Method Man, Redman and Ghostface On Tour…Plus! Ghostface New Album On 9/1

Def Jam’s top-ranking roster of superstar rappers continue to dominate this summer’s touring circuit – as Method Man, Redman and Ghostface join forces for The Foot Print in Hip-Hop Tour, keeping the Wu-Tang Clan spirit alive and well on a 21-city schedule that opens July 22^nd at the Orange Peel in Asheville, NC, and wraps up August 16^th at Mezzanine in San Francisco.  Opening for the tour is Brooklyn’s Duo Live performing their Color of Money and hot single “Shooting”. (Please see tour dates below.)

            Method Man and Redman are basking in the glow of BLACKOUT 2, their critically acclaimed new Def Jam collaboration released in May – the long-awaited (ten years!) follow-up to their essential Blackout, one of the defining hip-hop events of 1999 (with “Tear It Off,” “Y.O.U.,” and “Da Rockwilder”).  BLACKOUT 2 blasted off with a trifecta of new single releases showing off Meth and Red at their very best: “A-Yo” featuring Saukrates, produced by Pete Rock; “Mrs. International” featuring Erick Sermon, produced by Buckwild; and “City Lights” featuring Bun B, produced by Nasty Kutt.  The album debuted on top 10 on Soundscan and has drawn unanimous raves from print and web media.

            Ghostface Killah, W-TC’s most prolific member, will release his 6^th Def Jam album (and 10^th major label career album) in September, THE WIZARD OF POETRY, described as “an R&B-influenced rap album.”  Ghost’s most recent release was Ghostdeini The Great (December 2008), his first official archive collection on the Def Jam label, blending “classic tracks with remixes and new verses,” as Billboard.com described it.  Guests included W-TC, fellow Def Jam artists Kanye West and Ne-Yo, Amy Winehouse, Mary J. Blige, Ice Cube, and others.  The collection also drew tracks from three of Ghost’s Def Jam albums: Fishscale (March 2006), More Fish (December 2006), and The Big Doe Rehab (December 2007). 

            Redman exploded on to the hip-hop scene in 1992 with Whut? Thee Album, his RIAA gold debut album.  It was followed by Dare Iz a Darkside.(1994), Muddy Waters (1996), Doc’s da Name 2000 (1998), Malpractice (2001) – all RIAA gold-sellers – and El Nino with Def Squad (1998, with Keith Murray and Erick Sermon), and Red Gone Wild (2007).

            Always larger than life, Method Man became a vital part of hip-hop culture in 1992 as a founding member of the seminal hip-hop supergroup Wu-Tang Clan with their classic debut, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).  Solidifying himself as a superstar in his own right, Meth went on to record for Def Jam and release Tical (1994), Tical 2000: Judgement Day (1998) – both RIAA platinum – Tical 0: The Prequel (2004, RIAA gold), and 4:21 The Day After (2006).

 

THE FOOT PRINT IN HIP-HOP TOUR

Starring

METHOD MAN, REDMAN & GHOSTFACE

 

Date                City                                         Venue                        

July     22        Asheville, NC                          Orange Peel

            23        Raleigh, NC                             Lincoln Theater

            24        Washington D.C.                      9:30 Club

            25        Sayreville, NJ                           Starland Ballroom

            26        New Haven, CT                       Toad’s Place

            29        Baltimore, MD                         Rams Head Live

            30        New York, NY                        Nokia Theater

            31        Providence, RI                         Lupo’s

 

Aug.     1          Martha’s Vineyard, MA           Nectar’s

            2          Burlington, VT                          Higher Ground

            6          New Orleans, LA                     House of Blues

            7          Houston, TX                            House of Blues

            8          Dallas, TX                                House of Blues

            9          Austin, TX                                Emo’s

            11        Albuquerque, NM                    Sunshine Theater

            12        Phoenix, AZ                             Marquee

            13        Las Vegas, NV                        House of Blues

            14        San Diego, CA                         Canes

            15        Los Angeles, CA                      House of Blues (two shows)

            16        San Francisco, CA                   Mezzanine

WFRE Interrupts Radio Frequencies across the U.S.

Early this morning a coordinated group of high-tech revolutionaries we able to successfully infiltrate several radio networks across the nation with an urgent bulletin. It is not yet known exactly how long of a transmission was broadcasted, but the FCC is currently investigating the occurrence.  It seems that several translator stations were used in order to accomplish this important security breach that has alerted even the White House. More important was the message, which was broadcasted without any censorship. So far only one group of individuals have stepped forth in connection to this investigated incidence. A-Alikes, a NYC based rap group and RBG affiliate have admitted to their involvement and have compiled several of the audio clips that were broadcasted last night for rebroadcasting and international distribution.

 

“These clips are almost painful to listen to because you can hear the angst, pain and stress in the people’s voices as they voice their own displeasure with the conditions we face everyday.” – Ness (A-Alikes)

 

DJ Victorious of We Free Radio seamlessly incorporates these audio clips with exclusive vocals & messages from Mos Def, Raye 6, I.G. and Afayah.  Even Kanye West, Checkmate, Tahir, DJ Butta, and more producers offered their production talent in support of the new A-Alikes mixtape, “The Hustle and the Hunted Part 3.”

 

Stream
http://bit.ly/MmmSY

 

Support
http://bit.ly/7Uuhs

 

Download
http://bit.ly/NGAKo

 

 

About A-Alikes

 

At a time when the economy is sinking, the prison industrial complex is expanding and the music industry is shrinking into a handful of major corporations driven by sales alone, A-Alikes offers a connection to the streets with a concern for the future of the community. Their debut release” I Eat You Eat” on Nervous records helped garner them national press and lead them to their current project “The Ballot or the Bullet”, a documentary and soundtrack. This is a prelude to A-Alikes’ upcoming full length LP “Us Against Them“, a new venture between Guerilla Nation and digital distributor ContentChunk.Com

 

More Info:            Http://www.aalikes.net

                               Http://www.myspace.com/aalikes

Early this morning a coordinated group of high-tech revolutionaries we able to successfully infiltrate several radio networks across the nation with an urgent bulletin. It is not yet known exactly how long of a transmission was broadcasted, but the FCC is currently investigating the occurrence.  It seems that several translator stations were used in order to accomplish this important security breach that has alerted even the White House. More important was the message, which was broadcasted without any censorship. So far only one group of individuals have stepped forth in connection to this investigated incidence. A-Alikes, a NYC based rap group and RBG affiliate have admitted to their involvement and have compiled several of the audio clips that were broadcasted last night for rebroadcasting and international distribution.

 

“These clips are almost painful to listen to because you can hear the angst, pain and stress in the people’s voices as they voice their own displeasure with the conditions we face everyday.” – Ness (A-Alikes)

 

DJ Victorious of We Free Radio seamlessly incorporates these audio clips with exclusive vocals & messages from Mos Def, Raye 6, I.G. and Afayah.  Even Kanye West, Checkmate, Tahir, DJ Butta, and more producers offered their production talent in support of the new A-Alikes mixtape, “The Hustle and the Hunted Part 3.”

 

Stream
http://bit.ly/MmmSY

 

Support
http://bit.ly/7Uuhs

 

Download
http://bit.ly/NGAKo

 

 

About A-Alikes

 

At a time when the economy is sinking, the prison industrial complex is expanding and the music industry is shrinking into a handful of major corporations driven by sales alone, A-Alikes offers a connection to the streets with a concern for the future of the community. Their debut release” I Eat You Eat” on Nervous records helped garner them national press and lead them to their current project “The Ballot or the Bullet”, a documentary and soundtrack. This is a prelude to A-Alikes’ upcoming full length LP “Us Against Them“, a new venture between Guerilla Nation and digital distributor ContentChunk.Com

 

More Info:            Http://www.aalikes.net

                               Http://www.myspace.com/aalikes

Donny Goines “Interview”

Author Nicole Simpson Selected for NAACP Authors Pavilion Book Signing

On July 15 2009, author Nicole B. Simpson, CFP joins a whos who in African American authors, writers and motivational speakers to sign and talk about her book, The Ultimate Plan.  The Ultimate Plan provides step by step instruction on financial planning to educate and enlighten consumers with tools to assist in making sound financial choices during calm and turbulent times. For many, the financial deficit and instabilities our country is dealing with and the numerous natural disasters we have experienced in the past few years makes this book a must have to prepare you to competently manage your own and your family’s finances to ensure personal financial prosperity for generations to come.

Mrs. Simpson will sign the book and offer sound financial advice for anyone who asks.  Joining notable authors as this prestigous event are, Terry McMillian, Carolyn Kennedy, Walter Mosley, Hill Harper, Judge Mathis and featuring NAACP Chairman Julian Bond and special invited guest, Diahann Carrol.  Book genres include poetry, novels, how to books and autobiography, biography and more.  In celebration of its centenial anniversary, 100 authors have been asked to participate.

“It is indeed an honor to be selected and recognized by the NAACP for the Ultimate Plan is to the community and individuals in helping them prepare to be financially sound by the NAACP, and to be so during the 100th year anniversary is monumental”, says Simpson.

The free three day event begins July 13, 2009 through July 15, 2009 at the New York Hilton, 1355 Avenue of the Americas, NYC 10019.  Nicole Simpson signs on July 15, 2009, 12pm until 2pm.

Ms. Drama helps Coach the DJ at the Q-Borough Basketball Game – NYC DJs vs NYC Promoters

Black Employees File Lawsuit Against Campbell Soup Co.

A nationwide class action lawsuit has been filed against Campbell Soup Company, charging that African American employees are denied professional development opportunities. The lawsuit has been filed in Camden, New Jersey, home of Campbell’s headquarters.

Filing on behalf of the Plaintiff Chester Hicks and the proposed Class are the Houston, Texas based firm, Nelkin, Nelkin & Krock, P.C., and Sidney L. Gold & Associates, based in Philadelphia.

The complaint asserts that African Americas are repeatedly passed over for promotions in favor of less qualified and less experienced white employees. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has issued a finding of probable cause in connection with Plaintiff Hicks’ charge. The Commission’s investigation revealed that Campbell’s was engaged in the practice of awarding promotions using a subjective, informal, and secretive method in which white managers were selected favored white candidates.

According to the Commission, the sales position of “Territory Manager II” was not commonly known to exist, nor were the promotions to that position given to whites competitively announced. Furthermore, this position was not listed, so neither Plaintiff Hicks nor other African Americans could have known to apply for it. Campbell’s contends that the position was created to “fairly justify retaining certain employees at an appropriate wage schedule after they had been reassigned.” However, the Commission found that this explanation “is called into question by a number of factors, including the secretiveness with which these actions were handled, efforts to disguise the existence of this position and its quite belated bestowal on [Plaintiff Hicks] and another African American co-worker.”

As a result of Campbell’s discriminatory practices, Plaintiff Hicks, who received only excellent performance reviews over his 24-year tenure with Campbell’s sales force, “saw a steady stream of white co-workers progress through the ranks of Territory Manager, Account Manager, Account Executive, District Manager, Regional Manager and beyond, while he and his African American co-workers remained in entry level Territory Manager positions despite their years of experience and their qualifications.”

The complaint asserts that Campbell’s began requiring or strongly preferring four-year college degrees for all new Territory Managers on the sales force in an effort to justify its discriminatory treatment of African Americans. Campbell’s instituted this requirement without ever conducting any studies to determine if a college degree was a bona fide occupational qualification for this position, or any other position within the career path to higher level positions within its sales force. The Commission concluded that the bachelor’s degree requirement “would have an adverse disparate impact against African American job applicants and/or employees that would not satisfy the business necessity test as a requirement for hiring.”

Furthermore, according to the suit, for those very few African Americans who do advance past entry level positions, there is a “glass ceiling” that prevents them from being considered for higher management positions.

There was a time when Campbell’s hired an African American Director of Human Resources. The Director admitted to Plaintiff Hicks the existence of both a glass ceiling and a “glass wall.” This same Director appointed the company’s first African American Account Executive. Within months, Campbell’s decided to eliminate the Executive’s position and offered the African American individual a position three levels below the Account Executive position. The African American employee resigned from the company. Within three months of his resignation, Campbell’s reinstated the Account Executive position, and hired a white individual.

The lawsuit also charges that African American employees’ compensation is adversely affected by Campbell’s discriminatory actions. According to the complaint, African American sales personnel are not only affected by unfair promotion procedures, but are assigned to smaller accounts in remote locations, negatively impacting their compensation. Furthermore, African American sales employees are allegedly compensated at the lower end of the salary range for their job level. Thus, any percentage of salary merit increase compensates white employees at a higher rate than African American employees. Decisions as to account assignments, salary and merit increases are left to the discretion of the predominantly white supervisors.

Plaintiff Hicks filed the class action suit on behalf of himself and all African Americans employed by Campbell’s in salaried sales positions in the United States at any time after July 7, 2003. The suit seeks an injunction to end Campbell’s discriminatory practices and prevent current and future harm, as well as compensatory and punitive damages for the Plaintiff and the class.

STAR & BUC WILD: Hip Hop Hookups