DUCK DOWN RECORDS 15TH ANNIVERSARY: DETAILS OF EVENT.

The Hip-Hop heads running Duck Down Records will mark the label's 15th Anniversary by releasing a commemorative album titled '15 Years of Duck Down Music'. The album will have 18 tracks with the top song from each year of the label's existence dating back to 1995, chosen by the Duck Down fan base. Two bonus tracks from 1993 and 1994, Black Moon's 'Who Got The Props' and Smif-N-Wessun's 'Sound Bwoy Buriel' will also be on the album alongside a new song for 2010 called 'Better Than You'. This song features Sean Price, Buckshot, Skyzoo and Promise and was produced by Double-O of Kidz In The Hall.

July 13th 2010: On the evening of this day, a New York City Album release show for all ages is scheduled to hold at B.B King Blues Club and Grill with performances by:

Boot Camp Clik featuring Sean Price, Buckshot and Smif-N-Wessun
Heltah Skeltah
Skyzoo
Marco Polo&Torace
Kidz In The Hall
Pharoahe Monch

Music will be supplied by DJ Evil Dee and the show will be hosted by Angela Yee and Amanda Diva. The first 50 Guests to arrive the event will receive a limited edition Rocksmith & Duckdown 15 year anniversary T-Shirt. There will also be a Hot 97 MC Battle featuring 8 finalists from 6PM to 8PM.

Tickets for the event are available at: http://www.bbkingblues.com/schedule/moreinfo.cgi?id=5086

Get the tickets for this exciting event while you can!! The show is bound to be exciting and might serve as an opportunity to listen to live performances of classic rap songs. We hope to see you there.

Contact RV: tolukandi@yahoo.com

DUCK DOWN MUSIC CELEBRATES 15TH ANNIVERSARY IN STYLE.

Duck Down Music and Records is a Hip-Hop Record Label that is known as the base of the Boot Camp Clik, a Hip-Hop collective made up of gifted rappers form the New York area. Duck Down was originally founded as an artiste management company in 1994, but was later established as Duck Down Enterprises in 1995 by Buckshot of the acclaimed Rap Group, Black Moon, and Dru-Ha, his business partner. The label was independent for a while until the success of Duck Down Artistes, Smif-N-Wessun [ Later became Cocoa Brovaz, after a lawsuit filed by the Gun Company, Smith N Wesson, challenged the Rap Group's name ] and Black Moon, made them enter a national distribution deal with Priority Records. The label is currently in a deal with Koch Entertainment after it was dropped by Priority in 2000.

Duck Down Music has sold over 3 Million albums to date. The label is famous for being involved in the 'One Nation Petition' asking for the release of the 2Pac album, 'One Nation' during the summer of 1996. The album featured performances by Duck Down artists, Buckshot [ He remains the face of Duck Down Music and the Boot Camp Clik ]and Smif-N-Wessun. Masta Ace [ Remember him? He was the dude behind hit tracks like 'INC Ride' and 'Jeep Ass Nigguh' ] and Phife Dawg [ Tribe Called Quest ] are also signed to Duck Down Records.

RV felicitates with Duck Down Music as the label celebrates 15 years of churning out good Hip-Hop Music on July 13, 2010. A lowdown of activities related to the Anniversary can be seen in the article above. You need to be in New York to rejoice with these brothers who have defied all odds to be where they are today. As they say, little drops of water makes an ocean. We wish Duck Down Music all the best!!

Sources: Wikipedia, RV, YOUTUBE.

CONRAD MURRAY: GUILTY OR NOT GUILTY?

A year after the death of the world's most adored musician, Michael Joseph Jackson, one man has continued to generate a lot of attention. His name is Conrad Murray and he was the doctor of the famous entertainer before his demise. Conrad is currently facing charges brought against him by Jackson's family who believe he is responsible for Michael's death. The court papers drawn up by the lawyer of the Jackson family argues that Mr Murray was at Sam's Hofbrau in Los Angeles, where he had been drinking on the night of Wacko Jacko's death. In the ''Notice of Intent to Initiate Legal Proceedings'' against the doctor, the Jackson family stated that it was wrong for him to drink prior to administering anaesthesia to the deceased music star. The family also claims that Conrad Murray concealed his reckless behaviour from Michael Jackson.

With the Notice of Intent that has been scripted by lawyer Brian Oxman on behalf of Joe Jackson, Michael's Father, in existence, the first step towards filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Murray has been taken. If the Jackson Family and their lawyer can prove that the doctor partied at the strip joint ( Sam's Hofbrau )hours before giving Michael Jackson a fatal dose of propofol, Conrad Murray will end up behind bars. RV has however gathered that Mr Murray's defence team are not going down without a fight. A member of his defence team has discredited the allegations that the Jackson family has made against the doctor. He went on to say that Conrad Murray does not drink.

Apart from the allegations in the Notice of Intent served by Joe Jackson's lawyer, Court papers also claim Murray did not provide Michael's medical history to the doctors who attended to him at the UCLA Medical centre on the day of his death. According to the court papers- ''While defendant Murray told Dr.Cooper at the UCLA emergency room that prior to June 25,2009, Michael had not been ill, Michael was suffering from chronic pneumonia, chronic respiratory bronchitis, anaemia and brain swelling.'' If the Jackson Family succeeds in instituting a wrongful death lawsuit against Conrad Murray, the doctor's hope of being a free man will be dashed. This is because he is currently battling against an involuntary manslaughter charge related to Michael Jackson's death. Conrad Murray will be fighting the battle of his life in the coming months. The is the question RV is posting: Is Conrad Murray really responsible for the death of Wacko Jacko? Yeah, it might be tough for the Jackson Family to accept that their brother and son is dead, but has it not been revealed that Michael was terribly sick weeks before his death? Due to the great singer's love of privacy, how can we know the true degree of his sickness before he died? And how does this legal tussle between the Jackson Family and Dr Conrad Murray portray the African-American community in the eyes of the world.

RV has so many questions begging for answers, but we will keep our readers informed concerning developments on this issue. Cheers.

Sources: dailymail.co.uk, msn.com, RV

Contact us @: tolukandi@yahoo.com

MICHAEL JACKSON: REMEMBERING THE KING OF POP.

By Friday this week [ 25th June 2010 ], It will be a year since we lost the extraordinarily gifted and lovely entertainer, Michael Joseph Jackson. I don't think there is any country in the world where Jackson is not known. His music is embraced by people all over the world irrespective of their race, ethnic leanings, religion or political beliefs. He died when we least expected him to, but he has left a legacy that is really outstanding. RV will be doing a series of stories on him starting from tomorrow. However, we have two of his great quotes for you to savour. Cheers.

'Being onstage is magic. There's nothing like it. You feel the energy of everybody who is out there. You feel it all over your body. When the light hits you... I could stay up there forever.'
- Michael Jackson

'If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with.'
- Michael Jackson

Rest In Peace, Great One.