What the hell was your dick doin’ in the milk man? Twelve years and three albums later, that now infamous question posed on Nocturnal, Heltah Skeltah’s 1996 debut, has yet to be answered.  When Sean Price a.ka. Ruck,”Got shit on the Ave. / I make cake outta state” and Rock a.ka. Da Rockness Monstah, “hard to blam/ got soldiers in front like I play quarterback” first emerged unto to the scene in ’95 by way of Smif-N-Wessun’s Da Shinin’, it was apparent that this impeccable duo was one to reckon with. Their contrasting styles made evident by Rock’s baritone, no nonsense or beating around the bush style and Sean Price’s enigmatic double entendre filled verses affirmed their nonpareil partnership. These attributes left audiences clamoring for more- and the delivery came with the aforementioned Nocturnal. Like most of the music from their camp, that album was not exactly radio friendly yet it’s still deserving of a classic nod. On the other hand Magnum Force, the duo’s sophomore opus, didn’t maintain the standards set forth by their debut.

September 30th marked the release of their third album, D.I.R.T. (Da Incredible Rap Team) which features production and appearances from Evidence,  Marco Polo, Khrysis,  Buckshot and Smif- N-Wessun to name a few. A decade removed from their last release, it is obvious that the “super niggas from the ‘ville” still have plenty in the magnum chamber. Unlike many before them who have painfully decided to change with the times, the duo is comfortable with sticking to their guns, as this statement proves, “…We ain’t with all that worrying about what the people this and the third shit. We just go in and make our music, hopefully y’all like it.” Clearly the two, whose chemistry is paralleled by only a chosen few, are comfortable in their own lanes; opting to perfect theirs as opposed to confining themselves to the changes ever so prevalent within hip hop. They both acknowledge, “Everything is Heltah Skeltah” yet it’s just going through it stages, “Let the shit do what it do, I [Rock] ain’t scared.”

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How fitting that the offices of veteran publicist Gwendolyn Quinn are located on Broadway in midtown Manhattan, at the music industry hub.  Music has been an integral part of her career as a publicist and public relations executive for 15 years, and she has been in entertainment for over two decades.  With tenures at Capitol Records, Arista, Island, Flavor Unit Entertainment, Mercury/PolyGram, and ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers), Quinn has directed press campaigns on behalf of a who's who of popular music––Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Queen Latifah, Puff Daddy (a.k.a. Sean "P. Diddy" Combs), Prince, the Isley Brothers, and countless others.

GQ Media & Public Relations, Inc.

In 2002, Quinn founded GQ Media & Public Relations, Inc. a full-service publicity and marketing firm that specializes in developing stratagem and coordinating special events and brand development for clients who span the worlds of music, performing arts (theatre), corporate, not-for-profit, faith-based, and the visual/fine arts (see list below of past and current clients/projects).  A team of experienced, highly skilled professionals, Quinn and her principles have a combined 50+ years of experience in corporate and entertainment marketing.

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http://mybrownbaby.blogspot.com/2008/10/theres-no-place-like-home.html

They come every afternoon with book bags flying and their converse stomping the front lawn and their maniacal little giggles rushing into the still air, oblivious to what has been done while they were gone, and what still is to get done, too. I am usually clutching my “to do” list to my chest, with way too many “to-do’s” still unchecked, a little frantic. It is rush hour at the Chiles household, and my second, third, fourth, and fifth jobs are about to begin—homework tutor, chauffeur, cook, bathtub wrangler, midnight seductress. I want to hide. Or call in reinforcements. Or better, just take the doggone day off.

My husband, God bless him, notices these things, and, on occasion, takes mercy on me. Sometimes, that mercy comes in the form of take-out dinner, or a break from after-dinner kitchen duty, or all-access to the bedroom remote and my trusty pillow. And when he’s feeling especially benevolent, Nick, the editor-in-chief of the travel magazine Odyssey Couleur, tosses a travel junket my way—an all-expenses-paid trip to somewhere where laundry rooms and homework are non-existent, somebody else cooks and drives and cleans, and I can just chill, sans interruption or obligation. In return, I write a story about my trip for his magazine, but this is small payment.

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http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/lifestyle-features/id.1220/title.kim-osorio-soul-survivor/p.all

At one point, Kim Osorio seemed to have it all. As the first female editor of The Source, she was at the helm of the premier magazine for Hip Hop music, culture, and politics. But everything isn’t what it appeared to be on the surface.

Kim’s dream of Hip Hop supremacy later turned into a nightmare as former Source co-owner Ray “Benzino” Scott embroiled the magazine in a heated and bitter feud with Eminem—which nearly tore Hip Hop’s Bible apart at the seams, taking much of the staff down with it. Inner office conflicts seemed commonplace and an unwelcome sexual advance led Osorio to file an official claim with the company—which subsequently led to her termination as editor-in-chief.

Four years and a legal battle later, Osorio arrives at the forefront of The Source controversy again—this time to tell her story. Her first book, Straight from The Source: An Expose from the Former Editor in Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible hits bookstore shelves. HipHopDX caught up with the former first lady of the Hip Hop Bible to discuss her tenure at the magazine, the Eminem-Benzino beef, and industry double standards.

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http://streetcred.com/?page=features/entry&id=555

She's the voice of the youth for Def Jam. 17 year-old Karian Pasian sits down with StreetCred.com to talk about her debut album, signing with Jay-Z, her "First Love", touring with Lupe and more

Karina on the crowd response to her single "16 @ War":

"...a lot of people know my song “16 At War” and it’s the last song that I do on every set that I do; every time the beginning drops they just start singin’ it and goin’ crazy – they sing the words for me,...I don’t even have to sing."

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Tanya M. Fowlow: Karina, thank you for taking the time to sit down and chat with me today. Let’s get right into the exciting stuff. You just dropped your debut album on August 19th right?

Karina Pasian: Yes!

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http://streetcred.com/?page=features/entry&id=577

Does the name Archie Eversole ring a bell? Think back circa 2002. In his '02 video debut called "We Ready" (directed by Bryan Barber) a young, energetic Archie Eversole stood along side Bubba Sparxxx, Erick Sermon and Khujo Goodie to usher in his brand of Hip Hop. Is it all coming back to you now? Good.

Archie sits down with StreetCred.com to talk about where he's been, where he's going, his thoughts on the 2008 election, ghostwriting and much more.

Archie on his singing abilities:

"...I have a song called "Fly Away" where I open up my artistry and use the vocals. I wasn't sure about it at first but surprisingly people love that record even my street family. I was surprised but good music with a good message always captures people."

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The fact that Chicago native, Bullet, chooses not to curse in his rhymes may at first seem like a gimmick or perhaps a marketing ploy to the casual listener or observer. However; as I soon discovered, this deliberate effort is an integral part of his global approach. Bullet is not merely content with engaging US audiences; instead, this jovial rapper takes a worldly approach during his creative process. On Back to the Lyrics, Bullet proves to be a more than capable rapper, who like recent Chi giants, Lupe Fiasco and Common is ready to offer the game his sense of distinctiveness by barring the usual ish. I recently caught up with this young cat who describes his music as, independently creative but commercially acceptable.

ER: I take it that you are home in Chi-City right?
Bullet: Yup

ER: Does Back to the Lyrics serve as a mixtape or your debut album?
Bullet: It was an album…but just for commercial purposes. At first it was a mixtape or whatever but then we just had to do an album cause’ it’s all original music.

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