Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Drake interview with complex magazine


It may sound heavily clichéd by now, but all Aubrey “Drake” Graham wants to do is keep it real. The Toronto-bred rapper who gained fame by playing basketball star Jimmy Brooks on the teen TV show Degrassi: The Next Generation has no intentions of fabricating his past or lying about the number of women he’s smashed off. He even has no problem talking about how he leased a Rolls Royce Phantom with his TV money just so he could stunt.

On his latest mixtape, So Far Gone, he does just that. The tape has him rapping and singing—along with Bun B, Lloyd, Lil Wayne, Trey Songz and Omarion—about any and everything going on in his life, from drama with ex-girls to family problems most would keep under wraps. Complex caught up with Drake right before he left to celebrate the release of his tape with LeBron James, and we spoke to him him about So Far Gone, ghostwriting for Weezy and his place amongst the new generation of rappers…

Interview By Damien Scott

Complex: Many people don’t know too much about your outside of your role in Degrassi. Were you always into music?

Drake: As far as music goes, it’s always been a major part of my life. My uncle is Larry Graham played bass for Prince, my father, Dennis Graham, wrote for Al Green. [He helped] write “Let’s Stay Together” and “Love & Happiness.” My dad drummed for Jerry Lee Lewis. I’ve always been around great music. My family being from Memphis, Tenn, growing up around all the hip hop—Thee Six Mafia, Kingpin Skimmy Pimp, early Yo Gotti, shit like that was kinda what really influenced me.

How I got into rapping was, my dad was in jail for two years and he shared a cell wit this dude who didn’t really have anyone to speak to. So, he used to share his phone time with this dude and at the time I was probably 16 or 17, this dude was like 20-22, and he would always rap to me over the phone—it was Poverty, that was his rap name. After while I started to get into it and I started to write my own shit down. And after a while, he would call me and we would just rap to each other. And after my dad got out I kept in touch with dude and kept writing my shit down and eventually I learned from meeting people who were into music, too, the art of making a song and I accepted the fact that I wanted to be in music.

Complex: Not too many people know about the rap scene out in Canada. How’s the atmosphere out there? Is everyone cool and supportive of each other?

Drake: I’m cool with everyone out here. One thing I’ll say is, as of late, with everything that’s been happening, we’ve really started to support each other, which is just great. A lot of people have reached out to me and said they’re proud of what I’m doing, and I’m proud of what a lot of these guys are doing. I think we do have talent up here. Someone that I idolize and someone who I think is one of the greatest artists period is K-OS—that’s someone I really look up.

Complex: So you really feel like you have the entire city behind you?

Drake: There’s been a certain surge of excitement around my city, it’s just crazy man, everything is just overwhelming. One thing I will say is that with a guy like Kardinal or a guy like Socrates, [who’ve] been around for 10 years, maybe more…a lot of people will tell me, “I’ve never seen a city really support anyone like this before.” And Toronto, they say, is the Screwface capital. They say it’s the city of hate, we’ve never really had that icon, someone where we can say, That’s our hometown hero. I’m not saying that I am that guy yet, but I think that I’m well on my way.

Complex: You mention K-OS as someone you look up to, but a lot of people who listen to you say you sound like a mash up of Lil’ Wayne and Kanye…

Drake: You know, those are two guys that I definitely look up to and to be regarded as a mesh between those two guys is definitely a good thing ’cause I love both of their music. When it comes to influencing my music, I’m also influenced by just great writers, all the music that’s outside of the rap or R&B genres. People that paint vivid pictures. I like all different kinds of music. I never heavily molded myself after rappers. Sometimes they say when you think something and you go to say it, you lose a lot of color about what you’re trying to say, so to me the best rappers are the people that don’t lose that color. Like, Andre 3000, ‘Ye, Wayne. So yeah, it’s definitely an honor.

Complex: Listening to your earlier mixtapes, as well as So Far Gone, a constant theme seems to be the notion that “All That Glitters Ain’t Gold.” It seems like you try to be honest and downplay the rapper lifestyle, like when you talk about buying a Phantom but regretting it.

Drake: Yeah, well, to be even more honest, I leased a Phantom instead of buying one, ’cause I didn‘t have enough money to buy a Phantom, I leased a Phantom because that’s what I thought I needed to do. And I’ve done a lot of things to just enjoy my nights a little more and to feed my ego. And that’s kinda why I rap about it, because a lot of people are like, “If he ever steps out of line, I’m gonna say Drake’s wack.” So the only choice I have is to be honest with my listeners. And that’s not to say it’s not a glamorous life and it’s not fun, but the reality is it’s great for the average person to hear a musician’s reality because we all seem so unattainable and so out of reach that when you bring yourself back to eye level with a fan and do it in the right way…

Complex: What’s the right way?

Drake: You don’t make stupid internet videos or show people you have too much free time, you just say the right things and they’ll be like, Damn this dude’s a real person and I can relate to that. That can make somebody’s life, that can make somebody’s day, that can be a line that they never forget. So I try to have as many of those lines as possible so that fans feel like Drake isn’t only one of my favorite artists, I feel like he’s one of my friends, he talks to me. That’s one of the benefits of being honest with your music. But some people are scared to do that, too, you know. Because some of their images are built off facade and that’s OK, as long as you can keep it up. But we’ve all seen what happens when you slip up, and that’s a stressful life, I don’t want to live like that. Letting people find out shit about, printing out my documents and putting them up on Thisis50.com.

Complex: Yes, we’ve all seen how ugly that can get.

Drake: Don’t take my ex-girlfriend shopping for fur coats, please!

Complex: Talk to us about So Far Gone. What was the idea behind it?

Drake: It’s basically a story. It starts in January 2008 when I was kinda confused like, What am I really doing? I gave up acting all together to really do this music thing, and I was really truly confused. It’s way different than acting, there aren’t people to depend on, you really have to build your own thing basically from the ground up, you know, so in January not only was I confused about my career, I was also in a very destructive sort of us exhausting relationship with a female and it was just a bad headspace for me to be in. So that’s where the tape starts.

It starts with this monologue, “Lust For Life”, of me crying out, in my head the things that I never say. The things that I was just thinking, that was my mindset. Then it goes to “Houstatlantavegas” which is about what I felt about the girl I was with. I just felt that nothing was ever good enough, and she was always searching for more excitement and then we move into “Successful.” I say at the end of the song, “There are so many things I want to say but I just don’t know how to say it to you.” I know exactly what I want to say, you know, I just want to be successful, but I don’t know if I can do it with you and then it goes into “Let’s Call It Off,” which is the breakup. And then coincidentally when I broke up with that girl a week later I went to Houston and met Lil Wayne and that’s where “November 18″ comes from.

Complex: How’d exactly did you wind up meeting Weezy?

Drake: My friend Jazz Prince—J Prince of Rap-a-Lot’s son—he played Wayne a couple of my songs and Wayne called me when I was in the barber chair getting a haircut, and he was like, “Dude, I just heard two songs from you and you got a whole CD of shit here, I don’t even need to hear anymore, I just need you here right now, can you get to Houston?” So I came out the next night. That was my first time in Houston and the culture and the city was so overwhelming. I felt like I hit Houston and got my swag back. I was single, I was with Wayne and it was Houston, I was going nuts, sipping drank, smoking, it was fun to me. And then you get “Ignorant Shit,” which is what came out of my meeting with Wayne.

Complex: Where did the title come from?

Drake: The whole tape extends from one of my closest friends Oliver—One night we were having a discussion about women and they way we were talking about them, it was so brazen and so disrespectful. He texted me right after we got off the phone and he was like, “Are we becoming the men that our mothers divorced?” That’s really where the cover comes from, too. It’ just this kid in pursuit of love and money. We’re good guys, I’m friends with some real good people and for him to even text me after we got off the phone it just showed we have a conscience. But sometimes you just get so far gone, you get wrapped up in this shit. The title has a lot of meanings—as the way we carry ourselves, the way we dress, the way people view us, not to sound cocky, it’s just that feeling that we’re just distanced in a good way. You’re just elevating past the bullshit and past all the shit that you used to be a part of and you’re not that proud of, you’re just so far gone.

Complex: You have three of the best young R&B artists in the game on this tape, but fewer up and coming MCs. Are you as cool with the new generation of rappers? Were you upset that you weren’t on the XXL Freshman 10 cover?

Drake: I’m actually very grateful I wasn’t on that cover, to be honest. I feel like everybody that was on there deserved to be on there; I’m a fan of a lot of those guys. I just think I have a different path, a different story to tell. To be put in that group is a like a gift and a curse. So to be the one guy that wasn’t on there that everyone talks about or should have been in there is kind of a good thing. It kind of creates a little bit of fun tension. I like getting my own thoughts out right now, I have fans to solidify, so that’s why I don’t do tracks with too many younger rappers or newer artists. People may consider me to be a music snob or whatever, but I like to preserve what’s mine and I also don’t just do tracks to do tracks, I make every song with a purpose. But… me and Wale are real close friends, we talk a lot, man. I listen to Kid Cudi’s shit all the time. Chuck Inglish from the Cool Kids hit me up and was giving me all the compliments in the world—we’re real cool.

Complex: One of the main criticisms of this mixtape is that it sounds like 808’s & Heartbreak lite.

Drake: Right, well, I think any time a rapper sings now, they’re going to say that. Just like whenever a rapper uses Auto-Tune, they say that’s Pain. I’ll put it this way: Kanye West has an amazing mind, but he always has the means that when he thinks something, he can make it happen right away. But I’ve been singing way before 808s and Heartbreak. I wrote all the hooks on every song I’ve done since I did “Replacement Girl” with Trey Songz in 2006. I’ve been in the R&B world for a long time, writing for artists, writing for myself, playing with different sounds and stuff.

So as far as 808s goes, that was a great album, I tip my hat Kanye for making that major release instead of making it a mixtape. But at the same time… people always need something to compare it to. The other thing is, [So Far Gone] is a lot different—it’s real R&B music, that’s why I put Omarion and Lloyd and Trey Songz on there. I’m doing duets with these guys. These are real R&B singers, [and] that’s what I was going for. Kanye was doing something different… I don’t even know how to classify it, I guess he calls it pop art. I love R&B music, man, that’s what you gotta understand, I listen to R&B music more than I listen to rap. That’s kinda my thing. I just want to make genuinely sexy music for women to listen to and for men to play for women.

Complex: Is your major label debut going to sound similar to So Far Gone?

Drake: My album is not going to sound like So Far Gone. It’s a well-rounded body of work that—again people will relate to what I’m saying, but the songs are made obviously to be sold to the public, so this was just my chance to think and write freely. It’s a solid hip hop album. I went left before—most go left after—my album comes out, so people will be like, Thank God, I thought he was about to do some weird shit. Some people go left after, when they feel more comfortable, but I feel comfortable with my talent.

Complex: Speaking of you debut, what’s going on with your label situation? There’s been rumors that you’re on Young Money and there are some saying you’re inked to Interscope. What’s good?

Drake: I’m not with either of those. I’m finishing up the deal tonight or tomorrow. It’s a great situation. My biggest thing that I’m excited about regardless of what label I end up on is my management team: Cortez Bryant that manged Lil Wayne and G Roberson that managed Kanye. To be managed by Hip Hop Since 1978, it’s a great family to be a part of.

Complex: There was video on YouTube with the Young Money crew backstage at a show, and Nicki Minaj said something to effect of “Drake gets the most stage time with Wayne.” Are you the front runner in the crew?

Drake: I came to Young Money genuinely, meeting Wayne, forming a friendship and making great music. I didn’t come into this as a Young Money recruit. I would say Young Money is a great thing to be associated with, it’s beneficial to everybody, with Wayne being the number one artist in the world. But Young Money, right now, until Wayne finds the time—because he’s very busy and he has a lot of projects in the works—to really get a home for that label and develop that label into a real entity, until then I think it’s something to just be associated with. I know Wayne wants to executive produce my album, so the affiliation is there and I rep Young Money. It’s the same way I rep Octobers Own, I rep it because it’s people that I care about.

Complex: There was also a rumor going around that you ghost write for Wayne.

Drake: [Laughs] You know, we’re all great artists, great minds, and we all just contribute to each other, there’s been times when Wayne has helped me out, and I’m sure, I hope, I’ve influenced him to do or say things on tracks. We help each other out, that’s part of being two artists who respect each others creativity.

Complex: We all saw him spit one of your verses at the MTV awards.

Drake: Yeah, at the VMA’s. That was just a spontaneous decision on his part. He used to always tell me, “I love that verse,” and just came out on stage and rapped that verse. [Laughs] And the wildest part was I was stuck outside of the Awards. I couldn’t even get into the award show ‘cause they didn’t give me the right pass, so I was stuck outside listening to my verse. It was my Hilary Swank moment.

Complex: You brag a lot about different clothing brands. Which brands are you currently into?

Drake: One day to day that I always represent is Ransom. Matt George owns a clothing line along with Oliver, I represent them to the fullest. I love Comme des Garçons I wear that a lot. Helmut Lang, Nom de Guerre. Public School’s dope. I wear a lot of Marc Jacobs stuff. I really just wear whatever—I’m not really a hipster fashion dude, I wear wild shit like Jordan sweats and socks and sandals. I don’t get dressed up to get my license renewed, but when I step out I like to look presentable and I like to dress up, I like to wear nice Armani suits. But those are some brands I definitely like.

Complex: Where do you like to shop?

Drake: My favorite place to go shopping would probably be Barney’s. I shop at Nomad here in Toronto. I don’t want to start talking to crazy about clothes ’cause I know there are some guys who are super into it and they’re going to read this like, “Aw man what the fuck?” I know I rap about that shit, but it’s just cause at the moment I really might be about to put on a Margiela tux. I like YSL, too, I like YSL a lot. But yeah, I just don’t want ’Ye to read this and be like, “What the fuck is this dude talking about?” I like clothes, it’s just something to spend your money on like champagne. I have a passion for champagne. I love champagne.

Complex: That’s what you drink on the regular? What are some favorites?

Drake: Krug Rose, Dom Rose if I had a good week. If I spent too much money at Barney’s, we’re drinking Veuve. I want to really start a genuine champagne company. Or be a silent partner in one.

Complex: What gadgets can’t you live without?

Drake: Blackberry is one that I can not be without. Anything that has to do with Mac, I’m a Mac head. That’s it, my Blackberry and my computer. Navigation in a car is a big one. I’m not really a gadget person.

Complex: Which websites do you always check out?

Drake: I read Nah Right all the time; Kanye’s blog. Really one I can credit that I check everyday is Nah Right.

Complex: Before we go, who has the better groupies, rappers or actors?

Drake: [Laughs] I don’t know, I don’t talk to the groupies. I talk to nice, upstanding women. The groupies don’t get my attention. It’s the women that I like.

Rolls- Royce 200EX







Rolls-Royce Motor Cars will unveil its latest experimental car, called 200EX, at the Geneva Motor Show on March 3rd 2009. The car will be revealed by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ Chairman, Ian Robertson, at a press conference at 1.45pm CET.

200EX is a design study for a contemporary four-door saloon and shows the direction for RR4, a new model series from Rolls-Royce due for production in 2010.

Sorry wayne.. No rock album for you


When you’re a bonafide star, you pretty much get your way. Unless of course your way could possibly get in the way of the cash flow that is.

Recently it was announced that Lil Wayne’s rock album, “Rebirth”, had been pushed back from April 7th to May 9th.
He announced his plans to do an entire rock n roll album in addition to the release of the Carter V early this year, much to the surprise of his loyal fans who are used to hearing him stick to rapping.
Well now word is that this was not just a standard push back but a direct signal from Wayne’s record label, Universal, that they are not rocking with him on this project.

The Carter III was the top selling album of the year and pretty much Universal Music’s cash cow of last year. They want to do everything to keep Wayne in the top position he is in right now and avoid anything that could knock him from that spot.

Word is the top brass at Universal think that this rock album would be a failure and would make the rap world look at Wayne even more sideways than most of us already do. People reports top execs at Universal have tried to talk to Wayne several times and explain to him that this album is not a reality, but of course those convos are to no avail.

Word is that they let his manager, Cortez Bryant, know that if Wayne doesn’t brighten up they have to turn into Mr. Evil Record Company and just tell him it’s never going to be released.

Eminem Royalty Trail Starts



A lawsuit filed against Aftermath/Interscope Records by Eminem's former production partners over the rapper's digital royalty rates will go to trial today (February 24).

F.B.T Productions and Em2M, who originally signed Eminem to their Web Entertainment label in 1995, claim they have received an unfair split of royalties from Eminem's internet downloads and ringtone sales under an agreement signed with Aftermath/Interscope in 1998.

F.B.T and Em2m furnished Eminem's services to Aftermath/Interscope in the 1998 agreement and as part of the deal, they were to receive accounting statements and royalties in connection with certain Eminem recordings.

F.B.T and Em2m claim Aftermath/Interscope have withheld over a million dollars in royalties. They believe they should be receiving 50 percent of net receipts from downloads and ringtones rather than the lesser artist royalty rate based on sales.

According to The Wrap, Interscope CEO Jimmy Iovine and Apple Computers CEO Steve Jobs will testify during the trial.

Eminem, who is not a party in the suit, is expected not to appear during the trial.

The outcome of the case will prove to be important because it could determine in the future how much artists are entitled to when their music is sold by labels to third parties like Apple's iTunes and phone companies.

“This is very significant case,” Jay Cooper, an entertainment lawyer, told The Wrap. “A lot of people are going to be watching very closely because there’s a lot of money involved.”

Monday, February 23, 2009

Supra Burgendy NS packs


Supra has been making news with the Skytop and the Society, the signature sneaker of Terry Kennedy. But there is much more to the skate/fashion brand who has just released the NS Burgundy Collection. The trio is made up of the Trinity, Skytop and Strapped all created using burgundy patent leather with black accents and laces. Look for the NS Burgundy Premium Collection now at Supra retailers as apart of their Spring collection. Via Factory413.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Rihanna PoPS up..

With her head down and wearing sunglasses, Rihanna was spotted on her way to an airport in the L.A. area on Thursday -- the night before her 21st birthday.

Chris Browns Arrest Pic.. smh

walking on the moon- Dream ft Kanye



Walking On The Moon - The Dream + Kanye West

Flight school Kanye West




kanye flight school -

Trey Songz- Brand new "READY" coming soon



Brand New - Trey Songz

Stadium music!- Day 26



Stadium Music - Day 26

Melyssa Ford On the King Mag


Clearly the baddest thing moving..




Sexy isnt the word..

mmmm.. she still got it


she'll never lose it.. damn

Christina Milian Photoshoot


mmmmmm.. stunt city..New CL550 Benz


The all new CL550 is upon us, peep the specs, 382 horses under the hood, 32-valve V-8 engine, 7-speed automatic transmission, 0-60 in 5.3 seconds. Start saving now .. $105K is what you need for next July

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Drakes so far gone bonus track

Ok i havent listened to nothing but this mixtape since the 15th.. i know yall havent either so drake himself released a bonus track........enjoy =]
http://www.zshare.net/audio/55794183ed4335e2/

Kanye west ft kid cudi- welcome to heartbreak

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

50 cent- tia told me "hot or not?"


http://www.zshare.net/audio/55772267e07aa17f/

Jay z has serious words for rihanna situation

"This is a real situation," he said in Phoenix at the Sprite Green presents the Third Annual Two Kings dinner with Jay-Z and Lebron James, as part of the NBA All-Star Weekend."You have to have compassion for others. Just imagine it being your sister or mom and then think about how we should talk about that," the hip-hop mogul, 39, continued."I just think we should all support her. She's going through a tough time. You have to realize she's a young girl, as well. She's very young."Rihanna, 20, was allegedly attacked in Los Angeles on Feb. 8 by boyfriend Chris Brown, 19. He was arrested and may face charges from the district attorney.Rihanna's father, Ronald Fenty, tells PEOPLE that his daughter, whom he saw Thursday in Barbados, is bruised, but "she will be all right.
Asked if he'd seen Rihanna, Jay-Z replied, "I don't want to go into it."

jadakiss on the radio says "im glad when i was beefing with 50 he didnt have thisis50.com"

ne-yo breaks the silence about lv incident


R'n'B star Ne-Yo has broken his silence over a Christmas (08) brawl with rapper Jim Jones, insisting neither party intended to do harm during the New York incident.

Jones has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanour assault charge, stemmingfrom the Christmas Eve (24Dec08) fight at a Manhattan Louis Vuitton store, where members of his entourage clashed with Ne-Yo's manager, JaVogn Smith.

The Miss Independent singer claims he was shopping with Smith when Jones and two pals walked into the shop and confronted them for reasons unknown to Ne-Yo.

And the Grammy winner insists that what began as a heated exchange simply got out of hand.

He says, "I guess Jim Jones and Vogn have had drama in the past, or whatever, so Vogn taps me on the shoulder, like , "Look who just walked in here.' "So I turn and I see Jim, (and he) beelines straight for us. And they get to exchanging words back and forth, back and forth".

"So I turn and I see Jim, and he beelines straight for us"

Ne-Yo adds, "Jim Jones wasn't necessarily trying to hurt nobodyhe was more trying to embarrass, trying to humiliate Vogn. And Vogn, being who he is, wasn't going for that.

"So, at one point, it escalated to where Jim Jones pulled out his cell phone and started recording, put the phone right in Vogn's face, talking 'bout, "You a punk, you a this, you a that...' Vogn, at that point, couldn't take anymore, smacked the phone outta Jim's hand.

(And) they got to wrestling on the floor in the Louis store".

Shaq and kobe interview since the laker days

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Lloyd banks "Officer Down" officer ricky diss


NEW PLK FLOW
EXCLUSIVE BEAT
BANKS TIGHT.. NOT GOOD FOR OFFICER RICKY

http://www.zshare.net/audio/55643321bf240d6b/