01st Feb2012
0 Comm
29th Dec2011
Jay-Z Would Pay More Taxes, If It Went to the Right Things
When it comes to percentages, Jay-Z probably resides somewhere in the top 0.0001% of income earners. But one of the richest rappers (and people) in the world now says he’d gladly pay more taxes – that is, if it went to the right things.
“Personally I wouldn’t mind paying more taxes if it went to the things that really mattered, if it went to education, people in poverty, if it went to the right things I wouldn’t mind,” Jay-Z told CNN.
Others in the upper crust, most notably Warren Buffett, have also called for higher taxes on the rich. And in the music sphere, well-paid musicians like John Legend have also supported hikes on the elite. But Jay-Z is famous for living both sides: he started life as Sean Carter in the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn, with an absentee dad and few opportunities. Decades later, he’s now surfing at the highest levels of wealth.
Which probably introduces a complex perspective. “I’m pretty much in the middle of both sides, because you can understand paying so much for taxes, and then things not improving, you’re like ‘where’s everything going to?’” Carter continued. ”It should be open accounting of where everything’s going to. I think most people with a conscience, with integrity and moral fiber wouldn’t have a problem paying more taxes.”
But is Jay-Z guilty of some high-income doublespeak? On one hand, Jay-Z is willing to pay more, but not without major governmental changes. Yet the remaining 99 percent are also paying into the same, opaque system, which sort of brings the discussion back to square one.
The comments follow an earlier misstep with Occupy sympathizers. After the movement started to gain steam, Jay-Z’s Rocafella fashion line introduced a t-shirt emblazoned with the modified slogan, “Occupy All Streets.” But none of the profits associated with that merchandise were given back to the movement itself, and the shirts were pulled.
06th Apr2011
HypeMen (@itsthereal x @jensenclan88) Podcast Episode 34 w/@atrak
EPISODE 34: World Champion DJ / record label owner / foodie DJ A-Trak joins the Hype Men to discuss the DMCs + what you do after winning five titles + Sunglasses is a Must + working with Kanye + who he really was supposed to DJ for on Rocafella + signing Kid Cudi + Nervous Records + why Duck Sauce used the name “Barbra Streisand” + DJ AM + so much more!
31st Mar2011
Relevant Classics: Rocafella Hot97 Freestyles Vol 1, 2 x Hovie’s Home
If you dont know what this is, then it isnt for you…
Rocafella Presents: Hot97 Freestyles Vol. 1
More below…
30th Nov2010
Che Guevara With Bling On: How A Music Journalist Helped Write Jay-Z’s “P.S.A.”
Anyone who’s ever been lucky enough to see Jay-Z give a stunning rendition of “P.S.A.” in a live setting will tell you that it’s a powerful song. It’s the type of arena-rock anthem that shakes a building to its foundation. Excerpts from Jay’s memoir, Decoded , reveal that the second verse of “P.S.A.” wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Village Voice reporter Elizabeth Mendez Berry.
Peep game:
“Just Blaze was one of the house producers at Roc-A-Fella Records, the company I co-founded with Kareem Burke and Damon Dash. He’s a remarkable producer, one of the best of his generation. As much as anyone, he helped craft the Roc-A-Fella sound when the label was at its peak: manipulated soul samples and original drum tracks, punctuated by horn stabs or big organ chords. It was dramatic music: It had emotion and nostalgia and a street edge, but he combined those elements into something original. His best tracks were stories in themselves. With his genius for creating drama and story in music, it made sense that Just was also deep into video games. He’d written soundtracks for them. He played them. He collected them. He was even a character in one game. If he could’ve gotten bodily sucked into a video game, like that guy in Tron did, he would’ve been happy forever. I was recording The Black Album and wanted Just to give me one last song for the album, which was supposed to be my last, but he was distracted by his video-game work. He’d already given me one song, “December 4th,” for the album–but I was still looking for one more. He was coming up empty and we were running up against our deadlines for getting the album done and mastered.
At the same time, the promotion was already starting, which isn’t my favorite part of the process. I’m still a guarded person when I’m not in the booth or onstage or with my oldest friends, and I’m particularly wary of the media. Part of the pre-release promotion for the album was a listening session in the studio with a reporter from The Village Voice, a young writer named Elizabeth Mendez Berry (more…)
15th Sep2010
Cam & Jim Jones Diss Kanye?? Uh…Ok (Updated)
UPDATE: Jim Jones & Cam’ron – Toast Freestyle | Mediafire [via Miss Info]
Jimmy posted these two videos of him and Cam’ron in the studio on Twitter last night. He was previewing a song they had just cut over Kanye and Pusha T’s “Runaway” beat with Jim on the chorus, and Cam is talking over the music in the first video (after the jump.) The second video (above) is a snippet of the Cam’ron verse, and although the “Jigga” part is inaudible, it’s pretty clear how he feels about Kanye:
And Kanye, you a sucka n*gga
Dissed Dame, so my attitude is f*ck the n*gga
Stuck to Jigga, how you gon’ live with that?
Took the beat, now come get it back…
My question is,
17th May2010
Curren$y – King Kong (Video)
The first single off Curren$y’s Pilot Talk, available on June 15th via DD172 x Roc-A-Fella x Def Jam. Purchase the song here.
Directed by Jonah Schwartz
05th May2010
Dame Dash Speaks w/MTV On Diplomats Reunion
I’m more happy than anything that they’re friends — that they were able to salvage their friendship, if that’s the case. I think they’re better than me for that: being smart enough and humble enough to apologize to each other and move forward. I really do hope that where I failed to be the right example, that they can be that. You always want the people ahead of you to do better than you anyway. For that, I gotta give them props for being men above anything.
He also says he would be open to the Dips returning to Roc-A-Fella.
Um, under the right circumstances. As long as everyone is happy, as long as the quality of living is never compromised, as long as everyone is on the same sheet of paper — of course. It’d be great. Anything is great under the right circumstances but a dream could become a nightmare when everyone doesn’t have the same agendas. That’s just a general statement.
Yesterday, Dame told MTV about his relaunch of Roc-A-Fella on Def Jam, with Curren$y’s Pilot Talk (June 15) and Ski Beatz’ 24 Hour Karate School mixtape as the first releases.
04th May2010
Curren$y Signs With…Roc-A-Fella Records??
Eh…or maybe not…
Nation Explains:
So last week, when we posted the trailer to Curren$y’s new video, somebody over at Def Jam asked me to include a buy link for the single on iTunes. Although it was slightly more subtle than the defj.am link they had up on their site, I had to ask what was up. Apparently Dame/DD172 was trying to sign Curren$y to a P&D deal (pressing and distribution) with Def Jam through the Roc-A-Fella imprint… which belongs to Def Jam.
“The name is mine, I’ll take the blame for that” -Jay-Z
“Def Jam or Universal bought the brand. I think the ‘beef’ [with us and Jay-Z] was that Jay made it clear he didn’t want me or Biggs to be a part of it. That’s really where it was at. Now that he doesn’t work for Def Jam anymore, he doesn’t have the right to use the name. So there’s no reason for us not to use it. It’s there, and it’s a brand that’s not being used. So I was like, ‘I’ll take it.’ It always meant something to me.” -Dame Dash
via MTV.
Wow
01st May2010
Peedi Crakk Talks State Property w/Cosmic Kev Pt 2
Part 2 of Peedi’s interview w/ Cosmic Kev on Philly’s Power 99 FM, Crakk discusses his fall out with State Property, his rift with Juelz Santana, and last conversation with Jay-Z. Damn, Peedi Loco though? That’s crazy!
27th Apr2010
Peedi Crakk On Power 99 w/Cosmic Kev
Peedi Crakk stopped by Philly’s Power 99 FM and gave his first post prison interview with Cosmic Kev. He speaks on his fallout with Jay-Z, Roc-A-Fella and blowing his $900,000 budget. Towards the end of the interview, he discusses his time in jail and says there was tension with Fat Joe from him using the name ”Crack”.
13th Apr2010
Freeway Interview on The Deen Show (Video)
Philly Freezer sits for an interesting interview with host Eddie from The Deen Show, “a Muslim film company that strives to provide the correct information about Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims alike from authentic sources which include The Quran and The Sunnah.”
They touch on most of the standard interview topics (his time with Rocafella, why did he start rapping, etc.), but they also go into stuff like: the apparent conflict between his lyrics and the Islamic way of life, his fear of flying, his desire to leave rap altogether, conversations he’s had with Jay-Z about Islam and much more.
You can also check out Eddie’s interview with Loon here.
30th Nov2009
Jay-Z Gives Dame Props For Rocawear
Jigga man tells Women Wear Daily about his race to a billie and his biggest regret with the Rocawear line.
“Dame did a great job when he was here,” Carter said. “I just feel that I have a different way of running things, which I think is working out well. I let people make mistakes, and push them to be creative. I let a design team design. When they feel good about something they have created, it makes them want to do more. It makes them want to do their best. People are happy here. I’m not a controlling manager and I have a great team that makes me confident that things can run well when I’m on the road, and I’m proud of that.”
So, in April 2007, he agreed to partner with Iconix Brand Group, which acquired the Rocawear brand for $204 million in cash. In the deal, Neil Cole, Iconix’s ceo, became Carter’s partner and in turn, Carter was going to help Cole with future Iconix deals.
“I got to know Neil, and we now have the same mission: Our goal is to make Rocawear a $1 billion company,” he said. “It may take us more time than we would like since the economy is in the shape that it’s in, but I’m confident that we will get there.”
One of his biggest mistakes? “We really should have done some Rihanna Rocawear umbrellas when that song became a hit. We could have made a load of money on those. I’m still kicking myself.”
