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MUSIC BITS: Dogg Pound; Pharrel feeling Velvet; Avant’s ‘Director’; DFB ‘ring tunes’; rap lyrics & teen sex; Arie’s ‘Testimony’; Dinco vs. Busta; Texas music showcase.
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(April 6, 2006)
*The Dogg Pound has reformed with Snoop Dogg and original members Daz Dillinger and Kurupt for a new album due on June 27 via Snoop’s Doggy Style records. Titled "Cali Iz Active," the set will also feature B-Real of Cypress Hill, David Banner, Soopafly and RBX. "I'm letting everybody know that the West Coast is definitely making a strong comeback," Snoop allhiphop.com. "It's a beautiful thing for me to be able to work with them, and when we drop this album it's gonna shake the whole game up."
*Hip-Hop producer Pharrell Williams is in the studio with rock group Velvet Revolver working on their sophomore album for RCA. According to Billboard.com, Williams confirmed that he is also working on a single from Velvet Revolver front man Scott Weiland. Titled “Happy,” the track will likely appear on Weiland’s second solo album. Williams, meanwhile, is still working on his long-delayed Interscope solo debut, "In My Mind." He told Billboard.com he plans to hit the studio in the coming weeks with Slim Thug, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, Nas and Ludacris.
*Avant's fourth album, “Director,” hits the streets on April 25 via Geffen Records. The set includes such tracks as "You Know What" featuring Jermaine Dupri and Lil' Wayne, the current hit single "4 Minutes" and his remix of the Pussy Cat Dolls' "Stickwitu." In addition to appearances on ABC’s “Live with Regis & Kelly” on April 19 and NBC’s “The Tonight Show” on April 25, Avant is scheduled to tour in support of the album, and headline a separate all-star summer '06 tour to be announced in the coming weeks.
*Ring Tune sales from Dem Franchize Boyz have crossed the two million sales mark, thanks to such popular downloads as current single "Lean Wit It, Rock Wit It," "I Think They Like Me," "Ridin' Rims" and "Stop Callin' Me." Hailing from Atlanta's Westside, DFB includes Gerald "Buddie" Tiller, Bernard "Jizzal Man" Leverette, Maurice "Parlae" Gleaton, and Jamal "Pimpin'" Willingham. They debuted on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart in 2004 with the top 25 single "White Tees," but enjoyed their true breakthrough as So So Def/Virgin artists with the single release of "I Think They Like Me," featuring guest appearances by Bow Wow, Da Brat and So So Def founder Jermaine Dupri.
*A new study published in Pediatrics Magazine suggests that raunchy rap lyrics may influence teenagers to engage in sexual activity before their 16th birthday. After analyzing 170 popular songs from the likes of Nelly, Ja Rule, Jay-Z and Destiny's Child, the study found that 40% of the lyrics featured sexual content. According to the study, black teens were more likely to view racy material, but are influenced less by media images than white teens. The study also found that those who listened or watched explicit music were twice as likely to have sex. "Media is a powerful sex educator, but not always in the best interest of children," Jane Brown of the University of North Carolina, chief researcher of the study, told the Daily News.
*India.Arie will release her new album, “Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship,” on June 27 via Universal Motown Records. The album's first single, "I Am Not My Hair," featuring remix collaborations with Akon, Swizz Beatz, and Jazze Pha, marks the first time India.Arie has agreed to let other artists remix her work. According to a press release, “the new album is a more personal expression containing more intimate songscapes from the artist.” She’ll promote the disc with a performance at the National Black Mayors Conference in Memphis, TN on April 29, and during a promotional tour in May. The video for "I Am Not My Hair" premiered on Yahoo.com last week.
*Former Leaders of the New School member Dinco is dissing ex-member Busta Rhymes in his new track, “F**k Touch It.” Using Busta’s instrumental for “Touch It,” Dinco retaliates for comments made on a DJ Clue mixtape about the LONS, which also featured Charlie Brown and Cut Monitor Milo. "I heard it on a Clue mixtape where [Busta] called us a bunch of b***hes," Dinco told AllHipHop.com. "He said some real foul s**t, saying my crew's acting like a bunch of b***hes. And Brown's mother s***ted him out. And following conversations, he's just been mad disrespectful to me."
*The First Annual Texas Independent Music Showcase & Industry Conference will take place on Friday and Saturday in Austin in conjunction with the black college event, Texas Relays. The conference will feature record label and producer workshops, panel discussions with Texas music veterans, artist showcases, a $1,000 rap battle and DJ spin-off. There will also be a $500 bikini contest.
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