Doe B Passes Away

by ANDRES TARDIO

Doe B is reportedly shot and killed in Montgomery, Alabama.

Doe B has passed away, according to his management team and his Grand Hustle imprint head T.I. He was 22.

"RIP to my lil brother Doe B," T.I. said via Twitter today (December 28). "We gon miss u my nigga. U'll never be forgotten & U WILL NOT DIE IN VAIN. We Love U champ. Always."

It appears Doe B's passing was due to gun violence in a Montgomery, Alabama night club. Doe B's manager, DJ Frank White, addressed the matter on Twitter by saying that weapons were allowed in the club. 

HipHopDX would like to extend condolences to Doe B's family, friends, fans and associates.

Doe B was also reportedly shot in the eye on his way out of a nightclub in 2009 as a 17 year old. The rapper spoke about the shooting in a June interview with vladtv.com. 

"Numerous altercations in the streets," he said of what led to the shooting. "As a teen, in the club, you know how it be, as a teen in the streets."

Doe B's Management Confirms Rapper's Passing On Twitter

Twitter and Instagram posts regarding Doe B's passing can be found below. 

E-40 Shares New Details On Biggie Setup

by DANIELLE HARLING

E-40 says he called off a possible hit on Notorious B.I.G., says the incident resulted in a shout out in the "Life After Death" album notes.

Following the release of a DVD titled Notorious B.I.G.: Bigger Than Life, West Coast rapper E-40 has continued to speak on an incident featured on the DVD that involved both himself and the late Notorious B.I.G. E-40 spoke vaguely on the incident in 2010 and shared that while Biggie was in town, a few of his associates “got at him”following comments the Brooklyn wordsmith made about E-40 in a magazine interview.

E-40 shed even more light on the incident during an interview with Complex.com this week. He again stated that he took no part in the fake concert that was booked for Biggie in Sacramento and also shared the details of a phone call he received while Biggie was in town.

According to E-40, he received a phone call late at night from a man claiming to be in the same area as Biggie. The man then asked E-40 if he wanted him to do anything to the rapper.

“But a concert was booked that I didn’t book,” E-40 said. “And I wanna tell y’all this. I got a call like 11 at night. ‘40, I got this nigga Biggie Smalls down here woo wopty woo woo. What you want me to do with him?’ You gotta understand. Just being upset cause somebody said they ain’t fuckin with your music that ain’t enough to try to do somebody in. That’s not cool. That’s some bitch shit. That ain’t cool. I got on the phone with dude. I was like ‘I didn’t know you felt like that’…Anyway, to make a long story short, I got him home safe. Got him back to the hotel safe. I didn’t book that concert. That’s the main thing I want to say. But the shit that went down as far as my folks on his head, they was. And I called it off.”

E-40 again explained that the entire incident was brought about due to comments Biggie made during an interview with a Canadian magazine. When asked to rank a handful of West Coast artists on a scale from one to 10, E-40 says Biggie gave him a zero.

“A lot of people know about the Biggie incident,” E-40 said. “When he came to Northern California. Some of my folks was highly upset that he had did an article—I was upset that he did an article in a Canadian magazine…They asked him from a scale to one to 10 what do you feel about these artists. So, he would say Spice 1. I don’t know if it was a three, a four, or a two. Ice Cube, I don’t know what he gave him, but I know he gave me a zero. Right? And I’m a fixture out there on my soil, right? West Coast, and they fuck with me in New York at the time too as well. So, I was like ‘okay.’ Of course I was upset about that. My dudes seen that. Everybody was upset about that.”

E-40 says his cordial interaction with Biggie as a result of the incident led to the rapper giving him a shout out in the album notes for Life After Death.

In an interview with Hip Hop Wired last year, E-40 said his encounter with Biggie in Sacramento was one he didn’t speak on until Biggie’s people brought it to light.

“So [Biggie's people] hit me, we pow-wowed, got him back safe and that was that, man…you know that I'm so real that I never even spoke on it,” he said. “His folks spoke on that, I never brought it up."

Scarface Says Hip Hop Is Intentionally Being Dumbed Down

                                       

by DANIELLE HARLING

Scarface feels Hip Hop has become dumbed down because the genre was becoming too great.

While appearing on The Combat Jack Show this week, Houston rapper Scarface shared the details of a conspiracy theory he feels directly involves today’s Hip Hop. According to the Geto Boys emcee, today’s music, particularly Hip Hop, is being dumbed down by those with power.

“I be looking at shit like a conspiracy…That’s the way I feel about music, man,” Scarface said. “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 shit I ever heard is on the radio right now.”

He further elaborated on his conspiracy theory as he commented on “urban Hip Hop” versus “suburban Hip Hop,” and spoke on how “dumb” Hip Hop has become. Scarface later suggested that the powers that be are dumbing down the genre because it was becoming too great.

“To paint the picture that I’m trying to paint to you guys is it seems like all our shit is sounding really stupid and really, really dumb. Really, really corny,” the Texas rapper said. “And then, you know, you got the other shit that sounds really, really [great]…I wanna say this shit as diplomatic and as responsible as I can…When urban Hip Hop sounds like this and suburban Hip Hop sounds like that, I kinda feel fucked up. You know? It’s like our shit fucked up and the powers that be pour salt on the wound…I don’t even look at it as a threat or it being too fucking powerful. I just look it as being too fucking great.”

Scarface made similar comments earlier this year during an interview with Hardknock TV when he informed those watching that the people in control of Hip Hop are white and Jewish.

"I feel like we losing it," he said. "I feel like the people that are in control of what Hip Hop does is so fucking White and so fucking Jewish and so they don't give a fuck about what the culture and the craft really is about."

Lord Infamous Dead, Three 6 Mafia Member Dies at 40

Three 6 Mafia's Lord Infamous has reportedly died at the age of 40 at his mother's home in Memphis, Tennessee on Friday, Dec. 20Credit: Facebook

Three 6 Mafia's founding member Ricky "Lord Infamous" Dunigan has reportedly died at the age of 40. The rapper's body was found at his mother's home in Memphis, Tennessee on Friday, Dec. 20, HipHopDX reports.

PHOTOS: Stars gone too soon

Dunigan first broke out in the music industry with the help of DJ Paul and Juicy J. On Saturday, DJ Paul's publicist confirmed the news of his passing.

PHOTOS: Celebrity deaths in 2013

"He did pass away at his mothers house last night in Memphis," Dove Clark told HipHopDX in an interview. "The cause of death is unknown. We're actually trying to figure out how he died and that is all the information we currently have." (Back in 2010, Dunigan suffered a heart attack and stroke.)

"He passed away in his sleep from a heart attack," DJ Paul told The Hollywood Reporter. "He said he was tired, he wanted to sleep. He sat down at the kitchen table, put his head in his arms to lay down ... to get some sleep."

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The sudden death has also been confirmed by other members of the group via social media. "R.I.P. lord infamous," Juicy J tweeted Saturday. "Thx you for your prayers, I'm very hurt, can't believe it's true." Lil Wyte added: "He gave us the name #Triple6Mafia he was a pioneer, he was a god, he was my friend. RIP Ricky 'Lord Infamous' Dunnigan."

Three 6 Mafia was created in the mid-90s. In 2006, they won Best Original Song for "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" (a pivotal song in the film Hustle and Flow) at the 78th Academy Awards. Two years later, they went on to win Favorite Band/Duo/Group at the American Music Awards

Children Rap Explicit Lyrics but Creators say "We hope this film pushes...more honest and balanced art." You Decide???

by Soren Baker

                                 

A series of children rap profane, sexually explicit lyrics from Rick Ross, 2 Chainz and others in the video for "Kids."

Rap lyrics from 2 Chainz’s “Birthday Song” and Rick Ross’s verse on Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O.” are among those rapped by pre-teen children in the video for “Kids."

The clip was created by Jimmy Smith II and Jarrel Smith of Los Angeles-based agency Amusement Park.

"We just wanted to hold up a mirror to the types of messages we pump into our heads all day," the Smiths said during an interview with fastcocreate.com. "We hope this film pushes some of our favorite, super-talented artists to push themselves toward more honest and balanced art. Not cleaner or censored, but honest. If rappers rapped about Hot Wheels and ice cream on every song it wouldn't be honest, either. But if you have 12 songs about money, where are the songs about the things money does not fix? Nobody is perfect, but as creatives we can always be honest. Honesty--it's what makes truly great art, great.”

“All I want for my birthday is a big booty hoe,” 2 Chainz raps on “Birthday Song,” a single he released last year.

In April, Rick Ross lost his endorsement deal from Reekbok after the lyrics from verse on Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O.” led to a public protest in front of the shoe company’s New York City story. In the song, Ross raps, "Put Molly all in her champagne, she ain't even know it / I took her home and enjoy that, she ain't even know it.”

“Reebok holds our partners to a high standard and we expect them to live up to the values of our brand,” Reebok said in an April statement. "Unfortunately, Rick Ross has failed to do so.”

The-Dream Defends Drake's Singing

by Danielle Harling

                           

The-Dream gives props to Drake as a songwriter, says the Canadian musician should take full advantage of being able to sing and rap.

Although Canadian artist Drake’s ability to both sing and rap on a record has been criticized by the likes of Lord Jamar and Compton rapper Problem, The-Dream recently gave props to the Young Money emcee for being skilled in singing, rapping, and songwriting.
During an interview with Vlad TV, The-Dream suggested that those critical of Drake are possibly envious of the rapper’s talents. The singer/songwriter also revealed that he would take full advantage of the ability to both sing and rap if he was in Drake’s position.
“Not me. Sing nigga, sing,” said The-Dream when asked about Drake’s critics. “And get your money. People talk you out of anything when they see you doing something that they can’t do. Yeah, it’s a trick. You can’t fall for it. Can’t fall for it. I would sing my ass off. I’d do a whole singing album. Drop it on Valentine’s Day. Show up, chest out with some roses. ‘What?’”
The-Dream later praised Drizzy for his talents as a songwriter, stating that that particular quality is the one he’s most impressed by.
“I just like him as a songwriter,” said The-Dream. “I think what I like about him, probably no one really thinks about. He’s just a great songwriter. No, he’s just a great songwriter, period. It ain’t about songwriting outside of himself. Even for his self he’s just a great songwriter. And that’s what I like about him. You know? Other people like certain things. The machine can create what they want you to like about somebody. But at the end of it, at the core of it it’s still like certain things that is just intangibles. And that songwriting thing is just one thing. He would be great even if he didn’t have the other stuff.”
In a recent interview with MTV News, Drake stated that he has no desire to stick with purely rapping on an album and revealed that he’ll never release “a straight rap album.”
“If you wanna listen to Drake music for the rest of your life I welcome it,” said Drake while speaking on Nothing Was The Same in September. “I want you to listen to it. I want you to be a part of it, but just don’t ever be surprised like when I’m singing or using melody. I’m doing that on this album. This album is not some straight rap album. I’ll never do a straight rap album.”
RELATED: The-Dream Says "Watch The Throne 2" Is Probable

Target Says It Won't Sell Beyonce's Self-Titled Album

by Andres Tardio

                        

Walmart says it will carry "Beyonce."

Beyonce's self-titled visual album has shattered an iTunes record for first week sales and it is set to be the singer's most successful album to date. Still, Target says it will not carry the project.

"At Target we focus on offering our guests a wide assortment of physical CDs, and when a new album is available digitally before it is available physically, it impacts demand and sales projections," Target spokesperson Erica Julkowski says in an interview with Billboard. "While there are many aspects that contribute to our approach and we have appreciated partnering with Beyonce in the past, we are primarily focused on offering CDs that will be available in a physical format at the same time as all other formats. At this time, Target will not be carrying Beyonce's new self-titled album Beyonce."

Beyonce was released as an iTunes exclusive Friday (December 13) with no pre-release promotion for the project. Since then, the album has only been available in its entirety and it has only been available on iTunes. Songs are set to be available for individual purchase December 20, with physical copies available in stores likely on the same date, according to billlboard.com.

Target and Beyonce partnered on exclusive editions of her past albums. For instance, in 2011, Beyonce's 4 had an exclusive version for Target with six bonus cuts. 

While Target is not scheduled to carry the project, Walmart is slated to carry a non-explicit version of Beyonce.

"[Walmart is] happy to be able to carry her album and support all physical music," Walmart spokesperson Sarah McKinney says to billboard.com. 

In less than a week, Beyonce's self-titled effort has sold more than 800,000 units.