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YASIIN BEY: SPOTLIGHT ARTIST

This week's Spotlight Artist is none other than Dante Terrell Smith Bey, a.k.a. Mos Def, or more currently, Yasiin Bey. Since he has begun his career in 1994, Yasiin Bey has established himself in rap, acting, comedy, and as an activist. Born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, the artist has been best known for his music career. Before his music career took off, however, Bey was integrated into the light of the public as a child actor in sitcoms, movies, and even theater. Later in his life, he took on roles in film since the early 2000s like Next Day Air, 16 Blocks, and The Italian Job. 

In 1999, Yasiin Bey released his debut solo album, Black on Both Sides under the label Rawkus and Priority records. Following th

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PM Dawn's Prince Be passes away at age 46

PM Dawn's Prince Be, one of the most prominent hip hop artists of the early 90's, has passed away due to renal kidney disease, at age 46.

PM Dawn was formed in the late 80's by two brothers, Attrell Cordes, a.k.a Prince Be, and Jarrett Cordes, a.k.a. DJ Minutemix. The duo rose to prominence with their unique blend of traditional hip hop, bohemian style, and pop influences. Best known for their 1991 single, Set Adrift on Memory Bliss, PM Dawn released five albums within the span of the next decade, and the first two sold well enough to be certified Gold by the RIAA. At a time when many hip hop acts were trying to portray themselves as "hard," PM Dawn stood out for embracing their softer, more emotional sound.

Prince Be struggled with health probl

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Killer Mike Announces Plans for Third Run the Jewels Project

Few hip hop fans will dispute the fact that Run the Jewels, the duo comprised of El-P and Killer Mike, have created some of the most compelling rap music in recent memory.  On the production side of things, El-P has managed to create some abrasively funky beats that capture the tenor of a psychotic breakdown, and the results have been astounding when these beats are paired with the verbal fusillade that is El-P and Killer Mike's rapid-fire rhyming.  Fans of this chaotic combination can now rejoice, as Killer Mike recently announced that they've been busy in the studio trying to complete their third album.

In a recent interview with HipHopWired, Killer Mike said, “I think we'll be done real soon.  People know when we say

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Public Enemy & SE Bikes team up for branded bike, ride out event & free concert

Public Enemy has teamed with the acclaimed bike company SE Bikes to create a special PE branded bicycle. To celebrate their new partnership, SE Bikes will be hosting a ride out event today in New York City. The ride out's path will end in Brooklyn, where Public Enemy will be performing at a free concert.

The new bike, the 29" Public Enemy Big Ripper, blends the band's style, including their iconic logo and text featuring the band's most memorable song titles, with SE Bikes' famed tuning and quality, including their trademark floval tuning and Landing Gear forks. The bike is available for sale now at SE Bike dealers, with additional q

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Get a taste of Loss Control Radio with "Power of Equality"

Loss Control Radio is RAPstation's weekly show of truly artful turntablism, featuring mixes from LA's most hardcore DJ, Peyote Cody. You can get a taste of Loss Control Radio's sound with Cody's latest, "Power of Equality Remix."

Check out the video for "Power of Equality Remix" here.

"Power of Equality Remix" mashes up The Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Power of Equality," Public Enemy's "Can't Truss It," from their 1991 album Apocalypse 91... The Enemy Strikes Black. James Brown's "Let A Man Come In And Do The Popcorn," and Main Source's "Live at the BBQ" to cr

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Tupac, Missy Elliot, and J.Cole verses to appear on Sprite cans

They say inspiration can come from unexpected places, and apparently one of those places is a can of Sprite.

The makers of America's favorite lemon-lime sugar water have announced that their cans will now be graced with inspirational quotes from Tupac Shakur, Missy Elliot, and J.Cole.

According to Billboard magazine, the new cans will feature lyrics from Elliot's "WTF (Where They From,)" and "Hot Boyz," J. Cole's "Grown Simba," and "Love Yourz," and Tupac's "Keep Ya Head Up," "Wake Me When I'm Free," and "When We Ride."

Now, before you start to question the ethics of posthumously using Tupac's lyrics to sell soda, Sprite assures us that the promotion is being done

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