LOUISVILLE, KY:
The local Hip Hop TV show Da Show has been on smash with local videos, interviews, and live performances. Make It Rain Ent. brought Shawty Lo to Jim Porter’s and it was hot. Hurricane Chris came through EXPO 5 and performed for a less than packed house. Father Jah dropped his highly anticipated album Philosophies of a Modern Day Mastermind with features from M-1, Native, Nappy Roots, Taylor Mayd and others. The Kentucky Derby and KYMP Kamp Awards were crazy. - Divine Da Instagata (OuttaDaShopEnt@hotmail.com)
DETROIT, MI:
Producer PC from Inkster, MI worked with C-Bo and Young Buck this month. AL Nuke was robbed of a victory on BET’s 106 and Park. One Be Lo continues to tour overseas. The Bullfrog in Redford, MI is the place to perform at. Buff 1 was named Best Detroit Rapper. Street Lord Juan’s album Lord Status is highly anticipated by the streets. Ready Roc Records in Ypsilanti was shut down after a drug raid. Made West Entertainment continues to hold down the streets. Blac-E-Blac hooked up with C-Murder’s Tru Publishing. 2raw4fm.com launched its website with a party. - AJ (the313report@yahoo.com)
RALEIGH/DURHAM, NC:
Ike & Shyst of Hazardous took home Best Group of the Year at the Carolina Underground Music Awards. Real Dynamite was nominated for Best Single of the Year and word is they’re signing with Asylum. The Endzone Lounge got Saturday nights on lock in the Raleigh City. To those blue and red boys, y’all need to stop the bullshit and get money. The Othaz are holding it down in G-boro. P-Wonda is on the new video shoot with Rico. Wemon’s Empowerment was a great success for Radio One’s WQOK and Kathy Hughes. The Fireman, a.k.a. DY-Nasty, still has the city on lock. - Yung Fly Obama Jr. (wqok975@yahoo.com)
BIRMINGHAM, AL:
Come Claim the Mic Music Conference was a great success. Blood Raw visited the Magic City. He’s also featured on the B.A. Boys’ new single. Shawty Lo came to the city promoting Units In the City. DJ C. Ross blessed the streets with his new Showtyme mixtape series which features artists such as Young Cash, Alfamega, 9th Ward, Corey Barbar, Rick Ross, Attitude, and Gorilla Zoe. Ron White continues his monthly R.W. Record Pool at Mike’s Crossroads. Scarface and Bun B visited Club Platinum. Teflon has a new single on radio which features Birmingham J. They recently shot a video for it. - K. Bibbs (AllOrNothingPromo@hotmail.com)
COLUMBUS, GA:
Prayers go out to the families affected by the tragedies that have been happening here. I don’t even want to get deep into it, but let’s just say Columbus made CNN two weeks in a row. Rick Ross held an album release party at Club Ritmo. Cash P held an album release party at his tattoo shop. J Stylz of Foxie 105 is hosting the Urban Café, which brings a much-desired alternative for those that are on their “Grown and Sexy.” It features rappers, poets, comedians, and more. Kendrick High girls won the State Basketball Championship. - Slick Seville (SlickSeville@gmail.com)
DOTHAN, AL:
FORT MYERS/NAPLES, FL: Wick’s album release party for City of Wicks Volume 2 went down earlier this month. Frank Lini continues to makes the streets buzz with his lyrical style; he’s definitely Southwest Florida’s most unsigned hype. Riskay’s “Who You Creepin’ With,” produced by 105.5’s own DJ Quest, continues to rise in the charts. Yes, it’s only the first quarter of the year and the 13th grow house in Lee County has already been busted. See all the pretty green? - Jae Rae (JaeRae1055@aol.com)
JACKSONVILLE, FL:
Recently Freeway, I-Wayne and Wayne Wonder, Shawty Lo, Lil Webbie, B.E.T.’s DJ Q45, Lil Boosie, Trina, Sean Jay, Rick Ross, The Franchise Boys, T-Pain, Crime Mob, Pleasure P. all visited the city. The hometown radio station switched from 92.7 to 93.3 with the same line-up featuring DJ Dr. Doom, T-Roy, and Easy E. Bigga Rankin threw a big Duval All-Stars party featuring some of Jacksonville’s top artists such as Young Cash, Hustle House, P.I.T., Loyalty Ent., Supa Chino, DJ Kool Aid, and Swordz. Rumor has it our own Midget Mac will be featured on a new VH1 reality show this summer. - Lil Rudy (LilRudyRu@yahoo.com)
WEST PALM BEACH, FL:
B.E.T.’s Spring Bling invaded West Palm Beach and the city was buzzing. The weekend started with a performance by Brisco at Club Phantom. OZONE Magazine kept the weekend going with a grown and sexy party at RJ’s Lounge. On Saturday, Flytyme Marketing & Promotions teamed up with Mirage Gentlemen’s Club to bring Spring Blingers a girl-on-girl freak show. Entrepreneur Entertainment and Carbeen Music have teamed up to become the musical powerhouse in Palm Beach County. With Triple J’s album 10 Toes Down already in the streets and mixtapes by G-Boi, Vandam, and Toedown on the way, they will surely be solidified in Palm Beach. - Juice with Flytyme Marketing (LadyKillaEnt@ gmail.com)
Wynette “Lil’ Bama Gurl” Newby, an up-and-coming artist/video director, created a DVD entitled Welcome to the Dot. It caught the attention of local authorities as well as the media. The DVD spotlights the residents of the city showing how they do them. Local police believe it promoted gang affiliation and weapon usage in the city. Soulja Boy was a no-show at his own concert, which disappointed over a thousand concert goers. Luckily female rapper Skyylevel from Tallahassee, FL opened the show and got the crowd crunk before attendees learned about the headliner’s absence. - DJ Akil (DJ.Akil@yahoo.com)
BALTIMORE, MD:
Jim Jones and Sheist Bub’s protégé DK just released his new street album It’s All About Me. Although he reps Baltimore, DK’s buzz in New York a couple of years ago was too heavy to ignore. The Dipset family members Purple City signed the young emcee to their imprint and immediately released King Me, The Kay Slay/Sheist Bub mixtape which garnered national acclaim for DK. Critics everywhere were buzzing. Now he is back with even more crack as the new album features Young Jeezy, Kanye West, and production by 9th Wonder. The album available on Purple City/Babygrande Records at www.myspace.com/dk730. - Darkroom Productions (TheDarkRoomInc@yahoo. com)
OZONE MAG // 17