Lil Jon
So with two big albums dropping this week in the world of Hip-Hop, lots has been going on in the life of Shawn Carter. Announcing that he will be performing alongside Alicia Keys this weekend as the MTV VMA’s go down in New York City, he has also joined up with Will Smith to finance the Broadway adaptation of the life of Nigerian singer Fela Kuti, Lil Jon finally reemerges with talk of a new album and Death Row gear up to put out unreleased music from Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre.
Jay Z at the VMAs
Jay Z will be performing at the VMAs this weekend in NYC and will be joined by fellow New Yorker Alicia Keys who will be joining the Brooklyn born rapper in a performance of Empire State of Mind a track from him recently released project Blueprint 3 which hit stores this week.
The album which is the rappers eleventh studio album is expected to debut on top of the charts next week.
Also appearing at the notorious awards show will be 50 Cent, Lady Gaga, Jenifer Lopez and Jay-Z’s wife, Beyonce.
Lil Jon Makes a Come back
The King of Crunk who has been missing from the charts for quite a while is all geared up to make his come back.
The Atlanta based rapper and producer will be releasing his Crunk Rock project on November 24th according to an interview with Billboard magazine. The album which has been in the pipeline for quite a while will feature Game and Ice Cube, Ciara, Lil Wayne and Lil Jon is said to be hoping to secure an appearance by the Kings of Leon.
The only other producer on the album which was supposed to be released in 2006 is Swizz Beats who appears on the track I Do alongside Snoop Dogg.
Death Row New Releases
After taking control of the catalogue of unreleased music housed within the confines of Death Row, WIDEawake Entertainment are gearing up to release an album of unheard Snoop tracks next month. Entitled Snoop Doggy Dogg: The Lost Sessions Vol 1 the album features various tracks produced by Snoop’s longtime cohort Dr. Dre.
The Canadian based company which took over Death Row Records when it was declared bankrupt have already released The Chronic Re-Lit which focused around the platinum selling album The Chronic.
Celebs Fund Fela Kuti Show
Having died from aids in 1977, Nigerian born singer Fela Kuti’s life will be brought to Broadway thanks to an investment from Will Smith and rapper Jay Z.
The singers life was already depicted on stage and featured Off-Broadway where it was a success.
Plans to bring it to the NYC Theatre land were almost halted when money issues became problem but through the involvement of Hip-Hop’s and Hollywood’s brightest stars the show which is slated to open October 19th now has the green light.
It will run at the Eugene O’Neill theatre until early April.
Melanie Cornish