2nd II None Clarify Ties To Suge Knight & Death Row Records, Cosign Kendrick Lamar

KK and Gangsta D say they deeply support the latest Compton sensation, and claim that while Suge Knight helped them in the '90s, the duo never had a business relationship with Death Row.

In the early 1990s the Compton, California duo 2nd II None burst onto the scene with their self-titled debut album. Produced entirely by DJ Quik, 2nd II None the album introduced the rap world to KK and Gangsta D, two fun-loving rappers who spit tales of getting tore up and chasing tail.

Twenty-one years after 2nd II None dropped the group has released a greatest hits album titledInfinite. Infinite features 2nd II None classics like "If You Want It," "Didn’t Mean To Turn U On," "Up ‘N Da Club," "Be True To Yourself," and "Let The Rhythm Take You." The latter brought back fond memories for KK and D.

“Me and AMG was in the room,” Gangsta D explained. “He was on the SP 1200 and he did the loop. I started playing the piano to it. At first we had a D.O.C. sample on there as the hook saying, ‘Let the rhythm take you!’ So we was like, naw fuck that [laughs]. I start singing to the shit and [DJ] Quik tuned it up and made it fatter.”

DJ Quik was an integral part of the 2nd II None sound, producing nearly their entire catalog. Quik’s musicianship coupled with the groups melodic vocals made West Coast Gangsta Rap magic.

“We have a chemistry that don’t nobody else have,” D said of Quik. “When we get in there we just really vibe and put that shit down. It’s a magical chemistry that we have. We know what he’s thinking and he knows what we’re thinking.”

DJ Quik is not only the producer for 2nd II None he’s also a childhood friend and a member of the same Compton Piru street gang. KK and D were riding with Quik during his well-publicized beef withCompton’s Most Wanted rapper and Crip, MC Eiht.

“During that time we was young and with the movement,” said Gangsta D. “We was gang bangers, we was Pirus, so if Quik got into it with anybody it was on from there. We did shows with Eiht during that time. The nigga came off as a cool-ass nigga. He was 100 and we was 100. Can’t nobody make us think a certain way or tell us who to kick it with. If a nigga solid, he solid. A nigga got a problem with that, he got a problem.”

The group’s stand-alone attitude also came into effect when Quik had discrepancies with crew members Hi-C and AMG. “We don’t play no part in no bullshit,” said D. “We don’t go out and bad mouth nobody. If I got something to say to anybody I say it to them. If I don’t like somebody I don’t fuck with them--that’s it. It shouldn’t be no reason why there is bullshit in the game and a lot of it does come from Quik. We love the nigga, but we ain’t finna play the game. I’m just with giving the fans what they want to see. They want to see us do the shit on stage.”

Throughout their career 2nd II None has battled label politics with both Profile and Arista Records that led to the group releasing only two studio albums. The group sought help from Death Row’s Suge Knight to help them cut through record label red tape.

“We never was on Death Row [Records],” said Gangsta D. “There never was a Death Row in our history. We did business with Suge [Knight]. Suge was trying to help us get out of the situation we were in. He had the money to help us get out of the situation so the fans could hear some 2nd II None. He tried; it didn’t work. He even helped us get on the Above The Rim Soundtrack.”

“He helped us get on the Deion Sanders' [Prime Time] album, too. He looked out,” KK added.

Similarly to DJ Quik, 2nd II None recognizes the yin and yang of Death Row’s former CEO and co-founder. “The seeds that you sow is the harvest you’re gonna reap,” D said of Suge Knight. “He has good and bad about him just like everybody. That’s the road that he chose. We speak what it is, but we don’t speak on niggas. As much as people don’t like Suge at the end of the day, that man gotta go and deal with that shit. I know he think about it. We’re all human.”

KK and Gangsta D’s Blood ties with Quik and Suge extended past California’s borders. The duo is not surprised that red flags are being donned on the East Coast.

“I saw them back in the '90s when some of the homies was migrating to other states while we was on tour.” D said of Crips and Bloods spreading throughout the United States. “We was running into niggas we used to shoot at and niggas that used to shoot at us. I saw some Santana Blocc Crips in St. Louis in 1992 at the skating rink. We didn’t get along. They’re Crips, we’re Piru but when we’re seeing them out there we wasn’t on no Compton type of shit. The shit just started spreading. It ain’t just influenced by the Hip Hop. [Ice] Cube put it out there in the movies.”

2nd II None’s focus now isn’t gang banging, it’s putting out dope music. After an unauthorized collection of their work called The Shit was released in 2008 the group decided to take their careers into their own hands.

“The Shit was the name of one of the songs on that album,” KK said. “The idea from that song to make a movie-style video is what prompted that title. Somebody ran with the concept to try to capitalize off of us.”

“We didn’t even name the album yet,” D added. “It’s shit we recorded. The shit surfaced. How, we don’t know. Ain’t no telling. The shit was hot. People wanted it and I’m glad they did put it out there. I still like some of The Shit, it’s timeless,”

In an effort to reintroduce new fans to 2nd II None the group enlisted veteran producer Sir Jinx to oversee their greatest hits album, Infinite. “[Sir] Jinx got a good ear,” said D. “We trust his ear. I just got back from Georgia and he’s bringing me up to what they’re doing out here now. I got love for that nigga. He a good nigga.”

The crew also has love for the new era of emcees from the left coast. “I was talking to K the other day about this,” D said. “I like originality. If it’s not original I ain’t mad at you for your hustle, but guys likeKendrick Lamar - that stands out to me, that’s original. That’s an original style and you can’t say he sound like nobody. I don’t even know the cat but I like him. I like different shit. Can’t nobody do Busta [Rhymes]. Can’t nobody do 2nd II None. I been hearing this shit for the last 20 years with motherfuckers trying to sing hooks. They got some good songs with good hooks, but can’t nobody do 2nd II None.”

“They can’t do 2nd II None live either,” KK added.

2nd II None believes that their contribution to the Rap game is bigger than music. “Me and K we’re blood-related,” said D. “His mother and my mother are sisters. This is family. We’re here for a reason. People say they grew up on our [first] album.”

“People come up to us and say 'you helped us get through college,' 'you helped me with my life,' 'I was going through jail,' 'I was going to court,' 'I was in the hospital sick and that album touched me,'” KK said.

“And for California niggas that tape was like the [Las] Vegas run,” D added. “You could listen to that shit all the way through.”

2nd II None doesn’t believe that there is an age limit in Hip Hop. Their plan is to pick up where they left off when they released their second album Classic 220 in 1999. “It’s time. It’s 20 year-plus,” said Gangsta D. “That’s a blessing. We’re grateful and thankful for that. We’re 40-years old.”

“It’s like me telling someone else to quit they hustle,” added D. “You’re 40, stop going to work. That don’t make sense. There is a crowd for everyone. I’m not out here trying to beg nobody to accept me. It is what it is. Our shit is in black and white. A hoe is a hoe, a woman is a woman, a bitch is a bitch, a nigga is a nigga, a man is a man, you can’t put no age on art. It’s all about originality and talent.”

2nd II None isn’t done after the release of Infinite. The group has new music on deck as well as some gems from the vault that are ready to be released.

“Now we have control over what we’re doing now,” said D. “We’re free to put out our own music. We saved a lot of music that’s timeless so we’re gonna put the shit out. We’re trying to get a distribution situation. We got a hot album that’s sitting here. We got an album ready to go. You’ll be hearing some new 2nd II None in the near future. Fans can hit us up on Twitter @2ndIINoneREAL and look up 2nd II None on Facebook."

Nate Dogg Leaves $200,000 In Real Estate To His Six Children

With no will, Nate Dogg leaves his six children $200,000 in real estate and possibly more money.

Following his death in March 2011, Nate Dogg has posthumously left $200,000 in real estate to his six children.

According to TMZ, the former Death Row crooner did not write a will before he passed, and lawyers are currently divvying up his assets. In documents filed at L.A. County Superior Court, his home in Pomona, California is valued at $350,000 but he still owed $150,000.

His four daughters and two sons will inherit the estate, which may include more cash on top of the real estate. Additionally, earnings from his music will go to his children.

Prodigy Talks About James Rosemond Confessing to Tupac Quad Studios Shooting

The Mobb Deep MC tells that ‘Pac knew Biggie wasn’t responsible for his ambush…

An 18-year mystery seemingly came to an end, last week, when reports surfaced that Jimmy “Henchman” Rosemond confessed his involvement in the 1994 Quad Studios New York City shooting of Tupac Shakur during proffer sessions with the government last fall.

Shakur was robbed and suffered five bullet wounds. Though he would eventually accuse Rosemond of setting him up on The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory‘s “Against All Odds”—a record that was released after his death—Shakur initially blamed former friends The Notorious B.I.G. and Sean “Puffy” Combs for the ambush, which ignited the infamous coastal feud of the mid ’90s.

Prodigy, who also feuded with ‘Pac and was on the front lines representing the East Coast during the feud, recently reacted to Rosemond’s confession.

“People that are in the know, that know a lot of street people in New York, they knew that already,” P told of Rosemond’s confession. I had a connection with ‘Pac. We had friends in common from Queens. They started tellin’ me the story about how ‘Pac knew that had nothin’ to do with Biggie. He was just tryin’ to create controversy to sell records. He knew how to create that controversy to make it bigger in the media and all that type of shit. Just seein’ it all come to surface now, it’s just like, ‘Wow.’”

Two weeks ago, Rosemond was found guilty of conspiring to kill a 50 Cent associate. He was found guilty of running a multimillion-dollar, cross-country cocaine shipping operation three weeks prior.

Suspect Arrested in Trae Tha Truth Shooting

A suspect was arrested in the June shooting in Houston that killed three and left Trae Tha Truth wounded…

A man has been charged in the recent shooting involving Trae Tha Truth.

According to KHOU, 25-year-old Feanyichi Uvukansi was arrested Wednesday (July 4) in connection with the shooting, which occurred last month in Houston and left three people dead and two others wounded, including Trae. Coy “Poppa C” Thompson, 23, Erica Rochelle Dotson, 30, and Carlos Durell Dorsey, 31, died from gunshot wounds sustained during the shootout. Reports have suggested that a domestic altercation days prior to the shooting involving Poppa C may have factored in to the violence that night.

Trae declined to comment on the arrest.

A few days after the incident, though, he did open up about what transpired. “I’m not sure exactly what the altercation was necessarily about, but long story short, whatever transpired, they ran in my direction, so in the process of running in my direction, that kind of had everybody in the open, Trae told back on June 21. “So as the altercation came my way, shots were being dispersed, but since it was coming our direction, it was a crowd of people. Everybody was wrong place, wrong time.”

Even amidst the tragedy, the gravely-voiced rhymer was grateful for the support he received from his peers. “I have received a lot of support throughout the industry. Immediately,” he said. “Yo Gotti called me when I was in the hospital. Trey Songz hit me. Rick Ross hit me. 2 Chainz, Big Sean, Lupe. Meek Mill. Waka. Really, 98 percent of the industry called me already and been real supportive, let me know, if I need anything [they were there]. Of course Tip been real supportive, that’s my brother. A lot of people been checking on me and seeing what’s needed.”

2Pac Mixtape "This Is My Story" OUT NOW

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Son Of Malcolm X’s Biographer Wants Slain NOI Leader’s Letter On Race

The son of Malcolm X‘s biographer is asking Syracuse University to hand over a letter in which the slain activist writes about his shifting views on race relations, claiming his family is the rightful owner. Malcolm X wrote to Alex Haley, his collaborator for “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” from Saudi Arabia in April 1964, about ten months before he was gunned down at a New York City hotel ballroom. The publisher of the autobiography later gave the letter to Syracuse University as part of a larger cache of papers to be used by researchers.

But Haley’s son, William Haley, said the publisher never had legal title to the letter and could not give it away. His lawyer said Tuesday he plans to make a legal demand this week for the letter, which he believes is worth at least $650,000.

“The history is important for us as a family, the legacy,” William Haley said. Haley said he was acting on behalf of himself and his two sisters. Haley said it’s possible the family would decide to sell the letter, but that would be a group decision.

Alex Haley died in 1992.

“So much of African-American history gets lost and is sometimes not in the place where we prefer it to be,” Haley said.

Malcolm X’s letter, written after a pilgrimage to Mecca, addresses the recent time he spent with Muslims “whose skin was the whitest of white.”

“In fact, what I have seen and experienced on this pilgrimage has forced me to `re arrange’ much of my thought patterns, and to toss aside some of my previous conclusions,” he wrote.

The letter was sent to publisher Grove Press for inclusion in the autobiography, which was first published in 1965. Grove included the letter in files it gave to Syracuse University in 1969.

Sean M. Quimby, senior director of the university’s Special Collections Research Center, said it has documentation from Grove that shows Syracuse owns the transferred archive. He said the school’s ownership had never been challenged before in 43 years and he has not seen any evidence that the letter was lent, instead of given, to Grove.

“Our library and our special collections are publicly available to anyone, and there is a greater good served,” Quimby added.

Haley’s attorney, Gregory J. Reed of Detroit, said Haley passed along the letter to Grove only so it could be included in the autobiography and that Grove never had legal title.

Haley said he is acting now because he only found out about details of the letter recently after talking to Reed, who collects Malcolm X material.

Photos of Andre 3000 As Jimi Hendrix For Rocker’s Biopic Surface

Seems like Three Stacks will play Jimi Hendrix after all…

When the initial news broke that Andre 3000 would be playing Jimi Hendrix in an upcoming biopic called All Is By My Side, fans and critics alike were skeptical of the outcome.

The most noted backlash came from The Experience Hendrix, LLC, otherwise known as the Jimi Hendrix estate, which oversees the deceased rock star’s music and publishing. While the statement from the family-owned estate, clarified that a film comprised of original music and imagery of Jimi Hendrix can’t occur without its full-on participation, it appears the production has started to take place.

A series of photos, featuring an afro-donning Andre 3000, recently surfaced online. Captured in the town of Bray, Ireland, the photos further assure the film’s formation, as the plot explores Jimi Hendrix’s early career, including his time spent in England throughout 1966 to 1967 during the construction of his seminal debut Are You Experienced.

While it’s still too early to assume how well the six-week-long shoot would paint a proper portrait of the legendary musician’s legacy on the big screen, the uncanny resemblance between Andre 3000 and Jimi Hendrix is sure to catch the attention of moviegoers and fans.

Although his music has been on a standstill since the release of his group Outkast’s sixth studio album Idelwild, Andre 3000, also known as Andre Benjamin, has diversified his acting chops, starring in films such as Familes, The Shield, Be Cool, Revolver, Semi-Pro, Four Brothers, andIdelwild.

Neither tentative release date nor co-starring roles, who’ll partake in the film alongside Andre 3000, have been affirmed as of press time for All Is By My Side.