Some of the world’s top artists will be providing a global mélange of sound at the Standard Bank Joy of Jazz joining an already impressive line-up at the country?s top jazz-travaganza.

Running from 26 to 28 August in Newtown, Johannesburg, the 2010 line-up features artists from America, Japan and Israel who will share billing with top performers from South Africa and the African Diaspora.

(September 29, 2009 – Brooklyn, NY) In anticipation of the November 10th release of their newest Prince Paul-produced effort, Montezuma’s Revenge, Oakland, California hip-hop crew Souls Of Mischief are gearing up to set out on the “Montezuma’s Revenge World Tour ’09,” a tour consisting of 35 dates over one and a half months throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. They will perform for 19 dates here in the US and 16 in Europe with stops at Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Helsinki, and Berlin, to name a few. Being one of the most globally expansive tours to date for the legendary group, emcee/Hiero Imperium CEO Tajai explains what he’s looking forward to about this particular tour saying, “It’s a new album and a new beginning for us. Also, the fact that it truly is a world tour makes it exciting. We plan to hit Japan, Australia and New Zealand as well as a Canada and the rest of the US next year. We even have a show in Bulgaria. That should be exciting!”

Black Noise was established from the last of the original b-boys that started in 1982. Initially they started MC’ing as part of the amalgamated b-boy crew called Furious Floor Rockers in 1985/6. The name then changed to The Chill Convention and Black Noise was formed in 1988. Black Noise was formed from members of the b-boy crews like, Pop Glide Crew, Supreme Team, Ballistic Rock and Jam Rock Crew.

After 10 years of rocking the underground urban world, L.A. Symphony gets its first Dove award nomination for Rap/Hip-Hop Album courtesy of the Gospel Music Association. Now with Syntax Records, the five-man band is being recognized for its critically acclaimed remixes and rarities collection, Unleashed.

On March 8th and 9th of 2008, hundreds of established and upcoming producers will descend upon Phoenix, Arizona, to attend the annual One Stop Shop producer's conference, masterminded by Sha Money XL's production and artist management company, Money Management Group. The conference will feature top industry professionals, platinum track making producers, and new technology trends from companies like Microsoft, M Audio, and Traxxpad. It will also include an itinerary filled, video game tournaments, after parties hosted by NYC's most noted DJs, and the infamous One Stop Shop Beat Battle. and most importantly the industry workshops/panels.

From Wall Street to Watts, the digital curve is revolutionizing the landscape of the music industry. In a climate of slumping compact disc sales and rising digital sales, one web site is poised to lead the digital renaissance.

South Africa's dominating force in hip hop, the Pioneer Unit, are proud to announce that they have completed a recording agreement with Khayelitsha representative, Rattex. They believe that Rattex’s lyrical skill, charisma and distinctive voice are going to make him a major force in South African Hip Hop in the near future, bringing much-needed credibility and genuine quality to the game.

Soweto-born Ben Sharpa (aka Oh Kaptin My Kaptin) is a veteran underground rapper and music producer. Considered by many as one of South Africa’s most accomplished lyricists, Ben Sharpa is a founding member of cult crews GroundWorks and Audio Visual.

FADER Films and Born & Bread in production with Den of Thieves today announced a partnership to bring an inside look at the development of basketball's hottest young prodigy and next superstar. Capitalizing on Born & Bread's ability to identify and capture compelling stories in a saturated market, FADER Films' expertise and reach in producing compelling content aimed at a young and hip demographic and Den of Thieves' extensive background producing cutting edge music and reality programs for TV, BornReady.tv (www.bornready.tv) will follow Coney Island and Lincoln High School basketball prodigy Lance Stephenson as he develops as player and as a young man. The webisodes, which will be released in near real time, will follow Lance through his sophomore and junior years in High School, with plans to continue to document his journey for the next three years.

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It is with great sadness that Jive Records announces the passing of Chad "Pimp C" Butler, a member of the celebrated rap duo UGK (Underground Kingz).  Jive Records' President and CEO Barry Weiss states: "We mourn the unexpected loss of Chad.  He was truly a thoughtful and kind-hearted person. He will be remembered for his talent and profound influence as a pioneer in bringing southern rap to the forefront. He will be missed and our prayers remain with his family and Bun B.  I've known Chad since he was 18, and we loved him dearly and he was a cherished member of the Jive family."

Birdman breaks down the 5 major elements of being a 5 * Stunna…

Having made a name for himself in the country, especially in the Mother City, the sizeable Mr Fat says that he still feels as if he is breaking into the music market. He describes himself as an MC, artist and hip-hop activist. “Sometimes I feel like a thief in the night, thinking what I am going to do next to make a difference?” he says.

Check out the trailer, guest starring Khalid, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross, Dre, and of course Lil Wayne.