48Bars: November 2008

Friday, November 28, 2008

Adidas Originals House Party: Featuring DMC, Kevin Garnett, Russell Simmons, Young Jeezy, David Beckham, Missy Elliott, Estelle, Redman, Method.....

Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede

BY JOE GOULD
DAILY NEWS WRITER

Updated Friday, November 28th 2008, 9:30 AM

A worker died after being trampled and a woman miscarried when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors of a Long Island Wal-Mart Friday morning, witnesses said.

The unidentified worker, employed as an overnight stock clerk, tried to hold back the unruly crowds just after the Valley Stream store opened at 5 a.m.

Witnesses said the surging throngs of shoppers knocked the man down. He fell and was stepped on. As he gasped for air, shoppers ran over and around him.

"He was bum-rushed by 200 people," said Jimmy Overby, 43, a co-worker. "They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in front of me. They took me down too...I literally had to fight people off my back."

Porsche Foxx 2nd Departure from V-103

By Rodney Ho | Wednesday, November 26, 2008, 04:47 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Porsche Foxx is gone from V-103 again. Her boss Reggie Rouse sent out an email this morning confirming her departure.

I have no details otherwise. She’s already been taken off parts of the V-103 Web site, such as this list of Veejays. Her name is still floating about though on some pages.
Read More
accessatlanta.com

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving 2008!!!

Jay-Z To Perform At Obama Inauguration?

After months of officially and unofficially stumping on the campaign trail, Jay-Z's endorsement of President-elect Barack Obama [click to read] could be rewarded with a performance spot during January's inauguration. Numerous sources, including the New York Daily News and UK tabloid The Sun, report that Obama is in talks with the multi-platinum emcee to grace the stage on January 20, 2009.
Read More
HipHopDX.com

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

A Shout Out to Tarrey Torae

Hey young world??? I'm writing this "Shout Out" on the eve of Thanksgiving. I experience mixed feelings this time of year for various reasons, but I'm very thankful for all of you that have checked for 48Bars since we began in June of 08. This is a very special "Shout Out" to Tarrey Torae.

The "Shout Out" is dedicated to individuals that are an inspiration to us here at 48Bars. I've been keeping this one in my pocket, Tarrey is one of the "Original Homegirls" we met at Curie High School in Chicago. From the moment we met, we have been super cool...no drama....no stress. Back in the day when we both worked in the field of Social Services......after I became an Omega and she became a Delta we would speak of how we would take over the industry.....doing our own rendition of "All I Need" by Method Man & Mary J. Blige, those were the days. Thoughts become words, words become actions, and actions become reality, since the old days Tarrey has been putting in work.

Tarrey is a 4time Apollo Winner, a recipient of 2 Grammys from her work on Kanye West’s College Dropout, and a co-writer/singer on one of Oprah’s favorite songs (John Legend’s “Live It Up”). Tarrey has gone on to appear at an increasing number of summer festivals and live venues throughout Chicago, Nashville, and New York City. Holding down stages solo, as part of toured extensively with the National NAACP Hip-hop Tour, the Nissan/Essence Magazine Electric Moyo Music Mix Tour, and as a background singer for Talib Kweli. (I wittnessed her doing her thing with Kweli....one word....Chiquita!!!!)

Tarrey has been featured on tracks with Kanye West, John Legend, Pete Rock, Freeway, and The Last Poets. In the words of hip-hop sensation Talib Kweli, “TARREY TORAE is one of those rare talents that shines thru trends and will be talked about long after the music industry is gone.” Currently Tarrey is working on her debut solo album, the songstress will soon unravel her sultry soul to the world with the release of “Sweet Milk” in 2009.

Excerpts from Tarrey's Bio
myspace.com/tarreytorae

Rollie
48Bars

Digital Sales Surpass CDs at Atlantic Records

Since MP3s first became popular a decade ago, music industry executives have obsessed over this question: when would digital music revenue finally surpass compact disc sales?

For Atlantic Records, the label that in years past has delivered artists like Ray Charles, John Coltrane and Led Zeppelin, that time, apparently, is now.

Atlantic, a unit of Warner Music Group, says it has reached a milestone that no other major record label has hit: more than half of its music sales in the United States are now from digital products, like downloads on iTunes and ring tones for cellphones.

“We’re like a college basketball team on an 18-2 run,” said Craig Kallman, Atlantic’s chairman and chief executive.

At the Warner Music Group, Atlantic’s parent company, digital represented 27 percent of its American recorded-music revenue during the fourth quarter. (Warner does not break out financial data for its labels, but Atlantic said that digital sales accounted for about 51 percent of its revenue.)

Daily Advance.com

Russian President Poses Threat to Obama Administration

Joe Biden has warned that hostile nations would quickly "test" the young new president with a "generated crisis," and Biden seems to have been right.

But the challenge didn't come from the part of the world Obama spent the most of his campaign discussing, the broader Middle East. On the day after he won the election, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev offered an aggressive warning that he would respond to a planned NATO anti-missile shield by moving nuclear weapons to its western enclave of Kaliningrad. And the sword-rattling has continued: Tuesday, the Russian navy began joint exercises near Caracas with Venezuela's military.

Obama enters office signaling that he will continue the policies of President Bush's late second term in Iraq and Afghanistan, and key architects of those policies, starting with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, will likely keep their jobs. That would leave Russia as the unexpected laboratory for Obama to shape his own foreign policy.

Politico.com

Obama Interview with Barbara Walters Tonight @ 10pm est

Wall Street executives seeking multimillion-dollar bonuses, and the leaders of Detroit's Big Three automakers who last week flew to Washington aboard private jets to ask Congress for a bailout, are "tone deaf" to the concerns of the American people, President-elect Barack Obama said today in an exclusive interview with ABC's Barbara Walters.

Weeks away from his inauguration, Obama stressed to Walters the importance of personal, corporate and civic accountability in light of the cratering economy and said his presidency would be a return to "the ethic of responsibility."

Obama said "captains of industry" on Wall Street and in Detroit who took advantage of corporate perks while their companies benefited from government loans paid for with taxpayers' money, don't have "any perspective on what's happening to ordinary Americans."

the huffingtonpost

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

John Forte One Of 16 Pardoned By George Bush

November 24th, 2008 | Author: Jake Paine
It was revealed today that Refugee Camp affiliate John Forte watched his sentence commuted, one of 16 people pardoned by President Bush. Forte and another inmate were given reduced sentences, whereas the other 14 were pardoned.

In 2000, Forte, an alum of the prestigious Phillips Exter Academy, was convicted sentenced to 14 years in prison for aiding and abetting the distribution of over five kilograms of cocaine. Per reports, he is set to be released December 22, to five years of probation.
Read More
HiphopDx.com

Obama To Name Desiree Rogers White House Social Secretary

Prominent Chicago businesswoman Desiree Rogers will be named the White House social secretary, according to a series of news reports. The 49-year-old Harvard MBA will be the first African-American to hold the post.

Huffingtonpost.com

RUSSIAN ANALYST PREDICTS DECLINE AND BREAKUP OF USA

Tue Nov 25 2008 09:04:22 ET
A leading Russian political analyst has said the economic turmoil in the United States has confirmed his long-held view that the country is heading for collapse, and will divide into separate parts.

Professor Igor Panarin said in an interview with the respected daily IZVESTIA published on Monday: "The dollar is not secured by anything. The country's foreign debt has grown like an avalanche, even though in the early 1980s there was no debt. By 1998, when I first made my prediction, it had exceeded $2 trillion. Now it is more than 11 trillion. This is a pyramid that can only collapse."
Read More
Drudgereport.com

Monday, November 24, 2008

LUDACRIS Album Listening Party @ Luckie Lounge Monday November 24th

Submit your guest list to EntertainCorp to attend this Exclusive Event.

Guest list is good until 12 midnight
ExclusiveAccess@EntertainCorp.com

Monday November 24th 2K Sports Bounce Tour: Q Tip (ATCQ) + Janelle Monae + The Cool Kids + The Kunx @ Center Stage

www.centerstage-atlanta.com

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Super Producer No I.D.

November 23rd, 2008 | Author: Melanie Cornish:

A prime example of a person who has weathered the test of time and continues to maintain a balance of passion and responsibility is Chicago’s anointed "Godfather" producer/rapper No I.D. It was this man that holds title as Kanye West's mentor, the mastermind behind Common's first three albums and a producer behind Jay-Z's most acclaimed work of late.

His most recent attack on the charts was the high-brow "Put It On Ya" by Plies. In this exclusive HipHopDX Producer's Corner interview, No I.D. addresses how producers can’t be responsible for the lyrics that lace their beats, his and Common's reunion, and working with Mr. West on 808's & Heartbreak.

HipHopDX.com

Hurricane Katrina Kids: "The Sickest Ever"

Even before the storm, they were some of the country's neediest kids. Now, the children of who stayed longest in ramshackle government trailer parks in Baton Rouge are "the sickest I have ever seen in the U.S.," says , president of the and a professor at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. According to a new report by CHF and Mailman focusing on 261 displaced children, the well-being of the poorest Katrina kids has "declined to an alarming level" since the hurricane. Forty-one percent are anemic—twice the rate found in children in New York City homeless shelters, and more than twice the CDC's record rate for high-risk minorities. More than half the kids have mental-health problems. And 42 percent have respiratory infections and disorders that may be linked to formaldehyde and crowding in the trailers, the last of which finally closed in May.
Read More
Newsweek.com

Friday, November 21, 2008

Bobby Seale: Seize The Time

This book derives from tape recordings made by Bobby Seale in the early autumn of 1968 and the autumn and winter of 1969-70. The first series was made with the cooperation of the editors of Ramparts magazine. The second series was made in the San Francisco County Jail. Art Goldberg, formerly an editor of Ramparts, was responsible for the editing of the transcribed tapes; however, Mr. Seale supervised the preparation of the final manuscript and every word is his.

Robert George "Bobby" Seale^[1] (born October 22, 1936, in Dallas, Texas), is an American civil rights activist, who along with Dr. Huey P. Newton, co-founded the Black Panther Party For Self Defense on October 15, 1966.

Seale was one of the three children born to his mother, a homemaker, and his father, a carpenter, in the segregated South of Dallas, Texas. After moving to various places within Texas, his family relocated to Oakland, California during World War II. Seale attended Oakland High but dropped out and joined the U.S. Air Force. He spent three brief years in the Air Force before being kicked out for disobeying orders given to him by a colonel in South Dakota at Ellsworth Air Force Base. Upon his arrival back in Oakland, Seale began working at different aerospace plants as a sheet metal mechanic and attending night school to earn his high school diploma.

http://lemming.mahost.org/library/seize/seize0.htm

Obama Plans To Name Clinton as Secretary of State

After a highly publicized and hotly contested primary battle, President Elect Barack Obama & Sen. Hillary Rodham-Clinton seem to have permanently buried the proverbial hatchet. John Shaft is close to naming Senator Hillary Rodham-Clinton as his Secretary of State.

Friends close, Enemies Closer I always say!

For more information on this story click the link below

http://www.politico.com/politics08/

Peace & Love People,

yaboy Tony Cohiba

Thursday, November 20, 2008

How Fresh Is She? Denise Vasi

Denise Vasi an a model of Fashion Modeling Agency. She is currently an actress on All My Children as Randi Morgan. She is from New York City. Her father is greek and her mother of Puerto Rican/Domianician decent. She has Blue/Green eyes. She is 5 feet and 7 inches tall. Her dress size is a two. Shoe size 7.

Bio: Even before her debut as Randi Morgan on ABC's daytime soap opera, "All My Children," Denise Vasi had already established herself as one of the entertainment industry's top women to watch. The budding actress, who is currently the face of Olay's Spring 2009 on-camera advertising campaign, has graced the pages of international and domestic glossies (including ELLE, Marie Claire, GQ Italy and the cover of French magazine Clam) as a sought-out model. Now, with her first long-term role in a television series and several feature films on the horizon, she is making a fast and determined leap into Hollywood.

CNN Presents: One Crime at a Time: New Orleans

Violence, corruption and injustice are all too common in New Orleans. How do you fix this city? Soledad O'Brien reports as CNN Presents "One Crime at a Time." Watch this Saturday & Sunday, 8 p ET

CNN.COM

How Fresh Is That? Rock The Bells Organizers Launch Charity Auction Benefiting Diabetes

Published: Wednesday - November 19, 2008
Words by Allen Starbury

Guerilla Union, the concert promoters behind Murs' annual Paid Dues Festival and tour as well as Rock The Bells, has partnered with Hip-Hop Official (hiphopofficial.com) to present their first ever Rock The Bells online charity auction.

The company was inspired to get involved because of A Tribe Called Quest's Phife Dawg, who displayed tremendous strength and resilience through his current battle with diabetes, during 2008 Rock the Bells festival series.

Thanks to Phife, Guerilla Union is launching the Rock the Bells Charity Auction for Diabetes -- which will benefit the American Diabetes Association (ADA) with 100% of the proceeds.
ballerstatus.com

Democrats Delay Auto Bailout Vote

The past few days have been very interesting on Capital Hill. Very interesting indeed. The Chief Executive Officers of Ford, Chrysler, and General Motors, the "Big 3" U.S. automakers, appeared before Congress, in hopes of receiving a $25 billion loan to bail them out of the financial woes of their respective companies. Problem is, neither CEO had a definitive plan as to (a) how they planned to utilize the capital they would receive to improve their plight, or (b) how and when they would be able to repay the tax payers the money they sought to borrow. Instead, they relied on the "We're going to scare your ass to death" strategy of fear, stating that if you do not loan us this money, then the US economy will go into the tank. Excuse me but please pardon my french Mr. CEO, but WTF?! Last time I checked, the economy was already in the shitter! The Dow lost 400 points yesterday, and another 400 points today. HELLO!!!

To add insult to injury, these guys all flew into D.C in G4 private jets! Please pardon my French again but WTF?! I am not one that has made it a point in my life to borrow money from people, but last I checked, weren't humility and contrition like the two biggest prerequisites needed in order for the lending process to be successful? How in the hell are you going to have the gall to cry broke when your daily travel expenses, are more than most Americans earn in a year?! You expect us to feel sorry for you and be sensitive to your plight? YOU SHOWED UP TO BEG IN A FREAKIN G4 DUDE! Bad move fellas, bad move.

It is no wonder that Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Chris Dodd, and other key Democrats announced today that you guys would not be receiving one red cent from the tax payers until you came to the table with a clear and concise plan as to how you intended to use it, and when you intended to pay it back! I don't think that anyone is questioning that you need the money, clearly you know how to spend it. No one is questioning that if the "Big 3" auto companies fail, that it will hit the economy hard and that many people will lose jobs, but why ask Congress for it? Why not Exxon Mobile, or the other oil companies that you helped earn record highs? I'm sure that they owe you a debt of gratitude. Or better yet, why not do what other companies that cannot afford to pay their operating expeses do, and file Chapter 13, would that really be that bad? From what I understood from the economist that sat next to you guys at the table, that's probably the most logical route for your companies to pursue and you haven't even considered it. You dudes just want to beg. Sure, you would probably lose the G4 for a minute, but at least my taxes would not go up any further.

How do each of you show up in a G4 and ask for $25 billion bucks and not have a plan of how you plan on spending it and when you are going to pay it back? When I used to ask my mom for money back in the day, she would always say "What are you going to spend it on?" and "When are you going to pay it back?" Rest assured that before I even went to her I had my story straight. Why didn't you guys have yours? I think that your arrogance might have just cost you that $25 billion and possible that G4. In the words of the immortal rap God LL Cool J..."Jokes on you Jack!"

Peace & Love People,

yaboy Tony Cohiba

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Ayman al-Zawahri gives Obama the Business

Al-Qaida was really whack to bring it to Obama the way they did . This was a diss not only to America but more directly to Black America! It was a blatant disregard of proper procedure to use our hero, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz in an attempt to tarnish the character of Barack Obama. I can't even give this any more energy, that song convey my thoughts more precisely.....This is my message to Ayman al-Zawahri......"I think you're a hater, I think you're a hater, haters everywhere we go, haters everywhere we go, Haters everywhere we go, where we go, haters goin down for the count!!!!"

CAIRO, Egypt – Al-Qaida's No. 2 leader used a racial epithet to insult Barack Obama in a message posted Wednesday, describing the president-elect in demeaning terms that imply he does the bidding of whites. The message appeared chiefly aimed at persuading Muslims and Arabs that Obama does not represent a change in U.S. policies.

Ayman al-Zawahri said in the message, which appeared on militant Web sites, that Obama is "the direct opposite of honorable black Americans" like Malcolm X, the 1960s African-American rights leader.
Associated Press

Rollie
48Bars

A Shout Out to Anthony Jackson AKA Tony Cohiba / "Smoke em' on them Trax" (Pt.2)

In 2001 while living in Orlando, the homie
Cohiba threw ya boy the assist that would lead to the lay-up of our lives! I had just finished putting the touches on my very first offering to the hip hop world -"A New Beginning"-but had no idea as to how I was going to get it out to the world. He helped me to form our very own company know to many as -"Heavy Reign Entertainment, llc." He showed me that if we had some structure it would allow our ideas to become more of a reality. He included that this would also be beneficial from a "business" point-of-view.

From that point forward we conducted ourselves as an official company and went on to put out a number of projects from "A NEW BEGINNING" in 01' ..to tha "CENTRAL DIVISION" album in 04' (which sold pretty good). We also worked on a number of mixtapes and collaborative compilation albums like "HOODZ STREET ARMAGEDDON" -(HOODZ DVD MAGAZINE)

For the next few years Tony stayed very active in the indusrty. Although he lived in Orlando -prior to the major Florida movement that was about to take place and solidify them as a force in music- he would always network with the key industry players of his region and build rapport. Some of those notables you may now recognize... peeps like Julia Beverly (Ozone Magazine), Pat Nix (Frontline), DJ Prostyle (All Pro Records), DJ Nasty (Nasty Beats) and Reddi Ray (R Music) just to list a few. The homie Tony Cohiba always seemed to stay in tune with the right connects and became more plugged.

By now its like 2007 ....and after a few years of convincing 2 of my closest homeboys (Tone & RO- included) to move to the "A-Town" so that we could really blast off ...our shit is finally ready -and we are prepared to hold our own out here! Over this past year Tony, Ro & I have had our hands full -working with different artists, establishing a production house and studio, put work in on my final album, shot a music video, did some touring ....shit we even started this FRESH-ASS web site- 48 Bars.com -tha home of Measured Media & Heavy Reign Entertainment.

So for all your media and entertainment needs be sure to hit us up. To all you aspiring artists- (singers/ rappers) who are looking for them "lava trax" then yall better holla at the homeboy Tony Cohiba. You can always find that dude secluded away in the lab composing that "sonic chemistry" ....damn thas a dope title for a song!

"Nothin can stop Us but Us"....... Peace & Luv Tone Cohib

-A>D
48Bars

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Get Out the Vote Rally with Jim Martin and President Bill Clinton

Ok so we're all still very much elated that John Shaft, oops I mean, Barack Obama was elected as our nations 44th President. I am sure that when it is all said and done, Mr. Obama will go down as one of our nations finest. However, with that being said, his success will be conducive to the number of senators/congressmen/women that he has on his side to support his policies and agenda.

Even though the general election has come and gone, there are a few states where there are very important Senate seats that remain undecided. The state of Georgia is one of them. Incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss, running against Democrat Jim Martin, failed to procure the 50% of the popular vote needed to retain his Senate seat. As a result Senator Chambliss & Mr. Jim Martin will square off once again in the poll booth in a "runoff" on Dec 2,2008.

At 4:00 pm on Wednesday November 19, 2008 at Clark Atlanta University in the Vivian W. Henderson Gymnasium, former President Bill Clinton is coming to town to throw his much needed support Jim Martins way. A sign indicative of the importance of this race to the Democratic Party and to President Elect Obama. The event is free but having tickets or an rsvp prior to attending is strongly recommended. You can click on the link below for more info.

One thing to remember as we usher in this new era of change. Change begins from within! From a political stand point, it begins at the local and state levels FIRST! If you want change, do not solely count on the President Elect to cure all that ails you, for he is only one man. Instead, count on a change from within, a change from within yourself, a change from within your district, and a change within your state! Doing so will make it easier for Obama to usher in this new era of change!

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/freshloaf/tag/2008-election/.com

Peace & Love People,

yaboy Tony Cohiba

The Story of The Wu-Tang Clan In Stores Now!

Today marks the day that true Hip Hop purist have been waiting for since like 1993. Finally the story of The WuTang Clan has come to a video store near you! For those of you who do not know, The WuTang Clan is one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful rap groups in history. "The Wu" were the true innovators & trendsetters of their era, and although several crews have tried to copy their formula, none have come close to accomplishing their great feats. I could literally go on and on about The WuTang Clan and how they took the world by storm, but I'd rather let this modern day classic story tell itself visually. So if I were you, I'd find the time to go cop this DVD. I'd twist up some of your favorite neighborhood sticky ickey, sit back on the couch, zone out for a minute or two, and witness hip hop at its finest! I just did & just like me, I'm sure that you will not be disappointed!

Peace & Love People,

yaboy Tony Cohiba

Kanye West Speaks on the Paparazzi Arrest

Kanye.....

LET US NOT FORGET THE PAPS KILLED PRINCESS DIANA. WHEN WILL THERE BE A LAW PASSED THAT SIMPLY ENFORCES THAT SOMEONE HAS TO ASK TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH OF YOU. THAT WOULD SEEM LIKE COMMON COURTESY. RIGHT NOW THE PAPS ARE ABOVE THE LAW AND THE PEOPLE THEY SHOOT ARE BELOW IT. WHAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL IS PICTURES TAKEN WITH THE INTENT TO SELL....LIKE DRUGS WITH THE INTENT TO SELL... OR CROSSING CUSTOMS WITH ENOUGH MERCHANDISE TO HAVE THE INTENT TO SELL. THE EXPLOITATION OF MY IMAGE IS THE PROBLEM. IT PRODUCES A "BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY" BEHAVIOR THAT CAUSE THE PAPS TO DRIVE RECKLESSLY ON FREEWAYS, JUMP OVER FENCES AND INVADE PRIVACY ALL IN AN EFFORT TO GET THAT "MONEY SHOT." YOU SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SELL A PICTURE OF ME WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. AFTER THIS LAW IS PASSED, WHEN YOU ENTER A PUBLIC PLACE LIKE A BASKETBALL ARENA ETC., THERE WILL BE A SIGN THAT READS..."ALL PHOTOS TAKEN HERE ARE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND CAN BE USED AT THE PHOTOGRAPHERS DISCRETION." OBVIOUSLY RED CARPET EVENTS WHERE PEOPLE SHOW UP TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED WILL ALSO APPLY. THE PERSONAL PROBLEM I HAVE WITH THE PAPS IS WHEN THEY TRY TO CATCH YOU BEING A REGULAR PERSON. I AM NOT A CELEBRITY. I'M A NORMAL PERSON THAT'S JUST FAMOUS. I REFUSE TO SNEAK IN AND OUT OF BACK DOORS AND KITCHENS OF HOTELS ETC....

I AM PROTECTING MY PERSONAL SPACE SINCE THERE ARE NO LAWS TO PROTECT THAT FOR ME.

Read More

Kanyeuniversecity.com

THUR. NOV. 20TH DRUNKEN UNICORN MINDZAI STUDIOS // LIBERTY TATTOO // STRATOSPHERE PRESENT HELL NAW PROTON LIVE!!!

Email Info@ihateproton to get on list
list closes at 10pm for FREE entry

MJQ CONCOURSE

Monday, November 17, 2008

Obama has a Harold's Moment

Did you all catch President-Elect Obama on 60 Minutes last night along with the other 24.5 million viewers? He was asked a specific question from interviewer Steve Croft that caused him to have a "moment".

Now a lot of people probably won't be as able to relate to this particular experience that our President had but my peeps from the Chi will. The question that Steve Croft posed was ... "Is there anything that you miss doing that you can no longer do?" President-Elect Obama simply replied ... "yes, things like taking his wife for a walk in the park or around the neighborhood... but especially passed good ole' Harold's Chicken Shack (in Hyde Park on Chicago's South Side)." If you looked closely at Obama's facial expression and his gesturing, it suggested he is truly going to miss those late night Harold's Chicken runs that we as Chicagoans all treasure. Well those that eat meat anyway!

What else can you say about our President? You gotta love this guy....

-Mr. Dawson
for 48BARS.com

SPICE Friday: Me'lange @ Seasons 12/12/08 Tucker GA

Me'lange

2077 Northlake Pkwy
Tucker, GA 30084

Keep Your Friends Close & Your Enemies Closer

Earlier today, President Elect Barack Obama(who I affectionately refer to as "John Shaft") met in Chicago with former adversary John McCain to discuss their future working relationship. Looks like Obama might be taking a page out of former President Abraham Lincolns' book. For those of you who do not know, way back in the day, Lincolns' presidency began during very trying times(just like the President Elects)instead of surrounding himself with "friendly" faces, President Lincoln named several of his enemies to high level cabinet positions. In recent interviews President Elect Obama has stated that he has been reading "A lot of Lincoln lately" and found his words to be "wise & just" and today he met with McCain. As Arsenio Hall used to say, this falls under the "Things that make you go Hmmm...." category. Not saying that Obama will do the same as the former President but this does go to show that the President Elect is intent on doing things differently from the majority of his predecessors and also shows that he is one bad mother...Shut yo Mouth!

Peace & Love People,
yaboy Tony Cohiba

Abraham Productions: Bayatae Abraham

Here is a another member of the "Class of 91"...my homie Tae (ABRAHAM PROMOTIONS) from the CHI doing his promotion thang....!!!!!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Stomach Touchin Ya Back? ....Gotta Eat 2 Survive!

Yo -once again it pains me to have to report about another young brotha who is from the hometown (Chi), and while I didn't know dude personally -I knew his music. The young bull Bump J, Kanye West affiliate and Chicago Mixtape specialist was taken into custody a few days ago after a routine traffic stop in Southern Illinois (Carbondale). He is said to have allegedly robbed a Bank in Oak Park -a suburb right outside Chicago's West Side last January.

What's ill to me is that from the outside looking in ...you would think that a kid like Bump had it all laid out for him. Not only did he get the stamp of approval from Ye' and Com Sense as an official Chicago representative who clearly was next up to bat, but he had already procured a record deal with Atlantic. The buzz that he generated a few years back was ample and dude was definitely on pace to hit the mainstream with a highly anticipated album which boasted production offerings from Mr. West himself. You would always either hear Bump J's name come up in industry convo or hear his mixtapes and rhymes on shit like Madden and NBA Live. In interviews -whose themes would be like -"Patiently Waiting 2 Blow" or whatever -dude wolud be chillin ....."literally" -all iced up and shit, like dude's paper was already long ..ya dig? Not the case evidently.

I will say this of young brothas and sistas growing up in a "blue collar", extremely political city like Chicago.....shit is ruff 4 real! You got gang violence and drug traffickin dominant in the streets. If you grow up in the inner city there is a very "high" percentage chance that either 1) you're gonna be exposed 2 it, or 2) end up a part of it. Streets is real and niggas gotta eat.... so it's plenty of katz out there in the trenches that plain and simple... just don't give a f*ck! They will do anything they have 2 in order 2 get it and if it ain't comin quick enough, then they gonna expidite the process by any means ....thas just how it goes down. Getting a legitimate job for minimum wage ain't even an option.

Phlus Jonz quotable - "It's time 2 head up north and catch a mac noodle slippin- thas how it gotta go. I rob him then I start dippin...."

-AD for
48BARS
for complete story go to:
cbs2chicago.com

Friday, November 14, 2008

Dame Dash is Broke: We have to Dumb It Down

Yesterday the staff here at 48Bars was having a discussion about the Dame Dash situation. We all agreed that Dame will always be that Dude despite what he's going through. None of us will ever know, but I feel that Dame got the short end of the stick in the deal with him and Jay. My partner believes Dame played himself by siding with Killer Cam over Jay. Anyway..... there has been recent reports the Dame Dash is broke. It appears that America as a whole is going through a financial crisis, we have to dumb it down. Dame in part inspired me to do what I'm doing, Jay music is dope but Dame made it marketable. No matter what happens with Dame he will always have his place as one of the greats in music history. In January 2009 48Bars will release the 48Bars Manifesto addressing key issues and one of them will the the financial crisis here in America.

Rollie
48Bars

The FairTax Book

The FairTax Book is a non-fiction book by libertarian radio talk show host Neal Boortz and Congressman John Linder, published on August 2, 2005, as a tool to increase public support and understanding for the FairTax plan. Released by ReganBooks, the hardcover version held the #1 spot on the New York Times Best Seller list for the last two weeks of August 2005 and remained in the top ten for seven weeks. The paperback reprint of the book in May 2006 contains additional information and an afterword. It also spent several weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list. Boortz stated that he donates his share of the proceeds to charity to promote the book.

William Ayers GMA Interview About Obama - 11/14/08

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Chicago's Mayor Daley: Prepare For Mass Layoffs

CEOs Tell Mayor They Plan Huge Layoffs In November, December

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The warning is out – Mayor Richard M. Daley says a parade of corporate chief executives have told him huge layoffs are planned around the city and will carry into next year.
As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, when Daley made the announcement, workers around the city felt a chill, and they are wondering who will be laid off next.
The news is especially alarming because the discussion concerns not just city jobs, but the private sector. Thus, it seems the City That Works is about to become the city that gets laid off.
Mayor Daley says corporate leaders told him huge layoffs will impact the city this month and next, and into the new year. He also says city, county and state governments should be prepared for their revenue to fall dramatically because of the souring economy.
"This is going to be all year, so it's going to be a very frightening economy," Mayor Daley said. "Each one tells me what they're laying off, and they're going to double that next year. We're talking huge numbers of permanent layoffs for people in the economy. It's going to have a huge effect on all businesses."
The mayor said the gravity of the situation cannot be underestimated.

Read More
cbs2chicago.com

King Family want in on MLK-Obama Items

Hey it's still a business....

ATLANTA (AP) - Zealous guardians of his words and his likeness, the family of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. is demanding a share of the proceeds from the sudden wave of T-shirts, posters and other merchandise depicting the civil rights leader alongside Barack Obama.

Isaac Newton Farris Jr., King's nephew and head of the nonprofit King Center in Atlanta, said the estate is entitled to hundreds of thousands of dollars in licensing fees - maybe even millions.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

A Shout Out to Anthony Jackson AKA Tony Cohiba / "Smoke em on them Trax" (Pt.1)

Hey yung world .....what's good? As y'all know by now Rollie (or Ro Gitty as I call him) -and I are a lot more plugged in to entertainment katz and industry standouts than one might think. From graffiti artists and graphic designers to MC's, vocalists, instrumentalists and producers -we not only build with them, but some are business partners as well.

I would like to introduce yet another music "phenom" who is on his way to becoming a permanent fixture in the realm of "elite" music makers of our generation. The producer/engineer known to many by his alias or "superhero" name -Tony Cohiba- has been making music for over 20yrs. One of the original b-boy's (and native) of Chicago's South Side hip hop scene, Tony was instrumental in establishing one of the earliest crews of the mid-80's known as the "Live Ass Crew" or L.A.C. The group of talented young brothaz was comprised of Tony, Ro Gitty, and myself. We were pretty well-known around our hood (87th & Stoney Island) and through out the South Side of Chi. We did several shows at different venues, battled other crews quite often, even comprised an album and attempted to independently distribute it early in the game.

Tone was probably the very first dude to raise my interest in sampling keyboards and creating melodies. This dude was always holding sessions in his basement letting us hear the latest samples and ideas that he would make for the crew to perform to. The clique split up when everyone when their separate ways to attend different colleges respectively. After Tone attended FAMU at the same time fellow Chicagoan and now hip hop heavyweight "COM SENSE" did, he headed to audio engineering school (Valencia Comm College) to pursue his dream full time.

-Pt. 1 of 2

-AD

-48BARS/Ozone Magazine

Suge files law suit against Yeezy!

Controversial and intimidating -1 time powerful music mogul Marion "Suge" Knight is bringing a law suit against the "illest dude on the planet" -Kanye West for being shot in the leg and robbed at Yeezy pre -MTV VMA party held in Miami at a nightclub back in 2005.

Since the Deaths of 2Pac and Biggie ya boy Suge has been under the microscope. Always under media scrutiny -Suge continues to have his troubles with the law. So now ..after threatening his girlfriend, getting knocked the f*ck out at a nightclub, filing for bankruptcy..Suge is now suing Kanye. He says that its Kanye's fault that he got shot and robbed for a 15 carat earring.

TMZ.com reports- Suge Knight is picking a nasty fight with Kanye West over a diamond earring -- 3 years after the broke-ass record mogul was shot and then allegedly robbed of his ice at one of Kanye's parties.Suge -- who recently filed for bankruptcy -- blames Kanye for allowing someone to smuggle a gun past security at West's pre-MTV VMA party at The Shore Club in Miami back in 2005, where an unknown person managed to shoot Suge in his upper right leg, shattering a bone. According to the lawsuit filed on September 12 in US Bankruptcy Court in L.A., Suge claims he didn't just lose blood -- he also lost a 15-carat, $135,000 diamond stud earring inside the club during the incident -- and that too is Kanye's fault.Now Suge, who claims he was so hurt that he needed to take a private jet back from Miami, is suing for all his bullet wound-related expenses AND "for damages for the loss of use and enjoyment of the earring." But check this -- even though Suge is bankrupt, he's worked out a deal with the Court that will allow him to keep a percentage of any dough he collects from the suit.We shot a call over to Kanye's people, but haven't heard back.

48Bars Prediction: Obama will kill bin Laden & crush al Qaeda within 1st 100 days in office

Obama to ratchet up bin Laden hunt

President-elect Obama wants to renew the U.S. commitment to finding al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, according to his national security advisers. "We will kill bin Laden. We will crush al Qaeda. That has to be our biggest national security priority," Obama said during a presidential debate. The Obama team believes the Bush administration has downplayed the importance of catching bin Laden. full story
CNN.COM

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Anthony David @ Sugarhill Atlanta Saturday November 22nd 2008

Sugarhillatl.com

SICK SURVEILLANCE: GOOGLE REPORTS FLU SEARCHES, LOCATIONS TO FEDS

Tue Nov 11 2008 15:34:50 ET

GOOGLE will launch a new tool that will help federal officials "track sickness". "Flu Trends" uses search terms that people put into the web giant to figure out where influenza is heating up, and will notify the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in real time!

GOOGLE, continuing to work closely with government, claims it would keep individual user data confidential: "GOOGLE FLU TRENDS can never be used to identify individual users because we rely on anonymized, aggregated counts of how often certain search queries occur each week." Engineers will capture keywords and phrases related to the flu, including thermometer, flu symptoms, muscle aches, chest congestion and others.

Dr. Lyn Finelli, chief of influenza surveillance at CDC: "One thing we found last year when we validated this model is it tended to predict surveillance data. The data are really, really timely. They were able to tell us on a day-to-day basis the relative direction of flu activity for a given area. They were about a week ahead of us. They could be used... as early warning signal for flu activity." Thomas Malone, professor at M.I.T.: "I think we are just scratching the surface of what's possible with collective intelligence." Eric Schmidt, GOOGLE's chief executive vows: "From a technological perspective, it is the beginning."
DrudgeReport.com

Monday, November 10, 2008

Smooth Transitioning?

So...how goes the transitioning? Earlier today President-Elect Barack Obama and the new 1st Family payed their first visit to the White House. Bush gave him the "official" walk-thru of the spot - and of course they're 1 on 1 (1st time ever ) in the "Oval Office"- as seen here. President-Elect Obama's visit is known as "Transitioning". His meeting is said to have been taking place a lot sooner than other Presidents prior. I can clearly see why he would need to ...stay 2 steps ahead of the game and get a head-start on "all" that Bush has royally f*cked off over the last 8 yrs!

Look at my Chi-Town representative appearing as calm and collective as always. It appears as if Obama is telling Bush....... "so -from this point on... u can address me as 'Mr. President' -and I will address u as 'Former President' u got me."

-Mr. Dawson
48Bars.com

I Levitate To The Occasion

"I levitate to the occasion"
Common Lyrics from "Hungry"
on the CD "One Day It'll All Make Sense"

I've been having this reoccurring dream since I was 10 years old. When I started having this dream I would be walking down the street & with every step I began jumping higher and higher into the sky. As I got older I began to fly higher. The worst part of the dream was the landing. I would never crash....but the landing was rough. I continue to have this dream and my landing usually coincides with whatever I'm going through in my life.

Jay-Z made a statement in the movie "Fade to Black" stating that the hardest thing for him was to get his team to stay focused at the same time. I guess that would be a difficult task considering it's hard for one person, let alone a group of people to get and stay focused.

There have been times in my life when I have levitated to the occasion, which was a wonderful feeling. A wonderful feeling to accomplish something that you put your all into. Whether it be that job you wanted, a car, or that young lady you had your eye on. Here's the difficult part, in order to "levitate" -one has to rid them self of negative influences i.e. friends, that lady, family, and your darkest secrets. As Jamie Fox would say..."you got to blow that shit out". Despite all the turmoil here in America and abroad...I feel myself and others around me levitating, rising to our abilities -a new standard of life. Life is not perfect, far from it -but it's what you make it! The beauty of it is even when we make the worst decisions, as long as you got breath you can make your wrongs right. So young world..... levitate with me and let's reach heights that we never thought was possible and get on some psychokinesis shit.

Ya Boy
Rollie
48Bars

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

I woke up this morning with this song in my head.....I'm really feeling this video...

Background Check, Credit Check....all I want is a Check!

All I want is a CHECK.....but before I can get a CHECK -somebody gotta do a lot of CHECKING...They gotta do a background CHECK...Then they CHECK my urine...Depending on the size of the CHECK I'm trying to get they might even CHECK my blood or my hair...I CHECKED and found out that they CHECKED 48Bars , CHECKED my Myspace page....I CHECKED some more and found out they even Googled ya boy..... Now what I don't understand is the credit CHECK....They CHECK my credit before I can get a CHECK...But don't I need a CHECK to payoff my credit?

So I wake up everyday, thank the Lord and CHECK my vitals, go to work....write something of substance on this Blog.....and CHECK my mailbox...knowing one day I will get that BIG ASS CHECK!!!!

Seriously people get your shit straight because this is another way to keep us out of the game...click on the link for more info on how and why the background checks are conducted....

privacyrights.org

ya boy...
Rollie
48Bars

"Welcome To Dreamland" Final Taping @ the Opera

Last nite I went to the finale taping of the reality show "Welcome To Dreamland" at the Opera here in the ATL...I would've took some pics but we were kindly asked not to....

Music producers Jazze Pha and Drumma Boy will be making a special appearance for the new TBS reality show and Peachtree TV original special “Welcome To Dreamland,” which is set to premiere Tuesday, December 9, at 10 p.m., with a part two airing Tuesday, December 16, at 10 p.m.

The two-hour, two-part special gives contestants a chance to get on the track to stardom by performing in front of a studio audience and a panel of judges as they pursue their dreams at a successful career in the music industry. Only one contestant will be chosen.

The finale taping for the show was Sunday, November 9th in Atlanta, GA with Jazze Pha, Drumma Boy and recording artist Vawn, creator of the “Welcome To Dreamland” special.

www.memphisrap.com

Friday, November 7, 2008

Barack and his new "Hit Squad" take Center Stage for very 1st news conference

President Elect - Barack Obama, Vice President Elect - Joe Biden, newly appointed Chief of Staff - Rahm Emanuel and other senior advisers on Obama's newly formed "Hit Squad" -meet the press for the very first time this afternoon. I call them the "Hit Squad" not because this was an Eric Sermon production, but because Obama and his team face not only the worst economic crisis in U.S. history, but (2) wars, a few trillion in national debt, f*cked up foreign relations and too many other national and world issues to list. So they must be prepared to "hit" the ground runnin and "hit" these problems head on -hence the name "Hit Squad". These men and women need to really be prepared for any and everything because our fate is not only being dumped in their laps after the worst President (Bush) and administration in U.S. history, but they clearly have to have the consensus that since our new President is a "Black Man" ya'll know they gonna try to give my guy "tha business!"

-Mr. Dawson
48 Bars