From K-Murdock:

I have officially begun a new guest-blogging venture over on "The Couch Sessions", along with my homegirl/fellow Subsoniq contributor Monica aka "Gangsta Mittens", aptly titled "Mittens & Murdock".  This recurring monthly feature showcases (us) two very opinionated individuals commenting on all things pop-culture related, but with a progressive hip hop-minded slant.  So, as way to demo what readers will be getting beginning next month, we decided to dole out some handy last-minute Xmas gift ideas...  Check the link and leave us some feedback (please)!

From Tasha Stoute at Strongarm Media: 

THE MACK GETS SIDE SWIPED BY MACK TRUCK

(Philadelphia, PA- Dec. 21, 2009) Saturday, December 19th rapper Beanie Sigel was leaving a Baltimore studio and was side swiped by a tractor trailer on I-95 that fled the scene. The vehicle that Sigel was traveling in was totaled and he escaped with several injuries to his face,  arms and legs.

Bruised, battered, scarred but hard, Sigel declined hospital treatment and miraculously performed the next day in Norfolk, VA and is tentatively scheduled to go on an up coming  tour with 50 Cent in 2010.

I guess it's safe to say that the Mack is built Ford tough!

If you haven't already checked our Hurricane Chris interview, feel free to do so before you read this press release from his record label.

Hurricane Chris is Unleashed! New Album December 22
Top 10 R&B/Hip Hop Single "Headboard" Ft. Mario and Plies
Sophomore Album Unleashed on Polo Grounds Music/J Records

New York, NY -- When Hurricane Chris hit the scene in 2007 with his Top 10 hit single "A Bay Bay," he opened the world up to the "ratchet" sound of his hometown Shreveport, Louisiana. His new single "Headboard" featuring Mario and Plies has shown fans a different side of the young rapper, all leading up to the release of his Polo Grounds Music/J Records sophomore album Unleashed on December 22, 2009.

Touting appearances from Beenie Man, Mario, Bobby V, Plies, Cherish and Superstarr, Unleashed has been a work in progress for Hurricane Chris. Production on the album includes tracks from Shawty Red, Play N Skillz, Don Vito and The Inkredibles amongst other amazing talent.

The idea behind the album title is pretty straight forward, as Hurricane explains: "You’re going to be held back in a lot of minor ways. Now I’m unleashed. I’m off the collar. I’m off the chain. I’m not held back by anything anymore."

The media has championed the young MC, realizing that there is more to him than meets the eye. "Hurricane Chris can no longer be looked at simply as a radio rapper," wrote Eric Perrin of Ozone Magazine in their July 2009 issue."He has gotten to the point where his lyrical prowess, uncanny freestyling ability, and knack for creating club bangers is undeniable - even his biggest critics can't argue with the fact that HC has talent."

Needless to say, Polo Grounds Music President Bryan Leach is thrilled with the young star's second release on the label: "It's been a journey to see Hurricane go from where he was when Mr. ColliPark bought him to Polo Grounds as a 17-year-old freshman to where he is now, entering into his sophomore album. Letting him find himself through this album was important to Hurricane, and I hope the fans enjoy the ride. He's still so young, and has a huge career in front of him."

With over 3.5 million combined ringtones and downloads for "A Bay Bay," and his second single "Hand Clap" certified Gold, the young lyricist's debut album 51/50 Rachet made quite an impression on fans. 2009 has also proven to be an exciting year for Hurricane Chris as he gears up for the release of Unleashed.

In early 2009, Hurricane Chris returned in a big way with another hit single, "Halle Berry (She's Fine)," which hit #7 on both the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs and Hot Rap Tracks Charts. In March, Ellen DeGeneres and Oscar winner Halle Berry made up their own dances to "Halle Berry (She's Fine)" on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, resulting in a YouTube video that received over 330k views in its first week. To date, the video has received nearly 1.6 million views, and became the #3 most watched in the Music category, #23 overall.

Along with astounding radio play reaching over 56 million listeners, there have been several career moves that have positively impacted Hurricane Chris' ability to reach fans. Between albums, he toured with Chris Brown, Soulja Boy, Bow Wow and Sean Kingston on the Chris Brown tour. The demand for his unique style led to collaborations with various stars, including Mike Jones on "Drop N Gimme 50" and with Chris Brown and Bow Wow on "Picture Perfect."

Despite formidable successes so early in his life, Hurricane Chris stays focused on giving back to his community and advancing his entrepreneurial opportunities. He started a foundation aimed at helping his community, and has facilitated giveaways to hundreds of people during the holidays. Chris and his mother have delved into real estate, and he also launched the Helsman sneaker in affiliation with FILA, selling over 400,000 pairs nationwide.

For more information, go to www.Tygereye.net/HurricaneChris, www.HurricaneChrisOnline.com, www.Myspace.com/Hurricane and www.StillAboutMusic.com .

Unleashed album track list

01. I’m Back - prod. by Shawty Red
02. Beat It Out The Frame - prod. by Phunk Dawg
03. Halle Berry (She’s Fine) ft. Superstarr - prod. by Play N Skillz, Q Smith & Superstarr
04. Coke Bottle ft. Mouse - prod. by Mouse
05. Headboard ft. Mario & Plies - prod. by The Inkredibles
06. Last Call ft. Bobby V - prod. by prod. by Rodnae
07. I Want It ft. Fiend 4 Da Money - prod. by Fiend Crack Alley Music
08. Secret Lover ft. Cherish - prod. by Don Vito
09. No Worries ft. Beenie Man - prod. by Don Vito
10. Hot Like Lava - prod. by Raphael RJ2
*iTunes pre-order bonus track: Touch Bases ft. Bobby V

From Audible Treats:

Battery Records Signs Rapper D.C. Don Juan / Video Premiere      12.21.2009
Freshly Signed D.C. Rap Star Releases Video For Hit Single, "Lookie Looky"

(Brooklyn, NY- December 21, 2009) Battery Records has signed Washington, DC based rapper, D.C. Don Juan. The label is set to launch his first single, "Lookie Looky," and is now proud to release the official video for the song.

Neil Levine, GM and Senior Vice President of Battery Records, states, "D.C. Don Juan is a rare and distinct talent who appeals to a broad audience. His first single 'Lookie Looky' has an incredibly innovative video with an extremely strong hook. We are eager to develop his considerable potential and to make him a full-fledged star."

D.C. Don Juan states, "I've worked hard to get this point and I've proven myself. I plan to raise the bar. The possibilities are endless with Nu Entertainment and Battery behind me."

The 23 year-old Bronx-born rapper Maurice Campbell moved with his family to Washington, DC. when he was 12. A prolific artist who has recorded over 4,000 songs during the course of his eight-year career, he channels the harshness of urban street life into hip-hop developing his persona as D.C. Don Juan.

His vantage point was broadened with time spent in different regions of the country. In 2004, he moved to Denver where he was squarely on the Denver Nuggets team radar, playing in the Allen Iverson celebrity game and recording in Dermarr Johnson's studio. He moved onto Atlanta in 2006 to collaborate with Polow Da Don and Boo, and it was there that he caught the eye of Nu Entertainment CEO Reggie "Big Reg" Turner, who promptly signed him, leading to his recent signing with Battery Records.

Battery Records is an imprint under Sony Music Entertainment's RCA/JIVE Label Group umbrella formed in July 2008 to develop and nurture young urban hip hop talent, in an age where such development is more crucial and necessary than ever. Under the leadership of industry veteran Neil Levine, Battery's mission is to uncover and cultivate organic young talent, thereby creating an indispensable niche in the marketplace.

"Lookie Looky" Official video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIb7Qz-rGTU .
Audio stream: http://release.theplatform.com/content.select?pid=YI3DwQpKAtvwx0evShnKDL9x97GZwsjH&amp .

Streams:

"Lookie Looky":
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIb7Qz-rGTU *
* http://release.theplatform.com/content.select?pid=YI3DwQpKAtvwx0evShnKDL9x97GZwsjH&amp *

Twitter:
* http://twitter.com/IamDonJuan *

MySpace:
* http://www.myspace.com/mostjuanted *

Facebook:
* http://www.facebook.com/pages/Don-Juan-Weezie/54418263614 *

Label Site:
* http://www.batteryrecords.net *

Hailing from the small town of Dallas Center, Iowa, Coolzey’s life story is an interesting one. How else would you describe a life that has involved a headlock on MC Paul Barman, a tour with Vanilla Ice, and a friendship with Sadat X? Over the past few years Coolzey’s work has been showing up on my desk pretty regularly. This is due, in large part, to his love of the EP format. It’s a love that stems from a dream that he’ll one day be able to release all of his work on vinyl. This week I caught up with Coolzey to find out more about his wild ride, what went into the making of his upcoming EP, The Honey, and where you can find him with Fred "The Hammer" Williamson.

Read the full interview at:  http://adambernard.blogspot.com/2009/12/artist-of-week-coolzey.html

The hip-hop scene here in Connecticut made some impressive strides in 2009 — the kind of strides that can help provide a strong foundation to grow from as long as they’re utilized correctly and built upon throughout 2010.

Read the full story at FairfieldWeekly.com.

From Random:

After I heard that Capcom is making a new Mega Man 10 game (link) I've been getting emails and twitter messages asking me if I'm going to be in the game in any way, music or likeness. Ad of now, the answer is no, but I think we can all help to change that...

SIGN THE PETITION HERE TO GET MEGA RAN in MEGA MAN 10!!!!!!

I dont wanna make a promise, but man, if we can pull THIS off....man... all i can say is that good things will happen :)

it'll only take a sec, and none of your info is shown to anyone... thanks so much.

also, this weekend is the latest you can order a Random CD and get holiday delivery. do it! 

PEACE!

From 2SPR:

Long Beach Native Warren G To Be Honored By The Boys & Girls Clubs Of Long Beach
Boys & Girls Club honors Warren G with Long Beach Image Award

Long Beach, California (December 16, 2009) - On December 18th, Warren (“Warren G”) Griffin III, west coast rapper, hip-hop producer and Long Beach native will be honored with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach Image Award for his commitment to the youth and community of Long Beach.

The event, which will be held at the John C. Wallace/Petrolane Club, is set to include an awards presentation at 4:30 p.m. followed by a toy give-away to local youth at 5:00 p.m.

Also in attendance will be Percy Daggs, Jr. (actor) and Samie Parker (NFL Wide Receiver) who will be honored with Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach Alumni awards as well as Jeremy Williams (professional boxer) and Daniel Crockett (actor) who will be presented with Community Leadership awards.

“There is so much greatness that comes out of Long Beach,” said Branch Director, Keith Lilly. “It’s a good feeling knowing that no matter how successful our honorees have become in life, they still continue to give back to their hometown. There’s something very humbling about that. Especially at this time of the year.”

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach have provided after school programs to the Long Beach community for 70 years. Eleven Club sites are operating in the most economically challenged areas of the City. The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach is to provide a positive, safe, and nurturing environment where youth from ages 6 to 18 are encouraged to become responsible members of the community. Membership is $15 a year and is available to youth from ages 6 to 18. Call  562-599-3377  562-599-3377 for additional information. The address of the John C. Wallace/Petrolane Boys & Girls Club is 1920 Lemon Street. For more information please contact: www.twitter.com/wron_mf_g .

Warren G
"The G Files" - Out Now
* www.warrengeezy.com *
* www.myspace.com/warreng *

From Kerosene Media:

For Immediate Release
 
Swollen Members Tour Bus Destroyed By Train In Colorado Springs
 
Only days after completing a tour across Canada, Swollen Members’ tour bus was destroyed in Colorado Springs, CO on Monday night after it was hit by an oncoming train. The accident happened just after midnight when the group’s bus got stuck on a railway crossing. Minutes later the railway barrier went down signaling a train was coming, and the three remaining members of the Swollen Members crew had seconds to get out of harm’s way. Fortunately no one was harmed during the crash.
 
“Everyone is lucky to be alive,” commented tour manager BJ Smith. “Everything happened so fast we didn’t have time to do anything but get off the bus. From the time the bus got stuck, to the second the train impacted it, was under three minutes. As soon as we heard the railway barrier go down we could hear a train was coming, so we literally had 45 seconds to get off the bus and get as far out of the way as possible. If anyone else would have been on the bus with us they would have been dead because there wouldn’t have been enough time to wake them up and get off the bus.”
 
Having just completed two months of touring, Madchild, Prevail, Trey Nyce, and Rob The Viking had all flown home just days prior to the incident, while tour manager BJ Smith and the remaining crew members were driving back to California. Video footage of the wreckage can be viewed online at www.kktv.com/home/headlines/79290927.html .
 
"This morning I got news that our tour bus, 'The Black Pearl', got hit by a train in Colorado Springs. Luckily everyone was able to get off just in time, because the bus was totally destroyed," commented Prevail. "The spot where the train impacted was where we would have been sleeping if we had we been on the bus. It's scary to think how fragile life can be when something like this happens."

Swollen Members were touring in support of their new studio album, "Armed to the Teeth", which debuted at #146 on the Billboard Top 200 and #5 on the Heatseekers charts.
 
###
 
* www.MySpace.com/SwollenMembers *