HRS News

Do or Die member Belo is preparing to drop his debut solo album The Truth on The Legion Records label through Asylum/WEA.

Scheduled for an October 17th release, the set features the single “Exclusive” featuring Johnny P and includes special guest appearances from Ric Jilla, Crucial Conflict, Malik Yusef, OutLaws and more.

Belo spoke on the meaning behind the album’s title.

“I picked The Truth because a lot of the stuff I wanted to express I couldn’t express when I was doing albums with Do or Die,” Belo said. “I wanted to touch on some topics that were real truthful, that were really real, as to why I call it The Truth.”

Belo also talked about finally being able to explore his spiritual side.

“I had never gotten a chance to touch on my personal spirituality. A lot of people don’t know that side of me because they hear me rapping laid-back and smooth. I have done a lot on the streets, but they don’t know the street side and the stuff that I’ve gone through in life.”

The Chicago native tackles an assortment of topics on the set including terrorist attacks on America, the war in Iraq and the inadequecies of the Bush administration.

Thanks to Langston over at Think Tank for the info.

This November will see rap veteran Snoop Dogg drop his highly anticipated eighth solo album through his Doggystyle/Geffen imprint. Tha Blue Carpet Treatment features the Pharrell-produced B-Real collaboration “Vato,” the video of which will spearhead the Black/Brown Unity Movement.

Playing like a short film, the clip stars the Doggfather as an O.G. and B Real as a Latino gang member, and speaks on the need for unity between African and Latino Americans in the wake of recent, and incredible, violence in Los Angeles.

“It’s about time we start to fight for each other rather than fighting against each other,” said Snoop Dogg. “I have homies from all cultural backgrounds and love all of my brothers, black and brown. There is nothing that can stop us from creating a better future for ourselves, for our families and generations to come if we all came together.”

The world premiere of “Vato” will make its video debut on August 30th on “BET’s Access Granted.” In the meantime… we like this joint that takes you back to Snoop’s grimey old-school sound. If you haven’t yet, check “Vato” here and tell us what you think.

AUDIO: “Vato” featuring B-Real Windows|Real

Cash Money rapper Lil Wayne and Cash Money co-CEO/rapper Birdman are putting the finishing touches on their first studio album collaboration, Like Father Like Son, scheduled to drop this Fall.

Featuring the single “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy,” the set offers guest appearances by Fat Joe, Lil Jon, T-Pain and Rick Ross, as well as production by Swizz Beats, Scott Storch and others.

The two New Orleans natives have appeared on each other’s releases, but have never released a full-length album together.

“There’s nothing like spittin’ off the same page,” said the duo in a statement.

Lil Wayne is enjoying platinum-plus status for his current, and fifth, solo album Tha Carter II, and recently wrapped production on the video for his latest single, “Shooter” featuring Robin Thicke.

Birdman’s 2005 set, Fast Money, boasted the tracks “Get Your Shine On” and “Neck Of The Woods,” both featuring Lil Wayne.

AUDIO: Birdman & Lil Wayne “Stuntin Like My Daddy” Windows|Real 

Birdman & Lil’ Wayne Official Site
Birdman & Lil’ Wayne on MySpace

Lil Flip, a.k.a. “The Freestyle King,” has inked a deal with Warner Bros. Records/Asylum who will release his revamped set, I Need Mine, this Fall. The previously leaked set will feature new songs.

“We held out on releasing this album on Sony because the set up was never right and I felt that my fans deserved the best from me,” Flip said. “I’ve written and recorded a bunch of songs that I’m sure my fans will love and now that I am with Warner Bros. Records/Asylum I am confident that I am in the right place to take my career to the next level.”

“Flip is one of the most innovative rappers who has earned national respect and attention,” said Chairman/CEO Tom Whalley in a statement. “We are excited that he has joined the Warner Bros. family.”

The Houston rapper was part of DJ Screw’s infamous Screwed Up Click at the tender age of fifteen and since starting his own label at the age of sixteen has released more than ten mixtapes over the past five years.

Flip enjoyed mainstream success in 2004 with the release of his Top 5 album U Gotta Feel Me, which boasted the hits “Sunshine,” and “Game Over.”

The late soul legend Ray Charles will be paired with the late swing maestro Count Basie and his legendary orchestra for a CD cobbled together from never-released 70s recordings. Offered by Starbucks, the set, Ray Sings, Basie Swings, will bring the two acts together ala Natalie and Nat King Cole style.

Snoop Dogg will treat fans to a live concert via the magic of DVD. Filmed and recorded live in Belgium, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” will contain 21 tracks of the Doggfather’s biggest hits. The set’s already a hit in Europe where it dropped earlier this year and will be available in the States October 10.

You can get snippets of the DVD at www.TitanTunes.com.

MTV reports that Outkast and A Tribe Called Quest may collaborate on a DJ  Drama Gangsta Grillz mixtape featuring rare tracks and never-relased material. The Atlanta superduo may also appear on Phife Dawg’s solo Songs in the Key of Phife.

And finally, the era of the CD continues to die as Tower Records is now officially bankrupt and up for sale. The CD retailer will be protected under Chapter 11 bankruptcy while it looks for a buyer.

Diddy recently talked to MTV about his upcoming album and bragged about how he’s got one up on Justin Timberlake. Supposedly since JT uses “sexy” in the title of his song, P. Diddy sees this as some sort of territorial encroachment.

“But I am the king of the sexy, Justin. Let’s not get it twisted.”

He then went on to proclaim, “I represent all of the shower singers out there. I’m not the greatest singer, but I have a lot of emotion in my voice.”

Meanwhile, JT, busy talking smack about Kanye West, also dissed American Idol Taylor Hicks, questioning his sexual orientation and saying he “can’t carry a tune in a bucket.”

Perhaps JT is still on drugs.

Hicks, who has more soul in his left pinky toe than JT has in his whole career, has so far made no comment.

Finally, rap whore producer Scott Storch has hooked up with self-proclaimed singer Paris Hilton for her second album. Although the trust fund baby’s currently promoting her first set, she’s already back in the studio working on her “passion.”

“This is my passion and what I love to do,” she told MTV. “I’ve wanted to do this forever, and now I’ve finally had it finished perfectly how I like it.”

Quote sources: MTV.com 

Monday marks the premiere of Spike Lee’s Hurricane Katrina disaster HBO documentary “When The Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Parts” and as New Orleans’ Times-Picayune reports many people are presently living this tragedy a year after the fact.

“I know it’s going to be hard to watch,” said Florence, who was among 7,000 people who attended Wednesday’s premiere. “But I’m angry, and I know Spike Lee is angry, and I know it’s important to watch. I think we all should see this.”

“Building on that sentiment, New Orleans City Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell said she hoped the film would remind viewers of the failure of the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to prevent the catastrophe or to react quickly once it had occurred.”

Although many people say the film focuses too much on one area – the predominantly black and poor 9th Ward – Lee brings up the compelling fact that many people believe the levees in that area were intentionally blown up by authorities after the hurricane in order to save more affluent neighborhoods.

What’s even more eye-opening is the fact that the New York Times is still covering this tragedy; almost a year after the storm hit, the story is still unfolding.

New York Times Hurricane Katrina coverage

New Orleans’ Times-Picayune

It’s third season for “Nick Cannon Presents Wild ‘N Out” and actor/rapper is planning to play host to some rap heavyweights like Fat Joe… big pun intended.

The show, featuring upcoming comics in improv battles, will see the Bronx rapper take on the role of team captain this coming Thursday. Also featured will be musical guests Clipse and Pharrell. Other celebs slated for the rest of the season include Big Boi, Lil Jon, Method Man and more.

All this comes on the heels of Cannon inking a first look production deal with MTV and his ex girlfriend, Christina Milian, admitting that she’ll gladly dump current boyfriend Dre for a roll in the hay with Brad Pitt.

Now that’s wildin’ out. Check out some bits from the show while you’re here. Thanks to Roberto for the clips.
…Wild N’ Out Show Trailer: Windows|Real

According to Zomba, the “Vans” video from Bay Area hyphy-hype group The Pack has been banned by MTV.

David Bell, Director of Digital Marketing for Zomba Label Group, told me the video channel didn’t approve of the message.

“[They] said the video was basically an ad for Vans,” said Bell.

When the decades old “video” channel asked the teens to cut a new clip and change the name of their song in return for airplay, they refused and basically told the network to step off.

“There are so many more outlets for video exposure right now,” Bell added. “so we are exploring on a much deeper and grassroots level than normal.”

The song, an almost whispered ode to the punk rock footwear, has been blowing up West coast radio. The video shows Nike shoes being thrown away by dreadlocked Black boys on skateboards.

Scandal. Anarchy.

Couldn’t get a comment from MTV, so here’s the banned video.

Photo courtesy Zomba

Edited 1:03 pm

Preview the new Lyfe Jennings set The Phoenix… then run out and buy it…

YBF calls out Hot 97′s Miss Jones bitchy attitude towards Christina Milian…

Beyonce is on a whirlwind promo tour in London… and she looks like cake and ice cream…
Mark Nero kicks off New Music Week by spotlighting newcomer Emily King…

and finally Canada‘s emcee extraordinaire K-Os is getting ready to take hip-hoppers to Atlantis with his third set Atlantis – Hymns for Disco to be released in the U.S. sometime in the Fall…