Rolling Stone brings you the definitive tribute to the King of Pop, with a dazzling 100 page special issue (plus 4 covers) chronicling the thrilling highs and chilling lows of Michael Jackson from Motown to Thriller to Neverland.
Goes on sale July 10 but you can pre-order it at Barnes & Noble
Spotted @ Nah Right
After a brief hiatus Pro Club Radio is back. We twisted up the format a little but its the same classic show.
Episode Tracklist:
Pac Div - Shut Up
Drake - November 18
Fly Union - When We
Rick Ross - Rich Off Cocaine
Big Sean - Desire Want & Need
Pro Club Radio 7
**Bonus: Pro Club Radio 1-7
an interesting documentary about the cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe that I found. Its pretty long (pause) so sit back and enjoy
Pretty interesting documentary that takes a look at racism against blacks in Moscow
I couldnt resist using this gif
THE MAG: For our readers who may only know about your rap career, can you speak on your experience growing up?
Cam'Ron: Well I grew up in New York City: Harlem, New York. I played ball for probably two of the biggest amateur basketball organizations in the city. One being the Gauchos, the other being the Riverside Hawks. I went to Manhattan Center High School. I never graduated, but I came out of high school Top 25 in the country in the class of 1994. I ended up going to a junior college called Navarro Junior College in Texas, which is in between Dallas and Waco. I tore my hamstring when I was there, and I redshirted my first year. And when I came back home, I ended up getting back into the music business. I didn't get a chance to get back into sports because music started taking off for me. That's kinda how my basketball career went.
What's the new album (Crime Pays) sounding like?
The new album is crazy. It's really street. It's like an old, S.D.E. Cam'ron album.
Read the full interview HERE
Spanish police arrested a man arriving at Barcelona's airport from Chile after determining that the cast on his fractured left leg was made of cocaine, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
In all, police said they seized 4.8 kilograms (10.5 lb) of cocaine.
Read full article at CNN
Investors' despair about financial companies and the recession has brought the Dow Jones industrial average to another unwanted milestone: its first drop below 7,000 in more than 11 years. The market's slide Monday, which took the Dow down 300 points, was nowhere near the largest it has seen since last fall, but the tumble below 7,000 was nonetheless painful.
Read the full article HERE
For those who dont really understand whats going on with the economy right now, this video is pretty insightful.
Snoop Dogg, who just split with longtime label Interscope Records, has announced that he will release his next album Malice In Wonderland, through MTV. He will also launch a new nighttime variety show called Dogg After Dark, and will USE MTV’s popular Rock Band video game as a distribution platform.
If one of hip hop's biggest names doesnt even trust majors to distribute his music properly who should?
I think this is a sign of the times.
The press release:
New York, NY – February 10, 2009 – MTV and rapper, icon, record producer, entrepreneur and actor, Snoop Dogg today announced a first-of-its kind global deal that will bring the entertainers’ personality to television in a new variety talk show, “Dogg After Dark,” and his music to fans with a new album release and into the best-selling music video game Rock Band®.
Premiering on Tuesday, February 17th at 9pm ET/PT on MTV, Snoop Dogg will host “Dogg After Dark,” a new jam packed weekly variety talk show from Los Angeles hotspot Kress on Hollywood Boulevard. “Dogg After Dark” will bring his Doggystyle swagger to the airwaves with raw interviews with A-list celebrities and musicians, hilarious sketch-comedy segments and musical performances from the hottest artists. The show will air every Tuesday night for seven weeks and feature Snoop’s own in-house band, the “Snoopadelics.”
“When Van Toffler and I sat down Boss to Boss, a global quintuple threat takeover was masterminded. As the world of entertainment keeps changing, we felt it was the right time to let Snoop Dogg back on MTV so we could continue to run thangs with music, movies, DVDs and bring Hip-Hop to Rock Band.” said Snoop Dogg. “So screw ya wigz on tight and tune in on Tuesday nights for the first step to the next level of Snoop D-O double G. Dogg after Dark is the only nightclub tv show hosted by you know who. So take a journey with me through the mind, body, soul and musical mind state of the most prolific, authentic game spitter. And tha sh*t is funny, so show me da money!”
“Snoop has been a mainstay across MTV screens for over a decade by pushing the boundaries of hip-hop with his signature antics, incredible catalogue of music, legendary videos, larger than life personality and even a little controversy,” said Van Toffler, President, MTV Networks Music / Films / Logo Groups. “I can’t even begin to imagine MTV, my tumultuous career and several raging ulcers without the Dogg being such a big part of our history. He is an undeniable international superstar whose talent and work transcend music, tv and film and we look forward to launching this new multidimensional partnership with the Doggfather.”
“From iconic VMA performances to DoggyFizzle Televizzle and everything imaginable in between, MTV has always been a home for Snoop’s music and comedic expressions and will continue to be that through this exciting new partnership,” said Amy Doyle, Executive Vice President of Music and Talent for MTV.
The Grammy-Award nominated rapper’s unprecedented deal with MTV will let loose Snoop Dogg’s upcoming, new album, Malice In Wonderland, with global distribution, marketing and promotion. Featuring some seemingly unlikely musical guests, the album will feature tracks by Dr Dre, Pharrell and Lalo Shifrin, is scheduled to be released later this year. In addition, songs from Snoop Dogg’s impressive catalogue of hits will be released on MTV’s hot-selling Rock Band® music video game platform.
“Dogg After Dark” is Executive Produced by Snoop Dogg. Tony DiBari, Tim Healy and Karen Frank are Executive Producers for MTV. Matt Parillo is Executive in Charge of Production. Leslie Greif and Adam Freeman of the Greif Company are Executive Producers. Ted Chung and Constance Schwartz of Snoopadelic Pictures are Executive Producers.
Spotted at Eskay's
Rite Aid. (Ticker symbol: RAD; about 100,000 employees; 1-year stock-price decline: 92%). This drugstore chain tried to boost its performance by acquiring competitors Brooks and Eckerd in 2007. But there have been some nasty side effects, like a huge debt load that makes it the most leveraged drugstore chain in the U.S., according to Zacks Equity Research. That big retail investment came just as megadiscounter Wal-Mart was starting to sell prescription drugs, and consumers were starting to cut bank on spending. Management has twice lowered its outlook for 2009. Prognosis: Mounting losses, with no turnaround in sight.
Claire's Stores. (Privately owned; about 18,000 employees.) Leon Black's once-renowned private-equity firm, the Apollo Group, paid $3.1 billion for this trendy teen-focused accessory store in 2007, when buyout funds were bulging. But cash flow has been negative for much of the past year and analysts believe Claire's is close to defaulting on its debt. A horrible retail outlook for 2009 offers no relief, suggesting Claire's could follow Linens 'n Things - another Apollo purchase - and declare Chapter 11, possibly shuttering all of its 3,000-plus stores.
Chrysler. (Privately owned; about 55,000 employees). It's never a good sign when management insists the company is not going out of business, which is what CEO Bob Nardelli has been doing lately. Of the three Detroit automakers, Chrysler is the most endangered, with a product portfolio that's overreliant on gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs and almost totally devoid of compelling small cars. A recent deal with Fiat seems dubious, since the Italian automaker doesn't have to pony up any money, and Chrysler desperately needs cash. The company is quickly burning through $4 billion in government bailout money, and with car sales down 40 percent from recent peaks, Chrysler may be the weakling that can't cut it in tough times.
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group. (DTG; about 7,000 employees; stock down 95%). This car-rental company is a small player compared to Enterprise, Hertz, and Avis Budget. It's also more reliant on leisure travelers, and therefore more susceptible to a downturn as consumers cut spending. Dollar Thrifty is also closely tied to Chrysler, which supplies 80 percent of its fleet. Moody's predicts that if Chrysler declares Chapter 11, Dollar Thrifty would suffer deeply as well.
Realogy Corp. (Privately owned; about 13,000 employees). It's the biggest real-estate brokerage firm in the country, but that's a bad thing when there are double-digit declines in both sales and prices, as there were in 2009. Realogy, which includes the Coldwell Banker, ERA, and Sotheby's franchises, also carries a high debt load, dating to its purchase by the Apollo Group in 2007 - the very moment when the housing market was starting to invert from a soaring ride into a sickening nosedive. Realogy has been trying to refinance much of its debt, prompting lawsuits. One deal was denied by a judge in December, reducing the firm's already tight wiggle room.
Station Casinos. (Privately owned, about 14,000 employees). Las Vegas has already been creamed by a biblical real-estate bust, and now it may face the loss of its home-grown gambling joints, too. Station - which runs 15 casinos off the strip that cater to locals - recently failed to make a key interest payment, which is often one of the last steps before a Chapter 11 filing. For once, the house seems likely to lose.
Loehmann's Capital Corp. (Privately owned; about 1,500 employees). This clothing chain has the right formula for lean times, offering women's clothing at discount prices. But the consumer pullback is hitting just about every retailer, and Loehmann's has a lot less cash to ride out a drought than competitors like Nordstrom Rack and TJ Maxx. If Loehmann's doesn't get additional financing in 2009 - a dicey proposition, given skyrocketing unemployment and plunging spending - the chain could run out of cash.
Sbarro. (Privately owned; about 5,500 employees). It's not the pizza that's the problem. Many of this chain's 1,100 storefronts are in malls, which is a double whammy: Traffic is down, since consumers have put away their wallets. Sbarro can't really boost revenue by adding a breakfast or late-night menu, like other chains have done. And competitors like Domino's and Pizza Hut have less debt and stronger cash flow, which could intensify pressure on Sbarro as key debt payments come due in 2009.
Six Flags. (SIX; about 30,000 employees; stock down 84%). This theme-park operator has been losing money for several years, and selling off properties to try to pay down debt and get back into the black. But the ride may end prematurely. Moody's expects cash flow to be negative in 2009, and if consumers aren't spending during the peak summer season, that could imperil the company's ability to pay debts coming due later this year and in 2010.
Blockbuster. (BBI; about 60,000 employees; stock down 57%). The video-rental chain has burned cash while trying to figure out how to maximize fees without alienating customers. Its operating income has started to improve just as consumers are cutting back, even on movies. Video stores in general are under pressure as they compete with cable and Internet operators offering the same titles. A key test of Blockbuster's viability will come when two credit lines expire in August. One possible outcome, according to Valueline, is that investors take the company private and then go public again when market conditions are better.
Krispy Kreme. (KKD; about 4,000 employees; stock down 50%). The donuts might be good, but Krispy Kreme overestimated Americans' appetite - and that's saying something. This chain overexpanded during the donut heyday of the 1990s - taking on a lot of debt - and now requires high volumes to meet expenses and interest payments. The company has cut costs and closed underperforming stores, but still hasn't earned an operating profit in three years. And now that consumers are cutting back on everything, such improvements may fail to offset top-line declines, leading Krispy Kreme to seek some kind of relief from lenders over the next year.
Landry's Restaurants. (LNY; about 17,000 employees; stock down 66%). This restaurant chain, which operates Chart House, Rainforest Café, and other eateries, needs $400 million in new financing to finalize a buyout deal dating to last June. If lenders come through, the company should have enough cash to ride out the recession. But at least two banks have already balked, leading to downgrades of the company's debt and the prospect of a cash-flow crunch.
Sirius Satellite Radio. (SIRI - parent company; about 1,000 employees; stock down 96%). The music rocks, but satellite radio has yet to be profitable, and huge contracts for performers like Howard Stern are looking unsustainable. Sirius is one of two satellite-radio services owned by parent company Sirius XM, which was formed when Sirius and XM merged last year. So far, the merger hasn't generated the savings needed to make the company profitable, and Moody's thinks there's a "high likelihood" that Sirius will fail to repay or refinance its debt in 2009. One outcome could be a takeover, at distressed prices, by other firms active in the satellite business.
Trump Entertainment Resorts Holdings. (TRMP; about 9,500 employees; stock down 94%). The casino company made famous by The Donald has received several extensions on interest payments, while it tries to sell at least one of its Atlantic City properties and pay down a stack of debt. But with casino buyers scarce, competition circling, and gamblers nursing their losses from the recession, Trump Entertainment may face long odds of skirting bankruptcy.
BearingPoint. (BGPT; about 16,000 employees; stock down 21%). This Virginia-based consulting firm, spun out of KPMG in 2001, is struggling to solve its own operating problems. The firm has consistently lost money, revenue has been falling, and management stopped issuing earnings guidance in 2008. Stable government contracts generate about 30 percent of the firm's business, but the firm may sell other divisions to help pay off debt. With a key interest payment due in April, management needs to hustle - or devise its own exit strategy.
See full article at Yahoo! Finance
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