Here at HipHossip, 2008 has been a wonderful year for KJ and I. I decided to pick the folks in the music business who made an impact on all of us in Canada this year. This is my second year coming up in Canada and I feel that creating this blog has definitely changed some perceptions in the business. Some of you said you wanted more gossip, more news and more Canadian content. You got it!
I updated this blog around the clock from my offices, on the subway and in my bed on the laptop. Just for you I have done a lot in just one year. You called, you e-mailed, you spoke in polls. Thank you for making HipHossip Canada your leading Music Blog in North America and Canada. We are now visited by thousands from around the world as seen on out live feed and we are also one of Toronto's leading blogs as well. Like Jully Black said on Canadian Idol, it's about giving people chances in life. After just one year in Toronto, I applied for media credentials from CTV's Much Music and was granted one to cover the most anticipated award show in Canada, The Much Music Video Music Awards.
I was very priviledged by Jennifer Correlliof Much's media relations who gave me a chance and opportunity. For 20 years, I have been a Pharmacist, Health Reporter and freelance contributor/writer at CNN International as well as being a Publicist for CVS Corporation, America's largest drugstore and my pharmacy employer of 15 years. My real niche was for music which I grew up with. I always wanted to review music, interview celebrities and more....but my parents wanted me in the medical field. After dropping out of Harvard Medical School, I ended up being a Pharmacist instead. My dreams came true when I launched Keminications Media blog network in Atlanta in 2004 where I got to interview a lot of music stars. One of my first was Kanye West in 2004. It was memorable.
Luda's momScrappy's momBow Wow's mom
Then I worked with Ludacris' mom Roberta Shields on a project as well as meeting L'il Scrappy and Bow Wow's moms "Mama Dee" and Teresa Caldwell at several events and shows. What about all the interviews granted me in Canada by record labels who facilitated my meeting their artists? Marcus Tamm and Mima Agozzino of Universal Music Canada, Bob Hoch of Sony BMG NYC, Eric Alper of Koch Records Canada, Joanna Dine and Ken Greene of Warner Music Canada, David Miller of Atlantic Records NYC, Tamara Shelly of Tiltrock Records and Allie Page of Canadian Idol who gave me access to cover Idol and even interview Natasha Bedingfield.
I will never forget those who loved my work and gave me access and a chance. BET's Publicist, Lyntina Townsend, Kristina Bevk of BET Online in NYC, Crystal Puccio at VH1 who was the first to contact me in Oct 2007 saying that they liked my blog so much that they were adding it to VH1's blogroll which I really thought was a prank till I called the number which answered as MTVN Mix. (MTV Networks) They gave me a lot of encouragement. Lest we forget my friends at the Chicago World HQ of Playboy. Publicist Tina Manzo who always gives me a lot of access with all Playboy happenings in town.
Lamar Tylerat Fox-5 Washington DC, Jawn Murrayat AOL's BV Buzz,Katalina at Hissip.comandNME Music magazinein the U.K who displays all my YouTube videosand the guys at AOL who do the same too. Thank You! Daniela Oliva of the Toronto Independent Music Awards who asked me to be a presenter in my first award presentation this past summer for the Live Urban category winner award. Maybe one day I will present one at the MMVA's. Never say never!
AlsoOrin Bristol, the club manager who kindly invited me to Circa niteclub to get some occasional coverage for HipHossip whenever I asked. Orin had more music celebs either performing in there or doing their afterparty thing after a hectic concert. Finally Craigg Slowly, Publicist for Urbanology magazine who had patience with me...... Here it is Craigg! YOU ARE ALL GOLD IN MY BOOKS!
In a span of one year, I covered the following award shows on my site....
The VH1 hip-hop honors
The Juno awards
The Toronto Independent Music Awards
The MTV Video Music awards
The 1st MTV Africa Awards
The MOBO awards in the U.K
Urban Music Awards in the U.K
The American Music awards
The BET hip-hop awards
The BET awards
The Dirty awards
The Much Music Video Music awards
The DJ Stylus awards
Canadian Idol
Toronto Media Idol
We have been dubbed all kinds of names by our partners and sponsors. Below are just some.....
"Canada's Leading Hip-Hop site"........BET Online " HipHossip is on VH1's Blog blogroll. Great site".......VH1 at MTVNMix "A great site with very intriguing stories".......MTV Base Africa.
Music Publicist/Media Relations: Jeniffer Correlli (Much Music)
Music Club: Circa
Music Videos: The Real by Jeff Rosenthal on ER Films
Music Magazine: Urbanology
HIPHOSSIP'S BEST OF 2008 HONORS. OUR WAY OF SAYING THANK YOU.
One day, my goal is to have an award show where I will hand out trophies to all the winners in the business. That day is coming. The first Annual HipHossip Music Awards will hit Toronto sometimes in 2009 or 2010. Just watch me.....Never doubt yourself. Below are the winners and the honors we bestowed on the different personalities that made an impact on the Canadian music industry this 2008. Bear with me, everyone made a difference but these ones made an impact on us all! Our goal is to promote Canadian content all the Way! Stay tuned shortly for my interviews with Chris, Jeni and the Editors of Urbanology.
Rap mogul-turned-designer SEAN 'DIDDY' COMBS is so impressed by DAVID BECKHAM'S style, he wants to collaborate with the soccer ace on a fashion line. The rapper and the sports star have become close friends in recent years, and Combs was even spotted partying into the early hours with Beckham and his pop star wife Victoria while visiting London last year (07). But Combs - who has his own Sean John clothing line - admits he would like to turn their friendship into a business collaboration and launch a fashion project together.
He says, "What a stylish guy. I'd love to do a fashion range with David Beckham. He's a good friend and is very kind. Us two together doing business would be amazing. "I heard he is doing a shoe range with (rapper) Snoop (Dogg). That's cool, but I would love to do fashion with David. I already have a fragrance and clothing line, but I'd love my next project to include him. Perhaps we could collaborate to do something for charity." Diddy sure knows how to move with the A-listers and is very impressed with them all!
KJ the Kid Reporter is ready for 2009!!!! Look at that chocolate body! Mmmmm. S-E-X-Y! Morris Chestnut can go to hell! My boy is gonna be 2009 hottest star in Toronto with his kid reporting. His website is pckj.info Have a Happy new and prosperous year in 2009!
HIPHOSSIP'S RADIO MAN OF THE YEAR 2008: CHRIS EVANS
HIPHOSSIP'S RADIO WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2008: JENI MCKENZIE:
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I am a JOURNALIST and professional blogger among other things and run a blog network for a living! My 8 y/o son KJblogs with me for the HipHossip Kids stories and his blog is at www.pckj.info. KJ has been mentioned on several radio stations like Z103.5 and Flow 93.5FM Toronto, Premier FM, Nigeria and more.
This site is purely for entertainment and knowledge purposes. As a trained news reporter, I use news wires strictly to obtain my scoops. WENN press releases, Reuters and the Associated Press are my main sources and I also want to thank all the professional Vloggers for all the videos I use in my stories.
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2008 DIRTY AWARDS: HIP-HOP'S FIGHT OF THE CENTURY RENEWED? SHAWTY LO VS T.I
Let's face it, the demand for my interview is back.The one where Shawty told me that there is only one King in the castle and it ain't no grand hustle. (I said that part. LOL! My rap career is in the works.)
HOSSIP TV: THE TOP 10 ARTISTS HIPHOSSIP SAYS SHOULD PERFORM AT THE OBAMA INAUGURAL BALL IN JAN 2009.
K'Naan TALKS WITH KJ THE KID REPORTER.
WATCH ME PROPOSE TO AKON IN AN AWARD SHOW PRESSROOM!
SWV VISITS TORONTO FOR A 6 HOUR PARTY TRIP APRIL 2008.
HIPHOSSIP FIRST: C-MURDER'S FIRST CANADIAN INTERVIEW JULY 2008.
Rap mogul-turned-designer SEAN 'DIDDY' COMBS is so impressed by DAVID BECKHAM'S style, he wants to collaborate with the soccer ace on a fashion line. The rapper and the sports star have become close friends in recent years, and Combs was even spotted partying into the early hours with Beckham and his pop star wife Victoria while visiting London last year (07). But Combs - who has his own Sean John clothing line - admits he would like to turn their friendship into a business collaboration and launch a fashion project together.
