SOHH Exclusive: Benzino Thinks The Internet Is Killing Hip-Hop

By Cyrus Langhorne

With a recent influx of online rap wars, SOHH caught up with infamous, former Source magazine big wig and current Hip-Hop Weekly publisher Raymond "Benzino" Scott to talk about his thoughts on the Internet's impact on the industry.

Speaking on the net's role in such battles as the YouTube war between Soulja Boy and Ice-T and the 50 Cent and Young Buck taped conversation, Zino believes these actions are hurting the state of hip-hop.

"I think people use it irresponsibly - artists as well as consumers" he said. "Their intention starts getting off the music."

Zino thinks the main problem stems from the anonymous users making controversial statements and not showing their actual image or age.

"The Internet is something that nobody knows who anybody is," he argued. "People that answer blogs [and] people that comment, I mean, nobody really knows who these people are. Everybody can have an opinion, but if you have an opinion, stand by it. Put your face out there. Let it be known who you are."

Yet the ex co-owner of Source did admit the net can offer a positive impact if used properly.

“It’s really about people understanding that [it] can be used to further your career independently, to help promote your career without having to pay all this money to the [record labels],” he added. “If used right, it could be a great tool, but people use it wrong.”

In related news, Benzino, the rapper, is prepping an upcoming album. The Boston native, who is more well known for his skills in the magazine world, feels as if his rap abilities have grown much grown stronger in recent times.

“I stepped my shit up 100 percent, lyrically,” Zino revealed to SOHH. “I feel a lot of motherfuckers out there can’t even fuck with me. I don’t think I’ve ever said that in my life, this might be my first interview—but it’s only because I stepped up my shit. I put in hours in the studio. I’m not one of these niggas that just watch BET and think he can rap. I’m not no battle rapper, I make songs.”

As of press time there is no release date for Zino’s upcoming project.

News: Soulja Boy Strikes Sneaker, Clothing Deal

By Brandi Hopper

The rapper who had an entire generation and then some cranking that to his No. 1 single is about to try his hand at dressing the same crowd.

Soulja Boy will join forces with renowned Dallas graffitti artist and Yums sneaker designer, Tex, to put out his own signature shoe with the label’s Block Star line of sneakers, according to PR Newswire. The two will also design street-oriented clothing for Yums Shoes.

"The shoes and clothing line allow the wearer to express his or her personality, because each shoe is an individual piece of art,” said Yums CEO, JP McDade. “Soulja Boy Tell'em will be able to assist in designing shoes and apparel exactly the way he would want them to look. And with Interscope's considerable marketing savvy, we expect this effort to be our biggest, most far-reaching yet."

But super-producer Mr. Collipark hinted at even bigger things poppin’ on the horizon for the young rapper.

"We are very excited and have high expectations for this opportunity and future Soulja Boy Tell'em endeavors, including movies and television," he said. Soulja Boy is signed to Collipark Music/ Interscope Records.

Not everyone’s as impressed. As SOHH previously reported, Soulja Boy has recently been embroiled in a YouTube war of words with OG rapper Ice-T, who accused him of single-handedly killing hip-hop.

News: Method Man Says Don't Blame Soulja Boy's "Garbage" For The State Of Hip-Hop

By Cyrus Langorne

Wu-Tang Clan’s Method Man has weighed in his opinion on the Soulja Boy and Ice-T conflict saying the young rapper is unfairly being blamed for the current state of hip-hop.

In a recent interview with Phoenix radio show “The Nutz In The Morning,” Meth began the discussion by paying homage to Ice-T and using the rapper’s legendary status in hip-hop as a reason not to address Soulja Boy’s YouTube comments.

“Ice-T is an O.G. He shouldn’t even be addressing nuttin’ like that, but he felt like it was his duty to address it for the love of hip-hop and all of that and I respect that,” he said. “But him being at the status that he’s at, he shouldn’t address someone like Soulja Boy, nor should Snoop Dogg.”

Continuing his argument for the unfair comparison, Mr. Tical said it was the media’s portrayal and commercialism given to the “Crank Dat” rapper that made him the target of criticism.

“If he wasn’t put out there like that, like he was the truth, I don’t think anybody would have a problem with him like that because lyrically he’s not the truth,” Meth said. “It’s not a secret, he’s a shorty. What life experience does he really have where he can sit down and go up with a Nas or a Lil’ Wayne, for that matter? It is what it is, man. These kids like him, so be it. Don’t hate on the lil’ nigga, congratulate him.”

Before ending the phone conversation, Meth made sure to clarify his statements and reveal his true feelings for the southern rapper.

“And don’t get me wrong, you,” he said. “I’m not biggin’ up Soulja Boy, I’m just saying. I think the nigga suck, too. I think he’s garbage, but I don’t think everybody should be blaming him for the state of hip-hop right now. You can’t just put that all on his shoulders, for real. It’s not solely his fault, man.”

News: Soulja Boy Responds To Ice-T Diss, "You Should Be Ashamed Of Yourself"

By: Cyrus Langhorne

Replaying the audio from the late 80's rapper, Ice-T is heard saying "F*ck Soulja Boy. Eat a d*ck. This n*gga single handedly killed hip-hop." He also goes on to call the 17 year-old's music "garbage" and refers to him as "young enough to be my kid."

After the statements are made, Soulja Boy strikes back by looking up his Ice T's Wikipedia biography and making various references to his age and contradictory decisions he has made within his career.

"This n*gga Ice-T old as f*ck! This n*gga old enough to be my great grandfather. I Wikipedia'ed this n*gga, he was born in 1958. [He] claims he's from the West Coast, n*gga you were born in New Jersey, dawg," he laughingly said via his webcam. "Who is Ice-T, dawg? How you gonna make a song called ["Cop Killer"], and 35 years later your a** playing the police on tv, 'Law and Order'. This ain't no beef."

Continuing with the age references, Soulja Boy laughed at the possibility of fighting the rapper/actor and jokingly told him to fight his grandfather.

"You hit me, your f*cking arm gon' break. I'll let you fight my granddad dawg, the n*gga will knock you're a** out. You were born before the Internet was created--how the f*ck did you even find me? You [about] to drop an album, that's why you mentioned my name. "Superman" was last year, n*gga--get with the times you old a** n*gga."

Acknowledging Ice-T's contributions to the music industry, Soulja Boy explained his motivation for making a response and how the industry is not what it used to be during the early 90's.

"I swear, I respect everybody who started this--who opened the doors for young artists like me to get in to the hip-hop and music industry," he said. "I know Ice-T is a legend in the game and he's a veteran and all that, but n*gga once you tell me 'Eat a d*ck', and I hear that on the radio in my city--the reality behind it is that the game has changed. There's new and young n*ggas out and eating and nobody wanna hear that old sh*t no more."

Rather than adding more insult to injury, he decided to become more serious by questioning Ice-T's motivation behind his statements and asking him why he couldn't appreciate his situation coming from a poor background.

"The point we tryin' to get across is that you was wrong for that, man. Think about it in my shoes, man. This time last year dawg, I was poor as f*ck [living] in the hood, in the ghetto. If what you living is true, you would understand where I'm coming from. N*gga, I wasn't born rich. I worked to get this. I'm 17 years-old dawg, I worked hard for this sh*t."