper and the streets, it pertains to the rappers with their "tweets."

 

Not only are fans following, but so are schemers and law enforcement. In my imagination, I've seen a rapper tweet about being in the club, about the great time he's having and bragging about what he has. A bunch of "followers" are the same guys watching, as depicted in movies like Jay-Z's "Streets Is Watching." You get the picture...

 

Many of my write-ups are cautionary and for good reason. I want people to take care of themselves and avoid disaster at all costs.

 

Vernon Forrest had epic boxing matches with combatants like "Sugar" Shane Mosley, but most importantly, he was a good man. He was a humanitarian that dealt with mentally challenged young adults, he helped Beyonce with charitable initiatives and took care of his step-children. Perhaps his slaying was just a random person trying to rob him or maybe it was more sinister. At press time there were no suspect, but perhaps he'll be able to find justice in the digital breadcrumbs that linger on the internet.

 

P.S. I wonder if Jigga will consider doing a remix called "Tweets Is Watching"...? Til then, here is the classic record, "Streets Is Watching."

 

 

Chuck "Jigsaw" Creekmur is the co-founder of AllHipHop.com. He can be found here and at twitter.com/ChuckCreekmur.

 

Jay-Z recently revealed his motivation for creating another Blueprint album came from his desire to establish a second trilogy of albums.   “I always wanted to finish the series because the first In My Lifetime series…you know I had three of those so I wanted to do three Blueprints,” Jay-Z said. “I didn’t really have a direction and I didn’t want to just do it for the sake of just naming an album Blueprint. So as time passed, I finally got direction and it made sense to bring the trilogy...(read more)