off-topic

Though Chrisette Michele began her career in the soul realm, most people were first introduced to her distinctive voice through the hooks of hip-hop giants Jay-Z ('Lost Ones') and Nas (she was all over the album 'Hip Hop Is Dead.')

Before her much anticipated debut dropped on Def Jam this June, the ambitious 24-year-old had been singing, writing and composing and touring with neo-soul royalty like India.Arie and Kem. This self-proclaimed church girl goes Off-Topic with us on home cooking, church stories and what it means to be a Sagittarius.

Why did you go with two first names as your handle?

That's my name. Chrissette Michelle Payne is my full name, so I wanted to be who I am and that was my way of doing so.

Right, you didn't want to use your last name.

No, one day it will change so...

What, your last name? Do you plan to be married?

I'm sure. I hope so! One day.

Well, speaking of...now, what would your deacon father say if you brought Muslim home as your fiancé?

Pharoahe Monch began his career on a high note back in the early '90s with Prince Poetry as part of Organized Konfusion. They were hot enough to earn a name for themselves in the land of mighty emcees that was New York circa 1991 (remember 'Who Stole My Last Piece of Fried Chicken'?). But after an amicable split and a huge solo hit (1999's "Simon Says"), Pharoahe faded away from the spotlight, only to reemerge behind the scenes and write for moguls like P. Diddy (Monch penned 'The Future' from Diddy's "Press Play" album).

Monch is back with a new album, 'Desire,' that shows more than a few new tricks he's learned in his nearly decade-long absence from the charts. But who would have guessed that Pharoahe, the rapper's rapper, would have learned any of them from P. Diddy?

The Shop Boyz' smash hit "Party Like A Rockstar" has taken the industry by surprise. No one, the Shop Boyz included, was prepared for the reception a group from the birthplace of crunk music would get from partying like rock stars instead of leaning and rocking with it.

But as you can imagine, the song isn't without its detractors. People have asked if these guys trying to steal rock 'n roll's thunder, or if they're claiming to be rock stars because they've managed to get ONE record in heavy rotation.

It's actually, none of the above.

Carlos Newton (seen here with short locks) is a really nice guy, especially for someone who serves knuckle and knee sandwhiches for a living. But you'd never guess that if you saw any of his footage from the UFC or International Fight League (IFL). Newton, now a coach for the IFL's Dragons, is one of the top grapplers in the world, was UFC middleweight Champion in 2001, developed "Dragon Ball Jiu-Jitsu," his own blend of jiu-jitsu, and has been nicknamed "The Ronin" by fans of his successful stint as a fighter in Japan's Pride Fighting Championships.

So when he came by Black Voices to discuss his love for Missy Elliot, in between meetings where he attended as head architect, I was as surprised as you'll be to read this Off Topic.

Recently G-Unit's Southern general Young Buck came through to spit fire for the debut of AOL Music's 16 Bars. As you'll see in the video, he came prepared -- but so were we. It was only a day after Oprah Winfrey's (who is also from Tennessee, Buck's hometown) now legendary hip-hop round table with Russel Simmons, Kevin Liles, Ben Chavis and Common vs. Stanley Crouch, Jason Whitlock, et al. So After Buck was finished with his verse, I asked him what he thought about the big O and the allegations that his G-Unit partner Tony Yayo got physical with Jimmy "Henchman" Rosemond's 14-year-old son. Lets just say that after a few minutes I believed that he was ready to 'Buck the World.'

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A few weeks back Akon's name was all over the headlines when he claimed to be a polygamist on the Angie Martinez Show. Then Karu Daniels put a spotlight on Akon's mogul side when with his post on Brick and Lace. So when I heard the Senegalese singer had just arrived back in the US from a trip home, I thought it'd be the perfect time to hit him up for Off Topic about the wives and Motorola's Red Phone, among other things.

OT: Hey, what's happening Akon. I hear you're just touching down in the states, back in from Africa.

Akon: Yeah, we're just getting back in.

OT: Ahhh. Were you over there visiting the wives?

Akon: No, actually I've got a foundation that I'm doing over there for the kids. We're building schools and hospitals, and I went up there for the inauguration of the president, he just got re-elected. So he invited us down, along with 35 other presidents from around the continent. And pretty much, we just made our appearance, appreciating the fact that he invited us over, and he made a speech about the impact we had on his re-election, so he was just thanking us for helping him get re-elected.

OT: And what country was that?

Akon: Senegal, in West Africa

OT: Wow. It's interesting how I haven't heard anything about that, but when you drop the comment about the wives it's everywhere.

Akon: Oh no, that was just like a big publicity stunt to get some things shivered up before the album got sold. We were just having fun with that.

OT: But you didn't think it'd promote negative stereotypes about Africans?

Akon: Oh no, I don't believe in negative or positive anything, because at the end of the day all it did was allow people to do more research about who I was. People that never heard of me were like, "Oh yeah, the guy with the wives." And then they'd get on the internet and do a search for me then before you know it all of my stats would pop up and they'd be like, "Oh!" It was pretty cool because it was intriguing enough to make people want to know more about Akon.

R&B's latest young sensation is Motown artist Lloyd, whose single 'You' was already in heavy rotation before he went and got Lil Weezy on the remix. Lloyd recently hosted AOL Music's Top 11 show, and while he was in the building we kicked it about celebrity couples, Bobby Brown, and the meaning of 'Street Love.'

OT: Did you hear about Kelis getting locked up in Miami ?

Lloyd: No, I did not. I don't really follow what's going on. Sometimes I'm so wrapped up in what I'm trying to prove and what I'm trying to accomplish, that I get outta touch with reality.

OT: I hear you. But the first thing that came to mind when I heard the news was poor Nas. First the drama with Carmen's book, and now his new girl has gone wild. Do you think any celeb couple can make it work?

Lloyd: Celebrity couples are hard because we're always traveling, we're always working, and everyone's trying to be the greatest. But I think any relationship can work, as long as the love is there. The hardest relationship is to try to fill someone up, and you give 80% and they only give 20%.

OT: True, but it's different you stars. Normal people have their circles, the boys or the girls, but you've got to deal with the media's all seeing eye adding to whatever doubt there may be ...

Lloyd: You know what though, as long as the trust is there and as long as it's genuine. I say believe none of what you hear and half of what you see.

OT: So, if your boo called you at 2AM from M.I.A asking for bail money, what would you do?

Rich Boy's hit-single 'Throw Some D's On It' has quickly become a hip-hop anthem. It's also a contender for the most remixed song of the year. So when I got Rich Boy on the phone for Off Topic, I had to find out which remix he thought was best.

OT: Why do you think everybody is hopping on your 'Throw Some Ds' beat? I've heard remixes with everybody from Remy Ma, to Sheek Louch to Kanye West ...

RB: I think they hopping on it cuz it just gives you a certain feel. It's a good record, it's one of them records that when they play in the club ten years from now people will be like, "Oh! I remember that joint, that's my jam!"

OT: Have you heard any of those remixes?

RB: Yeah, I heard all of them, they all crazy.

OT: Who ripped it the best?

RB: I'd probably say, on the official remix, Andre 3000

OT: Who's second?

RB: I would say, probably Kanye West did his thang second.

OT: Third?

RB: Third I would say .... Nah, you know what, second I would say Busta Rhymes. You never heard the Busta Rhymes verse?