HHNLive.com is proud to announce the addition of Southern hip-hop journalist Randy Roper (a.k.a. Randy Exclusive) and his new column, Other Side of the Block, to HHNLive.com. Randy is a writer residing in Atlanta, GA (via Charleston, SC) and over the past 6 years he has written for numerous hip-hop magazines and websites and currently serves as the music editor for Southern hip-hop publication, Ozone Magazine.

In addition to Ozone, Randy maintains his personal blog, www.writersblockmedia.net where he's not afraid to poke fun at the urban community and hip-hop culture. The Other Side of the Block will provide an alternative look at the music business, hip-hop and pop culture through random rants, comical criticism and partially haterish opinions.

Although he's been a hip-hop head since '81, Randy believes hip-hop died the week Danity Kane outsold Outkast, doesn't understand what Janet Jackson sees in Jermaine Dupri and will trade all his No Limit CDs from '96-'98 for a 12-pack of Coronas. But its nitwitted ideologies like these that make Randy a welcome presence to HHNLive.com.

PUBLICITY STUNT 101

Since the Ozone Awards are only a couple of weeks away, I've been trying to convince Ozone Magazine Editor-In-Chief Julia Beverly that she needs a publicity stunt. (Well, I've also been trying to convince her to give Pimp C the "Madd Rapper of the Year" Award too but so far, no luck). Publicity stunts are pretty much standard when an artist has an album on the horizon, and it usually consists of a) an artist talking reckless in the media, b) an artist getting arrested, c) an artist getting into a fight, or d) a rapper just doing something fucking stupid. And I don't see why it wouldn't work for an awards show.

Rappers talk reckless all the time but when an artist has an album approaching they'll usually kick the shit talking up a notch and find someone to beef with. If you really take a look at Pimp C's tirade last week, it's hard to overlook UGK's new album drops August 7th (yeah, I forgot about that album too). Pimp C publicity stunt? I think yes. Fans have been waiting on UGK's album for so long we just assume it was locked away somewhere with Dr. Dre's Detox. So what easier way to generate buzz for his an album than to callout phony drug dealing rappers, rappers that think they're sexy (no homo), R&B singers, cats that wear Argyle socks and homosexuals in Atlanta.

Fitty Cent is another artist that understands the importance of good fighting words. Curtis has beefed with everyone from Ja Rule to the Game to Fat Joe to Cam'ron (who by the way, ethered his own career with that dumb ass 60 Minutes, I-wouldn't-inform-the-police-of-a-serial-killer comment). With a new album quickly approaching and Kanye West somewhat standing in his way, I expect things between Curtis and the Louis Vuitton Don to get ugly. It won't be long before Curtis sends Tony Yayo to manhandle John Legend after one of Legend's concerts (pause).

Also, as part of his publicity stunt routine, look for Curtis to officially kick Young Buck and Lloyd Banks out of G-Unit but since they can't mooch off Fitty's vitamin water money anymore, it's not like being with the Unit has many privileges. I mean, would you really want to be stuck rockin' G-Unit clothing and sneakers? (I didn't think so). All in all, Curtis has proven to be the master of the publicity stint. The singles from his new album have been lukewarm, to say the least, so I'm pretty sure Curtis has a publicity stunt or two planned in the near future.

Look at T.I. (no, I think it was T.I.P.) as another example. He pimp slapped Ludacris' manager Chaka Zulu and then apologized for it at the BET Awards. Publicity stunt? I think yes. That catfight played right into the T.I. vs. T.I.P. gimmick and helped sucker 468,000 people into coppin' the album first week. Seriously, T.I. probably planned that shit back when he recorded "Watch What You Say To Me." I'm just saying, the fella was waiting on someone in the industry to say something sideways so he could pop them in the mouth.

So if news breaks that the Editor-In-Chief of Ozone Magazine gets arrested in the next few days, just assume she was convinced to go oops up side the head of an unsuspecting victim with her camera, all in the name of a good publicity stunt. I'm sure TJ's DJ's or the guys at MTV2 will bail her out of jail. A woman in jail usually equals street cred (word to Paris Hilton), unless you're Foxy Brown, who usually falls under d) a rapper just doing something fucking stupid.