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.

Kush - Angels

RV is happy to bring you this video of KUSH performing their hit single ''Angels'' back in 2003. The three KUSH ladies, Lara George, TY Bello and Emem Ema Obasi are in the video. We are grateful to Google and YOUTUBE for allowing us use this material on this blog. RV is working hard to keep this blog updated consistently. Cheers.

Contact Tolu Ihidero: tolukandi@yahoo.com, tolu.ihidero@gmail.com

THE KUSH CHRONICLES: EMEM EMA OBASI'S UNIQUE STAND.

Emem was the official rapper of KUSH on the group's album '' The Experience ''. I was really impressed with her delivery, and it was not hard to tell that she made tracks like ''Tic Tac Toe'', ''Lets Live Together'' and ''La La'' sound very interesting. I've since discovered that Emem Ema Obasi is much more than thrilling us with the microphone. Since the break-up of KUSH, she has been making giant strides as a music entrepreneur. Emem graduated from the University of Lagos in 2001 with a Law degree. She attended the Nigerian Law School between 2002-2003. Since then, she's had her hands in various pies in the Media business. She is a co-founder and a leading light at Vzhun Media, and the Executive Director of One Integrated Management Services, a consultancy outfit that assists creative artists with a bid to make their dreams come true.

Emem's parents were staff of the Nigerian Television Authority [ NTA ], so she could be said to be a chip off the old block. Emem was also the Associate Producer ( PR&Marketing ) of NOKIA First Chance/Reflex Media& DaWorks Records/Squirt. She's also the producer of ''Sights and Sounds of Bonny'' a documentary commemorating ten years of the King of Bonny's [ Bonny is in Rivers State, Nigeria ] coronation. It is also pertinent to note that Emem was involved in the production of Kunle Afolayan's landmark movie ''The Figurine''. Apart from helping out in promoting the movie, she was the one that gave Afolayan's work its title. Through O.N.E Management, Emem [ She's fondly called Mem'O these days ]is managing the careers of upcoming Nigerian artists like Ibiyemi [ Her video is on YOUTUBE ], Provabs and Drae. She's putting her energy into music production and management while maintaining a different angle to music and entertainment.

Emem Ema Abasi is also the first Nigerian to win the British Council International Young Music Entrepreneur Award in 2006. She was also the Future Awards Young Entrepreneur of the Year, 2007. You might be tempted to believe that Emem has lost her vocal chords due to her foray into Music Entrepreneurship. Nope. She has a single ''Greenlight'' which is a very inspirational song. Emem talks about the inspiration behind the song- ''You've got a situation where life throws lemons at you. One person sees it as an opportunity to make lemonade and another sees it as a reason to go on rampage as to why life is so unfair. 'Greenlight' was for me as much as it is for everyone out there who has heard it. We can be anything or anyone we choose to be. It starts with determination. I can do all things through Christ. That's where it came from.'' When asked about a possible reunion for KUSH, this is what Emem had to say:

''I'm one part of KUSH. It would have to be a collective decision.'' she said. RV really wants to see this hugely gifted lady team up with Dapo, Lara and Toyin for a second experience as KUSH.

Sources: www.linkedin.com, google.com, one1mgt.com

Where to find Emem Ema Obasi online: twitter.com/vzhun/status/12665889904

Guru Ft Angie Stone - Keep Your Worries

Guru A.K.A Keith Elam [ 17 July 1962-19 April 2010 ] came from a middle class family in Roxbury, Massachusetts, to New York in pursuit of his dreams to make it in the Rap Game. He met DJ Premier and they recorded some albums together. GURU means '' Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal ''. After splitting from DJ Premier, Keith Elam put out some Jazzmatazz albums and he collaborated with other artists including Chaka Khan, Erykah Badu and The Brand New Heavies. He also toured with his new sidekick and producer, MC Solar. According to Guru, his first solo album was ''Version 7.0: The Street Scriptures (2005)''. The album had the imprint of Solar on it. Guru's last projects were the instalments in his JazzMatazz series [ A new genre of Rap Music in which Elam fuses Jazz with Rap ] which were released in June 2007 alongside ''Guru 8.0: Lost And Found'', released May 19,2008. Though there were consistent rumours about a Gang Starr reunion, Guru maintained that he did not want to work with DJ premier again.

DJ Premier has however issued a statement in which he mourned the death of his ex-colleague. According to him, '' It was a sad day for me to get confirmation on the death of a man who I'll continue to call my brother, Keith Elam, better known as Guru of the Legendary Gang Starr...,''. Premier also touched on the issue of the letter allegedly written by Guru [ And which was produced by MC Solar after the rapper's death ] in which his late friend slagged him- ''All I will say is that our time together was beautiful. We built a hip-hop legacy together, and no one can re-write history or take away my love for him. I love you Goo...DJ Premier.'' RV has gathered that Guru's family have said they do not believe he wrote the controversial letter. Keith Elam is survived by his son, KC.

Sources: aceshowbiz.com, Wikipedia, RV.

Contact Tolu Ihidero: tolukandi@yahoo.com