Archive for the ‘ XXL ’ Category

[Video] XXL Freshmen Photo Shoot

[Mixtape] DJ Whoo Kid – XXL 10 Freshman For ’10

01. Jay Rock – Old Skool Chevy (2:36)
02. Pill – Angels Freestyle (2:44)
03. Nipsey Hu$$le – When They Talk About Me (2:55)
04. Fashawn – I Need To Know [Prod. By Needlz] (3:30)
05. Freddie Gibbs – Born To Roll (2:04)
06. Wiz Khalifa – G-d Up (3:26)
07. J. Cole – Who’s World Is This (2:10)
08. Big Sean – 4 My People (4:25)
09. Donnis – Thinkin’ Bout You (2:37)
10. Freddie Gibbs – Youz A Hoe (2:23)
11. Jay Rock – Welcome To Watts (2:15)
12. Nipsey Hu$$le – The Hustle (1:14)
13. Nipsey Hu$$le – Will Never Lose (2:58)
14. Fashawn – So Hard (Freestyle) (2:48)
15. Donnis – Swag So Mean (2:12)
16. OJ Da Juiceman – Bread In The Kitchen (4:00)
17. OJ Da Juiceman – 6 Rings (3:21)

DOWNLOAD: LINK 1 | LINK 2 | LINK 3

[News] XXL Presents Haiti Relief Concert With Jim Jones & Juelz Santana

XXL magazine is gearing up for a special one-night-only concert featuring Harlem’s own Jim Jones and Juelz Santana, with special friends, in support of Haiti earthquake relief efforts.

The show will be held on February 9 at the Studio Space in New York City’s Webster Hall in tandem with the release of XXL’s March Issue, which includes stories on Gucci Mane, Jim Jones, Juelz Santana, Rakim, Styles P, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Plies and Wale.

Ticket prices are $10 pre-sale and $12 the day of. Tickets are currently available online or fans can physically purchase them at the Webster Hall box office.

All proceeds will be donated on behalf of the participating artists to The American Red Cross’s earthquake relief effort in Haiti. —XXL Staff

Jay-Z on October XXL Cover

In conjunction with the release of his 11th solo album, The Blueprint 3, Jay-Z is gracing the cover of XXL magazine for the publication’s October issue. Speaking with XXL’s Special Projects Editor Bonsu Thompson, the self-proclaimed, “God MC” delves deep into many hot topics currently buzzing around him, including his mega success, BP3, jabs at his new singles “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” and “Run this Town,” his tenure as the president of Def Jam and life as hip-hop’s ultra businessman. Check out a few excerpts below.

CRITICISM OF “D.O.A.”
“I’m not hating on young people. Like, when people say that, I’m like, What are you talking about? It’s just stupid. I’m not hating on young people… I’m not Bill Russell, [saying] Michael Jordan ain’t shit. I’m saying Lil Wayne and Kanye are like LeBron and Kobe. My job as someone at the forefront of the game is to leave it in a better position than when I came in. Same way that Russell [Simmons] left it to me. ’Cause this thing saved my life. Literally. So I have a responsibility to it karmically. And after that it’s on you. I did my part. I made ‘D.O.A.’ I said it. I made the statement. I made the push. Here, y’all take it from here.”

HIS LEGACY AS FORMER DEF JAM RECORDS PRESIDENT
“So if you ask me to grade my performance as the president, I’d say A-plus. No one can bat a 100. It’s impossible. I mean, everyone is looking at my shit. But if we really looked under the hood [of] every single [record exec] and the acts they put out in that time, I’d be comparable to anyone.”

HIS STANDING IN THE GAME
“But when I say I’m the best, I don’t say that outta my ass. I say that with all my stats behind me. I put that against anybody. I mean anybody. I really believe that… I believe in a lot of things. 
I believe that ‘SportsCenter’ is the best thing on TV. I shouldn’t have to prove it. But I do have these stats to prove it. I’m talking about real run. I’m not talking about years off. I’m talking about straight—boom, boom, boom—back to back. We’re not talking about heritage acts either. We’re not talking about respect what I’ve done. I’m talking No. 1 [albums] 10 times. The Beatles is the only one [to have more 
No. 1 albums]. They got 19, and if I get a surge of creativity, I could make nine albums next year.”

Jay Rock – XXL Interview

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Fake Drake Account Pokes Fun at Rapper’s Knee Injury

You know you’ve made it once one your appendages has its own Twitter account, and Drake has officially made it.

The latest fake Twitter account to catch a following, “DrakesKnee” popped up on the micro-blogging site hours after Drake fell on stage Friday night (July 31) at the America’s Most Wanted tour stop, re-injuring his torn ACL.

The spoof account tweets in rhyme from the perspective of the Toronto rapper’s knee, with hilarious lyrics like, “the floor I slipped up on it though/be back after surgery so/be happy I ain’t shoot my leg/like the homie Plaxico.”

A representative from Drake’s camp has denied to XXLMag.com that the rapper is managing the account. Another Young Money phony, “NickiMinajBoobs,” also popped up on Twitter Sunday evening (August 2).

According to an August 2 post titled “Angels and Demons” from Drake’s blog, octobersveryown.blogspot.com, he’s undergoing surgery this week.

“I am about 2 hours away from Toronto, CA where I will be spending the next chunk of time recovering from a surgery that I now must have,” the post reads. “I embarked on this tour with a torn ACL, MCL, and LCL and due to the events that happened the other night Lord only knows what other damage I have done.”

Promoter Talks Upcoming Jay-Z Performance at All Points West

Jay-Z has been confirmed to headline the All Points West Music and Arts Festival as The Beastie Boys’s last minute replacement.

Hov was tapped for the three-day concert Wednesday (July 22) night, after the Beasties were forced to cancel on Monday due to necessary treatment for group member Adam “MCA” Yauch’s throat cancer.

“Finding someone to help fill the shoes for Beastie Boys is hard,” Paul Tollett, president of concert promotion company Goldenvoice, told XXLMag.com. “There’s so many songs they’ve got, I thought instantly—the dream would be to have Jay-Z.”

The Brooklyn rapper made the dream come true, confirming in only a day and a half. He will close day one of the eclectic music festival on Friday (July 31), at New Jersey’s Liberty State Park. Q-Tip, the Pharcyde and a reunited Organized Konfusion are also on the bill for the night.

“[Jay-Z] hasn’t really headlined these festivals in America…but in Europe, he’s been kind of ruling these festivals,” Tollett said. “I think Jay-Z’s really going to raise the bar on this.”

Young Jeezy Graces XXL’s September Cover

Throw him on the mag! Young Jeezy graces XXL Magazine’s 12th Anniversary (September) issue.

Jeezy and Foxy Brown posed for split anniversary covers for last year. In the cover story, Mr. 17.5 discusses his upcoming album, his feuds with DJ Drama and Gucci Mane and taking it back to the trap.

Additionally, in celebration of its 12th year, XXL spoke to 50 Cent, Juvenile, Nelly, Fat Joe, Common, Damon Dash and Baby, among others, about their favorite XXL covers and some of the mag’s greatest moments.

The issue also includes a feature on the death of the super-producer and Shakur, the lead girl in Drake’s “Best I Ever Had” video, appears in Eye Candy.

XXL’s 12th anniversary issue hits newsstands August 11th.

Big Boi Moving to Def Jam

After facing numerous album pushbacks at Jive, OutKast rapper Big Boi recently announced that he would be leaving his longtime home for L.A. Reid’s helmed Def Jam Recordings.

During an interview with Toronto paper Eye Weekly, the ATLien confirmed the deal would be official once the legal paperwork is out of the way. “The lawyers just have to finish their lawyering,” he said.

Daddy Fat Sacks said that once the ink is dry, his disc Sir Luscious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty, will be released on the storied label, run by his former boss LA Reid. Reid originally signed OutKast to LaFace records back in 1992. “He’s been with us since the beginning,” the rapper told eyeweekly.com.

Sir Luscious Left Foot was initially set to drop last year, but has faced several delays since. Last July he released the video for “Somethings Gotta Give” with Mary J. Blige and many other cuts have also hit the net including, “Ringtone,” “Dubbz” and ”Royal Flush” with partner in rhyme Andre 300 and Raekwon.

As of press time there has been no statements from either Jive nor Def Jam.

Mos Def & Damon Dash Working on Rock Doc?

Brooklyn rapper/actor Mos Def recently announced his plans to produce a documentary about obscure 1970s punk band, Death.

In the new issue of Filter magazine, The Mighty Mos briefly discussed possibly collaborating with ex- Roc-A-Fella big Damon Dash to make the film about the black rock group, made up of three brothers from Detroit.

“It’s going to be great,” Mos told Filter. “These dudes were pre-Sex Pistols, pre-Bad Brains, pre-all that shit, and nobody knows them. I don’t understand how the whole world could forget them.”

While he remained tight-lipped about his role in the project, the Harlem mogul sang the Brooklyn MC’s praises when contacted by XXLMag.com.

“Anything Mos wants to do I’ll do cause I think he’s intelligent,” Dash said. “I think he’s a great ambassador for hip-hop. I personally don’t like to talk about things until it’s done. So when it’s done, when it’s ready—all I’m saying is that Mos Def is a really ill dude.”

Mos Def released his fourth solo album, The Ecstatic, in June.