Wednesday 29 November 2006

[NEWS] First Time Is Money Review [Check it out!]

The first review of S.P.s sophomore album! Check it out!

Styles P :: Time is Money :: Ruff Ryders/Interscope Records as reviewed by Steve 'Flash' Juon

Not that anybody's ever going to waste the time making an
award and presenting it to him considering it's such a limited category, but if there WAS an award for "most improved rapper in The LOX" Styles P would win it hands down.
Four years
ago
I wasn't really a fan of his style at all, in fact to me he was the weak link in the crew, but through cameo appearances and mixtape freestyles he has improved dramatically. You've got to give credit where it's due - while Styles may never hang on the level of Rakim or Ras Kass, he's certainly not going to make you regret listening to him spit. The long-delayed follow-up solo album "Time is Money" is Styles bringing those improved skills to fruition on hardcore and thought provoking tracks like "I'm Black":

"(I'm Black) So I go a heart full of braveryDo for my peoples that went through slavery(I'm Black) So you know I'm young in the sports/Nintey percent chance I get hung in the court (I'm Black) Don't you be scared of me mister/Cause you
don't really seem to be scared of my sister(I'm Black) And I can ride first class too/Or buy an exotic car and like murk past you (I'm Black) And I don't need a tan in the winter/Mind strong and powerful now a cypher can't enter(I'm Black) And I don't need jewelry to shine/Look at my skin color it's like the
jewelry is blind"

Ironically Styles charted with this song a long time ago, which means Ruff Ryders and Interscope left a lot of money on the table by not capitalizing on the track's popularity. In fact it's safe to say there have been a dozen remixes both official and unofficial of "I'm Black" in the interim. Fortunately if there's one thing Styles P has always been good at it's coming up
with singles that will please both hardcore LOX fans and commercial radio, and "All My Life" featuring Akon is certainly no exception to the rule:

"I'm a man so I shed tears/For my homies in the jail and my dead peers/Lot of blood dropped, they call these the red years/Dope sold, coke sold, so the feds here/Lot of gangsters in my town like they bred there/Outside all night cause it's bread
there/Want to beef well get a vest, get head gear/This the town where you get down or drown, nobody tread here/I swear to God that I'm tellin the truth/Was a felon when I fell in the the booth/They want me to fail, I got a feelin that they scared of the truth/Yo 'Kon, turn me up so I can give 'em the proof"

I wish I could tell you more about who produced and designed these tracks (though obviously Akon did the above as well as providing guest vocals) but this advance from Interscope is so far in advance it doesn't even have cover artwork or liner notes. In fact the names of the tracks are printed directly on the CD, along with a warning that this shit's been watermarked so I'd better not let any of my friends copy it or the label is going to put a legal foot up my ass. It's hard to resist the temptation though since there's a lot of good shit to hear on "Time is Money" from the triumphant opening "Gee Joint" through the hard as hell macking anthem "First in Line" with Mario Winans to the surprisingly deep collabo' "Testify" with Talib Kweli. Styles rolls with Kweli now? It ain't no joke - he can hang with him on the track and it's a hot one destined to burn up mixtapes with or without my help bootlegging it. The same can be said for "Kick it Like That" featuring Jagged Edge or the "Who Want a Problem" remix featuring his comrades in The LOX that closes out this CD. If time really is money, it's time for Interscope to stop sitting on their hands and put "Time is Money" in stores. Every day they spend not putting this out costs both them and Styles P in the long run - it's too hot for them to not drop.

Music Vibes: 8 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 8 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 8 of 10



November 28, 2006source: www.RapReviews.com

Tuesday 28 November 2006

[Interview] Styles P Interview with Insomniac Magazine

Another new interview with The Ghost. Heres a couple excerpts:

Angel: So what is the biggest misconception about Styles P?

Styles: It depends on how you view me. Some people view me as… like, I don’t know. Some people look at me as the hardest rapper out, and then when I do interviews with some people or whatever, they look to expect something conscious out of me. So, I think if you viewing me as an all-gangsta then I got conscious with me. And if you’re viewing me as all-conscious then you should know I got gangsta with me. I would say that.

Angel: So how does a guy so gully keep it real in a music industry that’s so fake?

Styles: I just try to be me… that’s all I can remain to do is just be me. And just deal with the ups and downs; and know that it comes with the game and it comes with the territory. It’s nothing I can stop… it’s nothing I can do to end it. Just be me, do what I do.



To read the full interview click Here

[NEWS] Vote for Styles P to win at The 10th Annual Mixtapes Awards

The Ghost is nominated in two categories:

Best Hip Hop Mixtape - Ghost In The Shell
Best East Coast Mixtape Artist

Click on the link below and get ya vote on.
http://www.themixtapeawardsonline.com/ballot_final.php

R.I.P. Justo

Thursday 23 November 2006

[INFO] Time Is Money Album Cover



The alleged album artwork for the illusive Time Is Money

Saturday 18 November 2006

[UPDATE] Official Word from Styles P: Time Is Money Is dropping Dec. 19th

Styles P myspace blog message (NOV.17TH)

TIME IS MONEY - RELEASE DATE!! Current mood: ecstatic

Sorry for all the delays people,this is Styles P in the FLESH!!!MY official release date is DEC.19th!!!!This is it,NO MORE DELAYS!!!Hold ya man DOWN....YYEEAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!


Spread the word, go out cop the album. support S.P and D-Block!

Friday 17 November 2006

[Interview] The Ghost Is Back - Yoraps.com

New Styles interview by yoraps.com

Friday - November 17, 2006

The last few years haven't been easy for LOX member, Styles P. He's had to
endure the B.S. that comes with being in the rap game. He's been sitting on his sophomore album "Time is Money" for close to two years. In that time he's had his run-ins with Diddy (we all remember the "Let The Lox Go" campaign) and
some guy named Curtis.Now with all the nonsense behind him, his time is now. Or in his case, time is finally money. Promoting his album hard, we caught up with the "Ghost" in between his travels. With 10 years in the game you know he had a lot to say. Where else could you get it from, but here. Check out what the
"hardest out" is saying...

The album, "Time is Money". We've been hearing about it forever. Now it's finally dropping. Talk about finally having the album come out and having that monkey off your back.

Man, you don't even know. It's been real frustrating. It's been a
bunch of bullshit going on with it, but it's finally here. It's just a
relief. I think that would be the best word to describe it, a relief.You've seemed to fall in "the consequences of the game"
category. Explain how that happens to someone of your status. I don't even know. I wish I knew then I could answer a lot of people. I don't think I've ever since this happen to anybody else. All I can say is that I think somebody tried to blackball me. I think I was too powerful and strong so somebody tried to screw
me up. That's the only conclusion I can come out with.

What are some differences we might see in this album that we might not have seen in "Gangster and a Gentleman"?

Growth and maturity. Also more range. "I'm Black" and "Can You Believe It". Those are songs that you definitely wouldn't have seen on the first album. I'm stepping out the box a little bit.

"Can You Believe It" definitely opened eyes. How did that come about?

It was just me wanting to show that I could go outside the box. And it came out good. The fans were feeling it so I'm glad I was able to give it to them. It ain't about nothing negative. The main
thing it did was open up my range. Now I can step out and shoot a little farther.

The relationship between you and Akon. The two of you together seem to put out good things. From "Locked Up" to "Can You Believe It" and even "Watch Out" on DJ Khaled's album. What's it like messing with Akon?

Akon is a cool dude. He's humble. We hung out a lot and did a lot of shit together as far as shows and what not. When we be in the studio together we just do things and it just come out good. He's real cool to work with.

Right before the album drops, you're putting out some mixtapes. Let people in on that hustle?

I got a joint coming out with DJ Drama, I got something with Big Mike and I got a DJ Clue, "Time Is Money" mixtape dropping. I'm dropping tapes. Mixtapes are me. That's what I do. I'm not worrying about what people might think. Mixtapes is me.

How would these match up to the "Ghost In The Shell" mixtape?

It's the same shit. I'm bringing you the same heat. Same crack pack as before. Same crack pack just different baking soda.Besides D-Block.

Who else is on the album?

Talib Kweli, Gerald Levert (R.I.P.), Jagged Edge and a group called Flipsyde. I don't know what to classify them as. Maybe a rock/rap group.

Gerald Levert? Are we getting a softer side of the Ghost?

Nah, it's the total opposite. That's why I wanted it like that. I know everybody was going to think that it was some kind of
love ballad shit. It's on some O.G. shit for real.

You've been in the game for over 10 years now. People have seen you grow from a young wild dude to an entrepreneur sort of speak. What's been the biggest thing you've learned?

Just stay positive and watch you surroundings. Study the business. That's the most important thing. Know your shit.

Besides all the B.S. that goes on in hip hop, what was a good time for you?

when you won't get hit with some B.S. A good time though comes when you put out good music. Good music brings
good times.

Slowly, you've stepped your game up. Have you seen that in yourself?

Definitely. As time goes on you want to advance. I always look at it, if somebody counts me out I'm going to go out and work harder. The harder you work the better results you get. If you keep practicing and stay true to your craft you're going to get better. If a nigga shooting 1,000 jumpers a day, eventually he's gonna be better than a nigga shooting 100
jumpers a day.

By Marlon Guild

Monday 13 November 2006

[Interview] The Time Is Near



Styles P: The Time is Near

By: The Hip Hop Journalist

Interscope has to be the most strategically organized label in Hip-Hop, period. They encourage consumers to literally become crack fiends for their artist's albums. Pushing projects back and back again, never reduces attention, it just heightens anticipation. But for one artist his album has been put back so many times that even he himself admits to a feeling of being 'blackballed.'

Regardless of how he feels and how damaging this prolonged agony of sitting idle with a completed project ready to go for over a year has been, Styles P's Time is Money has Hip-Hop fans ravenous. With a top notch team of producers including, Hi-Tek, Scott Storch, Akon and the timeless presence of Dame Grease all hopping on board to reiterate why Styles P is still that dude, it is guaranteed this album will fly off the shelves when it finally hits them.

Holding Styles P back isn't going to stop him; it may have played with his mind for a minute and had him doubting the business ethics of his secondary home, but this of course isn't the first time someone else has had control over this Yonkers hard knock. But after the 'long time coming' resolution with P Diddy came into effect late last year and a scheduled drop for Time is Money in December,it looks like his patience and perseverance will be the victors.

Here he talks about what has kept him up, what brought him up and just what he has been up to whilst time has inevitably marched on.

Hip-HopCrack.com: So what excuses have they given you for putting the album back so many times?

Styles P: I don't even know the reasons, it is just industry politics. I think I was black-balled if you ask me.

Hip-HopCrack.com: What sort of damage does this treatment have on your character?

Styles P: It's either going to make you or break you and it can be very frustrating, but you just have to have patience and perseverance.

Hip-HopCrack.com: Has the track listing changed or has it stayed the same as I know when we spoke last year you were really happy with what you had?

Styles P: Not, not really, not too much. I mean I love what I have.

Hip-HopCrack.com: So while you have been waiting for this album to see the shelves what have you been up to? Preparing your next five albums right?

Styles P: Yeah (laughs). I mean I just keep working; you can't let it make you not work. You know if I didn't work, it would make my situation worse; so I just keep doing the mixtapes. I stay in the studio; that's basically all I can do.

Hip-HopCrack.com: I know you had a listening session recently for it, how was it finally seeing other people's reactions to it?

Styles P: It was good; I mean I am just really thirsty to see how people are going to respond to it. It's going to take you on a real ride, it's 13 tracks and has Sheek, Kiss, Talib Kweli, Gerald Levert, Jagged Edge, Marsha from Floetry and a group called Flypside on there.

Hip-HopCrack.com: You get so much love from the streets and from Hip-Hop fans, I watched you rock a crowd at S.O.Bs last month. How hard has it been to keep your fans onboard throughout all this bullshit?

Styles P: I really say they have been what has kept me on board instead of me keeping them onboard. They have been waiting for it and waiting for it and they know it is coming. So there has been a lot of support from them and that was also what kept me going as they could understand. Of course I am always putting out the mixtapes, I am always about. You know if I ain't frying up the airwaves I am still being heard on the bottom, you know the underground.

Hip-HopCrack.com: When you look at what other projects that are dropping around the same time yours is scheduled to drop, are you pleased with the timing?

Styles P: I mean I won't say that I am ecstatic; you know I won't lie to you and say I feel great about it. I do however feel great about getting my music out and you know my fans being able to get it, but I definitely could have had a better set up and a better impact.

Hip-HopCrack.com: What is your situation with Interscope now?

Styles P: I am just working on the Lox things and fixing up some paperwork for that, figuring what to do with the Lox. Then when that drops, D Block of course and J Hood, the D Block Compilation; just want to get all the paperwork for that right and get everything situated.

Hip-HopCrack.com: Last time we spoke, we talked about a book you were working on, how is that coming?

Styles P: Somewhat, I mean I get thrown off sometime but I am still working on it.

Hip-HopCrack.com: You see recently a lot of rappers getting involved in television. Is that something you envision for you?

Styles P: Yeah definitely so, I think I would be more involved in production and direction, I would like to direct. I would take the long way out, I mean I would like to do some acting, but definitely would want to be a 'behind the scenes' man.

Hip-HopCrack.com: Why is that?

Styles P: It is just my character.

Hip-HopCrack.com: You are good at keeping low key, when you see this situation you are in.

Styles P: I try to keep it cool. I have been through a lot in my life and no matter what I don't want to be in a situation like my last album, you know as far as being incarcerated and being taken away from my family, my wife and my kids, not be at home and just be able to breathe fresh air.

Hip-HopCrack.com: How do you think Styles P would have reacted to this had it happened ten years ago?

Styles P: I would have spazzed (laughing). Even four years ago, even right before I came out of jail I would have spazzed.

Hip-HopCrack.com: So what has calmed you down?

Styles P: Jail and life in general. Suffering, you know it means a lot man. This sucks going through this, it really sucks, but jail, man that is being taken away from your family.

Hip-HopCrack.com: Obviously your family has been a big encouragement.

Styles P: Yeah I mean that is the most important thing to me. Everything else falls after that. You know I try to do things to see us alright. But see that's the part that really frustrates you, as going through this you have to watch your family suffer, but my wife keeps me humble. There are a lot of people in a worse situation. You know we have a place to live, three beautiful children; we can travel and have nice things. My family definitely keeps me strong.

Hip-HopCrack.com: What lessons have you learned?

Styles P: Patience, perseverance and sacrifice.

Hip-HopCrack.com: What do you feel you sacrificed?

Styles P: A lot, everything, I have almost thrown my career out of the window somewhat; that's how I feel on some days when I can't do something. But I guess being here is more important than that, that's just how I feel.

Hip-HopCrack.com: Almost every legendary name in New York Hip-Hop has dropped an album or is going to drop an album this year. When do you think we are going to see some new blood step up in NYC?

Styles P: They are here.

Hip-HopCrack.com: So why aren't they the ones putting out albums?

Styles P: I don't know what to say no more as the industry has changed so much; what I figure isn't what they think they need. As they think that all they need is a catchy hook and a nice beat (laughing,) you know what I am saying? They think with just that, they are in; they can just say ABC on a track and get away with it.

Hip-HopCrack.com: Does it bother you, this so called decline in Hip-Hop?

Styles P: Yeah definitely so. As a fan and music wise definitely so, but to take something good out of it you do see a lot of dudes making money. Money should encourage the game to step up, but there are a lot of things that play a part in this. It's not just the rappers; it's the rappers, the record labels, the radio, it's the parents in the way they educate their kids. It's a lot of shit. a lot of new rappers probably never read, or read when they was coming up. But everything is a cycle though.

Hip-HopCrack.com: Are you going out on the road promoting the album?

Styles P: I'm actually about to start tomorrow and I am going to damn near every state. I am going to be out on the road a while. It's not really something I enjoy anymore to tell you the truth.

Hip-HopCrack.com: Miss the family?

Styles P: Yeah it screws with my wife's schedule, it screws my schedule up, but then I do enjoy performing, I love the performance part, but the traveling shit is irritating.

Hip-HopCrack.com: Do you feel that you have to do an extensive tour right now?

Styles P: Yeah I feel that I have to go for myself because the music is coming out. You know I gotta do what I gotta do and do what is in my fullest capabilities and in my power so I know I gave 110% as that's all you can do. Because at least then I can say I did give 110% and did everything I could.

Hip-HopCrack.com: So when can we expect to hear anything from The Lox, I mean that's long over due too?

Styles P: I would say first or second quarter. Everybody is working you know, J Hood is coming out with Tales from the Hood; we got the D Block compilation coming out. Then we are working with our other artists too.

Hip-HopCrack.com: How do you find your artists?

Styles P: I know most of them, you know I met them through someone or I heard something from them. I guess you could say through life's natural circle.


Thursday 9 November 2006

[INFO] Big Mike & Supa Mario Presents...ST.Raw "It Is What It Is Vol. 1" NOV. 14TH!


Make sure y'all go pick this up November 14th. Executive producer Vinny Idol

Friday 3 November 2006

[NEWS] New Time Is Money release date DEC. 19th!!

Lets hope this date sticks this time!

SOHH reports:

After seeing his release date pushed back numerous times, D-Block enforcer Styles P is finally gearing up to release his long awaited sophomore LP, Time Is Money.The disc, which is now scheduled to hit shelves on December 19, will be the follow-up to 2002's A Gangster and a Gentleman. The record was originally slated to drop last year and has since received numerous shaky release dates with none of them delivering the Yonkers-bred MC's new material. The album's supposed lead single, "I'm Black" received a fair amount of radio play last
year, as did the single "Can You Believe It" featuring Akon, which a video was also shot for. The release boasts guest appearances by Gerald Levert, Akon, Jagged Edge, J-Hood, Mario Winans, Floetry's Marsha Ambrosius, Rashad, Talib
Kweli and The Lox. The album's production will be handled by hit makers Scott Storch and Swizz Beatz among others.

Time Is Money will hit shelves on December 19 on Interscope Records.