Cleveland-based DJ/producer Mick Boogie sourced the title for this tribute from Biggie’s 1994 release on “Ready To Die”. In addition to P Diddy the tracks include The Clipse, NAS, Jay-Z, 2Pac, Lil Kim, Lil Wayne, Mobb Deep, Kayne West and others.

1. Diddy Intro
2. Biggie and The Clipse: Blow
3. Biggie and Ray Cash: Gimme The Loot 2007
4. Biggie, Game, and Darien Brockington: On Top (Produced by The Kickdrums)
5. Biggie and AZ: Brooklyn
6. Biggie and Grand Agent & Liv L’ Raynge: Motherf*ckers
7. Biggie and Big L: Let The Games Begin
8. Biggie: Live For The Funk (Produced by Khrysis
9. Diddy Interlude
10. Biggie and Jay-Z: Get Money (live)
11. Biggie and Kanye West: Kicks Open Doors
12. Biggie and Jadakiss: All Day Every Day
13. The Madd Rapper: Still Mad Interlude
14. Biggie and Lil Kim: Only One Thing
15. Biggie and Young Chris: Young G’s 2007 (Produced by Moss)
16. Diddy Interlude
17. Biggie and Jay-Z: The Commission
18. Biggie, Black Rob and Ness: Live at the BBQ (Produced by D-Dot)
19. Biggie and 2Pac: Party and Bullsh*t (live)
20. Biggie and Lloyd Banks: Never Been
21. Biggie and Nas: It Ain’t Hard
22. Diddy Interlude
23. Biggie and Ab: The East Coast Overdoser (Produced by Terry Urban)
24. Biggie and Prodigy: Escape From NY
25. Biggie and Puff: Lyricist Lounge Freestyle
26. Biggie and Lil Wayne: If You See Me (Produced by Garbs)
27. Biggie: Let It Go
28. Biggie and Mobb Deep: Last Dayz 2007
29. Diddy Outro

Buy the “Unbelievable” Notorious B.I.G. tribute album cover digital print - on canvas!

Each digital print featuring embellishments in acrylic paint hand-applied by the artist, Howie Green, making each one a unique work-of-art.

Howie Green’s 2007 began with an installation at the Mellow Mushroom restaurant in Fleming Island Florida (featuring over 50 of his record cover recreations!), and his commission for the new Notorious B.I.G. tribute album cover (available soon as a print, click here to preview this item).

From Howie Green:

“I always find it interesting when small personal projects, like my Biggie Smalls portraits, strike a chord with a public audience and go on to have life of their own. Being of a certain age I wouldn’t exactly call myself a rap or hip hop aficionado - but I do know a great face when I see one and Biggie Smalls was one cool looking guy. I came across some photos of the Notorious B.I.G. when I was researching possible images for a mural project I was working on - a 30′ x 15′ wall of my album cover paintings. The mural, now located in Jacksonville, FL, needed to have a wide cross section of musical styles represented and I was looking for recording artists that were well known to most people. I found two vintage black and white promotional images of Biggie that reminded me of the kind of old school look that the jazz cats of the 1950s and the Blues guys of the 1930 used to have - “Cool” as they could possibly be.

I listened to a bunch of Biggie’s tracks and I could see why he had become such a popular rapper and why he’s become a legend since his death. His musical contributions are public record but what most interested me most was the way he looked. Most rappers dress up in big sneakers and street clothes and cover themselves with all manner of accouterment, but not Biggie. Biggie was a style maven and when it came to his look he had it going on! I know that an accident made him have to use a cane to walk around but the man turned the cane into a cool accessory. I appreciate anyone who can wear a hat and no one in recent history looked cooler in a hat that Mr. Smalls.

I did paintings of both the photos I found and proposed them for the mural but for various reasons they were not used and I put them in my online gallery for folks to see. About 6 months later I got contacted by a fellow named Mick Boogie who told me he was producing a mixtape of Biggie’s tracks and wanted to know if I would allow them to use one of my Biggie portraits as the cover artwork for the CD versions. I was happy that my art would finally get some use so I agreed and the album, by LCMG Productions, came out in early April to great acclaim and is making a lot of noise among the hip hop community. Before the album’s release I got my pre-release copies and was surprised at the stellar lineup of talent on the tracks including none other than Sean “DIDDY” Combs as the album’s host.

Several days after the album came out I was very surprised to get a photo emailed to me by Mick Boogie of him and P Diddy holding the mixtape CD with my album cover artwork (see below). I have received several emails from folks who appeared on the album expressing their appreciation of the cover and Mick is having me do a very large version of the cover done that will be given to P Diddy to hang up in the offices of Bad Boy Entertainment.”

++View all items in stock from Howie Green
++ CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD the Unbelievable Mixtape

Source: Mike Goldstein at MusicDish Network. Republished with Permission

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This hip hop supergroup promises to “Save” hip hop with fresh beats and a classic style.

“Whatever’s hot now, the audience gets brainwashed into thinking that’s what’s real and there’s no balance,” says Spinna. “It’s gotten boring and I think there’s an audience that’s neglected. They want to hear something with more depth.” Enter The Polyrhythm Addicts.

View a complete discography and pics of the PolyRhythm Addicts, and its members here
And of course the Myspace page http://www.myspace.com/thepolyrhythmaddicts

THE POLYRHYTHM ADDICTS are performing live at Sputnik in Brooklyn March 31st.

Club SPUTNIK
262 Taffe Place
bet., Dekalb & Willoughby
Near Classon Ave - BKLYN, NY

10PM-4AM
Admission $10 w/ RSVP
21 & Over

Directions To SPUTNIK:
G Train To Classon Avenue

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Let’s Go features tracks which tells the story of courtship, romance and the freedom to love. This artist used his relationships as his muse; the experiences of a journey toward commitment. From rhythmic impulses on the dance floor in the song Dance With You to the soulful declaration of love-found in the song You’re the One I’ve Been Looking For (All of My Life). The EP is a montage of different experiences…conjuring up feelings and imaginations, most mainstream music has seems to abandon, in its creation. “Let’s Go” dares you to leave all inhibitions at the door and surrender to music that crosses genres and generations.
The Christopher Complex does not follow what major labels have branded as popular music. He likes music to be different and challenging. His musical theory, both simple and involved, represents the different aspects of his complex personality.

“Let’s Go” is available at CD Baby.com and Apple iTunes.

For additional information about Christopher Complex please visit
www.royalstonerecords.com
www.myspace.com/thechristophercomplex
www.sonicbids.com/thechristophercomplex

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“I am very upset with the series of events this week and I do not appreciate people making me look and sound crazy. I’m not a a whore or a b*tch, which is what people have been making me out to be. I’m a 19 year old girl, I’m single and I’m working my ass off.  Thank you to all of the fans and supporters that have recognized my hard work.”

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That was the mid-90s, fast-forward to 2006 and ask yourself - Is the East in the house?
Short answer, yes. It’s been “in the house” for quite sometime, very sheltered and
remaining awfully quiet. I’m patiently waiting for the east to come back outside to play;
honestly I’m getting bored. By nature, hip-hop has always been territorial. There is a
sense of pride knowing your region is on top and the genre’s stars are people from your
own community. In listening to Tru Life’s “New New York” I understand where this rap
artist is coming from. To hear New York artists spitting about “trapping” or “getting
crunk in the club” or “going dumb” makes me feel awkward. I would welcome this lingo
with open arms had it came from artists in the areas the jargon originated. Observing this
tells me upcoming artists in New York City have major identity issues and are simply
looking to mimic whatever is “hot” at the moment.

As a recording artist, industry professional and most importantly as a fan, I attend hip-
hop showcases in New York City rather frequently. New York City is the Mecca of hip-
hop, an emcees breeding ground. The city is flooded with aspiring hip-hop stars; I’m
willing to bet New York City has the highest number of rappers per capita in the world.
Do these artists have talent? Many of them do – but does talent always translate to
commercial success, NO. This is what many artists fail to understand, once you start
looking for external sources to finance your career, you are an investment. Of course
you’d like to feel like more since after all, the lyrics are your personal memoirs (accurate
or fabricated) and the music is something you’ve poured your time, life and money into.
Despite the previous statements, one thing that you should never lose sight of is the
following: the music business is just that, a business. Grey areas are to be expected since
the ultimate product stems from creativity but where there is a company, there is a bottom
line – period.

If you walk into a bank looking to secure a loan for your business, you will have to
demonstrate to that financial institution that you have the ability to pay back, plus
interest. You’ll have to supply supporting documentation, income projections – you have
to have a plan. They don’t want to sample your product (or in this case, evaluate your
demo). They want tangible evidence – previous sales, spins, shows, web traffic, celebrity
endorsements etc. Unlike a bank loan, where they will hunt you down, destroy you and
take everything short of the clothes off your back if cannot repay – with a record label’s
investment, if things don’t pan out…you walk with almost no consequence (aside from
difficulty securing future deals or possible shame). Taking this into consideration, they
should reserve the right to be selective and invest in those acts most likely to meet certain
sales criteria. Simply stated, right now – New York doesn’t appear to be that. Being well
versed on both the business and creative sides of the spectrum, there are many artists I
enjoy listening to personally but had I been an A&R, I still wouldn’t sign them. Why?
Because I’d like to keep my job and part of my job is to scout talent that will inevitably
bring money to the company I work for.

Where do New York artists fit into the scheme of all this? How do the previous
statements about business and investments relate to the changes currently taking place in
the hip-hop landscape? Easy. New York City artists have to prove that they aren’t poor
investments. You must also bear in mind that many of your predecessors as of late have
failed to meet the target. These facts damage your reputation to potential investors, it’s
like a bad credit score. You can argue to the cows come home about “real hip-hop,”
more than likely you are not going to change popular opinion. Attending showcases
lately in NYC, it’s like…if you’ve seen one – you’ve seen them all. In terms of fashion,
every artist looks the same. With regard to content (or lack thereof), every artist is
addressing the same issues. The repetitiveness in subject matter has reached new lows.
Some artists become remarkably frustrated at the prospect of not having a deal after years
of hard work. This anger eventually finds its way into their music and as a potential fan;
I don’t want to hear about it. I’ve attended shows where rappers felt obligated to express
their displeasure with the likes of Chingy and D4L during their performances – it’s
ridiculous. I can take this opportunity to start plugging my music as a New Yorker and
discuss in great detail how I can revolutionize the game, but I’ll summarize now. New
York City is known as the birthplace of rap music. New York rappers are famed for
being lyrically proficient, fly by default and envied by rappers of all regions. We have
that Big Apple swagger. We don’t follow trends, we just set them. Please don’t ever
forget that. So in conclusion, don’t obsess over the current success of other regions.
Rather, make a point to create material worthy of carrying the Empire State’s torch.
Understand what investors are looking for and what fans want - incorporate your personal
style (after all, no one wants a clone of an artist who already exists). With this newfound
outlook and your talent, hopefully we can see the genre returned its owners. Peace!!!

————————————————————-
R.S. Andrews, BBA MSA - President/CEO of Sheer Badness Entertainment, professional
songwriter, performer and hip-hop/rap recording artist p/k/a SHEE.
Contact: http://www.SHEEmusic.com, info@sheerbadness.com or call (908) 245-6467

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Title: “Music, Money, and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Industry” 4th Edition (October 2004)
Authors:Jeffrey Brabec and Todd Brabec
Genre:Music Business Trade Book
Publisher:Schirmer Trade Books
Details:467 pages, List Price $24.95 US, available here

How about the following New Year’s resolution for 2006: I will read “Music, Money, and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Industry” by brothers Jeffrey Brabec and Todd Brabec, who both hold high powered jobs in the music industry and have plenty of real life experience behind them.

Jeffrey Brabec is vice president of business affairs for The Chrysalis Music Group, where he specializes in evaluating, analyzing and negotiating music publishing acquisitions. Todd Brabec is executive vice president and director of membership for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the world’s largest performing rights organization.

As the title implies, “Music, Money and Success” is all about how songs make money in the music business. The book delves deeply into the business of songs and songwriting, and readers don’t have to wade through a lot of fluff or information not immediately pertinent to the song trade, such as how to get a record deal or put together a tour.

“Music, Money and Success” goes into great detail about the very complex world of copyrights and the administration of copyrights, including licensing for records, film, video, commercials, and emerging licensing opportunities such as the Internet; who does what, how and why in the song trade; breaking into the songwriting busines; examples of typical contract language and contract terms; and much more. The Brabecs also include charts that clearly demonstrate where the songwriting money comes from under different circumstances, which I found to be helpful in bringing all of this conplex information together.

The contents of “Music, Money and Success” include:

* Songwriting and publishing
* Copublishing and administration
* Records
* Performances
* Movies
* Television
* Commercials
* Broadway
* Foreign rights and income
* Buying and selling songs
* Managers, lawyers and agents
* Copyright
* Putting it all together
* Breaking into the songwriting business
* Sampling
* Joint ventures
* Internet
* Music industry organizations

This audience for this book ­ which is truly a handbook ­ is anyone whose business includes the creation and/or use of songs, including but not limited to songwriters, music publishers, filmmakers, TV and video producers, venues, producers, record labels, broadcasters, webcasters, licensing agents, etc.

In summary, if songs are a part of your business, then make it your business to pick up a copy of “Music, Money, and Success: The Insider’s Guide to Making Money in the Music Industry.” And don’t leave home without it!

Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © Tag It 2005 - Republished with Permission

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A unique and unforgettable opportunity to join Norman Mailer and his
son, John Buffalo Mailer, for an intergenerational sparring match as
they discuss their new book, The Big Empty: A Dialogue on Politics,
Sex, God, Boxing, Morality, Myth, Poker and Bad Conscience in America.

A book signing of The Big Empty will follow the event

Thursday, March 2nd, 7:00 p.m.

The New York Society for Ethical Culture, 2 West 64th Street at
Central Park West, New York City

Doors open 6:00 p.m.

FREE – FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE

Presented by Nations Books (www.nationbooks.org) and co-sponsored by
The New York for Ethical Culture.

Media Inquiries: Contact Anne Sullivan at 646-437-1222 or
anne.sullivan@avalonpub.com

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With continuous verbal assaults and enough local notoriety and street cred to back it up it was only a matter of time before SHEE developed a legion of fans in both the Empire State and the Garden State. Also, the July 2004 launching of www.SHEEmusic.com significantly expanded her listener base. SHEE has been the spotlight/featured artist in Young & Black Magazine, Muse’s Muse, Street Rapz, Streetzclusive, Eraport and more. Solidifying her position, SHEE builds anticipation for her ‘Vaginal Erections’ album by performing at a series of venues throughout the tri-state area, supplying promotional samplers and marketing her music with a variety of unconventional, but successful techniques. Already receiving excellent reviews, her highly anticipated full-length debut album, ‘Vaginal Erections’ is about balancing soft with hard - reflective of both her music and lifestyle. Whether it’s the commercial club-banger “Work Clothes”, the hard-hitting politically motivated “Rebel” or the trademark spit-fire hood-anthem “We In Flatbush” - SHEE shows she isn’t one dimensional by displaying her lyrical dexterity and taking listeners on a wild ride through the various elements of her character. SHEE proudly states, “My life is a snapshot of what it means to be an independent Black woman in urban America - this album is the soundtrack to that life, my life, the life of a woman that takes no mess, knows what she wants, gets what she wants and accepts nothing less.”

Born and raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn’s infamous drug and crime ridden Vanderveer Housing Complex (currently Flatbush Gardens), Rasheedah Andrews, dubbed “SHEE” from early childhood was the first of what went on to be six children. Born to a Trinidadian mother and an African-American father only 14 years her senior, SHEE inherited a number of responsibilities that resulted in her carrying a level of maturity that far exceeded her age. SHEE faced a number of challenges - playing mother to younger siblings, having to find sources of income which ultimately led to involvement with illegal activity, constant fighting which resulted in legal troubles and discrimination among other things - all while trying to find herself in an environment that provided every possible excuse to fail.

Never the type of person to accept failure, SHEE refused to become another statistic. She worked on developing credentials to validate her in the business world while she continued to hone her craft to follow her dream of being a driving force in the rap world. A true testament of intelligence, determination and character, SHEE went on to be the first in her family to obtain a 4 year college degree, earning a total of 3 degrees by the age of 22. SHEE currently owns Sheer Badness Entertainment, a full-service independent record label and SHEEsoFly, a web based travel agency, powered by the YTB Network.

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R&B newcomer Kieran started 2006 with the launch of his debut music video for his Scott Storch produced single “Let’s Get Away”. The video is the latest released by the MusicDish Network through major file sharing networks such as Morpheus, Kazaa and eDonkey. In collaboration with INTENT Media, the MusicDish Network has successfully utilized search placement technology and web marketing campaign to deliver over a million downloads to its artists.
Fans can download and share Kieran’s video “Let’s Get Away” by clicking here

Filmed on location in Caribe, Puerto Rico, Kieran gives viewers an impromtu “Get Away” to the exotic island with it’s lush scenery, beautiful women and plenty of shots of the gorgeous R&B newcomer. Kieran is in high demand and must make a trip to the island with his publicist to meet with his label head. Kieran just wants to spend time with this one particular lady (his publicist) despite being surrounded by adoring fans. After Kieran cracks her ultra professional demeanor the fun begins. This stunning visual is guaranteed to please Kieran’s fans, old and new.

Growing up on a steady diet of his parents’ record collection, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Michael Jackson and Donny Hathaway, and his own Seal, R. Kelly and Usher, Kieran’s music contains echoes of all those artists and more. He’s skilled at dance-floor party anthems like “R U Awake” and “Keep It Cool”, with mid tempo’s such as “Let’s Get Away” and sensuous quiet storm ballad’s like “Hard Time” off of his debut album “Breathe”

Only 22 years old, a Brooklyn, NY native, Kieran has been performing for audiences since he was 10, when he soloed on “Bridge Over Troubled Water” and “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” for the Brooklyn Youth Chorus. He started recording his own demos when he was barely 16.

Kieran’s fan base has been established and demonstrated through “R U Awake”, the first single release off of his debut album “Breathe”. With a listenership of over 52 million on radio, “R U Awake” sat at #1 across the board for most downloaded track on both iTunes and Real/Rhapsody. Kieran joined the ranks of superstars like Usher and Beyonce as his release rose to #1 on the “Soul/R&B,” “Pop/Rock/R&B,” and “Top Albums” charts on the Real/Rhapsody and iTunes digital music services resulting in over 26,000 internet sales. “R U Awake” was also added to AT&T, Cingular, and Sprint as a ringtone and to all Samsung phones rolled out in 2005.

“Keep It Cool” produced by Jazze Pha released in summer of 2005 left Kieran’s fans wanting more. The video for his current release “Let’s Get Away” produced by Scott Storch has given Kieran’s fans an outstanding visual and a peek into his world.

Kieran’s debut album “Breathe”, released September 27, 2005, features collaborations with songwriters who penned songs for Mario, Ciara, Jaheim, Mary J.Blige/Wyclef, Aretha Franklin, J’Lo, LL Cool J, Joe and more. “Breathe” also features production from Scott Storch (Mario, 50 Cent, etc) Jazze Pha (Rueben Studdard, Dave Hollister, Ciara, etc), Jayd Daniels (SWV, Pink, D’Mello, etc) and Ced Solo (Kelly Rowland, Beyonce, Anthony Hamilton, etc). Kieran’s debut effort delivers for his established fan base and will “Breathe” life into those new to his music.

Kieran’s music speaks volumes; he is a true singer and entertainer.

Provided by the MusicDish Network. Copyright © Tag It 2005 - Republished with Permission

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