Nelly Gone Global?

Nelly Gone Global?
May 15, 2007
AMW !.e. Talent: Andrea M. White

The question goes through my head, “Is this a monumental move for Nelly” or “Is homeboy setting us back like 100 years with this mess”; any way you look at it Nelly is going Global. The St. Louis native has inked a deal to distribute his Pimp Juice Energy Drink, Apple Bottoms and Vokal Clothing brands through the continent of Africa. Starting May 18, Nelly along with his Mojalife partner will begin selling 1.5 million cans in South Africa; and according to Peter Friedman, Mojalife Creative Director, they will produce 1 to 1.5 million cans locally on a monthly basis. The cans will also be sold in Australia and New Zealand.

The rapper’s Pimp Juice brand fell victim to some backlash 2003 due to the controversial name chosen for the juice and the message that it sent to young fans. Despite the controversy, Nelly managed to link with the Mojalife distributor. What most may not know is that Mojalife chairman Mathews Phosa, a well-known member of South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC), has stated that the PIMP in Pimp Juice stands for, "positive, intellectually motivated persons." The distribution plan seems to be a positive step in the right direction for the Hot in Herre rapper, who has been tagged to reach the heights of Russell Simmons due to this new deal.
Many hip-hop artists and rappers from the U.S. have unimaginable influence in African hip-hop culture. Unfortunately the African hip-hop culture has also grown fond of the “gangsta” hip-hop that has plagued the U.S. music industry. This is another reason that the Pimp Juice brand may again experience backlash from music industry leaders who are beginning to grow tired of the negative messages rappers continue to spread throughout the country and the world.

Unfortunately the stories released regarding the Pimp Juice, Apple Bottom Clothing, Vocal Clothing, and Derry Entertainment did not include any information about how many jobs will become available due to the expansion of the brands. The available information did not include any of the positive aspects you would expect to hear when you have an African American expanding their enterprise into any African country. How will Pimp Juice and its cousins assist these nations into building a better quality of life? What positive results can we expect to see by having Pimp Juice and Apple Bottoms available to African teenagers? Hopefully, Nelly will come forward and speak more about this new venture.


Source: Sixshot

Hip-Hop Cleans Up Its Act – At What Cost?

Hip-Hop Cleans Up Its Act – At What Cost?
May 15th, 2007
AMW!.e. Talent: DJ Single Handed

The recurring theme in the hip-hop community today is a “cleanup” of sorts. The call to eliminate explicit, misogynistic, and otherwise degrading lyrics from rap songs has been heard loud and clear. Def Jam Records founder and owner Russell Simmons, an extremely influential voice in hip-hop, has made known his commitment to this movement and has encouraged others to do so as well.

No Limit Records founder and southern hip-hop pioneer Master P has stepped up to the plate by launching a new label, Take a Stand Records. The company co-owned by Master P and his son, Romeo, will release music free of explicit lyrics. To take it a step further in a positive direction, a portion of the profits generated by record sales will go towards scholarships for underprivileged youth.

While the integrity and necessity of philanthropy in the hip-hop community cannot be disputed, I’d like to take a closer look at the lyrical cleanup effort. The intentions are good, but I’d like to see precisely what it is we’re doing.

What exactly are we cleaning up?

If we’re cleaning up the perpetuation and glorification of negative stereotypes and images in songs that are done strictly for entertainment purposes, then I am all for it. If we’re completely cleaning up lyrics across the board, regardless of intention and context, then I think we should take a few steps back.



One characteristic that has made hip-hop stand out is its edge fueled by uncensored, in-your-face lyrical content. Much of it was used to describe the plights in our country: deplorable conditions in our nation’s inner cities, difficult circumstances faced by our youth, and other realities that were displayed as a critique of the establishment as a whole.

The language I’m using right now tells the truth in an easily digestible way. Hip-hop said “F@*k the police!” The message was driven into our brains and implanted into our collective consciousness with brute force, even though many dismissed it as merely hateful garbage.

As we eliminate negative images and “dirty words” from hip-hop, will we go so far that we wind up taking away part of hip-hop’s identity? As it is, hip-hop is barely still a culture. It is now firmly entrenched in the establishment it once fought against. Though hip-hop in its purest form will always remain intact largely under the radar, the land of Corporate America has completely taken it over and turned it into a nicely-packaged product that it can put on the shelf with all of its other nicely-packaged products.

Hip-hop does need to “clean up” by reviewing its responsibilities to everyone it influences. I just hope that the community as a whole prioritizes what exactly needs to be cleaned up and what degree of adjustment needs to happen to other aspects of hip-hop.