E-40: One of the most Prolific 'Spitters' and 'Game-Getters' in Hip-Hop talks Biz under the Radar

Big swagg in the house, Mr. E-40 - the Yay Area's (ghetto) multilingual, and one of rap's most prolific MC's - kicks game, under the Radar with Hip-Hop Official, about how to handle 'biz' and ensure longevity and prosperity in the rap industry. If you ball and go hard all day every day, that's on you, but the "life" does come with [huge] financial costs and consequences. The more you have, the more you consume, and the more you owe. Painting pictures that ain't real and, literally, paying for it on credit is one of the game's traps. When we borrow from the store (money for high-tech productions and exotic car rentals), we exercise the attitude of instant gratification. It's never what you have, or appear to have, but what you actually keep and grow over time; cause once you get it, then what? 

While most [new] rappers starve for the game so tough they neglect crossing 'T''s and dotting 'I''s, on contracts and written agreements with middle-men, legendary rap-vets like E-40 endure due to high business savvy IQ, creative ability and "true-to-the-game" swagg-appeal. 

Though the game is full of tight MC's and rappers, who flex and spit-it real on the mic, far too many fall as quickly out of the game as they once entered. 

Whatever is not already owned by an artist, and she or he requests it from the record label, if granted, it becomes a loan or advance to be later subtracted from future artist(s) earnings, revenue or royalties..."a gift to be taxed". No matter how many claim to know this golden-rule, in spite of common sense, they sign without regard to consequence.   

In the tradition of Yay Area/West Coast get-down, E-40 also realizes what his fellow soldiers, Too Short, Ice T, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, Russell Simmons, and others put down years before; "success is gained by cooperation, but sustained and furthered by independent ingenuity."  ~author, T.F. Hodge

"They some funky  

'turf-head' babies. Can I get a lil' mo' of that, playa?"

that there is  
Earl Stevens 
aka: E-40

"In 2012, E-40 will release three solo albums: The Block Brochure series 1, 2, and 3, as well as a collaboration album with Too Short."   [Source:  wikipedia]

 Studio Albums

    Federal (1993)
    In a Major Way (1995)
    Tha Hall of Game (1996)
    The Element of Surprise (1998)
    Charlie Hustle: The Blueprint of a Self-Made Millionaire (1999)
    Loyalty & Betrayal (2000)
    Grit & Grind (2002)
    Breakin' News (2003)
    My Ghetto Report Card (2006)
    The Ball Street Journal (2008)
    Revenue Retrievin': Day Shift (2010)
    Revenue Retrievin': Night Shift (2010)
    Revenue Retrievin': Overtime Shift (2011)
    Revenue Retrievin': Graveyard Shift (2011)
    The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 1 (March 27, 2012)
    The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 2 (March 27, 2012)
    The Block Brochure: Welcome to the Soil 3 (March 27, 2012)

Ultimate 'Swagg': Hip-Hop's Royal Couple, Jay-Z and Beyonce celebrate new family addition!

Years ago, when word first hit the streets that Jay-Z and Beyonce were hookin'-up, they were obviously rounding second base by the time word was bond about their romance. The next thing we [all] knew they were writing, recording and performing hits together...and then - married! They were Mr. & Mrs. Carter and hip-hop's most famous couple. At first, the reaction was lukewarm and a bit surprising; some ignorantly judged their relationship based on who looked better, or who was worth more, financially. But through it all, and as crazy as it seemed at times, popular culture and fans the world over have continued to support and express big love for hip-hop's flavor of Bonnie and Clyde. Now that there's a new life to care for and a new mouth to feed, quite naturally, they'll be some changes to how Jay and B approach the game of parenting, while balancing life as a couple and as individual performers. 

 

No doubt we've all heard the good news about Hov and wife, Beyonce's new addition to the (hip-hop) royal family - congrats, Carter family! Already, their little star - Blue Ivy is shining brighter than mom and dad did when they were her age. The newborn star "enters R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at No. 74 with a song called "Glory", where her rapper daddy proudly professes his love to her while she's cooing and crying. The song has got 1.7 million audience impressions on 54 radio stations, according to Nielsen BDS." 

To date, baby Blue Ivy is the youngest person in history to ever appear on a Billboard chart. Like any proud father, Jigga is just as passionate and committed to giving his daughter and family the best, including strength to ignore all the hateful comments about the name, Blue Ivy, and how she looks, for instance. After visiting a host of sites to view comments about Jay and B's new family addition, most of them were positive - as they should be. But as always, haters were represented among web-heads. Not surprisingly, these are probably the same haters who diss everything about Beyonce and young Hov. 

Before you even think of asking: Swagg won't bother to quote any of those insulting disses, by the way; "we don't get-down like that". Though we live in a superficial, materialistic, fake society - we do not have to eat of its ills. Hip-hop is, and should be, about unity, expression, cooperation, beautiful struggles, truth, integrity, and most importantly...love. For the Carter's, their extended family, friends, and loyal fans - Blue Ivy is the rebirth and extension of hip-hop's love, for which there is no sustainable power of disapproval. 

Ballerswagg: Hip-Hop, Ball and 'Swagg'!

Ballerswagg:  a society of basketball and football enthusiasts who dig the cool vibes of hip-hop/rap and urban flow. From tight beats, rhymes and metaphors, to off-the-hook b-ball dunks, to the coldest football receptions and tackles - we get it in, urban style. 

News, cuts, clips, articles, pics, and a 'flip-mode' few exceptions added to the mix, cause that's a baller's get-down, is what we represent! Anything having to do with, or related to, the status of 'baller', 'ballin', 'swag' or 'swagger', and urban pop culture, you'll find it here at BS. We dare to get our swagg on!