AHH Stray News:Homiez, Pharrell, Fabolous, Hip-Hop Vs. America

Popular "Homie" Hip-Hop figurines are coming to the small screen in a new cartoon series set to debut on LATV, it was announced today (September 10). The network unveiled its fall lineup today and announced it will premiere The Homies Hip-Hop Show, which is based on popular two-inch dolls. Each show will consist of eight to 10 sketches, with a music video. "Creator Dave Gonzales and LATV's Rick Najera take the home-boy neighborhood stereotype and turn it upside down and inside out," said Danny Crowe, president of LATV. "Like some rap lyrics and street art, there is more that meets the eye with these complex and provocative characters." The Homies Hip-Hop Show will air Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. The show will air in over 15 markets across the United States.The Homies have sold over 140 million figures worldwide. The characters will also invade the Nintendo DS, as the "Homie Rollerz" game, which is due in stores in November.

Producer Pharrell Williams has been tapped to score the music for a new advertising campaign being launched by Moet Hennessy. Williams created the music for three commercials, as well as seven Internet spots. The Internet ads will be featured on FlauntYourTaste.com, the campaign's website. "Hennessy, volume wise, has a very urban skew to it," Ewen Cameron told Billboard. Cameron is the CEO of advertising firm Berlin Cameron United, which created the spots. "The urban metro market was evolving and the insight we had was that the new ultimate consumption was taste. Instead of showing off your rims or clothes, it was about showing off the symbols that articulate your taste."

Rapper Fabolous has signed on to appear and perform at the 22nd Annual CollegeFest, an annual exhibition that is expected draw over 15,000 college students this year. Fabolous and The Shop Boyz will appear alongside rock group We Are The Fury and VH1 reality stars Whitestarr. The festival takes place at Boston's Hynes Convention Center on September 22nd and 23rd. “This year’s CollegeFest will offer a multi-sensory experience featuring all the best the city of Boston has to offer,” said Matt Britton, Managing Partner of CollegeFest Promotions. “Our exhibitors have really stepped up their offerings this year to offer maximum value for our student attendees.”

BET will air a three-part special on the state of Hip-Hop music in the series Hip-Hop vs. America. The series is a debate dealing with various issues involving Hip-Hop music and was executive produced by journalist Selywn Seyfu Hinds. "The battle over Hip-Hop lyrics, images and values is the flashpoint of conflict and debate between almost every division within our community -- between men and women, younger and older generations, between economic classes and educational backgrounds," said Reginald Hudlin, President of Entertainment, BET. The series is hosted by Toure and Jeff Johnson and features comments or appearances from rappers and celebrities like Chuck D., Master P., Nelly, T.I., Melyssa Ford, Benny Boom, Stanley Crouch, MC Lyte and others. "Our special relationships with the most important thinkers, icons and leaders in our community allow BET to deliver the most complete exploration of this topic on television." Part I of Hip-Hop vs. America premieres Tuesday, September 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on BET, with the second hour airing on Wednesday, September 26 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT. The third episode with be available on BET's broadband channel.

allhiphop.com