Drizzy Drops Half a Million Copies

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices

I took a poll of some of my industry homies last week to get a sense of how"Thank Me Later," the debut album for Drake, was going to sell. It turns out that out of those bold enough to make a prediction, my friends Michael Bivins (formerly of Belle, Biv, Devoe and New Edition) and Vigalantee (a rapper in Kansas City, MO), were closest. Vigalantee predicted 450,000 units and Mike Biv predicted 400,000. No matter how you slice it, Drake is now officially the shizzle.

It's not as if anyone is surprised by Drake's stellar debut. He and the rest of the Young Money clique did an outstanding job creating buzz for the album and Drake proved that even in the age of massive Internet pirating, he can still make his money.

 

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What's New in the world of Black Folks - 6/11/10

NBA Gets High Marks for Diversity in Annual Report Card

• According to Professor Richard Lapchick, author of the recent Racial and Gender Report Card for ... Read More
• By Dr. Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jun 12th 2010 11:20AM | Comments (0)

Obama's "Angry Black Man" Criticism: Isn't He Also Half White?

• In light of all of the interesting analysis that others have done regarding why President Barack ... Read More
• By Dr. Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jun 9th 2010 9:36PM | Comments (34)

CNN Asks Why Black Men Are Not Graduating From College

• Richelle Carey at CNN Headline News recently reached out to me to find out why black men aren't ... Read More
• By Dr. Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jun 5th 2010 4:24PM | Comments (32)

Dwyane Wade Given Temporary Custody of His Sons

• NBA star Dwyane Wade's divorce just got a little uglier. This week, the court gave Wade custody ... Read More
• By Dr. Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jun 4th 2010 8:51AM | Comments (33)

Could LeBron James' Mother Rumors Push Him Out of Cleveland?

• The world seems to be buzzing incessantly about the statements made by former NBA great Calvin ... Read More
• By Dr. Boyce Watkins, PhD on May 24th 2010 10:41PM | Comments (4)

 

Slim Thug and his comments about black women continue to get the artist into trouble.  Is he going to lose big money because of this?

Time for Hip Hop to Change

The age of the Hoochie Mama is over

by Dr. Boyce Watkins | TheLoop21 in Culture & Society

It's time for hip hop, and its audience, to grow up.

read more

Your Black News – 3/4/10

Was Ciara Mistaken For A Stripper?

NYC Courthouse Still Closed, Weezy Sentencing Delayed Again

Guru Issues Statement About Heart Attack

Regina King Excited & Frustrated About Return Of The Boondocks

Lil Wayne Performs At Jay-Z Concert For Last Night Of Freedom

St. Louis Rapper J-Kwon Is Missing

BP Member Spotlight: Paper Dolls Radio

Khia Says Trina Got That "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle"

Sources: Jackson Kids Tried Stunning Blanket

Allen Iverson Out For Rest Of Season

Arsonist Who Burned Gamble & Huff Studio Gets Bail Reduced

Jamie Foxx: "I Like ‘Em Thick In The Waist & Cute In The Face"

Rihanna Is Being Sued By Her Personal Trainer

Mo'Nique's Secret To A Happy Marriage? An Open One

Naomi Campbell Wanted For Allegedly Beating Up Her Driver

NAACP Image Award Trends: Blacks, Nudes + Plum Shadow

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What? Sippin Syrup is now being sold in stores?

by Dr Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

AOL Black Voices, Your Black World 

You've probably heard the phrase "sippin syrup," used in reference to the act of mixing cough syrup, codeine, and soda together to create a relaxed feeling within the person who consumes the beverage. The "drank" has become quite popular, particularly in the south, as rappers have done their jobs of giving free promotion to an illegal product that has managed to make teenagers even less productive than many of them already are.
It was only a matter of time before corporate America stepped in to make money off the trend. Meet the new drink on store shelves: Sippin Syrup. The drink doesn't use any illegal products, but produces the same "lean" effect that many young people seek from the cough syrup product on the street. Harmless enough, right? Not so fast.
Officers in the Houston area are concerned that the product sold on store shelves is nothing more than a gateway to an incredibly dangerous and addictive drug. The snazzy ad campaign fully leverages the power of the brand of "purple stuff" being sold on the streets already. Teenagers who can't get the real stuff would likely be enticed by the substitute until the door is open for the actual product.

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If the above link does not work, please click here to see Dr Boyce articles on AOL Black Voices

Did BET Go Too Far with Skank Robbers?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World, Syracuse University, AOL Black Voices 

During the BET Awards, Martin Lawrence and Jamie Foxx did a skit called "Skank Robbers," which you can watch below. Some have argued that the video goes over the top, producing stereotypical images of black women to the point of being offensive. Referring to them as "skanks" was enough to draw the ire of many African Americans, but there was also a point in the video in which the narrator says, "From the producers of 'Planet of the Apes'."

This video leads to the following questions as it pertains to BET:1) Who's making the decisions? I'd love to see what thought process goes into deciding to make R. Kelly your keynote performer right after he is accused of creating child pornography, or having Lil Wayne sing about wanting to have sex with every girl in the world while underage girls are dancing on stage. I don't hate BET, and I've done a great deal of work with them in the past, but I would like very much for them to explain to the public exactly how they operate.

 

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News: Jigga Rocks NYC Hard

 

For New Yorkers, every Sept. 11 is a chance to remember the dead and reaffirm the resiliency of the living.

Hometown hero Jay-Z did both Friday night, marking the eighth anniversary of the terrorist attacks with Answer the Call, a triumphant two-hour performance atMadison Square Garden.

"We're celebrating life tonight," said the 39-year-old, Brooklyn-born rapper, rallying the capacity crowd midway through his set. "We're celebrating strength tonight."

The concert, a fundraising event for the families of New York City police officers and firefighters who died responding to the attacks, featured nearly as many guest performers as it did hit songs.

 

Click to read.

Hammer Argues with the IRS

» by moguldom   Aug 14 2009, 10:29 am

As Hip-Hop Wired previously reported, MC Hammer seems to be having some new issues with the IRS. Well Hammer has come out disputing reports that he owes Uncle Sam about $625,000 in back taxes and says that the money he allegedly owes is from 15 years ago when he had his initial financial problems with the government. Hammer stated,

"I paid the IRS 100 percent of their claim. In the past year or so, they decided--wrongly--that I owed them additional taxes from 15 years ago. I am contesting this claim through my tax attorneys and my case is making its way through the IRS appeal process. I hope to be successful."

Hammer is currently being featured on

Lil Kim Gets out and Dances with the Stars

Lil Kim makes an appearance on Dancing with the Stars.  Click the image to see the performance!

Technorati Tags: lil kim,hip hop,black news,african american news,black celebrities,african american celebrities

Your Black World: Black Celebs at the All Star Game

Tons of celeb couples were spotted in Phoenix for All Star Weekend! I never seen so many pro athletes with their wives at one time I was shocked and appalled! Even Shaq dusted Shaunie off and brought her out! More pics coming soon!

Technorati Tags: black celebrities,african american celebrities,black news headlines,african american news

Report: Chris Brown Finally Addresses the Public

For over a week it seems that everyone but Chris Brown and Rihanna had something to say about their domestic violence incident, but Chris has finally broken his silence. Chris released a statement earlier today, check out what he had to say below.

“Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired. I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God’s help, to emerging a better person. Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else. Those posts or writing under my name are frauds.”

I am definitely glad to see that he is seeking help, and I kind of feel a little sorry for him.

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Posted By N. Taylor to Your Black Gossip at 2/15/2009 08:59:00 PM

 

Technorati Tags: chris brown,chrianna,chris brown and rihanna,black news,african american news,black celebrities,african american celebrities

Mistah Fab and from the Bay in Serious Car Crash – Major Injury

Bay Area rapper Mistah FAB was involved in a serious car accident Thursday night 2/5. FAb was on his way to LA. after performing in Bakersfield, California. Two other passengers sustained serious injury. His manager Stretch broke his back in the accident, while his DJ sustained a collapsed lung. According to updates on Mistah FAB's Twitter page, he was asleep while Stretch was driving through the Grapevine a major highway between Northern and Southern California. When control of the car was lost after hitting a puddle, and the car flipped. The rapper is currently at Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills, California recovering.

 

Posted By AutumnJones to yourblackhiphop at 2/10/2009 12:00:00 AM

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Technorati Tags: mistah fab,mister fab,bay area,rap,rappers,hip hop

The Barack Obama Artist Arrested for Outstanding Warrants

A street artist famous for his red, white and blue "Hope" posters of President Obama has been arrested on warrants accusing him of tagging property with graffiti, police said Saturday.

Shepard Fairey was arrested Friday night on his way to the Institute of Contemporary Art for a kickoff event for his first solo exhibition, called Supply and Demand.

Two warrants were issued for Fairey on Jan. 24 after police determined he'd tagged property in two locations with graffiti based on the Andre the Giant street art campaign from his early career, Officer James Kenneally said. One of the locations was the railroad trestle by the landmark Boston University bridge over the Charles River, police said.

Fairey, 38, of Los Angeles, is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Brighton District Court, said Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk District Attorney. Wark said Fairey would also be arraigned on a default warrant related to a separate graffiti case in the Roxbury section of Boston.

Fairey has spent the last two weeks in the Boston area installing the ICA exhibit and creating outdoor art, including a 20-by-50 foot banner on the side of City Hall, according to a statement issued Saturday by the museum.

 

Click to read.

 

Technorati Tags: barack obama,president barack obama,black politics,african american politics,black news,african american news

Hip Hop News: Pharrell on the Cover of Nylon Magazine

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Posted By AutumnJones to yourblackhiphop at 2/04/2009 12:20:00 PM

Technorati Tags: hip hop,rap,rappers

Your Black World: Jennifer Hudson's Big Return to the Super Bowl

The moment we all have been waiting for has finally come. Jennifer Hudson sung the National Anthem earlier tonight during Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, and as we all expected she sung her a*s off.
Check out the pics and performance below:

She is looking GORGEOUS and a lot slimer these days

Sang girl!!!

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Posted By N. Taylor to Your Black Gossip at 2/01/2009 10:27:00 PM

Technorati Tags: jennifer hudson,black news,african american news,black celebrities,african american celebrities