Category: News

Philadelphia Pastor Calls For Radio Ban On Meek Mill’s “Amen”

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Meek Mill and a Philadelphia pastor argue it out over a proposed ban on the MMG rapper's "Amen."

 

Despite having garnered critical acclaim and extensive fan support, it looks like one Philadelphia pastor is thrilled about Meek Mill's success. On Philly's Hot 107.9, the MMG rapper and Pastor Jomo K. Johnson got into a heated debate over Johnson's proposed ban of Meek's single "Amen," off Dreamchasers 2.

 

Earlier this week, Johnson called for a boycott against Mill's hit song, declaring it blasphemous for its repurposing of religious imagery in a celebratory anthem. Now, Meek took the pastor to task, saying that his public outcry against the song rings suspiciously of an attempt at publicity. He went on to say that Pastor Johnson religious rhetoric doesn't speak to his experiences or music.

 

"From my understanding and my look at it, it's looking like you're trying to get famous or you need some attention because you could've came to me and you could've said anything you wanted to say and I might've helped you," he said. "If you wanted me to send money for your church, I might've would've gave you that money, or I might've would've even remixed the song [to your liking]…you went about it and you went like you're looking for attention and fame…I'm out here feeding my family, and for you to be out talking about you trying to ban me - I took 20-30 drug dealers off the streets, I'm out there passing them coats out to these kids, where was you at?"

 

He continued, "I don't know if you're losing your mind or you're getting too deep into these books, but you're losing your mind. I'm out here making my money for my family. I don't believe in none of that stuff you're talking about, so don't even say it to me. I don't even believe in God, so I don't want to hear none of that…I'm talking about reality, what's going on now…[you] not God, [you] can't judge me…nobody ever heard of you until today; you're trying to bring another Black man down to try and get some credibility."

 

Hip-Hop Icon Lord Finesse Suing Mac Miller, Rostrum Records and DatPiff For $10 Million

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 Hip-Hop icon, producer and founder of the D.I.T.C. rap crew Lord Finesse is suing Mac Miller for $10 million for reportedly using the beat to his 1995 song “Hip 2 the Game,” which the producer claims essentially launched the 20-year old Pittsburgh native’s career.

 

According to reports, the $10 million suit, which alleges “copyright infringement, unfair competition, unjust enrichment, interference, deceptive trade practices, and a number of related state law claims, was filed in a New York federal court on Monday (July 9) against Mac Miller, Rostrum Records, and Datpiff.com.

 

The rapper has seen immense success since the release of his first mixtape, K.I.D.S., hit the internet in 2010.

 

The suit states that the case is “about a teenage rapper – Mac Miller -copying the music from a song written, produced and performed by Lord Finesse, a Hip-Hop legend, changing the title and then distributing it under his own name in order to launch his music career.”

 

 

Finesses’ “Hip 2 the Game” was the same beat used on Mac’s “Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza” from K.I.D.S. which was the song that’s mostly credited as initially getting Mac attention as an artist when he first hit the scene.

 

Robert “Lord Finesse” Hall has also sued DatPiff.com, the website which initially made the mixtape available for download upon its release as well as the independent label of Rostrum Records which signed Mac Miller in 2010.

 

As of the time the suit was filed, the music video for Mac’s “Kool Aid & Frozen Pizza” had been viewed over 24 million times on YouTube while his K.I.D.S. mixtape has been downloaded over half a million times since its release.

 

Finesse is stating that Mac, whose real name is Malcolm McCormick, has “profited from the unauthorized use of the song.” The recently filed lawsuit cites a New York Timesarticle from November of 2011 where Mac explained how the alleged infringement is “part of a strategy to build a fan base.”

 

According to the Times article, “A new generation of rappers is actively trying to build a new business model in which releasing oodles of free material online builds a fan base that paves the way for revenue streams: touring, merchandise, even something as old-fashioned as a record deal.

 

Finesse, who is being represented by Brian Levenson and Matthew Schwartz of Schwartz & Ponterio, has publicly stated that he filed the lawsuit against Mac, DatPiff.com and Rostrum Records after all three parties “refused to respond to a cease and desist letter that was issued earlier this month.

 

More information will be released as the story develops.

 

50 Cent Tired Of Serving As Tony Yayo & Lloyd Banks’ Manager, Says They Need To Step It Up

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50 Cent speaks on his relationship with his fellow G-Unit members, says he’s tired of serving as their manager.

Weeks after appearing on Power 106′s Big Boy’s Neighborhood, rapper 50 Cent returned to the show to give an update on his relationship with fellow G-Unit member Lloyd Banks. 50 Cent previously revealed that he hadn’t talked to the rapper in months and now it appears that Fifty is fed up with Banks’ recent actions or lack thereof.

“It’s interesting. Growing up people have habits they refuse to change…I’ve enabled them to a point that they don’t feel like they have to do anything,” 50 Cent explained. “Now they have this thing where their way of dealing with something that’s uncomfortable is just not dealing with it. I end up doing their job too.”

According to 50 Cent he’s been serving as somewhat of a manager for both Banks and Yayo, but has now found himself fed up with the role

“The top of last year I’m saying ‘Yo, you gotta find managers.’ They gotta find other people to do that cause I gotta focus on other things [and] other projects I got going,” said 50 Cent. “I’m on a movie set, what you wanna call me and say ‘Yo, I need to go do this?’ Set a show up? Like the guy’s calling me about your show while I’m on a movie set?”

Although 50 Cent explained that G-Unit as we know it isn’t over, he did reveal that Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo have a lot of stepping up to do.

“I don’t think it’s actually over,” said the rapper. “I think they have to get themselves together. You got grown men that will remind you, ‘I’m a grown ass man,’ and then don’t do grown men things and take grown man responsibilities