Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
SmCity Vs. LL Cool J, New Article on Examiner.com
Washington, DC—LL Cool J (James Todd Smith), hip hop icon and a star on the popular new police TV show: NCIS LA, is accused of copyright infringement after his record label Island Def Jam ‘lifted’ a song by rising DMV artist SMCity (Simeon Booker IV) and included it on LL’s last CD “Exit 13” released September 9, 2008. The song “You Better Watch Me” is almost identical to SMCity’s “Watch Me” released four weeks before LL’s version of the song.
“…A review of the two tracks makes plain that substantial similarities exist in several areas, including, but not limited to, identical choruses…,” according to Atty. Lisa Alexis Jones, SMCity’s lawyer. Hear the evidence: Here
A spokesperson for Booker commented, “…We didn’t want to go this route and fully expected them to do the right thing early on, especially considering the blatant theft of Sim’s artistic and intellectual property. But after more than a year, it became clear that this was necessary and that’s disappointing.”
Recently featured on Examiner.com and one of URB Magazine's "NEXT 100" to blow, 2009 has seen SMCity perform along side underground legend Pharoahe Monch and open for mainstream favorites Young Jeezy and Drake. He was a finalist in the recent MTV VMA Best Breakout DC.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Lyrical Preacher-Higher Life
Bio: "We walk by faith, not by sight." This scripture (2nd Corinthians 5:7) is a prime example of the spiritual life that Calen Johnson lives. Known in the world of music as Lyrical Preacher and his music-spawning alias NELAC, he is a talented individual that hails from the DMV (DC, Maryland, & Virgina) area, with a mission to change and save peoples lives and spirits across the world with his music. His expertise includes that of acting, singing, rapping, producing, songwriting and music composing; these talents are being put into good use as he performs in the Atlanta-Metropolitan area, and other parts of the United States and the world under the management of MajorSmart Entertainment. He is the owner and CEO of Thief in the Night 152 Productions and Nelac Publishing, two companies created in 2003--with the help of his father and business investor, Camero Johnson--for the sole purpose of creating quality music and presenting it to the world.
GET IT HERE:
http://www.zshare.net/audio/704857596a5773b1/
mattVISTA x SiR E.U - THE WHOLE ENCHILADA; new EP
The Whole Enchilada is the kinda anticipated EP debut from young producer & rapper duo out the DMV area, mattVISTA and SiR E.U,17 and 16,respectively. Lend an ear for some quality production and lyricism.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Pioneer sportscaster Michael dies at age 70
Longtime Washington sportscaster George Michael died Thursday morning, ending a larger-than-life career marked by groundbreaking innovations and an outsized personality that loomed over a no-nonsense sports town brimming with characters.
"George was a pioneer in sports broadcasting," WRC-TV (Channel 4) said in a statement early Thursday announcing Mr. Michael's death from leukemia at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Northwest Washington. "He was a gifted interviewer, a master storyteller and one of the hardest-working journalists out there."
Mr. Michael, 70, anchored the station's sports desk from 1980 to 2007 and produced the nationally syndicated "George Michael Sports Machine" television show. He is perhaps best-known for his pioneering use of game highlights, which became the model for such shows as ESPN's SportsCenter.
In addition to his appearances on the station's nightly newscasts, Mr. Michael also hosted a series of other local sports shows, including "Redskins Report" and "Full Court Press." He continued those shows, and Monday reports with Redskins coaches, even after he gave up his daily job with the station.
Daniel Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins for the past decade, called Mr. Michael a "consummate reporter and a valuable friend."
"I doubt we'll ever again see a sports reporter who was so admired by the people he covered," said Mr. Snyder, adding that there would be a moment of silence before Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs called Mr. Michael a "dear friend."
"I always appreciated George's direct and honest approach, and I certainly leaned on his advice many times throughout my career," Mr. Gibbs said. "He was a tremendous influence on me and so many in sports and in the Washington community because he truly cared about the people he covered."
Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis said Mr. Michael was one of the "most respected, thought-provoking and honest reporters" he had encountered.
"George always was well-prepared for any topic, fair in his commentary, opinionated in his comments and entertaining in his delivery. He was a role model for sportscasters in D.C. and around the country," Mr. Leonsis said.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
DMV ALBUM OF THE YEAR!!!! ***ALBUMS PUT OUT FOR SELL NATIONALLY***
DMV album of the year goes to Diamond District "In The Ruff". There werent many DMV albums that came out this year that were for SELL, garnished national attention, and were dope from beginning to end. But Diamond District accomplished all 3 in my opinion. All 3 artist (XO, YU & ODDISEE) held down the mic consistantly from track to track. On the production side Oddisee (with the help of Slimkat on one song) did his thing. The production was sonically consistant and the movement from song to song made sense. In a world of free music this proves that if done correctly it is still possible to put out independent music and reep the benefits of it.
When talking to people this album attracted new fans out of the pure love for hip hop and good music not because of the amount of money behind the marketing and promotion.
Honorable Mention:
J Scrilla- Culture of Honor
Tabi Bonney- Dope
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
PAULA CAMPBELL "DreamMaker"
PAULA CAMPBELL
"DreamMaker"
Featuring Guest Appearances, Production & Song Writing by:
Ne-Yo; Makeba Riddick; Marsha Ambrosius; Raheem DeVaughn; The Clutch; Judah; Keri Hilson; Phil Ade' & Many More!!!
GET IT HERE:
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
COMING DEC 22..PAULA CAMPBELL- DREAM MAKER
4 Days Left before Paula Campbell's "DreamMaker" Release!
NEW MUSIC FROM THE UPCOMING STREET ALBUM FROM "THE QUEEN OF THE DMV"!!!
PAULA CAMPBELL
"DreamMaker"
Featuring Guest Appearances, Production & Song Writing by:
Ne-Yo; Makeba Riddick; Marsha Ambrosius; Raheem DeVaughn; The Clutch; Judah; Keri Hilson; Phil Ade' & Many More!!!
"DreamMaker" Snippet download link:
"Denial" feat. Ne-Yo download link:
***BMOREs OWN PAULA CAMPBELL IS DROPPING HER STREET ALBUM ON DEC 22. SHE'S A ILL VOCALIST AND NO NEWBIE TO THE GAME. HIGHLY ANTICIPATED. GET IT HERE ON THE 22ND!
Officer pulls gun at snowball fight
WASHINGTON - A snowball fight-turned-unruly protest prompted a D.C. police officer to draw his gun Saturday, sparking controversy.
A Twitter invitation went out Saturday morning, inviting people to join a snowball fight at 14th and U streets in the heart of D.C. at 3 p.m.
ABC 7's John Gonzalez reports people suddenly appeared at the appointed time and began a little snowball fight. But some protesters also showed up. They were carrying signs that read "No Iraq (web | news) War; Snowball War Instead."
People -- it's unclear if they were protesters or snowball fighters -- began throwing snowballs at a Hummer that had a plainclothes police officer inside. It's unclear if it was the detective's personal vehicle or an unmarked police vehicle.
ABC 7 Talkback:
Click Here to Comment on this Story
The detective exited the vehicle and yelled for them to stop, threatening to take them to jail.
Raw Video. Click the arrow above right to see story.
According to John Gonzalez, things were getting a little chaotic and a uniformed officer -- who was stationed nearby -- intervened. ABC 7 captured pictures of the uniformed officer with his weapon drawn. He never pointed the weapon at anyone, but he threatened to take the demonstrators to jail.
The crowd dispersed after about 20 minutes. No one was detained by police.
Friday, December 18, 2009
"Cases" from Brake Fast Records - DMV story
From the depths of the Maryland underground, Brake Fast Records is proud to present "Cases" - an album filled with witty lyrics, shifting stream of consciousness raps and intriguing storytelling, all backed by a dark, enthralling soundscape. With top notch production from beat extraordinairesTom Delay, Mark Henry (Raheem Devaughn, Freeway) and Nick Tha 1da (Emilio Rojas, Ken Starr), to put it simply...the album knocks!
"Cases" includes exceptional tracks from A-Class (who has been quickly making a name for himself in the Grind Time battle circuit), young Baltimore wordsmith Trace Blam and NC heavyhitter L.E.G.A.C.Y. (Justus League, Hall of Justus) who, fresh off the release of the critically acclaimed "Suicide Music" LP, plays the role of the most corrupt checking in on "Officer Kickass". The remainder of the album includes tracks from a slew of Maryland emcees, namely Mic Brown, Seph Jones, 4th Down, A6, IronSoul and Xtra, who all provide outstanding contributions.
In the same vein as conceptual works like Prince Paul's "A Prince Among Thieves" and Sticky Fingaz's "Black Trash", this 1960's crime drama-inspired album is a breath of fresh air in these times of exhaustive mix-tape releases and the invariable LP format. As each detailed story advances the discordant plot line to play out more like blockbuster movie than an album, it is clear that "Cases" is not just another compilation.
[UPDATE] Kicks for Kids v3: Charity Shoe Drive: This Sunday @ PG Plaza
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hyattsville, md (the mall of prince georges pg county):sunday, december 20th
Kicks for Kids v3: Charity Shoe Drive 2009presented bythe Sneaker Suite x Shoe City x ScionJoin us Sunday, December 20th from 12p-8p in The Mall at Prince George’s as we host our third annual Kicks For Kids Charity Shoe Drive event! Last year over 300 new shoes were donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Washington. This year, shoes purchased at Shoe City will be donated to the Sasha Bruce Youthwork, So Others Might Eat (S.O.M.E.), & the Steve Francis Foundation Organizations. To help in our community efforts, we are bringing you Jive recording artists Raheem DeVaughn, Interscope recording artist Wale, Celebrity Chef ‘Rock’ & NBA Star Steve Francis live & in person. Have an opportunity to meet & greet with our hometown heros & help us all make a difference in our communities by helping those less fortunate & in need during this Holiday season.Purchase $10 kids shoes or $20 mens & womens shoes at the Shoe City in the Mall at Prince Georges to be donated to the charitable organizations & receive a special gift bag from sponsors like Jordan Brand, Baby Phat, Converse,Broccoli City, & more.As an incentive to those who donate, Shoe City will also give you a 10% off friends and family discount towards your entire purchase for your last minute holiday shopping. In addition, Scion will have a special gift bag with movie passes, shirts, hats, key chains, & other cool items. We also have NBA Star Steve Francis who will have some exclusive NBA product to give away to those who donate in numbers. All day long, we plan to have a ton of surprises just for helping us in the communities that we live & serve in.Special Guest Hosts:Shaqwana from the Russ Parr Morning ShowQuickSilva & Angie Ange from the Q & A InvasionNu Battery/JIVE recording artist Don JuanSpecial Guest DJs:DJ Heat (WPGC 95.5fm)DJ Lil MicRadio Spot for Kicks for Kids (via WKYS 93.9fm)Charitable Organizations:So Other Might Eat (S.O.M.E.)Sasha Bruce (SB YW)Steve Francis FoundationSunday, December 20th @ 12p-8pShoe City (PG Plaza) 2500 East West Highway, Hyattsville, MD 20782
----------------------For directions please visit http://www.mallatprincegeorges.com For more information on the Sneaker Suite visit http://thesneakersuite.com
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
What's Great? --THE [BLACK] RAPPER SHOW starring R.E.U.B. co-starring Clinton Sparks
STORY
Hip-hop is back in the building! THE [BLACK] RAPPER SHOW starring R.E.U.B. co-starring Clinton Sparks, is here. The world famous Clinton Sparks' smash time radio interview of R.E.U.B. helps navigate listeners through the album, while The Clinic provides all of the albums production needs.
Hip-hop is back in the building! THE [BLACK] RAPPER SHOW starring R.E.U.B. co-starring Clinton Sparks, is here. The world famous Clinton Sparks' smash time radio interview of R.E.U.B. helps navigate listeners through the album, while The Clinic provides all of the albums production needs.
GET IT HERE:
"We R One" - SK feat. Sko Keyes
GET IT HERE:
This is the only guys in the game to this day that used to come to my crib years ago when I only used a EPS and records. Glad to see he still crankin.
I give you SK.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Council lashes Fenty over "questionable" bonuses
Council lashes Fenty over "questionable" bonuses
By: BILL MYERS
Examiner Staff Writer
December 15, 2009
 |
| D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray, left, said bonuses given out recently by Mayor Adrian Fenty, right, were “highly questionable given the depressed economy.” (Examiner file photo) |
Examiner Exclusive
D.C. leaders reacted with outrage to news that the Fenty administration has continued to lavish awards on favored employees despite a law banning the practice.
Fenty has doled out nearly $15 million to select officials, including some $565,000 given out since October. The council passed a law this year forbidding the city to hand out any more cash perks after the start of fiscal 2010, which began Oct. 1.
Council Chairman Vince Gray said the bonuses were "highly questionable given the depressed economy."
"The Council imposed its own prohibition for [fiscal 20]09 bonuses to send the message of the need to do without them in this fiscal climate when people are being laid off, services are being cut, and residents are making sacrifices," he wrote in an e-mail toThe Examiner.
More than one out of every 10 District residents is out of work, government statistics show. The Fenty administration has faced nine-digit budget gaps and has been slicing staff by the hundreds, claiming that it simply can't afford workers.
Councilman Kwame Brown, D-at large, called the bonuses "a true sign of poor leadership."
"We must do better," Brown wrote in an e-mail.
Most of the post-October bonuses were less than $3,000. But D.C. retirement board executive Eric Stanchfield was given nearly $22,000 last month. Finance office executive Abdi Mohamed Mohamed was given $10,000 in October.
October surprises? Some bonuses given to city workers after ban took effect» Eric Stanchfield, retirement board, $21,997 on Nov. 27
» Abdi Mohamed Mohamed, finance office, $10,000 on Oct. 23
» Shirley Lanier, tax office, $5,000 on Oct. 30
» Aniema Udofa, finance and resource management office, $5,000 on Oct. 30
Stanchfield didn't respond to calls for comment. Finance office spokesman David Umansky insisted that The Examiner file a Freedom of Information Act request before he'd discuss Mohamed's bonus.
Most of the bonuses paid after October went to lawyers under Attorney General Peter Nickles.
He defended the payouts on Monday, saying that most of them were obligated under a union contract and that the personnel evaluations for the team were completed earlier this year -- for performance in 2008 -- but the payments weren't disbursed until after October.
That wasn't enough to assuage Councilwoman Mary Cheh, D-Ward 3, who wrote letters to Nickles, as well as city Finance Officer Natwar Gandhi and City Administrator Neil Albert. She called the bonuses "troubling" and demanded an explanation within two weeks.
Councilman Phil Mendelson, D-at large, said the bonuses were "embarrassing."
"To see somebody who already has a big salary getting a fat bonus on top and then turning around and [firing] employees is a bad picture," he said.
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