• Run the Jewels to Start Work on Third Album in January, Collaborate Again with Zack de la Rocha

    One of the most welcome surprises on "Run the Jewels 2" was the guest appearance of former Rage Against the Machine frontman Zack de la Rocha on the track "Close Your Eyes (And Count to F--k)," but according to RTJ producer El-P, that was not the first time he and de la Rocha had collaborated, and it apparently will not be the last, either. During an in-store event at Rough Trade East in London, according to "NME," El-P revealed that he and de la Rocha worked on music together as far back as 1999 and have plans in the near future to continue that work."In 1999 I spent a month in my apartment in Brooklyn with Zack de la Rocha just before he split Rage Against the Machine, working on music that will never see the light of day," El-P said. "I can't speak about his future but I will say that I'm going to L.A. to spend another month with him in January."Though it was widely assumed that the break-up of Rage Against the Machine in 2000 would signal the start of de la Rocha's solo career in hip-hop, he has yet to release a solo album, or a full-length album of any sort since Rage Against the Machine's final LP "Renegades."

  • Kraftwerk Academic Conference Taking Place at Aston University during 2015; Alas, The Band Isn't Scheduled to Appear

    You know you've made it as a cultural phenomenon when entire weekend conferences are scheduled...not to hear your music necessarily but to discuss your work in a wider academic sense. This is the honor that has befallen Kraftwerk as Aston University in Birmingham (notably in the UK and not in the band's homeland of Germany) has organized the first Industrial Volksmusik for the Twenty-First Century, a two-day event going down in late January.

  • J. Cole Performs Ferguson Protest Song 'Be Free' on 'Late Show with David Letterman'

    J. Cole released his third studio album, "2014 Forest Hills Drive," Tuesday, Dec. 9, and went on the "Late Show with David Letterman" to perform "Be Free," which is not on the album. Cole's commentary on Ferguson and tribute to Michael Brown, he used the stage to make his voice heard on the current issues facing the African-American community. His performance captured the sentimentality of "Be Free," as Cole delivered each word with poise and emotion. A simple performance with little fanfare, Cole stood on stage moving little but still showed his time-tested charisma, while a keyboardist played the simple and moving instrumental in the background, reported "Complex." He even wrote a new verse for the occasion and elicited a positive reaction from Letterman, who invited him back anytime."Be Free" has been the No. 1 trending song, according to "Billboard," since it came out. Cole has been one of the few artists who have been using his status to protest the grand jury decisions in Ferguson and New York City, writing a song and going out on the streets and protesting.

  • U.S. Government in Cuba: Reports Indicate We Manipulated Hip-Hop Stars to Subconsciously Foment a Revolution against Raul Castro

    A lot of news has been made recently of probably illegal activity carried out by the United States government at its Guantanamo Bay stronghold. More documents released this week show that the U.S. was involved in other shady operations on the island...these ones using Cuban music stars to help undermine the Cuban government. The information suggests that the United States Agency for International Development hired Rajko Bozic to pick up acts such as Cuban rapper Aldo and Los Aldeanos to foment a revolution among the youth.

  • Columbus Short Admits to Cocaine Use, Causing His Life to Spiral Out of Control Before Being Fired from 'Scandal'

    Columbus Short has had a life-altering year, as he began it starring on "Scandal," one of prime time's top dramas, and is wrapping it up by coming clean about his drug use. Short made headlines for a bar fight as well as alleged domestic violence against his then-wife Tuere Short and quickly found himself fired and divorced. In April, Short confirmed that he would not be returning to "Scandal" for a fourth season and graciously wished his former cast mates the best.On Wednesday, Dec. 10, the actor appeared on "Access Hollywood" to discuss what unraveled him."I was struggling with drugs. I had a lot on my plate, and you know, I was using unhealthy ways to kind of self-medicate and deal with a lot of heavy-duty stuff in my life. I was doing cocaine and drinking a lot, and trying to balance a 16-hour work schedule a day, and a family, and I just lost myself back then."Short also says the suicide of his best friend, Lee Thompson Young, sent him into a downward spiral because he simple did not know how to handle it. He also admits that his friends from the hit ABC show tried their best to cover for and support him ... until his behavior went too far.

  • 'Love & Hip Hop Hollywood' Princess Love Threatened Suicide After Ray J Dumped Her and Was Spotted with Karrueche Tran

    We almost need a flow chart to keep things straight with the cast of VH1's "Love & Hip Hop Hollywood." In the season finale, which aired last week, it looked like Ray J had dumped his girlfriend of two years, Princess Love, in order to reconnect with Teairra Mari. When the reunion shows aired this week, it was clear Ray and Love were back together, but a bit of drama has gone down this week that led him to call 911, thinking she was going to kill herself.According to a report by TMZ, Ray broke up with Love Tuesday night, Dec. 9, and by Wednesday, Dec. 10, photos of him getting cozy with Karrueche Tran had surfaced. Needless to say, that did not sit well with her and Love reportedly threatened to kill herself. Ray called 911 and had authorities come out to the home he was sharing with Love to perform a welfare check. She was not at home when the police arrived and supposedly called Ray to reassure him she was not really going to shoot herself.
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