Nike x Jordan x Converse Hybrid Shoe

During the Nike World Basketball Festival in New York a few weeks back, teens apart of the Make Something workshops had the chance to work with Nike designers to create a hybrid shoe combining elements of all 3 basketball brands into one shoe.

Aaliyah...Today marks 9 years

Remembering Eddie Griffin (May 30, 1982 – August 17, 2007)

I realized today that this week marks 3 years since Eddie Griffin's passing. I found a great tribute clip.

In case you are unfamiliar with his story, Eddie Griffin was a promising basketball star, he spent the last 3 of his NBA seasons with the Timberwolves. On August 17th, 2007, Eddie's SUV collided with a freight train, his blood alcohol was said to be three times above the legal limit. He was just 25 years old. I didn't know Eddie but I knew of him from my neighborhood where I grew up in Philly. He was a standout star in high school and was projected to be the next Kobe Bryant (He went to Seton Hall for a year before entering the NBA). Sadly, there have been so many tragedies that have followed in the sports world, Sean Taylor, in November 2007, and the most recent being Steve McNair in 2009 and Lorenzen Wright this past July 2010.

Read: Promise unfulfilled: Off-court troubles overwhelmed Griffin's big talent

So 3 of the Best (will be Legendary) Producers walk into a studio...

Pharrell Williams, Kanye West & Swizz Beatz met up in the studio earlier this week. If I only could've been a fly on Kanye's blazer or maybe Pharrell's shorts, flies tend to like bright colors, wait, I think that's bees. Anywho, I also attended the Slurpee Battle of Bands with N.E.R.D on Monday 8/16 but this time I didn't take any pics or video because I wanted to really take in the show plus there was this tall guy in front of me SMH. Regret it now because I was so mesmorized by N.E.R.D's new song "Help Me". Pharrell was in rare form on this one. Hearing and seeing it live really gave me goose bumps. I so wish I recorded that now so I could share, but I did find a clip of the last 42 seconds. Hey its something...

Pic via BBC/IceCream

Queen Latifah - Come Into My House (Live) and an Andy Rooney Moment

I found this on YouTube and it was right on time considering the lack of females in Hip Hop is a hot topic right now. This is from the 1991 Sisters in the Name of Rap Concert. I remember my uncle taped this for me because we didn't have cable at the time, lol. I grew up at a time when women were respected and didn't need to sell sex in order to get attention for their rhymes. Queen Latifah had Flavor Unit and it was her crew. So I really don't know when it became a woman needed to be down with a crew in order to have a platform. What happened to pure talent and being able to stand on your own? Why can't a woman lead her own crew anymore?

I just think sometimes we forget how many female emcees have existed and continue to exist in hip hop. Does it matter if they're on Billboard or not. You know how many male rappers exist and don't have or never had a spot in the top 10 or never went platinum? I just don't think women get invested in enough to fly or flop, so to speak. Of course its sexism because women can thrive and be successful (make money) but there could be a fear of women taking over the genre I always thought. I don't think its sexism on the part of the community because we mostly care about who can rock a mic, its the corporations that we let dictate to us what's hot. There are females emcees all over the planet, just because you only see Nicki Minaj right now, doesn't make her the only one in existence or the only one that's hot. Nicki didn't pop out of thin air, she put in her work to get to where she is so she was prepared. Its just annoying how the media has made her someone that everyone has to comment on because I think those that are insecure in their talent will try to be like her or the ones that have no talent will copy her style. Thankfully there are events like Can A Sista Rock A Mic? And I mean damn, didn't Trina drop an album this year? She hardly ever gets mentioned.

Read: Nicki Minaj Revives Female Voice in Rap - The title suggests something but it doesn't. Its just a bunch of comments about Nicki. But its worth a glance. 

Coast 2 Coast Convention Official After Parties

FOR MORE INFO: WWW.COAST2COASTCONVENTION.COM

Kanye West POWER by Marco Brambilla (Director's Cut)

Weekend Fresh Throwback: Wyclef - If I Was President

For obvious reasons...

Kanye answers fans' questions via USteam

I'm actually watching/listening to it now, lol. Check it out.

2nd Annual Coast 2 Coast Convention: August 27th-29th in Miami Beach

 Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes & iStandardproducers.com Present:

THE 2ND ANNUAL COAST 2 COAST CONVENTION

August 27th-29th | Newport Beachside Resort | Miami Beach, Florida

THE COAST 2 COAST CONVENTION 2010 IN MIAMI WILL BE
THE BIGGEST URBAN MUSIC INDUSTRY CONVENTION OF THE YEAR!

HUNDREDS OF CELEBRITY GUESTS, INDUSTRY POWER PLAYERS,
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NEW PANELISTS JUST CONFIRMED INCLUDING:

TONY NEAL (FOUNDER OF CORE DJs)

KASPA (PRESIDENT OF HITTMENN DJs)

BIGGA RANKIN (VICE PRESIDENT OF CTE/HITTMENN DJs)

JILL STRADA (MUSIC DIRECTOR/ASSISTANT PD - HOT 97 NY)

OTHA "VAKSEEN" DAVIS III (A&R - SLIP N SLIDE RECORDS)

STAN MARSEILLE (A&R - NAPPY BOY RECORDS)

GORDAN DILLARD (A&R UNIVERSAL/MOTOWN)

MICHAEL TRAMPE (HIPHOPDX.COM)

STEVE RAZE (ALLHIPHOP.COM)

KP (DATPIFF.COM)

& MANY MORE!

FULL LIST OF PANELISTS SCHEDULE NOW AVAILABLE AT:
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FOR INFORMATION ON BEING A MEDIA SPONSOR EMAIL: COAST2COASTMIXTAPES@GMAIL.COM

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Jay-Z New York State of Mind Parody - Newport (Ymerodraeth State of Mind) & Who is Tinchy Stryder? Jay-Z Wants to be his Business Partner

I love parodies so I had to share this one. Much like the original, this one bigs up the city of Newport in Wales, UK. The rapper is Alex Warren and the singer is Terema Wainwright. Big Ups!

{via The Guardian}

HHM Extra:

Who is Tinchy Stryder? 'Jay-Z liked what he saw in me. I reminded him of him'

Weekend Fresh: N.E.R.D Hot n Fun (Boys Noise Remix) | Interview with HipHopDX

*Great concert footage*

N.E.R.D talks to HIPHOPDX

N.E.R.D's new album "Nothing" is scheduled for a Sept. 7th release

{via n-e-r-d.skyrock.com}