Now B.G. is back with Too Hood 2 be Hollywood, his first release since 2006 and one of his most personal works to date.  Instead of rhyming about having a mansion on his neck and wrist, he now focuses on the grind, keeping it real and giving back to his neighborhood. The album’s creation was also an epic process. He reportedly crafted the album over the last three years and selected its final makeup from more than 80 tracks. While record sales are slow across the industry and other artists struggle to maintain, Gizzle’s artistic drive seems to be recession-proof.

Too Hood 2 be Hollywood is your 11th solo album. What can listeners expect to get from it that they haven’t got from your previous albums?

Man, my life is like a movie. Every album I drop comes from situations I’ve been through. It comes from things I’ve seen and it’s just my life story. I’ve also picked up where I left off on each album. This album right here is going to be a little bit more mature and focus on things I’ve been going through since the last album.

The album’s second single “My Hood” features a line about you seeing an old lady walking and helping her with her bags. This sounds very different from the B.G. of the Cash Money days. How do you feel you have grown as a person and an artist since coming into the game in the early ’90s?

I was 12 or 13 when I first started. When I was 14 or 15, I had just jumped off the porch. New Orleans was the murder capital and I saw a lot and I did a lot. The streets were rough and tough. If you lived past ’94 or ’95, you was lucky. So I was rapping about what was real. I’m 29 now and I got three kids. I’m a father now, but I still never forgot where I came from. Even though I was fortunate enough to be able to move myself and my family out of the hood, I never forgot what made me. The streets made me. So whenever I’m not in the studio or on the road, I’m in my old neighborhood kicking it with my homies. 

Too Hood… contains “Ya Heard Me,” which features Lil Wayne and Juvenile. What’s the status of a Hot Boys reunion album?

It’s a lot of paperwork and lawyers involved. The creativity part is the easy part; we’ve just got to get the business part together. We already recorded songs together, so once we get all the paperwork and contracts together we could move forward. I’m a free agent now. I’m not on E1. I’m signed strictly with Chopper City Records. I’ve got Cash Money trying to bring me back home and E1 and Def Jam wanting to talk to me.

I signed this joint venture with E1 to get out of my contract with Atlantic. I was signed to Atlantic for four albums, but they kept pushing my albums back and I’m not used to that. They were playing with my career, and I didn’t appreciate that. So I’m no longer an Atlantic artist; I’m officially a Chopper City artist. 

I also noticed that New Orleans artist Magnolia Chop appears on the album twice. How long have you two known each and when did you begin recording with one another?

I’ve known him for 10 or 12 years. He’s a very talented artist. A lot of people overlooked him, and I wanted to give him a shot. I felt like he deserved it. He’s got a voice but he doesn’t need any Auto-Tune or none of that. He just got that uncut raw street sound, church sound.

So would you consider making him a part of Chopper City Records in the future?

Most definitely. I’m going to do everything I can to help him get a situation because I think he deserves it.

What track on the album do you feel represents you the best as an artist and as a person?

“My Hood,” because that’s me. That represents me and who I am from front to back. That’s me all day.

Many young artists today pop up with one ringtone hit and then they disappear just as quickly as they showed up. What do you think has allowed you to stay around for over 10 years?

My longevity comes from me keeping it real with myself. If you keep it real with yourself, you can keep it real with others. I’ve got a solid fan base and there’s a ghetto or a hood in every city in the United States. People can relate to my music, and my fan base ranges from 14 to 40. I lot of people who are fans of B.G. and have all of my albums grew up listening to me. So I think my longevity comes from all of these things.

Speaking young artists, hip-hop was very different when you first gained fame with the Hot Boys in the ’90s. What do you think our artists must do to bring New Orleans back to the forefront on a national level?

Unity is one thing that we lack. All we need is a little more unity and we’ll be alright.

Growing up in New Orleans, what hip-hop artists inspired you to rap the most?

Scarface, Geto Boys, UGK, 8Ball & MJG, Soulja Slim, Tupac. A lot of artists inspired me.

What more do you hope to accomplish in the future artistically and business-wise with Choppa City Records?

I want to make sure I put my n***as on, own a real estate company, do some acting and probably write some scripts. There’s a lot of things I want to do, so I’m going to take it one step at a time.

“Hit the Block and Roll,” “My Wrist Game Sick” and “4 a Minute” all provide solid anthems for the streets, but while Gizzle’s street side is still alive and well, the album’s second single “My Hood” displays a thoughtful gangsta who has matured through the years. Over Mannie Fresh’s production, he proudly boasts, “It feel good to be fortunate and give back / see a old lady walking, stop and help her with her bags”. Lines like these show that even the hardest thug still has a heart.

Where is the Hall of Fame? Online, at the moment.

Initially created by Del Moon in 1980, the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame (LMHOF) failed to prosper until Mike Shepherd began its recent revitalization in 2005. Shepherd began to notice how many local musicians were simply fading away without being properly honored. “We were losing our artists,” Shepherd says. “John Fred became very ill and we lost him (in 2005). That was a wake-up call. Something absolutely had to be done.”

At this point, the LMHOF is simply a Web site—a “virtual museum,” it calls itself. Its inductions have been documented online at LouisianaMusicHallOfFame.org, but no hall actually exists yet. Shepherd hopes to renovate the Loew’s State Palace Theater in New Orleans and convert it to their flagship institution—a plan floated in 2004 when Pres Kabacoff and Troy von Otnott, the developer of the ill-fated Grammy Hall of Fame, proposed a “Louisiana Music Experience” for that location. An agreement is largely in place, he says, and he is jumping through many of the financial and political hoops necessary to make it happen. If Shepherd can acquire the building and renovate it into a brick-and-mortar museum, he envisions it to be one of several facilities across the state which will embody Louisiana’s musical past, possibly with a café and performance space attached. “We’re just waiting for a domino to fall,” Shepherd says.

For Ocker, some of the book is personal. While discussing the city’s struggles with crime in an interview, Nagin said, “It’s not good for us, but it keeps the New Orleans brand out there.”
“I find that really offensive because I have a friend whose son was murdered and they never found (out) who did it,” Ocker says. “There’re a lot of wonderful, beautiful things we can be branded for, and the city is branded for those things.”

In addition to his statements, the book also focuses on allegations of corruption within the Nagin administration. These include a lack of public access to government records and the mishandling of relief organizations like N.O.A.H. Although Ocker believes Nagin is to blame for these problems, she doesn’t think he is alone. “I don’t think that you can point the finger only at the mayor,” she says. “So I want to make sure I’m clear about that. But I don’t think somebody would buy a safety and permits or a code enforcement or city hall coloring book.”

The Ray Nagin Coloring Book is more than a couple of reasons to laugh and poke fun at another goofy politician. It’s a wake-up call for more transparency, accountability and thought in American government. “If we can’t hold our officials accountable and we can’t see what’s going on, then how can we trust them?” asks Ocker. “As long as they prevent us from doing so, they can do whatever they want.”

It’s not uncommon that beefs bring out the best performances in hip-hop. Since the prehistoric days of the culture, some of the greatest lyrics ever composed were made during times of lyrical warfare. The art of the battle can be traced back to inter-borough competitions between New York City’s hip-hoppers. As the art form spread across the city, so did the need for its artists to be respected. One of the most famous beefs was the Roxanne Wars, which pitted Marley Marl, the late DJ Mr. Magic, and Roxanne Shanté against U.F.T.O. after U.F.T.O. failed to appear at a concert. Their hit at the time was “Roxanne, Roxanne,” and Marley Marl and Mr. Magic crafted a plan to get retribution—”Roxanne’s Revenge.” In it, the woman U.F.T.O. said in song was stuck-up calls them out, voiced by a 14-year-old MC taking on the name Roxanne Shanté. She dissed U.F.T.O. members with rhymes like, “He wears a Kangol and that is cute / but he ain’t got the money and he ain’t got the loot.” The song spread through the city like wildfire and is believed to have sold over 250,000 units. Marley Marl and Queens native MC Shan would also feud with B.D.P. and a young KRS-One over the birthplace of hip-hop in the Bridge Wars. KRS-One’s career continues, but he was never more dynamic and inspired than he was during that period.

As hip-hop went national, beefs went nationwide. West Coast artists such Dr. Dre, Eazy-E and Tupac Shakur crafted their best work while attacking their arch-enemies. The East Coast-West Coast dispute in the mid-’90s created tension that may have caused Tupac and B.I.G.’s untimely deaths. Their deaths slowed beefs, but in 2001 Jay-Z took on Nas to wear the title of King of New York. On Jay’s second response track, “Super Ugly,” he even mentioned an affair with the mother of his rival’s child with the lines: “I came in your Bentley backseat / skeeted in your jeep / left condoms on your baby seat.” The last several years have seen the emergence of even more intense beefs with 50 Cent vs. Ja Rule, 50 Cent vs. Rick Ross, and T.I. vs. Shawty Lo, all grabbing the national spotlight.

So what is it about beefs that energizes an MC? Perhaps the fact that no matter how famous rappers become, they are still human. After selling millions of records, can one really expect artists to be as passionate as they were when they were starving for success? But when artists are presented with a challenge that calls their heart and creativity into question, it gives them a deeper reason to take their craft seriously. In times of beef, all fans are concerned with is who lands the hardest punch. Past record sales, awards and accolades almost become obsolete. The soul of an MC is exposed for better or for worse. Some, such as KRS-One, step up while the Ja Rules of the world become distant memories.

This is clearly the case in the Eminem and Mariah dispute. After having his manhood and credibility attacked by the diva, Marshall Mathers left his mature, celebrity persona and attacked in an effort to expose and annihilate. Slim Shady was reborn, the man who rapped, “Christina Aguilera better switch me chairs / so I can sit next to Carson Daly and Fred Durst / and hear ’em argue over who she gave head to first.” This is what great hip-hop is all about; making music to express your feelings instead of just getting money—even when the feelings are vengeful.

Who’s telling the truth? Did anything actually happen? Who knows, but people are talking about both Eminem and Carey more than they have in a long time. And history shows that beefs pay.

Eminem performs Friday, October 30 at 9:30 p.m. on the Voodoo Stage.

The group’s stage show was an all-out assault on the senses. Williams and his band mates jumped around wildly as they were surrounded by neon strobe lights and the brash sounds of their accompanying band. As the intense stage show continued through the night, the crowd was moved by several underground rebel anthems including 2008’s “Spaz” and “Rockstar”. While these tracks started a makeshift mosh pit in the front, older attendees looked on in awe. The night reached its climax with “Lap Dance” which featured several attractive female attendees parading around the stage while Williams took the liberty to introduce himself to the ladies.

In addition to its headliners, the show featured newcomer Mickey Facts. Like N.E.R.D., Facts’ sound is an eclectic mixture of rock and hip-hop. He even went as far as to feature the group in the title for his In Search of N.E.R.D. mixtape. While both acts gave solid performances, the most interesting aspect of the night was their crowd. It consisted of young hip-hoppers, middle-aged couples, and frenetic rockers. In an age filled with artists purposely aiming for “crossover” success, it’s amazing to see a concert full of renegades actually achieve it.

Other scheduled guests include Guitar Shorty, Bobby Rush, T-Model Ford and New Orleansborn acoustic bluesman Chris Smither. While this year’s festival spreads its artistic reach beyond New Orleans, it will continue to showcase local artists including Irma Thomas, Luther Kent, Brother Tyrone and the Mind Benders, Creole singer Amedee Frederick and more.

For details and a schedule, go to CrescentCityBluesFest.com.

Before his untimely death in 2006, Dilla’s work was featured on songs with artists such as Q-Tip, Common, Talib Kweli and even R&B superstar D’Angelo. On his most recent release titled Jay Stay Paid, his musical legacy lives on past his death. The 28-track album is a cross between a mixtape and a producer’s demo tape. Some tracks showcase the lyrical abilities of emcees, while others remain voiceless and focus on Dilla’s production prowess. One of the album’s first gems comes in “In the Night While You Slept”. The instrumental track follows in the mellow, east coast mold of yesteryear. While the track features no artist, it would be definitely be the perfect match for a lyrical artist such as Nas or Mos Def. Other instrumental highlights within the album include “Glammour Sho75” and “10,000 Watts”.

When it comes to the lyrical aspect of the album, the best performance comes on “Reality Check” which features The Roots’ front man Black Thought. The track features Thought rhyming almost every word of the song by utilizing the titles of today’s most popular television reality shows. Other solid guest appearances include Raekwon (of Wu Tang fame) on “24K Rap” as well as M.O.P. on “Blood Sport”. Hip hop artists Blu and MF Doom also appear on two other solid tracks. While some people may never gravitate to the underground grooves of J Dilla, this collection of tracks will definitely keep him alive in the hearts of both his diehard and newly added fans for many days to come.

While Meth and crew dissed the status quo during their night onstage, hip-hop phenomenon T-Pain eagerly defended it on August 11. Unlike the “Footprints …” tour, the rapper-turned-singer entered the stage with a full band, several backup singers and a group of energetic dancers. He performed while wearing a chain worth a quarter of a million dollars – one that read “Big Ass Chain” in diamonds. While running through his solo hits, he also stated his thoughts on the industry’s current critics and Jay-Z’s “Death of Auto Tune” in particular. “Don’t listen to the industry and don’t listen to Jay-Z,” he said.

But when it comes to the stage, the veterans apparently have the upper hand. While chart-toppers bring an overdose of cockiness and bravado, the old schoolers easily trounce with their  love and pure passion for their art. T-Pain’s show ended with a traditional last song and thank you to the audience. When it came time for Red and Meth to exit the stage, they jumped off and crowd surfed out. The stark contrast in the way the shows ended just displays the main difference between the two schools. Unlike their younger counterparts, hip-hop is a way of life for Red and Meth, not  just another way to get paid. When some of today’s hit makers make this mental transition the rankings may even up. Until then, today’s hip-hop will only serve as a bleak reminder of what the music and the culture as a whole once was.

The world of hip-hop today is currently dominated by youth. Besides middle-aged veterans like Jay-Z, Kanye, and Nas, many of the industry’s current chart toppers are probably legally prohibited from purchasing an alcoholic beverage. Aspiring to reach the fame and status of Hurricane Chris and Soulja Boy, New Orleans native Lil’ Dee is introducing himself to the world with his new single entitled “Stay Ready.”  Proclaiming himself as God’s gift to hip-hop, Dee shows his potential for greatness by speedily flowing over a slow-paced southern instrumental. In addition to showcasing his own skills, the track also aims to gain respect for the young MC by featuring locally renowned hip-hop artist Fiend, who experienced success on his own with Master P’s No Limit Records. In the single, Dee boasts, “Flyest rappers get demolished even if they doubtin’ Dee / Put your whole team on the line, they can’t amount to me!” This swagger and confidence is definitely felt on two other tracks which accompany the lead single.

On “Naw Talkin Bout,” Dee once again receives the assistance of another seasoned vet with the appearance of Baby Boy Da Prince. Baby Boy helps Dee find his lane on a Trill Entertainment-type instrumental and the combination is a success. Signs of talent include lines like, “Cop them big thangs you could never afford / next time this year I’m at the Grammy Awards. / This time next year I’ll be out on tour. / I got 20 million haters, I want twenty million more!” Overall, Lil’ Dee’s first offering clearly displays his potential. With more seasoning and experience, Dee may develop artistically and actually be regarded as God’s gift by someone other than himself and his entourage.