The way that music is counted on the gold and platinum scale has just been altered for only the 5th time in history. In an attempt to recognize the value of online presence the RIAA will now include On-Demand hits from a number of sources towards sales credits of music.

The previous method change was in 2006, with the addition of  ringtones. Two years before that, digital downloads were included. The now “classic” CDs and cassette tapes added before that which is the standard most of us grew up on. Otherwise, the formula for Gold and Platinum certifications remained largely untouched — 500,000 unit sales for Gold, 1 million for Platinum and 10 million for Diamond.

With so many interviews sounding the same and generic, the folk at  Interview magazine give us Hip Hops current lyrical torch holder Kendrick Lamar getting the questions asked of him from R&B soul icon Erykah Badu. I personally find it to be oh so refreshing when artists interact with each other vs the usual media. Below are is snippet of the conversation. Full Interview link follows.

BADU: What are you trying to achieve as a musician, if anything at all?

No relationship of any value exists without moments of stress but after decades of work its disheartening to see the current position of one of Hip Hops most influential groups. Internal issues have boiled over into public airing out as group front man Treach released the following statement.

“We never wanted to be the groups that couldn’t resolve our issues. Nobody is larger than the group. We always fit [Vinnie] in even if there wasn’t a spot for [him] to fit in. You will never see Vin do a Naughty show [alone], because he can’t. Me and KG [the group's DJ and hit-making producer] can do this for the rest of our lives. I don’t work for nobody. I’ll never say never to nothing, because I’m a business man. For now, Vinnie is on a “grown man timeout.” -Treach

First hosted in London in 2010, the Red Bull Music Academy Culture Clash has gradually become a staple on the international sound clash scene. With previous contestants likeMajor Lazer, Soul II Soul, and SMOG, as well as special surprise guests including Pusha T, the legendary Johnny Osbourne and Usher (doing a counter-action version of “Climax” on the everlasting “Stalag” riddim), Culture Clash is more than just one of the fiercest musical battles around. It’s a celebration of sound system culture and its ongoing influence on hip hop, dancehall and dance music. It’s a rare get-together of different genres and generations. And it’s probably the most entertainment one could cram into a four-hour show. – Via Red Bull Music Academy

With his current Shoes for Running Tour in support of his latest solo album Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors going on Big Boi decides to get tour mate, fellow Dungeon Family member and longtime friend Killer Mike in their time together to add that grimey Killa Kill from the Ville side to the official remix to his already extremely ill & ridiculously sick banging In The A single.  This is also off Trackstar the DJ’s The Shoes for Running Tour mixtape he put together for entertainment purposes that includes a mix of every song the duo has been on as a tandem and is hosted by Mike and Saxxx.

The newest member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the best cover cornerback in the NFL, Darrelle Revis is introduced to the media at his introductory press conference earlier this afternoon after being traded from the New York Jets to Tampa.

The New York Knicks J.R. Smith captured the 2012-2013 Kia NBA Sixth Man Award it was announced earlier today by the NBA, as the league’s best player in a reserve role.

A very deserving award for Smith who led all reserves in scoring with his 18.1 points per game average in all 80 games he appeared in, which were all of the bench.  Smith also had averages of 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals in 33.5 minutes per game to be a big contributor in helping a Knicks squad that went 54-28 to earn the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

T.I. gives us the very amazingly beautiful new video for his latest hit single Memories Back Then, a collabo with Kendrick Lamar and B.o.B. featuring the beautiful and mesmerizing sweet voice of his new Hustle Gang songstress Kris Stephens. The visuals for the lead single off the upcoming Hustle Gang compilation was shot in Los Angeles and directed by PhillyFlyBoy. The beautiful women in the video definitely add a brightening nice element to the visuals that really bring them to life to. Definitely a very well put together record from the versus to the amazing chorus with a deep message that has that true to the core of Hip-Hop feel good vibe you can play over and over with it never getting old. Also arguably one of the greatest Hip-Hop collaborations I ever heard with how great it sounds.

Coming off yet another amazing regular season that say the defending champion Miami Heat win a historic 27 straight games, Kobe Bryant defy age by averaging 27.3 points per game on 46.3 percent shooting with a career-high six assists per game before recently rupturing his Achilles tendon, Kevin Durant put on one of the best shooting performances in NBA history by becoming only the fifth player in league history to shoot at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from beyond the arc and 90 percent from the free throw line we head to this seasons postseason with one that has the possibility to be a memorable postseason.  All that said every NBA and basketball fan should be plenty excited for this years NBA Playoffs and here I will give my best predictions for the upcoming first round series that tomorrow on Saturday April 20th all the way up to the NBA Finals.

Raheem DeVaughn’s very amazingly smooth first single, Love Connection from his upcoming A Place Called Loveland album finally gets the visual treatment. The visuals for the record which he dropped all the way back on Valentines Day, though simple are just as amazing as the actual single itself and just like an old classic R&B video finds the R&B hippie belting out the song over bright lights as his lover films her seductive scenes in the other room before making her love connection with Raheem. You may recognize her as the extremely beautiful as heck and flawless RaeLynn of Los Angeles, who has also been featured in Kendrick Lamar’s Swimming Pools (Drink) video and A$AP Rocky’s F**kin’ Problems video among many. Look out for Radio Raheem’s album to drop in the coming months just in time for the summer and to include many more up-tempo in the bed jams like this that will most definitely be used for many baby making as well.