Rappers React To Death of Sherman Hemsley

A number of rappers are mourning over the death of legendary actor Sherman Hemsley, who died today (July 24), in El Paso, Texas.

According to reports, Hemsley died of natural causes at the age of 74, in his sleep.

As an actor, Sherman Hemsley started his acting career in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He moved to New York and hit Broadway as an actor, where he was discovered by Norman Lear, who cast him in the TV series “All in the Family.”

Hemsley and actress Isabel Sanford played the characters George and Louise Jefferson on “All in the Family,” which produced the spinoff show “The Jeffersons.”

“Sherman Hemsley you’ll be missed,” fellow Philadelphian Questlove tweeted.

Artists like Waka Flocka and 9th Wonder offered up condolences, while producer/DJ D-Nice, discussed Hemsley’s personal impact on his life.

“Growing up, all I wanted to do was live in a high rise building with a doorman,” D-Nice said. “RIP Sherman Hemsley. Thanks for the inspiration.”

After “The Jeffersons,” Sherman Hemsley remain in demand as an actor.

He started as Deacon Ernest Frye in the hit series “Amen” and had roles in TV shows like “Family Guy,” “The Hughleys,” “Family Matters,” “Martin,” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”

“It was an Honor to know and work with you,” MC Hammer tweeted.” Thanks for all the laughs :)”

Ice-T Takes “The Art of Rap” to London for Premiere

Ice-T’s directorial debut “Something From Nothing: The Art Of Rap” premiered in London last week.

The legendary, Los Angeles bred artist promoted the documentary at key locations around the UK’s capital city, including Hammersmith Apollo, Brixton Ritzy Picture House, British Film Institute and an Apple Store in Central London.

Ice-T also hosted Q&A sessions with audiences at each screening event, which were completely sold out.

Ice-T commenced his tour at West London’s Hammersmith Apollo where he was joined by rap legends Chuck D, Melle Mel, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah and UK rap group Hijack for a one-off performance.

During the Q&A, fans asked Ice-T a range of questions, including his views on UK Hip-Hop, how he obtained funding for the project and why there were only a few female rappers featured in the documentary.

“I asked [rappers] what they would do if they taught a rapper,” Ice-T said when London audiences asked about some common responses rappers gave during filming.”They all said originality. Kool Keith said it the best. Look and see what everyone else is doing, and don’t do that. Look and see how everyone else is dressing, and don’t dress like that. That’s originality.”

Ice-T also confirmed he is pleasantly surprised by the reception the documentary is receiving

“The most unexpected thing is the reception this movie has got from people. In a world of haters, you can see on the Internet, this movie has not received one single bad review. That’s impossible,” Ice-T explained

Ice-T continued to say, “This project is like a rubik cube. To diss the movie, you have to diss everyone in it. And nobody is qualified to do that.”

Watch the Q&A session at Hammersmith Apollo

“Something from Nothing: The Art of Rap” was released on July 20 in the United Kingdom.

Pusha T Performs in Miami

G.O.O.D. Music’s Pusha T took his talents to Miami’s South Beach this weekend with a performance at Club Arkadia.

Cash Money’s newest member DJ Stevie J (not to be confused with “Love & Hip Hop’s Stevie J) manned the turntables through the night, as well as DJ Ideal, who spun a slew of hit records from the G.O.O.D. Music camp.

The guests DJs ushered in Pusha T to a number of his older and recent hits from both the mainstream and mixtape circuit. Pusha T is currently preparing for the release of his label family’s anticipated Cruel Summer compilation in August.

Watch AlHipHop.com’s exclusive Pusha T performance footage here:

50 Cent Founds Boxing Promotion Company, Is Expected To Sign Two Fighters

50 Cent is on to the next business venture, as he enters the world of boxing promotion.

50 Cent's longstanding friendship with championship boxer Floyd Mayweather is no secret. Fif has regularly attended Mayweather's fights, and has participated in the fighter's entrance to the ring several times.

Now, 50 looks to begin his own boxing promoting business, founding TMT Promotion, with the TMT standing for The Money Team.

The Vitamin Water mogul and purveyor of video games, energy drinks, and various books has TMT licensed in New York, and is in the process of applying for a license in Nevada.

Sports Illustrated reports that 50 will be working with Mayweather, and that he is expected to sign former featherweight title holder Yuri Gamboa and super middleweight contender Andre Dirrell.

Ghostface Killah, Just Blaze & Masta Ace Respond To Colorado Massacre

Three of Hip Hop's finest took to Twitter to respond to the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado.

The world was shocked and saddened when news broke that former PhD student James Eagan Holmes opened fire on a crowded movie theater during a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises, killing 12  people and injuring dozens more. Now, members of the Hip Hop community respond to the tragedy.

In the wake of yesterday's events, rappers Ghostface Killah and Masta Ace reached out to the victims of the shooting and their families via Twitter to send their prayers and condolences. Producer Just Blaze took a harder line on the issue, hoping that the killer Holmes spend the rest of his life locked "under the jail."

@GhostfaceKillah
Ghostface KillahNot happy about the babies being lost. Toronto, Chicago, & Colorado!
Jul 20 via Twitter for iPad  Favorite Retweet Reply

@mastaace
Masta AceIncident in Colorado movie theater is crazy! And very sad. Pray for the victims and their families.
Jul 20 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply

@JustBlaze
Just BlazeDon't believe in the death penalty. But put that dude in Colorado under the jail forever with nothing of the pics of those he killed.
Jul 20 via Twitter for iPhone Favorite Retweet Reply

In related news, HipHopWired recently ran a report giving insight into the shooter Holmes's unstable mindset. According to the story, one of Holmes's neighbors recalls him responding to Lil Wayne song that she had been playing with a racist pejorative.

"[A]nother neighbor, Rachel Reed, 25, recalled seeing Holmes a number of times on the stoop, with his backpack," reads the report. "A couple of months ago she ran into him at the Zephyr, where she had put a Lil Wayne rap song on the jukebox. Holmes disapproved, she said, preferring rock 'n' roll music. He came over and 'made some racially charged comments about rap,' she said."

DX sends its prayers to the victims of the tragedy.

Nas Is In A “Good” Place – Puts On A High Energy Show In NYC

Nas took it back to the essence of Hip-Hop last night for his performance at NYC’s Tammany Hall. Flying high off of his Tuesday release for his new album, Life Is Good, Nas, who was dressed in a black “New York” t-shirt, bounced around the stage like a man who didn’t have a care in the world. The half industry/half true Nas fans, endured a line around the block and waited three hours for the god emcee to hit the stage, but once he did he never looked back.

Nas diddy-bopped on the stage and went through some of his radio single hits, mixed in with album cuts that only a true Nas fan would know – and the place was filled with true Nas fans, who rapped along to every line that came out of his mouth.

The atmosphere in Tammany Hall was similar to those block parties you snuck into when back you were 12 and 13 years old. The ones you had no business being at, but still remember to this day because you had the time of your life while you were there. Every square inch of the place of packed with Nas representers.

Keeping the throwback theme in tact, Nas started off his set with “Live at the BBQ.” “How many original Nas fans do we have in the building tonight?” Nas screamed to the crowd. The crowd erupted and Nas took the opportunity to go directly into one of his classics, “The World Is Yours”. Soon after, Nas was joined on stage by his younger brother Jungle and five “hype men,” who actually served their purpose and hyped up the crowd even more.

Nas was almost through performing “NY State Of Mind” when his old “Firm” group member AZ hopped on the stage to perform “Life’s A B*tch.” The crowd swayed back and forth, almost in unison, and rapped along as if they were performing along with the two on stage. After the track, AZ turned his back to the audience and was set to leave the stage when Nas called him back. “I can’t let you leave just yet A. Green—play that joint.”

The two went on to put on a spectacle of a show together that had everyone in the place wondering why The Firm never lived up to its true potential. Nas and AZ performed “Phone Tap,” “Affirmative Action,” and for the first time ever together, “Mo Money, Murder.”

Nas, who was slightly sweating now due to his high energy mini-set with AZ, proclaimed “Life is Good,” and with that, the beat to “Daughters” dropped. Nas expressed how much he and his daughter loved the record, then proceeded to say, “Her mother hates it, though. I don’t know… she’s f*cking crazy.”

The rest of the show was dedicated to all new material from his album Life Is Good. Nas plowed through “Queens Story,” “Accident Murderers,” and “Loco-Motive.” He was later joined on stage by rapper/producer Swizz Beatz for his sure to be hit single, “Summer On Smash”.

Nas ended the show with “Bye Baby”, an “ode” to his ex-wife, Kelis.

The rapper’s smile at the end of his long and energetic set seemed to tell a tale of triumph and accomplishment. One can only believe that Nas walked out of Tammany Hall last night truly believing, that “Life Is Good.”

Check out some footage from the show below, courtesy of GWizMusik:

Wiz Khalifa – SBTV Freestyle

EXCLUSIVE: Estate Of Notorious B.I.G. Denies Connection To Men Arrested In Book Theft

(AllHipHop News) Representatives for the estate of the Notorious B.I.G. have denied reports that they are connected with a musical about the rapper’s life, after two men were arrested in connection with a bizarre theft from a bookstore on Tuesday (July 17).

Writers Alfred Green and Raheim Pope had claimed they were producing a musical titled “Ready 2 Die,” which would focus on Notorious B.I.G.

Green and Pope were arrested for stealing $888 books from a Barnes & Noble in Westport, Connecticut.

The two men initially denied the stolen booty found in a Jaguar with Georgia plates was theirs.

At the station, a tip from Green lead to a cavity search of Pope, who had hidden the key to the getaway Jaguar in his rectum.

“Please note that this is an unauthorized play. Our firm has previously sent a cease and desist notice and any association with the Estate of Christopher Wallace or Notorious B.I.G. are unauthorized,” a rep for Notorious B.I.G.’s estate told AllHipHop.com.

Green and Pope issued a casting call for the unauthorized play back in March, but the estate warned B.I.G.’s fans that they are not supporting the musical.

“There is no connection or association between the Estate of Notorious B.I.G. and Alfred Green and Raheim Pope,” the rep told AllHipHop.com.