Trina’s Sitcom ‘With Friends Like These’ To Debut

November 6th, 2005 | By Administrator

Trina will make her television acting debut in the new sitcom ?With Friends Like These? on The Black Family Channel on Wednesday (Nov. 9) at 8:30 pm EST.

The rapper/actress also co-produced the sitcom and plays a character named ?Cleo Taylor? who owns a modeling agency that runs into tax trouble.

Taylor then inherits her deceased aunt?s beauty salon, Hair We Are and her aunt’s arch nemesis as well.

The sitcom will debut on The Black Family Channel, which airs in 25 of the top African-American TV markets in the United States, reaching 14 million households.

The Black Family Channel is the United States? only minority owned and operated cable network and focuses on family oriented programming.

Veteran actor, producer and director Robert Townsend is President and CEO of Productions for the network.

?With Friends Like These? was co-created and produced with Ty Johnston of T.Y. Entertainment, a South Florida based film and television production company.

The series is directed by Melvin James and also stars Ki Toy Johnson (Outkast?s ?I Like the Way You Move video), Luz Whitney (?Bamboozled?), Prince Markie Dee (The Fat Boys, 103.5, Miami)

Repeat dates are as followed:

Wednesday, November 9, 2005 @ 12:00am
Thursday, November 10, 2005 @ 9:30pm
Saturday, November 12, 2005 @ 9:00 pm

Trillville’s Don P Introduces Yung Gunn of Alabama

November 6th, 2005 | By Administrator

Alabama isn?t quite considered a hub of the Hip-Hop industry, but Trillville?s Don P feels he?s found a lyricist to change the perception.

Yung Gunn, a rapper from Birmingham, Alabama, has joined forces with Don P?s Trill Villains and production team Track Boyz Ent. to represent for the burgeoning state. ?Ain?t nothing coming up out of [Alabama] if I ain?t got nothing to do with it. I?m the mouth of the south. The king of Alabama,? Gunn tells AllHipHop.com.

While Southern sentiments dominate Hip-Hop, Gunn promises to bring a new facet to the Rap game with his Birmingham roots.

?Alabama is bringing something new to the game. It?s not bringing the Houston sound, where it?s chopped and screwed or slow. It?s not bringing that ATL [Atlanta] crunk. We got a blend of everything,? he continues in a confident swagger.

Gunn considers himself to be a younger offshoot of other, now famously successful rap moguls like Sean ?Diddy? Combs, Jermaine ?J.D.? Dupri and Rap-A-Lot?s J. Prince.

?He reminds me of myself with I was that age,? J.Prince says to AllHipHop.

?I?m a hustler man. I just read Kevin Liles book [?Make It Happen: The Hip Hop Generation Guide to Success?] and I saw myself in it. I?m a young Kevin Liles, man,? the Birmingham resident prophesizes. ?Ain?t nobody f***ing with me.?

But, Yung Gunn?s bragging may be warranted. He was instrumental in Trillville?s management switch to Jimmy Henchmen?s Czar Entertainment, who also works artists like The Game, Sharissa and Mario Winans.

He maintains, ?S**t wasn?t being done right [with the old managers]. The marketing and promotion was wrong. You got to play a management role and not a homeboy. Don P is a brilliant producer, but his management evidently they didn?t understand that and they didn?t know how to market it, sell it or promote it. I hooked up with him and we clicked.?

Trilltown Mafia, Don P?s new act, recently inked a deal with Rap-A-Lot/Asylum and Gunn was instrumental in making the situation fruitful.

Gunn has aided others with their major label deals and now he hopes to find the right home for his own songs. He says the majors have taken notice and has a number of them interested.

Don P wouldn?t divulge the names of the attracted parties, but said that a signing was drawing near. Gunn said, ?Warner is family with Jim Jones. It?s all love. Rap-A-Lot. Universal and Motown. Everybody family. We can get money together.?

Yung Gunn has already opened shows for Baby and Cash Money, Lil? Jon and The Eastside Boyz and the Ying Yang Twins in addition to sings with R&B crooner Trey Songz. He has a mixtape slated for national release in the immediate future.

Big Boi Talks New Compilation, New R&B Singing

November 3rd, 2005 | By Administrator

Outkast member Big Boi is set to release his new compilation album, Big Boi Presents…Got Purp? Vol. II through his Atlanta-based record label, Purple Ribbon.

The Purple Ribbon label showcases a mixture of established artists, as well as up-and-coming MC?s and R&B singers, with a distinct sound.

Artists singed to Big Boi?s burgeoning label include rappers Bubba Sparxxx, KonKrete, Killa Mike and soulful crooners Sleepy Brown and Scar.

“I just want to add something to the game and make good, quality music,? Big Boi told AllHipHop.com. ?Our sound is top notch and bad-to-the-bone, but most importantly, it’s funk-based. When dogs are purple ribbon bred, it means that they have a history behind them; a champion pedigree. A Purple Ribbon is the highest-ranking you can get and all the artists on my label are winners.”

Big Boi said he was extremely influenced by Antonio ?L.A.? Reid, who signed Outkast to his influential Atlanta-based record label, LaFace, which he co-owned with Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, before selling the label for $100 million dollars to Arista in 2000.

Reid is now head of the Island Def Jam Music Group.

?I’ve been real business savvy for a while,? Big Boi said. ?The team that I got now and the talent that I got, I just want to make the presence in Atlanta that much stronger. I want to try and pull together and fill that void that LaFace left when they were in Atlanta.”

Big Boi Presents…Got Purp? Vol. II is highlighted by an array of tracks including the posse track “Kryptonite,” featuring Big Boi, Killer Mike, C-Bone and Rock D, as well as the melodic electronic R&B dance tune “U Got Me” by Scar featuring Big Boi.

The opus features heavy musical contributions from the labels newest acquisition; stand out R&B singer Scar.

Born in London, Big Boi hopes Scar will stake out new territory for hip-hop and R & B.

“Scar is hybrid-funk, but his voice is so classy and so clean,? Big Boi continued. ?He?s really my secret weapon. He?s a dope writer, a great all around performer and a talented musician. He?s got a story to tell.”

Big Boi Presents ? Got Purp Vol. II is slated to hit stores on Nov. 8.