ENTERTAINERS

"Philly should have been its own state" Interview by: Jason Gloss

2010-12-15T14:18:00.000+07:00

PHILAFLAVA: Growing up in Philadelphia, in whats a proud and in some cases predominate Catholic city, what prompted you to convert to Islam?

VINNIE PAZ: Growing up yeah, I'm Italian and from Philly, so obviously my family is Roman Catholic. Religion and spirituality are a strange thing, ya know? Most people just grow up and accept the propaganda that their parents pushed on them. Christian families produce Christian kids, Jewish families produce Jewish kids, and so on. Not many people break that mold. I just never felt any connection with Catholicism, or Christianity in general. I spent a lot of time in high school at my homeboy Arif's crib, and he came from a Muslim family. I learned a lot there from his family and I got interested in Islam through them.

PHILAFLAVA: Did you see the new Rocky?

VINNIE PAZ: Like I said, I'm an Italian from Philly, so yeah, I saw it. I loved that shit. Rocky was a way of life when I was a kid.

PHILAFLAVA: Stoupe rarely appears on projects that aren’t affiliated, yet he’s praised throughout the underground as one of the most innovative and consistent producer in the game. Personally I think his name should be mentioned up there with the 9th Wonders, Madlibs or El-Ps, but he isn’t. What’s holding him back from becoming that household name?

VINNIE PAZ: Obviously I'm biased and I admit that, but I think he's better than all of the names you mentioned. He's just not really interested in working with people that he doesn’t know on a personal level. When his solo record drops, he'll be a household name, trust me.

PHILAFLAVA: What are some Philly cats that we should be checkiin’ for but aren’t?

VINNIE PAZ: It's a bunch of cats in the street right now that are crazy. Doap Nixon, Dmize, Reef, lots of heads. Philly has a bunch of dangerous kids right now.

PHILAFLAVA: Most cats overlook the importance Philly plays in hip-hop. Whenever it’s brought up usually you’ll hear a Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince comment, rarely Schoolly, 3x, Steady B or Cosmic Kev, but to you as a native and employee of hip-hop, how important is Philly to the culture?

VINNIE PAZ: For some reason, Philly doesn’t get its proper place in the history of rap music. I mean, we had Pop Art records, who were releasing all of the early Juice Crew records, DJ Miz, Cash Money, 3X Dope, Tuff Crew, Hilltop Hustlers, and so on. Philly was a HUGE part in the development of rap culture and ALL of its elements.

PHILAFLAVA: Six (JMT) albums deep, what’s your personal favorite and why?

VINNIE PAZ: I've said this in other interviews before, but it's true: records are like girlfriends. You always like the one that you're with RIGHT NOW the best, so I'll have to say Servants In Heaven.

PHILAFLAVA: What’s your least favorite and why?

VINNIE PAZ: I mean, we've never done a half-ass record, so i love all of them in different ways. You'd have to ask the fans that question

PHILAFLAVA: Your collabos are always anticipated and always appreciated. It seems you guys are also very selective with who you work with, but always manage to get the best of the best on a track; such as Kool G., Tragedy, Sean P, GZA, Percee P and Ras Kass. When are we going to hear you get down with Ghostface Killah?

VINNIE PAZ: Ghost is incredible, but there's always crazy red tape when you're dealing with an artist on a major label. It's something I'd love to do though. We'll see.

PHILAFLAVA: What’s the chance of an Ill Bill/Vinnie Paz LP?

VINNIE PAZ: We both have wild shit on our plate right now, ya know? I'd love to do it though. Hopefully it's something we can put together in the future.

PHILAFLAVA: Where would you rank R.A. in regards to today’s top emcees?

VINNIE PAZ: RA is one of the best ever. It's just that the casual fan doesn’t see a huge body of work, so he doesn’t always get the credit he deserves.

PHILAFLAVA: What does Ras Kass need to do in order to make us believers again?

VINNIE PAZ: Ras is incredible. He's had a long career and written one of the best rap songs ever (Nature of The Threat), so I dont think he really needs to convince anyone of anything.

PHILAFLAVA: What does Apathy need to do in order for us to remember him again?

VINNIE PAZ: Ap is very versatile. He's got lots of different flows and styles. Maybe that confuses people? I don't know. he's a great rapper to me, and I don't really always understand the fans because the average fan is much younger than me, so that's kinda hard for me to answer.

PHILAFLAVA: Where does Dia rank among female emcees?

VINNIE PAZ: Bahamadia? If that's who you mean, she's one of the best. Right up there with Lyte and Latifah.

PHILAFLAVA: iCON the Mic King is a resident member of Philaflava.com, so it’s only fair I ask this question for all those who were told one side of the story. From what was reported, apparently you two got into an altercation which ultimately led you to changing your name to Vinnie Paz. What exactly happened and was the similar name being used by iCON the reason for your change? Also, iCON once stated you two were going to record together and put past your differences, is that still happening?

VINNIE PAZ: Vinnie is my real name, so it was just a natural decision I noticed that people were popping up everywhere with the name icon, from DJ’s to rappers, to groups, so I decided it would be best to just go with my real name. Any beef I had with dude has been squashed for a few years now, it's all peace.

PHILAFLAVA: I’m sure you grew up listening to 3rd Bass like myself, what’s your take on Search’s “The White Rapper Show?”

VINNIE PAZ: That shit is terrible. I mean, I'm literally embarrassed by it.

PHILAFLAVA: What was your favorite album of ‘06?

VINNIE PAZ: Clipse- Hell Hath No Fury.

PHILAFLAVA: What artists (any music) would you like to work with?

VINNIE PAZ: System of a Down or Slayer.

PHILAFLAVA: Pats, Ginos or Jim's?

VINNIE PAZ: (Laughs) Why you gotta ask the fat guy? Actually, I fuck with the chicken cheesesteaks from Ishkabibbles on South Street.

PHILAFLAVA: Many artists love being independent because their deals are usually more lucrative and they have control over their releases. That said, are you content with being on a label such as Babygrande?

VINNIE PAZ: Control is a big issue for us. We've always walked to the beat of our own drum and Babygrande allows us to do that.

PHILAFLAVA: Recently you and Jus Allah squashed the beef and recorded an album that appeared on the internet, will he be on the next JMT release?

VINNIE PAZ: Yeah, he will. We're starting work on it soon. It's called "A History of Violence."

PHILAFLAVA: What’s on deck for Vinnie Paz in ‘07?

VINNIE PAZ: First off, thanks for the love and support. I appreciate you taking the time to interview me. 07? A new AOTP record, the Stoupe solo project, and of course, lots of touring.

For more info on Vinnie Paz and Jedi Mind Tricks please visit these websites.

http://www.jedi-mind-tricks.com
http://www.myspace.com/jedimindtricks

Mualaf, Jessica Iskandar Bingung Diprotes Fans

2010-12-14T19:45:00.000+07:00

Jessica Iskandar memantapkan hati untuk memeluk Islam. Dia bingung kenapa orang-orang meributkan agama yang dipilihnya.

"Pro kontra di keluarga enggak ada. Malah di Twitter ada. Banyak yang menyayangkan, tapi ada yang mendukung juga. Dari diri aku menganggap semua agama sama. Aku belajar untuk kebaikan. Jadi bingung, aku mau pindah agama kenapa orang-orang yang ribut," ujar Jessica di Studio RCTI, Kebon Jeruk, Jakarta Barat, Kamis (16/9/2010).

Menurut aktris yang akrab disapa Chika itu, keluarga tidak melarang atau menentang. Keluarga membebaskan pilihannya.

"Mereka bukan setuju, enggak setuju. Mereka lebih ngebebasin. Katanya, kalau aku ambil satu kepercayaan, aku harus bisa bertanggung jawab dan benar-benar menjalaninnya," kata dia.

Menurut bintang film Dealova ini, dirinya merasa sudah dewasa, tapi belum ada suatu agama yang dapat dipeluknya dengan nyaman.

"Aku cuma merasa sudah dewasa, tapi belum ada sesuatu yang bisa aku peluk. Belum ada agama yang bisa aku bersujud. Jadi, aku sekarang sedang mencari titik di mana aku bisa mendapatkan sosok yang bisa aku percaya," urainya.

Chika menjelaskan, belum resmi memeluk Islam karena saat ini masih tahap belajar.

"Karena sebuah agama sakral, jadi harus belajar mempelajari lebih dalam. Aku sedang dalam proses. Aku cuma beberapa doa saja yang bisa. Kayak sekarang, lagi baca doa Nabi Daud. Katanya, kalau baca doa itu bisa kelihatan auranya," jelas Chika

KANYE WEST

2010-12-14T19:01:00.000+07:00

Kanye West accepted Islam in a Washington, D.C. mosque. The rapper claimed his acquaintances, "Freeway," and "Mos Def," who are already practicting Muslims, influenced him greatly.

Kanye said his conversion won't affect his music, as most Rapper converts. He said he'll continue to make provacative videos, have sex, drink, hit up the clubs, and have more sex. He's giving up bacon one day at a time.

He has however contemplated a name change in case he's ever on a plane that terrorist hijack, quote "Yo if them n*ggas, try ta' highjack ma' a**, I can always pull out ma' ID and be like, yo, I'm one of y'all! Knaw' mean? That's just smart, that's just straight hustla, Louis Vutton!"

On news of Kanye's conversion statement, designer Louis Vutton revoked Kanye's contract saying
"I mean what if he starts a trend, and we have to start designing turbans, I mean, come on...."

Kanye replied saying "Yo I don't care, it ain't nuthin' ta me, I'm #1, I been gettin' approached by designers ever since Lous Vutton left me." Note Allied News did check Kanye's claim on this, and found no evidence.

Analyst say Kanye's sales have yet to drop in the U.S. since the news, but may increase in other places such as UAE, Pakistan, and Indonesia.

Kanye has been contemplating the name "Khalil West," or "Khalil Wes-Saeed," as in "West Side," but local DC Imam, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Kadri said the name should not be glamorous. Sheikh Ibrahim El-Kadri has been a Kanye West song ever since 'Jesus Walks,' "I use to bump that up Yani, vhen I go to za cruisin', people look at me like, who is dis brazar with tha big beard bobbin' his head, what? and Imam can't get jiggy wizzit? Yakhi please..."

West also said if he found the religion to be difficult to integrate with music, he may leave to Judaism. "Hey after all Madona did it, and this ain't Saudi, ain't nobody gona' chop my head or hand or whatever they do to apostates..."

CHALI 2NA

2010-12-10T15:13:00.000+07:00

CHALI 2NA

Chali 2na (born Charles Stewart in Chicago, Illinois) is an American rapper and hip hop artist, formerly associated with the groups Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli.

Personal life

Early life

As a young boy, he moved to South Central Los Angeles, which was the home base of Jurassic 5 since the group's inception in 1993. He was raised by his grandmother and was brought up as a Muslim. His father is Charlie Stewart who lives in Chicago. He draws in his spare time. His stage name is a reference to Charlie the Tuna, the deep-voiced animated mascot of StarKist Tuna. He and Cut Chemist became friends in high school. Together with Mark 7even, they were part of a seven-man group called Unity Committee. The Unity Committee crew would often spend Thursday nights performing at The Good Life Café, where rappers and spoken word poets showed off their skills in an open mic format. They were, along with another three-person troupe, called the Rebels of Rhythm, routinely chosen as the crowd's favourite performers. The two crews also appreciated one another's styles, and they teamed to record a 12" single, "Unified Rebelution", in 1995. The Rebels of Rhythm were MCs Akil and Zaakir (also known as Soup); the men banded together to form Jurassic 5. In 2006, Cut Chemist elected to split from the group to pursue a solo career, and the Jurassic 5 group split up altogether in 2007.^[1]

He is a founding member of the activist salsa funk band Ozomatli; although no longer an official member (having been replaced as resident MC by Jabu of 4th Avenue Jones), he continues to collaborate with them on occasion and maintains his friendships with them. Along with salsa, his music and theirs have been influenced by reggae and soul music; he is also a fan of house music.^[2]

[edit] Muslim references and expressions

Chali 2na has made various references to the Islamic faith in his lyrics for Jurassic 5 and his solo work.

From "Quality Control" by Jurassic 5 (Chali 2na's 1st Verse)

"While you cramming to understand these contraband lyrics, my fam submits to pray, 5 times a day. Climbing into your mind with live rhyme display". This is a reference to "Salah", one of the five pillars of Islam, in which Muslims must perform a ritual or prayer five times a day.^{[original research?]}

From "Get Focused" by Chali 2na

"Try to compete and catch a fair game beating. But I send my salams if you share the same greeting." Salam is the Islamic greeting for peace in Arabic.

From "America" by K'naan feat. Mos Def and Chali 2na

"I'm trying to walk the lane, the Sirat'ul Mustaqim (Arabic for the Straight Path in islam)

Chali 2na also has a large portrait of 20th Century Muslim Icon, Malcolm X, tattooed on his right shoulder. [1]

CareerJurassic 5

This section requires expansion.

Solo album

Fish Market, an official mix tape, was compiled and released October 25, 2004^[3].

“

The mixtape is called the Fish Market, and basically it's just an accumulation of a bunch of songs that I did with other people man, that a lot of people might not have heard or might have, but might not have wanted to buy that album just to hear that song or whatever. So people could just pick it up, and it can kind of be like a little hand book on Chali 2na, before he actually comes out with a actual solo album. It's a series as well, because there is gonna be a Fish Market, Part 2 with a bunch of other stuff that didn't make it.^[4]

”

"Don't Stop", the would-be first single from Fish Outta Water, appeared in January 2006. It showcased 2na's familiar rapid-fire flow; in its lyrics, 2na professed his dedication to hip hop culture, insulting rappers who neglect to pay proper respect to pioneers like Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa. He also spoke deferentially of the beloved late rapper Tupac Shakur. This is a notable decision because Jurassic 5 are frequently criticized by a certain segment of the hip hop community, who believe they are preachy and too-traditionalist^{[citation needed]}. "Don't Stop"'s chorus was sung by neo-soul artist Anthony Hamilton. It was featured in the soundtrack of the video game NBA Live 06. A second Chali 2na solo song, "The Anchor Man", was featured on the Dan The Automator-curated soundtrack to the latest installment in the game series, NBA 2K7. Another song, "Something Different", was also featured on the All-Pro Football 2K8 soundtrack.

5 years after Fish Market, a solo album, tentatively^{[citation needed]} titled Fish Outta Water, was released. The album received generally positive reviews, holding a score of 70 on Metacritic^[5]. 2na delves into some of the formative experiences in his life, including a tragic incident in which his cousin, Be-Be, was killed in The Station nightclub fire. Collaborators on the album include Beenie Man (with whom he recorded "International"), Raphael Saadiq, his longtime friend Rakaa Iriscience, Talib Kweli, Anthony Hamilton, Damian Marley and Ming Xia (on the final track 4 Be Be).

Another mixtape was released in 2010, titled Fish Market, Part 2. Much like the first Fish Market album, this is mainly filled with collaborations 2na has completed throughout his carrier with famous artists such as Linkin Park.

Collaborations

Chali 2na collaborated several times with fellow MCs. Many, but not all of his featured guest appearances are catalogued on the Fish Market albums, mixtapes he released to give his collaborations to "people [who] might not have wanted to buy that album just to hear that song or whatever."

He is a good friend of and frequent collaborator with British hip hop star Roots Manuva, having worked with him on a number of songs (including "Revolution 5", which appears on Fish Market and Dub Come Save Me, and "Join The Dots", which appears on Roots Manuva's second proper album, Run Come Save Me). He has also referenced his friend in the lyrics.

He has worked with Linkin Park on the song "Frgt/10" on the album Reanimation, also featured on Fish Market, Part 2. He worked with Ozomatli on their first album and toured with New Orleans funk band Galactic. He is also featured on Galactic's 2007 release "From the Corner to the Block" on the cut "Think Back".

Fatlip's 2005 Today's Your Day (Whachagonedu) from the acclaimed album The Loneliest Punk features a verse from 2na.

Chali 2na was also featured on Lyrics Born's Everywhere at Once album, performing on the Hott 2 Deff. Lyrics Born was also the MC for The Deadliest Catch Tour 2009. This hip hop tour featured Chali 2na, Gift of Gab and Mr. Lif

On K'naan's 2009 album, Troubadour, Chali was featured on "America" together with Mos Def.

On Long Beach Dub Allstars 2001 album Wonders of the World Chali was featured on "Life Goes On" also featuring Half-Pint, Ives (of Delinquent Habits), and Tippa Irie

Furthermore Chali 2Na recorded a track together with Dutch rap artist Jerome XL in 2008. The track "King Sh#t" was released on JXL's solo debut album "The Last Day" in the first quarter of 2010.

In June 2010 British dubstep star Rusko released a collaboration with Chali 2Na entitled "Gadget GoGo". The track was released as a bonus track to accompany the release of Rusko's debut solo record OMG (album). The track was also featured on Fish Market, Part 2.

Film

Chali 2na is featured prominently in the award-winning documentary This is the Life, chronicling the music movement that was birthed at The Good Life Cafe in South Central Los Angeles. The Good Life is the open-mic workshop where he first performed with Unity Committee in the early 1990s and founded Jurassic 5.

Chali 2na appears painting a graffiti mural in Melbourne, Australia including a short interview in 2004 in feature documentary RASH, (2005) (73 mins) Rash - Scratch it and it Spreads

Chali 2na is also featured in the documentary: "Freestyle - Art of Rhyme"

Discography

Albums

Baby Loves Hip Hop by Dino 5
Fish Market (Mixtape) By Chali 2na (2004)
Fish Outta Water By Chali 2na (2009)
Fish Market 2 (Mixtape) By Chali 2na (2010)

2010-12-09T21:29:00.001+07:00

Maher Zain – Munsyid asal Swedia

Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah
All praises to Allah, All praises to Allah
Alhamdulillah, Alhamdulillah
All praises to Allah, All praises to Allah…

Itulah sepenggal lirik dari lagu Thank You Allah yang dibawakan oleh Maher Zain, munsyid asal Swedia.

Sejak kecil Maher Zain memang sangat mengagumi musik, dan di usianya yang ke 10, Maher kecil sudah mampu menguasai keyboard.

Musik yang di bawakan oleh Maher Zain terinspirasi oleh sang ayah yang juga seorang musisi handal di kota Tripoli, Libanon.

Bakat musik Maher Zain telah terlihat semenjak ia masih muda dengan menjadi produser musik di Swedia. Namun menurut Maher, dunia musik yang ia geluti yang menawarkan banyak kemewahan membuat ia merasa ada yang kurang, dan bahkan ada yang salah. “Saya sangat mencintai dunia musik, namun saya tidak menyukai hal-hal yang ada di sekilingnya, seperti ada yang salah dengan hal ini.”

Pada akhirnya Maher menemukan jawaban dari keraguannya dalam bermusik setelah ia bertemu dan tergabung dalam komunitas Muslim yang ada di Stockholm. Semenjak itu Maher pun mulai aktif dalam kegiatan-kegiatan yang dilakukan di masjid dan Ia merasa di sinilah arti sebuah rumah baginya.

Maher merasa bersyukur akhirnya dapat menemukan cara yang tepat, dan Ia merasa sekarang gilirannya untuk membantu orang lain melalui musik untuk melakukan hal yang sama, “Jika aku punya satu hal yang mana aku ingin sampaikan kepada orang di luar sana, bahwa sangatlah mudah untuk melihat jalan yang benar jika kita hanya membuka mata dan melihat dengan benar, itu yang terjadi padaku. “

Alhamdulillah, Maher Zain, seorang penyanyi Muslim baru berhasil menelurkan album yang berjudul “Thank You Allah” yang menawarkan sentuhan khas ala Maher Zain.

Old demo of Maher Zain singing with Lady Gaga!
This is Mahers work before his hijrah to Islam!!
Leave comments on what you think of it!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-08T17:55:00.000+07:00

Bizzy Bone

Bryon Anthony McCane II, (born on September 12, 1976, in Columbus, Ohio) better known by his stage name Bizzy Bone, is an American rapper and former member of the Cleveland rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.

He is probably most known for his diverse vocal delivery, ranging from a soft, high-pitched tenor to a more rugged-sounding, deeper tone. He is also highly regarded for his exceptionally fast flow. His next major album is entitled A Song For You, which is scheduled to be released February of 2008, on EMI's Capitol and Virgin Records (Capitol Music Group) in conjunction with After Platinum Records.

Early Years

Bryon Anthony McCane II was born to an African American/Indian American father and Italian/Jewish mother on September 12, 1976. At a young age, he witnessed his mother divorce and remarry several times.

In 1981, at the age of five, Bizzy was abducted by his ex-stepfather along with his little sister and brother. He had lived in many homes, apartments, cars, and motels. He was unaware at first of the fact that he was being abducted, as he was told that his mother and grandmother had died. During this time he was eventually told it was all false, and not to tell a single person about his abduction. He was also physically and sexually abused.

In 1983, Bizzy's final abduction home was in a town in Oklahoma. Thanks to a neighbor of his abductor seeing a picture labeled Bryon McCane flashing at the end of the made-for-TV movie, Adam and calling the police, he was finally returned to his family.

The rest of his childhood years were still difficult. His mother had married another man, and Bizzy's new step-father physically abused him to the point of bruises and scabs. Eventually, his mother divorced and put Bizzy along with his sister in a foster home until his mother could get their lives back together.

In 1989 when he was thirteen, Bizzy was taken out of the foster home and moved with his sister in Cleveland, Ohio. As a teenager, Bizzy resorted to selling drugs to support his family. His drug selling years came to an end when he met the three men that would save his and his family's life; Krayzie Bone, Wish Bone, and Layzie Bone whom all lived on the same street (East 99th Street). He later appeared on the FOX series America's Most Wanted in 2002, where he revealed his abusive childhood in which he was molested and which he attributed as inspiration for the song "Shake That Stick" from his Speaking In Tongues album.

Hip hop career

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony

Bizzy Bone started in hip-hop as a founding member of the Cleveland rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. Formed in 1993, and release a underground album under the name B.O.N.E Enterpri$e.

Their trademark double and triple-time sung/rapped harmonies brought something new to the table at a time when most acts were busy trying to imitate what was featured on Dr. Dre's The Chronic. The unique sound prompted multi-platinum record sales, won them a Grammy, and brought the spotlight to the long-neglected Midwestern hip-hop community. During Bizzy's tenure as a member of Bone, they have sold over 30 million records worldwide.

Bizzy is known for his range in his lyrics and style as an artist. In many songs he can be heard singing, harmonizing, and of course rapping. He is also famous for the high speed delivery of his lyrics.

Solo Work

In 1998, Bizzy Bone released his first major solo album entitled Heaven'z Movie. It was released under Ruthless Records, Mo Thugs, and Relativity Records. The producers were Nina, Johnny J, Mafisto, Mike Smoov, Erik 'E' Nordquist, Mike Johnson & Cat Cody.

In 2001, Bizzy released his second major solo album, and his last while being in Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. The album was entited The Gift under the label AMC. Darren Vega, Hoton, JT Thomas, and Tony C had assisted in production of the album.

In 2006, Bizzy signed a three-album deal with major record label, Virgin Records & After Platinum Records. EMI merged Virgin and Capitol Records in February of 2007 to form the Capitol Music Group. With this merger, Bizzy will see promotional and marketing help from both Virgin and Capitol Records, as well as EMI's urban artist development and large-scale independent label Imperial Records.

Bizzy recorded the album with After Platinum Records, who are manning the production for the album. The album boasts guest appearances by fellow After Platinum artist Chris Notez (R&B Singer), Twista, DMX, Jim Jones, Trina, Good Charlotte and new R&B singer Honey. The album is currently slated for a Late October 2007 release date. Unlike previous small-scale independent projects, Bizzy has shown notable excitement about this album, referring to it as his best produced and best album to date. As a preview for what to expect, Bizzy recorded and released two remixes on his MySpace page [1] for Akon's "Don't Matter" and Beyonce's "Listen."

Awards

Bizzy's work has been awarded by numerous respected groups, including a GRAMMY,ASCAP Award, the Michael Jackson Soul Train Award, a Blockbuster Award, an American Music Award, and the NAACP - Back To School/Stay in School Youth Rally Award.

Personal life

In late 2005, during an interview with MTV.com, Bizzy admitted that he was a recovering alcohol and substance abuse addict, and that his family had attempted to have him committed to an asylum. This interview occurred after a botched radio interview on Houston's KPFT show "Damage Control", in which a reportedly disturbed audience and host watched on and listened in as Bizzy had a quite apparent mental breakdown, spoke in Glossolalia, used several radio-unfriendly profanities blatantly, and generally acted subnormal throughout the entire visit to the station.

Bizzy stated during an interview on the Wendy Williams show in September, 2005 that he has thirteen children; he also has three sisters and two brothers, Heather, Hope, Cassey, James and Adrian. He had his first child at age 12, which was stated in a November issue of Vibe magazine in 1998. She can be seen in his video "I Understand" and "Hip Hop Baby". Bizzy bone has converted to Islam. In the years of 2005-2007 Bizzy had cut off his hair and grew it back.

Discography

Main article: Bizzy Bone discography

Filmography

2001: Jacked Up
2003: Cutthroat Alley
2006: Live in Concert
2007: The Roaches

2010-01-08T17:38:00.000+07:00

Lewis Arquette

Lewis Michael Arquette (December 14 1935 – February 10 2001) was an American film actor, writer and producer. Arquette was well known as "J. D. Pickett" on the TV series, The Waltons, where he worked from 1978-1981.

Family

Lewis Arquette was born in Chicago, Illinois to actor Cliff Arquette. He was part of the famous Arquette-Cox family.

He was the father of actors Patricia, Alexis Arquette, Rosanna, David and Richmond Arquette. He is the father-in-law of actress Courteney Cox and actor Thomas Jane and the former father-in-law of actor Nicolas Cage. Arquette frequently appeared in movies with his sons.

In 1963, Arquette moved his family to Chicago, where he managed The Second City theater for several years. In 1970 the family moved to a commune in Front Royal, Virginia.

His wife, Brenda "Mardi" Nowak, died in 1997 from breast cancer. Mardi was Jewish and the daughter of a Holocaust survivor from Poland.

He died in Los Angeles, California in 2001, due to congestive heart failure.

Filmography

Actor

Alice - The Second Time Round (1977) TV Episode
Man from Atlantis - The Naked Montague (1977) TV Episode .... Friar Laurence
Ruby and Oswald (1978) (TV) ... aka Four Days in Dallas
Rescue from Gilligan's Island (1978) (TV) .... Judge
Barney Miller - Wojo's Girl: Part 1 (1979) TV Episode .... Finney
The China Syndrome (1979) .... Hatcher
Mrs. Columbo ... aka Kate Columbo (USA) ... aka Kate Loves a Mystery ... aka Kate the Detective - The Valley Strangler (1979) TV Episode .... Howard
Tenspeed and Brown Shoe - The Sixteen Byte Data Chip and the Brown-eyed Fox (1980) TV Episode
Pray TV (1980) .... Fred Wilson ... aka K-GOD
The Waltons .... J.D. Pickett (1978-1981) - The Travelling Man (1980) TV Episode .... J.D. Pickett
Loose Shoes (1980) .... Warden ... aka Coming Attractions ... aka Quackers
The Jayne Mansfield Story (1980) (TV) .... Publicity Man ... aka Jayne Mansfield: A Symbol of the 50's
Fantasy Island - High Off the Hog/Reprisal (1981) TV Episode .... Slocumb - The Inventor/On the Other Side (1979) TV Episode .... Fred Waters - Carnival/The Vaudevillians (1978) TV Episode .... Jeff
The Smurfs (1981) TV Series (voice) .... Additional Voices ... aka Smurfs' Adventures
The Incredible Hulk - Triangle (1981) TV Episode .... Les Creaseman
Simon & Simon - The Dead Letter File (1982) TV Episode .... Matt
Off the Wall (1983) .... Prison Chaplain
Remington Steele - Red Holt Steele (1983) TV Episode .... Stuart Thorpe
Riptide - The Hardcase (1984) TV Episode .... Sidney Gorman
Matt Houston - Cash and Carry (1984) TV Episode .... City Councilman Roberts
St. Elsewhere - Cramming (1984) TV Episode .... Judge Ellsworth
Challenge of the GoBots (1984) TV Series (voice) .... Additional Voices
Meitantei Holmes (1984) TV Series .... Dr. Watson (English)... aka Sherlock Hound, the Detective
E/R - A Cold Night in Chicago (1984) TV Episode (as Louis Arquette) .... Arnie Popkin
Rocky Road (TV series) (1985) TV Series .... Lucas
Rock 'n' Wrestling (1985) TV Series (voice) .... Superfly Jimmy Snuka (animated segments) ... aka Hulk Hogan's Rock 'N' Wrestling (USA: complete title)
Badge of the Assassin (1985) (TV) .... 1st Foreman
The Fall Guy - October the 32nd (1985) TV Episode .... Ghost
Tall Tales and Legends ... aka Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales and Legends (USA: complete title) - Johnny Appleseed (1986) TV Episode .... Jimbo Smith/Narrator
Just Between Friends (1986) .... TV Station Guard
The Check Is in the Mail (1986) .... Man at pool ... aka The Cheque Is in the Post (UK)
Sledge Hammer! ... aka Sledge Hammer: The Early Years (USA: second season title) - Witless (1986) TV Episode .... Jacob
Nobody's Fool (1986) .... Mr. Fry
Mama's Family - Fangs a Lot, Mama (1986) TV Episode .... Grand Viper
Perfect Strangers - Get a Job (1987) TV Episode (as Louis Arquette) .... Rowdy Hockey Fan #1
Married... with Children - Where's the Boss? (1987) TV Episode .... Ed
ALF - Some Enchanted Evening (1987) TV Episode .... Ed Billings
Big Business (1988) .... Mr. Stokes
The Great Outdoors (1988) .... Herm
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo (1988) TV Series (voice) .... Additional Voices
Dance 'Til Dawn (1988) (TV) .... Pawnbroker
My First Love (1988) (TV) .... Mark Grossman
A Very Brady Christmas (1988) (TV) .... Sam/Santa
Chopper Chicks in Zombietown (1989) .... Sheriff Bugiere ... aka Cycle Sluts (USA)
Charles in Charge - Buddy's Daddy (1989) TV Episode .... Clarence Lembeck
Paradise ... aka Guns of Paradise (new title) - A Private War (1989) TV Episode - Ghost Dance (1988) TV Episode
Quantum Leap - The Right Hand of God - October 24, 1974 (1989) TV Episode .... Father Muldooney
The Horror Show (1989) .... Lt. Miller ... aka Horror House ... aka House 3 (Australia: video title) ... aka House III: The Horror Show (UK: video title)
Majo no takkyûbin (1989) (voice: English version) .... Additional Voices ... aka Kiki's Delivery Service (USA) ... aka The Witch's Express Mail (literal title)
Camp Candy (1989) TV Series (voice) .... Rex DeForest III
Dad (1989) (voice)
Tango & Cash (1989) .... Wyler
Rock 'n' Roll High School Forever (1990) .... Mr. Cheese
Syngenor (1990) .... Ethan Valentine
Tales from the Crypt... aka HBO's Tales from the Crypt - Lower Berth (1990) TV Episode
Gravedale High (1990) TV Series (voice) ... aka Rick Moranis in Gravedale High (USA: complete title)
Captain Planet and the Planeteers (1990) TV Series (voice) .... Additional Voices ... aka The New Adventures of Captain Planet (USA: fourth season title)
Matlock - The Narc (1990) TV Episode .... Commissioner
Book of Love (1990) .... Mr. Malloy
Get a Life - Married (1991) TV Episode .... Justice of the Peace
Morton & Hayes - Society Saps (1991) TV Episode .... Mr. Caldicott
The Linguini Incident (1991) .... Texas Joe
Let's Kill All the Lawyers (1992) .... Antinus
Double Trouble (1992) .... Tarlow
L.A. Law - Silence of the Lambskins (1992) TV Episode .... Inspector Dodek
Beverly Hills, 90210 - Wedding Bell Blues (1992) TV Episode .... Priest
(1992) (TV) .... Walter Vinton ... aka A Child Lost Forever (USA: short title)
Fox Hunt (1993) (VG) .... The Wolf
Tainted Blood (1993) (TV) .... Artie
Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1993) (TV) .... Mr. Ingersol
(1994) (V) (voice) .... Prof, Einstone
(1994) (TV) .... Lyle's Jury: Juror #3
Sleep with Me (1994) .... Minister
(1994) (VG) (voice) .... Whittlin' Willie/P. H. Balance
- Back at the Ranch (1994) TV Episode .... Uncle Lester
SeaQuest DSV ... aka SeaQuest 2032 (USA: new title) - Something in the Air (1995) TV Episode .... Kearny
Stuart Saves His Family (1995) .... Cemetery official
Wild Side (1995) .... The Chief
Seinfeld - The Secret Code (1995) TV Episode .... Leapin' Larry
Mojave Moon (1996) .... Charlie
Hypernauts (1996) TV Series (voice) .... Horten
Fox Hunt (1996) .... The Wolf
Babylon 5 ... aka B5 (USA: promotional abbreviation) - Point of No Return (1996) TV Episode .... General Smits
Kiss & Tell (1996) .... Detective
Waiting for Guffman (1996) .... Clifford Wooley
The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest ... aka Jonny Quest: The Real Adventures - The Ballad of Belle Bonnet (1996) TV Episode (voice) .... Civilian/Driver
Kid Cop (1996) (V) .... Mayor Cosgrove
(1997) (VG) (voice)
A River Made to Drown In (1997) .... Vagabond
Meet Wally Sparks (1997) .... Cardinal
(1997) (mini) TV Series
Spawn (1997) TV Series (voice) .... Additional Voices ... aka Todd McFarlane's Spawn
Mononoke-hime (1997) (voice: English version) .... Additional Voices ... aka Princess Mononoke (USA)
Life During Wartime (1997) .... Bruce Hudler ... aka The Alarmist (USA: new title)
The Westing Game (1997) (TV) .... Otis Amber ... aka Get a Clue (USA: video title)
Sleepwalkers - Pilot (1997) TV Episode
Scream 2 (1997) .... Chief Lewis Hartley
Twilight (1998) .... Water Pistol Man
Almost Heroes (1998) .... Merchant
Ready to Rumble (2000) .... Fred King
Best in Show (2000) .... Fern City Show Spectator
Little Nicky (2000) .... Cardinal
Escape from Monkey Island (2000) (VG) (voice) .... Freddie
FreakyLinks - Subject: Me and My Shadow (2001) TV Episode .... Bob Frewer
Out Cold (2001) .... Herbert 'Papa' Muntz

Writer

The Lorenzo and Henrietta Music Show (1976) TV Series (writer)

Producer

The Lorenzo and Henrietta Music Show (1976) TV Series (executive producer)

Himself

This Is Your Life - Cliff Arquette (1960) TV Episode .... Himself
The Jonathan Winters Show - Episode dated 3 April 1969 (1969) TV Episode .... Himself

2010-01-06T23:20:00.000+07:00

Idris Muhammad

Idris Muhammad (born November 13, 1939 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a jazz drummer. He was born Leo Morris on November 13, 1939 before changing his name in the 1960s upon his conversion to Islam. He is known for his funky playing style. He has released a number of albums as leader, and has played with a number of jazz legends including Lou Donaldson, Johnny Griffin, Pharoah Sanders and Grover Washington, Jr. He has been touring and recording with pianist Ahmad Jamal since 1995.

In 1966, he married Dolores "LaLa" Brooks (former member of the Crystals; she converted to Islam with him and went for a time under the name Sakinah Muhammad). They separated in 1999. Together, they have two sons and two daughters. Muhammad is an endorser of Istanbul Agop Cymbals.^[1]

Selected discography

Power of Soul (1974)
House of the Rising Sun (1976)
Turn This Mutha Out (1977)
Kabsha (1980)
My Turn (1992)

Discography as a sideman

Get In Benjamin Herman (1999)

With Leon Spencer

Sneak Preview (Prestige Records, 1970)
Louisiana Slim (Prestige, 1971)

With Ahmad Jamal

The Essence, Part III (Atlantic Records, 1998)

2010-01-06T00:47:00.000+07:00

Ahmad Jama

Ahmad Jamal (born on July 2, 1930)^[1] is a noted American jazz pianist. Jamal was one of Miles Davis's favorite pianists and was a key influence on the trumpeter's "First Great Quintet" (featuring John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums). Davis had long admired Jamal's use of space and dynamics, and had asked Wynton Kelly to "sound more like Ahmad Jamal" on the track Freddie Freeloader on the well-known album Kind of Blue.

Since the 1980s Jamal has been regularly touring the major clubs of the United States and the large European jazz festivals. He is generally accompanied by bassist James Cammack and drummer Idris Muhammad. He has also performed regularly with saxophonist George Coleman.

Biography

Ahmad Jamal was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. and attended George Westinghouse High School. He began playing piano at the age of three, when his uncle Lawrence challenged him to duplicate what he was playing on the piano. ^[2] Jamal began formal piano training at the age of seven with Mary Cardwell Dawson, who he describes as greatly influencing him.

Jamal began touring with George Hudson's Orchestra. His first album Ahmad's Blues was recorded in 1951 on the Okeh label. He soon began touring with another group known as The Four Strings, which was soon disbanded. Following this, Jamal created The Three Strings, with bassist Israel Crosby and guitarist Red Crawford. Crawford was soon replaced with drummer Vernell Fournier in 1958, and the group worked as the "House Trio" at Chicago's Pershing Hotel. The trio released the live album But Not for Me which stayed on the Ten Best-selling charts for a 108 weeks. Jamal's well known song Poinciana was first released on this album. The financial success of the album allowed Jamal to open a restaurant and club called The Alhambra.^[3]

Jamal typically plays with a bassist and drummer; his current trio is with bassist James Cammack and drummer Idris Muhammad. Jamal has also recorded with saxophonist George Coleman on the album ''The Essence]].

In 1994, Jamal received the National Endowment of the Art's American Jazz Masters award and also named a Duke Ellington Fellow at Yale University.

Ahmad Jamal is also known to be a Steinway artist since 1960. It is rumored that his pianos need to be tuned between sets due to the percussive nature of his playing.

Acclaim

Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, and Gary Peacock all cite Jamal as a major influence in use of rhythm and space as well as his innovative use of multi-tonal melodic lines. The element of surprise is an important part of Jamal's improvisations to them all.

is considered a jazz classic. The Ahmad Jamal trio played on it and featured Jamal on piano, Israel Crosby on bass, and Vernell Fournier on drums.

Jamal's style has changed steadily over time - from the lighter, breezy style heard on his 1950s sides to the funk + Caribbean stylings of the 1970s and onto the large open voicings and bravura-laden playing of the nineties. Jamal has always been distinctive however for his use of space, his dramatic crescendos, and for a very staccato orientation with chords.

Clint Eastwood featured two recordings from Jamal's album But Not For Me — "Music, Music, Music" and "Poinciana" — in the 1995 movie The Bridges of Madison County.

The French government has inducted Ahmad Jamal into the prestigious Order of the Arts and Letters by French Culture Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres , naming him Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on June 2007.

Discography

Ahmad's Blues (1951)
But not for me (1958)
Live At The Pershing & The Spotlight Club (1958)
Cross Country Tour 1958-1961 (1962)
Poinciana (1963)
Extensions (1965)
The Awakening (1970)
Freeflight (1971)
'73 (1973)
Jamalca (1974)
Night Song (1980)
Live At Bubba's (1980)
Ahmad Jamal & Gary Burton In Concert (1981)
Digital Works (1985)
Live At The Montreal Jazz Festival (1985)
Rossiter Road (1986)
Crystal (1987)
Pittsburgh 1989 (1989)
Live in Paris 1992 (1993)
Chicago Revisited - Live At Joe Segal's Jazz Showcase (1993)
I remember Duke, Hoagy & Strayhorn (1995)
The Essence Part 1 (1995)
Big Byrd - The Essence Part 2 (1996)
Nature - The Essence Part III (1998)
With The Assai Quartet (1998)
Ahmad Jamal à l'Olympia (2001)
In Search Of Momentum (2003)
After Fajr (2005)
Legendary Okeh & Epic Recordings (1951-1955) (2005)

Sampled by

Ahmad Jamal's music has also been sampled by many hip-hop artists, including:

J Dilla produced De La Soul's title track on their 1996 Stakes Is High album. The track is primarily based on Ahmad Jamal's Swahililand.
"The World is Yours" by Nas has a sample of "I Love Music" by Ahmad Jamal, while the same song was also sampled by DJ Premier for "Me or the Papes", by Jeru the Damaja
"They Say" by Common (rapper) and John Legend has a sample of "Ghetto Child".
"Resurrection" by Common (rapper) contains a sample of "Dolphin Dance".
Pete Rock produced DeDa's track on his album The Original Baby Pa. The name of the track is called "Can't Wait" and it contains a sample from Ahmad Jamal's "Dolphin Dance".
The Jay-Z song "Feelin It" contains a sample from Ahmad Jamal's "Pastures"
"New Hip Hop" by Binary Star features a piano lick sampled from "Poinciana".
The song "Wave" was sampled for a song called "Renaissance" by All Natural featuring the Lone Catalysts.
"In All The Wrong Places" by Kero One constains a sample of "Dolphin Dance" from The Awakening CD.

2010-01-05T14:07:00.000+07:00

Yaki Kadafi.

Yafeu Akiyele Fula (October 9, 1977 - November 10, 1996) was a rapper who was part of the American rap group Tha Outlawz, who are best known for their collaborations with Tupac Shakur. While part of the Outlawz, he was known by the alias Yaki Kadafi.

Fula was born to Yaasmyn Fula and Sekou Odinga in Irvington, New Jersey in 1977. His parents were proud of their African heritage, as suggested by their choice of his name: Yafeu means “bold” in the Fante language of Ghana. Fula met Tupac Shakur through their parents - they had met during the late 1970s at a black rights meeting.

Career

Yaki Kadafi was a member of the group Dramacydal who were also known as the Thoroheadz and Young Thugz; he went under the alias Young Hollywood. Yaki Kadafi and Hussein Fatal visited Tupac Shakur while he was incarcerated in jail. There were plans for Kadafi and Fatal to release material under the name "Fatal and Felony" but to this day nothing materialised from these plans. their group was named Outlaw Immortalz.

When Tupac was out on bail and signed to Death Row Records he founded the group Tha Outlaw Immortalz, later to be known as Tha Outlawz. Hussein Fatal then suggested Tha Outlaw Immortalz instead, although in Shakurs song Hit 'em up he says "I'll let my little homies ride on you bitch" this comment was aimed at Biggie Smalls. The alias "Yaki Kadafi" was given to Yafeu Fula by Tupac when Tha Outlawz were created, as each member of Tha Outlawz had an alias that would coincide with the names of certain enemies of America. Following the untimely deaths of Tupac Shakur and Yaki Kadafi just two months apart, Tha Outlawz fell apart.

Yaasmyn Fula, Yaki Kadafi's mother, released Son Rize: Volume 1;, A mixtape that featured unheard Kadafi music as well as mixed tracks, the money made from the sales helped supporting Yaki Kadafi's two daughters, Sekou Odinga and the community. Son Rize: Volume 2 is scheduled to be released soon, as is a book titled The Prince and The King which is based on Yaki Kadafi and Tupac Shakur.

His name Akiyele originates from the Yoruba language of Nigeria.

Tha Havenotz

Tha Havenotz were started by, and included, Tupac Shakur and Yaki Kadafi along with Candyman 187. After the deaths of Tupac and Kadafi in 1996, the group’s development ground to a halt.

Since then Candyman 187 and Yaasmyn Fula (mother of Yaki Kadafi) have been working toward rebuilding and reuniting Tha Havenotz. Also a huge contributor and part of the management team is Leila Steinberg, Tupac's original manager.

Lead by Tupac's 'little brother' Candyman 187, Tha Havenotz are a group of talented rap artists, writers and producers who are concerned about the messages being relayed through today’s hip-hop and rap.

Many of the group members are pioneers of hip-hop and rap bringing back the “REAL” issues that affect those who listen to their lyrics. From politics to social stigmas, Tha Havenotz have focused their message on today’s struggles which are similar to the Civil Rights Movement of the 60’s, The Black Panther Movement of the 70’s and the Crack and AIDS epidemic of the 80’s.

Most recently in 2004, Candyman 187 was able to introduce a new generation of Havenotz who continue where the original group left off. The new Havenotz are a fusion of the young and the old. The revamped group consists of Candyman 187, Storm, Shock G, Mac Mall, Ray Luv, Hussein Fatal, Mopreme & Money-B.

Havenotz Entertainment will release Son Rize Vol. 2, Candyman 187 - Young Strapped & Hopeless, Tha Havnotz Debut album & a Storm project. Their may even be a Fatal-N-Felony album.

Fatal-N-Felony

High School Friends Yaki "Yafeu Fula" Kadafi and Bruce "Hussein Fatal" Washington. This last is originally from the group, The Plague, a group from Monclair, New Jersey composed of Dirty Bert, Hardcore, Merceless X,Fatty Moo Gamby & Dirty Bruce (Fatal). He later left, due to no result then he Joined Yafeu & Tupac to form Tha Outlaw Immoratz they were the 3 official members. Both Kadafi & Hussein form the duo that we will later know as Fatal-N-Felony and they were set to release an album under Makaveli Records.

Murder

There are many rumours surrounding Yaki Kadafi's death. It has been reported that Yaki Kadafi was visiting his girlfriend in New Jersey when he was struck dead by a bullet, and that Tha Outlawz member Napoleon had admitted to hiphop magazine The Source that his cousin 'Roddy' had shot Yaki Kadafi whilst the two of them were intoxicated with alcohol and drugs. There is also the rumour that Yaki Kadafi's murder was in-fact over money. Another popular rumour suggests that he was killed because he said he could possibly identify the person who murdered 2Pac.

2010-01-04T11:17:00.000+07:00

Omar Sharif

Omar Sharif (Arabic: عمر الشريف) (born April 10, 1932) is an Academy Award-nominated Egyptian actor who has starred in many Hollywood films. He has acted in Arabic, French, and English feature films. Sharif is most famous for his roles in Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia.

Biography

Early life

Sharif was born Michel Demitri Chalhoub in Alexandria, Egypt to Joseph Chalhoub, a timber merchant, and Claire (Saada),^[1] an Egyptian . The family was of the Christian faith. Omar graduated from Alexandria's Victoria College, then from Cairo University with a mathematics and physics major. Afterwards, he worked with his father in the lumber business. Their business was less than successful following the investment of a large amount of capital in an endeavor to revitalize papyrus as a viable commodity.

Career

In 1953, Sharif began his acting career with a role in the Egyptian film, Sira` Fi al-Wadi, (English, The Blazing Sun or Struggle in the Valley or Fight in the Valley). Numerous Egyptian productions followed. He starred with his ex-wife, Faten Hamama, in several movies as romantic leads. Others include Ayyamna el helwa (Our Best Days, 1955), La anam (I Don't Sleep, 1958), Sayedat el kasr (Lady of the Castle, 1959) and the Anna Karenina-adaptation Nahr el hub (The River of Love 1961).

Sharif's first English language film was Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 where he played the role of Sherif Ali. This performance earned him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination and worldwide fame. Sharif also played the title role in the 1965 film, Doctor Zhivago by David Lean. After a period in which he made headlines more for being a professional bridge player than an actor, he made a comeback in 2003 with the film adaptation of the novel Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran.

In November 2005, he was honored with a medal by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in recognition of his significant contributions to world film and cultural diversity. The medal - which is handed out very infrequently - is named after Russian director Sergei Eisenstein and could only be given out a total of 25 times by Russia's Mosfilm.

Personal life

Raised a Catholic, he converted to Islam to marry renowned Egyptian actress Faten Hamama in 1955 and took the name Omar al-Sharif. The marriage lasted almost 20 years and ended in 1974, producing one child Tarek Sharif (b. 1957), who appeared in Doctor Zhivago as Yuri at the age of 8. Rumours that Sharif would have married actress Sohair Ramzi in 1977, have turned out to be untrue. In fact, he never remarried and his attempt to restore his relationship with ex-wife Faten Hamama after returning to Egypt failed.. Sharif was once romantically linked to his Funny Girl co-star, Barbra Streisand.

Sharif is fluent in Arabic, English, Greek, and French. He also speaks some Italian and Turkish. grandchild.^[2]

Sharif underwent a triple bypass surgery in 1992, and suffered a mild heart attack in 1994. Until his bypass, Sharif smoked 50 cigarettes a day; after the surgery, he quit easily.

In a Dallas hotel in 1970, Sharif said an intoxicated woman entered his room and demanded, at gunpoint, that he "make love to her". The actor said the circumstances did not endow him for the act, and the woman left cursing him, claiming he was a fraud.

On August 5, 2003, he received a one-month suspended prison sentence for striking a police officer in a suburban Parisian casino in July. He was also fined $1700 and ordered to pay the officer $340 in damages. (He had insulted and then head-butted the Pontoise policeman, who tried to intervene in an argument between the actor and a roulette croupier.) On February 13 2007 Sharif was "found guilty of assaulting a Beverly Hills parking lot attendant and breaking his nose".^[3]

Gaming

Sharif, once among the world's best known contract bridge players, co-wrote a syndicated newspaper bridge column for the Chicago Tribune^[4] for several years. He is also both author and co-author of several books on bridge and has licensed his name to a bridge computer game; initially released in a DOS version in 1992, Omar Sharif Bridge is still sold in Windows and "mobile platform" versions.^[5] For a number of years his partner at international tournaments was football coach Tommy Prothro.

Sharif has also been a regular in casinos in France, where he once assaulted a casino employee after losing thousands of dollars on a single roulette bet.^[6]

In 2006 Sharif declared both pastimes as ended when he was asked if he still played bridge: "I've stopped altogether. I decided I didn't want to be a slave to any passion any more except for my work. I had too many passions, bridge, horses, gambling. I want to live a different kind of life, be with my family more because I didn't give them enough time."^[7]

ENTERTAINERS

2010-01-03T11:48:00.000+07:00

Jaleel Ahmad White

(born November 27, 1976 in Pasadena, California), is an American actor. He is most famous for his role as Steve Urkel/Stefan Urquelle on the TV series Family Matters from 1989 to 1998.

Personal

White attended Huntington Middle School in San Marino, California and part of high school at John Marshall Fundamental Secondary School in Pasadena, California. As a high school senior, White attended South Pasadena High School, but then transferred to Middlesex School in Massachusetts in 1994, where he would graduate. He received his bachelors degree in film from UCLA Film School in 2001.

During White's years at South Pasadena High School while filming Family Matters, White did a physics experiment on tape for his physics teacher, Mike Kemp. This video became well known with students at South Pasadena High School because Kemp showed it to every physics student at SPHS until he retired in 2004. When not filming, White played basketball at South Pasadena High School.

Career

White got his start on TV commercials and guest starring roles on different shows. White's acting career began at age three with Kelloggs and other commercials after his preschool teacher persuaded his reluctant parents to take him to auditions. He landed his first television role as Flip Wilson and Gladys Knight's son on the CBS series Charlie and Company. He next appeared on another CBS comedy series, The Jeffersons.

He was considered for the part of a main character on the NBC Saturday morning sitcom Saved by the Bell, but lost out to another actor.

Family Matters

Originating his most famous role, Steve Urkel, on Family Matters as an initial guest appearance, White received a standing ovation for his performance and drew approving chants from a group of college fraternity brothers who were in the studio audience. He created the role by borrowing his dad's dental glasses (his father was a dentist), hiking up his pants, bending his knees, and speaking in a high-pitched geeky tone. He was given a full-time starring role, and soon became an all time favorite TV character during the run of the series.

By the show's final season, he was commanding $100,000 per episode. Unfortunately, White was so tightly defined by his Urkel character that it became hard for him to get other roles after the show's run completed. Having played the part since he was a teenager, he was also considerably taller towards the latter part of the show's run; thus disallowed from weightlifting, and required to shave immediately before filming each show in order to retain a "nerdlike" appearance. He also had to maintain the character's high-pitched voice as the series progressed, which he declared was "not easy."

Jaleel White as Steve Urkel

Breakfast cereal During the height of Family Matter's popularity, a breakfast cereal called "Urkel-Os" was produced. It was a sweetened "O" shaped cereal with a picture of the quintessential nerd, Urkel, on the front of the box. Its production run was rather short-lived.

After Family Matters

In 1999, a pilot for UPN called Grown Ups was based around White as a young man striking out into adulthood. Additionally, he co-produced and wrote episodes for the show, in which he also starred as "J," a college graduate struggling to establish his role in life as an adult. The pilot featured another child actor, Soleil Moon Frye famous for her role as Punky Brewster, as the girl whom he chose as a roommate. The writing and comedy was bland and dissimilar from other sitcoms, and Frye was even removed from the series after the pilot. It was cancelled after one season.

White's acting roles were not restricted to sitcoms however; he costarred in the 1998 animated film Quest for Camelot. He was also the voice of the famed video game character Sonic the Hedgehog in most of the American TV shows - Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Sonic Underground, as well as a Christmas special. White also had small parts in the films Big Fat Liar and Dreamgirls, and was the voice of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Our Friend, Martin. In 2007, he guest starred on the ABC legal drama Boston Legal, playing a law school graduate interviewing for a job at Crane, Pool and Schmidt. Denny Crane creates a media circus when he tells White's character "You don't sound black". He also appeared on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Ashley's boyfriend in one episode.

Currently

White's lifelong passion for basketball led him to become a contributing writer for NBA.com.

In 2006, he starred in Who Made the Potatoe Salad?, a direct-to-DVD urban romantic comedy distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

White also had a small part in the film Dreamgirls.

Filmography

Quest for Camelot (1998) (voice)
Our Friend, Martin (1999) (voice)
Big Fat Liar (2002)
Miracle Dogs Too (2006)
Puff, Puff, Pass (2006)
Who Made the Potatoe Salad? (2006)
Dreamgirls (2006)

Television work

Silence of the Heart (1984)
Kids Don't Tell (1985)
Charlie & Co. (1985-1986)
The Leftovers (1986)
Cadets (1988) (canceled after 1 episode)
Family Matters (1989-1998)
Camp Cucamonga (1990)
The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (1993-1996) (voice)
Sonic the Hedgehog (1993-1995) (voice)
Sonic Christmas Blast (1996) (voice)
Sonic Underground (1998-1999) (voice)
Grown Ups (1999-2000)
111 Gramercy Park (2003)
"Boston Legal" (2007)
The Game (2007 series)

2010-01-03T00:09:00.000+07:00

One Be Lo

One Be Lo (real name Nahshid Sulaiman) is an alternative hip hop artist from Pontiac, Michigan.^[1] He is well respected for being one half of the former rap duo Binary Star,^[2] and has released a number of well received solo albums.^[3]^[4]^[5] He is also a member of the World Champion B-boy crew, Massive Monkees.

Biography

Early life and Binary Star

Main article: Binary Star (band)

Having grown up listening to the likes of KRS-One and Ice Cube, One Be Lo gained an interest in hip hop from an early age. As a result, he, along with Senim Silla, created Binary Star, although after only releasing one album the group disbanded. One Be Lo cited "creative differences" as the main reason for their split.

Having become disillusioned with the both the group and the record label (they were never paid by the distributor, despite selling over 20,000 albums), he started focusing more on his solo work. Around this time he converted to Islam, and as a result changed his name to Nahshid Sulaiman. He also changed his stage name to One Be Lo, having been known as OneManArmy for his work with Binary Star. The name change was due to changes within himself and a potential legal dispute between a punk group with the same name.

Solo career

S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.

In January of 2000, he established his own independent label called Subterraneous Records. This meant he was as able to release his own albums easier, and also help the careers of a number of Michigan’s most promising producers and emcees. A year later, Subterraneous Records released WaterWorld Too, a compilation featuring a number of artists from the label's roster. In the meantime, he continued to work on his solo material with producer Decompoze. In late 2002, One Be Lo decided to press limited copies of Project F.E.T.U.S. (For Everybody That Under Stands), a collection of songs that were not initially intended for release. This release was aimed to be a segue into One Be Lo’s official solo material, and has since proven to be a successful debut, appearing on the About.com top 10 rap albums of February 2007.^[6]

His first official solo album was released on Fat Beats in 2005. This was entitled S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. (Sounds Of Nahshid Originate Good Rhymes And Music) and featured a number of fellow Michigan rappers such as Abdus Salaam and singer Ka Di. This was generally received well by critics, and many praised One Be Lo for his conscious and intelligent lyrics. This was followed by S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N. (Something To Interest Lo Listeners Beyond Original Recorded Networkings and Subterraneous/Trackezoids Invest Lost Lyrics Bringing Old Rhymes New), a mix CD of previously unreleased songs and remixes.

All of his solo albums have been leading up to his magnum opus, entitled L.I.F.E. (Lo Is For Everybody). He is also working with MaGestiK LeGenD on a project entitled SECURITY. A release date for either album has yet to be announced. Additionally, after reuniting for a few shows, One Be Lo and Senim Silla have confirmed that a new Binary Star album is in the works and may be released as early as February 2008[1]. One Be Lo has appeared on the Warped Tour as well as toured with artists such as KRS-One and Zion I.

He also did a candid interview with ItsHipHop.tv on The Breakdown where he discussed his life as an independent MC

Rap style

One Be Lo has crafted himself into what he describes as "the MC's MC". He is often praised for his clear delivery, precise rapping style and conscious lyrics, especially from fans of alternative hip hop. This was noted by All Music Guide in their review of S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M., saying:^[7]

One Be Lo is a deep thinker; the details and complex wordplay within his rhymes often take several plays to fully comprehend and appreciate. Similar in effect to X-Clan's Brother J, his words can be righteous, but they're always delivered with casual assurance, like he's talking to an acquaintance at a bus stop. He observes with the wisdom of a father who's been through prison, raises a lot of issues, has almost as many solutions, and never sounds overbearing or preachy.

Aliases

Raland Scruggs - Birth name.
Nahshid Sulaiman - Current name.
Mr. Hide - Former stage name (as part of Binary Star). ^[8]
OneManArmy / One Man Army - Former stage name (as part of Binary Star).
Teknik - Alternate stage name (as part of Binary Star).
The Anonymous - Alternate stage name (as part of Binary Star).
Lofat - Former stage name.
BoyOneDa - Alternate stage name.
One Be Lo / One.Be.Lo / OneBeLo - Current stage name.
LoBeOne Kenobi - Alternate stage/producer name. ^[9]

Discography

Main article: One Be Lo discography

Binary Star

Waterworld - 1999
Masters of the Universe - 2000

Solo

WaterWorld Too - 2001
"Subterraneous"
Project: F.E.T.U.S. - 2002
For Everybody That UnderStands
"OneBeLo" (later "OneBeLo aka OneManArmy")
S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M. - 2005
Sounds Of Nahshid Originate Good Rhymes And Music
"One.Be.Lo also known as OneManArmy of Binary Star"
S.T.I.L.L.B.O.R.N. - 2005
Something To Interest Lo Listeners Beyond Original Recorded Networkings; or
Subterraneous/Trackezoids Invest Lost Lyrics Bringing Old Rhymes New
"One Be Lo & DJ Scene"
Project F.E.T.U.S. (2CD Re-Issue) - 2007
For Everybody That UnderStands
"OneManArmy"
The R.E.B.I.R.T.H. - 2007
Real Emcee's Bring Intelligent Rhymes To Hip-Hop
"One Be Lo aka One Man Army"
L.I.F.E. - 2007
Lo Is For Everybody

2010-01-02T10:48:00.000+07:00

Yasmeen Ghauri

Yasmeen Ghauri (born March 23, 1971 in Montreal, Canada) is a Canadian supermodel. Her modeling career began at the age of 17, after she had made an appointment at a Montreal modeling agency. Her father is a Muslim cleric from Pakistan, and her mother is German^[1]. Yasmeen served as a longtime model for Victoria's Secret and was admired as a great runway model.

Yasmeen was reportedly discovered in 1989 while working in a McDonalds. She was reportedly 'discovered' by fashion stylist and photographer Edward Zacharia. During her career, Yasmeen earned the title "the Panther" because of her movement and popularity on runways for collections and couture shows.

Accomplishments Yasmeen achieved as a model were her covers for Cosmopolitan and various editions of Vogue, Elle and Marie Claire magazines. She also scored ad campaigns for Valentino, Escada, and Hermès. Yasmeen was among the elite fashion models working in the early nineties.

The former model is fluent in both French and English.

2009-12-31T21:49:00.000+07:00

Robin Padilla

Robinhood Fernando Cariño-Padilla or simply known as Robin Padilla (born November 23, 1967, Manila, Philippines) is a Filipino action star who earned the showbiz moniker "The Bad Boy of Philippine Action Movies" during the '90s when he played cold-blooded gangster roles in movies like "Anak ni Baby Ama", "Grease Gun Gang" and the title-roler, "Bad Boy 2".

He is the younger brother of actors Rustom Padilla and Rommel Padilla while he is the older brother of Royette Padilla.

Background

He was one of Viva Films' top hitmakers alongside Sharon Cuneta and Andrew E. However, his reign as "Bad Boy" was cut short when he had been arrested in the July 21, 1994 of illegal possession of firearms and was sentenced to 21 years in jail. However, he was released early in 1998.^[1] A self-confessed former drug addict^{[citation needed]}, he return to Islam while in jail. He was also a close companion of a fellow Balik-Islam Gene Gallofin a.k.a. Jamil Ghaleb while serving in the penetentiary,who is known for his islamic rights activism. A controversy arose recently when Padilla's bodyguard alias "Kumander Kosovo" was tagged by the Philippine authorities as an Abu Sayyaf leader.^{[citation needed]} Kosovo died in a firefight with special forces during the attempted escape of Abu Sayyaf leaders from the heavily fortified prison facility, Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.^{[citation needed]}

Shortly after his release from jail, he had reinvented himself as a versatile actor who can do justice to different film genres ranging from action to drama and comedy. His first film after his release from jail was "Tulak ng Bibig, Kabig ng Dibdib", where he was paired with Maricel Soriano. After his comeback film, he opted out of his exclusive contract with Viva Films and was allowed to do movies for other film outfits including Star Cinema Productions, FLT Films , Millennium Cinema and GMA Films.

Robin crossed over to television via the ABS-CBN comedy show "Pwedeng-Pwede", which teamed him with Kris Aquino and Redford White. Again, setting a trend among Philippine action stars, he was the first action star to topbill a daily action-drama series, "Basta't Kasama Kita" opposite Judy Ann Santos. In 2005 he did two movies: the horror thriller "Kulimlim" and the comedy "La Visa Loca". He got rave reviews in the latter movie and received Best Actor honors in the 2006 Urian Awards.

Padilla is currently a contract artist of GMA Network and starred in the top rating TV series Asian Treasures (which ended on June 29, 2007) with Angel Locsin, the series was shot all over Asia, the first Philippine TV series to do so. He has also signed a two film contract under GMA Network's film outfit GMA Films; first was Till I Met You with Regine Velasquez and was a blockbbuster hit, the second one will be a dramedy with Mega Star Sharon Cuneta, under the direction of Jose Javier Reyes, and is scheduled to begin filming this October for a 2nd quarter of 2008 release.^{[citation needed]}

Robin, an anti-malaria advocate since 2004 appealed for media support for his cause against the dreaded disease, to help his Muslim brethren (in the press briefing of Department of Health's Movement Against Malaria). As MAM spokesperson, Robin said he engaged television networks in the campaign for the use of mosquito nets. His MAM posters are now being sent to rural health clinics all over the country. Robin also collected 1 million Philippine pesos for the Muslim cemetery in Norzagaray, Bulacan.^{[citation needed]}

Padilla flew to Turkey to attend a conference concerning the Liwanag ng Kapayapaan Foundation, a free preschool he built for Muslim children in Quezon City, which opened in 2007. Meanwhile, after his top-rating action-adventure series, Asian Treasures ended, Robin is set to do a Jose Javier Reyes film opposite Sharon Cuneta.

On September 15, 2007 he donated 2.5 million Philippine pesos to the Muay Association of the Philippines. On March 7, 2008 Robin Padilla suffered minor injuries while taping a motorcycle stunt for Joaquin Bordado, in Subic Bay, Zambales.

He has four children, a son named Ali and three daughters Queenie, Kylie^[2] and Zhen-Zhen. He owns a house at posh Pines Ville Street, Greenview Executive Village, Barangay Sauyo, Novaliches, Quezon City, where thieves stole his Motorola cellular phone and a 357 Luger, a German-made handgun loaded with 6 bullets, on May 3, 2008.

He remains a Kapuso for 2010, Ms. Wilma Galvante confirmed so. Here is a link (http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=174545311031&comments).

Filmography

Sundo (2009)
Paano ginawa ang isang Robin Padilla (2008)
Ikaw Pa Rin, Bongga Ka Boy! (2008) .... Boy (Viva Films)
Triple Romance (2008) .... Marco (Viva Films & GMA Films)
Brown Twelve (2008) .... Leon (GMA Films)
Blackout (2007) .... Daniel (GMA Films)
Till I Met You (2006) .... Gabriel (Viva Films & GMA Films)
La Visa loca (2005) .... Jess Dela Cruz (Unitel Pictures)
Kulimlim (2004) .... Bien (Pelipula)
Astig (2004) .... Jake (Viva Films)
Alab ng lahi (2003) .... Nanding (FPJ Productions)
You and Me Against the World (2003) .... Paolo Guerrero (FLT Films International)
Jeannie, bakit ngayon ka lang (2002) .... Badong Bulaong (Viva Films)
Videoke King (2002) .... King (Star Cinema)
Hari ng Selda — Anak ni Baby Ama 2 (2001) .... Anghel (Viva Films)
Pagdating ng panahon (2001) .... Manuel (Viva Films)
Buhay kamao (2001) .... Pepe (Viva Films)
Ooops, teka lang... Diskarte ko 'to! (2001) .... Dario Daliaga (Star Cinema & FLT Films International)
Kailangan ko'y ikaw (2000) .... Gimo Domingo (Viva Films)
Eto na naman ako (2000) .... Abet Dimaguiba (Millennium Cinema)
Tunay na tunay: Gets mo? Gets ko! (2000) .... Nick Abeleda (Star Cinema Productions)
Bilib ako sa'yo (1999) .... Gatdula (Viva Films)
Di pwedeng hindi puwede (1999) .... Carding (Star Cinema & FLT Films International)
Tulak ng Bibig Kabig ng Dibdib (1998) .... Lando (Viva FIlms & FLT FIlms International)
Anak, pagsubok lamang (1997) .... Eric (FLT Films International)
Oo na Sige na "Magtigil Ka Lang" (1994) .... Bonggoy (Viva Films)
P're hanggang sa huli (1994) .... Brando Ermita (Viva Films)
Mistah (1994) .... Mario Carino (Viva Films)
Lab kita, bilib ka ba? (1994) .... Carlos & Billie (Moviearts Presentation)
Di na natuto (1993) .... Ishmael (Viva Films)
Makuha Ka Sa Tingin (kung puede lang) (1993) .... Elcid (Viva Films)
Gagay: Prinsesa ng brownout (1993) .... Cameo Role (Viva Films)
Engkanto (1992) .... Matador (Moviestars Production)
Manila Boy (1992) .... Diego/Manila Boy (Pioneer Films)
Miss na Miss Kita: Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum 2 (1992) .... Ben (Viva Films)
Bad Boy 2 (1992) .... Bombo (Viva Films)
Grease Gun Gang (1991) .... Carding Sungkit (Viva Films)
Ang Utol Kong Hoodlum (1991) .... Ben (Viva Films)
Maging Sino Ka Man (1991) .... Carding (Viva Films)
Hinukay Ko na ang Libingan mo (1991) .... Elmo & Anton (Viva Films)
Anak ni Baby Ama (1990) .... Anghel (Viva Films)
Bad Boy (1990) .... Dombho (Viva Films)
Walang Awa Kung Pumatay (1990) .... Narding (Omega Releasing Organization Inc) (Produced & Directed by: Junn P. Cabreira) (Released Date: 25 April 1990)(Written by: Andy Beltran (story and screenplay) Amado Lacuesta (story and screenplay) & Genaro Nerdie Cruz (story and screenplay) (as Nerdie Cruz)) (Produced by: Ramon Salvador .... associate producer, Junn P. Cabreira .... producer, Joey P. Pineda .... executive producer) (Original Music by: Demet Velasquez) (Cinematography by: Val Dauz (director of Photography)) (Film Edited by: Popoy Crisostomo) (Production Designed by: Noel Luna) (Art Directed by: Rod Dela Peña (as Rod Dela Pena), Eric De Vera) (Sound Department: Florencio Ortega .... sound editoor, Cesar Lucas .... sound supervisor,Amber Ramos .... sound effects) (Special Effects by: Erick Torrente (as Eric Torrente), Roger Vivero)
Barumbado (1990) .... Eric (Cine Suerte)
Sa Diyos Lang ako Susuko (1989) .... Romano (Viva Films) (Released Date: 8 November 1989)
Hindi Pahuhuli ng Buhay (1989) .... Nanding (Viva Films) (Released Date: 30 August 1989) (Directed by: Joey Del Rosario) (Written by: Augusto Buenaventura (story and screenplay)) (Produced by: Eric M. Cuatico .... supervising producer, Jesse Ejercito .... producer, Vic Del Rosario Jr .... executive producer) (Original Music by: Jaime Fabregas (as Jimmy Fabregas)) (Cinematography by: Danny Bustos and Edmundo Cupcupin) (Film Edited by: Augusto Salvador) (Production Designed by: Bobby Bautista) (Sound Department: Rolly Ruta .... sound engineer)
Delima Gang (1989) .... Pedring Delima (Bonanza Films)
Eagle Squad (1989) .... Cpl. Marata (Viva Films)
Carnap King: The Randy Padilla Story (1988) .... Randy Padilla (Cine Suerte)
Sa Likod ng Kasalanan (1988) .... Omar (Viva Films)
Alega Gang: Public Enemy No. 1 of Cebu (1988)
Bagets Gang (1986)
Public Enemy #2 (1985)
Bala ko ang hahatol (1985)
Inagaw mo ang lahat sa akin ka (2009)

Writer

Year	Title	Works	Pseudonym
2004	Sigaw	story and screenplay	Robinhood C. Padilla
2002	Hari ng selda: Anak ni Baby Ama 2	story and screenplay	Robinhood Cariño Padilla
1993	Makuha ka sa tingin (kung puede lang)	story and screenplay	Robinhood Cariño Padilla
1992	Miss na miss kita: Ang Utol kong hoodlum 2	story and screenplay	Robinhood C. Padilla
1992	Bad boy 2	story and screenplay	Robinhood Padilla

Television

Year	Title	Role	Network
2009	Failon Ngayon	guest	ABS-CBN
2009	Totoy Bato	Arturo "Totoy Bato" Magtanggol	GMA Network
2008	Joaquin Bordado	Joaquin Bordado/Joaquin Apacible	GMA Network
2007	Asian Treasures	Elias	GMA Network
2006	Pilipinas Ngayon Na!		NBN
2006	Kamao: Matira Matibay	Host	ABS-CBN
2003	Basta't Kasama Kita	Alberto Catindig	ABS-CBN
1999	Puwedeng Puwede	Berting Caguiat	ABS-CBN

Commercial Ads

Rexona
Liveraide- "good boy na to-its, tinigilan ko na yan, nasobrahan, nakasama sa atay ko."
Sky Flakes - Ito na ang Break mo Kagatin mo!
Beer Na Beer
Restolax - "Sa Presyong Di ka na Masasaktan!"
Talk 'N Text
Revicon - "Think Positib Wag Kang Aayaw, Think Positive Dont do not Like"

2009-12-26T10:59:00.002+07:00

Zain Bhikha

Zain Bhikha was born on the 9 August 1974 in Pretoria, South Africa to parents Rashid and Mariam Bhikha. The only son, with three sisters, Zain showed a keen interest, from a young age in entertaining his friends and family with his beautiful singing.

Zain was not aware of his full potential until 1994 when he won a singing competition on Radio 702, a local radio station. A simple song which he recorded on his home karaoke system brought him out tops among mostly professional participants. After this great accomplishment, he seriously considered recording an album. This consideration was put into action after he was approached by The Pretoria Muslim School who asked him to write and record their school anthem. Zain took it a step further and composed a full album, entitled “A Way of Life”. This was a compilation of basic Acapella Islamic songs, mostly in English covering the various tenets of Faith. The album, which was the beginning of greater things, only took Zain two weeks to complete.

“A Way of Life” sparked the beginning of many more album releases namely “Praise to the Prophet (SAW)” (1996), “Fortunate is He” (1997) and “The Journey” (1998). Zain Bhikha’s song served to be very popular throughout South Africa, especially for young children who found the songs educational and inspiring. Its popularity caused it to filter abroad and come to the ears of World Renowned Muslim activist Yusuf Islam, better known as Cat Stevens.

Yusuf Islam was working on a momentous project entitled “A is for Allah” and believed Zain could contribute by lending his voice to some of the songs. In 1999, Zain flew to the United Kingdom to join Yusuf Islam’s Mountain of Light Studios to begin recording. This opportunity was a life long dream for Zain. To top it off, he was given the chance to perform in seven of the eight songs on the album. Zain also gained much experience from Yusuf Islam as he had no previous formal music training. It was during the production of this album that Zain was brought on board as an artist under Mountain of Light’s cultural label called “Jamal Records. With the backing of Jamal Records, Zain planned the world-wide release of two compilation albums incorporating all material he had done thus far. These albums were entitled “Children of Heaven” and “Towards the Light”, featuring some remixed songs.

Under the guidance of Mountain of Light and the world-wide distribution power of Jamal Records, Zain released his first new album under the label entitled, “Faith” (2001). The songs in this album deal with a broad spectrum of emotions from hardships to happiness but always invoke a constant consciousness of Allah. The album also brought about collaborations between Zain and well-known Nasheed artist, Dawud Wharnsby Ali. It also introduced the children from Madressah-Tul-Banaat in Benoni, South Africa on backing vocals.
With his popularity rising and live performances around the globe, Zain Bhikha released “Our World” in 2002. This album was a portrayal of the unity which Islam brings to all cultures, languages and traditions through the Will of Allah. Zain’s eldest son, Rashid’s, melodic voice is introduced to us on this album. The title track for his album is a prayer for a better world for all people, one free of prejudice and war.

In 2005 Zain established a South African company called Zain Bhikha Studios. This company serves to house all of Zain’s present and future works in all fields be it song albums, educational projects through schools or theatre productions. Zain also began this with the intention of giving local and international artists the platform to gain exposure through his experience and resources in the industry.

After the establishment of Zain Bhikha Studios, Zain continued his long time relationship with Jamal Records. The two companies formed a partnership with Jamal Records being Zain’s exclusive international distributor. Jamal Records are the driving force behind Zain’s international recognition and his albums’ distribution.

With the birth of his new company came the first album to be produced under the Zain Bhikha Studios label, “Mountains of Makkah”. This album was inspired by Zain’s pilgrimage to Makkah in 2004. Both the content and composition of this album shows much maturity. The lyrics are a ‘personal reflection’ of his thoughts and feelings while partaking in this profound spiritual journey.

A long way from his first appearance on Zain’s “Our World” album and on Yusuf Islam’s momentous kids project “I Look, I See” (2003), Zain’s son, Rashid, released his first single entitle “Can’t You See” (2006). This is a hard hitting rap which stresses the importance of living a drug-free life. It features Zain as well as the well known hip-hop artist, Abdul Malik, from Native Deen who also wrote the song. This song was produced by Zain Bhikha Studios and given world-wide publicity by Jamal Records.

From the time that Zain joined Mountain of Light to establishing Zain Bhikha studios, his experience as an artist has grown tremendously, increasing his exposure both at home and globally. Zain was a pioneer in the Nasheed genre. When Zain started singing, Islamic songs were not being sung in English. As one of the first English Islamic singers he opened the door for many other artists. His albums have been launched in many countries including the United Kingdom, North America, Malaysia, France, Turkey, The Middle East, and Australia. He has performed live in cities across most continents and has become somewhat of a household name when it comes to Islamic Music.

In addition to music, he also writes and directs plays written specifically for schools. One of his many successful school plays, “An Orphans Tale”, which he produced in conjunction with the Pretoria Muslim School, was a great success and brought a full house for all three nights that it ran in October 2003.

Zain has performed with a long list of artists such as Dawud Wharnsby, Ashiq al Rasul, Hasan Kalicitan, Khalid Belhrouzhi, Native Deen, Qatrunada, Imad Rami, Sami Yusuf, Dewan Chinekar, Irfan Makki, Khaleel Mohamed and not forgetting his mentor, Yusuf Islam. In his many local performances for Islamic schools, launches, fetes and dinners, Zain has performed with local artists like Faeeza Malinga, Ziyaad Patel, Imran Dhaya and of course, his son Rashid Bhikha.

Zain’s songs are mainly self written or adapted from poems and traditional Arabic songs. His songs are driven by emotion and the need to reassure people that Islam is the answer of hope and the core for our everyday questions and confusion. Many of his songs represent different times in his life when he is learning and remembering how necessary Allah’s presence is. Zain’s songs provide young and old with an alternative to the modern music which often carries a destructive message. His music is Islamic propagation and encourages every Muslim to be proud to proclaim there faith.

Zain confidently adds that much of his support has come from his parents and family over the years. He lives with his wife, Zaheera and three children in Johannesburg, South Africa.

2009-12-23T09:00:00.002+07:00

Azhar Usman

Azhar Usman is an Indian American Muslim comedian born in Chicago.^[1]^[2] He is a former lecturer, community activist and lawyer and is often referred to as the 'Ayatollah of Comedy' and 'Bin Laughin'.^[3] He says that his sole goal, through comedy, is to promote better understanding of Islam and Muslims

Background

He has been performing stand-up Muslim comedy since 2001, and has performed stand-up in many major cities around the US, as well as in the United Kingdom, Ireland and The Netherlands. He, along with Mohammed Amer and Preacher Moss are currently part of the Allah Made Me Funny comedy tour.

His parents are originally from India. He graduated from Niles West High School in Skokie, Illinois in 1993. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School.

2009-12-15T10:52:00.002+07:00

SAMI YUSUF

Sami Yusuf (born July 1980)^[1] is a British Muslim singer-songwriter, Yusuf's music comprises mostly of songs to do with Islam and being a Muslim in today's world. He also deals with many social and humanitarian issues in his music. Presently, he is fast becoming a very popular figure in the Islamic world, having made videos for several of his tracks;^[2] according to The Guardian, he "has good claim to being the most famous British Muslim in the world".^[3] In 2006 Time Magazine called him "Islam's biggest rock star".^[4]

Biography

Sami Yusuf was born in 1980 in the city of Tehran, Iran^[3] and moved to Britain when he was three, and he was raised in West London.^[5] He comes from an ethnic Azeri family.^[6]^[7] At a very young age he started to play various musical instruments and enthusiastic in keeping interest in singing and composing. He was accepted as a composition student at the Royal Academy of Music in London.^[3] In addition to his education in Western harmonics and composition, Sami has a solid understanding of the Iranian and Middle Eastern modes (or Maqams) and is thoroughly acquainted and familiar with both East and Western musical traditions.^{[citation needed]}

Career

Sami has been featured by Time Magazine as "Islam's biggest rock star"^[4] and has appeared on the covers of dozens of other mainstream publications around the world^{[citation needed]}. Sami is devoutly spiritual and often uses his art and music as a means of promoting the messages of love, mercy, peace and tolerance, whilst encouraging the youth to be proud of their identity.^{[citation needed]} Sami Yusuf’s songs have revolutionalized the nasheed industry and have given birth to a new genre of modern Islamic music.^[8]. His latest song You Came To Me^[9] has been released as an immense hit all over the world.

2003-2005: First albums

Sami's first album Al-Mu'allim was self-produced and released in July 2003 and attained huge success. His second album, My Ummah, which was released in 2005, comes in two versions, a musical version and one with just percussion. He creates many of his songs in different languages mainly in English, Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Urdu. He has held concerts all around the world, and is albums were mainly popular among young Muslims, in particular Turkey, where his concert gathered up to 250,000 people, at Istanbul in 2007.^[10]

Disputed third album

A third album, Without You, was planned for release during mid-2008 but was delayed due to a contractual dispute.^[11] An album by that name was then launched by Awakening Records in January 2009.^[11] Sami Yusuf subsequently stated on his official website that this album was released without his knowledge or consent, and is a compilation of demos and sketches with a quality inferior to his normally high standards. He has called for fans to boycott it.^[12]^[13] However as of April 2009 Awakening Records continues to feature the album prominently on the Sami Yusuf part of its website,^[14] saying that the album is "a complete and high quality album" consisting of "11 professionally recorded tracks".^[11] Awakening says it has already made "substantial" payments to Yusuf for his third album, which has been advertised on its website since May 2008.^[11] Yusuf had previously released two albums with Awakening, and signed for a total of five.^[11] Asked whether Awakening had paid him in full in July 2009, Yusuf indicated they had not.^[15]

Charity work

Sami is known for his charity work which he takes out of his own time to help the needy all around the world. In October 2007 Sami traveled to Sudan and visited Sudanese orphanage as part of support mission to raise awareness for sick children and AIDs victims in the region. Sami urged prayers for peace, recovery and donations through the Muslims to contact their local charities.^[16] This was after performing at Wembley Stadium where all profits went to Islamic Relief to help the crisis in Darfur.^[17] A year later, in October 2008 Sami traveled to South Africa and in between concerts on his South Africa tour, Sami took the time to visit and help cheer up the children at the The Agape Children’s Orphanage.^[18]. In Jan 2009 Sami travelled to Turkey where he was invited by HE Emine Erdoğan, wife of the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to attend a rally in support of peace in Gaza.^[19]. A month later, in February, 2009 Sami Yusuf has taken part in a Telethon to raise money for the victims of Gaza. The telethon took place in Doha, Qatar on 31 January, 2009 in conjunction with The Al Fakhoora Campaign to raise money for the bereaved and destitute of Gaza. To date over $100 million has been raised.^[20]

Discography

Al-Mu'allim

Released: July 2003
Total Sales: More than 2 million^[21]
Singles: "Al-Mu'allim" and "Supplication"

My Ummah

Released: September 2005
Total sales : More than 3 million ^[21]
Singles: "Hasbi Rabbi", "Mother" and "Munajat"

Without You (disputed)

Released: January 2009
Total sales : 1,750,000
Singles: "Asma Allah" "Forever Palestine"

2009-10-08T15:36:00.002+07:00

AMR DIAB

Amr Diab (Amr Abd-Albaset Abd-Alaziz Diab), a new born star for his phenomenal singing talent had his first glow to life on the 11th of October 1961 in Port Said, Egypt. His father was the chairman of Marine Construction & Shipbuilding. He played a great role to igniting the early sparks of musical inspiration towards Diab's early stages in his professional music career. Amr at the age of six sang at the July 23rd Festival in Port Said, he was surprisingly rewarded with a guitar from the governor for his excellence.

Amr Diab had earned his bachelor degree in Arabic Music and graduated at the Cairo Academy of Arts in 1986.

Professionally, Amr Diab entered the musical arena and introduced his first album "Ya Taree'" (1983), integrated with the audience and gained lots of attention and success. Amr followed on producing several great albums: "Ghanny Men Albak" (1984), "Hala Hala" (1986), "Khalseen" (1987), "Mayyal" (1988), "Shawa'na" (1989) and "Matkhafesh" (1990).

Amr was chosen to perform and represent Egypt at the 5th Tournament of African Sports in 1990 where he sang in English, French and predominantly Arabic. Decisively and during the same year the star decided to invade the cinema with a role in the film "El Afareet" with Madiha Kamel. Then came his other hit albums "Habibi" (1991), "Ayyamna" (1992) and "Ya Omrena" (1993). In 1992 and 1994, Amr played two more roles in the cinema in "Ice Cream Fe Glim" and "Dehk Wele'b Wegad Wehob"--which additionally was chosen as the opening film in the Egyptian Film Festival.

Amr Diab's musical career stemmed and kept growing, aiming for musical excellence. He followed on and released the album "Weylomony" (1994). Amr Diab officially established himself as the super star of the Arab world, demarcating the launch of "Rag'een" (1995) and the popular "Nour El Ein" album (1996) which was not only a success in the Middle East but in the whole world, and "Awedony" (1998).

Amr Diab thereafter made a break through with one of his best smashing hits "Amarain" album (1999), Diab engaged with two singers during this album and produced amazing duets, one with the AlgerianFrench based Cheb Khaled song "Alby" and the second with the Greek Angela Dimitriou song "Bahebbak Aktar".

The years 2000, 2001 & 2003 witnessed the compilation of all Amr Diab's past experience put together and release of Amr Diab's most magnificent albums ever "Tamally Ma'ak" , "Aktar Wahed" and "Allem Alby", as he engraved his quality of voice singing incorporated with astonishing sense of composer and musical arrangements. Amr always favored innovation of new music, form and style. He merged the Arabian oriental theme of music and the western style of musical beats, arrangements and finalization.

Respectively, Amr Diab has achieved the World Music Awards twice, as best selling middle eastern singer in both his albums "Nour El Ain" in 1998 and "Aktar Wahed" in 2002. Also received a Platinum Award for the sales of "Nour El Ain". Visit the awards section in this site to know more about Amr's awards.

2004's summer witnessed the release of "Leily Nehary" album, Diab gave his fans what they've been longing for, a dazzling hit which blew their minds off and topped their sensations. "Leily Nehary" according to the production company "Rotana" and the fans is to be one of the most successful albums out in the market. "Kammel Kalamak" was released by December 2005 after a long anticipation from Amr's fans, according to the big sales records, the album was worth the wait! The album contains 10 tracks representing a year and half of continuous studio efforts. Amr won his 3rd World Music Awards on "Ellila de" album which has been released in July (2007).

El-Helm Biography [12 Parts] have been released on the TV Channles by the end 2008. The Biography reviewed Amr's success through his long career in addition to the international recognition and fame that uniquely Amr gained through his success.

After much anticpating, 2009 witnessed a new milestone in Amr's career, with the release of "Wayah". 12 track hits the summer to put Amr - as usual - on top of the race. Marina concert was the proven success from his fans with over 80,000 persons.

Amr Diab's domestic life is just as rewarding as his musical career, married to Zena Ashoor, his children are Nour (girl), the twin Abdu-Allah (boy) & Kenzy (girl), and Jana (girl). The father Amr Diab is a great family man, who dedicates and cherishes his time to his family.

Amr Diab's hard work and passion to creating quality music and new stylized musical techniques was his ultimate aim throughout the years. He has certainly and clearly delivered to all his multi-national fans around the globe and proved that he is one of the best Middle Eastern singers with extraordinary talent, determination, charisma and charming appearance.

2008-12-10T18:00:00.000+07:00

Rustie Lee

Rustie Lee is a television chef and actress, most famous for her appearing in the 1980s on UK morning station, TV-am.[1] She was born in Jamaica. However, she also appeared as a presenter on the second, less successful, incarnation of ITV gameshow Game for a Laugh.[citation needed]
Rustie has rarely been seen since TV-am, though she had a career as a singer.[citation needed] In summer 2004 she appeared on Living's I'm Famous and Frightened! 2, a reality show featuring a number of celebrities staying in a castle over a weekend, taking part in various challenges and looking for paranormal activity, guided by a medium. Viewers voted for their favourite and the celebrities were voted off one by one. Rustie won the series showing a keen interest in the tasks and occasional emotional involvement, giving detailed and varied accounts of how she felt at certain points.[citation needed]
In 2004 she joined the UK Independence Party [1], and was adopted as their candidate for the Wyre Forest constituency in the 2005 general election. She also appeared in the party's election broadcast[2]. On polling day she came fifth, with 1,074 votes (2.3% of the total).[3].
In 2008, Rustie joined the cast of EastEnders as Gus Smith's aunt Opal,[4] and it proved a huge hit with her fanbase following.
Rustie Lee is also a popular figure on Virgin Radio particularly on the Geoff Lloyd show. He has interviewed her on numerous occasions.[citation needed]
Rustie is also lined up with Paul Daniels and Todd Carty to play the voice of the Gatekeeper in the new updated CGI series of Wizbit, due to be aired 2008/2009.[citation needed]

2008-12-06T16:07:00.000+07:00

RAKIM

Rakim (pronounced Rah-KIM) (full name Rakim Allah, born William Michael Griffin Jr. on January 28, 1968 in Wyandanch, Long Island, New York)[1] is an American rapper and pioneer of the musical genre of hip hop, known as one half of the duo Eric B. & Rakim.

Biography

[edit] Early life
He is the nephew of American R&B singer, and actress Ruth Brown. Rakim grew up in Wyandanch, New York where he developed much of his rhyming talent. Rakim became involved in the New York hip hop scene at a young age. Eric B brought Rakim to Marley Marl’s house to record "Eric B. is President." Marley and MC Shan personally knew Eric. However, they didn't know Rakim, who was fresh out of high school at the time, was on his way to college, and left to record with Eric B.[1]
When Rakim turned 16, he joined The Nation of Gods and Earths (also known as the 5 Percent Nation), changing his name to Rakim Allah [2].

[edit] With Eric B.
In 1986, Rakim started to work with New York-based producer-DJ Eric B. The duo—known as Eric B & Rakim—is widely regarded as among the most influential and groundbreaking of hip-hop groups, due in no small part to Rakim's technical abilities. The duo’s first single, "Eric B. Is President" (#48, 1986) b/w “My Melody,” was a success and got the duo a contract with the fledgling Island Records sub-label 4th & B'way. The duo’s next single, the smash “I Know You Got Soul,” sparked early debate on the legality of unauthorized, uncredited sampling when James Brown sued to prevent the duo's use of a fragment of his music. Their first full album, Paid in Full, was released in 1987, causing a stir in the hip-hop music world due to its novel sound, approach, and subject matter.[1]

[edit] Solo career
Eric B. & Rakim broke up in 1992 after releasing 3 more albums: Follow The Leader, Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em and Don't Sweat The Technique. All Four of the duo's albums are now considered Hip Hop standards. Due to legal wrangling over royalties and his contracts with both his record label and with Eric B, Rakim did not release a solo album for another five years. He signed with his good friend at the time DeShamus "Q=BOB" Sallis of Q=BOB Records but the label folded shortly afterward. He then returned in 1997 with The 18th Letter, which included collaborations with DJ Premier and Pete Rock; released in two versions, one of which included an Eric B. & Rakim greatest hits disc titled The Book of Life. The critical reception of the album was positive, and it was certified gold. In 1999, Rakim released The Master, which received very good reviews as well.[1]
Rakim was signed to Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment record label in 2000,[3] for work on an album tentatively titled Oh, My God. The album underwent numerous changes in artistic direction and personnel and was delayed several times. While working on the album, Rakim made guest appearances on numerous Aftermath projects, including the hit single "Addictive" by Truth Hurts, the Dr. Dre-produced "The Watcher Part 2" by Jay-Z, and Eminem's 8 Mile soundtrack. However, Rakim left the label in 2003 and Oh, My God was indefinitely shelved, a result of creative differences with Dre.[4] Rakim signed with DreamWorks Records shortly afterward, but the label closed its doors shortly after that.
Rakim also made cameos in the Juelz Santana video "Mic Check," the Timbaland & Magoo video "Cop that Disc," and the Busta Rhymes video "New York Shit." Eric B. and Rakim's classic album Paid In Full was named the greatest hip-hop album of all time by MTV. Rakim was engaged in a lawsuit with reggaeton performer R.K.M (formerly Rakim) over the use of the name "Rakim". Rakim won the rights to the name. Recently, Rakim was featured in an All-Pro Football 2K8 commercial. Rakim will be doing a collaboration album with KRS-One called The Greatest Featuring The God MC and Kris Parker.
The Seventh Seal, Rakim's long-awaited album, has had release dates several times but has never been released. [1]

[edit] Legacy
Rakim pioneered a practice previously unknown to hip-hop called internal rhyming. Prior to Rakim, hip-hop music lyricism was usually rather simple from a structural standpoint and the ideas it expressed were easy and direct. Instead of two rhyming syllables within two lines at the end of the lines, as we would find in the older hip-hop style displayed above, we have 18 rhyming syllables in just four lines. Rakim also introduced a lyrical technique known as cliffhanging and popularized the use of metaphors with multiple meanings. His songs were the first to really impart hip-hop music lyrics with a serious poetic device sensibility. [1]
Many hip-hop artists (both underground and mainstream) acknowledge a huge debt to Rakim's innovative style. He is given credit for popularizing the heavy use of internal rhymes in hip-hop—rhymes that are not necessary to the overall rhyme scheme of the verse, but occur between the endpoints of lines and stanzas, serving to increase the alliteration, assonance, and emphasis of the rhyme. He is also credited for the jazzy, heavily stylistic, seemingly effortless delivery of his lyrical content.[1]

[edit] Musical tributes
Tupac Shakur also pays homage to Rakim in a song called "Old School."
Raekwon of Wu-Tang Clan also dedicated a tribute to Rakim titled "Rakim Tribute," which was released on DaVinci Code: The Vatican Mixtape Vol. II in 2006.
50 Cent also makes a reference to Rakim on his hugely successful collaborative effort "Hate It or Love It" with The Game. Fifty rhymes, "Daddy ain't around, probably out committing felonies/my favorite rapper used to sing Ch-Check out my melody," referencing Eric B. & Rakim's classic hit ¨My Melody."
Saul Williams mentions Rakim in the song Twice The First Time, stating "not until you've listened to Rakim on a rocky mountain top have you heard hip hop" and also in the song Penny For A Thought where he says "Someone like Rakim said - 'I could quote any MC, but why should I? how would it benefit me?'"
Kurupt references Rakim on Snoop Dogg's debut album, Doggystyle. On "For All My Niggaz and Bitches," Kurupt says, "Who's jokin'? Rakim never joked, so why should I loc? now that's my idol...."
Ghostface Killah gave props to Rakim in the end of "Paisely Darts," by saying that he is better than every artist except for Rakim, referring to him as "the older god".
Eminem has also paid tribute to Rakim's style as an inspiration and references lines from My Melody in his song “I'm Back”.
Jay-Z paid tribute to Rakim in his 2007 hit “Blue Magic,” where he states: "Eighty-seven state of mind that I'm in/I'm in my prime so for that time I'm Rakim."
Killah Priest references Rakim in many of his songs. He states: "I remind you of Rakim but I'm not him".
British rapper Scroobius Pip mentions Rakim in his song "Fixed" from the album Angles, as an example of hiphop as art, in the lines "Take it back to the start/Like KRS and Rakim use passion and heart".
RZA Digi Snacks Last Track "who could master the rhythm to which rakim got"
Nas' Street Disciple album (Disc 2 Track 3) has a track titled U.B.R. (Unauthorized Biography of Rakim) where he tells a short version of Rakim's musical career and life.

[edit] Discography
Main article: Rakim discography
The 18th Letter/The Book Of Life (1997)
The Master (1999)
The Archive: Live, Lost & Found (2008)
The Seventh Seal (2008)

2008-12-05T20:20:00.000+07:00

Swizz Beatz

Kasseem Dean,[1] better known by his stage name Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer and rapper. He is the founder of the label Full Surface Records. His songs are usually very bouncy and energetic, though his early work was known to be quite minimalistic and arguably experimental—it reportedly takes him an average of only 10 to 15 minutes to complete a song. In most recent Swizz Beatz productions, (such as "Top Down") the quick uttered phrase "Swizzy" or "It's Showtime" is heard at the beginning and is accompanied by guest vocals from Swizz himself, although often uncredited.

Biography

[edit] Personal life

Swizz Beatz is half African American and half Puerto Rican and one eighth Indian. He lived in the Bronx, in New York City, where he first encountered the hip-hop world. His father was Muslim and his mother was a Christian. He relocated to Atlanta as a teenager due to having too many fights at Harry S. Truman High School, there he started to DJ parties. When his relatives became involved with the Ruff Ryders label, he began to produce tracks at the tender age of 16. Forgoing the practice of using samples, he used real instruments whenever possible and tried to accentuate the performance aspect of his music. The next five years would find him landing hit after hit and becoming more in demand with each production. In 2004, he married R&B singer Mashonda. A son, Kasseem Jr., was born in January 2007. In April 2008, the couple separated after four years of marriage. Rumors have since surfaced online suggesting Alicia Keys was involved in the break-up[2], but Swizz dismissed the rumors saying that that is far from the truth. [3]

[edit] Career

With his uncles (Chivon, Dee, and Waah Dean) involved with the Ruff Ryders label, he began to produce tracks at the age of 16. He sold his first beat at 17 which became DMX's hit single Ruff Ryders Anthem. He started working with Ruff Ryders, Roc-A-Fella Records, Elektra Records, Epic Records, Def Jam Recordings, and Bad Boy Entertainment and his career blew up from there. But it wasn't until his first solo album, 2002's Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories, that he started to get notices for his production style and interesting ideas. He released two singles "Guilty" and "Bigger Business" and both had music videos.[4]
Swizz Beatz has his own record label called Full Surface which was helped developed by Cassidy and is currently working on albums by Cassidy, Jay-Z, 2 Much, 50 Cent, Drag-On, Papoose, Busta Rhymes, Ruff Ryders, Michael Jackson, Eve, T.I., Bow Wow, Eminem and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. He is also set to be recording the new album for his close friend DMX which is confirmed to be titled Walk with Me Now and You'll Fly with Me Later. It was also confirmed he will be working with Jennifer Lopez for the first time on her new album.[5]
Swizz Beatz released his first proper solo album titled "One Man Band Man" on August 21, 2007, selling a disappointing 45,000 records in its first week of release including songs such as It's Me Snitches, Money In The Bank.

On October 19, 2007, as an extension to his first solo project, Swizz Beatz launched a contest called Music Video 2.0 and The Source Magazine Presents "Share the Studio." The contest and allows unsigned/indie music artists the opportunity to compete on the Music Video 2.0 website for the chance to open for Swizz Beatz at a NYC event.
Swizz Beatz also did an interview with MTV about his next album stating he just leaked a record called "Hard Knocks" with Drag-On. It's the first offering from Beatz's upcoming follow-up to One Man Band Man.[6]
“
Everybody is expecting 'It's Me Bitches' or 'Money in the Bank', I just want to use my opportunity to get a little more serious in the artist department, as a performer and lyricist. Not giving a f--- about radio and all that. I just want to give hip-hop something that's not on the radio. A lot of the songs I got can blend in on the radio, but 'School of Hard Knocks' don't blend in with nothing on the radio. I'm already in full mode. What they want me to do? Let's get it. I'm busting shots early — bong, bong!
The title is between Life After the Party and Remember Hip-Hop," he continued. "I'm in between them. I don't even have a date on my joint. I'm just feeling out the scene.
”

[edit] Discography
Main articles: Swizz Beatz discography and Swizz Beatz production discography
Presents G.H.E.T.T.O. Stories (2002)
One Man Band Man (2007)

2008-12-04T19:49:00.000+07:00

Papoose (rapper)

Shamele Mackie, better known by his stage name Papoose (IPA: /pæˈpuːs/), is an African-American rapper.[1]

Biography

Born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York. Papoose made his first attempts at rapping at the age of three. He was given his name by his grandma because of his childhood resemblance to a Native American child. Inspired by Big Daddy Kane, Notorious B.I.G., and Big L [2] he made his first recorded appearance in 1998 on Kool G Rap's Roots of Evil album.[1] The following year, he released his first single, "Thug Connection"/"Alphabetical Slaughter".[3]
After an early record deal failed, he decided to produce and sell his own mixtapes,[1] one of which he presented to DJ Kay Slay outside the offices of New York's Hot 97 after the latter's radio show there.[4] This led to Kay Slay inviting Papoose onto the air, and, impressed by his rendition of "Alphabetical Slaughter", signing him to his Streetsweepers Entertainment label. He continued to release mixtapes at a prolific rate – over a dozen between 2004 and 2006[1] – and won the Justo Mixtape Award for Best Underground Artist in 2005.[3] As of 2008, he had put out his twentieth, Build or Destroy.[citation needed]

On August 24, 2006, his official website announced that he had signed with Jive Records in a deal worth $1.5 million.[1] An album to be called The Nacirema Dream ("American" spelled backwards) was planned.[5] However, in September 2007, Kay Slay revealed that he and Papoose had left Jive, commenting that they had "almost [become] victims of A&R hell."[6]
In 2008, Papoose issued a statement saying that he and fellow rapper Remy Ma were to be married on a Yacht or Luxury yacht, but due to Ma's impending jail sentence of potentially up to 15-25 years, that the couple had changed their plans and intend to marry in prison instead.[7] Papoose planned to wed his fiance while in prison, but the wedding was called off after he attempted to smuggle a handcuffs key into prison on their wedding day in May 2008. After the incident, Papoose was barred from visiting Ma for six months.[8]

[edit] Music

One of his most notable songs is one where Papoose raps using all the letters of the alphabet in the form of alliteration entitled "Alphabetical Slaughter".
More recently he made a song called "Change Gon’ Come (50 Shots)", that talks about the Sean Bell shooting, in which an unarmed man was shot at fifty times by New York police.[9] The song concludes with a sample of fifty gunshots.
He has made appearances on songs by Nas, AZ, Common, Talib Kweli, Kool G Rap, Ghostface Killah, Busta Rhymes, Tupac Shakur (on the posthumous album Pac's Life), Chamillionaire, Hell Rell, Jadakiss, Cam'ron and Jim Jones.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Mixtapes
Art & War
Street Knowledge
The Beast from the East
Election Day
A Moment of Silence
Underground King
Sharades
Mixtape Murder
A Bootlegger's Nightmare
Bedstuy Do or Die (with Memphis Bleek)
Unfinished Business
Menace to Society Part 2
A Threat and a Promise
The Boyz in the Hood
The 1.5 Million Dollar Man
Second Place Is The First Loser
The Fourth Quarter Assassin
Internationally Known
Already a Legend
Build or Destroy

[edit] Guest appearances
Year
Song
Chart positions
Album
U.S. Hot 100
U.S. R&B
U.S. Rap
1998
"Home Sweet Funeral Home" (Kool G Rap feat. Papoose and Jinx)
–
–
–
Roots of Evil
2006
"Touch It (remix)" (Busta Rhymes feat. Mary J. Blige, Rah Digga, Missy Elliott, Lloyd Banks, Papoose & DMX)
12
3
2
The Big Bang
"Ridin' (remix)" (Chamillionaire feat. Papoose & Jae Millz)
–
–
–
The Sound of Revenge
"My Jealousy" (Cam'ron feat. Papoose, Slim Thug, All Star, Tef)
–
–
–
Single
"New Friend Request (remix)" (Gym Class Heroes feat. Papoose)
–
–
–
New Friend Request (single)
"Crowded" (Jeannie Ortega feat. Papoose)(Produced by Stargate)
93
24
–
No Place Like Brooklyn
"Where You At?" (Joe feat. Papoose)
29
12
–
Ain't Nothin' Like Me
"What's Happenin (remix)" (Juvenile feat. Papoose and Jae Millz)
–
–
–
Reality Check
"Dumpin" (2pac feat. Hussein Fatal, Papoose & Carl Thomas)
–
–
–
Pac's Life
2007
"Everything" (Addictiv feat. Papoose)
–
–
–
Everything (single)
"Special" (Jennifer Hudson feat. Papoose)
–
–
–
New
2008
"Comprehend" (Pete Rock feat. Papoose)
–
–
–
NY's Finest

[edit] Filmography
Righteous Kill (playing cameo of a rapper)

2008-12-03T23:51:00.000+07:00

Busta Rhymes

Trevor George Smith, Jr., (born May 20, 1972) better known as Busta Rhymes, is an American actor and musician of Jamaican descent. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the name Busta Rhymes (from former NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes) after watching him perform. Busta Rhymes was a member of Leaders of the New School and released two albums with the group before breaking out with a 1996 solo hit single, "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check".

Biography

Early years

Trevor Smith was born in East Flatbush, Brooklyn to Jamaican parents Geraldine Green and Trevor Smith, Sr.^[1]^[2]^[3] When he was 12 his family moved to Uniondale, New York, a suburb in Nassau County, where he was raised and eventually met up with other artists from the growing area hip hop community. He graduated from Uniondale High School in 1991.^[4]

Smith's musical career began at the age of 17 as a member of the hip hop crew Leaders of the New School along with fellow Long Island natives Charlie Brown, Dinco D, and Cut Monitor Milo. They began recording in 1989 and released their debut album A Future Without a Past in 1991 on Elektra Records. In 1993, they released T.I.M.E. (The Inner Mind's Eye). Soon after, however, internal problems arose within the group, and the group broke up on the set of Yo! MTV Raps. Rumors persisted that Smith clashed with Charlie Brown over creative control of the group's direction.^{[citation needed]}

Soon after their debut, The Leaders of The New School became associated with the Native Tongues Posse, which led to the group's collaboration with A Tribe Called Quest on the single "Scenario." Smith's live performance of "Scenario" with A Tribe Called Quest on The Arsenio Hall Show led to a solo contract with Elektra after an A&R representative saw the program. The Leaders of the New School released their second and final album The Inner Mind's Eye (T.I.M.E.) in 1993, after which Smith began his solo career. In 1993 he had a son named T'ziah from his former girlfriend Joanne.^{[citation needed]}

Elektra years (1996-2000)

Trevor Smith's debut solo album, The Coming, was released by Elektra Records in 1996. The album was a mix of reggae and hip hop, and it included the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) top 10 single "Woo Hah!! Got You All in Check." It was Busta's first release on his label, Flipmode Records. The album was met with commercial and critical success and ended up going Platinum.^[5]

His follow-up, When Disaster Strikes was successful in the US and sold well overseas. The album produced two hugely popular singles and videos in America, "Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See" and "Dangerous". The third single "Turn It Up/Fire It Up" reached as high as number 2 on the UK singles chart and number 10 in the U.S. The next year he released The Imperial Album as part of the Flipmode Squad, a collaborative project with rappers Rampage, Lord Have Mercy, Spliff Star, Rah Digga, and Baby Sham. It, like its predecessor, sold very well and went gold.^[5]

In 1998, Smith recorded Extinction Level Event (Final World Front), the theme of which was an assertion that the world would end in the year 2000. Its single, "Gimme Some More" – which sampled Bernard Herrmann's theme from Psycho – reached number 5 in the UK singles chart in January 1999. Smith enjoyed further transatlantic success in April when the single "What's It Gonna Be?!", featuring Janet Jackson, reached the US and UK Top 10. The album also received notice for featuring the fastest rapping Busta has yet done, on a song called "Iz They Wildin wit Us & Gettin' Rowdy wit Us?", featuring a guest appearance by Mystikal.^[5]

In 2000, after working on several movie projects, including Full Clip, with Xzibit, the remake of Shaft, Busta Rhymes released his final album for Elektra, Anarchy. In between album releases, Smith had a falling out with longtime label, Elektra Records. He rushed the album into stores and it had a thrown-together sound. Despite this, the album did moderately well, but did not sell on the level of his previous releases, due to his rush to get the album out there to end his contract with Elektra.

J/Arista/BMG (2000-2004)

After leaving Elektra, Smith signed to J Records, a new label started by recently ousted Arista Records chief and founder Clive Davis. In 2001 he released a greatest hits record alongside a new album of original work.

Continuing the Biblical theme of his previous albums, he titled his record Genesis. The album featured collaborations with Mary J. Blige, P. Diddy, Kelis, and others. Genesis was powered by the hit single with Kelis, "What It Is," and his solo hit single released in November 2001, "Break Ya Neck." The final single was the summer smash "Pass The Courvoisier Part 2," which featured Pharrell and P. Diddy. Despite the two powerful singles, this album did not sell as well as his previous releases.

In 2002, Smith released his sixth studio album It Ain't Safe No More. The album was moderately successful, with a hit song featuring Mariah Carey and the Flipmode Squad called "I Know What You Want." Another hit song was "Make It Clap", featuring Spliff Starr. The remix of "Make It Clap" featured Sean Paul. After its release, he left J Records. In 2004, he signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath Entertainment.

Aftermath/Interscope (2004-2008)

Busta Rhymes performing in 2006.

In November 2005, Smith cut off his trademark dreadlocks during a photo shoot in a New York barbershop owned by producer Cory Rooney. The shop is featured on an MTV show titled The Shop. "I started growing [my hair] in December '89. I was 17," he said. "I signed my [record] deal and said I ain't combing my hair no more. I don't have to." He says the haircut was symbolic of a change in his music and the new record deal.

His seventh studio album, The Big Bang, became the first #1 album of his career. The CD sold over 209,000 copies in its first week to earn the top spot on The Billboard Top 200.^[6] The album also became his highest charting album in the UK, peaking at #19 there. Some of the album was leaked on the Internet, and as a result several songs were left off the album and new ones added. The Big Bang featured more production by Dr. Dre than Smith's previous releases, as well as appearances by Raekwon and Nas. The singles that have been released from the album are, "Touch It," "I Love My Chick," featuring Kelis and Will.I.Am, "New York Sh*t," and "In The Ghetto." Smith also had a stint opening for Mariah Carey's The Adventures of Mimi Tour. Also, Smith performed with Eminem on "Touch It Remix Part 5". Others such as Jae Millz and Ne-Yo appeared as well.

Busta Rhymes was added to Projekt Revolution 2008, He joined Linkin Park, Chris Cornell, The Bravery, and Ashes Divide on the main stage. On the Revolution stage was Atreyu, 10 years, Hawthorne Heights, Armor For Sleep, and Street Drum Corps. He had to leave the tour on account of contract reasons "beyond control."

On July 17, 2008, Busta Rhymes got dropped from Interscope/Aftermath. It was reported that Busta Rhymes was dropped from Interscope due to a heated argument with Jimmy Iovine. He later confirmed that the album would be released in late September on Aftermath. www.Aftermathmusic.com contacted the general manager of Aftermath, who issued the response “Yes, it’s true. He got dropped.”^[7] It was later revealed that following his alleged acrimonious departure from the Interscope/Aftermath label he signed a new deal with Universal Motown, who will release his 8th studio album B.O.M.B. on March 10, 2009.^[8]

Legal issues

On August 20, 2006, he was arraigned for charges of third-degree assault after attacking a man who reportedly spat on his car in New York City on August 12 after the AmsterJam Music Festival on Randalls Island.^[9]

On October 24, 2006, he appeared at Manhattan Criminal Court as the district attorney's office attempted to amend previous charges against him to include weapons possession for a machete found in his car. The judge, ShawnDya Simpson, refused to add the charge and adjourned the case.^[10]^[11]

On February 20, 2007, Smith refused a plea deal offered by the prosecutors office for the assault of his former driver, Edward Hatchett. The deal would have entailed six months in jail and pleading guilty to two assaults, the attack on Hatchett, and the attack on the former fan. The dispute with Hatchett is believed to have been originated over back pay Hatchett felt he was owed. Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Becki Rowe offered Smith another option, pleading guilty to third-degree assault. The conditions of the proposed sentence would include five days of community service, two weeks of youth lectures and six months of anger management classes, as well as three years of probation. On March 18, 2008 a judge in New York City sentenced Smith to 3 years' probation, 10 days' community service, $1250 in fines (plus court costs), and to enroll in a drunken driving program.^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14]

2008-12-02T17:58:00.000+07:00

Kool & the Gang

Kool & the Gang are a highly successful American jazz/R&B/soul/funk/disco group. They originally formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. in 1964. They went through several musical phases in their career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, becoming practitioners of R&B and funk, progressing to a smooth disco ensemble, and ended the successful period of their career producing pop/R&B crossovers. They have sold over 70 million albums worldwide.

History

The group's main members over the years included brothers Robert Bell (known as "Kool") on bass (born October 8, 1950, Youngstown, Ohio) and Ronald Bell on tenor saxophone (born November 1, 1951, Youngstown, Ohio); George Brown on drums (born January 5, 1949); Robert Mickens on trumpet; Dennis Thomas on alto saxophone; Claydes Charles Smith on guitar (born September 6, 1948; died June 20, 2006), and Rick Westfield on keyboards. The Bell brothers' father was an acquaintance of Thelonious Monk and the brothers were friends with Leon Thomas.

Kool & The Gang in concert at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California, June 3, 2006.
In 1964 Robert formed an instrumental band called the Jazziacs with five high school friends. They changed their name to Kool & the Gang and were signed by Gene Redd to his then new De-Lite Records in 1969.[3] They first hit the pop charts with the release of their debut eponymous album.

Though none of the three singles from the album went far on the pop charts, their R&B success was swift and massive. Several live and studio albums followed, with 1973's Wild and Peaceful breaking into the mainstream with "Jungle Boogie" and "Hollywood Swinging". Many reviews see the Gang's 1974 album Light of Worlds and 1975 album Spirit of the Boogie as the greatest achievements of the band, with the 1975 single "Summer Madness" gaining much attention. However, after the release of those albums the band abandoned deep funk-music and switched to disco. Generally, the albums released after 1975 have not received the same critical recognition as their early work.

The late 1970s saw a lull in Kool & the Gang's career that ended — after new lead singer James "J.T." Taylor joined the group — with 1979's Ladies' Night, the title track from which spawned a 25-year-long tradition of ladies' nights in New Jersey dance clubs and bars. Their only #1 hit was 1980s "Celebration", off Celebrate!, produced by Eumir Deodato. More international hits followed in the early 1980s, including "Big Fun", "Get Down on It" and "Joanna". Their 1984 album Emergency yielded four top 20 hits, including "Fresh" and "Cherish." Their chart presence stopped abruptly after the Forever album, when both Taylor and Ronald Bell (who started using the name Khalis Bayyan) left the group; both would eventually return, but the hits would not.

Kool and the Gang rose to some popularity again in 1994 after "Jungle Boogie" was featured on the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino's well known cult classic Pulp Fiction. The band released the album "Still Kool" in 2007.

"Hollywood Swinging" was performed by Jon Arons in his dance/trombone number on "Steve Harvey's Big Time" thus earning him the title, "The Trombone Guy."
"Hollywood Swinging" was also sampled by DJ Kool in his song "Let Me Clear My Throat".
Kool & the Gang's "Summer Madness" off their 1974 album Light of Worlds has been sampled numerous times. Most notably, it was used by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince for their version of "Summertime" as well as being featured in the 1976 smash hit Rocky. More recently, Also, Live at PJ's' track "N.T" has been sampled extensively, by artists such as Boogie Down Productions, Brand Nubian, De La Soul, N.W.A and Kriss Kross.