This morning, incarcerated rapper Remy Ma was sentenced to 8 years in Manhattan Criminal Court for weapons and coercion charges.
On March 27 a Manhattan jury convicted Remy of first-degree assault, criminal weapons charges and attempted coercion, for shooting her former friend, Makeda Barnes-Jospeh, in the abdomen last July. The two were in a dispute over the rapper’s missing $3,000 that Remy accused the victim of stealing. Remy (born Reminisce Smith) was initially scheduled to be sentenced on April 23, however, Judge Rena Uviller postponed the trial until today, granting the Grammy nominated rapper’s attorney, Ivan Fisher, additional time to properly prepare for the date. Today, Remy wept as she pleaded to the judge. “I stand here today as Remy Mackie,” she said with tears in her eyes, referring to Papoose’s last name. “I’m a loving wife, mother and loving daughter and loving sister to my brothers and sisters.”Remy also addressed Barnes-Joseph. “I apologize for not saving you from your physical and mental scars. Before delivering the sentence of 8 years - 5 for weapons and 3 for coercion charges to run concurrently - the judge gave a statement.

“I’ve learned Remy is an intelligent and charitable young woman,” the judge said. “She’s overcome a difficult childhood. Her music has inspired people in need. She’s loved and has support from her family.”

After the complementary remarks, the judge turned her remarks to accountability.

“This is somewhat of a pattern. This is not the first time she has been engaged in a violent act. She never took responsibility for her actions. This has nothing to do with rap it’s about the actions of one person. Remy is an extremely angry young woman who feels the rules do not apply to her.”

After the sentencing, Papoose got into a shoving match with a court officer. “All y’all want is f*cking money,” he yelled. “This is bullsh*t. Remy is innocent.”

Remy’s mother and others, who had painted Remy on their faces in red, had to restrain Pap.

Remy and her fiancé Papoose were scheduled to wed at Rikers Island yesterday, but after Pap allegedly attempted to smuggle a handcuff key into the jail the ceremony was called off. I guess we will see her in 2016.

For Hip hop to survive the next era, the independent market must become a valid, bankable option for all artists, not just those who are local and lesser known. With major record labels like Def Jam and Interscope seeing less than stellar returns on their projects, more and more artists are being put on the back burner.These major labels will probaly go bankrupt very soon or restructure to ringtone releases only. Artists like the Lox, Beanie Siegel, Freeway, Wu Tang Clan and all of its members, G-Unit and all of its members, anyone who has been foolhardy enough to sign to Bad Boy, and a host of others are being dropped and/or traded between labels like rookie NBA picks. There is little to no stability in the industry. The best bet for artists, whether known or unknown, is to build local support from their area of origin, and then fly out on their own independently.There is no guarantee for artists on major labels, which are not in the business of making careers, as much as they are for making hit records. Recently, the growing success of individuals who choose to go independent is starting to become a temptation for artists starving in the majors. The independent route isn’t a new road. Many artists such as 50 Cent and Soulja Boy have taken to handling their own business to create a buzz. But now, what individuals would do to get the attention of major labels, they may have to do as a final result. Ice Cube for example, independently released his album “Laugh Now, Cry Later” to incredible sells, moving approximately 144,000 copies in its first week.Okay, Papoose is a bust, Saigon is apparently throwing a temper tantrum, ring tone rap is dying down, southern rap and all of its sub genres are losing steam; there is no one else. If you are a fan then support independent artists do not buy 1 single cd from a major label. Find a indie artist and support him. Play his music and share it with your friends. Music sharing and free music is a reality that will not go away. The major labels realized this to late, the major labels are finished. Independent Hip Hop is the future.  

Papoose will be dropping his newest mixtape, “Build Or Destroy,” this Monday.The mixtape features brand new Papoose exclusives as well as the ones recently released. After being dropped from his previous label before he even dropped a official CD. He said he was asked to be let out of his contract because of creative differences with the label heads. So now papoose is back in the indie world. Papoose is the second biggest indie artist in NYC behind new industry giant ST Laz. Papoose has his fan base but we doubt he will ever be anything but a mixtape star,especially when he is still letting played out kay slay do his mixtapes and guide his career. Prove us wrong