One of the most influential executives in hip hop, Chris Lighty, was found dead in an apparent suicide Thursday.  Lighty, founder of Violator – a successful record label and marketing group, started his career when he used to carry crates of records for DJ Red Alert.  He joinded Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen’s Rush Artist Management afterwards and then formed Violator while also holding executive positions at Def Jam and other recording labels.

Known for his visionary moves, Lighty paved the way for today’s hip hop artists in expanding their brands in various industries, starting off with LL Cool J’s GAP commercial which essentially broke down hip hop’s exclusivity and making the genre more mainstream.

Aside from LL Cool J, Lighty also managed huge stars like Mariah Carey, 50 Cent, Missy Elliot, Sean “Diddy” Combs and also Ja Rule.

The hip hop world grieves and many notable artists expressed their sadness via Twitter.  Mary J Blige tweeted “U never know what can send a person over the edge or make them want 2 keep living” while Nicki Minaj said “Another tragic & inconceivable loss for the culture.”  A little bit ironic to what Lighty said to Billboard last July: “We’re constantly trying to move the culture forward,” as he referred to hip hop’s foray into the mainstream business world, using its artists and music.

The HipHopPress family would like to extend our deepest condolences to Lighty’s family and friends.  May he rest in peace.

Image: Guardian.co.uk

“Yes, I will rap at this concert,”

This was the brave and bold answer of Brooklyn Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov via an email sent by Crain. Prokhorov is reportedly to have been “in rehearsals 10 hours a day and plan to demand joint billing” when minority owner and rapper Jay-Z is set to open the $1 billion Barclay’s Center in downtown Brooklyn where the rapper is set to hold a series of sold-out concerts come this fall.

In a surprising feat, the Nets owner seems to be comfortable with his rapping repertoire and was even generous enough to shed his own beats:

“Mr. Jay-Z, this is the first presentation/Of real rap music from Russian Federation”

“Mr. Jay-Z, you are not alone/Mikhail Prokhorov on the microphone.”

Sure enough, Prokhorov knows how to handle his own rhymes and fans of the basketball team and Jay-Z himself will be in for a treat once the shows start to roll.

Caribbean Lifestyle streetwear brand RepJA is back with their hot new summer collection. “inspired by the gritty streets of Jamaica, this line salutes Jamaica’s 50 year independence and 50 years of strength within the Island culture. With their eye catching phrases and edgy designs, the slick imagery narrates an inner city story. Sure to cause a scorcher with their new line, RepJA continues to be a force to be reckoned with.

Some past and present celebrities to wear their clothing includes:
Wiz Khalifah,Serani, Mavado, DJ Green Lantern, Verse Simmonds, Kardinal Offishall, Chi-Ching Ching, That Kid Daytona, Miss Jamaica Cindy Wright, BET’s Buttahman, Max Glazer & Kenny Meez (federation sound)**

To view Rep Ja full collection log on to http://repja.com/

Keep up with REP JA :

www.facebook.com/repja

www.twitter.com/repja

www.youtube.com/repja

For Press contact Mariedrivenpr@gmail.com

About Stereo Boyz:

The Stereo Boyz consist of members Mixo (aka Applauze Beetz) and Mic Audio (aka Perfect Hell). Before becoming the super group Stereo Boyz, they were a part of the “Rhyme Asylum” (1999 – 2008), a group that claimed a reputation of being one of Detroit’s most hardcore underground rap groups. Performing since a young age, the two MCs have created an undeniable stage presence; they master the ceremony, and in countless freestyle competitions The Stereo Boyz have earned the respect of every emcee they came across.

With Mixo coming from Detroit and Mic Audio from Chicago they have created a perfect fusion of the Midwest. Combining strong lyrics with catchy hooks, their sound merges the best of both worlds: clever rhymes and beats that any hip hop fan will nod their head or move their feet to.The mixtape Sound Check Vol 1 was their first group effort and has earned praises from rap fans worldwide, as well as Mic Audios following solo project Biblical Fearical. The Stereo Boyz dropped their EP “Live from the Ghettoblaster” on January 22^nd, and their highly anticipated debut album Radio Heads was set to be released last summer. Constantly in the studio recording and working on new beats and rhymes, the group has several mixtapes from all group members coming out, making it impossible to be slept on.

The Stereo Boyz represent the past, present, & future of Detroit Hip-Hop. Their combination of Detroit Motown and Chicago’s House & Electro Pop sound has created a midwest masterpiece. Now it’s time to share that masterpiece with the world.

About the Song:

The Stereo Boyz love Music. It’s what they do 24/7, with a passion and drive that is rare in an industry where many artists expect opportunities to be handed to them. These two Detroit MCs are on a daily grind, and while recording their new album “Carz, Clubz and Theaterz”, putting together new show sets, booking overseas tours and performing, somehow they find time to make tracks like “Snatcheese”, which was produced, written, recorded and released in just one night. “It’s for the fans”, they explain: “We just want to give them great music”. To make the wait for “Carz, Clubz and Theaterz” seem a little bit shorter, here’s the freeby “Snatcheese”:

Stream / Download: http://soundcloud.com/thestereoboyz/stereo-boyz-snatcheese

Embed: <iframe width=”100%” height=”166″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”no” src=”http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F51631475&show_artwork=true“></iframe>

Links: www.StereoBoyz.com

http://www.facebook.com/StereoBoyz

http://twitter.com/TheStereoBoyz 

Image courtesy of http://www.dailymail.co.uk

At the BET awards, it was announced that the Best Video of the Year award went to Kanye West and Jay-Z for the duo’s track “Otis”. Before the pair made their way to the stage to accept their award, they hugged their respective dates: Kim Kardashian and Beyonce.

Kanye clutched the award, approached the mic and began “I want to thank BET…” at which point Jay-Z stepped up and cut him off with ’Excuse me Kanye I am going to let you continue…’

The joke was a flashback from the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards when Kanye, with a little help from Hennessy, jumped on stage and grabbed the mic from Taylor Swift, who was accepting her Best Female Award for “You Belong to Me”, and said ‘Yo Taylor. I’m really happy for you, I’m going to let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time.’

There was a huge uproar from seemingly everyone and even elicited a response from President Obama who called him a “jackass”. After time, an apology on Kanye’s blog, and way too many parodies, Kanye’s reputation seemed to heal.

Jay-Z’s good-natured joke on his friend was taken well by Kanye who in response said “‘I am trying to defend your girl man!” Although it’s rumored that the two don’t get along anymore, Jay-Z shared a laugh and a hug with a slightly embarrassed Kanye while Beyonce giggled in her seat.