TRACKLISTING AND PRODUCTION CREDITS ON GAME'S R.E.D. ALBUM

THE GAME IS READY FOR THE "RED ALBUM"

Word on the street is that The Game had a recent sit down with Jimmy Iovine and they all got together with who needed to be there. they got together and talked about the R.E.D. Album and when it would be coming out. Seems like The Game has gotten everybody's attention with the release of the new mixtape, Purp & Patron. Peep what is rumored to be a tracklisting for the song.

1- Infra-R.E.D [Produced By. Cool&Dre]
2- Ricky Feat. kobe [Produced By. DJ Khalil]
3- Shine [Produced By. Dr.Dre]
4- R.E.D Nation Feat. Lil'Wayne, Bruno Mars [Produced By. Cool&Dre , Alex Da Kid]
5- A Prayer [Produced By. DJ Khalil]
6- Love Feat. Ciara [Produced By. Timbaland]
7- Left Coastin' Feat. Snoop Dogg [Produced By. Dr.Dre]
8- Lost Feat. Ne-Yo [Produced By. DJ Khalil , Dr.Dre]
9- R.E.D Gems [Produced By.1500&Nothin']
10- Born In Tha Trap [Produced By. DJ Premier]
11- Higher Feat. Big Boi [Produced By. Scott Storch , Che Vicious]
12- G-Funk Feat. Akon [Produced By. Scoop DeVille]
13- Home Feat. Ice Cube [Produced By. J.R]
14- R.E.D Chucks Feat. Drake [Produced By. Drumma Boy]
15- Compton Ways [Produced By. Dr.Dre]
16- The Story Feat. Nas [Produced By. DJ Premier]

50 Cent's New Album Will Feature Production From The Cataracs

The "Like A G6" and "Wet" production duo will provide two tracks for the upcoming record.

Some more details have been revealed about 50 Cent’s nearly complete next album. The forthcoming record, entitled Black Magic, is nearly complete and we now know a little more about who’s been lending a hand in its construction. DJ Whoo Kid recently took to twitter to divulge that The Cataracs worked on a couple of tracks for 50

The Cataracs are the production duo behind Far East Movement's Number One hit "Like A G6." The Berkley producers have also worked with Glasses Malone and the New Boyz. No release date has been set yet for 50's next album but he told MTV.com that he expects it to drop this summer.

Erick Sermon Has New Solo Material In The Works, New EPMD Single

EPMD tells 2011 Rap fans "Don't Get Clapped" as the Green Eyed-Bandit has much in the works.

After producing on Redman & Method Man's Blackout! 2 in 2009, Long Island, New York emcee/producer Erick Sermon had a largely quiet 2010. The EPMD co-founder and mentor to Keith Murray, Rick Ross and the aforementioned Red is planning to return to the scene this year. On February 5, Sermon will attend a Chicago, Illinois music seminar Hip Hop 360 at the Black Pearl venue. In preparation for the event, the Def Squad member spoke to ChicagoNow.com about the event, the state of music, and upcoming plans.

EPMD is releasing "Don't Get Clapped" next month, the iconic duo's first single in two years. Comparing it to late '80s hit "I Shot The Sheriff," Sermon said, "The songs is basically about: don't put yourself in a predicament. That girl don't belong to you. Don't be flashing money in front of regular people 'cause they hate that." Additionally, Sermon says he's at work with Red and Meth on new material.

Sermon, who has not released a solo album in over a decade, revealed that he's planning to drop ESP: Erick Sermon's Perception this year. The former Def Jam star's latest album will include appearances from Mary J. Blige and Syleena Johnson.

Game Confirms That Wu-Tang's RZA Filed Lawsuit Against "Heartbreaker"

Exclusive: Game explains that he and RZA made a song that couldn't be used for "R.E.D.," but when it ended up on this week's mixtape, the Abbott started sending cease-and-desists.

Yesterday, HipHopDX spoke with Compton, California emcee Game about his just-released double mixtape Purp & Patron. After revealing that Nas is a fan of "The Kill" and how iconic deejay Funkmaster Flex got involved with the project, Game also confirmed reports that Wu-Tang Clan's RZA had sent a cease-and-desist to Game and the media over the song "Heartbreaker."

On Wednesday, January 26, 2011 Universal Music Publishing Group sent an "unauthorized use" letter on behalf of Robert Diggs (a/k/a RZA) to several media companies, including HipHopDX.com, asking for the removal of "Heartbreaker" from Purp & Patron, on behalf of the Wu's co-founder. The song has since been removed from the double-mixtape on DX. Yesterday, Game weighed in with what happened behind the scenes.

"I think RZA [is] tryin' to sue about ['Heartbreaker'] or somethin'," confirmed Game to HipHopDX yesterday. "That's fuckin' crazy. Like, I don't even know how RZA sues The Game." From Game's understanding, the song was an agreement. "He came to the studio and brought the ['Heartbreaker'] track to me. He's like, 'Yo Game, this is for you. You can have that.' Those are his words." Game also maintains that RZA's company on that day, Rev. Burke, was invited to rhyme on the record. "His boy spit crazy. I [rapped after] him."

Originally unsure what to do with the final product, the team learned that there were problems with the song's composition. "We found out that the sample was un-clearable," said Game about the Grand Funk Railroad song of the same name. "For anybody." In the rapper's eyes, that made the song unusable for his upcoming R.E.D. album. "So I threw it out [on a mixtape]. The next thing I know RZA is suing The Game. That shit's crazy. I didn't even know Wu-Tang sued niggas." Although the Aftermath Entertainment star was taken aback by the news, he says it's nothing personal. "I still got nothin' but respect for RZA [and] the whole Wu, and all of that. I'm good. I'm good friends with Ghostface [Killah] and [Raekwon] and Method [Man]. Those are my dudes. I would never speak down on RZA or any of those dudes for that matter - not that any of those dudes [have anything] to do with this conversation. But with the Wu, you gotta speak to a pack. It's all love." Last year, Game appeared on Ghostface Killah's album, Apollo Kids. On Game's last album, L.A.X., Raekwon appeared.

Although the song is presently an endangered species with Universal Publishing's cease-and-desist on behalf of RZA, Game remains complimentary of RZA's latest lyrical protege. "This dude Rev. Burke, he threw some shots out. He had a crazy lil' pimp swag. He had two girls with him; they were lookin' at this lil' nigga like he was Jesus and shit, while he was spittin' in the booth. I felt like when he was in the booth, that I was in the movie The Mack. This nigga was standin' there rockin' back and forth at the mic, and these chicks was dancin' slow and seductively. Shit was crazy."

Q-Tip, Illa J Celebrate The Life of J. Dilla Next Week In NYC

The J Dilla Foundation has announced the dates for the second annual "One Won't Do 2: J Dilla Tribute and Fundraiser, which will celebrate the life of one of Hip-Hop's most prolific producers, the late James "J Dilla" Yancey.

J. Dilla died at the age of 32, from complications related to his battle with the incurable disease Lupus.

The Grammy Award-winning producer worked with a who's who of artists, ranging from Janet Jackson and Erykah Badu, to Busta Rhymes and Common, before succumbing to the disease on February 10th, 2006.

A number of Hip-Hop celebrities are slated to attend this year's event, which is headlined by collaborators Q-Tip, T3 from Slum Village and Dilla's younger brother, critically acclaimed rapper, Illa J.

"Dilla was about love in many formats," J Dilla's mother Maureen "Ma Dukes" Yancey told AllHipHop.com in a statement. "One of the things he wanted me to do with his legacy was to use it to help others… kids who were musically gifted but had little hope due to poverty."

The J Dilla Foundation teamed up with entrepreneurial collective Smooth Operators Movement and ThisisRealMusic.com to present this year's celebration, which will donate all proceeds to the J Dilla Foundation, to support its inner city music programs.

The "One Won't Do 2: J Dilla Tribute and Fundraiser" takes place next Thursday, February 3rd at Drom

Timbaland's Timbo Thursday May Be Shut Down

Timbaland reveals that his Timbo Thursdays may be in danger of being shut down by "they."

After the government's crack down on OnSmash.com and RapGodfathers.com, music sites are starting to feel the government's pressure in full force. Now, artists may have to worry, as Timbaland's Timbo Thursdays may soon be coming to an end.

The super-producer behind hits from Jay-Z and Missy Elliot Tweeted the other that "they" were trying to shut down his weekly Thursday song give away, although Timbo didn't reveal who exactly was trying to block him.

As of today, Timbo Thursdays haven't stopped as Timbo dropped his latest installment of the series via his DJ Freestyle Steve. DX will keep you updated as more information is revealed.

Raekwon Explains RZA Not Being Involved With "Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang"

Raekwon talks to XXL about the RZA's absence on his upcoming 'Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang' LP.

A Wu-Tang Clan project without the RZA may sound absurd to many, but it isn't too far from the truth. One of the Wu's top lyrical assassins Raekwon recently told to XXL that the Abbot will not appear on his upcoming Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang LP, due out this March 8.

"RZA is not on the album," he said. "Being that he’s so die hard Wu-Tang, anything that sounds like it’s going at Wu-Tang wasn’t really up his alley." (XXLMag.com)

Raekwon explained that there isn't any bad blood within the Clan, however. He says that the RZA's absence on his album is largely due in part to conflicting schedule, as the RZA is currently wrapping up production on his debut as a film director The Man with the Iron Fists. He also said that a lot of the album came out of his displeasure with the Wu's most recent LP as a group, 2007's 8 Diagrams.

"I aint mad at him [though]," he explained. "He’s doing his movie thing right now, he’s happy with that, and for me I’m just gonna keep the legacy alive. I think I’m a skillful artist that understands how to do things, so it wasn’t really a headache to not have him [involved]. He did things for me on Cuban Linx II which I’m very grateful for, but I didn’t want to get him to start dealing with [Wu-Tang vs. Shaolin] because I knew that at the end of the day he wasn’t fond about it." (XXLMag.com)

He added, "It wasn’t about anybody trying to make this record to assassinate the RZA. We love the RZA. The RZA is the one that found us in the street. But we don’t always gotta be in love with the RZA you know what I’m saying? So this album was definitely picked from that time [with 8 Diagrams]." (XXLMag.com)

Without the RZA on the boards, Rae enlisted the likes of Erick Sermon, the Alchemist, Havoc of Mobb Deep and Scram Jones to flesh out Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang. The album is due out March 8 on Ice H20/EMI Records.

Nottz, Buckwild to Appear At Beat Society Showcase

After a five year absence, the fabled Beat Society producer's showcase returns this February.

During the 2000s, the Beat Society producer showcase gave fans an in-depth look at some of Hip Hop's top beatsmiths, including Kanye West, Just Blaze and Marco Polo. Now, the fabled producer showcase will return to New York City this February after a five-year hiatus.

Presented by Soulspazm Records and Native Instruments Maschine, the showcase will feature a number of MPC heavyweights, including Nottz, Buckwild, Roc Marciano, !llmind, DJ Revolution and Khrysis, in addition to appearances from emcees Danny Brown and Malcolm&Martin. Stef Tataz and Sao are set to host the event, with DJ Evil Dee of the Black Moon and Da Beatminerz on the wheels of steel.

The Beat Society showcase was first introduced by Soulspazm Records in 2002 to highlight the methodology and importance of production in Hip Hop. Over the years, it grew into an internationally known event, with its showcases taking place in Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and other cities.

"To be considered for Beat Society and share the stage with some of the most talented Hip Hop producers of our time, is a honor in itself," said veteran producer DJ Rhettmatic. "It shows that you have gotten respect for your work, from your peers and music associates. That in itself is more worth than gold."

The Beat Society showcase is set to take place this February 12 at Tammany Hall in New York City. A flier for the event can be seen below, and tickets for it can be purchased at the event's website.

will.i.am Releases New App and Joins Intel

The BEP frontman will now be Intel's Director of Creative Innovation and he's also got a brand new app to sell.

will.i.am is making moves. The Black Eyed Peas frontman is now leading Intel as well, after becoming the Director of Creative Innovation with the company. He's also created a new application for Apple products, one called BEP360, which is the first off of will.i.apps, a new company he's in charge of.

BEP360 offers a 360 degree viewing of BEP's latest single, "The Time (Dirty Bit)." The demo on williapps.com offers a look at what this does. Users can move their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad and the video can be seen in different angles.

"will.i.apps and the BEP360 app have been established to help artists tap into the potential of our hyper-connected mobile world and bring fans deeper inside the music far beyond a four minute audio recording," Will said in a statement. "It's a unique and completely new way to experience 360 degree music immersion that will bring artists and fans closer together."

Users of the app can be purchased for $2.99 from Apple's App Store.

As mentioned, this is not the only move will.i.am is making. He is now official the Director of Creative Innovation with Intel, a job he's excited about.

"Nearly everything I do involves processors and computers, and when I see an Intel chip I think of all the creative minds involved that help to amplify my own creativity," he said in a statement. "Teaming up with the scientists, researchers and computer programmers at Intel to collaborate and co-develop new ways to communicate, create, inform and entertain is going to be amazing."

Game Talks About Dr. Dre Production On "Purp & Patron," Peace With Ashanti

Game talks about "Soft Rhodes," the Dr. Dre-produced mixtape joint featuring Ashanti. He also talks about how he went from dissing her on "Higher" to working together now.

This week's Purp & Patron double-mixtape from Game marks a key element in his reunion with mentor Dr. Dre. The two Compton, California natives have been making new music for over a year together, as Game brought his R.E.D. album to Aftermath Entertainment, after leaving his original label for Doctor's Advocate and L.A.X.

In a new interview with Complex.com, Game spoke about "Soft Rhodes," the Ashanti-assisted song on Purp & Patron's disc two . "The whole version didn’t leak, so that’s why I threw the [Dr.] Dre joints out because they had already leaked," said Game about the song recorded in July. Game also spoke about the choice to have Ashanti on the song, who was formerly signed to Murder Inc., a foe of 50 Cent and G-Unit at a time when Eminem, Dr. Dre and Game were also involved in the war on words. "[In terms of having a song with Ashanti], I don’t think she was riding with anything. She separated herself from the beef if anything."

Interestingly enough, Game did not leave the Long Island, New York singer out of his line of fire. On 2005 hit single "Higher," Game rapped "And I'll do anything but I won't fuck Mariah / Even if she had Ashanti butt naked in bed / 'Cause she got a forehead just like Tyra."

Despite past words, Dr. Dre initiated the symbol of truce. According to Game, "Dre called me and was like, 'You ever work with Ashanti?' and I was like, 'Nah.' He was like, 'Are you opposed to it?' And I said, 'Nope.' So we did it."

The album is so classy, that I can’t sell it short with any single man. I wanna come with the right song, and make sure it’s a song that’s classic and iconic, and then we’ll know. I’m recording every day for no reason. Pharrell is executive producer and it ain’t gone change. I got Dre producing on the album, I got Premier. Like all the people I’ve wanted on one album, are on this album. I knocked out like two, three joints with Premier before I left on tour, so maybe shit, the end of like October, but, I’m probably gonna use one on the album. Premier sent me the joints he did. Something he don’t never do. Premier don’t send you shit through email, but we’ve been meaning to catch up to each other and work, and he was doing some stuff with Christina Aguilera and some other things so he be everywhere. So he ended up saying, 'I’ll just send you these joints. I made this for you.'"

VINNY IDOL MURDA DANCE BEAT

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AN ARMY THRU ONE PT.1 COMING SOON.

Raydo is currently in the studio working on his Mixtape debut with AN ARMY THRU ONE pt.1.This mixtape is entirely produced by Raydo and it features a new batch of hungry MC's like C Ghetto , F.E.R.N , Chuck Platinum , Young Phoenix ,Dolla , E.harper and many more.Late last year Raydo made his production debut on the Istandard producer showcase hosted by J.Hatch.Raydo is determined to make an impact and claim his spot on the map.2011 sounds great.

THE LONG JOURNEY : DJ PUERTO ROC

Pete Rock Runs Down His Entire Catalogue Ft. Public Enemy, Jay-Z, Nas, Biggie, Kanye & More

It’s not enough to say that Pete Rock stands as one of the most influential hip-hop producers of all-time. Indeed, such a vanilla proclamation is too limited in scope and impact; it simply doesn’t do the Mount Vernon, New York beat visionary justice. Like his peers Dr. Dre, DJ Premier, Prince Paul, RZA, and J. Dilla, Pete is indispensable; a musical force who went beyond hit songs, musical trends and record sales. His soulful production style ushered in a new era of hip-hop. From his early ‘90s groundbreaking work with longtime partner C.L. Smooth, Public Enemy and Nas to his current acclaimed output with Raekwon, Ghostface and Kanye West—Pete Rock is a studio deity. This is the Chocolate Boy Wonder’s story, one track at a time.—Keith Murphy

“Growing up in Mount Vernon, New York, my love of music came from my dad just being a record collector and a DJ. The times he wasn’t home I used to sneak in the living room and play his records. I got in trouble one night because I stacked all of his vinyl all the way to the top [laughs]. I was playing mountains with his records and he came in and caught me, but it was good because he came in and showed me how to take care of a record. When C.L. Smooth and me made All Souled Out we were really anxious. C.L. had a very distinctive voice that no one else had. And that’s what first attracted me to him. When we got to work it was just easy to knock joints out because we were having so much fun making music and we were very young. While we were working on our first full-length album [Mecca & The Soul Brother], we decided to throw together a six-song EP out to let people hear what we were doing. We we’re creating a new sound; a new way of sampling, producing and rhyming. We put ‘The Creator’ out as well as ‘Go With The Flow,’ and the title track ‘Mecca &The Soul Brother.’

My production style came from the records I listened to when I was growing up. James Brown was the biggest influence, the first guy to influence my music style. I didn’t really start making beats until I was 13 or 14 years old. Later on, I was sampling jazz artists like Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, and Miles Davis. And on the soul side there was Barry White, Isaac Hayes, and of course Sly & The Family.

People like Russell Simmons, Marley Marl and Howie T had the ‘80s. But when the ‘90s came along, we wanted to come out with music that people were not sampling. When I started producing, I was working with the SP 12, which was the most popular drum machine at the time. Back then you had to have an external hard drive just to save more time on the drum machine. This was a new age. Nowadays, you have all types of production equipment and [studio software] out there. By the time the SP 1200 came out, that’s when I was really getting into it. Some of the music we were finding was crazy and we experimented a lot. That’s how the Pete Rock sound came about…the horns, the drums. I made a whole lot of beats on the SP [laughs].”

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KRS-One & D.I.T.C.'s Showbiz To Release "Godsville" On February 15

The "Sound of da Police" collaborators reunite for a legendary Bronx, New York collaboration album.

In 1993, Showbiz produced one of KRS-One's biggest solo hits in "Sound of da Police." The two Bronx, New York natives worked on Kris' next two albums, as well as on Show & A.G.'s Full Scale album. Now, after several years apart, the two are planning to release a full collaborative album next month.

Godsville is releasing on February 15, 2011. This will be producer (and former emcee) Showbiz' first album since 2005's Diggin' In The Crates (D.I.T.C.) compilation, Street Talk. Last year, KRS-One released a collaborative EP with another Bronx legend, Just-Ice, a collaboration with Wu-Tang Clan producer True-Master, Meta-Historical, as well as digital album Back To The L.A.B.

Three songs have been released from the album to date, "The Truth" , "Show Power" and the Fred Da Godson-assisted, "We Love This" .

Redman Says Lack Of Sampling Hurt Hip Hop, Praises Cypress Hill

Exclusive: Looking at "Time 4 Sum Aksion" vs. "How I Could Just Kill A Man" and "Da Rockwilder" vs. "Hand On The Pump," Red has a lot to say about his homies from the west, and on trends in Hip Hop.

Last month, HipHopDX interviewed Redman in Def Jam Records' New York offices. The veteran Newark, New Jersey emcee/producer spoke about the decline of sampling and deejay-minded music. Redman, who came into the industry as a deejay for Lords of the Underground's DoItAll, has made some of his biggest hits off of records, connected to other classics. Red's 1993 hit single "Time 4 Sum Aksion" pulled a chorus from Cypress Hill's hit from two years earlier, "How I Could Just Kill A Man." With numerous 1990s singles pulling from each other, such as Blahzay Blahzay's "Danger" taking from Jeru The Damaja's "Come Clean," or Jay-Z's "Dead Presidents" borrowing from Nas' "The World Is Yours," Redman spoke about the importance of inter-related records.

"I added that to my show. Cypress Hill's ['How I Could Just Kill A Man'] into ['Time 4 Sum Aksion']," Red said, after being asked about his catalog connection to Cypress Hill. Still a deejay hobbyist, Redman then spoke about the decline of that in Hip Hop. "That ended because we got more viral. We got more media coverage on this whole Hip Hop game now. Samples caused a major problem. Back in the day, you could snatch a record, snatch it right quick, and you ain't have to clear shit. Now, you gotta clear every-fucking thing."
Samples have affected Redman's music-making, which is evident in Red straying from the craft on his recently-released Redman Presents...Reggie. Looking at his 2009 release, the Def Squad emcee said, "For example, on the Red & Meth album, Blackout! 2, I had to take out something I said that related to a verse on another artist's album. I [interpolated] something Snoop [Dogg] said on [Doggystyle], and I had to send [the album] in. The sample clearance [service] told me I had to take it out 'cause [Snoop] didn't own that publishing to that album. It goes so deep." The emcee expressed his displeasure with the politics of the contemporary Rap industry. "It's so fucking anal, this Rap game. But you gotta deal with it."

In September, B-Real told HipHopDX that Redman's bandmate, Erick Sermon (and PMD) had a lot to do with Cypress Hill's acceptance in the east coast. "When I started meeting all these other rappers that I respected, the first thing that they would say was, 'Oh, I heard y’all shit through EPMD. They played it for us and we were bugging out.' Ice Cube told me that, Busta Rhymes told me that, [DJ] Premier, the list goes on of the motherfuckers that were put on to us by EPMD," said B-Real.

Interestingly enough, Redman paused to acknowledge Cypress Hill for his own successes. "I wanna thank B-Real from Cypress Hill. He played a major part in my career, as far as the 'Time 4 Sum Aksion' sample and shit. Then, [B-Real gave me] the 'La, La, La' on 'Da Rockwilder.'" Red is referring to the chorus from Cypress' "Hand On The Pump" that he and Method Man re-introduced years later on their trademark anthem.

David Banner Inducted Into Mississippi Musicians Hall Of Fame

Jackson's own gets honored, putting him the company of Elvis, Muddy Waters and B.B. King.

David Banner named his 2003 album, Mississippi. The Jackson native has always championed his home-state through lyrics, titles and even a tattoo. Today it was announced that the Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame is thanking Banner, inducting him. The emcee/producer will be joining the likes of B.B. King, Elvis Presley and Muddy Waters.

In a statement, David Banner said. “For so long we travel around the world as artists trying to find our place in the scheme of things. There is nothing like being recognized at home. Tonight I am honored and humbled to be in great musical company."

Last month, David Banner and Grammy Award-winning producer 9th Wonder teamed up to release Death of A Pop Star. The album features Ludacris and Erykah Badu.

Lil Jon Owes The IRS Over Half A Million Dollars

Crunk pioneer the latest in a long line of artists to be sued by the government

If you are a musician who has been slacking on paying your taxes in the last few years you may want to remedy that because chances are you’re going to find yourself in the IRS’s crosshairs if you don’t. Lil Jon is yet another artist to come under scrutiny by the government agency.

The Detroit News is reporting that on June 24, 2008 the IRS put a $638,937 lien on the rapper’s Isle of Palms home. The home was listed at $1.9 million dollars. It was foreclosed on this past August.

Lil Jon’s next project is Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice where he will act as a contestant. Coincidentally, according to the Detroit News, six other members of that show’s cast have faced tax trouble in the past.

The first Los Angeles Times Music Producers Roundtable: Hit makers RedOne, Alex Da Kid and Ari Levine discuss Grammy-nominated songs

On Saturday evening at the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles, Times pop music critic Ann Powers sat down with three of today's hottest music producers for a freewheeling conversation about the state of pop music in 2011. Over the course of an hour, the Grammy-nominated hit makers RedOne (Lady Gaga, Enrique Iglesias), Alex Da Kid (Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie," B.o.B.'s "Airplanes") and Ari Levine of production trio the Smeezingtons (Bruno Mars' "Nothin' on You," Cee Lo Green's "[Forget] You" spoke about the state of pop music, their influences and the stories behind the songs. This first Los Angeles Times Music Producers Roundtable offered revelatory glimpses at the way in which hit songs get made in 2011.

The Times filmed the conversation, and in the next few weeks Awards Tracker will be rolling out video highlights, and Ann Powers will be chiming in with a Critic's Notebook on her impressions of the Grammy-nominated music and the people who make it.

Times staffer Gerrick Kennedy wrote an overview, as well, in which he relayed a comment that Nadir Khayat, the Moroccan-born producer known as RedOne, made about the way in which he and Lady Gaga started working together:

“I just saw the vision,” he said of Gaga. “I just saw this girl that could be this [huge] thing. We went to the studio and talked about Queen, Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen, and I'm thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, she knows music,'” Khayat said. “She was inspired. I've always thought of music as one; it's a universal language. That's what we did with the sound of Lady Gaga.”

The three, Powers noted, have diverse upbringings. Levine was born in Teaneck, N.J., and Grant lived in London until recently relocating to Los Angeles. And though he was raised in Morocco, Khayat found success after he relocated to Sweden. Powers illustrated this global trend with snippets from their repertoire, which offers international rhythms and sounds that cross borders. The result? “Love the Way You Lie” hit No. 1 in 25 countries, and “Bad Romance” did the same in 19.

BEAT AUCTION

R.I.P. Dr. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

Universal May Integrate Timbaland And Alex Da Kid Into "American Idol"

"American Idol" switches from Sony to UMG and season winners could find themselves logging studio time with Timbaland and Alex Da Kid.

Last year, Sony lost the music rights to the hit show “American Idol,” as show creator Simon Fuller negotiated a new deal with Universal Music Group. The change will place “Idol” in the hands of Interscope, Geffen and A&M Records Chairman Jimmy Iovine. During a recent interview with Billboard magazine, Iovine revealed “American Idol” will now me more A&R driven and contestants may be logging time with a few UMG producers seasoned in the ways of mixing Hip Hop and Pop music.

“Instead of waiting until season’s end to head to the recording studio, they’ll now work on tracks throughout the season—overseen by Interscope friendly producers like Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, Ron Fair and Alex Da Kid,” reported Billboard’s Cortney Harding.

Each of the aforementioned producers is familiar with crossover success. Jerkins has been behind the boards for both Jadakiss (“J-A-D-A”) and Beyonce (“Déjà vu”). Timbaland gained critical acclaim for his work with Jay-Z (“Big Pimpin,” “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”), yet he has also made a concerted effort to venture into Pop by working with Justin Timberlake (“My Love,” “SexyBack”) and Katy Perry.

So while the average Hip Hop fan could probably care less about “American Idol,” in its current state, the people behind the scenes at the show seem to be trying to tap into the current trend of Pop-infused Hip Hop singles such as “Airplanes,” “Love the Way You Lie,” and “Massive Attack,” all of which were either produced or co-produced by Alex Da Kid. No “American Idol” winner has had a platinum-selling album since season seven alum David Cook’s self-titled debut sold 1.3 million copies.

“We’re going to be bringing them along,” Iovine added. “Just like we’d bring along any artist that was signed to Interscope. It’s going to be an entire new construct.”

J Cole Recalls Making A Beat For Fallen Star Aaliyah "I Had Such A Crush On Aaliyah, That Was My Way Of Paying Respect

Drake & J.U.S.T.I.C.E League In The Studio

Cool & Dre In The Studio With Game & Drake

COOL AND DRE IN THE STUDIO WITH GAME AND DRAKE from DERICK G on Vimeo.

Keith Murray At Work On "The Beauty Of It All" Featuring RZA, Da Beatminerz

The Def Squad emcee has his eighth solo album on the way, and says he'll be the latest with a line of headphones.

Long Island, New York emcee Keith Murray revealed this week that he plans to soon release his eighth album, The Beauty of It All. The Def Squad and Undergods member has not released a solo album since 2008's Intellectual Violence. The new material finds Murray reportedly in the studio with Wu-Tang Clan's RZA and Da Beatminerz' Mr. Walt for production.

"Cool & Dre" edition of Groovemaker for iOS released

Miami-based hip-hop and R&B producers Marcello "Cool" Valenzano and Andre "Dre" Christopher Lyon have teamed up with IK Multimedia to create a custom version of the loop and beat remixing app Groovemaker, called the Cool & Dre edition, now available for the iPad as well as the iPhone and iPod Touch. The app allows users to control eight stereo loop tracks, adding from and manipulating a large library of grooves and rhythms custom-made for the pair's "Dirty South" style and "West Coast" vocals to create full-length tracks that can be shared as WAV files

Timbaland Reaching Out to Teen Pop Stars Over YouTube

Tim makes videos requesting Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas to collaborate with him

Timbaland made his name as a Hip Hop and R&B producer by creating unique and eccentric music for superstars like Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, and Aaliyah. But in the last decade he has branched out to become a hit maker in the Pop genre as well. Through work with Britney Spears, Nelly Furtado, and especially Justin Timberlake, Timbo was responsible for some of the 2000’s biggest Pop smashes. More recently he has worked with Ashlee Simpson and Miley Cyrus so perhaps it shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that Timbaland is more than open to work with more Teen Pop stars.

But the way he is going about it now is more than a little unusually. In the last few days Tim has made two impassioned videos, making appeals to collaborate with Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas, respectively. In the video directed at Lovato, the super-producer praises her saying, “You are amazing, girl. I am not an easy person to please, but I’m very impressed.” He then plays a snippet of a song he wrote for the Disney star, who recently spent a stint in rehab. In the video Timbaland made for Jonas he singles out the middle Jonas brother, claiming he is thinking up ideas for them to collaborate on, then declaring, “I'm with you Joe Jonas. I'm with you 100 percent."

No word from the young signers, who for a brief period were romantically linked, about the offers. Timbaland may be reaching out to teen stars but he still keeps a foot in the rap world having produced tracks for Drake, T.I. and Game in 2010.

Beyonce Collaborating with Symbolyc One

In other Pop/Hip Hop collaboration news Beyonce was recently in the studio with Symbolyc One. Beyonce hasn’t released an album in a few years but she seems to be making music her number one priority with these new sessions. Symbolic One, the producer behind Kanye West’s “Power”, tweeted a number of updates over the last few days. He said, in part, “Me, Beyonce, and Caleb was in the studio last night killing it!... Beyonce got us in here working and I’m luvin every bit of it… Well it was supposed to be my last day in here with Bey but she wants me stay longer… Everything is sounding really GREAT and BIG!!!!... Had a great 6 days in the lab with Beyonce. INCREDIBLE music we made. Great start for #2011.”

Video:Nas In The Studio Recording Colors With DJ Khalil.

DJ Khalil and Nas in the studio recording "Colors" from DJ KHALIL on Vimeo.

Check out footage of Nas in the studio with DJ Khalil recording their song "Colors".
As DJ Khalil explains it...

Here is a song we recorded over a year ago in LA at HOB Studios. This was a dream come true for me, to record a song with one of the most prolific artists in all of music. Busta Rhymes told me that he is our crown jewel, and I would have to agree. It’s an honor to work with some of the pioneers and true greats in hiphop and to live out my dreams. Although the song didn’t make the final cut, I had a chance to produce Nas and collaborate with him in the studio. I coached him thru some of his vocals and we conceptualized the song. A truly incredible experience. This song is featuring Danny Keys on the hook.

GET YA HEARD PRESENTS PRODUCERS L&X MUSIC

VINNY IDOL LOCED OUT BEAT

Lex Luger Speaks On Kanye West & Jay-Z Record "H.A.M."

The 19-year-old producer discusses his contribution for Ye' and Jigga's collaborative album Watch The Throne.

With fans patiently waiting for the release of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s first single off their collaborative album Watch The Throne, producer Lex Luger described the record in question with MTV RapFix.

"I don't know exactly when they recorded the record, but I sent the track a couple months ago,” he said of “H.A.M.” Referring to sessions for West’s fifth studio album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, he continued, “[We traded beats] through email. When I met Kanye and Jay in New York for the ‘See Me Now’ record, I dropped a couple tracks off. I'm not for sure if that one was one of them.”

While the Virginian-native has not heard the final cut of “H.A.M.,” Luger expects the record to be “aggressive and hard,” words that have become synonymous with his heavy production. “I'm pretty sure they did a very good job like Waka [Flocka] and [Rick] Ross did to 'B.M.F.' and 'Hard in Da Paint,’” he stated.

According to cover art and Kanye West via Twitter, “H.A.M.” will make its way to listeners tomorrow. Watch The Throne will reportedly be released on March 1.

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Swizz Beatz Owes Over $2.6 Million In Taxes

Mr. Game Time's tax problems come to light.

While Swizz Beatz can hang his hat on a successful career, a recent marriage and the birth of a son, his finances aren't entirely in order.

Swizz joins a bevy of artists who've failed to pay their taxes on time, and detnews.com's "Tax Watchdog" segment has revealed an itemized list of what he owes.

The list includes a $283,562 lien against the producer, filed by the IRS on Monday (January 3) with the New York City register; a $134,738 tax warrant against him and ex-wife Mashonda filed by New York; and various other liens filed in 2008, dating back to taxes owed from 2006.

The address on the newest lien is Swizz' mansion in Ponoma, New York.

Other Hip Hop artists who're now in Uncle Sam's debt include Xzibit, Lil Wayne, Flavor Flav, Nas, Fat Joe, Doug E. Fresh, Omarion, Method Man, and others.

Mannie Fresh Addresses Hiatus From Music, Says He Nearly Quit

In a new interview with Ballerstatus.com, the former Big Tymers member says his sister's 2007 murdered affected his musical career to the point he nearly stopped.

New Orleans, Louisiana producer/rapper Mannie Fresh produced for T-Pain and Mystikal last year. Although Fresh has remained active in a career that spans over 23 years, the former Big Tymers member suffered the tragic loss of his sister in 2007, who was murdered in her New Orleans home. Speaking with Ballerstatus.com, Fresh revealed how that incident affected his music.

"It set me back dude," said the hit-making producer for Lil Wayne, B.G. and Juvenile. "I'm not going to even lie to you. It made me think about some of the things I was saying on records and some of the things I was doing and everything, so it kind of put me in a funny place. For the longest, I didn't even feel like doing music."

That feeling has passed, as Fresh explained, "During one of my interviews this interviewer asked me, 'What would your sister want you to do?' It was just a revelation to me, and I was like 'Yeah, what would she want me to do? You know what this is what I was born to do, like what am I doing?'"

Last year, Mannie Fresh released his sophomore solo album, Return of the Ballin'.

Lord Finesse, Large Professor & O.C. Form Group, To Release Album

Lord Finesse, Large Professor & O.C. Form Group, To Release Album
Two of the greatest producer-emcees may be teaming up as The Alumni, one of the latest D.I.T.C. spin-off projects.

In a recent concert review at Hip Hop website Unkut.com, it's been reported that Bronx, New York emcee/deejay/producer Lord Finesse told show-goers of a new group: The Alumni.

Per reports, the trio will feature Finesse's Diggin' In The Crates (D.I.T.C.) band-mate Brooklyn emcee O.C. as well as Queens emcee/producer/deejay Large Professor. No additional information on the group is known at this time, though Finesse allegedly told those in attendance of the Australian shown that an album will be released this year. The legendary producer for Big L, Notorious B.I.G. and Fat Joe is also planning his long-awaited fourth solo album and a remix project to his Return of the Funky Man album, reportedly featuring work from DJ Premier, Mel-Man and Madlib.

O.C., Large Professor and Finesse all worked the 1995 album, The Awakening.

Timbaland Announces Timbo Thursdays

UPDATE: Two months since announcing it, Timbaland to begin 'Timbaland Thursdays' this week

Timbaland is joining in the recent trend of releasing new music each week via the Internet. Following in the footsteps of Crooked I (Hip Hop Weekly), Kanye West (G.O.O.D. Friday), Lloyd Banks (Blue Friday), Swizz Beatz (Monster Monday), and The RZA (Wu Wednesdays), the Virginia based producer announced via Twitter he'll be taking Thursdays.

Timbo is planning on releasing the third instalment of Shock Value in 2011.

 True to his Tweets in early November, Timbaland has announced when Timbaland Thursday will begin. Fans of the Virginia producer won't have to wait much longer, Timbo will begin this week on Thursday the 13th. Songs will be released via his new website

Kanye West & Others Offer Help On Next Justin Bieber Album

Notable Hip Hop producers are making studio time for the 16-year-old Pop phenomenon as he embarks on his sophomore album.

Kanye West has been candid about his admiration for teenage sensation Justin Bieber, even going as far as to remixing one of the Canadian pop star’s records from his debut album My World 2.0. Therefore it come’s as no surprise that the Chicago rapper/producer will be lending support on Bieber’s next project.

“[He] and Kanye had a call about a song they're trying to work on together,” said Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun during a live chat with fans earlier this week. “Kanye wants to produce a bunch of new songs for the new album.” Braun added, “He's been talking to Drake about new music…Him and Chris Brown have been sending stuff back and forth to each other.”

Similarly, singer-songwriter Kevin Cossom recently told Rap-Up.com that he and a few big name producers have done work for Bieber’s as-yet-untitled sophomore disc. “Me and Danja did a joint for [the project] as well as me and Bangladesh, so we’ll see what happens with that…It’s definitely a more edgy vibe.”

Freeway and Statik Selektah Plan to Produce an EP in a Single Day

Statik and Philly Free open up the 24 hour recording process by webcasting it live

Recording an entire release in one day would be a novel idea for most acts. Statik Selektah, though, has become pretty experienced at it. He’s pulled off the feat twice before, once in 2009 when he and Saigon released All In a Day’s Work and again just recently on December 30th when he and Termanology recorded their The Evening News EP. And so it appears that Statik likes to work under pressure as he’s just announced plans to record an EP with Freeway.

The record will be called Statik-Free and the duo is set to record it this Monday, January 10th. This project will be slightly different that Statik’s previous 24 hour recording projects. This time they will broadcast the recording process live on Ustream through XXL.com. Statik explain’s it to XXL like this, “I’m just gonna run through beats and we’re just gonna let the listeners get involved and come up with a hook or a concept for songs and help pick the beats for Free to rap, too.”

For more information on Statik-Free, like Freeway’s thoughts on the project, head over to XXL.com.

Mobb Deep's Havoc Producing For Joe Budden's "The Great Escape"

With hits produced for Nas, Notorious B.I.G. and 50 Cent, Mobb Deep's Havoc gives Budden a joint for "The Great Escape" that leaves him speechless.

Jersey City, New Jersey emcee Joe Budden has worked with top producers throughout the last decade. The Slaughterhouse member has charted hits with Just Blaze, as well as worked with Hip Hop mainstays like J. Cardim, Omen and others. Yesterday on Twitter, Budden revealed that for his forthcoming The Great Escape album, he's teamed with one of the most respected producers in Hip Hop: Mobb Deep's Havoc.

Havoc is known for producing hits for 50 Cent, Notorious B.I.G. and Nas, in addition to his role in Mobb Deep. This is believed to be the first collaboration for the pair. The Great Escape, which is billed as Budden's third studio album, will be released later this year.

Video Bangladesh Talks "Did It To 'Em" Beat - Vibe.com

BEATS/REMIX SESSIONS pt 2 Oneman & RudyRhythmz

T-Minus Talks Producing For "Tha Carter IV" and Drake's "Take Care"

Boi-1da isn't the only Toronto producer making tracks for Weezy and Drake these days

T-Minus may sound like a newcomer to the Cash Money camp, but the Toronto native was working with Drake and producing with Boi-1da close to four years ago. After they reconnected in recent months Drake invited T to come work on his sophomore effort Take Care. Complex sat down with T-Minus and talked about working with the Cash Money camp.

“I was just in the studio for three days in Toronto with Drake and T-Pain, trying to come up with some records. Drake just went on tour, so when he gets back we’re probably going to get back in the studio to do some more work. But his album is a work in progress. [The other day] I was up for 24 hours because we were at the studio the entire night."

“The new songs were a mix of [rapping and singing]. He actually just did a record in the studio with 40, and man it sounded crazy," he told Complex. "It was more of a R&B record, and T-Pain was on it as well, but man, when that finished product comes out it’s going to be nuts. Right now, there’s no true direction [for Take Care]. I couldn’t tell you whether it’s going to be a lot of singing, or a lot of rapping, or a little of both. Right now it’s still fresh. I think he’s probably going to drop like in the fall, possibly October. But I’m not too sure.”

If all goes to plan, T will have his work on Lil Wayne's highly anticipated Tha Carter IV as well. “Me and Drake had this record that we were going to put on Take Care, but 40 put this crazy mix on it and just made the beat bang—and after Wayne heard the mix that 40 did he was just like, ‘Wow, I’ve got to use this for my album.’ So yeah, I’m on the Tha Carter IV. The record is called ‘Maybe She Will.’ Things could change, but so far, it’s Wayne, and they got a verse from Ross, and they got Drake on the hook. I never even heard Wayne’s verse. I briefly met Wayne a few weeks ago, when I was in New York, and it was really short, like a few seconds meeting him. It was a session that we were having for Wayne and Drake. Boi-1da was there, too. But Wayne’s project, they’re trying to wrap it up really soon. He’s got a bunch of songs ready for the album. He’s just got to get a few more done, and then they’re going to push it out.”

Andrew Dawson kanye's engineer

Much of Andrew Dawson's work may be behind the scenes, but his final product is always in the forefront. He may garner more attention from co-producing and engineering Kanye West's unanimously-praised My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, but after checking the rest of the Minneapolis, Minnesota native's resume—he also worked on projects for Common, Destiny's Child, Coldplay, and a gang of others—then it's no surprise that he would knock this one out of the park as well.

"I was the main mixer on Late Registration and Graduation as well. I did at least more than half of both those albums as far as mixing. But I engineered every song on every album. We got started at least halfway through [The] College Dropout."

He was doing his producer sessions and College Dropout drop, and he'd gone through seven or eight engineers in a month. Just firing them because they weren't up to his standards. It can happen, you can go through a bad batch. He went through seven or eight dudes, and my name was next on the list. I came into the session, and didn't get fired, and we stuck together ever since. [Laughs] It was never an official induction into the camp, and no ceremonies, but I haven't gotten fired seven years later, so I guess that's a good thing

"He told me a couple times, when we first started working together, is listening to what he wants. He may have a particular way or particular sound that he wants to hear. A lot of engineers or mixers think they know better, and they've got the mentality that says, “You don't know what you're doing.” Especially because this was before Kanye was Kanye. He had done some stuff as a producer, but he wasn't an artist. People were thinking “Who's this guy?” and I could see the mentality of not taking him seriously."

for the rest of this interview go to http://t.co/wPrBX5B

New material from DJ Puerto Roc

HiPNOTT records recently signed a deal to release an album of all new material from DJ Puerto Roc and and former Artifacts member El Da Sensei. All tracks on the record will feature the production work of Puerto Roc. No release date is currently set but HiPNOTT expects the disc to drop sometime in the first quarter. For a sneak peak of the music Puerto Roc and El Da Sensei have been working on head over to the label’s

2011 has only just begun and I’m just extremely excited for what we have in store for you with HiPNOTT Records. Aside from our major announcement that we have coming up on 1.11.11, we have some really great music that we’ll be releasing as well. The final release schedule is not set in stone yet, but I gotta let at least one cat out of the bag.

Just today (the ink is still drying), we signed DJ Puerto-Roc to release an album that he recorded with El Da Sensei. Produced totally by Puerto-Roc, the tracks I’ve heard so far are nothing short of amazing (peep for yourself above). For those not familiar with DJ Puerto-Roc, he’s been the official tour DJ for Canibus for the past ten years and has done production work with people such as Lords of the Underground and Black Rob. We don’t have an official release date yet, but expect this album to drop sometime in the 1st quarter.

http://www.kevinnottingham.com/

THE COLOMBIANS BLOG #2

B.Corder - Behind The Intro (Episode III)

Little Brother's Phonte & 9th Wonder Reconcile, Beef "Squashed"

In January of 2007, North Carolina Hip Hop trio Little Brother hurt the hearts of fans when the group announced that producer/deejay 9th Wonder would be parting ways with emcees Phonte and Rapper Big Pooh. Having released two albums in the years since, January of 2011 saw a reconciliation between the group's unofficial leader and producer for two heralded albums.

Early this morning (January 2), Phonte revealed, via Twitter, that he and 9th are back on speaking terms, and provided fans with a picture.
9th Wonder retweeted several of Phonte's statements to fans, but has yet to comment publicly. Rapper Big Pooh has also not commented publicly.

This mending comes after a 2010 year that saw the two state differences on Twitter and in viral video in April, over their last days working together. The last official collaboration between the parties was 2007's "Breakin' My Heart" on Little Brother's Get Back album.

In 2010, Little Brother released what was previously billed as their final album in Leftback. Additionally, Phonte and Nicolay (as Foreign Exchange) released Authenticity. 9th Wonder released Fornever with Murs, Death of A Pop Star with David Banner, and several compilations including 9th's Opus: It's A Wonderful World Music Group, Vol. 1.

Sam Sneed The Atlanta transplant discusses the battle he fought against a brain tumor

The mind behind “Keep Their Heads Ringin’,” “Natural Born Killaz,” discusses the battle he fought against a brain tumor shortly after his late-‘90s relocation to the ATL,

It was ’99. [There] was two days where I was having these real extreme migraine headaches that was just unbearable. I couldn’t even sleep… So the second day I went to the doctor’s [and] they did an x-ray on me and they said that they noticed a large mass inside my head. I talked to my aunt – she had flew out to Atlanta ‘cause she’s a nurse, so she understand the language.

From what they were telling me, I was real close to having a seizure. So anyway, to make a long story short, they kept me in the hospital for two days and stabilized me, and then I flew back to Pittsburgh to be with my family and to get with a doctor. That led up to me getting radiation, seven weeks of radiation, after they found out – ‘cause they gave me a biopsy – it was a astrocytoma, grade 3; 4 being the worst… The doctor sat down and told me what I would have to go through. So we started the radiation, of course I lost my hair.

The radiation was supposed to shrink the tumor, but before a tumor actually shrinks it has to swell. And they said most patients can’t even get through that process. In my case, the tumor didn’t do anything. So we went on to chemo. The first two days of chemo I was real drowsy [and] tired a lot. But [by] the third or fourth day I wasn’t all that tired, and I was still doing beats, still trying to stay positive.

I ain’t allow no one to be around me being sad and all that. ‘Cause I truly believed that I wasn’t going nowhere. So [then] it was this specific day where I was having headaches real bad and my aunt told me to take some extra Medrol pills… And the toxicity of the Medrol pills made me real, real sick. So I was throwing up constantly, all the way to the hospital… That’s [when] I decided I’ma go ahead and get [the risky surgery to remove the tumor]… Dr. Sulker, he was a older guy, but he was really good, man.

He was definitely a blessing. His decision making was just phenomenal, because in the middle of the surgery he came out to my family and was like, “I wanna try something different…[and] go in to his head from a different angle.” And had he not went that direction, my motor skills, my speech, my peripheral vision, all of that would have been effected. We wouldn’t even [be having] this conversation right now. But being that he went that direction, the tumor was sitting right there [and] he just scooped the whole thing out.

It was a couple brothers that was influential support-wise in that whole situation, and Dre was one of ‘em…Busta Rhymes, and a lot of people from overseas. I felt the love and the blessings and the positive energy.

BANGLADESH_Making Lil Wayne's 6'7"