Common Talks Touring, Collaborating & Endorsements With N.E.R.D

Throughout his lengthy career in Hip-Hop, rapper Common has always been about his music more than anything. But recently the Chicago native jumped into a partnership with Microsoft that includes a feature on The Green Room, Zune's weekly video podcast along with his Microsoft-sponsored tour featuring N.E.R.D.
After touring and collaborating with Pharrell on his upcoming album, Common spoke to AdAge.com about his endeavors with the software giant. In a Green Room trailer preview [included below], he also speaks about the musical chemistry between himself and "Skateboard P."
"I know that Microsoft has been around for 20 years, they established themselves in the mid-'80s, and since then they've progressed," Common told AdAge.com. "Microsoft is classy, it's a timeless brand, and it means something to the world, internationally, and I felt like that's the direction of what I want Common to be, to be honest. I want to be timeless, I want to be international, and those are the things I feel like I'm working toward now."


Full Story at HIP HOP DX

VH1 Debuting Two Original Hip Hop Shows

In anticipation of its fifth annual "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" telecast, VH1 will premiere two original hip-hop themed programs. "100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs" and "VH1 Rock Doc: NWA: The World's Most Dangerous Group" will air Sept. 29 and Oct. 3, respectively.

"100 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs" is a five-part series that will count down the best hip-hop songs of all time, revealing the story behind each hit and updating viewers on what the artists are doing today. It also will feature original interviews and archival performances by Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Run DMC, Salt-N-Pepa, Outkast, Eminem and Grandmaster Flash.

Written and directed by Mark Ford, "VH1 Rock Doc: NWA: The World's Most Dangerous Group" takes a look back at the history of the famed L.A. rap outfit. The documentary will be narrated by comedian Chris Rock and will feature interviews with Ice Cube, MC Ren, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, Eazy-E's widow Tomica Woods-Wright, Ice T and director John Singleton, among others.

The shows will be part of VH1's on-air path towards the "VH1 Hip-Hop Honors," which airs Oct. 6. This year's honorees include Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Slick Rick, Naughty By Nature and Too Short. Big Boi, Biz Markie, Bun B, DJ Kaos, Ghostface Killah, Kid Rock, MC Lyte, Lil' Jon, Lil Wayne, Q-Tip, Scarface, Wyclef Jean, Cheech and Chong and Sanaa Lathan will make guest appearances.

Courtesy of HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

Katt Williams Returns to Host BET HIPHOP AWARDS!

Comedian Katt Williams has been tapped for the third time to host the “BET Hip Hop Awards,” airing next month.

The show will be taped in Atlanta on October 18th at the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center and is set to air days later on the network. As of press time the list of artists set to appear have not been announced.

In related news Williams made headlines earlier this year about possibly signing a deal with Comedy Central for a pilot of his own sketch comedy show, as well as another special from his, It's Pimpin' Pimpin' tour.

The tour, which recently ended, ranks as one of Pollstar's top live comedy acts of 2008, earning over $17 million in ticket sales and over half a million ticket-buyers since it launched in January. Williams plans to release his “It’s Pimpin Pimpin” DVD on Tuesday, November 11.

The “BET Hip Hop Awards” will air on at 8 p.m. on October 23rd.



Courtesy of SOHH

Ike kills 4 in Cuba, takes aim at Mexico, US Gulf

Hurricane Ike roared across Cuba west of the densely populated capital's aging buildings Tuesday after tearing down the length of the island nation, ravaging homes, killing at least four people and forcing 1.2 million to evacuate.

Residents in Texas and northern Mexico braced for a weekend hit from Ike, which has already killed at least 80 people in the Caribbean.

Winds howled and heavy rains fell across Havana, where streets were empty. Towering waves broke over the graceful Malecon seaside promenade, which police had barricaded off the previous evening. Many of the historic apartment buildings along its length are in poor repair and vulnerable to collapse.

Police spread out across the city to halt all but emergency and official traffic. Roadways were strewn with tree branches and rocks, and the rubble from crumbling balconies littered sidewalks. Navigation was banned in Havana Bay, its usually placid surface stirred up by white-capped waves.

Teresa Tejeda, scared to stay in her dilapidated Old Havana home, evacuated with several hundred other elderly people to a government shelter.





Full Story at Associated Press

Apple unveils 'thinnest iPod yet'

Apple has unveiled the latest version of its iPod Nano, featuring what is says are the thinnest measurements yet.

The fourth generation Nano was launched at a US press conference by Apple chief Steve Jobs, who announced new shuffle and library features.

He also listed the Nano's environmental credentials, including arsenic-free glass and a mercury and PVC-free body that is "highly recyclable".

The Nanos are expected to sell in the UK for £109 ($191) for the 8GB version.

The 16GB version will retail at £149.

Speaking live in San Francisco, Mr Jobs unveiled Apple's new Genius function which allows users to create automatic playlists from the iPod's library with the click of a button.

He said the function worked by taking one song and creating a playlist based on the user's song library and could also suggest other tracks the user might want to buy.

Mr Jobs said the new Nano also had a "shake to shuffle" mode, which sends the gadget to shuffle mode with the flick of a wrist.

The Apple chief executive officer said the company had sold more than 160 million iPods since the MP3 player was introduced seven years ago.
Courtesy of BBC

VH1 Announces 5th Annual "Hip Hop Honors" Performers

As momentum builds for the Oct. 6 airing of VH1's Hip Hop Honors, the network has announced the tentative roster of this year's performers. As previously announced on HipHopDX.com, Tracy Morgan will resume host duties. The 2008 ceremony will honor Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Slick Rick, Naughty By Nature and Too $hort. Big Boi of Outkast will be joined by Scarface, Lil Wayne, Ghostface Killah, Q-Tip, Lil John, Wyclef Jean, Kid Rock and MC Lyte will all perform to honor this year's guests in some capacity. Actress Sanaa Lathan will also be a part of the festivities as well as the comedy duo Robert "Cheech" Marin and Tommy Chong.

For those fortunate enough to attend the live event, the ceremony will be held Oct. 2 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. VH1 plans to announce additional performances and appearances closer to the show date, and updates will be provided at HipHop.Vh1.com. Much like last year's ceremony, awards for non-performing aspects of Hip Hop will be decided on by fans. Fan votes will be taken for Hip Hop's best radio station, gear site, blog, city and/or venue as well as the best overall Hip Hop website.

Courtesy of HipHOpDX

Hype Awards-South Africa

Best believe the HYPE: on the 12th to 14th of September, South Africa's hip hop mag, Hype Magazine, is throwing the first edition of their 'Hype in the streets' festival which culminates in the HYPE Hip Hop Awards. The event takes place at the Coca-Cola Dome (Johannesburg northern suburbs next to Northgate Shopping Centre) between 13-18 hrs on Friday and between 10-18 hrs on saturday and sunday. The host is none other than Lee Kasumba (YFM and African hip hop radio).

Being there you can expect the presence of most of the nominees listed below, plus a hip hop fashion show, soccer/basketball tournaments, mc battles and more. On Friday, school kids in uniform get in for free, to other earthlings a ticket costs R50.

Have a look at the extensive list of nominees which reads like a 'who's who' in modern hip hop culture in South Africa.

FOR NOMINEES CLICK HERE

'Climate crisis' needs brain gain

the Large Hadron Collider, the world's biggest physics experiment

The most brilliant minds should be directed to solving Earth's greatest challenges, such as climate change, says Sir David King.

The former UK chief scientist will use his presidential address at the BA Science Festival to call for a gear-change among innovative thinkers.

He will suggest that less time and money is spent on endeavours such as space exploration and particle physics.

He says population growth and poverty in Africa also demand attention.

"The challenges of the 21st Century are qualitatively different from anything that we've had to face up to before," he told reporters before the opening of the festival, which is being held this year in Liverpool.

"This requires a re-think of priorities in science and technology and a redrawing of our society's inner attitudes towards science and technology."


READ FULL STORY AT BBC.COM

'Betrayed' by MTV no more, Kanye West to close VMAs

It's Britney and Kanye together again.

Rap superstar Kanye West is set to close out the 2008 edition of the MTV Video Music Awards, according to MTV's site, to be held Sunday night at the Paramount Pictures lot in Los Angeles. West, who's not one to shy away from an award show billing, is apparently back on good terms with VMA producers. The far-from-shy rapper vowed to never again perform at the VMAs just one year ago, according to MTV.com.

Last year's VMAs, held in Las Vegas, had West performing off the mainstage, and shut out in all five categories he was nominated in. The Chicago-bred star also lashed out at the network for having Britney Spears open the show in what has become known as one of the more awkward live performances in television history.

After last year's telecast, West was quoted as saying MTV "exploited Britney in helping to end her career," and that he felt as if he "got betrayed" by MTV by having to appear on a secondary stage.

But West and award shows appear to have a love/hate relationship. He lashed out at American Music Awards in 2004, and the following year, he said "I'm gonna really have a problem" if he didn't win a Grammy for album of the year. He didn't win. Then in 2006, West declared: "If I don’t win, the awards show loses credibility,” after failing to win the best video prize at MTV Europe Awards.

FULL STORY AT LATIMES BLOG

Hurricane Ike A Menace As Oil, Gas Output Rises In US Gulf

Energy companies in and around the U.S. Gulf of Mexico continued to ratchet up operations, although there are early signs crude oil and natural gas output could once again be disrupted by a hurricane.

More than 20% of oil output and about 30% of natural-gas production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico had been restored as of Sunday, according to official data. Virtually all hydrocarbons output in the U.S. Gulf was shut in ahead of Hurricane Gustav.

All but four oil refineries were either producing gasoline and diesel or were readying equipment for processing. Most pipelines resumed flows after power was restored. Meanwhile, Hurricane Ike is forecast to move near or over eastern Cuba later Sunday barreling toward Cuba as a Category 4 storm.

Whether Ike becomes a menace to energy infrastructure in the Gulf of Mexico - and a force pressuring prices upward - depends on how the storm changes over Cuba and how developing weather systems steer it.

FULL STORY AT CATTLENETWORK.COM

Bow Wow, The Game Battle For 100k Tonight

West Coast rap star The Game and fellow rapper Bow Wow will finally see who the better video gamer is as they prepare to go head to head in a game of Madden NFL ‘09.



The meeting is scheduled to take place tonight [September 5] from 6 to 8 p.m. at a secret location.



The showdown comes weeks after Bow Wow issued a one on one challenge for $100,000 to the Game in August, in response to claims the Compton lyricist’s made on konsolekingz.com about being the top Madden player in the world.

FULL STORY at ALLHIPHOP

Common, Chrisette Michelle Headline Heineken Red Star Soul Concert

Grammy-award winning rapper Common will be among the artists on board to perform at this year's Heineken Red Star Soul concert series.

The event, which kicks off Aug. 15 at Boulevard3 in Los Angeles, will feature various entertainers including Chrisette Michelle, Alicia Keys, Erykah Badu, Raphael Saadiq and Raheem DeVaughn.
Check Out Full Article @ All Hip-Hop