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Soulja Boy, 50 Cent Debut 'Mean Mug' Video Photo: A RapFix Exclusive

Posted 11/16/10 6:56 pm EST by in Music News

In October, 50 Cent admitted that if he could be any other rapper these days, he'd choose the "Crank Dat" author.

“If I had the wish to be another artist, just for right now, it would be Soulja Boy,” said 50 Cent.

Recently, the pair teamed up for the official "Mean Mug" video, directed by Collin Tilley. The video is the first of Fif and Soulja Boy's viral videos, set in an abandoned mental hospital in Los Angeles. RapFix is exclusively kicking off the 24 hour clock until the video debuts on Thisis50.com.

In the G-Unit General's XXL cover story with Soulja Boy, he acknowledged that he's reassumed his Muhammad Ali stance in terms of his career. Read More...

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Jay-Z Says Oprah, Cornel West Sparked 'Decoded'

Posted 11/16/10 6:19 pm EST by in Music News


By Hillary Crosley, with reporting by Sway Calloway

On Monday (November 15), Jay-Z spoke to MTV News' Sway about some of the catalysts for his book "Decoded." One happens to be black America's top minds, while the other is one of the most influential voices in the world.

"I've always been a fan of his, of his speaking," said Jay-Z of Dr. Cornel West and why he invited him to moderate his "Decoded" talk at the New York Public Library. "I met him awhile ago, he came to my house, him and a guy who runs Harlem Children Zone, Jeffrey Canada. We had this great conversation at my dining room table about the separation and about language and about hip-hop and of course they were against it."

Though the trio didn't agree, Jay said something sparked in him that day. Read More...

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Wiz Khalifa Explains The Unlikely Producers Behind 'Black And Yellow'

Posted 11/16/10 5:44 pm EST by in Music News

By Hillary Crosley, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Drumma Boy, Swizz Beatz and Boi-1Da are a few of hip-hop production's usual suspects, but not when it comes to Wiz Khalifa. The Pittsburgh MC recently told MTV News that his "Black And Yellow" hit was crafted by a duo more well-known for pop hits with Ne-Yo, Rihanna and Chris Brown.

"Stargate, they're really musical guys as well, any beat that I got from them was already sequenced so it's stuff that I listen for anyway when I make my music so when we got in the studio, we meshed really well," said Wiz. "It was kinda crazy because, you know, me being a rapper and them being pop, nobody knew where it was gonna go but then it ended up working out perfect."

The Norwegian pair, Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel Storleer Eriksen, were introduced to Wiz Khalifa through the MC's Atlantic Records A&R and, to the label's credit, the song's a rousing success the newcomer. "Black And Yellow" currently sits at no. 17 on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Read More...

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Fans Follow Jay-Z 'Like He's A Professor' Says Memphis Bleek

Posted 11/16/10 4:21 pm EST by in Music News

By Hillary Crosley, with reporting by Akshay Bhansali

On Monday (November 15), Memphis Bleek broke down one of Jay-Z's "Decoded" book clues that happened to be in the center of New York City. The Times Square bit was emblazoned on the MTV television screen, playing excerpts from the MC's 2001 "Unplugged" performance.

"That's the page about the "Decoded" book, that was important back in '01 for the whole "Unplugged" thing because that was the first time I ever saw a rapper use a band," said Bleek. "And at that time, to use the Roots, you know a soulful band like that it just did so much for hip-hop." Read More...

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Game's Top 10 Controversial Moments

Posted 11/16/10 1:14 pm EST by in List Mania

By Chris Yuscavage

Game sure knows how to stir up controversy.

Since the former G-Unit general jumped into the rap scene back in the mid-2000s, he's been doing, saying and tweeting things that have helped keep his name in the headlines. Most recently, Game took to his Twitter account and extended an olive branch to former friend-turned-foe 50 Cent.

"@50cent Aye n----, get on twitter & let's get this s---- movin !!! G-G-G-G-well, you know the rest," he wrote late last week. "@50cent All it take it 'ONE PHONE CALL'! U call me, I call BUCK, tell Banks holla at Yayo & dat puts HIP HOP @ OUR MERCY!"

For the most part, Fif ignored Game's pleas and Lloyd Banks played them off as a publicity stunt during his "RapFix Live" visit on Thursday (November 11)—but it appears that Game got us again. Without a hit record on the radio—though he did release a collaboration with Diddy called "Red Bottoms" on Tuesday (November 16)—or a new album on store shelves (his The R.E.D. Album has been delayed for months now) Game is back in the news.

This isn't the first time he's done this, and it certainly won't be the last. To show you what we mean, RapFix collected a list of Game's 10 craziest hip-hop moments. These incidents have helped to define his career and kept him relevant—even when his music hasn't.

The Date: February 2005
The Moment: 50 Cent drops Game from G-Unit after Game refuses to side with him in several beefs with New York rappers Fat Joe and Jadakiss. Then a shooting takes place at New York's Hot 97 offices.
The Controversy: 50 Cent—along with some help from Dr. Dre—helped build Game's career and gave him an identity. So when Game decided to cut ties with him by siding with Fif's enemies, it definitely looked like he was playing himself. But, all it did was build his buzz even higher and make his sophomore album, Doctor's Advocate, that much more anticipated. Read More...

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Drake Named GQ's Man of the Year

Posted 11/16/10 12:23 pm EST by in Music News

By Hillary Crosley, with additional reporting by Sway Calloway

Recently, we declared that Swizz Beatz was having the best year ever, but we may have to reassign that title to Drake.

Toronto's golden boy joins Alicia Keys' beau in the pages of GQ magazine, except he's earned more than a fashion spread. Instead, Drizzy's garnered one of the publication's most coveted honors, Man of the Year.

Actors Jeff Bridges and James Franco, comedian and 'The Colbert Report' host Stephen Colbert and Woman of the Year Scarlet Johansson accompany Drake in the six Man of the Year slots for 2010. Each selection bares a subtitle, describing their achievements for the year and Drake's been named "Breakout of the Year."

We here at RapFix would have to agree. Read More...

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CyHi The Prynce 'Couldn't Listen' To Outkast Growing Up

Posted 11/16/10 11:00 am EST by in RapFix Influentials

By Hillary Crosley, with reporting by Jayson Rodriguez

As the sole Georgia native in Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music crew, CyHi The Prynce has a lot to live up to. Recently, the Southern spitter said that he draws inspiration from Outkast, but wasn't allowed to listen to them as a kid.

"Coming up from that area, my sister used to love ‘em but I couldn’t listen to them a lot because mom dukes wasn’t playing that," remembered CyHi. "I don’t know why, but now she’s like 'OK I’ll let you rap' 'cause she hear my music, like 'OK, you saying something, so, I’ll let you slide.' I love Outkast, they're pioneers and I always respect ‘em."

RapFix caught up with the Decatur MC, during his Mixtape Daily interview in Brooklyn for RapFix Influentials, a series where MCs reflect on hip-hop's best and brightest, and describe how rap's history has affected their lives. As for CyHi, the lyricist says that Big Boi himself is now a supporter of Kanye's protégé. Read More...

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Fans Talk J.Cole's Friday Night Lights Mixtape

Posted 11/16/10 7:00 am EST by in Music News

By D.L. Chandler

North Carolina MC J.Cole released his highly-anticipated mixapte Friday Night Lights on, er, Friday (November 12) and the effort has garnered supporters—and detractors.

"A lot of these tracks are album material, must be hard to pick which ones to keep and give away,” said Kevin M, a fan on the Roc Nation artist’s Facebook page.

“First of all I'm a huge J. Cole fan and it's cool that he drops this mixtape for free, but I think if this was an album it wouldn't sell ... ,” said Thorsten K.

Cole remained on Twitter throughout Saturday and Sunday promoting the tape, and his fans responded in kind, voicing their opinion on Friday Night Lights.

“I already knew this, but #FridayNightLights confirmed it for everybody else ... @JColeNC is hip-hop's best new artist. #handsdown,” tweeted @WhatUpBP.

Still, everyone wasn't impressed. Read More...

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CyHi The Prynce Isn't 'Traditional': Mixtape Daily's Quote Of The Day

Posted 11/15/10 7:01 pm EST by in Mixtape Daily

By Hillary Crosley, with reporting by Jayson Rodriguez

One lesson rap's taught us here at RapFix? Haters are everywhere, word to B.o.B.

G.O.O.D. Music MC CyHi the Prynce spoke to MTV News for Mixtape Daily and admitted that, after taking the path less traveled to stardom, he's garnered a few crazy looks. Accordingly, his song "Sideways" from his recent mixtape Royal Flush is not only one of our favorite cuts from the collection, but also demonstrates his reaction to those who don't wish him well.

"When I was making this song, I was just thinking, 'OK, with me being signed, some people look at me crazy, like they wish they were in [my] position,' " Cy explained. " 'Cause I didn't do it the traditional way. The traditional way is just get all your dope boys and dope girls, bring them to the club, throw a lot of money, get your buzz on the street."

Remind you of anything? Read More...

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Jay-Z's New MC Jay Electronica: A RapFix Cheat Sheet

Posted 11/15/10 6:06 pm EST by in List Mania

By Chris Yuscavage

One of rap's biggest free agents is officially off the market.

After organizing a secret show at The Box club in New York on November 12 and promising a "big announcement," Jay-Z revealed that the show wasn't actually for him. Rather, it was for Jay Electronica—the latest rapper to sign to Hov's Roc Nation label. "My whole goal is to reintroduce magic to hip hop," Jay told the invite-only crowd. "We watched this wizard do his thing. Y'all supported him. And he's an official Roc Nation signee."

Electronica then went on to perform several of his notable hip-hop hits, including "Exhibit A (Transformations)" and "Exhibit C" as well as a new track called "The Announcement," a song that features clips of John F. Kennedy and made Jay's revelation seem even more noteworthy. "The black Gods mingled a bit, then the fingers got pricked, then the single got picked," he rapped. "Man, I'm living out my brain, I don't dream about s---."

The funny thing about Jay Electronica, though? If you haven't been heavily checking the rap blogs over the last couple years, there's a pretty good chance you were left scratching your head when Jay-Z announced that he was joining J. Cole and Willow Smith on his label. Jay's had a couple hits—who didn't jack Just Blaze's "Exhibit C" beat for a freestyle last year?!—but it's not like the guy's been all over the radio recently. He's actually done all he can to stay out of the spotlight and keep a low profile.

So with that in mind, RapFix decided to put together a quick list of 10 things you need to know about the MTV Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2010 candidate. Allow him to reintroduce himself ...

1. He hails from the same Magnolia Projects in New Orleans as Juvenile

Though he might not sound like most of your favorite Southern rappers, Jay was actually born and raised in the same place as former Cash Money Records rapper Juvenile. However, he's also spent time living in Baltimore, Detroit, Philadelphia and several other major cities. Read More...

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