Next To Blow: A$AP... Recognize That Name.

So, who is A$AP Rocky? Born Rakim Mayers, the 23-year-old Harlem native is working on bringing a new sound, energy, and image to hip-hop. Rumor has it that he was named after the famous 80’s hip-hop star Rakim, who was one half of the Eric B. & Rakim duo. Growing up A$AP Rocky didn’t have it so easy; at the age of 12 year old his father was sent to jail in connections with distributing drugs. In the years that followed, Rocky's older brother was found murdered near his apartment. After losing his brother, this inspired him to take rap very seriously. Since the tender age of 8, hip-hop has always been apart of Rocky. 

In the fall of 2011, A$AP Rocky’s “Peso” leaked onto the Internet and within weeks it received airplay on the highly profiled New York radio station Hot 97. He quickly released a second single entitled “Purple Swag”. The music videos for "Peso" and "Purple Swag" helped generated a bigger buzz and resulted in A$AP Rocky signed a $3 million record deal with RCA and Sony. In October of 2011, ASAP Rocky released a mixtape entitled, “Love.Live.A$AP”; the mixtape received positive reviews from critics, fans, and listeners. Rocky will be set to release his first studio album entitled, “Long.Live.A$AP”, which is set to be released in the summer of 2012. A$AP Rocky isn’t just an artist, but also a businessman. According to sources, the deal with RCA/Sony wasn’t just to push Rocky as an artist, but to also push his own group A$AP Mob. A$AP Mob is also set to release a studio collaboration album entitled, “TRILLUMINVTI”; which is set to be release in May of 2012.

So, what’s next for Rocky? Well, A$AP Rocky just rapped up his tour with Young Money/Cash Money’s very own Drake, for Drake’s “Club Paradise Tour”. The tour also featured Compton’s own Kendrick Lamar, so you can bet that with free time; Rocky will be working on all his feature projects.  

Excuse My French

French Montana is one of the hottest hip-hop artists coming out of the Bronx and is seen as one of the best out. French Montana who was recently in a bidding war over several label like Kanye West's G.O.O.D Music and Rick Ross's Maybach Music. The South Bronx rapper was once seen representing numerous labels at one point; which made the viewer and listener unaware of where he called his artistry a home. It first started with Akon's Konvict Music, and Gucci Mane's Brick Squad. In recent news, Montana made it very clear where he was calling it home. Montana has signed with the label that has helped manufactured talents like 112, Faith Evans, Total, and one of the hip-hop's greatest of all time The Notorious B.I.G. French Montana has joined what Sean "P. Diddy" Combs calls the "The New Bad Boy". The new resurgence of Bad Boy consists of a list of new and reformed faces like Red Café, MGK (Machine Gun Kelly), Day26, Cassie, and Los. One of the significant out comes with the signing of French Montana was the fact of Montana did not sharing his publishing rights with Bad Boy. Rumor has it that Montana is believed to be the first artist to ever sign with Bad Boy and walk away with his publishing. French Montana is currently meeting expectation so far as a signed artist. He has one of the hottest records out entitled "Shot Caller". Which was followed with a remix featuring P. Diddy and Rick Ross.

History of NaStradamus.

Most won't believe it's Stillmatic', but Nasir "Nas" Jones has recently signed a book deal, agreeing to publish his history and memoirs this year. The memoir is to be entitled, "It Ain't Hard to Tell"; which was also a track title on his first album, Illmatic. It will also be in collaboration with music journalist Touré, who will co-write the book. The book will tell Nas's whole story, not just about the hit records and champagne bottles. It will cover certain periods throughout his life and his career as a hip-hop artist. Nas will now join numerous artists who have taken their biographies as rap musicians and translate it into a published book like Jay-Z, Chuck D, and Grandmaster Flash. According to sources, the biography will cover Nas's feud with former rap enemy Jay-Z and TV talk show host Bill O'Reily. It will also uncover his mother's battle with cancer. The book will also shine light on his four-year marriage with Kelis, and his relationship with ex-girlfriend Carmen Bryan, who is also the mother of his first child. Carmen Bryan also wrote a tell-all book back in 2006, and in the book she gives some insight on the good and bad with her relationship with Nas. Hopefully Nas's book can help clarify the truth about her tell-all publishing. The book is set to be released by Simon & Schuster imprint Atria Books in the Autumn of 2012.

What's going on: Patenting Issues...

In the eyes of numerous people and software engineers, who believe that the patent system is stunting the growth of technology development. Some visualize patent laws, especially, those patents created to protect software development. Some may say that, it’s just another way for development company’s to make money through lawsuits. In an article podcast entitled, “The Tuesday Podcast: The Patent War”, which through out both the short article and podcast they mention that tech companies are only fighting over big dollars. They’re putting large amounts of money toward purchasing patents, and they’re not doing it to bring more creativity and innovation. They’re doing it to protect themselves from potential lawsuits. In San Francisco’s Silicon Valley, there’s a legal battle between numerous companies and patents seem to be the weapon of choice. 

When focusing attention on patents, its always been thought of as a protection for some type of software, innovation, and or tech development. Patenting now seems to be going as far as protecting the human body. It’s not just the human body that being patented, things like living organisms and plants are some of the things being secured under the patent laws of intellectual property. It’s as if the human body has become a new monopoly. In an article podcast entitled, “Deadly Monopolies? Patenting The Human Body,” medical ethicist and author Harriet Washington discusses that it not that the human body is actually being patent. When focusing on the laws of the government, patenting the human body would fall under the affects of the Anti-Slavery Statutes. Washington does state that an individual can patent his or her cells and tissues. Once those cells and tissues are patented they are sold or licensed to corporations, and those corporations exploits’ those patents.

On a more balanced subject when focusing on the scope of patents, it’s trusted that some of the more popular brand-name prescription drugs will be coming off the patent security, and will be going generic. Lipitor, which brought in close to $11 billions in sales this past year, will be one of prescriptions drugs to fall off the patent cliff. Other drugs that will soon follow are Plavix, which is a prescription drug for heart disease. Seroquel is a prescription medication made to treat depression, and Nexium is a prescription drug for digestive problem. The reason behind this situation is that patients often times pay more money for the name brand medication, even when their insurance is covering their expenses. A majority of most patients have no choice; unlike Lipitor not many drugs yet have generic competition. So what is there to do…

What's Up: Apple vs. Technology

It seems as if, competing in the world of technology through retail isn’t enough for some of the world’s most popular enforcers in tech development. Motorola, Kodak, and Samsung have been fighting against and suing Apple for patent violations. In recent news, Apple has gone from suing Samsung in believing that they have infringed on the Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 and 10 different other devices that seem to break the laws of infringement, according to sources. Reports show, that Apple is suing Samsung threw an Australian lawsuit, which claims 278 patent infringement violations. But Samsung isn’t only playing the role of the defense; Samsung is also counter suing Apple for infringement on the design, feel, and even the teach screen capability for the iPad.

Motorola has recently filed a new patent infringement lawsuit against Apple, alleging that the latest release of their newest hardware and software violate 6 of Motorola patents. The development of iPhone 4s and the iCloud are the alleged victims to the Apple and Motorola lawsuit. There are two counts of patent infringement on the iPhone 4S and four counts on the iCloud. Motorola had planned to append these charges to the ongoing lawsuit it filed against Apple two years ago; which targeted Apple's App Store and iOS. The new lawsuit comes after the judge in the original suit request that Motorola do so.

Apple believes that the patent Kodak is suing them for maybe rightfully in the hands of Apple’s ownership. Apple had launched an investigation of their own, and believes that they are rightful owner of the invention. On the information gather based on collaboration between both Kodak and Apple in the development of a digital camera. Apple trust that they’re the rightful owner of the ‘218 patent and even potentially many other patents by Kodak.

Next Up Music: God Forgives, I Don't....

The biggest boss in the game is set to do it again. Rick Ross is preparing to release his 5^th solo studio debut album entitled, God Forgives, I Don’t. His last album Teflon Don crushed the streets with hits like “Super High” featuring Ne-Yo, “Aston Martin Music” featuring Drake & Chrisette Michele, and we can’t forget the street anthem “B.M.F (Blowing Money Fast)” featuring Style P.  Rozay believes that God Forgives, I don’t could be his best studio album ever. God Forgives, I don’t was set to be released within the second week of December, but was believed to pushed back do to health issues that Ross was facing.


The Maybach Music CEO is offering listeners an appetizer before the release of God Forgives, I Don’t with his free release mixtape Rich Forever hosted by MMG’s DJ Scream, and Hip-Hop historian Shaheem Reid. The mixtape features bangers from new producers like Beat Billionaire, DRich, The Academy, DVLP, DJ Spinz, Chuck Ingish, and many more. The mixtape also includes guest appearances from Diddy, 2 Chainz, Wale, French Montana, Drake, and even John Legend. This free release is believed to have put fans on edge for the release of God forgives, I Don’t.

On the final track of the mixtape entitled, “Shaheem Reid Speaks,” Shaheem Reid has a one-on-one interview with the boss himself. Throughout the conversation, Ross gives a clear understanding of a lot of things like the release of Self-Made Vol. 2, and the release of Maybach Music’s very own Meek Mill debut album. He states that he and Drake plan to release a project entitled, YOLO (You Only Live Once); which could be a great look for both of their careers and the future of Hip-Hop.  Ross also addresses the inspiration behind the title of the mixtape Rich Forever. He states that most people dream of living forever, but his dream is to be rich forever. In his eyes, he believes what’s living worth if you’re going to struggle forever, so trust that it would be best to be rich forever.

Next Up Music News: Not 100, but 103.

The southern voice of the streets, Jay “Young Jeezy” Jenkins, continues to motivate his listeners. The long a waited fourth studio album, released by the Thug Motivator himself, has finally seemed to satisfy the streets. Thug Motivation 103: Hustlerz Ambition didn’t disappoint the fans. The album in which fans had been waiting for a little more over two years, in which was contently pushed back from the offices of Def Jam. It seems as if this major set back was able to work in the favor of Jeezy. It helped clear the air of the many questions and issues that surfaced around the CTE CEO. The delay allowed Young to clear the air with issues with his Def Jam label mate Rick Ross and fellow GA native Gucci Mane, in a track on the album entitled, “This One’s for You”, featuring Trick Daddy.

After the long waited album, Thug Motivation 103, the first week sales debut at number three, selling 233,000 records. These numbers didn’t seem to surpass his last album, The Recession, which debuted selling 260,000 copies in its first week of sales. But it still seems to keep the streets buzzing over the recent release.

So what’s next for the South Carolina native? Well, in a recent interview on Power 1-11 Radio, T.I. speaks that there is a slight possibility of both T.I & Young Jeezy coming together and disturbing to the world with a collaboration album. We’ve seen some collaboration albums over this past year from artists like Jay-Z & Kanye West (Watch the Throne), and Waka Flocka & Gucci Mane (Ferrari Boyz). This collaboration won’t only be a good look for the two’s careers, but a great look for hip-hop. Jeezy is also in line to start his touring to continue to market and reach the fans that waited so long and patiently for the music. The first show kicks off in Detroit, on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at the FOX Theatre.