J. Cole's Debut Album is #1! Watch Him Perform Cole World LIVE!

It's official! J. Cole has the #1 album in the country on the Billboard charts, racking in first week sales of $217,000.  Congrats to J. Cole and his entire team. There was a lot of doubt along the way from naysayers, but in the end he's exceeded expectations set forth.  Jay-Z had this to say in a statement sent to Billboard:

“J. Cole’s success is testament to amazing artist development and Cole’s hard work,” Jay-Z said, via press release. “I want to congratulate him on a #1 album and more importantly a great body of work.”

Hit the jump to watch J. Cole perform "Cole World" Live on Sirius's Hip Hop Nation!

Frank Ocean Interview With Angie Martinez

Angie Martinez got an exclusive interview with OFWGKTA singer Frank Ocean who lives a pretty off the radar life, and finally got him to address his success, working with Jay-Z and Kanye, and his beef with Chris Brown.

Part 1: Frank discusses his relationship with the rest of Odd Future & his stance on Tyler, The Creator's many beefs



Hit the jump for parts 2 & 3 of the Hot 97 interview!

Gangstas Use Emoticons Radio, Vol. 10: The Dime Piece

The weekend is here and yours truly, DJ Hourglass is back with yet another mix to get you going--whether you're planning to stay at home or go out and party.  Thanks to your support, I've seen the demand for Gangstas Use Emoticons Radio, and I'm proud to have made 10 volumes in just two months.

Since this is "The Dime Piece" edition, I switched up my usual format and made sure I got some smoother tracks and more R&B. Hip Hop heads, don't worry.  It's still full of the hottest names in the game.  Listen below and vibe to the sounds of TiRon & Ayomari, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Terrace Martin, 9th Wonder, J. Cole, Dawn Richard and more!

Gangstas Use Emoticons Radio, Vol. 10: The Dime Piece

Hit the jump for the full tracklisting!

Producer S1 Tells The Story of Excellence

If you haven't heard an S1 produced track, think again.  The hit producer made his way up in the game from producing for Little Brother and other associated acts to producing chart toppers for Kanye West & Beyonce.  Most recently, Symbolic One produced the "Excellence" portion to Jay-Z & Kanye's Watch the Throne track "Murder To Excellence.  Watch below as he explains the journey behind the incredible song.



Props to Hip Hop DX

J. Cole Addresses Jay-Z & Rihanna Rumors

Right on the cusp of the release of Cole World: The Sideline Story, have come a plethora of rumors alleging surrounding  J. Cole suggesting everything from him having a sex tape with Rihanna to him being dropped from Roc Nation as a result of a tumultuous relationship with Jay-Z.  I never paid the rumors any mind because usually the truth reveals itself.

Watch J. Cole take it all in stride as he addresses the rumors below:

Get More: Sucker Free

Previously: New Music Video: J. Cole - Can't Get Enough f/ Trey Songz + Album Snippets
New Music: J. Cole - Mr. Nice Watch f/ Jay-Z

Want To Hear A New Spin on Watch The Throne?

Like Dance music? Like Watch The Throne? Curious? Just check out Mark The Throne, a Electronic, dubstep remix of Jay-Z & Kanye West's hit album Watch The Throne.  This dope mix was created by the duo Market Price which consists of DJ GOJ!RA and producer Valentino.  What's most impressive is that this was created without acapellas or stems.

New Music: J. Cole - Mr. Nice Watch f/ Jay-Z

Who needs Any Given Sunday when J. Cole drops off a Jay-Z collabo on a Wednesday? This was probably the most anticipated track from the album and there was a lot of speculation whether Hov would get his verse in time.  Now we have proof that he did.   Listen to "Mr. Nice Watch" f/ Jay-Z below and get ready for Cole World: The Sideline Story which drops in less than 2 weeks.

J. Cole: Mr. Nice Watch f/ Jay-Z (Clean)


J. Cole: Mr. Nice Watch f/ Jay-Z (Dirty)



Hit the jump for a sneak peek of the video for "Can't Get Enough" with Trey Songz!

Complex Mag Breaks Down Why Jay-Z's "The Blueprint" Is Better Than "Reasonable Doubt"

I'm a huge Jay-Z fan and I always go back and forth on what my favorite album is from him. Personally, American Gangster is at the top of the list, followed by The Blueprint and Reasonable Doubt.  American Gangster didn't receive enough credit and success as the latter, so I understand why the main competition is between his 1996 debut and the 2001 smash.

Complex Magazine, the undisputed king of lists, put together a wonderful argument as to why The Blueprint takes the crown.  They weigh multiple components required to make a classic album, and give the winning album a point for each round.


Read the entire feature here.

The Tanning Effect with Steve Stoute

Watch brilliant former music executive sit down with Jay-Z, Pharrell, Jimmy Iovine and Lady Gaga in the first installment of his video series, The Tanning Effect.  His new book, entitled The Tanning of America: How the Culture of Hip Hop Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy, will hit stores tomorrow.

To learn more about Steve Stoute and to read an excerpt from his book, click here.

Jay-Z & Kanye West x Frank Ocean - No Church In the Wild [Fan Made Video]

Sorry, this isn't an official music video of "No Church In The Wild" like I thought it was, but it surely is a beautiful work of art.  In a parallel universe of sorts, the video takes place in 1862 where White slaves were oppressed and beaten by Black slaveowners. Wow.

Check it out and let me know what you think!



Kanye West and Jay Z - No Church In The Wild (music video) from High5Collective on Vimeo.

Props to Relevant Mindset

Gangstas Use Emoticons Radio, Volume 8

It's officially Friday, so you know what that means! Yours truly, DJ Hourglass, is back with another mix to get your weekend started off right!  I know I say this every week, but I think this is by far my best edition fo GUE Radio to date.  It contains a balanced mix of mainstream party tracks, underground hip hop, and R&B.

Listen to the mix below which features music from Jay-Z & Kanye West, STS, GLC, Phonte, Kendrick Lamar, The-Dream, Jhené Aiko, and more.  Download if you like it!!



Hit the jump for to see the full tracklisting!

Beyoncé's 2011 MTV Video Music Awards Performance

This was probably the best moment of the night. Twitter and the media were already buzzing when she posed and announced her pregnancy on theVMA red carpet.  When she performed my anthem of joy "Love On Top," I lost it.  Watch below and see her and Jay-Z celebrate their new found joy in front of the world. Congratulations to them both. 

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music, Beyoncé

Jay-Z & Kanye West Perform Otis For the First Time

Jay-Z & Kanye West just kinda surprised the MTV Video Music Awards and hit the stage for their first performance of "Otis."  I'm loving it, and I'm hoping to get to this concert.  Watch closely and watch someone run on the stage.  My suspects: Lil Wayne, Baby, or Lil Mama.

Props to Miss Info

The MTV Video Music Awards are Tonight!!

The 2011 Video Music Awards Air on MTV tonight at 9/8 central, and Gangstas Use Emoticons will be live tweeting the entire show, starting with the 8/7 preshow.  I, DJ Hourglass, promise to keep you up to date with all of the great moments and foolishness that is sure to occur.  It's only 2:30 and Lil Mama's already starting.  If I see her on stage like last year, I will be on the floor.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter @DJHourglass and @GsUseEmoticons to join in on the festivities!

Hit the jump to see a list of performers for tonight.

Got Beef? Lil Wayne Disses Jay-Z in New Carter IV Track

Back in January, eyebrows were raised a little when Jay-Z seemed to take a subtle jab at Lil Wayne and the Young Money Cash Money empire when he said the following on the "Watch The Throne" track H.A.M. with Kanye West:

"Like these rappers rap about all that shit that I do really/I'm like really, half a billy nigga really? You got Baby money/Keep it real with niggas/Niggas ain't got my lady money..."

Lil Wayne was interviewed about the possible diss and had this to say:

"Actually, the subject that he's talking about in that line, I can't box with the god. I'd be the first one to tell you that, given my wit, and the type of person that I am, I'd capitalize and I'd play off of it."

Seems like Weezy's had a change of heart since then.  His track It's Good with Drake and Jadakiss has leaked, and Lil' Wayne's disses are anything but subtle.

Listen to the track after the jump.

Gangstas Use Emoticons Radio: Volume 6

DJ Bankhead has officially retired. It was fun while it lasted, but I'm serious this time.

The official, REAL DEAL stage name is............ DJ Hourglass!
(If you wanna know why, ask somebody)

I've been doing tribute editions for the past 2 weeks and it's time to get back to that new s**t!  This mix is probably the most well rounded--ranging from mainstream to underground, club bangers to love songs.  Volume 6 features new music from artists including the Billboard toppers of The Throne, Big K.R.I.T., Meek Mill, and Wale.

Also in the mix are two rappers from the 2 cities nearest to my heart--Charlotte and St. Louis.  QC representer  C-Weav is the founder of record label So Key Entertainment whose mixtape Mixed Feelings is a must download.  Bryant Stewart, the hardest working rapper in St. Louis, just released "I Made This Last Week," a project which he made...in one week.  Doesn't sound like it.

Listen to DJ Hourglass's GUE Radio, Vol. 6 below!
Make sure you hit the jump for the full tracklisting!!

Jay-Z & Kanye West - Otis: Cookin' Soul Remix

I love "Otis." It's one of my favorite tracks off of Watch the Throne.  When I saw that there was a Cookin' Soul Remix I became intrigued. How can you make Otis more soulful??

Well, it seems like they did.  For that reason, I encourage you to download it. Or if you would just prefer to hear the Otis Redding scream in a different way, take a listen.



To see the remix placed in place of the original within the music video, click here.

Previously: New Music Video: Otis (Watch the Throne)

[Music Video] Otis (Watch the Throne)

If you missed the premiere a few minutes ago on EVERY MTV network, here it is!  #WatchTheThrone

Forbes Hip Hop List 2011

Golddiggers grip your knock offs!

Forbes has once again released the list of Hip Hop's Cash Kings-- the rappers and hip hop moguls who have surpassed their peers in earnings.

This year, Jay-Z topped off the list earning $37 million within the past year.  Second to Jigga was Mr. Take That, Take That Combs himself with $35 million.  Kanye rounded out the top 3 with $16 mil.

Guess Jay can still rap "...really you got Baby money..." because Birdman and Lil Wayne both racked in at #4 with $15 million.  Either there's a lot of undocumented cash floating around, or Weezy was exaggerating when he said, "Last year I made a 100 million dollars flat" in Young Jeezy's Ballin'.  Either way, we understand.

Congrats to Nicki Minaj who is the first female MC to ever make the list as she earned the #15 spot with $6.5 million.

To read the entire Forbes list click here.

As a bonus, hit the jump to watch the Top Cash King Jay-Z in a teaser promoting the upcoming Otis music video.  The full video will premiere on Thursday at 8:56 ET on MTV, .

Now Listening to: Watch The Throne

This is listen one of Watch the Throne.  This is one of those albums where I have to listen to it at least 5 times before I can really comment. There are some standouts but I have to do another listen to focus more on the lyrics. This go round was mostly about the sound for me.

I definitely commend them on preventing leaks until the album drop.  The digital first, then physical method will probably be utilized by other big names because of Watch The Throne's album.  Buy it on iTunes people!!! (or catch a leak)