Busta Rhymes has shared the reflective new video for “Deep Thought,” the latest single from 2020’s Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God, the rapper’s first LP in over 11 years.
Set in a dimly lit penthouse apartment overlooking New York City, Rhymes ruminates on his career and his family, as well as the deaths of his manager Chris Lighty and the rapper’s father. “Losing Chris Lighty and then losin’ my father/I’m bittersweet, so I promised my momma I’mma become a martyr,” Rhymes says on the track.
Set in a dimly lit penthouse apartment overlooking New York City, Rhymes ruminates on his career and his family, as well as the deaths of his manager Chris Lighty and the rapper’s father. “Losing Chris Lighty and then losin’ my father/I’m bittersweet, so I promised my momma I’mma become a martyr,” Rhymes says on the track.
- 6/17/2021
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
On his 1994 coming-of-age masterpiece Illmatic, Nas rendered the sprawling Queensbridge Houses, and the thrills and despair of young Black life in Dinkins-era New York City, with the detail and scale of Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights. He’s never come close to making another Illmatic, but he’s still mining the album’s rich source material 26 years later.
The high points on King’s Disease, Nas’s first full-length album since 2012, are the songs when he revisits his formative experiences in the late Eighties and early to mid Nineties.
The high points on King’s Disease, Nas’s first full-length album since 2012, are the songs when he revisits his formative experiences in the late Eighties and early to mid Nineties.
- 8/27/2020
- by Danny Schwartz
- Rollingstone.com
Seventeen or so years ago, as the world was first getting to know the rising underdog Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, it would have been hard to imagine the most controversial man in hip-hop receiving a star on the Walk of Fame. It would have been even harder to imagine that his successes as a beverage entrepreneur, actor, venture capitalist and executive producer of cable and network television would have been just as central to that honor as his music.
But that’s exactly where 2020 finds the Queens hip-hop mogul. With “Power” — the Starz series for which he served as executive producer, co-star and, most recently, an episode director — finally coming to an end after six seasons, Jackson is already busy with several new small-screen projects. The in-production Starz spinoff “Power Book II: Ghost” is part of a massive development deal Jackson struck with the cable net, and just as significantly, he...
But that’s exactly where 2020 finds the Queens hip-hop mogul. With “Power” — the Starz series for which he served as executive producer, co-star and, most recently, an episode director — finally coming to an end after six seasons, Jackson is already busy with several new small-screen projects. The in-production Starz spinoff “Power Book II: Ghost” is part of a massive development deal Jackson struck with the cable net, and just as significantly, he...
- 1/30/2020
- by Andrew Barker
- Variety Film + TV
Tenderfoot TV, the company behind the hit Atlanta Monster and Up and Vanished podcasts, is looking to take advantage of the boom in the audio genre and is plotting a slew of music and sports-set true crime podcasts as well as IP that can be translated for television.
The company, which is run by Donald Albright and Payne Lindsey, has had more than 380M downloads for its podcasts and co-produced a TV adaptation of Up and Vanished for Oxygen with Ben Silverman’s Propagate Content. Its latest podcast, To Live and Die in La with The Dirt author and Rolling Stone writer Neil Strauss, is set to conclude May 16.
Albright told Deadline how the company started and outlined the pair’s plans to scale up their nascent media business.
Tenderfoot TV started with Up and Vanished, a podcast that followed the case of the mysterious disappearance of Tara Grinstead, a...
The company, which is run by Donald Albright and Payne Lindsey, has had more than 380M downloads for its podcasts and co-produced a TV adaptation of Up and Vanished for Oxygen with Ben Silverman’s Propagate Content. Its latest podcast, To Live and Die in La with The Dirt author and Rolling Stone writer Neil Strauss, is set to conclude May 16.
Albright told Deadline how the company started and outlined the pair’s plans to scale up their nascent media business.
Tenderfoot TV started with Up and Vanished, a podcast that followed the case of the mysterious disappearance of Tara Grinstead, a...
- 5/1/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
With car dashboards eliminating CD inputs and relying more on smart displays and smartphones, podcasts — both music-related and others — are increasingly becoming big players for a captive mobile audience. In a recent Nielsen Podcasts Insight Report, the number of homes that considered themselves “avid podcast fans” went from 13 million in 2016 to 16 million in November 2017.
With more than 240 music-related podcasts available on iTunes alone, it can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, so we’ve done it for you: Below is a subjective selection of 10 of our favorite music podcasts, in no particular order.
“Song Exploder” (iTunes/SoundCloud) — Film and TV composer Hrishikesh Hirway hosts this bi-weekly, 20-minute deep dive into a single song, with musicians from Solange and Lorde to Grizzly Bear, St. Vincent and Phoenix offering both anecdotes and the thought process behind their creations. In an episode spotlighting Lorde’s “Sober,” she tells the story...
With more than 240 music-related podcasts available on iTunes alone, it can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, so we’ve done it for you: Below is a subjective selection of 10 of our favorite music podcasts, in no particular order.
“Song Exploder” (iTunes/SoundCloud) — Film and TV composer Hrishikesh Hirway hosts this bi-weekly, 20-minute deep dive into a single song, with musicians from Solange and Lorde to Grizzly Bear, St. Vincent and Phoenix offering both anecdotes and the thought process behind their creations. In an episode spotlighting Lorde’s “Sober,” she tells the story...
- 4/17/2018
- by Roy Trakin
- Variety Film + TV
Glamour and introspection don’t always intersect, especially in the realm of documentary. Sometimes, the life and achievements of a particular individual shine so brightly that it’s easy to be blinded to the full effect that one life has on the other people in their orbit. But “Mogul: The Life and Death of Chris Lighty,” the latest podcast from Spotify, Gimlet Media and the Loud Speakers Network, chronicles the life of a hip-hop entrepreneur with awe, concern and a heavy heart.
It’s a tricky combination of emotions that powers a show like this, but finding a delicate, satisfying balance has helped gain some much-deserved notoriety. “Mogul” is one of the most popular new shows in the podcast world, firmly in the top ranks of the iTunes charts and with an additional prominent placement in Spotify’s growing foray into the podcast sphere.
Read More: The 50 Best Podcast Episodes...
It’s a tricky combination of emotions that powers a show like this, but finding a delicate, satisfying balance has helped gain some much-deserved notoriety. “Mogul” is one of the most popular new shows in the podcast world, firmly in the top ranks of the iTunes charts and with an additional prominent placement in Spotify’s growing foray into the podcast sphere.
Read More: The 50 Best Podcast Episodes...
- 7/14/2017
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
Music streaming service Spotify is continuing its original programming push with three new podcasts, all of which are music-themed and the first of which premieres exclusively today. Spotify has carried podcasts since the spring of 2015, according to The Hollywood Reporter, though the latest slate solidifies its mission.
The new shows include: Showstopper, premiering today and produced alongside Slate’s Panoply Studios podcast network, about memorable music moments on TV; Unpacked, in which Broad City music supervisor Matt FX will interview music festival goers across the U.S. beginning on March 14; and The Chris Lighty Story (working title), which will explore the life and career of the late music exec. The Lighty series is being produced by Gimlet Media and Loudspeaker Network, and will premiere in April.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
The new shows include: Showstopper, premiering today and produced alongside Slate’s Panoply Studios podcast network, about memorable music moments on TV; Unpacked, in which Broad City music supervisor Matt FX will interview music festival goers across the U.S. beginning on March 14; and The Chris Lighty Story (working title), which will explore the life and career of the late music exec. The Lighty series is being produced by Gimlet Media and Loudspeaker Network, and will premiere in April.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 2/23/2017
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
50 Cent is a forgiving man ... a close family friend crashed his $300k car, and he was all smiles. Here's what we know. 50 was sitting in the passenger seat of his Lambo as Tiffany Lighty took the wheel Friday afternoon and tooled around Brooklyn. Eyewitnesses tell TMZ ... an Uber was double parked in front of Sweethaus Cupcakes and Tiffany tried maneuvering around it, striking the Uber and messing up the passenger side of the Lambo. The...
- 6/12/2015
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Cassie Ventura and P. Diddy, also known as Sean Combs sparked rumors of an engagement last week when they posted photos of what seemed like an engagement ring on Instagram.
It began on Feb. 1, when Diddy shared a photo of a massive diamond ring on his Instagram page.
“Baby do you like it? I just want to get you wat you Like! I just wanna Mk you smile :) #takeDat. !,” he wrote.
Cassie reportedly answered the post, writing, “I’m definitely smiling. It’s perfect!” A few days later, Cassie fueled rumors of an engagement when she posted a photo on her Instagram page of the couple, with her flashing a bright diamond ring on her ring finger.
Based on the two photos, it is unclear whether or not it is the same ring, and Diddy never specifically mentioned Cassie in the caption to the photo of the ring nor...
It began on Feb. 1, when Diddy shared a photo of a massive diamond ring on his Instagram page.
“Baby do you like it? I just want to get you wat you Like! I just wanna Mk you smile :) #takeDat. !,” he wrote.
Cassie reportedly answered the post, writing, “I’m definitely smiling. It’s perfect!” A few days later, Cassie fueled rumors of an engagement when she posted a photo on her Instagram page of the couple, with her flashing a bright diamond ring on her ring finger.
Based on the two photos, it is unclear whether or not it is the same ring, and Diddy never specifically mentioned Cassie in the caption to the photo of the ring nor...
- 2/4/2014
- Uinterview
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has had a rough week. Despite celebrating his 38th birthday on July 6, the rapper’s name has been splattered across the news with reports on his legal woes.
The hip hop mogul was reportedly axed from Mlb’s forthcoming All-Star Bash, after a recent domestic violence charge, and he also apparently removed his son, Marquise Jackson, from his will following a text message rant obtained yesterday by Radar Online.
During a series of Tweets posted on Monday, the G-Unit CEO clarified reports stating that the 16-year-old’s mother, Shaniqua Tompkins, was actually responsible for the explicit texts, adding that Chris Lighty’s daughter, Tiffany, will now become the executor of “most” of his property and assets;
In addition to being pulled from this weekend’s Major League Baseball festivities, Jackson also reportedly canceled an appearance to appear in Birmingham, England to promote his line of SMS Audio headphones.
The hip hop mogul was reportedly axed from Mlb’s forthcoming All-Star Bash, after a recent domestic violence charge, and he also apparently removed his son, Marquise Jackson, from his will following a text message rant obtained yesterday by Radar Online.
During a series of Tweets posted on Monday, the G-Unit CEO clarified reports stating that the 16-year-old’s mother, Shaniqua Tompkins, was actually responsible for the explicit texts, adding that Chris Lighty’s daughter, Tiffany, will now become the executor of “most” of his property and assets;
In addition to being pulled from this weekend’s Major League Baseball festivities, Jackson also reportedly canceled an appearance to appear in Birmingham, England to promote his line of SMS Audio headphones.
- 7/9/2013
- by Brennan Williams
- Huffington Post
As he adds more business ventures and philanthropic efforts to his resume, 50 Cent has found himself in a curious spot. Battling not only album delays but also a rapidly shifting hip-hop landscape, the man who exploded onto the scene with the inescapable night-out anthem "In Da Club" is once again hungry, and acutely aware that living legend-status doesn't necessarily come with influence or relevance.
Consider this: When 50 Cent dropped "Get Rich or Die Tryin,'" it was still vaguely acceptable for his mentor Eminem to refer to homosexuals using gay slurs, rap was becoming the dominant music of American party and radio culture and Snoop Lion was still a Dogg.
So, yes, time files. In an interview about his upcoming performance at the X Games, I asked 50 to lay aside all album delays, business stresses and take a look at his own legacy. If he never released another song, would...
Consider this: When 50 Cent dropped "Get Rich or Die Tryin,'" it was still vaguely acceptable for his mentor Eminem to refer to homosexuals using gay slurs, rap was becoming the dominant music of American party and radio culture and Snoop Lion was still a Dogg.
So, yes, time files. In an interview about his upcoming performance at the X Games, I asked 50 to lay aside all album delays, business stresses and take a look at his own legacy. If he never released another song, would...
- 5/16/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
Guns for Beyonce tickets? If one hip-hop mogul has his way, it could be true.
The New York Daily News reports that Michael "Blue" Williams, president of Family Tree Entertainment and manager to acts like Cee-Lo Green and Outkast, has plans to offer goods like Beyonce concert tickets to New Yorkers willing to hand in their firearms. Williams is hoping to raise $100,000 for his "Guns for Greatness" program and get the support of the New York Police Department.
Visit the New York Daily News to read more about the proposed gun buyback program.
“The Beyonce show is coming to Brooklyn; the Jay-z show is coming to Yankee Stadium," the 43-year-old Bronx native told the Daily News on Monday. "Our goal is to reach out to individuals who are in my industry, in my world and who I have an association with and get their support. I think we should all...
The New York Daily News reports that Michael "Blue" Williams, president of Family Tree Entertainment and manager to acts like Cee-Lo Green and Outkast, has plans to offer goods like Beyonce concert tickets to New Yorkers willing to hand in their firearms. Williams is hoping to raise $100,000 for his "Guns for Greatness" program and get the support of the New York Police Department.
Visit the New York Daily News to read more about the proposed gun buyback program.
“The Beyonce show is coming to Brooklyn; the Jay-z show is coming to Yankee Stadium," the 43-year-old Bronx native told the Daily News on Monday. "Our goal is to reach out to individuals who are in my industry, in my world and who I have an association with and get their support. I think we should all...
- 2/27/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
The big story from this year's Bet Hip-Hop Awards — which were taped a few weeks back in Atlanta and aired last night — was that Rick Ross and Young Jeezy got into a fight backstage (and then in the parking lot, according to Flex). But other things happened, too! Such as: a particularly rousing tribute to the late Chris Lighty, founder of Violator Management, who died last month. And the cyphers, of course (Donald "Childish Gambino" Glover made it into one, which is a decision you can discuss among yourselves). Oh, and they gave out some awards, like G.O.O.D. Music's "Mercy" for Best Collaboration and Drake's "Hyfr" for Best Hip-Hop Video. But those are not really the point. (Warning: possibly terrifying auto-play ahead.)Here's the Chris Lighty tribute, featuring A Tribe Called Quest, Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, Missy Elliott, and 50 Cent: The "Man With the Iron Fists" cypher,...
- 10/10/2012
- by Amanda Dobbins
- Vulture
Atlanta — Atlanta police officers broke up an altercation Saturday evening between two groups at the seventh annual Bet Hip-Hop Awards, but no arrests were made.
Police spokesman Carlos Campos said officers responded to the scuffle at around 7:30 p.m. in the backstage area of the awards show, held at a downtown civic center. Campos said there were no injuries or shots fired.
Police have not released the identities of those involved in the scuffle.
The altercation took place around the same time as a tribute performance to hip-hop mogul Chris Lighty, who committed suicide last month.
Bet officials told The Associated Press that the awards show was not interrupted.
Kanye West, who received the most nominations with 17, didn't attend the event. The show will air on Bet on Oct. 9.
Rapper LL Cool J paid homage in remarks to Lighty, who he says helped shape his career and many others in hip-hop.
Police spokesman Carlos Campos said officers responded to the scuffle at around 7:30 p.m. in the backstage area of the awards show, held at a downtown civic center. Campos said there were no injuries or shots fired.
Police have not released the identities of those involved in the scuffle.
The altercation took place around the same time as a tribute performance to hip-hop mogul Chris Lighty, who committed suicide last month.
Bet officials told The Associated Press that the awards show was not interrupted.
Kanye West, who received the most nominations with 17, didn't attend the event. The show will air on Bet on Oct. 9.
Rapper LL Cool J paid homage in remarks to Lighty, who he says helped shape his career and many others in hip-hop.
- 9/30/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
In spite of Chris Lighty’s death being ruled as an official suicide by New York City medical examiners, friends of the mogul still have doubts about his tragic demise.
As for Lighty’s close friend and client, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, a more comprehensive investigation into the 44-year-old’s suicide may be more appropriate to conclude details surrounding his death.
According to Fox News’ New York affiliate, Lighty’s mother has asked Jackson to financially assist in hiring attorney Scott Leemon and private investigator Les Levine until there is conclusive evidence in the case.
Jackson spoke candidly about his suspicion surrounding the mogul’s death during a recent appearance on HuffPost Live.
“I still can’t make very much sense of it. The whole theory of him being in a financial strain would support why you would want to do something like kill yourself,” he explained to HuffPost Live host,...
As for Lighty’s close friend and client, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, a more comprehensive investigation into the 44-year-old’s suicide may be more appropriate to conclude details surrounding his death.
According to Fox News’ New York affiliate, Lighty’s mother has asked Jackson to financially assist in hiring attorney Scott Leemon and private investigator Les Levine until there is conclusive evidence in the case.
Jackson spoke candidly about his suspicion surrounding the mogul’s death during a recent appearance on HuffPost Live.
“I still can’t make very much sense of it. The whole theory of him being in a financial strain would support why you would want to do something like kill yourself,” he explained to HuffPost Live host,...
- 9/26/2012
- by Brennan Williams
- Huffington Post
Atlanta -- Kanye West hasn't released a solo album since 2010, but the rapper has kept relevant with another strong year.
Now, Bet is taking notice.
West received the most nominations with 17 for the seventh annual Bet Hip-Hop Awards, which will air Oct. 9. The rapper has had a big year as a producer, performer and director. He also collaborated with Jay-z on the hit album, "Watch the Throne."
Rapper 2 Chainz scored 13 nominations and Drake earned 11 nods, respectively.
The nominations were announced Wednesday.
The ceremony will be taped Sept. 29 at Atlanta's Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. Actor and comedian Mike Epps will return as host for the fourth straight year.
Hip-hop mogul Chris Lighty, who committed suicide earlier this month, will be honored during the show.
___
Online:...
Now, Bet is taking notice.
West received the most nominations with 17 for the seventh annual Bet Hip-Hop Awards, which will air Oct. 9. The rapper has had a big year as a producer, performer and director. He also collaborated with Jay-z on the hit album, "Watch the Throne."
Rapper 2 Chainz scored 13 nominations and Drake earned 11 nods, respectively.
The nominations were announced Wednesday.
The ceremony will be taped Sept. 29 at Atlanta's Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. Actor and comedian Mike Epps will return as host for the fourth straight year.
Hip-hop mogul Chris Lighty, who committed suicide earlier this month, will be honored during the show.
___
Online:...
- 9/13/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Chris Lighty has been laid to rest. Friends and family members of the rap mogul gathered at a Manhattan funeral home on Wednesday to say their goodbyes, six days after Lighty's shocking suicide at the age of 44. Some of the biggest luminaries in hip-hop including Diddy, Lauryn Hill, LL Cool J, 50 Cent, Missy Elliot, Russell Simmons, Grandmaster Flash, and Mary J. Blige attended the memorial service at the Campbell Funeral Chapel where Lighty's body, dressed in a black suit, rested in an open casket. Lighty was found dead in his five-story Bronx townhouse last Thursday with a gunshot wound to the head. The New York Medical Examiner's office subsequently ruled his death a...
- 9/5/2012
- E! Online
Chris Lighty's funeral will take place in New York today (05.09.12). The hop executive - who managed a number of stars throughout his career including 50 Cent, P.Diddy, Ja Rule and Mariah Carey - was found dead at his home in the city last Friday (30.08.12) and according to the New York Post's Page Six, his memorial service will be held at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on Madison Avenue. He is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and left behind six children and his wife, Veronica. A number of stars paid tribute to the hip-hop mogul after hearing the news including Russell Simmons - who co-founded hip-hop label Def Jam with...
- 9/5/2012
- Monsters and Critics
New York — Some of music's biggest stars have gathered for the New York City funeral of hip-hop mogul Chris Lighty.
Mourners in the packed chapel Wednesday included Sean "Diddy" Combs, Missy Elliott, Q-Tip, LL Cool J, Russell Simmons, 50 Cent and Grandmaster Flash.
The 44-year-old hip-hop mogul was found dead in his Bronx apartment last week with a gunshot wound to the head. The medical examiner ruled it a suicide.
Speaking outside the chapel, Grandmaster Flash said he wished Lighty had reached out to him for help. He says Lighty must have been under "tremendous pressure," adding, "it's really sad."
Lighty was laid out in a dark suit, surrounded by arrangements of white flowers. A slide show depicting his life appeared on a screen.
Mourners in the packed chapel Wednesday included Sean "Diddy" Combs, Missy Elliott, Q-Tip, LL Cool J, Russell Simmons, 50 Cent and Grandmaster Flash.
The 44-year-old hip-hop mogul was found dead in his Bronx apartment last week with a gunshot wound to the head. The medical examiner ruled it a suicide.
Speaking outside the chapel, Grandmaster Flash said he wished Lighty had reached out to him for help. He says Lighty must have been under "tremendous pressure," adding, "it's really sad."
Lighty was laid out in a dark suit, surrounded by arrangements of white flowers. A slide show depicting his life appeared on a screen.
- 9/5/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
50 Cent's former manager Chris Lighty will be buried later today (September 5). Lighty was found dead in an apparent suicide in his New York City apartment late last week. He was believed to be going through a difficult divorce prior to his death. The music mogul's death drew tributes from Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Mariah Carey, Mary J Blige and his former client 50 Cent. "He was a good friend and adviser who helped me develop as an artist and businessman. My prayers are with his (more)...
- 9/5/2012
- by By Justin Harp
- Digital Spy
Chris Lighty's funeral will take place in New York today (05.09.12). The hop executive - who managed a number of stars throughout his career including 50 Cent, P.Diddy, Ja Rule and Mariah Carey - was found dead at his home in the city last Friday (30.08.12) and according to the New York Post's Page Six, his memorial service will be held at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on Madison Avenue. He is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and left behind six children and his wife, Veronica. A number of stars paid tribute to the...
- 9/5/2012
- Virgin Media - Celebrity
P. Diddy paid tribute to Chris Lighty with ''three seconds of noise'' at his annual Labor Day bash. The rapper asked hundreds of partygoers at the gathering in Las Vegas on Saturday (01.09.12) to remember his former manager - who is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on Friday (31.08.12) - by cheering for him. According to E! News, he told his guests: ''We don't do moments of silence. We do three seconds of noise.'' A number of stars rushed to pay tribute to the hip-hop mogul after hearing the news including Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons...
- 9/4/2012
- Virgin Media - Celebrity
P. Diddy paid tribute to Chris Lighty with 'three seconds of noise' at his annual Labor Day bash. The rapper asked hundreds of partygoers at the gathering in Las Vegas on Saturday (01.09.12) to remember his former manager - who is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on Friday (31.08.12) - by cheering for him. According to E! News, he told his guests: 'We don't do moments of silence. We do three seconds of noise.' A number of stars rushed to pay tribute to the hip-hop mogul after hearing the news including Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons who described him as a 'brilliant partner in business' and someone who will be 'missed greatly'. He...
- 9/4/2012
- Monsters and Critics
Gone, but not forgotten. Rather than grieve the death of his former manager in solitude, Sean "Diddy" Combs paid tribute to his late friend Chris Lighty with hundreds of partygoers at his annual Labor Day bash in Las Vegas Saturday night. "We don't do moments of silence. We do three seconds of noise," the hip-hop mogul said as the crowd erupted in cheers in honor of Lighty. A platinum-blonde Chris Brown and "Rack City" rapper Tyga were also on hand for the "Sexiest Party in the City" at Chateau Nightclub & Gardens, with the duo joining Diddy at his table on the rooftop of the nightclub around 3 a.m. Diddy, Tyga and the "Turn Up the Music" crooner made...
- 9/3/2012
- E! Online
The music world is beginning to get more answers in the tragic demise of Chris Lighty. The hip-hop mogul's death has been ruled a suicide after an autopsy revealed Friday that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head, the New York Medical Examiner's office tells E! News. Lighty, 44, was found dead in his Bronx apartment Thursday, and police indicated that there were no signs of foul play. The music honcho, who had managed stars like Mariah Carey, Missy Elliot and 50 Cent among his achievements, lamented the current state of hip-hop in his final blog post dated Aug. 23, in which he ranted about the "rat race we call hip-hop" and "the rumors and ridiculous stories" about his...
- 8/31/2012
- E! Online
News of music executive Chris Lighty's sudden death spread through the hip-hop community like wildfire, with rap's biggest name posting tributes on Twitter. Among them: P. Diddy, Soulja Boy, DJ Khaled and Chuck D. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Snoop Lion (nee Dogg) described the Violator Management founder as "a close friend" and "a great person." No stranger to tragic deaths of beloved friends in recent years, the rapper and filmmaker said, "It's just sad to hear news like that. But he lived a great life and did a lot of great things for the artists that he
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- 8/31/2012
- by Shirley Halperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The apparent suicide of hip-hop manager and rap mogul Chris Lighty (also known as Darrell Lighty) has sent shockwaves through the music industry. The longtime manager of 50 Cent, Diddy and Mariah Carey, who was found dead in his apartment with a gunshot wound to the head, is being hailed by his friends across Twitter as they try to cope with his sudden passing. Diddy: R.I.P. Christ Lighty. He Was A Dear Friend Of Mine And I Still Can't Believe It. Nicki Minaj: "Another tragic & inconceivable loss for the culture. #RIPChrisLighty" Rihanna: "Rest peacefully Chris Lighty, my prayers go out to family and loved ones! Dear God please have mercy" Nick Cannon:...
- 8/30/2012
- E! Online
It's a sad day for hip-hop. Chris Lighty, who managed stars such as Mariah Carey, 50 Cent and Missy Elliot, died of an apparent suicide today. He was 44. The New York Police Department confirms to E! News that Lighty (also known as Darrell) was found dead at 11:30 a.m. local time in his Bronx apartment with a gunshot wound to the head. Police are investigating, though there were no signs of foul play. No further information is being given at this time. In a final blog post titled "Chaos and Mayhem...Hip-Hop" and dated Aug. 23, Lighty—a member of Boogie Down Productions and the founder of Violator Management (now Primary Violator)—Lighty expressed frustration at the "rat...
- 8/30/2012
- E! Online
Chris Lighty, a mogul in the hip-hop world who managed the likes of 50 Cent, Diddy, Mariah Carey and Ja Rule, died on Thursday of an apparent suicide.
The New York Daily News reports that 44-year-old Lighty died Thursday morning after allegedly shooting himself in the head in his Bronx, N.Y., apartment. A gun was found next to his body.
Law enforcement officials said the hip-hop manager, who divorced his wife last year, was dealing with financial issues, according to the NY Daily News. He reportedly owed the IRS $5 million.
He first broke into the music business at Rush Artist Management, Russell Simmons' company and sister outfit to Def Jam Recordings, reported NJ.com. Lighty worked with Simmons in 1989 and left the following year to start his own company.
Lighty, raised in the Bronx, became an industry heavyweight after founding Violator Entertainment, the management firm, record label and marketing...
The New York Daily News reports that 44-year-old Lighty died Thursday morning after allegedly shooting himself in the head in his Bronx, N.Y., apartment. A gun was found next to his body.
Law enforcement officials said the hip-hop manager, who divorced his wife last year, was dealing with financial issues, according to the NY Daily News. He reportedly owed the IRS $5 million.
He first broke into the music business at Rush Artist Management, Russell Simmons' company and sister outfit to Def Jam Recordings, reported NJ.com. Lighty worked with Simmons in 1989 and left the following year to start his own company.
Lighty, raised in the Bronx, became an industry heavyweight after founding Violator Entertainment, the management firm, record label and marketing...
- 8/30/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
Music executive Chris Lighty has died, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. The New York Daily News reports that the hip-hop veteran apparently shot himself in the head in his Bronx apartment. He was found at 11:30 a.m., police sources tell the paper, with a gun next to his body. Lighty was 44. The chief operating officer at Primary Violator, a partnership between Lighty's Violator Management and Primary Wave Music -- home to Cee-Lo Green -- that was unveiled in September 2011, Lightly was the longtime manager of 50 Cent and brought with him a roster that included artists such as Mariah
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- 8/30/2012
- by Shirley Halperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Steven J. Horowitz
Last Wednesday, veteran rapper Busta Rhymes appeared at the launch of Google Music to support his partnership with the newly launched platform -- an announcement that came in confluence with his surprise signing to Cash Money Records, revealed the same day. The former Universal Motown recording artist, whose career-long manager Chris Lighty broke the news of his departure from the shingle in May 2011, has been plotting the alliance since splitting with his former label home. The deal, which Lighty describes as an "outside the box" venture, is a four-album contract with Cash Money, which will handle all physical
read more...
Last Wednesday, veteran rapper Busta Rhymes appeared at the launch of Google Music to support his partnership with the newly launched platform -- an announcement that came in confluence with his surprise signing to Cash Money Records, revealed the same day. The former Universal Motown recording artist, whose career-long manager Chris Lighty broke the news of his departure from the shingle in May 2011, has been plotting the alliance since splitting with his former label home. The deal, which Lighty describes as an "outside the box" venture, is a four-album contract with Cash Money, which will handle all physical
read more...
- 11/23/2011
- by Steven J. Horowitz
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Michael “Blue” Williams and Chris Lighty are rarely in the spotlight, but they certainly know how to attract and capitalize on it.
For the past two decades, the two men have each managed some of the biggest entertainment acts in show business.
The two men, who both grew up in New York City, recently decided to merge their two companies – Primary Wave and Violator – to form Primary Violator, a powerhouse management company that boasts a roster of about 20 artists and a staff of 42 employees.
For the past two decades, the two men have each managed some of the biggest entertainment acts in show business.
The two men, who both grew up in New York City, recently decided to merge their two companies – Primary Wave and Violator – to form Primary Violator, a powerhouse management company that boasts a roster of about 20 artists and a staff of 42 employees.
- 11/20/2011
- by Lee Hawkins
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Randy Jackson is reportedly close to signing a deal to manage the career of Mariah Carey. The American Idol judge is said to be negotiating a deal to work with the singer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Carey was previously signed to Chris Lighty's Violator Entertainment, who also represent the likes of 50 Cent, LL Cool J and Soulja Boy. Jackson has produced, co-written and recorded with Carey, playing bass guitar for the (more)...
- 11/19/2011
- by By Tom Eames
- Digital Spy
'If you let Def Jam die, you're gonna let a bit of the culture die,' he tells 'RapFix Live,' fearing label's lack of leadership could lead to its demise.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Irv Gotti
Photo: Natasha Chandel/ MTV News
When you think of the great Def Jam executives, Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin, Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles all come to mind. But don't forget to credit Irv Gotti with helping rebuild the legendary hip-hop label in the mid-1990s.
After producing for Jay-z's independent debut, Reasonable Doubt, Gotti helped set up the now-infamous deal between Hov's Roc-a-Fella and Def Jam. Dmx, in all his multiplatinum glory, came next, and Ja Rule followed, all brought to Def Jam by Gotti. Now, the Murder Inc. founder wants to head the seminal rap record company.
"I wanted to speak on this because I love the hip-hop culture with a deep,...
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Irv Gotti
Photo: Natasha Chandel/ MTV News
When you think of the great Def Jam executives, Russell Simmons, Rick Rubin, Lyor Cohen and Kevin Liles all come to mind. But don't forget to credit Irv Gotti with helping rebuild the legendary hip-hop label in the mid-1990s.
After producing for Jay-z's independent debut, Reasonable Doubt, Gotti helped set up the now-infamous deal between Hov's Roc-a-Fella and Def Jam. Dmx, in all his multiplatinum glory, came next, and Ja Rule followed, all brought to Def Jam by Gotti. Now, the Murder Inc. founder wants to head the seminal rap record company.
"I wanted to speak on this because I love the hip-hop culture with a deep,...
- 10/5/2011
- MTV Music News
Like other parts of the music business, there’s a lot of consolidation taking place in talent management — including this announcement today from feisty independent firms Primary Wave and Violator Management. They’ve chosen the unfortunate name of Primary Violator Management for the 50/50 joint venture. Primary Wave’s client list includes CeeLo Green, Ginuwine, Goodie Mob, Eric Benet, Cody Simpson, Case and GMD3. Violator adds Curtis “50 Cent’ Jackson, LL Cool J, Mariah Carey, Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip, Soulja Boy, and Diggy Simmons. Primary Wave CEO Larry Mestel will be in charge. Competition is intensifying: Yesterday, Live Nation Chairman Irving Azoff said he plans to announce a big music management acquisition soon. Here’s today’s release: New York, N.Y. (September 16th, 2011) – Music industry veteran, Larry Mestel, CEO of Primary Wave Music, one of the largest independent music publishing, marketing, branding and talent management companies in the United States, announces a...
- 9/16/2011
- by DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor
- Deadline TV
Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson gets money--and not just as a hip-hop megastar. The Jamaica, Queens-born rapper has been filling his piggy bank with a slew of non-music side-projects. He founded and runs a big-time record label under Interscope. He's launched successful sneaker and clothing lines. He's starred in hit movies and video games. And most impressively, he invested a pretty penny in Vitamin Water-maker Glacéau, which sold to Coca-Cola in 2007 for $4.1 billion, a deal that earned 50 an estimated $100 million.
But don't think the rapper-turned-businessman is satisfied: Recognizing the potential of a new industry, Fiddy has invested in another company, Gunnar Optiks, which specializes in "digital performance eyewear."
For many, staring at LCD screens and digital projections can cause headaches, diminished focus, and tired or dry eyes. Gunnar Optiks creates lenses optimized for a sharper digital viewing experience that extinguish the "polarizing light" and "ghosting" effect that can often plague the eye.
But don't think the rapper-turned-businessman is satisfied: Recognizing the potential of a new industry, Fiddy has invested in another company, Gunnar Optiks, which specializes in "digital performance eyewear."
For many, staring at LCD screens and digital projections can cause headaches, diminished focus, and tired or dry eyes. Gunnar Optiks creates lenses optimized for a sharper digital viewing experience that extinguish the "polarizing light" and "ghosting" effect that can often plague the eye.
- 12/16/2010
- by Austin Carr
- Fast Company
Sixteen years on from her first Christmas songs release, Mariah Carey is prepping a sequel: "Merry Christmas II You" will be out on Nov. 2, according to Rap-Up. The title is a play on her 1994 "Merry Christmas" and references, too, lyrics to "The Christmas Song," popularized by Nat King Cole. Coincidentally, country singer Reba McEntire has previously released an album called "Merry Christmas to You." No word on a tracklist yet, though the pop diva's manager Chris Lighty Tweeted a couple weeks ago that Carey was onsite at the Home Shopping Network (Hsn), preparing an appearance to sell the set...
- 9/2/2010
- by Katie Hasty
- Hitfix
Mariah Carey has got a name for her upcoming Christmas studio album. According to Rap-Up, the 40-year-old singer is going to release the effort under the title "Merry Christmas II You". The "II" reportedly is a representation that the album is a follow-up to 1994 "Merry Christmas".
The second holiday album of Carey is expected to be made available for purchase in United States on November 2, around three weeks before the beginning of American Christmas shopping session. Beside listing cover versions of holiday classics, it will also include some original materials.
The album photoshoot reportedly has been done by famed photographer David Lachapelle with the decoration of fake snow, trees and wooden reindeers. As for promotional effort, Carey's manager Chris Lighty said they are partnering with Home Shopping Network (Hsn).
The second holiday album of Carey is expected to be made available for purchase in United States on November 2, around three weeks before the beginning of American Christmas shopping session. Beside listing cover versions of holiday classics, it will also include some original materials.
The album photoshoot reportedly has been done by famed photographer David Lachapelle with the decoration of fake snow, trees and wooden reindeers. As for promotional effort, Carey's manager Chris Lighty said they are partnering with Home Shopping Network (Hsn).
- 9/2/2010
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
'Sight brings his 'suburban perspective,' while Ameer speaks the 'truth,' in Mixtape Daily.
Ameer
Firestarter: Outasight
It's so obvious and you hate to say it, but Outasight looks nothing like the Yonkers music royalty we know that come from the outskirts of NYC.
The Lox? Nah. Dmx? Nope. He'll never even be mistaken for running with Mary J. Blige's camp, but as we know in hip-hop, you don't have to look bone-gristle hard to make an impact. Twenty-six-year-old Caucasian Mc Outasight says he's proud to come from an area that spawned so many dope acts and is looking forward to receiving his own recognition.
"I certainly respect it amazingly," 'Sight said about Yonkers' lineage.
"I grew up and saw it. I'm a little bit from a different area," he added. "For me, it's more of a suburban perspective, coming from Yonkers but at the same time being...
Ameer
Firestarter: Outasight
It's so obvious and you hate to say it, but Outasight looks nothing like the Yonkers music royalty we know that come from the outskirts of NYC.
The Lox? Nah. Dmx? Nope. He'll never even be mistaken for running with Mary J. Blige's camp, but as we know in hip-hop, you don't have to look bone-gristle hard to make an impact. Twenty-six-year-old Caucasian Mc Outasight says he's proud to come from an area that spawned so many dope acts and is looking forward to receiving his own recognition.
"I certainly respect it amazingly," 'Sight said about Yonkers' lineage.
"I grew up and saw it. I'm a little bit from a different area," he added. "For me, it's more of a suburban perspective, coming from Yonkers but at the same time being...
- 12/11/2009
- MTV Music News
'Sight brings his 'suburban perspective,' while Ameer speaks the 'truth,' in Mixtape Daily.
Ameer
Firestarter: Outasight
It's so obvious and you hate to say it, but Outasight looks nothing like the Yonkers music royalty we know that come from the outskirts of NYC.
The Lox? Nah. Dmx? Nope. He'll never even be mistaken for running with Mary J. Blige's camp, but as we know in hip-hop, you don't have to look bone-gristle hard to make an impact. Twenty-six-year-old Caucasian Mc Outasight says he's proud to come from an area that spawned so many dope acts and is looking forward to receiving his own recognition.
"I certainly respect it amazingly," 'Sight said about Yonkers' lineage.
"I grew up and saw it. I'm a little bit from a different area," he added. "For me, it's more of a suburban perspective, coming from Yonkers but at the same time being...
Ameer
Firestarter: Outasight
It's so obvious and you hate to say it, but Outasight looks nothing like the Yonkers music royalty we know that come from the outskirts of NYC.
The Lox? Nah. Dmx? Nope. He'll never even be mistaken for running with Mary J. Blige's camp, but as we know in hip-hop, you don't have to look bone-gristle hard to make an impact. Twenty-six-year-old Caucasian Mc Outasight says he's proud to come from an area that spawned so many dope acts and is looking forward to receiving his own recognition.
"I certainly respect it amazingly," 'Sight said about Yonkers' lineage.
"I grew up and saw it. I'm a little bit from a different area," he added. "For me, it's more of a suburban perspective, coming from Yonkers but at the same time being...
- 12/11/2009
- MTV Music News
The album may not have fared as well as Island Records would have liked back in September, so Mariah Carey's "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" is getting a facelift and a re-release in February. The set is being remixed, as Trey Songz and Tricky Stewart announced in October, and it looks like Target will be the exclusive retailer to nab it. The diva's manager Chris Lighty made the latter comment in a Twitter post over the weekend: "Listen Memoirs remix LP February ... no date set working on Target exclusive," according to Rap-Up.com. Stewart is taking on a revamp of Carey's...
- 11/30/2009
- by Katie Hasty
- Hitfix
Remixed edition will feature collaborations with Swizz Beatz, Tricky, R. Kelly, T-Pain and more.
By Jocelyn Vena
Mariah Carey
Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images
Mariah Carey is expected to release a remixed edition of her album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel in February, following the disappointing sales of the original. The album will reportedly be available for an exclusive purchase through Target stores.
According to Rap-Up.com, her manager, Chris Lighty, tweeted the news about the album, which was originally released in September. He wrote, "Listen Memoirs remix LP February ... no date set working on Target exclusive." The Web site further reports that the album will feature collaborations with Swizz Beatz and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, as well as Trey Songz, R. Kelly, T-Pain, Gucci Mane and Oj Da Juiceman.
"There's gonna be remixes to everything," Stewart recently told Rap-Up. "I'm actually doing some remixing myself currently 'cause some of these...
By Jocelyn Vena
Mariah Carey
Photo: Charley Gallay/Getty Images
Mariah Carey is expected to release a remixed edition of her album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel in February, following the disappointing sales of the original. The album will reportedly be available for an exclusive purchase through Target stores.
According to Rap-Up.com, her manager, Chris Lighty, tweeted the news about the album, which was originally released in September. He wrote, "Listen Memoirs remix LP February ... no date set working on Target exclusive." The Web site further reports that the album will feature collaborations with Swizz Beatz and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, as well as Trey Songz, R. Kelly, T-Pain, Gucci Mane and Oj Da Juiceman.
"There's gonna be remixes to everything," Stewart recently told Rap-Up. "I'm actually doing some remixing myself currently 'cause some of these...
- 11/30/2009
- MTV Music News
A remix edition of Mariah Carey's "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel" is expected to come out sometime in February. Also, there is a chance it will be made available for exclusive purchase on Target. "Listen Memoirs remix lp february ... no date set working on target exclusive," her manager Chris Lighty recently tweeted.
Two of the producers who will be involved in the making of the re-worked package are Swizz Beatz and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart. There are also the likes of Trey Songz, R. Kelly, T-Pain, Gucci Mane and Oj Da Juiceman lending their vocal.
On how the album will satisfy Mariah's fans, Tricky told Rap-Up, "We wanted to do an album that was really personal, and if you love Mariah Carey, you can put it on and listen to it all day." He continued, "But at the same time, if you like the hot Mariah when she's doing the features,...
Two of the producers who will be involved in the making of the re-worked package are Swizz Beatz and Christopher "Tricky" Stewart. There are also the likes of Trey Songz, R. Kelly, T-Pain, Gucci Mane and Oj Da Juiceman lending their vocal.
On how the album will satisfy Mariah's fans, Tricky told Rap-Up, "We wanted to do an album that was really personal, and if you love Mariah Carey, you can put it on and listen to it all day." He continued, "But at the same time, if you like the hot Mariah when she's doing the features,...
- 11/30/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Atlanta Mc also just recorded four tracks with Snoop Dogg.
By Shaheem Reid
Gucci Mane
Photo: Soul Brother/ Getty Images
Is Gucci Mane going from the Trap House to the penthouse? After appearing on a remix of the Black Eyed Peas' #1 single "Boom Boom Pow," the Atlanta Mc recorded his biggest collaboration to date: a remix of Mariah Carey's new single "Obsessed."
"That joint hard, ain't it? It was crazy," he said about working with Mariah. "It was big."
Gucci said 50 Cent's manager, Chris Lighty, orchestrated the guest appearance.
"Shout-out to Mariah Carey and her whole squad and my boy Chris Lighty," Gucci said. "He got me and Mariah together. I appreciate it. He put me on there as well as her. Both of them are smart for doing that. The song came out hard. Mariah knew I wanted to do a song with her. It finally happened,...
By Shaheem Reid
Gucci Mane
Photo: Soul Brother/ Getty Images
Is Gucci Mane going from the Trap House to the penthouse? After appearing on a remix of the Black Eyed Peas' #1 single "Boom Boom Pow," the Atlanta Mc recorded his biggest collaboration to date: a remix of Mariah Carey's new single "Obsessed."
"That joint hard, ain't it? It was crazy," he said about working with Mariah. "It was big."
Gucci said 50 Cent's manager, Chris Lighty, orchestrated the guest appearance.
"Shout-out to Mariah Carey and her whole squad and my boy Chris Lighty," Gucci said. "He got me and Mariah together. I appreciate it. He put me on there as well as her. Both of them are smart for doing that. The song came out hard. Mariah knew I wanted to do a song with her. It finally happened,...
- 6/18/2009
- MTV Music News
Fif says fans are 'ready' for harder material, like new street album.
By Shaheem Reid
50 Cent
Photo: MTV News
New York — The ride to 25th Street from the G-Unit offices outside of Times Square in 50 Cent's SUV wasn't long enough — the G-Unit General needed a little more time to play his record.
Outside of his camp, nobody had heard a lick of material from his street album, War Angel LP (which became available for download Tuesday), and he was eager to preview a few tracks for MTV News. Fif sat in his seat and pressed a button. Up came a huge flat screen from behind his manager Chris Lighty, who was seated facing 50 in the four-passenger SUV.
The screen displayed the Internet, not TV. Fif is big on the Web, if you haven't noticed. He said the traffic on his Web site, ThisIs50.com, has doubled since he started responding...
By Shaheem Reid
50 Cent
Photo: MTV News
New York — The ride to 25th Street from the G-Unit offices outside of Times Square in 50 Cent's SUV wasn't long enough — the G-Unit General needed a little more time to play his record.
Outside of his camp, nobody had heard a lick of material from his street album, War Angel LP (which became available for download Tuesday), and he was eager to preview a few tracks for MTV News. Fif sat in his seat and pressed a button. Up came a huge flat screen from behind his manager Chris Lighty, who was seated facing 50 in the four-passenger SUV.
The screen displayed the Internet, not TV. Fif is big on the Web, if you haven't noticed. He said the traffic on his Web site, ThisIs50.com, has doubled since he started responding...
- 6/17/2009
- MTV Music News
Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson will be starring alongside Chris Klein, Adam Rodriguez and Richard T. Jones in "Caught in the Crossfire," a police corruption drama. According to Variety, newcomer Brian Miller wrote the script and will be making his directing debut as well on the film.Jackson's Cheetah Vision Films partner Randall Emmett will be producing with R.D. Miller through his company Miller and Miller Films. Jackson will be executive producing alongside Chris Lighty and Tim Roth.The drama revolves around two homicide detectives who find themselves caught in the crossfire of a gang-related murder and corruption in their department. Jackson will play a gang member who becomes an informant.Shooting has begun in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
- 6/3/2009
- by Adnan Tezer
- Monsters and Critics
Abel Ferrara will be directing an updated version of Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," which will be titled "Jekyll and Hyde."According to Variety, Forest Whitaker and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson are attached to play the lead roles in the classic tale about a doctor who invents a potion that unleashes his violent alter ego.Glasshouse Pictures' Brett Walsh and Cheetah Vision Films' Randall Emmett will be handling producing duties; Luc Roeg, Michael Robinson and Andrew Orr will be executive producing for United Kingdom production banner Independent.Sean Walsh, Bonnie Timmermann and Chris Lighty will also receive executive producer credits.Shooting is scheduled to begin in late summer.
- 5/14/2009
- by Adnan Tezer
- Monsters and Critics
Veteran actress Jane Fonda has lashed out at the recent Wall Street scandal which saw many of her friends lose their life savings. Former Nasdaq chairman Bernard Madoff was arrested on 8 December on charges of securities fraud, after allegedly ciphering billions of dollars from his clients in a scam which collapsed when people began asking for their money back, due to the global financial crisis.
A string of celebrities have admitted to being caught up in the scam, including Kevin Bacon, Zsa Zsa Gabor and most recently 50 Cent's manager Chris Lighty.
And now Fonda has launched a scathing attack on the man allegedly behind the fraud, accusing him of destroying many people's livelihoods.
She writes on her official blog, "I was thinking today how grateful I am just to be working. So many aren’t. I ache when I read about the layoffs. I’ve lost a lot but it’s nothing compared to friends of mine who have lost everything they had because every penny they saved over their entire lifetimes was invested in one of Madoff’s schemes.
"I read a few days ago that Madoff was complaining that he felt like a prisoner in his own penthouse! I want to shake him till his teeth fall out."
Fonda is currently starring in a Broadway production of 33 Variations.
A string of celebrities have admitted to being caught up in the scam, including Kevin Bacon, Zsa Zsa Gabor and most recently 50 Cent's manager Chris Lighty.
And now Fonda has launched a scathing attack on the man allegedly behind the fraud, accusing him of destroying many people's livelihoods.
She writes on her official blog, "I was thinking today how grateful I am just to be working. So many aren’t. I ache when I read about the layoffs. I’ve lost a lot but it’s nothing compared to friends of mine who have lost everything they had because every penny they saved over their entire lifetimes was invested in one of Madoff’s schemes.
"I read a few days ago that Madoff was complaining that he felt like a prisoner in his own penthouse! I want to shake him till his teeth fall out."
Fonda is currently starring in a Broadway production of 33 Variations.
- 2/6/2009
- WENN
Universal Pictures has acquired the spec Live Bet by brothers Charley and Vlas Parlapanides, with Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson attached to star. Mary Parent and Scott Stuber are producing through their Universal-based shingle. Chris Lighty also is producing alongside Jackson via his G Unit Films banner. The story is described as a character-based heist film and is based on the actual existence of underground clubs in Manhattan that place bets and wagers on illegal car racing. Vlas Parlapanides wrote Across the Sea and Everything for a Reason, which was produced by Charley Parlapanides.
- 5/10/2006
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Like the Eminem starrer "8 Mile", "Get Rich or Die Tryin'", starring rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, takes many elements from the rap star's real life and folds them into the contours of a quasi-fictional film that charts the entertainer's path through poverty and despair to stardom. Both stories are similar in that this path is littered with daunting obstacles, which its true-life hero did overcome. The difference here is that for all its biographical truth, "Get Rich"'s journey into a ghetto of hustlers, gangstas and mindless violence is all too familiar.
Stretching back to blaxploitation in the '70s to recent films by John Singleton, Ernest Dickerson and others, we've moved down these mean streets, watched drive-by shootings and witnessed drug deals and gang feuds ad infinitum. Fortunately for the film's boxoffice, it will draw from two distinct demographics. Director Jim Sheridan has a definite following in major urban markets, colleges and special venues thanks to such films as "In America" and "My Left Foot", while 50 Cent, of course, has a huge following among rap fans and blacks. So boxoffice looks strong.
Sheridan and writer Terence Winter, once a staff writer on "The Sopranos", do have several things going for them to partially offset the been-there, done-that feeling. One is a ruthlessly unsentimental and nonjudgmental approach to a life mired in poverty, where crime seems the only way out. The film offers no emotional pleas or social messages; rather, its makers deliver an unblinking distillation of the urban experience for far too many young black males.
Another positive is 50 Cents himself. There should be no surprise that rappers such as Eminem and 50 Cent prove talented actors. As performers onstage, performers who have renamed themselves, they have long played a character based on but not to be confused with their own personas. They are actors.
50 Cent's range is not as wide as Eminem's, but he creates plenty of empathy for the fatherless boy, here called Marcus, whose drug-dealer mom (Serena Reeder) dies when he is 12. Marcus' grandparents take him in, but the boy heads down the only path he sees open to him when he gets into crime just like his mom.
The film hits all the well-publicized highlights of the life of 50 Cent in his ascension in a gang of drug dealers, their war with Colombian dealers, a flirtation with rap that never takes hold since crime seems so much easier and finally the nine gunshot wounds that miraculously failed to take his life.
In cinematographic terms, Winter's screenplay is always in intense medium close-up, never pulling back for a wider angle of society or even New York. Does his character really have no other options than crime? Does society take any blame? Could his grandparents (Viola Davis and Sullivan Walker) have intervened? The film doesn't even ask. It just barrels ahead with a life heading for tragedy that, again miraculously, takes a detour into creativity. That it leads to musical success is merely gravy. For the portrait here is one of creativity winning the day and saving a life -- or maybe several -- when Marcus' girlfriend (Joy Bryant) gives birth to his son and he accepts responsibility for his family's well-being.
As with all Sheridan movies, this one contains fine acting. The suddenly hot Terrence Howard stands out as Bama, a fellow ex-con and friend who encourages Marcus' move into rap and winds up as his manager. London-born Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje brings an icy chill to his portrait of a gangsta whose friendship can turn lethal in a moment.
Veteran Bill Duke enters "Godfather" territory with his heavy-limbed, dignified portrait of a ruthless drug kingpin. Newcomer Reeder shows exceptional talent and beauty as Marcus' mother.
And, as with many Sheridan movies, the director demonstrates a fascination with how family units function and flourish under adverse conditions. It is especially attentive to the changing attitudes of its lead character, who is marvelously played as a child by Marc John Jefferies until 50 Cent can take over.
The soundtrack is not, fortunately, chockablock with music and rap. Music is used discreetly for dramatic impact, though there is more than enough to guarantee huge album sales. Declan Quinn and designer Mark Geraghty, both of whom worked with Sheridan on "In America", definitely capture the grit and seemingly omnipresent darkness of the South Bronx.
GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN'
Paramount Pictures
An Interscope/Shady/Aftermath/MTV Films production
Credits:
Director: Jim Sheridan
Screenwriter: Terence Winter
Producers: Jimmy Iovine, Paul Rosenberg, Chris Lighty, Jim Sheridan
Executive producers: Gene Kirkwood, Stuart Parr, Van Toffler, David Gale, Arthur Lappin, Daniel Lupi
Director of photography: Declan Quinn
Production designer: Mark Geraghty
Music: Quincy Jones, Gavin Friday, Maurice Seezer
Costumes: Francine Jamison-Tanchuck
Editors: Conrad Buff, Roger Barton
Cast:
Marcus: Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson
Bama: Terrence Howard
Charlene: Joy Bryant
Levar: Bill Duke
Majestic: Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje
Keryl: Omar Benson Miller
Justice: Tory Kittles
Grandma: Viola Davis
Young Marcus: Marc John Jefferies
Antwan: Ashley Walters
Katrina: Serena Reeder
Running time -- 112 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Stretching back to blaxploitation in the '70s to recent films by John Singleton, Ernest Dickerson and others, we've moved down these mean streets, watched drive-by shootings and witnessed drug deals and gang feuds ad infinitum. Fortunately for the film's boxoffice, it will draw from two distinct demographics. Director Jim Sheridan has a definite following in major urban markets, colleges and special venues thanks to such films as "In America" and "My Left Foot", while 50 Cent, of course, has a huge following among rap fans and blacks. So boxoffice looks strong.
Sheridan and writer Terence Winter, once a staff writer on "The Sopranos", do have several things going for them to partially offset the been-there, done-that feeling. One is a ruthlessly unsentimental and nonjudgmental approach to a life mired in poverty, where crime seems the only way out. The film offers no emotional pleas or social messages; rather, its makers deliver an unblinking distillation of the urban experience for far too many young black males.
Another positive is 50 Cents himself. There should be no surprise that rappers such as Eminem and 50 Cent prove talented actors. As performers onstage, performers who have renamed themselves, they have long played a character based on but not to be confused with their own personas. They are actors.
50 Cent's range is not as wide as Eminem's, but he creates plenty of empathy for the fatherless boy, here called Marcus, whose drug-dealer mom (Serena Reeder) dies when he is 12. Marcus' grandparents take him in, but the boy heads down the only path he sees open to him when he gets into crime just like his mom.
The film hits all the well-publicized highlights of the life of 50 Cent in his ascension in a gang of drug dealers, their war with Colombian dealers, a flirtation with rap that never takes hold since crime seems so much easier and finally the nine gunshot wounds that miraculously failed to take his life.
In cinematographic terms, Winter's screenplay is always in intense medium close-up, never pulling back for a wider angle of society or even New York. Does his character really have no other options than crime? Does society take any blame? Could his grandparents (Viola Davis and Sullivan Walker) have intervened? The film doesn't even ask. It just barrels ahead with a life heading for tragedy that, again miraculously, takes a detour into creativity. That it leads to musical success is merely gravy. For the portrait here is one of creativity winning the day and saving a life -- or maybe several -- when Marcus' girlfriend (Joy Bryant) gives birth to his son and he accepts responsibility for his family's well-being.
As with all Sheridan movies, this one contains fine acting. The suddenly hot Terrence Howard stands out as Bama, a fellow ex-con and friend who encourages Marcus' move into rap and winds up as his manager. London-born Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje brings an icy chill to his portrait of a gangsta whose friendship can turn lethal in a moment.
Veteran Bill Duke enters "Godfather" territory with his heavy-limbed, dignified portrait of a ruthless drug kingpin. Newcomer Reeder shows exceptional talent and beauty as Marcus' mother.
And, as with many Sheridan movies, the director demonstrates a fascination with how family units function and flourish under adverse conditions. It is especially attentive to the changing attitudes of its lead character, who is marvelously played as a child by Marc John Jefferies until 50 Cent can take over.
The soundtrack is not, fortunately, chockablock with music and rap. Music is used discreetly for dramatic impact, though there is more than enough to guarantee huge album sales. Declan Quinn and designer Mark Geraghty, both of whom worked with Sheridan on "In America", definitely capture the grit and seemingly omnipresent darkness of the South Bronx.
GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN'
Paramount Pictures
An Interscope/Shady/Aftermath/MTV Films production
Credits:
Director: Jim Sheridan
Screenwriter: Terence Winter
Producers: Jimmy Iovine, Paul Rosenberg, Chris Lighty, Jim Sheridan
Executive producers: Gene Kirkwood, Stuart Parr, Van Toffler, David Gale, Arthur Lappin, Daniel Lupi
Director of photography: Declan Quinn
Production designer: Mark Geraghty
Music: Quincy Jones, Gavin Friday, Maurice Seezer
Costumes: Francine Jamison-Tanchuck
Editors: Conrad Buff, Roger Barton
Cast:
Marcus: Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson
Bama: Terrence Howard
Charlene: Joy Bryant
Levar: Bill Duke
Majestic: Adewale Akinnouye-Agbaje
Keryl: Omar Benson Miller
Justice: Tory Kittles
Grandma: Viola Davis
Young Marcus: Marc John Jefferies
Antwan: Ashley Walters
Katrina: Serena Reeder
Running time -- 112 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 12/5/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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