DX News Bits (Mopreme Shakur, Mary J Blige, MGI)

After news that DJ Vlad would be producing an episode of BET's American Gangster on Mac Dre and the Romper Room Gang [click to read], another Hip Hop personality is producing for the cult-followed series. Mopreme Shakur, most notable for his role in step-brother Tupac Shakur's first group Thug Life, has been enlisted to produce the story of Mutulu Shakur, Mopreme's father, and The Republic of New Afrika.

Mopreme reportedly contacted the show creators, who obliged in helping tell the story of the revolutionary who is presently incarcerated in Colorado for RICO Act charges, bank robbery and assisting the escape of Assata Shakur.

I knew my father isnt the kind of gangster they had been doing stories about, but I thought that if my father suffers from all the consequences of being labeled and incarcerated as a gangster by the system that at the very least he could benefit from his story being told, explained Shakur in his motives for wanting to see the episode air. Im very excited to be working on this episode because my father is an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement and his story should be remembered as a part of American history, so some of the positive things can be known about him and the Shakur legacy.

The episode is scheduled to air in November. Earlier this year, Mopreme worked with Bishop Lamont on the song "Death Before Dishonor" [click to listen].

In other news, Mary J Blige will appear on Sundance Channel's original series Live From Abbey Road tomorrow evening at 10pm EST. Joined by Jazz icon Herbie Hancock, the Yonkers, New York-born songstress will explain her creation methods, along with performances of several of her songs.

Representatives have confirmed that in addition to this intimate interview and rare footage, Blige is confirmed to perform "Just Fine" from her chart-topping recent album Growing Pains.

Lastly, Finland-born producer MGI has lobbied his work on recent G-Unit [click to read] mixtapes to do work for a series of mainstream New York artists. After producing "I'm On It Like That" for Elephant In The Sand [click to listen], MGI recently confirmed to HipHopDX that he has placements on upcoming albums from Hell Rell, 40 Cal and J The S.

Of his mixtape track, one of several featuring Young Buck, MGI said, "Hearing 50 [Cent] and the rest of G-Unit on the [track] was like the planets aligning. I was thinking of 50 while I was making that beat, and it was crazy to actually hear his voice on it a few months later. That's how the game is supposed to work."

Previously, MGI has produced white label singles for 40 Cal, Ghostface Killah [click to read] and Inspectah Deck [click to read].

The success of overseas producers in Hip Hop has been seen previously with The Netherlands' Nicolay [click to read], England's Adam F, Norway's Tommy Tee and Sweden's Soul Supreme.