to our latest program.
Jay-Z is gearing up to headline the United Kingdom’s biggest urban concert ever. The Prince’s Trust Urban Music Festival is expected to draw over 40,000 people on May 8-9. Jay-Z will appear with other artists such as Alicia Keys, Dizzee Rascal, Lemar and others. The concert takes place at the Earl’s Court in London and will feature unsigned artists performing, breakdancing, and graffiti lessons. The concert is aimed at improving the lives of disadvantaged young people in the UK.
Jay-Z is also planning to double size of his nightclub, 40/40 in New York. The Club is negotiating with the landlord, Adams & Co. to add 5,000 square fee to main lounge and 3,000 for the second-floor VIP area. The club features a cigar room and two VIP rooms which feature pool tables, Play Station 2’s and X-boxes.
Grammy award winning R&B singer Usher released his new album, Confessions, on March 16th. The production crew feature artist like the Neptunes, Jermaine Dupri, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Rich Harrison, and R. Kelly. Usher says “With this album I chose some new producers who I figured would definitely allow me to really articulate myself in a different way. The official first single from Confessions will be “Burn,” which will be released in the coming weeks.
This is a Hip-Hop Rumor
We have heard some news about Jay-Z and Beyounce…..word has it that Jay-Z and Beyonce have parted ways. Jay-Z made the surprise announcement of his plans to marry Beyonce at a January 28 record company party during a speech saying, quote, “You’ve been one of the best friends I could have had…Apart from this woman beside me, who I love and who I will marry very soon." Beyonce said that she wasn’t going to be getting married any time soon. We hear that Beyonce wants to focus more on her career. The pair have been dating since singing together on the track titled “03 Bonnie & Clyde” in 2002.
Outkast’s multi-platinum, double CD Speakerboxxx/The Love Below snagged R&B/Soul or Rap Album of the Year award at the 18th Annual Soul Train Music Awards. Held in Los Angeles at the International Cultural Center, the duo was the only two time winner of the evening, also scoring the Michael Jackson Award for best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video for their hit single, “Hey Ya.”
Alicia Keys, who also hosted the event with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, won an award for the Kanye West produced single “You Don’t Know My Name.”
St. Louis bred rapper Chingy also scored an award for R&B/Soul or Rap New Artist for the success of his hit, “Right Thurr.”
OutKast and Beyonce Knowles took home the additional Sammy Davis, Jr. awards for Entertainer of the Year.
R&B Legend Teena “Lady Tee” Marie is preparing to release her Cash Money Records debut, La Dona. The album is being released under Cash Money’s new imprint, Cash Money Classics. Mannie Fresh and Tina Marie handled the production chores for the first single, “Still In Love.” The album contains a reunion with soul legend Rick James on the cut, “I Got You.” Medusa and MC Lyte also make appearances on the album.
Hip-Hop veteran KRS-One is offering his 13th album for free download on his website, templeofhiphop.org. Registered members are downloading the album and some have called it some of the rapper’s best material to date. KRS is preparing for the year’s “Hiphop Appreciated Week.” The appreciation week is the 9th article of the Temple of Hip-Hop’s Declaration of Peace. “Hip-hop Appreciation Week” runs May 16th-23rd. Hip-Hop followers across the globe are urged to remember “it’s ancestors and appreciate the elements, principles and history of Hiphop.”
According to the Los Angeles Times, the FBI is investigating a 6-year-old theory that former Los Angeles police officer David A. Mack and Suge Knight orchestrated the 1997 murder of Christopher “Notorious B.I.G. “ Wallace. The FBI is following leads to determine if Mack, acting on orders from Knight, arranged for a man named Amir Muhammad to ambush the Brooklyn bred rapper in front of the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Boulevard, after the Soul Train Awards. “I have stated from the outset that I have nothing whateversoever to do with any of this,” Muhammad said in a telephone interview Thursday fro his attorney’s office. “I’ve done nothing wrong. I don’t have anything to hide.” Knight also denied the allegations, claiming he had never met David Mack or Amir Muhammad.
To strengthen the fight against AIDS, Hip-Hop Connection has initiated "The Hip-Hop Connection Fan Club" in Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe. Hip-Hop Connection plans to encourage youth involvement in the fight against AIDS and to help fight discrimination against people living with the AIDS virus. Hip-Hop Connection also plans to collaborate with organizations and companies that share its visions. For more information on the Fan Club you can email us at:hhc@voanews.com.
FAN CLUB COORDINATORS
Fan Club Coordinator in Lusaka, Zambia is Chisenga Katongo. His postal address is P.O. Box 34354, Lusaka, Zambia and email is chisenga@africamail.com
In Malawi the Fan Club Coordinator is Nicole Masauli. Her postal address is Backbone Entertainment, P.O. Box 30259, Blantyre, Malawi and email madawgs4@yahoo.co.uk.
Hip-Hop Connection has a new Fan Club Coordinator for Zimbabwe. So if you are in Zimbabwe and you wish to join the fan club contact Tawanda Imbayago by postal 18 Devon Road, Avondale West, Harare, Zimbabwe and email tawandaex3@hotmail.com.
If you are anywhere else in Africa and you are interested in joining the fan club hit us up at hhc@voanews.com or our postal address is Voice of America, 330 Independence Avenue, SW Room 1613, Washington, DC 20237.
QUESS WHAT?
Hip-Hop Connection has a new affiliate in Lagos, Nigeria. Welcome aboard Brila 88.9 FM.
"Hip-Hop Connection" with Rod Murray, Jantae Hamilton and Nicole Lindsey is heard every Saturday on the Voice of America on the following frequencies: 909, 4950, 6035, 7415, 11975, 13710, 15240, 15580, 17895.
Also, catch Hip-Hop Connection on our Affiliate Stations which include:
*Voice of Kigezi in Uganda on 89.5 FM
*ZNBC - Radio Four 88.2 FM Lusaka,Zambia 94.5 FM Kabwe 95.5 FM Copperbelt
*Capital FM in Malawi on 102.5 FM
*Joy FM in Lesotho on 106.9 FM
*Radio Phoenix in Zambia on 89.5 FM
*OTEC FM in Kumasi, Ghana on 102.9 FM
*KISSI-FM in Mwanza, Tanzania on 92.9 FM
*SKYY-FM in Freetown, Sierra Leone on 106.6 MHz
*NEW BRILA in Lagos, Nigeria on 88.9 FM
You can also hear Hip Hop Connection on VOA's 24-hour frequencies:
107.5 FM in Nairobi Kenya 104.3 FM in Kigali, Rwanda 102.4 FM in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso