Charles Hamilton got his feelings hurt when we exposed his greatest fails. Don’t cry us a pink river. [LINK]

Check out our interview with Fabolous where he talks the Dame Dash parody video, his throwback collection & Loso’s Way. [LINK]

Guess that reality star’s two’s! [LINK]

Sports fans can get crazy. Check out some of our favorite sports fan takedowns by security, refs, and athletes. [LINK]

AND FROM THE COMPLEX NETWORK:
Bastardly: Lauren Conrad celebrated her book launch in Beverly Hills. [LINK]

On Smash: Alchemist’s “Smile” video. [LINK]

Karmaloop TV: Bobby Ray talks to KLoop TV. [LINK]

SlamXHype: Hiroshi keeps our wallets empty with Nike x Fragment Air Footscape. [LINK]

Nah Right: Kanye West gives a free concert in his hometown. That’s love. [LINK]

Das Gamer: New trailer and gameplay for Mafia II. [LINK]

Daily Drop: Can’t get sick of G-Shock especially if they’re collaborating with In4mation. [LINK]

Nice Kicks: Fan of the Air Jordan 12? Go to UBIQ in Philly. [LINK]

Sneaker News: Gourmet il Tre in dark rose and cool gray—summer fresh. [LINK]

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/06/12/dont-sleep-on-south-korean-women/feed/ 0 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/06/10/charles-hamiltons-greatest-fails-a-retrospective/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/06/10/charles-hamiltons-greatest-fails-a-retrospective/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:56:26 +0000 intern http://www.complex.com/blogs/?p=37103
Around this time last year Charles Hamilton was a relatively unknown Harlem MC that became one of the most talked about upcoming hip-hop acts in a matter of weeks. Blogs were showing love and early mixtapes signaled promise. Hell, the first time we saw this guy spit was in a cipher with Kanye West and The Game. Not a bad first impression. But what a difference a year makes.

It’s not like we think the Sonic-obsessed rapper’s music has gotten wack (it’s still pretty consistently dope), but even his diehard fans would be hard-pressed to overlook this guy’s bizarre career missteps over the past 12 months. The latest Charles Hamilton controversy surrounds his decision to list the late James Yancey, better known as J. Dilla, as the executive producer of his debut album, This Perfect Life. The explanation? What he describes as a “paranormal relationship” with Dilla. Huh?

We give the kid some credit for keeping his name in the news in an era where fans are more fickle than ever, but unfortunately it’s become less about his music, and more about his public failures. Some of these are just normal growing pains of a new artist, but a lot of them could’ve been avoided if Charles would just take a take deep breath and log off every once in awhile. With that said, here’s a full breakdown of Charles Hamilton’s greatest fails as rated by our Rick Ross Fail Scale. Sorry Sonic…

SOULJA BOY TOLD ‘EM
WHEN: December 2008
• Charles Hamilton blamed Soulja Boy for hipster-rap’s lack of mainstream acceptance in an interview and obviously forgot to check the kid’s online-beef track record. Soulja Boy fired back with one of his infamous video responses and laid into Charles for over seven minutes. Ether moment: “X out the Sonic. You might wanna fuck with Mario. You might wanna eat a mushroom. Wooka wooka wooka.” Then after conspiracy theories about the authenticity of the beef developed (both are Interscope artists), most blogs, including Nah Right, never even posted Charles’ Auto-Tuned response. Fail.

Rick Ross Fail Scale:

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

CAN’T TAKE YOU SERIUS
WHEN: January 2009
• Charles Hamilton handled old heads Rhymefest and Uncle Luke just fine, but he finally met his match when veteran battle rapper Serius Jones stepped up. “Your clothes look like the inside of a pussy.” Ouch. It was a good battle though, and while hip-hop may have won, Charles Hamilton definitely lost. In all fairness: we know your pea coat didn’t cost $2,000, Serius.

Rick Ross Fail Scale:

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

JACKIN’ FOR BEATS
WHEN: March 2009
• Underground producer Black Spade cried foul after noticing Charles Hamilton’s self-produced song “Shinin’” bears a striking resemblance to one of his beats (compare the tracks here). Of course, Charles denied the accusation and even posted his Pro Tools session file online in an attempt to clear his name. Unfortunately for him, the file turned out to be self-incriminating and pretty much confirmed—as evidenced above—that he did jack Black Spade’s beat. Um, fail.

Rick Ross Fail Scale:

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

SONIC DOESN’T LOVE COLLEGE
WHEN: March 2009
• Oh, how nice of Charles Hamilton to freestyle with college kids after a concert. It just sucks when your fans can outshine you. Sure, Charles didn’t appear to be battling as hard as the fan was, but you should never half-ass it when cameras are rolling. The guy with the deal and the Interscope machine behind him should never let anyone think that he lost a battle to this kid. Not even for a second.

Rick Ross Fail Scale:

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

CHARLES HAMILTON IS A DIRTY KID
WHEN: April 2009
• On meeting Pharrell in an interview with Nylon Guys: “[We met at] the Four Seasons, right?” says Hamilton. “I had just taken a shower that day for the first time in a couple of days.” Need we say more?

Rick Ross Fail Scale:

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

WALE AND CHARLES FIGURE OUT WHAT’S BEEF
WHEN: April 2009
• Charles Hamilton and Wale have had a rocky relationship since people began grouping them together in the same “freshman class” collective. Charles denied firing shots early on, but by spring, a real feud developed. The labelmates tried to cover their tracks and called the beef “fake” on Twitter, but that didn’t last long. Wale’s hilarious jab from the clip above combined with his comments in our recent interview might not have signaled a full-on assault, but they were pretty funny. Chalk it up to a W for the D.C. guy.

Rick Ross Fail Scale:

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

CORY GUNZ GOES OFF
WHEN: April 2009
• Cory Gunz and his Square Off cronies dissed Charles Hamilton on PMS Radio (no, really) because apparently, Sonic had been talking greasy. But that guy’s career is a mess too, so no L for Charles here.

Rick Ross Fail Scale:

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

THE PUNCH HEARD ‘ROUND THE BLOGOSPHERE
WHEN: May 2009
• We give Charles Hamilton credit for not going the Chris Brown route and retaliating, but that doesn’t exempt him from scrutiny. Think about the last time you got punched in the face by a girl. Anything cool about that? Didn’t think so. Unfortunately for Charles, Briana Latrise’s right hook became entertainment for millions and spawned even more jokes. The Pink Panther doll attached to his arm significantly increased the fail factor too. Sonic definitely lost his rings with this one. And those corny couples therapy sessions after the fact? Not a good look.

Rick Ross Fail Scale:

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

CHARLES HAMILTON IMAGINES WORKING WITH DILLA
WHEN: June 2009
• Earlier this week, Charles Hamilton posted cover art for his debut album, This Perfect Life, on his blog. Aside from the failure that is being signed to a major and having your glorified mixtape “debut” released for free online, Charles caused an uproar by crediting the deceased legend, J. Dilla, as the executive producer of the album. Charles said that proceeds (from a free album?) will go to the J. Dilla Foundation, which apparently doesn’t exist. Ma Dukes doesn’t even know who the kid is. Now he’s saying that he worked with Dilla through a “strictly paranormal relationship.” FOH.

Rick Ross Fail Scale:

————————————————————————————————————————————————————

RIHANNA OBSESSION GOES NOWHERE
WHEN: 2008 – Present
• We all love Rihanna in one way or another, but when you blog about her regularly and fabricate an imaginary relationship with her (“Cuz word on the street is I only hear boo when Rihanna’s referring to me.”) while another young rapper is rumored to be getting it in with her, you lose. That loser in this situation would be Charles Hamilton. May the fail be with you.

Rick Ross Fail Scale:

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/06/10/charles-hamiltons-greatest-fails-a-retrospective/feed/ 68 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/06/03/wale-talks-media-hate-charles-hamilton-celebrity-women/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/06/03/wale-talks-media-hate-charles-hamilton-celebrity-women/#comments Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:51:49 +0000 Joe http://www.complex.com/blogs/?p=34689
In the rat-race that is rap’s “freshman class,” it’s safe to say Wale finds himself toward the middle of the pack. But this is a marathon, people—not a race. Wale’s current buzz may not be as big as say, Drake’s, but after spending the last few months performing to sold-out venues and getting the music biz’s new It-Girl Lady Gaga on his first single “Chillin” (the video debuted today), Wale’s on course for a hot summer. His Back To The Feature mixtape should be out this month and he’s targeting a late-summer release for his debut, Attention Deficit.

The DC native is in NYC for his show tomorrow night at M2, so he stopped by Complex to talk about Charles Hamilton, celebrities, and his attitude toward interviews. Oh, and if you thought he forgot about the slight jokey-jab we threw at him in our controversial rap-retail post a few months back…well, he didn’t…

Interview by Ernest Baker

Complex: You really came out of left field with the Lady Gaga feature on the first single. Is there anything else particularly unusual about the album that will immediately surprise people the way “Chillin” did?

Wale: Nah, that’s as left as it goes, but that’s the beauty of it. That’s as left as I can take it. So we bring everybody back in now. That’s just to get the net as wide as possible to bring everybody into my world. She’s pretty much the key. My music is the lock. She opens it so everybody can come, all of her fans can come see what has been going on in the underground scene for so long and what people have respected me for. And I think the underground fans understand what I’m doing.

Complex: You don’t think you’ll lose underground fans or confuse the mainstream by trying to reach both markets without compromise?

Wale: That’s what the underground circuit is for. That’s what Back To The Feature is for. That’s what my next single is for. That’s what the album is for. The underground fans that say they might be gone, they’re gonna be inclined to listen to the album and go, “Okay, I get it now.” It’s the Attention Deficit. Wake up. Let me do something crazy to make everybody be like, “What are you doing?” I could have easily got T-Pain or anybody like that, but let me just get somebody very left. That’ll wake them up. Gaga. She’s never done a rap record before. Pay attention. It’s a method to my madness.

Complex: Well, people are paying attention. GQ just called you the “greatest rapper since Jay-Z.” Of course that’s going to spark debate, but personally, do you feel like you’re the best rapper since Jay-Z?

Wale: Everybody should feel like that. I’m sure Complex might not. I mean, I’ve heard things about myself. Complex stating that I was, what’d they call me? Burlington Coat Factory or something like that. They compared me to Burlington Coat Factory. So it’s just a matter of extremes. I think that was a bit extreme. So I guess GQ just went in the other direction. I guess it’s what publications do. Write things that are just kind of outlandish. I don’t compare myself to Jay or anybody like that. I just try to make the best music I can possibly make. But GQ is one of the only publications that’s heard a lot of the records on the album, so that might be telling about what the album is gonna present, in a sense.

Complex: Speaking of comparisons, who from the freshman class of rap, besides yourself, do you think will achieve the most success?

Wale: I mean, everybody. I’m just so happy and proud of everybody and what everybody’s doing. From Curren$y doing decent numbers with the independent, digital release; from Asher selling 1.1 million-plus on iTunes with the single and almost at 200,000 [albums sold] now; Cudi got almost 4,000 BDS’s a week; Mickey Factz doing the Rock The Bells tour; Blu signed a deal shortly after; Ace Hood had two very successful singles, another album getting ready to drop. Everybody’s doing their thing, man. It wouldn’t be fair for me to take one out the batch. I think everybody’s been doing a very good job and I think XXL did a good job of picking people out.

Complex: You left out one guy in particular.

Wale: Who is that?

Complex: Charles Hamilton. I don’t know if the beef is real or fake, but can you clear the record and let us know what your situation with Charles Hamilton really is?

Wale: Charles is on the label. He’s an Interscope artist and he’s doing his thing. I don’t really speak to him. So I can’t really tell you. The “Brooklyn Girls” record did pretty good and The Pink Lavalamp mixtape got some good reviews. So he’s doing his thing and I’m sure that he’s gonna have a good year as well. I just wasn’t following his moves that much.

Complex: What got you to the point of calling him out at shows? It seems like something specific must have triggered that.

Wale: One thing about me, I understand that in the industry, a lot of it isn’t real. Which is a difficult thing. Where I come from a lot of people are straightforward and I’ve had to learn how to not say exactly what I feel. Sometimes it gets frustrating being a person who says what he feels and what his heart is telling him. Every once in a while I fall into letting the industry get the best of me and not just saying exactly what I feel. Sometimes I’m just a little bit too honest. There was some things that were going on behind the scenes that I didn’t like because it’s not what hip-hop is about. Hip-hop is about honesty and it’s about being real to the people, and I kinda felt like there’s some instances where some artists aren’t 100% honest with the people. Their integrity is lacking sometimes. And sometimes it comes out. Initially, I felt like my duty was to just keep it positive and be positive and sometimes I crack in that. We’re human. I’m imperfect at times and that was just me being imperfect at that one point. Charles is Charles. Wale is Wale. It’s two separate entities that have nothing to do with each other and probably will never have anything to do with each other and I wish him the best.

Complex: Drake has Wayne. Cudi has Kanye. You come out of nowhere backed by Mark Ronson, who’s been unsuccessful with rap artists in the past. Is there any worry there?

Wale: That’s like saying Drake is worried over some people on Young Money. Wayne’s had artists for years that haven’t had the opportunity to showcase their talent yet. As well as Kanye. It’s guys that’s been there since “Jesus Walks” that haven’t the opportunity to showcase their abilities yet. Mark is not necessarily a prominent figure in the States and I don’t work as closely with Mark as those other two dudes do. I’m fighting alone. My team is Rich Kleinman and guys that help me with my business. I don’t have that Kanye or Wayne factor. It’s just Wale fighting on his own. He got his business people with him and he’s standing in the gauntlet by himself. That’s how I look at it. Mark is Mark Ronson. Mark is in Russia now or whatever. I haven’t seen Mark in a minute. We did our two songs for the album and that was it. It’s different.

Complex: Well, I’ve heard you say that you like being the underdog, so even when people have reasons to doubt you, does being confident in your music make you feel better about how everything is going to work out?

Wale: Maybe they just like me because they like me, and they don’t like me because they feel like they have to like me because they like this person or that person. I’m just trying to make the best music I can possibly make and represent the new class or whatever. Myself and Cudi and Asher and B.o.B. That’s all I can do at this point.

Complex: Being so focused on making the best music possible, how does it feel when a publication like XXL tells you to Step Your Rap Game Up?

Wale: What line was that again? A lot?

Complex: Yeah: “You say you got a lot of whips/Well I got a lot” from “Chillin.”

Wale: It was a double entendre. I’m sure everybody can think of 30 lines that was not, you know what I’m saying? It was a double entendre. Whatever. The same sword they knight you with they can goodnight you with.

Complex: How heavy does them calling you out weigh on you?

Wale: You never wanna see yourself there. Like, ever. I’d rather go to jail than see myself on Step Your Rap Game up because I take a lot of time with my stuff. The funny thing is, a lot of people have told me, “Yo, since when is a double entendre, like…come on, that was reaching.” But like I said, you gotta understand that the same sword they knight you with they can goodnight you with. That’s what it is, but I don’t ever wanna see myself there again.

Complex: Have you become more immune to criticism?

Wale: I’ve read three or four things about myself in Complex that was like, I just left the photo shoot with y’all and I didn’t even wanna wear what y’all made me wear but I did it because I mess with y’all, I like Complex, and I appreciate y’all taste. Then to read something like, Wale’s played out and hipster this, it confuses me because I come from a world where if somebody has a problem with you they’ll tell you. They won’t put you in a photo shoot and have you do this, that, and the third and then two months later say that you’re played out. Like, you just anointed me something, at least let my album come out. I’m learning as I go. It messes with my head a little. I get confused but I can’t sit around and be mad at the whole Complex magazine or whatever. It’s a publication. They’re just doing their job.

Complex: You like sports too. You actually have a bet with Jim Jones and he picked the Lakers to win it all. Will you clean out his studio if Kobe gets another ring?

Wale: We have to figure that out. We’re gonna see what happens, man. Orlando and L.A. I mean, it looks like an easy little sweep for L.A., but you never know. They almost lost to the Houston Rockets, so we’ll see what happens. A bet is a bet, man. If Jim wins the bet then Jim wins the bet. I’m a man of my word.

Complex: You know, we were talking about Charles Hamilton earlier. He has his Rihanna thing. Do you have that type of obsession with any female celebrities?

Wale: I don’t obsess over no woman. They come and go. I think to obsess over a woman is to be weak. Weaker. You gotta be headstrong. To obsess over a woman, it’s like you can never give your all. What if you don’t get the woman that you obsess over? That means you’re settling. You can’t obsess over no mortal.

Complex: If you’re not obsessed with anyone, is there a celebrity who you’re at least feeling?

Wale: They’re cool, but I’m not really caught up with celebrity women. I’ve played the background for three years now. I’ve been out with Lindsay. I’ve been out with Jay-Z. I’ve been places with Rihanna and Kanye. I see what goes around. It’s just a different world. And I think being from DC, where we don’t really even believe in celebrities like that, it sets you up for that. It doesn’t phase me. I think a regular girl that goes to school or works at a Complex or Spin or Blender or whatever, one of those magazines. She’d probably be flyer to me than the person she’s writing about.

Complex: You once said on Twitter that you find New York boring. Months later, more is happening with your career and you have more reasons to be here. Do you still feel that way?

Wale: See, I moved back to DC. I just think New York is not the place for me. It’s a dope place to visit, but to live here, you know? And at that point I lived on the 6th floor in a walk-up, so if I wanted to go out I had to go all the way downstairs, party, get tired, and walk all the way back up. So you’d have to consider that every night, like, “Do I really wanna?” But the nightlife scene is cool. Obviously the shopping is great and the food is pretty good. And the people, they’re fast. Everything works fast in New York City. I ain’t mad at it. I just couldn’t live here. It’s just too much going on.

Complex: Do you still hate doing interviews?

Wale: I never hated doing interviews. That was a little bit of back and forth between me and Semtex. This was actually a very good interview. The way you’ve interviewed is like, everything that’s been going on recently—from Jim Jones to XXL, all of these things. It’s like me doing an interview next month for Complex and them being like, “Tell me about signing with Interscope.” It’s like, huh? Didn’t y’all just? So y’all really gonna put that in? It’s like one of those things. Us as rappers get called out about stuff, even for using a double entendre. We get called out, but nobody calls out interviewers. Some interviewers aren’t even interested. They’re just doing it because they gotta do it. Life is nothing without passion. Whatever you’re doing, at least be passionate about it because I’m passionate about what I’m doing. I’m passionate about the words I’m saying right now. Just be passionate. When the interviews is passionate, it’s more conversational and we’re not covering the same ground. When you’re just reading a note card—not like you, this is recent stuff—but when you’re just reading a note card and it doesn’t even feel real, it’s difficult at times. But I have no problem doing interviews. This is actually my fifth one of the day. So I have absolutely no problem doing interviews.

Complex: Any other things you’d like to say before we end?

Wale: I wanna meet the person who wrote the Burlington Coat Factory thing, but that’s cool. I would love to understand it more, but everything is good. I’m about to go to the studio and make some more music today, so I’m happy and I appreciate Complex for giving me the time to do this interview.

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/06/03/wale-talks-media-hate-charles-hamilton-celebrity-women/feed/ 23 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/04/13/kate-beckinsale-is-a-hot-bunny/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/04/13/kate-beckinsale-is-a-hot-bunny/#comments Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:30:54 +0000 Joe http://www.complex.com/blogs/?p=27371
Our Easter dinner would’ve been a lot better if Kate Beckinsale showed up. Check candids of her from this weekend. [Bastardly]

A tribute to the under-boob. Wow, we all win.

If you missed all of the cool things on the Internet today, click HERE.

Charles Hamilton responds to Wale’s comments. [Nah Right]

Nice Kicks and David Z are cookin’ up something special. [Nice Kicks]

This site is a good reason to cop a good point-and-shoot.

In4mation is making your Blackberry Curve, cooler. [Ctothejl]

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/04/13/kate-beckinsale-is-a-hot-bunny/feed/ 0 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/03/03/going-to-watch-the-watchmen/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/03/03/going-to-watch-the-watchmen/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:29:55 +0000 Joe http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/03/03/going-to-watch-the-watchmen/
We scored tickets to a screening of the Watchmen, too bad Vanessa Hudgens already saw it. [Bastardly]

Note to Charles Hamilton: Stop battling civilians on camera. [Nah Right]

Introduce yourself to Miss Coed: Taylor Anderson [CoedMag]

All the links you’ll need to keep yourself amused today. [Gorilla Mask]

Alife is doing a crinkled white-on-white Air Force One, dropping March 14th. [Nice Kicks]

Ugh. Pay attention to detail. [Double Viking]

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/03/03/going-to-watch-the-watchmen/feed/ 0 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/03/03/10-exclusive-retail-deals-for-raps-new-generation/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/03/03/10-exclusive-retail-deals-for-raps-new-generation/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:59:57 +0000 prubin http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/03/03/10-exclusive-retail-deals-for-raps-new-generation/
Well, it’s official: Prince is a genius. After the Eagles and AC/DC posted huge numbers last year releasing albums exclusively through a Walmart, Prince signed on to release a three-album set for sale only at Target. Mark our words: he’ll be platinum by June.

The trend got us thinking that some of these struggling rookie rappers could benefit from the strategy. Granted, big dog retailers like Best Buy and Target probably won’t cut exclusive deals with newcomers like Kid Cudi and Asher Roth, but we thought of some less obvious stores that might jump at the chance. Read on to see marketing plans for ten of our favorite up-and-coming MCs…

BLU
Album Sold Exclusively At: Whole Foods
Sales Promotion: Get the album for 20% more than it would cost anywhere else! What?! It was recorded organically. Be cool, man.

KID CUDI
Album Sold Exclusively At: 7-11
Sales Promotion: The Lonely Stoner Special: Buy the album and get half off a footlong/Big Gulp combo. Don’t worry–we’re open day and night!

DRAKE
Album Sold Exclusively At: International Male
Sales Promotion: Type in promo code PIERCINGGREENEYES at checkout and get a free sample of Drake’s new cologne, Eau D’Grassi.

JAY ELECTRONICA
Album Sold Exclusively At: The Apple Store
Sales Promotion: Goes great with every other cool-but-overhyped piece of electronica. Baby Mama Drama Lightning Deal: Trade in any common Zune and get an autographed picture of Erykah and Jay’s baby!

CHARLES HAMILTON
Album Sold Exclusively At: Gamestop
Sales Promotion: Walk out of the store now and preserve the chances of losing your virginity!

Click NEXT to see our suggestions for Nipsey Hussle, OJ Da Juiceman, Asher Roth, Tyga and Wale.

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/03/03/10-exclusive-retail-deals-for-raps-new-generation/feed/ 45 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/11/14/charles-hamilton-dances-for-band-of-outsiders/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/11/14/charles-hamilton-dances-for-band-of-outsiders/#comments Fri, 14 Nov 2008 20:29:03 +0000 donniek http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/11/14/charles-hamilton-dances-for-band-of-outsiders/

Haters, be forewarned: Your head very well may explode when you click on this video clip of Charles Hamilton dancing as a model for the spring/summer collection of Band of Outsiders. For the brand’s showing at September’s Fashion Week, founder (and former Hollywood agent) Scott Sternberg put together videos of Hamilton, Kirsten Dunst and Max Minghella prancing around while wearing his line of smartly detailed, slim-cut pieces.

In September, the videos played on giant screens with background music in the studio where Band of Outsiders presented their show; here, they are presented in raw form, minus the tunes. See below for Charles getting his Carlton Banks on, as well as a bonus vid of a surprisingly sexy Miss Dunst doing her own diddy bop. We’re scared to read the comments…

CHARLES HAMILTON video

KIRSTEN DUNST video

RELATED: Leaders of the New School

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/11/14/charles-hamilton-dances-for-band-of-outsiders/feed/ 1 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/10/08/leaders-of-the-new-cool-week-charles-hamilton/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/10/08/leaders-of-the-new-cool-week-charles-hamilton/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 20:57:10 +0000 bfred http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/10/08/leaders-of-the-new-cool-week-charles-hamilton/
Have you still not seen Complex’s hip-hop heavy October 2008 fashion story with The Cool Kids, B.o.B., Charles Hamilton, The Knux and Wale? Check out the full feature or watch a special video version now.

All week long we’ve been releasing exclusive video interviews with each of the artists from “Leaders of the New Cool.” Monday we had The Cool Kids. Yesterday we had B.O.B. And today we have New York’s new hope, Charles Hamilton, talking about the rise of “individuality rap” and the worst hip-hop style trends of all time. Watch it below…

Related: Did Charles Hamilton Fire Shots?

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/10/08/leaders-of-the-new-cool-week-charles-hamilton/feed/ 1 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/09/23/jennifer-metcalfe-takes-a-swim/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/09/23/jennifer-metcalfe-takes-a-swim/#comments Tue, 23 Sep 2008 23:14:08 +0000 Joe http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/09/23/jennifer-metcalfe-takes-a-swim/
Don't get us wrong, Jennifer Metcalfe is hot, but she could put on a few lbs. [Bastardly]

The big bossman launched his own blog today, partake. [Marc Ecko]

Charles Hamilton and Joe Budden spit ondaspot. [Nah Right]

Wow. This woman is really, really stupid. [Double Viking]

If only Larry Johnson and Alonzo could've kept that tag-team up, they would've loved these Nikes. [ KicksOnFire]

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/09/23/jennifer-metcalfe-takes-a-swim/feed/ 0 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/08/13/did-charles-hamilton-fire-shots/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/08/13/did-charles-hamilton-fire-shots/#comments Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:01:33 +0000 treats http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/08/13/did-charles-hamilton-fire-shots/
Photo: Jaeki Cho

Yesterday, rookie New York MC Charles Hamilton leaked a song called “Windows Media Player,” and a lot of folks have been asking about a line where he mentions Complex:

“I don’t pose, I hate pose-urs/Except for one photoshoot/For Complex, what the heck was I supposed to do?/I had fun, acted mad young/I was flyer than the rest of ‘em, why am I addressing ‘em?”

What exactly is Charles talking about?…

Well, in our upcoming October issue, the young Harlemite poses with fellow hip-hop heads Wale, The Cool Kids, B.O.B. and The Knux in a truly fresh fashion story called “Leaders Of The New Cool.” (Issue on stands at the beginning of October!)

Complex really appreciates the shout-out, but we’ve been having a debate around the office: is Charles dissing the other MCs featured in the story by saying “flyer than the rest of 'em” (which also happens to be a Wale line from “Nike Boots”)? We can’t call it. Listen to the song below and let us know what you think.

Charles Hamilton “Windows Media Player” (2008)

Previously: Charles Hamilton's New Green Lantern Mixtape

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/08/13/did-charles-hamilton-fire-shots/feed/ 15 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/06/11/download-charles-hamiltons-green-lantern-mixtape/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/06/11/download-charles-hamiltons-green-lantern-mixtape/#comments Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:18:44 +0000 bfred http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/06/11/download-charles-hamiltons-green-lantern-mixtape/ Outside Looking, the new release from this young rapper/producer from Harlem who has a heavy Pharrell co-sign.]]>
A few weeks ago, we introduced you to a young rapper/producer named Charles Hamilton, but we made one mistake. Contrary to what Pharrell himself told us, the Harlem native is not signed to Star Trak. It turns out that he’s signed to Interscope through his own label, Demevolist Music Group. Regardless of the label, Pharrell still gives the heavy co-sign: “The kid is the truth.”

Well now you can finally judge for yourself. Today, Charles’ new mixtape with DJ Green Lantern called Outside Looking was released. Listen to the streaming widget or download the whole mixtape below.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

[I Am Not Charles Hamilton]

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/06/11/download-charles-hamiltons-green-lantern-mixtape/feed/ 5 http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/05/29/meet-star-traks-charles-hamilton/ http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/05/29/meet-star-traks-charles-hamilton/#comments Thu, 29 May 2008 14:51:25 +0000 bfred http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/05/29/meet-star-traks-charles-hamilton/
What’s next for New York rap? These days, a lot of industry insiders are pointing towards 20-year-old Harlem native Charles Hamilton, who recently signed to Interscope through Pharrell’s Star Trak imprint.

The kid can rap his ass off, but he’s definitely on some left-field creativity shit with his self-produced, sample-based beats. His DJ Green Lantern mixtape Outside Lookin’ is on the way, and he recently debuted “Brooklyn Girls,” a tribute to fly females that flips a sample from KP & Envyi’s “Swing My Way.” Hear the song and watch a few videos of Charles below.

Charles Hamilton “Brooklyn Girls”

from DJ Green Lantern Presents…Outside Lookin’ (2008)

Charles Hamilton & Cory Gunz “Neh Neh Neh” (Produced by DJ Green Lantern):

Charles Hamilton on Power 106 with DJ Skee:

]]> http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/05/29/meet-star-traks-charles-hamilton/feed/ 9