Dr. Dre and his company Beats Electronics will sell a 51% stake of the company to Taiwanese telephone maker HTC for $300 million dollars.
The Beats Electronics venture is a collaboration between Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine and Interscope Records that began almost a decade ago.
The company specializes in making high end headphones, which are customized for a variety of pop stars, who sell them to their fan base.
In addition to the Beats by Dre line, Beats Electronics has made headphones for artists such as Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber and countless others.
Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine will continue to run Beats Electronics.
“When Jimmy and Dre started this, they had a very specific vision of what Beats would be,” said Beats Electronics president Luke Williams. “It wasn’t about headphones, it was about fixing the degradation of sound.”
For years Forbes.com has documented the yearly earnings of today’s top hip-hop stars. it is with great pleasure HHABC brings to you the most recent list and show you where some of your favorite stars fall in the most recent list.
1) Jay Z,, 37 Million
2) P Diddy, 35 Million
3) Kanye West, 16 Million
4) Lil Wayne & Baby, 15 Million
6) Snoop, Eminem & Dr Dre, 14 Million
9) Akon, 13 Million
10) Ludacris, 12 Million
11) Wiz Khalifa & Drake, 11 Million
13) Pharell Williams, 10 Million
14) Timberland, 7 Million
15) Nicki Minaj & Swizz Beats, 6.5 Million
17) Rick Ross, Pitbul & 50 Cent, 6 Million
20) T-Pain & B.O.B, 5 Million
After 7 years of marriage and the birth of their twins superstar couple Jeniffer Lopez & Mark Anthony have decided to call it quits. The couple released this following statement. “We have decided to end our marriage. This was a very difficult decision. We have come to amicable conclusion on all matters. It is a painful time for all involved and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time.”
The ever candid and outspoken Lupe Fiasco sat with CBS to discuss various matters ranging from politics, his label woes and various other matters. During the interview Lupe expressed his distaste for the US political process and foreign policy as a whole. Lupe also address the infamous protest by his fans a few months ago when his Label “Atlantic Records” wouldn’t give him a release.
“In my fight against terrorism, to me, the biggest terrorist is Obama in the United States of America,” Fiasco said in an interview. “For me, I’m trying to fight the terrorism that’s actually causing the other forms of terrorism. The root cause of the terrorism is the stuff that you as a government allow to happen and the foreign policies that we have in place in different countries that inspire people to become terrorists. And it’s easy for us because it’s really just some oil, which we can really get on our own.” -Lupe (CBS News)
He also explained his reasons for opting not to vote in political elections. “I don’t vote. I don’t get involved in the political process because it’s meaningless, to be honest,” Fiasco added. “I’m a real big believer if I’m gonna vouch for someone, then I’m gonna stand behind everything that they do…So politicians aren’t gonna do that because I don’t want you to bomb some village in the middle of nowhere.” -Lupe (CBS News)
Nothing short of the word legendary Fat Joe continues to add more to his extensive catalog and advance his executive ventures.
For years the legendary Bronx MC Fat Joe has played around with his weight on various occasions loosing and gaining it back. Recently after the release of his latest video Joey Crack surprised his fans with a 75 pound weight drop and it looks like once again he is determined to keep the public talking.
Following the release of Prodigy’s book “My Infamous Life” a few months back, various individuals have expressed their distaste for the information revealed in this memoir including Capone of the legendary Capone N Noriega. In the following video an unidentified man is sited challenging the validity of Prodigy’s information and even goes a step further to threaten the rappers life.
This could very well be a very serious situation but we couldn’t help but notice the twitter address provided along with the video hmmm!
Its been 3 decades since HIV was 1st discovered by whoever it was discovered it…lol (this is hip-hop we dont know the details), the virus has continued to sweep through millions of families, communities and regions.
Timothy Ray Brown suffered from both leukemia and HIV when he received a bone marrow stem cell transplant in Berlin from a man who was immune to HIV, in 2007. Scientists say about 1 percent of Caucasians are immune to the virus based on a genetic trait passed down from previous generations built to fight plagues in ancient times.
Although the possibility of a cure has long been met with skepticism it is safe to say that this is by far the best news for any person living with the virus and according to the doctors that have worked with Brown, it makes more sense than ever.
Former Black Panther Party leader Elmer “Geronimo” Pratt and Godfather to Hip-Hop’s most influential rapper the late “Tupac Shakur” was pronounced dead early Friday morning.
Pratt served almost 30 years of prison time for a murder conviction which was eventually overturned maintained he’s innocence. At the time of his death, he was living 15 miles from Arusha, Tanzania for the last half a decade.
The former activist was 63 & was made popular for his contributions through his panthers and later through Tupac’s music to a younger less aware generation.
Pratt is suspected to have died from a heart attack or a stroke.
After recently watching the documentary film and tribute of J Dilla, it made me understand a little more of what he brought to the world. His passion for music makes every beat we were ever blessed to hear from him, much more valuable. Sometimes when I hear his music, I think to myself, ‘how did he come up with that?’ No matter where he took us to with his beats, it only takes about 5 seconds to get your head nodding. Perfect example…featured below is one of my all time favorites from Dilla.
There are, indeed, three key elements an individual must possess when pursuing and achieving any level of success. You would soon see actual proof of that theory being true once you first meet Young Nova. After foregoing his brief college career at Niagara University, the young lyricist took his dream of becoming a successful hip hop artist, and relocated to Atlanta. Even after enduring a numerous amount of setbacks and disappointments, the 23 year-old managed to make a name for himself around the city of Atlanta and, as well as, maintain a consistent presence on the internet channels. It is always a remarkable experience when you come across a person this young with an amazing amount of talent and is as equally humble. Read on and learn more, as we caught up with Young Nova for an exclusive interview.
1. First of all, your name, Young Nova, where does that come from?
When I first started taking rap serious I knew I needed a stage name that described me as an artist. I was reading the dictionary one day and stumbled across the world nova which is a very bright star. Eventually it dies out, but I am not planning on doing that anytime soon. And I just so happen to be the biggest star you never heard of.
2. Give us a brief description of the type of vibe that your music brings for its listeners.
It brings them that 90’s feel when lyrics mattered in hip-hop. I also try to let the people know its cool to be yourself whether you’re a straight A student, Ball player, Hood nigga, Single parent or a Average Joe at McDonald’s, its alright to be yourself. My music always gives off a vibe that I love what I’m doing; I put my heart into every verse.
3. As an aspiring artist, what is it that makes you keep going and pushing towards your goals as a hip hop artist?
My city is one of the biggest reasons I will keep pushing and grinding until I succeed in the music game because I want the younger generation to know it’s a way out besides death and the penitentiary. My family is another reason I am push myself, I don’t want to see them struggle anymore.
4. When did you know for sure, music is what you wanted to do with your life?
I wrote my first verse in 1999 but I figured out the game was missing me in like 2006. People in school and around the city use to say I was nice and I got a lot of love in cyphers. That’s when I noticed I was just as good or better then a lot of these new artists out, and decided to go for mines.
5. Where do the ideas and inspirations, that help create your music, come from?
Not to sound cliché but I am inspired by everything, listen to my music and you can hear it. One minute I’m rapping about what makes me stronger as a person and the next minute ill give you a track about being your tour guide when you in my city. I am also inspired by other music genres, I think Coldplay is incredible. I’m also inspired by successful people, I love hearing stories about a person who came from having nothing to gracing the cover of Forbes.
6. What artists did you listen to as a youngster?
A: My first hip-hop albums were Bone Thug’s-n-Harmony’s “Creepin on ah Come Up” and “E. 1999 Eternal.” Me and my little brother (Sammy Montana) talked my mom into buying us the unedited version, so I would be up stairs at the age of 8 in my room saying their rhymes line for line.(Cursing and all).Until my uncle told my mom what parental advisory meant, then she took the albums. I also remember jumping on the bed, listening to Kriss Kross. I thought it was dope that two kids were rapping on TV, and had songs on the radio.
7. Speaking of other artists, who would you name as your top 5 all-time personal favorites…alive or gone?
Ill give you my favorites from 5th to 1st and some reasons why. Number Five is a toss up between Fab and Eminem. Number Four Jr.Writer, when Jr first came out I downloaded every song, feature, freestyle, and mixtape his name was on. He had at least 6 Doo doo face lines(Lines that are so crazy your facial expression is similar to one when you smell shit, yea that ill)in a 16.Number Three is Big he was ahead of his time point blank period. Number Two is Jump off Joe Buddens, people here Joe Buddens name and think “pump it up” but that nigga is one of the dopest story tellers ever and his punchlines are bananas. He said “They don’t even want you in New York you like Penny Nigga.”Epic. Number one would have to be the late great Stack Bundles because he had this aura about him that let you know what he was spitting was genuine, he was witty as hell and metaphors is my favorite part of hip-hop.
8. If you wasn’t doing your music thing right now, what do you think you’d be doing with yourself now?
I’d probably be the head chef at my own 5 star Restaurant. I’m nice in that kitchen. Or maybe an audio engineer because even if I wasn’t an artist I would like to be a part of the recording process still.
10. Any upcoming projects or things for us to watch out for?
Yes my debut Mixtape “Gatorade Bath: The Soundtrack fa Champions” will be out real soon. Also look out for iClub in 2011. Shout outs to Sammy Montana, Tha Truth, Markie McFly, and Z.K. The Protégé, Buzy B and Fif Floor (Cav, D.Love, and MonDoe).
