Nate Dogg, who died suddenly last week of congestive heart failure, will forever be tied to G-funk, the California strain of gangsta rap that was made noticeably smoother by Dogg's velvety vocals.
The singer and rapper, born Nathaniel Hale, had a multitude of talents, but his specialty was hooks -sticky, won't-get-out-of-your-head hooks. His catchy, unmistakable choruses graced dozens of now-legendary hip-hop hits, including hall of fame hits by 2Pac, Eminem, Dr. Dre and 50 Cent. With appearances on more than 300 singles, he has been crowned the high priest of hookology.
His death leaves a huge hole. Without him on the chorus, rap music will simply not be the same in the years to come. In honour of Nate Dogg, here are his 10 most memorable performances.
Arie, In today's market, how important is it for an indie artist to get a record played on Radio as opposed to a video on the most popular blogs? My artist is incredible and I want to start building his career nationally but I'm hoping with a record on the radio here in Atlanta, I can get some interest from the label's who can put the money behind us to push the a record nationally. Of course this question is more related to limited resources and what's a better way to spend the money. So many artists have seem to sprung alive from the internet. Is that lane as easy as it seems?- Dave
Honestly, don't waste your funds on radio. It won't do any good, at least not at this point in your artist's career. Radio is like the golden arches of music. Try and follow me... [When you see McDonalds golden arches, you already know what to expect without even tasting their fries or burgers that day] right?
Radio is the same way. Artists only do well on radio, because people have already had them shoved down their throats by the major labels and their BIG marketing budgets. You'd be surprised how we "the general public" are hypnotised to know an artists voice before receiving confirmation from a promo picture that, they are the one's who are actually singing that new "HOT" single.
My advice.... Use what budget you have on, online marketing and creating enough worthwhile material to gain attention for your artist via online sites, blogs, e-zines etc. Besides buying banners and video placement (on those sites who over charge, but claim to support indies) We'll leave them nameless- For the most part everything else should be free, [just make sure the artist's music and style fits the online audience you're trying to appeal to]. By doing so, with what you have, you may create your own "McDonalds Effect".
If done the correct way with proper preparation, you may attract the attention of labels and distribution companies. It's no longer the 90's, labels want talent that come with a following, this saves them money and overpriced man hours. [I call this just add water talent].
And let's be real even if you paid to get music played on a major radio station, the money wouldn't be long enough to get your single in the top 15 rotation during popular commuting hours. [Chris Brown, Lil' Wayne/ YM already have that on lock]. It would get placed in some random DJs hood hour mix or something, during off hours. [Being just as effective as paying MTV Jams to play your video, when no one knows who you are to care]. You would just have the pleasure of saying your music was played on that station or network. Don't cheat your hard work and artist's talent.
Go hard with the ground work and I'm sure the "big shots" will take notice and find you. So start laying the brinks on that trail and keep me posted.
*Do you have a question for me or something you’d like to know? I’m here every week answering your questions. Send me an email: contactsaidarie@gmail.com and follow me on twitter at: www.twitter.com/leirapr_ceo
Las Vegas, NV , February 16, 2011-- Cash Money Records CEO, Bryan "Birdman" Williams recruits local Dallas , TX artist Big Chief during a live radio broadcast.
Cash Money Records CEO Bryan "Birdman" Williams announced during a visit to Dallas , TX radio station K104 FM Cash Money's search for the hottest hip hop artist in the city.
K104 FM air personality and A&R "Bay-Bay" introduced "Birdman" to Eat Greedy Music's "Big Chief," Dallas' largest, most highly anticipated up and coming artist. Shortly after the meeting Cash Money CEO Williams announced publicly his label's plans to sign Big Chief as the newest member of Cash Money. Cash Money and Big Chief teams are working out contract details; both sides expect Big Chief to join Cash Money Records in the very near future.
Big Chief: Wildly recognized in the Texas music community for the substance of his real world lyrics, story telling ability and catchy hooks. Chief, commonly known as an artist who controls his own success with the conception of the "Eat Greedy Movement" began to record and press numerous albums creating a catalogue of street classics themed the Eat Greedy Volumes. Through Chief's persistence, consistency and talent, he created his own market of loyal listeners, earning significant admiration and respect within the south's music community.
Today, Big Chief's audience precedes him. His reputation for the creation of instant street classics such as "When U Gone Let Me?", "Used To It", and "Check" ft. Slim Thug and Bobby Valentino and more have created strong anticipation for the next level in his career.
Cash Money Records: Founded by brothers Bryan "Birdman" Williams and Ronald "Slim" Williams. Today it operates as a subsidiary of Universal Motown Republic Group, and is distributed by Universal Motown Records.
Local Charlotte artist Jerz & Money With Money behind seen video shoot coming soon called "She Gotta Be". also featured in this video will be his counterparts Lyric and Lil Moe with some local sexy ladie's.
The artist known as Jerz if you can remember was in the bubble shake magazine a while back with his smash hit f**** them all. these days Jerz is doing a lot more video's and recording more songs for his next mix tape dropping soon. jerz will also be on "KANTEEN CAROLINA COMMISSARY" by DJ sojarealz Feb 15th stay tuned.
Drake, real name Aubrey Drake Graham, will take to the stage Thursday for a sold-out concert at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino.
Doors for the performance open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets still are available from online resellers.
Drake's debut album "Thank Me Later" reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 2010 with the singles "Over," "Find Your Love," "Miss Me" featuring Lil Wayne and "Fancy" featuring T.I. and Swizz Beatz, all charting on radio.
In 2009, his mixtape "So Far Gone," which later was released as an album in a shorter form, featured the hit singles "Best I Ever Had" and "Successful" with Trey Songz and Lil Wayne.
After the 2007 breakup of the Diplomats, Jones established himself as a solo artist and hip-hop renaissance man, defying those who saw him only as the swaggering, aggressive second-in-command to the group's Cam'ron.
But the 34-year-old veteran still feels he's at his best when he's with his musical brothers.
"Just being back in their presence, the energy is incredible. There’s no feeling like it," said Jones, who will be working again with Cam'ron and Juelz Santana at Wednesday's much--anticipated Diplomats reunion show at the Wilbur Theatre.
Lil' Kim is plotting out her musical comeback. The longtime Junior M.A.F.I.A. member and multi-platinum star has recently returned to Hip Hop headlines for her conflicts with Queens, New York's Nicki Minaj. after dropping the romans revenge 2.0 featuring Lil' Wayne. Kim definitely have decided to keep the battle going with more revenge of her own.
according to Lil' Kim's Twitter, Black Friday - a play on Minaj's Pink Friday album title, will be an entire mixtape. Kim is claiming that she will release the free song collection on Valentine's Day, February 14. In her tweet announcement, Kim hinted at possible themes of the music, asking, "The fuck war?
you can listen to lil kim and nicki minaj go at it on mixtape below:
Kanye west used his Twitter page to announce that he would be bringing out another solo effort this year, to follow-up last year's brilliant My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
Talking about the sound on his next project, he said: "THIS IS HIGH END RAP MUSIC. I just threw some bassoon on this muthaf*****."
He excitedly tweeted: "I'll be back this SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!! WATCH THE THRONE COMING IN 2 MONTHS!!!!!!!!!! MY NEW ALBUM COMING THIS SUMMER."
listen to the Ham leek of the throne album on mixtape below:
The CEO of bubble shake and music pusher ent called a press conference yesterday, to unveil its latest project bubble xxx magazine. in the press conference music pusher entertainment also drops, the latest single from renegade sage called "sex tape" feat...kandyman off the sex Lie's n gangstas mix tape.
you can see the video of press conference and listen to the song below.
Although it pains us to list a pop song as the #1 single in our top ten songs of 2010 , Katy Perry has forced us to do so with "California Gurls" featuring the original dogg pound gangster Snoop Dogg. The 80's themed bimbo track was released in May since parts of Perry's album were leaked early and quickly went #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for six straight weeks and was #1 in over 10-countries.
Rick Ross is landed out there in Cape Town, South Africa. he'll be there for a special show as rumored. ross is also scedual to stay in the mother land for the new years. thats a good feeling i can imagin.
50 CENT SHOVELS SNOW?
there was a mass blizzard of 2010 on the East Coast. There are some poor New Yorkers that are were stuck in subway trains. 50 Cent is not one to pass up a business opportunity. The G-Unit Master went out in his Connecticut suburb and volunteered to shovel his neighbors' driveways. 50 tweeted that he charged $100 a driveway and used lil kids to get more work. He says he paid the kids $30 per hour.
CHRIS BROWN AND RAZ BUSTA
First Raz B said the following, which set Chris Brown off in a Twitter rage: "Im just sittin here Thinking how can n**gas like @ebenet & @ChrisBrown disrepect woman as Intelligent as @HalleBerry11 @Rihanna."
Chris Brown, who called Raz B immature, said: "Tell me this @razb2k!! Why when the money was coming in u won't complaining about getting butplugged! #homothug!!!" and then, "@razb2k n**ga you want attention! Grow up n**ga! D*** in da booty a** lil boy."
Then Chris, probably worried that he scared the Pink Mafia, said: ""I'm not homophobic! He's just disrespectful!!!" and "I'm not mad though!!! I'm just not silent nor am i one of these scary R&B cats!!" "Watch me be the bad guy on the blogs tomorrow!!!! its cool though.. ill wear that...BTW... i love all my gay fans and this immature act is not targeted at you!!!! love."
Keyshia Cole says that she was wrong for dropping 'I Ain't Thru' ft. Nicki Minaj as the first single from newly released album, 'Calling All Hearts'.
Keyshia Cole is finally realize that maybe her label was right and she shouldn't have released the duo of her and Nicki Minaj as her first single. the label had insisted that it would not be a smart move to release the song first because it was not what her fans were used to hearing from her. Keyshia Cole fans expect something deep and rich in soul like the more popular songs 'I Should Have Cheated' and 'Love'. When 'I Ain't Thru' hit the airwaves it never gained the popularity that Keyshia anticipated.
the single did not even make the chart. i see where she was going with the idea because Nikki is so hot right now. i think keyshia will come back from this because the talent is definitely there. what do you think?
NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE 2011 NCUMA'S (NC UNDERGROUND MUSIC AWARDS). MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT THE AWARDS BUT THESE ARE OUR AWARDS IN NC AND WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS RATHER THAN HAVE A WAR WITH WORDS. ANYWAY, WOULD YOU PLEASE NOMINATE TRE-DOT FOR MALE ARTIST OF THE YEAR, GRIND HARD AWARD, LYRICIST OF THE YR, VIDEO OF THE YEAR AND SONG OF THE YEAR WITH "OH NO"...DON'T FORGET MS MYSTERIA FOR THE MODEL AWARD. FOLLOW THESE LINKS...
Just in time for the Fall Football Season Come the hot new joint from Mississippi based artist Donnie Cross with his banger Umm Here.
Um Here is a blazing track that uses the rough and rugged sport of football as a metaphor for Donnie Cross' music. The song has been burning up the clubs down South and is quickly becoming the anthem for local high schools and Black colleges down South
"Basically what Umm Here is about me saying to the world that I am here win in this rap game," says Ambassador's Way Entertainment recording artist. "The football metaphor came naturally to me because I am a big fan of football. A good football team, a winning team is able to overcome any and all obstacles and keep playing until they reach the goal line. That is something that I can definitely relate to. I'm in this game to win and win big!"
Expect Donnie Cross' new hit Umm Here to score big this season. Donnie Cross' current mixtape, Law Abiding Citizen is available online everywhere including iTunes, Amazon, CDwow as well as FYE and Best Buy.
Since he has started rapping in Cantonese, he says, he has encountered Chinese fans who have followed him since 2001 but add that they didn't have a clue what he was rapping about.
"Whereas now, (they say,) while you're rapping in Chinese, I actually know what you're talking about. I feel closer to you now because at least I can grasp the message that you're trying to convey in your raps, even if it's very simple."
There's a curious flipside to that linguistic divide, though.
'I also encounter Cantonese speakers who will tell me 'Jin, I don't really like your Cantonese raps.' They know what I'm saying, but they'll say 'I don't really like it, it doesn't have that intensity, I just don't feel it, whereas I love your English stuff,'' Jin says. 'But then you ask this same person who just gave me that critique, 'Do you know what my English [stuff is] about?' They may not. That's a mindbender."
Jin hasn't given up on rapping in English-in the spring he released a free mixtape of English tracks "Say Something." It was made to keep" the sword sharp," he says, but the lyrics also reflect a fresh sense of purpose and a spiritual awakening that Hong Kong has aroused in him.
As Jin reflects on his songwriting and the direction of his career, the conversation drifts inexorably toward his religious growth-"the power of the Holy Spirit," as he puts it.
He attributes this tilt toward Christianity to a religious community in the city that he has joined, including a weekly bible study group with others in the entertainment industry.
"God is so dope and he's done so many awesome things in my life,"he says. "I'm a workhorse now. What is driving me? This newfound responsibility."
The artists known as Almighty Dolla, Johnny BOI and Nem collectively make up the group EDUBB (pronounced E-Dubb). With more than 4 million views on-line from their hugely popular inter-net buzz worthy single and video "Whooty," the guys even garnered mentions of their work on TMZ. The Atlanta natives are currently setting their hometown a blaze and are breaking through Atlanta Top station Hot 107.9, as well as other stations throughout the southeast region, with their shockingly, amusing up tempo club smash "Rain Boots". "For the first time in our career we have one of the hottest records in the streets of Atlanta! The public is actually demanding it to be played on the radio and every major club!" says a confident Nem.
It all began in a free-style session in Atlanta, Georgia when cousins Nem and Dolla produced their first recording on a 4 track. Excited about their newly found music career they reached out to Dolla's brother, Johnny BOI, who had been sent to the Military Academy. Growing up around a musical family, witnessing the development of groups like the Ying Yang Twins and the early 90’s gangster rap group, the Hard Boys, allowed firsthand knowledge of what to expect as an artist and configure what was missing within the music industry. "At one time, music had stopped being fun and simply got really violent or extremely x-rated. We knew there was a gap and our goal is to seal it," says Johnny BOI.
With a distinct Southern drawl, a knack for catchy Pop hooks, and a hint of R&B and Alternative elements, EDUBB calls their style Hip-Hop Fusion. As they set out to brand their independent movement, EDUBB identified one of the fastest growing conversations "white girls with a booty". The group swiftly decided to lay this topic of conversation down into music and create a song. Luckily for them, this new term "Whooty", created by EDUBB has since threaded itself throughout the entertainment industry, embedding itself as new “slang” in pop culture, as it continues to be a trending topic on TWITTER.
Without being signed to a major label, the group has since received airplay on MTV Jams, Music Choice, Sirius, XM Satellite as well as many major reporting Top 40, Rhythm and Hip Hop stations across the U.S. EDUBB has also completed songs with multi-platinum producers and artists such as Lloyd, George Clinton, John Boy On Da Track (Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy), Drumma Boy and Jazze Pha. Drawing stark comparisons from "off the wall" acts such as, The 2 Live Crew and even Outkast, from their wild antics on stage, creative song concepts, and distinct appearance, "We aim to be hip-hop's version of the Rolling Stones. Longevity and building a catalogue full of hits is our key," says member Almighty Dolla. Welcome to the EDUBB EXPERIENCE.
If you would like more info about EDUBB or would like interview EDUBB, please call Johnathan Wright at 404/925-7572 or email at digitalagemusic@gmail.com
Las Vegas, NV , February 16, 2011-- Cash Money Records CEO, Bryan "Birdman" Williams recruits local Dallas , TX artist Big Chief during a live radio broadcast. 
