HRS News

The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network,, along with The Hip-Hop Research and Education Fund, PowerPAC will launch of a national campaign to mobilize the hip-hop generation of youth voters.

There will be a statewide youth voter registration effort between March 18 – March 24, the deadline to register voters for the April 22 Pennsylvania primary. A variety of outreach will include hip-hop radio stations, artists, recording industry street teams, web and pod casts, social networks, blogs and grass roots organizing.

“We decided to draw the line, especially in Pennsylvania, to settle once and for all any question about the sustainability of the impact of the youth vote transforming the American political landscape,” declared HSAN former Chairman, Russell Simmons. “While there’s been much speculation, and in some instances outright denial, of the impact of the youth vote, we know the power and self expression of young people is growing. We want to celebrate that growth and encourage an even greater youth voter turnout.”

According to a press release, the 18-29 year old segment of the hip-hop generation will be nearly 50 million strong in 2008, making up one third of the electorate. Civicyouth.org reported that between the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections, youth voter turnout more than doubled.

“As a 22 year old, recent college graduate, I recognize that my home state of Pennsylvania has an opportunity to make a tremendous impact on this nation,” stated Philadelphia native, Lauren Goodwin. “Although I have been involved in the political process in the past, this is the first election that I have felt truly engaged and connected to the issues. More is at stake than ever before because of the current war in Iraq, disproportionate funding for public education and the economic future of the United States. Pennsylvania, stand up and join me and the millions of other young adults by registering to vote and making our voices heard on April 22!”

The online version of the Los Angeles Times released a controversial headline article today which resurrects the belief that Sean “Diddy” Combs was behind a 1994 assassination attempt on Tupac Shakur.

According to the Times, FBI records quote a confidential informant back in 2002 who said associates of Combs, including talent manager James “Jimmy Henchman” Rosemond and promoter James Sabatino, “set up the rapper Tupac Shakur to get shot at Quad Studios.”

The informant also said Sabatino had told him Shakur “had to be dealt with.”

Sabatino is now in prison for unrelated crimes.

The article goes on to say:

According to this information, Rosemond and Sabatino, infuriated by what they saw as Shakur’s insolent behavior, enticed him to the Quad by offering him $7,000 to provide a vocal track for a rap recording.

Three assailants — reputedly friends of Rosemond — were lying in wait. They were on orders to beat Shakur but not kill him and to make the incident look like a robbery, the sources said. They were told they could keep whatever jewelry or other valuables they could steal from Shakur and his entourage.

A member of Shakur’s posse cooperated with the rapper’s enemies, relaying their offer of a $7,000 payment and keeping them informed of his whereabouts on the night of the assault, according to the informant and the other sources.

Later today, Combs released the following official statement:

“This story is beyond ridiculous and is completely false. Neither Biggie nor I had any knowledge of any attack before, during, or after it happened. It is a complete lie to suggest that there was any involvement by Biggie or myself. I am shocked that the Los Angeles Times would be so irresponsible as to publish such a baseless and completely untrue story.”

As reported over 5 years ago, the LA Times also accused Notorious B.I.G. of later killing Shakur.

From his upcoming Savage Life 2, here’s the latest from Webbie.

This month, hand-picked teens from the Boys & Girls Clubs and the Music Mentor program in collaboration with Atlantic Records and It’s Cool To Be Smart got the opportunity to chum it up with Trey Songz.

Songz is currently on tour with J Holiday.

Teens were chosen to attend the concert by their Club Directors from Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New Orleans with current Music Mentees and Mentors from the It’s Cool To Be Smart organization.

After the show, the lucky teens were escorted backstage for a Q&A session and photo session with Trey Songz.

“We wish there were more Record Executives like Mr. Margetson who over the years has committed to making sure the artists support their communities and give back a portion of their time for the youth,” stated Curtis B., Executive Director of It’s Cool To Be Smart.

India.Arie has been cast to star in the first-ever Broadway revival of the classic Ntozake Shange play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf.

The Tony-winning play presents the interwoven stories of seven women from the African Diaspora and originally opened its two-year Broadway run in the summer of 1976.

Scheduled for a mid-July preview and early-August opening, the show will be produced by Whoopi Goldberg. So far, Arie is the only confirmed cast member.

Everyone’s expecting Whitney Houston to make a comeback after years of addiction, but did anyone expect Mario’s career would be over so soon?

Mario is set to join the sixth season of Dancing With The Stars next week. The singer admits that when his manager first called him about doing the show he was reluctant.

“This is definitely a challenge, but I’ve had challenges all my life,” he said. “At the end of the day, if you dedicate yourself, there’s nothing you can’t do. This is just another way for me to express myself, and we’re going to be amazing.”

Maybe he should have stuck with his first instinct before signing up for a show full of has-beens.

A flurry of Whitney Houston fanfare is the result of the singer’s longtime mentor Clive Davis announcing that the troubled diva’s comeback is finally on the horizon.

“We’re on track for a holiday release,” he told the press.

Can’t wait.

Houston can currently be seen on the box of bargain basement hair relaxer Dark And Lovely.

Snoop Dogg’s latest album, Ego Trippin’, releases tomorrow. Check out the official video for “Life Of Da Party” – Premiering on MTV

VIDEO: Snoop Dogg – “Life Of Da Party”

http://www.snoopdogg.com/

http://www.myspace.com/snoopdogg

HRS News has no political agenda, and makes no political endorsements, however we thought this Youtube post was very interesting. The notion that being a Muslim is somehow bad along with the double-standard, arrogant witchhunt mentality behind Clinton’s pathetic efforts at scaring away Obama supporters is exactly the kind of political “leadership” our generation doesn’t need.

Here’s the blurb that goes with the video:

Hillary Clinton says that “as far as I know” the false smears about Barack Obama being a Muslim aren’t true.

Well, the smears are completely false. This video debunks that and other smears in the hopes of educating Hillary Clinton so that the next time she’s asked the question, she won’t hedge.

The video also includes the full 60 Minutes segment in which her “as far as I know” comment was included, as well as the continuation of her comments in which she talks about smears that have been made about her in the past.

In addition to the debunking the false Muslim smear, this video debunks the false national anthem smear, the false pledge of allegiance smear, and the false flag lapel pin smear.

Queens-based emcee and graphic artist Bisc1 will be releasing his first full length album, When Electric Nights Fall, on March 11 through Brooklyn-based indie hip-hop imprint, Embedded Music.

Bisc1′s made a name for himself as an underground visual artist of sorts by doing cover art, promotional materials and art direction for artists such as Aesop Rock, The Perceptionists, C-Rayz-Walz, Murs, El-P, and others.

Sample some of his music here: Track 1|Track 2

Track Listing of When Electric Nights Fall:

1. Night Fall
2. Turbulence
3. Parallels
4. Pandemonium
5. Paranoid (feat. Esen & Grimace)
6. Sidelines
7. Fire N’ Ice (feat. Mariella)
8. Unconditional
9. Strange Love (feat. MeresTD4)
10. Another Day
11. Inner-Mood
12. Great Escape

http://www.myspace.com/Bisc1

Pick-of-the-week
rap/hip-hop and R&B singles include joints from Raheem DeVaughn, Ghostface Killah, Snoop Dogg, Janet Jackson, Scarface, Lyfe Jennings and more.

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