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It's NOT too late to cop your tickets to this fly show!!! Hit up www.thugawards.com to purchase your tickets. Email jwrite@thugawards.com to inquire about ticket specials and deals!!!

Anybody that knows BRiSON, knows our affinity towards New Orleans, so this was a very tragic weekend for our whole camp! I didn't want to run this until I checked on somebody I know that's very close to BG & the Chopper City Boyz, and regretfully, publicist ChiQ Simms confirmed the news last night. R.I.P. VL Mike, you will forever be one of the REALEST we know! I can't help but think back to the times that I covered the fellas in Break and ODS Magazines, or the numerous parties and events we hit up...make sure you take a moment of silence to reflect on yours and the lost life of VL Mike!

In 1998, local Houston rapper/ CEO Troy “Lil Troy” Birklett broke out of the city’s thriving rap scene with his seminal rap single “Wanna Be A Baller,” pushing his Short Stop Records/ Universal major label debut album Sittin’ Fat Down South to platinum status. Now 10 years and more than one million record sales later, the entrepreneurial genius celebrates a decade of achievements in entertainment and business investments with his tell-all self-help manual The Heat In the Kitchen: Recipe for Success.

Written in cookbook form with ingredients, measurements and step-by-step instructions, The Heat In the Kitchen discloses Troy’s road to stardom and empowers independent artists with the necessary tools needed for success in the music industry.

Through clear, concise and well-written chapters, Troy details how to gain radio play, land distribution deals and build a studio. It offers advice in choosing the right entertainment lawyer and emphasizes the importance of well-written bios, demos, street team promotions, business cards and lyric sheets. He lays out the roles of producers, obtaining royalties and offers the pros and cons of independent verses major label deals.

“I see so many aspiring artists going down the wrong path. Most of them want to rap because of the fame, but the major record labels are taking advantage of them,” says Troy. “We have all of the talent and do all of the work but we are not reaping all of the monetary rewards. I saw a problem with that. This is my solution. Artists need to learn how to make our money work for us, not the other way around.”

Troy lends himself of prime example of music industry self sufficiency. Laying down the independent framework that so many artists follow today, Troy’s music career started almost 15 years ago. Through his label Short Stop Records, he launched the careers of Houston artists his son T2 and rap legend Scarface.

For more info on the book or for contact email: divadend@bellsouth.net

With less than a month left to the hottest awards show to hit the ATL, all I have is one question, WILL YOU BE THERE??? Tickets are on sale now!!! Visit http://www.thugawards.com/ to purchase your VIP and/or General Admission tickets today... Don't miss out on performances by Grand Hustle Allstars, Block Ent, Big Oomp Camp, and much, much more!!!

Everybody's gearing up for the 3rd Annual Dirty Awards, which will take place next Monday at the World Congress Center, so make sure you are not left out of the freshest gear for the Red Carpet & the after parties. Your girl ChiQ & Divadend Entertainment are doing it BIG again, hooking all of the celebs up with the newest threads from today's leading designers. If you missed out on the BET Hip Hop Awards Celebrity Fitting Room, you definitely missed a star-studded occasion blessed with the likes of Block Ent, Crime Mob, Jeremy Miller (CEO of The Source/Down Magazine), DTP, BRiSON Entertainment, and a host of other A & B listers; not to mention, you know how ChiQ balls out for her events-FREE FOOD & DRINKS!!! Today is the last day to RSVP, so if you are hot in the industry right now (& you received your INVITATION...you know how ChiQ Diva get's down), make sure you get in where you fit in on Sunday at Over the Edge.

Thanks to the help of Fox 5 News, Jeff Johnson (from BET's Cousin Jeff Chronicles), and the citizens of NOLA, the 2nd Annual New Orleans Weekend in Atlanta was a great event that extended way past the initial point of UNITY and entertainment...it's was more like community service! With the diva herself, well-known publicist, ChiQ Simms (founder of N.O. Weekend), and yours truly getting our elbows dirty in the service giving out some of the flyest designer threads and lots of school supplies to the children of New Orleans.

Saturday was also the 1st official reading of MY children's book, My Adventure to Safety!!! I am very gracious and appreciative for being asked to be the events' storyteller, and for ChiQ allowing me to do my part in ensuring that our children find refuge after undergoing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The story was definitely well received by the children of New Orleans and they gave lots of feedback on how the rest of their peers would like the book. I think I passed the test...SO THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES OVER for being a part of my special day, and letting me be a part of yours!!! The book is completely published, so be looking for it on the stands very soon!!!

Check out a few pictures from Saturday's Friends and Family Day at Shady Valley Park

It's a classic case of "when you do people right, it alwways comes back around triple fold"...

In recent months the Uptown Comedy Corner in Atlanta, GA has been going though slight difficulties with the lack support from the city, but the crowd came out in numbers this past weekend to see Queen of Comedy Mo'Nique headline a show.

But Mo wasn't just there on the strength, this is one of the spots that gave Mo'Nique her first gig, which at the time Mo'Nique admits only payed $150.00; well we know her bank account is well over that now, but it's great to know that throughout all of her fortune and fame, she is never to big to come and help those who paved the way for her.

"We gotta support our black comedy clubs y'all, or how will we know who the next Mo'Nique or Chris Tucker is?" explained Mo'Nique

There definitely wasn't a problem last weekend, but Mo'Nique is so true! Without getting out there and supporting the comedy clubs, especially our own, we will never know who the next kings and queens of comedy will be. Get out there and support our comedy clubs, and you can start right here in the A at Uptown Comedy Corner 800 Marietta St. Atlanta GA 30318

As we roll around to yet another hurricane season, it's still important to reflect on the past tragedies that have come due to these unexpected natural disasters, and that's exactly what's about to go down in Atlanta. The 2nd Annual New Orleans Weekend is taking place August 24-29 and is sure to be an event that will be remembered for years to come.

New Orleans Weekend 2007 is an event dedicated to celebrate the lives and transitions of each and every N.O. evacuee who's life was turned upside down after Katrina. The weekend will be filled with entertainment, politics, education, and KNOWLEDGE; so make sure you stand up for New Orleans and make this a weekend that will change even more lives than Katrina.

Saturday August 25, 2007 – Day of Presence
We Stand. We Unite. We Matter. Appalled by the lack of progress in the Gulf, New Orleans evacuees stilling living displaced in Atlanta will convene in Shady Valley Park. The purpose of this event is to remind everyone that New Orleans matters. Our gathering, Family Day, symbolizes our unity, commitment and dedication to the rebirth, return and rebuilding of New Orleans. Family Day celebrates the unique music, culture, cuisine and families of New Orleans. Families all over Georgia will convene in Shady Valley Park to grill, boil and fry seafood delicacies, dance to the music and celebrate survival. This event is free and open to the public from 2 – 8 p.m. Bring your entire family out, especially the KIDS! This will be the 1st official book reading of My Adventure to Safety, which is MY children's book about helping children transition after.

Sunday August 26, 2007 – Conversation New Orleans
Black Entertainment Television’s Jeff Johnson will host a champagne brunch and Conversation New Orleans, an in dept discussion that will examine some of the countless challenges that New Orleans and her people continue to conquer daily as well as ways each of us are able to influence progress individually.

Monday August 27, 2007 – Day of Sharing
A helping hand will be given to single mothers from New Orleans who are living displaced in Atlanta. In appreciation of their number one consumer, the urban youth, Gino Green, Phat Fashions, Applebottom and Swagger Clothing Companies have sent boxes of clothing to help offset the expenses associated with returning to school. Young men will be treated to a complimentary haircut by 2 A T Barber Shop and Vaseline products will be distributed as well.

Wednesday August 29, 2007 – Call To Action
Those unable to travel to New Orleans are being urged to participate by contacting their national and state representatives to demand the immediate restoration and betterment of the entire Gulf Coast region and by rallying 10 family members, friends and colleagues to do the same. The toll-free number for the congressional switchboard is (888) 226-0627 or visit www.house.gov and www.senate.gov to locate state representatives.

(Houston, Texas) - Days after the release of an Ozone Magazine article and subsequent radio interviews where rapper Pimp C implicates Russell Simmons of being homosexual, accuses Atlanta artists of stealing their trademark crunk sound from Memphis and shoots verbal slugs at several entertainers, Houston rap pioneer and Short Stop Records owner Lil Troy steps up to respond to the attacks on his character.

At the top of Pimp C’s (born Chad Butler) laundry lists of disrespectful comments, he repeatedly refers to Troy as “Lil bitch-ass Troy” and accuses him of snitching on “the whole Northside of Houston… and put a bunch of people’s daddies, brothers, uncles and sons in the penitentiary.”

“That man is coming after me because I exposed (fellow veteran Houston rapper) Scarface of being a snitch and introducing his friends George Washington Simmons and Byron Keith Harris to the Feds as his cocaine suppliers,” says Troy. “I went to jail because I was illegally pulled over with two kilos in the car.

“That beef was between me and Face. It didn’t have nothing to do with Pimp C. Pimp ain’t even no gangster. I went to jail on drug charges. He got locked up for pulling a gun on a woman in a mall. Is that gangster? You can’t compare your rap sheet to mine.”

The drama all started when Troy released his straight-to-video independent DVD Paperwork in 2006. On the video, Troy shows the federal paperwork which lists Brad Jordan (alias Rap-A-Lot artist Scarface) as being a federal informant and even includes copies of his indictment papers which say the same. Troy also uses old album covers, photos and studio sessions on the video to support these claims.

In addition, Troy recently won a $511,000 lawsuit against Brad Jordan for defamation of character and slander. The case is now in appeal.

A 20-year veteran on Houston’s local rap scene, Troy was actually the first label owner to record Scarface’s first commercial release. Amongst his catalogue of recordings, Troy’s biggest national hit was southern anthem “Wanna Be A Baller,” a single which pushed his 1999 major label debut album Sittin’ Fat Down South to platinum status. But after Scarface publicly called Troy a “snitch” in a videotaped concert and named him as such on Geto Boys’ song “Don’t Talk to Police,” Troy responded to the allegations with his now-infamous DVD Paperwork.

“I didn’t call Face out first. He called me out,” says Troy. “I used the DVD to respond to it. He shot first, so I had to shoot back.”

Now a year and some months later after the DVD’s release, Pimp C publicly responds on behalf of Scarface.

“I’m from Houston, and I still live in Houston. He’s not from Houston, but if wanted to stick his nose in my business or had something to say to me, he could’ve come to me,” says Troy. “I’m not hard to find.”

Along with disrespectful comments about Troy, Pimp implies in the Ozone interview that R&B singer Ne-Yo is gay, claims that Atlanta is not in the south because “Atlanta is on East Coast time” and accuses certain unnamed rappers (fans are guessing Young Jeezy) of turning his back on powerhouse label BMF after drug charges.

“When I came out with my DVD, (Ozone publisher) Julia Beverly did the interview with me but she watered it down. She wouldn’t print the real story about my indictment. She said the paperwork was fake,” explains Troy. “But I’ve seen this all before- divide and conquer. People like her are not from our background. She ain’t from our hoods. She don’t give a damn about our music or our culture or us.

Troy continues, “I’m not talking about race or color. I’m talking about class and struggle. She don’t got love for me, for Scarface or for Pimp C. We both can die, and she wouldn’t lose a wink of sleep. Dead rappers make money. And those people who are outside of our culture make millions off our bloodshed, prison sentences and beefs.”

Troy is now readying the release of his Universal-distributed independent album Sittin’ Fat Down South 2 and lead single “We Swangin’” featuring late Houston martyr Fat Pat, Screwed Up Click alumnus Lil Keke and Troy’s son T2.