As we close in on what I personally think (yea, call me bias if you want cuz Fred is a friend) will be one of thee best mixtapes, and albums released the year, here’s the cover art of both the EP, and the mixtape, along with the production credits, back cover, and the thank you’s (which I’m listed in).

It’s been a rough ride for Freddie. For someone that quite essentially just started rapping in 2003 to gain the recognition that he has AFTER Interscope parted ways with him is quite astonishing, and makes me proud that I’ve kinda been along for the ride. My first dealings with Fred was in 2004 when I worked for a website that promoted Indiana rappers, and Thee One & Only Finger Roll, and Fred himself donated a track called “Drinkin’ & Smokin’” to the comp album we were putting out. From then till now I’ve basically remained in contact with him, and tried to help him with whatever I could. While not on a “payroll”, or anything of that nature, I consider myself part of the Team Gibbs Family, and as long as he’s rappin’, I’ll do my best to promote him in any way that I can. there’s nothing but love and respect for the man who is single handedly proving there’s more options then you think when you from Gary, Indiana.

Shout out to Archie, Lambo, Josh The Goon, and Freddie himself……this is only the beginning.

Str8 Killa Production Notes:

Str8 Killa Thank You’s:

Str8 Killa No Filla Cover Art:

Str8 Killa No Filla Back Cover:

That’s right fools. The show is free, so come out and support one of Indiana’s best talents. Villain Radio will be in the house.

Honestly, this is the only way this dude stays relevant anymore these days.

And why is he referred to a “hip hop mogul” still?

Anyway, everyone’s picking up this story, and it’s still developing, but from what I’m told, he will be booked on an assault w/ a deadly weapon charge.

From KTLA:

Hip Hop producer Suge Knight is in trouble with the law once again.

Knight, whose real name is Marion Hugh Knight, was arrested in Gardena around 1:30 a.m. Thursday.

Nearly a half-dozen officers surrounded Knight’s white Cadillac Escalade in the area of Crenshaw Blvd. and 147th Street. He was then placed in handcuffs and taken into custody.

It was not immediately known why Knight was arrested. He was being held at the LAPD’s Southwest Divison.

January 27, 2010 (CHICAGO) — Police are searching one of Northwestern University’s buildings in downtown Chicago after a man was reportedly spotted with a gun.

The report, which was posted on the Northwestern University website, indicates that at approximately 10 a.m. a man with a gun in his waistband was seen on the 11th floor of the Rubloff Building, 375 East Chicago Ave., on the Chicago campus.

No injuries or threats have been reported, police said.

The building is on lockdown. Police said all should stay in their offices with their door locked.

The man with the gun is described as a white male in his 20s, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, brown-blonde hair, wearing a button-down shirt, blue jean and a black jacket

Chicago and university police are working together to search the building.

Source: WLS Chicago

My prayer’s go out to the Johnson family, and Tila Tequila at this time, their time of need.

TMZ & MSNBC alike have “confirmed” that Casey Johnson, who was only 30, and heiress to the Johnson & Johnson fortune, Tila Tequila’s fiance, has died in Los Angeles. Her father Woody Johnson is the owner of the New York Jets.

The cause of death is unknown. TMZ reports her body was found this morning in L.A.

Source: TMZ & MSNBC

Source: http://DJSkee.com

If you missed it, a lot of people have been talking about the XXL Article (click here to read) and Freddie Gibbs being on the cover of L.A. Weekly. Specifically, I wanted to address this part that was directed at me:

“To add insult to injury, I noticed that the article was listed, naturally, in a section labeled “Los Angeles Music.” My eyes burned a hole in those words for a minute as I thought about the protest in Los Angeles held last week in front of Power 106. Artists picketed in front of their offices on Black Friday to call attention to their lack of support of L.A. artists. Then I thought about the Snoop video I blogged about earlier this week, where he aired out L.A. DJ’s who are usually not from the city and don’t support local artists—like Skee (who happens to be affiliated with Gibbs).

“Let me tell you why we fell off,” said Snoop. “For one, L.A. radio don’t support us. We got DJs out there that don’t come from L.A., that don’t support our music, that don’t give us love, don’t give us a shot. They’d rather play Drake, Lil Wayne, whoever else is hot. No disrespect. Hey, I love they music. That shit is hot. They bangin. They got hot records. But fuck that, them niggas ain’t from the West Coast. So, nigga, they should be on the back burner.””

My reaction:

1) To clarify, I am not on Power, I left that station over a year ago.
2) Snoop is absolutely not addressing me. In fact, I just did another new mixtape with him last week, and have done countless projects and other stuff with him- This article misconstrues it as if he is talking about me, which is not true. In addition, on a side note, I have footage of Snoop & I discussing these specific issues, with him supporting me and mentioning others, if you would like further proof.
3) I support West Coast music as much as anyone, and despite the fact I was born in NYC and lived other places growing up, LA has become my home over the past 8 years and my city. Please refer to my latest radio show that aired on December 1st (you can download the podcast in the podcast section, or by clicking here via BallerStatus.com). In TWO hours, i played no less than 32 songs that were or featured a west coast artist, including Snoop Dogg, The Game, Ice Cube, Pac Div, Nipsey Hussle, Jay Rock, G Malone, Kobe, Strong Arm Steady, Problem, Dubb, Too $hort, E-40, Bishop Lamont, Xzibit, Crooked I, Terrace Martin, DJ Quik, Kurupt, 2Pac, The Cold Flamez, B Legit, Kida, and Rome. Is this considered not supporting the West?!? Please show me one person on commercial or satellite radio playing more right now (where we do have limitations and playlists to follow, and yet I still get these records in!).
4) Furthermore, the author of the article, Brooklyne Gipson, lives in New York. By using the same logic she used in the above article, she isn’t in any place to address these issues by not being here (not that I agree with that logic, but just sayin…)

In my thoughts, good music is good music. I try to support in no matter where its from. Was 2Pac from LA? No. Am i associated with Gibbs? Absolutely. He makes dope music, regardless of where he’s from, and I feel has next- am I not supposed to work with him because he’s not from LA? I have been associated with numerous artists in the past from the early onset of their careers, both from the West and other places, including The Game, Akon, David Banner, G Malone, The New Boyz, etc etc etc. Should LA Weekly not do a cover on him because hes not from LA? I can name tons of other people who weren’t from LA and were also on the cover- a good story is a good story, and relevant outside of just where it was. If that logic played true, no one outside of Gary would know about Freddie, and that would be a true shame.

I feel there are valid points in the article and that work does need to be done to help the west coast music scene, and I am open to helping any and everyone possible. I have built my name, brand, and credibility on authenticity, helping break good new music and new artists, and giving back to my adopted home city. If anyone has any issues, doubts, or anything else to say or address, I am not hard to reach or contact. If there is more I can do, I am totally open to any suggestions and ideas, as I am far from perfect and always respect and take in opinions and ideas from others. Just don’t say I don’t support local artists from my city.

Sincerely,

*SK

The Dream thinks he had the best album of the year with his “Love vs Money” album and deserved a Grammy nomination, but the RIAA didn’t think so, and that’s got The Dream a lil’ pissed off.

I haven’t personally sat down and listened to The ream’s album so I can’t defend his rant, but every artist nowadays thinks they are puttin’ out the “greatest” album of the year, month, decade, or all time.

But it don’t work that way….sorry.

So being that he was pissed off to the tenth power, The Dream took to his Twitter account to vent.

Here it is….unedited:

“GRAMMY Isnt it FUNNY THE BEST ALBUM OF 2009 DIDNT GET ANOMINATION for the second year strait,” he wrote Thursday (December 3) morning. “LOVE VS MONEY GOT NO NOMINATION the last time this happen i had LoveHate out and in the category had written the singles on three of the… Albums ,This time once again ive written on two of the albums ,jamie and B and no Nomination on a whole album of of the shit that got….those albums considered in the first place. I AM BOTHERED KNOWING THAT THIS IS THE PATTERN OF a DYING industry not because of what was…..but what wasnt when i know clearly MY ALBUM BLONG there period……maybe its my label, maybe its just my ass kissing skills arent up…….to par ,whatever i helped change the sound into what the sound is and my peers vote against me on purpose to denie me the opprtnty ………but call first thing to get a Record. SAD. i wish this on no one else thats probably why we can live in a society and vote people to…….offices where they dont belong because a group of ignorant voters will elect a ignorant person. STOP THE HATING ASAP……………………AND this aint NO KANYE SH*T….. and yes i am B*TCHIN.”

What a day it’s been today. A.I. returns to Philly, and the DJ Drama/ Young Jeezy Beef was squashed.

But that’s not all kids. While DJ Drama and Young Jeezy were doin’ their beef squashin’, Gucci Mane called in to squash the beef him and Jeezy had.

Here’s what Young Jeezy had to say:

“You know nobody can ever change this history we made, we made classics. And besides that, we opened up a lane for a lot of these young cats to come into the game. I seen more trappin’ in in the industry now than I ever seen. I know we had a lot to do with this…I just want everyone to know, just by me and you sitting here talking, that’s what men do. Now it’s back to the money, it’s back to the business. I ain’t gonna lie, I was caught up in my feelings.”

DJ Drama also spoke on the situation:

“On my end its like even through everything, we weren’t speaking a lot, there was stuff in there. Then I realized we can agree to disagree. We are letting you know it’s bigger than us. We do what we do for ya’ll. We are about to get so much more money, we are about to make so many more outlets for revenue for the city, for everybody to eat.”

And of course I’m gonna hit you with a Gucci Mane/ Young Jeezy quote:

“That’s what it is homie,” Jeezy said to Gucci, accepting the peace calling. “What’s understood ain’t gotta be said, man. We gonna do this for the city, so you keep your head up. Me and Dram gonna hold it down, bruh and that’s what it is. 100. That’s what it is homie — that’s what it is man, it’s back to business man. Back to the money, back to the music. Back to the streets. We’re back for the city man. Believe that. We got more work to do — by the way, you snuck me with that phone call homie, for real.”

Ok, so If you don’t know…now you know. Freddie Gibbs is the truth. It’s something I’ve been preachin’ for years now, and everyone else is starting to catch on. His newest joint, “The Labels Tryin’ To Kill Me”, again backed by DJ Skee was released earlier this week, and of course it’s been blazin’ the the internet up like a swisher in Freddie’s mouth.

But the big news this week is Freddie’s LA Weekly cover story, which is the first time in 20 years a gangsta rapper has graced the cover. The last one(s) to do it….N.W.A.

Now you guys are catchin’ on.

Also this week we have 2 new infomercials/ music video joints that SkeeTV released….and of course there dope as fuck….

Check ‘em out, and stop sleepin’…..

And you can best believe that Hip Hop and R&B are leading the way.

Beyonc� leads all artists with ten nominations, and right behind her with eight is Taylor Swift. Kanye West, The Black Eyed Peas, and Maxwell all have six nominations, while Jay-Z and Lady GaGa round out the top nomination list with five apiece.

And in all it’s glory, here is the Grammy Nomination list, well the first eleven categories anyway….enjoy:

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