HIP HOP BLOG

Jimmy Jazz Featuring Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Macy's Capsule Collection

In the latest collaboration news, Calvin Klein designer Francisco Costa has created a capsule collection for Macy's. The designs are clean, simple and perfect for accessorizing with your own unique style. All items are priced between $135 and $180 and are available in stores now. Before you step out in your look check out how you can add some flavor to it with Jimmy Jazz.

Look One

Make this back and white look pop with a Galian vibrant animal print bag:

http://www.jimmyjazz.com/womens/accessories/galian-printed-zebra-woven-shoulder-bag/EPW02K?color=Multi-Color

Look Two

Keep the mellow yellow vibe going with these Apple Bottoms heels:

http://www.jimmyjazz.com/womens/footwear/apple-bottoms-shana-heel/SHANA?color=Beige-Khaki

Look Three

Enhance this feminine and classy dress with these Essentials silver earrings:

http://www.jimmyjazz.com/womens/accessories/essentials-antique-silver-earrings/ER8040057?color=Silver

Big Boi, one-half of the hip hop group OutKast, has been in the shadows for the past few years - but he is ready to come back out fighting. The artist recently spoke with BET about his upcoming solo album, a possible OutKast reunion, what artists he's into right now and hip hop clothes.

According to the source, Big Boi is excited about his sophomore solo album and added that it's going to be different than anything he's done before.

"Every different genre of music will be used," Big Boi told the news outlet. "Hip hop is the least thing I listen to right now. I've been listening to lots of folk, bluegrass and rock. Groups like Mumford & Sons, Lana Del Rey."

Big Boi admitted the new album features many unique artists, including Swedish electro-pop group Little Dragon as well as indie rock band Modest Mouse. As for making more music with his OutKast partner Andre 3000, Big Boi claims they're always working together and there is no bad blood. Instead, the duo has just been on different paths as of late, but the bond is still fully intact.

The rapper is trying to set the record straight after rumors starting coming out that the duo were planning on reuniting for a new album.

"I said we were working on music, not the OutKast album," Big told the publication on how certain rumors got started. "Sometimes he comes to the studio and be in my sessions just checking out music. People get excited when they see us in the studio together, but it was never for one specific project. Sometimes Dre's in the studio listening to my new music."

Hip Hop Wired reports Andre may be in the running to play famed musician Jimi Hendrix in a biopic titled "All Is By My Side," though nothing has been confirmed.

Fans of Big Boi, Andre or OutKast may want to show off their fun vibes by rocking fresh kicks like The Cage by Fila this summer. 

One thing you definitely don't want to do is piss off a TV reporter. More than likely it will end up with your mic getting cut and you getting the boot on-air. Check out these embarrassing on-air smack downs.

Tamron Hall Shuts It Dooowwwwnnnnn

MSNBC Reporter Cuts the Mic

Skip to the 1:20 and 4:20 marks

Nancy Grace Goes Off

Jay-Z certainly has it all - he's married to the most beautiful woman in the world, he just had a new baby and oh yeah, he is the creator of Rocawear and has a successful rapping career. Some might assume Jay couldn't get any bigger, but he's done it again, as he recently signed on to help launch a new cognac from Bacardi, BET reports.

According to the source, the mogul was seen at an exclusive launch party for Bacardi's new cognac, D’ussé. Jay doesn't show up to just any launch party, leaving many journalists in attendance to assume the rapper is behind the brand in some way.

MTV News reports D’ussé is meant to target a younger consumer market that will compete with brands like Hennessey, Remy Martin and Courvoisier. Marketers believe Brooklyn is a great target spot as it is popular with up and coming professionals and since Jay is the king of NYC, many feel he is the perfect candidate to represent and push the new brand.

D’ussé is set to hit the shelves in June and will be available nationwide in September.

Jay-Z has been in the news recently on more political grounds. The rapper spoke to CNN about his views on gay marriage, following President Obama's recent endorsement of equal rights for all. The generally quiet artist took a stand and expressed his wishes to allow gay marriage in the States.

"What people do in their own homes is their business and you can choose to love whoever you love. That's their business," Jay-Z said in the recent CNN interview. "It's no different than discriminating against blacks. It's discrimination plain and simple. I think it's the right thing to do, so whether it costs him [President Obama] votes or not - again, it's not about votes. It's about people. It's the right thing to do as a human being."

Fans who want to look as fly as Jay-Z can do so by purchasing Rocawear Roster Jeans for themselves. 

Celebrities have never been shy about wearing certain brands like Rocawear or Apple Bottom, as long as they look good wearing the clothes. This same notion rings true for hip hop artists and A-listers when it comes to rocking their home team colors - both at the games and in their daily lives.

EBONY Magazine reports filmmaker Spike Lee may be the most loyal celebrity as he rarely misses a New York Knicks game and he proves he's not too cool to represent. Lee can be seen wearing blue and orange from head to toe. Music and urban clothes genius Russell Simmons also represents his native New York everywhere he goes - from black tie events to the office. Simmons can be seen rocking a fitted New York Yankees cap in almost every snapshot he's in.

Other celebs like Scottie Pippen, Alicia Keys and her husband Swizz Beatz, Flo-Rida and Chris Brown have been known to represent their hometowns wherever they go.

HipHopWired.com reports some hip hop stars are looking to rake in the cash while representing their home teams. Jay-Z, creator of Rocawear, recently inked a deal with the New York Yankees to display his clothing lines' signage in Yankee Stadium throughout the 2012 baseball season.

"Jay-Z has been a long-time fan of the Yankees, regularly attends games and has even included his favorite team in song lyrics, so this was a natural partnership," said Jameel Spencer, marketing EVP for the men's division of Iconix Brand, the company which owns the clothing line, according to the news source. "Rocawear, along with Jay-Z are very excited to be working with the Yankees for the 2012 season. We feel another championship in '12!"

Fans who want to represent their home teams can do so by purchasing a New Era New York Knicks Snapback Cap or other team caps for themselves. 

Sometimes you can't get the exact look of a celebrity but you sure can come pretty close to it. Singer-songwriter, Ashanti rocks a colorful dress with hues of pink, blue and black complemented by an orange belt.

Take inspiration from those color choices and slip into this Essentials dress.

http://www.jimmyjazz.com/womens/clothing/essentials-sequin-detail-tube-dress/17DKD5213?color=Multi-Color

While Ashanti pairs her dress with a blue shoe, you can go with a multi-color effect in these Apple Bottoms.

http://www.jimmyjazz.com/womens/footwear/apple-bottoms-amoretta-heel/AMORETTAFUS?color=Multi-Color

Jada Pinkett-Smith has been an actress, a rock star and more and now the proud mama is taking a new approach in the entertainment world - trying to help parents be real with their kids. BET reports Pinkett-Smith recently launched a web series titled "Red Table Talks" in which she sits with her daughter Willow to talk about drugs, fame, women's urban clothes and parenting. 

In the first episode, Pinkett-Smith discusses parenting and drugs alongside her daughter and her mother, Adrienne Banfield Jones. Pinkett-Smith's mother had her at a very young age and was addicted to drugs until she was 18. The three women discussed the past, present and the future of their relationships.

"Jada, how do all my efforts to be a better grandmother than I was a mother make you feel? Any resentments?" Jones asks her daughter in the web series. "It was a very difficult time for us. Jada did not have the kind of life that you have now. I was not a good mother in my eyes and I know that your mom believes that all experiences - good and bad - help make you the person that you are today. I just feel like during those times, the bad times outweighed the good."

For her response, Pinkett-Smith discusses how the past made her feel and how it also helped shape her life, to keep straight and to focus on her goals professionally and personally.

"I used those things as motivation. The experience that I had with you because you were so young we did a lot of growing up together, I had a lot of freedoms," Pinkett-Smith said in the video on her teenage years. "So I learned the power of freedom. You never once told me that I couldn't do something…We can't be perfect on all levels, but that you were intuitive enough to know who I was, now that's one of the best things that you can give a child and not to get in the way of a being of a person."

Willow gets in on the action as well, discussing her life in the spotlight - the perks and the hardships, SoulCulture.co.uk reports.

"If I were to change one thing about my life, it would probably be that I wouldn't be famous," Willow Smith said in the open diary-style series. "Because when you're famous, it's so hard."

The young actress and singer then went on to say there is also a plus side of being famous, including having a louder voice, being able to show her creativity through her music and hip hop clothes and being a role model for her generation. 

Celebrities continue to put their names and faces behind beauty products and urban clothes, but a recent pairing may have some people wondering. EBONY Magazine reports R&B singer Ray J just penned a $1 million deal with skin care company Princereigns.

TheUrbanDaily.com reports Ray J will be the new face of the brand's natural treatment for ingrown hair on men. The product is made from ingredients like aloe vera, eucalyptus, chamomile, sage, lavender, vitamin E and citrus oils.

A commercial for the product is already in the works and Ray J is not only getting money from the deal, but also gets to mingle with some babes. In the video, the R&B crooner gets to cozy up to Australian actress Sophie Monk.

The beauty company's official website boasts that the skin care product is already being used by countless A-list celebrities to keep their skin smooth and blemish-free.

"Meet the shaving gel that defies the laws of nature. Some beauty products remain in a class by themselves. Enter Princereigns, an extraordinary shaving serum that has developed a cult following among thousands of men, women and models throughout the world," company executives write on the website. "There’s a good reason: devotees are amazed by the gel’s miraculous ability to quickly remove dark spots and soften and straighten curly hair thereby removing ingrown hairs and razor bumps. Princereigns removes blemishes quickly without clogging pores and clears acne, leaving skin smooth and blemish free."

Apparently Ray J is following in the footsteps of his former flame, Kim Kardashian. WetPaint.com reports the Kardashian clan has countless endorsements, including a clothing line with Sears, a nail polish line with OPI and representing four DASH stores throughout the U.S. The sisters are also the face of a weight-loss supplement, an Armenian jewelry line, a shoe website, watches and more.  

Toni Braxton Helps Celebrate Dance in Harlem

It's easy to forget that pop music simply refers to what is popular at the moment whether it is disco, rock and roll or most recently, hip-hop and dance music. SESAC, the nation's fastest growing performing rights organization honored those who have made an impact in the pop soundscape at its annual Pop Music Awards. While there was much reason to celebrate there were also concerns expressed over the state of pop.

Songwriter of the Year winner, Rico Love advises artists seeking mass appeal to be careful about how they promote their image. "If the attention you're seeking is not to glorify music or build brand you look like an asshole," he says. "Make it about the music and the quality of who you are." Love's statements are especially significant in a state of pop where it seems you need either a sex tape or a stint in rehab to gain exposure.

When it comes to pursing a larger platform in the pop market many artists forsake genres such as jazz, funk and even, R&B, something which concerns, Trevor Gale, SESAC's Senior VP, Writer/Publisher Relations. "It is unfortunate that jazz and other genres of music don't get the same notoriety and publicity as pop but it doesn't take away from the fact there are still amazing artists out there creating all genres of music. I have faith that the music always rises," he notes.

Doing its part to help jazz music rise to the forefront once again is the second annual Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival presented in partnership with Apollo Theater, Harlem Stage and Jazzmobile, with support from Columbia University. Highlights from the festival included bringing the famed, Minton's Playhouse back to life with a celebration of Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Max Roach and more and late night jam sessions at Showman's Jazz Club. The present and future of jazz were also recognized at the Harlem Stage Gatehouse where drummer Terri Lyne Carrington created a fusion of music with Lizz Wright, Nona Hendryx, Tia Fuller and more.

Listening to so much jazz can make one want to swing and dance. Fortunately attendees had the chance to do just that at the 10^th Annual Ailey at the Apollo gala. Singer, Toni Braxton served as the honorary event chair which was an odd and surprising choice since Braxton obviously doesn't dance. However as she noted her latest single "I Heart You," is a foray into the dance music arena. "Trying to do a dance song is kinda fun. I am not a dancer by trade but as a performer there no avenues for us and this helps the kids do their craft," she says.

The craftsmanship of visual artists is currently on display at the "Four Brooklyn Artists" exhibition at Berkeley College. Curated by Robert Keiber, the show features Harlem Arts Alliance member and Culture Crashers mentor, Leon Nicholas Kalas along with Mary Chang, Norma Lithgow and Dr. Rudy (Kofi) Cain. It may not be pop and you can't dance to it but it's still art.

Souleo Enterprises, LLC is the umbrella company that creates and produces entertaining, empowering and informative media and philanthropic projects by founder, Souleo.

This article is courtesy of our partner The Harlem Arts Alliance

The Harlem Arts Alliance is a not for profit arts service organization celebrating 10 years of service to a prestigious list of members such as the Apollo Theater, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, Columbia University, Harlem Stage (Aaron Davis Hall) and over 850 more cultural/arts institutions and individuals. The weekly column, Harlem Arts Alliance Presents: On the "A" w/Souleo, covers the intersection of the arts, culture and entertainment in Harlem and the greater NYC area.

For more information on HAA please visit: www.harlemaa.org

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