Hip Hop

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's alleged crack smoking scandal doesn't appear to be going in anywhere anytime soon, which may point to why he released a statement denying the claims Friday (May 24). Ford asserts that he's not addicted to crack cocaine, nor does he smoke the drug. A drug dealer reportedly shopped a video around of Ford getting high, and tried to sell the recording to the Toronto Star, and Gawker.com.  So far the footage has not been released. "I do not use crack cocaine, nor am I an addict of crack cocaine," the politician said in front the media, but took no questions. Ford's crack scandal may already be taking a toll on his day job. He fired Chief of Staff  Mark Towhey yesterday without giving an explanation. Towhey was escorted out of City Hall by security only revealing that he was pink slipped versus stepping down from his post. As he said when news of the report first broke, Ford believes that he's just being picked on by the press. "It is most unfortunate, very unfortunate, that my colleagues and the great people of this city have been exposed to the fact that I've been judged by the media without any evidence." His excuse hasn't killed the skepticism. "I don't believe the mayor," City Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker said.  "He should resign and then go seek help." Revealing the erratic behavior he's seen Ford display, Baeremaeker believes the mayor is "imploding," and needs to face facts. "The mayor had an opportunity to acknowledge that perhaps he does have a problem, and to take a leave of absence, perhaps to take care of himself and his family, instead he went on the attack." Ford has a history of acting inappropriately, and has made news for it since being elected in 2010. He was fired from his high school football coaching job Wednesday (May 22), earlier in the year the 43-year-old was asked to leave a gala because he was said to be drunk, and during his campaign bid, he refuted claims of a 1999 kush-related DUI arrest. To help fully expose Ford, Gawker.com has turned to the public to raise money  and purchase the tape. The site is looking to get $200,000 from donations to buy the video which it will publish. They've raised $90,000 so far. -- Photo: CBC

Mariah Carey took to Good Morning America this morning to perform a few hits as well as the clean version of her single with Miguel “#Beautiful.” Kicking off the Summer Concert Series in Central Park, she took the stage in the rain to perform “We Belong Together.” After the throwback “Always Be My Baby,” she suffered a wardrobe malfunction, or as she put it “Central Park Saga,” when the back of her pink dress popped open. She let out an “oh sh*t” on air before going into her duet with Miguel. Despite the slight issue, she joked through the incident and sounded fine. Check out the clip of Mariah Carey’s performance below. The post Mariah Carey x Miguel – “#Beautiful” + Wardrobe Malfunction [Live on GMA] appeared first on Okayplayer.

Roc Nation rapper J. Cole has stepped forward to put an end to online chatter about having a song on his upcoming Born Sinner album entitled "I Disappointed Nas."

Golden era rap trio Digable Planets return in the form of a limited vinyl reissue of their 1994 album Blowout Comb, dropping via Light In The Attic. The album, which features apparences by Jeru the Damaja and Guru, was their second and final full record together. Many would say that this release heavily influenced further laid back jazz-inspired aspects of hip -hop. The reissue includes liner notes by Seattle-based journalist/DJ Larry Mizell Jr. Purchase your copy through Light In The Attic. Tracklist: 1. The May 4th Movement Starring Doodlebug 2. Black Ego 3. Dog It 4. Jettin’ 5. Borough Check 6. Highing Fly 7. Dial 7 (Axioms Of Creamy Spies) 8. The Art Of Easing 9. K.B.’s Alley (Mood Dudes Groove) 10. Graffiti 11. Blowing Down 12. 9th Wonder (Blackitolism) 13. For Corners shouts to GVB The post Digable Planets – ‘Blowout Comb’ Vinyl Reissue appeared first on Okayplayer.

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard from the New Orleans rap O.G. Big Mike, but the former Geto Boys & Convicts member returns with a heater called “Full Motion” featuring Ebony Burks on the hook. This track will appear on The Hookah Lounge Volume 1 compilation due out this Tuesday which features an impressive lineup of artists including Nappy Roots, Pill, CyHi Da Prynce, Crooked I, Knoc-turn’al, Young Buck, Cam’ron & Jay Rock. According to an interview conducted by Maurice Garland back in March, Big Mike is also set to release an album titled Full Motion this year. DOWNLOAD Author informationJustinEditor In Chief at KevinNottingham.comJustin Ivey is the Editor-In-Chief at KevinNottingham.com and has been with the site since 2009, when he began working as a summer intern. Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Justin is a graduate of Louisiana State University. He is also a contributor at The Well Versed, where he covers mixed martial arts, a writer for the weekly magazine DIG Baton Rouge and a contributor to the A3C Hip Hop Festival's blog.TwitterFacebook Liked this post? Then you'll love these.,, Contest: Submit Your Ghetto Dream Video to Common Codie G & CP (of Slow Motion Soundz): This Ain’t No Muthafucking Game [prod by R. Dot] Killer Mike aka Mike Bigga: Guru Salute

Lawd Jesus it’s an exorcism. Catholic Church Gives Exorcism Training According to Raw Story Catholics in and around Madrid concerned that they or their loved ones are suffering from demonic possession may be about to get some much needed assistance from the archdiocese. A spokeswoman confirmed to the Associated Press that the Church in considering training more priests in the exorcism rites to counter increasing demand for its one trained priest’s time. The spokewoman, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told the AP, “The devil exists. That’s a fact.” News of the exorcists-in-training was first reported by the Spanish-language Catholic site Religion en libertad, which claims there are eight priests currently in training to learn how to perform exorcisms based on the De Exorcismus et supplicationibus quibusdam, approved by Pope John Paul II in 1998, which replaced the exorcism rites first published in 1614. Catholic World News described the new rite in 1999: The liturgical ritual itself is centered on supplicatory prayers, asking for God’s help, and “imperative” prayers addressed directly to the Devil, commanding him to depart. The prayers are to be said as the exorcist lays his hand on the individual, and are part of an overall ritual which includes specific blessings and sprinklings with holy water. The ritual also includes the litany of the saints, the reading of the Psalms and the Gospel, and a proclamation of faith which may be either the familiar Creed or a simple question-and-answer (“Do you renounce Satan? I do.”). The ritual concludes with the kissing of the Cross, and the final prayer, proclaiming the triumph of Christ and his Church. ReL’s Álex Rosal reports that the eight candidates are additionally studying the 1614 rites as well as the so-called Roman Ritual of 1952, which served as a bridge between the older rites and the final liturgical version issued in 1998. Candidates are also said to be reading the books of Father Gabriele Amorth, the Vatican’s chief exorcist and a controversial figure in his own right. Rosal further reports that there are eight candidates to correspond to each of the eight dioceses, and decisions may be made with the input of local psychiatrists to rule out mental illness and drug abuse before beginning an exorcism. Spanish website The Local reports that there are only 18 registered exorcists in Spain, the most famous and active of which is, according to exorcism expert and author José María Zavala, Father Salvador Hernández Ramón, who reportedly studied under Amorth in Rome. The training itself is reportedly being led by Bishop Cesar Franco. Some of these beyotches in America need an exorcism to exercise that demon they got stuck up their a**. Shutterstock

Behind the Beats and Flyotw present the Noire series exclusively with VIBE. In this episode: "Finally, we get the incredible Beatfox to show off his latest mouth music techniques. This is incredible. This series we are going for a much more stylish look and feel with the black and white and piano chords on the introduction. Inspired by 1950's Noire crime tv and music we present a collection of some dark beats and rhythms from the UK's finest beatboxers." - Flyotw

Slowly, but surely, Buddy keeps the distinctively dope joints coming with his latest release, produced by Tom Jack. A washboard of electronic sounds, coupled with some deafening bass make for a deadly combo, so don’t get lost in a trance. As far as projects go, Idle Time is in the works and there’s no release date as of now, so enjoy “Hypnosis.”

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