This week, Boogie Down Productions affiliate Ms. Melodie was confirmed dead. The cause and details are still unknown. Large Professor recalled working with legends such as Nas, Rakim, Slick Rick, Busta Rhymes, and compared and contrasted their styles. Frank Ocean missed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart, but cleared over 100,000 units, and Aesop Rock landed his highest charting position ever.
Rapper Ms. Melodie Confirmed Dead
Ms. Melodie, Boogie Down Productions affiliate and onetime wife to KRS-One, died Tuesday (July 17). No substantive details have been provided. Melodie released the album Diva in 1989 via Jive/Zomba Records. The Brooklynite appeared on KRS-One’s “Self Destruction,” as well as Queen Latifah’s “Ladies First.” Melodie and KRS-One split in the early 1990s.
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Large Professor Remembers Recording With New York Rap Legends
Large Professor has had a storied career as an emcee and a producer. Along the way, he secured some elite talent for his collaborations. “I always held Nas in a high regard,” said Extra P, who collaborated with the Queens emcee on “Live at the Barbeque.”
Large Pro also named Slick Rick, Busta Rhymes, and Rakim as some of his most impressive collaborators, and compared their recording approaches. “When you see Rakim, going in, he got the big, thick notebook…and he’s sittin’ in between the speakers, and it’s like, ‘Yo, that’s Rakim, and this is his process!’ You see Slick Rick sit down, doing his vocals, and you see him going through all the different phases. Then you see a Busta Rhymes…I’ve witnessed all of this.”
Frank Ocean And Aesop Rock Make A Splash On The Charts
Despite failing to debut at No. 1, Frank Ocean’s Channel Orangesold an impressive 130,000 to lock in the second spot on the Billboard Top 200. The album dropped under controversial circumstances, with the singer having explained his sexuality in an open letter only two weeks earlier. The album features appearances by Andre 3000 and Odd Future’s Earl Sweatshirt. It was a good week for Aesop Rock as well, as the independent mainstay scored his highest-charting album ever with Skelethon. With 14,000 units on the week, Aes landed at the No. 20 spot. The album is his first since 2007’s None Shall Pass.
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Other items of note:
– Former Porn Star Bree Olson Explains Recording First Hip Hop Song
– Nas Discusses Kelis’ Reaction To Her Wedding Dress On The “Life Is Good” Cover Art
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– 50 Cent Supports Frank Ocean’s Coming Out, Defends His Artistry
– Busta Rhymes Reunites On Stage With Leaders Of The New School
