Stalley: Buckeye State of Mind

 

      

             Rap and sports have an intimate bond. Some MC's Think they can ball while ballers choose torap. Whatever the case, no instance is truer then rapper Salley's. Stalley attended Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio. As a kid he played basketball freshman through senior year. After graduation, he left home to play Division 1 basketball but was injured. That setback brought him to New York to play for Long Island University but a second injury derailed his athletic plans. He changed his focus to music, and how ironic?.

In 2008, he connected with Ohio DJ, Terry Urban on the mixtape release “Goin Ape” as well as toured opening for Mos Def. His 2nd project MadStalley: The Autobiography brought attention to his transition from small town griot to rap star. He’s since worked with brands like Nike, ESPN, 10Deep and Mishka. Currently, Stalley has been working with Creative Control, the media collective associated with Dame Dash, DD172 and fellow rap artist Curren$y. His recent release titled Lincoln Way Nights (Intelligent Trunk Music), he carefully illustrates a typical night out on his popular hometown strip. He’s appeared on BET’s 106 and Park as a part of the Music Matters campaign and premiered his video for “SLAPP” on the countdown. Stalley has also recently signed with Maybach Music Group where he is beginning to surface nationally. Check out the videos below, new visuals from his standout mix tape Lincoln way nights:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalley

http://killerboombox.com/6532/kbb-tv/music-video/stalley-pound

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh37gd41cZ38V1vLN3

Watch the Throne, Return of Hip-Hop

        After a short 5 days the highly anticipated album Watch the Throne has shot to number one in 23 countries. The collaborative efforts of musicians Jay-z and Kanye West proved to be a perfect combination. As leaders of the elite, Jay-Z and Kanye West have once again created a stir in Hip-hop beginning with there hit singles H.A.M. and Otis. As most pioneers do, the duel took the less conventional rout promotions wise. Most artists would lose their shirts releasing two singles followed by an album. With 14 number one albums between the two this was a simple strategic approach they felt necessary. With no video prior to release, the results of sales shows their impact in the industry. To make things even more unorthodox they released the album exclusively to i-tunes prior to release of the hard copy.

 The hard copy has been printed as a deluxe edition hitting shelves 5 days after the i-tunes release.  Upon release a list of efforts were made to promote. Radio, release parties, and press releases were just a few measures taken. This illustrates the direction music is taking and the effects technology and Internet has on the music industry. Popular music has shifted from rock and roll to the hip-hop culture which is continuing to opening up to a wide array of artists. Social media is responsible for this shift, granting followers an opportunity to critique and have a first hand look at the product before its released. This poses as an advantage for entertainers to plan their next move. Ultimately, the album is a collection of edgy sound and classic Kanye West production. The subject matter is relevant, fun, and autobiographical. With the word play of questionably the best rapper of all times there is no wonder Watch the Throne has experienced such success so early on. Appearances include Beyonce, Frank Ocean and Swizz beats.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8OSaFTz0Iw&feature=related

The Biggest Boss Gets Bigger

        In Recent Hip-hop Entertainment news Rapper and Mid-South native Rick Ross is adding restaurant owner to his business resume.  Born in Coahoma County Mississippi, rapper and Maybach music group CEO Rick Ross is not only recording multi platinum albums, he is also moving into the Mogul category. After tasting the Zing and pepper flavored wings for the first time in Miami, Ross stated he knew this was a franchise he could invest in. To illustrate his gratitude for the Wing stop organization Ross mentioned the Franchise in his biggest record to date titled MC Hammer.  Ross is buying into the national restaurant franchise Wing Stop.  The annually growing establishment has over 479 locations nation wide. Other noteworthy investors include NFL hall of famer Troy Aikman. The first location is set to open in Memphis Tennessee this fall.

            As an inspiring Entertainment company owner this is a very knowledgeable event. In order to keep revenue accumulating you must diversify business ventures. This is not only evident in Rick Ross’s case but also Hip-hop powerhouses that came before him. Russell Simmons, Jay-Z, Sean Combs, and Master P just to name a few. These are all entertainers who eventually began to invest in projects outside of the entertainment world, acting as true entrepreneurs opposed to simple entertainers. This business mind is what is necessary for survival in today’s market. The key to financial stability is knowing the difference between assets and liabilities. At the end of the day it’s not what you earn but what you keep. Business is business and having the ability of crossing markets is a testament to your success in initial endeavors. Ultimately this is more of a reason to strive for perfection in the market, the possibilities are endless. Allowing one business to grow while raising another is an entrepreneur’s dream.  

http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshhCleJx0656aBg4H8m

http://newsroom.mtv.com/2011/08/05/rick-ross-wingstop/

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