Nike To Donate To Local Baltimore Charities

Throwing out what might be the best thing about the previously reported Nike Air Force One collabs with Nas, Kanye, Rakim, and KRS-One (and produced by DJ Premier), Nike has announced plans to donate proceeds from the tracks to Baltimore charities including local chapters of The Boys & Girls Club of America and The Salvation Army.

According to the press release, "Known for the pivotal role it played in the popularity of the Air Force 1, Baltimore is home to three of the original Air Force 1 retailers including Downtown Locker Room. In Baltimore the love for the Air Force 1 took the form of a groundswell of support that emerged in the early 80s and eventually spread all over the world. The presence of the shoe on all sides of town turned the AF1 into Baltimore's shoe of choice, a revolutionary footwear product that spoke volumes about the city's love for basketball and made Baltimore a key player in the subsequent resurrection of the Air Force 1 and the flourish of basketball culture."

The track, "Classic - Better Than I've Ever Been" is available on iTunes along with another original Nike song, "The Second Coming" produced by Just Blaze with lyrics by Juelz Santana.

Would have preferred to see smaller, more grassroots charities get the loot, but at least Nike is giving money to our fair city.

Rock The Bells: Rage Against The Machine, Wu-Tang, Nas, Public Enemy, and more

The Rock The Bells tour, which describes itself as "a world-class hip hop platform", is set to be a huge event. With three shows (July 28 at Randall's Island in New York, Aug. 11 at the NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, Calif., and Aug. 18 at the McCovey Cove Parking Lot in San Francisco) to feature Rage Against The Machine, and Wu-Tang Clan and Nas to headline the whole tour, this is a must-see for hip hop fans.

Cypress Hill, the Roots, Public Enemy, Sage Francis, Mos Def, APMD, Jedi Mind Tricks and Immortal Technique will also play the whole tour, while MF Doom, FELT, Hieroglyphics, Living Legends, Blackalicious, the Coup, Murs, Brother Ali, Cage, Mr. Lif, Grouch & Eligh, Hangar 18, Bluepring and Lucky I AM will perform at select shows. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, March 31.

KRS-One Settles Beef With Marley Marl, Releases New Album

Having settled an ages-old and infamous beef with Marley Marl, my number one hip-hop head KRS-One has teamed with Marl to deliver an answer to Nas' Hip Hop Is Dead, called Hip-Hop Lives. The album is due may 22 on Koch.

That beef is bigger than 50 Cent and Cam'ron could ever dream. Classic tracks like Marley Marl and MC Shan's "The Bridge", answered by KRS/Boogie Down Productions with "South Bronx". And lest we forget, KRS' "The Bridge Is Over".

Marl and KRS hope to show the young hip-hop set that these beefs aren't that big of a deal, and that battle rapping and dis records are much more productive (and potentially lucrative) than violence. This should be a phenomenal moment for hip-hop, settling the biggest beef ever by collaborating on a record, but will anyone actually listen? I will.

KRS-One, Nas, Rakim, Kanye West Selling Sneakers, Kanye's Mom Writes Book About "Raising Kanye"

I have, for years, been a HUGE fan of KRS-One. I love how his stuff with Boogie Down Productions, and even his albums up through The Sneak Attack had a lot of integrity while keeping a positive outlook and demonstrating a desire to raise hip-hop to another level. But now he's plugging product for Nike.



This business with Nas, Kanye West, and Rakim (et tu, Rakim?) is just bad. The song is spot on, KRS and Rakim especially can show Nas and Kanye who made the scene that they thrive on. But schlepping shoes for Nike? You guys don't need this. Kanye is all about getting his face on anything (even his mom is going to write a book, "Raising Kanye"), but you don't need to sell out like that.