A Tribe Called Quest doc director says he’d do another hip-hop film ‘if things lined up.’ By Rob Markman, with reporting by Kara Warner Michael Rapaport Photo: MTV News The controversy surrounding the documentary “Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest” has not killed director Michael Rapaport’s hip-hop jones. The film has received rave reviews, and if given the chance, Rapaport told MTV News that he has his eye on a few other rap acts that he’d like to turn his lens on. “I would love to document De La Soul,” he said looking directly in the camera making his best pitch. Another group which Rapaport has interest in is Philadelphia hip-hop band the Roots. While the group has had a rotating cast since their 1993 debut, Organix, band leader and drummer ?uestlove, along with MC Black Thought and keyboardist Kamal have been mainstays. Multi-platinum producer Scott Storch was a one-time member, as was rapper Malik B. The Roots have released 10 studio LPs since the early 1990s, and of course, the Grammy-winning group are enjoying success as the in-house band for “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.” “I would love to document the Roots; I think they have an interesting story,” Rapaport said. “I have a curiosity about them. Their musicality and their live performances I think would be great, and I have a feeling that there are stories behind each one of them.” After filming A Tribe Called Quest for his current work, Rapaport has went back and forth with group member Q-Tip. In light of the experience, when he visited “RapFix Live” in March, Q-Tip urged other rappers to tell their “own stories,” a concept that confused Rapaport . “I don’t know if he meant, ‘We’re from hip-hop, it should be a hip-hop director,’ ” the actor-director admitted to MTV News. “I don’t know who would go under the auspices of being a hip-hop director. Or if it was a racial thing like, ‘We’re black and shouldn’t have a white director.’ It was confusing to me.” As of now, Rapaport isn’t looking to do another rap film in the near future, but he wouldn’t turn it down if the opportunity presented itself. “Right now I’m taking a break from hip-hop documentaries,” he said. “But I would do it if things lined up.” Would you support a Michael Rapaport-directed Roots documentary? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists The Roots De La Soul
We get an inside view of the first lady’s meetings with South African leaders. By Eric Ditzian, with reporting by Lola Ogunnaike Michelle Obama and Nelson Mandela Photo: Whitehouse.gov All this week, first lady Michelle Obama has been touring Africa with her mother and daughters as part of her ongoing work to engage and empower young people at home and abroad. Journalist Lola Ogunnaike has been covering the entire trip for BET as part of an upcoming special, “Impact on Africa: On a Mission With the First Lady.” Ogunnaike called MTV News to share her insight and exclusive information about the experience. These are her words. First lady Michelle Obama met with Gra
‘The MC’s life span in the game is maybe seven years, 10 years, 12 years,’ pioneering MC reflects to MTV News on 25th anniversary of Paid in Full. By Rob Markman Black Thought and Rakim Photo: MTV News In the 1980s, critics largely labeled hip-hop a passing fad, refusing to believe that the budding art form would grow into a respected genre. So for hip-hop pioneer Rakim , celebrating the 25th anniversary of his and DJ Eric B.’s 1987 debut album, Paid in Full, is rather humbling. “It’s a blessing to be in the game this long and to have your work recognized after 25 years,” Rakim told MTV News on Wednesday from his dressing room after performing the first of two shows with the Roots at legendary New York jazz club the Blue Note. Even though the RIAA’s website lists Paid in Full ‘s original release date as July 9, Rakim Allah celebrated early with Philadelphia’s (and “Late Nate With Jimmy Fallon” house band) the Roots. Together they ran through select cuts from the groundbreaking album. Fans were treated to spirited renditions of PIF classics like “Eric B. Is President” and “I Ain’t No Joke,” as well as other favorites like 1992’s “Juice (Know the Ledge).” “It’s a big thing,” Rakim said of the occasion. “The MC’s life span in the game is maybe seven years, 10 years, 12 years, so to be around and to get respect at this point is a blessing.” Roots rapper Black Thought can still remember the impact of Paid in Full and how “The R” changed things in hip-hop, particularly by introducing the teachings of the Five-Percent Nation to rap. Five Percenters, as the Nation’s followers are called, brought a heightened sense of spirituality to the music with their ideologies based on many Islamic principles. “Pre- Paid in Full, you didn’t hear too many records — there were MCs out there, I used to hear some types with MCs rapping about having knowledge of self and dealing with that type of spirituality — but before Rakim, like, pre- Paid in Full, it wasn’t out there like that. It was very much still a rarity,” Thought said. Ra opened the door for Five-Percent MCs, most notably, the Wu-Tang Clan who based many of their songs on the Nation’s teachings. But that wasn’t all. With Paid in Full, Rakim is credited not only with introducing a more sophisticated vocabulary to hip-hop, but also more complex flows and rhythms and an interlaced rhyme structure. “I’m not saying lyrics or rap was simple or simplistic before that,” Black Thought said, “but the complexity of it, the musicality of it changed after Rakim came out.” Share your memories of Paid in Full in the comments below! Related Artists Rakim
Black Thought sits in for Eric B. at 25th anniversary concert. By Alvin Blanco Black Thought and Rakim Photo: MTV News NEW YORK — Rakim is an MC who hails from the era of hip-hop when samples were the source of most of rap music’s booming sounds. Wednesday night, in honor of the 25th anniversary of the iconic and influential MC’s debut album, Paid in Full, Rakim performed his seminal classic in its entirety with Philadelphia group The Roots providing all the backing instrumentation. MTV News caught up with “The R” and the Roots crew’s Black Thought at legendary New York jazz club the Blue Note, where the show went down, to discuss the two acts linking up and hip-hop’s embrace of live instruments. “The Roots is hip-hop royalty right now,” Rakim said. “From what they do, what they bring to the table, for them to holla at me, put this together, invite me out, that let me know, ‘Yo, it’s official.’ Otherwise, they wouldn’t. It’s a good feeling to be around this long and still get that love.” Eric B. dropped Paid in Full with Rakim on July 9, 1987, according to the RIAA, but Wednesday night, Black Thought assisted the God MC onstage as the Roots re-created all of the album’s beats with aplomb. The Long Island native performed songs from his classic album, such as “Eric B. is President” and “Move the Crowd.” The Roots, besides holding down duties as the in-house band for “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon,” have backed a number of prominent hip-hop acts in the past, including Jay-Z. While MCs being backed by live bands is now a common occurrence, the Roots remember clearly when that was not the case. “Back then, I couldn’t even imagine people taking hip-hop seriously being played with live instrumentation,” Black Thought said. “When we first got our record deal, it was in the era of Nas and Wu-Tang Clan and Mobb Deep and B.I.G. — we was like the odd man out. “Right now, hip-hop is as musical as it’s ever been. I feel like that’s a 360 degrees, man. From having to prove ourselves coming up to now it’s a standard. It’s almost unheard of to go out and do a tour … without having a band. For young kids coming up, they don’t know what it is to be in a realm of hip-hop without live instrumentation and musicality.” But even with hip-hop’s constant musical advancement and development, Black Thought still counted the boom-bap rhythms and lyrical innovations of the night’s special guest as a crucial inspiration, saying, “I wouldn’t have pursued the craft the way I pursued it and linked up with [Roots drummer] ?uestlove had it not been for Ra’s influence.” Share your memories of Paid in Full in the comments below! Related Artists Rakim The Roots
Officials say Dunn did not appear intoxicated when he left Barnaby’s of America pub in Pennsylvania. By Gil Kaufman Ryan Dunn Photo: Jon Furniss/ WireImage Even though authorities revealed on Wednesday that “Jackass” star Ryan Dunn had a blood alcohol level that was more than twice the legal limit in Pennsylvania when he got behind the wheel of his Porsche and crashed it early Monday morning, the bar where Dunn and passenger Zachary D. Hartwell were drinking before the high-speed accident will not be charged in the case. According to The Associated Press , Sgt. William La Torre of the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Enforcement said on Wednesday that the agency has investigated the incident and determined that no charges will be filed against the Barnaby’s of America pub. The bureau determined that Dunn did not “appear” intoxicated during the time he was served two beers and six shots by bar employees over four hours. The bar’s general manger said that surveillance video given to police supported the observation of bar employees that Dunn did not seem to have been overserved. When MTV News visited Barnaby’s on Tuesday, a reporter noted that a sign is prominently displayed above the bar that reads “If you appear to be intoxicated, we cannot serve you any alcohol.” An employee also told MTV earlier this week that Dunn didn’t “seem intoxicated” when he was at the bar. “He spoke clearly. He walked clearly. He came in hop, skip, jumping. He left hop, skip, jumping,” Barnaby’s general manager Frank Herron told the AP. “If these results are true, I’m shocked at it. We were very confident that he had not had that much.” La Torre also noted that Dunn didn’t appear to eat anything as he drank and that the last few drinks he consumed were given to him by fans at a back table in the bar and are likely the ones that put him over the edge. A toxicology report released Wednesday said that Dunn’s blood alcohol level was 0.196 at the time of the crash; the legal limit for drivers in Pennsylvania is 0.08. Police also said that the stuntman’s Porsche could have been traveling as fast as 140 mph in a 55 mph zone when it jumped a guardrail, struck a tree and burst into flames, killing Dunn, 34, and Hartwell, 30. The report said Dunn did not have any “drugs of abuse” in his system at the time of the accident. The coroner’s office is awaiting the results of tests that could indicate the presence of prescription medications; those tests could take up to eight weeks. Hours before the crash, Dunn tweeted a since-deleted photo from the bar of the pair drinking along with another friend. The AP also reported that Dunn was charged in April 2005 with driving under the influence after crashing his car about 2 miles from Monday’s deadly scene. Court documents show that he successfully completed a program designed for first-time nonviolent offenders that allowed the charges to be dismissed. Fellow “Jackass” castmembers and close friends Bam Margera and Johnny Knoxville were among the people who gathered at a suburban Philadelphia funeral home on Wednesday for a private memorial service in Dunn’s honor . Dunn will reportedly be buried in Ohio, where he was born, and a public memorial service will be announced at a later date. Dunn’s obituary requests contributions be sent to Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids , a foundation the country singer started in 1999 to raise funding for children’s charities. Share your memories of Ryan Dunn on our Facebook page or in the comments below. Related Videos Remembering Ryan Dunn Related Photos Ryan Dunn: A Career In Photos
Actress reportedly tested positive for alcohol and faces possible jail time. By Gil Kaufman Lindsay Lohan Photo: David McNew/ Getty Images Just weeks from completing her home detention sentence, troubled actress Lindsay Lohan is due in a Los Angeles court on Thursday (June 23) after allegedly violating her probation by testing positive for alcohol. According to TMZ , the 24-year-old actress tested positive for alcohol earlier this month and could be facing additional jail time if the probation department has its way. The gossip site reported that Lohan was tested twice last week for drugs and alcohol and that unnamed sources said she tested positive for alcohol on one of the tests and negative on another; both were reportedly negative for drugs. One of the tests is reported to have taken place after a rooftop barbecue party Lohan had at her condo for friends on June 12. In April, Lohan was sentenced to four months in jail for allegedly stealing a $2,500 necklace but was allowed to serve a reduced 35-day term at her Venice, California, condo. She was under strict home-confinement rules and wore an electronic monitoring device. TMZ reported that the Los Angeles County Probation Department will ask the judge in the case to pull Lohan from house arrest and send her directly to Los Angeles County jail. Lohan’s attorney could not be reached for comment at press time. Lohan was specifically told by the judge in her 2007 DUI case that she was not allowed to consume any alcohol while on probation. As part of her plea deal in the necklace case, Lohan was also sentenced to perform 480 hours of community service, but was ordered not to perform that work until she completed her house arrest. She was also sentenced to undergo psychological counseling and participate in a shoplifters alternative course. Related Videos Lindsay Lohan: Crime And Punishment Related Photos Lindsay Lohan Goes To Court The Highs And Lows Of Lindsay Lohan Related Artists Lindsay Lohan
Bam Margera, Johnny Knoxville and two ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ stars attended Wednesday’s service. By Mary J. DiMeglio Johnny Knoxville with Ryan Dunn’s family and friends at Dunn’s memorial service in West Chester, PA, on Wednesday Photo: Amy Dragoo/ AP Images WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania — Hundreds of Ryan Dunn’s friends and family members flooded a suburban Philadelphia funeral home Wednesday for a private memorial service to honor the “Jackass” star, who was killed in a fiery car crash early Monday morning. Described as “a celebration of Dunn’s life,” the service in West Chester, Pennsylvania, lasted more than four hours. The daredevil’s famous friends who gathered included best friend and “Jackass” cohort Bam Margera — who attended with his wife, Missy, and parents, Phil and April Margera — Johnny Knoxville and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” actors Glenn Howerton and Rob McElhenney. The Kings of Leon, who became close with Dunn last year, also paid tribute to the star Wednesday night during their show in London’s Hyde Park. Frontman Caleb Followill asked the audience to toast “a friend of ours who’s passed away,” adding, “This is for Ryan,” before playing “McFearless,” from 2007’s Because of the Times. Earlier in the week, bassist Jared Followill tweeted, “I’m heartbroken to say that our great friend we made over the last 8 months has passed away. Honestly in shock. Devastated. RIP Ryan Dunn.” Accident-reconstruction teams have estimated Dunn’s 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 was traveling between 132 and 140 mph in a 55 mph zone when it collided with a guardrail around 2:30 a.m. Monday. The Porsche then went soaring through about 40 yards of trees before hitting one and bursting into flames. Dunn, who recently celebrated his 34th birthday, will reportedly be buried in Ohio, where he was born. The website for the DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith and Boyd funeral home, where the service was held, says a public memorial will be announced at a later date. Dunn’s obituary requests contributions be sent to Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids , a foundation the country singer started in 1999 to raise money for children’s charities. On Tuesday, a very-distraught Bam Margera spoke to a local Fox affiliate, telling a reporter, “I’ve never lost anybody that I care about; he’s my best friend. “He was the happiest person, the smartest guy with so much talent,” he continued. “He had so many things going for him. … It is not right.” Bam’s mother said she considered Dunn her son. “He’s gonna be really missed by everybody,” April Margera told NBC News on Tuesday. “[I’m] sick because it’s a waste, sick because I loved him, sick because he was talented, sick because I can’t believe he’s gone.” The “Today” show reported that Dunn’s family members flew to West Chester from Ohio and Florida to plan his funeral, telling NBC News, “We are devastated by the loss. Ryan will be greatly missed, but he will forever be in our hearts.” According to a preliminary toxicology report by the Chester County coroner’s office, Dunn’s blood alcohol level was 0.196, more than twice the 0.08 legal limit in Pennsylvania. The report also says there were no “drugs of abuse” detected in Dunn’s system. The coroner’s report lists blunt force trauma and thermal trauma as the official causes of death for Dunn and his passenger, 30-year-old Iraq war vet Zachary Hartwell , who was credited as a production assistant on “Jackass Number Two” and was working with Dunn on his new G4 show, “Proving Ground.” Dunn grew up in New York before moving to West Chester, where he hooked up with Bam’s CKY crew. He kicked off his career doing stunts and skateboard tricks in a series of online videos, which eventually led to his part in MTV’s “Jackass” in 2000. He also appeared on “Viva La Bam” and “Bam’s Unholy Union,” in addition to the three big-screen “Jackass” adaptations. He was the star of his own short-lived MTV show, “Homewrecker,” and co-hosted G4’s “Proving Ground,” which premiered last week but has since been pulled off the network’s schedule. Share your memories of Ryan Dunn on our Facebook page or in the comments below. Related Videos Remembering Ryan Dunn Related Photos Ryan Dunn: A Career In Photos
‘Jackass’ star killed in car crash stayed ‘real,’ say patrons of the Pennsylvania bar where he was last seen. By Mary J. DiMeglio Ryan Dunn Photo: Getty Images WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania — In Ryan Dunn’s adopted hometown, the “Jackass” star is remembered, not for his celebrity status, but rather for his ability to remain modest despite living in the limelight. When MTV News visited Barnaby’s of America in West Chester’s quaint downtown business district — the last place Dunn was seen before his fatal car crash early Monday morning — the bar’s patrons praised the fallen daredevil for never letting fame go to his head. As TVs showed a Phillies game and a guitarist strummed acoustic renditions of tunes ranging from Arcade Fire to Britney Spears, customers shared their memories of a neighbor who seemingly everyone in town had the chance to meet. “He was real,” said Sam Ford, who was celebrating her 25th birthday at Barnaby’s. With Dunn’s accident in mind, Ford said she and her boyfriend, Brock Jackson, would be taking a cab home that night. (Police have yet to determine whether alcohol played a role in Dunn’s death.) Jackson, 31, said he grew up playing Little League with Bam Margera and that Christopher Raab, (a.k.a. “Raab Himself”) an original member of Bam’s CKY stunt crew and the “Jackass” cast, was his best friend growing up. “I can’t even tell you how crushed he is,” Jackson said of Raab. Jackson said Dunn, who was 34, had “truly kind eyes” and “a heart and a half.” He was especially impressed by the well-known resident’s memory, saying, “He remembered every time he met somebody.” Around 2:30 a.m. on Monday, Dunn’s 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 flew through 40 yards of trees before hitting one and bursting into flames. West Goshen Police Chief Michael Carroll told Radar Online the Porsche was traveling at about 130 mph in a 55 mph zone when it collided with a guardrail. Jon Gurten, who grew up watching the “Jackass” crew’s antics, drove about 35 miles from Philadelphia on Tuesday to visit the rural crash site. “Just being local, it was weird how it hit you,” Gurten said of Dunn’s death. “We don’t know the guy, but he seemed like a normal dude doing good for himself.” Seeing the “long distance of trees that was ripped apart,” Gurten also witnessed a visit from Margera, who placed a candle near the already-replaced guardrail. Robert Moyer, 32, said at least 50 people were paying their respects when he stopped by the site Monday afternoon as police investigated amid the stench of burning wood and plastic. Moyer said Dunn shook his hand and “acted like a normal guy” when the two crossed paths at West Chester’s T.G.I. Friday’s. “He wasn’t trying to throw his money down or act like a big shot. He didn’t have a chip on his shoulder,” Moyer recalled. “He said, ‘Thanks for the support. Thanks for watching my movies.’ ” Hailing from the Pocono Mountains region of Pennsylvania, West Chester University student Kait Sabo, 21, attested to the attention Dunn and his cohorts have brought to her new home. “When I say I go to West Chester, they associate it with ‘Jackass,’ and I’m from three hours away,” she explained. “They cheated death a lot,” Sabo said of the show’s stars. “You have to stop pushing your limits and realize death is a possibility.” Her friend, West Chester native Christy Colflesh, called Dunn a “down-to-earth, totally awesome guy” who never refused a request to pose for photographs with fans. She said at least 20 cars lined the street near the crash site on Tuesday afternoon, and some visitors collected bits of trees and whatever scraps they could find of the shattered Porsche. “So many people loved him,” she said, referring to the plethora of Ryan Dunn memorial pages that have cropped up on Facebook in the past few days. “People stand up for him.” The Chester County coroner’s report lists blunt force trauma and thermal trauma as the official causes of death for Dunn and his passenger, 30-year-old Iraq vet Zachary Hartwell , who was credited as a production assistant on “Jackass Number Two.” Hours before the crash, Dunn tweeted a photo of himself, Hartwell and another man at Barnaby’s. Toxicology results, which might help determine whether alcohol was involved in the crash, will be released in four to six weeks, the coroner’s office said. A Barnaby’s employee told MTV News on Monday afternoon that Dunn “didn’t seem intoxicated.” Dunn appeared on the MTV shows “Jackass” and “Viva La Bam” and the three “Jackass” big-screen adaptations. He was the star of his own short-lived MTV show, “Homewrecker,” and co-hosted the brand-new G4 show “Proving Ground,” which has been pulled off the network’s schedule. Share your memories of Ryan Dunn on our Facebook page or in the comments below. Related Videos Remembering Ryan Dunn Related Photos Ryan Dunn: A Career In Photos
Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare) 1743 Academy Place, Dayton, OH 45406 When: 1959 What: The Ohio Players are one of the greatest R&B and funk groups to come out of the Dayton scene in the 70s. The band’s grooves, fortified in funk, are still being raided by Hip-Hop producers today. « PREVIOUS NEXT » In celebration of Black Music Month, TheUrbanDaily’s “It’s All Black Music” presents 100 Rewarding Black Music Moments , sponsored by Southwest Airlines . Each Black Music Moment is associated with an actual place that you can visit. During the month of June, check in to at least three of these places on Foursquare to unlock TheUrbanDaily’s exclusive “It’s All Black Music” Badge . Check out the locations and details on our Foursquare page !
Where: (click below to visit venue on Foursquare) Philadelphia International Records’ Offices 309A South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107 When: February, 1971 What: Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff were already certified hitmakers. But when Clive Davis of Columbia Records infused the songwriting and production duo with the cash to form Philadelphia International Records, they had the means to challenge Motown Records for soul music supremacy. « PREVIOUS NEXT » In celebration of Black Music Month, TheUrbanDaily’s “It’s All Black Music” presents 100 Rewarding Black Music Moments , sponsored by Southwest Airlines . Each Black Music Moment is associated with an actual place that you can visit. During the month of June, check in to at least three of these places on Foursquare to unlock TheUrbanDaily’s exclusive “It’s All Black Music” Badge . Check out the locations and details on our Foursquare page !
