(Video)-J.Cole brings out JAY Z & Kendrick Lamar For Birthday Concert

As J. Cole hit the Theater at Madison Square Garden last night to ring in his 29th birthday with a packed house of fans, a few unexpected special guests came through making the occasion all the more special for the Roc Nation signee. Gifted with Jay Z’s original Roc-A-Fella chain and sipping on a drank or two, it was readily apparent that J. Cole was enjoying himself just as much as the fans at yesterday’s show, making his performance all the more enjoyable.

Opening the show with the acclaimed cut “Trouble,” Cole certainly decorated the night with a mischievous tone from the start, true to that of a Born Sinner. Also performing “Work Out,” “Nobody’s Perfect,” and “She Knows,” the Roc Nation MC didn’t miss a beat and the addition of the live band made the sound pitch perfect.

During the second half of the show, J. Cole had two big surprises that no one saw coming. First joined by Kendrick Lamar for “Forbidden Fruit”—during which Cole talked about outselling Kanye after their much-publicized album release showdown this summer—and “Backseat Freestyle,” then later accompanied by Jay Z for “Public Service Announcement” and “FuckwithmeyouknowIgotit” [Ed. Note: Photographers were not allowed to shoot past the first three songs], Cole brought two of the biggest names from both coasts onto one stage to help make the night extra special. Both guests also had some heartfelt words for the birthday boy, with Kendrick praising Cole’s genuine spirit and Jay Z gifting him with his Roc-A-Fella chain.

As the show wrapped up, J. Cole joked that he couldn’t top what Jay Z had just displayed, before ending with the Grammy-nominated cut that fans had all been waiting for, “Power Trip.”

Check our photos above, and videos of Kendrick and Jay below.

Artist To Watch in 2014 # 14 Tavon F.A.Z.E Rowe

F.A.Z.E. Forever Ambitious Zero Excuses. 
Tavon a gifted poet and rapper its obvious to say that not many people are talented as this guy. Standing over 6 feet, Faze towers over the competition and like Sampha his poetry and music has substance. Clarity, that boy bring clarity to a generation that is steeped in deep fog and mystery.(Martin Luther King rolled over in his grave party promoters lol)  Mr.Rowe is a college graduate which reflects in his music.In any one of his poems and songs you'll hear him discuss social,economic,class, and even race issues but weave them together in a nice compact lyrically beautiful creshendo. Plus he really knows how to work a crowd with humor and honesty.

 Check FAZE killing at the Bowery Poetry Club...by the way sorry bro had to do  some stuff for the Lord....that Illuminati stuffis real and I'm close bro...cough cough Roc-nation deal...lol Trying to make that 2014 edition of Freshman XXL. Looks like you are to. I see you brah...

The one & only F to the AZ...silent E

Artist To Watch In 2014 #15 Sampha

Sampha, @Sampha_Genre: R&B

Thoughtful singer-songwriters don’t come often. So when Sampha, 24, released his “Dual” EP in July 2013, those in the blogosphere looking for more than just a rump-shaker jam or an empty sad song took notice. The man’s full of well-considered metaphors, like on the set’s “Beneath the Tree” where he’s battling inner demons. He wrapped 2013 strong—first with an excellent feature on Drake’s piano-driven “Too Much,” which earned him more ears. Then with his own “Happens,” a gloomy cut about someone fresh off a breakup that’s fearful of starting again. The Young Turks artist is readying a fresh batch of material for release this year. Feels like he’s likely to have a huge 2014.

GRAMMYS Drunk In Love Feat Jay Z

Jay Z and Beyonce just did something that neither of them has done in ages: perform as an opening act. The concert they kicked off, however, happens to be music’s biggest night.

Their performance of “Drunk in Love” at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards is the latest example of the synergy between their two brands, and it serves as a reminder that their union is as much a merger as it is a marriage.

As media buyer Ryan Schinman told me in an interview for my Jay Z biography Empire State of Mind: “It’s a case of one plus one equals ten.”

It’s too early to accurately quantify the impact of tonight’s performance on Jay Z and Beyonce’s bottom line. But the duo is already dominating the social media landscape even after act after celebrated act takes the stage at the Grammys.

Music’s first couple, however, is already padding their coffers thanks to direct and indirect collaborations. They pulled in a combined $95 million over the past year, the most of any celebrity couple. Beyonce appeared on Jay Z’s latest album, and vice versa.

Perhaps more interestingly, at least from a business perspective, they followed similar blueprints in their respective launches. Both waited until as late as possible to announce their albums–Beyonce’s self-titled effort was among the year’s ten best-sellers despite being released as a surprise in mid-December.

That’s the latest manifestation of a trend that’s been following them for quite awhile.

“I think their careers blossomed together,” producer Jim Jonsin once told me. “They’re the president and first lady of the music industry … By marrying Beyoncé, he attached himself to all her fans, and then they went and got into his stuff. The same goes for her, she got a bunch of new fans from him.”

What’s particularly fascinating is that, since their 2008 nuptials, both stars’ careers have continued to soar–despite albums that, while fairly well-received, haven’t enjoyed the same level of acclaim as some of their earlier efforts.

As long as Jay Z and Beyonce remain popular individually, it seems they’ll always be able to push their shared star even higher, as well as their earnings.

The examples don’t get much clearer than tonight–and Jay Z, who leads the pack with eight Grammy nominations, may just be getting started.

Welcome To the New Age-Radioactive Remix Feat Kendrick Lamar

Grammys saw the collabo of the century Imagine Dragins And Kendrick Lamar this joint
knocks

Grammy's 2014 The Top 10 Surprises or Snubs

The nominees for the 56^th annual Grammy Awards were revealed on December 6, and in our attempt to make sense of it all, TheWrap immediately sought out Damon Williams, vice president of Programming & Content Development at Music Choice to determine the 10 biggest snubs and surprises leading up to music’s biggest night. Here’s the breakdown:

SNUBS

Bruno Mars’ Unorthodox Jukebox for Album of the Year

How did this album not qualify for the cut? After all, Mars is nominated for several hit songs ... yet not the well-rounded album that houses them? Not cool, says Williams. We agree.

Justin Timberlake’s got no rhythm or blues (Album), apparently

The man who won the American Music Award for Favourite R&B Album isn’t even nominated for a Grammy in the same category. Um, what? OK, so we know the two awards shows are different, and obviously their voting processes are not simpatico, but if anyone should take home a compilation trophy at both awards shows, it’s Justin. Crazy oversight. 

The Grammys noticed JT in the R&B Song category (one out of five in the genre), so he still may take home another sweet paperweight - but it’s not the same.

No Applause
OK, so Lady Gaga and ARTPOP didn’t exactly make a splash in 2013. Although the meat-wearing-when-she’s-not-naked artist’s album’s Nov. 6 release date missed the Grammy cut-off, the better-received single, Applause, came out well earlier - at the exact same time as Katy Perry’s Roar. And Gaga’s pop song as a standalone is a pretty good one, and isn’t exactly an unknown. Williams thinks Applause belongs alongside Perry’s hit in the Best Pop Solo Performance category, though he admits Gaga “tried to go head to head with Katy, and lost.”

Imagine Dragons for Best Rock Album

Williams is disappointed in the lack of “youth movement” in the rock album category. And who can argue with him? Here are the non-Kings (of Leon) and non-Queens (of the Stone Age) Best Rock Album nominees: Black Sabbath, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin and Neil Young. What year is this? We’re not saying they’re old, but their movie tickets are a lot cheaper than yours.

Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly, Cruise
This song was everywhere in 2013 - except for the Grammy nominations, apparently. Williams lamented the general lack of youth in this category as well. It’s an all-time great crossover track; put ‘em in an envelope, Grammys!

SURPRISES AND SHOCKSAnd then there were the surprises, some pleasant, some ... not so much:

Daft Punk, Random Access Memories Nominated for Album of the Year
“Not one of their greatest albums,” Williams simply put it to TheWrap. The nomination seems to rely pretty heavily on the existence of Get Lucky, which itself leaned firmly on the greatness of Pharrell Williams, who is having an absolute monster year. Still, being nominated for a super-catchy track and being nominated in the night’s biggest category are two very different things. Just ask Robin Thicke.

Kendrick Lamar Love

See, not all surprises are bad. The multiple nominations for Lamar were a huge leap in the right direction, Williams said. Williams made no bones about it - the guy really wants to see the talented young Compton rapper take home a statue on Sunday. Though Macklemore & Ryan Lewis will probably have something to say about that in shared categories. But on a positive note, both hip-hop acts getting nominated all over the place Friday night was nice to see from an Academy that tends to skew older and reward name rappers, like our next noms ...

Jay Z and Kanye West for Best Rap Album
OK, these nominations were not at all really surprising - though that doesn’t mean they were completely deserving. West was actually trying hard to not make a popular album full of singles and he still got the nod here. Perhaps getting new blood in there by way of J. Cole would have been a nice Surprise.

Sara Bareilles will take on Katy Perry
Bareilles’ project just didn’t resonate with Williams. Did Brave make it to Best Pop Solo Performance against Katy Perry simply because the two songs famously sound exactly alike? That part isn’t Bareilles’ fault, since hers came first. But The Blessed Unrest also got the huge Album of the Year nod. Did you expect that? Did Bareilles even expect that?

Alicia Keys in R&B
Girl on Fire is “definitely not one of her better albums,” Williams told TheWrap of Keys’ latest. And the man who serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Rhythm and Blues Foundation should know. The bigger issue: Keys personifies the whole R&B category, which Williams says consists of “a lot of people who have been around for a long time ... who have a just OK album” this time around.
“You just don’t see the depth,” Williams explained in his main category of expertise.
So we’ll ask again: Shouldn’t there be more Timberlake?

2014 artist to watch #16 Y. Rome

Y.Rome

Instagram-Neverdidgaf

facebook.com/Romejodyedwards

twiiter- @IamYrome

There are several reasons to love what’s happening in the New York Hip Hop scene. Y.Rome, also known as Derome  Edwards is absolutely high on the list of artist to watch in 2014. Rome is the epitome of a rap genius with that "it" factor. He's charismatic, witty,intelligent, and above all else he is real. Lately Rome has been on a tear with his $plitzville team performing and gaining buzz throughout the states and is beginning to get  recognition with major labels taking notice.

 Y.Rome performs with passion and energy that his audience feed off of.When you mix that with his passionate lyrics of a young man trying to find his place socially,financially,mentally, and emotionally  that equals one of the brightest artist of 2014. You can follow Y.Romes rise to glory and his music at the social sites mentioned above.

You also can peep the promotional visuals for his new song "Outta Control"

 "Outta Control"

2014 artist to watch #17 Rich Homie Quan

Rich Homie Quan, @RichHomieQuan
Genre: Hip-Hop

While it seems like Rich Homie Quan appeared on the rap scene last year, the Atlanta rapper has been hustling since 2012. His “Still Goin In” single, “Differences caught the attention of the streets, but it was his breakthrough single, “Type of Way,” off his third mixtape, “Still Going In (Reloaded)” (2013), that garnered praise as it rocketed onto the charts.  Since then, Rich Homie Quan has been seen working with notable rappers, and featured on numerous hits, including YG's "My Ni—a." He's currently working on his debut album, which he told XXL he’s 30% done with.

2014 artist to watch #18 SchoolBoy Q

TDE member Schoolboy Q has one of the most anticipated hip hop albums Oxymoron dropping this year in 2014. Q has overcome many obstacles in his life and with his brash style has definitely garnered attention as an artist to watch for 2014. Though a lock to shake up the game in 2014,no one is more unimpressed with ScHoolBoy Q's past life as a gang banger than the rapper himself. The 27-year-old West Coaster talked about his former affiliation with L.A.'s Crips gang during a Hot 97 interview this week.

 Joining was an "accident" according to Q. He was only 12 at the time, and following a friend's lead. "My homie said he was about to do it, I'm like, 'I'ma go too let's' go,'" he explained.

To get put on, aspiring members have to "grow up in the set," and know "more than one person" already down. "You gotta be kickin' it with 'em," he added. "Gotta be going to school with them or something. He know your momma, your auntie, or somethin."

He went on to break down more intricacies of being a Crip, wars within the gang, adapting to violence, and how he feels about the experience today. In hindsight, putting his life in danger wasn't worth it. "It's embarrassing for me to even really be talking about it like in detail. From me going to what I was to now, I look at it as [stupid]. Like why would I go on and do that type of stuff … take time away from my daughter."

Q's daughter, Joy, fronts one of two of her father's Oxymoron covers and inspired the title. "The oxymoron in this album is that I'm doing all this bad to do good for my daughter. That's why I'm robbing, that's why I'm stealing."

Elsewhere in the chat, Q talked about delaying his album, getting good grades (he had a 3.3 GPA in high school), and why TDE isn't like other music crews. With the exception of the Wu-Tang Clan, TDE differs from fellow rap clicks because they all started together. "None of them n----s had the bond like us," he said. "We came up sharing food, sleeping on the same couch … our bond is way different."

Here's his new vid Man Of The Year 

Justin Beiber arrested for Drag racing & DUI...smh

SMH. I really like Justin he's a talented guy that endured a lot of flack from people for no reason, but now he's starting to become a headache. He is definitely on the path to self destruction. 

 Pop star Justin Bieber was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and drag racing Thursday morning, a Miami Beach, Florida, police spokesman said.

Bieber was driving a yellow Lamborghini that police saw drag racing a Ferrari in a residential area of Miami Beach, police spokesman Bobby Hernandez said

Bieber showed "signs of impairment" and failed a field sobriety test, Hernandez told CNN. He was then taken into custody and booked on a drunken driving charge, he said.

Two SUVs "actually blocked the traffic at 26th and Pine Street so that they could race on Pine Street, almost making it like a makeshift race track," Hernandez said.

The Ferrari's driver, whom Hernandez called "an associate of Bieber," was also arrested on a drunken driving charge, he said. That person has not yet been publicly identified.

Bieber, 19, flew to Miami on Monday.

Another police department in the Miami area is investigating a report that some of its officers escorted Bieber's caravan between Miami strip clubs this week with authorization.

Opa-Locka Assistant City Manager David Chiverton toldCNN affiliate WSVN-TV that "at some point the escort took them at least to two locations that we know of."

"The police administration had no knowledge of this escort, and it is not the norm for those things to occur without the chief and his administration authorizing such escorts," Chiverton told the TV station.

Thursday's incident marks the first time the teen singer has been arrested, although he is under investigation on allegations of egging his California neighbor's home.

Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies used a felony search warrant last week to raid Bieber's mansion in the felony vandalism investigation. They seized Bieber's iPhone and the security camera system, which detectives have been examining for clues about who tossed eggs over a fence that splattered onto the next-door house causing an estimated $20,000 in damages.

Bieber is having some issues

Deputies have also investigated reports by Bieber's neighbors that he raced his expensive sports car down the streets of the exclusive Oaks community of Calabasas, California, but no charges ever resulted.

One neighbor accused Bieber of spitting in his face during a heated confrontation last March. Deputies have responded to complaints about loud parties at Bieber's place.

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office concluded it couldn't prove the spitting or speeding cases in court, so it declined to prosecute.

Prosecutors also rejected a misdemeanor battery complaint from a photographer who accused Bieber of attacking him in the parking lot of a Calabasas shopping center as he was taking photos of Bieber and his then-girlfriend, Selena Gomez, in May 2012.

"We didn't do this search warrant to send a message," Sheriff's Lt. David Thompson said last week. "That's not what we do, but we hope maybe that understanding the gravity of this will change some of the behavior."

2014 artist to watch #19-Jhene Aiko

Who: Jhené Aiko

Where She’s From: Los Angeles, CA

Why She Rules: After lending her gorgeous, simmering vocals to A listers likeKendrick Lamar, Drake, J. Cole, and Big Sean, Jhené’s finally gonna get the solo spotlight she deserves once her debut LP, Souled Out, drops later this year.

Also, have you listened to her track on Solange’s Saint Heron compilation, “Drinking And Driving”? I mean, HAVE YOU EVEN?

What You Need To Do Now: Is your life as romantic and serene as Jhené Aiko’s “Bed Peace” video featuring Childish Gambino yet? Work on that.

2014 Artist To Watch-#20 Vinyl Rock (Terrence Stewart)

Across almost every genre, 2014 will be an incredible year for music.  It's difficult to predict what will happen this year -- the musical druthers of the population at large are fickle, and those who do end up on top often come about without so much of a whisper (Hi, Lorde) -- but we're going to give it a shot. For the next 2o days i will list  20 artists you should start listening to in 2014. Some of these names will make headlines in 2014. Some will probably never see any mainstream success. But they all demand, and most certainly merit, your attention.

#20 Terrence Stewart better known as Vinyl Rock is a young musician from New York. Why is he such a big deal? Because he is a breathe of fresh air in a city filled with pollution. Terrence Stewart 

represents a return to witty lyricism and intellectual interpretation of life while delivering the flash of Muhammad ali and brutal honesty of Eric Sherman. Also he is from the city that produced Hip Hop and some of the best legends hip hop has to offer. (Biggie,Nas,Jay Z,Mob Deep, 50 cent,Lil Kim, Big L, Big Pun hell Nicki Minaj is a legend sort of in her own right). Look out for Vinyl Rock and listen to his debut video Will 2 Win.

Also check out his third and  latest mixtape The Concrete Jungle on DatPiff.com

Download Mixtape | Free Mixtapes Powered by DatPiff.com

Less Beef More Heat

Less Beef more Heat…New 50 Cent Feat Fat Joe

Lebron:KING OF NY

 LeBron James sent a message Friday morning to teammate Dwyane Wade that acknowledged the Miami Heat guard's birthday and their uncertain future together after this season.

Wade turned 32 on Friday, and he will spend at least part of his night trying to help the Heat end a season-high three-game losing streak when they play the Philadelphia 76ers.

Wade awoke Friday to an Instagram post from James that included an extensive collage of photos of the two together that were taken on and off the court over various stages of their careers.

In the message, James writes about how far the two have come since their friendship began during the 2003 NBA pre-draft camp. James was taken by Cleveland as the No. 1 overall pick, and Wade was selected fifth by the Heat.

The two became teammates with the Heat in 2010, after James left the Cavaliers as a free agent. Miami has since advanced to the Finals three straight years and is the two-time defending champion.

James, Wade and center Chris Bosh, however, could opt out of their contracts after this season.

"I came to Miami for 2 reasons. To play with U and to win championships and I can't thank you u enough for the sacrifice you've made since I arrived homie!" James wrote in part of the birthday message to Wade. "No matter what happens in the future we stuck together like brothers for life."

James has declined to address his potential free agency since the opening day of training camp in October, when he said he hopes to keep winning championships in Miami but hadn't yet decided if he would opt out of his contract.

There has been speculation that James might consider a return to Cleveland, but James has offered few hints about his future.

Meanwhile, Wade has said he hopes to play his entire career in Miami and retire with the Heat.

Wade also has acknowledged how much of a challenge it has been at times to sacrifice his role as the leader of a franchise he led to a title in 2006 to make way for James' arrival.

The Heat are trying to become only the fourth NBA franchise to win three consecutive championships.

James addressed all he and Wade have accomplished together in the birthday message.

"Happy Bday to my running mate, homie, brother and most of all straight up friend!" James wrote at the beginning of the post. "The friendship we've created our rookie year at pre draft camp was pure and that's why we stuck together from that point on! Obviously didn't know we would eventually become teammates and do the things we've done so far."