You Rocked Our World...

Click Here as if you didn't already know we couldn't sound like the Associated Press.


Honestly though:

Icon status can seriously only be obtained when your demeanor can bring nations to joy partaking in your art/livelihood. This was the effect that Jackson had on many if not all of his fans who grew with him out of the 80's where he reigned supreme. It's surreal, the fact that we were mere toddlers who came into knowing his work and seeing the effect that it had on people only when they showed specials on television. This notion cannot stand shoulder to shoulder with the excitement that must have been ever so present when, what would equal today's blogger buzz and music sleuth specialists, the few who were "up on" Jackson back in the day caught all his gigs and performances before they were monumental.

To say that we are left stunned is an understatement, this was truely a tragic loss for the music community.

Where were you, when Michael Jackson was pronounced dead?

T.I.Writes Rhymes, But Couldn't Fathom A Sentence...

Judge: Mr. Harris, now, you don't have to tell me what you really know..just say it out loud and i'll hear it by accident. Tell me, your thoughts..

T.I: Hmm...makes perfect sense if you feel what I'm thinking when I say it.

Judge: What?

T.I: I ain't serving no time.

Judge: Gotcha.

T.I.: OK, let's begin.

Now we KNOW that's no where close to what happened in the chambers of the proceeding Judge for the trail, however something in that courtroom was agreed upon by the prosecuting and defending attornies that made some God damned sense.

Regardless if dude snitched or not, when reading things like this article..it makes us all the more skeptical.


Farewell Clifford:

Here is some "secret" footage of the party in T.I.'s honor as he was being shuffled away.

MTA Increases Fare And Cuts Services...

" The fare hikes on the subway and buses, including an increase in the base subway and bus fare to $2.50, from $2, will take effect on May 31.

The service cuts are far reaching. They include the elimination of 35 bus routes and two subway lines, the W and Z. Off-peak and weekend subway, bus and commuter rail service will also be cut back.

'It’s truly sad that a few individuals can hold all these brave individuals hostage,” Mr. Hemmerdinger said when the meeting started...' "

Continue Reading After The Jump

Virgin Megastore...You're Fired!!!...

All Virgin Stores in US to Close by Summer

LOS ANGELES- After nearly two decades of rocking the music world with a mix of brash stunts and splashy CD releases, the remaining six Virgin Megastores in the United States will shut their doors this summer in another blow to recorded music. The hipster shops received their branding from billionaire founder Sir Richard Branson and remained profitable, but the real estate firms that own the U.S. chain determined they could command higher rent from new tenants.

"I've been pushing back a little bit on the notion that this is just another casualty of the music industry," said Simon Wright, the chief executive of Virgin Entertainment Group Inc. A slowing economy took its toll. To buck declining music sales, the chain broadened its offerings in the last few years to apparel, books and electronics. The six remaining stores took in about $170 million in revenue a year, down from the $230 million from 23 stores at its peak in 2002. The lack of expansion plans and a recent decision to close the Times Square location in New York, which had been on track to make $56 million last year until the financial collapse began in September, made supporting the rest of the chain untenable, Wright said. "Our six best stores from a retail point of view are also our six best stores from a real estate point of view," Wright said. The joint venture of Related Companies and Vornado Realty Trust bought the U.S. chain in 2007, and with sales slowing, the companies figured they can make more money by simply turning the properties over to new tenants, who will likely pay much higher rents than the level locked in for many of the stores in multiyear leases. The 52,000-square-foot Times Square flagship closes in mid-April, to be followed by another New York store and outlets in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Orlando, Fla., and Denver, all by June, Wright said. About 1,000 staff and 60 at the corporate level will be laid off.

The first American store opened its doors on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood in December 1992, but it closed early last year when its lease expired. Music sales have declined nationwide in seven of the last eight years, largely because of illegal file-sharing over the Internet and the tendency to buy individual songs rather than full albums through Apple Inc.'s iTunes and other stores. The Virgin Megastores had often opened with the kind of stunts that made Branson famous. Parachutists descended on a Salt Lake City store opening in 1992. Branson came dressed as the Mad Hatter of Boston when that branch debuted in 2002. And he arrived looking like Guns N' Roses singer Axl Rose for the megastore that splashed into Hollywood in 2005. The stores also served as a way to break new artists or relaunch established ones. Mariah Carey walked the platinum carpet in Hollywood for the 2005 rerelease of "The Emancipation of Mimi" and singers from Avril Lavigne, Clay Aiken, and Faith Hill have launched albums with signings at various locations with fans sometimes lining up overnight.

"People can go online to buy music, but there won't be any replacement for the events that we held," Wright said. "Times Square was particularly famous for that."
There remain about 150 Virgin Megastores in the rest of the world, in France, Australia, Japan, and the Middle East. All are owned by local companies with licensing agreements that lead back to Branson.

The company is planning a Times Square send-off in the last week of March.

Joe Budden Gives You The Key To His Padded Room...

Tracklist:

01. Now I Lay (produced by Blastah Beatz)
02. The Future f/ The Game (produced by Fyu-chur)
03. If I Gotta Go (produced by the Klasixs)
04. Don’t Make Me (produced by Blastah Beatz)
05. Blood On The Wall (produced by Moss)
06. In My Sleep (produced by Blastah Beatz)
07. Exxxes (produced by the Klasixs)
08. I Couldn’t Help It (produced by the Klasixs)
09. Adrenaline (produced by Dub B)
10. Happy Holidays (produced by Quan)
11. Do Tell (produced by Blastah Beatz)
12. Angel In My Life (produced by Blastah Beatz)
13. Pray For Me (produced by Versatile & Dilemma)


Joe Budden's Padded Room scheduled to release for retail February 24th

VH1 Honoring The Hop That Made It Hip...

" While Slick Rick and De la Soul rehearsed their sets, Wale, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Starr, ?uestlove, Bun B and Biz Markie mixed and mingled. The ballroom was more like a family reunion then a rehearsal.

The only non-rap artist being celebrated is Isaac Hayes, and while the late musician never spit a bar, his work helped inspire many MCs. From the Notorious B.I.G.'s "Warning" to the Geto Boys' "Mind Playing Tricks on Me," Black Moses had a lasting effect on hip-hop. "..

...Continue Reading Here.

If any of you were lucky to go, (It's OK VH1 we know our invitation go "lost" in the MAIL...) you may have witnessed Hip-Hop history in one shiny, pyrotechnically charged, camera filled room.

The good people over at MTV chop it up with a couple of the performers on Hip-Hop relevance and history.

One amazingly credible feat of this years Hip-Hop honors was the homage paid to long time inspiration for Hip-Hop artists Isaac Hayes. Hayes was far from a gangsta rapper, but the influence he had on emcess who penned some of their best verses will no doubtedly live forever.

Props to Steven Roberts for the heads up.

MTV Covers Hip-Hop Honors

Joe Budden In Halfway House...

Seems appropriate to say seeing as how Jersey Emcee Joe budden has been giving us the big screen treatment when it comes to his anticipated release of his effort Padded Room on new digital home label Amalgam Digital.

Joey has leaked a picture of the cover for his latest chess move since being defunct by President Carter entitled Halfway House. The mixtape release will feature Jumpoff Joey himself spitting over 14 tracks in a prequel fashion to the aforementioned delayed Padded Room effort.

We'll have it here for your download pleasure first!

Travis Barker & DJ AM Plane Crash...

It's a blessing that they are OK and we didn't lose them to an accident as serious as this.

" Former Blink 182 Drummer Travis Barker, and DJ AM were were abroad a Learjet when it crashed while departing the runway in Columbia, S.C.

Travis Barker, a former Drummer for Blink 182, and DJ AM are in critical condition after the plane they were flying on went off the runway and crashed. Four other people aboard the plane were killed.

According to local news reports, Barker and DJ AM, whose real name Adam Michael Goldstein, were transported to a burn center in Augusta, Georgia where they are listed in critical condition. "



Link: Travis Barker and DJ AM In Near Fatal Plane Crash

Woooha! With The Latest...

We deliver you the fresh. We here at Abstract Minds N.Y.C love spreading the word on what is new, hip and fashionable to you, the Young Entrepreneurial Thinker.

Our affiliates and partners, one of them being Woooha!.Inc, also deliver the freshest up and coming info and know how for the Abstract Thinker on the go!

They've put you on to Curtis re-linking up with mogul Mark Ecko for the relaunch of G-Unit Clothing, as well as OutKast's Andre "Three Stacks" Benjamin's new apparel line Benjamin Bixby. Stop by to get up on the new De La Soul x Nike collaboration and info about Spike Lee's new movie!

Dope!


Visit them Here.

Woooha!

Da Brat Gets Three Years In The Bing...

I like 'em black, yellow, puerto rican..Incarcerated.

Wouldn't you like to know that female emcee and SoSo Def royalty check consumer, ala Jabba The Hut style (She was eating!), Da Brat was sentenced to three years in orange clothes for smashing the face of another woman in one of Jermaine Dupri's night clubs with a bottle of liquor. The club was Club 72, a pretty popular night spot in ATL.

Back in 2000 Da Brat faced charges that she beat a woman with a firearm over a VIP seating dispute in a nightclub.

Moral of the story, when you see Shawntae Harris in a club. Duck the fuck down.


Link to the complete Story Here.

Spike Lee Shoots Ice Cube, Queen, More...

Here are the other covers that we mentioned to you Here. These covers are of significance to the Source's 20th anniversary and new management bringing you the latest in music culture between its pages. Blogs on paper, as we once heard someone jokingly say, are getting cemented as the years pass on. The Giants will never die off.

Also featured by the magazine is a reproduction of the featured artists' first cover that they shot for The Source.







Vibe also celebrates their 15th anniversary this year. Congrats!

Via NahRight

It Wasn't You, It Was The Pill...

Riiight.

OK. So during our daily browsing of the Internet's coffee table magazines we came across this interesting artice which states a theory that claims the most joyous thing in your girlfriends, mothers, and even little sister's pocket book may be attracting them to different partners. If that were the case then people should know that the FDA has some 'splainin to do. We literally spat our coffee on the grout.

" A study by British scientists suggests that taking the Pill can change a woman’s taste in men — to those who are genetically less compatible.

The research found that the Pill can alter the type of male scent that women find most attractive, which may in turn affect the kind of men they choose as partners. "

We're still skeptics, that's where you, our readers, come in. Take a glance at the full article Here.


Get a better excuse buddy. Man Up.

Source Times Online

Spike Lee Shoots NaS, LL, More...

For the Source Magazine Spike begins by Shooting two of Queens, New York's finest: NaS and the self proclaimed G.O.A.T, LL Cool J.

These covers are of significance to the Source's 20th anniversary and new management bringing you the latest in music culture between its pages. Will Blogs and the Internet's ability to deliver the latest news at the drop of a dime slowly squeeze the life out of Hip-Hop periodicals as the Mp3 killed Compact Disc sales after it murdered Vinyl?

Only time will tell.





Via Miss Info

Bernie Mac Now Isaac Hayes...

Isaac Hayes passed away this weekend. Hayes was a music legend and was the creative voice behind many of this generations musical endeavors.

" The singer was reportedly found unconscious in his Memphis home sometime after noon Sunday by his wife, who immediately called for medical assistance.

The 65-year-old Hayes, who had been in declining health for some time, had nevertheless continued to be an active presence not only musically but in assorted civic activities. "



R.I.P

Coincidental that Hayes and Mac both starred in a movie that has yet to be released and they pass away a day within eachother.

The Reaper is cheating.

Bernie Mac Has Passed...

This morning comedian Bernie Mac passed away at the age of 50. Mac passed away due to complications stemming from pnuemonia. Our condolences go out to his family and close friends.



Lmao @ the cheese sandwich.

He didn't do it for applause, he had to tell us a story.

R.I.P

The Blueprint 3 Preview...

BLUEPRINT 3 from kwest on Vimeo.

Jockin' Jay-Z, Jockin' Jay-Z...

The Blueprint 3 will see the light of day after all. Does this man sleep? No, no he does not.

We once heard a story that Jay-Z stayed up an entire week just to say that he was the only rapper to physically see his album sales go platinum so he could use the metaphor for a record. He then recorded the whole record without writing any of it down and then cut it from an album...

Jesus.

Barack Star Obama...

We mean, although it's not the United States and the votes don't count over seas. Senator Obama held it dooown in Berlin this week. He's a symbol.

True Indeed.

Sony Playstation, Killing More Than Just Your Wallet...

Wow...this ish is crazy!

" For the past decade the search for a rare metal necessary in the manufacturing of Sony's Playstation game consoles has fueled a brutal conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "

" 'Kids in Congo were being sent down mines to die so that kids in Europe and America could kill imaginary aliens in their living rooms,' said Ex-British Parliament Member Oona King. "...

Interesting read.

Link to the rest of the Article Here.

Ricky Ross The Biggest Fraud That Ya Seen Thus Far...

If you have been under a rock recently and haven't heard about the Rick Ross exposed story here it is.


" Ross (real name: William Leonard Roberts) was appointed a prison guard in December 1995 at a salary of $22,913.54, according to the below personnel record, which was provided to TSG by Jo Ellyn Rackleff, a DoC spokesperson. The rapper’s social security number is identical to that of the jail guard. According to the official document, Ross was earning $25,794.34 when he left the department in June 1997. After graduating from the DoC training academy, Ross was assigned to the South Florida Reception Center in Dade County (the lockup is one of three statewide that serves as an intake facility for new prisoners)."

See now...what the hell? These "Rappers" are reaching for the most obvious life that surrounds them in the sense that they can channel what they know, or front like they do. In this case "Ricky 'The Boss' Ross" channeled the stories of many hardened criminals and made a career out of it, TWICE.

The real rick ross knew noriega...not you. If he would have just bowed his head and admitted to being down with the Boys then maybe people wouldn't have ridiculed him so much. We mean, damn..even law enforcement goes crooked. Shoulda worked your angles buddy. You're a hustler, shoulda known that.

Here's some of "The Boss'" latest Mp3 based rhetoric

Listen/ Download Here. Rick Ross - Life Of The Party Freestyle

Listen/ Download Here. Rick Ross - Nothin Matter Freestyle

T.I Paper Trail Album Cover Artwork...

Album due in stores this September 30th.