''I Think I Took A Good Break'' 9:00PM ET May 16th, 2012 Contributor : Rayna Dean A Rocky Williform Company
In the early 2000s, R&B singer Tweet was one of the more promising artists in urban music. Her debut album, Southern Hummingbird, was critically-acclaimed and a commercial success, but following 2005's disappointing follow-up (It's Me Again), she all but disappeared. Tweet is currently prepping her return to music, and spoke to Necole Bitchie about why she stayed away for so long and how good she feels about her new material.
"The songs are already done," she revealed. "Now we’re just putting on the final touches and it’ll be here in September. It’s called Simply Tweet and it’s just me. I’m branching out of my own. I’m not under the wings of anybody else. It’s a new space in my life. It’s just different…different love, different situation…very different than the place I was in when I recorded Southern Hummingbird. The single is called ‘Enough’, and it’s for my ladies…and that’s all I can tell you about that."
"The last album was It’s Me Again, in 2005 and I think I took a good break," she says. "I didn’t get the support that I thought I deserved on that last album. I was feeling overwhelmed and decided to get my life together, get my relationship with God back on track, start spending more time with daughter."
"I’m happier now. I know who I am as a woman and an artist," she continued. "Now I want to let women know that they can do it too. They can find that happiness, they don’t have to stay in unhappy situations."
"I was definitely unhappy with the record company," says Tweet. "When I first turned in the last album it was all me. But being that Elektra turned into Atlantic, it was all new people and they didn’t know who I was. They made me take off ½ of my songs to make room for more Hip Hop. I can’t blame anybody because I didn’t stand up for myself. So even when I look back on that period, I blame me."
T.I. Calls Aussie Rapper ''A Free Agent'' 9:00PM ET May 16th, 2012 Contributor : Martin James A Rocky Williform Company
Iggy Azalea's announcement earlier in the year that she had signed with Interscope Records may have been a little premature. Grand Hustle head T.I. revealed in a recent interview that Iggy is still unsigned.
"Iggy is a free agent," Tip told Bu Thiam, VP of A&R at Def Jam, during an appearance on "MTV's Hip Hop POV."
The news came as a bit of a surprise, since the blonde Australian tweeted back in January that she and Jimmy Iovine had agreed on a deal. It is being reported now that the deal was never finalized. She is still affiliated with Tip's Grand Hustle imprint and is reportedly talking with several labels--including Def Jam.
Rapper Appears On Track With Cancer-Stricken Teen 4:30PM ET May 16th, 2012 Contributor : Martin James A Rocky Williform Company
Rapper Mac Miller has recorded with a local Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania fan who is suffering from T-cell lymphoma.18-year old Bobby Stewart met mac in December after the rapper donated $50,000 to the Make A Wish Foundation. The two collaborated on a new track at ID Labs.
"To be with Mac is a blessing. He’s lyrically amazing,” said Stewart. “Hip hop is my passion. So to be able to be with Mac Miller, who’s a Pittsburgh legend... Wiz Khalifa shoutout."
"Feeling like your music really does something for the world makes it all worth it, no matter what," added Mac. "From now on, no matter what happens for the rest of my life, no one can take that away from me."
''I Just Gotta Do Me'' 4:30PM ET May 16th, 2012 Contributor : Martin James A Rocky Williform Company
DMX has endured several false starts over the last few years as he's attempted to restart his once white-hot rap career, but the emcee says that he's more focused on music than he's ever been. Professionalism, says X, is the name of the game right now.
"It's a good thing. I wish it was always like that but you can't really worry about what people think, what they say. I just gotta do me," said X. "The focus is on taking the music seriously, as a job, and less trouble."
"Everywhere I go people are like, 'When's the album droppin? When's the album droppin'?'" X says. "So I was just like, lemme hit 'em with something, let them know, give them a little appetizer of what it's gonna be like. Not the same songs, because I'm sitting on like three albums right now, but ya know, just what it's gonna be like."
''They Only Sell Sh*t That Make You Look Stupid'' 1:30PM ET May 16th, 2012 Contributor : Martin James A Rocky Williform Company
Waka Flocka Flame isn't interested in participating in any reality shows. The Atlanta rapper criticized reality TV and entertainment blogs for putting forth what he feels is 'embarrassing' material.
"I don't be reading no blogs, Mediatakeout.com, none of that. I saw some lame sh*t on there and I ain't never went back. But I can't lie some of that sh*t be convincing--the way they put it together. I even hate reality TV. To me reality TV is like embarrassing," Flocka said in an interview. "They only sell sh*t that make you look stupid. They tried to give me and Gucci [Mane] a reality show. I just couldn't do it. Get the f*ck out of here."[Laughs] I just be making my records. And really, I don't really do a lot of guest verses for people like that. I turn down mad sh*t. Sometimes it ain't even about the bread. If I do a feature now, it's probably somebody you haven't even heard of."
