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Van Hunt shows you exactly who he is on this album.

Often times, artists sign major label deals and are taken aback when they realize the label wants them to be who they aren’t. When drama happens behind the scenes, the struggle between the two parties usually manifests itself in the music. Hunt delivers a self assured album where drama is used as a tool to enhance the overall sound of the album.

His last two efforts were underground classics.

In 2004, Van Hunt released his eponymous debut. Though it stalled at #38 on the R&B Albums chart. Critics and fans alike, praised the album. Steve Jones of USA Today said of Hunt’s debut, “Hunt’s sound may have a retro feel, but his sentiments do not. By not holding to R&B lyrical conventions, he succeeds in giving his songs a fresh twist.” The single, “Dust,” was nominated for the Best Urban/Alternative Performance Grammy in 2005.

His follow up, On The Jungle Floor, hit shelves in 2006. PopMatters’ Matt Cibula closed his review by saying, “At this point, it sounds like a bit of genius, a whole lot of fun, and the album I’m gonna be blasting all summer long.”  His track record should at least pique some sort of curiosity in his work.

He considers What Were You Hoping For? the defining moment of his career.

During our conversation, Van Hunt expressed how much this project meant to him. “This album is a defining moment in my career because I got to do exactly what I wanted to do. That’s all an artist can ask for; to be put in a place where I can make the music that feels right to me and have it distributed to the fans exactly the way I envisioned it.”

Although he incorporates rock into his work, he’s a soul man.

When I asked him if he planned on ever doing a solely rock ‘n’ roll album, the Atlanta native communicated that’s not on the horizon for now. “I don’t think I could ever leave behind soul music. It’s the music I grew up with. As far as I’m concerned, classic soul and pop music is the purest form of music. I couldn’t abandon that, even only for one album.”

What Were You Hoping For? is a record to play from start to finish.

Van Hunt is one of those artists who makes  albums. He doesn’t record two or three hit singles and pad the rest of the disc with less than stellar filler tracks. This new set is a project where each song compliments the previous one. Though each track has its own personality, everything is cohesive. Hunt describes his album as a soundtrack to a long drive. “This album is what you need to pop into your ride and turn it up and just ride with it. When it’s on, don’t let anybody talk to you and don’t answer the phone. Just be with the music because you’re going to like it.”

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BlackPlanet member, Eric Leach, is an author who has just released a book named, 19: The Nomadic Journeys of a Complex Young Man. This Atlanta native has a website that you can purchase his book from, which is listed on his page. You can check out his profile here to find out all about him and his publication.

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Diddy also talked about people jacking his swagger, binging on Waffle House and his album with Dirty Money, Last Train to Paris (due in December).

Red Cafe also chimed in during the call. Listen to the exclusive below!

WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT

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Every week we select our pick of the hottest content from today’s entertainment & arts movers & shakers. Filmakers, Musicians, Poets, Animators, etc. can now submit their hottest video content to be placed in our Hustle & Gro section. TO SUBMIT YOUR CONTENT TO HUSTLE & GRO CONTACT: amasmultimedia@gmail.com with “HUSTLE & GRO SUBMISSION” in your subject feild.

Young Jeezy recently donated bookbags packed with school supplies to youth in Atlanta.

The bags containing notebooks, writing utensils, compasses, and rulers among other things were handed out on a street corner.  Jeezy also gave cell phones and money to parents struggling to pay their bills.

Jeezy’s Street Dream Foundation frequently gives back to the community, and this latest act shows that Jeezy definitely love the kids!

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T.I.’s Atlanta hot spot, Club Crucial, has come under fire from the city after six violent incidents in the club.

The city of Atlanta’s alcohol licensing board wants the club’s liquor license suspended for 30 days and a $50,000 fine imposed on the establishment.

From MyFoxAtlanta:

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Ever wonder how artists like Waka Flocka Flame and Roscoe Dash got their songs on the radio without having record deals?

Hurricane Dave, programming director of Atlanta’s Hot 107.9, sat down with Hip Hop Wired and spilled the beans on how unsigned artists can get their songs played on the radio!

Take notes!

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First off, let’s get one thing straight: Hollyweerd rep Atlanta, not Hollywood.

That will be more than obvious once you listen to “Love Me” from their forthcoming Edible Phat 2.0 mixtape.

These four ATLiens bring to mind the Dungeon Family back in its heyday and they’ve brought along Little Brother’s Rapper Big Pooh to guest on this song that should be coming out of every car this summer.

Hollyweerd’s Don Cannon-hosted mixtape drops soon!

What do you think of Hollyweerd’s “Love Me”? Leave a comment below!

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BlackPlanet member, Hotlanta Radio1 (T1 & Kr2), would like to invite you to come check out “The Hottest Online Radio Station On The Planet!”. You can check out the radio lineup and any other info on their profile page here.

From AllHipHop.com

An Atlanta strip club’s efforts to gain the upper hand over a competitor have resulted in prison time for three of its employees, who were sentenced on conspiracy to commit arson charges yesterday.

On Tuesday (Jan. 5), a federal judge sentenced Harold “Bit” Thrower, a manager at Platinum 21, to three years in prison for his role in trying to burn down his chief adult entertainment rival, Club Onyx.

Thrower’s work as a government informer enabled U.S. District Judge Julie Carnes to lessen his time behind bars from the mandatory five-year minimum sentence.

Tuesday’s ruling concludes a bitter rivalry between Club Onyx and Platinum 21, a long-standing adult entertainment fixture in Atlanta. Prior to Onyx’ arrival to Atlanta in late 2006, Platinum enjoyed consistent business from customers.

That reign would come to an end as Onyx garnered recognition for attracting upscale young clientele as well as hosting parties for well-known rap stars such as T.I. and Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell.

RUMOR: Shaq’s In Love With A Stripper?

Onyx’ success did not sit well with Thrower, who became upset over Platinum 21’s loss of revenue and told employees in November 2006 that their pay would be cut if the club continued to lose money.

According to a federal affidavit, Thrower revealed to Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigators his intention to hire Sandeo Dyson, Platinum 21’s head security guard, to “solve the Club Onyx problem.”

Dyson, an Army medic, initially went about infesting roaches and rats in Onyx, but the effort failed to deter customers. At the trial, Thrower testified that he and Platinum 21’s general manager, Boyd Smith resorted to a more extreme effort that involved paying Dyson $5,000 to burn Onyx down.

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Dyson accomplished his objective on Jan. 2, 2007 by setting Club Onyx on fire, causing $1.8 million in damages to the establishment. The impact of the fire was short-lived as an internal surveillance system was left intact amid the destruction.

Despite a videotape showing a man starting the fire and then scurrying out of the building, the case was unsolved for six months until ATF agents focused on Thrower.

After admitting to his role in the arson, the strip club executive turned on his co-workers by leading authorities to Dyson, who admitted to setting the blaze at Club Onyx.

Keyshia Cole’s biological mom, Frankie Lons, recently paid a visit to Atlanta’s legendary strip club Magic City and found herself on the pole…

Better the pole than the pipe.

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Photos courtesy of MagicCityPics.com (NSFW!)

Police are investigating rapper Fabolous and his connection to a luxury car stolen from an upscale hotel in Atlanta.

According to Channel 2 Action News, Atlanta police claim men in Fabolous’ entourage stole a rare 2008 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder.

The vehicle, which was one of only two brought into the United States, was taken on January 31 and has not been seen since.

Surveillance video shows two men in Fabolous’ entourage approach a bellman at the Intercontinental, received the keys to the Lamborghini and left as if it was their property.

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Fans hoping for a Goodie Mob reunion have had their wish granted. The Goodie Mob will reunite for one night only in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, September 19, 2009 at The Masquerade. Doors for the show will open at 7:00pm and tickets for the “Remember Atlanta” show have already gone on sale via Ticketmaster.

“The Goodie Mob reunion is something we have collectively talked about doing for a long time. The people have called for it, and with the state of the union the way it is, the time is right,” said Cee-Lo Green in a statement.

The Liquor Store Mascot has been building a name for himself in the streets and his popularity is becoming really apparent as the drunken wonder gets toast with Jesus Christ himself!

Check out the hilarity below and share your thoughts about it in our comments section.

VIA DX:

As part of the second annual Bank Empowerment Tour, Atlanta’s Hittmenn DJ’s will be opening 5,000 bank accounts for urban youth in the Atlanta area.

“My goal along with Hittmenn DJ’s this year is a great project for all our communities,” said Hittmenn DJ’s president Rob “Kaspa” Smith. “We would like to open over 5,000 bank accounts for disadvantaged children. We will open these accounts, AND we will teach youth the importance of economics, banking, and finance. Presenting children with this opportunity gives them the tools to reprogram the mind-set that exists in our urban communities as it pertains to finances.”

The Bank Empowerment Tour is expected continue through the school year and sponsors for the event have included Decatur First Bank, Foot Lockers/Champ, V103’s Greg Street, and more.

“Our first event of the tour was such a success that we wanted to continue it…We are encouraging everyone to help us with this tour in any way that you can,” explained Smith.

The Hittmenn DJ’s is an Atlanta based company that provides DJ services that include radio consultation, mixtapes, marketing, and more.

VIA DX:

According to The Detroit News, ’s restaurant in Atlanta, Justin’s, owes close to $8,000 in federal taxes. Records have revealed that the restaurant owes exactly $7,373 in taxes.

A representative for Diddy claims that the taxes owed by Justin’s is a result of errors made by the IRS and a company that handles Justin’s tax payments. Notices from the IRS were being sent to a corporate location that hadn’t been used in years. Also, tax payments made on behalf of Justin’s in 2007 to the IRS were underpaid.

“The new address was on file with the IRS, so it is surprising this happened,” said a representative for Justin’s.

Upon hearing about the owed taxes, a check was immediately made to the IRS covering the full amount.

Justin’s Restaurant, which opened over 10 years ago, specializes in Southern and Caribbean food. The New York location of Justin’s closed in 2007 with the hopes of opening a more spacious restaurant in the city.

VIA ESPN:

Former two-division world champion Vernon Forrest was shot and killed Saturday night during an attempted carjacking, promoter Gary Shaw said.

“It’s 100 percent confirmed. He’s dead,” said Shaw, who had two stints as Forrest’s promoter. “I will say this about him — he was a decent human being. His work with kids, I think people knew how much he cared for kids, underprivileged and mentally challenged people. He was a real decent human being outside the ropes.”

WSB Radio in Atlanta first reported the shooting, citing a police spokesman. Forrest, who was 38, lived in Atlanta and was an Augusta, Ga., native. He was shot seven or eight times as he chased at least two men who had tried to steal his Jaguar as he put air in his tires at an Atlanta gas station, Lt. Keith Meadows said, according to the radio station.

But Forrest had a gun and confronted the men, police said.

“The victim and suspect became involved in a brief foot chase,” Meadows said. “At some point, gunfire was exchanged between the two of them. The victim was shot at least once in the head.”

Forrest was fatally wounded by two semi-automatic weapons, according to police.

“At this point we have a general description of at least two black males driving a red Monte Carlo,” Meadows said, according to the report.

Police said the suspects likely didn’t know Forrest, whose girlfriend’s young son was in the car when he was shot.

“What can you say? Alexis Arguello, Arturo Gatti and Vernon Forrest all leaving us within 30 days? I think it’s a little much for our sport to handle,” Shaw said, referring to the recent high-profile deaths of two other boxing stars. “The violence, the guns have to go. Violence belongs inside the ropes. Not outside them. It’s just senseless. Maybe boxing ought to dedicate itself to keeping the violence inside the ropes and try to send that message out to the world.”

Manager Al Haymon was too broken up to talk about Forrest, the first fighter he signed to what would become an all-star stable.

Forrest (41-3, 29 KOs), a 1992 U.S. Olympian, was a former two-time welterweight and two-time junior middleweight champion best known for his two decision victories against Shane Mosley in 2002.

Forrest had beaten Mosley to keep him off the 1992 Olympic team but when they met in January 2002 in New York, it was Mosley, then widely regarded as the pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter in boxing, who was a significant favorite.

Instead, Forrest knocked Mosley down and dominated the fight to hand him his first pro loss and win the WBC welterweight title. Forrest outpointed him in a closer fight in the July 2002 rematch in Indianapolis.

Forrest won the vacant IBF welterweight title in May 2001 with a lopsided decision against Raul Frank in New York. It was a rematch because their first bout ended in a three-round no contest nine months earlier. Forrest never defended that belt, instead vacating in order to facilitate the big-money first fight with Mosley.

For more about this tragic story, please click here for the full report!

Take a look at some rappers out of Atlanta.

Jeezy performs “23, 24″ (Gucci Mane/OJ diss) Live!

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The internet has been going nuts over Drake — and it’s not hype at all. Drizzy had his first show in Atlanta on Saturday and the entire crowd had the lyrics down pat. I scored some great footage which you can check out here, or directly at I Fux Wit It.

Drake “Uptown” Atlanta Loft from Janee Bolden on Vimeo.

This kid is gonna be a problem. “Congratulations.”

Mixed and mastered by fellow ATLien Mr. SOS, this is a witty albeit “no seriously” cry to all those robotic singers (not just the grand high FemBot, Rihanna) who use and abuse this little program. We heard through the grapevine that a viral video will follow. Until then, check the song out:

Chapter 13 – “Blame It On the Auto-Tune”

Click here to download the track

-Snark Jacobs

Jasmine Guy has been cast in David Feldshuh’s 1992 Pulitzer Prize-nominated work Miss Evers Boys for Atlanta’s True Colors Theatre Company.

The drama based on the historic Tuskegee Study, a 40-year program which studied the often-fatal progress of untreated syphilis in a group of African American sharecroppers, will be directed by True Colors artistic director Kenny Leon.

Guy, whose credits include Chicago, Beehive and A Different World, will portray Nurse Eunice Evers, who chronicles her experience as she attempts to assist four men participating in the study. The cast will also feature Eugene Lee (Broadway’s Gem of the Ocean) and Atlanta stage veteran E. Roger Mitchell (Alliance Radio Golf).

The drama will run March 1-21 at the Southwest Arts Center (915 New Hope Road in Atlanta, GA). Miss Evers Boys will officially open March 4.

For tickets, phone (404) 588-0308 or visit TrueColorsTheatreCompany.

Sheree Whitfield, one of the cast members on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Atlanta, has filed an appeal with the Georgia Supreme Court regarding her divorce settlement from ex-husband Bob Whitfield.

In a Housewives episode, Whitfield made it known that she wanted a seven figure settlement in her divorce from the former Atlanta Falcons player.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Sheree was originally awarded $2,142.87 a month in child support for the couple’s two kids, who were 8 and 11 when the Whitfields divorced after seven years in 2007.

She was also given more than $1.1 million in a marital property division, a lump sum payment of $775,000 and portions of three NFL retirement programs totaling somewhere in the neighborhood of $113,422 annually, but no alimony was awarded, the Fulton County public information officer revealed.

She also has been ordered to move out of a $2.6 million home in Sandy Springs, which she is fighting, saying she can’t afford to buy a home in the neighborhood her kids are accustomed to.

Sheree’s lawyers argue that her lack of education (she has only a high school diploma) and inability to earn income (her Bella Azul clothing boutique failed soon after opening) are in stark contrast to NFL retiree Bob, who received an $8 million signing bonus with the Falcons as part of a $30 million six-year contract.

He’s invested that money into real estate ventures in Costa Rica, California and Atlanta, and draws $50,000 a year from his Patchwerks recording studio.

Bob’s lawyers believe Sheree should be fined $2,500 for bringing a frivolous appeal.

I know I am not the only person around here nostalgic about 90′s music. You remember, the Bad Boy era (take that, take that), Mary J. Blige in her hey day and of course the young divas like Brandy and Monica.

Back in 1998, Brandy and Monica released the chart topping hit “The Boy Is Mine” produced by Rodney Jerkins. Fans lost their minds, ultimately securing the single consecutive weeks at Billboard’s top spot.

Recently the two were reunited at a V103 radio promotion in Atlanta, GA. This is probably the first time they were in a room together in years, so of course they had to perform their number one hit.

Peep the video of that performance.

Damn. Is that it? Is that all we get? I mean come on.

Twitter much? Holla at me… Twitter.com/kevinrscott

On Saturday December 27, Atlanta’s three biggest Hip-Hop artists; T.I., Ludacris, and Young Jeezy will deliver their first ever joint concert for Long Island’s Holiday Bash ’08.

The all-star show was the brainchild of Ludacris, who in a November interview with MTV expressed his desire to go on tour with other elite emcees from his hometown.

“I haven’t confirmed anything yet. It’s little talks here and there,” Ludacris cryptically stated. “But I’ll put it out there: I would love to do a tour where it’s me, T.I. and Jeezy. Me, Tip, and Jeezy would be outrageous. But nothing is confirmed yet.”

Based on how well the one-time concert does, an official nationwide tour could be announced shortly.

Go to Allhiphop.com for ticket and venue info.