Friday, June 1, 2012

Palace Featured Artist: Chipz Da General: Pressure From The West Side Of The Bronx

Chipz Da General

The Bronx has another player in the game of hip hop with Chipz Da General making his way through the industry. Chipz Da General has been making a name for himself in hip hop since he picked up the microphone. He got his nickname from being about money in his neighborhood and because as he says moved like a general.

“I’m a ten toes type of dude, I get money and call shots” says Chipz.

He was born in Harlem but was raised his whole life in the Bronx, specifically the Kingsbridge area. He started rapping at age 9 because his older brother “Cashes Klay” rapped.

“From there, being around him always it inspired me to do it but I was more into being behind the scenes” says Chipz. Since he has been involved in rap game, he hooked up with Square Gang who would later become Square Off (Dougie Fresh’s sons ), went solo, dropped his first official mixtape Volume 1: Leader of the New Skool and since has grown his presence in the game. Since then Chipz has dropped approximately eight projects including mixtapes like Salute The General 1 and 2, Recession Proof, and Braggin Rights. He signed to a label called Macktown, distributed by Sony, and recorded a project called Recession Proof and he thought things were good until there was an abrupt stop to things.

“One day the calls stopped” says Chipz. “I was on tour and then everything just stopped”, the people I signed to got into something bad with Sony so they froze everything coming from Macktown” says Chipz.

Around this time he was being managed by Foxx of M.O.P. and she wasn’t allowed into the building. According to him, they tried to get out of the deal but they wouldn’t let him go. Since Chipz couldn’t get out of the deal, he just recorded and sat on his music until his contract expired. From there he started working with Jimmy Kendricks and bumped into Raekwon.

"I went to his album release party and a couple months later, I got a call to fly to L.A., it was supposed to be for 3 days and I ended up staying" says Chipz.

He moved to Studio City in Hollywood and dropped his mixtape Follow My Lead while he was managed by Raekwon. His current mixtape is called Better Than A Gift and it is hosted by DJ Kay Slay. Chipz says the difference between then and now is the viral game.

"I didn’t have videos before now everything is viral" says Chipz. "When I was with Raekwon, his people always had cameras, nobody wants to read, they want to see what you doing" says Chipz.
The video work is done by a team called The Cabinet.

"They would come to New York or I would go to North Carolina and shoot it for no money" says Chipz.

Now Chipz is signed to Jas Group Entertainment and he got involved with them after leaving his situation with Raekwon. Chipz formed a relationship with the owner and they decided to work together.

"Jas Group got me working, hosting events, going out on tour" says Chipz.
Jas Group recently did a movie which Chipz is starring in called Los Blancos which also features Rosa Acosta, Maino, Shakur Sozadah, and Ramona Rizzo of Mob Wives. They are currently shopping the movie. As for Chipz, he is hitting the tour circuit and has plans on dropping his new album No Days Off which he says will drop in the summer. He says he may drop a few mixtapes before the album comes out. Chipz is also getting his C.E.O. on with his new artist Stro Pesci who is droppinh his mixtape Everybody Hates Chris. Chipz says about Pesci he is like my “Memphis Bleek”. As for artists coming up Chipz has some advice for them.

“Don’t do it for the money, don’t bank on it" says Chipz. "It’s a lot of hard work and dedication to it. You are going to win some and lose a lot."

As for his movement, Chipz says “look out for everything we doing, grab that mixtape hosted by DJ Kay Slay and stay tuned for Los Blancos and everything from Money Under Pressure, Jas Group Entertainment, this is going to be a major year for us.”

Better Than A Gift Mixtape
Chipz Da General Twitter
Chipz Da General Website
Jas Group Entertainment

 Chipz Da General: Pressure From The West Side Of The Bronx

Justin Bieber Passes Out After Slamming Into Glass Wall



During a performance on what he calls, “the tallest building in Paris” yesterday evening, Justin Bieber had a run in with a glass wall while taking a break in between songs. Instead of reaching for the railing as he intended to do, he slammed into the glass wall. According to a post interview of the ordeal with TMZ, he felt light-headed at first but continued to perform the remainder of the concert.

However, after the performance, the pop star passed out on the stairs on the way to his dressing room. He was unresponsive for fifteen seconds, but managed to get back up. Doctors later confirmed he had a concussion, but is expected to recover. Biebs told TMZ he experienced a headache directly after, but feels fine now.

This isn’t the first time the singer's skull has met with glass fixtures. Head over to TMZ to check out the entire phone interview, plus a video of Justin Bieber’s past run in with a revolving door.

Floyd Mayweather's time to head to jail has come, but will any lessons come of it?


LAS VEGAS – In January, June 1 seemed like such a long time away. There were $250,000 cars to buy, luxury vacations to take, a fight to win and basketball games on which to bet.

But June 1 is here and barring a last-minute reprieve the best boxer in the world will find himself in a tiny prison center in his adopted hometown.



6x10 jail cell

Floyd Mayweather Jr. will be alone in his 6x10 jail cell. (Clark County Detention Center)Floyd Mayweather Jr. will report to Judge Melissa Saragosa's courtroom inside the Clark County Justice Center at 10:45 a.m. PT on Friday and be handed over to authorities to begin serving the remainder of a 90-day jail sentence. The unbeaten Mayweather, a five-division world champion, pleaded guilty in December to misdemeanor domestic violence charges after accepting a plea agreement. He had been facing 34 years on a variety of felony charges.

For at least the next two months, he'll trade his posh 22,000-square foot home complete with a two-story movie theater and 24-foot high ceilings for a 6-foot by 10-foot jail cell inside the Clark County Detention Center in downtown Las Vegas.

There was plenty of outrage Jan. 6 when Saragosa delayed Mayweather's report date by five months so he could fight Miguel Cotto. For delaying the sentence, something that is commonplace, Saragosa took more criticism than Mayweather, who pled guilty to domestic battery after a 2010 incident in which he allegedly assaulted Josie Harris, the mother of three of his children.

The question is, what good will come of however many of the 87 days remaining on Mayweather's sentence he actually serves? Domestic violence is a serious crime and violence against women must be taken seriously – more seriously than it has been.

Mayweather attorney Richard Wright said he expected the sentence to be reduced to "something around two months" when good behavior is factored in.

The truth of what happened that night inside Harris' home in the 3800 block of Tropical Vine in Las Vegas is known only by Mayweather, Harris and two of their sons.

A police report at the time of the incident indicated that the then-10 year-old Koraun Mayweather told police he saw his father hitting and kicking his mother. He also said that his father threatened to beat him if he left the house. However, Koraun Mayweather did reportedly leave and alerted authorities.

Harris has not spoken publicly about the incident. Mayweather has consistently denied hitting Harris and has repeatedly asked, "Where are the pictures?" of an injured Harris.

Mayweather was not available to speak to the media Thursday, even though his manager, Leonard Ellerbe, told Yahoo! Sports he "absolutely would" arrange an interview with the fighter before Mayweather had to report to jail.

Ellerbe failed to return calls Thursday.

Wright said he spoke to the boxer Wednesday. He said Mayweather was handling matters "about as you'd expect," and said Mayweather told him, "It is what it is," regarding his impending jail sentence.

Wright said Mayweather accepted the plea deal so his son wouldn't be forced to testify. Mayweather said the same thing to the Nevada Athletic Commission during a Jan. 31 licensing hearing.

"I did with Floyd what I do with all of my clients – I laid out to him the scenarios," Wright said. "In the worst-case scenario, he was facing a felony prosecution [that carried a maximum 34-year sentence]. I'm not saying anything of the probabilities, just what he was facing. I have had people insist innocence, but when facing a felony prosecution and a lengthy imprisonment, when an offer of a plea bargain comes that will give you a non-felony and no jail time, well, principle, truth, justice, all of that often goes out the window.

"If it's a thing where you don't go to jail, you don't get a felony and you accept this plea, that's a lot more attractive than rolling the dice and taking a chance on what a jury might do. Without a doubt, Floyd's intent was [to save his son from testifying], and he did what he thought was best for him and his family."

But Mayweather will go to jail, even if for a relatively short time. Wright said he felt the Clark County District Attorney initially overcharged the boxer. The grand larceny charge was for taking iPhones belonging to Harris and their sons, items that are worth more than $250.

"In truth, whenever you have a domestic situation, they wind up taking something, a phone, the car keys, anything, and you wind up like this," Wright said. "If I went through all the files and started pulling up all the cops and all the firemen in this town who had [domestic violence incidents] and took the keys or a phone or something like that, that's all the DA would be doing would be prosecuting those kinds of cases."

He said Mayweather complied with the community service requirements of the sentence Saragosa imposed.

The sentence shouldn't affect Mayweather's ability to fight again in 2012 should he so choose. If he's released from jail in late July or early August, he'll have plenty of time to prepare for a November or December fight.

From the Desk of....


COMPASSIONATE, QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT.

What a privilege it is to touch the lives of many by making a difference in the entertainment community.
Our team members fulfill our mission to heal the health of the entertainment industry everyday.

We are honored to be ranked as excellent by the nation as an independent organization that provides information to help artist make informed decisions. While national attention is humbling, out focus remains on you the A&R-the people of our company.
We will continue working to serve you better with major investments in the quality of our services. We continue to invest in technology to increase our efficiency and enhance artist distribution, including songwriting, copyrights and publishing which will be fully operational in 2013.

Our compassion drives our staff to improve the quality of services we provide. We know it’s not enough to say it. We have to prove it.
We are grateful to our talented staff, artists, writers, social networkers, producer’s, interns, promoters and volunteers –great people who make a difference everyday. And we thank you for trusting us to provide compassionate, quality distribution services.

Kamal Jabbar

Justin Combs Tells His UCLA Haters:

"Nobody Can Hold Me Down" (DETAILS)

Posted 4 hours 3 min ago by BlogXilla for Global Grind Staff
Justin Combs and his parents Sean Diddy Combs and Misa Hylton Brim aren't letting the haters' hurt put a damper on how proud they are of their son.

DETAILS: Mo Money! Mo Problems! Diddy's Son Justin Receiving Backlash For Scholarship!
The happy parents threw a big shindig to celebrate Justin's high school graduation and full ride to UCLA, as many people expect Forbes king Diddy to foot Justin's tuition.

Now for the first time, Justin is speaking out about the people who have something negative to say regarding his $54,000 Merit-Based Scholarship.
The star football recruit said:
"Regardless what the circumstances are, I put that work in!!!! PERIOD. Regardless of what you do in life every1 is gonna have their own opinion. Stay focused, keep that tunnel vision & never 4get why u started."
One glimpse of that quote and you see why this mature teen pulled in a 3.75 GPA while bringing home multiple football awards.
Momma Misa didn't remain quiet either. She chimed in, saying:
"My Son is his own man. He will earn his own way through life. I'm so proud of my baby ♥ it starts now! He is exactly the young man I raised him to be ☺ #independent #hardworking #intelligent"
We can't deny that Diddy and Misa raised one hell of a young man! Justin, do your thing at UCLA.


Read more: http://globalgrind.com/entertainment/justin-combs-ucla-scholarship-responds-haters-details#ixzz1wYz8M6Cn

Eric Holder Asks Black Churches to Join the Fight for Voting Rights

The attorney general says a "sacred right" is under attack.



In 1967, after the civil rights movement had forced the "sagging walls of segregation to come tumbling down," Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. famously asked, "Where do we go from here?" It is a question, noted Attorney General Eric Holder in a keynote speech delivered to the Conference of National Black Churches Wednesday, that civil rights activists leaders and activists must ask themselves today. That is because, despite all of the gains in all areas of American life that Blacks and other people of color have made since the civil rights movement, their most fundamental right — the right to vote — is at stake.

In addition to "the all-too-common deceptive practices we’ve been fighting for years," Holder said, states across the nation are making changes to their voting laws that have forced those who risked their lives fighting for voting rights to recall the fears and frustrations they experienced decades ago.

Also increasingly under attack is Section 5 of the
Voting Rights Act of 1965, which requires states with a history of discrimination to pre-clear any changes to their voting laws with the Justice Department before they can be implemented, by opponents who argue that it's no longer necessary.

"I wish this were the case. But the reality is that, in jurisdictions across the country, both overt and subtle forms of discrimination remain all too common — and have not yet been relegated to the pages of history," Holder said.

The Justice Department is currently litigating four challenges to Section 5, examining several redistricting plans to ensure they don't dilute minority voting power in local jurisdictions, procedures that make it more difficult for organizations like the League of Women Voters to register voters, voter ID requirements and other changes to ensure there is no discriminatory purpose or effect. Under his watch, his department has taken on more than 100 cases related to voting rights, which he said was a record.

"If a state passes a new voting law and meets its burden of showing that the law is not discriminatory, we will follow the law and approve the change," Holder said. "And, as we have demonstrated repeatedly, when a jurisdiction fails to meet its burden of proving that a proposed voting change would not have a racially discriminatory effect — we will object, as we have in 15 separate cases since last September."




Is That Your Chick? 10 Females Who Sparked Feuds Between Rappers

Want to piss off a rapper?


Ri Ri and CB
Tell him he doesn't have as much money as you. Tell him his car isn't as nice as yours. Tell him his house isn't as big as yours. And then, if none of that works, tell him you had "relations" with his girl. If that doesn't piss him off, nothing will.

Since the beginning of time, males have been arguing over females. Is it childish? Yes. Is it immature? Of course. Does it usually get out of hand to the point that the girl standing in the middle of two guys feels uncomfortable about the whole thing? It sure does. But, it happens. And, when it comes to rappers throwing disses at one another, it's a way of life.

Case in point: Meek Mill, Chris Brown, and Drake exchanged shots with one another last weekend over Rihanna. Meek claimed CB took him off a song on his Fortune album because of some rumors about him and Rih-Rih. Breezy threw a subliminal back at him and her. And then Drizzy got involved by insinuating that he had been intimate with CB's ex-girl. It was all pretty ridiculous. But, at the same time, it showed how emotional men can get when it comes to a woman.

Rihanna definitely isn't the first female to spark a feud amongst rappers, though. Over time, there have actually been quite a few females who have done it. So, we put together a list of the 10 Females Who Sparked Feuds Between Rappers. These lovely ladies pissed off a handful of rappers and almost started all-out wars.

http://www.epublicitypr.com/opk.php?id=1070&view=new_bio

Thursday, May 31, 2012

50 Cent Says He Hasn’t Spoken To Lloyd Banks’ In 9-Months

According to Fif, Banks’ youth and personal habits have swayed him away from keeping in close contact for nine months.


Fif and Banks

“He goes through these things where there’s no communication and he goes off and does what he wants, it’s set at that point because I’ve spent marketing dollars so he can go wherever he wants to go and actually go do shows, make money and do other things,” 50 told radio host Big Boy. “At that point, it’s fine for him to move around and go do it by himself. I want them to be individuals and operate on their own away from me, I’m fine with it. … We can get on the phone together, but I haven’t spoken to him. I haven’t spoken to Banks in nine months. But this is not the first time this has happened. He’s a baby. He’s the youngest in the actual G-Unit, he got really rich at 19. Both him and Tony [Yayo] have made over nine million dollars. With [Young] Buck, it was almost eight million dollars.”

Who is Palace Music Group LLC?

Palace Music Group LLC




Palace Music Group, LLC is comprised of knowledgeable individuals operating with the right mixture of leadership, talent cultivation, foresight, planning, timing and game plan execution. Palace Music Group distributes unsigned independent artists from ALL genres.

RODMAN SENTENCED IN CHILD SUPPORT CASE


RANGE, Calif. -- Former NBA star Dennis Rodman might soon find himself working with at-risk teens or cleaning up streets.
The flamboyant former player known for his rebounding skills and wild, off-court behavior was sentenced Tuesday to 104 hours of community service after being found guilty last year of four counts of contempt for failing to pay child support.
D Rodman 2012 Photo Courtesy of VIBE

The ruling also placed Rodman, 51, on three years of informal probation on the condition he keep up his child and spousal support payments.
It was the latest development in a series of legal disputes that began in 2004, when Rodman's wife at the time filed for divorce.
Orange County Superior Court Commissioner Barry Michaelson urged Rodman – who wore a black button down shirt and jeans to the family court hearing – to put his basketball skills to good use in his service.

Rita Ora Appears on X Factor UK, Announces Album Title

Rita Ora Appears on X Factor UK, Announces Album Title
 
Rita Ora looked stunning in a red suit during a recent appearance on the X Factor UK as Kelly Rowland’s temporary replacement. The ex-Destiny Child quit the show earlier this month.


While there, Rita Ora announced the title of her debut album. The LP, which features appearances from Tinie Tempah and Azealia Banks will be called ORA. A release date has yet to be set, but it’s said the title will be an acronym and will follow after Rita finishes her stint on Coldplay’s international tour.



What do you think ORA will stand for?

$1 Million Powerball Ticket Players Hit Big In Iowa

$1 Million Powerball Ticket Players Hit Big In Iowa





Two more people got a little luck on their side recently, when they won $1 million off of a Powerball ticket.

In Northumberland County, the winning ticket correctly matched all five white balls—13-14-41-49-59—but not the red Powerball 14, for a $1 million second-tier prize, less 25 percent federal withholding.

The retailer where the ticket was purchased is also getting a bit of cash, receiving a $5,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

Over in Council Bluffs, Iowa, someone who bought a Powerball ticket at a convenience store won a $1 million prize in Wednesday night’s drawing. The winner, like the previously mentioned one, also matched the first five numbers—9-10-24-52-56—but missed the Powerball.

Oddly enough, this is the second win for the town. In April, a Council Bluffs woman claimed a $1 million Powerball prize with a ticket she bought at a supermarket.

Although we might be lowkey hatin' a little bit inside, it's still nice when normal people get free money!

Diggy Goes #1 On 106 & Park! (VIDEO)

Posted  byGlobal Grind Staff




Diggy said it best, It’s been debated and contemplated if Diggy’s overrated - and the answer to that is clearly, no.With just his debut album under his belt, 17-year-old Diggy Simmons has taken the music world by storm. In his latest female-friendly single, "4 Letter Word," Diggy shows the world he has true talent, both singing a rapping to a lucky female about his feelings for her.

VIDEO: Diggy Simmons "Two Up"
And, only days after premiering the video for "4 Letter Word" on BET's 106 & Park, Diggy has gone number one. Proud, yes. Surprised, no. Diggy has serious talent and is putting in the footwork to make himself a legend one day.

And, you can't forget, 106 & Park is voted by the fans, so it's safe to say Diggy has some of the best fans in the world. And he knows it too.


Read more: http://globalgrind.com/music/diggy-goes-1-106-park-video#ixzz1wTFC4vCN

Really?! Fox News Airs Anti-Obama Ad (VIDEO)

Fox and Friends aired a calumnious four-minute video on its Wednesday show
 
                
Fox and Friends aired a calumnious four-minute video on its Wednesday show.


Staying in line with Fox News’ policy on objectivity, the video, which the hosts of the show advertised as taking a "look back" at President Barack Obama's four years in office, was obviously a Republican attack ad. It was aired multiple times throughout the show.
Fox News later issued a statement disavowing the ad and attributing it to an associate producer.
"We decided to take a look back at the president's first term to see if it lived up to hope and change," host Gretchen Carlson said.
In the video, which is labeled as a "Fox and Friends Presents" production, images are shown of Obama talking about jobs contrasted with footage of homeless people. There is dark, foreboding music, and statistics about the unemployment rate, the rise in the number of food stamps, and the national debt, among other things.
The hosts heaped lavish praise on the producer of the video, saying that it had taken a "tremendous amount of research" to put together.
Some media critics were outraged by the video. The Baltimore Sun's David Zurawik denounced, calling it reminiscent of "1930s propaganda":
“As the guy who challenged the Obama administration two years when it tried to deny Fox News access to interviews and other opportunities offered to the media on the grounds that Fox was not a legitimate news operation, I have to tell you even I am shocked by how blatantly Fox is throwing off any pretense of being a journalistic entity with videos like this. Don't be fooled by Bret Baier's Boy Scout smile or all the talk about how some shows are news and some are opinion on the channel. Any news organization that puts up this kind of video is rotten to the core."
Conservative commentators also expressed discomfort with the video. Hot Air's Ed Morrisey said, "it didn't seem like something a news organization should be producing":
"I know the initial response will be that other news organizations offer biased perspectives and hagiographies of Obama that go well beyond a single video … and that response is entirely valid. However, we usually criticize that kind of behavior with other news organizations, too. If anyone wanted to look for evidence that the overall Fox News organization intends to campaign against Obama rather than cover the campaign, this video would be difficult to refute as evidence for that claim.”
Really Fox, that is utterly deplorable. You should be ashamed to even call yourself a news organization. Hopefully with a video such as this your true colors are revealed to those blinded by your deception.


Read more: http://globalgrind.com/news/fox-news-airs-anti-obama-ad-video#ixzz1wTEFvBhc

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

MARY J. BLIGE SPEAKS OUT ON UNPAID CHARITY LOAN ALLEGATIONS


MARY J. BLIGE SPEAKS OUT ON UNPAID CHARITY LOAN ALLEGATIONS



Mary J. Blige is facing more drama this week after her non-profit organization FFAWN (Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now) was sued over an unpaid loan. The R&B songstress addressed the allegations during a phone call with Angie Martinez.
On Sunday, TMZ reported that TD Bank had filed suit against Blige and co-founder Steve Stoute over a $250,000 loan that the charity took out in June 2011. According to the suit, FFAWN agreed to pay the money back, but as of December 2011, they had only paid back $368.33. Additionally, the non-profit didn’t file a federal tax return for 2010 and is being sued by musicians who claim they were not paid to perform at a 2011 fundraising gala.
Speaking from Beijing, China, where she was performing at an event for Armani, Blige admitted FFAWN’s faults and explained how she was working to remedy the situation.
“FFAWN has been mismanaged and when I found out about all these issues, I immediately got on the phone with my lawyersand my advisers and tried to fix this so that none of those women would suffer,” said the singer. “My goal is to do exactly what I set out to do. My motives were true and upfront. I set out to empower and encourage women, but it turns out the business part of it was not managed properly.”
While she didn’t mention any specific names, she placed blame on those running the organization. “I just found out that when you don’t hire the right people and have them in the right places, doing the right things, and they don’t have the same motives that you do, your business suffers,” she continued. “And there’s a business to giving as well. So you have to have the right people to make sure everybody’s straight.”


We specialize in Online Digital Distribution, Television and Movie Rights Synchronization.


In case you missed PMG LIVE RADIO INTERVIEW click the following link;


We specialize in Online Digital Distribution, Television and Movie Rights Synchronization. Palace Music Group, LLC is comprised of knowledgeable individuals operating with the right mixture of leadership, talent cultivation, foresight, planning, timing and game plan execution.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lovejones09/2012/05/29/palace-music-group-llc

Elton John is on the mend at home after a serious respiratory infection


Elton John to Resume Live Dates After Chest Illness

Elton John is on the mend at home after a serious respiratory infection sidelined him and sent him to a Los Angeles hospital last week, his civil partner David Furnish said Tuesday.

"Thank you for your well wishes," Furnish told reporters at the Glamour Women Of The Year Awards in London. "He's doing incredibly well and recovering."

John is expected to attend an event in London on Wednesday to mark the 3,000th West End performance of "Billy Elliot: The Musical," which he wrote music far.

He is then scheduled to start his summer tour on Friday (June 1) in Wetzlar, Germany. A spokesman told BBC News the chest infection has not changed any of the star's plans. "It's nothing more than a chest infection, you rest and it's better. Everything that's planned is still happening."

A message on the singer's website states he is "very excited" about playing at The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace on Monday (June 4) alongside other performers including Paul McCartney and Kylie Minogue.

John was briefly hospitalized last Wednesday in Los Angeles with what his rep called a "serious respiratory infection." He was forced to cancel three of his performances at his residency in Las Vegas.

That show, "The Million Dollar Piano," launched in September for a three-year run at Caesars Palace.

Elton John

Rico Love Talks Working With Diddy, Rick Ross & Usher's 'Looking 4 Myself' Album


This month has been memorable for Rico Love. 

by Tyler K. McDermott, N.Y.
Rico Love With Usher Raymond Photo Courtesy of Billboard Magazine
After celebrating his second win for Songwriter of the Year at SESAC Annual POP awards on May 10, Rico Love's latest effort, Rick Ross' "Touch 'N You," debuted at No. 74 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with 1.7 million audience impressions on May 26. 

The songwriter and producer has been crafting chart-topping hits for Usherand a variety of artists for over eight years. He is currently the creative voice behind several tracks on Usher's "Looking 4 Myself" album and Trey Songz' "Heart Attack," which moves from No. 11 to No. 9 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart last week. The Juice had the opportunity to catch up with Rico Love to discuss the story behind "Touch N' You," his friendship with Usher, and future plans for his Division 1 imprint.

Your latest production effort with Rick Ross and Usher, "Touch N' You," jumped from No. 74 to 41 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. How does it feel to have another hit on your hands?
It always feels good. That never gets old. I'm excited. When it stops being exciting, I think I won't do it anymore. I wanted to create for Ross whatBiggie used to have. I feel like he never had that "One More Chance" record, that Big Poppa swag. I wanted to do something special for him.

How did you and Rick Ross come together on the song?
Spence, who's A&R for MMG (Maybach Music Group), came to see me and was like, "Yo, we're going to play some stuff." I played him a bunch of stuff I'm doing for Wale's album. I'm kind of cool with them. Me and Ross always had love and French Montana is a really good friend of mine. So Spence was like, "Let me hear some joints." He came through and loved the records he heard. He said, "Yo, I have to hook you up with Ross." The next day, Ross called and said, "Come to the house." I went over there and played him a bunch of records and saved "Touch N' You" for last. I brought Ma$e over there too. Ma$e is like my big brother. He was like, "Yo, make sure you play the "Touch N' You" record; that's special." I played it for him (Ross) and he loved it.
I sent it to Usher the next day and he loved it so we knocked it out quick. It was like two week process. In industry time, that's pretty fast [considering] the caliber of Usher and Ross.

You've written and produced countless of songs for Usher. How has the friendship between you two grown over the years?
He watched me from the very beginning. He gave me my first shot in the music business as an artist and as a writer. I've always had admiration and respect for him. Then throughout these past few years, our friendship grew to another level. He was always like a big brother to me. We vacation together. Our kids hang out together. That type of thing. He's just really one of my best friends. I'm blessed to be able to say that Puff Daddy and Usher are my best friends. I feel like the coolest kid on the block.

What can we expect to hear on Usher's upcoming album "Looking 4 Myself"?

I wrote five songs on the album. I was a part of this whole process from beginning to end. The titled track, "Looking 4 Myself," is a song that I wrote and produced. I feature Empire of the Sun on it. Usher introduced me to their music at Coachella last year. If you're not familiar with Empire of the Sun, you'll automatically find [that] the sound isn't what you're used to hearing from Usher.

What he wanted to do [on "Looking 4 Myself"] was explore himself musically. He stepped outside of what was safe and normal. He wanted to make an album that expressed where he was going sonically and not just where he's been for the past 12 to 15 years. He's growing, developing, moving, shaking, and being something that's new, cultural, and that's affecting people sonically. That's kind of forcing the people to grow and elevate.

"Climax" is such a strong record that people don't even realize that it's not an R&B song. It feels so good to people that he just grows with them. 


How would you say Usher has developed as an artist?

Vocally, he gets better every time. But that's because he goes back and trains his vocals every time for an album. I've never seen an R&B artist work as hard as Usher. Just in developing himself and getting his fitness and physical in condition. He does cardio, sings, and makes sure to stretch his vocals.

But on the process from then to now, he felt like all he could do is soul music. Now he's realizing he's a soul artist. So anything that he does is going to have a little soul to it. He's still a soul singer but it just so happens that he might sing a record that might appeal to more of a pop audience. He's not afraid to do it. He's not afraid to express himself and keep that balance.

Is there a specific artist you enjoy working with or song you enjoyed producing?
All of them are like my babies. I love all of the songs that I write. It's like asking a mom who's her favorite kid. All of them are special to me. "There Goes My Baby," BeyoncĂ©'s "Sweet Dreams," and Trey Songz' "Heart Attack" are some of my favorite songs I ever wrote.

Kelly Rowland's "Motivation" is one of my favorite melodies I ever wrote. It was so challenging. A lot of people caught it right away and some didn't. it ended up being number one for eight weeks. I was excited to be able to cross those lines sonically that wasn't so obvious but was more in a subtle way.

I have a song on the Usher album called "Dive" and "Lessons for the Love" that I'm really excited for people to hear.

What was your most memorable studio session?
[It was] the first time I worked with Puff. I really looked up to Diddy and when we went in the studio he had me stuck in that studio for 12 hours. Everything I did, he didn't like. He heard all these things about Rico Love, how Rico Love is this illest and is about to be the next dude in the game, but he wasn't impressed with anything I was doing. At the end of the night he told me, "Just go home man. Maybe this time we couldn't get it, but next time." I said, "I'm not leaving the studio until I get you a number one record." He's giving me all of these beats so I decided to go into a stash of beats that Danja had sent me and wrote "Hello, Good Morning" at four in the morning, right before he caught a flight. He played it back 10 times and said, "I like this one." I just remember being so focused and determined on giving him a hit record because he's somebody I've idolized my whole life. I wasn't going to go home because he said to go home. I was going to stay and give him a hit record.

You've also worked with Trey Songz on his latest single "Heart Attack." How was it working with him?
Trey is a friend. Trey is one of the coolest, most humble, and funniest people I know. I'm just happy about the relationship I'm building with him. He was open to a lot of the suggestions I had. At times he can be more hands on in terms of doing the song. But he was more open to what I had to say. It's doing so amazing at radio. I think it's going to be one of those crossover records he hasn't had in his career.


You also have pursued a solo career but have decided against releasing anything in the past. Are you looking to resurrect your career anytime soon?
No. I'm cool with being behind the scenes. Also, it would be so clichĂ©. You have Sean GarrettKeri HilsonThe-Dream and Ne-Yo, who were all songwriters and became artists. If I did that, I'd feel like they'd be like, "Oh, there goes another one." I'd rather be myself and original.

What's coming up for Division 1 in 2012?
I've got this artist, Rabbit from D.C. that I'm super excited about. Rabbit released her joint yesterday featuring Wale, called "#SoFuckinFine." I've [also] got Teairra Mari and an artist by the name of M.J., a male R&B vocalist that I'm super excited about.  We're just heating the streets up.

It's just about development at this point. I don't want to make the same mistake as before where I [just] put out songs. I'm really in the developmental stages, by having everyone build a following and a brand. That's what's it's really about for me at this point, putting in that work and the time.

SEAN GARRETT OWES OVER $700,000 IN TAXES

Sean Garrett is in trouble for not paying his taxes.

Photo Courtesy of VIBE Magazine
Here we go again!
Sean Garrett is in trouble for not paying his taxes. Despite producing over 15 number one singles for some of the biggest names in hip-hop, the producer owes back taxes from 2006 and 2007 totaling a whopping $732,553.57.
According to TMZ, the government plans to garnish his wages. They have ordered BMI, the company responsible for collecting royalties, to turn over all of Garrett's earnings!
The 33-year-old's has made hits for Beyonce, Ciara, Nicki Minaj, Usher and more.

Palace Music Group LIVE RADIO INTERVIEW


Palace Music Group, LLC

We specialize in Online Digital Distribution, Television and Movie Rights Synchronization. Palace Music Group, LLC is comprised of knowledgeable individuals operating with the right mixture of leadership, talent cultivation, foresight, planning, timing and game plan execution. Palace Music Group distributes unsigned independent artists from ALL genres. 

In case you missed PMG LIVE RADIO INTERVIEW click the following link;


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

MIAMI MAN INVOLVED IN NAKED CANNIBAL ATTACK IDENTIFIED


File this under the "WTF?!" category.
The naked man seen chewing a man's face off on Miami Beach over the weekend has been identified, according to Local 10 News.
Rudy Eugene, of North Miami Beach, was shot multiple times by Miami Police after being caught in a cannibal attack Saturday.
"The guy was, like, tearing him to pieces with his mouth, so I told him, 'Get off!'" eyewitness Larry Vega told WSVN after flagging down a police officer when he saw Eugene chewing another man's face off. "The guy just kept eating the other guy away, like, ripping his skin."
The Miami Herald reported that the 31-year-old criminal has been arrested 8 times since he was 16-years-old, for battery charges and drug possession. The identity of Eugene's victim is believed to be a homeless man.
One of the Miami officials said "seventy-five to 80 percent of his (the victim's) face was missing," Armando Aguilar told NBC Miami. "He was actually swallowing pieces of the man's face." The New York Daily News quoted Vega as saying the scene was similar to that of a character on the Walking Dead.
As far as Eugene's motive for the assault, police say Eugene may have been suffering from a drug-induced psychosis which causes the body to heat up, prompting some users to strip in order to cool down.
His ex-wife says that the world seemed to be against him and that they parted ways when Eugene became more violent. "I wouldn't say he had [a] mental problem but he always felt like people was against him type of attitude," Jenny Ductant told Local 10. "No one was for him, everyone was against him."
We wonder why.