Bad Boy A&R head Daniel "Skid" Mitchell recently appeared on The Syndicate for an interview ranging from Bad Boy label issues to relationships. We'll focus on the Bad Boy aspects.
He was asked the old lazy standby question about past Bad Boy artists and how many of them did not release an album or achieve a large measure of success. I thought he handled it well, his answers mirroring things I've said here at Bad Boy Blog many times. In summation, Diddy gives people an opportunity and he'll be loyal to you, but to be successful, you have to work. There are many reasons artists are not successful or they get shelved and it happens at other labels.
He was also asked about the Bad Boy/Atlantic situation and he said that Bad Boy is "loosely related to some of the artists that were on the previous situation." He specifically named the Janelle Monae and Day26 projects and said "that's mostly it for what we're doing over there."
Regarding Black Rob, Mitchell said that both sides are talking back and forth and that Rob was at Daddy's House, the Bad Boy-owned recording studio, the second day he was out of prison.
Black Rob recently spoke with The Syndicate about the time he spent in jail, his situation at Bad Boy and a lot more. It's an interesting interview, though the hosts do talk a little slick, let's say. I suppose that that is part of the shtick of this particular show. Let's cover the highlights.
Black Rob told the hosts that Diddy did not visit him during his time in prison. He had hinted at this previously.
"I really don't care," he said when asked about it. He was told that Diddy visited Lil' Wayne. "So, what? I'm B.R. I'm from Spanish Harlem. Man, I don't know him. I don't know Puffy. Puffy ain't have to come see me." Toward the end of the interview, he also criticized people who don't write their own records. One of the hosts mentioned Diddy specifically, but Rob didn't.
Nonetheless, he confirmed speaking with Diddy. When asked if he was considering a return to Bad Boy, he said no. But, he went on to clarify the reasoning for that.
Last night, Diddy hosted a party at LIV at Fontainebleau in Miami. But, apparently, the party promoters started charging people more than Diddy expected they would.
"I just heard that the promoters got on some greedy s*** tonight and started overcharging people," Diddy wroteon Twitter. "I'm very sorry they did that. I didn't know. I thank y'all for always supporting my parties. I see I have to start putting a limit on what they can charge people. Greed is a motherf*****."
And now, we have the full track. You can now download the remix for free in two versions. The first is the DJ Ted Smooth remix and then the second is labeled the "Diddy Remix." Upon listening to both tracks, it appears that the "Diddy Remix" is perhaps Diddy's take on what Smooth did, featuring some minor adjustments to the track, as well as some new ad libs. Enjoy.
"We letting Rob just do what he want to do right now. He feel like coming home, he can do that. He got his freedom to do what he want to do. It's all love. We there for him, to support him."
It's hard to take from this, whether Black Rob is completely released from Bad Boy or if it's just been given the OK to go create and release music on the mixtape or indie end.
He posted a free download link on his Twitter page, but the link is now dead. I'll try to get a new one and we'll share it here at Bad Boy Blog if I do.
Speaking to American Superstar Magazine (video), Diddy revealed his inspiration for the character of record executive Sergio Roma is "Get Him to the Greek."
"I've seen so many different moguls," he said. "So, I used some of Lyor Cohen and Jimmy Iovine and Russell Simmons [and] a little bit of myself and rolled it all up into one."
During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to promote "Get Him to the Greek," Jonah Hill shared a funny story with Kimmel, recounting how he embarrassed Diddy when the pair partied before shooting the film. The story, which involves Jermaine Dupri, is vulgar and not appropriate for all audiences. Nonetheless, if you want to hear it, watch the clip below.
You can now pick up the mixtape for free through OnSMASH. The link comes care of Diddy. "The Albert Anastasia EP" also features contributions from Styles P, Yo Gotti, Birdman, Trey Songz, John Legend, Ne-Yo, Kool G Rap, Triple C's and Masspike Miles.
According to DJ Khaled's Twitter, a music video for "All I Do is Win (Remix)" was shot today. The song features Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Diddy, Nicki Minaj, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Fat Joe, Swizz Beatz and T-Pain. He subsequently posted photos with Diddy, Fabolous and Rick Ross and Diddy and Nicki Minaj.
In an interview with BlackTree TV, Diddy shared the story of a trip to Los Angeles back in the early nineties, in an attempt to sign singer Christopher Williams to Uptown Records. He says Andre Harrell told him he'd have a job if he was successful. And he was. They also talk about "Get Him to the Greek," success and more. Warning: there is some vulgarity.
Speaking to MTV, Diddy confirmed doing a record with Phoenix, said that the rap move was "for real" and that, if it isn't, "he tricked me." Check out the clip below.
Rick Ross' soon to be released mixtape, "The Albert Anastasia EP," features an intro from Diddy, the aptly titled "Diddy Intro," which Nah Right says was produced by Infamous.
Rap-Up.com and DrJays.com have photos from the May 26 launch of Diddybeats in New York. The festivities included Diddy, Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine and Noel Lee, the founder of Monster Cable. Chip Chick also has a 10 minute video clip, which you can check out below.
Here are Bad Boy's positions on the most recent Billboard U.S. album and single charts, released yesterday. Janelle Monae's "The ArchAndroid: Suites II and III" debuts and Dirty Money's "Hello Good Morning" continues moving upward in every way.
Albums
The Billboard 200
17. "The ArchAndroid: Suites II and III" by Janelle Monae (debut).
Top Current Albums
16. "The ArchAndroid: Suites II and III" by Janelle Monae (debut).
Top Internet Albums
17. "The ArchAndroid: Suites II and III" by Janelle Monae (debut).
Tastemakers
8. "The ArchAndroid: Suites II and III" by Janelle Monae (debut).
Janelle Monae's "The ArchAndroid: Suites II and III" has debuted at 17 on The Billboard 200, the big chart representing the best selling albums of the past week, regardless of genre.
The album came in at 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, 7 on the Top Digital Albums chart, 8 on the Tastemakers chart, 16 on the Top Current Albums chart and 17 on the Top Internet Albums chart.
Due to the increased interest in Monae's music, her debut, major label EP "Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition)" re-entered on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, as well.
AllHipHop.com: How hands-on were you in the development of Diddybeats?
Diddy: It was a true partnership between (Dr.) Dre and I. He took care of the sound part of it; I took care of the fashion part of it. I wanted to make them look as fly as Ferraris, Private Jets, Yachts. I also wanted to come with the colors; powdered pink, white and the sleek black that goes perfectly with the iPad.
During the Bad Boy family appearance on MTV's "Sucker Free," Diddy said that a new Aasim mixtape would be coming out soon. After making this announcement, he also said "The Beginning." It's unclear if this is the title or it was just a random proclamation.
Last Sunday, MTV's "Sucker Free" had a special Bad Boy family segment. Check out clips from the show below, featuring Dirty Money, Rick Ross, Janelle Monae, Cassie, Aasim and Red Cafe. They discuss their projects, what's coming next, the Bad Boy management situation, Diddy's work ethic and more. With the exception of another "the blogs" mention from Diddy (attention Mr. Combs: please read this post I wrote back in March!), it's a solid interview with some fun moments. Definitely worth watching.
Following the footage we posted earlier this month, here is another behind the scenes clip from the "Hello Good Morning" music with Dirty Money, Rick Ross, T.I. and Nicki Minaj.
On Tuesday night, "Get Him to the Greek" made it's Los Angeles premiere at the Greek Theatre. Diddy, Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, Judd Apatow, Diddy's kids, Diddy's mom Janice Combs and others were on hand. Check out the stream from the red carpet below.
Check out the clip below for Janelle Monae's performance of "Tightrope" on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," complete with Ellen and Diddy at the start and end.
A new Diddy/Dirty Money website has launched at diddydirtymoney.com. Compared to the Diddy's sites of the past, I will say that it is nice to see that it is not heavily based on Adobe Flash. It has a nice, clean look and the normal features you'd expect.
There appear to be some technical issues that need to be ironed out - certain images jump around when you move your mouse over them - but overall it's quite nice. The question is whether it'll stay updated. Bad Boy run sites of the past have had issues in that area. The fact that it has a "community" is also reason for pause, just because communities take great effort to run (you can't just put an intern on it), but the forums or communities that have been on Bad Boy owned sites have usually not been very closely managed.
However, this is effectively the first site that the company has launched since moving to Interscope, so hopefully they'll be changes for the better.
The new album cover for Dirty Money's "Last Train to Paris" just premiered on diddydirtymoney.com. The cover was confirmed to me on Twitter by Capricorn Clark, Global Brand & Viral Marketing Director for Sean Combs/Bad Boy. Check it out below.
Diddy has revealed that he'd like to replace the departing Simon Cowell on "American Idol," just as long as he receives the same salary. That's what he told MTV during an interview.
"You know, I have been fronting all this time, trying to act like I don't want that spot," he said. "And then I spoke to Simon's business manager, and I found out how much that boy makes a week. So, I am praying right now to 'American Idol.' I want everybody to get on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook and say that Diddy should get the Simon spot, but for the same amount of money that Simon was getting, else it's a deal-breaker."
Red Cafe's "No Witnesses" mixtape is now available for free download from DatPiff.com. It features appearances from Akon, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, Jadakiss, Fabolous, Lloyd Banks and more. Check out the front and back cover, track listing and an embedded player below.
In an interview with MTV, Diddy praised Nicki Minaj, calling her "one of the great ones." He also confirmed working with her in the studio. Watch the clip below.
"Diddy was pretty remarkable," he said. "He was really up for mocking himself. I thought that hip hop, except for De La Soul and Slim Shady, didn't have much comedy in it. But the thing is his sense of humor is quite amazing. Up until this movie, I would have never anticipated that Sean "P. Diddy" Combs would be a person who'd crack me up. On the set, man, he was just funny. I think he's maybe the funniest thing about the film. Even more than me and Jonah and I’m a professional comedian."
Retailer Hot Topic is now offering an exclusive Janelle Monae t-shirt, dedicated to her song "Cold War." You can buy it online in sizes extra-small through XXL.
"I'm shooting a video for every song on The ArchAndroid so we'll be creating a movie with a very beautiful narrative,” she says. “We also have a graphic novel coming out. We'll also try and take this show on Broadway. Touring is going to be what I'm focusing on now, I'll be doing shows with Erykah Badu at the end of this month, then I'll be doing the Lilith Fair, then I'll be on tour with Of Montreal."
“The main influence is Diddy’s work ethic. You can never say that you made it. You got to keep working. I’m up everyday 8am-9am no matter how late I been at a show or event. Your obligation becomes bigger than you”. Red Café continues, “You got a team, family and you trying to open doors for them as well as build your brand and you gotta get up each day full of energy and ready to take that on. Diddy motivates me because he works at a bunch of other endeavors while still giving 110% to each one. How could you fall back when you running with the man who never sleeps.”
Singersroom.com reports that Donnie Klang is no longer signed to Bad Boy and has signed a deal with 872 Entertainment, run by Tyrrell Bing of Tha Corna Boyz production team. The article says he'll be recording his upcoming second album with them and that he expects to sign a deal with a major label when it comes time to release it.
I confirmed the details of this story with Klang. Requests for comment sent to representatives at Bad Boy Records and Atlantic Records were not immediately returned.
At 7 PM ET on Bravo, Diddy will be the featured guest on "Inside the Actors Studio." Here are a couple of bonus clips where he talks about charity, memorization for rappers, money, his appreciation for the opportunity to come on the show and songwriting.
Diddy will be appearing on "Inside the Actors Studio" on Tuesday at 7 PM ET on Bravo. Here are a few preview clips where Diddy talks his work in "A Raisin in the Sun," "Get Him to the Greek" and "Monster's Ball."
Some have been critical of the move, but at the press conference, Diddy praised the awards show for allowing him to be nominated.
"The awards are important to hip hop and to show [hip-hop artists] in the right light," Diddy is quoted as saying, by Gatecrasher. "But the beauty of BET is, if Justin Bieber's hot, then he deserves to be on that stage. Sometimes, at other award shows, the color of your skin or the type of music you make takes away from getting the accolade you deserve."
Following the video released by Vibe, NewNowNext has photos from Janelle Monae's performance at the Highline Ballroom in New York City, celebrating the release of her album, "The ArchAndroid."
According to a message posted on his Twitter, Gorilla Zoe just premiered "Get Off of Me" on Atlanta's Hot 107.9 radio station. In the message, he says the track was produced by Zaytoven, who produced "What It Is," "S*** on 'Em," "HelluvaLife" and "So Sick" from Gorilla Zoe's last album, "Don't Feed Da Animals."
You've obviously made an impression on people. Diddy, in particular, gave you a huge compliment earlier this year when he compared you to Biggie. Had you guys talked about that privately before he came out and told the world?
Nah. You know, we had been recording some things, but up to that point, we hadn't released nothing. Me and Diddy had just been in the studio several times, trying things out and creating some stuff. When he made the comparisons of me and Biggie, I didn't take them as me being compared to Biggie. Biggie is maybe the greatest of all-time. That wouldn't even be a fair comparison. But I sometimes try to channel the emotions Biggie had in his music and his ability to tell stories. It touched me in a certain way.
Do those comparisons put any additional pressure on you? People were just starting to really respect you as a lyricist when Diddy made them and then all of a sudden you were being compared to one of the GOATs. That has to make it a little more difficult for you to earn your respect.
Not at all, because I don't take them to heart. B.I.G. is B.I.G. That's a legend. I'm doing my own thing, but I would never play myself like that. I'm the boss and I do my own thing.
Yesterday, I received a pair of Diddybeats, the new in-ear headphones, complements of Beats by Dr. Dre and MONSTER Cable. I may do a quick review of them in the future, but in the meantime, I took video while I opened them and walked through everything in the box. Check out the clip below.
For those who don't know, iTunes LP is iTunes' relatively new format aimed at providing a richer visual experience, akin to vinyl records and the enhanced artwork that they often had, over the CD format. "The ArchAndroid" is 1 of only 40 releases to take advantage of it.
When you first view the iTunes LP, you are greeted with the trailer for "The ArchAndroid," but with a movie-like credit sequence. After it has finished, you are presented with a portal page with a picture of Monae in the crown from the album cover. There are six menu options.
1. "Play the Album" gives you the ability to listen to the set's 18 songs as pictures of Monae, including pictures of Monae in the garb from the album artwork and pictures from behind the scenes at the music video for "Tightrope," are displayed. An "Alpha-Platinum 9000" action figure in packaging, complete with what appears to be a mini "The ArchAndroid" comic book, also appears.
Rap-Up.com reports that, according to Diddy, Jay-Z, Nicki Minaj, Chris Brown, Swizz Beatz and Bilal would be featured on the upcoming "Last Train to Paris" album. This was said during today's BET Awards 2010 nominations press conference today, which Dirty Money was on hand for. On Twitter, the publication says that they only mentioned the artists that Diddy himself mentioned today.
This new list of artists joins previously confirmed features from Drake, T-Pain, Rick Ross, Lil' Wayne, The Notorious B.I.G., T.I. and Justin Timberlake. A Jay-Z collaboration has been discussed, but the last we heard was that he was "supposed to be" featured on the set. At the end of April, "Hello Good Morning" writer Rico Love mentioned that Nicki Minaj would also be featured.
MTV reports from today's BET Awards 2010 nominations press conference, which featured Dirty Money. One of the announcements made was that Diddy would host the awards post-show. The awards will air on June 27 on BET.
Back in January, we reported that Best Buy as offering a special pre-order bonus for Diddy Beats where you could receive a t-shirt and a sample from Dirty Money's "Last Train to Paris."
That sample is a radio edit of "Hello Good Morning" featuring T.I. People who pre-ordered received a code that they can go and enter on diddybeats.com/track in order to receive the .mp3 file. According to a Monster Cable representative, you can still get a code if you buy from Best Buy now. It's unclear how long they will be available.
It has been one year, one month and four days since the release of Day26's "Forever in a Day," the last album that Bad Boy released. Today, Janelle Monae's "The ArchAndroid" becomes Bad Boy's first release of 2005.
The show itself will be taped on May 26 and you can enter to win free tickets by going to lopeztonight.com/audience and entering the promo code jmonae. Please note that the show is taped in Los Angeles.
He also looks back at his overall impact on the industry and culture. “I am the champion of hip-hop” Diddy says in the story. “Hands down, undisputed, I’m the undisputed heavyweight champion of hip-hop. We are going to have to deal with those facts. There is nobody that can f*** with me with what I do, which is getting busy. We are going across the board, as an entrepreneur, innovator, motivator. Who was there first? Who traveled to Europe first? The first. The first. The first. The first. I was the first.”
Janelle Monae will be appearing on "Late Show with David Letterman" on May 18. The show starts at 11:35 PM ET on CBS and one of the show's other guests is Jonah Hill, who will be appearing to promote the Diddy-featured "Get Him to the Greek."
According to a tweet from Red Cafe, Diddy and DJ Clue will be featured on his upcoming "No Witnesses" mixtape, which has now been moved to May 26, from May 19.
Pitchfork: Diddy is helping to release your album, too. How did you hook up with him?
JM: He came to my release party in Atlanta for my EP Metropolis: The Chase, which we released literally out of our trunks. He said, "I know you guys have your business going on and I'm not trying to be involved creatively, but I just want people to know what's going on in the underground." So we formed a partnership. It's not a direct signing-- creatively and monetarily, we control things. He's a smart man. I don't want to sound cocky, but if I was him, I would definitely be trying to get involved with Janelle Monae. I'm his boss! He's not mine.
Well, here it is. Behind the scenes footage of the music video shoot where Minaj is recording to her verse. First, in a parked car and then, on the road with Diddy behind the wheel. Check it out below.
TWU: How is Cindy different on The Arch Android to the first album 'The Metropolis'?
Janelle Monae: The first album she was running because she had fallen in love with a human and she was being disassembled for that. This time around we’re talking about The Arch Android the chosen one, the neyo of the matrix or the Archangel from the Bible. She (Cindy) finds out that she is indeed the one and is the mediator between the haves and have not. She’s the one who can get rid of all the discrimination within the android community. It deals with self realisation as she realises that she is that.
"The ArchAndroid," Janelle Monae's new album dropping on May 18, has been uploaded to her MySpace and you can listen to it now.
This follows an apparent leak of the album, acknowledged by her on Twitter on May 10. "Please don't download the leak," she wrote. Some pre-orders of the album arrived early and she discouraged those who received the album from uploading it to the internet.
When Dirty Money appeared on BET's 106 & Park on Thursday, they also brought with them Red Cafe, Aasim and Rick Ross. With Ross on hand, Diddy finally confirmed that the rapper had entered into a management deal with him and James Cruz, as Billboard reported back in April.
"We decided to forge a positive partnership," he told hosts Rocsi and Terrence J. "It's a management situation, but it's not the regular management situation. It's a partnership, it's a brand management situation where I'm able to do my thing as a brand manager. He's able to add in his ideas and we're able to grow together and he also helps me out with my music, so it's like a two way street man and it's a great thing. So, it is official. He is managed by Gucci, myself and James Cruz."
"Everybody we rocking with, they are brands," he continued, when asked what he looks for in an artist when considering this type of relationship. "We gonna keep it boutique. It's not a lot of people we're going to manage. It's more like a brand management agency, then it is just artist management."
When Dirty Money stopped by BET's 106 & Park on Thursday, Diddy was asked what Biggie record he would choose if he could only have one on his iPod. He said he couldn't choose, but that one of his favorite records was "My Downfall" from Biggie's "Life After Death" album.
Host Terrence J asked him what it was like in the studio when they were recording that song.
"We was hot," he said. "We just saw the 'Hit 'Em Up' video. We was hot. But, we ain't want to heat nothing up. We just wanted to make a record. We just felt like it was too much going on and that's how it was going down that day."
UsMagazine.com: You've had a lot going on recently, including penning Diddy's latest hit, "Hello, Good Morning." How did that collaboration come about?
Rico Love: Well, I was just hanging out at Diddy's house one day. He had wanted to work with me, so we were hanging out and I got the beat for the song. As soon as I heard it, [the song title] just came into my mind. The music just speaks to me. I never write anything down. I just get in the studio and lay it down once something comes to my mind.
"Puff is my man," he said. "Puff is going to be involved. I've been knowing him a while before people know who I was. I sought him out in 2004. At the moment I'm not contractually tied to anything right now. He's not a manager. My manager is Angela Yee."
Well, they've taken it up a notch and have brought in Diddy to host a party in New York City. Diddy is known for his annual White Party, but on Twitter, he said that there would not be one this year and, instead, the party's color would be selected by America through the M&M'S vote. The available colors are red, green, yellow, orange and blue.
They have also launched a "Party Like Diddy" sweepstakes, giving you a chance to win travel and accommodations for you and 20 of your friends, along with the opportunity to meet Diddy and help plan the party. You can enter on their website through noon on July 6.
"This year, I'm touring North America and Europe to promote my new album, 'Last Train to Paris,' so unfortunately I can't throw my annual White Party," Diddy said, via press release. "But I wanted to make sure there was at least one colorful affair on the calendar this summer, so I'll be producing the M&M'S Color Party, in honor of America's favorite M&M'S character. It's the first time people can pick the color of one of my parties."
On Wednesday, we reported that a new track from The-Dream had appeared online - "Champagne" featuring Diddy.
On Twitter, The-Dream revealed that the record is not on his upcoming "Love King" album and "never was."
He also the partial tweet we reported on, saying that "Champagne" was part of an FBI investigation which led them to three people that he says have been hacking him for the last two years.
“Metropolis: The Chase Suite dealt with Cindi Mayweather running—she was in love with a human and she’d been persecuted for that,” Monáe says. “This time we get into the ArchAndroid, which is a mythical figure that’s been around for centuries in Metropolis.” Among the repressed society of Monáe’s fable, the ArchAndroid is a fabled bringer of freedom and deliverance akin to Neo in The Matrix. “Cindi finds out that she is the ArchAndroid,” Monáe confirms.
Here it is: the brand new music video for Dirty Money's "Hello Good Morning," directed by Hype Williams. The Rick Ross-featured remix to the track has become the video version as the Boss leads off clip off. Beyond Ross and T.I., the video also features cameos from Swizz Beatz and Rico Love, as we reported back in mid-April.
Overall, a very cool video. I really enjoyed it. After you've watched, let me know what you think in the comments.
According to a tracklisting on the game's official website, "Juicy" by The Notorious B.I.G. will be one of the more than 40 tracks included in "Def Jam Rapstar," an upcoming video game in the vein of "Guitar Hero," except for rap. The game is expected to be released later this year.
Both Kalenna from Dirty Money and Nicki Minaj have tweeted a free download for the "Hello Good Morning (Remix)" featuring Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj. It sounds like it may have been taken from a mixtape as the song is rough at the start and the end.
iTunes has an exclusive clip from "Get Him to the Greek" where record executive Sergio Roma (played by Diddy) is unhappy with one of his employees (Nick Kroll) who says he's found the next Alicia Keys. Roma reminds him of his last discovery, an artist named Chocolate Daddy, who only moved 15,000 units of his album.
A trio of websites have been launched to promote "Get Him to the Greek," including a new official website, which features Diddy's character, Sergio Roma on both the Las Vegas and New York Pages. In Las Vegas, you can download wallpapers and an AIM icon featuring him.
They have also launched a website for Roma's fictional record label, Pinnacle M & A Records. On the site, you can see the artist roster and some background on Roma, including magazine covers featuring Roma and advertisements for Diamonds Tight, a sports drink endorsed by him.
There is also a website for Infant Sorrow, the band led by Aldous Snow (played by Russell Brand).
All the while, Casey Affleck was recording the journey and 24 Frames, the film has been screened for some potential buyers. 24 Frames suggests that buyers are unsure as to whether Phoenix is acting or if he is genuinely pursuing a career in music. In one scene, they say, Phoenix is attempting to convince Diddy to produce his album, but he "is not terribly interested."
According to the Diddy/Dirty Money official website, Diddy will be appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on May 26 and he'll be bringing along Janelle Monae. The listing says that he "introduces new Bad Boy recording artist Janelle Monae to the world." Check your local listings.
Here is the teaser for the upcoming "Tonight/Love Come Down" music video by Fabolous featuring Red Cafe. The songs are from his "There is No Competition 2" mixtape (free download). The second track is Fab's take on the Dirty Money single of the same name.
Warning: some vulgarity and inappropriate content.
Author note: When I heard the news that Diddy would be launching a blog at diddyblog.com, some feedback on potential issues sprang to mind and I wanted to write about them at Bad Boy Blog. I then thought it would be fun to write this post in a letter format. The main idea is to offer some suggestions to Mr. Combs himself, but perhaps more likely, to the digital people at Interscope or Bad Boy - whoever is responsible for the development and maintenance of diddyblog.com. I don't actually expect Mr. Combs to read it, but you never know.
I was pleased to hear that you were planning to launch a blog at diddyblog.com. I look forward to reading, subscribing and linking to it. Drawing from my experience in this area, as well as my familiarity with you and your work, I wanted to offer you some suggestions that you might find useful as you develop this project.
According to the official site, Dirty Money's new music video for "Hello Good Morning" will premiere on May 13 on BET's 106 & Park. Dirty Money will be on hand for the show, which starts at 6 PM ET.
According to the Best Buy website, black Diddy Beats are available Now. They are also available in some stores. See their store finder for specific locations. The pink and white versions of the head phones are not yet available.
"That's onboard with a few offers," 'Kiss said. "It was in the making with Diddy. But after we put out that '[Ha Ha] Slow Down' remix, we got a few more calls in that's on the table right now. They upped the ante. The ante got upped off a light freestyle. You see the impact? You feel that?"
This has now been confirmed by Diddy, during an appearance on USTREAM, which you can watch below. He mentions the Timberlake collaboration at the 20:03 mark.
You’ve been going hard with the Ciroc promotions lately and it seems to be a very successful endeavor. Of course, there were a number of artists before you that tried to promote various brands of their own liquor, but none have really succeeded. What were you able to differently with Ciroc?
I think it’s really in the product of Ciroc. I mean, Ciroc is the star. It’s just a great, quality product. You can make people try something once, but to keep people continually coming back, it has to be the product. And we gon’ really take over the game once we drop these different flavors, because we’ve done something that’s never been done in the industry, which was to produce some great tasting flavors, in raspberry and coconut. Once we get all of these things on the shelves I feel we’re really gonna take off.
To date, Yung Joc was the only person saying that he was off of Bad Boy and we were unable to confirm it with Bad Boy. Apparently, no one else was, either. Or, at least, if they did, it didn't cross our radar. So, we've continued to cover him in lieu of that.
However, according to a press release issued by Polo Grounds Music, Joc has signed a deal with Polo Grounds/MCA, joining acts like Pitbull, Yo Gotti, Hurricane Chris and Nina Sky.
As such, our coverage of Joc will now cease. He had a great run at Bad Boy - "It's Goin' Down" was one of the biggest hits of 2006 - and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.
According to a source at Monster Cable, Diddy Beats will begin appearing in stores in the next 1-2 weeks. This will depend on the location and will be followed by an official launch event at the end of the month.
I'm happy to be able to say that I have written a long update to this story and Global Grind has addressed these issues. You can read more on my personal blog.
On what appears to be his YouTube channel, Ted Smooth posted this clip of Funkmaster Flex playing his remix to Dirty Money's "Hello Good Morning." You can hear snippets in the clip.
Also, as a bonus, here's a clip of Smooth mixing the track at Daddy's House:
Starting at the 6:38 mark in the clip below, you can see a short preview of the "Hello Good Morning (Remix)" music video by Dirty Money featuring Rick Ross. Previously, we had reportedthat Rick Ross was on set during the shooting of the "Hello Good Morning" music video, but it was unclear if they were shooting a remix video, as well.
In the clip below, recorded on Tuesday on USTREAM, Diddy plays a snippet from a track that Swizz Beatz produced for "Last Train to Paris." You can't hear a lot, but the best part to listen to is probably at the 45:30 mark. Diddy says that this is the "last joint" on the album.
On Tuesday, this was confirmed by Diddy, during an appearance on USTREAM. He said that the album will be released at midnight on June 28, after the BET Awards. Check the 4:07 mark in the clip below.
During a live broadcast on USTREAM on Tuesday, Diddy talked about his plans to make this year a "big year ... in rap" for Bad Boy, mentioning Red Cafe, Aasim and The Lox by name and also alluding to "other acts" that he wants to sign.
"Y'all know I don't really sign a lot of rappers," he said. "I got Red Cafe. I got Aasim. And I'm trying to make a couple of other moves to really have a big year, this year, in rap. But, Aasim is the truth, the answer, the dream. Red Cafe, trust me, we gonna start making that noise. Still trying to do this Lox album, trying to get that back together, get us back together again. And some other acts. I'm trying to really make a lot of noise this year."
Check out the clip below, starting at the 15:37 mark. Also, check out the 10:03 mark for a funny moment with Red Cafe and Fabolous whispering to the camera.
"I can't confirm any of the rumors about the different management situations," he said in the first clip, included below, starting at the 16:08 mark. "because it ain't nothing to confirm yet. But, I will be making some big announcements soon. I just want to set the record straight. Only I can do that."
That's not the odd part, though. The odd part is what he said in the second clip, also included below.
"Don't believe the rumors," Diddy says, at the 10:56 mark. "I have not made no announcement yet. Don't believe no rumors about anything y'all hear. Me and [Nicki Minaj], we just cool. I like her style. Rick Ross, that's my brother. There's no management announcements or none of that. So, everybody, just worry about what y'all worrying about. It's alright for people that know each other to have an admiration towards each other and, you know, maybe pick each other's brains for advice. But, I will be making some big announcements in a couple of weeks, on some things, though. But, right now, let's everybody chill out, be cool and stay focused on being positive and worry about what you doing."
On Twitter, Black Rob is offering a free download of "New York," from his upcoming mixtape "Game Tested & Street Approved." Another message from his Twitter account indicates that it is "coming real soon."
Black Rob is now on Twitter as TheRealBlackRob. The account has been around for a long time, even when he was serving prison, so it may very well be maintained by a manager or intermediary of some sort. Previously, I hadn't been able to confirm that it was official. But, he mentioned the account during his interview with BET.
On Tuesday, we posted clips from a BET interview with Black Rob, who was just released from prison. BET appears to have released the full interview. Check it out below. He talks about his time in prison, the mistakes he's made, the state of music now and his future, among other things.
James Covert of the New York Post reports that Sean John and Macy's have agreed to a deal that makes the department store the exclusive distributor of Sean John's sportswear line. This will begin in the spring of 2011 and will eventually lead to the line being sold in all Macy's stores.
WWD's David Lipke says that the deal is for men's sportswear, but that article is behind a paywall, so I'm not able to view the full content.
The specific terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Over on the Sean John blog, check out some photos of the holiday 2010 line, featuring a mountain theme, broken into three stages: "The Climb," "The Lodge" and "The Descent."
Back in November, Diddy was asked on HOT 97 about the status of Black Rob on Bad Boy. He didn't answer it, but said this:
"What I am... I'm a provider of an opportunity," he said. "I own a label called Bad Boy. I don't have a secret type of spell to control people's lives. I can't keep Black Rob out of jail. That's something that I could not do. I love Black Rob to death. That's what happened to Black Rob. If Black Rob was here and around, I know he'd be making great music."
I think, at the end, he hit at the unfortunate part of this. I'm a Black Rob fan and he's got talent. But, his potential has been severely cut by poor judgment and that's a shame. It's a devastating, if not uncommon, example of someone who could have been very successful, but made too many mistakes. I'm not sure how long you can expect someone to put money behind you, to have money lost due to these sorts of lapses.
I hope that it's a new day for B.R. though and that from here on out, everything goes well for him.
I'm trying to confirm that he's off of Bad Boy with someone at the label. I'll report back when I hear something.
TheYBF.com has the exclusive premiere of the trailer for Dirty Money's "Hello Good Morning" featuring T.I. The clip also features Rick Ross, Swizz Beatz and Rico Love.
On Twitter, Diddy announced that he is launching the "most positive inspirational BLOG in THE WORLD!!!!" He provides diddyblog.com as the URL and, when visited, it features a trailer compromised interspersed clips from various interviews and moments starring notable figures like Michael Jordon, Muhammad Ali and Will Smith. Check out the trailer below.
Well, we can now officially welcome Red Cafe to Bad Boy as Diddy tweeted that the signing was official. If you need to know more about Red, feel free to check out our Red Cafe category, which probably offers the most exhaustive coverage on the rapper since they initially announced the signing, back in May of 2009.
With 16 days remaining until the release of Janelle Monae's "The ArchAndroid," I have confirmed with Wondaland that the track listing on Wikipedia is the final, official track listing for the release.
The main difference between that one and the final one are that the missing tracks, "Tightrope" and "Cold War," have now been added. There are also some small song title changes. Check out the final track list below.
1. "Suite II Overture"
2. "Dance Or Die" featuring Saul Williams
3. "Faster"
4. "Locked Inside"
5. "Sir Greendown"
6. "Cold War"
7. "Tightrope" featuring Big Boi
8. "Neon Gumbo"
9. "Oh, Maker"
10. "Come Alive (The War Of The Roses)"
11. "Mushrooms & Roses"
12. "Suite III Overture"
13. "Neon Valley Street"
14. "Make The Bus" featuring Of Montreal
15. "Wondaland"
16. "57821" featuring Deep Cotton
17. "Say You’ll Go"
18. "BabopbyeYa"
Check out Hip-Hop Confessions, episode 5 features a round table of Deric "D-Dot" Angelettie, Sean C. and LV as they each confess something to host Skillz. Sean C. confesses that he didn't like "It's All About the Benjamins," when he first heard the beat.
But, the funny part is Angelettie's confession about, in his words, "one of my biggest records." He says that Diddy wanted him to take a short DJ Kool party cut and turn it into a full song. But, he didn't want to do it. He listened to it and told Diddy, "We not gonna win with this s***."
He also said that he and Diddy made a bet. If the song came out "wack," Diddy had to buy him a car. If it came out "hot," Angelettie had to give up his half of the publishing. This was before he made the record. It came out hot, but Dot says in the end Kool & the Gang took all of the publishing, anyway, due to the sample of "Hollywood Swinging," which served as the backbone of the record. He also notes that Mase came up with the "take hits from the '80s" anthem.
The song starts with "wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy" and Diddy then adds a couple of ad-libs as her verse develops. On "The Simpsons," Ke$ha's vocals are kept and lip-synched by Lisa Simpson, but the voice of Bart Simpson recites Diddy's ad-libs. Check out the clip below.
They lost in the third round to first seed The Neptunes by a margin of 72.8% to 27.2%. I'm a little surprised that The Neptunes won, let alone by that margin, but not shocked and I'm sure the seeding plays a role in the votes, as well. I like The Neptunes a lot, so congratulations to them.
On Jeremy Greene's MySpace, you can listen to a mega mix (of sorts) of Dirty Money's "Hello Good Morning" that features rap verses from T.I. and Diddy, as seen on the original, plus the remix verses from Rick Ross and Red Cafe and a sung verse by Greene.
Red Cafe's "Heart and Soul" featuring Pete Rock, a record I absolutely love, serves as the soundtrack to "The Heart & Soul of New York City," a new "poetic clip" by Kevin Couliau of K1X. It's an ode to playground basketball in New York, featuring Red Cafe as well as cameos by DJ Ted Smooth, former New York Knick John Starts, KRS-One and more. Check out out below.
Interestingly, Electronica says that the version they are about to play isn't the finished version of the song. It's unclear if the version that Diddy is circulating is finished or not.
Below, check out the brand new music video for Fat Joe's "Slow Down" featuring Jeezy, care of Twitter messages posted by Diddy and Fat Joe. The video includes a cameo appearance from Diddy, surfing on the hood of a convertible Rolls-Royce Phantom that Fat Joe is driving.
In an interview with Soul Culture, Janelle Monae talks about "The ArchAndroid" and the crown featured in the trailer for the album. She mentioned that it is real and was made by Jesse J. Clarkson, an artist and special effects designer who has worked on The Dark Knight and Ironman, among other films. Check it out below.
