A New Amerykah!! is coming..

Erykah’s New Album cover and track list…

1. “Amerykahn Promise”
2. “The Healer / Hip-Hop”
3. “Me”
4. “My People”
5. “Soldier”
6. “The Cell”
7. “Twinkle”
8. “Master Teacher”
9. “That Hump”
10. “Telephone”
11. “Honey” (Bonus)

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Erykah Badu – Honey (Video)

Dr. King would be Proud!! Says DJ Kool Herc

By Mike Winslow and Jamile Karout

As pioneer Kool Herc attempts to realize his dream of purchasing a historical landmark noted for birthing Hip-Hop culture, the legendary DJ took time out to thank slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for his message of brotherhood and equality.

“Dr. King’s dream still goes on,” Kool Herc told AllHipHop.com. “Little black boys and little white girls break dancing together and rapping together. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream still lives on, happy birthday to you Dr. King.  Today (January 21) is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day in the United States.

Dr. King, who was born January 15, was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a legendary African-American figure who fought for civil rights in the United States and protested the Vietnam war, using non-violent tactics.

He delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech during a March on Washington in 1963 and the following year, Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize for his non-violent attempts to end segregation .

Dr. King was assassinated on April 4,1968.

Kool Herc, who is regarded as the founder of Hip-Hop, noted that the genre of music has unified people all across the world, despite race, religion, creed or culture.  The DJ is calling upon Hip-Hop fans across the world to help save the genre’s birthplace at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx.  Last week Kool Herc, New York Senator Charles Schumer and residents at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue unveiled a tenant-sponsored plan to buy the affordable housing project to prevent it from sold to a private investment group.

“You [Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.] would love to see what Hip-Hop has done, what grew from the community and went worldwide,” Kool Herc told AllHipHop.com.

For more information on Save 1520, visit http://www.save1520.org.

Kool Herc wants to buy 1520 Sedgwick Avenue!! Hip Hop is ALIVE!

Legendary Hip-Hop co-founder DJ Kool Herc is joining forces with US Senator Charles Schumer and residents of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue to unveil a tenant-sponsored plan to buy the affordable housing project.

The location, which is noted for being the birthplace of Hip-Hop, is currently on the auction block as it stands to lose its affordable housing program when its owners, BSR Management, sell the project to a private investment group.  Since receiving notice of BSR’s plans in February 2007, tenants have been actively working to preserve the cultural and affordable character of the building.  The cause received a boost later that year as 1520 Sedgwick officially became eligible for listing on the State and National Register of Historic Places as the official birthplace of Hip-Hop in July.

Last month, 1520 Sedgwick residents received another glimmer of hope when BSR offered to step out of the deal and let residents purchase the project.

Despite the gesture, residents may have an uphill battle in obtaining the property. Preservation sales are difficult due to the inflated value of real estate throughout New York City.

1520 Sedgwick Avenue is held in high regard among Hip-Hop purists. In 1973, DJ Kool Herc laid groundwork for the invention of Hip-Hop during a party in the 100-unit apartment complex’ community room.  In addition to birthing Hip-Hop culture, 1520 Sedgwick Avenue is one of the few remaining affordable housing complexes in the West Bronx created through the NY State Mitchell-Lama program.

The City of New York is doing its part to help preserve the project by assisting the tenants with the preservation proposal.  The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC) have tentatively committed several million dollars in subsidy to advance the tenants’ plan.

The 1520 Sedgwick Avenue tenants, along with Schumer and DJ Kool Herc, will reveal their financial and long term ownership plan for the preservation of the project at a press conference.

The event will take place today at 9:45 am Tuesday (January 15) in the 1520 Sedgwick Avenue community room.

This is a very interesting story that I wanted to share with people So Please, put some positive thoughts into the universe for HIP HOP!

I will do a re: cap once I find out how we can help support this movement.

As Always thanks for reading…

Your Prez

John Robinson

The All New Squeeze Radio Podcast!! Download Now!!

Peace Hip Hoppers!!

J.R. tuning in to introduce yall to my peeps Sucio Smash and Timm See of Squeeze Radio in NYC new Official weekly updated podcast!! Definitely official Hip Hop bizness going on right here yall so be sure to tune in and also stay tuned for Sucio  Smash’s monthly event @ The Knitting Factory in NYC called “The Lunch Room” All I have to say is I was @ the last joint and I ended up on stage rhyming with Large Professor over Live @ the BBQ beat. Classico Stylistics point blank period….

The DIGITAL Music revolution is HERE!!

BEATVIZION is here for a purpose!! I am a purist @ heart but I also know that even I must change with the times… Digital is where it’s @!

Your Prez

John Robinson

For tens of millions of people listening to digital music, there is no going back.

David Hollevoet drifted away from new music after college, but he logged into the file-sharing program Napster in the late 1990s. From there, it was not long before he became a fan again and, eventually, broadcaster of his own award-winning Internet radio station — 80’s Obsession — from his kitchen.

“The whole digital music thing just clicked for me,” said Hollevoet, a web designer from Palo Alto, California. “I loved having as much music as my hard drive can hold.”

As music transforms to ones and zeros from physical albums, the way in which it is produced, sold and heard is changing forever. The consequences for musicians, fans and businesses are profound.

Millions of songs are now available — for free or for sale, legally and illegally — over the Internet. The emergence of this audio landscape has delighted music fans but undermined the business model of the music industry. Major record labels are squeezing less profit out of fewer bands and attempting to ward off losses by a frenzy of mergers.

Four corporations — EMI Records, Vivendi Universal, Warner and Sony BMG — control about 80 percent of the shrinking $32 billion global music market, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. That is down from five since Sony Music and Bertelsmann AG’s BMG merged on August 5.

“There is a major disconnect between the music industry and the reality of the way most Americans relate to music,” said Michael Bracy, lobbyist for the Future of Music Coalition, a nonprofit group advocating political and technological reform for digital technology. “There is an effort to commodify music which is fundamentally impossible to do.”

CD sales have steadily declined, as consumers like Hollevoet have been reluctant to pay up to $17.99 per CD, often only to get one or two songs.

“One thing that really angers you is the way you feel really stifled. They don’t sell the things you want to buy,” said Hollevoet. “I do respect the artists. I do think they should be paid, but at the same time, I want to know who they are.”

But musicians and distributors are tapping into the consumer anger to rewrite the rules of the business amid financial turmoil.

GarageBand.com is one of them. Once just an online community of musicians, it is now becoming the Internet’s answer to a record label as well, one that leaves much of the power — and the selection process — in the hands of musicians.

“We think a big part of what’s wrong with the music industry is while the trends over the last 10 years have reduced the cost of music production, the music industry has not figured out how to change their model,” said Ali Partovi, CEO of GarageBand.com, who describes the formula as, “Invest first, test later.”

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) acknowledges that most of its new releases — about nine in 10 — fail. That means much of the cost of a new CD covers albums that never took off. (An example in the Wall Street Journal described a $2.2 million marketing campaign for an Irish singer whose album sold 378 copies in its first few months).

Global industry numbers are also dire.

Recorded music sales dipped 7.6 percent world wide in 2003 following three consecutive years of worldwide declines in music sales, according to the IFPA. At the same time, pirated music boomed. Global sales of illegal music discs rose to its highest level at 35 percent in 2003. According to the IFPI, one in three CDs sold is an illegal copy.

A2IM These cats mean BIZ!! For all my Indy Labels out there!

Me and my Patna’s over @ Shaman Work Recordings have been keeping an ear and eye open for A2IM and all I can say is these cats mean BIZNESS!! This post right here is dedicated to all my Independent Label heads who are fighting to keep the dream alive… We have help out there yall!!

Enjoy

The Prez

John Robinson

Powerful, articulate lobbyists are spending MILLIONS of dollars right now, trying to convince Congress and consumers that music labels and artists should receive less than fair royalties or no royalties at all for the commercial use of their music. Groups representing every facet of our industry know that the whole game is changing and that the successful navigation of this altered landscape is crucial to the survival of music labels. The next few years will reveal the most critical and sweeping economic changes in the history of the music industry. It could be the worst of times; it could be the best of times. But the music dollar is being completely re-divided as we speak. Historically, the Independent music sector has been under-represented or ignored when important decisions affecting our industry have been made and the Independents have almost always had to accept leftovers or lesser terms as a result. That isn’t the case anymore. INDEPENDENTS MEAN BUSINESS! A2IM is working everyday to improve the business of Independent music labels.

Members of A2IM (American Association of Independent Music – www.a2im.org) are supporting an organization that has made crucial in-roads promoting the value of Independent music to radio, retail, press, emerging technology companies, the telecoms, within the music industry, and to Congress. We are involved with important lobbying efforts involving royalty rate settings with the non-terrestrial webcasters, the establishment of a performance right royalty payable by terrestrial broadcasters, and the upcoming mechanical rate setting. In addition to our lobbying efforts, A2IM continues to evangelize the importance of the Independent music sector to every possible business partner or income producing stream and as a result our members are receiving regular ‘members only’ special offers and discounts from the growing community of Associate Members of A2IM (these Associate Members don’t control masters but work with, rely upon, or otherwise support the Independent music community). Further, A2IM continues to increase the scope of our member services, education and networking events, and our Independent music community to the benefit of A2IM members who are more engaged and more aware of the issues and opportunities facing them than ever before. A2IM is the ONLY central voice representing the Independents – all genres of music, from all geographical regions. In 2007 we added nearly 75 new members including Curb, Victory Records, Razor & Tie, Century Media/Nuclear Blast, Eagle Rock Entertainment, Madacy, and Nettwerk. Our membership now represents a market share of nearly 12% making us collectively larger than EMI.

WE’RE WORKING FOR YOU!

We’d love to have you “join the fight” for Independents by becoming a member of A2IM.

Ron Paul Courageously Speaks the Truth

What up People? Is this cat really who is speaks? He definitely comes with some reality for that ASS! and don’t get me wrong I know how this campaign shit goes but he is really going against the grain on heads…At the very least it is entertaining to hear this type of perspective from a Republican cat.

Feed back and comments are welcome!!

Wes King

Sound Scan units!!! The Numbers!!

Mary J did it BIG this week with more 200K units moved.

1. Mary J. Blige – “Growing Pains” 204k This Week: 835k Total

2. Alicia Keys – “As I Am” 193k This Week: 2.5Mil Total

5. Chris Brown – “Exclusive” 87k This Week: 1Mil Total

14. Lupe Fiasco – “The Cool” 54k This Week: 198k Total

16. Keyshia Cole – “Just Like You” 54k This Week: 941k Total

26. Jay-Z – “American Gangster” 45k This Week: 887 Total

30. Kanye West – “Graduation” 43k This Week: 1.9 Total

36. Birdman – “5 Star Stunna” 38k This Week: 172k Total

52. Justin Timberlake – “Futuresex/Love Sounds” 29k This Week: 4M Total

55. Timbaland – “Shock Value” 26k This Week: 1M Total

JAY Z bites the Apple after catching The DIGITAL BUG!!

Rap mogul Jay-Z is to launch a brand new record label with computer company Apple.

The hitmaker, real name Shawn Carter, stunned the music world last month by announcing his decision to retire as Def Jam Records president.

Now the rapper is reported to be going into partnership with the owners of music download service iTunes to become head of the company’s hip hop division.

Jay-Z’s girlfriend, singer Beyonce, is not believed to be attached to the Apple deal.

Meanwhile the hip hop star remains signed to Def Jam as a recording artist.

All I can say is this cat Always stay on top of his GAME. I need to stay on top of mine as well because BOY I have been preaching this Digital music revolution to heads all year long!! and Now it is here.

BEATVIZION DIGITAL

Your Prez.

John Robinson