Alfamega exposed as a Federal Informant....Dropped from Grand Hustle

Damn man, DAMN!

Famously known for their mugshots (and their hatred of rappers...ask Rick Ross and Plies) The Smoking Gun, released some no doubt shocking news yesterday, when they revealed that the self-proclaimed "Grand Hustle Muscle" Alfamega was in fact an informant...for the DEA....

From TSG:

Court records show that Zellars began working with law enforcement officials after he was sentenced in September 1995 to 110 months in a federal gun case (Zellars, who had a prior felony robbery conviction, was collared for selling weapons to an undercover federal agent). Zellars “agreed to cooperate with authorities and was debriefed” about the criminal activity of several individuals. “In particular he was debriefed concerning the drug trafficking activities of a Mr. Ali Baaqar,” according to a government court filing, a copy of which you’ll find below. During his cooperation against Baaqar, Zellars met with a DEA agent and a federal prosecutor, and subsequently testified at trial. “Ali Baaqar was convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin based upon the trial testimony of [Zellars] and others.” In return for his snitching, Zellars had 18 months shaved off his prison term when he was resentenced in July 1997 by Judge J. Owen Forrester.

damn. And if that isnt bad enough, T.I. was taken down by someone who was an informant IN his camp (but wasn't Alfa). Earlier today T.I. released this statement from what seems like a microphone in the Underground Railroad, effectively dropping Alfa from the Grand Hustle roster for his deception:

T.I. Speaks on Alfamega

(statement for those who can't understand):

Even though all our artists and employees are asked by us to be honest and open about their past history, at no time did Alfa disclose to me or Grand Hustle what has now appeared in the media. He essentially deceived us by failing to fully disclose the truth about his past and there is no place in our organization for dishonest and misleading behavior. As I have always said, you must take responsibility for your own actions. We at Grand Hustle can not support or condone the blaming of others for our own mistakes. I hope and pray to god bless his financial plans, but I don’t forsee me or my company playing a role in his personal or professional business. End.

Damn x2. It's a cold road for people out here, but I have to wonder what Alfa was thinking knowing that at any moment this could have been revealed. Punchin niggas in the face, goin hard for the camp and shit, just to get exposed.... sucks to be you

T.I.'s last performance before he goes to prison

Featuring Young Jeezy and Ludacris. Hold ya head T.I. [pause]

B.O.B. I MEAN Bobby Ray + T.I.: On Top Of The World Performance

Dont call him B.O.B., his name's Bobby Ray.

I think Bob....by Ray has enough charisma and damn good songs to hold it down while TIP is gone. Dro, Bob, and LA got next

T.I. to serve 1 year behind bars + $100,000 fine

From the AP:

A judge sentenced Rapper T.I. to one year and a day behind bars on federal weapons charges on Friday.

The 28-year-old rapper, whose real name is Clifford Harris, entered court smiling as he greeted his lawyers and family members. He wore a dark gray suit and black dress shirt and tie for sentencing.

"Today I would like to say thank you to some, and apologize to all," the rapper told U.S. District Judge Charles Pannell Jr. at the 1 and 1/2 hour session.

Harris pleaded guilty last March after he was arrested in 2007, attempting to buy unregistered machine guns and silencers. The arrest on Oct. 13 of that year occurred blocks from where he was to headline the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta hours later.

He will have between 30 and 60 days to report to prison. Harris already has completed about 1,000 hours of community service and has warned youths about the pitfalls of guns, drugs, violence. He will need to complete 470 additional hours.

Hold ya head T.I.P., this dude did a good thing helping those kids out, and using his celebrity to show people the downfalls of fear and pressure.

T.I. + Shawty Lo squash the beef, perform together

@ one of T.I.'s last performances before he goes to jail.

Thank god this is over.

T.I. In The Studio

Nard & B are next up, yesss

DJ Drama + Snoop Dogg + T.I. + Akon: Day Dreamin

DJ Drama + Snoop Dogg + T.I. + Akon: Day Dreamin (Includes Clean, Dirty, Instrumental for you crumbs)

Spotted @ OS!

The first official single from Gangsta Grillz The Album 2

T.I.: Letter To The Government

A Paper Trail leftover

T.I.: Letter To The Government

T.I. + Angela Yee Interview (Video)

Yung L.A., Young Dro, T.I.: Aint I (Remix) (Video)

I love this song, and the video is pretty slick too. Let's hope that when T.I. does go to do his time that Grand Hustle can keep it together (New Young Dro album pleasssse?)

T.I. Interview: Speaks on Jim Jones' comments

Also shows some footage from the filming of the "Live Your Life" video.

Music Review: T.I.: Paper Trail

9/10


With the inevitable reality of prison looming, T.I. (or T.I.P. if you want to be technical) releases perhaps his most introspective material yet on "Paper Trail."

Though the name is a direct reference to his choice to once again write his rhymes down with pen and pad (the rapper du jour of the current generation is to go pen less), "Trail" doesn't squander its content or lose it's way with a gaggle of filler tracks.

T.I. is at his most brutally honest on "Paper Trail," speaking candidly about the implications of his arrest on "Ready For Whatever", and putting a certain Atlanta naysayer in his place on the hard hitting and in your face anthem "Whats Up, Whats Happenin," produced by Drumma Boy.

T.I. once again teams up with longtime friend and producer DJ Toomp who produces 5 of the strongest tracks on the album, including the long awaited team up with Ludacris on "On Top Of The World," which also features Grand Hustle newbie B.O.B. The song is excellent of course and T.I. and Luda have great chemistry which will hopefully lead to many more collabs with them over time. "Paper Trail" also features the infectious mash-up "Swagga Like Us" which features Kanye West, Jay-Z and Lil' Wayne as four of the most popular MC's today lyrically sparring over the M.I.A. sampled tune.

"Paper Trail" is also light on the upbeat bop of past T.I. albums and even though the Jim Jonsin produced "Whatever You Like" gets in that zone, there are few tracks on the album like it. It's the confessional of an artist facing one of his biggest trials, and as a fan it's worth taking the journey.

T.I., Alfamega speak on the autotune fetish

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

Props to MTV's The Parker Report

This is some true talk, even though I will say that autotune probably adds to Kanye moreso than Lil' Wayne, Ye uses it more like an extension to the song he's on and Wayne...well he's Wayne.

T.I. + Jay-Z + Lupe Fiasco

Footage from earlier tonight at the Highline Ballroom, performing "Swagga Like Us" with Jay and "Superstar" with Lupe.

T.I.P. talks about why he chose to write again

Courtesy of SOHH.com


Paper Trail review coming soon

T.I. Is Mad

I mean, shit like this happens, even though this vid screams "Public Relations", im sure that Paper Trail will be fine. Especially seeing as though "Whatever You Like" did so well in its first few weeks of release. Rappers and record companies have the wrong idea about how blogs and the internet in general work. There's a shaky (read: im talking Michael J. Fox here) relationship between the internet and music in general. Rappers are starting social websites and youtube channels and forgetting that the key of internet culture is that it is a COUNTER culture in the end. It's all well and good that you give away free music, but in the end dont think you are smarter than the average blogger! Just because you send out lowly interns and street teams to spam sohh.com and nahright comments and forums doesnt mean that you "understand" or that they will stop going to their local newsgroup to download your (likely) shitty album. Spam is spam, niggas will ignore it and do what they want.

T.I. on Karmaloop TV

Tha KANG is back 9/30/08...

Yung L.A., Young Dro, T.I.: Aint I (Remix)

I'm sure this is like 8 months old in Atlanta but i dont give a fuck, it's still dope

Yung L.A.: Aint I (Remix) (Featuring Young Dro, T.I.)