Rapper Soulja Slim shot dead in front of Mom's home
It seems that every year the rap world loses one of their own. Rapper Soulja Slim (whose's real name is James Tapp) was shot and killed last week on the front lawn of the two-story duplex he'd bought for his mother in New Orleans' Gentilly neighborhood. It's been reported that the murder eerily echoed the violence of his profanity-laced songs, which told of gangs, drugs and drive-by shootings.
Soulja, who recorded for No Limit Records through 2002, was taken out in the worst way he was shot at least three times in the face and once in the chest. Witnesses said they saw a man in dark clothing fleeing afterward. Police had no suspects in custody at the present time.
His stepfather, who chosed not to have his name reveiled, said envy of Soulja Slim's swift rise might have motivated the killing. He said the performer's dark themes weren't meant to incite violence, but rather to expose the chaos of "ghetto life" so it might be cured.
He added that the rapper broke no laws after ending a four-year prison stint in 2001 for a parole violation. He had been convicted of armed robbery in 1995.
- - Source: billboard.com
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Peabo Bryson's grammys up for auction
If you mess around with the IRS you'er gonna get burned. On the IRS auction block next Saturday, are the two Grammy awards, owned by renowned R&B star and apparent tax evader, Peabo Bryson.
There will be a two-day auction (Friday and Saturday) held by the IRS in hopes of recovering the more than $1 million in back taxes owed by the singer. Items that are up for the chop is guitars, couches and DVD players from Bryson's mansion in Atlanta, GA.
Dark days for Bryson began August 21 when the IRS seized his property against $1.2 million in back taxes.
Back in the day Peabo was flying high on the ride of success with nine gold albums, and famous duet with Natalie Cole (What You Won't Do For Love) and Roberta Flack (Tonight, I celebrate my love).
Bryson earned his first Grammy in 1992 for his recording of 'Beauty and the Beast' with Celine Dion, and a second in 1993 for 'A Whole New World' featuring Regina Belle.
Source: launch.com
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Michael Jackson's Number Ones lands out of the Top Ten
It's not bad enough that he's landed himself in trouble with the law again but Jackson's latest release, Number Ones, didn't even crack Billboard's Top 10.
Released on November 18, the same day the Santa Barbara police searched his Neverland Ranch, Number Ones reportedly sold 121,000 copies to debut at 13. The greatest-hits collection, likely to be Jackson's last release for Epic Records, contains just one new track, 'One More Chance', written by The Pied Piper aka R. Kelly (himself in trouble with the law for kiddie porn charges in Illinois and Florida)The sales are no where near close to Jackson's previous but underperforming LP Invincible, which debuted at number one in 2001 selling some 366,000 units and has sold to date about 2 million Well I hate to say it but you can only put out so many greatest hits sets - REmember 1995's greatest-hits collection, HIStory?
Source: launch.com
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Soulsters Full Force wins Lifetime achievement award
In the 80s they ruled the airwaves with their funky beats and funtime lyrics, 'If I take you home' was huge in the clubs and was soon followed by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam who scored number one hits with their follow up 'I wonder if I take you home' and 'Can you feel the Beat?' so it was only a matter time for these lads to get their dued recognition.
Congrats to the R&B renegades-turned-pioneers Full Force on receiving the Living Legends Award for entertainment excellence and longevity at the recent 4th Annual Urban Entertainment Conference held here in Miami. Long serving member, Bow Legged Lou, accepted the award and commented: "It's not always that we get our props for putting out some of the bricks that helped build this whole R&B fused with hip hop genre." True say mate.
Source: bluesandsoul.com