DOCUMENTARY ON THE MURDER OF JAM MASTER JAY

"Two turntables and a Microphone" an investigation about the slaying of Jam Master Jay on third of the groundbreaking hip hop group RUN DMC, made it's premiere at the 9th annual Black Film Festival on June 3rd. (Tuesday). It's about time more filmmakers bring to light the lack of response black crimes get, especially among Hip Hop artist. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

REVIEW OF JAM MASTER JAY TRIBUTE CONCERT

REPORTED BY: SUCKAFREE

Last night I was lucky enough to attend one of the best concerts, for one of the best causes, to hit New York City in some time. It was a Jam Master Jay tribute concert, with the J.A.M Awards, created by Jay’s wife Terry Corley-Mizell and the Jam Master Jay Foundation to honor certain members of the hip-hop community for their outstanding contributions to social justice, the arts, and music (J.A.M.). While honorees included Wyclef Jean and Chuck D (who both weren’t in attendance), among others, it was the concert itself that brought the burbs and the hood together at Hammerstein Ballroom to honor Jay’s memory.

After an intro by DMC and Terry Corley-Mizell, Kid Capri took to the stage and brought out De La Soul. They ripped through tracks like “Buddy” and “Stakes is High” before exiting stage left so that Mobb Deep could rock sans the H.A.V.O.C. Instead, Prodigy, flanked by Big Noyd and what seemed like the entire Queensbridge in “Free P” shirts (because Prodigy will soon be heading off to jail on a gun charge, rocked a twenty minute set that saw him go through tracks like “Give Up The Goods,” “Keep It Thoro,” and “Shook Ones.” As for Hav’s absence, Prodigy said Hav just couldn’t make it. Perhaps there’s more to that story.

Then the hip-hop generation’s Bill Cosby, Reverend Run, took to the stage for what seemed like a rather short cameo. I thought he’d have something profound to say considering the fact that Jay was his DJ, but all he really did was introduce Long Island’s finest, EPMD (Erick and Parrish Making Dollars, for the young folks out there). Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith looked rejuvenated on stage, and performed “You Gots To Chill” and “Headbanger,” among others. When LL entered stage left during their set, the crowd went crazy and the flashes from camera phones lit up the venue.

The evening’s highlight was when big Snoop Dogg hit the stage. He came out rocking a dookie rope chain, fedora, and Adidas sweatshirt and performed Run DMC’s hit “Sucker MC’s,” which DMC himself got on the stage to spit the last verse for. Then the Doggfather entertained the crowd with “Gin and Juice,” “Nuthin But a ‘G’ Thang,” and “187,” before captivating the audience with “The Next Episode” and “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” Earlier in the day, Snoop spoke to Sucker Free exclusively, and said, “Jam Master Jay was a real cat, somebody who I was personally inclined with, so any time his wife and the people come and ask me to be a part of this, it’s nothing. I get a chance to rock with DMC tonight so I get to act out my dream of being Run.”

Following Snoop was a J.A.M. music award given out to Wyclef by Biz Markie and Marley Marl, but Clef wasn’t there to receive it. So M.O.P. hit the stage and performed “Ante Up,” and “Cold As Ice.” Following the Brooklyn brawlers, former House of Pain front man Everlast came on with Cypress Hill producer/DJ Muggs, and proceeded to play electric guitar over drum breaks, and sing a to bunch of songs that this crowd of hip-hoppers didn’t know. He even did a Johnny Cash song! It was a welcome bit of rock during a night of hip-hop.

It seemed like a half hour passed before Dead Prez came on to do “Hip-Hop.” Papoose followed, but even after performing the exhausting “Alphabetic Slaughter” a capella, he could barely get a rise out of a crowd that was too tired and too drunk to clap for his mixtape hits. Jim Jones and Juelz Santana came out, performed “We Fly” and other Dip Set material, then Raekwon ran through some Wu-Tang classics before the night ended.

The show was long and exhausting, but only because there were so many acts billed. And that’s not a bad thing. It was actually rewarding to know and actually see what Jam Master Jay meant to these artists. Plus the line to get in stretched all the way down 34th street. So Jay’s memory lived on for another day last night, and the J.A.M. Awards and tribute concert just cemented his legacy even that much more in the hearts of hip-hop fans.

MTV'S RUN HOUSE BACK FOR ANOTHER SEASON

Check out the trailer from the 4th season of MTV’s “Run’s House.”

BMI 2007 URBAN AWARDS

T.I., Ne-Yo, Mr. Collipark, Pharrell Williams Take Top BMI Urban Honors

BMI saluted the world’s premier r&b, rap and hip-hop songwriters, producers and publishers at its 2007 Urban Awards, held September 7 at the Zumanity Theatre at New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Hosted by BMI President & CEO Del Bryant and Vice President, Writer/Publisher Relations, Atlanta Catherine Brewton, the gala attracted an impressive gathering of music’s biggest stars and trendsetters.

Song List: BMI Award Winners

• T.I.
• Ne-Yo
• Mr. ColliPark

T.I., Ne-Yo and Mr. ColliPark each earned Songwriter of the Year titles, “Check On It” secured Song of the Year honors for co-writers Slim Thug and Sean Garrett, and a special presentation officially recognized legendary MC Joseph “Rev Run” Simmons of Run DMC as the newest BMI Icon.

• Slim Thug
• Sean Garrett
• Rev Run

The night’s other big winners included Pharrell Williams, who earned the Producer of the Year title; EMI Music Publishing, named Urban Publisher of the Year; and T-Pain’s “I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper),” which nabbed the BMI Urban Ringtone Award. Executives from music trade magazine Billboard were also on hand to give out No. 1 Awards to the BMI songs that reached the top spot on its urban music charts.

• Pharrell Williams
• T-Pain
• Mike Jones

T.I., Ne-Yo and Mr. ColliPark each composed four songs on BMI’s most-performed list, and all three of the hitmakers acquired their first BMI Songwriter of the Year crowns. T.I. co-wrote hits “My Love” and “What You Know,” along with Lil' C’s “Shoulder Lean” and Nelly’s “Grillz”; Ne-Yo co-penned Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable” and his own “Sexy Love,” “So Sick” and “When You’re Mad”; and Mr. ColliPark co-wrote the Ying Yang Twins’ “Badd,” Diddy’s “Come to Me,” Bubba Sparxxx’s “Ms. New Booty” and David Banner’s “Play.”

Slim Thug and Sean Garrett’s “Check On It” earned Song of the Year. Published by Publisher of the Year EMI-Blackwood Music, Inc., “Check On It” was recorded by Beyoncé and featured the vocal stylings of co-writer Slim Thug.

As one third of Run-DMC, Rev Run helped change the sound of rap by simultaneously being more street and rock & roll than his contemporaries. From the boom-box classic single “Sucker MCs” (1983) to their standard-setting discs Run-DMC, King of Rock, Raising Hell and Tougher Than Leather, Run-DMC defined a new level of cool for the world. Dressed in their trademark black hats and outfits to match, Run-DMC stayed at the top of the pop charts for most of the ’80s and knocked open the doors to commercial freedom for the rap generation. A multi-media star — he stars in his own television show, Run’s House — Rev Run continues to create music, having just released his CD Distortion on the Russell Simmons Music Group (RSMG).

Pharrell Williams earned his third BMI Producer of the Year title for logging the most producer credits on charting songs. The BMI Top Urban Producers list also included Rodney Jerkins, Polow Da Don, Jazze Pha, Kanye West, will.i.am, Lil Jon, Sean Garrett and T-Pain.

EMI Music Publishing was named BMI Urban Publisher of the Year by scoring the highest percentage of copyright ownership in award songs. The publishing giant’s hits included chart toppers “Irreplaceable,” “Déjà Vu,” “Money Maker,” “Snap Yo Fingers” and more.

“I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper),” co-written and performed by BMI Top Urban Producer T-Pain and Mike Jones and published by Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. and Zomba Songs, received the BMI Urban Ringtone Award for tallying the most downloads during the award period.

In addition to the BMI performance awards, Billboard recognized the BMI-affiliated writers whose songs reached No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, Hot Rap Tracks, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Hot 100 charts during the past year.