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<channel>
	<title>Complex Blog &#187; Mase</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.complex.com/blogs/tag/mase/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.complex.com/blogs</link>
	<description>Buy.  Collect.  Obsess.  The original buyer's guide for men.</description>
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		<title>Winding Down: Leighton Meester And Blake Lively Make A Great Tag team</title>
		<link>http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/07/15/winding-down-leighton-meester-and-blake-lively-make-a-great-tag-team/</link>
		<comments>http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/07/15/winding-down-leighton-meester-and-blake-lively-make-a-great-tag-team/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2009 22:20:10 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>intern</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Winding Down]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Emma Watson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gossip Girl]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kid Cudi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Models]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Stephen Colbert]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.complex.com/blogs/?p=47000</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Check out our daily compilation of links seen around the net.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/leighton-blake-07150903-in.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/leighton-blake-07150903-in.jpg" alt="leighton-blake-07150903-in" title="leighton-blake-07150903-in" width="625" height="547" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-47023" /></a><br />
Our favorite Gossip Girls looked great on set this week. [<a href="http://www.moejackson.com/2009-leighton-meester-blake-lively-gossip-girl-lesbian-fantasy-0715" target="_blank">Moe Jackson</a>]</p>
<p><strong>Miss Info</strong> and MTV try to make sense of <strong>Mase</strong>&#8217;s latest comeback. [<a href="http://nahright.com/news/2009/07/15/video-new-cam-mae-track-part-of-bigger-project/" target="_blank">Nah Right</a>]</p>
<p>Just because models are gorgeous doesn&#8217;t mean you can&#8217;t laugh at their runaway fails. [<a href="http://coedmagazine.com/2009/07/15/13 most-disastrous-models-runway-fails/" target="_blank">Coed Mag</a>]</p>
<p><strong>Kid Cudi</strong> chops it up with <strong>Angie Martinez</strong> before his sold out NYC show tonight. [<a href="http://datnewcudi.com/2009/07/15/cudi-on-hot-97-w-angie-martinez/" target="_blank">Dat New Cudi</a>]</p>
<p>We&#8217;re not the only ones who think youngin&#8217; <strong>Emma Watson</strong> is smoking hot. [<a href="http://www.holytaco.com/emma-watson" target="_blank">Holy Taco</a>]</p>
<p>This <strong>Parra</strong> x <strong>Vans</strong> collab is pretty serious. [<a href="http://www.dailydrop.com/parra-x-vans-t-shirts-shoes" target="_blank">Daily Drop</a>]</p>
<p>Remember <strong>Daisy Fuentes</strong>? The old school VJ is still looking good. [<a href="http://lossip.com/35550/latina-love-for-daisy-fuentes/" target="_blank">Lossip</a>]</p>
<p><strong>Stephen Colbert</strong> brings some tasteful humor to the <strong>MJ</strong> coverage. [<a href="http://flisted.com/81685/video-stephen-colbert-remembers-the-remembrance-of-michael-jackson/" target="_blank">Flisted</a>]</p>
<p>Stop looking at celebs for a second and check out these hotties in the wild. [<a href="http://www.doubleviking.com/hotties/main.php" target="_blank">Double Viking</a>]</p>
<p><strong>Jon Gosselin</strong>&#8217;s new chick has a former lesbian lover with some unkind things to say. [<a href="http://www.popcrunch.com/hailey-glassman-lesbian-lover-warns-jon-gosselin/" target="_blank">PopCrunch</a>]</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>A History of Rappers Finding Religion</title>
		<link>http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/07/06/a-history-of-rappers-finding-religion/</link>
		<comments>http://www.complex.com/blogs/2009/07/06/a-history-of-rappers-finding-religion/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:57:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>dscott</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kurtis Blow]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Loon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rappers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[religion]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rev Run]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shyne]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.complex.com/blogs/?p=44695</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With Loon praising Islam live on Al Jazzeera, we're looking back at hip-hop's most shocking converts.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/loonaljazeera.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/loonaljazeera.jpg" alt="loonaljazeera" title="loonaljazeera" width="625" height="360" class="alignright size-full wp-image-44699" /></a><br />
It used to be said that rap&#8217;s a war zone and that nobody&#8217;s safe. And, like real war, its veterans can be left with their mental a little out of place. Some retreat from the limelight to try and rebuild their lives, while others attempt to retool their act for a much-hoped-for revival. Then there are those who are so troubled they could only find solace is in the arms of the Lord. </p>
<p>Yesterday, <a href="http://www.rapradar.com/focus/loon-speaks-on-islamic-conversion.html" target="_blank">we learned</a> via Middle Eastern news channel Al Jazeera (where else?) that former Bad Boy artist, <strong>Loon</strong>, has given up his secular ways and converted to Islam. Forgive us for the yawn that followed our initial WTF, it&#8217;s just that we&#8217;ve seen this before. Loon is only the latest rapper to find religion, check out some more&#8230;</p>
<p><span id="more-44695"></span><a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/pastormase.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/pastormase.jpg" alt="pastormase" title="pastormase" width="625" height="384" class="alignright size-full wp-image-44723" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Rapper:</strong><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"><strong>Ma$e </strong></SPAN><br />
<strong>Real Name:</strong> Mason Betha<br />
<Strong>Converted To:</strong> Christianity<br />
<strong>Year:</strong> 1999<br />
<strong>Reason:</strong> Cam&#8217;ron and Jim Jones say Betha &#8220;ran to Atlanta&#8221; &#8217;cause some dudes in NYC wanted to extort money from him. But Ma$e claims to have heard the Lord&#8217;s calling (while high on weed), and that&#8217;s what lead him to leave behind his multi-platinum rap career to start Mason Betha Ministries with his wife. </p></blockquote>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br />
<a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/mca.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/mca.jpg" alt="mca" title="mca" width="625" height="416" class="alignright size-full wp-image-44703" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Rapper:</strong><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"><strong> MCA</strong></SPAN><br />
<strong>Real Name:</strong> Adam Yauch<br />
<Strong>Converted To:</strong> Buddhism<br />
<strong>Year:</strong> 1993<br />
<strong>Reason:</strong> After a snowboarding trip in the Himalayas in 1993, MCA returned with a newfound outlook on the world and an all-together matured personality. Known as one of the most tongue-in-cheek rappers in the game, MCA came back dropping nuggets like this: &#8220;We have a lot of machines and we think of ourselves as really advanced. But in fact we&#8217;re not very modern compared to the Tibetans, who have a more inwardly evolved society in terms of their psychology and philosophy. And without adopting some of that understanding and learning from the Tibetans and from Buddhism, we&#8217;re basically going to destroy the planet for everyone.&#8221; Zing!</p></blockquote>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br />
<a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/ministerkurtisblow.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/ministerkurtisblow.jpg" alt="ministerkurtisblow" title="ministerkurtisblow" width="625" height="545" class="alignright size-full wp-image-44700" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Rapper:</strong><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"><strong> Kurtis Blow</strong></SPAN><br />
<strong>Real Name:</strong> Curtis Walker<br />
<Strong>Converted To:</strong> Christianity<br />
<strong>Year:</strong> ’90s<br />
<strong>Reason:</strong> Tired of the increasingly negative images the music he helped usher into the mainstream was putting out for kids to digest, the first rapper to sign a major deal partnered up with Holy Hip Hop Music and EMI Gospel to release the Christian rap album &#8220;Kurtis Blow Presents: Hip Hop Ministry.&#8221; We&#8217;re still waiting for him to change his name to something that&#8217;s not a cocaine reference.</p></blockquote>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/barrowmug1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/barrowmug1.jpg" alt="barrowmug1" title="barrowmug1" width="625" height="378" class="alignright size-full wp-image-44718" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Rapper:</strong><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"><strong> Shyne</SPAN></strong><br />
<strong>Real Name:</strong> Moses Michael Leviy (Previously Jamal Barrow)<br />
<Strong>Converted To:</strong> Judaism<br />
<strong>Year:</strong> 2006<br />
<strong>Reason:</strong> While locked up for the infamous club shooting involving Diddy and his flavor of the month J. Lo, Shyne discovered his bloodline descended from the original 12 tribes of Judah and immediately changed his name to Moses Michael Leviy. Mazel tov!</p></blockquote>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br />
<a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/icecube.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/icecube.jpg" alt="Ice Cube" title="Ice Cube" width="625" height="391" class="alignright size-full wp-image-44739" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Rapper:</strong><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"><strong> Ice Cube</strong> </SPAN><br />
<strong>Real Name:</strong> O&#8217;Shea Jackson<br />
<Strong>Converted To:</strong> Islam<br />
<strong>Year:</strong> 1992<br />
<strong>Reason:</strong> Back in the early ’90s, Cube declared the Nation of Islam, &#8220;the best place for any young black male&#8221;. Already militant, he promptly shaved the jheri curl and recruited Khallid Abdul Muhammad for his album &#8220;Death Certificate&#8221;. Although he&#8217;s still Muslim, later in his life Cube has shied away from his affiliation with the nation, calling himself a &#8220;natural Muslim&#8221;. </p></blockquote>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dougefreshtomcruise.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/dougefreshtomcruise.jpg" alt="dougefreshtomcruise" title="dougefreshtomcruise" width="625" height="323" class="alignright size-full wp-image-44701" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong> Rapper:</strong><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"><strong>Doug E. Fresh</strong> </SPAN><br />
<strong>Real Name:</strong> Douglas E. Davis<br />
<Strong>Converted To:</strong> Scientology<br />
<strong>Year:</strong> 2000&#8217;s<br />
<strong>Reason:</strong> The worlds greatest entertainer said that after looking at a number of different religions, he choose to study Scientology, stating that it&#8217;s a &#8220;useful tool for out here in the world, it gives you clarity on a lot of different things.&#8221; That and he got to chill with Tom Cruise. </p></blockquote>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/everlast.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/everlast.jpg" alt="everlast" title="everlast" width="625" height="378" class="alignright size-full wp-image-44702" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Rapper:</strong><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"><strong> Everlast</strong></SPAN><br />
<strong>Real Name:</strong> Erik Schrody<br />
<Strong>Converted To:</strong> Islam<br />
<strong>Year:</strong> 2004<br />
<strong>Reason:</strong> According to Whitey Ford, a friend introduced him to Islam and explained to him how the religion is &#8220;all-encompassing, uniting all religions and Prophets in itself.&#8221; All we wanna know is: do he and Michael Muhammad Knight sit together at mosque?</p></blockquote>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-<br />
<a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/revrun1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/revrun1.jpg" alt="revrun1" title="revrun1" width="600" height="356" class="alignright size-full wp-image-44707" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Rapper:</strong><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"> <strong>Rev Run </strong></SPAN><br />
<strong>Real Name:</strong> Joseph Simmons<br />
<Strong>Converted To:</strong> Pentecostalism<br />
<strong>Year:</strong> ’90s<br />
<strong>Reason:</strong> &#8220;A religious awakening&#8221; is what pushed Run to become an ordained minister with Bishop E. Bernard Jordan&#8217;s Zoe Ministries, add the word &#8220;Rev&#8221; in front of his name, and start wearing those ugly-ass capes. </p></blockquote>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/bgknoccout.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/bgknoccout.jpg" alt="bgknoccout" title="bgknoccout" width="625" height="375" class="alignright size-full wp-image-44713" /></a></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Rapper:</strong><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"><strong> BG Knocc Out</strong></SPAN><br />
<strong>Real Name:</strong> Al Hasan Naqiyy<br />
<Strong>Converted To:</strong> Islam<br />
<strong>Year:</strong> 1999<br />
<strong>Reason:</strong> Before he was sentenced to 10 years for attempted murder, this former Eazy-E associate researched the Nation of Islam, but was turned off by some of their beliefs. Once in prison, BG met some Orthodox Muslims who won him over (pause) and convinced him to convert.We&#8217;re assuming he spells &#8220;kufi&#8221; with a &#8220;c&#8221; too.</p></blockquote>
<p>&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-</p>
<p><object width="640" height="505"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jZFueqQnops&#038;hl=en&#038;fs=1&#038;"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jZFueqQnops&#038;hl=en&#038;fs=1&#038;" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="505"></embed></object></p>
<blockquote><p><strong>Rapper:</strong> <SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00"><strong>Loon</strong></SPAN><br />
<strong>Real Name:</strong> Amir Junaid Muhadith (Previously Chauncey Lamont Hawkins)<br />
<strong>Converted To:</strong> Islam<br />
<strong>Year:</strong> 2009<br />
<strong>Reason:</strong> After tiring of playing Mase-lite, this former Harlem World star left Bad Boy in &#8216;04 to start his own Boss Up Entertainment imprint, which turned out to be a complete failure. Not to mention he started beefing with his old uptown buddies, Ma$e and Jim Jones (who claimed that he saw Loon in the South selling pre-paid cell phones). But that&#8217;s in the past now, and Loon claims that he&#8217;s &#8220;happy to be accepting Islam and finding the piece of mind that I was always searching for in the music business.&#8221; </p></blockquote>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>13</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>When Rap Nepotism Goes Wrong</title>
		<link>http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/08/28/when-rap-nepotism-goes-wrong/</link>
		<comments>http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/08/28/when-rap-nepotism-goes-wrong/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2008 22:15:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>donniek</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bravehearts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Busta Rhymes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Eazy-E]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Flatlinerz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Harlem World]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lil Eazy-E]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nas]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rampage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reverend Run]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Run's House]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Team Blackout]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.complex.com/blogs/2008/08/28/when-rap-nepotism-goes-wrong/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Rev Run's son caught a brick, but he's hardly the first artist to use a family connection to jump start a failed hip-hop career.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src='http://c.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/teamblackout.jpg' alt='teamblackout.jpg' /><br />
<font size="1"><em>&#8220;Only 999,790 to go &#8217;til we platinum!&#8221;</em></font></p>
<p>So, &#8220;<strong>Team Blackout</strong>,&#8221; huh? Yeah, the group is a little cheesy and it features <strong>JoJo Simmons</strong>&#39;son of <strong>Reverend Run</strong>, star of <strong><em>Run&#8217;s House</strong></em>&#39;but c&#8217;mon, who can get mad at wholesome rap for the kids? We were totally fine with letting them live&#8230;until our inbox was bombarded with emails promoting the group&#8217;s <strong><em>Lights Out</strong></em> album, which dropped last Tuesday. Noooooooooope!!!(c) <strong>Jim Jones</strong>. Time for a lil&#8217; kufi-smacking.</p>
<p>Like <strong>Jigga</strong> said&#39;men lie, women lie, but numbers don&#8217;t. Sadly, Team Blackout didn&#8217;t even make the Billboard Top 200 album chart, so we had to hit our homey with Soundscan access to get us the first-week sales. The numbers? <strong>210 units</strong>. As in: Two. Hundred. Ten. And that includes copies bought by the Simmons clan. Fuck, we could pull three rugrats off the street and move more units! Still, Team Blackout is hardly the first act to exploit family credentials en route to a failed rap career. We present the top <strong>5 worst cases of rap nepotism</strong> below&#8230;<br />
<span id="more-16239"></span><br />
<strong>ARTIST:</strong> FLATLINERZ<br />
<strong>RAP RELATION:</strong> Redrum, nephew of Russell Simmons<br />
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Horrorcore? If you think this shit is scary, don&#8217;t go near any peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. </p>
<p><strong>ARTIST:</strong> RAMPAGE<br />
<strong>RAP RELATION:</strong> Cousin of Busta Rhymes<br />
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/aiVK4SOER10&#038;hl=en&#038;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/aiVK4SOER10&#038;hl=en&#038;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br />
Spliff Starr&#8217;s armpit hair has more personality.</p>
<p><strong>ARTIST:</strong> HARLEM WORLD<br />
<strong>RAP RELATION:</strong> Baby Stase and Blinky Blink, twin sister and brother of Mase<br />
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What is this, the RingDing Bros. Circus? FOH.</p>
<p><strong>ARTIST:</strong> BRAVEHEARTS<br />
<strong>RAP RELATION:</strong> Jungle, Nas&#8217;s brother<br />
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They&#8217;ve had their moments, but two albums&#8217; worth? That&#8217;s a negative, boss.</p>
<p><strong>ARTIST:</strong> LIL E<br />
<strong>RAP RELATION:</strong> Son of Eazy-E<br />
<img src='http://c.complex.com/blogs/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/lileazy.jpg' alt='lileazy.jpg' /><br />
Well, we tried to find an official music video from this dude on YouTube. We really tried. </p>
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