Spivey Speaks: You Comment

Artist Spotlight: Mr. Dee & Crown Vick #MEMPHISOTA movement

2012-06-15T14:17:00.001-05:00

In this month's artist spotlight are up and coming Hip hop artists Victor "Crown Vick" Lacey and Derron "Mr. Dee" Sanders. Currently they are known for their MEMPHISOTA #Bang movement currently based in St. Paul MN via none other than Memphis, TN. The duo recently dropped their latest track, FOR LIFE on youtube which showcases the talents these brothas bring to the table.

RollingWithRo (<-click to follow on twitter) Give us a little background on who you all are, break it down it for us here.

Mr. DeeDaKid (<- click to follow on twitter) Well of course I am Derron Sanders aka "Mr. Dee" and also on my team is Victor Lacey aka "Crown Vick". We are both Memphis, TN representers and been hustling with this music business for a couple years now. I am a graduate of Sheffield High school and Rust College, where I recieved my B.A. in Mass Communications and a member of one the greatest fraternities in the land, Phi Beta Sigma, Gamma Psi chapter (BLU PHI to all the bruhs)! Crown Vick is the CEO of Memphisota entertainment and mixes all the tracks recorded by the label.

RollingwithRo: Before I go any further, tell me a little bit about #Bang and the Memphisota Movement. How did you come up with it?

MrDeeDaKid courtesy facebook

MrDeeDaKid: #BANG! Was first introduced as a Song by Crown Vick and later transformed Into the term we use for SWAG. Too many People was using the word Swag So we decided to substitute and switch the words out and now we Usually end everything with #BANG! from our style to our susic that's what we represent. The title and what does it mean? MEMPHISOTA= Memphis+Minnesota. It came into play because me and Crown Vick are Both From Memphis Tn. Thats where we started out together in the living room of My sisters house and at the home of Nehemiah Kennedy recording daily. Over The years and after several Name Changes we decided to stick with MEMPHISOTA because it was original and it let you know where we’re and where we do business.

RollingwithRo:(laughs) Sounds pretty easy to understand since you put it like that. So tell me,what about your music would make the people wanna buy or even listen?

MrDeeDaKid:Consistency, Content, and Sound. We try to recreate ourselves on every track. Whether it Hip Hop or Hardcore rap we try to push the standards with innovative style and creative lyrics. Everything is original and from the soul which we think a lot of artists are lacking. The true passion and love for the craft as musicians to put out the best music possible.

Rollingwithro: There have been plenty of artists to come out of Memphis including most notable Three Six Mafia who won a grammy for their hustle n flow soundtrack contribution, Yo Gotti, 8ball & MJG, Project Pat, Gangsta boo and others I didnt mention. What do you think it will take to put Memphisota on the map as a competitor in hip-hop?

MrDeeDaKid: Major Distribution and Promotion. We have the talent and music, we just need that venue to heard. We Have all the right keys we just need the right door and opportunity to get our music to the masses. Give us the chance and we will make it happen.

Crown Vic courtesy www.facebook.com

RollingwithRo: Do you think hip hop is headed in the right direction?

MrDeeDaKid: It all depends on your opinion an d how you view it. We do believe that the wrong people are being given the best chances when you have really gifted and positive people out here saying something and not being heard, If This continues then you will continue to see the downslide in the Music Industry.

RollingwithRo: Who are your musical influences and if you could work with any artists right now, who would they be?

MrDeeDaKid To name a few, 2 Pac, Biggie, 8Ball & MJG, UGK, Gheto Boys, Yo Gotti, Young Jeezy, Jay-Z, Playa Fly, Bob Marley, and Jimmi Hendrix. To be honest anybody willing to work and give us a chance we are ready at all times. The way we look at it you should be never afraid to explore new challenges and areas of the industry.

RollingwithRo: Do you have any upcoming album releases, mixtapes or events coming up?

MrDeeDaKid: Currently Working On The next installment of The #BANG! series “4-Ever BANG’N” due to Drop Late Summer/Early Fall

RollingwithRo: How can people interested in your music reach you? (facebook, twitter, youtube, reverbnation,websites)?

MrDeeDaKid: Twitter: @crownVick, @MrDeeDaKid, @Memphisota Gang, Youtube: Swag901, Reverbnation: Crown Vick, MrDeeDaKid

RollingwithRo: Any shoutouts?

MrDeeDaKid: God, The City Of Memphis, Saint Paul MN, Arkansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, Granny Granny, T-Lacey, Big Bay, T-Sosa, Kevin Poindexter, Ronnie Maine, C-Note, 4-Way, Phi Beta Sigma, C.H.A.P.S., Al Feury & MMTGB, And Everybody that has EVER Supported Crown Vick, Mr.Dee & Memphisota Gang Enetertainment. #BANG!

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

Peep the official music video FOR LIFE Below and subscribe to their youtube channel!

2012-06-14T08:28:00.003-05:00

Drake and Chris Brown Clash at Nightclub in NYC.

Popular R&B singer Chris Brown and Young Money artist Drake apparently got into big altercation at a nightclub in NYC leaving Chris brown with a gash on his chin. It was also reported that Drake's clan repeatedly mob Chris with a bottle and punches thrown.

According to IBTIMES It all apparently came to a head when the musicians, who are said to have a long-running feud over Drake's brief fling with the Bajan Beauty, came face-to-face inside the club.

Celebrity site, MediaTakeOut claims Brown sent a bottle of champagne to Drake's table as a peace offering.
However, the bottle was soon returned with a message boasting about the Young Money star sleeping with RiRi and Brown flew into rage.

An angry Brown immediately confronted the Young Money rapper which led to him being punched in the face and repeatedly hit with a bottle.
An onlooker told celebrity site Groovevolt.com: "There were bottles being thrown from Drake's entourage and some say they saw Meek Mills also throw a punch at Chris,"

"I wasn't able to see it all but it did not look good for Chris," the source added.
Following the fight, the R&B star was treated in hospital for the 2inch gash that needed stiches.
Rihanna's ex posted shared a snap of his bleeding chin with fans on his Twitter page before later removing it. Here is the original tweeted image from tumbler

The party, attended by stars including Ne-Yo, Drake, Maxwell, Julez, Mary J.Blige, Meek Mill, Trey Songz and Maino, was to honor the birthday of a few industry favorites.

SMH: Young brother dies after Older brother influences him to swallow Cocaine

2012-02-15T09:28:00.001-06:00

Most of us have heard the saying, I am my brother's keeper. Many of us believe that is it the responsibility of the older brother to always look out for the younger brother. This is not what happened in North Charleston, South Carolina. Around November 30, 2011, it was reported that police officers pulled over a car on Clements Ave for a minor traffic violation (headlight out) but ended making an arrest because they found a bag with white substance in it (presumably cocaine). They arrested brothers Deangelo (older-right side of video) and Wayne Mitchell(younger-left side of video). In route to the jail, the brothers began to talk and did not know they were being recorded by police car surveillance.

"You gonna eat it, you gonna chew it," DeAngelo Mitchell told his brother. "You ain't got no strike ... I can get you out ... I can't afford another strike."

Mitchell then appears to hand off the cocaine, which was stuffed in his buttocks, to his brother.

"One of us gotta do it," Mitchell said. "You the only one that don't have no strikes ... You my lil' brother ... I'm gonna get life ... You gonna unwrap it? Want me to hand you it?"

According to police, Wayne Mitchell then ate the cocaine.

"You done?" Mitchell asked. "Chew that (expletive)."

A few minutes later, Wayne Mitchell began to show signs that something was wrong. DeAngelo Mitchell started yelling when his brother started having trouble holding his head up. Wayne Mitchell later died at a hospital.

Charleston County Coroner Rae Wooten says that Mitchell died within an hour from eating the cocaine. Wooten said there was an extremely high amount of the drug in his body. She says there is no way to tell how much he actually ate.

"For me, an older brother is supposed to love his little brother, have his back and take good care of him," Zumwalt said. "That's not what was happening in this car."

DeAngelo Mitchell told officers that he thought his brother swallowed an ounce of cocaine.

North Charleston police chief John Zumwalt says that at the time, DeAngelo Mitchell was only facing drug charges. He posted a $25,000 bond on Dec. 1. He will now be charged with involuntary manslaughter.

"He handed those drugs to his little brother, the little brother ingested them and died," Zumwalt said. "He needs to be held accountable."

Police say they couldn't charged him with involuntary manslaughter until the toxicology report came back. Police got the results back this week.

DeAngelo Mitchell's rap sheet includes drug possession convictions in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He was also convicted this past August for distribution of cocaine base.

Source

What is this world coming to? How would you feel if your brother died because you had him swallow an ounce of cocaine? What punishment should he receive? If you ask me, I would have to say life in prison without the possibility of parole. I dont say the death penalty because the younger brother made a choice; otherwise, I would say fry him.

Jennifer Hudson delivers moving tribute to Whitney Houston at the Grammys 2012

2012-02-13T11:36:00.002-06:00

R. Spivey -

On last night, the biggest night in the world of music, R&B songstress Jennifer Hudson delivered a heartfelt and moving rendition of Whitney Houston's classic song (originally song by Dolly Pardon), I will always love you. Dressed gorgeously in all black and wearing hair that was very symbolic of the Pop Icon, Jennifer fought to hold back tears as she sang a song to one of the most profilic women in Pop music today and one of her musical influences.

It was reported on February 11, 2012 that Whitney Houston was found dead at the Beverly Hilton hotel in California; ironically, the location of the famous Clive Davis Pre-Grammy party that she was scheduled to attend. The news of her untimely death went viral instantly. The world has definitely lost another angel of R&B/Pop music.

Houston's illustrious career began in a night club, where she was discovered by producer Clive Davis at age 20, and includes holding the record for awarded female artist in history. She was also the only artist to have seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits, and three songs simultaneously in the Top 11. In the 1990s she made a splash in Hollywood with three back-to-back hit films: The Bodyguard (1992), Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996). Her fourth film Sparkle is set to hit theaters on August 17.

Check out Jennifer's tribute at the 2012 Grammy's below. RIP WHITNEY, and as you sang, WE will always, LOVE YOU!

video platform video management video solutions video player

Rest In Peace: Legendary Singer Etta James Dies

2012-01-20T13:00:00.002-06:00

RIP to Soulful legend Etta James. She will always be remembered for her toughness and her classic song as noted below, "At Last"

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Etta James' performance of the enduring classic "At Last" was the embodiment of refined soul: Angelic-sounding strings harkened the arrival of her passionate yet measured vocals as she sang tenderly about a love finally realized after a long and patient wait.

In real life, little about James was as genteel as that song. The platinum blonde's first hit was a saucy R and B number about sex, and she was known as a hell-raiser who had tempestuous relationships with her family, her men and the music industry. Then she spent years battling a drug addiction that she admitted sapped away at her great talents.

In other words, she was one of music's original bad girls.

"The bad girls ... had the look that I liked," she wrote in her 1995 autobiography, "Rage to Survive." ''I wanted to be rare, I wanted to be noticed, I wanted to be exotic as a Cotton Club chorus girl, and I wanted to be obvious as the most flamboyant hooker on the street. I just wanted to be."
James' spirit could not be contained — perhaps that's what made her so magnetic in music; it is surely what made her so dynamic as one of R&B, blues and rock 'n' roll's underrated legends. The 73-year-old died at Riverside Community Hospital, with her husband and sons at her side, De Leon said.

James performed well into her senior years, and it was "At Last" that kept bringing her the biggest ovations. The song was a perennial that never aged, and on Jan. 20, 2009, as crowds celebrated that — at last — an African-American had become president of the United States, the song played as the first couple danced.

But it was superstar Beyonce who serenaded the Obamas, not the legendary singer. Beyonce had portrayed James in "Cadillac Records," a big-screen retelling of Chess Records' heyday, and had started to claim "At Last" as her own.

An audio clip surfaced of James at a concert shortly after the inauguration, saying she couldn't stand the younger singer and that Beyonce had "no business singing my song." But she told the New York Daily News later that she was joking, even though she had been hurt that she did not get the chance to participate in the inauguration.

Read More From the Source Here

Vanessa Bryants Scores Big in Kobe Bryant Divorce Settlement

2012-01-20T12:47:00.000-06:00

courtesy Zimbio.com

Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa is the big winner in their divorce property settlement ...

Sources connected to the couple and with direct knowledge of the situation tell TMZ ... the property settlement agreement is signed, sealed and delivered -- a done deal.

Vanessa is walking away with $75 million, which we're told represents close to half of their total assets, estimated at around $150 million.

It turns out, based on the property settlement, Vanessa scored a clean sweep, snagging ALL THREE of the former couple's mansions in the Newport Beach area.

Vanessa gets the estate the couple was living in, the estate her mom is living in, and she gets the new estate that had been under construction for 2 years and was just completed. We were told Kobe was moving into the new estate, but that's not true. It's Vanessa's crib, lock stock and barrel.
source

Vanessa has seemingly scored big in this deal. With all three homes and 1/2 of their total assets, she is sure to be doing pretty fine for the next couple of years. What do you think about the divorce? Do you think she was in for the money or did she just make a smart move and stuck around waiting until the years passed in the marriage where he would have to pay her such? Either way, GET THAT MONEY VANESSA!

Memphis Police Officer Charged with Shoplifting

2012-01-20T10:58:00.000-06:00

An off-duty Memphis police officer accused of shoplifting more than $770 worth of clothing from a Wolfchase Galleria department store on Thursday faces a felony charge.

Memphis police announced today that officer Quattarra Gardner, 33, was charged with theft of property over $500. Gardner was released from Shelby County’s Jail East without posting bond.

About 4:30 Thursday, a loss prevention officer at Macy’s observed Gardner enter a fitting room with 19 items of clothing, according to a court affidavit. The store official reported that she left with the clothing concealed in a diaper bag and a black garment bag.

Gardner joined the force in July 2003, is assigned to the Union Station precinct and has been relieved of duty during an investigation by the department, according to a statement released by a public information officer.
Source

Well my how the tables have turned. I wonder if they treated her like some cops treat regular citizens in the street. Nothing against the good cops, but it feels good to know they can weed out the bad ones!

Mother arrested for getting her 10 year old son a Tattoo: What was she thinking?!

2012-01-19T09:52:00.000-06:00

ACWORTH, Ga. - A Georgia woman faces child cruelty charges after taking her 10-year-old son to get a tattoo.

She says she didn't know it was illegal and her son had a good reason to want the body art.

Chuntera Napier said her family is still grieving the death of her 12 year old son, Malik -- hit and killed by a teenage driver in Macon, Georgia some two years ago.

She has tattoos of her own in memory of Malik and says her now 10-year-old, Gaquan was with Malik when he died.

"My son came to me and said, 'Mom, I want to get a tattoo with Malik on it, rest in peace.' What do I say to a child that wants to remember his brother?" she said.

Gaquan said he wanted the tattoo, “Because it represents my brother."

So Napier took Gaquan to a tattoo artist in Smyrna and the youngster got a tattoo featuring Malik's old jersey number.

"It made me feel good to know that he wanted his brother on him," Napier said.

Someone at his school noticed it, they called authorities and police pulled up a 2010 law that says: It shall be unlawful for any person to tattoo the body of any person under the age of 18, except for a physician or osteopath.
Acworth Chief Mike Wilkie said while they felt for the family's grief, a consultation with the district attorney and solicitor's office tied their hands.

"We hope that they can find something that can sustain them through that loss, but this is not the way, it is illegal and it's something that we were bound by the law to investigate and to prosecute," he said.

Asked if she thought it was illegal to allow her son to get a tattoo Napier said, "No, I always thought that if a parent gave consent, then it's fine."

Police are also investigating the tattoo artist.
Read more from the source

This is just ridiculous. When are parents going to stand up and be parents. Children should be told no sometimes and to let a 10 year tattoo himself because he wanted to represent his brother is a bit far fetched. I know the child wanted to pay homage to his brother but the mother should have explained to him other ways of expressing his sympathy, instead she took him to get the tattoo he asked for.

Michael Jordan: Only Kobe Bryant should be compared to his GREATNESS

2012-01-18T11:54:00.000-06:00

When you say who is one of the greatest basketball players of recent times, one is surely to here the name Michael Jordan. If you ask who is the greatest basketball players on the court right now, you are destined to hear Kobe Bryant. Kobe, who has been a member of the Los Angeles Lakers ever since his entry into the NBA definitely knows how to get the job done on the court. If you don't believe me, look at the sheer number of championship rings on his fingers
.

photo courtesy midwestsportsfans.com

According to a post on yahoo.com, editor Eric Freeman mentions the following:

Ever since Michael Jordan retired — all three times, really — the NBA has searched for the heir to his throne. Many players have popped up as pretenders to the throne, from Harold Miner to Jerry Stackhouse to Vince Carter. In recent years, people have stopped trying to find a clone and just searched for a similarly dominant great player. If you ever wondered why LeBron James is seen as such a failure, a lot of it has to do with his inability to meet the example set by Jordan.
There are many great players in the NBA these days, most of whom have never been directly compared to Jordan. Nevertheless, His Airness says only one player comes close enough to his greatness to merit the comparison. Not surprisingly, that player is Kobe Bryant. Here's what Roland Lazenby, a great writer currently working on a Jordan book, tweeted on Sunday (via PBT):

Kobe's ultimate competition is MJ. That's why MJ watches him. MJ made people think what he was doing wasn't human. Ditto the Kobester.
I never said Kobe was better than MJ. MJ just told me Kobe's the only one to have done the work, to deserve comparison.

What do you think? Do you think Kobe will be the next Michael Jordan of the NBA or do you feel as an athlete, he has set his own tone to greatness? Either way, I think its an honor to have one of the most revered players of the NBA (Michael Jordan) refer to you as such.

Source

Grizzlie's Marreese Speights is out to prove HE IS THE MAN!

2012-01-10T15:24:00.001-06:00

With Zach Randolph being out for the next couple of weeks due to an injury, Coach Lionel Hollins and the Memphis Grizzlies have acquired 6'10, 255lb forward Marreese Speights from the Philadelphia 76ers. Just a couple games into the season, Marreese is already proving his ability on the court by scoring and holding up to the defense, including his game high 17 points last week against a tough Grizzlies loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Marreese Speights (courtesy ESPN.com)

The trade did not come without controversy as word around the NBA and with coaches was that Speights would not be a good team player because of his work ethics. Speights recently told sports writer Ron Tillery of commercialappeal.com ,"Everybody always say I'm lazy and all of that," Speights said. "But they didn't say that my first two years. It's crazy that in my third year when coach (Doug) Collins came (to Philadelphia) that all of that started coming up. I can't change the past. The only thing I can affect is my future."

With his new addition to the Grizzlies lineup, Marreese will definitely have to get a feel for other key players (Rudy Gay , Marc Gasol, Mike Conley) and find his niche on the court. Becoming a member of the Grizzlies team is sort of a second chance for him as he found himself barred off the court in Philadelphia, having some shaky ground with coach Dave Collins. and didnt play in any games before the trade. Last year, he averaged 5.4 points per game and has already seen improvement during two games with the Grizzlies up to 8.5 points per game.

Speights knows this is his opportunity to prove that he is the player needed on the team and definitely capable of getting the job done. Coincidentally, the same player who he is playing for know, Zach Randolph, faced similar issues when he joined the Grizzlies back in 2009 from the New York Knicks. Nobody believed in Zach and viewed him as trouble; however, all those issues were dispelled when Zach, now known as ZBO, showed the world that he has what it takes, including getting the Grizzlies back in the playoff spotlight during last years season.

He continues to tell Tillery that "Going through that (in Philadelphia) made me realize that everything can't be gold all of the time," Speights said. "Me and coach (Collins) have a good relationship off the court. But on the court we really couldn't get it together. I've got a fresh start here so I'm not worried about Philly anymore. ... (The Griz) need me and I need them. I'm excited to be here."

So far I am impressed with Speights. He is proving to have star power on the court. The fans cheer him on and his energy and hard play will definitely keep us as contenders. Welcome to Memphis Marreese, I dont think they could have picked a better player.

Beyonce and Jay-Z welcome new daughter: Blue Ivy Carter

2012-01-10T09:14:00.002-06:00

The internet has been a buzz with the news that Beyonce and Jay-Z have given birth to their first daughter, Blue Ivy Carter. Hello Hello Baby Blue!
According to a joint statement from beyonceonline.com, the couple states: We are happy to announce the arrival of our beautiful daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, born on Saturday, January 7, 2012. Her birth was emotional and extremely peaceful, we are in heaven. She was delivered naturally at a healthy 7 lbs and it was the best experience of both of our lives. We are thankful to everyone for all your prayers, well wishes, love and support. - Beyoncé & JAY Z

It was reported via People Magazine Beyonce and Jay paid 1.3 million dollars to rent out the 4th floor of New York's Lenox Hill Hospital; however, executives at the hospital issued the following statement: "The family is housed in an executive suite at the hospital and is being billed the standard rate for those accommodations. Our executive suites are available for any patient, including the food service and amenities provided to the Carter family."

Now the world will be waiting for the first images of Blue Ivy Carter, who, without any knowledge of what is going on in the world, is already famous. Her father, Jay-Z, recently released a song dedicated to his daughter entitled Glory where he mentions how painful it was when he and his wife had a miscarriage prior to her birth. You can peep the song below

CONGRATS TO JAY AND BEYONCE!

Artist Spotlight: T’trotta of the Merc Boyz

2011-12-22T09:57:00.002-06:00

In this week’s artist spotlight, I had a chance to sit down with up and coming rapper T’Trotta. He is most known famously for the Merc Boyz (Big Hurt and T’trotta) smash hit “One O’clock” and his solo single “I Feel So Good”. T’trotta has dropped numerous of singles and mixtapes with his other half, Big Hurt. On January 1, 2011, T’trotta made his solo debut with the alias titled mixtape “Key 2 Da Streetz”. T’trotta is expected to drop his second solo project in February entitled Campaign Musik and his album entitled “Key 2 Da Streetz - Da Lock-Up.” Check out the interview below!

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

RS: Tell the people a little bit about who you are and where you from.

Trotta: Well you know Im T’trotta, also known as “Key 2 Da Streetz (K2DS)”. I am a Southern artist associated with Lil T601 and his Hustle Hard Campaign enterprise. I was born in Clarksdale, MS, then later moved to Greenwood, MS at the age of 17.

RS: Clarksdale, MS, that’s straight down 61, home of the blues and artists like Rick Ross and actor Morgan Freeman. That’s whats up. How did you earn the alias “Key 2 Da Streetz” or K2DS?

Trotta: “Key 2 Da Streetz” was a name that was given to me by a fellow Hustle Hard affiliate meaning if the streetz are on lock then, I got the key. I liked and decided to use it.

RS: What is #CampaignMusik and Hustle Hard Campaign?

Trotta: “Campaign Musik” is the name of my second solo mixtape. I named it “Campaign Musik” because for one, it originated from the company, Hustle Hard Campaign; and two “Campaign” is like your election, your promotion. The things you do to put you on the top. The “Hustle Hard” part speaks for itself.

RS: When and how did you become interested in rap music?

Trotta: I was always into music and free-styling, but I recorded my first track in 2003 called “Shake Something” with da Dirty South Sluggers. We got that song circulating around the town, the people started listening and that’s how we got started.

RS: I remember that track Shake Something, it was a southern club banger! Didn’t realize you was in the mix dawg. What do you think it will take to put Mississippi on the Map as a competitor for hip hop artists or do you feel Mississippi is properly represented?

Trotta: No. I feel that it is not nearly enough unity in this state. I also feel that the only way for this state to compete with the “big dawgs” is to form unity.

RS: Do you think hip hop is headed in the right direction?

Trotta: No!

RS: Who are your musical influences?

Trotta: (laughs) Lil T601

RS: Let me get back to your style of music specifically. What separates your style of rap from other rappers and makes your music unique?

Trotta: Because I’m unique, and I rap about me, u feel me?! I created my own style based on me and my everyday life.

RS: If you could work with an artist right now, who would it be and why?

Trotta: I would work with anybody serious, independent or mainstream. This is what I do and if you serious, let’s get it.

RS: Tell me Trotta, where can your music be purchased or downloaded?

Trotta: You can download my music is off www.hustlehardcampaign.com but you can find me on other sites such as datpiff, Itunes, etc. 
 
RS: How can people interested in your music reach you? (facebook, twitter, youtube, reverbnation, websites)

Trotta: You can follow me on twitter @T_trotta, look me up at Facebook.com/Ttrotta Subscribe to me on youtube at Youtube.com/mercboyz43 http://www.datpiff.com/profile/mercboyz43, http://www.hustlehardcampaign.com/, Or by email, TtrottaHHC@gmail.com

RS: Do you have any upcoming album releases, mixtapes or events coming up?

Trotta: Yea, I got that “Campaign Musik” mixtape scheduled to drop in February and my album “Key 2 Da Streetz - Da Lock Up” dropping late 2012.

RS: Trotta I wanna thank you for taking time out of your schedule to do this interview with me. Man, best of luck in the music game and we look forward to hearing more from you. Do you have any shoutouts u want to make?

Trotta: Yea, shoutouts out to Hustle Hard Campaign man. Shoutouts to all the artists gringind and campaigning to be on the top. Shoutouts to the whole "Sipp" (Mississippi) my nigga! #Campaign

After 3OTs, Grizzlies lose steam to the Thunder: Series tied 2-2

2011-05-10T08:41:00.001-05:00

Memphis - (Ron Tillery reporting) What do you call an NBA playoff game that features collapses, comebacks, clutch shots, is a credit to both teams’ will to win and doesn’t abide by anyone’s clock?
A classic.

That best describes the Grizzlies’ 133-123 triple overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal Monday night at FedExForum.

Not only is the best-of-seven series tied 2-2 but it is clearly marking the infancy of a budding rivalry, and a long, fierce fight for the right to play Dallas in the conference finals.

Everything about the nearly four-hour affair between the Griz-Thunder suggested as much.
Memphis led by 18 points in the second period. Oklahoma City stormed back and took a 10-point advantage midway in the fourth.

The Griz got a clutch, fourth-quarter 3-pointer from Mike Conley to initially extend the game. Then, rookie Greivis Vasquez connected on a miraculous long-range shot that forced even more time.
In the end, though, the Thunder had more energy and more key players on the floor in the third overtime. With the game knotted at 121, the Thunder put away the Griz with a 10-2 run that included the final eight points of the game.

Game 5 is set Wednesday in Oklahoma City if either team has enough energy left to play it.
Griz big men Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol each played 56-plus minutes. Randolph finished with 34 points and 16 rebounds. Gasol had 26 points and 21 boards. The Thunder offset that with Russell Westbrook’s career playoff-high 40 points and Kevin Durant’s 35-point and 13-rebound outing.

“It’s a tough loss,” Randolph said. “You’ve got to give (the Thunder) credit. They played well and hit big shots. Their two star players hit big shots toward the end of the game.”

Oklahoma City, which lost Game 3 in overtime after blowing a 16-point lead, reclaimed home-court advantage in dramatic fashion.

“This game is something people are going to be talking about for a while,” Durant said. “I'm glad I’m a part of it.”
Read more from the source

Now that the series is tied 2-2, we are back to square one. Although the Grizz travel to Oklahoma for game 5, I am confident this series will go through for seven games, with that game back in Okc. We need this one. BELIEVE is the team's motto, and I am doing just that. Before I conclude, I would also like to commend the fans for an outstanding SUPPORT system for our Memphis Grizzlies. This game goes down in NBA history.

Video Premier: Nicki Minaj: Super Bass

2011-05-06T09:21:00.000-05:00

It seems Nicki is back at it again. I am not sure this is hip-hop or Pop-Hop but whatever it is, I am sure the #teenyboppers will claim it is the best in music since Do the Stanky leg. Per Bossip, check the video below.

Tornadoes devastate South, killing at least 280

2011-04-28T16:16:00.001-05:00

PLEASANT GROVE, Ala. – Firefighters searched one splintered pile after another for survivors Thursday, combing the remains of houses and neighborhoods pulverized by the nation's deadliest tornado outbreak in almost four decades. At least 280 people were killed across six states — more than two-thirds of them in Alabama, where large cities bore the half-mile-wide scars the twisters left behind.
The death toll from Wednesday's storms seems out of a bygone era, before Doppler radar and pinpoint satellite forecasts were around to warn communities of severe weather. Residents were told the tornadoes were coming up to 24 minutes ahead of time, but they were just too wide, too powerful and too locked onto populated areas to avoid a horrifying body count.
The storms seemed to hug the interstate highways as they barreled along like runaway trucks, obliterating neighborhoods or even entire towns from Tuscaloosa to Bristol, Va. One family rode out the disaster in the basement of a funeral home, another by huddling in a tanning bed.
In Concord, a small town outside Birmingham that was ravaged by a tornado, Randy Guyton's family got a phone call from a friend warning them to take cover. They rushed to the basement garage, piled into a Honda Ridgeline and listened to the roar as the twister devoured the house in seconds. Afterward, they saw daylight through the shards of their home and scrambled out.
"The whole house caved in on top of that car," he said. "Other than my boy screaming to the Lord to save us, being in that car is what saved us."
Son Justin remembers the dingy white cloud moving quickly toward the house.
"To me it sounded like destruction," the 22-year-old said. "It was a mean, mean roar. It was awful."
At least three people died in a Pleasant Grove subdivision southwest of Birmingham, where residents trickled back Thursday to survey the damage. Greg Harrison's neighborhood was somehow unscathed, but he remains haunted by the wind, thunder and lightning as they built to a crescendo, then suddenly stopped.
"Sick is what I feel," he said. "This is what you see in Oklahoma and Kansas. Not here. Not in the South."
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley said his state had confirmed 194 deaths. There were 33 deaths in Mississippi, 33 in Tennessee, 14 in Georgia, five in Virginia and one in Kentucky. Hundreds if not thousands of people were injured — 600 in Tuscaloosa alone.
Some of the worst damage was about 50 miles southwest of Pleasant Grove in Tuscaloosa, a city of more than 83,000 that is home to the University of Alabama. A tower-mounted news camera there captured images of an astonishingly thick, powerful tornado flinging debris as it leveled neighborhoods.
That twister and others Wednesday were several times more severe than a typical tornado, which is hundreds of yards wide, has winds around 100 mph and stays on the ground for a few miles, said research meteorologist Harold Brooks at the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla.
"There's a pretty good chance some of these were a mile wide, on the ground for tens of miles and had wind speeds over 200 mph," he said.
The loss of life is the greatest from an outbreak of U.S. tornadoes since April 1974, when 329 people were killed by a storm that swept across 13 Southern and Midwestern states.
Brooks said the tornado that struck Tuscaloosa could be an EF5 — the strongest category of tornado, with winds of more than 200 mph — and was at least the second-highest category, an EF4.

Raw Video Footage
Read more from the source

BELIEVE MEMPHIS: GRIZZ MANHANDLE SPURS 104-86

2011-04-26T08:48:00.000-05:00

Electrifying! Magnificent! Exhilarating! BEASTLY! All those are words than be used to describe the level of intensity and endurance displayed by the Memphis Grizzlies as we hammered the San Antonio Grizzlies in Game 4 at Fedex Forum in Memphis, TN. You can literally feel the energy from the team and let me give a big HI-FIVE to all the ENTHUSIASTIC fans who came out and rallied the Grizzlies on!!!

Ronald Tillery - (Commerical Appeal) Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins walked into the locker room at halftime and basically hypnotized his players into thinking they were down a bunch.

They trailed by only two points, but Hollins wasn’t at all happy with the energy level. So he implored his troops to rush out into the second half and play with a sense of desperation.
“We responded well,” Griz forward Zach Randolph said.

That would be an understatement.

The Grizzlies opened the third quarter on a 14-0 run fueled by the scrappy, defensive play that has defined their season and pulled away Monday night for a 104-86 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series.

A sold-out crowd of 18,119 in FedExForum watched the Spurs fall into a trance, too. San Antonio wilted, turning the ball over seven times in the third, after hitting Memphis with its best half of basketball in the series.

“They put their foot on our neck and they never let up,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said.
Memphis, the eighth seed, is on the verge of making top-seeded San Antonio cry uncle. The Griz now own a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, which shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Wednesday.

The Griz are trying to become the second eighth seed to beat a No. 1 seed since Golden State upset Dallas in 2007. Like he has all series, Hollins refuses to look too far ahead.
Perhaps that’s a show of respect to the Spurs. But the Griz didn’t have much regard for the former champions in a game they led by as many as 24 points. Neither team won by more than six points in the first three games.

Arthur electrified the towel-waving crowd by making a series of 18-foot shots as the Griz established their lead. An Arthur jump shot ended that decisive third. The Griz won the period 30-15 and led 78-65 when the final frame began.

Read More from the Source

Mom 2 Kids: You're Going to Die With Me (Hudson River Drowning)

2011-04-14T13:12:00.001-05:00

Lashanda Armstrong (right) drove her minivan into the Hudson, killing 2-year-old Lance (back), 5-year-old Landon (front center) and 11-month-old Lainaina (below). Lashaun (left), 10, survived.

he unhinged mother who drove her minivan off a Newburgh dock and into the Hudson River told her four children that she wasn't leaving this world alone.
"If I'm going to die, you're going to die with me," Lashanda Armstrong told the children before the vehicle sank to the bottom of the river just before 8 p.m. on Tuesday, the only surviving child told authorities.
Armstrong's 10-year-old son, Lashaun, escaped the doomed family minivan - opening a power window and swimming to safety in the two minutes it took for the vehicle to sink.
But as he wriggled out of the window, his mother snatched his pants leg. "I made a mistake," she said before finally releasing the boy, the child told authorities.
After swimming to shore, the dripping-wet Lashaun made it to the road, where he was picked up by Meave Ryan, a good Samaritan who took the boy to a nearby firehouse.
"He was waving his hands, screaming 'Help me!'" said Ryan, 31. "He said, 'My mommy just drove the car into the water.'"
Shivering and barely able to speak, little Lashaun told firefighters how his mother had launched the van into the river with his siblings inside and how, just moments before, she dialed her dad for help, the kids screaming in the background.
"I'm sorry, I'm going to do something crazy," Armstrong said, according to the boy's story.

Police wouldn't confirm details of the domestic dispute that preceded the murder-suicide inside the tan van, but neighbors said Armstrong and longtime boyfriend Jean Pierre were frequent fighters in their second-floor home.

Armstrong, who battled with Pierre over his womanizing, had twice asked to get the apartment locks changed in a six-month period - most recently in March, the building landlord said.

Pierre - nicknamed "Prime" - was the father of the three dead children. He began dating Armstrong, 25, when they were in high schoo

Publish Post

A 22-year-old neighbor said she and Pierre had a three-month affair while Armstrong was pregnant last year with her last child, 11-month-old Lainaina.

Grizzlies gear up for Playoffs against Spurs after loss to Clippers

2011-04-14T09:08:00.000-05:00

LOS ANGELES --- Rest and recuperation.
That, not necessarily a win for the better part of three quarters, is what the Grizzlies went for Wednesday night in their regular-season finale. The Griz didn’t play three starters in a 110-103 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in Staples Center.
The Griz will enter the NBA playoffs this weekend as the eighth seed in the Western Conference and they are set to face the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round.
Memphis and New Orleans both finished with 46-36 records, but the Hornets are the No. 7 seed because they hold the tiebreaker over the Grizzlies.
“We knew we were playing against a great team either way,” Griz forward Shane Battier said. “(The Spurs) play good at home and on the road. We have our work cut out for us. I told the guys its the playoffs but it’s still basketball. … We can’t get caught up in the fact that it’s the playoffs.”
The Griz-Spurs series will open with two games in San Antonio, beginning Sunday at noon. Game 2 will take place Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. The series shifts to FedExForum April 23 for Games 3 at 6:30 p.m. The Griz will also host Game 4 with a time to be determined.
“We’ve played some good games,” Griz guard O.J. Mayo said of the regular-season series with the Spurs. “We just have to believe in ourselves and believe in what we’re doing.”
The teams split its four-game season series at 2-2. The Griz and Spurs each won their home games.

Projected Schedule:

Game 1 - Sunday, Grizzlies at San Antonio, noon, TNT
Game 2 - Wednesday, Grizzlies at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m., NBA TV
Game 3 - April 23, San Antonio vs. Grizzlies at FedExForum, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Game 4 - April 25, San Antonio vs. Grizzlies at FedExForum, TBA
Game 5 (if necessary) - April 27, Grizzlies at San Antonio, TBA
Game 6 (if necessary) - April 29, San Antonio vs. Grizzlies, TBA
Game 7 (if necessary) - May 1, Grizzlies at San Antonio, TBA

Read More from the Source

Lesson Learned: Kobe fined 100K by NBA for Derogatory Comments

2011-04-14T09:01:00.000-05:00

The National Basketball Association fined Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers $100,000 on Wednesday for "offensive and inexcusable" comments he made during Tuesday night's game, the league said in a statement.

Bryant used an expletive and an anti-gay slur directed at a referee after receiving a technical foul in a game against the San Antonio Spurs.

In a pregame phone call Wednesday night to Joe Solomonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, Bryant apologized for using the slur, the commission said in a statement.

"We had a very sincere conversation in which he expressed his heartfelt regret for the hurt that his words caused," Solomonese said. "He told me that it's never OK to degrade or tease, and that he understands how his words could unfortunately give the wrong impression that this is appropriate conduct. At the end of a difficult day, I applaud Kobe for coming forward and taking responsibility for his actions."

Earlier, Bryant issued a statement saying his remarks should not be taken literally. "My actions were out of frustration during the heat of the game, period," he said. "The words expressed do not reflect my feelings towards the gay and lesbian communities and were not meant to offend anyone."

But, said NBA Commissioner David Stern in a statement, "Kobe Bryant's comment during last night's game was offensive and inexcusable. While I'm fully aware that basketball is an emotional game, such a distasteful term should never be tolerated. Accordingly, I have fined Kobe $100,000. Kobe and everyone associated with the NBA know that insensitive or derogatory comments are not acceptable and have no place in our game or society."
The Human Rights Campaign said earlier it supported the fine.

Read More from the Source

18 Year Old Accidentally Shoots and Kills Twin Brother

2011-04-14T08:55:00.000-05:00

(Bolivar, TN 4/13/2011) An 18-year-old died after his twin brother accidentally shot him in the face Tuesday.

At 11:57 a.m., Bolivar police responded to a call in the 300 block of East Jackson Street.

There, the police chief said they were met by 18-year-old Jarmall Williams.

"He directed us into a home and we found his twin brother laying on the bedroom floor," said Bolivar Police Chief Bill Irons.

Irons said that the victim, Jeremy Williams, had suffered a gunshot wound to the face.

He was airlifted to The MED, where he died early Wednesday morning.

His twin, who allegedly pulled the trigger, was distraught.

"Very distressed," Irons said. "To the extreme of being in distress. Took a while just to get him to calm down and tell us what had gone on."

Jarmall Williams allegedly told police they had purchased the .380 semi-automatic handgun illegally, off the streets.

Irons said once the investigation is complete, the department will determine whether charges should be filed.

Read More from the Source

Kelly Rowland Gives you "MOTIVATION" in new Video

2011-04-05T09:54:00.000-05:00

It seems the R&B Diva has found a new swag with her new video MOTIVATION which features a lot of bumping and grinding along with the most recognizable voice in hip hop Lil Wayne. The video is oozing with sexuality and even includes a woman rubbing Kelly down. All this is a part of her revamping to make the world recognize that Kelly Rowland is back! After a new duo with Nelly entitled "GONE", Ms. Rowland is set to be a force this season. Peep the video below

Video Source

HATE it or NOT: GRIZZLIES beat Celtics 90-87

2011-03-24T08:42:00.000-05:00

Tony Allen of the Memphis Grizzlies celebrates after he made a three point shot in the second half against the Celtics on Wednesday in Boston, Massachusetts. The Grizzlies won 90-87. (Elsa/Getty Images)

BOSTON — Grizzlies newcomers Tony Allen and Leon Powe received a warm welcome from the TD Garden crowd during player introductions.

The former Boston Celtics players gladly absorbed the appreciation. They were just as happy to send the Celtics crowd home sad.

Allen and Powe took their return to Boston personally and the Grizzlies treated the start of a two-game excursion like a business trip. The result for the Grizzlies on Wednesday night was a 90-87 victory over the Boston Celtics, followed by a loud celebration from the visitors’ locker room.

“You see the smile on my face,” said Powe, who tied Zach Randolph with a team-high 13 points off the bench.
The Griz (40-32) began their toughest week of the remaining schedule on the right foot, considering that the surging Chicago Bulls are next Friday. Memphis then hosts the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.

The Grizzlies’ largest lead of the night was 36-26 in the second period, largely because of Powe’s work on both ends of the court.
“This team plays my style of ball,” Powe said. “It’s a post-up team. I felt like I got in a rhythm and the guys worked hard. This was a good win for us. It’s huge. It just adds fuel to our confidence.”

Read more from the source

ALL I CAN SAY IS GO GRIZZLIES!!!!!!

WTF: Woman Eats Needle in Chili's Mashed Potatoes

2011-03-16T13:17:00.000-05:00

A New Mexico woman bit into a meal at Chili's and wound up with a 2-inch needle in her tongue, according to a lawsuit.

Ashely Phillips, 23, was chowing down on ribs and mashed potatoes in July when the mishap left her in pain. Then there was the alarm over whether she had been exposed to a life-threatening disease.
Phillips said Chili's employees quickly took away the needle and a manager refused to hand it back to her when she and her husband returned to request it for testing. She said the company took 52 days to send the needle to a testing lab.

In the meantime, Phillips said she tested negative for HIV, hepatitis and other potential infections. But she has stopped nursing her 2-month-old child.

"I had to stop nursing my son," Phillips told the Farmington Daily Times. "Nursing is so important for an infant's health and emotional development that we are suing for emotional damages."
The lawsuit was filed in the San Juan County District Court on March 9.
The couple said the needle tested negative when the chain got the results back. But Phillips said there's no way to know whether the needle was cleaned.

"It takes a while for some of these things to show up," she said. "We have to go back for more testing in a year."
Representatives at Chili's declined to comment.

Mitch Burns, attorney for Phillips, said his client was "injured by the needle once and then twice by Chili's corporate office who failed to produce the needle" soon after it was requested.

RIP Nate Dogg: Hip Hop Legend

2011-03-16T08:48:00.000-05:00

One of rap's most lauded male hook singers, Long Beach, California native Nate Dogg (born Nathaniel Hale) died on Tuesday at the age of 41 after several years of health problems.
With his deep, melodic voice and smooth soul rumble, Dogg was one of the key elements in the rise of the West Coast G-Funk sound pioneered by Death Row Records in the early 1990s. Though overshadowed by such peers as Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Warren G, Nate was a critical participant in a number of major left-coast gangsta hits, including G's "Regulate" and Dre's iconic solo debut, 1992's The Chronic.
Hale's death was first reported by the Long Beach Press Telegram, which noted that his family announced his death on Tuesday. The cause of death was not announced at press time, but Hale had struggled with serious health issues recently, including suffering a massive stroke in 2007 that left him partially paralyzed and another the following year. A spokesperson for the singer could not be reached for comment at press time for further details on his passing.
Nate was a four-time Grammy nominee, earning his first nod in 1995 for the legendary Warren G collaboration "Regulate," followed by another in 2001 for providing a hook to the Dre and Snoop tune "The Next Episode." He earned his third notice in 2002 for singing on Ludacris' "Area Codes" and another in 2007 for his work on Eminem's "Shake That.

"We lost a true legend n hip hop n rnb" tweeted Snoop. "One of my best friends n a brother to me since 1986 when I was a sophomore at poly high where we met. I love u buddy luv. U will always b wit me 4ever n a day u put the g n g funk u put the 1 n 213 n u put yo stamp on evrybdy u ever didit wit ... I miss u cuzz I am so sad but so happy I got to grow up wit u and I will c u again n heaven cuz u know d slogan. ... All doggs go to heaven yo homie n baby brotha bigg snoopdogg!!"
"R.I.P. TO MY HOMEBOY NATE DOGG DPGC DOGG POUND GANGSTA 4 LIFE," tweeted Daz.
"There is a certain void in hip hop's heart that can never be filled. Glad we got to make history together. RT @SnoopDogg: RIP NATE DOGG," tweeted Ludacris.

Read More From the Source

RIP Nate Dogg. I will always remember you from Regulators as a child growing up. You truly had a voice that was recognizable in the hip hop game. We need more artists with your style. You will be missed brother.

Poet Spotlight: Audaciously Speaking (Utronda Wilson)

2011-03-15T14:17:00.000-05:00

It gives me pleasure to spotlight my cousin that I grew up with in the rural Mississippi Delta of Ruleville, Utronda "Audaciously Speaking" Wilson. Not only did we graduate from high school together (Ruleville Central High School Class of 1997), we also completed our undergraduate studies together at Rust College in Holly Springs, MS (Class of 2003). Audacious is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, incorporated. I am so proud of her accomplishments thus far. Below you will find more information about Audacious via her website www.audaciouslyspeaking.webs.com

BOLD, DARING, and COURAGEOUS are all adjectives often used to describe Dallas newest poet/author, Audacious. Birthed through the intoxicating waters of the Mississippi Delta she arrived in the Metroplex of Dallas/Fort Worth and definitively made her mark on the literary world.

Growing up in Ruleville Mississippi, the wild child of the late E. V. "Jug" and Christine Wilson, she discovered through life's hurdles that there is power in words. Audacious fell in love with the word early in life first taking stage at the age of twelve while being inspired by her favorite author Nikki Giovanni. Life has lead her to travel around the world from Africa to New York spreading her positive messages of uplift and outreach.

In 2008, she catapulted her journey and founded Audaciously Speaking, dedicated to change, and regeneration through spoken word. Often described as infectious, Audacious provides experiences through her revolutionary style of poetry. She has allowed her words to possess her taking stage at venues such as The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, The University of Texas at Arlington, Café Madrid, Embargo, Tephejez and Absinthe Lounge to name just a few. Her own Evolution of Spoken Word is an Annual Red Carpet event to raise literary awareness.

In 2009, Audacious launched the Backpack Foundation to support sponsored schools with the supplies they need to equip today's youth to become tomorrow's leaders. She continues to be a motivational force both in the community, and on stage.

While in 2010, she completed her first state wide tour "The Southern Made Tour" covering 5 states with tour-mate Lady BSmoove. She also became the fourth member of the National Fort Worth Poetry Slam Team, ranking 24th in the nation ed Team in the Nation in 2010.

I Can Make Walls Talk is her published work of spoken word and poetry (Released Date: October 2009) was named BEST LITERARY WORK of 2010 by The Legacy of Success Foundation and is an open invitation to experience the one, the only, AUDACIOUS.

For more information about Audacious, her work, and booking information, visit http://audaciouslyspeaking.webs.com/