Hip-Hop legend DMC will hold a press conference on Monday (May 12) to announce a new partnership with Children’s Aid and Family Services, a Paramus, New Jersey based non-profit organization serving children in the state’s foster care/adoption system.
DMC will serve as the face of CAFS’s new “It’s Cool to Care” campaign, helping to raise awareness and encourage adults to make a difference in the lives of adoptive and foster children.
DMC (Darryl McDaniels), of Run DMC fame, will also take on a mentoring role lives of kids who are waiting to be reunited with their families or waiting to be taken into new families.
DMC has taken on the personal agenda of championing foster children since 2000, when his parents revealed that he was adopted, as he gathered information for his autobiography. And in 2007, DMC released the Emmy Award winning DMC: My Adoption Journey, a VH1-produced documentary that gave viewers a look into the rapper’s quest to discover his birth origins.
So, unless you’ve been under a rock you know that Jay-Z is getting ready to drop a new CD, American Gangster, a musical interpretation of the film by the same same (starring Denzel Washington, Russel Crowe, Common, T.I., and RZA). Jay-Z is using this CD to return to his early days of emceeing about his life hustling on the street.
SOHH talked to the director of the video trailer for Jay’s first single “Blue Magic.” In the video, director Rik Cordero depicts an anonymous hustler moving product on the gritty streets.
“Based on that [description from Def Jam execs] I just updated that kind of concept and added a little spin to it from a young hustler’s perspective,” Cordero told SOHH. “It was totally like no permits, really renegade. The main kid was like an intern at Def Jam. The girls in the video were friends of one of the producers. It was put together really quickly.”
Although Hype Williams has shot the official video for “Blue Magic,” Cordero said he is “on call” for the mini-films that Def Jam plans to release for each song on American Gangster.
I think the video is a tight concept, especially for the subject matter of the song, album, and upcoming film. This is the type of advertising that I believe the music industry is destined to use more often to promote its newest records. Youtube and other Web 2.0 sites make it a lot less expensive to spread news about new product in a quick efficient way that will create that much needed buzz. What do you think about these type of viral music video advertisements.
So the latest hip hop fiasco lies in the heart of Tennessee where teachers are outraged by a 30 second TV spot where Hardees (Carl’s Jr. –>same thing) spoofs rap music. In the commercial a group of male students are in a classroom, being taught by a female teacher in a tight gray skirt. The teacher stands at the chalkboard, turns, stands on her desk and begins to dance a pull on her blouse while the the two students rap about their love for flat buns (promoting Hardees new Patty Melt Thick Burger–interesting?).
Tennessee Education association President Dr. Earl Wiman told Allhiphop.com,
“It is unbelievably demeaning to every one of them to promote a television advertisement showing a young teacher gyrating on the tip of her desk while boys in the class rap about her body in order to sell hamburgers.”
Well, I really don’t know what to say about this one. I like burgers. Wat’s you thoughts? (See the commercial after the jump) (more…)
Okay, when this dude said he’s a “business, man” he meant it! JAY-Z is to leave the advertising world fizzing with anticipation after agreeing to help soft drinks giant Coca-Cola relaunch its Cherry Coke line. The 99 PROBLEMS star’s Rocawear firm will design the new Cherry Coke can and the product’s TV commercials, and Jay-Z will appear at its February relaunch at New York Fashion Week.
Rocawear’s JAMEEL SPENCER says, “Besides just recording, he’s making TV commercials and campaigns for brands… who is better than Coke? “They’re the biggest. His role is helping brands not get it wrong the way MCDonald’s did with African-Americans rapping about French fries. “There’s a reassurance that they won’t appear like an out-of-touch uncle trying to act cool.” Coca-Cola will be hoping the Cherry Coke relaunch will be more fruitful than the last - the drink has been relaunched three times since its debut in 1985 due to flagging sales, reports AllHipHop.com.
So Mr. Z has been keeping busy building up his “brand”, following his comeback to the mic. AllHipHop is reporting that Jay-Z is continuing to make his takeover of all media outlets.  This February, over 90 million viewers will see Jay-Z square off with former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula in a new commercial for Bud Light.
Okay, when this dude said he’s a “business, man” he meant it! JAY-Z is to leave the advertising world fizzing with anticipation after agreeing to help soft drinks giant Coca-Cola relaunch its Cherry Coke line. The 99 PROBLEMS star’s Rocawear firm will design the new Cherry Coke can and the product’s TV commercials, and Jay-Z will appear at its February relaunch at New York Fashion Week. 
