Check out A Prayer for GURU

A rap giant is fighting for his life.
Guru, the lyrical force behind the duo Gang Starr and his solo Jazzmatazz releases, suffered a heart attack over the weekend and is currently in a coma, according to published reports.
“Guru still in surgery, keep on praying people, he will make it,” tweeted his musical partner, DJ Premier.
“He’s in surgery still keep praying. He’s still here,” echoed rapper Q-Tip.
Along with Premier, the duo Gang Starr released a string of smart, funky albums throughout the 1990s, including Step in the Arena, Daily Operation and Hard to Earn.
As well, Guru’s excellent series of Jazzmatazz albums featured the rapper working with jazz greats like Donald Byrd and Ramsey Lewis. LINK
UPDATE: from Guru’s myspace page:
“I am doing fine and recovering! I am weak. Solar is the only person who has the accurate info on my situation. Any info from anybody ealse is FALSE. I appreciate your well wishes.” (Guru)

Bronald Oil & Gas?? My ninja, please. Check it out.

I would discourage worrying of any kind as a general principle. Worrying is a fear that something bad might happen — a negative emotional state with no external cause in reality. So on that basis, no — I wouldn’t worry about piracy.
I’d also suggest that piracy is not something that tends to happen on the scale that the mainstream media seems to suggest. Unauthorised duplication goes on, but not piracy. The idea that these two things are the same is one that major record labels tend to be quite fond of, but it bears no resemblance to either external reality, or what words actually mean.
Let me outline what I see as the differences between those two things. (READ MORE)
This article comes via: New Music Strategies

The deal is already paying dividends — at least theoretically, says drummer Thompson. “The silly thing is, now that we’re on TV, we’re more valuable then ever. But we can’t really cash in on it.” Concert promoters, he says, offer the band 25% more per show than they did a year ago, which breaks down to an average of $55,000, over $44,000 last year. The Late Night commitment forces the group to turn down most requests.
In a gyrating music industry, Thompson is keeping his eyes on other sources of income. He even recently suggested, lightly, that the band might even seek out advertisers: “Maybe the next Roots album will be brought to you by Downy, or Raid roach spray.” Read More
Been waiting hard for this album.
So much for your landslide victory, Obama. You got the Jay-man pulling strings.
I hope to God this isn’t the trailer for a real movie. Actually…
Can anybody verify this? It has all the makings of a hit- which leads me to believe it’s a one-off spoof (that, and it’s Cam’Ron).
The Wu-Tang Clan chieftain’s new solo work is a set of limited-edition canvas prints featuring his mugshot plastered over a classic American painting

The RZA’s Victory or Death … soon to be followed by the Mona RZA?
History repeats itself. When Wu-Tang Clan formed in the 1990s, The RZA promised they would totally dominate the hip-hop scene within five years ? and they did, under his draconian leadership.
More than two centuries earlier in December 1776, George Washington’s ragged and hungry continental army had camped, apparently spent, on the Pennsylvania shore of the Delaware river. The American rebels were losing the War of Independence. What could be done? Washington chose a desperate tactic: he led his army in boats across the icy river to attack the British at Trenton. He survived the crossing, won the battle, and gave the revolution new hope and passion.
Victory or death ? and in both cases it was victory… Read the Rest

As police chased Raymond “Ready” Martinez through Times Square on Thursday, the street hustler and aspiring rapper fired two shots, holding the gun sideways “like a character out of a rap video.” According to the New York Post, Martinez’s side grip caused the gun to jam, enabling police to shoot and kill the suspect. What’s the point of holding a gun sideways? … Read the rest
From Slate