In our second interview of the day today (check out our sit-down with B.o.B from earlier this morning), we have a one-on-one chat with Ace Hood just outside the Bulls locker room at the United Center! See, Ace Hood was a performer, alongside Roscoe Dash, Malik Yusef, and special guest Scottie Pippen (who spoke, not rapped), to a gathering of Chicago high school men's and women's basketball teams at the UC for Nike Basketball's #BasketballNeverStops campaign (a clever campaign given the ongoing lockout, that sadly will likely kill the entire season based on today's news).
Anywho, the video... Ace Hood talks with Jen DeLeon about the reasoning behind the title of his latest album Blood, Sweat, & Tears, the creative process behind his hit single working with Chris Brown on "Body 2 Body" (the remix dropped today... see: below), and what it felt like to perform at the United Center. This interview is one of our more unique ones because Stan Perry & I were filming the performance and then immediately after, we pulled Ace aside for a few quick questions. So basically, this video contains the end of Ace's performance, followed by our raw footage of meeting him backstage, leading right into the interview. #Hustlin See for yourselves above and expect more footage from #BasketballNeverStops throughout the week!
Sgt. Tibs, Ant, Cam Be, and I slid by the Park Hyatt in Chicago to holla at B.o.B, who recently kicked off his Strange Clouds promo tour. The first thing I did upon meeting the 22 year-old ferociously rising rap artist was engage in some friendly roasting. This was done in south-side fashion, I might add. Speaking of fashions, a few may remember B.o.B rocked monacles during his Grammy performance. That's what I got on him about. He told me I was the first to mention the throwback accessories - something the Atlanta native said he was gonna trademark, jokingly.
All jokes aside, we spoke very in-depth about his upcoming sophomore release Strange Clouds. Seeing how I like to keep my interviews fun, we didn't just talk about the music. I also asked Bob about his sophomore year in high school. (Very fitting, I know.) His answers gave us all a little insight on the hard work and hustle that has been prevalent in B.o.B's career thus far. On his first album, he proved you couldn't see past his shades. This time around, Bobby Ray is setting out to prove that you're gonna have to travel to the clouds to link up with him. Strange clouds, that is. Check for that when it drops in March and wish the kid a happy 23rd b-day tomorrow. Groove!
There is nothing more satisfying than seeing great music used for a great cause. So when Gowhere NY heard that the 'Queen of Media', Perez Hilton was throwing a concert in NYC at the Hammerstein Ballroom, we were all over it. Aligned with Spirit Day, 100% of the ticket sale proceeds went to the GLSEN (the Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network), an organization for students, parents and teachers focused on ensuring a safe environment in schools. The ballroom was packed with a lively crowd, eager to see what and who Perez had in store. Alot of big names were handpicked by Perez to show love on the red carpet and perform on stage for this epic night. The party jumped off when DJ Pauly D took the stage and had the crowd fist pumping to his dance-worthy playlist. It's safe to say the best singing performances were saved for last when Boyz II Men took the stage, followed by Mary J. Blige for the grand finale. Both acts were amazing as the crowd naturally sang along to the classics and closely tuned in to some new material.
Above is a brief interview with Boyz II Men sharing some details on their new album, Twenty (available now everywhere), their non profit organization "The Boyz II Men House", and some advice for upcoming R&B singers trying to make it in the game today. So check it out and see what the Boyz had to say for yourself. Special thanks to LFB Media Group for inviting us to the event and shoutout to the sponsors: OpenSky, Music Choice’s SWRV TV, Brita FilterForGood Music Project, SOUL by Ludacris, popchips, ZICO: Pure Coconut Water, TY KU, UV Vodka, Asahi Beer, and BlogAds.
During the L.E.P. Bogus Boys listening party last night there were a lot of tastemakers in the building, and we got a chance to speak with some of our friends from NYC as well as here in the CHI. In the video above GY312 talks with LowKey, Karen Civil, with a short cameo from Meka about L.E.P., other artists on their radar, and CMJ 2011 in NYC. We also get a few words from our CHI peeps Andrew, Ty Kidd,DJ RTC, and Sherm about L.E.P. and Chicago in the video below. Get to know our online familia and drop them a line of gratitude for influencing the industry with fresh content on the daily. Love!
GY312 and Raheem DeVaughn link up at Red Kiva during the L.E.P Bogus Boys listening party where they talk an array of topics including L.E.P's new upcoming album 'Now Or Neva' due out to drop October 31st! Raheem spoke on collabing with his L.E.P familia on the album, while also touching on new projects he's working on including his upcoming album 'A Place Called Love'. However it wasn't all talk about music, as GY also touched on the political side of things to get Raheem DeVaughn's take on the 99%/Occupy Wall Street movement, as well as his recent arrest there withCornel West. Take a look at what he says in the interview above! Groove! (In GY312's voice)
Mick Boogie was the guest DJ for the Derrick Rose adiZero 2.o event in Chicago. Check out this interview where we discuss how he got involved with the shoe release, his relationship with DJ Jazzy Jeff, who he's listening to right now, and the '3 must-haves' for those pursuing a career in the music industry.
The MVP came to visit his hometown Chicago for the Derrick RoseadiZero 2.0 event that took over the city. The day kicked off at the Adidas - Water Tower, where Rose met with hundreds of fans who were waiting for him to arrive since 6 A.M. Little did Rose know, he had hundreds more on stand-by at the State Street Foot Locker.
This event was nothing like I have ever seen before. The first 150 fans at each location were given wristbands to take a picture with the MVP, but it wasn't just any picture - Adidas designed a gladiator style back drop, with "Drose 2 - Designed for the MVP" printed across the bottom. Not only did fans get to take a picture, they received free, printed copies to take home.
Following the meet and greets, was a three-on-three tournament at a secret location. For those who were not following the Adidas-Rose Facebook Campaign, clues have been released all week for fans to guess where Rose would be. The fans who figured out the password, and arrived to the location, were given the chance to play in the tournament.
Check out the full video recap, and interview where Rose discusses his new shoe, the event, his favorite part about traveling overseas, and much more.
Maks and I got up early this morning to catch Young Money's Tyga motivate and praise the youth at Bogan High School in Chicago for getting good grades and keeping up their attendance. He was greeted to an auditorium full of fans who were eager to catch his performance tonight during the F.A.M.E. Tour alongside Chris Brown and Kelly Rowland. When I got a chance to talk with him I had to ask about the tour and its memorable experiences, as well as his collaborations with Chris Brown - including one that will be ont he upcoming debut album Careless World due out November 19th. He provides some insight on the album as well so check out the interview above and see what he had to say!
Jeff Baraka caught up with international DJ Gilles Peterson before he did a live set here in Chicago. They cover an array of topics including what it means to be a global DJ and how music plays a role in the human connection. Gilles shares some experiences about traveling from one major city to the next, and speaks on his role at the Worldwide Festival that just happened this September in Singapore. Lastly they touch on the UK riots, and the importance of Chicago as a major influence on the global music scene.
Jawan Harris is not your average fourteen-year-old.
He was a contestant for Dwyane Wade‘s Chicago Has Talent Showcase a couple years ago and did not place at all – two years later, he is brought back as the celebrity performer.
Although this was the first time he had to perform without his dancers, he had an amazing performance and it was easy to see that Jawan definitely has love for his fans (and they love him back – just press play and see).
Check out this interview where we discuss the process he took in order to get where he needed to be, his upcoming goals, and what talents he has outside of singing and dancing.
