T.I.'s Akoo Clothing Poster Stirs Controversy, Suggests Sexual Message [Video]

A billboard for T.I.'s Akoo clothing company has reportedly drawn controversy in the city of Newark, New Jersey over its speculated underlying sexual message.

According to reports, the poster is located in the heart of Newark.

T.I.'s clothing line AKOO JEANS is stirring up a lot of lip service. This billboard is smack dab in the middle of one of Newark, New Jersey's busiest intersections. The people of New Jersey thinks the advertisement is sending a risque and inappropriate message to it's younger citizens. The billboard features a woman kneeling in from on a man with his pants unbuckled. I understand the point of view but what's the difference when the music videos are borderline soft porn and they know all the words to 'I Invented Sex' from ages 9-16? I'm just sayin'.
School and government officials have also weighed in on the situation.

"What's the message here? 'If I wear these clothes more women will want to have sex with me,' " said James Sawhill, a Rutgers-Newark marketing professor. Maybe, maybe not. The larger question, however, is: Why Newark? Would it be anywhere else? Millburn, Livingston, Bernardsville? City Council President Mildred Crump is fed up with her city being a doormat for degradation. "I'm so sick of people seeing Newark as a place where they can do whatever they want," she said. "They think they can put it in a black community and nobody is going to say or do anything."
However, CBS Outdoor billboard company executive Jodi Senese felt differently about the advertisement.

"It was a sexy, racy fashion ad, as they so often are," said Jodi Senese, executive vice president of marketing. There are more-explicit ads CBS will not post, she said, but this one didn't rise to that level. AKOO, whose clothing is distributed by Rp55 in Virginia Beach, Va., has not responded to requests for comment. The billboard raises another important question: Does demeaning women also sell? Sawhill says advertising is designed to impart information and conjure up emotion. It can be laughter, fear, concern. In this case, it's something primal. Or you could come up with a good caption contest. However, the billboard contains no informational content. It's strictly emotional, and Sawhill says ads like this are far too common in minority communities.
Last year, Tip spoke on his Akoo brand's 2008 launch.

"We're actually fortunate enough to translate that style into my own clothing line that I released last year," Tip told television personality Chelsea Lately. "Akoo, A King Of One's Self." The clothing line hit the market in October 2008 and was publicized with videos of T.I. during an Akoo video shoot prior to its release circulating online.
Check out footage of the Akoo controversy below:

Jim Jones Beats Florida Teen Assault Charges

Dipset's Jim Jones has reportedly had assault charges against him dropped after he was accused of taking part in the beating of a teenage boy last year in Florida.

According to reports, the charges were officially dropped last Friday (February 26).

Battery charges against Harlem rapper Jim Jones were officially dropped by the Florida's Attorney's Office on Friday (Feb. 26). The charges stemmed from an incident on March 12, 2009, when the former Dipset capo and several members of his entourage allegedly assaulted a teenager in a parking lot after a show in Panama City, Fla.
Footage of the attack was released online last spring.

Posted on YouTube last March, the footage shows around three large men fighting with a smaller person wearing a black shirt while Jim Jones, wearing a white shirt, is standing in the back. Jones appeared to be walking away from the altercation, but returned to pull people away from the fight. With a crowd of people observing the incident including a security guard, Jones and his crew left the scene while being taunted by local residents.
The footage was reportedly caught on video via an iPhone.

Donny Smith, 25, said he shot the video on his iPhone. Smith said he had gone to see a Lil Wayne concert, but went to the parking lot because the beach area was too crowded. He said Jones and members of his party were walking through and stopped to take pictures with some girls. Smith said the victim, Damian Johns, asked for a picture with Jones, who declined, and this upset Johns. Smith said he began to walk away because he believed the fight had ended, but the youth retaliated and began throwing punches, and that is when he began to record the fight.
Jones pleaded not guilty late last May to assault charges.

Byrd Gang's Jim Jones was not in attendance but his lawyer Hoot Crawford pleaded on his behalf. He allegedly punched Damion Johns, 17, of Panama City, on the lip during a March 13 mtvU-hosted Spring Break concert at Boardwalk Beach Resort. Johns told police Jones asked him to move, and then hit him because he did not move out of the way fast enough. Johns said he punched Jones back, and that brought the wrath of Jones' bodyguards, who he said threw him to the ground. One bodyguard held Johns up while the other punched him in the jaw, he told police.
Check out footage from the incident down below:

Trina Talks Leaked Nude Photos, "I Had Some Pictures Of Me That I Don't Want The World To See" [Audio]

Rapper Trina has addressed a cell phone she recently lost which she claims contains content that would leave her "devastated" if it leaked worldwide.

Speaking in an interview, Trina opened up about her lost phone.

"I lost my phone and I had some pictures of me that I don't want the world to see," Trina said in an interview. "And I'm thinking, if it ever comes out, I'm devastated, but I mean, it's not sex tape pictures but still, I don't want you to see them, they're not for you. But losing a phone and all this stuff happens -- but it's a wake up call...I just feel like, what's personal is personal. I don't feel like, as an artist, like I need to do anything to expose myself. I don't need to put out a nude photo for press...I don't need a sex tape of me and my, my significant other to be worldwide, for the world to see."
Reports claim her phone may have been stolen over the weekend.

Trina's story that her cell phone turned up missing while she was onstage performing at BET's Rip The Runway, does hold water. Theft is a well-known problem at fashion shows. Especially when the shows aren't organized properly and models have every Tom, Dick and Shanaynay visiting them in the dressing rooms. Sometimes the models themselves steal from each other. Just hang around long enough after a fashion show and you're bound to hear models complaining about personal items turning up missing.

Trina recently denied rumors of dating rapper Soulja Boy Tell Em.

"Actually I was in Jamaica, I was supposed to perform on the Jamaica, I think it was like the Jamaica Dance Fest or whatever," Trina told radio personality Angela Yee. "And Soulja Boy was supposed to perform on the same show, and I just recorded a record for him which is called 'Like That.' And they were trying to shoot some scenes for his video for that record so it was all fun, we all went out. We were just skiing. We were supposed to do the whole sky diving thing or whatever, and I was just looking up at that balloon like 'I don't think I'm getting up there,' but it was really cool. I got a chance to perform, it rained, we just had a good time...No we weren't grinding, Angie. [laughs]"
Trina recently joined forces with rap mogul Diddy's Circoc Vodka brand.

"Things are gonna be real big," Diddy said about Trina. "She's an official Ciroc girl...Ciroc is gonna be promoting her album, she's gonna be helping us, we gonna be doing it together. We got a new partnership that we rocking with but most importantly, the record and a video is off the chain...You gonna see us performing the joint live, too. She's gonna have the full-length chinchilla and just be buckey-naked with some stickies on. You know what I'm saying, because the body is thorough. Believe that, she's in the gym!"
Check out Trina addressing her lost phone below:

Nicki Minaj Preps "Massive" First Single, "It's Gonna Be A F*cking Bomb"

Young Money's Nicki Minaj and producer Sean Garrett have come together to announced the first single off the rapper's forthcoming album called "Massive Attack."

According to Nicki, a music video will also accompany the single.

"The first single is called 'Massive Attack.' Sean Garrett produced that," she revealed in an interview. "It'll be out very soon. I don't have an exact date, but it will drop right on time...We're actually shooting the video within a week. I can't wait for you guys to see it."
Garrett has also hyped up the forthcoming track from Nicki's debut album.

"I just did Nicki's first single featuring me," he added. "It's gonna be a f*cking bomb. It's very, very explosive! It's a club banger. It's a lot broader than what people would expect her to come with. The record puts her in the game in a way that says she should've been here a long time ago."
Minaj recently explained why she has not rushed her untitled debut.

"I've gotten great feedback from artists I look up to and never thought I'd work with," she explained in an interview. "They're already in line to be on the project. But it's like, 'Do I want to put out a debut album with a thousand features on it or do I wanna finally showcase Nicki?' I'm not worried about features at all...With the album, I think it's more important that people get accustomed to seeing a female rapper again. Before I drop an album, people need to come out and see. People don't even know what a female rapper does. We're so not used to seeing it. It's nonexistent in categories. We don't get nominated. I need to work [the people] up to accepting a female rapper again and accepting my style and all of that -- then the album will come. Honestly, I'd love to put an album out this year, but I don't believe in rushing things either."
Last December, Minaj said she was aiming to drop a "classic" debut.

"The [album], that's what I'm actually getting ready to work on because I've been on the road for such a long time, I'm taking a complete hiatus for the next couple months, unfortunately, for all the promoters giving crazy offers," Minaj told DJ Whoo Kid. "And I've been turning every one because I have to put my foot down for the next few months and deliver a classic album and I already have stuff and I can't wait for the world to hear. All the stuff we talk about is fun and games and all that but the music is what's most important and I don't want all the people to be distracted by the other stuff and so I'm gonna take a break and when I come back you guys will have some very, very great music."
No further details have been released as of now.

Check out a recent Nicki Minaj interview below:

Robin Thicke Co-Signs Jay-Z's "We Are the World" Argument, "He Didn't Say Anything Wrong"

R&B singer Robin Thicke has stood by recent remarks by Jay-Z claiming a "We Are the World" remake should not have been made as a Haiti relief effort tribute.

According to Thicke, Hov was correct about the original song being an unmatchable classic.

"I don't know why there would be any problem with what he said. He's right, and so are the people who did the song. It should have been a new song; you can't beat the original. There shouldn't be any conversation about it. He didn't say anything wrong. He was just claiming the obvious, that the first one was a classic."
Jay recently explained his issue with appearing on a "We Are the World" remake.

"I have a interesting take on that," Jay-Z in an interview. "I know everybody is gonna take this wrong: 'We Are the World,' I love it, and I understand the point and think it's great. But I think 'We Are the World' is like [Michael Jackson's] 'Thriller' to me. I don't ever wanna see it touched. I'm a fan of music. I know the plight and everything that's going on in Haiti. I applaud the efforts: [Millions have been raised] through text [donations] to Haiti. So I appreciate the efforts and everything, but 'We are the World' is [musically] untouchable like 'Thriller' is untouchable. Some things are just untouchable. It was a valiant effort, but for me, it's gonna be untouchable."
R&B singer Trey Songz also gave his views on the remake last month.

"Once again, it's very fulfilling as an artist, you know, as someone who saw this as a dream only a few years ago," he said in an interview. "'We Are The World' was one of the biggest songs in the world. And, although I didn't get a solo, it was really not about that. It was about playing that song, knowing that song, and knowing that I was a part of it. I was two rows back from Barbra Streisand, with Natalie Cole standing next to me. You know, in the same room with Lil' Wayne and Snoop Dogg. I think what's most beautiful about that was that it was different cultures together and everybody gathered for the same purpose. Egos were left at the door."
The "We Are the World" video debuted shortly before 12 AM (EST) on the night the Olympics began.

The revamped "We Are the World" made its world premiere Friday during NBC's coverage of the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, and a simultaneous worldwide screening of the full, seven-minute version of the music video is planned for Saturday. The worldwide simulcast on 53 domestic and international channels is planned for 2 p.m. Eastern time. Michael Jackson, who co-wrote the original hit with Lionel Richie, is shown in a clip from the original music video. In the new version, Jackson, wearing his trademark 1980s pseudomilitary regalia, sings alongside his sister, Janet Jackson.
Check out the "We Are the World" music video down below:

Trey Songz On Jay-Z, "He Is One Of The Most Influential Artists In My Career [&] Life"

R&B singer Trey Songz has opened up about his co-Blueprint III tour headliner Jay-Z and explained the rap mogul's impact outside of music.

In addition to the inspiration Jay provides him, Songz also spoke on hitting the stage night in and night out.

Jay-Z is one of the biggest touring acts in the world, he sells out arenas in minutes and to be a part of that is amazing. Furthermore, Jay-Z is one of the most influential artists in my career as well as in my life. You know, seeing him go from artist to entrepreneur to businessman to multi-business owner, and to be that close to him is amazing. It's a pleasure. I go on right before Jay-Z, and [Young] Jeezy comes in within his set. So it's an honor that he would want me in that spot, so I am happy to be a part of it. And, I am here to step up to the plate and bring the best show I can to the table."
Last January, Songz hinted at a possible collaboration with Jay and Jeezy.

"The way Jay explained it to me, he wanted to give people the best show possible," Songz said in an interview about the tour. "They could have easily done it by themselves and it'd be great. But [Jay] wanted to give the best show. All of us bring a separate aspect to the table, making it a great show all the way. I'm there for the ladies, of course. Then I bring an R&B soul vibe and my hip-hop. Jeezy got the streets. And Hov is Hov. It's definitely all in the talks [as far as collaborations.] It's the Mob Squad. Me, Jay, Jeezy, we plan on working together while we on this tour because the energy we have together when we get around each other is amazing. And like I said, all aspects like that on a record is amazing. Maybe while we out on the road we get it done."
The singer was added to Jay's tour earlier this year.

Trey Songz had a banner 2009 and he's continuing his reign in 2010 by touring with one of the biggest names in music, Jay-Z. The R&B singer has joined the second leg of the rapper's Blueprint 3 tour. He will be one of the opening acts when it kicks off in arenas across the U.S. starting February 20 at the Bank Atlantic Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He is currently scheduled to perform on all 23 dates, wrapping March 27 at The Pearl Concert Theater in Las Vegas.
Their nationwide tour has continued to hit a variety of cities throughout the United States.

Jay-Z's BP3 North American tour will make a cross-country trek in 2010 stopping at arenas in major markets including Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Atlanta, Greensboro, Washington, Boston, Pittsburgh, St Louis, Indianapolis, Denver, San Jose, Los Angeles and more. Additional day of show and on sale information will be announced shortly for stops in East Rutherford, Uniondale, Atlantic City and Detroit. (Reuters)
Check out a recent Trey Songz interview down below:

Song Of Da Day

Tyga Ft. Lil Wayne - I'm On It